The Whip of the God of Basketball

"We should let the ball flow and share it, just like we did at the beginning of the season. We have a good start and I hope we have a good end as well."

During halftime, Phil Jackson encouraged the players in the small locker room. But it doesn't look like the effect is very good.

O'Neal was sitting on a small bench wiping his sweat and complaining about why the air conditioner wasn't turned up. Karl Malone's knee was swollen and had to be iced with a large ice pack. Payton was chewing gum heavily, looking like he didn't care about anything. His expression was uncomfortable.

Kobe looked good, and his performance in the first half ensured that the Lakers clung to the score.

But it is obvious that Kobe lacks the appeal of Jordan. His outstanding performance not only failed to reassure his teammates, but also made people feel alienated.

Because Kobe hardly passed the ball in the first half, the only two assists were a bit of a mistake.

Jackson knocked on the tactical whiteboard helplessly and continued: "The third quarter is a very critical quarter. Everyone, we like to decide the outcome in the third quarter. Coincidentally, the same is true for our opponents. Therefore, we must determine the outcome in the third quarter. Go all out, their defense will be very tight, use your experience, courage and wisdom, and work together to get through the difficult third quarter!"

Jackson's calm and magnetic tone can always stabilize people's hearts, and his words also calmed the Lakers players a little. At this time Malone spoke.

"This will be a very difficult one, but I will persevere to the end. I have persevered for nineteen years and I don't care about this little time."

Malone's words undoubtedly greatly boosted the morale of the Lakers locker room. In this small locker room, everyone gathered around Malone to encourage him.

The intermission ended quickly, and the Lakers players were preparing to play. Before leaving, Jackson grabbed Kobe again and said to him at the door of the locker room: "Pass the ball more and don't be superstitious about your touch."

Kobe glanced at him, smiled and said, "I will get the MVP." After that, he followed his teammates in front.

Hearing Kobe's words, Jackson was worried but also had a glimmer of hope in his heart. Before the finals started, Kobe told Jackson in a heart-to-heart talk that he wanted to win the finals MVP.

In fact, before the start of this season, Kobe expressed to his boss and coach that he wanted to win a regular season MVP of his own. Not only because the existing honors can no longer support Kobe's strength and ambition, but the scandal that lasted for an entire season made Kobe eager to prove himself.

In particular, Phil Jackson once coached Michael Jordan. He asked Jackson more than once how far he was from Jordan.

This kind of ambition and desire finally broke out in the finals. Jackson knew that since he let Kobe take the lead in the Western Conference finals to end the game, the door to Kobe's inner ambition was completely opened.

According to the original plan, Jackson hoped that Kobe could perform better in the more critical third game, and the first two games were still tested with a more conventional style of play.

But there were two things Jackson misjudged. First, he underestimated Kobe's competitiveness. Under the triple pressure of O'Neal, Malone and himself, he still uncompromisingly hoped to get the MVP and refused to give in at all. . Judging from the situation in the locker room just now, Malone's sensational monologue could not impress his firm determination. Perhaps he must think that as long as he gets the MVP, Malone's championship dream will naturally come true.

Second, Jackson underestimated the Celtics' depth and Fox-Leon's patience. Jackson wished that the Celtics would have eighteen squads of weapons at the beginning of the game. A violent beating might be able to bring out the bloodiness and combat effectiveness of the Lakers players.

Unexpectedly, Fox and Leon let Pierce and Kobe play against each other. The scene was beautiful, but there was very little substance. After half a half, the Lakers failed to find out the Celtics' bottom line.

In Jackson's impression, the Celtics' key routines and tactical combinations were not displayed at all, and the two firepower points of Kevin Garnett and Arenas were also not used. The death defense that makes everyone tremble did not appear, and these are likely to pour towards the Lakers in the critical third quarter. .

Thinking of this, Jackson had already returned to the game with the players. The noise of the noisy North Shore Garden Arena made people's eardrums feel vaguely uncomfortable. When he saw the Celtics' lineup in the third quarter, Jackson knew that Kyle The special attack is about to begin.

...........

"Tell me who you are."

"Lagabelle."

"Why are you allowed to start the second half?"

"Block the opponent's attack."

"Whose attack is blocked?"

"The opponent's..."

"Who is the opponent!"

"Kobe..."

"Kobe what!"

"Kobe Bryant!"

"Okay, come on, boy." Before going on the court, on the sidelines of the Celtics, Fox-Leon held Laga Bell's head and asked him the above.

When Bell firmly said the name of the player he was going to face in the second half, Leon punched him in the chest and patted him on the shoulder, and the second half was about to begin.

"Welcome back to the North Shore Garden Arena. The score between the two sides is 51:50. In the first half, the two sides were evenly matched. Kobe and Pierce dominated the half of the game. What changes will happen in the second half? Let's see, the Celtics in the second half There was a change in the starting lineup. Laga Bell replaced Reed at the shooting guard position. This was the lineup the Celtics used in the Eastern Conference Finals. In the first half, I was still wondering about the Celtics' starting lineup. It's different from the Eastern Conference Finals again." Brin also discovered the changes in the Celtics' lineup, and obviously he was not the only one to have such doubts.

On the surface, Bell may be playing to deal with Kobe, but is Bell really a better defender than Reid? Even if Bell is better than Reid, it doesn't mean that he can limit Kobe.

This is what most people think, but Leon obviously thinks more.

The game started, and the Celtics took the lead in attacking. When Reid was not on the court, Arenas became the only engine of the Celtics' backcourt.

"Facing Payton, Arenas circled around on the outside and repeatedly used pick-and-rolls. He found a gap, got inside, and passed the ball to Garnett. Garnett caught the ball and hit a jumper!"

The Celtics took full advantage of the pick-and-roll on their first goal. Garnett and Brown double-blocked Arenas on the outside. Then Brown cut inside, Garnett split to the baseline, and Arenas hit the ball. After the inside line, he chose to give Garnett on the baseline.

Karl Malone obviously couldn't keep up with his legs and feet. Once Garnett was given an opening, his jump shot was unstoppable.

There is no doubt that this kind of offensive routine is the most difficult for the Lakers to defend. Malone's aging and O'Neal's weaknesses that cannot be defended will undoubtedly be amplified against the Celtics.

However, the Celtics almost did not use such a routine throughout the first half, and Phil Jackson only felt his heart sinking.

Looking back, Kobe actually adopted a passing strategy during the offense, but as soon as the ball reached O'Neal's hand, Brown fouled and did not give the Sharks a chance to take action. Anyway, there are Haitians sitting on the bench, and Brown is not worried about his foul problem.

As Payton missed the throw, the Celtics found a chance to counterattack. Garnett got a long pass from the backcourt boss and passed it to Arenas in the frontcourt. Arenas ran wildly with the ball, and Payton simply couldn't. Unable to keep up, he got an easy layup.

At this time, Kobe was ready to do it by himself. He was not even ready to try another pass because the point difference had become 5 points, a very dangerous gap.

"Kobe was holding the ball, on the right side, facing Bell one-on-one. The Celtics did not double-team. Bell was constantly interfering with Kobe. Kobe tried to get rid of it and made a fadeaway jumper. The ball missed, and Garnett got the rebound. Another fast break..."

While talking, Arenas reached the frontcourt with the ball again. He received Garnett's long pass and did the same, but this time Payton couldn't let him go for a layup easily. He would rather foul than pull Arenas down. .

However, this did not hinder the Celtics' scoring momentum. Arenas made two free throws and the point difference opened to seven points.

When the Lakers switched offense again, Kobe took the initiative to ask for the ball from Payton. Malone was about to come up for a pick-and-roll, but Kobe waved at Malone and said, "Get out of the way, I want a one-on-one!"