Chapter 302: Chapter 79: [Put Me In]
Lakers starters: Gary Payton, Kobe Bryant, Devin George, Karl Malone, Shaquille O’Neal.
Pacers starters: Su Xi, Reggie Miller, Artest, Little O’Neal, Foster.
"I’m going to walk all over you to win that championship."
Before the game, Karl Malone made a point of walking over to Su Xi. He said viciously, "And then I’ll shove that ’championship curse’ right in your face."
Malone didn’t like Su Xi, and he especially hated how the media had recently branded him "championship poison," spreading rumors that he was cursed.
"Fucking idiot."
Su Xi replied to Karl Malone in Chinese.
The referee blew his whistle, and the game began.
Shaquille O’Neal and Foster faced off for the opening tip.
This was a high-stakes, pivotal game. If the Lakers won, they would tie the series 2-2, and the momentum would completely shift in their favor, giving them control.
If the Pacers secured this victory, they would reach match point, pushing the Lakers to the brink of elimination.
As things stood, neither team could afford to lose.
The battle began with the opening tip.
Both O’Neal and Foster gave it their all contesting the tip. O’Neal’s fingers got to the ball first, but just as he tapped it back, Foster’s hand grazed it as well.
The ball’s trajectory changed. Su Xi shot out like a bolt of lightning, getting ahead of Gary Payton to tap the ball to Artest.
Artest secured the ball and immediately passed it to Su Xi.
Su Xi caught the pass.
As soon as he crossed half-court, Kobe Bryant stepped up to guard him.
Who was the Lakers’ best perimeter defender?
Kobe Bryant.
Who had the best stamina on the Lakers?
Kobe Bryant.
Who was the fiercest competitor on the Lakers?
Kobe Bryant.
That was why Phil Jackson had assigned Kobe Bryant to guard Su Xi.
It was a strategy that killed two birds with one stone. For one, by having Kobe expend a huge amount of energy on defense, he would be more restrained on offense, allowing the O’Neal-centric game plan to run more smoothly.
For another, the Pacers’ most dangerous player was Su Xi. If Kobe could drain his stamina, how could the Pacers possibly win?
Although moving Kobe to defend the point guard weakened the defense at the two and three spots, a fresh Gary Payton could handle Artest. And Devin George’s hustle was enough to contain some of Reggie Miller’s offensive firepower.
Phil Jackson was pleased.
His gaze was fixed on Kobe, who was giving his all to hound Su Xi.
Even though he strategically sided with O’Neal in the internal rivalry with Kobe, it didn’t stop him from appreciating the diligent, obsessive, and tenacious guard. He had watched the kid grow, step by step. At first, everyone thought the comparisons to Jordan were laughable; their physical gifts were just too different.
But now, everyone had to acknowledge him. Even when arguing that Kobe wasn’t as good as Jordan, they still had to admit his technical skills were on par with Jordan’s. Even Jordan himself said as much.
Hard work always earns respect.
Unlike most players drafted out of high school, Kobe’s defense was excellent.
He wasn’t just cutting off Su Xi’s angles of attack; he was disrupting his offensive rhythm.
After a couple of probing dribbles, Su Xi called for Little O’Neal to come set a screen. He used the pick to quickly drive past his defender.
Kobe recovered quickly, and Karl Malone’s help defense was timely, but it wasn’t enough to stop Su Xi’s lightning-fast drive. He sliced into the paint with surgical precision and came face-to-face with Shaquille O’Neal.
Shaquille O’Neal was surprisingly a little nervous.
It had been many years since he’d felt nervous facing a guard.
He lowered his center of gravity slightly, bracing himself for Su Xi’s drive to the hoop.
But as Su Xi drove toward the basket, he suddenly stopped short. The move made O’Neal’s momentum carry him forward. The moment O’Neal overcommitted, Su Xi drove past him. It was a deceptively slow-looking move, but it completely left O’Neal behind and used his massive frame to screen Kobe, who was trailing the play.
Su Xi got to the rim and calmly finished with a reverse layup.
The rhythm of the play was perfect, a mix of fast and slow that completely exploited Shaquille O’Neal’s forward momentum and massive body.
Kobe was frustrated; he was disappointed with O’Neal’s defense on that play. He believed that if O’Neal had just stood his ground, Su Xi would have had nowhere to go.
But the game moved in a flash. Who could guarantee every single one of their movements would be perfect?
This was what the Shark hated most about Kobe. He was always so demanding.
Down at the other end, O’Neal got the ball and went to work in the post. He barreled past Foster and, despite help defense from Little O’Neal, threw down a powerful dunk.
After the dunk, he stomped around the court in an arrogant, dominant swagger.
The crowd at the Staples Center erupted in cheers.
O’Neal spread his arms wide, showcasing his dominance.
In his mind, giving up a basket on defense was no big deal; he would just get it back on offense.
Su Xi and Kobe both sighed at the same time. They were both frustrated by the situation, though for completely different reasons.
The game continued. Kobe kept hounding Su Xi, determined to wear him down.
It was a strategy carried out in plain sight.
Everyone knew the Lakers’ intent.
Whether they knew basketball or not.
But Su Xi showed no fear, nor did he pass the ball off to a teammate. He called for another screen and drove to the paint once more.
