Coach: Coaching the Grizzlies at the beginning, playing the bantam

When the whistle sounded to end the first quarter, the entire Staples Center seemed to be shrouded in a heavy haze.

The atmosphere on the Lakers' bench was bleak and everyone's face was filled with frustration and helplessness.

The Big Three - LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Wall - have lost their former sharpness and confidence in their eyes, and are replaced by an unconcealable sense of frustration.

Head coach Vogel sat aside with a frown on his face and drooping mouth. His face, which was usually full of tactical wisdom, looked particularly ugly at this moment.

Tonight is the Lakers' last chance to win this season and also the most likely victory.

Playing at home, the referee's whistle seemed to be on their side.

The Nets' main players Brunson and Cousins ​​were sent off by the referee for consecutive fouls less than half a quarter into the game.

This should have been the best opportunity for the Lakers to seize the opportunity and secure victory in one fell swoop.

However, reality gave them a resounding slap in the face. At the end of the first quarter, the Lakers were still lagging behind.

Even with the referee's obvious favoritism and the "advantage" of 5 against 8, they were unable to seize the opportunity, which made every Lakers player feel extremely heavy.

Coach Vogel looked at the scene before him and felt an indescribable despair in his heart.

He knew what this game meant to the team and how much pressure the players were under at the moment.

But he can't give up, and he can't let the players lose confidence.

So he stood up and tried to make his voice sound firm and powerful: "Listen to me, everyone, the game is not over yet! We still have a chance, and we still have a chance to overtake the score in the second quarter. We can't give up like this, we can't let the fans down, and we can't let ourselves down!"

However, Vogel's words did not seem to have much effect.

The players were still dejected, with empty eyes.

Seeing this, Vogel felt helpless, but he knew that he couldn't give up like that.

He gritted his teeth and continued: "I know everyone is frustrated now, but this is not our Lakers style. We are a resilient team. We have faced countless difficulties, but we have overcome them one by one. Tonight, we are no exception!"

As soon as Vogel finished speaking, James slowly stood up.

There was a flash of determination in his eyes, as if at this moment, he had regained his omnipotent self on the court.

He took over Vogel's words, his voice low and powerful: "Everyone listen to me, we can't give up like this. This game is too important to us, we can't let victory slip away. Next, we have to play well and try our best for every ball. We have to let the Nets know that even if they have two main players out of the court, we can't be defeated so easily!"

James' words seemed like an invisible force, infusing into the hearts of every Lakers player.

They began to raise their heads gradually, and fighting spirit was rekindled in their eyes.

Seeing this, Vogel also took the opportunity to continue to encourage: "Yes, that's it! We must play with our momentum and our style. No matter what the result is, we must try our best and leave no regrets!"

With the encouragement of Vogel and James, an indomitable spirit began to permeate the Lakers bench.

Confidence and determination gradually returned to the players' faces. They knew that the next game would be a tough battle, but they were ready.

In the last minute before the start of the second quarter, there was silence in the Lakers locker room.

Everyone is silently adjusting their status and preparing to meet the next challenge.

Coach Vogel stood in the middle of the locker room, his eyes flashing with determination: "Remember, basketball games are full of variables. As long as we stay calm and stick to the tactics, we will definitely have a chance to turn the tables. Now, let us go to the court together and tell everyone with our actions that the Lakers will never give up a game easily!"

As Vogel finished speaking, the Lakers players stood up one after another, their eyes full of fighting spirit and determination.

They knew that the next game would be a life-and-death battle, but they were fully prepared.

On the other side, on the Nets' bench, the atmosphere was in stark contrast to that of the Lakers.

Here, there is no frustration, no helplessness, only smiling faces.

Although they encountered crazy targeting from the referee in the first quarter, and two main players Brunson and Cousins ​​fell into foul crisis early and had to go off the court to rest, even so, the Nets still withstood the pressure and firmly suppressed the Lakers in the first quarter.

"Haha, it seems the Lakers really need the help of the referee to win!" Brunson sat on the bench and teased the Lakers' performance.

There was a confident smile on his face, as if he had already seen victory in the game.

"Yes, but we can't take it lightly." Durant nodded, his eyes revealing a firmness, "The Lakers are not so easy to defeat, we still need to keep working hard."

"That's right, Kevin." Porzingis patted Durant on the shoulder and agreed, "But we can't ignore our own strength. Tonight, we want to let the Lakers know that even if the referee favors them, we can win this game!"

Mitchell also joined the discussion: "Yes, we are a team. As long as we unite as one, nothing is impossible. Moreover, we also have Rose, a veteran with an everlasting sword!"

Speaking of Ross, everyone turned to look at him, their eyes full of admiration.

In the last attack of the first quarter, Rose extended the lead to 4 points with a buzzer-beating jump shot. His performance was undoubtedly a highlight of the Nets.

“Haha, I feel a little embarrassed by what you said.” Ross scratched his head with a smile, “But to be honest, we do have a chance to win this game. The referee’s targeting will only make us more united and more motivated.”

Looking at the players chatting and laughing to relieve stress, head coach Lu Yong smiled lightly and felt very relieved.

He knows that such an atmosphere is very important for the team.

So, he stood up and called the players together, his face became serious. "Okay, everyone, be quiet." Lu Yong's voice rang out on the bench, and he looked around at his players, "I know you are all very excited now, but we still have a long way to go. The referee has been targeting us. They want the Lakers to win tonight, so we must slap the Lakers in the face tonight, and slap the referee in the face!"

As soon as Lu Yong finished speaking, applause and cheers broke out from the bench.

The players nodded in agreement, their eyes full of fighting spirit and determination.

"The next games will definitely be more difficult." Lu Yong continued, "The Lakers will not give up so easily, they will definitely fight back with all their might. But we must remember that no matter what difficulties we face, we must stick to our own rhythm and tactics."

"We have to prove our strength to everyone." Lu Yong's voice became more firm and powerful. "The more the referee doesn't want us to win, the more we have to win this game! We want everyone to know that the Nets are a force that cannot be underestimated!"

"Yes! We are going to win this game!" Brunson waved his fist and shouted.

"That's right! We are going to lift the championship trophy!" Durant also stood up, his eyes flashing with desire for victory.

"Let's cheer together! For the Nets! For victory!" Porzingis, Mitchell and Rose also stood up, their voices intertwined to form a powerful wave of sound.

With Lu Yong's encouragement and the players' joint determination, an indomitable spirit permeated the Nets' bench.

They know that the next game will be a tough battle, but they are fully prepared.

They want to use their strength to prove to everyone that the Nets are an invincible force!

Everyone is silently adjusting their status and preparing to meet the next challenge.

Lu Yong stood in front of the players, his eyes flashing with determination: "Remember, a basketball game is a game of strength and psychology. As long as we stay calm and are not disturbed by our opponents, we have a chance to lock in victory. Now, let us use our actions to tell everyone that the Nets will not bow to any injustice!"

As Lu Yong finished speaking, the Nets players stood up one after another, their eyes full of fighting spirit.

They want to use their strength to prove to everyone that the Lakers are just clowns.

When the Nets players walked back to the court, the whole stadium was boiling again.

The cheers and shouts of the fans intertwined together, forming a powerful wave of sound, as if cheering for the Nets.

.........

On the other side, in the grandstand box, two Lakers legends, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, sat upright, their eyes fixed on the big screen on the court, which showed the score after the end of the first quarter.

Their expressions were very serious, as if they could feel every bit of tension in the game.

The relaxed atmosphere that should have existed in the box was now gone, replaced by a depressing silence.

Both of them understood what this game meant to the Lakers, and the score they were seeing now was undoubtedly a huge blow.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the first to break the silence. He whispered, "It's incredible. The resilience shown by the Nets in this game is simply unbelievable. They were able to lead the Lakers at the end of the first quarter despite being targeted by the referee. This kind of opponent is really too desperate."

Magic Johnson nodded, his eyes revealing a deep worry: "Yes, I originally thought that the Lakers could easily win this game and avoid being swept in the finals. But now it seems that we still have a long way to go before that game."

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sighed and continued, "Indeed, the Nets' performance was beyond my expectations. Their main players were targeted by the referee and fell into foul crisis early on, but even so, they still withstood the pressure and showed great strength."

"Yeah," Magic Johnson shook his head. "Although the Lakers had the help of the referees, the strength of the Nets obviously exceeded our expectations. It will not be easy for the Lakers to win this game."

Both of them fell into deep thought, their eyes filled with deep fear of the Nets.

As Lakers legends, they naturally hope that the Lakers can win this game, but now it seems that the Nets have shown far more ability than the Lakers.

"We have to admit that the Nets are a very strong team," Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said slowly. "Their tactics are well executed and the players cooperate very well. More importantly, they have an indomitable spirit and can persevere to the end no matter what difficulties they face."

Magic Johnson nodded in agreement: "Indeed. Moreover, we cannot ignore the head coach of the Nets. His tactical arrangements and player scheduling are excellent, allowing the Nets to always maintain an advantage in the game."

The two continued to discuss the game, their tone full of praise and disbelief for the Nets.

They understand that this game is a huge challenge for the Lakers, and the strength shown by the Nets also makes them very worried.

"We have to find a way to help the Lakers." Kareem Abdul-Jabbar suddenly said, his eyes revealing a firm determination, "As legends, we can't just watch the Lakers lose this game."

Magic Johnson also nodded and agreed: "You are right. We must come up with a countermeasure to help the Lakers regain their form in the next game and try to win this game."

The two began a heated discussion and put forward various possible countermeasures and suggestions.

Although they know that this game is very difficult for the Lakers, they still firmly believe that as long as the Lakers can unite as one and play to their strengths, they will have a chance to win the game.

However, as time went on, the two of them failed to come up with any solutions.

The atmosphere in the box became more and more tense, and the expressions of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar became more and more serious.

"It seems that this game is really not easy to play." Jabbar sighed, his tone full of helplessness.

Magic Johnson also nodded, his eyes revealing a deep worry: "That's true. But we can't give up hope. As long as the game is not over, the Lakers have a chance to turn the tables."

The two continued to watch the game silently, their hearts full of expectations and blessings for the Lakers.

Although they knew that this game would be very difficult for the Lakers, they still hoped that a miracle could happen. (End of this chapter)