NBA: Yao Ming at his peak returns to his rookie season

Kobe, upon landing, gave Yao Ming a fierce glare and habitually picked up his jersey.

That goal was pure luck.

Yao Ming's timely intervention was crucial.

That's the defensive instinct only top-tier centers possess.

This is the accumulation of experience and strength.

Kobe was one of the very few super scorers who dared to shoot even without vision, which came from years of crazy practice.

Although they played for opposing teams throughout their careers, Yao Ming never hesitated to express his admiration for Kobe Bryant.

A brief intersection.

Yao Ming and Kobe Bryant almost simultaneously sensed each other's incredibly strong basketball foundation. Their previous encounter wasn't about talent, but about having a solid foundation.

Rockets' turn.

When Yao Ming moved into the low post, the unlucky Samakko suddenly lost all vision.

This unfortunate kid felt that facing Yao Ming was no different from playing Shaq in a practice game; he couldn't beat him either way, and he would be completely crushed.

The Lakers were forced to run around frantically.

They didn't give Francis the chance to pass the ball inside; they left him two steps out, defending the pass but not Francis's shot.

Playoff-level defense made things even more difficult for Francis, whose passing was already mediocre.

If he can shoot a 3-pointer.

That would probably be a great opportunity to attack.

Unfortunately, Francis's three-point shooting percentage was only around 30% this season. To put it bluntly, he wasn't even as accurate as Yao Ming. He really didn't dare to embarrass himself.

Kobe was so persistent that Francis was forced to pass the ball out.

Mobley received a pass from Francis.

Finally, there's a ball.

Mobley harbored some resentment towards Francis. After Olajuwon retired, he and Francis became the future of the Rockets, and the two were also best buddies.

But ever since Yao Ming came to the team.

Mobley thinks Francis is a jerk.

He's getting fewer and fewer balls.

Mobley received the ball with a familiar feeling, and just as he was about to attempt a breakthrough, Robert Horry suddenly came into position to defend him.

Robert Horry is very strong defensively on the flanks.

The discovery of Mobley's tragedy left him little time.

He forced a shot.

The basketball flew out of bounds perfectly, and Mobley was forced to throw a shot that missed completely.

"You should have given the ball to Yao Ming. He came out and got into position." Francis shouted excitedly as he retreated on defense.

I need some peace and quiet! Don't say anything.

Mobley certainly saw Yao Ming getting into position, but he was almost at the three-point line. At this point, wouldn't Mobley lose face by passing the buck?

Offense and defense transition

The Lakers' offense remains sharp, but the Rockets' defense is also quite good now. With a dominant center anchoring the paint, the Rockets' defense has returned to its classic 1-4 style.

Another shot misses.

Yao Ming easily grabbed the rebound.

Yao Ming has 4 rebounds now.

Samak did put less pressure on Yao Ming; with Yao's footwork and mobility, he could only watch as Yao grabbed the rebound.

Yao Ming didn't expect that rebounds would be so much easier to get than points these days.

This game didn't even have a decent inside player, so the game didn't trigger a kill.

Yao Ming immediately passed the ball to Francis, and the Rockets launched a counterattack.

This time, Yao Ming received the ball high up the court.

Traditional center forwards typically initiate attacks primarily from the penalty area.

The Lakers had no answer for this high-post ball possession.

Taking advantage of the tactical differences, Yao Ming easily received the ball, which made things difficult for Kobe Bryant. As the Rockets moved around the court, Kobe was switched to defend behind Yao Ming.

Kobe couldn't see anything at all and could only desperately try to block the position.

They have a great defensive instinct.

With Kobe blocking Yao Ming's path so effectively, theoretically Yao Ming shouldn't be able to get back into the paint.

But Yao Ming doesn't need to go back.

The Lakers' defense focused on Francis's side, but Yao Ming had excellent vision, grabbing the ball and throwing it to Mobley, who was sneaking towards the basket.

That shot was perfectly angled.

Even Mobley, a star who rarely shows off his skills, leaped up and caught the ball in mid-air for a spectacular 360-degree dunk!

"Oh my god!" Kenny Smith in the studio yelled, grabbing Barkley's suit jacket. "That was a fucking beautiful pass! Precise, brilliant! I haven't seen a pass like that in ages!"

Let me go!

I'm about to be strangled to death, but I'm not blind yet!

Barkley rolled his eyes at the sight, but he knew Kenny Smith was right.

Attack, defense, positioning, and rebounding.

Yao Ming is everywhere; he performs exceptionally well in every position!

The Rockets with Yao Ming and the Rockets without him are now gradually becoming two different teams.

This is an early sign of a superstar awakening.

The Rockets' overall strength has increased significantly because of Yao Ming, and they are gradually putting pressure on the Lakers!

The last part of the first section.

Samak could no longer hold on.

With his weight, he was assigned to constantly defend Yao Ming. One possession felt like an entire game, so he had to be substituted. The Lakers didn't even have a center left, and could only use a 206cm power forward to fill the position.

They were utterly thrashed by Yao Ming.

The Los Angeles fans were silent.

The game began to unfold in a way that no one had anticipated.

Yao Ming has improved too quickly.

Since the last game, Yao Ming seems to have unlocked his full potential.

In the first six games, Yao Ming barely managed to be a rotation player, but starting from the seventh game, his performance suddenly became remarkable, proving himself a worthwhile substitute center.

Yao Ming's performance right now is definitely at the core level!

In the second quarter, Coach Tomjanovich brought Cato back onto the court.

First, Yao Ming's training intensity was too high in one quarter, and as a rookie, it would be better for him to rest and reflect. Second, Coach Tomjanovich is also considering the possibility of Yao Ming teaming up with Cato.

Yao Ming's talent is too great, and Cato can no longer contain him. However, Cato himself is also an excellent inside player, and it would be a pity to give him up.

The twin-tower strategy was very popular before 2000.

If the tactics work, the Rockets might go even further this year.

At the start of the second quarter, Francis committed a foul in a defensive exchange with Robert Horry.

Then the Rockets lost their rhythm.

Cato's partnership with Francis, who plays point guard, was ineffective.

Without Yao Ming, the Rockets reverted to their original style of play, and Cato couldn't keep up with Francis's pace, always just following behind.

Being a defender with a physique strong enough to rival Shaq doesn't seem like a problem, yet it's a problem at every turn.

The Lakers don't have Shaq right now.

Cato's performance was quickly reduced to back-and-forth runs, and the score was almost tied after Kobe hit two consecutive three-pointers.

Three minutes later, the Rockets were forced to make a substitution.

Cato's condition was even worse when he returned this time.

Morris, on the bench, was sweating profusely.

Morris suddenly realized that Yao Ming was no longer threatening his position as the third center, but was about to eliminate Cato from the team.

Yao Ming's mentality is very stable upon returning to the court.

He's a seasoned pro.

He had heard the boos and cheers from the fans so many times that they were not much different.

So on the first possession after the return, Yao Ming received the ball at the high post, and Horry frantically grabbed the ball and drove to the basket.

With just two steps, Yao Ming successfully launched himself into the air and dunked.

"You fucking blocking him!" That was Kobe's roar!

Come on, if you dare!

This is Robert Horry's heartfelt sentiment.

Yao Ming wasn't physically imposing, but that was against muscular centers like Shaquille O'Neal and Ben Wallace.

How much does Robert Horry weigh?

Yao Ming charged at him with the ball, and the earth shook so badly that Robert Horry couldn't even stop him.

He was afraid that Yao Ming would dunk on him along with the ball, ending the game prematurely.

Kobe took a couple of breaths to calm down.

They decisively changed their strategy, having the inside players try to create distance for Yao Ming.

They ended up fighting for several rounds.

It's completely useless.

Yao Ming is one of the league's least afraid of wide-open interior players. What he fears are pure stretch bigs who stretch to the three-point line and don't give him a chance to get back into position.

The Lakers simply don't have that kind of ability.

At most, they can pull Yao Ming out of the three-second zone.

That doesn't matter at all; Yao Ming's straight-arm shot and hook shot cover it all.

Finally, during one of his attacks, Madsen was knocked flying.

Yao Ming also received his first foul and very honestly raised his hand.

Yao Ming has a certain aura.

It gives people two completely different qualities: honesty and domineering.

Just as fans were speculating about how Yao Ming would play next...

"Yao Ming has left the court!"

"How is that possible?! Wasn't the big guy Zheng Yong fighting?"

On the Rockets' bench, Yao Ming sat next to Coach Tomjanovich.

"How does it feel? Feeling invincible on the court for the first time?"

Tang Shuai was all smiles on the bench.

Scratching his hair, Yao Ming said in a low voice, "It's alright, I've just been experiencing the game, I don't really feel anything."

He remained very humble and focused.

The elderly Tang Shuai felt somewhat relieved.

Maybe we still have enough time?