I've been playing in the NBA for three years, and this system is only now showing up?

Chapter 102: The Prelude to Internal Strife within the Lakers! Who's the boss, who's second, and who's third? [Please Subscribe]

Tonight, the Spurs were almost single-handedly defeated by him! Even when Duncan went all out, he couldn't snatch the victory from his grasp.

This is the Spurs at their peak and Duncan at his peak!

The timeout ended, and both sides brought in role players for the final few seconds of the game!

116: 103!

When the final buzzer sounded, the Lakers defeated the Spurs by 13 points!

After the game ended, Wilmarcus immediately exclaimed, "An absolutely fantastic game! Although there wasn't a game-winning shot, the intensity of this game was definitely the highest of this playoffs!"

「双方的球星都打出了最顶级的水準！邓肯40分23篮板7盖帽7助攻！他几乎轰下4双！但可惜比赛最后时刻的3次出手全部打铁。」

Smith said, "The biggest reason the Spurs lost was that his teammates didn't provide enough support! Even though David Robinson scored 16 points tonight..."

He grabbed 8 rebounds, but only made 7 of 19 shots; for an inside player, this efficiency is simply too poor.

"Daniels, who scored 20 points, had a good performance. His superb play was an important reason why the Spurs were able to keep the game suspenseful. But apart from these three, no one else on the Spurs scored more than 5 points. Their pride in their roster depth did not play an advantage at all tonight."

"Especially Derek Anderson, tonight he only scored 4 points from 4 free throws, 0 points from the field! He's considered the Spurs' third option this season, but playing like this is truly terrible!"

"Especially when compared to the opposing team's third option—Lin scored 55 points and grabbed 7 rebounds tonight! And he only had 6 free throw attempts! Lin barely even entered the paint tonight!"

"He completely shut down the Spurs with his mid-range and three-point shooting! His accuracy was absolutely terrifying!"

"I'm curious, what will the Spurs do in the next game? Will they continue to defend Lin like this?"

Wilmarcus said, "I have to correct you. It's hard to say who's the third option and who's the second option between Lin and Kobe! Their importance to the team—"

Wilmarcus was halfway through his sentence when Smith suddenly kicked him under the table.

Smith couldn't understand whether his partner was a fan of Lin or a hater of the lake.

At this point in the playoffs, with a commentator broadcasting live across the US, what are you talking about regarding teams being second or third?

They're really not afraid of the Lakers getting into trouble, and they're really not afraid that the Lakers will cause unpleasantness over something so trivial at this time!

Even if Kobe and Lin Ze can't hear what you're saying, countless fans across the United States can, and hundreds of media outlets can hear it. Once they hear it, they'll start discussing it, and the topic will definitely reach the Lakers' ears, which will more or less affect the team's atmosphere and unity.

Wilmarcus clearly realized he had said the wrong thing, but it was too late. He couldn't take back what he had said, so he could only quickly change the subject and continue talking about Lin Ze's performance that night.

But what Wilmarcus didn't expect was that his words reached Lin Ze and the others' ears much faster than he had imagined!

He originally thought it would take at least a day or two for the Lakers players to find out, but he clearly underestimated the American media's keen sense of smell.

At the press conference immediately following the game, Jackson brought Lin Ze, who scored 55 points, and Kobe Bryant, who scored 21 points and kept Anderson from making a single field goal.

After the perfunctory part was over, the reporters couldn't wait to get to the point.

"Congratulations on your 55 points, Lin. Do you consider yourself the Lakers' second-best player now?"

Jackson frowned as soon as the question was asked.

Asking this kind of question at this point in the playoffs? That's clearly trying to sabotage the event!

Fortunately, the question was directed at Lin Ze, not Kobe. If it had been Kobe, Jackson couldn't even imagine what Kobe would have said.

If a reporter asked Kobe this question, Jackson would definitely interrupt, make jokes, and change the subject; in short, he wouldn't let Kobe answer it.

But Jackson was much more at ease with Lin Ze.

"Of course I'm not the team's number two." Faced with the reporter's malicious question, Lin Ze gave his answer without hesitation.

This answer greatly pleased Jackson!

See? It's true that your own inner circle is the most reliable!

I felt wronged answering this question today. I need to think of a way to make amends when I get back. I must make amends properly!

Just as Jackson was about to get to the point, first praising Lin Ze and then the others, and then quickly end the topic, Lin Ze's next sentence almost made Jackson spit out his water.

"I am the boss of this team! This is my team, and I am the team leader!" Lin Zeyi said solemnly and earnestly.

After a moment of stunned silence, the reporters below immediately became excited!

Here they come! Here they come!

Why did Shaq leave Orlando back then? Wasn't it because the team and Hardaway both thought he, Shaq, was just a supporting player?

Now, does Lin Ze think so too?

Will O'Neal still leave? Or will he take responsibility for this?

Exciting! No matter what O'Neal chooses, it's going to be incredibly exciting!

A group of people eagerly raised their hands, hoping to be the first to ask a question.

The league officials, however, remained quite calm, casually pointing to someone and indicating that he could begin asking questions.

"So, does O'Neal know about this? Does he acknowledge you as the team's number one player? Has he said anything about it?"

"Whether he knows it or not is irrelevant. What's important is that he's almost let Duncan get a quadruple-double. How dare he argue with me?"

"But what we mean is—"

"Alright, I know what you mean." Lin Ze then took out his phone: "I'll call Shaq and ask for you. Isn't that enough?"

"Hey Shaq, a reporter just asked who our number one person is, and I said it's me. Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, you are the team's number one player." O'Neal on the other end of the phone was equally decisive: "You're the best player in the league, you're the GOAT! You're the strongest in the universe!"

"Okay, thank you for your honesty." Lin Ze hung up the phone and looked at the reporters: "That's it, write it like that. Shaq said Lin is the GOAT of the league and the strongest in the universe."

Ah, this—

The reporters looked at each other, thinking, "What's the point of writing this?!"

What they want are some serious reports, real rumors of insider deals, power struggles and the like!

"Like this," Lin Ze said, seeing the reporters' dissatisfaction, and pulled Kobe aside, "Do you consider yourself the leader of this team? Do you think you're the most important person on this team?"

"I believe I am." Kobe wasn't entirely without a sense of humor, so he nodded and said, "And I think I'm the strongest in the universe."

Good guy!

The reporters were like, "Wow, you asked two questions and it turned out like you've got two Friezas, huh?"

"Kobe said he's the strongest in the universe, and Shaq thinks I'm the strongest in the universe. So now the pressure is on Phil. Come on, Phil, tell him..."

Who do you think is the strongest in the universe? Your vote is crucial!

"Then I'll vote for myself." Jackson had already understood what Lin Ze meant.

Instead of trying to find ways to cover up the problem and answering cautiously, it's better to just talk nonsense.

Jackson then added, "Besides, I still think I'm the best head coach in the universe, and next time I'll consider coaching on the moon."

"This is bad," Lin Ze said. "Now I'm tied with Kobe. As for Phil, ignore him. He doesn't know anything about basketball. I think Popovich is the best coach in the universe. After all, Popovich is the only coach who helped me score a career-high 55 points."

"Phil's tactics have never allowed me to score this many points! I was able to score so many points tonight entirely thanks to Popovich! I hope he continues to implement this defensive strategy in the next game, and continues this kind of defense!"

"I will be truly grateful to him; I would even treat him to a meal for this!"

When the conversation reached this point, the reporters knew they wouldn't get any bombshells from the person involved tonight. Lin Ze was clearly determined to play the rogue to the end, so the reporters had no choice but to change the subject and ask other questions.

Then, as the press conference officially ended and Lin Ze and the others left to return to the locker room, Kobe suddenly turned to Lin Ze and asked, "Who do you think is the second-in-command of this team?"

"You," Lin Ze said without even turning to look at Kobe, "or Shaq is fine too, either of you can be the second-in-command, I don't care."

Anyway, I'm the team leader.

"Are you serious?" Kobe really didn't expect Lin Ze to say that.

"I'm serious, I was serious just now." Lin Ze nodded and said, "As for you, you good-for-nothing who only wants to be second-in-command and suck up to others, we're not on the same track."

"My goal is to be the boss, and your goal is to be number two? How about I stretch out my leg for you to hug later?"

"No!" Kobe exclaimed urgently, "My goal is also to be the leader!"

"Then why are you fighting for second place?"

"I don't!"

"You're arguing about it. That's the question you're arguing about. Don't believe me? Ask Phil. Phil?"

Jackson completely ignored the two of them, shaking his head as if he hadn't heard anything, and strolled past them.

I have to say, this old man has a really thick skin!

But what no one knew was that Jackson was really worried to death. With the sensitive O'Neal, the obsessive Kobe, and the reckless Lin Ze, he really felt that the team was only one step away from collapse.

"By the way, I heard you got married?" Lin Ze, too lazy to pay attention to Jackson anymore, looked at Kobe and said, "Why didn't you invite everyone?"

"There's no need." Kobe shrugged. "My parents aren't here either. They don't want me to be with Vanessa. She doesn't like crowds, and neither do I, so there will only be ten people at the wedding."

"Okay, anyway, congratulations." Lin Ze extended his hand and shook hands with Kobe. Then, just as Kobe was feeling a little touched and wanted to say something...

When the time came, Lin Ze added, "Make sure to call me next time! I'll definitely come."

After saying that, Lin Ze didn't give Kobe a chance to react, turned around and went into the locker room, leaving Kobe gritting his teeth.

This game is destined to go down in history. Although the duel between Lin Ze and Duncan was not as flashy as that between Carter and Iverson, it was definitely tense and exciting.

Both teams took a day off before starting the second game of the series.

This match was almost a replay of the first match.

Popovich stubbornly refused to change his defensive strategy. He firmly believed that shooting wouldn't kill anyone, and that as long as O'Neal was contained, the Lakers would never be able to win an entire series.

However, reality once again slapped his ugly face.

这个晚上，林泽27投16中，3分球8投4中，罚球5罚5中，再次轰下了41分！

Robinson, who was matched up against Lin Ze, was also exposed again, even worse than in the previous game. He only scored 12 points and 7 rebounds on 4 of 14 shots. With 3 minutes and 18 seconds left in the fourth quarter, he committed his sixth foul on Lin Ze, who then sent Robinson off the court with a 3+1 play!

That 3+1 play almost sealed the game, giving the Lakers an 11-point lead!

Besides Robinson, the Spurs' core perimeter player Anderson performed even worse than in the last game. In the last game, he got at least 4 free throws, but tonight he not only continued to have 0 field goals, but also failed to get a single free throw. His performance in this game was no different from that of a mole.

Daniels had a breakout performance for the second consecutive game, scoring 21 points and providing some support for Duncan, allowing the Spurs to go down to the wire in both games.

As for Duncan, he still gave it his all, but in the end, he couldn't carry the team alone. Although he scored 38 points and grabbed 18 rebounds again that night, he couldn't prevent the team from suffering their second consecutive home loss.

Anyone who has watched the NBA knows what it means when a team is down 0-2 at home.

This means that unless the referees intervene, the series is essentially over.

The possibility of a comeback is now extremely slim, and Lakers fans in Los Angeles have already begun celebrating ahead of schedule!

People are celebrating the team's second consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals, and some are even celebrating the Lakers' back-to-back championships.

After all, even the league's top team, the Spurs, couldn't withstand the Lakers' offense. As for the other two teams in the East, no matter who they are, none of them are qualified to compete with the Lakers.

In addition, Lin Ze scored 40+ points for the second consecutive game, becoming the second Lakers player to score 40+ points in two consecutive playoff games so far. The first was Kobe Bryant, who scored in two consecutive games in the first round.

As a result, related rumors began to circulate among the people.

O'Neal's position is unstable, O'Neal's situation is awkward, O'Neal is the team's third option, Kobe and Lin Ze are carrying the team —

After a series of questions, provocations, and ill-intentioned discussions, O'Neal finally did something before Game 3 of the series.

He filled Madsen's new car with countless amounts of popcorn to celebrate Madsen's 25 and a half birthday.

Of course, O'Neal later gave Madsen a brand new car interior and a Rolex gold watch as a 25-and-a-half-year birthday gift. Madsen responded: "From now on, I'll celebrate my birthday once a month!"

This is the Lakers' response to the outside world's discussions and doubts.

We don't take it seriously at all!

At least, that's how it appears on the surface.

The only person O'Neal had a problem with in this battle for leadership was Lin Ze.

His dissatisfaction erupted before Game 3 when reporters were granted special access to the Lakers' locker room for interviews.

"He actually voted for Popovich instead of me! I'm so angry! So I'm taking back the vote I gave him. I'll vote for... let me think... Malone! I'd rather he be number one in the universe than let Lin be number one!"

"I think the more important reason is," Lin Ze said from the side, "if you vote for someone else, people will take it seriously and think you're serious, but if you vote for Malone, people will just think you're joking."

"A normal person wouldn't consider him number one!"

"How could you say that? Malone will be angry!" O'Neal frowned. "Some things, even if they're true, should never be said aloud, understand, Lin? If you say them, you have to apologize."

"Understood." Lin Ze nodded, then looked at Kobe: "I'm sorry, Kobe, I was joking when I said I would definitely attend your next wedding. I apologize."

Kobe: ? ? ?

What's it to me!

"You got married? F*** you! Why didn't I know?" O'Neal cursed, then looked at Lin Ze: "You went?"

This time he was serious. If Lin Ze went to Kobe's wedding and didn't even invite him, he would definitely be angry!

Even if Kobe was an idiot in Shaq's eyes!

"I already said I'd definitely go next time, so I definitely didn't go this time!" Lin Ze shrugged. "Not just me, he didn't invite anyone on the whole team."

"That's good." O'Neal nodded, then realized he'd said the wrong thing. He looked at Kobe and said, "But what you did was wrong! We're teammates, partners, brothers! How can you not invite us to your wedding?"

"We absolutely have to invite them next time! Everyone has to be invited!"

"You two can go to hell!" Kobe, who rarely spoke or cursed in the locker room, finally broke down: "I'll attend your funerals too! In China, we have to give a gift at funerals! At least $100,000!"

"I'll give you a million if you die before me!" Kobe cursed, got up and left the locker room first. He couldn't be bothered to say anything more to those two bastards.

It seems we won't get that million dollars—Lin Ze sighed.

"He seems genuinely angry," O'Neal said, looking at Lin Ze.

"It's okay, he's angry, the Spurs are the ones who suffer," Lin Ze said. "We'll just feed him a few more balls later."

Kobe walked into the arena, seething with anger.

He decided to kill that Anderson guy today and turn him to dust!

Unfortunately, Kobe's idea failed to materialize.

When both teams announced their starting lineups before the game began, the Spurs made a change.

They removed Anderson, who had been an undercover agent in the first two games, from the starting lineup and replaced him with 208cm tall Danny Ferry as the starting small forward.

He is the Spurs' most accurate shooter this year, especially during the playoffs, when his three-point shooting percentage reached 45%.

Of course, apart from shooting, his other abilities are quite mediocre now; he's just an ordinary long-range shooter.

"This lineup change by the Spurs—" Wilmarcus said, looking at both teams' starting lineups, "It feels like Popovich had no choice but to make this change."

"Anderson played terribly in the first two games. His poor performance made it a 4-on-5 situation for the Spurs on offense. By bringing Ferry into the starting lineup, Popovich obviously hopes to improve the team's shooting range and height, and better protect the defensive rebounds."

Smith continued, "But the problem is, Ferry is a typical tall, slow-moving white man; he's physically weak, older, and..."

He's slow, and aside from his undeniably impressive shooting, he's unreliable in every other aspect. At least, I find it hard to believe he can put on a good game tonight.

"No matter who he's matched up against, the Lakers will beat him to a pulp!"

Will Marcus and Smith could see the Spurs' weaknesses, and Jackson on the sidelines could naturally see them as well.

He shouted from the sidelines, "Misalignment! Attack their weaknesses!"

In short, the Lakers now know how to play in the opening stages.

Soon, the game began, and O'Neal defeated Duncan, securing the first possession for his team.

After Fisher dribbled the ball to the frontcourt, he immediately passed it to Kobe. Kobe then waved to signal everyone to move aside.

Then he cleaned Ferry up completely!

"Are you out of your mind? Or are you suffering from dementia?" Lin Ze stood on the court and chatted with Popovich on the sidelines. "Why did you start him? Does he owe you money and won't pay you back? So you're sending him up here to get beaten up?"

"Don't communicate with the opposing coach!" The referee glared at Lin Ze and warned him.

"Can't we even discuss tactics?" Lin Ze spread his hands innocently. Just then, Kobe made a layup. Lin Ze backed away and said, "I used very polite words just now. I was just concerned about him."

"If you talk to him again, you'll get a T!"

The referee ignored Lin Ze's explanation. He wasn't stupid; he could tell it was trash talk.

The Spurs' offense saw the ball passed to Duncan, resulting in another one-on-one situation between Duncan and O'Neal under the basket. All players from both sides spread out, giving the two a chance to go one-on-one.

After a series of footwork maneuvers, Duncan unleashed his signature breakthrough hook shot.

But this time, the trick didn't work!

O'Neal slapped his hook arm away!

After blocking the shot, O'Neal immediately started trash-talking: "Try something new, Tim! Is that all you can do? I've seen through your moves! You're going to get what's coming to you tonight!"

Duncan remained silent, simply running at full speed with his head down to participate in the defense, while Kobe once again faced off against Ferry, easily breaking through to create space, and hitting a mid-range pull-up jumper!

Lin Ze turned to look at Popovich again, shrugged at him, and grinned slyly.

The meaning is clear: See, I told you! You let him come up here just to get beaten up!

Popovich still ignored Lin Ze.

It wasn't until 5 minutes and 42 seconds into the first quarter that Popovich finally couldn't stand Ferry's performance anymore. The guy took two shots on offense, one of which was blocked and the other missed, and he was completely unstoppable on defense.

Popovich had no choice but to make an early substitution, bringing on Horry.

Unfortunately, the situation did not improve at all after Horry came on.

Whether it's Horry or Ferry, it makes no difference to Kobe; they're both targets.

Should we change it again?

No one can replace him.

The Spurs have a lot of players, but their talent is too poor, especially on the perimeter. No one can stop an offensive player of Kobe's caliber, not to mention the Lakers also have O'Neal and Lin Ze.

Popovich found himself in a situation where he had no one to rely on.

At that moment, he suddenly realized that his long rotation, which he was so proud of during the regular season, and the constant praise from the public that "everyone can play and everyone contributes when they step on the court," was nothing but a bubble.

The "barrel theory"—that how much water your barrel can hold depends on the length of its shortest stave—is a myth.

In the playoffs, a stage where talent, intensity, and strengths matter, what if all 15 planks are the same length? What if your shortest plank is the longest in the entire league?

The Lakers' trio is like a damn iron rod; one drive from them and they shattered the bottom of the Spurs' barrel!

And what's worse for the Spurs right now is that their own strength, their most reliable weapon and their pillar of strength, Duncan, is about to be broken.

Duncan played the full 12 minutes in the first quarter, but he lacked the explosive performance of the previous two games, making only 1 of 5 shots in the entire first quarter, completely missing the mark!

17: 29!

At the end of the first quarter, the Spurs were down by 12 points to the Lakers!

Popovich knew that things couldn't continue like this.

He needs to change!

Looking at the people under his command, Popovich finally made up his mind during his break!

In the first half of the second quarter, both teams fielded a combination of rotation players and starters. During this period, the Spurs relied on Daniels's explosive performance in this series to score continuously, making it a back-and-forth battle.

But with four minutes left in the second quarter, Jackson called a timeout, clearly indicating he was making a substitution.

Popovich then finalized his strategy: "Next, they'll bring out their trio, double-team them! Double-team any one of those three when they get the ball! Fisher and Harper, or anyone else, just leave them alone!"

"No matter what the situation is, no matter where they are, I don't want any one-on-one opportunities for those three! We have to gamble now, we have to go all in, gamble that their other players won't make the shot! Go, remember! Be resolute! Be absolutely resolute! Even if their role players make one or two shots, it's fine."

"Let them shoot! We can't let those three Lakers bastards score so easily tonight!"

Popovich decided to start with defense, while also ensuring his roster had enough ability to close the gap.

The game continues!

The Lakers brought back their starting five, with Popovich fielding a lineup of four starters, including Horry, who had made one three-pointer tonight and was in decent form. Ferry, who was completely dominated by Kobe, was no longer playing and getting beaten up.

However, on the first possession after the timeout, Fisher received a pass from Lin Ze beyond the three-point line and decisively raised the ball above his head with his signature quirky pose, pulling up for a shot.

篮！

"brush!"

With a crisp sound, Fisher hit a three-pointer!

This is the last thing Popovich wanted to see; the Lakers' role players capitalized on their open looks!

"It's okay, keep playing like this!" Popovich quickly pressed down on his wrist, signaling his players not to rush. Making one was within his expectations. The Lakers' role players couldn't possibly miss every shot!

Meanwhile, Jackson, who was sitting on the other side, couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

"Phil is truly amazing!" Mendelssohn knew exactly what Jackson wanted to hear: "Everything you predicted! Popovich is no match for you!"

"Just lucky." Jackson squinted, listening to his subordinates' flattery, feeling completely at ease.

Just during the timeout, he told his players, "The Spurs are going to double-team us, double-team our key players!"

Shaq, Kobe, and Lin, all three of you will be double-teamed. It's unlikely you'll score much from now on, and you won't have many one-on-one opportunities anymore.

"So, Derek, Ron, are you two ready for your career-defining night?"

Now, Fisher has hit one right away, and Jackson believes he can keep shooting and keep being accurate!

He knew his players better than anyone else, and trusted them more than anyone else.

He knew how confident Fisher was, and he also knew how long Fisher had been waiting for his opportunity.

In the next possession for the Spurs, Duncan missed a jump shot, and Lin Ze grabbed the rebound.

Everything is the same as the last round!

After both O'Neal and Lin Ze were double-teamed in the high and low post, Lin Ze passed the ball to Fisher on the far side.

Fisher had an open shot and pulled up directly again.

"Whoosh!"

Another hit!

"FUXX!" Fisher, who had scored two goals in a row, could not contain his excitement and waved his arms, shouting, "Let me go! Let me go again!"

9

Lin Ze, who had provided a series of assists, was also quite excited, shouting in celebration along with Fisher: "Let it go! Let it go again, you bunch of bitches!"

If Lin Ze had just yelled at the air like Fisher, the Spurs players wouldn't have been so upset.

But Lin Ze happened to be right next to Popovich when he yelled, and his spittle was almost spraying onto Popovich's face.

Popovich's face was grim, but he didn't give any instructions, even though the Spurs were already down by 17 points, he still didn't change his lineup.

It can't change! If it changes, all our previous efforts will be wasted!

Fortunately, Robinson finally hit a jump shot when Lin Ze left him open, preventing Duncan from having to carry the team alone. However, these sporadic points were clearly not enough for the Spurs to take the lead or close the gap.

At the end of the first half, the Lakers were leading the Spurs by 22 points, which had practically eliminated any suspense in the game, or even the series.

But at halftime, Popovich still did not change his strategy.

"Fisher made those two three-pointers! Harper wasn't shooting tonight! Keep double-teaming them, they're getting tired, their shooting touch is fading, we can catch up! Think about it, think about what we've accomplished this season!"

"How many times have we come back from a 10-point or more deficit this season? 17 times! The most in the league! How many times have we come back from a 20-point deficit? 5 times! Also the most in the league!"

"We are the most resilient team in the league, the most unwilling to give up! Keep the fighting spirit, lads, keep your confidence! We will fight back in the second half!"

"Tim?"

"I'll be better!" Duncan, who only made 3 of 9 shots in the first half, was panting heavily; he was visibly exhausted. "I'll lead everyone in the second half, and we'll pull off a comeback!"

"Great! Let's stand together with Tim, don't let him down, don't let him fight alone! Give him support, give him help!"

"San Antonio—"

"Victory is certain!"

Popovich's speech revitalized the previously lifeless locker room, at least making people start to talk and willing to communicate.

But can the situation be reversed? Can they truly turn defeat into victory?

Popovich had absolutely no idea what to expect.

He can see the Lakers' strength, and even his current actions seem to be a matter of doing his best and leaving the rest to fate.

He has run out of effective tactics.

The team's current roster is indeed lacking in talent.

The Spurs currently have their twin towers, which take up a lot of salary cap space. San Antonio is a small city and doesn't have much appeal to free agents. So, apart from the twin towers, the other players don't have much trade value.

Relying on the draft? The Spurs' current record isn't good enough to attract high draft picks. They can't just tank like they did in '97! Duncan is in his prime right now. If they tank for a year and then develop new players for two more years, wouldn't Duncan's prime be wasted?

Maybe----

Popovich suddenly remembered that the team had accumulated signing rights for several overseas players.

If we can find a few usable talents among these people, then maybe the team will have hope!

Popovich's mind was wandering, which was actually the best evidence that he knew the team's chances were slim.

He has already begun to think about how to build the team for next season and beyond.

The second half of the game began soon!

After the two sides switched sides and started the second half, Popovich dared not put Ferry back on the field, and instead started Horry instead.

After all, while Horry wasn't a perfect defender, at least he had experience, a big heart, and the courage to take shots; he even made 3 shots in the first half.

Minute.

But in the first possession of the third quarter, Popovich felt a great deal of helplessness.

Once again, the team couldn't execute their plays, and the ball ended up in Duncan's hands.

Duncan, who had just expressed his determination at halftime, once again faced off against O'Neal!

This time, there was no double team!

Duncan even waited with the ball for a while, and was quite surprised when he didn't see a double team.

"Stop waiting, Tim won't be double-teamed!" O'Neal grinned maliciously behind Duncan. "Our strategy has changed! I can handle you by myself!"

"You're all finished!"

This is another one of Jackson's strategies!

During halftime, Jackson addressed everyone, saying, "Their last hope is Duncan! They definitely hope Duncan can find his touch, hope Duncan can make shots, or that they can extend their tactics by having Duncan double-teamed and create open shooting opportunities."

"Their shooters were ice-cold for the entire first half, but they might find their rhythm in the second half. If we continue to double-team Duncan, they could have a surprise player emerge who hits several three-pointers in a row, and the game's momentum could change instantly!"

"if----"

"If I can handle that guy by myself, we've got this game covered, right!" O'Neal declared, indicating he'd learned to anticipate the answer. He looked at Jackson and said, "No help defense, no double-teams! In the second half, I'll take care of him! I'll make him even more ineffective than in the first half!"

"Then, we clock out after the third period!"

Jackson nodded with satisfaction; this was exactly what he wanted!

After all, if Fisher can make it, then any Spurs player can make it too.

The best way to prevent the other Spurs players from getting back into form is, of course, to deny them any opportunities to shoot.

Facing O'Neal one-on-one, Duncan was momentarily unsure whether to be happy or sad.

The good news is that I can finally score some points for the team in one-on-one situations.

Sadly, the coach's halftime strategy of having the player hold the ball to draw double teams and then distribute it to revitalize the team's attack was once again figured out.

Are we going to lose? Are we going to be eliminated again?

"FUXX!" Duncan suddenly swore, startling O'Neal.

Then he looked at Duncan and said, "I didn't touch you! Don't shout nonsense!"

"Come on, Shaq!" Duncan, who is usually very quiet on the court, dribbles, contests, and then turns and fakes.

He wanted to create space, which was his advantage against O'Neal! Footwork and fundamentals.

But this time O'Neal didn't fall for it at all. He raised his hands and blocked Duncan's path, neither jumping nor losing his position.

At the same time, Duncan quickly looked around the court and realized that his teammates also had no chance.

"The Lakers defended that play really well!" Wilmarcus said. "Duncan needs to make a decision quickly!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the referee suddenly blew his whistle!

"Three-second violation!"

Duncan was blocked by O'Neal and had a three-second violation!

"I told you, you're finished!" O'Neal roared, clenching his fists after successfully defending the ball. "No one can swagger around in front of me forever." Popovich, sitting on the sidelines, couldn't help but close his eyes.

Ruined.

If Duncan can't beat O'Neal one-on-one, then there's no way to change the Lakers' defense, and no one else will have an open shot, so the Spurs will have no hope at all.

This is not finished.

What followed was an even more desperate situation for Popovich.

"Whoosh!"

Fisher's third three-pointer of the night!

In the next round, Duncan once again went one-on-one against O'Neal, and this usually rational and calm guy unusually got a little carried away.

He was getting anxious.

"Bang!"

Unfortunately, his confrontation with O'Neal ended in defeat once again.

Duncan had a really bad shooting night, and his stamina had also reached its limit.

And most importantly: Shaquille O'Neal on full defensive end was an absolute top-tier defender; scoring against him was incredibly difficult!

Then the Lakers' offense came back, and it was like a replay of the previous round.

"Whoosh!"

Fisher again, in the same spot, and he hit another three-pointer!

Fisher has gone on a killing spree!

After hitting two more three-pointers, the basketball was back in his hands. This time, even though Popovich was incredibly reckless, the Spurs players didn't dare give him another chance.

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