But his mind was completely blank.
Spoelstra was only five years older than Roger, and at 34, he suddenly took over the reins at the most crucial mont of this important series, and he couldn’t react at all.
"Erik!" Roger reminded his old friend, who had entered the NBA world because of him.
Spoelstra snapped back to reality and began scribbling on the tactical board: "Guys, give the ball to Roger later, and then..."
"Beep~~~"
The tiout had ended, and Spoelstra hadn’t even managed to co up with a complete play.
He wanted to say sothing more, but the referee warned him: "Coach, are you planning to take the tactical board onto the court?"
Spoelstra backed off, his whole body trembling.
He felt like he had screwed everything up.
"Damn, this is an unexpected turning point in the ga, Hubie suddenly leaving the court at the last mont. Oakland fans have always been concerned about Hubie’s health, but he’s always said at press conferences that he’s fine. He wanted to hang on, but his body had reached its limit." Jeff Van Gundy, having been a head coach himself, knew well the pressure that cos with being one.
You have to manage the locker room and find a way to deal with opponents. When players are up late at pool parties with models, you have to be up late at video conferences.
The ga continued, and the Warriors players had to play this crucial possession without any clear tactical instruction.
Roger held the ti, then called for Stoudemire to co out and screen.
But this strategy was too conventional; Kobe had already anticipated it, stepping past the screen without delay and firmly contesting Roger’s shot.
It was another high-difficulty shot, and the Warriors fans held their breath.
But this ti, the basketball hit the neck of the rim and bounced out.
The Warriors’ crucial offensive play didn’t score!
"That play was too simple," Al Michaels shook his head, "Did Erik Spoelstra just not set up any play?"
The cara focused on the Zen Master, who looked confident, as if he had already taken control of the ga.
Phil Jackson didn’t call a tiout; he had already set up tactics for two consecutive possessions during the last tiout, so the Lakers players knew exactly what to do next.
And not calling a tiout ant that he wasn’t going to give Spoelstra a chance to react.
The Warriors players were like isolated troops who had lost connection with headquarters, destined to be wiped out in their confusion!
This ti, the Lakers didn’t use Kobe to handle the ball. Nash, Malone, and the sharpshooting Devean George ford a triangle on the right side of the court.
Nash fed the ball to Malone, while Devean George moved beyond the three-point line, and Nash ran from the top of the arc to the right 45°.
But Karl Malone didn’t pass the ball to any of them; instead, he gave it to Kobe on the weak side!
Kobe caught the ball and imdiately shot a fadeaway with incredible fluidity and smoothness.
Phil Jackson raised his arms in advance, believing this to be a turning point in his and Kobe’s destiny.
From now on, Roger could no longer suppress them.
"It’s in!" Al Michaels’ voice echoed in hos across Arica, "Kobe Bryant’s 53rd point in this playoff ga pierces Roger’s armor! The Lakers lead by 1 point with 18 seconds left, the Los Angeles No. 8 from Philadelphia is about to bring a regi change!"
Kobe did not celebrate wildly; he raised his fist and ran toward his half of the court, then was embraced by his excited teammates.
"Damn it!" In the stands, so Warriors fans held their heads in their hands, "Damn it, we’re not going to lose, right?"
"Roger is already exhausted; he was clearly half a beat slow on that chase, and we don’t have Hubie. Look at Erik; he’s not ready at all!"
"Shut up!" John Cage shouted, "Shut up, I have a hundred percent trust in Roger!"
Spoelstra used his last tiout, crouching among the players, his mind usually filled with tactics, but now he couldn’t think of any.
"Roger with the ball, use the screen!"
"Who’s going to screen?"
"Marcus, no, Amar’e. Then Allan will be in the corner, if there’s a double-team, pass it to him!"
"Coach, which side corner should I go to?"
"Left side, no, right..."
Spoelstra’s mind was a complete ss. In the original tiline, although he beca one of the best coaches in the League years later, initially, Spoelstra wasn’t recognized by the fans.
People said he was just Pat Riley’s puppet, said he only knew how to use the Heat’s Big Three, said his tactics were so simple that even a three-year-old could predict them...
No one starts at the top, and neither do coaches.
Finally, with reminders from the players, Spoelstra managed to piece together a complete offensive play.
After the tiout ended, the young acting head coach sat on the bench with empty eyes and glanced at Jeff Hornacek next to him: "Did I do terrible, Jeff."
Jeff Hornacek patted Spoelstra’s shoulder: "Think of LeBron Jas, you’re not that bad."
The ga continued, and the Oakland fans in the stands were even more anxious than the players.
They all knew if this offensive play failed by Roger or anyone else, the entire night’s effort would be wasted.
Roger, who had scored 52 points, would be completely overshadowed by Kobe, who would ascend just as Roger once did over Jordan.
The Warriors inbounded the ball, and John Cage clenched his fists. After wrestling with his emotions for a while, he shouted, "Screw it, if I have to sleep outside, then so be it!"
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