Seeing Kobe and Ariza simultaneously shaking their heads, the Zen Master, who initially hoped the players would self-regulate, called a tiout.
The situation was too devastating, making him feel like an old ironsmith who couldn’t take it anymore. The two needed ti to calm down, and it coincided with the official tiout.
However, with Zhang Yang’s dunk and the score tied, calling a tiout now would definitely affect morale, and there’s also that guy...
After the tiout, both teams made personnel adjustnts. Carlisle put Hill and Perkins in, along with Felton, Zhang Yang, and Okafor, fielding the strongest lineup; the Zen Master also sent Kidd and Kwa Brown, along with Kobe, Ariza, and Garnett, returning the starting lineup.
Lakers on the offense, sideline inbounding.
Even though the Zen Master emphasized the need for stability, as he expected, Kobe imdiately called for the ball to attack!
He could have forced Kobe to initiate the offense from the low post, but he didn’t. If that’s the case, where’s the fun in coaching players like Jordan or Kobe?
Having such players is precisely for those miraculous shots, isn’t it?
However, miracles always co with huge risks, and this ti Kobe couldn’t make a miraculous shot. He got past Hill, avoided Zhang Yang who was covering from mid-range, drove into the paint with Okafor stepping in for help defense and went for a layup... only to be swatted down by Perkins!
Failed one-on-four attempt!
Zhang Yang knew exactly what Kobe would do in monts like this — definitely attack to the end. He had already told his teammates during the tiout that if Kobe called for the ball to go one-on-one, just double-team him relentlessly.
Zhang Yang’s flashy dunk paused the Lakers, reigniting the Bobcats’ morale. Perkins’ block took their spirit to the peak!
Switching to defense and then fast break, the Bobcats couldn’t execute it. Zhang Yang didn’t panic, steadied the pace, and lobbed the ball to Okafor who was taking position close to Garnett.
Okafor caught the ball, spun to the baseline, drove in, high throw off the glass... scored! And drew a foul from Kwa Brown who was helping on defense!
Ti Warner Cable Sports comntator Hubie Brown exclaid, "So solid! Okafor reminds of Duncan. Garnett just can’t defend against players like Duncan."
Bill Walton analyzed from the one-on-one perspective, "It’s not just about the style. Okafor tid his spin perfectly. As soon as Kwa Brown followed Perkins out of the three-second area, Okafor spun and cut in..."
It’s Lakers’ turn to attack again. After being blocked and conceding a 2 1, Kobe finally cald down a bit. He continued to drive, but this ti, as Zhang Yang ca to help, he passed the ball to Ariza. Although Ariza’s wide-open three-point form looked good, it was way off!
Switching to defense and then offense, Okafor continued to take the ball close to Garnett. Kwa Brown preemptively retracted in, Zhang Yang seized the opportunity on the right sideline to cut along the baseline, Perkins blocked Kobe, and Kidd at the free-throw line hurried to help. However, Okafor didn’t pass to Zhang Yang but instead raised the ball single-handedly and threw it over Garnett’s head to the top of the arc!
Felton caught the ball just inside the top arc, stepped back and launched a three... scored!
While transitioning back to defense, even Okafor’s poker face was now filled with smiles, patting Zhang Yang on the back.
This play wasn’t just his instinct but was inford by Zhang Yang when he grabbed the defensive rebound and passed it to Felton. He told him if Kwa Brown doubled, to find Felton at the top arc!
Zhang Yang’s face said ’I’m just that good,’ but inside he felt a bit anxious. He admitted there was an elent of gamble... No, he trusted Kidd’s defensive abilities. As long as Kwa Brown retracted early, and Perkins seed to block Kobe for him, Kidd wouldn’t allow the interior pass between him and Okafor, giving Okafor and Felton a connecting opportunity.
If it failed... he hadn’t thought it through that much. Tactics at tis fail, but they pulled it off, didn’t they!
With Okafor making the additional free throw, the score moved to 94 to 89. After being outscored 8 to 3 by the Lakers, the Bobcats returned the favor with a 9 to 0 run!
With a 5-point lead, the Lakers, already suppressed morale-wise, played even more impatiently.
The Bobcats, with a soaring montum, played increasingly steadily, executing ordinary and spontaneuous adjustnts with growing confidence.
In the following possessions, the Lakers relied on Kobe to hit a wild three, Kidd got a difficult lob to Garnett, drawing a foul for two free throws scoring 5 points, while the Bobcats steadily added 9 points.
The score moved to 103 to 94, with the Bobcats extending their lead to 9 points!
After the Zen Master called a tiout, Kidd connected with Garnett, passing to the substituted Fisher replacing Ariza. In a critical mont, the veteran made a corner three. The Lakers cut the score to 97 to 103, with 1 minute and 08 seconds remaining, a 6-point gap. There was still a chance for the Lakers.
But just as the Lakers prepared for their final push, Zhang Yang used a Hill screen at the top arc, shooting a contested three over Kidd and nailed it!
Kobe saw Zhang Yang using the screen and knew he would shoot. They were both the Iron Kings, knowing each other’s moves inside out. He imdiately tried to circle to the top, but was too late. Zhang Yang’s lateral movent, pull-up, and rhythm off the screen were too crisp!
Learning pick-and-roll shot from Nash, Zhang Yang hadn’t used it much, but he practiced it a lot!
After making a three at the start of the quarter, Zhang Yang missed his last three attempts, but in the crucial mont, he didn’t falter, sinking his sixth three-pointer of the ga!
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