When Bond mentioned stepping up to defend, he was talking about Thick Eyebrows on the Lakers. He was old now, and his footwork couldn't keep up. Even if he did, he was nowhere near as tall as Bond, who could easily shoot over him from mid-range.
So throughout Game 7, they had no answer for Wang Yi and Bond.
As a result, the Kings still led by 10 points at halftime.
But in the second half of the third quarter, Wang Yi started to tire, and the Lakers suddenly found their shooting touch.
They hit two straight three-pointers, a shot they weren't particularly good at.
By the end of the third, they had tied it up at 77.
The fourth quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle.
Both sides gritted their teeth and fought tooth and nail.
With Wang Yi tiring, the Kings' pick and roll with him and Bond became less effective.
On the Lakers' side, King Arthur was constantly hounded by Wang Yi and Danny's double-team.
With Arthur unable to get going, it was hard for the rest of the Lakers to contribute.
Both teams' efficiency dropped, and every point seemed like a struggle.
Since scoring was so difficult, both sides turned to defense.
That was when it became a true physical battle.
Bond was like a shield in the paint, covering the entire lane and making it difficult for the Lakers to score inside.
And whenever Bond tried to shoot in the paint, the Lakers sent a small army to defend the area.
When they couldn't stop him, they grabbed him, fouled him, and even tackled him.
With three minutes left in the fourth, Danny went all out on defense and collided with Arthur's knee, straining the muscle on the outside of his thigh.
He had no choice