Jackson glanced at Kobe again.
"Kobe, you need to be more aggressive on offense. Sprewell is a strong defender, but you're not alone out there. We need you to draw the defense on the perimeter, create space for Shaq, and open up opportunities for Glenn. Don't try to do everything yourself. Trust your teammates."
Kobe nodded without a word.
The timeout ended, and the Lakers players returned to the court.
O'Neal's expression had changed. It wasn't anger, but the focus of a man who had been challenged and had to answer. His steps grew heavier, each one seeming ready to drive straight through the floor.
Kobe's expression had changed too. It wasn't coldness, but a resolve that said, I'm taking over this game.
But Sabonis's expression remained unchanged.
Still calm, still focused, still carrying the silence of a veteran making his final charge.
The remainder of the first quarter became a one-man show for Sabonis. On defense, he pulled down defensive rebound after defensive rebound, making O'Neal miserable every time he boxed him out. On offense, he delivered assist after assist, each pass dismantling the Lakers' defensive scheme. When he was substituted out with three minutes left in the first quarter, all twenty thousand fans at Madison Square Garden rose to applaud. The ovation lasted a full minute.
Not because he was the Scoring Champion, not because he was the MVP, but because, in the final NBA Finals game of his career, he had played the best quarter of his life.
At the end of the first quarter, the score was 32–20. The Knicks led by twelve.
Sabonis's numbers on the stat board left the entire commentary team silent for a full five seconds.
Twelve points, four rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. Field goals: 4-for-5, 80 percent. Free throws: