As the entire arena cheered through this brick-fest, the Lakers finally broke their field-goal drought.
The Lakers went on the attack. O'Neal stepped up to set a screen, blocking Sprewell and creating a sliver of driving room for Kobe.
Kobe's eyes sharpened. Seizing the fleeting opening, he drove hard with the ball, evaded Marshall's help defense, and charged to the area near the free-throw line.
At that moment, Li Fei rotated over quickly from beneath the basket, with Sabonis right behind him. The two formed a double-team and trapped Kobe tightly.
Everyone thought Kobe would pass, but he did not hesitate in the slightest. Leaning back slightly against the two defenders, he decisively rose for a mid-range jumper.
The basketball traced a precise arc through the air, avoiding the blocks of Li Fei and Sabonis before dropping cleanly through the hoop.
"Swish—" The crisp sound of the net rang out. The first field goal of the second half had finally arrived!
The Lakers bench erupted instantly. Players sprang to their feet, pumping their fists and shouting Kobe's name.
The few Lakers fans in the arena also broke into thunderous cheers, their faces filled with excitement. That basket had been far too crucial.
After landing, Kobe did not celebrate at all. He merely raised a hand slightly, his gaze still sharp as he nodded at his teammates before quickly retreating on defense.
At the TNT commentary desk, Kevin Harlan's shout rang through the arena once more. "Finally! Finally, a field goal! Kobe! Kobe hit the mid-range shot over two defenders!"
Marv Albert spoke excitedly. "For a full five minutes, both teams were bricking shots. Kobe's mid-range jumper was like a ray of light, breaking the deadlock on the court!"
Bill Walton added, "This is Kobe's resilience. Even under suffocating defense, even