"Rice, Kukoc, and I will knock down those shots reliably."
Toni Kukoč nodded as well.
"We can draw defenders on the wings and take part in the offensive rotations."
"Whether it's the Triangle Offense or OK's individual isolation, we'll keep up with the rhythm."
Phil Jackson looked around the room, his gaze sweeping across every player.
"Remember our core approach."
"In the early part of the series, we fight with offense and go shot for shot with the Knicks."
"Don't fantasize about winning Game 1 and Game 2 through defense alone. The Knicks' offensive firepower isn't something we can easily contain."
"We have to withstand their scoring and answer with our own offense."
"Drag the game into a tug-of-war and grind it out until the latter half of the series."
"Once Jordan's stamina declines and the Knicks' offense starts to fluctuate, that will be our time to take the win."
"This isn't a gamble. It's a judgment based on our opponent's current situation."
"But the premise of all this is that you must stay focused."
"Li Fei's defensive range is enormous. He can show up anywhere on the court."
"The moment we let up, he'll immediately come up with a steal or a block and launch a transition attack."
"The Knicks are best at capitalizing on mistakes and hitting back in transition. We must cut down on pointless turnovers."
"Think every possession through."
"You can isolate, but don't isolate mindlessly. You can attack aggressively, but always keep an eye on where your teammates are."
The Lakers players all nodded.
O'Neal, Kobe, Glen Rice, Kerr, Kukoc—everyone agreed with the plan.
They all understood just how terrifying the Knicks were.
Li Fei's dominance and Jordan's big-game experience could not be erased by simple defense.
To defeat this Dynasty team, they had to