Facing Ray Allen, who was about to break his three-point record, Zhou Ze first unleashed a barrage of trash talk at his teammate and best buddy, Kobe Bryant.
"Kobe, are you freaking old or something? How can you be this useless? He's about to score a hundred points over your head!"
"Kobe, can you even do it? Are you so old you need to retire?"
"Kobe, anyone who didn't know better would think you'd torn your Achilles!!!"
At that moment, Zhou Ze was like a husband who had been bullied outside, then went home and helplessly raged at his wife.
But clearly...
Kobe was not known for having a good temper.
"Shut up, bastard. You-can-you-up. No-can-no-bb," Kobe snapped.
"What?" Zhou Ze looked at Kobe in surprise, having no idea where he had learned that Chinglish. "Kobe, with your English level, you wouldn't even pass CET-3 in our country."
Enraged by Zhou Ze, Kobe first went at Ray Allen on offense and sank an audacious three-pointer over him.
With Ray Allen defending him, he rose up and fired directly off a fadeaway. Ray Allen's defense had been nearly perfect, but Kobe's slightly drifting fadeaway still forcibly created space, and the shot went in.
70-62. Even after Ray Allen had made nine three-pointers and closed in on Zhou Ze's Finals single-game three-point record, the Lakers' lead was only eight points.
A nine-time All-Defensive First Team selection, Kobe became more aggressive defensively than ever after Zhou Ze's trash talk. Grinding his teeth like he was out for blood, he hounded Ray Allen relentlessly.
"Hmph. If getting a hand in his face isn't enough to stop him, then I'll get a hand on the ball." The instant Ray Allen received the pass, Kobe jumped as well. With a sharp smack, that not-so-large hand delivered