The Big Three

Houston was the largest city in Texas, United States, the fourth-largest city in the country, and the largest economic center along the Gulf of Mexico coast.

Houston was world-renowned for its energy industry—especially oil—its aerospace industry, and its canals. The Port of Houston was the world's sixth-largest port and the busiest in the United States, ranking first in foreign vessel tonnage and second when all nationalities were included. It had the second-highest number of Fortune 500 headquarters after New York City. Houston was home to the Texas Medical Center, the world's largest and most important concentration of research and treatment institutions. Among the twenty-seven major metropolitan areas in the United States with populations exceeding 1.7 million, Houston also had the lowest cost of living and housing prices.

The Urban Institute's think tank described Houston as "one of the most racially and culturally diverse metropolitan areas in the country." Houston's diversity had been driven by a large influx of immigrants, thanks to its relatively low cost of living, strong job market, proximity to Latin America, and role as a refugee resettlement center. Houston was now known as a center of African American political power, education, economic prosperity, and culture, often called the next Black Mecca.

And Olajuwon's influence in Houston was enormous. As soon as the Lakers stepped off the plane, quite a few fans held up banners.

Swept Out along with a pig head.

You're Not as Good as Iverson

Houston Has No Sea

Kobe and O'Neal exchanged a glance. These fans really were...

"Guys, don't let it get to you. They're competing with us for first place in the West. This stuff is meant to mess with your heads." Rambis quickly stepped up. He was worried that the team's many rookies had never experienced a scene like this and would be affected.

Kobe did not care much, but he saw that O'Neal's neck had thickened another notch. This game was going to be interesting.

That night, at the hotel where the Lakers were staying, O'Neal went to find Kobe.

"Kobe, help me win this one." O'Neal's expression was serious. Olajuwon had become his inner demon. He did not know why he was placing his hopes on an eighteen-year-old rookie. Even Penny at his peak had been unable to do it, yet he believed this eighteen-year-old kid could.

But O'Neal had naturally sharp instincts. He could sense that Kobe might really be able to help him win this game. O'Neal wanted to beat Olajuwon too badly. If he wanted to become the league's number one center, he had to take the crown from Olajuwon's hands.

O'Neal and Kobe talked late into the night. They also brought in Eddie Jones, Bruce Bowen, and Campbell. The starters planned to use a style of play completely different from anything they had done before.

There was no chance of winning by settling into a half-court battle against the Big Three. They had countless ways to dismantle your defense one possession at a time. On the defensive end, they had Olajuwon standing tall like a pillar. Referees often gave players with such lofty historical status special treatment, and they had ample experience using little tricks.

To win, they had to run.

In this game, Kobe would lead the Lakers in run-and-gun basketball.

"First to take the court, our MVP power forward, the Round Mound of Rebound, Charles Wade Barkley!" The fierce-looking Barkley bounced onto the court.

"Now taking the court, from the University of Houston, the Glide, Clyde Drexler!"

"And our final introduction is the King of Houston, the Dream, Hakeem Olajuwon!"

The Compaq Center erupted with thunderous cheers. Their Big Three gave them endless reason to roar.

"That's quite a scene." Fisher ran over to Kobe and said.

"Relax. We'll experience far bigger stages than this in the future."

The Lakers made no adjustments to their starting lineup. The Mosaic Team's starters were PG Matt Maloney, SG Mario Elie, SF Clyde Drexler, PG Charles Barkley, and C Hakeem Olajuwon.

Before the opening tip, Olajuwon said to O'Neal, "Kid, ready to get swept by me in the West this time?"

O'Neal's neck thickened another notch, and the veins on his forehead throbbed. This old bastard was truly disgusting. O'Neal really wanted to claim the title of number one center, but Olajuwon had stood in his way like a mountain for years.

Olajuwon easily won the tip over a somewhat distracted O'Neal. Matt Maloney brought the ball across half court, then passed it to Drexler at the top of the arc.

Drexler fed the ball to Hakeem Olajuwon under the basket. The legendary center began this showdown.

Olajuwon knew that O'Neal's current physical gifts could already overpower him, but Olajuwon was not afraid at all. He had never been a player who relied entirely on his body.

Olajuwon caught the ball with his back to the basket, shook his shoulders to the left, then quickly spun right and drove in.

O'Neal did not bite on the fake and blocked Olajuwon's path. But the Dream pivoted again with nimble footwork, spinning left into another turnaround jumper.

O'Neal's center of gravity had already shifted backward, leaving him unable to disrupt Olajuwon's fadeaway. The ball swished through the net.

O'Neal quickly picked up the ball, stepped out beyond the baseline, and fired it hard toward the frontcourt.

Kobe had already sprinted downcourt the moment Olajuwon released his shot. He leaped to catch O'Neal's pass in the open court, took three steps into the paint, and flew in to hammer the ball through the hoop.

Boom.

"Yo, your little brother's got some skills. But can you really win a game by stealing points like that?" Olajuwon said to O'Neal beside him.

"He's better than those old guys beside you who came here to ride your coattails."

"What? You looking for a beating, Shaq?" Barkley's eyes widened. The proud Sir Charles hated hearing talk about riding coattails, defecting to another team, or joining them because you could not beat them.

"They were champions before you joined them." Kobe, already running back across half court, cut into the conversation.

Barkley could not get a word out for a long while. A thousand wild horses stampeded through his mind.

Barkley decided to answer this kid with his play on the court. The kid had a sharp tongue, and Barkley feared he would not get the better of him in a war of words.

Barkley caught the ball at the elbow and backed down Campbell with brute force. Campbell was shoved backward again and again. After backing him into the paint, Barkley lofted in a floater.

"Kid, see that? This is the power of the great Sir Charles." Barkley struck a bodybuilding pose, flexing his biceps, then turned to look at Kobe. But Kobe had already raced toward the frontcourt with the ball.

Matt Maloney stuck tightly to Kobe. He knew that if he lost his man again, those old bastards would probably teach him a lesson in the locker room after the game.

Kobe paid Matt Maloney's defense no mind. Two huge crossover dribbles blew right past him, and Drexler came over to help.

Kobe did not cling to the ball at all. He fired a no-look pass to Eddie Jones beyond the three-point line.

Eddie Jones caught and shot. Three-pointer, good!