Unstoppable Kobe! Averaging 42 Points Per Game in the Series!

"Isn't there any way to even slightly contain him?" Popovich's eyes were bloodshot. At forty-eight, Popovich was in his prime. He was still a rookie coach, nowhere near the shrewd, calculating "Zhuge-vich" he would become in later years.

Though he was a rookie coach, leading the team into the second round was already an incredible achievement. But Popovich still desperately wanted to beat the Lakers and win this series!

Popovich had studied under Larry Brown and Don Nelson! He could be said to be a top-tier coach who combined offense and defense. After so many years in the NBA, Popovich had seen countless superstars.

Yet none of them had given Popovich a headache like Kobe did!

Staying up late! Pulling all-nighters! Popovich frantically watched every game this season in which Kobe failed to score thirty points.

As long as they could hold Kobe below thirty points, the Spurs would have a chance to win!

What left Popovich somewhat despairing was that most of Kobe's sub-thirty-point games had been blowouts early on! Or Kobe had simply been ice-cold, unable to make anything no matter how he shot.

The number of games in which Kobe had normal shooting touch but was held below thirty by the defense was—zero!

That result drove Popovich to despair!

Whether it was the Bulls using Jordan and Pippen to lock him down together, the former best perimeter defender The Glove Payton guarding him one-on-one, or teams rotating two or three players onto Kobe, the result was always the same: Kobe scored through every conceivable method of offense!

Too complete! Kobe's offensive arsenal was too complete. Popovich could not believe that a player under twenty could master every scoring method! Isolation, pick-and-roll, off-ball play, drives, layups, mid-range shots, threes, post-ups! It was as if Kobe had honed every