The Fall of the Gods

Kobe and O'Neal sat together in the locker room, ice packs resting on their knees, their feet soaking in icy water.

Even now, O'Neal still found it hard to believe!

They had won!

They had defeated the reigning Bulls, defeated the God of Basketball!

What a great victory they had just claimed! What a difficult victory!

In terms of twists and sheer greatness, this game ranked first in O'Neal's entire career!

There had been no overtime! No buzzer-beater!

Yet beneath the seemingly ordinary score, the entire game had been fraught with hidden danger!

The Lakers and Bulls coaches, every facet of both teams! From superstars to coaches to role players, everyone on the court had performed to the very limit!

The tactical battle between Silver Fox and the Zen Master throughout the game was so clear that even people who knew nothing about basketball could glimpse it!

Kobe played 45 minutes! He went 18-for-31, 5-for-9 from three, scoring 47 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, and 3 turnovers.

O'Neal played 18 minutes, going 10-for-14 for 25 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers, and 6 fouls.

Michael Jordan played 45 minutes! He went 19-for-33, 4-for-7 from three, scoring 46 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 4 turnovers.

Scottie Pippen played 43 minutes! He went 12-for-23, scoring 28 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and 4 turnovers!

Rodman grabbed 18 rebounds! Eddie Jones had 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists; Horry posted 15+7+6; Joe Smith had 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks; Ben Wallace recorded 5 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks. Chris Mullin, Dell Curry, Toni Kukoc, and Stephen Jackson had all made their contributions as well!

The stars had shone brilliantly!

Any one of those