Wait Until I'm Dead-I'll Have Plenty of Time to Rest!

"Hakeem!!! The Dream shook Ben Wallace loose with the Dream Shake! Seven for seven in the first quarter alone! Seventeen points!"

"The Lakers had absolutely no answer for the Dream! Ben Wallace, the inside presence they had pinned such high hopes on, looked as stiff as a wooden post in front of the Dream!"

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets, Game 5!

The Lakers currently held a 3–1 series lead.

Most people did not favor the Lakers in this game, because O'Neal's injury had completely unleashed the Dream! Previously, the Dream had to expend energy on both offense and defense dealing with a bug-level meat grinder like Shaquille O'Neal.

But once O'Neal left the court, fans discovered just how terrifying the Dream truly was!

On offense, he endlessly went one-on-one against Ben Wallace and Elden Campbell!

On defense, he constantly roamed inside the three-point line, providing help defense everywhere! His absurd defensive range was practically identical to the Wolf King's!

Kobe's gaze was cold.

This game made Kobe feel as if he had returned to those Finals battles against the Celtics' Big Three.

Back then, the aging Wolf King had also been like the Dream—capable of tearing through anything!

Ray Allen and Pierce were somewhat similar to Drexler and Barkley as well.

Every possession was a collision of flesh and muscle!

Many of the moves would have drawn technical fouls in later eras, yet the referees now practically turned a blind eye!

This was the level of physicality in this iron-blooded era!

This was the charm of basketball!

"Stop Kobe! Stop that damned Kobe!" Rudy Tomjanovich stood on the sideline, roaring himself hoarse like a cuckoo crying blood.

"Damn it! That went in too?"

The Dream was relentlessly exploiting the Lakers' interior, while Kobe was likewise brutally bullying Pippen and