May 29, 2000, Boston, Celtics training facility.
After the Eastern Conference Finals ended, a gloomy drizzle continued to fall over Boston.
Inside the Celtics ' training facility, heavy blackout curtains were drawn, casting a dim, shadowy atmosphere over the home theater. On the massive projection screen on the wall, footage of the pre-game warm-ups for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals was playing.
Lin Qi didn't give the players, who had just finished the Eastern Conference Finals, a break. He crammed them all into the somewhat cramped video analysis room.
"Let's save the celebratory champagne for the day we lift the O'Brien Trophy." Lin Qi stood in front of the screen with his arms crossed, his cold, hard gaze sweeping over everyone.
Garnett, Pierce, Gary Payton, Mutombo, Jones, and the Wallace Duo and Ron Harper beside them... everyone sat quietly in a fan shape, their eyes fixed intently on the screen.
At this point, the Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and the Trail Blazers are tied 2-2. Tonight's Game 5 will be the pivotal Game 5 that will decide the outcome of the series.
The screen lights up.
As NBC's opening theme music began, Bob Costas ' voice rang out. "Good evening, everyone. This is the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, Lakers vs. Trail Blazers. The series is tied 2-2. Tonight's winner will take a 3-1 lead and be just one step away from the NBA Finals."
The camera pans across the Staples Center... a stadium full of purple and gold flags, deafening cheers, and the elegant faces of Hollywood stars in the first row.
"Since moving from the Great Western Forum to this place, the commercialism and Hollywood affectation here have only gotten stronger." A native of Los Angeles Inglewood, Los Angeles, Pierce stared at the screen, scoffing, his tone laced with disdain. "When I was a kid watching games across the street, there weren't nearly as many fake fans in the front row just trying to look good for the camera."
"What's wrong, kid from Los Angeles? Getting nostalgic seeing your hometown arena?" Eddie Jones teased, raising an eyebrow.
"Come on, Eddie." Pierce tugged at his green training uniform and sneered, "From the moment I put on this, green blood has been flowing in my veins."
"Too noisy." Veteran Gary Payton stared at the screen, his eyes cold. "Whether they're true fans or Oscar winners, when we get there, I'll turn the game into garbage time and make those bastards who bought front-row tickets leave early."
The camera pans to the Lakers ' bench.
Phil Jackson sat on the bench, arms crossed, his expression completely blank. Behind him stood assistant coach Tex Winter.
The game begins. Jump ball.
Sabonis vs. O'Neal. The Big Shark easily tips the ball in, Lakers their first possession.
Fisher dribbled the ball across half-court and made a tactical gesture. Kobe received the ball on the right wing, Peja to the right corner, O'Neal Jr. stood high above the free-throw line, and O'Neal positioned himself low on the left, ready to receive the ball.
" Ron, teach these kids a lesson." Lin Qi turned to Ron Harper, who was sitting in the back row. "Nobody knows Phil's stuff better than you."
As the starting point guard who won three consecutive championships with Phil Jackson during the Chicago Bulls dynasty, Harper's seniority is beyond question in the locker room. He leaned forward and pointed to the positions on the screen.
"Standard strong-side and weak-side cuts, the basic formula of the Triangle Offense." Harper's voice carried the composure of a veteran. "That's how we played back in Chicago. You see, Kobe, Peja, and O'Neal Jr. formed a sideline triangle on the strong side. O'Neal was posting up on the weak side."
Harper paused, then continued to break it down, "The strength of this tactic lies in its spatial control. If you double-team O'Neal on the weak side, the triangle offense on the strong side will immediately start moving, and the ball will quickly pass to Peja, who is open, or to Little O is cutting in. If you don't double-team, O'Neal can dominate his opponent one-on-one in the paint."
"So how do we break that?" Garnett asked. "We can't just watch him try to score inside."
"We must double-team," Lin Qi retorted firmly. "But the timing of the double-team, the speed of the rotation, and... who we draw defensive resources from are the key. Tonight, we might learn something from the Trail Blazers. They have Old Sabonis, and our familiar faces P.J. Brown and Bo Outlaw. Our interior defensive resources are better than the Trail Blazers '; what they can do, we can do too."
On the screen, Fisher lobs the ball high to O'Neal in the low post.
The moment the Big Shark received the ball, he naturally lurched towards the penalty area. Old Sabonis immediately moved up to meet him.
But O'Neal didn't use any unnecessary steps; he simply slammed his foot into the ground. Sabonis gritted his teeth, his feet scraping the floor with a screeching sound, but he was still pushed back repeatedly.
Upon seeing this, Trail Blazers power forward Brian Grant immediately collapsed to help defend.
It's too late.
Using the momentum from the initial collision, O'Neal leaped up directly between the two men...
Bang!
The rim made a dull thud, and Sabonis staggered back two steps from the impact.
"This is Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal." Lin Qi looked at the screen. "Faced with absolute weight and explosiveness, inside skills are not the deciding factor."
Mutombo sat up straight, placed his hands on his knees, and looked serious.
"Can Dikembe defend against it?" Lin Qi asked.
Mutombo slowly shook his head, his voice rough. "No one can stop him one-on-one. But I can make him feel uncomfortable every time he receives the ball, and make him exert himself every time he turns. My height and weight are what they are; I can force him to sweat more."
"That's exactly what we want." Lin Qi nodded. "What we need to do is wear him down, exhaust him in the physical battles of the first three quarters, and by the decisive moment of the fourth quarter, leave him with no energy left even at the free-throw line."
Defense assistant coach Tom Thibodeau looked at the two big men. " Kevin ( Garnett ), Rasheed ( Wallace ). When Dikembe ( Mutombo ) holds the line the first time, your help defense must be there in time. Steal the ball from O'Neal, or foul him outright. But the rotation after the double team must be quick; there can be no open shots on the perimeter."
In the next possession, Kobe received the ball on the right wing, facing Pippen's defense.
Kobe lowered his center of gravity to observe the defensive formation. Then, he suddenly turned his back to Pippen. Pippen tried to disrupt his balance by pressing against him, but Kobe used a very deceptive feint with his right shoulder, then used his left foot to pivot and flip-flop...
"Whoosh!"
"Post-up, turnaround jumper, even the rhythm of his footwork is exactly the same." Gary Payton frowned. "It's like watching a videotape of that number 23 from Chicago."
"That's Michael's style of play," Harper said with a wry smile. "I heard that Kobe was locked up in the gym by Tex Winter this summer, practicing his post-up footwork every single day without fail. That old man Winter wants to turn this kid into Michael."
"But he's only 21," Lin Qi calmly analyzed. "His technique is starting to take shape, but his mentality isn't. The more high-pressure the situation, the more he wants to take over the match with difficult singles moves. That's the weakness we need to exploit in the NBA Finals."
Midway through the first quarter, the Lakers executed a tactical movement.
Peja, using a screen in the paint, slipped to the right corner. The ball arrived just as he did; facing Pippen's diving save, Peja didn't hesitate, receiving the ball and immediately shooting...
Three point hit.
"That was quick," Eddie Jones said.
" Peja Stojaković, 22 years old." Doc Rivers flipped through the scouting report. "2.08 meters tall, a top-class shooting machine. His presence is to punish double teams."
"But his lateral movement on defense is too slow, and he lacks physical strength." Lin Qi looked at Pierce, " Chris Paul, it's your turn."
Pierce grinned. "Boss, he's a cash cow on defense. Once he's on the court, I'll beat him so badly that Phil Jackson has to reluctantly substitute him."
"That's right, keep attacking him. As long as Peja is off the court, the Lakers lose one of their most lethal offensive threats on the perimeter."
In the very next possession, Lakers ' Jermaine O'Neal received the ball at the corner and assumed a face-up position. He raised the ball high and faked a shot. Brian Grant instinctively moved up.
Now! O'Neal Jr. suddenly lowered his shoulder and passed the ball, showcasing a first step that was in no way inferior to that of a forward. His explosive power allowed him to bypass Grant by half a body length and drive straight into the penalty area.
Sabonis quickly collapsed to help defend, his massive frame covering the area under the basket.
O'Neal Jr. suddenly stopped, pivoting on his left foot and turning around. He used his right shoulder to push off, creating space in the confrontation and leaping into the air. Facing Sabonis's block attempt, he lightly flicked his wrist at the peak of his jump.
A perfect turnaround hook shot. The basketball flew past his fingertips and swished through the net.
" Jermaine O'Neal has good explosiveness and a huge coverage area in the paint," offensive assistant coach David Blatt quickly said, "But this season he's been developing his mid-range shot, and his touch is very inconsistent."
" Kevin, how do you defend him if he gets the ball in the mid-range?" Lin Qi asked.
Garnett scoffed, "I'll just give him two steps of space. If he hesitates, his shooting rhythm will be disrupted. I'll force him to finish in the least certain way."
Lin Qi turned around and wrote down the key points on the tactics whiteboard.
The Lakers ' weakness.
First, besides O'Neal, the outside shooting relies on Kobe's individual scoring.
Second, weaknesses on the defensive end ( Peja lacks strength, O'Neal Jr. lacks experience).
Third, spacing issues (in order to double-team O'Neal, one could try strategically leaving O'Neal Jr.'s mid-range shots open).
Fourth, the squad lacks depth (the substitutes are either veterans or role players with limited abilities).
Fifth, there are potential problems with team chemistry (the distribution of ball possession between Kobe and O'Neal ).
After Lin Qi finished writing, he tapped the fifth line with the tip of his pen.
"As long as we can drag the game into a quagmire," Lin Qi said, looking at everyone, "This magnificent warship will begin to crumble from within."
At the end of the first quarter, the Lakers led by 4 points, 26-22.
In the second quarter, both sides entered their substitution period.
The Lakers brought in veterans Brian Shaw and A.C. Green, along with the young Devin George.
"Watch the Lakers ' transitions closely," Lin Qi said, pointing to A.C. Green on the screen. " Brian Shaw and A.C. Green are experienced, but their stamina and speed can't keep up with the high-intensity shuttle runs."
Offensive assistant David Blatt looked at Chauncey Billups Billups, Ron Artest, and Ben Wallace in the second row. "If we face this rotation in the NBA Finals, I want you guys to push the pace of the game and widen the score gap."
On the court, the Trail Blazers ' bench players did seize their opportunities. Steve Smith hit two consecutive three-pointers, Gregg Anthony drew a foul on Brian Shaw on a drive.
The Trail Blazers went on a 12-4 run in this quarter, taking the lead.
At halftime, the Trail Blazers led 48-46 by 2 points.