In the visiting team's locker room during halftime, there was not a trace of panic despite being down by 14 points.
"They played like they were playing their last twenty minutes of the first half," Rick Carlisle said calmly, as if he were reporting the weather forecast, standing in front of the whiteboard. "Extreme excitement and home-court adrenaline masked the fact that their energy was rapidly depleting. In the second half, Jason Kidd simply couldn't maintain that absurd three-point shooting percentage."
The third quarter began with the teams switching sides.
On the Lakers ' first possession, Jason Kidd had just dribbled the ball across half-court when Gary Payton immediately closed in. Instead of trying to steal the ball, Gary Payton used his chest to constantly compress Kidd's dribbling space, while simultaneously unleashing a barrage of trash talk.
" Jason, you think you're all set after sinking a few threes? Tell me, when did you secretly practice your threes?" Gary Payton taunted in a voice only the two of them could hear, while defending. "Did you secretly practice for a long time after losing to me last time?"
Kidd, gritting his mouthguard, ignored Gary Payton's provocation. He called for Odom's screen, using the opportunity to move half a step to the side and pull up for a shot.
"Shoot! That ball definitely won't go in!"
Gary Payton shouted in Kidd's ear, not even fully extending his arm to block, and confidently turned his head to look at the basket.
"When!"
The basketball bounced high off the front edge of the rim.
Garnett grabbed the defensive rebound and immediately passed it to Chris Paul Pierce, who was cutting off the sprint.
Pierce received the ball at a 45-degree angle on the left. Facing Sean Marion, who was retreating to defend, he didn't choose to slow down but instead lowered his center of gravity. He didn't have an absolute speed advantage, but he knew how to use his strength advantage too well.
After two consecutive crossover dribbles, Pierce suddenly accelerated, actively seeking contact near the free-throw line, and solidly bumped his shoulder into Marion's chest. Using the space created by the collision, Pierce jumped steadily and banked the ball in.
After scoring, as Pierce retreated to defend, he deliberately ran past Marion, patted his chest, and said, "You can't stop me. Eat some more hamburgers and try again."
For the next ten minutes, the air in the Staples Center became incredibly heavy.
Boston showcased the most terrifying execution of this deep roster. Defensively, Gary Payton and Bowen constantly used physicality and trash talk to wear down the Lakers ' perimeter players, causing Richardson and Marion to miss shots repeatedly. Offensively, Pierce and Billups repeatedly drove to the basket with the ball, drawing fouls and disrupting the game.
The point difference was being eroded bit by bit with remarkable tenacity.
With one second remaining in the third quarter, Garnett faced Odom's defense near the free-throw line and drained a buzzer-beating pull-up jumper.
76 to 72.
The Celtics narrowed the gap from 14 points to just 4.
The 20,000 fans at Staples Center, who had been ready to celebrate a resounding victory, were now all tense and silent. The smiles on the faces of the celebrities on the sidelines had also vanished.
The fourth quarter, the decisive moment.
Phil Jackson dared not let Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal rest any longer. He knew very well that once O'Neal was off the court, the Lakers ' defense would be torn apart by Boston's frontcourt.
The match entered its most intense and protracted phase.
With three minutes remaining in the match, the score is tied at 96-96!
Lakers on offense. Kidd dribbles the ball beyond the three-point line, panting heavily. He simply doesn't have enough explosiveness to shake off Gary Payton's defense, so he can only lob the ball high to O'Neal in the low post.
Defending O'Neal was Ben Wallace, who had four fouls already.
O'Neal was also covered in sweat, which dripped from his chin onto the floor. He received the ball and backed down, Big Ben Wallace lowered his center of gravity to meet it. Every confrontation between the two was extremely close.
O'Neal failed to create enough space with two consecutive back-to-the-basket attempts. With only 4 seconds left on the shot clock, he had no choice but to force a turn and throw the ball toward the basket with an extremely irregular motion.
In the instant he turned, O'Neal's broad arm struck Big Ben's shoulder, causing Big Ben to fall backward. Both players tumbled out of bounds, the basketball spinning twice on the rim before rolling out.
"Drop--!"
The baseline referee's whistle rang out sharply.
All eyes were on the referee. Without hesitation, the referee pointed at Ben Wallace, who was getting up from the floor—a defensive foul!
The Boston bench erupted in protest. Rick Carlisle ran to the sidelines and yelled, while Pierce yelled at the referee, "He clearly used a drop elbow when he turned! That should be an offensive foul!"
But the referee shook his head expressionlessly, sticking to the original ruling.
Fifth personal foul!
At this crucial moment that could determine life or death, Big Ben was called on the verge of a foul, and Boston's interior defense was instantly put in a bind.
O'Neal stepped to the free-throw line and, amidst chants of "MVP" from the crowd, made both free throws. 98-96.
Pierce immediately responded with a pull-up jumper on the other end, tying the game at 98.
With 45 seconds remaining in the game, the Lakers have possession.
This time, O'Neal didn't call for the ball in the low post. Instead, he moved heavily to the high post and set an extremely solid screen for Kidd.
Using this screen, Kidd finally managed to shake off Gary Payton by half a body length, but instead of attacking himself, he flicked his wrist and bounced the ball to O'Neal, who was cutting down the court.
Big Ben hesitated for a moment while defending.
In that split second of hesitation, O'Neal received the ball and leaped, facing Garnett who was coming to help defend, and with the last of his strength, dunked the ball into the basket with both hands.
100 to 98!
The Staples Center erupted in cheers.
Boston didn't call a timeout, Gary Payton quickly advanced past half-court. There were 18 seconds left on the clock.
The ball was in Garnett's hands. Garnett backed down on the right horn, drawing a double team, and then delivered a brilliant bounce pass to Pierce, who was cutting to the basket.
Pierce receives the ball and is ready to go for a layup.
But in that split second, a purple-gold figure suddenly appeared from the side. Sean Marion leaped high into the air, clashing with Pierce, and before Pierce could shoot, he slapped the basketball.
The basketball slipped from his grasp and rolled out of bounds.
The referee blows the whistle: Los Angeles Lakers have possession!
Pierce fell heavily to the floor and gestured to the referee that it was a handball foul, but the referee firmly pointed to Boston's backcourt.
"No foul! That was an extremely clean steal!" Beal Walton shouted from the commentary booth. " Sean Marion made the most crucial defensive play!"
With only 6 seconds left, Boston was forced to resort to fouling tactics.
When Kidd stepped to the free-throw line and calmly made both shots, the scoreboard showed 102 to 98.
As Billups' final three-pointer of the first half missed, the final buzzer sounded.
The 20,000 home fans at Staples Center erupted in celebration.
Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal stood in the center of the court, hands on his knees, panting heavily, his entire body soaked in sweat. He played a full 45 minutes, scoring 41 points and grabbing 16 rebounds.
On this night, the Los Angeles Lakers, who were cornered, used all their energy and trump cards to finally win a game at home in a thrilling manner.
The score is now 2-1.
The entrance to the players' tunnel.
Lin Qi stood up and straightened the hem of his suit jacket. He looked at the Lakers players celebrating wildly on the court, his eyes showing not disappointment at the loss, but absolute calmness.
" Rick," Lin Qi turned to Rick Carlisle beside him, "Do you think they can put on another game like this?"
Rick Carlisle held the tactical board and shook his head expressionlessly.
"This is their limit," Rick Carlisle said calmly.
The two walked side by side toward the away team's locker room, completely leaving the noise of the Staples Center behind.
"Let them celebrate tonight," Lin Qi said casually.