June 7th, New Garden.
The second game of the NBA Finals arrived as scheduled.
At the start of the game, the Los Angeles Lakers indeed followed Phil Jackson's instructions and resolutely passed the ball to Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal.
O'Neal displayed his exceptional basketball IQ as the league's top center today. After learning from his mistake in the first game against Ben Wallace where he was outmatched by sheer brute force, he refrained from blindly forcing his way into the paint.
When Big Ben positioned himself in the low post, O'Neal received the ball and merely leaned against him symbolically. Then, with remarkable agility beyond his size, he turned towards the baseline. Before Big Ben could regain his balance, O'Neal released the ball with a soft floater from the edge of the paint.
The basketball went through the net cleanly.
In the following possessions, O'Neal repeated the same tactic. He made extensive use of hook shots and floaters, which are more energy-efficient finishing methods, and his touch was surprisingly good. Whenever he got the ball in the deep post, he could almost always convert it into a score.
The Lakers kept the score close at the start thanks to O'Neal's efficient isolation plays.
But Boston's response was shockingly cold-blooded.
If O'Neal receives the ball too deep, or Big Ben loses his defensive position, the nearest Celtics player, whether it's Garnett or Artest, will pounce on him without hesitation and grab O'Neal's thick arm.
Beep! Foul!
Less than six minutes into the first quarter, O'Neal had already been sent to the free-throw line three times, making 2 of 6 attempts.
Jordan and Barkley had to stand outside the three-point line, in the cold wind of the arena, watching O'Neal miss free throws again and again.
Next, Rick Carlisle made an extremely bold rotation adjustment.
In the seventh minute of the first quarter, Rick Carlisle substituted Stephen Jackson for Grant Hill.
" Rick, why is Grant resting so early?" Assistant coach Casey, somewhat surprised.
"No, I'm just having him avoid Michael and Shaq." Rick Carlisle stared at the court, a slight smile playing on his lips. " Stephen is stronger and faster; he's a good fit to work with Gary Payton to harass Jordan. I want to save Grant's energy for the Lakers ' rotation."
The effect of this adjustment was immediate. After Stephen Jackson entered the game, with his youthful physique and a fierce, headstrong spirit, he and Gary Payton launched a relentless attack on Jordan.
With two minutes remaining in the first quarter, Phil Jackson finally couldn't hold back any longer and substituted the panting Jordan and Barkley for Marion, Odom, and Brian Shaw.
Just when Lakers fans thought they could finally catch their breath, Rick Carlisle waved his hand, and Grant Hill, along with Rasheed Wallace, Raja Bell, Chauncey Billups Billups, and Wang Zhizhi, returned to the court.
"Travel during off-peak hours." Lin Qi nodded in satisfaction as he watched the change of personnel from inside the private room. "Use the sharpest knife to cut the softest meat."
The second section begins.
Lamar Odom of the Los Angeles Lakers has the ball at the top of the key. The gifted left-hander will try to shake off his defender with his rhythm, but standing in front of him is a fully rested and energetic Grant Hill.
Odom attempted a crossover dribble to break through, but Hill's footwork was incredibly fast. Not only did he avoid being faked out, but he also keenly seized the opening Odom had created while dribbling, extending his long arm to steal the ball.
After stealing the ball, Hill was like a sports car starting up, instantly shaking off everyone's defense and charging towards the Lakers' half of the court.
The moment he stepped onto the three-point line, the Grant Hill of the past seemed to have been completely awakened.
Hill didn't slow down; he jumped straight up from just inside the free-throw line. His body stretched out incredibly in the air, like a fully drawn bow, as he completed a powerful one-handed dunk over the basket!
"Boom!"
The roof of the New Garden looks like it's about to be ripped off.
Marion and Odom, two young men known for their athleticism, appeared somewhat sluggish in the face of Hill's explosive power.
But this is just the beginning.
The Lakers missed their shot, Billups grabbed the rebound, and immediately passed the ball to Hill who was cutting inside.
Facing Brian Shaw's retreating defense, Hill didn't slow down at all. He used a classic and realistic one-handed inside-outside dribble, and the basketball seemed to bounce with life in his right hand.
Brian Shaw's center of gravity was instantly thrown off balance, and he staggered back two steps, almost falling to the ground.
Hill easily blew past the defense and scored another elegant layup.
"My God, I feel like I'm seeing Grant Hill from 1997!" the commentator on the sidelines roared wildly, "The invincible Hill is back!"
In Boston's second unit, Hill was no longer the tactical pivot who sacrificed ball possession for the greater good in the starting lineup. Rick Carlisle gave him unlimited shooting opportunities. He had a group of defensive stalwarts like Raja Bell, Artest, and Rasheed around him to provide cover, and Billups to supply him with ammunition.
He only needs to do one thing: tear apart the Lakers ' second unit.
Facing the young Marion, Hill backed down on the left. He repeatedly shrugged his shoulders, then suddenly executed an extremely quick baseline spin, leaving Marion behind. Facing Patrick Ewing's help defense, Hill deftly pulled up in mid-air, switching the ball to his left hand and banking it in.
Facing Quentin Richardson, who was two inches shorter than him, Hill pulled up and shot from beyond the three-point line. This weapon, which he wasn't good at during his time in Detroit, became a regular tool through extensive training while recovering from injury in Boston.
Swish! A three-pointer swished through the net!
In less than five minutes into the second quarter, Grant Hill scored 12 points on his own!
He unleashed a long-suppressed ferocity, utterly destroying the Lakers ' defense.
Jason Kidd, standing on the sidelines, closed his eyes in anguish.
His worst fears have come true. Now, Boston is not only wearing them down on defense, but also unleashing Grant Hill as a deadly weapon on offense.
Phil Jackson was forced to call a timeout.
He looked at the Lakers's appalling plus-minus ratings on the statistics sheet, then glanced at Jordan and Barkley on the bench, who were still panting heavily and clearly hadn't had a proper rest.
" Michael, Charles," Phil sighed, a hint of resigned compromise in his voice, "You'll have to go ahead."