June 10, Los Angeles, Staples Center.
The glitz and glamour of Hollywood and the heritage of the Purple and Gold Legion intertwined in this arena, creating one of the most prestigious and high-profile venues in the United States. Jack Kerr, wearing his signature sunglasses, was already seated courtside, surrounded by Leonardo DiCaprio and a host of top celebrities.
But in the VIP box, NBA Commissioner David Stern's expression was so calm that it was impossible to guess what he was thinking. The NBA Finals are the most lucrative event in the league. He could accept the young Boston team winning the championship, but he absolutely could not accept the Lakers, who have Jordan, O'Neal, and the huge Los Angeles market, being swept 4-0 without any suspense.
A tacit understanding had already been reached within the referee team.
"Beep--!"
Just forty-five seconds into the game, referee Dick Bavetta's whistle blared loudly throughout the arena.
Inside the paint, Ben Wallace was guarding Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal. To disrupt O'Neal's receiving of the ball, Big Ben used a fronting defense that had been very effective in the previous two games, giving O'Neal plenty of physical contact.
But a move that wouldn't even warrant a warning in Boston tonight resulted in a defensive foul.
Big Ben was stunned for a moment, then spread his hands and complained to the referee. Bavetta, however, just pointed at his gesture with a cold face, indicating that there was no room for negotiation.
But this is just the beginning.
Two and a half minutes into the first quarter, Chris Paul Pierce, while driving to the basket, slightly raised his left elbow to push away the defender, and was immediately called for an offensive foul by the baseline referee.
In the third minute, Ron Artest closely guarded Jordan on the wing, habitually placing his hand on Jordan's waist to try and sense the change in his opponent's center of gravity.
"Beep!"
Another whistle blew!
"What the hell! How are we supposed to defend against this?!" Assistant coach Casey angrily tugged at his tie on the sidelines, roaring at the scorer's table, "If we can't even have normal physical contact, then we might as well line up on the court and bow to them!"
Head coach Rick Carlisle stood with his hands in his suit pockets, his face ashen. He knew very well: the home-court advantage had arrived. In Los Angeles, the referees had applied a zero-tolerance policy, forcibly shackled Boston's defense. Big Ben and Artest, already burdened with two fouls early on, visibly became timid and hesitant on the defensive end.
Since their strongest defensive strategy has been neutralized, the game can only become a pure offensive battle.
The first to spark a battle on the court was the power forward (position four).
Garnett received the ball at the right corner, facing Charles Barkley. He didn't need to call a screen at all; after a probing step, he pulled up for a jump shot, and the ball swished through the net.
But Barkley responded in the low post. The veteran knew he couldn't jump as high anymore, but his broad hips and excellent lower body strength were still historic. He backed Garnett down, like a bulldozer, pounding his way in and creating space, before sinking a signature floater off the backboard.
The two players traded blows midway through the first quarter. Garnett punished Barkley with his height, while Barkley taught his junior a lesson with strength and experience.
The score fluctuated, and the game unfolded in a wide-ranging, attacking fashion.
But just seven minutes into the first quarter, the ball went dead. The Lakers' bench made a substitution that surprised the entire audience and even the Boston coaching staff.
Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal, the team's two absolute core players, were both substituted and rested. Even Barkley, who had just been on a hot streak, also returned to the bench.
Jason Kidd was the only starter remaining on the court.
Alongside Kidd, the players who stepped onto the court were: Derrick Fisher, Quentin Richardson, Sean Marion, and... Lamar Odom.
Rick Carlisle's pupils contracted sharply as he looked at the Lakers ' lineup.
Fisher played shooting guard, Richardson played small forward, and Marion moved to power forward. Surprisingly, Odom, a 2.08-meter tall left-handed player with guard-like ball-handling skills, was playing center!
"The ultimate small-ball lineup..." Rick Carlisle murmured to himself.
The Lakers abandoned their interior height, and didn't even keep a traditional center or power forward, relying entirely on mobile forwards.
The game restarted.
This extreme small lineup immediately caused a huge storm on the field when it was first introduced.
On offense, Odom didn't bother to establish position in the paint; instead, he stretched out to the three-point line. This put Boston, whose inside game is best known for its three-point shooting, in a similar predicament to their opponents. If Ben Wallace went out to defend, the paint would be completely open. If he stayed inside, Odom could easily facilitate the offense or shoot a three-pointer from the outside.
Without O'Neal dominating the paint, the Lakers ' perimeter players were completely unconstrained.
After receiving the ball, Kidd, facing Boston's defense which had lost its toughness, began to orchestrate the offense with ease. The Lakers ' young players were making a frenzied run and cut.
Marion cuts to the basket, receives a bounce pass from Kidd, and easily scores a layup.
In the next possession, Odom drove to the basket at the top of the key, drawing the defense before passing to Richardson on the wing, who drained a three-pointer!
The small-ball lineup was surprisingly effective. Because of the strict refereeing, Boston couldn't disrupt the Lakers ' rhythm with fouls and rough play. And the Lakers ' young players, orchestrated by Kidd, maximized their speed, spacing, and cuts.
On the defensive end, although they lack height in the paint, the excellent mobility of Marion, Richardson, and Odom allows them to switch on defense indefinitely and tightly guard Boston's passing lanes.
In just three minutes, the Lakers went on an 11-4 run.
On the Lakers ' bench, Michael Jordan was applying a towel to his knee. He watched the young players on the court, who were charging forward relentlessly and tearing apart Boston's proud defense, with a completely calm expression.
Rick Carlisle was forced to call a timeout, and the Boston players walked off the court, panting heavily.
The wind direction at the Staples Center has completely changed.