No matter how perfect the tactics are, they are ultimately executed by people.
Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle had considered every possibility, but they underestimated the determination of those old guys on the other side to fight to the death on the edge of the cliff.
As the fourth quarter began, a suffocating atmosphere of tension filled Staples Center. Trailing by eight points, the Lakers launched an unstoppable comeback.
The first key to breaking the deadlock was Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal's basketball IQ and court vision, which are often overlooked by outsiders.
Early in the fourth quarter, when Boston's defense once again closed in on the low post.
Facing a triple-team, O'Neal dribbled and turned. His massive frame paused sharply in the paint, his huge hand gripping the basketball as he faked a hook shot, tricking Big Ben into shifting his weight.
In that instant, O'Neal flicked his wrist.
The basketball flew through the gap between Garnett and Big Ben, bouncing precisely before landing in the hands of Marion was cutting in from the weak side baseline.
Marion received the ball, jumped up, and easily scored with a layup.
In the fourth quarter, O'Neal delivered three consecutive exquisite passes, finding teammates cutting into open spaces from defensive blind spots and tearing apart Boston's defense. This forced Boston's double-teams to hesitate instinctively. And once the double-teams weren't decisive enough, O'Neal immediately reverted to his brutal finishing prowess, repeatedly overpowering Ben Wallace in the low post for Big Ben.
The score was quickly narrowed.
What truly drove Boston to despair was the fat man with thick braces on his knees.
Charles Barkley.
In the final five minutes of the fourth quarter, the game became a fierce, close battle, with both teams' shooting percentages plummeting under intense defense. At this point, rebounding became the lifeline that determined victory or defeat.
Boston missed a shot on offense, and Big Ben and Garnett positioned themselves to grab the defensive rebound.
But just as the basketball was falling, a broad-shouldered body used its abnormal lower body and hip strength to squeeze a gap from behind Big Ben, pushing him out of the optimal landing point!
Barkley can't jump very high anymore; his feet probably only leave the ground by less than ten centimeters. But his instinct for where the ball will land on the backboard, that innate spatial awareness, has long since reached a state of perfection.
"Smack!"
Barkley cleverly flicked the ball with his fingertips in the air, setting it up for Kidd on the perimeter.
The Lakers regained 24 seconds on the shot clock, Kidd hit a mid-range jumper.
The next possession was Barkley again. In a chaotic scramble for the ball, it bounced off the floor. Facing Garnett's long arms, Barkley, like a reckless wild boar, lunged at the floor with his massive body. He managed to grab the damn loose ball right at Garnett's feet and then frantically called a timeout.
When the referee blew the whistle and his teammates came forward to help Barkley up, Big Ben, panting heavily, looked at the veteran who was covered in sweat and whose jersey was almost soaked, a hint of awe flashing in his eyes.
Throughout the game, Barkley's stats panel clearly showed 16 rebounds, 7 of which were offensive rebounds.
With his shrewd positioning and relentless diving for rebounds, he managed to snatch several crucial offensive rebounds from Garnett and Big Ben.
With 24 seconds remaining in the game, the score was tied at 96.
With the Lakers in possession of the ball, Phil Jackson did not call a timeout; he completely handed the game over to the players on the court.
The air in Staples Center seemed to freeze. All the fans stood up and held their breath. Jack Kerr in the front row even nervously took off his sunglasses. Everyone knew who would get the ball in the hands of this game-winning attack.
Michael Jordan has the ball at the top of the key.
He was being guarded by Grant Hill. The two top forwards, one old and one new, faced off in the purest one-on-one at the most crucial moment that would determine the outcome of the NBA Finals. Hill lowered his center of gravity and provided close defense, his eyes fixed on Jordan's every move.
Time ticked by, and a suffocating feeling enveloped the entire stadium.
With five seconds left on the shot clock, Jordan made his move.
He took two probing steps in a row, then suddenly lowered his center of gravity and made a strong breakthrough to the right.
Hill stayed close behind, maintaining his defensive position thanks to his excellent lateral movement. At the same time, Garnett had also perfectly timed his help defense, blocking all of Jordan's driving routes like a wall.
From a tactical defensive perspective, Boston executed a near-perfect play. They committed no fouls, avoided any mispositioning, and forced Jordan to make choices in extremely tight spaces with two defenders on his back.
Lin Qi watched as Jordan was forced to stop the ball, his clenched fists even sweating. For other players, at this moment, whether passing or forcing a shot, the efficiency was extremely low.
But Jordan, facing two defenders, made an unreasonable sudden stop and jumped.
His body hovered in the air for a mere fraction of a second, displaying superhuman hang time. Just as Hill's finger was about to poke his eye, Jordan, relying on his terrifying core strength and muscle memory, managed to throw the ball even after losing his balance.
This was almost a blind throw done purely by instinct and muscle memory.
The basketball traced an extremely high arc in the air, passing over everyone's fingertips, and time seemed to stretch out infinitely at that moment.
"Whoosh."
A crisp rustling sound of netting shattered the entire Staples Center.
98 to 96.
Boston had only 1.2 seconds left. Rick Carlisle then called a final timeout.
After the timeout, Pierce received the serve with difficulty in the right corner, and forced a shot despite Marion's defense.
"Clang!"
The basketball slammed heavily against the front of the rim, bounced off the rim, and the game ended.
The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a thrilling comeback at home, tying the series at 2-2.
Confetti rained down from the sky above the Staples Center.
Amidst deafening cheers, Jordan chewed gum, his cold gaze sweeping over the Boston bench. Barkley, on the other hand, collapsed onto the scorer's table, panting heavily.