The fifteen-minute halftime break passed in the blink of an eye.
When the players returned to the court, the fans at the New Garden clearly felt that the Los Angeles Lakers ' spirit had changed.
At the start of the third quarter, Phil Jackson made defensive adjustments.
The Lakers ' defensive formation instantly transformed into a resilient, impenetrable wall. When Pierce attempted to set another screen for Wade, Marion and Kidd seamlessly switched on defense. Without any gaps in defensive communication, Boston's cuts were completely blocked.
On the offensive end, the Lakers displayed formidable strength.
Jordan began frequently calling for the ball in the low post and on both sides of the free-throw line, using his historic back-to-the-basket skills to punish Boston's defense time and time again. Every time he received the ball, he patiently used his back to probe Artest's center of gravity, and then used his signature turnaround fadeaway jumper to send the ball steadily into the basket.
When Boston's defensive focus was forced to shift towards Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal began to dominate the paint.
Big Ben had expended too much energy in the first half fighting for rebounds. Now, facing O'Neal's unreasonable size and deep-lying steps, even if Big Ben gritted his teeth, he couldn't stop O'Neal from getting close to the basket.
In a half-court set, O'Neal received the ball at the edge of the Crash area. He leaned back sharply, the force of which caused Big Ben to involuntarily take a half-step back. Immediately afterward, O'Neal executed a nimble spin move, slamming the ball into the basket with one hand, drawing a foul on Big Ben in the process.
With a combination of free throws and field goals, the Lakers went on a 24-15 run throughout the third quarter, managing to take the lead.
With three crucial minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the scoreboard showed 82-84, with Boston trailing by two points.
The air in the New Garden seemed to freeze. Fans stood up nervously, clutching their shirts, even the boos sounding muffled. Garnett, exhausted, fell to the ground during a scramble for the ball, panting heavily, sweat dripping from his chin onto the floor.
Boston called a timeout.
Rick Carlisle held his tactical board, watching the team members gather around him. He turned to look at Pierce. Pierce's lower lip was still swollen, and dried blood clung to the corner of his mouth, making him look like a boxer who had just finished ten rounds in an underground boxing ring.
"They think you're afraid to shoot." Rick Carlisle tapped the whiteboard with his tactical pen, the sound soft but clear enough for everyone to hear. " Kidd's positioning is now completely biased towards passing lanes. They're betting we won't dare give you the ball for a one-on-one in the final moments."
" Chris Paul, you did a perfect first three quarters. But now, get into position on the left side. Whoever's guarding you, put that damn ball in the basket. Chauncey Billups, lob it in from half-court. Everyone else, spread the floor."
Pause ended.
Billups dribbled the ball past half-court. Wade and Garnett set a cross screen on the right side, a tactic that had worked repeatedly in the first half, immediately drawing the attention of the Lakers ' defense. O'Neal and Marion both instinctively looked to the right.
Just when everyone thought Boston was going to play off-ball cuts again, Billups flicked his wrist and passed the ball straight to the left side of the backcourt.
Pierce got the ball.
He was being guarded by Kidd, who had been harassing him throughout the game.
At this Kidd, Kidd's center of gravity was indeed slightly shifted towards the passing lane. Because in the first 45 minutes of the game, Pierce's first choice after receiving the ball in this position was always to pass or turn to set a screen for his teammate.
Pierce keenly observed this slight lapse in concentration and subconscious misjudgment.
After enduring the entire game and willingly playing a supporting role, Pierce finally revealed his true strength at the most crucial moment of the match.
Pierce caught the ball with both hands without hesitation, giving Kidd no chance to close in and engage in physical contact again. His broad shoulders slumped down, and as he dribbled, his back slammed solidly into Kidd's chest.
The impact was powerful and precise. Kidd felt a tightness in his chest from the impact, and involuntarily took half a step back, instantly tearing open his defensive space.
Using the reaction force, Pierce pivoted on his right foot and quickly flipped towards the baseline. He jumped and hung in the air.
With a gentle flick of the wrist, the basketball arced through the air in a perfect parabola.
"Whoosh!"
The crisp sound of the net being swished rang out, 84 to 84!
The New Garden erupted in a deafening roar. Pierce landed and immediately turned to close in on Kidd, who was preparing to receive the ball from the baseline.
In the next possession, Jordan struggled to get into position on the right side, attempting to respond with a turnaround jump shot. However, with Artest's long arms almost blocking his view, the ball bounced off the rim, and Garnett leaped up to grab the rebound.
There are 45 seconds left in the game.
Boston didn't call a timeout, Billups quickly advanced the ball. This time, Pierce directly called for the ball beyond the three-point line.
The Lakers ' defensive formation tensed instantly. Jordan immediately gestured to his teammates and switched onto Pierce himself.
Facing this God of Basketball, Pierce lowered his center of gravity. The two formed a one-on-one isolation situation at the top of the arc. The roar of the crowd gradually subsided, and everyone watched the duel with bated breath.
Pierce executed two consecutive crossover dribbles, the basketball bouncing heavily on the floor. Jordan's defensive positioning remained flawless, but with his stamina waning towards the end of the fourth quarter, coupled with a game of high-intensity back-and-forth running, Jordan's lateral movement was ultimately a fraction of a second slower.
Pierce suddenly accelerated and drove to the right. In the instant Jordan shifted his weight, he slammed his foot on the floor and took a large step back, creating half a body length of shooting space outside the three-point line.
Facing Jordan's desperate attempt to block his shot, Pierce pulled up and launched a three-pointer.
The basketball spun in mid-air, and more than 20,000 eyes followed its trajectory.
"Whoosh!"
The basketball pierced straight through the Nets!
87 to 84!
Boston takes the lead by three points!
After landing, Pierce pounded his chest, glanced at the Lakers ' bench, and then patted Wade, who had just run past him to distract him on defense.
In the final moments, the Lakers attempted a comeback. But as Richardson's tough three-pointer from the corner bounced off the rim, Big Ben positioned himself under the basket and secured the invaluable defensive rebound, effectively ending any suspense in the game.
The buzzer sounded. 89-86. The Boston Celtics narrowly pulled one back at home, bringing the series score to 1-2.
Technical statistics were displayed on the big screen.
Chris Paul Pierce scored only 15 points on 5-of-13 shooting.
Every player who walked off the court in Boston, whether it was Wade, Garnett, or Big Ben, would go up to Pierce and give him a chest bump and a high-five.
Nobody cared how many points Pierce actually scored; all they knew was that in the final two minutes, Pierce stepped up.