The visiting team's locker room at Staples Center was filled with a mixture of medical spray and sweat.
There are forty minutes left before the start of the sixth match.
The players sat in front of their lockers, the only sound in the space the soft rustling of the physiotherapists tearing off their duct tape. At this stage of the series, there were few tactical secrets left between the two sides; it was all about physical exhaustion and a battle of wills.
Ben Wallace sat shirtless on the far edge of the bench. The physical therapist was working on his right shoulder. Under the white light, the outline of the swelling was unusually clear. In the past two games, he had almost single-handedly guarded Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal. The physical therapist pressed his fingers against the edge of the swelling, trying to assess the stiffness of the muscle. Big Ben's brow furrowed slightly, but he kept his lips tightly closed and didn't make a sound.
Rick Carlisle stood in the center of the room in front of the tactics board, Mark in his hand, but his gaze was fixed on the video analysis records of the past few games.
Reaching NBA Finals, he needs to rethink his defensive strategy. Last year, or rather, the usual strategy against O'Neal was clear – double-team. Last year, the Lakers had a significant weakness in spacing on the perimeter, and forcing the ball out of the paint solved half the problem. But this year, the situation is completely different.
In the previous games, the Celtics tried double-teaming Shaq in some possessions, but what was the cost? Jason Kidd, Sean Marion, Quentin Richardson, and Lamar Odom. These players' playoff three-point shooting percentages were ridiculously high, hovering between 41% and 50%.
This year, Shaq's passing is much more decisive than last year. When double-teamed, he immediately passes the ball to Kidd on the perimeter. Kidd's three-point shooting is extremely threatening this year; even if he doesn't shoot himself, he can make a decision the instant he receives the ball, passing it to the weakest point in the opponent's rotation defense. As long as the opponent collapses inside, they get open looks beyond the three-point line, making almost one out of every two attempts. This outside shooting percentage completely dismantles the defensive systems of most playoff opponents.
Double-teaming is tantamount to giving points to the perimeter players; the only solution is one-on-one defense. In the past few games, Ben Wallace has spent most of his time one-on-one defending O'Neal.
"Ben, your shoulder..." Rick Carlisle preferred to risk leaving his perimeter players open tactically rather than see one of his players injured. "It's unrealistic to have you shoulder this kind of physicality in the low post for the entire game; your body won't be able to handle it. I'm planning to change the defensive formation. Tonight, we need to increase the fouling rotation in the paint. Rasheed, Tyson Chandler, you two need to go up and share the minutes. When Shaq calls for the ball in the deep post, we need to execute a double-team on the weak side decisively, forcing him to pass. As soon as he passes the ball out, we'll use aggressive rotations to shut down those perimeter shooters."
Big Ben pushed away the physiotherapist's hand holding the ice pack. He stood up and walked to the middle of the locker room.
"Don't double-team." Big Ben looked at Rick Carlisle, his voice not loud, but his tone left no room for negotiation.
"Ben, I can't let you..." Rick Carlisle tried to explain his tactical logic.
"I told you, don't double-team." Big Ben interrupted Rick Carlisle, pulling his jersey over his shoulder, his gaze unwavering. "I'll guard Shaq alone. The rest of you guard your respective men and keep an eye on the perimeter."
The atmosphere in the locker room became somewhat quiet. On one side was the head coach's carefully considered protective strategy, and on the other was the defensive linchpin's personal commitment, purely out of a sense of responsibility. At that moment, Chauncey Billups Billups stood up.
"Coach, let Ben guard him one-on-one." Billups ' voice was calm and composed, carrying a convincing calmness. "At this point, we have no way out. Continuing to double-team Shaq is just giving points to Kidd, Fisher, and Marion. Once those perimeter players get confident in their shots, the game is over. We need to focus all our defensive energy on the perimeter. We can actively cut off Kidd's passing lanes and isolate Shaq in the low post. Even if he scores a lot of points in a game, it'll be two points at a time. As long as we can instinctively limit his shooting percentage and volume, we won't lose out."
Billups walked to the whiteboard, picked up a black Mark, and heavily circled Michael Jordan's name.
"Moreover, we must consider the opponent's mentality." Billups looked into the eyes of the entire team, displaying the insight of a point guard. " Michael's competitiveness won't allow him to back down in this crucial game. If we shut down everyone else's shooting opportunities, the Lakers ' offense will eventually fall into his hands. The more pressure we apply on the perimeter, the more he will choose to solve the problem himself. He will demand the ball, he will ask for isolation plays. That's our opportunity."
Billups turned his gaze to Ron Artest, who was sitting in the corner.
Because of his suspension, Artest could only watch the last game on TV from his hotel room in Los Angeles. This experience of being isolated from the court has left him in a state of extreme depression and longing to play. He kept his head down, his hands constantly kneading the knee pads on his knees.
" Ron," Rick Carlisle called Artest's name.
Artest immediately looked up, his eyes focused intently.
"Your strength and stamina are the best on the team." Rick Carlisle walked up to him, accepted the players' suggestion, and immediately made detailed plans. " Michael played too long in the last game, and his recovery speed can't keep up with the exertion. This is an irreversible physical disadvantage. Tonight, I want you to apply the highest intensity physical contact to him from the first second he steps onto the court. Full-court defense, stick to him. Whether he has the ball or not, you must stand between him and the basket. Prevent him from receiving the ball, force him to attack from beyond the three-point line or even further, and follow his every move."
Artest stood up and clapped his hands forcefully.
I can't wait any longer.