All the spotlights on the Staples Center dome came on, and Jack Kerr sat courtside wearing his signature sunglasses.
The decibel meter inside the stadium was already off the charts before the game even started.
In a decisive Game 7, the winner takes all; the air here is thick with the suffocating smell of gunpowder.
The referee tossed the ball into the air.
During the jump ball, Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal used his broad body to forcefully push past Ben Wallace and steadily pass the ball to Kidd.
On their opening possession, the Lakers went straight for the paint.
Kidd had just lobbed the ball to O'Neal, Big Ben in position, when Ben Wallace instinctively lowered his center of gravity, bracing his forearm against O'Neal's lower back. As O'Neal caught the ball and turned, his thick elbow grazed Big Ben Wallace's chin, while simultaneously his large foot subtly stepped on Big Ben's instep, preventing Big Ben from jumping and generating power. The moment the two made physical contact, the baseline referee blew his whistle.
Pushing someone is a foul.
Big Ben Wallace paused for a moment, then looked down at his hands. This defensive move had been an absolutely acceptable level of physicality in the first six games, but today, just fourteen seconds into the game, the referee had set the tone for the match. Phil Jackson's two days of media pressure had paid off in the very first game of this decisive Game 7.
A deafening roar erupted from Staples Center. O'Neal smugly swung his arm and stepped to the free-throw line. He made one of two shots.
Looking back, Boston's offense also faced a severe test.
Chauncey Billups Billups dribbled the ball across half-court and called for a play. Chris Paul Pierce used a screen to get out of position, and the moment he received the ball, Sean Marion crashed into him. Pierce lost his balance and dropped the ball. The referee was standing just two meters away, with his whistle in his mouth, but he didn't make any call.
Kidd picked up the basketball from the floor and immediately launched a long pass. Michael Jordan made a fast break and finished with a layup over the chasing Ron Artest.
As Jordan made the layup, the referee blew the whistle again, calling a defensive foul on Artest and awarding him a free throw.
Less than a minute into the game, both of Boston's defensive stalwarts picked up fouls. Jordan stepped to the free-throw line and calmly sank the shots. 4-0.
In the following possessions, the game completely fell into the Lakers ' rhythm. Under the fervent cheers of the home crowd and the strict officiating, Boston's defense became hesitant. Big Ben no longer dared to recklessly front and box out, and Artest was forced to refrain from his subtle pulling moves when guarding Jordan.
Less than four minutes into the first quarter, O'Neal scored repeatedly in the paint, while Jordan hit a clean pull-up jumper from mid-range.
The Lakers got off to a dream start, 12-4.
Rick Carlisle gestured for a timeout from the sidelines. Boston players headed to the bench, the atmosphere incredibly tense. The team's passive start and obvious disadvantage in the whistle were testing their mental fortitude.
"This game is over! I can't even touch him!" Artest had just sat down when he ripped the towel off his neck and slammed it to the floor. " Michael clearly traveled just now!"
Big Ben sat silently beside him, pressing his shoulder with his fingers wrapped in duct tape.
Rick Carlisle held the tactical board, his gaze sweeping over the faces of every player.
"You can't even handle this level?" Rick Carlisle's voice carried a hint of anger. "What do you think a Game 7 is? Is it the league rolling out the red carpet for you to take the trophy home?"
He tapped the tactical board with his pen. " Phil is playing by the rules, the referees are going with the flow, it's all part of Game 7. If Lin were here, he'd just laugh at you guys for acting like wronged kids."
Pierce looked up, his expression changing. Garnett, on the other hand, abruptly stood up and paced restlessly back and forth in front of the bench, a growing anger rising in his eyes.
"On defense, be clean with your moves." Rick Carlisle quickly drew a few lines on the backboard. "But don't let the physicality drop! If the referee calls a foul, raise your hands to admit it, and then continue to physically challenge him in the next possession. As long as David Stern doesn't order you all ejected, stick to your toughness."
He turned to Garnett and Pierce: "On offense, pick up the pace. Kevin, they're trying to wear us down with half-court sets, you have to pull Charles out and punish him with your footwork. Chris Paul, be more decisive on your drives, draw fouls. Since the referees like to blow the whistle, let's force them to."
The timeout ended, Boston returned to the court. The roar of Staples was still deafening, but the Boston players' eyes held less hesitation and more ruthlessness.
Billups dribbled past half-court, Garnett immediately moved up to the high post. Charles Barkley had to leave the paint to follow him. Garnett received the ball and, facing Barkley's slightly heavy steps, executed a crossover dribble, using a guard-like pace to drive into the paint from the left.
O'Neal was forced to abandon Big Ben and stride over to help defend.
Garnett leaped high into the air to face O'Neal as he moved forward, actively seeking contact. The two massive bodies collided violently in mid-air, and in the instant Garnett lost his balance, he forcefully threw the ball toward the backboard.
"Bang!" The basketball bounced off the backboard and went into the basket.
The referee's whistle blew a beat late, but it still went off; O'Neal had committed a blocking foul.
Garnett crashed heavily to the floor, but he immediately sprang to his feet as if electrocuted, letting out a piercing roar at the Los Angeles fans outside the baseline, tearing at his jersey with both hands. This powerful 2+1 play, like a blunt object, disrupted the Lakers' early momentum.
Turning back, Jordan established position on the left side again. Artest closed in. This time, Artest spread his arms wide, using his thick chest and lower body strength to bully Jordan. To disrupt Jordan, Artest even resorted to the most despicable underhanded tactics. He hadn't showered since the start of the NBA Finals and had deliberately chewed half a head of garlic before going on the court. Now, pressed against Jordan's back, his mouth wide open, he breathed his heavy, foul-smelling breath, a mixture of garlic and strong body odor, directly onto Jordan's neck and cheek.
This was meant to physically annoy the opponent and destroy the shooter's focus. But Jordan didn't even flinch, and despite his continuous efforts, he couldn't create space, ultimately resorting to a difficult turnaround fadeaway.
The basketball bounced off the back of the rim. Big Ben boxed out O'Neal in the paint, and Kevin Garnett grabbed the rebound.
Billups received the ball and launched a counter-attack without hesitation. In the attacking third, Pierce and Marion sprinted side by side.
Billups ' pass traversed half-court like a guided missile. Pierce received the ball beyond the three-point line, and facing Marion's tight defense, he faked a shot before forcefully driving into the paint. Marion desperately chased back, attempting a block from the side and behind. Pierce deliberately collided with Marion's arm in mid-air, simultaneously throwing the ball out.
Another whistle blew, and the basketball spun twice on the rim before reluctantly falling in.
Pierce fell to the floor and slid out of bounds. He looked at the scoreboard above his head. For two consecutive possessions, Boston responded to the Lakers ' home-court advantage with the most aggressive drives to the basket and drawing fouls.
With the first quarter halfway through, the score remained close at 18-16.