Chapter 337: Decisive quarter 3 (1)

"We should let the ball flow and share, just like at the beginning of the season. We have a good beginning, and I hope there is also a good end."
During the intermission, Phil Jackson encouraged the players in the small locker room. But it doesn't seem to be very effective.
O'Neal was sitting on a small bench wiping sweat, complaining why he didn't turn on the air conditioner. Karl Malone’s knees were a little swollen and he had to apply ice with a large ice pack. Payton was chewing gum, as if he didn't care about anything, his expression was uncomfortable.
Kobe looked pretty good, and his performance in the first half ensured that the Lakers held the score tightly.
But obviously Kobe lacks Jordan's charisma. Not only did his outstanding performance fail to reassure his teammates, but he felt alienated.
Because Kobe almost didn't pass the ball in the first half, the only two assists also meant a bit of a miss.
Jackson reluctantly knocked on the tactical whiteboard and continued: "The third quarter is a very critical one. Everyone, we like to decide the outcome in the third quarter. Coincidentally, the opponent is the same. So, we must be in the third quarter. Go all out, their defense will be very tight, show your experience, courage and wisdom, and work together to get through the difficult third quarter!"
Jackson's calm and magnetic tone always stabilizes people's hearts, and his words also calm the Lakers players. This time Malone spoke.
"This will be a very difficult one, but I will stick to it. I have been sticking to it for 19 years and don't care about this time."
Malone's words undoubtedly greatly encouraged the morale of the Lakers' locker room. In this small locker room, everyone gathered around Malone to cheer.
The intermission was quickly over. The Lakers players were ready to play. Before leaving, Jackson grabbed Kobe again and said to him at the door of the locker room: "Pass more, don't be superstitious about how you feel."
Kobe took a look at him, smiled and said: "I will get the most valuable player." After that, he followed his teammates.
Hearing Kobe's words, Jackson was worried, but there was a glimmer of hope in his heart. Before the start of the finals, Kobe told Jackson in a conversation that he wanted to win the finals MVP.
In fact, before the start of this season, Kobe told his boss and coach that he wanted to get his own regular season MVP. Not only because the existing honors can no longer support Kobe's strength and ambition, but the scandal that lasted for a whole season made Kobe anxious to prove himself.
Especially Phil Jackson once coached Michael Jordan. He asked Jackson more than once how far he was from Jordan.
This kind of ambition and desire finally broke out in the finals. Jackson knew that from the time when he let Kobe take the lead and end the game in the Western Conference Finals, the door to Kobe's ambition was completely opened.
According to the original plan, Jackson hopes that Kobe can start to play better in the more critical third game. The first two games still use more conventional play to test.
But there are two errors in Jackson's estimation. First, he underestimated the degree to which Kobe is eager to win. Under the triple pressure of O'Neal, Malone and his own, he still uncompromisingly hopes to get the most valuable player, and will not give in at all. . Judging from the situation in the dressing room just now, Malone's sensational monologue cannot impress his firm determination. Perhaps he must think that as long as he gets the most valuable player, Malone's dream of championship will naturally come true.
Second, Jackson underestimated the depth of the Celtics and Fox Leon's patience. Jackson was anxious that the Celtics would use the 18th squad of weapons as soon as the game opened. A violent beating might inspire the bloodiness and combat effectiveness of the Lakers players.
I don't know that Fox Leon asked Pierce and Kobe to play against each other. The scene is beautiful, but there are few substantive things. The Lakers have not found the bottom of the Celtics in the past one and a half.
Jackson's impression of several key tactics of the Celtics, the tactical combination was not shown at all, and the two firepower points of Kevin Garnett and Arenas did not play. The death defense that made everyone tremble also did not appear, and these are likely to flood the Lakers in the crucial third quarter. .
With these in mind, Jackson has returned to the game with the players. The noise of the hustle and bustle of the North Shore Garden Arena makes the eardrums faintly uncomfortable. When he saw the Celtics lineup in the third quarter, Jackson knew that Kyle. The special offensive is about to begin.
...........
"Tell me who you are."
"Ragabel."
"Why let you start in the second half?"
"Block the opponent's offense."
"Whose offense is blocked?"
"Opponent..."
"Who is the opponent!"
"Kobe..."
"Kobe what!"
"Kobe Bryant!"
"Okay, come on boy." Nearly before entering the field, on the sidelines of the Celtics, Fox Leon asked him the above words while holding Lagabe's head.
When Bale firmly stated the name of the player he was going to oppose in the second half, Leon punched him in the chest and patted him on the shoulder. The second half of the game was about to begin.
"Welcome back to the North Shore Garden Arena. The score between the two sides was 51:50. In the first half, both sides were evenly matched. Kobe and Pierce dominated the half. What will happen in the second half? We see, the Celtics in the second half. There has been a change in the starting lineup of Lagabere. Lagabell replaced Reid to the position of shooting guard. This is the lineup used by the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals... I was still wondering how the Celtics started in the first half. It's different from the Eastern Conference Finals again." Brin also noticed the Celtics' lineup change, obviously not only he has such doubts.
On the surface, Bell may be used to deal with Kobe, but is Bell really better defensively than Reid? Even if Belle Reid is excellent, it does not mean that Kobe can be restricted.
This is what most people think, but Leon obviously thinks more.
The game started, the Celtics took the lead in the attack, when Reid was not on the court, Arenas became the only engine of the Celtics backcourt.
"Arenas faced Payton, played on the outside, repeatedly used the pick-and-rolls, he found the gap, hit the inside, divided the ball to Garnett, and Garnett made a jumper!"
The Celtics' first goal gave full play to the advantage of the pick-and-roll. Garnett and Brown gave Arenas a double block on the outside, then Brown cut inside, Garnett opened the bottom line, and Arenas made it. After the inside line, choose Garnett for the bottom line.
Karl Malone obviously couldn't keep up with his legs and feet. Once Garnett was given a gap, his jump shot could not be blocked.
There is no doubt that this offensive routine is the most difficult for the Lakers to defend. Malone's aging and O'Neal's weaknesses that cannot be prevented will undoubtedly be magnified in the face of the Celtics.
But the Celtics hardly adopted such a routine throughout the first half, and Phil Jackson only felt that his heart was sinking.
Looking back, Kobe really adopted the strategy of passing the ball in the offense, but Brown fouled when the ball reached O'Neal and didn't give the Sharks a chance. Anyway, there are Haitians sitting on the bench. Brown is not worried about his foul problem~EbookFREE.me~ As Payton missed the shot, the Celtics found a chance to counterattack, and Garnett got it. The boss made a long pass to the hands of Arenas in the frontcourt. Arenas ran with the ball, but Payton couldn't keep up and made a relaxed layup.
At this time Kobe is ready to do it himself, he is not even ready to try another pass, because the point difference has become 5 points, a very dangerous gap.
"Kobe holds the ball, on the right, a pair of Bells, the Celtics are not double-teaming, Bell is constantly interfering with Kobe. Kobe tries to get rid of the ball, backwards jumper... The ball missed, Garnett got a rebound, It's another fast break..."
While talking, Arenas went to the front court with the ball again. He did the same after receiving a long pass from Garnett, but this time Payton could no longer easily let him layup. He would rather pull Arenas down for a foul. .
However, this did not hinder the Celtics' scoring momentum, Arenas made two free throws and the point difference was opened to seven points.
When the Lakers switched offense again, Kobe took the initiative to ask Payton for the ball, and Malone was ready to pick and roll up, but Kobe waved to Malone and said: "Get out of the way, I want to go heads-up!" (To be continued.)