Kobe actually passed the ball to Malone?!

It wasn't just Ma Long who was surprised...

When Gentry was analyzing tactics, he mentioned the long-standing rivalry between Kobe and Malone, saying that if Kobe had the ball, he could leave Malone open.

Just now, the defense was like that. When Malone retreated to the outside, Kenyon did not move with him. Instead, he thought that if Kobe passed the ball to O'Neal, he could double-team O'Neal with Mourning. Just now, Wei Guo was guarding Kobe one-on-one, so there was a high probability that Kobe would choose to pass the ball!

The Zen Master was pleased, saying, "Kobe is a mature player; he knows how to win games."

57:53!!

The Lakers are still down by 4 points.

......

In the tNt live stream, Barkley and Johnson are commentating on the game.

Barkley said, "Malone's offensive ability ranks among the top three power forwards. Even though he's forty years old, you can't leave him open to shoot."

Johnson: "Kenyan couldn't keep up with Malone..."

Barkley said, "I don't think Kenyon failed to keep up with Malone; rather, he was certain that Kobe wouldn't pass the ball to Malone."

......

While Barkley and Johnson were talking, Wei Guo received a pass from his teammate on the perimeter.

Kobe spreads his arms to defend his country!

Malone was touched by the assist earlier, and he wanted to double-team Wei Guo with Kobe. When Kobe saw Malone coming over, he yelled, "Go guard your own man, leave Wei Guo to me!"

Kobe's shout negated the merit he had just earned by assisting Malone.

Ma Long was furious...

Wei Guo, sticking close to Kobe, half-turned and pulled the ball back, then launched a three-pointer!

Wei Guo's high three-point shooting percentage is because he is not afraid of physical contact. Some big men have a good three-point shot, but they rarely shoot from the outside because their shooting is affected by physical contact.

The closer you are to the basket, the easier it is to score.

Kobe tried his best to defend Weiguo, but the basketball's arc in the air was excellent.

After landing...

Wei Guo didn't even check if the basketball would go in before turning away.

"Whoosh!!!"

The basketball went into the net.

60:53!!

This three-pointer further extended their lead.

Kobe's assist to Malone was just a flash in the pan. The Nets wouldn't treat Malone the same way they treated Ben Wallace. Malone still wouldn't receive passes from his teammates when he didn't have a great shooting opportunity.

The third quarter is essentially a showdown between the star players, namely Wei Guo versus Kobe and Shaq.

That's how the finals are...

When it's time for the star player to take the shot, the star player must not hesitate or be soft-hearted in the slightest.

......

By the fourth quarter, the Lakers players were showing signs of fatigue.

As for the substitute players...

The Lakers' bench players are a bit weak. Even Derek Fisher, who was originally just Tyronn Lue's backup, was defended twice in a row.

The Lakers are falling further and further behind!

With 5 minutes and 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Lakers were down by 15 points, and Phil Jackson was ready to give up the game.

fine...

Kobe and Shaq were able to remain rational; they knew the game was hopeless because they were both exhausted.

With Kobe and Shaq leaving the game, it entered garbage time early.

"Beep!!!"

The whistle blew, and the game ended.

97:83!!

The Nets won Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

Match statistics:

Wei Guo: 37 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks

Hill: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks

O'Neal: 22 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 0 steals, 2 blocks

Kobe: 27 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Wei Guo achieved a triple-double, and the Lakers' constant double-teaming in the second half allowed Wei Guo to make many good passes.

......

Losing two away games doesn't mean there's no chance.

The Lakers flew back to Los Angeles that night, and the players went home to rest, with three days to go before the start of the third game.

The Zen master couldn't fall asleep no matter what he tried...

The first thing he did when he got home was to replay the videotapes of the two games and watch them frame by frame!

He didn't believe the Nets had no weaknesses. The Lakers had four superstars, while the Nets only had two: Wei Guo and Stockton. Hill and Mourning didn't even count. How could such a strong lineup be constantly dominated by the Nets?

I watched it all night.

The Zen Master has finally found the key: the Nets' team cohesion!

This is a team with a very strong sense of cohesion. The individual abilities of the players may not be outstanding (relatively speaking), but they are like a unified whole on the field.

"This feeling is like...like...like..."

The Zen master kept slapping his forehead, finally coming up with a very fitting word: "Formation!"

Whenever the Lakers manage to break through a Nets player's defense with their individual skills, someone will always come over to help defend. Even if they fail to help defend and allow the Lakers to score, the Nets players will still rush to take the blame.

This video contains the original stadium soundtrack...

Phil Jackson discovered that only Wei Guo would scold his teammates on the Nets. As for the others, even veterans like Stockton and Mourning would never say a word of criticism to their teammates.

On the other hand, look at the Lakers!

Shifting blame and pointing fingers at each other... this situation is all too common!

Unless a team completely overwhelms the Nets, it will be difficult to beat this team. No wonder the Nets were able to win three straight games to win the Eastern Conference championship when the Pistons were leading 2-1, even without Hill and Kenyon!

The Zen Master has found the secret to the Nets' winning formula.

But...

Even if this secret formula were made public, it wouldn't matter; other players simply couldn't imitate it.

......

Before the start of Game 3 of the finals.

The Zen Master shared his insights from watching video footage all night with the team, hoping they could learn from the Nets and work together as a cohesive unit to win the game.

The team members also made a promise to the Zen master!

Subsequently...

The third final match has begun!

Before the game started, Wei Guo asked O'Neal for a few tickets, mainly because Wei Dafa suddenly arrived in the US the day before the game.

It's said that you can't drink alcohol because you have a cold and fever recently...

Since he couldn't drink alcohol, Wei Dafa simply took a private jet to the United States to watch his son play in the competition.

O'Neal gave Wei Guo six tickets, albeit reluctantly.

Given O'Neal's relationship with Wei Guo, he wouldn't be so stingy... Why say he was unwilling? Because O'Neal heard that Wei Guo's father was coming to watch the game. Usually, when parents are on the sidelines, players will perform beyond their usual level. He didn't want Wei Guo to perform beyond his usual level, but he couldn't refuse to give him the ticket.

If we don't give Wei Guo tickets, he'll get angry, and the consequences will be even more serious.

Wei Dafa's seat was right next to the Nets' bench. He was holding a large roll of toilet paper, and there was a trash can at his feet.

This design is somewhat eye-catching...

Many people watch the game with popcorn, cola, and coffee, but Wei Dafa's appearance while watching the game is unique. The main reason is that Wei Dafa had just recovered from a cold and fever, and he needed to keep blowing his nose!

The match is about to begin.

Wei Guo came over and advised, "Dad, if you're really not feeling well, you should go back to the hotel and rest."

"It's alright~"

Wei Dafa waved his hand, "Go play ball, it's just a minor cold!"

"You're so stubborn!"

Wei Guo muttered something to himself and then ignored Wei Dafa.

A son doesn't despise his father for being ugly, but Wei Dafa's appearance is indeed somewhat unconventional, and he also has viral influenza. Wei Guo is worried that his father will spread the virus, which would be somewhat unfair to the people of the United States.

This is just Wei Guo's personal feeling.

His teammates, however, didn't see it that way. They were all deeply moved to see Wei Dafa come to the away game to support the Nets despite being sick. They all came over to greet Wei Dafa with great enthusiasm, calling him "uncle" and "grandpa," which made Wei Dafa grin from ear to ear, with little bubbles even blowing from his nose.

Starting lineup for this match:

Lakers: Fisher, Payton, Kobe, Malone, O'Neal

Brooklyn Nets: Stockton, Hill, Wei Guo, Kenyon, Mourning

The Lakers employed a dual point guard lineup, a surprising move that Gentry couldn't figure out. Fortunately, the Nets' greatest strength was their ability to adapt to any situation, sticking to their own tactics no matter how their opponents changed their formations!

"Beep!!!"

The whistle blows, the game begins!

Stockton had the ball, and Malone and O'Neal quickly got into position. Kobe was guarding Wei Guo. In this year's All-NBA team, only Kobe and Wei Guo were All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team players. Kobe's defensive ability was also top-notch!

Wei Guo feinted to the left...

He made a reverse run to the basket, positioned himself in front of Kobe, and called for the ball!

Stockton immediately passed the ball to Wei Guo, who received it and raised it above his head. He first observed the situation on the court, and when Malone came up to help defend, Wei Guo supported the play in the low post and passed the ball to Kenyon!

Kenyon takes a mid-range shot!

"Whoosh!!!"

The basketball went into the net.

2-0!!!

This tactic was executed very well, and it's a microcosm of the Nets' game!

With Kim's motivational speeches, the Nets players are like they've been injected with adrenaline whenever they step onto the court. This state greatly enhances the game and is one of the elements that contribute to the Nets' victories. If you think that the Nets' wins are solely due to Wei Guo, then you are sorely mistaken.

Wei Guo is just part of the Nets' core.

With him around, his teammates feel at ease. When they feel at ease, they can taste the positive energy and then play their best in the game!

Payton dribbles the ball up the court!

The Nets had already set up their zone defense. O'Neal was positioning himself under the basket, Kobe circled around the baseline to take Wei Guo away, and Payton passed the ball to Fisher.

Fisher catches the ball and shoots!

This is quite unexpected...

O'Neal positioned himself well under the basket, but Payton didn't pass the ball inside. Instead, he passed it to Fisher outside the three-point line. Fisher caught the ball and shot without hesitation. Did he think he was a shooting guard?

"Whoosh!!!"

While I was thinking, the basketball had already fallen into the basket.

2:3!!!

The Lakers' previous starting lineup consisted of the "F4" plus Devin George. George is a swingman, but his scoring wasn't high, and he had a low presence in the starting lineup. His shooting percentage was not as good as Fisher's. However, in terms of scoring ability, he is, after all, a small forward, and his ability to attack with the ball is still better than Fisher's.

Phil Jackson's use of two point guards was intended to make the Lakers' offense more flexible.

Try anything, even if it seems hopeless...

The Lakers have one more chance to make a mistake, and only one more, because they are already down 2-0.

Phil Jackson's tactical change was very effective, partly because the Lakers were pushed to the brink. Jackson held a meeting with the players and said a lot. If he had Gentry's cultural level, he would have told the players a story of burning the boats, but although he didn't have that cultural background, his motivational speech was very effective!

The Lakers were passing the ball around the perimeter frequently, and Malone was constantly setting screens for his teammates on the perimeter!

The first official timeout came five minutes into the game, with the Lakers already leading by six points.

9:15!!

Wei Guo looked up at the score.

Gentry stroked his chin. "I'm not afraid of Kobe scoring, nor am I afraid of Shaq scoring, but it's bad if other people score frequently."

The Nets' defensive strength comes from Mourning and Wei Guo.

With the Nets' defensive system in place, as long as teammates help defend, they can limit O'Neal and Kobe. If other Lakers players start to perform, they will draw the Nets' defense away, and Kobe and O'Neal will get better shooting opportunities.

so...

The Lakers have taken the initiative!

After all, they are a team with two superstar players. In terms of roster luxury, no team in the league can compare with the Lakers this season.

......

After the official timeout, the Nets began their comeback!

The Lakers started on offense.

Fisher made an off-ball run, received a pass from Payton, and missed a shot against Hill's defense.

O'Neal grabs the offensive rebound!

After pushing past Mourning, O'Neal stepped forward and slammed home a one-handed dunk.

The referee blew the whistle, accompanied by O'Neal's loud shout, "Ahhhhhh! Foul!!!"

A foul that wasn't particularly egregious.

Kenyon pulled on O'Neal's wrist while trying to help defend, but it only prevented O'Neal from making a dunk.

O'Neal stepped up to the free-throw line.

Kenyon and Mourning looked at O'Neal with ill intent. Mourning wouldn't let go of this opportunity to undermine his opponent, pointing at the basket and saying, "A direct dunk has a very high success rate."

O'Neal: [○?｀Д′? ○]

This is O'Neal's second memorable moment. He said the same thing to Wei Guo in the previous game, and then Wei Guo actually scored a point with a dunk.

This is also the lowest score ever for a dunk in league history. Normally, a dunk can get 2 or 3 points, but I have never heard of a dunk only getting 1 point. Wei Guo did it.

O'Neal is definitely not an option...

Putting aside his weight, his jumping ability and wingspan are also inferior to Wei Guo's.

"Don't let others influence you."

Kobe patted Shaq on the backside and said, "I believe you can make the free throw!"

O'Neal was also unhappy. Before Wei Guo entered the league, he was the best player in the league, but his free throw shooting was something that everyone wanted to laugh at. He wasn't the worst free throw shooter in the league.

Ben Wallace's free throws are even worse than his...

He had also watched a few NCAA games. There was a guy from Kentucky named Hayes who was rumored to be going to the league in a few years. His free throw form was really ugly. O'Neal would rather have a lower free throw percentage than use such an ugly form to shoot free throws.

"Phew~~~"

"Phew~~~"

O'Neal took a deep breath and threw out the first ball.