"Do everything you can to stop Wei Guo from scoring, and absolutely do not let the other players explode!"
This is the defensive task that Phil Jackson gave to the entire Lakers team.
Three consecutive 60+ point games, especially in the playoffs... even a god would get tired. Although they lost two home games in a row, the Zen Master still saw hope for the game.
Wei Guo has disrupted the Rockets' offensive rhythm.
These matches...
Wei Guo's playing style is more like Kobe's; in a word: selfish!
Unless Wei Guo scores 100 points in a single game again, the Zen Master is confident of winning this game.
........
The players were all very serious during warm-up, and Wei Guo stopped joking with O'Neal.
For the Lakers...
This game is a matter of life and death. If we win, there is still hope; if we lose, this series will be over.
"Beep!!!"
The game began with the sound of the whistle.
Francis gets the ball and dribbles it to the frontcourt to find Wei Guo first.
"Just as I expected..."
The Zen Master seemed to have everything under control. "Gentry won Coach of the Year because of his strong roster. He lost his composure after losing one game in this series. The reason he was able to win two consecutive away games was simply because Wei Guo played one-on-one!"
Kobe defends the nation!
Wei Guo used a crossover dribble to find shooting space, then pulled up for a jump shot.
"Whoosh!!!"
The basketball went into the net.
2-0!!!
The Rockets scored first.
Gentry stood on the sidelines, hands on his hips, watching the game. "Defense! Watch O'Neal's position!"
Gentry and Phil Jackson shared the same mindset: they believed their team was guaranteed to win this game.
Lakers on offense.
Kobe received the ball near the baseline, turned around and made a powerful shot. This series of fakes caused Wei Guo's defense to be slightly out of position, and Kobe immediately took a fadeaway shot.
But...
How can Wei Guo's speed and jumping ability be ignored?
Kobe had tried his best to raise the arc of his shot, but Weiguo still managed to tip the ball to him. So, as soon as the ball was released, Kobe rushed towards the basket, shouting, "Shaq, grab the rebound!"
Shaquille O'Neal blocked Yao Ming under the basket!
The basketball bounced off the rim, and O'Neal jumped up quickly. Just as he caught the ball, Wei Guo's hand followed and flicked it away.
At this time...
Kobe rushed over, trying to grab the rebound.
After O'Neal landed, he jumped again. Wei Guo was a step slower than O'Neal, but Wei Guo jumped really high.
*Smack!!!*
Wei Guo, positioned between O'Neal and Kobe, grabbed the basketball with one hand and quickly gathered it to protect his chest.
......
Russell sat on the sidelines, saying, "That's how we rebounded back in our day! The players nowadays are too soft... I only see a part of our past in Wei Guo."
"Ew~~~"
Cummings subtly pursed his lips.
He strongly disagreed with the old man's statement. What did he mean by saying that Wei Guo had their shadows in him?
In Cummings' eyes, Wei Guo is the best in the world... In any era, Wei Guo could crush all players.
......
Francis dribbled the ball up the court and passed it to Wei Guo once again.
"It seems..."
The Zen Master sneered, "Gentry really has no other tactics."
Kobe did not refuse Horry's help defense, and the two of them double-teamed Wei Guo. Their defensive moves were very aggressive, and Wei Guo was very uncomfortable being sandwiched in the middle, even making it difficult for him to dribble.
Yao Ming moved up to the three-point line, and Wei Guo lobbed the ball to him.
After Yao Ming received the ball, no one from the Lakers came up to defend him; they simply didn't believe he would shoot a three-pointer.
"Don't you all believe I can make the shot?"
Yao Ming gritted his teeth and shot the ball with his toes touching the three-point line.
The basketball flew towards the hoop...
O'Neal immediately boxed out, and even Rockets' Thomas moved towards the basket.
Only one person turned and ran back to the backcourt. That was Wei Guo. Wei Guo had seen Yao Ming practice three-pointers hard. However, the coach did not set up a tactic for Yao Ming to shoot three-pointers. This did not mean that Yao Ming could not make the three-pointer when he was unguarded.
"Whoosh!!!"
A crisp swishing sound came from the net.
"Oh ho ho~~~"
"three~~~"
The arena erupted instantly, and the Rockets' bench players jumped up, waving towels and chanting, "Yao Ming! Awesome!"
Hehehe...
Yao Ming scratched the back of his head and smiled as he returned to defense.
5-0!!!
The Rockets took an early 5-point lead.
Yao Ming's three-pointer surprised everyone, but Phil Jackson remained calm. Regardless of whether Yao Ming could shoot threes, this game was a do-or-die situation for the Lakers, and there was no defense at all, allowing Yao Ming to shoot in an open position. This defensive attitude was terrible.
........
Yao Ming hit a three-pointer, but Francis was reflecting on himself, saying, "Only Wei Ge has absolute trust in Yao Ming."
If only he could be as carefree as Brother Wei.
Wei Guo was the team's leading scorer, rebounder, assist leader, stealer, and blocker. He was the best rebounder on the team, but after Yao Ming shot a three-pointer, only Wei Guo turned around and walked back to the backcourt.
........
The Lakers got off to a bad start, calling their first timeout after five minutes.
13:3!!
The Lakers only managed one three-pointer from Fisher.
"You guys were playing too hastily; I didn't see any teamwork at all!"
The Zen Master slammed his clipboard on the ground and said to Kobe, "You can't keep forcing your way onto Weiguo. When your teammates have an opportunity, you need to pass the ball out."
Phil Jackson said this to Shaquille O'Neal during the first game, and today he quoted it back to Kobe Bryant.
This series.
The Lakers' best player was Kobe. Wei Guo scored 60+ points in three consecutive games, but Kobe was no slouch either. In this series, Kobe has scored 40+ points in four consecutive games, and in the last three games, he scored 40+ points against Wei Guo's defense.
But...
The Zen master always had a feeling that Wei Guo had not yet exerted his full strength.
In this game, the defensive intensity of the defense was even greater than in the previous two games, and Kobe could not keep making those difficult shots.
The Rockets' bench was in perfect harmony.
Gentry chuckled and said, "It's in the bag... but we can't be complacent. We still need to work hard in the game. Anyone who slacks off will be punished with three drinks tonight!"
We will definitely try our best!
Francis and the others nodded vigorously, "To share the pressure with Brother Wei and win the game under Brother Wei's leadership."
......
The timeout ends, and the Lakers launch an attack.
Kobe and O'Neal facilitated the play from the top of the key, with Kobe using O'Neal's screen to get past Wei Guo, and then passed the ball back to O'Neal.
O'Neal received the ball and drove to the basket, delivering a powerful dunk over Yao Ming!
"Bang!!!"
The basketball hoop was bent by O'Neal.
13:5!!
This shot also boosted the Lakers' morale.
The Zen Master breathed a sigh of relief. Now it all depends on the players' performance. Only by playing like this can the Lakers have a chance of winning.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com