The Lakers had a day off after their back-to-back games against the Rockets and Spurs, then it was time to embark on the next three-game road trip.
Their first stop was Atlanta!
The Hawks' core lineup this season consisted of center Mutombo, power forward Laettner, small forward Tyrone Corbin, shooting guard Steve Smith, and point guard Blaylock.
Although their overall roster was average, under coach Wilkens' guidance, the Hawks displayed strong teamwork. Especially their center, Mutombo, who was at the peak of his career, with league-topping blocking and rebounding abilities!
Under the protection of the "African Mountain," the Hawks' record began to soar.
The Lakers' challenge against the Hawks was clearly shaping up to be a bloody, hard-fought offensive and defensive battle.
To avoid getting "blood splattered" on him, He Ximeng decided to keep a low profile in this game!
If Scott wanted to push forward, fine, He Ximeng would pass him the ball!
If Kobe wanted to push forward, "No, kid, take it easy, let Scott go..."
As a result, by the end of the game, veteran Scott was unharmed, but Ceballos was injured...
Perhaps bothered by trade rumors, Ceballos was too eager to prove himself and played too aggressively, injuring his ankle.
An ankle injury can be serious or minor for a swingman, making it quite troublesome... It truly was one misfortune after another.
However, the Lakers still managed to secure the victory with their overall strength.
Ceballos's injury was a loss for the team, but for some players, it was an opportunity!
The biggest beneficiary was the veteran Scott from the bench.
Coach Harris chose to move Scott into the starting lineup at shooting guard, with Eddie Jones playing small forward, between Scott and Kobe.
Kobe also benefited. With Scott moving to the starting lineup, he no longer had to compete for rotation minutes, effectively solidifying his position as the second shooting guard. Although Kobe was still unhappy about Scott being the primary shooting guard, he had to bow to the circumstances. Kobe didn't have much say at this point.
For He Ximeng, Ceballos's injury didn't have a significant impact. If anything, the change in lineup meant more playing time with Kobe...
After the game against the Hawks, the Lakers flew back to Los Angeles for their second road game, a clash against their crosstown rivals, the Clippers!
What delighted Lakers fans most in this city derby was the simultaneous explosion from the "twin stars" off the bench!
Benefiting from increased playing time and shooting opportunities, Kobe shot 5-of-8 from the field, including 4-of-6 from three-point range, and went 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, scoring 16 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists, once again setting a new personal best for single-game scoring.
He Ximeng also shot 5-of-8, all from three-point range, scoring 15 points, 7 assists, 1 rebound, and 1 steal.
During the preseason, this duo of He Ximeng and Kobe was dubbed the "Little Flying Man Brothers" by the Los Angeles media. However, once the regular season began, reporters noticed that He Ximeng, due to his position, had emerged first from the bench. While Kobe was still struggling for playing time, He Ximeng's minutes were stable at around 12 per game, with averages of about 10 points and 5 assists...
Calling them the "Little Flying Man Brothers" seemed less appropriate now. Calling them "Kung Fu Kid Brothers" also didn't quite fit.
He Ximeng might know Chinese Kung Fu, but Kobe probably didn't.
So, the nickname issue was temporarily put aside.
It wasn't until Ceballos was injured, Kobe solidified his role off the bench, and started delivering consistent performances that the two rookie players finally got a new nickname: "The Lakers Twin Stars"!
In the following games, the Lakers' twin stars performed exceptionally well!
Coupled with O'Neal fully establishing himself as the team's tactical core, the Lakers' offensive execution became increasingly clear and fluid. They consecutively defeated the Suns, Warriors, and Spurs, extending their winning streak to six games and improving their season record to 11-1!
The Los Angeles media could no longer contain their excitement, boldly proclaiming slogans like "Defeat Jordan and contend for the championship!"
However, in reality, the Lakers' true test was just beginning!
The Lakers' next three opponents were the Utah Jazz, Seattle SuperSonics, and Houston Rockets.
If history remained unchanged, the Utah Jazz would be the team challenging Jordan's championship status this season.
The Jazz's core lineup featured the dominant center Ostertag, power forward Malone, small forward Bryon Russell, shooting guard Hornacek, and point guard Stockton!
On the Lakers' side, Harris continued to start Scott.
The game began with Ostertag scoring on a jump shot, giving the Jazz the first possession.
Stockton directly found Malone for a pick-and-roll. He lobbed the ball to Malone at the edge of the paint, drawing a double-team from the Lakers. Stockton then made a backdoor cut, shaking off Van Exel, and drove to the basket!
Malone immediately passed to Stockton, who hit a pull-up jumper from close range, scoring the first points for the Jazz.
The chemistry between the two was like flowing water, requiring no verbal communication; everything was so natural and precise.
In turn, Van Exel attempted a play with Campbell. After a drive, he passed back, and Campbell took a shot from just inside the free-throw line, but the ball bounced off the rim...
Ostertag grabbed the defensive rebound and passed to Stockton. Stockton wasn't in a hurry to attack; he calmly set up the offense, called for a high screen from Malone, drove, and passed to Hornacek on the wing. Hornacek, initially ready to shoot, saw a better opportunity with Malone cutting to the basket and made a precise skip pass to Malone!
Malone caught the ball, turned, took a step, and finished with a layup, scoring two points.
The Jazz's opening plays were executed flawlessly, drawing loud cheers from the home crowd in Utah.
On the sidelines, Harris was yelling at Van Exel, "Give the ball to Shaq..."
Yes, with the Lakers' current lineup, pitting Campbell against Malone was asking for trouble.
Go to O'Neal! The Lakers' greatest strength right now was O'Neal!
Van Exel was like this; once on the court, he'd have his own ideas. He needed a strong push from the coach to clear his head and then reliably pass the ball to O'Neal...
Many Lakers fans questioned Van Exel's actions, believing that He Ximeng, who had a more stable tempo and a smoother passing game to O'Neal, deserved the starting point guard position more... They expressed their demands on various social media platforms, but coach Harris and general manager Jerry West remained unmoved.
Van Exel continued to be the Lakers' starting point guard, although his playing time had been reduced to less than 30 minutes.