Chapter 2
The second quarter began. Rockets head coach Tomjanovich kept Barkley on the court to anchor the paint, joined by backup center Kevin Willis, small forward Matt Bullard, shooting guard Tracy McGrady, and point guard Jason.
On the Lakers' side, He Ximeng and Kobe finally got their chance to play, along with Shaq, Corey Blount, and Scott.
Shaq had a frustrating first quarter, expending a lot of energy with minimal scoring.
Coach Harris likely wanted Shaq to avoid Hakeem Olajuwon's minutes and find his offensive rhythm during the rotation.
He Ximeng immediately understood Harris's intention. Upon entering the game, he didn't simply throw the ball to Shaq in the post for a post-up, like Vlade Divac might have done.
While Kevin Willis wasn't as dominant a defender as Olajuwon, Barkley was there beside him.
Barkley wasn't just physically strong; he was highly effective at guarding large centers in the post. His exceptional leaping ability also made him a great help defender in the paint, with sharp instincts for shot-blocking!
The nickname "Round Mound of Rebound" wasn't just for show!
If He Ximeng had passed directly, Shaq would likely have found himself in a physical battle against both Kevin Willis and Barkley.
Therefore, He Ximeng's first play involved Kobe setting up from the baseline and Corey Blount coming to the high post for a screen, hoping to draw Barkley away from the paint.
Barkley didn't chase Corey Blount but opted to switch and guard He Ximeng instead.
"Bring it on! Kung Fu Kid, let me see what you've got!" Barkley's mouth was… never idle!
He Ximeng knew Barkley was a trash-talker and ignored the provocation. He feigned a stop-and-pop jumper, drawing Barkley further out, and then delivered a low bounce pass!
Shaq, having understood He Ximeng's intent when Barkley was switched onto him, had already positioned himself perfectly, sealing off Kevin Willis. He caught the pass, turned, and with no chance for Barkley to recover and help, went up for a short, close-range floater, scoring! Finally, no physical battle needed…
Shaq, having easily scored 2 points, immediately gave He Ximeng a "well done" look.
Turning back, Barkley used his powerful posterior to shove past Corey Blount and hit a jump shot in the paint, replying with 2 points for the Lakers.
Barkley overpowering Corey Blount wasn't a big surprise.
He Ximeng reminded Kobe that on the next possession, he should help Corey Blount with a double-team on Barkley.
Kobe nodded in agreement, "Double-teaming is fine. Let me take this next possession, though…"
He Ximeng ignored him. With Shaq as a dominant force in the paint, not playing through him was a waste of resources.
So, on this possession, He Ximeng tried the same tactic, wanting to draw Barkley out while passing to Shaq for a one-on-one in the post.
But this time, Barkley was willing to concede a mid-range jumper to He Ximeng rather than leave his position.
This left He Ximeng in an awkward spot!
"Although I don't particularly like shooting from this range, you can't think I can't hit a mid-range jumper, can you?"
Under Barkley's "encouragement," He Ximeng was forced to showcase his mid-range jump shot!
Even more awkward was that this mid-range jumper… missed!
Fortunately, Kobe anticipated it and was the first to snatch the offensive rebound. He then drove to the basket, executed a scoop layup, and scored!
"Well done, brother! That offensive rebound was beautiful!"
"Of course! Because I predicted you'd miss…" Kobe retorted with a mischievous grin.
"Belittled again…"
He Ximeng sighed inwardly! It seemed he needed to strengthen his training for the mid-range pull-up jumper. Otherwise, when facing a pesky defender like Barkley, who wouldn't be drawn out, he'd be left looking clueless… He didn't want to become a point guard like "No-Shoot" or "Center Long."
The game continued.
Tomjanovich had staggered the appearances of the Rockets' Big Three, allowing them to lead separate units for periods and then combine in various pairings, creating a rich tapestry of lineups… Damn! Wasn't this the perfect solution for managing playing time and ball distribution for the future Miami Big Three?
Could it be that "The Oracle" Riley's ideas originated from Tomjanovich's Rockets?
Through masterful in-game adjustments, Tomjanovich maximized the abilities of the Big Three.
The Rockets, despite the struggles of their role players or a lack of bench depth, weren't blown out by the Lakers.
On the contrary, for most of the game, the Rockets maintained stable offensive firepower and consistent defensive quality.
In contrast, when the Lakers' starting lineup was on the court, with Ceballos and Divac playing, Shaq was struggling. When the bench unit was on the court, the team's core player, Shaq, actually saw his abilities greatly unleashed.
If one were to talk about team control, the Lakers under Harris were actually far inferior to the Rockets under Tomjanovich.
Under the leadership of the Big Three, even a pack of sheep on the Rockets' bench was driven to become wolves!
Harris had hoped that He Ximeng and Kobe could establish a lead during the rotation periods, but the Rockets didn't give the Lakers that opportunity.
When He Ximeng was on the court, he mostly focused on unlocking Shaq's potential, with limited room for his own individual play.
Kobe also had limited room to operate.
As the score reached the final minute, the teams were tied at 97-94, with the Lakers leading the Rockets by 3 points.
The Rockets' possession. Barkley hit a three-pointer, tying the game.
Ceballos drove and drew a foul on Clyde Drexler. He made one of two free throws, making the score 98-97.
At a crucial moment, Olajuwon backed down Shaq in the paint, using his Dream Shake to hit a reverse layup, making it 99-98 and giving the Rockets the lead.
Divac drove and drew a foul on Olajuwon. He made both free throws, making it 100-99, and the Lakers retook the lead.
The game came down to the final possession. Jason and Barkley ran a high pick-and-roll. Jason drove and passed back to Barkley, who had retreated to the three-point arc. Barkley caught the ball and hit a near-game-winning three-pointer!
102-100, with only 4 seconds left for the Lakers!
Coach Harris faced a decision: go for a three-pointer to win or a two-pointer to force overtime.
Harris chose to have Divac try to get the ball to Shaq in the paint, but the Rockets defended this play tightly.
After the timeout, the Rockets tightened their defense, completely clogging the paint around Shaq.
Divac, feeling the heat of the moment and having a good shooting touch that night, deviated from his coach's play. He drove against Jason and shot a three-pointer from beyond the arc…
The result was, naturally, tragic!
The ball bounced off the rim. The Lakers narrowly lost to the visiting Rockets by two points, their five-game winning streak coming to an end…