Peyton thought he had underestimated the rookie He Ximeng, but He Ximeng's composure still far exceeded his expectations!
Whenever a teammate had a better opportunity, He Ximeng would prioritize passing the ball instead of forcing a shot himself...
As Peyton lamented He Ximeng's toughness, he became even more determined to defeat this freshman with his own strength. After making a hook shot and a mid-range jumper, Peyton's confidence in his shooting surged. On the next possession, Peyton attempted to single-handedly guard He Ximeng beyond the three-point line and then pulled up for a jump shot...
This was a "chance not a chance," what is commonly known as a star's moment.
Given Peyton's current status, he was indeed qualified to play like this. However, Peyton's three-point shooting touch was clearly not as reliable as his mid-range game. Even with the preceding two successful shots as a foundation, Peyton's attempt this time rimmed out!
Kemp charged hard, trying to secure the offensive rebound.
O'Neal would not back down and met him head-on.
Neither of them could secure the rebound immediately. In the end, Horry, near the free-throw line, benefited.
After receiving the ball, Horry saw He Ximeng and Eddie Jones driving in from both sides. He decided to dribble the ball up the court himself.
Seeing Horry dribbling, Peyton intentionally fell back half a step, wanting to launch a surprise attack from the wing.
As it turned out, Horry was no pushover. He had noticed Peyton's subtle movements long ago. Just as Peyton abandoned guarding He Ximeng, Horry caught the ball and pushed it forward. He Ximeng accelerated sharply, leaving Peyton behind, took three steps, and leaped high...
He Ximeng originally intended to score with a delicate layup at the last moment... But Peyton was like a shadow behind him, charging in fiercely, seemingly wanting to block He Ximeng. Even if he couldn't block it, Peyton would have delivered an "accidental" collision the moment He Ximeng went up for the layup...
For safety reasons, He Ximeng abandoned the layup at the last moment and changed from a one-handed dunk to a two-handed slam into the basket!
At the same time, he hung on the rim, avoiding Peyton's collision from behind. While swinging, he "accidentally" kicked Peyton's butt, causing Peyton to lose his footing and tumble into the photographers at the basket...
Having gained a slight advantage, He Ximeng did not linger under the basket after landing. He immediately ran to the high post and high-fived Horry, who had made the excellent pass, to celebrate!
Peyton, who had been thrown into a daze, scrambled up from the photographers' pile, angry, and turned to confront He Ximeng!
Horry immediately stepped in front of He Ximeng, and O'Neal quickly came to He Ximeng's defense!
He Ximeng hid behind a group of his older teammates, a smile on his face, watching Peyton curse at him from behind two people, and quietly gave Peyton a thumbs-down gesture...
Peyton was enthusiastically cursing, believing that He Ximeng hiding behind his teammates was a cowardly act. To his surprise, He Ximeng not only smiled but also subtly gestured "thumbs down" at him... Peyton suddenly felt like he was being treated as a monkey in a show.
Not only he was toyed with, but Horry and O'Neal, who were pushed forward by He Ximeng to shield him from the verbal onslaught, were likely also caught in this yellow-skinned kid's scheme...
The moment this thought crossed Peyton's mind, he lost all desire to curse. He voluntarily asked Head Coach George Karl to substitute him out for a rest. He needed time to calm his mind and, at the same time, re-evaluate his strategy...
He was toyed with by a freshman rookie?
The thought was too insane! Peyton thought he must have been dazed from the fall. Otherwise, how could such an unreliable idea have popped into his head?
Coach George Karl also wanted Peyton to cool down. The head coach had seen clearly from the sidelines who had "initiated" the altercation.
However, after Snow came on, he lacked Peyton's playmaking ability. The Supersonics, who had finally found some rhythm, were once again in disarray.
Meanwhile, on the Lakers' side, the brief scuffle had actually boosted the team's morale.
His teammates had also witnessed the other side of He Ximeng, who, beneath his humble exterior, was absolutely not to be trifled with.
In the ensuing game, He Ximeng first assisted his trusty bodyguard, Comrade Horry, with a three-pointer, and then delivered an alley-oop dunk under the basket to his trusted big brother, O'Neal...
Led by He Ximeng, the Lakers unleashed a thrilling scoring spree! The Supersonics crumbled like a collapsing mountain, and by the end of the third quarter, the deficit had widened to 20 points!
This game, which was supposed to be a fierce battle, the first game of the Western Conference semifinals, had prematurely entered garbage time.
In the final quarter, He Ximeng enjoyed the treatment of a star player, subbing out after three quarters. Together with O'Neal, he stabilized on the sidelines, watching Old Van and Kobe partner up to continue fending off the Supersonics' counterattack on the court...
In the end, the Lakers won 112:102, a comfortable 10-point victory over the Supersonics, breaking their opponent's home-court advantage.
He Ximeng stole the show in this game, his brilliance even overshadowing the team's big brother, O'Neal!
O'Neal had 15 field goal attempts, scoring 22 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks.
He Ximeng had 8 field goal attempts, making 7 of them, including 5 of 5 three-pointers and 1 of 1 free throws, for 20 points, 10 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal!
When He Ximeng was on the court, the Lakers outscored the Supersonics by 25 points! His efficiency was outrageously high...
Kobe had not yet had much opportunity to shine today. He Ximeng had already led the starting lineup to defeat the Supersonics... The frustrated Mamba could only pad his stats during the garbage time of the fourth quarter, ultimately finishing with 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist.
At the post-game press conference, Supersonics Head Coach George Karl admitted, "We had serious problems defending the Lakers' backcourt. The fourth-year rookie guard was able to score at will against us, and that was the root cause of our collapse in this game..."
Kemp also stated at the post-game press conference, "We need to play tougher! We can't afford any slack, any complacency, any arrogance..."
Peyton did not attend the post-game press conference. He needed to sort out his emotions. He had lost this game in a rather unclear manner.
At the Lakers' press conference, Coach Harris wanted to bring He Ximeng along, but He Ximeng politely declined.
The defensive intensity of the playoffs was already fierce enough. He Ximeng did not want to provoke the opponent further.
Before solidifying his starting position, "creeping development" was the correct approach. As a backup point guard, He Ximeng's performance was sufficiently excellent and dazzling.
Another consideration was that He Ximeng did not want to further stimulate his good brother on the bench.
Others might not know how competitive Kobe was, but He Ximeng knew it all too well.
When he was truly determined, Kobe could even fall out with his own mother... The boat of friendship could capsize at any moment...