Eddie Jones had just taken a shot against Jordan, and though he missed, he successfully ignited Jordan's desire to attack. Instead of using his signature post-up, he adopted an identical move to Eddie Jones: a front-court drive, a sudden stop, and a fadeaway jumper!
The moves were essentially the same, but the results were vastly different!
Eddie Jones missed; Jordan made it!
"See? This is how you're supposed to shoot!"
After scoring, Jordan, seizing the advantage, unleashed his verbal offense, attempting to disrupt Eddie Jones's emotions and lure him into further one-on-one matchups.
If the Lakers had no other options at this moment, Eddie Jones might have indeed gone head-to-head with Jordan.
However, with He Ximeng, the master of controlling the game, now on the Lakers, they wouldn't easily let Eddie Jones fall into Jordan's trap.
Turning around, He Ximeng didn't foolishly pass the ball to Eddie Jones. Instead, he called for a screen from Eddie Jones, executed a pick-and-roll to switch Jordan onto him, pulled back, and then passed the ball back to Eddie Jones, letting him take on Harper one-on-one!
Logically, this arrangement should have been acceptable.
Harper's individual defense wasn't weak, but surely not stronger than Jordan's!
Unfortunately, Eddie Jones failed to seize this opportunity either. Although he successfully created space for a pull-up jump shot, the ball still bounced off the rim. It seemed Eddie Jones's touch was off today... Perhaps the psychological pressure of facing Jordan was a bit too much...
Turning back, Jordan held the ball at the high post, executed a quick play with Kukoc near the free-throw line, and then used an off-ball cut to drive into the paint. Facing Campbell, he effortlessly laid the ball in!
Eddie Jones missed two shots, while Jordan made two in a row!
The Lakers' offensive rhythm couldn't continue to revolve around Eddie Jones for now; otherwise, they risked digging a deep hole right from the start!
Therefore, He Ximeng decisively shifted the offensive focus, taking the ball back into his own hands. He then called for a high pick-and-roll from Horry, shaking off Harper and creating a mismatch against Rodman.
He Ximeng had initially wanted to avoid a one-on-one against Rodman, but the current situation forced his hand. He had to attack to help the team break the deadlock and establish a fluid offense.
On this play, Rodman was sticking extremely close, unwilling to give He Ximeng a clean look from three-point range. Since that was the case, He Ximeng opted for a pump fake and a drive!
Rodman grumbled under his breath and quickly turned to pursue.
He Ximeng ignored the "Worm" behind him. He knew that if he slacked off during his layup, he could be blocked by Rodman, who was trailing him. Therefore, he kept his eyes on Luc Longley's movements ahead, as well as Campbell in the paint and Horry near the free-throw line.
After confirming that Luc Longley's approach was a bit slow, He Ximeng decisively decided to drive to the basket himself!
However, to prevent Rodman from causing trouble the moment he shot, He Ximeng didn't slow down for a layup. Instead, he drove directly to the rim and executed a rather rare two-handed dunk!
Rodman behind him hadn't anticipated He Ximeng's move. He was a step too late, and could only watch as He Ximeng slammed the ball into the basket over Luc Longley!
"Wow!" The Lakers fans in the arena let out a collective gasp!
It was rare for He Ximeng to dunk, and even rarer for him to do a two-handed dunk!
Why didn't He Ximeng opt for his more common one-handed dunk? Of course, it was because a one-handed dunk was more dangerous! It was easier for Rodman to block from behind! In comparison, while a two-handed dunk might be less stylish and graceful than a one-handed one, it offered superior "stability." It was akin to a layup after three steps...
The moment He Ximeng started his drive, everyone on the court instinctively wondered: would He Ximeng pass to Campbell in the paint or Horry at the free-throw line? No one expected He Ximeng to take the shot himself, and in such a spectacular fashion!
On the sidelines, Kobe Bryant also showed a look of surprise upon seeing He Ximeng's play! He was familiar with He Ximeng's usual style of play – someone who would pass to a teammate rather than drive to the basket himself! As for dunking, He Ximeng avoided it like the plague, as if dunking a few times would surely lead to an injury...
He Ximeng, who was almost dunked on by He Ximeng, didn't say anything. Rodman, behind He Ximeng, seemed provoked. He raised his head, flared his bull-like nostrils, and puffed out his massive chest, intending to intentionally bump He Ximeng!
He Ximeng detested the foreign habit of head-butting and spitting. Facing Rodman's proactive provocation, He Ximeng backed away, maintaining his distance, while pointing at the basket to retort, "If you've got the guts, come and get one back!"
These words infuriated Rodman!
Who in the league didn't know that Rodman's scoring instincts were truly lacking? He could snatch rebounds amidst double teams, but he could also miss a completely uncontested dunk...
"Don't rush! Kid, let me handle this!" Jordan, walking by, diffused Rodman's awkwardness and took on the task of retaliation himself.
Jordan was as good as his word. After receiving the ball, he called for a screen from Harper, creating a mismatch against He Ximeng, and then went to work with a post-up!
Damn it! What He Ximeng hated the most was being post-up guarded by a shooting guard.
Old Jordan liked to play like this, and Kobe also liked to play like this!
Frankly, He Ximeng didn't have many ways to counter this move. This was because he lacked advantages in terms of height, weight, or strength. Steal? Forget it, the probability of a steal was too low, and he'd easily be driven past. Once beaten, Jordan could directly attack the basket, and his scoring probability would be higher.
His only recourse was to feign a steal, extending his hand to disrupt Jordan's dribbling rhythm without easily losing his position. Ultimately, he'd let Old Jordan execute a fadeaway jumper. As for whether it would go in... that would be up to fate!
On this possession, fate was on Jordan's side, and his fadeaway jumper went in again!
Jordan was three for three from the field to start the game, a shooting percentage that felt like it was trying to kill them...