The "Hack-a-Shaq" tactic, similar to the Jordan Rules, might not kill Shaq, but it could kill the Lakers team he belongs to!
When the opponent deploys the Hack-a-Shaq tactic, other players on the Lakers must step up and become a stable secondary scoring option, leading the team forward.
In the future Lakers, this role will be filled by Kobe!
But this season, Kobe is still struggling on the bench and is not yet qualified for this role.
After Ceballos left, this role, theoretically, should be shouldered by Eddie Jones!
However, in Game 5, Eddie Jones failed to carry the responsibility, forcing Coach Harris to implement a new lineup and new tactics. He removed Campbell from the starting lineup, moved Horry to power forward, shifted Eddie Jones to small forward, and brought Kobe into the starting lineup at shooting guard. Josemon, of course, continued to play his point guard position!
The Lakers essentially adjusted their lineup to a mobile, "one big, four small" formation!
This season, O'Neal's weight was not yet excessive, and his running speed was quite good!
O'Neal would occupy the post, drawing the Jazz's defensive attention, while Horry would move to the high post at the free-throw line, serving as a crucial pivot and playmaker!
Josemon, Kobe, and Eddie Jones would spread out in a triangular formation on the perimeter, circulating the ball rapidly. Whoever received it would quickly shoot from mid-to-long range, avoiding direct confrontation in the paint with the Jazz!
Simultaneously, upon securing a defensive rebound, they would push the pace and counter-attack, aiming to increase their offensive speed and avoid set-piece battles with the Jazz...
This lineup and tactical adjustment was a suggestion Josemon privately made to the head coach.
It leveraged strengths and mitigated weaknesses, considering the advantages and disadvantages of both the Lakers and the Jazz.
After repeated discussions and simulations with the coaching staff, Harris ultimately decided to go all-in!
Through this adjustment, the Lakers successfully disrupted the Jazz's normal offensive and defensive rhythm, dragging the game's tempo into a channel unfamiliar to both teams… except for Josemon, of course!
Josemon, the only one familiar with this tempo, seized the opportunity in the chaos to achieve victory. He hit 6 three-pointers himself, while also assisting Kobe and Eddie Jones on 6 other three-pointers!
In terms of three-point shots alone, the Lakers outscored the Jazz by 5, gaining an additional 15 points!
Furthermore, with the Lakers' perimeter three-point shooting opening up, the Jazz were forced to extend their defense, naturally weakening their interior defense on O'Neal…
The result was that O'Neal, on multiple occasions with clever passes from Josemon, managed to stuff the ball into the basket before the Jazz could intervene!
99-94, the Lakers successfully defended their third home game, forcing the Western Conference Finals into a decisive Game 7!
In the final Game 7, had it not been played at the high altitude of Salt Lake City, the Lakers might have staged a comeback and advanced to the NBA Finals.
However, in the Jazz's formidable home court in Salt Lake City, their "iron-clad defense" tactic was executed to perfection!
O'Neal was elbowed by Malone to the point of nearly suffering a concussion, and Kobe's fingers were injured by Russell…
Even Josemon, who historically believed in "safety first when walking the rivers and lakes," had his eyebrow split open by Stockton's headbutt, forcing him off the court bleeding…
After a brief stop to the bleeding, Josemon, with a swollen eye, continued to fight. He received four stitches after the game, leaving a small scar.
Despite the Lakers not giving up and fighting to the last moment, the Jazz, with the advantage of playing at home, ultimately emerged victorious!
103-100, the Jazz narrowly defeated the Lakers by three points in Game 7, advancing to the NBA Finals!
The Lakers were regretfully stopped just outside the door of the NBA Finals, only three points away from challenging the dominant Bulls…
After losing Game 7, Kobe stared silently at the court and the scoreboard, unable to let go for a long time.
Josemon approached him to offer comfort: "For your first playoff appearance, reaching the Western Conference Finals is already an outstanding achievement… The games you lost, win them back next year…"
Kobe said fiercely: "Next year, I want to win more regular season games, I want to have home-court advantage…"
Losing to the Jazz and missing out on the NBA Finals, the Lakers' season ultimately ended in the Western Conference Finals. While it was filled with regret for the fans, for the Lakers' management, it was an over-achievement!
After all, this was the first season of the Lakers' new lineup's integration! Simply making the playoffs was considered completing the task. Reaching the semifinals was exceeding expectations, and reaching the Western Conference Finals was beyond the management's predictions!
Indeed, the Lakers were very unsettled this season!
Before the season began, a group of veteran players, led by Divac, had already departed.
Mid-season, last season's core player Ceballos left.
During the playoffs, last season's primary starting players, Van Exel and Campbell, were successively replaced in the starting lineup by Josemon and Kobe…
In summary, the purple and gold Lakers were in constant flux this season. Overall, it was a positive kind of instability; each personnel change or adjustment marked a significant improvement in the Lakers' overall strength…
Summarizing the 1996-1997 season, the Lakers' final successes and failures cannot bypass the Lakers' management's operation in the summer of 1996, where "logo man" traded Divac for Kobe and Josemon!
This trade, which was highly controversial at the time, saw a dramatic turnaround in its reputation just one season later!
O'Neal successfully landed in Los Angeles, becoming the new King of the Lakers.
Although rookie point guard Josemon was suppressed by Coach Harris throughout, he was forced into the starting point guard position during the Western Conference Semifinals!
In the Western Conference Finals, in order to experiment with new lineups and tactics, Kobe also entered the starting lineup after Josemon.
Although the Lakers ultimately did not win the Western Conference Finals, both rookie players proved on the Western Conference Finals stage that they had the ability to start!
The era of the "Lakers' Twin Stars" had slowly begun…
Upon returning to Los Angeles, Kayla was heartbroken to see the four stitches on Josemon's eyebrow.
Josemon, however, was prepared. In this league, who doesn't get injured?
As long as it wasn't a career-ending injury, minor wounds that caused bleeding were insignificant.
Although Josemon's profuse bleeding and blood-covered face looked frightening, in reality, it affected his play less than Kobe's finger injury. Kobe's injury was to his right index finger, significantly impacting his shooting touch. Josemon's injury was to his eyebrow, somewhat affecting his vision, but his shooting touch was hardly impacted…