What to do when the point guard loses possession? Transition to shooting guard! Specifically, a super shooter type who excels at off-ball shooting!
In this game, after handing over ball-handling duties, He Ximeng constantly used off-ball screens to find open spots, catch and shoot without any hesitation!
There was even one play where He Ximeng couldn't shake Kidd off initially, and Kidd was pressing him hard. However, He Ximeng had already found his rhythm on the left three-point line, and Eddie Jones' return pass was perfect... He Ximeng hardened his resolve and executed a step-back three-pointer with a fadeaway jumper!
This shot was incredibly difficult to make! It wasn't even a good shot selection. The most rational choice would have been to stop short, fake out Kidd, and if Kidd fell for it, take a dribble, step sideways, and then shoot. If Kidd didn't fall for it, He Ximeng should have passed to a teammate or dribbled to reorganize the offense...
But with his shot on fire, He Ximeng's confidence had exploded! On this play, he directly shot over Kidd's defense, forcing the arc higher, a high-difficulty shot... At this moment, he was channeling Thompson... off-ball threes, unstoppable...
When Kidd turned to look at the basket and despairingly realized that despite such defensive intensity, the ball still swished through the net, not even touching the rim, he knew the game was over...
With Shaq in the paint proving unstoppable and the Lakers now having a super shooter on the perimeter, a point guard even more troublesome than a pure shooting guard, the Suns had no way to continue this game...
In this game, He Ximeng went 8-for-12 from three-point range, scoring 24 points in three quarters with an almost unanswerable performance, becoming the final straw that broke the Suns' back.
In the fourth quarter, Harris, to prevent He Ximeng from being retaliated against maliciously, kept him on the bench and didn't let him play again. The Lakers, with their lead from the first three quarters, easily defeated the home-team Suns 99-89, winning by double digits and eliminating their opponent 3-1 to advance to the Western Conference Semifinals.
After the game, Kidd generously congratulated the Lakers. As he embraced and exchanged pleasantries with He Ximeng, Kidd couldn't help but exclaim, "You're the most special point guard I've ever seen..."
He Ximeng smiled and replied, "Having more skills never hurts! In the future league, pure point guards won't have it easy..."
He Ximeng subtly gave Kidd a hint. With Kidd's intelligence, he would surely understand the meaning. In fact, this game had a significant impact on Kidd. Point guards could actually be played like this?
This was because Kidd had always focused on playmaking + defense!
He Ximeng had essentially opened another door for him: point guards could also be playmaking + scoring!
They could even be a three-in-one, a super all-around warrior, combining playmaking + scoring + defense...
The idea was there, and the template was set, but whether it could be truly implemented and a transition or improvement completed was far from simple to say...
Everyone understood the principles, but how many could truly transform those principles into their own strength?
He Ximeng was an exception to exceptions, difficult to replicate, or perhaps impossible to replicate directly...
As for Kidd... even if he didn't transition, he would still be among the league's top point guards in the future. If he was inspired by He Ximeng to transition towards a three-in-one approach and succeeded, his future potential would be even more immeasurable... The question now was, would Kidd change himself because of this?
As the Lakers smoothly advanced, the other matchups also produced their respective winners!
In the West, the Jazz were pushed to a decisive Game 5 by the still-potent Rockets!
Because the two teams had similar styles, playing old-fashioned positional basketball. Hakeem Olajuwon seemed to have returned to his peak, putting up career-best numbers of 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks in these five games!
Barkley had a tougher time, being elbowed by Malone and only managing 9 points and 5 rebounds. If "The Round Mound of Rebound" had been in better form, even half of his peak ability... or if Malone hadn't been able to do whatever he pleased and put up averages of 26 points and 12 rebounds, the outcome of this series might have been different...
Ultimately, the Rockets fell just short, losing 2-3 to the Jazz and ending their playoff journey for the season.
The third seed in the West, the SuperSonics, also encountered strong resistance from the Timberwolves!
This season, the Timberwolves, after their core player Gugliotta was sidelined for the season, were once leaderless. When most fans believed the Timberwolves' playoff hopes were dashed, under the leadership of two young wolves, Garnett and Marbury, they surged, employing a pack-hunting strategy where everyone scored, and surprisingly, they made it to the playoffs!
Garnett, Marbury, Tom Gugliotta, Terry Porter, Sam Mitchell... all five starting players for the Timberwolves scored in double digits, but the highest scorer, Tom Gugliotta, only managed 16 points...
The young Timberwolves, after a grueling five games, ultimately lost 2-3 to the more experienced SuperSonics.
On the other hand, the fourth seed in the West, the Spurs, cleanly defeated the Trail Blazers 3-1.
The Spurs' twin towers both averaged 20.3 points in these four games!
David Robinson posted 20.3 points, 16 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.8 steals, and 2.8 blocks!
Tim Duncan posted 20.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.5 steals, and 3.8 blocks!
Duncan's rebound count was less than David Robinson's, but his block count was one higher than David Robinson's...
The #21 rookie, with rocket-like speed to success... oh, no, he didn't even grow; he simply transferred his dominance from the NCAA to the NBA stage... What is an immediate peak? This is a true immediate peak!
In the next round, the Spurs will face the Lakers in the semifinals!
And the SuperSonics will battle their old rivals, the Jazz.
In the Eastern Conference, the Bulls stood alone, sweeping the Nets, led by Gatling, Cassell, Van Horn, Kidde, and Kendall Gill, 3-0.
The Hornets defeated the Hawks, led by Mutombo and Steve Smith, 3-1.
The Pacers defeated the Cavaliers, led by Kemp and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, 3-1.
The Heat and the Knicks had the most hard-fought series, with both teams going to a decisive Game 5.
With Ewing injured, Allan Houston, with the help of Latrell Sprewell and Charles Oakley, successfully defeated the Heat, led by Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway, and advanced to the second round.
In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Hornets will challenge the Bulls, while the Knicks will face the Pacers.
However, before the Eastern and Western Conference Semifinals officially began, the regular season awards were gradually announced.