He Xi Meng had a relative advantage when matched up against Fisher, but against Kobe... Kobe was a member of the league's All-Defensive First Team, with top-tier individual defense! Most importantly, Kobe's defensive will was extraordinary, tireless, and never giving up, which was the most frustrating aspect for offensive players.
"It seems you've never beaten me in a one-on-one before, right? Come on, let me see your growth with the Spurs..."
"Why would I go one-on-one with you? Michael!"
"Here I come!"
He Xi Meng directly called for Reed, who used his body, like a small cannon, to firmly block Kobe's pursuit. The Lakers were forced to switch, and He Xi Meng easily changed his matchup from Kobe to Fisher.
Facing Fisher, things became much easier.
He Xi Meng feigned a drive, then pulled back, and as Fox came to double-team from the wing, he raised his hand for an outside three-pointer!
Fisher's height and core strength couldn't significantly bother He Xi Meng. Moreover, Fisher didn't dare to go for a steal easily, as He Xi Meng's free throw percentage was currently at a remarkable 91%! If Fisher dared to swipe, he had to be prepared to send He Xi Meng to the free-throw line, and sending He Xi Meng to the free-throw line was practically gifting points, and not just one or two, but three...
As a defender, there was nothing more annoying than a player with such a high free-throw percentage who also loved to shoot from beyond the arc, leaving them with no viable options.
He Xi Meng continued his hot shooting streak from the previous series against the Mavericks, hitting his shot as soon as it left his hands, helping the Spurs score the first points.
Kobe wanted to go one-on-one with He Xi Meng, but He Xi Meng didn't take the bait. There were many ways to win a game, and going one-on-one against Kobe was definitely not a good option, especially with a watchful Shaquille O'Neal by his side.
Turning around, Kobe took the ball from Fisher, called for a screen from Fisher, drawing Bowen out of position with the mismatch, and then proceeded to post up and face up He Xi Meng...
"You can choose not to go one-on-one with me, but you have no right to refuse my challenge..."
"Whatever! We'll just play our own games!"
Facing Kobe's fadeaway jumper, He Xi Meng had only one move: the "Blindfold Technique"!
"If you make it, I'm unlucky. If you miss, it's my luck..."
When defending these top scorers in the league, He Xi Meng's defensive attitude was relatively laid-back. Although He Xi Meng was now a member of the All-Defensive Second Team, his defensive choices differed from those players on the All-Defensive team whose primary skill was relentless pressure.
On this play, Kobe had already started his fadeaway jumper. But perhaps it had been a while since He Xi Meng had disrupted him with the "Blindfold Technique," and he was somewhat unfamiliar with He Xi Meng's defensive specialty. Kobe's first shot of the game had an arc that was too high, and the ball bounced off the front rim.
It was evident that at the moment of his shot, Kobe's mind was still affected by He Xi Meng's defense, causing a slight fluctuation in the trajectory of his shot. This slight deviation, amplified by its flight through the air, would then lead to a larger margin of error at the rim, ultimately causing his aim to waver and the ball to miss.
David Robinson locked down O'Neal, preventing him from getting into the paint for the offensive rebound. If O'Neal grabbed that offensive rebound, it would most likely result in a put-back dunk that no one could stop. Therefore, the best approach was to keep O'Neal as far from the basket as possible; if O'Neal couldn't reach it, he couldn't score.
But to the Spurs' surprise, the veteran Horace Grant emerged like a cobra from somewhere, snatching the rebound before Brad Miller and completing a put-back with a second-chance jump shot!
Fortunately, the home rim aided the Spurs' defense! Grant's close-range second-chance attempt remarkably rolled out.
Brad Miller quickly secured the defensive rebound and passed it to He Xi Meng.
Just as He Xi Meng was about to turn to push the fast break, Fisher darted out from the side, nearly completing a steal. Fortunately, He Xi Meng reacted quickly, recovering the ball with his body.
However, after Fisher's disruption, the opportunity for a fast break was completely lost. He Xi Meng had no choice but to patiently call for a set play.
Kobe stuck to him again, seemingly not wanting to give He Xi Meng any space to call for screens, his sole objective being to force He Xi Meng to pass!
If they could force the ball out of He Xi Meng's hands and into the hands of others, it would be the greatest victory for the Lakers. The Lakers' chances of winning this game would significantly increase... no, not significantly, but they would be guaranteed to win!
The Spurs, without Duncan, were already like a crippled leg, and now, if they also lost He Xi Meng, they would truly only have the inside presence of David Robinson or the bench player Ginobili to rely on...
He Xi Meng naturally refused to let the Lakers have their way!
Even with Kobe's strong interference, He Xi Meng called for a screen, enduring Kobe's pressure. Reed's involvement and Fisher's participation created a chaotic scene, but He Xi Meng broke through the chaos, sprinted into the Lakers' paint, and took flight...
O'Neal, who had shifted over, was stunned by the sight: "Damn! Is he going to dunk on me? That Carter from Toronto wasn't this crazy! Are you sure you can do it?"
The Spurs fans in the arena were amused: "Is our Carter from 'Big Saint City' getting too cocky? He's actually trying to dunk on O'Neal?"
"I think he's going to hit a brick wall this time! After all, O'Neal isn't Bradley. The Big Shark might give him a monster block..."
"What a shame! I actually hope our Carter from 'Big Saint City' gets carried away! The more he gets carried away, the more dunks we'll see! If O'Neal blocks this, I predict he'll go back to his cautious play for the next game..."
"If you put it that way, then I agree with you. I hope Xi Meng makes this dunk!"
But was He Xi Meng really getting carried away? Did he really dare to challenge O'Neal? No! Although He Xi Meng put on a brave front and made the motion for a powerful slam dunk, just as O'Neal jumped up, ready to go head-to-head with He Xi Meng, He Xi Meng suddenly retracted the ball. His previous decisiveness and courage vanished, leaving behind only a hint of a sly smile!
Seeing that familiar smile on He Xi Meng's face, a single thought instantly popped into O'Neal's mind: "Damn it! I've been tricked again..."