Coach Harris of the Lakers saw that Van Gundy had taken Ewing off the court, so there was no need for Nate to stay on the court any longer.
He replaced Nate with JR Rider. JR Rider struggled against Duncan and Ewing, but he was still capable of competing against Marcus Camby, who was strong on defense but weak on offense.
After all, as long as he could push Marcus Camby out of the paint and prevent him from getting alley-oops, Camby's individual scoring ability wasn't that strong.
On offense, as long as JR Rider didn't handle the ball, Camby's defensive advantage wouldn't be utilized.
The best way to avoid getting your shot blocked is to not shoot!
When you even refrain from shooting, you are invincible and unbeatable! Like a ninja, invincible.
At the same time, Harris also had He Xi Meng rest on the spot, brought in Fox, and moved Kobe to the point guard position.
The Lakers' wing lineup was a three-wing guard combination of Kobe, Glen Rice, and Fox.
This peculiar lineup was also suggested by He Xi Meng. A typical head coach wouldn't dare to pair them like this. Fortunately, Coach Harris's coaching style was already quite flexible and he wasn't resistant to new tactics and pairings. If it were a stubborn head coach like Van Gundy, He Xi Meng would have likely been done for. Van Gundy wouldn't have accepted He Xi Meng's "flashy" suggestions, and He Xi Meng would have stopped offering them.
Now that Coach Harris was receptive, He Xi Meng wouldn't hesitate to share some of his "experience" with Harris. He couldn't guarantee all of them would be right, because player pairings often need to be discovered through trial and error. Some players might be a good fit this season but not next. Each player is an individual, and their mindset can change every season.
For example, rookies are very friendly to head coaches, relatively speaking. They are highly malleable, willing to do what you ask. Their fit with the team's roster is also usually good.
Players in the twilight of their careers, earning minimum salaries, are also relatively easier to coach. If they choose to take minimum contracts, it means that regardless of how glorious their past careers were, they have now accepted their fate and understood their position. The reason they are still on the court is not for team status, personal stats, or even the meager minimum salary, but for their persistence and love for basketball. For instance, Vince Carter in the future is the best representative of this.
Carter definitely didn't lack money, historical status, personal stats, or individual honors. In the later stages of his career, he even gave up the pursuit of championship rings, purely wanting to continue playing on the court, pursuing the beauty of basketball, and the excitement and fun of the game.
Harris didn't expect all of He Xi Meng's suggestions to be successful. In Harris's view, He Xi Meng's "quirky ideas" proved that he had a real talent for coaching! Although Harris had never directly discussed this topic with He Xi Meng, in his heart, he was convinced that He Xi Meng was destined to become a head coach in the league in the future!
A great point guard becomes a great coach!
This has always been the undisputed tradition and choice in the league.
The three-wing guard combination of Kobe, Glen Rice, and Fox was indeed peculiar, but their offensive ability was undeniably top-notch!
Their greatest characteristic was their offense.
On the Knicks' side, Coach Van Gundy brought in Sprewell with the intention of forming a backcourt duo with Allan Houston, strengthening the Knicks' offense and closing the gap.
However, the Lakers countered with an even more potent three-wing guard combination, which could also be called a "three-guard" lineup, with even greater firepower! 138 Reading Network.
During the rotation, the overall rhythm of both teams was offense-oriented defense, a shootout.
The Lakers had already thoroughly analyzed the Knicks' little secrets from their previous games. Therefore, the Knicks couldn't gain any advantage during this period.
Coach Van Gundy decided to cut his losses and switched back to his preferred two-big-man lineup, prioritizing defense! Even if the scoring speed was slightly slower, Van Gundy clearly preferred this style of play.
Once the Knicks entered half-court offense, the Lakers could no longer continue with the three-guard strategy. The three-guard strategy heavily emphasized individual scoring and could be described as a chaotic style of play. It was suitable for facing opponents with weaker defensive lineups.
For example, the Knicks when Ewing and Larry Johnson were out and they primarily relied on Allan Houston and Sprewell.
However, once Ewing and Larry Johnson returned, the Knicks' interior defense immediately improved by more than a level. If the three-guards couldn't break through the opponent's defense, they would easily get bogged down in individual isolation, leading to a sharp decline in shooting percentages.
Harris had thoroughly analyzed this during his pre-game simulations with his coaching staff.
Therefore, when the Knicks switched back to their starting lineup, the Lakers also brought back the defensive anchor Nate and the point guard He Xi Meng, while also giving Kobe and Glen Rice brief breaks. This ensured that at least He Xi Meng, Kobe, and Fox, or He Xi Meng, Glen Rice, and Fox, were on the court.
He Xi Meng's primary role was to prevent the offensive-minded players from getting carried away and falling into the opponent's defensive traps. Of course, He Xi Meng's outside three-point shooting was also a formidable weapon.
Facing the Knicks' strategy of tightening their defense, He Xi Meng immediately struck with a three-pointer to assert dominance.
The Knicks immediately increased their defensive pressure on He Xi Meng, hoping to force him to pass. He Xi Meng, naturally, wasn't so "obedient." He broke through the Knicks' defensive line, disrupting their formation, before passing to Fox in the corner.
Fox and He Xi Meng had a very good relationship this season! So good that they could be considered inseparable. If He Xi Meng had a conflict with the team leader, O'Neal, Fox would unhesitatingly side with He Xi Meng.
Fox's quick submission even made Kobe a bit envious.
Because Kobe could earn Fox's respect now, but it was only the respect for being "a strong player." In other aspects, such as how to play, how to move off the ball, or how to execute tactics, Fox didn't show much reverence for Kobe. Simply put, it was "you're good at playing, but I'm indifferent to your other capabilities."
However, Fox followed He Xi Meng's words without question. Whatever He Xi Meng said, Fox accepted it without any rebuttal or even doubt. Kobe truly couldn't understand what kind of magic He Xi Meng had used to make Fox so cooperative.