However, Fox's attitude indeed made him feel at home within the current Lakers lineup.
This season, Fox's training intensity didn't rank high among the Lakers, yet he was the team's best sixth man! He was the most outstanding player off the bench, contributing 12 points per game, almost matching that of the starting lineup's He Xi Meng.
The primary reason was the high level of chemistry when Fox came off the bench, especially when paired with He Xi Meng. He always appeared in the right place at the right time, catching the ball easily and making shots effortlessly!
Entering the playoffs, Fox's performance remained stable. He was the most consistent scoring option in the Lakers' rotation. Similar to Sprewell of the Knicks.
However, Sprewell excelled in individual ball-handling offense, while Fox was more proficient in off-ball offense.
This corner three-pointer was a perfect embodiment of the chemistry between Fox and He Xi Meng.
When He Xi Meng initiated the offense, Fox was still at the top of the arc. He calmly observed He Xi Meng's driving rhythm, and only when the Knicks' defense fully shifted and began to collapse around He Xi Meng did Fox make an unassuming cut, drifting towards the corner along the baseline.
Man arrives, ball arrives, or ball arrives, man arrives. In any case, it meant the same thing. Their coordination was already on par with the chemistry between He Xi Meng and Kobe...
After Kobe left the court, Fox took on the role of He Xi Meng's partner.
After hitting a three-pointer assisted by He Xi Meng, Fox returned the favor on the next possession, passing to He Xi Meng who cut along the baseline after a give-and-go, assisting He Xi Meng in hitting a catch-and-shoot three-pointer!
Midway through the second quarter, thanks to the subtle plays between He Xi Meng and Fox, the Lakers successfully went on a scoring run, extending their lead to double digits.
The Knicks were bewildered: This was not the game they had envisioned.
Wasn't the Finals supposed to be a collision of muscle and defense, like the Bulls and Jazz games?
While the Lakers' defense fought tooth and nail against the Knicks, their offense essentially stayed out of the paint. If they could solve it beyond the three-point line, they wouldn't drive inside; if they could solve it beyond the free-throw line, they wouldn't drive inside... This style of play made the Knicks extremely uncomfortable, leaving them with an awkward feeling of having strength but nowhere to apply it.
At halftime, the Lakers led the Knicks by 10 points!
"Why are the Lakers playing with this regular season strategy in the Finals?"
"How are the Lakers maintaining such high three-point shooting percentages?"
"How long can the Lakers maintain their high outside shooting percentage? Will it continue in the second half?"
During halftime, Coach Van Gundy and his coaching staff repeatedly discussed these questions, but they couldn't come up with any satisfactory answers, naturally failing to understand why the Knicks were trailing by double digits...
On the Lakers' side, Coach Harris was very pleased with the first half's outcome. Leading by 10 points at halftime, even with O'Neal on the court, the result would likely be similar.
"In the second half, let's continue with the same rhythm as the first half! If opportunities arise, don't hesitate, shoot when you should! And, most importantly, follow Simon's temporary on-court commands. Play fast but not chaotically..."
Ultimately, the primary reason for the Lakers' dominance over the Knicks in the first half was luck!
This was why the Knicks' coaching staff spent so much time searching for reasons without finding any.
Because, based on their roster, the current Lakers team shouldn't have been able to completely dominate the offensively and defensively capable Knicks...
The only explanation possible was luck!
And the reason He Xi Meng suggested this strategy to Harris was that the Lakers had no other choice. With no advantage in overall strength, they couldn't engage in a direct, head-on battle with the opponent! They had to win with surprise, taking an unconventional approach.
Luck was a matter of metaphysics, invisible and intangible. No one could guarantee the Lakers would be favored by luck in this game. But at least, this was the Lakers' home game. The baskets at home were always easier to make than those on the road. Coupled with the home crowd atmosphere, the home referees' whistles, and the Knicks' lack of familiarity with the Lakers' tactics...
In summary, these factors, combined with a point guard with a big heart controlling the game, ensuring the team's shot selection was always within reasonable timing... all these elements came together to contribute to the Lakers' unusually strong outside shooting performance in the first half of this game!
In the second half, if they had faced a flexible offensive-minded coach, like Phil Jackson or Gregg Popovich, the Lakers would likely not have been able to maintain their first-half three-point percentage. As a head coach, when trailing, even if they couldn't pinpoint the issue, they would habitually change tactics to disrupt the opponent's rhythm and try to achieve different results...
But Jeff Van Gundy did not! As a representative of stubborn coaches, Van Gundy disliked making mid-game tactical changes. He considered it a sign of indecisiveness, a doubt and negation of oneself. He believed more in the power of perseverance. He thought the Knicks' defensive strategy was sound: defend the paint, prevent opponents from getting close to the basket, and thus reduce their scoring efficiency...
In the previous rounds, the Knicks had defeated the Heat in a first-round upset, swept the Hawks in the second round, and beaten the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, all by playing this way, and with great success! This had created a path dependency for Coach Van Gundy. He believed that the Knicks had achieved victory by defending the paint in previous rounds, and now, facing a Lakers team without O'Neal in the Finals, they had no reason and no possibility of losing?
In the second half, the Knicks made almost no adjustments, continuing to play at the same pace as the first half.
Before the end of the third quarter, the Lakers experienced a brief slump. Their three-point shooting percentage dipped, and the opportunity Van Gundy had been waiting for half the game finally arrived. Coach Van Gundy, with a flushed face, shouted to his players on the court to hold their ground, execute fast breaks, and strive to erase the deficit and turn the game around...