The Lakers, despite Shaq being contained by the twin towers, managed to hold their own. With He Xi Meng and Kobe both performing well, and occasional three-point sharpshooting from Glenn Rice, they weathered the Spurs' relentless attacks. Ultimately, through effective inside-outside coordination, the Lakers defeated the Spurs!
91:87, the Lakers secured their first home win!
He Xi Meng led the team with a stellar 23 points, adding 8 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Shaq and Kobe each contributed 21 points. Shaq finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds, while Kobe had 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Glenn Rice chipped in 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists.
For the Spurs, Duncan led all scorers with 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists, while David Robinson had 20 points and 8 rebounds.
Without He Xi Meng, the Spurs' twin towers could have matched the OK combination plus Glenn Rice. However, adding a He Xi Meng who averages over 20 points made the Spurs seem outmatched.
Even with "The General" Avery Johnson contributing 12 points and 8 assists, the Spurs struggled to gain an advantage, much to Popovich's frustration.
He Xi Meng, with his strong performance, drew cheers from the Los Angeles fans, with whispers of "Is He Xi Meng contending for FMVP this season?"
Meanwhile, Chinese fans across the ocean boldly declared "He Xi Meng is FMVP," seemingly disregarding Shaq's feelings.
In reality, He Xi Meng himself wasn't concerned with the FMVP title. His primary focus was whether the Lakers could overcome the Spurs and advance to the Finals.
After all, in this lockout-shortened season, the championship was originally destined for the Spurs.
The OK combination and Glenn Rice had been swept 4-0 by the Spurs in the past, a humiliating defeat. This was partly due to the Lakers' weak interior defense, unable to match the Spurs' twin towers, and Shaq expending too much energy in the first round against Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley, exacerbating an old injury. Although not severe enough to keep him out, it affected his performance and playing time. On the other hand, the perimeter play from Kobe and Glenn Rice was inconsistent, failing to provide enough support for Shaq.
With both interior and perimeter problems, it was no surprise the Lakers were swept.
Now, thanks to He Xi Meng's efforts, the Lakers secured the top seed in the regular season, avoiding the Rockets. Then, in the first round against the Timberwolves, He Xi Meng had a standout performance, allowing Shaq to conserve significant energy. His body remained healthy, with no old injuries resurfacing and no new ones sustained. This meant Shaq was in stable and excellent condition. Although he struggled to showcase his full potential against the twin towers, he wasn't a liability for the Lakers.
With these two factors combined, the Lakers narrowly defeated the Spurs, securing victory in the first game of the series.
He Xi Meng, who "knew a little bit about the future," breathed a sigh of relief. At least, the Lakers wouldn't be swept, as history had already begun to change. Now, it was up to He Xi Meng to steer history in his desired direction and defy fate.
Game two of the Western Conference Finals saw the Lakers continue to host the Spurs!
Popovich stuck to his game plan, utilizing the twin towers' advantage on defense to contain Shaq, and focusing on interior scoring on offense.
For He Xi Meng, Popovich employed a mismatch strategy, assigning the taller and physically stronger Mario Elie to guard him, while having the shorter Johnson defend Kobe.
This adjustment, to some extent, made it more difficult for He Xi Meng to take difficult jump shots.
He Xi Meng didn't force shots against Mario Elie. It wasn't out of fear of his defense, but rather because He Xi Meng immediately recognized an opportunity for Kobe!
So, He Xi Meng directed his teammates to clear the perimeter, creating a one-on-one situation for Kobe against Johnson!
Johnson's defensive effort was commendable, but at 5'10" and 34 years old, he was no longer young. Facing Kobe, a strong, explosive, and highly skilled superstar scorer, he was bound to be overwhelmed.
In this game, Kobe was the Lakers' brightest star, scoring a game-high 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists on 11-of-25 shooting.
He Xi Meng voluntarily reduced his shot attempts, deferring to Kobe, and finished with 16 points but dished out 12 assists, achieving a "minor" double-double. Shaq recorded a "major" double-double with 22 points and 15 rebounds.
Glenn Rice's shot attempts were limited, and he managed only 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. However, thanks to the combined efforts of Kobe, Shaq, and He Xi Meng, the Lakers once again defeated the Spurs, extending their series lead to 2-0.
The series then shifted to San Antonio, where the Spurs found themselves in a must-win situation. If they couldn't protect their home court, they would be swept by the Lakers.
Popovich finally made tactical adjustments for the Spurs.
The twin towers no longer solely focused on Shaq. Instead, David Robinson and Malik Rose from the bench took turns guarding him. If they couldn't contain him, they resorted to "Hack-a-Shaq," sending him to the free-throw line to disrupt the Lakers' offensive rhythm.
Meanwhile, Duncan extended his defensive range to around the free-throw line. This area was a preferred mid-range shooting spot for Kobe and Glenn Rice.
The Spurs aimed to reduce the Lakers' overall scoring efficiency by disrupting the areas where Kobe and Glenn Rice were most effective.
On offense, Popovich also adopted an "open up the floodgates" strategy. The offense was no longer solely reliant on the twin towers. Popovich realized that relying only on the twin towers' scoring wouldn't be enough to match the Lakers' numerous scoring threats.
Consequently, Popovich gave small forward Elliott more shot attempts, encouraging him to aggressively attack the Lakers' perimeter, specifically targeting Glenn Rice!
If Eddie Jones were still on the team, Popovich would never have dared to take such a risk with Elliott. As a member of the All-Defensive Second Team, Eddie Jones was an excellent perimeter defender. Glenn Rice, in his youth, was known for his offensive prowess and weaker defense, and now, with age, his footwork and awareness were no match for Elliott's rhythm.
The Lakers' perimeter defense had a clear vulnerability.