As the substitution time passed, with He Xi Meng’s strength being utilized by the Spurs, the Lakers, relying solely on Kobe, were no match for the Spurs.
However, Da Zhi’s unexpected three-pointers provided Kobe with significant firepower support, preventing the Lakers from falling too far behind.
Although the Spurs couldn't establish a lead during the substitution period, they at least reversed the losing momentum from the end of the first quarter and prevented the Lakers from making a comeback. Furthermore, they forced the Lakers to bring in their starting lineup early, ending the substitution period.
With the Spurs’ twin towers on the court simultaneously, Popovich subbed out He Xi Meng to let him rest. The backup point guard, Terry Porter, an veteran with 14 years of experience, provided stable basic organization and connection, which was more than enough to feed the twin towers. Thus, in the middle of the second quarter, both teams entered a phase of intense interior battles.
The Spurs’ David Robinson and Duncan faced off against the Lakers’ O’Neal and AC Green!
Overall, O’Neal had an advantage at the center position over David Robinson. However, Duncan posed a greater threat than AC Green at power forward. The score remained slow and tied, with neither team pulling ahead.
It wasn’t until the end of the second quarter that He Xi Meng, having rested, returned to the court. He immediately received a pass from Duncan and hit a three-pointer after cutting from the strong side baseline to the weak side, breaking the long-standing deadlock!
The Spurs proactively changed their strategy, shifting their offensive focus to the perimeter.
On the Lakers’ side, Kobe attempted an answering shot to He Xi Meng’s three-pointer, but his three-point shooting accuracy was lacking, and the ball bounced off the rim!
He Xi Meng grabbed the defensive rebound and, while pushing the ball forward, was met by Kobe attempting a quick steal. He Xi Meng, playing it cool, lured Kobe into making a move, then executed a difficult spin-back to narrowly evade Kobe’s steal and complete the crossover.
Having successfully shaken off Kobe, He Xi Meng pressed his advantage. Past the logo, before Harper’s help defense could arrive, he launched a long-range shot from the top of the arc!
Watching Kobe get beaten, He Xi Meng shot with confidence and composure. Even though the shooting position was a bit far from the three-point line, the Lakers fans in the arena sensed that trouble was brewing.
As expected, the ball flew from He Xi Meng’s hands, tracing a beautiful arc and landing perfectly in the basket without even touching the rim!
The Lakers’ arena let out a cry of pain! This included Scarlett, who was courtside. Although she was Kayla’s best friend and He Xi Meng’s friend, she was still a Lakers fan, not a Spurs fan!
“This is… too much.”
Harris, on the sidelines, couldn’t sit still. Having coached He Xi Meng for three years, he knew his playing style very well. He Xi Meng had already shown a strong scoring desire in the first quarter. In the early part of the second quarter, to open up space for the second unit and create scoring opportunities, He Xi Meng had been low-key. Once he returned to the court, his shots became aggressive again. Crucially, the Lakers’ home rim seemed to be cooperating… or perhaps it was hard not to cooperate! After all, He Xi Meng had played there for a full three years, including training and games. He was more familiar with this court and these rims than the Spurs’ home rims. It wasn’t surprising that He Xi Meng could achieve a higher-than-average shooting percentage!
Harris had to remind the Lakers players not to let He Xi Meng shoot again. Once He Xi Meng got into a rhythm, he would be unstoppable.
Therefore, Harris loudly instructed Harper to drive the ball to the basket for O’Neal, to score first and stabilize the situation. O’Neal lived up to expectations, stubbornly pushing the ball into the basket amidst a double-team from David Robinson and Duncan, helping the Lakers stop the bleeding. Subsequently, Harris reminded Harper, "Be sure" to disrupt He Xi Meng's scoring rhythm.
This meant that Harris didn't care how Harper did it, whether through legitimate defense or a foul, but he absolutely couldn't let He Xi Meng make any more three-pointers!
Harris didn't let Kobe handle it, but rather Harper. After all, Kobe was a weapon on offense, and if he accumulated too many fouls, he would play hesitantly, significantly reducing his threat. Harper, whether with the Bulls or the Lakers, had a primary role of defense, especially against opposing guards who could score.
Upon hearing Harris's instructions, Harper immediately switched positions with Kobe and went into tight man-to-man defense. Not only did he play tight defense, but Harper also used some less-than-savory "little tricks" to disrupt He Xi Meng and prevent him from receiving the ball.
He Xi Meng wasn't in a hurry. As his threat increased and his standing in the league rose, this kind of "special treatment" had become commonplace. Every team aiming for a stable championship would have such defensive stalwarts. Some defensive stalwarts were cleaner, while others were less so, but without exception, this role had to exist.
He Xi Meng first passed the ball to Mario Elie to handle. Mario Elie, not daring to hold the ball, immediately passed it to Duncan at the edge of the paint!
Duncan held the ball and observed the positions of his teammates. He was mainly looking at David Robinson in the paint and He Xi Meng on the perimeter.
He Xi Meng was finding it difficult to get any shooting space due to Harper's constant pulling and holding.
David Robinson, however, was firmly pinned down by O’Neal, preventing Duncan from making an interior pass.
Duncan, looking to take a shortcut, saw the Lakers' setup and decided to give up his attempt to pass and focus on his own offense.
In terms of individual post-up offense, Duncan was already nearing an unrivaled position in the league at the power forward spot.