The reason Marbury wanted to defeat the Lakers was primarily to defeat He Xi Meng.
Ever since that year in NCAA, Marbury felt his life was constantly suppressed by He Xi Meng. Even more infuriating was that Marbury believed He Xi Meng was likely his lifelong nemesis, yet He Xi Meng didn't seem to take Marbury seriously…
This feeling drove the fiercely competitive Marbury mad.
Therefore, every time he encountered the Lakers, Marbury played with exceptional effort and ferocity! This game was no exception.
From the start of the game, Marbury frequently used his isolation skills to provoke He Xi Meng.
He Xi Meng was also very familiar with this old acquaintance. In the previous two years, He Xi Meng would often go head-to-head with Marbury in scoring, playmaking, and defense. However, He Xi Meng now felt it beneath him to engage in such exchanges with Marbury.
He Xi Meng's first thought was to mobilize his teammates' strengths to his advantage. With O'Neal resting in this game, He Xi Meng naturally turned his attention to Kobe and Eddie Jones.
Conveniently, the Timberwolves lacked exceptional players at the shooting guard and small forward positions.
He Xi Meng’s playcalling was spot on, successfully igniting their shooting touch!
Once these two found their rhythm, the Timberwolves truly struggled to defend them!
In O'Neal's absence, while the Timberwolves' interior possessed a certain advantage, it wasn't overwhelming.
Campbell, acting as a physical presence, started in place of O'Neal, and Horry’s return from injury also bolstered the Lakers' power forward defense.
Thus, despite the Timberwolves’ seemingly aggressive offense, with Garnett and Joe Smith performing well in the paint, they couldn't truly gain an advantage in the game. The points scored by the Timberwolves' big men weren't enough to offset what Kobe and Eddie Jones were shooting from the perimeter! Fortunately for the Timberwolves, Marbury was also having a good shooting day, which allowed them to battle the Lakers to the very last moments of the final quarter.
In the final moments, just as He Xi Meng was preparing to make a decisive move, Kobe hit a three-pointer, successfully taking possession of the ball.
On the Timberwolves' side, Marbury wanted to take control of the ball, but head coach Saunders clearly favored Garnett.
In the matchup between Kobe and Garnett, Garnett's shooting touch was slightly inferior, and he couldn't outplay Kobe.
With a score of 88:86, the Lakers narrowly defeated the Timberwolves by two points, extending their winning streak to five games.
Kobe led the team with 24 points and 10 rebounds, Eddie Jones had 20 points and 8 rebounds, and He Xi Meng contributed 16 points and 10 assists.
The Lakers' core trio, in O'Neal's absence, successfully maintained the team's undefeated streak, a cause for celebration.
In the first week of the new season, the Lakers played five games, four of which were back-to-back, and three were on the road. Such a schedule would be challenging for even the most resilient teams.
Fortunately, in the second week, the Lakers' schedule improved slightly.
The Lakers were granted two days of rest, then returned home to face challenges from four teams in the next five days, meaning another two back-to-back games. However, at least they were playing at home, avoiding the constant travel. After all, the relentless flying and bus rides could be extremely taxing.
The Lakers' first opponent during this homestand was the Dallas Mavericks!
During the offseason, the Mavericks acquired Nash from the Suns for a first-round draft pick!
The Mavericks and Suns had maintained a close trading relationship in recent years. Players like Kidd, Finley, and Nash were constantly shuffled between the two teams, much to the bewilderment of league fans.
And in this year’s draft, the Mavericks signed Nowitzki, who was not yet known as the "German Tank." The Mavericks' initial plan was for Nowitzki to play center!
With Nowitzki's 2.13-meter height, if he gained some weight, playing center would indeed be feasible. For the German national team, when Bradley wasn't participating, Nowitzki was indeed their primary center choice.
Nowitzki at center, A.C. Green at power forward.
This A.C. Green was also a player acquired from the Suns. Two seasons ago, in the trade that sent Kidd from the Mavericks to the Suns, A.C. Green was one of the assets traded to Dallas from Phoenix.
The Mavericks' starting small forward was former Laker Ceballos!
Two seasons ago, Ceballos left the Lakers for the Suns, last season he moved from the Suns to the Mavericks. Alright, another acquisition from the Suns…
The Mavericks' starting shooting guard was Finley, and unsurprisingly, he also came from the Suns. Finley was a key piece in the trade for Kidd.
Finally, the Mavericks' starting point guard was Nash.
This starting lineup for the Mavericks consisted of well-known players in the league. If placed in their respective primes, such a team would be exceptionally strong.
However, the timing was not ideal.
Ceballos and A.C. Green were past their prime, while Nash and Nowitzki had not yet reached theirs. The player in his best form was likely Finley. This season marked Finley's fourth year in the league, possessing both stamina and experience, making him the team's pillar.
But in this game, the Lakers didn't give Finley many opportunities to shine.
O'Neal dominated Nowitzki in the paint, causing considerable trouble for the Mavericks. Seeing the situation turn south, the head coach quickly substituted in Nowitzki's senior, Bradley. Although Bradley had a height advantage over Nowitzki, his weight and physical strength were comparable, and he also couldn't withstand the augmented O'Neal.
O'Neal wreaked havoc inside the Mavericks' paint, completely dismantling their interior defense and causing a complete collapse in the paint.
Kobe and Eddie Jones then took advantage, driving along O'Neal's path and further exploiting the Mavericks' interior…
Before He Xi Meng even made a move, the Lakers had already taken a 16-point lead over the Mavericks!
In the third quarter, led by Finley, the Mavericks mounted a sharp counterattack, simultaneously tightening their defense and protecting the paint, attempting to close the deficit…
The Lakers didn't engage in a physical battle in the paint with the Mavericks but instead shifted their offensive focus to the perimeter.
He Xi Meng, who had been quiet in the first half, began launching three-pointers in this quarter, helping the Lakers unleash a barrage of threes and successfully weathering the Mavericks' comeback.
By the end of the third quarter, not only had the Mavericks failed to narrow the gap, but the Lakers had also expanded their lead to 21 points, effectively turning the game into a blowout.
Both teams simultaneously pulled their starting lineups, allowing their second and third units to gain experience.
Tyronn Lue, the future coach of the year and currently a freshman, replaced Fisher at point guard and played respectably, scoring 2 points, 2 assists, and 1 steal on 1-of-3 shooting…