MM Racing Chapter 363 The Ultimate Duel Begins! A Decisive Battle to the Death in 7 Rounds.
Chapter 363 The Ultimate Duel Begins! A Decisive Battle to the Death in 7 Rounds.
"The final game of the season is about to begin! The starting players from both sides have taken to the court." After reviewing the exciting first six games of this series, Kenny once again brought the audience's attention back to tonight's game itself!
"Neither coach changed their starting lineup that night!" Barkley added. "These two excellent coaches, known for their bold player selections and versatile tactics, haven't changed their starting lineups throughout this entire series!"
"It's also worth mentioning that in the early games of the series, both coaches will use multiple players in rotation to give as many players as possible a chance to try out their skills."
"But I don't know when it started in the series, both head coaches became more cautious!"
"In Game 8, all five Lakers starters played over 40 minutes, with only eight players from the entire team getting playing time. The Pacers' Lin Tian and Carter played the full 48 minutes!"
"The situation in the fifth and fourth games was similar, with both sides' key players playing significantly more time, almost all of them playing over 40 minutes! As the game has progressed to this point, both coaches have clearly proven one thing."
"In the most extreme and top-level competition, the ceiling of a team's potential is far more important than its floor!"
Kenny said, "O'Neal and Ben Wallace are back at center court, they're about to jump ball! Let's see who wins this time! Let's see who can bring the championship to their team tonight!"
"Beep beep!"
The referee blew his whistle, and the basketball flew into the air.
This time, O'Neal, who was fully focused, did not give Ben Wallace any chance and easily won the first possession for the team.
Kobe got the ball and started directing his teammates' movements. By this point in the series, Fisher had completely transformed into a three-point shooter!
To advance? To organize?
It has nothing to do with him anymore!
Kobe, bracing against Christie's defense, made his way to the frontcourt. The Lakers' opening tactic remained their signature move.
In a localized 2-on-2 situation, they relied on the exceptional abilities of Kobe and Shaq, along with the shooting skills of other players, to secure the victory!
O'Neal had the ball, and the Pacers still didn't double-team him. After observing the situation for a moment, O'Neal immediately passed the ball back and started posting up!
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Despite the veins bulging on Ben Wallace's head from the three violent impacts, he was still forced to retreat against O'Neal's absolute power. In the end, he was pushed away by O'Neal's big elbow and watched as O'Neal slammed the ball into the net with one hand!
Kenny immediately exclaimed, "Beautiful! O'Neal! He showed the Big Diesel's dominance and swagger right from the start! So far in this series, O'Neal is averaging a dominant 34.6 points, 16.5 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game. He's been relentlessly attacking and dominating the Pacers' interior defense; it's simply unstoppable!"
The Pacers' offense still revolves around the double pick-and-roll between Lin Tian and Webber. Lin Tian receives the ball at the top of the key, Webber sets a screen, and the two cut into the paint simultaneously after a crossover. The Lakers' defense immediately collapses into a tense atmosphere.
Then the basketball in Lin Tian's hand disappeared again! When the basketball reappeared, it was already in Christie's hands on the wing!
No one on the court could see how Lin Tian delivered the ball to Christie in the blink of an eye, but what they could see was the basketball swishing through the net, creating a splash!
3: 2!
Kobe continued to orchestrate the Lakers' offense, but this time he opted for a pick-and-roll with Jermaine O'Neal. Kobe then drove straight to the basket, forcefully jumping over Ben Wallace for a layup, but missed.
Fortunately, Jermaine O'Neal jumped quickly and landed on the backboard, managing to put the ball in!
The Pacers' offense didn't change its tactics like the Lakers did; it still relied on Lin Tian and Webber's high pick-and-roll. But this time, after the pick-and-roll, Webber bounced out to the wing, and Lin Tian drove with the ball.
Near the three-second zone, Lin Tian faked a pass and shot, pretending to pass the ball to Webber to deceive Fisher and O'Neal in front of him, and then easily made a floater to score 2 points for the team!
Then the Lakers' offense passed the ball to O'Neal again, and this time O'Neal's low post move finally drew a double team! Carter, who was closest to him, quickly stepped up to help defend, but O'Neal's pass was really fast enough. He passed the ball with one hand to Rice, who was waiting outside the three-point line. Rice took the ball and immediately pulled up and shot!
"Whoosh!"
After this basket, the Pacers' signature fast break occurred once again!
Webber came to the basket and made a long one-handed pass to Lin Tian, who had already sprinted to the midcourt. After receiving the ball, Lin Tian only dribbled forward one step before throwing the ball back towards the basket.
"boom!"
This time, it was Carter's turn to score for the Pacers! He sprinted down the court, received a long-range, precise pass from Lin Tian, and slammed it home with a two-handed dunk for another point!
In the next two possessions, Fisher shook off Carter and hit a long-range two-pointer for the Lakers, and Kobe hit a three-pointer from beyond the arc!
For the Pacers, Ben Wallace grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back in for a score. After another pick-and-roll between Webber and Lin Tian, Webber received the ball on the roll and drove to the basket for a layup, while also drawing a foul on Jermaine O'Neal for a 2+1 play!
12: 12!
Within the first four minutes, both teams displayed terrifying competitive form and immense confidence! Their success rates were astonishingly high! Whether it was the Lakers or the Pacers, every offensive possession in the first few rounds had yielded results!
Their shooting accuracy wasn't 100%, but their goal-scoring rate was 100%!
There's a goal in every single round!
"Fantastic! A spectacular back-and-forth battle! It's breathtaking. There's really no other word to describe this series except to applaud!" Barkley shook his head and clapped, praising it from the bottom of his heart.
"That's called a worthy opponent, a clash of titans!" Barkley scoffed, "You could also call it a clash of titans, or the highest level of offensive competition in basketball! Or, in mythology: Thor versus Ares, Zeus versus Odin, Lucifer versus Surtur!"
"In short, I could easily come up with over 20 adjectives to describe these few minutes of the game! Kenny, you're a regular commentator on one of America's top TV networks, take my advice, read more books and newspapers, it'll do you good!"
"If you continue like this, I'll have to apply to higher-ups to find me a new commentator who is truly worthy of me and who deserves to commentate on games broadcast nationwide!"
Barkley's smug look made Kenny really want to slap his bald head!
Sir Charles, do you think I don't know your worth?
Are you trying to act all cultured with me?
You drank too much last night!
As Kenny and Charles were exchanging barbs and banter, their offensive efficiency suddenly dropped again!
The offensive choices, tactics, personnel, and start of the game were all unchanged. However, in the last 5 minutes of the first quarter, from the 8 minutes left to the 3 minutes left, both sides suddenly stopped making shots!
It was as if the consecutive points scored in the first few minutes were just a bad movie where all the exciting scenes were edited into the trailer!
After fans were thrilled by the spectacular trailer, the movie began, and without any warning, both sides were caught in a continuous battle of missed shots.
From Lin Tian and Webber to O'Neal and Kobe, none of them could get the ball into the basket!
In those five minutes, both sides scored four points each, making the score 16-16!
Although the score was tied, just looking at the points made it clear how inefficient both teams were in open play during this period. The Pacers scored 2 baskets, while the Lakers only scored 1. All 4 of their points came from free throws, and all of them were from O'Neal!
Then, after five minutes of such a difficult and poor performance with constant missed shots, both sides suddenly regained their touch after a timeout!
Or rather, a few people have found their rhythm!
For the Pacers, it was Miller. After coming off the bench, he first received a pass from Lin Tian and hit a three-pointer. Then, through a screen and a handoff pass with Brad Miller, he hit another three-pointer!
Miller scored 6 points in two consecutive possessions, but the Pacers only led by 1 point!
Because Fox, who had just come on for the Lakers, immediately scored a 2+1 play, and then O'Neal grabbed another offensive rebound and scored on a putback, adding 2 points for the team!
After several consecutive points, the efficiency of both sides suddenly improved again!
After that, Harrington and Best both scored in the last two minutes of the first quarter!
Meanwhile, the Lakers' additions Fox and Shaw did not disappoint Jackson. The two scored repeatedly after entering the game, helping the team keep the game suspenseful!
This quarter was completely disjointed in terms of rhythm, style, and success rate. It didn't seem like the style and form that the two teams had played continuously in a short period of time!
The difference is just too big!
A series of points at the start, a flurry of missed shots, and then another series of points!
The players' form fluctuated, but the only constant was that the score remained close between the two sides!
24: 25!
After the first round of games, the Pacers are currently trailing the Lakers by 1 point!
But it's really only temporary!
At the start of the second quarter, Lin Tian dribbled to the frontcourt and immediately changed direction and accelerated, driving hard past substitute Harper, not only getting past him cleanly but also making a layup in the paint, putting his team ahead again!
Back to the point, with Lin Tian collapsing the paint to help defend O'Neal, Hubble got a wide-open shot opportunity. This guy was really tough, and he raised his hand and shot without hesitation.
"Bang!"
Unfortunately, with a muffled thud, the basketball bounced off the rim. Miller was about to protect the backboard when O'Neal slapped him aside with his arm from behind. O'Neal then caught the basketball in mid-air with one hand and slammed it into the basket!
In this one round, both Jackson and Carlisle were very dissatisfied and immediately made a substitution!
Fisher, who has a better shooting accuracy, came on to replace Harper, which would enhance the team's perimeter threat.
The strong Ben Wallace replaced the technically skilled Miller to prevent O'Neal from easily dominating the paint with brute force again.
Barkley was amazed by how quickly both coaches made substitutions!
"As expected of a Game 7, a true do-or-die battle! At this point in the game, neither coach can afford to relax."
Kenny agreed, "That's right, both sides are extremely cautious, afraid that someone on their team might become a weak point for the opponent to exploit due to their ability, form, or other reasons. If even the slightest problem arises, they'll immediately substitute their rotation players back into their starters!"
"I think tonight's game will be another close one, with few substitutions and key players playing for a very long time."
After another possession, Fox fell for Christie's fake while defending him, and Christie dribbled into the paint and scored again. Meanwhile, Harrington on the Pacers' side was caught off guard by Kobe and committed a foul.
So, both coaches made another substitution, with Webber and Rice coming on as well. At this point, all but two of the ten players on the court, except for Reggie Miller and Brian Shaw, had become starters!
As the two commentators said, the key players are likely to play a lot of minutes in this match!
However, although both sides shortened their rotations and hardly rested their main players, their offensive success rate was not high!
Perhaps because the game was too crucial, the players were somewhat nervous, and their shooting accuracy dropped significantly compared to the previous games. With their shooting accuracy declining, both teams' players and coaches chose the same approach to the game.
Reduce shooting attempts and choose to attack the paint as much as possible. Whenever you have the opportunity, drive into the paint and try to shoot from a position closer to the basket to increase your success rate.
At the same time, they focused all their energy on the defensive end, giving their all to stop the opponent's offense. Furthermore, after discovering that the opponent's shooting was inaccurate and they relied on driving to create scoring opportunities and opting for close-range shots, the defensive zones of both teams noticeably shrank.
Apart from dealing with top shooters like Lin Tian, Miller, Kobe, and Fisher, who were in good form tonight, the rest of the players stopped defending from the three-point line and instead retreated to the free-throw line area to wait for the opponent to break through.
Under these circumstances, the offensive efficiency of both sides is naturally not high. At the same time, with the paint crowded with players and both sides repeatedly attacking around the three-second zone, physical contact between the two sides is also increasing.
Along with the rapid increase in physical contact, the number of turnovers and fouls committed by both sides also increased rapidly.
Because of the large number of players, if you're not careful when breaking through, you'll end up crashing into the crowd, and then a bunch of big hands will slap the basketball wildly. In this kind of dense defense and dense steals, unless it's really too obvious, the referees really don't call it much.
Furthermore, with the space shrinking and everyone clustered in the paint, even Shaquille O'Neal, despite possessing the league's top-tier destructive power and dominance, couldn't unleash his full potential at this moment.
There were too many people; there was absolutely no space for him to dribble and back down the ball!
With that sense of space, if he dares to dribble, at least six arms will immediately be aimed at his groin without hesitation!
With both arms covered in blood and looking horribly injured, O'Neal's temper and actions became increasingly volatile. On one occasion, when he turned around, he was hit and couldn't stop his movement, so he elbowed Jerome directly into O'Neal's chest.
O'Neal let out a muffled groan from the pain and lay on the floor for a long time before recovering.
As for the Pacers, Lin Tian and Miller tried a few mid-to-long-range shots at the beginning of the second quarter, but as if they were infected by others, their shots were also a loud and loud auditory feast.
So, these two most accurate shooters stopped shooting and started tapping the three-point line, then charging towards the basket to create contact, draw fouls, and shoot closer to the rim to increase their success rate.
As for the result
Not worth mentioning.
Throughout the second quarter, the score remained extremely close! Neither side managed to extend the lead to more than 5 points even once. The score was a back-and-forth affair, complex and slowly improving.
Both teams encountered great difficulties in their offense during this quarter, with the Pacers shooting 5-for-23 and the Lakers shooting 6-for-25 respectively.
Despite the extremely low shooting percentage, the competition between the two sides remained incredibly intense, with a series of fierce physical contacts in every possession! Even though the referees chose to turn a blind eye to many actions, there were still many that they simply couldn't ignore and had to call.
In the second quarter, the Pacers made 8 of 11 free throws, while the Lakers made 7 of 13!
Miller and Ben Wallace each received a technical foul for arguing with the referees, while Jermaine O'Neal of the Lakers also received a technical foul for rushing to the front when O'Neal was knocked down.
This quarter lasted over 40 minutes due to numerous free throws, players constantly falling to the ground, and some controversial calls!
43: 45!
At the end of the first half, the two sides were still only one goal apart!
At the same time, due to the large number of fouls and the short rotation of both sides, with almost all of them using their starters, the playing time and number of fouls of the starters on both sides are already quite considerable!
For the Pacers, Lin Tian played 23 minutes with 2 fouls, Ben Wallace played 21 minutes with 3 fouls, and Webber and Christie both played 20 minutes with 2 fouls each.
Miller and Carter each played 15 minutes, and each had one foul.
For the Lakers, both Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant have two fouls each, while Jermaine O'Neal and Derek Fisher have three fouls each due to the greatest defensive pressure.
In the second half, the number of fouls and stamina of the two teams' key players may become targets for the opponents and become indicators of the game's outcome!
During halftime, in the Lakers' locker room, Phil Jackson abandoned his usual composure and demeanor. Instead of speaking in a calm tone like a charlatan, he delivered a rare, impassioned, and passionate speech!
"It's Game 7! Think about our defeat last year! Think about how badly we were beaten by them last year! We've improved tremendously this year! This year we've pushed the Pacers to the brink! We just need that final push, just a little bit more!"
「想想林那个混蛋对我们的侮辱！98公牛、99尼克斯、96超音速？这些球队凭什幺比我们强？凭什幺？我带过98公牛，老子揍过96的超音速，老子也看过99尼克斯队的无数场比赛！」
"I only have one thing to say: Bullish Jordan, Ewing, and Payton! Bullish Bulls, Knicks, and SuperSonics! This year's Lakers are the fucking strongest! Shaq is the strongest player I've ever coached! This Lakers team is the strongest team I've ever been with!"
"I'll say the same thing no matter who asks me, whether it's Michael, Scott, or anyone else, no matter the occasion or circumstance!"
"We are the strongest team! Our roster is virtually flawless! We have top players in every position, our chemistry is perfect, and despite our exceptional talent, we train harder and more fiercely than anyone else!"
"We are the most talented team in the league! And we also beat the most physically demanding team in the league!"
"Tell me, I want you to tell me, why did we lose? Why did they win?"
"Now, if we just give it our all and hold out for these last 24 minutes, we'll crush those Indians! We'll send those hillbillies back to their sweet potato digging fields! We'll take down that damn green-haired country bumpkin Byrd! We'll make that bastard Lin who looks down on us regret it!"
"Finally, and very lastly, let me help you envision your future!"
"If we win this game tonight, Shaq, you are the greatest center of all time! You played a super series averaging almost 40+20! Nobody can compare to you!"
"Kobe, you shut down Vince Carter, who was once considered one of the two greatest players in the East and West. That bastard, aside from having some luck in the last game, has been eating your shit the rest of the time! He's good for nothing but eating your spiel!"
"Keep playing like a madman and let everyone know that you're not Shaq's little brother, you're not anyone's little brother, you're not Joe Bryant's son, and you're not some high school prodigy that West has his eye on."
"You are Kobe Bryant, you are the best shooting guard in this league!"
"Derek"
Inside the Lakers' locker room, a wave of excitement and jubilation swept through the team. Listening to Jackson's roars and words of encouragement, the entire team was experiencing a surge of adrenaline, looking eager to fight the Pacers to the death!
All I can say is that Jackson's sudden transformation from his usual gentle and refined self is far more effective than those motivational coaches who do this every day!
Chicken soup is good, but drinking too much of it can lead to immunity!
Jackson only came once or twice a year, and the effect was absolutely outstanding!
The atmosphere in the Pacers' locker room was a little strange at that moment.
"Derrick, after this series, you'll be the most famous clutch shooter in the league! You might not be an All-Star, but no opponent will dare let you off the hook! When they talk about you, they'll say you're the hero who hit two three-pointers in the last minute to save the team!"
"Jermaine, you must hate being called 'Little O'Neal' or 'O'Neal 2.0,' right? What I'm saying is, take down that Indiana bumpkin, lock down that flashy but ineffective Chris, and show your toughness and ruthlessness!"
"After tonight, you are Jermaine O'Neal! You are the starting power forward for the Los Angeles Lakers and one of the most promising top forwards in the league! You will be compared to Elgin Baylor, Jamal Wilkes, James Worthy, and others!"
"You are all the greatest forwards in Lakers history!"
Inside the Pacers' locker room, Lin Tian stood in the center, pacing back and forth while constantly touching his non-existent beard and glasses, squinting at everyone on the team with a sly, old-fox-like expression.
"You guys can go ask the Lakers guys later and see if Phil did that during halftime! Knowing him as I do, that's 100% what's happening in their locker room!"
"This old fox is usually calm, collected, and debonair, but at times like this, he'll suddenly unleash a powerful burst of energy and unleash a torrent of 'chicken soup for the players' minds! He'll dump all the chicken soup he's brewed into their bellies."
"With such a large quantity and the added benefit of a single large dose, when those Lakers bastards come out in the second half, their burps will probably smell like a rich chicken soup!"
Lin Tian's words brought laughter to the entire Pacers' locker room. At least the tense atmosphere from the first half was greatly relieved by Lin Tian's words and a bit of cosplay.
After helping his teammates relax, Lin Tian clapped his hands again and looked at them, saying, "Then, the last 24 minutes will be a real battle to the death! No matter how well I understand and how much I disdain Phil's tactics, I have to admit: this thing works!"
"The Lakers will definitely unleash an even stronger response and fighting spirit in the second half!"
"To this, I only have one thing to say: In the world of basketball, can you imagine anything more exhilarating than winning a championship in reverse at Staples Center, in front of the whole world and all of Los Angeles?"
"Okay, yes, it might be even more satisfying to win in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden, but what can we do when we're in the East?"
"Anyway, come on, guys, let's make all of Los Angeles cry tonight!"
"It will bring tears to the eyes of all of Los Angeles!"
"Make all of Los Angeles weep!" Christie roared, raising her arms in fury!
"Let the women of Los Angeles shed tears for us!" Even Ben Affleck, now a thug, raised his arms and shouted!
"Let the women of Los Angeles bleed for us. Hehehe!" Veteran rogue Miller's words immediately drew cheers from the entire Pacers team!
Come on! Ready!
The second half of the game continues!
Jackson and Carlisle have not changed their starting lineup.
The Lakers had the first possession!
After a quick ball movement, Fisher got a lot of space beyond the three-point line. The Lakers' most accurate clutch shooter in the playoffs took a shot, but the ball bounced off the rim and missed, successfully assisting for the rebound!
Ben Wallace caught the basketball as it bounced off the rim, then fiercely raised his elbows to shoo away the Lakers players who tried to steal the ball, before safely handing it to Lin Tian.
"No rush! Let's tie the score first this round!" Lin Tai completely slowed down his pace, calmly dribbling the ball forward, as if he wanted to have a good positional battle with the Lakers.
But the Pacers players who knew him well knew that Lin Tian was up to no good!
Almost as soon as Carter heard the words "take it slow" he suddenly accelerated to his maximum speed and charged toward the Lakers' basket!
His timing for starting was absolutely tricky. It wasn't until he had fully gained speed and had already driven into the three-point line that the Lakers players noticed him!
But it was all too late.
As Carter leaped high, Lin Tian passed the basketball across the entire half-court, landing it precisely in Carter's hands.
"boom!"
With a crisp sound, Carter slammed his arms into the rim, successfully scoring the first points of the second half for both teams!
"Tie it! Tie it again!" Barkley shouted excitedly. "This is the sixth tie tonight! The Lakers led eight times in the first half, and the Pacers led seven times! Neither team can really pull away, and neither can establish a decisive advantage!"
"All I can say is, this match was absolutely fantastic!"
After Lin Tian Carter's alley-oop connection, Phil Jackson, who was on the sidelines, very unusually stood up from the bench, spread his arms, and yelled wildly at the players on the court!
The team's defense was seriously flawed this time. Just because Lin Tian slowed down the pace of the attack, everyone relaxed at the same time?
Did I feed all that high-pressure chicken soup I made during halftime to the dogs?
Was the defense so unfocused in the first round?
Jackson's extremely rare roar still had an effect.
At least, the Lakers became much more disciplined on both offense and defense from then on! The Pacers only managed one fast break in the entire third quarter!
At other times, the Pacers, even if they were unwilling, could only grind the game against the Lakers!
Unfortunately, the Lakers increased their offensive rebounding and defense on fast inbounds passes in the third quarter. The two O'Neals were indeed a level above the Pacers' two inside players in terms of both height and toughness.
After the Lakers grabbed two offensive rebounds, Lin Tian and Carter stopped trying to speed down the court and started chasing back to the basket more often to help their teammates protect the rebounds!
However, this did make the defensive rebounds safer, and the Lakers' second-chance points were once again blocked. But the Pacers' fast breaks were completely shut down!
They can only wear down the enemy's position.
In addition, the Lakers did increase the intensity and toughness of their physical confrontations in the second half, and they put more effort into the defensive end.
Simply put, the Lakers are playing like nothing like the Lakers! They've completely abandoned their previous elegant and stylish playing style and started a pure physical battle and the most primitive way of competing!
Anyway, although they're not playing their favorite style of play, positional play is definitely one of the Lakers' strengths!
Whether it's Kobe and Shaq's strong offense or Jermaine O'Neal's height and mid-range game, these five Lakers players are all well-suited for any style of play, whether it's triangle offense, traditional one-on-one, or anything else!
Ultimately, these people are indeed very strong individually!
With the Lakers completely dominating the boards and unable to launch fast breaks, the Pacers were no match for the Lakers in half-court sets. In addition, their three-point shooting was consistently poor, and they missed all six of their three-point attempts in the entire third quarter!
If the Pacers hadn't tightened their defense so much in the third quarter, and if the Lakers hadn't also struggled with their shots (going 0-for-5 from three-point range in that quarter), the Lakers might have already widened the gap!
Even so, the Pacers were still outmatched by the Lakers in the third quarter!
There's nothing that can be done about it; the Pacers' overall height, strength, and size are simply inferior to the Lakers'.
They managed to hold onto the defensive rebounds as much as possible, preventing the Lakers from grabbing too many offensive rebounds during their all-out rebounding push in the third quarter. They didn't let their rebounding collapse. Losing to the Lakers by only 4 rebounds in this quarter shows that they gave it their all and deserve praise!
But that only prevented them from falling too far behind.
Ultimately, the Lakers controlled the entire third quarter!
64:68!
At the end of the third quarter, both teams scored extremely low scores again. This was the first time in this series that both teams had scored less than 70 points after three quarters!
That night, both sides had a mediocre offensive performance that was not worth mentioning!
All they relied on was that spirit and their desire for the championship!
Perhaps the only good news for the Pacers in the third quarter was that O'Neal picked up two fouls!
These included an incident where Ben Wallace received the ball and attempted a dunk, but O'Neal thwarted it, sending Wallace to the free-throw line where he missed both shots; and another incident where, while grabbing a rebound, he lost control of his movement and elbowed substitute Brad Miller in the eyebrow bone, resulting in his second foul of the third quarter!
He already has four fouls!
Although the Pacers' return came at a high price, with Miller unable to return for this game, at least they had a tiny bit of a chance to take O'Neal down!
For the Lakers, the Pacers' efforts to defend against O'Neal's dominance under the basket resulted in not only their backup center Miller leaving the game early due to injury, but also their starting center Ben Wallace, who now has four fouls!
If Ben Wallace also commits six fouls, the Pacers' interior disadvantage will be further amplified, and they are very likely to be directly defeated by the Lakers' high-post offense!
Therefore, the focus of the fourth quarter might just be on the number of fouls committed by the two starting centers, Ben Wallace and Shaquille O'Neal!
Whichever side commits a foul first will be put on the defensive for a short period of time!
The fourth quarter is sure to be just as exciting!
"Beep! Ben Wallace, foul on the hand! Shaquille O'Neal, 2 free throws!"
In the first possession of the fourth quarter, O'Neal drove straight to the basket, using a spin move to fake Ben Wallace's jump. O'Neal then closed in before shooting, successfully drawing Wallace's fifth foul!
"FUXX!"
Carlisle was so angry on the sidelines that his eyes turned red!
During the three-minute break, Carlisle did almost nothing except tell Ben Wallace to watch his foul count, be careful with his movements, and control his fouls.
But the result?
This bastard got his fifth foul drawn by O'Neal in the very first possession!
Carlisle was so angry that he kept taking deep breaths to calm himself down and think about what to do.
"Bang!"
The sound of O'Neal missing his shot gave Carlisle a moment to recover.
At least, this foul wasn't entirely fruitless, was it?
"Bang!"
After another muffled thud, O'Neal missed both free throws. Ben Wallace grabbed the rebound and quickly passed the ball to Lin Tian, letting him organize the offense!
This time, Lin Tian pressed his hand down, which was a genuine signal for everyone to calm down and fight one by one.
The Pacers really need to calm down and take it slow. Everyone needs to stay calm!
Especially Ben Wallace, who just got his fifth foul, is clearly getting a bit carried away right now.
When he was called for his fifth foul, this guy got so angry he jumped up and almost started a fight with the referee! If Lin Tian hadn't pulled him away, he would have gotten another technical foul in no time!
That would be giving the Lakers free points, which would be a huge loss!
But the Pacers are still down by 2 points.
How exactly should we fight? (End of Chapter)