Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

"Damn it, how can we let a team that can't even make it to the playoffs in the Eastern Conference play like this! Is this still the Lakers?" Jack Nicholson roared angrily, "Are you guys even playing seriously?"

Then, Gwyneth Paltrow, the Oscar-winning actress of 1999 for "Shakespeare in Love," made a sharp comment about Yu Fei, "D.C.'s No. 44 is really rude, he's so annoying, Shaq should teach him a lesson!"

However, Shaquille O'Neal, who was hoped by the actress to do so, was at that time busying himself competing with his own teammate.

After the Lakers called for a timeout, Phil Jackson stared at Kobe, then said, "Enough, Kobe, you can't play basketball like this! Our strategy isn't like this! You are destroying the whole system!"

Kobe was unyielding, "Isn't that what you said? I have a 'deliberate sabotage' rap sheet! I have a 'deliberate sabotage' habit! I have a 'deliberate sabotage' need! I'm just being the me you describe, so why are you angry?!"

Some time ago, as Jackson could no longer tolerate Kobe, he told the reporters a story about Kobe's high school days; wherein Kobe would "deliberately sabotage" the game in the first half so the scores would be close, and then he could be the hero at the end.

When your coach personally attacks you like this, it's hard to defend your innocence.

Because a lot of people would say, your coach knows you best.

Kobe's agent, Aern Trem, hated the Zen Master so much that he considered suing him for slandering Kobe.

Kobe bringing this up now made the Zen Master even more infuriated.

"I think you need to cool down!" Having said that, the Zen Master's gaze shifted towards Mick Richmond, who was sitting on the bench, "Mick, take Kobe out."

Next, the Zen Master swapped out the defensively lackluster Robert Horry with the energetic, beast-style Mark Madsen.

The Wizards were much more cautious with their lineup changes.

If it wasn't a pivotal moment to substitute players, Collins preferred to stick to the existing lineup.

As they had a 3-point lead relying on their current lineup, rash changes could do more harm than good.

"Frye, do you need anything else?"

Collins felt like he was Yu Fei's nanny at the moment.

Whatever support Yu Fei needed on the court, he provided.

But he was never ready to play nanny to anyone other than Jordan.

"Intensify our zone defense, we can't let Shaquille O'Neal freely attack our inside," Yu Fei's experience in the modern game deepened his understanding of the transformative power of legalizing zone defense and introducing the defensive three-second rule in the NBA.

The NBA had a long battle over the legalization of zone defense.

One faction of old coaches insisted that zone defense was detrimental to the game; why? Because it required players to build a defensive line within a set area, instead of actively guarding their opponents.

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That is to say, teams that really use zone defense don't care about the effect of man-to-man marking.

This approach would lower a player's sense of defensive responsibility.

But it was the introduction of zone defense that allowed NBA teams to approach defense with multiple choices, allowing them to opt out of defending a certain opponent and concentrate their efforts on those truly worthy of being guarded.

Leaving a player unguarded is an art. In the era of small ball, it required consideration of shooting percentages, hot zones, recent performances, and players' shooting percentages from various positions. But now, it's not so complicated; just look at which Lakers have a low three-point shooting percentage.

Brian Shaw, 33% from three? Leave him open!

Rick Fox, three-point percentage of 31%? You dare to stand beyond the three-point line?

Mark Madsen, a blue-collar power forward with absolutely no shooting ability, can be outright ignored.

Mick Richmond, discarded by the Wizards, one whom Jordan decisively let go and was proven correct, with a three-point shooting percentage of 29%. Even giving him an extra glance on the perimeter was disrespecting his three-point shooting ability.

By the standard of the small-ball era, the Lakers' lineup really had no shooter worth worrying about.

Jackson's method of suppressing Kobe to unleash Shaquille O'Neal backfired.

Every time Shaquille O'Neal got the ball, the Wizards basically had three or four men collapse on him to double-team.

His only choice was to pass the ball out to the perimeter, letting his teammate shoot an open three.

But what gave those ghostly 30%-ish three-point shooters on the perimeter the right to bail out Shaquille O'Neal? They started missing, missing continuously.

Yu Fei and his teammates did their best to protect the long rebounds, easily and joyfully launching counter-attacks.

17 to 29

The visiting Wizards turned the tables, entering the second quarter with a 12-point lead.

"Good! Very good!"

Feeling hopeful for a win tonight, Collins clenched his fist tightly, "Frye, come and take a break."

Yu Fei had no objections; leading by 12 points there was no need to rest, in case O'Neal made a sudden comeback and the lead was chased down, then he'd have even less time to rest.

Collins substituted Yu Fei, letting Coach Lu lead Bobby Simmons, Tyronn Nesby, Kwame Brown, and Jahidi White for the second quarter.

Seeing this lineup, Yu Fei also felt they were somewhat outmatched by the opponent.

Don't look at the Lakers' first quarter of missed shots—just as long as Shaquille O'Neal wasn't fixated on smashing the Wizards' inside line, or Kobe didn't continue to be the person in the Zen Master's eyes, the others could shine under the sheltering wings of the towering O'Neal.

But Jackson was not an ordinary coach.

He knew that if he substituted Kobe now, and Kobe returned after the team, led by Shaquille O'Neal, fell behind by 12 points, Kobe would definitely score recklessly. If he succeeded, it would prove he was right. If he failed, it would be because Shaquille O'Neal's pit was dug too deep.

Either way, he'd have an excuse.

For the Zen Master, this was a significant blow to his coaching prestige.

He wouldn't rely on Kobe to turn the tide on the court.

At least until the situation reversed, Kobe had to sit off the court, which was a punishment for his defiance of the coaching staff.

Jackson gently patted Shaquille O'Neal's shoulder, whispered a few words to him, then chose the starting lineup for the second quarter.

Derek Fisher, Devean George, Rick Fox, Robert Horry, Shaquille O'Neal.

Suddenly, the Lakers transformed from a team with tight spacing to one with ample room.

This was Shaquille O'Neal's dream lineup.

With three of his four teammates shooting over 37% from three-point range, the Wizards had to think twice before double-teaming Shaquille O'Neal.

Only one round into the second quarter, Yu Fei felt he wouldn't be sitting on the bench for much longer.

Shaquille O'Neal immediately went to the low post to establish position, and although the Wizards persisted with their zone defense, they no longer dared to collapse as they did in the first quarter.

Fisher knew exactly how to feed the ball to Shaquille O'Neal in that state.

After receiving the ball, instead of overpowering Jahidi White with a dunk as Yu Fei had expected, O'Neal executed a neat turn, a hook shot, and scored.

19 to 29

Even for O'Neal, there weren't many chances to dunk in a game; the close-range hook shot was his most regular scoring move.

If the opponent was tall enough, they might disrupt his hook shot, but White, as a shorter center, could neither challenge O'Neal's height nor strength.

As a result, as long as Shaquille O'Neal got into position, a hook shot over White was as easy as practicing in the air for him.

The problem on the defensive end was about to become evident, and on the offensive end, the Wizards looked even more desperate.

Without Yu Fei, the versatile creator, the Wizards' players on the court all had functions that were too singular, lacking a standout player.

Tyronn Lue had speed, but if the Lakers' field goal percentage rose, his speed would be of no great use. The Fisher of now was not the future Fisher, defensively helpless against speed-oriented guards; facing Coach Lu, his former junior, he was too experienced.

Spread out first, Coach Lu definitely won't shoot, then spread his arms wide, ready for a confrontation.

The Wizards passed the ball around, eventually leaving Bobby Simmons to force a play against Devean George, to no avail.

"Frye, we need you on the court."

Yu Fei had sat for less than a minute when Collins approached him with a troubled look and said.

Is this what they mean by "with great power comes great responsibility"?

Yu Fei was all too happy to be the Wizards' go-to guy.

Then, in the minute Yu Fei waited to get on the court, Shaquille O'Neal first punished the early double-teaming Wizards with a pass, and Devean George hit a three-pointer.

Next, Tyronn Lue tried to play fast, but his inability to stop once speeding up hadn't changed, resulting in a floater that didn't even hit the rim.

On the Lakers' next offensive possession, Shaquille O'Neal positioned himself in the middle, seemingly keeping the same advancing rhythm as his teammates.

In an instant, Shaquille O'Neal had entered the three-second zone, loudly calling for the ball from Fisher.

Fisher passed the ball decisively.

The Wizards on the court immediately reacted, with White fronting, Nesby on the side defense, and Brown disturbing from another angle. Shaquille O'Neal elevated with power, unfazed by the triple team, and forcefully jumped to put the ball in the basket while drawing White's third foul.

"You bunch of trash!" Shaquille O'Neal arrogantly shouted, "You're no match for Shaq Daddy!"

This put Collins in a tough spot.

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Although the Wizards were still ahead, White now had three fouls.

He had to take White out now.

Besides White, did the Wizards have anyone else who could guard the center position against Shaquille O'Neal?

Only Popeye Jones seemed semi-reliable, but he had also committed two fouls in the first quarter, and Collins didn't want to risk it.

So, there was no one else.

Collins had to settle for the next best option, his gaze falling on Ratner, "Christian, get in for Cassidy."

Seeing Ratner replace White, Yu Fei expressed surprise, "You're playing center?"

Ratner, who never got along with Yu Fei, retorted irritably, "Got a problem with that?"

Yu Fei wasn't sure if he was worried for Ratner or secretly delighted, "Looks like Doug doesn't care about you at all."

However, Ratner shut Yu Fei up with a retort, "It's because you spoiled high schoolers are so useless!"

His words weren't directed at Yu Fei.

Whom were they for? Of course, it was for Kwame Brown, who was playing power forward on the court.

If Brown were made to play center now, he would likely collapse against Shaquille O'Neal, so Collins would rather send Ratner to face Shaquille O'Neal than risk putting Brown in his path.

Although Yu Fei disliked Ratner, he couldn't deny that what Ratner said was painfully accurate.