Chapter 50: The Scales of Victory

Mosaic coach on the sidelines, Rudy Tomjanovic is calm. It's just a couple of fast breaks, and he believes his players can adjust themselves right away.

The coach was the glory of Houston as a player, and during his 11 years in MLL, he was a five-time All-Star. He is currently the third-leading scorer in team history, behind Klein Murphy and Hakeem Olajuwon.

The championship coach is known for his instinctive management style and excellent bench play. He was hospitalized several times due to exhaustion. His eclectic, easy-going attitude towards his players has earned him a reputation as a "player coach", and as a result, some senior players are eager to play with his team.

But soon his complexion changed a little, and the Lakers' offense was too fast. O'Neal even got involved in the fast break, regardless of whether the opponent scored or not, and immediately counterattacked after a quick serve.

The players on the Mosaic team are all through the wind and waves, and they can handle a quick offensive run. However, the Lakers' outside players had hot hands, and Kobe Bryant and Eddie Jones combined for 11 three-pointers and hit seven in the first quarter.

Mosaic's star shots are concentrated in the low post and in the box, whether they hit or not. Olajuwon and Ross Barkley were unable to participate in the team's retreat in the first place.

And Kobe Bryant seized this fleeting opportunity and played a wonderful performance in the continuous offensive and defensive transitions. He scored 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting and 3-of-4 from three-point range in the quarter.

This feeling is too exaggerated, even if Barkley penetrates Campbell, Olajuwon and O'Neal blow each other. The Lakers still took a 30-23 lead in the first quarter.

"Well done!" O'Neill high-fived his teammates off the court, and their run-and-gun and fiery touch caught their opponents off guard.

"They'll adjust right away." Bryant knew there was no doubt that opponents wouldn't let the Lakers continue this offense. This kind of offensive against some regular big teams, the older team may be useful, but this championship team can only gain a temporary advantage.

Playing the bombardment, the Lakers are missing a space No. 4 position. So the current run-and-gun is easy to target.

came off the bench, and the Lakers' bench played well this time. Ben Wallace was firmly on guard against Kevin Willis. Before the Lakers changed to the starters, they maintained the advantage of the score.

Van Exel's game was hot, coming off the bench against Tracy Moore, an unknown player, and attacking again and again.

"The game has just begun." After Kobe Bryant came on the court in the second quarter, Drexler stood in front of Kobe. In the first quarter, the young man's performance was too bright. Matt Maloney obviously couldn't guard him, and Drexler took the initiative to apply to lead Kobe.

Kobe Bryant is a little dignified, and the glider is not easy to deal with.

The Lakers possessed the ball, and Kobe Bryant gave the ball to Eddie Jones. Madness runs under the cover of O'Neill and Campbell.

Drexler followed closely after Kobe, but saw Eddie Jones hand the ball to O'Neal, who threw and hit the basket.

Kobe Bryant has long been ready to deal with Drexler, run! Not being able to run out of the open position can also greatly drain Drexler's physical energy, and in the final decisive moment, the young Kobe Bryant still has the physical strength to change the situation of the battle.

In the second quarter of the game, after Kobe Bryant was stopped by Drexler, the situation became less optimistic. The Lakers' fast-break arrows were contained, and the Lakers' offensive end, which couldn't be played quickly, was no longer dominant. And Olajuwon and Barkley are still doing whatever they want on the Lakers' inside.

49:49Flat! It was the score at halftime, and the seven-point deficit was leveled by the Rockets.

O'Neal had 17 points and eight rebounds in the half, and Kobe Bryant had 15 points, two rebounds and seven assists.

Charles Barkley had 21 points and eight rebounds, and he hit Campbell. Olajuwon had 15 points and four rebounds. Drexler focused all his attention on defending Kobe Bryant in the second quarter, scoring just two points on 1-of-5 shooting with Bowen's defense.

At the beginning of the third quarter, Kobe Bryant and O'Neal played a pick-and-roll. O'Neal's performance in the first half and Olajuwon were in a state of mutual explosion. Olajuwon didn't play the defensive form of his heyday in the regular season, and O'Neal has now grown enough to score crazy points under Olajuwon's single defense.

The reason why Campbell has been kept on the court is that he can liberate O'Neal on the offensive end, and with Campbell in Barkley, he will not dare to help defend O'Neal without scruples. If the Lakers' fast break is contained, only O'Neal's will be able to break down the defense.

If Ben Wallace is put in, the Lakers' offense will immediately collapse when neither Kobe nor O'Neal can score smoothly!

Kobe Bryant and O'Neal's pick-and-roll took more of Drexler and Olajuwon's physical energy. Drexler didn't dare to let Kobe Bryant's outside shot, and O'Neal, who blocked and attacked the basket, also consumed a lot of Olajuwon's physical energy.

"Fatty, you've made a lot of progress." A panting Olajuwon shook O'Neal away and said after hitting the shot.

O'Neal didn't bother with Olajuwon, who had already scored more than 20 points in front of him. Blowing up with a veteran in his thirties wasn't what O'Neill wanted.

"Shaq, hold on. They can't survive us. Bryant was convinced that the victory would be his, and Drexler began to grab positions with O'Neal after running with Kobe Bryant for a long time. Olajuwon also spent a lot of energy on both ends of the pitch, and the decisive victory came at the end.

In the third quarter, the Lakers still only O'Neal could score, Kobe's blocking was saved by Drexler very fiercely, Kobe held back his desire and did not force a shot, but handed the ball to O'Neal on the inside. O'Neal was very efficient in scoring, but Mosaic Olajuwon and Barkley were scoring at the same time.

The Lakers trailed by five points at 71:76. Entering the fourth quarter, the Lakers directly changed the starter, and Rudy Tomjanovic tried to replace the bench, trying to buy time for the tired starter.

Bryant knew it was time. Bryant's hands were already hot, and he dribbled over the half court and shot a three-point jumper directly against the short defender.

"This also dares to vote." O'Neal, who is inside, is still preparing to catch the ball one second ago, and is ready to grab a rebound the next.

"Huh." The ball crosses a perfect arc and falls straight into the basket.

Kobe Bryant turned back in style, and this is just the beginning.

"Toot!" Rudy Tomjanovic called a timeout immediately after Bryant's goal. Changed to the starting lineup.

Barkley scored two more points against Campbell's defence.

Kobe Bryant had the ball in front of Drexler.

β€œISO!” Bryant made a single gesture, and then continued to dribble under his crotch to shake Drexler's center of gravity.

"Left!" Drexler judged the direction of Bryant's dribble and quickly slid to the left.

Wrong!

Bryant broke through to the left and pulled the ball back to the outside of the three-point line. Pull up, jump shot.

Hit again!

Bryant threw a punch, and Drexler was silent.