Chapter 56: How Can Life Be Without Regrets?

The second half of the game began, although Kobe Bryant's words in the midcourt made his teammates a little strange, they finally felt that Kobe Bryant was like a young man, who wouldn't be stupid at this age? Say something weird like someone my age should do.

The Spurs remained dynamic and aggressive in the second half, repeatedly attacking the Lakers' defense under Wilkins. The Lakers are a bit out of control on the defensive end.

Kobe Bryant needs to keep an eye on Avery Johnson, Kobe doesn't dare to let go of the junior general's three-pointer, and has no time to be distracted to help defense. And Bowen needs to deal with Elliott and has no time to think about anything else.

O'Neal and Campbell's sluggish pace on the defensive end allowed the Spurs to start the third quarter with back-to-back interior offenses, and when both interior defenses were out of shape, the team's box defense would collapse in the first place.

Kobe Bryant began to exert his strength on the offensive end, and he knew that if he didn't exert his strength, he would lose the game.

The Spurs were ready for it, and they didn't dare to let the young player go. There are many teams that have made mistakes and they won't do it again!

Bob Hill sent Sean Elliott to target Kobe, the 2.01-meter small forward moved so fast that Bryant could only use difficult moves to raise the shot point under his interference, which undoubtedly reduced Bryant's shooting percentage.

This did not stop the Lakers' decline, and even O'Neal started a fugue in the second half, and even missed the ball.

Kobe Bryant's difficult shooting percentage is not comparable to the Spurs' success rate of easy shots under the basket, and when O'Neal is out of shape on both ends of the floor, the Lakers' situation is difficult.

At the end of the third quarter, the Lakers were 63-73 Spurs. The score has been pulled into double digits. Kobe Bryant scored 9 points on 4-of-7 shooting in the third quarter, but the Lakers only scored 14 points in one quarter!

Harris knew that yesterday's game was too much of a disruption to the team's form, and it was a devil's schedule to fly to San Antonio immediately after that game.

There is no weakness in American professional basketball, and every team here has the best basketball players in the world. Even the invincible Bulls lost 10 games in the regular season last year.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Harris replaced all the starters, which was not to give up the game, but to let them adjust off the court. Harris will be hoping that his players will be in the best form to chase the points in the decisive moments.

Kobe Bryant felt a little uncomfortable, he really didn't like the feeling of being behind, when the team was behind and he had to sit on the sidelines. It made his heart burn like a fire.

In the team box in San Antonio, Popovich smiled slightly, it seems that this game is going to be won, although it is a bad game, but it is a very happy thing that the team can bite a piece of meat from the first place in the West.

"Wilkins played really well. It doesn't seem that such players are needed when the team swings badly. After all, it was only a one-year contract. Popovich made a small calculation, he knows that many teams want to strengthen the forward players, if there are suitable assets, Wilkins can consider trading them, otherwise in his performance, the team will be difficult to get a good signing.

You must know that all the goals of the Spurs this year are Tim Duncan, and if he doesn't get the No. 1 pick, then all the efforts this season will be in vain.

"Bob Hill's on-the-spot transfer was also very good, which made it difficult for me to do it." Popovich has always been a man whose interests come first, and the unscrupulous means for the sake of the end are his label.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Lakers started off the bench against the Spurs.

Maxwell hit a three-pointer in front of Van Exel and lost Eddie Jones' defense. Mad Max began his show.

Van Exel was hot-headed, dribbling himself past half and missing a three-point shot, only to be found by Wilkins to counter and score.

Wilkins performed a beautiful tomahawk dunk in the empty half, pausing in the air before slamming the ball into the basket with one hand. There is no indication that he is a veteran with a ruptured Achilles tendon.

"Coach, I'm going to play." Kobe Bryant desperately wanted to play.

"Okay. Guys, let's get on the field. Harris had that in mind, switching to the starter, ready to face off against the Spurs.

With eight minutes left before the end of the game, the Lakers trailed by 15 points.

Bryant shouted at Campbell to play a pick-and-roll and took the initiative to find Wilkins.

If you want to win this game, you must beat Wilkins.

Wilkins didn't dare to be careless, he watched yesterday's game live and knew how devastating Kobe Bryant was on the offensive end.

Kobe Bryant's crotch dribble and the confrontation with these legendary superstars was his happiest moment.

Wilkins has been running the whole game on the offensive end, and he has to toughen up the tall and slender Campbell on the defensive end, which is really not easy for a 36-year-old veteran. So far, Wilkins has 24 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals.

That's why the Spurs were able to lead the Lakers, and Wilkins played extremely dominant in this game.

Bryant patiently broke down Wilkins' defense, shook and burst into the mid-range, pulled dry, and hit the ball.

"Boy, this ball is beautiful." Wilkins praised Kobe Bryant, and although he was an opponent, the calm 18-year-old deserved more than one word of praise.

Kobe Bryant smiled, he wanted to try to defend Wilkins, but Campbell had no way to match the outside player. The current team configuration is really problematic, which always makes Kobe Bryant feel awkward.

Sure enough, Wilkins shook off Campbell from mid-range and hit a mid-range shot.

The Lakers' defense couldn't win the game, and Bryant and O'Neal couldn't make up for the 15-point deficit when they came together in the fourth quarter.

Kobe Bryant suffered his first career loss.

Bryant eventually pushed the score to eight points, but a three-pointer from Mad Max sealed the game.

Full game Lakers 83:95 Spurs. A not-so-small margin of defeat. Bryant scored 21 points in the game, but only had two assists.

O'Neal was a poor performer, finishing with 18 points, 10 rebounds and six turnovers on 7-of-15 shooting. That's the stats against a third-line center, which shows how fierce the Olajuwon and O'Neal matchup was yesterday.

Wilkins seemed to be back at the top of his game in this game, and the rich scoring tools showed off his arsenal like the Lakers. The superstar-level performance of 28 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks brought the Lakers, who ranked first in the West, off the undefeated crown.

Vernon Maxwell had 22 points, and he hit four three-pointers. The Junior General and Elliott didn't do too well, but it didn't matter to the Spurs anymore.

This game also exposed the flaws of the Lakers, the No. 1 team in the West, to all teams, and how will the Lakers be targeted in the later schedule?