"Meng, the next game is up to you." With a whistle, Mutombo walked to the sidelines very consciously, and when there were still 3 minutes before the end of the game, Mutombo got the sixth foul of the game, but when Mutombo walked to Meng Xu's side, he still stopped, and said to Meng Xu with a slight apology in his eyes. In today's game, after O'Neal came on the court in the fourth quarter, Mutombo and Jermaine O'Neal took turns to play, and they couldn't stop O'Neal, Jermaine O'Neal was better, and he could use his footstep advantage and movement speed to constantly defend O'Neal, and Mutombo, who didn't have these advantages, could only go to fight with O'Neal for strength, fight for consumption, and exhausted all his means, even up and down, Mutombo still couldn't stop O'Neal, who had already killed the red-eyed, in this defense, Mutombo, who knew that he couldn't stop O'Neal, fouled O'Neal directly after O'Neal turned around and wanted to make a layup. Although after the pause, Meng Xu also began to take over the game, but after all, an outside player can't compete with an inside player in terms of shooting percentage, because the Pacers' inside line has never been able to limit O'Neal, which has also led to Meng Xu's current efforts on the court seem to be in vain, and Mutombo also feels very guilty after getting his sixth foul, you must know that Mutombo is now holding the highest salary in the Pacers.

"It's not your fault, it's not your fault, you've worked hard." Just after Mutombo finished speaking, when he was about to turn around and get off the court, Meng Xu stepped forward and gave him a hug, since Meng Xu entered the league, he has been constantly fighting with O'Neal's Lakers, even Duncan, who is at his peak, can't restrain O'Neal, let alone Mutombo, who is no longer at his peak, so Meng Xu doesn't blame Mutombo at all, and Mutombo's efforts on the court are also visible to everyone.

"Thank you, Meng, I'm really lucky to be your teammate." After the hug ended, Mutombo patted Meng Xu on the back again, and then turned around and walked off the court. Perhaps at this moment, Mutombo remembered the trip to the finals with the 76ers, in that series, Mutombo, who was pinned on by the 76ers, was blown up by O'Neal, and finally Mutombo also became the 76ers' backstabbing man who missed the championship, from teammates to management, and then to many fans of 76, they all have no good face for Mutombo, and to this day, Mutombo returns to the First United Center, and can still hear the curse of "soft eggs".

After Mutombo committed six fouls, taking advantage of O'Neal's free throws, Larry Bird replaced Lorenzen White, and at the same time put Jermaine O'Neal in the center position, it is obvious that for Lorenten White's defense, Larry Bird is not hopeful now, after all, in the last finals, Lorenzen White has already proved his "strength" to Larry Bird, although Jermaine O'Neal's defensive effect on O'Neal is far stronger than Lorenten White, But what is very bad for the Pacers right now is that Jermaine O'Neal has also been fouled four times now.

"Larry, do you want to use that tactic?" O'Neal made 1 of two free throws, the Lakers were already 3 points ahead of the Pacers, looking at a large number of interior players on the bench, Lester Connell also asked Larry Bird if he wanted to use the "shark slashing tactic" against O'Neal?

"Don't rush first, as long as the difference is no more than 4 points, don't consider fouls first." After pondering for a few seconds, Larry Bird shook his head, the "shark slashing tactic" is a last resort to use tactics, and O'Neal's free throw shooting rate at critical moments in the finals last season also made Larry Bird very jealous, but in case the situation on the game is really a last resort, Larry Bird will not hesitate to foul O'Neal.

When the Pacers made substitutions, Phil Jackson also took the opportunity to replace Carl Malone, who was obviously physically exhausted, with Robert Hawley, after Mutombo graduated with six fouls, the Pacers' interior line was obviously in a slight situation, in this case, the Lakers have more tactical options, since the Lakers can no longer play a triangle offense, then use the simplest and most violent combination of inside and outside tactics.

"Looks like I'm going to learn from that big fat guy too!" Meng Xu, who was standing in the middle circle with his hands on his waist, looked at O'Neal who was making free throws, although the referee's judgment was a little biased towards the Lakers, but O'Neal was undoubtedly the main reason why the Pacers were so passive, O'Neal continued to play the inside, and while scoring continuously, it also continued to kill the Pacers' inside, Mutombo committed six fouls, and Jermaine O'Neal also fouled four times. And although Meng Xu is now scoring all the time, the scoring efficiency of shooting a ball and losing a goal is far less than O'Neal, and it is difficult to kill the Lakers just by shooting, especially when the shooting speed is extremely fast, and there is no chance to touch porcelain and cheat fouls, therefore, if you want to reverse the situation on the court, you can either rely on consecutive 3 points to move the score back, or rush the Lakers' inside line to create their killing, and now there are only these two ways, after a period of careful consideration, Meng Xu finally decided, Taking advantage of Malone's departure to impact the Lakers' interior, Robert Holly is taller than Malone, but he doesn't even have half of Malone's deterrent power on the defensive end.

After making up his mind, Meng Xu gestured to Jamal Tinsley, who was not far from him, and Jamal Tinsley also nodded to Meng Xu after seeing Meng Xu's code, and at the same time, Jamal Tinsley also glanced at Jermaine O'Neal who was standing on the edge of the paint area. After O'Neal missed the second free throw and the rebound was grabbed by Jermaine O'Neal, Jermaine O'Neal made a long pass directly and handed the basketball to Jamal Tinsley, who ran two steps forward on the dribble, and then directly put the basketball in his hand towards the Lakers' halfcourt, and the target was naturally Meng Xu, who had begun to accelerate.

"Boy, don't try to steal chickens!" Robert Hawley, who had just been substituted, had long noticed that Meng Xu secretly gestured to Jamal Tinsley, so after O'Neal missed a free throw, Robert Hawley, who was also standing near the center circle, took the lead in retreating, and sure enough, when Robert Hawley retreated to the 3-point line, the Pacers launched a fast break.

When Meng Xu received a pass from Jamal Tinsley, Robert Hawley had already appeared in front of Meng Xu, although Robert Hawley's strength is not as good as Ma Long, but he is also an inside line after all, and because Robert Hawley often plays small forward, so he is also very good at moving speed, and Hawley is also very good at close defense, under the tutelage of Olajuwon, Robert Hawley is very experienced in dealing with players with strong athletic ability and wide range, Although the effect of cooperating with Payton to help defend Meng Xu in the first half was not good, Holly's heart was still not very convinced, after all, Holly also once followed the big dream to fight the world and won three championships.

But Meng Xu didn't care about who was standing in front of him now, even if O'Neill was standing in front of him, he had to rush over, but Robert Hawley was very cunning, using his height and arm span to cover Meng Xu, while sticking to Meng Xu, always blocking the middle of Meng Xu and the basket. In this case, Meng Xu had to give up the plan to rush to the basket, but after turning around and making a pass, he quickly moved a step sideways and made a mid-range jumper near the free throw line.

When O'Neal hit one of two free throws to extend the gap to four points, just six seconds later, Meng Xu hit a mid-range shot to narrow the gap to two points again. However, O'Neal was obviously not to be outdone, after Meng Xu hit the shot, the Lakers forced the basket again through the cooperation between Kobe and O'Neal, and this time O'Neal was another 2+1, and Jermaine O'Neal received his fifth foul.

"I'M KAO, YOU REALLY WANT TO KILL US!" Looking at the referee on duty who was blowing the whistle and pointing at Jermaine O'Neal and signaling him to defend the foul, Meng Xu immediately wanted to rush over and reason with him, but at the moment when Meng Xu's mind was just hot, Duncan's advice resurfaced in front of Meng Xu's eyes, so Meng Xu could only suppress the anger in his heart, pull Jermaine O'Neal, and persuade him not to make any radical moves.

O'Neal hit a free throw, and the difference between the two sides reached 5 points again, and the Pacers were still the same as last time, fast serving the baseline ball, and directly launched a fast attack, but compared with the last time, the Lakers were obviously prepared, just as Meng Xu had just passed the middle circle, the Lakers had already had 3 players retreat over the halfcourt, and the routes they ran were all towards one goal, and they were ready to intercept Meng Xu at the free throw line.

Meng Xu, who has already received the basketball at this moment, has only one idea, that is, to speed up, accelerate again, catch up with them, and dare to stuff the basketball into the Lakers' basket before the Lakers' defense is formed!

"Boy, you're not going to get away with it." Just when Meng Xu crossed the three-point line with one foot, Payton had already stood on the free throw line in advance, and did a good defensive posture, at this time, as long as Meng Xu couldn't stop his footsteps, or didn't have time to change direction, then he would definitely hit Payton, and as long as Meng Xu hit Payton, with the current penalty scale, it would be an offensive foul 100%.

"It's not good, Meng Xu is going to make a mistake!" Michaels on the commentary bench is now also in a cold sweat for Meng Xu, at this moment, not only Payton has occupied an excellent defensive position, but Kobe Bryant and Robert Hawley are also closely following Meng Xu from left to right.

Just when Meng Xu was less than half a meter away from Peyton, a surprising scene happened, because Meng Xu stopped his steps and jumped on the spot.

"Can you stop in this situation?" Looking at Meng Xu, who had just rushed towards Payton at a speed of 100 meters, he stopped his steps in an instant, and the scene immediately remembered a burst of exclamations. However, what shocked the audience even more was still behind, just after Meng Xu jumped, Payton, Kobe, and Robert Holly around Meng Xu also jumped up after stopping their steps, wanting to block Meng Xu's shot.

"Perfect!" Facing the cover of the three people, Meng Xu still completed the shot, and when he saw the arc drawn by the basketball that flew out, Meng Xu had a hunch that this goal would definitely be scored!

"Brush!" With a bang, when the basketball thrown by Meng Xu hollowed into the net, the entire Staples Center immediately fell silent, and shot at the cover of the three people, and it hit, who else? Who else can stop this kid!

After a short period of opportunity, the Pacers' bench exploded instantly, Larry Bird in a suit jumped up directly from his seat, rushed to the sidelines, waved his arms, and roared with a hideous face, while the rest of the players on the bench and assistant coach Lester Connell also waved the towel and tactical board in his hand, rushed to the sideline frantically, and kept yelling at the court.

"Boss, you're really hanging BAO!" Jamal Tinsley, who followed from behind, hugged Meng Xu directly, screaming excitedly, and Meng Xu also roared angrily after hitting this ball.

After hitting this goal, the continuous hitting effect of the king of mid-range shots has been activated, and when there are less than two minutes left in the game, Meng Xu has a very high chance of hitting the next five shots, even if O'Neal is powerful, invincible, as long as the difference between the two sides can be kept within 3 points before the end of the game, then the chance to kill himself will come.

"I said I had to win this game!" 1 minute and 35 seconds, O'Neal once again forced the inside line successfully, Jermaine O'Neal graduated with six fouls, but O'Neal couldn't score a free throw, and the difference between the two sides remained at five points.

"NN, today is the first time you have faced that big fat man, don't have any pressure, if you feel that you can't prevent him, you will directly foul him." This time the Pacers did not continue to launch a fast attack, Meng Xu stopped near the midline after receiving a pass from Jamal Tinsley, and waited until NN Hilario, who had finished the baseline ball, to catch up, Meng Xu directly instructed him to foul O'Neal in the next defense, although according to the current situation on the court, within two rounds, Larry Bird should have given instructions to cut the shark, but Meng Xu didn't want to wait until that time, because now he has full certainty, Instead of waiting until the last minute to gamble, it's better to cut that arrogant guy now.

"The situation on the court is getting more and more unfavorable for the Pacers!" 1 minute and 30 seconds, there is still a 5-point gap between the two sides, the Pacers still seem to have a chance, but after the team's two interior lines were all sent off, the situation on the court has been out of control, so Jeff Van Gundy on the commentary bench can only shake his head with a wry smile, although the game is not over, but in Jeff Van Gundy's view, the Pacers have lost, and in today's game, the Pacers did not lose to themselves, nor to the Lakers, but to the so-called commercial interests.

"What is Meng doing?" After ending the instructions to NN-Hilario, Meng Xu began to accelerate directly with the ball, during which he used a change of direction to get rid of Kobe, Meng Xu stood on tiptoe at the moment when he just rushed into the 3-point line, in the eyes of the surrounding melon-eating crowd, at this time, Meng Xu actually has a better choice, it is far from the time of all-or-nothing, and even if it is all-or-nothing, he should shoot 3 points, under Meng Xu's unreasonable choice, even the magic Johnson who claims to know Meng Xu best, I can't tell what Meng Xu wants to do.

And just after Magic Johnson's words fell, he was hit by the basketball shot by Meng Xu, 108-111, and the difference between the two sides was narrowed to 3 points.

1 minute and 17 seconds, O'Neal once again held the ball and attacked the basket, and NN-Hilario directly used foul tactics against O'Neal, O'Neal hit one of two free throws, 108-112.

"Four hits in a row, four hits in a row!" 1 minute 03 seconds, after O'Neal's free throw ended, Meng Xu hit the shot again like last time, Michaels on the commentary bench stood up directly excitedly, one minute, two points apart, this game has suspense again.

"These bastards, these cowards!" When Nn Hilario fouled O'Neal after receiving the ball again, O'Neal could no longer control his emotions, pointed directly to the Pacers' bench, and began to scold, although O'Neal's free throws are now a lot better, but no one can calm down in the face of endless deliberate fouls, and this time O'Neal is one of two free throws.

"1 point, only 1 point left!" With 43 seconds left in the game, Meng Xu hit another shot, and after five consecutive shots, the difference between the two sides was only 1 point.

"Isn't God on the side of the Lakers anymore?" Although the Lakers are still 1 point ahead of the Pacers, but under Meng Xu's five consecutive hits, anyone will be shaken, even the always resolute Magic Johnson, is now sweating nervously, today's game, the Lakers occupy the advantage of the home court, O'Neal and Kobe broke out one after another, and even the referees are on the side of the Lakers, if the Lakers still lose the game in the end, then there is only one explanation, that is, because God is on the side of the Pacers.

“MVP，MVP。。。。。” In the uniform shouts of the fans at the scene, O'Neal hit both free throws, 112-115, the Lakers once again led the Pacers by 3 points, and now all the pressure is on the Pacers' side.

"With 32 seconds left, I wonder how the Pacers are going to arrange those 32 seconds, to spend 24 seconds while making sure to score, and then foul O'Neal, or are they going to score a quick goal like they did in the previous rounds?"

Meng Xu actually signaled that there was no need to pause? What a bold decision!" Just when Jeff Van Gundy thought that Larry Bird would call a timeout to arrange the last 38 seconds, he saw Meng Xu on the court and signaled that Larry Bird did not need to call a timeout. Meng Xu, who took over the ball from Jamal Tinsley in the backcourt, did not rush over quickly as he did the previous times, but slowly advanced the ball to the front court, no matter what the ball was, the Pacers would still continue to foul O'Neal, so in Meng Xu's view, it makes no difference whether to call a timeout, complete the offense in 7 seconds, or consume 24 seconds, because of this ball, he still has a 20% shooting rate bonus.

"Don't let this kid shoot 3-pointers!" Seeing that Meng Xu, who had consumed time to 7 seconds left in the middle circle, began to accelerate and start, Phil Jackson on the sidelines immediately yelled at the players on the court, instructing them to wrap Meng Xu and not let Meng Xu shoot 3 points.

However, this time he still chose two points, and after crashing into Payton, who broke away from the defense, Kobe, who got rid of the defense with a change of direction, did not shoot outside the 3-point line, but continued to step forward, facing Robert Holey's defense, and hit the shot again.

114-115, the difference is still only 1 point, and there are still 11 seconds left before the end of the game, and the Pacers' tactical intention is very clear, that is, they will definitely foul O'Neal to get the last shot, so Phil Jackson immediately called a timeout to arrange the defense of the last shot.

"Boy, that's the end of your show!" When the timeout ended, the Pacers continued to foul O'Neal, and O'Neal hit both free throws again, in the MVP shouts in the sky, O'Neal yelled at Meng Xu who was about to grab a rebound with a hideous face, 6.4 seconds, a 3-point gap, in O'Neal's opinion, the Pacers are definitely finished.

"Alas, this is the limitation of shark slashing tactics!" When O'Neal hit both free throws, even Michaels was discouraged, 21 free throws, hit 15 times, today's game, O'Neal's free throws are absolutely superb, especially the 4 free throws at the last moment, which made Meng Xu's previous efforts all in vain, even if the Pacers can get lucky to shoot a 3-point equalizer, the Pacers, who have lost the two big inside lines, have absolutely no chance of winning in overtime, not to mention Meng Xu's physical condition, whether he can shoot this lore is still unknown.