As for Zhang Yang, his hand was as hot as a furnace, and he could score even with Ariza or Kobe right in his face. When Garnett or Kidd double-teamed him, he'd pass it out without hesitation, never forcing a shot even when his touch was on. This made the Lakers second-guess their defensive strategies against him. In the first three quarters, he hit 8 out of 13 shots, including 3 out of 5 three-pointers, coupled with 4 out of 5 free throws, earning him 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists!
Early in the first quarter, the Bobcats noticed the difference in form between their Scoring King and the opposing Scoring King and clung to this disparity throughout the game!
Kobe is undoubtedly Kobe. In the final quarter, he soared, scoring 6 out of 10, including 1 out of 1 three-pointers, and a perfect 5 out of 5 free throws, fiercely racking up 17 points to lead the Lakers to score a robust 34 points in that quarter, launching a ferocious chase.
