As the most crucial game of the Finals, ABC put a lot of effort into Tuesday's broadcast.
Before the two teams tipped off, frontline reporter Michelle Tafoya was still talking about the Los Angeles Lakers' news:
"Coach Phil Jackson decided to shorten the rotation before the game. They are confident they can win three home games!"
"As for tonight's matchups, the Los Angeles Lakers have also made changes, Trevor Ariza has gained more trust."
Under the basket, Taveria smiled as she shared the content of her recent interview with Mike Breen and the other two commentators.
As Chandler helped the Knicks win the tip-off, the three on the ABC commentary desk also responded:
"After losing by a large margin in the first two games, I will no longer insist on having Kobe Bryant guard Clay Lee!"
"This is very crucial in the game. I will try to have Kobe Bryant guard Ron Artest, which can reduce his defensive consumption."
"Let Ariza or Derek Fisher guard Clay Lee. Kobe will put all his energy into offense. In the Finals, everything is about responding. For victory, some personal grudges can be put aside."
The refreshed Van Gundy was again dressed in his "red scarf."
As soon as the game began, he started giving pointers.
Mark Jackson, who was beside him, noticed Kobe immediately chasing Lee in Defense and immediately joked with a smile:
"If I were Kobe, I wouldn't back down either!"
"The best players should take on heavy responsibilities. I really appreciate this choice, and perhaps this is what Los Angeles Lakers fans want to see!"
"Wow! This is the first time I've felt how passionate Los Angeles fans are. Listen to their cheers!"
While the Knicks were passing the ball, the two laughed about the atmosphere at Staples Center.
Since most of the lighting was focused on the court, the stands looked a bit dim on the broadcast.
"Defense!"
The live fans were not wearing unified cheering T-shirts, but most of them stood up at this moment, shouting loudly.
This situation was rare in the past.
Los Angeles audiences were usually calmer.
When Derek Fisher disrupted Pau Gasol's cross-court pass on the right wing, and the ball flew out of bounds past Raja Bell, cheers instantly echoed through the Staples Center.
The sideline referee signaled Knicks ball.
While waiting for the inbound pass, most of the fans in the Staples Center followed the DJ's shouts:
"Ah—oh"
Perhaps the home fans gave Kobe great encouragement.
Amidst the cheers, he squeezed close to Lee.
Back at home, the Los Angeles Lakers' defensive intensity also increased.
Before the ball could be inbounded, Lee waved his hand, signaling a switch.
Seeing the receiver become the inbounder, fans quickly started booing loudly.
The referee blew the whistle, and Lee immediately passed the ball to Pau Gasol, who had squeezed to the left wing.
The latter jumped to receive the ball, while Lamar Odom behind him could only hold his ground tightly.
Although Kobe knew Pau Gasol would definitely pass the ball, Lee returned to the court, feigned coming forward to receive the ball, then suddenly ran back out.
Receiving the ball far from the three-point line left Kobe with no good options.
Phil Jackson on the sideline immediately directed Lamar Odom to double-team.
In a crucial game, the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man couldn't sit still either.
The Los Angeles Lakers had to respond in the first quarter.
"Move!"
The reminder worked.
Lamar Odom abandoned his defender and charged straight at Clay Lee.
Caught in the double-team, Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, accelerated horizontally.
The sudden burst forced the charging Lamar Odom to shift his center of gravity.
The moment the opponent reached out, the bounce pass in motion found Pau Gasol, who had moved near the free-throw line.
When he received the ball, Duncan, who was under the basket, had already moved into the paint.
However, facing a decisive jump shot, he could only quickly box out to prevent Chandler from easily grabbing the offensive rebound.
The basketball swished through the net, and boos erupted in the Madison Square Garden.
Tim Duncan expressionlessly took the basketball and quickly inbounded it.
Amidst cheers, the Los Angeles Lakers, unlike their slow pace in the previous two games, changed their rhythm.
Derek Fisher quickly passed the ball to Kobe, who had rushed past half-court.
The latter received the ball already near the right wing.
As Kobe slowed down, pushed the ball to change direction, and drove with the ball in his right hand, all the Los Angeles Lakers players rushed past half-court.
Lowering his shoulder and accelerating, Kobe drove hard with his head down, intending to force his way through with speed, but ultimately had to stop near the right restricted area.
Amidst jeers, Lee, who had slid to provide resistance, continued to stick close.
Forced to turn sideways and switch hands, Kobe continuously posted up, but even with body contact, he couldn't get to his sweet spot.
Seeing the boss stop the ball again, just like in the previous two games, Lamar Odom near the free-throw line immediately moved to the right wing.
Kobe timely passed the ball to his teammate.
After passing the ball, Kobe tried to get it back, but Lamar Odom faked, then drove hard to the basket with the ball in his left hand, forcing Pau Gasol to slide back.
Inside the paint, Lamar Odom leaned on his defender, feigned a pass in motion, attracting Chandler's attention, then leaned in, attempting a right-handed layup.
"Oh!"
Amidst gasps, Lee, who had been quietly staying in the right restricted area, moved under the basket.
Lamar Odom evaded Pau Gasol's long arm behind him, but was perfectly met by the jumping Lee.
The basketball was slapped onto the backboard.
The moment it rebounded, Lee secured it.
Lamar Odom, who had run out of bounds, clapped his hands in frustration.
Kobe, who had been momentarily stunned, now quickly rushed to steal the ball.
"Hey!!"
Amidst boos, Mike D'Antoni was somewhat displeased and yelled at the referee, as the overly aggressive defensive move ruined the fast break.
Joe Crawford briefly explained, then signaled for the game to continue.
While Lee slowed his pace, the director quickly focused the camera on Magic Johnson, who was sitting in the front row, frowning.
Many Los Angeles Lakers legends were present tonight, but everyone looked rather grim.
Ariza, who had retreated to half-court, wanted to switch defenders, but Kobe waved his hand, and Ariza could only obediently follow Ron Artest to the right wing and stop.
"Clay Lee! Crossover!"
Seeing Lee dribble between his legs then suddenly wrap the ball behind his back, the familiar move made Mike Breen immediately shout.
Soon, boos echoed through the Madison Square Garden.
Kobe, just like in the previous two games, was once again dribbled past.
When approaching the left wing, Kobe was already prepared, sliding back to the left in time, then being beaten by Lee's second crossover dribble.
Gritting his teeth and glaring, seeing Lee about to squeeze past him, Kobe struggled to adjust his center of gravity.
When Lee suddenly stopped short at the three-point line and pulled back with a cross-step, Kobe could only stumble.
"Oh!"
With little interference, Lee stopped short, shook off his defender, and took a jump shot from the left wing.
Amidst gasps, the basketball hit the rim and bounced out.
The Los Angeles fans hadn't had time to celebrate when Lee once again shook off Kobe, who seemed like a wooden post, squeezed past him, and rushed to the free-throw line to grab the long rebound.
Duncan and Lamar Odom had just been battling with their opponents.
At this moment, they instinctively turned their heads, helplessly watching Lee, unguarded, casually toss the ball in.
4:0, the second-chance shot went in smoothly.
Only noisy shouts remained in Staples Center.
Watching the game live, it was clear Kobe Bryant had done his best, but Clay Lee's reaction speed seemed far superior to everyone else on the court.
His extremely fast dribbling speed and exaggerated first step rendered individual Defense useless.
Fans in the very front row could even hear the "thump-thump" sound of the basketball bouncing on the floor.
The live game was completely different from highlights.
"Good Defense!"
Jack Nicholson didn't watch the joke like other fun-seekers.
He was a staunch Los Angeles Lakers supporter.
At this moment, he stood up and loudly encouraged Kobe, who was frozen in place.
"Buddy, he can't do anything! We all know that."
Lee, walking back on Defense, smiled and pursed his lips.
At this moment, Jack Nicholson seemed possessed by Spike Lee, actively moving a few steps towards the sideline, and shouted again:
"God will favor hardworking children! Go fight, Kobe! Show these arrogant guys what's what!"
"."
The entire Staples Center erupted again, and shouts and curses began to appear from behind.
Only Shaquille O'Neal was covering his face and secretly laughing.
The Old Shaq didn't give his old team any face.
He wasn't pretending anymore.
Kobe, with his dark complexion, wanted to demand the ball directly, but Phil Jackson shouted commands.
At the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man's signal, Lamar Odom actively received the ball.
At this point, the Knicks had already returned to half-court and completed their defensive positioning.
Lamar Odom, dribbling the ball, reached the top of the arc without being interfered with.
Perhaps seeing Pau Gasol standing inside the three-point line, Lamar Odom suddenly pushed the ball to change direction, then drove hard to the basket with his left hand!
Pau Gasol, unable to slide in time, lost his defensive position.
Chandler, to the lower left of the basket, quickly moved his feet, but Lamar Odom calmly passed the ball in motion to Duncan, who was lurking under the basket.
Amidst cheers, Duncan, who received the ball, immediately exploded, facing Chandler, who was twisting to recover on Defense, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and slammed it into the basket.
"I like this cooperation! Without a doubt, Head Coach Phil Jackson's decision to add another ball-handler was correct!"
Van Gundy also began to praise this simple and brutal offense.
Mark Jackson recalled that Lamar Odom rarely handled the ball in the previous two games, and at this point, he cooperatively asked the question:
"Do you think the Los Angeles Lakers will let Lamar Odom handle the ball more? The Los Angeles Lakers seem to have an advantage in this matchup."
"When Lamar Odom starts hitting some of those open three-pointers, there's no doubt he has the ability to change the game. He was 1-for-5 from beyond the arc in the first two games, but back at home, I believe he'll make those shots."
Van Gundy, who was promoting the Los Angeles Lakers' offense, also wanted to see a more intense game.
Soon, the Los Angeles Lakers began to double-team early on Defense.
Odom slid into position in time, cooperating with Kobe near the right elbow to try and force Lee to stop the ball.
Amidst gasps, the basketball was thrown from behind his head, bouncing out to Gasol at the top of the arc for an easy catch.
Although undefended, Gasol didn't rush his offense.
He faked a shot, forcing Kobe to symbolically raise his hand in return.
Odom, seeing Lee pass the ball, didn't stop his feet, immediately accelerating horizontally to beyond the three-point line, only able to slide along with him for a moment.
As Gasol passed the ball again, Lee, who received the ball near the right sideline, swept the ball horizontally as the Defense arrived, then released the ball with his right hand and broke through with a step.
In the previous possession, Odom seemed very fast, but this time he was beaten in one step.
All the Lakers players began to converge.
Before Lee even approached the paint, everyone surrounded him.
Jumping into the air and throwing the ball, Lee's right hand, which was holding the ball, paused slightly.
Fisher, who was preparing to defend the perimeter, couldn't grasp the direction of the ball for a moment.
When the basketball flew into Bell's hands on the left wing, Old Fish near the elbow could only shuffle his feet and raise his hands, watching his former teammate easily jump and shoot!
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in without touching the rim.
The Knicks bench erupted in cheers, and Raja Bell, who scored the basket, also clenched his fist in celebration.
This was everyone's favorite offensive rhythm.
Angry shouts once again filled the Staples Center.
Fisher, who had just brought the ball past half-court, was immediately harassed by Raja Bell's tight Defense.
Seeing Duncan already stationed in the left elbow, he immediately passed the ball.
The Lakers' big men were all in the elbow.
Kobe, at this time, was setting cross screens with Ariza on the baseline, and amidst the pulling, he seized the opportunity to immediately demand the ball with his back to the basket in the left low post.
When Duncan lobbed the ball, Lee had already stepped up to defend.
Kobe, who successfully received the ball, was now leaning back with all his might, striking a beautiful back-to-the-basket isolation pose.
Leaning on the Defense and shaking his shoulders, amidst the cheers of the home fans, Kobe suddenly lowered his center of gravity, instantly completed a spin, released the ball with his left hand, and tried to drive strongly along the baseline to the basket.
Kobe exerted force with his body when dribbling, his expression somewhat grim, trying to knock away the sliding Lee, but when their bodies collided, he almost lost control of the ball.
Watching Kobe squeeze to the lower right of the basket with his body twisted, his left-handed hook shot was interfered with by Lee, and the cheers instantly disappeared.
Over-exertion caused the basketball to rebound quickly after hitting the backboard.
Realizing he missed the layup, Kobe, who had just landed, still wanted to crash the boards, but Lee jumped up a step ahead of him.
A tomahawk rebound, Lee secured the ball with one hand, then "launched," leaving Kobe behind in the blink of an eye.
Duncan, who was up high, still wanted to foul, but Lee pushed the ball for a change of direction on the three-point line, then re-gathered the ball with his right hand, maintaining his speed and once again completing the overtake.
"Oh!"
The gasps wouldn't stop.
As Lee was about to cross the three-point line, Ariza on the other side was also sprinting at full speed, trying to stop this counterattack.
The two approached the paint almost simultaneously.
Lee was incredibly fast, leading the ball forward with his right hand before gathering it directly, ignoring Ariza who was preparing to intercept.
After jumping with both feet, he pulled the ball behind his head with both hands.
Ariza in the air watched Lee explode, still trying to pull with his left hand, but instead slapped him on the chest, then his body went sideways, completely losing his balance, and he flew out sideways.
"Bang!"
"Oh my goodness!"
Watching Lee's head rise above the rim, his entire body towering over it, slamming the ball into the basket with both hands, Mike Breen could only exclaim "Oh my goodness."
The fans behind the basket all covered their mouths, watching Clay Lee "dangle."
"Ah!!"
Ariza, who fell heavily to the floor, went blank.
The pain in his waist made him involuntarily start rolling and screaming.
The unsympathetic broadcasters still held their cameras up to his face, and some even excitedly yelled:
"That's insane! God, Clay Lee seems to have defied gravity!"
"Boo!"
The Los Angeles fans, who had fully recovered, started booing loudly again.
Lee, who had landed, didn't even look at his opponent.
Only when the referee blew the whistle did he walk to the free-throw line with satisfaction.
The Lakers bench grew even more silent, while the Knicks players were all "crazy."
JR Smith and a few others were jumping and yelling with their hands on their heads, and Ron Artest, who rushed over from the court, also excitedly shouted:
"Fuck these softies!"
Kobe looked at the surrounded Lee, angrily arguing with the referee.
A familiar scene unfolded before his eyes again.
Duncan held back his teammates, and for the first time in the series, actively demanded the ball:
"Give me the ball!"
After examination by the team doctor, Ariza was eventually stretchered off.
With a player down at the start, Phil Jackson complained to the referee again, and Radmanovic had to enter the game early.
10:2, Lee made the free throw, and the boos wouldn't stop for a while.
Fisher, following instructions, passed the ball to Duncan near the left block after crossing half-court.
The latter received the ball, turned, faced Chandler, and tried to force a breakthrough with the ball in his left hand.
When he arched to near the low post, Duncan leaned on the Defense, actively turned and switched hands, then dribbled one step with the ball in his right hand, leaning on Chandler, and drove into the paint in three big steps, tossing the ball into the basket with one hand!
The strong response made the Lakers fans cheer loudly.
Tim Duncan, with wide eyes, clapped his hands repeatedly.
On the Lakers bench, the atmosphere group wearing home yellow jerseys also started to become active.
Kobe, baring his teeth, once again rushed to defend Lee, who was nearing the left wing.
Radmanovic, who had just entered the game, also abandoned his defensive matchup, joining his boss in the double-team.
Under their double-team, Lee, with the ball in his right hand, turned sideways and pulled the ball outward, then twisted his body, swung his arm, and the basketball spun and flew to the floor, then rebounded precisely into Ron Artest's hands in the left corner.
Undefended, he aimed and clanked it.
Duncan secured the defensive rebound, and instead of giving the ball to Kobe, he calmly found Radmanovic, who was also pushing forward.
Ron Artest, who was slow to get back on Defense, could only watch his opponent dribble one step and then shoot from the right wing.
The basketball went in without touching the rim, and Staples Center instantly erupted!
10:7, Radmanovic excitedly ran back to half-court and high-fived Duncan in celebration.
Phil Jackson also stopped pacing back and forth at this moment, letting out a long sigh of relief.
This is how games are.
As long as they can seize the opportunity and respond in time, he believed the home team could turn the tide.
"Move!"
Loudly reminding his teammates to continue the double-team, Odom on the left wing obeyed the command, and even after Lee squeezed through a gap using a screen, he continued to chase and defend.
Gasol began to accelerate down the court.
Lee, holding the ball with his left hand and coming to the free-throw line, had Kobe and Odom chasing him, and Fisher also began to move his feet on the left wing.
Coupled with Duncan ready to step up from under the basket, the Lakers finally displayed extreme Defense at home.
Kobe, still moving, suddenly saw Lee jump and cradle the ball with his left hand.
He instinctively jumped with him, only to realize in mid-air that the basketball had flown sideways.
Gasol's cut down the court forced Radmanovic to converge to the right near the baseline.
When the basketball flew back into Ron Artest's hands in the right corner, he paused for a moment before making a desperate defensive effort.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in without touching the rim, and Ron Artest punched the air repeatedly.
Duncan, who demanded the ball again, popped out to the right block after the screen, received the pass from Fisher, and after a jab step, made a mid-range jump shot.
The Lakers fans didn't have time to cheer.
With a quick baseline inbound, Lee chased closely past half-court.
Kobe no longer stuck to him, trying to control the defensive distance.
Odom, from behind, observed Gasol slowing down, and instinctively slowed his pace to prepare for a delay, but the next second the basketball flew past him, and Gasol, who suddenly accelerated through the middle, received the ball and scored a layup in three big steps.
15:9, the offensive pace of both teams seemed to be getting faster and faster.
"The Lakers must slow down! They cannot let their opponents score so easily."
Van Gundy, familiar with the Knicks, once again offered his opinion.
No sooner had he spoken than Gasol handed the ball off on the left wing and then set a screen, and Odom was beaten again.
Lee, who received the ball, briefly shook off Kobe, swayed his body to the right, then suddenly released the ball, completing a lightning-fast crossover, and then led the ball forward with his left hand.
Odom, who was still sliding to the left, instinctively reached out.
The basketball passed through the gap, and then Lee squeezed past his side.
Lee, who successfully chased the ball, instinctively threw the ball towards the backboard in the left block, which made Duncan, who was preparing to help defend under the basket, stop his feet.
Before he could react, the basketball rebounded quickly, and the home fans gasped again.
Lee, jumping, collided with Duncan, cradling the ball with his left hand in the air, ignoring the arm interference, and tossing the ball towards the backboard!
Duncan, unable to fully jump, was knocked off balance and stumbled out of bounds.
He looked up to see the basketball hit the backboard and go in, and angrily punched the basket support.
The Lakers still didn't slow down their offensive pace.
When Kobe received the ball at the top of the arc, using Duncan's screen, he briefly shook off Lee, and with the ball in his right hand, accelerated horizontally for a forced breakthrough.
Chandler kept sliding, and Lee even went directly around the baseline to chase and defend.
When Kobe approached the lower right of the basket, he was once again double-teamed.
Barely squeezing past the Defense, Kobe still didn't choose to pass, but instead squeezed along the baseline to the lower left of the basket.
Lee, who had been waiting for a long time, leaped high, and in his haste, Kobe could only pass the ball to Odom, who was preparing to rebound.
Seemingly completely unprepared, Odom, who received the ball in a hurry, helplessly fumbled it, causing the basketball to slow down and fly towards the sideline.
At the same time, Kobe and Lee, who had landed, both chased the ball.
"Terrible offensive choice!"
Mark Jackson blurted out.
Seeing Lee first knock away Kobe, then squeeze past Odom, stealing the ball ahead of both of them, Mike Breen on the side immediately exclaimed:
"Great steal! Clay Lee shook off the Lakers' Defense!"
At this moment, Kobe, having lost his balance, fell out of bounds, and Odom, in an attempt to steal back, covertly took an elbow and also painfully fell to the ground.
Phil Jackson was so angry he stomped his feet.
Lee, who was accelerating frantically along the right sideline, caused the fans in the front row to instinctively lean back.
Duncan at the top of the arc wanted to get back on Defense, but found it was too late.
Duncan could only stop at the three-point line at the top of the arc, watching Lee glide for a long-distance dunk.
"Boom!"
The rim shook slightly.
Clay Lee, who had completed the dunk, smiled and shook his head, quickly retreating on Defense.
For a moment, Staples Center fell silent again.
19:9. An enraged Phil Jackson finally called a timeout.
Halfway through the first quarter, the lead was back to double digits, which seemed no different from the previous two games.
"He elbowed me! Damn it! It happened right in front of you!"
Odom, clutching his ribs, was still yelling at the referee.
Unfortunately, after years of tempering in the Finals, Lee's "technique" had reached perfection.
Perfectly combining his ball-protection and elbow movements, even if the referee reviewed it and found a problem, he wouldn't be able to see it immediately, so a reversal of the call was impossible.
"Referee suck!"
The Knicks' playful atmosphere group caused the Los Angeles fans to start cursing.
Everyone was very disappointed.
They had almost tied the score, but it was back to a 10-point difference.
Phil Jackson, pulled back to the bench by his assistant coach, tried to calm his emotions.
When he sat in front of everyone, he said angrily and loudly:
"No turnovers! Every possession is very important!"
"Every offense must go through Tim. I want to see you guys moving. This is not a one-on-one game. Find opportunities, and then put the ball in that damn basket!"
After half a quarter, Kobe was drenched in sweat, and Odom was also panting heavily.
To limit Lee's offense, both of them had given their all on Defense.
The Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man's words made Kobe a little displeased, but the most important thing now was to narrow the score, so he could only nod fiercely under the opponent's gaze.
After the timeout, on the Lakers' first offensive possession, Duncan first received the ball in the elbow area, and after passing it, immediately continued to demand the ball in the left low post.
Under Chandler's top Defense, Duncan, who failed to receive the ball immediately, began to move into the paint area.
After continuous ball movement on the perimeter, Kobe on the left wing finally found his teammate with a bounce pass.
Receiving the ball with his back to the basket in the right low post, he saw Kobe fake out Lee and move quickly towards the baseline corner, and immediately passed the ball out.
"Oh!"
The seemingly excellent opportunity made the Los Angeles fans cheer loudly.
Kobe, after receiving the ball in the right baseline corner, made no adjustments, drifting to evade Lee's block, and decisively shot an air ball.
Duncan, who had squeezed into the paint, successfully anticipated the ball's landing spot.
He tipped the ball out before Chandler, and Radmanovic successfully controlled the ball in the left elbow area.
Just as he relaxed, Ron Artest seized the opportunity.
Radmanovic saw the ball in his arms about to be snatched away by the opponent, so he simply let go, then yelled and fell directly to the ground.
Under inertia, Ron Artest made a shooting motion, and the referee immediately blew his whistle, and cheers once again echoed through the Madison Square Garden.
"Smart choice! The Lakers need to make good use of their home-court advantage!"
Van Gundy looked at the foul statistics and then seriously added:
"The Lakers currently lack aggressiveness. They need to use free throws to disrupt their opponent's offensive rhythm. This is currently the most effective defensive strategy."
A simple and direct sideline inbound pass, after two passes, Duncan received the ball in the left low post, forcibly turned towards the baseline, and attacked the basket, causing the referee to blow his whistle again.
Mark Jackson felt the game was about to enter another stage.
While Duncan was shooting free throws, he also discussed with a chuckle:
"Do you think Kobe Bryant has a chance to score 40 points tonight? It seems he still can't break through Clay Lee's Defense."
"."
While the two were chatting idly, the Los Angeles fans sighed again.
Duncan missed his second free throw, and the rebound was grabbed by Chandler.
Two offensive opportunities resulted in only 1 point.
Kobe, who had been leading the Defense from half-court, constantly engaged in physical contact.
The current score difference made him feel a severe sense of crisis, and he now only wanted to score quickly.
However, these interferences had no effect.
Lee dribbled the ball behind his back, stopped and started abruptly, and quickly rushed past half-court, then immediately passed the ball to Pau Gasol at the top of the arc.
Slipping along the baseline from right to left, Raja Bell and Ron Artest crossed and back-cut.
Pau Gasol, holding the ball facing the basket, seemed to be waiting for his teammates to get into position, and Derek Fisher was also loudly calling for his teammates to switch Defenses.
Stopping on the right wing, Lee suddenly accelerated, faked a cut, then suddenly twisted his body and back-cut, returning to beyond the three-point line.
Pau Gasol immediately sent a cross-court pass.
Lee only made a motion to shoot, and Kobe gritted his teeth and lunged to defend.
Amidst the low murmurs of the fans, the Defense was out of position again.
He smoothly put the ball down with his right hand, dribbled a large step horizontally, noticed Kobe chasing him again, and suddenly exploded the ball, using the rebound force to step back horizontally, bringing himself near the right sideline.
Kobe, rushing to defend again, helplessly watched Lee drift in the air and shoot the ball.
As the basketball swished through the net, the fans behind also fell silent.
22:10. Like a replay of the previous two games, the lead gradually widened in the latter half of the first quarter.
"There are still three quarters left, he can't do anything!"
Lee, retreating along the sideline, didn't forget to remind Jack Nicholson, who had been yelling.
The latter was clearly infuriated by the Lakers' poor performance and turned his head again to cheer on Kobe:
"Come on! Give him a taste of his own medicine!"
"."
Kobe, who had been controlling his offensive desire, couldn't hold back anymore.
Thinking about how he hadn't scored a single point, a "fierce" expression appeared on his face.
On the offensive possession, after a hand-off from Duncan, he actively raised the screen position for Kobe.
When Chandler immediately went for a hard hedge, Kobe, holding the ball in his right hand, accelerated horizontally, choosing not to pass.
The opportunity flashed by.
Chandler quickly recovered on Defense.
Amidst the cheers of the fans, seeing Lee actively turn his body sideways, Kobe immediately changed direction between his legs, switched to his left hand, and forcibly accelerated.
Starting far from the three-point line, Kobe rushed faster and faster.
Feeling that he had gained more than half a step, he drove hard down the middle.
After three big steps, he wanted to windmill dunk.
Odom stood in the left baseline corner to keep Pau Gasol away from the basket.
Kobe, flying through the air, held his breath, gathered all his strength, grabbed the ball with his left hand, and swung his arm sideways, attempting to generate full power!
"Oh!"
Amidst the cheers, Kobe's powerful dunk solidly hit Lee's outstretched hand as he leaned in to block.
With the force from his right arm, the basketball flew directly out.
Stumbling out of bounds, Kobe, after landing, still wanted to complain to the referee, while on the other side, Odom had already committed a foul, disrupting the fast break.
"You can't do it!"
On the Knicks bench, Boris Diaw, waving a towel, chuckled with JR Smith as they mocked Kobe, who was walking by.
The latter glared in anger, only managing to calm down with the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man's shouts.
Duncan, who had retreated to half-court, was also a bit frustrated.
When the opponent was showing a hard hedge, he should have been able to receive the ball easily:
"Pass the ball! Kobe!"
"Defense!"
The defensive cheers were much quieter than at the start of the game.
Some Los Angeles fans had already realized something, and watching Lee set up another pick-and-roll at the top of the arc, they were no longer in the mood to boo.
Kobe fiercely squeezed past Chandler's screen, and Duncan also slid back to the left immediately.
Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, briefly shook off his defender, then suddenly slowed down.
He subtly stuck out his butt near the free-throw line.
Kobe, who was chasing him, was bumped and leaned back slightly.
Seeing Duncan bend down, Lee suddenly lowered his center of gravity again, dribbling the ball almost touching the floor with his right hand.
Derek Fisher on the left wing shouted a warning.
Lee suddenly accelerated, subtly scooping the ball while moving, then abruptly tossed it into the air.
The basketball arced high, soared over Duncan's arm, and as it flew towards the upper left of the basket, Chandler, who had accelerated and cut down from behind, just happened to leap high.
Radmanovic, who had helped on Defense under the basket, could only stop and watch Chandler catch the ball in mid-air and powerfully dunk it with both hands!
"Ah!!"
After forcefully tugging on the rim, Chandler, upon landing, yelled loudly.
At this point, all five Knicks starters had scored.
"Clay Lee's fifth assist! My God! The Lakers' Defense seems to be collapsing again, they look completely helpless!"
The visible disparity made Mike Breen exclaim happily.
Perhaps remembering last year's Finals, he suddenly added:
"Tim Duncan needs more help! This reminds me of Manu Ginobili. His drives used to give the Knicks headaches. The Lakers need someone to play that role."
Kobe, holding the ball at the top of the arc, tried to fake a move and drive to the left during Duncan's screen, but Lee accurately anticipated his move, causing the offense to stall again.
"Boo!"
Boos suddenly erupted in Staples Center. Duncan cut down for position, and Kobe dribbled the ball behind his back.
Facing Lee's agile slide, he hastily pulled the ball back between his legs, almost losing control of the ball in his hurry.
Fortunately, the referee blew his whistle in time, calling an illegal screen on Lee.
This seemed to be a clear signal that defensive pressure could no longer be maintained.
When the Lakers inbounded the ball, and Duncan received it with his back to the basket in the left restricted area, Ron Artest suddenly came over to help on Defense from the left wing.
Suddenly double-teamed, the referee blew his whistle again.
This time, it was Mike D'Antoni's turn to jump up and yell.
Two fouls accumulated in one possession, and Mike D'Antoni also started glaring:
"Nobody wants to watch free throws! Let the players decide the game!"
"Oh!!"
Amidst scattered cheers, Lee and Ron Artest high-fived beyond the three-point line.
The double-digit lead made their emotions increasingly stable, and everyone on the Knicks court was already prepared.
At a critical moment, Derek Fisher received the inbound pass, then suddenly broke through with his left hand, and a pull-up jumper near the arc helped the team score successfully.
24:12, the game clock was still ticking, and some Los Angeles Lakers fans were already in despair.
Seeing Lee dribble past half-court with eight seconds left, boos suddenly erupted in Staples Center.
Pau Gasol, near the right baseline, signaled Chandler to continue screening, and the wing also began to move towards the corner.
As Tim Duncan followed him out, Kobe was still trying to steal the ball.
When Chandler stood near the logo, Lee suddenly pulled the ball back, then quickly dribbled it between his legs in place, forcing Kobe to defend him face-to-face.
Away from the three-point line, Tim Duncan chose to double-team early, ignoring the rolling Chandler.
Just as the two were about to complete the block, Lee, dribbling with his right hand, suddenly straightened his upper body and fiercely pulled the ball back.
"Oh!"
Amidst the Los Angeles Lakers fans' exclamations, the basketball instantly passed through Kobe's legs, bounced, and accurately landed in Chandler's hands in the paint.
The latter caught the ball, twisted, exploded, and forcefully dunked with both hands again!
"A beautiful assist! How did Clay Lee do that! Incredible, a pass that almost went half-court!"
Mike Breen exclaimed loudly.
The director showed the camera on Clay Lee, who was smiling as he retreated on Defense, and then on Magic Johnson, who was on the sidelines with a serious expression, shaking his head. With multiple spectacular assists, the Los Angeles Lakers were completely outplayed.
Tim Duncan quickly called for the ball, and again, he drove hard to the basket from the left low post, faking a shot and passing to attract Pau Gasol's help Defense, assisting Lamar Odom for a jump shot near the right baseline.
The Knicks quickly inbounded the ball.
Kobe stepped up to lead the Defense.
The moment his opponent guarded against him from behind, Lee, who received the ball, flicked it with his left hand.
As the basketball flew past Kobe's side, Lee suddenly turned and accelerated, splitting the man and the ball, causing the fans behind to exclaim.
Kobe, who had been tricked, gritted his teeth and chased fiercely.
He inadvertently caught sight of Shaq shaking his head and making exaggerated expressions, which instantly shattered his composure, and he completely lost his cool.
Chasing with all his might, Kobe successfully got to Lee's side at the arc.
Seemingly noticing his leader's mood was off, Radmanovic on the right wing moved early.
As expected, with Lee's sudden stop and behind-the-back dribble, followed by continuous in-place between-the-legs dribbles, Kobe was once again directly blown by.
Radmanovic decisively swiped and helped on Defense.
About to be blocked by two defenders, Lee, in motion, smoothly passed the ball to the right wing.
Ron Artest faked a shot, faking out the desperately recovering Radmanovic, and his long two-point jump shot clanked off the rim!
Mike Breen in the commentary box secretly cried out in pity, but then suddenly exclaimed again when he saw the situation on the court:
"My God! Clay Lee is flying!"
Below the right side of the basket, Tim Duncan was still battling Chandler, keeping him firmly behind him.
Seeing the ball bounce off the rim, he immediately jumped to grab the ball, but just as he was about to touch it, a strong force came from his side.
Lee seemed to have anticipated his teammate's miss early.
After passing the ball, he rushed towards the basket.
Kobe seemed to want to fast break, and the two, one rushing past the three-point line and the other rushing into the paint, just missed each other.
As Tim Duncan was pushed out of bounds, Clay Lee, in the air, scooped the ball with his right hand and slammed it into the basket!
The embarrassed Tim Duncan turning back and Clay Lee pounding his chest loudly after landing formed a stark contrast.
Staples Center instantly became a library, with only the Knicks bench wildly waving towels and celebrating madly.
The boos echoing in the Madison Square Garden made Kobe, who almost rushed past half-court, look dark.
Lee seemed to be omnipotent tonight.
"Kobe's performance is disappointing! He seems completely lost, it's unbelievable, he keeps making wrong choices!"
"He's having a hard time getting rid of Lee on offense. His explosiveness seems to have completely vanished with age. If this is all he can show, then the Los Angeles Lakers' Finals are already over."
Van Gundy no longer held back, directly targeting Kobe.
Mark Jackson, while watching the Los Angeles Lakers' offense, joined in the fun and teased:
"I believe in Kobe's scoring ability, maybe he'll explode soon!"
Lamar Odom's screen didn't do much.
Kobe, holding the ball with his left hand, accelerated horizontally.
Facing the double-team of Pau Gasol and Lee, he forced a breakthrough, and the referee blew the whistle again.
Kobe casually tossed the ball, finally getting a free throw, but no one in the arena was cheering for him anymore.
In the remaining two minutes of the first quarter, Staples Center grew even quieter.
When Lee broke through the double-team of Lamar Odom and Kobe on the right sideline, no one exclaimed anymore.
The perimeter Defense failed.
When Lee found Raja Bell in the left corner, the latter made another three-pointer over Derek Fisher's block.
The fans behind started covering their faces.
The home team had collapsed.
Raja Bell, bouncing and hopping, was ecstatic.
This year's opponents were paper tigers. F
From the perspective of defensive pressure, this was much easier than defending Manu Ginobili.
The widening score difference turned the Los Angeles Lakers' offense into a one-shot deal.
Tim Duncan received the ball in the right block and drove hard to the basket but missed.
Turning back, he desperately chased and interfered with Pau Gasol's layup.
Kobe, on the fast break, drove hard to the basket from the right wing and was double-teamed.
Raja Bell, who successfully stole the ball, didn't care about the foul he committed and continued to mock loudly:
"Pass the ball! Buddy! You can't change the game!"
"."
When Kobe's second free throw bounced off the rim, boos erupted again.
Then Lamar Odom committed another foul.
Phil Jackson, standing dazed on the sidelines, only substituted PJ Brown after being reminded by the coaching staff.
When Pau Gasol screened at the arc again, a grim-faced Kobe misjudged, and Lee's sudden in-front-of-the-body crossover shook him off again.
PJ Brown, who had just entered the game, hadn't even reacted yet.
Clay Lee had already shot a jump shot from the arc.
"Boo!"
The Los Angeles Lakers fans, whose Defense had been completely broken, started a new round of intense booing.
Lee, retreating on Defense, put his right hand to his ear, and the boos grew even louder.
The Los Angeles Lakers completely lost their offensive rhythm.
Radmanovic on the right wing took the ball and drove, only to be blocked by Chandler.
The Knicks also let loose.
Ron Artest's fast break three-pointer from the left wing missed.
The two sides went back and forth until Lee, on a fast break, pushed the ball for a change of direction and a spin, drawing a foul from Kobe and sending him to the free-throw line, bringing the "long" first quarter to an end.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
The sound grew from small to loud.
The Los Angeles fun-loving fans rebelled on the spot, starting to shout desperately.
Everyone knew that it would be difficult for the Los Angeles Lakers to turn the game around.
As Lee made both free throws and Kobe's last-second super long three-pointer clanked off the rim, the buzzing sound brought the Los Angeles Lakers fans at the scene back to their senses, followed by another round of intense booing.
37:19, such a crucial Game 3 seemed to have ended just as it began.
"Where's the best player?"
Ron Artest, squeezing next to Lee, kept shouting, but unfortunately, no one at the scene responded.
The Knicks atmosphere group was beaming with joy.
There was no difference between away and home games.
The director's camera kept focusing on Lee and Kobe.
One returned to the bench, chatting and laughing with teammates, while the other took a towel and threw it on the floor, making the team atmosphere even more silent.
Soon, fans watching in front of their televisions saw the core players' stats.
On the screen, both Kobe and Lee were shown celebrating with clenched fists, but the data below was completely different:
"0 for 5 shooting, 0 for 1 from three-point range, 3 for 4 free throws, 3 points, 1 rebound, 1 turnover."
"6 for 7 shooting, 2 for 3 from three-point range, 3 for 3 free throws, 17 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks."
As the protagonists of the night, ABC, as the broadcaster, kept replaying highlights of Kobe and Lee's matchups during the break.
Multiple spectacular plays appeared in just one quarter, a rare occurrence.
Before the start of the second quarter, as per usual, Michelle Tafoya interviewed the visiting Head Coach.
Mike D'Antoni couldn't stop smiling.
Anyone could see his good mood.
"Mike! The Knicks have played another perfect game, and Clay Lee has filled the stat sheet. Was this part of your game plan?"
"We all know Lee's strength, but seeing him dominate the game on both ends of the court, I'm still amazed!"
"The coaching staff only needs to sit on the bench tonight and enjoy the GOAT's performance. Without a doubt, this is Lee's night, and I believe the Los Angeles fans will also cheer for such a performance!"
Tafoya also nodded repeatedly.
Although she had covered the Finals for many years, it was still rare to see Lee consistently guarding the opposing core player:
"Lee's Defense is excellent. In the games to come, will Kobe explode?"
"Kobe is an excellent player, but tonight I just want to wish him good luck."
Mike D'Antoni smiled as he ended the interview.
With an 18-point lead, the Knicks were set to win.
He leaned back in his seat, and during the rotation phase, Pau Gasol led the team first.
For the Los Angeles Lakers, Sasha Vujacic replaced Derek Fisher, while the other four starters remained.
Phil Jackson chose to stick with his main players.
If he didn't use them now, he wouldn't get another chance.
In Staples Center, some fans sitting in the front rows were already numb.
The initial passion was gone, and they all watched the game silently with grim faces.
The first offensive possession only had music playing.
Kobe dribbled the ball past half-court, faced JR Smith, performed an in-front-of-the-body crossover, held the ball with his right hand, and accelerated for a fierce drive.
He slowed down near the right block and immediately pulled up, Kobe ignored the block, twisted his body, and made a fadeaway jump shot!
The beautiful shot finally made the die-hard fans in the arena cheer.
Kobe, baring his teeth, clenched his fists repeatedly.
Now he just wanted to go all out on offense.
Tayshaun Prince, inbounding the ball from the baseline, simply reminded his teammates.
Rajon Rondo then realized that Kobe was preparing to lead the Defense against him, clearly, his opponent was picking on the soft target.
When the Knicks attacked, Kobe returned to half-court and shrank within the three-point line.
Rajon Rondo did not shoot rashly, but instead directed Gadzuric to set a screen for JR Smith in the right corner.
Sasha Vujacic chased hard, but JR Smith, who popped out and received the ball, didn't find an opportunity.
After receiving the pass, he immediately passed it back to Rajon Rondo.
Kobe directed his teammates.
Radmanovic rushed to defend Tayshaun Prince, who, after receiving the ball, turned his body to protect it, then steadily passed the ball to Pau Gasol, who was posting up in the low block on the left side.
After receiving the ball and turning his body, Pau Gasol continuously backed down, forcing Lamar Odom to move backward.
Seeing that his opponent was about to approach the paint, Kobe immediately moved to double-team.
Rajon Rondo followed the movement, suddenly accelerated and cut into the middle.
When he received the pass, Kobe, who was twisting his body to defend, raised his left arm in a "Cross-River Iron Lock" move, hitting Rajon Rondo directly in the face.
"Oh!"
Watching the Rookie fall to the ground, covering his nose, with what appeared to be blood on his hand, some fans gasped, while others suddenly cheered loudly.
Kobe still maintained a fierce expression, which infuriated JR Smith beyond the three-point line.
He cursed and charged forward:
"Fuck You! Bullying a Rookie, you piece of shit."
The two immediately shoved each other. Kobe, already enraged, continued to throw punches even after Sasha Vujacic pulled him back.
Staples Center re-energized at this moment, and Los Angeles Lakers fans stood up to show their support!
Head Coach Joe Crawford rushed into the crowd immediately.
After separating the two, he saw Gadzuric still wrestling with Lamar Odom and blew his whistle repeatedly again.
On the Knicks bench, everyone stood up.
After the team doctor examined Rajon Rondo, he signaled Mike D'Antoni to make a substitution.
Then, everyone helped Rajon Rondo up and quickly walked towards the player tunnel.
Rajon Rondo, covering his nose with a towel, showed no expression.
The director then switched the screen to the Los Angeles Lakers locker room.
Trevor Ariza was still lying in the physical therapy room, his waist seemingly wrapped in bandages, with a pained expression on his face.
"Obviously, both sides are a bit hot-headed, but this is not a smart foul!"
"Clay Lee will return early. This is a test for Kobe Bryant. I hope he can make the right choice."
Van Gundy, seeing Lee who had already taken off his training uniform and walked to the scorer's table, could only comment subtly.
Mark Jackson clearly wanted to see some fun and fanned the flames again:
"Perhaps Kobe has re-found his offensive rhythm."
Tayshaun Prince, who was preparing to inbound the ball, received instructions and immediately passed the ball to Lee, who was asking for the ball on the right wing.
On the other side of the court, Mike D'Antoni was still arguing with the referee, and suddenly there were gasps in Staples Center again.
Lee, upon receiving the ball, merely swayed his shoulder backward.
Without waiting for Kobe to react much, he quickly twisted his body, leaned back in the air, and shot quickly.
Kobe's eye-covering Defense seemed to have no effect.
The basketball arced and accurately fell into the basket.
40:21. The outrageous shot quieted Staples Center again.
"OMG! How did Clay Lee shoot the ball? This seems to be a regular play, and Tayshaun Prince doesn't look surprised."
Mark Jackson involuntarily exclaimed, looking at Van Gundy, seemingly wanting more inside information.
The former Champion Coach put on a knowing look and quickly explained:
"This is Lee's regular shooting range! Excellent shooters don't need to see the basket to shoot!"
JR Smith's exaggerated Defense made Sasha Vujacic very uncomfortable.
When dribbling past half-court, he quickly made a bounce pass, taking advantage of Duncan setting a screen for Kobe.
The pass quality was too poor, forcing Kobe, who had temporarily shaken off his defender, to readjust when receiving the ball.
As soon as he turned in the right elbow area, Lee went up to defend him.
Seeing his boss wave, Sasha Vujacic, who was running to the corner, quickly slipped along the baseline.
After a simple jab step, Kobe immediately put the ball down, lowered his shoulder, accelerated, and drove hard to the basket, leaning on Lee.
Barely squeezing to the lower right of the basket, continuous contact completely distorted Kobe's motion after jumping.
Twisting his body in the air, he shot the ball with one hand.
"Bang"
The basketball bounced high.
Duncan tipped the ball away over Gadzuric's head, but the second rebound was secured by Pau Gasol's long arms.
He held the ball firmly in his embrace, and Lamar Odom's sneak attack from behind also had no effect.
The immediate defensive effect silenced many Los Angeles Lakers fans again.
Everyone quietly watched Lee receive the ball and continuously accelerate along the left sideline.
The Los Angeles Lakers' retreat Defense was extremely fast.
Duncan was constantly shouting instructions under the basket.
Kobe on the left wing tried to control the defensive distance, lowering his center of gravity while staring intently at Lee's movements.
As he approached the three-point line, Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, suddenly slowed down, performing a single-hand between-the-legs dribble while moving.
Kobe hadn't realized anything was wrong.
The moment the basketball flew backward, Lee sharply twisted his body, touched the ball with his left hand again, and then led the ball forward with a large stride.
"Look at the moves from Clay Lee!"
"OH--!"
The moment he blew past Kobe, Mike Breen in the commentary box was already getting excited.
Amidst his exclamations, Lee broke through to the basket in the blink of an eye.
Facing Duncan's help Defense, Lee held the ball with his left hand and tossed it towards the backboard.
The referee blew his whistle, and the basketball hit the backboard high before swishing through the net.
"I'm just warming up!"
As Lee walked to the free-throw line, shaking his head and looking at Duncan, he shouted, "I'm just warming up."
Kobe, who was completely ignored, had a distorted expression on his face.
He was about to explode with anger.
43:21. Lee's free throw went in steadily.
On the Los Angeles Lakers bench, Derek Fisher's eyes were wide, and his bad premonition intensified.
The more than 20-point deficit completely silenced the cheers.
The Los Angeles Lakers fans in stadium seemed to be muttering curses, and the entire Staples center grew increasingly noisy.
Kobe, who received the ball on the right wing, immediately ran a pick-and-roll with Duncan.
Gadzuric quickly delayed, and Lee also successfully squeezed through the Defense.
Kobe's pass this time was excellent, delivering the ball to Duncan on the roll in time.
Pau Gasol, who switched to defend him, was forced into the paint by Duncan.
Tayshaun Prince rotated to defend Lamar Odom in the paint.
Realizing that the opposing Defense was collapsing, Duncan didn't force an attack but calmly found Sasha Vujacic, who was unguarded on the left wing.
Gadzuric's rotation to close out was half a beat slow, and he flew out horizontally.
Sasha Vujacic misfired again in a crucial possession, the basketball wildly off-target, hitting the backboard and bouncing into Pau Gasol's arms.
"Shit!"
Phil Jackson on the sideline cursed under his breath, incredulously shrugging towards the bench.
He had completely lost his usual calm demeanor, and his face began to turn red.
On the Knicks bench, several people covered their faces with towels and started to chuckle.
Only Ron Artest grinned widely, completely disregarding the mood of the fans in Staples Center, and burst out laughing.
"Boo!"
Amidst the boos, Kobe, returning to Defense, was furiously impotent, constantly reaching out to interfere.
But Lee's speed in advancing the ball was incredibly fast.
A sudden stop and start almost completely shook off the Defense.
Stopping the ball again near the left wing, Lee performed a "killer crossover" and quickly turned, switching the ball to his right hand, and then smoothly flicked it to Tayshaun Prince at the top of the arc, who was coming to receive the ball, then immediately moved horizontally.
When Pau Gasol moved up again, he again signaled Gadzuric to follow him to the top.
Kobe, who was chasing on the right wing, noticed the movement behind him and quickly adjusted his defensive position.
However, Lee, who received the pass from Tayshaun Prince, didn't wait for his teammate's screen.
He put the ball down with his right hand and drove through with a clean, decisive step.
Kobe gritted his teeth and slid, desperately chasing on Defense.
Duncan also strode quickly, retreating to the basket.
And with Lamar Odom also starting to move, Lee, who had rushed to the lower right of the basket, suddenly curled his body in the air.
He glided along the baseline, avoiding Kobe and Duncan's blocks.
Lamar Odom, who jumped up at the lower left of the basket, widened his eyes. Pulling in the air, Lee still twisted his body and tossed the ball with his right hand.
"Squeak!"
The whistle blew, and the basketball spun, hit the backboard, and bounced into the hoop.
Lee slid to the floor to absorb the impact, finally lying on the baseline in an "X" shape, clenching his fists in celebration!
Watching the Knicks players swarm around Lee, shouting in celebration, Lamar Odom stood with his hands on his hips, looking up at the basket, appearing particularly dejected:
"We can't do it."
"What the hell are you talking about!"
Kobe, hearing his teammate's whisper, immediately glared and roared, his expression somewhat distorted.
He walked to beyond the three-point line, signaled to the coaching staff to put Derek Fisher back on the court, and then leaned on his knees, breathing heavily.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
The quiet Staples Center made the MVP chants exceptionally loud.
As Lee made another free throw, the Los Angeles Lakers simply called a timeout.
After entering the game, Clay Lee scored 9 consecutive points, and his individual performance made the Knicks players shout excitedly.
JR Smith, afraid the camera wouldn't find him, shouted repeatedly towards the fans:
"God is wearing jersey number 1 tonight!"
46:21. The game seemed to be heading into garbage time again.
During the timeout, the director again aimed the camera at Will Smith, who was in the front row behind the basket.
The Hollywood star, nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars last year, was covering his mouth with one hand, completely devoid of his pre-game smile.
For Los Angeles Lakers fans, the "cruel" performance continued for the remaining time in the half.
Kobe drove to the left low post, then turned and shot a fadeaway jump shot, which was directly blocked by Lee, helping the Knicks launch a counterattack, with Tayshaun Prince scoring on a long pass and layup.
On the next possession, Kobe, holding the ball in his left hand, attempted a stop-and-pop fadeaway in the left elbow area, which was still a miss due to Lee's interference.
Duncan fought for the offensive rebound, drew a foul, and made one of two free throws, leaving Los Angeles Lakers fans feeling even more hopeless.
Phil Jackson's loud shouts had completely lost their effect.
Kobe was constantly unable to shake off Lee on the court, repeatedly popping out to receive the ball, only to be forced to stop or face a double-team.
As the foul count quickly accumulated, the Knicks' offense became more aggressive.
JR Smith missed a three-pointer from the right wing, and the long rebound was picked up by Lee, leading to Kobe committing a foul that sent Lee to the free-throw line.
"It's over, Clay Lee has killed the game in the second quarter! The GOAT has shown unparalleled dominance in this year's Finals!"
"Without his explosiveness, Kobe Bryant finds it hard to score under Clay Lee's Defense, but he's trying his best, he's fighting for victory!"
Not only were the Lakers fans at the Staples Center silent, but Van Gundy at the commentary desk hadn't spoken for minutes.
His praise for Kobe this time was truly because the Lakers were too miserable.
"Don't provoke Clay Lee! Kobe Bryant doesn't seem ready. I think this is a double-whammy of physical and technical dominance."
"Clay Lee is stronger than we've seen, and unbelievably, he's so agile, rarely making mistakes in defensive positioning."
"This year's Finals have once again shown me a different Clay Lee. Tonight, God is wearing the No. 1 jersey!"
Mark Jackson also loudly praised, and the two were no longer discussing the game details.
The Lakers were destined for a half-time collapse.
With just over three minutes left in the first half, Lee finally missed a pull-up mid-range jumper from the right block.
Tim Duncan seized the opportunity and went to the free-throw line again, which made the Lakers fans cheer once more.
Regrettably, Duncan also failed to step up.
Like the others, besides free throws, he only made one field goal at the basket in the final moments.
Kobe disappointed the fans even more.
Nearing the end of the first half, he helped the Lakers narrow the deficit with a fast-break counterattack.
71:34. The Lakers only scored 15 points in the second quarter.
When everyone walked towards the player tunnel, they all left quickly with their heads down.
Lee, draped in a towel, continuously high-fived the team staff.
On both sides of the player tunnel, many fans who had switched allegiance stretched out their arms, shouting his name:
"It's not over yet! There are still 6 quarters left!"
Inside the player tunnel, upon hearing Lee shout "6 quarters," some sports reporters joined in the commotion.
They didn't care about the "massacre".
The more fun, the better.
ABC began to review the "duel" between Lee and Kobe in the second quarter for the fans watching at home:
Time and again, Lee received the ball and drove hard, turning Kobe into a sieve in the second quarter.
Most possessions, he blew past him in one step, attacking the rim or hitting pull-up jumpers.
Even with good Defense, the ball still found the net precisely.
On the other side, Kobe continued to brick shot after shot.
In individual possessions, he repeatedly moved without the ball but couldn't shake off Lee.
His low-post game was ineffective, and his face-up jumpers clanked, making him look incredibly disheveled.
"2-for-12 from the field, 0-for-2 from three-point range, 5-for-8 from the free-throw line, 9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers."
"12-for-15 from the field, 3-for-5 from three-point range, 7-for-7 from the free-throw line, 34 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks."
During halftime, young fans watching at home, upon seeing the core player statistics displayed by ABC, flocked to Reddit to argue, and Twitter users also commented on Lee's account.
Clay Lee tying the Lakers by himself in the first half also drove basketball commentators crazy.
Such an outrageous Game 3 quickly broke out of the usual basketball circles, and even if the outcome was no longer in doubt, casual fans who don't usually follow basketball tuned in.
In the home team's locker room, Lakers staff refused filming, and reporters gathered outside the tunnel were loudly arguing, as no one wanted to miss such rare material.
Phil Jackson stood before everyone, took off his glasses, rubbed his reddened eyes, and looked at them, saying in a deep voice:
"I don't want to be mocked. In the second half, we will fight for honor!"
"This half was garbage. Yes, we're going to lose, but the game isn't over yet, and Los Angeles fans are still watching you."
"Listen, fight like men."
Duncan had already realized that his opponents were "besieging" him.
The Lakers were 1-for-8 from three-point range in the first half.
Thinking of his teammates' missed shots, a look of frustration involuntarily appeared on his face.
Seeing Duncan's blank stare, no one in the atmosphere group spoke.
PJ Brown even slumped in his seat.
He was no longer interested in hearing any more pep talks.
Only Kobe still looked like he hadn't given up, exuding an aura of "do not approach" as he pursed his lips and stared intently at the whiteboard in front of him.
When the Lakers left the locker room, some sports reporters in the tunnel were shouting Kobe's name.
Michelle Tafoya couldn't interview any players, so in front of the camera, she could only talk about injuries:
"Trevor Ariza is confirmed out for the rest of this game, and there's no definite news on Rajon Rondo yet."
"We can look forward to the Lakers' adjustments in the second half."
The Los Angeles fans at the Staples Center had already started cursing.
As soon as the third quarter began, Lee squeezed in alongside Kobe.
Kobe received the ball in the right block, using the screen to pop out, but was again chased by Lee beyond the three-point line.
Continuous crossover dribbles still couldn't shake off the Defense.
When Kobe "hit a wall," the fans at the Staples Center couldn't hold back:
"Boo!!!"
With the ball in his left hand, accelerating horizontally, Kobe tried to use Lamar Odom's screen to escape the chase, then encountered Pau Gasol's deep drop.
Seeing Lee also chasing from his side, he finally made a difficult aerial pass.
The basketball passed by Pau Gasol's side.
In the paint, Duncan tried to bend down to catch the ball, but under Chandler's tight Defense, he still lost control of it.
When Ron Artest got ahead of Radmanovic to control the ball, the boos in the Staples Center grew louder and louder.
The game was too ugly.
Lee set the defensive tone from the very first possession.
Although the Lakers started double-teaming frantically, and the Knicks continuously missed shots, everyone on the court remained calm, confident that the next offensive possession would go in.
Kobe was relentlessly chased by Lee, and his continuous demands for the ball slowed down the Lakers' offensive rhythm.
At the ABC commentary desk, Van Gundy began to sigh quietly.
He hadn't expected Lee to still be defending so hard.
With neither side scoring for several possessions, he could only comment again, albeit tactfully:
"At the current offensive pace, it will be difficult for the Lakers to narrow the deficit. They need more fast breaks and three-pointers."
"The Knicks are continuously collapsing their Defense. Someone needs to step up and help Tim Duncan."
The referee called another foul, sending a player to the free-throw line.
Chandler, who committed the foul, stood by the paint with a smile, already starting to enjoy the game.
Frustration led Duncan to miss both free throws.
At that moment, the Lakers fans at the Staples Center completely despaired.
Now they just wanted to lose by fewer points.
The Knicks patiently passed the ball.
When Lee received the ball again at the top of the arc, he casually tossed it towards the upper left of the rim.
Ron Artest, cutting from the right baseline into the paint, snatched the ball mid-air and tipped it into the net.
"Clay Lee's 10th assist of the night! He has a chance to get a triple-double tonight! What an unbelievable performance!"
While praising, Mark Jackson was also concerned about Lee's rebounds.
However, in the subsequent time, seeing the Knicks' "sewer" tactic, he also fell silent.
On Defense, Chandler and Pau Gasol continuously "boxed out."
On offense, Lee also constantly fought for offensive rebounds, which allowed the Knicks, despite their decreased shooting percentage, to once again suppress their opponents.
Frequent physical confrontations led to the referee blowing his whistle from time to time, and the slowly rising score caused fans in the screaming seats to quietly leave.
Less than half a quarter into the game, with Lee's tomahawk rebound, the Knicks' bench erupted in cheers again—the triple-double was secured!
Lee, who put more effort into Defense, only took shots from beyond the three-point line in the latter half of the quarter.
With the entire team giving up, only Kobe was still trying.
Until Phil Jackson couldn't bear to watch anymore and called another timeout, shaking his head and waving, signaling the atmosphere group to enter.
After Jordan Farmar and a few others came on, the 3rd quarter quickly ended.
29:22 in the quarter.
Ignoring the 14 free throws, the Lakers had their best performance of the night.
The camera frequently focused on Kobe on the bench.
No 40 points, 5-for-20 from the field, 0-for-2 from three-point range, 8-for-12 from the free-throw line, currently stuck at 18 points.
No one knew what emotions Kobe, with a towel over his head, was feeling at that moment, but on the other side, the Knicks were all celebrating Lee's triple-double, which made the Lakers fans feel deeply saddened.
After the final quarter began, Mike Breen couldn't help but exclaim when he noticed Kobe re-entering the game:
"Kobe Bryant has earned the respect of the fans! Even at this moment, he still hasn't given up on the game!"
100:56. The Knicks were already led by Barea, but Kobe still persisted in Defense, showing a determined expression on his face and constantly shouting instructions to his teammates.
Perhaps Kobe's persistence moved the fans at the Staples Center.
Defensive cheers once again erupted in the Staples Center.
Many had tears in their eyes.
Their Finals were over, and in two days, they would have to watch their rivals lift the o'brien cup.
JR Smith's shooting touch was off tonight.
He wanted to seize the opportunity to hit hard, but he kept bricking shots, which allowed the opponents to continuously counterattack.
Fortunately, as the game progressed, Diop and David Lee scored consecutively, stabilizing the deficit and allowing Rookie Thaddeus Young to experience the Finals' road atmosphere.
With 4 minutes and 43 seconds left in the game, Kobe was substituted out.
Applause erupted in the Staples Center at that moment, and the atmosphere group also stood up to show their respect:
"The Boss tried his best!"
Duncan, sitting in his seat, kept staring at the floor.
This was not the Finals he had expected.
Tonight, he was completely suppressed by his old rival.
He thought Lee had always given his all in the past.
After this matchup, Duncan realized he had been influenced by commentators and was blindly optimistic.
Time flew by, and when the final buzzer sounded, Staples Center was already half empty, with only the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks celebrating joyfully.
The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a crushing defeat at home, 128:82, falling behind 0:3 in the series, which was now without suspense.
Kobe, draped in a towel, stood up expressionlessly, ignoring staff and reporters, and quickly walked towards the player tunnel.
Duncan was in no mood to shake hands, also quickly leaving with his teammates, the cheers in the Staples Center were particularly grating, as basketball had only brought him "pain" in recent years.
On the other side, Lee, wearing a New York Knicks training uniform, was smiling and high-fiving the cheering fans, which made the Los Angeles Lakers even more excited, and they soon started shouting loudly:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
According to the plan, Michelle Tafoya should have interviewed Kobe, but he had already left through the player tunnel, so she could only squeeze next to Lee, as the New York Knicks had already begun celebrating their championship, and the bench was particularly lively.
"Lee, congratulations on winning the game again! 46 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, and 1 turnover. This is your third triple-double in the Finals!"
"How would you evaluate your performance in tonight's game?"
Seeing his old friend look up at him, Lee chuckled and simply gave his performance a score:
"I can only give myself a 9 out of 10 for my performance! We lost our offensive rhythm in the third quarter, and that's my problem!"
"But I'm really happy to get a triple-double in Los Angeles. The New York Knicks have failed here before, and playing in this city always gives me extra motivation."
Michelle Tafoya saw many people waiting for Lee behind her, so she didn't interview him further, and finally asked with a smile:
"Are you ready to welcome your 10th championship in two days?"
"Of course, I'd love to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy here."
Lee replied with a definite answer, smiling, and Jack Nicholson, who was nearby, came over to hug him in greeting.
Soon, all the celebrity guests present started joining in the fun.
Winners always get preferential treatment.
In the upper box seats of Staples Center, James Dolan was grinning from ear to ear amidst the compliments, while Jerry Buss forced a smile, pretending not to care about winning or losing, and continued to chat and laugh with his visiting friends.
Jeanie Buss noticed that after the game, Phil Jackson had been sitting on the bench for a long time without getting up, and she felt a bit sad for a moment.
"Don't show that expression! Jeanie, you need to tell those damn reporters that we are very satisfied with the team's performance!"
"And tell the fans that we will still go all out in the next game, and we will win at home."
Jerry Buss, holding a glass, snarled in a low voice, downing his whiskey with ice, still feeling displeased.
Jeanie Buss nodded, saying nothing more, only sighing inwardly:
"Is there still a chance to win?"
At the New York Knicks' post-game press conference, sports reporters naturally lavished praise on Lee, while also mocking Kobe's performance tonight.
In the 4th quarter, Kobe Bryant scored 8 points in half a quarter, shooting 3 for 6, including 1 for 3 from beyond the arc and 1 for 2 from the free-throw line, bringing his total score for the game to 26 points, which was also his highest individual score in the series so far.
The unfortunate thing was that he shot 8 for 26 for the entire game, a 30% field goal percentage, which made it difficult for Kobe to earn the respect he deserved.
No one remembered that he played his heart out.
Most reporters were cheering for his poor performance.
Kobe did not appear at the press conference, perhaps deeply disappointed with his performance, as he left early by himself after the game.
When the Los Angeles Lakers players went home, Vanessa couldn't find Kobe in the parking lot.
When she asked other players and heard that Kobe had left early, she was stunned for a moment.
Magic Johnson comforted Phil Jackson in the locker room after the game.
The Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man broke down this time, shedding tears of frustration.
Seeing Vanessa in the player tunnel, asking staff members, Magic Johnson went over, listened to a general idea, then forced a smile, and simply comforted her:
"Don't worry, I probably know where Kobe is!"
As the two walked quickly towards the Staples Center, the Los Angeles Lakers staff member in front couldn't help but hold his forehead, apologizing, saying that Jerry Buss had thrown a tantrum after the game, and everyone had forgotten to inform the family members.
Some of the lights in Staples Center had been turned off.
Kobe, wearing a training uniform, was silently shooting by himself, only muttering curses when he missed.
Magic Johnson, who had taken off his suit jacket, walked towards half-court, picked up a basketball, and casually tossed it towards the hoop.
Seeing Kobe's gaze, he shrugged his shoulders and said in a deep voice:
"Impatient, reckless, you've lost your game rhythm since the first game!"
"Don't deny it, I've watched all the games, and it's unbelievable that you're 30 years old and still performing like this."
"Lee could 'see' things after entering the league. You can't do that, and the opponent knows you won't pass the ball, so they can always make successful Defense."
Kobe, slamming the ball hard, no longer hid his emotions.
At this moment, he appeared particularly frustrated, complaining in a low voice:
"When I left New York, I texted Michael Jordan. I wanted to get help from him. I wanted to know how to win the game."
"He told me that only time could defeat Clay Lee!"
"We had an argument, everyone was against me, I trained hard every day, I threw myself into the training Staples Center, and now they're all treating me like a joke..."
"..."
Kobe, whose voice gradually rose, eventually lost control of his emotions, and started to choke up as he spoke.
He had been dominated one-on-one, and what made him despair was the physical disparity.
A player who gives up wouldn't have such emotions.
Looking at Kobe, whose eyes were red, Magic Johnson put away a belly full of advice, and with his signature smile, began to "brew chicken soup":
"Listen, man! You're not even 30 yet. Maybe Lee won the first 10 years, but that doesn't mean he'll win the next 10 years!"
"He's strong, but his body will also age. Believe me, you've far surpassed him in terms of self-discipline."
"Those blondes will eventually make his body explode. You know, I have the most experience with that."
Looking at Kobe, who was listening intently, Magic Johnson stepped forward and patted his shoulder, tilted his head, indicating that Vanessa was on the sidelines, and then encouraged him again:
"Get some good rest, win the game the day after tomorrow, and don't disappoint the fans who support you!"
"Remember to call Tim. This is your first season working together, and as I said, time is on your side!"
Having vented his emotions, Kobe felt much better.
After saying thanks, he left with Magic Johnson.
Vanessa came forward and hugged her husband, softly comforting him:
"Forget about this game, let's go home and have a drink..."
On the morning of June 11th, the Los Angeles Times highly praised Kobe's fighting spirit, and also revealed that Kobe had trained late after the loss, making many die-hard fans say "Our Boss did his best."
Uncharacteristically, Kobe didn't get up early.
Nearing 8 AM, as he prepared for breakfast, he searched for the newspaper for a long time, finally finding today's Los Angeles Times on the living room sofa.
Aside from the exaggerated reports, Kobe quickly saw another news item, and his calm demeanor instantly vanished:
"Shaquille O'Neal splurged cash last night! Drunk, he kept shouting 'You can't do anything without me'..."
The more Kobe read, the angrier he became.
When he saw the news about Lee, he was instantly filled with rage:
"We haven't won enough. I hope to break the record in Game 4. This is a gift for New York fans."
Although there was no photo of Lee at the press conference in the newspaper, just seeing these words, Kobe couldn't help but visualize that smiling face in his mind.
Under the astonished gazes of Vanessa and his eldest daughter, an enraged Kobe tore the newspaper to shreds.
Still feeling unsatisfied, he immediately cursed in a low voice:
"Shit! What a crappy gift!!"
.....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)