"It's an incredibly indescribable feeling...something you can't quite put into words, yet it's absolutely real. Whenever I get into that state, everything around me seems to slow down – whether it's the defensive players' movements or my teammates' cuts. The most amazing part is that when I talked about this with 'The Doctor' (Julius Erving) and others, they'd all experienced it. We just had different perspectives on it. So, I decided to call this state 'The Zone.' Perhaps with our current technology and understanding, we can't fully grasp its true nature, but I believe the great ones who come after us will definitely unravel its secrets, find its patterns, and explore its essence." — Michael Jordan, the God of Basketball.
You've got to hand it to the "Little Eight Guys" (a slightly pejorative term for the Japanese, often used in media for effect, referring to the creators of Kuroko's Basketball). They really nailed it.
In Zack's past life, those "Little Eight Guys" managed to convince a lot of young people, through a certain superpower manga, that "The Zone" was their original creation, a kind of superpower. Because of that, whenever "The Zone" was mentioned, these youngsters would immediately associate it with superpower basketball.
But in reality, as early as the 1980s and 90s, the concept of "The Zone" was already confirmed by numerous NBA stars and popularized by NBA trainers, spreading it across various sports. Since then, researching how to help different types of athletes enter "The Zone" has become a required course for many sports psychologists.
At Staples Center, a truly iconic arena in the basketball world, the Golden State Warriors were officially playing their third regular-season game of the '05/'06 season. Previously, when people talked about the Warriors without Zack, they'd always call them a team beyond rotten.
But actually, the '05/'06 Lakers... If you take out Kobe and Odom, you'd find that this Lakers team was even more of a mess than the Warriors. It's no exaggeration to say that even if you forced Warriors GM Chris Mullin to the negotiating table, even if you pointed a gun at "God's Left Hand," Mullin wouldn't agree to a single trade with this Lakers team. Because players like their starting center Chris Mihm, starting forward Brian Cook, and key reserves Devin George, Luke Walton, and Sasha Vujačić were, frankly, so bad the Warriors wouldn't even take them if they were free.
Yet, historically, Kobe led that group of players—a group even the Warriors wouldn't touch, a Lakers squad where even Mike Dunleavy Jr. could probably be traded for half their roster—to the playoffs.
In the summer of 2005, "Zen Master" Phil Jackson officially returned to the Lakers. Right from the start, Jackson and Kobe made a private agreement: this time, Jackson would not publicly criticize Kobe's shot selection and would remain silent on all of Kobe's on-court decisions.
Though upon his return, people noticed the "Zen Master" seemed even more reserved than before, that silence was not a good sign for the Lakers. Because it meant the Lakers had officially entered their darkest hour, one that even a full-power Kobe might not be able to save. Jackson desperately needed Kobe to dominate the offensive end with non-stop attacks and the unlimited shooting freedom that would fill the void in Jackson's own heart.
The Lakers needed to turn things around. Since a full rebuild wasn't an option, they had to pretend to be a winning team that just lacked a championship piece. Only then could they create some maneuvering room for Mitch Kupchak in the future.
The Game Begins: Lakers vs. Warriors
On the court, after the warm-ups, the big screen displayed the starting lineups for the visiting Warriors and the home Lakers.
For the Warriors: Brown, Zack, Pietrus, Richardson, Davis. For the Lakers: Mihm, Odom, Cook, Kobe, Fisher.
At center court, after the jump ball, Brown predictably secured the opening possession for the Warriors. Zack actively pulled Odom to the top of the arc for a handoff play with "Baron" Davis. It's a bit of a grim truth, but Odom was one of the few reliable defenders on this Lakers team.
At the arc, Davis, who had developed a good rapport with Zack lately, didn't rush his offense. While Davis knew that if he hit the "nitro boost" button now, the "old fish" Fisher (who was once a young "minnow") would be left eating his dust, he'd be gassed and need to recharge on the sidelines after a few possessions. This was NBA-level competition; low-energy, high-efficiency offense was key.
So, passing the ball to Zack, Davis ran two steps along the right side of the court. As the Lakers' entire defense got discombobulated by Zack's earlier screen-and-roll, Mihm, not wanting to play under Kobe's intense gaze, was forced to extend his defense. At that exact moment, a phantom passing lane instantly formed in Zack's mind.
From pre-game warm-ups until now, Zack had been wrapped up in this strange feeling. He felt as if his reactions, anticipation, and observation were all a step quicker than usual tonight. For example, Brown had just started his cut, and the very next second, Zack's pass led him perfectly to an excellent scoring opportunity in the middle.
Under the basket, Mihm and Odom couldn't turn fast enough. Guided by Zack's pass, Brown caught the ball and laid it in. After the basket, Brown looked astonished. He'd made plenty of similar shots since entering the NBA, but this one was different. In the moment he caught the ball and went up, Brown felt like he was back in his high school days... As if his long-suppressed body had suddenly awakened. Brown was sure that even if Mihm and Odom had rotated in time, he still would have made the shot. Because Zack's pass... had completely set his rhythm.
Back on the other end, Lakers' possession. Facing Pietrus, the increasingly focused Kobe received the ball, made a subtle fake, and then elegantly drained a jump shot from the perimeter. This was one of Kobe Bryant's most lethal and efficient scoring methods. The physically gifted "French Jordan" (Pietrus) was always better at defending drives. When he faced a hot-shooting Kobe or Carmelo Anthony, he was often left helpless.
Next, Warriors' offensive possession. Seeing Odom fail to deny Zack's low-post entry, Davis made a timely pass. However, Mihm, remembering the "Zen Master's" few pre-game instructions, immediately double-teamed Zack. Jackson had coached Shaq before; he always knew how to protect his team's paint. Thus, Odom's earlier passive stance was clearly bait – a trap to lure Zack into the low post, double-team him, force a turnover or a passive pass, and run down the Warriors' shot clock.
But on the court, as Mihm lunged at Zack... the ball in Zack's hands whizzed past his ear. The next second, Mihm quickly turned, but under the basket... Richardson was already soaring. High above, the Slam Dunk Champion, who had been re-evaluating his game recently, caught the ball and slammed it violently into the hoop.
He still didn't know how to integrate into the Warriors' new system, but since Richardson once played for the Spartans... he'd just play the way Coach Izzo used to teach him to play with Zack!
"Run, Jason! Don't you dare spend all day trying to show off your fancy streetball moves! Basketball needs movement to create opportunities for you and your teammates!"
At that moment, recalling the fiery but somewhat endearing old man, Tom Izzo, Richardson let out a roar after landing! (Note ①)
"He (Jordan) won March Madness. I also won March Madness!"
So, since he didn't know how to fit into the new Warriors, Richardson simply chose the most direct approach: play NBA basketball like it's college ball!
On the sidelines, watching the Warriors' two brilliant pass-and-cut plays to start the game, Coach Montgomery was utterly bewildered. As the head coach of this Warriors team, he didn't even know... who had drawn up these plays. Was this what they called... genius players finding chemistry on their own?
Kobe's Explosive Start & The Zone
Next, it was the Lakers' turn to attack. Fisher, treating the ball like a hot potato after his assigned dribbling duties, chose to cling tightly to Kobe. This time, facing a more aggressive Pietrus, Kobe showcased his exquisite flexibility. With a spiritual triple-threat move and a feigned dribble-and-turn, he immediately demonstrated his phenomenal waist flexibility to the world. Kobe forcefully twisted his body and completed a fadeaway jumper from the other side.
On CCTV, watching this scene... even though he desperately wanted to control his urge to cheer for Kobe, Zhang Weiping couldn't help but exclaim, "Whoa, that shot from Kobe was incredibly difficult!"
SWISH!
On the sidelines, on the Lakers' bench, Kobe's first two offensive plays had Ellis, the ultimate die-hard fan, completely mesmerized. "See that, you damn idiot? That's my idol!" Ellis even yelled at Zack as he passed by the Lakers' bench.
However... what Ellis didn't know was that Zack couldn't hear a word he was saying. In fact, forget Ellis... even the prompt from the [Summit] System a few minutes ago had gone unheard by Zack.
"Detected that host's in-game state is breaking through the critical point. Updating host's current combat ability in real-time. System calculating... Ding! Based on the in-game algorithm, the host's current ability rating has been updated to 90 to 93."
"Warning: During the host's explosive in-game state, the system is temporarily unable to calculate specific ratings for individual attributes in real-time. Therefore, the host's rating under the in-game algorithm is for reference only."
On the court, Warriors' possession. Pietrus, open for a shot after a screen by Zack, missed his jump shot. Besides ball-handling, catch-and-shoot stability was also one of Pietrus's weaknesses. However, over Mihm's head, Zack grabbed the offensive rebound. Immediately after, Zack threw down a one-handed powerful dunk, slamming the ball into the hoop.
Beside him, watching Zack's seamless sequence of moves... for a moment, Kobe couldn't help but think of that bastard's silhouette (Shaq). But then, Kobe immediately refocused on the game.
SWISH!
Lakers' offensive possession, Kobe once again picked apart Pietrus on the wing. At this point, Jackson on the sidelines had already noticed Kobe's unusually different state. While the "Zen Master" certainly had his share of quirks as an NBA head coach, never doubt his grasp of a superstar's in-game state, having worked with Jordan, Shaq, and Kobe.
For a long time, Jackson's elite staff included a member named George Mumford. As a reformed addict, after the concept of "The Zone" was introduced, Mumford, a master psychologist, helped multiple NBA superstars enter this state. Therefore, Jackson was absolutely the coach in the league who best understood the immense impact a superstar could have on a game. So, after giving Fisher a subtle look, Jackson also curiously settled in to enjoy Kobe's upcoming performance.
SWISH!SWISH!SWISH!
Tonight, against Kobe's unfathomable one-on-one arsenal, Pietrus had completely lost confidence. Kobe's fourth basket started with a dribble spin that created space, then, just as Pietrus tried to close in, Kobe suddenly twisted his body mid-dribble and hit a fadeaway jumper. Then the fifth, the sixth... no matter what Pietrus tried, Kobe always found an unexpected way to sink the ball.
At Staples Center, when the first quarter entered its official timeout, people hadn't even realized half the quarter was gone.
Replacements and Mid-Game Adjustments
On the Warriors' bench, seeing Pietrus's spirits flagging and his eyes dimming, Richardson volunteered, "Let me guard Kobe." Hearing this, Zack immediately looked at the player who had been a bench warmer for the Warriors in their previous two games.
"I can't guarantee I'll stop Kobe, but I can guarantee that for every basket Kobe scores from now on, I'll make him pay the price," Richardson stated firmly.
Seeing this, head coach Montgomery also called for Mike Dunleavy Jr. Since they decided to use Richardson to guard Kobe... there was clearly no need to keep Pietrus on the court. This Lakers team's small forward was Brian Cook. Even Dunleavy Jr. could easily handle him.
After the official timeout, the game continued. Even though Richardson still couldn't stop Kobe from scoring 25 points in the first quarter alone, under his strenuous defense, even the "Zen Master," who wished Kobe would play all 48 minutes every game, pulled Kobe out at the start of the second quarter.
First Quarter Wrap-Up & Halftime Buzz
The first quarter ended, score 35-34. On CCTV, during the break, Zhang Weiping grumbled, "Kobe is playing incredibly well tonight... but the Lakers are actually trailing at the end of the first quarter." Beside him, Sun Zhengping said, "In the first quarter tonight, the rest of the Lakers combined with Kobe for 34 points, which, in terms of performance, is actually quite commendable."
Zhang Weiping: "..."
Then, commenting on the Warriors' performance, Zhang Weiping said, "Zack is truly eye-opening today. Under his leadership, the Warriors have actually taken control as the visiting team at Staples Center."
In the first quarter, Zack accumulated 8 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal. The Warriors' offense largely revolved around him. Although his scoring wasn't as high as Kobe's, the entire Warriors team showed excellent competitive spirit under his leadership.
Second Quarter & The "Zone" Intensifies
In the second quarter, because Ellis, who came in for Kobe, led the Lakers' bench players on an 8-0 run, Coach Montgomery quickly put Zack back into the game. As he came onto the court, watching Ellis still yelling at him, Zack asked curiously, "What's he saying?" Seeing this, Jack, not wanting Zack to be distracted, said, "Who cares what he's saying? We just need to play our game well."
On the court, with Zack back in, it was Warriors' possession. Murphy actively moved up to the high post to set a screen for Zack. After the screen, Zack, who initially planned to pass to Murphy, suddenly felt as if everything around him slowed down. So, Zack decisively changed his mind and dribbled directly between Turiaf and Walton. At that moment, he was like a butterfly dancing through flowers.
But the next second, after taking flight, he astonished the home crowd at Staples Center with a mid-air float.
Back on the other end, Lakers' offense. Ellis, who always played like his fate was his own to decide, intended to aggressively attack Jack. Seeing this, Jack simply let Ellis drive into the paint. Because there, Jack knew very well... that the red-hot Zack would surely stop Ellis!
And sure enough. Even though Ellis noticed Zack as he went up for the layup and prepared to fool him with an aerial spin, when he completed the spin in mid-air, he was astonished to find... Zack was still up in the air!
SLAM!
On the court, at that moment, only God knew how much damage Zack's block did to Ellis's young heart.
On the Lakers' bench, Kobe couldn't sit still. As someone who had been there before... he felt that Zack tonight had entered the same state as him.
But on the court, the Lakers' offense wasn't over. The incredibly high-IQ Walton quickly controlled the second rebound, found his rhythm, and faked out Zack, attempting a bank shot to score for the Lakers. However... just when Walton thought this layup was a sure thing...
SWISH! (A block sound)
Zack, with a continuous second jump, blocked it again! Then, Turiaf, following up, looked at the ball falling into his hands and fearlessly went up too.
SWISH! (Another block sound)
At Staples Center, the Warriors' Messiah, the well-known Overlord, had just declared Los Angeles a no-fly zone tonight with three consecutive blocks! On the court, the Lakers' shot clock also expired simultaneously. On this possession, the Lakers committed a 24-second violation.
On the sidelines, led by Davis, the Warriors' bench went absolutely wild. "Is this guy even human?!" he screamed. "He alone... just defended three consecutive Lakers' attacks!"
At this moment, Kobe, who had scouted Zack in person last year, was also shocked by Zack's performance tonight. Kobe knew very well... that at that time, Zack was merely a highly talented player with the potential to be a number one pick in his eyes.
"Put me in, Phil." One minute later, during a dead ball, Jackson put Kobe back on the court. And with Kobe's re-entry, the Lakers fans, who had been awestruck by Zack's talent, immediately started chanting "MVP" for Kobe.
This quarter, Kobe's touch remained hot. But Zack was equally unstoppable. On the court, on a Lakers offensive possession, Kobe created space with agile footwork and then hit a fadeaway over Richardson's defense.
Then, Warriors' possession, Jack successfully found Zack cutting after a screen. In the Lakers' paint, facing Mihm who rotated over to help, Zack easily laid it in.
On the court, after a few more possessions, on CCTV, watching Zhang Weiping, who had been exclaiming in delight all night, Sun Zhengping said, "Hey, Director Zhang, Zack seems to have a chance to get a triple-double by halftime tonight." Hearing this, Zhang Weiping immediately looked at Zack's stat sheet:
—16 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 blocks, 1 steal.
Compared to twenty years in the future, a triple-double was still a rare achievement in this era. Tonight, Zack was clearly the future "Joker" Nikola Jokic. With him as their core, the Warriors always found defensive loopholes in the Lakers' defense.
In the second quarter, Warriors' offensive possession. After feigning a handoff with a teammate, Zack suddenly collected the ball, spun, and drove into the basket. This time, Odom and Mihm rotated back quickly enough, but facing the Lakers' double-team in the paint, Zack threw the ball towards the rim a step early.
On the court, Kwame Brown once again got a chance to showcase his athleticism.
THUMP!
At Staples Center, Brown, who was shaking the rim, even felt like... he was Shaq O'Neal! "Is basketball really this simple?"
However, before Brown could celebrate for too long... Kobe came storming towards the Warriors' defense like a man on a mission.
SWISH!
From beyond the arc, after a quick dribble fake on Richardson, Kobe pulled up and hit the shot!
"My goodness, Kobe already has 37 points and the first half isn't even over?!" On TNT, when Charles Barkley, who was broadcasting another game, heard the score from the Lakers-Warriors game, at that moment... Barkley truly wanted to rush into the TNT backend and punch the executives. "No, why aren't we showing the Lakers-Warriors game? Why are we showing the Cavs-Nuggets game? Can LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony's game be as good as Zack vs. Kobe?"
Beside him, Smith felt the same way at that moment. Especially after the halftime score from Staples Center came in... At halftime, the score was 67-67.
Kobe had exploded for 41 points in the first half for the Lakers. Zack, on the other hand, had 19 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 blocks, and 1 steal for a halftime triple-double.
On one side, a 40+ point half from Kobe Bryant. On the other side, a halftime triple-double from the Warriors' Messiah.
"Can someone tell me what's so good about LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony's game?!" During halftime, Barkley's roar echoed throughout the entire building.
"Actually, LeBron and Carmelo are both playing pretty well in their game. LeBron already has 16 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists at halftime, and Carmelo has 17 points, 5 rebounds," Smith quickly tried to calm Barkley down.
But hearing this, Barkley got even more agitated. "Is that something you can just brush off by saying James and Anthony are playing 'pretty well'?! Don't you know, across the hall, it's a clash of gods! But we're showing a plain, ordinary regular-season game! That game across the hall, that could be... a game for the history books!"
Halftime in the Locker Rooms & The Battle Ahead
At Staples Center, during halftime, watching Zack, who no one dared to disturb in the locker room, Jack noticed that compared to the first two games... Zack had slowly but surely united this Warriors team. Perhaps Kobe was playing like a god tonight. But in Jack's opinion... or rather, in the opinion of all the Warriors players, as long as they stick closely to Zack's pace, even this kind of Kobe wasn't as terrifying as they might have imagined.
In the locker room, Pietrus, gradually recovering, was exchanging notes on guarding Kobe with Richardson. Murphy and Dunleavy Jr. were discussing how to best utilize Zack's screens on the court. And there was Brown, meditating with a basketball, trying to shake off his butterfingers.
Perhaps the rest of the regular season would be long. But the Warriors were already ready to make their move.
After halftime, the game continued.
Third Quarter: Shifting Dynamics
The third quarter started with Kobe attempting a three-pointer from the perimeter. This three-pointer made Warriors fans watching on TV break out in a cold sweat. Luckily, the ball bounced off the rim, and Zack secured the rebound.
Next, it was the Warriors' offensive possession. Compared to the first half, the Lakers had clearly adjusted their defensive strategy. At assistant coach Brian Shaw's suggestion, while increasing their defensive aggressiveness, especially on pick-and-rolls, the Lakers now had Odom guard Zack one-on-one instead of consistently double-teaming him whenever he had an opportunity. This was the moment to test Zack's ability to attack individually.
And the Warriors players on the court responded with their resolute attitude. Richardson and Pietrus immediately positioned themselves in the left corner and at the left 45-degree angle. Brown also pulled to the same side the next second. Then, after Baron Davis personally passed the ball to Zack's hands... at this moment, even fans who didn't often watch basketball could understand the Warriors' strategy. Because this was the most classic play in basketball... Four out, one-on-one isolation.
On the court, Odom, whose speed and agility matched Zack's, kept his defensive stance low. As one of Kobe's few trusted Lakers teammates, Odom fully demonstrated his defensive prowess in "serious mode" during this possession. But after creating space with a crossover, Zack still managed to get a shot off over Odom.
SWISH!
The next second, Zack's jump shot swished, astonishing everyone in the arena. On CCTV, Zhang Weiping commented, "Odom defended that perfectly... but that's Zack's characteristic and what makes him so good. As long as he's hitting his shots, you can't stop him!" Beside him, Sun Zhengping added, "In this summer's Asian Championships, our renowned basketball player Zack has repeatedly shown us this high level of individual ball-handling offense."
At this moment, Odom felt desperate. But he didn't receive Kobe's death stare for this defensive lapse; instead, as he turned, he saw Kobe smiling at him. "Good defense, Lamar."
Next, Lakers' offense. Brian Cook, who thought Kobe was going to iso again, had even prepared to retreat on defense after Kobe shot. But the next second, to his surprise, the ball miraculously landed in his hands. Cook was completely wide open. But not being prepared, Cook could only pass the ball back to Kobe. Seeing this, Director Zhang couldn't help but grumble, "What is Cook doing?"
In truth, Cook didn't know what he was doing either. In that moment, he felt more flustered than a high school player. However, Cook still didn't receive Kobe's death stare. Instead, after patiently reorganizing the offense on the perimeter, Kobe successfully found another teammate, Mihm. Although Mihm was called the "worst starting center in Lakers history" by the Los Angeles Times this season, he was indeed an interior player who could occasionally hit a mid-range shot. Kobe's pass was well-placed, and Mihm had ample time to adjust.
SWISH!
If you were to ask about the biggest difference in Kobe before and after the Eagle County incident... it would probably be that, starting from the '05/'06 season, Kobe, having fully emerged from the shadow of the Eagle County incident, would continuously learn and grow into a true leader. Just like Zack was learning how to be the Warriors' top dog. At this moment, Kobe was also taking his step towards transforming into a team leader.
"Actually, Kobe often passed to us that season ('05/'06), which made us feel needed by him. We all knew he was a natural scorer, but that didn't mean we didn't need his help. It felt really great to run the offense with him." — Brian Cook's memoir.
Perhaps, in the short term, Kobe couldn't unite the entire Lakers team. But unlike before, in their interactions with Kobe, his teammates not only genuinely felt Kobe's change... but most incredibly, the usually frugal Kobe... would even secretly give them various gifts to show his friendliness.
On the court, while retreating on defense, Kobe patted Cook's back and said gently, "Be ready, Brian. Aren't you usually confident with open threes?" Hearing this, Cook immediately nodded.
In the third quarter... Staples Center fans quietly noticed that Zack and Kobe seemed to have swapped souls. The former took on more of the offensive burden in the third quarter, while the latter led the Lakers with assist after assist.
At this point, on the sidelines, on the Lakers' bench, Jackson also turned his gaze to Zack. Jackson, who knew Kobe's personality inside and out, understood clearly that even though Kobe was gradually changing after the Eagle County incident... for this game, the reason Kobe temporarily adjusted his play style was... "Kobe has realized that we can't beat tonight's opponent with just him."
[It's truly incredible. Even though we're not in great shape, the Warriors last season were a team that couldn't get any worse. But just one season later, the addition of a rookie has led to such a huge transformation...] At that moment, Jackson thought to himself.
And on the court, under Odom's strenuous defense, Zack not only successfully put the ball into the basket but also drew a foul from Odom. This was an indisputable and-one.
Before the game, Ellis, who wanted to avenge Kobe, had already felt the huge and irreversible gap between him and Zack at that moment. But the next second, clenching his fist, Ellis muttered to himself, "I don't care who you are... you're not allowed to insult my idol!"
At Staples Center, Zack made his free throw, scoring his 13th point of the third quarter.
"Brian, it looks like Lamar isn't a match for Zack," Jackson turned to his assistant coach Brian Shaw after Zack's free throw. Hearing this, Shaw nodded and said, "Zack is playing a bit too well tonight. I've studied his game film; frankly, Lamar shouldn't be completely helpless against him... However, Phil, have you noticed that Zack's stamina is rapidly declining compared to the first half?"
The shrewd Jackson had, of course, noticed Zack's visibly growing fatigue. Otherwise, why would he so resolutely... send Odom to get clobbered by Zack?
Meanwhile, Dunleavy Jr., who also noticed Zack's drastically dropping stamina, also reminded Warriors head coach Montgomery on the sidelines, "Coach, I think we need to call a timeout." Seeing this, Montgomery, who hadn't reacted yet, said, "Why? Aren't we leading right now?" After taking a deep breath, Dunleavy Jr. said, "But if we keep playing like this... Zack won't have enough energy in the fourth quarter to help us win the game."
At this, the enlightened Montgomery quickly walked towards the scorer's table. On the Warriors' next offensive possession, as Montgomery called a timeout, everyone's gaze simultaneously turned to the visibly fatigued Zack.
Coaching Decisions & The Fourth Quarter Prep
"Shaq used to say I didn't understand his difficulties," Kobe, who had returned to the Lakers' bench, chatted with Ellis about old times. "What difficulties?" "Shaq always told me, 'Being big has its own difficulties.'" "Why... does being big have its difficulties? I don't understand, boss." "For basketball, the taller a player is, the more strain and consumption they endure. Zack is 6 feet 11 inches tall. I admit, he's excellent, but playing like a guard, the load he has to bear in a game must be far beyond our imagination."
On the Warriors' bench, looking at Zack, Davis, who knew the Warriors had to rely on him to win this game, said, "Derek Fisher is no match for me. Don't let all my passing today fool you, I've been wanting to go one-on-one with him for a while now. From now on, give me the ball."
While Baron Davis would never lack confidence, it was unfortunate... that Kobe tonight was truly not an opponent he could defeat. So, before the fourth quarter arrived, Davis knew he had to help Zack get enough rest. Zack's precious stamina absolutely could not be wasted at this moment.
So, after the timeout, the Warriors made a substitution. Murphy in, Zack out.
Before entering the game, Murphy pulled Brown aside and said, "I'll guard Chris Mihm; that guy doesn't have much offense, I can handle him completely. But Lamar Odom... that's on you." At this moment, Brown didn't refuse Murphy's request for a switch. Especially when he noticed the look of trust Murphy gave him. This was a level of trust Kwame Brown had never received since entering the league.
The Supporting Cast Steps Up
On the court, the game resumed. As soon as he entered, Murphy set a clever screen for Baron Davis. As a white big man with three-point range and excellent shooting, Murphy also had an underrated skill: he was a good passing big man. It's just that most of the time, when Murphy got the ball, he was usually focused on finishing, so he lacked opportunities to showcase himself.
But the moment Murphy and Davis completed their pick-and-roll, as the Lakers' paint was cleared out, Murphy, with the ball, immediately found Brown, who was rapidly cutting to the basket.
CRASH!
Under the basket, Brown received the ball and slammed it down with a powerful two-handed dunk.
Next, it was the Lakers' offensive possession. Odom, who had been struggling to breathe under Zack's pressure, wanted to alleviate some of the offensive burden for Kobe. But no sooner had he used his speed to blow past Brown... than Brown's imposing figure closed in on him as he went up for the layup. Under Brown's strong contest, Odom's layup missed. And by anticipating the play, Murphy beat Mihm to secure the defensive rebound.
On the sidelines, Chris Mullin, who had accompanied the Warriors to Staples Center tonight, felt like he was watching a sci-fi movie. "Is this still the Warriors I remember?" Mullin turned and asked his assistant.
The players, of course, were still the same ones. But as the most complex individuals in the world... every new day, as their bodies regenerated... you can never look at anyone's tomorrow with yesterday's eyes.
At Staples Center, Zack's teammates held their ground this quarter. On the scoreboard, 97-95.
This quarter finished with Kobe's stats at 51 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals. Zack's stats were 32 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists, 4 blocks, 2 steals.
For the final quarter, Jackson allowed Kobe 4 minutes of rest. And Montgomery, who initially planned to put Zack back in early, was dissuaded by the Warriors players. "Zack's physique means his energy drains faster than Kobe's. So, let's wait until the Lakers put Kobe back in before we put Zack back in."
So, after those agonizing first 4 minutes of the final quarter... when the Lakers put Kobe back in... the Warriors also brought Zack back.
In the City of Angels, Los Angeles... on this night of star performances, the most suffocating moments... arrived simultaneously!
The Final Showdown: Kobe vs. Zack
On the court, Lakers' possession. After adjusting in the third quarter and resting for the first part of the fourth, Kobe immediately hit a three-pointer from the left 45-degree angle, giving the Lakers the lead. Now, the Black Mamba's eyes gleamed with a fierce, murderous intent.
Back on the other end, Warriors' offensive possession. Zack successfully got into the low post, backed down Odom, and forcefully laid the ball into the hoop. Facing the Lakers, Zack quickly delivered his response.
On CCTV, Zhang Weiping swallowed hard and said, "This is truly point-for-point, soldier against soldier, general against general, king against king!" Beside him, Sun Zhengping added, "On this side, it's Kobe, the Nezha, causing havoc in the Heavenly Palace, and on that side, it's Zack, the Overlord, lifting the cauldron, mighty as the mountains... Let's see who will have the last laugh tonight, the Warriors or the Lakers!"
On the court, Lakers' offensive possession. At the top of the arc, after signaling his teammates to clear out, facing Richardson, who was constantly putting pressure on him, Kobe faked a drive, then pulled back...
SWISH!
Kobe truly was a god-slayer tonight, unstoppable by anyone. However, Lakers fans' joy lasted less than ten seconds before Zack responded with a pull-up jump shot off the dribble.
Undoubtedly, this kind of superstar duel in the final moments tonight... was the true essence of the NBA!
On the court, Lakers' offensive possession. After dribbling into the paint, Kobe successfully found Odom, who had been taking a beating. Odom didn't miss this time, hitting a bank shot.
On the Warriors' end, seeing that the timing for a low-post entry wasn't good, Zack decisively pulled to the right side to set a screen for Davis, and after popping out to receive the ball, successfully faked out Odom. Seeing this, Mihm had to help... but Brown, who was already ready for the pass, received Zack's pass and slammed it down with a one-handed dunk.
On site, watching the back-and-forth action, the home fans' hearts felt like they were being grilled in a frying pan. Of course, the most uncomfortable ones at this moment were those fans who hadn't managed to take a bathroom break earlier. After all... at a time like this, who the hell would dare to go to the bathroom?!
On the court, Kobe successfully broke the 60-point barrier with 4 minutes and 14 seconds left in the game, setting a new single-game scoring record for his career. Zack, meanwhile, scored his 41st point of the game with 3 minutes and 45 seconds remaining. This was Zack's first career 40+ point game.
But even at this point, with TNT finally cutting to this game's broadcast, no one cared about Barkley and Smith's earlier bet. Because people just wanted to know who would win this ultimate showdown.
At Staples Center, amidst the fervent anticipation of the home crowd, Kobe once again gave the Lakers the lead with 1 minute and 45 seconds left in the game. From the left low post, under Richardson's desperate, foul-or-no-foul defense, Kobe executed a silky-smooth fadeaway turnaround, changing the score to 124-125 in favor of the Lakers. This was Kobe's 65th point of the game. He was still breaking his single-game career scoring record.
Back on the other end, Warriors' offense. At Jackson's instruction, Mihm quickly moved to double-team Zack in the low post with Odom. The wily "Zen Master" re-activated the double-team strategy on Zack in the final moments of the game. Because Jackson, having experienced countless crucial moments like this, knew better than anyone that at times like these, you absolutely cannot give the opposing star a chance to kill you.
However, to Jackson's surprise... even at a time like this, Zack remained calm and composed. Was Zack naturally a big-moment player? The answer was clearly no. It's just that tonight... his mind was far clearer than usual.
On the court, facing the double-team from Odom and Mihm, Zack once again found a teammate with his phantom-like pass. In the middle, Mike Dunleavy Jr., who was substituted in at the last minute, made a cutting layup. Just now, under the double-team of Odom and Mihm, Zack found the only passing lane available. Although it was risky, it was the optimal solution in Zack's eyes at that moment. And on the court, watching Zack, who had just passed the ball between his legs... Odom felt as if the Warriors' Messiah standing before him was the exact self he had fantasized about countless times.
Next, Lakers' offensive possession. After settling into a 2-3 alignment, they successfully created a one-on-one opportunity for Kobe in the low post against Richardson through a simplified triangle offense. And then... Richardson officially entered his breaking point. Because even with his hand on Kobe's waist, he couldn't stop Kobe from turning... and fading away the next second. And what Richardson couldn't understand was... how could Kobe still make the shot while losing his balance? Was this reasonable?
Yes, it was completely reasonable. Because this was the 05/06 season Kobe. Don't break down, Jason. Because Kobe would make every perimeter defender in the league break down with his subsequent scoring feasts of "only" 40 points.
On the scoreboard, as Kobe's high-difficulty fadeaway swished, 126-127, the Lakers led again. Now, it was Warriors' possession.
On the court, after dribbling past half-court, Davis didn't immediately feed the ball to Zack but signaled his teammates to spread the floor to avoid turnovers. Under Baron Davis's traffic direction, Zack faced Odom one-on-one on the left side of the court. This time, Mihm and Cook didn't dare to double-team rashly. Therefore, Odom, carrying the hopes of the entire team... had to face Zack alone.
Dunk, Dunk.
Controlling the shot clock, observing Odom's defensive stance, and noticing his center of gravity instinctively shifted back a step, Zack first accelerated, then decelerated, and then... accelerated again, charging straight into the Lakers' paint! Under the basket, to avoid fouling, Mihm only provided symbolic interference. Zack soared for a layup and scored.
128-127!
At this point, the "Zen Master" on the sidelines still had no intention of calling a timeout. On the court, after Fisher dribbled past half-court, there were 43 seconds left in the game. Although, on the right side of the court, before Kobe received the ball, Richardson did everything he could, pulling and tugging... but... he still couldn't stop Kobe from receiving the ball. And the moment Kobe received the ball, no one expected Kobe to immediately pull up and shoot!
SWISH!
On the court, Kobe sank his 6th three-pointer of the game, scoring his 70th point of the game.
70 points...
"My goodness, that's a genuine 70 points!"
On the sidelines, as Montgomery called a timeout, there were 36.8 seconds left in the entire game. The Warriors had plenty of time to orchestrate their next offensive possession. But during the timeout... the entire Warriors team, including the head coach, collectively decided to go for a quick attack. Because if the Warriors went for a quick attack, even if they missed, they would still have a chance for a final possession.
The Last Seconds: A Thrilling Finish
It turned out this team decision worked wonders. After the timeout, because the Lakers focused their attention on the Warriors' perimeter, Dunleavy Jr. decisively cut to the Lakers' basket, and after receiving an assist from Davis, tied the score at 130-130. This possession took the Warriors less than 7 seconds. Therefore, knowing that this next offensive possession, whether the Lakers scored or not, would leave the Warriors with a final shot, Kobe, after dribbling past half-court, didn't rush his offense.
On the court, patiently dribbling to run down the clock, Kobe took a deep breath. Then, after controlling the offensive time to a point where he felt relatively confident... Kobe dribbled past Richardson. This was a dribble drive that left Richardson helpless. Just watching the replay, you couldn't possibly grasp how many mind games Kobe played with Richardson before the actual drive. So much so that the moment Kobe truly accelerated, Richardson simply couldn't keep up with Kobe's pace.
But thankfully, Davis moved early, stopping Kobe's forward momentum. However, as the Warriors' defense was completely pulled out of position... Kobe instantly found Brian Cook, who had been selectively left open due to the Warriors' switch. Although Cook wasn't in his designated three-point spot due to nervousness before receiving the ball, a clean catch-and-shoot two-pointer would be enough to win the game for the Lakers in the final seconds.
SWISH!
Of course, the precondition was that the Lakers could hold on for the last 9 seconds. At Staples Center, as Cook's jump shot off Kobe's pass swished, 130-132. In front of the scorer's table, amidst the thunderous cheers of the home crowd, the visiting Warriors called their final timeout.
During this timeout, on the Warriors' side, head coach Montgomery primarily emphasized how to receive the ball. On the Lakers' side, Jackson emphasized that they absolutely could not give the Warriors a chance to shoot a three-pointer.
After that anxious, stifling, and unbearable wait... after the timeout, the Warriors inbounded the ball from the frontcourt sideline. At this moment, the entire arena of Lakers fans roared "Defense, Defense!" The immense noise generated by the home crowd nearly caused the Warriors players, who lacked crucial-moment experience, to make a mistake on the sideline inbound.
However... even though Dunleavy Jr. eventually managed to get the ball to Richardson, it disrupted the Warriors' original play. Seeing this, with Richardson unable to initiate the offense immediately, Davis rushed forward and roared, "Give me that damn ball!"
The next second, Richardson successfully passed the ball to Davis. But as time dwindled... under the double-team of Kobe and Fisher, Davis struggled to find a passing lane or an opportunity to attack himself. At this point, Baron Davis, with a quick glance at Zack on the other side, showed his decisive side. After taking a deep breath, Davis, under the double-team, powerfully flung the ball to the other side of the court.
This was an extremely risky cross-court pass. Davis admitted there was an element of gamble. But he was gambling that... the tall and long-limbed Zack could use his static talent to get the ball before Odom and get a shot off!
At Staples Center, when Kobe turned back, he clearly saw Zack snatching the moon with one arm in mid-air. Then, Zack, who had already noticed there was still time before receiving the ball... even faked a shot to get Odom, who was attempting to block him, off balance.
At this moment, Zack, with a clear mind, jumped vertically and then shot the three-pointer that instantly captivated everyone's attention. Watching the ball fly through the air... Zack, who had previously discussed clutch shots with Evans, didn't experience any montage of flashbacks in his mind.
But for some reason... when he released the shot just now... he just knew it was going in. So, Zack almost instantly thought of his celebration move.
SWISH!
The next second, as the ball went in and the clock stopped, in the suddenly silent Staples Center, although the joy of the game-winner surpassed Zack's imagination, although his excited heart felt like it could burst from his chest at any moment, and though every cell in his body was trembling wildly, Zack still held back his excited heart, held back the blood already surging through his body...
On the court, Zack put his hands together, then placed them by his ear and slightly tilted his head, performing a "Goodnight" gesture to cap it off!
Golden State Warriors, Number 30 jersey, ending with a "Goodnight" gesture after a game-winner. In Zack's mind, it made perfect sense.
"Goodnight, Los Angeles!"
Note ①: Tom Izzo, the fiery coach of the Spartans team that was mentioned before. i has said many times, I never just throw in meaningless "Easter eggs" in my books. Also, thank you to all my reader "godfathers" for subscribing, and a special thanks to "NuH" for the Alliance Leader tip!
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