THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Kobe dribbled again and again, but he simply couldn't shake Hill.
The roar of the arena filled his ears.
In the stands, the Magic fans were chanting a unified countdown.
For the last three minutes of the game, they had been doing this every time he touched the ball.
"10, 9, 8, 7…"
The sound was like a death knell.
Kobe was no stranger to high-pressure situations, but he still found it grating.
Odom rushed over to set a screen. The moment Hill ran into it, Kobe managed to find a sliver of space.
He didn't drive to the basket.
At this stage of the game, even a stamina monster like him felt like his legs were filled with lead.
With that momentary opening, Kobe opted for the shot.
CLANG! Another brick.
On the sideline, Jackson cursed in frustration. He knew Kobe was truly exhausted.
Yao Ming came up huge!
