Chapter 734 - 659: Let Me Win Once, Once Is Enough

Chapter 734: Chapter 659: Let Me Win Once, Once Is Enough

The game began.

The two teams’ lineups remained the same.

Magic: Howard, Drew Gooden, Hill, Tracy McGrady, Jamal Nelson.

Lakers: Yao Ming, Odom, Devon George, Raja Bell, Kobe.

Kobe brought the ball up the court.

This was an adjustment Jackson had made starting in Game 3.

He hoped to use Raja Bell’s defense to limit Tracy McGrady. This would prevent Kobe from having to expend too much energy guarding McGrady, allowing him to focus on scoring.

Fisher was experienced and steady, but he was getting old, and his defense was truly lacking.

After halftime, however, Gentry also made an adjustment, having Tracy McGrady proactively switch to guard Kobe.

The current Magic team was, in fact, just like the Bulls of old. If Hill was Jordan, then Tracy McGrady was Pippen.

Hill was the original successor to Jordan. After developing a three-point shot with Chen Yu’s help, he became a complete and unstoppable player.

Meanwhile, Tracy McGrady’s role from the start was that of a defensive spearhead.

He played the part of the second-in-command, primarily focusing on defending the opponent’s core superstar. On top of that, if Hill’s shot was off, he would take over the scoring duties.

Pippen had played the exact same role back in the day.

He had the height, the wingspan, and the speed. From the very beginning, he had what it took to be a top-tier defender.

This year, he was even named to the All-Defensive Second Team.

As for the offense, that was still left to Hill.

The two teams had already played five games. All the clever schemes and surprise tactics had been used up.

Now, it was a battle of wills, a clash of superstars.

The Lakers’ strengths and weaknesses were obvious.

Yao Ming could dominate Howard with his height advantage.

Kobe also possessed the league’s most elite ability to break down defenses.

Their flaw was on the wing; they had no one suitable to defend Hill.

Devon George and Luke Walton were both poor defenders. Trying to stop a top-tier small forward like Hill with them was a fool’s errand.

The only option was to double-team him.

Have Odom, or even Raja Bell and Kobe, come over to trap him.

But that would leave someone open.

Tracy McGrady was no slouch, and Drew Gooden had a decent mid-range jumper.

Jackson, of course, knew this weakness. All season long, he had been searching for a suitable role player.

After clearing Gugliotta’s large contract, the Lakers had plenty of salary cap space and were willing to spend.

The problem was, they didn’t want average players, and they couldn’t get great ones.

At the beginning of the season, there were media reports that the Lakers were interested in acquiring the Pacers’ defensive stalwart, Artest.

Unfortunately, that incident at Auburn Hills got Artest suspended.

So Jackson had held off on making a move.

Chen Yu actually knew what he was thinking. Jackson was still fixated on Kirilenko.

He believed that the tall and versatile Kirilenko would be the final piece of the Lakers’ championship puzzle.

Unfortunately, Kirilenko had already signed a large contract with the Jazz, and it wouldn’t be easy for the Lakers to acquire him.

Therefore, throughout the entire series, Jackson’s biggest headache was how to deal with Hill.

Returning for the second half, Jackson had clearly intensified the defense on Hill.

He just sent the double-team, no longer caring if it left someone open.

Hill had exploded for 17 points in the first half, a performance no worse than Kobe’s.

But sitting on the sidelines, Chen Yu still felt that Jackson’s choice was somewhat problematic.

He shouldn’t be focusing on how to completely lock down Hill.

The duo of Hill and Tracy McGrady was the most formidable wing combination in the league.

You could say that no person, no team in the entire league, could truly contain them.

Relying on them, surrounded by a bunch of role players, they could make it to the Finals year after year, even if it was in the less competitive East.

So, stopping one would inevitably mean leaving the other one open.

In Chen Yu’s view, Jackson should have been focusing on exploiting the Lakers’ advantages.

The playoffs, after all, are a contest of strengths versus weaknesses.

So where was the Lakers’ greatest advantage? Not with Kobe on the perimeter, but with Yao Ming in the paint.

Howard was very strong, but his height was a critical disadvantage. He also lacked technique and experience. No matter how you looked at it, he was no match for Yao Ming.

In the first half, Yao Ming had put up 11 points and 7 rebounds.

Howard, however, only had 5 points to his name on low shooting efficiency.

Aside from finishing easy looks at the rim, he really didn’t have many moves. His mid-range shot and hook shot were both ineffective.

So they should have been attacking that specific point.

Yao Ming shouldn’t have just 11 points; he should have had 21.

Perhaps in Jackson’s mind, a 20-and-10 game from Yao Ming was enough.

But in such a crucial game, he could have been the decisive factor, dropping 30 points or even more.

Unfortunately, Jackson still chose to trust Kobe.

And as for Kobe, he had a kind of innate self-confidence in his bones. The more critical the moment, the more he believed in his own ability to solve any problem.

He was capable of using his individual talent to efficiently score 21 points and lead the Lakers to a lead, but it really wasn’t the best option.

And on the ever-changing court, sometimes a choice is truly crucial. A single deviation in thought could predetermine the outcome.

Still, this game was truly a sight to behold.

The clash between the two number one draft picks from ’02 and ’04.

Then there was Grant Hill, the original successor to Jordan, seeing if he could reach the summit and truly prove himself.

Hardaway had already proven himself; only Hill was left.

And the showdown between Kobe and Tracy McGrady, two of the "Four Great Shooting Guards."

There were just too many storylines.

This year’s Finals ratings had unexpectedly exploded, leaving Stern grinning from ear to ear.

On the court, the positions had become a complete mess.

After Tracy McGrady guarded Kobe, Hill would take a turn.

Hill was double-teamed, Kobe was double-teamed, and even Yao Ming got to "enjoy" being double-teamed.

"What a play!"

Chen Yu couldn’t help but stand up and applaud for Hill along with the rest of the crowd.

Catching the ball while matched up against Kobe, he didn’t wait for Raja Bell to rush over for the double-team. He drove to the basket, giving Kobe a solid bump first. The contact was so strong it made Kobe freeze for a split second. But after the momentary clash, Hill seemed completely unaffected. He paused, then exploded forward again.

With that one step, he blew past Kobe.

Then, facing the help defense from Odom, he showed no fear, rising forcefully to complete a poster dunk.

After landing, he tilted his head back and roared, venting all his pent-up emotions.

’How many years has it been!’

’From the year I entered the league, I was the superstar everyone was waiting for.’

’They called me Jordan’s successor, expecting me to become the next face of the league.’

’But in six years with the Pistons, I never had a breakthrough.’

’The doubts started to creep in, because the year after I left the Pistons, they broke through the first round.’

’I wanted to prove myself too. To prove that I also had the ability to lead a team to a championship.’

’I’m a proud man to the core.’

’If I weren’t, could I have been so self-disciplined, so demanding of myself for a decade without fail?’

’Every summer, when others were taking their wives and kids on vacation, I was always the first one to arrive in Phoenix to train with Chen Yu and improve my game.’

’I developed a three-point shot. I worked on my defense until it was stronger. My drives, my post game—I worked on everything I possibly could.’

’Year after year, I made it to the Finals, and year after year, I was eliminated!’

’The winner feels joy, but no one knows the anguish of finishing second.’

’And I’ve felt that anguish for several years now.’

’This year, I feel, is the most hopeful year yet. So I want to give it one more all-out push while I’m still 33, while I can still play!’

’I’ve already thought it through. If I win the championship this year, I’ll step aside and make way for the younger generation.’

’I know Tracy McGrady is outstanding, incredibly talented. He’s just been overshadowed by my spotlight. He has the potential to become a scoring champion, to dominate the league.’

’And Howard... what a good kid.’

’That’s why I can’t lose this year.’

Taking a deep breath, Hill once again stood in front of Kobe.

He could see the impatience on Kobe’s face.

’This young man, after forcing out O’Neal, is just as desperate to prove himself.’

Despite a series of fakes, Kobe still couldn’t shake Hill.

He opted for a tough shot, pulling up abruptly from his dribble and launching a drifting mid-range jumper.

Hill contested it as best he could, but the ball took a friendly bounce and still dropped into the hoop.

Hill knew that Kobe was just as hardworking.

’But I think Kobe still has a problem,’ Hill thought. ’He can be confident, but he should also trust his teammates. For example, that big guy inside.’

’But I have teammates I can trust.’

When faced with a double-team, Hill didn’t hesitate to pass the ball.

Tracy McGrady cut to the basket, caught the pass, and in one motion, leaped up for a reverse layup to score.

’What a great kid!’

In Tracy McGrady, Hill saw a reflection of his younger self.

’Let me win. Just let me win once. Once is enough!’

Hill turned and ran back down the court, his gaze more determined than ever before.