I've been playing in the NBA for three years, and this system is only now showing up?

Chapter 80 I've never played for a super team! National team recruitment! [Please subscribe]

而和他不断对喷的林泽，今晚只打了29分钟就17投11中，3分球6投5中拿下27分！

However, the biggest contributor to the Lakers' victory tonight was Shaquille O'Neal.

This terrifying big man racked up 43 points, 19 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 blocks, completely destroying the Pacers' interior defense.

However, in the second half, the referees intentionally controlled the game, committing several inexplicable fouls that sent the Pacers to the free-throw line, preventing the Lakers from extending their lead to 30 points.

In this situation, the Pacers even won by 10 points in the second half, and at the end of the game, they only lost to the Lakers by 16 points.

90: 106!

Although the final score difference wasn't large, anyone who watched the game knows it was an absolute massacre.

After such a match, the atmosphere during the post-match interviews was naturally like night and day.

O'Neal was so happy he almost wanted to break into a folk dance at the press conference, after all, this was the first time in his career that he had won a Finals game.

Jackson squinted throughout the game, extremely satisfied with the team's performance, but what pleased him even more was Lin Ze's humiliation and mockery of Miller during the game.

In the locker room after the game, Jackson directly named Lin Ze the team's MVP for the night, and the reason was simple.

"That trash talk will go down in history!" Jackson said. "The referee gave it to you, so you should eat it on your knees! Just for that line, even if Lin had gone 1-for-16 tonight, I would still have given him the MVP."

"Well deserved!" O'Neal was the first to applaud: "I'd trade with Lin! I'd rather Lin had scored 43 points and 19 rebounds tonight, and I'd be 1-for-16, but as long as I can say that trash talk, I'd trade with Lin!"

"That feels so good!"

Compared to the Lakers' team's almost-open-champagne celebration, the atmosphere on the Pacers' side was much worse.

Miller and Bird, who represented the team at the press conference, both looked extremely unhappy, and their attitudes were quite poor.

In this situation, Miller's answer contained an even higher level of "bitchiness".

A reporter counted that Miller answered four questions during the interview that night, mentioning "sister-in-law" 27 times.

He was extremely irritable.

For example, when a reporter asked him, "Jay Chou played terribly in the second half tonight, what do you think about this?" Miller replied as follows.

"Are you a fucking bitch? Or do you think I'm a bitch? Jay played badly, and you want me to blame him? What kind of bitch would complain about her teammates' poor performance in a situation like tonight? Unless she's a bitch, and her dad and mom are fucking bitches too, only then could she do something like this."

"There's only one reason we lost tonight: I played like a damn 65-year-old bitch. I played terribly. Even if you just grabbed any random bitch off the street, she would play more like a human being than me."

Miller's answers tonight fully demonstrate how devastating the Pacers' defeat was and how frustrated they were.

Miller, in particular, could hardly have had such a sloppy and terrible game in his entire career.

However, for the Pacers, losing a game is not the end of the world, especially when it's on the road.

To make matters worse for them, in the second game of the series, while Miller and Rose showed signs of improvement, the team's other role players couldn't keep up.

第二战中，米勒17投7中，3分球5投2中，罚球5罚4中拿下20分，罗斯更是大杀四方轰下35分之多，不过上一场表现惊艳拿下18分10助攻的杰克逊今晚只有7分入帐，施密茨和克罗希尔两人也状态糟糕。

The Pacers, whose core players had a breakout performance but whose role players underperformed, lost Game 2 of the series in Los Angeles.

This loss wasn't too bad; they still had a chance to win until the last three minutes of the game, with the gap between the two sides once only four points.

Then, at this moment, Bird unleashed the tricks that every team in the league used to deal with O'Neal.

Shark-cutting tactics!

In the final three minutes, whenever O'Neal got the ball, the Pacers would rush up to foul him, giving him no chance to handle the ball at all.

In three minutes, O'Neal went to the free-throw line a total of eight times, but the results of his free throws made Bird curse on the sidelines.

Shaquille O'Neal made 7 of 8 free throws tonight, his shooting was like Larry Bird's grandmother's.

Thanks to O'Neal's 7-for-8 free throws, the Lakers stabilized the situation and prevented the Pacers from catching up. They ultimately won the second game by 9 points!

O'Neal once again demonstrated his terrifying dominance tonight, with 44 points, 21 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks!

上一场是43+19+5+5，今晚是44+21+4+4！奥尼尔也成为NBA历史上，第一个能在总决赛的舞台上，连续两场轰下最少40+19+4+4的球员。

The dominance of a peak shark is evident!

After Shaq's two consecutive explosive performances, Wilmarcus, the number one Linze fan, said directly after the game: "If nothing unexpected happens in the later games, Shaq's Finals MVP this year is as certain as his MVP."

"I even think that even if the Pacers eventually come back from behind to win the series and become the champions, Shaq should still be named Finals MVP."

!

""

"What I'm more curious about," Kenny said, "is what the Pacers will do next? What kind of attempts will they make?"

"We can't expect O'Neal to miss free throws in the later games, can we?"

On the same night, O'Neal, who made 7 of 8 free throws in the final moments, was once again as happy as a 3000-pound child. He laughed heartily during the interview and even cosplayed as Miller after the previous game.

Last time, Miller called someone a bitch 27 times; tonight, O'Neal emphasized his new nickname to everyone 27 times.

"The big free throw shooter."

"I've said it over 100 times: although my free throws aren't usually that great, they're incredibly accurate in crucial moments! Trying to use the 'Hack-a-Shaq' strategy against me will only backfire! The great free throw shooter will make every shot and utterly destroy you!"

Lin Ze was always curious about O'Neal's habit of adding a big "big" before whatever nickname he gave himself.

As the saying goes, you want what you lack, and the less you have something, the more you like to show it off.

Shaquille O'Neal is always talking about how big he is. Could it be that he's missing something that's particularly big?

It's also worth mentioning that between Games 2 and 3 of the Finals, Paul Allen received a fine from the league. The league actually charged him with illegal recruitment and fined him $25000.

Rumors circulate that Jerry West was the one who reported and pushed this matter forward. He said that the guy had made more than 200 phone calls to the league in the past few days, insisting that Allen be punished no matter what.

I just wanted to have some fun.

如今的总决赛採用的还是2—3—2的赛制，这意味着总决赛的第3—5场将在印第安纳举行。

Although there has never been a case in NBA history of a team coming back from a 0-2 deficit in the Finals to win, the Indianapolis are clearly not going to give up.

They must defend their home turf!

Before Game 3 of the series began, Bird gathered the entire team at the training facility.

For the Pacers, the next game will be a do-or-die situation.

Losing two away games is actually somewhat acceptable, considering they really had a chance to win the second game, only losing to O'Neal's phenomenal free throws.

But if they lose at home again and the Lakers take a 3-0 lead, then there's really no point in continuing this series.

The good news is that even O'Neal himself doesn't believe he can make 7 out of 8 free throws every time he plays the "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy.

Bird addressed everyone, saying, "His free throw percentage in a series can't possibly exceed 55%! That's his true level. If he shoots well in one game, it means he won't shoot well in the next one! The last game was just a once-in-a-lifetime free throw explosion for Shaq."

"So, in the next game, we'll continue with our tactics, and not only continue, we'll intensify them! In the next game, if we accumulate five fouls in a single quarter, then every subsequent Lakers possession will require us to foul O'Neal!"

"Let him be punished!"

"I'd like to see how he maintains his free throw percentage!"

"As for the offense, I believe in you guys! Just play the way we practiced before, keep up our rhythm, and I'm sure we can win one more game tomorrow night!"

"No one has ever come back from a 0-2 deficit in the Finals before, because we've never been to the Finals!"

"Here we come!"

"Since there is no history before, then we will create history!"

Bird's words definitely had an effect, as the Pacers players raised their hands to express their determination.

At least for now, being down 0-2 hasn't made them despair. On the contrary, their journey from being underestimated to winning, their numerous upsets and comebacks from seemingly hopeless situations have made this team even more confident in these moments.

This is the mark Miller left on this team.

Even more than 20 years later, the Pacers' signature traits remain their indomitable comebacks and their united, passionate team spirit.

All Indians believe that with Miller around, anything is possible; with Miller around, any miraculous reversal is possible!

However, after the excited slogans and boosted morale, as everyone left the training hall, Miller silently lagged behind: "Larry, are you confident?"

"You coward, scared?" Bird didn't answer Miller's question, but instead showed a look of disgust.

"You're the one who's scared, you son of a bitch!" Miller cursed. "I'm just asking you, you idiot!"

"Oh, not at all confident." Bird shrugged rather nonchalantly. "To be honest, I have no way to deal with them. Their firepower is too intense, not only intense, but also balanced and multifaceted! What's even more absurd is that they can even get enough balls!"

"How can they assemble such a powerful super team? Yes, a super team! I've never seen such a shameless super team! This undermines the fairness of the league, it undermines the principles of fair competition! Old Nelson is an idiot too, he traded Lin away for nothing more than a washing machine? If he likes washing machines that much, I can give him two!"

"Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, Bill Walton, Pete Maravich, Archibald—" Miller showed no mercy to Bird, starting to rattle off Bird's Hall of Fame teammates who were comparable to the GOAT.

"What do you mean!" Bird glared angrily.

"It doesn't mean anything, I'm just helping you remember."

"There's no need for that!" Bird said. "I've never played for a super team anyway, so it's perfectly reasonable and justifiable for me to criticize them!"

Because the series involves traveling from Los Angeles to Indiana, the players have two full rest days between Game 2 and Game 3.

At this stage of the season, neither coach has scheduled any more training sessions; there's no need for them.

Now is the time to rest and recuperate. Both teams only let their players run around and shoot some hoops on the morning of the game, and they consider it a task completed if they break a little sweat.

Then, at 5 p.m., the two teams arrived at Conseco Arena in Indiana.

"The Lakers currently hold a significant advantage in this series. They are full of confidence from top to bottom, and they have a greater margin for error," Smith said before the game. "But the Pacers are in dire straits."

"They have no way out. This is their last step. If they win, they can keep their hopes alive. If they lose, it will be all over."

Wilmarcus said, "That's right, although it's not a true winor's homecoming, but if the Lakers win again tonight, they can start planning and arranging the details and route for the championship parade in advance."

"So we could see players from both teams showing up on the field two hours early to warm up, and even though the game wasn't going to start for another two hours, Conseco Arena was already about 80% full."

"The fans haven't given up! The Indiana fans are still burning with passion."

At this moment, countless reporters on the field had already begun their work.

Overseas media, in particular, seized this rare opportunity to conduct pre-match interviews with some players.

For example, a Dutch reporter found Schmitz, while Lin Ze was naturally recruited by two Chinese reporters, who were also tonight's commentators: Sun Zhengping and Su Qun.

"Long time no see, Lin." Su Qun and Lin Ze were old friends. It was through his personal connections that he pulled Lin Ze over, who had just finished warming up and was about to return to the locker room. "How was the Finals? Say hello to the fans back home too."

"Thank you all for your support. I will continue to work hard tonight. As for the finals, I'm actually used to it." Lin Ze said with a smile, "This is my third time participating in the finals."

"So how are you feeling right now? Is there anything you want to say?" Sun Zhengping asked.

"Paul Allen is a sore loser and a fraud."

"Huh?" Even someone as experienced as Su Qun was stunned. He never expected Lin Ze to say something like that.

"We made a bet, and I won. He was supposed to come to see one game each in Los Angeles and Indiana, but after watching one game in Los Angeles, he didn't come back. So he's a liar!"

"Haha, I didn't expect Xiao Lin and the Trail Blazers' owner to be friends." Sun Zhengping laughed. "Could the Trail Blazers be your next destination? Would you choose to join the Trail Blazers because of your personal relationship?"

"Huh?" Su Qun was stunned again. How could you ask this during a pre-match interview?

Mr. Sun, you're not an undercover agent sent from Indiana, are you?

Who asks their own people this kind of question before a match even starts?

Wouldn't this demoralize the troops?

"Maybe." Lin Ze reacted quickly. "But that's not important. I've never thought about those things. All I can say is that I'm completely focused on this final round. I won't consider anything else until I win the championship."

"So, one last question," Su Qun asked, "Will you represent the men's basketball team in Sydney for this year's Olympics?"

"Of course!" Lin Ze replied without hesitation, "After the finals, I'll rest for a few days and take care of some personal matters. I'm ready to report to the national team anytime. I've been looking forward to this day!"

"But I haven't received any calls, invitations, or notifications. I'm not familiar with China, and I don't know where to report," Lin Ze continued.

At this moment, at the training base of the Chinese men's basketball team on the other side of the ocean, a group of tall and strong men's basketball players were gathered together watching the game. When they heard Lin Ze say this, the first one to get excited was "God of War" Liu Yudong.

"What are we waiting for, Old Jiang? He's already said so, what are we waiting for? Let's bring him in!"

"If he comes in, you'll lose your starting position, Lao Liu," Hu Weidong joked from the side.

"So what if he doesn't come? If he did, we might be able to push for a spot! What's a starting player compared to that?" Liu Yudong said. "Besides, if he comes, it won't be me who's worried, it'll be Tiger or Lao Zheng."

"One of these two will have to be squeezed out of the national team by him."

"I can't squeeze out!" Sun Jun, nicknamed "Tiger King," said in a deep voice, "I'm at least better than Old Zheng."

"Fuck you!" Zheng Wu immediately objected. "Let's go outside and fight one-on-one. Let's see if I can kill you!"

"Will you two dribble the ball in a one-on-one match?" Liu Yudong asked expectantly. "If you don't dribble, I'll definitely watch the whole thing."

"Quiet! Everyone, quiet down!" Li Xiaoyong, who held considerable authority within the team, said, "Coach, why haven't we made a move yet? Or have you been preparing all along, just waiting for the finals to end?"

"Or is this kid just saying one thing and doing another, and he doesn't actually want to come at all?"

"Sigh." Jiang Xingquan, who had been silent all along, sighed and then said, "Some things can only be left to nature."

"Was it that idiot who wouldn't let him come?" Liu Yudong immediately guessed the reason behind it.

"Fuck you!" Hu Weidong cursed as well. "Is that idiot planning to ask him for a bribe?"

After a few sighs, Jiang Xingquan quickly adopted a coach's authority: "None of that matters! What matters is that we train hard, get into our best form, and give it our all in preparation!"

Amidst the initial indignation, the crowd finally quieted down and resumed watching the game.

Then, 20 minutes later, someone suddenly cursed: "#, why didn't anyone tell me that this sports channel broadcast an hour early, and the beginning was all nonsense, recaps, and interviews?"

At the Conceco Center, as the match was about to begin, all ten starting players from both sides walked onto the field.

Tonight, neither side made any changes to their lineup!

It's the same regular lineup as before.

However, judging from their eyes and demeanor, it's clear that they're both prepared to go all out tonight!

"beep!"

The referee blew the whistle to start the game, and the menacing O'Neal once again easily defeated Schmitz, with the Lakers inbounding the ball.

The start of this match wasn't much different from the previous two.

O'Neal still led the offense from the start, relentlessly attacking Schmitz. If double-teamed, he would pass the ball to Lin Ze and Kobe on the perimeter.

Rice and others seized the opportunity to shoot.

However, the Pacers played quite well on offense tonight. Instead of attacking the paint, they repeatedly shot from the outside.

Midway through the first quarter, the score was tied at 16-16, with neither side able to gain the upper hand.

However, with 5 minutes and 32 seconds left in the game, Bird was substituted after the referee blew the whistle again, calling a foul on Rose against Harper.

Davis was substituted by him, and veteran Sam Perkins was brought on.

This substitution has left many commentators and fans puzzled, after all, Perkins is 39 years old and is no longer the formidable player who averaged a double-double. In this season's playoffs, he is only averaging 3 points and 2 rebounds per game.

"I don't quite understand. Perkins is slow now, he can't guard Lin, he's weak and lacks height, so he can't guard O'Neal either," Smith said. "Why bring him up here?"

No sooner had Smith finished speaking than Perkins provided his answer.

When the Lakers inbounded the ball directly to O'Neal, this guy seized the opportunity and slashed at O'Neal's hand!

This moment fully revealed the veteran's ruthlessness and cunning.

He used almost all his strength, but his cuts were both ruthless and inaccurate; you could say he didn't hit the ball at all.

Of course, considering the guy's motive for making that cut, he might actually have made a very accurate cut.

O'Neal rubbed his sore wrist as he walked to the free-throw line.

Jackson, sitting on the sidelines, had his brows furrowed.

Something's not right, this foul is really wrong.

Bird brought Perkins in at this point because the Pacers had fouled out after Rose's foul, and they were in BONUS mode.

Every foul committed after this quarter, whether with or without the ball, whether a shooting foul or a regular foul, will result in the Lakers player being fouled by the Pacers receiving two free throws.

The rule was originally introduced to ensure the smooth flow of the game and prevent some unscrupulous head coaches from using tactics like unlimited fouls to disrupt the game's flow.

However, at times, this rule can become the culprit that destroys the smooth flow of the game.

"Bang! Bang!"

As expected, O'Neal at the free-throw line was not as accurate as he was in the previous game, making 7 out of 8 free throws in the crucial moments. He missed both free throws right from the start.

Turning back, the Pacers moved to the frontcourt. After a series of passes, Miller finally received the ball and pulled up for a three-pointer.

"Whoosh!"

With a crisp sound, the basketball swished through the hoop, giving the Pacers a 3-point lead!

Miller's three-pointer didn't cause the Lakers any trouble at all. He's Reggie Miller, after all. Don't even mention Kobe, even if you put Jordan and Pippen to tear him apart, he can still find opportunities to score 40+ points in a single game or hit a game-winning shot.

He can't possibly make 1 of 16 shots every night; there are some points he's certain to score.

The important thing is not how many points he can score, but whether the Lakers can respond and score more points.

Then, just as Hubble was about to dribble forward, the referee blew the whistle again, and the game stopped once more.

Perkins fouled O'Neal again, and O'Neal went to the free throw line once more!

"Fuck!" Jackson cursed. The scene he hated most had happened!

This kind of bottomless "Hack-a-Shaq" tactic will completely halt the Lakers' offense and disrupt the team's offensive rhythm.

We can only rely on O'Neal's free throws.

At the free-throw line, O'Neal did alright this time, making 1 of 2 free throws, not missing both.

But looking back, the Pacers were in top form at that moment. Schmitz received the ball in the mid-range, jumped, and made the shot again!

Two attempts to use the "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy resulted in the Lakers being outscored 5-1 by the Pacers!

However, the Pacers did not use the "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy for the third time in a row. Instead, they let the Lakers play a proper game. But because of the previous two "Hack-a-Shaq" plays, the Lakers were a bit complacent and thought the Pacers would foul again.

The Lakers were a bit of a surprise this time; they missed the shot, and it was the Pacers' offense again.

This time it was Rose's turn. He drove hard to the basket, drew a foul from O'Neal who was helping on defense, and successfully went to the free-throw line. After making both free throws, the Pacers' lead was already quite obvious.

In the next possession, just as the Lakers were about to regroup and launch a good offensive, the Pacers' "Hack-a-Shaq" came again, and Perkins grabbed O'Neal once more.

Go for the free throws!

Wilmarcus said, "As expected of the Pacers! As expected of the team led by Bird, their tactics are really dirty. This kind of intermittent 'Hack-a-Shaq' can easily make the opposing team uncomfortable and cause their mentality to collapse."

"If you don't know whether the Pacers will foul you or let you finish the offensive play properly, it's hard to control your mentality."

Smith said, "The same applies to the team that commits the foul; their rhythm is disrupted, and they find it difficult to find a comfortable offensive rhythm."

"The Pacers are the most tactically disciplined, have the most balanced and united players in the league. They have the most veterans in the league, and their point guard and assists are among the most consistent in the league."

"They have the ability and means to maintain their own rhythm while cutting down sharks, and they have a way to force themselves to play efficiently."

"From this perspective, the Pacers might be the team in the entire league best suited to use the 'Hack-a-Shaq' strategy."

Wilmarcus said, "But in any case, this game will definitely be long and very intense."

On the court, O'Neal missed one of two free throws again. On the turn of the game, although the Pacers' offense was not lacking, Schmitz took over Perkins' job and directly hugged O'Neal. This time, O'Neal missed both free throws, and Perkins was also substituted off the court.

He's committed three fouls, so Bird needs to conserve his energy and let someone else hug O'Neal!

Shaking his head helplessly, O'Neal went to the free-throw line again and missed both shots. He was now caught in a vicious cycle, getting more anxious the less accurate he was, and the more anxious he got, the more he missed the free throws.

Next, the Pacers executed a pretty good play: Miller broke through and found an open Rose, who scored with a reverse layup.

At this point, O'Neal had only missed two free throws out of eight attempts, and the Pacers used this time to outrun the Lakers 9-2, extending their lead to seven points.

Fortunately, there were only 2 minutes left in the first quarter. Jackson waved his hand and substituted O'Neal, who had been suffering on the court, to let him rest. It was indeed O'Neal's rest time.

Lin Ze also came off the bench at the same time as O'Neal. The Lakers were about to enter their rotation period, and Kobe and Rice would play for a while.

In the first possession after O'Neal came off the court, Kobe launched an attack from the top of the arc, drove to the basket and forced a layup, giving the team a slight respite.

In the next possession, Kobe, despite his less-than-perfect one-on-one defense, blocked Rose's shot, giving him a bloody block.

"You're not even as good as Lin! You're trash who can only be second in the Most Improved Player rankings, and you want to go one-on-one with me? What makes you think you can?" After the block, Kobe glared at Rose and started trash-talking him, which was a way of venting his frustration after the team's terrible run.

"No, what does he mean?" Lin Ze protested, spreading his hands and looking at Jackson. "Is he criticizing Rose or me?"

Seeing Lin Ze's expression, O'Neal couldn't help but burst into laughter, forgetting his earlier frustration: "Once we win the championship, this bastard will treat us!"

"Put his credit card as collateral at the casino!" Lin Ze added, but as soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly stood up.

Because at that moment, near the baseline, Kobe clutched his foot and lay on the floor!

The guy clutched his ankle and let out a heart-wrenching scream.

Rose was standing to the side, shaking his head with his hands outstretched, while the referees quickly stepped forward to stop Fox and Rice from rushing towards Rose.

At this moment, the big screen also replayed the scene from the previous round.

Kobe drives to the basket, pulls up for a jump shot.

Rose, who was defending him, made an obviously unreasonable and unnatural forward extension of his left foot when he landed.

That's when Kobe stepped on it.

Then Kobe clutched his foot and collapsed to the floor.

Although the referee quickly called a foul on Rose, the Lakers players who saw the play up close were not satisfied!

This was absolutely intentional!

Deliberately playing the ball!

Fox and Rice rushed towards Ross, demanding an explanation.

As soon as Lin Ze stood up, Jackson grabbed him around the waist, saying, "Don't be impulsive, don't go over there!"

"Calm down! We'd rather you stay on the court than rush over and beat Rose up."

"The Pacers are not the Jazz. If you take down Malone, the Jazz will be helpless. But the Pacers are well-rounded. No one on the team is more important than you, and no one on the team can contribute as much as you."

"You need to calm down!"

"That bastard!" Lin Ze was really furious at this moment.

That bastard actually attacked Kobe?

Damn it, they actually attacked Kobe?

Seeing Lin Ze's indignant and furious expression, even O'Neal quickly stood up and pressed Lin Ze back onto the bench.

Shaquille O'Neal couldn't help but say, "I really didn't know you and Kobe were so close."

"When we go up there later, I'm going to beat that bastard to death!" Lin Ze was naturally angry!

And then there was rage.

It's not that he and Kobe had a particularly good relationship.

On the contrary, he didn't like Kobe at all.

Every time he sees Kobe, he thinks of that disgusting braised egg. How could he possibly be on good terms with Kobe?

He was angry because Kobe's blindness would affect Kobe's training!

That "share the good times but not the bad" card is still in effect, and Kobe's time every single day is his own! If he were to be blind and bedridden for a month, who would make up for the amount of training Kobe missed that month?

Rose, can you fill in the gap?

How are you going to repay what you owe me?

He must be killed!

Lin Ze sat there, feeling utterly displeased.

At this point, the conflict on the field was nearing its end. The referee arrived in time, and the two sides were unable to actually fight. Miller stayed at the front to keep an eye on his younger brother and prevent the conflict from escalating.

Meanwhile, Kobe had already returned to the bench with the help of Fox and Rice.

"I'll be fine after sitting for a while," Kobe said as he came to the bench. "I don't feel any pain anymore."

But Jackson ignored the guy's words and looked at Vidi instead.

"That's bad." Viti sighed. "There's a high chance it's grade two acroblindness, or even grade three. We'll need an MRI to confirm."

"What?" Lin Ze couldn't help but exclaim, looking at Vidi: "At least level two? Doesn't that mean you'll have to rest for at least six weeks?"

"Most likely, yes." Vidi sighed. He and Kobe had a good relationship, but now that Kobe had suffered severe blindness, which basically meant his season was over, Vidi was in a terrible mood.

"Fuck! That damn bitch!" Lin Ze cursed, "I'll make her pay!"

"Actually, I'm fine. Don't listen to Gary's nonsense. He doesn't understand at all. I'm just—"

"Shut your mouth!" Lin Ze cursed. "Get back to the locker room and rest! We can do anything with you! Your full recovery is the most important thing!"

Lin Ze's words stunned Kobe.

He had the exact same thought as Jackson: "Lin and I—are we really that close?"

On the Pacers' bench, Miller glared at Rose and asked, "Was that intentional?"

"I—I am—" Ross opened his mouth to try to argue, but he couldn't say anything. He had never seen Miller so angry before.

Miller ignored him and looked at Bird instead.

He didn't say anything, he just stared.

Bird understood what he meant and shook his head.

Miller wanted to ask Bird if he had instructed Ross to do this, but he certainly couldn't directly confront Bird openly.

He has a bad temper and a foul mouth, but he's not an idiot; he knows there are some things you can't ask directly.

Fortunately, Bird shook his head, which relieved Miller.

At least my good friend hasn't reached the point where I'd do anything to him.

As for Rose?

Miller was at a loss for words.

Given his temperament, if this were a regular season game and someone on his team did something like that—deliberately kicking someone and injuring them—he would definitely be furious and outraged. He couldn't accept anyone on his team playing so unfairly!

But now it's the finals, and Miller finds himself unable to lash out no matter what.

He suddenly realized that he wasn't so noble as to advocate absolute fairness.

Even deep inside him, a devil was dancing and celebrating, telling him: This is a good thing, Niu Ji!

This is a golden opportunity for us to turn things around! Without Kobe, the Lakers' firepower isn't as terrifying!

The more Miller tried to banish these awful thoughts from his mind, the less he could, and the more he felt that this little bit of rambling didn't seem so bad.

Since I didn't instigate it or do it myself, why should I be so morally fastidious?

"Alright! It was an accident!" Bird quickly stated, defining the incident: "Jaylen didn't do it on purpose, it was a damn accident! I'm a former player, I've been sexually assaulted before, nobody hates this bastard more than me!"

"I believe in Jay Chou!"

Bird's words were somewhat of a blatant lie.

No matter how you look at it, that action was intentional, but for the sake of team unity and morale, Bird had to say it was an accident, even if he was just making things up.

Then, Miller, who was having a fierce internal struggle, finally said something he thought he would never say under any circumstances.

"If Jay Chou says he didn't do it on purpose, then I'll believe him!"

"I didn't mean to! Really, it was an accident!" Ross exclaimed, relieved. "I swear!"

"So let's forget about this bad accident. There's still a little over a minute left in the first quarter. They'll most likely put Lin in. We need to maintain our advantage and not let the Lakers close the gap."

"Alright, stay calm. We have the upper hand, we have the advantage, and now our advantage is even greater! The first quarter proved that our strategy was absolutely correct!"

"Alright, go! Let's maintain the point difference in the first quarter!"

When the forced official timeout ended, both teams' players returned to the field.

However, this time, neither team's key players were present. Miller, Rose, O'Neal, and Lin Ze, the top two players on both teams, were all resting on the bench.

Because the head coach wanted them to calm down, they had to sit on the bench and calm themselves down.

Neither side's bench players made any particularly noteworthy plays for the remainder of the quarter, and the first quarter ended relatively uneventfully.

21: 30!

Because of that "Hack-a-Shaq" move, the Lakers are now down by 9 points to the Pacers.

At the start of the second quarter, the Lakers had to change their rotation due to Kobe's blind spot.

Lin Ze stepped up at this moment, while O'Neal remained seated on the court.

This means that in this phase, Lin Ze will become the Lakers' primary offensive option, and he will be the main scorer.

"That bastard of yours, he's too scared to even get on the court?" Lin Ze taunted Miller as soon as he saw Rose wasn't playing. "You'd better not let him play at all this time!"

"I won't let him walk off the court intact! Fuck!"