One Year Left to Play

minutes and 39 seconds played, 9 points behind...

Anfernee Hardaway returned to the bench feeling very frustrated. Is the gap in skill really this big?

Frustration filled Anfernee Hardaway’s heart, but thinking about how O’Neal hadn’t attempted a single solo play in the first half yet was so proactive in grabbing rebounds... This unappeasable feeling quickly surpassed his frustration.

Although O’Neal was active when playing for the Magic, he wasn’t as proactive without ball possession like during his time with the Lakers!

Thinking about how O’Neal wanted to compete with him when he was with the Magic, but succumbed to that sophomore’s dominance after joining the Lakers...

"How am I worse than that guy!"

...

Kenny Anderson scored 7 points and 2 assists, Zhang Hao had 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block, O’Neal got 4 points and 3 rebounds, plus Barkley’s easy layup from Zhang Hao’s assist for a 2+1, totaling 20 points for the half... Del Harris reluctantly changed this lineup after the official timeout.

Even Doug Christie, who scored 0 points, played a major role in defense, while Barkley remained clueless about the outside world, focusing solely on his lazy playing style.

It really was hard to part, particularly facing Anfernee Hardaway’s Magic team, which interested Zhang Hao and stirred revenge in O’Neal. Otherwise, seeing teammates so united and aggressively engaged would be rare.

But no choice, substitutions needed to be made. Doug Christie and Barkley were replaced, Kenny Anderson, Zhang Hao, and O’Neal continued playing, with George Lynch and Byron Scott joining in.

The Magic sent in Kenny Smith, Anfernee Hardaway, Dennis Scott, Derek Strong, and Horace Grant.

Enhancing space leverage, boosting wing mobility, similar to how other teams faced the Lakers, the Magic chose to improve offense.

In some sense, this illustrated the Lakers’ ruling power — during the peak of the stout play era, they forced opponents to focus on offense.

It was rather unique.

Following the timeout, the Magic attacked.

George Lynch defended Anfernee Hardaway at the top, but a hesitation step allowed Anfernee Hardaway to slip by!

Despite having a better physique and decent defense, George Lynch clearly fell short compared to Doug Christie. In Anfernee Hardaway’s eyes, it was like going through a sieve.

Anfernee Hardaway drove inside, O’Neal already moved to the right side of the three-second area, while Zhang Hao retreated to cut off Anfernee Hardaway’s left passing lane.

Meanwhile, high above, left open by Zhang Hao, was Derek Strong without shooting ability—under usual circumstances, Anfernee Hardaway would pass it out for teammates to support, with O’Neal ahead and George Lynch behind...

Yet this time, Anfernee Hardaway didn’t pass, instead jumped against O’Neal, pulled up and tossed in the shot under pressure...

The ball went in!

The whistle blew, the shot counted, and O’Neal committed a foul by hitting the hand!

Hard to believe this shot went in!

Zhang Hao was prepared to grab the rebound, yet Anfernee Hardaway managed a 2+1 on O’Neal!

Anfernee Hardaway’s additional free throw went in as well, putting the score at 14-20, a 6-point difference.

Now it was the Lakers’ turn for offense, O’Neal needed a solo play, while Kenny Anderson needed to rest, and Zhang Hao stretched the space out wide.

As soon as O’Neal caught the ball, Derek Strong closed in, and with one hit, O’Neal pushed Horace Grant back into the charge area when Derek Strong arrived to trap!

In the starting phase, O’Neal would pass the ball to Zhang Hao, open at the baseline.

But with Horace Grant paired with Derek Strong, it was like allowing an open dunk!

O’Neal forcibly jumped, aiming to dunk on both... Only to have Horace Grant grab and pin down his arm, disrupting the attempt, the whistle blew, Horace Grant committed a defensive foul!

O’Neal stepped to the free-throw line, missing both shots.

O’Neal’s free-throws were unpredictable, some good games, some bad, back and forth...

The Lakers were keenly ready, with Zhang Hao immediately retreating to defense, as expected, Anfernee Hardaway rebounded and launched a counterattack, Zhang Hao guarding the basket, while Kenny Anderson closely followed interference.

Anfernee Hardaway looped around under the basket before running out again.

By then, the entire Lakers team had returned on defense, and the Magic team had also arrived in the front court, with Derek Strong cutting inside after Anfernee Hardaway pulled out, attracting O’Neal, Zhang Hao shadowing Anfernee Hardaway out...

The Lakers thwarted the Magic’s fast break attempt, but it turned into Zhang Hao defending Anfernee Hardaway alone!

Faced with Zhang Hao’s defense, Anfernee Hardaway aggressively retreated a step for a long two-point shot that hit the mark!

16-20, Anfernee Hardaway hit two consecutive shots over O’Neal and Zhang Hao!

This infuriated both Zhang Hao and O’Neal, each eager to go front court, demand the ball, and regain face, yet as O’Neal rushed forward, former Rockets guard Kenny Smith gave him a push...

The whistle blew, Kenny Smith was called for a foul!

Moreover, after the decision, the referee came directly to stand in front of Kenny Smith to block him.

Since O’Neal turned wanting to charge forward, Zhang Hao stopped him from the side.

Kenny Smith, traded from the Rockets, showed improvement in shooting this year, averaging 1.5 three-pointers per game with a 41% success rate.

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