One Year Left to Play

Zhang Hao fully understood why Kobe, Jordan, and others loved to shoot, loved going one-on-one, and loved taking charge at critical moments...

Because, although there’s frustration when missing, the thrill of scoring and competing with the opponent is incredible!

After more than a year, Mr. Zhang gradually had the opportunity to do such things!

to 24, the Lakers lead by two points again!

In the last two minutes of the first quarter, Zhang Hao scored 4 points and got 1 assist, while Anfernee Hardaway scored 5 points and got 1 assist.

At the end of the first quarter, the Lakers led 33 to 32 by one point, heading into the break.

Anfernee Hardaway displayed a ferocious performance in the first quarter with 22 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 1 steal.

Zhang Hao scored 14 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, got 2 assists, made 2 steals, and 1 block; O’Neal had 6 points and 3 rebounds, Kenny Anderson had 7 points and 2 assists.

Even with the violent 20+ performance from Anfernee Hardaway in the first quarter, the Lakers managed to withstand it!

Despite O’Neal being taken out, the Lakers still held a slight lead at the end of the first quarter.

However, compared to the Magic, there were significant risks in the Lakers’ first quarter performance.

The Magic were accustomed to a star-centered playing style, with other players receiving and shooting, reminiscent of last season when O’Neal scored 41, Anfernee Hardaway scored 30, leading to an 82 to 75 victory over the SuperSonics.

But the Lakers’ scoring had always been balanced, whereas tonight, most of the scoring came from Zhang Hao, O’Neal, and Kenny Anderson.

Apart from these three, only Barkley and James Robinson both scored 3 points; nobody else scored!

In fact, other players rarely got a chance to shoot; in the first quarter, the Lakers attempted 20 shots, with 16 coming from those three! The rest only combined for 4 attempts.

In the second quarter, the Lakers deployed a lineup of Fisher, Doug Christie, the Magician, Jason Williams, and Zhang Hao.

The Magic sent out Anfernee Hardaway, Gerald Wilkins, Dennis Scott, Horace Grant, and Danny Shaye.

After the second quarter began, the Magic had a clear defensive target; Zhang Hao was double-teamed as soon as he received the ball! It wasn’t waiting until Zhang Hao was in the shooting area, but immediate double-teaming!

Doug Christie and Fisher each missed a shot consecutively over two possessions, while the Magic, starting offensively this quarter, showed high efficiency, hitting 3 of their 2 shots, relying on Danny Shaye’s assist and Dennis Scott’s catch-and-shoot three-pointer, taking a 37 to 33 lead over the Lakers!

Doug Christie took the initiative to attack on his own, but his smooth pull-up long two-pointer missed as well, allowing Anfernee Hardaway to seize the opportunity for a stop-and-pop in transition, scoring once again.

to 33, at the beginning of the second quarter, the Magic overtook and led the Lakers by 6 points.

At this moment, Zhang Hao stepped up, catching the ball on the baseline only to face immediate double-teaming. The opposition ignored the Lakers’ long-range shooters outside the free-throw line and sidelines and focused on double-teaming him and defending the basket. This gambling defense indeed paid off as the Lakers kept missing in the second quarter.

Since this was the case, he decided to catch the ball on the left side of the arc!

When Zhang Hao caught the mid-range ball on the baseline, the opponents, if ignoring the three-point shooters, would directly double-team Zhang Hao, having ample time to prevent a drive-in.

But when Zhang Hao shifted to the left side of the arc, Magic players could only single-defend. Dennis Scott decided to closely guard him, but upon receiving the ball, Zhang Hao turned, pushed Dennis Scott away, and directly broke through!

The strongest first step triggered! When Zhang Hao faced an opponent with less strength, breaking through immediately upon receiving the ball, any confrontation wouldn’t affect his start, and if the opponent failed to obstruct his path or hinder his breakthrough, he would fully accelerate!

The Magic had already prepared for double-teaming Zhang Hao’s breakthrough. Horace Grant’s help defense was indeed top-notch, but he was a step too slow. Zhang Hao stormed to the basket, took a stride, leaned on Danny Shaye, and made a floater!

to 39, Zhang Hao’s breakthrough layup helped the Lakers stop the bleed.

The Magic attacked, Anfernee Hardaway’s breakthrough couldn’t shake off Doug Christie, but stuck closely, he managed to make a quick floater before Zhang Hao could help defend within the three-second area, scoring two more...

He’s got 26 points!

Coming back, Zhang Hao once again executed the same tactic as the previous play; this time, Horace Grant sent Danny Shaye to help defend against Zhang Hao’s mid-range shot, while Horace Grant stayed under the basket, defended almost perfectly, but Zhang Hao, after jumping, switched the ball from right to left hand, and dunked it in!

Air switch hand slam! Horace Grant did a great job interfering with the shot, but due to age, his explosiveness wasn’t what it used to be during his time with the Bulls, and his height didn’t match up to Danny Shaye and Ronnie Seikaly.

Just like how the Lakers couldn’t handle the frenzied Anfernee Hardaway, the Magic couldn’t handle Zhang Hao.

On the Magic’s side, relying on Anfernee Hardaway’s breakout, the team offense played better and better.

The Magic’s team offense involves Anfernee Hardaway attracting defense, and others either making catch-and-shoot plays or passing once more before shooting.

Compared to the first quarter’s earlier phase when Anfernee Hardaway orchestrated high-low mismatches without the immediate constraint of defending without the ball, which didn’t allow earlier double-teaming, this is advantageous for Zhang Hao’s side, but not necessarily for Anfernee Hardaway. Currently, with Hardaway relentlessly breaking through, his touch remains scorching, and the Lakers indeed have no answer for him.

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