687: 238: Tribute to Shaq—The Best Second-in-Command in the Basketball World (Vote for Monthly Ticket!)_3 687: 238: Tribute to Shaq—The Best Second-in-Command in the Basketball World (Vote for Monthly Ticket!)_3 The referees braced themselves, and from the gaze of the players from both teams, you could feel that kind of intensity.
But a few seconds later, Shaq loosened his fists.
The Lakers players managed to control their actions this time around, and as it turned out, a fight did work.
Even a beast like Shaq would behave himself after a beating.
The game started, and Shaq won the tip-off.
The Lakers’ triangle offense immediately spread out, a long-missed strategy.
O’Neal had the ball in the low post, with A.
Green and Glenn Rice starting to look for their sweet spots.
After Shaq received the ball, Pippen immediately started to double-team him, prompting Shaq to pass the ball out to Kobe on the perimeter.,
Pippen’s defense was fast, but Kobe’s three-pointer still hit its mark.
3 to 0, the cheers from the Staples Center represented their trust and affection for the OK duo.
After scoring, Kobe didn’t miss the opportunity to insult Pippen, “Back off, Scott, you know who my target is.
To me, you are just like an ATM.”
The Hawks responded, with Roger passing the ball to Marion, who was cutting to the post.
But with Shaq guarding the rim, Marion had no chance at the basket and had to pass the ball out.
The ball went to Pippen, but his three-pointer bounced off the rim.
Shaq grabbed the rebound and looked to pass directly to Kobe.
But as the basketball flew out, it was intercepted mid-way by Pierce, who suddenly burst forth!
Pierce had corrected his habit of recklessly going for steals but that didn’t mean he would miss those opportunities he was sure of.
Last summer, to enhance his game-reading ability, Pierce watched a lot of game tapes.
So he knew very well that in the triangle offense system, there’s no real place for the point guard.
After grabbing a rebound, O’Neal wouldn’t look for the hardly noticeable point guard first, but would definitely look for Kobe first!
Pierce successfully predicted this and cut off the pass from O’Neal to Kobe.
The moment he got the ball, Pierce immediately lobbed it into the post.
Shaq instinctively watched the basketball flying over his head and before he could jump, Roger had already grabbed the ball and slammed it into the basket over Shaq’s head!
“From Paul Pierce’s steal and assist, very beautiful!
We can all see that he’s indeed ready!”
After the basket, Roger deliberately muttered, “This second-in-command will ruin all of Kobe’s efforts.”
Shaq gritted his teeth, vowing that he would hit back next.
But in the next offense, Shaq’s hook shot under the basket missed.
Marion grabbed the rebound then pushed forward himself.
This was a distinct feature that set Marion apart from other power forwards; his ball-handling wasn’t great, but he could still quickly cross half-court.
The only worry was, he might run in the wrong direction.
After crossing the mid-court line, Marion passed the ball to Roger, who was immediately stuck to by Kobe.
Forced to pause outside the three-point line, Shaq took the chance to rush back to the post, foiling the Hawks’ counterattack.
Roger, eyeing Kobe, passed the ball to Pierce who was cutting in from the side.
Pierce took the ball and drove straight for the basket, securing his position against O’Neal, and successfully scored off the backboard!
The referee’s whistle blew as the basketball went through the net.
Pierce earned himself a chance at a three-point play!
Just now Paul Pierce assisted Roger for an alley-oop slam, and this turn, Roger assists Pierce for a successful cut and score.
Perhaps people haven’t realized it yet, but Atlanta’s duo is also very formidable!
In the hands of the agent, there now lies a sharp blade!”
Pierce, lying on the ground, let out a loud and excited roar.
Perhaps he still had some psychological shadows off the court.
But on the court, he would never falter again!
After the free throw hit, Pierce also looked at Shaq, “One day someone will present Shaquille O’Neal with a trophy inscribed with these words: ‘In honor of Shaq—the best second-in-command in the basketball world.’
Well, there was one more thing Roger got wrong.
Even stabbed 13 times, Paul Pierce never learned to shut his mouth.