Therefore, for the Cavaliers, Game 5 is a must-win.
Of course, it’s the same for the Lakers, who have no way out.
The day before Game 5, the Lakers held an open training session at Staples Center.
Kobe participated in the first half of the Lakers’ training, and during the second half, when the full-court match was ongoing, he sat by the sidelines to rest.
This made the journalists alert.
It’s uncertain if James is really injured, but Kobe certainly had quite a few injuries this year.
Especially since entering the playoffs, his elbow and knees have been carrying injuries.
A 38-year-old body is ultimately not the same as a 28-year-old one; the degradation in body function increases the risk of injuries.
Journalists inquired about Kobe’s injury status.
"I’m very healthy, and I will play in Game 5. As I’ve said, unless I leave the court lying down, nothing can stop me from playing."
Setting aside character and skills, Kobe’s competitive spirit is on par with Jordan’s.
"We’ve completed one before, and we certainly have the chance to complete a second." Facing the current situation, Kobe also showed an optimistic attitude.
He can only be optimistic; James’s performance in the finals has not been good. As the Lakers’ remaining pillar, if he doesn’t act that way, what awaits the Lakers in Game 5 would be a defeat.
Game 5 at Staples Center, the attendance rate was packed.
However, compared to the previous enthusiasm, more worries were seen on the faces of the Los Angeles fans now.
Especially when the pre-game footage showed this year’s championship trophy and those present staff.
Watching someone else lift the trophy at home, and with the opponent creating history with the championship, such a taste would not be pleasant.
Before the game, the camera frequently focused on Kobe.
During pre-game warm-up, Kobe just made a few simple shots before sitting on the sidelines.
Under the camera, his eyes were resolute, but he also gave off a feeling of a hero fallen into old age.
When the Lakers reached the finals, he gained the possibility of a fairy tale ending.
But now, he might conclude in a regretful manner just like his idol Jordan, who he deprived of a fairy tale-like All-Star ending.
After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups for both sides were announced, unchanged from the previous game.
But once the game began, Kobe made his adjustments.
He didn’t go all out from the start like the last game; instead, he played a supportive role on the weak side.
Moreover, he didn’t match-up with Hansen in defense, leaving that task to Delavadova.
Perhaps he wanted to conserve energy for the second half, as that’s where the game’s outcome would be decided.
The good news was that after returning to the home court, James’s performance warmed up.
Moreover, the rest of the Lakers team played impressively.
By the end of the first quarter, the two teams were tied at 29.
The start of the second quarter saw the Cavaliers suddenly launch an 8-0 run, forcing Scott to call a timeout.
This surge was led by Williams and Conningham, two old Knights. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on 𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕·𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚎·𝚗𝚎𝚝
With the final moments at hand, their desire to win was stronger than ever before.
However, the Cavaliers didn’t completely pull away in this quarter, because Love showed his performance.
This giant who had little presence in the finals, precisely speaking, had little presence since losing weight, was precise shooting from the outside.
He shot four three-pointers in the first quarter, helping the Lakers maintain the score.
By halftime, the score was 58 to 55, with both sides evenly matched.
From the halftime performance, apart from Kobe, the other Lakers played well, marking their best game since entering the finals.
This transformed the Lakers fans’ previous worried expressions into enthusiasm.
When they returned from the halftime break, they instantly shouted the most classic slogan as the second half began:
But shortly after the game began, Hansen suppressed that cheer.
Since entering the finals, Hansen’s overall performance was standard; averaging only 29 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 9 assists in the first four games, his scoring was significantly lower than in the conference finals.
On one hand, he devoted more energy to defense, and on the other, the Lakers didn’t give him as much pressure as the Heat did.
But tonight the Lakers played well, so he started to exert himself.
Because if the Lakers drag the game into the fourth quarter, playing at home, they indeed could create a miracle.
Delavadova couldn’t stop Hansen, so the Lakers had to use more double-team defense, but still couldn’t stop Hansen.
Hansen scored 10 consecutive points with a combination of attacks and shots, stretching the lead to double digits, and forced the Lakers to call a timeout.
The Lakers fans on-site were restless.
The pressure Hansen brought was even more suffocating than Jordan back in the day.
During the timeout, the camera focused on Kobe again.
The live LED screen showed Kobe’s stats for the night.
Up to now, he only had 8 points.
When the Lakers needed Kobe the most, he unexpectedly didn’t step up.
Only then did the TNT Big Three, commentating at the scene, realize something.
Kobe’s whole abnormality tonight wasn’t because he was saving energy for the second half; he was simply affected by injuries impacting his performance!
Reviewing all pre-game details, this is the most reasonable explanation.
However, just as the Big Three concluded this, after the timeout, Kobe finally switched on his offensive mode.