Free Web NovelChapter 609: Chapter 187: Me, 3
Under immense pressure, the Lakers didn’t lose their composure because they had Zhang Hao!
Sensing Zhang Hao’s determination to fight back, his teammates didn’t give up!
At the beginning of the second quarter, facing Robert Horry’s switch on defense, Zhang Hao hit two consecutive turnaround fadeaways from the baseline.
Then followed by a three-pointer from the top of the arc, scoring 7 points in a row.
Although the Rockets scored 5 points during this period, the Lakers didn’t significantly close the gap, but at least they ensured offense at the start.
This momentum continued halfway through the second quarter, but once Olajuwon returned, it reverted back to the old style. The Lakers performed better than the first quarter, scoring 27 points in the second quarter, while the Rockets only scored 23.
to 58, the Lakers were down by 9 points at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Lakers collapsed...
With 18 to 25 in the third quarter, the Lakers lost another 7 points in a single quarter, trailing by 16 points heading into the final quarter.
Despite scoring 27 to 19 in the final quarter, Olajuwon was resting the whole period, with Drexler and Kenny Smith leading the Rockets.
Olajuwon played 29 minutes, made 12 of 19 shots, scoring 25 points, with 11 rebounds and 7 assists; Sam Cassell played 37 minutes and scored 27 points with 5 assists; Horry made 7 of 12 shots, scoring 17 points; Drexler scored 13 points with 9 assists.
For the Lakers, Zhang Hao made 6 of 14 shots, and 5 out of 5 free throws, scoring 17 points with 7 rebounds and 2 assists; George Lynch scored 25 points; Van Exel, under Cassell’s defense, made 5 of 13 shots, only scoring 15 points with 6 assists at less than a 40% hit rate; Magician scored 8 points with 5 assists...
to 102, the Lakers lost almost without resistance at home against the Rockets!
...
The difference in top star power, playoff experience, was evident in the first game of the series between the Lakers and Rockets.
As anticipated, the Lakers lost the first game.
The deficit wasn’t large, only 8 points, but the Lakers seemed just like the Utah Jazz, appearing powerless.
With the Utah Jazz from last year, Phoenix Suns, Spurs, Magic, and this year’s Utah Jazz "pearls before," the Lakers’ home advantage was taken by the Rockets, not subjecting the Lakers to much public criticism... Mainly because Zhang Hao was enduring the pressure.
Who let him make All-NBA First Team in his rookie season?
Despite Jordan’s 70-win MVP performance and Payton getting DPOY and defensive acclaim couldn’t steal the limelight.
Yet under immense pressure, Zhang Hao’s personal performance improved in the second game!
After one day of rest and preparation, on May 6, the Lakers hosted the second game against the Rockets.
Relying on Zhang Hao’s performance of 18 shots made, with 3 three-pointers and 5 out of 5 free throws, scoring 24 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 blocks, he successfully motivated his teammates; Van Exel performed well tonight, scoring 26 points with 4 assists, Zhang Hao under heavy pressure, seized the opportunity to shoot, benefiting Van Exel the most.
And Zhang Hao managed to shoot, not only because he took firmer shots and ran sharper routes but also thanks to Magician’s passing, who scored 9 points with 11 assists, performing well tonight.
Although Olajuwon made 8 of 11 shots, scoring 22 points with 7 rebounds and 8 assists, this time the Rockets couldn’t suppress the Lakers’ team offense.
to 98, the Lakers narrowly won against the Rockets at home, tying the series 1-1!
...
Relying on teamwork to avoid falling behind 0-2 at home in the second game, on May 9, the Lakers challenged the Rockets in an away game, with the pace of the game painfully slow, and the pace control was initially executed by the Lakers, aiming to exhaust, utilizing Zhang Hao’s good stamina and recovery ability for critical moments.
Indeed, the Lakers limited the Rockets to 60 points in the first three quarters, however, the Lakers as a team only scored 55 points.
In the final quarter, the Lakers successfully launched a counter-offensive surge, Zhang Hao blazed through scoring 16 points and 2 assists, helping the Lakers score 29 points in the quarter!
But, the Rockets held firm!
The Rockets resolutely played slow in half-court battles, not like a playoff fringe team such as the Kings, having weathered many storms, with steady offense, Olajuwon scored 6 points and 3 assists in the final quarter, Drexler scored 8 points in the period, Cassell scored 11 points in the period, the Rockets scored 28 points in the final quarter, defying the Lakers’ counter-offensive surge! ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
Despite Zhang Hao elevating his game to score 31 points throughout the game, the final score was 84 to 88, as the Lakers regrettably lost to the Rockets by 4 points, failing to seize back the home-court advantage away.
On May 11, in the third game, the Lakers came out strong yet regrettably lost, despite Zhang Hao’s ability to lead and boost team morale, this game ended in a collapse.
to 113, the Lakers’ defense collapsed, although showing the best offensive performance of the series, with three players scoring over 20, Doug Christie scored 26 points, Van Exel scored 23 points, Zhang Hao scored 21 points, but the defense was abysmal.
to 3, the Lakers are on the brink of elimination!
...
On May 14, 1996, the Lakers’ dream season journey ended.
Back at home, the Lakers played liberally, changing the rhythm again, Zhang Hao made 11 of 26 shots, including 3 of 8 three-pointers, and 5 out of 5 free throws, scoring a second single-game 30+ in the series, adding Magician’s 20 points, 8 assists, Van Exel’s 15 points, 7 assists, Campbell’s 15 points, 8 rebounds, Jason Williams’s 15 points, 18 rebounds... The Lakers scored 112 points overall.
But faced with Olajuwon’s triple-double performance of 35 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists in his career’s twilight, it was all in vain.
to 125, the Lakers lost at home, 1 to 4, eliminated!
As the final whistle sounded, Zhang Hao, who played the entire game with 48 minutes, scoring 30 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks, was immediately surrounded by journalists.
"Aix, what do you think of your team’s performance this season?"
It was a reporter from Sports Illustrated, friendly, considered quite kind.
Zhang Hao replied: "This season was very important for me personally, I learned how to play in a team, constantly improving, we as a team are getting better and better."
"As the number one seed in the West, eliminated in the second round, winning only 4 games in the entire playoffs, facing the defending champions, winning only 1 game, where do you think the problem lies? What’s the reason for losing?" freewёbnoνel.com
Zhang Hao glanced at the Boston Global reporter: "Me.
The problem lies with me, the reason we were eliminated is because I am not good enough."
