May 21st.
The Eastern Conference Finals had yet to tip off, but Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals was already underway in Portland.
From the jump, the Lakers went all-in on their newly adopted "God-killing" tactic—a stretch offense that pulled their twin towers, O'Neal and David Robinson, out of the paint. The moment it was set in motion, Kobe Bryant knew: his time had come.
Since Robinson's arrival earlier in the season, the Lakers' interior had become crowded, pushing Kobe's offensive touches into the background and burying his dominance in the low post. It didn't sit well with him—but he understood. Facing Zhao Dong's absurd offensive efficiency, LA had no choice but to focus inside.
Still, he'd been waiting for this. Now that the offense was shifting away from low-post bullying, his confidence surged like a reset shot clock.
On the first play, with Robinson stepping out to screen, Kobe burst past the wall and drew a foul from Brian Grant—and one. The ball dropped through the net as Kobe flexed subtly, soaking in the crowd's silence.
With that single move, Phil Jackson's confidence surged. He barked instructions from the sideline—keep the floor spaced, keep the inside stretched, keep Kobe free.
But Zhao Dong had seen this before.
In the leagues of the future, this kind of tactic—pulling bigs out to shoot and stretch the floor—was commonplace. What the Lakers were running now was only a basic prototype. No switch-heavy defense. No five-out motion. Just rudimentary spacing.
Still, it worked—for now.
As Kobe lined up for the free throw, Zhao jogged to the sideline to quickly confer with Larry Bird. Within seconds, the Trail Blazers changed their defensive scheme: from pure zone to a hybrid. Zhao Dong would shadow Kobe full-time. Everyone else held the zone.
The Blazers attacked on the next possession. Both teams now mirrored each other: stretch offense, hybrid defense. It had become a chess match inside a cage match.
Kobe drained the free throw. Blazers inbounded fast.
Zhao Dong caught the ball just beyond half-court, eyes locked on the rim. The Lakers' bigs, scattered upcourt, couldn't recover in time. Only Ron Harper stood between Zhao and a highlight reel.
That wasn't going to be enough.
BOOM!
Zhao detonated at the rim with a one-handed tomahawk that shook the backboard. The Rose Garden ignited.
Transitioning back, Zhao picked up Kobe full court.
Kobe blinked.
No more zone? He's on me now?
Zhao was already in his pocket. When Kobe tried to cut out to the arc, Zhao rode his hip like a shadow, blocking any clean catch.
"Still thinking about Game 1?" Zhao asked, tone smug.
Kobe growled, "Worry about yourself."
He gave Zhao a stiff push and curled up to the top. Harper saw the motion and fed him the ball.
But no sooner did it hit Kobe's hands than Zhao was there again, chest-to-chest. No breathing room. No clear path. No split-second to plant.
Kobe tried to jab, spin, anything—but Zhao stayed with him, smothering every twitch of movement.
Unable to shake him, Kobe reluctantly passed to Harper. As soon as the ball left his hands—
Snatch!
Eddie Jones jumped the passing lane, intercepting cleanly and turning upcourt like a blur. Zhao and Marion flanked him on the wings.
Kobe raced alongside Zhao—but just as he matched stride, Zhao gave a slight bump with his off-arm. It wasn't a foul, just enough. Kobe stuttered, lost balance for a half-step.
"Damn it!" Kobe shouted, watching Zhao break free.
Eddie didn't rush the layup. Instead, he lobbed it forward.
Zhao caught it in full stride, leapt from the free throw line, cradled it one-handed, and...
KRAK-A-BOOM!
Windmill dunk. Rim shattering. Arena melting.
"And just like that—Zhao Dong takes off from the charity stripe for a thunderous windmill! The Blazers are flying early!" the broadcast commentator roared, his voice nearly drowned out by the Rose Garden going nuclear.
Back the other way, the Lakers tried to reset.
This time, they ran a structured set. Robinson sprinted out to set a pick for Kobe. He drove hard, finally shaking Zhao momentarily. But Marion stepped up, forming the second wall of defense.
Kobe spun left, trying to sidestep the block.
That move slowed him just enough.
In the paint, Brian Grant—Portland's gritty enforcer—had already rotated back and was waiting. The trap was set.
O'Neal's ability to stretch the floor was nearly nonexistent, and his mid-range game? Almost a myth. Because of that, Grant stayed anchored in the paint, hugging the basket tightly. He was quick to recover, always near the rim.
Kobe didn't hesitate, charging forward like a freight train. As Grant stepped up and Zhao Dong trailed close behind, Kobe pulled a fast one—he didn't shoot. Instead, he dished it off, threading a pass to O'Neal, who had just slipped behind Grant.
Zhao Dong lunged from behind, arm extended, but came up just short.
"Bang!"
O'Neal exploded upward, catching the pass mid-air with both hands and hammering it down. He posterized Grant, slamming the ball over him with pure authority. Brian hit the deck hard under the basket.
The whistle blew. Blocking foul on Brian Grant—and-one for O'Neal.
With two quick fouls on Grant, Larry Bird was forced to send in Fordson off the bench.
As O'Neal stepped to the line, Zhao Dong leaned over to Fordson and O'Neal Jr., giving quick instructions.
"Get ready to run. Fast break if he misses."
"Oooooh!"
Swish. The big man nailed it—clean as silk. O'Neal roared with excitement, high on momentum.
Zhao Dong was already dashing down the sideline. O'Neal Jr. grabbed the ball from under the net and stepped behind the baseline to make the inbound pass fast.
But Kobe was right there, sticking to Zhao Dong like glue. That was his job defensively—stay attached, no matter what.
He remembered what happened on the previous fast break—Zhao Dong had left him in the dust. Not this time. He tangled up with Zhao Dong, wrapping arms briefly to slow him down.
The plan worked. Zhao Dong couldn't get a full sprint going. When the pass came, he had to pivot to receive it. Ron Harper had already made it back. No break opportunity.
Still, Zhao Dong didn't force it. He slowed the tempo. Whether they pushed the pace or not didn't matter—his real target tonight was O'Neal.
They couldn't beat the Lakers unless they controlled the Shark. That was Larry Bird's strategy going in—put the pressure on O'Neal and make him work both ends.
When Zhao Dong crossed half court, he immediately noticed the Lakers running a hybrid defense. Kobe was man-marking him tightly, but the rest of the team sat in a soft zone.
He wasn't surprised. The Lakers had mixed up man and zone coverages back in Game 1. It made sense they'd try it again here.
Even with Kobe in his face, Zhao Dong didn't need a screen. He could still create off the dribble using power and body control. The only issue was that his high-post explosiveness was a bit limited.
But when it came to low-to-mid drives? He had the edge.
Kobe pressed up. Zhao Dong suddenly spun, switching from right to left, using a subtle right arm push on Kobe's torso.
"Tch. This guy's got all the dirty tricks…" Kobe muttered under his breath.
He tried to recover, but a sharp palm caught him in the gut mid-spin. That half-step loss was all Zhao Dong needed.
He broke free down the left wing, surging to the elbow area. One look up and he saw O'Neal already waiting beneath the basket.
Fordson was trying to space the floor but had no threat beyond the arc. He couldn't drag O'Neal out.
Same situation on the other end. The Lakers couldn't pull Grant out either due to his own weak jumper.
Now, as Zhao Dong approached the paint, O'Neal's eyes sharpened. He readied himself.
But before Zhao Dong could reach him, Rick Fox rotated in from the weak side and stepped right into his path.
"Beep!"
Quick stop. Pull-up jumper. Zhao Dong elevated.
Fox's hand caught his arm on the release.
Whistle. Two shots.
That was the defensive setup Phil Jackson wanted. Robinson couldn't rotate fast enough, but Fox could. And the mixed defense gave Kobe enough time to slow Zhao Dong's first step, setting up the help.
Zhao Dong calmly knocked down both free throws. Score tied at 6–6. Lakers' ball.
Kobe responded with several sharp drives, forcing the defense to collapse. This time, the Lakers went full Twin Towers. O'Neal and David Robinson were both positioned inside, crashing the paint with brute force.
Robinson tried to pin Fordson down, while O'Neal worked for position.
Fordson battled to hold his ground but was slowly muscled backward. Even so, he delayed O'Neal's move just enough to disrupt the timing.
As the ball was lobbed inside, Shawn Marion was already there on help defense. Even O'Neal Jr. rotated in.
Three defenders now surrounded O'Neal.
But…
"Bang!"
With sheer strength and a thunderous leap, O'Neal powered through all three defenders and crammed the ball home. The whistle followed—another and-one.
"Rahhhh!" O'Neal howled at the top of his lungs, veins bulging. The frustration from Game 1 had vanished.
The Lakers' bench jumped. Momentum had shifted.
Fordson picked up a hand foul. O'Neal stepped to the line again.
In the booth, Zhang Heli warned, "The Trail Blazers need to be cautious. We're just a few minutes in and they've already racked up three paint fouls."
Su Qun echoed the concern, "The Shark's dominance inside is just unreal."
Zhang Heli nodded. "You're not beating the most dominant low-post force in history by accident. Last game, the Trail Blazers caught them off guard. But this time? The Lakers came prepared."
"Swish!"
Another clean free throw.
"Ahhh!"
The Big Diesel let out another primal scream, pounding his chest, spinning around like a madman. Two back-to-back and-ones, and the entire Staples Center was on fire.
The Trail Blazers didn't hesitate.
Zhao Dong made a quick burst up the sideline, leaving Kobe a step behind this time. Fast break complete. Easy two.
9–8, Lakers still up by one. Possession returns to the Lakers.
This time, the play was drawn up for David Robinson. Phil Jackson adjusted the offense to run a triangle set, using O'Neal as bait to draw defenders before swinging the ball to Robinson.
The Shark set up on the low block along the left wing. The ball went straight to him.
As expected, Marion came in for the double team. O'Neal absorbed the pressure and kicked the ball out to Robinson, now isolated and facing up.
Quick jab, sharp pivot. O'Neal screened off the help defender just long enough for Robinson to rise and fire a clean jumper from inside the paint.
11–8, Lakers extend the lead.
In the TNT studio, Barkley jumped in.
"The Blazers are running that hybrid defense again," he said, watching the replay. "But Zhao Dong's been pulled way out by Kobe. He can't collapse into the paint to help. That leaves their interior wide open."
Kenny Smith chuckled. "Man, defending these two giants inside—with Kobe lurking on the perimeter? Not easy. Last game, the Lakers let O'Neal get into foul trouble early. Not this time. They're protecting the big guy, and it's working."
Barkley grinned. "If that's the case, then it's time to trade blows. That's Zhao Dong's game."
Back on the floor, Zhao Dong went right back at them. He blew past Kobe again, then spun away from Fox's late rotation, slicing through the defense like a dagger.
But just before he could go up, Kobe caught up—and reached in.
Whistle. Foul on Kobe. No basket. Two free throws.
Smith smirked. "See that? Every Laker on the floor is doing their job protecting O'Neal. They'd rather hack Zhao Dong outside than let him get a clean look under the rim."
Barkley grew serious. "That's the right call. The Shark's points are high-percentage. In close, he's a wrecking ball. Zhao Dong might get points at the line, but that's a slower burn. It's all about tactical leverage."
Smith nodded. "And the Lakers' tactics are working. They've succeeded in keeping O'Neal out of foul trouble. Meanwhile, Zhao Dong is being bumped, grabbed, and hacked every trip down."
"The Blazers still got bigs in rotation, though," said Smith. "They'll be fine."
Barkley chuckled. "That's the thing—we're gonna see which side cracks first. Will the Lakers' perimeter players hold up under the whistle? Or will the Blazers' front line collapse under pressure?"
He shook his head and laughed. "Plus, the Lakers are going full throttle on Zhao Dong today, but the Blazers are barely touching O'Neal."
Smith responded, "Hey, I wouldn't call it hacking Shaq yet. Those were mostly fouls during his moves. If the Blazers really wanted to hack him, they'd foul him before he even touched the ball."
"They fouled Zhao Dong specifically to stop him from getting those and-ones," Smith continued. "Because if he gets into the lane cleanly, it's over. You can't stop that freight train once it's moving."
"Exactly," Barkley agreed. "Still, even if Portland didn't resort to hacking, their bigs are already stacking fouls. If they push it any further, they'll run out of bodies."
Smith shrugged. "That's fine. Let the bench handle it. Shift the offense outside."
---
Final quarter, 10th minute.
Score: 108–103, Lakers lead by five. Possession: Lakers.
Zhao Dong had put up 10-of-18 from the field, and an astounding 34-of-35 from the free-throw line. 54 points, but his shooting efficiency dropped compared to Game 1—55.5% from the floor.
The reason? Contact. Contact everywhere.
The Lakers' perimeter rotation took turns fouling him.
Kobe? 5 fouls.
Harper? 4 fouls.
Fox? Fouled out with 6.
Two backup guards? Both sitting on 4 fouls apiece.
23 total fouls committed by five guards—on Zhao Dong alone.
It worked.
O'Neal and Robinson were protected. Zhao Dong's rhythm slowed. The fast breaks dried up.
Meanwhile, the twin towers inside kept hammering Portland's interior.
Fordson fouled out. So did Grant. Davis finished with 3 fouls. Even O'Neal Jr. picked up 5.
O'Neal was a monster.
15-of-21 from the field, 12-of-21 at the line. 42 points, 71.4% field goal percentage.
David Robinson? 10-of-16, 5-of-6 from the stripe. 25 points.
Kobe's offense took a backseat tonight—only 17 points—but his job was to chase Zhao Dong all night.
1:50 left on the clock.
Blazers called timeout.
Back in the commentary booth, Su Qun sighed.
"Tonight's game has been pure carnage. Zhao Dong barely got any clean looks. He's been getting mauled all game. Didn't think the Lakers would actually use a foul rotation strategy on him."
Zhang Heli replied calmly, "He's taken over 30 shots, but most of them were under heavy contact. That's the story of this game."
Su Qun asked, "Coach Zhang, who do you think has the edge in this closing stretch?"
Zhang Heli hesitated, then shook his head. "Tactically? The Lakers executed perfectly. O'Neal only has three fouls. That means he's still a factor down low, and he's got the advantage. I'd say the Lakers have the edge."
And sure enough, in the final moments, the interior told the story.
The Trail Blazers couldn't stop O'Neal and Robinson from tearing through the paint.
Final score?
Lakers take Game 2. Home court stolen back.
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