May 2, 2011.
It's the day of the first game of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Lakers and the Warriors.
On the night of the game, regardless of the time, the ever-spirited Kobe and his teammates arrived at the Oracle Arena half an hour early.
It's worth noting that, during the pre-game warm-up, Kobe, who led the three-point practice, was not only free of any pre-battle tension but even had the leisure to tease his young fan, Ellis: "Montay, if your threes keep missing like this, they might trade you to the Clippers next season."
Even though the Lakers were swept by the defending champions during the regular season, and despite Kobe's track record against Qin Yue generally being less than favorable, as Kobe said before—those who fear failure are destined to lose their chance at victory.
Kobe knows very well that the current Warriors indeed pose a certain restraint to the Lakers.
