CHAPTER 1258: CHAPTER 509: YOU HAVE JI BUGONG? I HAVE THE STRONGEST HIGH SCHOOLER IN HISTORY! (PART 4)

The emotions of envy, jealousy, and hatred inexplicably surged up.

But he had to admit, for the Bobcats who already had a one-ball ’fixed advantage’, this was the best choice. A center scoring is meant to withstand pressure during the regular stage. The Lakers wouldn’t double-team Okafor, instead, they would leave him to the center to defend one-on-one. The style resembles Duncan’s second peak period, and Okafor, with his comprehensive skills, had the scoring conditions met.

Kobe maintained his patience, and when it was the Lakers’ turn to attack, he continued to drive. If the opponent didn’t double-team early, he tried to get as close to the basket as possible before shooting. If the double-team came quickly, he’d pass to an open teammate. Tonight, his teammates’ response performances were quite good.

In the next two possessions, Kobe scored another basket and passed to Garnett for a mid-range shot, which was also made. But on the other side, Okafor once made a baseline turnaround close-range jumper and another time faked a hook after a catch, spun, leaned forward for a layup to avoid Garnett’s block...both went in!

This wasn’t Zhang Yang and Felton suddenly deciding to let Okafor handle the pressure, but rather an idea Zhang Yang proposed during halftime. If the Lakers missed their first shot in the third quarter and the Bobcats scored, they would play like this. Zhang Yang was prepared to take on the pressure himself, but Okafor volunteered, expressing confidence that he could make the shot if Gasol was the starter in the third quarter. So when Zhang Yang saw Kobe leaning towards a fast play style, he decisively struck...

to 60, during a time when stable scoring was needed to withstand pressure, Okafor held up!

It was the Lakers’ turn to attack again. Zhang Yang, Okafor, and Millsap worked together to force Kobe to pass to the open Garnett, who caught the ball for a mid-range shot...and missed!

It’s a battle between aggressive offense and withstanding pressure. The longer the possessions drag on, the more pressure the shooting player faces. Little Duncan kept his cool and withstood the pressure, but the Iron-blooded Wolf King has always been inconsistent in this regard and missed, with the shot’s angle completely off!

Millsap and Okafor boxed out, Zhang Yang grabbed the defensive rebound and initiated a fast break!

Kobe, Ariza, and Garnett coordinated on defense to prevent Zhang Yang from taking a chasing three-point shot. Afflalo also blocked the wing cut, and Garnett returned to the basket area, successfully forcing the opposing side into a half-court set, but their positions were disorganized, and Gasol hadn’t returned!

Zhang Yang passed to Millsap, who was cutting to the basket. Garnett could only go up to cover, and Millsap lobbed the ball towards the right side of the basket...Okafor rushed into the paint and slammed it home with both hands from an alley-oop!

to 60, the Bobcats’ lead extended to 7 points, and Okafor scored 8 to 6 against the Lakers!

The Zen Master crossed his hands together, his thumbs making circles—this was his thinking gesture, and he felt he suffered a big loss there!

He didn’t expect Okafor to withstand the pressure brought by Kobe!

Yet he kept his expression in check. It’s not the time to get flustered. He instructed Kidd to slow down the offensive momentum to ease up a bit, as only a few rounds had been played in the third quarter, no need to rush...

At this moment, someone in the adjacent seat stood up. The Zen Master looked up and saw Kidd wanting to get a bit closer to observe the game. Just a couple more steps could give a clearer view...wait, Kidd? Oh my god, I forgot that the Old Fish was on the court!

The Zen Master quickly looked towards the court, as Kobe took a contested step-back three over Zhang Yang...clang! The ball hit the neck of the rim and, unfortunately, bounced right back towards the front of the rim!

Zhang Yang quickly stepped in front of Garnett and grabbed the defensive rebound, launching a fast break!

Seeing this, Kobe quickly ran back, and as soon as he reached inside the three-point line, he stopped concerning himself with the wing players. He lunged towards Zhang Yang as soon as he slowed down, focusing solely on him!

However, Zhang Yang’s deceleration and stepping speed, as well as the distance, were all determined based on the timing of Kobe’s charge, giving himself a bit more space. The jump shot release point was more than a meter from the top arc!

The judgment of distance for a chasing shot was one of Zhang Yang’s main training projects when he first started practicing this skill, and it had long become instinctual!

Kobe lunged full-force to block, but the ball was released from more than ten centimeters in front of his hand!

He could only hope Zhang Yang’s super long-distance three from nearly eight and a half meters away would miss, but when he landed and turned his head, he saw the ball hit the basket near the neck and bounced in as it spun!

Felton had already reached outside the three-point line, with no one under the basket, both teams’ three big men had just crossed mid-circle, and even Gasol hadn’t reached the three-point line yet. Zhang Yang fearlessly made that long-distance chasing three, and it went in!

As the ball went through the hoop, the whistle blew immediately, and the Lakers called a timeout!