One Year Left to Play-Chapter 329 - 106: Could Anyone Really Fail at 40+ Points So Easily?
However, this is also an opportunity for the Pistons. Just like Zhang Hao seizing some opportunities, Grant Hill and Alan Houston also seized theirs, securing the rebounds and leading the team in defensive counterattacks, narrowly maintaining a slight lead.
On the sideline, Zhang Hao watched the game while analyzing his performance in the first half of the quarter.
Previously, he wasn’t very confident in his three-point shooting; against the Pacers, it was necessary to shoot, and in the last game against the Spurs, he only attempted one three-point shot the entire game, trusting his mid-range shot more.
But his mid-range shot had already become a key focus for the opponent’s defense, especially since joining the Lakers. Just like tonight, he almost had no easy shooting opportunities below the free-throw line area.
So, he started shooting whenever he had the opportunity. He realized that playing too conservatively, even with things he’s skilled at, might not always yield good results, so it’s better to go with the flow.
Just like after the timeout, his first three-point attempt didn’t go in, but the team’s offensive rhythm started to show. Shoot when the opportunity arises, creating the impression for the opponents that he will shoot if he’s open in that position, and decisively so. In the last play, when the opponent almost got an offensive rebound, they instinctively went for rebounding positioning, leading to new opportunities!
This half of the quarter, he also realized that his defense needed improvement. He deeply felt the disadvantage of high school players—weak fundamentals.
He thought of James. James had a rather unlucky career with the Cavaliers, the team spent a lot on acquisitions but Larry Hughes didn’t fit, O’Neal aged, and Boozer, the best fit for his pick-and-roll mid-range style, ran away...
But James also had an advantage—in such a team, just like Mr. Zhang previously with the Brooklyn Nets, no one blamed him for losses, but if they won, it was all credited to him. The early stage development environment was excellent, and no one cared if he couldn’t utilize his physical advantage or often made defensive missteps in his first two or three years.
But it’s different with the Lakers...
If given the choice, he would still choose the Lakers—because they can win games!
At this point, Zhang Hao realized he indeed disliked being criticized by fans.
After the first quarter, the Lakers were trailing the Pistons by three points at 24 to 27 going into the intermission.
The start was too lousy; later, the Lakers gradually took the initiative, but the gap from earlier was too big, preventing them from taking the lead by the end of the first quarter.
Zhang Hao refocused his attention, eagerly waiting for Del Harris to call him onto the court.
However, Del Harris didn’t substitute him, instead sending out a defensive lineup in the second quarter. This time, Sibaros was benched to rest, and Van Exel was put on to play.
With Eddie Jones gone, the rotation lineup had weak offensive capabilities in the backcourt, needing Van Exel’s individual offense for compensation.
The Lakers’ current lineup defended with four and attacked with one, relying on Van Exel offensively.
On the Pistons’ side, Grant Hill was substituted out to rest, the two teams were in perfect harmony. Pistons sent Alan Houston and Audie Soper to play, and the actions started getting intense, with no benefits for either side.
After watching for a while, Zhang Hao understood Del Harris’ intentions—to ensure his shooting touch wasn’t exhausted by the opponents during this period.
When Grant Hill rests, the Pistons’ strategy is to consume through physical confrontation. The old habits of the Bad Boys hadn’t completely been erased from this team. When Grant Hill and Dumas were absent and high-efficiency offense couldn’t be played, the Pistons’ defensive actions habitually intensified.
Zhang Hao lacked experience, but Del Harris didn’t. Although the Pistons changed their coach, the players had not significantly changed from last season. The Pistons last season were like this: when the offense struggled, their actions would become brutal.
Four minutes into the second quarter, the Lakers scored 7 points, and the Pistons 6 points, the score became 31 to 33, a one-ball difference. The Pistons called a timeout first and substituted Grant Hill back in.
In case of trouble, find the superstar; otherwise, why have a superstar? It’s the eternally optimal choice in sports.
Doug Collins substituted in Lynch Hunt, Dumas, Grant Hill, Terry Mills, and Audie Soper.
Del Harris put in Van Exel, Anthony Peeler, Zhang Hao, Sibaros, and Jason Williams, a lineup focused on offense.
Van Exel is a unique player; off the court, he clearly knows he often gets hot-headed during games, holding the ball and shooting freely. He advises himself to stay calm during games but, once in the game without Divac holding him back, he acts on impulse, which is why he dislikes Divac. With Divac gone, he was happiest.
However, when Divac truly left, after the first game, he hoped Divac would return because he often regretted his decisions after shooting. At this moment, Zhang Hao emerged, and he instead willingly passed the ball to Zhang Hao, seeking a better opportunity.
Because Zhang Hao, unlike Divac, wasn’t as talkative or bossy, he was a rookie who rarely spoke.
With the experience of those few minutes in the first quarter, the Lakers’ lineup cooperated more fluently post-substitution, shooters shot decisively, and Sibaros and Jason Williams had clearer goals—to crash the boards.
Van Exel occasionally still had the impulse to make strong shots, but most of the time he managed to restrain it, rightly focusing on team offense. In doing so, his shot attempts didn’t decrease but the chances improved relatively.
