Kobe, O'Neal, and Malone scored 79 points together, including Kobe with 37 points, O'Neal with 27 points, and Malone with 15 points. Apart from this, no one else on the Lakers scored in double figures. The highest was Wang Zhizhi's 6 points, and Payton.

’s 5 points and Fisher’s 3 points, and no one else scored.

In addition to Kobe, O'Neal, and Malone, the other Lakers players combined to make 5 of 24 shots. Under such circumstances, the Lakers can still make a comeback in the third quarter halfway through the third quarter.

The combination of Kobe, O'Neal, and Malone is indeed a match made in heaven. However, Malone is indeed old. When O'Neal rests, Malone can no longer support the inside line in the playoffs.

When seeing the performance of the Lakers, fans lamented that if Malone were three or four years younger...it would be unlikely that he would come to the Lakers. Four years ago, Malone just finished the 1998-99 season at the age of 36.

Winning the regular season MVP...

In addition to the amazing performance of the Lakers, the Hawks won their first victory in the finals. Liu Mang made 13 of 29 shots and scored 36 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists, which is even more impressive!

I didn’t have any stage fright when I played in the finals for the first time, I just threw when I needed to, and I didn’t hesitate to pass the ball!

After the game, Liu Mang's dunk on O'Neal went viral on the Internet, and it was undoubtedly selected as one of the top ten goals in the first game of the finals.

Liu Mang's long pass from the backcourt to Stockton, and Stockton's full-court long-range guidance to Boozer who cut in, were also selected into the top ten goals.

Not only his scoring, but his passing is also amazing.

Playing in the finals for the first time, Liu Mang performed like this and was evaluated by the media as a big-time player!

Moreover, both 21-year-old and almost 22-year-old outside cores have reached the finals for the first time. Liu Mang has been compared with Kobe Bryant in the 1999-2000 season.

I was shocked to see Kobe playing in the Finals for the first time. In the first game, he only had 14 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists. The entire series was only 15 4 4, which was incomparable with his performance in the Western Conference playoffs.

Although Kobe met the Pacers' team defense that time, he performed so well throughout the Western Conference playoffs that the Pacers could only defend Kobe to death when they couldn't guard O'Neal. Because of this, under O'Neal,

After averaging 38 points per game, the Pacers relied on locking down Kobe to barely reach Game 6 with the Lakers. The defense Kobe faced that year was very tough.

However, the defense Liu Mang encountered was not bad either. The one who guarded him was Kobe Bryant, the defensive champion who had guarded Reggie Miller in the 2000 Finals and his shooting percentage was only exactly 40%!

In comparison, Liu Mang's performance is amazing!

It's like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan playing in the Finals for the first time!

When being interviewed after the game, Liu Mang was asked about his performance in his first finals. Liu Mang answered other questions very officially, but this question got him interested and replied: "Originally, I was the best player in the game.

The one with the highest score, but there is a certain person who is still brushing up points during garbage time. I was also brushing up points during garbage time, but unfortunately I couldn’t pass it.”

…

…

Atlanta Hilton International Hotel.

"Bastard!" Kobe stood up and punched the table, causing the entire table to shake.

The wealthy Lakers have booked the entire hotel from the time they arrived in Atlanta five days ago until the end of the first two finals, and have also booked the possible sixth and seventh games.

If you can't come, you have to pay liquidated damages, which is nothing to them. When they return to Los Angeles, they will make a net profit of six to seven million for one home game. Excluding taxes and arena profits, their average ticket price is higher than

The Eagles are half as expensive, with the average price exceeding $500, and courtside tickets exceeding $20,000. The price of courtside tickets is more than double the $10,000 price of the Eagles courtside tickets.

Los Angeles is Los Angeles. Except for the Knicks who reached the Finals, other teams, even in Jordan's 72-win season, the price of tickets for the Finals is far different from the price of the Lakers' tickets for the Finals.

After returning to the hotel, the Lakers held a team meeting. On the big screen, Zen Master specially showed the post-game interview of the Hawks. Seeing Liu Mang's joking expression and saying irritating words, Kobe immediately exploded.

Seeing Kobe's furious expression, this is what Zen Master wants.

Seeing that he was still far away from his teammates, Kobe thought about what Zen Master said to him when the game was suspended tonight, calmed down a little, and put away his angry expression.

"I failed to guard Liu well in this game. The problem lies with me." Kobe said and sat back on the stool.

Although he still didn't say much, and still looked cold and distant, this had already surprised his teammates, including O'Neal.

Kobe takes the initiative to take responsibility?

It's rare! After losing to the Spurs last year, Kobe Bryant blamed O'Neal for being beaten by Duncan. Of course, O'Neal didn't sit still and got into fights with Kobe. The two completely fell out.

After Spurs.

If the Lakers hadn't quickly acquired Payton and Malone in the summer, Kobe would have had to apply for a trade last summer. It had reached the point of having an OK or not. The huge possibility of winning the championship with the Big Four suppressed the contradiction.

However, Kobe took the initiative to take responsibility not simply because he wanted to act like a boss, nor simply because he deliberately showed his "maturity", but because he was really satisfied with O'Neal's performance today.

O'Neal worked hard on defense and offense, playing even harder than he did in the 2000 Finals before he won the championship. From this level of hard work, Kobe couldn't even blame O'Neal. He really didn't expect that O'Neal, who is now famous, still has

Such a side.

On this point, Kobe now admires O'Neal a little.

It is very common in the NBA for superstars to immediately start enjoying life after winning the championship. Among Kobe's idols, there are many, such as Moses Malone. After the 76ers won the championship in 1982-83, the 76ers won the championship the following year.

He got the lottery and picked Barkley with the No. 5 pick. This was a hometown team that Kobe followed as a child, and it was a situation that left a deep impression on him.

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! When a player struggles in the playoffs for many years and finally wins the championship, he may still be at the peak of his fighting spirit in the last game before winning the championship.

But if you win the championship, you may be in trouble immediately.

But although O'Neal started to be lazy in the regular season after winning a championship, he still worked very hard in the playoffs. In today's game, O'Neal also worked hard, and he worked as hard as he did in the 2000 Finals.

Just getting old is getting old. Although the average career of inside players is longer than that of outside players, and the age of inside superstars to maintain their condition is usually longer than that of outside superstars. However, outside superstars can still be used as a key point when they are older, while it is very difficult for inside superstars. O'Neal is

The Hawks were exhausted and couldn't win, and Kobe couldn't blame O'Neal.

Generally speaking, Kobe, O'Neal, and even Malone, the three of them still have very high evaluations in this game, whether it is the fans, the media or their own people on the team.

Kobe showed kindness. This kind of kindness could not be understood by others and could not be felt by others as kindness. However, O'Neal grew up watching Kobe. He was the person who hated Kobe the most but also understood him best. He clearly felt that

To Kobe for the kindness shown to him during this game.

Just as he was a little touched, O'Neill suddenly caught a glimpse of the smile on the corner of Zen Master's mouth, and his mood became a little bad again.

This guy, Zen Master, is using his psychological control ability to manipulate them again!

The effect of the alienation card made O'Neill full of prejudice against the Zen master. However, O'Neill did not have the psychological adjustment ability of the Zen master to suppress his inner likes and dislikes. Anything related to the Zen master in his perception made him feel uncomfortable.

O'Neal guessed that Master Jackson must have promised something to Kobe, and then wanted to use this to stimulate Kobe's strength and enhance the cohesion of the entire team.

O'Neal also knew that this was a good thing for the entire team, and O'Neal also felt that this was a good thing, but he was just unhappy with Jackson.

Moreover, O'Neal didn't think that Kobe's head, which was filled with basketballs, could understand that he was being manipulated. He felt now, like Kobe, that he was a doll being played with by a Zen master while being applauded.

O'Neal even has some sympathy for Kobe. He feels like he is about to be abandoned now, and he seems to have seen that when Kobe gets old, there will be a day like this, and he actually still has a feeling of sympathy for each other.

This made O'Neal even more unhappy with Jackson. What also made O'Neal unhappy was Jackson's girlfriend, Jenny Buss, the daughter of the Lakers owner, and Jerry Buss also made him unhappy.

He wants a contract worth 100 million. The length is not a problem. Five years, four years, or three years are all the same. All he wants is the total salary of the last big contract of 100 million. His current contract has one year left, and it won’t be until 2005.

At the end of the day, he will be 33 years old by then. Whether he signs a three-year contract, a four-year contract, or a five-year contract, it will be the same, but Jerry Buss is only willing to give him 80 million in four years. He wants a 100 million contract.

In response, O'Neill remained silent and did not speak.

Although O'Neal is unhappy with this feeling, he is only unhappy with this feeling. He knows that Jackson's approach is beneficial to winning. If he is not a strong enough star, Jackson can abandon it like nothing.

Even Pippin will be given up by the Zen Master at the critical moment.

But people are not machines, let alone a fat man who is very thoughtful and not very generous. After Liang Ka magnified his dissatisfaction with the Zen Master, O'Neill just felt unhappy.

Zen Master saw the different expressions of the players. It was obviously because Kobe's words of taking responsibility had touched the hearts of these players. This is what he wanted. Obviously, because of Kobe's changes today, the Lakers' cohesion has improved.

A lot.

"Well, we have already lost the first game. We have also seen the strength of the Eagles. We have no chance. There are still six games left. Winning four is enough." Zen Master said in his usual calm tone.

To increase the confidence of the players, "We have two days of rest in the next two days. We have to prepare well for the second game. We need some adjustments. We will gather at Georgia Tech at nine o'clock tomorrow morning..."

…

…

In Atlanta's Chinatown, gongs and drums are roaring, firecrackers are blasting, red flags are waving, and there are huge crowds of people...

Because of Liu Mang, many Chinese have immigrated to Atlanta in recent years, and Atlanta's Chinatown has become like a Chinatown.

Because Liu Mang played in the finals, Chaoting International Channel broadcast a special program for the Hawks after the Hawks won, interviewing Chinese fans in Atlanta's Chinatown about their views on Liu Mang and their thoughts on the finals.

opinions, etc.

Liu Mang didn't get home until 12 o'clock. After taking a shower and coming out of the room, he saw that it was already past 12 o'clock, which was exactly lunch time in China. The three girls at home left with their friends after the game.

Arena, because I knew Liu Mang would be doing a lot of interviews after the game.

It's just past 12 o'clock and I haven't slept yet. They are all watching TV in the living room. Liu Mang went over to take a look. Good guy, he is on the court stage again.

Following the sports channel and comprehensive channel, it now has an international channel.

It's a pity that I'm not a blacksmith who likes to join in the fun of everything. It would be great if I could watch all the channels on the court.

Forcibly adding motivation to himself, Liu Mang was very jealous of Kobe who had been on all the channels of the imperial court after his retirement. He was full of envy, envy, and jealousy made Liu Mang more motivated to kill Kobe in the finals.

.

It is the legendary saying that no matter what, you forcefully hate your opponent and treat your opponent as the most abominable devil. Even if the opponent is hated, you don’t know why.

Seeing Liu Mang coming, Alexia said excitedly to Liu Mang: "Ace, you performed so well today,"

"Okay, okay, it's time to go to bed. Aren't you afraid that your skin will get worse due to lack of sleep?" Liu Mang said, rubbing the little Loli's head.

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "It's almost over. Uncle, you are so tired from playing ball, go to bed first. Dinah will go to bed after reading." The little Lolita took Liu Mang's hand from her head.

Put it on his face: "Uncle, don't rub Dinah's head, she won't grow taller!"
To be continued...