Chapter 813 - 255: He’s Actually Learning During the Game! (6K)_2

The Blazers sent back the trio of Nash, Rashid Wallace, and Sabonis, with Aaron McKie and Stacey Augmon on the wing.

Halfway through the season, Zhang Hao had become quite comfortable playing at the small forward position, mostly due to his improvements on the defensive end. While his mid-range help defense wasn’t as outstanding as George Lynch or Brian Shaw’s, at least he managed not to drag the team down when he moved into position. His man-to-man defense against shooting guards was solid, and he had a knack for defending athletic forwards. His strongest point was still...

After the official timeout, the Blazers were back on offense. Nash pushed the ball into the frontcourt and ran into Zhang Hao’s defense, feeling his scalp tingle... In the last seven-plus minutes of the first quarter, he almost didn’t have any chances to shoot or assist against Zhang Hao’s defense. Of course, if the team executed their offense well, like now when he drew Zhang Hao away to guard him, the Lakers’ interior defense would need to shrink, giving other Blazers players more chances for mid-range shots and catch-and-shoot opportunities. If they scored efficiently, he didn’t mind lacking individual stats. But Zhang Hao, with a physique similar to Rashid Wallace’s, restricted him so much it was incredible. He truly felt what genius meant!

The ball had to be passed; otherwise, Zhang Hao would block him from shooting or passing in close proximity, but Nash did not pass right away. He opted to play one-on-one, relying on his speed to break through and pull Zhang Hao towards the right side of the three-second zone near the baseline before passing back to Rashid Wallace near the free-throw line, guarded by Barkley.

Rashid Wallace immediately took the pass to play one-on-one, executed a fake move to jump step for a mid-range shot... This one goes in!

Rashid Wallace, who returned after resting for half a quarter, continued his excellent shooting from the first quarter, increasing his score to nine points!

Possession changed, Lakers on the offense.

Zhang Hao slipped down the baseline with Jason Williams setting a screen under the basket, while Kenny Anderson aggressively attacked Nash and faced Rashid Wallace’s double-team, he passed the ball to Zhang Hao.

When Zhang Hao caught the ball, Sabonis and Stacey Augmon had already blocked him. He had a chance to shoot, but it wasn’t a good one... Even when the chance wasn’t optimal, usually would still shoot.

This time, however, he didn’t shoot. Instead, before the opponents could close in for the double-team, he quickly passed the ball, and Doug Christie undercut along the baseline, received the ball, and used Jason Williams’ screen to block Rashid Wallace’s contraction. Layup scores!

Rashid Wallace already retreated to grab the rebound after Kenny Anderson’s pass, assuming Zhang Hao wouldn’t make the shot. Based on Rashid Wallace’s season-long match-up experience, Zhang Hao would usually shoot whenever he had a chance. But this time, he made the pass instead, which truly surprised Wallace.

After scoring, Lakers players quickly retreated on defense. Zhang Hao, after retreating into the backcourt, instructed his teammates before the opponent pushed the ball across. His teammates hesitated not and immediately made adjustments.

As Nash pushed into the frontcourt, he was surprised to find Doug Christie now guarding him. Kenny Anderson went to guard Aaron McKie, Barkley was on Stacey Augmon, and Zhang Hao had switched to guard power forward Rashid Wallace!

Though Doug Christie’s defense was the best on the Lakers team, his functionality was not as strong as Zhang Hao’s. He was average at defending speedy players, so when initiating a pick-and-roll with Rashid Wallace meant willingly putting himself to be handled by Zhang Hao, Nash decisively started a one-on-one, breaking through.

Doug Christie did not guard against shooting post-breakthrough, so Nash easily found a step-back opportunity mid-breakthrough, stopped suddenly for a long two-point jumper...

The opportunity was excellent, but he missed. After Zhang Hao wore him out for so long in the first quarter, and resting for half of the second quarter, Nash’s first shot post-return didn’t make it. However, the rhythm was good.

Jason Williams secured the rebound well, Kenny Anderson pushed into the frontcourt, encountering Aaron McKie’s defense. This time, Kenny Anderson didn’t wait for Doug Christie to pull out to catch the pass. Zhang Hao slipped to the sideline for a no-ball screen with Doug Christie. After the screen, he quickly darted towards the arc, Kenny Anderson tossed the ball to him as he cut towards the inside, Zhang Hao caught the ball a step inside the three-point line, took a step, exited the three-point area, turned...

Defending Kenny Anderson, Aaron McKie immediately closed in with Nash to double Zhang Hao.

Sabonis under the basket had already moved into position; in their ingrained perception, Zhang Hao would surely attempt a turnaround fadeaway three...

But Zhang Hao didn’t shoot again! Instead, he jumped and passed the ball!

He returned the pass to Kenny Anderson, who caught the ball at close range and scored with a high lob off the backboard behind Sabonis!

to 44, the Lakers narrowed the gap to three points!

This truly surprised the Blazers, as the Lakers played differently, both offensively and defensively, in this possession compared to before.

Again, it was the Blazers’ turn on offense. Nash’s skills were genuinely excellent; after missing the previous shot, this time he was better prepared. Facing Doug Christie’s defense, his speed earned him a slight distance advantage. Although he didn’t fully break through, he found a shooting opportunity. A running mid-range shot claimed the basket!

to 41, the Blazers maintained a five-point lead.

Now it’s the Lakers’ turn on offense. Zhang Hao continued utilizing off-ball screens and leveraging the advantage of being unable to be double-teamed when playing off-ball, forcing the Blazers to switch defense or lose him, getting the ball once again outside the three-point line.