Chapter 817 256: This Hairstyle Suits You Well

But immediately, Nash's three-pointer from the outside hit, pushing the lead back to three points.

Then it was the Lakers' turn to attack. Zhang Hao came to the left baseline mid-range, backing Stacey Augmon and received the pass from Fisher, made a turnaround fadeaway jumper and scored!

From the second half of the second quarter to the first half of the third quarter, Zhang Hao refrained from forcing shots and only took better chances. This approach was very conducive to accumulating a feel for the game. Now he began to go all out in his preferred style of solo play and scored two consecutive shots!

This mid-range shot brings Zhang Hao's personal score to 21 points!

Nash saw Zhang Hao start to attack aggressively and got even more excited. This time, however, when he advanced to the frontcourt, he saw Zhang Hao guarding the top arc!

Nash did not stubbornly insist on a solo play against Zhang Hao but chose to find Rashid Wallace for a screen.

Zhang Hao did not switch to defend the screen and follow Rashid Wallace, who was opening towards the left side of the three-second zone, but instead circled up and blocked Nash's space for a screened jump shot, together with the defensive Jerome Kersey, they pressed on Nash!

The defensive pressure Nash faced suddenly increased sharply! Fortunately, he reacted quickly and timely delivered the ball to Rashid Wallace.

Just…

From the second quarter onwards, Rashid Wallace had barely had any mid-range or long-range shots, scoring 6 points—two from put-backs, two from causing a foul and free throws, and two from fast-break dunks.

Rashid Wallace's catch-and-shoot from mid-range missed!

The Magician grabbed the rebound, landed, and directly sent out a quarterback-style long pass; Zhang Hao immediately sprinted as Rashid Wallace's shot clanged off the rim, starting at full power "single rider" mode just outside the free-throw line chasing Nash!

Fastest break speed in the league... and in the world! Zhang Hao's fast break dunk succeeded!

75 to 74, Lakers took the lead by 1 point!

The transition from attack and defense saw Nash take the inbound play and accelerate noticeably...

The situation seemed to suddenly become tense! Although the Blazers hadn't widened the gap previously, they had been maintaining a slight lead. Being ahead by 1 point and suddenly trailing by 1 point brings very different feelings. They were leading by 1-4 points, but suddenly trailed by 1 point, leaving Nash somewhat flustered.

Luckily, Rashid Wallace helped to block Zhang Hao solidly, Nash successfully utilized the screen to break through, calming his nerves some. Facing Jerome Kersey taking a step back to defend the breakthrough, and Zhang Hao catching up from behind to defend the shot, Nash seized the opportunity to pass again to Rashid Wallace on the left mid-range.

If one shot doesn't score, Nash won't stop passing.

Yet, while Nash had confidence in Rashid Wallace, Rashid Wallace lacked confidence in himself. Having not shot for a long period, his touch had cooled off. On receiving the ball hesitated and opted to break towards the basket!

Chris Dudley, very experienced, stationed under the basket using positioning to box out the Magician, preventing him from closing in while Rashid Wallace entered the three-second zone, jumped, and slammed the ball towards the basket… "Bang"…

Zhang Hao's emphatic rejection!

Chasing Nash after Nash's pass, Zhang Hao swiftly cut past. Rashid Wallace hesitated slightly on receiving the ball, opting to drive in, but Zhang Hao, starting from a further distance, charged towards the basket catching up against the odds and delivered a huge rejection to Rashid Wallace!

Clean and crisp, this block was even without bodily contact, firmly swatting away the ball from Rashid Wallace's hands!

The Magician swiftly rotated to secure the blocked rebound, Zhang Hao immediately sprinted towards the front court upon landing!

The Magician didn't pass immediately this time, advanced a few steps before passing to the fast-breaking Fisher, Fisher then diverted the ball to the left fast-breaking Zhang Hao. Zhang Hao with the ball, "single rider" speed triggers reaching 94—yet not entirely shaking off his opponent. But, defending closely is Nash… no problem at all. Zhang Hao shielded the ball with his arm, charged into the paint. Nash chased energetically and actively, but ultimately futile—Zhang Hao fast break dunked over Nash into the hoop!

Block + Fast break dunk, Zhang Hao scores 9 consecutive points, helping the Lakers make a 9 to 3 run, 77 to 74, Lakers go from trailing by 3 to leading by 3!

The Blazers' players were somewhat dumbfounded, how did this turn around so quickly? If there's any intrinsic feeling, it's simply this—Zhang Hao, before the official timeout of the third quarter, was striving effortfully to play; after the timeout, he was playing desperately!

Such offensive and defensive moves led to evident expenditure greater than the first half of the third quarter!

Can this kind of play be sustained?

Soon enough, with three minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Blazers' players realized they were overthinking. Zhang Hao not only showed no signs of fatigue but, rather, seemed to play more vigorously, more swiftly!

At this point, the Blazers' offense hit trouble; Rashid Wallace's cold mid-range touch, although driving to the basket isn't always stopped, the Lakers' increasingly rapid defense hindered Nash, unexpectedly strengthening their defense against him. The Blazers who were smoothly attacking in the previous quarter were suddenly stifled in the remaining 4 minutes of the third quarter, only managing 6 points, while the Lakers scored 11 points, with Zhang Hao contributing 6 of them. By the end of the third quarter, Zhang Hao's personal score had risen to 31 points, tying Nash's game-high score of 31 points!

Returning from the third quarter's official timeout with a three-pointer and claiming his career's first 30+, Nash hadn't found a good shot, going 0 for 2 following Zhang Hao's pursuit to catch up!