Chapter 818 256: This Hairstyle Really Suits You

Personal scoring is not important; what matters is that by the end of the third quarter, the Lakers' score had increased to 88, while the Blazers only had 80. The Lakers executed a 33 to 23 run, especially highlighted by the Lakers' defensive adjustment leading to a 20 to 9 run in half a quarter! The Lakers overcame the score and went into the final quarter with an 8-point lead!

At this time, the Blazers' players and coaches finally understood, they had been tricked!

The fact that Nash had such good opportunities for solo plays before was intentional by the opponent!

Nash always had the opportunity for solo plays, and the other players on the Blazers were just watching. When Nash suddenly lost the chance for solo play and had to pass for others to shoot instead, it was too difficult for them.

On the Lakers' side, Zhang Hao was always coordinating the offense. Since Zhang Hao's previous performance against the Blazers, where he achieved a 60+ triple-double and was listed among the most terrifying statistical performances in history, the Blazers gave him extra defensive pressure, even though he mainly passed, providing the Lakers other players with great opportunities to maintain their shooting rhythm.

This led to the Lakers' 20 to 9 run in the latter part of the third quarter!

P-J Callesimo felt something was wrong during the halftime break but couldn't pinpoint it. Now, it all made sense!

The psychological manipulation, the toying with human nature, the judgment of the situation... P-J Callesimo looked at the white-haired old man on the opposite side, thinking this old fox was extremely despicable!

Del Harris, given the current state of the team, didn't have many solutions, so he didn't make any tactical arrangements during the halftime break. Instead, he switched to a lineup similar to the last part of the first half, allowing that brat to have his own space to maneuver.

When he saw that Zhang Hao had no objections to the starting lineup for the third quarter, Del Harris felt a bit indignated; he, as the head coach, even had to consider the face of a 20-year-old kid before making changes.

But he was also curious about what effect Zhang Hao's peculiar offensive and defensive adjustments would have.

Now, the tactical goal was achieved, and the spectators at the game didn't notice much, but Del Harris felt a chill down his spine... This was targeting that rookie from the 13th pick of the '96 class!

Too ruthless!

Del Harris subbed in Kenny Anderson, Doug Christie, Zhang Hao, Barkley, and Jason Williams, preparing to close the game...

At this moment, Del Harris felt a gaze filled with resentment.

It was the sorrowful eyes of the opposing coach, P-J Callesimo.

"It wasn't even me who did it! What are you staring at me for... Aix, go and give that rookie a pounding! How dare he be fierce with me!"

...

Both teams made personnel adjustments, and the Blazers fielded their starting lineup of Nash, Isaiah Rider, Gary Trent, Rashid Wallace, and Sabonis.

The fourth quarter began with the Lakers on the attack.

The matter of Zhang Hao's psychological tactics towards Nash didn't register with the others; they didn't even realize it. Nash was playing well, finishing three quarters with 31 points and 5 assists, making it arguably the best performance of his rookie season so far.

But Nash has a high basketball IQ, and now that his brain was not excitedly clouded, he realized it.

As both head coaches suspected, his mentality was about to crumble!

He had thought he was playing well, scoring 31 points, but it turned out to be a trap by the opponent, who was just using him!

Watching Zhang Hao run around the three-point line, cut in along the baseline from the left corner with a screen from Barkley, with Doug Christie moving beyond the three-point line, Nash moved to cover Zhang Hao as well.

Zhang Hao received the ball, seeing an aggressive Nash, he pulled up, faked a shot, Nash jumped hard, and Zhang Hao leaned into him, taking a nearly uncontested stop-and-pop jump shot...

Scored!

The referee had already blown the whistle when Zhang Hao took the shot, Nash's help defense not only blocked Rashid Wallace's blocking space but also committed a foul!

With Zhang Hao making the additional free throw, completing a 2+1 play, the Lakers extended their lead to 11 points at the start of the fourth quarter, 91 to 80!

In fact, although Zhang Hao exploited Nash, Nash's good performance was genuinely due to his skills, and initially, it wasn't about upsetting Nash's mindset either.

Nash utilized his speed advantage and skills excellently, scoring 31 points in three quarters, which was really outstanding. Not playing solo and forcing organized plays, without the Lakers double-teaming or aiding defense against him, if he insisted on passing, his efficiency in leading the attack wouldn't honestly be better than his solo plays. Unless he changed his gameplay to be purely a shooter, there wouldn't be any variation. As long as he held the ball, the best option for the Blazers at the time was his solo play.

The root cause lay in the Blazers' coach's rotation issue. If they hadn't allowed him to continue playing solo in the second half of the second quarter due to his success rate and instead reverted to using lineups with Robert Parker, Isaiah Rider, and a few shooters for chaotic plays, this situation wouldn't have occurred.

Zhang Hao's initial goal was simply not to give Rashid Wallace easy chances and reduce Nash's opportunities to provide assists.

He originally aimed to impact Rashid Wallace's performance, not Nash's.

The Blazers continued to let Nash play solo as the main offense in the third quarter, and Zhang Hao only then realized this tactic could be manipulated... And of course, he carefully orchestrated it.