Chapter 845: Your New Nickname (6K)_3

Chapter 845: Chapter 263: Your New Nickname (6K)_3

However, at this stage, the Lakers don’t have much time to let O’Neal adjust. From Zhang Hao’s impression, O’Neal gained weight during the lockout, adapting during that lockout season without injury and didn’t make the first team, overshadowed by Moning. This means the adjustment period was quite lengthy… Luckily, if O’Neal is determined to lose weight, it’s quick, not a big issue; even if he really needs to adapt… There’s still around half a regular season left for O’Neal to slowly adjust.

All is well!

The inspection took over 9 minutes, and finally, it was confirmed that there was no structural damage to the basket. After a bit of reinforcement, the game continued!

During those 9 minutes, it was quite unfavorable for the SuperSonics.

Having already been scared by O’Neal’s brutal counter with a flying put-back dunk, the score difference widened to 5 points, increasing the pressure, and now stopped for so long.

Although during this time, SuperSonics Head Coach George Karl arranged detailed offensive tactics and players discussed how to play, once the game resumed, Payton’s attempt to stabilize with a mid-range jump shot went wildly off, his touch went cold!

This was the key to victory that O’Neal’s flying dunk created for the Lakers!

It might seem like external factors led to the SuperSonics’ originally hot touch cooling off, but these external factors were achieved by O’Neal with his prowess!

O’Neal grabbed the defensive rebound and passed to Kenny Anderson, just as he started to sprint forward… McIlwai directly hugged him, unwilling to let him counterattack!

O’Neal stepped to the free-throw line, making one out of two, which was decent. The Lakers widened the score gap to 6 points leading 118 to 112.

The basket inspection wasn’t a timeout, so no dead ball and no substitutions. When O’Neal stepped to the free-throw line, Del Harris replaced James Robinson with Barkley, alongside two three-point shooters Kenny Anderson and Byron Scott.

When the Lakers put out these three front-line players, the SuperSonics players who had been backed down by the Lakers’ three frontline almost did not want to continue playing the game!

O’Neal’s flying put-back dunk crushed the already crumbling mentality of the SuperSonics, and in the last over 3 minutes, even if the gap was only 6 points, they not only couldn’t narrow it but kept missing shots, barely scoring.

Despite the SuperSonics’ quick defensive adjustments and crazy contraction, the 9-minute stoppage also affected the Lakers’ outside shooting, but O’Neal and Barkley’s offensive rebounds couldn’t be matched by the SuperSonics.

In the final over 3 minutes, the Lakers hit a 9 to 4 run, and when the final whistle blew, the score was frozen at 127 to 116.

With O’Neal playing 33 minutes and scoring 34 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks; Zhang Hao 42 minutes with 38 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 4 blocks; Barkley playing 27 minutes with 19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, the Lakers beat the SuperSonics by 11 points, improving their record to 35 wins and 9 losses, keeping the second place in the West!

Kemp scored 30 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, performing indeed well; Payton also contributed 22 points and 13 assists, alongside Schramm’s 18 points and 7 rebounds, Sam Perkins’ 19 points.

But in front of the Lakers’ ultimate frontcourt trio’s crazy 91-point performance, it was all in vain! That’s not even counting Kenny Anderson’s 8 points and 8 assists!

“The rain stops:

Phase one: heavy rain pours in.

Target 1: Zhang Hao limits Shawn Kemp’s scoring to under 10 points when facing him. (Shawn Kemp scored 8 points facing Zhang Hao’s single defense and switches; completed.)

Target 2: Zhang Hao’s back-down scoring should exceed Gary Payton. (Zhang Hao back-down scored 18 points, Gary Payton back-down scored 10 points; completed)

Target 3: The Lakers score must exceed the SuperSonics score when Zhang Hao is on the court. (Lakers scored 109, SuperSonics 99 when Zhang Hao was on the court; completed.)

Congratulations to the host for earning the reward: one Shawn Kemp 1996-1997 version Star Experience Card.”

With the final whistle, Zhang Hao received a system prompt, task completed!

Just barely, if Mr. Zhang hadn’t disrupted Kemp’s mid-range shot after the pick-and-roll with over a minute left, he’d be getting drenched!

It’s brutal to think about.

Journalists quickly swarmed in, the league again successfully generating revenue as these journalists’ employers had to post bond again.

O’Neal attracted the most journalists, while Zhang Hao also had plenty around him.

“Aix, what do you think of O’Neal’s performance returning in this match?”

What do you think? Just watch standing on the court!

Still have to say something nice, the big fatty needs some pampering, how to pamper?

Hey! Got it!

Zhang Hao responded, “Tonight we crushed the opponent like a bulldozer and won the match; Mr. O’Neal is the engine of this bulldozer; he is the world’s best basketball player; I want to call him—The Big Diesel!”

…

…

“The Big Diesel” nickname for O’Neal lit up across America!

In the last period of the game, the dunk that seemed to nearly break the basket became another iconic image for him.

Tonight, O’Neal’s playing style and the new nickname complemented each other, making the nickname even more popular.

Barkley’s performance tonight also amazed people, although his scoring wasn’t high, at 19 points, he provided great support for Zhang Hao when O’Neal was resting.