Chapter 122: Christmas Battle, New System Tasks, and Elite Rim Protection
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After losing to the Suns at home, the Lakers' cumulative losses reached four games, allowing the Spurs to overtake them in the standings. Not only that, in the subsequent games, the Lakers also lost to the Seattle SuperSonics and the Memphis Grizzlies, marking two consecutive defeats.
The Lakers had already accumulated four losses before even reaching the halfway point of their December schedule, a stark contrast to the mere two losses they suffered in the entire month of November.
However, Wang Chong wasn't surprised.
The Lakers' current roster had glaring issues. While they had the formidable duo of him and Kobe, arguably the strongest backcourt pairing in the league, the team struggled with their interior game. Despite Odom gradually adjusting to the Lakers' rhythm, his performances remained inconsistent. Furthermore, reporters frequently captured Odom in nightclubs, a clear sign of his focus shifting off-court.
Odom, having initially been drafted by the Clippers, was already accustomed to the lavish lifestyle in Los Angeles. His brief stint with the Miami Heat couldn't compare to the extravagance of LA, and after signing a six-year, $63 million contract with the Lakers, he fully embraced this lifestyle, to the detriment of his game. His repeated late arrivals and lackluster effort in practice drew criticism from the coaching staff.
Wang Chong knew Odom well. His immense talent was frequently squandered, resulting in his highest career achievement being the Sixth Man of the Year award, though he had the potential to be a star. Odom's post-retirement struggles, from substance abuse to personal scandals, were well-documented.
Odom's lack of reliability posed a significant problem for the Lakers. Without a solid frontcourt presence, the team's strong winning record seemed unsustainable. Maintaining their November form throughout the season would have positioned the Lakers for a 70-win season, a feat that even the dominant Shaq-Kobe era couldn't achieve. Only the legendary Jordan Bulls managed such a record.
Wang Chong was realistic. He knew he wasn't on the same level as peak Shaq during the Lakers' three-peat, and while his offensive consistency outpaced Kobe's, his defense and physical attributes fell short. In his view, a 55-win regular season would be commendable, and anything over 60 wins would be extraordinary—especially considering that even the 2005 Spurs, eventual champions, only won 59 games.
On December 17, the Lakers narrowly escaped a third consecutive loss, edging out the Washington Wizards at home.
Though Caron Butler, now with the Wizards, had once been a Laker, the Wizards were led by a fiery Gilbert Arenas and had acquired Antawn Jamison. Alongside Larry Hughes, they had a formidable core.
Arenas was unstoppable, finishing the game with 37 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists on 11-of-25 shooting. Kobe, while less efficient, earned 22 free throws and posted a triple-double of 36 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists, helping the Lakers eke out a 118-116 victory. Wang Chong's 31-point performance (on 11-of-19 shooting) outshone Jamison's 22 points, securing the win.
Despite breaking their losing streak, Lakers head coach Phil Jackson remained uneasy. The team's weaknesses—particularly in the frontcourt—were glaring. Having become accustomed to the dominant presence of Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers were struggling without a powerful interior presence.
With the Christmas game against the Miami Heat fast approaching, Jackson's concerns deepened. The matchup was highly anticipated, with Shaq returning to Staples Center seeking revenge.
While Jackson didn't place undue importance on Christmas games, the Lakers needed a solution for their interior issues if they wanted to be serious playoff contenders. A midseason trade for a center wasn't feasible, so Jackson contemplated abandoning the traditional center setup altogether.
As one of the league's most adaptable coaches, Jackson was no stranger to success without an elite big man. His championship Bulls teams during the Jordan-Pippen era featured only serviceable big men like Luc Longley and Dennis Rodman, winning titles in a league dominated by dominant big men.
The day after their win against the Wizards, Jackson summoned Wang Chong to his office.
"Wang, I want you to try playing power forward for the next few games. What are your thoughts?" Jackson asked directly, skipping any formalities.
Wang Chong was caught off guard. After a moment's reflection, he grasped Jackson's plan.
Small-ball tactics, which would dominate future NBA trends, were still seen as a niche strategy in 2004, primarily championed by teams like the Suns and Warriors. But Wang Chong understood Jackson's predicament. The Lakers didn't have a strong traditional center, and Odom wasn't consistent enough to fill that role.
Jackson's plan seemed to involve moving Caron Butler into the starting lineup, shifting Wang Chong to power forward, and playing Odom at center—a lineup they had briefly tested against the Suns.
Though radical for the era, Jackson's small-ball strategy made sense. Kobe and Wang Chong were elite offensive weapons, and point guard Chucky Atkins had become a reliable shooter, earning the starting spot from Derek Fisher. With Butler and Odom rounding out the lineup, Jackson's plan was to leverage speed and shooting against the slower, heavier Heat lineup, especially against an aging, heavier Shaq.
Wang Chong had reservations about playing power forward. At small forward, he had a height and wingspan advantage over most of his opponents, but at power forward, that edge diminished against the league's taller, stronger players. Nonetheless, for the sake of the team—and with the system suddenly issuing a long-awaited mission—he agreed.
"Ding—Random mission triggered! Mission objective: Help the Lakers defeat the Heat in the Christmas game and prevent Shaq from successfully taking revenge. Mission Reward: Elite Rim Protection Badge, Badge Level: Silver."
Wang Chong smiled at the challenge. He was eager to collect more badges, and while the Elite Rim Protection Badge wasn't perfectly suited to his current skillset, it would still be a valuable addition.
"Okay, Coach. I'm in. Whatever it takes to win," Wang Chong replied confidently.
Jackson was visibly pleased with Wang Chong's team-first attitude, a stark contrast to other players who let their egos get in the way of the team's success.
True to form, Jackson wasted no time. The new small-ball lineup was tested in practice and debuted on December 22 against the New Orleans Hornets. Though the Lakers secured a 101-89 victory, the game was far from smooth.
Kobe struggled to adjust to the faster pace, shooting 9-of-26 for 29 points. Butler, still finding his rhythm as a starter, contributed 13 points on 3-of-8 shooting. Odom, though undersized at center, held his own with 10 points and 13 rebounds, even if Hornets center P.J. Brown dominated the boards with 17 rebounds.
The standout was Wang Chong, who thrived in his new role. Matched against shot-blocking specialist Chris Andersen, Wang Chong exploited Andersen's overeagerness to block shots, using his signature pump fake to drive to the basket with ease. Wang Chong finished with 33 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including 5 three-pointers, leading the Lakers to victory.
Despite some bumps, the small-ball experiment was promising. But there was little time to fine-tune it—Christmas was just days away, and the Lakers would soon face the Heat, with Shaq returning to Staples for the ultimate showdown.
End of this chapter
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