Chapitre 107: 31 Took the Lead in Winning the Match Point. If it Weren't for Wang Chong, the Situation Would Have Been Disastrous
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Wang Chong had always been a relatively gentle person within the team, so no one, including O'Neal, expected that he could be so fearsome when pushed to his limits. He even knocked Rasheed Wallace, the league's infamous "technical foul prince," to the ground.
It seems this rookie, who everyone thought was easy to bully, isn't as kind as he appears.
"Well done, boy! That's exactly how you handle those bastards!" O'Neal laughed, throwing his arm around Wang Chong's neck during the official timeout. "If we don't teach them a lesson, they'll never learn how to play the game right!"
"Shaq, stop teaching him bad habits!" Phil Jackson snapped at O'Neal while holding the tactical board. No coach likes having troublemakers on the court... Well, maybe every championship team needs one player willing to do the dirty work, but Phil didn't want Wang Chong—or any of the core players—falling into that role.
Wang Chong's foul, if ruled as a flagrant-2, could have gotten him ejected, and possibly suspended! Given that this was the Finals, any suspension, even for just one game, could have a huge impact on the Lakers' chances.
To protect Wang Chong, Phil Jackson used the timeout to substitute him, sending Kobe back onto the court.
Bringing Kobe in wasn't just a matter of sending a message—it was essential. Phil couldn't afford to upset Kobe at such a critical time. Winning the championship was the priority, and Kobe's talent was necessary.
With four minutes left in the game, the Lakers held a 5-point lead and were in control. As long as they kept the score steady for the next four minutes, victory would be in their hands.
Kobe, back on the court, played with more discipline, no longer forcing shots. Instead, he used his presence to draw the Pistons' defense and help his teammates score.
In the next few plays, the Pistons failed to close the gap even with Wang Chong off the court.
With 2 minutes and 47 seconds remaining, Wang Chong re-entered the game, further sealing the Pistons' fate.
Time ticked away, and when the final buzzer sounded, the Lakers still held a comfortable lead.
Final score: 92:87.
The Lakers had secured Game 1 of the Finals, and much of the credit belonged to O'Neal.
Facing Ben Wallace, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year (and likely to win more in the future), O'Neal reminded everyone that he was still a force to be reckoned with. Despite dealing with injuries and getting older, he shot 13 of 16 from the field, made 8 of 12 free throws, and racked up 34 points and 11 rebounds, dominating Wallace.
Wang Chong scored 22 points, ranking third on the Lakers, just behind Kobe's 25. But it was Wang Chong's impressive performance in the third quarter—where he scored 13 points with an incredible shooting percentage—that helped keep the team in control. And when the Pistons mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter, Wang Chong stepped up to stabilize the game. His contribution was crucial.
Wang Chong's shooting percentage was a staggering 75%, almost matching O'Neal's 81.3%. For a perimeter player, such efficiency was rare.
In contrast, Kobe made 10 of 27 shots, scoring 25 points with a 37% shooting percentage.
While Kobe took nearly twice as many shots as Wang Chong, he only scored three more points, showing a notable gap in efficiency.
Of course, Kobe still deserved credit. His mere presence on the floor drew significant defensive attention, allowing O'Neal to face Ben Wallace one-on-one for much of the game. Additionally, Kobe made life difficult for his counterpart, Hamilton. Known for his mid-range shooting, Hamilton struggled, making just 5 of 16 shots and scoring only 12 points.
However, Kobe was noticeably displeased with Coach Phil Jackson's decision to bench him during a critical stretch in the fourth quarter. After all, Kobe had his eyes on the Finals MVP, and if games continued in this manner, he knew his chances would dwindle.
At the post-game press conference, Kobe appeared uninterested, answering reporters' questions with little enthusiasm.
On the other hand, O'Neal was ecstatic. "With Wang Chong on our team, we're unstoppable. There's no doubt in my mind we'll win a three-peat!" he declared.
O'Neal had developed a deep affection for Wang Chong. His precise mid-range shooting helped create space inside, and his smart, efficient play contrasted with certain players who continued to shoot despite their cold streaks, wasting opportunities.
What impressed O'Neal the most was Wang Chong's reliability in crucial moments. The third quarter, in particular, was when Wang Chong helped turn the tide, closing the scoring gap.
With Wang Chong by his side, O'Neal began contemplating the future.
"After we win the championship, we can pressure management to trade Kobe for another All-Star. We'd still win championships without him, wouldn't we?"
O'Neal had grown tired of playing alongside Kobe. The only thing keeping him from pushing for a trade was the desire to win more championships. But if they could do that without Kobe, there would be no reason to hesitate.
Meanwhile, Pistons coach Larry Brown was deep in thought. Although it was only Game 1, he already sensed trouble brewing.
He had expected challenges from the Lakers' dynamic duo of O'Neal and Kobe. But Wang Chong? That was a problem he hadn't anticipated.
Brown had prepared for Wang Chong, assigning Prince to guard him in the first half. But when that didn't work, he switched Rasheed Wallace onto him.
These two forwards were among the best defensive players on the Pistons' roster, but neither could effectively guard Wang Chong.
Unlike Kobe, who relied on finesse and skill, Wang Chong leveraged his natural gifts: height and wingspan. For an outside player, he was simply too tall.
Brown realized Wang Chong's listed height of 2.08 meters was deceiving. After watching closely during Game 1, he estimated that Wang Chong was actually over 2.10 meters—taller than any of the Pistons' starting five.
Even Rasheed Wallace, known for his defensive prowess, found it difficult to contest Wang Chong's shots.
Wang Chong's combination of height and shooting ability made him an incredibly tough player to defend.
Brown's conclusion after the first game was clear: the best way to limit Wang Chong's impact was to prevent him from receiving the ball at all. But when Wang Chong started initiating plays and creating his own offense, stopping him became nearly impossible.
As the series progressed, Brown would face the same problem that Popovich had encountered in the Western Conference Finals: how do you stop a team that has O'Neal, Kobe, and now Wang Chong?
End of this chapter
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