Scoring the first basket, Little O'Neal let out a roar that revved up the crowd and boosted his teammates' spirits.
Larry Bird watched him with satisfaction and nodded approvingly.
Truth be told, Little O'Neal was also a player with a leader's aura. Without Su Wan, he would have felt that after Reggie Miller, Little O'Neal was the leader of this team.
But now...
"Bang!"
On the court, Chauncey Billups managed to get himself some space against Tinsley with a breakthrough and pulled up for a jump shot but missed. — Normally Mr. Key's style is the ultimate "Magic Ball" strategy, breaking through and adding a three-point shot, but jump shots were also his usual tactic.
Under the basket, Foster successfully protected the rebound.
Starting from December, Rick Carlisle had really favored this white center. He had the mass and strength to hold his ground. This rebounding effort showed as he firmly blocked out Ben Wallace, a two-time Rebound King, behind him.