Pope of Basketball.

Summary

The Mavericks finally scored in the third minute, with Ji De making a jump shot from three-point range. The Lakers retaliated with Yi Ge Da La scoring under Howard's tight defense. The Mavericks' head coach, Rick Carlile, called for a timeout after Lu Wei surged forward with the ball and Ji De committed a foul. TNT commentator Kenny Smith remarked that the Lakers were set to create miracles again this year, even without Ke Bi. Ba Ke Li chuckled that the Mavericks may look strong on paper, but Ji De and Howard were not in their prime. Howard's playoff stats had dropped, and rumors circulated about him using marijuana. After the timeout, Carlile substituted Huai Te for Terry to strengthen the offense. The Lakers switched to a zone defense, disrupting the Mavericks' plans. Jia Suo Er set a screen, and Nuo Wei Si Ji passed the ball to the low post, where Jia Suo Er attracted a double team. Ji De received the ball and passed it to Terry, who nailed a three-pointer from an open position. The Lakers changed their offensive strategy and retaliated again, with Lu Wei hitting a clean three-pointer from the right side. The opponent focused their attack on Jia Suo Er, exploiting his slow movement to create mismatches. Carlile substituted Jia Suo Er for Branden Ba Si, who could shoot mid-range. In the latter half, the Lakers continued to ensure their offensive firepower, leaving commentators in awe. The Lakers led 32 to 24 in the first quarter, with the Mavericks primarily relying on Nuo Wei Si Ji and Terry for their offense. In the second quarter, Yao Ming came on to replace the bench, partnering with Mi Er Sa Pu in the paint. The Mavericks brought in Ba Li Ya, Terry, Jie La De, Ba Si, and Lyle Huo Lin Si as their substitutes. Yao Ming scored off the backboard, and Ba Li Ya showcased his skills, using a screen with Ba Si to shake off Xiao Bu. The Lakers continued with their triangle offense, and Yao Ming received the ball, backed into Huo Lin Si twice, turned toward the baseline, and powered through to score off the backboard from close range. Yao Ming made both free throws, bringing the score to 38 to 26. Carlile was already feeling the pressure, struggling to defend against the Lakers' offense. He began to miss Kobe's isolation plays.

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