"Why is Game 5 of the Western Finals so important? It's not just because the winning team will gain a match point, but also because this is the game where the MVP proves why they are the MVP,"
Doug Collins said in the final minutes of the game.
By then, the game had already entered garbage time.
Yu Fei, with 54 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists, had already rested.
The Supersonics' lead had been consistently maintained at more than 13 points towards the end.
And the Lakers, they didn't have much they could do.
After Kobe exploded, the morale of the Lakers unavoidably collapsed. Even if Kidd wanted to maintain the situation, it was impossible because he wasn't a reliable presence on the offensive end.
Jermaine O'Neal began to question his journey with the Lakers.
Why did he join the Lakers?
Obviously, it was for the championship.
After his arrival, the Lakers indeed displayed championship qualities.