LeBron James, who had fully realized during the All-Star Weekend that he absolutely couldn't coexist with Zack, certainly took this highly anticipated Cavaliers-Warriors showdown more seriously than anyone else.
To prepare for this game, in the past four matches, "Young LeBron," who typically played nearly 40 minutes per game this season, only played a total of 120 minutes.
This even led many LeBron fans to worry, thinking that LeBron's historically durable body had suffered an injury.
And the level of importance the team's star player placed on the game...
Also meant that the entire Cavaliers team couldn't treat this Cavaliers-Warriors battle as just another regular season game.
Mo Williams specifically put in extra three-point practice before the game, vowing to provide substantial outside shooting support for His Majesty the King.
Varejão and Gooden both made "military pledges" in the Cavaliers' team meetings, showing their absolute refusal to be cowardly lizards on the court.
Pavlovic and Gibson declared that as soon as the King blew the horn, they would be the first to charge.
Then there was Snow, who promised to guard Davis, and Big Z, who was willing to give his all for His Majesty the King...
Except for O'Neal, who was truly useless against Zack.
The entire Cavaliers team was not only fired up, but they also fully demonstrated their loyalty to LeBron.
On the night of the 2nd.
Oracle Arena.
When Zack noticed the Cavaliers players' distinctly different mental state during the pre-game warm-up, he couldn't help but wonder for a moment:
Who said that during "Young LeBron 1.0 era," LeBron lacked help around him?
To Zack's current doubt, and to prevent him from being distracted before the game, Kwame Brown answered, "It seems your good brother said that himself. In interviews, he kept saying he didn't have enough help around him."
Oh, so my little brother said that himself?
Alright then, no problem.
Unlike the Cavaliers, who took this game exceptionally seriously...
Tonight, in the Warriors' lineup, aside from Brown, who was back in the starting five, the rest of the Warriors players, including Zack, treated this game as just another regular season match.
As for the reason?
Head coach Mike Malone had already made it clear enough before the game.
Since the Warriors wanted to defend their title this year, they would have to play at least three "NBA Finals" series.
So, to prepare for the upcoming playoffs, the Warriors couldn't waste their valuable energy on a regular season game.
On the court, shortly after the game began, Cavaliers players quickly noticed the Warriors' incredibly casual attitude.
LeBron, with a good shooting touch, started three-for-three, hitting a transition three-pointer that Artest defended with just his eyes.
This was definitely LeBron's smoothest start in his career matchups against Zack.
In the first quarter, LeBron was 6-of-9 from the field, including 1-of-2 from three, and 2-of-4 from the free-throw line. Aside from being blocked once by the overly aggressive Kwame Brown...
LeBron, who scored 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in the quarter for the Cavaliers, even started to think the Warriors weren't all that.
In the second quarter, Pavlovic and Gibson, who had promised to win this Cavaliers-Warriors battle for LeBron before the game, successively hit three-pointers for the Cavaliers.
These two three-pointers gave the Cavaliers, as the Eastern Conference powerhouse, a double-digit lead at that point.
On the sidelines, O'Neal, who had been constantly serving water to his teammates, even joked with LeBron, "If we keep playing like this, your good brother won't have to come in during garbage time to pad his stats, will he?"
Although LeBron felt a bit caught in the crossfire when O'Neal teased Zack...
On such a pleasant night, LeBron clearly wouldn't argue with the always humorous O'Neal.
At halftime, it was 71-50.
The Cavaliers' lead reached an astonishing 21 points.
And during halftime, LeBron, who was interviewed by the courtside host, also learned of a record that made him very proud.
The Cavaliers were the only team this season that could lead the Warriors by more than 20 points at halftime.
Did you hear that? The only team!
After the long regular season adjustments, LeBron had already seen the dawn of a comeback in this unfinished season.
However, in the interview, the always humble LeBron didn't speak in absolutes, saying, "You know, we're a team that still has roster deficiencies and needs to continue to grow.
So, to be leading this super team, the Warriors, by 21 points at halftime, I still can't believe it.
This fully demonstrates how hard we've worked every night since that last matchup."
Even leading the Warriors by 21 points at halftime, he still felt he lacked help and needed to grow...
Such a LeBron could definitely be called "Humble LeBron."
But...
After halftime, LeBron, who was ready to celebrate a big win, quickly felt the difference in the Warriors between the two halves.
If the Warriors in the first half were "simmering on low heat," not rushing even when falling behind...
Then the Warriors, who entered "high heat reduction" mode, were undoubtedly the "super team" LeBron spoke of.
On the court, during a Cavaliers offensive possession.
"Young LeBron," eager to quickly boost his scoring to 30 points so the world would praise his achievements, encountered Zack's despicable help defense the moment he drove into the Warriors' paint.
Why despicable?
Because if His Majesty the King hadn't exhausted his strength trying to elbow Artest out of the way during that drive...
How could Zack have so easily stolen the victory fruit called "crushing Young LeBron's basketball dream"?
The despicable Zack mercilessly destroyed LeBron's attack with a chase-down block off the backboard, then immediately initiated a fast break, assisting Richardson for a transition three-pointer.
Next, Mo Williams took a contested jump shot under Davis's tight defense and missed.
Warriors' possession. After setting up in the half-court, Artest missed a corner three-pointer off a Zack assist.
Zack mercilessly snatched the ball with one arm over Big Z's head.
Zack, who grabbed the offensive rebound, originally intended to initiate a second-chance attack himself, but a loud shout from his teammate made Zack notice the unguarded Artest in the next second.
"Young LeBron," attempting to sneak a fast break, was caught red-handed by Zack.
Looking at LeBron, who only ran back to the Warriors' half after Artest made the three, Zack smiled, "Your fast break is truly as swift as lightning, impossible to guard against."
At this moment, "Young LeBron," knowing Zack definitely wasn't complimenting him, blushed.
In a basketball game, athletic wing players certainly need to be ready for fast breaks at all times.
But...
LeBron's fast break just now happened before Artest's first shot was completed.
True, if Big Z had secured the defensive rebound, he would have immediately gotten an incredibly easy scoring opportunity.
But once the Cavaliers lost control of the defensive rebound, the Cavaliers would instantly become four-on-five on the court.
To get back into the game, "Young LeBron," dribbling across half-court himself, immediately used a "hesitation dribble" that was clearly a travel in Zack's eyes, to attack Artest's guarded area.
As an advanced technique, because the hesitation dribble can easily turn into a "carry," performing this technique also severely tests the user's wrist flexibility and explosiveness.
"Young LeBron" had no problem with explosiveness, but his wrist was as stiff as if it were cemented.
This made it seem like he almost "carried the ball" past Artest's defense.
Zack was greatly shocked by this, but knowing that Artest certainly couldn't guard against such a "high-level" dribbling technique, he was already ready.
To prevent "Young LeBron" from putting the ball into the hoop with his historically good finishing touch around the rim, Zack actively moved into LeBron's leading iron elbow and, using his wingspan advantage, swatted away LeBron's layup in mid-air.
LeBron's career finishing percentage at the rim exceeds 70%.
Due to his exceptional physical talent and the protection of star calls, ordinary big men basically can't interfere with or block his drives to the basket.
But Zack, whose talent surpassed LeBron's, could not only maintain his balance after physical contact with LeBron, but he could also deliver a fatal blow to LeBron with his enviable wingspan.
"Young LeBron" at this stage often found himself helpless when facing mobile big men with excellent wingspans.
Zack possessed both of these qualities.
And even if he couldn't get there in time to help on defense, the Warriors still had Kwame Brown.
Therefore, as long as the Warriors showed even a slightly normal defensive attitude, LeBron was destined to have to gamble on his inconsistent shooting touch from the perimeter.
In the first half, LeBron had a good rhythm.
But in the second half, as the Warriors' defensive intensity kept rising...
Throughout the entire third quarter, LeBron only managed 3 points from 3-of-6 free throws.
In front of the TV.
Cavaliers fans, who had already opened champagne prematurely to celebrate victory...
All fell silent after the third quarter.
Because on the scoreboard, it was 87-89.
The Warriors had erased the lead the Cavaliers built in the first half in just one quarter and had taken a two-point lead.
On TNT, Barkley exclaimed, "This Warriors team's ability to come back absolutely can only be described as insane! In the history of the NBA, I've never seen any team play like them."
Entering the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers players were clearly off.
In competitive sports, once you're caught in a "dragon riding your face" situation and the opponent erases your lead, no matter how outstanding an athlete you are, your心态 (mentality) will inevitably fluctuate.
The Warriors surged ahead, growing stronger as the game progressed. No matter how determined the Cavaliers were to win this game... with their mentality gradually unbalanced, they couldn't stop the Warriors' offensive surge, which was like a tsunami.
Zack played only the first six minutes of the fourth quarter before being subbed out.
Then...
Looking at O'Neal, who remained on the court during garbage time to pad his stats, Zack quipped, "Quick, score a few more points. This is your only chance to score in the game."
O'Neal didn't play much in this game.
Mike Brown basically only put him in when Zack went to the bench for a rest.
Although in the East, in limited playing time, he was still the fearsome "Big Shaq," but whenever he faced Zack...
O'Neal, whose legs aged faster than his body, would helplessly become a pathetic little dried fish.
Final score, 108-127.
LeBron, who was like two different players in the two halves, was 12-of-28 from the field, including 2-of-6 from three, and 9-of-16 from the free-throw line, totaling 35 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 7 turnovers.
Zack, also like two different players in the two halves, was 14-of-22 from the field, including 2-of-4 from three, and 9-of-10 from the free-throw line, totaling 39 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists, 4 blocks, and 2 steals.
If you only looked at the box score, this game was at least a 40/60 split for LeBron against Zack.
But the Warriors, who "reduced on high heat" in the game, made every fan feel their terrifying dominance.
Baron Davis, who scored a total of 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists for the Warriors, seemed "average" just looking at his stats.
However, in this game, 19 of the 24 points scored by the effortlessly controlling "Mr. Big Beard" were in the second half.
"Our entire team went through a period of confusion in the second half. I don't think this loss has anything to do with LeBron; he was trying his best to take over the game at that time," Mike Brown said after the game, excusing LeBron, who had "lost himself" in the second half.
"LeBron already took 28 shots in the game. What else do you want from him? He can't possibly attack every possession himself. It's on us for not capitalizing on the opportunities he passed to us," Mo Williams, who was 7-of-12 from the field and 4-of-5 from three for the entire game, voluntarily took responsibility.
Is this the legendary "Young LeBron 1.0 era," where all the pressure was on LeBron and no one could share it?
In fact, if he wasn't so comfortable with the Warriors, Zack even wanted to tell Mullin to trade him to the Cavaliers so he could also be "tormented" by these Cavaliers' "CBA teammates."
The Warriors "reduced on high heat" to send off the Cavaliers.
The Warriors also faced tests from several strong teams in the final stretch of the regular season.
Especially the two games against the Lakers at Oracle Arena.
Both teams, at full strength, delivered two high-quality offensive and defensive battles that left all fans thoroughly entertained.
The Warriors and Lakers each won one of these two games, leaving Kobe and Zack with three "debts" to settle.
However, even if the Lakers could repeatedly conquer Oracle Arena, Kobe still couldn't settle his "debt" with Zack.
After all...
According to Kobe's previous logic...
Only games played against the Warriors at the Staples Center could be counted in his "ledger."
But these two games, where the Lakers and Warriors each secured a victory, certainly added a lot of talking points to their regular season finale, which wouldn't take place until April 18th.
"They want to end the regular season with a win? Don't worry, we won't let them have their way," said Monta Ellis, the "die-hard Kobe fan" in the Lakers' roster, fiercely, when discussing the upcoming regular season finale against the Warriors.
"Last time at Staples, they just got lucky. This time, I believe God won't favor them again," Odom, who was motivated to face Zack due to Khloé Kardashian, also threw down a gauntlet before the game. "They won't get away with whatever they want at Staples!"
Actually, since the Warriors had already secured the top seed in the Western Conference and the best record in the league before the regular season finale...
So, if possible, in Mike Malone's opinion, it would be wise to rest the key players and selectively forfeit this regular season finale.
But Zack responded, "Many fans save up money just to watch me play one game. Since I'm not suffering from any injuries, there's no way I'm accepting rest."
In his previous life, as a fan, Zack most hated NBA stars who rested frequently.
Perhaps resting helps these stars maintain better competitive form in subsequent games.
But when you finally manage to get time off just to watch your favorite star play, or save up months or even years of savings just to see your favorite star from afar in person... and then he chooses to rest, how would you feel?
Zack always treated everyone the same, even himself.
So no matter how beneficial resting was, as long as he wasn't injured, Zack would try his best to play every game.
However, Mike Malone looked puzzled at Zack's statement, asking, "Aside from those with ulterior motives, are you sure Staples really has your supporters?"
Zack nodded firmly, "Of course."
Staples being full of fans who hated him?
Zack didn't see it that way.
At least those "moles" disguised as Lakers fans, who all asked him for autographs in the player tunnel after the game, clearly proved that the Staples Center was far from a monolithic entity.
And since a certain someone's "debt" to him had accumulated to three instances...
Zack naturally wanted to return the favor to Kobe Bryant, who had always seen him as a thorn in his side since his first "Goodnight, Los Angeles," with a perfect closing performance.
This was not just a competition on the basketball court.
It was also a war between Zack and Kobe that Zack didn't want to avoid.
For Zack, who wanted to be the undisputed GOAT of this era, if you wanted to fight, he would never refuse with an absurd excuse like an "intelligent foot injury."
As much as Zack disliked O'Neal, he couldn't understand O'Neal, nor could he ever want to be O'Neal.
—The crown must ultimately be forged through hard power and battle after battle.
Relying solely on a glorious past and marketing, even the most magnificent crown will eventually be shattered.