At 11 minutes and 39 seconds, the Lakers were leading the Heat by 56 to 51, a 5-point lead!

The Heat, after hitting three shots, only scored one point in the remaining four minutes of the third quarter!

After that fiery shooting streak ended and the Heat’s sharpshooters were tightly guarded, the other players couldn’t score after high-contact plays!

Although the Heat also managed to defend against the Lakers’ set plays, preventing them from scoring, the Lakers... Zhang Hao seized the chance for fast breaks and scored 6 points by himself!

For the Heat’s final offense in the third quarter, they wanted to stall time, but the Lakers actively double-teamed Owens with the ball. After Owens passed to Koels, two Lakers players rushed at Koels, intentionally leaving Rex Chapman and Kevin Willis open, forcing the Heat to make quicker decisions!

When the ball returned to Koels after four passes, he had an open shot. Not taking the shot? Impossible. If he waited for the last moment, the shot opportunity would be worse. Koels adjusted, shot a three-pointer... and it was off!

Jason Williams grabbed the rebound. Van Exel’s side had his passing lane disrupted by the Heat’s active defense, but there was an opportunity for the Magician’s side, a high reach is advantageous!

The Magician quickly moved back to the paint to receive Jason Williams’ pass. After receiving the ball, he made a long pass. While moving back to intercept the ball, he kept an eye on the court’s positions, managing to pass the ball out smoothly before being double-teamed in full-court press.

The crowd began cheering as soon as Jason Williams secured the rebound. Zhang Hao received the ball at the opponent’s free-throw line, taking three large strides forward.

Taking three large strides is not uncommon, but Zhang Hao lifted the ball as soon as he got it, making two big steps to reach just outside the restricted area, then leaped up, powerfully slamming the ball into the rim without any flourish...

Simple and straightforward, yet the crowd went wild upon seeing the dunk!

Statue of Liberty slam dunk!

Zhang Hao paid homage to James Worthy’s Statue of Liberty dunk!

For a moment, fans felt as if they had returned to the Showtime era!

With Van Exel and the Magician’s passing, coupled with Zhang Hao charging in, it felt a bit like the old days of Magic, Scott, and Worthy’s Showtime. However, now the Magician plays a supporting passer role, and Van Exel’s speed more easily allows for long passing opportunities.

And in terms of fast-breaking, as long as they can defend, Zhang Hao is even faster than James Worthy!

When Zhang Hao jumped for the dunk, the countdown red light for the third quarter had already lit up; there was still 1.2 seconds left!

As the Heat’s subsequent long-distance three-pointer missed, with the help of Van Exel and the Magician, Zhang Hao’s fast breaks led the Lakers to a 58 to 51 lead, entering the break with a 7-point advantage at the end of the third quarter!

From a 6 to 10 score at the start of the second half, to a single-quarter score of 20 to 16, it was all thanks to Zhang Hao’s 14 points in the latter half of the third quarter!

All from fast breaks!

They’re falling apart! 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

The Heat is already falling apart!

Even though the point difference is only 7, the Heat, mainly rotating 8 players and in the third quarter even only 7, are physically exhausted!

In the fourth quarter, Zhang Hao continued, with Doug Christie, Anthony Peeler, and George Lynch on the perimeter, Campbell at center, running a four-on-one defense strategy, as the Lakers fiercely focused on defense!

At this point, Zhang Hao was too tired to even attempt fast breaks. He didn’t force it, instead "gliding," resting and taking single plays when he saw an opportunity, scoring if he could, if not, leaving it be, because the Heat’s offense had collapsed, relying only on sheer willpower to defend. Their offense was purely left to chance, reminiscent of their triple-overtime game against the Bulls, where they scored only 10 points in those 15 minutes.

Despite everything else, purely in terms of the Heat’s resolve, Zhang Hao had great respect for this group of players centered around Moning, who embodied a tenacious team spirit that commanded respect.

In the first half of the fourth quarter, Zhang Hao made 2 out of 6 shots, scoring only 4 points, along with a three-pointer from Doug Christie and Campbell drawing a foul and making 1 out of 2 free throws. The Lakers scored only 8 points in 6 minutes and 43 seconds, a shockingly low scoring efficiency.

However, the Heat scored only 4 points in over half a quarter!

to 4! As the official timeout of the fourth quarter approached, the Lakers extended their lead to 66 to 55, an 11-point advantage!

The Heat called a timeout and substituted their main lineup, bringing in players outside of their 8-man rotation.

Having waited for the Heat to call a timeout, Del Harris saw Pat Riley walk to the bench without making any arrangements and immediately had Kurt Rambis inform the scorer’s table for a substitution, taking Zhang Hao off the court.

The team doctor was ready, bringing ice packs to ice Zhang Hao’s neck.

At this point, all Zhang Hao could feel was fatigue and a fiery sore throat.

Breathing heavily, his expression now indifferent beyond his control, Zhang Hao, with ice on his neck, headed towards the player tunnel while the crowd stood up and applauded enthusiastically!

Del Harris watched the scene... the neck injury certainly didn’t prevent him from playing, but after experiencing such a malicious foul, he was able to calmly and even more focusedly finish the game...

And looking at the type of passion from the fans which hadn’t been seen in years...