At the end of the first half, USC head coach Tim was extremely pleased with his team's performance. With a broad smile, he patted each player on the shoulder as they came off the court. His grin was so wide that it seemed to stretch to his ears. If it weren't for the serious nature of the game, Lian Dao thought Tim might burst out laughing.
His joy was understandable. After years of being overshadowed by their rivals, Tim finally had a chance to revel in his team's dominance. On the other bench, however, the atmosphere was starkly different.
"Shit, idiots!!" Coach Howland shouted. "Are you homeless on the street? You're not even as good as the guys on Horizon Avenue! Their defense is better than yours!"
The players hung their heads in shame. Horizon Boulevard was renowned for its streetball culture, and there was a popular saying that even the homeless there had decent basketball skills. Howland's remark was a harsh insult, yet somewhat lenient, as he could have compared them to absolute trash.
At halftime, the score was 39-49, with USC leading by 11 points. Ben Howland was furious. Never before had his team been so thoroughly dominated by the University of Southern California. In basketball, they had always been the superior team, consistently bullying USC in past encounters. But today, the roles were reversed.
What aggravated Howland even more was the fact that USC's two main players had been substituted, yet his team still struggled against USC's remaining lineup. This was unacceptable to him. He felt an overwhelming urge to take to the court himself, but he was no Larry Bird, who could confidently say he'd dominate if he played.
Pre-game media predictions had favored Howland's team, citing their deeper basketball history and experience over USC's mostly freshman lineup. While USC had a strong start to the season, their inexperience was expected to be a weakness. Except for Holiday, the rest of Howland's team were seasoned players.
The media had failed to foresee a player like Lian Dao, who played with the poise and skill of a seasoned veteran. Predictions also suggested Lian Dao would struggle against the quicker, more athletic Josh Shipp. Yet, by halftime, Lian Dao had made 6 of 8 shots, including 4 of 5 three-pointers, tallying 16 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block.
If this was the media's definition of struggling, Lian Dao would gladly endure it every game.
As the second half began, Lian Dao shifted to the power forward position, with Gibson moving to center and Dwight Lewis taking over Lian Dao's previous spot at small forward. USC deployed their run-and-gun tactics.
Lian Dao, Gibson, and DeMar formed a lethal trident, relentlessly attacking their opponents. This fast-paced strategy was devastating against teams with a weak interior defense. Lian Dao's speed, which was a slight disadvantage at small forward, became a significant asset at power forward, enabling him to execute powerful dunks after breaking through defenses.
While his dunks might not have the elegance of Chicago's Jordan or the dramatic flair of Vince Carter's "death dunks," they were undeniably powerful. Each dunk left defenders sprawled on the floor.
Seven minutes into the second half, USC had extended their lead to 23 points, bringing the score to 49-72.
In the auditorium, Kobe stood up, ready to leave. Odom, noticing his boss's movement, stopped him and asked another seemingly clueless question, "Isn't the game over yet?"
This time, Kobe didn't glare at Odom with his signature "death stare." Instead, he looked at the scoreboard and shook his head with a sigh, "It's over!"
Odom, puzzled by his boss's reaction, couldn't understand why Kobe seemed disappointed despite USC's strong performance. He wondered if Kobe was secretly supporting the other team. After all, he had never seen Kobe show much interest in NCAA games before. Kobe was usually focused on training, rarely indulging in the pleasures of life in Los Angeles.
Why play in the NBA if not to enjoy life? Odom thought. Championships are just a means to earn more money to enjoy the good life—fancy parties, beautiful women, and all the luxuries. For Odom, enjoying life was the ultimate goal, and he never mixed up his priorities.
Seeing Kobe head towards the exit, Odom felt a twinge of guilt. He had tricked Kobe into watching the game to pick up girls, and letting his boss leave alone didn't sit right with him. He glanced at his date, then decided to stay. Between his boss and a beautiful woman, he chose the woman without hesitation.
As USC continued their dominant performance in the second half, Kobe couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity. It finally clicked when he saw Lian Dao orchestrating plays and making decisive moves. The current USC lineup reminded him of the 2006-07 Phoenix Suns, but with a twist. Unlike the Suns, whose commander was point guard Steve Nash, USC's playmaker was Lian Dao, a versatile forward.
Kobe recalled those seasons when his Lakers were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the Suns. The similarities were striking, yet USC had a more balanced lineup. The Suns had Amare Stoudemire as their inside core, whereas USC had Ty Gibson. Nash was the heart of the Suns' offense, but Lian Dao brought his height, wingspan, and strength to USC's playmaking.
Moreover, USC had Nikola Vucevic, a center capable of battling in the post, and DeMar DeRozan, a top-10 draft pick shooting guard. If the Suns had similar talents at center and guard during those seasons, the Spurs might have faced a different challenge.
Kobe gazed at the sky outside the arena, smiled, and walked towards his car. He knew all too well that dwelling on what-ifs was futile. Reality had already played out its course, and USC was well on their way to a decisive victory.