After the next round, Roger didn't hold the ball on offense but let O'Neal ravage the Lakers' fragile inside.
Roger still felt very uncomfortable; a fever was not only a headache—it made your body go weak as well.
So, Roger couldn't take charge as usual, and he wanted to save more energy for defense.
O'Neal's hook shot in the paint was steady and re-extended their lead to nine points.
After Roger had come onto the court, the situation had almost instantly changed.
The unyielding Kobe took control of the ball straight from the backcourt this time, with all eyes on him. Did they really trade an All-Star player for a high school kid, a draft modeled after Roger, to score over Roger's head?
Once Kobe passed the halftime line, he started sprinting full force, wanting to overpower Roger with his speed.
But Roger closely shadowed him from the side the entire time, and Kobe couldn't break through Roger's defense.
