Halftime ended quickly, and both teams returned to the court for the second half.
The Blazers came out with confidence, fielding their same starting lineup, ready to continue their inside-focused strategy.
Coach P.J. Carlesimo was calm, convinced that if they stuck to targeting Elden Campbell, the victory would remain in Portland's Rose Garden.
But something was off...
Where's Campbell?
P.J. glanced at the Lakers' lineup and froze.
Where's Elden Campbell?
He wasn't on the court!
Instead, Ben Wallace, an undrafted rookie, stood in his place.
"The Los Angeles Lakers have adjusted their lineup. Elden Campbell, with four fouls, has been replaced by rookie Ben Wallace!"
The CCTV commentators were quick to catch the change.
"That's reasonable," Zhang Wenli noted. "Campbell already has four fouls. He can't risk picking up his fifth at the start of the third quarter."
Earning Qun, however, was more skeptical.
"But hold on… you said Ben Wallace is 2.06 meters tall, right? He's playing center? He's barely taller than the Blazers' shooting guard!"
Indeed, visually, Big Ben looked nowhere near 2.06 meters (6'9").
In fact, Isaiah Rider, the Blazers' 1.96-meter shooting guard, seemed almost the same height as him.
"You're Too Short for This!"
Rasheed Wallace noticed immediately.
"Seriously? They're putting someone under two meters tall at center? You're not even close to our level, kid!"
But Big Ben didn't back down. He shot Rasheed a cold glare and said:
"You'd better shut your mouth… or you'll feel my iron fist."
The court suddenly felt tense.
Rasheed hesitated for a moment.
"Wait, what? This guy's ready to fight on his first possession?"
Choosing to avoid the confrontation—for now—Rasheed backed off.
But he shot a glance at Sabonis, silently signaling him to handle the situation.
Sabonis vs. Big Ben
At 7'3" (2.21 meters) and 290 pounds (132 kg), Sabonis towered over Big Ben.
The Trail Blazers quickly got the ball to Sabonis in the low post.
"Time to crush this rookie," Sabonis thought as he backed Big Ben down.
He leaned in hard, expecting to push Ben aside with ease…
But Big Ben didn't budge.
A Standoff in the Paint
Sabonis was surprised. He dribbled again, pushing even harder.
"Boom!" The collision echoed through the arena, but Big Ben held firm, his powerful legs refusing to give an inch.
Sabonis frowned. This wasn't normal.
He lowered his shoulder and gave it everything he had.
Big Ben's knees bent under the force, but he held out long enough for Alex Mo to rotate over.
"Swat!"
Alex Mo soared from the weak side and blocked Sabonis's shot, sending the ball flying.
"Wow! What a defensive stand by Big Ben and Alex Mo!" shouted the TNT commentator.
The crowd gasped. The visual contrast between Sabonis's towering frame and Big Ben's compact build made the defensive stop even more impressive.
Del Harris's Realization
On the Lakers' bench, Coach Del Harris was stunned.
"Is… is this really happening?"
He remembered that Alex Mo had suggested trading for Big Ben during the preseason, claiming the team needed a strong presence in the paint.
At the time, Del thought Mo was just bringing in a benchwarmer to wave towels and boost morale.
But now, seeing Big Ben's impact on defense…
"Did Alex plan all of this from the beginning?"
Rasheed Loses Control
Meanwhile, on the court, Rasheed Wallace was losing his patience.
He had avoided Big Ben earlier, but now his frustration boiled over.
During a scuffle for a rebound, Rasheed shoved Alex Mo hard.
Mo regained his balance, but before he could react, Big Ben stepped in.
"You're gonna regret that," Ben said, his eyes locked on Rasheed.
Then, with no warning…
"Boom!"
Big Ben threw a punch, hitting Rasheed square in the chest.
KO!
Rasheed Wallace dropped to the floor, stunned.
The arena fell silent.
The TNT commentator slipped into WWE mode:
"Oh my God! Ben Wallace just knocked out Rasheed Wallace with one punch! This is unreal!"
Chaos on the Court
Blazers players rushed toward Big Ben, while referees blew their whistles frantically, trying to restore order.
Alex Mo quickly pulled Ben back, calming him down.
Big Ben smiled and shrugged.
"Hey, he asked for it."