However, the Lakers were indeed missing two key players, Tracy McGrady and Fisher, which led to a decline in bench strength.
Originally, Richmond was the firepower for the bench, but in this game, he was brought into the starting lineup, leaving the bench without his experienced presence at the shooting guard position, along with Reed.
The Glory Team withstood the pressure and gradually closed the score gap, as Reed became increasingly excited in the game, unexpectedly succeeding in a steal during defense.
He carried the ball through for a one-man fast break, finishing with a powerful two-handed dunk! The entire MGM Hotel Sports Center erupted in cheers.
After scoring, he waved his fist towards the Lakers bench, as if saying, "Who told you to abandon me? I have found a better place now."
There's no doubt that a player like Reed is a double-edged sword; if used well, his exceptional talent can produce excellent performances.
If not handled properly, he becomes a locker room cancer, a ticking time bomb off the court, ready to cause unpredictable harm to the team.
Phil Jackson appeared calm and collected, but was quite displeased internally, as Jackson has always been regarded as a psychological master.
He successfully "tamed" Dennis Rodman in the Bulls, forming the new Bulls iron triangle, which became a widely told tale.
But with the Lakers, Reed does not follow orders, and since Rodman's arrival, he hasn't contributed much, rebelling against Jackson's authority.
Now Reed seems to be doing well on the Glory Team. It is said that Reed listens to Ah Gan, and even Dennis Rodman respects Ah Gan deeply, which strips away some of Jackson's reputation.
Especially since his relationship with Michael Jordan essentially fractured, leaving only superficial friendliness, some question whether Phil Jackson is merely a trickster playing with psychology and strategy, leveraging the power of superstars for commercial success.
He strives to package himself with flashy words and championship titles, but he was never a truly great basketball coach, and when stripped of these ornate garments, his genuine basketball acumen is astonishingly empty.
Therefore, when he eventually leaves, aside from his championship legends and stories, he won't leave much for the basketball world, including his Triangle Offense.
Of course, this is just what some critics say; after winning the championship in 2001, Jackson's fame remained high, and his reputation was quite strong.
His new book reached the All-America bestseller list, in which he extensively discusses Eastern philosophy, Taoism, Buddhism, Zen, and Indian witchcraft, meditation, and other topics; these are what today's readers love.
Yet these criticisms still stung Jackson, and he realized it all stemmed from comparisons to Ah Gan.
Sometimes he even resents Ah Gan, especially knowing that after Jordan's first retirement, Ah Gan's relationship with Jordan grew stronger, while he drifted further apart.
With Jordan's return this time, Jackson wished he could come to the Los Angeles Lakers, believing their partnership could undoubtedly crush Ah Gan's team.
But Jordan refused, politely declining Jackson's invitation and choosing Seattle instead; Jackson remained frustrated over this issue.
Reed was merely one of many things triggering him, relatively insignificant at that.
Facing Reed's consecutive scoring, Jackson whistled a few times, calling for strengthened defense.
The Lakers immediately applied a half-court press, causing the Glory Team to make repeated errors, allowing the Lakers to score again and widen the gap.
The Glory Team is indeed too inexperienced, the players too old or too young, and the gap in synergy and maturity compared to seasoned teams is monumental.
Jackson's only concern was with one person, and that was Ah Gan; as long as he didn't ignite a Rockets-level comeback, the Lakers winning the match wasn't a big problem.
But as the gap widened to 8 points, Gan Guoyang re-entered the game, immediately making two consecutive three-pointers, reducing the gap to 2 points.
Then, successfully stealing the ball on defense, amidst the chaos, he picked up the ball and sent a long pass, his second assist to Jerald Wallace, who easily scores under the basket, tying the game!
Gan Guoyang led an 8:0 streak and instantly leveled the score; this rascal truly possesses such capabilities.
Jackson let out a long sigh, muttering "an awakening nightmare," and stood up to call a timeout from the scorer's table.