On the Lakers' side, O'Neal made 14 of 23 field goals, along with 6 of 10 free throws, exploding for 34 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks. Zhang Hao made 12 of 23 field goals, including 3 of 7 three-pointers, and 5 of 5 free throws. His shooting stability drove both the Warriors and O'Neal crazy, as he scored 32 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block.
The two together contributed 66 points, almost helping the Lakers to win the game, but were tied at the last moment.
In the final moments, Del Harris simply didn't call a timeout, letting the players handle it themselves.
At the critical moment, the Magician, knowing Zhang Hao would be double-teamed, chose to pass the ball to Byron Scott, who had been 0 for 4 the whole game. Byron Scott made his last three-point shot, winning the game 112 to 109 for the Lakers against the Warriors, narrowly avoiding consecutive losses!
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Narrowly winning, victory is the best way to cover up conflicts.
