While Kobe glared, Su Xi quickly led his team to retake the lead.
The Pacers were a fundamentally sound team, and their overall tactical discipline was on a level the Lakers couldn't hope to match.
Stephen Jackson, in particular, was a perfect fit for the Pacers' system. He was a born 3-and-D player: a tenacious defender who was decisive with his shot. His positioning wasn't exactly clever, but he could always get to his spots within the offensive set.
On the defensive end, he, Su Xi, and Artest formed a dream defensive lineup. Their suffocating, swarming defense was so intense that Atkins didn't even dare dribble the ball anymore, passing it off to Kobe before he could even cross half-court.
Kobe did his best.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the lead began to grow.
Even Little O'Neal reverted to his "King of Feasting on Scrubs" form. In just three minutes on the court, he scored 8 points, officially pushing the Lakers into garbage time.
