On the evening of February 14, 1996, at 7:30, the Lakers welcomed the Hawks on their home court.
Early in the game, the Lakers relied on consistent performance, leading the Hawks by 13 points at one point, 47 to 34, midway through the second quarter.
After an official timeout in the second quarter, the Hawks launched a fierce counterattack. The Lakers were slow to respond, didn't pay much attention, and their old issue reemerged. In the latter half of the second quarter, they managed only 6 points, finishing the half with just a 53 to 52 lead over the Hawks by 1 point.
By the third quarter, the Lakers started to pay more attention mentally, but their approach seemed too casual.
The most obvious sign was Van Exel deciding to take over the game during the halftime break. At the start of the second half, he shot three consecutive three-point misses...
