Scoring 30 points, more than Larry Johnson's 27 from 10 out of 19 attempts on the other side, and also more than Barkley's 26 from 10 out of 18 attempts for the Lakers.
In the final quarter, the TV commentators analyzed whether Zhang Hao's playing style was due to higher demands from the team or if his tactical position had truly diminished. Bill Walton and Hubie Brown from Time Warner Cable Sports even argued about it.
Bill Walton firmly believed that the Lakers had worsened their use of Zhang Hao.
But Hubie Brown thought it was a testament to the league's top-level trust in Zhang Hao's shooting, highlighting the difficulty in what Zhang Hao achieved. Few in the entire league have the ability to make clutch shots like Zhang Hao, saying this reflected the Lakers' trust in him.
Moreover, Zhang Hao's counterattacks, which were mostly initiated by himself grabbing the rebound and advancing, were well-defended by the New York Knicks against their team counterattacks.
