The opponent indeed panicked and substituted O'Neal off the court.
From Zhang Hao's impression, when O'Neal is fouled out, he's often confused at first, then irritable, then resigns to his fate... and then, when his mentality settles, he usually shoots free throws quite well in critical moments.
To use this tactic, timing is crucial. It usually works when facing O'Neal if you're trailing in score, and your team has reached the foul phase by being forced to foul rather than fouling intentionally; otherwise, it won't be very effective, at least not particularly noticeable in the playoffs.
After the timeout, the Western Team is on the offensive.
Once Zhang Hao reaches the frontcourt, he continues doing what he should and can do.
It's not that with O'Neal off the court, the Western Team has an advantage for the remaining 7-plus minutes. It's just that with O'Neal off, and both teams in good form offensively, the Western Team can match the Eastern Team equally.
