boyutpedia Chapter 358 This start is a bit too crazy!
Chapter 358 This start is a bit too crazy!
"You have one last question!"
Once again, he arrogantly ignored the Lakers and the Los Angeles reporters in front of him, directly ranking this year's Lakers team, which is called the strongest version in history, outside the top three of all the opponents he has ever faced. The reporters present couldn't help but boo in dissatisfaction.
This is Los Angeles, our home turf, after all. How can you be so disrespectful?
Lin Tian: No way! Don't even think about it! Forget about saving face. You guys asked me, which means you don't care about saving face! You expect me to give the Lakers a hand?
I'd rather support that old bastard Jordan than support you guys!
After Lin Tian answered the question, the reporters present fell silent once again.
This is the last question. Who will ask it, and how will they ask it?
If any hotheads were to spout nonsense at this point, my little brother might get blacklisted by his colleagues in Los Angeles!
So right now, nobody dares to be the first to speak up; everyone's just waiting for someone to ask them a question.
"I'm leaving if you don't ask any questions!" Lin Tian couldn't help but urge him when he saw that no one was asking any questions.
What if he doesn't leave now, and those bastards just abandon him and run off without waiting for him? What if they just drive off in their bus?
Can't I, Lord Lin, take a taxi to the hotel?
"In this Finals against the Lakers, what do you think is the most difficult aspect of the Lakers to deal with? Is it Jackson's wisdom and versatility or Shaq's terrifying destructive power under the basket?" After a long silence, someone finally stepped forward and asked a fairly standard question.
"Shaq's destructive power is so-so. I've already swept him twice. What kind of damage can he do to the court? Can he smash the court?"
"As for Jackson, I know that old man too well. I can tell what tactics he's going to use from the angle and size of the gap in his eyes when he squints. Neither of them is scary."
"If I had to pick the most difficult player to deal with on the Lakers, I'd say it's Kobe! He can defend, he can attack, he can pass, he can shoot, he can finish on drives—he can do everything on the court. I think he's the best shooting guard in the league!"
"He can defend the opponent's star player, he can make and dares to take all kinds of shots! He can do almost anything!"
"If I were on another team instead of the Lakers, I think this year's MVP race wouldn't be a three-way contest, but a four-way battle!"
"Kobe was unlucky; without Shaq, he would definitely have received more praise and honors!"
"I've watched countless Lakers games, and I have to say Kobe's contributions have been overlooked. Scoring, defense, playmaking, rebounding—he could do everything you wanted him to do! He was absolutely an MVP-caliber player!"
"We will conduct a very detailed and comprehensive analysis of Kobe, and tailor a complete set of strategies and plans specifically to deal with him!"
"Lin, are you trying to sow discord by saying this?" a reporter couldn't help but ask. Lin Tian hadn't just revealed his true intentions; he had directly thrown away the map and was brandishing a dagger!
"Consider this a gift from me. Yes, I was deliberately trying to sow discord between Kobe and Shaq," Lin Tian said, blinking his big, innocent eyes. "But can you deny what I said? Isn't what I said the truth?"
After saying this, Lin Tian waved his hand to indicate that the interview was over, and pushed his suitcase toward the bus. At this point, the Los Angeles reporters were too embarrassed to stop him and ask any more questions.
Being a sports reporter is indeed a dirty job that requires constantly stirring up trouble, but you also need to have some bottom lines! They've already cooperated with the interview and provided a lot of juicy details, so it's a bit much to keep pestering them.
"You're back, Lin? How did the chat go?" Bird greeted Lin Tian with a smile as soon as he got into the car.
"We had a good chat. I told them you're a racist, afraid of AIDS, and have repeatedly said in private that the magician is a stupid idiot who deserves to have AIDS!"
"You really said that?" Miller excitedly leaned closer. "If you really said that, then you're my idol! I've always wanted to spread this rumor to the media, but I just haven't found the right opportunity!"
Webber, equally rebellious, said, "Then can Larry be fired? If he's fired, how about we put Rob in the general manager position? That guy keeps saying he wants to be a team's general manager!"
Even Carlisle, who rarely jokes, chimed in, "It's not your Rob's turn yet. If Larry gets sacked, I'll be the first in line to succeed him. Larry, thank you for leaving me with such a great team! I'll remember your kindness!"
"When I become the league's best general manager, I will definitely mention you in my speech! Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today," and so on.
"Why don't you just die?" Bird rolled his eyes and said, "If I hadn't reacted quickly and drawn the reporters' attention away, you'd all be stuck at the airport giving interviews right now, trying to get on the bus!"
"That was just now," Miller said with a wicked grin. "Now is now!"
"Lin, now you know what just happened, right? The culprit has confessed!" Weber smiled smugly, patted Bird on the shoulder, and sat back down in his seat.
Lin Tian plopped down next to Bird: "Larry, I've learned a few new dunking moves, but I feel like I'm not doing them well. You're an expert in this area, can you help me take a look?"
"Have you no shame? When did I become an expert in this area? Even if you want revenge, at least come up with a plausible reason!"
"You're not good at dunking, but you're great at getting dunked on!" Lin Tian said with a mischievous grin. "These moves of mine are all dunks on! You're perfect as a target for me to dunk on a few times. How about we start right away when we get to the hotel?"
Looking at the group of players behind him who showed no loyalty whatsoever and completely abandoned him to Lin Tian, Bird secretly vowed: If I ever help you guys out of trouble again, I'm a son of a bitch!
A bunch of shameless ingrates!
May you all die next time!
The Pacers arrived in Los Angeles two nights before Game 1 of the Finals.
They will rest for two nights and two days in Los Angeles to get themselves into top shape before heading to Staples Center for the final showdown of the season with the Lakers!
For those two nights, Bird replaced Carlisle and issued a very strict curfew order to the team, prohibiting anyone from leaving the hotel, drinking alcohol, or entering the players' rooms!
This time there are no special privileges, no turning a blind eye; everyone must strictly abide by these regulations!
After all, this is against the Lakers, the team Bird hates the most!
He even participated in the team's training, which was extremely rare for him. Although he did not interfere with Carlisle's tactics, he did point out various details and some of the players' bad habits and flaws.
On several occasions, this guy even changed his clothes and went on the field to participate in training, telling the players about his experiences from back then.
This guy might actually be the one on the entire Pacers team who's most eager to beat the Lakers!
That was hatred etched into the very marrow of my bones!
Logically speaking, the Pacers' training intensity these past two days has not been high at all; it has mainly focused on maintaining their form and adapting to some new tactics.
However, because of Bird's arrival, a lot of swearing inexplicably appeared on the training field.
"Fuck Jerry West, I'll beat you so badly you'll pee yourself!"
"That fat, dumb-laughing magician, what the hell are you laughing at?!"
"I'll smash your big white teeth! Then you'll be fucking smiling again!"
"West's team-building ability is inferior to Larry's toenail! Larry could assemble a team with his knees and still be 10 times better than Jerry West!"
"Jackson dares to call himself the greatest coach in NBA history? Larry beat him to a pulp!"
"Our Larry simply doesn't have that ambition; otherwise, he'd easily surpass Jackson and become the head coach with the most championship rings in NBA history!"
Most of the above comments came from the team's fringe players and benchwarmers. They had to curry favor with Bird. Even if they didn't get much playing time, they could at least leave a good impression on Bird so that when this contract expired, they might be able to get another contract with the Pacers!
Anyway, Bird has had a great time these past few days!
He experienced the joy of playing ball with his boss and employees. He even scored quite a few points in several low-intensity training matches, realizing that he was still as good as ever!
Of course, Bird was also self-aware enough not to do something like simply tearing off his suit, changing into a jersey, and walking onto the court.
But Bird would do other things to disgust people! He prepared a gift for Staples Center fans and those old jerks he hated!
Of course, Bird's gift would not be seen until the game started, but the Lakers players received Lin Tian's gift to the Pacers the day after the Pacers arrived in Los Angeles.
"With me around, Shaq will never win an MVP award in his lifetime!"
Shaq is great, but nowhere near as good as me! With me on the court, he can forget about getting MVP!
"Only I deserve it! Lin Tian says he truly deserves this year's MVP award!"
Lin Tian, who doesn't even consider the Lakers a threat, lists his three strongest rivals in his career, and the Lakers aren't among them!
Arrogance or overconfidence? Lin Tian tells reporters that Shaq's destructive power is nothing special!
Lin Tian bluntly stated that Kobe was more difficult to deal with; he added that Shaq wasn't the real challenge, but rather figuring out how to handle Kobe!
Lin Tian claims Kobe Bryant is the Lakers' strongest and most difficult opponent!
Would the MVP race this year become a four-way battle if Kobe Bryant went to another team?
"I'm just trying to sow discord! Lin Tian revealed his true thoughts to the media after praising Kobe!"
Completely Fearless! Lin Tian claims he has faced at least three teams stronger than this year's Lakers in his career!
Lin Tian's grand gift was disassembled and reassembled by the various media outlets present that day, who tried every means to create various gimmicks, and then published as a series of new articles in their respective newspapers!
Lin Tian even began to doubt whether he had said some of those things! But of course, there wasn't anything too offensive or damaging to his image, so Lin Tian didn't bother arguing with the reporters.
Whatever makes you happy!
The reporter was happy, Lin Tian was happy to begin with, and the Pacers players were also very excited to see such a lively scene.
The most unhappy person on these two nights was Shaquille O'Neal!
Regardless, Lin Tian's outrageous remarks have once again provided sustenance for countless Los Angeles media outlets!
After significantly boosting the sales of major magazines and newspapers, Lin Tian's words undoubtedly reached the ears of the Lakers players.
"Huh? Our team can't even make the top five?" O'Neal glanced at the newspapers and scoffed, "Has this kid forgotten how I destroyed their interior defense last year?"
"He says I'll never win MVP, that I'll never be his match? Ridiculous! This time, I'll beat him to a pulp! I'll show him who the real MVP is!"
O'Neal's anger flared up. Even though he had a very good relationship with Lin Tian before, this sensitive big man was completely provoked by Lin Tian.
Kill him!
"That kid's still got a knack for sowing discord." Jackson appeared on the practice court with a newspaper in hand, smiling. He pointed to the article about Kobe being the Lakers' biggest threat and said casually, "Unfortunately, we all know who the most dominant monster in this league is."
"He's still too green! So green that he seems a bit stupid. Everyone can tell that his level of provocation is just nonsense and no one will take it seriously."
"Hahaha, that's right, Phil! Kobe and I are best buddies! We're inseparable, he's my best little brother, am I right, Kobe!" O'Neal was easily amused by Jackson's words.
He shouted at Kobe, who had already tidied himself up and started stretching.
"Yes, that's right." Kobe maintained his usual indifference, nodded, and said nothing more.
O'Neal was already used to Kobe's quiet, reserved manner of not participating in pre-game chats and jokes, so he didn't take it to heart at all and turned to continue chatting with Grant, Jermaine O'Neal, Horry, and others.
These carefree guys, of course, didn't notice that Kobe was more silent than usual, nor did they see the different curve of his lips.
If you were to ask Kobe what he really thought right now...
Kobe will only tell you one thing.
"Lin, he's a fucking football expert!"
The only one on the entire Lakers team who noticed this was probably Jackson, but the old fox didn't say much. Instead, he squinted and watched Kobe warm up by shooting hoops alone, and he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.
If you asked Jackson what he was thinking right now, he would only say one thing.
"Listen to me, thank you. Because of you, I've saved myself a lot of trouble!"
On June 2, 2001, after a full four days of rest, and the Lakers even had a five-day break, the NBA Finals, the ultimate showdown of the season, officially began!
More than 19000 fans flocked to Staples Center early in the morning, waiting to cheer for their team and teach Lin a lesson for his reckless remarks that humiliated the entire city of Los Angeles a few days ago!
Meanwhile, in the locker rooms of both teams, the head coaches were making final arrangements!
Inside the Lakers' locker room, Jackson, as always, sat at the table in the middle of the room, looking relaxed. He said, "If I'm not mistaken, they won't be making any roster changes tonight; they'll stick with their previous starting lineup!"
"Shaq, no matter how many guys they use to guard you, whether they double-team you or not, attack their interior relentlessly from the start! Destroy that Ben and Chris! Use your most terrifying explosiveness to show everyone who the most terrifying interior king in this league is!"
"For the first three minutes, I allow you not to pass the ball or execute the triangle offense; I allow you to play however you want! My only requirement is that you destroy their interior defense!"
"Leave it to me! Phil won't let you down! But my advice is to call an ambulance beforehand and have it waiting at the door! Their people might be carried out of the arena at any moment!"
After a burst of laughter, Jackson continued, "As for the rest of you, just play your usual way on offense at the start of the game: maintain space, maintain distance, be ready to shoot, and get the ball to Shaq! Got it?"
"clear!"
"As for defense, Shaq, Lin will most likely use pick-and-rolls to attack you. He'll probably keep setting screens for Ben. Don't worry, you don't need to pay any attention to him. Just stay on the edge of the paint and guard the basket until I give the order!"
"His three-point efficiency can't possibly surpass your success rate when you're dominating the paint! But if you go out there, our defense will have problems!"
"Jermaine, we don't need you to help defend everywhere tonight. Shut down Chris! Push him out of the paint, and if he gets the ball at the free-throw line, stick to him! Don't let him shoot or pass easily, completely shut him down! Cut off the Pacers' second source of mid-range offense!"
"If you can do that, we've already won half the battle tonight!"
"Kobe, your job is Vince Carter! I want you to defend him until he's even worse than Finley in the Western Conference Finals, until he completely forgets how to play basketball! Make him question his existence, make him lose his way!"
"Finally, everyone else, just play as we've always planned! Okay, I won't say anything more. I believe you are the strongest team in the NBA! I believe you can do it!"
"So go! Go become the champion! Go and shock the world!"
"Roar roar roar!"
"We are the champions!"
"Dry up Indiana!"
After Jackson finished speaking, the entire Lakers' locker room erupted in a frenzy of roars. The players were incredibly excited and eagerly awaited the epic battle against the Pacers!
Jackson's assistant coach during his time with the Bulls, Clemens, waited until Jackson finished his speech before finally saying, "Phil, you've outlined everything, from offense to defense, but you don't seem to have outlined how to defend Lin. Are we...?"
"No." Jackson shook his head with a smile, patting his old partner on the shoulder and saying, "No matter how we arrange things, Lin won't be affected. He can still play a near-perfect game. He's reached that level now."
"So instead of wasting our energy on him, let's focus on what we can do! Defend the rest of the Pacers, and then play our offense well. As for Lin? We'll see how the game goes!"
In the Pacers' locker room, Carlisle, leading the team for the first time, was not as calm as he usually was. He sat in his chair with a thick tactics manual and player reports in his hands. After repeatedly reminding himself to stay calm, Carlisle took several deep breaths.
"Gentlemen, let's have our final strategic meeting!"
"We've already made it very clear what we're going to do. This Lakers team is much stronger than last year! They've improved in almost every position!"
"Shaq remains their most unstoppable weapon, and even his free throw percentage is no longer a liability. His free throw percentage in the regular season is over 65%, and in the Western Conference Finals it's over 70%!"
"Ben, when you're defending him, don't hold back or feel any pressure. Just go all out against him! And when you need to foul, foul! And remember, if you're going to foul, foul relentlessly!"
"Beat him to death! With Lin here, you have absolutely nothing to fear!"
"Even without Lin, I'm not afraid of Shaq!" Ben Wallace, looking fierce, flexed the muscles in his arms. He has unknowingly grown into a top-tier role player in the league, and making the All-Defensive Second Team this year is the best reward for him!
Tough, fierce, and fearless are his defining characteristics.
"Chris, don't let your guard down when you're dealing with that little O'Neal. He's improved incredibly fast this year! Even I believe that if he were the leader of a team, he could become an All-Star in no time and lead the team to great results!"
"He's very tough on defense, with a lot of strength. I heard he trained with Shaq for a whole year. On the other hand, he's very agile on offense, and his turnaround jumper and step-back jumper are already quite good! Be careful!"
"Vince, you guard their Rice. I think Jackson will most likely have Kobe guard you too!"
"This is your best chance yet! Vince, you can get an extension this summer! Perform well, give it your all, and get that bastard Larry to give you a five-year max contract! Let's work together for another five years!"
"Doug, you have a big task ahead of you. Besides making those damn open shots, you also need to lock down Kobe on the defensive end! This guy's performance this year has been phenomenal! His chemistry with Shaq is getting better and better, and his ability to lob the ball inside is among the best in the league."
"Provoke him! Find a way to provoke him! Then make him attack on his own, don't pass the ball to O'Neal. If you can do that, you've completed half of your mission tonight!"
"Lin, we're counting on you!"
After saying a long string of words, Carlisle finally looked at Lin Tian and said only this one sentence.
This one sentence contains a thousand words.
It is trust, it is reliance, and it is also a responsibility!
"Don't worry, we'll crush them!" Lin Tian clapped his hands, stood up, and said, "So, can we set off now?"
"Dry up Los Angeles!"
"Beat LA!"
"Sleeping with all the girls in Hollywood!"
"Let's make sure they never win a championship again!"
"So Larry can brag to Jason and West!"
"For world peace!"
Amidst these somewhat strange shouts, the Pacers players stood up and left the locker room.
The match is about to begin!
To the Pacers' surprise, they heard a deafening chorus of boos coming from inside the arena before they even reached it.
Judging from the rhythm and intensity of the sound, this chorus of boos has likely been going on for quite some time.
Who is this?
Are there even more annoying people here than us?
Filled with curiosity, the Pacers players walked out of the tunnel and into the arena.
Then they saw the guy they hated even more than they did.
He's one of us, Larry Bird!
This guy is sitting in his chair right now, waving at the camera and the fans. He's clearly enjoying and missing the feeling of being yelled at by the fans!
As for those sitting on his left and right, they were Jerry West and Magic Johnson!
These three arch-enemies and sworn enemies from the 80s have actually managed to come together here.
The fans showered Bird with the highest level of hospitality and welcome, booing and spitting wildly at him!
"Larry's here to help relieve some of the pressure on us." Lin Tian smiled and shrugged, then ran to the sidelines first to shake hands and bump fists with Bird and the other two.
Lin Tian's appearance immediately drew the attention of the fans, who quickly shifted their booing focus to him!
That was just a warm-up.
Now is the time to tear you Indiana bumpkins apart!
As for the Lakers players who came out earlier than the Pacers and are already warming up, they are warming up in a relaxed manner. The dozen or so players on the team all look fierce and strong, which is indeed the current state of the Lakers!
They are a powerful and well-equipped force!
They have strong players in every position, from starters to substitutes. Even the Lakers' second unit can hold their own against the starters of some bad teams!
No wonder countless people believe that this Lakers team is the strongest version in Lakers history!
The main point is that it has no weaknesses and its strengths can make it stand out in the league. Almost all of its aspects are top-notch in the league!
After more than ten minutes of warm-up, the starting players from both sides took to the field.
As usual, the Pacers did not change their starting lineup, sticking with the same stable starting five: Ben Wallace, Chris Webber, Christie, Vince Carter, and Lin Tian.
Like the Pacers, the Lakers did not change their starting lineup, fielding their most frequently used five-man combination from the regular season to the playoffs.
The team featured two Shaqs in the frontcourt, with Kobe and Rice swinging between the 2 and 3 positions, plus Derek Fisher, a shooting guard who entered the league in the same year as Kobe!
This combination of five players achieved a terrifying record of 69 wins in the regular season and 11 consecutive wins in the playoffs in the Western Conference this year!
In addition to these five starters, their bench also features last year's starting point guard Ron Harper, clutch player Robert Horry, excellent shooter Brian Shaw, and the versatile Rick Fox.
If these players are all familiar faces, having been with the Lakers since last year, then the Lakers also acquired Horace Grant, a key player from the Bulls' first three-peat, and former All-Star guard Isaiah Riddle from the free agent market this year.
This bench is luxurious and well-rounded, with players capable of playing from point guard to center. They are all equally strong and experienced!
As tonight's referee, Crawford, walked onto the court, he looked at Ben Wallace and Shaquille O'Neal, who were already positioned on either side, both with fierce expressions and ready to fight at any moment. Crawford threatened, "You two better watch out!"
"If you dare to provoke me."
"Alright, alright," O'Neal snorted. "I'm telling you, bro, just shut up. I've heard your line a thousand times in my life, but I've never taken it to heart."
"Whether we resort to violence or cause trouble has absolutely nothing to do with your threats! So you'd better save your breath and just keep blowing your whistle!"
Crawford snorted at O'Neal's arrogance but said nothing more. Instead, he gave O'Neal another threatening look and tossed the basketball into the air.
Shaquille O'Neal's physical attributes and talent are among the best in the history of the NBA. In a jump ball, Ben Wallace had almost no chance of winning, so he didn't even jump to compete with O'Neal. Instead, he made a symbolic jump and quickly turned back to defend!
The Lakers' first offensive possession begins!
Fisher was well aware of the gap between himself and Lin Tian. The first thing he did after getting the ball was to pass it to Kobe. He had a full understanding of his own limitations, which is the biggest reason why he was able to play in the league for a full 18 years despite his extremely low shooting percentage and lack of outstanding abilities.
Having self-awareness while possessing extreme self-confidence!
Fisher didn't get entangled with Lin Tian, but obediently ran to the weak side to prepare to receive the ball and shoot.
His choice really made Lin Tian feel uncomfortable!
Keep watching Fisher? He can't integrate into the team's overall defense, and he can't help his teammates on the defensive end.
Can we let Fisher go?
While this guy's overall ability is unremarkable, he's been incredibly accurate in this year's playoffs! So far, he's averaging a 51% three-point shooting percentage! He's the Lakers' most accurate and prolific outside shooter!
Lin Tian was unable to double-team, so the ball was easily passed to O'Neal in the paint. This monster was incredibly fierce when facing his old rival, Ben Wallace!
The basketball slammed heavily onto the floor, then slammed into Ben Wallace's body. A tremendous force, capable of splitting mountains and cleaving rocks, immediately surged through him, making him feel as if he had been rammed by a mammoth.
Then O'Neal spun around with his elbow, slamming it into Ben Wallace's chest and sending his upper body lolling backward. O'Neal then pulled himself up.
With his hands tucked behind his head, O'Neal was about to set the tone for the game with a ferocious two-handed dunk!
"Snapped!"
To O'Neal's surprise, and even to the surprise of the entire Staples Center, Ben Wallace, who had just been pushed off balance and was about to fall to the ground, actually held on!
Not only did he hold on, he also jumped up right after O'Neal, his giant palm landing between O'Neal's hands as he prepared to dunk.
"Stop dreaming! Get lost!" Big Ben roared, exerting his strength again and sending the basketball flying!
Christie grabbed the basketball and quickly passed it to Lin Tian, who had already started sprinting. Lin Tian then took the basketball and passed it diagonally to Carter, who was making a run down the wing!
After two passes, Carter received the ball and was already beyond the Lakers' three-point line!
The Pacers' three-pronged fast break is terrifyingly fast!
After Carter received the ball, he immediately accelerated and drove into the paint, ready to unleash a two-handed dunk!
Just as Carter approached the basket and was about to lower his hands, an enormous black shadow appeared in front of him incredulously.
"Snapped!"
With another thud, after O'Neal's dunk was blocked by Ben Wallace, he incredibly caught up with the Pacers' fast break speed, rushed back to his own basket, and blocked Carter's dunk with another block!
After the block, O'Neal landed the ball on the floor with one hand, displaying his domineering presence!
Then O'Neal didn't pass the ball to Fisher, who was closest to him. Instead, he made a long pass and passed the ball to Rice, who was still near the half-court. Rice didn't try to score and immediately passed the ball to O'Neal, who was in the paint!
After receiving the ball, Jermaine O'Neal slammed it to the floor, then accelerated to overtake Webber, leaving him behind before driving to the basket and pulling up for another powerful one-handed dunk!
"Snapped!"
But this time, all that came was the sound of a slap hitting a basketball.
Lin Tian!
Without joining the fast break, Lin Tian quickly collapsed under the basket and cleanly slapped O'Neal's dunk away again!
This time, the basketball landed in Christie's hands. This calm guy played a role in slowing down the pace. He stretched out his hand to signal everyone to calm down and wait, before passing the ball to Lin Tian and starting the attack!
As usual, Lin Tian initiated the Pacers' offense. Instead of calling for a screen at the top of the arc, he accelerated past Fisher and drove into the paint. After drawing O'Neal's defensive attention, he suddenly passed the ball to Ben Wallace next to him.
After receiving the ball, Ben Wallace didn't hesitate and immediately pulled up for a two-handed dunk.
"Snapped!"
Another muffled thud!
This time, it was Jermaine O'Neal who stepped up. He decisively abandoned Webber, slapped the basketball onto the backboard, then quickly jumped up, grabbed the backboard, and passed the ball to Kobe.
Kobe immediately launched a counterattack with the ball, sprinting all the way to the Pacers' three-second zone. Facing Lin Tian in front of him, Kobe unusually did not choose to attack himself, but instead made a no-look pass to Rice who was following up on the wing.
Rice took the ball, adjusted slightly, and then pulled it up and threw it, aiming to break the scoring drought on the court with a pass.
"Snapped!"
It was another crisp sound!
Christie, sprinting back to defend, caught up with Rice and swatted the ball Rice threw away in mid-air!
Just as the basketball was about to fly out of bounds, Lin Tian sprinted from under the basket to the sideline, leaped high, and slapped the ball back into bounds, passing it to Carter.
After receiving the ball, Carter did not wait for Lin Tian to return and immediately accelerated forward. When he arrived at the frontcourt, he faced Fisher, who was mismatched against him. Carter was about to use his physical and height advantages to overtake Fisher, but Fisher suddenly pulled out a hand and directly stole the ball from Carter's dribble.
Fisher then quickly passed the ball to Rice, who was making a rapid recovery run.
Before Klee could even get the ball, Christie had already flashed in front of him and grabbed it. But Christie couldn't control the ball either. Before he could even get his footing, Kobe had already rushed out from behind him and poked the basketball. The basketball flew out again and returned to Fisher's hands.
Fisher received the ball and was about to advance when Webber opened his arms and blocked his way. Fisher hesitated for a moment, and just as he was about to get around him, Ben Wallace behind him seized the opportunity and shot!
Big Ben gripped the basketball with both hands and exerted tremendous force, almost stealing it from his arms. However, due to the excessive force, Big Ben stumbled and fell to the floor!
Before he could even pass the ball to Webber, O'Neal let out a strange yell and pounced on him, slamming both hands onto the basketball.
"Give it to me, you stupid nigger!"
"Shut up, you fat, greasy idiot!"
The two players were simultaneously trying to grab the ball and hold it in their arms while trash-talking each other!
"Beep beep beep beep!" The referee's whistle blew rapidly, and Crawford rushed onto the court immediately, yelling, "Fight for the ball! Fight for the ball! Let go! You two, let go! Now! Or you'll each get a technical foul!"
Crawford roared loudly, as if afraid that either of the two guys would lose their temper and stop holding the ball with both hands, and instead grab the other's head and punch him a few times.
Fortunately, although Ben Wallace and Shaquille O'Neal fought fiercely, neither of them completely lost their temper and remained calm!
Seeing that the penalty had been awarded, the two players simultaneously released the basketball and stood up together.
Although they didn't actually fight, the way they looked at each other was filled with resentment and displeasure.
"Consider yourself lucky, fatso! I'll elbow you in the face sooner or later and make your ugly face even uglier!" Ben Wallace was radiating a fierce aura as he threatening O'Neal.
"I've seen more thugs than you've seen women. You think you can scare me like this? In your next life, you hobbit!" O'Neill snorted. "Go ahead and try it on me, and see if your dear father, my little brother Lin, can save you!"
The two men were exchanging insults while simultaneously standing on opposite sides of the free-throw line, preparing for another jump ball at the start of the game.
"That was so exciting! What happened just now was so exciting!" Barkley's voice suddenly rang out, and the fans watching TV suddenly remembered something.
This match will be commentated!
However, the back-and-forth fighting style of the two sides in that last minute was just too exciting! It made them forget that the commentator was even there!
Barkley: No, it's not that you forgot about commentators, it's that I forgot my profession. I was also completely bewildered just now, which is why I didn't say a word! (End of Chapter)