dmims Chapter 456 The Aftermath of Scoring 80! Emerging Questions
Chapter 456 The Aftermath of Scoring 80! Emerging Questions
"Fuck him! I'm going to kill him!"
On the second day after the Christmas Day game, after various reports were published, Timberwolves head coach Saunders angrily slammed a newspaper on the floor.
The headline on the front page reads in large letters.
Lin frankly stated that he could only score a maximum of 65 points, but Sanders' scoring spree ignited his scoring desire!
Is it my fault, you idiot?
Sanders was so angry he was practically fuming.
I've never seen such a bastard!
Go to hell!
If I hadn't double-teamed you, you would have scored 100 points in 8 minutes! And you're blaming me for playing too tight defense? You expect me to respect you?
I respect your pink teapot toilet yo-yo!
I don't believe your nonsense!
Sanders, still not satisfied, picked up the newspaper from the floor and slammed it on the ground again and again.
This is currently the only way for him to vent his anger without spending money.
It might be more fun to smash other things, but that costs money.
This newspaper won't break if you drop it.
All I can say is impotent rage.
There are still many people in a state of impotent rage this morning.
After reading Lin Tian's news articles, those headlines that were infuriating just to look at, they really wanted nothing more than to rush straight to Indiana...
Hmm... Just send an assassin to Indiana and kill Lin Tian!
This guy is absolutely shameless.
For example.
Lin Tian bluntly states that only Kobe Bryant, besides himself, has the ability to score 80 points when giving it his all!
I didn't sweat much, so getting 80 points wasn't tiring; it was about the same as the night I scored 40 points!
Kobe almost tore up the newspaper after reading these two reports.
You can do it without breaking a sweat, but I have to work myself to death? Who the hell needs this kind of praise and recognition!
Kobe was genuinely angry, especially last night when he wanted to go toe-to-toe with Lin Tian but was out of form, making only 17 of 47 shots and scoring just 43 points. He was furious.
Why wasn't I at my best last night?
Another example:
"The greatest scorer of all time? Lin Tian frankly admits he isn't; his high scores are simply due to his excellent passing, so opponents need to be wary of his passes!"
"Without this vision, my score would be around 30 points at most, but with this vision, even without my shooting skills, anyone could easily average 20 points per game!"
Kidd was furious!
What the hell does your high score have to do with me? You can talk about scoring, but what does it have to do with organizing the offense?!
Another example:
We will never mock or rush the guys who give their all for the team but suffer injuries; they will always be a part of us! We hope Manu and Chris recover from their injuries soon!
McGrady's eyes twitched too; after all, he had just complained a few days ago about Grant Hill's long-term injury absence, which was why the team's performance was not as expected. He felt a sting in his face.
Damn it, you got 80 points, what does that have to do with my teammates?
You don't have teammates who have been missing for four years, and you're just standing here talking without any pain in your back?
In addition to these targeted attacks that caused many people to feel direct pain, Lin Tian's remarks also included various area-of-effect (AOE) attacks.
"100 points is nothing; I would have gotten it long ago if I wanted it!"
Scoring only 5 points in the second quarter is nothing to regret! Scoring 60-70 points in three quarters is commonplace for me!
"Feelings are a magical thing; they can come on suddenly. Everyone in the league has those nights when that feeling comes and no one can stop them, but I experience that almost every night!"
The best way to prevent me from scoring high marks? Just don't defend me, and I'll be too embarrassed to shoot!
"Alan is great, Kevin is great, all of Minnesota is great, but they can't beat me!"
100 points? Maybe, but hopefully no team will ever encounter someone like me!
Men, well, there are always 3-4 days a week when whoever encounters them is unlucky!
They were incredibly arrogant, practically wanting to destroy the entire league.
Lin Tian's post-match interviews and articles made the entire league's eyelids twitch, especially the last few articles.
Whoever encounters this is doomed.
You little brat, are you planning to keep going on a rampage, huh?
After Lin Tian said that, the Pacers' next few opponents were trembling with fear.
Dude, you can't be serious, right?
Are you serious?
If you're unhappy about Ginobili's injury, and have any complaints, go to the Timberwolves!
If all else fails, let's form a coalition to take down the Timberwolves. Let's all work together and crush them.
But please don't come at us.
Don't come any closer!
After the game against the Timberwolves, all teams in the league were on high alert, worried that Lin Tian would use them as a target.
The day after Christmas, on December 27th, the Pacers returned home to face the Grizzlies!
Before the game started, the Grizzlies were on high alert!
Although they are a rookie team, they have Williams, Lin Tian's younger brother, and Battier, one of the league's top defenders.
Before the game started, the Grizzlies' head coach asked Williams to contact Lin Tian and tell him to relax and not take it too seriously, as it was just a regular season game and everyone should just have fun.
At the same time, he also gave Battier a lot of extra lessons, making him study Lin Tian's offensive habits and methods so that he could provide Lin Tian with the tightest defense during the game.
Finally, they even devised a strategy: if Lin Tian scores more than 40 points in the first half, then they will consider triple-teaming him in the second half!
In short, we will not allow Lin Tian to get another high score under any circumstances!
You must hold it down!
I can't bear this embarrassment!
It can be said that the Grizzlies made an extremely meticulous game plan before the game started, from private relationships to on-court tactics to giving up in advance, their preparations were truly thorough.
Then, when the game started, the Grizzlies were shocked to find that all their preparations had failed!
That night, Lin Tian played terribly!
他打出了本赛季最糟糕的一场比赛，23投只有7中，只拿到20分7篮板7助攻另外还有8次失误！
Eight of those turnovers broke Lin Tian's career record for most turnovers!
He played terribly tonight!
If Lin Tian plays poorly for the Pacers right now, it basically means they have no chance of winning this game.
The current Pacers are essentially a one-man team.
As expected, the Pacers lost to the Grizzlies, a weak team in the league, with a score of 91-78.
It was only at this point that the teams in the league remembered something.
This is a very important matter.
The aftereffects of high scores!
As we all know, playing in the NBA involves a lot of shooting, especially multiple shots in a single game, which is very physically demanding. Many top stars, after having their best nights of their careers and scoring huge points, will play very poorly in the following games.
Because they expend so much energy, their physical recovery can't keep up, and they will enter a very awkward recovery period for a while.
This rule applies to everyone except for a very small number of top scorers!
Lin Tian wasn't bothered by this rule at all, after all, he was a monster who had achieved 8 consecutive 50+ points in his professional career, and his stamina had never been a problem.
But this time Lin Tian still messed up.
There are three reasons.
One was the Timberwolves' final defense, where they used 2-3 players to double-team Lin Tian indiscriminately for half the quarter, which made Lin Tian's exertion much greater than usual.
Secondly, the Pacers were short-handed. With Ginobili missing from the bench, the Pacers had almost no reliable scoring options besides Lin Tian. In addition, the Grizzlies double-teamed Lin Tian almost from the start, making it even more difficult for him to play.
Thirdly, and most importantly, the expenditure of 80 points is indeed much greater than that of 50 points.
The combination of these three factors caused Lin Tian's stamina to exceed the critical point, reaching a state of extreme fatigue.
Of course, Lin Tian also had the highest average playing time in the league for the previous two months, so after scoring 80 points in this game, Lin Tian really felt a wave of fatigue. He felt like his legs were filled with lead.
There is no way to deal with this situation; the athletes can only adjust themselves and get through it.
A skilled person might break through the bottleneck in 3-5 days. After breaking through, their physical strength might even receive a completely new boost. This logic is similar to how Saiyans who are revived from near death receive an explosive increase in combat power.
It sounds far-fetched, but it really happened.
But those who lack willpower and don't train hard enough might need half a month or even longer to gradually recover their condition.
Lin Tian clearly belongs to the former category!
After losing to the Grizzlies, Lin Tian didn't go home immediately. Instead, he went to the gym's weight room and did an extra set of strength training until he was so tired that he couldn't even drive.
This is no exaggeration; in the end, Lin Tian still called Parker and asked him to come to the arena to pick him up.
It's really impossible to press the accelerator!
This state of extreme fatigue continued for about another week. Within that week, the Pacers suffered another four-game losing streak. Including the loss to the Grizzlies, they had lost five games in a row since Christmas. During this period, Lin Tian himself only averaged 23.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists, with a field goal percentage of only 41%, 36%, and 78%!
His condition remained poor for a whole week!
The only thing that hasn't changed is that Lin Tian will stay behind for extra training after every game where he performs poorly, sometimes it's strength training, sometimes shooting, and sometimes it's physical contact.
In short, the more tired you are, the more you need to practice!
The more you push yourself to the limit at this time, the more your muscles will remember the pain and fatigue!
Once he has fully recovered, Lin Tian believes that his strength will reach a new level!
From one vertex to another!
It was after this five-game losing streak that the Pacers got a rare three-day break!
During these three days, the Pacers will not have to play any games, so the whole team can relax and get away from the terrible public opinion and doubts, and have a good rest.
It's worth noting that after this five-game losing streak, the Pacers' record has dropped to 21 wins and 15 losses, and they are only ranked 7th in the Eastern Conference!
Since Lin Tian joined the Pacers, apart from the 20 games he was suspended for in the 97-98 season, the Pacers' ranking has never dropped to this level!
They have indeed reached the worst and most difficult moment in the team's history in seven years.
Those haters and people who had disappeared because of Lin Tian and the Pacers' dominance are now showing their faces!
They launched into a tirade against the Pacers, spewing out all the words they'd been holding back for a long time.
"Lin is a big braggart! He often says he leaves the game early because he doesn't want to rack up points or score in garbage time, but after this incident, we all know that he may just really be too tired to play anymore, and he's just bragging."
.........
"This situation tells us that Lin is only at a 60-point level! He simply can't score higher, and if he forces himself to, the team will have to pay a huge price! They'll definitely suffer a losing streak!"
.........
"Carlisle should be fired! The Pacers are paying the top three luxury tax in the league, yet their performance is mediocre; they're even on the verge of missing the playoffs! Who can be held responsible for this? I think only Carlisle!"
.........
"The Pacers' dynasty is over! Regardless of whether Webber can return this season, they will most likely fall in the first round of the playoffs this year."
.........
"Even Webber's return can't save the Pacers. They have too many problems, from top to bottom! It's hard to say, but the Pacers' era is over!"
.........
"The person who should resign is Larry Bird; the roster he built is a complete failure!"
.........
"The Pacers' biggest problem is Lin Tian! He's great, that's true, but he earns $3200 million a year! What makes him deserving of so much? Iverson and Kobe only earned $1200 million a year. Can Lin Tian score three times as many points as them?"
.........
"The good news is the Pacers are finally out of trouble. Lin is nearing the end of his prime, and his contract is expiring. I'm really looking forward to seeing who'll be the next sucker. I even think that not a single idiot team in this league will use that so-called 'God Clause' to negotiate a contract with Lin!"
"His real price is around 1500 million."
.........
"If Lin's annual salary exceeds $1500 million and his contract is longer than three years, I will be very surprised! I will be shocked by how many idiots there are in the league! He is an Asian, he is an Asian who plays with speed, he will turn 31 this summer, and you're giving him such a big and long contract?"
"Very well, then this contract will soon become the worst contract in the league!"
.........
"Lin is not Michael!"
.........
Almost overnight, all sorts of criticisms and doubts sprang up like mushrooms after rain, launching a fierce attack on Lin Tian and the Pacers.
There's nothing we can do; Lin Tian and the Pacers are just too popular and attract too much attention.
For the past six years, they have crushed every team in the league, and now that the Pacers are finally showing some signs of weakness, many people are eager to see what happens, and many can't wait any longer!
They couldn't even wait for the Pacers to be completely eliminated before they rushed out to spout nonsense.
And there is only one outcome to this behavior: being thoroughly humiliated!
On January 5, 2004, after a three-day break, the Pacers continued to play at home. That night, they faced the Cavaliers, who had a very good record thanks to the top rookie they had drafted that year!
Despite a nightmare season with only the fifth pick, the Cavaliers managed to acquire Chicago native Dwyane Wade!
Although this older rookie wasn't highly regarded before the draft, he quickly won over fans after entering the league with his terrifying speed, powerful impact, reckless playing style, and explosive dunks, becoming Cleveland's new darling in less than half a month.
So far this season, Wade has not only become the Cavaliers' leading scorer, but also their assist leader and steal leader.
In particular, in early December, Ricky Davis, the team's original leader, said in an interview that Wade was his henchman and younger brother, and often carried his bag for him.
Perhaps it was this statement that woke up the Cavaliers, who are known for their foolishness. They acted immediately, trading Ricky Davis within three days and officially promoting Wade to the starting lineup, allowing him to continue playing as the primary core player.
Since the trade, the Cavaliers' record has steadily improved, and they are currently only two games behind the Pacers, temporarily ranking eighth in the Eastern Conference.
After Wade officially became the team's leader, he quickly got into form, improving rapidly from an average of 16 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists per game before the trade to an average of 20 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists per game. What's even more remarkable is that despite the significant improvement in his stats, Wade's efficiency did not decrease!
His impact was still incredibly fierce!
Another noteworthy point is that after Davis was traded to the Celtics, he didn't even seem to realize what was happening. In another media interview, he said something that would make him a legend.
"I thought Devon was here to assist me."
cough cough...
Besides Wade, the Cavaliers also have second-year power forward Carlos Boozer and All-Star center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. The team's other starting guard is Jeff McGinnis, who has excellent shooting and playmaking abilities.
The player who filled the void left by Davis and started at small forward was Eric Williams, a rookie from the same year as Lin Tian, who was traded from the Celtics.
Although Williams and Davis are among the most frequently used names in the United States, their playing styles and personalities are completely different. Williams is a standard team player, and his trademarks are defense, three-pointers, cuts, and taciturnity.
And Davis? If the two most memorable things about a player's career are shooting triple-doubles on his own team's rebounds and thinking others are there to support him, then there's really no need to say more about what kind of player he is.
In short, this Cavaliers team, after the gamble of the early 2000s with the "Big Two" combination and the Raptors' draft picks that resulted in busts like Wagner and Mihm, is ready to start afresh!
They've finally found someone who can get the team back on track.
On the Pacers' side, their starting lineup is still their most familiar five-man combination, which is basically the strongest lineup that Carlisle can field right now!
"Devin, long time no see." Lin Tian greeted Wade, with whom he had a past relationship during the talent show "Produce Camp," and casually asked, "How does it feel to be the team leader?"
"Fantastic!" After a month of training, Wade, who was already precocious, has become even more composed. "I hope you're still in the same state as a few days ago."
"I'm afraid not." Lin Tian smiled; he was feeling incredibly good right now!
After three days of rest, Lin Tian had almost completely absorbed the crazy training that had pushed the limits of human endurance in the previous week. Lin Tian was ready to shock the world again!
Do you guys think I've lost my edge?
Sorry, buddy, I just went to upgrade!
"Beep beep!!!"
"Snapped!"
The tall, long-armed European center, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, easily defeated Miller, a center of the same type, to secure the first possession for the Cavaliers.
In his rookie year, Wade primarily played the point guard position. He dribbled the ball up the court, waved to his teammates to create space, and prepared to give Lin Tian a good showdown on the first possession!
"Lin, I've been waiting for tonight for so long! Ever since we met on Produce Camp, I've been looking forward to seeing you on the NBA court..."
"You talk too much nonsense!" Lin Tian wasn't the type to wait for his junior to finish his declaration of victory before taking action. He had already been eyeing Wade's dribbling gaps and weaknesses!
Then, taking advantage of the moment when Wade was slightly distracted by talking, Lin Tian pulled out his gun and accurately hit the basketball that Wade was dribbling. Then, Lin Tian dodged to the side and dribbled towards the frontcourt!
No matter how hard Wade chased, no matter how loudly he was called "The Flash," it was completely impossible for him to catch up with Lin Tian!
"boom!!"
After a loud bang, Lin Tian easily slammed the ball into the net. The first thing Lin Tian did after landing was, of course, to interact with Wade.
"Next time you feel like talking nonsense, you'd better choose a better time, like when the ball isn't in your hands."
"I'll remember that!" Wade didn't say much, but dribbled the ball to the frontcourt again, and this time he used his ultimate move.
Pick and roll!
As is well known, besides his nickname "The Flash," Dwyane Wade has two other famous derogatory nicknames.
One of them is the "pick-and-roll man"!
To put it simply, this guy often can't get past his defender without using pick-and-rolls. As a top-tier ball-handling offensive player on the perimeter, his reliance on pick-and-rolls is probably among the highest in the entire league!
Of course, fans who like Wade will say that he plays smartly, reacts quickly, and is good at teamwork, while fans who don't like Wade will take this as solid proof that Wade can't play one-on-one.
But regardless of whether the nickname is an insult or a compliment, there is at least one thing that no one can deny: when Wade uses a pick-and-roll, his penetration power is indeed enormous!
Especially during his prime, Wade perfected the first step advantage after a pick-and-roll, and combined with his dribble and perfect finishing touch at the rim, his ability to break through after a pick-and-roll was not only the best in history, but definitely in the top three!
For example, in this instance, after Wade executed a pick-and-roll with Zydrunas Ilgauskas, he almost darted past him. His dribbling range was extremely wide, his footwork was incredibly fast, and he could almost perform a super wide crossover dribble that barely touched the ground. This guy's breakthrough was full of a powerful and unstoppable domineering aura.
Wade used a screen to get past Lin Tian, then drove to the basket and pulled up over Miller. He held the ball in both hands and drew a circle in front of him before successfully dodging Miller's defense and made a layup for 2 points!
"How was it, Lin!" Wade turned around aggressively after scoring, looking at Lin Tian with a fierce expression: "Do you like the gift I gave you? You gave it to me back then."
"Then I'm quite honored." Lin Tian took the ball and dribbled it slowly to the frontcourt. Facing Wade's one-on-one defense, Lin Tian was naturally not afraid at all. This guy was 2 centimeters taller than Lin Tian, reaching 193 centimeters, and also had a pair of wingspans that far exceeded those of ordinary people.
Coupled with his unpredictable speed and top-notch lateral movement, this guy's defensive ability is absolutely not to be underestimated. At his peak, he was known as the league's shot-blocking king under 193 cm, and that nickname is definitely not undeserved!
Lin Tian continued to dribble between his legs to find his rhythm. Facing the challenge of a rookie like Wade, Lin Tian became unusually excited again, and he brought out his fancy dribbling and rhythm that he hadn't used for a long time.
Watching Lin Tian's dazzlingly fast dribbling, Wade just wanted to close his eyes and rest for a moment, but his instincts told him that if he blinked even once, he would immediately lose Lin Tian's trail!
Wade's instincts were correct, because as soon as Wade was slightly distracted, Lin Tian would definitely seize the opportunity to pass by him.
But his instincts weren't entirely correct, because even if Wade was fully focused, he couldn't keep up with Lin Tian's speed!
So what if he's the Flash? Is he faster than the legendary fastest man in human history?
With a sudden hovering dribble, Lin Tian's hip suddenly twisted slightly. This subtle feint immediately fooled Wade, who moved half a step to the side.
Half a step is enough!
Lin Tian suddenly accelerated, flashing past Wade, and then drove straight to the basket. He held the ball with both hands and drew a circle in front of him to avoid Big Z's defense. Then, Linate held the ball with one hand and pressed down hard!
"boom!!"
After a loud bang, Lin Tiankong used his "Little Windmill" lever to dodge and slam dunk!
"Isn't this a bit better than yours?" After scoring, Lin Tian, of course, couldn't forget his traditional skill: "Want to learn? I can teach you this move too!"
"Teach my ass!" Wade cursed inwardly, but didn't say it out loud. He was angry because he thought he could learn this move so easily. If he could jump as high as Lin Tian and had Lin Tian's hang time, he would have dunked that ball. Why would he need you to teach him?
While inwardly cursing Lin Tian for being annoying, Wade outwardly maintained a smile. This guy's cunning was unlike that of a recent college graduate who should be foolish and naive; rather, it was as if he had been navigating the social world for many years.
Simply put, this guy is incredibly greasy!
In the following rounds, Lin Tian and Wade each had the ball and organized the offense, either by initiating their own attacks or by breaking through and passing to their teammates for the finish.
The Cavaliers and Pacers were evenly matched and traded blows in the first phase of the game.
Both Wade and Lin Tian are showcasing their talent and abilities to the world!
But for Wade, these moments of joyful head-to-head competition are few and far between!
Or rather, the reason why the two are still going head-to-head instead of Lin Tian dominating Wade is entirely because Lin Tian is observing Wade's playing style and trying to find Wade's rhythm.
With seven minutes remaining in the game, the Pacers and Cavaliers were tied 13-14, with the Pacers leading by only one point.
Lin Tian scored 8 points and 2 assists, while Wade also contributed 7 points and 1 assist. The two played back and forth, evenly matched!
But everything changed after Carlisle called his first timeout with seven minutes left in the first quarter!
After both sides fielded some substitute players, and Boozer of the Cavaliers went to rest temporarily, Lin Tian began to exert his strength!
Lin Tian first handed over the organization's authority to Parker, then quickly moved to the low post, backed down Wade, and reached out for the ball.
This time, Parker didn't pull any tricks. He quickly passed the ball to Lin Tian and then directed his teammates to create space so that Lin Tian could go one-on-one against Wade.
"Is the warm-up almost over?" Lin Tian leaned against Wade, probing Wade's defense. Then, he suddenly turned towards the baseline to create space. Lin Tian then raised his hands, shifting Wade's center of gravity. Finally, Lin Tian quickly stepped forward, dodging Wade, and easily shot, scoring 2 points.
"Where are you, Devin?" Lin Tian asked Wade as he quickly retreated. "Did you see my footsteps clearly? Do you want me to do it again so you can see them clearly?"
"Can you keep up with me?" Wade dribbled to the frontcourt, waved again, and signaled his teammates to come forward and screen for him.
This guy is very calm and knows how to make the most of his strengths.
This time, Wade was about to accelerate his breakthrough after setting a screen, but Lin Tian, who had been blocked by Big Z, suddenly reached out from behind Wade and stole the ball that he was dribbling!
Chris grabbed the basketball and swung it forward. Lin Tian then sprinted down the court and slammed the ball into the basket with one hand!
"Dev, where are you?" After the dunk, Lin Tian continued to verbally attack Wade: "It's okay to get lost on the court, but don't get lost on the road of life."
"Shut up!" Wade's face turned a little ugly. He dribbled the ball to the frontcourt again and dribbled between his legs repeatedly. This time, he did not choose to call for a screen. Instead, he suddenly accelerated and changed direction, lowering his center of gravity and accelerating towards the inside again!
This time he successfully bypassed Lin Tian again, but everything was exactly the same as the previous round!
Lin Tian, who was behind Wade, seized the opportunity and reached out to steal the ball again while Wade was dribbling.
*Smack!*
With a crisp sound, the basketball was stolen by Lin Tian again. This time, Miller got the ball in front of Wade and passed it to Lin Tian immediately, allowing Lin Tian to dribble and launch another counterattack.
This time, after Lin Tian dribbled all the way to the frontcourt, he suddenly made a one-handed bounce pass, and the basketball crossed half the court in the blink of an eye, arriving in Parker's hands under the basket.
After receiving the ball, Parker slammed it down on the floor, took a step to the other side of the basket, and scored another 2 points with a reverse layup.
"I've found your rhythm, Devin." Lin Tian continued to find Wade, saying with absolute confidence, "Your center of gravity is indeed very low when you break through, but your fundamentals are really terrible."
"You dribble too far and too high off the ground. Anyone with eyes and hands could easily steal it. If you don't correct this, I'll be beating you up for the rest of your life."
"Try one more time!" After two consecutive mistakes, Wade's temper flared up.
Just have a hand?
Impossible! (End of Chapter)