dmims Chapter 678 You think you're Kobe? You think you're worthy of being compared to Shaq?
Chapter 678 You think you're Kobe? You think you're worthy of being compared to Shaq?
O'Neal barely touched the ball throughout the fourth quarter, constantly running back and forth. At this point, the big man got fed up and reached out to James for the ball.
But James had absolutely no intention of giving him the ball at that moment.
With a 14-point gap and just over 2 minutes left, how could you possibly score in 2-minute increments?
So James was constantly gesturing to O'Neal to screen for him.
At the very least, give him some space to drive in and disrupt the Knicks' defense, then look for three-point opportunities.
While Barry and Udrih may have average abilities in other areas, they are both quite capable of catching and shooting, and they are very reliable at it!
But O'Neal simply stood in the paint, reaching out for the ball, ignoring James's signals.
Although the two did not argue or have a conflict, it was clear to everyone on the court that they had a disagreement.
"How about you call another timeout, go down and reorganize your tactics, and then come back?"
Lin Tian, who was matched up against James, was very considerate and provided them with a solution.
"Shut up!" James cursed, then suddenly gathered the ball and made a through pass to Bosh on the other side. Bosh had only 4 seconds left on the shot clock, so he didn't think about anything else and pulled up for a tough three-pointer!
"Whoosh!"
This shot finally went in!
Bosh's eyes also flashed with ferocity as he pounded his chest and roared!
That was such an inspiring goal!
If this shot misses and the Knicks score again, the gap between the two teams will exceed 15 points!
Getting past this hurdle will be a huge blow to the Spurs players' confidence, and could very well be the game-killer!
But now that the ball is in, anything is possible!
"No rush, let's take it slow!" After Bosh scored, Lin Tian didn't rush to dribble forward or ask for the ball quickly.
Instead, he turned around and gestured to his teammates, indicating that they would take it slow and do one at a time.
Now it's time to focus on the success rate!
"Come on, Lin!" At this point in the game, James, who had no way to avoid it, stopped running away, opened his arms, lowered his center of gravity, and looked at Lin Tian.
It's time for a head-on confrontation!
In response to James' invitation to a head-to-head matchup, Lin Tian once again chose an incredibly cunning approach!
He suddenly changed his slow, deliberate approach and accelerated while dribbling the ball, charging straight at James!
This time, he certainly wasn't going to head-on clash with James in terms of physical strength. Lin Tian changed direction and ran towards James's outstretched arm!
Even though LeBron James has an exceptionally high basketball IQ, arguably one of the highest in league history, and even though his physical attributes and abilities are practically the pinnacle of basketball, he still couldn't understand what Lin Tian was trying to do.
If you don't understand, then you'll get beaten up!
Lin Tian's head slammed directly into James's arm, which James couldn't retract in time. Lin Tian screamed again, threw the ball at Barnes next to him, and then, with a spectacular dive, lay on the floor rubbing his head and rolling around.
There's only one theme tonight!
Touch porcelain!
I'll ram you to death!
Of course, Lin Tian was still careful. As he collided with the ball, he passed it to Barnes next to him, just in case the referee didn't blow the whistle and James took the opportunity to steal it, which would make the play a joke.
Fortunately, tonight is the Knicks' home game!
And Stern had given instructions before the match.
So the referees didn't hesitate at all and blew their whistles immediately!
"James, blocking foul!"
Then, although it wasn't a shooting foul, because the Spurs had already fouled out, Lin Tian could go straight to the free throw line even if it wasn't a shooting foul!
"This shot..." Kenny was completely baffled at this point, because this shot was too bizarre.
How bizarre is it?
Everyone has heard the story of waiting for a rabbit to run into a tree stump. In this story, it feels like Lin Tian is that rabbit. He just kept his head down and ended up shoving his head into the tree!
Then the referee, who was a forest ranger, came over and told James, who wanted to take the rabbit: This rabbit is a nationally protected animal, and you actually hurt it! Come on, come with me!
This story is quite absurd and ridiculous, but that's what Kenny felt in this round.
"Lin definitely did it on purpose!" Barkley's reaction was still simple and direct: "That guy deliberately bumped into LeBron! I know him!"
"But even if it was intentional, this call was correct! After all, no matter what position Lin was aiming at or what his purpose was, LeBron failed to retract his arm and used part of his body that went beyond his torso and cylinder to block Lin's advance, which is a blocking foul and illegal defense."
"But I have to say, Lin's playing style is just too dirty," Kenny shook his head and said. "I can't even imagine how strong he would be if Lin played like this every game! He could probably average 50 points per game for an entire season!"
"There's one more thing we can't overlook," Barkley said with a smile. "Lin passed the ball at the same time as the collision! That small detail really shows his basketball IQ. If Lin hadn't passed the ball, and if the referee hadn't called it, it would have been a turnover!"
"Lin was not only deliberately drawing fouls, but also had a backup plan! His terrifying reaction, meticulous logic, and shameless playing style made him truly amazing tonight!"
"Have you forgotten what I just told you?" Lin Tian calmly got up from the floor and looked at James, saying, "Do you think you're Kobe? You expect Shaq to set screens for you?"
"You dare to challenge me?"
"This is my team! How can I not deserve it! Whoever I want to set a screen for me has to set a screen for me!" James was furious about the blocking foul, and he even lost his temper, which was extremely rare for him. He unleashed a torrent of abuse at Lin Tian.
"He said it, not me." Lin Tian immediately turned around and "complained" to O'Neal, who was right next to the two of them. Then he quickly jogged to the free throw line to prepare for the free throw.
As for how the two brothers handle this crisis, that's up to them.
I, Lord Lin, have always been one to kill but not bury.
"Am I just a burden?" O'Neal muttered with a gloomy face, his eyes fixed on James.
Even James felt a pang of unease under the gaze of this nearly 140-kilogram monster.
"I didn't mean that, Shaq. It was that guy who made me furious," James quickly explained, spreading his hands.
"I know." O'Neal nodded, said nothing more, and walked towards the basket to grab a rebound.
At his age, he wouldn't get into conflicts with his teammates on the court. O'Neal knows what's important and what he can do.
His experience of losing consecutive games over the past few years has been enough to make him mature quickly.
Although there was no outward conflict, both O'Neal and James knew that the matter was not over; they just didn't bring it up anymore.
"I prefer an inside player who is good at shooting and setting screens, and can pass and facilitate. Gasol from the Grizzlies would be a good fit." James muttered to himself as he watched O'Neal's back.
"Kobe won't explain. He'll just admit that this team is his and tell me to get the hell out of here." O'Neal, for some reason, suddenly missed the guy he had hated for 10 years, yet had fought alongside him seamlessly for 10 years.
"Swish! Swish!"
After Lin Tian made both free throws again, the gap between the two sides remained at 13 points.
There are less than 2 minutes left in the game.
「73分了！林已经再次轰下73分了！这是他本赛季的第3次70+！也是他最近1个多月以来的第三次！」巴克利仍旧在不停的报着林天的数据，林天今晚的表现，是毫无疑问的又一次封神了！
Even if he plays extremely dirty, even if his playing style is despicable, his performance this month is unparalleled!
Moreover, Lin Tian only played like this today; he's not playing like this for the entire month.
Doing it once in a while is absolutely harmless.
More importantly, Lin Tian is now only 4 points away from averaging 53 points per game in a single month!
At times like these, it really doesn't matter if a game is played a little dirty!
James dribbled the ball up the court once again. This time, instead of asking O'Neal to screen for him, he called Bosh over. After the two separated again, James once again found Bosh and passed the ball to him.
Bosh grabbed the basketball, took a look, and then launched another three-pointer!
But this time, Smith rushed out just in time!
This guy successfully predicted the shot, jumped high, and blocked Bosh's shot with a slap. Lin Tian reacted immediately, grabbed the basketball, and launched another counterattack!
At this point, the Spurs had lost all fighting spirit.
Bosh lost his balance after being blocked and fell to the floor. James turned around, looked at the referee, and yelled, "That was a foul!"
As for the remaining three players, O'Neal, Barry, and Udrih, it was impossible for them to catch up with Lin Tian, as their physical abilities were far inferior!
Lin Tian dribbled wildly, and with no one guarding him, he rushed to the basket at full speed and pulled up for another one-handed dunk!
75 points!
Lin Tian has already scored 75 points!
"One more! One more! One more!"
"MVP! MVP! MVP!" The fans at the scene were shouting wildly, cheering for Lin Tian and yelling and screaming for him!
They were absolutely ecstatic!
Tonight is a triple celebration for them!
After avenging his loss to the Spurs, Lin Tian broke another record and set a new one!
There could never be a more perfect night!
Everything was so wonderful!
At this point, the gap between the two sides exceeded 15 points once again!
There are only 98 seconds left in the game!
The Spurs have virtually no hope of a comeback.
就算他们接下来连续命中5个3分不失手，还最少得有一个3+1，同时还得祈祷尼克斯队1分不得、不停失误还所有罚球全打铁才有可能完成翻盘。
The only thing that can help the Spurs now is God.
But God is clearly very busy tonight.
Even if James drove into the paint and dunked to add two more points for the team, it couldn't stop the sudden burst of cheers from the entire Madison Square Garden!
At that moment, all the Knicks players stood up.
They were waiting for that moment to come!
Lin Tian brought the ball to the frontcourt, and all the fans in the stadium were chanting "MVP," waiting for Lin Tian to shoot again!
Beyond the three-point line, Lin Tian faced a James who had lost his fighting spirit. He dribbled between his legs repeatedly, made a series of fakes, and then suddenly accelerated to break through, followed by his signature pull-up jump shot!
"Whoosh!"
After another crisp sound, Lin Tian had achieved his ultimate goal for the night!
77 points!
His average points per game this month reached 53!
A brand new milestone has arrived!
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
"Lin! Our eternal king!"
"Lin! Mayor of New York City!"
"The greatest god in all of New York!"
We will always be proud of you!
"Your throne will always be here!"
"Go and rule the world, Lin! Go and rule the world!"
"You are the god of basketball! You represent everything on the basketball court!"
"Greatness needs no further explanation! Greatness!"
……
The fans in the arena were celebrating wildly and cheering. James once again demonstrated his strong mental fortitude. With the entire Knicks team already in a frenzy and cheering with the fans, he drove into the paint and slammed the ball in for another point!
He hasn't given up! He's still working hard for the team's victory!
「80！80！80！80！80！」
With one minute left, Knicks fans were still celebrating wildly, hoping Lin Tian could score another 80 points!
They are eager for Lin Tian to continue climbing the 80+ mark!
Unfortunately, Lin Tian once again chose to ignore the cheers of the fans.
He stood there early with a basketball, waving in all directions.
Clearly, Lin Tian wasn't planning to fight this round.
No matter how much the fans cheered and how excited Spike Lee in the front row waved for him to do another one, Lin Tian chose to ignore them.
That's about enough.
I've already gotten 100 points, there's no need to make an 80 look so bad.
Although Lin Tian didn't care, he still paid some attention to the social niceties of the NBA.
"Buzz!"
With a ringing bell, the Knicks committed a 24-second violation, and Popovich called a timeout.
The pause at this point was to allow Lin Tian to experience the wild cheers of the entire stadium and to enjoy this happy and exciting moment for a while longer.
Popovich said: "You, Lin, are not attacking anymore. You're being sentimental, so I'll be sentimental too. I'll let you have your fun too."
Helping others makes things convenient for yourself!
Secondly, it's about making substitutions; at this point, both sides should replace their key players.
Soon, amidst the wild and enthusiastic cheers of the fans, the key players from both sides left the field, and the remaining few dozen seconds of the game became garbage time.
Then, when the timeout ended, the Knicks fielded their entire bench lineup, while the Spurs...
No change of players!
"No substitutions?" Barkley was stunned. "What is Popovich doing? Is he punishing his players for failing to hold the line, or is he punishing them for breaking the record, making them play those extra few dozen seconds?"
"Maybe. Popovich is a former soldier, and he's always been strict with his teams. I think he must have his reasons!" Kenny added, "For the Spurs, one loss isn't a big deal, but they absolutely cannot let the team lose confidence!"
"Especially when the Suns are catching up and constantly pushing behind, they should unite and find a way to stay... FUXX! What's that?"
As Kenny and Barkley were speculating about what Popovich was up to, the Spurs inbounded the ball.
They actually executed a pretty good off-ball screen, allowing James to cut to the basket, receive the ball, and then drive to the rim for another ferocious two-handed dunk.
That dunk was absolutely brutal! Muhammad, who was helping defend under the basket, was knocked down by James and fell to the floor in a sorry state, going out of bounds.
After the dunk, James still bared his teeth fiercely, glaring at Muhammad, who had been knocked down by him under the basket.
Rule the world!
Lin Tian and Nelson, who were on the sidelines, stood up almost simultaneously when they saw this.
This is garbage time, and they're still humiliating us like this?
At this moment, there was no need for many words; Lin Tian and Old Nelson didn't even need to exchange any glances.
Lin Tian walked towards the court, while Old Nelson walked towards the scorer's table.
Replace him!
With 22 seconds left and the final round, it's time for another substitution!
I'm offering you respect, but you refuse!
The first thing Lin Tian did after coming on was to pat Muhammad on the backside, and then dribbled the ball forward.
Once in the frontcourt, Lin Tian didn't even glance at Udrih, who had come to defend him, and yelled, "Come on, you son of a bitch, you've got the guts to dunk, but you can't defend?"
He didn't mention James's name, but everyone knew what Lin Tian was doing.
James didn't move. He was still standing on the baseline, and even spat out his mouthguard and bit it a few times. He seemed very relaxed, as if nothing had anything to do with him.
You're not coming, are you?
I'm coming to find you!
Lin Tian suddenly passed the ball to Ariza, who was standing right in front of James. Then Lin Tian quickly approached Ariza and made a handoff pass with him. This time, Lin Tian finally faced off against James!
Then Lin Tian stood in front of James with the ball, looked at him and said, "I'm giving you a chance to run away. Don't say I'm not giving you face. This is your last chance. I promise I won't chase you this time!"
"Because I'm not interested in beating stray dogs!"
Having said that, even if James didn't want to talk to Lin Tian right now, he had to stick close to him and defend him; he had his pride too!
Faced with James's sudden close defense, Lin Tian reacted quickly. He immediately switched to attack mode, lowered his center of gravity to face James, and kept an eye on the game time.
Lin Tian didn't move until there were only 3 seconds left in the game. Then he suddenly dribbled the ball hard, took a step forward with his left foot, and then quickly took a step back and jumped out of the three-point line again!
Catch the ball, aim, raise it!
James jumped up quickly and pounced on Lin Tian!
He has to defend this ball! He needs to get his revenge!
At the same time, James was also very clear that if Lin Tian had scored this shot, he would have been ridiculed for at least three months!
But just as James jumped to block the shot, he was surprised to find that Lin Tian didn't jump again!
That was actually a feint!
At this point in the match, Lin Tian still had the mind to make feints!
James watched in disbelief as he got closer and closer to Lin Tian, watching Lin Tian lean against him leisurely before finally shooting the ball.
Even though there was only one second left in the game and it was completely irrelevant to the outcome, the referee still blew the whistle!
"Whoosh!"
Then, with a crisp sound, Lin Tian executed a 3+1 play in the final moments of the match, a move that had absolutely no bearing on the outcome! (End of Chapter)