radicalducati Chapter 333: The opening was a barrage of attacks! Completely overwhelmed and disoriented.
Chapter 333: The opening was a barrage of attacks! Completely overwhelmed and disoriented.
"China Sports Channel! China Sports Channel! This is the venue for the men's basketball finals of the 2000 Sydney Olympics!"
Su Qun's voice came from tens of millions of television sets across China. Hundreds of millions of Chinese fans eagerly awaited the next match, sitting in front of their TVs with their families, waiting for their national team to reach the top of the world.
"I think all the fans feel the same way I do right now: excited, nervous, thrilled, and full of anticipation!" Song Shixiong's voice followed closely behind. As the most senior commentator in the country who has seen the most of the world, even his voice was trembling a little at this moment.
"However, this is indeed the first time that China has had the opportunity to win the world championship in any of the three major men's ball sports! They will challenge and make an impact on the basketball powerhouse, the American team known as the Dream Team!"
"Whether we win or lose this game, we need to pay the highest respect to the men's basketball team! Since the start of the Olympics, and even since they began their training camp in Europe in July, they haven't lost a single game!"
"Nine consecutive wins in warm-up games and seven consecutive wins in the Olympics! This Chinese men's basketball team has shown us the potential of our national team. Who says Asians can't play basketball well? Who says we're inferior to Europeans and Americans?"
"We're just one step away from the summit!"
"Furthermore, although we are only one step away from our ultimate dream, we must also face the gap between us and the US team," Su Qun continued. "The US team's strength is all-encompassing; they have world-class players in every position!"
"Starting in Barcelona in 1992, they have been undefeated except for the 1998 World Championship, which did not send any NBA players! They have maintained a perfect record for the past eight years, whether it's a warm-up game, a cup tournament, the World Championship, or the Olympics!"
"At the very least, on paper, we are no match for the American team; in fact, we are completely outmatched by them!"
"But what I want to say is that competitive sports are also where miracles are most likely to happen; it's a place full of miracles and uncertainties! It's a place where you can always see hope!"
"Therefore, I believe our men's basketball team will impress us and deliver the performance they deserve!"
At this moment, Song Shixiong suddenly said, "Alright, let's look, the starting players from both sides have taken to the field! Zhizhi and Garnett are standing in the center circle, they're getting ready for the jump ball!"
With the commentary of the two commentators, this highly anticipated match for the world's top honor is finally about to begin!
With a whistle from the referee, the basketball soared into the air, and Garnett immediately displayed his unparalleled physical talent, leaping up with lightning speed to catch the ball and pass it to Kidd.
Not getting the ball wouldn't bother the Chinese team players at all; they quickly retreated and got into their defensive positions.
Lin Tian faced off against Payton, Hu Weidong held off Kidd, Zhang Jingsong kept an eye on Christie, Liu Yudong kept Raheem on his toes, and he was roughly matched up against Garnett.
The great battle has begun!
Kidd, holding the basketball, didn't take Hu Weidong's tight defense seriously. After arriving at the frontcourt, he signaled everyone to spread out and then immediately passed the ball to Rahim, who was well-positioned in the low post.
Rasheed Wallace was the third overall pick in the 96 draft. He entered the league with a very high starting point, averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds per game in his rookie season. He finished second only to Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury in the Rookie of the Year voting.
In the 97-98 season, Rasheed's average stats improved to 22 points and 7 rebounds. In the following lockout season, his stats improved again, reaching 23 points and 8 rebounds!
His offensive talent is undeniable. His ability to play inside and outside, and in both three and four positions, allows him to exploit mismatches against any type of defender.
Low post-up, strong drives to the basket, catch-and-shoot jumpers, dribble penetration – the entire three-point line is Rasheed's offensive zone. He can score from every corner inside the three-point line!
Those who are faster than me are neither as tall nor as strong.
Anyone taller and stronger than me isn't as fast or accurate as me!
This characteristic allowed Rahim to perform exceptionally well in this Olympics. His playing style made him truly thrive on offense, especially when he only needed to focus on attacking and didn't have to worry about anything else!
A truly pure and well-rounded inside scoring expert!
For example, when playing against Hebei China Fortune, Liu Yudong could not match Rahim in any aspect except for his size.
With no match for Raheem in speed, skill, or agility, Liu Yudong could only watch as Raheem slammed the ball to the floor in the first round of their matchup, then made a step-back and a one-handed floater to score the first 2 points of the night!
"It's alright, Liu. This guy is probably a top-five player at the NBA power forward position in terms of offense alone. It's perfectly normal for him to score against you!" Lin Tian didn't rush to advance the ball. Instead, he reached out towards the baseline to ask for the ball and comforted Liu Yudong, telling him not to worry about it.
His job tonight goes beyond just basketball!
Reassure your teammates and keep them confident. Don't let a few mistakes or unstoppable defenses cause them to lose their drive.
"Gary doesn't dare to guard me anymore?" Lin Tian got the ball on the baseline and turned around to find that the person guarding him was not his old rival Payton, but Kidd, whom he had not faced in the playoffs before.
"Do you owe him a lot of money? Otherwise, why would you be willing to take the beating for him? Don't you know how badly I wrecked this guy in the playoffs? If I were you, I'd rather send my wife to Gary's bed than choose to match up against me."
"Can you shut up!" Kidd pouted. He wasn't angry, but he was really annoyed by Lin Tian's incessant chatter from the very beginning.
"By the way, Jason, I heard a rumor." Lin Tian advanced unhurriedly, reaching the frontcourt in the blink of an eye. Then he suddenly grinned and said, "I heard that during this year's playoffs, it wasn't you who abused your wife, it was your wife who beat you up?"
"Nonsense! Slander! This is slander! Referee, he's slandering me!" Kidd instantly reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, yelling and shouting that Lin Tian was talking nonsense.
Sure enough! This guy really couldn't beat his wife!
Then, out of pride, this guy would rather take the blame and say that he hit his wife, becoming a pariah in Phoenix and being chased and scolded by the entire Phoenix feminist organization for months, than admit that he was beaten by his wife.
Don't ask, the answer is always the same: I'd rather go to jail than lose face!
But to be honest, Lin Tian really couldn't understand how a 191cm tall professional NBA player, known for his strength, could lose to a pretty girl.
Even if Kidd's wife is really beautiful, she shouldn't be unable to beat him!
It couldn't be that Kidd's wife got someone to help her!
When a couple is fighting, who would come to their aid?
He's most likely her lover!
So this "lover" who can beat Kidd is most likely also an athlete!
And it must be an athlete from Phoenix!
Based on the theory that you can't find a partner who's worse than your last one, then this person's identity is pretty obvious!
Could it be that...?
Unfortunately, Lin Tian no longer had the chance to pry into Kidd's privacy and stories.
Because Payton is here too!
Just as Lin Tian approached the three-point line, about 2 meters away, the American team began to double-team him!
"They're double-teaming already? They're double-teaming already? In the very first round of the game, the American team is already double-teaming right away?" Song Shixiong exclaimed in surprise. "They're going all out from the start, not even testing the waters!"
"For us, this is both good news and bad news," Su Qun continued. "The bad news is that the American team didn't underestimate us at all, nor were they arrogant or relaxed. They respected us and went all out from the start!"
"The good news is that this double-team defense means our other guys will get a lot of opportunities, and if they can capitalize on them, then the US team's double-team defense will crumble on its own!"
Faced with a double-team, Lin Tian didn't rush to attack. He never liked to go all out at the start. Instead, he dribbled the ball back two steps to the perimeter, further drawing the attention of Payton and Kidd so they wouldn't have time to run back to help defend. Then he jumped up and passed the ball out!
Zhang Jingsong, who was in an open position, received the basketball and, without hesitation, pulled up and shot from beyond the three-point line!
"Snapped!"
But less than half a second after the basketball was released, Zhang Jinsong, who had been feeling pretty good, widened his eyes in disbelief as he watched Garnett rush over from 5 meters away, take off from a distance of more than 1 meter, and then swat the basketball away with his long arm!
Payton blocked Lin Tian, preventing him from stealing the ball, while Kidd rushed forward, grabbed the basketball, and without turning around, threw the ball behind his head with his back to the frontcourt!
Christie, who was used to playing with Lin Tian, had already shaken off Zhang Jingsong and was sprinting towards the front.
He easily received Kidd's pass and then drove straight for the basket.
"boom!"
After a loud bang, Christie slammed the ball down and easily scored 2 points!
"How about it, Lin? Will this ball shut you up?" Kidd, who delivered the brilliant pass, looked at Lin Tian with an arrogant expression.
"Not bad. Did you learn your passing from your dad?" Lin Tian still looked relaxed.
"I've played basketball with my dad since I was a kid! He was a basketball star in our state back in the day!" Kidd, oblivious to the problem, chewed his gum and said, "How did you know?"
"Because it's similar to my passing, and that's how I've always taught my good son Jason to play basketball!" Lin Tian chuckled, having gained an advantage, and then turned and left.
He still needs to go back to the backfield to receive the ball!
Given the intensity of the US team's defense tonight, Lin Tian really doesn't dare let anyone else dribble the ball across half-court.
That would most likely be a mistake.
Lin Tian grabbed the basketball and went to the frontcourt again. He had only taken two steps across half the court when Payton and Kidd rushed over and double-teamed him.
This time, Lin Tian didn't choose to pass the ball again. Instead, he made a quick change of direction and dribbled behind his back with one hand. He then jumped sideways, and the basketball passed directly through the gap between Payton and Kidd.
But Lin Tian couldn't get through.
The two guys closed the door so fast that they also moved sideways to the middle, completely blocking the already narrow space.
Even Lin Tian couldn't catch up with the basketball in this moment. With a "thud," he collided with Kidd and Payton.
"Blocking foul!" The referee quickly raised his hand to signal, giving Kidd a blocking foul.
"You're not getting away easily from between us tonight!" Kidd, unfazed by the foul call, sneered, "We've got you covered!"
"Jason, don't you know Gary is a true trash-talking master? Guess why he hasn't said a word all night? Do you think it's because his throat is sore?" Lin Tian looked at Kidd, equally unyielding: "Because I've beaten Gary to a pulp too many times, he knows me!"
"He knew that the more he talked, the more gruesome his death would be! Keeping quiet meant at least he could have a decent burial!"
"I really have a sore throat," Payton finally uttered his first line of the night: "So, can you just shut up?"
Judging from the sound, well, it really is hoarse!
"You were...you know what I mean, Gary? You know, that thing, whoosh, it went in! And then your voice was ruined, right?" Lin Tian exclaimed excitedly, as if he'd discovered a new continent. "Come on, open your mouth, let me see what's inside!"
"roll!"
The player standing on the sideline to serve was Dazhi. He held the ball high with both hands, observing the situation on the court, and then prepared to serve.
To be honest, his vision was excellent because no one on the American team tried to interfere with his serve.
However, the other four were closely watched by the five members of the American team, who relentlessly pursued and defended them. Lin Tian was once again surrounded by Payton and Kidd.
No matter how hard the other players on the Chinese team ran and played, they just couldn't find an opportunity or space to receive the ball.
Roughly holding the ball on the sideline, there was no way to receive it. Just as he was hesitating whether to call a timeout to stabilize the situation so that the coach could set up a sideline ball tactic, the referee blew his whistle.
"Five-second violation on the inbound pass!"
Dazhi stretched out his hands in surprise, looking helpless. Just as he was about to complain, Lin Tian walked over from the side, put an arm around him, and said, "Let's go, let's defend! It's not time to get serious."
Then, Lin Tian turned around, clapped his hands at everyone, and said, "It's okay! The game has only just begun! We can't possibly be flawless. Let's defend! We'll defend the next ball!"
Despite the team's two consecutive attacks being thwarted, Lin Tian remained relaxed, at least on the surface. He calmly reassured his teammates.
Lin Tian knew very well that he was the core of the team, the hope, and the source of the players' confidence! If he lost control and became panicked, then the Chinese team wouldn't need to play tonight; they could just surrender!
In their offensive play, the US team still passed the ball to Raheem in the positional game, sending him to attack Liu Yudong. It has to be said that this choice was really excellent!
Rahim once again quickly turned and caught a high-flying shot in the low post. The whole action was so smooth that neither Liu Yudong nor Dazhi could interfere with his shot. They could only watch helplessly as the basketball passed through their fingertips and then went into the basket.
Tomjanovic, sitting on the sidelines, excitedly waved his arm!
This is exactly the kind of match he wanted!
In the next attack by the Chinese team, Lin Tian once again faced a double-team from the American team. This time, Lin Tian's breakthrough was even faster, but he did not choose to go through the two of them again. Instead, he chose to go to the side of Payton, who was slower, and directly accelerated and charged towards the inside!
Payton's speed was indeed no match for Lin Tian's. There was already a huge speed difference between the two, and now Lin Tian's explosive power was even more terrifying. Payton was already over thirty years old. Lin Tian not only almost brushed past Payton in one step, but also used Payton's body to block Kidd who was chasing behind him!
But Lin Tian only managed to rush this far!
Garnett, who had been lurking nearby, suddenly moved up and chose an almost perfect moment to help defend, blocking Lin Tian's way. Lin Tian hesitated for only a moment before Kidd and Payton caught up with him from behind!
In the blink of an eye, three members of the American team double-teamed Lin Tian in the free-throw line area.
Faced with three defenders helping him, Lin Tian didn't rush to attack. He knew very well that if he wanted to win tonight, the Chinese team players had to get involved!
The team needs a second or third player to score!
Otherwise, relying solely on Lin Tian himself? Even if he goes crazy and spends a lot of money on good items, he can't possibly keep going like this for the entire game if he faces two or more opponents surrounding him every round!
This time, Lin Tian chose to drive the ball inside. He made a bounce pass, and the basketball went through Garnett's legs and flew directly to Da Zhi's hands under the basket.
After receiving the ball, he habitually tapped it on the floor, and then, as he was about to stand up with the ball in both hands, he suddenly felt his hands go empty!
Christie's turn came, and Lin Tian's old friend slashed down, knocking the basketball out of Da Zhi's hands.
Then he grabbed the basketball, found Rasheed, and passed the ball to him.
At 206 cm tall, Rahim immediately displayed agility and basic skills that were completely disproportionate to his height and weight, dribbling the ball all the way down the court towards the Chinese team's basket!
Lin Tian remained in the backcourt. There was nothing he could do; Kidd and Payton seemed to be inseparable from him tonight, blocking him from both sides. They didn't participate in the attack themselves, and at the same time, they made it impossible for Lin Tian to get back and participate in the defense!
"boom!"
After another loud bang, Rasheed slammed home a one-handed dunk, scoring 6 points in a row to start the game!
"Well done! Play like that!" Jordan waved and cheered from the stands. He suddenly felt that his previous worries might have been unnecessary.
Defeat the US team?
Relying solely on Lin Tian? How is that possible!
No matter how strong this guy is, he can't possibly take down the entire American team by himself!
This start is the best illustration!
8: 0!
Team USA got off to a dream start!
Then, perhaps frustrated by being scored on three times in a row by Raheem, Liu Yudong was a bit absent-minded when inbounding the ball from the baseline. His timing and power were not good enough, and the basketball was directly swatted away by Garnett, who suddenly appeared from the side.
Then the "Wolf King" rose up without dribbling or taking a step, and jumped high to score!
"You saw Wang Zhizhi? This is the real way an NBA-level center plays!" Garnett shouted at Wang Zhizhi beside him after scoring, "Didn't Nelson teach you this in Dallas?"
10: 0!
"Don't listen to his general idea." This time, when Lin Tian received the ball, he ran closer to the baseline, making it easier and safer for Da Zhi to pass the ball. Although this would make him more tired and face more challenges, Lin Tian knew even more that the team had to score quickly!
Otherwise, if the US team widens the gap again, tonight's game will be pointless!
This time, Lin Tian received the ball from the baseline and immediately accelerated, sprinting towards the frontcourt!
His acceleration was too sudden and too fast. Kidd didn't have time to react. Lin Tian left him behind and he could only follow behind Lin Tian!
Having shaken off Kidd, Lin Tianfei quickly rushed to the frontcourt, and just as Payton caught up, he suddenly changed direction and dribbled past Payton, then accelerated again, driving straight into the US team's paint!
Rasheed and Garnett almost simultaneously collapsed under the basket, both raising their hands high, unafraid of the contact, and pounced on Lin Tian!
Judging from their expressions, they were clearly not afraid of the consequences of committing a foul; they were determined to prevent Lin Tian from scoring!
But before he could even make contact with the two defenders, Lin Tian immediately launched a high-arc floater that soared over their long arms and landed in the basket behind them.
"Whoosh!"
"Score! Team China has finally scored!" Song Shixiong shouted excitedly, "At times like this, we really can only rely on Lin Tian!"
"But this kind of offense and scoring method is definitely not a long-term solution!" Su Qun said with some concern: "In this round, Lin Tian received the ball in the backcourt and sprinted all the way, passing two American players and then making a layup over two American players."
"This was essentially a 1v4 situation! It's fine once in a while, but if we can't find a better strategy and keep playing like this, relying solely on flashes of brilliance from Lin Tian, the Chinese team will be in real danger!"
As they were talking, the American team's attack had already reached the Chinese team's half of the field.
With no one marking him, Kidd dribbled in a different direction and drove into the paint, drawing a double team before finding Christie in the corner!
Christie got the basketball and shot without hesitation!
"Whoosh!"
After another crisp sound, Christie, a player that Chinese fans know and love very much, stabbed them in the heart!
"FUXX! You bastard, why weren't you this accurate in the playoffs? You can be a substitute next season!" Lin Tian really had no other way to deal with Christie except to threaten and intimidate him.
Lin Tian didn't think he could really scare Christie; he just wanted the Chinese team players to feel that their leader remained calm and composed!
Christie was able to seize the opportunity, and Lin Tian had no way to do anything about it. Or rather, his only way was for his teammates to also seize the opportunity!
However, in the last few minutes of the first quarter, the Chinese team players were unable to capitalize on their opportunities!
Apart from Lin Tian scoring 7 points, Da Zhi faking out Garnett under the basket for a layup, and Hu Weidong hitting a three-pointer, no other player on the Chinese team was able to score in the first 7 minutes of the first quarter!
Meanwhile, the American team was firing on all cylinders!
Although Kidd and Payton didn't score a single point, Raheem was on fire tonight, scoring 11 points in 7 minutes. Christie added 5 points, Garnett 4 points, and substitutes Ray Allen and Vin Baker each scored 2 points!
24: 12!
With only 3 minutes left in the first quarter, the Chinese team was already down by 12 points!
During this period, Jiang Xingquan certainly did not sit idly by and allow the American team to widen the score gap.
He called two timeouts and brought in several different players, including Yao Ming, Da Ba, Sun Jun, and Zheng Wu, but the results were still not good.
The Chinese team simply doesn't have anyone who can score.
With three minutes left in the first quarter, Jiang Xingquan even started gambling!
He assembled a lineup of Li Xiaoyong, Lin Tian, Hu Weidong, Sun Jun, and Yao Ming.
A team with two point guards, two swingmen, and a big center – a combination of one big man and four small men!
This lineup is quite common in the NBA today, and many coaches try to use one big man and four small men.
But for the Chinese team, this lineup is quite new.
This is because these five people are not only playing together for the first time in this Olympics, but they have never even stepped onto the court together during team training!
All I can say is that Jiang Xingquan is really desperate, hoping to turn the game around with some unconventional lineups!
Unfortunately, for unconventional lineups to work, it requires probability and practice. It's unrealistic to expect to turn the tide by simply picking up an unorthodox lineup!
After this lineup came on, China's attack failed to hit the target for three consecutive rounds!
Sun Jun missed a shot, Li Xiaoyong was left 3 meters away for a three-pointer but missed, Yao Ming received the ball under the basket and tried to go up, but Wen Baker shoved the ball down with his claws and bent it into a steal!
It has to be said that the Chinese interior players' habit of attacking the basket too aggressively is really bad. They always habitually bounce the ball on the floor a few more times instead of raising it high and attacking quickly with both hands raised!
This bad habit isn't very noticeable in domestic leagues and isn't considered a big deal, but when facing an opponent like the US team, this habit repeatedly gives the opponent opportunities to steal the ball and disrupt their offense!
The Chinese team missed three attacks, and the American team naturally wouldn't let such an opportunity pass by. They made two of those three attacks, extending the lead to 16 points!
At this point, there was still more than a minute left in the first quarter!
Jiang Xingquan, sitting on the sidelines, was so anxious he could barely sit down. The American team's offensive was simply terrifying!
Lin Tian remained calm. He went to the backcourt again, received the ball from his teammate on the baseline, and continued to advance!
Before Smith, who was taking over the court, and Kidd, who was still on the court, could double-team him, Lin Tian quickly opened the system and used one of the items.
"Iron Will: Can be activated when the team is down by 15 points, valid for the current game, and increases all abilities by 10% after use!"
This item, which allows one to fully upgrade oneself when behind, enabling the team and players to achieve the ultimate comeback, has been lying in Lin Tian's system inventory for who knows how many years.
Now, it's time for it to come in handy!
Lin Tian's entire attribute has increased by 10%!
At the same time, Lin Tian also used up another thing.
Patrick Ewing Experience Card (Full Game) for the 89-90 Season!
The reason why the Chinese team is now down by 16 points is not only because they can't make open shots, but also because Rasheed has dominated all the players he is matched up against, scoring 11 points in a single quarter.
Now, Lin Tian is going to deal with him personally!
Upon reaching the frontcourt, Smith and Kidd charged forward almost simultaneously!
But honestly, although Smith is nearly 2 meters tall, strong and fast, his defensive ability is really not as good as Payton's!
For example, in this round, Lin Tian took advantage of the moment when the two had just finished double-teaming him and his footwork and space were not yet in sync. He kept changing his dribbling rhythm and then suddenly made a small change of direction and accelerated by pushing off the ground. In the blink of an eye, he passed between the two.
Smith's timing in closing the door during defense was far inferior to Payton's. He was only a step slower, and Lin Tian managed to pass between them.
After dribbling past two players, Lin Tian knew that the American team's defensive strategy tonight was to target him specifically, so he had no time to hesitate or prepare.
Tonight, hesitation will lead to defeat.
The main focus should be on decisive action and all-out attack!
Lin Tian bent down and accelerated, then quickly drove into the paint. He then leaped up, grabbed the basketball with one arm, and charged towards Vin Baker in the paint!
Faced with Lin Tian's onslaught, the former All-Star center, whose physique had rapidly deteriorated due to alcoholism and an irregular lifestyle, could only stretch out his arms and jump up with all his might.
Unfortunately, he could barely jump; his feet would leave the ground by less than 5 centimeters before he could no longer jump.
Well, of course it's not that he can only jump 5 centimeters, but that his jumping speed only allows him to jump 5 centimeters before he collided with Lin Tian!
The pressure from Lin Tian's terrifying impact and jumping ability caused Wen Baker to surrender almost instantly and give up on defense.
His hands were no longer raised high, but instead made a gesture similar to surrendering with his hands behind his head.
Lin Tian's crotch was pressed against the guy's hands, which were covering his head, and he was straddling him!
"boom!"
After a loud bang, Lin Tian grabbed the rim with one arm and completed another fierce one-handed dunk!
Although Lin Tian's dunk didn't involve directly leaping over Vin Baker like he did against France's Weiss, it was still incredibly fierce and brutal!
"Substitution!" Tomjanovich saw that Baker couldn't stop Lin Tian at all, nor did he have the guts or the will to stop Lin, so he stopped letting the half-crippled guy continue to play and sent in Antonio McDyess.
McDyess was a power forward who entered the league in the same year as Lin Tian. He was the second overall pick in 1995. Despite his high starting point in the league, his performance was actually very good and he definitely lived up to his draft position.
However, he has spent most of his career wandering among the league's worst teams, and has only played in the playoffs once in his career! The rest of the time he has been in the lottery.
In addition, his playing style is very down-to-earth, somewhat like a smaller, weaker version of Duncan, focusing on solid fundamentals and an unremarkable, unpretentious, academic style of play.
Poor team performance and an unappealing playing style combined to make McDyess, despite his good skills, extremely unpopular. Many fans didn't even know what level of player he was!
Even Lin Tian had no recollection of this guy's first 10 years of his professional career. His only impression of McDyess came from the 05 NBA Finals! This guy could go toe-to-toe with Duncan whenever he was on the court, plus the two had somewhat similar playing styles.
His matchup against Duncan in that series even gave people the illusion that he was no worse than Duncan!
However, by that season, McDyess's knee had already undergone at least three major repairs, and he had long lost his athleticism and the ability to maintain focus and consistent output on the court for extended periods!
By 05, this guy could only maintain a high level of output for about 15 minutes at most!
But of course, that was McDyess in 05, and this year is only 2000!
This year, McDyess hasn't yet suffered those terrible injuries; he's still a top-tier power forward with 20+10 stats!
When McDyess came on, the effect was immediate. He was completely different from the fat and lazy Baker. He immediately started setting screens and providing cover for his teammates. After Kidd missed another shot, he drove into the paint and stole the ball over Yao Ming's head.
In addition to securing an offensive rebound, he also pushed the basketball with one hand, sending it into the basket.
"So what if he dunks on me, Lin? It's still only 2 points. We have 2 points too!" Kidd immediately mocked Lin Tian after McDyess scored, "If you're so capable, score 4 points in one possession! That way we can definitely catch up quickly!"
"I've realized you're nowhere near as good as Gary." Lin Tian used one hand to block Kidd, pushing him back repeatedly, while using the other to hold the baseline ball and begin advancing. "When I was beating Gary, he was completely silent!"
"But you, I've never seen anyone talk so much after I've beaten them up like this!"
"Maybe I got crushed by you, but our team crushed you too! Lin, you guys got crushed! If this were table tennis, you might be able to turn the tide, but sorry, this is a basketball court! You have no chance!"
As Kidd spoke, he kept a close eye on Lin Tian. Just as he stepped into the half-court and Lin Tian pushed him forward, Smith rushed over. The US team was going to continue double-teaming Lin Tian!
This time, Lin Tian chose to pass the ball. Smith had just moved his feet when Lin Tian passed the ball to Li Xiaoyong, who was standing at the top of the arc.
Li Xiaoyong caught the basketball, then slammed it to the ground with one hand, throwing the ball back towards the inside.
A one-two pass is a common sight on a football field. Li Xiaoyong truly deserves to be called the best playmaker in the Chinese team besides Lin Tian. His bounce pass was perfect in both angle and timing!
After passing the ball, Lin Tian immediately made a swift cut, caught the ball, and then executed a 360° spin to completely shake off Christie who was rushing to catch up, creating an open shot opportunity!
This was the first time Lin Tian had completely created an opening tonight!
Lin Tian certainly wouldn't miss such a rare close-range shooting opportunity!
After rising from the ground, Lin Tian flicked his wrist slightly!
"Bang!"
After a muffled thud, the ball bounced off the rim.
But just as McDyess turned around under the basket to position himself for the rebound, he was utterly astonished to find a figure suddenly appearing in front of him! Then came a sharp pain.
Lin Tian!
The moment Lin Tian released the shot, he sensed that it was going to miss. So, after landing, he didn't stop and quickly drove to the basket. At the same time, he cleverly took advantage of McDyess's lack of preparation, blocked him, and then elbowed McDyess in the chest.
McDyess, in pain, almost couldn't catch his breath, so he didn't have time to defend or grab rebounds.
He practically watched as Lin Tian grabbed the backboard, then slammed it home with both hands in mid-air!
After Lin Tian's successful putback dunk, there were 40 seconds left in the game!
This time, the US team wasn't in a rush. They steadily controlled the frontcourt, with Kidd directing his teammates' runs.
After all, the US team is currently leading by more than ten points, and they have no need to risk a fast break without any certainty.
Their priority right now is to play steadily, maintain the point difference, or even widen it further, rather than rushing for quick results and making unnecessary mistakes and missing shots!
After both teams' players spread out, Kidd waved his arm, and Rahim immediately moved out from the inside and came to the top of the arc to set a pick-and-roll with Kidd.
"Switch!" Lin Tian shouted, handing Kidd over to Sun Jun, while he himself followed Rahim.
When Kidd saw the misalignment, he realized that Lin Tian and Rahim had a height difference of more than 15 centimeters.
Without further ado, Kidd flicked his wrist, and the basketball flew into Rasheed's hands!
Whether it's targeting the smaller player or the opponent's absolute core player, if this play is successful, the American team will undoubtedly have a greater psychological advantage!
Just when everyone thought that Rasheed, who was in excellent form tonight, would have an easy time defeating Lin Tian, Rasheed's performance gave Tomjanovich a real headache.
Instead of turning around and chasing Lin Tian, this guy played some tricks with Lin Tian. He used a double crossover and a small hop step to push Lin Tian into the paint, and then he pulled up for a layup!
But it's not that easy.
Lin Tian jumped up almost at the same time as him, and then, with his faster spring speed, he almost arrived first and blocked Rahim's path.
After confronting Lin Tian, Rahim did not choose to confront the challenge head-on and force a fight.
This guy was clearly scared, and pulled back in mid-air, trying to dodge Lin Tian's defense.
But as everyone knows, when playing basketball, the more afraid you are, the more likely you are to get blocked; the more you try to dodge, the less likely you are to escape!
Although Lin Tian was about 15 centimeters shorter than Rahim, he played with such overwhelming force that he slapped the ball Rahim threw away in mid-air!
The number one softie of the 90s, he truly lived up to his name!
After all, Rahim has a rather amusing nickname.
"Rashim!"
This guy was a notorious softie in the league during the 90s. He only played a little over 800 games in his career, but got blocked nearly 1300 times! His average number of blocks per game exceeded 1.5, making him one of the top three blocked players in the entire league's history!
It's the kind of pure technical player who doesn't like confrontation that Lin Tian finds most satisfying to bully!
Even if Lin Tian hadn't bought the Ewing trial card, and wanted to experience what it felt like to have Ewing's average of 4 blocks per game as a trial card, he could have prevented Rasheed from even getting a shot off!
This can be interpreted as Lin Tian spiking the block count!
There's no way around it, his abilities are just too strong!
"ball!"
After the block, Lin Tian landed quickly and then, without any hesitation, sprinted forward, launching a counterattack!
After catching the basketball, Hu Weidong didn't hesitate. Seeing Lin Tian start to sprint, he passed the ball to Lin Tian without thinking, letting him take control of the ball and launch a counterattack!
In the previous round, the US team did not rush the attack, but instead pressed the attack time to the last few seconds.
But just because the American team isn't going to fight for it doesn't mean Lin Tian won't!
He dribbled the ball at lightning speed to the frontcourt, and then, taking advantage of the fact that only Kidd was defending him, he suddenly stopped outside the three-point line, then made a sudden stop and change of direction to create an opening, and then jumped up and shot!
"Whoosh!"
After a crisp sound, Lin Tian hit a three-pointer!
30:19! (End of Chapter)