radicalducati Chapter 214: Even the brand-new historical record isn't enough! Lin Tian
Chapter 214: Even the brand-new historical record isn't enough! Lin Tian
Chapter 214 Even the newest historical records aren't enough! Lin Tian kills the game once again!
In the Pacers' offense, Lin Tian, who had played the entire second half, did not dribble forward to conserve energy. Instead, he went directly to the left 45-degree angle to wait for the ball. Christie, with Pippen on his back, steadily dribbled the ball to the frontcourt and immediately passed it to Lin Tian.
Without Lin Tian's command, everyone spontaneously spread out!
Two meters beyond the three-point line, Lin Tian lowered his center of gravity and looked at Jordan, using a series of three-threat moves and probing steps to look for weaknesses in Jordan's defense.
Because of Lin Tian's terrifying long-range game-winning shot in the last round, no one will dare to let Lin Tian go now! Everyone knows that once the halfway line is past Lin Tian's shooting range!
Lin Tian suddenly raised his hands, making a shooting fake, but he didn't shoot. Instead, he lowered his center of gravity again and dribbled towards the three-point line.
Jordan, unfazed by Lin Tian's feint, immediately closed in and began close defense. Lin Tian raised his hand, and it was another shooting motion.
This time, Jordan finally fell for it; his center of gravity was tricked!
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lin Tian passed the ball to Miller on the baseline. At the same time, taking advantage of Jordan's shift in center of gravity and his inability to keep up, he quickly ran towards Miller.
Miller's pass arrived instantly. After receiving the ball, he didn't hesitate at all and played a one-two pass with Lin Tian!
Taking advantage of the time difference and quick passing and cutting, Lin Tian finally got another fleeting opportunity beyond the three-point line!
He certainly wouldn't hesitate to seize such an opportunity, drawing his bow and shooting a three-pointer directly from beyond the three-point line!
"Whoosh!"
With a crisp sound, Lin Tian hit an incredibly inspiring three-pointer!
The Pacers are starting to close the gap!
By this point in the game, Lin Tian and Jordan, who had both played for over 40 minutes, no longer had the energy to continue trash-talking, and both of them kept their mouths shut.
However, both of them had their defensive focus heightened to the extreme. They were both waiting for their opponent to make a mistake so they could strike and win!
More than 10 seconds later, Jordan used a screen for the first time in the game to slip past Lin Tian, drive to the basket, and score a powerful layup!
On the other hand, Lin Tian followed suit, finding Barkley's screen and quickly attacking the basket, drawing a foul from Kukoc and going to the free-throw line, where he made both free throws!
Then Jordan found Kukoc and assisted the big man to make a mid-range shot!
Lin Tian once again chose to attack the basket himself, and then used a pass fake to fool Rodman and easily made a layup!
In the next two possessions, Pippen and Miller each missed a shot, while Barkley and Harper each scored a two-pointer under the basket!
With one minute remaining, the Bulls still held a five-point lead!
Given this time and point difference, the balance of victory has begun to tilt irresistibly towards the Bulls!
The fans at the United Center knew that the team was close to victory. They roared and cheered with their last bit of strength, hoping for a win!
A triumphant victory will make them forget Lin Tian's triumph!
Over the past year, fans have thought of this young point guard who brought them countless joys, victories, and wonderful moments almost every night!
But now, no matter how much they miss Lin Tian, they all hope that their team can use a victory to properly tell Lin Tian something.
We are champions even without you!
112: 107!
Jordan returned to his favorite and most reliable low post position in recent years, backed down Lin Tian, and immediately launched an attack!
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
After three consecutive impacts, Jordan advanced from mid-range to near the three-second zone, a position that was deep enough!
Then he suddenly pushed Lin Tian aside again, and at the same time, he spun towards the baseline, which was his signature turnaround jump shot!
"I see the ball!"
Seeing Jordan turn around, Lin Tian's eyes suddenly lit up!
He had been waiting for this moment all along!
As Jordan turned around, whether due to exhaustion or overexertion, the basketball was clearly exposed, right in front of Lin Tian!
At this moment, Lin Tian would not hesitate at all!
His palm slammed down! The S-level steal and the extra boost from the 'First Defense' skill at the last moment gave Lin Tian confidence that he could steal the ball!
"Snapped!"
With a crisp sound, Lin Tian slapped the basketball with all his might, hitting it squarely in Jordan's hands!
"Steal! Lin Tian stole the ball!" Su Qun shouted excitedly, "This is Lin Tian's first steal against Jordan tonight! He's controlled the ball and is starting to advance! The Pacers are starting to push!"
As Su Qun's excited commentary filled the air, fans across China got excited, with many watching the game at home even standing up.
Chinese football fans, who are gradually starting to understand football, certainly know how important this round is!
Lin Tian dribbled the ball at breakneck speed, quickly reaching the three-point line. Then, he suddenly took a step back, bent his knees, clapped the ball with both hands, and tilted his head back to look at the basket!
Although Jordan, who was defending him, did not jump, he immediately moved his feet and raised his center of gravity!
He didn't jump, but that was enough. A simple backbend tricked Jordan into shifting his center of gravity, and Lin Tian immediately lowered his body, unleashing his terrifying speed and explosive power without reservation!
"Whoosh!"
Even Jordan could only hear a whooshing sound before he could only turn around and look at Lin Tian, who was charging toward the paint.
We can't catch up!
At 35, he simply couldn't keep up with Lin Tian's terrifying speed! When defending Lin Tian, he had to be perfect, and he had to predict every step, every shift in his center of gravity, and every movement correctly. Otherwise, all he could do was watch Lin Tian make a layup.
Rushing to the basket, facing Pippen who came to help defend, Lin Tian jumped up with the ball in both hands. Then, at the moment of collision with Pippen, the basketball changed from two hands to one hand. He pulled and lifted the ball towards the weak side that Pippen couldn't reach, and it was another mid-air reverse layup!
"Whoosh!"
With a crisp sound, the basketball hit the rim!
112: 109!
Lin Tian's layup brought the score difference to just one possession!
The only pity was that Pippen's defensive moves were too perfect. He was not fooled by Lin Tian or made any rash moves, which prevented Lin Tian from scoring a 2+1!
But with 40 seconds left, just one ball away, the Pacers' chance was rekindled!
"Michael!" Jackson remained seated in his chair on the sidelines. Apart from calling out to Jordan, he said nothing, made no instructions, and did not call a timeout.
Jordan nodded; he understood what Jackson meant.
You decide what to do!
Receiving the ball from the baseline, Jordan slowly dribbled up the court and faced off against Lin Tian's defense. He was determined to hold out until the very last second of this attack!
Regardless of whether he can score or not, he will try to give the Pacers as little time as possible!
But just as Jordan dribbled past half-court, Lin Tian suddenly pounced on him!
He stuck to Jordan tightly, wedging his legs between Jordan's legs to prevent him from easily exerting force. At the same time, he secretly grabbed Jordan's jersey with one hand and quickly reached out to steal the ball with the other!
Lin Tian's steal could be called a foul in at least three ways!
But the referees still chose to ignore it!
That's how it was in the 90s!
As long as it's not excessive, you can resolve it yourselves!
Jordan was not caught off guard by Lin Tian's sudden steal. He quickly adjusted his stance, protected the basketball, and then used his shoulder and elbow to push Lin Tian away, creating enough distance!
His shoulder and elbow were definitely offensive fouls, but he received the same treatment as Lin Tian.
No exaggeration!
You guys handle it yourselves!
Having finally managed to create a small gap with Lin Tian, Jordan knew he absolutely couldn't continue waiting for time to run out. Lin Tian's steals were too aggressive, and his position was too close to the center line. If he accidentally slipped back onto the court, it would be a huge loss!
Launch an attack immediately!
Jordan suddenly changed his dribbling rhythm, spreading his legs wide apart.
The basketball in his hands constantly changed its rhythm, searching for an opportunity to break through!
After two consecutive crossover dribbles, Jordan felt it was time!
Suddenly, with a hesitant step and a explosive shot from a standstill, combined with a slight head shake and a side-to-side sway of the upper body, Jordan perfectly demonstrated what it means to have his whole body full of feints when he wanted to face the basket for an attack!
Then suddenly, the ball changed direction, moving from Jordan's left hand to his right. Jordan was about to accelerate and force his way through!
Just then, Lin Tian suddenly made another move!
"Snapped!"
With another crisp, clean sound, the basketball in Jordan's hands was once again stolen by Lin Tian!
The basketball was struck by Lin Tian's hand and flew from between Jordan's legs toward his back. Jordan hurriedly tried to turn around and regain control of the basketball, but Lin Tian was faster!
Not only did he accelerate to steal the ball immediately, but he also exerted force on Jordan the moment he was side by side with him, knocking Jordan, who was already in a hurry to turn around and was not standing very steadily, to the ground!
Then, Lin Tian grabbed the basketball and sprinted to the frontcourt, quickly completing another layup!
30 seconds! Just one point away!
Meanwhile, the photographers on site were snapping away frantically, their flashes going off all over the field!
Jordan lay on the floor, looking up at Lin Tian who was sprinting towards the frontcourt at breakneck speed. This scene was absolutely a masterpiece! No matter who wins tonight, this moment could be made into a poster and sold in huge quantities!
Lin Tian made a sudden and forceful steal, intercepting Jordan's pass for the second time in a row, and in the blink of an eye, the score difference was reduced to 1 point!
Not only that, he scored both goals in very short time, and after these consecutive points, there were still 30 seconds left in the game!
That's enough for the Pacers to defend the Bulls' offense before launching another counterattack!
The situation has certainly taken a dramatic turn for the better, if not reversed!
"The Bulls finally called a timeout! I wonder if Jackson regrets not calling a timeout last time?" Su Qun analyzed. "If he had called a timeout last time, maybe Jordan wouldn't have made that mistake!"
"But nothing is absolute," Sun Zhengping said with a smile. "Maybe he called a timeout, and then the Bulls made a mistake on the inbound pass?"
"Yes, but regardless, the Pacers now have their fate in their own hands! Victory, which had seemed to be on the Bulls' side, has now returned to neutral. Let's see what happens in the final 30 seconds!"
"The Pacers' first priority is to defend this possession! They absolutely must! If the Bulls score, their options will become very limited!" Sun Zhengping said. "But if they defend it, the Bulls will be unable to predict their final shot!"
Jackson remained seated on his coaching bench, sketching out tactics on his whiteboard, saying, "It's okay, Michael. Just two mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. What you need to do now is fight back! Push the game to the very end and give them as little time as possible!"
"Scott, you catch the ball first! Control the clock, and then in the last 10 seconds or so, pass the ball to Michael! Everyone spread out, Michael, it's your turn now!"
On the Pacers' side, Bird was also speaking rapidly: "Lin, two perfect defensive possessions! I'll be proud of you! We need to defend to the best of our ability on the next possession too! Make the shot! I suspect that, given Jackson's personality, he'll probably not let Jordan receive the ball early, but will wait until the very last moment before passing it to him!"
"Pippen will definitely be the first to receive the ball! So, Doug, your job is very important! Watch Pippen! Don't let him have easy ball control, and don't let him easily pass the ball to Jordan! I trust your defense; you control the intensity, and absolutely do not commit fouls or lose your position! Under that premise, you handle it!"
"Lin, you guard Jordan! No matter what, don't let him get open! Stick to him the whole time. Tonight's game depends on you!"
Soon, the referee blew the whistle, and the players from both sides returned to the field!
The Bulls fielded an all-out offensive lineup: Kerr, Harper, Jordan, Pippen, and Kukoc!
With such a small lineup, Jackson clearly wanted the whole team to spread out completely so that Jordan could score this basket with a sure thing!
On the other hand, the Pacers played the opposite, fielding their best defensive lineup: Ben Wallace, Anthony Davis, Christie, Miller, and Lin Tian!
One offensive play and one defensive play – the Bulls' final offensive possession has officially begun!
Kukoc inbounded the ball from the sideline, raising it high with both hands. He found Pippen, who had quickly moved to the top of the key to receive the ball, over Davis's constantly jumping and waving hands.
After receiving the ball, Pippen immediately dribbled backwards, signaling to his teammates to create space.
He wasn't in a hurry; this attack had to use up all 24 seconds!
Pippen waited patiently, while the others on the court stood in their most comfortable positions. Although they were mostly still, everyone was fully focused and their minds were extremely concentrated and tense!
With 10 seconds left on the shot clock, Jordan started running!
He ran toward Kukoc near the free-throw line, trying to use Kukoc's screen to shake off Lin Tian.
But just as he was running toward Kukoc, Jordan was suddenly surprised to find that Lin Tian wasn't following him at all!
Instead, he suddenly accelerated and ran towards Pippen!
Jordan's momentary lapse in concentration and Lin Tian's sudden acceleration created a perfect time difference. Although Lin Tian took a longer route, he arrived between Jordan and Pippen faster, cutting off Pippen's passing lane!
Just as Pippen was about to make a high-profile pass, bypassing Lin Tian and passing it directly to Jordan, Christie's defensive intensity suddenly increased!
In a very unusual move, he used his body to block Pippen, while simultaneously pressing down with both hands, trying to steal the basketball!
Christie's sudden increase in intensity, while not causing Pippen to panic, forced him to prioritize protecting the ball. This delay cost him the best opportunity to pass the ball to Jordan, as Lin Tian had already rushed in front of him and swiftly and fiercely extended both hands simultaneously!
Lin Tian and Christie, both with four hands, average more than four steals per game. When these two go all out for steals, they are definitely one of the strongest perimeter duos in the league in terms of defense and steals!
Even though it was Pippen facing their pressure, he was still in a huge crisis! Pippen, who was surrounded by two players to the limit, had no choice. Seeing that he was about to make a mistake, he could only hold the basketball and make a T with both hands, which is a timeout gesture!
He wants to use a timeout to stabilize the situation.
But Christie's hands were faster!
Just as Pippen was about to put his hands together and shout the word "timeout," Christie finally placed his hand on the basketball!
With a powerful upward thrust, the basketball flew into the air!
Then Christie reached out and slapped the ball to Lin Tian. After receiving the ball, Lin Tian didn't care about Pippen or whether a timeout had been called. Without looking back, he rushed towards the frontcourt!
Hubble, Cole, and Jordan were chasing at lightning speed. They rushed towards Lin Tian with all their might. Jordan stood in front of him, while Hubble and Cole guarded Lin Tian's breakthrough route on the left and right. The three of them immediately surrounded Lin Tian!
As long as he dares to break through, no matter how fast he is, he will be surrounded by three people!
At this moment, Lin Tian suddenly slowed down after just passing the halfway point!
He controlled the rhythm and speed, while looking up at the time, the last 10 seconds!
Lin Tian dribbled the ball laterally along the three-point line. The three Bulls players didn't dare to rush him too aggressively, fearing both that Lin Tian would pass the ball and that he would suddenly break through!
8 seconds!
Miller and Christie had already moved up to the frontcourt, leaving Harper and Cole with no choice but to quickly turn around and defend the two equally top-class shooters. Fortunately, Kukoc and Pippen returned to their own half of the court at this time, and the Bulls quickly completed their defensive formation!
6 seconds!
Lin Tian continued to move slowly along the three-point line, having dribbled all the way from the far left to the top of the arc.
Jackson, sitting on the sidelines, suddenly yelled, "Scott! Double-team! Double-team Lin! He won't pass the ball!"
Yes, Lin Tian wasn't even planning to pass the ball!
4 seconds!
Pippen had also rushed up, and he and Jordan were on the left and right, ready to defend. These two, who had made the All-Defensive First Team nearly 20 times in total, were the most outstanding and excellent perimeter defensive duo of the 90s, and they double-teamed Lin Tian!
The last 2 seconds!
Lin Tian suddenly accelerated, dribbling from the top of the arc towards the right side of the free throw line. Facing the defense of two people and their long arms, Lin Tian dribbled while making feints such as hesitant steps and upper body swaying to create space for himself.
After dribbling all the way to the right corner of the free throw line, Lin Tian suddenly stopped and immediately pulled up and threw it!
Jordan and Pippen reacted incredibly fast; they jumped almost simultaneously with Lin Tian, their four arms desperately trying to block Lin Tian's shooting space and angle!
But now, Lin Tian's shooting speed, even if it's not the best in the league, is definitely in the top ten. His super-fast shooting speed makes it impossible for him to block his jump shot when he stops suddenly!
Lin Tian raised the arc, and the basketball flew over Jordan and Pippen's hands, heading straight for the basket!
"Beep beep!"
The moment Lin Tian made his shot, the final whistle blew, signaling the end of the game. Whether the ball went in or not, it would bring to a close tonight's match!
Half of the fans at the United Center closed their eyes!
They had a premonition that tonight would bring them a terrible ending!
The remaining half of the fans at the United Center held their breath, not daring to breathe, waiting for the final judgment!
"Whoosh!"
Two seconds later, a crisp sound echoed throughout the entire stadium!
Lin Tian's game-winning shot goes in!
And it was a super game-winning shot that he made despite being up against two top defensive players, Jordan and Pippen!
Following Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Lin Tian once again hit a game-winning shot in the playoffs!
An excited Lin Tian bent over, his right fist clenched tightly and held up in front of his face, shaking it repeatedly.
Then, he was surrounded by excited Pacers players who picked him up!
Stimulate!
That was so exciting!
"Perfect! A perfect game-winner! The whistle blows, the light comes on, and the ball goes in! Lin Tian has once again delivered a perfect performance tonight!" Su Qun was equally excited, roaring loudly. He was already thinking about the front page of the next issue of "Basketball Pioneer".
"That's Jordan and Pippen! The best defensive and chemistry-rich backcourt duo of the 90s! Lin Tian just sank the game-winning shot over them! Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable!"
Sun Zhengping kept shaking his head, as if he still couldn't believe the miracle before his eyes.
Su Qun continued, "Furthermore, don't forget that before this goal, Lin Tian had already completed three successful defensive plays! In the final minute, Lin Tian and Christie didn't allow the Bulls even a single shot!"
"The Bulls had three consecutive offensive possessions, all of which were stolen from them! For them, this was absolutely the darkest minute in franchise history! Without a doubt! Jordan and Pippen took turns making mistakes, and then Lin Tian scored on them one after another!"
Sun Zhengping suddenly said, "Perhaps after this game, the league's most effective defensive perimeter duo will have to change? Lin and Christie have absolutely done everything!"
"Who can say for sure? But I believe this series is going to be very long! We still have plenty of time to observe and analyze who the best player is! At least until tonight!"
After a slight pause, Su Qun mustered his strength and said, "At least tonight, Lin and Christie were the better duo! Also, congratulations to the Indiana Pacers for conquering the toughest arena in the league this season!"
"They got off to a winning start at the United Center! They secured an important victory at the United Center, regaining home-court advantage in the series and taking a 1-0 lead! Let's congratulate the Pacers and look forward to the rest of the games between these two teams!"
On the court, Lin Tian's excitement continued!
Quiet!
After such a fierce battle, to finally win this victory is so satisfying!
That was so awesome!
The bruises and swellings on Lin Tian's body from the intense competition with Jordan didn't hurt as much anymore!
Excitement drove away all the pain and fatigue!
Having secured the victory in Game 1 of the series, the Pacers have gained a significant advantage in this series!
112: 113!
The Pacers narrowly defeated the Bulls by one point!
全场比赛，林天疯狂的出手了41次，并命中了其中的23球！其中还包括第四节最后1分钟的3投3中和最后4分钟的5投5中3次抢断！林天在最后时刻，绝对是统治了比赛！
He made 23 of 41 field goals, including 2 of 5 three-pointers, and a perfect 12-for-3 free throws, scoring a game-high 60 points, tying his personal playoff career high! The last time Lin Tian scored 60 points was during his rookie season when he swept the New York Knicks in that series!
This is also the highest single-game individual playoff score in Pacers franchise history!
In addition to his 60 points, Lin Tian also contributed 6 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals!
It's worth mentioning that 8 out of Lin Tian's 9 assists came in the first quarter! But regardless of which quarter they came from, Lin Tian's performance tonight was nothing short of perfect! There couldn't be a more perfect individual performance!
60 points and a game-winning shot!
This match is destined to go down in history and be mentioned again and again!
Besides Lin Tian, the Pacers' Barkley had 14 points and 12 rebounds, Reggie Miller had 9 points, Christie had 11 points, and Schmitz had 8 points. The substitutes Dumars, Ben Wallace, and Davis combined for 9 points and 18 rebounds.
The rest of the Pacers team also played exceptionally well in this game!
On the Bulls' side, Jordan's performance was also near perfect, especially in the first 47 minutes of the game!
Tonight, Jordan exploded for the highest single-game score in NBA playoff history in the first 47 minutes of the game: 66 points! He broke his own previous record!
Tragically, Jordan and his Bulls lost the last game against the Celtics with a 63-point score, and tonight, with an even higher 66 points, he and his Bulls lost again!
Interestingly... Larry Bird was on the opposing team in both of these games! However, last time, Bird was a player, while this time, Bird has become the head coach!
Although Jordan scored a terrifying 66 points, he was still the one with the biggest problem in the Bulls' loss tonight!
Two consecutive mistakes in the end, and even failed to receive the ball in the last attack, allowed Lin Tian to score 3 consecutive goals on the defensive end!
Previously, Jordan had always been the one to single-handedly dominate his opponents, crushing them in one-on-one battles. But tonight, it was clearly Jordan who got blown out! He was completely outmatched in a one-on-one, point-to-point fashion!
Looking at Jordan's entire career, this might be the first time ever!
Even though Jordan scored 66 points tonight, breaking the NBA record, it was still an absolutely terrible night for him!
For Jordan, losing was the worst thing ever!
Jordan didn't attend the post-game press conference. Instead, he approached Clemens and asked him to prepare the game footage, highlights, and key play analyses for him. He wanted to see all of this first thing tomorrow morning!
Then, Jordan simply left the arena.
Jordan wasn't in the mood for the press conference, but Lin Tian and Bird were extremely interested, and even Barkley, Miller, and others were very keen to take a look around the press conference!
He hit a game-winning shot against Jordan, scoring 60 points to defeat Jordan and making Jordan's all-time high score a sprint in vain.
Is there anything happier or more joyful than this?
No! Absolutely not!
At the press conference, Bird spoke fluently and confidently to the media.
"I know what it looks like when Michael scores high points; it's not uncommon. I witnessed him score 63 points more than 10 years ago, and I said then, 'Tonight, God is wearing the number 23 jersey.' But as everyone knows, I'm not a very devout person!"
"So that night more than 10 years ago, we took down God! Tonight, if you want me to describe Michael, I would say God is still wearing the number 23 jersey."
"But God hid a number 7 jersey under the number 23 jersey!"
"Lin, how does it feel to score 60 points in front of your former teammates and fans? Do you like that feeling?"
"I'd rather have the team win by 20 points than win by a buzzer-beater. Taking 40+ shots in a game isn't really my style of play. I'd much rather deliver 40 assists."
"Our ball didn't move tonight. Sometimes we stood still and didn't move. Sometimes we lacked communication, which made the game very difficult. I don't think scoring 60 points is a good way to win."
"But of course, if the coach and the situation of the game tell me that I can only win if I score 60 points, then I will not hesitate to unleash my full potential and keep scoring."
"So you mean, if you want to, if the team needs you, you can score 60 points anytime?"
Seeing the reporters' persistent questions, Lin Tian smiled and said, "Maybe, but at least so far, I haven't let anyone down, have I?"
After Lin Tian finished speaking, the reporters below started a discussion.
They've figured out Bird and Lin Tian's routine for tonight: one is in charge of bragging at Versailles, and the other looks humble but is actually incredibly arrogant.
What does it mean that people who aren't family don't enter the same door?
The interview that evening was clearly a happy one for Lin Tian and Bird.
For the reporters, it was also a happy time!
Or to put it more directly, apart from Chicagoans and Chicago Bulls die-hard fans, everyone else had a wonderful night!
This match absolutely deserves the title of the division finals!
That was absolutely amazing!
The reporters' celebration, after dawn the next day, swept across the United States in a truly frenzied manner!
After World War I, who was the best player in the league: Lin Tian or Michael Jordan?
The struggle for the throne is beginning to unfold; could Lin become the next king of the alliance?
The ultimate NBA battle! 66 vs 60, after the buzzer-beating victory, can Lin Tian become the NBA's number one player?
How far is Lin from being a top star? A detailed analysis of his 10 shortcomings!
1-0! United Center suffers its first playoff loss of the year! Can they hold onto their second home game?
Jordan's 66 points weren't enough to save the day; two crucial turnovers made him the biggest culprit in the loss!
"66 points is nothing to praise! Jordan was completely outplayed by Lin Tian in the last minute!"
Three consecutive rounds of sweeps? Who can stop the Pacers' advance?
Could this be a dream come true for the Pacers? A look at the players on the team without a championship!
Is the Bulls dynasty coming to an end? Can they still make it to the NBA Finals this year?
……
All sorts of news reports almost unanimously criticize the Bulls, believing that the Pacers, who won the first game under these circumstances, have already gained an absolute advantage in the series!
Some people have said that the real playoffs begin with winning on the road!
And the Pacers have done it! They conquered the most difficult home court to breach in the league this season, or even in the past few seasons!
In the morning, Lin Tian leisurely ate breakfast while reading the newspaper. Based on his experience, he felt that the news in the newspaper would definitely give him a lot of experience once again!
Lin Tian had finished reading the newspaper, drinking his coffee, and eating his breakfast. He was all ready to go to the gym for training, but Jordan still hadn't given him any experience points.
"McClean is... so desperate after I beat him that he's just lying in bed?" Lin Tian wondered as he walked toward the training hall. Their next game was tomorrow night, and as usual, today's training would mainly focus on shooting and warming up to keep their bodies active and in good condition.
With last night's victory, Lin Tian and the entire Pacers team are in a very relaxed mood right now.
The more relaxed the Pacers are, the more somber the atmosphere will be on the Bulls' side.
Jordan certainly didn't choose to stay in bed because of a loss.
On the contrary, he got up early at 4 a.m., did a few sets of strength training in his home gym, ate breakfast, threw all the day's newspapers into the trash can, and then headed to the team's training facility.
Clemens and the team's scouts and analysts, following Jordan's instructions, barely slept last night, editing game highlights and analyzing many key plays for Jordan!
Jordan isn't going to continue practicing; he's going to watch video analysis.
He is obsessive and has a crazy desire for victory, but he is no longer the kind of hothead who gets carried away and trains like crazy, which affects his performance in the game. He knows very well what he should be doing now.
His training for the day consisted of a few sets of strength training in the morning. In the following days, he would watch the video carefully and analyze where he and his team went wrong!
In the next game, Jordan absolutely will not allow himself to repeat the same mistake!
It wasn't just about losing face; Jordan also knew that the team absolutely could not afford to fall into a 0-2 deficit!
If you're beaten 2-0 at home, you might as well just surrender. The rest of the games will be even more difficult!
They must win tomorrow's game!
For an entire day, Jordan barely left the video recording room. He took notes, looking for his own shortcomings, searching for Lin Tian's weaknesses, and observing both teams' lineups, habits, playing styles, and vulnerabilities...
Even if Jordan only had two days and one night to look at these things and couldn't possibly analyze the Pacers thoroughly, he wouldn't waste any time!
The next match is absolutely crucial and cannot be lost!
Even though Jordan didn't show up at the Bulls' practice today, nor did he train with the others, no one dared to speak up or raise any questions!
They all know Jordan, and they know that no matter where Jordan is now, he will definitely be working his hardest! If they slack off just because Jordan isn't around, then if Jordan comes or finds out, what awaits them will be even more terrible and painful consequences!
Furthermore, even without Jordan, the Bulls players still wanted to win and craved victory! Even if they didn't have Jordan's exaggerated competitive spirit, they had already reached the Eastern Conference Finals, and no one wanted to lose, let alone lose two games in a row at home!
Therefore, the Bulls players at this moment can definitely be described as united and fully prepared for the game!
They were all looking forward to tomorrow night, to the moment when the battle for revenge would begin!
(End of this chapter)