RNP Chapter 732 Scoring with Nash, Passing with Pierce! Lin
Chapter 732 Scoring with Nash, Passing with Pierce! Lin
Chapter 732 Scoring against Nash, passing against Pierce! Lin Da Guanren is invincible!
"Lin's impact after entering the game was truly immediate!" Kenny couldn't help but exclaim. "In less than two minutes, a 7-0 run! The Knicks regained the lead! That's what a superstar is! That's the influence of a top-tier player!"
"It's worth mentioning that Lin dished out 3 assists and 1 steal during this period, plus a successful defensive play against Nash! He deserves 100 points on the defensive end, and the same goes for facilitating his teammates' scoring!"
Barkley added, "Now the pressure is on Pierce! Both are players returning from the locker room; can Pierce match up against Lin's firepower? Can he lead the Suns to stay close or even turn the game around?"
70: 72!
With 1 minute and 30 seconds left in the second quarter, the Knicks led by 2 points!
It's still 1 minute and 30 seconds, and the score is almost tied! Everyone knows that at this point in each quarter, it's all about the strength and energy of the core players and key players on both sides.
Whoever can stabilize the situation, whoever can break through the encirclement in this situation and demonstrate absolute strength, is the true superstar!
Many players can put on a great show in the regular season, but in the playoffs, due to the opponent's targeted defense, the opponent's strength, and the repeated research by both coaching staff on the opponent's key players, most players' statistics and efficiency will be reduced in the playoffs.
Furthermore, as the playoffs progress, as physical strength declines, injuries increase, and opponents gain a more thorough understanding of your abilities, the decline in your stats will become more pronounced and the magnitude of the decline will increase.
This type of player is considered an average star, but is also known as a playoff softie.
Those who can withstand the pressure and targeted defense from opponents, and perform in the playoffs at a level comparable to their regular season performance, have stepped into the threshold of becoming top-tier stars and can already be called clutch players or exceptional role players.
Those who can unleash their full potential during the playoffs, delivering performances far exceeding their regular season showings, getting better and better as the game progresses, becoming increasingly aggressive, and leaving their opponents in despair during crucial matches, are undoubtedly top-tier stars and superstars!
At least in this series, so far, Lin Tian can definitely be called a one-of-a-kind superstar.
Nash and Pierce are a level below, while Anthony and Stoudemire are at least half a level below.
Now, at this critical moment for both sides, it's a showdown between these core players and superstars!
During this period of the first quarter, Nash kept scoring and barely managed to withstand Lin Tian's offensive firepower.
What about this time?
Pierce: This time, it's my turn to feel relaxed!
"Tevor, go kill him!" Seeing Pierce take the ball directly from Nash and start advancing towards the frontcourt, Lin Tian didn't even think twice and immediately sent Ariza to match up against Pierce!
He simply doesn't dare to go up against Pierce anymore.
That bastard, he actually looked at his own anus just now! He even said he clearly changed it!
Holy crap, he really did poop in his pants pocket! Absolutely!
I'm not going to play against him again! I'm never playing against him again! I'm not going to play against him tonight no matter what!
Who knows what that bastard might do next?
Who knows if that bastard actually cleaned it up?
A wise person does not stand under a crumbling wall! This is the wisdom of the Chinese people since ancient times, and it is indeed true!
Ariza paused for a moment, but he wasn't scared, nor did he ask any questions.
Instead, they went straight to Pierce.
In Ariza's view, this was an opportunity given to him by Lin Tian! This was a chance for his boss to show his abilities and for him to make a name for himself!
If I can stop Pierce for two possessions and help the team gain an advantage and widen the gap, won't I immediately become famous?
"Whoosh!"
Unfortunately, Ariza is far inferior to Pierce in terms of skill, experience, and ability.
He had just rushed to Pierce's side when this guy shrugged off, giving Pierce easy space to shoot from beyond the three-point line!
"Whoosh!"
After a crisp crack, the Suns took the lead again!
"It's okay! Keep trying, I believe in you!"
Lin Tian patted Ariza's butt, indicating that little brother, don't be afraid, let's continue.
Then he calmly dribbled the ball to the frontcourt, observing the situation on the court as he dribbled. Then Lin Tian suddenly accelerated, easily getting past Barbosa, who was currently guarding him, and then specifically chose to accelerate and break through from the left side.
Seeing that Barbosa had been left behind, Pierce, who was to Lin Tian's left, had no choice but to move two steps to the side, trying to block Lin Tian and his path of breakthrough.
But just as Pierce moved, Lin Tian's basketball suddenly came to his right hand and slammed heavily onto the floor!
The basketball bounced off the floor, exquisitely darted between Pierce's legs, and flew straight behind him.
Pierce quickly turned around, trying to go back to defend Ariza, but it was too late!
Ariza was brimming with confidence, completely unaffected by the previous play. After receiving the ball, he immediately pulled up and decisively launched a three-pointer!
"Whoosh!"
After another crisp sound, the Knicks once again took the lead.
For the Suns, there was no suspense on the basketball side; it once again fell into Pierce's hands.
He received the ball in the low post, backed down Ariza, and then suddenly exerted force, slamming into Ariza twice in a row!
How could Ariza, who entered the NBA in high school and whose body may not even be fully developed yet, possibly withstand Pierce, a top veteran who has played in the NBA for almost 10 years?
Pierce quickly overwhelmed Ariza, leaving him dazed and unable to stand, before driving to the basket and easily turning and shooting for two points.
The Suns tied the game again with 48 seconds left!
75: 75!
But this time, Pierce still didn't have time to be happy. In fact, not only Pierce, but even Don Nelson didn't have time to make a substitution during this dead ball situation.
Because Lin Tian was too fast!
Originally, Don Nelson realized that Ariza couldn't handle Pierce at all, and wanted to take advantage of dead balls to bring in players like Stoudemire and Anthony.
After Lin Tian led this lineup to a 7-0 run, it was already considered a complete success. Old Nelson has proven that this lineup works, and now it's definitely time to make a substitution.
After all, the reason why unconventional formations are unconventional is that they are surprising and catch the opponent off guard. The longer such unconventional formations are used, the easier it is for the opponent to seize opportunities and weaknesses to launch a fierce counterattack.
Knowing when to stop is the best choice!
This is why many fans feel, "These five players were clearly very effective, winning a lot of points on the court, so why did this idiot coach substitute them?"
Fans can only see whether the duo has won points or gained the upper hand, but coaches can see whether the opponent has found a weakness in this lineup and whether the opponent will target it.
Logically speaking, a player of Lin Tian's caliber should definitely be able to see the subtleties involved.
But Old Nelson really didn't expect that Lin Tian wouldn't give him a chance to make a substitution!
After Pierce scored, Lin Tian immediately rushed to the baseline, picked up the basketball, and made a long, shot put-style pass with one arm. The basketball instantly transformed into a lightning bolt and flew towards the frontcourt!
Nate Robinson somehow managed to complete a fast break, and after receiving the ball, he immediately started and slammed it into the basket with one hand!
The Knicks completed the fast break in just 3 seconds! They're in the lead again!
But clearly, in a situation like tonight, with the two teams in the league with the best counter-attack and offense giving it their all, the Suns will not let the Knicks get ahead on their own!
Nash, who had just chased Nate to the basket, picked up the basketball on the baseline and, in almost the same motion as Lin Tian, flung it up the court!
Pierce once again used his shoulder to push Ariza aside, successfully gaining a favorable position, and then grabbed the basketball.
He was so engrossed in the game that he didn't care that there wasn't a single Suns player under the basket, or that many of his teammates hadn't even crossed half-court yet. He pulled up for a mid-range shot and sent the ball into the basket again!
The Suns also took only 4 seconds this time!
77: 77!
"That's fast!" Barkley exclaimed. "Only seven seconds have passed, and both teams have scored two points each! Crazy! The theme tonight is pure madness!"
"This is absolutely the craziest, most intense, and most unrestrained offensive battle in NBA Finals history!"
The only bad news for the Knicks is that Don Nelson still hasn't found an opportunity to make a substitution.
He had just woken up Stoudemire and Anthony when Lin Tian yelled for Hill to pass him the ball.
Well, it's a live ball again, and we can't make substitutions!
Old Nelson muttered a curse under his breath, then looked at Stoudemire and Anthony, who were still sitting on the bench, and said, "What the hell are you spacing out for! If you keep spacing out, this round... forget it! FUXX! You two sit down! You're not playing this quarter, just sit and sleep."
Old Nelson slumped back into his chair in a huff. He had been a coach for decades and had never experienced anything so frustrating.
Damn it, he didn't have a chance to make substitutions because his own players were too good?
It's so embarrassing to even tell anyone!
On the court, Lin Tian had the ball at the top of the arc once again. This time, the Suns suddenly double-teamed him, with Nash and Barbosa both rushing towards Lin Tian.
But Lin Tian once again transformed into a dancer on the court. After a series of dazzling, fast, and brilliant dribbling moves, he suddenly made a large turn, as if he was about to rush past Nash.
Then, just as the two were trying to continue surrounding Lin Tian, the basketball suddenly appeared between Barbosa and Nash. The two of them looked at the basketball at the same time, trying to reach out and steal it, but they were both just a hair's breadth away from touching it, let alone completely blocking it!
While their attention was completely drawn to the basketball, Lin Tian had already turned around, forcefully passed by the two of them, grabbed the basketball that neither of them had touched, and charged towards the basket!
Marion and Martin rushed forward, spreading their arms to try and stop Lin Tian from making a mid-range shot or driving to the basket, but Lin Tian acted as if he didn't see them and continued to charge towards their impenetrable wall.
Just before the three were about to collide, Lin Tian turned around again and in the blink of an eye, he darted between the two!
Lin Tian moved with lightning speed. Whether it was the timing of his two turns or the effect they achieved, or his incredibly bold and imaginative dribbling maneuver, everyone was amazed!
What's even more astonishing is that after Lin Tian dribbled past four players to reach the basket, he didn't immediately jump and shoot. Instead, he held the ball with both hands and made a feint in the air.
Then, Pierce, who had been hiding nearby for who knows how long, waiting to sneak in a block when Lin Tian took a shot, flew through the air. He was completely outmaneuvered by Lin Tian's fake-out! After all, who the hell would have thought that after getting past four opposing players, someone wouldn't choose to go for a layup immediately, but instead would fake out another player!
Too embarrassing!
No, it's just too flashy!
This spectacular round didn't even end with Lin Tian's powerful dunk.
After shaking off Pierce and completing a 1-on-5 feat, Lin Tian slammed the basketball heavily onto the floor. Hill, who was attacking from the wing, understood perfectly and took off.
Hill, who hadn't dunked much all season, didn't waste Lin Tian's brilliant dribbling and passing. He caught the basketball in mid-air and slammed it heavily towards the basket!
"boom!"
After a loud bang, the Knicks took the lead again!
There are 30 seconds left in the game!
"Incredible!" Barkley shook his head. "I'm going to record that play, and I'm going to put the whole thing on my TV and play it on repeat! I could watch it 9000 times and never get tired of it!"
"That was such a cool shot!"
"Gary, you're a point guard, and your fundamentals are pretty good. Can you handle this?" Miller looked directly at Payton next to him and asked him a 'well-intentioned' question.
"Fuck you!" Payton cursed irritably. "If I were in this league, I would have won a championship long ago! Would I have been beaten by them in '96?"
"I thought you'd never admit you'd ever lost a Finals series," Barkley said with a wicked grin. "Right, Mr. Fingerless Glove?"
"You guys are lucky you haven't been destroyed by Lin." Payton, unusually, didn't confront Barkley directly, but instead leaned back in his chair, looking relaxed and indifferent. "If you were also playing point guard and matched up against him..."
"How much better can you be than me?"
"Reggie will become 'The Unkillable Assassin' or 'The Plastic Knife Killer.' Charles will definitely be some kind of 'Flying Pork Chop' or 'Fat Fat Guy.' Kenny... someone of your caliber doesn't deserve to have a new nickname after going up against Lin. You're not worthy."
Payton's indiscriminate rant silenced all three of them.
They wanted to argue, but after a moment's thought, they realized: This bastard is right!
Of the three of them, Kenny retired early, Barkley played inside, and Miller was on the same team as Lin Tian for many years. These three really weren't often outplayed by Lin Tian.
What luck!
After all, everyone has now come to the same conclusion: those point guards from the same era as Lin Tian were all damn unlucky!
Lin Tian's strength is indeed terrifying.
So... how do you refute that? Say you won't get beaten up by Lin Tian, or say you're stronger?
It's best not to do something that will only humiliate you!
"So, Steve, want to play the first quarter again? Let's see who scores faster!"
"Thanks for the invitation, but I'm not interested," Nash said casually, then turned to protect the basketball and waited for his teammates to make their runs.
That part of the first quarter really exhausted Nash; he was playing like his life depended on it, just trying to get one more offensive opportunity.
But the result?
He failed to capitalize on his extra offensive opportunities, instead allowing the Knicks to steal several possessions, leaving him trailing into the second quarter.
So this time, Nash has decided not to compete with you, Lin Tian!
I'm going to play the full 24 seconds straight. I don't care if you live or die, it's just one attack per person!
If you're so capable, then conjure up some time or freeze it, and then go ahead and launch a full-scale attack!
Anyway, I'm not playing along!
Nash carefully controlled the basketball until there were only 8 seconds left on the shot clock, when he suddenly turned around and passed the ball to Pierce who was rushing over.
Pierce is now facing Hill, who is more experienced and whose size is not a disadvantage!
Ariza really couldn't withstand Pierce's low-altitude tank.
Pierce made several feints against Hill, but he couldn't get Hill off balance at all!
Honestly, Hill has only lost his speed due to injury. His lateral speed is now close to the bottom of the forward positions. If you try to overtake him with speed, he really can't do anything and can only watch you rush past him.
But if you want to play with him in terms of technique, rhythm, and small details.
Well, I'm sorry, Hill is just old, he's not dead!
His experience, skills, and familiarity with all kinds of offensive details are absolutely no less than anyone else in this league!
So Pierce's attempt to use skill to create space was just asking for trouble!
Pierce only realized this when Hill couldn't be fooled by several consecutive feints and there were only 3 seconds left on the shot clock!
Thankfully, there are still 3 seconds left!
Pierce finally gave up on all those useless fancy moves, suddenly changed direction and took a step, then shoved Hill away with his shoulder, and just as he was about to continue advancing, he suddenly felt his hand loosen!
The basketball is gone!
Pierce turned around anxiously to look at the person and found that it was Lin Tian who had attacked from behind again. Just as Lin Tian stole his basketball, Hill had already bent down, grabbed the basketball, and tossed it to Lin Tian!
After receiving the ball, Lin Tian only dribbled forward one step, and then suddenly made a long pass, passing the basketball to Okur, who had already completed a fast break and was standing outside the three-point line.
Okur held the basketball, a full 2 meters from the three-point line, but time no longer allowed him to get closer to the three-point line and adjust before shooting!
With Marion already charging frantically toward Okur, Okur had no chance to hesitate. He took the ball and immediately shot it toward the basket!
"Buzz!"
The whistle blew first to end the first half.
"Whoosh!"
Then came a crisp sound, and Okur's buzzer-beating three-pointer went in!
77: 82!
The Knicks are leading by 5 points going into the second half!
(End of this chapter)