thefictionvixens Chapter 101 The Bulls are at their wits' end! A generational leap forward with a frenzied attac
Chapter 101 The Bulls are at their wits' end! A generational leap forward with a frenzied attac
Chapter 101 The Bulls are at their wits' end! A generational, frenzied offensive!
Aside from the undisputed MVP award going to Jordan, the final All-NBA First Team for this season consisted of Jordan, Hardaway, David Robinson, Karl Malone, and Scottie Pippen.
Jordan and Pippen became the first pair of teammates in NBA history to be selected to both the All-NBA First Team and the All-NBA Second Team! Their honors prove just how strong this season's Bulls team really is!
For the second team, Hakeem Olajuwon, Grant Hill, Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, and John Stockton were selected.
The third team consists of Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Juwon Howard, Reggie Miller, and Mitch Richmond.
It has to be said that the league's decision to release the final suspense of the regular season at this time, thereby sparking heated discussions among fans and quickly bringing the Eastern Conference semifinal brawl out of the public eye, was truly ingenious. This was absolutely a perfect crisis management move!
With the pivotal Game 5 between the Bulls and the Knicks underway, fans had no time to discuss fights or brawls. This game was definitely a head-to-head showdown between close friends Jordan and Ewing!
Everyone wanted to see who would emerge victorious when both teams were shorthanded, and how Jordan would respond to Ewing's trash talk of "1800:300" was something countless people were eagerly anticipating!
Jordan's response has never disappointed!
In the first possession of the game, Jordan shook off Harper and drove hard to the basket. Facing Ewing who came to help defend, Jordan took off and slammed the basketball directly into the hoop over Ewing's head!
The very first attack of the game was a dunk that deserves to be recorded in history and be considered one of the top ten plays of the season!
That one goal was enough to make the ceiling of the entire United Center almost fall off from the roar of the fans!
This is exactly what we want to see!
After landing, Jordan casually shrugged and said to Ewing:
"1800? That's all?"
Ewing's eyes lit up at Jordan's words. He wanted to show Jordan whether he was worth $1800 million, the highest salary in NBA history and the first multi-million dollar contract!
On offense, Ewing put in all his energy, using a crossover step to shake off Longley, holding the ball high in one hand, and rushing into the paint to try and respond with a dunk. But Jordan appeared out of nowhere, leaped high, and slapped the basketball in Ewing's hand with perfect accuracy!
"Snapped!"
After a crisp crack, Jordan shrugged again and said, "1800, that's it?"
Ewing has no idea that these words will buzz in his ears like flies all night long!
He never imagined that Jordan would repeat that one sentence at least 30 times tonight!
Enraged, Jordan, walking on the edge of a cliff, decided to carry the team alone and let everyone know that the Chicagoans were not to be trifled with, and that no one could defeat him!
Anyone who faced Jordan in the 90s would have been utterly crushed and completely destroyed by him!
Otherwise, that phrase would never have existed in the league during the 90s!
Never, ever provoke Jordan!
But clearly, Ewing had no chance to regret it!
In this game, Jordan dominated on offense, leaving Harper, Ward, and others utterly miserable! He drew 15 free throws throughout the game, and with 2 minutes left in the fourth quarter, he drew Ewing's sixth foul, sending his old rival straight to the bench!
In addition, he made a career-high 7 three-pointers tonight, and only took 11 shots!
As for why he took so many three-pointers tonight? It's all because Hubble, while defending him, said, "Let him shoot, he won't get a basket!"
No basket? Let me go?
Then I'll give you a history record!
这场比赛，乔丹全场比赛出战47分钟，31次出手命中了19次，其中3分球11投7中，罚球15罚11中，轰下56分9篮板3助攻的恐怖数据！
When Jordan played so wildly and fiercely, no team could stop the Bulls from advancing!
109: 95!
A 14-point blowout victory helped the Bulls secure Game 5, taking a 3-2 lead and putting them one win away from the series! If they can crush New York at Madison Square Garden in the next game, they will advance to the Eastern Conference Finals!
But clearly, New Yorkers will never surrender so easily, much less give up the fight!
回到主场之后，尤因再次从小猩猩靓仔化身为爆力铁金刚！一扫上一场17投5中只拿到15分10篮板还6次犯规的阴霾，全场比赛再次爆砍38分19篮板6次盖帽的大号两双数据，成功统治内线！
In contrast, Jordan was clearly out of sorts in this game. Halfway through, his lips turned white and he slipped. Several of his usually sure-fire shots were ridiculously short, even though he still played 45 minutes.
Even though Jordan rushed to the hospital immediately after the game, it couldn't hide the fact that he only made 9 of 27 shots and scored 26 points!
It wasn't until after the game, in an interview, that Phil Jackson told the media, "Michael ate a pizza before the game, and afterwards he was completely out of sorts. I really hope this was just an accident, and not some dirty deliberate act!"
"I've packed up the unfinished pizza and will send it to the relevant authorities for professional testing! If the results prove that someone did indeed poison our players, then this is absolutely not over! I will mobilize the entire league to get the Knicks out of the league!"
Following Jackson's harsh words, the entire league was once again plunged into a wave of discussions and conspiracy theories. Countless fans believed that it was definitely the New Yorkers who deliberately did something bad, deliberately poisoned Jordan, which is why his performance was so poor and why Jordan was so out of control!
In an instant, the New York Knicks became the target of everyone's criticism. Regardless of whether they were Jordan fans or not, people were cursing the Knicks, saying that they were sore losers and that they had actually used such a potentially deadly underhanded tactic!
Even though the Knicks almost immediately came forward to deny the rumors, saying that the pizza poisoning was absolutely nonsense, Ewing said that he and Jordan were longtime friends and he would never allow anything to hurt his friend.
Even though everyone on the Knicks team said they had nothing to do with it, these weak and feeble explanations were clearly no match for clearing them of suspicion.
They became the target of public criticism.
On the Bulls' flight from New York to Chicago, Jordan was still pale and breathing heavily, clearly not yet back to his best form.
"Phil, why do you say that? You should know I just have the flu." Jordan's voice was weak, clearly indicating that his flu was quite severe!
"It was just a little underhanded tactic," Jackson shrugged. "Besides, I wasn't lying. You did eat a pizza, and you really did get sick."
"Furthermore, if you're still not fit by Game 7 and Scott can't play, we need to have some contingency plans and solutions! We can't just give up like this!"
"Give up?" Jordan scoffed. "I'll get back in shape. I can't possibly lose! It's just a cold, right? I'll go home and sleep it off for the night, and I'll be fully recovered by the game the day after tomorrow!"
Jordan's fighting spirit and desire to win have never been doubted. His thirst for victory and his willingness to make a comeback are unparalleled in the entire history of the league!
So when Jordan said those words, most of the Bulls players breathed a sigh of relief, believing that Jordan would definitely pull through.
Those few who didn't relax were all from the team medical staff.
Yes, Jordan and the Bulls players clearly underestimated how terrible this flu virus was!
When Game 7 of the series began, not only was Jordan still pale and had a runny nose, but Rodman, Pippen, and Harper also seemed a bit off! Lead assistant coach Clemens even ended up in the hospital, too weak to even get up.
This virus is extremely contagious!
Looking at the sickly players in front of him, Jackson lost his confidence for the first time this season.
All three of the Big Three are infected with the virus, and one of them is suspended and unable to play. What they are facing is an extremely fierce Knicks team with almost all of its players present!
This decisive Game 7 might just be the Bulls' last game of the season.
How impressive is a 74-win regular season? How ridiculous is it to be eliminated in the second round of the playoffs!
Jackson knew better than anyone that in two years at most, fans wouldn't care about reasons like suspensions, illness, or the flu.
All they cared about was that the Bulls had 74 wins, won the MVP, won the Sixth Man of the Year award, had two players on the All-NBA First Team, and were the league's rebounding and scoring champions. They had everything, but they didn't win the championship!
Then this season's Bulls will become a huge joke!
Jackson's mind was racing, and he hoped to find a way to resolve the current predicament.
But after much deliberation, he realized that the two most plausible ideas in his mind were: a sudden technological breakthrough at a Chicago hospital, ushering in another medical revolution, and the invention of a miracle drug to treat the flu overnight, allowing Jordan and others to recover immediately.
And they even hired a terrorist to blow up the United Center, causing the game to be postponed.
The fact that these two things are considered the most reliable methods by Jackson shows just how difficult the Bulls' situation is right now.
A complete dead end!
But the game must go on regardless!
The Bulls must enter this final battle in their worst possible condition!
"Luke, Tony, Dennis, Michael, and... Lin, the five of you will start tonight!" After hesitating for a long time, Jackson finally called out the five names.
These five players are definitely the strongest lineup he can field right now. Jackson has only one idea: seize the initiative from the start and dominate the offense! Let the team control the tempo from the very beginning and take the lead right away!
While Jordan still has the energy and can still play, establish as much of a lead as possible, and then...
All we can do is try our best and leave the rest to fate!
"Run! Everyone, run as fast as you can! Lin, you're the attack captain tonight! Everyone who gets a rebound, give it to Lin immediately, let him decide how to play! Let him decide how to attack! Lin, you have unlimited shooting rights tonight! I allow you to dispose of the ball as you please without Michael's permission!"
At this point, Jackson glanced at Lin Tian and, as he had hoped, saw excitement and anticipation in Lin Tian's eyes, instead of nervousness and fear!
As for Jordan, he didn't say much at this point. He still looked sickly. From the moment he allowed Lin Tian to make the game-winning shot in Game 3 of the first round, everyone knew that his trust in Lin Tian was no less than his trust in Pippen and Rodman!
After everything was arranged, the Bulls players got up and walked towards the United Center arena!
Regardless of the team's situation, and no matter how difficult their situation is tonight, they have to meet the challenge!
When the players entered the United Center, it was an unusual sight. Instead of cheers and shouts, they heard boos and profanities.
Of course it wasn't given to them; the Bulls will always be the heroes of this city.
These boos and curses are directed at the Knicks!
Most Chicago fans believed the poisoning theory, and their hatred for the Knicks even surpassed their love for the Bulls.
So this time, they didn't have time to cheer and express their love for their team; all their energy was spent angrily criticizing the Knicks for being shameless and brazen!
Amidst a cacophony of boos and curses, the Knicks players seemed unfazed. After all, they were the "New York mob," and they had seen it all; a few boos were hardly enough to intimidate them.
The Bulls, on the other hand, are having a tough time.
Jordan looked listless, Rodman didn't participate in the warm-up but sat on the bench wiping his nose, and the others were also not very enthusiastic, obviously lacking confidence.
The only exception... is Lin Tian!
Lin Tian is currently thinking about something.
Iverson or Curry?
Yes!
Since Jordan was out of form and Pippen was unavailable, Pippen had the official right to shoot unlimited times.
So what am I waiting for?
We absolutely have to get the top-tier trial card!
The only question is, Curry or Iverson?
One of them has an absurdly accurate shooting touch, and the other is almost unparalleled in his ability to penetrate and score.
Tsk tsk tsk... What a difficult choice.
"Lin, are you confident? If you're not, ignore Phil and just give me the ball." Jordan walked over to Lin Tian, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "You shouldn't have to bear all this; I should handle it!"
"I am the leader of this team. I should be the one shouldering everything, not putting undue pressure on you!"
"Shut up, Michael! Don't you know how pathetic you look, having to catch your breath three times for every sentence you say?" Lin Tian looked at Jordan and said, "Just wait and see! Leave this game to me, I'll take you to the Eastern Conference Finals!"
"Oh, right, you have a task for me when the game starts." Lin Tian patted Jordan on the shoulder and said, "Set screens for me, set lots of picks and rolls, and after you're done, get out of the way quickly and draw the defender away. Leave the game to me!"
"What did you say?!" Jordan's eyes widened in disbelief. He had never been so shocked by basketball in his entire life.
This kid actually took the unlimited firing rights he just received seriously, didn't he?
However, Lin Tian did not give Jordan much explanation and walked away. The ultimate battle between the two was about to begin!
Although the Bulls were playing at home, they were missing Pippen, and Jordan, Rodman, and others were all suffering from the flu.
While the Knicks were playing away and missing Mason, they were all healthy and had just won Game 6, so their morale was high!
This game was absolutely evenly matched, and the Knicks even had a slight advantage!
But from any perspective, today's game is undoubtedly the most exciting and anticipated duel in this season's playoffs!
The Knicks opted to start Willie Anderson to fill the void left by Mason, with the remaining four players being Ewing, Oakley, Harper, and Ward.
Starks will continue to be placed on the bench by Van Gundy to supplement the bench firepower. As for the tactics of the starting lineup, there is no doubt that the Knicks will continue to rely on Ewing as the absolute core and take advantage of their inside advantage in this final battle!
With a whistle from the referee, the basketball was tossed into the air, and Ewing roared as he slapped it into Hubble's hands, officially starting the game!
Unlike Starks, who would hurl trash talk at Lin Tian, Hubble steadily dribbled the ball forward.
Derek Harper from New York is known as the biggest snub of the 90s All-Star Game! At his peak, he averaged 19 points and 7 assists per game and was selected to the All-Defensive Team twice, making him a true all-rounder.
Therefore, many people believe that he has the level and statistics of an All-Star, but every time he is just a little short of being selected for the All-Star game.
Although he has never been selected for an All-Star game, Hubble's steady playing style and excellent skills are recognized by most people in the league! Lin Tian tried to steal the ball several times, but failed to get it from Hubble. However, Hubble also failed to make a breakthrough by taking advantage of Lin Tian's steals, unlike some of the top guards in the league.
Perhaps this is the biggest gap between him and those star players!
After arriving at the frontcourt, Harper immediately passed the ball to Ewing and then directed everyone to spread out, allowing Ewing to go one-on-one against Longley.
In the past six games, Longley has fully demonstrated that he is completely unable to defend Ewing. However, tonight, Pippen, who is best at helping defend, was not there, and Rodman was running a runny nose and seemed weak and listless, making his help defense much slower than usual.
Therefore, Ewing made it easy, turning around and driving into the basket to end the first offensive possession with a dunk!
As the Bulls attacked, Lin Tian calmly advanced the ball towards the frontcourt, directing his teammates' movements. When he reached the Knicks' three-point line, he suddenly shouted something.
"Michael, what are you waiting for! Come and cover us!"
Lin Tian's words stunned the other nine people on the court.
Is this kid for real?
He dared to call Jordan over to screen for him? And he looked so impatient?
Jordan just has a cold, not cancer! Aren't you afraid that he'll recover in a few days and come back for revenge?
Jordan was stunned for only a moment because of the accident, and then he immediately ran towards Lin Tian.
After all, this wasn't the first time Jordan had been directed by Lin Tian on the court, and given his long-standing understanding of Lin Tian, Jordan still went to set a screen for him.
Lin Tian and Jordan crossed paths at the high post before quickly separating.
Without hesitation, the experienced Hubble immediately chose to stick with Jordan, shouting, "Charlie!"
Ward, who was also skilled in defense, immediately understood what Hubble meant.
First, he waved his arm wildly in Jordan's direction to prevent Lin Tian from passing the ball quickly. Then, he immediately switched onto the defense and took a step back to prevent Lin Tian from using his speed to force his way through!
The Knicks' two guards reacted quickly, proving themselves to be the first line of defense for the Ironclad Army on the perimeter. They both judged that Jordan should still be the main offensive target, so although they didn't leave Lin Tian alone and directly double-teamed Jordan, they still put considerable pressure on Jordan, giving Lin Tian an open shot from the outside.
This one gap is enough for Lin Tian!
Because he had already spent the most valuable of all his trial cards!
"2015-2016 Season Stephen Curry Trial Card!"
A full-field experience card of an absolute superstar's peak season!
Moreover, it's a trial card with a playing style completely different from the 90s!
It's important to know that in the 1990s, half of the teams attempted fewer than 10 three-pointers per game, let alone made them. Three-pointers were considered heretical in that era.
This is a case of neglecting one's duties, a case of being a coward who avoids confrontation, and an irresponsible waste of time.
Aside from Miller, there are very few other players in the league who rely on three-pointers as their primary offensive weapon! Even Miller, in his career, only averaged a mere 4.7 three-point attempts per game!
In comparison, Curry's lowest average three-point attempts per game in his career was 4.6, not to mention that he had six seasons with an average of more than 10 three-point attempts per game, and two seasons with an average of 9.8 three-point attempts per game.
This style of play is absolutely a generational leap forward for the league today!
People of this era have never seen anything like this before.
In this day and age, it's all about dominating the paint and the mid-range!
Beyond the three-point line, whether it's offensive tactics, tactical positioning, or defensive focus and intensity, it's completely different from what it was 20 years later!
Just like when ancient cities were built, no anti-aircraft or anti-tank measures were ever considered.
I've never seen that before!
But today, Lin Tian is determined to show everyone what the power and terror of the three-point era truly are!
"Whoosh!"
After a crisp sound, Lin Tian took advantage of the gap when Ward took a step back to defend against his breakthrough and decisively made a three-pointer!
Don't forget, the three-point line has shrunk back a few inches this season!
For Lin Tian, this position is practically a mid-range shot!
With Curry's abilities on his side, Lin Tian took these almost open shots with absolute confidence and a sure thing!
"It's okay, Charlie! He can't keep scoring! Your defense is fine! Break through! Be careful of this kid's breakthroughs!" Van Gundy shouted from the sidelines, encouraging his players. This game was absolutely crucial and could not be lost!
"What's wrong, Charlie?" Hubble sensed that Ward's reaction was a bit off and took the initiative to ask.
"I just feel like there's something strange about this kid."
Ward said, "His shooting style just now was different from his usual one."
"He barely jumped. That wasn't a jump shot at all; it was more like he was pushing the basketball out with his hand! A '38' shot! Yes, that's the '38' shot that women often use! It's a dribbling shot!"
"Suddenly changed his shooting form in a game like this?" Hubble frowned as he looked at Lin Tian. "Maybe this kid caught the flu too! He lacks strength, and his original method simply couldn't guarantee the ball would go in the basket, so he had no choice but to use a completely new shooting method to win the game!"
"I hope so." Ward nodded and began dribbling forward.
The Knicks passed the ball to Ewing, allowing him to isolate and attack inside.
Ewing, of course, did not disappoint his teammates, and once again dominated Longley, easily scoring 2 points!
"Michael!" Lin Tian called out to Jordan again after arriving at the frontcourt, asking Jordan to come up and screen for him.
"Fuck you! Are you still not done yet?!" Jordan muttered in dissatisfaction, while taking a big step forward and still providing a screen for Lin Tian.
This time, Lin Tian dribbled the ball and moved two steps to the other side, then suddenly grabbed the ball with both hands and pushed it towards Jordan.
Ward and Hubble immediately fell for the trick and rushed towards Jordan!
That's the power of Jordan! Almost every team in the league, when facing the Bulls, prioritizes shutting down Jordan! As for the others, well, we'll see!
Lin Tian faked out two players and gained space outside the three-point line again, where he drew his gun and fired without hesitation!
"Whoosh!"
Less than two minutes into the game, Lin Tian hit his second three-pointer!
"Keep going! Keep going! Let's see if I can completely destroy you all!"
After scoring, Lin Tian waved his hands and shouted at Hubble and Ward!
After Lin Tian made consecutive shots, Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines cursed and stood up, continuing, "Keep our defensive strategy! This kid's just lucky; he can't keep scoring! If they set a pick-and-roll, then pounce on him! Don't give him the chance! Charlie, I want you to stick even closer to him! Let him drive, let him use an even harder pull-up jumper!"
"Don't let him take any more open shots. Everything else remains the same!"
After receiving instructions from Van Gundy, when Lin Tian once again had the ball beyond the three-point line and called Jordan over to set a screen for him, Ward indeed left Jordan slightly open and rushed towards Lin Tian, no longer allowing him to easily shoot beyond the three-point line.
This time, Lin Tian passed the ball directly to Jordan, and then ran in a small circle behind Jordan.
"Ball! Hurry! What are you spacing out for!"
As Lin Tian ran past Jordan, he shouted loudly again. His rough manner made it seem as if Jordan was the rookie and Lin Tian was this year's MVP!
Jordan didn't say much this time either. Instead, he handed the ball to Lin Tian and then suddenly turned to block Ward, making a move to cut inside.
Ward and Harper dared not let Jordan cut to the basket, so they both collapsed to defend Jordan's off-ball movement.
Lin Tian, positioned beyond the three-point line, was once again given free rein, and so...
"Whoosh!"
Curry has probably never had so many consecutive open looks beyond the three-point line in his entire career!
Since becoming famous, has Curry ever shot at the top of his lungs or run himself ragged just to get a little space to shoot?
But Lin Tian really had three huge open spaces in the first three rounds!
"Whoosh!"
No need to look, for Lin Tian right now, missing this kind of shot is definitely much harder than making it!
After scoring three consecutive goals, Lin Tian waved his hands excitedly once more, shouting, "Go! Keep double-teaming that trash Michael, keep being afraid of him! Let's see who beats you to a pulp tonight!"
This kid is calling Jordan trash?
Lin Tian's words caused the players on both sides of the field to tremble slightly.
This kid... he's really daring!
In the past, Jordan would probably have lost his temper on the spot and shown Lin Tian what real trash he was.
Unfortunately, Jordan was truly exhausted tonight; his legs were weak, and he didn't want to say a single word.
Once I'm better, I'll definitely show this kid who the real boss of the team is!
In the next three consecutive possessions, Lin Tian and Jordan continued to play screen-and-roll, but the Knicks had learned their lesson. Ward and Harper both pounced on the ball aggressively, not giving Lin Tian a chance to shoot directly. Lin Tian missed one shot and passed the ball to Jordan twice so that he could go one-on-one.
Unfortunately, Jordan was really out of form tonight, failing to score in either of his two one-on-one attempts!
With four minutes played in the first quarter, the score was temporarily tied at 9-11, with the Knicks taking a two-point lead thanks to Ewing's eight consecutive points.
For the Bulls, Lin Tian is currently the only one scoring.
Even in terms of actual shots, only Lin Tian and Jordan have ever made a shot.
Because of the absence of Pippen, the current Bulls roster only has Lin Tian and Jordan, plus Kukoc who can be considered half a player, about 2.5 people with active offensive capabilities. The rest of the players either can only score easy baskets or are sick and can't even score easily.
For example, Longley, this guy is like he's been completely traumatized by Ewing. In the remainder of the first quarter, he received two brilliant passes from Lin Tian and had very good scoring opportunities, but he just couldn't make them. Both of these opportunities were just basic layups or dunks!
But Langley just couldn't score!
As for Kukoc, he clearly exposed his weak heart and soft personality once again this night. Faced with Oakley's entanglement and trash talk, he either floated on the outside and took a shot without any accuracy, or passed the ball out without even aiming at the basket.
Oakley's menacing appearance was quite frightening.
Or to put it more bluntly, in the first quarter, apart from Lin Tian, no one on the entire Bulls team was in form!
因此，当首节比赛结束的时候，哪怕林天一个人9投5中，3分球7投4中拿下了14分，但公牛队的其他人加起来才只有7投2中只拿到4分！
The Bulls only managed 18 points in the first quarter! Meanwhile, for the Knicks, Ewing single-handedly racked up a dominant 13 points and 5 rebounds! Judging from his excited, pumped-up face, you can tell he's ready to beat his old friend Jordan tonight and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals!
Under his leadership, the Knicks took control of the game, scoring 24 points in the first quarter and leading the Bulls by 6 points!
During the break in the first quarter, Jackson scratched the back of his head and said, "Lin, Michael, you two come down and rest! Tony, you're in! You're in charge of leading the team! Be tough! You have to be tough tonight! We need you, you know, big guy? We need you!"
Jackson tried to persuade Kukoc to regain his confidence, but judging from Kukoc's expression, it was clear that even if Jackson was a master of motivational speeches, it wouldn't be easy for Kukoc to regain his confidence at this point.
He's just afraid of Oakley, just afraid of Ewing, what can you do? You really can't do anything!
"Coach, don't make things difficult for Tony, let me play! I don't need to rest, I can play the whole first half! Playing the whole game is no problem either! I will lead us to the Eastern Conference Finals!" At this moment, Lin Tian stood up on his own initiative, which can be considered as helping Kukoc.
"Lin..." Kukoc looked at Lin Tian with some emotion. To be honest, he was really a little scared to face the Knicks' interior defense alone.
"Tony, I'll support you! Our teammates will all support you! So, clear your mind, relax, think it over carefully, and for now, leave it to me!"
Seeing Lin Tian volunteering to play, Jackson had no choice but to nod. He had no other option. Jordan was clearly suffering from the flu and was not in good condition, while Lin Tian, who was in excellent condition, was undoubtedly the Bulls' only hope at the moment!
Not to mention that Jackson was well aware that if Lin Tian were to go down, the point difference might exceed double digits in less than two minutes, or even be completely widened!
Fortunately, Lin Tian bravely took on the responsibility of the game at this critical moment!
As for Lin Tian, Jackson only had one thing to say this time: "You could have played even more selfishly!"
The second quarter continued, and Lin Tian once again dribbled the ball to the frontcourt, where he was matched up against his old rival Starks!
"Rookie, you had good luck in the first quarter, but your luck ends here! I will..."
"Whoosh!"
Starks was met with an absolutely absurd three-pointer!
Lin Tian didn't make any fake moves, didn't give any instructions, and didn't do anything unnecessary. He just dribbled all the way to the three-point line, glanced at Starks who was a full meter away from him, and then pulled up and shot!
"What did you just say? Never mind, it doesn't matter at all, just barking. Besides, didn't you get enough of a beating last time? If I were you, I would definitely keep a low profile and be humble when facing an opponent I absolutely can't beat!" Lin Tian looked at Starks, not tolerating him at all, and directly spewed trash talk at Starks.
At the same time, just before he took the shot, Lin Tian used the skill "Neurotic Blade (First Quarter)" that he had just obtained from Starks.
If a player is having a bad day, this thing can absolutely make them produce a shockingly terrible performance.
With Curry's experience card tonight and the Knicks' inability to defend three-pointers, Lin Tian's shooting percentage will definitely be raised to another level!
Faced with Lin Tian's provocation, Starks lost his temper again! He dribbled the ball and drove straight into the paint, pushing past Lin Tian! Without shaking off Lin Tian at all, this guy suddenly pulled up, trying to make a reckless layup.
But at that time, the Bulls had a 213cm tall Wennington in the paint!
With Lin Tian holding the line, Wennington easily jumped up and delivered a powerful block, sending Starks' layup flying!
"ball!"
After defending against Starks, Lin Tian saw the basketball come to Cole's hands. He immediately shouted and practically snatched the ball from Cole's hands, launching a frantic attack towards the frontcourt!
After driving through Starks' defense all the way into the three-point line, Lin Tian suddenly stopped and pulled back with his legs, then took a step back out of the three-point line before pulling up for another shot!
"Whoosh!"
Another crisp, clean sound!
Starks, who was standing right in front of Lin Tian, stared at him with wide eyes, as if he were a monster.
Is it possible for someone to play ball like that?
When Lin Tian took the shot, there were still 17 or 18 seconds left on the shot clock! Not to mention, the Knicks' three-point line was completely empty at that moment!
In other words, when Lin Tian was on a fast break and had a one-on-one opportunity, he chose to end the attack with a three-pointer!
Even Reggie Miller wouldn't dare to do that in this day and age!
Dare to take a three-pointer?
In over 90% of the teams in the league, regardless of whether the ball goes in or not, if someone dares to shoot, the coach will call a timeout, bring the player down, and give them a good scolding!
This kind of offensive style is not allowed in the NBA of this era!
That's way beyond the scope of the curriculum!
But Jackson, clearly one of the remaining 10% of coaches, not only didn't call a timeout or verbally remind Lin Tian to calm down, but instead jumped up excitedly and shouted at Lin Tian, "Play Lin like this! Play him like this! Play him however you want!"
Jackson's voice was so loud that Van Gundy, on the other side of the court, heard it. He frowned. Jackson's coaching style was completely different from his philosophy, even somewhat contrary to it.
He couldn't accept it.
He would never encourage players to take such unpredictable shots!
Not only will we not encourage it, we will absolutely prohibit it!
Regardless of whether Van Gundy banned it or not, less than a minute into the second quarter, Lin Tian hit two consecutive three-pointers to tie the score.
After those two shots, Lin Tian had already hit six three-pointers, scoring 20 points!
The star of the night is clearly none other than Lin Tian!
(End of this chapter)