area51novel Chapter 588 Replacing Mourning! The Last Pride and Perseverance of the American Airlines Center
Chapter 588 Replacing Mourning! The Last Pride and Perseverance of the American Airlines Center
Chapter 588 Replacing Mourning! The Last Pride and Perseverance of the American Airlines Center!
The Heat don't have a rim protector like Mourning anymore. Dampier's defense is only "okay." He can do a good job of helping defend ordinary stars, but if he's asked to defend a superstar like Lin Tian, he's not up to the task.
Well then, I'm sorry, the 'second-best center in the West' can't do this job.
"boom!"
A loud bang rang out as Lin Tian, before Dampier could react, had already driven into the paint and slammed home a one-handed dunk, scoring another 2 points for the team!
"Lin's on fire tonight!" Barkley's voice came through as expected: "Lin's really in form! I think he's going to score a jackpot tonight! How long has it been since we've seen Lin score so high?"
"He's been too low-key and too lazy this season. His limited playing time and the team's changing tactics have resulted in Lin only scoring 40+ points four times this entire season, which is a really low number for fans!"
"Come on, Charles, don't be so smug. It's true that Lin only got 40+ points four times, but he also got over 40 triple-doubles! Lin almost single-handedly made triple-doubles both difficult and rare!"
"Over the years, everyone has agreed that 40 points is easier than a triple-double. A triple-double is the most difficult statistic and the one that best showcases a person's skill level! Otherwise, Ricky Davis wouldn't have shot at his own team's basket for a triple-double."
"Who agrees?" Barkley's current state is... well, you know. He's got the privileges because of his father!
Lin Tian played exceptionally well, delivering an epic season. Barkley was as excited and proud as if his own team had achieved such a performance.
"Screw you, Charles! How many 40-point games have you scored in your life? How many triple-doubles have you had? Huh? Tell me, which one was harder?"
"Winning is the hardest part! We guys never look at stats when we play; we only look at the score. If our score is higher than our opponent's, then we're the best. If our score isn't higher, then no stats matter!"
"FUXX! Charles, FUXX YOU! Go to hell!" Ever since kissing Barkley's butt, Kenny's fighting power during their banter has been greatly reduced. He can almost never win an argument with Barkley and is always forced to resort to swearing.
There's nothing we can do; as the saying goes, circumstances are beyond our control.
Kenny knew Barkley all too well. He was 100% certain that if he gained the upper hand in a verbal argument, Barkley would definitely retaliate by bringing up the fact that he had kissed Barkley's butt.
No matter what they're talking about, it always ends up being about kissing butts.
Therefore, Kenny's fighting ability has been greatly reduced. He would rather be chased and beaten by Barkley and have his nose pointed at and cursed than hear Barkley mention that terrifying night for the 1747th time.
The two commentators were exchanging barbs and jabs at each other, while the game on the field was progressing rapidly.
As Barkley said, perhaps Mourning's tribute ceremony tonight touched Lin Tian so much that he played with extreme aggression! He unleashed all the firepower he hadn't been able to fully unleash throughout the entire season tonight.
In the first quarter, he completely overwhelmed Hinrich, who was known for his defense, leaving him utterly helpless and in a truly pitiful state.
Lin Tian scored 26 points in a single quarter, marking the first time this season that he has scored more than 25 points in a single quarter.
Despite Lin Tian's incredible performance, the Heat team managed to hold on!
Odom, Walker, and others all delivered performances far exceeding their usual averages tonight, showcasing top-tier form.
Odom put up an all-around performance in this quarter with 10 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. As the youngest player in NBA history to achieve a triple-double, Odom fully demonstrated why he is called the "Left-Handed Magician"!
Walker also rediscovered some of his peak form, not only scoring multiple times against Anthony, but also hitting a three-pointer from beyond the arc, scoring 11 points in this quarter!
With the team's two highest scorers starting to explode, the other role players naturally followed suit. Especially against a team like the Knicks that doesn't play defense at all, the Heat players were able to execute one beautiful and exciting offensive play after another.
Both sides were highly efficient in the first quarter, with shooting percentages exceeding 50%, and the pace was also quite fast!
At the end of the first quarter, the score was 36-33!
The Heat are only down by 3 points! Considering their current roster and scoring ability, the fact that they were able to go toe-to-toe with the Knicks led by Lin in the first quarter is definitely an exceptional performance.
But in the second quarter, after the Heat brought in their substitutes, that momentum completely died down!
There was nothing they could do. The gap in strength between their starters and substitutes was already significant, and then they faced a Knicks team in good form tonight. The Heat scored 33 points in the first quarter, and their efficiency plummeted in the second quarter!
Of course, the old reason is that it's not that the Knicks defended well, it's that they just couldn't make their shots!
The huge gap in the role players directly determined the outcome of the first half of the match.
60: 51!
The Knicks led the Heat by 9 points at halftime, and they were slowly extending their lead.
They must win this game today!
After halftime, the players from both sides returned to the field. At this moment, both starting players were full of confidence and enthusiasm, eager to win the game!
Although both sides were full of passion, the game was filled with huge fluctuations!
The situation for both teams suddenly reversed!
The Knicks missed several shots in a row, while the Heat's three-point shooting suddenly became hot!
Hinrich, Walker and Bosh each hit a three-pointer, and in less than two minutes they went on a 9-0 run to tie the game!
Odom then blocked Stoudemire's face-up shot, and after grabbing the rebound, he immediately accelerated and started to advance the ball!
Although Stoudemire immediately stole the ball and stuck close to Odom, the two men, who were of similar height, had a huge difference in agility!
Odom used his agility and quick movements, employing several crossovers and behind-the-back dribbles, and sprinted all the way to the Knicks' three-point line.
At this moment, Odom made another move, dribbling the ball with his left hand in a floating motion, and trying to deceive Stoudemire by swaying his upper body. Then, he suddenly dribbled the ball behind his back with his left hand.
Just when Stoudemire thought it was a behind-the-back dribble and Odom was about to change direction, the basketball unexpectedly suddenly emerged from between Odom's legs, and he then turned to the left, completely disorienting Stoudemire.
After Odom's turn, Stoudemire could do nothing but watch as Odom pulled up for a mid-range jump shot.
That's too late!
Odom's skills and athleticism truly seem to transcend the limitations of his time. This guy has the height and weight of a power forward or center, yet when he plays, he plays like a true perimeter player!
"Whoosh!"
After a crisp sound, Odom hit a mid-range pull-up jumper, and the Heat had already gone on an 11-0 run!
In the third quarter, the Knicks hadn't scored a single point!
They were not only overwhelmed by the Heat's relentless attack, but also lost their halftime lead!
"The Heat are in the lead! This is the first time they've taken the lead in the second half of this series! Let's see if Odom's basket can help the Heat find their rhythm and turn the tide of the game!"
Kenny excitedly shouted, "Will this series finally end? Can the Heat escape a sweep? Let's wait and see!"
At this moment, the reaction of Miami fans was particularly interesting. When their team went on an 11-0 run and had taken the lead, instead of cheering for their team and encouraging them to keep up the good work, they didn't do anything else.
They even started giving the Knicks advice!
You guys are behind, aren't you? Why are you behind? Because the Heat keep scoring!
Why are the Heat scoring?
Because the Knicks can't defend against it!
What if we can't defend against it?
Of course, it's someone who can defend against it!
In an instant, the entire American Airlines Center erupted in a thunderous and perfectly synchronized shout.
"Change Mourning! Change Mourning! Change Mourning!"
This shouting almost confused old Nelson, who couldn't help but look at Mourning and say, "Why don't you go up and play for a bit?"
"No way." Mourning knew Old Nelson was joking, but he remained extremely serious. "They took the lead because they kept hitting threes and found their rhythm from mid-range and long-range. What good would it do me to go up there and chase after those young guys' three-pointers?"
"If any team keeps attacking our paint and causing us trouble, I'll volunteer to play!"
"I don't need pity, I want to truly contribute to the team and win a championship!"
Old Nelson nodded appreciatively and said, "I'm increasingly understanding why all of Miami loves you so much. You truly have a captivating charm, Alonzo! Don't worry, I will definitely keep my promise to you!"
As Don Nelson spoke, the situation on the court reversed once again! It was a dramatic turn of events!
Lin Tian has made his move!
After the Heat went on an 11-0 run, Lin Tian immediately took over the team's offense. He first faced Hinrich's one-on-one defense and then made a series of crossovers before pulling up for a three-pointer!
"Whoosh!"
After the crisp sound, the Knicks regained the lead!
And this is clearly just the beginning.
Then, he helped block Odom's breakthrough, forcing him to take a shot that missed. After grabbing the rebound, Stoudemire immediately passed it to Lin Tian. Lin Tian took the ball and immediately turned to advance, instantly increasing his speed to the maximum.
In an instant, Lin Tian seemed to transform into an invincible knight once again, riding his warhorse and charging left and right through the enemy's lines as if they were nothing.
In the blink of an eye, Lin Tian rushed to the Heat's basket and jumped up, right over Hinrich.
This time, Lin Tian didn't do any lever pulls or dodges in the air, nor did he use his body and impact to send Sinrich flying. He only did one thing in the air.
Wait!
Just wait!
Lin Tian, suspended in mid-air, waited with utmost patience.
He waited until Sinrich stared at him in disbelief, until Sinrich, who had jumped with all his might, began to fall reluctantly, getting further and further away from Lin Tian.
Then, Lin Tian flicked his wrist and easily sent the basketball flying.
"Whoosh!"
After a crisp sound, Lin Tian scored a goal without any tricks or skills, relying entirely on his physical talent to overwhelm his opponent. He simply showed off his hang time and jumping height!
This goal shocked everyone!
This mode of waiting for you to fall in the air before striking is incredibly visually impactful!
The TNT studio erupted in screams as Kenny and Barkley couldn't help but yell and shout to express their appreciation for the play.
Old Nelson then brought up Mourning again, who hadn't had much screen time all season but stole the spotlight tonight.
"How would you defend against this shot?"
"Defend my ass." Mo Ning rolled his eyes in annoyance, feeling utterly helpless about the old man's constant nagging tonight: "If I could defend Lin, would I still be here? I would have won the championship long ago."
"That's true." Old Nelson nodded in deep agreement. "I didn't expect you to be so insightful."
What Old Nelson said really made Mourning want to just punch someone.
What kind of stinky old bastard talks like that?
Do you really think I won't dare to play against you just because I'm playing under you?
Damn it!
It would be better if they were completely invisible!
I've only just begun to gain a little bit of recognition today, and this old man keeps bullying me.
Wrong!
Meanwhile, Lin Tian was dominating the competition!
His scoring momentum showed no signs of stopping, and neither Hinrich nor anyone else could stop Lin Tian's firepower!
Van Gundy had already made his change: double-team!
He had Hinrich and Bosh, two good defensive players, double-team Lin Tian at the same time.
But in the very first round the two went up, Lin Tian dribbled behind his back and took a side step to slip through the tiny gap between them, then raised his hand and threw a shot, completely breaking through their double-team.
In the second round, Lin Tian changed direction repeatedly to shift the defensive focus of the two players, and then chose to accelerate and break through on Posey's side. After only two steps forward, Lin Tian suddenly stopped, then gathered the ball and raised his hand!
Before Posey and Hinrich could even think, their tense bodies and minds reacted simultaneously.
The two of them jumped up together, then looked at Lin Tian, who was still on the floor, with a sense of despair.
I've been fooled again!
Lin Tian even jolted two people up.
What a shame!
Lin Tian didn't let them off the hook. After sending them flying, he took a half step forward and then jumped at them.
After the three players collided heavily in mid-air, Lin Tian threw the ball towards the basket, shouting, "AND 1!"
"Whoosh!"
"Beep beep!"
What you keep in mind will surely come back to you!
Lin Tian's confident shout was rewarded handsomely; the basketball went into the hoop, and the referee blew his whistle!
2+1!
But at this point, the referee was in a dilemma.
Who committed the foul?
It's not that the referee hesitated after blowing the whistle to see if the two players had committed a foul, but rather that both of them had committed a 100% foul. The question is, who should be called for the foul?
After a slight hesitation, the referee decisively gave the signal.
"Kirk Hinrich, blocking foul! 2 points awarded, 1 free throw!"
As for why Hinrich is being praised?
He's just unlucky.
Hinrich had no answer to this play. He was double-teamed and still got completely disoriented by the fakes. What could he do?
He could only raise his hand to indicate that he had committed a foul.
But this foul was his fourth!
He picked up four fouls early in the third quarter, which basically meant he couldn't play the rest of the quarter and had to go to the bench to rest.
This is standard practice in the NBA.
Then, Hinrich walked off the court dejectedly, his face full of disappointment and pain.
He didn't want to go down.
He still wants to fight!
At the same time, Hinrich was also well aware that after he went down this time, he probably wouldn't need to play again tonight.
Since the score had now widened to 10 points again, Hinrich knew exactly what level Wright, who had replaced him, was at.
It would be a miracle if Lin Tiansheng didn't tear him apart alive!
Of course, Xinliqi himself was also devoured alive by Lin Tian.
At most, he could still put up a fight before Lin Tian completely crushed him.
But Wright...
Hinrich reluctantly sat back down on the bench and covered his face with a towel.
I'm not going to go see it.
We still couldn't win this game!
We also wanted to show our toughness and ruthlessness in front of our seniors.
What a pity.
With Hinrich's wild thoughts running wild, the Knicks have once again completely taken control of the game!
Under Lin Tian's relentless bombardment and indiscriminate offense, the Heat's defense crumbled at lightning speed!
After scoring 26 points in the first quarter, Lin Tian scored another 22 points in the third quarter!
By the end of the third quarter, Lin Tian had already scored 53 points! In addition to these 53 points, Lin Tian also grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out 7 assists!
The Knicks' lead has now reached 16 points!
There are still some uncertainties in this match, but not many left!
At the start of the fourth quarter, Hinrich, who had been on the bench for half the third quarter, rushed onto the court. He hoped to use his performance to slightly curb Lin Tian's influence and at least bring the suspense of the game back a little!
Lin Tian, who didn't choose to rest, didn't fire himself, but he started looking for teammates!
First, he assisted Stoudemire for a one-handed dunk, and then he found Okur outside the three-point line and assisted him to make a three-pointer.
Finally, during his breakthrough, Lin Tian spotted Houston on the wing and delivered a bounce pass. Houston caught the ball and immediately pulled up for a mid-range jumper, which went in!
After this three-game winning streak, Lin Tian not only got another triple-double, continuing his record of consecutive triple-doubles in the playoffs, but also widened the point difference significantly!
In these three possessions, the Heat only managed to score 2 points, while the Knicks went on a 7-2 run, bringing the point difference to over 20 points!
Then, without wasting any time, Old Nelson made a sweeping motion, bringing up and down five balls during the next dead ball situation.
The five starters went off to rest, and the five substitutes came on to continue the game.
This is a signal from Don Nelson that the game is already over!
(End of this chapter)