area51novel Chapter 29, Final Quarter! A Strikes-Through 18-Point Shot for a Game-Winning Tie!
Chapter 29, Final Quarter! A Strikes-Through 18-Point Shot for a Game-Winning Tie!
The boos at the Philips Arena in Atlanta were so loud they were practically lifting the dome off.
With six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the scoreboard displayed a glaring number: Eastern All-Stars 92:82 Western All-Stars, a full 10-point difference.
In the first three quarters, Western Conference head coach Don Nelson seemed determined to keep Lin Hao on the bench. Even as the point difference widened, even as the boos from the more than 2 spectators grew louder and louder, even as the sideline cameras repeatedly panned to the Chinese rookie sitting quietly with his arms crossed at the end of the bench, he seemed not to see him at all. He only gave Lin Hao two minutes of playing time during garbage time, and substituted him out again after barely touching the ball.
"We want Lin Hao! We want Lin Hao!"
It's unclear which Chinese fan in the stands uttered the first shout, but soon the cheers spread like a tide, transforming from scattered calls into a unified roar that shook the entire stadium. The boos mixed with the cheers completely drowned out the DJ's music, and even the players on the field couldn't help but frequently turn their heads towards the substitutes' bench.
On the sidelines, Zhao Dabao was so anxious he was stamping his feet, his Northeastern accent almost spilling out. He grabbed Harris's arm and shook it repeatedly, yelling, "Is this old man Deng crazy?! We're down by 10 points and he still won't let my Lin Hao play? Does he have a grudge against the top vote-getter or something?"
Harris's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and he was practically crushing the phone in his hand. He had just finished a call with the league management and then turned to negotiate with the assistant coach of the Western Conference coaching staff, his voice almost hoarse: "What the hell are you doing? Can't you hear the demands of the audience? The whole country is watching this live! Do you want to turn Jordan's retirement All-Star game into a joke?"
On the bench, Yao Ming slammed a towel onto the chair and said to Don Nelson in a deep voice, "Coach, if we don't bring Lin Hao on, this game is over. Only he can catch up, and only he can orchestrate the team's offense."
Kobe, standing next to him, nodded in agreement, slamming his wristband to the ground: "I agree. That kid's basketball IQ and scoring ability are more reliable than all of these guys on the court combined. If we don't let him play, we're just waiting to lose."
Don Nelson's forehead was covered in cold sweat. He had originally thought that this was Jordan's retirement All-Star game, and he couldn't let a rookie steal the spotlight. Moreover, all the stars in the league had some complaints about this "internet celebrity vote king." He was planning to bench Lin Hao to give the veteran stars some face. But he didn't expect the audience's reaction to be so intense, and he certainly didn't expect the Western Conference's offense to be so terrible, trailing by double digits after three quarters.
The boos from the crowd grew louder and louder, and some spectators even started throwing cheering sticks onto the field. The referee had to stop the game and signal to the coaching staff to deal with the situation immediately.
Old Nelson gritted his teeth and finally turned to look at Lin Hao at the end of the bench, practically squeezing out the words: "Lin, warm up! Get ready to go on!"
Lin Hao, who had been sitting there quietly, finally raised his eyelids.
During the first three quarters when he was benched, he didn't make a fuss, didn't get anxious, and didn't even utter a single complaint. He simply took a tactical board and wrote and drew on it, clearly breaking down the defensive habits, tactical positioning, and each player's offensive preferences in the East, filling three whole pages.
He knew all too well that complaining and anger were useless; on the basketball court, the only hard truth was putting the ball in the basket.
Hearing the coach's call, he showed no expression. He simply folded the tactical board and put it in his pocket, picked up the unopened can of yellow peaches on the sidelines, unscrewed the lid, forked a piece of peach and put it in his mouth. The sweet juice slid down his throat, instantly suppressing all his emotions.
Garnett glanced at him, a hint of disdain in his voice: "Kid, don't think you can do whatever you want just because the audience is chanting your name. The intensity of the last quarter of the All-Star Game is far greater than what you experience in the regular season. Don't go up there and embarrass yourself."
Lin Hao chewed on a piece of peach, glanced at him, and slowly uttered a sentence: "Whether it can turn the tide or not, you'll find out in a moment. Instead of wasting time making sarcastic remarks, you should run a few more steps later, so you don't miss the shot when the ball is passed to you."
In one sentence, Garnett's face turned black instantly after being confronted, and just as he was about to retaliate, the referee blew his whistle, and the ball went out, resulting in a substitution.
Lin Hao put the remaining half-can of yellow peaches on the stool, tore off his training clothes to reveal his Western All-Star No. 1 jersey, and stepped onto the court.
The entire venue erupted!
The deafening cheers and applause instantly drowned out all the previous boos. The audience all stood up, waving their support signs and national flags and shouting. In the Chinese fan section, someone even played the suona, and a tune of "A Man Should Be Self-reliant" was broadcast throughout the entire stadium through the microphone.
"Here he comes! Lin Hao, the All-Star vote leader whom everyone has been waiting for, has finally made his appearance with 6 minutes left in the fourth quarter!" The commentator's voice rose instantly, filled with barely suppressed excitement. "The West is currently down by 10 points, and the game is on the brink of elimination. Let's see if this second-round pick, who has made history, can pull off a miracle at Jordan's retirement All-Star game!"
The Eastern Conference players smiled dismissively when they saw Lin Hao enter the game. McGrady raised an eyebrow at Carter beside him and whispered, "Finally, you've let an internet celebrity come up? I'd like to see what tricks he can pull."
Carter smiled but didn't say anything. His gaze fell on Lin Hao with a hint of scrutiny.
Only Jordan, who was standing near the free-throw line, glanced at Lin Hao, his eyes filled with a hint of barely perceptible expectation.
The game restarted, and the West had possession.
Kobe dribbled the ball across half-court, just about to look for Lin Hao, when he saw Lin Hao gesture to Yao Ming and shout, "Brother Yao, set a screen!"
Yao Ming instantly understood, taking a large step forward and setting a solid screen for Lin Hao at the top of the arc, directly blocking McGrady, who was guarding Lin Hao, behind him. Using the screen, Lin Hao sprang out instantly, and Nash delivered the ball accurately to him.
Ben Wallace, a center known for his tenacious defense, came over to help defend. He stretched out his long arms and lunged at Lin Hao, trying to block his shooting space.
Lin Hao had no intention of forcing the issue. The moment he received the ball, his knees bent slightly, seemingly about to jump for a three-pointer. But just as Wallace pounced on him, he flicked his wrist and delivered a bounce pass, accurately placing it on Yao Ming who was cutting down the court.
Yao Ming received the ball and delivered a powerful dunk over Jermaine O'Neal!
"Clang!"
The basketball was slammed into the hoop, sending the net churning into towering white waves!
The entire stadium erupted in cheers!
Yao Ming landed with a smile and bumped shoulders with Lin Hao, whispering, "Good shot!"
"Don't mention it!" Lin Hao laughed, patted him on the back, turned, and ran back, "Just in case!"
However, the East's offense was not affected at all. McGrady took advantage of the screen and hit a three-pointer over Kobe's defense, bringing the point difference back to 10 points.
Old Nelson was stamping his feet in frustration on the sidelines, but Lin Hao remained calm and composed.
In the next possession, he once again used Yao Ming's screen to circle out. This time, the Eastern Conference switched defenses immediately, and Carter came up close, giving Lin Hao no chance to pass the ball.
Lin Hao looked at Carter, a smile playing on his lips. He didn't pass the ball again, but instead lowered his center of gravity, dribbled the basketball between his legs twice, and suddenly broke through to the left. Carter instinctively moved to the side, but Lin Hao instantly pulled back, took a step back to create space, and jumped steadily to shoot a three-pointer, facing Carter's block.
The basketball traced a perfect arc through the air and swished through the net with a "whoosh"!
Three point hit!
The point difference is back to 7!
The entire venue erupted in cheers once again!
"My God! Lin Hao's first shot after entering the game went in! A step-back three-pointer, so steady!" The commentator's voice trembled. "He doesn't seem nervous at all, as if he was born to stand on this stage!"
Lin Hao, after landing, gave a thumbs-up to Zhao Dabao and Harris on the sidelines, then turned around and continued his defense.
On the defensive end, he maximized the effectiveness of his [Predictive Eye] and [Iron Blood Entanglement] skills.
Iverson dribbled the ball and tried to use his signature crossover to shake off the defender, but Lin Hao's feet didn't budge. His eyes were locked on Iverson's shoulders and hips. The moment Iverson lowered his shoulders, Lin Hao moved laterally to block his path and his left hand precisely sliced the ball, completing the steal!
After stealing the ball, Lin Hao didn't try to score himself. He sprinted up the court at full speed, and seeing Carter recovering, he flicked his wrist and delivered a long, full-court pass to Kobe, who was making a run down the court. Kobe caught the ball, soared into the air, and unleashed a powerful reverse dunk!
As the shot went in, Kobe landed and turned back to give Lin Hao a thumbs up.
All the previous disdain and doubt vanished after this pass.
From that point on, the West's offense came alive.
Lin Hao is like a pillar of strength on the court. Every pass he makes finds an open teammate with precision, every breakthrough he makes tears apart the Eastern Conference's defense, and every defensive play he makes causes great disruption to the opponent.
In just 3 minutes on the court, he led the team on a 12-2 run with a three-pointer, two assists, and a steal, narrowing the 10-point deficit to just 2 points!
Of those 12 points, 8 came directly from Lin Hao's scoring and assists!
The Philips Arena went completely wild, with the entire audience standing up and chanting Lin Hao's name at a deafening volume.
Garnett, who had previously mocked Lin Hao, was now completely convinced. He gave it his all in every pick-and-roll, yelling at Lin Hao, "Lin! Pass it to me! I'll dunk it in for you!"
Old Nelson stood on the sidelines, watching the situation on the court, his face turning red and white, unable to utter a single word.
The game time ticked away, and before we knew it, there were only 20 seconds left.
The East had possession. Jordan received the ball at the top of the key, and the entire arena fell silent. Everyone knew this was Jordan's last All-Star Game regular time offensive play. Everyone held their breath, watching the basketball god.
Jordan, with Kobe's tight defense, executed a signature spin move, a fadeaway jump shot, and the basketball grazed his fingertips before nestling into the basket.
Goal! Lights on!
The entire arena erupted in thunderous cheers, with everyone standing up to applaud Jordan for a full ten seconds.
The score was 98-94, with the East leading by 4 points and only 10.8 seconds left in the game.
The West called a pause.
The atmosphere in the entire stadium instantly plummeted to freezing point.
With 10.8 seconds left and trailing by 4 points, everyone felt that the game was over.
On the bench, the players looked dejected. Adelman held the tactical board, his hands trembling, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
Just then, Lin Hao suddenly spoke up. He picked up a marker and quickly drew a few lines on the tactics board. His voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear and carried a convincing power: "For the final possession, Yao Ming, you set a screen for me at the high post. Kobe, you run to the corner to draw a double team. AI, you spread out to the weak side. Garnett, you cut to the basket and completely clear the paint. They will definitely defend Kobe's last shot. They will never expect that the finisher will be me."
Everyone was watching him, including Adelman, and no one raised any objections.
In those six minutes, Lin Hao had already earned everyone's respect with his skill.
The timeout is over, and the game has resumed.
With 10.8 seconds remaining, the West serves.
Nash held the ball on the sideline, watching the players move around the court, his palms sweating profusely.
Sure enough, the moment the ball was inbounded, two players from the East rushed towards Kobe, double-teaming him and completely blocking his path to receive the ball, giving him no chance to touch it at all.
Time ticked by, and five seconds had passed, but the ball still hadn't been served!
The hearts of the entire audience were in their throats!
Just then, Yao Ming suddenly moved up, setting an off-ball screen for Lin Hao, effectively blocking McGrady, who was guarding Lin Hao, behind him. Using the screen, Lin Hao sprang to the top of the key like an arrow and shouted to Nash, "Here!"
Nash reacted instantly, flicked his wrist, and flung the ball away!
The basketball arced through the air and landed precisely in Lin Hao's hands!
At this moment, only 3 seconds remained in the game!
Two people suddenly pounced on Lin Hao!
One is Vince Carter, the dunk champion who is half-man and half-god, and a top perimeter defensive anchor in the league; the other is Michael Jordan, the god of basketball, and one of the greatest perimeter defenders in history!
The double block completely shut down all of Lin Hao's shooting opportunities!
The entire audience gasped in shock; everyone thought the ball was gone!
But at that moment, Lin Hao made a move that surprised everyone.
He pushed off the ground with both feet, and his whole body soared into the air like a cannonball. In mid-air, facing the blocks from Jordan and Carter, he exerted force from his waist and abdomen, forcefully leaning back at an almost exaggerated angle, his body almost parallel to the ground in the air!
Extreme hang time!
Jordan and Carter's fingertips had already grazed the bottom of the basketball, but Lin Hao managed to dodge their blocks with this incredible fadeaway jumper. Just as his body was about to fall, he flicked his wrist, and the basketball flew out of the basket in a perfect arc.
The moment the basketball is released, the final buzzer sounds, and the red light on the backboard instantly illuminates!
The entire Philips Arena was deathly silent.
More than 20,000 spectators held their breath, their eyes fixed on the basketball in the air, not daring to even breathe loudly.
"Whoosh!"
A crisp, clean swish as the ball went through the net could be heard clearly in the quiet stadium.
Goal!
Two points at the buzzer!
98: 98!
The point difference was wiped out instantly!
A historic tie!
Three seconds later, the entire Philips Arena was completely overturned!
The deafening cheers, screams, and applause nearly shattered the tempered glass of the arena! The audience jumped up like madmen, waving whatever they were holding and shouting wildly. The suona horns from the Chinese fan section rang out again, mingling with the cheers from the entire stadium, creating a deafening roar!
"Holy crap! Holy crap! It's a tie! Lin Hao, facing a double block from Jordan and Carter, executed a stunning fadeaway jumper at the buzzer to tie the game!" The commentator's voice cracked as he frantically shouted into the microphone, "This is the greatest All-Star play I've ever seen! Bar none! At Jordan's retirement All-Star game, this rookie pulled off a miracle!"
On the court, Lin Hao landed steadily, looked at the basket, and breathed softly.
In front of him, Jordan lowered his hand from the block, looked at him, slowly raised his thumb, and a smile of appreciation appeared on his lips.
The entire audience erupted in a unified shout once again:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
The deafening shouts swept across the entire city of Atlanta.
Looking at the basketball god before him, at the cheering crowd, and at the Chinese fans waving the five-star red flag on the sidelines, Lin Hao suddenly recalled the sentence on the first page of that youth training notebook—
Chinese basketball will succeed someday.
He smiled and waved to the audience.
[Beep! Passive skill [Big Heart] has been triggered and is now at max level! The host's shooting stability in crucial moments is permanently increased by 100%, and their resistance to interference is increased by 30%!]
[Ding! Host has achieved a historic equalizer, significantly increasing Legendary status!]
The countdown to overtime has already lit up on the big screen.
His legend is far from over.