Jordan: I thought he was there to help me!

Chapter 583 Want to ascend the throne tonight? And dare to criticize me, Lord Lin?

Returning to the first possession of the game, James dribbled the ball quickly to the frontcourt. He habitually touched his head. In the Spurs, whenever he touched his head, Bosh and Nesterovic would immediately rush up to screen for him.

But this time...

The two O'Neals acted as if they hadn't seen him make a move at all, while Kobe stood on the wing, reaching out and yelling at him, "Ball!"

As for Ray Allen, he didn't move at all, and even yawned.

"Your teammates don't really like you, LeBron?" Lin Tian said with a mischievous grin. "When I played my first All-Star game, nobody liked me either. Do you know what I did back then?"

"How did you do that?" James was somewhat helpless about the team's current state of complete disarray, and asked instinctively.

The moment the question was raised, James regretted it.

Why would I ask anyone but Lin Tian?

That's absolutely self-humiliating!

absolute!

Lin Tian: Hehe, you guessed right!

"I just randomly picked some unlucky bastard who dared to mess with me, and pinned him to the floor with an armbar. Since then, nobody dares to mess with me wherever I go. You can try it too!"

"But a friendly reminder: you can't target someone too weak, like Steve. Even if you kill Steve, no one will respect you. I think targeting Shaq or Ben from our side would be a much better choice."

Even though James knew Lin Tian would talk nonsense, he couldn't help but roll his eyes at this moment.

You want me to go and fight Shaq?

"What are you spacing out for? Ball!" Before James could even finish rolling his eyes, O'Neal, under the basket, was already impatient, arms outstretched, yelling, "Give me the ball, I'll lead you guys to victory!"

"Give me!"

"Me too!"

Jermaine O'Neal and Kobe Bryant each reached out to James for the ball, one on each side.

Good heavens, Lin Tian was absolutely amazed!

One person has the ball, and three people want it. The one with the ball is also trying to win MVP. In other words, the person standing in the corner is Ray Allen, who has nothing to play for. If it were Iverson, that would be great!

Five people all wanted the ball at once, the scene was so exciting!

Popovich, sitting on the sidelines, was turning green with rage. These bastards, they didn't give me any face at all!

McGrady also showed no respect for Popovich.

This guy couldn't help himself and burst out laughing at the scene.

Then, although he covered his face with a towel, his constantly shaking and swaying body clearly gave him away completely.

This guy wasn't just laughing, he was laughing so hard he was convulsing.

With the way the Western Conference team plays, it would be a miracle if they could score on this attack. Seeing that his teammates were neither giving way nor giving him the ball, James had no choice but to take a step back and force a three-pointer.

Then the basketball bounced off the rim, and James delivered a missed shot.

Big Ben grabbed the backboard and yelled, "Shooting Star!"

The basketball then left his hand and flew towards the frontcourt.

"Fuck your grandma's legs!"

Lin Tian let out a scream, but he could only sprint forward, because he couldn't just watch the ball go astray, could he?

After sprinting all the way, Lin Tian finally got the basketball under the basket of the Western team. However, he did not shoot directly. Instead, he looked back and then suddenly hit the ball backward from between his legs.

The basketball bounced once on the floor, then rebounded quickly, passing between James' legs as Lin Tian prepared to block it, before finally reaching Anthony's hands behind James.

Holding the ball with one hand, he cleaved Mount Hua with a powerful strike!

"boom!"

After a loud bang, Anthony easily scored another 2 points!

Lin Tian's double-nutmeg pass was truly amazing!

This once again made everyone realize that Lin Tian also had a pair of eyes in the back of his head!

"Absolutely brilliant! A classic Lin pass!" Barkley exclaimed in the commentary booth, raising his hands and waving them over his shoulders. "As long as you run, the ball will always be in your hands!"

"That's why everyone on the Knicks is willing to follow Lin!"

"Put those fat paws down first!" Kenny said with a look of disgust, while Barkley's hand was about to slap him in the face!

While the two commentators were analyzing the situation, Popovich had already started making substitutions. He replaced the unruly Jermaine O'Neal with Carlos Boozer, who was making his first All-Star appearance this year.

Keep changing them one by one, and you'll eventually find the right one!

The Western Conference team is still trying to adjust their lineup, hoping to close the gap by establishing James as the absolute core of the team.

But the opposing Eastern Conference team didn't care about that at all. They were completely united and scored three more goals in a row!

During this period, James was the only player in the West to score 2 points for his team through a strong drive.

In the blink of an eye, the score difference between the two sides had widened to 11 points.

The good news is that the Western Conference roster has undergone a complete overhaul, with Popovich subtly making substitutions one player at a time.

Nash, Allen, James, Nowitzki, and Gasol.

This lineup, although giving Nash the playmaking role, has four players other than James who are not competitive or aggressive. If Popovich wants them to play a certain way, they won't play too aggressively or put up much resistance.

The only problem is that the fans don't like this lineup!

Which All-Star game has five substitutes in the last three minutes and not a single starter gets to play?

Bullshit!

The fans at the scene even booed and cursed in protest against Popovich's lineup.

But the old man managed to hold on!

Let them fight.

He believed that as long as he could win, all the boos and insults would be forgotten. After the game, 100% of the praise would be for his brilliant tactical deployment and skillful execution in orchestrating the comeback.

Even if they win the game, it's not others criticizing Popovich afterward, but Popovich criticizing the fans: Look, this is LeBron James, the leader of the top team in the West! How come such a great guy isn't an All-Star starter?

Your vote is a joke!

The main strategy is to turn the tables and strike first!

What if they fail to turn the tide and lose the game?

If you lose, just bear the pressure!

Popovich said: I can handle this myself!

He certainly knew the principle that the greater the risk, the greater the reward.

He knew that by doing this, he was putting James in a very difficult position.

If they fail, he and James will inevitably face a bloody storm.

But if they succeed, not only will Popovich gain the title of a brilliant strategist, but even James will achieve legendary status in one battle!

Well, of course, calling him a god is a bit of an exaggeration, but to make a name for himself in one game, enter the hearts of most fans, establish himself as the "Son of America" ​​and the "King of the Version," and thus become a regular in the All-Star starting lineup is absolutely not an exaggeration!

More importantly, Popovich knew that although his team had James and McGrady, it was still "lackluster" and its players were not as dazzling as those of the Timberwolves and Lakers.

Yes, LeBron James was a "prodigy" when he entered the league, known as the strongest high school player in history. He signed a sky-high shoe contract with Nike as soon as he entered the league, and various sponsors flocked to cooperate with him.

Almost everyone believes that James will become the king of the league within the next 5-8 years, becoming another league overlord after Lin Tian's retirement and aging.

Based on statistics and records, James is highly likely to be selected for the All-NBA First Team this year, becoming a top-5 NBA star.

But that's not enough!

Not making the All-Star starting lineup proves that he is not popular enough and has not received enough attention and respect. At least when facing the "king-level" stars in the West, he is not good enough!

Therefore, he had to forcefully create a star and quickly promote James.

Of course, it's not just about James having more fans or more income.

Popovich is all about the calls! Especially the calls in the playoffs!

Otherwise, given the Spurs' current "star power," if they face the Lakers and Timberwolves in the playoffs, they won't necessarily be targeted by the referees or suffer from biased calls, but they certainly won't have an advantage.

Popovich doesn't want that.

He wants to gain an advantage! He wants his players to have a huge advantage in the playoffs, whether at home or away.

This will help the team go further.

That's why he insisted on praising James tonight, despite the immense pressure.

What competition can garner more attention and make players become idols faster than the All-Star Game?

It has to be done tonight!

If you, LeBron James, can't control the situation, then I, Popovich, will risk my reputation to help you control the situation!

Fortunately, in the next two minutes, James and the Western Conference team did not disappoint Popovich!

On the field, the situation reversed rapidly!

Carmelo Anthony, who had already scored 33 points, missed several shots in a row. The Eastern Conference team was missing shots repeatedly during this period. Only Ben Wallace grabbed an offensive rebound and scored 2 points for the Eastern Conference team. The rest of the Eastern Conference team did not score a single point.

As for the Western Conference, James, having gained absolute autonomy and the support of top-tier teammates, has also demonstrated his versatility and strength.

He broke through and dished to Nash for a three-pointer, then passed to Nowitzki after a pick-and-roll for a mid-range jumper.

He grabbed the rebound and then made a long-distance sprint and dunked the ball.

James drove to the basket, drew a double team, found Ray Allen, and hit another three-pointer!

James grabbed the defensive rebound and sprinted all the way, then suddenly stopped and pulled up beyond the three-point line to hit a three-pointer!

125: 125!

With James hitting a three-pointer in transition, the score was finally tied with 55 seconds left in the game!

The Western Conference team wiped out an 11-point deficit, displaying incredible momentum!

Don Nelson called a timeout at that moment.

It needs to be adjusted.

Even if he doesn't take the All-Star game seriously, Don Nelson still doesn't want to lose.

I don't want to lose the game in such a humiliating way, being reversed by more than ten points.

How shameful!

The boos from the fans in the stadium had stopped. The thrilling two minutes of the game had reignited their excitement, and the stadium was filled with the fans' wild cheers.

"LeBron! LeBron! LeBron!"

"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

The fans' frenzied roar proved that Popovich's assessment was correct.

As long as we can win, none of that matters!

Now, let's watch this final minute!

Although those top stars still looked disdainful and only occasionally came over to listen when he was giving instructions, Popovich knew very well that no matter how he arranged things, these top stars would not give him any face.

I've already offended them thoroughly. The fact that they even came to listen is already a sign of their professionalism. If I were to put them on the court and play with James later, there would be a 100% chance of another spectacular moment where one person gets the ball and the other four stand there reaching out for it.

The best solution is to let them sit and rest on the sidelines.

Then doing absolutely nothing is the best approach!

The game is already like this, and Popovich is not going to use them anymore.

If we're going to do it, let's see it through to the end!

"I don't care what you guys were dreaming about in those last two minutes, or where your minds were wandering off to in this world. Now, all of you, calm down! Understand?"

"I don't want to lose, and I believe you don't want to lose either. Keep the game going, and win this game back! I don't need to tell you how humiliating it will be if you lose this match, do I?"

"Isn't that LeBron James nicknamed 'King James'? Great! If you guys lose this game, he'll become the real 'King,' and he'll ascend the throne by stepping on your shoulders!"

"Messi and Ronaldo, you'll become the most laughable number one draft pick in history, because the second pick behind you has officially ascended the throne!"

"That's all I have to say. It's up to you five to decide how you want to fight. Go on, go on." After saying that, Old Nelson waved his hand, signaling his brothers to go about their business.

All I can say is that Don Nelson didn't want to lose, but he wasn't really that concerned about it either.

That is, a level that requires a little effort.

This time, Popovich and Nelson did not make any substitutions; the same ten players continued to play.

The two head coaches are surprisingly in agreement on this point.

Lin Tian received the inbound pass from Ben Wallace and faced off against James at the top of the arc.

"Oh? Is this also part of your coronation plan, LeBron? You took the initiative to guard me, then blocked me twice, and then scored the go-ahead basket yourself. Is this your plan?" Lin Tian immediately mocked James when he saw him.

"You know my plan? You dare attack Yao Lin yourself? You dare break through my defense and come fight me one-on-one?" James slammed his hand on the floor, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Come on! If you're a man, come on!"

"Come on then! You're asking for it, don't blame me!" Lin Tian snorted, suddenly dribbled backward, and spread his arms to signal everyone to pull him away.

Clear the court for me, I'm going to hit this kid with a ball!

Then, just as James was cautiously moving forward to defend Lin Tian, ​​Lin Tian made his move!

He threw the basketball directly towards the basket!

Yes, that was a pass.

Taking advantage of the moment when everyone was spread out and the Western Conference team was not focused, Anthony made a quick cut inside and drove to the basket. He then received a pass from Lin Tian and slammed it home with a two-handed dunk!

"Well done, Lin!" Anthony shouted, reaching out his hand.

"You've grown up, Melo! You can understand what I mean now!" Lin Tian was quite satisfied; Anthony had finally matured!

Lin Tian could clearly remember that at this time last year, when he gestured for everyone to separate, Anthony and Stoudemire immediately and obediently separated.

Obedient, but not bad enough.

Lin Da Guanren needs his teammates to be a little bad and cunning.

For example, that shot just now caught you completely off guard!

It leaves you no time to prepare or defend.

"A coward who only knows how to play clever tricks!" James snorted, then turned around to receive the ball from the baseline.

Before he could even raise his hand, Lin Tian stepped in front of him and immediately began to physically confront him! This sudden increase in the intensity of the confrontation almost made James stumble!

This shows how sudden and how much effort Lin Tian put into his move.

"Come on, if you've got the guts, don't pass the ball. Let me see how a mature and brave man plays basketball," Lin Tian mocked. "If you've got the guts, start dribbling up the court yourself! If you've got the guts, score a basket over my head!"

"Let's see who suffers the most today."

"You dare spew trash at me? You don't deserve it!"

"What little emperor? To me, you're just a courtier or a servant. You're not even a knight, because at least a knight has the courage to face me. What about you? Do you have the courage to send Steve to wait in that half of the field while you push the ball forward yourself?"

Lin Tian's machine-gun-like barrage of trash talk caught James off guard. He opened his mouth several times but couldn't find a chance to interject or give even a single word in response.

Lin Tian spoke too quickly.

Fortunately, James isn't a coward. After being criticized like this, if he still gestures for the ball to be passed to Nash from the baseline, he'll never have to look up when talking to Lin Tian again.

He could only use one arm to push Lin Tian aside, and then reach out to signal for the pass.

After receiving the ball on the baseline, James could only cautiously advance forward in the face of Lin Tian's dramatically increased defensive intensity.

Fortunately, although his ball-handling skills cannot compare to those of truly top-tier guards in the league like Lin Tian and Nash, he still has a clear physical advantage.

It would be difficult to get past Lin Tian by directly accelerating and thrusting forward, but turning around and using your buttocks to push Lin Tian aside, and then slowly advancing, would definitely be no problem!

After Lin Tian came to the frontcourt, James tried twice to turn around and face the basket to complete the breakthrough, but failed both times!

He couldn't find a chance to turn around twice; Lin Tian's defense was simply too perfect!

He practically shut down all of James's possible turning angles. Even James felt that if he forced a turn, Lin Tian would most likely steal the ball.

Fortunately, Nowitzki quickly ran over and set a screen with James at the top of the arc. James then turned around and accelerated at full speed, trying to break through to the inside!

But he only took one step forward before feeling the basketball slip out of his control! (End of Chapter)