novelraw Chapter 628 The most insane finals battle in history! Completely...
Chapter 628 The most insane finals battle in history! Completely...
Throughout the first quarter, both teams pushed their offense to the limit, and both teams also somewhat abandoned their defense.
Well, the Knicks never played defense to begin with, only the Lakers could be said to have given up on defense to some extent.
For both sides to engage in an offensive battle, both teams' players must be in excellent form and have a hot hand.
Otherwise, if you're not in good form, and you just don't defend, then it's not an offensive battle, it's a battle against iron.
The result will inevitably be a chaotic mess of clanging and banging, and the quality and spectacle of the game will be incredibly unpleasant, a complete mess with both teams' players running around like headless flies.
Fortunately, both teams were in excellent form and had a hot hand in the first quarter.
39: 41!
At the end of the first quarter, the Lakers were even leading by 2 points!
In this quarter, both sides unleashed a barrage of attacks, with their scoring points spread out quite widely.
For the Knicks, Stoudemire scored 8 points, Anthony 6 points, Lin Tian 9 points, Okur 4 points, Houston 3 points, and Smith, who came off the bench, had another breakout performance, scoring 7 points in total with 3 consecutive baskets and 1 free throw.
For the Lakers, O'Neal scored a game-high 14 points, Kobe Bryant had 8 points, Prince and Kirilenko combined for 10 points, and Walton, Turiaf, and Fisher also contributed points!
In this quarter, the two sides were evenly matched, from starters to substitutes.
In the second quarter, Lin Tian and O'Neal both sat on the bench to rest, and the game became a duel between Kobe and Anthony!
This time, the two finally faced off head-on!
Kobe hit a pull-up three-pointer, and Anthony responded with a probing step followed by a jump shot.
Kobe drove to the basket and scored 2 points with a strong layup, while Anthony also drove to the basket and added 2 points for his team.
In the first four minutes of the second quarter, the two guys went head-to-head, with their individual and team scores skyrocketing!
Then, after both sides brought back all their starters in the second quarter, the score remained tied. However, the main players on the court changed again.
This time, after resting for a few minutes, O'Neal started to attack the basket one-on-one, either with a dunk, a hook shot, or a layup with his footwork. This monster once again demonstrated that he has both the league's number one strength and the league's top touch!
On the Knicks' side, Lin Tian and Stoudemire ran pick-and-rolls one after another. The two cooperated constantly, with Stoudemire receiving the ball repeatedly and then either attacking the basket or taking a mid-range shot. His touch was off tonight, and he had his best game in the Finals!
Along with Stoudemire's scoring, Lin Tian's assists also increased rapidly! He not only kept feeding Stoudemire the ball, but he also always managed to find Houston and Okur who were left open or had opportunities to run around. These two did not disappoint Lin Tian, and they were also accurate with every shot, scoring like crazy!
The first half of the game was fast and smooth, with both sides playing a close and evenly matched game, and the score on both sides was rising rapidly.
At the end of the first half, the score was an astonishing 78-80!
The Lakers are still leading by 2 points, but what's even more amazing is the terrifying scoring ability of these two teams!
In this day and age, it's quite normal for two teams to finish a game with a combined total of less than 150 points.
But tonight, in the finals, with both teams completely free of pressure and burdens, they displayed their highest level of offensive prowess and performance.
Both sides were incredibly efficient, scoring many of the team's total points in the first half alone.
After a crazy first half that seemed poised to break all-time scoring records, both teams finally toned down their offensive frenzy in the third quarter, and their offensive efficiency began to decline.
But this decline is clearly only a slight decrease compared to their frenzy in the first half.
Even in the third quarter, both teams still possess top-tier offensive firepower in the league!
109: 110!
At the end of the third quarter, the score was still only one point apart!
"This is the level of offense that the two best teams in the league can produce when they go completely off-defense and go on a crazy, high-speed run!" Barkley couldn't help but say at the end of the third quarter. "What's even more amazing is that, despite the extreme offense and the fact that both teams are running,..."
"But the match itself wasn't bad! Viewers won't get tired of it, and it won't feel like a point-farming frenzy! The intensity of this match was still very high, and the entertainment value remained top-notch!"
"This isn't some unspoken score-padding battle like in the All-Star Game; this is a head-to-head showdown where both teams are giving it their all!"
"The level of these two teams is truly breathtaking!"
The game continued in the fourth quarter! Both sides continued to score back and forth, neither giving an inch.
The score on both sides increased at a steady pace, with both sides trading baskets and the score fluctuating. Both sides had moments when they were in the lead, but the difference never exceeded 5 points!
This incredibly tense situation continued until the last two minutes of the game!
137: 137!
The score is tied again!
Both sides have once again entered the final, crucial moment!
This also marks the fourth consecutive time in this year's finals that the two teams have fought to the very last crucial moment!
"For the fourth consecutive game, I wonder if the Lakers can win tonight?" Barkley couldn't help but say. "Actually, considering the point difference and the excitement of each game, the Lakers are quite wronged! They will probably become the most regrettable runner-up team in history."
Kenny added, "That's right. They led for most of the first game, but unfortunately, Nate emerged out of nowhere, and Lin's game-winning shot with 24 seconds left resulted in the Lakers losing by one point."
"Then came the second game, where Kobe exploded for 17 points in the final quarter and made a crucial steal. If Lin hadn't blocked his layup with a buzzer-beating block, the Lakers would have won! The Lakers lost the second game by one point."
"Finally, there was the heartbreaking third game for countless Lakers fans. They led by 31 points but were reversed, then Lin hit a game-winning shot, ultimately losing by only 2 points!"
"Two points is the biggest point difference in this series! The Lakers have lost three games by four points without winning a single one! Is it that they can't play from behind, that they don't have a clutch player, or that the whole team lacks experience?"
Barkley quickly chimed in, "Unfortunately, no! If it were any of those reasons, the Lakers would at least have room for improvement and further progress. But their problem is: they've almost perfected it! They're almost flawless!"
"But Lin is on the other side! They actually lost because of Lin!"
"The Knicks have Lin, the Lakers don't, so they've lost three straight! So what about today? Can the Lakers, firing on all cylinders today, win a game, prove themselves, and regain their dignity and glory?"
Timeout over, game resumes!
It was Don Nelson who called the timeout, and during the timeout, he only said two sentences.
"Get some rest and prepare for the final moments."
"Lin, it's your turn!"
Just these two sentences are enough!
Tonight, Lin Tian once again opted for a conservative playing style. In a game where the team had already scored over 130 points, he only managed 21 points! This shows that he was giving a large number of shot attempts to his teammates.
However, while scoring 21 points, Lin Tian also grabbed 19 rebounds and dished out 21 assists!
Another super-sized triple-double!
Moreover, this time Lin Tian is going to achieve a record that even he himself has never achieved before.
20+20+20!
Even though Lin Tian has achieved a season average of triple-doubles this season, even though he is ranked in the top three on the triple-double list, and even though he has achieved countless amazing triple-double statistics, even he has never achieved a god-like 20x3!
Judging from his appearance and state tonight, it's clear that Lin Tian plans to unlock this achievement tonight!
But now, Lin Tian's task is not to grab the last rebound.
He needs to get the team ahead first.
If we lose, then even the best stats will be nothing but a joke!
After arriving at the frontcourt, Lin Tian faced Kobe, who was in top form tonight, having already racked up 44 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Facing an opponent he had been battling against for so many years but who had never won a series against him, Lin Tian didn't engage in any trash talk.
He knew that wouldn't work on Kobe!
Lin Tian once again unleashed his most signature move!
A crossover dribble followed by a forward attack step forced Kobe to quickly step back half a step to prevent Lin Tian from breaking through.
Then Lin Tian suddenly took a step back and looked up at the basket.
With just that one simple look, Kobe could only quickly lift himself up and slightly raise his center of gravity!
Strictly speaking, Kobe wasn't fooled or faked out; he simply made a perfectly normal defensive response.
But when dealing with Lin Tian, even a standard move would be a mistake! He's too fast!
Just as Kobe lifted up and raised his center of gravity, Lin Tian lowered his body again and flashed past Kobe!
In that instant, Kobe used all his strength to control his body and prevent himself from forcibly pursuing the attacker.
He knew very well that if he tried to chase after it, he would lose his balance and fall!
That fall would be incredibly embarrassing!
Forcibly maintaining his balance and not falling is already the limit that Kobe can do now!
He could only watch as Lin Tian drove into the paint, then effortlessly floated a shot, scoring a simple two points!
139: 137!
The Knicks are in the lead again!
Turning back, the Lakers' offense still had Kobe controlling the ball. Then, O'Neal ran out of the paint with great confidence and set a screen with Kobe, effectively blocking Lin Tian. Kobe then easily drove to the basket and scored another 2 points with a layup!
It's still split evenly!
1 minute and 30 seconds left!
Kobe's shot was a layup, so he drove straight to the basket. However, Lin Tian, who was blocked by O'Neal, was just outside the three-point line. So after Kobe made the shot, the Knicks quickly inbounded the ball from the baseline and passed it to Lin Tian. Lin Tian accelerated and got rid of O'Neal in the blink of an eye.
They left the Lakers' entire defense behind!
Accelerate! Accelerate like crazy!
"boom!"
Then, there was a clean, resounding thud! Lin Tian scored on another fast break, giving his team a 2-point lead!
The Lakers' next offensive possession was against O'Neal, who had been playing exceptionally well tonight, racking up 47 points and 20 rebounds.
This guy is still full of energy and doesn't seem tired at all. He pushes past Okur with a contest and then makes another solid layup!
It's still split evenly!
Two minutes left!
This time, Lin Tian didn't rush to launch a fast break. Instead, he steadily came to the frontcourt, raised his hand, and gestured for Stoudemire to come up and screen for him.
Then, as Stoudemire stepped forward and Kobe struggled to squeeze through the screen, Lin Tian suddenly changed direction and walked in the opposite direction!
Instead of using Stoudemire's cover, he went to the other side!
With just this one move, Lin Tian completely shook off Kobe, then pulled up and launched another three-pointer!
"Whoosh!"
After another crisp sound, Lin Tian scored 7 consecutive points! The Knicks also gained a 3-point lead.
144: 141!
This time, it was the Lakers' turn to launch a fast break. Fisher had somehow hidden behind Lin Tian, blocking his running route, while Kobe turned around and sprinted towards the frontcourt the moment Lin Tian made the shot.
O'Neal swung the ball with one arm under the basket, successfully sending it across the entire court and into Kobe's hands!
Facing an empty half of the court, Kobe didn't hesitate. He suddenly stopped outside the three-point line and then pulled up for a three-pointer!
"Whoosh!"
After another crisp sound, with 45 seconds left, the score was tied again!
"They're going to stick with us until the very end." This time, since neither team's players had actually returned to their own half, they naturally couldn't launch a fast break. So Lin Tian had Stoudemire pass him a ground ball again.
He followed beside the ball, moving forward unhurriedly.
"Then let them experience the pain of losing by only 1 or 2 points for the fourth consecutive game! Let them know that sometimes the feeling of a narrow defeat is much worse than a crushing loss!"
"clear!"
As the Knicks players shouted in unison, Lin Tian suddenly picked up the ball, then accelerated past half-court and charged toward the paint!
At the free-throw line, Lin Tian encountered O'Neal suddenly rising. Facing the charging O'Neal, Lin Tian not only did not stop, but also raised his hand and threw the ball towards the basket!
At the same time, Lin Tian turned around and left O'Neal, who had no idea what he was going to do, behind him!
Then Lin Tian jumped up and caught the basketball that bounced off the backboard.
"boom!"
Then came another loud bang! Lin Tian tossed the ball up and slammed it home, scoring another basket!
At the same time, his rebounding total officially reached 20! 20 rebounds! 21 assists and his scoring is still increasing!
Lin Tian achieved another epic super stat tonight!
At this moment, there are only 35 seconds left in the game!
Because Lin Tian rolled the basketball to the frontcourt, he scored the point in just 5 seconds!
At this point, the Lakers finally called a timeout, bringing the fast-paced and incredibly tense game to a halt.
As Jackson called a timeout, a very clear panting sound could be heard in the arena!
The majority of fans were clearly holding their breath, stunned by the efficient, fast-paced, and crazy game that lasted just over a minute!
Those last 90 seconds were absolutely a race against time!
But now, everyone can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
146: 144!
"I was dying to hear that!" Barkley exclaimed with relief after Jackson's timeout. "Those last 90 seconds absolutely represented the NBA, no! They represented the highest level of basketball in the world today! It was insane! How can they be so strong? How can they play such a beautiful and efficient game?"
"That's progress, Charles! You're outdated! You've been left behind!" Kenny laughed. "You can't keep up with the new generation of basketball; you're a complete old man!"
"Shut up, Kenny. You're not an old man anymore? Fine! I know what you're going to say, you're going to say you're just a regular player, not an MVP, not an All-Star, not an All-NBA member, just a rookie, right?"
"That's exactly right, Charles, so I can accept defeat and becoming obsolete! On this point, you'll never be my match."
Kenny chuckled and said, "So, let's take a look at the stats for both sides!"
「林在刚刚的90秒内，眨眼间就4投4中拿下9分1篮板，他的数据已经是夸张的30分20篮板21次助攻了！这个数据，就跟踏马的我编出来的一样！」
After reading Lin Tian's data, Kenny couldn't help but laugh.
That's outrageous! And Lin Tian's score is increasing way too fast!
At the same time, his 3x20 data is really too exaggerated.
Even if you're not a good gamer, you wouldn't be able to put up those numbers in NBA Live!
Only those who have played video games know how difficult it is for a guard to get 20 rebounds!
「还有……」巴克利跟着道：「科比已经拿下49分7篮板5助攻了，奥尼尔也有49分20篮板入帐！」
"Those two bastards combined for a fucking 98 points! But even so, even with those two bastards going crazy, the Lakers are still trailing! All I can say is, Lin is terrifying! This Knicks team under his command is terrifying!"
"Let's see what happens in the final 30 seconds!"
As Kenny spoke, the ten players on the field returned to their positions.
Kirilenko stood outside the penalty area, ready to serve. The referee blew his whistle, and the players from both sides scattered and ran wildly.
Kirilenko's shot, however, was simple and direct; he simply raised his hand and threw the ball towards the basket!
"Alley-oop! The Lakers are going for an alley-oop! That's a great choice... beautiful! That's a great choice!" Kenny shouted suddenly after a brief pause!
O'Neal! He caught the basketball and completed an alley-oop dunk!
"O'Neal, you've become the first player to score 50 points tonight!" Barkley exclaimed. "51 points and 20 rebounds! Crazy, absolutely crazy!"
Kenny said, "What's even crazier is that this attack took less than a second! There were still over 29 seconds left in the game! The Lakers not only tied the score but also left themselves a chance for a game-winning shot!"
"Because no matter how the Knicks attack or whether they score, the Lakers will always have time for one last shot!"
"Will there be overtime? Or will the Knicks completely seal the victory? Or will the Lakers finally manage to win one of these closely contested games?" (End of Chapter)