20demayo Chapter 443 If you miss your free throw, you know who will...
Chapter 443 If you miss your free throw, you know who will...
The Pacers had possession of the ball first after the game resumed.
When Webber was inbounding the ball from the sideline, the Lakers' powerful perimeter defense came out strong again. Kobe, Prince and Kirilenko were furiously guarding Lin Tian and Jordan, preventing them from receiving the ball. They knew very well that the Pacers were relying on these two players tonight!
Keep them at bay!
Just as the Pacers were about to commit a 5-second violation on the inbound pass, Christie was quick-witted enough to run back to his own half of the court, receive the ball in the backcourt, and then steadily dribbled it to the frontcourt.
Almost simultaneously, Jordan and Lin Tian executed an off-ball screen play on the wing. The two passed each other in the blink of an eye, with Lin Tian running towards the top of the arc and Jordan charging straight towards the basket.
However, this sprint was an illusion. As if they had planned it, the two of them turned around and ran in opposite directions after each taking a step, and then set up an off-ball screen in almost the same position.
After that, the Lakers' defense finally started to fall apart!
Then Lin Tian ran towards Ben Wallace, while Jordan sprinted towards Webber.
The two players once again simultaneously set off an off-ball screen for the inside from both sides of the court. When two of your opponents are running at the same time, and both of them have top-level off-ball skills, only the players who are guarding them know how painful it is to defend them!
For example, after this off-ball screen, Lin Tian and Jordan both got a clear open shot at the same time!
Without hesitation, Christie chose to pass the ball to Lin Tian, who was closer to him, opting for a safer passing method.
Then, the moment Lin Tian received the ball, without even looking or pausing, he delivered another one-handed bounce pass, smashing the ball directly into the paint!
Who else could it be but Jordan running towards the basket?
As for Kirilenko, who was guarding Jordan, he relaxed the moment Lin Tian received the ball. Then, with Jordan once again looking for a teammate's off-ball screen and rushing to the basket, Kirilenko was completely shaken off!
The Lakers' defense was completely stretched to its breaking point during this possession by Lin Tian and Jordan's off-ball movement!
After receiving the ball, Jordan slammed it heavily on the floor, then rose up like a 30-year-old, and with one hand, he slammed the ball into the basket over Malone, who was coming to help defend!
"boom!"
After a loud bang, the Pacers tied the score!
They used a combination that looked incredibly complex yet was also incredibly simple.
Two top scorers, with their awareness, teamwork, and skill, broke through the Lakers' seemingly impenetrable defense without even dribbling the ball once, relying entirely on their off-ball movement!
Jackson, watching the scene on the court from the sidelines, was speechless.
It's impossible to defend against! Absolutely impossible to defend against!
For a moment, Jackson even felt that this defensive line he was so proud of was the Maginot Line, which was so fragile that it would fall apart at the slightest touch!
Fortunately, Jackson wasn't the kind of person who was stubborn or got stuck on things.
He quickly realized what was happening.
It's not that our army is incompetent, it's just that the enemy has Gundams!
Two of them, damn it!
So what, Strike Freedom and Infinite Justice, after going into overdrive, are joining forces to attack, huh!
Forget the Maginot Line, even if you had an Earth defense line or a space fleet, you could cleave them all in a heartbeat.
Fortunately, although the opponent had two Gundams, our Lakers team also had one!
Jackson watched Kobe dribbling the ball up the court, and O'Neal standing right next to Kobe, ready to set a screen and roll down the court at any moment. He wasn't too desperate yet.
They're all Gundams, pretty much the same, yeah, pretty much the same!
Yours is Strike Freedom + Infinite Justice, mine is at least Pulse + Destiny, isn't it?
The Lakers' offense was going very smoothly, especially after Jackson completely loosened his defense on O'Neal and Kobe, which unleashed their full offensive firepower!
With a pick-and-roll at the top of the key, O'Neal immediately charged towards the basket with all his might, then received a pass from Kobe and jumped up for a one-handed dunk!
Turning back, the Pacers' offense was fearless. This time, Jordan dribbled, Lin Tian screened, and after the two separated, Jordan quickly passed the ball to Lin Tian, who caught the ball and shot in the mid-range!
"Whoosh!"
Simple, practical, and clear!
Lin Tian's shot was incredibly clean and crisp!
The shot went in so comfortably, and Lin Tian's screen was perfectly placed. Needless to say, this was a skill that Lin Tian himself completely disregarded and had forgotten was now proving useful.
"The walls of Utah!"
This skill increases Lin Tian's screen quality and the accuracy of his shot after a screen.
Normally speaking, Lin Tian is a ball-handler and initiator. If you ask him to set screens for strong plays, he probably won't have many opportunities in a season. After all, who in this league is more suitable to initiate pick-and-rolls than Lin Tian?
Letting him not have the ball and only use him to block is an absolute waste! No coach would arrange it that way!
In other words, it was only when Lin Tian's backcourt partner was Jordan, and when the Pacers faced the formidable Lakers, that Lin Tian needed to play a few games like that.
Only this kind of unexpected, unpredictable scoring method can completely break down the Lakers' entire defense!
On the Lakers' offense, Kobe returned the favor by passing the ball to Shaquille O'Neal, who had just set a screen for him.
After passing the ball, Kobe didn't stand still. Instead, he immediately started running. After a series of changes of direction and reverse runs, he suddenly cut to the outside and retreated, receiving the ball accurately passed by O'Neal on the wing.
Facing Jordan, Kobe swiftly swung his knife and scored two points!
Whether it's OK or Lin Dan, these four people in two pairs were all in top form tonight!
They all played their best!
For the next few minutes, the other six players on both sides became spectators on the offensive end. No one took a shot and no one scored. All the points for both sides came from these four superstars!
The outcome of this match is destined to be decided by the superstars!
As for the others, their task is simply to defend as best they can, create space, and not cause trouble for their leader!
"boom!"
"Beep beep! 2 points valid, plus one free throw! Ben Wallace, 6 fouls, out of the game!"
With 40 seconds left in the game, O'Neal once again made a powerful dunk after a series of spin moves under the basket, while also drawing Ben Wallace's sixth foul!
Shaquille O'Neal has finally defeated this not-so-tall but extremely annoying opponent!
The entire Staples Center erupted in cheers and wild shouts of celebration the moment the referee blew the whistle!
"Whoosh!"
What made them even happier was that O'Neal made the free throw that followed!
This is his 30th point tonight!
30 points, 16 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 blocks!
Shaquille O'Neal put up a truly perfect stat line!
Furthermore, 8 of his 30 points came from free throws! He also made 8 of 11 free throws tonight, an absolutely superb performance!
It was thanks to O'Neal's 2+1 play that the Lakers regained the lead!
122: 124!
Lakers, leading by 2 points!
After taking the lead, O'Neal angrily pounded his chest. Judging by his strength, if an ordinary adult with a combat power of around 5 were placed on his chest right now, they would probably be pounded to the ground and cough up blood in no time!
Shaquille O'Neal has truly entered beast mode!
The Pacers didn't call a timeout; they only had one left! Carlisle decided to wait until the next possession to use the timeout!
Lin Tian slowly and deliberately let the basketball roll on the floor, and he followed the basketball, walking forward continuously.
The basketball was moving forward, but time seemed to stand still.
Lin Tian only bent down to pick up the ball after it had passed midcourt, and the game clock started ticking again!
This time, Lin Tian waved for everyone to spread out. Facing Kobe, who was standing ready in front of him, Lin Tian didn't waste time with him. He started accelerating and was about to use his speed to force his way past Kobe.
Kobe had been outmaneuvered by Lin Tian for the entire series, so he was prepared for this. Therefore, Kobe had a contingency plan in advance and blocked Lin Tian's path to the inside!
His relentless defense prevented Lin Tian from penetrating the Lakers' territory, but he was unable to actually get into the paint!
Kobe is blocking the way!
But who is Lin Tian?
How could Kobe possibly stop me from walking this path?
Just as the two were rapidly advancing towards the basket, the basketball in Lin Tian's right hand suddenly slammed to the left, and Lin Tian himself inexplicably moved to the left as well!
A near-right-angle change of direction!
A sudden change of direction without slowing down!
This shot almost defied the laws of physics!
After all, common sense dictates that the faster the speed, the larger the turning radius!
Lin Tian's shot not only had top-notch speed, but also completed a right-angle change of direction with almost no turning radius in an instant!
His physical attributes and fundamental skills, as well as the explosive power of his ankles and knees, are absolutely astonishing!
Those who were shocked included Kobe!
He suddenly lost all control over Lin Tian, and because Lin Tian changed direction so quickly, he couldn't control himself at all, causing him to fall forward violently. If Kobe hadn't reacted quickly enough and reached out to steady himself on the floor, he would have been knocked down by Lin Tian again!
After getting past Kobe, Lin Tian didn't dribble again. Instead, he held the basketball with one hand and made a high-arc layup against the oncoming O'Neal!
The basketball once again soared past O'Neal's fingers, rising high before quickly falling back down.
"Whoosh!"
After a crisp sound, the Pacers tied the game again!
Lin Tian's 50th minute tonight!
For the second consecutive game, he scored 50 points on the stage of the finals!
"Oh my god! Lin! Lin! My God! Was his knee made of angelic soul? Otherwise, why is it so hard and resilient? Is this something a human can do while moving at high speed?" After Lin Tian's shot, Barkley could no longer control his emotions and shouted excitedly with his arms outstretched.
"I've never seen such a crazy crossover!" Kenny exclaimed. "I've faced countless excellent guards, especially those skilled at driving to the basket. Starks, Kevin Johnson, Tim Hardaway, Allen Iverson..."
"But none of these people could give me this kind of shock!"
"I never imagined I would see such, such, such a crazy change of direction! What exactly are Lin's knees and ankles made of?"
With the two commentators nearly going crazy, there were still 27 seconds left in the game!
124: 124!
The score is tied!
The Lakers' offense saw the ball once again fall into O'Neal's hands.
O'Neal held the ball in the low post, observing his teammates' movements. Tonight, O'Neal was both extremely aggressive and incredibly rational!
When facing Miller, who came off the bench, the only thing O'Neal needed to be careful of was that this guy had a knack for flopping, and if he wasn't careful, he would get an offensive foul!
So when dribbling up the court this time, O'Neal was very careful and didn't go all out!
He had to be wary of Miller suddenly pulling out his chair or him screaming and falling to the ground from some collision that couldn't even kill an ant.
Be careful!
After two consecutive collisions, what O'Neal had been wary of actually happened!
After the collision, Miller screamed and fell to the ground!
However, because O'Neal controlled his movements so well, the referee ignored Miller's screams and said the game would continue!
However, O'Neal did not choose to force the shot this time, because when Miller fell, his legs were stuck between O'Neal's legs. Unless O'Neal was completely unafraid that he would break Miller's legs after jumping and landing, it would be difficult for him to exert force properly.
You're saying this was an accident?
What a load of rubbish!
Miller did it on purpose!
However, O'Neal obviously didn't have time to argue with Miller about whether he did it on purpose, because the Pacers' help defense had already arrived!
Jordan and Webber quickly approached O'Neal, and judging from their posture, they were clearly prepared to pull O'Neal down and send him to the free throw line!
Before the two even touched O'Neal, the basketball in O'Neal's hand flew out first!
Kobe was completely out of the way on the wing!
At this moment, Jordan chose to double-team O'Neal and leave Kobe alone!
Normally, there's nothing wrong with this choice.
The problem is, tonight is not normal!
O'Neal has already dished out 9 assists. He's incredibly rational; in fact, all 7 of Kobe's points in the last 5 minutes came from O'Neal's assists! O'Neal has now provided Kobe with 3 consecutive assists!
"Will this be O'Neal's tenth assist tonight?" Kenny roared with anticipation, then paused abruptly. He and the Staples Center fans then erupted in wild celebration: "Goal! Kobe Bryant! Goal!"
"Kobe did it!"
"In the final moments! The Lakers lead by 3 points! They've once again taken their destiny into their own hands!"
"Kobe and Shaq each scored 10 points in the final 5 minutes of the game!"
Barkley added, "And O'Neal just completed his triple-double! He fed Kobe four times in a row, assisting him!"
"Kobe and Shaq both recorded triple-doubles!"
"O'Neal has 30 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists, and 4 blocks!"
"Kobe Bryant has 31 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists! Two of Shaquille O'Neal's 10 points were also facilitated by Kobe's passes!"
"This inside-outside combination has finally reached their peak performance tonight!"
"Selfless, fearless, and egoless!"
Kenny, now even more excited, said, "Then let's see how this game, the first in NBA Finals history to feature two players from the same team both recording 30+ point triple-doubles, will end!"
"The Pacers still haven't called a timeout! They've saved their last timeout! Looks like Carlisle is going all in!"
On the court, the Lakers, wary of Lin Tian's impact, did not choose to use a full-court press to deal with him. Instead, Kobe led the defense throughout the game to try to run out of time and increase Lin Tian's physical exertion.
After Lin Tian dribbled all the way to the frontcourt, Kobe stuck to him very tightly this time! It was practically the same as hanging on Lin Tian!
Clearly, the Lakers cleverly thought: you can get past Kobe and score 2 points, but don't even think about shooting a 3-pointer!
Lin Tian glanced at the situation on the court and noticed that all four Lakers players were standing on the three-point line to defend. Their meaning couldn't be simpler!
2 points is acceptable, 3 points is just a pipe dream!
"Michael!" Seeing that it was difficult to find a suitable shooting opportunity, Lin Tian stopped wasting time and suddenly threw the ball towards the inside after shouting.
Upon hearing Lin Tian's shout, Jordan, who had been sprinting at full speed, received the ball near the Lakers' free-throw line. He then faked a move and took two steps to the left, followed by another change of direction, while simultaneously giving Kirilenko a subtle push.
Kirilenko immediately lost his balance and was unable to get forward to interfere with Jordan's shot.
Jordan immediately pulled up and launched a mid-range jump shot!
"Whoosh!"
With 3.4 seconds left, the Pacers are down by 1 point!
This was also Jordan's 44th point tonight!
He and Lin Tian combined for a total of 94 points!
This scoring explosiveness is absolutely terrifying!
"Pass! Pass quickly! Forward! Run, run! Don't hold onto the ball, waste time! Waste as much time as possible!" Jackson was now standing on the sidelines, waving his hands to remind his players to focus on running and passing.
If the Pacers want to win, they have only one option: commit a quick foul!
The more time the Lakers waste, the better it is for them!
If their passes are quick enough, they can simply exhaust those few seconds, giving the Pacers no chance at all!
Unfortunately, the Pacers have Lin Tian!
Do you even know what the fastest human legend is?
The Lakers inbounded the ball to Prince, who immediately passed it to Kobe. Kobe received the ball and tried to dribble it, but he had already been caught up!
So fast!
Even though the Lakers' formation was very spread out, and even though the Lakers' ball movement ability was among the best in the league, they only had time to make one pass before Lin Tian successfully fouled them!
2.1 seconds!
The Lakers wasted just over a second before having to go to the free-throw line.
The good news is that it was Kobe who stepped up to the free throw line.
His free throw percentage was 81% in the regular season and climbed to 83% in the playoffs. In this series, Kobe was also the Lakers' most accurate free throw shooter, with an average free throw percentage of 87%!
This is definitely the best choice for the Lakers to take the free throws!
"Kobe, do you know what I want to say?" Just as Kobe stood at the free throw line, his eyes full of confidence looking at the basket, panting as he tried to calm himself down and make those two crucial shots, Lin Tian walked over.
"With me here, you won't win a single game in this series! Not a single one!" Lin Tian said, giving Kobe a playful slap on the butt. "You won't make two free throws, but I'll be here to deliver the game-winning shot!"
As Lin Tian spoke, he pointed to the area at a 45-degree angle outside the three-point line on the left side of the court!
After Lin Tian finished speaking, he turned around and left, sitting directly on the bench.
Carlisle substituted Jordan and Lin Tian at this point, wanting to give them as much rest as possible. He would only put them back in after Kobe finished his free throws and the Pacers' timeout ended.
At this moment, the Pacers' three tallest inside players, Webber, Miller, and Zahn Tabak, were standing under the basket ready to grab a rebound, while Christie and Ginobili, the two most level-headed and composed players, were positioned in the distance, just in case.
"These are absolutely the two most important free throws for the Lakers this season!" Kenny's voice in the studio became noticeably more urgent. "If they make them, the Lakers will at least not lose in regulation time."
"But if Kobe makes a mistake, conceding one or two shots, the Lakers will be in big trouble! They could be directly defeated by the Pacers."
Barkley added, "Now let's see if Kobe, known for his clutch performance and cold-blooded killer instinct, can withstand this pressure!"
The entire Staples Center was completely silent at that moment. Fans were afraid that their noise would cause Kobe to miss the free throw, so everyone kept as quiet and still as possible.
"Whoosh!"
After a long, deep breath, Kobe calmly made the first free throw.
The fans in the stadium spontaneously erupted in cheers!
"MVP! MVP! MVP! MVP!"
The Los Angeles fans couldn't wait to give Kobe the highest level of cheers.
Then comes the second free throw!
Everything was the same as before, and the fans remained calm. Several Pacers players on the bench even closed their eyes, unable to watch anymore.
Even Jackson, a five-time NBA champion coach, clenched his fists at this moment, unconsciously twisting his suit jacket into a knot.
Everyone was extremely tense.
Take a deep breath, dribble, exhale deeply, and shoot!
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, the basketball bounced off the rim!
In the blink of an eye, Malone, O'Neal, Webber, and Miller were all tangled together under the basket, their eight arms completely intertwined, all trying to grab this crucial rebound that could decide the entire season.
"Snapped!"
No one could control the backboard at first, and the basketball was bounced into the air again!
While the four players under the basket were still desperately trying to find their positions, the Pacers' perennial benchwarmer, Tabak, suddenly jumped out from the crowd.
He suddenly arrived from the perimeter, leaped high, and snatched the invaluable rebound over the heads of four outstanding inside players!
"Timeout! Timeout!" Carlisle was ready. The moment Tabak grabbed the basketball, he shouted frantically, calling the team's last timeout.
0.8 seconds!
The final 0.8 seconds of the game!
Whether successful or not, this will inevitably be the last timeout of the game!
Carlisle gathered all the players around him and began to give them tactical instructions.
With 0.8 seconds left, whoever gets the basketball will inevitably make a one-shot deal.
Once you get the ball, you must shoot immediately. There is no room for adjustment, feinting, or dribbling. It's all about whether it goes in or not!
"Lin, Michael, Gilbert, Chris, and Doug."
Carlisle had already planned how to play this possession. He immediately brought out the team's four perimeter players with the widest shooting range and the most clutch mentality, as well as Webber, the team's most reliable inside player.
Then, he quickly laid out the next tactics.
The team is only down by 2 points, so the Pacers have a lot of options! Whether it's lobbed to the basket, passing to a mid-range shot, or gambling on a three-pointer for a game-winning shot!
For the Pacers, they can play however they want as long as they score, but for the Lakers, the difficulty of defense increases significantly!
If Kobe had made that free throw, they could have continued to defend the three-point line, giving up all the two-point areas and letting him score freely. But now that Kobe has only made one of two free throws, the Lakers' defense has become significantly more difficult.
As for Carlisle's tactics, it goes without saying that it involves continuous running, constantly using screens, and then the players running in the direction they are good at, and whoever gets the space gets to make the final shot.
Ideally, the ball would be given to Jordan or Lin Tian to deliver the decisive blow, but if those two can't get the ball, it's fine to give it to Arenas or Webber!
After quickly setting up this final tactic, Carlisle casually said, "Guys, don't feel any pressure. There's absolutely no need for it, because you all need to remember one thing."
"The score is now 3-0! We have a clear advantage. Relax, take it easy, and if we win this game, we can have a party tonight!"
After saying that, Carlisle waved his hand, indicating that the five players about to take the field could go, without caring whether it would make things any easier for them!
For the Lakers, the lineup that's on the court right now includes Kobe, Prince, Kirilenko, Fox, and O'Neal!
Jackson's intention in using this lineup is quite clear: this lineup is the Lakers' most mobile and defensively strongest lineup at present!
O'Neal protected the rim to prevent any Pacers player from driving directly to the basket for an alley-oop, while the other four players closely marked their assigned opponents to prevent them from shooting immediately after receiving the ball!
Only 0.8 seconds!
The Lakers have a very good chance of completing this defensive play and securing the victory in this game!
"Remember what I just said? If you miss the free throw, where am I going to play the game-winning shot against you?" The first thing Lin Tian did after stepping onto the court was to continue trash-talking Kobe.
"If I remember correctly, it's over there." Lin Tian was now standing in the area he had just pointed to. "If I were you, I would stand here and wait. I would definitely deliver the decisive blow right here!"
"Just you wait!"
Kobe focused intently, not daring to relax for a moment, continuing to stick to Lin Tian and defend him with all his might. He didn't care about or think about anything else.
He completely ignored Lin Tian's trash talk.
What else could he do?
Would he really listen to Lin Tian and stand here waiting for him to come over? He must be out of his mind to actually believe Lin Tian!
Even if Lin Tian were to make a move here, Kobe would have to follow him all the way until he actually did!
"Beep beep!"
The referee blew his whistle, and the game continued!
The basketball was given to Christie, who waited on the sideline for the best inbound pass opportunity.
The other four Pacers players immediately started running at full speed. Webber first set a screen for Lin Tian and Jordan, and then immediately turned around and sprinted towards the basket, looking like he was going to directly attack the basket to complete an alley-oop.
This is also the Pacers' scoring method that the Lakers need to guard against the most. Fox and O'Neal under the basket immediately ran towards Wade to prevent him from scoring directly with an alley-oop.
As Webber sprinted toward the basket, Lin Tian had already started running from near the free-throw line toward the direction Christie was inbounding the ball.
The two got closer and closer, and Lin Tian rushed all the way to a position two steps outside the three-point line.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Pacers ran in the opposite direction, and Lin Tian's run gave off a feeling of "going against the grain".
Lin Tian had no one else by his side except Kobe!
There was a very strange and incongruous feeling in this area of the entire stadium.
It's completely empty!
Seeing Lin Tian run over, Christie didn't hesitate and passed the ball to Lin Tian directly.
Lin Tian had already left the ground with both feet before receiving the ball, and completed the turn while in the air.
As soon as he received the ball, Lin Tian landed with both feet and found himself facing the basket and Kobe!
He completed the adjustment in almost no time!
Then he immediately took a long-range three-pointer!
To avoid Kobe's close defense and block, Lin Tian's shot had an incredibly high arc, making people worry that he might smash the big screen in the arena!
After tracing a beautiful parabola, the basketball finally began to fall...
Bearing the curses of all the Staples Center fans, the basketball fell precisely towards the rim.
"Buzz!"
The first thing to sound was the whistle signaling the end of the match.
Whether this shot goes in or not, the game is over!
"Whoosh!"
Then came the sound that brought tears to the eyes of all of Los Angeles, signaling their defeat in the Finals once again.
Goal!
Lin Tian has once again delivered the decisive blow in the match!
He not only sealed the victory in this game, but also extinguished all of the Lakers' hopes. He sealed the series!
53分8篮板8助攻3抢断2盖帽！
With this shot, Lin Tian's stats for the game were finally finalized!
"Goal! Game-winner! Another game-winner! 0.8 seconds left! Lin has created another miracle! He defeated the Lakers in just 0.8 seconds! He defeated Los Angeles!"
"Lin! Let's shout Lin's name once again! Lin! The game is over! The series is over!"
"4-0! The Indiana Pacers have become this season's champions! They've won the championship! Their fourth consecutive time, and their fifth in six years!"
"Let's congratulate Indiana! Let's congratulate everyone in Indiana! Let's celebrate them!"
After Barkley's excited roar, Kenny immediately followed up: "But at the same time, it also makes us express our biggest regret for the Lakers! They played almost perfectly, their roster is very strong, and they did everything they could."
"But their opponents are Lin, Jordan, and possibly the greatest team in the entire history of the league!"
"They may be unwilling to accept their defeat, and they must be in great pain, but that's basketball! That's the NBA. 0.8 seconds is enough to turn the tide of a game. Kobe missed a free throw, and their entire season had to be ended prematurely."
"We can only hope that this defeat won't cause Kobe too much pain, and that he can recover from it quickly!" (End of Chapter)