LRAB Chapter 163 Lin Tian: Worthy of a Frenzied Fight Among Half the Alliance
Chapter 163 Lin Tian: Worthy of a Frenzied Fight Among Half the Alliance
Chapter 163 Lin Tian, who is worth the frenzy of most of the alliance!
"Steve, the left 45-degree angle, that's your best spot, right?" Before stepping onto the court to prepare for the tee shot, Lin Tian suddenly grabbed Cole and said, "I remember your shooting percentage from that spot this season is a whopping 57%!"
"Yes, this is my favorite shooting area. What's wrong, Lin?" Cole asked curiously. Why was Lin Tian asking this at this time?
"If I gave you the chance, would you dare to shoot the game-winning shot right here?"
"Are you insulting me?" Cole snorted, looking at Lin Tian and saying, "Anytime, any position, as long as it's a reasonable shot, I won't hesitate for a second. I will definitely shoot the ball, and I'm 100% confident I can make it!"
"I knew you could do it!" Lin Tian gestured towards that spot and said, "When the next round starts, I don't care where you're initially or what you're planning. When I start my drive, I want you here, ready to receive the ball, and to score the game-winning shot! Understand? I don't want to go into overtime!"
"I'm going to beat the Miami Heat in regulation time! I'm going to make them fall right here! 3-0! Tonight, it has to be 3-0!"
"I understand," Cole nodded. "I'll be here. As long as you pass the ball, I'm sure I'll score!"
After talking with Kerr, Lin Tian stretched and then walked straight towards the Heat's five-man lineup that had just stepped onto the court.
Mourning, Brown, Mashburn, Mallley, Hardaway.
"Hey, you five, are you ready to get a last-second kill here?" Lin Tian said, pointing to the 45-degree angle to the left of the three-point line that he and Cole had just agreed on, with a provocative look on his face.
"What did you say, kid? You think you can just kill us right here?" Mourning, being the team leader, stepped forward and glared at Lin Tian, his face full of anger: "Who do you think you are, Larry Bird? You think you can say whatever you want?"
Cole was equally bewildered.
Seriously, Lin Tian, are you even human? I just told you to stand here and wait to shoot the game-winning shot, and you're already announcing your next tactic? There's someone guarding me, so what's the point of me even shooting?!
Kerr has a very clear understanding of himself! He knows that he is a pure shooter, and the difference between being guarded and not being guarded is huge. If the Heat set up a defense here in advance and have someone waiting here to defend the game-winning shot, then Kerr will never be able to make a game-winning shot!
"I'm way better looking than Bird!" Lin Tian shrugged and said casually, "Anyway, right here, a three-pointer to seal the victory! We won't be playing overtime. Tonight, I'll let you guys go home early!"
After Lin Tian finished speaking, he stopped talking to the Heat players and walked to the top of the key to receive the ball.
The referee had already walked to the sideline and waited for everyone to be in their positions before blowing his whistle and giving the ball to Kukoc, who was waiting to serve.
Upon hearing the starting whistle, Lin Tian immediately began to move quickly. He first made a sharp cut from the top of the arc towards the basket, and then suddenly changed direction when he reached the vicinity of the free throw line, running towards the three-point line on the wing, which was exactly the 45-degree angle that Lin Tian had just mentioned!
Seeing Lin Tian run in that direction, the entire Heat team tensed up instantly.
Seriously? This kid is really that arrogant, saying he'll deliver the final blow here, and he'll actually do it right here?
Marley chased after Lin Tian even faster, trying to get around Lin Tian and prevent him from receiving the ball. At the same time, he used both hands to grab Lin Tian's clothes and arms to stop Lin Tian from accelerating.
Mashburn, standing nearby, couldn't resist taking two steps in that direction to make it easier for him to provide support at any time.
"Fuck you!" As Lin Tian approached the three-point line, he finally lost his patience, stretched out his arm, and shoved Marley in the chest, causing the guy to stumble and almost lose his balance.
In that instant, Lin Tian found space to receive the ball, leaped outwards, and reached out to receive Kukoc's pass. The position where he received the ball was exactly where he had predicted the game-winning shot!
Kneel down, raise your hands, aim!
After receiving the ball, Lin Tian immediately made a shooting motion!
Mashburn, standing nearby, overreacted and jumped up, trying to block Lin Tian's shot!
Unexpectedly, Lin Tian turned around and drove straight past Mashburn into the paint!
It was a lie after all!
It was just a smokescreen!
When Mourning, who was under the basket, saw Lin Tian rushing towards him, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief!
But then, the thoughts that came to Mo Ning's mind made her a little scared!
The reason he breathed a sigh of relief was not because he was confident he could defend against Lin Tian.
It's because Mourning believes that as long as he doesn't foul, the Bulls won't be able to take the lead! At most, it'll just be overtime!
As for guarding against Lin Tian? The thought hadn't even crossed Mo Ning's mind! Tonight, all his confidence had truly vanished!
This extremely pessimistic mood made Mo Ning feel incredibly irritated. He suddenly roared, took a step to the side, and blocked Lin Tian's path, shouting, "Come on, Lin! Let's see who's afraid of who!"
Also shouting at Lin Tian and rushing towards him were Mali, who had just been pushed away by Lin Tian, and Mashburn, who had been shaken off by Lin Tian!
The two men, one on the left and one on the right, suddenly caught up with Lin Tian from behind. Together with Mo Ning in front of Lin Tian, they were about to form a three-man encirclement of Lin Tian!
Then, the basketball in Lin Tian's hand disappeared!
At least from Mourning's perspective... it was as if Lin Tian was dribbling towards him for a moment, and then the basketball was gone in the blink of an eye!
Mashburn and Mali, who were behind Lin Tian, were also somewhat dazed! Just now, they seemed to have felt something orange, like lightning, fly past their ears!
By the time Mourning and the other two finally realized that what they had just seen was a basketball and turned around to look, it was already too late!
Kerr received the ball at a 45-degree angle on the left side, and there was not a single Heat player within a 3-meter radius of him!
An absolutely huge open space!
Kerr didn't rush to shoot, but instead looked up at the basket.
He calmly adjusted his breathing and recalled his high school days.
At that time, there was a guy who looked a lot like Ewing who said he would lead him to dominate the country, and there was another guy who looked a lot like Lin Tian, with amazing physical abilities and a quiet demeanor, who was the ace of their high school team.
There was also a genius who won the state MVP in junior high but then accidentally joined a gang and didn't play basketball for two whole years. Oh! There was also a rebounding king with weirdly dyed hair on that team!
This is all my youth!
Cole wanted to reminisce about his youthful days, but unfortunately, he didn't have 10 minutes to recall his entire high school career. He only had less than 2 seconds to adjust himself because Hardaway was already charging towards him like a madman.
"I just lightly supported it with my left hand." After muttering the last thing Cole said about the shooting secrets of his chubby high school coach, he finally pulled up and shot the ball!
The entire American Airlines Arena fell completely silent the moment Kerr released the shot. Everyone stared wide-eyed, waiting to see if this shot, which would determine the team's entire season's outcome, would go in.
The first person to think it was all over was Hardaway.
He was closest to Kerr, and he was already in defensive position when Kerr released the shot!
But Hardaway knew that he hadn't interfered with Cole's shot at all. From the shooting form, the overall posture when releasing the ball, the body's balance, to the extremely confident look in Cole's eyes, Hardaway felt that this shot was likely to go in.
Lin Tian and Rodman under the basket didn't just stand there watching to see if the ball would go in. Instead, they immediately turned around and blocked the Heat players behind them. Rodman blocked Mourning, and Lin Tian blocked Brown. If this shot didn't go in, the rebound would most likely go to the Bulls.
It felt like only two seconds had passed, yet also like an entire century had gone by. The basketball finally flew above the rim, and then…
"Whoosh!"
With a crisp sound, Cole's game-winning three-pointer fell perfectly into the basket!
130: 129!
The Bulls have taken the lead!
There are only 9 seconds left in the game!
Kerr's game-winning three-pointer sent the Heat, who had been leading for most of the fourth quarter, plummeting from heaven to hell in an instant!
A series of gasps filled the American Airlines Center.
They were confident of securing a victory tonight, believing that the team could easily win without Jordan and Pippen.
But reality is so cruel!
This depleted Bulls team actually pushed the Heat to the brink of defeat!
With a look of despair on his face, Riley called the team's last timeout.
This is the Heat's last chance. With nine seconds left, they need to score!
"Everyone spread out, Tim, you and Jamal set a pick and roll, ideally switching to you and Kukoc. You try to get past Kukoc and score!"
Riley's mind is actually very quick. After being tormented by the Bulls' endless pick-and-rolls in this game, he decided to fight fire with fire in the last possession of the game!
He also wants to use the mismatch after the pick-and-roll to deal with the Bulls!
"If there's no opportunity to switch defense, and if they fill the gap immediately, then Alonzo, you come up and screen for Tim. Tim, you go straight to the basket and attack Luc Longley! Finish with a layup!"
"Longley's ability is definitely not as strong as his stats suggest. You don't need to be afraid of him at all. Attack him, beat him! Attack the Bulls' interior! No matter how great they play tonight, their interior defense and rim protection are the biggest problems for this Bulls team! Attack, drive to the basket, at the very least you'll get free throws!"
"Don't shoot, especially not three-pointers! I know you've already hit six threes tonight, Tim, but don't shoot threes! We're only down by one point. Charge in, use the most efficient and reliable methods to score, okay, any questions, Tim?"
After Riley finished speaking, Hardaway nodded firmly and said, "Coach, believe me, I can do it!"
On the Bulls' side, Jackson looked at his players, first praising Kerr, then adjusting his glasses and saying calmly, "If I'm not mistaken..."
After this almost mantra-like opening statement, Jackson calmly continued, "They'll give the ball to Hardaway, let him finish the final attack, and given Riley's personality, he definitely won't let his players shoot long threes or long twos; their first choice will definitely be to attack the basket!"
"Also, Riley is a 'genius,' his brain is amazing! He might imitate us and set some pick-and-rolls to attack our weaknesses on the defensive end. Yes, I'm talking about Steve and Tony. You two don't need to play for a bit."
"Brian, you and Ron, you two come on together to strengthen our defense! Everyone, guard your man well, no leaving anyone open, no lapses in concentration, communicate immediately when there's a screen, I want everyone to shout it out, constantly remind your teammates, and stay in communication with them!"
"Go on, it's the last round! Hold this round, then I'll take you guys out for some fun! Tonight, we're not taking Michael and Scott! Let those two bastards reflect on their actions in the hotel and wait for us to come back in despair!"
Lin Tian was the first to stand up and say, "Tonight, let's drain Phil's wallet dry!"
"Squeeze every last drop out of their wallets!"
"Spend 100 million!"
"Let Phil go beg!"
"He had to mortgage his house because of the drinking!"
"Max out his credit card!"
……
The players were all incredibly excited, shouting that they wanted to give Jackson a good beating. Jackson just smiled with narrowed eyes and didn't say a word in response to his players' excitement.
The more confident the team members are, the more it shows they are!
This further demonstrates that they have completely won their morale tonight!
Jackson believed that the Heat's final shot would definitely not go in!
Soon, the timeout ended, and Riley glanced at the five Bulls players walking onto the court, then froze.
Then Riley angrily cursed, his face full of frustration and regret.
He completely forgot that the Bulls can make substitutions!
He actually forgot such a basic mistake and such a fundamental tactical change!
The tactics he just laid out didn't take into account the Bulls making substitutions at all!
He really forgot!
The "Master Strategist" has been completely outmaneuvered! No... it should be said that Riley outmaneuvered himself!
At the very least, tonight's duel between two of the league's top coaches ended in a complete victory for Jackson!
Unfortunately, the Heat have no timeouts left, and Riley has no time or opportunity to correct his blunders. He can only trust Hardaway, Mashburn, and Mourning now.
He had no other choice!
"Tim, I'm giving you a piece of advice: you'd better not shoot." Lin Tian said to Hardaway as he walked onto the court, "Although I suspect your coach will most likely let you take this shot, for your own good, you'd better pass!"
"Because I'll definitely knock your hat off!"
Hardaway bit his lip and didn't say anything. Instead, he used one arm to push away Lin Tian's defense, trying to receive the ball to carry out one last attack.
With a whistle from the referee, Brown quickly passed the ball to Hardaway, who had run to the center line.
Hardaway dribbled the ball up the court quickly. When he reached the three-point line, the Heat set their first screen. Mashburn turned to the side to screen Lin Tian. Hardaway used the screen to quickly create distance between himself and Lin Tian. However, what appeared in front of him was the Bulls' defensive stalwart, the team's perimeter player whose defensive ability was second only to Jordan and Pippen!
Several feints failed to create any space, and the attack time was running out quickly, with only 4 seconds left in the blink of an eye!
Fortunately, Mourning rushed over at this moment, and Riley's second line of defense also arrived at Hardaway's side.
The two immediately set a screen, and this time, Hardaway finally faced off against Longley, who wasn't very fast. He immediately increased his dribbling pace and charged into the paint with his head down!
Longley's speed and movement were simply not fast enough; he couldn't keep up with Hardaway's pace at all, and was completely left behind by Hardaway's two crossovers! The triumphant Hardaway pushed forward again, and just as he was about to aim at the basket to complete the attack, he suddenly felt his hand become lighter!
The basketball that was in my hand suddenly disappeared!
Although the basketball was gone, Hardaway continued his three-step layup without stopping. It was as if he was doing some kind of strange performance art, making a series of movements of stepping, jumping and shooting a layup without the basketball.
The entire sequence of movements, except for the absence of a basketball, was so smooth and beautiful!
At this moment, Lin Tian was holding the basketball in his arms. Then, when the final whistle blew, an excited Lin Tian used all his strength to kick the basketball high into the air!
Won!
Without Jordan and Pippen, the Bulls won a hard-fought victory on the road against a fully-staffed Heat team!
Cole, Hubble, Longley, Kukoc, Rodman...
Almost all the Bulls players unleashed their passion the instant the game ended, rushing towards Lin Tian and tackling him to the ground one after another!
Although it was Kerr who hit the game-winning three-pointer, everyone knew that the Bulls won tonight's game thanks to Lin Tian alone!
"The Bulls won! The Bulls won!" Marcus shouted excitedly in the CBS studio. "Who could have imagined this result? Who could have predicted this kind of game? A depleted Bulls team actually beat the Heat!"
"Still in Miami! Remember this night! Remember this game! This will be a rare classic battle in NBA history, a game that will go down in history! This is the best example of an underdog winning, and it's a declaration from the Bulls to the world!"
"With Jordan and Pippen, we're the strongest team in history! Even without them, we're definitely not some easily defeated lousy team!"
"Excellent! Let us remember the heroes of tonight, let us remember everything they have done for us tonight!" Smith said, his voice trembling slightly as he looked at the latest statistics.
「命中终极绝杀的史蒂夫·科尔，他今晚投进了7个3分并拿下24分！除了绝杀球，他还有一个至关重要的3+1！」
"Luke Longley, who recorded his first 20+10 game in a playoff match tonight, completely dominated Alonzo Mourning, racking up 26 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 blocks! Tonight, Longley absolutely deserves to be called one of the league's top centers!"
"And then there's Toni Kukoc, who scored 24 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and dished out 3 assists. He also showcased the finesse, versatility, and talent of European players!"
"And let's not forget Dennis Rodman, who only scored 6 points but grabbed 21 rebounds! He single-handedly wreaked havoc on the Heat's interior! Neither Mourning nor Brown could stop his rebounding instincts!"
"Of course, there's also Williams, the surprise contributor who started tonight and, although he only played 11 minutes, scored 7 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, and Ron Harper, who scored 5 points and made several excellent defensive plays! Everyone gave their all!"
"And, most importantly, he put up epic numbers, handling the Heat's double-teams with ease for almost the entire game, manipulating the Heat's entire defense, breaking several historical records, and showcasing his superstar prowess with his final pass and steal..."
「拿下38分25次助攻10个篮板7次抢断并且只有4次失误的林天！」
"Tonight, Lin delivered a playoff-high 25 assists! His 38 points also made him the first player in NBA history to record 30+ points and 20+ assists in a single game! I think it will be a long time before someone breaks this record!"
"Especially in the crucial fourth quarter, or rather, in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter, when the Heat slightly relaxed their defense on Lin, Lin immediately demonstrated what scoring explosiveness truly means! 13 consecutive points! Lin Tian's offensive onslaught of 13 consecutive points rescued the Bulls from a 10-point deficit!"
"And in the final moments of the game, when the Heat were focusing all their attention back on Lin, he calmly and accurately found his teammate, assisting Kerr for the game-winning shot! And with one second left in the game, he intercepted Hardaway's dribble, ending his seemingly inevitable layup!"
"Individual offense and defense, orchestrating the offense, directing the team, boosting morale, and trash-talking the opponent. Tonight, Lin was flawless! He played a absolutely perfect game!"
The two commentators were hoarse as they gave their final commentary. This thrilling game was destined to be remembered by countless people and would become one of the most exciting games in NBA history!
After the Bulls' outstanding performance, the Heat players looked like wilted eggplants. Some sat on the floor for a long time, some covered their faces with towels, unwilling to believe what they were seeing, and some even shed tears, blaming themselves for the loss.
The Heat actually played really well in this game. Hardaway scored another 12 points in the fourth quarter, and finished the game with 41 points and 8 assists!
Mashburn also set a new career playoff high, scoring 12 points in the final quarter and racking up 30 points in total. He dominated Kukoc in the low post and maintained his excellent touch throughout the night, scoring 7 consecutive points in the fourth quarter, almost helping the Heat take the game away!
With Leonard hitting 5 three-pointers and scoring 20 points, the Heat's three key players combined for 91 points! This offensive firepower is comparable to the Warriors' "RUN-TMC" of yesteryear!
But they still lost the game!
Perhaps Alonzo Mourning, who was outplayed by Longley and only managed 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks in the game, bears the greatest responsibility.
It was precisely because he was completely outplayed by Longley and failed to live up to his superstar center status when Jordan and Pippen were out that the Bulls won the game and took the match point!
Of course, no one within the Heat team would criticize Mourning, because they all know that if it weren't for Mourning's contribution, Jordan and Pippen wouldn't have been absent tonight!
However, there's absolutely no way to say these things to outsiders.
Regardless of who is to blame for the loss, the Heat have lost their best chance. The score is now 0-3, and it's only a matter of time before they are eliminated by the Bulls.
No one thought that a team that lost to a Bulls team without Jordan and Pierce could still bring any suspense to the Bulls and this series.
Inside the arena, Lin Tian finally managed to escape the frenzy of his teammates, emerging from the pile of players. He then roared at Cole, Kukoc, Rodman, and the others still sprawled on the ground, "You bunch of bastards! Don't you dare charge in like that again!"
"I didn't even get to do one of my planned celebration moves or cool poses! I just got into a preparatory stance and you guys pinned me down! You bunch of bastards!"
After swinging his fists at his teammates, Lin Tian felt a thick hand on his shoulder.
Mo Ning patted Lin Tian on the shoulder and said, "You played very well. We accept our defeat wholeheartedly. See you in the next match! We won't give up so easily!"
Perhaps knowing that Lin Tian wouldn't say anything good, the tough guy patted Lin Tian on the shoulder and then turned and left, not giving Lin Tian a chance to spew trash talk at him.
Just after Mo Ning left, Haddaway walked towards Lin Tian.
It's obvious that this guy is probably trying to show off his manners like Mourning.
But why would Master Lin give him such an opportunity?
"Alonzo just invited me to join Miami next season," Lin Tian blurted out, shutting down the little smile that Hardaway had managed to muster.
Just as Hardaway was at a loss, unsure whether to turn around and leave or stay where he was, Lin Tian smiled and said, "Okay, I was just kidding. Alonzo didn't say that. Although I completely crushed you and made you the backdrop for the greatest single-game performance by the greatest point guard in history, you still played pretty well."
"Alonzo isn't the kind of heartless person who would say that, but Pat said it to me! You can ask him right after the game, and he said he would do everything he could to bring me to Miami. If possible, he would initiate a sign-and-trade, using you plus several draft picks and other add-ons to get me."
"FUXX!" Even though Hardaway knew Lin Tian was talking nonsense, he couldn't help but want to curse.
What kind of bastard is Lin Tian?
What's the difference between talking about trading with me in front of me and having sex with my wife in front of me?
Absolutely no difference!
The reason he was so angry was because he knew that Lin Tian was right!
Whether it's Mourning or Riley, if they really had the chance to trade themselves for Lin Tian, these two guys would definitely agree without hesitation. If Mourning still had some pride and wouldn't do something so ugly, Riley would definitely tie himself up and throw him onto a plane in Chicago.
If we arrive too late, what if the Bulls change their minds?
How should I put this feeling?
It's that feeling that even though Hardaway's wife didn't cheat on him, Hardaway knew that if Lin Tian just snapped his fingers, his wife would definitely climb into Lin Tian's bed.
This is 10 times worse than being directly turned into a minotaur!
Although I haven't been cheated on yet, I've actually already been cheated on.
Schrödinger's Minotaur!
Hardaway gave Lin Tian the middle finger, then turned and left.
As he turned and left, the system finally beeped once again.
"Tim Hardaway's emotions fluctuated, and he dropped the permanent skill: Killer Beetle LV1 (0/2000)."
"Killer Beetle LV1: Increases host's dribbling ability and breakthrough ability by 10%!"
Another good product!
This thing will make Lin Tian's dribbling even more unstoppable!
It's important to know that Lin Tian currently possesses the league's top-tier speed, or rather, speed that is unmatched in the league. However, despite this top-tier speed, his breakthrough ability has never been considered top-tier in the league, especially in 1-on-1 breakthroughs, where Lin Tian can at best be considered barely excellent.
His breakthroughs often require screens from his teammates and space after a pick-and-roll to create opportunities for him to accelerate.
The biggest reason for this situation is that Lin Tian's dribbling is not actually top-notch; his dribbling is only about average. Moreover, he doesn't have the freakish physique and strength of LeBron James to allow him to play that kind of aggressive style.
But now, everything is different!
Who is Tim Hardaway?
Nickname: 'the bug'!
Some say it means "bug," describing him as short but strong, but a more reasonable explanation is that his breakthroughs and dribbling are like bugs, unsolvable, almost like a loophole on the court!
Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler... countless league legends have praised Hardaway's dribbling, saying that Hardaway's dribbling and breakthroughs are something they would be willing to pay for a ticket to watch, and they would watch it all day without getting tired of it.
Hardaway's signature "killer crossover," a quick, small-amplitude double crossover after a crossover dribble, led the trend throughout the 90s. Before Iverson's open, powerful, and explosive style emerged and caused a sensation, Hardaway's crossover was the most popular move in the United States and even the world!
Countless young people imitate his dribbling, and countless NBA stars study Hardaway's dribbling and incorporate it into their own moves. It is no exaggeration to say that Hardaway is the strongest penetrator and dribbling expert of this era!
But now, this set belongs to Lin Tian!
Lin Tian's ball control and breakthrough ability will definitely see a qualitative leap!
Lin Tian watched Hardaway's retreating figure and gave him a salute.
Let's consider this a thank you to Hardaway for his selfless dedication!
After the game, Mourning and Riley represented the Heat at the press conference. Both of them looked dejected. As soon as they sat down, the reporters couldn't wait to start asking all sorts of questions.
Amid the chaos, Mourning gestured for the reporters to quiet down before calmly saying, "Tonight's responsibility is mine. I was completely outplayed by Longley. This is the worst, most awful, and most unforgivable game of my career. The loss is my fault. I failed to fulfill my leadership role. I'm sorry to this team."
"I'm sorry to the head coach and my teammates for their trust, and I've disappointed the fans in the whole city. I'm willing to accept all criticism! But what I want to say is that the series is not over yet. I know that saying this now will only make people laugh and think that I'm delusional, but the series is indeed not over."
"We will continue to defend our dignity, and we will continue to fight for victory! See you in the next match!"
Mourning's words made even the usually cold-blooded Riley bite his lip. Riley knew better than anyone that if he hadn't sent Mourning to get Jordan drunk, they would have lost tonight anyway, but Mourning would have walked out of the arena with his head held high! He would have continued to dominate Longley.
But now, because of Riley's decision, Mourning not only lost the game, but also lost his dignity.
But Mo Ning didn't utter a single complaint and took full responsibility.
I, Pat Riley, will win a championship for the Heat and for Mourning in my lifetime! I will!
In contrast to the somber atmosphere of the Heat's press conference, Lin Tian and Jackson were naturally laughing and joking, full of excitement, at the Bulls' press conference.
"Congratulations on this perfect, unexpected victory! Lin, if Michael were standing in front of you right now, what would you want to say to him?"
"Team, don't worry, there's no rush to come back!" Lin Tian grinned at the reporter. His experience dealing with reporters over the past two years had taught him that if this guy asked that question, he was definitely up to something!
"So, what exactly is the problem with Michael and Scott not coming back? When are they expected to be back?" The reporter immediately followed up as soon as Lin Tian spoke up!
After all, although reporters scattered throughout the night trying to find out the real reason for Jordan and Pippen's absence, and they did get a lot of information, no one knows whether the information is true or false, and there is no way to determine what the situation is between the two!
"You'll have to ask Phil," Lin Tian said without hesitation, shifting the blame to Jackson. "Phil knows."
Seeing all the reporters looking at him, Jackson shrugged and said, "They violated some minor team rules, so I suspended them. It's that simple. They have no injuries and are not in any danger. If they admit their mistakes and behave well, they will be back for the next game."
Jackson's words left the reporters sitting below completely stunned.
Is it true that someone has suspended two of the league's top superstars for violating a minor rule?
Just how minor is this "minor discipline"?
If he's really that young, could he be suspended for the Eastern Conference Finals?
If it's not that young, would a one-game suspension be enough?
"What mistake did they make, Phil? Some people say the two guys got into a fight in the locker room over gambling and pulled out guns to confront each other!" A reporter finally couldn't hold back and threw out the question.
This question caused a huge stir!
All the reporters immediately erupted in uproar.
"Some people say Pippen slept with Jordan's mother!"
"Some people say that Pippen slept with a woman and was then accused of rape. Pippen said at the police station, 'McCool did it too,' so Jordan was also arrested."
"What I heard is that Pippen and Jordan got into trouble with gangsters in a bar, and they were stabbed 11 times!"
"You idiot! How are you going to come back for the next game after getting 11 stab wounds? They argued because Jordan let something slip, right? Pippen took Jordan out to have fun, and then Jordan filmed it and told Pippen's wife, so they've completely fallen out, right?"
"You're all wrong! The real reason is..."
While the reporters were still arguing amongst themselves, Lin Tian and Jackson exchanged a glance, then stood up simultaneously with perfect coordination, opened the press conference door, and ran away before any of the reporters could react!
You can guess for yourselves! We're not playing along!
As for what "minor mistakes" Jordan and Pippen made that resulted in a one-game suspension?
Let's ask them during the next game! Let those two worry about it themselves. Lin Tian and Jackson are too lazy to be bombarded with endless questions from reporters for half an hour!
Similarly, after the game, Don Nelson, who had been recuperating in Oakland, called his agent: "Christie, let's decline the invitation from Dallas. I'm not going to Dallas."
"Why, Tang? Didn't you ask me to help you find a job in the league? You even went for an interview, so why aren't you going?" Christie looked puzzled. What was wrong with this old man now?
"I want to see which team Lin goes to in the offseason before making a decision." Old Nelson, while on the phone and watching Lin Tian's game highlights on TV, practically had his eyes shining. "I want to coach this kid! He's amazing! He embodies all my fantasies about a point guard!"
"If I could coach him, I'm sure I could build a dynasty! A true dynasty team!"
At the same time, in San Antonio, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich was in high spirits after just finishing a tryout! The results of today's tryout were even better than he had expected.
That young man from Wake Forest actually beat David Robinson to a pulp during training!
I must have him!
Even if I don't get the top scorer's pick this year, I'll sell everything I own to get it!
Popovich finished the last drink in his glass, looked at the two big men in front of him, and said with a smile, "David, Tim, you two can become the best twin towers duo in the world! As for Lin, I will do everything I can to recruit him to the team during the offseason!"
"The three of you are the best trio in the world! Together, we can win countless championships! We will be the greatest team ever!"
Miller, who was vacationing in Hawaii, also made a phone call after watching the game.
"Larry, you're coming to Indiana to take up your new post next month, right?"
"Yes, Reggie, I'm thinking about how to get the team back on track." Bird's voice came through. He was also the Pacers' newly appointed head coach and general manager for next season, though not yet officially announced!
"Get Lin!" Miller said without hesitation. "If you can get Lin, I'm willing to accept a basic salary contract! If necessary, I can also do other things for you."
After hanging up Miller's call, Bird looked up with a hint of helplessness at his mentor, the renowned "Cardinal" Auerbach, who was having dinner with him.
"What's wrong? Reggie wants you to sign Lin?" Auerbach looked at his disciple, who had already achieved great success and was now about to take up a new post elsewhere, and couldn't help but laugh. "I really didn't expect that the first thing you would do upon taking office would be to compete with me for a free agent. I thought we could help each other out and cooperate a few times."
……
"I know, I know you're not going to let me coach or manage the team," Isaiah Thomas yelled into the phone in Detroit. "But I'm a team legend, don't I even have the right to offer advice?"
"I don't care if you listen to me or not, I'm going to give you my advice: Take Lin! He and Grant Hill together can definitely surpass my duo with Joe! They can become the league's new generation of ace duo!"
……
After such a crazy game, the undercurrents hidden beneath the surface of the league are surging even more rapidly.
(End of this chapter)