aircannonsinc Chapter 217 A New Consecutive Shots Record in the Playoffs! Lin Tian
Chapter 217 A New Consecutive Shots Record in the Playoffs! Lin Tian
Chapter 217 A New Consecutive Shooting Record in the Playoffs! Lin Tian's One-Man Sweep!
In the first round of the third quarter, Lin Tian still didn't rush to attack. He knew very well that some games couldn't be won by one person alone!
So, after being double-teamed by Jordan and Pippen, he quickly lobbed the ball to Barkley in the paint.
Barkley, who is known for his fierce and decisive playing style, suddenly recalled Rodman's bloodied face and constant grinning during the first half of the game after feeling Rodman's strength behind him and hearing Rodman's voice.
Then he passed the ball out!
When Christie got the ball, there was still no one guarding him.
This guy is decisive enough; he grabbed the ball and threw it right away!
But he seemed to be cursed in this series, he just couldn't make shots, he just kept missing!
"Bang!"
After a crisp snap, Rodman leaped up with a show of skill, then caught the backboard in mid-air with one hand, and then stylishly raised the ball with one hand before passing it to Pippen, who had already run to the three-point line.
As for Barkley, he didn't even glance at him or utter a single trash talk, as if Barkley didn't exist in his eyes at all tonight!
Sometimes, disdain is far more disorienting than trash talk and relentless targeting!
Barkley was clearly completely lost tonight.
"boom!"
At this moment, the Bulls had completed yet another beautiful fast break!
Jordan drove to the basket and completed a spectacular two-handed dunk!
40: 50!
The Bulls extended their lead to double digits for the first time tonight!
Lin Tian dribbled the ball to the frontcourt once again, and this time, his eyes became much fiercer!
Even when Jordan and Pippen were double-teaming him, Lin Tian still launched an attack without hesitation, driving to the mid-range and then suddenly pulling up for a shot!
"Whoosh!"
Despite being double-teamed by two of the world's best defenders, Lin Tian still managed to make the shot, even with Jordan and Pippen practically blocking his face.
Lin Tian's time... begins!
"Two people?" Lin Tian spread his hands after scoring: "It's nothing special."
Lin Tian's words successfully enraged Jordan!
This series was definitely the first time in Jordan's career that he targeted one person so specifically, and against another person in particular!
If Lin Tian hadn't scored 60 points in the first game and Jordan hadn't been so determined not to lose to Lin Tian, he would never have accepted Jackson's double-team strategy.
It's fair to say that Jordan has given everything to win this series, including his pride.
Now, you bastard, you're still mocking me?
In the next possession, Jordan went straight to the low post, aggressively reaching for the ball. After getting the ball, he made another signature turnaround jump shot, scoring 2 points for the team!
Just as Jordan was about to utter a trash talk, Lin Tian had already walked towards the basket, telling Schmitz to quickly pass him the ball!
Even though half of the Bulls, who were focused on retreating on defense, had already run back to their own half, Lin Tian still launched an attack on the frontcourt the moment he got the ball, with his head down!
The Bulls' advantage of quick defensive transition has surprisingly become a disadvantage at this moment! Because, apart from Jordan, the other four players in the frontcourt have already returned to their own backcourts, and in this straight-line acceleration situation, Jordan simply cannot catch up with Lin Tian!
Lin Tian's speed exploded, leaving Jordan behind in one step and sprinting towards the frontcourt! The entire court became his running field, and even after Lin Tian had crossed the center line, no one else from the Bulls came up to help defend him.
They simply didn't believe that Lin Tian would choose to charge or attack when he was facing four opponents in the frontcourt!
By any measure, this guy needs to stop and organize his forces before making a steady move!
But Lin Tian's speed did not slow down at all; in fact, it increased!
In the blink of an eye, Lin Tian had already reached the area below the free throw line. Before anyone could react, Lin Tian jumped up forcefully, pushing against Lang Li, or rather, almost chasing after Lang Li, and rushed to the basket to forcefully pull up for a layup and score!
"Beep beep! 2 points valid! Luke Longley commits a blocking foul!" Because Lin Tian ran too fast, Longley didn't even have a proper defensive stance. He collided with Lin Tian while his body was sideways!
Absolutely a blocking foul!
After scoring, Lin Tian remained silent, quietly walked to the free-throw line, received the referee's pass, and calmly slotted the ball into the net!
7 points!
"I'm telling you, your defense is just so-so, do you have a problem with that?" After scoring a 2+1, Lin Tian turned to look at Jordan, continuing to provoke him!
"Michael, ignore him! You know he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's psychology department, which is the best psychology program in the world!" Jackson couldn't help but shout from the sidelines, "Calm down! Michael, calm down!"
Jordan was 35 years old and had matured long ago. Instead of attacking himself, he drew the defense's attention in the low post and then passed the ball to Hubble on the outside. Unfortunately, Hubble's open mid-range shot missed!
But Rodman once again shook off Barkley, circled around to a favorable position, and then snatched the rebound.
"Dennis, the ball!" a voice suddenly rang out!
Rodman felt the voice was very familiar; it must be his teammate!
So he immediately threw the ball in the direction of the sound.
"Beautiful pass!" Yellow jersey, number 7!
Lin Tian received Rodman's pass and immediately launched another counterattack! His speed was still lightning fast. No matter how quickly the Bulls returned to defense, only Harper and Pippen could get back to defense and catch up with Lin Tian in time for this kind of fast break after the steal.
After Lin Tian drove all the way to the three-point line, he suddenly paused, looked up at the basket, and then bent down again to accelerate a second time!
With just this small change in rhythm, Hubble lost the ability to keep up with Lin Tian. Under the basket, Pippen spread his arms, saw the path Lin Tian was rushing towards, jumped high, and raised his hands!
Pippen, with his extensive defensive experience, blocked all of Lin Tian's shooting angles!
At the same time, the angles of his arms and body were almost vertical, making it an absolutely legal and clean defense!
"Bang!"
Lin Tian's fully charged body collided with Pippen's, but he couldn't push Pippen away too far. Pippen's defensive position and angle were simply perfect!
Normally, Lin Tian's options for this ball are either to throw it randomly to try his luck, get blocked, or urgently find a teammate to follow up in the air and pass the ball out.
But Lin Tian is clearly not an ordinary person!
The instant Lin Tian and Pippen collided, Lin Tian's arm had already pulled back towards his armpit, and then extended out from under Pippen's armpit again. With a pull and a retraction, his perfect core strength was fully displayed in the air!
At the same time, Lin Tian raised his hands again, and this time the basketball had unbelievably landed behind Pippen's head.
"Whoosh!"
After a crisp sound, Lin Tian dodged and pulled up in mid-air, scoring another 2 points!
The point difference between the two sides has been reduced to only 5 points!
Then the Bulls executed a beautiful play, with Pippen driving to the basket and passing to Longley, who easily jumped up and slammed the ball down with both hands!
But when Lin Tian faced a double-team from Jordan and Pippen, he suddenly showed off his fancy skills at the top of the arc. The basketball bounced between his hands, making it impossible to tell which direction he was going to break through.
"Lin, are you crazy? You actually think this kind of kidding stuff will work on us?" Pippen looked at Lin Tian's dribbling, which was almost useless except for looking good, and was completely unmoved. He and Jordan maintained their center of gravity as steady as a mountain!
But right after Pippen's trash talk, Lin Tian first dribbled in a different direction, then suddenly changed his rhythm, making a huge behind-the-back dribble that sent the basketball flying forward. At the same time, he turned sideways and jumped directly between Jordan and Pippen!
The basketball slipped between Pippen's legs and flew straight behind Pippen and Jordan.
By the time Lin Tian caught the basketball again, he had completely passed over both Jordan and Pippen!
"My God!" Nearly 2 audience members exclaimed in unison!
That was so exciting! And such a perfect and amazing dribble deserves a perfect goal in return!
After jumping over Jordan and Pippen, Lin Tian took off from the spot and completed another pull-up jump shot in front of the free throw line!
"Whoosh!"
The gap between the two sides continues to narrow!
Lin Tian's goal is absolutely textbook material!
Of course, it's a streetball textbook. Coaches from academic backgrounds would definitely not want their students to learn this kind of flashy dribbling!
But one thing is foreseeable: Lin Tian's crossover dribble behind his back, through the legs, and then a jump step will be all the rage on basketball courts around the world by tomorrow morning! Countless young people will rush onto the court to imitate and practice this absolutely amazing move!
Lin Tian is destined to lead the trend of basketball and young people once again!
But that's all in the future. Now?
Now Lin Tian is about to lead the trend in the Eastern Conference Finals!
After making that spectacular double-team breakaway jump shot, Lin Tian completely unleashed his scoring frenzy!
Although Jordan and Pippen both noticeably increased their defensive intensity after that humiliating possession, they were determined to make Lin Tian pay.
But Lin Tian's skills go beyond just dribbling and attacking!
Their team also has Reggie Miller, the league's top running master!
During the year Lin Tian played on the same team as Miller, he learned a lot of off-the-ball skills from Miller. Now, even if his off-the-ball skills are not as good as Miller's, they are definitely excellent!
Lin Tian used his teammates' screens and off-ball movement at the top of the arc to make a series of changes of direction and cut back, driving all the way to the left 45-degree angle and hitting a 3-pointer!
He and Christie executed a wall pass to complete a cut to the basket and scored with a floater!
He dribbled high up, accelerated, broke through the double team again, and hit another mid-range jump shot!
He hit a three-pointer from 2 meters beyond the three-point line.
And just before the end of the third quarter, he launched a super long-range three-pointer from just past the center circle. The ball went in and the buzzer sounded, and he hit a super three-pointer at the buzzer of the third quarter!
In the entire third quarter, Lin Tian completely exploded! Facing the double-team of Jordan and Pippen, he made all 9 of his field goal attempts, including 1 of 1 free throw and 3 of 3 three-pointers, scoring a whopping 22 points in the quarter!
Even so, it was only because Jordan and Pippen double-teamed him relentlessly, preventing him from receiving the ball or attacking!
If Jordan and Pippen had relaxed their defense on him even slightly, it would have been absolutely unpredictable how many points Lin Tian could have scored in this quarter!
This state is absolutely terrifying!
The entire city square stadium was filled with chants of "10! 10! 10!"
They were counting for Lin Tian!
Facing a double-team from Jordan and Pippen, he made all nine of his shots in the quarter!
This shooting percentage and efficiency are truly astonishing and unbelievable. Even in the latest NBA game, NBA Live, it would be difficult for anyone to achieve such a terrifying and frightening performance!
Those are Jordan and Pippen!
Although Lin Tian only scored 32 points in the first three quarters of this game, including the 10 points he scored on 5 of 9 shots in the first half, from a certain perspective and in a sense, his performance and state in this game were even more frightening than when he scored 60 points in the first game of the series!
After all, in that game, it was just Jordan guarding him alone, but tonight it's Jordan and Pippen!
Lin Tian's firepower tonight was like a blue-flame Gatling gun! It was terrifying!
At this point, only Smith remained in the CBS commentary booth; Marcus?
During the break, this guy very devoutly knelt on one knee and prayed to the sky.
"My dear God, I will never doubt your existence again! God exists in this world, and I'm pretty sure he wore the Pacers' number 7 jersey tonight!"
Smith, standing nearby, wasn't much better off. Looking at the statistics, he still exclaimed incredulously, "I know how serious my accusations are, but I really hope Lin Tian is on drugs or performance-enhancing drugs!"
"Because this at least explains why someone is so strong!"
"I honestly, I've never seen such an insane single-quarter performance in my life! Yes, of course I've seen David Thompson score 33 points in a single quarter, and I've seen Lin score 30+ points in a single quarter a couple of years ago, but honestly, none of those games were as impactful as this one!"
"Like I said: these are Jordan and Pippen!"
Crazy people aren't just fans and commentators.
Even Jackson, a coach who has always been known for his refined and elegant demeanor, couldn't help but swear when Lin Tian hit that last three-pointer in the third quarter.
"Damn it! FUXX!" Jackson knew Lin Tian would be very strong, so he prepared the world's top defensive combination to counter him.
But he really didn't expect Lin Tian to be this strong!
During the break, Jackson was unusually quiet, his mouth agape, completely bewildered by Lin Tian's outburst!
Even though the score was 68-64, with the Bulls trailing by only 4 points, Jackson felt that the rest of the game would be even more difficult to handle than if the Bulls were down by 40 points.
How is he supposed to defend against a monster who can go 9-for-9 in a single quarter even when double-teamed by Jordan and Pierce?
It's impossible to defend against! You can't exactly send three people to double-team them, can you? That would be suicide!
Double-teaming Lin Tian was already a desperate gamble for Jackson. If Christie had been even slightly more accurate, Jackson wouldn't have dared to double-team Lin Tian like that. If Christie had hit 2-3 shots in a row, Jackson would have immediately called a halt to the double-team.
Christie hits an open shot, and Miller starts hitting threes...
Even Dumars and Ainge on the bench, and Schmitz in the starting lineup...
These players' outbursts were all part of Jackson's game plan; he had very thorough contingency plans.
Lin Tian scored 9 consecutive goals, and he is likely to score even more in the fourth quarter, which really exceeded Jackson's game plan and expectations.
What do you expect Jackson to do with this kind of game plan?
He was only facing Lin Tian, not Superman or Batman! How could he possibly make such illogical and common-sense match preparations?
Jackson was completely stunned by Lin Tian's performance. This daze lasted until the start of the fourth quarter, when Lin Tian hit two more mid-range shots for 4 points, while the Bulls' Wennington scored 1 point on 1 of 2 free throws. Only then did he come to his senses.
Less than a minute into the fourth quarter, after the Pacers had extended their lead to seven points, Jackson finally made up his mind and called a timeout.
"Tony, Scott, Michael, Steve, and Burrell, you five go! Michael, you continue guarding Lin. The rest of you spread out and stick to your assigned players, don't leave anyone open! Michael, Lin's in your hands!"
"Then, our focus for the rest of the game will be on offense! Since we can't stop Lin, we won't stop trying to stop him! Offense! We'll use offense to overwhelm them, to make the Pacers unable to fully utilize their offensive advantages!"
Jackson truly deserves to be called one of the best head coaches in the league; he possesses all the qualities that an excellent head coach must have.
Gambling instinct!
He is very enthusiastic about experimenting with lineups and changing tactics!
Jackson often makes some very unexpected substitutions, and he also often comes up with new tactics that no one can imagine!
He dares to put role players on the field, betting they can score, and he also dares to let star players decide the game themselves, betting they can score!
His willingness to gamble and try new things is what made Jackson one of the best head coaches in the league today!
And now, he's taken another gamble. After the team's defense completely collapsed in the third quarter and they were unable to stop Lin Tian at all, he chose not to defend him anymore!
Since he couldn't defend against them, he decided not to. He wanted the Bulls to go all out on offense and let his players defeat the Pacers through offense!
"Phil Jackson is certainly decisive!" Smith immediately saw Jackson's plan upon seeing the Bulls' lineup: "He's going against the grain! Knowing he can't stop Lin and can't think of a good way to contain him in a short time, Jackson simply chose not to contain him!"
"Let Michael guard Lin one-on-one, then go all-out offense!" Marcus added. "Honestly, this idea sounds ridiculous at first, almost suicidal, but after careful consideration and research, you'll find that it might just be the only option for the Bulls right now!"
"Offense is always the best form of defense!"
With the analysis of the two commentators, the decisive battle of the fourth quarter continues!
At the start of the game, when Lin Tian saw that only Jordan was left to defend him, he didn't hesitate at all. He accelerated to the vicinity of the free throw line and then pulled up for a shot!
"Whoosh!"
The 12th in a row!
"Michael, where are you? I could just see a bit of your and Scott's heads, but now I can't even see you anywhere! You'd better keep trying!"
Jordan did not rush to respond to Lin Tian's provocation.
He had never been beaten so badly in his life! Double-teamed and still going 9-for-9 in a quarter, Jordan felt that his reputation had been ruined by Lin Tian in just one quarter.
After arriving at the frontcourt, Jordan continued to reach for the ball in the low post. After receiving the ball, he did not rush to attack, but instead observed the movement of his teammates!
Lin Tian instinctively sensed that Jordan wasn't planning to take the lead in this attack, so he, like Jordan, searched for and observed the positions of the Bulls players, while also continuing to put pressure on Jordan.
Suddenly, Lin Tian saw a figure running from the top of the arc towards the inside; it was Pippen making a cut.
Based on his knowledge of Jordan and Pippen, after bumping into Jordan twice more, Lin Tian suddenly moved sideways and blocked between Pippen and Jordan. At the same time, he spread his arms and caught the pass that Jordan had just released!
This play, from a visual perspective, was exactly the same as the one where Lin Tian received Rodman's "pass" earlier! It looked like they passed the ball directly to Lin Tian in both instances!
The last goal was a deception, but this one was a true test of anticipation and top-notch reaction!
After catching the basketball that Jordan passed to him, Lin Tian once again launched a counterattack without any regard for the consequences!
After charging all the way to the frontcourt, Lin Tian secretly glanced back out of the corner of his eye and saw Jordan charging towards him with all his might.
Lin Tian slightly adjusted his angle and subtly changed his path of advance. Then, he suddenly stopped, raised his hands, and threw the object!
Jordan, who was behind him, thought that Lin Tian had not noticed him and was secretly delighted!
He then rushed forward, intending to deliver a grand gift to Lin Tian from behind!
But Jordan knew it was over as soon as he jumped! Because Lin Tian didn't jump at all. He just gathered the ball, lowered his center of gravity, and then suddenly lifted himself up, creating the illusion for Jordan that he was getting up to shoot.
Jordan was completely fooled!
Even though he knew he couldn't dodge it and would definitely be fouled by Lin Tian, Jordan didn't resent himself for being tricked. Instead, he aimed at Lin Tian's shoulder and slapped him down!
He can foul on this play, and Lin Tian can take the free throws, but a 3+1 is absolutely not allowed!
But that's Jordan's idea; Lin Tian, of course, wouldn't think that way!
After making contact with Jordan, although he clearly felt the immense force coming from his shoulder, he still let out a roar. Then, the arm that Jordan had been pressing down on him burst out with a force that surprised even Jordan. His arms, which had been pressed down, were forcibly lifted up again.
Then, Lin Tian flicked his wrist, and the basketball flew towards the basket!
At the same time, the referee blew his whistle without hesitation!
This rear-end collision foul was so obvious, it had to be called!
"Snap, swish!"
Then, two voices came one after the other.
Lin Tian drew a foul from Jordan and then forced a three-pointer, which went in off the backboard!
3+1!
Another 3+1!
The entire city square stadium was once again ignited by Lin Tian!
Jordan was utterly humiliated tonight! He got a terrible beating from Lin Tian!
Of course, Lin Tian himself knew very well that luck played a bigger role in that goal.
What was that saying again?
When hitting the ball straight down the backboard, 9 out of 10 shots are just guesses!
Nobody would specifically practice something so boring. Even a proper mid-range shot from a 45-degree angle on the side is something that serious people don't really focus on practicing.
This technique is so boring and inefficient! More importantly, it's practically no different from throwing it directly!
Whether it was a fluke or intentional, the shot went in. Not only did it go in, but it also drew a foul from Jordan, giving him a chance to play a 3+1!
This is Lin Tian's 13th consecutive one!
"My God! Another one! Can anyone tell me how many more shots Lin can make tonight? I've never seen Michael Jordan so humiliated in my life!" Smith exclaimed, shaking his head incredulously. "I think even Jordan's brother, the one who beat him every day before he was 13, had never seen Jordan like this!"
"This 3+1 play was amazing in terms of touch, timing, Lin's control over the trajectory and his terrifying core strength! If 99% of the players in this league made that shot, I would think it was a fluke."
Marcus added, "But Lin, I just believe he did it on purpose! That's the kind of thing he's capable of!"
Lin Tian stepped to the free-throw line, looked at Jordan whose expression had become slightly dazed, and said with a smile, "Looks like God isn't working today, he's not wearing your jersey."
"Whoosh!"
After trash-talking, Lin Tian raised his hand and made another free throw, further widening the gap between the two sides!
78: 65!
A 13-point difference!
Lin Tian's 3+1 was a huge blow to the Bulls. In the following possessions, they failed to execute any successful plays. Even Jordan hesitated a little when facing Lin Tian, choosing to pass the ball instead of forcing the attack.
But when the ball was passed out, there wasn't enough time left on the shot clock, and the Bulls were forced into a 24-second violation!
"FUXX!" Jordan cursed angrily, unable to even take a shot directly due to Lin Tian's defense. Even if he didn't want to admit it or say it, Jordan knew that he had been completely crushed by Lin Tian tonight!
13 consecutive shots made!
Lin Tian single-handedly pulled the team out of a predicament that was about to fall behind!
Not only did they pull it out, but they also put the Pacers ahead of the Bulls by 13 points!
Jordan gritted his teeth, pursed his lips, and stood in front of Lin Tian once more. He slammed his hand on the floor and cursed, "Come on, Lin! Come on! This round, I'll definitely guard you! Come on, you bastard!"
Jordan's roar and extreme defensive focus made it difficult for Lin Tian to advance the ball.
From the moment he got the ball, Jordan relentlessly closed in, engaging in a fierce confrontation and incredibly ruthless defense against Lin Tian!
Even Lin Tian had to use all his skills and be careful when facing defense of Jordan's caliber, because he knew very well that if he was not careful, Jordan would definitely seize the opportunity to steal the ball and disrupt his offense.
The almost desperate defensive attitude of the best defender in the league made Lin Tian barely manage to dribble the ball across the frontcourt, almost on the verge of an 8-second violation. Once in the frontcourt, Lin Tian quickly waved to signal everyone to spread out!
In this round, he's going to completely crush Jordan!
Jordan's confidence must be destroyed; he must be utterly destroyed!
With continuous crossover dribbling and rhythm changes, Lin Tian also gave it his all against Jordan's all-out effort. He used every joint and part of his body that he could utilize, including his feet, legs, upper body, arms, head, and eyes, in an attempt to deceive Jordan and completely shake him off.
With ten seconds left on the shot clock, facing Jordan's flawless defense, Lin Tian suddenly executed a signature crossover dribble followed by an attack step, taking a small step to the left and then feigning a change of direction to the right. However, just as Jordan was about to move his feet, Lin Tian opted for a one-handed crossover dribble instead.
"In & Out!" Smith shouted impatiently, announcing the technical move Lin Tian was making.
After an in-and-out dribble, Lin Tian only took one step to the left. Jordan's reaction was too fast. After being fooled by Lin Tian at first, he quickly adjusted his footwork and reappeared in front of Lin Tian.
"Michael, sometimes working too hard won't make you successful, it will only make you more embarrassing!" At the critical moment, Lin Tian still managed to open his mouth and spew out a trash talk, and then the basketball suddenly passed between his legs and into his right hand.
Without slowing down, he immediately accelerated past the opponent using a crossover dribble!
After the basketball bounced heavily on the floor again, Lin Tian changed direction and continued his breakthrough from his right side.
This time, Jordan gritted his teeth and forced himself to move his feet, quickly taking small steps to the right to block Lin Tian's breakthrough.
But Lin Tian quickly returned. He dribbled with a half-turn, suddenly turning his back to Jordan. Then, with a series of upper body movements, Jordan's center of gravity was completely fooled by Lin Tian! He couldn't predict which direction Lin Tian would move next, and he couldn't even control his own body!
The continuous small, quick steps and intense focus on defense had taken a toll on his body, making it impossible for him to keep up!
So when Lin Tian dribbled with his right hand, turned around and returned to his previous position on his right side, and dribbled to break through again, Jordan was completely unable to keep up!
He was almost frozen in place, watching Lin Tian dart past him, completely powerless to do anything about it!
He's guessed the wrong direction!
The fact that Jordan hasn't lost his balance and is lying on the ground in a sorry state is a testament to his terrifying core strength and willpower.
Catch up?
impossible!
"Whoosh!"
After completely shaking off Jordan, Lin Tian hit another mid-range jump shot!
The 14th in a row!
Lin Tian broke the playoff record for consecutive field goals made, a record set by Michael Jordan in the 1991 NBA Finals!
"On that night in 1991, Jordan faced Magic Johnson and made 13 consecutive shots, thus beginning the Bulls' dominance in the 90s, taking over the torch from Magic and starting his own reign over the entire league!"
"To face Jordan, break Jordan's records, and defeat Jordan's team! Is there a more perfect moment than this?"
After Lin Tian made that shot, Marcus excitedly exclaimed, "So, will this shot become a landmark? Will it be the moment when Lin Tian officially takes over the league's dominance from Michael and raises the torch of inheritance?"
"You're actually talking about leagues, torches, legacy and all that stuff?" Smith said to his partner. "Aren't you going to properly savor that dribbling and scoring play that was practically a work of art?"
"You're absolutely wasting a gift! How can you do this to Lin, who made such a near-perfect shot?"
"I could watch that goal 100 times and never get tired of it!" Marcus said with a smile. "It's the smoothest, most beautiful, and most beloved goal I've ever seen in my life!"
On the court, Jordan looked at Lin Tian and once again dribbled the ball to the frontcourt.
He knew perfectly well that that last shot had made him lose face, and he had to get it back! He absolutely had to get it back!
Still in the low post, still his best and most reliable back-to-the-basket move followed by a step-back jumper!
Jordan felt fantastic when he took that shot! He was absolutely certain he'd make it!
"Bang!"
Clearly, his luck had hit rock bottom tonight. He had no problem with his shot from the moment he felt it to the moment he released it, but he still missed!
Lin Tian leaped up, grabbed the rebound, and then slowly advanced towards the frontcourt.
Jordan's defense was still tight this time, but he was much more cautious. He no longer tried to completely stop Lin Tian, but instead kept himself in a suitable defensive position.
Facing Jordan's defense, Lin Tian, now brimming with confidence and completely unleashed his full potential, dribbled all the way to the frontcourt, then suddenly stopped 2 meters from the three-point line and pulled up sharply!
The bow is drawn and the arrow is nocked; the ball pierces the sky!
"Whoosh!"
Lin Tian hit his 15th consecutive shot of the night!
83: 65!
Jackson finally couldn't take it anymore and called a timeout again.
Lin Tian's performance tonight was simply incomprehensible; he was so strong that he didn't seem to belong to this world at all!
Lin Tian's performance completely exceeded his prepared game plan, and even exceeded his understanding of basketball!
Suddenly, a wonderful idea popped into Jackson's head.
"Those former opponents must have seen themselves and Jordan in the same way, this almost hopeless sense of powerlessness..."
During this timeout, Jackson hadn't actually made any arrangements, nor did he have anything left to arrange. Lin Tian tonight had rendered all his preparations and tactics useless jokes.
After the timeout, Kerr still missed a wide-open three-pointer.
Then Lin Tian grabbed the rebound again and dribbled the ball to the frontcourt.
"16! 16! 16! 16!"
The fans at the scene knew exactly what they were going through and witnessing, and they excitedly roared and shouted, hoping that Lin Tian would do it again!
At this point, the Bulls didn't need Jackson to set up tactics at all; Pippen and Harper had already charged towards Lin Tian uncontrollably.
Three-man encirclement!
The Bulls players felt they couldn't let Lin Tian keep throwing things like that!
Don't they have any pride?
Facing a three-man encirclement, Lin Tian didn't force it at all. He suddenly jumped up and passed the ball directly to Miller next to him. After Miller received the ball, Hubble, who should have gone back to defend him, hesitated for a moment and actually stood still!
They would rather watch Miller, the league's top shooter, take wide-open shots than let Lin Tian be guarded by only two people!
This is the current state of the Bulls!
But the more they tried to prevent Lin Tian from attacking, the more Lin Tian wanted to score!
He suddenly started running, without any reverse run or unnecessary movements, just a sudden burst of speed! The Bulls' trio originally thought that Lin Tian would at least watch Miller shoot obediently this time, but they never expected that he would start running again!
Miller was very cooperative, making a bounce pass to Lin Tian, who was cutting to the free-throw line. Lin Tian received the ball, patted it as a step-back, and then jumped directly towards Longley!
Lin Tian held the basketball high with one hand, as if he was about to dunk it with one hand.
Because of his speed, Langley under the basket had no reaction to the ball at all. He just stared blankly at Lin Tian without making any defensive move.
Facing an empty basket, Lin Tian seemed to suddenly remember something. He suddenly put down the basketball he was holding with one hand, then switched it to his other hand and made a huge reverse layup!
An unnecessary, yet incredibly cool and arrogant reverse layup!
"Is this a tribute? This is exactly the same layup Jordan made against the Lakers back in the day!" Smith shouted excitedly.
"Is tonight truly the night of the League's torch handover?"
"A tribute? If you knew Lin, you wouldn't use that word." Marcus laughed loudly. "This villain doesn't pay tribute to anyone! It's provocation, he's blatantly provoking!"
As the basketball gently fell into the hoop, Lin Tian scored his 16th consecutive basket!
After landing, Lin Tian struck Jordan's classic shrug and said to him, "What you can do, I can do too, and even better! Old man, you have to accept your age, otherwise you'll just have to watch helplessly as I take away everything you've won, bit by bit!"
85: 65!
The Pacers' lead has reached 20 points!
So far in the fourth quarter, the Bulls have only scored 1 point! And that was from Wennington's free throws!
Scoring stars like Jordan, Pippen, and Kukoc became mere footnotes and foils for Lin Tian during the fourth quarter, failing to score a single point!
Lin Tian has already hit 16 balls in a row!
The entire city square stadium erupted in cheers, with fans roaring and howling with excitement! They knew they were witnessing the birth of a new king!
If Lin Tian can win the championship this year, then he will officially ascend to the throne!
The frantic screams continued for a full two minutes without stopping.
For the next two minutes, perhaps both teams were so engrossed in the atmosphere that neither side scored again.
Lin Tian's streak of consecutive successful shots ended at 16 after another missed shot.
A terrifying number that is unprecedented and will likely never be repeated!
Lin Tian knew very well that even more than 20 years later in 2023, no one would be able to break this record!
He remembers it very clearly!
The only team that comes close is one that missed 27 consecutive three-point attempts, which is a good comparison to itself.
It wasn't until six minutes remained in the fourth quarter that the Bulls finally scored their first field goal of the quarter, with Jordan hitting a mid-range shot.
But regardless of the morale of both sides or the point difference, the suspense of this game is almost over!
(End of this chapter)