Chapter 1016
You just want to get off work early, don't you?
“Griffin, Rondo, Jordan, and Gordon are all excellent players, and they deserve to perform even better. After all, it’s not easy for the Clippers to get to the Christmas Day game.”
"Although they have made rapid progress and have become an important force in the league, they still have more to do and more to make a lasting impression."
"Nobody wants to be remembered for dunks, highlight plays, and showmanship, right?"
"In the second half, the Clippers should play more simply, more grounded, and more steadily, and they will definitely be able to catch up. I believe in them."
"Do you really like the Clippers that much?" Jackson asked Miller, looking at him with a puzzled expression. "That much?"
Logically speaking, it is absolutely necessary for TV stations to cheer on the trailing team and offer suggestions during halftime when broadcasting a match, helping them come up with ways and strategies to catch up. Unless both sides are completely evenly matched and the score is not far apart, this segment will be included in every broadcast.
But most of the time, the commentators are just doing their job and showing off their antics.
Anyway, the head coach won't listen to their advice, and he won't hear it, right?
They're saying this to the fans. If they can guess correctly, it means they're good; if they can't, it means the coach of the losing team isn't good enough and can't grasp their profound strategy.
But it's really rare to see someone analyze something as emotionally, sincerely, and diligently as Miller.
So Jackson raised his own question.
"No, not really, it's just Christmas," Miller said with a smile. "Hopefully, it'll be a great game."
"You bastard, are you jealous?" Van Gundy stroked his chin and said, "Seeing that Lin has a daughter, you're afraid that this bastard Lin will clock out early to go home and be with his daughter, so you're here to bring up the most vicious curse for Lin? To force him to work overtime?"
Are you praying right now that the two sides will go to 20 overtime periods?
"You're really like this, Reggie! I misjudged you!" Jackson immediately feigned panic, exaggerating his comedic timing.
"What nonsense are you talking about! I'm not that kind of person!" Miller said righteously. "I just don't want the fans to see a boring Christmas Day game. I want those who are with us to enjoy an exciting match!"
"I'm sure of it, you're just jealous. Otherwise, someone as awful as you wouldn't say something so noble. Besides, if the game is boring, the fans who listen to our commentary can just turn off their TVs, right?" Van Gundy said disdainfully. "I understand your mentality; it's caused by a midlife crisis."
"That's what a midlife crisis is like. It's easy to be jealous, anxious, afraid, and worried. I was like that 10 years ago, but I'm much better now. Now that I'm an old person, I'm not anxious at all."
"I told you! I wasn't jealous! I didn't think that at all!" Miller still wouldn't admit it.
“Then tell the truth!” Jackson said. “I don’t believe you’re that great! Not at all.”
"Alright," Miller said, raising his hands in surrender. "Whether the game was exciting or not, we still have to talk about the whole thing, right?"
"We can't leave early, so why can Lin? Why can Lin leave first whenever he wants?"
"I absolutely will not allow such a shameless thing to happen! So I hope the match between the two sides will remain close!"
"Still just jealousy." Van Gundy curled his lip, turned away from Miller, and decided to continue talking about the game with Jackson.
"Shameless! I'm ashamed of you! Don't even mention you know me!" Jackson also waved his fist, his face full of disgust.
But then, the two guys couldn't hold back anymore. They both burst out laughing and said at the same time, "But that's a damn good idea!"
……
The 20-minute halftime break ended quickly, and the players from both sides switched fields and took to the field again.
Neither side made any player changes at this time, sticking with their original starting ten.
In the first round of the match, Miller shouted excitedly.
"What did I tell you?! Aren't I great? I know a lot about football!"
The reason Miller was so proud was, needless to say, because the Clippers played exactly as he had just said!
After Rondo arrived in the frontcourt, he immediately passed the ball to Gordon and then moved to one side, creating opportunities and space for Gordon to isolate and attack on the strong side.
Gordon is indeed a scorer with great potential. Although he is not yet at his peak, he can still have a few good shots and explode occasionally!
After two consecutive crossover dribbles, Gordon suddenly accelerated, relying on his strength and youth, and drove hard against Kobe all the way to the basket. Then he suddenly stopped, faked, and after faking twice, he jumped up.
Although his jumping ability was just so-so, Gordon's weight and strength were great, and his sudden jump was so unexpected that Kobe, who was not prepared, was knocked over in one go!
It's just that Bynum was right behind Kobe and helped him up. Otherwise, Kobe would have been incredibly embarrassed to be knocked over by a young guard. That would be ridiculous.
Moreover, it's not just about overturning things.
Gordon also drew a foul from Kobe and scored the basket.
2+1!
Gordon started the game with a one-on-one 2+1 play, which can be seen as a demonstration of the Clippers' determination to turn the game around.
They did not give up!
But the Clippers didn't give up, and Lin Tian wouldn't let them get away with it.
So you're focusing on Gordon?
That guy's going to make it a bit harder for you guys.
"Shall we switch?" Lin Tian, with a smile on his face, ran to Kobe's side before Gordon started his free throws and blurted out the game-winning shot!
Switching positions?
In what situations do players typically switch on defense spontaneously or when instructed by the coach?
There are two scenarios. One is that it's a tactical necessity, where someone needs to be sent to defend where they are most needed.
Another scenario is when a teammate sees that you can't defend against the weak player, and, out of politeness, is too embarrassed to say directly, "You go defend against that weak player, I'll take care of this one."
Kobe now clearly falls into the second category.
They were hit with a 2+1 at the start, and Lin Tian came to their aid.
If it were any other team, and the team leader took the initiative to help the guys switch on defense, the players would jump for joy and would want to call him a caring older brother.
But who is Kobe?
Is he the kind of person who backs down?
If Lin Tian hadn't said that, Kobe might not have gone all out and would have let Gordon score a few more points first.
After all, he's not at his peak physical condition now, so he can't play all-out offense and defense like he did in previous years. Most of the time, he's 7 points on offense and 3 points on defense, and he only goes all out on defense in the fourth quarter or when he needs to get going.
Energy management is a very important lesson.
But now, Lin Tian's words have made Kobe lose his temper.
Switching positions?
Lin Tian could directly say that Kobe was unstoppable, too soft, and he wouldn't get angry.
He has matured; he is no longer the impulsive young man who gets carried away by a single sentence.
He can now distinguish between a good and a bad sentence.
When Kobe was young, he thought it was mockery. Now, the more mature Kobe would only think that Lin Tian was playing another unfunny joke on him, which was just being a jerk and he wouldn't take it to heart at all.
But Lin Tian said he wanted to switch defenses with Kobe?
From Kobe's perspective: This guy thinks I can't guard him, but he wants to protect my pride and is too embarrassed to say directly that I can't guard him, so he suggests switching.
This means that this bastard really thinks I can't defend against him!
Damn it, I can't defend against this thing!
What was it again?
I can't defend against it?
Go to hell!
Kobe roughly shoved Lin Tian in the chest and said, "Move aside."
"By the way, no need to change." Then, Kobe had already taken two or three steps forward when he suddenly turned around in a rather affected manner and added a sentence to Lin Tian.
Seeing Kobe's performance, Lin Tian nodded in satisfaction.
This wave is stable!
This alliance is full of money and temptations, and there are benefits everywhere in this alliance. In particular, there are many poor kids in the alliance who have fought their way up from humble beginnings. This means that once many people gain a foothold in the alliance, they will be blinded by the allure of this world.
This is why so many people start to decline after getting a big contract.
Once you have money, fame, and women, you can't work as hard as you did when you were young, right?
Kobe is one of the very few exceptions. Anyway, Lin Tian felt that this guy hadn't changed much since he entered the league.
He embodies the saying: "Having wandered for half his life, he returns still a honey badger."
With Kobe going to focus on guarding Gordon, Lin Tian felt even more confident about leaving get off work early tonight.
"Shh!"
Gordon made the free throw, further narrowing the gap. If the Lakers miss their next shot and then the Lakers score again, the difference could be reduced to less than 10 points!
But clearly, Lin Tian wouldn't give the Clippers that chance.
His desire to leave work early remains unchanged. If the first half is just about establishing an advantage, then the task in the third quarter is to completely overturn the game, establish a decisive advantage, and then Lin Tian can leave early.
After quickly arriving at the frontcourt, Lin Tian didn't engage in any confrontation with Rondo this time.
Call for cover, make a sideways movement to create space, and then, with his signature single screen, immediately take the shot!
Lin Tian wanted to test his own feelings.
However, Lin Tian felt the shot was a bit off target the moment he released it, so he immediately rushed towards the paint after landing. He had a perfect anticipation of where the shot would land!
Lin Tian rushed past Rondo, who couldn't react in time, and took two steps to a position 1 meter to the left of the three-second zone.
Then Lin Tian leaped into the air, trapping Gomez behind him. He grabbed the basketball in mid-air and, without even landing, threw it out.
"Snap, swish!"
Two sounds came almost simultaneously: Lin Tian made a layup and scored, successfully rebounding his own shot.
"What confidence!" Jackson couldn't help but exclaim again. "Lin just rushed out like that. He has absolute confidence that he can grab the rebound. Otherwise, if he just rushed in like that and didn't get the rebound, he would have been different."
"Rondo will be left unattended, and he'll definitely be able to launch an easy fast break."
“I’ll say it again,” Van Gundy said. “Many things are inherently irrational and unreasonable, but when Lin does them, you can’t find any fault with them.”
"Where can you go to seek justice?"
"Absolute strength!" Miller exclaimed in the end.
The game continues!
The Clippers' offense was still primarily controlled by Gordon, but this time his drives to the basket were not so easy.
Kobe is just slower in lateral movement now and not good at dealing with speedsters, but someone like Gordon is totally within his repertoire.
If you can't easily outrun Kobe's absolute speed, then you'll be locked in a grueling battle with him, suffering immense pain from his constant entanglement.
Gordon wasn't exactly a top-tier star, and he was helpless against Kobe's sudden surge in intensity. After a few attempts, he could only pass the ball. Gomez got the ball but didn't have many options against Durant either, and the ball eventually ended up with Griffin.
Facing Barnes, who gave him a free pass and allowed him to shoot without rushing over, Griffin didn't hesitate and launched a mid-range jump shot.
"Boom!"
However, his shooting accuracy was not as consistent as that of his beastly predecessors, Stoudemire and Malone. The basketball bounced off the rim, Bynum grabbed the rebound, and quickly passed it to Lin Tian. Lin Tian dribbled the ball, turned, and launched a fast break!
At first, Rondo was able to keep a tight grip on Lin Tian, preventing him from fully accelerating past his defense and maintaining constant pressure on Lin Tian.
Rondo didn't even have time to get excited.
Just as Lin Tian was driving all the way to the Clippers' three-point line, he suddenly paused, and then accelerated again!
Lin Tian made a sudden stop and shifted gears, immediately leaving Rondo completely behind!
Lin Tian sped off towards the basket, leaving Rondo staring at him in disbelief.
He had only one thought in his mind.
This guy didn't even use his full strength when he pushed forward.
Otherwise, how could he have accelerated again after coming to the three-point line?
"Because I hold the world record for the 100 meters." Just as Rondo was looking at him in disbelief, Lin Tian, who had just completed the dunk, seemed to hear his thoughts and answered Rondo's question while returning to defense.
However, Lin Tian did not look at Rondo when he spoke, nor did he communicate with him in any way, nor did he intend to have a conversation with him.
Lin Tian's words resurfaced in Rondo's mind.
"I don't talk to people who are small."
FUXX!
Rondo's hatred grew even stronger.
After returning to the frontcourt, Rondo didn't pass the ball to Gordon this time. It wasn't that he lost patience so quickly; it was simply that Rondo wanted to try it out himself.
I refuse to believe that I can't take down one of you tonight!
Rondo dribbled quickly at the top of the arc, but he didn't completely lose his composure and even called for a screen while preparing to attack.
Then, taking advantage of Lin Tian being blocked by DeAndre Jordan, he immediately accelerated and tried to rush into the paint.
But no sooner had he stepped into the three-point line than Lin Tian appeared again!
It wasn't that Lin Tian was blocked by DeAndre Jordan; it was that Lin Tian let DeAndre Jordan pass and retreated to block Rondo's driving route.
Lin Tian's brain is really too good.
He can always find the most suitable angle to defend against the opponent's pick-and-roll.
Those who are good at shooting can squeeze through.
If you're not good at shooting, just go around it.
Rondo is clearly the kind of player who is completely incapable of shooting.
When Lin Tian blocked Rondo again, the two were still near the free throw line. Rondo couldn't help but curse in his heart, then quickly turned around, as if he wanted to dribble the ball out of the three-point line to reorganize the offense.
He had only spun halfway when the basketball bounced on the floor, and then he quickly spun back, trying to launch a surprise attack.
This move can be considered a trend started by Nash. After Nash, many point guards liked to use their agility and excellent fundamentals to make this move, which always helped them easily penetrate the paint and get rid of their defenders.
But this time Rondo miscalculated again. When he turned around, Lin Tian was still in front of him.
Rondo was truly out of options now.
This short distance wasn't enough for him to accelerate and sprint, and his body wasn't strong enough to squeeze past Lin Tian. He quickly glanced at the court and saw that his teammates didn't have much of a chance either.
Rondo is so angry!
He could only turn around again and dribble out of the three-point line.
This time, Rondo is really going to go out.
Unfortunately, Lin Tian could tell that he was serious this time.
So Lin Tian rushed past Rondo almost at lightning speed, simultaneously grabbing the basketball and slapping it away from Rondo's hand.
Barnes, who was closest to the two, grabbed the basketball. Knowing his own skill level, Barnes did not push the ball himself. Instead, he raised his elbows to threaten the opponents on both sides who wanted to come over. After confirming that it was safe, he passed the ball to Lin Tian.
Lin Tian didn't blame Barnes for missing a fast break opportunity at all.
Having self-awareness is a very important quality and advantage in the NBA.
Lin Tian faced off against Rondo once again. This time, Lin Tian didn't stay at the top of the arc, but instead came to the 45-degree angle on the wing. This time, Lin Tian waved to signal all his teammates to spread out and give himself space.
coming!
Rondo glanced at the large space cleared behind him and knew that Lin Tian was about to launch an attack!
He lowered his center of gravity and watched Lin Tian dribble.
He wanted to defend it, even if only once, even if it was just one round.
We can't have an entire night filled with embarrassing moments and no highlights at all, can we?
Unbeknownst to many, Rondo's goal for tonight has shifted from dominating Lin Tian to simply putting up a back-and-forth battle and then creating some exciting moments.
It's clear how much pressure Lin Tian put on him tonight.
Despite facing Rondo's defense, Lin Tian remained unfazed. He then suddenly accelerated, attempting a forceful cut inside from the outside, heading straight for the basket!
Rondo still has that much lateral speed and defensive ability!
He quickly moved his feet, blocking Lin Tian's path, and was secretly pleased!
I've blocked you!
Pass the ball! Pass the ball quickly! Pass the ball now!
Rondo silently prayed that Lin Tian would pass the ball quickly, that he would be forced into a situation where he had no choice but to pass it.
Even just once?
Then, Rondo saw Lin Tian turn around and dribble the ball towards the outside.
Not passing the ball is fine too! Forcing them to regroup outside the three-point line is a success in itself!
Unbeknownst to him, Rondo's self-standards have declined once again.
Just as he relaxed a little and was about to follow Lin Tian out of the three-point line, Lin Tian suddenly came back!
That's exactly the same move Rondo just made!
Both were fake turns followed by real breakthroughs, but the only difference was that Rondo was forced to make a mistake by Lin Tian just now, while Rondo, facing Lin Tian's copy, could only watch helplessly as Lin Tian rushed past him, unable to react at all.
It's unstoppable! Absolutely unstoppable!
All Lin Tian left Rondo with was his back view and a spectacular moment of soaring into the air, facing off against DeAndre Jordan, then dodging the defense with a powerful layup and scoring with a reverse layup.
"Top 10 play! This play absolutely deserves a spot in tonight's Top 10!" Miller's roar was enough to show just how spectacular this play was!
"If we add the scene where Rondo uses the same method in the first half of the play, but Lin steals the ball and then Lin uses the same move against him to score a beautiful layup, then this play would definitely be number one in the top ten!"
"What could be a more forceful, direct, and devastating response than this?"
"You don't want to leave work early now? Don't you think the score difference is too big now?" Seeing Miller's happiness, Jackson immediately started to criticize him.
"Do you even know anything about basketball!" Miller once again transformed into a moral guardian, declaring righteously, "Great moments deserve applause! As for the rest, we'll talk about that after this possession is over!"
“Shameless!” Van Gundy shook his head. “No wonder this guy and Lin Cheng are such good buddies; at least in terms of shamelessness, they’re evenly matched.” (End of Chapter)