Chapter 1032
You didn't get all the answers right? Well, that makes you amazing!
"Shh!"
With three minutes remaining in the second quarter, Lin Tian, facing Paul at the 45-degree angle outside the three-point line on the wing, executed a series of crossover steps before suddenly pulling up and shooting.
After hitting another three-pointer, this marked Lin Tian's 20th point in the second quarter!
In this quarter, he completely overwhelmed Paul in a face-to-face situation.
8投8中，3分球3投3中，罚球1罚1中！
Lin Tian demonstrated the effectiveness of 'no double-teaming, no help defense' to Paul with a 100% success rate.
"Remember what I said? Not double-teaming me? You've got guts!" After Lin Tian hit the three-pointer, the entire Staples Center went completely wild, with fans screaming almost maniacally!
There is no better revenge, no more brutal method.
That was so satisfying!
Do you think that by stepping on our key player you ruined him?
Sorry, you've unleashed a real beast!
Paul, who had been completely overwhelmed, could no longer maintain his confidence and composure.
His eyes were no longer as bright, and his voice when calling out tactics was no longer as confident. When Lin Tian pressed forward to stick to Paul again, Paul chose to pass the ball directly.
In fact, his performance in this section was just one mistake at most.
Although he was completely outplayed by Lin Tian, Paul's ability to control turnovers was absolutely top-notch. Facing Lin Tian's full-court press defense, his only mistake was that one time when he failed to outmaneuver Lin Tian.
Even so, Paul was completely lacking in confidence at this point.
"Running away won't help you avoid failure," Lin Tian said immediately after seeing Paul pass the ball. "It will only make your defeat more devastating!"
Paul still didn't reply this time, but he was actually somewhat indifferent to Lin Tian's words.
How much worse can things get to me tonight?
I refuse to believe I can get any worse tonight!
At the same time, Paul had already readjusted his goals in his mind at some point.
From the very beginning, the goal was to kill Lin Tian and catch up in the score.
It has become a matter of absolutely not allowing Lin Tian to end this quarter with a 100% shooting percentage!
That's quite humble.
The reason for such humility is, of course, the point difference between the two teams.
After Lin Tian's incredible run of 8-for-8 shooting, the score was now 31-55.
Before halftime was even over, the gap had already reached 24 points!
Even so, this was with Paul and Aldridge not resting for a second, and the other key players not getting much rest either.
The Warriors are already operating at overclocked speed, but the point difference keeps widening and widening.
Even Paul was basically in despair at this point.
Although he didn't show it at all, Paul was still trying his best to boost everyone's morale during the timeout, indicating that the game wasn't over yet.
But in his heart, he had already given up.
Paul no longer cares about being the best in the league or the MVP.
He's stopped thinking about setting small goals, like closing the gap to within 20 points before the end of the first half.
Hmm, no, he set a goal too.
They didn't allow Lin Tian to finish the second quarter with a perfect shooting percentage.
A goal that, if spoken aloud, would surely be ridiculed as cowardly and spineless.
Even so, Paul was still unsure of himself, and in just a few minutes, his confidence was almost shattered.
Fortunately, at this point, the Lakers, with a significant lead, became somewhat complacent.
Kobe habitually overlooked Redick, who was off the ball and assumed Gay would attack on his own, so he went to double-team Gay.
The result was that Gay passed the ball to Redick, who caught it outside the line, pulled it up, and threw it.
"Shh!"
With a crisp sound, Redick seized the rare opportunity and hit a three-pointer for the team! It was also his first three-pointer of the game!
"Great shot! Decisive! Redick's first three-pointer of the night!" Miller, who was already a bit sleepy, perked up and said, "Redick may only be able to shoot, but he's really accurate!"
"Once he finds his rhythm, he could go on a scoring spree! Let's see if the Warriors can capitalize on this opportunity and close the gap."
"If the gap between the two sides can be narrowed to within 20 points by the end of the first half, then the second half might not be a lost cause!"
Jackson added, "That's right! I really hope the Warriors step up. We're all looking forward to a more exciting game! This is a battle for the top spot. If it ends up being a big win for the Lakers without any surprises, the fans will definitely be disappointed."
The commentators were roused by Redick's slightly erratic three-pointer, while on the court, Lin Tian had already begun to strategize and strengthen his defense against Redick.
Lin Tian knew exactly what he should do at this moment, and how to do it in the simplest, easiest, and most effective way.
"Kobe, switch defense next possession." Lin Tian glanced at Kobe as he dribbled the ball up the court and said, "Leave that kid to me. You guard Chris. I've already beaten him to a pulp. He's no threat at all."
"No trade!" Kobe refused without even thinking.
What the heck?
Should we switch defenders at this point?
They switch defenders as soon as one player scores, and then they emphasize that Paul is already ruined?
What? You're handing me this rookie so you can save the team?
Don't even think about it!
Redick, right?
I'll remember you, kid!
Lin Tian knew he had it all figured out just by glancing at Kobe's eyes.
Lin Tian didn't need to worry about the rest; he believed Kobe had already figured it out.
If it were anyone else, Lin Tian would probably have said a few more provocative things, like "You're not good at this, let me do it," "You can't defend, I'll help you," or "The team is counting on you," and other such nonsense.
But for Kobe, no need for that; one sentence is enough.
Lin Tian was convinced that Redick was doomed!
In the attacking third, Lin Tian once again faced off against Paul.
"Do you need me to give you face?" Lin Tian looked at Paul and said, "How about 10 out of 10? I'll stop after I make two more, and I won't shoot in the first half. But you can't guard these two shots, so I can have an easier time."
"If I'm in a good mood, I might just stop voting!"
"Really?" Paul couldn't help but blurt out the question, even though he regretted it the moment it left his mouth, knowing that he was humiliating himself and that every word he said would be wrong.
This subconscious response also shows that Paul was truly devastated.
"Of course I'm lying to you, you actually believe that?" Lin Tian's trash talk was even a fraction of a second slower.
He hadn't expected Paul to actually ask him that.
Looks like it's about time!
This guy's mental fortitude is just so-so!
Lin Tian's mind raced, but his footwork and hand movements never stopped.
This time, instead of forcing a back-to-the-basket move, he suddenly changed direction and accelerated, charging into the paint from the outside!
No matter how much Paul was beaten and disoriented, he wouldn't let Lin Tian get past him in one step. He quickly moved sideways and chose a position to block Lin Tian's inward cutting.
Paul's low center of gravity and quick movement, along with his early positioning in the inner circle, allowed him to successfully block Lin Tian, intercepting him two steps inside the three-point line.
"Why did you have to do that? It would have been so much better if you had just let me drive in and score." Lin Tian muttered as he stopped, and Paul quickly understood why Lin Tian said that.
"Boom! Boom!"
Same recipe, same taste!
Lin Tian struck Paul twice more in quick succession. These two blows were so fierce and sudden that they almost knocked Paul unconscious.
Taking advantage of the two fierce exchanges, Lin Tian suddenly made a feint, turning towards the baseline with the ball, and then quickly changed direction, heading towards the middle from the top line.
After this turn, Lin Tian was directly facing the basket, essentially penetrating deep into the Warriors' territory.
Paul was completely outmaneuvered by Lin Tian and couldn't keep up, and the Warriors had already given orders not to double-team him.
There's a limit to not double-teaming. Now that they're directly attacking the edge of the three-second zone and challenging your defense head-on, it would be too much not to double-team them.
As Lin Tian turned around, Chandler and Aldridge, the two inside players, simultaneously collapsed to defend him, blocking him from the left and right. Paul also quickly completed his pursuit, blocking Lin Tian's retreat from the side and rear.
3 against 1!
And it was within that tiny, insignificant space under the basket.
If it were any other player, the best approach at this moment would be to pass the ball or dribble out to reorganize the offense. Kobe was already frantically gesturing for Lin Tian to pass the ball.
But Lin Tian is clearly not another player.
When he's determined to go one-on-one, no defense can stop him!
Lin Tian, who had almost turned around and charged into the Warriors' encirclement, suddenly threw the ball toward the backboard.
His throw was even more sudden than his turn; he didn't jump at all, nor did he use any proper shooting form. It was more like a random throw than a shot!
The three Warriors players instinctively turned to look at the basketball, and they all noticed that the arc of the shot was ridiculously off. Unless Lin Tian really had a special ability to throw some kind of knuckleball, it would definitely not touch the rim!
This is a conclusion reached by all three Warriors players.
This conclusion is one that everyone can confirm.
Everyone could see it, and Lin Tian certainly could too!
Even Lin Tian couldn't let that ball obediently go into the basket.
But who says that offense has to involve the ball going straight into the basket?
As the three Warriors players turned to look at the basketball, Lin Tian quickly took a step and jumped.
"Block him!" Paul reacted the fastest. He was already behind Lin Tian and shouted as soon as he noticed something was wrong. At the same time, his hand unconsciously grabbed Lin Tian's jersey, trying to stop Lin Tian from taking off.
But clearly, it was too late!
Lin Tian's speed was too fast, and Aldridge and Chandler were completely unprepared. They never expected Lin Tian to fly up from behind them like that.
Lin Tian leaped up like a rocket, and just as he reached his highest point, he caught the basketball that had just bounced off the backboard. The timing was perfect, and the rhythm was flawless!
Clearly, from the moment he stood on the floor and started throwing things around, everything was under Lin Tian's control!
From the point where the basketball landed after hitting the backboard to Aldridge and Chandler, who would definitely be distracted by the ball after the impact, everything was within Lin Tian's calculations!
After securing the basketball in mid-air with a move that centers hate most—the one where an opponent grabs the rebound from behind their head—Lin Tian naturally wouldn't hold back any longer.
He unleashed his full power, gathered his strength in both hands, and slammed the ball into the basket, over two 7-footers, Aldridge and Chandler!
"boom!"
After a loud bang, Lin Tian completed an incredibly explosive self-throw and self-slam!
And it was a dunk over a defender!
Aldridge fared the worst. He was directly in front of Lin Tian and was hit so hard by Lin Tian that he lost his balance and fell to the ground in a sorry state, sliding towards the edge of the court.
Chandler fared slightly better. Although he didn't adopt an effective defensive stance from the side, at least he wasn't knocked down by the dunk, and he even got to enjoy the powerful dunk from the best distance and in the best view.
As for Paul?
He was lucky he wasn't called for a technical foul.
Because he was still holding part of Lin Tian's jersey in his hand.
Lin Tian's jersey was torn and a piece was ripped off by his grab, which shows how fierce Lin Tian's move was!
This also shows how unwilling Paul was to accept defeat.
"You didn't hit all the shots, did you?" Lin Tian glanced at his jersey and Paul, and said dismissively, "Well, you're still pretty good."
I'm pretty good, huh?
Paul received the highest level of praise a man could receive, but he wasn't happy at all.
Damn it, did I manage to defend against that?
Facing a triple-team, he executed a dunk that's worthy of being in the top ten of the year, and then said, "I'm awesome?"
It looks like mockery no matter how you look at it.
"Yes, don't doubt it, I'm just mocking you." Lin Tian once again seemed to see right through Paul's heart and comforted him.
Paul was completely at a loss for words.
Logically, with the Warriors hitting a three-pointer and the Lakers a dunk, the score difference should have been reduced to one point, but Paul's mentality was on the verge of collapse.
After Lin Tian's dunk, the Warriors' resistance was on the verge of collapse.
Who says a spectacular dunk only gets you 2 points?
Sometimes, a truly explosive and insane dunk can create a deterrent effect several times greater than the score of the dunk itself.
For example, Lin Tian's shot.
This fierce shot quickly demonstrated its staying power. The Warriors' next offensive play was chaotic, with the ball moving haphazardly around the perimeter. In the end, Redick had to force a shot under Kobe's murderous gaze and defense.
Given Redick's physical attributes and abilities, facing a Kobe-style defense that was relentlessly tearing apart his opponent, and with the shot clock nearing its end, the outcome was predictable.
The basketball didn't touch anything and flew straight out of bounds.
24-second violation plus 3 no-sticks.
The Warriors were absolutely humiliated in this play.
"At this moment, the Warriors' biggest weakness resurfaced: they still can't play unconventional basketball. Faced with the opponent's high-pressure defense, when the team was on the brink of elimination and needed someone to step up, no one could." Miller sighed as he watched this play.
“I agree with Reggie,” Jackson added. “It makes perfect sense, and at this point, with the team down by more than 20 points, they have to play a little unconventionally.”
"This is probably why Chris Paul, despite being excellent and having no particularly obvious flaws, has never been able to lead his team to the conference finals, while Derrick Rose, despite having many flaws, did win the championship last year."
“保罗可以稳定的给你贡献一个20+10+5+2的漂亮数据，他状态再怎么糟糕，基本盘是有的。罗斯则是那种今晚奉献给大家一个35分7助攻，可第二天他或许就只有10投2中拿到7分5助攻3失误的类型。”
"Of course, as he has matured, Rose is no longer the particularly unstable and somewhat impulsive guy he once was. The Bobcats are still ranked in the top three in the East this year! His leadership ability is evident."
"The biggest difference between the two is that when the team needs to step up, when the team is in dire straits and needs a hero to step up, Rose will definitely charge to the front line with a bayonet, fight for a way out, and score 40 points to save the team."
"And Paul, at this point, still gave you a solid 20 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals."
“It sounds like Kevin Garnett in the backcourt,” Van Gundy laughed. “But Garnett eventually found his place as a defensive anchor, a playmaker, and the team’s third or even fourth scorer.”
"What about Paul? Can he find his place? Perhaps the position of the team's second option is more suitable for him, or we need to find him a real top-level finisher and a super scoring machine, which is the only way to truly activate Paul."
"It's really asking too much of him to be the team's primary offensive weapon."
As the commentators analyzed the situation, the Lakers' relentless offensive had already begun again.
Or rather, Poseidon Lin Tian commanded towering waves to storm the Warriors' position.
After Lin Tian arrived at the frontcourt, he suddenly stopped and gathered the ball. He then raised the basketball in his hand towards the sky. Paul, who was already somewhat dazed, couldn't control his body and instinctively rushed towards Lin Tian.
Lin Tian's sudden stop was indeed a bit too abrupt. He was still 2 meters away from the three-point line. Who would have thought that someone would suddenly stop here and launch a triple threat?
But it is precisely because it is unexpected that the reaction is so strong.
Lin Tian calmly steadied himself as Paul charged towards him. Only after Paul had fully taken off and was completely airborne, unable to control his center of gravity, did Lin Tian jump towards him.
The two collided head-on in mid-air, and then Lin Tian made a tenacious shot after the confrontation, sending the basketball toward the basket.
"Shh!"
"Dudu!"
Two voices rang out almost simultaneously, and the entire Staples Center erupted in celebration once again.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
"Go to hell, you little dwarf! You're 200 times farther away from being MVP than your head is from the ceiling!"
"Let me show you the difference between a strong team and a fake strong team!"
"Want to be the best point guard? Go to Mars! The MVP of the Mars League will definitely be yours!"
"For Kevin!"
"We are the Western Conference champions!"
The cheers and shouts from the fans rose and fell without stopping, while Paul, who had been hit with a 3+1 by Lin Tian, lay completely on the floor this time, unwilling to get up for a long time.
Have we lost just like that?
The game wasn't even halfway over, and they've already lost so completely, been so thoroughly outplayed?
How big is the gap between me and Lin?
Is it really going to take 100 years to catch up with this bastard?
This time, Lin Tian didn't go after Paul and trash-talk him anymore, because he knew it was pointless.
Paul has been utterly destroyed.
Next, Lin Tian went to the free throw line and calmly made the free throw. After scoring 6 points in a row, the gap between the two sides had reached 27 points!
There are 1 minute and 30 seconds left in the first half. (End of Chapter)