N-A-A Chapter 281 New Year's Battle! Checking in at the NBA's tallest player!
Chapter 281 New Year's Battle! Checking in at the NBA's tallest player!
Chapter 281 New Year's Battle! Reaching the NBA's tallest height!
Nash's appearance made Yang Yi burst into laughter. At the same time, Nash's one move immediately won the hearts of a large number of fans in China. Many people secretly decided to vote for this handsome and sunny young guard in next year's All-Star voting!
After chatting with Dazhi for a few more minutes, Yang Yi let Dazhi leave so that he could participate in the team's shooting warm-up.
"After we've finished the interviews, let's move to the other side of the court and see the Pacers warming up, and what the other main character everyone's been waiting for is doing right now!"
As Yang Yi spoke, he turned around and led the cameraman toward the Pacers' half of the court where they were warming up.
But as soon as he turned around, Yang Yi was stunned.
Not only was he stunned, but the photographer was stunned too.
Then the fans watching on TV were also stunned!
They've never seen this before!
At this moment, all the Pacers players except Lin Tian were standing in three neat rows, waiting for Yang Yi to come over.
As for Lin Tian, he beckoned to Yang Yi from the side of the group, signaling him to come over quickly.
"Lin Tian, what are you doing...?" Yang Yi was a little confused. What was he doing, standing at attention?
"Let's send our blessings to the fans back home. After all, they've voted for us so many times and have always supported us. Are you ready?" Lin Tian waved his hand, and the photographer immediately pointed the camera at more than a dozen Pacers players.
Unfortunately, Lin Tian was standing a bit far from the group, so he couldn't get both groups in the shot at the same time.
"3, 2, 1, go!" Lin Tian didn't care about that and waved his hand to shout the slogan.
"Happy Chinese New Year! May all your wishes come true! Jili gulu, gala gua la, wu lu gua la!" A group of Pacers players smiled and waved their hands in a standard New Year's greeting gesture before shouting the slogan.
This is the slogan. The first eight pronunciations were barely uniform and understandable. Then, it got messed up, completely messed up! Not to mention the audience, even Lin Tian himself couldn't understand what these people were saying.
Sigh! My comprehension is too poor, and my language talent is too weak!
Fortunately, it was still somewhat understandable that they were wishing Chinese fans a Happy New Year.
That's enough!
Especially the Chinese fans watching on TV were laughing so hard they were doubled over. A bunch of big black guys speaking Chinese, and speaking it all incoherently, was incredibly funny! I never expected to see a comedy routine this morning!
It's a pity it's a bit short.
Lin Tian waved his hand in disappointment and said, "Alright, alright, let's pack up and perform again next time. Let's practice better next year. Everyone, hurry up and warm up."
Upon hearing Lin Tian's words, the Pacers players quickly dispersed and turned to warm up.
"How long have you been rehearsing for this show?" Yang Yi asked Lin Tian curiously.
"Twenty minutes, I guess," Lin Tian said with a smile. "Next year will definitely be better!"
"I have another question, Lin Tian, why weren't you standing in line just now?" Yang Yi continued chatting with Lin Tian. The two were old acquaintances and were having a very relaxed conversation.
"Because I feel ashamed and embarrassed, I know that most of these people will not do well in their studies, so I don't want to embarrass myself. Let them do the embarrassing things. As for New Year's greetings, I will do one for the audience separately now!" Lin Tian once again showed his shamelessness in front of the national audience.
Then Yang Yi chatted with Lin Tian for a few more minutes. Lin Tian was full of witty remarks, which really gave the viewers in front of the TV an extra show. The only pity was that Dazhi was probably not important enough to the team, so he didn't dare to come over and chat by himself. He could only warm up on the other side.
"So, one last question, Lin Tian, how far do you think you can go in the NBA?" Yang Yi asked a question that fans across the country were extremely interested in and curious about!
After all, no matter how much the fans argue or how much they look down on Nowitzki, they are still fans, and no one can convince anyone else. But if Lin Tian speaks, it will be an absolute authoritative statement!
"Hmm, to be honest, I think it's unlikely he'll reach All-Star level, but if he keeps playing hard and single-mindedly, becoming a starter for a team is definitely within reach. As for stats, I think he has the potential to become a mid-level player with 10+5 or 12+6 points!"
This time, Lin Tian didn't try anything funny; he spoke from the heart!
He genuinely felt that he could roughly reach that level!
But at best, that's about the level.
His general talent and physical condition are indeed insufficient to support him becoming a star player.
Lin Tian didn't care at all whether the viewers in front of the TV were satisfied with his speech.
He never thinks about those things!
After answering Yang Yi's question and sending New Year's greetings to the fans, Lin Tian said goodbye to Yang Yi and turned to warm up.
This season's Mavericks are far from being at their full potential. Nowitzki has just emerged as the team's second option, and Nash is not even a starter yet. The team's primary core is Michael Finley, a swingman who entered the league in the same year as Lin Tian!
Another offensive master who was once called "Jordan's successor" but ultimately failed to live up to expectations!
But because the team brought in Don Nelson, the whole team adhered to the philosophy of offense first, and they have set off a storm in the West that belongs to the Dallas people!
So far this season, the Mavericks have a record of 25 wins and 25 losses, currently ranking eighth in the Western Conference. If they can maintain their current winning percentage, the team will have a great chance to enter the playoffs again after a full 10 years!
That was a full 10 years of waiting! Throughout the 90s, the Mavericks were a bottom-tier team in the league, and Dallas fans had waited far too long!
Because the wait has been so long, Dallas fans are incredibly enthusiastic!
So when the team just started to show some signs of recovery this season, fans immediately flooded into the arena to cheer on the players and the team and give them confidence!
Dallas fans, it's been so long since we've seen the playoffs!
Amid cheers and shouts from the fans, the warm-up for both teams has ended!
The starting players on both sides were eager to get started and stepped onto the field!
The Pacers still use their usual starting five: Ben Wallace, Chris Webber, Christie, Vince Carter, and Lin Tian!
For the Mavericks, the point guard is Eric Strickland. Of course, it's just a coincidence that he shares the same last name as the Wizards' assist specialist; the two are not related in any way.
Shooting guard Michael Finley, and small forward Cedric Ceballos, the Lakers' leading scorer for the first two years and the Mavericks' third-leading scorer.
The power forward is the team's future hope, Dirk Nowitzki.
Add to that the center, the towering German giant, the league's tallest player at 229 cm, Shawn Bradley, and these five players form the Mavericks' starting lineup!
Just by looking at this lineup, you can tell that of the five starters, four are primarily offensive players known for their scoring prowess, while Bradley is the only one who isn't good at offense, yet he still manages to average 2.5 blocks per game.
Unfortunately, Bradley is the type of player with impressive block stats, but when he's on the court, nobody's afraid of him.
2.5 blocks may seem like a lot, but he is also known for his softness, muscularity, and thinness. Countless perimeter players in the league have wanted to dunk on Bradley to demonstrate their toughness and ferocity.
Tracy McGrady, Jason Richardson, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, and Allen Iverson—these top offensive players have all dunked over Bradley.
The most outrageous one was Derek Fisher, who is not known in the league for his physical attributes and jumping ability, but he once dunked over Bradley.
This guy is really soft!
If it weren't for the many perimeter players who liked to challenge him and dunk on him, resulting in blocks for him, his average number of blocks per game would probably be reduced by half!
But as soft as he may be, Bradley's 229cm height is still impressive. During the jump ball, he easily secured possession for his team against Ben Wallace, whose height is anyone's guess!
Strickland dribbled the ball quickly across half-court. This undrafted player from two years ago has a fervent desire to challenge established stars in the league! He always fantasizes about dominating a top-tier guard in a game, thus becoming famous in the league and a true star.
This is also a major reason why his shooting percentage always hovers below 40%.
Playing too selfishly makes it too easy to get carried away!
For example, tonight, when he faced Lin Tian, he immediately lost his temper!
Ignoring Finley's call for the ball and ignoring Nowitzki's run-out, this guy dribbled wildly at the top of the arc but didn't move in place. Just as he was about to start his drive to get past Lin Tian, Lin Tian, who had been waiting impatiently, suddenly reached out and stole the basketball the moment he broke through, and then started running wildly!
"boom!"
A few seconds later, a loud bang was heard, and Lin Tian made a one-handed dunk with a very long gliding distance!
Su Qun immediately exclaimed, "Wow! Lin Tian's steal and dunk! He gave the fans a wonderful gift right from the start! There have been rumors lately that Lin Tian will participate in this year's dunk contest. I wonder if this dunk is a preview for the dunk contest in a week?"
On the sidelines, old Nelson gritted his teeth and shook his head. If he had a choice, he really wouldn't want to put up with this Strickland for even a second longer.
It's fine to want to stand out from the crowd, and it's fine to want to make a name for yourself.
But you have to choose the right person!
If you show off like this in front of Lin Tian, who is almost the best player in the league, it's like reciting the Bible in front of Jesus or eating an apple in front of Newton. It's just overestimating yourself.
"Steve, take a good look at how Eric plays basketball." Old Nelson turned around and glanced at Nash, who was sitting obediently on the bench watching the game.
"I will learn from Eric's decisiveness and ruthlessness! I know that a lack of aggression has always been my weakness!" Nash immediately sat up straight, indicating that he understood.
"Bullshit!" Old Nelson yelled. "Stop acting stupid! I mean, remember every single mistake he made! When you get on the court, don't make the same stupid mistakes! And if he keeps playing like this, you'll replace him as our starting point guard sooner or later!"
"I understand, Coach!" Nash, who had been sitting on the bench for four years, was actually thinking a lot like Jermaine O'Neal.
They are all waiting for their own opportunity!
A real opportunity!
On the court, Strickland made another mistake, hitting the backboard with a ridiculous mid-range jump shot. After Webber grabbed the rebound, he made another flashy long bounce pass to Lin Tian, who had already started his fast break.
Lin Tian grabbed the basketball and sprinted forward. No one on the Mavericks team came back to defend. Everyone watched as Lin Tian charged back to the frontcourt and unleashed another 360-degree spinning dunk.
"What the hell!" Old Nelson cursed again.
His system desperately needs a true point guard to activate and control it, but the team owner has given him a Strickland and a rookie.
Old Nelson is really having a headache.
Strickland is completely unreliable and not worth expecting anything from. As soon as a reliable point guard is available, Nelson will fire him immediately.
The rest...
Nash was a decent guard, with accurate shooting, good vision, and excellent passing, but he was, after all, a white man with poor physical attributes. It would be good enough if he could become a qualified starter, let alone an All-Star or even an MVP.
impossible!
At least in Don Nelson's mind, Nash and Strickland weren't that different and neither was good enough for his tactical system. That's why even though Strickland played haphazardly, Don Nelson didn't take him away from the starting lineup.
Old Nelson felt that replacing him with Nash would have a similar effect!
One noob and one lone wolf, we really have no one else to use!
After suffering two consecutive setbacks, Strickland finally calmed down and dared not force his own attacks anymore. Instead, he passed the ball to Finley, who lived up to expectations, driving to the basket and scoring a layup over Ben Wallace, opening up the game for the Mavericks.
However, Strickland, a prime example of someone with a big temper but little ability, got angry after being beaten twice by Lin Tian. He started guarding Lin Tian from the backcourt and made some big moves, first elbowing Lin Tian in the stomach and then slapping the basketball Lin Tian was dribbling with his other hand.
"Snapped!"
With a sharp crack, Strickland slapped Lin Tian's arm with all his might. Such a clear foul naturally drew an immediate whistle from the referee!
Lin Tian, holding the basketball in one hand, glanced sideways at Strickland and said, "Is this how you want to play basketball? You know that even if you crushed your own testicles, you still wouldn't be able to steal the ball, right?"
"I know, I did it on purpose!" Strickland hesitated for a moment. Just a instant, the image of Malone, Stockton, Sloan, and Kemp being brutally beaten by Lin Tian flashed through his mind. To be honest, he was scared. "I'm telling you, they're all afraid of you, but I'm not! I'll beat you to a pulp tonight!"
Thinking about how he wanted to make a name for himself and how he wanted to stand out, this guy still stubbornly shouted at Lin Tian, trying to embolden himself!
Judging from his expression, he was clearly prepared to get beaten up.
If Lin Tian beat him up and caused him to be ejected from the game, then he would be a hero in Dallas and could brag about it later!
I'm the only one in this alliance who dares to go one-on-one with Lin Tian! Everyone else is a coward!
As for getting beaten up? So what if I got beaten up? I got beaten up one-on-one.
"Okay, you chose it."
Lin Tian nodded and passed the ball to Carter, who had come to the sideline to prepare to inbound the ball.
Then he turned around to receive the ball and continue advancing.
He didn't get beaten up, or even get a single trash talk, but Strickland was even more uncertain about his future.
Especially the glare Lin Tian gave him just before he turned around made him feel weak.
Then Strickland suddenly remembered Stockton, Hardaway, Payton, Marbury, and the others who had been utterly crushed by Lin Tian…
Will I also be exposed so badly?
From this perspective, Strickland is clearly overthinking things.
He won't be exposed so badly.
There are two reasons.
Firstly, Lin Tian didn't intend to torture him for the entire match; this kid was too low-level and didn't deserve it!
Lin Tian quickly brought the ball to the frontcourt, then suddenly dribbled the basketball from left to right between his legs, and then took an attack step forward. Strickland immediately followed Lin Tian and quickly moved to the side, but Lin Tian then quickly dribbled the ball to the left side!
After a double change of direction, Strickland was completely shaken off by Lin Tian, who suddenly gained two body lengths of space.
But Lin Tian didn't shoot or break through; instead, he dribbled the basketball once in place while looking at Strickland with pity.
Strickland had never been treated with such humiliation before. He almost roared as he charged toward Lin Tian.
But before he could move two steps, Lin Tian had already quickly turned and dribbled the ball, heading towards Strickland and once again passing by Strickland, arriving at the spot where he had just been.
This time, even at a distance of two body lengths, Lin Tian still didn't shoot or drive to the basket!
"Whoa! Lin Tian, mess with him!" Sun Zhengping shouted excitedly. It's rare to see Chinese players toying with their opponents like this on the street court.
"It seems Strickland said something to Lin Tian just now, otherwise, given Lin Tian's past style, he would never have toyed with and insulted his opponent like that!" Su Qun added, "This is America! Here, you must show your style and your toughness! Otherwise, you'll be bullied!"
"Only by truly frightening and subduing your opponents will they stop bullying you in the future!"
On the court, Strickland was already considering giving up on defense. This possession had become agonizing for him, but Lin Tian just didn't shoot. He simply dribbled in place and watched him.
Are you trying to bully me, Master Lin? You think you can scare me with confrontation and deliberate fouls?
If Lin Tian were still in his rookie season, it would make sense for those veterans to treat him this way.
But Lin Tian is the MVP now!
You, Strickland, a day laborer, come here to tell me the truth.
Who are you?
You think you're worthy?
After standing still for a full two seconds, Strickland knew he couldn't avoid this challenge, so he charged at Lin Tian for the third time.
This time, however, Lin Tian spun the basketball in his hand again, slipping between Strickland's legs. Lin Tian then dodged Strickland's attack once more, and dribbled past him to create space again.
This time, Lin Tian didn't look at Strickland again, but instead pulled up and took a three-pointer!
There's no way around it, the 24-second shot clock is almost up.
If he keeps showing off, that'll be a 24-second violation!
"Whoosh!"
After a crisp sound, Lin Tian retreated while looking at Strickland with mockery and disdain in his eyes.
"If you come and hit me now, I'll respect you as a man, but do you dare?" A mere look wasn't enough for Lin Tian to vent his anger, so he launched into a tirade against Strickland: "You self-righteous coward!"
Strickland's eyes were practically spitting fire. He didn't even try to catch the ball and advance it; instead, he stared intently at Lin Tian, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles making a faint cracking sound.
He was furious.
It could make him throw a punch at Lin Tian on his own initiative...
Okay, he really doesn't dare.
Lin Tian's reputation was too great. It was one thing to be beaten up while covering one's head, but it was another to take the initiative to attack!
He truly dared not take the initiative.
He just wants to make a name for himself; he's not tired of living.
Seeing Strickland's impotent rage, Lin Tian's disdain became even more pronounced.
He could be Strickland's ancestor when it comes to how to provoke people and drive them to madness.
You don't even need to use any profanity; a few emojis and a couple of sarcastic remarks are enough!
Of course, the most important factor is the huge gap in strength between the two!
This made Lin Tian's sarcasm even more lethal.
In the next few minutes of the game, Lin Tian continued to unleash his full offensive power, using his skills to relentlessly attack Strickland's defense.
Instead of using his usual simple and practical techniques, he adopted the methods from the streetball court.
Double crossover dribbling, wide-ranging consecutive crossover dribbling, nutmeg...
These things, in the past, were synonymous with flashy but useless on the NBA court. No NBA player would do such things on the court, firstly because it would offend people, secondly because it was really useless, and thirdly because it was easy to make mistakes.
But if Lin Tian is going to humiliate Strickland tonight, that's a different matter.
The huge difference in skill between the two made it impossible for Strickland to make a steal or defend against Lin Tian's attack.
Of course, Lin Tian's fancy tricks were actually completely useless.
Whether he was dribbling past opponents or shooting, he was still using the same basic moves and skills. The purpose of these fancy tricks was simply to humiliate people.
第一节打了不到6分钟，林天就已经9投7中，3分球2中2，罚球2中2，轰下了18分！
His all-out attack and flashy playing style, while not contributing to the team's overall offense, certainly provided plenty of entertainment for the fans!
After all, even during the All-Star Game, you don't usually see a top NBA player showing off such crazy skills.
Exciting! Great!
What's more, when Lin Tian was showing off these things, his accuracy was really high. All sorts of unreasonable and flashy moves could eventually turn into points!
Under Lin Tian's dominance, the Pacers scored 24 points in just half a quarter. With their point guard completely outmatched, the Mavericks were sluggish and could only rely on Nowitzki and Finley's sporadic one-on-one plays to score.
24: 10!
Halfway through the first quarter, the Pacers were already leading by 14 points!
Old Nelson, sitting on the sidelines, was getting more and more annoyed and couldn't bear to watch anymore.
You don't have the ability, so why did you provoke Lin Tian?
The key issue is that he not only lacks the ability, but also the guts. If this guy actually went up and punched Lin Tian twice, regardless of whether he could hit him or not, Old Nelson would still consider him a man. But now...
A person who is cowardly, lacks self-awareness, and is truly incompetent is utterly worthless.
Even when Strickland was completely outmatched by Lin Tian, Nelson didn't make a substitution. In fact, Nelson was giving Strickland a chance, a chance to suddenly retaliate and deliver a punch to Lin Tian.
Give him a chance to be a man!
But clearly, this guy completely failed to seize the opportunity and lacked the courage to do so.
Don Nelson, a typical redneck and old-school cowboy, can sometimes tolerate players being bad, but he can't stand his players being cowards.
So if Strickland truly sticks to his principles, he will still be a starting point guard for the Mavericks and have the opportunity to continue contributing to the team.
But he's clearly going to back down now, so screw him!
Strickland could never have imagined that those five minutes as a starter would cost him his starting position and end his playing career in Dallas!
From this moment on, in Old Nelson's mind, this guy is the water boy on the edge of the bench!
"Steve, do you have the guts to go up against Lin?" Old Nelson called Nash over.
"I'm no match for him," Nash said firmly, "but I'm not afraid of him! I'll give it my all."
"Great, go for it." Old Nelson patted Nash on the shoulder, then thought for a moment and added, "If you can put on a great performance tonight, you'll be the starting point guard for the team! If you can continue to perform well before the trade deadline, you'll be our starter for the entire season!"
"But if you don't play well, I'll look for a trade, you understand what I mean?"
How could a guy like Nash, with his high basketball IQ and high IQ, not understand what Don Nelson was saying?
He knew that the opportunity he had been waiting for for four years had finally arrived!
So he walked towards the technical table without hesitation.
When the ball was out of play, they substituted Strickland, who looked like a wilted eggplant.
As soon as Nash stepped onto the court, he immediately showed his tough side!
In his first offensive play, he boldly directed Nowitzki, nicknamed "Nelson's favorite son," to set a screen for him. After quickly breaking up the defense, he used a fake pass to attract the attention of Lin Tian and others. Then, he decisively pulled up beyond the three-point line and launched a three-pointer!
"Whoosh!"
Nelson nodded repeatedly in satisfaction at Nash's play this round.
This kid looks soft and weak, but he has the quality that an excellent point guard needs most!
Decisiveness and leadership qualities!
Strickland wouldn't dare ask Nowitzki to screen for him, even though he started for half a season and never dared to ask Nowitzki to screen for him even once.
However, compared to the skinny Bradley, Nowitzki, with his superior shooting range and significant offensive threat, is clearly a more profitable option to run pick-and-rolls with.
But Strickland simply didn't dare, while Nash clearly had no such concerns.
That kid's got guts!
"Not bad, kid." Lin Tian was shot by Nash, but he was completely unfazed. He had underestimated Nash a bit.
Who says an MVP in the developmental stage isn't an MVP?
Although he doesn't like scoring himself, when Nash needs to score, he never hesitates or is afraid!
If there's an opportunity, I'll definitely seize it!
What's more, even though this guy is still just a supporting player averaging 6 points and 3 assists per game, his 3-point shooting percentage is over 42%, making him an absolutely top-notch shooter!
"Come on, Lin, I'm not afraid of you!" Nash lowered his center of gravity and looked at Lin Tian with a serious expression. He put in 120% of his energy and ability to defend against Lin Tian!
Yes, but it's obviously useless.
Although Nash is quite tall, at 191 cm like Lin Tian, Lin Tian is now a small but powerful 90 kg player and a small tank on the perimeter. Nash, on the other hand, is so thin that he should be thankful if he weighs around 80 kg.
Lin Tian turned around directly, blocked Nash with his butt, and used his body and brute force to charge towards the frontcourt.
Using the most effective method for the right person is a good habit that Lin Tian has always had.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
After reaching the three-point line, Lin Tian didn't hesitate and challenged Nash three times in a row, then launched another turnaround jump shot that has now become his signature move.
"Whoosh!"
Lin Tian scored his 20th point of the quarter!
"His offense was alright, but his defense was worse than the last one. What was the last one's name again? Trunks?" Lin Tian started trash-talking Nash after scoring.
"That won't work on me." Nash calmly took the ball and started driving the ball up the court. "Trying to provoke me is impossible!"
In the remainder of the first quarter, neither side produced any particularly exciting moments, and the pace and efficiency of their offense slowed down.
Especially after Lin Tian had been chasing and beating Strickland for half a quarter, he started sharing the ball with his teammates instead of continuing to play alone. As a result, Lin Tian did not score any more points in the last few minutes of the game.
Then, with three minutes left in the first quarter, Bird unusually changed his rotation, letting Lin Tian rest.
In the past, Lin Tian would play the entire first quarter and then rest in the second quarter.
After Lin Tian went down, the two sides entered a state of mutual entanglement and tension. The Pacers did not further widen the score gap, and the Mavericks were also unable to close the gap by much.
36: 25!
At the end of the first quarter, the Pacers had an 11-point lead.
At the start of the second quarter, the Mavericks made a substitution, and a tall figure that excited Chinese fans stood up.
approximately!
After not getting any playing time in the first quarter, he came off the bench roughly at the start of the second quarter!
"Zhizhi's here! After waiting for a quarter, Zhizhi is finally here!" Su Qun exclaimed excitedly as soon as he saw Zhizhi enter the game. "Now, let's see if Bird has the foresight to let the Chinese fans have their way!"
As it turns out, Bird was very perceptive!
Otherwise, why would he change his rotation at the last minute and replace Lin Tian ahead of time?
This was all to fulfill the wishes of Chinese fans and allow Lin Tian and Da Zhi to compete on the same field!
"Here they come!" Sun Zhengping exclaimed happily, "Lin Tian is on the court! He's on the court! Lin Tian and Da Zhi, two Chinese players, are about to face off in the NBA! Although they play different positions, let's see if they can create any exciting moments!"
For the Mavericks' first offensive possession, Nash was very considerate. He knew that this was a game that Chinese fans were eagerly anticipating, and he knew what the fans in front of the TV wanted to see. The good-natured Nash immediately signaled for Dazhi to go to the low post to receive the ball, and then passed the ball to him.
Roughly backing down and blocking the Pacers' substitute Lewis, after observing the defense for a moment, he suddenly turned quickly towards the baseline, raised his hands, and Lewis immediately jumped up.
But after he jumped, Cai realized he had been tricked. He easily took a step and made a layup, scoring his first 2 points of the night!
The American Airlines Arena in Dallas instantly transformed into a sea of joy, with fans enthusiastically chanting "King! King! King!"
After scoring his first two points, Dazhi's confidence soared, and the slight nervousness he felt when he first stepped onto the court immediately disappeared! After all, although he was a rookie in the NBA, he had actually played in professional leagues for many years, and he had seen this kind of scene many times before!
On the Pacers' offense, Lin Tian, after receiving the ball, didn't give Da Zhi any face. Instead, he used a crossover at the top of the arc to shake off Nash and drove straight into the paint!
Although Nash was hot on his heels, he clearly couldn't catch up with Lin Tian.
After Lin Tian drove into the paint, he forced his way up for a layup despite the pressure.
With a 'swish', the two points went in, and the general defense failed to have any impact on Lin Tian!
"No good, Zhizhi! It's been half a year and you haven't improved your defense at all!" After scoring, Lin Tian trash-talked Zhizhi.
"I'll improve!" he muttered to himself, then quickly ran towards the front of the field.
Nash, on the other hand, played with confidence. For his future opportunities, he called for a screen from Dazhi again, and after the screen, he immediately shifted his weight and drove into the paint.
His absolute speed wasn't particularly fast, but he already showed signs of becoming a future rhythm master. In addition, his dribbling skills were very sophisticated. So, although Lin Tian could hold off Nash and block him, he couldn't steal the ball from him.
When he reached the mid-range area, Nash suddenly hooked the ball behind him with one hand, and the basketball immediately flew towards the top of the arc!
There was Dazhi, who had just blocked the shot and bounced outwards. After getting the basketball, Dazhi didn't hesitate and shot directly over Lewis!
"Whoosh!"
After a crisp sound, roughly two consecutive shots were made, resulting in 5 points!
At this moment, fans across China were in an uproar, with cheers erupting from every household! Because it was Chinese New Year, almost every family was gathered together watching TV, so cheers could be heard from communities and residential compounds across the country.
It really does feel like a celebration for the whole world!
"Beautiful! Dazhi! Five points in a row! Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Su Qun clenched his fist and exclaimed excitedly, "I didn't expect Dazhi to perform so well as soon as he stepped onto the court today. Hey, look at Lin Tian, he's really going for it too!"
As Su Qun was speaking, Lin Tian had already launched a counterattack again. He dribbled the ball quickly across half-court, and after a brief observation, he once again easily passed Nash and then drove straight to the basket!
Under the basket for the Mavericks, there was only Bradley, who had just returned to his position but hadn't even had time to turn around!
Facing the large bamboo pole, Lin Tian naturally wouldn't hold back. He jumped up with all his might, his entire body fully arched into a reverse bow shape. Then, his lower abdomen collided with Bradley's head. With the powerful impact, Lin Tian almost knocked Bradley over!
If Bradley had reacted in time, he would have chosen to fall directly instead of almost falling, because in the blink of an eye, Lin Tian was practically riding on his shoulders, and then a deafening explosion rang out!
"boom!"
Lin Tian's lower abdomen pushed Bradley's head back, his legs straddling his shoulders, one hand gripping the rim, as if he were a king ruling the world!
Everything happened so fast, but after a brief silence, everyone realized what had just occurred.
Some fans at the Dallas home arena couldn't help but cheer!
This buckle was really too crisp and too exciting!
Violence!
The ultimate in violent aesthetics!
After landing, Lin Tian didn't trash talk Bradley. Instead, he put his hands in front of him and pressed them down towards the floor.
His expression and gestures combined to convey a message to the entire city of Dallas.
"Stay calm, don't cheer, it's just a small incident!"
So what if he rode a 229cm tall, clumsy guy?
Which top-tier perimeter player couldn't achieve this?
It's nothing!
After Lin Tian's basket, the Pacers' momentum completely surged. The players played more and more aggressively in the following game, and the point difference quickly widened.
Even less than four minutes after that play, Carter found an opportunity, drove from the outside to the basket, and delivered a brutal dunk over Bradley!
After landing, instead of happily riding his little motorcycle, he, like Lin Tian, pressed his hands down to signal everyone to calm down, saying it was just a small matter!
Two players on the Mavericks are destined to be incredibly disappointed tonight: one is Strickland, who has lost his starting position and even a chance to be a rotation player.
The other one is Bradley, who will be the backdrop for the top two plays of the day!
(End of this chapter)