NBA: Start by torturing Jordan and add points to upgrade

"Jason! Jason! Jason! Jason!"

The Staples Center fans were chanting wildly, cheering for Terry and shouting for him.

Then, they're going to get revenge for Terry!
Thank you, Dallas!

Thank you, Dallas!

Thank you for the gifts!

"Without you guys, we can't win tonight!"

Long live Dallas!

At this moment, the fans sent their sincerest blessings and cheers to the Mavericks, who were still on the court.

From the bottom of my heart!
At that moment, no one noticed James protesting to the referee, saying that Terry had just jumped over his head.

No one noticed Nowitzki looking at Terry with a somewhat forlorn expression.

Then he nodded to Terry, who had finished celebrating, and left the arena.

They were simply releasing, releasing themselves to the fullest.

Nothing else matters, even though this is only the first game of the Western Conference Finals!

After celebrating, Terry jumped off the scorer's table and joked around with his teammates for a while before running to Jackson and hugging the old man tightly.

"Coach, thank you!"

Jackson squinted and said calmly, "This is what I promised you. Of course, I would be even happier if you could take a shower and change your clothes before hugging me."

Terry didn't have a chance to say more to Jackson because he was completely surrounded by his excited teammates.

Celebration, a wild celebration.

At this moment, Terry once again became the protagonist, the absolute protagonist!
How long has it been since he's felt this way?

What is that feeling of standing at the top of the world, surrounded by everyone?
He had forgotten, but he was now certain: This feeling was amazing!
……

At the post-game press conference, Jackson unsurprisingly brought Terry along.

As the hero of the night, Terry was naturally the one the reporters most wanted to see.

"Jason, you hit two crazy three-pointers at the last moment and completely changed the game! How do you feel right now?"

"Thank you! I'm so grateful! I really thank everyone on the Lakers. They believed in me, they gave me a chance, and they gave me the opportunity to shoot!"

"Phil gave me specific instructions twice in a row. He had Lin and Kobe act as bait and assists for me on two consecutive possessions to create opportunities for me to shoot."

"Two rounds in a row! My God, this is like a dream! Let me put it this way, if I were the coach, I wouldn't dare to let Kobe and Lin play feints as bait for me at the same time, I wouldn't even dare myself! But Phil dared."

"Because Phil said that's what they promised me! When they brought me to the Lakers, they only gave me one promise!"

"That's the chance I'll get after coming here—a chance to personally take down the Mavericks and prove them wrong!"

"And when the opportunity came, they did not forget, they kept their promise, they gave me this opportunity, and of course I would not let them down, and I also fulfilled my promise."

"If the opportunity arises, I'll seize it!"

"You missed that first three-pointer, that shot almost sent you into the abyss. What were you thinking at that moment? I mean, after you missed that first shot."

"Honestly, I didn't think about anything," Terry said sincerely. "Or rather, I didn't have time to think about anything, no time to regret, no time to think, because the basketball was back in my hands very quickly."

Lin told me: "Go for it, Jason! Go for it! This is what you're here to do!"

"Then, I shot. And then, the ball went in, it was that simple."

"So, you took a series of shots in the final moments and received unanimous support from the coach and players?"

“Of course! Unlimited support, far more support than I imagined!” Terry said again. “During the timeout, I told my guys: if there are better opportunities, I should create space instead of focusing on the attack.”

"Because we all know that our team has top-notch outside hitters, I'm better suited to creating space than to taking game-winning shots."

“But my teammates refused. They said it was my turn to shoot. They said this game was prepared for me, for me to prove myself.”

At this point, Terry couldn't help but tear up again. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down and said, "And I... I didn't let them down. I didn't let their trust go to waste. I brought victory back!"

"But I still have to say that with the Lakers, I truly felt like I was at home. I truly felt that this was a big family, that we were a united whole, not just a team of a dozen or so players who came to clock in and out."

"We are family, not colleagues!"

"So this goal, this game-winning shot, is a credit to our whole team! Without them, I would be nothing!"

"So Jason, when you say the team you clock in and out with, are you referring to the Mavericks?"

“No.” Faced with the reporter’s deliberate provocation, Terry shook his head without hesitation this time and said, “My relationship with Dallas didn’t end perfectly. We had a rather unpleasant falling out, but to be honest, I don’t hate them.”

"I know business is business. In the beginning, it was actually my lack of professionalism and my poor performance. As a professional player, I shouldn't be so emotional."

"When I was in Dallas, I was happy most of the time. I was proud to be a Dallas native, and I dreamed that one day my jersey would fly over Dallas. That will never change."

"Jason, so one last question." Another reporter stood up and said with a smile, "Did you figure all this out before you made the game-winning shot, or after you made it?"

"After the shot went in," Terry finally couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter, tilting his head back.

For him, this night was truly wonderful.

But for Dallas residents, this night was truly awful.

The heroes of the past were abandoned by them, but now they put on the jerseys of their enemies and bury them in the process.

No one likes this feeling; no one likes being treated like an idiot.

But today, if you open any basketball-related forum, you'll definitely see a flood of thanks.

"Thank you, Dallas!"

Some were posted by Los Angeles residents themselves, but the vast majority were fans who couldn't help but join in the commotion and mockery.

I'm so happy.

The player, who was practically given away for free and completely abandoned by the team, completely killed the game tonight, and the Mavericks are in a terrible mood from top to bottom.

Nowitzki wouldn't celebrate his 28 points in a single quarter, and James had no interest in boasting about his super triple-double of 33 points, 15 rebounds, 16 assists, and 2 turnovers. Allen's three-pointer seemed to have become a footnote in history, and Johnson looked silly in comparison to Jackson.

The atmosphere within the Mavericks was terrible. Nobody spoke in the locker room, and James looked rather uncouth at the press conference, still complaining about the moment Terry stepped over his head and demanding that the league thoroughly investigate the incident.

This provocative behavior is outrageous and should result in a ban!
Nowitzki held his phone in his hand, hesitated for a long time, and finally took out his phone to send a text message to Terry.

"Congratulations, those two shots were really good."

Shortly after, Nowitzki's phone lit up: "Thanks, we'll win the next game too."

Nowitzki gave a wry smile. Yet another partner he had once worked closely with had become an enemy, becoming "you" and "us."

The one before that was his best friend Nash, the one before that was his older brother Finley, and the one before that…

Nowitzki shook his head helplessly. It seemed like every guy who got kicked out of the Mavericks would put on an explosive performance when facing them in the playoffs.

Nash has averaged 30+12 in a series and even had a 40+10 game. Today, it was Terry's turn to deliver the game-winning shot.

Had Finley done anything like this before?

I can't remember.

What about the other positions?
Kidd? Jim Jackson?
Thinking about this, Nowitzki suddenly realized that the group that had ruined the Mavericks the most seemed to be the former Mavericks players.

"What the hell is this causal law?" Nowitzki sighed, fiddling with his phone. Then, he suddenly looked down and sent a text message.

"Shall we find a place to talk?"

"No, I will keep my anger burning, I will continue to hate you. I will soften when I see you."

Terry's reply once again left Nowitzki frustrated. He gave a wry smile and sent a message: "Sorry."

“It’s not your fault,” Terry replied quickly, as always.

"But after the series ends, we can have a good drink together." That's the second point.

"Alright! See you at the competition!"

After Nowitzki replied again, he turned off his phone.

He was destined not to sleep well tonight, but he had to get some rest early because they still had to prepare for Game 2 of the series in two days!

Even if this game was a frustrating and regrettable loss, it was ultimately just an away game.

The series is still long, and the Mavericks have many more opportunities.

The most important thing is to forget about this loss as soon as possible and work hard for the next game.

The Mavericks were demoralized after their defeat, and the atmosphere was quiet and subdued from the locker room to the team bus and the hotel.

Fortunately, they have 48 hours to rest, which they can use to forget the pain of failure.

Meanwhile, the Lakers were excited and happy. They were happy for the victory, for the team, and for Terry.

But the Lakers didn't hold any celebration party tonight, and no one went to any nightclubs to party.

After making a ruckus in the locker room for a while, everyone quite consciously went home to rest.

Although the Lakers have won nine consecutive playoff games and have had a long rest, at this point in the season, no one would be foolish enough to actually throw a party and get completely drunk.

Even if Jackson hadn't asked for it, no one would have done it.

Because this Lakers team's desire for the championship is no less than that of the Mavericks!
They were also well prepared long ago!

It's only 1-0, not time to pop the champagne yet.

The Lakers also need to rest well, and they need to continue to improve.

They won the game, but they allowed Nowitzki to score 49 points, including nearly 30 points in a single quarter.

They gave James a massive triple-double with very few turnovers.

Their defense is a big problem. Even if they don't focus on defense, they still need to use this rare rest time to study the Mavericks' offensive strategies. They also need to think about how to improve themselves and how to win more steadily.

It's certainly exciting to always win with a last-second shot.

But clearly, this is not a good method.

If you let the players choose, they'll definitely prefer a decisive, one-sided victory!

The Lakers won, but they weren't arrogant. They went home to rest, and then arrived at the training ground on time the next day to do some training to maintain their form and hold a tactical meeting to study the Mavericks' playing style.

They were confident but not arrogant; they did not think they were invincible just because they had won.

Although the Mavericks were in a bad mood on the first night, the team was composed of veterans and experienced middle-aged players, so after a good night's sleep, almost everyone was quite energetic when they woke up the next day.

At least on the surface, everyone had put the disappointment and pain of losing the game behind them, and with Johnson's encouragement and motivational speech, the Mavericks' morale quickly recovered.

It would be laughable if a top team in the league didn't even have this much ability to adjust!

In other words, although the two teams achieved drastically different results during the game, they both recovered to their peak condition almost simultaneously afterward.

The battle between these two teams has only just begun.

Two days later, in the second game of the series, the Lakers and Mavericks didn't start with a barrage of dunks like in the first game, but it was still a very exciting match.

More importantly, everyone quickly realized that neither team had changed their playing style or their rhythm.

They played so similarly to the last game!
Van Gundy, observing the two teams continuing their fast-paced offensive and defensive transitions on the field, analyzed: "I think this is because they are generally satisfied with their respective teams' performance in the last game. If they are satisfied, they don't need to change their tactics, so both teams will continue with their old tactics tonight."

“I think that’s only one aspect; the other aspect is more important,” Miller said. “That is, neither side has figured out how to change things! Or rather, neither of them can think of a way to stop the other’s attack.”

"These two teams are too strong offensively, with too many offensive options and too many players who are good at putting the ball in the basket in all sorts of ways. So it's going to be very difficult for them to defend against them!"

"Therefore, instead of challenging your weaknesses, it's better to use your strongest and longest parts to compete with your opponent!"

"At least this way, if you lose, you lose in the way you're best at, most comfortable with, and most enjoy."

"I have no regrets about dying."

Several commentators analyzed the game while watching the incredibly exciting back-and-forth battle.

This match was almost a complete replay of the previous one. Both sides were fiercely competitive, engaging in an all-out offensive battle from the start. Despite the rapid back-and-forth movement, both sides played with great organization and made no major mistakes.

Perhaps because their offensive efficiency was too high and their offensive effectiveness was too good in the previous game, both sides' shooting percentages have declined in this game. However, given the fast pace of the game, both sides still scored a lot, so the decline in scoring was not obvious.

29:31! At the end of the first quarter, the Lakers led by 2 points.

58: 64!

By the end of the second quarter, the Lakers had extended their lead to six points.

However, in the second half, the game took a dramatic turn. Nowitzki and James erupted again, scoring consecutive points with a combination of shots and drives, quickly erasing the 6-point deficit and taking the lead once more!

The Lakers were not to be outdone, and Lin Tian immediately revitalized the team, hitting a three-pointer to regain control of the score.

Even so, the Mavericks still had the upper hand in the third quarter. They were in a winning streak and played more and more aggressively, quickly consolidating their lead once again.

By the end of the third quarter, they were leading by 5 points!

In other words, thanks to the performance of Nowitzki and James, the Mavericks finally managed to take the lead in this quarter!

In the last game, they were just seconds away from victory, but tonight, that won't be the case!
The Mavericks played more cautiously and steadily in the following games.

They carefully guarded their lead, sometimes preferring not to score themselves rather than give the Lakers a chance to score.

They were determined to hold on until the very end, to maintain their lead and not give the Lakers any chance!
The Lakers were somewhat bewildered by the Mavericks in the third quarter, and their performance didn't improve much in the fourth quarter, where they continued to be dominated by the Mavericks.

And even the score difference is getting bigger and bigger.

With two minutes left in the game, the gap between the two teams had reached nine points!

The Mavericks played exceptionally well tonight, keeping the Lakers on their toes from the start. What's even more commendable than that night is that the Mavericks were more united, more determined, and more aggressive tonight!

Winning an away game is a mission they must accomplish!

Everyone knows how strong the Lakers are, and everyone knows how difficult Staples Center is to conquer.

But the Mavericks players know better than anyone how passive they would be if they returned to Dallas with a 0-2 deficit!
So the Mavericks really went all out in this game.

The most obvious point is that the playing time of their key players has increased dramatically. With two minutes left in the game, James and Nowitzki had both played 44 minutes, which means that they only rested for two minutes tonight.

Other players like Allen and Bogut also played for more than 40 minutes. The Mavericks almost exhausted themselves tonight to withstand wave after wave of attacks from the Lakers and still maintained a 9-point lead in the final moments.

Van Gundy said, "The Lakers also have to fight hard. They played a bit too relaxed tonight. They weren't intense enough, and they weren't aggressive enough."

"But if they want to win tonight, they have to bring something more! Let's see the Lakers' determination in the last two minutes, and let's see what amazing things they can do when facing adversity!"

Miller said, "Two minutes, nine points, the Lakers have possession, but the game isn't entirely without suspense! Especially since the Lakers have many players who are adept at creating miracles! Even though the Mavericks have almost a 99% chance of winning tonight, the opponent is the Lakers, so that 1% is absolutely not to be underestimated!" (End of Chapter)