NBA: Start by torturing Jordan and add points to upgrade

After the timeout ended, the Celtics inbounded the ball, and the final 1 minute and 46 seconds of the game began to tick.

Both teams now have four starters plus one substitute. The Knicks replaced Wallace with Smith, while the Celtics brought in Ginobili and let Josh rest for the time being.

The inbound pass was given directly to Ginobili, who was tasked with organizing and planning the next attack.

After all, Lin Tian isn't defending against him, is he?
As for Parker, who was being defended by Lin Tian, ​​he obediently moved to the weak side, giving Ginobili and his teammates space so that they could execute their tactics more comfortably.

But at this point, the Celtics encountered a slight problem.

Ginobili waved to the inside players, hoping Howard would come up and screen for him.

Howard did come up, but his screen was terrible. He practically just came over, wiggled his hips, and then impatiently turned around and sprinted towards the basket while waving for Ginobili to pass him the ball.

Clearly, in this guy's mind, quickly cutting to the basket to receive the ball and dunking to become the team's hero is 20 times more fun than honestly setting screens!
This little trick directly prevented the team from working out and also caused Ginobili to be double-teamed, surrounded by Smith and Stoudemire!
What would happen if Ginobili, a famously thin white man who is less than 2 meters tall, were double-teamed by two monsters who are over 205 centimeters tall and known for their strength, ferocity, and explosive physical abilities?
Of course, Ginobili hesitated for a moment, and then he never had another chance to pass the ball. He really didn't expect Howard to set a screen for him like that, which made Ginobili so angry that he almost cursed.

Of course, he didn't swear, not because he had a good temper or high moral character, but because the two burly men's encirclement came too quickly and too fiercely.

"Ball! Ball! Manu, ball!" Ginobili was being double-teamed by two burly men and was barely able to stand, while Howard was still frantically reaching out and shouting for the ball.

If Smith and Stoudemire loosened their double-team even a little, Ginobili would definitely rush over and yell at Howard.

"Yes, yes, I want your great-grandmother's teapot!"

But he really didn't have time right now. Seeing that the two strong men were about to snatch the ball from his arms, Ginobili really couldn't protect the basketball anymore. He could only forcefully jump to find his teammates.

Then, with all his might, he found the only opening and opportunity in the mid-air between the two men, and threw the ball heavily with both hands toward Artest, who had just run out from the mid-range.

He would rather give it to Artest than to Howard, the bastard who almost caused him to make a mistake!

But clearly, in this situation, the Knicks won't let Ginobili pass the ball successfully!
Lin Tian had already let Parker go when the Knicks double-teamed Ginobili, and found a position in Ginobili's blind spot to stand in, quietly waiting for the opportunity.

Then, with Artest making his way around and Ginobili taking a full-force jump, Lin Tian rushed out!
He grabbed the basketball before Artest could react, and without even looking at the situation in the frontcourt, he threw the ball forward as soon as he got it!

With only Smith, Stoudemire, and Ginobili in the frontcourt, even if Lin Tian passed the ball with his eyes closed, Ginobili wouldn't be able to grab it from two strong men.

No matter how cunning your Argentine swordsmanship is, it's helpless against these two American warhammers. You can only be squeezed behind them and watch obediently.

Sure enough, Stoudemire and Smith worked together perfectly at this moment. Stoudemire turned around and blocked Ginobili behind him, preventing him from rushing to chase the ball, while shouting, "I want to see a two-handed windmill!"

"Coming!" Smith said as he ran, promising to grant his wish!
When you're at the center line, grab the basketball, then sprint all the way to the Celtics' basket, pull up and swing it with both hands in a standard windmill motion as if drawn by a compass, and then slam the basketball into the hoop!
"boom!!"

"Well done, Amare!"

"What a brilliant dunk, Josh!"

"We are the King Kong Brothers!"

The two were incredibly excited after their seamless and selfless cooperation!

On the court, he clapped and made a series of gestures, resulting in a rather embarrassing celebration that was impossible to watch.

Lin Tian quickly turned and left, getting away from the two of them. He was afraid that the cameras on set would capture him in the middle of their shameful act.

He refused to appear on screen with these two.

"Pass the ball, Manu! Pass the ball!" Meanwhile, the atmosphere on the Celtics' side was far from pleasant. Howard spread his hands and complained to Ginobili.

"Then block! If you block, if you block the player, I'll pass the ball to you! Only if you block the player can I have a chance to pass!"

"I'm the number one draft pick, I'm already being generous by setting screens for you, and you're still being picky?" Howard rolled his eyes. His experience of being selected to the All-NBA Team and the All-Defensive Team this year has significantly changed his attitude towards these veterans: "I should be playing one-on-one in the paint!"

"Shut up, you two! Shut the hell up! The team's down by 7 points, and you're arguing on the court?" Duncan's voice suddenly came through. He looked at the two men and said, "You two, do you want to die?"

"This play was Dwight's fault." Seeing that neither of them was speaking, Duncan immediately gave a fairly fair ruling.

Seeing that Howard was still trying to argue, Duncan glared at him and said, "Shut the hell up! If you say another word, I'll call a timeout and kick you out! You won't be playing tonight! Just play well! We're still 7 points behind, we haven't lost yet!"

After saying that, Duncan ignored the two guys and ran quickly towards the frontcourt.

He had absolute confidence in his authority, and he believed that after he said those words, the two of them would definitely stop arguing like that.

We have to win!
With 1 minute and 30 seconds left, and only 7 points remaining, there's still a chance!
Duncan clenched his fist tightly, went up the court, and immediately turned to block Okur behind him, reaching out for the ball.

This time, Ginobili's pass came incredibly fast. The basketball flew to Duncan's hands, and Duncan immediately turned and hooked the ball. The whole move was smooth and fluid, yet unremarkable and unsightly.

"Shh!"

This move of receiving the ball and immediately turning around to hook the ball was completely beyond Okur's imagination. He never expected that Duncan would shoot without even setting up a stance.

So he didn't react at all, and Duncan threw the basketball directly into the basket.

That was a really fast move. The Celtics scored 2 points in less than 10 seconds on this possession, which is definitely a good thing for them!
For the Celtics, efficiency and time management are the most important things right now.

81: 86!

The final 1 minute and 21 seconds.

Now the Knicks were in no hurry at all. Lin Tian leisurely dribbled the ball to the frontcourt, and just as he was about to run down the clock and exhaust the 24 seconds, the Celtics came to double-team him!

After waiting and anticipating the double-team all game, it finally happened!
Parker and Artest spread their arms wide, launching a double attack on Lin Tian from the high post.

Lin Tian was not afraid of this kind of defense at all. Seeing the two coming over, he immediately dribbled behind his back, passing the basketball behind his back. The basketball then accurately passed between Artest's legs!

Then, just as Lin Tian was about to squeeze through the two of them, Parker and Artest suddenly moved towards the center at the same time, closing in on him!

This time, Lin Tian had no chance to squeeze between the two of them; his signature move had been seen through!

"Haha, Lin, we knew it! We defended against it!" Artest shouted excitedly, "Your move is so outdated! We knew you'd do that when we double-teamed you!"

"We've seen through you! We've figured out your tricks!"

"Why don't you look behind you?" Lin Tian remained unmoved and gestured towards the space behind the two of them.

Artest and Parker instinctively glanced back.

What they saw was Anthony running out from the paint unguarded, catching the basketball that Lin Tian had just thrown out.

This wasn't Lin Tian trying to break through at all; it was a pass!
Whether it's Artest or Parker, it's impossible for them to catch up with Anthony at this point. Anthony won't give anyone a chance to catch up with him, and the free throw line area is his favorite 'sweet spot'!
Stop abruptly with the ball, pull up, and shoot!

With a crisp "swish," Anthony's mid-range jump shot sank!

"YES! YES!" Carmelo Anthony, who had been missing shots all game, excitedly raised his arms and shouted, releasing all the frustration in his heart. Finally, it went in! I finally made it!

After scoring, Anthony celebrated excitedly while quickly retreating to defense. The strategy that Don Nelson had instructed him to run and shoot after receiving the ball, finally came true at this moment!
And at such a crucial moment!
This made Anthony excited!

Still 7 points!
Last 67 seconds!
81: 88!

Time is running out for the Celtics!
This time, Parker dared not leisurely cross the half-court again. He pushed his speed to the limit, rushing across the half-court at lightning speed, and then immediately drove into the paint without stopping. Then, he suddenly turned around and flicked the ball to Ginobili, who was standing on the wing.

Ginobili, who made a fatal mistake in the previous round, received the ball at a 45-degree angle on the left side, then aimed and shot!
Artest, positioned just meters in front of him, transformed himself into a wall, firmly blocking Smith from rushing over to defend Ginobili.

This block ensured that Ginobili's shot was not interfered with in any way.

"Shh!"

With a crisp click, Ginobili redeemed himself, sinking a three-pointer that swished through the net!

The three former teammates of Lin Tian executed a brilliant teamwork! They completed the attack in just 11 seconds!

84: 88!

Last 57 seconds!
The Knicks still have a 4-point lead!

"Defense! Defense! Press the defense from the spot!" Rivers roared from the sidelines, instructing his players to press the defense from the full court and prevent the Knicks from advancing easily.

Duncan, who had originally wanted to yell at his teammates to retreat quickly to prevent the Knicks from launching a counterattack, could only shut up at this point.

If he were to call for his teammates to retreat at this point, there would inevitably be a problem with team cohesion. The likely result would be half the team retreating to defense and the other half immediately attempting to steal the ball, ultimately accomplishing nothing and allowing the Knicks to score easily.

He could only pray that the defense would succeed and that the thing he was worried about wouldn't happen.

But clearly, what you fear most is what comes to pass, and what seems like bad luck comes true even when good things don't.

Just as Duncan was worrying, his worst fears came true.

The Knicks passed the ball to Lin Tian from the baseline. After receiving the ball, Lin Tian made a crossover and a spin move, completely getting past Parker and leaving him behind. Then, Lin Tian unleashed his terrifying speed and sprinted towards the frontcourt!

The Celtics' full-court defense immediately became a joke!

This is what Duncan fears.

Against Lin Tian, ​​against a fast-paced team like the Knicks, choosing full-court defense is suicide!

Lin Tian's ability to advance and break through tight defenses is simply too strong!

This tactic cannot be used against the Knicks.

But it was too late, everything was too late.

Lin Tian accelerated wildly, leaving everyone behind in the blink of an eye. No one from the Celtics could keep up with him.

In the blink of an eye, Lin Tian surpassed everyone else, and all that remained in his sight was the basketball hoop.

"boom!"

Then, facing an empty Celtics basket, Lin Tian leaped up and slammed it home, widening the gap to 6 points again!
The suspense surrounding the match began to shrink rapidly.

The Celtics' chances are almost gone.

Last 50 seconds!
84: 90!

Parker dribbled the ball forward again. When he was in his own half of the court, Lin Tian ignored him and did not come forward to defend him. But the moment he crossed the half-court line, Lin Tian suddenly appeared and came forward to give Parker a high-intensity press defense!
Lin Tian's timing was absolutely perfect; he completely blocked Parker, making it difficult for him to advance.

The bigger problem is that because Lin Tian chose such a tricky position, Parker has no way to back up and create space to regroup. If he takes another step back, it will be a backcourt violation!

"Timeout!" Seeing that Lin Tian was forcing him into a mistake, Parker had no choice but to give up the team's last timeout!
Originally, this pause was meant to be used at a more critical moment, but now it's clear that we can't wait any longer.

If the Celtics make another mistake on this play, then they won't have any more crucial moments left and can simply surrender.

During this timeout, Don Nelson didn't give any more tactical instructions. Instead, he loudly encouraged the players, telling them to try harder and defend this possession well!
Regardless, defend against it!
Old Nelson was certain that as long as he could defend this possession, he would definitely win the game!

On the Celtics' side, Rivers was constantly writing and drawing on his whiteboard, reminding his players how to position themselves, who should receive the ball, and who should execute the offensive play that could very well decide the outcome of the game.

The timeout ended, and Rivers was completely restless. He loosened his tie and stared intently at the court.

Duncan stood on the sideline, ready to inbound the ball, while Howard was in the middle, preparing to set a screen for his teammates. Ginobili, Parker, and Josh were just waiting for the referee's signal to start running and looking for an opportunity.

These three players are also the team's three most reliable three-point shooters.

"Dudu!"

As soon as the referee blew his whistle, the Celtics players began sprinting around Howard, looking for an opportunity. Duncan waited patiently, and just as the Celtics were about to commit a five-second violation, Duncan finally passed the ball!
He waited for a perfect opportunity. Josh and Howard set an off-ball screen at the top of the arc and made a back-cut to create a chance. Duncan's pass was also just right. Anthony was blocked by Howard and could not move forward.

Josh got a perfect open shot.

Shot!

"Boom!"

Unfortunately, this well-executed tactic and wide-open shot failed to result in a score, as Josh's three-pointer bounced off the rim.

"Smack!" Lin Tian leaped high and snatched the basketball into his arms.

"No need to rush! Let's stay calm! If we can take this point steadily, we're guaranteed to win tonight!" Seeing that the Celtics were no longer pressing him full-court, Lin Tian slowly moved to the frontcourt, then ran down the clock, waiting for the final, decisive opportunity.

With 25 seconds left, and also the last 7 seconds of the Knicks' offensive possession, Lin Tian suddenly launched an attack!
He dribbled past Parker with a crossover and charged towards the basket once again without hesitation!
This time, he didn't stop at the 16-foot area where the Celtics were struggling to keep up with their shots. Instead, he continued to accelerate and attack. At this point in the game, Lin Tian also had to choose the safest way to complete the attack!
At the free-throw line, Lin Tian was once again double-teamed by Howard and Artest. This time, Lin Tian first dribbled to the left, then suddenly gathered the ball and took a big step to the right.

This crossover and jump step allowed Lin Tian to forcefully break through the double-team barrier and instantly penetrate into the core area below the free-throw line.

Duncan had no choice at this point. Even though he knew it was a trap, he couldn't let Lin Tian easily shoot without any resistance at the edge of the three-second zone.

He stepped forward and opened his hand to block Lin Tian's shot, but at the same time he stepped forward, Duncan also clearly saw the basketball in Lin Tian's hand pass through his fingertips. This arc was definitely not a shot.

"boom!"

A loud bang came from behind Duncan!
Without even looking, I knew it was Stoudemire, whom he had let go, who made the alley-oop and slammed the ball home with one hand!
"The game is over! The outcome is decided, there's no suspense anymore!" With Stoudemire's alley-oop, Barkley could no longer contain his excitement, raising his arms and shouting, "With 20 seconds left, an 8-point difference, there's no more suspense!" (End of Chapter)