NBA: Start by torturing Jordan and add points to upgrade

In short, this kind of shot boils down to one thing: luck!

Or to put it another way: It depends on whether the referee likes you!
This is why many coaches dislike risky tackles and players trying to steal the ball.

The risk is too great.

To be honest, if this were Madison Square Garden, and if Anthony only had 2 or 3 fouls, then his attempt would have been fine, and the referee would have called it.

Old Nelson's style is to not dwell on these things.

But the problem now is: this is San Antonio, and Anthony himself has four fouls.

Your actions have really annoyed Nelson.

He's really immature! After a whole season of training, I still haven't been able to turn him into a reliable and mature leader.

“At least he’s too tired to stand up right now.” His friend Stoudemire was the first to rush over to comfort Anthony, hoping he wouldn’t blame himself too much.

"I'm not tired, but I can't continue playing right now." Anthony's tone was extremely frustrated. At this point in the game, he had committed his fifth foul, which, according to NBA convention, meant he would definitely have to be substituted and rest until the last 4-5 minutes.

Otherwise, during this phase, as long as he's on the court, he'll definitely be constantly targeted by the Spurs players.

Of course, the same goes for Don Nelson. To be honest, if Anthony had committed a foul out of necessity, he might have waited and let Anthony play for another two minutes to see how things went.

But this impulsive foul could have earned Don Nelson a lot of angry words and curses directed at Anthony's family.

Too low-level!

Don Nelson now has to substitute Anthony early, otherwise if the guy gets carried away, the impact on the team will be even greater.

So it's better to let him go down early and rest and calm down for a while, so as to avoid him causing any more trouble.

"It's okay, I'm here." Just as Anthony was about to leave the court and be traded to Smith, Lin Tian suddenly walked up to him and smacked him, saying, "I'll avenge you."

Anthony nodded trustingly, and the two passed each other. Anthony went to the bench to rest, and Smith replaced him. The game continued!

This time, the ball was passed directly to James. This guy's confidence was off the charts tonight. After receiving the ball, he accelerated and drove hard to Smith. After reaching the basket, he suddenly turned and threw the ball, which flew across the court to Bosh's hands outside the three-point line.

With a swift stroke, another three-pointer!
For the next minute or so, neither side was able to score again, and several of their attacks ended in failure.

If there was any change in the situation on the field after this minute, it was Francis.

The guy was breathing even harder.

Even her lips looked a little pale.

"You'll regret it!" Lin Tian dribbled the ball and came to Francis's side again. He felt it was about time.

"I regret every drink I've ever had, every piece of trash I've ever inhaled, every training session I've skipped, and my lack of self-discipline that has made me no different from a piece of trash."

"This feeling of powerlessness must be driving you to the brink of collapse!"

"No, there's also jealousy! You're definitely jealous of LeBron, jealous of me, right? You also want to be the absolute protagonist in this kind of game, not just a lackey or a follower, right? You must have fantasized about being the one to score 40 points tonight, right!"

"Useless, utterly useless!"

"You've given up on yourself, deserve all this, and are a piece of trash who doesn't deserve anyone's sympathy! I'm talking about you."

"I'm not a piece of trash!"

Francis was verbally abused by Lin Tian, ​​and then suddenly shouted, and the usually cautious defender suddenly made a move to steal the ball.

"Snapped!"

They actually managed to steal the ball right away!

After getting the ball, Francis mustered all his strength; he wanted to prove himself!

He wants to prove he's not a loser!

So he ignored James's call for the ball and instead dribbled forward at high speed, constantly using various changes in rhythm and direction to try and shake off Lin Tian.

Unfortunately... he couldn't do it. Lin Tian was always in front of him, Lin Tian was always able to maintain a good defensive position, Lin Tian was always right in front of him.

After arriving at the Knicks' three-point line, Francis suddenly stopped and took a half-step back to create space. Then the ball moved from his left hand to his right hand, and he jumped to the right. The ball then returned to his left hand, and he accelerated forward again!
It's that crossover dribble that Francis used to love when he was young!
But this time, Francis's speed and range were simply negligible, and Lin Tian easily blocked him once again, retreating with Francis towards the basket!

Outside the three-second zone, Francis gathers the ball and starts his run, intending to force a jump layup!

He insisted on facing Lin Tian and scoring that goal!
This is his dignity!

Unfortunately, his body can no longer support his dignity.

When he jumped with all his might, intending to challenge Lin Tian, ​​he felt a sharp pain.

Francis collapsed to the floor once again!

Lin Tian caught the basketball that had slipped from Francis's grasp and stood there in front of him, watching Francis lying on the floor clutching his leg and gasping for breath.

This time, Lin Tian didn't launch a counterattack or pass the ball to his teammates; instead, he called a timeout.

"You're a soldier, you shouldn't be lying on the floor watching us attack." Lin Tian, ​​high above, tossed out his final words to Francis, then turned and walked to his bench. He then said to Anthony, "He definitely can't play tonight, but you'd better be prepared!"

“I understand,” Anthony said, pounding his chest. He had calmed down once again.

On the court, the Spurs' team doctors rushed in to thoroughly examine Francis's injury.

Judging from his expression, things might not go well this time.

Because it's almost certain that this is a fatigue injury!
But fatigue injuries can also range from minor to serious!

In mild cases, it might be similar to the third quarter, just a cramp.

However, it could also be a strain or even a tear.

If you're unlucky, the worst-case scenario is a complete rupture of the Achilles tendon.

Just like Kobe's performance against the Warriors in the 13 regular season and Durant's performance in the 19 NBA Finals.

If it's just a strain, Francis will be fine after a few days or weeks of rest. But if it's a rupture, then his career is truly over.

Lin Tian didn't care about this at all.

It's not that he's cold-blooded; it's Popovich who's cold-blooded. It's Francis himself who's willing to fight to the death.

If players are forced onto the field in such a physical condition, they must be prepared to be targeted by the opponent. If coaches still send players onto the field under these circumstances, they must also bear the risk of injury.

Especially considering that the team doctors had already warned Popovich and Francis once that it was best not to play tonight, they still insisted on playing, so they have no one to blame but themselves.

This place is no different from a battlefield!
If you dare to take on the challenge, you must be prepared to bear all the consequences.

Soon, the Spurs' medical team finished their examination, spoke with Popovich, and then called for a stretcher to carry Francis out.

Judging from their appearance, Francis is definitely not coming back, at least not tonight.

During the timeout, Lin Tian couldn't resist and walked to the players' tunnel.

"I'm fine. I can still feel my legs and feet; they're not broken." Francis managed a small smile through the pain. "I was prepared. This is normal combat. It's not your fault!"

"I'm just here to tell you that you played well tonight. If it weren't for you, you wouldn't have made it this far! But now, we're going to fight back! Victory belongs to us!" Lin Tian patted Francis on the shoulder and said, "I won't go easy on you just because you left."

"Don't fucking tell me that, we're not friends!" Francis snorted, feeling extremely upset.

Because he never expected that, as he was about to be carried off the court, apart from Bosh and Martin coming over to ask him a few words and offer some encouragement, the rest of the Spurs players acted as if they couldn't see him at all and had already surrounded Popovich.

Lao Tzu is really dispensable!
Just when he was feeling extremely distressed, the person who appeared was actually Lin Tian!

This was the person he hated and had a grudge against as soon as he entered the League. This was the monster that Francis had regarded as his goal and imaginary enemy since he entered the League, hoping to surpass him but finding that the distance between them was getting further and further away.

It's actually this guy who's here to comfort me.

Francis closed his eyes, not wanting to say another word.

Of course, it was also because he felt that if he said even a few more words, he would definitely lose control of his tears. Tears of resentment.

"Francis won't be back tonight! Let's give the warrior a round of applause!" Barkley said, "Those who give their all always deserve respect! He played exceptionally well tonight! Against Lin, he put up a well-rounded stat line of 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists!"

"Although he was still at a disadvantage, he absolutely did his job perfectly! Now, let's see if his teammates can continue their efforts and win the game!"

After seeing Francis off, Lin Tian walked back to the court, clasped his hands together forcefully, and said, "Alright, let's continue the game!"

"Let's close this tiny gap in the last few minutes! Let's win the game!"

"Win the game!"

With a roar from the entire team, the Knicks' five-man lineup returned to the court! This time, Don Nelson was essentially going all in.

Starting lineup!

Don Nelson has brought back the starting lineup.

But the Spurs had to make a change. After thinking about it, Popovich decided to bring in Gibson. He was more willing to believe that this guy who had once saved the team could step up and make a few key shots.

For the remainder of the match, the two sides once again reached a stalemate.

This time, the gap between the two sides narrowed even further, with the Knicks taking the lead again several times!
Unlike the stalemate in the third quarter, both sides focused their offensive efforts more closely!
The Knicks basically relied on their three musketeers taking turns to shoot through small combinations, while the Spurs did the same, using James, Bosh, and JR as their three sharpshooters to find opportunities.

As for the rest of the team, they are more like strategic weapons at this point, and they won't be used unless there's absolutely no other way.

With 4 minutes and 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Spurs finally got their chance again!

An opportunity that is absolutely in their favor!
Anthony received the ball beyond the three-point line and faced off against James. He then used a series of shooting fakes and jab steps to create an opportunity for himself, accelerating into the paint!
He completely shook off James! Getting past James in one step clearly made Anthony extremely excited.

He continued to accelerate, charging towards the basket without hesitation!
He wanted to end the round with a powerful dunk!
But the experienced Martin had already chosen his moment, and just as Anthony approached the basket, he suddenly moved sideways and appeared in front of Anthony.

"Oh!"

Unable to brake in time, Anthony and Martin collided head-on, both falling to the ground! The basketball, of course, flew directly out of bounds.

"Offensive foul!"

Once again, the referee made a decision in favor of the Spurs in the blink of an eye!

As I said before, this is San Antonio. What was originally a 50-50 chance, the Spurs have at least a 60% chance!
If they don't even have this much advantage, then what are all the teams fighting tooth and nail in the regular season for? Just for a home game in Game 7?
90% of series don't go to a Game 7!

All the teams are after is this tiny advantage in officiating!

Anthony has six fouls!

After standing up, this guy finally lost his previous composure and calmness. The sixth time was completely different from the fifth time!

Anthony spread his arms and protested to the referee: "He was too late! He wasn't even in position! He wasn't even in position! I swear he was still moving when I bumped into him!"

Anthony protested repeatedly, but unfortunately, even if the referee knew he was innocent and could confirm that it was an offensive foul, he couldn't overturn the call!
In basketball, there is never an option to overturn a call!

Not to mention that the replay was still on the big screen at that moment!
Everyone watched the replay on the screen.

Then everyone stared at Martin's foot and the moment the two collided, everyone wanted to know what exactly happened with this ruling.

"Difficult to distinguish."

"Within a hair's breadth!"

"Offensive fouls or blocking seem acceptable."

"I can't tell at all!"

In TNT's studio, four commentators shared their views in turn.

The opinions of these four people are basically the opinions of the fans.

That was definitely too extreme!

Even watching the replay, it's difficult to tell whether Martin was still moving at the moment of the collision, let alone the referee who made the call in that split second. If this had happened at Madison Square Garden, it would most likely have been a blocking foul.

But this is San Antonio.

No matter how aggrieved and helpless Anthony felt, he had no way to continue.

After arguing with the referee for a long time, Anthony finally accepted everything when Stoudemire grabbed him and pulled him toward the bench.

He can't play tonight either.

Even Francis has a one in a thousand chance of returning, but Anthony is completely out of the game. He took off his jersey in frustration, sat in his chair, and covered his face.

Carmelo Anthony's frustration at being unable to play and contribute to the team in such a crucial game is indescribable.

"Take his jersey off and give him a towel to wipe his face," came Old Nelson's voice. "We're fucking up 2-0, and you're looking so long-faced, that's bad luck!"

"Wipe your sweat off, hide your ridiculous tears, then stand up and cheer your guys on! They're still fighting hard, and you're already ready to give up?"

"I……"

"What do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'I'? I'm not in the mood to comfort you tonight. I'll give you 30 seconds to calm yourself down, and then you can join everyone in cheering on your brothers!"

After saying that, Don Nelson didn't look at Anthony even once more, but instead focused his attention back on the court.

At this stage of the match, every round is extremely important; every round could determine the life or death of tonight's game!
He must be on high alert!
After all, if the team loses the game and the series is dragged back to New York, then Don Nelson will also have nowhere to put his face!
Given Nelson's personality, it's highly likely that he will resign and never coach again!

The old man wasn't the kind of guy who could withstand ridicule. Sometimes he had a thick skin, but at other times, he was pitifully thin.

In the ensuing match, both sides continued their back-and-forth battle, and both coaches stood up simultaneously. Although they did not make any substitutions, they kept shouting and using various methods to remind the players to pay attention and stay calm.

This match has reached its most intense and final stage!
Everyone unconsciously clenched their fists, and even their breathing and blinking slowed down noticeably.

Nobody wants to miss even a second of the game at this crucial moment!

For the Knicks, the most exciting thing tonight is that although Smith's shooting touch wasn't great, his defense against James was really solid.

After he replaced Carmelo Anthony, who had six fouls, he perfectly limited LeBron James' scoring. In the few minutes the two were matched up, James went 0-for-3 from the field and scored no points! As for the assists he provided...
This is LeBron James! To limit his scoring and assists simultaneously would require a top-tier interior defensive anchor plus two top-tier perimeter defenders.

On the Knicks' side, Lin Tian is the only top-tier defender, Smith is at best excellent, and Lin Tian doesn't match up against James.

With the Knicks' roster, they should be celebrating if they can defend even one of these players.

Fortunately, although James struggled offensively with a series of missed shots, Bosh was in a really hot form tonight. He scored repeatedly with drives and shots, successfully helping the team maintain a slight lead!
With 2 minutes and 58 seconds left in the fourth game, Lin Tian once again dribbled the ball to the frontcourt for the Knicks. Facing JR's defense, Lin Tian dribbled between his legs twice in a row and then suddenly pulled back to the side.

Then, regardless of JR's quick reaction and immediate attempt to block, Lin Tian simply pulled up and calmly launched a three-pointer!
"Shh!"

This time, the basketball went into the basket again!

2 minutes and 54 seconds left!
The Knicks have tied the score once again!

114: 114!

With less than three minutes remaining, the two sides were once again on equal footing!

As Lin Tian made the shot, JR was already practically kneeling on the ground.

He was also very tired and breathless, so he had to take advantage of this rare opportunity to rest on the floor for a while.

Or rather, at this point in the game, almost everyone was breathless.

Almost everyone envies JR; he can kneel on the ground to rest, how lucky he is!

At this moment, only two monsters with almost limitless physical strength can still stand relatively calmly on the court.

"As expected, in the end it's still just the two of us!"

Lin Tian looked at James, who was about to drive the ball over the court, and asked, "Want to go one-on-one?"

"No!" (End of Chapter)