Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 361 The Perfect Clippers
"The Clippers are currently facing a foul trouble, and it won't be easy for them to play at the Raptors' home court today."

Although Yu Jia spoke cryptically, the anger in his words was unmistakable.

"The third quarter had just begun when Chen Wang was called for his fourth foul, while Zubac hadn't even played yet due to his fourth foul."

"Jurordi had three fouls, and Dillon fouled out early."

"All five starters were given special attention today."

"Being down by 7 points is already considered a very fortunate margin."

"The current concern is whether the Clippers' rotation can hold up."

On the Clippers' bench, Chen Fang was furious. He took two sips of his drink and, overcome with anger, smashed the plastic cup on the ground.

His angry behavior stunned everyone, and cameras focused on Chen Wang.

They captured Rivers approaching, seemingly to comfort Chen Wang, who was clearly very agitated, muttering something incessantly.

"King Chen is furious. The call just now was indeed problematic. It was just a swinging motion, but Green immediately covered his mouth and fell down."

"In slow motion, we can see that the hand didn't even touch his neck or above; it only hit his chest," Duan Ran sighed. In this season's playoffs, the Clippers' officiating has been within the normal range, but today's game was far too biased.

Any action they took would draw severe penalties, while the Raptors seemed to have gotten wind of it and made very small, subtle movements.

The punishment seems fair, but the problem is that the Clippers were the fools who didn't get a heads-up and only realized what was happening after taking a lot of hits.

The entire first half was a fragmented and disjointed game environment.

Chen Fang is known for his quick reflexes. He is very careful on defense, but he can also be very effective on offense, making him unpredictable.

"You need to stay calm. If the leader loses his temper, then we might as well not play at all," Rivers said, turning back to observe the game.

Mazura also came over and grabbed Chen Fang's arm.

"Huff, huff." Chen Fang took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

A figure suddenly appeared in front of Chen Fang. He looked up and saw it was Ross.

“Dude, I feel terrible,” Chen Fang said to Ross.

“Yes, it’s tough right now, but we’re not at the point of complete defeat yet.” Ross crouched down, and his calm gaze touched Chen Fang.

"You have to trust your teammates who are on the field, and as the leader, you also have to make everyone believe that you are okay."

Rose's words also made Chen Fang realize that he had indeed been confused by the refereeing in the first half.

When people get carried away, they lose all reason.

But what good is regaining his composure? There are still almost two quarters left, and he has four fouls. If he gets another foul on the court, he will be sent off again and left to his fate.

Kobe's words from the day before yesterday flashed through my mind: "The game is the result of the whole team, and the strength of teammates is the foundation of victory."

Because the starters were all hampered by foul trouble, Rivers fielded a rotation lineup in the third quarter.

Lou Williams, Beverley, Thornwell, Richon, Harrell.

This is definitely the Clippers' shortest lineup, and also their worst offensively.

Aside from Lou Williams, the team has almost no ball-handling ability; the only reassuring thing about this lineup is its solid defense.

Although watching the game from the bench is nothing new for Chen Fang, it was the first time he had done so in the finals when they were behind.

Beverley set a screen for Lou Williams, who took a step to the side, and Lowry didn't adjust his defensive position in time, allowing Lou Williams to shoot.

The moment Lou Williams released the shot, Chen Fang and his teammates on the bench all stood up. When they saw the ball go in, they all shouted in unison.

"Well done, Louis!" Chen clapped loudly and nodded repeatedly.

"This guy truly deserves to be called the best sixth man!" Chen Fang said to Di Lung beside him, and the two high-fived as they sat down again.

This three-pointer narrowed the gap to four points.

The Raptors had possession of the ball. The Clippers were retreating and getting into position. Chen Fang saw Siakam quietly accelerating from the sideline to try and get open. He immediately stood up again, put his hands to his mouth like a megaphone, and shouted: "Harrell, sideline, sideline!"

Harrell reacted, moved over, and occupied the open area in front of Siakam.

"Stay focused!" Chen Fang shouted again.

When Leonard forcefully drove into the paint, took a step-back shot, and made it, the contrast between the Clippers' bench players clutching their heads and the crowd cheering was stark.

"Damn it!" Chen Fang slammed his hand on the chair in frustration.

Thornwell was clearly outmatched; a single squeeze was enough to strip him of his defensive mobility.

The game continued, and after a whispered conversation with Rivers, Mazura began to make substitutions.

He walked behind the bench and called out to Bridges.

Bridges quickly headed towards the technical table, and Chen, relieved, followed after him.

"Hey!"

“Captain.” Bridges turned his head in surprise.

"Mikar, you're the best offensively and defensively in this draft class, and the small forward I trust the most. Be confident, you can do it!"

After saying that, Chen Fang hugged Bridges tightly and patted his back forcefully.

“I know, I know, I won’t let you down!” Bridges said excitedly, clenching his fists.

"Go for it, bro!" Chen Fang reached out and gave Bridges a high five.

Upon returning, Dillon said, "Damn it, wasn't it me?"

"Of course not, your offense is really terrible." Chen Fang rolled his eyes.

“Fine, after this summer, I’ll make you take back what you said,” Dillon said menacingly.

"Okay, okay, I know," Chen Fang replied casually.

This was just a banter between the two, and neither of them took it seriously, their attention always focused on the court.

The Clippers committed another foul, resulting in a dead ball situation. Bridges came on and replaced Thornwell.

Chen Fang got up again to greet his good brother.

He immediately hugged Thornwell: "Don't be upset, you played great."

"I'm sorry, I didn't defend well." Sandwell felt apologetic. He knew all too well how important today's game was, and he was extremely frustrated that he couldn't help at such a crucial moment.

"There's still a chance. It's not that easy to defend against Ke Huai, and I can't defend against him either," Chen Fang comforted him.

Rivers, who was watching from the side, was pleased with Chen Fang's actions.

In the current predicament, when you are unable to play, you should not sit idly in your chair waiting for death, nor should you give up on yourself.

Instead, they should use their enthusiasm and words to inspire their teammates on the field.

On the court, Dani Green hit a three-pointer, but Bridges responded with a follow-up shot.

"YES! Beautiful shot! Mikael!" On the bench, Chen Fang was the first to stand up, waving a towel and shouting.

His actions inspired his teammates, who cheered and shouted for Bridges. This scene gave Bridges an invisible boost of strength and confidence on the court.

As the game continued, Beverley also fouled out and was substituted. This time, Rose was to come in.

"Brother, please." Chen Fang grabbed Ross's hand.

For this Finals, Rose shaved his head back into a buzz cut. Although his role wasn't big, he was always ready and waiting.

“Leave it to me!” Ross said calmly.

From his eyes, Chen Fang saw the pride and composure of a former king.

When Rose came on, he switched positions with Lou Williams; Rose played point guard, and Lou Williams switched to shooting guard.

His opponent was VanVleet, who became Lowry's most reliable rotation player in the playoffs. At 183cm tall, VanVleet repeatedly helped the team with his sharp drives and three-pointers.

Rose didn't go one-on-one; instead, he used a pick-and-roll to push forward, drawing the defense before passing the ball to Bridges, who was cutting in.

Catch the ball, jump, catch it with both hands, and slam it against the rim.

Bridges, swinging his arm around the rim, drew gasps from the crowd and thunderous cheers from the Clippers' bench.

Bridges, who had just entered the game, scored 5 points in a row, immediately turning around the Clippers' losing streak.

Chen Fang shouted to Rose, who was retreating from defense, "Great pass!"

They gave Ross a thumbs-up with both hands.

Then Chen Fang said to Mazura, "I think there's no problem. Rose's playoff experience is reliable."

The Raptors wanted to get their revenge, but VanVleet clearly underestimated Rose, thinking he was too old, his knees were worn out, and he wouldn't be able to move quickly.

He tried to force his way past Rose by changing direction repeatedly, but just as he was about to succeed and the two were shoulder to shoulder, he felt his hand slip away.

Startled, he turned around and saw Ross's number 1 back.

Number 1 was also reissued to Ross at Chen Fang's suggestion.

Rose was running. He heard the screams from the crowd and could even see the fans waving their batons frantically behind the Raptors' half-court backboard, but all of this only made him calmer. He ran forward, the ball obediently in his hands. He saw the three-point line drop past him, so Rose took a step, one step, two steps, and leaped into the air.

His body's instincts called to him, so Rose held the ball behind his head with both hands. When he could clearly see the basket and the swaying white net, the former MVP king sucked in his stomach and exhaled.

"scold!"

Accompanying this angry sound was the shattering of the basketball hoop, which, with the help of a loudspeaker fixed to the bottom of the hoop, resonated in the ears and deep in the hearts of everyone at the Scotiabank Center.

Rose's signature dunk missed the rim, and after landing, he didn't even celebrate, but immediately returned to defense.

After running a few steps, he saw the Clippers' bench, where everyone was standing in a row, each with a crazy expression, shouting at him.

The familiar scenes and past glories flashed through my mind like a slideshow.

Taking a deep breath, Ross raised his right hand and forcefully slashed through the air.

"Rose, Rose! It's like going back to the 10-11 season! That year, Rose led the Chicago Bulls to a 62-20 record, ranking first in the league. With that alone, Rose won the regular season MVP!" Yu Jia shouted excitedly.

"Seeing Rose slam dunk with both hands again feels like a dream!"

Everyone has their favorite basketball star, and for Yu Jia, it's Derrick Rose.

He then emotionally extended the topic: "In fact, Rose's performance on the court has been declining in recent years. After tearing his ligament in the 2012 playoffs, his average points per game have been decreasing, and his role in the team has been diminishing, while he has been marginalized."

"But in China, Rose still enjoys great popularity, and 70 percent of Rose brand sneaker sales come from China."

"Why is Ross so popular in China? It's actually quite simple."

"It's not just his football skills, but also his life experiences and tenacious spirit that resonated with Chinese fans. Many fans were moved by his spirit of persevering despite injuries and pursuing his dreams."

"Many people who have suffered similar sports injuries also regard Rose as a role model."

"Rose has a huge and loyal fan base in China. Their support for Rose goes beyond his achievements as a player; it's more about recognizing his personal qualities and spirit."

"And today, Rose was called upon in a time of crisis. With the starters unable to play, he stepped up. Nothing could be more exciting than that."

As if hearing Yu Jia's emotional commentary, Rose suddenly took a shot from the top of the arc after Bridges' fake pick-and-roll.

The moment he jumped, Chen Fang jumped up as well, raising his arms high in celebration.

The moment the ball swished through the hoop, Chen Fang whirled around, facing the Raptors fans behind the bench, and roared, "See that? We still have an MVP!"

He also pulled Dillon and Jaren together to cheer for Rose: "Derrick, idol! Derrick, MVP!"

They even started dancing rhythmically while singing, prompting the commentators to exclaim, "Look at the Clippers' morale! The Raptors are in trouble!"

Chen Fang's actions dispelled the gloom on the Clippers' bench, and the whole team cheered, as if everyone was inspired by Rose's scoring and eager to get on the court and become the next Rose.

Lou Williams was tired, so Brunson took over.

Big Head was very excited; he and Rose formed a formidable perimeter offense.

His usually weak defense was boosted by the excitement, and he was able to defend against VanVleet repeatedly.

At the same time, he used his powerful physique to make shots near the free-throw line in two separate possessions.

"The Clippers have taken the lead, it's unbelievable. With a group of rotation players, the Clippers not only erased a 7-point deficit, but also took a 2-point lead."

The final possession of the third quarter went to Rose.

He waved for the others to pull away, and facing Lowry who had been forced to come on, Rose simply made a strong crossover, easily getting past Lowry as if he were a wooden stake.

Sprinting forward, Rose was incredibly fast, just like the unstoppable whirlwind of the 11 season. Before Ibaka could even get up and jump, Rose had already put the ball into the basket with a one-handed layup.

perfect!

The ball landed, and the buzzer sounded to signal the end of the third quarter.

Chen Fang was the first to rush onto the court. He ran across the entire half of the court, came into the Raptors' paint, and picked up Rose in one swift motion.

"Dude, this is a huge surprise, I'm impressed."

"I did it." Rose finally smiled, touching his knee, and said to Chen Fang, "The fourth quarter is all up to you."

"Watch me!" This time, it was Chen Fang's turn to speak.

Look up to see the score.

85: 80.

The Clippers led by five points going into the final quarter.

If I lose even after all this, I might as well quit this business!
Chen Fang gritted his teeth.

As the fourth quarter began, the Clippers' starting lineup returned to the court. Due to the lingering effects of his high spirits in the first half, Chen Fang's shooting percentage was not high. But that's how people are; his teammates' brilliant performance in the third quarter had already reactivated Chen Fang's power.

In the first minute, Chen Fang received the ball on the wing and faced Leonard. He made almost no feints and took a straight shot.

Horrifying!

That's how Leonard feels; that familiar feeling is back.

In the first half, he used more physical contact to wear down Chen Fang and launched a fierce attack on Chen Fang, drawing defensive fouls.

This resulted in Chen Wang being relegated to the bench for the entire third quarter.

Unexpectedly, at the start of the fourth quarter, Leonard felt that the terrifying Chen Wang from the previous game had returned.

So Leonard brought out the measures he had reviewed over the past few days again, but this time, Chen Fang chose to trust his teammates.

Whether it's Jrue Holiday or Zubac in the paint, once they're in position, the ball comes to them.

The score remained close, and Chen Fang's assist numbers were increasing, even though he didn't score many points today.

They only scored 16 points in the first half, and so far, that's just three points.

But he completely restrained Leonard and Dani Green, and no one dared to underestimate Chen Wang's role.

And manipulating people's hearts is precisely what Chen Fang excels at.

Chen Fang passed the ball hand-to-hand, feigning a pass to deceive everyone.

Just as the Raptors' attention was focused on Dillon's cut, they saw Chen Fang turn around and jump.

"Ho!"

The fans gasped in surprise.

"Three points!" Ke Fan roared with lightning speed.

Hand up and down!
Witnessing the goal, Ke Fan continued to shout, "Ten points! The Clippers have shaken off their foul trouble and are back in the lead!"

"Chen Wang's fourth three-pointer, despite his poor shooting in the first half, doesn't mean he'll be like this throughout the game!"

"Chen Wang never lets us down. Today, the Clippers are determined to avenge their two home losses and take back two games at the Raptors' home court!"

Rivers was greatly encouraged by the excellent form of the substitutes, and he proactively adjusted the rotation plan to include more players in the tactical system.

Bridges became a surprise weapon; in the few minutes he replaced Dillon, he consistently scored from three-point range, threatening the Raptors' defense.

Rose also got playing time in the fourth quarter, which is rare for him throughout the season.

He repaid the coaching staff's trust with a drive and a three-pointer.

Brunson impressed the coach in the third quarter, earning playing time after Dillon and Jrue Holiday committed fouls again.

With three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Chen Fang, carrying five fouls, returned to the court.

He led Ross, Bridges, Zubac, and Harrell in a final debriefing.

112: 101.

The 11-point gap remained until the final 30 seconds.

Nas gave up; there was no chance left.

As the final bell rang, Chen Fang hugged his teammates one by one, then ran to the bench and high-fived everyone in celebration.

When reporters approached him, Chen Fang waved his hand, saying, "Today's main character isn't me, it's Ross."

"He inspired each and every one of us, showing us how to face adversity!"

"This victory is a testament to the Clippers' unity and spirit; I'm just one part of it."

Meanwhile, in the commentary booth, David was giving a summary.

"The biggest surprise of today's game was seeing the Clippers collectively explode. I've always been worried about the Clippers' bench depth, but today, I'm not worried anymore."

"I even felt that today's predicament would hone the Clippers' final push."

"With this step, the Clippers have entered their most perfect state."

"This state will help the Clippers reach the pinnacle of their dreams!"

"Let us patiently await the arrival of the fifth match, the battle for supremacy."

(End of this chapter)