blogombal Chapter 376 The Chinese Derby is here! Let's all make dumplings together!
Chapter 376 The Chinese Derby is here! Let's all make dumplings together!
On the morning of Lunar New Year's Eve in 2002, China time, many places across China were very quiet. There were fewer pedestrians on the streets than usual, and even in many farmers' markets and small vegetable markets, there were not many people.
Although this day is not a day for visiting relatives and friends in most regions, and in a few years there won't even be a holiday, making it an ordinary day that is not worth mentioning, this morning was unusually quiet.
In many residential compounds across the country, the elderly people who used to exercise, walk their dogs, and do other sports have all disappeared from the ground floor. Instead, they have gathered in their homes early in the morning, a rare sight indeed.
"Bro, who do you think will win today?"
"Of course it's the Pacers! Lin Tian is amazing! They're the defending champions, what makes the Nets think they can compete with them? That Kidd guy, his shooting isn't even as accurate as the old lady downstairs! Lin Tian could beat him to a pulp!"
"But the Nets' interior defense is also formidable!"
"Amazing? Even if they're amazing, can they be more amazing than those two Shaqs? Those two Shaqs could easily crush Yao Ming and that little brat and use them to blow their noses. The Lakers can't even beat the Pacers, so what makes the Nets think they can?"
"Yao Ming is definitely better! Let me tell you, he and Gasol could easily tear the Pacers' interior defense apart! That Pacers interior defense is just a liability! Yao Ming is from Shanghai, how could he lose?"
"Dad, you're just talking nonsense! How could Yao Ming possibly beat the Pacers' interior defense? Ben Wallace is the best defensive center in the league!"
"Can he defend? What good is it? Is he even 2 meters tall? He can't even reach Yao Ming's armpit with a turn of his head. What's the point of him defending? Yao Ming can score against him without even jumping!"
"Oh my, great, great! Two Chinese people are playing in the NBA!" An old man looked at GG on the TV with a look of satisfaction.
"He already beat Grandpa a long time ago. DaYi and Lin Tian even had a derby in the NBA a few years ago." A teenager said impatiently, "I'd rather look forward to next week's All-Star game! Yao Ming and Lin Tian are teammates! And DaYi is on the other side!"
Yes! Three Chinese players have made it to the NBA All-Star Game! And they're all starters!
Just a few days ago, the NBA announced its All-Star starting lineup for this year, and the list surprised countless people.
This starting lineup is truly quite frightening!
In the East, although Lin Tian failed to break the record again and even received fewer votes than last year, only 3.9 million votes, he still maintained his dominant position as the All-Star vote leader. Since 1998, he has been the NBA All-Star vote leader for four consecutive years!
His backcourt partner was his old teammate Michael Jordan, who beat out backcourt players like Iverson, Miller, Kidd, and Payton to become an NBA All-Star starter once again.
As for the two players in the frontcourt, they are the cousin duo: Carter and McGrady!
These two players, besides Lin Tian, are the most popular, most visually appealing, most dazzling, and most athletic swingmen and Jordan's successor in the East today. They also got to play alongside Jordan in the All-Star Game.
As for the center position, it's Yao Ming!
Yao Ming, who played for only three and a half months, surpassed players such as Mutombo, Ben Wallace, and Mourning to become an NBA All-Star starter in his rookie season!
However, it's not too surprising that Yao Ming started the game.
At the very least, in terms of record, the Nets are currently ranked third in the Eastern Conference.
Statistically speaking, although Yao Ming's average of 15.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks is not top-tier, in the entire Eastern Conference, whether it's role players like Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo or the returning "Kidney Warrior" Alonzo Mourning, their stats are either inferior to his or about the same.
Yao Ming's selection this time, although a surprise, is also quite reasonable.
After all, there really aren't any great centers in the Eastern Conference right now!
The only one who is somewhat controversial is Duncan, the absolute core of the top team in the East, whose average of 21 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks per game this season is better than Yao Ming's.
Unfortunately, Duncan has always been a player of skill, not an idol; his playing style...
Well, not making the starting lineup isn't really a big deal for most people.
But things are a bit more interesting in the west.
Shaquille O'Neal was the undisputed first-choice center. His votes alone could almost crush all the other centers ranked 2nd to 10th. Apart from him, none of them could play!
In the backcourt, his partner Kobe stood out, receiving 310 million votes by himself, making him the top vote-getter in the entire Western Conference!
At the same time, although they don't have the kind of dominance that O'Neal can dominate, apart from him, everyone else in the West is just a bunch of weaklings fighting each other, not worth mentioning!
Besides Kobe, Jason Williams, the starting point guard for the Western Conference last year, was traded to the Grizzlies, where he encountered his lifelong rival Hubie Brown.
This relative of Larry Brown is almost a carbon copy of Larry Brown: meticulous, demanding, short-tempered, defense-oriented, and disdainful of anything fancy.
Under his coach, Williams has completely lost his rhythm. His scoring, assists, field goal percentage, and playing time have all hit career lows. Recently, he was even relegated to the bench due to an argument with Brown, and he has lost his starting position.
Williams suffered a career setback; no other player in the entire Western Conference surpassed 100 million votes. In fact, only Francis reached 80 votes, while everyone else didn't even reach 40.
The Western Conference's backcourt and center positions are truly in a state of transition.
However, with a lack of promising young players in the backfield, the battle for the two forward positions is sure to be exciting!
The competition for this position among the three leaders of top teams – Garnett, Nowitzki, and Peja – has become extremely fierce!
The three of them were neck and neck in the votes. From the day the results of the first stage of the All-Star Game were announced, the three of them fought back and forth, making it a close contest!
All for the sake of an All-Star starting position!
Up until a week before the All-Star Game, before the final All-Star results were announced, the Mavericks were ranked second in the Western Conference. Nowitzki was averaging 23 points and 10 rebounds per game, with shooting percentages of 50%, 40%, and 90%! He became the first power forward or center in NBA history to be selected for the 180 Club!
The Sacramento Kings are third in the Western Conference. Peja Stojakovic is averaging 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists per game, while shooting 43% from three-point range and making more than 3 three-pointers per game! In terms of both quality and quantity, he is definitely one of the top shooters in the NBA today!
The Timberwolves followed closely behind in fourth place in the Western Conference. Garnett continued his all-around performance with 21 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks. This guy continues his powerful performance of being able to do everything!
The competition among these three players lasted almost until the very end, and everyone agreed that it was perfectly normal and understandable for any of them to become the final All-Star starters!
In the end, Nowitzki beat Garnett and Peja by less than 5 votes to become the Western Conference All-Star starting forward!
The remaining two players will have to become substitutes!
Well... as a substitute, because the position of the other All-Star starting forward was decided early on.
approximately!
In terms of statistics, he averaged only 13 points and 6 rebounds per game this season, which is not even considered a star player. At most, he can be considered an excellent rotation player or starter.
Even before this year, he had never been eligible to participate in All-Star voting!
This year marks his first time being nominated for an All-Star game, and Chinese fans have been very enthusiastic. They couldn't give him a chance before, but they can this year, so what are they waiting for?
Lift it, carry the whole thing inside!
As for what you're saying about whether they're worthy or not, whether they're qualified or not?
The people are happy to see it, who cares if he's worthy or not!
Back then, Kobe averaged 15 points per game and was a substitute. He was able to become an All-Star starter, but I probably wouldn't be.
If you're feeling envious or jealous, then you American fans should really step up your votes for Garnett!
Because of Dazhi's selection, Nowitzki naturally benefited as well, becoming an All-Star starting forward alongside Dazhi.
In fact, in the United States, Garnett's popularity should have been far superior to his other competitors. His roars, chest pounding, and push-ups could send the fans' adrenaline soaring!
Unfortunately, the Timberwolves are based in Minnesota, so his exposure is limited. In addition, he doesn't have any Chinese teammates, and besides, his most famous thing in China is fighting with the Pacers.
With this kind of performance, can Chinese fans really help you get into the All-Star game?
That's impossible!
If you don't encourage your fans not to vote for you, then you can be considered a high-quality and forgiving fan group!
It was precisely this final vote result in the West that caused another huge public opinion storm within the United States.
The main issues were whether it was worth it, whether it was a good match, whether it should be changed, and whether it should be changed at all! The entire American basketball community was engulfed in the debate, with everyone expressing their opinions.
Of course, with the exception of a few, most people's opinions were surprisingly consistent: Yao Ming is one thing, but Eastern Conference centers are indeed not good enough. But you've gone too far!
The debate over the All-Star roster and selection process continued from the announcement of the roster until Chinese New Year's Eve, just before the Nets vs. Pacers game.
Of course, even at this point, public opinion showed no signs of stopping.
After all, Americans don't care about your so-called Chinese derby; to them, it's just an ordinary regular season game.
However, Lin Tian's statement in the pre-match interview was enough to quiet many people down a bit.
"You ask me if they deserve it? Of course they do! Why wouldn't they? When has the All-Star standard ever been about selecting the best and greatest players? If that were the case, we could just pick the All-Star starters from the All-NBA team."
"The rule is that the fans vote, and my brothers are eligible to be voted on. There was no behind-the-scenes manipulation, vote rigging, or fraud in any of their votes, which proves that the fans want to see them more."
"If you're not satisfied, just let your fans vote for you, or go on a vote for your favorite player. It's that simple, what's there to discuss?"
"I don't care about any nonsense about who has better stats, a better record, or a higher status on the team! It's the same old story: the rules are the rules, and if we win within the rules, then we deserve everything!"
"So, Lin, several players have said they'll teach Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi a lesson in the upcoming games, letting them know they don't deserve to be All-Star starters. What's your opinion on that?"
"What do you think? I don't care. Who said that? You give me the roster, and when we face off, I'll show those guys who said that they don't deserve to play in the NBA! You'll see if I can just crush them!"
"Garnett said it!" a reporter couldn't wait to stir things up.
"Pfft, he's that tough? Then I'm really looking forward to our game against the Timberwolves! You guys tell Kevin: get ready to be the background character! Okay, who else said that? I'll beat them all up one by one, let's see if they dare to talk nonsense again."
Then Lin Tian took a piece of paper and a pen in a very professional manner, indicating to the reporters that they could begin speaking.
Then, the reporters rattled off several names in quick succession, which Lin Tian wrote down one by one. He then waved his pen and said, "The good news is, there will be several more exciting matches this season!"
American fans didn't have time to discuss or analyze Lin Tian's arrogance.
After all, not many people watched this game, and it will take time for the public opinion to ferment and for it to reach the ears of various stars.
But the outcry from American fans will have to wait a while, while across the ocean in China, it's a nationwide celebration!
It's Lunar New Year's Eve, a time when most people are off work or school, and traveling during the New Year isn't a popular activity. So, on this day, countless Chinese people are sitting in front of their TVs watching the live broadcast of this match, along with the pre-match analysis and interviews!
Lin Tian's interview was broadcast to the entire country of China almost in real time under these circumstances!
"A real man! Lin Tian is tough! We'll crush those American devils!"
"We want to see it, stop your babbling! Lin Tian's right, let's beat them to a pulp!"
"Anyone who disagrees? Come on, step forward and let's see who dares to challenge me! Lin Tian has beaten you bunch of bastards into submission one by one!"
"Uphold our national prestige! Uphold our national prestige! Lin Tian is truly awesome!"
"I'm an Olympic gold medalist, what right do you silver medalists have to spout nonsense?"
"A true brother! Lin Tian is a real savior! It wasn't even his business, but he stood up for his brother! No wonder the Chinese team has such great fighting spirit; with a leader like that, anyone would be full of energy!"
"We'll beat those American devils again at this year's World Championships! You disagree? We'll beat you until you do!"
"Lin Tianzhen single-handedly changed foreigners' prejudices against us! Who says we Chinese are reserved, low-key, and humble? When it's time to beat you up, we won't hold back at all! We'll beat you to a pulp!"
The entire land of China was overjoyed after Lin Tian's series of responses! They could eat 20 extra big dumplings at the New Year's Eve dinner that night!
With Lin Tian's response and strong support, the highly anticipated Chinese New Year derby, featuring many Chinese New Year elements in the stadium, is finally about to begin!
"Thanks, Brother Lin!" Before the game started, Yao Ming walked over to Lin Tian and gave him a high five to express his gratitude.
"Thanking me is useless." Lin Tian waved his hand and said, "This is just treating the symptoms, not the root cause. If you really want everyone to respect you and acknowledge your All-Star starter status, you have to first demonstrate the strength of an All-Star starter! For example, tonight, crush Ben! Beat him to a pulp, and see who still doubts you."
"Lin, I support your little brother too!" Da Ben chimed in with a grin, "What are you two talking about?"
"I'm letting Yao beat you to a pulp." Lin Tian declared, "I'm an honest young man, I never lie!"
"Do you need me to go easy on you?" Ben reacted quickly, revealing a mischievous grin. "If you're treating tonight, I can go easy on you a little."
"Go easy on him?" Lin Tian said, "If you can keep him from scoring double digits and grabbing less than 5 rebounds today, I'll treat you to a week's salary!"
"If we're going to fight, let's fight for real, to the death! Holding back? That's just too embarrassing! What do you say, Yao? You dare? Tonight, you two will beat them to a pulp! Fight them like they're your father's killers!"
"Ben, for your All-Star reserve status and the Defensive Player of the Year award! Yao, for everyone to respect you and recognize your worth and ability! Give it your all and play your best!"
"Dare!" Yao Ming and Ben Wallace looked at each other at the same time. Although the height difference between the two was more than 20 centimeters or even 25 centimeters, for a moment, the two of them felt like they had met their match!
The time has come to prove myself!
"What are you saying to my good buddy Yao Ming?" Kidd chimed in. "Tonight, it's on me! When you come to New York, I'll make sure you feel right at home!"
"You're shameless, Jason," Lin Tian scoffed. "How dare you say this is New York?"
"Sorry!" Kidd nodded. "I am indeed a New York player, and besides, let's not get into that mess, are you going or not?"
"Go!" Lin Tian nodded without hesitation. Kidd was a well-known figure, an absolute trendsetter and king of parties in the league. The venue he arranged would definitely be top-notch.
"You're still the best, Lin!" Kidd exclaimed. "You have no idea how boring this team is! Your big guy is great in every way, except he never goes out at night! And that Spaniard is the same! Great in every way, except he never goes out!"
"I'm so bored playing on the same team as those two! And yet, we have amazing chemistry on the court, you know, it's like... how should I put it?"
"Just like you and your ex-wife, you both look stunning and have long legs, but when it comes to actually doing things, you just don't click! Hey, where can you go to reason with them!" Lin Tian blinked and unleashed another powerful move.
Slap someone in the face first, and curse someone's mother if you want to insult them!
"FUXX! Don't mention that woman in front of me again! Don't mention her!" Kidd's expression changed instantly. All those titles like "top commander of the alliance," "backcourt engine," and "cold-blooded killer" vanished.
"Is it true that you couldn't beat her?"
"How dare you slander someone out of thin air?" Kidd's eyes widened. "I was being respectful! No, I was giving in to her! What could I do? Kill her in front of my child? That would traumatize my child for life! Yes! That's it, that's it! I did it for my child!"
"Yes, yes, yes, what a great father! So when was the last time you saw your child? Was it last May or the Christmas of the year before?"
"Nonsense! It was last Christmas! We do it every Christmas." Kidd's voice trailed off, his confidence waning.
Then he decided to ignore Lin Tian, turned around and walked back to his team, grabbed Yao Ming and Gasol, and mumbled something to them.
He got angry out of embarrassment.
Lin Tian was feeling refreshed and invigorated, not because Kidd had given him a lot of experience points, but simply because he was happy!
Extreme bad breath, pure pleasure!
Soon, all ten starting players from both sides were on the field.
For the Pacers, Webber is out due to injury, and Harrington will temporarily start.
The remaining four people are still Lin Tian, Carter, Christie and Ben.
The Nets, on the other hand, fielded a truly massive roster.
Jason Kidd, the team's 193cm tall commander and strategist, was appointed as the point guard.
Standing at 198 cm tall, nicknamed "Mosquito," Kittles, with his slender and long physique and astonishingly long wingspan, is very similar to Christie in terms of playing style, physique, team role, playing style, and even the length of his name. He plays shooting guard.
Keith Van Horn, the 208cm second overall pick, plays the small forward position.
Pau Gasol, 213 cm tall, plays the power forward position.
Yao Ming, who is 226 cm tall, plays the center position.
The height of this roster is absolutely unmatched in the entire league. No team in the league can compare to them, whether it's average height or individual height.
Or rather, apart from Kittles being of average height at the point guard position, everyone else is tall in their respective positions!
The Nets' starting lineup, with an average height of 207 cm, is the key to their current third-place ranking in the Eastern Conference!
Tall enough, big enough, and powerful enough!
For example, during the jump ball, Ben Wallace was even too lazy to jump.
He stood in front of Yao Ming like a hobbit.
Yao Ming easily defeated Ben Wallace, securing the first possession for the Nets.
After receiving the ball, Kidd changed his usual fast-paced, whirlwind style of leading the team's attacks. Instead, he carefully protected the ball, directed his teammates' movements, and then calmly dribbled the ball to the frontcourt.
After a series of moves, Kidd wasted no time and quickly passed the ball to Yao Ming in the paint.
Yao Ming held the ball and blocked Ben Wallace behind him. He felt a huge force coming from behind, which made his upper body lean forward and almost lose his balance.
"Come on, kid! Let me see what you've got!" Ben Wallace yelled behind Yao Ming, pushing him away from the basket with his big paws.
He knew very well that this big guy was enormous and had excellent shooting touch. If he were to get under the basket, his own height would be completely inadequate.
But Yao Ming's touch clearly didn't require him to force his way to the basket. He quickly turned around against Ben Wallace, then gathered the ball, jumped, and launched his signature mid-range turnaround jumper from the baseline!
"Whoosh!"
With a crisp click, Yao Ming scored the first 2 points for his team, showing good form!
A cheer that resounded throughout the land immediately erupted across China!
Look! This is the height of our Chinese civilization!
Before the cheers had even subsided, Harrington had already quickly inbounded the ball from the baseline. Lin Tian received the ball outside the three-point line, then used two consecutive crossovers to shake off Kidd, before accelerating and rushing forward, instantly penetrating the heart of the Nets' territory.
The Nets' weakness of being too tall and slow became apparent at this point. Apart from Kittles and Kidd, who could barely keep up with Lin Tian, the rest of the Nets players were running hard but couldn't keep up with the pace at all!
The problem is, although the Nets have two players keeping up with Lin Tian, the Pacers are not like them. The Pacers have a lot of players who can run!
Lin Tian held the ball with one hand and suddenly flicked it horizontally towards the middle. The basketball immediately flew towards the ground, passed under Christie's legs, bounced heavily on the floor, and then took off again, arriving in the hands of Carter who was following up in the middle.
Needless to say, Carter certainly wouldn't disappoint the fans at this moment, pulling up for a spectacular 360°+ one-handed windmill dunk!
"boom!"
After a loud bang, Carter landed with his hands in front of him and twisted them, and the Vince brand scooter was back on the road.
"How's it going, Jason? Should we slow down and wait for you guys?" After scoring, Lin Tian looked at Kidd and said, "Your big guys are having a hard time keeping up with us!"
"Or maybe we should lower our stance a bit, so you can see the ball in our hands." Kidd dribbled steadily forward, wary of Lin Tian's potential steal, while continuing to direct his teammates to set up their defense. "Seriously, Vince flying that high only gets 2 points, what's the point?"
"How is it useless? He's an All-Star starter, earning tens of millions of dollars a year just from endorsements and various commercial activities," Lin Tian laughed. "And you, Jason? Have you ever earned tens of millions of dollars in your entire life from commercial endorsements?"
"Go to hell." Kidd curled his lip, deciding not to talk to Lin Tian about this anymore.
So what if he makes over ten million? Compared to Lin Tian and Carter, those two super-popular figures, his popularity isn't even enough to fill their teeth.
So he passed the ball to Yao Ming in the low post again, shouting, "Yao, one more!"
"One more?" Ben Affleck sneered, this time attacking even more fiercely, his grip on Yao Ming's waist tightening even more: "He's trying to kill you!"
In that one round, Ben Affleck practically tested Yao Ming's strength level.
That's not nearly enough!
In addition, Ben Wallace has recently studied Yao Ming's game videos and has already summarized a method to defend against this big man.
As long as you stick close to him and don't give him any chance to drive into the paint, he can only dribble, turn around, and jump shoot. At that point, Ben Wallace can continue to apply more pressure to him to distort his movements, or he can look for an opportunity to steal the ball directly.
In short, Ben Wallace has absolute confidence in locking down Yao Ming and forcing him to play far below his average level!
"Snapped!"
Then, just as Ben Wallace predicted, Yao Ming couldn't get past him in the low post, so he had to resort to his signature move and continue to turn and shoot. But this time, just as he finished turning, before he could even gather the ball, Ben Wallace, who had seized the opportunity, slapped it away and stole the ball.
Quick attack!
"What a pity! Yao Ming is still a bit too inexperienced." In the Huaxia Sports studio, Su Qun lamented, "His strength and physicality really need to be improved."
"However, he's facing one of the best defensive centers in the league! The most important thing tonight isn't to dominate Ben Wallace, but to find the experience and feel for playing against a top-tier center like him!"
After the steal, Yao Ming didn't let up. He lowered his head and sprinted towards the backcourt, trying to catch up with the Pacers' fast break and make amends for his mistake.
But what kind of speed is the Pacers' fast break? Yao Ming hadn't even run into his own three-point line yet, and Lin Tian had already forced his way in and scored a layup!
"You'd better step up your game, Yao Ming, don't let Ben Wallace look down on you!" After making the layup, Lin Tian didn't forget to turn around and joke with Yao Ming, reminding him to step up his game!
In the third possession, Kidd didn't pass the ball to Yao Ming this time, but instead passed it to Gasol, who was waiting in the high post.
We agreed on two towers, so we have to treat everyone equally! We can't just feed one person.
After Gasol received the ball at the high post, facing Harrington, who was a head shorter than him, he didn't choose to force his way inside. Instead, he used two fakes and then pulled up for a shot. Poor Harrington was still shifting his center of gravity and couldn't interfere at all. He could only watch as Gasol made the shot!
"Whoosh!"
"Look, there are things Yao Ming could learn from Gasol's playing style. When Gasol gets the ball, he holds it very high, never lowering it to his chest; he just keeps it raised! This way, he's unlikely to be intercepted by the opponent!"
Sun Zhengping analyzed, "Since Yao Ming and Pau Gasol are on the same team, they can really learn from each other and see if they can improve together!"
After Gasol made a high-post jump shot, Yao Ming quickly turned around and came to the baseline, spreading his arms to interfere with Christie's pass. At the same time, the rest of the Nets quickly retreated to defend, wanting to fight a half-court game with the Pacers!
Their strengths lie in their inside game and height.
Christie felt as if a huge mountain had appeared in front of him. He held the ball and gestured several times but didn't dare to pass it directly. In the end, Lin Tian could only retreat to the baseline and receive Christie's pass. However, at this time, the Pacers' fast break was also impossible.
"Fantastic! This game is sure to be amazing!" Su Qun said with a smile. "Will the Nets' height be more effective, or will the Pacers' speed be more useful? Let's see what kind of answer the tallest and fastest team in the league will give us!"
As the game progressed, both teams' players became more and more energetic and in better form.
Whether it's Kidd or Lin Tian, both of them are trying to do the same thing: bring the other into their own rhythm!
Lin Tian will definitely take the initiative whenever he gets the chance, play in transition, and make the Nets' tall players run themselves ragged.
Kidd, on the other hand, did everything he could to slow down the pace of the game. He would even forcefully hold back a fast break opportunity unless it was a 100% chance to win 1-0.
Both playmakers hoped to drag their opponents into their own rhythm and then use their rich experience and superior lineup to defeat them.
Unfortunately, both of them are among the league's top point guards, and neither of them is so easily fooled.
Simply put, it's a game of 'you do your thing, I'll do mine'!
Even if I can't set your pace, you can't possibly slow down mine.
Throughout the first half, the two sides presented a very disjointed feeling to the fans.
It's that kind of thing, how should I put it?
It felt like watching two separate matches!
Lin Tian made a series of breakthroughs and passes, and his teammates made fancy moves to catch the ball and shoot. The game was so fast and exciting that they almost never waited until there were only ten seconds left on the shot clock before taking a shot.
The Nets, on the other hand, proceeded slowly, and Kidd wouldn't start the attack until everyone was in position and in their designated areas.
Many of their attacks only truly begin when there are only 11-2 seconds left on the clock!
Because both teams have a top-notch playmaker, the Pacers are fast but not chaotic, and the Nets are slow but not sluggish.
Both sides played very well and made very few mistakes.
At the end of the first half, the Pacers led the Nets 52-45 by 7 points.
这个半场，林天拿下14分6助攻3篮板2抢断，卡特11分2篮板2助攻，哈灵顿7分，大本2分7篮板！
For the Nets, Kidd, as usual, only scored 5 points on 2-of-6 shooting, but dished out a game-high 7 assists without a single turnover!
Gasol led the team with 13 points and 5 rebounds. His high-post jump shot and his smooth breakthroughs after several fakes were eye-catching.
Yao Ming's performance tonight was not as expected. Under Ben Wallace's targeted defense, his weakness in physical strength was fully exposed. In the first half, he only made 2 of 7 shots and 2 of 2 free throws, scoring only 6 points and 3 rebounds.
"In the first half, we could see that Yao Ming's ability to withstand pressure and compete with the league's top defenders was still somewhat lacking! I think this is something he needs to improve and work on in the upcoming games."
During halftime, Su Qun analyzed, "Through the first half, we can see that although this game is ostensibly a contest of height and speed, it ultimately boils down to a duel between two top-tier point guards, Kidd and Lin Tian!"
"Whoever can successfully steer the other into their own rhythm will seize the initiative tonight and lead their team to victory! This battle of rhythm between top point guards is definitely worth watching repeatedly!"
"That's right." Sun Zhengping followed up, "Both Kidd and Lin Tian are players with distinct characteristics and excellent abilities. They can be considered the two best point guards in the league today. They are the kind of players who can change the team's style and build their own system by their own efforts."
"And they seem to have a really good relationship! I heard they often go out together to have fun. I wonder if they ever bring Yao Ming along when they go out together in private?"
Su Qun laughed and said, "Definitely not. Let's not even talk about whether Yao Ming dares or likes to go out with them. Just look at Yao Ming's height. He'll be recognized wherever he goes. I think Lin Tian and Kidd wouldn't want to take such a person out with them."
"It's too eye-catching!"
Sun Zhengping then burst into laughter: "Hahaha, that's right, that's right. I think Yao Ming and Gasol are the same type who can't go out at all. These two must be very well-behaved."
With the two commentators cracking jokes, the second half of the game quickly began!
In the second half, the Nets suddenly changed their tactics, or rather, their positioning.
In the first possession, Yao Ming stood near the three-point line to set a screen for Kidd. After the screen, the Pacers players quickly retreated, not even glancing at Kidd outside the three-point line.
"FUXX!" Even with Kidd's excellent mental fortitude, he couldn't help but curse out loud at this moment.
Do you really think I'm some kind of iron-fighting king who can't shoot at all?
Okay, I really am!
But if you make it this big, then you're bullying people!
So, Kidd, outside the three-point line, bent his knees, aimed at the basket, and then pulled up and shot!
However, the basketball's arc was clearly insufficient; although he was in a shooting posture, the basketball wasn't heading towards the basket at all.
A sham transfer of the true teachings!
Gasol grabbed the basketball under the basket and then didn't even try to contest Harrington's shot. He looked so weak that he couldn't even stand properly, but he threw the ball towards the middle, and the ball flew out with perfect accuracy and stability.
Yao Ming caught the basketball and spun around, quickly getting behind Ben Wallace. Then, with one hand on the ball, he lifted it 5cm off the ground and slammed it home!
"Did you see Lin Tian? Have you ever seen such a smooth inside pass in your life?" After scoring, Kidd excitedly taunted Lin Tian. This three-man connection is the Nets' signature move!
"Are you sure you want to compete with us in this?" Lin Tian snorted. This Kidd, he's showing off his cross in front of Jesus and playing with lightning in front of Thor!
Don't you even know who our team's center is!
Oh, Ben?
Never mind, let's wait until Webber returns.
Lin Tian dribbled all the way to the frontcourt, then paused outside the three-point line before suddenly accelerating, passing Kidd in a lightning-fast step and driving straight into the paint!
Facing the help defense from Gasol and Yao Ming, Lin Tian fully extended his body, arching it backwards. Then, after reaching the highest point, Lin Tian unleashed his full power and slammed the basketball towards the basket!
"boom!"
With a loud bang, Lin Tian completed a powerful dunk over two 7-foot tall men!
"Welcome to the NBA!" After scoring, Lin Tian trash-talked the two big men at the same time.
"Oh my! Lin Tian really gave Yao Ming a great gift!" Su Qun said with a smile, "Is this the first time Yao Ming has been dunked on in the NBA?" (End of this chapter)