Jordan: I thought he was there to help me!

Chapter 1097 A Barrage of Three-Pointers! Both Sides Exchange Three-Pointers!

After receiving the basketball from Bynum, Lin Tian did not rush to dribble forward. Instead, he stopped in place and waited for Chalmers, who was also chasing him laterally at high speed. Then, Lin Tian suddenly changed direction and dribbled, taking a step in the direction Chalmers was rushing towards.

In that instant, Chalmers faced the most embarrassing moment of his career.

He was unable to brake or control his body, and was knocked to the ground by Lin Tian's sudden change of direction.

To make matters worse, the guy fell face down, practically braking with his face.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud rang out as Chalmers slammed his head onto the floor. Even Lin Tian, ​​the one who started the incident, couldn't help but frown. That really sounded painful!

But Lin Tian didn't have much time to express his goodwill and pity. He paused for a moment, then immediately accelerated and charged toward the Cavaliers' half of the court.

A horse gallops through the snow, leaving no trace!

Lin Tian's speed was astonishing. He didn't stop all the way and almost instantly reached the Cavaliers' paint.

No one could stop him. Even though Lin Tian was already famous, the Cavaliers still couldn't have predicted that his speed would be so fast.

"boom!"

Then there was another loud bang as Lin Tian drove straight to the Cavaliers' basket and slammed the ball into the hoop with one arm!

At this moment, there were still 1.6 seconds left in the game!

Lin Tian's sprint across the field took a total of 5.4 seconds, which also includes the time it took him to wait for Chalmers for a while, change direction, and then glance back at Chalmers.

If we deduct that time, Lin Tian's sprint across the field only took 3.5-4 seconds.

That's incredible!

Even though it was a crucial moment in the Finals, the Cavaliers didn't lose focus and the whole team was desperately defending. Even though the court was empty, there was only one player who prevented you from dribbling at full speed to the basket and making a layup.

95% of the people in this league couldn't run at that speed.

What's more, Lin Tian accomplished all of this in actual combat.

The attack was as swift as lightning and as powerful as thunder!

Lin Tian gave the Cavaliers a little over a second left, but the Cavaliers failed to capitalize on it. Their long-range three-pointer ended in an airball, and the two sides entered the second half in a tie.

61: 61!

"Still a tie! The two teams are tied for the second consecutive quarter. Both sides have been trying to take the lead throughout the first half, but neither has been able to do so!" Van Gundy immediately began his analysis at the end of the first half.

"The second quarter was basically the same as the first quarter. The rhythm and the playing styles of both sides were basically a continuation of the first competition."

"That's right," Miller added. "The Cavaliers still rely on their two stars as the absolute core, with the vast majority of the team's points coming from Wade and Anthony."

"Anthony scored 30 points in the first half, which is his career high for points in a half. Wade toned down his offensive firepower in the second quarter and gave most of the offensive opportunities to Anthony, but he still scored 15 points in the first half, making him the second-highest scorer in the game."

"Besides these two, the rest of the Cavaliers players combined for only 16 points, barely one more than Wade scored alone."

Jackson said, "The Lakers are the same. Their style of play is exactly the opposite of the Cavaliers. Although Lin broke the triple-double record, he had a triple-double of 14 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in the first half. He was also the team's highest scorer and the player with the most rebounds and assists in the game."

"But the Lakers' overall cohesion is still amazing. Kobe had 9 points, Durant had 10, Bynum had 8, Murphy had 5, and Thomas had 5."

"All 11 Lakers players played in the first half. Of the 12 players registered to play tonight, only Barton has not yet had a chance to play. All 11 players have already played, and 10 of them have scored."

"The only one who didn't score was Kapono."

"An exceptional team and incredibly consistent playing time—I think that's what gave the Lakers their advantage in the second half!"

"That's physical fitness! No one on the Lakers played more than 20 minutes, and nine players played more than five minutes. They played incredibly evenly. Under these circumstances, the Lakers will definitely have more energy in the second half, and their confidence will definitely be even stronger."

"The Cavaliers are the opposite. Although nine of their players have had the opportunity to play, the team basically uses an eight-man rotation, which is the five starters plus Varejao, Parker, and Sessions."

"Furthermore, both Anthony and Wade played over 20 minutes each, barely resting in the first half. Their playing time will only increase in the second half. Although they are young and have seemingly endless energy, I must say this is a potential problem!"

"If everyone plays their full minutes and the starters have consistently played for extended periods, then Wade and Anthony might still have an advantage because of their youth. But with this style of play and playing time, Wade and Anthony's stamina will definitely decline in the fourth quarter."

"Their efficiency will also decrease, and that will be bad for the Cavaliers."

"So I think," Van Gundy said, "the most important thing for the Cavaliers is to gain an advantage as early as possible, to get a lead as early as possible, so that they can have some margin for error and some chances to make mistakes in the fourth quarter or the last five minutes."

"Only in this way can they have a better chance of winning the game. If they can't pull away, then in the fourth quarter, when the Cavaliers are exhausted and the Lakers are rested, they will be in big trouble."

"There is no room for error, no margin for error. We must continue to play the almost perfect performance we had in the first half to have any chance of winning the game."

"It's so tough! The Cavaliers are in a really tough situation. They played so well in the first half, and Wade hit some incredible shots in the final moments of both quarters, but it didn't help them gain even a single point advantage."

"The Lakers are just too strong!" Miller said. "In the first half tonight, they seemed to be playing with ease and confidence, while the Cavaliers had to give it their all just to barely manage a tie."

"This sense of pressure and composure is truly astonishing and deserves all the praise."

"Well played!" Brown clapped his hands wildly in the Cavaliers' locker room, yelling, "Keep playing like this! Keep going! We can win! We can beat the Lakers, they're about to collapse!"

"Win tonight's game, take the pivotal Game 5, and then we'll go to Los Angeles and win the championship!"

"Just give me the ball!" Wade stood up after Brown's speech and said, "Whether I'm open or the shot clock is almost over, whether you're getting shut down or you think your chances aren't good."

"Give me the ball! Give me any ball that's difficult to handle, and I'll put it in the basket and lead everyone to victory! Tonight, we have to win! We can only win!"

"clear!"

The situation in the Lakers' locker room was similar to that of the Cavaliers. Even though Jackson was known as a gentlemanly coach, and even though Lin Tian's temper had been tempered a lot since his return this year, he often looked like a harmless Kapibala.

But at this stage of the Finals, Lin Tian and Jackson put aside their usual composure and calmness. Like Wade and Brown, they gave speeches during halftime to boost their teammates' morale.

Just like the Cavaliers' locker room, the Lakers' locker room was filled with deafening cheers and shouts!

At this stage of the competition, both sides have an excellent understanding of each other. Everyone knows the opponent's playing style, habits, tactics, and personnel by heart.

This is the result of the understanding accumulated over the five-game series, and also the result of both teams watching and analyzing countless game videos of each other.

At this point, tactical arrangements are not even that important anymore, as both sides have little new to offer.

At this time, the players' morale, willpower, and desire for victory become increasingly important and significant.

This is why neither coach made any tactical adjustments or arrangements during halftime.

At this point, it's unlikely that deploying new tactics will be effective against the opponent; instead, it might make your own players feel uncomfortable.

If you're not used to it, you're more likely to make mistakes.

Therefore, taking steady and solid steps is far more important than trying to win by surprise.

With both teams' players back on the field, the commentators' work officially began.

Miller said, "The second half has begun! Neither side has changed their starting lineups; it's still the same starting players on the field! I wonder what kind of game and pace they'll have in the second half?"

Van Gundy said, "I'm really looking forward to the Lakers' five-outside lineup. The Cavaliers' coaching staff must be racking their brains these past two days trying to figure out how to deal with the lineup that completely crushed them in the last game."

"Should we exploit their weaknesses in the paint with height and strength, or should we match speed with speed and use a small lineup to compete with them? I think Brown must be racking his brains."

Jackson said, "But even if Jackson doesn't play that lineup tonight, the Cavaliers will still have a headache because they have to be prepared and have contingency plans. Otherwise, if the Lakers suddenly bring out that lineup and they are caught off guard and have no way to deal with it, then they will be doomed."

Miller added, "I prefer the name the fans gave that lineup: the Death Lineup! Judging from their performance with this lineup in the last game, these five players definitely deserve that nickname!"

"It can really kill the opponent! I think Jackson will definitely use this lineup for a while, he's just waiting for an opportunity."

"A Cavaliers team has the opportunity to take down one of their twin towers and play a 1-big-4-small lineup! I know Jackson, he would never pass up a lineup strategy that has given him a huge advantage before, he will definitely use it again!"

"Now we just need to see when he uses it!"

Miller had barely finished speaking when the Cavaliers launched their attack.

After a series of drives and passes and transition plays by the Cavaliers, with 5 seconds left on the shot clock, the ball came to Wade's hands outside the three-point line.

At this moment, he was basically in an open position. Lin Tian had just gone to help defend Chalmers, while Kobe, who was supposed to rotate to face Wade, had not yet been able to get into position in time.

Firstly, Kobe was unwilling to just let go of Anthony, whom he was defending, as Anthony's performance in the second quarter was quite explosive.

Secondly, Wade's three-point shooting is absolutely at the bottom among outside stars. Throughout his career, Wade has only had two seasons with a three-point shooting percentage of over 30%, but he has never had a three-point shooting percentage of over 32%. His three-point shooting, whether in terms of quality or quantity, is not worth mentioning.

You can choose to let go of them.

Despite being unguarded, Wade didn't lose confidence. Seeing that no one was guarding him, he calmed down and even took the opportunity to take a deep breath to regulate his breathing before calmly raising his hand and shooting the ball.

"Whoosh!"

After a crisp sound, Wade finally broke through the wall, sinking his first three-pointer of the night!

"Wade hits a three-pointer!" Van Gundy said with a smile. "If he can make a series of threes, that would be huge news for the Cavaliers! A Wade who can hit threes is absolutely terrifying."

"At the same time, if Wade can make a few three-pointers in a row, he will be able to drive to the basket more easily and efficiently, because the person guarding him will have to spend some of their energy defending Wade's three-point shot, instead of giving him a step of space as before."

"The combined power of a drive and a shot is far greater than that of a simple shot or a drive alone!"

"Having no weaknesses is more important than having strengths!"

"You're really lucky." Lin Tian received the ball from the baseline and continued to advance against Wade's defense: "You can make one incredible shot after another, even three-pointers. Did you go to church to confess last night or to bring joy to the priest?"

"I told you, Lady Luck is on our side tonight!" Wade, knowing his own limitations with three-pointers, said nonchalantly, "Guess if I can make another one?"

"I won't guess," Lin Tian said. "But I'm certain of something else: my three points are guaranteed, anytime, and without relying on luck!"

The moment Lin Tian finished speaking, Bynum suddenly appeared next to Wade, completely blocking him from view.

Lin Tian also dodged and moved sideways before pulling up a three-pointer from beyond the arc and throwing it out!

"Whoosh!"

After the crisp sound, the Lakers' offense became incredibly simple. Lin Tian didn't even pass the ball; he simply set a screen and shot directly.

But Lin Tian was confident and capable; he simply believed he could definitely make it!

So the decision to vote was made decisively.

"Did you see that?" After scoring, Lin Tian looked at Wade and said, "It's pure skill, and has absolutely nothing to do with luck."

"Nonsense, if you're unlucky, this ball will bounce out of the basket." When Wade saw Lin Tian actually bend down to defend him and was going to put a full-court press on him, he immediately retorted while pointing at Chalmers, indicating that the little brother should push the ball forward.

"No, if I'm unlucky, this shot will bounce around the rim several times before going in. For me, there's no possibility of this shot missing!" As soon as Lin Tian saw Wade not dribbling, he stood up, dropped his defensive stance, and started talking nonsense and mocking him.

"Softie."

"It's unnecessary." Wade said unmoved as he walked forward. "I'm going to play for a long time tonight, so I need to conserve my energy. There's no need to waste it on unnecessary things."

"Then you're really pathetic," Lin Tian said. "I can rest whenever I want, and I can take you all down without even overworking myself."

"So how did you lose those two games to us?" Wade continued to retort.

"Can you guys win four games first? What's the point of winning two? Do you think I'll give you half of the Larry O'Brien Trophy if you win two? Or will the league make half a trophy for you?"

"We'll win four games!" Wade said, then suddenly accelerated. Although Lin Tian had already stopped defending, he hadn't relaxed his defense against Wade from beginning to end. As soon as he saw Wade start to move, Lin Tian immediately followed up, not giving Wade any more easy opportunities to receive the ball.

Wade sprinted around the half of the court almost non-stop, using countless screens, cuts, and stop-and-go off-ball techniques, but Lin Tian stuck to him like glue.

Forget about getting a chance to shoot, Wade ran non-stop the whole way, but the Cavaliers players just couldn't find an opportunity to pass him the ball.

Lin Tian's defense against players without the ball is truly amazing.

"If you knew this would happen, why did you do it? You might as well have just held the ball yourself. You've been running for 15 seconds straight. Wouldn't that have reduced your energy consumption?" With 6 seconds left on the shot clock, Wade finally stopped running and stopped trying to keep going.

"Mind your own business!" Wade cursed, suddenly increasing the force in his hand and pushing Lin Tian away. Then he immediately reached for the ball, while turning his body to the side and using his hips to block Lin Tian from getting too close to him.

At this moment, Wade has the basketball in a position at a 45-degree angle on the left side; he actually didn't want to have the ball in this possession.

But there was nothing they could do; the other Lakers players were just too tight on defense!

The Lakers suddenly increased their defensive intensity in this possession!

The reason, of course, is Lin Tian!

If the team's leader, Lin Tian, ​​is chasing the opponent so relentlessly, how can you continue playing for the team if you don't defend properly and give the opponent a gap?

After a series of passes and runs, the Cavaliers found themselves unable to create any opportunities and had to pass the ball back to their leader, Wade.

This is what Wade said during halftime.

If you don't have a chance, give me the ball!

As for whether Wade himself has a chance?

Does it matter whether the team's leader has a chance at this point?

The most important thing is to get the ball in your hands, take responsibility, and support the team.

The team leader receives the highest salary, enjoys the most cheers and praise, and has the most fans, so it's only natural that he should do this kind of thing!

The title of team leader is not something that can be easily earned!

Bearing the expectations of his teammates, Wade used his hips to brace against Lin Tian, ​​then looked up at the remaining 3 seconds of the shot clock.

He immediately exerted his strength, took a step towards the inside, then raised his elbow again, bumping it against Lin Tian's chest while stepping back to the three-point line, and then pulled up and shot!

"Whoosh!"

"Buzz!"

Two voices rang out simultaneously once again: Wade had sank his second three-pointer of the night! And it was consecutive!

"I was really lucky, wasn't I?" Wade said to Lin Tian after scoring. "The referee didn't call an offensive foul on me, he let me off the hook both times."

"It's the Finals, after all." While Wade was already joking about his luck, Lin Tian laughed: "If everyone just hypes up Peng Liang after he's played a few games, the game won't be interesting."

"People aren't here to watch us shoot free throws!"

As Lin Tian spoke, he received the ball from the baseline and advanced towards the frontcourt.

Then Lin Tian stopped again at the top of the arc.

"Here we go!"

Lin Tian gave Wade a heads-up, then immediately accelerated his drive, and the instant he stepped into the three-point line, he raised his elbow and pressed it against Wade's chest. Then, Lin Tian took the opportunity to step back and retreat to the outside of the three-point line.

The rest is self-explanatory.

"Whoosh!"

With a crisp sound, Wade helplessly watched as the basketball obediently sank into the hoop.

The referee once again chose to ignore it.

Regardless of the overall officiating tonight, the referees have done a very good job of letting the players decide the game, at least in these star-studded matchups.

"I'll just return it to you once." (End of Chapter)