Chapter 128: Garbage Time

Swift was the name of the reporter who had made a bet with Lin Feng; he was a sports journalist for the Cleveland Sun.

With the playoffs about to begin, the city of Cleveland was buzzing with excitement. For this small town, the arrival of the NBA playoffs was an occasion for a citywide celebration.

Local media, eager to catch the playoff fever, often devoted extensive coverage to various news angles, naturally including some off-court gossip and amusing tidbits.

Early on game day morning, tucked away in a modest corner of the Sun’s sports section, there was a brief but intriguing piece of off-court news:

Our reporter Swift had wagered with the rookie from New York, Lin Feng, that if Lin scored more than ten points in any game of this series, Swift would kiss a donkey’s behind.

It was a whimsical bet, and everyone was invited to witness the outcome.

Though this small news item was easily overlooked in print, once Cleveland’s fans caught wind of it, their interest was piqued—after all, the bet was quite entertaining.

Fans quickly began sharing the story across social media, chiming in with their opinions.

As the story spread, it caught the attention of UPN, Ohio’s largest local TV station, which covered it as a lighthearted side note to the upcoming game.

Thanks to UPN’s reach, Swift—the otherwise unknown reporter—suddenly gained local fame in Ohio. Alongside him, Lin Feng also stepped into the spotlight.

In fact, it was through this story that many learned about the recent signing of this Chinese guard by the New York Knicks.

Following UPN’s coverage, the wager between Lin Feng and Swift went viral online, prompting playful banter among American basketball fans.

A well-known sports website even launched a poll: “Who do you think will win the bet—Swift or Lin Feng?”

Fans eagerly participated, and the results showed that 85% believed Swift would be the victor.

Among those who sided with Lin Feng, many confessed they simply hoped to see how Swift would manage to kiss a donkey’s behind.

True supporters of Lin Feng were few and far between; presumably, most of his backers were of Chinese descent.

At five in the afternoon, the entire New York Knicks team arrived by bus at the Cleveland Cavaliers’ home court, the Quicken Loans Arena.

This venue was one of the most electrifying arenas in the league. Despite Cleveland’s small size, the arena was almost always sold out, especially on playoff nights like this.

Passionate fans had gathered early outside the arena, and the moment the Knicks’ bus rolled in, it was immediately surrounded by a sea of Cleveland supporters.

Though they refrained from any extreme behavior, loud boos erupted whenever a Knicks player stepped off the bus.

When Lin Feng disembarked, the boos reached a crescendo, a testament to how “well known” she had become in this city.

At 7:30 in the evening, the game officially tipped off.

New York’s starting lineup featured center Podolski, power forward Chris, small forward Cook, point guard Brewer, and shooting guard Jones.

Though Lin Feng was a promising rookie with solid training performances, she was nowhere near starting status for official games. In fact, she wasn’t even guaranteed a spot in the regular rotation, as every coach had a preferred system.

For instance, Coach Fields favored a nine-man rotation: five starters plus four regular substitutes. This lineup had been honed throughout the season, so unless absolutely necessary, Fields would not disrupt this pattern.

Cleveland’s starters were center Dawabio, power forward Confort, small forward Thomas, point guard Devin, and shooting guard Milito.

Among Cleveland’s starters, three were All-Stars this season: Thomas, Confort, and Devin. Each had once been a star in their own right, now united in pursuit of a championship.

Right from the tip, Thomas and Devin repeatedly drove to the basket, combining for the team’s first 12 points.

The Knicks struggled against Cleveland’s fierce defense, their shots clanging off the rim as they managed only four points.

After just three minutes into the first quarter, the eight-point deficit stretched to ten, forcing Fields to call a timeout.

“The Cavaliers have gotten off to a perfect start, 12–4. Well played. If they keep this up, they could lead by over twenty points by halftime,” said UPN’s commentator, Heisen, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Because the game lacked suspense, it wasn’t broadcast nationwide. Only UPN and a New York sports channel carried the live coverage domestically.

“New York’s start is poor; hopefully, they adjust soon. I don’t want to watch a game turn into garbage time this early—that would be torture,” remarked Johnson, a guest commentator who once played for the Cavaliers.

After the timeout, the Knicks launched an attack. Jones found a chance for a three-pointer.

But it missed.

Cleveland seized the opportunity for a fast break. Thomas drove coast to coast and slammed it home, pushing the score to 14–4, a ten-point gap.

The game pressed on.

Cleveland’s entire squad was playing exceptionally well. Not only were the Big Three consistent, but even the bench players contributed strongly. By the end of the first quarter, the Knicks trailed by seventeen.

In the second quarter, Fields adjusted the defense, applying more pressure. Cleveland’s players seemed unsettled, their shooting percentage plummeting.

The Knicks capitalized, cutting the deficit to ten points.

The teams went into halftime with a score of 55–45.

Lin Feng had yet to see any playing time.

The halftime break ended, and the third quarter began.

This quarter marked the first turning point of the game.

The Cavaliers exploded offensively, hitting seven of eleven three-pointers, scoring twenty-one points solely from beyond the arc.

In contrast, the Knicks were completely lost. Their top scorer, Jones, made only one of five three-point attempts, a dismal shooting display.

Cleveland outscored New York by fifteen in the quarter, adding to their ten-point halftime lead.

After three quarters, the Cavaliers led by a commanding twenty-five points.

“Looks like this game is decided. A 25-point comeback in a single quarter? That’s impossible!” Heisen exclaimed.

“Yeah, Thomas and Devin took over in the third quarter, practically sealing the game. Oh my, the rest is just garbage time…” Johnson grumbled.

“Alright, the fourth quarter begins. Let’s see if the Knicks can close the gap and bring some suspense back,” Heisen said.

The game continued.

Lin Feng still had not entered the game, and her teammates continued to perform as if in a daze.

More than halfway through the fourth quarter, not only had the Knicks failed to narrow the gap, the deficit had actually widened to twenty-eight points.

On the bench, the entire Knicks squad wore looks of dejection.

“This game is completely out of reach.”

“A massacre. This is the true measure of the two teams’ strengths.”

“Check the stats: Thomas with 27 points and 7 assists, Devin 22 points and 8 assists, Confort 17 points and 13 rebounds. The Big Three have been rock solid. This is a flawless victory.”

“Oh, the Knicks have subbed out all their starters. They’ve given up—wait, that guy is coming in…”

“Oh my, here’s the Chinese guard finally taking the court! Haha, five minutes and fifty-five seconds left in this garbage time. Let’s see if he can score ten points,” Heisen shouted excitedly.

“This is definitely his best chance to hit double digits, and only in garbage time might he get the opportunity,” Johnson said, watching with interest.