Chapter 134: Linsanity (Part II)
"Oh my god, it's in!! Lin has hit another crucial three-pointer!!"
"96 to 95! Only nine seconds left on the clock!"
"The Knicks are only trailing by one point!!"
Commentator Hyson screamed at the top of his lungs.
Yet, the entire Quicken Loans Arena fell into a sudden, suffocating silence because of Lin Feng's shot.
After sinking the three, Lin Feng retreated to his own half of the court with an expressionless face. The game wasn't over yet; it was not the time to celebrate.
Cavaliers head coach Brown called a timeout. Nine seconds sounded brief, but with only a one-point gap, the Knicks were sure to employ a fouling strategy. They had to get the ball into the hands of a reliable free-throw shooter; if even one of the two free throws was missed, the Knicks would have a chance at a buzzer-beater.
Lin Feng's shooting touch was scorching tonight, and Brown certainly didn't want to give the Knicks that opportunity.
"Don't be discouraged, everyone. We are still the team in the lead. Comfort, you take the inbound pass. Thomas, set an off-ball screen for Devin. We must get the ball to Devin at all costs..."
Brown finished laying out the inbound play just as the timeout ended.
The players returned to the court.
Comfort inbounded the ball, successfully getting it into Devin's hands.
As soon as he caught it, Jones immediately fouled him.
Devin headed to the free-throw line.
There were eight seconds remaining.
Watching Devin stand at the line, a strange, knowing smile curled on Lin Feng's lips. He knew Devin couldn't make these shots—the guy was under the influence of a cursed aura!
*Beep!*
The referee blew the whistle, signaling for Devin's first attempt.
At that moment, every fan in Quicken Loans Arena rose from their seats, holding their breath as they watched the free throw.
*Tap, tap.*
Devin dribbled the ball twice and then let it fly.
*Clang!*
The ball hit the back rim, danced for a moment, and stayed out!
*Whoa...*
He missed the first one.
A collective sigh echoed through the arena!
Standing on the sidelines, Brown frowned, his heart instantly sinking.
"Damn it!"
Devin muttered to himself. He usually made these free throws in his sleep.
"My goodness! The first one is missed, the Knicks might have a shot at a buzzer-beater!" Hyson exclaimed.
"Devin has always been a clutch performer; he's a bit off his game tonight," Johnson added.
*Beep!*
The referee whistled again for the second shot.
Devin looked up at the rim. Somehow, the hoop looked blurry in his eyes.
He shook his head and released the second shot.
*Swish!*
The ball grazed the bottom of the net, sailing out of bounds.
He missed the second one too! Both free throws missed!!
*Boo!*
The home crowd erupted in boos to express their frustration.
If he had made even one of those free throws, the Knicks would have needed a three-pointer to win. But with the deficit remaining at just one point, the Knicks only needed to score on their final possession to steal the game!
The Cavaliers' fate was no longer in their own hands; they could only hope the Knicks missed their final shot.
Eight seconds remained!
Fills called a timeout.
Devin walked off the court with a dejected look on his face, having missed both shots...
"I'm sorry, I should have made those. Damn it, I don't know what's wrong with me..." Devin said to coach Brown, looking utterly crushed.
"It's alright, we're still leading. Just focus on the defense," Brown said, offering the only comfort he could.
On the Knicks' bench, Fills set up the final play. In the past, this would always go to Jones, the team's top scorer. But tonight, Lin Feng was on fire, having hit nine of ten three-pointers. Naturally, the final play was designed for him.
No one objected. After all, if it weren't for Lin Feng, the game would have been over long ago; there wouldn't even be a chance for a buzzer-beater!
The timeout ended, and the players returned to the court.
"Defense!"
"Defense!"
"Defense!"
Nearly twenty thousand home fans chanted in unison, cheering on their team!
The Knicks inbounded from mid-court, with small forward Cook handling the pass.
Lin Feng, Jones, Chris, and Podolski lined up at the free-throw line.
*Beep!*
The referee blew the whistle. Chris charged out first. No one guarded him because everyone knew he lacked an offensive threat on the perimeter.
Furthermore, the Cavaliers didn't believe Cook would pass it to him.
However, unexpectedly, Cook did exactly that.
At the same time, Podolski and Jones suddenly surged, forming a wall to screen for Lin Feng, who sprinted out to receive the ball.
This was the play Fills had drawn up. Chris immediately passed the ball to Lin Feng.
The four players executed the play perfectly. There were six seconds left when the ball reached Lin Feng's hands.
Without a moment's hesitation, Lin Feng jumped and released!
It was a mid-range jumper, not a three-pointer, but that didn't matter. If this went in, it would be the game-winner!
"Oh my god!"
"Him again?!"
"Don't go in!!"
As the ball left Lin Feng's hands, the arena erupted in gasps. Most fans reacted the same way—mouths agape, hands clutching their heads!!
In front of their televisions, New York fans were bursting with adrenaline, screaming at their screens...
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
...
Back at the arena, everyone stared unblinkingly at the ball's trajectory. This shot would not only decide the game but would determine whether a miracle comeback would be born.
Reversing a 28-point deficit in half a quarter!
Such a shocking comeback had never happened in the long history of the NBA!
"Oh no, it looks a bit short..."
Jones was closer to the basket, and after the ball left Lin Feng's hands, he realized the trajectory seemed off!
*Clang!*
Sure enough, Lin Feng's crucial shot hit iron!
The ball slammed hard against the front of the rim and bounced away...
*Whoosh!*
The moment the ball hit the rim, the entire Quicken Loans Arena seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Standing on the sidelines, coach Brown looked up and prayed: "Thank God, that was a close call!"
Every Cavalier felt a sense of relief from having survived the scare. However, Thomas, a superstar himself, felt a flicker of doubt: "It clearly looked short, so why did it bounce off with such force?"
"Could it be..."
Thomas gasped in shock, "Rebound!!!"
But before he could finish, a figure had already "flown" toward the ball in mid-air!
*Whoosh!*
The man seemed to be stepping on clouds, soaring into the sky.
He had anticipated everything, accurately judging the direction and speed of the rebound.
A giant hand, blotting out the sky, intercepted the loose ball in mid-air...
*BOOM!!*
A thunderous crash!
The entire hoop structure shook!
The ball was slammed violently through the rim by that giant hand!!
*Bzzzzzzzz...*
The final buzzer sounded.
The game was over...
The score—
96 to 97!!
The Knicks win!!