vncnus Chapter 248 A Game-Shattering Achievement! A Triple-Double in a Single Game! History
Chapter 248 A Game-Shattering Achievement! A Triple-Double in a Single Game! History
Chapter 248 Unprecedented! A Triple-Double in a Single Game! The Greatest Single-Game Stats in History!
"Just use what you're best at! No fancy stuff, just beat him to a pulp!" After passing the ball, Lin Tian directed his teammates to spread out while telling Carter to find a way to take down Jordan!
Facing Jordan, Carter had long since lost the fear he felt at the start of the previous game. He thought, "I'm an NBA player too! Why should I be afraid of you?"
Then, Carter listened to Lin Tian without hesitation or fear!
He just kept his center of gravity low and drove straight into the paint!
I'm young and strong, full of energy, and I'm going to beat you, Jordan, when you're not in good shape!
After a couple of quick exchanges, Carter suddenly turned from back to face the basket, then quickly stepped out with his right foot to block the shot, followed by his signature long stride drive!
Good strength, excellent in physical confrontation, extremely long strides, and explosive physical abilities!
These characteristics combined make Carter's signature move, the powerful breakthrough, his signature move!
If Jordan were two years younger, he could easily keep up with Carter at this point. But Jordan is 36 years old and has already played more than 40 minutes of high-intensity play. Asking him to keep up with Carter is really asking too much of a question!
In addition, Carter, who had suffered countless setbacks at Jordan's hands in these two games, finally matured and even delivered a powerful elbow to Jordan during a drive! Then he accelerated and drove to the basket to force his way up!
Although Thomas rushed over to help defend immediately, Carter's physical strength was something he couldn't handle.
He couldn't reach Carter's outstretched arm at all, and watched as Carter completed a superb layup!
With this basket, Carter has now scored 22 points!
After scoring, an excited Carter grinned and let out a series of beast-like roars at Jordan and Thomas!
Jordan still didn't choose to force his way through the Knicks' offense; he was incredibly calm!
He knows which matchup gives him the biggest advantage on the court right now!
Ewing vs. Ben Wallace!
That's a height advantage of almost 20 centimeters!
So the basketball once again came into Ewing's hands.
"Come on! You pig-headed orc!" Ben Wallace roared, pressing against Ewing's back, yelling, "I told you, those two points were your final score tonight!"
Throughout his career, Ewing has been repeatedly defeated by players like Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, Robinson, and Malone, proving he wasn't tough enough.
But that depends on who you're dealing with!
I'm a tiny bit worse than them, but you're a big guy who's less than 2 meters tall?
Go to hell!
With all his might, Ewing pushed towards the inside again, but Ben Wallace's lower body strength was simply too outstanding. Ewing tried several times to push and turn, but he still couldn't get the ball in!
With the Pacers' double-team closing in, Ewing could only make two consecutive spin moves at the top and bottom lines, then take a step towards the middle, trying to do a side hook!
But this time, Ben was fully prepared, and before Ewing could even make a move, his hand came down!
"Snapped!"
With a crisp sound, Ewing's basketball was stolen by Ben Wallace, who quickly passed the ball to Lin Tian.
"Run!" With a roar, Lin Tian once again transformed into the king of charge, taking the lead and sprinting towards the front!
At this moment, Jordan didn't have time to think about conserving energy or anything like that. He did everything he could, sticking close to Lin Tian, and even pulled Lin Tian's jersey with his left hand to slow down his advance!
At this point, the referee definitely won't call a foul like pulling on a jersey!
Under Jordan's relentless and aggressive defense, Lin Tian's advance slowed down. By the time Lin Tian crossed half-court, all five Knicks players had already retreated to defend!
Just as Jordan breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that this fast break had finally been stopped, Lin Tian suddenly made a behind-the-back pass!
The basketball traversed the entire court horizontally, ending at a 45-degree angle on the right side, where Vince Carter, who was in superb form tonight, was waiting!
The Knicks' defense broke down at this point; they focused too much on Lin Tian, leaving Carter with a huge open shot.
"Whoosh!"
Carter, who had just scored 2 points, was not going to hold back. In a flash, he launched a 3-pointer and made it with precision!
The last 30 seconds!
110: 112!
The Knicks had a 7-point lead, but in the blink of an eye, it was down to just 2 points!
Van Gundy quickly called a timeout.
In such a short time, the opponent scored a 5-0 victory, and the excellent situation was lost just like that. Van Gundy was so angry that he wanted to jump up and down!
But Ewing's choice in that last round was clearly the most reasonable! This left Van Gundy with nothing to criticize.
Left with no other option, he could only say to Jordan, "McClean, I don't need to explain how important this attack is, right? Do you want to go one-on-one, or set a screen?"
"One-on-one!" At this moment in the game, Jordan's gaze was incredibly determined. He looked at Van Gundy, and at everyone else, and said, "Give me the ball, and get out of there! I'm going to make that damn shot!"
When Jordan said that, probably no one in the world except Lin Tian would object, so the Knicks quickly reached an agreement. After Van Gundy set up a sideline inbound pass tactic, he sent his players onto the court.
On the Pacers' side, Bird said, "Michael! This possession is definitely going to be Michael's one-on-one! Lin, are you confident?"
"I'm not confident," Lin Tian said, spreading his hands. "This is Michael Jordan. Who can be confident in defending his offense in the final moments?"
Bird was taken aback by Lin Tian's words; he truly hadn't expected Lin Tian to say something like that at this moment.
"But whether he scores or not, or how many, I don't care! Because I'll score more than him! I can't guarantee I can stop him, but he definitely can't stop me! Tonight, victory is ours!"
Lin Tian's seemingly humble but actually incredibly arrogant words naturally drew cheers from the entire Pacers team!
Then, united as one, they stepped onto the field once again.
The Knicks' running tactics didn't go straight to Jordan. Instead, they had Jordan run towards the weak side to draw the defense, pass the ball to Starks first, stabilize the situation, and then look for an opportunity to pass the ball to Jordan.
The Knicks' strategy was very successful. With the whole world knowing that Jordan would be coming to make this play, Starks received the ball very smoothly.
Then this guy picked up the ball, waited for Jordan to come forward, and the two of them did a handoff pass, and then quickly spread out.
Jordan had the ball and faced off against Lin Tian once again.
This time, neither of them spoke, nor did they need to speak!
As time ticked by, everyone in Madison Square Garden stood up, eagerly awaiting this crucial round and the outcome of the game.
After Jordan reduced the 24-second shot clock to just 6 seconds, he suddenly started his drive and sped towards the three-point line. Once he reached the free-throw line area, he completely ignored Lin Tian's tight defense and pulled up for a shot!
Jordan knows what his strengths are now: height and accuracy.
He also knew his disadvantages against Lin Tian: physical strength and speed.
Therefore, when facing Lin Tian, his best approach is to simplify his attack, reduce confrontation, avoid unnecessary physical exertion, and then strike decisively!
The longer the fight goes on, the harder it is for you to hit someone!
"Whoosh!"
With a crisp sound, Jordan's mid-range pull-up jumper swished through the net!
His idea is correct; this is the playing style that best suits his current condition!
Madison Square Garden was like a powder keg that had been ignited in an instant, and Jordan's basket was the fuse!
"boom!"
Almost instantly, the entire Madison Square Garden exploded!
For so many years, they have been the ones who were defeated by a last-minute goal, the ones whose games were ended by their opponents!
Today, it's our turn to hold our heads high!
That feeling of killing the game, it's just so exhilarating! So satisfying!
Is this what it feels like to have Jordan? Is it this comfortable?
Damn those Indians!
The excited New Yorkers erupted in cheers and shouts, as if they had already won the game.
Yes, they are indeed very close to winning!
Nine seconds left, leading by four points! Their chances of winning are indeed very high!
Or rather, only a miracle can defeat them.
Then, the New Yorkers looked at the stadium in disbelief.
Just as they were celebrating joyfully, Lin Tian was already dribbling the ball and sprinting towards the frontcourt!
Apart from Jordan, the rest of the Knicks players were not yet in the right mindset. They all thought the Pacers would call a timeout and play more cautiously.
But Lin Tian obviously didn't care about that!
He charged forward!
He stopped!
About a meter beyond the three-point line, Lin Tian executed his signature offensive step-back dribble with a sharp change of direction, simultaneously taking a step to the right. In the blink of an eye, he created space for a shot, but Jordan quickly followed up, blocking the fleeting opportunity.
But Lin Tian's performance had only just begun. He executed another crossover dribble and lateral movement, almost mirroring the previous one, and the basketball returned to the left side once again. This time, the distance between him and Jordan was nearly 2 meters!
This time, Jordan simply couldn't catch up!
"Whoosh!"
Lin Tian certainly wouldn't miss this opportunity to shoot. He drew his sword again from beyond the three-point line, and blood splattered once more!
Lin Tian's attack took only 5 seconds in total!
There are 4 seconds left in the game!
The Pacers are down by only one point again!
Meanwhile, many New Yorkers were still in the midst of their wild celebrations! They were still cheering!
Some people clenched their fists and pointed them to the sky, some gave Lin Tian a thumbs-up, some were still in the same position as when they were hugging the people next to them, and some couples even hadn't had time to separate their mouths.
If time were frozen at this moment, and the horrified expressions on the faces of the New Yorkers were ignored, they would be cheering and celebrating for Lin Tian!
No way...
Is a miracle about to happen?
"Ball! Ball!" Jordan shouted quickly. His mind was clearer than anyone else's. He knew better than anyone else what to do now: pass the ball out and waste the last 4 seconds! Then Lin Tian's three-pointer would be nothing but a futile resistance!
Starks quickly reached the baseline and immediately passed the ball to Jordan. Jordan dribbled the ball away from Lin Tian, intending to create space and then pass the ball to run down the clock.
But he underestimated Lin Tian's speed!
Before he could even pull away, Lin Tian pounced on him and hugged Jordan tightly!
Lin Tian's reaction was so quick that Jordan felt that if there wasn't so little time left and it wasn't worth the risk, he would definitely have had time to put on a full-court press and try to steal the ball from Jordan!
To Jordan's despair, although the referee immediately stopped the game and sent him to the free-throw line, Jordan did a good mental simulation and realized that...
If there were still 10 seconds left in the game, Lin Tian would have had plenty of time to put himself in a very awkward position and would have had a very high chance of stealing the ball!
This idea dealt a huge blow to Jordan!
He realized once again that he might no longer be the strongest person in the league, and this feeling was stronger than ever before.
Jordan turned to look at Lin Tian, and looking at that young face, he suddenly thought: Back then, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird looked at him in the same way, didn't they?
I wonder if those two old bastards are as unwilling as I am, or if they have faced everything with equanimity?
An unprecedented amount of wild thoughts and self-doubt caused Jordan to miss his first free throw!
"Oh! Michael! He made another fatal mistake against Lin! Last year in the Eastern Conference Finals, he missed a crucial free throw, causing the Bulls to lose! I can't believe it, Michael made another mistake at the free throw line this time!" Kenny looked at Jordan with disbelief on his face.
"Perhaps Lin has become Michael's nightmare," Barkley said. "They were teammates for two years and rivals for two years. I think no one understands each other better than the two of them, and no one knows how strong the other is better than them."
"But Michael isn't 25 anymore; at 36, he's probably starting to feel his limitations!"
"Michael, are your legs going weak with fear?" Lin Tian looked at Jordan and said casually, "Need me to give you a boost? If you miss both free throws now, the Knicks won't let you off so easily!"
"Shut up, worry about yourself!" Jordan bit his tongue hard, letting the taste of blood refocus his mind. Then he banished all distractions, looked at the basket, and raised his hand again.
"Whoosh!"
He finally made his second free throw!
113: 115!
The Knicks are still leading by 2 points!
"Now the Knicks are on the back foot! They need to defend against all of the Pacers' offensive methods simultaneously, and also prevent the Pacers from drawing fouls! They need to stop the Pacers from scoring in any way!" Barkley said. "This kind of unfocused final possession easily leads to some basic man-to-man turnovers and then conceding points!"
"But the Pacers' situation is clearly worse!" Kenny said. "With only 3.3 seconds left, they can only dribble 2-3 times at most after receiving the ball, or they have to shoot after just one pass. They can only create space through inbound plays, and they only have one chance!"
"And without Miller, I think the whole world will know that this shot was Lin's! How is Larry going to design a play that allows Lin to perfectly catch and shoot?"
"Or, would the Pacers dare to let Mullin, Carter, or Christie take that crucial game-winning shot?"
On the bench, Van Gundy was shouting something frantically, telling his players to be more alert and stick to their men. With only a 2-point lead, the Knicks' defense was indeed very difficult. They had to protect all areas and not let the Pacers get an easy shot from anywhere!
Van Gundy didn't even dare to leave another big man under the basket, fearing that the Pacers would come up with a small-ball lineup, which would amplify the lack of agility of big men!
In short, Van Gundy could only field a standard lineup in the end: Ewing, Thomas, Jordan, Ward, and Houston. Although this lineup was not particularly targeted, it had the strongest overall defensive ability, was the most balanced, and was the least likely to have any weaknesses.
On the Pacers' side, Lin Tian once again took Bird's whiteboard and drew on it: "Here, I need a screen; here, I need a double screen; then I'll receive the ball here! Take them down!"
"Isn't it a bit...?" Bird frowned, looking at the dot Lin Tian had drawn, somewhat uneasy.
"It's not far. Only here can I have enough space to shoot! They'll definitely guard me relentlessly! So let's do what the New Yorkers want and not play dirty tricks on them! I'm going to catch the ball, I'm going to shoot, I'm going to take them down right here! Everyone else is here to screen for me!"
Seeing Lin Tian's unwavering confidence, Bird said no more, put away his tactical board, and looked at the others, saying, "You all understand what Lin just said, right? Listen to him! Let's do it his way!"
Everyone nodded.
Then Schmitz, who is 221 cm tall, inbounds the ball from the sideline. Carter and Christie stand on the left and right wings, Big Ben stands under the basket, and Lin Tian stands at the top of the arc, waiting for the inbound pass!
As all the players stepped onto the field and the referee took the ball to the sideline, Madison Square Garden fell completely silent. They awaited the final three seconds of judgment, the final outcome of the night!
"3.3 seconds left, it's starting!" Kenny roared. "The referee blew the whistle! Pacers, start running!"
As the referee passed the ball to Schmitz for inbounds, Lin Tian quickly ran towards Ben Wallace under the basket. He didn't care whether Jordan, Ward, or Houston were following him; he just sprinted towards the basket!
When Ben saw Lin Tian coming, he immediately took two steps forward to cover for Lin Tian. After Lin Tian circled around Ben twice, he suddenly started running towards the top of the arc!
At this moment, Carter and Christie on both wings also ran quickly towards the middle to meet up. When Lin Tian reached the top of the arc, the two of them let Lin Tian go and then completed a double screen similar to the closing of an elevator door!
In the blink of an eye, Jordan was left behind by Lin Tian!
"John! Charlie!" Jordan roared in despair, he couldn't keep up with Lin Tian anymore!
Fortunately, Ward and Starks were in good positions, and they immediately turned around and rushed towards Lin Tian.
But by then, Lin Tian had already gotten the basketball!
He received the basketball two meters outside the three-point line, then immediately completed a 360-degree turn to face the basket again. Then, facing Starks and Ward who were rushing towards him, Lin Tian coldly launched a three-pointer!
The moment Lin Tian used that elevator door double screen to shake off Jordan, some New York fans couldn't bear to watch and closed their eyes in despair. But even with their eyes closed, Lin Tian didn't let them go.
A few seconds later, a sharp crack pierced their eardrums, stabbing a knife into the heart of every New York fan!
"Whoosh!"
The three-pointer went in, and time was up!
116: 115!
The Indiana Pacers defeated the New York Knicks for the second time this season!
"Game-winning! Game-winning! Another game-winning! God! Lin! Lin has created a miracle again!" Barkley roared wildly, "He did it! He did it again! He beat Jordan and his team once more!"
"In the last two minutes, the Pacers dominated the game! Lin dominated the game! They were down by 7 points, but Carter's 5 points and Lin's 6 consecutive points killed the game!" Kenny exclaimed almost frantically. This game was just too exciting!
A series of ups and downs, twists and turns!
Many people felt that the game should have ended when Ewing scored that basket, extending the lead to 7 points.
How many people believe that the game should have ended when Jordan made that game-winning jump shot?
But none of them!
The Pacers have created a miracle!
On the court, Lin Tian, who had just created a miracle, jumped onto the scorer's table at Madison Square Garden once again. He spread his arms wide and roared at the fans who had booed him all game, pounding his chest!
He was telling the fans: Boo! The louder you boo, the more excited I get!
The louder you boo, the more accomplished I'll feel when I destroy you!
「一场绝对属于林的比赛！」巴克利看着技术统计道：「今晚尼克斯队已经足够优秀了！麦可·乔丹40分9篮板8助攻，派屈克·尤因31分21个篮板，阿兰·詹森15分，斯塔克斯12分，坎比10分15个篮板3次盖帽。」
"Five players on the team scored in double figures, with the two core players combining for 71 points and 30 rebounds. Even in a game like this, the Knicks still lost! There's only one reason: their opponents were fiercer!"
肯尼接过话茬儿道：「林天全场比赛爆砍52分16个篮板15次助攻6次抢断3次盖帽！虽然他的投篮命中率只有39投17中，3分球也只有11投4中，命中率并不算出色，但和他末节的表现比，这重要幺？这一点都不重要！」
"And let's not forget, this is the first 50+ triple-double in NBA history, and also the first 50+15+15 triple-double. In fact, it's the first 50+15+15+5 triple-double in NBA history! To put it simply, the history Lin created tonight is enough to fill an entire newspaper page!"
"This is outrageous! I knew Lin would put up some incredible stats tonight, but I really didn't expect it to be this bad!"
"Have you forgotten that Lin scored 70 points in his rookie season? And he only needed three quarters!" Barkley chuckled. "Lin has set so many records! 30+25, 70 in three quarters, 35 points in a single quarter, and oh right, a near quadruple-double in three quarters, and a few days ago, 28 points in a single quarter with a 100% shooting percentage."
"To put it another way, with Lin on the team, this league will never lack miracles! He's a record maker, he's the best at breaking records in this league! If the Bulls hadn't been so strong back then, causing them to often blow out the game in the third quarter, Lin would definitely be dominating countless statistical lists by now."
"So, I'm thinking that Reggie's injury might be an opportunity for Lin! An opportunity to create countless terrifying records! I won't miss a single one of his matches this month! I will watch them all! Missing one match could mean missing a historic moment!"
"Alright, stop praising Lin. I think countless people will be praising him starting tonight," Kenny continued. "Let's praise the rest of the Pacers!"
"Of course! Of course!" Barkley said, looking at the stats. "Vince Carter scored 25 points, including 5 consecutive points in the last 2 minutes that brought the team back from the brink of defeat. He has once again proven his clutch gene."
"Doug Christie had 11 points, Chris Mullin had 9 points, Schmitz had 10 points, and Ben Wallace, who also defended Ewing's crucial shot, contributed 8 points and 8 rebounds, always quietly making a difference!"
"Tonight, the Pacers played with unwavering determination; not a single player slacked off or faltered. They delivered a perfect team victory!"
Yes, a perfect team victory!
Although Lin Tian scored a 50+ point triple-double, without his teammates, Lin Tian would never have been able to defeat the powerful Knicks tonight!
After a wild celebration on the technical stand, Lin Tian was carried off the stand by his teammates, who were extremely anxious and wanted to celebrate with him!
Everyone surrounded Lin Tian, shouting incomprehensible words, and everyone was extremely excited!
Although they remain second in the Eastern Conference after this game, their season sweep of the Knicks and their emergence from a losing streak make this victory incredibly significant for them!
Whether it's Bird, Lin Tian, or everyone on the team, at this moment, they all truly breathed a sigh of relief!
The most difficult time is finally over!
After the Pacers finished celebrating, Jordan, who had been waiting patiently nearby, finally came over. He reached out and hugged Lin Tian, saying, "That was a beautiful game-winner! See you in the Eastern Conference Finals!"
Lin Tian patted Jordan on the shoulder and said, "You guys absolutely mustn't get eliminated before the Eastern Conference Finals."
"You guys should be the ones to watch out. What will you do without Reggie? Are you going to score 50 points every game? You'll probably be out for the season even longer than Reggie." Jordan released Lin Tian, and the two exchanged only a few words before starting their banter again.
"As long as my opponent is like you, always missing the last free throw, that's fine. Speaking of which, I should thank you! How many times have you missed the last free throw, Michael? Are you letting me win on purpose, or is your heart so fragile that you can't handle the responsibility of the last free throw?" Lin Tian chuckled and began to retaliate.
"Fuck you!" Jordan cursed, then, too lazy to waste any more words with Lin Tian, turned around and waved, saying, "I won't miss a single free throw for you again! I'm going back to practice extra tonight!"
Watching Jordan's departing figure, Lin Tian believed that what this guy said was true. In last year's Eastern Conference Finals and this year's regular season, he missed free throws twice in the final moments, leading to the team being defeated by the buzzer. Jordan's pride definitely couldn't stand that!
Looks like Jordan's trainer is going to be in for some bad luck again.
Hopefully, those trainers get overtime pay!
Twenty minutes later, Lin Tian and Carter arrived at the press conference.
Because of the importance of this match, there were already many reporters present tonight. With Lin Tian's incredible stats and miraculous game-winning shot, the venue was packed with reporters. Several reporters who arrived late didn't even have a seat and had to stand at the entrance.
"FUXX!" Carter was stunned for a moment as he entered the room, and then subconsciously cursed. He had never seen so many reporters after a game before!
Seeing the two enter, the reporters, who had been waiting impatiently, immediately stood up and asked, "How does it feel, Lin, to have once again pulled off a comeback victory against Jordan and his team?"
"It's nothing special, it's not the first time after all," Lin Tian shrugged. "Why don't you ask Vince? His 25 points and the last 5 were absolutely crucial!"
"So, Vince, how are you feeling? Were you nervous when Jordan scored those two consecutive baskets at the end?"
"To be honest, I was so nervous when I played against Jordan last time! I couldn't even look him in the eye! But Lin kept encouraging me and helping me. He told me my strengths and advantages, he trusted me, and he gave me the ball!"
"As a scorer, of course I'll do everything I can to not let my teammates down! Luckily, I did that tonight!"
"Let's talk about Lin's game-winning shot, right? You and Christie set a double screen for him?"
"Lin devised this tactic himself. He told us: 'Give him the ball, and he'll take us and the victory on the plane!' We all believed him, and Lin did it again! I think that's what a superstar is! I hope I can do that in three years!"
"Lin, what about you? What do you think about Michael missing another crucial free throw right in front of you? Do you think there's some kind of magic to it?"
"No, there's no magic involved. I don't believe in that." Lin Tian waved his hand and said, "It's just that Jordan's heart is too small and his mental fortitude is too weak. He couldn't withstand the test and was afraid of me. Yeah, just simple fear!"
Wow! Goodness, the reporters exchanged glances, knowing they'd got some work to do!
Even Jordan's mental fortitude was criticized. In this league, apart from Lin Tian, probably no one else would dare to say that Jordan's mental fortitude was poor!
"Nalin, do you have any suggestions for Michael? Maybe they can help him change his current...flaw?"
One reporter tentatively asked a rebellious question.
"My advice... is this: retire early. Stop clinging to your old ways. While you can still run and have the ability, preserve your dignity and retire gracefully. Don't wait until Kobe, Iverson, Carter, and Ray Allen can all beat him to the ground before retiring. By then, it will be too late for him to retire."
"That's not dignified!"
Wow, Lin Tian's answer instantly impressed the reporters!
How dare they tell Jordan to retire already? And say he's past his prime?
Exciting!
The reporters were getting bolder, and one of them continued, "So, Lin, do you have any technical advice for Jordan?"
"Technical aspects? No, there's nothing he needs to improve." Lin Tian waved his hand, giving an answer that disappointed the reporters and offered no surprises. However, just as the reporters were feeling somewhat disappointed, Lin Tian's next sentence came.
"He's already 36. I gave him advice, but can he even keep going? It's hopeless, he's reached his limit! If he were 26, I could still try to find a way to help him take it a step further, but now, forget it!"
Exciting! So exciting! I knew interviewing Lin Tianze would be thrilling!
The reporters were writing furiously, asking questions while simultaneously brainstorming how to craft tomorrow's headlines to be more sensational! What would spark more interest and discussion among fans?
That night, the Pacers didn't rush back to Indiana, after all, this is New York! And the team could rest for another two days before continuing the game, so Bird simply let the players stay in New York for an extra day, have some fun, and relax for the night!
In particular, the Pacers' toughest stretch of the season is over! They have more than 10 days of regular season games left, but none of them are back-to-back games!
The upcoming schedule is going to be super easy!
The next day at noon, almost all the Pacers players were yawning and listlessly boarded the bus and then the plane.
Lin Tian noticed that even Christie, the guy with thick eyebrows and big eyes who claimed to love his wife, looked exhausted. He couldn't help but lean over and ask, "Doug, did you have some fun last night?"
"Breaking the fast? Breaking the fast in what way?" Christie asked sleepily. "My wife was worried that you guys would lead me astray, so she talked to me on the phone all night last night and didn't hang up until 5 a.m. I'm exhausted."
Sigh, men who are afraid of their wives are so pathetic!
Lin Tian swore that this was absolutely the most humble multi-millionaire he had ever seen!
There was nothing to talk about with this henpecked man, so Lin Tian returned to his seat and began flipping through the thick stack of newspapers he had brought from the hotel.
50+ point triple-double, game-winning shot, two consecutive three-pointers! Tonight, Lin was God himself!
"He's donned God's robes before the God of Basketball! Tonight, Lin is unstoppable!"
"Berserk Mode! With the team in dire straits, Lin unleashes his most ferocious and insane mode ever—there's never been a guard like this in NBA history!"
"A raging lion! Tonight, Lin is as ferocious as the most valiant beast on the savanna!"
Jordan falters again, missing crucial free throws! Lin Tian bluntly states Jordan's mental fortitude is mediocre!
Retire early! Lin Tian offers Michael Jordan advice: Don't wait until it's undignified to leave!
Lin Tian claims Jordan is too old! At 36, Jordan can't possibly improve any further!
"Who is New York City's true nemesis? Lin Tian's professional winning percentage against New York is astonishing!"
The true Jordan terminator! If Lin Tian didn't play for the Bulls for the first two years of his career, will he never win a championship after Jordan's return?
"Jordan's biggest fear was me! Lin Tian's career head-to-head win percentage against Jordan is absolutely dominant!"
If Jordan is the T800, then Lin Tian is the T1000! Absolutely crushing him! A recap of five of Lin Tian and Jordan's most thrilling matchups!
"A game-winning shot! Another game-winning shot! Lin Tian has become a specialist in hitting game-winning shots like Michael Jordan!"
From trailing by 7 points to leading by 1 point: A detailed look at the Pacers' performance in the final 2 minutes!
First in history! Lin Tian racks up terrifying stats in a single game!
Is Lin Tian the NBA's all-time greatest statist? A look at the records he missed because he dominated his opponents!
What is Lin Tian's ceiling? After achieving 50+15+15, what surprises can Lin bring us this season?
The MVP battle is here! After this battle, Lin will be awarded the MVP trophy!
Looking at those reports, Lin Tian felt incredibly refreshed!
Of course, at least half of these journalists were still criticizing Lin Tian a couple of days ago, saying that he was overrated, not a qualified leader, lacked the necessary responsibility, and was just a data manipulator!
But after Lin Tian put on a brilliant performance, these reporters immediately turned their attention to him and became his supporters again.
This is competitive sports, this is American media!
Here, food is the original sin, and victory is justice!
Here, if players want to breathe, they must play well and live up to the expectations of fans and the media!
Especially top players like Lin Tian, who are practically the face of the league!
At least tens of millions of eyes across the United States are watching Lin Tian, and at least half of them are waiting to see him make a fool of himself.
It's not that they dislike Lin Tian that much; it's just human nature.
It's much more enjoyable to kick someone when they're down than to offer help when they're in need!
(End of this chapter)