NABC Chapter 166 The League's Top 5 Point Guards? Lin Tian Exposed Them All
Chapter 166 The League's Top 5 Point Guards? Lin Tian Exposed Them All
Chapter 166 The League's Top Five Point Guards? Lin Tian Completely Outshone Them!
It has to be said that being a referee in the 90s was much easier than being a referee in 2020.
In this era, no one throws their hands up if they don't get the whistle, no one yells and screams if an opponent plucks a single hair from their body, and no one lies on the ground screaming in agony if an opponent touches them.
These behaviors were frowned upon in the 90s and would be seen as effeminate!
The prevailing trend in this era is: if you're tough, I'll be tougher than you!
You shove your elbow to clear the way, and I'll turn around and knee you in the back!
Nobody should back down, nobody should be afraid!
"No foul unless it's fatal"—this was the only principle that referees adhered to on the finals stage in the 90s!
Give the game to the players!
This kind of competition, with its fast pace and intensity, is naturally very likely to trigger conflicts and fights.
For example, the first unexpected incident in tonight's game occurred with two minutes left in the first quarter when Stockton finally found an opportunity on offense and raised his elbow, hitting Lin Tian in the chin.
After feeling the pain, Lin Tian paused, unable to keep up, and watched as Stockton scored two points and then arrogantly roared at the referee, "AND ONE!"
"AND your grandma's leg!" Lin Tian covered his chin and sprayed Stockton with trash talk, his eyes flashing with a fierce light, as if he wanted to kill Stockton.
Just that one swear word and the referee and players were all thrown into a frenzy.
The referee wanted to nip the conflict in the bud, but the players seemed to enjoy the spectacle and were ready to fight at any moment!
Just as the referee was about to intervene and blow the whistle to separate the two, Lin Tian, after uttering those words, quickly turned around and went to the baseline, reaching out to Lang Li at the baseline to ask for the ball.
"That's more like it, Lin. Basketball is about playing properly, not being impulsive! Fighting is an insult to basketball!" The referee breathed a sigh of relief and praised Lin Tian, but Lin Tian ignored him and dribbled the ball towards the frontcourt.
"How's it going, kid? How's your Stockton's braised pork knuckle?" Stockton looked at the aggressive Lin Tian without any fear and continued to mock him.
"The taste is not bad, you try this and see how it is!" After Lin Tian finished speaking, he suddenly pretended to raise his elbow to hit Stockton. The guy was so scared that he quickly leaned back and took two steps back!
This gave Lin Tian a full 2 meters of attack space!
Lin Tian didn't hesitate. He glanced at the basket, pulled up the paddle, and shot, making a three-pointer!
这已经是林天第一节的第17分了！他单节11投8中，3分球1投1中，除了这个3分球，7个两分球全来自于低位！他用自己的背身技巧，打的斯托克顿是毫无还手之力！
No wonder Stockton made such a big move to hit Lin Tian's chin just now. If he hadn't done something, Lin Tian would have beaten him to a pulp!
"Lin has grown up! If it were the old him, he would have definitely pinned Stockton to the ground and beaten him up on the spot!" Clemens breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Jackson, saying, "I really thought that the first quarter of the Finals was going to see a fierce fight break out between the two sides."
"All I can say is that everyone changes and everyone grows. Lin's growth in the past two years with the Bulls has been incredibly fast. Whether it's his skills or his mentality, Lin has grown remarkably." Jackson nodded, expressing his agreement with Clemens.
"It's all thanks to Phil's talent for tailoring his teaching and his keen eye for talent. Otherwise, how could Lin have gone from a second-round pick who used to punch his teammates in training camp to a smart guy who can use psychological warfare to undermine the opponent's star point guard in the Finals?" Clemens knew exactly what Jack wanted to hear and immediately showered him with compliments.
Do you really think Clemens was able to serve as Jackson's lead assistant coach for so many years because of his professional skills?
No, do you really think Clemens relies solely on his business acumen?
When it's time to flatter the boss, you have to make Jackson feel comfortable!
Even a Zen master is a human being, and he also enjoys being praised and complimented!
Especially when the team was full of beasts like Jordan, Rodman, and Lin Tian, Jackson had to coax and pamper them every day, which put him under tremendous psychological pressure! If it weren't for Clemens's appropriate flattery, Jackson's mentality would have collapsed long ago!
However, just as the two were having a lively conversation, Jackson's hearty laughter suddenly stopped, and he was stunned by what he saw on the field.
The referee was now blowing his whistle wildly and charging towards Lin Tian and Stockton.
The players on the scene rushed towards the incident location as quickly as possible.
As for what happened?
Just as Stockton was dribbling the ball to the three-point line, Lin Tian suddenly rushed up to meet him. The two were almost completely pressed together. Then, Lin Tian seized the opportunity, suddenly raised his leg, and delivered a knee strike to the outside of Stockton's thigh!
Of course, Lin Tian didn't use his full strength. Otherwise, Stockton wouldn't be rolling on the floor screaming in agony while clutching his leg, but would be carried on a stretcher to the hospital.
"Don't stop me! Don't fucking stop me! I'm going to kill this bastard!" Malone charged ahead, with Hornacek and Russell holding him tightly from behind. Malone's eyes were bloodshot, and his gaze towards Lin Tian was full of murderous intent, as if he wanted to kill Lin Tian outright.
"Let him go! Let's see if little Karl dares to come over. Let him go, come on, let him come over!" No one from the Bulls team stopped Lin Tian. Jordan and Pippen had both seen Lin Tian beat Malone in the act, and Rodman was always looking for trouble. He had already circled around behind the Jazz players.
Needless to say, if things really come to a head, Rodman will definitely come from behind and give one of the Jazz players a few hard blows!
As for Langli...
Longley was standing far away, his eyes fixed on the Jazz's bench.
If even one person on the Jazz bench dares to stand up, he will rush over and push them back down!
Well, if two or three people stand up, Langli should make sure to inform Lin Tian and the others immediately and warn them to be careful.
"Let him go! It's okay! There won't be a fight! He won't dare! He's just a coward who talks big but doesn't back down. Don't be afraid, just let go." Lin Tian yawned easily, still spewing trash talk at Ma Long.
This behavior is no different from a couple living together for the first time saying to the person next to them, "You're not scared, are you? You can't do it, can you?"
They can all cause your blood to rush to your head instantly, making your head turn red and stiff!
Of course, in both cases, it's not just one head that's congested with blood.
The Jazz's team doctors had already come onto the court to examine Stockton, who was lying on the floor. As they rolled up Stockton's shorts, they immediately saw a large bruise. One of the doctors exclaimed incredulously, "John, were you hit by a rhinoceros?"
This fully demonstrates that although Lin Tian did not use his full strength, he certainly did not hold back much.
Malone couldn't break free from his teammate's pull no matter what he did, and he couldn't actually hit his teammate. Helpless, he finally calmed down and turned to check on Stockton's situation.
"I told you there was no need to bother, he wouldn't dare come over!" Lin Tian added with a cold smile, then stared at Ma Long, who had raised his head. Their eyes were filled with anger and murderous intent!
The meaning conveyed by their eyes at this moment was also very clear.
One of them said, "Come on, come on."
One said, "You're dead."
Regardless, after calming down, Malone ultimately didn't rush forward again. Instead, he shouted at the referee, "Lin did it on purpose! I swear he absolutely did it on purpose! He tried to kill someone! Throw him out!"
"Shut up, Karl! We know how to officiate the game; we don't need your interference!" A referee looked up at Malone impatiently and said, "If you don't shut up and get away, I guarantee you'll be the first one ejected!"
After saying that, the three referees huddled together. They watched the video, analyzed the action, and discussed what kind of ruling they should make.
Lin Tian didn't care at all about this.
At most, it's a technical foul. Does he think he can be ejected from the game for that move?
Sure enough, after waiting for a few minutes, the referee went onto the court and gave Lin Tian a flagrant foul 1, which is equivalent to a technical foul.
In other words, Lin Tian will not be ejected from the court next, but if he is called for a similar foul again, he will be ejected.
"Be careful, Lin. They'll definitely keep targeting your flagrant foul to provoke and anger you so they can get you ejected from the game," Jordan patted Lin Tian on the shoulder, expressing his concern.
"It's okay, Michael. I don't think they'll dare!" Lin Tian patted his chest confidently, expressing great self-assurance.
"How do you know they wouldn't dare?" Jordan looked at Lin Tian curiously. Was there anything in this league that the Jazz wouldn't dare to do?
He doesn't believe it!
"Simple." Lin Tian finished speaking, swaggered over to Stockton, who was still sitting on the floor, unable to stand up, and said to him, "Do you want to get another hit on your left leg? I guarantee that if you dare to do anything to me again, I'll make sure you can't stand up for the next whole year!"
"Remember, at least a year!" Lin Tian said, not giving the Jazz thugs any chance to retaliate. He turned and left, then looked at Jordan and said, "I bet they won't dare."
"You think you can intimidate the Jazz with bluffing?"
"Scare them? I didn't scare them." Lin Tian looked at Jordan, his face full of naivety and foolishness. "I'm serious. If that bastard dares to do anything to me again, I'll definitely make him stay in a hospital bed for a year. But... how long was he in the hospital last time? A month?"
"This clearly shows that the lesson I taught him last time was too lenient!"
Jordan watched as Ostertag, who had just stood up aggressively to demand an explanation from Lin Tian, obediently went back after hearing Lin Tian's words and muttered something to himself with Malone.
"Now they definitely won't dare to do it again." Lin Tian shrugged, indicating that this last sentence was the only way he could truly make the Jazz team behave.
The conflict ended with Lin Tian receiving a malicious foul and Stockton being carried off the court. However, judging from the fact that Stockton did not go into the locker room but received treatment on the bench, he will probably only rest for 5 minutes at most and will return to the game soon.
Seeing Stockton go off the court, Jackson didn't hesitate and immediately substituted Lin Tian as well.
"That was a nice knee strike!" Jackson and Lin Tian high-fived, and Jackson said happily, "I hate that old bastard too!"
"You should call him a little bastard," Lin Tian corrected. "Sloan is the real old bastard, f***ing! If that old bastard doesn't get his men to behave themselves, I'll put him in jail for a year too!"
As he spoke, Lin Tian sat on the bench, watching Jordan and Pippen lead their team in the battle against the Jazz on the court.
At that moment, Jackson suddenly felt that compared to Lin Tian, people like Rodman, the bad boy duo Lambiel and Mahone, and the "New York gangsters" Anthony Mason Jr. and Charles Oakley were like good children.
At least none of these guys would dare to hit the coach.
Throughout the entire history of the league, besides Lin Tian, probably no one else has ever dared to physically assault a coach!
If it were true, I, Jackson, would... well, never mind, what if it really is true? No need.
"Achoo!" Sprewell, who was on vacation in Panama, and Coach Carlesimo, who was still studying tactics in Oakland, sneezed together. The two looked up and around a few times, then lowered their heads again and got back to doing what they were supposed to do... well, work!
With four minutes played in the second quarter, the score was temporarily 39-30, with the Bulls holding a nine-point lead. Sloan then called a timeout.
At this point in the game, although the Jazz are not far behind, Sloan knows very well that none of the tactics he devised before the game have been executed.
He wanted the team to play with an incredibly tough attitude from the start to intimidate the Bulls, but in the end, it was Lin Tian's attack on Stockton and his subsequent harsh words that intimidated the Jazz. Apart from Malone, who was still as fierce as ever, the rest of the Jazz players were clearly intimidated.
He wanted to use Russell and Hornacek's help defense to limit Jordan, but although Jordan has only scored 11 points so far, 9 of those points were scored in the first quarter after Lin Tian went to the bench with 2 minutes left and in the first 3 minutes of the second quarter.
The attempt to contain Jordan was a complete failure!
He hoped that Stockton could use his experience and dirty tricks to stop Lin Tian and prevent him from playing the almost terrifying performance he had in the previous rounds of the series. However, although Lin Tian was fouled, Stockton's thigh was also bruised and was still being iced. Lin Tian himself had already scored 17 points!
After letting out a long sigh, Sloan couldn't think of any other solution. He could only look at Stockton and ask, "John, how's your leg?"
"No problem, I can continue." Stockton, upon hearing he was to play, immediately tossed the ice pack aside, stood up, and looked at Sloan, saying, "I can definitely stop that kid!"
Sloan looked at Stockton and could only sigh. He really had no other choice but to trust Stockton.
He had no other choice.
Let Hornacek get beaten up? Let Russell guard him? Let others double-team him?
No matter which option Sloan chooses, there will only be one result: he will be completely crushed by the Bulls!
The only difference is probably how they were destroyed.
In comparison, perhaps betting that Lin Tian can't continue his magical form from the first quarter is the best approach!
As expected, the Bulls brought Lin Tian back in, allowing Jordan to rest temporarily. With Pippen, Kukoc, Kerr, and Wennington, Lin Tian was clearly the primary offensive option for the Bulls!
Seeing Jordan leave the field, Sloan breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly called out to Hornacek, "If necessary, leave Kerr alone and help John double-team Lin!"
The first possession after the timeout was the Bulls' offense. Lin Tian didn't even go to the top of the key to call for the ball and organize the offense. He wasn't planning on playing point guard tonight.
Come on, Stockton, let's get some camaraderie!
Positioning himself on Stockton's right side, Lin Tian once again cornered him, grinning mischievously, "I saw you changing your diaper earlier. Is the new diaper big enough? Don't spray it all over me."
"Kid, you'll regret every word you say! I swear!" Stockton glared at Lin Tian, but couldn't come up with anything sarcastic.
"What are you doing with your hands? I saw you put your hand in your crotch! You bastard, you're adjusting your diaper, aren't you? You moved the diaper away so you could spray me all over later, right!" Lin Tian suddenly shouted exaggeratedly, his voice loud enough for the audience in the front row and the photographers at the bottom to hear.
In the blink of an eye, a burst of flashbulbs went off, all aimed at Stockton and Lin Tian.
They wanted to capture real footage of Stockton wearing diapers!
"Shut up! I'm not wearing a diaper! I don't pee..." Stockton only got halfway through his sentence before he realized he'd been tricked again.
Taking advantage of the moment when he was halfway through his sentence, Lin Tian launched an attack, slamming his shoulder into him again, then quickly stepping back and shooting a mid-range jumper.
"Whoosh!"
Lin Tian scored his 19th point!
Stockton felt as if he had been hit in the chest with a warhammer, and he couldn't catch his breath for a long time.
I'm a top-tier veteran in the league, and you, a young upstart, are trying to outmaneuver me?
Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
Stockton cursed angrily, and was about to take the ball and advance when he found Lin Tian already standing in front of him.
Full press!
"Come on, old dog, let me see what you've got up your sleeve!" Lin Tian pressed himself tightly against Stockton. Tonight, Lin Tian was going to completely terrify Stockton, to the point that he would never dare to bare his teeth at him again!
"Give the ball to Jeff." Stockton, as expected of the league's most cunning yet calm point guard, remained completely unperturbed when he saw Lin Tian challenging him. He pointed directly at Hornacek, indicating that he would take the lead.
"Softie." Lin Tian snorted coldly, his tone so disdainful and indifferent that it even reminded Stockton of the supermodel who had said the same thing to him the night before.
"FUXX!" Stockton took a deep breath. He made up his mind. Tonight, he would not let Lin Tian walk off the court in peace. He would make Lin Tian know what a real man is!
In the next few minutes, Lin Tian continued to relentlessly suppress Stockton on offense, repeatedly attacking him one-on-one in the low post. Although Sloan had devised a strategy to have Hornacek help defend, every time Hornacek came over, Lin Tian's pass would accurately reach Cole's hands!
After Kerr, who was in excellent form tonight, decisively hit two consecutive three-pointers, Hornacek finally dared not come to help defend anymore.
With no one to help defend him, Lin Tian could bully Stockton with ease, almost getting whatever he wanted!
By the end of the first half, Lin Tian had already scored 29 points!
Even so, it was because in the latter half of the second quarter, Sloan finally couldn't stand Lin Tian's crazy one-on-one attacks, so he had Augstag come over to help defend, leaving Longley and Rodman in the paint to be defended by Malone alone.
Even though Lin Tian could pass to the open center every time he was double-teamed, giving his teammates an open shot, Longley and Rodman's offense was still a bit lacking. Their 2-on-1 shooting percentage was actually not as high as Lin Tian's one-on-one against Stockton!
It was precisely because the two big men were not very efficient offensively that the Bulls did not win by many points in the second quarter. At the end of the first half, they only led the Jazz by 12 points, 60-48.
The biggest contributor was undoubtedly Lin Tian, who scored 29 points in the first half alone, making 13 of 18 field goals, 1 of 1 three-pointers, and 2 of 2 free throws, completely dominating Stockton!
Of course, Jordan also scored 17 points in the first half, which was also crucial for the Bulls. However, apart from these two, no other player on the Bulls scored in double figures. Kerr, the team's third-highest scorer, only scored 6 points.
The player who had the worst performance for the Bulls in the first half was Rodman. This former Defensive Player of the Year and All-Star level defensive stalwart not only failed to defend Malone, but also went 0-for-3 and scored no points.
Of course, it's perfectly normal for Rodman to score zero points in the first half, but it would be too unusual for him to only grab four rebounds in the first half!
Simply put, Rodman got completely destroyed by Malone!
On the Jazz's side, their two big men, Malone and Ostertag, displayed their toughness and ferocity, completely dominating the Bulls' interior in the first half. Malone scored 13 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, while Ostertag also contributed 6 points and 8 rebounds!
In addition, Hornacek scored 11 points and Russell scored 8 points on offense. The team's first reserve, Shandon Anderson, also hit two three-pointers and scored 6 points. Although only two players scored in double figures, the Jazz played more rationally and as a team.
Of course, the Jazz also had a player who played very poorly, namely Stockton, who only made 1 of 5 shots, scored only 5 points and 2 assists, and also had 2 turnovers and 2 fouls!
Faced with Lin Tian's tough and fierce attacks, Stockton was exhausted and could barely defend himself. Not only was the bruise on his inner thigh still throbbing, but he was also completely helpless against Lin Tian's various back-to-the-basket moves and turnaround jump shots!
Throughout Stockton's career, his only reliable weapon against star defenders was his dirty tricks and occasional dangerous tackles, but against Lin Tian...
Stockton was somewhat intimidated; he remembered very clearly what Lin Tian had said in the first half.
Stockton was absolutely certain that Lin Tian would keep his word! Because Lin Tian had already done something similar to Stockton last season!
Stockton was bedridden for a long time after that, even missing the All-Star Game. This not only ended his streak of playing every game for several consecutive seasons, but also forever deprived him of the chance to catch up with AC Green's record for consecutive appearances.
This grudge, while not necessarily irreconcilable, is definitely one that will never be forgotten!
So, after Lin Tian made those threatening remarks to Stockton tonight, Stockton really did back down a bit.
He is afraid.
The better you are at swimming, the easier it is for you to drown.
Stockton has schemed against so many people in his life that he knows all too well how many opportunities and methods a person has when they want to scheme against someone, making it absolutely impossible to guard against.
During halftime, Sloan noticed Stockton looking out of sorts and asked with some concern, "John, is your thigh alright?"
"It's nothing." Stockton shook his head. The physical pain had long passed, and now he felt an instinctive fear of Lin Tian!
Sloan glanced at Stockton, said nothing, and turned to call over the team's backup center Greg Foster and backup forward Chris Morris.
What these two have in common is that they had mediocre seasons but played aggressively. Both of them are big and burly, and look like gangsters.
"In the second half, I might put you on the court earlier, and your only task is to do everything you can to protect our interior defense and prevent the opponent from driving to the basket and the Bulls' players from getting a shot off."
"It's by every possible means, understand?"
Hearing Sloan's emphasis, the two men exchanged a glance and nodded, their eyes simultaneously revealing a fierce look.
They certainly knew what their task was.
On the Bulls' side, a group of players had just entered the locker room. Before Jackson could even give them a pep talk, Rodman, cursing and swearing, took off his jersey, revealing his bruised and battered upper body, and yelled, "That bastard Malone! He's going to hell! FUXX! His elbows shouldn't even be on the court!"
"Send him to a war zone; even his elbows would be excellent weapons for conquering cities! This guy is a damn bastard; he should be reincarnated as an animal!"
Rodman was known for his ferocity, toughness, and ruthlessness throughout his career. Although he didn't trip or injure anyone, his aggressive moves meant he almost never suffered any losses on the court.
Judging from his current state, he clearly suffered a great loss in the first half, and did not gain any advantage in his confrontation with Ma Long.
"Dennis, Karl Malone is the MVP after all. He is the undisputed best player in the league this year and has been the highest scorer among all centers in the league for two consecutive years."
"Even though Hakeem Olajuwon is clearly aging, he is already recognized as the best center in the league! Being outmatched when matched up against him is nothing to be ashamed of. Just relax and do your best."
Ok?
Jackson's seemingly comforting words made both of them suddenly raise their heads.
One was Rodman, who looked annoyed after hearing "It's normal that we can't defend against him" and "The best center in the league".
Rodman's eyes clearly said: Are you kidding me? There's someone I can't defend? And being at a disadvantage is normal? FUXX! Watch me crush Malone in the second half.
The other one is Jordan: MVP? The undisputed best in the league? Who undisputed him? How come I don't know? FUXX! Watch me crush Malone in the second half.
Jackson clearly expected these two players' reactions. The old fox subtly raised the corners of his mouth slightly, then quickly adjusted his glasses to conceal his smugness, and continued, "Lin, you did a fantastic job in the first half. You destroyed Stockton, but to be honest, it wasn't thorough enough."
"Have you ever heard of the saying that there are five great point guards in the league today? Gary Payton, Tim Hardaway, Anfernee Hardaway, John Stockton, and Kevin Johnson."
"Not to mention that Jason suffered another major injury this year and is basically semi-retired, three out of the remaining four players were one-on-one destroyed by you in the playoffs! You crushed all your opponents in the series!"
"You completely dominated Anfernee in the series, forcing him to only pad his stats in garbage time! Against Tim, you put up historic super stats with 30+20+10 in a single game. Against Gary, you scored 48 points in a single game, twice shaking off the best defensive player, turning him into a fingerless, leaky glove."
"Now, only Stockton is left, and he's the only one you haven't completely destroyed! If you completely shut down Stockton in the next game, let's guess who's the best point guard in the league?"
"Me." Lin Tian yawned, stretched out his hand, and cooperated with Jackson.
Damn it! This kid! I wasted so much breath and said so much nonsense, and this is how you just brush me off?
Perhaps noticing Jackson's displeasure, Lin Tian suddenly stood up, looking confident, and said, "Understood, Coach. I'll continue to crush Stockton!"
After saying that, Lin Tian didn't wait for Jackson to praise him before sitting back down on the bench and chatting with Wennington next to him.
FUXX!
You little rascal!
After cursing again, Jackson made a firm decision in his heart: he would never again try to give Lin Tian any motivational speeches, because he would feel no sense of accomplishment whatsoever!
No, we need to find a few players who like chicken soup and enjoy it, give them a few sips, and help them regain their sense of accomplishment and confidence!
Jackson's gaze swept across the entire arena.
Then they found Langley and Kukoc, these two unfortunate brothers, and went over to them.
Feeding foreigners motivational quotes proves that Jackson's motivational quotes are universally accepted, like a universal currency! If I can handle foreigners, then there's no one I can't handle!
My sense of accomplishment is going up, up!
Ten minutes later, the players from both sides entered the field to prepare for the second half of the game. After nearly 20 minutes of rest, the fans at the United Center had replenished their energy and recovered their voices, and were ready to continue cheering and shouting for their teams!
The first offensive possession of the second half belonged to the Bulls. This time, Lin Tian didn't return to his own half of the court. Instead, he went directly to the low post, backed down Stockton, and waited for Pippen to bring the ball up the court.
"I thought you wouldn't dare to play in the second half," Lin Tian said with a mischievous grin, leaning against Stockton. "If I were you, I'd say my thigh injury was too serious to continue. It's much better to leave injured than to be completely outplayed, isn't it?"
"Kid, do you think you can keep up with your first-half performance? You just had a good shooting night! Lady Luck will definitely leave you in the second half!" Stockton couldn't find any effective way to retaliate against Lin Tian, so he could only resort to metaphysics.
The moment he finished speaking, Lin Tian received a pass from Pippen, took two steps toward the inside while holding off Stockton, and then suddenly used his shoulder to knock Stockton to the ground. Lin Tian then stepped back, got up, and took another mid-range shot.
"Whoosh!"
Before Ostertag arrived, Lin Tian scored another 2 points, giving the Bulls the first point of the second half!
"Looks like Lady Luck prefers tall, handsome guys to skinny, soft dogs. John, I think Lady Luck will never smile on you again." Lin Tian shrugged, finished trash-talking Stockton, and walked straight up to him without offering to help him up.
He just stood there, and the taunting was off the charts!
"You better watch out!" Stockton knew how weak and ineffective his trash talk was, and that it wouldn't do any harm to Lin Tian at all, but did he really not want to shut up and stop talking?
As for Lin Tian, the fact that Stockton still dared to talk back meant one thing: he hadn't beaten him hard enough!
We have to keep putting this old rascal in a lower position! Otherwise, he won't learn his lesson!
The Jazz's offense once again featured a pick-and-roll between Stockton and Malone, followed by a bounce pass from Stockton to Malone, who had split up.
Rodman pounced on Malone this time, his face almost touching Malone's arm, while his legs spread apart, almost wedged between Malone's legs, making it impossible for Malone to exert any force!
"FUXX! Have you suddenly become gay? Get away from me, you idiot!" Malone could almost feel Rodman's breath on his face, and he felt nauseous. He quickly pulled his leg back, turned around, and used his back to press against Rodman, looking for an opportunity to attack.
But as soon as Malone turned around, he saw a blur before his eyes as a red number 23 rushed in front of him, slamming his large hand down with lightning speed, directly and heavily hitting the basketball in Malone's hands.
"Snapped!"
With a crisp snap, Jordan stole the ball and then quickly pushed forward, leading Russell all the way to the Jazz's three-point line. Suddenly, Jordan slowed down and turned his back to the basket, as if he was about to pass the ball to Lin Tian, who was following up in the middle, to reorganize the offense.
But just as Russell relaxed slightly, Jordan made a turn so fast that he was almost blurry, and in one step he passed Russell and rushed straight toward the basket!
Malone happened to be in a defensive position at that moment. When he saw Jordan coming, he raised his hand to jump and block the shot. But before he could jump, he felt something grab his clothes. He instinctively turned around and saw Rodman with a wicked grin on his face.
Then, a tremendous force struck!
Malone was hit hard by Jordan and sent flying!
"boom!"
After a loud bang, Jordan gripped the rim with both hands, staring at Malone with unwavering determination: "I heard you're this year's MVP? Is that all?"
"I heard you're the best center in the league, that nobody can guard you, and that's it?" Rodman found Jordan's trash talk very amusing and immediately copied it, creating a completely new version.
Lying on the ground, Malone looked at the two bastards' arrogant behavior and was so angry that he just wanted to get up and give them both an iron elbow and send them to the hospital!
I, Karl Malone, have never been treated like this in my life!
Hmm, it seems like I've been through that before, but if you don't count the time Lin Tian took me down in a second in front of more than ten All-Stars...
In the next few minutes, Malone was targeted by both Rodman and Jordan!
On offense, whenever he got the ball, Rodman would pounce on him like a mad dog and fight him to the death, always bumping his face against Malone's arm, as if to say, "If you don't give me an elbow to the head today, I won't leave."
Malone really wanted to give him a good whack, but he also knew that Rodman was experienced and not there to take a beating. Rodman's angle and position were perfect. Malone was very sure that if he elbowed Rodman, he would at least get a technical foul or even be ejected!
He has to endure it! At least as long as there's still a chance to win this game, he has to endure it!
But at this moment, as soon as Malone gets the ball and starts dribbling, Jordan's double team will immediately arrive. Jordan's iron hands, which are of the best defensive player level, will frantically look for opportunities to steal the ball in the gaps between Malone's dribbling!
This prevented Malone from launching any offensive plays. Even if Malone quickly passed the ball out, Pippen and Lin Tian, the remaining two players on the Bulls, would quickly fill the gaps left by Jordan's help defense. The Bulls' overall defense and rotation speed were simply too fast, and Hornacek and Russell's ball-handling abilities were not top-notch, making it impossible for them to continue passing the ball and find open shots immediately.
The Jazz's offense quickly came to a standstill!
Their scoring became extremely difficult. If it weren't for Hornacek's outstanding performance, hitting two difficult three-pointers over Pippen's defense, and Ostertag grabbing two offensive rebounds under the basket, the Bulls would have pulled away much earlier!
While their offense was tough but they were still able to score, the Jazz faced a much tougher challenge on the defensive end.
Besides Lin Tian's inability to solve Stockton's problem, which the Jazz had no way to deal with, Jordan also began to attack Russell, repeatedly attacking the paint, and Jordan's target was very clear.
It's Ma Long!
Almost every time he went for a layup, he would rush towards Malone, seeking physical contact and looking for an opportunity to draw a foul!
Jordan's purpose was all too obvious.
He's going to take Malone down!
And he succeeded very quickly!
(End of this chapter)