Chapter 1 Is This The End for the Lakers?

During the third quarter, facing wave after wave of the Warriors' offensive onslaught, the pressure on the Lakers players, already near their physical limits, was palpable.

But as a team that once established a dynasty in the NBA...

Just like those legendary teams that left their mark on NBA history.

Oracle Arena.

Even as the Warriors' offense continued to succeed.

The next possession.

The Lakers always found a way to respond immediately.

"The Lakers' newly substituted Billups' shot was crucial.

So, at times like these, you still have to rely on the veterans?"

"Before Billups hit that three-pointer, the Lakers had gone two possessions without scoring.

But with that three-pointer, the Lakers once again closed the gap with the Warriors."

"Wow! Kobe made that shot too?

James was practically one with him! But Kobe can still pull up, still make the shot!"

"Looking at the overall performance of this series, tonight is undoubtedly Kobe's worst game.

But as Zhang指导 said before, Kobe is the kind of player who, if you give him a chance, will resolutely take the shot in your face!"

"Now let's take a look, the Lakers are making substitutions...

Yo, yo, yo, Seth Curry is going to heaven!

Oh my gosh, he really made it!"

"With Seth Curry making that 28-foot three-pointer over his brother Stephen Curry, it's as if the Lakers are telling the Warriors...

What you can do, we can do too!"

"Su Feng actively moved out to receive the ball, Butler is guarding him closely...

Oh, no, it feels like something bad is about to happen...

Hey!

Look at Butler, he's so close, Su Feng just crossed him with one change of direction!

And then you see Klay coming over to help, that's what we often say, chasing your tail!"

"Tonight, Su Feng, who hasn't rested for a single minute, has undoubtedly shown us once again what a true man is all about!

Let him be strong, the breeze caresses the hills!

Let him be fierce, the bright moon shines on the river!

Let him be ruthless and evil, I have enough true qi!"

"Oh, the Lakers need to pay attention to spacing! They're all standing still!

Wow!

It has to be Kobe!

Did you see that? With everyone else on the Lakers standing still, Kobe has the ability to stand up and finish!"

"After Game 5 between the Lakers and the Warriors, Su Feng said in an interview that if this series is like walking in the desert, Kobe is the oasis that appears in front of him whenever he's extremely thirsty!

Maybe Kobe hasn't scored much so far...

But every basket he makes is crucial!"

Oracle Arena.

Amidst the passionate commentary of Zhang指导 and Yu Jia...

In front of their televisions, even Chinese fans who felt sorry for Yao Ming and hoped he could beat Su Feng once before retiring began to switch sides.

Meet soldiers with generals, and water with earth.

On the court, after three quarters, the score was 97 to 98.

Although, judging from the score, the Warriors successfully overtook the lead in the third quarter.

But in terms of the game's flow...

The Lakers played their most tenacious quarter since the dark battle against the Celtics in the 2008/09 season.

After a short break between quarters...

In the fourth quarter, Su Feng was still playing without rest. In addition, at Kobe's strong request, Coach Lue approved Kobe's request to play at the start of the final quarter.

On the court, the Lakers' lineup for the final quarter was Gasol Jr., Su Feng, Bogdanović, Kobe, and Livingston.

The Warriors' lineup for the final quarter was Yao Ming, James, Butler, Ray Allen, and Curry.

Oracle Arena.

The Lakers attacked first.

After Livingston dribbled the ball past half-court, Gasol Jr. quickly formed a triangle with Su Feng and Kobe.

In the low post, Little Zhan Zhan, who was also gritting his teeth and holding on, was no longer able to put as much pressure on Kobe defensively as before.

After receiving Gasol Jr.'s lob pass, Kobe feigned a turn to the left side of his body, then suddenly turned to the right, drawing James' defense away.

Swish!

99 to 98!

Kobe scored his 13th point of the game, and once again gave the Lakers the lead.

Bang!

As they retreated on defense, the fists of the Lakers' number 23 and number 24 collided.

At that moment, no words were needed.

Whether it was Su Feng or Kobe.

All it took was eye contact.

They could understand each other's intentions.

Without a doubt.

Even if Britney filed a police report and Vanessa cried in the bathroom, they could only envy the unspoken understanding between the two old men from Lower Merion.

On the court, the Warriors had possession.

Yao Ming, standing at the top of the arc, was still unstoppable.

After Curry successfully used Yao Ming's screen while dribbling, the Little Elementary Schooler no longer needed to consider how he could shake off his defender.

Pick and roll.

One of the most basic tactics on the basketball court.

At the same time.

Also, a tactic that is theoretically unbreakable and has never been broken.

Because as long as the two players on your side who are running the pick and roll are strong enough...

Even if the defending side adopts a strategy of switching on every screen...

They may not be able to defend it.

And this play was undoubtedly the best example.

Swish!

Uncle Shuh Fen, Uncle Kobe...

Can't you two just lie down?

99 to 101.

A quick draw after a pick and roll from Stephen Curry.

Oracle Arena, watching Curry, who had already scored 26 points for the Warriors tonight...

The nearly 20,000 fans in attendance no longer remembered...

Their evaluation after Game 5, that the Little Elementary Schooler was the weakest star guard in the league today?

In the stands, they raised their hands, not because the Warriors fans wanted to pay tribute to the French.

It was only because they wanted to offer their sincerest praise to this monster born in Akron. (Isn't that still French?)

The Lakers' offensive possession.

At the top of the arc, Gasol Jr. also drew Yao Ming out.

Kobe once again sank into the low post.

James, whose spirit and body were already near their limits, showed the will of his successor as Su Feng.

After receiving the ball, Kobe's back-and-forth probes failed to deceive James.

However, the intelligent Bogdanović quietly cut into the Warriors' interior using his height advantage.

Seeing this, Kobe, whose vision stats you could never know, passed the ball from behind his head to Bogdanović's hands, as if he had eyes in the back of his head.

Bang, swish!

101 to 101!

The Warriors' possession.

Facing Yao Ming, who had once again pulled to the top of the arc, Livingston and Gasol Jr. switched early, successfully preventing Curry and Yao Ming from launching an attack directly after the pick and roll.

Unfortunately, when Curry passed the ball behind his back to Yao Ming, Gasol Jr.'s wingspan was just a few centimeters too short.

And how terrifying was Yao Ming, who could launch an attack from a greater distance?

He immediately gave the world the answer to this question.

Clang!

On the court, there was no need to chase people into the low post.

After bumping into Livingston near the free-throw line, Yao Ming turned sideways, tiptoed, and sent the basketball accurately into the basket with his signature tiptoe jump shot.

Since the Lakers' wingers couldn't help defend at this distance, you could completely call the area around the free-throw line "Yao Ming's Territory."

101 to 103.

It was the Lakers' turn to attack.

Watching James, who was using his tenacious willpower to lock Kobe in the corner, Su Feng timely circled out from the baseline and received the ball from Gasol Jr. with a handoff.

And at this moment...

Looking at the man in front of him who was still exuding Conqueror's Haki...

Butler's mood was similar to Su Feng's when he faced Jordan in the Zhongzhou Gymnasium sixteen years ago.

You can't beat him, you can't outlast him.

When the butcher's knife of time swung at Su Feng.

Not only did Su Feng not show any signs of being crushed by time.

On the contrary, he broke the butcher's knife of time in two.

It hit an iron plate, truly.

Dong!

Dong!

At the top of the arc, watching Su Feng preparing to hold the ball for a one-on-one against him, Butler suddenly froze.

Because if he wasn't mistaken...

Su Feng seemed to have made a Klay-style low-level mistake on this play.

At the moment of preparing to launch a Crossover...

Perhaps it was because of the decline in physical strength.

Perhaps it was because even the best players could not avoid making mistakes.

Anyway, from Butler's perspective...

At this moment, Su Feng's right hand, which was originally responsible for controlling the ball, had lost control of the basketball!

But in front of the TV, at the same time, in a repair shop in New York, Sam Goudet, who had taught Su Feng and Kobe how to play basketball back then, smiled knowingly.

Because...

Who told Butler...

This is a Crossover?

Silly child!

Don't you know...

In the world of basketball, there is also a special skill called...

Sam Goudet?

Dong!

At the top of the arc, after suddenly changing the trajectory of the basketball with his left hand, Su Feng flashed past Butler like a meteor in the night!

Then.

At the moment of stepping into the three-point line, Su Feng's knees seemed to not know what injuries were, completing an emergency stop!

Then...

Push off, hang in the air, flick the wrist!

Swish!

104 to 103!

Su Feng scored his 56th point of the game!

35 years and 2 months old!

Was this man going to break the NBA record for the oldest player to score 60+ points in a playoff game again?

ESPN Sports, Scotty Pippen shook his head and sighed, "Many people say that the playoffs are a stage for superstars.

And it is precisely because of leaving a total score of 5987 points in the playoffs that Michael Jordan became an idol of a generation back then.

But...

Can you believe that, at the earliest next season, Su's total playoff score will be twice that of Michael Jordan?"

On the court, watching Su Feng "tottering" on defense, Yao Ming's old blood in his chest was about to burst out.

Because even at this point...

Brother Feng!

Why can you still complete these miraculous operations?

Coming back, the Warriors attacked.

Yao Ming scored on Gasol Jr. in the post.

An unremarkable side hook.

But before the Warriors fans on the scene could sing Yao Ming's song of glory...

A dozen seconds later, Su Feng used his 58th point of the game...

To once again give the Lakers the lead.

On the Warriors' bench.

Van Gundy, who had asserted in the third quarter that the Lakers were done, had already had his mouth sealed with "tape" by the assistant coach. (Note 1)

Because in the eyes of the Warriors' assistant coaches...

Van Gundy's predictions in this series...

Were like some kind of mysterious Buff-giving "prayer" for the Lakers.

And on the court...

As time passed...

1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes...

Until more than half a quarter had passed...

The Warriors had not, as Van Gundy wished, completely established their advantage in this game.

In fact, by this point in the game.

Even the Lakers fans knew that the current Lakers were a dilapidated house about to collapse.

As long as the Warriors kicked it again, the Lakers would collapse.

But just as the French didn't know why the Pavlov's House in World War II was able to resist longer than France...

Tonight, in the eyes of the superstitious Americans.

Only God can bless the Lakers...

Could explain why the Lakers were able to resist until now!

There were 3 minutes and 19 seconds left!

121 to 121!

If miracles really have colors...

Why can't it be purple and gold?

On the court, the Warriors attacked.

And although the Lakers players on the court couldn't hear it...

But hundreds of kilometers away at the Staples Center in Los Angeles...

The cheers of nearly 100,000 Lakers fans inside and outside the arena had already resounded throughout the Los Angeles sky.

Defense!

Defense!

Defense!

Swish!

Unfortunately.

The Warriors players in Oracle Arena failed to fulfill the wishes of the Lakers fans hundreds of kilometers away.

On the court, before the game entered the final three minutes, Yao Ming, the evil giant from the East in the eyes of the Lakers fans, once again scored a precious two points in the paint for the Warriors!

121 to 123.

It was the Lakers' turn to attack.

Clang!

After forming the triangle, Kobe, who was in the low post, had his beautiful fadeaway jumper rejected by the rim.

The Warriors' offensive possession.

Without a doubt.

This was another extremely important possession for both the Lakers and the Warriors.

Oracle Arena.

Nearly 20,000 Warriors fans put their hands on their chests at this moment, making the most sincere prayers for the team.

So to speak...

It would be a miracle if these believers' God could hear them...

Because can you not only CALL on God when you need him?

Clang!

Low post.

Under Gasol Jr.'s desperate defense, Yao Ming's originally sure-fire side hook missed its target due to excessive force.

Hundreds of kilometers away at the Staples Center, seeing this scene, the Lakers fans breathed a sigh of relief!

Because in the eyes of the Lakers fans who were also making sincere prayers for the Lakers just now...

This must be because God prefers the Lakers more!

Clang!

Lakers fans: "..."

However, what made the Lakers fans' hearts stop abruptly was...

Kobe, who had performed well in the second half of this game...

Actually hit the rim twice in a row with his turnaround fadeaway jumper!

Coming back, the Warriors had possession.

After a pick and roll with Yao Ming at the top of the arc, James used the last of his strength to dribble the ball into the Lakers' restricted area!

Bang, swish!

121 to 125!

Oracle Arena, as James made a layup, the golden tide immediately surged up!

Now, the Warriors were leading by 4 points!

The door to a Game 7...

Had already appeared in front of the Warriors at this moment!

And on the sidelines, after a brief exchange of glances with Su Feng, Coach Lue also dispelled the idea of calling a timeout.

On the court, it was the Lakers' turn to attack.

Gasol Jr. was still bringing the ball up to the high post to play a triangle offense with Su Feng and Kobe.

But...

When they noticed that Kobe was still responsible for sinking into the low post...

At this moment, even the most loyal Kobe fans were sweating for Kobe.

The Lakers hadn't scored on their previous two possessions.

Why was Kobe still executing this attack?

Was Su Feng trying to pass the blame to Kobe?

The answer was of course no.

It was just that letting Kobe continue to play one-on-one against James, who had only rested for about 4 minutes tonight, would be more successful in terms of success rate.

In the previous five games.

If it weren't for Kobe...

How could the Lakers have gotten the match point?

No matter how many people in this world doubted Kobe.

Su Feng could not question this Mamba. (Note 2)

Swish!

Low post, this time...

Kobe didn't miss!

123 to 125!

On the court, it was the Warriors' turn to attack.

On the Warriors' bench, Van Gundy also had no intention of calling a timeout.

The clock continued to tick.

High post, after a pick and roll with Yao Ming, Curry, seeking stability, dribbled the ball into the Lakers' interior.

Unfortunately, Su Feng, who timely helped defend, saw through the Little Elementary Schooler's intention to attack with Nash's signature low-handed layup.

Smack!

Su Feng blocked Stephen Curry's shot!

On the side, Rondo, who was substituted on in the later stages of the final quarter, protected the second point of fall!

Oracle Arena.

The Warriors fans, who had just felt that the Warriors were likely to have a Game 7 with the Lakers, suddenly became nervous.

On the court, after Rondo dribbled the ball past half-court, Gasol Jr. brought up to the high post to support.

The Lakers' 1-2-2 formation.

Triangle offense.

One trick.

Eats all over the world.

Kobe.

Kobe was still sinking into the low post.

CCTV, seeing this scene, Zhang指导 said with a face full of emotion: "Tonight, the Lakers would rather die in Kobe's hands!"

Low post, shoulder shake, fake.

Turnaround.

Jump shot.

When his physical strength was sufficient, James could disrupt Kobe's shooting rhythm before and after Kobe received the ball through his model advantage.

But at this moment...

Facing Kobe's signature move that he had practiced countless times in training.

James had no way to deal with it.

Swish!

With 1 minute and 08 seconds left in the game.

Kobe tied the score for the Lakers!

125 to 125!

On the sidelines, Van Gundy, who was extremely stubborn, still had no intention of calling a timeout.

Look...

Everyone laughs at Phil Jackson.

But everyone is Phil Jackson.

Warriors attack.

Yao Ming forces his way past Marc Gasol in the paint!

Bang, swish!

125 to 127!

At the moment when the hearts of the Warriors fans at Oracle Arena were about to jump out of their chests, Yao Ming successfully made them put down the hearts that had always been hanging in their throats!

And on the Lakers side...

Coach Lue also didn't call a timeout.

It's just that what was different from before was.

This ball...

The player responsible for dribbling the ball past half-court for the Lakers became Su Feng.

"In the decisive moment, of course, we have to hand the game over to our big boss!" On the court, watching Su Feng steadily dribble the ball over half-court, Kobe had already held up four fingers for him.

What triangle offense to play?

Iso.

Watch Su Feng play one-on-one!

High post, Butler, who was closely following Su Feng all the way, felt as if countless eyes were staring at him at this moment.

And as the time on the clock continued to pass...

In front of the TV, on the scene...

Countless people also jumped up with Su Feng's dribbling hands.

Dong!

Dong!

At the top of the arc, after suddenly accelerating and changing his breakthrough route with a Crossover, without any preparation...

Su Feng launched his attack so suddenly!

On the court, Butler didn't have time to react.

Because the man in front of him...

Seemed to be so unpredictable that every hair on his body had its own feint!

Push off, hang in the air, flick the wrist!

Swish!

127 to 127!

With 23.1 seconds left in the game...

Su Feng successfully brought both sides back to the same starting line.

And on the sidelines, at this moment, Van Gundy also made a decision that would cause a discussion no matter what after the game.

The Warriors.

Did not call a timeout for their last attack.

On the court, James was responsible for dribbling the ball past half-court.

In order not to give the Lakers a chance to attack.

James very patiently controlled the ball possession at the high post.

15 seconds.

14 seconds.

13 seconds...

9 seconds...

8 seconds...

This attack, it wasn't until there were 7 seconds left that Yao Ming pulled to the high post to screen for James.

The door to victory was right in front of him.

Putting all the strength in his body.

This was LeBron James' last wave!

"LeBron broke through Su's defense with the ball!

Marc didn't have time to delay for Su!

Danny didn't have time either!

LeBron jumped up!

He's about to kill this game!"

Oracle Arena.

When James soared into the sky as domineering as usual...

Nearly 20,000 Warriors fans in the arena had jumped up.

However...

Just as James was about to send the ball to the backboard...

On the commentary table of TNT TV, O'Neal suddenly pushed Barkley away...

"Kobe——————!!"

This ball...

Whether it was Su Feng.

Or Green.

Or even Gasol Jr.

They really didn't have time to return to the interior.

But...

Kobe...

Why are you there!

In the restricted area, James was shocked.

Smack————!!

Kobe!

Defended this possession for the Lakers!

"Fast————! There's still time!"

And after landing,抢下the second point of fall for the Lakers, and handing the ball to Su Feng smoothly, Kobe didn't forget to remind his teammates loudly.

On the court, Su Feng, who received Kobe's pass, was immediately double-teamed by Curry and Butler who were closest to him.

But...

Kobe took the opportunity to sprint all the way to the Warriors' half.

Su Feng didn't hesitate.

Without time to adjust, after roughly observing Kobe's running route, Su Feng threw the basketball in his hand to the front court!

And a fraction of a second later...

Along with O'Neal jumping onto the commentary table with an excited face...

This shark's shout...

"Kobe——————!!"

Also resounded throughout North America!

...

Note 1: The explanation is that Van Gundy was prone to making incorrect predictions.
Note 2: Slow Mamba