svetikya Chapter 35: 45 Points to Overturn the Lakers
Chapter 35: 45 Points to Overturn the Lakers
The dome of Oracle Arena is about to be blown off.
In Oakland, two hours before the highly anticipated Warriors vs. Lakers game, the arena was already packed with fans wearing yellow #6 jerseys. Some held up peach cans as a sign, others carried suonas (traditional Chinese wind instruments), and still others unfurled a ten-meter-long red banner with white lettering. Their Northeastern-accented slogans could be heard across the street: "Northeastern Warriors, dunking across the entire league! Defeat the OK duo, overthrow the Lakers dynasty!"
The arena was already a sea of yellow. In the first row, Zhang Qingying, wearing the same number 6 jersey as Lin Hao, clenched her fists until they were white, her eyes fixed intently on the player tunnel entrance. Beside her, Zhao Dabao was shouting into the microphone, his booming voice carrying a fierce edge even through the microphone: "What's a 'celebrity rookie'? Today, let the whole of America see, our Haozi is a true superstar!" Next to him, Harris, abandoning his usual elite demeanor, had his suit jacket unbuttoned, his gaze fixed on the Lakers' locker room.
The hype surrounding this game has already surpassed the ceiling for NBA regular season games. Domestic live streaming platforms saw record-breaking viewership. Coach Zhang Weiping stated in the studio, "This isn't just an ordinary regular season game; it's a head-to-head clash between a rising star and a dynasty team, a do-or-die battle for Lin Hao to prove himself!"
At the pre-game press conference, Kobe and Shaq jointly declared that they would sweep the Warriors on the road in Oakland. The entire American media overwhelmingly sided with the Lakers, with every word filled with sarcasm that "the miracle of the internet celebrity rookie has come to an end."
The player tunnel lights came on, and the Lakers players were the first to enter the arena. O'Neal pounded his chest and roared at the stands, instantly eliciting a deafening chorus of boos. Behind him, Kobe Bryant, his face grim, his eyes like icy daggers, pierced through the crowd and locked onto Lin Hao, who had just stepped out of the tunnel.
Lin Hao, wearing jersey number 6 and a mini suona pendant around his neck, carried an unopened can of yellow peaches in his left hand and casually draped his right hand over his teammate's shoulder. As he walked to the sidelines, he slowly unscrewed the can lid, took a large gulp of the sweet syrup, and the entire arena erupted in a deafening roar of "MVP!"
During a break in warm-up, Kobe walked straight up to Lin Hao, bumped him hard on the shoulder, and laughed, "Kid, I'm going to expose your true colors in this game today."
Lin Hao wiped the sweat from his brow, his nonchalant demeanor carrying a hint of roguishness: "What a coincidence, I was just about to show you how this internet celebrity you're talking about actually brought down your Lakers dynasty."
As soon as he finished speaking, the cameras on site zoomed in, and the tension immediately escalated.
In the jump ball, O'Neal won without any doubt. On the Lakers' first possession, Kobe called for the ball at the top of the key, facing Lin Hao's defense head-on.
The entire room fell silent instantly.
Kobe dribbled between his legs repeatedly, then suddenly executed a crossover followed by a step-back, unleashing his signature fadeaway jumper that arced perfectly through the air before swishing through the net. As he retreated on defense, Kobe wagged his finger at Lin Hao, a cold smile playing on his lips: "Welcome to hell."
Lin Hao remained calm, receiving the inbound pass from his teammate in the frontcourt. Facing Kobe's relentless defense, he showed no panic. With a behind-the-back layup and a crossover dribble, he instantly created half a body distance and dashed into the paint like lightning. Facing O'Neal's help defense, he executed a spectacular mid-air reverse layup, forcefully scoring over the Shark's head and drawing a foul in the process!
"2+1!!"
The commentator's screams nearly cracked, and Oracle Arena erupted. Screams blared from every corner of the stands, mingling with the fans' shouts, making eardrums vibrate. Lin Hao calmly spun the free throw and then shrugged at Kobe, raising an eyebrow with a smile: "Hell? It's nothing special."
The first quarter of the game became a pure duel between the two players.
Kobe unleashed his full range of skills: post-up moves, fadeaways, and powerful dunks, each shot aimed to seal the victory. Lin Hao, on the other hand, countered every move, hitting three-pointers with deadly accuracy and tearing through defenses with ease. Even more formidable was his constant composure; his passive skill, "Iron Blood Binding," remained active throughout, effectively limiting Kobe's shooting rhythm while simultaneously delivering brilliant passes to ignite his teammates' offense.
第一节战罢，勇士28-26领先2分。科比单节砍下12分，而林昊交出了10分4助攻2抢断的全面数据，硬生生把科比的命中率压到了40%以下，远低于他的赛季平均水平。
At the start of the second quarter, the Lakers immediately changed tactics, with O'Neal unleashing his dominance in the paint. The Warriors' interior defense has never been their strong suit, and against Shaq's massive frame, it became a paper-thin defense. O'Neal scored three consecutive dunks, instantly leading his team to take the lead, which at its largest point reached 8 points.
The Warriors' head coach on the sidelines was stomping his feet in frustration, repeatedly calling for a timeout. Lin Hao snatched the whiteboard from the coach's hands, squatted on the bench, and began rapidly sketching tactical lines with a marker, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Listen up, everyone! Next, collapse the double team on O'Neal! As soon as he receives the ball, double-team him! Let him pass, rotate the perimeter defense, and I'll cover any open spots! Our run-and-gun advantage is to break down their old, aging bodies!"
Looking at the clear offensive and defensive strategies on the tactics board, and then at the unwavering confidence in Lin Hao's eyes, the teammates' previously panicked minds instantly calmed down. The head coach nodded repeatedly beside them, immediately making the decision: "Play as Lin Hao says!"
After the timeout, the Warriors' defense instantly changed. Whenever O'Neal received the ball, two players would collapse and double-team him, forcing him to pass. Meanwhile, the Warriors' perimeter players constantly rotated to help defend, and Lin Hao was like a tireless hunting dog, intercepting the Lakers' perimeter passes twice in a row and leading the team in a lightning-fast fast break.
After stealing the ball, Lin Hao charged forward to the frontcourt, with Kobe chasing closely behind. Just as he was about to catch up and block the shot, Lin Hao suddenly pulled the ball behind his back to slow down. After Kobe passed him, Lin Hao accelerated again and took off, slamming the ball in with one hand!
The entire audience rose to their feet and cheered. Zhao Dabao jumped high on the bench, his voice hoarse from shouting, "Holy crap! Haozi is awesome!"
Midway through the second quarter, Kobe Bryant once again unleashed his scoring prowess, hitting two consecutive difficult three-pointers in an attempt to stabilize the situation. However, Lin Hao immediately responded, pulling up for a long-range three-pointer from the top of the arc, swishing it cleanly, and then shutting down Kobe's drives on the defensive end, assisting his teammate in the corner for a three-pointer, instantly bringing the score back into play.
半场战罢，勇士54-52依旧领先2分。林昊半场砍下22分5助攻2抢断，科比拿到20分，奥尼尔则是18分10篮板的两双数据。
In the locker room during halftime, Lin Hao unscrewed a new can of yellow peaches, took a big gulp of the syrup, and shared the can with his teammates, saying with a smile, "Brothers, the OK duo are only human, not gods. They're getting old, especially O'Neal; his stamina can't handle the high-intensity competition all game. In the second half, we'll just run and shoot them down! If we win this game, I'll give you all the yellow peaches you want!"
The teammates burst into laughter, their previously tense nerves completely relaxing, and their morale soaring. The locker room door was gently pushed open, and a staff member handed in a hot towel and a folded note written by Zhang Qingying in delicate handwriting: "I believe in you, you will always be the best."
Lin Hao looked at the note, a smile unconsciously creeping onto his lips. He carefully folded the note and tucked it into the inside pocket of his jersey.
In the second half, the Lakers completely unleashed their dynasty-like dominance. Kobe and Shaq's inside-outside connection flowed seamlessly, with Shaq wreaking havoc in the paint and Kobe firing on all cylinders from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Warriors' role players suddenly went cold, missing several open three-pointers in a row, and the point difference quickly widened to 10 points.
With two minutes left in the third quarter, the Lakers led 78-68. The cheers from the crowd instantly subsided, and many fans clenched their fists, their palms sweating. Zhang Qingying's eyes reddened instantly on the sidelines, and Zhao Dabao, who had been so arrogant, lost his earlier arrogance, staring intently at the court and repeatedly muttering, "Stay calm, Haozi, stay calm."
Just when everyone thought the Warriors were about to collapse, Lin Hao stepped up.
He first anticipated Fisher's passing route on the defensive end, made a diving steal, and scored a layup on a fast break; then, facing Kobe's double team, he hit a difficult 3+1; immediately afterwards, he locked down Kobe's fadeaway jumper on the defensive end, grabbed the rebound, and assisted his teammate to hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding.
In just two minutes, Lin Hao single-handedly unleashed a 10-2 scoring run, narrowing the gap to 3 points.
At the end of the third quarter, the Lakers led 82-79. Lin Hao scored another 14 points in the quarter, bringing his total to 36 points after three quarters, while Kobe Bryant scored 11 points in the third quarter, accumulating 31 points. The commentators, their voices hoarse from shouting, repeatedly exclaimed, "This is a clash of superstars! This is the magic of the NBA!"
On domestic live streaming platforms, countless fans are glued to their screens, their palms sweating as they grip their phones.
In the fourth quarter, the decisive moment, both sides pushed themselves to their physical limits.
Every offensive and defensive play was intense, with physical contact reaching its peak. Lin Hao and Kobe's arms were red and raw from repeated close-quarters combat. O'Neal, already carrying four fouls, dared not jump to block shots easily. The score went back and forth, with the difference never exceeding three points. The entire audience stood up, barely daring to breathe.
With three minutes remaining, the score was tied at 98. Kobe Bryant took over the game again, posting up Lin Hao twice in a row and hitting two signature turnaround fadeaway shots, giving the Lakers a 102-98 lead. After the basket, Kobe gestured for silence to the crowd, his eyes once again fixed on Lin Hao.
But Lin Hao showed no sign of panic. His maxed-out passive ability, "Big Heart," remained active throughout, making him even more clear-headed, especially in crucial moments.
On the inbound pass, Lin Hao faced Kobe's relentless defense. He executed an extreme crossover to create half a body length, and after driving in, he didn't force his way in. Instead, he flicked his wrist and passed the ball to his open teammate in the corner, who calmly sank a three-pointer, instantly narrowing the gap to 1 point.
On the defensive end, Lin Hao's [Iron Blood Entanglement] was maxed out, sticking tightly to Kobe's breakthrough and accurately stealing the ball from him. After regaining possession, he surged ahead and finished with a one-handed dunk!
103-102! Warriors take a one-point lead!
Oracle Arena erupted again, with chants of "MVP" shaking the floor.
But the Lakers' dynasty legacy goes far beyond that. With one minute left in the game, O'Neal received a pass in the paint, and despite being blocked by two defenders, he forced a dunk, putting the Lakers back in the lead at 104-103.
On the next possession, the Warriors' role player missed a mid-range shot, and O'Neal grabbed the defensive rebound. The Lakers immediately called a timeout. With only 20 seconds left in the game, the Lakers had possession of the ball. If they could just run out of time, they would take the victory.
The air in the entire venue seemed to freeze.
After the timeout, the Lakers inbounded the ball in the frontcourt. Kobe received the ball calmly, and all eyes were on him. He ran down the clock until the last 8 seconds, then forced his way through Lin Hao's defense for a layup. The ball bounced off the rim, and O'Neal's putback attempt also hit the rim!
The Warriors' interior players fought hard to grab the rebound and immediately called a timeout!
Only 3.2 seconds left in the game! Warriors get the ball in the frontcourt!
During the timeout, everyone gathered around the bench. Lin Hao held the tactical board, his finger heavily poking at the top of the key, his voice as steady as a rock: "When we inbound the ball, center Dampier will come up to set a high screen and clear Kobe out of the way. Everyone else, spread out and clear one side. I'll receive the ball and finish."
The head coach nodded repeatedly, patting Lin Hao on the shoulder: "Do it your way! The whole team will screen for you, we believe in you!"
When the timeout ended, the entire audience stood up, held their breath, and even the commentators lowered their voices, afraid of disturbing this final attack that would decide the outcome of the game.
As the whistle blew, the Warriors' center suddenly moved up, setting a solid screen that knocked Kobe away by half a body length. Using the screen, Lin Hao darted to the top of the arc like an arrow and received the ball smoothly from his teammate.
The moment he received the ball, Kobe had already broken free of the screen and pounced on him like a madman. At the same time, Lakers' power forward Horry also abandoned his defender and rushed over from the side to double block Lin Hao. The two big hands almost completely blocked all of Lin Hao's shooting space.
Time seemed to slow down at that moment.
The cameras at the stadium, the eyes of tens of thousands of spectators, and the gazes of millions of fans watching on their screens were all focused on Lin Hao as he soared through the air. He hung in the air at an extreme angle, his body arching backward to avoid two blocks, and with the last of his strength, he put his wrist into it, flicking the ball with his fingertips, sending it spinning towards the basket.
The moment the basketball was in the air, all the red lights in the arena came on, and the game time was up!
Swish!
Hollow into the network!
A game-winning shot!!!
The final buzzer sealed the victory, and the score remained forever at 106-104. The Warriors narrowly defeated the Lakers by 2 points at home, defeating the seemingly invincible Shaq-Kobe dynasty!
Lin Hao played 44 minutes, shooting 15 of 28 from the field, 3 of 5 from three-point range, and 6 of 6 from the free-throw line, racking up a whopping 45 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals. His scoring surpassed Kobe's 38 points, and he dominated both ends of the court, single-handedly orchestrating this classic battle that dethroned the dynasty!
Just then, a cold yet pleasant notification sound from the system rang in Lin Hao's mind:
[Ding! Main quest [Overthrow the Dynasty] 100% completion! Quest settlement in progress!]
[Congratulations, host! You have led your team to victory against the Lakers dynasty, dominating Kobe Bryant in every scoring matchup. Mission objective complete!]
[Mission Rewards: Mid-range shooting proficiency +30%, temporary physical attribute bonus +15%, now in effect!]
Lin Hao's smile deepened.
He looked at his jubilant teammates, at Zhang Qingying beside him with a smile in her eyes, and listened to the still-unending cheers outside the stadium. A thought stirred in his mind.
This is just the beginning.