pdf-ebookys Chapter 245 Full Power Unleashed! The Greatest Moment in Lin Tian's Career
Chapter 245 Full Power Unleashed! The Greatest Moment in Lin Tian's Career
Chapter 245 Full Power Unleashed! The Biggest Crisis of Lin Tian's Career!
"Is Lei Guitar alright?" After the brief chaos, the game resumed, and Jordan walked over to Lin Tian, asking with concern, "Things don't seem good?"
"He's most likely out for the season." Lin Tian didn't hide anything from Jordan, but he was also in a very bad mood.
Even though Miller had given him a big gift when he left, Lin Tian wasn't happy at all.
Miller was definitely one of his best friends. Lin Tian would tease and joke with his buddies to gain more experience points, but Lin Tian really didn't want to see something that could potentially affect Miller's entire career!
This was the first time since he obtained the system that he wanted to return the skills to the system in exchange for Miller's health!
What annoyed Lin Tian even more was that when Miller was injured, he wanted to use the "Injury Exemption Card" that he had been keeping for Miller, but the system told him that the use had failed.
This thing is different from those "weight gain drugs" or "expired pizzas"—it can only be used on yourself!
Filled with displeasure, Lin Tian looked at the skill that the system had just revealed.
"Reggie Miller's emotions fluctuated, and he dropped the skill: King of Archers LV1 (0/2000)!"
"King of Shooters LV1: 3-point shooting percentage increased by 3%, mid-range shooting percentage increased by 4%, 3-point shooting percentage increased by an additional 1% in the last 20 seconds of the game, and if you shoot immediately after receiving the ball, your shooting percentage increases by an additional 1%!"
After this injury that could potentially destroy his entire career, Miller was in a huge emotional state and immediately revealed his most valuable skill!
Moreover, Lin Tian felt that this item was likely one of the top three best shooting skills he could acquire.
After all, Miller's three-point shooting might be surpassed by Ray Allen and Curry 20 years later, and Lillard and Klay Thompson might also surpass him in the number of three-pointers made. But no matter what, he is definitely one of the top three three-point shooters in NBA history!
After glancing at the skill, Lin Tian didn't hesitate and immediately used all the experience points he had accumulated over the past half-season to upgrade the shooting skill to LV2!
「射手之王LV2（0/4000）：3分命中率提升4%，中距离命中率提升5%，比赛最后20秒三分命中率额外提升2%，并且若是接球后直接投篮，投篮命中率额外再增加2%！」
Suddenly, Lin Tian had a very chuunibyou (delusional) idea!
With Reggie's share, keep winning!
So Lin Tian continued, "You guys are going to lose tonight! I'm not going to go to the hospital with a loss on my mind!"
"We'll see!" Although he had a good relationship with Miller, Jordan was always clear-headed. He wouldn't go easy on Miller because of an accident, nor would he let this affect his mood or performance.
Especially since Miller is already off the court, if we still lose to you, then I, Jordan, might as well give up my career!
"Reggie's injury looks very serious." Barkley was getting restless. "I really hope to hear good news, but the feedback from the stadium and the players' expressions tell us that Reggie's injury is quite severe!"
"Let's pray, let's pray for Reggie, hope he's alright!"
Barkley's demeanor has clearly changed. He and Miller do argue and curse at each other whenever they meet, but they are also truly one of the best friends! If he hadn't signed a contract with TNT, Barkley would probably be walking out of the studio right now to call Miller, or even just fly to Indiana to check on him.
The fact that he can still sit here is already a testament to his dedication!
The game continues on the field!
Jordan continued to reach for the ball in the low post, and the person guarding him finally became Lin Tian!
"Come on, Michael! You're definitely going to lose tonight! And it'll be a crushing defeat!" Lin Tian braced himself against Jordan's back, his playful and teasing mood completely gone. He had also suppressed his usual trash talk; all he wanted now was victory!
Jordan's post-up game remained incredibly aggressive, especially after his recent mistake. Jordan's offense became even more cautious and focused, leaving Lin Tian with nowhere to grab the ball.
Then Jordan completed his signature turnaround fadeaway jumper, pulling up from mid-range and hitting it straight in!
After Jordan scored, Lin Tian didn't even look at Jordan. At this moment, Lin Tian, who was determined to win, was starting to get carried away!
He quickly shouted for the ball to Schmitz, who was standing on the baseline, and after receiving the ball, he rushed forward at full speed without hesitation!
This time, Lin Tian stopped observing his teammates' positioning and the Knicks' defense, and instead focused on sprinting towards the frontcourt!
Although this is very unreasonable and could easily lead to the Knicks' defensive trap, it allows Lin Tian's speed to be fully unleashed without reservation!
After a frenzied charge, no one on the Knicks could keep up with Lin Tian's speed. He drove all the way to the basket and easily completed a fast break layup without any hindrance!
At this point, the 24-second timer had only run for 4 seconds!
It's almost at its limit!
Next, Jordan and Ewing executed a high-low post play. Jordan drew the defense at the high post and then passed the ball to Ewing for the finish.
Ewing easily pushed past Schmitz under the basket, but didn't notice that Lin Tian had already rushed to his side and slapped him hard again. Ewing screamed in pain. He was sure that Lin Tian had hit his hand, but the referee chose to ignore it!
Perhaps it was a matter of the player and the ball working together, or perhaps Lin Tian's move was too fast for the referee to distinguish, or perhaps the referee was compensating the Pacers' Reggie Jackson for leaving the game due to injury.
In any case, the referee didn't blow the whistle, and Lin Tian charged forward at full speed again, launching another attack towards the front!
This time, Lin Tian was still moving at lightning speed, unstoppable. Although he was attacking from under the basket this time, covering a greater distance, by the time he reached the three-point line, Houston had already returned to the basket, and Jordan was able to reach out and defend in front of Lin Tian.
But Lin Tian didn't care at all!
He suddenly stopped outside the three-point line, then made two large crossover dribbles to slightly shake off Jordan's center of gravity. Then Lin Tian used this fleeting little space to launch an unreasonable three-pointer!
During the transition between offense and defense, someone was on defense, and the defender was practically right in his face!
In this era, no one would dare to throw that kind of ball.
But Lin Tian dared to do it!
He forced a three-pointer against Jordan's extremely difficult opponent!
"Whoosh!"
Three seconds later, the beautiful sound of the basketball swishing through the net rang out, as if telling everyone: a basket that goes in is a good basket, there's no such thing as reasonable or unreasonable!
For the next few minutes of the third quarter, Lin Tian maintained his extremely vigorous and hot form and his desire to shoot. He monopolized almost all of the team's shots during this period, constantly charging, shooting, breaking through, and making layups.
Lin Tian is almost insane!
Throughout the third quarter, fueled by this rage, Lin Tian scored 28 points in a single quarter with an almost frenzied playing style!
And despite Lin Tian's almost mindless and crazy playing style, his shooting percentage was ridiculously high! In this quarter, he made all 10 of his shots, including 3 of 3 three-pointers and 5 of 3 free throws, achieving a 100% shooting percentage!
"This is the first time in NBA history that someone has scored 28 points in a single quarter with perfect shooting efficiency! Unprecedented! Absolutely an unprecedented night!" Barkley roared excitedly, watching Lin Tian's explosive performance. "Reggie's injury allowed Lin's offensive power to be completely unleashed. Right now, Lin is like an enraged rhinoceros!"
"He will crush any opponent or enemy who stands in his way!"
"Lin tonight was terrifyingly strong!"
Kenny couldn't help but say from the side, "Moreover, I think tonight must have been extraordinary for Michael as well. He was truly outmatched by Lin tonight! I think Michael has rarely experienced this feeling of being suppressed since he was able to defeat his brother in a one-on-one fight."
Kenny is right!
Jordan's performance in the first half tonight was perfect, and his performance in the third quarter was equally outstanding!
Jordan made 7 of 12 shots in this quarter, scoring 16 points!
Adding to his 33 points in the first half, Jordan scored 49 points in just three quarters!
However, on the court, especially in the third quarter, he was completely dominated by Lin Tian. In the latter part of the third quarter, especially in the last 3 minutes, Jordan only made 1 of 4 shots and scored 2 points!
Moreover, it wasn't just that he only made 1 of 4 shots; in those last 3 minutes, he also got blocked by Lin Tian, who then made a steal right in front of him!
Although this was due to Jordan's obvious decline in physical strength and a problem with his stamina reserves, it is clear that neither Jordan nor his fans intend to use this as an excuse.
After all, the Pacers still had Miller on their roster!
In those three minutes, because of Jordan's poor performance, the Pacers seized the opportunity and quickly widened the gap. By the end of the third quarter, the Pacers were leading by 16 points!
The score became 87:103!
In the final three minutes of the third quarter, the Pacers went on an 11-2 run, widening the score gap!
Even with such a large lead over the Knicks, and even though the Pacers had essentially won the game, Indiana fans were still visibly unhappy.
Just minutes earlier, the Pacers officially updated their injury report.
Miller suffered a fracture in his right wrist and needs surgery; recovery will take 8-12 weeks.
This news was a bolt from the blue for all of Indiana!
After all, there's only one month left in the regular season, the playoffs start in early May, and according to the league's schedule, the Finals will begin on June 16th. Even if it goes to a Game 7, it will end on July 1st!
Miller will be sidelined for at least eight weeks, meaning he won't be able to return until at least the second round of the playoffs. If you add the time it takes for him to recover and regain his form, then it will be at least the Eastern Conference Finals or even the NBA Finals by the time he gets back to his form! Without Miller, the Pacers will obviously have a hard time getting to that point.
More likely, the Pacers will be eliminated before Miller returns or before he finds his rhythm after returning!
Even this is the best and most optimistic expectation. If Miller's surgery is unsuccessful or his injury recovery is not as expected, then he will not be able to return to the court until July or August!
By then, the season was long over!
It's too late for anything.
Countless Indians were heartbroken that night, feeling their dream of defending their title had ended before it even began!
They were so heartbroken that even Lin Tian's shutting down Jordan and the team's big lead over the Knicks couldn't make Indiana fans forget the pain!
After all, regardless of the opponent, tonight's game is still a regular season game! And what Indiana fans want, of course, is to teach the Knicks a lesson in the playoffs!
Tonight in Indiana is destined to be anything but joyful.
In the fourth quarter, with the team already down by 16 points, Van Gundy dared not let Jordan and Ewing rest on the bench. He completely disregarded the two veterans' rest time and made them continue playing!
Judging from Van Gundy's expression, as long as the game remains undecided, Jordan won't get any rest tonight.
Let's finish it in 48 minutes!
However, at the start of the fourth quarter, even though Jordan had rested for a few minutes during the break, he was still panting heavily and didn't seem to have caught his breath at all.
Throughout Jordan's career, there were countless games where he played the first three quarters, but moments like this, where his legs were noticeably weak from exhaustion after just three quarters, were truly rare!
Especially considering that the intensity of tonight's game was high but not extremely high, Jordan's performance tonight truly showed signs of aging and declining strength.
"Your legs are weak, Michael? You don't even rest for a minute. Do you think you're still 28?" Lin Tian used his shoulder to block Jordan as usual, entangled with him. After guarding Jordan for almost a whole quarter, Lin Tian was the one who could most directly feel that Jordan's strength and resistance were declining!
"Shut up! Do you think I can play like this all day long?" Jordan cursed, then suddenly ran towards the perimeter to call for the ball. After getting the ball, he stood still, faked a move, and then tried to break through to the inside.
But Lin Tian didn't fall for it at all and maintained his defensive position. Although Jordan stopped abruptly and used his height advantage to pull up for a mid-range jump shot, blocking that shot was absolutely impossible! After all, there was a height difference of about 10 centimeters between the two.
Lin Tian provided a lot of physical contact, and although he couldn't touch Jordan's basketball in the upper three areas, he still made Jordan's jump very weak and unable to exert any force.
"Bang!"
Jordan's shot was somewhat outrageous; Lin Tian almost completely missed the ball, only managing to barely touch the rim.
Big Ben yanked the backboard off the court and immediately found Lin Tian.
Lin Tian grabbed the basketball and launched another counterattack!
At this point, Jordan could no longer catch up with Lin Tian. He watched helplessly as Lin Tian drove further and further away from him and made a spectacular dunk at the basket!
At that moment, Jordan felt waves of discomfort.
For the first time in his career, he felt that he might really be getting old!
Facing an 18-point deficit, Jordan showed no mercy and once again received the ball in the low post. After a series of confrontations and fakes, Jordan once again took a step-back shot, but the result of this shot was very similar to the last one!
Lin Tian gave Jordan plenty of pressure, and after Jordan was exhausted, his lower body became unstable, resulting in insufficient jumping height and incomplete power. The basketball shot was once again a bit off, hitting the front edge of the rim.
"I've never seen Michael so powerless in my life! He completely lost control of the game! I can't say if this is the first time in his career, but tonight he looked so old and powerless!" Barkley couldn't help but give his assessment after these two consecutive rounds.
"I think I have to agree with you, Charles," Kenny sighed. "It's not like he's never lost before. The Bulls have lost by 2-30 points before, including in the playoffs, where Michael was swept!"
"Boston, Detroit, and even Indiana last year have all left Michael with painful memories! But I've never felt this way before! Maybe Michael is really getting old! His stamina doesn't allow him to play for more than 45 minutes straight without a break like he used to."
Neither Kenny nor Barkley continued the conversation on this topic.
Because if we continue, it will become somewhat sentimental, and the fans have already suffered enough sadness tonight.
Miller is likely out for the season, and they don't want Jordan to leave his peak tonight as well.
Even though this was bound to happen regardless of whether they talked about it or not, Barkley and Kenny just didn't want to continue the conversation.
The players of that era had their own unique personalities and beliefs.
After blocking Jordan's shots twice in a row, Lin Tian launched a second fast break, driving all the way to the Knicks' three-point line, and then once again pulled up and decisively took a three-point shot!
"Whoosh!"
With another crisp sound, Lin Tian hit his fifth three-pointer of the night, which was also his 52nd point of the night!
After he scored 5 consecutive points in the fourth quarter, the gap between the two sides had widened to 21 points!
In the next few minutes, Jordan still refused to give up and kept attacking, but stamina is something that, once exhausted, is exhausted! Jordan couldn't conjure up any more power from his body.
He was powerless!
Jordan took three consecutive shots with a somewhat stubborn attitude, but only made one of them. Although this basket brought his score to 51 points, the difference between the two sides had already exceeded 25 points.
The suspense of the game vanished completely after Jordan scored another 50+ point game in his career.
After holding on for another two minutes, Van Gundy knew that the game was beyond saving.
After a deep sigh, Van Gundy waved his hand and substituted Jordan, Ewing, Houston, and others who had played the entire game, signaling his surrender and the game officially entering garbage time!
Having just suffered a player loss tonight, Bird dared not be careless at all. The moment Van Gundy substituted him, he instructed Carter to intentionally foul to put the game into a dead ball situation, and then quickly substituted all the starters!
The Pacers can't afford to lose any more key players after losing Miller!
Even without Miller, Bird could increase the playing time of players like Mullin, Carter, and Hoiberg to consume his time and court contributions.
But if we lose another key player, then we might as well give up on the season!
In the end, the final score of the match was 99:121.
Despite losing Miller, the Pacers unleashed unparalleled fighting spirit in the second half, easily defeating their Eastern Conference rivals, the New York Knicks. They not only won this highly anticipated and important game, but also further solidified their position as the top team in the Eastern Conference!
Their lead over the Knicks has reached two games, which is quite significant with less than 20 games left in the last month of the season!
Despite securing an important victory, none of the Pacers players wore smiles at the post-game press conference; their faces were etched with worry.
"We've received word that Reggie will be sidelined for 8-12 weeks. What are your thoughts on that, Lin?" Like the players, the reporters tonight weren't particularly interested in the game itself; they were more interested in understanding the Pacers' strategy after Miller's departure.
"I'm very sorry and very worried. What I want to say is: first, we will continue to fight with all our might and win as many games as possible. And no matter when Reggie returns, I will make sure he can play! Unless he really announces that he's out for the season, no matter when he returns, we will not be eliminated!"
"Whether it's the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Eastern Conference finals, or the NBA Finals, we'll be waiting for Reggie!"
"But more importantly, rather than rushing back to play this season, I hope Reggie can recover fully and return to 100% before coming back. He absolutely cannot rush or force himself to return! No matter what the situation, I care more about his health!"
"We can lose a championship, but we can't risk Reggie's career."
Lin Tian's words expressed both his confidence in the team and his trust in Miller, making them perfectly appropriate.
But the reporters weren't going to let Lin Tian off the hook so easily. One reporter continued, "So Lin, Miller is averaging 32 minutes per game this season, scoring 16 points per game, and he's your number one three-point shooter. How will you respond to fill his void?"
"This isn't my job, it's Larry's job. I believe that as Coach of the Year, he'll definitely have a very good way to handle this. He'll come up with the perfect solution. You know, we have a lot of talented guys on our team!"
"So you mean Reggie's position is easily replaceable?"
A very young reporter, whom Lin Tian had no recollection of, excitedly tried to trap him by asking this question, and the entire press conference fell silent.
Lin Tian stared intently at the self-proclaimed clever reporter, saying nothing, just staring at him.
The entire scene was silent for a full minute. The young reporter, who had just thought he was brilliant and had found a loophole in Lin Tian's question, went from excitement and anticipation to confusion and surprise, followed by fear, shock, terror, and regret.
Although Lin Tian didn't say a word, the young reporter felt a chilling murderous intent in Lin Tian's eyes!
He felt like an unlucky guy being targeted by a ferocious beast, helpless and vulnerable, and could be devoured by Lin Tian at any moment.
He was able to stand at first, then his legs started to tremble, and then he plopped down in the chair. Everyone present could see the thick sweat on his forehead; he was terrified!
"Then let's talk about Michael and the Knicks." A kind-hearted reporter couldn't bear to see his young colleague so frightened, so he quickly asked a serious question, hoping to get Lin Tian to let him off the hook.
"There's nothing to say." After saying this, Lin Tian didn't say another word. Instead, he stood up and walked out of the press conference.
He was in a bad mood and didn't want to waste his time here with those clueless media outlets.
After Lin Tian left, the reporter who had just asked the stupid question finally dared to breathe a sigh of relief. Regardless of what his colleagues thought of him, he truly felt like he had been reborn!
Lin Tian sets a new record with a 100% shooting percentage and a 20+ point scoring spree in a single quarter!
Lin Tian unleashes his power in the second half! Scoring over 50 points throughout the game.
"Crushing Jordan! From the end of the third quarter to the beginning of the fourth quarter, Jordan played the most unforgettable 5 minutes of his life."
"The official coronation battle? After this battle, no one will question Lin Tian's status as the number one player in the Alliance!"
"Jordan's 50+ point performance in a losing effort wasn't undeserved; three statistics show his dominance has declined significantly!"
At 36, Jordan has officially handed over the reins of the league; the title of the league's best player officially changes hands today!
The Pacers' big win hides a huge problem: How will they find a replacement for Reggie Jackson?
Weeks 8-12! Miller out for the regular season, playoff return only theoretically possible!
Unfortunate Injury! Will the Greatest Scorer of All Time Fall from Grace?
A Look Back at Miller's Five Most Classic Battles! When Will the League's Top Assassin Return to the Court?
Warning! A look back at the moment Miller was injured – a seemingly insignificant save led to his season-ending injury!
The Pacers' path to defending their title faces its biggest challenge: how will they fill the void left by the loss of their second-best player?
Who can fill Miller's void: Carter or Mullin? A list of 5 free agents who would be a perfect fit for the Pacers!
The timing of the injury is terrible! The trading market doors are closed, and the road ahead for pedestrians is long and arduous!
Could 8th and 4th place be the best possible rankings in the East? Can the Pacers hold onto first place in the East?
……
That night, the focus of everyone's discussion was the big game between the Pacers and the Knicks, Miller's injury, and how the Pacers would fill the void left by Miller's absence. Indiana fans were worried that the team's title defense might be over.
Meanwhile, fans of other teams felt that their own team had a chance!
Fans of the Hawks and Magic, currently ranked fourth and fifth in the Eastern Conference, especially feel that they have a chance to benefit from Miller's injury and make a run for the conference finals!
Amid a chorus of discussion, concern, and doubt, the Pacers faced their second game of a back-to-back on April 2nd against the Detroit Pistons, who were currently sixth in the Eastern Conference!
Facing the Pistons led by Grant Hill and Stackhouse, perhaps because of back-to-back games, or perhaps because Miller's sudden absence affected their rotation and chemistry.
In short, the Pacers failed to deliver a convincing performance tonight. Although Lin Tian scored 27 points and had 9 assists, the team lost the game by 13 points!
今晚被提上首发的卡特面对格兰特·希尔表现不佳，14投3中只拿下8分，克里斯蒂也同样没能打出应有的表现，8投2中只得到了5分！
With both starters performing so poorly, Lin Tian's 27 points and 9 assists naturally became a wasted effort!
After a two-day break, the Pacers traveled to Philadelphia on April 5 to challenge Allen Iverson's 76ers. Bird made another lineup change, starting veteran Mullin.
Unexpectedly, veteran coach Larry Brown devised numerous pick-and-roll and mismatch tactics against the aging Mullin, allowing Iverson to repeatedly dribble and isolate Mullin and score repeatedly!
On the defensive end, Hughes, Lynch, Snow, McGee and other 76ers perimeter players surrounded and blocked Lin Tian, double-teaming him almost the entire game. Mullin was overwhelmed by Iverson, which affected his offensive touch. Although Christie hit two three-pointers, it was not enough.
In this game, the Pacers' disadvantage of lacking a key offensive weapon on the perimeter was once again exposed. Although Lin Tian scored 33 points, he only delivered 6 assists!
Because apart from Lin Tian, the Pacers' other perimeter players were almost a complete mess and played terribly. They couldn't receive the ball that Lin Tian passed out. Perhaps the only thing worth praising was that Carter, who returned to the bench, regained his form and scored 14 points!
Although they lost this game, Bird found a new way to rotate the team. He let Carter continue to play as the sixth man, while the more experienced Mullin moved to the starting position.
Even if Mullin's defense is easily broken through by opponents, at least this way, Carter can shine on the bench!
On April 7th, the Pacers will play their fourth game in seven days against the Denver Nuggets, one of the league's worst teams!
In this game against one of the worst teams in the league, the Pacers finally shook off their losing streak. The whole team exploded and easily won the game, ending their two-game losing streak!
But before the team could even celebrate, they lost again, and this time they lost two games in a row!
Moreover, both of these losses are somewhat unacceptable.
They first lost to the 11th-ranked Cleveland Cavaliers, whose twin towers were both out for the season. In this game, Lin Tian was on fire, scoring 48 points, but Mullin and Christie once again played like undercover agents. Rick Schmitz was completely overwhelmed by the young Z!
Zydrunas Ilgauskas completely dominated Smits tonight, delivering the best performance of his career to date: 33 points, 18 rebounds, and 6 blocks! With him anchoring the paint, the Cavaliers pulled off a major upset against the Eastern Conference-leading Pacers!
After this loss, the Pacers dropped to second place in the Eastern Conference, overtaken by the Knicks!
Then on April 12, the Pacers, who were in poor form, traveled to Milwaukee to face the Bucks, who had just completed a trade before the trade deadline and formed the "Three Musketeers".
Meanwhile, the Bucks are currently ranked seventh in the Eastern Conference and are also a likely playoff opponent for the Pacers!
In this game, the Pacers' defense was once again completely dismantled, and all three of the Bucks' sharpshooters played exceptionally well! Ray Allen hit six three-pointers for 29 points, Glenn Robinson scored 25 points, and Sam Cassell, who just joined the team, also contributed 25 points and 11 assists!
With all three players scoring 25 points, the Bucks used their overwhelming firepower to upset the Pacers, handing them their fourth blowout loss in eight days!
After this run of 2 wins and 4 losses, the Pacers' situation has hit rock bottom. Not only have they been overtaken by the Knicks, but the third-place Heat are also eyeing them, hoping to take advantage of the Pacers' poor form to overtake them in the standings.
There has been a great deal of criticism regarding the Pacers' poor performance after Miller's absence!
Some say Lin Tian isn't a qualified leader, while others say Miller is the true soul of the Pacers! Still others say that without Miller, the Pacers are just a first-round playoff team.
Of course, most of the criticism was directed at Lin Tian.
Statistical padder, unable to lead the team to victory on their own, unable to quickly adapt to the team's new lineup, can only score himself but cannot help the team win, unable to help teammates improve...
Some even said directly: Miller's absence will cause this Pacers team to fall apart. Their championship last year is all they can get! The best solution for the team now is to trade Lin Tian and quickly complete the rebuild.
The Pacers are now facing both internal and external troubles and are in a state of crisis due to various kinds of ridicule and doubt!
Lin Tian did not respond to these doubts and various opinions. He has not accepted any media interviews in the past few days, nor has he made any grand pronouncements as he usually does.
Lin Tian, who is usually high-profile and arrogant, has actually become low-key in the past few days!
The outside world is speculating whether Lin Tian has chickened out or is finally scared! Is this young man, who had a smooth career for the first three years and was always surrounded by top stars, mature systems, and top coaches, really afraid?
During the two days that Lin Tian remained silent, several television stations even launched a debate program with a very simple topic: Is Lin the most overrated star in NBA history?
This is the NBA, this is the reality and cruelty of competitive sports!
This is exactly the media's usual practice!
In less than ten days, just because Lin Tian and the Pacers lost a few games, countless people jumped out to make Lin Tian look like a weakling, seized the opportunity to kick him when he was down, and tried every means to smear him!
If Lin Tianzhen were to fall into a complete slump, then they would be experts with foresight and remarkable vision!
If Lin Tian can regain his form and perform exceptionally well tonight, hehe, then we can pretend they never said anything before!
The reason why Lin Tian's topic has been hyped by countless media outlets and TV stations in the past two days is not only because of Lin Tian's own popularity and the Pacers' high level of attention, but also because after the hellish 8 days and 6 games at the beginning of the month, the Pacers got two days of rest.
After resting for two days, they set off again at the very place where their nightmare began.
Madison Square Garden!
The New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers will face off twice in the regular season, which will also be their final regular season matchup this season!
On the Knicks' side, since their crushing defeat in the last game, which cost them the top spot in the Eastern Conference, they have won four straight games! Not only have they shaken off the gloom of their loss to the Pacers, but they have also taken the top spot in the East and extended their lead!
If they win this game again, their lead over the Pacers will be further extended!
With just over 20 days left in the regular season, this advantage will almost certainly guarantee the Knicks the top seed in the Eastern Conference at the end of the regular season!
For the Pacers, who are currently at their lowest point, this victory is absolutely crucial to boosting their morale and lifting their spirits! They need a strong win to silence the doubters from the outside world!
Lin Tian, in particular, desperately needed to prove himself with a victory in this match. He had to prove that he was a qualified leader and a perfect player!
He deserves everything he has received, and he is worthy of every penny he has earned!
On the evening of April 15, the Pacers landed in New York a night early and stayed at the Hilton Hotel as usual.
Bird didn't rush to have the players train or hold a meeting that night. He simply forbade everyone from leaving the hotel, from going out drinking and partying, and from allowing any player to bring anyone outside the team into their room.
He is currently under the most pressure on the Pacers besides Lin Tian. The criticism and doubts Bird has faced these past few days are no less than those Lin Tian has received!
Countless people are saying he was just lucky and that his actual skill level is terrible!
Like Lin Tian, Bird desperately needs a victory to prove he's not a dud!
At this point, Bird certainly wouldn't dare let his players go out and mess around. If they won that night, that would be fine, but what if they lost?
Hehe... If even one person is photographed by the media going out to play at this time, the entire Pacers team will be pushed into the eye of the storm and be attacked by the media across the United States!
The team was poorly managed, unable to control the players, undisciplined, lacking unity, and lacking ambition. Without Miller, the team lost its cohesion.
These accusations will definitely be pinned on every Pacers player, one after another.
The pressure they face then will definitely be greater than it is now! And what if a few more players with weak mentality experience a significant drop in their performance...?
Then it's not just the Pacers' season that's going to be ruined; Bird himself will be finished too!
(End of this chapter)