Jordan: I thought he was there to help me!

Chapter 1066 I've waited a year for this opportunity!

In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, both sides were playing with a fierce intensity, displaying a terrifying and awe-inspiring fighting spirit on both offense and defense. If it were an ordinary player from a bad team, they would probably be trembling with fear just standing on the court at this point.

The pace of the game was breathtaking. Neither side slowed down until the very end, and they continued to charge back and forth.

Of course, the game lasted for more than 40 minutes. Although both sides focused most of their attention on the offensive end, the intensity of their physical confrontation and the amount of physical exertion were by no means small.

As physical exertion increased, the offensive efficiency on both sides began to decline, and some basic mistakes started to appear.

After both sides realized that their efficiency was declining and their mistakes were increasing, they both unconsciously began to devote more energy to defense.

In other words, in the last few minutes, both sides were either running at full speed, maintaining their terrifyingly fast offense and high pace, or frantically increasing physical contact to defend with all their might.

The competition has essentially become an anaerobic exercise!

Only when the ball is dead can the players on both sides have a little chance to catch their breath.

The match had become a test of willpower; both teams were on the verge of collapse, but no one was willing to give up!

For example, from the last 2 minutes and 40 seconds before the end of the game until the last 1 minute and 13 seconds, for almost a full minute and a half, neither team scored a single point!

It's all about missing shots and making mistakes!

If these were two defensive teams, then this outcome would be normal. However, the offensive strength and level of these two teams are well-known, and everyone knows how terrifying their offensive firepower is.

But they still ended up fighting like this.

Van Gundy said, "They're tired! The starting players on both sides are exhausted. At this point in the game, it's a matter of which coach dares to make a gamble by bringing on a surprise player, and also a test of which team's players have stronger willpower and can break through their physical limitations to unleash a terrifying burst of energy!"

"The timeout can no longer change the current state of both teams' players; they are both severely exhausted!"

On the court, James had once again driven the ball up the court. At this moment, everyone was a bit excited, or perhaps they were a bit short of breath due to the intense competition and transitions. Therefore, both sides abandoned their complex tactics.

The main selling point is simplicity!

James received the ball at the top of the arc, made a change of direction, and accelerated straight toward the basket.

Bynum guarded the paint, and when James came over, he spread his arms wide to try and interfere.

After a brief collision in the air, James dodged the defense and went for a layup.

But to everyone's surprise, this shot, which he had always been sure of making, failed to go into the basket.

The basketball bounced twice on the rim, and before it even left the rim, a group of people crowded together under the basket, waiting for the basketball to fall.

*Smack!*

Then, just as the basketball slid out of the rim, a large hand reached out and slapped it.

The basketball immediately shot off like a rocket, flying towards the corner.

When the basketball flew out, everyone saw that the person who slapped the ball away was Bogut, and the person standing on the baseline waiting for the ball was Ray Allen!

Allen received the ball, and without hesitation, completely ignoring Kobe who was flying over to defend him, he resolutely launched a three-pointer!

"Whoosh!"

A sharp crack silenced the entire Staples Center.

The frenzied shouts and commotion vanished instantly, and the fans stared incredulously at Allen, at the stadium, and at the score.

123: 122!

The Mavericks have taken the lead!

With 59 seconds left in the game, they made a comeback!

Jackson stood up and called a timeout from the sidelines.

This timeout gave the Mavericks a chance to celebrate.

An excited Allen looked up to the sky and roared wildly. He hadn't scored such a crucial goal in a while!

This goal could absolutely change the rhythm of the entire game, and it's a goal that everyone will remember!

This night was definitely not the most brilliant night of Allen's career, nor was it his best game.

But this one shot was enough to show everyone that the "Gentleman's Sword" is still sharp and can still be drawn to injure people!

On the court, the Mavericks players celebrated wildly, but off the court, on the Lakers' bench, Jackson's tone was incredibly calm, as if Allen's shot just now was irrelevant to the victory and the game.

This is also Jackson's style. The more adverse the situation, the more critical the moment, the more life-or-death the moment, the calmer and more composed he becomes. His calmness and composure can always calm his teammates down and then turn the tide of fate!

"Jason." To everyone's surprise, the first name Jackson called out during the timeout wasn't Lin Tian, ​​Kobe, or Durant, but Terry!

"Dare you go up and seek revenge? Don't you want to personally kill your former master who threw you away like trash?"

"I've been waiting for this opportunity for a year!" Terry stood up and said without hesitation, "As long as the ball is in my hands, I'm confident I can finish them off!"

"Then let's finish them off!" Jackson said with satisfaction. "For the next inbound pass, Kevin will inbound it. Lin and Kobe will set off off-ball screens for each other at the top of the key, then go inside to find Andrew and set another screen. Kobe will run to the left at a 45-degree angle, while Lin will run towards the top of the key in the middle."

"Jason, you stay in the near corner and wait for your chance. Once they start running and heading towards the top, immediately start running to the other corner."

"Kevin, time it right, pass the ball to Jason, let him receive it on the far side and shoot!"

"This round, I'm going to deliver the decisive blow! I'm going to take the lead again in just 3 seconds!"

"No one could have predicted that we'd pull off such an extreme and direct three-point play with almost a minute left. So, the opportunity is definitely there. The rest is up to you, Jason!"

"Leave it to me! I told you, I've waited a year, and I'm not waiting to be laughed at!" Terry said once again with utmost seriousness.

"Strictly speaking, it hasn't even been half a year yet," Lin Tian suddenly said. "You said you waited a whole year, which makes me think you want to get revenge on me. After all, I was the one who led the men to wipe you out last year."

"Whether it's a year or six months, I'm sure I'll make the shot!" Terry pounded his chest, expressing his confidence.

"I believe you!" Lin Tian also punched him in the chest.

"We all believe in you!" Kobe, Durant, and Bynum each punched Terry.

"Fuck you! Go easy on me!" Terry protested. "My bones are about to break!"

"Alright!" Lin Tian smiled, interrupting his teammates, and said casually, "It's our turn to go on!"

"Go and end them!"

After Lin Tian finished speaking, the Lakers' four starters, along with Terry, walked onto the court together.

"The Lakers have fielded a three-guard lineup! Are they going for three-pointers?" The old-school Van Gundy was clearly quite surprised by this lineup that seemed ready to go straight for threes with only one minute left; he's still very traditional.

"I think it's more likely that they'll create space, giving Lin or someone else enough room to drive and attack," Jackson added. "There's still plenty of time, and the Lakers' first priority will definitely be to attack the basket, after all, they have three top-tier penetrators and an elite finisher around the rim."

"As for bringing Terry up here, it's probably just to create space! After all, no one dares to let Terry go in this place, at this point! Nobody dares!"

"The pressure and threat created by four of the league's top shooters standing side-by-side on the court will force the Mavericks to cover all their positions and prevent them from collapsing! I think that's the real reason the Lakers brought in Terry!"

Miller scoffed at his two colleagues' analysis, saying, "You've all underestimated the importance of three-pointers, and you've also underestimated the madness and confidence of Jackson and the Lakers!"

"If they pick up Terry, they'll definitely be shooting threes, and there's a high chance they'll let Terry shoot threes! That's Jackson's style, that's what he does! Let's wait and see!"

On the court, the Mavericks did not make any substitutions and used their full starting lineup. When they saw Terry enter the game, the Mavericks players were a little stunned, but they quickly found the players they needed to guard and waited for the referee's whistle.

"Beep beep!"

At the sound of a whistle, the Lakers players suddenly erupted into a frenzy, running in all directions, just as Jackson had planned.

Terry, positioned at the bottom corner, watched Kobe and Lin Tian's crisscrossing runs. Then, he suddenly started running from the near end to the far end. Allen, who was originally guarding him, was distracted by Kobe and Lin Tian, ​​which caused Terry to miss the first step.

Then, Terry moved to the basket and used Bynum to set an off-ball screen. Allen was blocked quite solidly, and all he could do was yell.

"repair!"

Unfortunately, no one was in the mood to listen to Allen's roar at this moment. Everyone's attention was focused on Kobe and Lin Tian. Most people thought that one of these two guys would be the one to end the game!

Who is it?

Durant took the shot, putting all his strength into it as he passed the ball to the far corner.

From a basketball theory perspective, this is the most taboo and dangerous way to pass a ball on the court. It involves sliding too far across the court, passing through too many people, and there is too much possibility of a mistake.

But this time, no one tried to steal the ball, and it landed precisely in Terry's hands.

There was no one in the area within at least 2 meters!

The only person still thinking about defending Terry was Allen, who had just broken free from Bynum's screen and was running towards them like his life depended on it.

But clearly, as long as Terry dares to shoot, he has absolutely no chance of interfering.

Terry would absolutely not give him a chance to interfere.

Terry grabbed the basketball, looked up and aimed, then unhesitatingly launched a three-pointer!

At that moment, all he could see was the basketball hoop!

He shot the ball with confidence and decisiveness, but at the moment of release, Terry sensed something was wrong.

It's a little crooked!

"Rebound!"

Terry yelled and ran toward the paint.

But it was clearly too late.

Although Bynum was under the basket, he couldn't fight off the overwhelming force. Allen had already turned around and repositioned himself, pushing Bynum outwards with all his might.

At the same time, Bogut is in the best position to grab the rebound, and he will most likely catch the ball.

Kobe and Lin Tian were both too busy drawing the defense away from Terry to close out the perimeter, and Durant had barely stepped into the paint to do anything either.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud echoed Allen's three-pointer, like two hammer blows striking the hearts of the Los Angeles players.

Are we going to lose?

Bogut grabbed the rebound, then raised his elbows wildly, like an angry rhinoceros showing its horns to its enemy, cautiously watching every Lakers player.

Only after there were no Lakers players left around did Bogut carefully hand the priceless rebound to James.

"What a pity!" Miller couldn't help but say, "A bold and brilliant tactic! A perfect understanding of human nature, knowing that the Mavericks' defensive focus would be on Kobe and Lin Tian at this time, and that they would relax their defense on the others."

"A perfect play, perfect movement and screens, and Durant's passing was impeccable."

"The only pity is that the basketball missed such a perfect opportunity!"

Jackson said, "All I can say is, this is competitive sports, this is the charm of basketball!"

On the court, the Mavericks did not call a timeout. James leisurely walked to the frontcourt, and time became their friend at this moment!

When Bogut grabbed the rebound, there were still 56 seconds left in the game. This meant that the Mavericks would try to run down the clock no matter what. After this offensive play, they would have left the Lakers with less than 35 seconds at most.

"We've scored this goal, sealing the victory!"

"Let's tell everyone that placing your hopes on a stray dog ​​is tantamount to suicide!"

At this point, the scales of victory were clearly tipping in favor of the Mavericks. James was getting a little smug, and he started trash-talking, directly targeting Terry, with whom he had a bad relationship and who had caused him to be heavily criticized by the media!

"Someone who has never even had a home has the nerve to call others stray dogs?" Lin Tian sneered and mocked, "Oh, I forgot, you did have a home in San Antonio, but you looked down on it, so you found a new one."

"As someone who loves moving around, you'll never understand the meaning of 'home,' right?"

"Go to hell!" James snorted. He stopped arguing with Lin Tian. He knew he was no match for him. He reduced the time to the last 6 seconds, then suddenly called for a screen. After exchanging passes with Nowitzki at the top of the arc, James made a behind-the-back pass to Nowitzki.

At the top of the arc, Nowitzki had his absolute sweet spot, and of course he didn't hesitate to take a three-pointer!

"Whoosh!"

Another crisp crack, a sound that was enough to plunge all the Staples Center fans into despair.

Ruined!

With 33 seconds left, the Mavericks extended their lead to 4 points!

126: 122!

This was absolutely the worst outcome of this play. The three-pointer wasted all the time available, and the Lakers lost this play completely.

The Lakers are truly on the brink of elimination!

They're going to lose!

This is what all Lakers fans are thinking at this moment.

"Why did we trade you! Now you understand, you bastard! Now you know why we didn't want you anymore, you stray dog!" An excited James knew he couldn't out-argue Lin Tian, ​​so he found Terry and unleashed a torrent of abuse on him!

"Kill him!" Just as Terry was about to retort, and even felt a little tempted to take action, the basketball suddenly came into his hands.

Lin Tian passed the ball directly to Terry from the baseline, yelling at him, "Kill him! He'll get back what he lost himself!"

"You waited half a year, for what? Just to let this bastard insult you to your face?"

"Aren't you waiting for an opportunity? An opportunity to prove that all of Dallas is idiots!"

"Now, the opportunity has arrived!"

"I know!" The confusion and self-doubt that had just flickered in Terry's eyes disappeared, replaced by the same unwavering confidence that 'Jet' had shown!

Terry dribbled the ball, chasing James all the way up to the Mavericks' three-point line.

"From the day I was traded by the Mavericks, I swore!" Terry dribbled between his legs, finding his rhythm, then dribbled between his legs again: "I'll destroy you! I'll destroy you one-on-one on the most important stage! I'll show you what an idiot you are!"

After two consecutive crossover dribbles, Terry didn't do anything else. He pulled up and shot, a three-pointer that was completely unreasonable and illogical, even against the defense!

When he took the shot, Durant had just run inside the three-point line, Bynum had just crossed half-court, and Lin Tian and others hadn't even had time to get inside the three-point line yet.

Tactically speaking, this is a terrible choice!

But just seconds before, Terry had made a three-pointer that was tactically perfect, but it ended up missing.

What about this ball?

"Whoosh!"

As if in response to Terry's ever-raised shooting hand, a crisp sound rang out, and the basketball obediently swished through the hoop!

Terry hit a three-pointer in less than eight seconds! A three-pointer over James!

This is of utmost importance to him!

"That's just the first one!" Terry glared at James after scoring. "This is just the beginning! Tonight, victory belongs to us!"

126: 125!

25.7 seconds!

There are 25.7 seconds left in the game!

"The Mavericks have called a timeout! With 25.7 seconds left, they need to make some adjustments!" Van Gundy said as the game went into a timeout. "The Lakers played incredibly boldly this possession, an unbelievable pull-up three-pointer, even over a defender, an unbelievable shot, but it definitely brought the game back into the game's suspense!"

"This goal was Terry's redemption, his way of repaying trust. So what's next?" (End of Chapter)