Chapter 105: Given Time

Chapter 117: Given Time

Kobe Bryant was in danger, yet now he possessed absolute confidence. Facing a man capable of scoring 38 points, Kobe’s hesitation in the final crucial seconds was not due to fear.

Smith drew the shot and then ran without the ball to seek an opportunity. The Asian-American player knew well that it was difficult to get the ball or a soda. Therefore, he needed to move and set screens, running circles without the ball alongside Su Feng.

After receiving the pass, he did not rush to attack but waited for Kobe Bryant to move. Only when Kobe ran into open space without a defender did he pass the ball.

Lan Qiuwen landed steadily in Kobe’s hands. As soon as he got the ball, Su Feng pressed close. Kobe stood at the free-throw line, right in front of the hoop. Without hesitation, he took the ball and charged into the paint.

Su Feng was intimately close to Kobe, but the fiery Kobe did not back down. He pushed Su Feng toward the basket, leapt up, yet did not fully escape the shot.

Su Feng did not let Kobe score easily, offering some resistance. In midair, Kobe was pushed off balance by Su Feng and fell to the ground. Before falling, he gently tossed Lan Qiu away from his grip.

Su Feng thought the shot was a success, but as Kobe fell, the referee blew the whistle. Most importantly, Kobe had released the ball before Lan Qiu hit the ground and completed the shot!

“What!” Su Feng turned around, furious, confronting the referee. Yet, faced with equal intensity, the referee remained unmoved. Now, the foul was called on Su Feng!

Under normal circumstances, Su Feng would silently raise his hand, admitting a foul. But this time was different. If a foul was called, Kobe Bryant would have the chance to score three points in this critical moment!

“This is just normal contact! If it’s a foul, call it when I’m knocked down!” Su Feng shouted at the referee. Marion stopped him. Allowing Su Feng to foul at such a crucial moment would be unfair.

As a veteran, Marion was accustomed to the referees’ bias. This was Kobe Bryant’s home at New York’s Madison Square Garden! In critical moments, whistles must favor Kobe.

Fortunately, Marion stopped Su Feng just in time, as the referee nearly called the foul directly.

Reluctantly, Su Feng stepped back behind the three-point line. Kobe stood at the free-throw line. Suddenly, the arena fell silent.

“Jeremy Bryant is at the free-throw line. If he makes both shots, the entire basketball battle will change instantly. Let’s see if this Asian guard can lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to victory once again!”

Kobe did not become impatient over the two free throws. He adjusted his breathing to steady himself. The first shot swished cleanly, and the Cavaliers’ fans cheered loudly.

The second shot was clearly affected by physical fatigue. The ball hit the rim but ultimately dropped in.

“Two free throws, both made! The basketball battle will be decided within 30 seconds. The Houston Rockets must score on their next possession, or Lin’s madness might be submerged!” Coach Heng Li Wei was drenched in sweat. The duel between the two Asian guards had thrilled the fans. Within 30 seconds, the Rockets were down by two points, and the suspense remained. Perhaps this basketball war would be brutal?

After Kobe’s free throws, Coach Heng Li Wei immediately called a timeout. He used the last stoppage to set up the final offensive play to determine victory or defeat.

“Do you think Coach Heng Li Wei will have Dirk take the clutch shot, or will he choose someone else?” At the commentary table, everyone speculated about the Rockets’ strategy.

“I think it’s scary—after all, he has more experience and is physically strong in clutch moments.”

“I agree. He is now the true core of the Houston Rockets.”

Everyone had different opinions. Whether Su Feng or Heng Li Wei, both were tactical advantages for Coach Heng Li Wei. Now, Robert Henry wasn’t sure whether to defend Su Feng or Heng Li Wei.

Coach Heng Li Wei held the strategy board, anxiously shouting to his players, but no one could hear him clearly. Timeouts were like this. Now, it was time for the answer.

Novitz’s base was out of bounds, seemingly an offensive error. But this could be Coach Heng Li Wei’s trap. He deliberately let Heng Li Wei serve the ball to make the opponent less alert toward him.

The referee handed the ball to Heng Li Wei.

At this moment, the memory of Irving’s death haunted Su Feng’s mind again. He shook his head hard, trying to discard those damned memories.

Today, only one person could kill the basketball battle in the clutch. Su Feng would never let tragedy happen again!

Novitz’s three points gave the Cavaliers a two-point lead in the critical moment. Actually, a two-point lead was not a major advantage in basketball, but in clutch time, the gap mattered immensely.

Now all the pressure was on the Rockets and Yaso. Novitz’s performance today was outstanding. As long as Kobe passed the ball to him, he could score. Heng Li Wei knew well Novitz’s hot hand. Usually, Novitz scored one or two points per game, but today, his hand felt like a volcano erupting.

Though Novitz’s performance was exceptional, Su Feng and the Rockets did not complain. All they could do was play better against a higher level opponent.

The last move was Su Feng pushing the ball. Every second of this basketball battle would decide the final outcome.

So far, Kobe Bryant had played 45 games with barely any rest. Su Feng was on the court every moment, accompanied by Kobe. Up to now, Su Feng had scored 28 points against Kobe—each one scored while facing Kobe.

Sweat pouring, Kobe stretched out his arms wearily. His shooting against Su Feng today was not ideal. This crucial shot made Kobe a bit nervous.

As an offensive player, Su Feng remained calm. He was not in a rush to call Heng Li Wei to dissolve the defense himself. Seeing the German leaning toward Su Feng, everyone tensed. This duo was the Cavaliers’ main scoring point today.

Through blocking and dismantling, Su Feng easily slipped into the paint. Kobe tried to block him, even grabbing Su Feng’s jersey. The duel between the two Asian guards had reached a white-hot stage. At this point, the referees chose to overlook subtle fouls to show appreciation.

Under Kobe’s control, Su Feng suddenly stopped his brake. Then, under Kobe’s interference, Su Feng jumped back.

“Backwards jumper?” Barkley was stunned again, powerless to react.

Actually, the backward jump shot was not Su Feng’s specialty. He simply reacted naturally, performing the most suitable technical move at that moment.

Kobe did not leap but raised his arms to disturb Su Feng. Su Feng’s slight backward jump allowed him to successfully escape the interference.

Lan Qiu scored a clean shot—Su Feng’s basket was crisp, without hesitation.

“After blocking and dismantling, shooting immediately—offensive stability is excellent! Today, Madison Square Garden has seen 30 points so far. The game is far from over; this number may keep rising!”

After Su Feng’s basket, the teams were tied. Cavaliers fans roared the loudest cheers they could muster. Everyone hoped their cheers would transform into power, fueling Kobe’s body.

Heng Li Wei held Lan Qiu, seemingly searching for someone. Suddenly, Su Feng ran back, emerging from the crowd. Dirk quietly awaited a pass.

“Now he has the ball but doesn’t rush to attack. He wants to maintain speed outside and delay the time!”

With 30 seconds left, Coach Heng Li Wei would not grant the Cavaliers extra time. That meant the Rockets had no chance for another attempt. This attack would decide their fate.

Su Feng only began his attack with 10 seconds left on the 24-second clock. He raised the ball toward Heng Li Wei, and Robert Henry immediately tensed. Was Coach Heng Li Wei planning for Heng Li Wei to score two points and push the game to overtime?

Heng Li Wei rolled the ball back but did not shoot, instead passing out Lan Qiu again!

“Fake biography! He also caught Lan Qiu’s pass beyond the three-point line!” Heng Li Wei exclaimed in disbelief. His voice had barely fallen when Su Feng took the shot!

The entire Madison Square Garden held its breath, watching Lan Qiu. If he scored, Su Feng would be the madness in this basketball battle.

Kobe watched the spinning ball, feeling his heart about to leap out. But Lan Qiu hit the front of the rim; Su Feng missed.

“I knew it would be like this!”

“Just like that! Just like that! He missed the last chance!”

As usual, Kobe broke through the three-point line, then called to William Adams Miller to halt and reorganize. This Asian guard had to play his best role in the right system, and under Robert Henry’s guidance, Kobe had two desires: the correct system and unlimited ball control. In fact, this was the root cause of Lin’s madness.

Under Robert Henry’s arrangement, superstar William Adams Miller could only block and dismantle the once unstoppable Kobe Bryant without complaint. This time was no exception—Kobe needed Stammer’s cover to complete the breakthrough.

Su Feng was somewhat worried. His and Heng Li Wei’s shooting had changed multiple times. The clever Kobe must have guessed what he would face next. This time, with Kobe facing Dirk, he would not hesitate to break through directly again. At that moment, don’t expect Heng Li Wei to keep up.

Therefore, facing the dismantling, Su Feng actively tried to evade it. Seeing Su Feng chasing Kobe, William Adams Miller secretly pushed Su Feng’s head with his hair, flipping his head directly to the ground!

I didn’t expect the referee to catch this secret move, but now William Adams Miller no longer had superstar treatment. On the contrary, Su Feng was better positioned to earn whistles from the referees.

“Illegal screen, turnover!”

Just as Kobe broke through Dirk and prepared to lay up, the referee stopped the basketball battle. This move undoubtedly drew endless jeers from Cavaliers fans. However, slow-motion replay clearly showed William Adams Miller’s minor foul—he deliberately knocked down Su Feng.

Though William Adams Miller was friendly, the fact remained that the Cavaliers had another scoring chance, and William Adams Miller was furious.

The Cavaliers lost the ball again; Su Feng grabbed it. This time, the Cavaliers blocked Su Feng’s pass and did not actively cover his break. Though Su Feng’s passing lanes were completely sealed, no shared shooting left Su Feng an easy scoring chance.

Did Kobe Bryant want to distract Su Feng? Don’t make me laugh. The Clippers’ Paul and Billups, as two outside shooting generals, could only manage a 1:1 battle against the Rockets. Su Feng killed Kobe under the basket, then gently lifted Lan Qiu.

Kobe soared with the move. After Kobe started, Su Feng gently placed the ball into the basket, timing it perfectly.

At this moment, Robert Henry could no longer bear it. After so much time in the second quarter without scoring, the Cavaliers’ highest-paid player was responsible, besides the opponent Su Feng.

“Amar, rest a bit. What are you doing? You’re too tired!” After the players left, Robert Henry quietly told William Adams Miller to rest. Impossible—in New York City, the star was the boss, and the coach was merely the star’s servant.

William Adams Miller knew Robert Henry was setting him up, so he said little. He covered his head with a towel and sat down to rest.

Robert Henry sighed in relief. As long as they had stars, nothing was wrong! Next, he would win his way!

“Steve, keep going! Fields, run for me, speed up! Tyson, watch the shot and dismantle, retreat quickly! Jeremy, you know what to do. Let’s go fight!”

Robert Henry explained his tactics thrice and twice. He replaced Novitz, the shooting power forward, with the suddenly passing guard Kobe Bryant, as if mimicking a low-key version of the Suns!

In this basketball battle, Robert Henry had led the Cavaliers to remarkable success with a similar lineup. Today, he was eager to win with what he did best!

When the game resumed, the pace became very fast. Although Novitz was a 2.08-meter power forward, his position outside the baseline made Heng Li Wei uncomfortable on defense.

The Cavaliers played swiftly. Sometimes, the Rockets had not even shot yet.

The turning point also involved Novitz, an inconspicuous white forward.

Novitz’s hand today felt like a volcano erupting. Even Heng Li Wei had no choice but to take him.

As long as Kobe passed to Novitz, Novitz could shoot from beyond the three-point line!

His fiery touch inspired confidence among other shooters. Smith, Shampoo, and Tian Di each scored well.

Initially, the Rockets used close-range scoring to control the opponent’s shooting.

“Block! He made a huge block on William Adams Miller! Heng Li Wei hasn’t recovered from the earlier dunk. Now he’s startled by Su Feng’s screen. A guard blocked ‘Kobe Bryant’—what a joke!”

Lan Qiu leapt out and was taken by Terry. The Jet grabbed Lan Qiu and ran, easily scoring a fast break. Su Feng used two incredible “aerial battles” to help the team instantly fill the scoring gap. At 30–30, both sides returned to the starting line.

One basket, one dunk, one screen—Su Feng’s performance left fans worldwide stunned. A miracle? This wasn’t Kobe’s exclusive! Lin’s madness meeting Su Feng wouldn’t last long!

Su Feng’s wild show silenced Madison Square Garden. An Asian man soaring to the top, stopping the renowned William Adams Miller with his athleticism—this shock Kobe couldn’t bring to Cavaliers fans.

Black players flying was common in top basketball battles. White players flying had become routine for fans. But a yellow man flying? Every time, it dropped jaws.

Though Su Feng had performed terrifying dunks before and used chases to cover inside players, each time he did, it gave people goosebumps watching basketball battles.

Even William Adams Miller, sitting courtside, felt his scalp tingle. When playing, it’s hard to stop William Adams Miller. You know, his height belies his agility. Yet Su Feng proved that athleticism wasn’t a giant’s exclusive.

Swallowed by the block, William Adams Miller looked at Su Feng in disbelief. Close-ups showed the panic in his eyes!

What was that kid made of? Springs in his legs, perhaps.

Not only William Adams Miller feared him; all Cavaliers players on and off the court were scared. Could they really beat such a terrifying guy?

At the start, Su Feng’s alley-oop dunk behind the hoop dealt a heavy blow to Cavaliers morale. Then that block shattered their confidence completely.

After an attack, Kobe passed to Stammer again, but the once unstoppable “Kobe Bryant” chose to pass, fearing Su Feng’s block!

William Adams Miller wasted a good chance. Chandler passed suddenly, catching him off guard. Lan Qiu flew out of bounds; the Cavaliers failed again.

The Cavaliers hadn’t scored since the second game. Robert Henry was anxious. He didn’t even want his highest-paid players leaving the court! “Kobe Bryant” now seemed completely suppressed by Su Feng’s “Great William Adams Miller.”

The Cavaliers kept wasting chances, and Su Feng showed no mercy. Facing Kobe’s relentless pursuit, Su Feng did not demand a block but used his strong body to protect Lan Qiu. The winter’s hard work was not in vain. Last winter, Su Feng’s endurance nearly matched Kobe’s, but now, Su Feng’s resistance was inferior.

After using his strength to push Kobe into the basket, Su Feng drew Kobe, Chandler, and William Adams Miller’s defense.

Facing the encirclement, Su Feng stayed calm, his wrist trembling slightly. Lan Qiu burst through the gap, flying to Heng Li Wei, who was completely open mid-range.

Heng Li Wei would not waste his chance in such a wide-open shot. The tough German hit steadily; the Rockets took the lead!

“William Adams Miller is completely crazy! He threw Heng Li Wei aside. Maybe he should call LeBron and ask how Dirk burned the Heat last winter!”

The two-point difference was small, so Robert Henry had not stopped the basketball battle. The Cavaliers attacked again. This time, Kobe decided to attack the basket himself.

Coach Heng Li Wei’s arrangement was correct. His wise move was to maintain players’ positions instead of compensating for defensive holes.

But as the game’s pace quickened, the Cavaliers’ shooters ran more frequently, and the Rockets’ defensive gaps expanded.

Kobe seized the opening, broke through, and scored. Su Feng protected Kobe well. He could also pass to a group of shooters.

Thus, the Cavaliers gradually regained their form.

{End of Chapter}