stonecrandall Chapter 753 This is my ninja way!
Chapter 753 This is my ninja way!
After defeating the Warriors in the opening game, the Knicks' season officially began. In the following week, they played three consecutive games at home and won all of them, giving the team a four-game winning streak and a great start to the new season.
At the same time, everyone has seen the changes in the Knicks this season from this week's games.
Lin Tian's playing time!
His playing time plummeted to 33.5 minutes in the first week, with significant rest periods in the second and fourth quarters.
Everyone can see that this is Don Nelson and the Knicks preparing for next season.
而林天在第一周拿到了场均28分12助攻11篮板的数据，同时他的命中率也高的吓人，三项命中率分别高达55%，46%和100%！
The combined shooting percentages of all three exceed 200! If a role player achieved this efficiency, it would be quite normal, but for the absolute core of a top team, a player who is constantly guarded by the opponent's strongest defensive player in every game, to achieve this shooting percentage is truly beyond terrifying.
Even so, even though Lin Tian casually averaged another triple-double and won the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award for the first week of the season, everyone could clearly feel that Lin Tian was just coasting this season.
It's not just a significant reduction in playing time, but also a change in playing style.
The most obvious example is the fourth game against the young Hawks.
The game was closely contested throughout, with the Knicks leading by 5 points in the final minute.
But then Joe Johnson hit a clutch three-pointer to cut the deficit to just two points, and then Anthony missed a mid-range shot.
Then, with 5 seconds left, Roy hit a game-tying shot, bringing his team to a draw!
In the final 5 seconds, Lin Tian surprisingly failed to receive the ball!
He didn't even try to get the ball; instead, he stood in the corner to create space for his teammates. Then, he watched Anthony and Stoudemire run a pick-and-roll, and Anthony pulled up again in the same spot where he had just missed the shot, and took another mid-range jumper in the same position.
"Whoosh!"
This time, Anthony hit the game-winning shot! He successfully salvaged his reputation!
This match also became a trending topic across the United States afterward.
However, most people weren't focused on Anthony's game-winning shot; they were more concerned with Lin Tian's decision to stand on the baseline and watch his teammate make the game-winning shot.
This is Lin Tian! The king of game-winning shots who has made countless buzzer-beaters and created countless legends, is he really just standing at the baseline watching?
That night, some fans discussed Lin Tian's selflessness, praising him for being willing to give up possession of the ball and the chance to win the game in order to create the best offensive opportunities for his teammates.
They expressed unparalleled approval of Lin Tian's choice and magnanimity.
However, many of Lin Tian's fans also fiercely criticized the Knicks and Don Nelson.
They think the team is too realistic!
Lin Tian hasn't left yet; he's still with the team and is still working hard for their three-peat!
Are you so impatient that you've already sidelined people?
Can't wait any longer?
If that's the case, let's just trade Lin Tian! Our Lin can't stand this, and we're not in a situation where we have to hang ourselves on the Knicks.
If Lin Tian is not respected here, the remaining 29 teams will definitely give him the utmost respect!
Besides those who condemn it, there are also many conspiracy theorists.
They said that the Knicks team had long been divided into several factions. Some people disliked Lin Tian, some wanted to be the leader themselves, and others wanted to save money and expenses after achieving success, so they couldn't wait for Lin Tian to leave.
In short, the Knicks, according to conspiracy theorists, have become a place rife with internal strife, division, internal and external troubles, individualistic behavior, and conspiracies.
But actually?
"I just want to leave something behind for this league. I've ruled this league for too long, and it's time for the younger generation to take over."
"Because of my presence, Melo and Amaré won the championship, but they also lost a lot of opportunities, many opportunities to be seen and recognized. Many people mention the two of them and say that they are my little brothers."
"But what I'm trying to say is that if you send those two to other teams, they can immediately turn a bottom-tier team into a strong team, and an average strong team into a championship-caliber team."
"There's still so much more they can do! They're both top-ten players in the league."
"This season, I hope everyone can pay more attention to those two, and the other young players on our team. This is a team with exceptional talent, a team full of hope!"
"Everyone on our team will shoulder more responsibility this season, and taking the shot and hitting the game-winning shot is just the beginning!"
"So Lin, what if the opponent double-teams them, preventing them from making a decisive shot?" A reporter asked the crucial question after Lin Tian's long-winded explanation.
"Then they can give it a try," Lin Tian said casually. "The last time I saw my teammates get double-teamed while I was left wide open was probably more than 10 years ago when I was still with the Bulls."
"I really miss that feeling."
These words silenced the reporters present once again.
Yes, in this alliance, who dares to let Lin Tian go?
This has absolutely nothing to do with whether he gets the ball or whether he shoots.
It's mainly related to a person's character.
Everyone who knows Lin Tian knows that everything he says on the court, except for his tough talk, is just bullshit.
He never tells the truth; his heart is dirtier and stinker than a ditch filled with gutter oil.
He said he wouldn't shoot for the game-winner, and you really didn't? You believed him and then went to double-team Anthony or Stoudemire?
Then just wait to be mocked by him after the match.
After realizing they had asked a really stupid question, the reporters quickly changed the subject to avoid Lin Tian launching a further barrage of attacks against them.
Perhaps it was because Lin Tian was getting older, or perhaps it was because he had a better temper, but this time, when the reporters quickly changed the subject, Lin Tian was quite cooperative and didn't chase after them anymore, instead presenting a refined and easygoing image.
……
After ending their first home winning streak, the Knicks finally welcomed their first away game of the year.
The team traveled to the Windy City of Chicago, where Lin Tian debuted and where his dreams began, and also the top super team of the 90s: the Chicago Bulls!
The NBA regular season consists of 82 games. In addition to the well-known fact that half of the games are played at home and half away, the specific schedule is divided into teams from different conferences. In other words, teams from the East and West play each other twice a year: one home and one away.
Teams in the same division cannot all play four games. If all teams played four games, the regular season would consist of as many as 86 games. Therefore, each team will play three games against four teams each year. As a result, each season's regular season consists of 30 games against teams from the opposing division, 4 games against 10 teams in the same division, and 3 games against 4 teams in the same division, for a total of 82 games!
As for why not simply have each team play four more games to reach a total of 86 games, it would not only satisfy those with obsessive-compulsive tendencies but also allow each team to sell tickets for two more home games per year.
In any case, the league and Stern stated that this is to keep the players healthier. The 82-game schedule can reduce the high-intensity, high-density schedules such as back-to-back games and three games in four days, allowing each team to maintain better condition and enabling everyone to enjoy more exciting games.
Well, to put it simply, it's all about giving back to the fans, protecting the players, maintaining fairness, preventing players from working overtime, and reducing their burden. That's incredibly selfless and courageous!
But Lin Tian, who is familiar with the inside story, said: It's all the capitalists talking nonsense.
In at least the two labor negotiations he knew of, the owners strongly demanded that a season consist of 86 games, and some owners even suggested adding back-to-back games to increase the fun and watchability.
This suggestion was immediately rejected by the players.
The two sides had a lot of arguments and verbal sparring over whether to play 82 or 86 games.
Ultimately, the bosses compromised only for other, greater benefits and profits.
So, it all comes down to self-interest.
To get back to the point, due to the format of the competition, the Knicks and Bulls will only play three games this season, and two of those games will be played at the Knicks' home court.
This means that tonight's game will be Lin Tian's last visit to the United Center in Chicago as a player!
So barring any unforeseen circumstances, the United Center and the Bulls will definitely put on a special program to bid farewell to Lin Tian, to pay tribute to this legend who brought them both glory and despair.
You always have to deal with social niceties!
Even Lin Tian himself was actually a little excited!
Although I only played here for two years, returning to this familiar place, the place where my dream began, and this is my last visit here, I have to give you some surprises, right?
Look, Lin Tian was nervously rubbing his hands together before the competition.
The last time he was this nervous was during the NBA draft!
That talent show will determine whether he can successfully activate the system. If he fails to be selected, he will not have the system, which would be a major event that could affect his entire life.
Aside from that time... Lin Tian had never felt this excited and nervous before.
Then?
Then the Bulls disappointed Lin Tian!
Owner Reinsdorf didn't even show up at the United Center, and the team didn't prepare any special events, tributes, or short videos.
The only consolation was that old friends like Pippen, Longley, and Wennington all came to watch the game and even hugged Lin Tianyi.
Lin Tian was initially quite happy to see these elderly people.
The actors are all here, so there can't be no script at all, right?
No!
Not at all.
There was nothing before the game started, and there was still nothing even after the first half ended.
When the third quarter began, Winnington, who currently plays for the Bulls, finally couldn't hold back any longer. He stood up and pulled Lin Tian aside, saying, "There probably won't be any tributes tonight."
"I've been giving suggestions to the owner since before the season started, but he kept saying he would think about it and consider it. But now it seems he was just giving me the runaround, and he doesn't consider me a team legend at all."
"Lin, I should have told you this as soon as I saw that the boss didn't show up, but I thought he was just waiting for the right moment. Now it seems that I was too stupid."
"That bastard Reinsdorf is not worth anyone's life! I will hand in my resignation and leave the Bulls after this game."
Looking at his old buddy Wennington, who had long since switched from an afro to a buzz cut and was the former number one pacifist in the alliance, but whose personality was still as righteous and straightforward as ever, Lin Tian felt a sense of relief.
Capitalists are bastards, but good brothers are still good brothers!
"It's alright, Bill, your arrival is the most important thing!" Lin Tian smiled and bumped fists with Wennington as usual, then greeted Pippen and the others before walking onto the court.
Since you, Reinsdorf, are so unrespectable, then I'm not going to give you any face either!
"ball!"
Lin Tian reached out and took the basketball from Stoudemire at the baseline.
This guy is absolutely dominating!
He dribbled all the way to the frontcourt and ran into his old rival, Ben Gordon, the Bulls' current star player.
Despite being old rivals, there wasn't much of a grudge between them. At least, Lin Tian didn't have any personal grudges against Gordon.
As for Gordon's relationship with Lin Tian, Lin Tian had no idea.
Anyway, every time the two of them faced off over the past few years, Gordon's eyes would light up with excitement, and he would slap the floor with both hands and shout "Come on, come on!" in a provocative manner, hoping that Lin Tian would beat him to a pulp.
Well, of course, Gordon might not be thinking that way. He might be thinking that he can beat Lin Tian to a pulp and finally get his revenge.
Unfortunately, he never succeeded in getting what he wanted.
Lin Tian beat him up just like he was beating a child.
Firstly, Gordon's selling point is his shooting. Apart from his shooting accuracy, wide shooting range, and clutch performance, Gordon's other abilities are only slightly above average in the NBA.
One of his biggest weaknesses is his defensive lapses.
God knows why this defensive sieve gets so excited every time he sees Lin Tian. Every time he sees Lin Tian, he angrily slams the floor and roars in provocation, then tells his teammates to get out of the way and not to double-team him, so as not to affect his one-on-one duel with Lin Tian.
Then, Lin Tian utterly humiliated him.
This is basically what has happened every time the Bulls have faced Lin Tianshi over the years.
Almost without exception.
Gordon himself stated that this was out of respect for his idol! Facing his idol and difficulties head-on, confronting the toughest challenges without running away, bravely challenging his dreams, and never giving up even after being defeated time and time again, but instead getting up and challenging again – that is his way of enduring!
wrong……
This is his basketball philosophy.
Gordon himself, anyway, is quite proud of it.
But in Lin Tian's opinion, this guy was just a honey badger who wasn't thinking straight.
It's certainly good to strive for your dreams and dare to pursue them.
But dreams and fantasies are worlds apart!
In particular, Lin Tian could clearly sense that Gordon had never practiced defense; from his rookie year until now, his defense had not improved at all.
It's at the level of a lump of mud.
You say you want to defeat me, Lin Da Guanren, you want to defend against me and beat me to a pulp, then first of all, shouldn't you improve your defense and become a qualified defender?
If rolling up your pants and slapping the floor were effective, Fisher would have won Defensive Player of the Year long ago.
But Gordon just kept doing it.
All I can say is that this guy has a bit of a masochistic streak.
In other competitions or at other times, Lin Tian wouldn't have gone so far as to kill this old acquaintance.
Winning is enough. People idolize you, so a normal little outburst is fine. Why actually kill someone? Even Lin Da Guanren isn't that brutal.
But tonight is different.
Lin Tian made his final appearance at the United Center during his professional career. Fans held up various signs and chanted "MVP" repeatedly. Lin Tian also saw several old fans who had been on good terms with him more than 10 years ago.
With the addition of his old teammates, Lin Tian was very happy to revisit this familiar place tonight.
But Reinsdorf disappeared tonight and didn't prepare any ceremony or tribute for Lin Tian.
If it were someone else, they would probably just laugh it off and say, "If you don't have it, you don't have it. We're not asking anyone for anything."
But Lin Da Guanren is not.
Master Lin is notoriously petty.
They are vengeful and will seek revenge for even the smallest wrongdoing.
Since you, Reinsdorf, are not giving me face, although I won't go so far as to publicly berate you or point fingers or whine in front of the media, I will give Reinsdorf an unforgettable and wonderful night tonight, no matter what!
Or rather, a night that the whole of Chicago will never forget.
整个上半场，林天只打了14分钟，小试牛刀拿到4投4中，3分球1投1中，罚球2罚2中拿到11分4篮板5助攻。
In the third quarter, Lin Tian decided to give the Bulls a big gift!
Give the place where the dream began an incredibly terrifying nightmare!
"Ben, we don't have any personal grudges, and I quite like you," Lin Tian said while dribbling the ball, addressing Gordon who was on high alert and defending him with all his might. "So I hope you remember, what happened tonight wasn't directed at you, nor did I dislike you!"
What is that?
Gordon's mind went blank for a moment, and before he could even understand what Lin Tian meant, Lin Tian had already launched his attack!
He suddenly accelerated with his dribble, and in the blink of an eye, he had Gordon completely outmaneuvered. Then, Lin Tian swiftly drove to the inside, and facing his former comrade Ben Wallace, Lin Tian showed no mercy. He leaped high with all his might and collided with Ben Wallace in mid-air.
"Bang!"
A muffled thud was heard, followed by an unstoppable burst of power from Lin Tian's entire body, which forced Ben Wallace to fall backward. Then, just like he had destroyed the opponent countless times before, Lin Tian slammed the ball into the basket!
"boom!"
After a loud bang, Lin Tian scored the first point of the second half, a truly earth-shattering play.
"We're in big trouble tonight." Sitting on the floor, Ben Wallace watched Lin Tian turn and leave without hesitation to go back to defend. As one of the few people in the league who knew Lin Tian best, Wallace had an extremely ominous premonition.
Even Da Ben knew why Lin Tian was angry.
This time, their own boss has really stirred up a hornet's nest.
It was a hornet's nest full of those mutated bee-like wasps. (End of Chapter)