stonecrandall Chapter 25: The Answer to the Showdown! Oakland's 42-Point Legendary Night
Chapter 25: The Answer to the Showdown! Oakland's 42-Point Legendary Night
The league's official announcement that Lin Hao's voting was 100% compliant and that he had secured the All-Star vote leader caused a sensation across the United States for 24 hours. However, the doubts did not subside; instead, they shifted and surged again.
ESPN's front-page commentary was sarcastic: "Their five-game winning streak was against a bottom-feeder on the edge of the Western Conference playoffs. Bibby and Nash aren't even in their prime yet, and Pippen and Payton are nearing the end of their careers. Does a second-round pick, padding his stats against a bunch of old and injured players, deserve to be the first rookie vote leader in history?"
Fox Sports went even further, saying, "Want to prove you deserve to be an All-Star starter? Get past Allen Iverson first."
Everyone is watching the Warriors' home game against the Philadelphia 76ers three days from now.
The 2003 Philadelphia 76ers remained a tough nut to crack in the Eastern Conference, and Allen Iverson was "The Answer," a figure no one in the league dared to mess with. A four-time scoring champion, regular season MVP, and the lone hero who went head-to-head with the Shaq-Kobe duo in the Finals, this 1.83-meter-tall guard was one of the most lethal guards in NBA history and a symbol of faith for countless fans.
At the pre-game press conference, a reporter shoved the microphone in front of Iverson and asked him what he thought of this Chinese rookie who had stepped over him to get into the All-Star starting lineup.
Wearing his signature headband and a defiant smile, Iverson said only one sentence: "I've watched his games. There's an indomitable spirit in his game, which I really like. But Oakland is his home court. If he wants to score against me, he'll have to ask the ball in my hands for permission first."
These words carried no sarcasm whatsoever, yet they carried more weight than any trash talk. The entire league knew that Iverson never showed mercy to any opponent on the court. The more promising a young player was, the more ruthless he would be in teaching them a lesson in the NBA.
In the Warriors' locker room, Richardson slammed the newspaper on the table, cursing, "These media outlets are such hypocrites! First they said you rigged votes, now that you've got five straight wins, they're saying the opponents aren't good enough. They get to say both the good and the bad!"
His teammates were also indignant, but Lin Hao leaned against the locker, slowly unscrewed a can of yellow peaches, gulped down a big mouthful of syrup, and showed no emotion whatsoever.
Three days ago, in the final buzzer of the season's decisive game against the Grizzlies, he completed the system's "Smash the Doubts" mission: his old ankle injury was 100% healed, his shooting proficiency surged by 20%, and his physical attributes received a temporary 10% boost, maxing it out. In his previous life, he had spent over a decade analyzing Iverson's game footage frame by frame, from the shift in his center of gravity during crossovers to his footwork habits during drives, and even the angle of his final shot—all of this was ingrained in his very being.
"What's the rush?" Lin Hao forked a piece of yellow peach and stuffed it into his mouth, his words drifting out slowly, "They just think I've never faced a true superstar, right? Perfect, Iverson has delivered himself to our doorstep, let's use this game to shut them up completely."
As soon as he finished speaking, the system's familiar notification sounded in his mind:
[Ding! Exclusive main quest triggered: [The Trial of Answers]!]
[Mission Objective: In the regular season game against the 76ers, match up against Allen Iverson for the entire game, score no less than Iverson, and lead your team to victory.]
[Mission Rewards: Unlock exclusive active skill [Crossover Step (Iverson's style)], permanently increase agility by 15%, and increase [Clutch Skill] proficiency by 30%!]
[Punishment for mission failure: None. Daring to confront the answer head-on deserves the system's protection.]
Lin Hao raised an eyebrow, his smile widening. "Alright, the system has already prepared the supplies. There's no reason we shouldn't win this game."
Seeing Lin Hao's calm demeanor, head coach Musselman felt relieved. He leaned closer with his tactical board, looking serious: "Lin, in this game, you take full control on offense. On defense, let them help you. Iverson's drives are too fast; don't try to force your way through."
"No need." Lin Hao shook his head, picked up a marker and started drawing on the tactics board. "I know Iverson's habits inside and out. Before he breaks to the left, his left shoulder will definitely drop half an inch. Before his crossover, the ball will hang in his hands for an extra 0.1 seconds. That half second is enough for me to judge his route. I'll defend him one-on-one, and the others will cut off his passing lanes, prevent him from connecting with his teammates, and force him to take a one-on-one shot."
His tone was firm, and there was not a trace of fear in his eyes, as if the person standing opposite him was not a four-time scoring champion, but a youth player he had coached for several years. Seeing his expression, his teammates, who had been hanging in suspense, instantly felt at ease.
By now, after half a season, they've gotten used to it; if this kid from Northeast China says it's okay, then it definitely will be okay.
On match day, Oracle Arena in Oakland was packed to capacity.
The more than 20,000 spectators were almost all holding cans of yellow peaches, and some even brought suonas (traditional Chinese wind instruments). During the pre-match warm-up, a suona blast would occasionally erupt from the stands, eliciting laughter from the crowd. On domestic live-streaming platforms, the number of pre-registrations broke the regular season record. Zhang Qingying sat in the studio, dressed in a sharp suit, her eyes filled with undisguised anticipation.
In the player tunnel, the 76ers players emerged one after another. Iverson walked at the front, his headband askew, his armband pulled down to his elbows, his eyes full of arrogance. As he passed Lin Hao, he stopped, glanced at him, and grinned, "Kid, I heard you want to be the top vote-getter? If you can score 20 points on me tonight, you'll be considered impressive."
Lin Hao grinned and replied in fluent Northeastern dialect, "We'll see. But let's make it clear first, don't get angry when I pass you later."
Iverson paused for a moment, then burst into laughter, patted Lin Hao on the shoulder, and turned to walk onto the court. He had seen countless arrogant rookies, but he had never seen a Chinese kid dare to speak to him like that. Interesting, very interesting.
During the jump ball, the Warriors gained possession first.
Lin Hao received a pass from his teammate and slowly dribbled across half-court. Looking up, he saw that the person guarding him was Allen Iverson.
The entire venue erupted in cheers!
No one expected that the Warriors would immediately pit Lin Hao against Iverson in a one-on-one matchup! There were no screens, no help defense, it was a clear head-on confrontation!
The commentators on the sidelines instantly perked up: "Oh wow! The matchup everyone's been waiting for is here! Rookie of the Year Lin Hao versus four-time scoring champion Allen Iverson! Let's see if this Chinese rookie, who's been questioned by the entire league, can prove himself against the 'Answer'!"
Iverson lowered his center of gravity, spread his arms, and looked serious. His defense has never been a weakness. He won four scoring titles in the NBA, a league full of giants, thanks not only to his offense but also to his tenacious defense.
Lin Hao dribbled the ball, without any fancy crossovers, just simple crossovers in front of his body, his rhythm slow, yet somehow making it impossible for Iverson to predict his movements. Just as Iverson's center of gravity shifted slightly, Lin Hao suddenly pushed off the ground to his right, his right shoulder dropping down in a feint, then flipped his wrist, pulling the ball back to his left hand—a perfect crossover, instantly slipping past Iverson!
Iverson's reaction was quick enough, but he was still a beat too slow. He could only watch helplessly as Lin Hao charged into the paint, faced the 76ers' center, and soared into the air for a powerful dunk!
"Clang!"
The basketball was slammed into the hoop, sending the net churning into towering white waves!
On the very first play of the game, Lin Hao used Iverson's signature crossover to get past Iverson and even dunk over him!
The entire stadium erupted instantly! The audience jumped up like madmen, waving cans of yellow peaches and shouting wildly. The suona horns from the stands blared again, deafeningly loud!
Iverson stood there, staring at the basket, stunned for two seconds, then couldn't help but laugh, giving Lin Hao a thumbs up. "Okay, this kid's got real talent."
But he was Allen Iverson, the most defiant lone hero in the league. In the next possession, he received a pass from his teammate, dribbled across half-court, and unleashed two consecutive wide crossovers against Lin Hao. The changes in rhythm were so fast that they were dazzling, instantly creating half a body distance before stopping and shooting a jump shot that swished through the net.
The moment the ball went in, Iverson wagged his finger at Lin Hao, a smug smile on his face.
From that point onward, the game completely transformed into a duel between the two players.
Iverson's breakthroughs were like ghosts, his pull-up jumpers were deadly, and he repeatedly tore apart the Warriors' defense with his signature breakthroughs. Even if Lin Hao's predictions were accurate, he could only barely interfere and could not stop this man who had mastered the combination of man and ball to the extreme.
Lin Hao, however, was equally formidable. His fully healed ankle made his footwork incredibly agile, and the 20% boost to his shooting proficiency made his touch blazing hot. He unleashed a barrage of skills – drives, three-pointers, pull-up mid-range jumpers, post-up moves – and no matter how aggressive Iverson's defense, he always found space to shoot and calmly slot the ball into the basket.
At the end of the first quarter, Lin Hao scored 16 points, and Iverson scored 14 points, with the Warriors leading by only 2 points.
The commentators were practically incoherent: "My God! I can't believe my eyes! This rookie went toe-to-toe with Allen Iverson for a whole quarter! And he didn't fall behind! Is he really just a second-round pick who's played half a season?!"
In the second quarter, the 76ers adjusted their tactics, starting to double-team Lin Hao. However, Lin Hao had anticipated this move and stopped focusing on one-on-one plays. Instead, he switched to playmaking mode, repeatedly using precise passes to find open teammates and assist Richardson in completing consecutive dunks.
On the defensive end, he made the most of his "Eye of Anticipation" and the newly unlocked "Ironclad Defense" skills. He accurately predicted every driving route and every change of direction of Iverson's. Even if Iverson faked out half a body length, he could always close in immediately and use his long arms to interfere with the shot.
Midway through the second quarter, Iverson attempted three consecutive one-on-one shots, all of which were thwarted by Lin Hao, resulting in either missed shots or turnovers. The cheers from the crowd grew louder and louder.
半场结束，林昊已经砍下了24分6助攻3抢断，艾弗森拿到21分3助攻，勇士领先76人8分。
In the locker room, Lin Hao's teammates surrounded him, all of them incredibly excited. Richardson patted him on the back, shouting excitedly, "Canned Food Bro! You're amazing! You completely stunned Iverson!"
Lin Hao smiled as he unscrewed a can of yellow peaches, took a sip of the syrup, and panted, "Don't get too excited. Who is Iverson? He's definitely going to go crazy in the third quarter. Everyone, stay focused and don't let us down."
Sure enough, at the start of the third quarter, Iverson completely unleashed his killer mode. He stopped passing the ball and launched a frenzy of individual attacks, driving to the basket, hitting three-pointers, and making layups, each move deadly. He scored 12 points in the quarter, single-handedly erasing the deficit for the 76ers.
Lin Hao, however, remained unfazed, responding to every point scored by Lin Hao. Late in the third quarter, he used a teammate's screen to receive the ball, and despite Iverson's tight defense, he hit three consecutive long-range three-pointers, widening the gap to double digits once again.
三节战罢，林昊已经砍下了35分8助攻4抢断，艾弗森拿到33分5助攻。
The entire audience rose to their feet; this thrilling duel had everyone on the edge of their seats. Who could have imagined that a rookie could go toe-to-toe with a late-form Iverson for three whole quarters and hold his own against him!
With two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the game became incredibly intense. The 76ers launched a furious comeback, but Iverson scored 5 consecutive points with a combination of drives and shots, narrowing the gap to just one point.
The hearts of the entire audience were in their throats.
With 24 seconds left, the Warriors had possession and were down by one point.
Everyone knew that this final attack would definitely be handed to Lin Hao.
The 76ers knew this and immediately double-teamed Lin Hao, sticking to him tightly to prevent him from receiving the ball. However, Lin Hao used two consecutive off-ball screens to shake off his defender and calmly received the pass from his teammate at the top of the arc.
The person guarding him was still Iverson.
The entire room fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop.
Time ticked by second by second, and only 8 seconds remained.
Lin Hao lowered his center of gravity, dribbling the basketball between his legs, his eyes fixed on Iverson. Suddenly, he made a sharp drive to the left, and Iverson instantly moved to block him. But at that moment, Lin Hao flicked his wrist, executing an extreme in-and-out crossover, followed by Iverson's signature crossover step, instantly causing Iverson to lose his balance and stagger back two steps!
The entire audience erupted in a deafening gasp!
The moment Lin Hao shook off Iverson, he leaped into the air, facing the 76ers' interior defense as they came to help defend. With his body slightly leaning back in the air, he flicked his wrist, and the basketball flew towards the basket in a perfect arc.
The moment the basketball was released, the final whistle blew and the red light came on!
"Whoosh!"
Hollow into the network!
A buzzer-beater!
The entire Oracle Arena erupted in cheers! More than 20,000 spectators stood up, clapping and chanting Lin Hao's name and MVP, their voices shaking the floor!
Lin Hao landed, looked at the basket, and grinned. Iverson, standing beside him, also laughed and walked over, bumping chests with him and yelling, "Kid, you're fucking awesome!"
The technical statistics were displayed on the big screen, and everyone was stunned.
林昊全场出战42分钟，25投12中，三分球8投4中，罚球7罚6中，疯狂砍下42分9助攻4抢断2篮板，正负值高达+21！
Allen Iverson, on the other hand, scored 38 points, 6 assists, and 3 steals on 14-of-29 shooting, fighting until the very last moment, but ultimately couldn't secure the victory.
The moment the game ended, Iverson took off his number 3 jersey, walked up to Lin Hao, handed it to him, and said with a smile, "Kid, you deserve this vote leader. See you in Atlanta at All-Star Weekend, I'm looking forward to playing you again."
Lin Hao quickly took off his number 1 jersey and exchanged it with him, grinning, "No problem, I'll treat you to canned yellow peaches later, our Northeast treasure."
The audience applauded even louder as they watched this scene unfold.
At the post-game press conference, Iverson addressed the media, saying each word carefully: "Those who say Lin Hao is just an internet celebrity and doesn't deserve to be an All-Star starter should shut up. He is the most talented rookie I've ever seen, and he deserves all the honors."
In one sentence, he completely shattered all remaining doubts across the United States.
[Ding! Mission [Answer Trial] 100% complete!]
[Rewards: Unlock the active skill [Crossover Step (Iverson's style)], permanently increase agility by 15%, and max out the [Clutch Skill] proficiency!]
The hidden achievement "[Friends Through Basketball]" has been unlocked, significantly increasing your global reputation and earning the legendary recognition of Allen Iverson!
Lin Hao listened to the system notification and walked out of the stadium with a smile.
Outside the door, Zhao Dabao and Harris were waiting for him. Zhao Dabao shouted excitedly, "Haozi! You're famous! You're completely famous! You're all the trending topics in China! Also, the plane tickets and hotels in Atlanta are all booked, and I've prepared the suona and canned yellow peaches for you!"
Lin Hao nodded and looked up at the night sky.
Atlanta, All-Star Weekend. He's ready.