Chapter 34: Chapter 34: NBA's Unsolved Mystery
Hayward felt good before the shot, but as the ball left his fingertips, something felt off.
Then, the ball flew over the backboard in front of the entire crowd.
"Boom!!!"
"Ouch!!!"
Two sounds echoed through the arena—one from the ball hitting someone's head, and the other from a cry of pain.
Wade Dong stared in disbelief as a fan sitting courtside was knocked unconscious by the ball.
It was ridiculous...
The game was paused, and Hayward went to check on the fan who had been hit.
"Hahaha..."
The Suns' home crowd erupted in merciless laughter.
Wade Dong couldn't help but shiver. He had been hit by a ball and transported to this world. He wondered if the fan who had just been knocked out had also traveled through time.
Fortunately, Wade Dong's concern was unnecessary. The fan quickly regained consciousness.
However, the effect of the "bad luck potion" was much stronger than Wade Dong had anticipated. He initially thought Hayward would just miss a shot, but the result was far worse. It seemed that using the "bad luck potion" too often on the same player could have serious consequences, possibly causing the player to become withdrawn.
...
In the CCTV-5 broadcast booth:
Yu Jia tapped his forehead. "Hayward's shot is definitely going to be one of the top ten bloopers of the year."
Zhang Coach commented, "That shot was ridiculous."
Yu Jia added, "This is a crucial game between the Suns and the Jazz. Hayward might have been too eager to win."
Zhang Coach agreed, "He overexerted himself."
...
The game resumed.
Hayward was clearly affected by his earlier shot and was not in good form.
On the other hand, the Suns, led by Wade Dong and Nash, started the game with an 11-0 run.
Jazz coach Snyder had no choice but to call a timeout.
After the timeout, the Jazz started to catch up, but Hayward was still not himself, playing as if he were sleepwalking through the entire quarter.
The first quarter ended with the Suns leading 33-21, a 12-point advantage.
As the players walked to the bench, Wade Dong approached Hayward and patted his shoulder. "Idol, don't let that shot bother you. Everyone makes mistakes."
"Thank you, Wade," Hayward said gratefully, appreciating the sportsmanship.
Wade Dong didn't say more, but he felt a bit guilty towards Hayward. He hoped Hayward would recover soon.
He wondered what would happen if Hayward adjusted and he used the "bad luck potion" again.
It was too terrifying... Wade Dong quickly dismissed the thought. He couldn't have such malicious ideas.
The second quarter began.
Hayward started to regain his form, making a mid-range shot after receiving a pass from his teammate. This was his first score of the game.
"As expected of an NBA player, he adjusts quickly," Wade Dong muttered from the bench. Both Wade Dong and Nash were resting at the start of the second quarter.
"Whew..."
After scoring, Hayward looked at his hands.
Wade Dong's encouragement had given him confidence, and he was starting to recover from the shock of his first shot.
On the other side, the Suns missed a shot, and the Jazz's Millsap grabbed the rebound.
The Suns quickly transitioned to defense. Harris dribbled the ball past the half-court line and passed it to Hayward beyond the three-point line.
"Now's the time..."
Hayward received the pass and quickly shot a three-pointer.
But as the ball left his fingertips, that strange feeling returned.
"Ouch!"
"Boom!"
Two sounds echoed through the arena again. The US Airways Center fell silent, and you could hear a pin drop.
The fan who had just regained consciousness was knocked out again by the ball!
"Sigh..."
Wade Dong slapped his hand, feeling a bit regretful. "In the end, I couldn't resist. My 10 talent points..."
It was clear what had happened. The ball had flown over the backboard and hit the same fan who had been knocked out in the first quarter.
"This guy should go buy a lottery ticket!"
"Hahaha..."
"Does Hayward have a grudge against him?"
After a brief silence, the US Airways Center erupted in merciless laughter again.
The game was paused once more, and Hayward became completely withdrawn.
The fan who had been knocked out was given a new seat by the staff after regaining consciousness...
...
In the CCTV-5 broadcast booth:
Yu Jia was speechless.
Zhang Coach commented, "Hayward is not in good form today."
Yu Jia added, "In all my years of watching basketball, I've never seen a fan get knocked out by a ball, let alone twice by the same person!"
Zhang Coach agreed, "Both times were by Hayward."
Yu Jia suggested, "I think this fan should go buy a lottery ticket."
Zhang Coach concluded, "It's unbelievable."
...
After the game, Hayward's consecutive shots that knocked out a fan made headlines.
This incident became one of the NBA's unsolved mysteries over the following years. Even the seat where the fan was hit saw a significant increase in ticket prices.
Americans can be quite peculiar. Despite the seat having such bad luck, people still fought to sit there.
After the timeout, Hayward did not return to the game.
Even Coach Snyder felt that Hayward's condition was off, so he let him rest and adjust on the bench.
Without Hayward, the Jazz lost a key offensive player, and by halftime, the score difference had grown to over 20 points.
In the second half, Hayward returned to the court but played as if he were sleepwalking. He missed two more ridiculous three-pointers. This time, Wade Dong did not use the "bad luck potion" on Hayward. It seemed that Hayward's mental state had been greatly affected.
The 20-point lead persisted until the end of the game.
107-83!!!
The Suns defeated the Jazz, securing a crucial victory.
After the game, Wade Dong felt a bit guilty towards Hayward. He approached Hayward again and put his arm around his shoulder. "Idol, don't dwell on this. I believe you can adjust and come back stronger."
"I wasn't in good form today," Hayward said, feeling helpless. He took responsibility for the team's loss.
He felt that the reason they lost today was because of his poor performance, which affected the entire team.
"Have a good rest this summer," Wade Dong encouraged. "Work hard for the next season!"
"Okay..."
"Huh?"
Hayward was still a bit confused. After a moment, he said to Wade Dong, "There's still one more game. If you lose to the Spurs, we'll be the ones going to the playoffs!"
Wade Dong patted Hayward's shoulder. "That won't happen. Trust me, the Suns will make the playoffs this year. You just enjoy the sun, the beach, and the bikini girls."
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