Kapitel 6: Toying with the Throne
A collective gasp echoed through the arena…
"Nice shot!"
"Great crossover!"
"That one-on-one was pretty slick!"
"His dribbling is so smooth!"
Some fans at Staples Center stood up and cheered. The scene made Jiang Lin look exceptionally talented. His rhythm, dribbling, and speed were the kind fans loved to watch.
And the defender was LeBron James, the 2012 Finals MVP, regular-season MVP, and an All-Defensive Team player. And Jiang Lin crossed him clean? The rivalry between Kobe and LeBron fans made this even more exciting. Some fans even downed their beers in celebration.
The Lakers' bench instinctively stood up, though they barely knew this rookie. However, Robert Sacre, always the cheerleader, was waving his towel energetically!
Steve Nash, in a suit, was startled, wondering where this newcomer came from. The previous play was a good assist, but this one was a solo effort, perfectly executed, breaking the opponent's defense. Nash, a top-tier point guard himself, usually critiqued other guards, but he found Jiang Lin's play unpredictable and versatile.
D'Antoni, stroking his mustache, was dumbfounded. The scouting report on Jiang Lin didn't mention such one-on-one skills! He must be in shock!
On the Heat's bench, Wade, Ray Allen, and Chris Bosh exchanged bewildered glances. They couldn't believe LeBron had been crossed. Having played countless games with him, they knew it was almost impossible to knock him down. LeBron's balance and core strength were unmatched.
Only his teammates knew how formidable LeBron was!
So their shock was even greater, and they couldn't help but take a few more glances at this impressive player with yellow skin.
Odom was stunned, his trash talk left unsaid. Metta World Peace rubbed his ankle, watching the crossover and feeling the phantom pain…
Kobe, eyebrows raised in excitement, quickly pressed LeBron, preventing him from getting the ball.
To be honest, this play thrilled Kobe. His expression, unfiltered, carried a mocking gaze as he looked at LeBron: "Brother, you got crossed by our rookie?"
LeBron glared at Jiang Lin, feeling a mix of discomfort and bewilderment.
They were down by 15 points and still gave the rookie such a chance?
He only came out to help defend an open player, but this player, like a madman, dragged him out for a duel, and he ended up being crossed and falling. What grudge was this?
Who was this Chinese guy? LeBron didn't know and didn't care. He didn't even know the Lakers had signed him, so there was no personal grudge. LeBron assumed Jiang Lin was just a benchwarmer, which made being crossed even more infuriating.
Meanwhile, Jiang Lin, hopping and skipping, focused on finding Battier, maintaining a strong defensive stance and concentration.
Jiang Lin: "Sorry, but I had to bet my entire career on this play. You came to defend me, so I had to toy with the throne a bit."
As Jiang Lin thought, he needed to showcase his skills, and he was lucky to have done it. Crossing LeBron was unexpected. This move was a combination of Iverson's stutter steps and between-the-legs crossovers, naturally executed by Jiang Lin.
It resembled Iverson's move that crossed Jordan, but Jiang Lin chose a safer dunk instead of a risky jumper, seeing the open lane.
This move is called: Butterfly Through Flowers!
Feeling more confident, Jiang Lin realized that with the system rating him as a star player, he could definitely make it in the NBA. This path was viable!
Just go for it!
Perhaps the fans didn't yet understand the significance of "toying with the throne," but Jiang Lin knew he had just done it. Domestic fans were probably ecstatic by now. Unlike the 2019 season when LeBron joined the Lakers and united LeBron and Kobe fans, now they were rivals.
He guessed right.
American fans might not react as strongly, but domestic fans watching on TV were instantly hyped!
Whether LeBron or Kobe fans, seeing their countryman perform so well was exhilarating!
In the Tencent live broadcast, Wang Zixing exclaimed, "Oh my god," and then fell silent.
Wang Shipeng, not a professional commentator, let out a loud "Damn" when LeBron was crossed, truly shocked.
"666"
"666"
"666"
"Awesome!"
"Jiang Lin is awesome!"
The comments flooded the screen. If the earlier assist was seen as luck, this one-on-one against the league's top player followed by a one-handed slam was pure excitement!!
"Jiang Lin is amazing!! LeBron fans, come out and cheer??"
"Where are those who said Jiang Lin couldn't score in the NBA?"
"Kobe has a new helper. This play was incredible!"
Lakers fans roared, and the video clip spread across major forums.
Wang Zixing: "First NBA points! Jiang Lin! A dunk after crossing LeBron James, all in one fluid motion!"
Wang Shipeng: "Jiang Lin's debut in the NBA is a dunk. This is a great start! Scoring against LeBron shows he could be the answer to our national team's guard problem!"
These words boosted the morale of Chinese fans. The long-criticized national team guard problem since Yao Ming's era might finally have a solution with this NBA-level rising star. This meant continued dominance in Asian basketball!
The game resumed, but awkwardly, Jiang Lin, after showing such promise, was substituted due to a foul. Some Chinese fans on the sidelines subtly booed Coach D'Antoni.
Wang Zixing: "Such a pity. Just as Jiang Lin was gaining momentum…"
Wang Shipeng shrugged helplessly: "In Kobe's team, someone as outstanding as this won't be allowed."
His point was clear: Kobe was already so dominant. If another player played such a ball-dominant style, even if Kobe had no objections now, he would certainly object later…
Jiang Lin walked off the court expressionless, having achieved his goal.
But…
"The Lakers aren't the right team for me."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein