Capítulo 85: Today, I Am Going to Kill People!
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Liam spoke slowly:
"Did you hear that? You're about to hear cheers and boos that will be a hundred times louder. This is the biggest stage you will ever step on in your life. Every NBA star will give way to you today. Fans across the United States are watching. Right now, you are superstars! I won't say much more. I just want you to play with no regrets—focus, fight for this victory, and let's create our own legend!"
The players' breathing grew heavier, and their eyes filled with excitement.
The senior players, especially, were overwhelmed. They never imagined they'd reach the finals, and this might be the most glorious moment of their lives. Their faces flushed with excitement.
"Bulldogs, go, go, go!"
Led by Graves, the players put their hands together, shouted their slogan, and walked out of the locker room.
Then came the entrance ceremony. The sight of more than 60,000 people electrified the players. Compared to this, their home court, Hinkle Fieldhouse, felt like a small gym.
Since Memphis was the higher seed, they entered the court after the Bulldogs.
After a quick warm-up, the players from both teams stood on the court, staring each other down with eager determination.
Today's live commentators were Greg Gumbel and legendary basketball star Bill Walton from CBS, a seasoned pair who had called many NBA Finals together.
In his rich voice, Greg began:
"The game is about to start! The University of Memphis Tigers are sticking with their unchanged starting lineup: Rose and Douglas in the backcourt, Anderson and Dozier on the wings, and Joey Dorsey as the center. This is the powerhouse lineup that got them to the finals, and Coach Calipari is putting his full trust in them."
"And on the Bulldogs' side, Coach Liam Gonzalez has swapped out power forward Campbell for Mike Green. Their starting lineup is Curry and Graves in the backcourt, Mike Green and Jimmy Butler on the wings, and Drew at center. It's a smaller lineup that they've used before, with Jimmy Butler stepping in at power forward. Bill, what do you think of Coach Liam's lineup change?"
Bill Walton thought for a moment before replying:
"Clearly, Coach Liam feels that Campbell may be too slow to guard Memphis' explosive offense, so he's opting for a quicker, smaller lineup. However, Campbell's a strong inside player, particularly with rim protection. Liam is likely counting on his players to win the battle on the perimeter since the Bulldogs' interior defense is a bit shaky."
Calipari, on the sidelines, frowned slightly when he saw the Bulldogs' formation change.
Only ten minutes earlier, Liam had submitted his starting lineup just before the deadline.
There wasn't time for Calipari to adjust or make major changes, so he stuck to his original tactics.
His eyes shifted to Rose, and his expression gradually relaxed.
Calipari had absolute confidence in Rose, who had never let him down.
As long as Rose was on the court, Calipari was certain that the Tigers would win.
The whistle blew, and the game officially began!
Drew lost the jump ball to Joey Dorsey, giving the Tigers the first possession.
Rose didn't rush into a fast break, instead dribbling steadily across half-court, sizing up Mike Green.
Rather than calling for a screen from Joey Dorsey, Rose simply crossed over and blew past Mike Green.
Butler rushed to help on defense, but Rose immediately crossed over again, leaving Butler stumbling behind him.
With only Drew protecting the rim, Rose rose to meet him in the air, skillfully maneuvering the ball with both hands to evade Drew's block, then dunked it with authority.
0:2.
Rose landed with a calm expression, as if his highlight-worthy dunk was just routine. He jogged back on defense.
"What an explosive drive! Rose's athleticism, body control, and vertical leap were all on full display with that dunk," Greg Gumbel praised.
In his decades-long career, Greg had rarely seen a player with Rose's raw talent.
Butler and Graves were momentarily stunned. They had watched countless hours of tape on Rose, but facing him in person was an entirely different experience.
This guy didn't slow down on his crossovers—he sped up.
The two simple changes of direction Rose made? No one else could execute them with that kind of speed.
Was this what it meant to be a genius?
Butler and Graves exchanged glances, seeing the same fear in each other's eyes.
They knew if they tried to chase Rose down at full speed, their ankles wouldn't be able to keep up with his rapid shifts in momentum. But Rose seemed to do it effortlessly.
Yet, they quickly buried those thoughts.
This was the finals. They had no choice but to defend, even if it felt impossible. This was a game no one could afford to lose.
Now it was the Bulldogs' turn on offense.
Curry and Rose's styles couldn't be more different. Curry called Drew for a pick-and-roll immediately.
Joey Dorsey switched onto Curry after the screen.
Dorsey was the defensive anchor for the Tigers. He had posted a double-double of 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 blocks in their earlier win over Mississippi State. Coach Calipari trusted him completely on the defensive end.
Though Calipari knew how dangerous Curry was as a scorer, he was confident in Dorsey's ability to handle the switch.
Curry, facing Dorsey, signaled for his teammates to clear out. He lowered his center of gravity and began to dribble.
First, he crossed from left to right, then sent the ball between his legs, shifting to his left hand and shaking his shoulders. Dorsey's center of gravity shifted slightly to the right. At that moment, Curry crossed the ball behind his back, creating just enough space to step back and launch a three-pointer.
Curry's release was lightning fast, and Dorsey's block attempt came too late to bother his shot.
Swish!
The basketball arced perfectly through the net.
3:2.
"Beautiful!" Diego, watching from Colombia, clenched his fists.
The moment he first saw Curry take a three-pointer, Diego couldn't help but think of a cold-blooded assassin—every shot a lethal strike.
If Rose was a warrior charging into battle, then Curry was a silent, deadly sniper.
As Curry jogged back on defense, chewing on his mouthguard, he glanced at Rose, feeling a surge of competitive fire.
Gifted or not, it didn't matter to Curry.
Right now, his mind wasn't on winning the championship. His only focus was making more three-pointers and taking down the genius standing in his way.
Curry felt like he had reached his peak.
Today, he was going to dominate.
End of this chapter
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