章 3: Initial Brilliance
It was evident that this new version of him was particularly driven, even to the point where he admired his own perseverance. An Asian guard playing in the NBA? Nobody would believe it. Even domestic fans didn't support him, thinking the Lakers signed him only to make money. Mainstream media in China barely covered his story, making it even worse than the coverage Sun Yue received.
Why wasn't he drafted? Why did he get a 10-day short contract as a non-local player? These questions were hard for Jiang Lin to swallow.
But it was this persistence that allowed him to stand on the NBA court now. This might be his last chance, and he had to seize it. Every play in this game affected his future with the Lakers and in the NBA; scouts were watching closely!
Now, with the legendary abilities of six streetball stars, sticking to the script was not an option. If he played exactly as D'Antoni instructed, he would likely be unemployed in America by tomorrow. The Lakers were not like other teams, and everyone knew Kobe's personality. Would he really pass to a point guard?
A player who only handed off the ball and dribbled past half-court wouldn't be desired by anyone. To truly establish himself, Jiang Lin had to showcase his abilities.
In his previous life, he came from street basketball, never having played professional basketball. He always played in outdoor courts and various 3V3 and 1V1 events, earning the nickname "The Descender" in the streetball community. So he knew what the six streetball legends' abilities in his gift package meant. If he guessed right, he now possessed the world's top dribbling skills!
Just thinking about it made him excited!!
These players could show up NBA-level talent, with a style that was absolutely sensational!
Streetball players generally lack in various aspects, such as height and weight, making them fall short in professional matches. Even streetball players like Iverson, Crawford, and Alston, who made it to the NBA, looked slender and suffered during physical confrontations.
But Jiang Lin was different. At 20 years old, with a strong build yet to be fully developed, and well-versed in college-level full-court tactics, his foundation was already better than most streetball players.
With the world's top dribbling skills now in his possession, it was up to Jiang Lin to see how much effort he would put in.
He was now itching for a 1V1 with his opponents. No exaggeration, he had at least 100 ways to beat his defender one-on-one without committing a violation!
Showtime, baby!
So, what's the most important thing for a streetball player?
The ball!
Only with the ball could he make moves!
Therefore, he had to get the ball! And not pass it out again!
Then he would test if he could score one-on-one! Ideally, he would score in a flashy way that embarrassed the opposing player!
As a streetball player, what counted as a clean basket if not a solo play?
Whether he got cut or not didn't matter anymore. If he was going to get cut, he might as well go out with a bang!
Jiang Lin tried to intercept Battier's pass. Battier, after receiving the ball, made a triple threat move against Jiang Lin, then lobbed it to the heavily tattooed Chris Andersen, who spun into the lane for a reverse layup.
34:51
Staples Center fell silent.
Lakers fans, hoping their team could challenge the Heat in the finals this season, now saw the game slipping away before halftime...
There were 2 minutes and 1 second left in the second quarter.
The problem was simple. As an observer, Jiang Lin could see it clearly: Kobe was too ball-dominant. Since the 2011 season, Kobe's individual efficiency had been declining each year. This season, his shooting percentage was at a career-low 46%, with a three-point percentage of 32.4%. These were not numbers befitting a star player.
Averaging 27 points per game but needing over 20 shots per game?
This left other Lakers players cold, their confidence shattered by repeated missed shots.
But it didn't matter. He was Kobe. That name alone was enough.
Lamar Odom inbounded the ball to Jiang Lin, who deliberately slowed down the pace, with Chalmers waiting for him at half-court.
Jiang Lin was feeling out his ball control, alternating between crossovers, behind-the-back dribbles, and even a peacock dribble at the end.
The synergy between his hands and the ball felt incredibly smooth.
But to everyone else, it looked like he was showing off.
Fans of Chinese descent in the crowd were sweating, wondering if this temp worker didn't want his job anymore. Laughing and goofing off while trailing? That peacock dribble wasn't something just anyone could pull off.
For instance, Odom, who inbounded the ball to him, shouted from the sidelines, "Hey, kid, stop showing off. Can't you see we're down by so much?"
Jiang Lin, expressionless, retorted, "It wasn't my fault."
Odom's anger surged as he glared at him fiercely. "You'll be gone tomorrow. What are you showing off for?"
Sure, the deficit was caused by the starters, but would a fringe player really dare to speak like that without fear of retaliation? Moreover, having a good relationship with key players could be a factor in whether a team considered renewing a short-term contract.
It seemed Jiang had lost his mind from not getting any playtime. Odom decided to suggest to the coach to sub him out next play.
The funniest part was Chalmers, who was defending Jiang Lin, also got interested after seeing him show off and started trash-talking:
"Rookie, let's see if you can keep dribbling like that."
He chose the toughest defensive stance, which would normally force an ordinary player to stop and pass.
But to his surprise, Jiang Lin made a smooth half-turn dribble, creating half a step of space. Before Kobe could even call for the ball, Jiang Lin executed a behind-the-back dribble followed by a crossover, brushing past Chalmers, who was left standing like a pole, unable to move!
Silky smooth!!
A quick, precise, and ruthless move!
Jiang Lin then lowered his body and sped into the paint. As Chris Andersen came over to block him, Jiang Lin made a no-look pass into the air. Jordan Hill, unguarded under the basket, leapt up and completed a powerful alley-oop dunk!!
A brilliant assist!
Combining the signature behind-the-back move of the Professor and the rhythm of Crawford's dribbling, this rookie had some serious skills!!!
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