บท 133: New Record
"Congratulations to the Knicks for clinching the victory, and a huge shoutout to Lian Dao for sealing the deal with that final shot! The killer instinct—never letting the game slip into overtime!"
"And let's not forget, Lian Dao also set a new record with 63 points, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain's long-standing rookie record of 58 points in the early NBA days. He didn't just break it—he obliterated it!"
"This has to be the most phenomenal individual performance of the NBA season so far!"
"Wow!"
The fans at Madison Square Garden erupted in overwhelming cheers, celebrating Lian Dao's spectacular display on their home court.
Knicks fans had the thrill of witnessing Lian Dao sink the game-winner, decisively crushing the Cavaliers' hopes.
"MVP!"
"MVP!"
"MVP!"
The chant echoed throughout Madison Square Garden, as all the fans joined in.
Meanwhile, James watched the replay on the big screen, his expression tinged with disappointment.
"LeBron, it's just a regular season game. Don't sweat it. We'll get them next time," Big Z, ever the supportive teammate, said as he patted James on the shoulder.
"It's just... after giving it my all, I still came up short against him. He won't be this lucky next time!" James replied, his resolve hardening as he bumped shoulders with Big Z.
The Knicks players were also buzzing with excitement. They had just taken down another powerhouse and stretched their winning streak to six games.
At this point, Lian Dao collapsed onto the bench, utterly exhausted. The adrenaline from the tense atmosphere had masked his fatigue, but now that the game was over, he could barely stand.
His stamina had always been a concern, and Lian Dao noticed that James seemed to have more left in the tank by the fourth quarter.
In the final moments, he had been running on pure willpower.
It was also the first time Lian Dao had played 40 minutes in a game.
In retrospect, Lian Dao realized he'd been too hard on himself, constantly comparing his progress to the league's superstars, feeling like he wasn't improving fast enough.
But looking back, he had already surpassed his fellow rookies by a significant margin.
And even when compared to the veterans, he had nothing to be ashamed of.
"Sickle, you set a new record!"
"Sickle, take a bow—we're not worthy!"
...
The Knicks teammates knew just how exhausted Lian Dao was, so no one pulled him up to celebrate. Instead, they let him catch his breath while the team's physical therapist worked on relaxing his legs. After such a high-intensity game, proper recovery was crucial to avoid cramping.
Lian Dao managed to high-five his teammates while trying to regain his strength. But when it was Millsap's turn, he grabbed Lian Dao's hand during the high-five, examined it closely, and then stroked it with a mischievous expression.
Lian Dao was immediately grossed out. He yanked his hand away in disgust, vigorously wiping it on a towel as if Millsap had just smeared something vile on it. Despite his fatigue, he quickly shifted away from Millsap, clearly wanting to put some distance between them.
He couldn't help but think, I've heard this guy's a bit wild, always hitting the nightclubs with Wilson. Could it be that he swings both ways? What the heck, this dude is playing a little too loose.
Lian Dao wasn't the only one giving Millsap a strange look. The other teammates had also noticed, and they all subtly edged away, wanting to keep their distance.
Millsap, seeing everyone's weird looks, quickly realized what was going on. His face darkened with frustration, and through gritted teeth, he snapped, "For the record, I have normal interests and orientation. I don't like guys!"
The seriousness in Millsap's tone made everyone, including Lian Dao, breathe a sigh of relief. They hadn't even caught Millsap's slip when he referred to himself as "Lao Tzu," a term that could have caused even more awkwardness.
Fortunately, Lian Dao didn't seem to notice the slip-up. Millsap silently thanked his lucky stars—calling himself "Lao Tzu" in front of Lian Dao would've been the equivalent of testing fate.
"I just wanted to see if you've got some kind of magic in that hand of yours, hitting so many shots today!" Millsap explained, trying to smooth things over.
Lian Dao, now reassured, grinned sheepishly. "Oh, nothing special, just business as usual!" he replied with a hint of embarrassment.
The teammates, seeing Lian Dao's confident response, rolled their eyes at their young, cheeky star. But deep down, they couldn't help but admire the 19-year-old rookie.
63 points in a single game!
Lian Dao had surpassed Wilt Chamberlain's rookie record, delivering one of the greatest scoring performances in NBA rookie history.
On the sidelines, Barkley and Kenny Smith were equally excited.
"Congratulations to Sickle on achieving the highest score of his career!"
"And it's only his sixth game! He's just 19 years old!"
"His era is just beginning!"
Lian Dao had also rewritten the scoring record at Madison Square Garden, surpassing Kobe Bryant's 61-point game.
The new record at Madison Square Garden: 63 points!
Madison Square Garden truly is a magical place.
Kobe Bryant dropped 61 points here, the former New York King Bernard King scored 60, Michael Jordan had his famous 55-point game, and Reggie Miller etched his name in history with an 8-point burst in 8.9 seconds. There's a reason they call this arena the "Basketball Mecca."
As the game concluded, players from both teams exchanged final handshakes.
LeBron James gripped Lian Dao's hand firmly, his expression serious. "Sickle, I won't forget this. Next time we face off, you won't be so lucky."
"It's possible," Lian Dao replied with a smile, "but you know, God tends to favor the stronger side."
James chuckled, recognizing the rookie's confidence—bordering on arrogance—but also his undeniable talent.
When Lian Dao shook hands with Shaquille O'Neal, he was struck by just how imposing the big man was.
"Kid, I haven't seen a newcomer this interesting in a long time. You've got something special," O'Neal said with a grin.
O'Neal, a veteran with over a decade in the league, didn't let a regular-season game faze him. At 37, his focus was on adding another championship to his collection.
"Shaq, it's been an honor battling with you," Lian Dao responded, smiling back.
In his previous life, Lian Dao had admired O'Neal not only as a superstar but also for his comedic talent after retirement. His banter with Charles Barkley always brought laughs to fans, and Lian Dao especially enjoyed O'Neal's "Shaqtin' A Fool" segments, which would later become legendary.
After the handshakes, both teams headed back to their locker rooms.
Lian Dao quickly showered, knowing he had to attend the post-game press conference—a task he wasn't particularly fond of. Sparring with seasoned reporters could be exhausting.
Earlier, he had asked Coach D'Antoni if he could skip it, but the emphatic shake of D'Antoni's head made it clear that wasn't an option.
For the press conference, Lian Dao slipped on the latest sneakers launched by Anta, the same ones he had worn in the previous game. After consulting with Lian Dao, the designers had updated the shoe's color scheme to red and white, incorporating traditional Chinese cloud and thunder patterns that gave the shoes a unique, textured look.
During the game against the Cavaliers, Lian Dao's series of dunks had given these sneakers significant screen time. Fans took notice, and many were intrigued by the mysterious patterns on his shoes. However, those eager to purchase a pair were met with disappointment when they found no sales channels in the U.S.
Anta, caught off guard by Lian Dao's extraordinary rookie season, had yet to establish a distribution network in America. But with the demand skyrocketing, they were now rushing to build one.
Meanwhile, some international fans, particularly those studying abroad, managed to place orders through Chinese websites, only to find that the online stores were sold out. With no other option, they had to settle for pre-orders and a long wait.
The sneakers were also a hit in China, where they quickly sold out thanks to the overwhelming support from domestic fans.
However, these weren't Lian Dao's signature shoes. Anta was still in the process of designing and producing his first official sneaker line. The company had been in constant communication with Lian Dao, gathering his input for the design.
Though Lian Dao wasn't a designer, he had a good eye for what would resonate with fans. Drawing inspiration from future classic sneaker designs, he offered suggestions that impressed Anta's design team.
With Lian Dao's rookie performance setting the league on fire, Anta's management was more motivated than ever to expedite the release of his signature shoes.
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