Chương 11: Chapter 11: The Crucial Rebound
After Kobe responded with a three-pointer, the score was tied at 92:92.
A three-point lead wasn't much, and Kobe began to defend Wade Dong intensely, making it difficult for him to receive the ball comfortably.
In the next two minutes, the Suns only scored one basket from Nash, while Kobe continued to score, gradually widening the gap...
With 2 minutes and 57 seconds left in the game, the score was 94:101, with the Suns trailing by 7 points. Coach Gentry had no choice but to call a timeout.
"When Kobe has the ball, we must double-team him to reduce the defensive pressure on Wade Dong."
"Wade Dong, you focus on moving without the ball. When anyone gets the ball, the first priority is to find Nash or Wade Dong on the perimeter!"
"..."
"Come on, let's win this game!"
Coach Gentry laid out the strategy for the players. After the timeout, Nash noticeably increased the pace of the offense, drawing the Lakers' defense to focus on him.
Nash scored a two-pointer, and Gasol's attempt under the basket was blocked by Lopez.
The Suns quickly transitioned to a fast break. Wade Dong was already positioned in the corner. Nash, without hesitation, made a long pass to Wade Dong.
That familiar feeling returned, and Wade Dong immediately shot a three-pointer!
"Swish!!!"
The ball went straight through the net.
99:101!!!
The Suns were only down by two points.
Seeing the score about to be tied, Kobe remained calm and scored a jump shot.
At this point, Wade Dong had scored 28 points, breaking the Suns' single-quarter scoring record. However, Wade Dong was not satisfied. He knew his goal was to lead the Suns to the championship, so this game was a must-win.
If they couldn't even make the playoffs, there was no point talking about the championship.
...
Yu Jia: "There's one minute left, and the Suns are down by four points."
Coach Zhang: "For the fans, Wade Dong has brought enough surprises. Whether the Suns win this game is no longer important."
Yu Jia: "I disagree. Look at Wade Dong's eyes; they are so determined. He must win this game."
Coach Zhang: "But he's facing Kobe's Lakers."
Yu Jia: "Coach Zhang, how about a bet? I believe the Suns will definitely win this game."
Coach Zhang: "Let's wait and see."
...
With 51 seconds left in the game, Wade Dong scored another three-pointer, reducing the deficit to one point.
Coach Brown shouted from the sidelines, "Don't let Wade Dong receive the ball easily! Stop him!"
Kobe remained calm and faced Wade Dong's offense again.
Wade Dong regretted not using his talent points for a defensive skill package. If he had, he could have limited Kobe.
Unfortunately, before the game, he had been focused on avenging his previous humiliation by Bynum.
As a result, due to his outstanding performance, he never faced Bynum directly. At this moment, Bynum would not dare to challenge Wade Dong one-on-one outside the three-point line, or he would be scolded by the coach.
Kobe faced Wade Dong and made several fakes before lifting his right hand.
"Fake move!"
Wade Dong, lacking defensive experience, was fooled by Kobe's fake.
Coach Zhang sighed, "Wade Dong is still too young. Kobe easily fooled him."
As Wade Dong fell for the fake, Kobe jumped up to shoot. However, Wade Dong did not give up. His eyes were focused, and as soon as his feet touched the ground, he jumped again!
The full-level talent was on display here.
Wade Dong's speed was extremely fast. Although Kobe had already released the ball, Wade Dong's fingertips still touched the ball!
"Quick rebound!"
Kobe shouted and rushed towards the basket!
But someone was faster than Kobe—Wade Dong. After landing, Wade Dong also rushed towards the basket.
"Clang!!!"
The ball hit the rim and bounced off!
Wade Dong and Kobe both went for the rebound.
"Rodman rebound package!"
Wade Dong silently activated the skill and grabbed the ball, pulling it into his arms.
"Unbelievable!"
The commentator shouted, "Wade Dong secured the crucial rebound!"
This rebound was incredible. When Kobe jumped, Wade Dong was still in the air, but his speed was faster. He almost jumped at the same time as Kobe, and their jumping abilities were similar. The reason Wade Dong secured the rebound first was due to his judgment of the ball's trajectory.
If this wasn't a coincidence, it was a natural instinct for rebounds.
"Good job, kid!"
Kobe looked at Wade Dong with a sharp gaze and then quickly rushed back to defend.
Wade Dong passed the ball to Nash and also ran towards the frontcourt.
After snatching the rebound from Kobe, Wade Dong's expression remained calm, much like Kobe's.
...
In the Yanjing University women's dormitory,
Zhuang Fei was going crazy, shaking Li Jiajia excitedly, "Wade Dong blocked Kobe's shot and even snatched the rebound from him! He's so cool! Kobe is my idol!"
"Why doesn't Wade Dong look happy at all?"
The camera was focused on Wade Dong, and Li Jiajia's roommates also noticed that despite the great defense, Wade Dong's face showed no hint of a smile.
"That's just how he is."
Li Jiajia smiled, "He takes basketball very seriously and has an extremely strong desire to win. Off the court, he's actually quite funny."
"Can you ask Wade Dong to get me Kobe's autograph?"
Zhuang Fei leaned on Li Jiajia's shoulder, looking flattering.
Li Jiajia smiled, "You can ask him yourself. You have his number, after all."
"Aren't you afraid I'll steal your Wade Dong?"
Zhuang Fei teased.
Li Jiajia shook her head, "No, I'm not."
"Hmm~"
The other two roommates also teased Zhuang Fei, "You're like a toad wanting to eat swan meat."
...
Back on the court, Nash had brought the ball to the frontcourt, looking for an opportunity to score.
Time was ticking away, and the Suns were still down by one point.
Lopez set a screen, and Nash drove past the defense but suddenly circled back outside the three-point line, catching everyone off guard.
Coach Brown shouted from the sidelines, "Don't let Nash shoot!!!"
No one dared to leave Nash open for a three-pointer. Two players immediately rushed to block him.
At that moment, Kobe suddenly realized something was off and shouted at Bynum, "Watch out for Wade Dong in the corner!"
All of this happened in an instant!
Nash, after circling back outside the three-point line, did not shoot.
Fake shot, real pass!
Nash passed the ball to Wade Dong in the corner. This was the skill of a passing master. Only Nash noticed that when he circled back outside the three-point line, Wade Dong had already moved to the corner.
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