Chapter 161

"In times of adversity, Tim is always able to erupt with extremely powerful combat strength."

"Truly impressive."

"Big Bird" Larry Bird, who is also known as the "King of Trash Talk," had to nod in praise, "He is worthy of being a player with back-to-back MVPs and an FMVP."

"He should possess this kind of ability to save the team."

"This is what a super leader should be able to do."

"However... the 'Master of Prediction' Su Yan, as an undrafted player, being able to explode for 49 points and go toe-to-toe with Tim like this..."

"He is also strong to the extreme."

"He is the most powerful undrafted player with any name recognition that I have ever known."

"But even if he loses, for Su Yan, it is a defeat that brings glory."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, David Robinson blinked and couldn't help but smile: "'King of Trash Talk,' it's rare to see you praise a player like this."

"And an undrafted rookie at that."

"It sounds like... your evaluation of Su Yan is even higher than your evaluation of Tim."

"Ahem!"

Larry Bird hummed, then smiled again: "Tim is the genius that every team in the league wants to tank for; it's only natural that he can play this well."

"Su Yan is an undrafted player that nobody wanted."

"That he can stage such a comeback is astonishing."

"I am more interested in a player like this, and I also feel that Su Yan truly possesses powerful strength, so why shouldn't I praise him?"

"King of Trash Talk" Larry Bird highly praised Su Yan.

The several legends who came to watch the game all felt that Su Yan was sufficiently formidable.

In the Bulls' rear spectator stands.

"You... you must win~"

Xida clenched her small hands, her beautiful eyes fixed on Su Yan, praying for him and cheering for the Bulls.

On the Bulls' bench.

Coach Skiles held his tactical board and said in a deep voice: "3.5 seconds, not much time, but we must not panic."

"Shoot as soon as you get the ball."

"First option is Su Yan, second is Hinrich, third is Yao; whoever gets an opening, shoot decisively."

"It doesn't matter if we lose."

"But we can give it a shot, understand?"

"Got it, Coach."

"Understood!"

The players roared, pumping their arms.

Coach Skiles' words were partly about tactics, but more importantly, he wanted his teammates to maintain sufficient self-confidence.

There was too little time.

Without enough confidence, even if an opportunity arose, they would miss it due to panic.

Soon.

The game arrived.

The final 3.5-second life-or-death moment arrived.

Hinrich inbounded the ball from the sideline at mid-court, Su Yan ran his route, Chandler and Antonio set screens for him, and Yao went to the basket to look for an alley-oop opportunity.

On the Spurs' side.

The mobile Parker and Ginobili frantically swarmed Su Yan, not giving him a chance to receive the ball.

But under the cover of his teammates, Su Yan still managed to loop out and successfully received the ball at the right arc, with Turkoglu immediately closing in.

Su Yan had no time to think; he used a left-handed hesitation move, activated 【Eye of the Heavenly Emperor】, and with his terrifying dynamic vision, captured Turkoglu's center of gravity shifting to the left in advance.

Seizing the opportunity.

He probed to the left wing, intensifying the deceptive nature of the fake drive.

Then... Su Yan pushed the ball forward, the basketball unexpectedly passing through Turkoglu's legs, and Su Yan accelerated to the right.

God's-eye view.

Su Yan used a simple hesitation move plus a jab step.

Turkoglu went left, the ball went through the middle, Su Yan went right—a pass-and-go—and Su Yan once again easily bypassed Turkoglu.

Such mediocre talent.

In a critical moment under such high-intensity defense, to still be able to bypass the defense so casually, it looked like Turkoglu was a "mole."

Turkoglu: I didn't, I wasn't, don't talk nonsense.

"Whoosh!"

Su Yan, having bypassed the defense, charged in, grabbed the basketball, and surged further toward the rim, with Ginobili chasing back from the side.

The two charged into the right-wing area near the rim together.

There was too little time.

"Rip!"

Unable to continue charging, Su Yan stopped abruptly and launched a fadeaway jumper, with Ginobili chasing from the side but a half-beat too slow.

His block only served as a distraction.

Su Yan was able to shoot normally.

【Beginner · Mid-range Throw】, the closer to the rim, the higher the hit rate.

And in this mid-range position near the rim, with only interference and no block, Su Yan had great confidence in hitting the shot.

It was just that.

This was a perfect shooting opportunity.

"Swish!"

Su Yan rose up to shoot, ignoring Ginobili's defense.

However... the palms reaching over were not just Ginobili's; there were also Duncan and Nesterovic waiting early under the basket.

A triple block.

Su Yan, already in the air, could no longer pass the ball and had to force the shot.

Su Yan's pupils constricted, his dark eyes flashing with brilliance; without thinking, he continued to fade back, leaning back until he was almost lying flat.

"Swish!"

Avoiding the block, he forced the shot.

The moment the ball left his hands, the red light on the timer lit up; the ball narrowly grazed over the fingertips of the three, hit the backboard, and bounced toward the rim.

Did it go in?

No.

It swirled around the rim once.

Only once, but every home fan watching intently, every fan hoping to see a reversal buzzer-beater, had their hearts hanging in their throats.

Some fans who thought it wouldn't go in clutched their heads and began to scream in despair.

And the basketball, as if deliberately teasing the fans, swirled around the rim one more time, making countless fans' hearts skip a beat again.

It made some fans with weak hearts so nervous they nearly had a medical episode.

After swirling on the rim for a full two circles... it fell into the net.

Su Yan hit the shot, completing the buzzer-beating counter-reversal!

Hum~

The arena was silent for a moment, and then a mountain-shaking, sea-roaring cheer erupted.

Countless fans raised their hands high, cheering and shouting wildly, celebrating the buzzer-beating victory.

"Oh, my! Goodness!"