Chapter 96: It's over
19.3 seconds.
The Lakers lead by 1 point.
Lakers' possession...
Artest inbounded from the baseline to Kobe, and almost as soon as Kobe caught the ball, Carlos sprinted out, with Curry and Carter on one side.
Yes...
The entire Suns team pressed intensely...
They couldn't allow the Lakers to easily waste the remaining 19.3 seconds.
"Bam Bam Bam!"
Confident Kobe, not afraid of Carlos at all, dribbled the ball past half-court, focusing solely on protecting the ball. It was indeed challenging to steal from him.
"Step!"
Curry rushed from the side, immediately double-teaming Kobe with Carlos.
"Swoosh!"
At this point, Kobe passed the ball to Pau Gasol, then shifted to Fisher, but Nash and Carter also rushed over. Curry also returned to defend.
"Swoosh!"
Fisher, who received the ball past half-court, saw someone double-teaming again, and immediately passed to the other side to Kobe.
"Step!"
Carlos stepped up, demonstrating his Iverson's talent and the extraordinary stealing ability of the 'Eagle Spear.' He entangled Kobe, forcing him to take a shot.
"Swoosh!"
A quick stop and a fadeaway jump shot, facing Carlos, was extremely challenging. Carlos couldn't block it. But at the same time... the difficulty was also very high.
"Clang!"
It hit the rim! Moreover... Frye won the crucial rebound over Bynum, securing the key rebound.
"Beep—Beep!"
Gentry frantically signaled for a timeout.
7.6 seconds.
Not very long, but... it allowed the Suns to organize one more offense, giving them a chance to score and potentially reverse the game!
"Phew..."
In the stands...
Suns fans breathed a slight sigh of relief. Although it was still challenging, at least there was a chance to fight back. On the other hand, Lakers fans suddenly looked grim.
Because...
Many people knew that Carlos, this rookie center, had a strong ability to handle critical plays. In the seemingly short 7.6 seconds, he might actually make the shot.
And if he did...
Whether it was a 2-pointer or a 3-pointer, it would directly be a game-winner.
This was what many Lakers fans were worried about. Of course, there were also many optimistic Lakers fans who believed that the Suns couldn't complete the offense and trusted the Lakers to win.
In the Mexico National Sports TV studio.
"Oh my, my little heart!"
Mario exaggeratedly patted his chest, gasping for breath as if he had a heart attack. He then wiped his forehead as if he had just escaped danger and said, "This... this game is so thrilling. Carlos's crucial rebound, Curry's crucial three-pointer, the team's key full-court press, Carlos's crucial defense, Frye's crucial rebound. With the collective effort of the Suns, they now have precious 7.6 seconds, hoping the Suns can complete the next offensive play and win against the defending champions!"
"Yes..."
Jose nodded.
He had been clenching his fists the whole time, and when Kobe missed that mid-range shot, he knew that despite liking Kobe, he ultimately hoped the Suns, especially Carlos's Suns, would win.
He said, "The Lakers have many offensive options, and they have every chance to make the next shot. However... I still think it would be better to prioritize finding Carlos. Handling crucial shots, Carlos always has a 'big heart'!"
"Exactly..."
Mario agreed...
On the court...
Lakers' bench.
Kobe, with a stern face, was somewhat annoyed by the missed mid-range shot. At such a crucial moment, he should have made that shot.
"No worries, Kobe!"
Pau Gasol handed Kobe a towel and comforted him, "7.6 seconds, with our defense, the Suns don't have a chance. Tonight's victory will definitely belong to us."
"Of course..."
Kobe nodded with determination.
Although he was frustrated with the missed shot, he had no thoughts of losing. Coming to Phoenix tonight, he had no intention of leaving with a loss.
And there was no reason to.
Coach Phil Jackson also demanded that the players relentlessly defend Carlos and not let him touch the ball. With 13 three-pointers and already scoring 63 points, Carlos, who also possessed a strong 'big heart,' once he received the ball, he might really kill the game!
This scene, not only Kobe didn't want to witness, but the "Zen Master" Phil Jackson also preferred not to see it.
On the Suns' side...
Just as everyone anticipated, they prioritized finding Carlos. Even though everyone knew they would give the ball to Carlos, they carefully selected the best opportunity for Carlos to attack.
After all...
Carlos had been in an exceptionally brilliant state tonight.
Soon...
In the noisy and tense atmosphere of the arena, the timeout ended, and both starting lineups returned. The decisive play with 7.6 seconds left unfolded!
1 point difference...
The Suns were trailing but had possession.
"The Passing Maestro" Nash stood on the sideline of the center circle to inbound the ball, trying to deliver a good ball to give the Suns players a chance to score directly.
"Step, step, step!"
"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!"
Carlos and Curry ran frantically to find opportunities to receive the ball. Carter and Frye provided continuous screens, while the Lakers' defenders—Artest, Kobe, Pau Gasol, and Fisher—closely watched the Suns players.
They didn't allow easy opportunities to catch the ball.
Especially for Carlos, he faced the tightest defense. Artest and Kobe almost stuck to him, denying him any chance to touch the ball.
5 seconds for the inbound...
Nash scrutinized the entire court, realizing that Carlos had no chance. Seizing an opening created by a screen, Curry, who ran back to receive the ball, forcefully passed it out.
A good pass...
"Slap!"
Three meters beyond the three-point line, Curry caught the ball. Carter closed in on him, maintaining body position. At the same time, he approached the basket.
Time was ticking...
Left arc top...
That was where Curry was about to position himself for a three-pointer. However, just as Curry was about to take the shot, he made a dribbling mistake while moving quickly.
"Bam!"
The basketball hit his foot and slid straight out of bounds.
"Bam!"
Curry widened his eyes, hastily diving to save the ball, but he was a step too late.
"Beep—Beep!"
The whistle blew...
A turnover for the Suns, out-of-bounds ball, possession goes to the Lakers.
"Oh, no!"
Curry's untimely mistake was like a bolt from the blue, plunging countless hopeful Suns fans into deep despair.
Because...
With only 3.8 seconds left, the Lakers were leading by 1 point, and possession belonged to the Lakers.
"Ah..."
In the stands...
Wade sighed, saying, "It's over, it's a pity, but there's nothing we can do. Curry is just a second-year player. In such an important game and at such a critical moment, he got nervous and made a mistake, which is understandable."
"Yes..."
LeBron nodded, agreeing, "But it's still regrettable. Clearly, there was hope, an opportunity had arisen, and even if the shot didn't go in, losing that way would be more acceptable than losing in this manner."
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