No.1 in basketball scoring
Chapter 526 - 228. Stone Buddha re-enters the empty-cutting group_2

Chapter 526: 228. Stone Buddha re-enters the empty-cutting group_2

On the court, having won the jump ball, the Spurs took the initiative, Jacque Vaughn advanced to the frontcourt, and passed the ball to Ginobili.

Zhang Yang focused his gaze on Ginobili going one-on-one against Gerald Wallace.

For some reason, he really hoped Ginobili could break out in the final quarter... Of course, he couldn’t say that aloud, or his teammates would gang up on him. One-on-one he wasn’t afraid, but two fists can’t beat four hands, and three legs can’t outmaneuver so many.

Unfortunately, Ginobili drove close, and under the double team of Gerald Wallace and Millsap, his abrupt stop-and-jump shot missed!

In the next three minutes, Ginobili missed another shot, once fired unexpectedly from beyond the three-point line causing Gerald Wallace to foul him, resulting in only making 2 out of 3 free throws.

During this time, it was Duncan again holding up the Spurs’ scoring, making 2 out of 3 attempts for 4 points, leading the Spurs to a 6-6 tie with the Bobcats, preventing them from widening the gap.

When the Bobcats attacked, Rondo broke through and passed the ball to Felton in the corner, but the pass was knocked out of bounds by Oberto rushing up from the high post.

Popovich, unable to help it, called a timeout and substituted Ginobili, who had only scored 9 points from 13 attempts tonight, "The Demon Blade", deadly when in form, and carelessly deadly to its wielder when not.

Also substituted was Jacque Vaughn, the point guard who paired best with Ginobili, replaced by Parker and Finley, with Oberto also being substituted for Horry, Bowen, and Duncan continued playing.

On the other side, Bickerstaff had already played Felton for 36 minutes and substituted him and Millsap for Zhang Yang and Okafor, while Rondo, Gerald Wallace, and Perkins continued playing.

Back from the timeout, the Spurs attacked.

Parker’s mentality was excellent, considered the last option in crucial moments, yet he came on court fired up, ready to lead his team to victory!

But as he changed direction and broke past Rondo to drive inside, he found a crowd waiting and Rondo, quick on his heels, hadn’t been shaken off.

Struggling through the crowd, he barely managed to pass the ball to Horry on the wing, Horry took the three-point shot... and missed!

The Bobcats, unlike in the first three quarters where they defended man-to-man, began to tighten up and double team!

Other coaches: Horry is accurate in clutch situations, watch out for him.

Bickerstaff: He’s only accurate in buzzer-beater threes, normally he’s off, if it’s not a buzzer-beater, don’t bother with him.

Mainly because the Spurs had made only two three-pointers in all, 10 attempts with 2 makes, and they were from Ginobili and Bowen; now, with Parker, who hadn’t added to his 18 points from the first three quarters and Duncan, who already had 32 points, worrying about Horry making a three? That wouldn’t be Bickerstaff.

Perkins held off Duncan, Okafor guarded the defensive rebound.

Rondo received the ball and pushed forward to the frontcourt, passing to Zhang Yang.

Keeping up with the defense on Bowen, Zhang Yang didn’t worry about orchestrating the attack; the hoop was all he could see, and getting the ball meant shooting!

"Clang" - a miss sent Zhang Yang quickly back on defense, sticking close to Bowen and thinking about the next offensive play.

Back to the Spurs’ attack, Duncan once again took charge of the offense, continuing to swing at it!

In the following six minutes, Duncan furiously shot 8 times, successfully making 5 of them, drawing fouls three times, and earning one hoop plus a free throw, drawing a total of 7 free throws, but only making 4, scoring 10 points and also assisting Finley on a cut for a successful basket.

Parker was out of luck in the final quarter, with neither field goals nor free throws, except for one drive inside that drew a double team and passed to Finley, who made the mid-range shot.

In six minutes, the Spurs scored an efficient 14 points!

On the other side, in set plays, Zhang Yang made 2 out of 5 shots for 4 points, plus with a fast break fouled by Parker, making both free throws for a total of 6 points.

Having rested for a few minutes, Felton came back on and made his sixth three-pointer of the night; man, when the coach gives the green light, he really goes for it, firing up to 11 three-point attempts alone!

Together with Okafor’s successful put-back, the Bobcats scored 11 points in six minutes.

By 10:24 in the final quarter, the Spurs were up 20 to 17 against the Bobcats by 3 points, closing the score to 82-89, narrowing the margin to 7 points.

It was the Spurs’ turn to attack, and Duncan continued to demand the ball for a solo play.

Score, defend, there’s still a chance!

In the first quarter, 10 shots made 5 plus 2 out of 2 free throws scored 12 points, in the second quarter 7 shots made 4 plus 3 out of 1 free throws scored 9 points, in the third quarter 4 shots made 2 plus 6 out of 3 free throws scored 7 points, and up to now in the fourth quarter 8 shots made 5 plus 7 out of 4 free throws scored 14 points. Duncan tonight, with 29 shots made 16, plus 10 out of 18 free throws, had already scored 42 points!

Out of these 18 free throws, 4 times were and-ones. That means he alone caused the Bobcats’ frontcourt to commit 11 fouls, brutally!

This forced Bickerstaff to not dare let Okafor match up against Duncan. Muhammad had 5 fouls sitting on the sidelines, and Perkins already had 4 fouls too.

But this also pushed Duncan further and further away from the basket when posting up for the ball, now already beyond the three-second zone.

He could no longer contend with the 123 kg Perkins, who was 5 kg heavier than him!

Receiving Parker’s lob, Duncan makes a spin move for a close-range jump shot from the baseline... his 30th shot of the night, and he missed!

Okafor blocks out Horry and grabs the defensive rebound!

Popovich sighed deeply and retreated to the bench, it’s over, tonight it’s gone again.

He glanced at his team’s tallest player Brezec, then at Muhammad from the opposing team, who was also sitting sidelined with 5 fouls tonight, and the rookie Millsap, who played a significant role in these finals, feeling such regret.

Brezec only played 12 minutes in these finals across four games, only when Duncan was resting, needing Brezec’s height and post-up skills, and even that didn’t go well.

And the players he traded to the Bobcats, Muhammad and Millsap, were both key rotations for the opposition!

But who could have foreseen the Bobcats making it to the finals?

At this moment, Popovich felt that he truly lived up to being the mentor of young General Johnson, he had indeed picked up a rock only to drop it on his own foot...

In the transition from defense to offense, Zhang Yang receives the ball high post back to Finley.

Finley, sticking close, primarily defending the shot, Zhang Yang takes the opportunity to drive, getting close, sidesteps to avoid Horry stepping up, reaches Duncan’s right side, and shoots before Duncan could turn and reach out... It’s in!

Finley feels bitter inside. In his youth, he was hammered by Jordan, Hardaway, and others. Back then, he was determined to excel, thinking once he reached his peak, he could hammer others. But come his peak, he was hammered by Kobe, McGrady, Carter, and now as a veteran, it’s the young players hammering him... Such is life, always under the hammer or on the path to it...

to 82, time left 58 seconds, 9 point difference!

Duncan missing a critical shot to catch up, Zhang Yang scoring a shot to extend the lead, completely stifling the Spurs’ hopes of a comeback!

In the final few seconds, it’s that time, the Bobcats just need to focus on defense, using up time during offense, the Spurs try shooting from the perimeter twice, both miss.

Chasing a 10 point difference in less than a minute, it could be a possibility for the Spurs’ opponents, but the Spurs themselves...

Amidst the continuous cheers of the home fans, the time reached 11:20 PM, the final whistle sounded.

The cheers of the home fans soar with the long whistle!

The Bobcats’ players, coaches, and even Jordan, all rushed onto the court, gathering to cheer and celebrate.

Surrounding tonight... Felton!

Felton tonight played 39 minutes, mid-close range, 6 shots only 1 made... but three-pointers 11 out of 6! Plus 3 out of 3 free throws, scoring 23 points with 4 assists.

If Zhang Yang was the one delivering fatal blows at crucial moments, tonight Felton was the one holding up the regular time scoring!

Zhang Yang tonight played only 33 minutes, very efficient shooting, 21 shots made 10, plus 6 out of 6 free throws, scoring 26 points with 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal.

Together with Rondo’s 4 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, Gerald Wallace’s 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks, and Okafor’s 16 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks... 91 to 82, the Bobcats defeat the Spurs, evening the series score to 2-2.