Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 283 The Skyhook, the Fadeaway Jumper, the Weapon of God
As McGrady hit another pull-up jumper, Wallace's defensive movements became even more aggressive.

The leg extended and retracted with lightning speed, in that instant, to Cameron's leg.

His raised arm wasn't idle either; it kept exerting force to interfere with McGrady's movements.

Before the game, Carlisle told him to play dirtier defense.

Even McGrady would have a hard time with this kind of defense.

But he can handle it.

Face-up shooting, post-up moves, fadeaways, rhythm changes—as McGrady gradually unlocked all his offensive skills, coupled with league-leading coordination and talent, he truly could do whatever he wanted.

He leaned against Wallace with his back turned, his strong body able to block Wallace's interference, feeling the changes in Wallace's power behind him.

The ball is thrown as if to hit it, but as soon as it makes contact, the force is suddenly withdrawn, the upper body turns to the right, and the ball is raised as if to pass.

Last summer, Tang Sen felt that Kobe's acting skills were lacking, as he would often shake the opponent multiple times in a row without actually making them jump.

But McGrady was different.

McGrady has a great sense of rhythm, so his acting skills are excellent.

He slammed the ball down, then instantly stopped, turned his head, and raised the ball as if to pass. This series of movements gave Wallace the illusion that he was really going to pass the ball.

Wallace was under immense pressure. Despite trying to convince himself not to fall for the fake, he was still fooled and instinctively lunged forward to try and disrupt the pass.

Then McGrady completely bypassed him.

Before Wallace could even curse McGrady's cunning, he turned around without hesitation and grabbed McGrady.

The whistle blew!

Carlisle said again, if you can't defend, you should foul.

You fouled out, and there are several other players waiting to take your place.

McGrady didn't seem to care, chewing his gum as he walked to the free-throw line.

Both free throws went in without a hitch.

McGrady couldn't help but want to thank Tang Sen.

I used to have a free throw percentage as low as 70%.

Currently, his free throw percentage this season is 87.6%, ranking ninth in the league.

The foul has no meaning for me.

McGrady glanced at Wallace, then turned and ran away.

This kid is very strong and defends very well.

Unfortunately, your trainer has made me too strong; you really can't defend against me.

He had that ability when McGrady tried to take over the game.

In just over two minutes and four offensive possessions, McGrady scored seven points.

And there was no indication that they intended to stop.

Before Carlisle could give any instructions, Billups had already directed his teammates to double-team McGrady.

McGrady's positioning became more unpredictable.

Magic also frantically covered for him, creating opportunities for him to make a call.

Before he followed Townsend and developed his ball-handling offensive skills extensively, McGrady could play off-ball.

McGrady sets a double screen and cuts out to receive the ball, then pulls up for a shot.

Three point hit.

He scored 12 points in the quarter.

McGrady held onto his shot, and the crowd responded with waves of cheers.

With that basket, the Magic had already turned the game around.

Carlisle's face turned ashen, and he felt utterly helpless.

Wallace defended very well; he felt that any other star player would have had a very difficult time defending against him.

But McGrady isn't like other stars; he's a superstar now.

Players of this caliber are really hard to defend against.

In particular, he can play with or without the ball, and he can also break through and pass the ball.

The more comprehensive the defense, the harder it is to defend against.

Without a second thought, Yao Ming reached out for the ball, caught it, spun around like a top, created space, and jumped to hook the ball in.

He took the initiative and started to exert his efforts.

He received the ball again, blew it past Brown, took a step forward and shot a fadeaway jumper.

Within two minutes, he scored 6 points in a row, just like McGrady, and stabilized the situation.

The match turned into a personal offensive show between the two players, with each going back and forth, locked in a fierce battle.

There is 1 minute and 30 seconds left in the first quarter.

Carlisle glanced up at the score: 21 to 22.

The scores are comparable.

Carlisle clenched his fist silently.

Reason told him it was time for a rotation.

Or rather, it should have been rotated long ago.

In this game, Carlisle considered rotating players and using tactics to reduce the pressure on Yao Ming.

We must leverage Yao Ming's well-rounded abilities—passing, playmaking, and overall skill—and not turn him into a mindless scorer.

He's exhausted and needs to motivate his teammates.

Otherwise, why bother with a one-star, four-radius rating?

Carlisle hopes that after this game, Yao Ming will not get 50 points, but rather a triple-double of 20 or even 30 points.

He also hopes to try to outpace the Magic's stamina by rotating his bench players.

However, the competition did not develop as he had expected, and it ended up in the situation he least wanted to be in.

Just like right now, once the rotation is implemented, can they stop McGrady and keep the score close?
If you can't keep up, you have to chase the score. McGrady rested for four whole days, so even if he plays the whole game today, Carlisle wouldn't be surprised.

How do we pursue him?
Carlisle glanced at the other side; Rivers showed no intention of rotating him in.

With a determined look, Carlisle called a timeout and began the rotation.

"Coach, I'm fine," Yao Ming said, panting heavily, seemingly reluctant to leave the court.

Carlisle shook his head, saying he would only rest for a few minutes, then pulled Bender aside and told him to be careful of Brown.

Don't let Brown's apparent fatigue and lack of playing time in the first quarter fool you; no one can underestimate him.

As before, Carlisle tried to play a fast-paced game to break the Magic's physical limits.

He replaced Swift and Prince with both players and pulled Billups to push him forward.

There is no rotation in magic.

At this point, Rivers trusted no one except the key players.

The Knicks picked up the pace.

But after the first two games, knowing that the Knicks' bench could step up, it's impossible for Ferguson to have no strategy to deal with it.

The Knicks quickly retreated on defense, with Sather remaining in the frontcourt to delay their fast inbounds pass.

Then, try to slow down the pace as much as possible.

You go your way, I'll do mine.

Slow down the offensive pace, pass the ball more, and finally let McGrady and Brown handle the scoring.

The most important one is still McGrady.

During the timeout, Rivers spat all over McGrady's face, telling him to hang in there.

Winning this game means we can rest for a couple more days and wait for the Western Conference results. If we could win last year, we can win again this year.

Two consecutive championships are within your grasp, so give it your all in this match.

McGrady really gave it his all.

In the first quarter, his score was 14 points.

At the start of the second quarter, within three minutes, he scored 6 points with a combination of shots and drives, unstoppable momentum.

It's not 20 points in the first half, but 20 points in less than a quarter and a half.

If he plays like this, McGrady could score 50 points this year!
The Knicks are down by 6 points, 26 to 32.

Carlisle paced restlessly on the sidelines.

Seeing Swift score, McGrady passed the ball to Miller, who hit a three-pointer. Carlisle gritted his teeth and called a timeout.

He knew in his heart that this way of fighting wouldn't work; there was a problem.

If the Magic use their starters like ironmen, how can they leverage their deep bench? They can only bring Yao Ming back to save the day.

Yao Ming's return had an immediate effect.

Brown was really sluggish today and couldn't defend Yao Ming at all.

In the second quarter, Yao Ming went 4-for-6 and drew 3 fouls, scoring a total of 13 points in the quarter.

The score is already 21 points at halftime.

The Knicks are still trailing by 2 points, 43 to 45.

McGrady scored 27 points in the first half, which was even more terrifying.

Carlisle glanced across the room and hurried back to the locker room.

Guo Yonglin gestured for Yao Ming to lie down, but he shook his head and refused, instead chugging down an energy drink.

After finishing the bottle, before Carlisle could speak, Yao Ming said, "Coach, don't let me rest in the second half."

Yao Ming looked at Carlisle with a serious and determined expression.

You said you'd let me be the senior disciple.

Then stop looking back and overthinking things.

There's no such thing as being tired. You're not tired until you can't run anymore and just lie down.

With only half the game left and we still trailing, if the opposing team isn't even resting, then what right do we have to rest?

Carlisle opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

He acquiesced.

Tang Sen, standing nearby, thought to himself, "Being the eldest disciple is no easy task, with its eighty-one tribulations."

At that moment, as if by some strange twist of fate, Tang Sen suddenly understood what the Alliance meant by "storytelling."

When McGrady was in superb form, scoring 27 points in the first half and single-handedly keeping the Magic ahead, Tang Sen had a strange feeling.

It's as if there's an invisible hand above our heads, controlling everything from somewhere no one is watching.

Stern himself admitted that this year he wants to tell a story of a showdown between Jordan's successors, followed by the Lakers' revenge and the Magic's title defense.

To ensure this story unfolds, the alliance intervened.

They didn't even have the referees control the game; they simply changed the schedule.

The Magic were given an extra day of rest.

They saw it clearly and knew exactly how the Knicks turned the tide.

It was also very clear what Rivers was planning.

So, when no one was watching, they subtly and appropriately helped the magician.

Like the butterfly effect, it gave the Magic a McGrady with plenty of energy, capable of playing the entire game.

This also prevented Carlisle from utilizing the bench, the Knicks' biggest advantage.

Then let the game develop in the direction they want.

Of course, this could be just my own unfounded speculation.

The league may genuinely be kind, thinking that the two teams were too tired after playing six games, so it gave them an extra day of rest.

But what if it’s true?

Tang Sen frowned.

It's understandable that the NBA is a business league, everything is about business, and telling a good story is also about making more money.

However, this process of demystifying is still uncomfortable.

The halftime break ended abruptly. Both teams' key players returned to the field.

A single match decides the outcome; a win puts you on the path to the championship, a loss brings an end to a season's worth of effort.

In this kind of competition, you have to persevere even if it means gritting your teeth until they break.

Therefore, Tang Sen understands Yao Ming's choice.

All we can do now is hope that he can persevere to the end.

There are others.

I spent a whole season with them and saw everyone's hard work.

Tang Sen really hopes they have a good outcome.

Just as I was thinking that, the whistle blew again.

Wallace kept a straight face and remained silent.

He failed to stop McGrady, allowing McGrady to break through, forcing him to foul.

There's no problem with committing a foul.

McGrady didn't care, stepped to the free-throw line, and made both shots.

Wallace already has 5 fouls.

Yao Ming gritted his teeth, rushed to the high post, executed a pick-and-roll, and then shot the ball.

Three points.

With a clang, it didn't go in.

Yao Ming took a deep breath, feeling the effects of fatigue, and then unhesitatingly gave up the three-point attempt.

When the Knicks attacked again, Yao Ming did not choose to go to the paint to establish position.

Brown wasn't shooting well today, but he was incredibly tenacious and still put up a lot of pressure.

At a distance of about 10 feet, Yao Ming caught the ball.

Brown raised his arm, but didn't press too closely against it.

At this distance, he doesn't need to stick too close. Yao Ming is agile, but not agile enough to maintain a 10-foot distance like a power forward and drive to the basket.

At this distance, what needs to be guarded against even more is Yao Ming's shooting.

But this time Yao Ming didn't rush to turn to his back. After receiving the ball, he dribbled and cut across the court, then jumped up on one leg.

Skyhook!

Brown's heart skipped a beat.

After Yao Ming developed the turnaround fadeaway jump shot, we almost never saw him use the skyhook on the court again.

He quickly turned his head, and the basketball flew through the air in a very high arc before falling into the basket.

Many people at the scene gasped in surprise.

Tang Sen glanced sideways from the sidelines.

I almost forgot that Yao Ming had this trick up his sleeve.

But I must say, when you're feeling extremely fatigued, using a skyhook is actually a good option.

The skyhook relies more on body coordination and is not very strong in physical confrontation. Sometimes when watching Kareem Abdul-Jabbar play, it's like watching an old man on the court stroll around and still manage to score.

Therefore, the physical exertion is relatively small.

The key is hit rate.

Tang Sen's gaze followed Yao Ming.

I haven't prepared him for Skyhook yet.

But despite being forced into this situation, things didn't go wrong.

Yao Ming's sudden change in playing style made Brown extremely uncomfortable.

The nature of the Skyhook makes it impossible for anyone to defend against.

Rivers stared intently at Yao Ming.

Yao Ming received the ball again. In the paint, with his back to the basket, he dribbled down the baseline as if no one was behind him, took a step, and jumped for another skyhook.

In a flash, it went in again!

Rivers stomped his feet in frustration.

This is the fourth skyhook Yao Ming has made in the third quarter.

Moreover, he couldn't even blame Brown for not defending him properly, or for PJ Brown not double-teaming him in time.

A catch followed by a skyhook is unstoppable, no matter who comes.

Rivers turned to look at Carlisle across from him.

McGrady continued to play the savior in this quarter, scoring 11 points.

He scored 38 points in three quarters, nearly 40 points.

But Yao Ming was even more terrifying, scoring a full 15 points in a single quarter.

Faced with this unstoppable offense, the Magic began to lose their grip on the score, falling behind 67-72 in the quarter and being overtaken by 5 points.

McGrady was like a god descending to earth, but Yao Ming on the other side was the same.

Rivers is now just praying that Carlisle will rotate the game quickly and take Yao Ming off the court.

I'm risking my life, and now you're doing the same thing?

Prayer is useless.

After the timeout, Yao Ming stepped onto the court once again.

Apart from Wallace fouling out, the Knicks' starters were all available.

Rivers' body began to tremble with tension.

Even McGrady is starting to get tired.

He played all three quarters, shouldering more than half of the team's offensive burden, and under the Knicks' relentless pressure and defense, the exhaustion he endured was unimaginable.

Rivers is worried that McGrady won't be able to hold on first.

Just then, Yao Ming came again, with his skyhook again.

Brown jumped with all his might, but could not stop him.

Fortunately, it didn't go in with a clang.

Yao Ming gritted his teeth, yanked his wrist hard, and turned to run away.

McGrady scored 38 points in three quarters, while I only scored 36 points in three quarters, which is much worse?

McGrady rested for a full four days, while I only rested for a short time.

Not to mention that he himself is a 7-foot-5 physique.

Yao Ming feels like he's worked so hard to finish Tang Sen's training, and then he's so tired that he just wants to collapse and sleep right away.

At that moment, McGrady gritted his teeth and exerted his strength again.

A series of crossover dribbles, a sudden start, a sharp pull back, and an extreme fadeaway jump shot.

The player was already a little unsteady sitting on the bench in mid-air, but the ball still went in.

Prince stretched out his arms, but there was nothing he could do.

The skyhook is a god's weapon, and so is the fadeaway jump shot.

McGrady, who had just landed, glanced at Yao Ming not far away, had long since stopped chewing his gum, and quickly returned to defense.

Billups' three-pointer missed under Sather's defense.

Spike Lee clutched his head in frustration.

The magic trick unfolded slowly.

Neither team's main players can get fast right now.

McGrady held the ball with one hand, pressing against Prince, and stood there for almost ten seconds.

Houston hesitated whether to rush in, fearing McGrady might pass the ball to them.

With only 6 seconds left on the shot clock, McGrady finally took his shot, making a crossover dribble, feigning a drive, and then pulling up for a shot.

It's still a fadeaway jump shot.

Carlisle craned his neck on the sidelines, praying that it wouldn't go in, but it was no use.

He felt like the two teams were fighting, each stabbing the other in the back, and then it was a battle of who would bleed out first and fall down first.

Carlisle hopes the Knicks will be the ones standing until the end.

But seeing Yao Ming miss another mid-range shot, that belief began to waver.

He prayed in his heart that Yao Ming could persevere a little longer, that willpower could overcome physical fatigue.

They also prayed that someone would step up and save the game.

But no miracle occurred.

Time ticked by, and the Magic slowly caught up in the score.

Carlisle couldn't help but glance towards the bench.

He felt he still had a trump card: to bring in substitutes and replicate the miracle of the fifth game.

But he dared not, because he was unsure if it would be effective.

He even considered taking matters into his own hands and crippling McGrady.

Don't cripple him, even if it's a hard blow, make him leave the field to rest.

In a do-or-die battle for the championship, what's wrong with getting dirty a little?

But he was also afraid that the magic would come back immediately and he would then cripple Yao Ming.

That was Pandora's box, and he didn't want to open it easily.

As he pondered these thoughts, Carlisle was momentarily lost in thought.

When I regained consciousness, the entire stadium erupted in cheers.

McGrady slipped and fell to the ground, while Prince held up his arms.

The referee didn't give the whistle.

But the ball went in, a three-pointer. With 56 seconds left in the game, McGrady hit a three-pointer, extending the lead to six points.

Brown rushed over immediately, pulled McGrady up, and then excitedly bumped chests with him, shouting at each other.

Carlisle felt his hands and feet were ice cold.

He suddenly realized that he had never considered what he would do if he really lost.

On the court, the Knicks have not given up.

Yao Ming rushed out to receive the ball, with Brown following closely behind.

Yao Ming feinted, then lifted Brown up, before leaning against Brown without even touching the ground.

He wanted to draw a three-point foul.

The whistle didn't sound.

Yao Ming turned around urgently to argue with the referee, but he only had time to say one sentence before the Magic had already inbounded the ball.

It's been over thirty seconds.

The Magic fans in the arena have already stood up and started counting down.

Tang Sen stood there, hoping for a miracle, but reason told him that the chances were probably slim.

His eyes narrowed.

It was McGrady again, who circled around PJ Brown and received the ball.

Prince squeezed past him and lunged forward.

It's still too slow.

McGrady leaped up with all his might, and for a moment time seemed to freeze, only his extreme fadeaway jump, reminiscent of Jordan, remained.

The basketball slipped from his hand and swished back into the basket.

This is God's weapon.

Tang Sen involuntarily closed his eyes, all the resentment in his heart turning into a long sigh.

Lost.

(End of this chapter)