The longest river

Chapter 189 (60+ words)! Ascending to Godhood!
On the night of the game, the Delta Air Lines Center was packed to capacity.

Besides some KT boards supporting the Jazz, there were also many people holding up signs such as "Fuck Hansen".

It's clear that they still harbor resentment over Yang Shuai's blunder last season, where he faked the flu and then hit the game-winning free throw.

Yang Shuai even heard a rumor that a pizza shop in Salt Lake City was vandalized afterward, possibly because customers complained about the "substandard" quality of their food.

During the pre-match warm-up, Billups sat on the sidelines taking deep breaths, and you could tell he was very nervous.

That's normal. A big heart isn't something you're born with. Kobe even missed three consecutive playoff games in his rookie season.

As for Yang Shuai, that's because he's a time traveler, and that's what shaped him from the environment he was in before he traveled there.

Moreover, Billups will soon be matched up against Stockton, the league's top point guard.

Yang Shuai noticed this and went over to pat Billups on the shoulder.

"Don't be nervous. He's just like you, with only one pair of eyes, two hands, and two legs."

Yang Shuai's words made Billups laugh.

"Don't worry, I'm here."

Yang Shuai then spoke in the calmest tone, saying the most reassuring words.

When Yang Shuai appeared at the opening ceremony, he was met with boos from the crowd.

Yang Shuai didn't stand on ceremony and immediately made a "listening" gesture.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups for both sides were announced.

Trail Blazers: Billups, Young, Williams, Wallace, Sabonis

Jazz: Stockton, Hornacek, Shandon Anderson, Malone, Foster
The match is about to begin, and the starting players from both sides are taking the field one after another.

It was at this moment that Yang Shuai noticed that Anderson, who was guarding him, looked just as nervous as Billups.

"Relax, I don't eat people."

Seeing such a special person among a group of villains, Yang Shuai couldn't help but offer his comfort.

Unfortunately, Anderson did not thank Yang Shuai for his kindness.

After Russell's injury, Anderson got more playing time and was able to contribute 10+ points per game during the season, playing the role of the Jazz's sixth man.

As a second-year player, and a second-round pick, his performance has far exceeded expectations.

But before the game, Sloan suddenly approached him and said he wanted to start him and also put him in charge of defending Yang Shuai one-on-one.

Anderson's expression at that moment was: Can I really do this?
Yang Shuai won the Finals MVP against the Jazz!

Especially his performance in the final game, where he came back from injury to win the game with free throws, left an indelible impression on him as a rookie at the time.

But just as Russell didn't know why he was benched, Sloan didn't explain anything to him.

So he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

However, he was smart enough to know that he shouldn't have any verbal communication with Yang Shuai.

"beep!"

The referee on the sidelines blew the whistle to start the game.

Amid cheers from Salt Lake City fans, Malone flicked the ball back to the Jazz's half of the court, officially kicking off the series.

In the first possession of the game, the Jazz still had Malone receive the ball in the low post.

The Trail Blazers used Sabonis to defend Malone, who used his signature turnaround mid-range jumper.

However, just as he jumped, Sabonis lunged forward to interfere.

"when!"

Malone started the game with a smash that missed the target.

Although he seemed nonchalant when talking to Yang Shuai about that past, you shouldn't judge a person by what they say, but by what they do. Sabonis was clearly holding back a lot of energy.

Wallace and Foster failed to jump due to positioning, and Yang Shuai retreated to the basket to secure the defensive rebound.

Although he's listed as the starting shooting guard, Yang Shuai is actually playing small forward, as he's matched up against Anderson.

The Jazz's first attack was unsuccessful, but they retreated quickly on defense, and both sides settled into half-court positions.

Yang Shuai reached out for the ball in the attacking third.

He won't eat Anderson; he'll just beat him to a pulp.

There is no room for mercy on the playoff stage.

Seeing Anderson defending on the outside, Yang Shuai changed direction, accelerated, and squeezed past him with a combination of force, then rushed into the paint and quickly scored a layup.

However, right after scoring, he couldn't help but turn his head to look at Sloan on the sidelines.

The Jazz didn't make any attempt to help defend in advance.

So, is Sloan planning to have this second-year player guard him one-on-one tonight?

After one of his plays was shut down at the start of the game, Malone began to run more pick-and-roll plays with Stockton.

As an NCAA player, Billups has significantly more experience defending pick-and-rolls than Yang Shuai did in his rookie year.

Moreover, given what Yang Shuai said before the match, he seemed to have overcome his nervousness, and his choices on the court were not problematic.

However, the Jazz's pick-and-roll system has never been a threat from Stockton, but from Malone.

Even when the Trail Blazers don't switch on pick-and-rolls, Sabonis can't keep up with Malone.

This is also the key to the Jazz's pick-and-roll duo's dominance in the league.

You can't defend Malone's post-up game with a power forward, and even if a center can defend his isolation plays, he probably can't keep up with Malone when he gets moving.

There are very few players in this league who can match Malone in terms of both physicality and speed.

In other words, the way Yang Shuai pressured Stockton was the optimal way to defend this pick-and-roll duo, but Billups obviously couldn't do it, and there aren't many people in the league who can.

As for Yang Shuai, he is currently unleashing his full offensive firepower.

After several rounds, Sloan's tactical intentions gradually became clear.

He allowed Yang Shuai to play solo, and then cut off his connection with his teammates.

When the rest of the Trail Blazers launched their attacks, the Jazz focused all their defensive efforts on limiting them.

This tactic was not Sloan's invention; the most classic example is the game in which Jordan scored 63 points in Game 2 of the series against the Celtics.

At the time, the Celtics were ranked first in the league. If they had really double-teamed Jordan, there would have been no way he could have scored 63 points.

事实上他们确实那么做了，在G3开打之前伯德就放言“如果乔丹在G3得到20分我就退役去当卡车司机”，之后乔丹在前两场比赛场均得到56分的情况下，G3被重重包夹下仅得19分。

A similar example is Kobe's 81-point performance, which did not occur in this timeline.

The Raptors' head coach at the time, Sam Mitchell, whom Yang had matched up against during his tryout and found to be a good player, and who now assists Garnett on the Timberwolves, used a one-on-one defense strategy against Kobe.

It's not that the coaches or players are stupid, but rather that this is essentially a wear-down tactic similar to Yang Shuai's defense against Jordan.

A player's stamina is limited. Constantly forcing you to play one-on-one not only depletes your stamina but also indirectly disrupts the shooting touch of other players.

Alternatively, taking the Pistons' "Jordan Rules" as a reference, it can be called the "Anti-Jordan Rules".

This tactic usually succeeds, after all, examples like Kobe and Jordan are just exceptions, and more often than not, it's a group of players who are forgotten after the game for their empty stats.

After a few rounds, Carlisle realized this as well.

He got up and went to the sidelines to wave and make tactical gestures.

It's not about adjusting offensive tactics, but about getting the rest of the Trail Blazers to focus all their energy on defense.

Sloan may not believe Yang Shuai can do it, but Carlisle does.

Even if Yang Shuai ultimately fails to achieve his goal, he would not give up such an opportunity.

Because he knew very well that, like Jordan in his second year who scored 63 points, this kind of game was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a player.

Especially after several rounds, he felt that Yang Shuai was well prepared before the match and his touch looked quite good.

Yang Shuai was substituted out with two minutes left in the first quarter. He scored 18 points in the quarter, and before he left the court, the Trail Blazers were leading the Jazz 22-20.

This quarter of the game has clearly demonstrated one thing: Shandon Anderson may be able to fill the gaps in Russell's offensive scoring, but he cannot make up for Russell's role on the defensive end.

You can tell he's trying hard on defense, but the results are mediocre.

It wasn't that Sloan made a mistake in using the wrong players; rather, the Jazz's only options for a full-size forward line, besides the season-ending Russell, were Anderson and veteran Chris Morris.

Compared to Morris, Anderson has more stamina and can provide more support to the Jazz on the offensive end.

As for why the Jazz management hasn't made any moves in the trade market?

They wanted to, but just like the Lakers before Yang Shuai's time travel, they were interested in everyone, but their pockets were empty, so in the end they could only focus on the buyout market.

To be more precise, they're not even as good as the Lakers. After all, Salt Lake City is ranked number one on the list of "cities NBA players least want to go to," and nobody seems to be actively seeking to join them.

Look at the players on the Jazz roster; they are basically all players they drafted themselves.

As soon as Yang Shuai sat down after leaving the field, Carlisle gestured for him to quickly hand over a towel and water, and then asked the team doctor to come over and give Yang Shuai a muscle relaxation massage.

"Can you hold on?" Carlisle asked bluntly.

Yang Shuai took a sip of water and nodded.

While a ball-dominant style of play may not go very far, his stamina has noticeably improved after playing that style for most of the season.

Physical fitness, to put it simply, is like a person's belly—it's something that keeps expanding.

During the transition between the first and second quarters, Carlisle made a very clever move: he substituted Wallace out early in the first quarter, and then brought him back in at this point.

This is clearly something he learned from Bird when he was with the Pacers.

And this tactic worked.

The Trail Blazers' second-in-command is undoubtedly Sabonis, who is the team's interior pillar and indispensable on both offense and defense.

However, he and Yang Shuai basically have to play together, and he is also older, so as a heavy center, he can't extend his playing time.

In this situation, Wallace, as the third-in-command, became the obvious choice.

And just as Yang Shuai saw when he read the player handbook, Wallace has the ability to win tough games.

Especially with Grant on the Trail Blazers, Sloan was forced to keep Malone on the court all the time.

Even after the bench players finished their transition period, the Trail Blazers maintained their lead.

After the starters returned in the second quarter, the Jazz made an adjustment, with Sloan replacing Morris to guard Young.

This is the first time wheels have been used.

Morris, who is 2.03 meters tall, was the fourth overall pick in the 1988 NBA draft. He was a starter for the Sacramento Kings in his early years, averaging 14 points, 6 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game at his peak. He was a versatile wing player who could play both offense and defense.

He was signed by the Jazz with a big contract in 1995 and was once the team's starting small forward. However, he was later pushed to the bench by Russell and his performance declined significantly, becoming a fringe player in the rotation.

Compared to Anderson, he can offer limited help to the team on the offensive end, but his experience and ability on the defensive end are stronger.

Although Yang Shuai was able to get past him, it was clearly more taxing than before.

Seeing this, Yang Shuai acted decisively and immediately had Sabonis come out to start setting picks and rolls.

Carlisle could see what he was seeing, and since Sloan was determined to wage a war of attrition against him tonight, he needed to consider how to minimize his physical exertion on each offensive end.

At this point, his and Sabonis's hand-passing tactics played a significant role.

Sloan's one-on-one defensive tactics, the improved physical condition brought by the ball-handling playmaker, and Carlisle's small tactics throughout the season—all of these were pushing the game in one direction.

At halftime, the score was 55-51, with the Trail Blazers leading by 4 points at the end of the first half.

Yang Shuai scored 30 points in the first half, delivering an outstanding performance.

The commentators for this match are Ernie Johnson and Hubie Brown.

During halftime, the two players analyzed the situation on the field.

"From the current perspective, the Jazz's tactics have not achieved the desired effect."

As a former head coach, Brown naturally saw through Sloan's tactical intentions at a glance.

"Hansen has really grown a lot this year."

Ernie Johnson wore a proud, fatherly smile.

During his two seasons with the Pacers, Yang Shuai played more like a 3D star, especially in the playoffs, where his defense was his most impressive aspect.

But this season feels like a true All-Star game.

With his three-pointers, mid-range shots, drives, and fast breaks, he no longer needs a hot three-point shot to score high points like he did last season.

"The biggest question is whether Hansen can hold on in the second half?"

Brown posed a crucial question.

When Yang Shuai entered the player tunnel at halftime, he was covered in sweat, indicating that he had exhausted a lot of energy.

Moreover, since Sloan has chosen this tactic, he certainly won't give up halfway.

If you give up halfway, it can easily turn into "Yang Shuai using his individual offensive ability to revitalize the whole team's offense".

The key to victory or defeat lies in whether Yang Shuai can hold on in the second half.

When the game ended at halftime, the cameras immediately focused on Yang Shuai.

Salt Lake City fans waved their KT boards wildly, trying to put more psychological pressure on Yang Shuai.

However, Yang Shuai's face showed no emotional fluctuation.

When the second half started, Sloan adjusted the lineup, replacing Anderson with Morris, who had performed better defensively in the first half.

The Trail Blazers took the lead at the start.

Sabonis received the ball on the strong side high up, and Yang Shuai made a run to receive it.

Sabonis quickly turned and blocked Morris's pursuit after handing the ball to his opponent.

The Jazz's defensive strategy was the same as in the first half: switch on every pick-and-roll.

After receiving the ball, Yang Shuai took a mid-range shot over Foster.

"Shh!"

Basketball was immediately shortlisted.

There was a commotion in the place.

Sloan also covered his mouth with his hand.

The worst news for the Jazz is that Yang Shuai's shooting touch didn't cool down during halftime.

At that moment, the Jazz's assistant coach walked over to Sloan and said something, but Sloan shook his head.

Clearly, as Hubie Brown said during halftime commentary, no matter how well Young plays, the Jazz are now stuck in a dead end.

In the first quarter, Yang Shuai scored primarily through drives to the basket.

In the second and third quarters, Yang Shuai mostly ran pick-and-rolls with Sabonis and then took more mid-to-long-range shots due to mismatches.

This change in playing style reduced his physical exertion to some extent.

At the end of the third quarter, the Trail Blazers still led 80-75.

In this quarter, Yang Shuai scored another 12 points, and by the end of the third quarter, his personal score had soared to 42 points.

This number directly broke Yang Shuai's personal playoff career single-game scoring record.

It's only 9 points away from his career-high single-game score of 51 points.

However, when Yang Shuai was substituted off the court in the third quarter, he was already drenched in sweat sitting on the sidelines.

Even though he pushed his physical limits during the regular season, he couldn't withstand the Jazz's relentless defense and high frequency of one-on-one plays.

As Yang Shuai sat on the bench, catching his breath, he remembered what his classmate from his past life had told him, which was also what James himself had said: "If I wanted to, I could be the scoring champion every season."

Because it was an "if" scenario, he didn't think much of it at the time, but now he feels that it's simply impossible.

It wasn't that he doubted James' scoring ability, but rather that he felt James lacked the stamina.

The reason Jordan was able to win so many scoring titles is because he could put the ball in the basket in the simplest way, and he expended very little energy on each offensive play.

Because James' shooting is inaccurate, most of his points come from driving to the basket, which involves a lot of physical contact and energy expenditure.

O'Neal has already proven this in this era.

In terms of scoring ability in the paint, O'Neal was better than James, but he still couldn't win a scoring title like Jordan.

During the transition between the substitutes in the third and fourth quarters, the situation on the court changed dramatically.

Malone suppressed Wallace, and the Jazz launched a counterattack, not only taking the lead but also gaining the upper hand.

Left with no other option, Carlisle had to call a timeout and bring his starters on, thus advancing the final showdown.

Yang Shuai's initial three-point attempt missed the basket.

And in the next possession, he also missed a mid-range shot.

"The Jazz's game strategy worked."

Brown noticed the shift in the game.

Yang Shuai's performance in the first three quarters was already quite impressive.

Don't listen to Jordan saying things like "two layups, one three-pointer, and two free throws per quarter" as if scoring 30 or 40 points is easy. That's something only players with exceptional consistency can do.

Yang Shuai scored 18, 12 and 12 points in the three quarters tonight, respectively, a level of consistency that is quite remarkable.

But in the final quarter, his stamina finally gave out.

The most direct manifestation of physical problems is a decline in shooting touch.

Malone then made a mid-range shot from the free-throw line, bringing the score to 88-83, with the Jazz in the lead.

After making the shot, Ma Long gave Yang Shuai a smug look and said, "You guys lost."

With Russell's serious injury ending his season, coupled with the league's stricter penalties for malicious actions this year, the Jazz players have become much more docile in front of Coach Yang.

Even as Yang Shuai kept scoring, Ma Long didn't dare to use his elbow against Yang Shuai.

But not daring to use dirty tricks doesn't mean they're afraid to mess with Yang Shuai. Especially now that the situation has turned in the Jazz's favor.

The Pacers won because the team was strong, but Yang Shuai mistakenly thought it was because his own players were strong.

The facts prove that no matter how much tough talk you made before the game, Yang Shuai, you still couldn't win.

"Defend! Defend!"

The fans at the stadium were already excited, and with the canyon effect of the stadium, they began to bombard the visiting team's players' eardrums.

As Yang Shuai ran towards the frontcourt, he pulled up his jersey and bit it.

He also knew that with his current physical condition, it was impossible for him to play like he did in the second and third quarters.

He needs to make adjustments to his playing style.

Just as he was thinking this, he took a breath of sweat from his jersey.

A sour, nauseating taste quickly traveled from his taste buds to his brain.

Anyone who claims that sweat absorption can replenish salt and water is a bit off-track. Not to mention the unpleasant taste, the amount of sweat that can be retained around the collar of the jersey is also limited.

However, the flavor is indeed intoxicating and invigorating.

The Jazz's defensive strategy remained the same: shut down the other Trail Blazers players and then give Young opportunities for one-on-one plays.

Yang Shuai continued to hand off Sabonis, but this time, instead of shooting after facing Foster's help defense, he closed in and drove to the basket.

Foster was somewhat surprised by Yang Shuai's choice. By the time he realized what was happening, Yang Shuai had already broken through to the inside in one fell swoop.

Because the Jazz did not make any prior defensive arrangements against Yang Shuai, Yang Shuai drove into the paint and put the ball in the basket before Malone could help defend.

Sloan immediately realized what Yang Shuai was doing.

When the next defensive possession came, he was on the sidelines shouting and gesturing, and Foster chose to retreat when he was mismatched against Yang Shuai.

However, Yang Shuai did not choose to take a mid-range shot. Instead, he chased Foster towards the basket and then made a layup while battling with the opponent.

Foster felt humiliated and pulled Yang Shuai down directly.

The referee blew his whistle, and Yang Shuai was awarded two free throws.

Sloan then applauded from the sidelines.

Although they ended up committing a foul, the defensive effort that wore Yang Shuai down and prevented him from scoring a 2+1 play was valuable.

Yang Shuai goes to the free throw line.

After he received the ball from the referee, the Salt Lake City fans once again erupted in a deafening cacophony of noise, and the white inflatable sticks in the front row made him feel dizzy.

He took a deep breath.

Close your eyes, then open them again.

Then, rely entirely on muscle memory to make the move.

With two crisp clicks, he made both free throws.

“We can all see that Hansen’s physical condition has reached its limit, but his fighting spirit seems to have no limit.”

Ernie Johnson was moved by Yang Shuai's choice at this moment.

"That's the quality of a great player."

Brown couldn't help but nod, Jordan's image also appearing in his mind at that moment.

This season, due to the team's turmoil, Jordan's biggest impression was not how strong his individual ability was, but his spirit and will to carry the team forward.

Yang Shuai gave him the same feeling at that moment.

Soon, not only Brown, but everyone else in the room also sensed this.

It was obvious to everyone that Yang Shuai's physical strength had reached its limit, but he was still able to charge into the paint time and time again, either scoring or drawing fouls.

Even though Sloan adjusted the game strategy, having Morris and Anderson bypass the screens without switching on defense, it didn't work.

But Yang Shuai seems to have entered a certain "formulaic" playing style. No matter who is in front of him, he will carry the ball and drive into the paint.

Even in some rounds, due to the physical contact and lack of stamina, one might be knocked down and fall over.

Gradually, both Salt Lake City fans and Jazz players began to feel a sense of fear as Yang Shuai stormed in.

They felt that nothing could make Yang Shuai stop.

Finally, with one minute left in the game, Yang Shuai made both free throws again, bringing the score to 98-98.

The Jazz called a timeout.

Yang Shuai stood on the court for a while, and only when Sabonis noticed something was wrong and came to call him did he take a breath and help the other man off the court.

After sitting down, Yang Shuai felt that he had no strength left in his body, and he couldn't even lift his arms.

While on the field, he repeatedly wiped away sweat and told himself that physical strength is like a sponge, you can always squeeze some out.

The image of Jordan during the Eastern Conference Finals frequently appeared in his mind, and the voice of "Are you fucking worse than a 34-year-old man?" kept echoing in his mind.

On several occasions, he could only concentrate before breaking through, and once he actually started breaking through, he simply followed the instincts he had developed during training.

But now it's gone, there really isn't a single drop left.

All he wants to do right now is find a bed, lie down, and sleep soundly for two days and two nights.

At this moment, a commotion arose at the scene.

Yang Shuai's data was displayed on the large screen at the scene.

42投21中，三分球11投6中，罚球13罚10中，58分6板4助攻2抢断2封盖5失误。

Yang Shuai's frequent attacks on the inside have boosted his score from 42 points in the third quarter to 58 points!
This number ranks third in NBA playoff single-game scoring, behind only Jordan's 63 points and Baylor's 61 points!
Wallace, who was next to Yang Shuai, quickly reminded him to look at the numbers.

However, Yang Shuai did not look up at this moment, as he felt that he was having some difficulty concentrating.

Carlisle also noticed something was wrong. After looking down and seeing Yang Shuai's pale face and the cold sweat pouring out, he asked Dunleavy to call another timeout and then asked the team doctor to quickly get a bottle of glucose water.

Although he lacks coaching experience, he was, after all, a player who played for Bird on that Celtics team back then.

After drinking the glucose water, Yang Shuai felt a little more alive.

Just now, he really felt like he was about to collapse.

"Can you still hold on? Don't push yourself, our competition isn't just for tonight."

Carlisle was now somewhat unsure.

Yang Shuai didn't speak, but he nodded without hesitation.

After the timeout, although Yang Shuai was on the strong side, the ball did not go to him this time, but to Wallace on the weak side.

Wallace set a screen for Williams and then suddenly cut to the basket to receive the ball and make a layup.

That was a beautiful shot, and Wallace was decisive enough to catch the ball and, facing Foster's defense, float the ball off the backboard and score.

Just as Yang Shuai predicted, Wallace is a player who can fight tough battles!

Carlisle's shot also fully demonstrated another benefit he gained as an assistant coach under Bird: making unexpected plays in crucial moments.

The Jazz called a timeout.

After the timeout, Sloan didn't pull off any surprises, but instead executed a solid double pick-and-roll. Malone received the ball, drove into the paint, and scored over Sabonis.

After scoring, Ma Long roared to the sky.

Although he plays dirty, his pick-and-roll partnership with Stockton, which has lasted for over a decade, has enabled him to score in crucial moments.

The on-site data also showed Malone's stats for tonight: he has scored 36 points, almost the same as in Game 4 of last season's Finals.

He has another chance to win the game for the team this time.

With 26 seconds left in the match, the score was tied at 100 again.

Carlisle called one last short timeout.

He had already used his only long timeout to give Yang Shuai a chance to catch his breath.

The 20-second pause is very short.

After the timeout, Yang Shuai continued to stand on the strong side.

However, the ball still didn't reach Yang Shuai's hands.

Because Carlisle knows Yang Shuai's current condition, the fact that he can stand on the field and create offensive pressure is already a strong source of mental support.

This time it was a catch-and-shoot after a pick-and-roll on the weak side, and it was an unconventional pick-and-roll that Williams set for Wallace.

Billups' pass was timely, but Williams couldn't stop Malone.

When Wallace received the ball and shot, he was interfered with by Malone's desperate defense.

"when!"

Wallace's game-winning shot didn't go in!
Before the Salt Lake City fans could even begin to cheer, Sabonis seemed to have instantly become five years younger, shaking off Foster's positioning and grabbing the offensive rebound!

Just as he showed at the start of the game, the humiliation of the 38-point defeat two years ago still deeply affected this veteran who had once beaten the American team.

However, his knees simply couldn't support him jumping continuously, preventing him from completing a second attack.

Just then, he saw Yang Shuai standing on the outside.

Having failed to receive the ball immediately in the previous two rounds, Yang Shuai now has a good opportunity.

Sabonis looked at Wallace, then passed the ball to Yang Shuai.

This no-look pass fooled the entire Jazz team.

Yang Shuai received the ball with only 3 seconds left in the game.

He took a deep breath, forcibly waking up his dormant muscles, and then used muscle memory to throw the ball.

The feeling of throwing the ball was just like when he did strength training at DiFrancisco's request before practicing three-pointers—it was like throwing a shot put.

But perhaps it was because of that experience that even with such a heavy ball, Yang Shuai still managed to throw it with backspin, drawing a perfect parabola in the air.

The fans in Salt Lake City held their breath for a moment.

No one expected that the ball would end up in Yang Shuai's hands in the end, and with such a good opportunity!
"Shh!"

"beep!"

The moment the basketball swished through the net, the red lights on the sidelines came on.

Amidst everyone's incredulous expressions, Yang Shuai sank the game-winning three-pointer!

After sinking that three-pointer, his score for the game reached 61 points!

"He did it!"

Ernie Johnson jumped up from the commentary box in excitement.

Sabonis, fist in hand, was the first to rush to Yang Shuai's side.

You can completely feel the veteran's excitement at this moment.

However, after Sabonis approached him, Yang Shuai put his hand on Sabonis's shoulder and then collapsed into his arms.

That last throw used up all his last bit of strength.

Sabonis immediately realized Yang Shuai's condition and helped him walk towards the bench.

Salt Lake City fans were in despair, clutching their heads in their hands.

The camera immediately focused on Sloan on the Jazz's bench.

Sloan's game strategy created a new "God of Basketball"!
Although Yang Shuai's 61 points were 2 points less than Jordan's 63 points, the game between the Celtics and the Bulls that year went to double overtime.

If we only consider regular time, Yang Shuai is already tied with Elgin Baylor for the highest score in history.

Even digging deeper, Baylor's 61 points came in the 60s, a time when Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single game, averaged 50+ points per game for the season, and Oscar Robertson averaged a triple-double to rack up stats.

Taking that game as an example, the Lakers and Celtics didn't go into overtime; they both finished the regular time with a score of 126-121.

Yang Shuai's score accounted for 60% tonight!

"This was an unprecedented scoring performance!"

Ernie Johnson exclaimed after returning to his seat.

"Hansen will join the ranks of the greatest players."

Hubie Brown was also full of praise, although using the word "greatest" to describe a third-year player was a bit of an exaggeration, but the impact he brought was no less than that of Jordan back then.

It could even be bigger, after all, Yang Shuai is only 20 years old.

Yang Shuai did not participate in the post-match handshake ceremony; he remained seated on the bench after leaving the field.

It wasn't until the handshake ceremony was over that he seemed to recover a bit, and then he followed his teammates into the players' tunnel.

This situation also made the reporters at the scene worry whether Yang Shuai would be able to attend the post-match press conference.

"No, our game strategy was fine. Yang played a great game. Congratulations to him."

At the post-match press conference, Sloan denied the reporter's claims when questioned by the reporter.

Yang Shuai's consecutive missed shots at the start of the fourth quarter showed that his game strategy was working. As for Yang Shuai's performance afterward, it had exceeded the range of a normal player.

Moreover, Sloan's remarks also revealed that although he is a stubborn coach, unlike Brown, he knows how to respect others.

After the Jazz's press conference ended, the reporters present began to stir, trying to find out through their respective channels whether Yang Shuai would attend the press conference.

A cheer erupted as Yang Shuai appeared at the door with Carlisle.

If the main character is absent after such a match, they will lose a lot of news material.

Compared to when the match just ended, Yang Shuai's complexion has improved considerably.

He's young, after all. He can recover by drinking some glucose or something. It's not to the point that he needs to go to the hospital for an IV drip after the game.

As soon as Yang Shuai sat down, various lights flashed across the scene.

In the eyes of reporters, Yang Shuai's achievement tonight was even greater than her previous FMVP award.

After all, Finals MVP awards are common, but scoring 60+ points in a single playoff game is extremely rare.

Once the Q&A session began, every reporter who got the chance asked Yang Shuai a question without exception.

As for Carlisle and Sabonis, who were the only ones present, they were acting as VIP spectators today.

"61 points, an incredible scoring performance, how did you do it?"

"Thank you, Jerry Sloan, he is the greatest coach."

The words of my classmate, a fan of James, are most fitting here.

A burst of laughter erupted from the audience.

"Your 61 points are just 2 points away from Jordan's playoff single-game high of 63 points. Do you feel sorry about that?"

"It's a real shame. If the Jazz had been able to force the game into overtime, I might have broken the record."

Yang Shuai's answer once again drew laughter from the audience.

Unlike Jordan's confrontational style with the media, Yang Shuai's witty and humorous approach to being pretentious has made him increasingly popular with reporters.

Do you think you can break this record again in the future?

"That's a bit difficult, but I'll give it a try when the opportunity arises."

Just like Jordan set a record of 63 points in his second year, it doesn't mean that the more capable you are, the more likely you are to break a record.

This requires the cooperation of the opponent.

The reason your opponent does that is fundamentally because they doubt your scoring ability.

When your opponents all know you are very strong, and know that you can kill someone in a one-on-one fight, they will naturally not give you that kind of opportunity again.

However, perhaps one day in the future there will be such a stubborn coach, but that's a low-probability event that's hard to say.

"You won on the road and gained home-court advantage in the series. Does that mean you'll beat your opponent quickly?"

"No, this is just a playoff game."

Yang Shuai did what he said before the game and took the victory away here.

But tonight he scored 61 points, and the team narrowly defeated the Jazz with a last-second shot. In terms of strength, the Jazz are still stronger than the Trail Blazers.

The series is far from over; this is just the beginning.

The next day, news reports about Yang Shuai's 61 points flooded the internet.

"God put on the number 16 jersey and led the Rose City into a great revival."

Portland local media used a classic quote.

A new basketball god is born; an era is changing.

The Los Angeles media coverage was even more sensational.

A year ago, Yang Shuai and the Pacers broke Jordan's second three-peat, and now he has done the same thing as Jordan in the playoffs.

"Michael can retire with peace of mind now."

This is the concluding statement of this report.

Hansen Young is worth more than $1.5 million.

The New York Times report, however, was clearly filled with resentment.

The Knicks had the opportunity to acquire Yang Shuai and make him the king of New York, but now they can only look on with envy.

This incident even made it into Chinese newspapers.

The fact that an Asian player can have such a great performance in the NBA makes Chinese people feel that they are getting closer to the NBA.

Of course, this has also tempted some CBA players.

Because of the historical context, many sports of that era were competitive, and they believed they could conquer the NBA from across the ocean.

(End of this chapter)