Basketball miracles

Chapter 41 [Nothing Special]

In the final quarter, the Pistons, led by Isaiah Thomas, went on an 8-0 run to narrow the gap.

He doesn't look for screens, repeatedly breaking through Magic Johnson one-on-one, either to make layups or draw defenders for help before passing the ball; his playing style is very flexible.

When Xiao Tu was helping on defense, he was fouled by Thomas, and the Pistons' home fans applauded wildly, while Thomas also showed his signature smile.

Xiao Tu failed to defend the restricted area, but he held onto his principles. He was fundamentally different from Lambiel; unless the other party acted maliciously first, he would not intentionally hurt anyone.

If he had focused on the player and not the ball during this defensive play, even a simple push could have resulted in Thomas being stretchered off for attempting a layup. But he has no grudge against Thomas, and even if they lose, it's just a regular season game. Besides, he's confident of winning.
Xiao Tu, Johnson, and Worthy scored in quick succession, stabilizing the situation.

While Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was resting, the Lakers' fast breaks were sharp, and they had physical advantages in multiple positions. With three minutes left in the game, the Lakers extended their lead to 20 points, securing the victory.

The Lakers defeated the Pistons 127-109 on the road, securing their 12th consecutive win.

Isiah Thomas had 22 points, 13 assists, and 2 steals, Kelly Tripka scored 20 points, and John Long added 16. Unfortunately, Shawn Qiu and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar completely dominated the Pistons' interior players, and the Pistons' losses were all in the paint.

肖途13投8中，三分球2中1，罚球8中8，砍下25分16篮板5助攻2盖帽。劳恩德菲尔德只有8分6篮板，9投3中，罚球2中2，还有4次犯规。

贾巴尔砍下32分5篮板2助攻，完爆14分10篮板2助攻的兰比尔。

魔术师约翰逊的表现一般，15投5中且没有罚球，得到10分4篮板18助攻1抢断。

The game proceeded surprisingly smoothly; Laimbeer didn't commit any malicious fouls against anyone, which was really just a pre-game trash talk.

Xiao Tu couldn't see what was so ruthless about Laimbeer. He couldn't guard Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at all, nearly getting ejected with five fouls already, and the force of his fouls wasn't particularly high.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar plays with skill and is now a floor-based player; if Laimbeer wants to foul him hard, he has to throw punches.

While Jabbar rested, Xiao Tu and Laimbeer faced off for a while without feeling any pressure.

Standing at 211cm tall and weighing 111kg, Lambiel appeared to Xiao Tu to be of very ordinary build. He was slow, not particularly strong, with thin arms and legs, and only had a large frame.

Xiao Tu easily withstood Laimbeer's back-to-the-basket moves, demonstrating greater stability in his lower body and effectively disrupting shots.

Laimbeer's performance against Xiao Tu was negligible, going 1-for-4. He couldn't shake off Xiao Tu with his skills, and his only advantage in a strong drive was his height. His mid-range jumper after a pick-and-roll was somewhat threatening, and the one he made was a mid-range shot, which Xiao Tu switched to defend against Thomas's drive.

Laimbeer gave up on the game early in the fourth quarter, showing little fighting spirit. He didn't even give anyone a hard push when they went for a layup.

Xiao Tu's plan to fight Lambiel failed, and all his preparations were in vain.

Xiao Tu has faced off against many star center players and feels that none of them are particularly impressive.

The overall poor skill level of players in the 80s was only one factor; the key was Xiao Tu's exceptional physical attributes. He always seemed slow to other players and could anticipate their movements.

The Pistons' overall strength is lacking, and they won't meet the Lakers in the Finals anytime soon. Coach Chuck Daly's in-game adjustments haven't shown much promise either. Frankly, championship contenders are all about roster quality; you can't make bricks without straw.

At the post-match press conference, reporters asked Xiao Tu to share his thoughts.

Xiao Tu was used to this kind of occasion and said calmly, "The Pistons are an excellent team with many outstanding players. However, we have always maintained firm control of the situation, and the Lakers are stronger."

The reporter asked, "You hit another double-double today. What are your thoughts on that?"

Xiao Tu smiled and said, "This is normal performance. I've had 20+ rebounds more than once."

Xiao Tu didn't mention Lambiel, but his teammates weren't going to let him off the hook.

In an interview, Magic Johnson cheerfully recounted how Bill Laimbeer provoked him before the game, only to be slapped in the face by Xiao Tu's trash talk and dunk.

Johnson really dislikes Laimbeer, having been brutally fouled by him during a layup attempt, so he plans to make a big fuss about how Laimbeer got humiliated today.

Johnson once commented on Laimbeer: "It's strange, but when you see Laimbeer standing under the basket with a cold face, you don't want to rush over for a layup. Nobody wants to ruin their career for one layup." This wasn't a compliment; he felt that someone like Laimbeer should be banned for life.

Lambiel's villainous image is deeply ingrained in people's minds. Even though he didn't injure anyone in this match, everyone still believes that his pre-match threats against Xiao Tu were genuine.

At the Pistons' press conference, Laimbeer remained silent during the interview, seemingly completely cowed.

Lambiel didn't know how to evaluate Xiao Tu. He admired Xiao Tu's physical abilities, but praising him would be tantamount to showing weakness.

He wouldn't make any threats at a press conference, like saying he'd kill Xiao Tu next time. He does hurt people often, but he's not stupid; saying that would just put the other party on guard, wouldn't it?

A barking dog doesn't bite. Lambiel has learned his lesson from Xiao Tu after this setback.

Pistons coach Chuck Daly commented on Shaw, saying, "Shaw is one of the best interior players in the league right now, and he still has a lot of room to grow. I think he will become an MVP-caliber superstar in the future."

"No one on the Pistons has the talent to compare with Shaw, so we can only make up for our physical shortcomings with team basketball. Right now, the Pistons are not as strong as the Lakers, but I hope the team can become stronger in the future and go further in the playoffs."

Daly wouldn't dare say they're contending for the championship. The Pistons aren't just weaker than the Lakers in terms of raw talent, they also struggle to advance in the Eastern Conference. They have to get past the Celtics first, whose roster is significantly weaker.

After the game, major media outlets raved about Xiao Tu, praising him as one of the NBA's top tough guys.

In the first round, Xiao Tu delivered a thunderous dunk, leaving Laimbeer speechless. Xiao Tu's trash talk, "Even Jesus can't stop you, I'm telling you," was even more domineering.

The media unanimously believed that Ranbil had chickened out; he knew that if a conflict broke out, he would definitely not be a match for Xiao Tu.

Some fans were disappointed after seeing the news, hoping the two would fight and wanting to see Laimbeer get beaten up.

Xiao Tu is not only tough, but also the most consistent performer among this year's rookies. Since the start of the season, he hasn't struggled at the power forward position, consistently recording double-doubles in every game.

他目前场均砍下19分16篮板2助攻2.3盖帽，投篮命中率58.8%排在联盟第五，仅次于贾巴尔的60.3%。

His scoring is second only to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who averages 22.7 points per game, making him the Lakers' second-leading scorer. Magic Johnson is currently averaging only 18.5 points per game, and his performance has been very inconsistent.

Unlike other interior players, Xiao Tu also boasts a 42.7% three-point shooting percentage. If it weren't for his three-point shooting lowering his overall field goal percentage, it would exceed 60%.

His scoring is slightly lower than that of Hakeem Olajuwon, the Rockets' number one draft pick, ranking third among rookies. He leads the league in rebounding.

In terms of defense, he received even higher praise than Hakeem Olajuwon, which he himself found hard to believe.

Hakeem Olajuwon is a top defender in NBA history, a multiple-time All-Defensive Team selection and two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Xiao Tu's higher reputation means he could also be selected to an All-Defensive Team.

Xiao Tu performed exceptionally well, and several teammates were affected by the butterfly effect, reducing their shots.

James Worthy, who should have improved, is only averaging 13.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 28 minutes per game. He has absolutely no star quality, and Riley will have Mike McGee share his playing time with him.

Byron Scott, in his second year, came from behind and put up better numbers. He averaged 15.7 points and 2 assists in 28.5 minutes per game.

Both players had very high shooting percentages, and the Lakers' offense remained the best in the league. Including the inconsistent Johnson, all five starters shot over 50% from the field.

Some experts believe that the Lakers are likely to break the NBA regular season record this season.

The Lakers are also about to break the NBA record for the longest winning streak at the start of a season. The previous record was 14 consecutive wins, set by the Boston Celtics in the 1957-58 season.

Who can end the Lakers' winning streak? This is a topic that fans are currently very interested in discussing.

To defeat the Lakers, a team needs to be very strong, with multiple star players. Fans have started discussing the rosters of each team, believing that the Celtics and 76ers are the most likely to beat the Lakers.

It seems no team in the West can threaten the Lakers; the top-ranked Nuggets, Mavericks, and Trail Blazers all lost.

(End of this chapter)