Perhaps it was Coach Ryan's assurance that fueled Lin Feng's passionate performance on the court.
Under his command, the game flowed smoothly for the Los Angeles D-Fenders throughout the second quarter.
The Albuquerque Thunderbirds found themselves relentlessly suppressed on both ends of the court.
The Los Angeles defenders not only executed their offense with precision but also displayed stifling defense.
Lin Feng spearheaded the full-court press, intercepting two consecutive passes from a rattled Croft.
Then, capitalizing on his blazing speed, Lin Feng left everyone trailing behind on a fast break. Croft, desperately trying to recover, attempted to guard Lin Feng one-on-one, only to realize with dismay that he couldn't match Lin Feng's speed.
Lin Feng raced towards the basket, his agile form soaring through the air for a classic windmill slam dunk, emphatically throwing the ball through the hoop!
"Oh oh oh! Lin steals the ball and throws down a windmill dunk on the fast break!"
"Unbelievable! Lin is incredible! His speed is unreal! What a play!"
Witnessing Lin Feng's lightning-fast steal and spectacular windmill dunk, the two American commentators at the broadcast desk erupted in enthusiastic shouts.
While perhaps not possessing the iconic fervor of NBA commentator Mike Breen, these commentators effectively amplified the excitement within the arena.
It was under their impassioned narration that Lin Feng's windmill dunk, following the steal, ignited an unprecedented wave of cheers throughout the stadium.
His girlfriend, Su Muqing, was a whirlwind of excited energy on the sideline, jumping up and down, her voice nearly hoarse from cheering.
She found herself falling deeper in love with Lin Feng, witnessing for the first time the brilliance her man possessed on the court.
Previously, watching Lin Feng play basketball had been uneventful.
He played competently, avoiding major errors, but his style lacked any real spark.
Today, however, was a revelation. He embraced the responsibilities of the team's superstar, showcasing dominant one-on-one skills and orchestrating the offense with finesse.
Even his array of acrobatic passes was a captivating spectacle.
"Baby! I love you!" Su Muqing yelled out to Lin Feng once more.
Lin Feng landed gracefully after his dunk, his body light and his landing silent.
Only—
The next second, Lin Feng cried out in pain, "Ah!", clutching his moderately sprained ankle.
A wave of shock rippled through the arena as everyone rushed over to assess the situation.
Croft, feigning innocence with raised hands, had caught up to the play.
In the split second of Lin Feng's landing, Croft had seized the opportunity to slide his foot underneath. Unaware of the danger, Lin Feng landed directly on Croft's instep, twisting his ankle.
Such a blatant and underhanded move was considered deeply shameful among players.
Everyone knew that Croft's actions were deliberate.
The Los Angeles D-Fenders were currently leading the Albuquerque Thunderbirds by a significant 17 points, and halftime had barely arrived.
Trailing by such a margin at halftime, any astute observer knew that without a significant adjustment in the second half, the Thunderbirds were facing certain defeat.
At this crucial juncture, Lin Feng, who had been instrumental in building the D-Fenders' commanding lead, had been injured by Croft's foul play.
Everyone could see that Lin Feng's ankle was already visibly swollen.
Harris was the first to react with fury. He admitted to previously underestimating Lin Feng, but now, he held him in high regard.
He understood that the Los Angeles D-Fenders couldn't secure the NBDL championship without Lin Feng.
"Shit! Dirty tactics? Are you looking for a fight? Pulling such a cheap shot?" Harris shoved the feigning Croft hard.
It was a pity Croft wasn't an actor in Hollywood. He was clearly the instigator, yet he was pretending to be the innocent party while Lin Feng lay injured.
"Harris, stop making baseless accusations! What do you mean by dirty trick? How was I supposed to know he'd land on my foot?" Croft continued his charade of innocence, vehemently denying Harris's accusations.
"Damn it, I'm going to teach you a lesson for Lin!" Harris, known for his volatile temper, raised his fist, ready to strike.
The referee intervened just in time, separating the two enraged players.
Lin Feng was still on the ground, a surge of anger coursing through him.
As the one directly affected, he knew without a doubt that Croft's actions were intentional.
Just as he had declared before the game, Lin Feng had completely shut down Croft from the opening tip, preventing him from scoring a single point.
Not only had Croft failed to score, but he had also committed three costly turnovers, all of which Lin Feng had capitalized on, turning them into effective offensive plays.
One steal led to a teammate's mid-range jumper, and the other two resulted in successful fast breaks.
It was clear that Croft was seething with resentment, and his underhanded trip during the fast break was a deliberate act to injure Lin Feng.
Embodying the persona of the headstrong Sakuragi Hanamichi, Lin Feng had a short fuse and a deep disdain for such malicious tactics.
Sakuragi Hanamichi had been a brawler since his youth, believing in settling disputes directly and openly, not resorting to cowardly, underhanded attacks.
Despite the throbbing pain in his ankle, Lin Feng forced himself to stand. Looking at Croft, who was still feigning innocence and even trash-talking, Lin Feng's anger boiled over. He raised his fist and landed a solid punch on Croft's face!
How could Sakuragi Hanamichi tolerate such blatant cowardice?
To do so would be to betray the very essence of Sakuragi Hanamichi!
"Bang!"
The dull thud echoed as Lin Feng's fist connected squarely with Croft's face.
Croft was caught completely off guard, unable to dodge the blow. Lin Feng wasn't just a skilled basketball player; he was also a capable fighter!
The punch sent blood gushing from Croft's nose.
Lin Feng glared fiercely at all the Albuquerque Thunderbirds players, his eyes blazing. "I'll take on all five of you right now! It's fine to fight, but let's do it openly, like men, and leave these sneaky, underhanded tricks behind."
The Albuquerque Thunderbirds players looked enraged, but they remained largely silent.
Croft, clutching his bleeding nose, was beyond furious. He shoved aside his teammates, ready to engage in a full-blown physical altercation with Lin Feng.
After being thoroughly outplayed by Lin Feng throughout the first half, Croft was already seething with resentment. Being punched in the face was the final straw. How could he possibly let this go unpunished?
Head coach Morey rushed onto the court, grabbing Croft tightly, attempting to restrain his enraged player.
His pleas fell on deaf ears. Anyone with a clear view, especially after the slow-motion replay, could see that Croft had intentionally kicked Lin Feng's foot as he landed.
[Bite!]
[Congratulations to the host for reaching 50% similarity with Sakuragi Hanamichi, improving personal skills and strength, and activating a new skill: crossover!]
At that moment, the system's notification chimed in Lin Feng's mind.
He was momentarily stunned. "What the hell?"
Could fighting actually increase his similarity?
After a moment of contemplation, it clicked. The system had previously emphasized the importance of aligning his appearance, inner character, and daily actions as closely as possible with Sakuragi Hanamichi.
His uncontrolled outburst of anger and subsequent punch to Croft's face were clearly in line with Sakuragi Hanamichi's impulsive and confrontational nature.
The system had registered this alignment and promptly increased his similarity.
He had also unlocked a new skill: the crossover. This was a move intimately familiar to Lin Feng.
The signature pull-up dribble and sudden change of direction made famous by the legendary Allen Iverson – the crossover.
Iverson had famously used this move to bamboozle and blow past countless NBA superstars!
Even the great Michael Jordan had fallen victim to the "Iverson crossover."
There was a well-known saying in the NBA: "Crossing you over is like crossing the street in the early morning!"