The fans, the players on the bench, the two commentators, and even Richardson himself were utterly perplexed.
No one could have anticipated the intensity of Lin Feng's defense, especially on that direct pull-up shot.
Richardson's release was lightning-fast, the kind of shot that would leave most defenders guessing between a shot and a drive.
However, Lin Feng's reaction speed was simply otherworldly. As Richardson began his upward motion for the jump shot, Lin Feng delivered a sharp lesson, swatting the ball with force, sending it hurtling out of bounds!
"Oh! My goodness, is there any shooter who likes that kind of denial?"
"No, that was a textbook clean block. Nothing thuggish about it."
The fans on the sidelines buzzed with discussion, but the referee's whistle remained silent.
The slow-motion replay confirmed what many had seen: Lin Feng's block was impeccably clean. His hand went directly for the basketball, making no contact with Richardson's arm or hand.
Attempting to salvage his pride, Richardson threw his hands up in a gesture of innocence, appealing to the referee with a look of complaint, but the official remained unmoved.
The game continued, and the "Madman Block" skill granted Lin Feng an almost precognitive reaction time.
The instant Richardson's toes left the hardwood, Lin Feng was airborne as well. He had anticipated Richardson's attempt to shoot over him.
Richardson wasn't given even a sliver of space to get his shot off; the ball was emphatically blocked and sent flying out of bounds.
The ball remained in the Warriors' possession. Richardson inbounded the ball to point guard Baron Davis.
Upon receiving the pass, Baron Davis immediately launched a three-pointer.
Unfortunately for the Warriors, the shot clanked off the backboard, resulting in a high rebound.
Recognizing the trajectory, the interior players began jostling for position, ready to battle for the board.
Bynum, still a raw rookie, needed to develop his rebounding instincts and strength. Seeing this, Lin Feng instinctively sprinted towards the penalty area, intent on securing the rebound himself.
Everyone who witnessed this maneuver was dumbfounded.
Why would Lin Feng, the point guard, be charging into the crowded paint?
Could it be that this guy was actually going for the rebound?
"What the hell? He wants the rebound?"
"Lin! What are you doing? Bynum has position! Why are you crowding the paint?"
The Zen Master rose from his seat on the bench, yelling in frustration towards the court, visibly displeased with Lin Feng's decision.
Lin Feng didn't acknowledge the coach's outburst. Reaching the restricted area, he saw Diogu attempting to outreach the younger Bynum for the high rebound. Activating his "Genius Rebound" skill, Lin Feng leaped and successfully snatched the ball in the backcourt amidst a cluster of much larger players.
"OMG! Lin can do everything! Offense, defense, blocks, rebounding – is there anything he's not good at?"
"It's simply unbelievable! There's nothing he can't do! On the court, he's the ultimate all-around player!"
"Yes, Lin! You are truly amazing! We love having you as a Chinese player! Bring more Chinese talent to the NBA in the future!"
Witnessing Lin Feng effortlessly pluck the high rebound in the backcourt, the fans erupted in unrestrained cheers and applause.
Kobe, Odom, Bynum, and Brian Cook exchanged looks of astonishment.
They were already impressed by Lin Feng's leaping ability, but his uncanny knack for predicting the rebound's trajectory was even more baffling.
He had positioned himself on Diogu's left side, watching as the ball bounced high and then descended directly into his waiting hands.
"Lin! You are incredible! You're so good at rebounding? With that red hair and those three band-aids on your face, are you channeling the rebounding king, Sakuragi Hanamichi?" Odom asked, his face a picture of bewildered admiration. The more he saw of Lin Feng, the more extraordinary he seemed.
Lin Feng offered a slight smile but remained silent. Securing the rebound, he didn't rush the pass, instead calmly initiating the offense and signaling the start of a Lakers counterattack.
Richardson, already seething with frustration, took on the defensive assignment against Lin Feng himself.
Learning from Lin Feng's tenacious defense against him, he shadowed Lin Feng with the same relentless, "dog skin plaster" approach.
But Lin Feng suddenly executed a lightning-quick change of direction, attempting to blow past Richardson in a single step. Richardson reacted swiftly, shifting his feet to cut off the drive.
Unexpectedly, it was a masterful fake.
Lin Feng then crossed the ball between his legs, pulling his body back to his original position.
This signature move was a frequent highlight in Allen Iverson's electrifying drives to the basket.
And this skill was none other than Iverson's vaunted crossover!
"An unbelievable move! What kind of trickery was that by Lin... Lin just now?" commentator Mike Breen stammered, completely taken aback. "If I'm not mistaken, that was Allen's signature move, the crossover?!"
Bill Worrell was equally animated. "Yes! That's the crossover Allen used so often in games! I can't believe it! Lin can also do that crossover! Who did he learn that from? Did Allen teach him?"
"Incredible, truly incredible! I am becoming more and more fascinated by this Asian kid! He is the MVP of tonight!"
"Absolute MVP!"
It had taken just one electrifying game for the two commentators, Bill Worrell and Mike Breen, to transition from initial skepticism towards Lin Feng to genuine admiration.
Kobe was stunned. He had once remarked, "Today's young players have no idea just how great Iverson was back in his day."
Throughout their careers, Kobe and Iverson had been fierce rivals.
In the 2001 NBA Finals, it was Iverson who led the underdog Philadelphia 76ers to a stunning Game 1 victory against the heavily favored Lakers, handing them their only loss of the entire playoffs. That was Allen Iverson, the defiant hero in the hearts of countless fans!
In truth, deep down, Kobe held a profound respect for Iverson's unparalleled talent and tenacity.
However, at this very moment, Lin Feng, a rookie who had just been called up from the NBDL, was effortlessly executing Iverson's iconic crossover move in his debut game for the Lakers. How could Kobe not be utterly surprised?
His eyes widened in disbelief.
After using Iverson's ultimate weapon, the crossover, to create separation from Richardson, Lin Feng calmly elevated and sank a smooth mid-range jump shot to cap off the one-on-one possession.
The Lakers had easily scored two points and were now only trailing the Warriors by 12.
Having been down by as much as 18 points earlier, they had now clawed back six consecutive points.
And all six of those points were directly attributable to one player: the short Asian guard who had initially been the target of American ridicule.
"Lin! You are so good! You are so amazing! You are simply a basketball god! There's nothing you can't do!" the fans roared, their excitement reaching fever pitch. They felt this game was already legendary, the kind of spectacle worth any price of admission.
In the next timeout, Warriors head coach Don Nelson had no choice but to call a timeout.
They desperately needed to regroup and devise new tactics. If they continued to play at this rate, the Golden State Warriors were facing the very real prospect of a humiliating comeback loss tonight!