Chauncey Billups' shot was blocked by Lin Feng, but the Pistons retained possession. Lindsay Hunter then passed the ball to small forward Tayshaun Prince .
Prince dribbled along the sideline, closely guarded by Lamar Odom, leaving him with no open look. He then lobbed the ball into the paint, setting up a one-on-one matchup between Rasheed Wallace and Andrew Bynum.
Despite his height advantage, Bynum's defensive inexperience was evident against Rasheed Wallace. With just one step, Wallace easily shook free from Bynum and scored two points with a simple layup.
"Bynum still lacks experience on the defensive end!" one commentator remarked. "Wallace used his footwork to get past him and scored on an unguarded basket. That's the first basket of the game."
The other commentator echoed, "Indeed, Bynum needs to learn how to handle veteran moves like that."
Noticing Bynum's defensive struggles, Kobe Bryant went over to offer the young center some encouragement.
Moments later, Lin Feng passed the ball to Kobe, who took it to the left sideline. Facing Tayshaun Prince's defense, Kobe dribbled into the mid-range, then elevated for a fadeaway jump shot. The basketball arced beautifully through the air and swished through the net!
Kobe understood the difficulty of penetrating the paint against the Pistons' defense. Their 2-3 zone was designed to not only have defenders in front but also players roaming on both sides, ready to quickly close any gaps and provide double-team coverage.
Against such a defensive setup, scoring inside was a monumental task. The "Bad Boys" era Pistons were notorious for their ability to completely shut down even Michael Jordan, highlighting their legendary defensive prowess.
Of course, during Jordan's time, zone defenses were not permitted in the NBA. It was later, under David Stern's leadership, that the zone defense was implemented to create more strategic challenges and limit the dominance of individual superstars.
"He puts it in!"
"Black Mamba scores two points with a jump shot," exclaimed Albert. "Mamba's shot was perfect! If Prince thinks he can guard Kobe one-on-one, he needs to spend several more years practicing. He's no Kobe stopper!"
Albert's admiration for Kobe's skill was evident as he also took a jab at Prince's defense.
The score was now tied at 2-2. Two minutes into the game, both teams had only managed one field goal each, a testament to the intense defensive pressure. It was anticipated that breaking the 100-point mark would be a significant challenge in this contest.
The Pistons responded quickly. Chauncey Billups received the ball and found himself uncomfortably guarded by Lin Feng.
Billups was slightly perplexed. How could this rookie, Lin Feng, possess such fundamentally sound defense? Usually, against young players, getting past them with a single step or challenging them one-on-one was relatively easy.
However, facing Lin Feng tonight, Billups felt a significant amount of pressure. Despite Lin Feng's relatively shorter height of 189cm, Billups found himself unable to get past him. There were even a few instances where Lin Feng nearly intercepted his dribble.
"Chauncey, you need to play smarter! Remember our objective: team basketball, overall offense!" Pistons head coach Flip Saunders (Philip Saunders is incorrect) called out from the sideline, reminding Billups not to let frustration lead to individual struggles.
Hearing this, Billups abandoned his one-on-one battle with Lin Feng and passed the ball inside. He realized that trying to beat the rookie Lin Feng individually was proving to be too difficult, almost impossible.
People had been captivated by Lin Feng's offensive highlights, often overlooking his strong defensive capabilities.
With Rasheed Wallace positioned in the paint, he once again looked to exploit his matchup against Bynum. This time, Wallace attempted a direct hook shot, but the basketball clanked off the rim.
Wallace quickly fought for the offensive rebound, intent on a second chance. But suddenly, a yellow jersey with the number 10 flashed into view, and Lin Feng swiftly snatched the rebound.
This was Lin Feng utilizing his "genius rebounding" skill. By simply observing the trajectory of the shot, Lin Feng could predict with remarkable accuracy whether the ball would go in and, if it missed, where and how it would bounce.
In this instance, Wallace's hook shot missed slightly to the left, and Lin Feng, already positioned on that side, reacted instantly. A hook shot in the paint typically results in a low rebound off the backboard, and Lin Feng anticipated this perfectly. With a quick move, he secured the ball.
"Lin! Great job!"
Lamar Odom was particularly impressed by Lin Feng's rebounding prowess. It often seemed as though Lin Feng was somehow cheating when it came to grabbing rebounds.
Odom couldn't fathom how Lin Feng consistently predicted the ball's trajectory and bounce with such accuracy. It was beyond the capabilities of a normal player. Even Dennis Rodman, a seven-time rebounding champion, didn't possess this seemingly supernatural predictive ability.
"Kobe, catch the ball!"
Lin Feng, having secured the rebound, immediately shouted to Kobe, who was already sprinting down the court.
This was a prime opportunity for a fast break. Kobe accelerated towards the Pistons' defensive end with full speed.
Lin Feng unleashed a long outlet pass, reminiscent of the telepathic connection between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
"Oh, my God!" exclaimed Albert. "A-Lin grabs the rebound over Wallace! He throws a long pass to Kobe! Kobe races towards the penalty area, and Tayshaun Prince desperately tries to get back on defense!"
"But it's no use! The Mamba has already taken flight! Oh my goodness, the Black Mamba executes an incredible dunk! He just threw down a between-the-legs dunk for us!"
"BANG!"
"Perfect teamwork! The Lakers are igniting at this moment! It's the A-Lin to Kobe connection once again! Mamba bares his iconic bloodthirsty fangs! He's unleashing his frustration from losing to the Pistons two years ago and missing out on that fourth championship!"
Kobe landed smoothly, his signature intense, almost predatory expression etched on his face. This was a look that often accompanied his clutch plays and game-winners.
"Lin! Good pass!"
Kobe ran back towards the Lakers' side, offering Raymond Lam a high-five in celebration.
Rasheed Wallace looked visibly frustrated. He had been thoroughly embarrassed. After his pre-game dismissals of Lin Feng, the rookie had just snatched a rebound right over his head.
"Fuck!"
Wallace cursed under his breath, his beard seemingly bristling with anger.
"Pay attention to this Chinese kid. He is very weird. Rebounding and defense are his strengths," Chauncey Billups said quietly as he walked up to Wallace.
"Chauncey, we can only win this game; we cannot lose! If we lose, our shame will be broadcast to the world, you know what I mean," Rasheed Wallace growled in a low voice.
The game continued, with both teams maintaining their oppressive defensive intensity.
From the moment the ball was inbounded at the center circle, Lin Feng stuck closely to Chauncey Billups. This was a deliberate strategy devised by Lin Feng himself.
His goal was to exhaust Billups' physical stamina. In terms of sheer physical endurance, no NBA player possessed a deeper tank than Lin Feng.
His physical fitness rating was an astonishing 110, while the average NBA player hovered around 85. Even a physical specimen like Kobe maxed out at around 95.
Lin Feng's exceptional endurance, rated at 110, was largely attributed to his "Sakuragi Hanamichi" persona, a character known for his boundless energy on the basketball court.
Lin Feng employed this relentless pressure defense against Chauncey Billups, and it began to take its toll.
After ten grueling minutes of the first quarter, Chauncey Billups was already drenched in sweat. He glanced over at Lin Feng, only to be astonished to see not a single bead of perspiration on the Asian rookie's face.
He even had the unsettling feeling that Lin Feng wasn't even tired.
This was full-court pressure and suffocating defense, and Lin Feng showed no signs of fatigue?
Was this Asian kid some kind of monster?
Where did his seemingly bottomless well of energy come from?
At that moment, a flurry of bewildered questions swirled through Billups' mind.