The timeout came back quickly, and the game had reached the last two minutes. The Timberwolves served directly from the frontline.
At the final moment of the decisive battle, the five tigers on the Timberwolves field are:
Lin Fei, Madman, Sizebiak, Wolf King and Olowokandi.
The five players on the Lakers side are:
Fisher, Kobe, Devin George, Walton, O'Neal.
Flip Saunders has increased the height of the inside line, obviously to achieve higher quality in the elevator door cover tactic.
Even though Lin Fei has hit 6 three-pointers tonight, he had basically no playing time in the fourth quarter of the decisive game, and he had no chance to shoot.
A foul and a steal also directly led to the Timberwolves' reversal by the Lakers.
Therefore, at the last moment, seeing the Timberwolves coach replaced Lin Fei again, the Lakers fans at home were not only not worried at all, but even became more excited.
"Being trailing by 5 points at the last minute, Flip Saunders still believes in Lin so much. Don't you know how the Timberwolves were reversed? Haha!"
"The undrafted rookie is still just an undrafted rookie. God has lent him the luck of scoring 13 three-pointers in two games. Now I'm afraid it will take his entire career to repay it!"
"Lin, who defended himself against thousands of people, actually got involved again? That's good, the game tonight is solid!"
"The Timberwolves only have a few screens. Our defense has figured it out a long time ago. As long as Lin can't catch the ball, he can't do anything! This is the limitation of players without the ball!"
"The Timberwolves are counting on an undrafted player to save the team at the last moment. They are not worthy of playing in the finals!"
"Hurry up and end this damn 100 seconds. I want to watch the Western Conference champion award!"
Just when the fans of the Lakers at home were complacent and determined that there would be no more suspense in the game,
What happened in the next 10 seconds on the court was a slap in the face to everyone.
"Whoosh!"
Szebiak served the ball to the "Madman" on the left high post from the sideline, and then quickly ran to the left corner, driving away Devin George and stretching the offensive space.
At this time, the Wolf King mentioned the top position of the arc and provided a screen for "Madman", allowing "Madman" to hold the ball from near the 45-degree three-point line on the left to a 30-degree angle on the right, attracting Kobe to pursue him.
at the same time,
Lin Fei, who was originally on the right side of the "Madman" at the 30-degree three-point line, quickly cut towards the basket, with Fisher chasing after him.
At this time, the Wolf King and Olowokandi have been pulled to both sides of the top of the arc, and O'Neal and Luke Walton have also been restrained outside the penalty area.
O'Neal switched to guard the Wolf King, and Luke Walton let Olowokandi, who had no high post threat, a few meters to solidify the switch defense under the basket.
Lin Fei's cut to the basket attracted the attention of Fisher and Luke Walton at the same time, cutting off the "Madman" passing line.
"Whoosh!"
Lin Fei, who had reached the basket, suddenly stopped and ran back. Like a boomerang, he threw Fisher away and went straight to the top of the key. In one stride, he passed one meter between the two big men, Wolf King and Olowokandi. It slipped through the wide gap.
The moment Lin Fei passed through and reached the top of the arc, Wolf King and Olowokandi quickly approached and closed the elevator door.
Two tall bodies blocked Fisher, O'Neal and Luke Walton, who were chasing after him, from the elevator.
"Whoosh!"
The "Madman" in the high post on the right was already ready to pass the ball to the top of the arc. He made a breakthrough in real time and feinted to confuse Kobe. The fake breakthrough passed and the ball quickly flew out from his left hand.
At this time, Lin Fei caught the ball one step outside the three-point line at the top of the arc. Relying on the barrier of his two inside teammates, with only the basket in his cold eyes, he pulled up and shot.
At this moment, Lin Fei's heart was cold and his blood was also cold.
Only it feels hot to the touch.
Whoosh!
O'Neal and Fisher, who came around from both sides of the elevator door at the same time, were still a step too late after all. They could only watch the basketball flying out of Lin Fei's fingertips, turning into a Buddha's light and heading towards Huanglong.
"Uh-huh!"
the seventh.
Timberwolves (86): (88) Lakers.
Lin Fei's three-pointer allowed the Timberwolves to quickly catch up to only 2 points.
On the timer, there is still 1 minute and 30 seconds left before the end of the game.
The Timberwolves' attack ranged from serving to running to two key screens. The five players on the field performed their duties and perfectly executed the coach's tactical arrangements.
Szebiak's squat in the bottom corner opened up space, the strong elevator doors of Wolf King and Olowokandi provided cover, and "Madman" assisted with the ball.
Coupled with the fact that Lin Fei unsheathed his sharp blade and sealed his throat with a sword at the last moment,
It only took a short 10 seconds in total.
Falling behind by 5 points in 100 seconds, it is not easy to make a comeback.
But they were only 2 points behind in 90 seconds, and the suspense of the game's outcome instantly returned.
The three Lakers players who were blocked by the elevator door in the high position in the middle were staring with big eyes and small eyes, with expressions of astonishment and shock on their faces.
"Zen Master" Phil Jackson on the sidelines also frowned. The Timberwolves' closed-door double-cover tactic really surprised him.
On the Timberwolves side, head coach Flip Saunders clenched his fists excitedly and shouted to the players on the field to quickly return to defense.
Originally, in this defensive round, the most appropriate way was to create a dead ball to replace Lin Fei, otherwise he would inevitably encounter the Lakers' offensive attack.
However, in the last 2 minutes of the game, players without the ball cannot be hacked, otherwise they will be sentenced to one penalty and one throw, and Flip Saunders only has the last 20 seconds in hand for a short timeout.
So Sanders made a dangerous move and did not replace Lin Fei, but deployed new tactics on defense.
In this way, if there is an opportunity to switch offenses, Lin Fei's fiery touch can be better continued.
Kobe was not affected by Lin Fei's three-pointer. He knew that the Lakers still had a two-point advantage. If he stabilized the rhythm and made this key attack, victory was in sight.
After coming to the frontcourt and Fisher's screen, Kobe misplaced the ball and then looked for Lin Fei. Lin Fei retreated very far and did not give the opponent a chance to foul.
Szebiak decisively let go of rookie Luke Walton and switched defense immediately.
At this time, Luke Walton was almost in the same position where he hit the two-pointer last time, another wide open space.
But Kobe did not choose to pass the ball. At the critical moment, he had to step forward.
"Whoosh!"
Taking advantage of the gap between Lin Fei retreating and Szebiak changing defense, Kobe held the ball and accelerated his breakthrough, passing directly between the two. Facing the Wolf King who was decisively defending, he took the lever in the air and changed hands, making a difficult rebound shot.
The Wolf King put his left hand on Kobe's shoulder when he was blocking the shot. There was obvious suspicion of foul play, but the referee chose to ignore it at the last moment.
The ball circled the basket twice and finally fell out.
"Snapped!"
O'Neal flew up to grab the rebound, and after landing, he took off a second time and delivered a shark dunk.
Olowokandi, who was behind him, rushed up quickly and gave O'Neal a hard push regardless.
"Beep!"
O'Neal lost his balance in the air, and the basketball flew out of his hand. After landing, he staggered and fell into the audience outside the baseline.
"boom!"
Two Lakers fans sitting in the front row of the baseline were crushed by O'Neal's huge body and almost died.
The angry Kobe didn't take care of O'Neal immediately. He knew that this guy was rough-skinned and had nothing to do with him.
Instead, he rushed to the referee Stephen Jiawei and complained that the Wolf King had just beaten him, and Olowokandi should be given a first-level flagrant foul for pushing the person behind him.
But Stephen Jiawei went his own way, ignored Kobe, and insisted on giving Olowokandi a common foul.
Fisher rushed up and stopped Kobe to avoid a technical foul.
The Lakers fans at home booed and shouted black whistles and black whistles.
Although this is the home court of the Los Angeles Lakers, from the perspective of the overall interests of the NBA, it is naturally preferable that this round of Western Conference Finals can reach a tiebreaker.
At that time, the attention of the tiebreaker will inevitably increase.
O'Neal quickly stood up from the front row with the support of his teammates. He did not complain too much like Kobe, but when he walked to the free throw line,
Olowokandi, who had just pushed him, mocked: "How come the gap between the top pick and the top pick is so big?"
Olowokandi: "...TMD, shrimp and pig heart!"
"Uh-huh!"
"Clang!"
O'Neal on the free throw line was still solid and made one of two free throws.
"Snapped!"
The rebound was taken by the Timberwolves, who had an absolute height advantage, and the Wolf King quickly gave the ball to the "Madman" to advance.
At this time, Lin Fei had already run to the frontcourt in advance, but Fisher, who was gritting his teeth, was chasing after him like a cowhide plaster.
Other Lakers players also retreated quickly.
Szebiak and Lin Fei provided a cross-cover in the middle, and Wolf King and Olowokandi quickly positioned themselves near the high axis area on the left.
This was a slanted double elevator door. Lin Fei quickly passed between the two people, shook off Fisher, and reached the 30-degree three-point line on the left.
Fisher was chasing too fast and still didn't react. He hit the Wolf King and Olowokandi hard again, with a confused look on his face.
O'Neal didn't think much, and quickly took long strides and rushed forward to delay Lin Fei.
At this time, Kobe was also blocking the position between "Madman" and Lin Fei at the top of the arc, hindering his passing vision.
But the "Madman"'s eyes lit up in the next second, and he threw the basketball in his hand high towards the basket.
After covering the elevator door, the Wolf King seized the empty opportunity under the basket, decisively passed down the line, received the pass from the "Madman", and leaped up for an alley-oop dunk.
"Boom!"
This is also part of the elevator door screening tactic. If Lin Fei fails to receive the ball at the first opportunity, positions 4/5 can take advantage of the misalignment to make an air cut to catch the ball and dunk.
"Madman" has long been prepared to pass the ball with both hands, so he is naturally prepared.
Timberwolves (88): (89) Lakers.
After a wave of 5:1, the point difference was quickly caught up to only 1 point.
On the timer, there are 0 minutes and 46 seconds left before the end of the final quarter.
"Zen Master" quickly stood up and called a long pause to prepare the next key attack.
Lin Fei, Wolf King, "Madman", Sizebiak and Olowokandi came off the field and high-fived each other, united as one.
The Timberwolves regained hope of reversal.
With the Timberwolves' two offensive points just now, Lin Fei is undoubtedly the team's leading soul.
Just like Curry, the peak warrior in later generations, tonight's "Lin Yougravity" is quietly playing a huge role.
"Defend Trenton Hassell this time, replace Lin!"
"Lin, keep fighting. You will still be the protagonist of the team in the next offensive round!"
Phillip Sanders was fortunate that "Zen Master" called a timeout for him, otherwise he would have been unable to survive a 20-second timeout.
