Chapter 154: Miraculous

Chapter 165: Magical

"It's okay!" William Adams Miller was the first to run over and check on Su Feng.

"It's fine, but it's just so incomprehensible..." Grabbing William Adams Miller's arm, Su Feng pulled himself back up to his feet.

He didn't know if this was the reason he had fallen so hard. Su Feng had missed a free throw, only managing to sink one for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Robert Henry Carl's deliberate collision was completely intentional.

William Adams Miller turned his head to glare at the innocent-looking villain. What he hated most was someone starting trouble with Su Feng, a newcomer. After all, this was their home turf; to bully his brother right here in their own arena meant the opponent didn't respect them at all. Thus, the usually mild-mannered Spanish player also began to brood with a fierce intensity at that moment.

After a series of physical altercations, both teams remained fiercely focused on each other's goals. But the San Antonio Spurs, fueled by a stellar individual performance, had pulled ahead by five points.

This time, the opponents dared to drive into the painted area, drawing a foul.

The first free throw was sinking steadily. For the second free throw, whether by divine intervention or sheer luck, the ball circled the rim and genuinely bounced out.

William Adams Miller reacted instantly, extending his arms to grab the rebound. Robert Henry Carl followed closely behind the Spaniard, attempting to steal the ball.

As a result, William Adams Miller held the ball with both hands and twisted his torso, appearing to shield it. In reality, his elbow brushed against Robert Henry Carl's nose.

Unexpectedly, Robert Henry Carl dramatically collapsed to the floor, clutching his face with both hands. Originally, the referees hadn't seen anything, but with Robert Henry Carl's theatrical display, the officials immediately requested a video review at the monitor.

"Bullshit!" William Adams Miller initially thought Robert Henry Carl would tough it out like a man. Instead, that guy was nothing more than a cunning fox.

In truth, this wasn't entirely Robert Henry Carl's intention, as the contact from the elbow had genuinely caught him. He felt that if he didn't sell it, he would be at a disadvantage.

Through the video replay, the referees clearly saw William Adams Miller's elbow connect with Robert Henry Carl. Consequently, William Adams Miller was assessed a technical foul, and the San Antonio Spurs were awarded a free throw!

"What the hell? Now you see a foul? Why couldn't you see it a second ago?" The players could hardly contain their frustration, wanting to storm the court and confront the referee over the call. William Adams Miller tried to explain to the officials that it was unintentional, but the referees completely ignored him.

Just like that, the resulting free throw extended the scoring margin even further. Shortly after, the San Antonio Spurs had another opportunity to inbound the ball.

"Robert Henry Carl!" a teammate shouted in a rush.

William Adams Miller turned around and noticed his teammate pressing a hand to the floor, signaling everyone to stay calm!

However, when a basketball game reaches such a pitch, remaining calm is easier said than done. As the match progressed, physical contact between the two sides became increasingly frequent and fierce. The defensive strategy was working, but no one wanted to see their teammates being targeted.

During this stretch, Su Feng took countless hits to the body, though he certainly dealt out his fair share of hard fouls in return.

The escalating collisions severely disrupted the flow of the game. At the same time, it incited the fans on both sides in the stands to become increasingly hostile. In response, security personnel had to form a human barricade between the opposing fan sections.

The entire second quarter was spent amidst continuous skirmishes between the two teams. A flurry of aggressive plays left the Cleveland Cavaliers once again playing catch-up.

With just three seconds remaining before the end of the half, the score shifted to fifty to forty-four. Thanks to a relentless push, the San Antonio Spurs had built a six-point lead.

With those final three seconds on the clock, the San Antonio Spurs executed an inbound play from the baseline. Normally, the score shouldn't change significantly during the remaining ticks of a half-court possession.

However, a dramatic scene unfolded. The opposing guard barely crossed mid-court within the three-second window and immediately launched a shot.

Instead of a standard jump shot, the player deliberately drove straight into Su Feng before attempting the shot.

Unwilling to let a Chinese rookie get the better of him, and with tempers flaring intensely on both sides, the opposing player forced the issue.

Su Feng stood his ground in a fog of confusion. Before he even had time to process what had happened, he was knocked to the floor by the collision. The referee's whistle blew, and everyone assumed the foul would be called against the attacker.

However, when the referee signaled the decision to the scorer's table, boos erupted throughout the entire arena.

Are you certain? Or do you know nothing about the rules of basketball? Players threw their arms up in disbelief, shouting at the officials, though timely intervention prevented a technical foul for arguing.

Robert Henry Carl walked away with an innocent expression, completely ignoring the fact that he had knocked Su Feng to the floor. He acted as though nothing had happened at all.

The referees ruled a defensive foul on the play. The opposing player would step up to the free-throw line to attempt three shots.

A half-court desperation heave had turned into three free throws, and the shooter immediately leaped up in excitement.

As for Su Feng, the silent rookie fixed a fierce glare upon the officials...

"The referee called a shooting foul! That means three free throws!" Even veteran commentators expressed astonishment, throwing their hands up in disbelief. They had seen plenty of long-range buzzer-beaters before, but never one rewarded with shooting fouls under such circumstances.

In the stands, cheers and boos intertwined. The visiting fans cheered wildly, while the home crowd let out a barrage of the harshest obscenities imaginable directed at the officials.

Ignoring the jeers of the crowd, the referee signaled for the free throws to begin, moving into position under the basket to retrieve the ball.

Just as the referee walked past the basket, a dark figure suddenly blocked his path. Fortunately, the official reacted in time to avoid a collision.

Raising his head, the referee found Su Feng staring him down with blazing eyes.

"That defensive foul was completely fabricated!" Su Feng didn't yell, but his voice was chillingly cold. It was the kind of cold that sent a chill straight down the spine.

"Please step aside!" The referee had no intention of arguing with Su Feng. If a megastar had approached him, he might have entertained a conversation. But a rookie? He truly had no desire to waste time explaining calls to a newcomer.

"I said, didn't you see I was already standing my ground? That was an offensive charge!" Su Feng's voice grew louder. People often assumed the quiet Su Feng had no temper simply because they hadn't pushed him far enough. If Su Feng lacked a temper, he wouldn't have been expelled from his high school team for fighting a teammate.

"I'll say it again, please step aside!" Despite being shorter than Su Feng, the referee's presence remained firm.

"I demand you look at the replay..." Before Su Feng could finish his sentence, he was abruptly pulled back.

It was William Adams Miller. Noticing Su Feng confronting the official, he rushed over to separate them.

The referee raised his hand, preparing to signal a technical foul, but William Adams Miller intercepted the gesture.

"Hey, there's no need for a technical! You've already given us one. Don't add another," William Adams Miller pleaded, firmly gripping the referee's arm and refusing to let go for a long moment.

Given William Adams Miller's long-standing reputation in the league, the referee didn't want to completely alienate him, so he offered a slight nod.

"I'll give you this one, kid. But if there's a next time, I promise I won't hesitate to penalize him!" With that, the referee collected the ball and signaled the shooter to take his free throws.

Su Feng stood nearby, still seething with frustration, but William Adams Miller immediately walked over and patted him on the shoulder.

"That's just how it goes at this level. Basketball isn't always fair. Hey, relax. Let's get through halftime and regroup in the locker room."

Hearing William Adams Miller's words, Su Feng reluctantly stepped back into his designated position. Mature though he was on the court, he was still a young man at heart.

The opposing shooter didn't waste the "gift" provided by the official, sinking all three free throws. This sequence further widened the gap as the first half drew to a close.

With the score at fifty to forty-four, following the three free throws in the final seconds, the Cleveland Cavaliers trailed the defending champions by nine points heading into halftime.

"What do you think of that final foul call?" the broadcast analyst asked.

"It was a bang-bang play, but the referees aren't going to show any leniency there. With the physical contact escalating throughout the first half, I think the officials wanted to send a message to both teams to dial back the excessive roughness. It was purely about keeping control of the game."

The halftime discussion concluded as the teams headed to the locker rooms.

The San Antonio Spurs held a comfortable lead, needing only to maintain their momentum to put the game out of reach.

"And Robert Henry Carl is ready to orchestrate the offense—this is classic execution from their playbook. The pick-and-roll is coming!"

The two-man game between William Adams Miller and Su Feng was second nature by now. A screen successfully neutralized the initial defender, though the secondary defender stayed locked onto William Adams Miller. Guarding the veteran was the primary assignment; as for Su Feng driving into the paint, they would leave that to the rest of the defense.

Su Feng's acceleration was so explosive that the defense barely had time to react. The opposing center had no choice but to step up, raising his arms like a towering mountain to block the path.

Su Feng's driving lane was cut off, and his passing option to William Adams Miller was tightly contested. "Rookie mistake," the defender seemed to smirk. After all, a rookie was still a rookie.

However, Su Feng did not panic. Suddenly, he bounced the ball sharply against the floor. The pass threaded the needle, slipping right between the defender's legs.

The ball bounced back up precisely as intended, perfectly timed and placed. William Adams Miller, trailing right behind, didn't even need to break his stride or bend down. He simply extended his hands and easily gathered the pass.

"Oh! Look at that bounce pass! Even standing right in front of him, you couldn't stop it!" Su Feng's brilliant assist brought both the commentators and the crowd to their feet, shouting in admiration.

"Try to cut off the rookie's passing lanes and force him into mistakes! Forget about being the reigning defensive player of the year for a moment—out here, only the ones who fight the hardest win!" The coach delivered a fiery speech in the locker room, rallying his players before stepping back to let the veterans speak.

The senior players didn't waste time on empty words. Taking the floor, they immediately began firing up their teammates.

"You all heard the talk. We need to be ferocious and up the physical intensity. Their primary offense relies on jump shots. As long as we apply constant pressure, they'll struggle to find clean looks. Come on, we can do this!"

"Execution! Our execution was solid in the first half. Now, I want you to maintain that pressure. We need to lock down defensively. Defense is the most reliable way to win a playoff series."

As the second half prepared to tip off, neither team disappointed the fans. Both sides maintained a high level of intensity, making every single point hard-earned.

Early in the third quarter, Su Feng used a pump fake to deceive his defender and drove hard toward the paint.

At that moment, the defense collapsed inward, trying to cut off his path to the basket.

It looked like Su Feng was trapped.

However, just as he leaped into the air to attempt a shot, the defender slammed into him like a freight train. The heavy impact knocked Su Feng sprawling to the floor, and the ball rattled loose.

"Whistle!" The entire arena erupted in a chorus of boos. It was clearly a malicious foul!

Yet, the referees ruled it a common blocking foul. This decision instantly infuriated the home crowd, who showered the court with boos and jeers.

Heading into the player tunnel, the visiting team was visibly energized. They were eager to resume the game and put the game away for good.

In the home locker room, however, the mood was considerably more subdued.

The opposing star had been unstoppable, William Adams Miller had picked up a technical, and Su Feng had been victimized by questionable officiating right before the half. This series of events had left everyone feeling tight and frustrated.

Pacing back and forth across the locker room, a veteran scanned the faces of his teammates, remaining silent for a long moment.

The players kept their heads bowed, morale hovering near rock bottom.

"I mean..." the veteran finally broke the silence, stopping to look directly at his teammates. "Why are we looking so downcast? In truth, we didn't make catastrophic mistakes; the opponents just got away with a few lucky breaks..."

"Hey, brothers, our goal is the ultimate prize! Since the start of the postseason, nobody has given us any respect. Because everyone thinks we'll choke under pressure when it matters most."

"Are our players not strong enough, or is our tactical system flawed?"

"Neither. Our roster and our tactics are both top-tier."

"What we're lacking is spirit! We need that gritty attitude—the courage to look formidable opponents in the eye and say 'no,' the audacity to challenge every authority and defy all expectations. Frankly, what we lack is the heart of a champion."

"Right now, those bastards out there are probably laughing, thinking they've got this game in the bag. Let's go out there with relentless defense and show them we aren't going to roll over and hand them a victory!" A fist was driven into the air, and the oppressive atmosphere in the tunnel instantly shattered.

"The captain is right! We still have a whole half to play! They might have a double-digit lead, but why can't we close the gap?! Buckle up, get back on that court, and show them what we're made of! We beat them twice in the regular season; we can certainly do it again!" William Adams Miller stood up, his words igniting a fierce competitive fire in everyone's chest.

Su Feng, still smarting from the unjust calls at the end of the second quarter, felt his blood boil at the speeches. He clenched his fists tightly, ready to leave everything on the floor.

Outside the locker room tunnel, the arena staff could hear the muffled roars echoing from within, sounding even more intense than the noise of the crowd outside...

As the second half got underway, the visiting team indeed found scoring much tougher. A swift block right at the rim served as an immediate statement that the home team wasn't going to back down.

Following that defensive stand, the offense clicked into gear, sinking consecutive shots. Suddenly, the deficit narrowed, and the opposing fans fell silent in disbelief.

"Do you think the adjustments made at halftime are working?" on the bench, the coaching staff watched intently.

"I believe in them. There's plenty of time left," the coach replied calmly, stepping to the sideline.

Soon after, Su Feng used a burst of speed to shake his defender along the baseline, pulling up for a mid-range jumper. Though the shot rimmed out, the offensive intensity remained sky-high.

As the third quarter wound down, neither team was giving an inch, the physical battle grinding on relentlessly.

"Hey! Slow down, don't rush! Let's execute the plays and tear their defense apart!" William Adams Miller called out to his teammates as they fought for positioning under the basket.

Watching the sequence unfold, the coach felt a surge of relief. There had been fears that the team might crumble under pressure as they had in past seasons. But today, it was clear this squad wasn't going to break!

"Steady, stay steady! We've got time, work the clock!" Su Feng orchestrated the offense near the top of the key, shouting instructions to keep everyone organized.

Nobody wanted to lose. Every single player on the court refused to back down. They weren't intimidated by the deficit, nor by the opponent's star power. Right now, they only had one objective: to fight their way back and claim victory!

Controlling the ball outside the arc, Su Feng did not hesitate, lofting a high pass into the paint.

The big men battled fiercely for position underneath, the defense scrambling to rotate and cover the passing lanes.

Rather than forcing a tough shot, the team patiently cycled the ball, working to create an opening.

Even when the defense tightened up, denying easy looks, the ball movement remained crisp, probing for weaknesses in the championship-caliber defense.

Su Feng scanned the floor, spotted an opening, and cut toward the basket, setting an off-ball screen to free up a teammate.

The battle raged on, every possession a war of attrition, writing another chapter in an unforgettable playoff classic.