chsdbacks Chapter 435 The First Battle of the Finals! A Top-Tier Showdown of Disappointing Players!
Chapter 435 The First Battle of the Finals! A Top-Tier Showdown of Disappointing Players!
"This Russian has already been selected to the NBA's All-Defensive Second Team this year. He's averaging 1.6 steals and 1.9 blocks per game this season—an absolutely outstanding defender! Furthermore, he's practically unstoppable on the defensive end!"
"Whether it's defending a top-tier perimeter scorer one-on-one, helping out in the paint to protect the rim and block shots, or going toe-to-toe with an opponent's post-up forward, he can do it all!"
"Aside from not being able to defend heavyweight centers, he excels at dealing with all types of offensive players! I think he'll most likely be matched up against Michael. Michael, be careful! If necessary, run more pick-and-rolls with Chris; there's no need to go toe-to-toe with him!"
"Besides his defense, Kirilenko's offense has also improved significantly this year. Since joining the Lakers, his three-point shooting percentage has increased from 25% last year to 34% this year, averaging 0.9 three-pointers per game. Although it's not many, we must be careful!"
"Also, we need to be wary of his cuts and catch-and-shoot jumpers. While his ball-handling skills are average on offense, his basketball IQ is extremely high. He'll appear from all areas, suddenly receive the ball, and finish the attack! An excellent assassin-type killer!"
"Then there's their starting point guard, Derek Fisher, who seems to be the biggest weakness in the Lakers' starting five. Well, actually he really is the biggest flaw in this Lakers lineup."
"His defense is terrible, his playmaking ability is nothing like a point guard's, he's not fast, his penetration ability is mediocre, he's not good at finishing at the rim or pulling up for a jump shot, and he can't run pick-and-rolls at all. This guy is a pure role player!"
"His field goal percentage in this year's playoffs was only 37%, but what I'm saying is, on offense, we can relentlessly attack him, relentlessly attack him! As long as he's on one-on-one defense, anyone can choose to take a shot, no problem!"
"But we can't let our guard down on defense either. We absolutely cannot give him open shots! It's true that his field goal percentage is only 37%, but his three-point percentage is a whopping 51%! And he makes two three-pointers every game!"
"He is the Lakers' true number one scorer and number one three-point shooter. In terms of both quality and quantity, he's the best on the Lakers! Don't give him any opportunities to shoot threes; don't let him get an easy three-pointer, not even one!"
"If we can do that, then on the court, we'll practically be playing 5 against 4! Do you understand what I mean?"
"Understood, Coach! My role on the defensive end is minimal, so I'll keep him pinned down and then finish him off!" Lin Tian stood up and said, "I don't care how many three-pointers he makes in each game of the first three rounds of the series, or what his shooting percentage is."
"But with me, I'll completely cripple him, so he can't do anything on the court except shoot bricks!"
"Very good! So, apart from the five starters, the Lakers' bench players, while not particularly outstanding or exceptionally strong, should definitely not be underestimated!"
"Bryan Shaw, Robert Horry, Rick Fox, these guys may not have the ability to score 20 points in a game, but they have been with the Lakers for many years. When we first met in 00, these guys were already with the Lakers."
"They have perfect teamwork, they're incredibly experienced, they've seen it all, and when it comes to crucial moments, these guys are all rock solid!"
"More importantly, these guys haven't won much; they've been losing constantly, always losing to us! I even think that if it weren't for our team, they could have been a dynasty team!"
"Therefore, we cannot underestimate their hunger for victory, nor can we underestimate their desire for the championship! They will give it their all, and they will give everything for the championship!"
"So, what about us?"
"Kill them!"
"Beat them to a pulp!"
"Let them know who's in charge!"
"Beat them until they're crawling on the ground, teeth knocking!"
"Send them to meet God!"
"They were beaten so badly they cried all summer!"
The players stood up one after another, waving and roaring; they were ready!
Lin Tian was the last to stand up. He turned around, stood on the stool, and addressed everyone: "We are a dynasty team! And they are, at best, the greatest footnote on our dynasty's path! Nothing more!"
"Five, ten, or twenty years from now, when we look back on this most glorious moment, I hope that we can all stand tall and proud, and say this to our family, friends, cameras, fans, and reporters."
"We've never lost!"
"Never lost a single time!"
"We will not lose!"
"Kill the Los Angeles people!"
"Dynasty! Dynasty! Dynasty! Dynasty!"
"Dynasty! Dynasty! Dynasty! Dynasty!"
"Dynasty! Dynasty! Dynasty! Dynasty!"
The players roared with excitement, and their morale reached its peak!
The same thing, a similar plot, naturally happened in the Lakers' meeting room. Provoked by Phil Jackson, the seasoned old fox, the entire Lakers team's eyes were now bloodshot.
Those weren't tears; they were the pupils of a wild beast!
As Carlisle said, this Lakers team has really had enough of losing!
They don't want to lose again!
Just now, Jackson's words ignited the passion of these Lakers players.
"The greatest rival of dynasty teams!"
Who the hell wants to be the greatest rival of a dynasty team?
We will build a dynasty!
We are the true dynasty team!
At the very least, before the match even started, both teams had already reached their peak in terms of fighting spirit and atmosphere.
The final battle is just around the corner!
At 7:30 p.m., Conseco Arena, as always, gave the Lakers players the loudest boos, while the Pacers players received the wildest cheers!
The starting players from both sides lined up on either side of the court. This time, there was no greeting or joke between them. Even natural comedians like O'Neal and Lin Tian remained absolutely silent at this moment.
The final battle is about to begin!
"Tonight, neither side changed their starting lineup! In such an extreme match, neither side really needs to make any proactive changes! Just use the lineup that you are most familiar with and best at!" It was still TNT, and it was still Barkley, who continued his analysis.
Kenny added, "Yes, the Pacers have once again benched Arenas, who performed well in the Eastern Conference Finals. They're prioritizing stability in the Finals! It's far too early for them to make changes! From this perspective, this game is a trial for both sides!"
"But I don't think this probing will last long. Perhaps at halftime, or even within a quarter, both coaches will make adjustments based on the situation on the court! Let's see how these two teams perform in the first stage of the competition!"
"How much?" Stern sat in his office, waiting for his subordinates' report.
"2200 million! And it's still rising. The average viewership for this match is estimated to reach around 2500 million!"
Stern nodded without saying anything more.
As expected of the Lakers and Pacers! As expected of the OK combination and Lin Tian + Jordan.
In the history of the NBA Finals, there have been games with viewership ratings exceeding 22 million or 25 million, but those games were either Game 7s, Game 5s, or other crucial battles.
This is truly unprecedented – the first time an exhibition has attracted over 2000 million visitors in its very first day!
This is an auspicious sign, a sign of great fortune!
Stern has high expectations for this series!
It would be best to give him seven more games! Ideally, Jordan would hit a game-winning shot and then retire perfectly!
"Beep beep!"
On the court, the referee blew the whistle to start the game and then threw the basketball into the air.
Ben Wallace and Shaquille O'Neal jumped at the same time, but the outcome was not in doubt. O'Neal easily got the first possession for the Lakers, and the Lakers began their attack!
Fisher knew his own level and what he needed to do tonight. The moment he got the ball, he passed it to Kobe, then quickly moved to the corner, waiting to shoot a three-pointer.
There was no other way; Lin Tian couldn't just let this guy, who had a 50% shooting percentage in the playoffs, go to the corner to prevent him from taking a three-pointer.
In the first possession, Kobe didn't rush to go one-on-one with Jordan, but waited until O'Neal was in position before passing the ball to him.
O'Neal positioned himself low on Ben Wallace, tested Wallace's strength briefly, then suddenly unleashed his power, pushing him with his shoulder and then turning his feet, instantly swatting Wallace behind him, leaping high to complete a two-handed dunk!
Ben Wallace knows his moves inside and out. They've been matched up against each other in so many series, how could he not know them?
The problem is, while you may understand it, you really can't prevent it!
O'Neal's moves were incredibly fast!
His footwork and speed under the basket are far more terrifying than his physique suggests!
"It's okay, Ben, don't rush, we'll get back at you!" Lin Tian comforted Ben, took the ball from the baseline, and started advancing towards the frontcourt.
"Aren't you going to go and face off against your idol? This might be your last chance." Lin Tian wasn't surprised to see Kobe come to defend him.
After all, unless Jackson is stupid, he would never let Fisher guard him. In fact, he would not only not let Fisher defend him, but he would also make Fisher stay as far away as possible and never have any matchup with Lin Tian.
It's best if the two of them don't even make eye contact! That's the safest way.
"There will be plenty of opportunities." Kobe lowered his center of gravity, focused intently, arms outstretched, carefully defending Lin Tian. Although he was speaking, he wasn't distracted at all: "This series is far from over!"
"And we'll beat you all this year. After that, Michael definitely won't be willing to retire; he'll play for another year! At that time, we'll have plenty of opportunities to match up against him!"
"Kill us? By what right? By you? By that fat Shaq or that mercenary who's dead and has nowhere to be buried? Kill us? You're not worthy!"
Lin Tian's sarcastic words had barely left his mouth when the basketball in his hand began to move rapidly. He quickly changed direction and dribbled the ball repeatedly, then accelerated forcefully, squeezing past Kobe's side!
In the past two years, Lin Tian's dribbling skills have become increasingly simple and brutal!
He used those fancy crossovers, between-the-legs moves, and various other techniques less and less in recent years.
It's all about accelerating and driving hard, maybe adding a crossover or a between-the-legs dribble at most!
There's no way around it, Lin Tian's speed is just too fast right now!
Especially after his dribbling ability reached S+, perfectly matching his speed, his crossovers became so fast that people couldn't even see them clearly!
He simply wouldn't bother using those fancy moves unless his opponent had offended him or had a deep grudge against him!
For example, when facing Kobe, Lin Tian could easily get past him in one move!
Then, in the blink of an eye, Lin Tian broke into the heart of the Lakers' defense and arrived at the edge of the three-second zone. As he drove from the three-point line to this point, Lin Tian's eyes never stopped. After looking around, he found that the Lakers had almost no help defense!
Everyone just kept their own man in check, except for O'Neal in the paint who stepped up half a step to protect the rim and act as the last line of defense. The rest of the players remained motionless!
Once again, Jackson chose Lin Tian's bottle from among many bottles of poison!
He chose to let Lin Tian attack on his own, cutting off his connection with his teammates and preventing him from passing the ball.
Lin Tian was prepared for Jackson's choice. Facing O'Neal who came up to defend, Lin Tian took a step up and then rose vertically. He pushed the basketball out with one hand, making a skillful floater. The basketball passed over O'Neal's palm and accurately hit the basket!
"Whoosh!"
2: 2!
In the first offensive play, both sides brought out their signature moves and special techniques: O'Neal's low-post isolation and Lin Tian's lightning-fast breakthrough!
These two attacks also show that neither side had any intention of testing the waters; they started by using their best moves and then went all out to smash each other!
A test?
In this kind of competition, if you try to probe the opponent but they don't, you'll get riddled with holes in no time!
Let's give it our all!
Kobe once again replaced Fisher, dribbling the ball up the court. This time, instead of looking for O'Neal, he took the initiative to have Malone come up and run a pick-and-roll with him, blocking Jordan to the side. Then Kobe dribbled to the vicinity of the free-throw line, attracting two Pacers defenders.
Then Kobe tapped the ball on the floor with one hand, and the basketball immediately came into Malone's hands.
Malone received the ball in his preferred mid-range position, aimed, and then pulled up for a shot!
He scored at least 15000 points in this position, which is his favorite scoring area!
"Bang!"
But then came a muffled thud, the basketball bounced off the rim, and Ben Wallace, who was holding the position, didn't jump to grab the ball. Instead, he held O'Neal firmly behind him, preventing the giant from grabbing the rebound. As for the rebound, it was quickly recovered and grabbed by Christie.
A very safe and selfless approach that doesn't generate any data for yourself.
Christie then dribbled forward, but his advance was not smooth this time, and AK47 came looking for him!
Kirilenko's terrifyingly long arms were fully extended, blocking Christie's fast advance and passing angle. Christie, whose basic skills and dribbling were not top-notch, immediately slowed down and dared not accelerate forcibly. He chose to protect the ball instead of blindly rushing forward.
Then he passed the ball to Lin Tian, who was rapidly retreating to receive it.
"Well done, Doug! That's how it is tonight. No mistakes are much better than a reckless drive!" The team missed a fast break opportunity, but Lin Tian didn't seem to care and continued to dribble forward with ease.
After arriving at the frontcourt, Lin Tian chose to pass the ball to Jordan in the low post. At this moment, the person guarding Jordan behind him had changed to Kirilenko. During Lin Tian's advance, Kirilenko quickly switched with Fisher to defend him.
This is arguably the Lakers' biggest defensive problem: how to hide Fisher to prevent him from being targeted by the Pacers.
Facing Kirilenko, who was tall, had a long wingspan, and was almost terrifyingly big, Jordan suddenly rammed into Kirilenko after a series of probing moves in the low post. Then he quickly turned around and stepped back, releasing his signature fadeaway jump shot!
Kirilenko's defensive coverage was truly exaggerated. Even though Jordan's fadeaway was already quite large, he was still almost blocked by Kirilenko! If Jordan hadn't reacted quickly enough and adjusted his shooting angle and arc in time, he would have been blocked on his very first offensive possession!
But that's all!
"Bang!"
Although the shot wasn't blocked, the impromptu change in shooting technique still caused the ball to bounce off the rim, resulting in a missed shot.
O'Neal successfully secured the rebound this time, then passed the ball to Kobe again, and the Lakers began their counterattack!
After arriving at the frontcourt, Kobe fully took on the role of point guard. He didn't rush to attack, but watched his teammates' movements. After Kirilenko and Malone made a beautiful off-ball screen and created space for Kirilenko, Kobe didn't hesitate at all and passed the ball!
"Bang!"
Unfortunately, Kirilenko, who received the ball in the mid-range, also failed to score his first goal!
This time, Webber grabbed the rebound. Unlike Christie, Webber didn't have the composure to get the ball. He glanced at the court and then made a long pass. But before the ball could fly out of the three-point line, Kobe, who was prepared, jumped high and slapped the ball out of bounds.
Although Kobe failed to steal the ball, he did stop the Pacers' fast break, forcing them to stop and play a more structured half-court game.
"They're really well prepared." Webber walked to the sideline and passed the ball to Lin Tian, saying, "It looks like it'll be difficult to launch a fast break tonight."
"Let's take it one ball at a time! What's there to be afraid of? Whether it's a set play or a transition, we're invincible!" Lin Tian patted Webber's butt and started pushing forward again!
This time, Lin Tian called a screen at the top of the arc again. He and Webber set a screen and opened up the space. Just as Lin Tian was about to pass the ball to Webber who was cutting down, the Lakers' defense was incredibly effective. Malone spread his arms and kept interfering, preventing Lin Tian from having a suitable passing angle.
At the same time, Kobe quickly moved forward and stuck close to Lin Tian, preventing Lin Tian from having a direct shot.
"You're really on guard today." Seeing their teamwork fail, Lin Tian immediately bent down and said with a smile, "If you won't let me coordinate, then I'll just have to blow you out of the water!"
"Try it!" Kobe took a slight step back this time to avoid being blown away by Lin Tian's terrifying speed. But this time, Lin Tian saw the opening created by Kobe's retreat and made a powerful shot as if to advance forward. But then he took a step back and stopped to shoot a three-pointer!
But Lin Tian somewhat underestimated Kobe's foot speed. The guy actually took a quick step forward and then jumped up to block the shot.
No, he didn't reach for the basketball in Lin Tian's hand, but instead blocked Lin Tian's eyes!
Use blindfold defense!
When did Kobe, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, learn such dirty tricks?
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, Lin Tian's three-pointer unfortunately missed!
Meanwhile, Kobe had already started sprinting and rushed towards the frontcourt.
Without hesitation, Malone, who had grabbed the rebound, glanced around and quickly passed the ball to Kobe, who was making a run down the court.
Kobe had the ball in the frontcourt and faced Lin Tian's defense one-on-one. Lin Tian used a series of crossover dribble fakes to try to shake off Lin Tian's balance, but his efforts were unsuccessful.
Ultimately, Kobe didn't choose to force his way to the basket. Instead, he dribbled in and out with one hand, then pulled up for a pull-up jumper.
"Snapped!"
But just as Kobe took a shot, Lin Tian, as if he had already anticipated his shot, reached out and swatted the ball away. Then, he dribbled the ball and launched another counterattack towards the frontcourt!
This time, Lin Tian saw Christie and Webber making an off-ball screen play from a distance. So Lin Tian quickly passed the ball to Christie, who was left open outside the three-point line.
Christie received the ball and didn't hesitate, decisively pulling up and shooting!
"Bang!"
Unexpectedly, with a wave of his hand, another piece of refined iron was created!
After O'Neal secured the rebound once again, seeing Kobe still near the mid-court line, he passed the ball directly with one hand, intending to help Kobe complete another fast break. However, this time the Lakers' ball also failed to fly beyond the three-point line!
This time, it was Jordan who jumped up to intercept and blocked the ball out of bounds!
"Go and inbound the ball properly! You want to play fast break? Dream on!" After disrupting the Lakers' play, Jordan trash-talked as he quickly retreated on defense.
"Both sides were incredibly stubborn in this match!"
After Jordan's steal, Barkley couldn't help but speak his mind.
In the past few minutes, both sides played with incredible fluidity and a clear, fast-paced rhythm, displaying remarkable skill and finesse.
And every shot taken by both sides was basically what they wanted! Whether it was an open jump shot, Jordan's one-on-one, or anything else, it all fit the tactics, and the choice of shot was not forced at all.
If we ignore the results and only look at the choices made, then the performance of both sides on both offense and defense in the last few minutes would be 90 points!
But what if we add the result?
2: 2!
Apart from Lin Tian and O'Neal each scoring a single point in the first round, both sides missed shots in every other round!
The basketball just couldn't be successfully put into the basket; it kept bouncing off the rim.
This is related to the fact that both sides have put a lot of effort into the defense, but the bigger reason is still mysterious!
Hmm, it's metaphysics.
The opportunity arose, the shots were open, and they were all in their preferred shooting areas. Apart from Kirilenko, all the players who took the shots were top scorers in the league. But what was the result? Not a single one went in!
They didn't score at all, and the defensive intensity wasn't that high either. That's not some kind of magic, what the hell is it?
Hmm, that explains it all! It's just fate that makes it impossible for him to make the shot.
This mysterious phenomenon persisted until four minutes into the first quarter before it was finally broken!
Ben Wallace grabbed an offensive rebound under the basket and put the ball in with one hand, bringing the Pacers' score to twice that of the Lakers!
2: 4!
Then, the Lakers finally broke their scoring drought, using a method that was quite unconventional for them: O'Neal drew a foul under the basket and made both free throws!
4: 4!
After each side scored a basket, neither side could find a way to score. Who knows where the key to the locked basket went? Since the basket was locked and the key couldn't be found, what could they do?
Smash them! Smash them one after another until they're dead.
There will always be a time when you can break the lock.
Therefore, the following matches were still a visual and auditory feast.
Well, it's mainly about sound; the visual aspect is just so-so.
However, after both teams found themselves struggling to make shots, they made changes.
First, neither side pursued rapid attacks and transitions between offense and defense, because they could see how well each other defended against the other's first pass and fast counterattacks. In order to avoid unnecessary mistakes, both sides slowed down their pace and began to play a more structured, positional game.
At the same time, they naturally devoted more of their energy to defense.
It's worth noting that while the Lakers and Pacers are both touted as the most offensively potent and stylish teams in the league, and have the best playing style, both teams boast Ben Wallace, a true defensive ace.
Meanwhile, Lin Tian, Jordan, Kobe, Christie, Kirilenko, and O'Neal were all selected for the All-Defensive Team of the Year, the top defenders!
In addition, players like Malone, although they are getting older and their defensive ability is not as good as when they were young, still have experience, size and intimidation. When he goes all out to defend, he is still an excellent defender that should not be underestimated!
In other words, Fisher and Webber are the only two defensive liability in both teams' starting lineups.
As the game progressed, both teams began to relentlessly attack these two defensive weaknesses!
The Lakers passed the ball to Malone, instructing him to initiate the attack from the waist post, targeting Webber's defensive weakness. However, facing a desperate Webber, Malone missed several shots, regardless of whether he created space.
Full Iron!
On the Pacers' side, they initially let Christie score two goals against Fisher, but it didn't work well. Fisher even drew an offensive foul on Christie once, and the excited Christie sat on the floor and roared and pounded the ground.
"Bullying me? You want to beat me up one-on-one? Dream on!"
Seeing that their confidence was about to reach its peak by relying on defense to exploit these defensive weaknesses, both sides changed their tactics and stopped trying to exploit them so aggressively.
The Pacers started having Lin Tian and Christie set screens, with Lin Tian going to attack Fisher. But the rim seemed to be under a spell tonight. Lin Tian went one-on-one against Fisher three times, but only made one shot. The other two shots would normally be a sure thing, but tonight they just kept missing.
The Lakers also started using pick-and-rolls, allowing Kobe to use his momentum to attack Webber. However, Kobe's situation was similar. With Kobe's ability, he should have been able to beat Webber easily, but tonight he attacked Webber in three mismatches, only drawing a foul and going to the free-throw line once.
Although he made both free throws, his two other missed shots further illustrate one point.
Tonight, it's fate, the work of metaphysics.
Otherwise, it would be impossible for both sides to be shooting so hard and missing so many shots!
Clearly, everyone was using the correct playing style and the most reasonable offensive methods!
The two sides traded blows back and forth, with a flurry of missed shots interspersed with a few swishes as the first quarter quickly came to a close with one minute remaining.
9: 11!
The Lakers are currently down by 2 points.
The two sides were truly inseparable during this phase!
Whether it's the Lakers' OK plus Malone, or the Pacers' Lin Tian, Jordan and Webber, they really couldn't score, and it was difficult for them to put the ball in the basket.
In the final minute of the first quarter, both coaches began making extensive substitutions. For the Pacers, Arenas and Ginobili both came on as Carlisle tested their shooting touch.
Miller, who was in the paint, replaced Ben Wallace. His playmaking and shooting were able to help the team on the offensive end. The remaining two players were Lin Tian and Webber, who started the game.
For the Lakers, Fisher, Kirilenko, and O'Neal went to the bench to rest, while Kobe and Malone led Shaw, Fox, and Horry to face the Pacers!
I have to say, the starting lineups of both sides were so solid it was deafening, but when it came to the battle of the substitutes, the substitutes of both sides were on fire!
As soon as Ginobili entered the game, he made a serpentine breakthrough that left Shaw completely bewildered, driving to the basket and forcing a 2-pointer over Malone!
After being scored on by Ginobili, Shaw immediately received the ball outside the three-point line and made a three-pointer despite Ginobili's defense!
This was the first three-pointer of the night for both sides!
Now that we've got the first one, the second one won't be too far away!
Ten seconds later, Arenas dribbled the ball beyond the three-point line, used two crossovers to find his rhythm, and then pulled up for a three-pointer over Fox!
"Whoosh!"
After the substitute shooters on both sides hit three-pointers, Horry and Miller in the paint were not to be outdone. Horry made a layup after a cut, and Miller immediately responded with a high jump shot from the free-throw line!
After Miller made that shot, the score quickly became 14-18!
The Pacers are currently leading by 4 points!
In the past few dozen seconds, both sides have made 5 consecutive shots, which is already equal to the total number of shots made by both sides in the first 11 minutes of the first quarter!
In the entire first quarter, the two teams only made 10 shots!
Four seconds left in the first quarter!
Ma Long quickly reached the baseline, but he didn't rush to make a first pass. With his experience as a veteran, he knew that at this time, it was better to play steadily than to rush and make a mistake. Even if he didn't get a chance to shoot, it was better than giving the opponent a chance by making a mistake!
Tonight's game is destined to have a low score, so every point and every offensive possession is extremely important!
Malone's steady play cost the Lakers a fast break opportunity, but also prevented the Pacers from making a quick steal. After observing the situation, Malone noticed that Kobe was double-teamed and decisively passed the ball to Shaw, who was closest to him.
After receiving the ball, Xiao quickly turned around, dribbled forward two steps, and then jumped to try his hand at a long-range three-pointer.
But he had just jumped up, and before he could even release the ball, he was stunned. A dark figure that always appeared at this moment appeared in front of him!
Lin Tian jumped high to meet Xiao Gao, and what was even more surprising was that he did not block with one hand, but raised both hands at the same time, making a volleyball blocking motion!
"Snapped!"
With a muffled thud, it was as if Xiao had jumped up and passed the ball directly to Lin Tian. The basketball left his hand and landed in Lin Tian's hands.
After intercepting the attack in mid-air with both hands, Lin Tian landed without even bending his knees and immediately lifted himself up again.
He shot from a spot a good two meters away from the three-point line.
"Whoosh!"
A buzzer-beating three-pointer from way beyond the arc went in!
"Buzz!"
At the same time, the first quarter of the game officially ended! (End of Chapter)