Chapter 167 Knocked Out Dampier! Is Being Abused by Jiang Chen a Way to Become Famous?
"Roar!"
With a roar, Dampier's expression contorted into a ferocious mask. He leaped towards Jiang Chen, who was soaring through the air, his arms raised in a desperate embrace, as if attempting to drag Jiang Chen down with him.
The two collided violently mid-air, both experiencing sharp, searing pain.
Compared to Jiang Chen, Dampier's height was significantly less, barely reaching Jiang Chen's jawline.
He clutched Jiang Chen's arms with both hands, trying to pull him off course.
However, the immense inertia generated by Jiang Chen's powerful ascent was overwhelming.
Fueled by the dual prowess of [Atsushi Murasakibara's physical talent] + [Kagami Taiga's physical talent], Jiang Chen's body was like a tank hurtling through the air, generating unimaginable force.
Despite Dampier's desperate hold, Jiang Chen continued to glide forward a short distance.
Although still some way from the basket, it was just enough to unleash the skill [Kagami Taiga Meteor Dunk].
He thrust the basketball high above him and simultaneously exerted every ounce of strength to descend.
This force instantly caused Dampier to lose his balance, sending him flying backward like a kite with a severed string.
Boom!
He crashed heavily to the ground, like a multi-hundred-pound rhinoceros, causing the entire court to shudder.
Jiang Chen also landed heavily, but he didn't fall. Instead, he planted both feet firmly, momentarily squatted, and then explosively sprang back up, completely dissipating the energy from the dunk and Dampier's desperate pull.
At the same instant, the basketball plummeted into the basket like a meteor streaking across the sky.
The net rippled violently.
Even before Jiang Chen's hands touched the rim, the hoop was visibly shaking, a testament to the sheer power imbued in the basketball by the [Kagami Taiga Meteor Dunk].
At this moment, the entire arena was deathly silent.
Every spectator in the stadium seemed to have forgotten how to breathe.
Even the three referees on the court stood frozen, momentarily forgetting to blow their whistles.
Finally, it was the seasoned professional referee, his reflexes honed by years of experience, who broke the spell and blew his whistle.
Simultaneously, he signaled that Jiang Chen's basket counted and upgraded Dampier's foul to a flagrant foul two, resulting in his immediate ejection from the game.
The sound of the whistle seemed to jolt the entire audience back to life, like water in a kettle reaching a boiling point.
"Oh my God! What just happened? Jiang Chen dunked over Dampier again! It was absolutely incredible!"
"That's the most electrifying dunk I've witnessed in my twenty-plus years as a fan! Bar none!"
"Is this Chinese player even human? What kind of physical attributes does he possess? He literally threw Dampier aside!"
"In this game, this Chinese player has single-handedly dismantled the Mavericks' basket!"
The fans erupted in a cacophony of excited chatter, their adrenaline surging.
"What can I even say? I'm at a loss for words to adequately praise Jiang Chen's performance."
Mike Breen sighed softly, as if deliberately trying to contain his overwhelming excitement.
Then, he let loose, "I swear, that was unequivocally the most explosive dunk I have ever seen, even more thrilling than any dunk contest! I now strongly urge the league to invite Jiang Chen to this year's dunk contest; otherwise, it will be utterly dull in comparison."
"First there was Howard, and now there's Dampier. Jiang Chen is truly a center slayer! Now I'm really looking forward to his matchup against O'Neal. That's going to be fascinating."
Van Gundy smacked his lips, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Compared to Howard, Dampier is the one who's truly suffered! I don't think he'll ever forget this game for the rest of his life."
Mike Breen continued, his gaze fixed on Dampier, who still lay motionless on the court, a hint of sympathy in his voice.
On the Lakers' sideline, the bench erupted.
Bynum leaped to his feet, waving his towel frantically and clapping incessantly, oblivious to the fact that his hands were turning red.
So cathartic!
It felt unbelievably satisfying.
Amidst his relief, he even felt a pang of sympathy for Dampier.
Being subjected to such relentless abuse by Jiang Chen was truly miserable!
This was undoubtedly the most humiliating game of Dampier's career.
At the same time, Bynum gleaned a crucial truth from this spectacle.
You could provoke anyone, but never, ever provoke Jiang Chen.
Otherwise, Howard and Dampier's current predicament would be his own future.
It was a terrifying thought!
On the court, the Mavericks players gathered around Dampier, ready to help him up.
Sympathy was etched on everyone's faces.
After such a brutal ordeal, they hoped Dampier possessed the mental fortitude to withstand it and not be broken.
Otherwise, if he lost his confidence, his NBA career could be over.
They waited for a moment.
Dampier remained on the ground, completely still.
The Mavericks players then realized the gravity of the situation and urgently summoned the team doctor to examine Dampier.
Finally, the team doctor delivered his assessment: Dampier...had lost consciousness.
...
A wave of stunned disbelief rippled through the audience, followed by a renewed uproar.
Unconscious...he passed out!!
Jiang Chen had actually knocked Dampier unconscious!
This was utterly outrageous.
In the decades of NBA history, such a situation had never occurred!
Shameful!
This was truly embarrassing.
The fans in the arena couldn't help but cover their faces, too mortified to watch any further.
They couldn't even begin to imagine how Dampier would feel when he finally woke up.
Nowitzki, Terry, and the others also looked deeply uncomfortable, their eyes darting around, and they subtly took a few steps back, distancing themselves from Dampier, lest they be associated with his humiliation in any photographs.
The stadium staff quickly located a stretcher, and together, they carefully lifted Dampier, whose considerable weight made the task arduous, onto the stretcher and carried him off the court.
"What does it mean when they say the mouth can cause trouble? I think if Dampier hadn't made those comments online, he wouldn't have become Jiang Chen's target."
"He dunked over Dampier five times in a single game, and the last one knocked him out cold. After this game, not only has Jiang Chen's fame skyrocketed, but Dampier, as the unfortunate background player, will probably also become a bizarre kind of celebrity in the United States."
Mike Breen exclaimed.
"So you're saying that being Jiang Chen's dunk victim is also a path to fame?"
Van Gundy's head was spinning with question marks as he tried to decipher his partner's statement.
"Haha, it's certainly more memorable than whatever Dampier posted online."
Mike Breen quipped.
Van Gundy couldn't help but chuckle; it did seem to hold a strange sort of logic.
Becoming famous throughout the United States in this manner was undeniably bizarre.
It reminded him of the iconic scene where Iverson crossed over Ty Lue with the devastating step-over, and also the time Kobe dunked ferociously on Howard.
However, even those classic moments paled in comparison to the spectacle of Jiang Chen literally knocking Dampier unconscious!