Chapter 168 Terry's Worries! Easily Beat the Mavericks! Kobe's Versailles
After Dampier was carried off the court by the staff, the interrupted game resumed.
Despite the brutal foul from Dampier, Jiang Chen appeared completely unfazed.
This prompted Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy to loudly proclaim that Jiang Chen's physical resilience surpassed even LeBron James', declaring him to be made of pure iron and steel.
Jiang Chen stepped to the free-throw line and effortlessly sank the shot.
Due to Dampier's flagrant foul two, the Lakers were awarded two free throws and possession of the ball.
Following the free throw, Odom inbounded the ball.
Jiang Chen darted around a screen, caught the pass two meters beyond the three-point line, and immediately launched an ultra-long three-pointer.
The basketball arced high through the air.
Swish.
Nothing but net.
Jiang Chen added another 3 points, tallying 6 points in a single offensive sequence!
With this offensive burst, the Lakers directly extended their lead to a commanding 20 points.
After draining the three-pointer, Jiang Chen fixed a sharp gaze on Terry.
Terry quickly averted his eyes,不敢与姜晨对视 (not daring to meet Jiang Chen's gaze).
Thinking of his teammate Dampier's miserable condition, he deeply regretted provoking Jiang Chen. He couldn't shake the worry that this Chinese player might stun him with a three-pointer barrage in the remainder of the game.
Jiang Chen had already connected on 7 three-pointers in the second quarter. Would he unleash a similar number in the third?
Jason Terry was genuinely concerned.
His desire to win the game had also significantly diminished with Dampier's unconscious exit.
But as it turned out, Terry was overthinking things.
After Jiang Chen's knockout blow to Dampier, the Mavericks' morale plummeted, and they displayed a distinct lack of fighting spirit in the subsequent plays.
Despite Carlisle calling two timeouts in quick succession to try and rally his players, his efforts were futile.
The score differential continued to widen rapidly.
By the latter half of the third quarter, Jiang Chen had lost interest and no longer initiated attacks. He primarily stationed himself in the corner, observing his teammates' offensive plays.
As the third quarter concluded, the Lakers had stretched their lead to a substantial 26 points.
Jiang Chen added another 4 three-pointers in this quarter alone.
His total of 13 three-pointers made in the first three quarters was a staggering figure, far surpassing any other player on the court.
During the quarter break.
Carlisle stared at the statistics sheet in his hand, casting a somewhat resentful glance at Terry.
He had been wrong!
Completely wrong.
When Terry had provoked Jiang Chen, he should have intervened immediately, instead of dismissing it as unimportant or even finding it amusing when Jiang Chen declared he would "only use three-pointers to attack."
Now, it was clear that he was the one who looked foolish.
Jiang Chen had indeed torched the Mavericks with his three-point shooting and had emphatically dunked on Dampier.
The game had lost all its suspense.
What a complete failure!
Seated on the Mavericks' bench, owner Mark Cuban wore a somber expression. He was deeply dissatisfied with the team's performance in this game, yet he felt powerless to change it.
Watching the big screen replay highlights of Jiang Chen's spectacular plays, Cuban's heart was filled with a mixture of envy and jealousy!
The Mavericks prided themselves on having the most international players in the NBA, so a Chinese talent like Jiang Chen should have been wearing a Mavericks jersey!
Only in Dallas could he truly feel the warmth of home.
Instead, he was with the Lakers!
If Jiang Chen and Nowitzki were a duo, they could dominate the league and secure multiple championship rings.
This thought only amplified Cuban's frustration.
They should have aggressively pursued Jiang Chen back then, instead of hesitating, which ultimately led to them missing out on this basketball prodigy and the opportunity to build a dynasty.
Regret!
It felt like having a winning lottery number in mind but not buying a ticket due to various reasons. Then, when the results were announced, realizing that the very number you had thought of had won millions.
It was a truly agonizing feeling!
No, he had to explore the possibility of a trade, even if it meant making a significant gamble. He had to exert every effort.
Cuban immediately rose, returned to his office, and called the Mavericks' general manager, issuing clear instructions.
Negotiate with the Lakers at all costs to see if a trade for Jiang Chen could be arranged.
When the Mavericks' general manager inquired whether Nowitzki could be used as a potential trade asset, Cuban hesitated again.
After a moment of contemplation, he issued revised orders, stating that all Mavericks players, with the sole exception of Nowitzki, could be offered as bargaining chips.
...
Inside the stadium, the game entered the fourth quarter and had devolved into meaningless garbage time.
Kobe, Jiang Chen, and the other key players were all taken out of the game, sitting leisurely on the bench, awaiting the final buzzer.
Beep!
The game concluded.
123:95.
The Lakers easily dispatched the Mavericks with a resounding 28-point victory, completing a grueling six-game road trip with a perfect undefeated record.
They remained the only team in the NBA without a loss in the new season.
Jiang Chen delivered another stellar performance, connecting on 20 of 30 field goals, 13 of 19 three-pointers, and 4 of 4 free throws, amassing 57 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 5 steals. He had now scored 50+ points in two consecutive games, becoming only the second active player to achieve this feat, trailing only his teammate Kobe.
Kobe contributed 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 12 assists, shooting 10 of 19 from the field, 1 of 4 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 5 of 5 from the free-throw line.
Notably, 7 of Kobe's assists were to Jiang Chen, once again setting a new season high for their on-court connection.
On the Mavericks' side, Nowitzki put up impressive numbers with 41 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block, shooting 16 of 29 from the field, 3 of 6 from three-point range, and a perfect 6 of 6 from the free-throw line, making him the standout player for Dallas.
After his initial burst of four three-pointers in the second quarter, Terry faded in the second half, finishing with 15 points on 5 of 16 shooting and 5 of 14 from beyond the arc.
The team's second-leading scorer, Josh Howard, had a poor outing, managing only 6 points on 3 of 13 shooting.
As for Dampier, who was concussed by Jiang Chen...he scored 6 points early in the game and then became Jiang Chen's personal dunking highlight reel for the remainder...
As the final buzzer sounded, Nowitzki immediately approached Kobe and embraced him warmly.
"Man, are you aiming to be the assist king this season? You're dishing out so many assists every game!"
Nowitzki joked with a smile.
The Kobe he knew was not one to pass the ball to others easily.
"I have no choice. The young players on the team are just too good. I have to make some sacrifices."
Kobe replied in a somewhat self-congratulatory (Versailles) manner, a hint of feigned helplessness in his tone.
"Indeed, this young man named Jiang Chen played exceptionally well! I was completely blown away by his performance."
"Especially his feat of dunking over Dampier five times in a single game was truly astonishing."
"Even though I'm Dampier's teammate, I can't help but applaud Jiang Chen's performance."
Nowitzki said, shaking his head, acknowledging the complex emotions stirred by such a dominant display, offering a silent apology to his fallen teammate.
"Is Jiang Chen playing well? Actually, I'm quite used to it! That's why I'm happy to pass the ball to him."
Kobe shrugged nonchalantly, feigning indifference.
The veteran Nowitzki stood there momentarily stunned.
Damn it, Kobe tricked me!