Spain's highlights looped on the战术板 (tactical board), their passes meshing like clockwork, finding gaps in defenses. "Their point guard Rubio," Coach Wang pointed to the white jersey on screen, "leads the tournament in steals. Don't give him openings."
Lin Mo noted Rubio's tell—he licked his lips before swiping.
Spain's passes sliced through China's defense from the start. Rubio, a fox in sneakers, read two of Lin Mo's passes, stealing both for fast breaks. "Your rhythm's predictable." He wiped his fingertips.
[System Alert: Defensive anticipation detected. Activate "Rhythm Shift" — Randomize passing timing, 20% lower steal chance]
Lin Mo mixed it up. Sometimes he slowed his dribble, bursting past Rubio when he leaned in; other times he faked a pass, pulling up for a jumper instead.
With 4 minutes left in the third quarter, Rubio pressed Lin Mo at the three-point line. Lin Mo suddenly crossed behind his back, creating space—not to shoot, but to flick the ball under the hoop. His teammate soared for the dunk.
"Nice!" China's bench erupted.
That assist unlocked China's offense. In the final seconds, Lin Mo faked a pass, drawing two defenders before feeding the corner for a game-winning three.
76-74. China won.
Rubio approached: "You're not what they said."
Lin Mo smiled: "Neither are you."
On the system panel, numbers shifted:
[Compatibility: 9.2%. Unlocked "LeBron's Passing Fake"]
[Global Rank: 48,119 → 45,683]