Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 157 Giant Beast Forbidden Zone: Last-second Kill Against Philadelphia

Chapter 160: The Giant Beast's Forbidden Zone: A Last-Minute Kill in Philadelphia

As night fell, the Philadelphia Auditorium was brightly lit and bustling with activity. The air was thick with a fervor similar to that of Minneapolis, yet imbued with a unique sense of anticipation because of that one and only giant. Lin Yan and his group took their seats in the front row once more. Xiao Qi, seemingly accustomed to the noise, nestled obediently on Lin Yan's lap.

In the first quarter, the jump ball was a foregone conclusion. Chamberlain stretched out his long arms, and the ball flew towards the Warriors' guard. On their first offensive possession, the Warriors' strategy was clear: the ball was lobbed towards the paint. Chamberlain, with his back to the defender, simply took a step back, creating all the space, easily turned, and started the quarter with a powerful two-handed dunk!

"Bang!" The loud thud from the basketball hoop seemed to announce the arrival of a king.

"Wow!" Li Wenbin exclaimed in disbelief. "This...this doesn't even require jumping?"

Zheng Jiaming also took a deep breath: "An absolute difference in physical fitness."

The entire first quarter became Chamberlain's personal showcase in the paint. He not only scored frequently on offense but also wove a massive net on defense, relentlessly swatting away numerous Knicks players' layups. Rebounding was his domain; he practically monopolized both offensive and defensive rebounds. Fans erupted in thunderous cheers and gasps of amazement at every powerful dunk and thunderous block. At the end of the first quarter, Chamberlain had 12 points and 10 rebounds, with the Warriors leading by 4 points.

In the second quarter, the Knicks significantly intensified their double-teaming of Chamberlain. Whenever he received the ball, he was immediately surrounded by two or even three players, who were willing to foul him to prevent him from scoring. Chamberlain found it difficult to score, and several of his strong attacks missed their mark due to physical contact.

"Oh no, I'm being targeted!" Li Wenbin clenched his fist nervously.

Lin Yan looked at the arena and said calmly, "It's normal. Let's see how he adjusts."

Faced with a double team, Chamberlain didn't resort to brute force. He began to showcase his playmaking abilities, which were often overshadowed by his phenomenal scoring prowess. After drawing the double team, he accurately passed the ball to open teammates on the perimeter several times, but unfortunately, his teammates weren't shooting well and couldn't fully convert the opportunities into points. The Knicks capitalized on this, using their speed to launch fast breaks and briefly taking the lead. The atmosphere in the arena became tense, with the fans' cheers tinged with anxiety. Before halftime, Chamberlain managed to maintain a slim 2-point lead for the Warriors with another offensive rebound and a putback. His halftime stats totaled 20 points and 20 rebounds, but the team couldn't extend their lead.

After halftime, Chamberlain seemed to adjust his strategy. He no longer focused on low-post attacks, but instead participated more in high-post screens and fast breaks. He became like a moving wall, creating shooting space for his teammates while using his height advantage to follow up and finish the play.

A brilliant play: Chamberlain grabbed a rebound in the backcourt and made a long pass to his fast-breaking teammate. He then took long strides to follow up, and his teammate, understanding perfectly, tossed the ball into the air. Chamberlain leaped up, caught the ball mid-air, and slammed it into the basket! An alley-oop!

"Boom—!" The entire auditorium erupted in cheers! This coordinated attack showcased power, speed, and teamwork to the fullest.

"My God! He can still play like that!" Li Wenbin excitedly grabbed Zheng Jiaming's arm. "He's so tall and fast, how can we defend against that?!"

Zheng Jiaming nodded repeatedly, his eyes filled with astonishment: "Incredible! It combines absolute strength with amazing athleticism!"

In the third quarter, Chamberlain not only continued to solidify his rebounding position and steadily increased his scoring, but more importantly, he delivered several crucial assists, energizing the entire team. The Warriors once again slightly widened the gap.

In the fourth quarter, the decisive moment arrived, and the intensity of the game escalated. The Knicks fought back fiercely, using accurate mid-range shooting to keep the score close. Chamberlain's stamina was waning, but he still played a crucial role under the basket, securing key defensive rebounds and scoring from the free-throw line.

With one minute remaining, the score was tied at 125. In the crucial moment, the Warriors executed their final possession. After passing the ball, it wasn't given to the heavily guarded Chamberlain, but instead, another player took a jump shot after a screen!

The ball arced through the air, and everyone's hearts were in their throats.

"Bang!" The ball hit the rim and bounced up!

Just then, a gigantic figure rose from the ground, and with a gentle tap of its fingertip above everyone's heads—the putback was successful! The timer reset to zero!

126 is better than 125!

Goal stands! Warriors narrowly win!

The entire Philadelphia Auditorium erupted into a frenzy! The cheers from the fans nearly lifted the roof off!

Wilt Chamberlain played all 48 minutes, finishing with 39 points and an astonishing 43 rebounds! He was undoubtedly the team's number one contributor to the victory.

"That was incredible! 39 points...43 rebounds! He played the entire game! Is this guy made of iron?" Li Wenbin was still excited on the way back to the hotel, repeatedly replaying that decisive putback.

Zheng Jiaming also exclaimed sincerely, "Only by seeing it with your own eyes can you truly understand what 'extraordinary talent' means. These statistics are nothing short of miraculous."

Lin Yan watched the fleeting night view outside the window, feeling much calmer than when he watched the previous Lakers-Celtics game. Chamberlain's performance, while impressive, was more like a pure display of physical talent and individual ability. In contrast, Baylor's 64-point performance, interwoven with exquisite skills, the team's tactical responses, and the Celtics' never-give-up team resilience, left a more complex and memorable impression on him.

"The ultimate strength is amazing, but the interplay of skill, willpower and teamwork is perhaps closer to the essence of basketball as a competitive sport," Lin Yan thought to himself.