After the game entered the second half, Anthony, still sporting his explosive hairstyle, began to exert himself.
Anthony used off-ball movement to receive the ball on the weak side. Josh Smith was caught on a screen, and Link switched to guard Anthony.
In terms of static talent and physique, Link's height, wingspan, and weight were all comparable to the future 'Peerless Duo'. This made the scouts watching the game suddenly realize Link's unfathomable potential.
According to the physical test data from a few days ago, Link's body was still developing, with increases in height and wingspan, and his athletic ability was also improving.
This made the scouts sense the aura of a 'Future Star' from Link.
After receiving the ball, Anthony didn't rush to dribble, but quickly assumed a triple threat stance. The triple threat offense was Anthony's signature move; even though he was only in his third year of high school, he had already mastered this technique. Anthony took a jab step to his front right, quickly tapping his right foot, faking a drive.
Link immediately moved laterally, while Anthony quickly retracted his foot and raised his hand to fake a shot. Although Anthony's athletic ability wasn't as explosive as LeBron James', his core strength was excellent, making him very 'agile' in this series of movements. Link quickly stepped forward, reaching out to interfere.
Seeing this, Anthony's lips curled into a smile. He quickly dribbled the ball,
58 to 56, the deficit was cut to 2 points. Four minutes had passed in the second half.
A cheer erupted from the crowd. Almost all the students and media watching were praising Anthony, not only for his outstanding ball-handling and footwork, but also for his incredibly strong physical confrontation. After battling Bosh in the air, his shooting motion remained largely unaffected.
Anthony's continuous scoring not only greatly boosted the morale of his 'Frozen Man Team' but also severely impacted the morale of the Dream Chasing Warriors Team. Josh Smith, who was primarily guarding Anthony, was on the verge of a mental breakdown.
Other players also experienced a scoring drought, missing many open shots.
"Don't rush, everyone!"
"Take your time, play this possession well."
Link's voice rang out on the court.
His teammates looked at Link, who had a faint smile on his face and appeared calm and composed, and felt an inexplicable sense of reassurance.
Link exchanged a hand-off with Bosh. After Passing the ball to Bosh, Link immediately moved off-ball, and the player guarding him instantly became highly focused. With the newly acquired [Off-Ball Movement (Bronze)] badge, Link's Speed and Explosive Acceleration would increase when moving off-ball. Of course, even with this, Link's athletic ability was still inferior to the opponent's five-star national point guard.
However, getting open isn't solely dependent on Speed and Explosive Acceleration. Observing the timing of the start and the route of movement are also crucial. After using a single screen, Link seemed to run towards the basket, but in reality, he was heading for the left corner.
Bosh quickly passed the ball, and Link caught it. He took a Three-Point Shot from the corner, and with a
61 to 56, the lead was once again extended to 5 points.
This shot helped stabilize the team's morale.
"Huh... I didn't expect him to have a corner Three-Point Shot too?" a scout in the stands asked curiously.
"He did shoot some in previous games, but the accuracy wasn't high. I guess this shot was just luck!" another scout replied.
"Hmm, but for this guy to step up at this moment and stabilize the situation with a Three-Point Shot, he certainly has the courage to take responsibility."
"Yes, this Link from Huaxia is indeed a rare point guard."
In the next 5 minutes, the Dream Chasing Warriors truly had no good way to stop Anthony. Anthony made 3 of 5 shots, and 2 of 2 free throws, scoring 8 points and 3 rebounds. Anthony's offensive rebounds made the slender Bosh very uncomfortable. Although Anthony's jumping ability couldn't compare to a springy player, his strength was sufficient to secure rebounding position under the basket, and his Explosiveness was quick.
But Link also made his opponents very uncomfortable.
Not only did he make 2 of 3 corner Three-Point Shots, but he also delivered 2 assists by threatening to drive.
6 points, 2 assists, 1 Steal.
...
...
With 3 minutes and 1 second left until the end of the game, the Dream Chasing Warriors Team still led by 3 points. But Anthony's trailing Three-Point Shot on a fast break, a pull-up jumper two steps beyond the three-point line, went in steadily. 81 to 81, the teams were tied.
The Frozen Man Team's bench immediately erupted in cheers.
But at this moment, Link stepped up again. After a pick-and-roll, Link drove to the left. The opponent chased from his right-rear, attempting a Steal on the ball-handler. Link suddenly gathered the ball, taking a hop step that bypassed the defense. During the jump, although there was physical contact between the two, Link still squeezed through and landed relatively steadily on both feet. Then, he hit a close-range jump shot from one step inside the free-throw line. With a
"What a great shot!"
"Truly worthy of Link!"
"As steady as an old dog!"
On the bench, Chris Grant, dressed in a suit, excitedly raised his arms and cheered.
Although Anthony went all out in the second half, seemingly about to turn the tide of the game, Link repeatedly 'put out fires,' preventing the opponent from gaining full momentum.
With 2 minutes and 8 seconds left until the end of the game, Anthony's drive after a triple threat jab step drew a foul. He made both free throws, tying the score again at 85 to 85.
At this moment, Link...
Decided to take over the game and officially activate Player Takeover!
Dominance Moment — Sharpshooter!
Activate!
Upon entering Dominance Moment, the Three-Point Shot base attribute increases by 1%. Shooting badges such as 'Corner Specialist,' 'Difficult Shots,' and 'Off-Ball Movement' will temporarily be promoted from [bronze] to [Silver].
"Melo, I'm about to turn it on!" Link said with a smile to Anthony.
Anthony paused slightly. They had exchanged plenty of trash talk during the game. At this moment, Anthony thought Link was just bluffing and simply smiled faintly, saying, "Come on, Link!"