174: Chapter 174 The Court Magician! A Brand New Species!

The final buzzer echoed throughout the entire Staples Center!

The scoreboard above the arena was frozen on a score that shocked the entire world.

125:98!

The Los Angeles Lakers, on their home court, defeated the mighty Oklahoma City Thunder with a resounding victory!

They fiercely clawed the series score back to 1:3!

They created a miracle, avoiding the shameful fate of being swept out of the playoffs!

“Beep—!”

The moment the buzzer sounded, Lin Feng could no longer hold on.

The string that had been stretched to its limit in his mind snapped completely!

The Eye of the Heavenly Emperor - ZONE was forcibly shut down!

A massive, irresistible wave of exhaustion instantly swept over his entire body!

His vision went black, and his body slumped softly toward the ground.

“Lin!”

Pau Gasol, who was beside him, quickly reached out and caught him, preventing him from falling.

Lin Feng leaned against Gasol, breathing heavily.

He had exhausted his very last shred of spiritual energy.

For this great, nearly impossible victory.

He had drawn a perfect conclusion.

“We won! We won!”

The players on the bench rushed onto the court like madmen!

Nick Young was the first to rush over, looking at the nearly collapsed Lin Feng and shouting dramatically.

“Hey! Boss can't fall down now!”

“The victor must receive everyone's worship!”

Having said that, he and Howard immediately lifted Lin Feng's body high into the air without asking.

“Ooh-hoo! We are the champions!”

The players rushed onto the court, surrounding Lin Feng and Kobe, celebrating the hard-won victory exuberantly.

Staples Center turned into a purple and gold sea of joy!

...The post-game press conference.

The entire conference hall was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with reporters from all over the world.

Flashbulbs fired relentlessly, as if they cost nothing, nearly blinding everyone.

The reporters were completely insane!

They raised their arms, scrambling desperately for a chance to ask a question.

“Kobe! What was going on with your performance tonight? Do you feel like you're back at your peak?!”

A reporter was the first to throw the question to Kobe.

Kobe sat in his chair, a faint smile on his face, and glanced at Lin Feng beside him.

“I just did what I was supposed to do.”

“Tonight's victory belongs to every one of us, especially this young man next to me.”

He credited Lin Feng with the success.

Instantly, all the cameras and microphones focused on Lin Feng.

An ESPN reporter wearing glasses seized the opportunity to ask a question, his voice trembling with excitement.

“Lin! You scored only 5 points for the entire game, yet delivered an astonishing 15 assists! You turned Gasol into an inside beast, made Nash feel like an MVP again, and even allowed Nick Young to hit an unbelievable shot over Durant!”

“Many people are saying you cast some incredible magic on this team!”

“How exactly did you do it?!”

This question voiced the thoughts of everyone present!

The entire press conference immediately fell silent.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for Lin Feng's answer.

Lin Feng looked at the faces below the stage, filled with curiosity and shock, and at the countless flashing cameras.

He picked up the microphone and offered a calm yet mysterious smile.

“I am not a magician.”

His voice was soft, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.

“I am just a leader who believes in his teammates.”

“I always believed Pau is the league's best passing center, Steve is a historical passing master, and Dwight can dominate the paint.”

“I even believe Nick can hit any shot over anyone.”

“All I did was tell them, and make them believe it too.”

“As for Kobe...”

Lin Feng turned his head and glanced at Kobe beside him, his eyes filled with respect.

“He doesn't need anyone to tell him what to do.”

“Because he will always be the one and only black mamba.”

His words were flawless!

He simultaneously attributed all the credit to his teammates' efforts and Kobe's greatness, while showcasing his own unparalleled leadership quality!

The reporters in the venue were thoroughly impressed!

They already had their headlines ready for the next day!

"The Strongest Leader! Lin Feng Redefines the Team Core!"

"The Power of Belief! The Mystery of the Lakers' Chemistry!"

...Meanwhile, on the other side.

The Thunder's press conference was filled with tension and hostility.

Russell Westbrook appeared extremely impatient when facing the reporters' questions.

“We just played too relaxed! Too loose! That's all it was!”

“Next game, we'll go back to Oklahoma, and we'll end this series with a 40-point blowout!”

He completely blamed the loss on the team's complacency.

Durant, who was sitting next to him, remained silent throughout.

His expression was terrifyingly gloomy.

His gaze was fixed on the thin sheet of technical statistics in front of him.

Lakers: Team assists, 35!

This number stung his eyes like a needle.

He knew they had lost more than just a game.

They had lost the understanding of the sport of basketball itself!

The feeling of powerlessness, of being manipulated by an invisible conductor, still lingered in his heart.

That wasn't luck.

That was a higher dimension of control over the game!

And that controller was the Lakers' number 11!

...That night, after the game.

On TNT Television's flagship basketball program, "Inside the NBA."

The host invited Los Angeles Lakers legend, "Magic" Earvin Johnson.

“Magic Johnson, how do you evaluate Lin Feng's performance tonight?” the host asked.

Magic Johnson's face showed an unprecedented level of excitement and enthusiasm.

He looked at the camera and spoke in an extremely solemn tone.

“For so many years, all of us have been searching for the next Michael Jordan.”

“We hoped to find a player who could dominate the game with unanswerable individual skill, just like him.”

“But tonight.”

“In Lin Feng, I feel like I've witnessed a brand new species!”

“He isn't trying to become Jordan.”

“He is a player who can temporarily turn every teammate around him into Jordan!”

“He is not a star player!”

“He is God on the court!”

Magic Johnson's words were broadcast across the entire United States via television signal!

“A player who can turn his teammates into Jordan!”

This praise was too high!

So high that it was enough to shake the entire league!

Overnight.

A brand new, incredibly resounding nickname was placed upon Lin Feng.

“The Court Magician!”

...In the luxurious bathroom of a private villa in Los Angeles.

Lin Feng immersed his exhausted body in hot water filled with medicinal herbs.

Only then did the tearing pain deep within his brain slightly subside.

The overload usage of the Eye of the Heavenly Emperor had caused significant damage to his spiritual energy.

He picked up the phone placed beside him.

It contained countless unread congratulatory messages.

There was a Korean message from Yoona, full of concern and adoration.

There was a fiery, flirtatious invitation from Taylor.

He was just about to reply.

A text message from an unknown number popped up.

Lin Feng tapped to open it.

The sender's name was just one word.

“Scarlett”.

The content of the message was also brief.

“A beautiful chess game.”

“But remember, a true emperor must win the entire war.”