53: The "Forest Wind Law" of the Iron Bucket Formation

The other four Spurs players were like four invisible tentacles, forming a faint encirclement.

Lin Feng had never seen this defensive formation in any game footage.

It was neither a Zone defense nor Man-to-man.

It was like a malicious net cast specifically for him.

Kobe's warning on the plane instantly flashed through Lin Feng's mind.

"He'll definitely have a special 'surprise' waiting for you on the court."

So, this was the surprise.

He didn't hesitate.

The more it was like this, the more he had to break it in the toughest way possible.

He began to dribble, lowering his body slightly.

Opposite him, Kawhi Leonard's famous "poker face" showed no expression.

His large hands spread out like two giant iron pincers; he wasn't in a hurry to go for a steal, but simply blocked Lin Feng's path to the basket.

With a fake burst of speed, Lin Feng leaned his body to the right.

Leonard's center of gravity only shifted slightly, not biting on the fake at all.

Lin Feng immediately followed up with a behind-the-back dribble, switching the ball from his right hand to his left, shifting his center of gravity along with it.

He wanted to use his best rhythm changes to challenge this Defensive Player of the Year.

Just as he completed the crossover and prepared to launch an "Formless Shot."

That net moved.

Danny Green, who had been defending Nick Young on the other side, cut across toward Lin Feng's left flank like a ghost, abandoning his assignment.

He cut off any possibility of Lin Feng continuing his drive into the paint.

Tim Duncan, guarding the interior, also took a large step from under the basket toward the free-throw line, raising both arms high like a moving stone wall.

At the same time Lin Feng changed direction, Kawhi Leonard pressed up, using his disproportionately long arms to shroud Lin Feng's passing lanes.

In front was Leonard's Death Entanglement.

To the left was Danny Green's interception.

Ahead was the barrier erected by Duncan.

Within less than a second, the three of them formed a triangular cage.

All passing lanes were sealed off.

All shooting angles became incredibly narrow.

Lin Feng felt as if he had crashed into a forest of arms.

This was Popovich's answer.

He didn't believe for a second that Lin Feng could score in a conventional way, so he used the most extreme method to limit Lin Feng's "unconventionality."

There was no time to make further adjustments.

Lin Feng forced a jump, leaning back in the air, and used his terrifying core strength to toss the ball over Leonard's fingertips.

This was an extremely difficult fadeaway jumper.

The basketball traced a high arc through the air.

Every eye in the arena was fixed on that orange ball.

"Clang!"

A crisp sound of the ball hitting the rim.

The ball struck the front of the rim, bounced high, and was easily rebounded by Duncan.

The AT&T Center erupted in a massive cheer from the Spurs fans.

Lin Feng landed and glanced at Popovich on the sidelines.

The white-haired old man sat composed on the coaching bench, his face devoid of expression as if everything that had just happened had nothing to do with him.

At the TNT broadcast booth.

Kenny Smith let out a gasp of amazement.

"My god! Did you see that?"

"This is Gregg Popovich's response!"

Charles Barkley also dropped his playful expression and became serious.

"This isn't a simple double-team."

"The Spurs used four people to form a moving cage to target Lin Feng alone."

"Leonard is responsible for delaying and interfering, while Duncan and another wing player are ready to collapse at any time. They've completely left open the Lakers' weakest offensive point on the court, the center Chris Kaman!"

"Popovich is gambling! He's betting that Lin Feng's individual ability cannot pierce through an Iron Cask Formation composed of three defensive stalwarts!"

"More importantly, he's betting that Lin Feng won't dare, or rather can't, pass the ball to that completely open role player!"

The live broadcast cut to a reporter on the sidelines typing rapidly on a keyboard.

In the title of his draft, a new term was being born.

"lin feng rule" — lin feng rule.

This defensive system, tailor-made specifically to limit a first-year rookie, was bestowed with such a weighty name by the media within the first minute of its birth.

On the court, the transition began.

The Spurs executed their textbook team offense.

Parker used a screen from Duncan to drive into the paint, drawing the Lakers' defense.

Just when everyone thought he was going for a layup, he flicked his wrist, sending a no-look pass to the other side.

Danny Green caught the ball with no one in front of him and easily sank a three-pointer.

The lead was widening.

It was the Lakers' turn to attack.

Nash still handed the ball to Lin Feng.

The same scene played out again.

Lin Feng held the ball, Leonard kept his distance, and Danny Green and Duncan watched like hawks.

Chris Kaman was left completely open near the free-throw line, his hands raised high, his face the picture of bewilderment.

Lin Feng was caught in a dilemma.

Force a shot? The previous result had already proven how difficult that path was.

Pass?

Kobe's teachings echoed in his mind once more.

"When your teammate has an opportunity, trust him and give him the ball. That's what a leader should do."

Lin Feng made his choice.

He made a fake move with the ball, pretending he was going to force a drive.

The Spurs' defensive formation instantly collapsed inward.

Duncan and Green pressured him simultaneously.

Now was the time!

Lin Feng flicked his wrist, sending a precise bounce pass through the gap between Leonard and Duncan.

The basketball arrived steadily in Chris Kaman's hands.

In front of Kaman, within the paint, it was wide open!

This was an even easier scoring opportunity than during practice.

The Spurs fans in the AT&T Center let out gasps; they hadn't expected Lin Feng to make such a choice.

On the Lakers' bench, Nick Young and others were already prepared to stand up and cheer.

However, Kaman, who had received the ball, appeared incredibly nervous.

He had perhaps never had such an easy opportunity in a formal game.

His movements were somewhat stiff.

He dribbled once, adjusted for two steps, and then jumped for a layup.

Everyone thought this was a guaranteed basket.

"Clang!"

The basketball struck the rim hard and then slid out.

A wide-open layup from point-blank range had actually missed!

Kaman himself was stunned; he clutched his head, his face full of frustration and disbelief.

The entire arena went silent for a moment before erupting into massive laughter.

On the Lakers' bench, the players who were about to stand up sat back down awkwardly.

Lin Feng watched this scene without saying a word.

He didn't blame Kaman.

But in his heart, something that had just been established developed a slight crack.

He chose to trust his teammate, but in return, he got such an absurd mistake.

The Spurs seized the opportunity; Parker launched another fast break, assisting Leonard for a successful layup.

The score gap widened further.

D'Antoni shouted anxiously from the sidelines, but his voice was insignificant in the noisy arena.

The next possession.

Lin Feng held the ball at the top of the arc again.

The Spurs' defense was still that "Lin Feng Rule."

Leonard stood before him, with Danny Green roaming the flank.

Chris Kaman was once again left completely open, like a lonely scarecrow.

This time, Kaman waved his arms even more vigorously, his eyes full of longing, wanting to make up for his mistake just now.

Lin Feng looked at him, then at the defensive cage in front of him.

His brain was working at high speed.

To pass, or not to pass?

Reason told him he should continue to pass.

The logic of basketball is to give the ball to the teammate with the best opportunity.

But Kaman's absurd mistake just now was like a needle pricked into his heart.

His hand paused for a moment between passing and shooting.

In that fraction of a second of hesitation.

On the sidelines.

Gregg Popovich picked up his water cup and took a light sip.

Those eyes, which seemed able to see through everything, calmly watched the struggling young man on the court.

He saw through Lin Feng's hesitation.

He also saw through the true caliber of the role players on this Lakers team, aside from those few stars.