Chapter 735 - 660: The Most Important Shot of His Career

Chapter 735: Chapter 660: The Most Important Shot of His Career

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Kobe dribbled again and again, but he simply couldn’t shake Hill.

The roar of the arena filled his ears.

In the stands, the Magic fans were chanting a unified countdown.

For the last three minutes of the game, they had been doing this every time he touched the ball.

"10, 9, 8, 7..."

The sound was like a death knell.

Kobe was no stranger to high-pressure situations, but he still found it grating.

Odom rushed over to set a screen. The moment Hill ran into it, Kobe managed to find a sliver of space.

He didn’t drive to the basket.

At this stage of the game, even a stamina monster like him felt like his legs were filled with lead.

With that momentary opening, Kobe opted for the shot.

CLANG! Another brick.

On the sideline, Jackson cursed in frustration. He knew Kobe was truly exhausted.

Yao Ming came up huge!

At the crucial moment, he perfectly anticipated where the ball would go. He planted his left leg, boxed Howard out completely, and leaped to snatch the offensive rebound.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he landed and went right back up, throwing down a one-handed slam over Howard.

His arm got fouled on the way up, but he didn’t care. As soon as he landed, he let out a huge roar.

And one!

A priceless basket.

On the sideline, Jackson almost fell to his knees and cried out to God.

That play was absolutely critical.

If Yao Ming made the free throw—and he was sure to make it, as you never see a big man shoot free throws that well—the Lakers would only be trailing by one point with 17 seconds left in the game.

All they had to do was prevent a three-pointer from the Magic. Even if they gave up a two, the Lakers would still have a few seconds to draw up a play and send the game to overtime.

Sure enough, Yao Ming stepped up to the line and did not disappoint Jackson, sinking the free throw.

Kobe immediately rushed over, celebrating with an excited chest bump with Yao Ming.

After a brief hesitation, Gentry called his last timeout.

"Who’s taking the last shot?"

He didn’t reach for his clipboard. At a time like this, he trusted his stars’ abilities more than any play.

He looked at Hill and Tracy McGrady.

Tracy McGrady said nothing, just looked at Hill.

Hill happened to be looking at Tracy McGrady, and their eyes met. Hill suddenly raised a hand and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Coach, let me take it."

’Tracy McGrady is still young,’ Hill thought. ’He has a limitless future ahead of him. If this shot misses, someone will have to take the blame. I’m willing to be that person!’

Gentry didn’t argue. In his heart, he was leaning toward Hill anyway.

Hill was more experienced, and he was clutch.

He took the clipboard and quickly drew up a play for the team.

Tracy McGrady would set a screen to create an opportunity for Hill.

Hill stood with his hands on his hips, listening intently, but his ears were filled with the deafening roar of the fans.

The "M-V-P!" chants threatened to blow the roof off the arena.

After four years of waiting, the Magic fans, just like him, were desperate for this championship trophy.

Glancing up, Hill saw Chen Yu sitting in a back row not far away, looking at him with a warm smile.

In a daze, Hill’s mind drifted back to a night in 2000.

In an empty hallway, it was this young, unknown doctor who had walked up and cautiously told him there was something wrong with his ankle.

It was him, too, who—when Rivers insisted it was nothing and that he could safely return—repeatedly stood his ground, even going on television and making an enemy of the entire Magic front office to get his stress fracture diagnosed.

From that moment on, the two had been the closest of friends.

For five years now. Every summer, he would go to Phoenix to train with him, to improve his game.

Whenever he suffered an unexpected injury, Chen Yu would travel a thousand miles to be by his side in an instant.

It was a friendship Hill would cherish forever.

Hill gave a slight smile and a nod.

Chen Yu smiled back, giving him a thumbs-up from across the court.

The timeout ended.

Hill took a deep breath and walked onto the court.

’The last shot. Maybe the most important shot of my career.’

’All the perseverance, all the hopes and dreams... it all comes down to this one shot.’

Amidst the earth-shaking cheers, Hill’s mind cleared of everything else.

Inbound from half-court.

Tracy McGrady broke free to receive the inbound pass, quickly got it under control, and waved his hand, signaling everyone to clear out.

Kobe stood before him.

The seconds ticked away.

Kobe’s eyes were locked on Tracy McGrady.

’For Jackson, the choice was simple. The ball wouldn’t go to anyone else for the final shot. It had to be either Hill or Tracy McGrady.’

After careful consideration, he bet on it being Tracy McGrady.

As astute as he was, he figured Hill was just a decoy.

Sure enough, with 10 seconds left, Tracy McGrady pump-faked and then passed the ball.

The Magic players scattered like startled birds, all breaking into motion at once.

Hill caught the ball as Tracy McGrady cut hard to the baseline.

Kobe hesitated for a split second, then chased after Tracy McGrady.

Hill made his move, executing a dribble handoff to Gudeng, using him as a screen, then made a sharp V-cut back out toward the three-point line.

Raja Bell stuck with him.

’Jackson knew putting Devon George on him would be a disaster; Hill would eat him alive.’

’He had no choice but to have Raja Bell guard Hill.’

Hill got the ball back.

Six seconds left on the clock.

Five seconds.

A quick stop and a pump fake. Hill looked like he was about to drive.

For a moment, his every movement was pure rhythm.

Bell was running purely on instinct to keep up.

’He’s going to pass!’

A jolt went through Bell as he caught Tracy McGrady cutting toward the ball out of the corner of his eye.

’So it is McGrady after all.’

He instinctively reached out, trying to block the passing lane.

Just then, Hill pulled the ball back, took a sharp step to the side, feet planted just behind the three-point line, and rose up for the shot.

In that instant, it was as if someone had hit the pause button on the entire arena.

The roar of the crowd seemed to compress, fading into dead silence.

On the sideline, Chen Yu instinctively rose to his feet, his eyes tracking the ball as it reached its apex... and then plunged straight through the hoop.

Only when the net rippled did Chen Yu finally release the breath he had been holding.

’It’s in!’

The three-pointer was good.

Only 3.6 seconds remained on the clock.

It left the Lakers one last possession, but with a four-point deficit, a comeback was harder than scaling the heavens.

The championship was all but decided.

It belonged to the Magic!

The entire TD Waterhouse Center erupted, like water dropped into a pan of hot oil.

Chants of "Champions!" and "M-V-P!" intertwined as many fans, overcome with excitement, ripped off their shirts and screamed like madmen.

On the court, Tracy McGrady had already rushed to Hill, wrapping him in a tight hug and yelling in exultation.

’Five years in Orlando.’

’He’d suffered injuries, undergone surgery, and trained relentlessly, only to fall in the Finals time and time again.’

’Watching his opponents hoist the trophy in celebration, who would remember his lonely walk back to the locker room, the image of his dejected back?’

’Now, finally, he was the one standing at the center of the court!’

"We won!"

he said excitedly, letting go of Hill.

"We won!"

Hill nodded emphatically, but in the next instant, he quickly corrected himself. "We’re about to win."

There were still 3.6 seconds left.

Hill wasn’t the only one who kept a level head. So did Gentry.

He knew all too well that the closer you are to victory, the more careful you have to be.

As a player, he hadn’t been successful enough, never making it to the NBA.

He switched to coaching, but he wasn’t particularly successful there either, mostly bouncing around as an assistant.

When he finally did land a head coaching job, he’d be packing his bags before two seasons were up.

Of course he wanted to succeed. Who wouldn’t want the prestigious title of "Championship Coach"?

Gathering his players around him, Gentry couldn’t help but glance at the opposing bench.

Jackson had his Lakers huddled together, frantically drawing up one last play.

Their panic was palpable.

"Don’t panic," Gentry urged in a low voice. "As long as we don’t foul, the victory is ours!"

3.6 seconds, a four-point deficit... not even Jordan could pull off this comeback.

The Lakers’ timeout ended.

Chen Yu stood amidst the crowd, a smile on his face as he watched the players on the court.

The moment the Phoenix Suns were eliminated, Chen Yu had shifted his hopes to the Magic.

He hoped the Magic would win the championship.

He wanted Hill and Tracy McGrady to finally have that perfect, career-defining moment.

He had a genuine affection for them.

Especially Hill.

Everything had started with Hill.

Chen Yu wouldn’t dare say he saved Hill’s career, but he truly hoped things would end well for him.

’Just like me!’

Yao Ming inbounded the ball.

It went to Kobe, of course.

Tracy McGrady and Hill immediately converged on him in a double-team. They were only guarding him; if someone else made the shot, so be it.

Kobe didn’t pass.

He jumped just as time was about to expire.

In that same instant, Hill and Tracy McGrady both pulled their hands back.

Kobe leaned into them, trying to draw the foul as he released the shot.

’He had no other choice. A four-point play was their only hope.’

God was not on Kobe’s side.

In fact, the moment he saw Hill and Tracy McGrady pull their arms back, Kobe knew it was over.

The ball clanked off the rim.

The final buzzer sounded!

The 2004-2005 season champions were the Orlando Magic!