The Celtics players jumped in alarm and hurriedly turned around.
But Wang Yi had already dribbled beyond the three-point line.
Then he turned to face the basket.
At that moment, every Celtics player froze. So did all the spectators watching the game on the big screens from farther away.
Only now did they realize that Wang Yi and Zhang Jiacheng had fooled them—and even the cameras in the arena.
Wang Yi had looked like he was going to set a screen for Zhang Jiacheng, and like Morant and Tatum had pushed him toward Zhang Jiacheng. But in reality, the instant he and Zhang Jiacheng passed each other, Zhang Jiacheng had slipped the ball into Wang Yi's arms.
Then, with acting worthy of an Movie Emperor Oscar, Zhang Jiacheng used his body to shield the ball. He seemed to be protecting it as he took a hop step toward the basket, jumped, and landed.
The whole time, it looked as if he were shielding the ball with his body, so you couldn't see it. But in reality, he didn't have the ball at all.
And though Morant had followed Wang Yi beyond the three-point line, his attention had been drawn to Zhang Jiacheng just moments earlier. He'd glanced over and was now a little too late.
All he could do was leap in vain, trying to disrupt Wang Yi's shot.
At that moment, Wang Yi drove off his left foot and soared into the air.
Even pushing off with just one foot, he managed to jump more than sixty centimeters.
And after taking off from his left foot, he didn't jump straight up. He leaned backward as he rose.
Not only did he lean back, but his whole body drifted backward through the air.
At that point, forget Ja Morant—even the