Immortals Clash

The High Double Screen was in place, but Sun Hao did not immediately use it to shoot. Instead, he passed the ball to Gabajosa on the right.

The choice was somewhat unexpected, but Gabajosa and Sun Hao had played together for a long time and had great chemistry. After catching the ball, he protected it and turned his back to the basket.

As Sun Hao ran past using his screen, Gabajosa handed the ball right back to him with a short-range pass.

Surprise appeared on Giannakis's face. It was a beautiful little combination.

But it was useless.

The reason a 3-2 Zone Defense could stop outside shots was that it defended areas on the perimeter rather than following specific players.

Once Sun Hao moved into a new area, the defender responsible for that area would rotate over. He still would not get an open shot.

Sure enough, as Sun Hao caught the ball and prepared to shoot a three-pointer, Bodiroga was already closing out from the right wing.

As the reigning Greek League champions, Panathinaikos Team's tactical execution was terrifying.

But in the next second, Giannakis shot to his feet.

Sun Hao did not shoot!

It was not just Giannakis. Even Bodiroga's eyes showed surprise.

Sun Hao's little combination with Gabajosa had been a feint!

Sun Hao faked the shot and fooled Bodiroga, then gathered the ball and drove down the right.

By the time Bodiroga landed and tried to chase him, it was already too late.

He had used a behind-the-back dribble to toy with Sun Hao on the earlier fast break, but just one possession later, Sun Hao had paid him back!

It was the first time he had ever encountered something like this.

After getting past Bodiroga, Sun Hao accelerated into the paint and went up aiming for the rim.

Rakocevic and the player guarding the corner both collapsed inside, but neither made it in time. They could only watch Sun Hao bank in the layup for two points.

That was also the weakness of a 3-2 Zone Defense. It could defend shots, but it struggled against drives!

Especially a drive with no warning at all. Players from the other zones had no time to collapse!

Real Madrid Team had finally scored!

In an instant, the Real Madrid fans at courtside erupted. They all leaped to their feet, waving their arms as they began singing the Spanish War Song.

Their momentum was no weaker than that of the Greek fans across from them!

Giannakis sat back down, but the way he looked at Sun Hao was completely different now.

Some things could be seen on film, such as three-pointer ability.

But some things could not be seen on film, such as basketball IQ.

This player who looked barely 1.8 meters tall was very smart!

However, the cheers of the Real Madrid fans did not last long, because Bodiroga got the ball in the frontcourt and began putting on another show.

And this time, Sun Hao finally experienced what Prigioni had meant by a Whip.

A First Step drive to the right, followed by a left-handed gather and a sway of his body back to the left.

Trinidad had been beaten repeatedly earlier and lunged at him with all he had. In the end, he could not stop his momentum, fell forward, braced himself with one hand, and wound up on one knee.

A stir ran through the crowd.

Shammgod!

No, more accurately, it should have been called El Latigo.

Even Sun Hao's knees hurt for Trinidad. He had rushed over to help immediately, but he was still too late.

Bodiroga was truly strong, and he was decisive as well.

After shaking off Trinidad, he took one step to the free throw line and pulled up for a mid-range jumper, giving the other defenders no chance to rotate over.

His stop-on-a-dime rhythm was excellent, and his shooting form remained flawless.

"Swish!"

A crisp sound rang out.

Bodiroga's mid-range shot went in again!

8-2!

Bodiroga already had 6 points and 1 assist after the opening stretch. In other words, he had orchestrated every single Panathinaikos Team possession!

If plus-minus statistics had existed in this era, Bodiroga would definitely have ranked at the top by the end of the game.

He was too strong.

Laso was still in a daze, as if he had disconnected.

Sun Hao continued directing the team.

This time, he did not call for a double screen. He merely signaled for Gabajosa to move up to the right side.

A Copy Tactic. Sun Hao once again received the ball on a handoff.

Bodiroga kept closing out at him.

It was not because he was foolish. He knew how threatening Sun Hao's three-pointer was. If he did not contest it, he would be handing Sun Hao an opportunity.

Of course, he did not rush as hard as he had on the previous possession, leaving himself time to adjust.

Sun Hao still sold the fake, then drove right again.

Bodiroga adjusted his body, only to discover that he was somehow still too late!

Sun Hao's First Step was fast!

Before the excited eyes of the Real Madrid fans, Sun Hao got past Bodiroga for the second straight time!

Trinidad was so moved that he almost cried. Defending Bodiroga tonight had felt like an ant facing an elephant. He had been completely helpless.

Now Sun Hao had avenged him!

When you watched the scenery, someone else was watching you. When you showed off against others, you never imagined that someone else would show off against you too!

Bodiroga could not catch Sun Hao, but Rakocevic had already dropped back into the paint.

To snatch the UEFA Champions League Regular Season MVP from Bodiroga, his abilities in every aspect had to be outstanding.

The same move would not work against him!

As Sun Hao went up quickly for a three-step layup, Rakocevic was already prepared to block it.

But he soon realized that he was actually... no different from Bodiroga.

Because Sun Hao had already gathered the ball on his second step.

When Rakocevic jumped to block the shot, the ball had already flown past him and behind his back.

A fake drive and a real pass. Sun Hao fed Gabajosa, who was cutting down the middle!

Under normal circumstances, it would have been difficult for Sun Hao, with his individual passing ability, to make that kind of drive-and-kick pass under the basket, especially in such a tight space.

But Panathinaikos Team was now playing a 3-2 Zone Defense. They focused on guarding the perimeter, leaving the interior empty!

Gabajosa caught the ball, took one step, and launched himself into the air.

He had been suppressed by Rakocevic since the opening tip and had been holding it in for too long. He put all the strength in his body into this play.

"Boom!"

A massive muffled crash echoed through the arena speakers.

Even the rim was pulled down a few inches.

A powerful two-handed slam!

The Real Madrid fans exploded.

Even Raul and Zidane, seated in the front row, stood up and pumped their fists in celebration for Real Madrid Team.

Real Madrid Team had been suppressed from the opening tip, and Bodiroga's performance had made their scalps tingle.

But with that drive-and-kick and that monster dunk, Real Madrid Team's momentum suddenly surged!

Giannakis stood up again.

And this time, his expression changed. The calm composure in his eyes had vanished.

This Sun Hao was not merely smart. He was extremely smart!

Setting aside everything else, his basketball IQ was on the same level as Bodiroga's!

Even though they had prepared in advance, he and his coaching staff had still underestimated Sun Hao!

With that, Real Madrid Team's momentum rose.

When Bodiroga attacked inside again in the frontcourt, Gabajosa defended him with all his strength and stopped him, then grabbed the defensive rebound in the process.

Real Madrid Team pushed the fast break. Sun Hao led the charge, caught the ball, sprinted into the frontcourt, and finished the layup.

6-8!

Despite Bodiroga's explosive opening performance, Real Madrid Team was now down by only two points when one looked at the score!

Giannakis looked up at the scoreboard and called a timeout.

Sun Hao had not attempted a single three-pointer since the opening tip. That was completely different from what he had expected.

The Spanish fans' emotions hit their peak.

Panathinaikos Team had produced a perfect start, yet they had not forced Real Madrid Team into a timeout. Instead, Real Madrid Team had forced them to call one!

"Napoleon! Napoleon!"

They began chanting Sun Hao's nickname in unison, just as the Greek team's fans had chanted for Bodiroga earlier.

Raul and Zidane turned to look behind them, unable to hide their smiles.

This game was truly exciting.

Sun Hao and Bodiroga had different styles, but each displayed his own brilliance. It was like immortals clashing.

But perhaps they had not realized that the exciting game had only just begun.

By the timeout, Laso had finally fixed his connection port and come back online.

"We'll play a 2-3 Zone Defense."

The moment he spoke, he adjusted the team's defensive tactics again.

Bodiroga's opening attacks had all been concentrated inside. The adjustment might not have come quickly enough, but it was correct.

Laso was young and had never experienced such a big stage, so he had been rattled at the start. But he still had ability.

After setting the tactics, he patted Sun Hao on the shoulder earnestly.

If not for Sun Hao, this game might have become impossible to turn around from the very beginning.

After the timeout, Panathinaikos Team advanced into the frontcourt. Bodiroga had the ball and noticed Real Madrid Team's defensive adjustment.

He tried to drive but failed, then dribbled back to the three-pointer line and called Rakocevic out for a screen.

Rakocevic's large frame blocked the defender. Bodiroga seized the space and launched a three-pointer from outside.

"Clang!"

The shot was a little off and struck the right side of the rim. Real Madrid Team secured the rebound.

Bodiroga's shot... had finally missed!

Sun Hao's eyes lit up.

It seemed Bodiroga had weaknesses after all.

It was not that Bodiroga lacked talent in that area. It was the broader environment.

Basketball around the world in this era did not value Three-pointers. Only shooters like Danilovic had consistent range from deep; everyone else merely had shooting range.

Real Madrid Team advanced into the frontcourt, and Panathinaikos Team changed its defense as well, switching from a 3-2 Zone Defense back to man-to-man.

Sun Hao called for a screen from Gabajosa and shot immediately after the pick.

Rakocevic hesitated for a moment and closed out too slowly, making Giannakis shout anxiously from the sideline.

Just like Bodiroga's three-pointer, Rakocevic was used to staying in the Three-Second Zone. Even though Giannakis had specifically told him during the timeout to switch faster.

But once a habit formed, it was not easy to change it all at once.

Sun Hao had an open three-pointer.

The ball traced an arc through the air.

"Clang!"

Mamba possession struck at that moment, and the basketball bounced off the rim.

He had not taken an outside shot since the opening tip, so he had not found his touch yet.

Rakocevic retreated to grab the rebound, but Gabajosa had already gotten inside first and soared high to seize the offensive rebound.

Rakocevic used his long arms to contest him.

But Gabajosa apparently had no intention of going straight up for a second attempt. Holding the ball high, he passed it directly back out to Sun Hao on the perimeter.

Panathinaikos Team's attention had all been drawn to Gabajosa. After catching the ball, Sun Hao had another three-pointer opportunity.

The same arc.

"Swish!"

But this time, the basketball dropped through the net.

9-8!

Sun Hao's Three-pointers had begun!

Giannakis spread his hands and looked toward Rakocevic with a blank expression.

Clearly, he was very dissatisfied with the newly crowned MVP's performance just now.

Rakocevic looked aggrieved. Sun Hao's release was too fast. Even if he had not hesitated, he probably would not have made it in time.

Bodiroga came over then and whispered to him for a while.

Rakocevic's mood improved greatly. Other than the head coach, Bodiroga was the only person he truly respected.

Panathinaikos Team pushed into the frontcourt, with Bodiroga still handling the ball.

But unlike every previous possession, Bodiroga did not attack with the ball. Instead, he signaled for his teammates to run a crossing pattern.

Only after Real Madrid Team's interior defense had been drawn out of position did he suddenly accelerate past Trinidad and charge inside.

Real Madrid Team collapsed on defense. Bodiroga looked at the rim, but the ball in his hand suddenly disappeared.

The ball flew straight toward the corner.

No-look pass!

A no-look pass!

The teammate waiting in the corner caught the ball completely unguarded and rose for a three-pointer.

"Swish!"

The basketball dropped through the net.

Panathinaikos Team's scoring run continued!

The assist came from Bodiroga.

Sun Hao continued to run pick-and-roll threes in the frontcourt. This time, Rakocevic closed out in time, and Sun Hao's step-back ultra-long three-pointer missed.

Panathinaikos Team secured the defensive rebound.

After bringing the ball into the frontcourt, Bodiroga drove inside before either side had fully gotten into position.

Trinidad and Prigioni, retreating on defense, both rushed at him.

Then, a legendary moment appeared.

Bodiroga looked like he was going for a three-step layup, but as he planted his first step, he spun around and pulled the ball with his right hand at the same time.

By the time he had turned ninety degrees, the ball had already been pulled level with his head. He sent an airborne backward pass that skimmed past his head.

The pass was so elegant that by the time Trinidad and Prigioni reacted, the ball was already in the hands of a teammate cutting in from the right.

His teammate finished with an easy, uncontested layup.

White Magician!

Bodiroga's nickname was neither the European Bird nor White Jordan. It was the White Magician!

As the name suggested, compared with his scoring and all-around ability, passing was his greatest strength!

This play had already booked a spot in this season's UEFA Champions League Top Ten!

The Greek fans, who had been holding it in for so long, finally went wild. Not only did they rise to their feet, they began jumping frantically, and sheets of flares appeared across the arena once more.

It looked as though a gladiator had just dealt his opponent a fatal blow.

What a bunch of lunatics!

As Sun Hao smelled the gunpowder lingering in the air again, he suddenly felt that there was a reason Greece had gone bankrupt in history.

Still, it had to be said that this kind of wild cheering was like doping. Panathinaikos Team's defensive intensity visibly increased.

Unlike the earlier zone defense, which tested tactical execution, one-on-one defense depended on individual ability and effort.

The Panathinaikos Team players on the court averaged over 1.9 meters in height. Just standing there with their long arms spread, they were already enough to blot out the sky, not to mention their intensity.

Real Madrid Team's offense came up empty, and they failed to keep their scoring going!

And Bodiroga started showing off again. He spun past his defender while advancing with the ball in the backcourt, charged all the way into the frontcourt alone, then passed back to a trailing teammate for another two-point layup!

15-9!

After Sun Hao's three-pointer helped Real Madrid Team take the lead, Panathinaikos Team answered with a 7-0 run and widened the gap again!

During this surge, Bodiroga handed out three straight assists!

The reigning European Emperor was destroying everything in his path!

On the Real Madrid Team bench, the players all looked up in awe.

They could fully understand what Barcelona Team had gone through in the semifinals, because Bodiroga was not human! He was the god of Europe!

The fighting spirit in Sun Hao's eyes grew even fiercer.

The most effective way to become strong was to step over the strong.

And the way to become a god was to pull the existing gods off their pedestals.

This time, Sun Hao did not call for a pick-and-roll. He directly signaled for everyone to clear out.

He wanted to play one-on-one!

It was a familiar scene. He had done the same thing back in the Plata League.

Fortunately, his coach back then had not been Larry Brown, or he might have been benched for ignoring the playbook.

Laso was not Sun Hao's coach in the Plata League, and he had... even less of an objection to this kind of behavior.

Sun Hao had already fully proven his ability. Besides, if not for Sun Hao tonight, Real Madrid Team would probably have already collapsed.

And Laso himself was not a stubborn man. The fact that he had promoted Sun Hao to the starting lineup in the first place said enough.

The player guarding Sun Hao was Panathinaikos Team's second-shortest player, standing... 1.95 meters tall.

He was nearly a head taller than Sun Hao.

Giannakis gave no signal, and Panathinaikos Team showed no intention of double-teaming.

It was a rare sight on the European stage: a one-on-one duel.

Sun Hao crossed over with the dribble, but he could not get past his opponent.

Clearly, this was not the Plata League. Sun Hao's current ball-handling ability was not enough to carry him past the defender.

He dribbled a step backward, then suddenly accelerated and drove left.

The move came suddenly, and he attacked his off hand, catching the defender completely off guard.

Sun Hao drove to the three-point line, stopped sharply, and rose for a three.

The spinning ball drew a perfect arc through the air.

"Swish!"

The ball brushed through the rim and dropped in. That sound was forever beautiful.

Sun Hao hit his second three-pointer of the game, and of the quarter!

A clutch three!

The Real Madrid fans at courtside went wild again. Like the Greek fans earlier, they rose, pumped their fists, and jumped frantically.

We might not be as imaginative as you, but we could learn on the spot!

With that, not only the court but the stands became incomparably lively.

Panathinaikos Team missed a three from the perimeter, Rakocevic missed the putback as well, and Gabajosa secured the defensive rebound.

Once Real Madrid Team reached the frontcourt, Sun Hao took the ball and signaled for everyone to clear out again!

At that instant, Kobe's soul seemed to cross over into Sun Hao's body. Mamba possession!

His Real Madrid Team teammates cleared out again. Sun Hao had already made one, so they had every reason to believe in him.

Giannakis still gave no signal. He trusted his own player just as much.

The defender lowered his center of gravity, holding one hand out to stop the drive and raising the other to contest the shot.

His defensive stance was highly professional, and his eyes stayed fixed on Sun Hao's shoulders, the most accurate place to read a drive.

Giannakis's trust was not unfounded. He knew Sun Hao's scoring ability, so he had assigned the team's best perimeter defender to guard him.

One failed defensive possession did not prove much.

Sun Hao drove again with the ball, once more exploding with a sudden First Step.

But this time, he could not create shooting space for himself.

The opposing guard was tall, but not slow. He also had an excellent wingspan and quick reactions.

Taking him down one-on-one was not going to be easy.

Gabajosa wanted to come up for a pick-and-roll, but Sun Hao motioned him back.

This was the kind of possession where momentum mattered.

Even if he missed, he could not show fear first.

Besides, he had just obtained a Gold Badge. After practicing in the system for so long, this was the perfect chance to test it.

Sun Hao crossed over again, but still could not get past his opponent.

The Greek fans at courtside had already begun jeering.

The noisy clamor felt like tangible pressure, constantly weighing down on Sun Hao.

Sun Hao shook his shoulders to throw off the burden, went between his legs to the left, then suddenly burst forward and drove straight down the left side.

He was still attacking with his off hand.

He pulled up at the three-point line, just like on the previous possession.

The difference was that his opponent stayed with him!

As Sun Hao released the ball, the defender flew in from the side for the block.

Sun Hao did not raise his release point. He knew that no matter how high he lifted it, he could not overcome the height difference. He leaned back slightly.

At that moment, he was the Black Mamba.

Sun Hao's results from practicing One-Minute Rapid Fire in the system showed themselves as well. He got the shot off before the defender could block it.

"Slap!"

The defender did not block the ball. He directly hit Sun Hao's hand.

The referee's whistle sounded from the sideline.

"Swish!"

The next second, the basketball dropped cleanly through the net.

It was a 3+1!

The power of a Gold Grade Badge!

After being hit, Sun Hao lost his balance, but he used a professional backward leg slide to protect himself.

Once he saw the ball go in, he braced himself on the floor and flipped straight back up.

He brought his right hand to his mouth, gave it a light blow, and performed his habitual Blowgun celebration.

The Mamba was confirmed!

"Napoleon! Napoleon!"

The next second, the entire arena was filled with the chants of Real Madrid fans.

That 3+1, together with the Blowgun celebration, was unbelievably cool!

Giannakis shook his head helplessly.

The defense on that play could not have been any tighter, yet Sun Hao still made it. It was purely individual ability.

Nothing he could do about it.

After Sun Hao finished his Blowgun celebration, his teammates immediately surrounded him. Amid the shouting and chest bumps, he once again felt like he did when playing in the EBA.

He adjusted his breathing and stepped to the free throw line.

"Swish!"

The bonus free throw went in too!

Including the earlier three-pointer, he had personally produced a 7-0 run!

Bodiroga, you could show off your passing all you wanted. The White Magician might be invincible in Europe, but you still could not stop my explosive scoring!

In two possessions, he had erased the deficit and even taken the lead!

"This is a clash between gods!"

Just then, the commentator at courtside delivered a fitting line.

Europe believed in religion and in gods, especially for the Greek fans in attendance, for whom the Athenian Pantheon was immensely famous.

Bodiroga had displayed the strength of Europe's Best after the opening tip. He was the God of European Basketball.

But Sun Hao had pulled Real Madrid Team back from the edge of the cliff twice in a row, showing off his own individual ability as well.

Especially his aura—it was utterly unmatched.

This was the Clash of New and Old Gods!

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