Los Angeles Lakers bench:
Phil Jackson frowned deeply. It was a dangerous sign.
But after looking at how little time remained, Phil Jackson decided against making any adjustments and would finish the third quarter with the lineup on the court.
Phil Jackson turned his gaze back to the court.
With the Los Angeles Lakers looking to get one more possession, Kobe caught the ball and shot without hesitation.
"Clang." It missed.
Mark Blount grabbed the rebound. The moment his feet touched the floor, he heard Goodwin call, "Mark, the ball!"
Goodwin had already crossed midcourt, with Gary Payton right behind him.
Mark Blount flung the ball upcourt, sending it straight toward Goodwin.
Not a chance!
Seeing the ball fly toward him, Gary Payton jumped early.
What?
But the moment he took off, his legs gave way, and he barely got off the ground.
The ball reached Goodwin, who caught it right at the three-point line.
He stopped, jumped, hung in the air, and shot a three.
The motion was smooth and seamless, the shot released in one fluid movement.
"Why?" Doc Rivers was extremely unhappy with Goodwin's decision. He could have taken two points for sure, but instead he had to shoot a three. What if he missed?
The ball traced a beautiful arc through the air.
"Swish." It dropped perfectly into the basket.
Doc Rivers: (⊙o⊙)...
It went in?
"Great shot!" Doc Rivers immediately shouted.
Whether a cat was black or white, it was a good cat if it caught mice.
As long as the shot went in, nobody would question the decision to take it.
After scoring, Goodwin didn't celebrate at all. He looked up at the giant screen at Staples Center and murmured, "Ten points left."
His words reached Gary Payton's ears behind him. Payton's eyes suddenly widened, his pupils contracting sharply.
He still hadn't given up on this game.
Normally, when facing the Los Angeles Lakers with the OK Duo, a team trailing by 17 points after three quarters would have surrendered already.
Gary Payton pounded his own leg and thought, Hold together for me.
The Los Angeles Lakers inbounded from the backcourt and passed to Gary Payton. He dribbled to the top of the arc, keeping an eye on the clock as he went.
He wanted to run out the remaining time. Even if he missed, he wouldn't leave the Boston Celtics any time to work with.
The seconds flew by. Ten, nine, eight...
Kobe used a screen on one side to get open and receive the ball.
Paul Pierce slipped around the screen in time and came out too, but his target wasn't Kobe. It was Gary Payton.
At the same time, Mike James, who was guarding Gary Payton, stepped up to defend him.
Confronted with the sudden double-team, Gary Payton drew on his experience. He took a step back, then jumped and passed the ball toward Kobe in midair.
But the next second, Gary Payton froze. How was he there?
Smack!
Goodwin stole Gary Payton's pass.
After the steal, Goodwin immediately dribbled upcourt.
Paul Pierce and Mike James both joined the fast break.
With no other choice, Gary Payton retreated to the paint.
Kobe chased Goodwin furiously and caught up to him in no time.
Goodwin suddenly stopped.
He was going to pass. But to whom?
Kobe turned to look at Paul Pierce and Mike James in the middle.
He already had one hand in the path of Goodwin's pass.
As far as he was concerned, Goodwin was definitely going to pass. The three-point line was a full yard away—there was no way he would shoot.
But the very next second, Goodwin's move slapped Kobe right in the face.
Kobe: (ÒωÓױ)!
Kobe stared at Goodwin in disbelief.
With everyone watching, Goodwin jumped, hung in the air, and shot from way beyond the three-point line.
The ball traced a beautiful arc through the air.
"Swish!" It tore through the net—and through the hearts of the fans in the arena and the Los Angeles players.
It went in? It went in!
Everyone instinctively looked at the giant screen. The deficit was down to just seven points.
A minute ago, they had been down by 17. Now it was seven!
They'd made up ten points in less than a minute.
OMG!
Even Shaquille O'Neal on the bench looked stunned. What had happened? He'd only been out for two minutes, and the lead was already down to single digits.
Phil Jackson couldn't help patting his forehead. He regretted not making an adjustment earlier.
"Beep, beep." The Los Angeles Lakers had just 0.8 seconds left. The moment they touched the ball in the backcourt, time expired, and the referee blew the whistle to end the third quarter.
The Boston Celtics players, both on and off the court, rushed toward Goodwin.
"My God, Goodwin, you're incredible!"
"Goodwin, the sharpshooter!"
"OMG, Goodwin!"
The players all praised Goodwin.
Faced with all the praise, Goodwin didn't show much emotion. He simply nodded in silence.
Once the players had gradually calmed down, Goodwin spoke. "The game isn't over. We still have a chance to win."
As soon as he finished, Goodwin was like a torch, reigniting the players' nearly extinguished flame.
"That's right, the game isn't over yet!"
"We're leaving Staples with a win!"
"We can win!"
In an instant, the Boston Celtics were filled with hope of victory.
Seeing this from a short distance away, Doc Rivers gave Goodwin a thumbs-up without thinking. Well done, Goodwin.
He'd pulled a game back from the brink of a cliff.
It was nothing short of a miracle.
Ten points in one minute.
Goodwin's stats made it even more incredible: five shots taken, all five made, for a whopping 16 points.
Doc Rivers's mind raced. Of course, they would give the ball to Goodwin in the next quarter, but one thing worried him: would the Los Angeles Lakers have Kobe guard Goodwin?
Kobe's defense was a level above Gary Payton's, who was now nearly 36.
If Kobe guarded him, Goodwin would be shut down again.
At that point, Doc Rivers couldn't help looking at Paul Pierce.
"Gather around!"
Doc Rivers called out at once.
The players gathered around.
Doc Rivers immediately said, "First, I want to thank Goodwin for his performance. He helped us climb back from the edge of the cliff. But the fourth quarter is the real test. If we want to win this game, it all comes down to you, Paul Pierce."
Paul Pierce wore a puzzled expression. Me?
The other players looked just as puzzled.
"That's right, you, Paul Pierce. I want you to keep playing aggressively and make the Los Angeles Lakers keep putting Kobe on you."
The moment Doc Rivers finished speaking, Paul Pierce quickly understood.
Oh, I see.
"Don't worry, Coach. Leave it to me."
Doc Rivers looked at the other players. "Your most important job is to support Paul Pierce and Goodwin, and to play defense." After saying that, Doc Rivers took out the tactics board and explained the defensive priorities for the fourth quarter.
The brief break ended, and both teams returned to the court.
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