The buzzer signaling the end of the timeout sounded, driving the atmosphere at Staples Center to an unprecedented peak.
Throughout the arena, all twenty thousand fans rose to their feet, the sea of purple and gold whipping up towering waves.
Their cries merged into a terrifying sonic weapon, as if they were about to blow the roof off the arena.
"DEFENSE! DEFENSE! DEFENSE!"
The roar was deafening, making even the camera lenses tremble slightly.
At the TNT commentary desk, the three veteran broadcasters, no strangers to huge moments, were sweating nervously in their palms.
"Thirteen seconds! The Knicks are down by two! They have no timeouts left! This will be the final possession that decides the championship!"
Kevin Harlan's voice had already gone hoarse. He stared intently at the court, afraid of missing even the slightest detail. "We can see the Lakers have Kobe, Horry, Fisher, Fox, and Shaquille O'Neal on the floor! This lineup combines mobility with defensive intensity. Phil Jackson's intentions are obvious—they'll use switching and aggressive double-teams to shut down Li Fei!"
"That's right!"
Marv Albert cut in. "The whole world knows the Knicks will give the ball to Li Fei. The question is, how will they get it to him? How will the Lakers defend? Will they double-team him on the inbound, or wait until after he catches the ball? That chess match will be decided in a split second!"
Bill Walton clenched his fists tightly, not blinking. "Look at Kobe's eyes. He's like a black panther stalking its prey, radiating danger from head to toe! He announced his arrival with that deadly three-pointer just now. Now, he wants to end this game for good with a deadly defensive play and snatch that crown from Li Fei's hands!"
On the court, the air seemed to have