Chapter 2 The Time of the Bench Players

The second quarter was mostly left for the substitutes to perform, with Paul and Harden becoming the main scoring threats.

When Westbrook went off to rest, Durant pulled him aside and questioned him in a low voice about why he passed the ball to Tang Tian.

Westbrook brushed it off with a few words. He certainly couldn't say what he wanted to do, especially with Tang Tian and Durant's relationship being so strained right now.

Changing relationships was something that definitely had to be done gradually.

Durant was already feeling mmp inside, but he couldn't get angry at Westbrook, so he turned away and sulked.

Westbrook didn't care. When Durant was subbed back in, he went to sit next to Tang Tian and chat.

"Where did you get that idea? The one where you sat down to dunk at the end?"

"That one? I saw it in a video on YouTube before."

"That's right, there are a lot of dunk masters on the streetball courts. Do you still have that link?"

"I forgot, but I do have a few dunk moves. If you want to participate in the dunk contest next year, I can tell you about them."

"Okay!"

……

The two of them were really chatting enthusiastically.

Durant was really angry when he saw it on the court. He tried to force a shot against DeRozan, but he didn't control the ball well and dribbled it out of bounds.

Tang Tian wasn't subbed back in until the last five minutes.

He got the opportunity to hit two more shots in a row.

At the end of the first half, his score was 21 points, the highest in the game!

At this rate, he had a very good chance of winning this year's All-Star Game MVP!

At the end of the first half, both teams sat on the sidelines to rest.

Durant went to find Curry at this time.

He couldn't rely on his good brother, so he could only rely on his new friend.

No one knew what the two of them said, but Curry nodded in the end.

Before the All-Star Game, the two of them got along very well on the sidelines.

Durant was a shooter and admired Curry very much, who was also a shooter.

Curry didn't need to say more. He admired Durant very much during his college years.

The two had admired each other before.

Now that Durant had a request, he immediately responded.

Back in the second half, James came up with a signature tomahawk dunk.

The Western team attacked to the frontcourt, and after Durant asked for the ball, Curry passed it to him.

Durant isolated James, and after a crossover fake, he hit a fadeaway jumper.

There was a burst of booing at the scene.

James was very strong, but because the Eastern team was basically weaker than the Western team every year, he couldn't get the MVP no matter how explosive his stats were.

This was the Pelicans' home court, which was equivalent to the Western team's home court, so they were starting to boo at this time.

James' three-point opportunity from the outside was interfered with by Durant and missed.

Griffin got the rebound and gave it to Durant again.

Durant fast-breaked to the frontcourt, squeezed past James, and then dunked to score.

The booing at the scene was even louder, accompanied by bursts of whistles.

"Kevin, beat LeBron!"

Some fans in the front row were even shouting.

Because Durant was performing well this year and the Thunder were also strong, the two teams were likely to meet in the Finals.

So even in the All-Star Game, the fans were booing with great enthusiasm.

James' three-pointer in the frontcourt still didn't go in. He was 0 for 4 from the three-point line tonight.

The booing at the scene reached a climax.

It felt like they were saying, "Look, the Eastern team is finally a little stronger this year, but you, James, are holding them back."

James had a good temper, but he was, after all, Little Emperor. Being booed like this made his face a little unsightly.

Durant didn't care and continued to post up for the ball in the frontcourt.

After Curry passed the ball in, Durant continued to post up and force James, then turned around and shot a fadeaway.

"Bang!"

But this time, just as he shot, James rushed out and gave him a huge block right in the face!

There was an uproar on the sidelines.

James was starting to play for real!

Durant was a little dazed by the block, but he also got a little angry.

He had finally convinced Curry at halftime that he could get the shot attempts, but James still blocked him?

Unacceptable!

He got the ball again and went hard to the basket, then shot a big loop.

"Bang!"

James with another chase-down block!

There were basically no whistles in the All-Star Game. Durant's physical confrontation was far behind James, so going so hard was just asking to be blocked.

After James blocked the shot, he got the rebound, and the Eastern team directly launched a fast break. Wade assisted Irving to score a layup in the frontcourt.

The Eastern team finally broke the scoring drought.

Durant attacked again in the frontcourt, James pounced very hard, and his shot still didn't go in!

That was three misses in a row!

There was a commotion on the sidelines.

Durant's playing style was already not very entertaining to begin with. It was okay if he made the shots, but missing so many in a row was really ugly.

James broke through the frontcourt and dunked to score.

The Eastern team took the lead 72 to 71.

Durant still wanted the ball in the frontcourt, but Curry didn't give it to him anymore.

After all, the All-Star Game was just for fun.

Although Durant joked during the chat that everyone would have the opportunity to play together in the future, the All-Star Game still had to be entertaining.

He passed the ball to Kobe, who posted up and then passed the ball to Tang Tian on the outside.

Tang Tian caught the ball and shot.

"Swish!"

He took a step and shook off George to hit a three-pointer.

Cheers erupted from the sidelines.

No matter how Durant shot, he couldn't make it, but Tang Tian could make it as soon as he got the ball.

The difference was obvious!

James made another layup in the frontcourt.

The audience's reaction earlier had aroused his fighting spirit. It didn't matter whether he got the MVP or not, but he had to win this game.

The score went back and forth between the two sides. It was only the third quarter, but both sides seemed to be playing for real.

Curry went directly to Tang Tian in the frontcourt.

It was always good to get an assist!

Tang Tian's open three-pointer went in!

His open three-point skill was still there, and he was really accurate in this kind of low-intensity exhibition game!

Durant... couldn't get the ball again.

James' fifth shot from the outside still missed.

It was a long rebound, and Tang Tian got it as he turned around.

Curry had already rushed out of the three-point line for a fast break.

Tang Tian dribbled the ball and stopped, then threw a long pass from the backcourt to Curry.

His pass was very accurate, and Curry had already shaken off Irving with an acceleration after catching the ball.

Irving also slowed down and didn't chase anymore.

Curry's showtime!

He looked at the basket at this time with an excited look on his face.

He was so excited, he was going to perform a dunk.

Due to his playing style, he basically had no dunking opportunities in the game, and because his jumping ability was poor and his take-off time was slow, he would not try to dunk when facing the opponent's chase.

Now the opportunity was at hand.

He had to dunk.

Moreover, he had agreed with Tang Tian before that if he dunked, he could go to Tang Tian's hard training camp for brothers.

Full of hope, he mustered all his strength and prepared to dunk from half a meter away from the basket.

"Squeak~"

But just as he exerted his strength to prepare to take off, he suddenly slipped under his feet. He hugged the ball and fell directly under the basket.

There was a commotion on the sidelines.

Barkley and Smith in the commentary booth were stunned.

O'Neal burst out laughing on the spot.

Curry was, blocked by the floor...

ps: Thanks to the reward from Lazydog.

ps: Today I have a toothache and a headache, I feel like I'm dying...