69novels Chapter 61 The Throne That Stands Time Still
Chapter 61 The Throne That Stands Time Still
2009年2月14日，晚9:45。
Phoenix, American Airlines Center.
All-Star Slam Dunk Contest - Round 1 of the tiebreaker.
The atmosphere at the scene was beyond frenzied; it was a suffocating feast of oxygen deprivation.
Nate stood at the baseline, his chest heaving, but the fire in his eyes burned hotter than ever.
He knew this was the highlight of his career; he was fighting a monster.
"bring it on!!"
Nate roared and tossed the ball high into the air.
The basketball bounced after landing.
Nate seized the opportunity, took a running start, and jumped.
He caught the rebounding ball in mid-air, his body folding backwards as if it were a fully drawn bow.
Aerial relay + folding back buckle!
"boom!!!"
The movements were perfect, without any flaws.
For someone who is only 1.75 meters tall, such jumping height and hang time are simply miraculous.
Michael Jordan, on the judges' panel, raised his 10-point card again.
50 points! Another perfect score!
In the commentary booth, Kenny Smith clutched his head: "Incredible! Does this little guy have a nuclear bomb inside him? He got a perfect score again! He's kicked the pressure back to Li Xiangbei like a ball!"
The pressure is now on Li Xiangbei's side again.
Li Xiangbei calmly walked onto the stage.
He didn't look at Nate or the judges; he simply picked up the ball calmly.
Run-up, jump.
He performed a dazzling maneuver in mid-air—a 360-degree crossbody hand switch!
As the body spins, the basketball weaves between the legs.
This requires extremely strong core strength and spatial awareness.
It was still a one-shot success.
The takeoff height remained level with the basket, and the landing was as stable as Mount Tai.
"Bang!!!"
The crowd erupted in cheers once again!
50 points!
Another draw!
The audience at the stadium went wild, with fans in the front row even kneeling on the ground to watch the game.
This is the greatest dunk contest in NBA history, bar none!
……
After a short break, the competition entered a brutal second round of tiebreakers.
This is also a watershed moment in terms of physical strength.
On the sidelines, Nate's thigh muscles began to show signs of instability due to his continuous high-intensity, perfect dunks.
In contrast, Li Xiangbei...
He remained standing on the sidelines, his expression calm.
He even picked up a bottle of water and took a sip. His breathing was steady, and there were hardly any beads of sweat on his forehead.
This terrifying physical reserve left Wade and James, who were standing nearby, dumbfounded.
"This guy... doesn't need to breathe?" James muttered to himself.
Nate gritted his teeth and went onto the field.
He knew he was running out of energy and creative reserves, but he didn't want to lose.
He wanted to finish the match with a difficult spin move.
First try.
Run-up, jump.
But clearly, his jump height was insufficient.
"when!"
The ball slammed against the front of the rim and went wide.
A sigh of regret escaped from the audience.
A second chance to remedy the situation.
Nate knew he didn't have the energy to do those crazy moves anymore. He could only choose something a little simpler: his hands clasped behind his back.
Although they made it in, it lacked creativity and difficulty, and their posture was clearly fatigued.
The judges were sympathetic, but they had to be fair.
Jordan gave it a 9.
The other judges also gave it 9 or 10 points.
Total score: 47 points.
Nate looked at the score, shook his head helplessly, and spread his hands.
……
We only need 48 points to win.
For Li Xiangbei, a simple crossover or a windmill dunk is enough.
But Li Xiangbei didn't want to win.
It was conquest.
He walked to the sidelines and gestured to the DJ: cut the music.
The entire room fell silent instantly.
Li Xiangbei faces the camera.
"The game should end now."
His voice wasn't loud, but it exuded absolute confidence.
He took the ball and retreated to the three-point line.
start up!
His speed was extremely fast, like a black lightning bolt slicing through the sky.
Charge into the penalty area!
One step outside the penalty area line, and he leaped up with both feet!
"Thump!"
That was the sound of power being released.
Li Xiangbei shot into the air like a rocket.
Right at this highest point.
He performed that physics-defying maneuver in mid-air—
With legs bent and together, thighs parallel to the ground and calves pointing vertically downwards, the person is in a standard, even leisurely, "sitting" position in the air.
It was as if there really was an invisible chair of air under his butt!
While maintaining this "sitting posture", he picked up the ball with his right hand and passed it under his knees with his legs together!
Change of hands!
Slam Dunk!
At that moment, time seemed to stand still. He wasn't falling; he seemed to be truly suspended in the air, sitting on that invisible throne, looking down at the basket, looking down at all living beings.
"boom!!!"
The basketball was slammed into the hoop!
miracle!
In the commentary booth, Kenny Smith seemed to have been electrocuted, jumping up from his chair, clutching his head, and staring wide-eyed!
"Oh my god! OMG! Did you see that?! He's sitting in mid-air! He's sitting in mid-air!!" Kenny screamed at the top of his lungs. "This is not scientific! This is a crime! This is a crime against gravity!!"
Barkley, standing nearby, exclaimed passionately, "It's over! This is the end! Nate, go home! Everyone go home! This is the most incredible dunk I've ever seen in my life! He made time stand still!!"
On the judging panel, Michael Jordan, the "God of Basketball" who had seen countless big moments, completely lost his composure. He jumped up from his chair, covered his head with his hands, and kept shouting, "No! No way! No way!"
Dominique Wilkins, standing next to him, grabbed Jordan's arm excitedly, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
At that moment, the entire American Airlines Center was completely ignited by this dunk, and the roar almost lifted the roof off!
50 points!
An undisputed perfect score!
Li Xiangbei won the 2009 All-Star Slam Dunk Contest!
……
At the awards ceremony.
Nate walked over.
He felt no resentment, only acceptance.
Under the gaze of tens of thousands of spectators and global live broadcast cameras, Nate knelt down on one knee and took out a towel that he had prepared beforehand.
He made that classic "shoe-shining" gesture, carefully wiping Li Xiangbei's "Rogue Generation" shoes.
"Boss, I give up."
Nate looked up at Li Xiangbei, his eyes filled with admiration.
"You're an alien, I'm just an Earthling."
Li Xiangbei smiled, pulled Nate up, and patted him on the shoulder.
[System Settlement:]
[Congratulations, host, on completing the mission: The Limits of the Sky (S-rank)]
[Rewards: Daily guaranteed winnings increased to 8 times]
Amid cheers from the crowd, Li Xiangbei raised the gleaming golden dunk champion trophy high.
But he did not indulge in the celebration.
His gaze cut through the crowd and landed on the Eastern Conference All-Star seats on the sidelines.
"This is just a warm-up."