Chapter 7: Scoring 11 Consecutive Points, Unleashing a Surge of Power!

The Lakers' bench erupted with excitement; plays like this were truly uplifting.

"This Li Rui is about to explode today."

"Damn, what did I just see? Back-to-back three-pointers!"

"Unbelievable."

The comment sections on LiveBroadcast and HoopsTown flooded once again.

Kobe smiled faintly, realizing this rookie wasn’t as weak as he had imagined.

Nowadays, NBA players usually opt for safe finishes on fast breaks to secure two points; rarely do they attempt three-pointers on an empty basket up front.

Such moves were typically reserved for superstars.

On the sidelines, Coach Zen sat with his arms crossed, observing Li Rui’s confidence noticeably higher than before.

However, two three-point shots alone weren’t enough to alter Zen’s overall assessment of Li Rui.

Li Rui shrugged, then twisted his hips and raised both hands, flashing the three-point gesture with swagger.

Odom and Walton came over to high-five him in celebration.

"Great shot," Walton said.

As the future head coach of the Lakers, Walton had excellent emotional intelligence and maintained good relationships with every player on the team.

He congratulated Li Rui on his consecutive three-pointers.

"Stay focused," Rockets’ head coach Van Gundy shouted to Alston.

Having conceded two threes from Li Rui, Van Gundy placed the blame squarely on Alston.

This time, Alston was cautious dribbling past half court. Before Li Rui could close in, he passed the ball to McGrady on the right side.

McGrady, tangled up with Kobe’s defense, attempted a probing step but failed to create an opening, so he bounced the ball inside to Yao Ming.

As soon as Yao touched the ball, the Lakers converged on him. Walton and Kwame Brown double-teamed Yao.

Yao immediately passed it back to Alston.

Seeing the ball come his way, Alston felt a sinking dread—he hadn’t yet shaken off Li Rui’s defense.

Sure enough, Li Rui anticipated Yao’s pass. Alston had just received the ball and hadn’t warmed up yet.

"Smack!"

Li Rui swiped the ball away with a clean hand chop.

Clay’s perimeter defense rating was 80 points, and with Li Rui’s aggressiveness, he maximized his steal ability.

Of course, the main issue was the Rockets’ poor passing quality this possession.

Almost repeating the previous sequence, Li Rui swiftly dribbled to the right side of the frontcourt; McGrady had already retreated under the basket.

Li Rui no longer considered driving in with the ball—that wasn't his strength.

He stopped abruptly, jumped, and released a textbook three-point shot.

Another fast-break three-pointer.

The basketball flew like a bullet from a gun.

"Swish!"

It pierced through the net.

The score was tied at 51-51.

A hat-trick of three-pointers helped the Lakers erase the deficit in one swift move.

"Timeout!!"

Van Gundy angrily called a timeout; the Rockets’ first-half advantage had been wiped out.

Alston lowered his head in shame as he walked back to the bench.

Meanwhile, Li Rui high-fived his teammates all the way back to the Lakers’ bench.

"Damn, that’s incredible."

"Li Rui hits three straight threes and forces a Rockets timeout?"

"Today, Li Rui is finally showing his worth, standing tall."

"Well done."

Fans watching the domestic live broadcast were ecstatic.

"Li’s shooting has clearly improved," Daniel said excitedly.

Li Rui’s recent performances had made him proud.

On the sidelines, Coach Zen watched Li Rui with a smile. Honestly, Li Rui’s output had far exceeded his expectations.

He always thought Li Rui wouldn’t adapt to the intense NBA competition and would be lost on the court. His playing time wasn’t originally about basketball reasons.

But judging by these recent plays—two steals, three three-pointers—Li Rui was clearly adjusting to the NBA’s pace.

Moreover, from his shooting mechanics, this guy was extremely confident, more of a top-tier shooter than a point guard.

Zen pondered how to allocate Li Rui’s minutes going forward. With such outstanding form, he deserved more chances. His impression of Li Rui had improved.

Kobe approached, smiling. "Rookie, nice shooting."

It had been a long time since Kobe experienced the feeling of catching up without relying solely on himself.

Li Rui pouted. "Pass me the ball more; I’ll put it in the hoop."

Kobe nodded. "I’ll give you the ball whenever I get the chance."

Li Rui’s streak of three-pointers had eased Kobe’s doubts about his shooting.

Back at his seat, Li Rui took a sip of water, calming his nerves.

Those three three-pointers were crucial to prolonging his professional career.

He knew Coach Zen had taken everything in and would be willing to give him more opportunities.

With more time on the court, Li Rui was confident he could showcase his true ability.

At 35, Clay’s talent and skill fit perfectly into the Lakers’ rotation.

Besides, he was still growing and getting stronger.

The crowd noticed Li Rui’s shooting and admired the rookie’s skills.

On the Rockets’ side, Yao and McGrady felt frustrated—they barely got to play, yet had carelessly lost nine points.

The culprit, Alston, had already been subbed out, replaced by backup point guard John Lucas III.

The Lakers also rotated: Kwame Brown came off for Bynum, while the impressive Li Rui remained on the floor.

Play resumed quickly. McGrady, distrustful of the Rockets’ point guard, chose to catch the ball near the baseline and push forward himself.

Dribbling to the right frontcourt, McGrady surveyed the defense; Yao continued to keep Bynum behind him inside.

McGrady passed inside. This time, Yao didn’t wait for a double team but swiftly caught the ball, spun around, and executed his signature baby hook shot.

His height was imposing; young shark Bynum could only watch helplessly.

Swish!

53-51, Lakers on the attack.

Li Rui received the ball from Bynum and pushed it forward.

John Lucas III, more aggressive than Alston, immediately pressured Li Rui in the backcourt.

Feeling the pressure before crossing half court, Li Rui decisively passed the ball to Kobe, who was also still in the backcourt.

Kobe was momentarily stunned receiving the ball; he expected Li Rui to advance to the frontcourt before passing, not this early.

He couldn’t imagine Li Rui was hesitant to dribble past half court, so he passed early.

But Kobe didn’t mind. Battier rushed to trap Kobe, who executed a stylish behind-the-back dribble and hand switch to blow past Battier into the frontcourt.

Li Rui envied Kobe’s ball-handling skills.

Kobe’s dribbling wasn’t flashy; it focused on efficient penetration with minimal unnecessary moves.

He wished he could do that.

After shaking off Battier, McGrady became the primary defender, trapping Kobe along with Battier.

Kobe passed out to Walton, stationed at the top of the key.

Though Li Rui was the Lakers’ point guard, he showed no intention of organizing the offense himself. He didn’t move to receive Walton’s pass but instead signaled Bynum to set a screen for him off the ball.

Clay’s experience in movement was extensive. Bynum planted himself, guarding his crotch, and Li Rui used the screen to break free from John Lucas III.

"Fuck!"

John Lucas III was firmly blocked by Bynum and could only watch as Li Rui cut inside.

Walton’s high basketball IQ was evident—at the instant Li Rui found an opening, he lobbed the ball inside.

Li Rui was fully prepared to catch. Yao was on the opposite side of the paint, unprepared for Li Rui’s rapid cut.

Li Rui caught the ball, took a step, and delicately floated the ball into the hoop.

53-53.

Li Rui had scored 11 straight points, showcasing his explosive scoring ability!