Crime Scene

At this moment, Lian Dao was still lying on top of Taylor, his head resting awkwardly on her chest.

His nose throbbed painfully from the collision, and without warning, tears welled up in his eyes. A hot trickle began to form in his nostrils, but he was too disoriented to notice.

As he regained his senses, he realized how awkward it was to have his face buried in someone else's arms, especially Taylor Swift's. The words of his friend Chang Yuan, who was always quick to judge people in such situations, flashed through his mind.

Embarrassed, Lian Dao quickly placed his hands on the ground and pushed himself up, lifting his head. When he looked up, he saw Taylor's face contorted in discomfort. She was clearly in pain from the impact.

Surrounded by chairs and spectators, Lian Dao found his legs tangled in the upturned chairs of the front row, making it difficult for him to stand. He could only keep himself propped up on his hands, maintaining some distance between the two of them.

Taylor, noticing his struggle, tried to offer help but was too shaken to move.

"Your... your nose," Taylor said, wide-eyed and surprised.

Confused, Lian Dao shifted one hand from the ground to his face, gently touching his nose. It felt sticky and warm. He brought his hand in front of him and saw the blood.

Great. A nosebleed.

The collision had ruptured the delicate blood vessels in his nose, and now, of all times, it was bleeding. The whole situation felt painfully awkward.

Lian Dao's embarrassment reached a new level. He wished he could dig a hole right there and disappear into it.

He thought about saying something to explain himself, but before he could, his teammates rushed over and helped him to his feet, saving him from further awkwardness.

As he stood, he covered his nose with one hand, quickly turning to Taylor with concern. "Are you okay?" he asked, knowing full well how strong his impact had been.

Taylor, still a little dazed but trying to brush it off, nodded. "I'm fine, just a bit sore." She laughed lightly. "Luckily, I had... cushioning."

Lian Dao felt his face heat up, knowing exactly what she meant. Despite the "cushion," the impact had clearly hurt her. It wasn't exactly the soft landing he had hoped for.

Still, seeing her smile put him a bit at ease.

His teammates, however, noticed his bloodied hand and the mess on his face. They struggled to suppress their laughter, exchanging amused glances, though they tried to stay serious.

It was rare to see Lian Dao, usually so composed, in such a disheveled state. And though they were concerned for him, the sight of him trying to cover his nose while standing awkwardly made it hard not to laugh.

Meanwhile, Millsap powered through Gasol, scoring another basket. The camera swiftly shifted focus back to Lian Dao, zooming in on his nose. As the blood trickled down, Los Angeles fans grew concerned, fearing that Lian Dao might have seriously injured his nose.

But just then, the big screen began replaying the moment of Lian Dao's heroic save—only this time, it highlighted the moment his face collided with Taylor Swift's chest in vivid detail. The slow-motion replay not only showed the impact but also caught the exact moment when Lian Dao's nose started bleeding.

For a moment, the arena fell silent as the audience took it all in, but the quiet was quickly shattered by laughter erupting throughout Staples Center. Some fans whistled at Lian Dao, while others—particularly the men—gazed at him with envy. Taylor Swift's beauty and celebrity status made her the object of many people's fantasies, and the sight of Lian Dao literally in her arms stirred up both amusement and jealousy.

The camera then panned back to Taylor, focusing briefly on her chest, which left her blushing deeply. Embarrassed, she shifted uncomfortably as the arena's laughter grew louder.

Lian Dao's teammates, who had just helped him to his feet, finally lost their composure. Hearing the crowd's reaction and seeing the replay on the big screen, they couldn't contain their laughter any longer. Their chuckles, though genuine, felt like a playful betrayal to Lian Dao.

He shot them a look that could kill.

At that moment, Coach D'Antoni called for a timeout. The team doctor rushed over to check on Lian Dao, who stood there covering his nose. After reviewing the replay and the incident, it became clear that the chest-to-face collision had provided enough of a cushion, and the injury was merely a ruptured nasal mucosa, not a fracture.

The doctor confirmed there was nothing serious to worry about.

D'Antoni breathed a sigh of relief. He had feared a worse injury that could sideline Lian Dao. After the doctor stopped the nosebleed and cleaned the blood from his face and hands, D'Antoni, though initially hesitant, couldn't ignore the determination in Lian Dao's eyes. The young star was eager to get back on the court, so the coach relented, allowing him to continue playing.

As Lian Dao returned to the game, Kobe Bryant greeted him with a sly grin, giving him a playful pat on the shoulder. His smile was loaded with mischief, and Lian Dao knew exactly what was running through the veteran's mind.

"That old pervert," Lian Dao thought, rolling his eyes.

The replay had essentially sealed Lian Dao's fate. No matter how he tried to explain it, no one would believe him now. This moment was destined to become a part of his "black history."

Staples Center was now a "crime scene."

Worse, the incident was broadcast live to a global audience, ensuring that there was no escaping the embarrassment. Lian Dao cringed at the thought of how this clip would be replayed over and over, and he silently thanked the basketball gods that Shaquille O'Neal hadn't yet retired. If Shaq were still hosting TNT's "Shaqtin' A Fool," this would have been an automatic nomination for his "Top 5 Embarrassments," destined to loop on TV forever.

Even so, over in the broadcast booth, Charles Barkley was laughing so hard he was nearly in tears, while Director Zhang, fighting back his own laughter, tried to give a serious explanation to the audience.

When the Lakers regained possession, Kobe, recognizing Lian Dao's unique abilities, decided to ease up on the one-on-one challenge. Instead, he used his teammates to set up a pick-and-roll, creating a mismatch for a signature fadeaway jumper.

The ball swished through the net, evening the score at 61:61.

The Lakers continued to double-team Lian Dao, making it difficult for him to find any openings. This time, Lian Dao charged into the paint, only to be met by a sea of defenders collapsing in on him.

He was completely surrounded.

But despite the pressure, Lian Dao broke through to the basket and, with his right hand, whipped the ball backward to the perimeter. The basketball sailed through a narrow gap and landed in Millsap's hands, wide open on the outside.

Catch, aim, shoot.

"Swish!"

Millsap's three-pointer found the net, pushing the Knicks ahead, 64-61.

At that moment, Phil Jackson, the Zen Master, made two subtle hand signals to Kobe.

Kobe nodded in response.

On the next possession, Kobe abandoned his one-on-one approach, and the Lakers fully shifted into Jackson's signature triangle offense. Gasol became the focal point, and with the system now in full swing, the Lakers' offense grew increasingly fluid and efficient.

Meanwhile, on defense, Kobe took full responsibility for Lian Dao, and Jackson abandoned the double-team strategy. Every Knicks player was tightly marked as the Lakers tightened their grip on the game.

The rhythm of the contest was slowly slipping away from the Knicks as the Lakers took full control, their methodical execution wearing the Knicks down.

With 15 seconds left in the third quarter, the score read 79-85, with the Knicks trailing by six.

Despite his exhaustion, Lian Dao took charge of the Knicks' final possession of the quarter. Gritting his teeth, he drove past Kobe, cutting through the defense and charging toward the basket.

But Kobe wasn't done. He chased Lian Dao relentlessly, timing his leap to challenge the layup.

In mid-air, Lian Dao felt Kobe closing in. At the last moment, he pulled the ball back, contorting his body mid-flight to avoid Kobe's outstretched hand. In a stunning display of athleticism, Lian Dao adjusted in mid-air and finished with a graceful finger roll. The ball dropped in for two.

But as Lian Dao came down, he felt a sharp cramp seize his leg.

Not good. Too much exertion. His leg was cramping up fast.

As he began to fall, unable to control his landing, Lian Dao feared the worst. His muscles were tightening, and landing wrong could mean a sprain—or worse.

Just as he was about to hit the floor, he felt someone steady him from behind.

It was Milicic.

Sensing something was off, Milicic had rushed over and caught Lian Dao just in time to prevent a bad fall. Lian Dao shot him a grateful look as he sat down on the court, clutching his calf to ease the muscle spasms.

The team doctor quickly rushed onto the floor, helping Lian Dao manage the pain. After a few minutes of treatment, Lian Dao, with the help of his teammates, hobbled back to the bench.

The doctor advised Coach D'Antoni that Lian Dao should not play again. The leg cramps signaled excessive physical exertion, and forcing him back into the game would only heighten the risk of a serious injury.

D'Antoni nodded solemnly. There was no choice. Lian Dao's health came first.

As the Lakers prepared for their final possession of the quarter, only 0.6 seconds remained. The buzzer soon sounded after an unsuccessful backcourt heave.

Entering the fourth quarter, D'Antoni made the decision not to send Lian Dao back onto the floor. The young star, though itching to return, understood the reasoning—his body needed rest. Danilo Gallinari came off the bench to replace him.

Unfortunately for the Knicks, the final period belonged to the Lakers. With Kobe orchestrating the triangle offense, his off-ball movement left the Knicks scrambling, and his shots became more precise as the quarter wore on. The Knicks defense struggled to keep pace.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Lakers had sealed a 106-94 victory.

Kobe Bryant led the charge with a stellar 46-point performance, while Pau Gasol chipped in with 22 points and 14 rebounds. The dynamic duo combined for a whopping 68 points, more than half of the Lakers' total.

For the Knicks, Lian Dao put up an impressive fight, finishing with 37 points and 13 assists despite being sidelined in the fourth quarter. Millsap contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Milicic added 13 points in support.