Ankle Breaker

"Swish!"

The basketball sailed cleanly through the net.

12:19

Zhu Fangyu's three-pointer was perfect.

In response, the Iranian team quickly lobbed the ball to Haddadi through a screen.

Haddadi, standing at 2.18 meters, had a significant height advantage over Lian Dao, who was 2.06 meters.

As Haddadi leaned against Lian Dao to catch the ball...

"Snap!"

The ball never reached Haddadi. Lian Dao spun around and leaped in front of Haddadi, intercepting it in mid-air.

That's what you call wingspan—Lian Dao's 223 cm wingspan was nearly 20 cm more than his height.

When you have ten centimeters more wingspan than your height, it's called talent. For someone like Lian Dao, it's like being a "gibbon"!

After the steal, Lian Dao launched a long pass down the court to Wang Shipeng, who was sprinting ahead.

Wang Shipeng caught the pass just inside the frontcourt three-point line.

A quick three-step layup!

From steal to fast-break layup, it took no more than six seconds.

Yao Ming, on the bench, couldn't help but laugh at the fluid counterattack.

Defensively, Lian Dao didn't try to outmuscle Haddadi. Haddadi was unlike Thabeet; while Thabeet lacked physical strength, Haddadi was quite solid in that aspect.

However, even though Haddadi was strong, he lagged behind Lian Dao in terms of flexibility.

While Lian Dao might not match Haddadi in pure strength, the difference wasn't substantial.

Lian Dao continually fronted Haddadi, using his strength to disrupt Haddadi's positioning.

This left Haddadi with few opportunities to receive the ball, and the Iranian team was shut down by the Chinese defense for a full 24 seconds.

As the possession changed, Haddadi, frustrated by Lian Dao, switched with Bahrami to defend Zhu Fangyu, stepping up to challenge Lian Dao himself.

Lian Dao smirked at Haddadi's misguided confidence.

Realizing he had overcommitted, Haddadi started to step back, trying to prevent Lian Dao's drive.

Noticing this, Lian Dao set up as if to take a shot from beyond the arc.

Haddadi, alarmed, rushed forward with all his might, unwilling to let Lian Dao take such an open shot.

But Lian Dao had no intention of shooting. Instead, he executed a flawless feint, driving right with a deceptive move. He paused briefly to throw Haddadi off balance.

Then, with a swift crossover, Lian Dao left Haddadi scrambling. His feet tangled beneath him, and he fell to the floor with a resounding "thud."

After breaking through, Lian Dao glanced at Haddadi sprawled on the court, then charged toward the basket, finishing with a powerful dunk.

Cameras captured Lian Dao's commanding form as he made the breakthrough and looked back at his fallen opponent.

The audience was stunned by Lian Dao's play, which sent the defender sprawling.

And to think, Lian Dao was a small forward standing at 2.06 meters.

"Boom!"

The crowd erupted into deafening cheers.

At this point, Haddadi was helped up by his teammates, but he walked back and forth a bit awkwardly. Lian Dao had just shaken him to the point of an ankle sprain!

"Ankle Breaker!"

This was the first thought of all the viewers. That title is usually reserved for guards like Chris Paul and Allen Iverson, known for their speed and agility.

Today, Lian Dao achieved that feat in the Asian Championships final.

Yao Ming, grinning from ear to ear on the bench, couldn't help applauding Lian Dao's performance.

"This little brother is impressive," Yao Ming thought. "When he decides to dominate, he really goes all out!"

12:23.

At this moment, the Chinese team held an 11-point lead with one minute remaining in the first quarter.

The Iranian coach noticed Haddadi's awkward movement on the court. Although only a minute remained, he called a timeout. He couldn't risk Haddadi's career; untreated ankle injuries could worsen quickly.

The team doctor diagnosed Haddadi's ankle with a slight sprain, which wasn't serious, but they recommended he not play again. However, Haddadi chose to continue.

After the timeout, Lian Dao wasn't in a rush to attack on his own. Instead, he used his playmaking skills to energize his teammates.

In the second quarter, Yi Jianlian and Wang Shipeng regained their shooting touch, and the Chinese team turned into a three-point barrage. It began raining threes in Jinmen Gymnasium.

In the second half, after Wang Zhizhi returned, the team launched a 10-2 offensive burst at the start of the third quarter.

However, the Iranian team was tenacious. Once they regained their composure, they mounted a desperate counterattack. In the latter half of the third quarter, they narrowed the score difference to five points.

The teams battled fiercely until the last five minutes. Lian Dao responded with a strong defensive effort, and the Iranian team began to falter, making numerous mistakes due to fatigue.

Lian Dao seized the opportunity, expanding the lead and extinguishing Iran's hopes of victory!

At the end of the game, the Chinese team defeated the Iranian team 112-99.

Lian Dao posted an incredible stat line: 35 points, 12 assists, 13 rebounds, 9 steals, and 3 blocks.

He was just one steal shy of a quadruple-double, marking another epic performance after his last 5×5 game.

Lian Dao became the first basketball player to achieve a near-quadruple-double in the Asian Championships.

This achievement was unprecedented and will be challenging for future players to surpass.

At the end of the game, Yao Ming stood up, smiling broadly, and applauded the men's basketball team.

"Well done!"

Cheers erupted from the stands as fans waved flags and banners. The female fans gazed at Lian Dao with adoration; if not for the barriers, he would likely have been surrounded by admirers.

D'Antoni, who had been watching the game, nodded repeatedly. His trip to China had been worthwhile. Lian Dao excelled both offensively and defensively. Although there was room for improvement, he was already impressive at just 19 years old, with a bright future ahead.

What pleased D'Antoni most was that Lian Dao wasn't a solo player. He liked to involve his teammates and was a good passer. His organizational skills would allow D'Antoni to make more tactical adjustments.

D'Antoni was satisfied with his trip to China. He found the answer he was seeking, and Lian Dao exceeded his expectations.

After a brief celebration on the court, the Chinese team prepared for the handshake ceremony.

Haddadi, who had been outplayed by Lian Dao, chose to leave the court without participating. He couldn't handle the defeat, which was typical of his style.

In the future, Haddadi would be involved in several controversial incidents. During this Asian Championship, he had already shown signs of being a villain.

One notable incident in the CBA involved him kicking the back of Zhang Yongpeng's head.

Meanwhile, Lian Dao shook hands with the remaining Iranian players.

Yao Ming approached the sideline, patting Lian Dao on the shoulder with joy. He felt that his wisest decision this season was bringing Lian Dao to the Asian Championships.

He had grown fond of his younger teammate. Lian Dao's tough style of play and fearless attitude reminded Yao Ming of qualities he admired.