NBA: Giant Killing

[Commentary Booth, Live Broadcast]

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to what has already turned into a spectacle! We're barely a few minutes into the game, and Oliver has set the court ablaze!"

"Marquette University's head coach talked a big game before this matchup, claiming he had a strategy to keep Oliver in check, limiting him to single-digit scoring. But look at the scoreboard—six points already, all from deep-range threes! If this is what being 'contained' looks like, I can't imagine what an unleashed Oliver would do!"

"And you can see the concern creeping onto the faces of Marquette's players. Their defense needs an answer, and fast."

The tension inside the arena was palpable.

As soon as Marquette inbounded the ball, their star guard, Dwyane Wade, wasted no time orchestrating an offensive play. A sharp pass found Arlington in the paint, who quickly converted for two points.

"Marquette responds! Arlington gets the easy bucket off a Wade assist. The score now stands at 6-4. If Marquette can get a stop here, they'll have a chance to tie this game up."

From the sideline, Marquette's head coach could be heard shouting defensive instructions, his voice cutting through the noise of the crowd.

Aina University's shooting guard, Franklin, prepared to inbound the ball. The crowd buzzed with anticipation as Oliver received the pass, his every movement now under the watchful eyes of Marquette's defenders.

"And here we go again! Oliver, the man of the hour, brings the ball up the court. You can already see Marquette's Norton stepping up, trying to apply some pressure. He knows firsthand how tough it is to guard Oliver—he's been on the receiving end of those devastating moves before."

Norton braced himself. He had felt Oliver's strength in their previous matchups and knew better than to engage in a physical battle. That was a losing proposition. At the same time, playing too conservatively would only invite disaster. Oliver thrived when given space.

"Norton is locked in, folks. He's playing Oliver tight, but let's be honest—there's only so much you can do against a player of his caliber."

Oliver, however, was undeterred. If anything, the tight defense only fueled his desire to showcase something spectacular.

His movements were fluid, his footwork impeccable.

With a sudden spin, he left Norton grasping at air, then followed up with a quick between-the-legs dribble to further widen the gap.

"Oh my goodness! Norton just got put on skates! Oliver leaves him in the dust!"

Oliver wasted no time, surging forward into Marquette's half of the court.

The urgency in Marquette's defense was evident.

Wade, recognizing the danger, immediately switched onto Oliver, stepping up to challenge him.

"Wade steps up! He's not about to let Oliver waltz into the paint unchallenged!"

Oliver, reading the defense, flashed a knowing smile. Instead of forcing a contested drive, he swiftly passed the ball to his teammate, Golin, on the right wing.

"Smart decision by Oliver! He sees the double team coming and kicks it out to Golin."

Marquette's small forward, Andrew, scrambled to cover Golin, but their defense had been stretched thin.

The moment Andrew closed in, Golin sent the ball right back to Oliver.

"And there's the return pass! Golin and Oliver have this telepathic connection on the court. This leaves Oliver in a one-on-one situation against Wade—this is what we came here to see!"

Oliver stood just behind the three-point arc, facing Wade, who crouched low in a defensive stance.

The future NBA legend's younger self had the same intensity he would later become known for.

His goal was clear—keep Oliver out of the paint and force him into an uncomfortable shot.

But Oliver had other plans.

Instead of attempting to drive past Wade, he took a sudden step back—three full paces behind the three-point line.

Wade remained planted, momentarily uncertain of Oliver's intentions.

And then—Oliver rose into his shooting motion.

"Wait—he's pulling up from there?!"

The arena collectively held its breath. The ball left Oliver's fingertips in a smooth arc, soaring from nearly a meter beyond the three-point line.

Time seemed to slow as it traveled through the air.

Then—

Swish!

The net barely moved.

For a split second, there was silence. Then, the crowd erupted.

"OH MY WORD! OLIVER FROM WAY DOWNTOWN!"

"Are you kidding me?! That shot was almost from the other side of the court! Oliver is on another level right now!"

"Wade played that possession perfectly, but it just doesn't matter when Oliver is in this kind of rhythm! How do you even guard that!"

The camera panned to the Marquette bench, where their head coach looked as if he had just swallowed something bitter. His game plan had revolved around containing Oliver's three-point shooting—but how do you defend against a player willing to shoot from nearly anywhere on the court?

On the court, Wade stared at Oliver, his expression a mixture of shock and newfound respect.

"You can tell Wade is thinking: 'Seriously? He took that shot this early in the game?' Normally, a shot like that is reserved for desperate, last-second situations, but Oliver just made it look routine!"

Marquette quickly inbounded the ball, their possessions growing more urgent with each passing second.

Norton brought it up before passing to Wade, who found himself being shadowed by Oliver.

"And now Oliver is taking on Wade defensively! This is turning into a true battle between two elite guards!"

Wade, not wanting to force the issue, swung the ball to Arlington, who then dished it back to Norton.

The ball zipped around, forcing Aina's defense to shift.

A small gap opened, and Andrew capitalized, knocking down a mid-range jumper.

"Marquette responds, but they are still trailing! The score is now 9-6 in favor of Aina University!"

Oliver, unfazed, dribbled up the court with a single finger raised, signaling his teammates.

"Oh no—what is he planning now?"

Marquette's defense had clearly adjusted. Wade had edged closer, Norton was sticking like glue, and their other defenders were keeping a watchful eye on Oliver's every move.

Their strategy was clear—limit his vision, cut off his passing lanes, and prevent another clean look from deep.

But Oliver had already read their intentions.

Before his teammates even moved, he knew exactly where they would be.

With a flick of his wrist, he sent a no-look pass to Golin, hitting him in stride.

"That pass was unreal! Oliver knew where Golin was going before even looking!"

Marquette scrambled to recover.

As they rushed to cover Golin, Oliver slid back toward the three-point line, subtly raising his hand.

Golin saw him and didn't hesitate—he fired the ball back to Oliver.

A two-man game executed to perfection.

But now, Oliver was facing a double team—Wade and Norton, both converging on him.

And yet, he smiled.

With a smooth, effortless motion, he stepped back—just a hair beyond the arc.

He didn't even need to glance at the basket.

The shot was already up.