NBA: Giant Killing

Chapter 34: Master of the Flop

The tension in the arena was palpable as Oliver dribbled the ball past half-court. Marquette University's defense remained as impenetrable as ever, their formation resembling an iron fortress. The mere sight of it discouraged any thoughts of driving into the paint.

From the sidelines, commentator Mike Johnson leaned in. "Marquette's defense is as tight as a drum. They've completely sealed off the paint, leaving no gaps for penetration."

His co-commentator, Kevin Grant, nodded. "Which means Oliver only has one option—he has to shoot from deep!"

On the court, Norton smirked, lowering his voice as he taunted Oliver. "I've got you all figured out. You won't be getting another three-pointer over me that easily!"

To Norton, this was a simple equation. The paint was locked down. Oliver couldn't drive. That left only one option: perimeter shooting. As long as he clamped down on Oliver at the three-point line, the star guard would have nowhere to go.

But Oliver remained unfazed by Norton's trash talk. His sharp gaze swept across the court, analyzing Marquette's defense. Their setup was pristine—layered, coordinated, and seemingly without a single flaw.

However, Oliver had never been one to wait for opportunities. If no opening existed, then he would create one.

The lingering effects of his training, combined with residual attributes from the James and Iverson templates, left him confident in his ability to break through any defense.

Holding the ball still, Oliver watched as Norton intensified his defense, raising both arms high to shrink his field of vision.

Kevin Grant observed the matchup closely. "Look at that wingspan! Norton has a significant height advantage over Oliver. From this angle, Oliver can barely even see the rim."

Mike Johnson chimed in. "Which means if he takes a three here, it'll be a low-percentage shot."

But Oliver had no intention of shooting. Instead, he flicked a glance toward Golin.

Having trained together extensively, Golin instantly understood the silent cue.

He dashed left. His defender, Aldington, stuck to him like glue but couldn't help glancing toward Oliver.

At that moment, Oliver lobbed the ball toward the left wing.

Golin accelerated, catching the ball just in time.

The shift in focus caused Marquette's defense to adjust, tilting toward Golin's side.

Then, in a flash, Oliver exploded forward.

Kevin Grant shouted, "And there he goes! Oliver just shook Norton off completely!"

Mike Johnson followed, "Golin was just a decoy! Oliver set this up beautifully!"

Golin wasted no time. The second he caught the ball, he spun and passed it right back to Oliver.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

Marquette's defenders quickly realized their mistake. Wade and Andrew immediately rushed in to collapse on Oliver.

Oliver caught the ball at full speed, unfazed by the incoming double-team.

Then, he accelerated again, slicing into the paint like a knife through butter.

Kevin Grant's voice rose. "Oliver's speed is unreal! Norton is already three steps behind—he's out of the picture!"

Wade, the last line of defense, stepped up, arms raised to contest.

As Wade lunged, Oliver suddenly stopped, jumping backward with a shooting motion.

Mike Johnson's eyes widened. "Oh, he's pulling up for the shot!"

Wade and Andrew reacted instinctively, leaping with arms outstretched to block.

But at the last possible moment—

Oliver twisted mid-air, executing a windmill-like motion.

Instead of shooting, he hooked the ball toward the rim.

And then—he lost balance.

His body twisted awkwardly in mid-air before crashing to the floor.

The whistle shrieked.

"FOUL!"

The ball kissed the backboard and dropped cleanly through the net.

AND ONE!

For a second, Wade and Andrew stood frozen.

Kevin Grant's voice carried their confusion. "Wait a minute… did they even touch him?"

Mike Johnson laughed. "It's hard to say! From the ref's angle, it looked like Wade and Andrew made contact."

Wade's mind raced. Had they actually fouled him? He didn't remember exerting any real force.

But Oliver had fallen the moment they reached him.

And in that instant, Wade understood—

Oliver had baited the foul.

Smart players didn't just score through pure skill. They also knew how to manipulate the game's rules.

With 20% of Harden AND LeBron in him, Oliver learned from the best of the best.

Mike Johnson chuckled. "That, folks, is a textbook example of drawing a foul. Oliver forced the referee to make a decision."

Kevin Grant added, "And Marquette's head coach is furious! He's shouting at the refs, arguing that it was a flop!"

But from the referee's angle, there was no way to be certain.

What the official saw was two defenders reaching out, and Oliver hitting the floor.

That was enough.

Oliver stepped to the free-throw line and calmly drained the extra point.

Score: 26-25.

Marquette had barely taken the lead, and now Oliver had snatched it right back.

Marquette's players gritted their teeth in frustration.

They had done everything right on defense—yet Oliver had still found a way to score.

Norton, who had previously boasted about shutting Oliver down, was now nothing more than a footnote in this play.

Mike Johnson smirked. "Well, I hope Norton wasn't too attached to that 'locking down Oliver' narrative. Because right now, it's not looking great for him."

But more importantly, Oliver's maneuver sparked something in his teammates.

Suddenly, Aina University's players saw hope.

Marquette's defensive wall was not impenetrable.

And if Oliver could manipulate the rules, why couldn't they?

Oliver was their bona fide leader. They all rally behind him.

Seeing his new "tactics" on full display, they can't help but marvel at it.

What's more is...

They will surely follow!

Kevin Grant let out a laugh. "Oh boy… look at this. Aina University has taken notes from Oliver's play!"

What followed was almost comical.

One by one, Aina's players began subtly leaning into defenders.

The moment they received a pass, they exaggerated their movements, making their shots look just contested enough.

And then—they fell.

Mike Johnson cracked up. "Oh, this is incredible! Aina University has turned into a team of glass figurines! Every time Marquette so much as breathes on them, they're hitting the floor!"

Kevin Grant was in disbelief. "First it was Oliver. Then Golin. Now Müller? Three times in a row?!"

Three successful flops later, Marquette's frustration boiled over.

By the time Franklin tried a fourth time, the referees had caught on.

This time, the whistle remained silent.

Franklin, sprawled on the floor, waved his arms in protest—only for the referee to glare at him.

Mike Johnson burst into laughter. "Oh man, the ref is NOT buying it anymore! I think he's about this close to saying, 'You think I'm blind?'"

Kevin Grant added, "That's the thing about flopping. It works—until it doesn't."

Still, the damage had been done.

Golin had added three points. Müller chipped in two.

In the blink of an eye, Aina extended their lead.

Score: 31-25.

Marquette's players were livid.

But, as Mike Johnson pointed out—"At the end of the day, basketball is about skill, strategy, and knowing how to work the system."

Kevin Grant sighed. "And right now, Marquette is learning the hard way—you don't just play against your opponents. You also play around the rules."