NBA Skills: Dominating Kuroko no Basket

"The high arc is designed to extend the shooting range — is that what caused the earlier sense of unease?" Hyuga immediately caught on, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

"His shooting range covers the entire half-court — this is Midorima's true strength!" Hyuga's gaze remained locked on Midorima, growing increasingly uneasy.

After releasing his shot, Midorima calmly returned to his baseline position.

"From here, I don't have to worry about Kuroko's passes getting past me" Midorima said with an air of confidence and composure.

Hearing this, Kagami and Kuroko's expressions turned serious.

"But it doesn't matter" Midorima continued, his voice cool and analytical. "My shots are worth three points, while yours are worth two. Even if you don't defend against me, the point gap will only grow." His eyes gleamed with intelligence as he dissected the situation.

He adjusted his glasses, as if shrugging off any prior missteps, and his focus sharpened.

On Seirin's next possession, Izuki quickly passed the ball to Hyuga, who wasted no time in passing it to Kagami.

Kagami received the ball just outside the three-point line, dribbling as he searched for an opening.

Midorima, noticing this, deliberately gave Kagami some space. He knew Kagami wasn't skilled in shooting three-pointers.

A faint, confident smile spread across Kagami's face. "Your tactics are interesting, but..."

Without finishing his sentence, Kagami suddenly set his feet, jumped, and prepared to shoot from beyond the arc.

Midorima's eyes widened in disbelief. "Why would he attempt a three-pointer? He's not good at perimeter shooting!"

But before Midorima could fully process the situation, Kagami had already taken his shot.

The ball flew toward the hoop but clanged off the rim.

Midorima breathed a sigh of relief. "As expected, he's still no good at threes."

However, Kagami had anticipated the miss. Taking advantage of Midorima's brief moment of relaxation, Kagami bolted toward the basket like a flash of lightning.

"Making it would have been great" Kagami muttered under his breath, "but if not, I'll dunk it myself."

Leaping high into the air, Kagami grabbed the rebound and slammed the ball into the basket with tremendous force.

Ōtsubo tried to block Kagami, but Kagami's sheer power and speed overwhelmed him. In the end, Ōtsubo became just another highlight in Kagami's monstrous dunk.

"What was that just now?"

"An alley-oop to himself!"

The crowd erupted in excitement. They loved watching seemingly unstoppable three-pointers, but explosive dunks like this were just as thrilling!

With only six seconds left in the first quarter, the score was now 16:13, with Shūtoku leading by three points.

"Thud, thud, thud!" Midorima dribbled the ball lightly, standing near the opposing baseline.

Facing Kagami, he smirked and said, "That move of yours wasn't bad, but..."

Without hesitation, Midorima set his feet, bent his knees slightly, and executed his signature shooting form, elbows tight and wrist flick precise.

"What the heck is he doing?!" Kagami exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief. "Does he realize how far he is from the hoop?"

A thought too absurd to consider flashed through Kagami's mind, but before he could react, Midorima launched the ball with a fluid, practiced motion.

"There's no way..." The spectators murmured in shock as they watched the ball arc through the air.

The basketball traced a long, graceful parabola, like a soaring bird gliding effortlessly toward the hoop.

"I already told you, my range isn't limited. The entire court is under my control!" Midorima declared confidently. His glasses glinted under the lights, reflecting his unshakable self-assurance.

"Swish!" The sound of the ball slicing cleanly through the net sent the arena into an uproar. Cheers and applause erupted, filling the stadium with deafening noise.

"Beep! End of the first quarter. Two-minute break!"

As the referee's whistle blew, the scoreboard displayed 19-13, with Shutoku maintaining their lead.

"That's insane!" Kawamura exclaimed, looking at Midorima with a mix of disbelief and admiration. "He really is part of the Generation of Miracles!"

Even Momoi was momentarily taken aback by the spectacle. Turning to Shiro, she asked curiously, "Do you think you could hit threes like that?"

Shiro rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe" he replied. In truth, he hadn't tried. In this world of Kuroko no Basket, his three-point shooting ability in NBA-level. Considering Curry's faster release, Shiro believed his skill might even surpass Midorima's'

Hearing this, Nijimura was taken aback. His perception of Shiro was stuck in the past, and he hadn't expected Shiro to have reached such a terrifying level. Midorima's threes were legendary in Japanese high school basketball, yet Shiro, known for his versatility, now seemed capable of matching it.

Momoi nodded and continued, "Still, that full-court three-pointer was a massive blow to Seirin's momentum!" Her sharp eyes quickly assessed the situation and understood the significance of Midorima's shot on the game's flow.

What could Seirin do to turn things around?