NBA Skills: Dominating Kuroko no Basket

Izuki quickly dribbled into the frontcourt, only to be surprised by how tightly Seirin's players were being guarded.

"Tch, their reaction speed is insane! I thought we could take the lead with a fast break, but this is the strength of a king-tier team!" Izuki marveled inwardly.

At that moment, Kuroko suddenly vanished from sight, almost as if he had become invisible.

Fully aware of Kuroko's abilities, Izuki didn't hesitate to throw the ball to his left.

In the same instant, Kuroko appeared at that spot. Without holding onto the ball, he tapped it quickly, sending it to Kagami.

The synergy between Kagami and Kuroko was unmatched. The moment Kuroko passed the ball, Kagami had already leapt into the air, ready to finish a spectacular alley-oop.

However, something unexpected occurred.

To everyone's astonishment, a massive hand slammed Kagami's dunk attempt away.

It was Midorima, soaring high and blocking Kagami's shot.

"Nice, Midorima!" Takao praised with a grin as he caught the deflected ball and pushed forward.

The crowd erupted in shock, as did Seirin's bench, stunned that Kagami's dunk had been blocked.

"What a disappointment! You thought you could show off with that weak move?" Midorima taunted coldly, his gaze filled with disdain.

Gritting his teeth, Kagami glared at Midorima and vowed to repay the insult later.

Takao initiated a fast break, but Izuki adjusted swiftly, stepping in to block his path.

Undeterred, Takao executed a no-look behind-the-back pass, delivering the ball to Kimura, who had joined the fast break.

Caught off guard by the sudden pass, Seirin's defense faltered. Kimura secured the ball and prepared for a layup.

As Kimura began his approach, Hyuga appeared out of nowhere, stepping in to block him.

Hyuga leapt high and emphatically rejected Kimura's layup attempt.

"Nice one!"

The spectacular block ignited cheers from the crowd, intensifying the already electric atmosphere.

Still, nearly two minutes passed without either team scoring. Both defenses were impenetrable, denying every offensive attempt.

Finally, Shūtoku broke the deadlock.

During a play, Takao received the ball and charged into the frontcourt. Sensing danger, Hyuga quickly moved to intercept him. But instead of pressing forward, Takao feigned an advance before unexpectedly tossing the ball behind him.

The unanticipated move shocked everyone.

The ball sailed in a straight line, landing perfectly in Midorima's hands.

Standing three steps beyond the three-point line, Midorima's gaze was firm and confident, as if this moment had been preordained.

Without hesitation, he executed his signature shot — a seamless motion, smooth and fluid, with no wasted effort.

The ball arced high into the air, drawing all eyes as it soared toward the basket.

Midorima didn't even glance back after releasing the shot. Adjusting his glasses with a push, he turned and began jogging back on defense, trusting his impeccable accuracy.

"Of course..." Kuroko, well-acquainted with his former teammate's skills, took off running, calling out to Kagami as he moved: "Run!"

Though puzzled by Kuroko's instruction, Kagami obeyed without hesitation, sprinting down the court.

"Swish!"

The ball dropped cleanly through the net, the sound of the perfect shot resonating through the gym.

The scoreboard lit up 3:0. Four minutes in, and it was the first score of the game!

"Wow, what a three-pointer!"

"Incredible shot!"

"Shūtoku strikes first!"

The audience buzzed with admiration, amazed by Midorima's decisive long-range play.

Seirin's players, however, wore grim expressions.

"Damn it, they broke the deadlock!"

Allowing Shūtoku to gain the upper hand early could spell trouble for Seirin. With the momentum in Shūtoku's favor, regaining control would be an uphill battle.

Yet Kuroko remained unperturbed. Standing at the sideline, he calmly picked up the ball.

As everyone was still processing what had happened, Kuroko suddenly spun on his heel, using the motion to add force to his pass. With a powerful throw, he sent the ball hurtling down the court.

"What?!"

Midorima was stunned by the unexpected pass, unable to react in time.

The ball zipped past him like a bolt of lightning, its speed leaving everyone dumbfounded.

By then, Kagami had already reached the basket. He caught the ball mid-stride, leaping with explosive power.

With all his strength, Kagami slammed the ball into the hoop.

"BOOM!"

The thunderous dunk shook the court, silencing the crowd before they erupted into wild applause and cheers.

The score now stood at 3:2.

Midorima gritted his teeth, his sharp gaze fixed on Kuroko.

"My apologies, but I can't let you take control of the first quarter so easily" Kuroko responded, his face as expressionless as ever.

"What an incredible pass!" gasped the spectators.

"That wasn't just a pass, it was like a laser beam!" someone exclaimed.

Even Hyuga couldn't hide his grin as he remarked, "That pass kept us in the game. We haven't lost control yet."

"The game has only just begun!"