NBA Skills: Dominating Kuroko no Basket

"What are you talking about?" Kagami asked, confused by Midorima's words.

Without further explanation, Midorima quickly adjusted his posture, preparing to shoot.

Seeing Midorima's movement, Kagami immediately realized he was about to take the shot and jumped with all his might, trying to block it.

However, just as he leaped, a sudden weakness surged through his legs. His knees buckled, and he found himself unable to get off the ground properly.

Midorima's gaze remained sharp and unwavering. The ball left his hands, tracing a perfect arc in the air.

Swish! The ball sailed cleanly through the net.

"This is reality" Midorima stated coldly, his expression unreadable. Like a ruthless sniper, he delivered his shot without hesitation. He didn't even glance at the result before turning to get back on defense.

Kagami stood frozen in place, frustration and anger boiling inside him.

"He's exhausted" Shiro commented calmly.

"Yeah" Nijimura nodded in agreement. "With his current stamina, he shouldn't be attempting multiple consecutive jumps that high. But he kept forcing himself, carrying the game alone for so long. Even though he got subbed out earlier, this is still his second game today."

"And he's not the only one struggling" Kawamura added, noting Seirin's dangerous situation. The players still on the court were panting heavily, wiping sweat from their brows. It was clear they were far more fatigued than the rested team from Shūtoku.

Now it was Seirin's turn to attack.

Kagami dribbled the ball with both hands, his eyes filled with determination. He shouted at Midorima, "Cut the crap! I'm not giving up that easily!"

Like a raging beast, he charged toward the basket alone.

Seeing Kagami's reckless play, Hyuga tensed up and quickly called out, "This is crazy! It's not the right time yet — Kagami, wait!"

But Kagami ignored him, pushing forward with all his might.

"Smack!"

A loud, crisp sound echoed through the court. Kagami had attempted a layup, but his exhausted body slowed him down. His move lacked the explosiveness he usually had.

Midorima jumped with ease, swatting Kagami's shot out of the air with a powerful block.

Shūtoku wasted no time in launching a fast break. The ball was passed perfectly to Kimura, who was already sprinting ahead. With no defenders in sight, he finished the play with an easy layup.

"Beep!"

The referee blew the whistle, signaling the end of the third quarter. The scoreboard froze at 61:47 — Shūtoku leading by 14 points.

...

Seirin Bench

"Kagami, that was reckless! Look around you!" Izuki, as the team's point guard, was the first to call him out.

"Exactly! That wasn't the right time to attack alone—you should've passed the ball!" Hyuga added.

But before he could continue, Kagami cut him off sharply.

"Pass the ball? And then what? Right now, I'm the only one who can go head-to-head with Shūtoku! What we need isn't teamwork— it's me scoring points!"

"What the hell are you saying? You can't just do whatever you want!" Koganei snapped back.

At that moment, Kuroko suddenly stood up and walked straight toward Kagami.

Kagami was about to lash out again when—

"BAM!"

Everyone's eyes widened.

Without hesitation, Kuroko punched Kagami right in the face, knocking him to the ground.

Kagami's built-up frustration exploded. He shot up, grabbed Kuroko by the collar, and roared, "What the hell, Kuroko?!"

His eyes blazed with fury and disbelief. He couldn't comprehend what had just happened.

"Basketball is not a one-man game."

Kuroko's voice was cold—as chilling as winter wind. His detached gaze made Kagami shudder. But beneath that icy exterior burned an undeniable fire of anger and disappointment.

"So what? As long as we play together, losing is fine? If we don't win, it all means nothing!" Kagami yelled, his passion for victory burning like an untamed flame.

"And do you think you can win by yourself?" Kuroko countered, his tone unwavering. "Basketball has always been about teamwork. Even the Generation of Miracles wasn't an exception."

His words struck like a dagger.

Kuroko continued, "If we don't trust each other, even if we beat Shūtoku, it won't mean anything."

To him, every player on the court mattered. No one should bear the weight of the game alone.

Kagami clenched his fists. "If we lose, your words are just empty ideals."

He swung his fist again—this time, aiming straight for Kuroko's face.

"Thud!"

Kuroko crashed to the ground.

But instead of retaliating, he slowly got up, staring Kagami dead in the eyes.

"Tell me, Kagami—what does winning even mean to you? If you cross the finish line and feel nothing but emptiness, what's the point?"

His words cut deep.

Kuroko had witnessed firsthand how the Generation of Miracles fell apart despite their overwhelming talent. He refused to watch his current team head down the same path.

Kagami's rage began to fade.

He started to question himself.

Why was he so obsessed with winning?

Was it really just about the victory itself?

"Yeah! We want to win too!" Koganei grinned, trying to ease the tension. His words reminded Kagami that they were a team.

"You don't have to carry this alone." Izuki added, sensing Kagami's stubbornness beginning to crack.

Hyuga clapped Kagami on the shoulder. "You still wanna argue?"

Kagami let out a long breath. He shook his head.

"No… I was wrong."

He turned to Kuroko, his voice softer now. "If we're gonna win, we should enjoy the victory too."

The team smiled.

The tension lifted, but the battle wasn't over yet. They still had a long way to go.

Hyuga crossed his arms, looking serious again. "So, what's the plan? How do we turn this around?"

At that moment, Kuroko stood up.

Ignoring the pain on his face, his eyes gleamed with determination.

"I have an idea" he said firmly.

Everyone turned to him in surprise.

"There's one more move I can use. A more advanced version of my passing."

His words ignited hope.

At that moment, Kuroko wasn't just a supporting player.

He was the key to Seirin's comeback.