Chapter 82: Hard Won
"Dirk Nowitzki !!"
At the American Airlines Center Arena in Dallas, the home DJ's signature long voice almost shouted out the name of the absolute core of the team, and the fans in the stadium exploded instantly.
"Well done! Dirk!!! ”
In the near-court seat, Mark Cuban jumped up excitedly, his belly shaking with his movements, and high-fived the fans around him.
“TIMEOUT! TIMEOUT! ”
The 76ers had two timeouts left, and Cheeks knew it was a tipping point and didn't hesitate to use one of them.
When they came off the court, the whole team was gasping for breath, and against opponents of the Maverick's level, in addition to will, physical strength is also very important.
You must know that except for Dampier, the rest of the Mavericks players all have three-point shooting skills, especially Nowitzki, the height of the center, the position of the power forward, and the style of play of the small forward are the nightmare of all defenders.
Webber was too tired to speak, and gulped down the sports drink, his legs starting to tremble slightly.
If you are five years younger, no, three years old.
As long as I am three years younger, I won't be afraid of Nowitzki, at least I can blow up with him to the end!
It's a pity that the years are not forgiving, and the heroes don't mention the courage of the year, and now Weber has the heart to make contributions, but he has no power to return to the sky.
On the other side, Iverson was also out of breath, and the ironman barely rested in this game. Although for a short period of time, the main attack point was on Chen Mu, but for most of the game, Iverson was still the superstar who held the ball and had unlimited firing rights.
On the outside of the Mavericks, Terry, Howard, Daniels, and Harris are four fast-legged warriors who take turns to defend, constantly consuming Iverson's physical strength. In addition to two three-pointers, the mid-range shooting touch was always up and and down, which forced Iverson to choose more to get to the basket.
Although it caused damage, the price was an extreme loss of physical strength.
"48 seconds, as long as we hold on for another 48 seconds, as long as we hit one more shot, we can defend once, and we can beat the Mavericks away!"
Cheeks knows that any tactical arrangement at this time is meaningless, unless it is a tactical master like Pat Riley or the future ** Vic, otherwise, no matter how he arranges, he can only ensure that he gets the ball at the scoring point.
Whether the game can be won or not depends ultimately on the performance of the players.
"When the timeout is over, let's run a 'Starburst'!"
Cheeks drew quick instructions on the board, and after some annotation, he said: "On the offensive end, the ball ends up in Allen's hands, and then the top of the arc is pulled apart, and the wings are lowered. ”
As he spoke, Cheeks raised his eyes and looked at the team's offensive ace duo Iverson and Chen Mu and said, "Chen, you go up to Allen to do a mid-lane block, and then try your best to grab the frontcourt rebound!" ”
"Yes!"
The players nodded yes, Chen Mu and Iverson looked at each other, and both of them had an unquenchable fire of fighting spirit in their eyes, which was burning.
"This game, even if you die on the field, you have to win it!"
Chen Mu and Iverson, two players with completely different personalities, have surprisingly the same ideas at this time.
The suspension ends.
Webb came to serve beyond the sideline, and the 76ers formed a small line in front of Webb.
"It's a starburst!"
The Mavericks players are also familiar with this tactic, with defenders stepping forward immediately, Nowitzki interfering with Webber's passes, and the rest of the players tangling with their respective defenders to prevent the opponent from easily running out of the open space.
"Beep!"
As soon as the referee's whistle blew, the 76ers suddenly dispersed, like a cluster of stars suddenly exploding, quickly opening up space in front of Webb's eyes.
This tactic of players standing together when serving a sideline ball and then suddenly withdrawing from each other in a large area is called a starburst.
In the decisive moment, in order to ensure that the team's strongest attacker or free thrower gets the ball, many NBA teams will choose this tactic. Because the explosion in the moment before the pass has a certain suddenness, it is difficult for the opponent to judge which direction his defender will run, so it can often achieve good results, and it is not easy to make a passing error.
"Chris!"
With a shout, Webber glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw that Iverson had already run back from a distance, and behind him, Chen Mu firmly blocked Daniels's follow-up defense, leaving a rare space for Iverson.
"Whoosh"
The basketball roared, Iverson successfully held the ball, and the rest of the 76ers quickly dispersed, Korver and Iguodala settled in the bottom corners of each side, and Webber ran inside, drawing Nowitzki, who was defending him, to the basket.
Behind Iverson, Daniels had already gotten rid of Chen Mu's cover and caught up, Iverson shook the ball gently with a crotch dribble, letting Daniels pass by his side, and then steadily suppressed the rhythm.
"Score a goal steadily!"
Iverson shouted a shout to his teammates to warn him of the shooters in the bottom corners of either side, but out of the corner of his eyes noticed movement at the top of the arc.
Chen Mu had already quickly arrived, covered his body with both hands, and quietly came to Daniels' side.
Iverson broke through, Daniels didn't expect that Chen Mu's mobility was so strong that he could accurately block himself twice in a row, and when he was stunned, Iverson had already cut into the inner line.
"Eric!"
Nowitzki hurriedly shouted, he didn't dare to let go of Webb, who was pulling the air to the weak side, and couldn't watch Iverson score a layup, his anxious eyes saw Dampier who was trying his best to defend inside, and he was very anxious.
Coming to the basket, Iverson jumped up, holding the ball in his left hand, staring at the basket with big eyes, as if ready to make a layup.
Behind him, Dampier's footsteps rang out, and a huge body pressed down, his hands raised high, and he tried his best to interfere with Iverson's shot.
Daniels also stepped back from the top of the arc and will stand in front of Iverson's side, and if Iverson misses the shot, the rebound is likely to be grabbed by Daniels.
At this point, Iverson opted for a pass.
A pass from behind, the basketball was magically sent out from behind Dampier, outside the three-second zone on the strong side, Chen Mu was already in place, as long as the basketball started, he could shoot directly.
Behind Chen Mu, Howard's defensive awareness was amazing, and he began to shrink almost the moment Iverson burst into the basket. Seeing that the basketball was passed to Chen Mu, Howard hurriedly grabbed it and stretched out his hand from behind to prepare for a steal.
However, just as his hand was about to touch the basketball, the orange ball seemed to come to life, and it quickly shifted under the control of a pair of big hands, changed direction, and rushed to the ground.
Crotch pass!
Howard was taken aback, Chen Mu didn't know when he had noticed his defensive movement, and made adjustments at the moment when the basketball started, his right hand was in the air, and the basketball was sent to his crotch, and once he hit the ground, the basketball accurately came to the hands of Iguodala, who had been waiting in the bottom corner for a long time.
“ANDRE! DoIt!!! ”
Almost at the same time as Iverson's shouting, Iguodala seemed to be driven by some kind of rhythm, and with the rebound of the basketball, he lifted the ball smoothly after receiving the ball with both hands, jumped up with his legs slightly bent, pressed down on his wrists, plucked his fingers, and the basketball came out.
"Huh"
Three points are in the bag, and the 76ers are overtaking again!
98 to 96.
The numbers on the scoreboard quieted the fans again, and the 76ers' offense took less than 15 seconds, and the game time was still very good.
Mavericks attack.
Coming to the 76ers halfcourt, the Mavericks made a killer move, Terry and Nowitzki blocked in the high post, Terry went to the left, and Nowitzki retreated half a step outside the three-point line.
Terry passed the ball horizontally, Nowitzki received the ball, and Chen Mu was in front of him with his eyes full of scorching flames.
It's one-on-one again!
The fans in the stadium waited with bated breath, and Mark Cuban didn't dare to say a mouthful, his eyes widened, and he watched the situation on the field intently.
Feint, Chen Mu was unmoved.
Dribbling horizontally, Chen Mu followed suit.
Back to the middle road, Chen Mu immediately grabbed it.
Turning his back, Chen Mu clinged to one side and let go of the direction of the bottom line.
"It's another trick!"
Nowitzki knew that if he went to the bottom line at this time, he would have completely fallen into the trap of the 76ers and Chen Mu. On his side, Iguodala and Iverson were eyeing each other, ready to step up for a steal.
If Nowitzki at this time had the independence of the golden rooster in the future, Chen Mu would not have to guard against it, and would directly watch Dirk score.
But unfortunately, at this time, Nowitzki had not yet developed this unsolvable move.
After a series of unsuccessful attempts to shake off the defense, Nowitzki knew that time was running out, so he turned back to the frame and simply opted for a step-back shot.
Worst!
As soon as the basketball was shot, Nowitzki knew that the team was over.
Friends who have played basketball know that feeding the same person for a period of time can continue to accumulate his feel, even if he hits countless irons, he will gradually find the feeling after all.
And if he suddenly stops giving the ball when he is about to get up, he will suddenly lose his sense of participation, the rhythm will be disorganized, and it will be difficult to find the feeling of holding the ball after a long time.
In the previous game, Nowitzki drove high and went high, continuously abusing the 76ers' interior defenders, but in the middle and late stages of the most critical third quarter, he was disrupted by Chen Mu, who was killed halfway.
In the following races, Nowitzki's hand was never able to return to the level it was at the beginning of the game, and he fell from the altar and returned to a normal level.
Before the timeout, Nowitzki, who had been on a losing streak, hit the three-pointer that was worth a thousand dollars, and the fans were excited.
But only Nowitzki himself knows that there is a lot of luck in that three-point shot.
Taking advantage of Webb's inattention, Nowitzki's three-point shot caught the 76ers off guard, in fact, the arc of the ball shot was too high, the hand shape was different from the movements he was familiar with, and the rhythm was a little faster, which was a standard LUCKYBALL.
If the game continues and another goal is scored, Nowitzki may be able to completely regain his touch and return to the state of being a god.
Unfortunately, the 76ers called a timeout.
At this time, in the face of Chen Mu's defense, Nowitzki's mentality has changed a little, he is not resolute enough when he shoots, and he is always doubting that someone on his side will come to make up for the steal.
For a shooter, the lack of determination can greatly affect his feel and rhythm.
And nowitzki at this time is the shooter who lost his rhythm.
"When"
The basketball really failed to enter the frame, Nowitzki watched Chen Mu jump up and grab the rebound almost in despair, raised his eyes and glanced at the time, there were less than 20 seconds left in the game, and he had to commit foul tactics.
Chen Mu knew that his free throws were not good, and before Dampier yelled for a foul, he caught a glimpse of a figure wearing a 76ers jersey out of the corner of his eye, and passed the ball out.
The receiver was Iguodala, and the Mavericks implemented foul play.
Standing at the free throw line, Iguodala, who had not yet degenerated into scum and had not yet degenerated into scum, hit the first free throw.
Before the second free throw, all the Mavericks players focused on the basket, and as long as they missed the free throw, they immediately grabbed the rebound and called a timeout, arranged the last offense, and tried to drag the game into overtime.
But Chen Mu didn't want to play overtime at all.
Iguodala's free throw, the arc of the basketball was obviously a little off, and the Mavericks and the 76ers players under the basket were in a mess, frantically slotting each other, gambling to find the best spot.
And Chen Mu didn't need to look for the landing point, because the landing point had already flickered in front of his eyes.
"Rebounding ......!!!"
At the moment when Iguodala made a move, the drop point prompt had already appeared, and Chen Mu immediately turned around, not to be stuck with Dampier, but to go around from the side of the bottom line, and strode in front of Dampier.
The basketball smashed on the side of the basket and bounced high, all the players jumped up and down frantically, and Chen Mu also jumped at the same time.
Nowitzki, Dampier, Webb, Howard, except for Chen Mu, the four people under the basket are not fast.
And Chen Mu's bullet speed is precisely his strongest killer move.
As his body roared up, the basketball and the basket in front of Chen Mu became closer and closer, he raised his hands high, completely left the rest behind him, grabbed the basketball with both hands in the air, without a hint of pause, and directly made up the shot.
"Bang!"
“F**K!”
On the sidelines, Mark Cuban, who saw this scene, scolded angrily and slammed his fist on his seat.