Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 420 The Strongest Form of the Center

Carlisle, sitting on the sidelines like a rock, remained calm and collected on the bench, not even glancing up when Yao Ming made a spectacular dunk.

For Yao Ming, this kind of goal is nothing special.

As for Howard...

Carlisle had to admit that Howard was exceptionally talented.

After Tang Sen's training, his skills became quite proficient.

The claim of being the world's fourth-best center is not an exaggeration.

But is it possible that the gap between fourth and first place is much larger than two places?

Marion serves.

Ray Allen made a point of catching up with Howard and hurriedly said, "Dwight, don't overthink it. Just play according to plan. You can do it."

The so-called plan was based on the premise that D'Antoni believed Howard was no match for Yao Ming and couldn't defend against him.

However, D'Antoni also believes that Howard has his own unique characteristics.

Especially within the Suns' tactical system, he can utilize his athleticism to create offensive opportunities.

Howard grunted in agreement and quickly ran to the frontcourt.

They simply couldn't get position under the basket.

Even if you get it, it's useless. When you turn your back to Yao Ming, it feels like there's a wall behind you, a completely enveloping one.

The fast break didn't materialize.

Carlisle wouldn't underestimate his opponent, and Billups' defense was formidable; Nash would have a hard time getting the better of him.

Seeing his offense stalled, Howard immediately moved up to the high post, raising his arms to set a screen for Nash.

With such a high level of coordination, the two already have a good understanding of each other.

Just as Billups moved to the right and bumped into his own chest, Howard immediately turned and moved, once again delaying Billups' attempt to go around the screen.

Nash had the opportunity but didn't shoot; instead, he drove to the basket.

Yao Ming also frequently sets high screens and has good mobility, so he followed out and immediately moved laterally to block Nash.

This is exactly the situation Nash wanted.

He dribbled the ball to the left front, attracting the attention of Yao Ming and Billups.

At that moment, Howard had already started his run and drove straight down to the basket.

It sprints forward in one step, its speed is frightening.

Yao Ming is fast, but even at his fastest, he's still a 7-foot-5 center, and he simply can't keep up with Howard in motion.

He actually realized that Howard was going to drive to the basket.

But if he turns around to pounce, Nash in front of him will have an opportunity.

That's how defense is; it always presents you with difficult choices.

He hesitated for a moment, and Nash had already passed the ball out.

The ball bounced off the ground and was delivered precisely into Howard's hands.

With a loud thud, the dunk was completed.

Howard dangled above the rim for a moment before landing, letting out an excited roar and high-fiving Nash in celebration.

One deduction followed by another.

At this moment, Howard's confidence returned.

I can't stop Yao Ming.

But similarly, if the Suns' tactics are executed and Nash makes accurate passes, can Yao Ming really defend against him?
With renewed confidence, Howard ran even more aggressively.

It's not just about offense, it's also about defense.

D'Antoni has said that if he wants to become a superstar, he must also have defense, and be a complete player on both offense and defense.

He also said that he is the Suns' last line of defense, and the team's wins and losses depend entirely on whether he can protect the rim.

Howard enjoys this attention.

Snap!
Howard quickly covered the defense, leaping into the air like Superman, stretching out his arms to block Wade's drive and throw the ball away.

Under this momentum, the sun gradually reached its best.

End of first quarter.

The Knicks failed to crush the Suns in the first quarter, trailing 29-25.

The Knicks scored 29 points, which is considered a normal performance.

It's unreasonable for the Suns to score 25 points.

This shows that the Knicks failed to defend against the Suns' offense.

Carlyle saw very clearly where the problem lay.

The Suns really executed their tactics and created offensive opportunities through them.

Nash's role in connecting the dots.

They also transitioned to offense, accelerating at breakneck speed, so fast that even Yao Ming couldn't keep up.

So it wasn't that any Knicks player was lax or unmotivated on defense; it was simply that they failed to defend properly, allowing the opponent to execute their tactics successfully.

This is actually quite alarming, enough to put Carlisle on his guard.

Therefore, when the second quarter began, Carlisle couldn't help but stand on the sidelines to observe the Suns' playing style.

Last year at Townsend's training camp, he learned about D'Antoni's playing style and even helped Townsend practice with him.

But I really didn't expect that set of equipment to be so powerful. At the start of the second quarter, Joe Johnson hit a three-pointer, narrowing the gap to just one point.

Howard followed up immediately with another timely defensive play, leaping into the air to block Wade's drive.

Wade didn't play well today, largely because Howard's help defense in the paint was too timely.

Then, Howard backed down Chandler.

His eyes were firm.

Yao Ming himself couldn't beat him, but Chandler?

What's your ranking in the world?

Howard turned face-up in the low post, feigning a shot, then instantly ducked and used his shoulder to clear a path, forcefully shoving Chandler aside.

He then made a sudden stop, feinted a shot, fired at Chandler, and then pulled back to score with a shot.

The Knicks rotated their starters, but the Suns did not.

Apart from Ray Allen, the other four players were on the court.

Before the game, D'Antoni said that facing a team like the Knicks, who are like the final boss, should be treated like the NBA Finals.

Nash, in particular, was fully prepared to play the entire game.

Whether it's the starters or the bench players, the Suns can't do without Nash.

Brazilian backup point guard Babos is simply not good enough.

It's fine for players to give it their all in one game occasionally, but they certainly can't keep doing that in the long run.

D'Antoni's solution was to have Ray Allen travel during off-peak hours, relying on his individual ability to keep the Suns in the game when Nash was resting.

So, during the bench rotation, the Suns managed to take the lead thanks to having their starters on the court.

This performance surprised many people.

Especially Barkley, who was watching the game live.

"Fuck, what are the Knicks doing? They let the Suns come back and win the game."

Barkley shouted, but with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

No one complained about the Knicks' rise and strength.

They are meticulous and have developed their skills through hard work.

But such a powerful Knicks team still inevitably arouses envy, and at least people hope to see the Knicks suffer a setback.

After making a sarcastic remark, Barkley immediately said, "Kenny, I think we were all wrong before. Dwight didn't play as badly as we thought."

Before the game, the two had a long discussion and agreed that Yao Ming would dominate Howard.

With his ability to play both inside and outside, and his advantage in height and weight, Yao Ming could completely suppress Howard.

But to everyone's surprise, Howard's performance wasn't bad after a quarter and a half.

11 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks.

The efficiency isn't bad either.

Compared to Yao Ming's 13 points in a single quarter, it's not far behind.

The Suns' momentum stemmed from Howard's several strong drives to the basket.

Chandler was tough, but he just couldn't break Howard's defenses.

Smith on the other side nodded in agreement, then his eyes darted around and he noticed Tang Sen on the sidelines.

Tang Sen also came to watch the game and sat in the front row.

"I really want to know what Tang is thinking."

Smith said curiously, "After all, he trained all the players on the field."

"Especially Yao and Dwight, who can be said to be his personal disciples, it's hard to know who he will support in his heart."

At that moment, Tang Sen's attention was not on Howard at all.

Their gazes followed Nash.

Tang Sen couldn't help but admire D'Antoni's keen eye for talent, recognizing Nash's potential.

The most crucial player for the Suns right now is neither Howard nor Ray Allen.

It's Nash.

Nash was different from other point guards; he had a very strong offensive ability.

For defenders, you can't ignore Nash's offense.

And once you pay attention to Nash, he can always find opportunities in the chaos of battle and then pass the ball to him.

This ability is truly unique; it doesn't exist in the entire league.

All I can say is that the Suns made a smart move by trading Marbury and signing Nash.

If the Suns had kept Marbury, they definitely wouldn't be performing like they are now.

Just then, Nash assisted Howard once again, and Howard completed an alley-oop dunk.

Tang Sen clapped twice casually.

Howard performed well, showcasing his strengths.

However, compared to Yao Ming, there is still a gap.

Tang Sen suddenly realized that a center like Yao Ming, who could play both inside and outside and also organize and facilitate, might be the ultimate form of a center.

(End of this chapter)