The NBA's Absolute Dominance

Chapter 87 With a basket in hand, I have the world at my fingertips
Glen Rice made a run on the left wing, cut back to get a small open shot on the three-point line, received a pass from Bimbokors, and immediately launched a three-pointer.

Charles Smith, who plays the small forward position for the Knicks, played power forward for the Clippers last season. He was traded to the Knicks in the offseason in exchange for their starting point guard, Mark Jackson.

However, because Oakley occupied the power forward position, he was forced to play the small forward position, which he was not good at, and his performance was consistently poor, with his stats far below those of last season.

Facing Glen Rice, the 208cm tall player had a height advantage. In the hasty jump to block the shot, although he didn't touch the ball, it affected his shot attempt.

"Bang!"

Glen Rice missed a three-pointer, and Ewing grabbed the defensive rebound.

"Bang!"

Turning back, Charles Smith, not to be outdone, also missed a shot.

Tang Bei grabbed the rebound, and the Heat launched an attack.

He moved to the low left wing, calling for position and the ball.

Ewing tried his best to defend inside, but the difference in strength and weight was too great, and he couldn't hold on, allowing Tang Bei to squeeze into the penalty area.

At the top of the arc, Beembokors was blocked by Doc Rivers, and the ball could not be passed down, so he quickly switched to Glen Rice on the left wing.

Glen Rice received the ball and quickly passed it down, getting it into Tang Bei's hands just before the three seconds were up.

The experienced Ewing immediately abandoned his top-heavy defense after receiving the ball in Tangbei and adopted a half-step defensive strategy.

In other words, it's about preventing penetration, not shooting.

If Tang Bei's two-point shooting technique is up to par, this is an easy opportunity for him to shoot, and Ewing will most likely be unable to defend against it.

However, his skills are not up to par, which is why Ewing allowed him to shoot.

However, Tang Bei takes nearly a third of his shots for almost two points per game. When Ewha gives him free time to shoot, he doesn't hold back and actually takes the shot.

As Ewing took a half step back, Tang Bei simultaneously turned to face the basket, and then suddenly thrust his right foot forward to the right, trying to shake off his opponent.

But Ewing, who had just taken a half step back, didn't retreat any further. He had studied Tang Bei's playing style and knew that he could leave the field open, but he couldn't leave it too wide open.

If he retreats again at this point, he will give Tang Bei the opportunity to make a flying dunk, and he will be dunked on by Tang Bei, just like David Robinson.

The next moment, Tang Bei landed on his right foot, immediately pulled it back, then pushed off with both feet at the same time, his body leaping up instantly, and he threw a single throw with his right hand.

"A tentative step?"

Ewing jumped to block the shot, but he was a little too late. He wasn't tall enough, and the ball slipped through his hands.

"Bang!"

The basketball bounced twice on the rim before rolling in.

"Number 34, you defended well."

Overjoyed at his success, Tang Bei praised Tang Bei with "sincere" trash talk.

Ewing has always had excellent control over his emotions on the court; a single trash talk is unlikely to provoke him, it only makes his face darker.

"Shut your filthy mouth, you piece of trash!"

But Oakley got angry and started spitting out a string of profanities.

Tang Bei scoffed, "You're all talk. You're no match for me. I could take on ten of you. Go ahead and try."

"A mouthpiece? That damn big mouth!"

Oakley's got a screw loose. What are you bragging about? Ten of me could take you apart and count your bones.

The game continued and became quite close.

Both sides increased their defensive intensity and made more aggressive moves, inevitably causing their shooting percentages to decline.

The Heat were playing back-to-back games, and most of the starters, including Glen Rice, Grant Long, and Edwards, were in poor form.

The Knicks, despite playing at home, were not in good form.

Small forward Charles Smith, in particular, was in the worst form because he is not good at playing the three position, going 0-for-4 in the first quarter.

Secondly, starting point guard Doc Rivers made 1 of 4 shots in the first quarter.

After the first quarter, the Heat led by 3 points on the road, with the score at 23-20.

During the break, Bill Russell said, "Tang had 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 10 minutes of the first quarter, shooting 5-for-6 from the field and 2-for-3 from the free-throw line. Ewing and Oakley's defense against him failed."

比尔沃顿说道：“尤因首节10分钟，4投2中，2罚1中，得到了5分4篮板。

Both teams were struggling with their shooting, resulting in a lot of rebounding. The battle for rebounds was crucial, as it was the most important foundation for maintaining offense.

Bill Russell said, "The Heat's offense and defense are all carried by Tang alone. Their overall performance is actually not as good as the Knicks, who are also performing poorly."

"Bill, you're a legendary defensive center, tell me, where did the Knicks fail to defend Tang?" asked Marv Albert.

Bill Russell said, "Tang put in a lot of effort on the defensive end tonight, which affected his effort on the offensive end."

Especially in one-on-one defense against Ewing, he repeatedly prevented Ewing from getting close to the basket, making it difficult for Ewing to get into the deep post. Otherwise, Tang could focus more on offense, making the Knicks even more difficult to defend.

"Yes."

Mave Albert nodded.

Bill Russell continued, "Tang's low-post offense is very difficult to defend. He and O'Neal are the kind of heavyweight centers that have never appeared in the NBA before, unprecedented."

Tang and Shaq O'Neal are somewhat different, but they are almost the same type of heavyweight center. We will only talk about Tang now.

Tang possesses not only immense strength and terrifying explosive power, but also excellent speed and agility.

This allows him to maintain his formidable physical strength while remaining incredibly agile. Skilled defenders lack the size and power to compete with him, while strong defenders are too slow to keep up with his offensive pace.

Bill Walton added, "Yes, for example, his signature move, the tornado, is so fast. David Robinson's footwork is at a small forward level, and he's unstoppable."

Ewing just proved that he can't stop a tornado-like spin move to the basket, especially tonight when Tang added a feint.

Bill Russell nodded and said, "He can get close to the basket with his strength and physicality. Once he gets close to the basket, it is very difficult to defend him one-on-one. You have to rely on help defense, double-teaming, or even fouling tactics."

Coach Albert nodded in agreement without saying a word.

Bill Russell continued, "That's the difficulty of the defense, and it's one of the main reasons why the Knicks' defense failed tonight."

Another important reason for the failure to defend Tang was that Charles Oakley's help defense was actually very hard, but the effect was mediocre.

The main reason is that Tang's ability to observe and help defend the weak side has improved, and he has also added fakes to his low-post back-to-the-basket moves, making it even harder to predict his offensive direction. When Oakley double-teams him, Tang's offensive direction almost always avoids him.

"Ah."

The other two nodded.

On the bench, Ewing and Oakley were panting heavily.

Ewing was primarily responsible for defending against Tang Bei, which took the most physical exertion. Moreover, every rise and fall of his chest was accompanied by pain, all from being bumped by Tang Bei.

Charles Oakley's left cheekbone was swollen high, and his left collarbone was also in excruciating pain, all from being hit by Tang Bei's elbow.

His lower back was also throbbing with pain, a strain he had pulled after being knocked down by Tang Bei. It hurt a bit, but he wanted to keep fighting and find another opportunity to teach Tang Bei a lesson.

Staring at Ewing and Oakley, Pat Riley said sternly:

“Patrick, Charles, your defense must be coordinated. One of you should cover his lower side, and the other should cover his upper side. Don’t think you can stop him by yourself. Don’t give him a chance to avoid double teams.”

"Yes."

Oakley behaved very well in front of Pat Riley, nodding like a good boy, as did Ewing.

"He usually plays in the low left wing. When Ewing is the main defender, you can focus on defending his right shoulder and blocking his baseline to prevent him from slipping to the bottom."

"Yes."

"Charles, you block his upper side. Don't be afraid of him passing the ball; his assist ability is very poor."

"Yes."

"You must play aggressively on defense, show your fighting spirit, and don't let them do whatever they want on your home court," Pat Riley said sternly.

"Yes."

Under Pat Riley's imposing presence, the voices of players like Oakley and Ewing were filled with a steely resolve, and their eyes shone with determination and sharpness.

“Patrick, you need to use your experience and skills to beat Tang. He lacks experience, and his low-post defense is at best first-rate, not top-notch.”

"In addition to one-on-one attacks, we should add some pick-and-roll and passing combinations to make Tang's defense more difficult."

"His observation of the weak side is still insufficient, and he can improve the passing and cutting coordination between the strong and weak sides."

After setting up defensive tactics, Pat Riley then outlined offensive tactics, and the second quarter was over.

On the Heat's bench, Tang Bei was also panting, his stamina being used up very quickly.

Back-to-back games mean that physical exertion takes longer to recover than usual.

During the first quarter, he was elbowed three times by Oakley and twice by Ewing, resulting in some redness and swelling on his left forehead. Fortunately, he is strong and muscular, so there were no major problems. At the start of the second quarter, both sides fielded a mix of starters and substitutes.

In the paint, Tang Bei did not play; instead, John Salley and Grant Long, who had just returned from injury, took to the court.

Ewing and Oakley were also on the bench, while muscular Mason Jr. and backup center Herb Williams came on.

As a result, both John Salley and Mason were out of form, each going 0-for-2 from the field. After playing for 4 minutes, they were replaced by Tang Bei and Ewing.

The other players on both sides were in similar form, with only Tang Bei and Ewing showing decent form.

依靠强大的低位进攻，唐北单节8分钟5投3中，4罚2中，取下8分3篮板。

Oakley and Ewing's help defense against Tang Bei was more effective, resulting in one offensive foul and a turnover for him.

Ewing added some variety to his offense, while Tang Bei's defense was ineffective, scoring 5 points and grabbing 4 rebounds on 2-of-3 shooting and 1-of-2 free throws.

两队在次节打出22：16的比分，45：36，热火客场领先9分。

In the away team's locker room, Tang Bei ate two bananas and drank a glass of Gatorade to replenish his energy.

Playing back-to-back games, his stamina wasn't great to begin with, and his playing style is very demanding, so he's not quite ready anymore.

After a 15-minute break, the third major battle between the two sides began.

The third quarter saw a dramatic turn of events, with the Knicks, playing at home, suddenly finding their shooting touch and scoring 25 points in the quarter.

Meanwhile, the Heat continued to struggle offensively, scoring only 17 points in the quarter against the Knicks' tenacious defense, squandering their lead in the first quarter.

Tang Bei reduced his offensive efforts due to physical exhaustion. Of his four attempts, he was fouled once under the basket and missed three close-range shots. Under Ewing's defense, he also missed many shots, making only one basket and scoring only 3 points in the third quarter.

After three quarters, the score was 62-61, with the Heat leading by only one point.

"The final quarter is our chance to win. Don's energy is running low. Patrick, Charles, seize the opportunity to take him down."

"Yes."

On the Knicks' bench, Pat Riley's words carried a hint of sternness, while Ewing and others responded with a touch of excitement.

Ewing and Oakley were actually running out of energy, especially after their fight with Tang Bei, where they were covered in bruises and swelling. They would probably need to rest after this match.

"asshole!"

Oakley touched his fifth rib on his right chest, where Tang Bei had delivered a sharp elbow strike to the chest, and felt a faint stinging pain; it might even be cracked.

But he's going to give it his all in today's game; he'll play even if he breaks a bone.

On the bench next to him, Kevin Longley looked a little nervous.

To be honest, the Heat's strength in playing against a strong team like the Knicks and still leading by one point is beyond his expectations.

His abilities are average, especially his tactical abilities. He can't devise any specific tactics and only emphasizes that Tang Bei should strengthen his low-post offense and that Glen Rice should increase his shot attempts.

Tang Bei scored a total of 23 points and 11 rebounds. He didn't attack much in the third quarter to conserve his energy so he could play better in the final quarter.

He also suffered a lot from Oakley and Ewing, who swung their elbows at him with all their might, causing him considerable harm.

He already has 5 fouls. This is the Knicks' home court, and the calls against him are a bit harsh. The head coach told him to reduce the intensity of his defense in the final quarter.

The Knicks' offense is also not in good form, so reducing the intensity of their defense and using their remaining energy on the offensive end is a strategy that he can accept.

Soon, the final quarter began, and the Heat launched an attack.

In the third quarter, Tang Bei reduced his offensive play and rested for two minutes. His stamina recovered slightly, and he moved down to the left wing low post, immediately asserting his position and demanding the ball.

"This guy still has such good stamina?"

Ewing was holding the line inside, but he was still struggling and somewhat surprised.

When the ball was passed down, Tang Bei had already squeezed two small steps into the penalty area to receive the ball in a deep position.

Seeing this, Oakley immediately abandoned Grantron and quickly returned to defend the basket, intending to double-team Tang Bei.

Tang Bei's low-post back-to-the-basket play today heavily utilized Wing Chun's feinting stance, rarely resorting to hard-hitting attacks, and exhibiting very little genuine offensive power.

But this time, he will spare no effort to launch a powerful attack on Ewing.

At crucial moments, he believed that the key was to break the opponent's will, and a strong attack was the best way to do so.

After receiving the ball facing upwards, assume a low stance, prepare for the attack, and observe that Oakley's weak-side help defense has already come over.

Yu Yin pressed her chest tightly against Tang Bei's left shoulder and back, exerting strong resistance and not giving Tang Bei any room to exert force.

Even if Tang Bei were to exert his full strength through a direct attack, the power would be limited because there wouldn't be enough space for him to do so.

At the same time, his position was low, mainly blocking the baseline.

Oakley's attack was aimed directly at Tang Bei's upper side, forming a pincer movement between him and the others. Tang Bei only needed to hold out for a third of a second before Oakley could get into position to surround him.

"Oh!"

As Tang Bei dribbled with his right hand, he began his low-post back-to-the-basket move. His first, moderate back-to-the-basket move only pushed Ewing back a little.

This slight retreat, only half a foot, immediately widened the distance between Tang Bei and Ewing, giving him room to exert his strength.

But at that moment, Oakley's double-team was in place. He waved his left hand to attract attention, while his right elbow, which was guarding his chest, viciously rammed into Tang Bei's head.

This subtle elbow strike had no obvious upward movement and was completely obscured by the bodies of him, Ewing, and Tang Bei. Few people, not even the three referees, media reporters, or fans, noticed it.

The next instant, while dribbling, Tang Bei's second post-up shot immediately erupted.

With 100% effort, a terrifying burst of power erupted at this moment, his left shoulder and back slamming heavily into Ewing's left chest.

"Oh!"

With a heavy thud, Ewing was sent flying backward.

At that moment, he thought he had sprouted wings.

But the pain in his chest, as if crushed by a truck, told him that he had been thrown into the air.

"Take it!"

At the same time, as Ewing was knocked away, Oakley delivered a powerful elbow strike to Tang Bei's left forehead.

Tang Bei felt a jolt in his head as something that felt like an iron rod struck his forehead and then slid past him.

His skin felt like it was being torn apart, his skull ached, his eyes were burning and red, and he felt a little dizzy, but not enough to make him lose his balance.

He knew he had probably been hit; Oakley had probably elbowed him, but not quite, the elbow had just slid across his forehead.

"Your grandma!"

Although it wasn't enough to seriously injure him, this elbow strike was the most serious injury he had suffered since entering the CBA and NBA, instantly enraging him.

Just then, he pulled the basketball up, clasped it with both hands, and suddenly turned to the right in a Tai Chi turn, his body exploding upwards after the turn.

This attack was like a tiger rising up, unstoppable!
"boom!"

The incredibly loud thud of the rim hitting the basket echoed through Madison Square Garden, instantly assaulting the eardrums and hearts of 20,000 Knicks fans.

The brutally clasped hands, with their violent aesthetics and visual impact, ignite the adrenaline in everyone who sees them, sending chills down their spines. This primal, powerful, and breathtaking action sends shivers down their spines.

"clank……"

Under the terrifying impact, the screws securing the basketball hoop to the frame broke one after another.

"Bang bang..."

As Tang Bei's body swayed forward, the immense downward and lateral forces twisted the screws, causing them to snap instantly.

The screw broke, and the buffer spring was also instantly snapped by Tang Bei.

Suddenly losing the pull, he fell down. Because Ewing was lying under the basket, he quickly spread his legs and almost fell when he landed, but luckily he managed to stay upright.

At this moment, between his legs, was the extremely disheveled super center Patrick Ewing.

Above him was a wobbly basketball hoop. The backboard wasn't broken, but the rim was gone, and the rim was now in his hands.

"WOW!"

"Clap clap clap..."

After a brief silence, a tremendous uproar, thunderous applause and cheers swept through Madison Square Garden like a hurricane.

"WOW!"

The Heat's players on the court and on the bench were all in a frenzy of celebration, everyone was roaring with excitement.

"Ooh ho!"

On the sidelines, John Liu jumped up excitedly.

On the contrary, the Knicks' players on the court and on the bench were completely silent.

(End of this chapter)