The longest river

Chapter 131 The Final Piece of the Championship Puzzle

Yang Shuai did not refuse.

One-on-one is his bread and butter; he could easily take on someone as tall as 1.85 meters as Jackson.

Moreover, he and Pierce became friends through a one-on-one fight, so if a one-on-one fight could resolve their issues, that would be ideal.

The two played rock-paper-scissors, and Jackson ultimately got the first turn.

Yang Shuai started the game with close-marking defense.

He had no intention of giving it up.

But Jackson's choice in the first round surprised him.

This guy actually beat him with a fancy dribbling move.

Moreover, knowing that he was not in a speed advantage, Jackson did not rush forward after getting past him. Instead, he secured the position, blocked his body with his hips, and then broke through.

Yang Shuai tried to jump up to block him, but he was stuck and couldn't jump.

After Jackson scored, Yang Shuai felt completely overwhelmed.

This was even more painful than being scored on by Jordan, since Jordan's superior ability was to be expected, but Jackson just looked average.

"Did you know that a New York point guard would give up his girlfriend and his gold chain before he gave up dribbling?"

Seeing Yang Shuai's reaction, Jackson didn't seem surprised; instead, he gave him a reminder.

Jackson was a point guard born in New York.

Upon hearing this, Yang Shuai abandoned his contempt.

Because you didn't see Jackson dribbling much when you played against him, you assumed that his ability to break through was average, which is a kind of underestimation of his opponent.

Jackson dribbled past Yang Shuai again, but this time no matter how he changed direction, Yang Shuai was not beaten.

Yang Shuai's defensive focus was at its peak.

Moreover, due to the size difference, Jackson would have no space to shoot if he couldn't get past Yang Shuai.

However, since they weren't playing American-style one-on-one, there was no limit to the number of dribbles. When Jackson realized he couldn't get past them, he switched to back-to-the-basket moves.

It was at this moment that something else surprised Yang Shuai.

Jackson's strength is unlike anything his body could possess; it's almost on par with Jordan's!
Previously, when he saw Jackson backing down during the game, he thought it was just one of Jackson's offensive habits, but now it seems that things are not so simple.

If it were last season, he would have had a hard time dealing with Jackson's post-up game.

Fortunately, Jackson's weight and physical strength improved this season, and in the end, he was unable to move him.

Finally, Jackson's forced layup attempt after turning around was blocked by Yang Shuai.

"Okay."

To Yang Shuai's utter surprise, Jackson immediately called a timeout after his block!
No, I was just starting to feel something when you ended it?
Jackson gestured for Yang Shuai to sit down and chat on the sidelines.

"You know what? I was furious when I was told I was going to be sent to Sacramento in exchange for a high school student."

After sitting down, Jackson's words surprised Yang Shuai once again.

Saying that to his face is quite direct.

"I'd be angry too if I were in your shoes," Yang Shuai said, a straightforward person. "But that has nothing to do with me."

Now it was Jackson's turn to be surprised. He had thought that Yang Shuai would at least say something in his defense.

"Yes, this has nothing to do with you. It's a management problem, and of course, Larry the guy."

Jackson's words made Yang Shuai realize once again that the other person was unique; he was a smart and unbiased black man.

“I’ve been watching your performance all season, and I want to see how much of a joke they make.”

Jackson made no attempt to hide his true feelings, but after saying that, a wry smile appeared on his face.
"In the end, it turned out that I was the one who misjudged, and the management and Larry were both good judges of character."

Yang Shuai smiled.

It wasn't that Jackson's words were particularly funny, but rather that he felt Jackson's straightforwardness and lack of guile suited his taste perfectly.

"So when the Kings gave me a choice, asking if I wanted to go back to New York or Indiana, I chose here," Jackson said, looking at Yang Shuai.

"New York wants you too?"

Yang Shuai was a little surprised. Did the Knicks think their All-Star roster wasn't strong enough?
“John (Starks) is not suited to playing point guard; they need someone to distribute the ball.”

The Knicks acquired point guard Chris Childs from the Nets at the trade deadline, apparently as an alternative after failing to acquire Jackson.

Judging from this result, Jackson's choice has a significant impact on the landscape of the East.

Because if he really chooses to go to the Knicks, then the Knicks will not only have an All-Star roster, but a perfectly matched All-Star roster.

The Pacers' previous roster would be at an even greater disadvantage against them than last season.

However, with Jackson's choice, the balance of power shifted, and now the two teams are considered evenly matched on paper.

"So you challenged me to a one-on-one fight to verify that your choice was right?"

Yang Shuai now probably understands why Jackson only tried it briefly; he probably just wanted to test whether Jackson could really defend Jordan.

Jackson nodded: "We have a better chance than we did two years ago."

He became visibly excited as he said this.

As Miller previously stated, for players born in this era, especially older players, nothing else matters unless they beat Jordan.

Hearing this, Yang Shuai knew that there were no longer any problems between him and Jackson.

He smiled and extended his hand to Jackson: "Welcome home."

On the day of the Pacers vs. Heat game, Riley was asked about Yang Shuai during an interview with reporters at an open practice session.

The better Yang Shuai plays now, the more attention those teams that missed out on him will receive, especially Riley, the "mastermind".

Just as players all want to defeat the "God of Basketball," fans also look forward to the day when the "Mastermind" miscalculates.

"If the Heat had selected Hansen with the 10th pick last year, would the team be playing better than they are now?"

The Heat's 10th overall pick last year, Kurt Thomas, is no longer with the team. "No, we couldn't have traded for Jamal (Mashburn) without drafting Kurt, and we're on the right track now."

Riley continued to display his "mastermind" skills as always.

That night, the Miami Arena was packed to capacity, and the fans were in high spirits.

If their emotions last season were largely due to Riley's arrival, then this season it's purely the confidence brought about by the team's outstanding performance.

On paper, the Heat are not as good as the Knicks, but their current record is worse than the Knicks'.

Moreover, if they win tonight's crucial game against the Pacers, they will rise to second place in the Eastern Conference.

This is a world of difference compared to when they were on the verge of the playoffs last year.

Thanks to Riley's series of 2K-style trades, the Heat have truly entered the ranks of championship contenders.

There were still many amusing signs inside the stadium, but this time, Yang Shuai's sign was included, unlike last time.

"We don't need businessman players!"

Moreover, during the opening ceremony, some fans even booed Yang Shuai.

"Did you sleep with someone's wife on the Heat?" Mark Jackson couldn't help but ask Yang Shuai after the opening ceremony.

Yang Shuai shook his head; he didn't like married women.

But he wasn't angry at all.

"You know, when someone attacks you, it means they're afraid of you."

In the last game between the two teams last season, the Pacers ultimately failed to win because Brown was benched.

But that kind of thing won't happen again this season.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups for both sides were announced.

Pacers: Mark Jackson, Miller, Young, Dale Davis, Schmitz
Miami Heat: Tim Hardaway, Worshan Leonard, Mashburn, PJ Brown, Mourning

Mourning won possession for the Heat in the jump ball.

The Heat's first offensive play revolved around Mourning's low-post tactics.

The Pacers opted for a double-team on the perimeter, and Mourning assisted Leonard for a three-pointer, giving the Heat the lead.

The Heat still rely on their traditional low-post offense centered around their star players, but their better roster has also made them more adept at capitalizing on opportunities.

In the transition between offense and defense, the Heat successfully defended against the Pacers' first wave of attacks on the strong side.

Riley has clearly prepared for tonight's game.

However, when Miller launched his second offensive drive towards the basket, Mark Jackson delivered a precise pass, allowing Miller to easily score two points.

Mourning then received the ball in the low post again.

This time, the Pacers didn't double-team him, and Mourning turned around and executed a triple-threat sweep followed by a mid-range jump shot that went in again.

The Heat's outstanding record this season is largely due to Alonzo Mourning's performance. Although his stats have declined this season, his efficiency rating is at a career high.

The Heat started strong, but then they couldn't stop the Pacers' offense again.

This time, in order to defend against Miller, they chose to rotate their defense, and Mourning chased after Miller.

However, at that moment, Schmitz was led by Jackson's bounce pass to cut to the basket, and after receiving the ball, he sprinted forward and dunked for the score.

There was a commotion in the place.

Although the Heat still maintain their lead in the score, the Pacers scored too easily in these two possessions.

The Heat allow an average of 89.3 points per game this season, making them a top-tier defensive team, but their defense tonight was practically nonexistent.

And this was even with Riley clearly having made preparations.

Mourning received the ball in the low post and used a mid-range fake to fool Schmitz before driving to the basket. However, Davis's help defense was in place, and his shot was ultimately contested and missed.

Schmitz retreated to grab the defensive rebound, and the Heat's offense failed to continue.

Fortunately, they retreated quickly on defense, preventing the Pacers from launching a fast break.

Both sides continued to move to their positions.

This time, the Heat's defense faltered again, and as the defensive rotations changed, Mark Jackson found an open shot at the top of the key.

Jackson decisively launched a three-pointer and sank it, giving the Pacers a 7-5 lead.

Their first three attacks were all successful!

Riley reached out and called a pause.

In the footage, the "fortune teller" has a furrowed brow.

In preparation for tonight's game, he studied the Pacers' game film in depth before the game, and he was sure that his defense was targeted.

But in reality, that didn't work.

It wasn't that the Heat's defense was bad, but rather that the Pacers' offense was better tonight than in the past.

Bird's spacing basketball, although inspired by Yang Shuai's previous three-point shooting style, is still quite different.

Its essence is to open up the area under the basket and then score by attacking the restricted area.

This process involves a lot of pick-and-roll plays, both with and without the ball, which really tests the point guard's passing ability.

Because many opportunities are fleeting.

Neither Best nor Workman had been able to fully realize this effect before.

But with the arrival of Mark Jackson, everything changed.

The Pacers had three possessions, and Jackson delivered two spectacular passes.

Clearly, the Pacers' trade at the trade deadline provided the final piece of the puzzle for Bird's spacing system to contend for a championship.

(End of this chapter)