The longest river

Chapter 149 A God-like Man
The fans at the scene also appeared extremely nervous at this moment.

Theoretically speaking, it's normal for any team in the league to lose to the Bulls now.

However, the Pacers' performance in the first two rounds of the playoffs, including Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, gave them high expectations.

They would definitely be unwilling to accept losing the game like this.

In the Pacers' frontcourt, Yang Shuai and Miller switched positions, with Yang Shuai using Schmitz's screen to quickly run towards the three-point line.

Pippen kept close behind, and Yang Shuai didn't get a chance to shoot a three-pointer on his first attempt.

Schmitz mentioned continuing to set a second screen at the high post, but Yang Shuai did not cut to the basket at this time; instead, he made a reverse run.

Jackson's pass arrived, and Yang Shuai received the ball without hesitation, decisively launching a three-pointer before Pippen could close in.

"Shh!"

With a crisp crack, the tense atmosphere among the fans instantly turned into excited cheers.

Bird couldn't help but clench his fist at that moment.

Yang Shuai was not affected by the pressure, and the Pacers have a chance to win tonight!
Jordan continued to post up and post up for isolation plays in the frontcourt.

This time, Schmitz quickly double-teamed, and Davis also quickly switched to defend Longley.

Mark Jackson's one-on-one defense at the start was just a test of Jordan's shooting touch. Bird stopped letting Yang defend one-on-one, so he was bound to double-team him.

Moreover, this double-teaming choice was also very good. Although Rodman had a highlight in G1, his offensive contribution was negligible most of the time.

Jordan, facing a double team, passed the ball to Longley, who caught it, turned, and scored.

Although Davis was strong and muscular, Langley had a clear advantage in weight and height.

Another stir erupted in the arena. It wasn't just Jordan who was playing well tonight; the entire Bulls team seemed to be in great form.

It's clear that as they place greater emphasis on the game, they are becoming increasingly adept at dealing with the Pacers.

Turning back, Pippen was even more focused on guarding Yang Shuai than before.

Just like in last year's playoffs, he might be mentally broken by Yang Shuai in one game, but that situation won't last for the entire series.

However, Yang Shuai demonstrated his versatility in playing style. He used Schmitz's screen at the high post, faked receiving the ball at the top of the arc, and then suddenly cut to the basket.

Compared to Miller, his superior physical attributes make his entry speed significantly faster.

Jackson's pass arrived just in time, and Yang Shuai jumped up directly in front of Rodman, who was helping to defend.

Rodman also leaped up to try and stop Yang Shuai's dunk.

However, to everyone's surprise, Yang Shuai passed the ball over Rodman's head after he got into the air!
The ball was passed to Davis on the other side of the basket, and Davis, with no one guarding him, slammed the ball into the rim with both hands.

The city square stadium instantly erupted in cheers.

After these two rounds, they have seen Bird's tactical intention to have Yang be the main attacker.

Yang Shuai's performance gave them a pleasant surprise.

Especially in the last round, Yang Shuai has been developing from a player who was more of a shooter last season into an all-around player.

It's only been one season since then, and Yang Shuai's ability to learn and improve is indeed his most terrifying quality.

Jordan continued to establish position in the frontcourt, but this time he moved from the low post to the high post.

Moreover, after receiving the ball, he didn't back down the ball, but instead turned and drove directly towards the free-throw line.

He almost deliberately went towards Schmitz's help defense, and in the instant he was double-teamed, he passed the ball to Langley who was cutting down the court.

Longley's shot missed under Davis's strong interference, but Rodman jumped up on the other side and scored on the putback.

"That's Michael!"

Albert couldn't help but sigh.

Whether it's scoring, passing, or even on-court judgment, Jordan is the best of all players, and he always has been.

"Hansen's defense was underestimated."

Ernie Johnson, who was standing nearby, chimed in.

Everything needs to be compared. Jordan's performance declined in the first three games, and some media lamented that Jordan was getting old. But in fact, Jordan is still Jordan. He was just uncomfortable being defended by Yang Shuai.

The Pacers advanced the ball up the court again, and Schmitz received the ball in the low post for a one-on-one attack.

However, due to Langley's interference, his shot missed, and Rodman, with his long arms, grabbed the defensive rebound and passed it to Pippen.

The Bulls advanced quickly, and Jordan, after reaching the frontcourt, didn't wait for the other players to get into position before turning and driving to the baseline, pulling up for a fadeaway jumper and hitting the shot.

5:8.

The Bulls' offensive performance tonight was their best in four games.

Seeing this, Mark Jackson proactively increased his speed, quickly advancing from the backcourt to the frontcourt.

Yang Shuai followed up and received a pass from Jackson. He used a three-point chase-down fake to successfully shake off Pippen, and then attacked the basket while the Bulls' defense was not yet in a stable position.

Despite being faked out, Pippen's incredible physical abilities allowed him to chase after Yang Shuai again.

However, Rodman missed Davis once earlier, so he doesn't dare to come over to help defend now.

Upon noticing Pippen behind him, Yang Shuai leaped into the air and delivered a gliding one-handed slam dunk, sending the ball into the basket.

Pippen's hand, chasing after Yang Shuai's shot, swung over Yang's head and became the backdrop for this play.

The fans at the scene were also very excited.

Although the Bulls were on fire tonight, Yang Shuai was equally unstoppable!
"Defense! Defense!" Yang Shuai's performance ignited the emotions of the fans in the stadium, and the shouts of "Defense!" were deafening.

The Pacers' defensive intensity on the court also increased dramatically.

Bird's double-team strategy worked this time, forcing Jordan to move the ball to the weak side. Pippen received the ball and drove to the basket, but Yang Shuai seized the opportunity to swat the ball away.

Mark Jackson reacted quickly, grabbed the ball, and then quickly advanced the ball again.

The Pacers have lost their half-court game against the Bulls in the last two games, and Bird is clearly trying to increase the pace of the game.

Yang Shuai received another pass from Jackson as he followed up, and this time his feint made Pippen take a big step back.

Yang Shuaisheng just intercepted one of his balls, and his fluctuating mentality caused problems with his defensive judgment.

Yang Shuai seized the opportunity and launched a three-pointer.

"Shh!"

Amid the expectant gazes of the fans at the stadium, Yang Shuai's three-pointer came flying.

Five minutes into the game, Yang Shuai had already scored 8 points!
And with his three-pointer, the Pacers took a 10-8 lead!
The Bulls called a timeout.

Just like Jordan's initial reaction, Phil Jackson wasn't surprised that Bird had Yang Shuai as the main attacker, but he didn't expect Yang Shuai's main attack to be so effective.

It's worth noting that Yang Shuai's performance in this series was primarily defensive, and he was matched up against Pippen, who had been selected to the All-Defensive First Team multiple times.

During the timeout, the camera panned to the Bulls' bench, capturing the moment when Jordan questioned Pippen.

This rare sight shows that Jordan was also anxious.

After the timeout, Kukoc replaced Rodman, and Jordan went to the frontcourt and immediately ran a pick-and-roll with Pippen, then switched to Young for defense.

Phil Jackson didn't want to be led by the nose by Bird, but you could also tell from Jordan's eyes that it was mostly his own request.

The Pacers continued to double-team Jordan, forcing him to pass the ball.

Instead of passing, Jordan drove to the free-throw line and pulled up for a dramatic fadeaway jumper.

"Shh!"

The basketball went into the net once again.

10 square meters.

Moreover, after the offensive and defensive transition, Jordan immediately switched to guard Yang Shuai.

You could tell he was genuinely angry.

However, just after Jordan switched to defend Yang Shuai, Mark Jackson suddenly turned the ball to the weak side, and Miller caught the ball after a screen and hit a three-pointer!
Miller is just injured, he's not gone.

However, the on-site director was quite adept at creating drama, immediately cutting to a shot of Pippen.

Pippen was like a random person on the side of the road tonight, someone anyone could kick if they passed by.

Pippen looked very unwell at that moment.

No one expected Yang Shuai to be in this state tonight. It was clearly the coaching staff who were not prepared, so why is everyone blaming him?

Jordan received the ball again in the frontcourt and delivered another outstanding performance.

He first double-teamed Langley and then passed the ball to Langley. He then passed by Langley without the ball, received a handoff pass from Langley, and made a fadeaway jump shot.

Jordan's personal score in this quarter also reached 8 points!
This scene left the fans in the stadium in awe.

Without Yang Shuai's influence, Jordan fully unleashed his basketball god mode.

Bird couldn't help but rub his hands together.

The difference between a coach and a player lies here: as a player, you can compete, but as a coach, you can only choose to sit or stand and watch.

From this perspective, Bird faced even greater pressure as a head coach than as a player.

During the transition between offense and defense, Jordan continued to closely guard Yang Shuai, no longer giving Yang Shuai an easy opportunity to receive the ball.

Pippen also intensified his defense against Miller.

Miller sprained his ankle, which affected his running speed and weakened his ability to get past defenders.

Seeing this, Mark Jackson had no choice but to pass the ball to Schmitz for a low-post isolation play.

However, Langley was putting all his strength into it at this moment, and Schmitz had no choice but to turn around and lean back to shoot.

"when!"

The basketball ultimately bounced off the rim and went out of bounds.

At that moment, two figures sprang up from the other side of the basket almost simultaneously.

One is Rodman, and the other is Yang Shuai!
Just as Schmitz started his one-on-one attack, Yang Shuai suddenly shoved Jordan aside and drove toward the basket.

Jordan was hot on his heels, but Davis reacted quickly and set a screen to delay the play.

Yang Shuai and Rodman touched the basketball almost at the same time, but because Yang Shuai was driving towards the basket while Rodman jumped from under the basket, Yang Shuai had a significantly better angle to control the ball.

"Oh!"

Amidst the gasps of the fans in the arena, Yang Shuai completed a one-handed putback dunk over Rodman!
This instantly reminded the fans at the scene of Yang Shuai's first point in his rookie season, which was a dunk over Rodman!
Unexpectedly, after two seasons, Yang Shuai has made another appearance on the playoff stage.

Moreover, after completing this putback dunk, Yang Shuai had already scored 10 points in this quarter.

He's going head-to-head with Jordan!

(End of this chapter)