Basketball miracles

Chapter 143 [Stop dawdling!]

The Lakers made substitutions, with McAdu replacing Worthy at small forward and Michael Cooper replacing Scott.

Worthy didn't play well today, so Riley simply benched him to rest for a while and put him in charge of leading the substitutes in the second quarter. McAdu can play the 3, 4, and 5 positions; he has the skills and can shoot, which can effectively stretch the floor.

The Celtics called two timeouts but made no substitutions, and KC Jones's ability to adapt to the situation was questioned by the commentators.

Stockton said, "Without making substitutions, can the coach really make the players' performance on the court completely different just by boosting morale and arranging tactics?"

Heinsson said, "I think it's because the Celtics' roster depth isn't as good as the Lakers', and Jones doesn't dare to let the bench players play too much."

The Celtics legend's explanations from the sidelines were useless. In the fans' eyes, this Celtics team had four All-Stars, while the Lakers had three. Three is greater than four?
Heinson didn't praise the role players last year; the Celtics' championship was all thanks to the star players.

McHale sheepishly stepped out to the three-point line to facilitate passing. This wasn't his forte; he rarely assisted, usually just forcing a shot after receiving the ball.

Xiao Tu then gave McHale two meters more space and made a "please" gesture while shouting, "Shoot! I'm not guarding you, stop dawdling!"

Xiao Tu's voice was so loud that even fans watching the live broadcast could hear it; it was truly insulting.

American audiences witnessed the birth of a classic trash talk, requiring no post-game media hype. It seemed Xiao Tu didn't consider McHale a serious opponent, especially considering he had effectively shut down two-time MVP Bird in the regular season.

"A scholar can be killed but not humiliated," McHale felt a surge of hot blood rush to his head.

He got angry and fumed for a moment.

McHale didn't dare to shoot, knowing he would definitely miss the three-pointer.

His three-point shooting percentage this season is zero; he didn't make a single three-pointer in the regular season and didn't shoot one in the playoffs.

Seeing McHale, dressed in green, hesitating and wasting time on the perimeter, Xiao Tu suddenly wanted to sing him a song to encourage him. "Ninja Turtles, incredibly brave. Ninja Turtles, overcoming all obstacles..."

Well, that doesn't seem to be encouraging him.

McHale, a player with no shooting range, no speed, and not good at face-up driving to the basket, was no match for Xiao Tu. His ability to become a superstar, to some extent, directly proves how weak the interior defense was in the NBA during the 80s.

Standing at 208cm and weighing 95kg, this white floor-bound player was one of the best low-post attackers of the 80s. His highlight reels are easily found online; they look almost magical.

McHale quietly passed the ball to Bird in the middle, who drew a double team before passing to Parish on the right, who caught the ball and made a mid-range jumper. 29-16.

Xiao Tu didn't have time to cover, the distance was too far.

Parish's primary scoring method is the mid-range shot, not post-up attacks. He's just physically imposing; his strength and jumping ability are average, and his wingspan... is supposedly 244cm.

So here's the question: isn't it said that there's only one Devil Fruit of each kind in the world?
In the Lakers' half-court offense, Bird became the primary defender on Xiao Tu.

This was the coach's arrangement, a last resort. Although Bird also had poor athleticism, was at a disadvantage in physical confrontations, and had a wingspan of only 209cm, he... he had social anxiety.

It's so embarrassing. Bird was very low-key and didn't talk much in this year's playoffs. He was no match for Xiao Tu in trash talk.

KC Jones knew very well that Bird would be at a disadvantage, and there was really no other choice. No matter how unwilling Bird was, he had to go in now, as McHale had been completely overwhelmed and had become a defensive liability.

The same question plagued Bird: should he switch on defense when faced with a pick-and-roll? Bird didn't dare to switch. Johnson dribbled past the guard, pulled up for a jump shot from just inside the left three-point line, and missed.

McHale finally grabbed a defensive rebound, and he made a difference!
The Celtics launched a fast break, and Ainge passed the ball to Bird, who was double-teamed on the right wing. Bird then jumped up and passed the ball to Parish in the middle.

Parish attempted a strong shot in the paint, but the physical contact prevented him from dunking. Jabbar was pushed back and couldn't jump, but Xiao Tu retreated from the left side and drove to the basket, delivering a powerful block to Parish.

This was his third block in the quarter, leaving McHale open for a successful steal.

Michael Cooper retrieved the ball and passed it to Magic Johnson on the right flank for a fast break. Xiao Tu also rushed out and quickly shook off the defense. McHale and Parish were too slow to get back on defense, resulting in a 3-on-3 situation in the frontcourt.

Bird, Ainge, and Dennis Johnson retreated to the vicinity of the paint. Johnson passed the ball to Xiao Tu, who was following up in the middle. Xiao Tu received the ball on the perimeter and pulled up for a three-pointer. Bird had retreated too far back and was wide open.

Xiao Tu took the shot without any pressure and made it! 32-16. Bird's choice wasn't necessarily wrong, because he was the only big man who got back on defense. If he hadn't stepped back, Johnson would have had an easy layup. Now, he's turned a two-pointer into a three-pointer with his excellent defensive awareness.

The Celtics were stunned. They had never seen anyone start a game like this, throwing down three-pointers like that, and they were so accurate!

Stockton shouted, "Three-pointer! Shaw's third three-pointer of the game, 19 points in the quarter!"

Heinsson was equally loud: "This is the most terrifying individual performance I've ever seen in the Finals! His play is illogical, but he just keeps scoring."

"As long as I can score, that's all that matters," Pat Riley cheered excitedly from the sidelines, clenching his fists.

Xiao Tu's outside shooting attempts have been increasing, with Riley giving him special treatment in the playoffs. When all the players are crowded around the paint, Xiao Tu often gets easy shots from beyond the three-point line.

The Celtics' defensive strategy involves collapsing their defense, packing together players with less athleticism to solidify their paint defense. They typically allow opponents to shoot long two-pointers and three-pointers, which is clearly ineffective against Xiao Tu.

Defensive habits are hard to change, and the Celtics don't get shot down very often.

During the offseason, Xiao Tu specifically practiced his shooting, aiming to exploit the opponent's weaknesses. He spread out on the perimeter, leaving the Celtics with less individual defense in the paint, making it easier for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to attack.

KC Jones called two timeouts, but it was no use; he just couldn't stop the ball.

Xiao Tu continued to guard McHale, and the Celtics wanted to switch, but couldn't decide who he would guard.

Both of the Celtics' big men stretched out, creating space for their guards and Bird to drive. After a few passes, Bird dribbled past McAdu towards the basket, and Xiao Tu immediately dropped back to help defend.

His speed and wide defensive range forced Bird to pass the ball out again. McHale was left open on the left side and his 60-degree jump shot from just inside the three-point line missed. Xiao Tu grabbed the rebound again, his seventh.

Celtics fans were utterly disheartened; McHale seemed to have lost all confidence due to Xiao Tu's torment.

Indeed, the moment McHale received the ball, Xiao Tu's words immediately echoed in his mind—"Shoot! I'm not guarding you, stop dawdling!"

He aimed carefully before shooting, and his shooting speed and rhythm were slow.

Hesitation will defeat.

In a Lakers half-court set, after a few passes, Johnson lobbed the ball to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the left low post. Abdul-Jabbar dribbled with his back to the basket at a 45-degree angle, turned, and hooked the ball in from the edge of the paint. 34-16.

Once Kareem Abdul-Jabbar executes his hook shot, no one can block it. Xiao Tu can't block it either, unless he jumps early, which easily draws a foul.

The Celtics' offense was completely unable to spread out, lacking any three-point shooting options. The Lakers also favored a collapsed defense, nominally man-to-man, but often resorting to a fake zone defense.

Four players over 205cm tall blocked the paint; unless someone has superhuman abilities, they absolutely couldn't get in. Even if a shorter player dribbled to the basket, they'd be looking for a block.

Dennis orchestrated a pass through the middle, and Ainge cut inside from the left to receive the ball and plunged into a crowd of players. When he had no chance to shoot and tried to dribble out again, the referee called a traveling violation.

Angie immediately expressed his dissatisfaction, arguing that he had not walked.

Ainge ran up to the referee and complained loudly, but the referee ignored him, showing respect to the Celtics. Technical fouls weren't introduced in the NBA until the 93-94 season; otherwise, the referee could have easily called one.

Angie isn't a star, so there are no celebrity referees. Even if he's dribbling the ball out of bounds, he can't just walk around with the ball like that!
McHale wasn't the only one affected mentally; the rest of the Celtics were also anxious. They were the defending champions, and falling behind by such a large margin in a single quarter was completely unacceptable.

Some people have little skill but a big temper, which makes them quite stubborn. Ainge is a very self-important person, even though he is the least capable starter on the Celtics and is incredibly thin.

Xiao Tu found Angie hilarious; in a parallel world, something incredibly bizarre happened to the Celtics in the late 80s.

Role player Danny Ainge suggested that Red Auerbach trade Larry Bird to bring in fresh blood. Bird found out about the plan, creating tension in the locker room, and Ainge was subsequently traded.

If this were 2010, it would be equivalent to Detellous West, the Cavaliers' first player, advising the Cavaliers' general manager to trade for LeBron James and bring in fresh blood.

How could such a thing happen? Although James did go to the Heat in the summer, it was his own decision to leave.

(End of this chapter)