Basketball Terminal

Chapter 29 First Battle
For Li Wei's first relatively formal match in his professional career, he arrived at the venue in an open-top bus. The cold February wind howled in through the large hole in the roof, and the players not only wore down jackets but also took out warm towels from their bags and wrapped them around themselves to ward off the cold.

Fortunately, by the time the team bus was converted into an open-top bus, the journey to their destination was only twenty minutes, so everyone could bear with it. Upon arriving at the Aina Academy Gymnasium, everyone stomped their feet and did warm-up exercises on the spot after getting off the bus. The driver then drove the roofless bus to find a place to repair it, since the team would reimburse the repair costs anyway.

Since the start of the team's training camp, the disastrous situation over the past week has made everyone accustomed to various unexpected situations. Without too many complaints, they arrived at the cramped away locker room in the stadium and began their pre-match preparations.

Because the Long Island Nets were relatively poor, while the Westchester Knicks, backed by New York, were financially better off, they had the funds to rent a university stadium to play preseason games when both teams' main arenas were unavailable due to the virus.

As one of the first schools in New York to reopen its public sports facilities, Iain College was allowed to conduct a trial run, allowing students with health permits to come to the stadium to watch games. Playing in a stadium with spectators is a completely different experience from playing in an empty arena.

In the cramped locker room, the Long Island Nets players changed into their jerseys and used hot water and stretching to ward off the cold. Li Wei opened his assigned locker and found a smelly sock inside, left behind by some player after a game.

Head coach Brett held a tactical notebook in one hand and used a marker to sketch tactical diagrams on the whiteboard in the other. At the start, he instructed the team to attack aggressively, using the defenders' breakthroughs to move and break down the opponent's defense, creating shooting space on the wings and opening up the team's long-range shooting opportunities.

This is a common starting point for tactics in the current version. Spacing is extremely important in this era, and closely related to spacing is a player's shooting touch. With three-point shooting, spacing can be created, leading to more opportunities and forming a virtuous cycle. Conversely, poor outside shooting can be fatal to the entire tactical operation.

Currently, all teams emphasize developing their outside shooting touch at the start of the game, a stark contrast to 10 or 15 years ago when teams relied on their interior players to dominate in the low post. The world is changing rapidly, especially in competitive sports, and the Development League often changes even faster than the NBA.

NBA teams are generally quite conservative. Their tactics and playing styles are heavily influenced by viewership ratings and win-loss records, and large teams can't easily change course. The G League, on the other hand, has far fewer such concerns and often serves as a testing ground for the latest tactics. The NBA's tactical research team shares its latest findings with G League coaches, instructing them to implement these strategies.

Due to the Warriors' success in recent years, the three-point shot has been elevated to an extremely important position. Starting from the 2009-2010 season, in ten seasons, the average number of three-point attempts per game in the NBA has increased from 18.1 to 34.5, almost doubling. Some teams are now attempting more than 40 three-pointers per game.

However, three-point attempts cannot continue to increase indefinitely. This season, NBA team coaching staff and data analysts have found that around 40 three-point attempts per game is gradually approaching the limit of the marginal effect of increasing three-point scoring efficiency. Unless players' three-point shooting ability improves to another level, averaging 35-40 three-point attempts per game is currently an ideal number of attempts.

In fact, back in the 2013-2014 season, a G League team called Rio Grande Valley Vipers, which had already led the league in three-point attempts per game in previous seasons, increased their three-point attempts from 27 to 45 that season, 10 more than the second-place team, and twice the average three-point attempts of G League teams.

This was precisely a tactical experiment conducted by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers' parent team, who wanted to see what the effect would be of significantly increasing three-point attempts and reducing mid-range shots. The Rio Grande Valley Vipers' parent team is the Houston Rockets, whose general manager, Daryl Morey, pioneered the "Moreyball strategy," allowing offense in the paint and three-pointers to dominate the offensive end.

Although Morey and his Rockets, as the originator of the concept, failed to win the championship for various reasons, the Moreyball approach did have a profound impact on the NBA. With the rise of the Warriors and Curry, it was adopted by more and more teams, directly changing the landscape of the league.

Now, "Moreyball" is standard practice for every team, and in order to improve, teams are starting to focus more on other areas, such as creating more possibilities on defense.

"That's our offensive setup. Now it's time to defend... Hey! Guys, focus, focus!"

After discussing the offense, Brett prepared to outline the more crucial aspect of defense, a task recently assigned by his former team, the Brooklyn Nets, to the coaching staff. The Nets' defense has been particularly poor lately, allowing an average of 120 points per game in 10 games. While their offense is potent, their weak defense and tendency to engage in back-and-forth exchanges have significantly diminished their offensive advantage.

With the current roster of the Nets, they don't expect to become a top defensive team, but at least they can reach the middle of the league, so that their top-notch offensive firepower can truly show its advantage.

Brett was speaking, and while the players initially paid attention, their focus gradually waned. Some whispered to each other, some secretly checked their phones, and some were daydreaming. Brett was like a teacher giving a lesson to elementary school students, having to tap the whiteboard to remind everyone. This was a weakness of Brett as a new coach; he lacked control over the locker room.

"You bunch of sons of bitches, listen up! I should have driven a little longer on the road and let you freeze to death!" assistant coach Luca Banchi roared, and the locker room immediately fell silent as everyone looked back at Brett. Banchi was a veteran coach who had coached in Europe for many years, always as head coach, and was particularly adept at dealing with young players.

Brett nodded to Bancher and then addressed the defensive issues. He instructed that a 3-2 zone defense be used in the game, with more interference and less double-teaming when using it. If an opponent cuts into the paint, players should quickly return to their defensive positions after interference.

"We will have three zone defenders in the backcourt to pressure the opponent's perimeter defense, especially the ball handler. I think you all learned the basics of the 3-2 zone defense when you studied tactics in college, and we have tried it in practice. I just want to emphasize one point: while playing zone defense, don't forget your matchup."

Brett's demands are a double-edged sword. Zone defense is fundamentally different from man-to-man defense. Each player covers a specific area, working together to create a network of defense that stifles the opponent. The downside is that five players on the field have limited coverage. Whether it's a 2-3 or 3-2 formation, there will inevitably be large gaps somewhere, giving the opponent an opportunity to exploit.

Man-to-man defense tends to be more individualistic, generally leaving fewer gaps and weaknesses. Consequently, there's less connection between defensive players, placing greater emphasis on individual defensive abilities. Since the NBA allowed zone defense, these two defensive models have been used in combination, depending on the team's configuration and strategy, arranged by the coaching staff before the game or adjusted during the game.

Everyone was a bit confused. Was this supposed to be a zone defense or man-to-man defense? Banchi came over and whispered to Brett, "Isn't this putting the players in a bit of a bind? If we defend like this, I bet their formation will be completely messed up in about three minutes, and they won't even know whether they're man-to-man or zone-to-man defense."

Brett said, "It won't take three minutes, it'll be chaotic in two minutes. But that's what Nash asked of us. He wants to see if we can make up for the team's lack of height and intensity in the paint with a mixed defense."

Banchi nodded in understanding. The G League teams are essentially testing grounds for their parent teams; you play the way they're told. Good players are even called up to provide talent for their parent teams. Right now, the Nets are in dire need of players.

Brett also reminded the players to perform well, as they might be called up by their original teams or be favored by other teams. Currently, due to the virus, some NBA players are unable to play, giving G League players many opportunities.

Hearing this, everyone became excited, their morale soared, and they gathered in the center of the locker room, putting their hands together to encourage each other before going on stage.

Li Wei and his teammates walked through the dirty and messy player tunnel to the field to warm up. Although spectators were allowed in, the situation was still disappointing. The gymnasium at Aina Academy is a small to medium-sized arena with stands only on both sides of the court, seating about 2000 people. If it were full, it would be quite lively. But the stands only had a few hundred people scattered around, and they were quite far apart from each other.

Promotional videos for the Long Island Nets and Knicks played on the screens on the wall, while photos and short videos of Levi taken on Media Day flashed by, but no one paid any attention.

There was a small cart set up in front of the entrance to the east stand, with staff selling hot dogs. The audience was clearly more enthusiastic about the hot dogs than the basketball, and people would come down every now and then to buy a hot dog and a Coke.

Before the game officially started, the school organized a T-shirt throwing event towards the stands. The T-shirts thrown were those with the logos of the Knicks and Nets, the two G League teams, which slightly ignited the enthusiasm of the crowd. However, when the DJ introduced the players for both teams, the arena fell into a deathly silence, which was quite awkward.

There's no way around it, who knows any of the G League players? The spectators who came to watch the game were just too frustrated. As long as they could get together and have some fun, they would watch any game, even a tortoise race.

Li Wei is not in the starting lineup. Although he performed well in training and one-on-one matches, Brett is keeping him on the bench as a potential lineup variable. The starting lineup will still consist of players with professional league experience, two-way contracts, and more extensive resumes; seniority will be a factor in the team's starting lineup. Players on basic salaries will not have this opportunity.

Levi and Shannon Scott sat together on the bench, patiently waiting for the game to start and for the head coach to call them in. Levi believed he wouldn't have to wait long.

“Mommy, it’s a bit cold in this restaurant. Doesn’t the heating come on?” Paul Eboua, sitting on the other side of Levi, was shaking his leg.

Eboua is Cameroonian and grew up in Douala, a hot and humid coastal city in Cameroon. He then spent many years playing golf in warmer Italy, so he found it difficult to adjust to the cold of New York and frequently complained about the cold. On the way here, sitting in the front of the bus, he was particularly chilled by the cold wind and still hasn't recovered.

"Play well when you come off the bench later, and you'll warm up quickly," Levi told Ebua. The Cameroonian was cheerful and fun-loving, and he got along well with Levi. Although they were competitors, Ebua wasn't too bothered, because after training for a while, he was certain he wouldn't make it to the NBA.

In his own words, "Mommy, if I were to enter the NBA, I would definitely die on the court. My life is more important."

So, like Shannon Scott, both of them wanted to gain experience in the G League to enhance their resumes for higher salaries in other leagues later, and also to hone their physical strength and skills. The three of them thus unknowingly became a close-knit group, often staying after practice to do extra training and practice teamwork.

The game had already begun, and the Long Island Nets, following their coach's instructions, aimed to establish a fast pace. Jamal Martin, the team's backcourt engine, quickly set the offensive rhythm, charging across half-court as soon as he received the ball. He was undeniably talented and experienced, repeatedly attacking the Knicks' basket, either drawing fouls or creating shooting opportunities for the perimeter. Brett employed a lineup with multiple forwards. Besides Jamal Martin, the other four players were all around 2 meters tall forwards, reflecting the current state of the Long Island Nets' roster: a cluster of forwards around 2 meters tall, lacking a tall, defensively strong interior presence, similar to the Brooklyn Nets.

Although Li Wei is also a forward who is just over 2 meters tall, he has shown strong inside ability in tryouts and daily training, which is an important reason why Brett valued him.

On the court, Jamal Martin's continuous attacks ignited the Nets' offense, and the Long Island team took an 8-3 lead. Their lineup of four forwards and one guard was indeed powerful and fast on offense. The Nets, who were initially disorganized, gradually built up their morale as they played well from the start. Li Wei also stood up with the substitutes to cheer for his teammates.

However, the Knicks then regained their composure and began their counterattack, dominating the paint. Knicks center Simisola Sito, the tallest player on the court at 2.06 meters, was physically imposing and noticeably larger than the Nets players, possessing exceptional agility. He repeatedly grabbed offensive rebounds under the basket or exploited weaknesses in the Nets' 3-2 zone defense to receive the ball and attack the rim directly.

He scored three consecutive baskets under the basket, and no one on the Long Island Nets could stop him. The Nets' center, Reggie Perry, is 2.03 meters tall, a size smaller than Situ, and once Situ gets the ball under the basket, it's very difficult to stop him from scoring.

Moreover, the Nets' offensive momentum waned as the Knicks' defense solidified, and Jamal Martin was unable to maintain his offensive pressure. Consecutive defensive concedes prevented the Nets from mounting fast breaks, forcing them into a stalemate in half-court sets. Just as Brett predicted, within two minutes, the team's offense and defense were in disarray, with everyone taking turns scoring.

The score quickly shifted from an 8-3 lead to a 12-14 deficit, with the Knicks taking the lead. Brett called the first timeout of the game. The players, who had been so spirited just moments before, now seemed a bit dejected, and the substitutes sat quietly to watch the game.

"We need to start with defense again. Without a solid defense, our offense becomes extremely difficult."

Brett grasped the crux of the problem, but the key issue is that with their current setup, a 3-2 zone defense is unlikely to be effective.

A 3-2 zone defense only has two players in the paint, one on the left and one on the right, yet they have to shoulder a heavy workload under the basket. They need to protect the rim, fight for rebounds, and cover the wide-open corners. If the pressure on the ball handler from the perimeter isn't enough, the pressure on the interior becomes immense once the ball reaches the basket. The Nets' recent scoring spree was related to this.

Assistant coach Banchi suggested switching to a 2-3 zone defense or man-to-man defense, but Brett shook his head, saying that the experiment had just begun and they wouldn't be able to explain the changes to their superiors if they made them hastily. If they couldn't defend the paint, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and play it out for now; they needed to give an explanation for the outcome, good or bad.

After the timeout, the Long Island Nets returned to the court, but their problems weren't solved because they were still short-handed in the paint. On the other hand, Sitto played with increasing confidence, even stealing the ball and launching a fast break for a powerful one-handed dunk, earning cheers and applause from the fans on the sidelines for the first time.

There were more students watching the game than at the beginning, and the hot dog stand at the entrance was still busy, with hot dogs and cola almost sold out.

After scoring, Situ raised his arms, showing off his biceps. Born in Nigeria, he is physically strong with excellent jumping ability and explosiveness, but his wingspan is a weakness, being somewhat short, which is one of the reasons why he has not been able to enter higher-level leagues.

Seeing Xitu running rampant in the Nets' paint, Li Wei couldn't stand it any longer and shouted to Brett, who was directing the game from the sidelines, "Hey Brett, Brett! Coach!"

Brett turned to look at the bench and saw it was Levi.

"Coach, let me play! Let me play!"

Brett checked the time; it wasn't time for rotation yet, but the situation on the field was definitely getting worse. None of the other players dared to volunteer; everyone was a bit lacking in confidence for the first game.

"Are you playing center?"

"Yes, I can play center."

"Can you handle Xitu?"

“I can handle him every minute of every day, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.”

"I don't need you for 365 days, just get him over with today."

Levi gave an OK sign; a confident player can be incredibly inspiring when the team is at a disadvantage. During a dead ball situation, Brett signaled a substitution to the technical table. Levi stretched slightly, entered the game, and replaced Reggie Perry, marking his first official match appearance.

The air on the court was thick with the smell of sweat and the pheromones of male hormones, which stimulated Levi's nerves, making him more excited than nervous.

Before taking the court, Li Wei observed the situation of both sides and mentally assessed the strength of the players. The players were unfamiliar with each other, making it a first-time encounter. As the game progressed, each player showcased their strengths. Xi Tu's strength, jumping ability, explosiveness, and energy under the basket made him the focus of attention on the court.

However, Li Wei also noticed that aside from receiving the ball under the basket and attacking directly, second-chance opportunities, and uncontested dunks, Xitu's ball-handling skills were rather rough. His finishing ability under the basket was good, but he relied heavily on physical contact and his ball protection was average.

Having a clear understanding of the situation, Li Wei began to focus on the game. Although this was his first official match, he had played professionally for ten years in his previous life, giving him a wealth of experience on the court. Therefore, when positioning himself defensively, he didn't panic or stand haphazardly because it was his first time on the court. Instead, he tried to stay close to the basket, probing the edge of the three-second zone, making it seem like he was ready to rush to the rim to protect it at any moment.

If you stand too far away because you're worried about the three-second rule, your opponent can easily seize the opportunity under the basket. They can take advantage of your instability as you're just getting used to the game and pass the ball to you under the basket to score.

Sure enough, the Knicks guard attempted a cut to the basket and pass, but hesitated because of Li Wei's good positioning, and the opportunity was lost.

So, following their usual strategy, they moved up to run a pick-and-roll, with Sitto setting a screen for his teammate near the three-point line before cutting to the basket. The Nets consistently struggled to defend this move. Their perimeter defense against pick-and-rolls was poor; they didn't apply enough pressure to the ball handler, and at the same time, they were focused on man-to-man defense rather than double-teaming. As a result, the ball handler was pressured, and the player cutting to the basket wasn't properly guarded either, leaving them in a lose-lose situation.

The squeak of sneakers scraping the floor echoed with the players' runs and ball movements. Li Wei stood on the left side of the basket, observing and assessing the Knicks' perimeter tactics to determine who to focus his attention on. Simultaneously, his peripheral vision darted to the left corner; if a wide-open shot appeared, he would quickly cover. Several Knicks players were capable of shooting from three-point range; none could be allowed to leave an opening.

"On the left is that white forward, number 8. His three-point shooting is average, so we can put him on hold for a bit."

"The middle lane is about to roll to the screen... Damn, there's an open shot, they're going to pass to Xitu, I need to cover!"

Li Wei thought and judged quickly. He left the left side open and went to cover the right side after Xitu's pick-and-roll and cut to the basket. If Xitu received the ball and passed it to the left corner, letting number 8 Ignaz Brazdekis shoot a three-pointer, then he had no choice but to let him shoot, since that guy hadn't made a three-pointer today.

After the pick-and-roll, Xitu, cutting to the basket, clearly had no intention of passing to the corner. In excellent form, he caught the ball and went straight for the basket. Standing in front of him was an Asian-looking player, just over 2 meters tall, of average height and build. He thought the Nets were out of options; were they going to put a player like that in front of him to dominate? A dunk!
Xitu received the ball, dribbled it once, and prepared to charge in for a dunk, but instead crashed head-on into Li Wei's chest, his chest as hard as iron.

In the ensuing confrontation, Xitu tried to push past Li Wei to get a layup, but Li Wei slapped the ball away from his hand, stealing the ball and scoring. Xitu then made a mistake, and the attack failed.

Xitu's body was still in the motion of rising up when the ball was gone and quickly passed to Jamal Martin, and the Nets launched a fast break.

Li Wei took the lead and sprinted forward like a madman, cutting into the three-second zone through the middle, receiving a bounce pass from Jamal Martin, and leaping up to dunk the ball into the basket with both hands!

The deafening sound of the dunk echoed throughout the arena. Li Wei felt a tingling sensation in his palm; he couldn't feel any pain, as the adrenaline surged through him. As he ran back after landing, he saw Ebua on the bench celebrating with an African dance, while his fellow African, Situ, looked utterly bewildered, wondering where the ball had gone.
Brett yelled, "Great defense! Great defense! Keep it up!"

(End of this chapter)