Basketball Terminal

Chapter 31 Adding Money
李维打完第一节比赛，帮助篮网队取得25:22的领先优势。六分多钟上场时间，他贡献了6分4个篮板1次封盖2次抢断的优秀数据，并且他的更多贡献体现在数据外。

His presence in the paint repeatedly thwarted the Knicks' offense, and each time he secured a defensive rebound, he initiated a fast break, ensuring smooth offense and defense for the Nets. His excellent defensive positioning and control near the paint gradually made the team's 3-2 zone defense more effective.

Knowing that Li Wei was guarding the paint, the three perimeter players were bolder and more decisive in their pressure and interference. Their defensive communication was good in the later stages, and they did not encounter the embarrassing situation of being cut directly to the basket from the middle by the opposing guard in a 3-2 zone defense.

In the second quarter, Levi remained on the court, his inside partner replaced by Ebua, while Scott came off the bench on the perimeter. Levi pulled the two players aside and said, "It's our trio's turn to step in! Give it your all!"

As a result, at the start of the second quarter, Ebua committed a foul, sending the opponent to the free-throw line. Immediately afterwards, on offense, Levi and Scott set a high screen, and Scott rolled to the basket. His pass inside was clearly intended to be intercepted, and the Knicks scored on the fast break, giving the Knicks another two points.

"Hey guys, focus! Don't let us get replaced if we keep fighting like this." Li Wei was getting a little anxious; these two weren't doing a good job.

The Knicks adjusted their strategy in the second quarter. Facing the Nets' resolute zone defense, they began to focus on attacking the Nets' left and right corners, reducing unnecessary drives and pick-and-rolls. Although Levi protected the paint well, the two corners were simply too far to reach, requiring better defensive transition and rotation capabilities from the perimeter.

The Long Island Nets lacked this ability, and the Knicks' three-point shooting caught fire in the second quarter, hitting consecutive three-pointers from the left and right corners, forcing the Nets to call a timeout. The Knicks regained a 6-point lead.

Basketball games today are fast-paced and change even faster; the situation can shift dramatically in just a few possessions. Development League teams are always very bold in their tactics, especially in the preseason, where all sorts of ideas can be implemented on the court. Due to the poor performance of the trio, and because Li Wei had played a relatively long time, all three were substituted out, and it was the turn of others to enter the game.

Both sides adopted a 12-man rotation to ensure that everyone gets playing time in this unique and valuable preseason experience.

Ebua, who had only played a short time, was sitting back on the bench in frustration. He said to Levi, "Sorry, I played terribly. The pace here is so fast." Levi comforted him, "It's okay, buddy. There's still a long game ahead. We'll come back when we get on the field." Scott said, "We should play more freely. Victor, you're better than everyone else."

Li Wei nodded. Although he had only played for a little over half a quarter, the game had boosted his confidence. The pace of the Development League was fast and complex, but predicting the opponent's movements and ball trajectory wasn't difficult. After all, the players here had limited individual abilities, and each player had very obvious weaknesses, making it difficult for them to advance to higher-level leagues.

Through meticulous observation and judgment from the sidelines, Li Wei can effectively exploit these players' weaknesses, so he's not averse to sitting on the bench. Sitting on the bench is a preparation for better playing time. For example, right now, Li Wei is keeping an eye on the Knicks' backup center, Justin Barton.

This guy is the absolute tallest player on the court, standing at 6 feet 11 inches. Physically, he's a standard NBA-caliber center. A solid 210cm or more, with a good wingspan and a solid build. In fact, he was selected 16th overall in the first round of the 2017 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls, and subsequently traded along with Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen.

While the core of the trade was Jimmy Butler, Justin Barton's talent was indeed valued by the Timberwolves. Unfortunately, after entering the NBA, Barton was plagued by injuries. In his rookie season, he suffered a fractured left foot in the Summer League, and was sidelined indefinitely after surgery, playing only one game in his rookie season.

In the following two seasons, he underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his left foot and another in his right foot, resulting in him playing only nine games in three seasons, with negligible performance on the court. The rest of his time was spent either recovering from a fracture or undergoing surgery. These recurring injuries demonstrate that the intensity of NBA games exceeded his body's capacity.

His stints with three different NBA teams over three seasons demonstrate the considerable patience that team management has for tall, imposing centers. However, even the most patient players eventually run out of patience after three seasons. In 21, he finally ended up in the Development League, where he was drafted by the Knicks and became a member of the New York team.

Years of injuries have completely robbed him of his explosiveness and slowed him down, but his height advantage will never change. The most unfair aspect of basketball is the unfairness caused by height, but that's a reality that you have to accept if you play this sport.

Li Wei had been keeping an eye on Barton; this guy is not only tall but also has a decent long-range shot. However, after a few possessions, it was clear he wasn't feeling his best on the court, possibly due to years of injuries. He wasn't aggressive in rebounding and his skills were mediocre, but he still managed to dominate the Nets' interior defense solely due to his significant height advantage.

In the latter part of the second quarter, Brett brought Levi back on. As Levi entered the game, he noticed someone waving at him from the sidelines; it was Scott Mitchell. He was filming the court with a camera; this guy was there to gather material.

Justin Barton remained on the court, and Levi stood next to him so tall that he had to look up to see Barton's head.

"Damn, that's tall. If I were that tall, I'd definitely be in the NBA by now," Li Wei thought to himself. In his previous life as a professional player, his biggest weakness was his height. No amount of hard work could make up for being 15 centimeters shorter, and his talent never reached the level of players like Muggsy Bogues or Boykins.

After Levi entered the game, the Nets switched to man-to-man defense. Levi guarded Barton, positioning himself under the basket. Barton weighed 241 pounds, which wasn't heavy for his height. However, he had a large frame and was stronger than Sitto, making it difficult for Levi to contend with him.

The Knicks missed a shot from the perimeter. Levi anticipated the ball's trajectory, but Barton, with his height advantage, easily grabbed it with a simple jump. During the putback attempt, Levi jumped to block, hitting Barton's arm and drawing a foul from the referee.

"You're too short, little guy." Barton was a bit stung by the punch, so he quipped to Levi.

Without wasting words, Li Wei then positioned himself on offense and delivered a sharp elbow to Barton's waist. Li Wei's elbow was as hard as a pickaxe; Barton winced in pain and lurched forward, creating an opening for Li Wei in the paint. The ball was passed to him from the perimeter in time, and although the pass wasn't perfect, Li Wei caught it and scored a layup for two points.

"Shit, what are you using to push against me? It's so hard."

"Of course it's my Big Dick, how does it feel?"

"Fuck, you freak!" Li Wei got the upper hand verbally, but his height disadvantage was hard to overcome; Barton could still grab rebounds in the paint. On defense, perimeter players are all waiting to rush down the court and get their stats; no one will come in to help with help defense or box out. Since it's man-to-man defense, you have to handle your opponent yourself.

However, Barton didn't gain much of an advantage. Levi, though not tall, was incredibly quick; whenever Barton had the ball or attempted a dribble, it would be stolen from his hands. Ultimately, he realized he had to rely on his height and wingspan to attack the basket directly. As for his mid-range and long-range shooting, his accuracy was abysmal and negligible.

On the contrary, it was Li Wei who could shoot three-pointers. He hit two three-pointers in a row from the front, helping the Nets tie the Knicks at 55-56 at halftime, trailing the Knicks by only one point.

Li Wei had 14 points, 7 rebounds, 1 block, and 2 steals in the first half, with a very high shooting percentage, missing only one shot. He was the Nets' best player in the first half. During halftime, Scott Mitchell went to the locker room to greet Li Wei and said, "God, I saw it. Your performance was actually quite good. You could be considered the best player of the half."

"I've said before that I'm very strong, you can consider giving me an exclusive interview."

"You're right, I'll wait for you in the car after the game."

By the start of the second half, the hot dog stand at the entrance was sold out, and more and more students were entering. Although the seats were spaced out and the stands weren't full, it was much better than the sparse crowd at the beginning. The game finally had a more exciting atmosphere, and both sides gradually found their rhythm after the first half's competition.

Li Wei remained seated on the bench, observing the situation. The pace of the game noticeably quickened in the third quarter, the sound of shoes rubbing against the floor filling the air. The constant colliding of muscles and shouts highlighted the intensity of the match, drawing the student spectators' attention and making them increasingly engrossed; some even began cheering for both teams.

The Knicks' perimeter players were clearly superior to the Nets'. Their two guards, Jared Harper and Myles Powell, had both played for NBA teams; despite their shorter stature, they were exceptionally offensively capable. In the fiercely contested third quarter, the Knicks relied on their guards to unleash their drives, strong shots, and isolation plays, completely overwhelming the Nets.

The Nets' one-point lead quickly vanished, and after Harper and Powell scored consecutive baskets, the Knicks regained the lead and the advantage. Brett made substitutions, but his forwards couldn't stop the two high-scoring guards on the defensive end. Neither side could match the other in a back-and-forth exchange, and at this point, Brett realized that the only reliable and effective player he had was Levi.

With the Knicks leading 67-74, Brett called a timeout, bringing Levi back into the game and replacing Jamal Martin with Shannon Scott. The Knicks immediately substituted Sitto, sending the tall Barton to guard Levi. Knicks coach Alston believed that Levi's height was his biggest problem.

But Li Wei didn't think so. He was already satisfied with growing from 174 cm to 2 meters tall. This height was enough for him; he could go inside and outside the house and was agile enough.

As soon as he entered the game, he played a combination with Shannon Scott. After a fake screen, he cut directly into the paint, used his speed to shake off Barton, received Scott's pass, and easily dunked with both hands!
Then, in defense, Levi started to increase the intensity on Barton, using subtle hand tricks, grabbing the corner of his clothes, elbowing him, and even pinching Barton's waist, making Barton increasingly impatient and failing to score a single point after coming on.

Finally, during a defensive box-out, Li Wei and Barton were vying for position under the basket. Li Wei secretly grabbed Barton's shorts hem as he took a shot from the outside, and the two were fighting for position. As a result, Li Wei leaned back forcefully, pulling Barton's shorts down!
"Oh shit! You filthy scoundrel, how dare you take your pants off in front of me?" Before Barton could even speak, Levi turned the tables and accused him.

Enraged, Barton pulled up his pants, ready to fight Levi. Levi, unafraid, was about to meet him head-on when their teammates rushed over to stop them and separate them, otherwise they would have started fighting.

This little incident, however, brought the atmosphere to a fever pitch, with students in the audience howling and fanning the flames, eager to see the two fight.

Since there was no video replay, the referee couldn't see what happened and called technical fouls on both sides. But Barton's mentality had been ruined, while Levi acted as if nothing had happened, playing with increasing confidence.

Offensively, he didn't handle the ball; he purely drove to the basket, finished easy layups, cut to the perimeter, and took open shots, then used his solid pick-and-rolls to create opportunities for his teammates. Defensively, he completely controlled the rebounds and shut down Barton. Even the Knicks' two smaller guards didn't have an easy time penetrating the basket; Levi's anticipation and timely help defense significantly reduced the Knicks' shooting percentage near the rim.

The tide turned again. The Long Island Nets, with Levi and Shannon Scott as their core players, played with increasing confidence, while the Knicks' offensive and defensive efficiency began to decline. Barton struggled on the court, repeatedly losing offensive rebounds under the basket, allowing Levi to steal the ball.

Li Wei quickly scored over 20 points and, after a putback dunk, helped the Long Island Nets take a 79-78 lead!
After successfully dunking, Li Wei raised his arms high as he returned to defense, drawing cheers from the crowd. Although they didn't recognize the number 26 Chinese-American player, his performance was undoubtedly the most eye-catching on the court. Some were already asking each other off the court, "Who is this guy? Is he Chinese? Japanese? Or Korean?"
Thanks to Levi's all-around performance in the third quarter, the Nets turned the tide and established their advantage. By the fourth quarter, Brett was reluctant to substitute Levi, because without him, the team's offense and defense became disorganized, as if their backbone had been removed, and they couldn't withstand the Knicks' counterattack.

However, Li Wei's physical strength and energy gradually couldn't keep up. The high-speed running back and forth, as well as the use of his abilities in high-intensity offense and defense, consumed a lot of his physical energy. Once his physical strength declined, his performance on the court would drop sharply. He couldn't defend the basket and couldn't score. He needed rest.

During a dead ball situation, Li Wei ran to the sidelines and said to the coach, "Coach, I need to rest. I've been playing for more than ten minutes straight!"

Brett was a little embarrassed; he had forgotten to make a substitution and really didn't want to take Levi off.

"Sorry, I thought you could keep playing."

"Keep playing? That'll cost extra, coach."

(End of this chapter)