Basketball Terminal

Chapter 68 Comfortable
Both sides' offensive performances at the start of the game were disastrous.

After winning the jump ball, the Nets launched their first attack. A cut between Harden and Irving gave the Nets their first point of the game. During Durant's injury absence, the two have shown good chemistry and understanding. Both teams then struggled with their shooting, frequently missing shots (1-for-5 vs. 0-for-6).

Each team scored only one point from free throws, bringing the score to 1-3, with three minutes of the first quarter already passed. Li Wei suspected that his teammates had all gone to a strip club in Brooklyn yesterday to practice their ball handling with women, and they hadn't invited him along, which explained their poor form.

Vucevic, who shone brightly against the Nets in the previous game, broke his scoring drought with a mid-range shot from the right 45-degree angle. DeAndre Jordan wasn't far from Vucevic and tried to contest it, but to no avail, and the two points went in. Jordan thought Vucevic was going to facilitate, and his reaction was a beat too slow.

The score remained 3-3 for over a minute before Irving finally broke through to the basket and scored 2 points. The sluggish offense of both teams made the first five minutes of the first quarter exceptionally dull. However, Harden immediately capitalized on his own turnover, helping the Magic score on a fast break with a dunk from Aminu. This guy must have been partying at a nightclub; his legs were practically wobbling.

Li Wei was furious; they didn't even call for me! There was a reason for the mistake. Nash called a timeout. Almost six minutes into the first quarter, the Nets had only scored 5 points, averaging less than one point per minute. Nash tried to motivate the players, but it was no use. Back on the court, Irving's three-pointer still missed.

Instead, Vucevic received a pass on the left side at a 45-degree angle and hit the first three-pointer of the game. This was another instance of DeAndre Jordan's poor defense. Kyrie Irving was guarding Aminu in the low post (the Nets' defensive matchups are often unpredictable), while Jordan was huddled in the middle, his help defense was weak, and he was too far from Vucevic.

A wide-open shot allowed Vucevic to calmly launch his attack. Harden was battling for position under the basket with James Ennis, staging a WWE-style game, only to watch helplessly as Vucevic sank the three-pointer. Frustrated, he shrugged at DeAndre Jordan and asked, "Why are you standing in that weird spot?"

You neither boxed out nor helped on defense, and you completely left the man you were supposed to guard open. The only explanation is that DeAndre Jordan wanted to wait for the rebound. After conceding the point, he had already run towards the frontcourt; I wonder if he heard Harden's words.

Then, the Magic, finding their offensive rhythm first, went on a 7-2 run against the Nets, extending their lead to 6 points. The Nets' prized three-point shooting remained ineffective tonight, with Harris, Irving, and Harden all missing their attempts.

The most unbearable play for Harden came in the seventh minute when Vucevic was posting up against him on the left. Harden, a 200-pound guard, was going up against a 250-pound, 2.11-meter tall European giant. Vucevic easily pushed past Harden, turned, and hooked the ball in.

Harden was helpless; the height and weight difference was too great, and DeAndre Jordan, who was supposed to be guarding Vucevic, was just roaming freely at the perimeter. The chaotic defensive matchups infuriated Harden. His offensive performance was already poor, and now he was being exploited by mismatches on defense. He questioned Nash on the sidelines, yelling, "Coach, why don't you bring in someone who can defend me!"

Harden practically begged for Reeves to come in, as he drove hard to the basket and drew a foul from Aminu. Aaron Gordon was out injured tonight, with Aminu starting at power forward. Harden went to the free-throw line, and Nash signaled for Reeves to enter the game, replacing DeAndre Jordan.

Everyone can see the problem: when the team's offense falters and their points can't cover the points they concede, DeAndre Jordan's defensive lapses become magnified. Even ordinary fans are posting online, hoping the Nets will trade or waive Jordan, citing his lax defense.

When Li Wei entered the game, he bumped fists with DeAndre Jordan. He wondered why the guy was vying for a starting position—was he trying to make a fool of himself? Sure enough, it's the foreigners who make the fools of themselves. The first thing Li Wei did after entering the game was to crouch under the basket and direct his teammates' defense. Harden made both free throws, and Vucevic came from the left. Li Wei immediately switched positions with Harden, moving him to the right.

Vucevic turned and leaned against Levi, backing down again. Levi would have a hard time against that broad, strong back. Even if he could withstand it, a hook shot wouldn't be enough to reach it. So, Levi anticipated Fournier's movement on the perimeter, and the instant Fournier passed the ball, he used his left elbow to brace against Vucevic's side, while his right hand reached out to catch the ball and knock it away.

Vucevic was caught off guard; the ball was intercepted, and chaos erupted near the paint. Fournier grabbed the ball and opted to drive to the basket for a shot, but Levi, watching him closely, moved to block the shot. The ball bounced twice on the rim, and Levi accurately anticipated and grabbed the rebound.

Li Wei single-handedly defended against two defenders under the basket, disrupting the low-post isolation play, interfering with Fournier, and holding off Vucevic's drive to the basket. Harden stood on the other side, barely moving, watching the whole thing intently, his eyes practically glued to the screen. When Li Wei finally got control of the ball, he spread his arms wide to call for a fast break. Harden thought to himself, "Now this is what basketball is all about!"

After resting for about ten seconds on the defensive possession, Harden immediately dribbled between his legs on the right side, then stepped back and hit a three-pointer from a 45-degree angle! The Nets' first three-pointer of the night finally paid off. An excited Harden even did a plunger-stirring celebration after the basket, prompting Li Wei to quickly remind him to get back on defense.

After thwarting the Magic's fast break and forcing a half-court game, Vucevic moved to the right perimeter. Li Wei also came to the right, marking Michael Carter-Williams, who had the ball in the middle. This Rookie of the Year, who had stunned the world with his debut, was now 29 years old, and after eight years in the league, he had ultimately failed to become a superstar.

After a pick-and-roll in the middle, he drove hard to the basket for a layup, guarded by Irving and Harden on the wing, neither of whom could block his shot. He confidently attempted a low layup, but it was swatted away by Li Wei, who came to help from behind.

The ball landed perfectly in Harden's hands because he didn't jump to block it, so it fell steadily into his grasp. Harden grinned and launched a fast break! Lazy on defense, fierce on offense—that's Harden's usual game rhythm.

A bounce pass found Bruce Brown, who dodged in mid-air and scored a layup. This kid is really agile; he's not tall, but his ability to finish around the basket is impressive. His quick movement and the choice of attack methods are things Levi should learn from. Especially his floater; because of his short stature, his layups are easily blocked, but Brown has developed a precise floater that's incredibly effective at finishing near the rim, and Levi has listed it as a key area for future practice.

After Levi entered the game, the Nets' defense was quickly organized and looked much better. Although the Magic hit another three-pointer in the midst of the chaos to maintain their lead, the Nets had regained their composure. With Harris hitting a three-pointer from beyond the arc and Levi scoring a putback at the end of the first quarter, the score was tied at 25-25.

Even the local TV commentators couldn't help but complain, "The Nets should give DeAndre Jordan's ten million dollars to Victor Lee and then hire Jordan as an assistant coach. Anyway, he mainly uses his eyes to see the game, so it doesn't matter where he sees it."

The Magic are missing two starters tonight, including Aaron Gordon and starting point guard, rookie Cole Anthony. Gordon will be out for 4-6 weeks due to an ankle injury. However, it's likely he won't be able to return for the Magic, as he's already considering leaving. By the time he recovers, he may already be playing for another team.

The Magic have struggled for years, consistently hovering between the playoffs and struggling teams, with no hope of winning a championship. Gordon has already lost the Slam Dunk Contest, and he doesn't want to miss out on a title.

At the start of the second quarter, Ennis hit a three-pointer to give the Magic the lead again. However, the Magic players didn't expect that this three-pointer would be their only field goal in the next three minutes. The Nets, having recovered, began to display their offensive intensity.

Li Wei remained on the court, setting screens for Harden and creating space, which Harden drained a three-pointer. The 3-2 zone defense forced a Magic turnover at the perimeter, leading to a fast break and a Harden layup. The Magic missed a shot, Li Wei grabbed the rebound, and Harden hit another three-pointer from the left 45-degree angle!
Three minutes, eight points in a row. And it wasn't over yet. Vucevic, with the ball in his back to the basket, overpowered Li Wei and scored with a hook shot. But Li Wei quickly inbounded the ball from the baseline, passing it across half-court, where Claxton received the ball and attacked the basket, sinking a left-handed floater!

After scoring, Claxton excitedly stuck out his tongue, and they went on a 10-2 run against the Magic. Vucevic's low-post offense seemed particularly cumbersome against the Nets' fast and agile offense. His inability to quickly get back to the basket was exploited by the Nets.

The Nets' head coach does have a knack for fast breaks.

After establishing a lead, Li Wei was substituted to rest, and the Nets' offense truly found its rhythm. Especially with Harden and Harris hitting their three-pointers, the Nets unleashed a barrage of attacks, unleashing their full offensive firepower. In the second quarter, the Nets scored an astonishing 44 points. Their offensive efficiency was so high in the latter part of the quarter that the Magic had no fast break opportunities, and their offense became completely stagnant.

44:18, a 26-point difference. Vucevic's occasional low-post isolation plays and mid-range shots were like a 38-inch block against Thompson in the face of the Nets' three-point barrage—the opponent was firing a whole magazine of bullets at you, and you were still pulling the bolt to eject the spent cartridges.

The Magic, already demoralized, lost all will to fight. They played well for most of the first quarter, but their performance began to crumble after Levi came on, and they completely collapsed in the second quarter. In the second half, the game became a tactical testing ground and a scoring arena for the Nets, with players who were good on their feet taking turns on the court.

Under Harden's protection, Li Wei unexpectedly racked up a double-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists. These stats came in the relatively unimportant second half; the latter part of the first quarter, which truly changed the game, didn't reflect much of his performance in terms of statistics.

A resounding 131-90 victory, a 41-point margin, left everyone delighted. Right after the game, Harden nudged Levi with his elbow and whispered, "Hey, I'll take you to a nightclub tonight~ I know a place with Asian girls you like~"

How did you know I like Asian girls?

"I have a keen eye for observation; otherwise, where would my passes and assists come from?"

While the two were discussing where to go that evening, Irving had other ideas. Having scored 27 points and become the game's MVP, he spoke in an interview about a petition to have Kobe Bryant's image included in the NBA logo.

“I know many people don’t like this change, but I stand by my ideas. We should pay tribute to the example that man set,” Irving said. “He is the standard for our generation of players, and his spirit will live on. I hope he will leave his mark on history, change the NBA logo, and be remembered forever.”

Kyrie Irving's push received over three million likes and retweets on Twitter, exactly one year after Kobe's passing.

(End of this chapter)