Basketball Terminal

Chapter 72 Half-body
The Spurs' home arena remained empty. To create a viewing atmosphere, the staff thoughtfully posted photos of fans in the stands to pretend that someone was watching the game.

The photos weren't just randomly posted; it was an activity initiated by the Spurs. Fans who couldn't attend the game could send their photos to the team via email, and the team would enlarge them, print them out as plastic photos, cut them out, and stick them on the courtside seats.

The team's intentions were good, and the event's message was also positive—that fans and the team stand together during difficult times. But the sheer number of photos displayed along the sidelines, row upon row, looked somewhat eerie. Li Wei, sitting on the bench, looked up and saw a row of photos facing him.

When I turned around, there was another row above my head, which felt a bit strange.

Compared to the previous game against the Magic, both teams started strong in this game. DeAndre Jordan scored early, and Kyrie Irving and James Harden both hit consecutive three-pointers. Three-pointers are the lifeline of any team these days; if you're shooting well from three-point range, you've already won half the game.

Accurate three-pointers not only improve offensive efficiency but also create significant spacing, generating driving opportunities under the basket. Even unpredictable bounces off long rebounds can cause problems for the defense, increasing unpredictability. These factors put considerable pressure on the opponent on both ends of the court.

The Nets took an early lead with three-pointers, establishing an 18-12 advantage midway through the first quarter. DeMar DeRozan then used a crossover dribble to get past Brown, and under the basket, facing DeAndre Jordan, he skillfully evaded the defense and easily scored a layup.

After playing for a little over six minutes, DeAndre Jordan, like Ultraman, started to sound the alarm on his chest; he needed to rest. His slow defensive pace and dazed rim protection meant DeRozan didn't even need to flinch; a dunk over him wouldn't have been a problem.

However, on the offensive end, Kyrie Irving faked a pass like Rondo and drove to the basket, then lobbed the ball to DeAndre Jordan, who leaped high and slammed it home with an alley-oop dunk! Harden had one, Irving had one, and Jordan had accomplished his task in the first quarter.

When he was on defense, he even pointed to Li Wei on the bench, indicating that it was time for him to come on.

Li Wei entered the game with three minutes left in the first quarter. He gradually figured out Nash's personnel strategy. If the game went smoothly at the beginning of the first quarter, Li Wei would rest on the bench and then come on during the rotation time at the end of the first quarter to play in the transition period between the first and second quarters.

If things don't go smoothly in the first quarter, with problems in the paint defense and rebounding, Nash will bring Levi into the game early, using him as a go-to guy. Levi has no problem with transitional plays, and Harden is also on the court, so he'll pass the ball to Levi. Both sides have many substitutes, the pace is fast, the defense is loose, and the stats go up quickly.

Nash always made sure that either Harden or Irving was on the court, providing a safety net for the team's offense.

After Li Wei entered the game, he immediately noticed that Gregg Popovich, who had been sitting on the Spurs' bench, stood up and walked to the sidelines. Was it time for him to warm up, or was he there for further observation?

Without overthinking, Li Wei threw himself into the game, his focus always on defense and rebounding. Rebounding, in particular, is the most basic requirement for an inside player. Poor rebounding renders the team's defense half-useless. Even if you manage to secure a rebound, losing it completely negates the effort.

From the Long Island Nets to the Brooklyn Nets, Levi's rebounding has always been praised, making him a reliable player. However, in his first offensive and defensive play after entering the game, Spurs' backup center, Luka Samanić, desperately tried to hold him back, pushing him away from the basket.

This resulted in the Spurs grabbing the rebound and scoring on a putback, giving up two points.

Li Wei didn't pay much attention; even the best rebounder can't get every rebound. He'd be more careful next time. This Samanic has a lot of dirty tricks up his sleeve; he'd have to watch out later. On offense, when Li Wei set a screen for Harden, he was again met with strong physical contact from the Spurs players.

A tug-of-war over clothing and a minor shove disrupted Li Wei's next move, preventing the play from going smoothly. The Spurs launched a counter-attack, with Mills speeding down the basket. Li Wei followed, anticipating the layup's movement perfectly, and delivered a chase-down block from behind!
Good block, but upon landing, Mills seemingly unintentionally swung his elbow backward, hitting Levi in ​​the stomach. Levi didn't feel anything, but Mills' elbow struck a nerve, causing him to roll on the ground in pain. Seeing this, Levi tried to fake it! He immediately clutched his stomach and fell to the ground, feigning pain. Seeing the two were putting on an act, the referee, without further ado, blew his whistle first, then reviewed the replay. Upon reviewing the replay, it was clear that Mills had elbowed Levi in ​​the stomach, and Mills was given a technical foul.

Li Wei thought to himself, "Damn it, luckily I reacted quickly. I combined Observation Haki and Armament Haki, using them wherever needed." While using them extensively in the competition was tiring, his proficiency was rapidly increasing.

Mills' teammates told him to stop pretending, saying he'd already received a technical foul. Mills got up and insisted he wasn't pretending, that he'd bumped a nerve. His teammates said, "Didn't you elbow him in the stomach?" Mills said, "I don't know, I felt like I elbowed something hard."

Li Wei added from the side, "That's my fucking Big Dick, come and try again if you don't believe me."

The two had a verbal altercation, and Harden came over to dissuade Li Wei, saying, "I experience this every night. You're a hot player in the league now, and they've started studying and targeting you. Be careful."

"I'm famous now?"

“Don’t you use the internet?”

"I'm not Durant."

Harden expressed his understanding. If it weren't for the rule against using phones during games, Durant, who couldn't play, would likely have been watching the game while scrolling through his phone. Watching a game from the bench is nowhere near as enjoyable as watching it live with viewers in a chat room, where you can even type in comments and argue with people.

Harden made the free throw after receiving a technical foul, and Li Wei realized that he was now considered a minor player in the league. Opponents would study your game film before a game, analyze your style and characteristics, and in the pre-game meeting, they'd pin your picture to the wall and tell their players how to counter him.

The Nets also do this before the game, mainly targeting DeRozan and Murray. Of course, Harden and Irving are the Nets' targets. Li Wei didn't expect to be part of it. As expected of the Spurs, their preparations are indeed meticulous.

This shows that the gap between star players and role players in the league is larger than the data suggests. This is because star players often face many times more defensive pressure and targeted strategies than role players. If their roles were reversed, the role player might not even be able to score.

The higher a player climbs, the greater the resistance and the more restrictions they face.

It was the Nets' turn to attack again. With little time left in the first quarter, Li Wei set a screen for Harden once more. This time, Li Wei was mentally prepared. He clenched his fists, hardened his upper body like a stone statue, pushed aside the Spurs players who were trying to harass him, and turned to cut to the basket.

Harden made a bounce pass to Levi, who maintained his aggressive stance, drove straight to the basket, jumped, and slammed the ball into the hoop over Samanić! The ball went in, knocking Samanić to the ground. The referee blew his whistle, calling a blocking foul on Samanić, awarding him a free throw!
The Nets' bench erupted in jubilation, with DeAndre Jordan and Kyrie Irving jumping for joy. Although it wasn't a dunk but rather a smash, it was still quite spectacular. Griffin had once smashed Perkins in a similarly spectacular play.

Li Wei didn't celebrate; instead, he breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed his body. He'd been quite exhausted, but thankfully the first quarter was almost over. Currently, his ability only allowed for half-body enhancement. Once he could achieve full-body enhancement, this play wouldn't just be a dunk over him, but a complete and utter knockout of Samanić.

(End of this chapter)