NBA: A collection of super busts

Chapter 96 How could someone from Shanghai be so petty?

18: 19!

At the end of the first quarter, the score was quite in line with the times, with neither side gaining any advantage, and the game was rather dull.

This kind of dull match can last for almost the entire game.

The scene of Williams' brilliant pass to Ye Feng for a powerful dunk at the beginning of the game never happened again.

Halftime score: 38-36.

The score was tied 55-55 after the third quarter.

With 5 minutes and 39 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the score was 68-67!

This kind of competition is truly intense and exciting.

But for fans, especially those watching the game on TV, it's definitely a torment.

It's no wonder that a game featuring multiple popular stars, top rookies, and top Western Conference teams would not and could not be broadcast live across the United States.

After all, if a basketball game is going well, and fans go to the bathroom for a smoke, open a beer and grab some snacks, or even find their lover for a quickie, but when they come back, the score has only changed from 50:50 to 52:53.

It's like they never left.

Who would want to watch this kind of game?

Especially those fans who take time out of their busy schedules to have a "life-changing river crab" (a euphemism for a sexual encounter), they would prefer that after they finish, the score changes from 0-0 to 80-81, rather than the two sides only scoring one goal combined.

After all, these two scores will elicit two completely different post-match evaluations.

"I'm sorry, darling, the match was so intense that you missed the most crucial and exciting part."

"Whether you do it or not, it's all the same, isn't it? What's there to be unhappy about?"

For example, Ye Feng's favorite match was the World Cup match between Germany and Brazil, a match of the century.

It's very fulfilling!

Fortunately, even the most boring and dull match can become exciting in the last 5 minutes when the score is close.

Especially in this era, referees rarely intervene in the game at the last moment. By adhering to the principle of letting the players handle the game themselves, the last few minutes of the game can always keep the fans fully engaged.

On the court, Yao Ming finally received the ball comfortably. After receiving the ball, he turned around and shot, and despite Gasol's interference, he made the jump shot, giving the Rockets the lead again for the night!

"Defense! Defense!" After scoring, Yao Ming immediately clapped his hands and found Gasol. At this moment, it was time to test the resilience and mental attributes of both sides!

During the Grizzlies' offense, Williams once again dribbled the ball up the court. He had seemingly forgotten the unpleasantness of the first quarter and initiated another pick-and-roll with Gasol at the top of the key.

After the two quickly separated, Gasol received the ball at the high post near the free-throw line. Because he has the ability to shoot in this area, Yao Ming had to follow him out to prevent him from shooting directly.

At that moment, Ye Feng on the wing suddenly accelerated and cut through the air, shaking off Cato. He took two steps, and after his feet touched the ground, he almost transformed into a helicopter, instantly rising to the same height as the basket.

The basketball in Gasol's hands came to Ye Feng's hands at just the right moment, everything was perfect and without the slightest error.

Ye Feng caught the basketball in mid-air, adjusted his posture, and then the Houston rim let out another protesting scream, as if denouncing the Rockets players for not protecting themselves and instead letting themselves be bullied.

"This is practically the Grizzlies' signature tactic, making good use of Williams' vision, Gasol's versatility, and Ye Feng's driving ability," Yu Jia said. "This move really gave their opponents a headache last week."

"The most exciting moment is coming!" Coach Zhang was getting excited: "There are less than 5 minutes left!"

Rockets on offense! Don't rush this ball, yes, don't rush! Calm down, everyone get into position!

"Pass it to Yao Ming! Pass it to Yao Ming! Pass it in! Yes! Pass it in, don't be afraid of being double-teamed, pass it out again, pass it in again, that's Inside-Out, that's how the Rockets play, good shot! Yao Ming, easy and effortless, one more, 2+1!"

"This is a lifesaver for the team!"

When Coach Zhang praises Yao Ming, he never hesitates. He launches into a rapid-fire speech, leaving Yu Jia no chance to get a word in edgewise, while Yao Ming is once again at the free-throw line.

"Yao Ming is definitely the most consistent center free throw shooter in the league." Taking advantage of Coach Zhang's moment of respite, Yu Jia quickly seized the opportunity: "His free throw percentage of over 80% allows him to even take technical free throws, which is a unique privilege in the entire league."

"Great shot! Free throw made! The Rockets have regained a 2-point lead. The game has entered a truly intense phase. With 4 minutes and 44 seconds left, what will the outcome be?"

70: 72!

For the Grizzlies, after a series of runs, James took over the ball and initiated a pick-and-roll.

But instead of passing the ball to Gasol at the high post after the pick-and-roll, this guy chose to drive to the basket himself.

Brown, sitting on the sidelines, didn't criticize him; instead, he shook his head helplessly.

This is what has always been James' biggest source of dissatisfaction for Brown.

He doesn't act alone; he always finds an opponent in an open position.

However, he is overly focused on making perfect passes, and he is reluctant to pass the ball if his teammate cannot get an open shot.

For example, in this play, Brown's original tactic was to create space after a pick-and-roll, allowing Ye Feng and Gasol to play a high-low post combination.

In Brown's mind, the Grizzlies' current killer move is the high-low post combination between these two.

Unfortunately, James isn't used to making those kinds of passes.

Normally speaking, his choice wasn't wrong. His impact was indeed strong, and he had a high success rate when attacking the basket.

The problem is, the Rockets have players under the basket.

After Ye Feng stole one of Yao Ming's shots, Yao Ming clearly didn't push the ball too far forward. So when James drove to the basket, Yao Ming stood up and slapped James's layup away.

Coach Zhang laughed heartily: "That was a total block for James! This matchup between the old and new number one draft picks has ended with the old pick winning!"

But the Rockets didn't even have time to celebrate, because the basketball that Yao Ming had just blocked was snatched by Ye Feng, who quickly circled around from the other side. After getting the ball, he stood up and flicked his wrist, sending the basketball into the basket.

The score is tied again!

"I can't keep up with him, sorry." Cato helplessly spread his hands. If he were to stand still under the basket and play, he would have the experience and size to hold his own against Ye Feng. But now Ye Feng always charges in from the outside, so his mobility is really not up to par and there's nothing he can do about it.

"You can hold the basket." Yao Ming patted his partner on the shoulder, and then the Rockets continued their attack.

For the third time in a row, they passed the ball to Yao Ming.

It wasn't that the rest of the Rockets were really relying on Yao Ming to play; it was just that Van Gundy's voice on the sidelines was too loud, so they had no choice but to pass the ball to him.

But the Grizzlies are a well-trained team with top-notch defense. How could they possibly be hit by the same move three times in a row?

This time, after Yao Ming received the ball, Ye Feng rushed out in time, seized the opportunity and cut out the ball that Yao Ming was about to catch.

Gasol quickly tucked the basketball into his arms, looking around warily as if protecting his own daughter, as if the Rockets players were all blond.

Gasol then passed the ball to Williams, who then dribbled the ball forward.

As soon as he arrived at the frontcourt, James ran over and gestured for Williams to organize the offense for him.

Brown couldn't sit still any longer. He stood up and said, "LeBron, pull them apart! Jason has more experience!"

Williams didn't want to give the ball to James, who always took his job, but when he heard Brown's instructions, he immediately waved his hand to signal James to get out of the way, and then waved for a screen.

James reluctantly stepped aside; he had originally wanted to get revenge, but now he could only be a spectator.

On the court, Williams and Gasol's pick-and-roll was already quite proficient. After receiving the ball, Gasol immediately lobbed it to Ye Feng, who was cutting to the basket.

This time, neither Yao Ming nor Cato strayed too far from the three-second zone, and they were both able to return to their positions in time.

"Come on, kid! Try to get another one down!" Cato knew what to do at this moment, so he opened his mouth to mock, hoping that Ye Feng would come after him and Yao Ming.

"I won't!"

Ye Feng snorted, caught the ball, stopped in his tracks, and raised his hand to shoot from a step outside the three-second zone.

"Whoosh!"

Regardless of how awkward the posture is, Ye Feng can get in this time!

"The Grizzlies are fantastic!" Coach Zhang exclaimed. "In crucial moments, Ye Feng has become the team's most consistent and reliable finisher."

"This is really surprising. After all, the team has experienced Williams and top center Gasol, but in the end, it was our Ye Feng who scored 3 consecutive baskets and put the ball into the basket."

Yu Jia said, "A two-point difference! This offensive play by the Rockets is crucial! Let's see how the Rockets will execute this attack."

Q

No sooner had Yu Jia finished speaking than Francis, unable to contain his impatience, attempted a quick stop and jump shot, but the ball failed to go into the basket.

Coach Zhang immediately made the same sound as all the other Rockets players when they missed a shot: "Hey, what's the rush? You're just shooting randomly."

"But the good news is that Ye Feng got another double-double!" Yu Jia said, "18 points and 10 rebounds! He was the Grizzlies' top scorer again tonight. His cuts to the basket and pick-and-roll plays are really reliable and consistent."

"Don't forget his shooting, which is most easily overlooked," Coach Zhang said. "He reminds me of our war god Liu Yudong. Liu was often called a 'crooked machine gun,' because people said his shooting form was ugly, with his arm and hand crooked."

"But compared to Ye Feng, Da Liu's shooting form is practically a work of art."

On the court, James finally got the ball from Battier's hands. He immediately waved to his teammates to spread out and make room for him. Then he accelerated and drove to the basket to challenge Yao Ming's protection.

Even if James can jump high, he is powerless against a 226cm giant.

He was successfully interfered with again, and the basketball bounced off the rim and missed.

After Yao Ming grabbed the rebound, he immediately launched a long pass. Francis seized the opportunity this time, received the ball, and launched a fast break, scoring two crucial points with a layup!

The two sides have once again reached a draw!

74: 74!

But after that play, both sides suddenly lost their shooting touch. In the next two minutes, James and Gasol each missed a jump shot for the Grizzlies, while Yao Ming couldn't catch the ball because the Grizzlies' defense collapsed and didn't give the Rockets any opportunities.

As a result, Mobley and Francis each missed a three-pointer and a layup, respectively.

With 37 seconds left in the game, the score was still 74-74!

A very Grizzlies vs. Rockets score.

At this point, Francis still had the ball.

By this point, even Van Gundy knew he had to shut up; he could no longer give orders. Francis was also able to ignore everyone and keep the clock running.

He suddenly changed his dribbling rhythm with only 8 seconds left on the shot clock, accelerating towards the basket after two consecutive crossovers.

Williams wasn't exactly a defensive stalwart, and he was completely outmaneuvered. Francis drove all the way to the basket, and despite Gasol's defense, he managed an absurdly large reverse layup in mid-air before finally managing to release the ball.

"Whoosh!"

With a crisp crack, Francis, true to his reputation as the league's famous springy man, twisted himself into a pretzel and still managed to put the ball in the net!

With 16 seconds left, the Rockets had a 2-point lead!

Brown wasn't frustrated or angry. Everyone defended well on that play, and Francis's individual ability was undeniable; no one could do anything about it.

He immediately called a timeout to properly plan the team's final offensive play.

"For the last shot, I don't want individual heroism. I don't need Francis's kind of difficult, tactical-insensitive forced shots. We need to do everything we can to create an open shot."

"LeBron, after the inbounds ball, run to the backcourt immediately to create enough space. Jason, receive the ball after the screen, and wait for your teammates to get into position at the top of the key."

"Then it's our signature pick and roll again. Bao goes to the high post to get the ball. Ye cuts to the wing and waits for the opportunity. Shawn and Ye stand in the corner on one side and wait for the opportunity. If the ball is passed to you, shoot directly."

"LeBron, wait on the right wing. If the play doesn't work, we'll have to rely on you to score and win the game."

"Jason, you decide how to play from now on. Be flexible and adapt to the situation. Go and observe who is in an open position."

"Alright, that's it. Everyone, make this shot. Remember, we're only down by 2 points. Don't take 3-pointers unless absolutely necessary. Jason, I'm mainly talking about you. Sean, if you have the chance, feel free to take a 3-pointer."

"Then, go ahead!"

After Brown quickly laid out this simple and direct tactic, both teams' players returned to the court once again.

"Overtime, a last-minute winner, or the game is over?" Yu Jia said, "Let's see what happens this round!"

"Gasol inbounds the ball, and the rest of the players have started moving. The most tense and exciting moment of this game has arrived!"

Gasol, on the sideline, possesses top-notch vision and passing ability. He patiently waits for his teammates to make their runs, and then immediately passes the ball out after Williams creates an opportunity using a screen.

Williams didn't rush after receiving the ball. Instead, he turned around and took a step back, directing his teammates to quickly get into position.

Because he was behind, he didn't press the deadline too hard; he wanted to give himself some leeway.

With 10 seconds left in the game, Williams called for a screen.

The Grizzlies' formation immediately began to operate.

Battier slid along the baseline to find Ye Feng, Gasol set a screen, and Williams used the screen to accelerate his attack. Ye Feng also began to cut to the basket.

This time, however, Williams couldn't find a passing opportunity. Yao Ming desperately lunged forward, interfering with Gasol's receiving route, so Williams had no choice but to force his way to the basket himself.

Although Francis wasn't a defensive expert, by this point, his physical attributes were enough to completely block Williams from making it easy for him to shoot.

Ye Feng was also caught up by Cato while running, and could not get up directly for an alley-oop.

Battier also failed to get a chance.

"Throw Jason, throw him!" Just when the Grizzlies' tactics had run out of steam and they were at their wits' end, Ye Feng's shout suddenly rang out: "We have a rebound!"

"Don't fucking dream!" Cato thought Ye Feng would rush to the basket immediately after shouting, so he turned around and tried to block Ye Feng's attack.

But who knew that as soon as he turned around, Ye Feng actually ran in the opposite direction towards the outer perimeter.

You've been tricked! He's going to shoot!

After this thought came to mind, Cato immediately turned around to chase after Ye Feng, but this time, he was completely fooled.

Ye Feng's move was just a feint. After Cato turned and made way for him, he immediately accelerated and rushed towards the basket.

Without hesitation, Williams immediately threw the basketball under the basket with one hand.

"Jump!" Ye Feng, who received the ball under the basket, did not get up immediately. Instead, he suddenly stopped after receiving the ball and shouted.

For some inexplicable reason, Cato, who had just lost his position and was anxiously catching up with Ye Feng, didn't know what had gotten into him, but he actually listened to Ye Feng's command and jumped up to try to block the shot.

I've been fooled again!

In less than two seconds, Cato was fooled by Ye Feng several times!

He couldn't even figure out whether he had been scammed two or three times.

All he knew was that, with his feet off the ground, he had no control over his body and could only watch helplessly as Ye Feng got up and crashed into him.

With a "thud," Ye Feng's back slammed into Cato's body. Cato tried to hold Ye Feng, at least to prevent him from shooting again.

But to his surprise, Ye Feng's speed was faster and more frightening than he had imagined.

His outstretched hand only managed to grab Ye Feng's waist, but it was completely unable to stop Ye Feng from springing up like a rocket and slamming the ball into the basket with both hands!

"boom!"

"Beep beep!" The referee promptly blew his whistle: "Pushing foul! 2 points awarded, plus 1 free throw!"

「噢噢噢噢！」于嘉大喊道：「2+1！居然是一个2+1！叶枫这个2+1有机会直接绝杀比赛啊！」

"That Cato is really making things worse." Coach Zhang clearly favored Yao Ming and sighed, "It's one thing to be out of position on this play, but once you're out of position, you shouldn't move. You rushed over to defend, and there's at least a 90% chance you'll be called for a foul."

"It's one thing to commit a foul, but at least commit it properly, hold the guy down, and prevent Ye Feng from forcing his way in again! No! This foul was loose and haphazard, serving no purpose other than giving the opponent free throws."

"That shot, oh dear."

"Cato, you've truly become a sinner."

Yu Jia really wanted to praise Ye Feng for his smart play, but as the host, he couldn't openly contradict the guest, so he could only say, "If Ye Feng had made that free throw, he would have had 21 points and 10 rebounds! His first 20+10 game in his career! That speed is even faster than Yao Ming's back in the day!"

"He didn't even give Barkley a chance to kiss a donkey's ass, and he already did it! Players from the NCAA do integrate into the local environment and games more easily."

Having successfully outmaneuvered Cato, Ye Feng excitedly released the rim and landed back on the ground. He landed with a very stylish air, squatting down and striking a Schwarzenegger Terminator pose, the only difference being that he wasn't naked.

Williams was the first to rush over and jump onto his back: "So cool! So fucking cool!"

"You'd look even cooler if you could get off me," Ye Feng said helplessly. "Do you know how weird our current look is?"

The way these two look now...

Not to mention.

Gasol and Battier both ran over, laughing and saying, "That was fantastic! Your teamwork was amazing!"

Several people took turns high-fiving, hugging, and bumping chests until everyone had finished their round of cheers. Only then did James walk over, reluctantly extending his hand and saying, "Good shot, Ye!"

"You seem unhappy, LeBron." Ye Feng gave him a high five, then promptly dumped the guy.

I got the winning goal, and you didn't even come over to celebrate with me right away?

"The tense moment has arrived!" Coach Zhang said, "Ye Feng is standing at the free-throw line. If he makes it, the Grizzlies will regain the lead! And they will only have 4.6 seconds left for the Rockets."

At the free-throw line, Ye Feng took a deep breath and adjusted his heart rate. This was the first time he had had a chance to make a game-winning shot in an NBA game.

"Kid, you're going to miss that free throw." Francis stood not far behind Ye Feng, trying to disrupt his shot: "Then we'll go into overtime!"

"Steve, you're such a coward!" Ye Feng turned around and said casually, "You didn't even dare to say that you would win the game if I missed the free throw."

"That's exactly what I meant!" Francis realized he had misspoke and quickly added, "I'll deliver the decisive blow!"

It's like craving a little something from that ball!

"So what if I make this free throw or not?" Ye Feng laughed. "If you're confident of a game-winning shot, then whether I make it or not, you get 2 points, and you still win."

"So, you're still a spineless coward with no confidence! You're just hoping your opponent will lose their balance and force overtime, but you don't think you have any ability to win the game."

"Coward!"

"Fuck you." Francis was so surprised that he was rendered speechless by a newbie that he could only resort to a swear word to save face.

After exchanging a few words with Francis, Ye Feng felt his confidence greatly increased and completely relaxed.

He even looked at Yao Ming and said, "Yao Ming, can you give me a trick to increase your free throw percentage? You're so accurate, how did you learn it?"

Yao Ming rolled his eyes: "Close your eyes, just slam the ball against the rim with a full weight, and you'll get in."

"How could someone from Shanghai be so petty?"