Chapter 19

"Step"

On the court, Dior grabbed the defensive rebound. Odom didn't hesitate and immediately moved forward to apply tight defense, preventing Dior from passing the ball in the first moment.

"Step, step"

However, unlike Chen Mu's previous predicament, Dior remained very calm. Facing Odom's aggressive defense, Dior slightly bent his body and took a probing step forward.

"Step"

Odom didn't want to be called for a defensive foul in the backcourt, so he quickly took a half-step back. And what Dior was waiting for was this very moment.

"Clap, clap, clap"

Taking advantage of the half-step Odom had taken, Dior suddenly pulled back his body, started dribbling while crouched, and took a large step to the side of Odom, about to break free from Odom's defensive range.

"Don't think you can get past!"

Odom immediately adjusted his steps, firmly sticking to Dior's movements, always closely following in front of Dior.

In terms of speed, the two were evenly matched, with Odom having a slight edge. Dior's dribbling wasn't smooth, but this small adjustment in defense was enough for Dior to make his next move.

"Whoosh"

Just as Odom was about to intercept Dior's breakthrough, the latter passed the ball with one hand, sending it horizontally. Not far away, Steve Nash was already in position, easily catching the ball and starting to dribble forward.

"Phew..."

Odom sighed inwardly, knowing that Dior wasn't as easy to deal with as Chen Mu. He didn't continue to纠缠 (tangle), but turned around to return to defense.

"Chen, did you see that?"

Chen Mu was intently watching every move Dior made. In his ear, D'Antoni's voice sounded: "Odom's footwork and wingspan are amazing, and in terms of skills, he is an All-Star level player. If you only have one passing option after grabbing a rebound, he can easily judge and intercept or block the ball."

"The same goes for offense. When Odom knows you are going to fight for a rebound and you are the only one on the court, isn't it easy for him to defend you...?"

"..."

D'Antoni's analysis was very detailed, and Chen Mu suddenly had an epiphany. He slapped his thigh and said, "Coach, your point is... to make a triple threat move to force Odom back, and then handle the ball?"

The so-called triple threat is the most basic ball-handling move in basketball. The player holds the ball near the waist, and can follow up with dribbling, passing, or shooting, making it difficult for the defender to judge, thus achieving the purpose of completing the offense.

In the backcourt, although it's almost impossible to shoot, the moment Dior grabbed the rebound, he used a probing step to create space, and then made a triple threat move, giving him the options of dribbling and passing.

At this point, for Odom to defend effectively, it was very difficult. In reality, Dior attracted Odom's attention with his dribbling and then found an opening to pass the ball to Nash, completing the exchange.

"Right, but not entirely."

Faced with Chen Mu's question, D'Antoni slightly shook his head and said, "Your dribbling and shooting skills are very limited, and Odom is well aware of this. Making a triple threat move doesn't have much significance for you."

Chen Mu frowned and asked, "Then what do you mean...?"

"USE YOUR BRAIN." D'Antoni said seriously, "Before handling the ball, think first, then act. Don't let your opponent easily see through you...!"

Don't let your opponent easily see through you.

This advice from the famous coach D'Antoni, from this moment on, became another milestone in Chen Mu's basketball journey, echoing in his mind and greatly influencing his basketball philosophy.

This influence would also gradually manifest in his professional career, becoming the key to his dominance in the basketball world.

Chen Mu had an epiphany, recalling his experiences since he came to this timeline. With his excellent physical condition, Chen Mu had gradually abandoned the "plan before acting" philosophy he had in the original timeline.

Since coming to this timeline, Chen Mu had been playing with his body's instincts, each action being simple and straightforward, making it easy for others to see through him.

And the deep-thinking Phil Jackson, targeting this point, had sent Odom to tightly control Chen Mu.

"Slap!"

Chen Mu slapped his thigh again, his eyes shining with a different light, and nodded, "Coach, I think I understand...!"

"Very good." D'Antoni was very satisfied with the rookie's understanding and smiled, "Then get ready to go on the court! And..."

As he spoke, the hand Chen Mu had slapped on his thigh was gently pushed away by another hand.

"You're slapping my thigh..."

"..."

With Nash and Dior on the court, the game quickly stabilized. Both teams exchanged high-quality offensive and defensive plays. The coaches gradually brought in their starting lineups, and Chen Mu did not return to the court in the second half of the second quarter.

High-level basketball games always give the impression that time passes quickly. Chen Mu carefully observed how Dior handled the ball each time, benefiting greatly. Besides Dior, Odom's versatility and rebounding sense also gave Chen Mu significant inspiration.

"LAKERS! LAKERS! LAKERS!"

Amid the rising cheers of the audience, the game entered the latter half of the fourth quarter.

"Chen."

After waiting for a long time, Chen Mu finally heard D'Antoni's call again and immediately sprang up from the bench, loudly responding, "Here!"

"Go replace Tim." D'Antoni said with a serious expression, "We're entering the decisive moment...!"

"Understood!"

Chen Mu felt a surge of excitement, raised his head, and stepped onto the court, exchanging with Tim Thomas and joining the game.

There were 3 minutes and 55 seconds left in the fourth quarter, and the score was 89-91, with the Suns trailing.

"Thump, thump, thump," "Clap," "Whoosh!"

The unique sounds of basketball echoed continuously in the arena. The Lakers' home game against the Suns had reached a critical moment.

"Nash's three-pointer goes in!"

"Kobe immediately responds with a high-difficulty fadeaway jump shot!"

"WOW~! Dior's pass is very precise, and Marion scores with an alley-oop dunk!!"

In the commentator's booth, Kenny Smith and Barkley also became excited. The superstars of both teams were exchanging blows, neither giving in, and the game was flowing smoothly, making these former professional players also feel itchy to get on the court and fight alongside the younger players.

"Step..."

"The rebound is mine...!"

"Clap!"

Chen Mu leaped high, securing the rebound. Looking up, he saw that Odom had indeed already moved in to apply pressure.

"Chinese kid, do you want to be stolen from again?"

Odom's eyes flashed with a unique arrogance as he started to taunt Chen Mu.

"Do you think I'll fall for it again...?"

Chen Mu was not to be outdone. The previous tension and awkwardness were gone, replaced by a confident smile. He took a probing step, forcing Odom back half a step.

"Step, step, step"

Behind Chen Mu, the sound of Nash's sprinting footsteps was already heard. Without looking, Chen Mu casually tossed the ball backward, then easily bypassed Odom's defense and ran forward.

"YO~"

Odom was initially stunned, then reacted, looking at Chen Mu's back and shaking his head, "This kid... has suddenly transformed...!"

"The Suns miss their shot, what a pity... Hey?! Chinese kid! The Chinese kid grabs the offensive rebound!"

"After the Suns score on their second attempt, Kobe immediately responds, Odom sends a long pass, and Kobe scores with a drive and layup from the wing! Truly the most terrifying scoring machine in the league!"

"The Suns turn the ball over, the Lakers counter, but miss their shot... and it's the Chinese kid's rebound again!"

"Nash's layup slides out of the rim, and the Chinese kid grabs another offensive rebound! HOHO~! The Chinese kid is already on fire!!"

Amid the commentator's excited calls, Chen Mu continuously grabbed rebounds. With the experience from before, Chen Mu moved extra cautiously on both offense and defense.

Only now did he notice that Odom had no intention of grabbing rebounds on defense, but was instead closely watching his movements, doing his best to interfere with his rebounding. Even if Chen Mu grabbed the rebound, Odom and Kobe would immediately double-team him and steal the ball.

Now, Chen Mu's actions were more cautious, and his passing was more decisive. He no longer moved to dangerous spots, always maintaining his foot speed and using his mobility to engage with Odom.

Although the cost was that he missed a few potential offensive rebounds, Chen Mu did not make any significant mistakes.

On the other side, the Lakers' star Kobe took on the offensive responsibility, scoring points one after another, as if it were a piece of cake. The Suns' defensive expert Raja Bell was helpless against Kobe, only able to watch as Kobe repeatedly scored over him.

"Thump, thump, thump"

In the back-and-forth, the game finally reached the final moments.

"18 seconds left, the Suns lead 101-100 on the road, and Kobe has the ball. It looks like he's going to run the clock down to the last second and attempt a game-winning shot!"

In the passionate words of Kenny Smith, the emotions of fans across the country were stirred, and everyone stood up from their seats, carefully watching Kobe's every move, waiting for the final buzzer.

"Thump, thump, thump"

Kobe stood at the top of the arc, his most familiar position, slowly dribbling, occasionally glancing at the clock, constantly calculating the time in his mind, and considering how to make the final shot.

"Thump, thump, thump"

With 5 seconds left, Kobe's dribbling speed increased, and Raja Bell focused intently on Kobe's movements, spreading his arms as wide as possible to prevent Kobe from getting past him.

"FOUR!"

The entire audience stood up, watching Kobe dribble, and loudly shouted the remaining seconds.

"Thump, thump, thump!"

Kobe performed a between-the-legs dribble, causing Raja Bell to rush forward.

"THREE!"

"Thump... thump!"

Kobe smoothly executed a KILLING CROSSOVER dribble, dramatically shifting his body, leaving the off-balance Bell behind, and then leaped, raising the ball over his head.

"TWO!"

"Step, step, step, step...!"

Not far away, Chen Mu, who was fighting for position with Mihm, quickly sprinted forward, coming in front of Kobe and jumping with all his might.

"Ah, ah, ah...!!"

Chen Mu shouted, raising his right hand to its highest point. At that moment, his eyes saw only the orange ball, and his mind had only one thought.

"If I can block this damn ball... we win!"

"ONE!!"

"Whoosh"

The entire audience held their breath, all eyes on Kobe and Chen Mu. At the peak of his jump, Kobe flicked his wrist, and the ball spun rapidly forward.

"Beep..."