Chapter 31

"…Good shot! Good shot!!!"

In Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, at the Wachovia Center.

The home game between the 76ers and the Rockets had already entered the second half of the second quarter.

"Swish"

The 76ers' guard Allen Iverson, like a phantom, darted up and down among the crowd. The basketball, under his control, seemed to be a part of his body, responding to his every whim, performing dribbles that left the audience in awe.

"I'll take it!"

The Rockets, ranked sixth in defensive efficiency for the season, were well-prepared. After Alston's poor defense allowed Iverson to score several times, they adjusted their defense, with their star guard Tracy McGrady personally taking over the defense.

Although McGrady had a significant height advantage, his speed, which had been somewhat affected by injuries, was no match for Iverson's ultra-high-speed dribbling.

On the court, Iverson darted like a bolt of lightning, with McGrady constantly chasing him, using his long arms and stride to compensate. However, McGrady still needed the help of his teammates to somewhat limit Iverson's performance.

As they reached the Rockets' half, Iverson suddenly stopped, performed his signature crossover dribble, and created a half-step of space between himself and McGrady. Then, he suddenly pushed off with his right foot, leaning his entire body forward.

"He's going to break through...!"

This sudden move did not escape McGrady's eyes. He immediately changed his stance, took another half-step back, and spread his arms to interfere with Iverson's vision and breakthrough options.

However, Iverson's body seemed to freeze for a moment, then suddenly pulled back, and quickly broke through from the left side.

"HESITATION!"

McGrady realized the danger, adjusting his body while shouting for Alston to come over and help. However, before either of them could reach Iverson, he had already transformed into a bolt of lightning, slipping through the narrow gap.

Breaking through the Rockets' perimeter defense, Iverson took a step, leaped high into the air, and was about to lay the ball in with one hand.

"I'll come to help!"

From the inside, a heavy footstep sounded. The 7-foot-6-inch Yao Ming, like a tower, turned away from the 76ers' center Steven Hunter and moved to help defend Iverson.

"Chinese kid, don't even think about it!"

On the other side, Juwan Howard stuck closely to Chen Mu, not giving him an inch, and even slightly pulled on his jersey, affecting his movement.

"Defending pretty tight...!"

Chen Mu smiled slightly. Although he was annoyed by the restriction, the Rockets' tight defense proved that his role on the court was becoming increasingly important.

"Now, I'm also a force that the opponents can't ignore...!"

Chen Mu thought to himself, suddenly feeling more motivated. He suddenly stepped out, moved around the baseline, and ran to the other side of the basket.

"Huh...?!"

Juwan Howard, being too old, couldn't keep up with Chen Mu's speed, which was quite good for an interior player. Howard could only try his best to catch up.

On the other side, Iverson was already in the air, facing Yao Ming's help defense. Without hesitation, the former MVP performed a behind-the-back pass, passing the ball to the unguarded Steven Hunter under the basket.

"…Oh?!"

Hunter was initially stunned upon receiving the ball, but then reacted quickly, jumping to dunk. However, Juwan Howard, who had been chasing Chen Mu, had already arrived, and with a swipe of his hand, he knocked the ball out of Hunter's hands.

"DAMN...!"

Hunter cursed as the ball slipped from his hands, falling behind him and bouncing towards the baseline.

Suddenly, a hand appeared from behind Hunter, reaching out and firmly grabbing the ball, then pulling it back.

"It's the Chinese kid! The Chinese kid has the ball! A mid-range opportunity! He can shoot again, hahaha!"

The commentator, recognizing the number on the back of the player, immediately shouted excitedly. In the previous game, Chen Mu had played for about a quarter, taking four mid-range shots, all of which...

All hit!

"Great opportunity!"

Chen Mu, circling around the baseline, saw the ball being knocked out of Hunter's hands. Without hesitation, he caught it, adjusted his stance, and took a light jump shot from just outside the three-second area.

The ball flew through the air, and all the fans held their breath in tense anticipation. If this shot hit, the 76ers would, for the first time since the start of the game, take the lead!

"…Swish!"

"…Oh my God! Another one!!"

As the mid-range shot hit, the entire arena erupted again, with everyone shouting at the top of their lungs. The older commentator on the broadcast was also extremely excited, with a look of "happiness coming too suddenly," laughing and announcing the score to the audience.

"Great job! Chinese kid!!!"

On the 76ers' bench, the players and coaches high-fived and celebrated, waving towels, all extremely happy.

Since the start of the game, the 76ers' defense had been unable to handle Yao Ming and McGrady, and on the offensive end, they relied solely on Iverson for scoring, leading to the Rockets maintaining a tight lead.

However, Chen Mu's entry not only solved the rebounding issue but also brought precise mid-range shooting. In just a few minutes, he had made all five of his mid-range shots, greatly boosting the team's morale and helping them take the lead!

"Hmm..."

The head coach, Larry Brown, nodded slightly. Having a big man who can shoot mid-range greatly enriches the team's tactics. Previously, the 76ers only had Webber who could truly meet this requirement. So when Webber was not performing well, the team's offense would become sluggish, relying solely on Iverson.

With Chen Mu's arrival, Brown could easily field two offensive lineups:

First, Iverson paired with Webber, two excellent mid-range shooters, and a combination of inside and outside playmakers, making the team's offense run smoothly.

Second, Iverson paired with Chen Mu, also two excellent mid-range shooters, but Chen Mu had more impact and better rebounding, bringing energy and passion to the team. The team could then focus on fast breaks with Iverson at the center, taking advantage of the opponent's unsteady defense.

This second lineup was particularly suitable against a team like the Rockets, which primarily relied on half-court offense.

"Clap"

As he thought, Chen Mu grabbed another defensive rebound on the court. After a standard probing step to create space, Chen Mu threw a long pass to the front court.

"Damn…! Chinese kid, are you trying to run me to death…?!"

Seeing Chen Mu's long pass, Iverson immediately frowned, quickly accelerating to his maximum speed to catch the ball before it went out of bounds, barely saving it.

"Oops… Sorry~"

Chen Mu knew his pass was off, shaking his head in embarrassment, but he didn't stop moving. As soon as Iverson caught the ball, Chen Mu had already run into the Rockets' half, inside the three-point line.

Behind Iverson, familiar footsteps sounded. McGrady had caught up, frustrated by the missed shots and the successful mid-range shots by Chen Mu and Iverson on defense. He was determined not to let Iverson score easily.

"I won't be stopped that easily!"

Iverson skillfully controlled the ball, but to save it, he was already at the baseline, with almost no angle for an attack. He had to find a way to break free and re-attack.

"Hmm… The Chinese kid has given us many surprises, but we must admit that his technique still has many areas that need improvement," the commentator said, frowning. "For example, that long pass. If it were Webber, he would have delivered it precisely to Allen, completing a fast break."

"But the Chinese kid's pass was too strong. If 'The Answer' wasn't fast enough, the ball would have gone out of bounds. Although he managed to save it, the fast break opportunity was wasted, and they have to play a half-court offense… Wait…!"

"Get out of my way…!"

As the commentator criticized Chen Mu, Chen Mu had already successfully shaken off the slow-footed Howard, reaching the free-throw line in the Rockets' half. He continued to run towards the basket, extending his arms.

"…Oh?"

Iverson, dribbling near the baseline to shake off McGrady's defense, noticed this. Glancing sideways, he saw the fire in Chen Mu's eyes and smiled to himself, "Not bad, quick reaction~"

Although McGrady's defense was tight, his height prevented him from lowering his center of gravity. Iverson took advantage of this, suddenly passing the ball between his legs, and with a long-distance bounce pass, delivered it accurately to the running Chen Mu.

"Great pass…!"

Chen Mu caught the ball with both hands, and the footsteps of the Rockets' players behind him slowed down. Chen Mu knew they had given up on this defense.

The moment to show off had arrived…!

Chen Mu took a step, placing his foot just inside the free-throw line, and then leaped with all his might.

"…Aaaaah!!!"

Chen Mu roared, the ball in his hands turning into a ball of orange flame. He flew horizontally, as if defying gravity, hurtling towards the basket.

"BOOM!!!"

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Thank you to "Love Angel 1" for the generous tip, "How Little Fatty Was Made!" for the powerful recommendation, and all the friends who have tipped, voted, and added to their favorites! It's because of your support that I can keep going!

(Chen Mu, hearing this, casually floated by and said: I didn't mention the names of other tipsters because I can't type them, you illiterate~) Mobile users, please visit http://m.piaotia.net

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