Chapter 47

The fourth quarter began, and LeBron James started his counterattack.

"Bang!"

At the start of the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers broke their usual pattern and immediately sent LeBron James onto the court. This rising superstar, upon entering, executed a full-court drive, finishing with a powerful dunk under the 76ers' basket.

"JAMES!!"

The enthusiasm of the fans was reignited, and the long-silent Quicken Loans Arena erupted with thunderous cheers.

Although James averaged 42.5 minutes per game this season, seemingly possessing endless stamina like a robot, Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown still allowed him to rest slightly during the first and second quarters, as well as the third and fourth quarters, which were transitional periods.

However, this time, the Cavaliers were clearly under pressure. They sent LeBron onto the court at the start of the fourth quarter, indicating their intention to launch a decisive battle and attempt to catch up in the score.

"Defense, defense! Sigh..."

Chen Mu shook his head slightly, dissatisfied with his defensive performance.

Although he had developed two exceptional skills—mid-range shooting and passing—Chen Mu had become a significant force on the offensive end. However, his defensive performance remained poor. He had numerous rebounds but average defensive skills, whether in post defense or help defense. Apart from a big block in the final moments against the Timberwolves, Chen Mu had not yet demonstrated defensive prowess in the games he had played.

"Besides offense, I need to improve my defensive stats in the future; I can't just be a data padder!"

Chen Mu was well aware that if he only had impressive stats but could not contribute on defense, he would eventually be labeled as a "defensive liability" by analysts.

In NBA history, there have been various types of rebound kings. Some, like Dennis Rodman, were highly praised for their all-around defensive skills in addition to their rebounding. Others, like Kevin Love, who had not yet entered the NBA, had eye-catching stats and an unstoppable offensive game but were criticized for their poor defensive performance.

"Every time I improve a skill, I realize my shortcomings even more. I have a long way to go to become a true superstar!"

On the offensive end, Chen Mu, as usual, received the ball in the mid-post. However, a different defender was behind him.

"LeBron...?!"

Chen Mu was surprised to find that LeBron James was personally defending him. Although James was not yet the defensive anchor he would become later, his physical attributes and basketball IQ allowed him to make impressive defensive plays against slower opponents.

"If I can maintain high efficiency against their star, I can completely crush their morale!"

Chen Mu thought, noticing that the Cavaliers' defense had changed. The other players were no longer closely watching his every move, seemingly confident in leaving Chen Mu to LeBron.

This change also limited the 76ers' players, who were already mediocre on offense, making it difficult for them to find open shots no matter how they moved.

"Truly a top-tier defensive team, their defense is airtight!"

Chen Mu knew that his only option was to score through individual effort!

Turning to face the basket, Chen Mu carefully handled the ball, but LeBron quickly swiped it away.

"Fast break!"

LeBron shouted, and the Cavaliers players sprinted down the court. LeBron took control of the ball and quickly advanced.

"Damn!"

Chen Mu cursed himself for being careless. LeBron's athleticism was among the best in NBA history, and his tricks were ineffective against such a high-level opponent.

"Corner three!"

LeBron's long pass assisted Hughes in scoring a three-pointer, narrowing the gap.

"Chen! Be decisive! Be more decisive!"

On the sidelines, Coach Cheeks was anxious, shouting instructions to Chen Mu. Chen Mu took a deep breath and nodded, "I understand, don't worry!"

Returning to the offensive end, the 1-4 spread formation was set, with Chen Mu holding the ball in the mid-post.

"Chinese kid, you don't have post-up skills, right? I'm not wrong, am I?"

LeBron whispered behind Chen Mu, "When you have the ball in the post, I just need to watch for your passes and mid-range shots. With your foot speed, you can't break through my defense and score in the paint."

"You're completely under my control, give up!"

Although LeBron was not a master of trash talk, years of experience taught him when to use words to provoke his opponents to achieve his goals.

However, Chen Mu had no intention of giving up!

"Ding"

A badge icon appeared before Chen Mu's eyes. Upon closer inspection, it was a shooting badge.

"Scoring Shooter!"

Chen Mu knew that his offensive performance today had activated this badge, which was now taking effect.

Although it was only a bronze badge, Chen Mu, who had studied the badge descriptions in the system, knew that it would play a decisive role in the next few minutes.

The Scoring Shooter badge, familiar to 2K game players, is divided into gold, silver, and bronze levels based on its effectiveness.

Players with this badge can accumulate a hot hand through continuous ball handling, especially as their shots increase, making them difficult to stop for a period.

If the player has fewer ball-handling opportunities, especially if they do not shoot for a long time, their hot hand will cool down. This badge has a dual nature, like a double-edged sword, and how it is used is key.

In Chen Mu's case, he had handled the ball multiple times, increasing his involvement in the offense and accumulating a hot hand.

At this moment, the badge glowed, indicating that Chen Mu's hot hand had reached its peak.

Chen Mu held the ball but did not pass or attack as LeBron expected; instead, he dribbled outward.

"What's the Chinese kid doing? Why is he dribbling towards the three-point line? Is he having a mental lapse??"

The fans were confused, and LeBron was taken aback. This momentary hesitation gave Chen Mu an opportunity.

Just inside the three-point line, Chen Mu suddenly turned, looking at LeBron who had not yet approached, and immediately took a mid-range shot.

"Long two!"

The crowd gasped as the ball arced beautifully and smoothly through the net.

"YES, hot hand!"

Chen Mu was excited, knowing his judgment was correct. Although the shot was slightly farther than his usual scoring spots, he did not hesitate, and the ball went in as expected.

"Ding"

The bronze badge before Chen Mu's eyes became even more radiant, indicating that his hot hand had improved.

On the Cavaliers' offensive play, LeBron was unstoppable, scoring after a mid-air confrontation.

"Pass!"

In the frontcourt, Chen Mu, before entering the three-point line, called out to his teammates.

His teammates, knowing Chen Mu was on fire, quickly passed the ball. Chen Mu, stepping into the three-point line, immediately shot.

"Swish!"

The ball went in again, and Chen Mu and his teammates were elated, punching the air.

"This kid... his hot hand is on fire...!"

LeBron knew that letting Chen Mu continue shooting would be disastrous. After scoring with difficulty on offense, he tightly guarded Chen Mu on defense.

Receiving the ball near the three-point line, Chen Mu raised his hand to shoot, and LeBron immediately closed in. However, this was part of Chen Mu's plan.

"This time, it's a pass~"

Chen Mu smiled and flicked his right hand, the ball quickly passing between the two and accurately reaching the basket, where Li Nailong scored, giving Chen Mu his tenth assist.

"Triple-double! Triple-double! The Chinese kid has recorded his first career triple-double!!"

Kenny Smith, staring at the stats sheet, shouted, and Charles Barkley laughed, repeatedly giving Chen Mu a thumbs up.

In contrast, the Quicken Loans Arena was deathly silent.

"Clank"

LeBron's three-point attempt missed, and Chen Mu grabbed the rebound, passing it to the guard and sprinting to the frontcourt.

"Match-up! The Chinese kid and LeBron are matched up again!"

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Chen Mu received the ball just inside the three-point line. LeBron's defense was airtight, his hands wide open, and his eyes like a leopard's, intensely focused on Chen Mu's every move.

"Great defense, but..."

Chen Mu smiled confidently, his fighting spirit ignited. Looking at the glowing badge, he suddenly made a shooting motion.

"Unfortunately, my hot hand is just too good!"

LeBron was still trying to determine if it was a fake or a real shot, but Chen Mu had already shot at an incredibly fast speed.

"The release was too quick, and the form was terrible; this shot won't go in!"

LeBron instantly judged, about to turn to grab the rebound, but he saw the ball precisely enter the net.

"This...?!!"

LeBron was thoroughly shocked. Chen Mu's shot was completely illogical from any angle.

Yet, the ball seemed to have eyes, diving into the basket, the sound reverberating through the arena, leaving all Cavaliers fans speechless.

In the next play, Chen Mu executed a brilliant fake pass and real shot, using a passing fake to shift LeBron's center of gravity, then suddenly stopping and taking a mid-range shot.

"Swish"

The ball went in again.

After this shot, Chen Mu entered a killing spree, scoring continuously. It wasn't until a powerful dunk increased the lead to 15 points that Mike Brown finally called a timeout.

Unfortunately, after the timeout, the 76ers, with their spirits lifted, sent out their full lineup and did not give the Cavaliers another chance. LeBron's 33 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists were not enough to prevent the team's defeat.

"Phew... Phew... Phew..."

The game entered garbage time, and Chen Mu sat on the bench, catching his breath, holding a stats sheet provided by the staff.

"Hehe, what a satisfying victory, and a milestone for me...!"

On the stats sheet in Chen Mu's hand, a series of jaw-dropping numbers were listed under his name.

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