Chapter 56

At the Palace of Auburn Hills, the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the home team, the Detroit Pistons, was in full swing.

With two minutes left until halftime.

"Here comes the Chinese kid again!!"

On the court, a tall figure with yellow skin was particularly active. Although after the return of the Pistons' starting lineup, especially the double Wallace combination, the Chinese kid, Chen Mu, found it hard to score.

Even under the constant help defense of the double Wallaces, Chen Mu's exquisite passing was also hard to come by.

But before today's game, no one knew what Chen Mu had eaten. To the fans, it seemed as if he had just swallowed a powerful pill, brimming with endless energy.

Another rebound was secured. Chen Mu, with his continuous jumping and relentless ball contesting, once again grabbed an offensive rebound under the double Wallaces' positioning.

"Six... sixth offensive rebound...!"

The arena fell silent, and the fierce fans of Auburn Hills all wore expressions of shock.

Right before their eyes, in just a few short minutes of play, Chen Mu, the 76ers' bench big man, had managed to grab six offensive rebounds under the tight defense of the double Wallaces.

It should be noted that while the Pistons' backboard protection this season was not top-ranked in the league, the data would skyrocket when the starting five were on the court, making them one of the best in the league.

Not to mention the impenetrable defense of the double Wallaces, even the perimeter players like Prince had a decent rebounding skill.

Especially during home games, with the fans' frenzied cheers, the Pistons' interior play was particularly tough, not allowing anyone to run wild in the paint.

Since the start of the season, no player had managed to grab more than three offensive rebounds in a half at the Palace of Auburn Hills!

But today, the Chinese kid from across the ocean broke this rule.

"Swish"

Receiving Chen Mu's pass, Korver hit another three-pointer, maintaining his shooting pose with one hand, he arrogantly returned to the backcourt.

"Nice shot!"

Chen Mu stepped forward, high-fiving Korver in celebration, while the Pistons' players glared at him with murderous intent.

"Beep beep"

The Pistons called a timeout. The score was 47-42, with the 76ers, as the away team, taking the lead at the Palace of Auburn Hills!

"Huff... huff... huff..."

Back at the bench, Chen Mu panted heavily, taking the real-time statistics from the staff. Just one glance almost made him spit out the water.

"Ten... ten rebounds?!!"

Chen Mu himself was also surprised. Although he felt his state was excellent today, especially in rebounding, it was almost unmatched.

With the "Tough Rebounder" badge, Chen Mu's rebounding became even more formidable. No matter how careful the Pistons were, Chen Mu still found opportunities to grab offensive rebounds amidst the chaos.

But, ten rebounds in a half??

Looking at the statistics in his hand, Chen Mu himself found it hard to believe.

"Chen, conserve your energy, rest for a while."

Coach Cheeks was very satisfied with the rookie's performance and said, "We need your rebounds in the second half!"

"Haha, Chen, you're really something!"

Beside him, the former rebounding king, Webber, laughed, "Ten rebounds in a half, six offensive rebounds, ha, you have a chance to grab twenty rebounds in a game today!"

"Twenty rebounds in a game..."

Chen Mu smiled and nodded, patting his chest, "Alright! I'll aim for that and keep working hard today!"

The rest of the game went smoothly. With Chen Mu's strong performance, the 76ers shed their underdog mentality and engaged the Pistons in a fierce battle.

Although without Chen Mu on the court, their rebounding was not as strong, players know that when there's a rebounding specialist in the paint, it boosts the confidence of the perimeter players.

"Even if I miss, that guy will definitely grab the rebound!"

This mindset led to a collective outburst from the 76ers' perimeter players. Korver, Iverson, Salmons, and Lou Williams, even Iguodala, who wasn't particularly good at three-pointers, were all firing on all cylinders.

Three-pointers rained down, each one pouring cold water on the Pistons' hearts.

Until five minutes into the second half, the 76ers still clung to their lead, 62-58!

"Beep"

An official timeout arrived. Without Cheeks needing to say more, Chen Mu had already risen to start warming up.

"Chen, rebounds!"

On the court, Iverson, Webber, Iguodala, and Korver all looked at Chen Mu with sharp eyes, full of confidence.

"No problem."

Chen Mu clenched his fists and smiled confidently, "Just shoot with confidence!"

The game resumed!

Billups dribbled to the front court, looking up to see the 76ers' players as if they were on a high. Whether it was Prince or Hamilton, no matter how they moved through screens, they couldn't shake their defenders.

No opportunity!

Billups gritted his teeth and took a few steps to the three-second area, starting to back down Iverson.

Using his height and weight advantage, Billups quickly reached the edge of the three-second area and suddenly turned to shoot a fadeaway mid-range shot.

"Beep beep beep"

A green ring flashed before Chen Mu's eyes, the rebound landing right in front of him. He almost grabbed it with a single reach and then turned to throw a long pass.

Iguodala sprinted to the front court, receiving the ball without stopping, using a behind-the-back dribble to shake Prince, and then facing Hamilton's help defense, he launched a floater.

"Rebound!"

Behind Iguodala, Chen Mu had already seen the new landing point. No one knew when the Chinese kid had arrived at the front court, but he had already positioned himself before the double Wallaces could return, taking a step inside the free-throw line and soaring high into the air.

"Bang!"

Dunking over the stunned Hamilton, Chen Mu landed and couldn't resist showing off his not yet fully developed muscles to the camera. Only after Iguodala laughed and patted his head did he fiercely return to the defense.

"Seven... seven offensive rebounds! A total of thirteen rebounds! The Chinese kid is challenging his own single-game rebounding record!"

In previous games, including the five games with the Suns, Chen Mu's highest single-game rebound total was seventeen.

This record was already quite astonishing for an undrafted rookie. But today, with the game far from over, Chen Mu was only four rebounds away from breaking his record.

Breaking the record, within reach!

After Saunders' furious scolding at halftime, the Pistons became more cautious on offense. Although they didn't make any fatal mistakes, their offense reverted to the sluggish state of the previous seasons.

"Tsk..."

Rasheed Wallace received the ball, took a step, and shot near the basket, but as soon as the ball left his hand, he frowned, knowing it wouldn't go in.

Ben Wallace cut in, his muscles rippling, fiercely positioning himself and pinning Webber behind him. He stretched out his hands, about to grab the rebound.

"Mine!"

But behind the Big Ben, the "persistent" yellow-skinned figure burst up again, using his right hand to tip the ball away.

"Chinese kid... damn it!"

Big Ben was extremely anxious. Turning around, he saw Chen Mu jump again, grabbing the ball near the free-throw line. In a moment of frustration, he irrationally pushed Chen Mu.

"Beep beep!"

The referee's whistle blew, and Ben Wallace was called for a foul. The entire arena erupted in loud curses at the referee.

"RefereeSucks! RefereeSucks!"

The black whistle calls never ceased, and the fans' pent-up anger from the entire game finally found an outlet. The 76ers players also became targets of the fans' curses, making the situation on the court tense.

"The crowd is really loud."

Chen Mu stood up, seeing countless fans pointing at him, cursing him for faking a fall. He took a few steps to the sideline and loudly told the angry fans, "If you have the guts, come and beat me up!"

"... What did you say?!!!"

Chen Mu's words further enraged the fans, the massive roar almost lifting the roof off the arena.

"Arrogant yellow monkey! If you have the skills, score a goal! After the double Wallaces came on, you can only grab rebounds. If you have the skills, score another goal!!"

A fan pointed out Chen Mu's weakness, and the words instantly received countless responses. The fans loudly cursed Chen Mu, showing no sign of backing down.

"Score another goal? Hehe~"

Chen Mu laughed at this, ignoring his teammates' attempts to stop him, and loudly told the taunting fan, "I'm putting it out there, if this game comes down to a game-winning shot, I'll hit it from the left side of the key!"

"Bullshit! Get out of here!!"

"Do you think you're Bird?? Shameless yellow monkey!"

"I want to see what you can do to beat the Pistons!"

"Don't even think about leaving the Palace of Auburn Hills tonight!!"

For a moment, Chen Mu became the target of the fans' "attack," the curses layering endlessly, almost deafening the players on the court.

The referee unsurprisingly called a technical foul on Chen Mu. The 76ers players and Coach Cheeks on the sideline were at a loss, unsure whether to tell Chen Mu to shut up or to say more.

"Chen, are you crazy??"

Korver stepped forward to stop Chen Mu, whispering in his ear, "We're doing well now, but they are still stronger than us. If we get overtaken and lose, you'll become a laughingstock... not just in America, but worldwide!"

"Haha, Kyle, you're still so cautious~"

Chen Mu, however, was unconcerned. A scene from a sports manga he had read in the original timeline popped into his mind, and he smiled confidently, "This way, we have to win...!"