Chapter 65

“Beep”

A long electronic synthesized tone sounded, and inside the Wells Fargo Center, the 76ers' home game against the Heat had entered the fourth quarter.

As the players took the court, many veteran fans instantly became excited.

Because they knew a good show was about to begin.

"The Heat's lineup includes Williams, Payton, Posey, Walker, and Mourning, essentially a one-big-four-small formation. The defense at the 1, 2, and 3 positions is above average, and Walker's mobility in the paint is top-notch. With Mourning as the core of the interior defense, the purpose of this lineup is clear: to prevent the 76ers from staging a comeback through outside shooting!"

The commentator, looking at the players on the court, analyzed, "However, the 76ers don't seem to be giving up. They've sent out a lineup of Lou Williams, Kyle Korver, Salmons, Matt Barnes, and Chen Mu. The offensive focus is entirely on the perimeter, with only Chen Mu remaining in the paint!"

"The upcoming game will certainly enter a fast-paced defensive and offensive phase. Both teams' lineups are like needles against wheat, one side with a plethora of shooters, the other with a stack of defensive specialists. Dear viewers, don't get up to go to the bathroom now, because if you leave the TV screen for just a minute, you might miss five or six exchanges!"

The veteran commentator's analysis was spot-on, and the intentions of both head coaches were clear. On the sidelines, Cheeks turned to Pat Riley, his heart pounding.

If this lineup can't open up the offense and quickly narrow the gap, then when the starters return, the 76ers will have little chance!

The game began with the Heat having the ball. The basketball was passed around the perimeter players and eventually reached Walker. Facing Barnes' defense, Walker couldn't gain an advantage and missed a mid-range shot.

“Clang!”

Chen Mu leaped from under the basket and cleanly grabbed the rebound. He then scanned the court and threw a long pass with one hand.

The basketball accurately reached Lou Williams, who was sprinting down the court. After receiving the ball, he paused slightly at the three-point line, then passed the ball horizontally to Korver at the 45-degree angle.

Korver, remembering Cheeks' tactical instructions, shot a three-pointer without hesitation. Beside him, Gary Payton quickly arrived, reaching out to tug at Korver's jersey in a spot the camera and referee couldn't see.

"Damn!"

Korver's shooting rhythm was disrupted, and the basketball didn't follow the perfect arc, hitting the front rim.

"Rebound!"

After the break, Chen Mu's stamina had recovered slightly. He sprinted from the backcourt and jumped before Mourning could return to the key, snatching the rebound. Without looking, he threw the ball with his right hand, passing it directly.

"Hmm...?!"

Korver was still in place, receiving the ball again. He and Payton, who was already charging into the paint, were both stunned. Korver reacted first and immediately shot another three-pointer.

The basketball swished through the net, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

"Full-court press!!"

Before the Heat could set up their defense, Lou Williams shouted, and the 76ers' players rushed forward, frantically running to disrupt the Heat's ball movement.

Jason Williams didn't panic, using his skilled ball-handling to steady the pace. After reaching the frontcourt, he continued to orchestrate the offense.

After some movement, Payton received the ball on the weak side, facing Korver's defense with his back to the basket. He used his signature post moves, faking and pivoting.

Payton's fakes were numerous, and although his legs weren't as agile, he still found a shooting opportunity, taking a fadeaway mid-range shot over Korver.

However, time had not been kind to the once-great Payton. This mid-range shot was too strong, bouncing off the rim and flying high.

Under the basket, Mourning used his experience to position Chen Mu behind him, seemingly about to grab the rebound.

But Chen Mu quickly jumped, his badge flashing, and the tenacious rebounder came into play. Just before the ball reached Mourning's hands, he landed and jumped again, snatching the rebound.

On the other side, Lou Williams and Salmons were already on the fast break. Jason Williams and Posey had also returned to defend, clearly understanding the 76ers' intentions from the previous exchange, disrupting Chen Mu's passing routes.

However, Chen Mu's passing target was not these two teammates.

Korver, who had failed to defend Payton, was not discouraged. The moment Payton shot, he immediately sprinted down the court, clearly trusting Chen Mu to secure the rebound.

By this time, Korver, with his early start, had reached the midcourt. Chen Mu threw a long pass, adding a bit more force to guide Korver's run.

When Korver received the ball, his feet were just a half-step from the three-point line. The sharpshooter didn't hesitate, jumping and shooting a long three-pointer.

"Swish!"

The basketball fell steadily into the basket, and the gap was now only four points!

Pat Riley sensed the danger and was about to call a timeout, but the 76ers' players had already aggressively pressed forward. Posey, who was about to inbound the ball, was flustered and prepared to lob the ball directly to Walker, who was far away.

But Chen Mu was already waiting on the passing route.

"The ball is mine!!!"

Chen Mu leaped, his incredible jumping speed propelling him to intercept the ball before it reached its peak. Without looking, he threw a cross-court pass.

Barnes, who had been defending Walker in the backcourt, understood and took several large steps, receiving the ball at the three-point line and immediately shooting a three-pointer.

"Wrong, the angle is off...!"

At this point, Barnes was not yet the 3D specialist he would become with the Clippers, with a miserable three-point shooting percentage of only 18.2%. This shot was unreliable, hitting the backboard and not even touching the rim.

However, Chen Mu had already charged into the key, leaping high over Payton, who was still reacting, and grabbing the ball with his right hand in mid-air, then slamming it into the basket.

A poster dunk!

His badge flashed, and after landing, Chen Mu's blood boiled like never before. He roared like a beast, his heart filled with determination.

At the same time, Riley urgently called a timeout.

The gap was now only two points, and the game was still in doubt!

A storm of intense defense and offense had successfully completed the task, forcing the Heat's starters back onto the court.

After the timeout, both teams sent out their starters, and the pace of the game immediately slowed.

In the half-court set, Shaquille O'Neal's dominant presence in the paint remained, leaving Chen Mu helpless.

On the offensive end, Chen Mu and Webber's coordination had issues, and their mid-range shooting began to decline, allowing the score to slowly widen again.

Wade, who had struggled against Chen Mu earlier, gradually regained his form. Under his leadership, the Heat's offense was almost unstoppable. O'Neal's choices on the strong side became more cautious, while Wade was like a god descending on the weak side. As time passed, the 76ers ultimately failed to turn the tide, trailing by 7 points with one minute left in the fourth quarter.

Wade controlled the ball, breaking into the paint with lightning speed, and lobbed the ball high from just inside the free-throw line.

Behind Chen Mu, O'Neal suddenly turned and positioned himself, then leaped, catching the ball in mid-air and slamming it home for a dunk.

A 9-point gap, with less than a minute left, Cheeks chose to concede.

"Good job, good job!"

Seeing his players' disappointed faces, Cheeks sighed, "After this timeout, you all come off the court to rest."

"Coach, I..."

On the bench, Chen Mu clenched his teeth, his hands trembling from fatigue, but his eyes burned with determination.

"I can't accept this... I can't accept this!"

Seeing Chen Mu's resolve, the other players were moved.

For many players, basketball was just a job, something they had to do to support their families.

But for the rookie Chen Mu, his value was recognized for the first time on the basketball court.

Dumb big man, no basketball IQ, can't score, can't pass, no defense, a bank in the paint...

Each of these derogatory terms deeply hurt Chen Mu's heart.

To change all this, he had put in efforts beyond what most people could imagine, just to prove that he could become a well-rounded player and contribute to the team on the court.

But facing defeat, especially a defeat due to a clear skill gap, Chen Mu could not accept it deep down.

"Coach, I won't come off the court."

After a long silence, Allen Iverson spoke, "Either let me die on the court, or strangle me now, but I won't come off the court."

"Allen, but..."

Before Cheeks could finish, Iguodala also spoke, "I won't come off either. If a rookie won't come off, how can I?"

"Me too."

Webber took a deep breath, "53 seconds, 9 points, there's still a chance."

Seeing his teammates' reactions, the usually quiet Korver mustered the courage, "To catch up, my three-pointers are crucial, coach, let me stay on the court...!"

"You guys..."

Cheeks was thoroughly confused. At the start of the season, whenever the score gap was too large, he would substitute the starters to save their energy for the next game, and no player had ever objected.

But today, these guys were suddenly determined, refusing to accept his arrangement.

Cheeks scratched his head, glancing at Chen Mu, who was still gritting his teeth, and thought to himself:

"Is this Chinese kid bringing us only rebounds, points, and assists?"

Why is this rookie's determination so hard to shake?

After the timeout, the game resumed. Riley was surprised to find that the cautious Cheeks had not substituted the starters and quickly made adjustments to keep the Heat's starters on the court.

The remaining minute passed quickly, and the 76ers launched their final counterattack. They pressed the defense relentlessly and shot three-pointers whenever they had the chance, but unfortunately, they missed most of them.

"Ah!!!"

In the paint, Chen Mu, who was almost exhausted, was still fiercely competing for rebounds, leaving O'Neal bewildered, unable to understand why this Chinese rookie was still so determined.

The game was clearly a lost cause...

Finally, Iverson managed to hit a three-pointer, leaving 25 seconds on the clock. The Heat controlled the ball, and typically, both teams would let the clock run out at this point.

But the 76ers did not relax. Iverson constantly fought for the ball, forcing Jason Williams to seriously organize the offense and pass the ball to the paint.

O'Neal received the ball with his back to the basket, facing Chen Mu's relentless defense. The Big Shark glanced and saw Webber coming to double-team, so he passed the ball to Haslem at the free-throw line.

Haslem, without hesitation, took a mid-range shot.

But a yellow-skinned figure suddenly appeared, leaping in front of him, and with a powerful swipe, "Clang," sent the ball flying to the backcourt!

"Beep"

The clock ran out, and the game ended. The 76ers lost 98-102 at home, and the Heat triumphantly returned.

"Phew..."

Watching the orange ball bounce on the floor and hearing the noise of the departing fans, Chen Mu sighed, feeling a deep sense of disappointment.

"You played well."

Behind him, a not-so-big hand patted him, and the court wizard slowly walked past, saying softly, "You played well."

"Next time we meet, we must win...!"

Iverson's eyes were filled with anger and determination as he walked off the court without looking back.

His teammates also came to console him. When the crowd dispersed, Iguodala stepped forward and said to Chen Mu, "Come on, let's hit the weight room. Dare to compete in bench press with me?"

"Who says I don't dare!"

Chen Mu forced a smile, "I need to work on my strength. I'll face my former team soon!"

"Haha, what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Iguodala laughed, knowing Chen Mu was trying to move on from the loss. He put his arm around Chen Mu's shoulder and half-pushed, half-pulled him off the court.

"The Suns are strong. I'll set you up, and you need to completely dominate their paint...!"

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