Chapter 76

In late February 2006, the Philadelphia 76ers embarked on an extremely challenging road trip.

Departing from Philadelphia on the East Coast, they flew almost across the entire North American continent, with their first stop being Phoenix, the old team of Mu Chen.

After winning the intense battle against the Suns, the 76ers rested in Phoenix for half a day and set off for Los Angeles the next noon to face the Clippers, who had risen strongly this season.

The Clippers' frontcourt featured Chris Kaman, who averaged nearly a double-double, and Corey Maggette, one of the strongest men in the league. The backcourt was led by the rejuvenated veteran duo of Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley. The bench was filled with capable players like Chris Wilcox, Quentin Richardson, and Baron Davis. This team, which had always been at a disadvantage when playing against the Lakers, finally had a chance to shine.

However, the key to the Clippers' rise was not any of these players.

Elton Brand, the former captain, was an undersized power forward with an incredible wingspan.

In the home game against the 76ers, Brand, with his precise baseline jump shots, gave Mu Chen a thorough lesson.

It was a massacre not unlike the one Chris Bosh had inflicted on Mu Chen, leaving the 76ers' proud frontcourt depth in tatters. Brand's solid fundamentals and remarkable offensive and defensive judgment thoroughly dismantled Mu Chen, leading the Clippers to a comfortable home victory.

Although the 76ers defeated the Warriors in Golden State the next day without much difficulty, and Mu Chen took out his frustrations on Troy Murphy, a double-double machine who was physically inferior to him, his inconsistent performances still sparked discussions among fans and analysts:

Is the Chinese kid a wild card or a reliable interior anchor?

For a rookie, inconsistent performance is not uncommon. However, Mu Chen, who started as an undrafted free agent and secured a super sixth man role in less than half a season, was always more eye-catching than other rookies.

Subsequent games seemed to confirm everyone's concerns. Against the Jazz, Carlos Boozer, the "Cleveland turncoat," gave Mu Chen another lesson with his mid-range jump shots and unusual rhythm.

After losing to the Jazz, Mu Chen put on a brilliant performance against the Nuggets' Kenyon Martin.

His performance was highly variable, capable of both decisive plays and frequent blunders, much like Manu Ginobili in his early days, making him a barometer for the team.

From the East Coast to the far West, and then slowly moving north, the 76ers' route took a quick turn after reaching Denver, heading south to Texas.

Dallas, the third-largest city in Texas and an economic hub.

The Mavericks, a team that has experienced ups and downs but always stayed at the forefront of NBA tactics, have a naturally free-spirited and unrestrained character.

The history of this popular team doesn't need to be elaborated. This season, the Mavericks were at a crucial crossroads.

In the original timeline, the Mavericks achieved a 60-win season, ranking among the league's best in various statistics, especially in offensive efficiency, which struck fear into all their opponents.

Their eventual run to the Finals, where they were overturned by Dwyane Wade's divine performance, caused a significant stir.

The following year, the Mavericks, who had the best record in the league and franchise history, were upset in the first round by Don Nelson and his Warriors, a story known to all. The phrase "I believe" became a sore point for Dallas fans.

This pent-up frustration was finally released in 2011.

Inside the American Airlines Center.

"Truly amazing technology...!"

Mu Chen found everything in the arena very fresh.

Although he had traveled to many cities and seen many arenas, the American Airlines Center in Dallas, with its distinct technological atmosphere, was rare.

The unique LED displays, the stunning and layered lighting effects, and the innovative design with no pillars, concentrating all the weight on the four corners of the arena... This arena, built by team owner Mark Cuban and named after AA, won numerous architectural awards after its completion in 2001, marking a milestone in NBA arena construction.

In the original timeline, Mu Chen was a Mavericks fan, loving the team more than any other.

The reason was simple.

"Swish"

On the Mavericks' practice half-court, a 2.10-meter-tall big man was dribbling quickly, his offensive moves as agile and concise as a small forward.

With another successful mid-range jump shot, Dirk Nowitzki, the quiet German big man, wiped the sweat from his face and discussed tactics with head coach Avery Johnson.

"My idol, Nowitzki...!"

Mu Chen was extremely excited. If he weren't a 76ers player, he would have gone up to ask for an autograph and a photo.

Unlike in the later stages of his career, after the 2007 season when he was blacked out by the Warriors, Nowitzki, under the guidance of his personal coach, Holger, began developing the "one-legged" move that would later dominate the league.

At this point, Nowitzki was still playing a standard small forward style, transformed by Don Nelson's radical coaching into a 210+ cm face-up machine.

The biggest problem Mu Chen had exposed in previous games was his inability to handle agile, strong, and accurate mid-range shooting big men.

Facing Nowitzki in this game, Mu Chen was equally excited and worried.

"How can I defend him? From which angle can I have a chance to beat him...?"

Watching Nowitzki make shot after shot, Mu Chen fell into deep thought.

About half an hour later, the nearly 20,000-seat arena was almost full. The referee tossed the ball high, and the game began.

The reason the Mavericks were so terrifying this season wasn't just because of Nowitzki's unstoppable face-up game.

Jet Jeter, the "Dallas Double Uglies" Josh Howard and Devean George, the "Steakhouse" Michael Finley, "The Dark Lord" Jason Terry, and "The Original Soft White" Dirk Nowitzki...

The Mavericks had so many offensive options that Coach Avery Johnson found it hard to choose, leading to the famous five Mavericks offensive plays:

1. Dirk isolation.

2. Jeter isolation.

3. Howard isolation.

4. Finley isolation.

5. Whoever has the ball, isolate.

While this was a joke, it also reflected the overwhelming offensive talent of the Mavericks.

What truly transformed the Mavericks was the tough defense brought by Johnson.

In the past, from point guard to power forward, every player on the Mavericks had one thing on their mind: attack, attack, and attack.

After trading away Steve Nash and Michael Finley, deepening the bench, and changing the coach, the Mavericks began focusing on defense, completely changing the team's spirit.

This season was the moment when this transformation began to bear fruit.

"Boom!! Chase-down three! Dirk—Nowitzki!!"

The arena DJ shouted loudly, and all the fans stood up, waving the giant gloves symbolizing "league's best," with cheers echoing throughout.

On the court, Nowitzki nodded fiercely, making a "three" gesture with his right hand, and then high-fived Devean George, who had passed him the ball.

On the 76ers' side, Allen Iverson received the ball and began his assault, continuing the basic strategy from previous games, launching a personal attack from the start.

With a series of between-the-legs dribbles, Iverson suddenly moved to the left, causing Jeter to hesitate. Iverson quickly changed direction and sprinted past from the right.

Outside the key, Iverson stopped and shot, but as the ball left his fingers, a hand appeared in the air.

"Bang!"

Josh Howard, seemingly out of nowhere, blocked Iverson's surefire mid-range shot.

Near the baseline, Devean George, who was defending Kyle Korver, immediately grabbed the ball and started a fast break.

The 76ers, except for Iverson and Iguodala, were all slow-footed and couldn't keep up with the Mavericks' quick counterattack.

After two passes, the ball reached Jeter, who stopped at the 45-degree three-point line and immediately shot a three-pointer.

The ball arced through the air and swished into the basket.

"Yeah!!"

The fans went wild, and the scoreboard showed the Mavericks leading 19-5 after a five-minute blitz.

Coach Cheeks called a timeout.

"MFFL! MFFL! MFFL!"

Even during the timeout, the Mavericks fans continued to chant, with MFFL standing for "Mavericks Forever and Forever," a slogan first proposed by team owner Mark Cuban and printed on T-shirts, becoming a secret signal for Mavericks fans.

"Truly formidable...!"

Seeing the fans' fervor, Cheeks' forehead dripped with sweat.

On the bench, the starting players looked exhausted. Hunter and Webber, who were not known for their speed, especially Webber, were worn out by Nowitzki's small forward style, leading to a rapid decline in stamina.

Korver, on the perimeter, became the focus of the Mavericks' attacks, with continuous screens forcing the 76ers to switch, allowing the highly offensive Jeter to attack Korver, causing continuous damage.

With both the interior and perimeter defenses breached, it was no surprise that the 76ers were trailing by a large margin.

"Hunter, Webber, and Korver rest. Chen, Salmons, and Williams come in!"

Cheeks drew a somewhat surprising tactical setup on the whiteboard and continued:

"In this lineup, Chen will play center. Stack the perimeter on the strong side, leave Allen alone at the top, and clear the left side. If there's an opportunity, go backdoor or shoot a three. If not, quickly pass to Allen, and Allen, you must get the ball to Chen immediately."

After drawing the complex tactical instructions, Cheeks looked at Chen with a determined expression and said, "Your task is to thoroughly dominate Dan Perkins...!"

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