Chapter 77

At the American Airlines Center in Dallas, the atmosphere among the fans reached its peak. Right from the start, the Mavericks unleashed a 19-5 run, electrifying the entire arena. Nowitzki, Terry, Howard, and Daniels, four players with explosive offensive firepower, continuously scored, turning the 76ers' half-court into their personal shooting range.

Especially against Webber, the former King's legs were no longer as agile, and he couldn't keep up with Nowitzki's pace. Webber was almost completely overwhelmed by Nowitzki's relentless attacks, and his stamina quickly drained.

To reclaim the advantage on the road, the 76ers couldn't rely solely on defense; they urgently needed to solve their offensive issues. After the game started, the 76ers, as usual, focused their offense on Allen Iverson. However, the Mavericks' overall defense was excellent, and no matter how bravely Iverson played, he couldn't drive the team's offense. The 76ers faced another tough challenge on their away trip, and if they couldn't quickly adjust, they risked a collapse.

From the two teams' strength, the gap was indeed quite significant. How could they solve their offensive problems? Cheeks proposed a bold suggestion.

After the timeout, the game resumed. In the frontcourt, Iverson passed the ball to the strong side. The Mavericks were surprised to see that three 76ers players were concentrated on the strong side, and even Iverson's position was biased towards the strong side, as if they were trying to break through from one side and engage the Mavericks head-on.

"Who cares who it is?"

On the weak side, Eric Dampier glanced sideways and saw Chen Mu, who had just come on, looking seriously at the ball's movement on the strong side. He sneered, "So what if you can shoot and pass? I practice against Dirk every day in training. Why would I be afraid of you?"

Chen Mu did not respond to Dampier's provocation. This big man, who once called himself the second-best center in the West and dismissed Yao Ming, indeed had a knack for defense.

At his peak, Dampier was a top defensive center, with excellent rebounding, footwork, and strength. He was solid, had long arms, and a great sense of positioning. Although Dampier was often mocked for his over-the-top confidence, he had real skills.

Moreover, he was right. In the Mavericks' training sessions, Dampier almost always faced Nowitzki, giving him a deep understanding of how to defend against a shooting big man.

Except for heavyweights like Shaquille O'Neal, shooting big men without a three-point range struggled against Dampier.

And Chen Mu was exactly the type of player Dampier enjoyed defending.

The ball movement on the strong side was not smooth. The Mavericks' players were quick and defensive, and the 76ers couldn't find an opening after several passes. In desperation, the ball was handed back to Iverson, who, without hesitation, made a straight pass. The ball landed in Chen Mu's hands.

"Defense! Defense! Defense!"

The fans chanted, and Dampier lowered his center of gravity, focusing intently on Chen Mu's movements, ready to give the new Chinese player a tough welcome.

Chen Mu held the ball and made a triple-threat move, but Dampier remained unmoved.

Chen Mu quickly raised the ball to fake a shot, and Dampier quickly moved up to pressure him.

Chen Mu turned to face the basket, then moved towards the baseline, with Dampier closely following, not giving any openings.

"Trouble, this guy is completely focused on defense and doesn't care about offense. If this continues, he'll eat me alive..."

Chen Mu felt uneasy as the 24-second clock was running out. In desperation, he chose to take a mid-range shot near the baseline.

"Clank"

The ball hit the rim. As soon as he released the shot, Chen Mu started moving, eyes on the green rim, ready to fight for the offensive rebound.

However, Dampier's positioning skills came into play. He quickly turned, spread his arms wide, and made a perfect block, pinning Chen Mu behind him. Then, with a push, he moved Chen Mu half a step away and easily grabbed the rebound.

"This guy, he must have watched countless game tapes. His defense is flawless..."

Chen Mu was startled, watching Dampier pass the ball as the Mavericks began their offense. His unease grew.

Since activating the "Tough Rebounder" badge in the game against the Pistons, Chen Mu's rebounding had become even more exceptional. Although the stats didn't show a significant increase, those who watched the games knew it was because Chen Mu had become smarter, giving up some obvious defensive rebounds to the perimeter players to facilitate quick counterattacks.

In offensive rebounding, Chen Mu used his quick jump and the badge to constantly harass the ball, often snatching it from behind the opposing big man, becoming a "fixed melody" in every 76ers game and a hallmark of Chen Mu.

But Dampier, at the moment Chen Mu was about to jump for the rebound, used a sudden push to negate Chen Mu's jump, then started his own rebounding. This timing and coordination were not something that could be learned from a few game highlights.

Before facing the 76ers, Dampier had watched countless tapes of Chen Mu's games. The Mavericks' coach, Avery Johnson, had given him a strict order:

"Don't let the Chinese kid run wild in Dallas!"

So far, Dampier had done an excellent job.

The Mavericks' offense was different from the 76ers' cautious style. The players quickly moved the ball, playing with flair. The ball eventually reached Howard, who made a mid-range shot, extending the lead to 21-5.

"Be decisive! Chen, be decisive!"

Cheeks was frantic, shouting from the sidelines, wishing he could go on the court to help, clearly dissatisfied with the team's performance.

"Haha, Chinese kid, you were great against the Pistons, right? You were so proud against the Suns, right? Come on, try again!"

Dampier knew the importance of timing in provocation. During the transition, he taunted Chen Mu from angles the referee couldn't see, making Chen Mu feel frustrated but unsure how to turn the tide.

"Chen!"

Another failed offensive attempt, Iverson passed the ball to Chen Mu, his eyes full of trust, signaling Chen Mu to quickly break through and open up the game.

"Phew..."

Facing the basket, Chen Mu took a deep breath, looking at the rim, wishing for the first time that he had Iverson's cutting skills to directly dominate his opponent.

Which move should he use? A quick jump shot? A dribble to the perimeter and a turnaround shot? A fake move to create space for a mid-range shot? Or a step-back mid-range shot?

Chen Mu quickly ran through all the offensive options in his mind, but each time, Dampier saw through his moves, forcing him to take a contested shot.

Seeing Dampier's defensive stance, always half a step away, ready to prevent his mid-range shots, Chen Mu knew his offensive playbook was completely read by this big man.

What should he do?

"Chen! Time!!!"

Iverson was anxious, loudly reminding Chen Mu of the time. The 24-second clock was almost up, leaving Chen Mu only a few seconds.

No time to think, just attack!

Chen Mu made up his mind, put aside his doubts, and started dribbling to break through.

"Oh...?!"

Dampier was surprised by Chen Mu's choice, quickly stepping back to block the path, ready to block the shot.

Chen Mu didn't change his strategy, accelerating and trying to break through from Dampier's left side. He reached the basket and, without hesitation, leaped to attack.

Dampier didn't expect Chen Mu to be so determined, quickly jumping to block. After a collision in the air, the referee's whistle blew.

"Mavericks 25, defensive foul!"

Dampier sighed, and his teammates consoled him. Chen Mu walked to the free-throw line, making one of two.

"Great, that's it!"

On the way back, Iverson patted Chen Mu's head, who was still dejected, and shouted, "Your jump is better than his, your quickness is faster, and your footwork is better. We've cleared the side, no one can steal the ball from you. Just break through him!"

"..."

Iverson's words woke Chen Mu up. He was stunned, but everything suddenly made sense.

Yes, why can't I break through, find contact, and use my speed and jump to draw fouls, forcing Dampier out of the game...?

Before, Chen Mu was confused by his offensive playbook. His weakest point was breaking through, and his dribbling was unstable. If someone double-teamed him, they could easily steal the ball.

But now, his teammates had cleared the side, and Dampier wasn't a great ball thief. Even if he charged through, Dampier couldn't stop him!

"I get it!"

The confusion in Chen Mu's eyes disappeared, replaced by confidence and determination. He nodded and focused on defense.

The Mavericks' offense failed, and Chen Mu grabbed the rebound and passed the ball. In the frontcourt, the 76ers gave the rookie enough trust, clearing the space for the third time, allowing Chen Mu to go one-on-one with Dampier.

This time, Chen Mu didn't hesitate, immediately dribbling to break through, using his body to resist Dampier's push, advancing to the center, and then powerfully jumping to dunk over Dampier.

"Wow!!!"

The 76ers players were thrilled, and the noise in the American Airlines Center suddenly quieted.

"Haha, I love this silence!"

Chen Mu released his pent-up frustration, making a shushing gesture to the fans.

"Sorry, second-best center."

Looking at Dampier, who was still stunned by the sudden change, Chen Mu smiled to himself, "I'm about to start my show...!"

Nowitzki made a mid-range shot from the free-throw line, and the 76ers didn't lose heart, quickly passing the ball out of bounds.

In the frontcourt, Chen Mu faced Dampier for the fourth time, choosing to break through again.

On the weak side, Terry saw the danger and quickly moved to help, trying to steal the ball from Chen Mu. But just as he was about to touch the ball, it suddenly disappeared.

At the top of the key, Iverson received the incredible pass, immediately taking a three-pointer, and roared as he high-fived Chen Mu.

"Great job!"

Chen Mu finally found his rhythm, and Cheeks was overjoyed, shouting encouragement for his player.

Under the basket, Dampier was frustrated, slamming the ball and shaking his head as he passed the ball out of bounds.

As the game progressed, the Mavericks, who had been applying intense defensive pressure, began to show signs of fatigue. Terry missed a three-pointer, and Chen Mu grabbed the rebound.

"Fast break!"

Chen Mu, holding the ball, didn't even look at Dampier's position, immediately making a long pass. Iguodala caught the ball in mid-air and passed it to Iverson at the top of the key.

Iverson quickly dribbled, constantly looking at his teammates' fast breaks. The Mavericks' defense was fierce, not giving the 76ers an easy opportunity to score.

But Iverson knew that behind him, a yellow-skinned big man was sprinting non-stop.

"Whoosh"

The ball was passed horizontally, and Chen Mu caught it just inside the three-point line, taking three steps to attack the basket.

Behind him, Dampier was panting, trying to catch up but unable to match Chen Mu's speed. Seeing Chen Mu about to dunk, he had no choice but to grab Chen Mu's jersey.

"Beep beep!"

The referee's whistle blew, calling Dampier's second foul, but Chen Mu had already gained momentum like a bullet, and no one could stop him from bombing the basket. His body jolted by Dampier's pull, he gritted his teeth and continued sprinting, raising his right hand high, and the ball flew in a brutal arc, slamming into the rim.

"Mavericks 25, defensive foul, two points good!"

"..."

The referee's call echoed, and the entire arena fell silent. Many fans were wide-eyed, unable to believe what they had just seen.

"Roar...!!!"

Chen Mu roared as he landed, chest-bumping Iguodala in celebration.

Behind him, Dampier looked bewildered, and Coach Avery Johnson was jumping up and down, angrily berating Dampier.

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