Chapter 78

"Good ball!!!"

Inside the American Airlines Center in Dallas, the first quarter of the game between the Mavericks and the 76ers was about to end.

With only about 3 seconds left in the first quarter, after Chen Mu, the 76ers' substitute big man, came onto the court, he did not continue the pattern of playing like a god in one game and a devil in the next during the road trip. Instead, he burst into action, bringing immediate and noticeable benefits to the team.

Upon entering the game, Chen Mu was initially somewhat quiet, finding it difficult to get past Dan皮尔. However, with the help of Allen Iverson, Chen Mu quickly found his rhythm, continuously using footwork and quickness to break through and challenge Dan皮尔, overpowering him.

Due to the 76ers' extremely well-executed tactics, the rest of the team was concentrated on the strong side, which, under this peculiar strategy, gave Chen Mu ample space to play. Even with his poor ball-handling skills, he didn't have to worry about being stripped.

In fact, the Mavericks quickly responded, with the closest defender on the strong side coming to help.

However, this allowed Chen Mu's passing skills to shine, as he consistently delivered brilliant passes at the brink of being stripped, assisting his teammates on the perimeter to score.

On the other hand, the Mavericks' starting lineup began to show signs of fatigue from the continuous high-intensity play.

Their shooting accuracy declined, and their defensive focus waned. Especially after Dan皮尔, the starting center, picked up two fouls and had to leave the game, the substitute Diop, who was even slower, had no answer for Chen Mu.

As the gap narrowed, the 76ers kept scoring, and the other players also started to contribute. The score quickly closed.

With a successful mid-range jump shot on the move, the score became 21-27, with the 76ers trailing.

"Very good, playing very well!"

In the final three seconds, the Mavericks' long-range three-point attempt missed, and the game entered the break. Cheeks was very satisfied with the players' performance, nodding and praising them.

"Dan皮尔 is out, and Diop's footwork is even more vulnerable. Chen, you need to be aggressive in your drives. If you can force Dan皮尔 back onto the court and get him another foul early, we will have the upper hand in the paint for this game!"

Cheeks' strategy was very precise. With two fouls in the first quarter, it was unlikely that Coach Johnson would bring Dan皮尔 back at the start of the second quarter.

With Dan皮尔 as a cautionary example, Diop would be more cautious when defending Chen Mu, not easily reaching out. Even if Chen Mu scored, he wouldn't accumulate too many fouls early on.

Apart from Dan皮尔 and Diop, the only other center on the Mavericks' roster was Mbenga. Fans familiar with the Congolese player knew that defending a mobile big man wasn't his strong suit.

As for the Russian giant, Podkolzin, who was touted as the next great big man after Shaq, combining height, weight, and agility... well, that was a different story.

So, the key in the first half of the second quarter was: Would Chen Mu wear down Diop to the point where Coach Johnson had no choice but to bring Dan皮尔 back, or would Diop perform well enough to give Dan皮尔 enough rest until Chen Mu was exhausted?

Cheeks was betting on the former.

The break ended quickly, and the referee signaled for both teams to prepare for the second quarter. The 76ers, after a collective cheer, marched onto the court with their heads held high.

At this point, the 76ers had completely switched to their bench lineup, led by Chen Mu. The Mavericks also brought in Daryl Armstrong, Harris, Stackhouse, Van Horn, and Diop.

When the game resumed, the Mavericks' fans were disappointed to find that Dan皮尔's departure allowed Chen Mu's performance to continue to shine even more brightly.

A close-range floater after a strong drive.

A two-handed reverse dunk after a baseline spin.

A mid-range shot over a defender (showing his pervert side, the scene was unbearable).

A missed hook shot followed by a rebound and a foul on the second attempt.

A finger roll from just inside the free-throw line.

A putback after multiple offensive rebounds.

A quick pass to activate the offense after a weak-side help defense.

A mid-range shot on the fast break.

...

The first half of the second quarter was like a personal offensive showcase for Chen Mu. Diop, who was slower and less experienced and skilled than Dan皮尔, was adept at defending heavy weapons but was as slow as a tree stump against Chen Mu's mobility.

Coach Johnson, who was often criticized for his lack of in-game adjustments, did nothing in the face of such a brutal situation. He watched helplessly as the team's lead was gradually eroded, and only called a timeout when the 76ers took the lead halfway through the second quarter.

40-38, the 76ers had taken the lead on the road.

"Chen, can you hold on for a few more minutes?"

As soon as he came off the court, Cheeks didn't praise Chen Mu as expected. Instead, he frowned and looked at the Mavericks' bench, asking, "Just two to three minutes, can you hold on until about three minutes left in the second quarter? Can you handle it?"

"My stamina is fine, after all, I came in late in the first quarter," Chen Mu nodded, then asked, puzzled, "But Coach, your rotation has always been fixed. Why the sudden change?"

"First, I don't want Hunter to go up against their defensive center. Second..."

Cheeks narrowed his eyes and looked at the big man in the 25 jersey on the Mavericks' bench, continuing, "If you can quickly get another foul on Dan皮尔 after the timeout, forcing him off the court, our chances of winning will be much higher...!"

"I see."

Chen Mu thought for a moment and nodded, "Indeed, as long as he has a mental block and is afraid to make a move when defending me, I'll be unstoppable in this game!"

"Exactly, so in the two minutes after the timeout, even if you're exhausted, you need to find a way to get another foul on him!" Cheeks gave Chen Mu his full trust, ready to let him try again.

The timeout ended quickly, and the players returned to the court. On the 76ers' side, Iverson, Webber, Iguodala, and Covington returned to the lineup, with Chen Mu as the center, forming the team's strongest offensive lineup, clearly preparing to dominate the second quarter and suppress the Mavericks.

On the Mavericks' side, the entire starting lineup was back on the court. But just as Dan皮尔 was about to step onto the court, Coach Johnson saw that the 76ers had left Chen Mu on the court and immediately pulled Dan皮尔 back, then signaled for Harris to enter.

"Is this allowed?!"

Cheeks was unhappy with the opponent's last-minute adjustment and argued with the referee. However, the referee ruled that since Dan皮尔 hadn't stepped onto the court and the game hadn't restarted, the substitution was valid.

"With this lineup, how do they plan to play...?!"

Chen Mu was also surprised. The previous tactics and strategies were now useless, and the Mavericks' lineup was also highly aggressive, suggesting an intense clash was about to unfold.

"Beep"

The whistle blew, and the game resumed. The Mavericks took the first possession, and despite the last-minute adjustment, the players on the court showed no signs of panic, each running to their familiar positions, demonstrating the strict and precise tactical drills the Mavericks practiced daily.

Chen Mu thus faced the biggest defensive challenge of his NBA career.

"Swish"

In a strong-side triangle formation, after a cross-screen with Terry, Harris passed the ball to the paint. Dirk, who had just set a screen for Terry, received the ball near the three-second area, took a quick look, and immediately scored a two-point shot without even glancing at Chen Mu.

The score was tied.

"Chen, get up close, don't let Dirk shoot easily!"

Iguodala shouted loudly to Chen Mu, reminding him to focus on his defense. Chen Mu nodded helplessly, participating in the offense while inwardly grumbling:

"Easier said than done, how many players in the league can stay close to Dirk?"

On the offensive end, Iverson held the ball at the top of the arc, preparing to go one-on-one. However, the Mavericks used Harris as the point guard, whose quickness was legendary, even setting a Guinness record for dribbling across the court, causing Iverson a lot of trouble with constant harassment and movement.

"Clank"

Iverson's shot missed, and Chen Mu had already cut into the paint.

Compared to Dan皮尔, Nowitzki's positioning was much worse. Chen Mu, knowing the rebound's landing spot, got there early and snatched the ball with both hands. Just as he was about to attack the basket, a hand reached out from behind.

With a slap, Nowitzki easily stripped the ball from Chen Mu and passed it to Harris for a fast break.

Chen Mu turned and chased desperately. In terms of speed, he was on par with Nowitzki, but he had started slower and couldn't catch up.

Nowitzki took long strides to the front court, and before he even reached the three-point line, the ball flew in from the wing.

Receiving the telepathic pass from Harris, Nowitzki didn't hesitate, taking a quick shot from just outside the three-point line.

Chen Mu, chasing from behind, couldn't avoid the collision, even though he tried to sidestep, he still hit Nowitzki's body.

"Beep beep!"

With the referee's whistle, Nowitzki fell to the ground, and the ball, already released, drew a high "Nowitzki arc" and swished through the net.

"Swish!"

"Roar!!! Dirk—Nowitzki!!!"

The three-pointer went in, and Nowitzki was awarded a free throw. He smiled his trademark smile, stood up with the help of his teammates, and was greeted by the deafening cheers of the crowd.

"Damn...!"

Seeing Nowitzki step to the free-throw line and make the free throw, the lead widened to 4 points. Chen Mu couldn't help but curse under his breath, looking back at Coach Johnson, who was seriously directing the defense, gaining a new respect for the small, black-skinned coach.

"Using Dirk as the center, suppressing me on both ends of the court. Coach, that's a pretty ruthless move...!"