Chapter 81

"wo——ho！！！"

After receiving Iguodala's long pass and landing after a side-body tomahawk dunk, Chen Mu let out a long cry, a sound identical to the one Dirk Nowitzki had just made.

Even the most obtuse person could sense that Chen Mu's action was a direct provocation to Nowitzki.

"Chinese kid, his ability to adjust is terrifying...!"

Nowitzki was unhappy, but he couldn't help but admit it. Although in one-on-one offense, Nowitzki could easily dominate Chen Mu as easily as eating or drinking water.

However, after a series of successful offensive plays, Chen Mu suddenly changed his approach. He abandoned his previous obsession with challenging Nowitzki one-on-one and began to play a cat-and-mouse game with him.

When Nowitzki took a shot, Chen Mu would step up to contest and disrupt his rhythm.

When Nowitzki dribbled to the strong side baseline, Iguodala and Iverson would quickly double-team him, attempting to steal the ball before he could shoot.

When Nowitzki moved to the middle, Chen Mu would use all his strength to block him, even if it meant committing a few fouls.

This highly targeted defensive strategy, if it were devised by Cheeks, would be surprising.

After all, the teams Cheeks coached were never known for their defense, a fact that was almost universally known in the NBA.

From the current situation, it was clear that this was partly due to the默契 (mòqì,默契 means "understanding" or "chemistry") among the 76ers players, who had played together for a long time, and partly due to Chen Mu, the rookie, who had spontaneously utilized his team's defensive habits.

"How can a rookie, who hasn't even played many professional games, have such a terrifying ability to adjust?"

Nowitzki felt a growing unease. Although Chen Mu's defensive skills were still lacking, Nowitzki could still dominate him at any time.

However, given the talent and potential Chen Mu had already shown, becoming a competent defender seemed to be just a matter of time.

If this rookie played for another one or two seasons, how much better would his understanding of the game and his ability to control the flow of the game become?

Even Nowitzki couldn't predict that.

The game continued on the court.

After several failed offensive attempts, Nowitzki faced Chen Mu for the fourth time. This time, he managed to score with a strong shot. However, on the next play, Chen Mu quickly transferred the ball from the weak side three-point line, leading his teammates to the basket for a layup.

On the fifth one-on-one matchup, Nowitzki's mindset was already slightly off balance. Focused on thoroughly dominating the rookie, he failed to adjust his shooting form, and the ball bounced off the rim and out.

"Run!!!"

Chen Mu leaped up, using his incredible speed to grab the rebound from the other side, and then launched a fast break.

The continuous fast-paced offense and defense put immense pressure on the Mavericks' players. Especially after not touching the ball for five consecutive offensive plays, the backcourt players were slightly lax.

Facing Harris's defense, Iverson's fighting spirit was ignited. He used Chen Mu's screen to break into the paint, battling with Diop and scoring with an incredible reverse layup, drawing a foul on Diop.

With the free throw made, the 76ers took control of the game in the latter half of the third quarter.

In the following game, the Mavericks adjusted their tactics, no longer relying solely on Nowitzki for one-on-one plays. Instead, they focused on the weak side.

Howard and Terry took turns attacking, executing several impressive plays. However, due to the long time without scoring, their hands were cold, and they only managed to score once in four attempts, with the other three resulting in rebounds for Chen Mu.

The 76ers, on the other hand, maintained their rhythm. The seemingly tireless Iverson constantly moved, finding opportunities from the weak side three-point line. After receiving Chen Mu's unpredictable pass, he hit a three-pointer, narrowing the score.

When the third quarter ended, the 76ers had reduced the score to 66-72, a mere 6-point gap!

"Stay aggressive, stay fighting! We still have a chance in this game!"

During the break, Cheeks, rekindling hope for victory, loudly encouraged the players with motivational words.

"In the first half of the fourth quarter, Lewis, you need to increase your penetration. Their interior defense is weak, and Diop is hesitant to make big defensive moves. If you can draw a few fouls, we can take control of the paint!"

Cheeks drew up the tactics on the board, setting up several consecutive screens and pick-and-rolls, designed to have the smaller players attack the basket.

"Hunter, you go in for a while. The most important thing in chasing the score is defense. Dirk played the entire third quarter, and their starters haven't rested much. The first half of the fourth quarter is our best chance. Even if we can't take the lead, we must prevent their bench players from scoring easily, especially in the paint!"

Hunter nodded, exchanged a glance with Chen Mu, and without a word, both understood their roles on the team.

Chen Mu was the rebounder, the fast-break finisher and initiator, the half-court shooting threat, and the mid-post playmaker, primarily contributing on the offensive end.

Hunter, on the other hand, was the opposite. He had no offensive killer moves but was a solid defender with good rim protection. With him on the court, the opponents' perimeter penetration was significantly reduced.

This offensive and defensive combination, though not often on the court simultaneously, was crucial for the 76ers at this moment.

The fourth quarter began quickly, with both teams sending in their bench players, including Chen Mu, to rest and prepare for the final showdown.

The 76ers, seen by many as underdogs, had a chance to win against the powerful Mavericks on the road, even after trailing by more than ten points at the start. This scenario would have been hard to believe before the game.

The Mavericks' bench still had strong offensive firepower, but the 76ers' tactics were clear, and they were determined to attack the paint. The game between the bench players was intense, and the score remained close.

74-80, still a 6-point gap, with less than 7 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

After a dead ball, both coaches sent in their strongest lineups. Johnson knew that the strategy of using Dirk as the center had been countered by the 76ers, specifically by Chen Mu. Any new tactics at this point would not be effective.

Moreover, Iverson had found his rhythm, familiarized himself with Harris's defensive habits, and was regaining his touch. So Johnson sent in the full starting lineup, determined to win the game.

"Chen, see that?"

Before the game resumed, Iverson, satisfied with Chen Mu's transformation, patted him on the shoulder and pointed to the Mavericks' paint: "They've put Diop back in. Do you need me to tell you what to do?"

"No."

Chen Mu's eyes were filled with determination, the anger from being dominated by Nowitzki for several rounds now focused on Diop.

"I'll blow him up...!"

The game resumed.

The 76ers had the ball first. Familiar positioning and coordination, Chen Mu waited on the weak side, set a screen for Iverson to create space, and then turned to face the basket, hands open, ready to receive the ball.

Iverson came to the top of the key, the ball came from the strong side, and with Daniels defending, Iverson didn't hesitate, passing the ball directly to Chen Mu.

"Eric, come on...!"

On the sidelines, a middle-aged, overweight fan in a blue Mavericks jersey clenched his fists, his face tense, cheering for his team.

Mark Cuban, the owner of the Mavericks, one of the most passionate basketball owners in the league, was almost playing a real-life basketball manager game with his actual assets.

"See someone good and make an offer, I'm not short of money," was the creed of this controversial and passionate owner.

In this game, Cuban seemed to have found his next target.

"Swish"

After receiving the ball, Chen Mu faked a strong drive, causing Diop to step back half a step, and then hit a mid-range shot.

On defense, Chen Mu's eyes were filled with determination, scanning the court with a fierce look, making the fans at the American Airlines Center feel a bit intimidated.

Is this guy really a rookie...?

On offense, the Mavericks returned to their infinite one-on-one strategy, with Terry and Howard taking turns breaking through and passing out, while Daniels and Nowitzki attempted long shots, but missed.

"Counterattack!"

After grabbing the rebound, Chen Mu shouted, passing the ball, and then sprinted to the front court. Diop chased him desperately but couldn't keep up.

Receiving the ball near the free-throw line, Chen Mu stopped, and Diop quickly turned to block him. By the time Diop reached Chen Mu, the ball was already gone.

"Nice pass!"

From the three-point line, Korver, who had been frustrated and unable to score for most of the game, finally got his chance and hit a three-pointer, reducing the gap to just 1 point!

"MS! MS! MS! MS!"

Led by the DJ, the fans in the arena suddenly realized their team might be about to be overturned and began to cheer for their team.

However, the momentum of the game was now firmly in the 76ers' hands.

Back and forth, the 76ers' shooting slightly declined, but their strategy of attacking the paint remained clear. Except for Chen Mu, who had the small "privilege" of passing to the perimeter based on the situation, the other players almost always attacked the basket.

Under repeated attacks, Diop's defense completely broke down. Nowitzki was not good at help defense and was controlling Webber one-on-one well. However, with the paint breached, Iverson and Iguodala hit key shots, allowing the 76ers to regain the lead after the second quarter.

95-93, there was still a chance!

The 76ers were united, with less than a minute left in the game. If they could defend this possession, their chances of winning were high!

However, just as the 76ers were determined to show the league powerhouse Mavericks a thing or two, the German tank fired again.

"Swish"

From beyond the three-point line, without any warning, he shot with his signature high arc, and the ball fell into the basket like a bomb.

Dirk Nowitzki, as usual, tugged at the corner of his jersey and confidently retreated on defense.

With 48 seconds left, the game was 95-96, and the Mavericks had regained the lead at home...!

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