Chapter 82

"Dirk — Nowitzki!!!"

At the American Airlines Center in Dallas, the home DJ, with his signature elongated tone, almost shouted out the name of the team's absolute core player, causing the entire crowd to erupt.

"Great job! Dirk!!!"

In the front row, Mark Cuban leaped to his feet in excitement, his belly jiggling with the movement as he high-fived the fans around him.

"Timeout! Timeout!"

The 76ers still had two timeouts left. Knowing that this was a critical moment, Cheeks didn't hesitate to use one of them.

On the sideline, all the players were gasping for breath. Playing against a team of the Mavericks' caliber, physical strength was just as important as willpower.

After all, apart from Dampier, every other player on the Mavericks had a knack for three-point shooting, especially Nowitzki, who, with the height of a center, the position of a power forward, and the playing style of a small forward, was a nightmare for all defenders.

Webber was so exhausted he could barely speak, gulping down sports drinks and trembling slightly in his legs.

If he were just five years younger, no, three years.

Just three years younger, and I wouldn't be afraid of Nowitzki. I could at least match him head-to-head!

Unfortunately, time doesn't spare anyone. A hero doesn't boast about his past glory. Now, Webber had the will but lacked the strength to turn the tide.

On the other side, Iverson was also panting heavily. This iron man had barely rested throughout the game. Although for a short period, the main offensive focus was on Chen Mu, for most of the game, Iverson was still the superstar with unlimited shooting rights, driving to the basket with the ball.

The Mavericks' perimeter players—Terry, Howard, Daniels, and Harris—rotated in defense, constantly draining Iverson's energy. Apart from two three-pointers, his mid-range shooting was inconsistent, forcing him to drive to the basket more often.

While he caused damage, the cost was a significant drain on his stamina.

"48 seconds, just 48 seconds more. Just one more basket, one more stop, and we can win this game on the road!"

Cheeks knew that at this point, any tactical adjustments were largely meaningless unless he was a tactical master like Pat Riley or the future Van Gundy. No matter how he set up the play, he could only ensure that the scoring point got the ball.

Whether the game could be won ultimately depended on the players' performance on the court.

"After the timeout, we'll run a 'Starburst'!"

Cheeks quickly drew the instructions on the whiteboard and explained, "On offense, make sure the ball ends up with Allen, then spread out at the top of the key, and drop the wings low."

He then looked at the team's offensive duo, Iverson and Chen Mu, and said, "Chen, you go up and set a screen for Allen in the middle, then fight for the offensive rebound!"

"Got it!"

The players nodded in agreement. Chen Mu and Iverson exchanged a glance, their eyes burning with unextinguished fighting spirit.

"We have to win this game, even if it means dying on the court!"

Chen Mu and Iverson, two players with completely different personalities, had the same thought at this moment.

The timeout ended.

Webber stepped out of bounds to inbound the ball. The 76ers players huddled together in a line in front of him.

"It's a Starburst!"

The Mavericks players were familiar with this tactic. The defenders immediately moved up, with Nowitzki interfering with Webber's pass, and the other players tangling with their defensive assignments to prevent easy runs to open spots.

"Beep!"

The referee's whistle blew, and the 76ers players suddenly scattered, like a cluster of stars exploding, quickly creating space in front of Webber.

This tactic, where players stand in a cluster and then suddenly spread out over a wide area when inbounding the ball, is called a Starburst.

In the decisive moments, to ensure that the team's best scorer or free-throw shooter gets the ball, many NBA teams choose this tactic. The sudden burst of movement just before the pass makes it difficult for the defense to judge which direction their man will run, often resulting in a good play and reducing the risk of a turnover.

"Chris!"

With a loud shout, Webber glanced and saw Iverson running back from a distance. Behind him, Chen Mu firmly blocked Daniels, giving Iverson a rare open space.

"Whoosh"

The basketball whizzed through the air, and Iverson smoothly caught it. The other 76ers players quickly spread out, with Korver and Iguodala taking positions at the corners, and Webber running to the paint, drawing Nowitzki with him.

Behind Iverson, Daniels had broken free from Chen Mu's screen and was closing in. Iverson performed a crossover dribble, easily shaking off Daniels, and then slowed down the pace.

"Score a steady basket!"

Iverson reminded his teammates, his eyes on the corner shooters while keeping an eye on the top of the key.

Chen Mu had quickly moved into position, hands covering his body, silently positioning himself next to Daniels.

Iverson drove to the basket, and Daniels, surprised by Chen Mu's agility, was blocked again. In the moment it took for Daniels to react, Iverson had already cut to the paint.

"Eric!"

Nowitzki urgently shouted. He couldn't leave Webber open on the weak side, nor could he let Iverson score a layup. His anxious eyes saw Dampier desperately retreating to the paint, and he was extremely worried.

Under the basket, Iverson took a step and leaped, holding the ball in his left hand, his eyes fixed on the rim, ready to lay it in.

Behind him, Dampier's footsteps echoed, his massive frame looming, hands raised to block Iverson's shot.

Daniels also retreated from the top of the key, standing just in front of Iverson. If Iverson missed, Daniels was in position to grab the rebound.

At this moment, Iverson chose to pass.

A behind-the-back pass, the basketball magically sailed past Dampier, and Chen Mu, who had already moved into position outside the strong-side three-second area, was ready to take a mid-range shot.

Behind Chen Mu, Howard, with his incredible defensive awareness, started to collapse as soon as Iverson drove to the basket. Seeing the pass to Chen Mu, Howard rushed to steal, reaching out from behind.

But just as his hand was about to touch the ball, the orange ball, as if coming to life, quickly changed direction under Chen Mu's control, bouncing off the ground.

A between-the-legs pass!

Howard was startled. Chen Mu had noticed his defensive movement and adjusted instantly, pulling the ball back and sending it between his legs. The ball hit the ground and accurately reached Iguodala, who had been waiting at the corner.

"Andre! Do it!!!"

Almost in sync with Iverson's shout, Iguodala, as if moved by a rhythm, smoothly caught the ball, bent his legs, and jumped, releasing the ball with a flick of his wrist.

"Swish"

The three-pointer went in, and the 76ers took the lead again!

98-96.

The score on the board made the fans quiet again. The 76ers' offense took less than 15 seconds, and there was still plenty of time left in the game.

The Mavericks' turn to attack.

In the 76ers' half, the Mavericks used their trump card. Terry and Nowitzki set a high screen, with Terry moving to the left and Nowitzki stepping back to the three-point line.

Terry passed horizontally, and Nowitzki caught the ball, facing Chen Mu, whose eyes were burning with intensity.

Another one-on-one!

The entire crowd held their breath, and Mark Cuban, too, was on the edge of his seat, eyes wide, intensely focused on the game.

A fake move, but Chen Mu didn't bite.

A dribble to the side, and Chen Mu followed closely.

A move back to the middle, and Chen Mu immediately stepped up.

Switching to a back-to-the-basket position, Chen Mu stayed tight, leaving the baseline open.

"Here we go again!"

Nowitzki knew that if he went to the baseline, he would fall into the 76ers' and Chen Mu's trap. On his side, Iguodala and Iverson were ready to pounce and steal.

If Nowitzki had his signature move from the future, Chen Mu wouldn't have to defend him; he could just let Dirk score.

But unfortunately, at this point, Nowitzki hadn't developed that unstoppable move.

After several failed attempts to shake off the defense, Nowitzki knew time was running out. He turned back to face the basket and opted for a step-back mid-range shot.

Oh no!

As soon as the ball left his hands, Nowitzki knew the game was over.

Basketball fans know that when you keep feeding the same player, their touch can build up, even after missing many shots, they will eventually find their rhythm.

But if you suddenly stop feeding them when they are about to get into a rhythm, they lose their sense of involvement, their rhythm gets disrupted, and it's hard to find their touch again.

In the earlier part of the game, Nowitzki had been on a roll, continuously dominating the 76ers' interior defense. But in the crucial latter part of the third quarter, Chen Mu disrupted his rhythm.

In the following game, Nowitzki never regained his initial form, falling from a god-like level to an average one.

Before the timeout, Nowitzki, after a series of unsuccessful attacks, hit a crucial three-pointer, and the entire crowd was ecstatic.

But only Nowitzki knew that the three-pointer had a lot of luck involved.

Taking advantage of Webber's inattention, Nowitzki caught the 76ers off guard with the three-pointer. The ball's arc was too high, his form was off, and his rhythm was a bit fast, making it a lucky shot.

If the game had continued, and he had scored one more basket, Nowitzki might have found his rhythm and returned to his unstoppable form.

But the 76ers called a timeout.

Now, facing Chen Mu's defense, Nowitzki's mindset had changed. He was less decisive in his shot, always suspecting that someone would come to help and steal the ball.

For a shooter, being decisive is crucial and can greatly affect their touch and rhythm.

Nowitzki, at this moment, was a shooter who had lost his rhythm.

"Clank"

The ball indeed missed the rim. Nowitzki watched in despair as Chen Mu jumped to grab the rebound, glanced at the clock, and saw that there were less than 20 seconds left. They had to foul.

Chen Mu knew his free-throwing wasn't great. Before Dampier could foul him, he saw a 76ers player in the corner of his eye and passed the ball.

The ball was caught by Iguodala, and the Mavericks implemented the foul strategy.

Standing at the free-throw line, Iguodala, despite the crowd's boos, made his first free throw.

Before the second free throw, all the Mavericks players were focused on the rim. If he missed, they would grab the rebound, call a timeout, and set up a final play to try to force overtime.

But Chen Mu didn't want to play overtime.

Iguodala's free throw had a slightly off arc. The players under the basket, both from the Mavericks and the 76ers, scrambled for position, gambling on the best rebound spot.

Chen Mu didn't need to guess the spot because he could already see it.

"Rebound...!!!"

The moment Iguodala released the ball, the rebound spot appeared. Chen Mu immediately turned, avoiding a direct confrontation with Dampier, and moved around the baseline to block Dampier.

The ball bounced high off the rim, and all the players jumped to contest it. Chen Mu also jumped.

Nowitzki, Dampier, Webber, and Howard, except for Chen Mu, had average jumping speeds.

But Chen Mu's jumping speed was his strongest asset.

As he soared through the air, the ball and the rim came closer. He raised his hands, leaving everyone behind, grabbed the ball in mid-air, and immediately went for a putback dunk.

"Bang!"

"Damn!"

On the sideline, Mark Cuban, seeing this, cursed and punched his seat in frustration.

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