Chapter 90

"Good ball!!"

"Heavens! That block was incredible!"

"Chen, great job!!"

On the 76ers' bench, almost all the players jumped up from their seats, frantically waving their towels and cheering for Chen Mu's block.

However, on the court, the 76ers players noticed something was wrong.

"Uh... Ahhhh...!"

Under their team's basket, Chen Mu, who had just completed a stunning block, fell to the ground for some reason, clutching his calf tightly with both hands, his legs curling up unnaturally.

Chen Mu kept groaning softly, his jersey drenched in sweat, his expression showing intense pain.

"It's cramping!"

Weber, the closest to Chen Mu, immediately noticed the abnormality and rushed over to check on him.

"Leg... my leg... uh..."

The pain was so intense that Chen Mu couldn't even form a complete sentence, his voice trembling.

If before, when he was on the verge of cramping, Chen Mu could still rely on his willpower and fighting spirit to endure the pain,

then when his legs actually started cramping, the excruciating pain that shot through him made it impossible for him to remain calm, even with his iron will.

The pain from cramping, though brief, is intense and sharp. When the calf cramps, it feels as if someone is using a sharp knife to continuously prod the tendons. The intense pain is overwhelming, and even the toughest men can't endure it.

This pain, combined with the pain from a sprained ankle, is known as one of the two most severe pains in basketball.

Weber's shouts were right beside him, but Chen Mu couldn't respond. He felt the pain in his legs completely out of control, involuntarily curling up, almost making him faint.

In the NBA, unlike in casual pickup games where a teammate can simply help stretch the foot and straighten the leg,

to prevent misjudgment and potential long-term effects, every injury must be promptly confirmed by the team doctor before any treatment can be administered.

Iverson immediately called a timeout, and Iguodala signaled to the bench, where Cheeks, who was staring worriedly at Chen Mu, made a substitution gesture.

The referee's whistle signaled the timeout, and the 76ers' team doctor immediately rushed onto the court with various diagnostic and emergency treatment tools to assess Chen Mu's condition.

"It's not serious, it's just cramping."

After a thorough examination, the doctor made his diagnosis, and all the 76ers players and staff on the court and bench let out a sigh of relief.

After a brief emergency treatment, the doctor led Chen Mu back to the bench and began treating him with professional techniques.

The timeout was about to end, and the court was still short one player. Cheeks, with no choice, substituted in Hunter, and the game resumed.

"You're too intense."

After the treatment, the doctor began massaging Chen Mu's calf muscles and said, "You should have felt it coming before the cramp. I noticed your movements were already unnatural during the previous runs and jumps."

"Um... it did hurt a bit at the time," Chen Mu nodded.

"A bit? How many years have you been playing basketball? Five? Ten?"

The doctor gave Chen Mu a reproachful look and continued, "You're not that old, but you've been playing for a while, right? You should know which kind of pain can lead to cramping! When you feel it coming, you should immediately signal to Coach Cheeks to come off the court for treatment. You might have been able to play the last two minutes of the game!"

"Wait... what did you say?"

Chen Mu was stunned, bending down and grabbing the doctor's hands, "You mean I can't play in this game anymore??"

"Of course not!"

The doctor angrily shook off Chen Mu's "iron grip" and continued, "There are only two minutes left in the game, and your condition can't be resolved in just a few minutes!"

"No... this can't happen, this absolutely can't happen!"

Chen Mu shook his head vigorously and said loudly, "We're still behind, the team needs me, I need to get back on the court and fight!"

"Forget it." The doctor insisted, "Fight? I'm telling you, in two minutes, you might not even be able to walk onto the court!"

"I..."

Chen Mu felt very frustrated, his jaw clenched tightly. He looked at the situation on the court, wishing he could have some superpower to instantly recover all his energy and get back on the court to fight.

After the timeout, due to Jamison's shot being blocked by Chen Mu, the Wizards' 24-second shot clock expired without touching the rim, and the ball went to the 76ers.

Perhaps inspired by Chen Mu's fighting spirit, the 76ers seemed to have forgotten their fatigue. After some teamwork, Iverson had a sudden inspiration and made a backhand pass to Hunter, who was completely open under the basket. Hunter roared as he slammed the ball through the hoop.

The score was now down to a 3-point difference!

"Chen, I understand how you feel."

Hearing Chen Mu's conversation with the doctor, Cheeks said, "But the doctor is right. I can't let you play in this game."

"But..."

Chen Mu tried to argue, but Cheeks waved his hand and frowned, "I'm not negotiating with you. This is a tactical decision and an order from me as the head coach!"

Under the doctor's massage and treatment, the pain in Chen Mu's legs gradually subsided, but his unease grew.

On the court, Hunter, who had just returned, seemed full of energy. He not only interfered with Haywood's put-back on defense but also scored continuously on offense.

After Weber, who was holding the ball on the strong side, attracted a double team from the Wizards, Iverson found an opening and cut into the paint. Weber passed the ball to him, and Haywood immediately came to defend. Iverson then made a no-look pass.

Hunter caught the ball under the basket and, as if venting his frustration, leaped high and slammed the ball through the hoop.

"Good ball!!!"

The 76ers' bench erupted in cheers. With this shot, the team was only one point behind, and the score could be overturned at any moment!

In contrast, the MCI Center was eerily quiet. In fact, since the 5-minute mark of the fourth quarter, the Wizards had only scored 4 points from Jamison's layup, and the home team was in a scoring drought.

The 76ers, on the other hand, were on a roll, scoring continuously. Weber seemed to have regained his youth, being unstoppable in the post. Iverson and Covington were also warming up, and Hunter was scoring at an unprecedented rate.

95-96, after a 10-4 run, the 76ers were only one point behind on the road.

On the court, after his dunk, Hunter glared fiercely at Haywood. The usually quiet big man had never shown such a fierce expression, looking as if he wanted to devour Haywood.

On his way back to defend, Hunter passed by the bench and, seemingly casually, gave Chen Mu a thumbs-up and patted his chest, giving him a determined look.

"You did great, the rest is up to me!"

Chen Mu knew that this was what Hunter wanted to say.

At the far end of the court, Iguodala kept his eyes fixed on Jamison, constantly moving to interfere, making it impossible for him to shake free.

Weber also returned to the basket. Though he was already panting and seemed about to collapse, his eyes showed a rare determination, gritting his teeth and continuing to battle with Jeffries.

On the weak side, Covington, though calm, was more active in his defensive steps than usual. Despite his disadvantages in speed, jumping ability, strength, and agility, he managed to keep Butler from getting the ball, making it difficult for him to even catch it.

Yes, even if I'm not on the court, there are still them, right?

Even in the original timeline, where I didn't exist as a "76er," they still fought in every game, battling continuously.

Even if I temporarily leave the court and can't fight with them, does that mean we will definitely lose the game?

"Defense!!!"

Feeling the determination of his teammates, Chen Mu was also infected by the atmosphere. He suddenly cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, almost scaring the doctor who was massaging him.

On the bench, the other players also turned to look, moved by the sincere and determined look in Chen Mu's eyes. They looked at each other and then imitated Chen Mu, starting to chant together.

"Defense!"

"Defense!"

"Defense!!"

The 76ers' team chants quickly sparked a "counterattack" from the fans. The massive wave of sound immediately drowned out the shouts of the dozen or so players.

But even so, the players didn't give up and continued to cheer for their teammates.

The game time had reached the last minute, and the 76ers' defense was excellent. Arenas had no passing lanes and reluctantly chose to take a jump shot.

Whether it was due to fatigue or the full interference from Iverson, the shot missed.

Though not on the court, Chen Mu could still see the rebound's landing point. He desperately wanted to help Hunter grab the rebound, but in reality, Hunter's positioning was completely wrong.

The ball bounced off the rim and flew to the far end of the court where Hunter was.

Under the basket, Jeffries had already broken free from Weber's positioning and was waiting at the optimal landing point. Chen Mu was extremely anxious, watching as the rebound was about to be grabbed by Jeffries.

At that moment, a slender figure suddenly cut in from beyond the three-point line, like a bolt of lightning, rushing into the paint. One step behind Jeffries, he leaped high, fearlessly charging into the air.

"Allen!!!"

Chen Mu was shocked. The 183 cm tall, slender figure seemed to have grown taller, rising above the big men, extending his thin arms, and snatching the rebound from above everyone else.

"Fast break...!!!"

After landing, Iverson's eyes blazed with determination as he started dribbling.

Iguodala and Covington on the wings had already started their fast break, but their speed couldn't keep up with Iverson's dribbling.

Easily shaking off Arenas, Iverson sped down the court and, near the basket, took off and scored with a rare one-handed dunk.

"......!"

The entire crowd was stunned by Iverson's determination and speed, and the cheers instantly quieted.

After landing, Iverson didn't roar or celebrate. He just turned around, looked at the bench, pointed at the stunned Chen Mu, and then lightly tapped his chest with his right fist.

"This one is for you, brother."

Chen Mu felt a lump in his throat, and a long-lost emotion welled up deep within him.

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