Chapter 95

The halftime break ended, and the Wachovia Center arena resumed the final regular-season game of the 2005-2006 season.

After the opening, the tactics deployed by Coach Cheeks in the middle of the court proved successful. Allen Iverson unleashed his full offensive power, and his teammates provided screens and ball distribution to create shooting opportunities for him.

Iverson lived up to everyone's expectations, hitting his signature pull-up jump shots one after another, continuously adding points to the team's score.

The Bucks did not back down either. Although Michael Redd was not a superstar, his three-point shooting and penetration skills caused significant trouble for the 76ers' defense.

Terry Stotts, the coach who had served as an assistant under the renowned George Karl and was thus favored by Bucks owner Herb Kohl, made a bold substitution. He replaced the underperforming T.J. Ford with backup point guard and chaos specialist Mo Williams.

In terms of defense, Mo Williams and Ford were about the same, not bad but not great either.

Faced with Iverson's explosive performance, both of them were helpless, getting shredded by Iverson's drives.

However, Mo Williams had a more accurate outside shot, which could create space for Redd and the twin towers in the paint. After receiving the "hot potato" from the perimeter, he could also hit precise jump shots.

This substitution brought many changes to the Bucks' offense. The perimeter players began to step up, while the interior players held their ground under the basket, occasionally grabbing offensive rebounds. The Bucks, with their balanced attack and defense, did not let the 76ers' aggressive offense overwhelm them.

"AI! AI! AI!"

Despite this, Iverson's outstanding performance, especially his versatility on offense, thrilled the Philadelphia fans. Every time Iverson scored or dished out an assist, the arena erupted in cheers, with countless fans waving large headshots, creating a lively atmosphere.

Born in Virginia but becoming a son of Philadelphia, Iverson's career was like a legend. No matter how things unfolded in the future, he would always be etched in the hearts of Philadelphia fans.

The third quarter flowed smoothly, with almost no dead balls. When the official timeout arrived, Cheeks made adjustments.

"Counterattack!"

As the players returned to the bench, the first word Cheeks said was "counterattack."

"Their average points per game rank 14th in the league, while we are 7th. In terms of firepower, we are not weaker than them!"

Chen Mu vaguely remembered that this season, the 76ers' average points per game should have been around 8th in the league. Perhaps his presence had qualitatively changed the team's offense, pushing them up one spot.

I'm starting to alter the trajectory of this timeline!

Chen Mu was secretly delighted, knowing he had left his mark on this timeline.

This mark would deepen over time, until he became a superstar and completely changed everything.

"Steven, you played well. Take a break; you'll be back in the fourth quarter."

Cheeks drew tactics on the board, laying out several plays with a clear purpose.

"Chris, Andre, and Kyle, you three stack on the strong side. Chris, you'll be the pivot, and when you have the opportunity, take the shot confidently."

As he spoke, Cheeks patted Chen Mu on the shoulder and smiled. "Even if you miss, we have our rebounding monster, so offensive rebounds won't be a problem!"

Iguodala looked at Chen Mu and gave him a thumbs-up. Chen Mu understood and nodded firmly.

"Based on their matchups, the strong side will be defended by Redd, Simmons, and Bogut. All three have above-average defensive skills and good perimeter mobility, so you might face some trouble on the strong side. However..."

Cheeks pointed on the board, drawing two straight lines from the positions of Webber and Iguodala to the weak side.

"Our killer move is here!"

Cheeks' strategy was simple: the strong side would set up to draw the defense, then transfer the ball to the weak side, where Chen Mu and Iverson would initiate a two-man game.

"Mo Williams and Magloire are both flawed defenders. If you're decisive, you can blow them up."

"Especially Magloire, who has declined significantly this season, with major mobility issues. Be firm in your weak-side screens and pick-and-rolls, and attack the basket!"

"Understood!"

Chen Mu and Iverson exchanged a glance, seeing a flame in each other's eyes.

It was the flame of competitiveness!

The whistle blew, and the game resumed.

The 76ers launched their offense, and everything unfolded as Cheeks had planned. Iverson no longer held the ball for long, passing it to Webber as soon as he reached the frontcourt.

On the strong side, Kyle Korver and Iguodala switched positions. Webber made several fake passes, unable to find the best opportunity, and suddenly flicked his wrist, sending the ball diagonally.

On the weak side, Chen Mu set a screen for Iverson, who received the ball near the left free-throw line, facing the recovering Magloire.

"Swish!"

Iverson didn't hesitate, almost immediately launching the ball high over Magloire's head.

In the paint, Chen Mu, who had already turned and cut, leaped and caught the ball in mid-air, slamming it home with a powerful dunk.

"Boom!!!"

The DJ's timely call sent the crowd into a frenzy, with many fans standing up and cheering loudly.

When the central screen replayed the play in slow motion, the fans noticed that the Chinese rookie's jump was incredibly high, his head almost touching the rim from a low angle.

This spectacular performance further ignited the fans' passion, with some children even mimicking Chen Mu's moves, imagining themselves flying through the air!

After this brilliant play, Chen Mu and Iverson exchanged a fist bump, the flames in their eyes undiminished, and they quickly retreated to defend.

The Bucks continued their offense, still focusing on Mo Williams. Bogut, as usual, came to the high post, set a screen, and received the ball, immediately passing it back. Mo Williams caught the ball and jumped, ignoring Redd's call for the ball in the corner, and took a mid-range shot.

Mo Williams, due to various reasons, was jokingly called "Mo No Pass" by Chinese fans, a nickname that fit his playing style.

This decisive and resolute approach was a double-edged sword. When his shooting was on, Mo Williams could single-handedly spark a mini-run and crush the opponent. But if his shooting was off and his rhythm was poor, it could also harm the team.

As the saying goes, "When he's on, he's terrifying; when he's off, he's even more terrifying," which perfectly described Mo Williams.

This time, Mo Williams had some resentment over his poor defense, and his rhythm was off due to Iverson's full-court pressure. The ball hit the rim.

"Rebound!"

Chen Mu leaped in the paint, stretching his arms to the rim and grabbing the rebound.

"Stay calm, stay calm!"

Cheeks shouted from the sidelines, and the 76ers launched another half-court offense.

Again, the strong side was stacked. After Webber received the ball, the Bucks players noticed and adjusted. Simmons, who was defending Iguodala, slightly retreated, almost letting go of the less accurate Iguodala, ready to intercept the pass from the strong to the weak side.

Webber, a seasoned player, immediately saw the defensive change and, taking advantage of Bogut's position, turned and drove to the weak side, attempting a left-handed layup.

The shot was a bit light, the ball rolling around the rim before falling to the weak side.

On the weak side, Chen Mu and Iverson had completed their screen. Chen Mu took a big step to the basket, grabbing the rebound before Magloire could react, and drew a foul on a strong drive.

Walking to the free-throw line, Chen Mu tried to steady his breathing. The entire crowd held their breath, with only a few visiting fans making any noise, afraid of affecting Chen Mu's free throws.

"Swish!"

The first free throw went in, and the arena erupted in cheers.

"Lucky shot!"

This season, Chen Mu's free-throwing had improved significantly, but his accuracy was still around 60%. Hitting one out of two was considered a job well done.

As he prepared for the second free throw, four slightly overweight Philadelphia fans behind the basket stood up and suddenly took off their shirts.

On their stomachs, each had a word written, which together read a simple phrase.

"Rookie of the Year"

Annual Rookie of the Year!

Chen Mu smiled at the scene. In reality, due to insufficient games played, he was destined to miss out on various awards this season.

Moreover, in far-off Oklahoma, the New Orleans Hornets, who had to relocate due to a hurricane, had a standout rookie in Chris Paul, the 4th overall pick. Paul was averaging 16 points, 5 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, almost securing the Rookie of the Year award.

In terms of statistics, Chen Mu and Paul each had their strengths, and they could have competed. In the minds of many analysts, if not for the game requirement, Chen Mu had a good chance to challenge Paul.

But in the hearts of Philadelphia fans, the Chinese rookie from across the ocean was already the Rookie of the Year.

The second free throw also went in, and Chen Mu and Iverson found their rhythm in the third quarter, scoring in both plays, triggering a frenzy of cheers from the fans.

The Bucks continued their offense, and Coach Stotts, furious, loudly criticized Mo Williams' shot selection. Mo Williams calmed down, and after a series of plays, Redd hit a mid-range shot.

"Get it back!"

Iverson, with bloodshot eyes, took the ball from the baseline and shouted to Chen Mu, who understood and quickly followed.

After two consecutive set plays, the Bucks had relaxed a bit. Suddenly, Iverson launched a surprise attack, instantly disrupting the Bucks' defensive formation.

With a dazzling move, Iverson bypassed Mo Williams and quickly drove to the three-point line. Simmons, who had let go of Iguodala, rushed to interfere with Iverson's passing options.

Korver was at the 45-degree angle on the right, and Iguodala was cutting down the left side. If he could receive the ball, it would surely result in a powerful dunk.

However, Simmons' height and wingspan were superior to Iverson's, and a direct pass might be intercepted.

What to do?

Iverson didn't want to miss this opportunity but was struggling to make a straight pass. At that moment, a figure appeared from the left three-point line.

"Allen!"

As Chen Mu called out, Iverson's pass came flying. The Bucks never expected Iverson to pass the ball to a rookie who couldn't shoot threes, and in a moment of confusion, the ball was no longer in Chen Mu's hands.

"What...?!"

In an instant, the ball had somehow found its way to Iguodala under the basket. Facing the stunned Bucks players, Iguodala leaped and executed a spinning dunk, electrifying the crowd.

"How... how did he do that?!!"

The Bucks players were baffled, unable to understand how Chen Mu could pass the ball so precisely to Iguodala the moment he received it, completing this incredible assist.

This rookie, Chen Mu, with this brilliant assist, was even more impressive than his powerful dunks!

Is this guy really an interior player?

The Bucks players couldn't help but wonder.

"Nice pass!"

After the dunk, Iguodala ran to Chen Mu, fist-bumping him in celebration.

"Hey, this is just the beginning...!"

Amidst Chen Mu's smug laughter, Stotts called a timeout.

The storm was still raging!