BSI Chapter 343 No Tax
Chapter 343 No Tax
To vote or not to vote, that is the question.
On the Cavaliers' bench, Mike Brown held a clipboard in one hand and gestured among the players with the other, explaining the Cavaliers' tactics for the second quarter.
Normally at this point, LeBron would be in the center discussing and directing with the coach, even though he should be resting at the start of the second quarter according to the plan. But today, LeBron changed his participating posture and just hunched over the back of the chair, biting his nails with a furrowed brow.
This position wasn't comfortable, but it allowed him to avoid seeing the coach's gaze and his teammates' uneasy movements.
In just one quarter, LeBron James witnessed a familiar scenario that he had experienced countless times over the previous three years.
From trailing in the first quarter to trailing at halftime, then trailing in the third quarter, and finally struggling in the final quarter.
again and again.
Back and forth.
Like those clichéd novels that have been told a thousand times, once the story begins, the audience already knows who the protagonist is, who the clown is, who the final winner is, and who the team-building prize is.
Perhaps there are some differences; this time, the blame for the deficit in the first quarter falls more on those lousy three-pointers he made.
But did he make the wrong choice?
How to beat the SuperSonics? By analyzing the SuperSonics' relatively few losses from last year to this year, it's easy to see the necessary conditions for winning against the SuperSonics – the outside shooting must be effective.
Without him in the paint, the Cavaliers' entire interior lineup is ineffective at three-pointers. Reed and Gibson may be top-tier three-point shooters in the league right now, but the defense of Mo Wen and Ray Allen is enough to suffocate any shooter who hasn't yet mastered quick three-point shooting after a pick-and-roll.
Who else can shoulder the responsibility of opening up the outside shooting?
Only him.
The Cavaliers selected him for their roster, and the SuperSonics' tactics also targeted him.
When Gay chose to give him two steps on defense and then said to him in a rather polite tone, "You can shoot whatever you want," what other choice did he have? What other options could he possibly make?
Angry? He didn't even dare to be angry.
Anger can make him draw more power from his muscles, but excessive power can actually affect his accuracy in three-pointers.
How can a sport so full of passion have such anti-emotional techniques?!
If there were a God of Three Kingdoms in this world, he would definitely be His most loyal believer. Unfortunately, there isn't, so he has nowhere to be loyal even if he wanted to.
As a core player with a relatively rational mindset, he is now faced with two choices that align with the logic of the game.
One option is to keep shooting. From a mathematical probability perspective, as long as he keeps shooting, his three-point shooting percentage will definitely revert to his average shooting percentage.
Secondly, trust your touch, treat previous shots as "tests" of your touch, acknowledge that you're not shooting well today, and change your playing style to aggressively attack the basket.
Past experience told him that believing he was having a bad shooting night was a wiser choice; stubbornness never ends well. But past experience also told him that if he chose to relentlessly attack the basket, he would likely face another near-defeat.
He really couldn't handle failure.
LeBron James could blame his previous defeats on the skill gap between his teammates, but now that the teams are evenly matched, if he falls in the same way as before on this "fair competition" stage...
Then the "teammate gap" will become a non-necessary and non-sufficient condition, and the outcome of the game will be directly and bluntly attributed to the core individual.
He may still be able to play the role of "Little Emperor" under Nike's marketing, but the huge disparity in their record of more than 20 matches without a single victory will solidify an unbreakable perception in the public's mind, clearly defining the absolute relationship between winner and loser.
He absolutely cannot accept this future.
Once such a relationship is established, it means that all the praise and accolades he wins afterward must be shared or offered to Mo Wen. To put it more concretely, he will henceforth bear a "Mo Wen tax" that belongs solely to him.
Feeling he should do something, LeBron James couldn't wait to get back on the court after only two minutes of rest in the second quarter.
The fear mixed with anger during the brainstorming session made Ajax seem to have rediscovered the energetic self he was at the beginning.
He stomped his foot on the solid court floor, and seemed to have come to a realization.
Screw those three-pointers, screw those statistics!
He simply wanted to follow his own methods, his own winning experience, and strive to win another victory.
Grant Hill, who was on the court, thought that James was just a young guy who couldn't stay calm when the team was behind.
The enthusiastic atmosphere and relatively safe point difference at KeyArena allowed the older players to relax as usual.
But trucks can also start with a burnout.
Ajax lowered his body and saw Grant Hill choose to let him shoot again. He was a little annoyed but did not make that unsightly and ineffective triple threat.
Seeing Ben Wallace set up a screen, I immediately blew the ball and took a step-back to drive to the basket.
Hill left enough space and quickly went around the screen, but James's top-notch explosiveness and strength became unstoppable after he got a shoulder of space.
Scola, who came off the bench, ignored Ben Wallace's outstretched position and cleverly stayed inside, but all he could do was maintain his position in the paint.
Facing the soaring LeBron James, his exceptional basketball IQ allowed him to easily analyze that he couldn't stop this beast, and even if he risked fouling, he probably wouldn't be able to bring him down.
After all, he's just a floor-style center. Even if he becomes the pinnacle of floor-style centers in the future, he'll still be a floor-style center.
So Scola had to dodge sideways like a ground crew member to clear takeoff space.
The next moment, LeBron's headband overlapped with the rim, and the basketball was slammed into the basket like a falling tomahawk.
boom!!
Watching the familiar, powerful dunk, Cleveland fans watching on TV cheered in unison, sharing a similar feeling.
That's right, this is it! Slam it on him, smash it to pieces!
They're back! Their familiar emperor is back!
As he landed, LeBron glanced sideways at the baseline camera with a very camera-savvy look, as if he had just dunked on someone.
The Cavaliers players on the court and on the bench were all invigorated.
Undeniably, dunking is indeed the easiest and most effortless way to boost morale on the basketball court.
The Cavaliers players, who had just felt lost and depressed because of the double-digit point difference, seemed to be infected by the virus and immediately became enthusiastic and aggressive in the next defensive possession.
The SuperSonics couldn't find an opening with their passes, and seeing that time was running out, Atkins decisively chose to run a pick-and-roll and drive himself.
Atkins almost succeeded, but Ben, who had been his teammate on the Pistons, was prepared. Even though Atkins' speed gave him a half-body advantage, Ben still managed to steal the ball under the basket.
Snapped!
The landing of the large-scale vehicle was accompanied by an excited roar.
A-Zhan excitedly went up and bumped chests with him.
Sweat was flying everywhere, and the smell in the air was hard to describe, but the two of them felt refreshed and invigorated by the clear sky.
With one offensive move and one defensive move, the Cavaliers actually seemed to have regained their initial momentum.
With his keen sense of opportunity, Hill immediately called a timeout and brought in his starting lineup when he realized the Cavaliers were gaining momentum.
Grant Hill, however, waved to the coaching staff on the sidelines first.
Although he accepted the substitute position, he still retained the pride of a former superstar, and his pride would not allow him to be defeated by this one round of momentum.
"I think I'm okay, let me try again."
Old Hill hesitated for a moment, but seeing that Mo Wen didn't object, he sat down.
On the sidelines, Mo Wen simply chewed his gum as usual, enjoying the rest time that was rightfully his.
Mo Wen could tell that A Zhan seemed to have figured something out, and that he seemed to have regained his confidence and strengthened his beliefs.
Mo Wen wasn't worried in the slightest.
Just kidding, the real world isn't a two-dimensional world where you can unleash your inner power by shouting about bonds, friendship, and dreams.
Besides, he's seen LeBron James in a super-powered state before; even Thanos LeBron couldn't protect his own positive and negative values in the end.
On the court, Hill was unwilling to admit his age, but he didn't have a good way to break through against LeBron James's aggressive defense. His explosive first step was long gone, and the pick-and-roll failed to shake him off. Hill could only turn around and look for opportunities.
Given LeBron James's previously displayed athleticism, Hill had no doubt that a blind shot would be blocked, and after hesitating for a moment, he ultimately chose to pass the ball.
Mo Wen shook his head upon seeing this. To be honest, Old Deng was still too young; he was actually intimidated by Azman's aura.
It is well known that LeBron James has the ability to make his teammates better, and this ability is not limited to his teammates. Just look at Tony Parker at point guard to Rudy Gobert at center; who doesn't owe a debt to LeBron James?
The ball spun around, and Damion in the corner missed the shot. Ben Wallace secured the defensive rebound, and the Cavaliers quickly launched a fast break.
Ajax delivered a precise long pass to Gibson, who had broken through on a fast break, and scored another goal.
Hill was thinking that if the ball didn't go in, he should make a substitution. Atkins, who was lurking in the other corner, received a pass from Grant Hill and successfully made a three-pointer, bringing the score difference back to the safe line.
Knowing it wouldn't be easy to win back, A-Zhan wasn't discouraged and kept charging forward with all his might.
Hill is eager to regain his pride. His defense is not bad. Although several major injuries have diminished his explosiveness, defense does not rely heavily on explosiveness.
In the original timeline, Hill, having regained his health, became the Suns' primary defender. With his top-notch anticipation and body control, he held his own against the era's top wing players, and he could even hold his own against a technically gifted power forward like Nowitzki.
Unfortunately, standing in front of him was A-Zhan, whose eyes were red with rage.
Every day, A-Zhan treats Mo Wen, who is almost like he has activated Observation Haki, as his imaginary enemy. Although he has not found a way to break through, he has summarized the most efficient way to deal with such a defender.
The gap narrowed to 5 points, and the Cavaliers were just two baskets away from tying the game.
"You're getting old, Grant. It's our turn now. You old guys should just stay on the bench." LeBron James said casually to Grant Hill while dribbling the ball.
"But I'm currently playing as a substitute," Old Hill raised an eyebrow, asking in confusion.
A-Z's face stiffened, as if it was indeed time to come off the bench?
No, no, he brought most of the Cavaliers' starters onto the court, so what kind of substitute time is that? He's clearly sacrificing his rest time to help the team turn the tide.
Without overthinking, LeBron James called for a pick-and-roll and started driving to the basket, as usual.
As expected, LeBron James charged in like a tank and squeezed into the paint, scoring a layup with his decent hand skills.
"Aren't you going to call a timeout? I'm starting to get bored. Maybe we should bring that young man on; at least he can keep up with me."
Given that there is no animosity between the two parties, A-Zhan, who is known for his shrewdness, rarely engages in trash talk. Mindless provocations bring no benefit other than momentary pleasure.
However, he seemed unusually eager to express himself when he stood before Grant Hill today.
This behavior is not hard to understand. Just like many superstars will actively draw fouls to find their shooting touch when they are not shooting well, LeBron James also hopes to regain the feeling of controlling the game by bullying James Harden.
Not to mention that Hill is a well-known nice guy, so there's no risk in bullying him.
Hill remained expressionless, but after halftime, he took the initiative to ask for a one-on-one opportunity.
The SuperSonics players on the sidelines all stood up.
For some reason, A-Zhan also felt a vague sense of unease and pressure.
Hill didn't act recklessly. He gestured to Damien and handed him a handoff. After passing the ball, he immediately cut in the opposite direction.
Damien, who received the ball, did not run far with it, but instead stopped at the top of the arc to observe.
Ajax sensed Hill's intentions and stayed focused on him closely.
Just as Hill, who had squeezed into the mid-range, made his catch gesture, Damien's pass arrived.
With his back to the penalty area floor, Hill felt a strange sense of peace.
Ten years ago, when he was still with the Pistons and considered Jordan's successor, post-up shots accounted for almost a third of his shots.
But after joining the SuperSonics, he began to shift towards a rim-running style, either cutting to the basket for easy wins or taking a spin in the corner.
He had almost completely sealed away those relatively complicated and inefficient but rather elegant back-stepping techniques, as if he had never possessed them at all.
But can he really forget the muscle memory he built up over a decade in training and competition?
Hill leaned forward slightly, planted his right foot, swayed his shoulder and leaned back tentatively, then used the counter-push to turn around by crouching.
With quick, shuffling steps, A-Zan moved sideways twice to block, his long arms and legs spread out like an iron wall. But Hill did not hope to easily shake off A-Zan's defense by simply feinting his shoulder. He drew an arc in the air with his left foot, only to stop halfway, shifting his weight from his right foot to his left, then from his toes to his heels, and finally leaving the ground in a bounce.
The twisting force travels from the ankle to the knee to the hip and finally bursts forth in the core of the abdominal muscles.
Hill's somersault jump wasn't very high, but his movements were quite fluid and smooth, just like his nickname, Jordan's successor.
When he was still with the Pistons, Hill never publicly accepted the title. In media interviews, he always said that he wanted to be the next Pippen, but neither the media nor the fans ever accepted his self-positioning.
Your every move is a carbon copy of his; what kind of bullshit idiot are you?!
LeBron James reacted correctly immediately, but the basketball god ruled his defense invalid.
Swish!
"Did you know that Mike and Mo have one thing in common?"
"They don't speak up when they're behind."
Hill patted LeBron on the shoulder, then turned to signal to his old friend Hill on the sidelines that it was time to call a timeout.
Halfway through the second quarter, it's time for a shift change.
In the next possession, Ajax drove into the paint again, drawing a foul on Petro, saving the SuperSonics a timeout for a substitution.
"You played well just now, LeBon." When he returned to the court, Mo Wen's usual polite words as a good friend sounded so grating to A-Zhan's ears.
A 5-point difference doesn't seem that far away.
However, Mo Wen's hasty and laughable offensive choice negated most of A Zhan's previous efforts.
"BANG! A three-pointer from Mo's midfield! No matter how many times I watch it, I can't stay calm. His hand is simply a miracle on the court. God, is this really a skill that humans can possess?!"
Amidst the commentators' shouts, the home fans at KeyArena also began their usual complaints about how small the arena was.
They couldn't even properly kneel and worship God.
LeBron James and the other Cavaliers players subconsciously ignored Mo Wen's performance just now. James broke through and passed the ball again. Reed received the ball and shot, but Ray Allen interfered. In the transition, Mo Wen assisted Tyson to make an alley-oop. Ben Wallace, who was a step too slow in the chase, also committed a foul.
Swish!
Tyson swished a shot amid cheers from the home crowd.
Mike Brown couldn't help but call a timeout first.
The score between the two teams has returned to double digits, 11 points.
Fortunately, after the timeout, the Cavaliers regained their touch. Gibson and Reed both hit a three-pointer in the remaining time, and LeBron James also scored against Gay with a frustrated effort, drawing another foul.
The referee also seemed unwilling to see the game lose its suspense too early, so he switched the refereeing treatment for the home team and the away team.
But Mo Wen and Ray Allen, who performed as expected, did not disappoint the home fans, taking turns holding the ball and shooting, tearing apart the Cavaliers' defense.
At halftime, the SuperSonics led the Cavaliers 60-47, extending their lead to 13 points.
"Haha, I'm already looking forward to their post-game press conference." In the Celtics' video room, Pierce made no attempt to hide his schadenfreude; the corners of his mouth were so upturned that they could hang a five-kilogram dumbbell on them.
"The teams in the East, no, the entire league should thank us for forming the Big Three. Otherwise, if LeBron had made it out of the East again, the Finals would have turned into a circus." Pierce's tone even carried a hint of pity for the world.
"Don't get too cocky. Let's wait until we eliminate them in the playoffs before saying that." Garnett maintained his composure and seriousness, but his disappointment was hard to hide. "But there's really no need to watch today's game. We'd be better off watching some of the SuperSonics' losses."
During halftime, LeBron James broke his silence. He discussed with the coaching staff what tactics to change and, together with Ben Wallace, passionately motivated his teammates. They tore up the annoying statistics sheet, hoping for a fresh start in the second half.
The Cavaliers did indeed show the qualities of a strong team at the start of the second half.
LeBron James did his best to create opportunities for his teammates by exerting his threat. Reed and Gibson kept running on the perimeter, while Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Ben Wallace tried to support the team with their broad bodies.
Everyone played their part, even the referee.
But the score difference did not narrow.
Because the entire Supersonics team is online today.
When Millsap was on the court, and all four SuperSonics players made three-pointers in a single quarter, the only consolation for Mike Brown was the departure of Milicic. Otherwise, the SuperSonics might have once again resorted to that incomprehensible lineup of all three-pointers.
"The Cavaliers withstood the SuperSonics' previously unstoppable third-quarter offensive, losing the quarter by only 4 points, but unfortunately they dug themselves too deep a hole in the first quarter."
"LeBron shouldn't have tried to shoot so many three-pointers like Mo." (End of Chapter)