basketball never sleeps

Chapter 321 Regret
After a season marked by the collapse of a dynasty, the Heat did not immediately begin the rebuilding process.

Wade's shoulder injury is recovering well; at least he looks no different from normal.

Cassell and Peja's two-year contracts have become the Heat's biggest asset this season.

Shaq's body is just more fragile now.

Shaq was just one title away from matching Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record, so he also had a very strong internal drive.

Unfortunately, his body simply wouldn't allow it. He tried to lose weight but only managed to lose two pounds before injuring his knee. Then, as soon as he started to rest and recover, he couldn't control his eating. Despite all his efforts, he wasted time, injured his body, and actually gained weight.

Riley desperately wanted to get rid of Shaq, but his remaining three-year, $60 million contract was holding off every potential suitor who wanted to acquire him.

At the beginning of last season, Shaq could be like a house in China in the future, someone you could say is "a must-buy for those with essential housing needs".

However, Mo Wen's targeted tactics, which he used from the Western Conference Finals to the NBA Finals, eliminated Shaq's last remaining value.

While the media and commentators lamented the decline of centers, they also questioned whether basketball really needs a dominant center.
On the last day of November, Wade led the revitalized Heat team to Seattle, while Shaq did not come due to injury.

"How come your relationship is also evolving in the direction of him and Kobe?"

Listening to Wade's complaints about Shaq, or more accurately, his scathing rebuke, Mo Wen was momentarily at a loss for words.

“Penny, Kobe, and I are all like this. Whose fault do you think it is?” Wade curled his lip. “Don’t bring yourself into this. You only played with him during the championship season. When you win, you naturally find everything pleasing to the eye.”

"Then I really have nothing to say." Mo Wen grinned. What Wade said was indeed correct; winning games and championships could indeed cover up most problems.

Dynasty teams often experience numerous conflicts due to aging rosters and competition for honors, contributions, and influence.

But coincidentally, Mo Wen followed the path of a nomadic dynasty, and he had already strategically shifted his focus before the conflicts became apparent.

Honestly, if he hadn't left last season and had instead chosen to stay and compete for a three-peat, the Heat's Big Three relationship would still have been strained. People are selfish, and even close brothers need to keep clear accounts, but some accounts are just ambiguous and can't be settled.

Shaq is inherently an arrogant person. Even when he's no longer the leader, he still habitually acts like a big brother and uses privileges that might disrupt the team environment.

But top guards all have their pride. They can tolerate it for a while, or even a month, but if it goes on for too long, conflicts will definitely erupt.

"I think you two need to have a serious talk. His contract is still long and he has the resources. If you cooperate well, you can still put up a fight. Otherwise, you'll be in jail for the next few years."

Mo Wen offered this advice with utmost sincerity.

Historically, when Shaq was traded to the Cavaliers to assist LeBron James, he was still a formidable player. Although the Suns' medical team provided assistance, medicine can't kill you.

If Shaq really retires, Wade's few remaining peak years will also be lost.

Historically, the reason LeBron James could release the ball for 8 points was because Dwyane Wade's decline was objectively unavoidable.

"I would like to communicate with him, but what can I say to communicate with a center who is the greatest in history?" Wade said, giving Mo Wen a resentful look.

In terms of pure skill, he's already stronger than Shaq, but Shaq doesn't argue about pure skill with him.

If he had an Finals MVP award, he could hold his own against Shaq and boast that he led Shaq to the championship. But his empty accolades are no match for Shaq; he's just Kobe 2.0.

Mo Wen: Is it my fault?
That evening, KeyArena was once again packed to capacity.

Although Shaq was absent and the reunion of the Heat's Big Three was no longer a highlight, the media found a new angle: a "fair game."

Wade was very receptive to this approach, so he was extremely focused.

After returning to coaching in the summer, Riley devised a decent set of tactics for the current Heat.

The team spread out, and Cassell orchestrated a feint. Once the formation was spread out, Wade and Peja executed a pick-and-roll at the high post on the weak side.

If you don't double-team Wade, you can't stop him from using the space created by the screen to accelerate. If you double-team Wade, Peja will quickly pop out like Mo Wen did before, running to the three-point line and firing away at will.

Mo Wen didn't immediately take the lead in solving the problem, but let his teammates handle it first.

Ray Allen's defensive IQ was thoroughly honed last season. Instead of opting for the most conventional switch, he signaled to Gay to double-team Wade as he passed the ball.

After playing with Mo Wen for a long time, Junzi Lei also picked up the bad habit of using his hands. He thought that it would be difficult for Wade to pass the ball easily under such pressure, but to everyone's surprise, Wade used his elbow and twisted his wrist to pass the ball.

Peja received the ball and fired a three-pointer that swished through the net.

Ray Allen looked somewhat taken aback, while Wade smiled and pointed at Mo Wen.

He just used the passing technique that Mo Wen often uses.

Practicing shooting was too grueling, so Wade turned his attention to passing.

As a seasoned user of Mo Wen's passing game, Wade put aside his pride and studied Mo Wen's passing techniques, which actually led him to discover quite a few things.

Putting everything else aside, Wade's passing ability is already good enough for him to be a "traditional point guard".

Do not listen to silence, but only focus on surpassing others.

Not wanting Wade to be worn down on both ends of the court, Riley did not assign Wade to guard Mo Wen, and instead gave instructions to the others to double-team Mo Wen whenever he wanted to set a screen.

But with Shaq out today, Mo Wen had no desire to set a screen.

Cassell and Payton were both old when the Lakers formed the "F4".

Mo Wen simply lowered his body and swayed a few times. Kassel, like a stripper who had just received a payment, couldn't help but expose his weaknesses.

Having been humiliated three times in a row, Kassel cursed under his breath, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth. He knew there was only one way to get out of his predicament—

"Peja, come here!"

Peja didn't want to be matched up against Mo Wen, but with Riley watching, he couldn't refuse and had to bite the bullet and step up. However, injuries and age made his defense as unreliable as his drives—he no longer had much of that ability to penetrate.

Mo Wenguo didn't even need to test him; he simply created space and dribbled the ball between his legs twice quickly.

bang bang-

In his haste, Peja didn't completely lose his position, but he was no longer able to establish a direct defensive line.

Cassell, who was chasing Ray Allen, tried to launch a sneak attack. His timing and position were perfect. One more step, an arm's length away, and he could have knocked the ball out of Mo Wen's hands.

What Cassell didn't expect was that before he could even poke the ball, it flew away, heading straight for him.

By the time he realized what was happening, the ball had just brushed past him.

Cassell could even see the patterns on the basketball by turning his head, but no matter which hand he used, he couldn't stop the ball.

And at the end of the path, Ray Allen was standing right there.

Ray Allen glanced at his toes, which were just outside the three-point line, before leisurely launching the three-pointer.

Swah——

On the way back, Mo Wen and Ray Allen gave each other a high five for their tacit understanding.

Witnessing all this, Wade pursed his lips, turned around and waved before receiving the serve.

He rushed to the front, and suddenly a sense of loneliness washed over him.

Once all his teammates were in position, because he hadn't adopted a dribbling stance, not a single one of his teammates had even made a gesture to ask for the ball.

In that instant, Wade felt an even greater sense of loneliness.

He finally became the team's reliance and dependable figure, but was this really the kind of basketball he wanted? For the next period of time, the two sides were locked in a tug-of-war. Without using Mo Wen as the primary defender, the SuperSonics couldn't contain Wade, and without using Wade as the primary defender, the Heat couldn't contain Mo Wen.

In terms of overall strength, the SuperSonics are definitely stronger, but Wade was in great form today, even making 3 out of 4 mid-range shots, which he is not good at. By halftime, thanks to Wade's 25 points in the first half, the Heat were surprisingly leading the SuperSonics at home.

59:57
"Wade is really in good form today. Even Mo Wen's 18 points in the first half couldn't beat him. He might score 50 points today, right?" Yu Jia exclaimed in the CCTV studio.

"I doubt it. I watch Wade's games almost every day. He's the kind of player who explodes, not one who can maintain consistency. The Heat need someone to step up and give him a breather so he can stay in form, but you can't find that kind of player on the current Heat. Even Shaq can't shoulder that responsibility," Zhang Weiping commented rationally.

"The SuperSonics can give Mo Wen a rest. Hill, Atkins, Damian, and Scola all have considerable offensive capabilities. Apart from Wade, the Heat can't find another reliable offensive option right now."

Inside the Heat's locker room, Riley praised Wade's performance and even led the applause for him.

But the methods that used to please Wade were not making him happy today.

In the second half, Wade, who had played 23 minutes, returned to the court.

It wasn't until he saw Mo Wen become the person primarily responsible for guarding him that a rare smile appeared on his face.

This forced Mo Wen to take the lead in defending him, which was undoubtedly a victory for him.

"Hey Mo, you shouldn't be in front of me. They can't stop me, and neither can you."

But his happiness didn't last long.

Mo Wen's one-on-one defense is still as sharp as ever, or to be precise, even stronger than before.

He also wanted to gain the upper hand through force, and was prepared to be sabotaged for it.

But Mo Wen didn't use his special technique; he just closed in at the right time. The strength of his tackle, at the level of a striker, almost made him lose the ball, forcing him to quickly pass it back to Cassell, who was there to receive it.

With that much strength, did you take some kind of performance-enhancing drugs?
Wade failed to draw attention, and the other players had no advantage against the SuperSonics.

The ball was passed around the court, and in the end, Wade was able to shoot a three-pointer.

Tyson grabbed the rebound, the SuperSonics quickly pushed back, and Wade gritted his teeth and followed in front of Mo Wen, retaliating as if it were only fair.

But Mo Wen didn't teach him the forehand and backhand. He saw out of the corner of his eye that Gay was following up quickly. He dribbled the ball and pretended to run towards the baseline. When the Heat's defensive players subconsciously moved closer to him, he casually threw the ball to the floor.

Guy stumbled slightly while retrieving the ball, but he reacted quickly, launching a close-range shot into the net before the defender could close in.

The score is tied.

Not to be outdone, Wade called Peja to run a pick-and-roll.

But Mo Wen showed no intention of switching on defense, resolutely going around the screens and only giving Wade space to shoot. If Wade could keep making his shots, then winning today's game wouldn't be a must.

when--

The crisp sound of metal hitting the ball echoed across the court.

When Wade returned, he seemed to want to make up for his earlier mistake on the defensive end. He was so tight on defense that the referee couldn't help but whistle.

Mo Wen didn't indulge him either, and after the confrontation, he immediately retreated and bowed to Buddha.

Wade managed to regain his balance and wasn't fooled into jumping, but Mo Wen followed up with a smooth, sweeping horizontal dribble that he couldn't keep up with.

In less than 0.4 seconds, Mo Wen completed the entire process from stabilizing his center of gravity and adjusting his posture to making his move.

crop--

The basketball arced high through the air before swishing through the net.

59:62
"Dude, if you want to win, you shouldn't waste your precious energy defending me," Mo Wen kindly reminded him.

Wade was a little frustrated, but he didn't impulsively decide to go it alone.

Haslem, positioned in the bottom corner, was unexpectedly left open after repeatedly setting screens for Peja and Wade. Cassell passed the ball to him in time, but Haslem failed to capitalize on the opportunity.

Then, the supersonics, under Mo Wen's guidance, executed a simple coordinated attack.

Mo Wen and Gay handed the ball to each other. After receiving the ball, Gay pretended to look for a screen from Millsap, and then passed the ball to Ray Allen who was cutting in. Ray Allen received the ball and passed it across to Mo Wen, who was cutting in on the other side and shaking off Wade.

Mo Wen pulled up for a jump shot at the free-throw line and made it again.

Seeing that the score difference was widening, Wade stopped thinking about competing with Mo Wen and called on the big-breasted Haslem to set a screen, creating space and driving straight to the basket.

Tyson returned to the rim in time, but Wade was not intimidated and forced a layup that missed but drew a foul.

One of the two free throws was made.

After grabbing the rebound, Mo Wen signaled to his teammates to speed up the pace, and he set a running screen for Tyson in the middle.

Wade, whose view was blocked by Tyson, was still preparing for Mo Wen's rapid breakthrough, but he took two steps back and did not wait for Mo Wen's breakthrough. Instead, he saw a missile streak across the sky.

A 7-point difference.

Just after halftime, Wade felt sweat dripping down his face again.

The strain on both offense and defense caused his physical strength to drop bar by bar, like the battery of an overheated mobile phone.

He misses Shaq a little; if Shaq were here, at least he could help him out.

On the other hand, Peja received Wade's pass after a drive but missed the shot. The SuperSonics launched another attack, and Mourning, who was still shining in the Heat, couldn't keep up with Tyson. Haslem, who had returned to the basket first, tried to foul but was a step too slow. Tyson dunked and received a pass from Mourning for an alley-oop, and got a free throw.

Seeing this, Riley immediately called a timeout, replacing the ineffective Cassell with Dorell White, and having him take charge of guarding Mo Wen to relieve some pressure on Wade.

However, Wade is not the kind of player who can control the pace. With Cassell on the court, he can help control the pace, but Dorell White not only cannot control the pace, but also intentionally uses his fast break skills to speed up the game along with Wade.

But in that short time, the Heat exploded.

Peja couldn't keep up with the pace of the fast break, so the SuperSonics just needed to focus on defending the paint when defending the Heat's fast break.

In the time it took the Heat two turnovers and one missed shot, the point difference was widened to 16 points.

Wade managed to score four points with a combination of drives and shots, but then Dorell White risked blocking Ray Allen's three-pointer and got himself scored on a 3+1.

Seeing Wade holding his head and frowning, Mo Wen really felt sorry for him.

So he chose to go all out and widened the gap to 24 points before the end of the third quarter.

In the final quarter, the SuperSonics' second unit widened the gap, but Wade had no strength left to save the day. He just leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the newly made flag hanging in the arena.

Pat Riley, fearing that Wade was too upset, patted him on the shoulder to comfort him:
"Don't be discouraged. Life's difficulties are temporary. The road ahead is always winding, but our future will surely be bright!"

“Pat”.

"Ok?"

"Do you regret not trading with me to keep Mo?"

"I never regret it."

"Then why were your eyes looking in Mo's direction when you were comforting me?"

(End of this chapter)