The NBA's Absolute Dominance

Chapter 81: First Offensive Point vs. First Super Center

Center: Tang Bei (5), Matt Geiger (5)

Forwards: Glen Rice (3, 2), Grant Long (4), John Salley (4, 5), Willie Burton (2, 3), Alec Kosler (4, 5)

Defenders: Bimbokors (1), Bryan Shaw (1, 2), Kevin Edwards (1, 2), Steve Smith (2), Harold Mina (2), Keith Askins (2, 3)

Among them, rookies Matt Geiger and Keith Askins are fringe players, earning minimum salaries and playing limited minutes unless there is a shortage of players.

Tang Bei's English reading and writing skills are not good yet, but he took a look with the help of John Liu.

Kevin Longley explained, "Our starting shooting guard Steve Smith is seriously injured. The backcourt will be rotated by Kevin Edwards, Brian Shaw, and Bimbokors. Glen Rice will start at the small forward position, and Grant Long will start at the power forward position."

Then he said with a worried look, "Tang, we have some problems with our defense right now. It will be better with you in the paint, but our perimeter defense, especially in terms of rotation and positioning, is still not good."

Tang, I know your defensive coverage is extensive and your defensive speed is fast. I hope you can help with some supplementary defensive work on the outside.

"I try my best."

Tang Bei said, forcing himself to admit that their defensive capabilities were at best second-rate.

Kevin Longley nodded happily and said, "You'll be the main player in the low post offense. Grant Long isn't tall enough, only 203 centimeters."

He primarily uses mid-range shots, has some close and mid-range two-point shooting ability, and relies heavily on long-range two-pointers. He also has some second-chance points and won't steal your offensive space.

"That's good."

Tang Bei was very happy, as only a versatile inside partner could match him.

Kevin Longley said, "His defensive awareness is good, and he's averaging 1.4 steals per game. Although he's not tall, he's a decent rebounder, averaging 7.5 per game, with 35% of his rebounds coming from the offensive end. Most of his low-post offense comes from second-chance opportunities."

He then added, "Regarding injuries, in addition to Steve Smith, John Salley has also suffered a relapse of an old injury and will be sidelined for a long time."

Several other players also have injury concerns, so the situation is not optimistic. Therefore, you need to pay attention to injuries and manage your energy levels carefully.

He said the injury problem was mainly because Tang Bei's playing style made him prone to injury. He specifically pointed out that Glen Rice and Sekkali's decline in form this season was also due to injury problems.

Finally, he reminded him: "Don Glen Rice has a good scoring ability and some ball-handling offensive skills."

However, he lacks ball-handling and playmaking abilities, doesn't have a high need for possession, and struggles to attack under pressure, thus lacking offensive dominance.

Therefore, on the offensive end, Tang, you will be our first offensive option and our team's only strong offensive option.

However, he has a good personality, and I hope you will have a pleasant working relationship with him.

His words had an underlying meaning: to tell Tang Bei that Glen Rice's technical characteristics and personality made him more suitable to be the second-in-command.

This was also based on his understanding of Tang Bei, and he wanted to inform him in advance to prevent any unhealthy competition between Tang Bei and Larry Johnson on the Hornets.

As for whether Tang Bei could understand it or not, that was all he could say.

Unfortunately, Tang Bei's experience was limited, and he failed to grasp Kevin Longley's underlying meaning.

But Lengley's words pleased him, because he would become the Heat's primary offensive option and the main force in low-post offense, and no one would be competing with him for shots in the low post.

At dinner, Tang Bei met all his teammates and faculty members in the restaurant, a total of thirteen people, including the two injured players.

The Heat don't have any troublesome players. Former Bad Boys member John Salley hasn't done anything excessive on the team, and Glen Rice hasn't ostracized him. Tang Bei feels that the atmosphere on the Heat is better than on the Hornets.

On the evening of the 10th, at Hermiesfair Arena, the Spurs' home court.

David Robinson's playing style is quite entertaining, and the Spurs have a good attendance record, averaging 99% this season. This game was a complete sell-out, with the 16,000-seat arena packed.

Although the city's economy is average, the ticket prices are not low, ranking seventh in the league this season at $28.

This price is higher than the league average ticket price of $24. The New York Knicks, who have the highest ticket price, only have a price of $38.5, and the Lakers have a price of $31.8.

In terms of box office revenue, the Spurs, with their superstar center, are not bad, but as a small team, they have the disadvantages of being a small team.

For a team, ticket sales revenue is only a small part; the bulk comes from television broadcasting revenue, sponsorship revenue, merchandise revenue, and so on.

According to official NBA data, big teams or teams with good records account for 25-30% of their total operating revenue from ticket sales.

For smaller teams or teams with poor records and no star players, ticket sales only account for 10-13% of their operating revenue.

Despite having David Robinson, the Spurs' record is not outstanding; they were swept out of the first round by the Suns last season.

They are particularly unattractive to world-class companies; small teams like the Spurs are not considered by Fortune 500 companies, so their income in other areas is not ideal.

At 7:30, both sides announced their starting lineups.

San Antonio Spurs: David Robinson, Larry Smith, Shawn Elliott, Lloyd Daniels, Vinnie Denaglow

Miami Heat: Tang Bei, Grant Long, Glen Rice, Kevin Edwards, Bimbokors
ESPN commentator Michael Brin said, "The Hornets' decision to trade Tang was both unexpected and expected."

Tom Tolbert added, "It has to do with the management's ability. The management failed to manage the competitive relationship between Don and Larry Johnson, allowing them to engage in cutthroat competition, which ultimately led to a deterioration in their relationship and forced a deal."

Michael Breen continued, "The Hornets currently have the best record in the league, and if it weren't for their internal strife, they would have been a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. But now, Ronnie Sekkali can't make up for the loss of Don, and the Hornets are likely to go downhill."

The Heat's strength has undoubtedly increased with the addition of Tang. Tang can provide significant energy in both low-post offense and defense.

Tom Tolbert nodded and said, "As a center who reached his peak right from the start, Tang is about to face Admiral David Robinson, who is the second superstar he has faced and the first super center."

Michael Brin said with a smile, "Barkley didn't perform well enough against Tang and didn't play like a superstar. So we'll have to wait and see how David Robinson performs today."

Tom Tolbert nodded and said, "Currently, O'Neal's performance is also very good, averaging 20+10 per game, but he is still a step behind Tang."

Mourning missed four games at the beginning of the season, but he is performing well now, also putting up 20+10, though not quite as well as O'Neal.

There are three candidates for the fourth-best center. Tang has performed the best, but he lacks the influence of O'Neal and Mourning, both of whom had the backing of the NCAA.

Michael Brin said, "The Hornets traded Tang because Tang currently cannot provide the Hornets with enough commercial value."

At this moment, in the players' tunnel, the starting lineups of both teams awaited their turn to enter the game.

Tang Bei stood at the very back, with Glen Rice at the very front.

This ranking was set before the trade. Center Ronnie Secarli was last, and now Tang Bei has taken his place.

He turned to look at David Robinson behind him and casually asked, "Does anyone know why he's called an admiral?"

Glen Rice glanced back and said, "I heard he was a Navy lieutenant when he first entered the league, but later became a superstar center. Spurs fans helped him get promoted."

"hehe!"

Tang Bei smiled and said, "He seems like a very nice person."

Glenn Rice said, "He's a high achiever, I heard he's good at music and literature, and he can play the piano and saxophone, which is really cool."

Music and literature were like playing music to a brick wall for Tang Bei. He knew about the piano, but as for the saxophone, what was that?

Therefore, Glenn Rice's words made him realize that birds of a feather flock together, and that he and David Robinson were probably not from the same world.

Zhang Heli applied for a spot as a reporter to accompany the Heat, which would allow him to not only conduct interviews during games but also during team practices.

At that moment, he was sitting on the floor in the front row of the media section behind the baseline, near the basket support.

Today's match is also Tang Bei's second live broadcast on CCTV.

In a live broadcast studio in the CCTV building in Beijing, commentators Xu Jicheng and Sun Zhenping are introducing some information about Tang Bei and the Heat.

Five hotlines were prepared, but before the competition even started, all five lines were overwhelmed with calls, keeping the operators extremely busy.

With CCTV starting to broadcast NBA games live, even though only three games had been broadcast before, the viewership has been getting better and better, and the program has attracted many advertising sponsors.

Meanwhile, Yang Boyong, director of the Second Department of Competitive Sports of the Sports Commission, came to the Basketball Department at the invitation of Liu Yumin, director of the Basketball Department, and watched the game with several colleagues. Liu Yumin introduced, "Sir, today Tang Bei is facing the strongest opponent of his career, named David Robinson, a member of the Dream Team and one of the three super centers in the NBA."

Yang Boyong nodded and said, "This match should reveal his true strength."

At eight o'clock, the competition begins.

Before the game, head coach Kevin Longley told Tang Bei, "Tang, be careful on defense. David Robinson is probably the most explosive scorer among the three super centers."

"Really?"

I really don't know Tang Bei; I've never heard of him.

After entering the game, he and David Robinson stood in the center circle, ready for the jump ball.

David Robinson sized up Tang Bei, and from Tang Bei's enormous physique, he saw strength and explosive power far exceeding his own.

In the CCTV live broadcast studio, Xu Jicheng said: "David Robinson is slightly taller, at 216 cm, but his wingspan is only 224 cm. However, his standing reach is 2.88 meters, which is about the same as Tang Bei's."

Sun Zhenping continued, "There is no official physical test data on jumping ability. It is said that the vertical jump reaches 90 centimeters, while Tang Bei's is 85 centimeters. Robinson is even better."

Xu Jicheng shook his head and said, "Tang Bei's 85 centimeters is already very good. David Robinson's 90 centimeters may not be so accurate. Perhaps it's the running jump."

"Also a possibility."

Sun Zhenping nodded and said, "Judging from the starting lineup, the Heat went all out, while the stronger Spurs only fielded two starters, Robinson and Elliott, with the other three being substitutes."

The information about the two individuals mainly came from Zhang Heli, who started sending back information via email yesterday.

Zhang Heli did not obtain official data regarding David Robinson's jumping ability; he only collected some media data.

At this point, the referee tossed the ball high into the air, and the match officially began.

David Robinson was more experienced and had better timing for his jump, leaping when the basketball reached its peak to tip the ball away first.

“Tang Bei jumped higher, but jumped a little too early,” Xu Jicheng said.

On the Spurs' offense, David Robinson positioned himself in the low post on the left wing and reached out for the ball.

Tang Bei, with his increasingly rich experience, didn't continue to push Robinson outwards, but instead firmly guarded the edge of the penalty area, focusing on preventing David Robinson from entering the penalty area.

The ball was passed down, deliberately landing slightly outwards. David Robinson took a half-step outwards to receive the ball and then turned to face the basket.

At the same time, he holds the ball with both hands, and from top to bottom, he draws a semi-circle on the right side of his body. When the basketball is close to the ground, he is already in a bent-over attack position.

This offensive stance makes it impossible for Tang Bei to predict the direction of his breakthrough; he can go either way or jump shot directly. David Robinson's mid-range shot is very accurate and very difficult to defend.

He could only bend over slightly, with his feet parallel, his attention highly focused, ready to defend.

"squeak!"

The next moment, amidst the sharp screech of his sneakers, David Robinson instantly stepped out with his right foot, landing swiftly next to Tang Bei's right foot, and dribbled the ball with his left hand, hurtling towards the penalty area along the baseline.

Tang Bei quickly turned around and took a step to the side towards the basket. His defensive rhythm actually kept up with David Robinson's offensive rhythm, and his defensive performance was excellent.

But at that moment, David Robinson suddenly stopped, pulled his right foot back, pulled the basketball back, and calmly jumped up to shoot.

"Your uncle!"

Tang Bei, realizing he had been tricked and there was no going back, cursed under his breath. As he turned around to grab the rebound, he saw the basketball go through the hoop.

"Wow, a fake drive followed by a real shot! David Robinson faked out Tang Bei and made a two-pointer!" Xu Jicheng exclaimed in surprise.

Sun Zhenping said, "David Robinson's technique is really good."

Xu Jicheng said, "He has the height and strength of a center, the physique of a forward, and the speed and technique of a guard. He has top-notch physical qualities and very comprehensive skills."

It can attack strongly in the low post, pull up for mid-range shots, dribble down the court for fast breaks, and quickly get back on defense.

On the court, the Heat are on offense.

Point guard Bimbo Coles approached the top of the key with the ball but did not rush to drive.

He was the 13th pick in the second round of the 90 draft. His abilities are average, and he lacks experience. His current organizational skills are also quite ordinary.

Tang Bei moved to the left low post. With more experience than before, he didn't immediately expend energy to establish position. Instead, he waited until the point guard failed to break through and the power forward Grant Long pulled out of the paint before starting to establish position.

Previously, he would usually start to establish position as soon as he reached the low post. However, when he was establishing position, the ball handler would start to break through, and Larry Johnson would also be establishing position on the other side at the same time, which would waste a lot of energy.

He positioned himself in a low stance, back to David Robinson, pushing his way in while calling for the ball.

"What a terrifying power!"

David Robinson weighed 250 pounds, about 113 kilograms, and was not weak, but he was no match for Tang Bei's pressure and was quickly pushed back two feet.

Seeing Tang Bei begin to establish position, Coles immediately dribbled two steps to the left wing, then suddenly stepped back, temporarily shaking off the defense before lobbing the ball down.

"He passed it! This is Tang Bei's first shot for the Heat. Let's see how he plays it!" Xu Jicheng shouted, his spirits lifted.

While he was still speaking, Tang Bei's attack had already begun after receiving the ball. The moment he received the ball, he used his right foot as a pivot and spun down the flank.

The Tai Chi turn gathers the strength of the whole body, instantly forming a powerful turning force and speed.

At the same time, his rapid turn allowed him to instantly break free from David Robinson's confrontation.

If you can't shake off the defender when you turn around, it will definitely affect your turning speed, or even cause you to fail to turn, resulting in traveling, dribbling mistakes, or the ball being poked away.

Even if you manage to turn around, you'll be slow, and the defender will be able to keep up, significantly reducing your offensive success rate.

When she broke free from David Robinson's defense, her rapid turn caused Robinson's overhead block to miss its target, leaving her without any counterforce and causing her upper body to sway forward.

This effect is similar to a defender removing a chair.

David Robinson was like a player who had been removed from his seat on offense; the moment Tang Bei turned around, he had already lost the opportunity to turn and defend.

"boom!"

Tang Bei completed a turn and slid to the baseline with lightning speed, then burst into the air with a single left-handed slam dunk, smashing the Spurs' rim.

Veteran power forward Larry Smith, who was pulled to the right side of the paint by Grant Long, had no time to get back under the basket to defend.

"Pretty!"

Xu Jicheng shouted excitedly, "Tang Bei received the ball, easily turned and slid to the baseline, and slammed it in, scoring his first basket for the Heat."

Sun Zhenping exclaimed excitedly, "Dear viewers, this was an amazing play! The opponent was the super center David Robinson, and this play was of extremely high quality."

Xu Jicheng added, "Tang Bei's low-post turnaround attack has a name in the United States: the tornado-style turnaround attack. It has become his signature move."

"A tornado-style spin attack to the basket?"

"so cool!"

Upon hearing Xu Jicheng's words, countless Chinese basketball fans in front of their televisions were filled with both joy and surprise.

"Not bad."

"He turned around so fast. He weighs 135 kilograms. I don't know how he can do it so fast."

At the basketball court, Yang Boyong and Liu Yumin's eyes lit up when they saw Tang Bei's low-post attack.

(End of this chapter)