Basketball miracles

Chapter 14 [The Three-Bedroom Apartment in the Changing Room]

Tom Chambers received a standing ovation when the SuperSonics players entered the arena. He is the second most popular player on the team, second only to their star player, Jack Hickoma.

It turns out that players who excel at dunking were never unpopular in the 80s; Chambers only joined the SuperSonics last season. However, if he wants to be selected for the All-Star game, he needs to put up better numbers, at least 5 points more than last season.

Chambers waved to the fans, a hint of smugness in his expression. He loves Seattle; playing here is much more comfortable than with the Clippers. To live up to the fans' expectations, he secretly vowed to make the Western Conference All-Star team this season.

During warm-up, Xiao Tu didn't perform any dunks; he focused on practicing jump shots to get a feel for the game, but his accuracy was only average.

With the game about to begin, Pat Riley called the starting five together and emphasized the tactics once again.

He instructed Xiao Tu, "Don't pay attention to the fans' boos. They're trying to put psychological pressure on the away team's players, especially inexperienced newcomers. Just ignore them and don't look towards the stands."

“No, I can’t ignore them.” Xiao Tu laughed. “I just like to see it, to see people who can’t stand me but can’t do anything about it.”

Xiao Tu looked relaxed, surrounded by a group of people with question marks on their faces.

Riley was also taken aback; he had never seen a rookie with such strong mental fortitude. It seemed he had nothing to worry about; Xiao Tu was sure to perform to his full potential.

Last season, Byron Scott was completely lost in his first away game. Worthy wasn't much better; he was extremely nervous before the game. Xiao Tu, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy being booed so much.

This is the confidence of someone who's got extraordinary abilities; he's fearless.

Xiao Tu's hypothetical rivals are Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Michael Jordan. Chambers? He doesn't even have a place in the future Hall of Fame.

After the game started, Chambers, who was full of confidence and wanted to teach the newcomer a lesson... quickly fell into a disadvantageous position.

He's currently 25, in the prime of his athletic career, but his physical strength is far inferior to Xiao Tu's. He has the slender, tall build of a future Rashad Lewis, only good at jumping; his weakness is his power.

Faced with Xiao Tu's tight defense, Chambers was knocked around and swayed, not unlike the Trail Blazers' second overall pick, Sam Bowie. He couldn't get into the paint with cuts or back-to-the-basket moves, so he could only try to face the basket and create space for jump shots.

Xiao Tu is also much faster than Chambers, which can seriously interfere with his shooting and reduce his shooting percentage.

After a few minutes of facing off, Xiao Tu felt confident and had complete control.

This guy's playing style is indeed very similar to mine, just a weaker version, too soft.

Chambers is a dangerous cutter, adept at receiving the ball and attacking the basket, but his ball-handling efficiency is average. Xiao Tu, on the other hand, can play to his full potential, playing as usual, squeezing past Chambers to cut inside and attack the basket.

Moreover, Magic Johnson repeatedly executed pick-and-roll plays, seeking mismatches to drive to the basket. If Chambers didn't immediately switch on defense, Johnson could easily shake off the 188cm point guard Gerald Henderson and penetrate to the rim.

Henderson won the championship with the Celtics last season and transferred to the SuperSonics in the summer. He weighs only 80 kilograms and his height is exaggerated, so Johnson dealt with him very easily. During the Finals, the coach did not dare to arrange for the two to match up for a long time.

SuperSonics coach Lenny Wilkens had no other choice but to rely heavily on Henderson. The white backup point guard was far inferior in ability; he was the kind of guy who should be working in a factory.

Johnson was furious when he saw the Celtics players; he had to beat them to a pulp.

Chambers was drawn away, and Xiao Tu would either cut to the basket or receive the ball at the high post for a jump shot. His mismatch against the point guard and his pull-up jump shot was practically unguarded, as easy as in practice.

Chambers, on the other hand, didn't run pick-and-rolls with his perimeter teammates, resulting in low-quality screens and relying primarily on individual skill. In Wilkens' tactics, center Hickoma was the core of the interior offense.

In rebounding, Xiao Tu completely outclassed Chambers; they were on completely different levels.

Whether it's positioning for defensive rebounds or charging for offensive rebounds, Xiao Tu is the most aggressive player on the court. Chambers, who isn't good at positioning, is often struggling to jump because of Xiao Tu's bumping into him.

Hickoma was tasked with guarding Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the match was intense. No one in the paint could help Chambers, and he repeatedly lost defensive rebounds, looking like a fool on the defensive end.

The home fans initially cheered for Chambers, but booed Xiao Tu whenever he got the ball. In the latter part of the second quarter, Xiao Tu dominated Chambers, and the fans fell silent.

湖人半场65比50领先。    肖途出战18分钟，5投3中，罚球2中2，砍下8分11篮板1助攻1盖帽。他比揭幕战更猛的是抢了5个前场篮板球，其中4个是在钱伯斯的防守下抢到的。

钱伯斯半场6投1中，罚球2中1，仅得到3分2篮板1助攻。

During halftime, the SuperSonics' locker room had an extra three bedrooms and a living room, which Chambers had just dug out with his toes.

It's tough to be down by a large margin at home, but no one else made any disgraceful remarks before the game, unlike Chambers who was so embarrassing.

In the away team's locker room, Xiao Tu rested quietly in a corner, discreetly popping a few premium grapes into his mouth. He gives his all in every game, aiming for star-level statistics, and never holds back against his opponents.

Since he has a cheat code, he has to use it, without considering whether it's fair.

He doesn't plan to share grapes with his teammates. If everyone finds out he has fruit to relieve fatigue and asks him for some, there definitely won't be enough to go around.

Besides, secrets don't stay hidden forever. Once it gets out, it will cause controversy and damage Xiao Tu's image. NBA players are highly mobile; what reason would someone who's switched teams have to keep his secret?
In the second half, the Lakers' offense became even more aggressive and their counterattacks sharper, using a 17-2 run to extend the lead to 30 points.

The SuperSonics have one unusual trait: all three of their big men are white. Aside from Chambers, the other two lack athleticism and often struggle to defend fast breaks.

The SuperSonics were broken down when Xiao Tu hit an open three-pointer in the middle.

One minute later, Xiao Tu rushed forward on a fast break and completed a one-handed alley-oop dunk with Magic Johnson in a 2-on-1 situation.

The Lakers took control and turned the tables, entering showtime! The players got into a playful mood, and their shooting percentage remained high.

Chambers was getting thoroughly dominated on both ends of the court by a rookie he had underestimated before the game, and his anger was escalating. He knew he couldn't beat Xiao Tu in a normal game, so he had to resort to dirty tricks to make Xiao Tu suffer.

With 4 minutes and 32 seconds left in the third quarter, Xiao Zhong received the ball on a cut to the basket and attempted a two-handed dunk, but Chambers ambushed him from behind and pulled him down hard with both hands. This was a very dangerous move; a weaker player might have landed on the back of their head.

Xiao Tu demonstrated excellent balance, preferring to jump with both feet to better control his center of gravity in the air. He fell backward but was not injured, only his buttocks hurt a little.

The two sides did not clash over the foul. Xiao Tu didn't say anything, and no one from the Lakers spoke up for him.

When conflicts arise between teams, it's usually the role players who step in, but the Lakers' starters are all stars. James Worthy and Byron Scott were both high draft picks, and they've never been in a fight since entering the league.

A lack of fighting spirit is a weakness of the Lakers, as evidenced in last season's Finals.

Magic Johnson and Scott went up to ask Xiao Tu if he was alright. He said he was fine, but he felt uneasy.

That's outrageous! This kind of action that targets the player but not the ball is considered a regular foul. At that time, the NBA didn't have a flagrant foul rule.

Regardless of how a defender brings down an opponent, they usually only award two free throws; there are rarely any additional penalties. Player ejections do occur, but these are almost always after physical altercations.

Why are you forcing me?
If I don't become a bad guy, I'll be kicked out; if I don't bully others, I'll suffer losses and be forced into it!

Xiao Tu felt an urge to hit someone, but he held back for the time being.

He may not be considered calm, but he won't lose his temper and throw a punch recklessly just because of a foul.

As a rookie, throwing a punch in his second game could displease Commissioner David Stern. He couldn't let this go unpunished, but he needed to do it within the rules; he didn't want to risk losing more than he gained.

As the saying goes, a gentleman takes revenge even after ten years. He is not a gentleman, but he wouldn't be so impatient as to not even wait a few minutes.

Xiao Tu believes that Chambers, who has four fouls, will definitely play again, because his stats are too bad. If he doesn't score some points, he will be making a fool of himself today.

(End of this chapter)