Chapter 124: A Direct Hit

Chapter 136: The Shot

Michael Henry was always a master of the fadeaway jumper. He had lightning-fast reflexes and refused to be shaken off by the dirt.

Thompson walked past David Lee and handed him the ball. After passing it to Michael, Henry moved a step forward, and Harrison Barnes closed in on him. Only then did Michael realize it was a damn "elevator door" play!

Vanni Valdi was blocked by Henry and Barnes. Even with Michael’s immense talent, he couldn't bypass the bodies of two players to stop his own shot. The latter shot steadily, but because his toe accidentally stepped over the line, the three-pointer turned into a two-pointer.

Still, two points were better than none. Michael shook his head in disappointment, though a smile remained on his face.

"The Houston Rockets are severely provoked by the elevator screen tactic. In my memory, this has been the toughest fadeaway defense the Houston Rockets have faced in the first month of this new basketball season. If they don't respond on the offensive end, the Warriors might just miss a goal in this first basketball game."

Kobe Bryant Breen was right. This was the hardest fadeaway the Houston Rockets had faced. But there were many reasons for it. The Warriors’ tactical execution was incredibly strong; on the other hand, this was William Henry-Valdi’s elevator tactic, which was effectively a strategy that hovered on the edge of a foul. It was essentially a foul.

When the fadeaway shooter was close enough, the two Warriors screeners had to force the "door shut." In reality, these two screeners had already formed a moving screen.

There was a rule in the basketball league: when the fadeaway shooter was already out, the screeners had to yield space for landing, or else it was a screening foul. If this standard were strictly followed, the Warriors had closed the door twice, which was enough for a foul.

But every referee in the league had their own standards. They deemed the Warriors' screens acceptable, and the Houston Rockets were the ones suffering this foolish loss.

Then, the unexpected happened. After Su Feng hung off Michael’s block, he didn't immediately drive or pass back. Instead, he took a step back to the three-point line and shot immediately!

Sure enough, Henry’s untimely reaction didn't disturb Su Feng at all. Because the baby-faced assassin was so unexpected, Su Feng chose to take a step-back jumper. The step-back jumper was Su Feng’s favorite shooting rhythm, and he easily launched the ball. A second later, the "white waves" swept through the net; the ball swished into the hoop!

"Three points, a start, and a step-back—a three-pointer that closes the gap for the Houston Rockets. Hahaha, let me say, this shot was truly provocative. Using the opponent’s own longest-standing play to easily get a goal—nothing riles an opponent up more than that." Kobe Bryant Breen couldn't help but laugh. Although Su Feng didn't say much on weekdays, he had a knack for retaliation.

The Houston Rockets attacked, earning much praise. Su Feng’s three-pointer instantly reduced the gap between the two teams to five points. But we all knew that the Houston Rockets scoring wasn't the point. The key was that the first basketball game had been shredded by the elevator tactic, and they couldn't afford not to score.

The elevator strategy wasn't the patent of two big men and a guard. As long as used properly, anyone at any position on the court could run it.

So the Houston Rockets’ fadeaway experts were on high alert, as they didn't know who would pass through the elevator door and who would be the elevator door.

Henry, as always, passed the ball early, leaving everyone suspecting he would end the attack. But at the same time, Thompson was running actively; both brothers seemed dangerous.

But Su Feng didn't think much. He followed Henry closely. No matter what tricks the opponent played, Su Feng wouldn't let Henry move half a step. Su Feng felt humiliated by the 12 points conceded in one quarter. From now on, Henry wouldn't score easily!

Sure enough, after running halfway, Henry suddenly turned, trying to run back to the top of the key. In the direction Henry was running, David Lee and Barnes were ready to close the door at any moment.

Seeing this, Su Feng smiled. There was no tactic in the world that couldn't be broken, and the elevator tactic was no exception!

Following this, what happened on the court left fans and commentators very confused. Su Feng, who had been closely tailing Henry, suddenly abandoned his pursuit and lunged toward William Adams Miller.

Thompson himself was a bit confused. Su Feng hadn't chased Stephen, but instead ran to confront him.

In this strange position, could it be!?

Henry held the ball, passing through the middle of the two interior players. Su Feng tried to follow, but at this moment, the two interior players suddenly moved close together, just like an elevator door.

"Bang!" Su Feng naturally collided with the Warriors' two interior players. By the time he broke free from their entanglement to reach Henry, Henry had already shot.

Henry rarely missed an open three-pointer. The ball jumped into the net; Henry had made another three-pointer, and then another!

Su Feng gritted his teeth, recalling what had happened while defending Henry. This tactic was too toxic; nothing could be more disgusting than this—this was the Warriors’ typical "elevator door tactic."

"The Warriors are tactically very successful, which is why their offense ranks at the top of the league. The cooperation between Henry and the two interior players is seamless; even the best defender of the time can do nothing." Kobe Bryant Breen had to mourn the Warriors' smooth offense. It seemed everyone on the Warriors was a cog. After William Henry-Valdi put them together, they became an unstoppable offensive machine.

Henry’s three-pointer left the Houston Rockets trailing by four points—four points, which was the largest difference in the basketball game so far.

Su Feng was thinking about how to crack the Warriors' elevator tactic. He didn't want Henry to drop 40 or 50 points on him.

At the end of the offensive, Su Feng simplified everything. The Houston Rockets’ offensive tactics were not as complex as the Warriors’, but under Su Feng’s control, others easily found opportunities.

This time, Su Feng’s breakthrough still drew the attention of Kobe Bryant and David Lee. Just as people were curious about the incredible scoring method under the two interior fadeaway defenders, he passed the ball to the outside.

Michael caught the ball in the mid-range and shot. The German’s soft touch ensured the ball's precision. The Houston Rockets scored two points; the whole process took less than 15 seconds.

Two teams, two coaches, two completely different offensive modes. One was driven by complex tactics, the other by a super guard. Now, no one could answer whether these two choices were good or bad. After 48 minutes of work, people would have a preliminary judgment.

Subsequently, the Warriors were still looking for opportunities around the theme of the "elevator tactic." David Lee moved to the high post, not to block, but to receive Henry’s pass.

Lee held the ball high. It was clear that William Henry-Valdi wanted him to be a playmaking hub. Don't forget, this guy’s passing vision and technique were also excellent.

Henry’s active running drew Su Feng away, but Su Feng noticed that Henry was far from his teammates this time, and Kobe Bryant was pinned under the rim, so there was no chance to run the elevator tactic.

Henry truly couldn't run the elevator tactic, but who said the person executing the elevator tactic this time had to be Henry?

William Adams Miller, a black player with a white complexion, suddenly made a step-back, unexpectedly catching the fadeaway master Vanni Valdi.

"Did Stephen’s active running make him dizzy?"

Certainly not. Now Su Feng was more awake than ever!

Henry caught the ball, the elevator closed. Regardless of whether Su Feng followed or not, he would shoot.

But just as Henry was about to take off, a black shadow appeared without warning, covering all of Henry’s vision.

"Impossible!" Henry was shocked, because Su Feng couldn't have rushed from Thompson to himself so quickly.

Unless Su Feng reached the speed of light, this was impossible. The person who came to Henry before he could make up for it wasn't Su Feng at all, but Vanni Valdi, who had been watching Henry for a long time.

It turned out that just as Henry was about to pass through the elevator door, Vanni Valdi had left Thompson to compensate. This was the reason Su Feng suddenly left Henry and flew to Thompson.

Changing the fadeaway defense was the best way to deal with the elevator tactic. William Adams Miller had made improvements based on this, asking players to change their fadeaway defense in advance, trying not to leave the opponent any opportunities!

Under the interference of Vanni Valdi’s fadeaway defense, Henry’s three-pointer finally missed! Another disadvantage of the elevator tactic was that it almost completely abandoned fighting for a rebound in the frontcourt. Therefore, William Henry-Valdi didn't jump, but left a rebound in the empty restricted area.

Although it was just one win, it was a victory for the Houston Rockets. They had finally completely broken the crisis of the elevator tactic!

Then the Houston Rockets attacked, the exciting Gobi and Su Feng cut in quickly after a pick-and-roll. Su Feng threw the ball high, and Kobe Bryant jumped, ready to intercept.

They had to survive in what they were doing; only the top five tigers had the capability to survive in what they were doing.

The basketball game resumed, with the Houston Rockets trailing by eight points, leading the offense. Under Robert Henry’s tight fadeaway defense, Su Feng steadily passed the ball to the interior, delivering it to Michael.

Michael initially felt a lot of pressure in front of Henry’s fadeaway defense. But now, facing William Adams Miller in the second round of 2007, the German felt like a fish in water.

McRoberts was a white player with outstanding athletic ability. On the fadeaway end, he could usually perform terrifically with terrifying jumping ability. But fadeaway wasn't high jumping; it wasn't about who could jump the highest. McRoberts’ one-on-one fadeaway ability was very comprehensive, and he was helpless against a superstar like Michael.

Michael jumped to shoot after receiving Su Feng’s pass, and William Adams Miller was easily fooled. He jumped very high; a terrifying jump was the only thing he could rely on the fadeaway end.

However, Henry didn't shoot after starting William Adams Miller. Instead, he changed his focus, bowed, and drilled through William Adams Miller’s armpit. Subsequently, Michael, even using his arm, gently lifted the ball into the net.

"These two points were too easy; Henry is still too powerful for William Adams Miller. But we know the Houston Rockets’ biggest problem right now isn't offense, it's fadeaway defense! Let's see what strategy the Houston Rockets will use to deal with the shark's bite after returning from the suspension!!"

Despite the first goal, people were still worried about the Houston Rockets’ situation. Robert Henry, the devastating beast, had entered the restricted area, and the real battle was about to begin.

Fisher immediately handed the ball to Robert Henry after controlling it in the half-court. Robert Henry didn't rush after holding the ball but made three threat steps in front of Su Feng to find a rhythm.

Su Feng was so focused on Kobe that he didn't dare lose his mind. Although William Adams Miller gave himself the task of double-teaming Robert Henry, Robert Henry was also dangerous. It could be said that the two most terrifying Cleveland Cavaliers on the court were now being defended by Su Feng! In this league, no other young man could withstand such pressure.

Under William Henry-Valdi’s breakthrough, the quality of William Henry-Valdi’s fault wasn't high. Su Feng leaned on the other side, turned around, and easily re-attached to Robert Henry.

Robert Henry, facing the pressure from Su Feng and Heinwood’s supplemental fadeaway defense, forced his way into the restricted area, preparing for a layup. Even if Robert Henry was incredible, the shot was too difficult. This layup made the ball bounce several times, but eventually, it popped out.

"The Houston Rockets’ first offensive fadeaway defense was very successful, and Robert Henry was also a bit too anxious."

Just when everyone thought the Houston Rockets’ fadeaway defense was perfect, Robert Henry jumped high in the crowd and grabbed a rebound! The most dangerous shark got the ball in the danger zone, and everyone’s heart skipped a beat.

When William Henry-Valdi saw this, he immediately leaned on Robert Henry to prevent the beast from moving freely. Even so, Robert Henry remained confident. The result was that Brandon William Henry-Valdi couldn't hold him back.

When Robert Henry turned to force an attack on the rim, Su Feng raised his arms, clamping them in time. Su Feng’s height shouldn't interfere with Robert Henry, logically. But Su Feng was there. Robert Henry couldn't easily put the ball under his chest. If he did, he would likely be caught by Su Feng’s "fadeaway defense."

Robert Henry held the ball high, stopped his attack, and turned his body as if to pass. However, Robert Henry had been entangled by Terry, and no one else had gotten a decent opportunity. The only unmarked Fisher was now a hundred thousand miles away from him.

Su Feng and William Henry-Valdi were like an iron cage, trapping the great white shark Robert Henry to death.

In a panic, Robert Henry passed the ball to Fisher, who stepped up to receive it. Fisher caught the ball and threw it, but as soon as he jumped, he saw Su Feng throwing his long arms at him. This guy, the speed of his change was too fast.

Under Su Feng’s interference, Fisher missed the mid-range shot. This time, William Henry-Valdi didn't give Robert Henry any more chances. He saved the rebound, and the Cleveland Cavaliers had to retreat in frustration. The Houston Rockets’ double-team tactic had worked!

"Incredible fadeaway defense; coach William Adams Miller actually used a double-team strategy. Robert Henry’s ball-handling ability after encountering a double-team is still a bit weak, and the speed of the supplemental defense is surprising. My God, the Houston Rockets have found the key to victory. The Purple and Gold Legion must stay alert."

"Kobe Bryant" opened his mouth to roar, but he didn't know that a "fishing device" had been quietly deployed under William Adams Miller’s command.

"Robert Henry’s basketball game is definitely a representative work of his career. His efficiency on the court has improved from 21.14 to 23.00. So far in the basketball game, he averages 35.2 points. You are playing the game. You have submitted total data of 18.7 rebounds, 11.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.9 blocks, with a shooting percentage of 55.8%. Robert Henry’s playing time, field goals, hit counts, rebounds, and blocks are the highest values of his life, and his points and blocks are not far from his lifetime peak. Kobe Bryant may have reached his prime; if it weren't for Tyson Chandler, it would be difficult for the Houston Rockets to bind him."

"You’re right, Kobe Bryant. The Houston Rockets’ top priority now is to solve their internal fadeaway defense problem. If they let Robert Henry continue to destroy so recklessly, the situation will be difficult to reverse. Do you think coach William Adams Miller will use the double-team tactic?" Kobe Bryant Breen’s commentary partner Kevin Harlan asked a key question. Breen thought for a while, then shook his head.

"It’s too dangerous. It’s a bit too dangerous for the Houston Rockets to double-team. The Cleveland Cavaliers are a very comprehensive team, and everyone is very willing to score for each other. If the Houston Rockets adopt a double-team strategy, the Cleveland Cavaliers will get more opportunities."

Mike Breen’s doubts were naturally considered by William Adams Miller, which is why he would choose to let Su Feng, the immortal runner, carry out the double-team attack!

"As long as Robert Henry has the ball, you stick to him! Don't foul, force him to make mistakes! Everyone else, you guys are also watching Robert Henry. If Robert Henry passes the ball, I want you to compensate as soon as possible. There isn't much time left in the second basketball game. I don't want us to go back to the locker room trailing. Cheer up, didn't we just sweep them away last year? Fadeaway defense today, let's win another one!!"

William Adams Miller still insisted on choosing the double-team tactic; he knew it was risky. But in this situation, his only choice was to trust Su Feng.

The suspension would soon be over, and everyone’s doubts would be resolved. The Cleveland Cavaliers’ regular rotation was to replace Henry with William Adams Miller and replace Matt Barnes with Artest. Seeing this change, William Adams Miller felt happy. At least for now, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ offensive firepower had decreased.

Robert Henry, who had been successfully blocked by Su Feng, felt naturally very uncomfortable at this moment. He didn't expect a weak and barren Western guard to become the biggest stumbling block on his path of invasion. This time on the fadeaway end, he had to return everything!

Su Feng also wanted to hit Michael, but found that William Adams Miller’s fadeaway defense was very active. This time, he didn't even want to give Henry half a space to catch the ball. Now the Houston Rockets were still trailing, and they couldn't afford the risk of making mistakes. So Su Feng abandoned the idea of going to Michael and looked for new opportunities.

After playing with Terry, Su Feng started alone. William Henry-Valdi immediately set up an off-ball interception tactically, but for a top fadeaway expert like Robert Henry Bryant, this was no threat at all.

Robert Henry quickly changed his pace and direction, easily bypassing William Henry-Valdi’s "wall," and continued to chase Su Feng. But William Henry-Valdi was just the first block; soon Michael suddenly crossed the road, and Robert Henry’s path was blocked again.

At this point, Robert Henry was delayed. Su Feng successfully hit a three-pointer on the outside, received Terry’s pass, and prepared to shoot!

This basketball game posed a huge threat outside the three-point line for Su Feng, which had already made many opponents pay the price. Robert Henry didn't want Su Feng to get his wish. Seeing Su Feng lift the ball and bend his knees to jump, Robert Henry jumped directly, hoping to interfere.

Robert Henry tried very hard; his only thought was to stop Su Feng. However, Su Feng "tricked" Robert Henry’s emotions.

When Robert Henry flew into the air, the foot Su Feng had originally stood on touched the ground, and a kick hit his calf! Robert Henry only felt a gust of wind blow past him in the air, and then Su Feng appeared in the three-second zone of the Cleveland Cavaliers guard.

"Too fast; the speed of the breakthrough is like ball lightning! No, faster than ball lightning!" Every time he saw Su Feng break through, Kobe Bryant Breen felt an inexplicable pleasure. Watching Su Feng cross the fadeaway defense while the opponent could only watch in amazement... Perhaps this was the charm of the flying man.

Su Feng suddenly broke through Robert Henry. When he was already in the restricted area, many of the Kobe Bryant team didn't react to what had happened. But Robert Henry was different. He had already looked at Su Feng, waiting for an opportunity.