Chapter 125: Low Hit Rate

Chapter 137: Low Field Goal Percentage

Su Feng signaled for Brendan Haywood to come in. That must be the signal for the substitution. Seeing Haywood about to take his place, Su Feng tapped the ball onto the floor with his left hand, as if he intended to end the play and complete the substitution.

However, just as the basketball was about to leave his palm, Su Feng’s hand suddenly rotated outward, having originally been turned inward. In an instant, the ball, which should have gone to the right, went to the left!

A fake pass, a real drive! Su Feng’s wrist work was a fine piece of art, a result of "stealing" from Steve Nash.

Robert Horry did not anticipate Su Feng’s sudden burst. By the time he recovered, the lightning-fast Su Feng had already surpassed him and entered the paint.

But this was not enough to get past Horry entirely. The Trail Blazers' interior presence, the explosive-haired mascot-slayer Robin Lopez, was no pushover.

Su Feng believed he could score over Robin, but the game had only just begun, and there was no need to make things difficult for himself. So, in the midst of his high-speed drive, Su Feng stopped, decelerated, and pulled the ball back.

Due to inertia, Damian Lillard, who was chasing hard, was shocked by Su Feng’s sudden stop-and-pull move and flew a foot past him. He couldn't hit the brakes at all.

By this point, the Trail Blazers' interior defense had completely collapsed. Su Feng easily released a mid-range jumper, and the ball swished through the net without issue.

"Look, Clyde, this is the Dallas Mavericks. Not to mention being the second man; you’ve already given up 10 points, and you have to be wary of the guy wearing number 1 at all times." Robert Horry patted Clyde Drexler on the shoulder. The Glide had watched countless basketball games on TV, but only on the sidelines could one truly feel the impact of such unparalleled speed.

After scoring, Su Feng held up one finger on each hand. "Damian, 1-1, the game has only just begun!"

Both point guards were the primary engines for their teams, which was exactly what the fans expected. For the rest of the quarter, Su Feng and Lillard became two scoring machines. As Horry noted, he couldn't stop Su Feng, and vice versa.

Su Feng would just break into the paint for a reverse layup, and Lillard would immediately answer with a jumper.

Su Feng would assist Haywood for a basket, and Lillard would draw a foul and score three points the hard way over Dirk Nowitzki.

The two guards put on a show, and the gasps from Drexler and Horry continued to rise and fall.

"This is a true point guard's duel; the performance from both is simply incredible!" By the time the first quarter reached the eight-minute mark and Terry Stotts called for a timeout, both Horry and Drexler felt their heart rates accelerating.

The Mavericks were currently leading by 2 points. Su Feng had scored 10 points in the quarter, and Lillard had scored 8. These two point guards had accounted for nearly half of the 20-18 score in the first quarter.

The offensive pace set by Su Feng and Lillard was blistering. Horry and Drexler didn't stop talking for a second; to keep up with the pace of the game, they had to speak very quickly.

Su Feng and Lillard, being caught up in the duel, naturally consumed a massive amount of physical energy.

"Also, the last four minutes are for you to rest on the bench. You did well just now, but defensively, for the second quarter, I need you to put more energy into your defense." Kobe Bryant didn't say much to Su Feng. He believed his smart teammate knew what he meant.

For the fans, this fast-paced, high-scoring game was a visual feast. But in Kobe Bryant's view, offense didn't hold much meaning; aside from wasting energy and padding stats, it was useless.

Kobe Bryant’s responsibility wasn't to be a fan pleaser. His responsibility was to lead the team to win the game. Only by locking down the opponent could they win.

Su Feng understood Kobe’s intention. In the first quarter, he had been too focused on competing with Lillard. Therefore, he had put almost all his energy into offense and not nearly enough into defense.

Su Feng shook his head. Unexpectedly, after four years in the league, he would encounter such an opponent who would make him lose his "cool."

As Su Feng sat in thought, the timeout ended, and DeShawn Stevenson replaced Su Feng to take charge of the team's offense.

Stevenson was a good shooting guard. When he replaced Su Feng, he performed well. Although there weren't many opportunities in this game, he played his role whenever he was on the court.

Su Feng began to accelerate, breaking through the screen to the basket. Lillard was in trouble again. He didn't know whether to help on Su Feng or stay with Stevenson.

Just as the Congolese guard hesitated, Su Feng, with lightning speed, killed it in the paint. There was no choice; Lillard had to step up to block Su Feng.

Su Feng didn't notice Lillard’s defense and ran straight toward the rim.

At the same time, Lillard bit down and jumped high behind Su Feng. Lillard wanted to prove one thing: "Catch up, I can do it too!"

The league's top point guards were battling in the air. Su Feng seemed to be in a desperate situation. If he were lucky, he could trick the opponent into a foul. If he were unlucky, he would just be blocked. However, just before the palms of Lillard and the help-defender were about to collide, the ball disappeared from their eyes!

Su Feng was still staring at the basket, his face expressionless. It was this guy who had tucked the ball at his waist, then flicked his wrist, passing the ball right past Lillard and the defender to Haywood, who was waiting for him.

"Pass!" Lillard regretted his choice to provide help, but regret was no longer useful; it was too late.

When Haywood caught the ball, he jumped up, gripping it with both hands. The ball was slammed into the rim by the big man. No one dared to call Haywood "soft" tonight because he had already helped put the Mavericks up 9-7.

"Haha, did you see that? The cooperation with Haywood is still so tacit; there is no gap between them. As long as there is even a sliver of space, he can pass the ball. If there is space, Haywood can finish!" Kobe Bryant curled his lips, cheering for the Mavericks' goal. Perhaps another Stockton and Malone combination was born here? Su Feng and Haywood's performance today showed the multiple possibilities of such a combination.

As soon as Su Feng and Haywood were on the court, they broke the embarrassing situation where the Mavericks hadn't scored in three minutes. This was a big blow to the Rockets.

"This guy is lucky, just lucky!" Lillard comforted himself as he brought the ball forward. Su Feng couldn't find an opening every time he passed. He believed his goal was the absolute truth!

Despite his desire to score, Lillard knew that a direct duel with Su Feng was absolutely impossible. The reason his shooting percentage was below 30% right now was because he had been dealing with Su Feng all along.

So this time, Lillard passed the ball to Harden after the timeout. Then he ran to an open spot under Perkins' screen.

In this situation, Harden immediately passed, and Lillard got a chance in the right corner. But when the number 0 guard caught the ball and turned to break through, he found that Su Feng had already stuck to him!

"Quickly get rid of this obstacle; he’s like brown sugar, stuck to Lillard, unable to get rid of him! This guy is really fighting today. He has invested a lot of energy on both ends of the court!" Kevin Harlan was optimistic about Su Feng’s defensive attitude, but he certainly didn't think all of this was taught by the bald veteran at the end of the Mavericks' bench.

Lillard couldn't handle that much. He gritted his teeth and began to break through along the baseline, intending to use a reverse layup to avoid the defense.

The brave Lillard attacked Su Feng's position and Chandler's block once again. After jumping up, he performed a layup, actually carrying the ball in the air.

First, he dodged Chandler's long arms. Then he glided in the air, flying directly under the basket.

The man looked up at the basket, used his strong waist and abdomen to stretch his body again, and sent the ball up.

But just as Lillard was about to release his hand, he was in the dark. The Chinese player in the number 1 jersey had glided just as far as he had in the air!

"This is truly an air war!" Robert Horry opened his eyes wide. Both guards, Lillard and Su Feng, showed a terrifying ability to hang in the air. It was as if they had broken free from the shackles of gravity, chasing each other in mid-air.

When Lillard sent the ball up, Su Feng, who had been waiting in the air for a long time, ruthlessly waved his hand and swatted the ball out of bounds. In the air, due to inertia, Su Feng and Lillard collided violently. The latter lost his center of gravity and fell to the ground. At this moment, Su Feng stood like a tyrant, staring down at Lillard.

"The last three minutes are for you to finish the game! You had a chance to make a comeback. From now on—no, no, no!"

In the final three minutes of the game, Lillard felt hopeful. He not only wanted to lead his team to victory but also wanted to perform brilliantly over Su Feng. After all, before that, Su Feng could be said to have suppressed his entire game. Now, Lillard, in good condition, would not easily give up the chance to regain face.

No need for screens, no need to care about teammates' positioning. Lillard suddenly accelerated and slammed into Su Feng.

Su Feng blocked it with his body, but Lillard pushed him away. If Su Feng had been smarter when Lillard hit him, he would have fallen to the ground, and the number 0 guard would certainly have been called for an offensive foul.

But Su Feng wasn't that cunning; Lillard's impact left Su Feng with a tight chest, yet he still tried to follow.

Su Feng was close to Lillard, and Chandler could simultaneously pull away and cover the basket. However, Lillard didn't go straight for the rim; instead, he jumped from the side of the hoop, tricking everyone. After that, Lillard folded his body in the air to avoid the defense and slid to the other side of the rim before he could stretch his body back to the basket.

"A beautiful layup! Lillard, what does this guy mean by impact? The defense is strong enough, but it can't stop a monster with an iron body!" Robert Horry was happy to see Lillard narrow the gap to three points.

"I have to remind you, this is only Lillard's third field goal in today's game. You heard that right, third! With three minutes left to end the game, Lillard has just scored his third goal of the day. You have to admit his defense is perfect, having ten goals." Seeing Robert Horry so arrogant, Kobe Bryant couldn't help but throw a bucket of cold water.

"Although this is only the third time the Rockets have scored from the field, Lillard has caused too much damage to the Mavericks today. Isn't that force goal a foul and a trip to the free-throw line? So far, Lillard has made 14 out of 18 free throws. It can be said that without free throws, Lillard wouldn't have 10 points. But in Robert Horry's view, being able to put himself on the free-throw line also proves his strength."

"Whatever you say, Kevin. The Mavericks are preparing to attack, and Haywood is on the field. You can't expect them to continue their nightmare of not scoring." Kobe Bryant adjusted his sitting position and stared at the court. "Mavericks, Mavericks, you can't 'repeat yesterday'!"

Although Westbrook had just scored a goal, the Rockets had narrowed the score to three points. But Su Feng didn't seem to be in a hurry, as if everything was under control.

Of course, Su Feng couldn't guarantee the team would win, but he knew if he were in a hurry now, he would lose!

Su Feng broke through the three-point line, and Marion and Stevenson immediately gave Su Feng two screens. At the same time, Haywood and Chandler wanted to live on the left and right sides. It seemed the Mavericks wanted to play inside with Haywood!

Haywood had made 42 points today, just 8 points short of his personal record in the playoffs. The big man was in good shape; even if you threw the last three balls to him, there wouldn't be a problem.

"Monster block! My god, Lillard, a center known for his influence, is having a hard time. This is the second time Lillard has been blocked today. Lillard has lost, he has completely lost today!!"

The stands around the commentary table were already shouting together. On the court, Chandler excitedly patted Su Feng's chest. He didn't expect the relatively gentle Su Feng to have such a violent block.

Lillard punched the wooden floor and sat on the floor, opening his hands to the referee. He was dissatisfied that the referee did not call a foul on Su Feng. But in fact, everyone was very clear that the ball was not a foul! It was a clean, flawless block.

The block immediately boosted the Mavericks' morale to the peak. After that, Terry's shot hit the rim, but Harden missed the shot under the interference of Harden.

The Mavericks attacked again, and Haywood's position was still active. Su Feng didn't make anyone feel mysterious. He hung the ball in front of Haywood while running.

Haywood backed into the ball, and Lillard's hair stood up. Today's big man performance made Lillard nervous every time he faced him.

Drexler only felt that there was no light under the basket. The next second, the sound of the goal was loud! Harden caught up with Drexler's ball. In the center stadium of the big man's route, an impulse to chase him sent out a stunning sound.

After the block was successful, Harden threw a long arm directly to the backcourt and passed the ball to Lillard, who had already started to attack.

No one on the Mavericks could catch up to the number 0 guard. Lillard unloaded the ball in the air, took two steps into the paint, and then jumped directly for a dunk.

This dunk allowed Lillard to vent his frustration throughout the basketball game. Su Feng, Su Feng, Su Feng... a person who always stopped him on the road to success made Lillard feel uneasy. But now, this dunk seemed to be able to break through all obstacles!

"Dong!" The rim groaned painfully, highlighting the horror of the dunk. The ball shook up and down; heaven knows how hard Lillard had just hit it.

"A wonderful dunk. Every dunk by Lillard is like a comet hitting the Earth! That's great. The Rockets won't give up on the game!" Robert Horry jumped out of his seat excitedly, while Kobe Bryant next to him was covered in black lines. "Am I that unlucky? Every time Kobe Bryant predicts a game or a teammate's performance, the actual situation often tends to go in the opposite direction of what he thinks."

He had said before that the Rockets were finished, but now the young center was catching up.

Since then, the Rockets became more and more active, and some distracted Mavericks went through a period of embarrassment where they couldn't get a goal.

With these three things, the Rockets played a 10-0 attack wave, successfully narrowing the gap to only 5 points. Kobe Bryant angrily called a timeout for the game. He thought the veterans on the court could hold their own. Unexpectedly, in the end, he failed to stop the youth storm caused by the thunderstorm.

"What did I say? Robert Horry. There will be suspense in the game. There are still three minutes left. The Rockets are only five points behind. It's not surprising what will happen in the next three years when you do things!" It was Robert Horry's turn now.

Kobe Bryant shook his head helplessly, except for patience. How could the Mavericks veterans say that if they lost their chains, they would lose their chains? Perhaps it was always a big leading goal that made their nerves too relaxed. This might also be the reason why the Mavericks performed poorly in the playoffs.

"Yes, Haywood, you're back on stage! Harden, replace Peja. Stevenson, you replace the Jet! Listen, I only gave you one task. Hold on to this damn game!" Kobe Bryant had to replace many teammates; five points were imminent, and the academic manager didn't want to be the background for the other side to complete a great reversal.

He confronted Su Feng and Haywood, while others strengthened their defense. At this time in the game, ending the game with 10 points was dangerous.

Outside the court, Cuban sat behind the Mavericks' bench, ran behind Drexler, and gripped the shoulders of the famous point guard in history. "Don't worry, Jason. Next, you give it to that young man!"

Confident, Su Feng and Haywood brought confidence to the Mavericks' fans and the boss. The perfect cooperation between the two today once made the Rockets tremble. Similarly, their cooperation could also make the Mavericks rise from the abyss.

Su Feng looked at the big screen, 99 to 104. Harden had 34 points, and Lillard had 18 points. This group seemed to have the momentum to make a comeback.

"Pay attention, kid!" Haywood reached out and waved in front of Su Feng. Su Feng withdrew his eyes. On the other side, the dissatisfied Lillard also arrived.

Su Feng moved his body, then bent down and slapped the wooden floor with both hands. After that, he opened his arms, his eyes completely different from just now.

Attention was focused on Lillard and Lillard, who had scored 44 points and was heading toward the highest record in the playoffs.

At this very moment, people seemed to see a white figure cutting quickly along the baseline. Lillard's peripheral vision naturally looked at this, and he suddenly turned to take the ball, scaring the defender; Lillard was going to shoot directly!

However, the big man did not shoot, but threw the ball to the baseline. The ball was like a comet, merging with the fast-moving white figure.

(End of this chapter)