Chapter 150: Still More

When I am walking with the ball, I can do a better butterfly dribble than him, Sufan said with a smile to Peja, as the Croatian noticed the child laughing heartily.

Before the basketball battle began, Cousins's performance filled every corner of the sleeper train hall with heavy smoke.

As Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy took the stage, there were hardly any seats left in the player tunnel. The cheers of the fans had already pushed the atmosphere to its first climax.

"DeMarcus's cousin has done a lot of amazing things in recent years. He's back, pushing Hill to third place on the rookie list! If DeMarcus continues to play like this, Robert Henry and Sufan's rankings will also be in danger!" Mike Breen looked at the basketball game recently held in Korsin, where an exaggerated pair of sneakers made him look like a super center.

"This kid is the epitome of the modern center. When I was coaching, you could not possibly have a big teammate with multiple skills, such as long-range shooting, interior dominance, defense, and ball-handling. But DeMarcus, he did it. This guy runs like a guard, but the deterrence inside is astonishing!" Van Gundy looked at Cousins on the court with both eyes, feeling that the world had changed. The kind of teammate people fantasized about has become a reality.

"Jeff, the decision for this year's best rookie is really intense. So far, Sufan, Robert Henry, Cousins, Hill, Greg Monroe, and Paul George have all done very well, and all of them are hopeful for the award. This situation is probably unique since 2003." Mike Breen also used the basketball game to brush aside today's most important topic: Who is the best rookie? This will undoubtedly make fans even more eager for the showdown between Sufan and his cousin.

"If I had to predict, I would still think I can win the Rookie of the Year award. Although most rookies occasionally have explosive performances, there is no doubt that he is the most consistent performer among all rookies. Hill's injury layoff also proved that he has the potential to become a great leader through his own performance. Anyway, I believe I will cast my vote for him." Van Gundy did not hide his affection for Sufan. This person was not the only one who liked the Chinese teammate; what he stated was a very important fact.

Shortly after the two ESPN commentators finished their chat, both starting lineups were already on the court.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please continue to lock in on ESPN! The exciting basketball game is about to begin!"

Word

Tyson Hill looked at the round-faced young man in front of him, feeling nervous and uneasy. This guy had been doing very well recently, and he had also talked online about sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers. Although the "boxing champion" was not afraid of any opponent, no one was willing to lose to a rookie.

At that moment, Cousins's eyes locked onto Hill. Neither of these fiercely competitive-looking rivals backed down. Both of these veterans were tough guys.

After the referee confirmed that both players were ready, the basketball was tossed into the air. Hill immediately took off, hoping to give his opponent a taste of color during the jump phase.

However, Cousins was five meters shorter than Hill, yet he surpassed the distance between the "boxing champion's" fingertips and successfully batted the basketball away!

Cousins glanced at Hill, sending a slight chill down his spine. He ran briskly past. With a flash of his teeth, he whispered to the mute "boxer": "I am still a bit taller than you!"

"Damn brat!" Tyson was not a mild-tempered former player, so under Cousins's provocation, the guy instantly hit the nail on the head.

The Kings attacked, and after a period of defense, Slovenian center Beno Udrih scored a three-pointer from the left corner.

But Kidd's timely closeout was clearly beyond Udrih's expectations. Hill clearly saw that just as the Slovenian started his motion, the basketball was already skewed!

He immediately prepared to anchor his position to protect the goal, but this annoying big rookie became deeply entangled with the "champion" and did not allow Hill to block himself outside the restricted area as he had hoped.

The basketball hit the left side of the rim and missed. Hill and Cousins jumped almost simultaneously. However, during the contest for the ball, Cousins grabbed the basketball a step ahead of Hill!

Hill was still thinking about how to defend against Cousins's secondary attack after landing, but before landing, Cousins directly put the ball back into the rim while still in the air.

The basketball changed its flight trajectory in Cousins's hands, flew back to the basket, and dropped into the net.

"DeMarcus! He scored two points for the Kings right at the start with a strong put-back basket. Jeffrey, in this basketball game, have you seen anyone successfully organize a basketball play under Hill's protection?"

"Robert Henry also wore down a player in the tunnel!"

Robert Henry quickly turned around, but Sufan had caught him off guard, and the basketball went straight past the restricted area. At this point, it was very difficult for Robert Henry to catch up to Sufan.

Drew Andrew Jordan was full of energy, ready to battle Sufan in the air. However, Sufan was not foolish enough to meet Little Jordan head-on. The moment he stepped onto the edge of the three-second zone, he stretched out his arm, and the basketball crossed the barrier of Little Jordan, dropping directly into the net.

At that moment, the entire center club in West Iberia was boiling with excitement. Everyone raised their arms and cheered loudly. Fans in front of their TVs even felt the camera shaking.

Amid the enthusiastic cheers of the fans, Sufan placed his index finger to his lips and made a "shush" gesture toward Robert Henry.

You talk too foolishly, big man, and then you want to completely defeat Sufan, and then the Cleveland Cavaliers have never beaten the Houston Rockets... That is all. Sufan felt his ears growing old. From now on, shut up for me! Then watch my performance!

"At the same time, he is still too fast... This shouldn't have resulted in a goal, but when he bypassed Robert Henry, it was like a flash of lightning. Edward William didn't know what happened, and his shot had already hit." Watching Sufan "keep silent" toward Robert Henry, Hill was happy for his goal. This brat not only scored very beautifully, but also acted very aggressively at the end.

Robert Henry disdainfully received the basketball, but in fact, tens of thousands of metaphorical grass-mud horses were running through his heart. It was truly a pity to let Robert Henry become Sufan's background board and let him get worn down in the player tunnel.

After being humiliated, Robert Henry became the laughingstock of the entire West Iberia route center. In the player tunnel, countless people were mocking him. This was something Robert Henry could not accept. He decided to turn the tables!

Of course, Robert Henry was not like the last basketball game. Robert Henry had the upper hand in the Houston Rockets' last basketball game. He wanted the ball and wanted to play isolation whenever he wanted.

This basketball game was different. After the Houston Rockets were controlled by Paul's offensive rhythm, Robert Henry also had to follow the tactics and was not as prominent as before.

But getting the ball was not difficult. As long as he became more active later, Robert Henry believed Paul would pass the ball to himself.

Seeing Robert Henry gallop past and prepare to join the offense, he clapped his hands hard on the sideline. The applause caught William Adams Miller's attention. He knew it was time to step up his defense!

Sufan remembered the first time he encountered Robert Henry last year, when Robert Henry forced William Adams Miller to break through the air with an offensive foul. But due to the league's heavy support for Robert Henry, the referee naturally acquiesced to the basket. After detaining William Adams Miller, Robert Henry also grandly celebrated in front of Hill. Sufan could not bear to watch. He pushed Robert Henry aside and lifted Hill up. This was also when the two began to develop bad blood.

The first time he met William Adams Miller, I completed a crossover, which left an inherent impression in Robert Henry's mind—although West Iberia's offense was outstanding, the defense was not that good.

In fact, it wasn't that Hill's defense wasn't good enough, but rather that Robert Henry had never encountered Hill in the playoffs!

Faced with the humiliation of Sufan's crotch dribble, Robert Henry ran past the center court and did not set a screen for Paul. Instead, he squeezed his position with his back, leaned on William Adams Miller until the end, and raised his hand for the ball.

Paul also understood that Robert Henry was very eager to play isolation. To take care of Robert Henry's emotions and respect his choice, Paul slipped the ball into the interior, letting Robert Henry and William Adams Miller become the main characters.

Sufan did not go to double-team, but continued to stick close to Paul's side. That guy named Robert Henry was enough to leave to Hill alone.

During the regular season of this basketball game, the Houston Rockets met the Cleveland Cavaliers three times, and Nowitzki only played in two of them due to injury. In both basketball games, Robert Henry tasted a lot of sweetness over William Adams Miller's head. The image of West Iberia being a soft persimmon had completely solidified in Robert Henry's mind.

This time, Robert Henry felt William Adams Miller's back-to-basket defense for the first time. Seeing that the opponent didn't seem to exert much strength, he preemptively made a sudden turn, trying to use William Adams Miller as a pivot to spin and break through.

However, this time William Adams Miller did not let Robert Henry pass easily. Even if he committed a foul, he did not want to let Robert Henry have his way. William Adams Miller was completely different from the regular season.

As a result, Robert Henry's breakthrough was blocked by William Adams Miller. Although he collided with William Adams Miller's chest and forced a layup, under William Adams Miller's defense, Robert Henry's layup fell on the left side of the rim, and the Houston Rockets' offense failed again!

"Edward William was eager to regain his face after scoring a basket."

"God, what did he do!"

So he scored as many points as possible on the offensive end. Unfortunately, Hill didn't seem to want to play games with him anymore. Once the West Iberia players put it together, it wasn't easy to defeat!

William Adams Miller's tough defense won a lot of praise and also ushered in another scoring opportunity for the Cleveland Cavaliers. This time, Sufan did not fight with Paul. He shouted for his teammates to spread out, but instead of playing isolation himself, he created an isolation opportunity for William Adams Miller!

William Adams Miller arrived "late" and sank into the low post. Robert Henry, who was defending him, became nervous. He could no longer afford to fail! Edward Freeman

Like Paul, Sufan lingered outside the three-point line and hung the ball directly into the interior. Now let us see who is stronger, the big men around us.

William Adams Miller did not make a fuss after holding the ball, and directly executed his signature fadeaway jump shot. Robert Henry had already lost in height, and when he stretched out his short arms, he looked even more awkward. He could not interfere with the shot at all. William Adams Miller essentially shot into open space.

Near the three-second zone, William Adams Miller's shooting remained extremely lethal. The basketball claimed a clean net, and Robert Henry missed another shot!

Edward William looked a bit overwhelmed when he first took the court in the playoffs. He was blocked outside Hill's scoring line and seemed to have lost his dominance from the regular season, O'Neal shook his head. Once Sufan and William Adams Miller became serious, Robert Henry appeared completely mismatched.

"Domineering?" Edward William's child didn't say anything except complaining about fouls to the referee. Trust me, today Hill will give him a good understanding of what the adult world is really like! Edward Freeman

After several rounds of basketball battles, Robert Henry still hadn't succeeded on the offensive end. It was Paul's own difficult isolation plays that allowed the Houston Rockets to score better baskets in a timely manner.

Sufan's defense was tight, but Paul was too steady. As long as he shot from mid-range, he seemed certain to score. But letting Paul resort to isolation proved that the Cleveland Cavaliers' comprehensive defense was successful.

Teammates like Paul usually had to be forced to take difficult shots.

A basketball game played with this kind of intensity gradually widened the score gap. Whether on the offensive or defensive end, Robert Henry was suppressed by William Adams Miller. In the playoffs, you could truly see the gap between two teammates.

Sufan also frequently broke through the defense, stirring the Houston Rockets' chaotic defensive scheme into disarray.

By the sixth minute of the first quarter, William Adams Miller finally called a timeout. The Cleveland Cavaliers' Houston Rockets were blocked during the regular season and fell behind by 8 points.

"The Cleveland Cavaliers' defense and offense are both stronger than the Houston Rockets', and there is an obvious gap between Robert Henry and William Adams Miller. Although Hill was very conservative in the regular season, the West Iberia players truly know when to work hard and when to pretend to be dead."

In fact, it wasn't just William Adams Miller. Many veteran stars loved to truly turn up in the playoffs. If they played like every battle was a regular-season game, they would end up lying in hospital beds.

William Adams Miller had no good way to deal with Hill, who had once again become almost unstoppable. There was no way to stop him. The crazy West Iberia players could even throw the heat into a dead zone. William Adams Miller's only choice was to step up the offense!

Levant, it's your turn to play! Go to the court and run actively, and do it if you have a chance! Remember, I need you to score, score! William Adams Miller roared in front of a young curly-haired man.

The young man named Levant immediately took off his training jersey and jumped twice. Since I am in West Iberia, how can I give up the opportunity to perform?

After the timeout, Cleveland Cavaliers veteran Butler sat on the bench. Instead, Levant Young, a young center who had performed brilliantly with the Wizards, took the court.

"Edward Freeman, the club president William Adams Miller has substituted Edward Freeman! Ever since Billups was ruled out for the season, the Houston Rockets have been actively supplementing the bench depth of their perimeter teammates. According to this plan, Levant Young was traded to West Iberia. Let us see if Edward Freeman, participating in the playoffs once again after four years, can bring the fans the performance they expect!" Edward Freeman

For Young Levant, Yi Jianlian was also quite familiar with him. In the basketball battles against the Wizards, they were teammates. This unruly black center, regardless of whether his partner was Paul or Robert Henry—the league's top playmaking center—once the ball reached his hands, even Jordan couldn't make him pass it again!

The only thing Edward Freeman thought about was scoring an offensive basket. He didn't consider anything else at all.

Edward Freeman's extreme style also made him an extreme teammate. When he wasn't feeling it, excessive ball-hogging could lead to the team's direct collapse.

Facing William Adams Miller, Edward Freeman stretched out his hand and called for Joe Anthony to set a screen for him. He quickly cut through the interior, while William Adams Miller was pulled out to mid-range by Bosh; when he returned to the interior to contest the shot, he missed the best timing.

As a result, even if the referee ruthlessly whistled a foul on William Adams Miller, Edward Freeman successfully reached the free-throw line, and his goal was achieved!

"Best player! Most valuable teammate! Most valuable teammate!" The cheers of the fans echoed through every corner of the West Iberia Aviation Club. They were all shouting for their hero and the true soul of the team.

Miami King Edward Freeman did not let his people down. He steadily made two penalty shots, closing the gap even further. Sufan, watching TV in the locker room, punched his seat. He knew Edward Freeman's cohort was about to start running wild! Edward Freeman

Of course, only after one rotation, Edward Freeman did it again. Deliberately drawing Bosh out to attack the basket himself. William Adams Miller rotated back to contest the shot at the rim. This time, he blocked Edward Freeman's basketball and also slapped Edward Freeman's forearm. The referee's vision was clear, and he blew the whistle for another foul in the basketball battle.

At this moment, Robert Henry was anxious. This wasn't because Edward Freeman had to shoot two more free throws, but because William Adams Miller had committed his fifth foul of the basketball battle! He didn't know when Sufan would return. If William Adams Miller fouled out, the Cleveland Cavaliers truly wouldn't have a "weapon" to counter.

Although the Cleveland Cavaliers were now a national team, William Adams Miller and Sufan were their two most stable scoring options. If they couldn't play, the impact on the basketball battle would still be huge.

Terry and Marion? These two truly were the Cleveland Cavaliers' two stable offensive points, but relying solely on Terry and Marion to fight the Big Three? Such a thing, even Robert Henry himself felt was crazy.

No way. Right now Edward Freeman was clearly targeting William Adams Miller. To ensure William Adams Miller didn't foul out early, Robert Henry had to substitute for West Iberia at this critical moment.

"That guy!" Sufan shouted while watching on television, knowing the Cleveland Cavaliers were completely in crisis.

"That guy!" William Adams Miller sat on the bench, in a bad mood as he threw his towel to the ground. Robert Henry was extremely anxious. Having lost their two most threatening teammates, he wondered if the Cleveland Cavaliers could weather this stretch of the battle?

Without Sufan and William Adams Miller, the club turned into Kobe Bryant's amusement park.

He shot and launched jumpers like a pure shooter. Edward Freeman's frequent offensive successes inspired his teammates. Even Chalmers, who had been beaten down by Sufan, dared to drive for a layup and score inside during this stretch.

In an instant, the score narrowed from 8 points. When the basketball battle ended within 54 seconds with three possessions left, Robert Henry finally called a timeout.

Trailing by 12 points, the Heat's scoring plan had finally come to fruition. Edward Freeman had scored 36 points in the basketball battle, and ESPN even dubbed the match after him before it had even ended.

In the locker room, the team doctor wrapped Sufan's wound with bandages and gave a thumbs-up. "I promise you, your wound won't bleed a single drop!"

Sufan hurriedly stood up and started running toward the outside of the locker room.

"Not like this!"

Just as Sufan was about to open the door, the team doctor stopped him.

"Go past them!" The team doctor looked at Sufan's determined expression and smiled.

Sufan didn't reply, but suddenly pushed open the locker room door and disappeared into the corner of the player tunnel.

On the court, Robert Henry nervously arranged the final three possessions and went over the tactical adjustments for the final minutes. He first needed someone to share the offensive burden for William Adams Miller; if William Adams Miller fouled out early, it would be difficult for the Cleveland Cavaliers to chase down a 12-point deficit.

Edward Freeman's crazy performance and Hill's foul trouble brought trouble to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Hill had dominated the basketball battle, but he probably never imagined he would be forced to sit on the bench due to foul trouble. A 12-point gap was large or small. If the Cleveland Cavaliers played well, they could very well return to a better scoring position. But if they couldn't suppress the heat wave's momentum, they were likely to swallow back-to-back losses at the West Iberia Aviation Arena. The Cleveland Cavaliers were forced to fight with their backs against the wall. If they returned to Dallas down 2-0, that would be terrible for them.

Hill couldn't help but worry about the Cleveland Cavaliers' predicament. They had played very well in the basketball battle, and William Adams Miller had played a dominant role. Were the final few events truly going to become the last straw that crushed the Cleveland Cavaliers?