Chapter 158: The Rhythm of Life

Chapter 169: The Rhythm of Life

Especially for Robert Henry, although the Cleveland Cavaliers won the last basketball game, he actually had a terrible headache. The offense of the Houston Rockets in that final basketball battle could hardly be said to have any offensive core at all! One could even say that their tactics were unchangeable.

Edward Kaleman William, Edward Kaleman William, and McDouglas William Henry Vail—three young players taking turns in isolation; this was the most direct way the Houston Rockets chose to solve their offense. However, Robert Henry was not entirely unclear about such a simple yet somewhat foolish strategy.

All three of these individuals possessed immense talent, making it exceptionally difficult to restrict them through isolation against the Cleveland Cavaliers. If only one person possessed such capability, Robert Henry would have set up numerous trapping defenses or double-teams to contain the superstar. But the terrifying part was that there were three such players on the Houston Rockets!

Last year, when Bosh and McDouglas played as part of the Big Three, they were in poor form. In fact, Robert Henry was the only one truly playing like a superstar. Therefore, the Cleveland Cavaliers restricted Robert Henry and trapped McDouglas, ultimately winning the victory.

However, facing the Hengliweil lineup this time was different; all three young players were in fine form and dared to fight. Edward Kaleman William had scored eight baskets in the playoffs, Edward Kaleman William had also found his scoring touch, and William Henry Vail, the super sixth man, had put up 16 baskets in the playoffs. The form of these three was comparable to the San Antonio Spurs' Big Three in the previous year's finals.

Robert Henry watched the video and rubbed his temples. A club could not always rely on sheer momentum with victors. Killing plays were accidental and could only grant you a temporary victory. Winning the entire series temporarily was not enough; you had to figure out a way to suppress your opponent in order to win four basketball battles. Yet, in the previous basketball game, it was the Cleveland Cavaliers who had won the victory rather than actively suppressing their opponents.

It was impossible for Robert Henry to watch the club get suppressed without making any adjustments. Therefore, in the next day's training session, he told everyone that they must pay attention to shrinking the defense the following day! To withstand the impact of Edward Kaleman William and William Henry Vail, they had to secure at least two scoring points first. As for Edward Kaleman William's perimeter shooting, they could only make up for it with offense.

Although such a strategy was a gamble, Robert Henry had no other choice. The Houston Rockets' roster was more luxurious than people imagined; they were actually very similar to the San Antonio Spurs, possessing the configuration of a Big Three. In this world of basketball... having only one core was difficult.

On May 10, the Houston Rockets and the Cleveland Cavaliers continued their second basketball battle at the William Adams Miller Energy Arena. After being slain by Sufeng in the previous basketball game, the morale of the Houston Rockets players was far from low; instead, they were burning with a fierce desire for revenge!

"Look at the court; even Hengliweil isn't smiling. They know they lost a home game, so today they must take back what they lost."

The Cleveland Cavaliers had just officially announced that Edward Henry would retire after the basketball battle the day before yesterday, which meant that the entire series had to proceed without a substitute on the bench. Yes, although Terry could also play as the number one substitute, he always had his own tasks and could not serve exclusively as a backup. Therefore, at this moment, physical fitness would also face a severe test.

Hengliweil felt nervous for the Cleveland Cavaliers from the commentary desk for the very first time. In the past, he had immense confidence in the Cleveland Cavaliers and Sufeng. But this time, the situation was truly too grim.

"Remember, shrink the defensive range and protect the basket. Don't worry about scoring just one ball at a time. Win this basketball battle, and we can go home!" Robert Henry was still cheering up his players before the basketball battle, but in truth, he was not entirely certain.

"Alright, I knew it!"

"So... this time it's really gone." William Adams Miller thought to himself, feeling somewhat disappointed now.

Right at that moment, everyone felt that this matter surely wouldn't turn out this way.

Sufeng swallowed hard. This was probably the bravest thing he had ever done in his life.

On the evening of the designated date, Sufeng and his team completed a meeting at a Salt Lake City hotel following an All-Star tour.

Early the next morning, wearing the training jersey of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sufeng began his first team practice after the conclusion of the All-Star Game.

With the All-Star break just over, his teammates had already rested and scored points. Roburt Carlos watched the familiar veterans bouncing around before the All-Star break and felt quite confident.

Before the All-Star break, the Cleveland Cavaliers' record of 44-11 was undeniably excellent. Cuban and Roburt Carlos were undoubtedly thrilled with this achievement.

Yet the Cleveland Cavaliers were not merely satisfied with reaching the playoffs. The playoffs were the "basic requirement" for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the finest teammates were truly pursuing those "cowboys."

Therefore, the Cleveland Cavaliers would not relax during the remaining half of the season. Roburt Carlos and Cuban would strive to improve the team's ranking rather than facing traditional powerhouse teams too early.

The outstanding performance of his teammates today brought Roburt Carlos ever closer to his goal.

Aside from Roburt Carlos, the coach, and the boss Cuban, the athletes running on the training ground were themselves brimming with joy.

Today, the moment they stepped into the player tunnel, the Cleveland Cavaliers players all congratulated Sufeng. Best Rookie Teammate was not a monumental honor with massive scoring, but it was still worthy of making everyone proud.

Furthermore, William Adams Miller proudly collected 1,000 pounds in cash from Sufeng. The price of 1,000 pounds could pay for a newspaper worth merely 15 pounds.

"We knew it!" Members of the England Women's National Team and Sufeng at the airport! This was the front-page headline of a local sports newspaper in Dallas, right beneath which was a photograph of Sufeng and William Adams Miller kissing at the entrance of the security zone.

This might have seemed like a genuine perspective to other fans, but in Dallas, where Sufeng's fans gathered, such an image was undoubtedly a depth charge that triggered a storm.

How could big brother William Adams Miller, who had always kept a close eye on Sufeng's developments, forget the original bet?

"What did I say? That English girl will be your girlfriend sooner or later! Hey, what's that? Is it as good in bed as playing basketball?" William Adams Miller counted the money while mocking Sufeng.

Sufeng couldn't be bothered to answer the question, but clearly, this time, the entire player tunnel was smiling just like William Adams Miller.

Aside from this episode, Sufeng's day went smoothly. Being away from the team for a few days did not diminish the tacit understanding between Sufeng and his teammates. On the training ground, Sufeng was still able to accurately execute Roburt Carlos's tactical layout, and Sufeng's teammates were always found in the correct positions.

The training lasted until the afternoon, followed by a rest and a meal arranged by the nutritionist. Then came the Cleveland Cavaliers' first regular-season game after the official resumption! Kobe Bryant.

When Sufeng encountered Robert Henry on the court once again, his eyes were filled with envy. Firstly, Robert Henry envied Sufeng's participation in his first top-tier basketball match and his enjoyment of the All-Star Weekend treatment. Secondly, Robert Henry envied Sufeng for finding a girlfriend who was both beautiful and refined without saying much.

Of course, as Sufeng's best friend, Robert Henry's envy was merely friendly jealousy and would not develop into malice. Sufeng was having a great time, and Robert Henry was happy for him as well.

"You really catch everyone's attention, man. But this is the regular game. Don't expect me to go easy on you." After cracking a joke today, Robert Henry also displayed his firm determination to win the match.

"Bring out your true capabilities, Robert Henry!" Sufeng laughed and bumped fists with Robert Henry. Every time these two friends met, sparks would inevitably fly on the basketball arena.

Yet today, for the fans of Salt Lake City and Robert Henry, it was far from a happy day.

The Jazz shadow forward, Deron Williams, had been officially traded to the New Jersey team following the All-Star break. Without Deron, the Jazz's strength was undoubtedly severely compromised.

Although Al Jefferson managed 10 beautiful scores in the first basketball game, the Cleveland Cavaliers frequently conceded points in the paint. With Jefferson operating as an internal void for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Jazz flourished both inside and outside, taking a three-point lead by the end of the first basketball session.

Jefferson was deeply dissatisfied with his failure to make the All-Star team.

At this point, Sufeng leaned directly against Hengliweil's goal at the arc of the three-point line. At the same time, Sufeng winked at William Henry Vail.

The two back-to-basket shooters looked like interior teammates at that moment, shoving each other outside the three-point line. Sufeng held Hengliweil with one hand while raising the other high. Hengliweil held Sufeng's back with one hand to prevent him from using too much force, while his other hand moved forward in a rather comical-looking posture.

"That defense is flawless. Perhaps he can truly defend it!"

As soon as Kenny Smith spoke, William Henry Vail passed the ball! Seeing this, Sefolosha, who was blocked behind Sufeng, suddenly turned around and tried to intercept the basketball.

However, when the defender got close to Sufeng, he discovered that the ball was still in William Henry Vail's hands. It was merely a fake pass. Those two guys had fooled him!

"Damn it!" Sefolosha immediately spun back around, and sure enough, Sufeng had already cut into the middle!

William Henry Vail bounced the ball on the floor, passing it accurately to the cutting Sufeng. Sufeng's positioning and William Henry Vail's fake suddenly left the defenders momentarily unconscious.

When Sufeng stepped into the restricted area, the two interior defenders still rushed toward the basket. Upon receiving the basketball, Sufeng took off directly. In mid-air, he encountered the robust figure of Hengliweil. The latter raised both arms from the side, slamming into Sufeng in mid-air and causing him to lose all his center of gravity. Yet, even without his balance and beginning to fall, Sufeng maintained his shooting posture, gently tossing the basketball toward the basket.

"Thud!" Sufeng was pulled down by gravity, ending up almost parallel to the ground.

At the same time, the basketball grabbed a bounce and tumbled around the rim before crawling in!

"And a penalty goal! Haha, and William Henry Vail, hitting the thunder! How wonderful to control the ball at the exact moment of the shot during a breakthrough!" Kobe Bryant exclaimed.

Seeing the basketball go in while still lying on the floor, Sufeng couldn't help waving his hand. He had just done it for William Henry Vail to see, though he couldn't guarantee that William Henry Vail would understand his intent. Yet this historically minded strategist had followed right along. William Henry Vail was indeed William Henry Vail; despite being nearly 40 years old, he remained one of the best floor generals in the league.

Hengliweil put his hands on his hips and shook his head. This was his third personal foul of the basketball match. If he committed another foul, he would be in serious trouble.

He still couldn't believe that this slender shadow forward could still score after absorbing a hit from him. Basketball was a highly confrontational sport; sometimes physical fitness directly determined a teammate's upper limit. But then again, did the game truly rely solely on physical mass?

Nash, known as the "Son of the Wind," was not considered the most physically gifted teammate in history. Aside from ordinary physical fitness, he was even a congenital spondylolisthesis patient whose spine would slowly loosen, and Nash had even suffered compression fractures of the spine during basketball games. Yet it was precisely such a teammate who won two Best Teammate awards and led his team to the Western Conference Finals.

In 1965, in Riverside, California, a boy fell to the ground, but his family could not immerse themselves in joy because the boy's hips were congenitally deformed, preventing him from walking properly. Such a child, at that time, made many people worry that he would never be able to live a normal life in the future, let alone stand at the forefront of the league. However, it was precisely such a child with congenital disabilities who not only became a first-round lottery pick in the top-tier draft but also grew into a superstar in the premier league, becoming one of the three greatest shooters in the history of the world's top league. Reggie Miller's story told everyone that physical defects were never an excuse for failing to play basketball.

Moreover, Sufeng did not suffer from any of the aforementioned conditions. Why couldn't a defender with average physical resistance but absolute health play basketball well?

John Coleman and Edward Kaleman William pulled Sufeng up. Sufeng, a slender man, had just broken through the ferocious Hengliweil, scored right in front of him—a man as strong as a bull—and drawn a foul.

"When Hengliweil hit him, I honestly thought he wouldn't even be able to stand up!" Kenny Smith watched Sufeng stand expressionlessly at the free-throw line and calmly sink the shot, feeling somewhat incredulous.

An Asian shadow forward—when did they ever become so ferocious in the top-tier league?

Following this goal, Sufeng officially narrowed the scoring deficit down to eighteen points. There were still two targets to chase, closing within twenty points.

Yet clearly, the Houston Rockets had not yet found a way to solve their problems. Following an attack, Edward Kaleman William successfully broke through Paul William, surging directly into the restricted area and preparing to take off!

You've played a whole quarter. Sufeng was playing basketball; sitting on the bench, he took a towel handed by the staff member and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The guy didn't look tired at all. On the contrary, he felt as if he were hunting.

At the end of the first basketball session, the Oklahoma Houston Rockets trailed the Cleveland Cavaliers by 15 points at home. This was surely not what the fans wanted to see. The suppressive perimeter defense of the Cleveland Cavaliers caused massive trouble for the young Houston Rockets. Especially on the outside, with William Henry Vail's defensive web, William Adams Miller and Paul William Robert Henry were completely locked down. Coupled with Edward Kaleman William's poor shooting touch today, the Houston Rockets found it hard to locate a fourth offensive point. William Adams Miller incredulously checked the statistics of the Houston Rockets teammates for the first quarter of the basketball game. Among John Coleman, Edward Kaleman William was 1-for-5 shooting, Robert Henry was 0-for-4, and Sufeng had lost zero.

The three most aggressive figures of the Houston Rockets combined for fewer total points in the first basketball game than Sufeng alone. Obviously, this was not the normal state of the Houston Rockets.

"For the second basketball session, Sefolosha, you go up for a minute first. Paul William, if you need a rest, I need you."

Kobe Bryant substituted Robert Henry because Robert Henry made it easy for Sufeng to score on the court. Originally, Kobe Bryant had swapped Robert Henry in to score, but now that he couldn't score or shoot from the perimeter, he naturally failed to meet Kobe Bryant's requirements.

"Passing with both hands—only by passing with both hands can William Henry Vail keep the Cleveland Cavaliers' offense running smoothly! Trailing by 15 points, the Cleveland Cavaliers have the chance to widen the gap again. If the Oklahoma Houston Rockets do not want to lose at home, they must display more patience on the offensive end."

As a bystander, William Adams Miller certainly understood the importance of patience. But when young players like Edward Kaleman William and William Adams Miller fell behind by many points, they inevitably grew more impatient.

This time, William Adams Miller did not force the shot but instead continued to patiently orchestrate. However, in the end, Edward Kaleman William was forced to miss the opportunity and passed the ball back to William Adams Miller.

Seeing that Edward Kaleman William was no longer coming, William Adams Miller stood on ceremony no longer.

Upon receiving the ball, William Adams Miller drove forward, suddenly breaking Sufeng's defensive rhythm. Afterward, he shifted his hips in another direction, accelerating past Sufeng.

Sufeng was breached—this was the smoothest breakthrough against Sufeng's defense since the series began. True to form, this fearless guard, facing the blocks of Edward Kaleman William, John Coleman, and Sufeng, resolutely chose to... pass the ball!

William Adams Miller intentionally tried to thread the ball to Hengliweil standing under the basket, squeezing it through the gap among the three defenders. But the pass was both sudden and short, forcing the big man to bend down awkwardly to retrieve it.

Such a close distance, such high ball speed, and poor passing quality caused the basketball to fly out of bounds before Hengliweil's hands could reach it.

"Unfortunately, William Adams Miller had a good idea, but it was still somewhat reluctant!"

The scene was filled with sighs and complaints of bad luck. But was making a mistake truly just bad luck?

Perhaps William Adams Miller hadn't thought about passing at all beforehand. When there was no opening in the air, it was merely a temporary thought. This kind of play might seem thoughtful, but in reality, its efficiency was extremely low. Sufeng also had occasional breakthroughs where he fooled the perimeter defenders and then directly passed the ball to his teammates. But Sufeng charged forward with the intent to pass from the very beginning, unlike William Adams Miller, who couldn't play the playmaker role alone.

Kobe Bryant was plagued with frustration over the error. He wanted to bench William Adams Miller right now, but he looked down the Houston Rockets' bench. If William Adams Miller were substituted off, it would become even harder for the team to catch up in scoring.

The Cleveland Cavaliers took a baseline shot; William Henry Vail controlled the pace, and Sufeng swiftly rushed to the front, only to discover that his defensive matchup had become the "Defense Saber" Hengliweil.

The Houston Rockets were going to try changing their perimeter defense. Perhaps Hengliweil would yield a better defensive effect against Sufeng?

Hengliweil was indeed a defensive expert. He was as strong as William Adams Miller and possessed abundant energy. But unlike William Adams Miller, Hengliweil possessed a calm head on defense, was not easily shaken, and did not gamble on risky defensive moves.

When Sufeng encountered Hengliweil, he had to admit he was facing a major problem.

Sufeng first slowly approached the restricted area, while Hengliweil tightly entangled him. Just as their feet entered the restricted zone, Robert Henry struggled free from a screen and rushed toward Sufeng. Just when everyone thought Sufeng was going to catch the ball outside the three-point line, the number one player suddenly killed a Hengliweil play!

A sudden, unannounced retreat! It forced Sufeng to speed past! Robert Henry instantly shifted his attention, but still managed to keep up in time.

Sufeng, who had been running along the baseline toward the corner, suddenly changed direction to cut underneath the basket along the baseline. William Henry Vail delivered a cruise-missile-accurate pass, sending the basketball through the crowd right into Sufeng's hands.

Sufeng's counter-movement not only fooled his defender but also left most of the Houston Rockets players reacting too late. Thus, Sufeng easily laid the ball in at the basket, while Robert Henry offered no defensive resistance whatsoever! Kobe Bryant watched anxiously.

"Do you want to substitute Hengliweil out?" Assistant coach Anderson asked nervously after Sufeng scored.

In fact, given Sufeng's offensive capability, scoring over Robert Henry wasn't difficult. On the other hand, scoring over the tough guy Hengliweil seemed exceedingly difficult.

Yet Kobe Bryant waved his hand. Robert Henry hadn't played long; his performance today had not yet been decided.

With teammates continuously failing to score on offense, William Adams Miller resolved to take matters into his own hands. Previously, he had failed to pass effectively, but now he had an excuse to convince himself to attack alone.

However, William Henry Vail's tight perimeter defense was difficult for William Adams Miller to break through. Do not forget that apart from passing and triple-doubles, this historic playmaking shadow forward had always been a frequent topic of conversation. In addition to earning spots on multiple All-Defensive teams, he had a considerable tally of blocks as well.

In his youth, William Henry Vail's defensive prediction and physical strength were top-tier in his position. Now, although his physical prowess had declined, it remained respectable. As for tactical prediction, Green William Adams Miller was simply no match for William Henry Vail.

William Henry Vail blocked a couple of drives, leaving William Adams Miller increasingly impatient. Finally, William Adams Miller decided to rely on brute force to charge past William Henry Vail. Although William Henry Vail failed to complete a block, William Adams Miller also failed to connect with the basket outside of William Henry Vail's reach.

"Ten basketball games are underway. You're in trouble. The Houston Rockets' score hasn't even doubled yet! The Cleveland Cavaliers' defense isn't showing any mercy today!"

William Adams Miller was only half right, because the Cleveland Cavaliers were equally merciless on the offensive end.

This time, William Henry Vail barely missed a three-point attempt and passed the ball to John Coleman. John Coleman held the ball at the edge of the three-second zone, appearing ready to launch an attack.

After all, the defender was a superstar. Do not forget that he had scored 48 points in the first game of the series. So even though John Coleman hadn't scored much today, Hengliweil still dared not lower his guard.

Upon receiving the basketball, John Coleman stood tall. At the same time, Sufeng cut a hole beneath the basket. Robert Henry was extremely worried about Sufeng, but felt utterly powerless.

Seeing Sufeng step in, John Coleman crossed the boundary and handed the ball directly to Sufeng with one hand. Taking possession of John Coleman's basketball, Sufeng continued to drive deeper. Everyone was tense; no one knew what the perimeter defender would do.

Perkins, Hengliweil, and Robert Henry stared nervously at Sufeng, tracking his footwork. But Sufeng did not stop; instead, he circled along the baseline and came back out.

Robert Henry quickly caught up, but he relaxed considerably. At least for the moment, Sufeng was not threatening any direct shots.

Sufeng carried the ball outside the three-point line. Robert Henry spread his arms wide, blocking Sufeng's passing lanes as much as possible. In his mind, this bearded guard also made a firm decision: the moment Sufeng brought the ball up to shoot, he would immediately clamp down on the defense, forcing Sufeng toward the baseline so he couldn't even pass the ball!

Every aspect of the plan was perfect. Sufeng ran out past the three-point line, brought the ball back toward the basket, and prepared to pivot.

At that exact moment, Sufeng suddenly whipped the ball behind his back, leaned directly against the defender, spun around to complete the transition from back-to-basket to facing the rim, and caught the basketball he had previously tapped away himself.

"Back to the basket! Haha, I feel like I've arrived at a cold street basketball court!"

Turn, breakthrough, stop, jump shot. Sufeng executed his sequence of moves in one smooth motion, leaving the defense zero opportunity to recover.

Sufeng slipped right past Oklahoma City's new darling, Robert Henry. He gently tossed the ball in, widening the gap once more.

The Houston Rockets couldn't score a single basket, yet Sufeng's scoring tally kept climbing.

Robert Henry breathed heavily, while Sufeng briskly jogged past him.

Sufeng's consecutive scoring plays imposed a massive psychological burden on the Houston Rockets. Especially for William Adams Miller and Edward Kaleman William, who constantly desired to retaliate, but the more they thought about it, the worse things went on the court.