Chapter 67: Lacking Precision

Chapter 78: Not Quite on Target

"Don't be nervous, just like always, don't be nervous..." As he saw the basketball flying toward him and Peter Fenier baring his teeth and claws, leaping at him, Louis Adams’s heart pounded wildly once more. All he could think of was what he would do if he wasted this open shot.

However, as soon as Louis Adams caught the ball, all his doubts vanished. Instinctively, he raised the basketball and—calmly—released it. Su Feng’s pass had been perfect.

Peter Fenier made a vicious attack on Louis Adams, but as Fenier landed from his block attempt, the Englishman wearing number 9 for the Cleveland Cavaliers had already finished the play.

At that moment, Louis Adams seemed to be standing in the legendary Hermes Arena in Texas. There were no screaming fans from the English Isles, no fierce opponents, nor billions of eyes upon him. The yellow glow of the bulbs turned the hardwood floor into a mirror, reflecting the smiles of the English people.

“He scores! Louis Adams, his first points as a Cleveland Cavalier! The chemistry between Su Feng and Louis Adams is seamless—a red thread connecting them, forcing the Celtics into a timeout with a 9-point deficit!”

As Mike Breen exclaimed, Su Feng reached out to high-five Louis Adams after the basket. After so many years in the top league, Louis Adams finally felt a sense of belonging.

Watching Su Feng and Louis Adams return to the bench, Carlisle nodded with satisfaction. The substitution for Dirk Nowitzki had been handled perfectly.

The only regret was for Odom, who had abandoned himself and was now abandoned by the world.

A nine-point gap wasn’t much, but Boston’s weakened second unit lacked the ability to chase the score. As Peter Fenier left the court, he pounded the floor in frustration. He hadn’t expected the English forward to play so well. He’d hoped to score a few more points before coming off, but was caught by Louis Adams’s mid-range shot.

On the other side, Nowitzki stretched out his legs and lay back on the bench with his hands behind his head, as if he were fishing at White Cloud Lake rather than playing at the North Shore Garden. Louis Adams’s outstanding performance allowed Nowitzki to relax on the sidelines.

Since Odom joined the team, Nowitzki had been nervous almost every game. Only today could he watch from the bench in peace. Louis Adams’s performance wasn’t spectacular, but at least he didn’t dig any holes.

When play resumed, both teams brought on their substitutes. For Boston, Brandon Bass used his strength and quickness to score twice over Louis Adams, while the confident Adams used his height advantage to sink two consecutive jumpers.

After the two big men had their say inside, Cleveland’s backup guard—William Adams Miller—came on. He first hit a three-pointer from beyond the arc, then used a screen from Louis Adams to drive to the rim for a skillful layup.

The North Shore Garden fell silent. The first quarter had gone smoothly, but now the team seemed to have lost control. The Celtics’ “Big Three” had struggled this season...

As the red light on the scoreboard and the electronic buzz sounded throughout the arena, the big screen showed a score of 23–15. The Dallas Cleveland Cavaliers, defending champions on the road, had their way with the “Green Army’s Big Three.” If not for a missed foul on William Adams Miller’s layup at the end of the quarter, the lead would have reached double digits.

“The Cavaliers are just playing their usual game. The real problem is the Celtics playing terribly. Twenty-seven-point-eight percent—that’s Boston’s shooting percentage for the first quarter. You might not believe it, but Cleveland’s defense was the difference tonight.” Mike Breen didn’t like to explain things with statistics, but when the gap was this wide, the numbers spoke for themselves.

Peter Fenier had 4 points, Rondo 4, Pierce 2, Ray Allen 0. From core to bench, the Celtics weren’t in good shape. The fans at the Garden could only pray the Big Three would revive before the game’s end.

Yet reality is often harsher than fantasy. Boston’s first basket after the second quarter began was a costly one.

With the start of the second quarter, Cleveland’s starters returned. Su Feng remained confident, and, with help from his teammates, Rondo’s famously long arms were rendered useless.

Facing Rondo, Su Feng used a triple-threat stance, feinting with his dribble before breaking left. As Rondo shifted his weight, Su Feng spun around. The ball danced nimbly between Su Feng’s hands, as if he were equipped with some hidden weapon.

But Rondo’s ability to quickly adjust his defensive position was also impressive.

As Louis Adams entered the game, the boos in the North Shore Garden grew deafening. Su Feng could see that, despite Adams’s outward calm, he was affected by these hostile sounds. For Adams, praise and recognition from others would only make him more confident.

The Celtics brought the ball up again, and as soon as Adams checked in, the Wolf King Peter Fenier immediately posted up on him, calling for the ball. Clearly, Boston saw Adams as the defensive weak link for the Cavaliers.

Though Peter Fenier was thirty-five, his core strength still outmatched Adams. Seeing the burly number 5 suddenly back him down, Adams took a big step back. Fenier turned, hooked the ball with his hand, and, soft as ever, guided it into the hoop. First basket, Adams beaten. The big Englishman shook his head and picked up the ball.

“Adams must quickly adapt to the pace of top-league basketball. These games are played with real weapons—no one waits for you to be ready before attacking.”

After Adams took the ball out, Su Feng came over to receive it. He wanted to help Adams get into the game, but words were not his strength. So, as the point guard, he decided to lead by example.

Cleveland attacked again. Adams, as an inside player, didn’t establish deep position but instead floated to the mid-range, looking for an opportunity to move. In truth, this tendency to play too far from the basket was why the Wizards and Nets had given up on him. Now, facing the menacing Peter Fenier and Kobe Bryant, Adams seemed reluctant to battle inside.

Su Feng gestured for Adams to set a screen, then cut away himself. Although this was Adams’s first game with Cleveland, he and Su Feng had played together at the Asian Games and still shared some chemistry.

Adams screened Rondo, and Su Feng quickly broke into the paint. Peter Fenier dared not leave Adams, knowing the Englishman could shoot. Thus, Fenier abandoned his defense of Su Feng, who drove through the key, beat Kobe Bryant, and finished an easy layup at the rim.

Back in England, who knows how many fans went wild before their TVs or computers. Two Englishmen, shining together on the top-league stage! How many fans once dreamed this impossible dream—yet now, it had come true.

“The chemistry between Su Feng and Adams on the screen and the opening—Adams’s shooting ability forces the bigs to stay home, giving Su Feng space for an easy basket. It’s a simple play, but highly effective. Only problem is, now that both are on the court, my tongue keeps getting twisted,” Mike Breen joked. Commentators said if there was only one Englishman, they could simply refer to Su Feng or Adams. But now, to help fans distinguish, they had to use their full names. For foreigners, those “twisting” names were a challenge to pronounce.

Adams’s confidence was greatly boosted by his ability to help a teammate score and fit into the team’s offense, even if it was just a screen and a roll.

Later, on defense, Peter Fenier couldn’t keep exploiting Adams. In terms of ability, Fenier was far ahead, but not every possession was so easy. One of basketball’s charms is its uncertainty—not every strong player scores at will.

Seeing Adams’s persistence, Fenier was forced to pass the ball out to Rondo to reset the offense. But under Cleveland’s tight defense, the Celtics only managed a shot as the 24-second clock expired.

Rondo drove hard, leaped at the basket, but Su Feng and Haywood converged, cutting him off. Coolly, Rondo passed the ball to Jermaine Kobe Bryant, but Haywood disrupted the play, and time was running out.

Kobe Bryant found himself unmarked—he only needed to jump and put the ball in to help the Celtics score!

At that instant, Adams suddenly raised his arms to contest! In the past, Kobe Bryant could have scored in countless ways. But now, young Bryant clearly lacked the power of his heyday.

Adams’s challenge forced Bryant’s tough layup to miss. Haywood grabbed the rebound, and Cleveland finished a perfect defensive sequence!

“So far, Adams has done well. He hasn’t scored, and his box score is empty, but his role in the—”

Seeing Su Feng and William Adams Miller not quarreling, Carlisle breathed a sigh of relief. Player transactions should be left to management. Their job was to train hard and perform well in every game. Carlisle regretted the situation with Adams Miller but believed the team’s strategy was right. He trusted that Cuban wouldn’t let them get bogged down.

Su Feng turned to look at William Adams Miller and Carlisle. He suddenly realized that not everything in the world of the top league could be controlled by himself. On the court, he could fight for every right play and every scoring chance. But off the court, he had no say in these matters.

William Adams Miller Henley Weavell, DeSan William Adams Miller, Jose William Miller...

If he saw them again on the court, he would give them a big hug.

But now—it was time to say goodbye to the brothers who had fought side by side.

No matter who you are, the journey continues.

Just a day after the Cavaliers’ preseason training camp began, the Knicks and Cavaliers officially announced a sign-and-trade deal, through a three-team agreement, sending last season’s Cleveland champion—William Adams Miller Henley Weavell—to New York.

When Su Feng saw the news, he immediately called Chandler, who quickly confirmed he’d been traded.

“Cuban didn’t think I was worth a four-year, fifty-six million contract. He’s looking toward next summer’s free agent market, as if we can just skip this season. Honestly, I gave everything to Cleveland—I won my first championship in Dallas. From the bottom of my heart, I love Dallas and the Cavaliers as a team. But I never expected that after just one year, I’d be ruthlessly discarded by the Cavaliers over money! Frankly, I don’t understand what Cuban and the team are thinking—it broke my heart.”

Henley Weavell didn’t hide his disappointment with Cleveland over the phone. He also said he would keep bringing more championship trophies to the Cavaliers during the summer parade. Ironically, he would no longer be playing for the defending champions.

“William Adams Miller, aren’t you coming back?” Su Feng still couldn’t accept it. If he’d parted ways with the Bulldogs and Haywood, it was because he had to move forward. But he didn’t understand why, after winning a title together, the brothers had to separate. Why couldn’t the championship team stay together for another season?

What Su Feng didn’t know was that the top league—a massive business—was far more complicated than he had imagined.

“That’s impossible. Next season, when we meet again, I’ll be wearing a Yorkshire Knicks jersey. But don’t worry, when you come to Yorkshire, dinner’s on me. Ha ha.”

Henley Weavell’s cheerful laughter lightened the mood. As Carlisle said, they had no control over personnel changes. All players could do was keep playing well and lead the team forward.

Two hours later, the defensive-minded DeSan William Adams Miller phoned Su Feng. But to Su Feng’s surprise, Adams Miller was calling to say goodbye.

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(End of this chapter)