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Chapter 209: Jack stole it again!

Chapter 209: Jack stole it again!

Fortunately, over the past 4 minutes, they had stabilized the situation with solid defense, but if this continued, it would be very unfavorable for them.

On the other side, James, like a monster, was going full force on the offensive end and, despite his poor defensive habits draining a lot of energy, he was still full of vigor. When the opportunity for a quick transition arose, he’d surge forward faster than anyone else. If this dragged on, the game would eventually be overwhelmed by James.

They had to score! They had to break the deadlock!

That meant they could only rely on their one rookie high school student who had a relatively stable mid-range scoring ability.

On the other side, Mike Brown didn’t make any substitutions. Sometimes, not understanding offense could be a ’benefit.’ He wasn’t anxious about offensive plays, as long as he had James to rely on; it saved him the worry.

The game continued, with the Bobcats falling into a set offense.

Gerald Wallace drove with the ball, and Zhang Yang shook off Luke Jackson in the paint to receive the ball on the left baseline; he took the long two-pointer... and missed!

Unfortunately, Zhang Yang was also part of the Bobcats’ brigade that couldn’t find the basket in the third quarter.

Fortunately, the Bobcats’ transition defense was very good. Keith Bogans held the power forward position against Donnell Marshall, and with one big and four smalls, they were faster defending against the fast break.

James slowed down after advancing to the mid-court, transitioning to a settled game, drove the lane, and dished... his teammate missed the shot.

After passing, James immediately retreated to join the defense, racing with Luke Jackson to stop Zhang Yang’s fast break.

The Bobcats’ fans, the audience at the venue, and even those watching on TV, had become accustomed to Felton being able to ’guard’ James on his own, and James himself had ’accepted’ this reality.

However, after ’accepting’ this, James’s thought process in the game became clearer. If Felton stuck to him, he would pass; if Felton was a bit slow, he would try to drive to the basket, which was better than how he played in the first half when he couldn’t ’accept’ the situation.

In the final quarter, James was no longer as anxious about his teammates missing shots and patiently waited for opportunities.

Watching James play at this age, one could truly sense the talent washing over them. He was so outstanding it seemed as though he was improving at every moment.

In the following offensive and defensive sequence, Zhang Yang missed another mid-range shot, and James also tried a three-pointer and missed.

Halfway through the final quarter, the score was still 2 to 2, with the crowd getting restless.

It was the Bobcats’ turn to attack again, and James couldn’t wait anymore. Seeing Zhang Yang shake off Donnell Marshall using a flank screen and receive the ball on the left baseline, James started moving up, ready to launch a fast break.

Zhang Yang had already missed two shots in a row, and James felt sure the third wouldn’t go in either because after he himself missed two three-pointers, he wouldn’t shoot another; the third had to be a miss.

But then...

Zhang Yang, who had just missed twice from mid-range in the left sector of the paint, made his mid-range shot!

The Bobcats took the lead in breaking the scoring drought! 87 to 84, the Bobcats led by 3 points!

Now the Cavs were panicking!

Although James himself was in a hurry, he didn’t get flustered and didn’t shoot another hasty three-pointer. Instead, he calmly drove and dished, but Donnell Marshall, receiving the ball and facing Gerald Wallace’s defense, chose to force up a shot... Wallace, who had leaped high, tipped the ball!

The ball flew towards the basket... just inside the free-throw line, it fell from the air.

Gooden rushed out to grab the ball... but was beaten to it by the quicker Felton.

Felton drove a few steps and passed the ball!

Zhang Yang, rushing downcourt, received the ball and continued to sprint despite Luke Jackson’s defensive pursuit.

James flew back, preparing for a chase-down block, but he hesitated between going straight to the rim to block Zhang Yang and covering the fast-breaking Gerald Wallace following the play.

Zhang Yang charged into the left side of the paint, and the defensively active Luke Jackson stepped up to the left baseline; Zhang Yang grabbed the ball with his right hand and pushed it out at a 45-degree angle to the right.

James immediately followed Gerald Wallace entering the three-point line to the right and cut him off, attempting to steal and counterattack.

But Zhang Yang, gripping the ball tightly, swung it in a half-circle overhead, and his footsteps also started the Euro step, striding forward.

Luke Jackson kept up on the first step, but Zhang Yang, with the "Devil’s Pace" of the ’demonslaying sword,’ had his second step as quick as the first!

Luke Jackson, who already couldn’t keep up with the Euro step, was thrown off by Zhang Yang’s speed; in a moment’s daze, Zhang Yang was gone from his view.

Turning back, he saw Zhang Yang had already landed in front of the basket, with the ball also falling through the hoop.

The Cavs called a timeout! Time had run out, and this timeout automatically became an official break.

With the score at 6 to 2 for the half, the Bobcats entered the official timeout leading the Cavs by 5 points, 89 to 84!

The crowd roared in a frenzy, loudly chanting "Jack."

Seeing Zhang Yang take to the court and miss two shots in a row, the crowd had gotten tense, thinking Zhang Yang wouldn’t dare shoot again. But Zhang Yang continued to shoot decisively, and he scored!

Moreover, he had seized the opportunity in the situation where the Cavs were defending the fast break so tightly, faking out James, who had returned to the paint, and completing the counterattack score!

This resilience, patience, and adaptability in the fast break... Cleveland had James, but Charlotte had Jack!

...

The official timeout ended, and the Bobcats put Perkins and Okafor back on the floor to form a twin towers setup, with Felton, Zhang Yang, and Gerald Wallace continuing on the perimeter.

The Cavs brought back their starting lineup, with Snow, Ronald Murray, James, Gooden, and Big Z taking the court.

The battle of missed shots must continue.