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Chapter 309 - 150. Let’s deplete each other then!_3

Chapter 309: 150. Let’s deplete each other then!_3

Seeing McGrady advance with the ball himself, Zhang Yang knew T-Mac was getting serious!

McGrady advanced beyond the three-point line and made a change of direction to break through!

Gerald Wallace kept up with McGrady’s first step, but McGrady’s subsequent steps became quicker. By the time Wallace chased to the free-throw line, he was already behind McGrady.

Okafor moved into position, but McGrady, facing Okafor, jumped to dodge the block from the trailing Gerald Wallace and made a layup with a Euro step!

to 4, the Rockets lead by two points!

After the switch of offense and defense, Zhang Yang faced Battier’s defense. Unlike McGrady, who directly penetrated, he continued to use Okafor for picks and further opened the interior space.

Zhang Yang, taking advantage of the screen, successfully shook off Juwan Howard and surged into the paint. On the second step of his Euro step, Yao Ming blocked him, and this time he passed!

Gerald Wallace broke away from McGrady, cut in to receive Zhang Yang’s pass, and took on the returning Juwan Howard... It didn’t go in, but he drew a foul from Juwan Howard.

Gerald Wallace felt good at the free-throw line tonight, hitting both shots!

After 4 minutes, both teams tied at 6!

This efficiency had the TV commentators unable to resist criticizing that both teams scoring 20 points in the first quarter was a tough ask.

While the commentator was criticizing, the Bobcats intensified their game!

McGrady’s breakthrough characteristic was accelerating with each of his first three steps. Starting from mid-range, the basket was too close, allowing Gerald Wallace to keep up and create more disturbances. However, when he started from beyond the three-point line, defending him depended on the interior players.

Okafor was not as good as Perkins in defending against penetrating players, but Perkins was assigned to wear down Yao Ming, a task surely suited for Perkins on the court.

When the Rockets attacked, Okafor decided to wrestle with his defensive opponent Juwan Howard. As McGrady blew past Gerald Wallace from the top of the arc, Okafor immediately left Juwan Howard open, moving first to his defensive position to block McGrady.

McGrady passed to Juwan Howard, who received the ball on the right baseline and took a mid-range shot... and missed!

The gamble paid off! Okafor excitedly turned around to grab the rebound, avoiding McGrady’s pressure to pass to Felton, who got rid of the ball...

Finally, Zhang Yang’s chance to counterattack came!

He received the ball and dribbled behind his back to get past Battier and rushed to the frontcourt.

Battier couldn’t keep up, only Alston managed to chase him.

But Alston couldn’t withstand Zhang Yang’s surge, and although Alston tried for the ball, Zhang Yang protected it well. As Zhang Yang charged to close range, Alston stepped aside, and Zhang Yang leapt, transferring the ball to his left hand and slamming it into the basket with one hand!

McGrady felt like cursing!

With a big gap under the basket, Juwan Howard didn’t cut in but instead stood on the baseline. After receiving the ball, he didn’t drive to attack the basket but chose a mid-range shot... That was infuriating to watch.

Can you imagine a power forward playing over 30 minutes per game, averaging only two attempts under the basket? That was Juwan Howard last season! And his shooting percentage was an appalling 50%, tragically bad!

Perkins and Kwame Brown’s ability to finish around the rim was bad enough, yet they still managed a 60% shooting percentage.

Of course, another issue with these two being poor finishers was their tendency to fumble.

But McGrady held back from cursing; being with the Rockets for so long, he had nearly alienated all his teammates, except for his old teammate Juwan Howard...

As the Rockets initiated another offense, McGrady received the ball outside the three-point line and attacked. Watching Okafor brutally jostle in front of Juwan Howard, he continued to drive.

Sure enough, Okafor immediately came up to double-team.

This time McGrady didn’t pass. Before his opponents could complete their double-team, he stopped abruptly, jumped, and took a close-range fadeaway shot... and it hit!

During the Bobcats’ offense, Felton penetrated and passed the ball, successfully getting it to Okafor, who was double-teamed by McGrady and Alston. He passed the ball again, and Zhang Yang quickly moved to the right side of the free-throw line to receive it, shooting quickly before the defending Battier could close in... and it went in!

to 8, the Bobcats regained a two-point lead!

On the court, it appeared that the Bobcats were in control.

But Coach Bickerstaff looked solemn at the sidelines.

Scoring 10 points in just over 5 minutes, with 8 of those points coming from Zhang Yang!