No.1 in basketball scoring
Chapter 510 - 220. The Emotionless Stone Buddha_2

Chapter 510: 220. The Emotionless Stone Buddha_2

This pass, Felton managed to be accurate solely because of his solid fundamentals in passing, and the seamless coordination with Zhang Yang’s receiving.

With someone else, even a talented passer like Rondo could have easily made a mistake due to the Spurs’ interference.

And although Zhang Yang received the ball, the difficulty of playing solo didn’t decrease, in fact, it increased, as the defender switched from Finley to Bowen.

Seeing Finley switch to guard Felton, with Parker following Gerald Wallace... Zhang Yang didn’t pass the ball, attack him!

Against Bowen’s defense, Zhang Yang faked a breakthrough, followed by a step-back after a behind-the-back dribble, agile and swift, but he couldn’t shake off Bowen!

Bowen might not have seemed quick, but his anticipation was too strong. He wasn’t deceived by Zhang Yang, and decisively pressed up during Zhang Yang’s hesitation move. As Zhang Yang gathered the ball after his behind-the-back dribble to shoot, Bowen was right there to contest!

Zhang Yang’s mid-range shot clanked off the iron, and Duncan secured the defensive rebound.

Transitioning from defense to offense, Parker took the ball forward to the frontcourt, lobbing it to Duncan in the low post.

Okafor moved early to the rim, attempting to use his individual ability to cover for Duncan’s scoring space under the basket, while also trying to block Oberto’s weak side cut for a potential pass.

Muhammad’s defense also adjusted, sticking close to Duncan to guard against his hook shot and high post moves.

Turning towards the basket, Duncan could have created an excellent passing opportunity for Oberto, but it also bore the risk of a turnover. Duncan didn’t take the risk, and he wanted to take the shot himself, just like Zhang Yang did earlier!

He leaned into Muhammad, stepped towards the front of the three-second zone, turned, and took a 45-degree angle jump shot at close range... It was good!

The arena erupted with cheers! 6-4, Duncan overpowered Zhang Yang!

When it was the Bobcats’ turn to attack, Felton received Zhang Yang’s pass in the frontcourt, saw Zhang Yang accelerating towards the basket, and immediately understood his intention. As Zhang Yang entered the key area from the elbow, overpowering Parker, he drove into the lane.

After several rounds of defense, the Spurs’ interior defenders had gained experience in switching, with Oberto stepping up early and Finley switching... But Zhang Yang didn’t head towards the high post after using the screen!

Zhang Yang used Okafor’s screen to block Finley and, circling around Okafor, re-entered the key area behind Duncan, who was moving to cover the right side of the key.

Felton’s pass arrived on time as Zhang Yang entered the key area.

Duncan, seeing Felton passing the ball when he was still a step away from his favorite floater range, sensed trouble. He spun around at full speed to get back... and then it all went dark.

Zhang Yang caught the ball and leaped with all his might, dunking the ball over Duncan amid the screams of the baseline fans!

Fans watching the TV who supported the Bobcats and Zhang Yang screamed excitedly, while the arena fell silent for a moment, then erupted with furious boos and curses directed at Zhang Yang.

The players on the Bobcats’ bench leaped up to cheer, and the players on the court quickly retreated to the backcourt before celebrating with high-fives with Zhang Yang.

Last round, Zhang Yang’s shot hit iron, and Duncan scored in his play, slightly suppressing the Bobcats’ morale but Zhang Yang immediately reclaimed the momentum!

When it came time for the Spurs to attack, the Bobcats’ players braced themselves, prepared for Duncan to answer with a dunk over Zhang Yang.

But Duncan didn’t continue with a low post solo play. Instead, he moved up to set a pick-and-roll for Parker as he advanced to the top of the arc.

The Spurs’ players remained composed, their positions and movements orderly... The Bobcats’ players felt like they were punching cotton.

They executed a beautiful play and even managed a dunk, yet it was they who were affected mentally.

Zhang Yang really missed the games against the heavens. If he could dunk on "God," that guy would definitely blow his top and demand a sub, only to be shut down by Okafor and Gerald Wallace.

The Stone Buddha here...his heart is as cold as a rock.

Duncan: What’s the difference between a dunk and a layup? Aren’t they both two points? Bad boy Jack is no longer going solo; he’s started to play with tactical cooperation. Well, of course, that means I don’t have to continue the arduous task of playing one-on-one; I can start playing with tactical cooperation too.

Duncan set a screen to draw Muhammad out, leaving Okafor as the lone man under the basket. Parker, excited after the screen, rushed into the paint. He could manage on his own against Okafor... and after entering the paint, he passed the ball out.

Gerald Wallace’s help defense was too quick! Even more troublesome than the Jazz’s AK47!

Kirilenko excels in expanding his defense from the inside. With Duncan’s screening, Parker didn’t find it too hard to manage, but Gerald Wallace, with his standard small forward play, shrink defense, combined with frontal interior defense, Parker was truly in despair.

Finley got around Gerald Wallace, cutting off the passing lane and moved to the right side of the free-throw line to catch Parker’s pass. Muhammad desperately closed in. Finley caught the ball without the slightest hesitation, shot before Muhammad could properly defend him... and scored!

On his way back to receive the serve, Zhang Yang complained to Okafor, who was making the serve, "You’re really shameless, a max salary player acting as a pure shooter!"

Okafor nodded; he thought so too.

Finley signed a five-year max contract with the Mavericks in ’03, got waived by Cuban in ’05, and now he was getting the remaining three years of his max salary from the Mavericks while playing as a role player for the Spurs with a three-year, 8.4 million dollar contract.

A former max contract player acting as a role player, for most role players it’s like playing at a different level. During this season’s playoffs, Finley’s mid-range shooting percentage was 48.2%, averaging 4.3 shots per game and making 2.1 of them. His three-point shooting was at 42%, averaging 5.3 shots per game and making 2.2 of them. His shots were focused in these two areas, plus the occasional drives, free-throws, and through three rounds averaged 12.8 points per game.

Moreover, from a tactical cooperation standpoint, Finley was superior to Ginobili. Ginobili was an all-around scorer, while Finley was a pure tactical endpoint.

After a brief complaint, they returned their focus to the offense.

Felton had driven in several times in succession and needed a break; it was their turn to take charge of the one-on-one offense.

Okafor was somewhat excited now, backing up against Duncan demanding the ball. After receiving it, he leaned on Duncan, turned around, took one step toward the baseline, hooked the shot... forced to raise the arc...

Okafor used Duncan’s own move against him, swinging the broadsword in front of Guan Yu, so to speak. Duncan predicted Okafor’s next move and moved in time to properly disrupt the shot!

After making the defensive play, Duncan didn’t flaunt his defensive prowess by keeping his hand up and pressing in like some defenders would; instead, he turned immediately to fight for the rebound, securing his position regardless of whether the opponent made the shot or not.

Okafor’s hook shot, with its forced high arc, missed, and Duncan managed to block out the charging Gerald Wallace to snatch the defensive rebound.

The Bobcats players quickly fell back on defense, and once the Spurs caught up, Okafor on Duncan, Gerald Wallace on Finley, and Felton on Parker all tightened their defensive confrontations.

Having survived the initial head-to-head star showdown, the Bobcats, after their offensive play, saw the Spurs begin to step up the confrontations; they naturally had to keep pace.

Parker drove in using a screen, found no opportunity to pass, and had his shot against the double-teaming Okafor and Gerald Wallace miss the mark.

On the return play, Zhang Yang took on Finley at the high post, successfully penetrated the inside... but his rushed shot was disrupted by an anticipatory move from Duncan.

From this round forward, both teams’ offensive success rates plummeted... and the Spurs steadily gained the upper hand!