The No.1 Anti-Fans in Basketball
Chapter 255 - 151: No-Look Passes That Can Be Completed Without Pretending_2

Chapter 255: Chapter 151: No-Look Passes That Can Be Completed Without Pretending_2

Because Nowitzki was not in good form, the Heat Team managed to gain an advantage during the starting period, but that advantage was chased back by the Mavericks during the substitute connection segment.

Back and forth they tugged, and after three quarters were fought, the Heat Team led the game by 75 to 71 over the Mavericks.

Then at the beginning of the fourth quarter, the situation changed once more.

A familiar scenario unfolded with Wade leading an off-peak charge.

O’Neal, played by his former teammate Wade, seemed old and decrepit.

Under Wade’s lead, the Heat Team went on a run.

With about 7 minutes left in the game, Wade hit a three-pointer, and the Heat Team was already leading the Mavericks by a full 15 points.

Seeing that familiar point difference, Hansen’s heart also twisted a bit.

However, to his surprise, after calling a timeout the Mavericks, James and Wade played up a celebration in front of the Mavericks’ bench, bumping chests and even breaking into an impromptu dance.

They truly believed they had the game in the bag, blatantly mocking their opponents.

Then, the game took a different turn.

After the timeout, Nowitzki came back off the bench for the Mavericks and they began to close the gap.

First, Nowitzki trapped and passed the ball to Jide on the outside, who hit an open three-pointer.

The Heat were playing a 2-1-2 zone defense at that time but James failed to close out, loudly blaming Chalmers.

Terry followed with a two-pointer and Marion scored on a fast-break layup.

The Mavericks launched a quick 8 to 2 run to close the gap, prompting Spoelstra to swiftly call a timeout.

But after the timeout, the Heat Team still couldn’t score.

It wasn’t that they suddenly forgot how to play basketball, but their defense and fast-break system had broken down.

You need to be able to stop your opponents to mount a defense and counterattack.

Especially when the game came to the last 4 minutes, Nowitzki, who had been quiet almost the entire game, finally started putting on a show.

Mid-range shot made.

Another mid-range shot in.

Even with Bosh’s hand in Nowitzki’s face, the German tank was unstoppable.

Hansen was all too familiar with this feeling.

In fact, if it weren’t for injuring his finger in the fierce battle with the Grizzlies, such a scene should have happened at the start.

But it seemed not too late now.

On the other hand, after being dragged into a ground battle by the Mavericks’ high field goal percentage, the Heat reverted to the team they were during the regular season.

And Carlisle was also stepping up.

He was very determined in his defensive strategy during this segment, which was to prevent Wade from attacking.

Limiting receptions, double-teaming, inside-out defense... All possible tactics were called into action.

Wade’s play was neutralized, leaving only James and Bosh to handle the ball.

That was a disaster.

James missed a fading mid-range shot, Bosh made a turnover on a low-post move, James missed a three-pointer, and then missed another...

As Nowitzki hit a layup, the Mavericks went on a 17 to 2 run and tied the game in the final minute!

Such despair, the Mavericks were indeed the team best at comebacks in this season’s playoffs.

Spoelstra called for another timeout, and American Airlines Arena fell silent.

After the timeout, Wade finally found an opportunity, but his long-range shot also veered off target.

Having gone so long without a shot, his hands had also cooled down.

On the return, Nowitzki caught a pass from Jide for a three-pointer that almost sealed the game.

The Heat Team was forced to call their final timeout.

After the timeout, Chalmers, who had been scolded by James not long before, made amends by hitting a corner three, off James’s assist, to tie the game once again.

Hansen couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the scene.

He could relate all too strongly to such a scenario.

In the final 25 seconds, Nowitzki caught the ball at the 45-degree angle beyond the three-point line and, given one-on-one space, posted up and turned around to shake Bosh, just like he did against Gasol of the Grizzlies, sticking out his tongue and laying it up before James could help on defense.

3.6 seconds left, the Heat with no timeouts remaining, Wade received the ball at half court, took three big steps to the three-point line, and forcing up a contested three against Marion’s interference, missed.

to 93, the Mavericks pulled off another historic comeback, taking the first match of the Finals.

The post-game statistics, Wade with a hollow 36 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals, James with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, and 5 turnovers, Bosh 4-for-16 shooting for 12 points and 8 rebounds.

Nowitzki with 24 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 turnovers, Marion with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and Terry with 16 points, 5 assists.

After watching, Hansen felt that his trip to Miami had not been in vain.

Indeed, it was the most dramatic game, and he only remembered James and Wade mimicking Nowitzki’s cough, not expecting the two to have a scene of dancing in mockery.

And this seemed indeed a bit different from the "history" he remembered since he didn’t recall this kind of start to the Finals.

This was starting to look a lot like the Mavericks’ previous battle against the Lakers.

Could it be the Heat, too, faced being swept by the Mavericks?

Hansen felt like the biggest spectator munching on popcorn.

He continued to stay in Miami, during the day touring around with Swift by the already picturesque beaches in June.

In the evenings, they were practicing hard, focusing mainly on Swift’s post-up plays and off-ball offense.

Two days later, Game 2 of the Finals was set to start.

Hansen attended the game, while Swift, drained from his efforts, recuperated at the hotel.