Volume 1: A rookie who breaks into the basketball world Chapter 16: Two Fat Guys Are Coming!
Maurice Cheeks wants to hit someone - you've already figured this out, why are you still looking so serious?
Liu Xiu continued:
"Summer league is more about testing individual ability. It takes 10 fouls to get into the free throw stage. The tempo should be faster than NBA games. Tactics and the like can be played well, but the players' abilities... should not be too weak. It's just that most of the players in summer league probably play as core players in high school, college, and other leagues. In terms of functionality, they may not be as good as high-quality functional players in college. There are too few players like Caron Butler on the opposite side."
"There are fewer foul calls, fewer free throws, and fewer dead balls. With this kind of rhythm, players with good physical fitness and strength can often play better. Skills are not that important... but at least you have to have a skill."
"Dwyane Wade on the other side is very good at strong penetration. Although he is not yet proficient in his Eurostep, it can be considered a specialty. Woods on our team relies on his physical fitness to penetrate the basket, which is also a strength."
"With Woods, we have the possibility of a comeback, but although he has the ability to attack, his finishing ability is a bit lacking. When he must score, he may not be able to score, so we have not been able to turn the tables."
“…”Morris Cheeks regretted sitting next to Liu Xiu.
Liu Xiu is an amazing player who always quickly makes people accept that he is a lazy guy.
In this case, when he shows other qualities, they will stand out and leave a deep impression.
For example, his competitive spirit.
In the opening stage, although the team was behind in the score, Liu Xiu had already demonstrated what the coaching staff wanted to see - calm ball handling, excellent ball protection ability, and stable passing in tactics.
This is actually enough, these are the only advantages that the coaching staff wants to see in Liu Xiu.
But because of the high morale and strong competitive spirit that Liu Xiu showed before the game started, Morris Cheeks wanted to comfort Liu Xiu.
result……
Now Liu Xiu showed his outstanding analytical ability, which surprised Morris Cheeks again.
Although this is not a very difficult task, for a rookie, it is still quite impressive to be able to analyze so many things.
For example, a steady rookie may often fall into self-doubt when his team offense and defense are not as effective as a few random plays.
Just when Maurice Cheeks was about to continue slacking off, he heard Liu Xiu say, "What worries me now is that I don't have that kind of strong personal offensive skills. Zach has that ability, but he is not interested in such a game. He is willing to play tactics just to hone his abilities..."
Finally, there is something this kid hasn’t figured out!
Maurice Cheeks was shocked: "Didn't you just learn how to post up?"
Liu Xiu replied: "I just learned it, and it's not useful yet."
"That's why you need to practice more after you've just learned something. In the game, verify whether what you've learned is useful. If it's not useful, then wouldn't it be a waste of practice? Why not change direction and learn something else? Jace, don't worry about it so much. It's just the summer league. Who cares about winning or losing? You're the 13th pick, a lottery rookie, the highest-ranked player on our team. You can play however you want. Look at the lottery rookie on the opposite side. Does he have any tactical awareness or teamwork skills?"
Liu Xiu looked at Maurice Cheeks, blinked, and said, "I care, even though it's just the summer league."
Morris Cheeks was stunned when he heard this and didn't say anything.
Although this communication was a little different from what Maurice Cheeks had planned to show the coach's care, it was an unexpected surprise.
…
At 6 minutes and 11 seconds into the second quarter, Caron Butler made a single shot from the wing, and the Heat made the score 52 to 45, with a difference of 7 points. The referee blew the whistle and entered the second official timeout of the second quarter.
The Trail Blazers made a rotation, and Quinter Woods was playing well and was replaced...
The combination of Liu Xiu, Matt Carroll, Travis Outlaw, Randolph, and Reuben Bontjie.
The summer league teams had almost no tacit understanding, but this lineup barely had some tacit understanding. After receiving instructions from the head coach, Trail Blazers chief assistant coach Kevin Pritchard replaced Liu Xiu with this lineup.
Quintel Woods was very upset when he was substituted. He caught up with the score, but the coaching staff replaced Liu Xiu at a critical moment in the first half!
Quintl Woods thought to himself, "Isn't he just a lottery pick? Even if we put the best team on him, he can't perform as well as me!"
Quinter Woods is full of expectations for the future, but in the view of the coaching staff, Quinter Woods played very well, but his style of play would not work in higher-level competitions because his strength is limited.
Liu Xiu has already demonstrated his basic abilities. The abilities he is showing now are slightly better than expected during the draft, and he has made some progress.
If you can do better next time, it will be a bonus.
Liu Xiu has learned the post-up attack, and the coaching staff knows this, but whether the post-up attack is practical or not is another matter.
Eric Barkley has mastered almost all the skills a point guard should have, but if he can't use them at the NBA level, it's the same as not having them.
But it doesn't work, you have to try it to know...
It was time to play again. Liu Xiu pulled Randolph and said, "Zach, let's have a competition."
"Hmm? Comparing what?"
"Who can score more points with a post-up shot?"
"Hmm... Hmm?" Randolph sneered after realizing what was happening. "Are you crazy? Are you competing with me in back-to-back fighting?"
Liu Xiu narrowed his eyes and said, "Just tell me if you dare or not!"
Randolph stopped talking and said, "The loser will treat you to dinner tonight!"
"Okay, I'll go first..."
After Liu Xiu took his teammates aside and talked for a few words, the timeout ended and the game continued.
The Heat replaced Wade, who had rested for half a quarter, and kept Caron Butler, with the two freshman and sophomore stars leading the team together.
When Wade saw Liu Xiu receiving the serve and advancing, he felt an urge in his heart that he wanted to vent.
The 13th overall pick on the opposing team had been beaten for half a quarter, but he still had that nonchalant expression on his face, as if nothing mattered. Wade, who had been trying desperately to win the match in the first half of the quarter, felt like he was punching cotton.
Liu Xiu advanced across half court and Wade immediately pressed forward to put pressure on him.
Although Wade's pressure defense has little effect on Liu Xiu due to the thickness of his body, it does not mean that he should not do it if it has no direct effect. On the contrary, he should do so. Pressure defense can reduce the opponent's executable options.
However, this time Liu Xiu did not carry Wade forward. Instead, when Wade approached him, he passed the ball to Travis Outlaw who had been agreed to move out.
Travis Outlaw holds the ball on the left side of the arc. Caron Butler is okay in defending without the ball, but when defending with the ball... he is better now. He won't press forward rashly. He just waits for the opponent to shoot or break through and reacts according to the situation.
Liu Xiu chose to let Travis Outlaw hold the ball instead of Matt Carroll who has better ball-handling ability... Whether the ball-handling ability is good or not depends on the defensive opponent.
Wade followed Liu Xiu to the left side of the three-second zone, thinking that Liu Xiu was going to slip to the baseline, but was blocked by Liu Xiu when he turned around.
Wade claims to be 193cm tall, but when he is standing in the low post, he doesn't seem to be much taller than Liu Xiu who is 188cm tall...
By the time Wade realized that the opponent was going to post up, Travis Outlaw had already passed the ball to Liu Xiu.
"Host uses low-post back-to-the-basket singles technique, the talent Great Magician ( incomplete ) is triggered, strength +3..."
When Liu Xiu received the system prompt, he had already moved towards Wade.
It's not an explosive impact, but a pure static force attack.
Wade was not yet a muscle mass in the future, and Liu Xiu took advantage of him in a few steps. Liu Xiu turned right and made a layup from the baseline...
"The host uses the low-post back-to-the-basket singles technique, and the talent of the Great Magician (incomplete) is triggered, turning speed +3, layup and close-range shooting +3..."
At the moment of shooting, Liu Xiu obviously felt that he was better than in training, and his shooting opportunity was good. He did not encounter any real interference and made a layup!
Good shot! Randolph, who was watching from the other side of the three-second zone, excitedly rushed over and high-fived Liu Xiu.
This ball actually does not require high technical content, but the use of the body, judgment of timing, choice of offensive line... these aspects are utilized so well!
Randolph was very excited, but Liu Xiu was not too excited when he high-fived, and his expression was still distracted.
In Wade's opinion, this scene made him feel looked down upon - was the opponent saying that hitting him in the cheek from behind was as easy as hitting the air from behind?
No matter what Liu Xiu thought, Wade thought so.
In the transition from offense to defense, Wade pushed across half court with great momentum.
If Wade was just a little angry just now, after seeing this scene, if the air had color, Wade would be furious.
Liu Xiu took a big step back and retreated to the free throw line to defend!
Wade closed his mouth and exhaled through his nose, causing his nostrils to flare.
Who said you can just stab without a gun... No, who said you can't break through if the other party is so far away?
Even though they were about one and a half meters apart, Wade still chose to break through!
With such a long distance, Liu Xiu naturally had enough time to move his feet. When Wade changed direction, Liu Xiu also had enough time to follow up. However... after Wade changed direction, his explosive power pushed Liu Xiu away and he rushed straight to the basket!
Liu Xiu forced Wade to change direction and also gave a certain delay. Ruben Bontjie returned to the basket in time, forcing Wade to choose a jump shot. The ball circled on the basket and almost went in. The ball slipped out of the basket, and Liu Xiu followed up and grabbed the defensive rebound.
Protect the ball well, wait for the Heat to retreat before Liu Xiucai advances, wanting to curse in his heart!
This almost went in!
After Liu Xiu advanced to the frontcourt, Randolph went to the low post on the right side of the three-second zone to position himself. His position was basically symmetrical to the position Liu Xiu had just positioned himself in... Who made Randolph a left-handed person?
Haslem wanted to go around, but Randolph's arm pressed Haslem so hard that he couldn't push him. Liu Xiu passed the ball to Randolph, who forced the ball in, turned around and turned again... and made a low layup!
Haslem's low-post defense is much better than Wade's, but when faced with a back-to-the-basket attack, Haslem is much more miserable than Wade!
49 to 52, the difference narrowed to 3 points!
When the Heat attacked, Wade broke through and lobbed an lob, and the Heat's backup center Jerome Beasley cut in and slammed in an lob to score two points.
Haslem's high-post off-ball pick-and-roll and Wade's baseline passing ability were all on display.
His technical moves are still very immature, which is a clear reflection of his talent.
It was the Blazers' turn to attack. Just like the last round, the Blazers' Matt Carroll pulled away, Randolph went to the right side of the three-second zone to maintain the threat of mid-range shots and rushing threats, Reuben Bontjie stood at the right baseline of the three-second zone, a natural height threat, Travis Outlaw went to the top arc to receive the ball and passed it to Liu Xiu...
Another back-to-the-basket play! Wade saw that the two fat guys on the opposite side wanted to take turns using their weight and static strength to bully the two rookies of the Heat team!
I'm so angry! I'm really angry! This is totally shameless!
If Wade were to face a different opponent, he wouldn't be so angry even if he encountered the same situation.
But Liu Xiu, with his casual expression and the ever-present smile on his lips... Wade knew that he was definitely better than the other party, but he was still very angry.
The key is Liu Xiu's physique and playing style, Wade really can't handle it!
In Wade's opinion, Liu Xiu's strength is absolutely top-notch!
Haslem quietly retreated to the three-second zone at this time, and when Liu Xiu once again relied on his tonnage and static strength to get into position and turned right to walk to the baseline, he was in position!
However, this was within Liu Xiu's expectations. He turned around and passed the ball to Randolph, who passed it again. This time Matt Carroll got a completely open space in the right corner, received the ball and made a three-point shot...and it went in !
52 to 54, the Trail Blazers narrowed the gap to 2 points!
In the end, Liu Xiu led the team to launch a team attack!
