As soon as LeBron got back on defense, JB had already passed the ball to Westbrook, who was right behind him. Westbrook caught it and drove straight to the basket, easily laying it in.
A missed pull-up three in a half-court set could easily lead to a fast break for the other team. And when that team was the Thunder, who often pushed the pace in transition, there was no way they'd pass up a chance handed to them on a platter.
LeBron took the ball back up top to run the offense. Using TT's screen, he looked ready to drive inside, and Adams immediately retreated like he was bracing for an emergency, ready to protect the rim.
But Old Zhan simply made a sweeping gesture, and Love caught the ball in the opposite corner and shot at once. The shot went in, and the three was on the board.
Since joining the Cavaliers, Kevin Love had lost weight and completely transformed into a Stretch Big Man, becoming more like Bosh.
The Thunder's possession ended with a clank from Westbrook, and the Cavaliers immediately hit them with a fast break.
LeBron was a beast. At six-foot-eight and weighing 240 or 250 pounds, he ran faster than most guards. It was scary.
For the first time, Chen Xi got to watch the Little Emperor throw down a dunk in a game from this close. He had to admit, Old Zhang was quite a spectacle in that regard.
The Thunder went back on offense. Chen Xi came up to receive the ball, while Westbrook tried to slip down to the Ghost Position, ready to cut to the basket at any moment.
Looking at Irving in front of him, Chen held back his urge to drive and passed the ball to Butler on the other side.
Butler faced LeBron and drove hard to the basket. He made it to the Mid-range, then realized he couldn't push any farther. Old Zhan wasn't going to let him get deeper. After two consecutive Shot Fakes failed to throw LeBron off balance, Butler passed the ball back to Chen Xi.
The offense had stalled a little. They needed a shot in the arm.
Chen Xi caught the ball and didn't hesitate. He jumped up and launched a pull-up jumper.
"Woo-hoo-hoo!!!!!"
After drilling a shot right over Irving, Chen was thrilled and grinned as he ran back on defense.
There wasn't much Irving could do. His physical gifts weren't exceptional, and being only half a beat late meant he couldn't get a hand in the way.
The two teams traded baskets back and forth.
The Thunder couldn't stop LeBron, and the Cavaliers couldn't stop Westbrook.
Chen Xi was in luck. Irving hadn't yet become the version of himself who would later play for the Mavericks, and he wasn't nearly as committed on defense. That made things much easier for Chen.
Butler had it rough. Most of the time, he was matched up against LeBron, and his efficiency on both ends of the court took a considerable hit.
Surprisingly, once the teams reached the Transition Period, the Thunder had the advantage.
Realizing that their starters were at a disadvantage, Donovan decided to have Butler lead the bench unit against the Cavaliers' reserves, keeping him off the court while LeBron played.
That immediately strengthened the bench unit's wing rotation.
Butler, Roberson, Grant. On the Cavaliers' bench, aside from Korver, who had recently been traded over from the Hawks, there wasn't a reliable scorer.
At the end of the first quarter, the Thunder used their advantage during the Transition Period to erase their deficit, tying the score at 28–28.
Tyronn Lue, over on the Cavaliers' bench, stared at the scoreboard, lost in thought.
Should he keep LeBron on the floor a little longer? He ought to be fine, right?
With LeBron and Irving off the court, their teammates didn't even know who to pass the ball to~~
You know how it is. LeBron just needs to stay on the court and play as many minutes as he can, but a head coach has a lot more to think about.
If you can't find a book by its title, try searching for the author! Maybe it just changed its name!
Back in the game, Chen Xi stared in surprise at LeBron, who had returned to the court.
"WTF? It's 2017, so why does he look like 2018 LeBron? Is Tyronn Lue already playing Old Zhang for all the minutes a year early???? Is he really that prescient? Did he know Irving would leave at the end of the season, so he's getting Old Zhang used to it in advance????"
The Cavaliers had the ball. LeBron forcefully shoved Roberson aside, faced Jeffery Lovenji, the Thunder's only remaining Bench Center, and scored with an easy finger roll.
Chen, who was leading the bench unit at the start of the second quarter, suddenly felt an immense amount of pressure. Damn it!
He came up to the Top of the Key and took the ball from Payne in a handoff. The Cavaliers switched on defense, and Chen took the opportunity to get Korver matched up against him.
An old friend, Korver.
Chen faked a shot, making Korver shift his weight, then immediately dribbled and drove. After two steps, he snapped the ball back between his legs. Ding~~
The Ankle Breaker badge lit up.
Korver, rushing to recover, lost his balance and staggered backward. Chen stayed right where he was and calmly took the jumper.
LeBron watched the familiar move from the young number 3, and the image of his former rival in a red number 3 jersey suddenly appeared in his mind.
That second-generation showboating king in the League had once made a similar play, stopping abruptly and snapping the ball back between his legs to send his defender tumbling. It had been a classic moment.
Back in the frontcourt, LeBron steadied himself, took a pass from Feld, the point guard bringing the ball up, and started directing traffic. He couldn't charge to the basket on every possession; that would be exhausting. After fourteen years in the League, LeBron had learned to manage his energy on the court.
Korver had run through three Off-ball Screen plays in a row, but Chen had chased him down every time. Frustrated, Korver forced up a shot, but it was contested and missed.
"Damn it! That kid's glued to me!" LeBron heard Korver complain as they ran back on defense.
"Don't rush. Be patient." After offering a brief word of encouragement, Old Zhang couldn't think of a good defensive solution. After a moment's thought, he decided that starting with the next possession, they'd target number 3.
They could wear him down on offense.
Payne passed Chen the ball again. Facing the Cavaliers' backup point guard, Feld, Chen easily threw him off balance with a simple fake, then dribbled and slid one step sideways before smoothly launching a three.
Another easy three points.
"Looks like the Cavaliers' guards just can't defend Chen. They bite on fakes too easily!"
"We can't be too hard on them. I don't think they can help it. Anyone defending an opponent shooting 49.6% from three is probably going to focus more on stopping the shot."
The two commentators chatted idly beside the scorer's table.
Back on offense, LeBron called for a Pick-and-Roll, bringing Chen Xi onto him.
Chen looked at the six-foot-eight giant in front of him, his expression turning serious. So they were finally matched up.
He'd been working on bulking up lately, but so far Chen Xi weighed only 91 kilograms. Gaining weight too quickly could affect his shooting touch, and he didn't want his sharpest weapon to go dull.
As for LeBron in front of him, who had to weigh at least 240 pounds, Chen seriously doubted he'd stay in one piece if LeBron ran into him.
He was at a clear disadvantage, but he couldn't simply leave the lane open and let LeBron drive inside.
Chen bravely stepped forward and planted himself directly in LeBron's path.
Old Zhan wasn't about to pass up an opportunity like that. He immediately dribbled and drove.
Chen stayed close, but LeBron deliberately leaned into him and knocked him away with two consecutive Physical Confrontations. Chen could only watch as LeBron easily laid the ball in.
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