The Flop

In the Pelicans' backcourt, Little Sabonis casually inbounded the ball, and Butler brought it across half court.

Once the whole team had taken their positions, the Pelicans ran another play.

A simple horizontal-and-vertical screening play—flex offense.

Butler held the ball up top.

On the baseline, Redick set a horizontal screen for Holiday, pretending to block off Westbrook's chase defense and giving Holiday a chance to move.

Then, the instant he crossed paths with Westbrook and Bane, he immediately turned and ran upward. Using Horford's vertical screen, he got a decent open look.

After quickly reaching the forty-five-degree spot on the left, he received Butler's pass and fired a three.

Redick had been shooting the three extremely well tonight, going four for eight at a fifty-percent rate.

For a shooter of his caliber, he should have been highly confident with an open look like that.

But Redick was, after all, only a role player—and he was already at an age when retirement was drawing near.

During the regular stretches, he might still be able to maintain his level. But when the critical moment arrived, whether mentally or physically, he ultimately failed to match the intensity and capitalize on a clutch shot of this caliber.

Dang!!

The crisp clang of iron rang out, and the basketball bounced off the rim.

The instant Redick shot, Chen Xi hustled back from the top of the key, leaped with all his might, and snatched the long rebound out of the air. He then hugged the ball and raised it high, forcibly spun around to shove Butler away, and pushed the ball upcourt.

But Butler was also a classic example of a player with high basketball IQ. Seeing that a steal was hopeless, and noticing that Chen Xi had made a motion resembling a swinging elbow,