A simple fake was enough to fool Brown.
Eager to squeeze past the screen, he had just brushed by Chen Xi when he turned back and found SGA gone.
Alexander accelerated into the paint, then abruptly stopped and gathered the ball, faking a shot. Aldridge stepped up, and Alexander immediately passed to Gafford on the wing.
Gafford had just stepped out to the perimeter to set a fake screen for Green. He turned and cut toward the basket, caught Alexander's pass just outside the paint, and immediately leaped. In midair, he hammered the ball through the hoop with a powerful dunk.
Bang!!
Another two points!
Oklahoma's lead grew to six.
The game continued.
It was Brooklyn's turn to initiate the offense.
Harden found Durant at the top of the key for a pick-and-roll. He used the screen to burst into the paint, drew the defense, then passed back to KD, who had popped out.
KD caught the ball and faked a shot, then pounded it into the floor and accelerated past Alexander, charging into the paint. He finished by going straight up for a layup over SGA.
He used Alexander's body to block AD from helping at the rim, then relied on his height and wingspan to force the shot over SGA.
It was the classic Model Monster approach.
A banked two, and it dropped cleanly.
The Thunder inbounded from the backcourt.
Chen Xi caught the ball and brought it over half court. At the top, he ran into another double-team and passed out of it.
At the top of the key, Alexander drove with the ball, entered the paint, then kicked it out to Green on the wing, who was wide open.
Green caught the ball and shot a three, but it bounced off the rim.
Under the basket,