r18novel Chapter 52 Will being banned make you stronger?
Chapter 52 Will being banned make you stronger?
11 month 8 number.
The Portland Trail Blazers hosted the Philadelphia 76ers at the Rose Garden Arena.
Without a doubt, the biggest highlight of this game is the matchup between Allen Iverson and Hansen Lee.
The Trail Blazers, who started with a three-game winning streak, are now facing trouble, beset by internal and external problems, and have gone two games without a win.
The 76ers changed coaches this summer, with Chris Ford becoming the new head coach. The team has started with a 1-4 record, and is currently relying solely on Allen Iverson to carry the team.
Li He's return and his direct matchup against Iverson is what fans most want to see.
One is a super shooter who has perfected his shooting skills;
The other one is a true answer on the field, showcasing his offensive talent to the fullest.
This will undoubtedly spark some exciting ideas.
These two are somewhat similar in their rebellious nature.
Iverson was no pushover either. His conflict with Larry Brown over "training" led to the 76ers changing coaches.
In the past, their record was even more egregious.
Allen Iverson had been to the police station during high school, and after his rookie season, he was placed under supervision for three years for speeding and marijuana offenses. After a few years of relative calm, he broke into his cousin's house with a gun four months ago and was taken away by the police...
Of course, Iverson's ability is beyond doubt.
His official height is 183cm, but he is actually only about 178cm tall. He had all the qualities of a superstar when he was young, so it is really impressive that he was able to achieve such results in the NBA.
However, given the 76ers' current roster, apart from Glenn Robinson, the other players have performed only so-so.
This is also why the 76ers have had a poor record.
It's worth mentioning that Glenn Robinson wasn't exactly a saint either, having been arrested for domestic violence.
The NBA is a strange place; if you throw a brick, you're bound to hit a few jerks.
……
Li He, returning to competition, is full of confidence for this match.
He looked around the Rose Garden stadium and, as expected, the Portland fans still didn't show much support, with only a few hundred people in attendance.
As a player for the Trail Blazers, this feeling is really tough.
Therefore, Li He knew that he had to perform better to win the trust of the management and gradually clean up the team.
Before the match, the reporter directly approached Li He, this controversial figure, and asked him the following question:
"Hansen, you're going up against Allen Iverson tonight. Are you confident?"
At this time, Iverson was an absolute superstar, with one MVP and three scoring titles, and he even had a super performance of 50 points in a single game against the OK duo in the Finals.
In comparison, Li He's only notable achievement is his 37 points against the Lakers, which pales in comparison to the aforementioned accolades.
Li He replied without hesitation, "Of course, I'm very confident no matter which player I'm matched up against."
Good luck tonight.
The match started quickly.
With Li He back in the starting lineup after his suspension was lifted, the Portland Jail team continued to use the same core starting five from the beginning of the season.
For the 76ers, the backcourt consists of Allen Iverson and Eric Snow;
The forwards are Glenn Robinson and Kenny Thomas;
Finally, at center, there's Samuel Dalembert.
The match officially began as the referee tossed the ball into the air.
Rasheed Wallace was a beat too slow during the jump ball, and Dalembert tipped the ball to Glenn Robinson, giving the 76ers the first possession.
Eric Snow dribbled the ball past half-court, and his first target was Allen Iverson.
At this moment, Li He was sticking close to Iverson, trying to prevent him from receiving the ball.
But Iverson was too agile. After using a teammate's screen, he received the ball on the three-point line, made a signature crossover to shake off Bonzi Wells, and hit a mid-range two-pointer.
Allen Iverson scored the first points for the 76ers right from the start!
"This crossover is so cool!"
"Trail Blazers, attack!"
"Hanson Lee is making a lot of running, but defensive stalwart Eric Snow is also doing a great job!"
"Hansen Lee has moved to the right side at a 45-degree angle to receive the ball!"
"Raise your hand to aim at the basket!"
"Eric Snow was faked out, but he didn't lose his position when he jumped!"
"Beautiful defense!"
"For a defense against pure shooters, this is good enough!"
"What should be done about Hansen Lee?"
"Oh...Hanson Lee is dribbling!"
"This is something that has never happened in previous matches!"
"and!"
"The transport seems to have gone quite well?"
When Li He prepared to take the ball and go one-on-one, Coach Maurice Cheeks on the sidelines was stunned and quickly gestured for Li He to pass the ball.
This is not what you should be doing!
But then a surprising scene unfolded.
Li He dribbled continuously to find his rhythm, then suddenly broke through with a crossover dribble followed by a back spin move, directly shaking off Eric Snow and launching a mid-range two-pointer.
hit!
"Woooo...!"
"Hansen Lee! I never expected him to attack with the ball like that!"
"That dazzling dribbling rhythm, those silky smooth combos—only a top-tier guard could pull that off!"
"He was supposed to be just a pitcher?!"
When Li He sank that mid-range shot, Eric Snow was completely stunned.
Before the game, the coach repeatedly emphasized that they must defend Hansen Lee's shots well, as he was just a spot-up shooter.
Whose spot-up shooter dribbles and shoots like that?!
Not only were the 76ers players stunned, but even the Portland Prisoners players felt a sense of unfamiliarity with Li He.
The little flying squirrel looked at Li He with disbelief:
"Hansen, when did you learn this ball control technique?"
The player playing the number 1 position, Little Flying Mouse, immediately recognized Li He's dribbling skills in just one round; he was practically "one with the ball"!
Allen Iverson was on fire, driving into the paint on the next possession and sinking a drifting two-pointer.
Meanwhile, Li He continued to move to the perimeter to receive the ball and signaled to his teammates to spread out.
Although Maurice Cheeks could hardly believe what was happening on the court, he still yelled from the sidelines, "Give Hansen Lee space!"
The Trail Blazers' players cleared one side, and Li He faced Eric Snow directly.
Eric Snow has learned his lesson and is now maintaining a good defensive distance, defending sideways with his right foot forward. This will allow him to better defend against Li He's attacks from the right flank.
Li He repeatedly dribbled between his legs, shifting the defender's weight, and suddenly pushed the ball forward with his left hand, shifting his weight to probe the ball.
Eric Snow quickly moved his defensive footwork to block the offensive route.
But Li He stretched out his long right arm and pulled the basketball back in one smooth motion!
"Shammgod?!"
"What exquisite ball control! What on earth did Hansen Lee do during that stretch?"
"Could it be that this guy gets stronger just because he's suspended?"
Eric Snow panicked and instantly adjusted his footwork to continue defending, but he was met with Li He's sharp change of direction, accelerating down the left flank.
The next moment.
There was a loud "bang".
Defensive stalwart Eric Snow lost his balance and stumbled backward several steps, actually falling to the ground!