One Year Left to Play-Chapter 249 - 87: The Dawn of the Iron-Blood Era
The Heat's starting lineup features Bimbo Coles, Rex Chapman, Billy Owens, Kevin Willis, and Alonzo Mourning.
"Bimbo Coles, 27 years old, 185 cm, 82 kg, ability rating 79, offense 69, defense 85, passing 81..."
"Rex Chapman, 28 years old, 193 cm, 84 kg, ability rating 73, offense 82, defense 59, passing 83..."
"Billy Owens, 26 years old, 203 cm, 100 kg, ability rating 83, offense 79, defense 87, passing 79..."
"Kevin Willis, 33 years old, 213 cm, 111 kg, ability rating 81, offense 70, defense 86, rebounds 87..."
"Alonzo Mourning, 25 years old, 208 cm, 119 kg, ability rating 95, offense 88, defense 96, rebounds 94..."
After glancing at the player scouting report of the opponent's starting lineup, Zhang Hao noted the characteristics of the opposing team, or rather the characteristics of the lineup arranged by Pat Riley—except for Chapman, who averaged 1.9 three-pointers per game last season, all the other players have stronger defense than offense.
Mourning is the strongest player on the opponent's side, ranked fifth among the four major centers, definitely a superstar. His defense, simply put, even surpasses a 33-year-old Jordan slightly, comparable to Pippen.
Looking through Mourning's data and efficiency stats for his first three years, he averaged 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks from his rookie year, and yet hasn't made an All-NBA or All-Defensive team.
But considering the other three major centers, Zhang Hao wasn't surprised.
Even O'Neal, who was in the same draft class as Mourning, hasn't made a First All-NBA Team yet, only once in the Third Team and once in the Second Team.
Looks like tonight's going to be a defensive grind. In the first three games of the season, the Heat are 1-2, but in both losses, they only lost by 3 points, with both teams scoring under 95 points.
Zhang Hao senses the iron-blooded era is about to arrive...
At 6:30 in the evening, the starting players of both teams came onto the court, and the game began.
The referee blew the whistle to start the game and tossed the ball into the air. PJ Brown and Mourning were fully focused, jumping with all their might as the ball reached its peak... PJ Brown narrowly beat Mourning, winning the jump ball with a slight edge, and the Brooklyn Nets took the first possession!
Under the gaze of Pat Riley, with his big boss face, the Heat players quickly retreated on defense.
As soon as PJ Brown won the jump ball, Zhang Hao immediately dashed forward but was intercepted by Owens.
The fast break failed, and Kenny Anderson didn't rush the pass, swiftly advancing past half-court, only to be met with fierce resistance from Coles.
These days, perimeter players generally don't weigh much, but Coles' speed of 92 is impressive, and he's physically more solid than Kenny Anderson, with excellent defensive awareness, causing Anderson some trouble.
Once Kenny Anderson reached the frontcourt, Zhang Hao immediately started to move; the Heat defended with a pseudo-zone defense!
Unlike FIBA, the NBA doesn't allow early double-teaming nor zone defenses, meaning off-ball players can't be double-teamed, though zones naturally lead to multiple early double-team tendencies.
Zhang Hao ran to an area, and the Heat player closest to him immediately switched with the teammate Zhang Hao was about to shake off, forming a pseudo-zone formation.
Guarding a pseudo-zone indeed gave Zhang Hao room to move, but he also faced active, rough confrontations from the Heat players... As soon as Zhang Hao stopped slightly, an opponent's arm was already draping over him.
It felt like returning to the last game—although the last game didn't face such defense, the confrontation was just as intense!
The key issue was the Brooklyn Nets' lack of perimeter shooting skills; otherwise, a pseudo-zone is self-destructive, as it doesn't have the true effect of a zone defense but still shares the same three-point defensive weak spots.
Trying to run backdoor to cut, receive, and draw fouls was also unfeasible—unlike the Blazers' three main mini interior players, Mourning sat back at the basket, not coming out, posing a strong block threat, with a robust body... and crucially, no defensive three-second rule!
Zhang Hao had secured 9 blocks in the first three games of the season, showcasing solid rim protection, relying on staying under the basket without coming out.
If only he had a teammate good at off-ball screens, Zhang Hao would have a much easier time; he somewhat missed Jason Williams on the sideline, but Williams wasn't a mid-range shooter, nor was Kenny Anderson skilled in playing pick-and-rolls.
But if Jason Williams, an excellent pick-and-roll, top-rebounding power forward, could shoot mid-range, he wouldn't be at this price point.
As for Kenny Anderson, just because Zhang Hao could attract the opposing defender to switch and Mourning stayed at the basket didn't mean there were good passing and breakthrough opportunities. The Heat players did an excellent job of disrupting passing lanes for direct cutting players. When perimeter players with the ball broke through, they would be double-teamed and passing routes cut off.
The key factor was the confrontation. With large confrontations, passing and even dribbling would be greatly affected.
Kenny Anderson couldn't find an opportunity and passed the ball to Almon Gilliam for one-on-one play.
There were just two players on the Brooklyn Nets who had an advantage in confrontation on the court; Graham's ball-handling was weak, so solo plays naturally focused on Almon Gilliam.
Despite his burly appearance and outspoken personality, Almon Gilliam sometimes was quite timid. Upon receiving the ball, seeing Zhang Hao moving along the baseline, he quickly passed it back.
Zhang Hao hadn't shaken off the pseudo-zone, and when the ball was passed over, he had a retort stuck in his throat, but there was no time to think as he faced Mourning's defense right away. Back to the basket, he received the ball, took a step out, and near the baseline three-point line, turned, bent his knees, and jumped... made a turnaround fadeaway jump shot!
At the moment the shot was released, Zhang Hao was knocked down by Mourning, but the referee didn't blow the whistle! Fortunately, the turnaround fadeaway went in!
Pulling up the hand of the excited Almon Gilliam, Zhang Hao felt like giving him a slap—for passing the ball when in trouble again!
While facing the Raptors, dealing with Oliver Miller passing when in trouble, and then against the Blazers, facing Sabonis doing the same, now Mourning—passing the ball when struggling!
But the shot went in, and it felt great; Zhang Hao quickly ran back.
Mourning glanced at Zhang Hao recovering to defense, received the inbound pass from Coles, handed it back to him, and ran to the frontcourt.
The Heat players on the court had decent athletic skills as well, but didn't counterattack, instead maintained a slow pace, suppressing it strongly.
Coles pressed up to the edge of the 8-second violation to advance it into the frontcourt.
Seeing PJ Brown retreat into the basket, Zhang Hao initially planned to defend Kevin Willis but was held back by PJ Brown; the two stood together under the basket.
Oh right! Kevin Willis's shooting is shaky!
Zhang Hao didn't extend outward, waiting for Mourning to reach the bottom, then took a step around to try to block Mourning's receiving route... "Beep," the referee's whistle blew.
Zhang Hao looked at the referee, who was pointing at him!
"What the heck..."
Just as he was about to curse, he saw the referee's hand gesture—illegal double-team violation!
With PJ Brown positioned diagonally behind Mourning, himself in front, it was a pure off-ball double-team!
If he hadn't moved front, standing under the basket with PJ Brown, even if sticking close to Mourning, it wouldn't have been considered an off-ball double-team...
"To hell with the advantageous catching principle..."
Zhang Hao dejectedly returned to the basket's lower side; although there's no defensive three-second rule, which is more favorable for rim-protecting centers in guarding breakthroughs, not allowing early double-teams benefits strong solo-playing centers more.
Zhang Hao was frustrated; the Heat players were even more so. They'd just worn down the 24-second shot clock to only 10 seconds, preparing for their star to make a solo play. Zhang Hao's defensive violation reset the shot clock to 24 seconds.
This season, Pat Riley instructed players to make each possession last at least 18 seconds, yet the Heat players themselves hadn't gotten used to it.
The ball was inbounded, and Coles began running down the clock again.
The Heat players hadn't adjusted yet, and the Brooklyn Nets players were more than uncomfortable!
Last season was still fast-paced, and though this season many teams began slowing the tempo down, the season had just started. The Brooklyn Nets, lacking the capital to slow the pace, hadn't deeply felt the league's new trend. Seeing the Heat running the clock again, dribbling outside the three-point line for over ten seconds...
The Brooklyn Nets players were anxious!
