What You Can Score, I Can Score Too

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Putting everything else aside, Rose single-handedly dismantled the Bulldogs' defense. His dunk not only electrified the crowd but also significantly dampened the Bulldogs' morale. Graves and Butler stood in stunned silence, grappling with the impact of Rose's explosive play.

The Tigers' players rushed to Rose, celebrating his achievement with shouts and high-fives, their spirits visibly lifted. Meanwhile, Curry retrieved the ball from the baseline and made his way to the frontcourt. Drew attempted to set a screen, but Curry waved him off, signaling for him to step back.

"It looks like the Bulldogs are still going to play pick-and-roll... Drew returned to the weak side; is Curry really going to go one-on-one with Rose? He's not opting for the pick-and-roll—he's going to counterattack!" Greg Gumbel exclaimed, excitement lacing his voice.

Stevens added anxiously, "Liam, isn't it a bit risky for Stephen to go one-on-one against Rose? He's incredibly skilled at defending one-on-one."

Before the game, Liam had specifically advised Curry to leverage pick-and-rolls to target Joey Dorsey and avoid Rose's defense. Similar to Westbrook, Rose boasted exceptional physical fitness and one-on-one defensive skills. Unlike Westbrook, however, he was calm and quick to react on defense, making it challenging for Curry to break through.

Liam shook his head. "The opponent's momentum is surging. Let Curry take this chance. If he scores, the Tigers can regain control. If he misses, we can always return to the pick-and-roll strategy."

With the crowd watching intently, Curry squared off against Rose, bending down to dribble the ball. He struck the basketball hard with his right hand, pretending to drive to Rose's left. Rose matched his movements, squeezing the space for Curry's potential breakthrough.

Curry took two steps forward but couldn't accelerate. He quickly passed the ball to his left hand behind his back and hesitated, feigning a change of direction. Rose reacted quickly, shifting to intercept, but Curry made a quick double back dribble and surged past him to the right!

With Rose trailing behind, Curry penetrated the paint. Joey Dorsey, vigilant to Curry's movements, quickly moved to assist. Noticing Dorsey's approach, Curry glanced at Drew behind him, raised his right hand slightly while dribbling, and made a passing gesture.

Dorsey instinctively backed off, anticipating a pass, but Curry didn't pass. Instead, he launched into a layup that caught everyone by surprise.

63:60.

After the shot went in, Curry couldn't contain his excitement. He pumped his fist and let out a ferocious yell.

"What a response! If you can score, so can I!" he seemed to shout, electrifying the Bulldogs fans who had been silenced by Rose's earlier heroics. Their spirits reignited, they erupted into cheers.

With only 1 minute and 32 seconds remaining, Calipari hesitated before calling a timeout. The Tigers had only two offensive opportunities left, and with the score now just three points apart, he needed to plan their next move carefully.

The previous score replay flashed on the big screen, showcasing Rose's rapid breakthrough and stunning dunk. In contrast, Curry appeared like a deft sprite on the court, weaving seamlessly through defenders, executing perfect plays, showcasing another beautiful aspect of basketball.

The atmosphere in the Alamodome became electric. The fans, stirred by the outstanding displays from both Curry and Rose, buzzed with anticipation. Ratings for the game surged as the crowd recognized that the final showdown was approaching.

On the sidelines, the coaches' moods were in stark contrast to those of the fans. Liam and Calipari both desired their teams to widen the score immediately, longing for a decisive victory. They hated the uncertainty that comes with a close game.

A balanced scoreline meant anything could happen—a single shot, a rebound, or even a reach could determine the final outcome. No coach wants the game to be decided at the last moment.

For a coach, the ideal game would start with a 20:0 lead, maintaining a comfortable margin throughout and winning without a fight in the end.

Calipari took the initiative to adjust the tactics, raising his voice amid the crowd noise. "Our offense is fine. Derek, you will hold the ball later, and you will decide whether to pass or shoot according to the situation. The rest of you should be ready to respond. Joey, you'll set a screen for Chris on the weak side. Chris, make sure to run without the ball to attract the opponent's defense and create space for Derek. Always be ready to receive the ball... Andre, you must cut to the air and try to pull Butler's defense. I want to see dynamic offense—everyone move! Do you understand?"

The Tigers players nodded in agreement, and Calipari continued, "As for the defense, if the opponent plays a pick-and-roll, we will never switch! We would rather have Drew handle four on three than let Joey face Curry alone. Derrick, try to squeeze through the screen. If you can't, double-team Curry with Joey. Dozier, allow Butler to take a step back and give him a three-pointer. He hasn't shot for a while; we can take that risk."

Joey Dorsey breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, he wouldn't have to defend Curry alone.

On the Bulldogs bench, Liam said, "On offense, they might double-team Stephen. If they don't, we'll stick to the original plan. If Stephen is double-teamed, we'll execute like this…"

Soon, the timeout ended, both sides returned to the court, and the game continued.

Douglas passed the ball to Rose at the frontcourt sideline and moved to the weak side. Andre cut inside as per Calipari's instructions, while Butler shadowed him closely, not daring to leave him open for a drive.

Rose seized the opportunity, retreating two steps before accelerating and making a huge change of direction, leaving Graves behind. His movement was concise yet effective, as Graves was well aware of Rose's intent but just couldn't keep up.

Butler was occupied with Andre, which forced Drew to step up. He and Graves tried to pressure Rose into making a pass.

But Rose didn't seem fazed at all. He jumped high over the two defenders, launching himself into the air!

End of this chapter

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