This Kind of Player, We Usually Call It a Superstar

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From Saturday/Sunday onwards I will be back to full speed

I just finished a 200 lines cod in notepad 

SO SAD

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At the same time in San Antonio's Alamodome, the game between the Bulldogs and the Tigers continued.

Rose dribbled up to the frontcourt and effortlessly bypassed Graves' defense. Butler quickly moved in for help, as he had done countless times in the first half.

But this time, Rose didn't pass or push further into the paint. He stopped at the free-throw line, elevated, and took a jump shot!

His movement was a little stiff, and the shot's arc was rather flat, but his release point was so high that neither Graves, chasing behind him, nor Butler, flying over, could disrupt the shot.

Swish!The ball went through the net. 38-37. The Tigers were now only trailing by one point.

Rose didn't celebrate or show any emotion after making the shot. He quickly ran back to defend with a cold, determined look.

This shot didn't stir much reaction from the Bulldogs' defense. In the first half, Rose had only attempted a couple of mid-range shots. His offensive focus remained on driving to the basket. Neither Butler nor Graves took special note of his shooting ability.

But Liam did. The Bulldogs' coach became noticeably serious as he watched Rose's jump shot fall in. Rose wasn't like Westbrook—he could shoot, and that was a problem.

As Butler ran past Liam, the coach called out, "Watch his shot!"

"Got it, boss!" Butler replied, acknowledging the change in defensive focus.

When the Bulldogs had possession, Curry used a pick-and-roll to create another mismatch against Joey Dorsey.

Dorsey, the Tigers' big man, had no answers for Curry. In the first half, no matter what he tried, Curry continued to score on him. Every matchup felt like a public execution for Dorsey. Curry relentlessly exploited him, making him feel utterly powerless.

Desperate, Dorsey suggested they double-team Curry, but Calipari, the Tigers' coach, had to keep in mind that Butler, Graves, and Mike Green weren't just standing around. Their open three-point shots forced Calipari to switch back to man-to-man defense.

This configuration of the Bulldogs resembled the Rockets led by Harden in Liam's previous life. Curry was the ball-handler, while his teammates focused on cutting, catching, and shooting.

Of course, Liam was far more humane than D'Antoni.

While the Bulldogs didn't focus heavily on ball-dominating offense, they frequently moved without the ball, set screens, and engaged in team tactics, resulting in a much more dynamic atmosphere compared to the Rockets' stationary shooters.

Dorsey just wished the Bulldogs would work as a team to avoid being tormented by Curry every possession.

This time, standing against the baby-faced sharpshooter, Dorsey felt apprehensive. Curry looked up toward the basket and made a feint, causing Dorsey to nearly jump out of his shoes.

Dorsey managed to hold back, but his shift in weight allowed Curry to drive past him for a layup from the free-throw line.

40-37.

Looking back, it was Rose attacking again with the ball.

Graves' defense was not much better than Dorsey's against Curry; Rose easily defeated him with a sharp change of direction.

But Liam had no choice—Graves was the best defender on the team, and there wasn't anyone better available.

Butler had the physique of a small forward, so putting him on Rose might be less effective than Graves.

In truth, Calipari's team rarely employed pick-and-rolls, or else Drew would have felt as helpless as Dorsey.

Butler quickly established himself in help defense, yet Rose took a mid-range jumper just inside the free-throw line, rendering Butler's assistance ineffective.

Bang!

The ball arched flat but still swished through the net.

40-39.

The Tigers' fans erupted in cheers. While Rose's shot wasn't as fluid as Curry's three-pointer, scoring is scoring!

In the next transition, Curry missed a three-pointer against Dorsey, and the Tigers secured the rebound.

Rose once again broke through Graves' defense. Butler stepped up to provide help defense to thwart Rose's shot.

But Rose didn't attempt a shot. Instead, he executed two swift changes of direction without slowing down, zipped past Butler, leaped high, evaded Drew's block, and slammed the ball down with both hands!

40-41.

"What a dunk! Since the start of the second half, Rose has erupted for six consecutive points, putting the Tigers in the lead!" Greg Gambel exclaimed.

Calipari smiled with relief. Rose didn't let him down.

Liam felt a pang of frustration. Rose had managed to score under such tight coverage, but his mid-range shooting was still inconsistent.

However, there's a type of player who doesn't just perform under normal circumstances. They have the ability to rise to the occasion, displaying extraordinary skills when faced with adversity.

We usually call such players superstars.

While Rose wasn't a superstar yet, he certainly had the potential and heart of one.

When the Tigers needed him most, he delivered.

Liam decided to change the defensive strategy. He gestured to Butler to double-team Rose outside the three-point line.

This was the impact of a superstar—able to alter the defensive setup single-handedly.

While Liam formulated his countermeasures, Graves made a cut and scored a layup. It was the Tigers' turn to attack again.

Butler abandoned Andre and moved to the top of the arc to double-team Rose. Mike Green positioned himself to help both Andre and Dozier, ready to step in if necessary.

Rose remained unfazed. He took two steps back, evaded the double-team, and passed the ball to Douglas.

With pent-up offensive energy, Douglas received the pass from Rose, drove into the lane, pivoted, and executed a fadeaway jumper that found its mark.

He smiled with triumph, high-fived Rose, and then turned to retreat.

The Tigers didn't just rely on Rose; they had offensive depth!

Liam sighed. The Tigers' backcourt combo possessed too much offensive firepower. With the Bulldogs' defensive resources, it was impossible to contain them all, reflecting the advantages of having multiple scoring options.

"That was an impressive fadeaway jumper. Douglas is just as unstoppable as he was in the first half! Bill, the Tigers' offense has suddenly surged. What should the Bulldogs do?" Greg Gambel asked.

Bill Walton contemplated before responding, "Coach Liam has maximized the resources at his disposal. The Bulldogs have only one standout defender, Butler, while both Rose and Douglas excel in ball-handling, a challenge the Bulldogs can't handle. Right now, their best option is to focus on offense. The only silver lining is that Joey Dorsey can't manage to defend Curry."

End of this chapter

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