Basketball Terminal

Chapter 55 Qigong
Having played less than two games and practiced once in the NBA, Li Wei already realized how much he needed to learn. Take three-point shooting, for example; his form suddenly improved, and he hit a three-pointer with a 100% success rate – very good.

However, this state of everything slowing down didn't last long; in just over a minute, the sensation faded, and everything returned to normal. Compared to the easily used Observation Haki and Armament Haki, Conqueror's Haki is the most difficult to manifest and the most unpredictable.

At first, Li Wei thought he had entered a state of flow, his attention was focused, his perception of his surroundings was enhanced, and everything seemed to slow down. Later, he asked the people he had fought one-on-one, and it wasn't that his perception had slowed down, it really had. One person said, "Being defended by you one after another, I was scared, and my reactions became sluggish."

Even if we consider it a psychological attack, it should have occurred on the defensive end, but this time it appeared during the offensive. And Li Wei knew it would go in the moment he shot; it was as if a thread was wrapped around the ball, giving it a stable trajectory. This feeling was hard to describe; Li Wei couldn't quite grasp it. He thought he'd go back and study it himself, perhaps joining an anime/manga discussion group to ask some otaku guys for advice and exchange ideas.

After his form dipped, Li Wei received another pass from his teammate, but his three-point attempt missed. His shooting percentage dropped from 100% to 50%. Li Wei knew he couldn't keep shooting. As a role player without a high volume requirement, he needed to maintain his shooting percentage as much as possible to improve efficiency; otherwise, his stats would look terrible.

In situations like this, with Kyrie Irving on the court, you can pass the ball to him and let him finish the attack with a difficult shot. He's very good at that, and with a bit of luck, he might even get an assist, making the stats look better. It's an art.

It should be said that those who only care about statistics lack spirit, while those who completely disregard statistics lack intelligence. Especially since you're on a 10-day contract, a role player who needs to fight for your job. While striving to demonstrate your effectiveness on the court, you also need to pay attention to maintaining your statistics.

Even if the manager or coach recognizes your contributions beyond the stats and wants to sign you to a contract, if your stats are poor, they'll use that to negotiate a lower contract value. You say you want a million, and they offer you a 30% three-point shooting percentage; with that three-point shooting ability, they'll only give you a maximum of 800,000. You say, "Please show me the video showcasing my many contributions beyond the stats," but nobody will watch that. You say, "I'll switch companies," and they'll negotiate your contract down to 500,000.

The relationship between players and teams is both cooperation and competition; everyone is playing hard to get and maximizing their own interests. Players must increase their bargaining chips and should never assume that their talent and hard work will automatically land them a good team. There are too many talented players on the basketball court, and the NBA's salary rules are so strict and meticulous that every penny counts.

Moreover, no one knows when injuries or other accidents will occur. Even if Li Wei possesses exceptional skills, he cannot guarantee that he will remain healthy and survive in the NBA indefinitely. He played one game the day before yesterday and played for more than ten minutes today. Li Wei clearly felt that the energy expenditure in the NBA is much greater than in the G League.

Speed ​​isn't the issue; the G League's offensive and defensive transitions are even faster than the NBA. The main difference lies in the intensity and pace. In the G League, Li Wei could dominate the paint, single-handedly guarding a whole area, one player against one opponent. In the NBA, he could only defend one player at a time, making it difficult to cover the others.

Rebounding is a major challenge; NBA players are generally two sizes bigger than those in the G League. Anticipation alone isn't enough; it requires a lot of physical contact, positioning under the basket, and intense anaerobic exertion. Li Wei isn't particularly tall, but his good weight of 232 pounds—more than Leonard's official weight—is the foundation for his ability to play inside.

Providing cover for teammates and keeping an eye on the enemy's key players also consume a lot of stamina. Using abilities further increases this. You'll definitely be sore the next day.

Li Wei's physical attributes are a combination of two individuals, so his stamina pool is very large. However, the time he has spent honing his skills is far from sufficient, and there is still a lot of potential for improvement. Physical training absolutely cannot stop, and the dosage of performance-enhancing drugs needs to be increased appropriately; otherwise, the demands of the NBA are simply unbearable for anyone without superhuman physical abilities.

In the final minutes of the third quarter, Li Wei refrained from attempting any more three-pointers. Instead, he focused on driving to the basket, grabbing offensive rebounds, and creating threats under the rim. By the end of the third quarter, he had maintained a 50% three-point shooting percentage. Unless he had an exceptional opportunity and was in a good rhythm, Li Wei wouldn't easily attempt another three-pointer. The Nets didn't need Li Wei to carry the load; his one three-pointer and his disruptive play under the basket were enough to cause the Clippers considerable trouble.

Kyrie Irving unleashed his unstoppable scoring prowess at the end of the third quarter, racking up consecutive difficult isolation plays and drawing fouls to extend the Nets' lead to 12 points. Li Wei was inwardly impressed; no wonder he was the number one draft pick—his ball-handling and offensive prowess was truly formidable. He could step up and do what others couldn't. And the Nets had two more players like him on their bench.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Harden returned to the court, switching roles with Irving. Upon entering the game, he used a solid screen from Levi to drive to the basket and score a left-handed layup. The Clippers' defense was crumbling, which also disrupted their offense.

The pace of modern NBA games is reminiscent of the 1980s—fast-paced and crucial in transition. Players need to be able to run, capitalize on transitions, and attack as soon as they receive the ball. Half-court sets aren't as important as they were in the 90s and 00s. Therefore, a good ball-handler and a playmaker who can distribute the ball at high speeds are extremely valuable.

The Clippers lack talent in this area; both Leonard and George are somewhat lacking in this aspect. During the fast break, George was caught off guard by Levi, who stole the ball, shifting the offensive and defensive dynamics and initiating a fast break for the Nets. The ball returned to Harden, and Levi set a screen for him. Harden moved to the left, and Levi cut through the middle, with Harden delivering a precise pass to Levi.

Li Wei received the ball but didn't rush inside. The Clippers' defense retreated quickly, with Zubac already in position inside, and Leonard and George collapsing towards him. His point guard instincts kicked in again, and he passed the ball to Joe Harris on the right side. Harris received the ball, adjusted, and shot—a three-pointer that went in! This guy's defense is really bad, but his three-point shooting is incredibly accurate.

"Great pass, great pass!" Nash clapped enthusiastically on the sidelines, very satisfied with Levi's offensive performance. This guy was actually able to distribute the ball as a mid-point, and this was the second time tonight. The technique was still a bit rough, so Harris received the ball and adjusted, but the timing and awareness were excellent, and very discreet.

Li Wei's passing technique was rough, but in Nash's opinion, it was actually quite good. After all, Nash also considered Harden's passing technique to be somewhat crude. Moreover, Harden has always been known for his high turnover rate because he often makes very risky passes in order to score. Nash is also a master of offensive risk-taking, adept at passing through tight spaces, and his turnover control is much better because his technique is too refined.

Lou Williams then committed another turnover on offense, passing the ball back directly into an unclaimed area. Bruce Brown rushed out like a hound, snatched the ball from George in a contest, and passed it to Levi, who was making a run down the middle. Levi received the ball and dunked it with both hands!

The Nets' role players' consecutive baskets stunned the Clippers, prompting Tyronn Lue to call a timeout. The Nets were ecstatic. As the final game of their road trip, the team should have been exhausted. The Clippers also had a better record than the Nets, making them a tough opponent. However, even without Durant, the Nets still unleashed a fierce offensive performance on the road, completely dominating their opponents. The point difference widened to over 15 points, and barring any disastrous mistakes, the Nets are likely to secure another victory. Li Wei's performance on both ends of the court was satisfactory. Looking at the stats, in 16 minutes of play, he had 9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal, shooting 1-for-2 from three-point range (50% shooting percentage). His performance showed that whenever Li Wei entered the game, the Nets immediately widened the gap, resulting in an excellent win-loss record.

Sixteen minutes of playing time wasn't much, but Li Wei did a lot, deeply involved in both offense and defense, running back and forth tirelessly. Nash gently patted Li Wei on the shoulder, saying nothing more. Li Wei knew this meant he had received the coach's approval, and he could rest on the bench for a while. DeAndre Jordan replaced Li Wei in the game.

When DeAndre Jordan stepped up, the effect was immediate. Leonard promptly passed the ball to Zubac under the basket for an alley-oop dunk. Jordan wasn't even under the basket; he was mismatched guarding George at the 45-degree three-point line. Harden missed his shot, Morris's fast break three-pointer also missed, and Zubac grabbed the offensive rebound under the basket. Fortunately, Harden drew a foul on Zubac, and Jordan just stood by and watched without doing anything.

Harden drew a foul and made both free throws. Lou Williams missed a shot, but Zubac put it back in for a layup. DeAndre Jordan was pulled out to defend Lou Williams, while Harden battled Zubac under the basket but couldn't overpower him. The Clippers began a fierce attack on the Nets' interior in a final stand. George drove to the basket, drawing a foul on Jordan and making both free throws. The deficit was narrowed to 11 points.

Harden then passed the ball out of bounds, and Shamet committed a traveling violation, leading to a series of turnovers that suddenly made the situation tense. Following a pick-and-roll by George, who hit a three-pointer from the left 45-degree angle, the Clippers narrowed the gap to 8 points midway through the fourth quarter! Irving then missed a tough shot, and Jordan failed to grab the offensive rebound. The Clippers launched a counterattack, with George driving to the basket and passing to Zubac for a powerful dunk! The Clippers closed the gap to 6 points, going on a 9-0 run in just three minutes.

The promising situation quickly turned sour within minutes. It was clear to everyone that DeAndre Jordan's lackluster defensive performance after entering the game was severely damaging to the team. The Clippers' drives and offensive rebounds overwhelmed the Clippers, forcing Nash to call a timeout. On the sidelines, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, wearing a white mask, was beaming with joy; he was the only fan in attendance that night.

During the timeout, Nash's first thought was to bring Levi into the game. However, he didn't replace DeAndre Jordan with Levi; instead, he replaced the performing Bruce Brown with Levi. Frankly, Nash wanted to appease DeAndre Jordan. If they were behind, substituting him for a player on a ten-day contract would seem disrespectful. Black players often think this way, and they might even project their frustration onto Levi.

From this perspective, Nash was indeed acting in Li Wei's best interest; he appreciated Li Wei. Li Wei gradually understood Nash's good intentions, and their future interactions should be smoother. Li Wei specifically went over and patted Brown, meaning, "Buddy, don't mind, we work really well together, but the situation doesn't allow it right now, I'll take your place for a bit." Brown, always positive and optimistic, with a smile on his face, the two bumped fists and took over.

After Li Wei entered the game, the situation indeed improved. However, the most important factor was the fierce offensive firepower of Harden and Irving. Harden immediately hit a tough three-pointer, which was the most satisfying shot. In the crucial moments, he brought out his trump card: the step-back three-pointer.

Then, Irving received the ball at the top of the arc and faced Lou Williams one-on-one, pulling up for a jump shot that arced high into the net for two points. Li Wei then contributed a brilliant defensive play, switching onto Leonard and, in a one-on-one duel, knocking the ball out of Leonard's hands and making a steal.

Then, on defense, he grabbed a long defensive rebound after a missed three-pointer. Beverley tried to grab it from Levi, but seeing Levi charging towards him like a truck, he chose to dodge. With anyone else, Beverley would have charged and drawn a foul. But tonight, Beverley was traumatized by Levi's collisions; they were too hard and too painful. He was afraid of being crushed.

The Clippers launched a final comeback, with George drawing a foul and hitting a three-pointer from the right corner, bringing the deficit to a minimum of 6 points. However, Irving assisted Jordan for a dunk, and Levi grabbed a crucial offensive rebound, assisting Harris for a layup. Later, in a critical moment, Levi received the ball under the basket and made a turnaround floater off the backboard, scoring his 11th point and ensuring the Nets maintained their lead.

With less than three minutes remaining in the game, during a defensive play, Beverley attempted to set a screen for George, and Levi came out to stop him. Beverley stuck to Levi, but this time he didn't bump into him; instead, he slammed his elbow into Levi's arm! He had been planning this move for a while, thinking, "I can't outmuscle you, but I can at least use my elbow to push you, right?"

A scream echoed through the empty arena. With no spectators present, every move the players made could be heard clearly. The scraping of cleats on the floor, the shouts and trash talk from players and coaches, and the sounds of muscles colliding between players were all clearly audible.

But the one screaming wasn't Levi, whose arm had been elbowed, but Beverley. He clutched his elbow, fell to the ground, rolled twice, and let out a pitiful cry of pain—it didn't seem like he was faking it. The referee came over and gave Levi a foul first, to which Levi immediately explained, "He elbowed me! He elbowed me! I didn't do anything!"

Nash, who had witnessed everything from the sidelines, yelled at the referee: "That was an elbow strike, Beverley's elbow strike! It had nothing to do with Victor!"

Fortunately, there was video replay available. The referees reviewed the high-definition footage and discovered that Beverley had indeed elbowed Levi's right arm during the screen. Strangely, it wasn't Levi who fell, but Beverley, who had thrown the elbow.

The Clippers' team doctor came onto the court to check on Beverley. Beverley had stopped screaming and told the doctor, "My elbow hurts a lot, it feels like a contusion. I can't move my arm, I can't move it." After a quick check, the doctor determined that Beverley's injury was quite serious, helped him up, and took him off the court.

After reviewing the video repeatedly, the referee confirmed that Levi did not commit a foul; it was Beverley who maliciously elbowed him, specifically targeting the most important arm muscles of a basketball player. He will be charged with a flagrant foul after the game, potentially facing suspension and fines. He simply reaped what he sowed; his attempt to injure others backfired.

This unexpected incident interrupted the game for a few minutes, and the Clippers' fighting spirit was completely exhausted due to Beverley's injury. Bruce Brown came over and asked Levi, "Victor, he elbowed you, how come he's injured?" Levi replied, "I told you, I know some kind of hard qigong!"

(End of this chapter)