Basketball Terminal

Chapter 61 Missing Him
"Dunk! It went in! Look, my brother's dunk!"

In the underground parking lot of the Barclays Center, Li Yue watched the live broadcast of the Nets vs. Kings game on his phone. Li Wei's starting position was unexpected, and his performance of grabbing consecutive rebounds and dunking powerfully from the start made Li Yue shout excitedly.

Sitting to the side, Su Lanqi didn't pay much attention to Li Yue, engrossed in texting on his phone. Later, he couldn't help but glance at it a couple of times, his eyes seeming to light up briefly when he saw Li Wei's powerful dunk, before quickly dimming again as he refocused his attention on his phone screen, where messages kept flashing.

"Hey, isn't this exciting enough? My brother is about to become famous! He'll be the next Jeremy Lin! No, the next Yao Ming!"

"How much does a pair of Yao Ming's shoes cost now?" Su Lanqi asked coldly while replying to the message.

"Uh... apart from a few autographed and special commemorative models that have collectible value, the rest... well, Reebok is practically dead."

Where is Jeremy Lin?

"Jeremy Lin signed with Xtep in China two years ago. His shoes are mainly sold in China, so it depends on personal preference. They don't have much collectible or investment value. The Nike Hyperdunk 2011 Low team model and the Adidas Crazyquick 2.5 Low 'Dragon' PE that I wore before have always been good. There are always people buying Lin's Knicks colorway, but as for their overall value... well, I wouldn't specifically collect them to hoard. I'll only try to find them if someone wants them."

Su Lanqi finally stopped pointing and turned to look at Li Yue. She had dark skin and could be identified as an Indian girl. She had a slightly hooked nose, and her many layers of eyelids made her look like she had smoky eye makeup. Her eyes were big and bright, which made Li Yue's heart pound.

"How much do you think your brother's shoes could sell for?"

"My brother? Whether my brother can get autographed shoes... is still uncertain."

"If you say he can be like Jeremy Lin or Yao Ming, then let's assume he has that ability."

"Even if you have them, they won't be particularly valuable. In the sneaker market, the only sneakers with real collectible value are Air Jordans and shoes worn by some superstars. As for the others, it completely depends on personal preference. If someone likes them, they're worth a bit; if not, you just buy them to wear."

"York, I just resell basketball shoes. I'm not really interested in basketball and I don't know much about it. It's amazing that your brother made it to the NBA, but the deal is pretty much done tonight. Let's drive to Manhattan now."

"Huh? Go now? I want to watch my brother's game."

"Then I'll find my own way over there. Everything in the warehouse is mine."

"Wait... how about this, I'll drive, you watch the game, and you tell me about the situation on the field, okay? I want to know how my brother is doing."

Su Lanqi hesitated, and Li Yue said, "Then you go by yourself. I can keep the little money I have to buy some food. Anyway, I'm going to watch my brother's game."

"Alright, alright, I'll do the live stream for you now, give me your phone." She took Li Yue's phone as she spoke. The first quarter of the game was still going on, and she immediately spotted Li Wei. His number 0 and yellow skin were too conspicuous on the court.

At this point, five minutes into the first quarter, the Nets maintained their lead over the Kings at 12-4. The television station repeatedly replayed the footage of Levi's dunk. The offense of both teams had entered a stalemate; the pace had slowed, and efficiency had slightly declined.

Kings player Buddy Hield drove to the basket, drawing a foul from Brown and making both free throws to close the gap. The Kings' offense relies even more on individual scoring from their perimeter players than the Nets', and Luke Walton's ambition to build an average team hasn't yielded the desired results with the Kings.

Of course, the Kings' bigger problem lies on the defensive end. Kyrie Irving's fast break disrupted the Kings' defensive formation. When the ball passed between Harris and Harden, and then Levi set a screen, the Kings' formation was completely thrown into disarray.

Li Wei made another cut to the basket, and Harden delivered a spinning bounce pass to Li Wei, who then drove to the basket for another one-handed dunk! With two consecutive successful dunks in collaboration with Harden, Li Wei even showed a bit of a Malone-esque style.

After scoring, Li Wei looked at his slightly numb hand in disbelief. "I actually managed to dunk consecutively in the NBA?" he thought. "Harden's pass was so timely; I really got on his good side." And, "The NBA's three-second rule definitely benefits drives to the basket."

Playing in a FIBA-regulated league, it's incredibly difficult for perimeter players to drive to the basket. Opponents will always leave a tall player guarding the paint, and no matter how much you try to move on the perimeter, he just won't move or come out, making it extremely difficult to cut to the basket for a dunk.

Marvin Bagley had a chance to help block the shot, but he chose not to. Li Wei didn't understand; Bagley was clearly taller and had excellent physical attributes.

As the second overall pick in 18, Bagley was highly anticipated by many. However, in his third season, Luka Doncic, who was drafted after him, has become a top superstar and a super scorer averaging 35 points per game in the playoffs. Bagley, on the other hand, has been declining year after year.

His role on the team is unclear, and his stats have declined year by year, especially on the defensive end. In his rookie season, he could contribute 1 block per game, but in his third season, he was stronger and more experienced, averaging 0.4 blocks per game, which is less than Carlos Boozer.

His two years with the Kings have completely worn down his fighting spirit. He has no role on offense, constantly chasing after smaller guards. He lacks passion on defense; it would be better to let him off the hook rather than get dunked on or fouled, saving his energy for offense.

Li Wei didn't know Bagley, but looking into his eyes, he seemed to understand his state of mind somewhat. He wondered if his Observation Haki could be developed into mind-reading. The anime guy had said that with enough practice, it was possible.

The Kings' entire offense and defense were sluggish; Fox missed a jump shot from the wing. Harden grabbed the rebound and slowly pushed the ball up the court, forcing the Kings to slowly retreat on defense. Levi had never seen a team so lazy on defense; even G League teams didn't play like this—they were incredibly energetic when they were running.

When Levi ran to the basket looking for an opportunity, he was matched up against only Fox; everyone else was floating around on the outside. Harden made a penetrating pass, Levi received the ball, turned, and shot at the basket, making it. Fox simply straightened his body to avoid a foul, showing no intention of jumping to block the shot, and he wouldn't have been able to anyway.

Li Wei's start was nothing short of perfect, going 3-for-3 for 6 points and 5 rebounds. His mature and astute movement, coupled with Harden's well-timed passes and the Kings' loose defense, made him the biggest surprise of the game.

The Kings called a timeout, and as both teams left the court, Nash's grin practically spilled out of his mask. He simply high-fived everyone else, but when it was Levi's turn, Nash went over and patted him on the shoulder, demonstrating how much he valued him.

Li Wei no longer cared whether the coach had washed his hands. After all, the whole world had seen Nash touch the soles of his shoes and lick his fingers while playing. He didn't mind that, so what was a couple of pats on the back? Kevin Durant came over and gave Li Wei a high-five and a gummy bear. Li Wei popped it into his mouth and found it tasted a little better than the last time. He knew he needed to rest. His unexpected performance in the first five minutes had already drawn criticism from the Kings, who would definitely target him during the timeout. He'd rest on the bench and wait for the right moment to disrupt the game again.

Li Wei's judgment was accurate. Nash made a substitution, DeAndre Jordan entered the game, and Li Wei rested for a while. This lead was enough for the Nets to squander a little.

"Your brother is resting on the bench. His current stats are 6 points and 5 rebounds," Su Lanqi said casually. She wasn't really interested in basketball; her mind was more on her sneakers.

"Wow, 6 points and 5 rebounds in one quarter! That's 24 points and 20 rebounds in a whole game!"

"That's a great algorithm. Turn left at the next traffic light. When you're inspecting the goods, don't make a sound. Watch my eyes and follow my instructions. If things don't look right, we'll leave, understand?"

"Huh? Something's not right? What could be wrong? We're buying unopened shoes, not drugs or weapons, right? Is there some kind of danger?"

"Where do you think these shoes came from? They're hard to sell, so just be smart about it."

Li Yue swallowed hard. Sulanqi was a well-known sneaker reseller in New York, but most people didn't know she was a 17-year-old Indian girl. She was shrewd and capable, taking advantage of the pandemic and the sneaker resale boom to become New York's sneaker queen in just two years.

Li Yue met Su Lanji while reselling sneakers. After receiving his salary from Li Wei, he decided to do something big and asked Su Lanji to cooperate with him to see if there were any sources of goods or tasks available.

Just then, Su Lanqi was negotiating a deal: someone in Manhattan was selling a batch of unsold shoes of dubious origin, which might contain some good stuff. Not wanting to bear all the risk alone, she pulled Li Yue along. They could make money together, and of course, if things went wrong, someone would take the blame.

"Hey, how's the situation on the field?"

"The Kings have closed the gap; they were down by 12 points just now, but now they're only down by 7."

"Damn! I really can't do without my brother!"

"If your brother really establishes himself in the NBA, you shouldn't need to resell sneakers anymore."

"A man can't lose his career and his backup plan. My brother's established position in the NBA makes it even easier for me to resell sneakers!"

Su Lanqi, whose expression had remained indifferent, smiled faintly for the first time upon hearing Li Yue's words; her teeth were very white. Li Yue glanced at Su Lanqi; the smile had vanished, and her expression had returned to its usual coldness. He picked up his phone and continued watching the game.

As soon as Li Wei left the court, the Nets' defense immediately faltered. First, Fox hit a three-pointer from the right 45-degree angle, then Fox drove to the basket for a layup, not only making the shot but also drawing a foul from Irving.

DeAndre Jordan was watching from the middle; if he had been more aggressive and rushed in, even if he had fouled, he wouldn't have been awarded a 2+1. Fox made the free throw, Irving's fast break shot missed, and the Kings regained their composure.

Next, Bagley drew another defensive foul on Harden. Harden shrugged, thinking to himself, "The first minute after Levi left the court, I missed him! With Levi on the court, I wouldn't have committed any fouls. Where has DeAndre Jordan gone again?!"
A truly excellent defender is often someone who doesn't make a big splash on the court. You might not notice them much while they're on the court because they don't have many blocks, steals, outstanding stats, or exciting plays. But once they're off the court, the contrast becomes clear, and many of their qualities become apparent.

Because of his exceptional anticipation skills, Li Wei's positioning is superb, allowing him to neutralize certain opponent tactics. He also quietly protects Harden, preventing him from being exposed to the opponent's offensive firepower.

Bagley made both free throws, and the Kings were slowly pulling themselves out of the mire. But Kyrie Irving immediately responded with a three-pointer to widen the gap again. Then Irving stole the ball and assisted a teammate for a dunk! Irving was in excellent form tonight.

After a series of plays, the Nets extended their lead to over 10 points. As both teams heated up, the pace of the game quickened, and the Nets' offensive advantage became increasingly apparent, with Harden hitting his first three-pointer of the game.

Harden then drew a foul on a fast break and made both free throws, extending the Nets' lead to 15 points. At this point, the Kings made a substitution, replacing Fox with Haliburton.

Haliburton, the 12th overall pick in the 2020 draft, was considered by some experts and scouts to be the best player in the class. However, due to the abundance of guards on the Sacramento Kings and the positional conflict with De'Aaron Fox, Haliburton could only play as a substitute.

His long arms and legs made an immediate impact upon entering the game. After missing a shot, he easily drove to the basket and put it back in. Irving missed a mid-range jumper, the Kings launched a fast break, and Haliburton received a pass on the right side at a 45-degree angle and drained a three-pointer!
In the NBA, a player's potential can be roughly discerned within just a few possessions. The same statistics can have different meanings depending on the situation and the methods employed.

Haliburton's most striking feature is his physique—tall and slender, a natural basketball physique. Secondly, his willingness to take shots when trailing by 15 points after coming off the bench is a different story altogether, unlike someone who simply coasts on a lead.

However, the Kings' defense was truly terrible, and Harden immediately responded with a three-pointer. Because the Kings didn't engage in enough physical play at the start, the Nets' offense found its rhythm, making it difficult to contain them. Then, the Kings committed another turnover, allowing the Nets to capitalize on a fast break.

With just over a minute left in the first quarter, the Nets had already racked up 40 points. The on-site TV statistic showed the Kings shooting 57%, which was already excellent. But the Nets' shooting percentage was a staggering 75%!

In this offensive era, shooting percentages are indeed high, but defense is really not that great.

Li Wei got his chance to play in the final stages; Nash needed him to warm up before continuing in the second quarter. De'Aaron Fox attempted a layup against Li Wei, but his acceleration was clearly off; his footing was too deep, and his jump was insufficient, resulting in a block by Li Wei—the first block of the game.

When Levi managed to block a near-All-Star player like Fox during a game, he knew his NBA career was on the line. Because on that play, he didn't rely on anticipation at all; he completed a successful defense purely through his reaction time.

(End of this chapter)