James: Walk? Why Am I Walking Like a Crab?

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Heat Starting Lineup: Mario Chalmers, Wade, James, Bosh, Big Z.

Bulls Starting Lineup: Curry, Billups, Wang Chong, Garnett, Gasol.

The jump ball featured Garnett against Bosh. Both players have similar heights and wingspans, but Bosh's athleticism was slightly superior to the aging Garnett. Bosh successfully won the tip, and the Heat began their attack.

After Chalmers held the ball at midcourt, he immediately passed it to Wade, who was unguarded.

James, on the other side, had just raised his hand halfway before lowering it again when he saw this. However, his expression looked somewhat embarrassed.

During his seven years with the Cavaliers, James had become accustomed to being the focal point of the court.

But with the Heat, his role had clearly changed. At least, the Heat were now Wade's team.

Wade held the ball against Billups. While Billups was a player from the best defensive team, he was a little older now. Wade, on the other hand, was at the peak of his career. As he made his move, Billups simply couldn't keep up with Wade's pace.

With just a simple burst of acceleration, Wade easily beat Billups and drove straight to the Bulls' paint.

Of course, the Bulls' interior defense was never unguarded.

As Wade approached the basket, the first thing he encountered was Garnett's defense.

Faced with Garnett, Wade attempted a very difficult layup with a hand switch. Perhaps due to it being the first possession, Wade's hands were still somewhat cold, and the ball spun around the rim before bouncing off and getting rebounded by Wang Chong, who had arrived later.

Transition defense and offense.

The Heat were about to fall back into defense when they saw Wang Chong pass the ball forward, lower his head, and start running.

This scene stunned James and the others.

What was going on? Was Wang Chong looking to counterattack quickly?

It wasn't that the Bulls didn't use counterattacking tactics. In fact, with the scoring ability of players like Wang Chong and Curry, the Bulls' fast breaks were sharp. Their offense mainly relied on pick-and-rolls. As a team that primarily used defensive schemes, the Bulls' offensive and defensive numbers per 100 possessions weren't among the highest in the league, but they averaged over 100 points per game, partly due to their accuracy from beyond the arc.

More importantly, despite Wade's miss, the Heat players hadn't lost their defensive positioning and had time to get back. What was the point of a fast break?

While thinking this, James immediately accelerated and ran toward Wang Chong.

Whether it was strength, speed, agility, or explosive power, James had an absolute advantage over Wang Chong. The "Chosen One" was undoubtedly in the best physical condition in history, and could even be described as unique.

However, Wang Chong's speed on the opposite side still slightly exceeded James's expectations.

After all, they were strong rivals who had faced each other many times in recent years. James knew Wang Chong's technical traits and playing style very well.

But at this moment, Wang Chong's speed was obviously much faster than in the past. James was only able to stay close for a while before finding it difficult to adjust his defensive position.

"Why has he gotten faster?" James wondered.

Of course, James didn't know that Wang Chong's fast-break terminator badge had activated at that moment.

The trigger condition for this badge is grabbing defensive rebounds, creating steals, blocking shots, and other fast-break opportunities. Once activated, Wang Chong's speed and explosive power would increase slightly for a short period of time. At the bronze level, the effect was minimal, but if it were at the Hall of Fame purple level, the bonus effect would be exaggerated.

Wang Chong sprinted toward the attacking zone, with James the only one left in front of him.

James, retreating just beyond the three-point line, knew that he could no longer back down. Once Wang Chong entered mid-range, which was his best shooting range, it would be hard for James to limit his scoring.

Thus, James suddenly stopped and moved in closer to Wang Chong, trying to use his body to pressure Wang Chong and prevent him from advancing.

But before James could act, Wang Chong had already responded one step ahead.

Stopping just outside the three-point line, Wang Chong launched a quick three-pointer.

James's heart skipped a beat, and for some reason, he suddenly felt a rush of blood. He instinctively followed Wang Chong's movements and jumped to block the shot. However, the difference in height and wingspan made it hard for James to react quickly. If he moved too fast, Wang Chong could create an effective interference.

The basketball flew over James's head and straight toward the basket, swishing through the net.

"Swish——!"

In the same position, Durant would use this very same method to deliver a fatal blow to James in the coming two years.

Wang Chong had also used this technique to hit a key three-pointer in James's face before, so James wasn't unfamiliar with this position.

The moment the shot left Wang Chong's hands, he knew it was going in. This three-point shot from Wang Chong, which had the same mechanics as a 98-rated jumper, was indeed different from before. His ability to perform a quick stop-and-pop jump while moving at high speed was impressive. It was conceivable that if his three-point shooting skill reached a 99 rating, combined with a series of shooting badges, his three-point shooting ability would rival that of Curry at his peak.

Score: 3–0.

Wang Chong's stealthy attack caught the Heat off guard and struck a direct blow to the Big Three.

But the game had just begun.

The Heat attacked again, and the ball found its way back into Wade's hands.

This time, Wade didn't choose to continue holding the ball and driving to the basket. Instead, he waited for his teammates to get into position and then passed the ball to James.

James vs Wang Chong.

The Heat fans were thrilled to see this matchup.

To them, this high-level showdown was no less exciting than Wade's Heat going against Kobe Bryant's Lakers in recent years, if not better.

With teammates like Wade and Bosh around him, James had no hesitation and chose to use his physical advantage to force his way in.

Seeing James's imposing presence, Wang Chong decided not to fight physically and knew very well that his strength couldn't stop James's drive.

His choice was to steer James's path toward the side and push him as much as possible to the weaker right side.

At the same time, Wang Chong's defensive badges started to kick in.

Deadly Pick, Ball-Handling Master, and Elite Rim Protector.

Despite James's absolute strength advantage, he still faced considerable resistance from Wang Chong, which made his drive much less fluid.

During the break, James looked up and saw Gasol already waiting in the paint. He was a little worried and unconsciously used one of his signature moves.

Wang Chong was still guarding James. Suddenly, James performed a peculiar change of direction, passed Wang Chong in one step, and laid the ball up under the rim with his right hand.

"Screech——!"

The referee's whistle blew immediately, and James was about to raise his arms in celebration of what seemed like a successful 2+1. But the next moment, he was stunned when the referee's gesture didn't indicate a foul and free throw, but instead called a traveling violation.

"Walk? How is that a walk?"

Surprised, James immediately protested to the referee. "This is my unique move, the Crab Walk. I've always done it like this. Why is it suddenly a walk now?"

The referee looked at James with disdain and thought: Do you not realize whether this is a move or not? You were about to take five, six, seven, or even eight steps, and you still haven't taken one proper step. The past is the past, but the present has already said hello. From now on, all your moves must be strictly controlled. Why are you still trying to fish in troubled waters?

Wang Chong looked at James, who was complaining with an innocent face, but was deep in thought.

Only then did he remember that since the formation of the Heat's Big Three, James hadn't received the superstar whistle he used to get. Not to mention his signature six-step crab walk, even as an innovative player, he often got fewer fouls called on his free throws.

The reason, of course, was clear. The Heat's private formation of the Big Three was at odds with Stern's philosophy of NBA management.

If all stars were like James and could just run away at any moment, what would the small-market teams in the league do in the future? How would the draft rules and Bird clauses, which the league had worked so hard to create, hold up?

Stern, deeply disappointed by James's behavior, decided to teach him a lesson. Therefore, in his first year with the Heat, James's superstar whistle almost ceased to exist, even though his unique skill didn't significantly affect the game, and only his number of traveling calls increased.

But during the playoffs, especially in the Finals, James still suffered from the lack of calls at critical moments.

After living through a nightmare Finals, James learned from the pain and stopped relying on the league's rules for help. He carefully practiced his post moves and diversified his offensive methods, ultimately leading the Heat to a championship in his second season as their core player.

I must admit, despite his flaws, James's personal skills and his contribution to the Heat's victory over the last three years are nothing to be ashamed of.

Regardless of honors, in terms of

pure strength, he was truly one of the most important stars in history.

But at this moment, James was slightly confused. His signature move had truly been sealed. What was he supposed to do now?

The ball was passed, and the Bulls were on the attack.

Curry teamed up with Wang Chong in a pick-and-roll at the top of the three-point line, then cut to the basket for a quick shot.

Score: 5–0.

The Heat attacked again, and this time, the ball was in Bosh's hands.

Wade and James had missed their first two attacks. Now it was Bosh's turn, as if the Big Three were trying again.

But unlike Wade and James, Bosh couldn't even approach the basket. He could only float and take a mid-to-long-range shot, as he faced Kevin Garnett.

Bosh had played well in the league over the past two years, averaging a 24+11 double-double as the leader of the Raptors.

But he was still too young in front of the famous Garnett. More importantly, as a typical face-up power forward, Bosh had no obvious advantage in height, wingspan, or even weight compared to Garnett. Garnett was exactly the type of player Bosh struggled to play against.

If Bosh had been replaced by a more athletic, explosive player like Stoudemire or a heavy center like O'Neal, Yao, or Bynum, Garnett would have been even more difficult to deal with.

In the first three offensive rounds, the Big Three took turns and all failed, which disappointed the home Heat fans.

Not to mention that the imagined scene of the Big Three dominating the game with their superior individual skills didn't materialize. Instead, the Heat were being outplayed by the Bulls on the court.

But in reality, this situation wasn't all that surprising.

After all, the Big Three hadn't been together for long, and their chemistry was insufficient. The team still hadn't figured out the most suitable tactical system for the Big Three, which was a defensive-oriented system with quick counterattacks for the next two consecutive championships.

Including the offensive play of the three men on the floor, there was no coordination among them. They were completely relying on their individual skills to fight on their own. This style of play could work against most teams in the league, and especially with Bosh, James, and Wade, each of them strong enough to force a win with their individual skills.

However, their opponent in the first game was the Bulls, a team with the strongest defensive capabilities in the league, particularly their team defense. It wasn't so easy to go one-on-one against Garnett and Gasol protecting the paint.

Soon, the Heat called a timeout.

At that point, the scoreboard read 12–4. The Bulls had an absolute advantage on the court. Offensively, Wang Chong was producing efficiently, and defensively, they constantly targeted the Heat's Big Three.

Many commentators shook their heads as they watched the game.

"The Heat can't even be considered a team right now. They'll need some time to adjust. At their current level, they're no match for the Bulls."

After the first quarter, the Bulls led 31–19, with a 12-point advantage. In the second quarter, the lead extended to 15 points by halftime.

In the second half, with the Bulls holding an absolute lead, they began to put in bench players to fight on the court. At that point, the Heat fans were speechless.

Former Heat champion Shaquille O'Neal entered as a reserve and immediately tore apart the Heat's interior defense.

Whether it was starting center Big Z or backup center Joel Anthony, they were like chicks in front of O'Neal, unable to defend against him. Even though O'Neal was panting heavily after running up and down the court for a couple of plays, as soon as he reached the paint and caught the ball, he could easily score.

As a result, in the third quarter, O'Neal played just 7 minutes, hitting 4 of 5 shots for 8 points, further worsening the Heat's already bad situation.

By the time the game reached the final quarter, the suspense was already gone. The point difference had reached 20, and in the last quarter, it was clear the Heat would find it nearly impossible to overcome such a deficit and win the game.

The Big Three struggled on the court for two minutes and, realizing they still couldn't generate effective offense to close the gap, decided to give up. They replaced all their main players and surrendered the game in advance.

End of this chapter

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