Chapter 560: Attacking the Heart

Payton's defensive route was to pass the ball to LeBron while Kidd was blocking him. Kidd turned around and made a move to pass the ball to O'Neal.

That was also the Cavaliers' offensive point. Payton was forced to pull the defense over, but Kidd had already passed the ball during this gap.

You must find LeBron and let LeBron receive the ball at the waist position in the free throw area. This is the core of the double tower small space tactics.

Otherwise, if you give the ball directly to O'Neal, the inside space will not be opened, and the Cavaliers' advantage in this small space will not be shown. Sakuragi Hanamichi will double-team him at the first time. If you expect O'Neal to pass the ball to LeBron, firstly, the big man's passing skills are really limited, and he is sure to make mistakes when facing double-teaming. Secondly, Tiehanhan looks very excited at this time, and he is likely to choose to force his own attack.

Let's not talk about whether he has a way to break through the defense of Sakuragi Hanamichi and Chandler. Even if he forcefully pushes through the two defenders, he will only get Chandler's foul and two free throws.

As for giving the most important first attack of the opening to O'Neal's serve... Kidd would shudder just thinking about it. Forget about it. There is no need to try it at all.

So the target of the pass has not changed from the beginning.

LeBron!

Bang!

A wonderful pass. When the basketball is in his hand, LeBron takes a deep breath.

Whether it is the fear of Lin Dong or the confusion about the future, everything is temporarily suppressed at this moment.

He can't calm down by himself. He relies on the ball.

Since losing at the Nike Summit and the World Youth Championship, LeBron has spent the past five years with basketball.

He doesn't have the talent and mentality of Lin Dong, but at least when the basketball is in his hand, the feeling that has been immersed for more than a thousand days and months finally returns to LeBron.

At this time, feeling the confrontation of Sakuragi Hanamichi behind him, LeBron took a step to the left and seemed to knock the strong guy behind him away a little.

Power, basketball!

The two things that LeBron trusts the most quickly built new confidence in his mind at this moment. LeBron took a step forward and felt that Sakuragi Hanamichi's center of gravity was forced to fill the position. Then he turned around without moving his pivot foot.

This is the dream footwork of Dream, which can be used not only under the basket. The change of center of gravity and rhythm, the understanding of pivot foot, and LeBron's simple and rough powerful strength make his dream footwork less original and natural than Dream, but more fierce and lethal.

This step turned very quickly and smoothly, so smoothly that LeBron himself could not believe it.

It was not the first time that LeBron faced the defense of this red-haired man. As the guy who is now touted as the No. 1 defender in the league, LeBron knew his opponent's ability very well. He originally thought that the opponent was fully capable of filling in the position, so at the moment of turning around, LeBron had an additional action of accelerating and forcing. After all, after the opponent pulled the center of gravity back, when he was not stable, he was most afraid of strong confrontation.

But Sakuragi Hanamichi did not fill in the position, and even did not make a move to fill in the position at all.

This made his powerful charge after turning around hit nothing, and his body staggered a little, so that the basketball that had just hit the ground almost fell out of his hand.

"LeBron!" Wade shouted anxiously on the other side at this time, and chased after him at the same time.

LeBron was instantly alert and could feel that another figure was rushing towards the direction where he staggered like an arrow from a string.

It was Lin Dong!

At this time, his body's center of gravity was not stable, and there was a slight mistake in controlling the ball. While trying to adjust, he did not forget to glance in that direction, but saw that Lin Dong was only one step away from him.

Fortunately, they were still far away. Thanks to Wade's advance warning, otherwise, after the stumble just now, he might have been...

This thought just came to LeBron's mind, but he felt that his hand holding the ball was empty in an instant, and a palm as big as a palm fan came from the other side and slapped the basketball away.

LeBron was shocked, and when he looked back, he saw Sakuragi Hanamichi's playful smile.

Steal!

Damn, Lin Dong distracted him!

LeBron was shocked and angry, but at this time, behind him, Lin Dong just met the ball that was slapped away by Sakuragi Hanamichi and grabbed it in his hand.

Wade was originally chasing Lin Dong, but now he suddenly switched offense and defense. Lin Dong stopped and stole the ball in his hand and then turned his back. The change in rhythm made Wade almost bump into Lin Dong. Subconsciously avoiding and Lin Dong's change of direction, he easily broke through.

Being broken through by Lin Dong's defense and counterattack...there was no other way except to put his hands on his waist and watch.

Every NBA player has almost gotten used to this kind of thing, and Wade could only helplessly watch Lin Dong rush forward like a gust of wind and easily dunk an empty basket.

5:0.

There was thunderous applause and cheers at the scene, but such a start was definitely not good news for the Cavaliers.

"My!" LeBron seemed to have recovered a little bit of will at this time, and said it quite quickly.

Sakuragi Hanamichi did that ball on purpose... The two of them had played against each other too many times, and LeBron could feel that the opponent had the ability to defend him strongly, but it was not safe, so he deliberately revealed that flaw, because Lin Dong happened to be in that direction, and he wanted to use Lin Dong to distract himself.

However, seeing LeBron gritting his teeth at this time, Wade sighed secretly.

This ball shouldn't have been played... But, my brother is like this, what else can I say?

LeBron has been frightened by Lin Dong, maybe it would have been better if he hadn't reminded him just now.

"It's okay, fight back!" He encouraged LeBron.

The ball returned to the Cavaliers again.

Kidd slowly pushed past the center line, O'Neal stood under the basket, and all the Cavaliers' attack positions were already in place.

LeBron's loss of the ball just now was obviously not just a coincidence in Kidd's view. Wade and Lin Dong were indeed a little closer to LeBron's position at that time. If you consider two or three steps back, then there was a problem with his pass at that time.

And now, Kidd has signaled Wade, who is now slipping to the left baseline with Lin Dong's defense, while LeBron is at the right waist.

This is very safe, unless Lin Dong can teleport.

He passed the ball to LeBron without any hesitation.

With the ball in hand and facing the defense of Hanamichi Sakuragi, LeBron had noticed Lin Dong's position early this time. Although they were far apart, he didn't have to worry about his harassment.

LeBron secretly breathed a sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been removed from his heart. He showed his unique power-type dream footwork, and the two turns and changes of direction were connected as smooth as water.

The corners of Hanamichi Sakuragi's mouth were slightly raised, revealing a smile.

He did play the ball on purpose just now, just to plant a seed in LeBron's heart...

To be honest, even though he had received praise from Brother Gao, even though he was able to fight against the strongest center in the world, Hanamichi Sakuragi always felt that he was still missing something.

Until this G1, until facing Artest's provocation, until he took action, and then the reaction of the league and the reaction of American fans afterwards, various reversals, and even Nike's madness and the shooting against Brother Gao.

In just less than ten days, to be honest, Sakuragi Hanamichi has gone through too much.

This is a tempering of the heart...

And it was only after such a tempering that Sakuragi Hanamichi suddenly understood what he had always felt that he lacked.

Teacher Payton said, and Brother Gaoren also said that the highest level of defense is not your speed, strength, foundation, awareness, etc.

Those things are just the foundation for you to build a tall building.

And the real peak scenery is not these "bricks and tiles" like cornerstones, but the bright light shining on the top of the tower.

The highest level of defense is to defend the "heart"!

As long as you do this, you can go a step further and use your 70% defense to do what 120% defense can do!

And now, the seeds have been planted, and it's time to reap them.

LeBron's first step to approach is quite powerful, full of power, and can make people feel infinite stamina, as if it is full of various complex backhands.

But Sakuragi Hanamichi is not afraid.

His defense has been tested by all the NBA powerhouses and time. His natural keen sense of smell and advance judgment allow him to always seize the initiative. What's more, he has the strength that is not inferior to LeBron, and even... his strength is greater than LeBron!

209 cm tall, 119 kg weight, in comparison, LeBron has a certain degree of disadvantage in height and weight.

He is certainly a power talent, often fighting against inside players who are taller than him, but the problem is that Sakuragi Hanamichi is also!

Unimaginable sharpness and prediction, against LeBron's power-type dream footwork, they are equally matched.

At this time, one is pulling the center of gravity and rushing forward, while the other is trying to block, and in the blink of an eye, the two have "sharpened" each other and inserted diagonally into the deep free throw area, close to the paint area.

With LeBron's skills, what he needed at this time was space. He had to push hard and then pull back. The backward jump shot would either attract Chandler out, or eat up Sakuragi Hanamichi and send him a mid-range shot. With his height and wingspan, and his practice intensity and grasp of this move, he could not let Sakuragi Hanamichi block it even with his eyes closed, and he could score. This was verified in G3!

Forced to eat!

As long as he played at the level he should have in the interior and kept the score, even if the Cavaliers could not defend Lin Dong temporarily, they would still have a chance to fight hard, and then look for opportunities in the fierce battle!

LeBron's eyes flashed.

But at this moment...

"Lin Dong!"

Sakuragi Hanamichi suddenly shouted.

LeBron, who had already gathered the ball and adjusted his body to prepare for a backward jump shot, suddenly froze involuntarily when he heard the name.

His attention was inevitably distracted at this time, so he couldn't help but look in the direction of Lin Dong and Wade subconsciously.

The two guys were still at the left baseline, far away from him and very safe!

This result made LeBron feel a little relieved, but the next second...

A big hand fell from the sky and blocked his hands just raised to shoot.

The distraction just now made him jump incomplete, and he even forgot to lean back. Although he was shocked at this time and wanted to give up shooting and pass the ball, Sakuragi Hanamichi's big hand had already blocked the ball. How could he change his tactics?

Bang!

The basketball was slapped hard and flew straight to Iguodala on the right.

Blocked shot!

LeBron's pupils shrank at this moment, and what he heard was the overwhelming laughter and cheers of the fans at the scene.

——Good block! Haha, Sakuragi seems to have become more fierce after he was almost sent off last time!

——The invincible god of basketball, and the invincible Sakuragi Hanamichi! Haha, the Supersonics are invincible!

——Sakuragi! Sakuragi! Sakuragi!

——Lin! Lin! Lin! Lin! Lin!

LeBron felt his head explode with a buzz, making him a little dizzy at this moment.

At this time, Iguodala on the right side picked up the ball. Facing Larry Hughes' fierce pressing, the opponent could not defend his natural off-ball escape and 3-pointer, but ball control was not Iguodala's strong point. His defensive ability was the same as Larry Hughes's. He couldn't get rid of it at this time, but he didn't have to wait for him to get rid of it. Sakuragi Hanamichi, who had just completed the block in front, had already bypassed LeBron and ran forward.

In terms of ball control, Iguodala is not very good, but in terms of passing, the entire Supersonics team is an expert!

With accurate prediction and passing, Sakuragi Hanamichi strode forward with the ball, while LeBron, who was supposed to defend him, was obviously confused by the block just now, and was half a beat slower and failed to keep up.

Kidd at the top of the three-point arc in front had to give up Payton to block Sakuragi Hanamichi, but as soon as he came, Sakuragi Hanamichi had thrown the ball to the front court without sticking to the ball.

Payton, who was missed by Kidd, was already running. The cooperation between the three teammates, Chandler just shouted good under the basket, Lin Dong was smiling with his hands on his waist and didn't move at all, but Payton in front had completed an empty basket.

7:0!

Three rounds, three balls... and all three balls were lost by LeBron!

Lanny on the sidelines had frowned. He could see that LeBron was absent-minded and out of shape at this time, but if LeBron was replaced... who should he replace? No one on the bench of the Cavaliers can replace LeBron, even a LeBron who is not in good shape!

"Cheer up! LeBron! What are you doing!" Lanny had to yell at him loudly on the sidelines.

LeBron's face turned red and white, and the look he gave Sakuragi Hanamichi at this time was a little different.

This single-celled organism recognized by the whole league as stubborn has learned to cheat... and it is such a low-level cheat!

Although he is not a member of the Supersonics and is not very clear about everything in the Supersonics, all Americans know that Sakuragi Hanamichi never calls Lin Dong's name, but only calls him 'Brother Gaoren'.

Just now, calling 'Lin Dong' was clearly for him to hear!

Fuck... I actually fell for such a low-level trick!

He ignored Lanny's shouting next to him, but said coldly to Sakuragi Hanamichi: "Don't use the same trick again, it won't work!"

Sakuragi Hanamichi just smiled.

I've said I'm going to attack your heart... can I only serve you one dish?

I heard that during the Chinese New Year in Gaoren's hometown, they always serve four cold dishes, four vegetables and fruits, four hot dishes, four... I only served one cold dish at most, how can I say that?

I have to serve four cold dishes, and I don't want to serve them a second time? I'm really overthinking.

Frankly speaking, Sakuragi Hanamichi has never been stupid. The relationship between Gaoren and LeBron has continued since the Nike Summit that year. Sakuragi Hanamichi has been watching the whole process. He knows too much and knows what kind of person LeBron is.

Then LeBron signed with Nike, and Nike began to target Gaoren madly. Who would believe that LeBron and Nike are not in the same boat?

He may not have participated in the assassination, but Nike is Gaoren's enemy, and LeBron is the same as Nike, so LeBron is also his enemy.

There is no need to show mercy to the enemy, let alone sympathy.

A gleam of light flashed in Sakuragi Hanamichi's eyes.

You're guaranteed to enjoy my feast today!