score maniac

Chapter 23: The Challenge!

“Way to go—!!” Gu Yu’s mid-range shot—from his cut to his release to the swish—was flawless, sending a wave of excitement through the crowd as cheers erupted from all sides. “That guy with the slicked-back hair is pretty good! He had such a brief window to shoot just now, yet his form didn’t falter—he’s a natural-born shooter!” One fan analyzed, “The Kings have always been short on a shooting guard. This kid’s got what it takes!” Gu Yu’s first basket of the Summer League got things off to a great start! “Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~” Meanwhile, Gu Yu was still retreating on defense, holding his right hand to his mouth and blowing continuously, as if flames were actually burning on his hand—as if he had to blow them out or they’d engulf the entire court. “…Hmph, just luck!” Wesley Johnson, the player guarding Gu Yu, didn’t think much of it. He simply assumed he’d been inattentive and given Gu Yu the chance to shoot. He snorted coldly, his expression sour. On the Timberwolves’ side, the players were a bit discouraged. Their defense had clearly been in place, yet they’d fallen short at the last moment—a scenario that’s bound to leave a bad taste in anyone’s mouth. But Gu Yu scoring? It must have been a fluke! “It’s okay, it’s okay. Let’s go on the offensive!” The Timberwolves set up their offense. After several passes in the frontcourt, Love—who had been posting up in the low post—suddenly cut back and cut out to the perimeter. Just as he reached the three-point line, Johnny Flynn’s pass arrived in an instant. Shoot! “Swish!” Three-pointer good!! “Great pass, Joe…” “Whoosh—!!” Before Love even had a chance to celebrate, the Kings had already inbounded the ball from the baseline. So fast…!! The entire arena was taken aback as they watched the Kings’ inbounds pass fly down the court. Jeter, once he got the ball, suddenly picked up speed, used a crossover to shake off Johnny Flynn’s defense, and his eyes were already scanning the frontcourt. Gu Yu had already made a fast break. “Thud!” With a flick of his wrist, he sent a one-handed bounce pass down the court. In Jeter’s mind, the play—one he’d been rehearsing extensively with Gu Yu, Cousins, and the others lately—played out with crystal-clear precision. According to the private agreement among the Kings’ “Rookie F4,” during half-court offense, everyone would set up Cousins as much as possible: one side of the paint would stretch wide, while the other would create space for Whiteside to cut in, crash the offensive boards, and fight for second-chance opportunities. On fast breaks, if the opponent’s first line of defense wasn’t tight, the entire team would spread out to the wings and push the ball up the court, giving Jeter every opportunity to use his blistering speed to drive to the basket alone, while the others acted as decoys to disrupt the defense. However, if the opponent’s first line of defense is solid, that’s when Gu Yu comes into play. The advantage of this approach is that everyone can play to their greatest strengths: Cousins’ isolation plays, Whiteside’s rebounding and strength in the paint, Jeter’s speed, and Gu Yu’s shooting. What makes it even easier is that, barring any unusual circumstances, all four F4 players have already memorized Gu Yu’s sweet spot. Jeter doesn’t even need to deliberately look for Gu Yu’s position—whenever a fast break opportunity arises, Gu Yu will always run to that spot. “One step inside the top of the key, slightly to the left.” As the ball moved up the court, Jeter murmured the instructions under his breath. Johnny Flynn had just gotten into position to defend, but it was already too late. “Gu, they’re really underestimating your offense. Looks like… you really have a chance to score back-to-back points…!” “Swoosh…!” In the frontcourt, a pass that looked like it was about to result in a turnover had just crossed the three-point line when a player with slicked-back hair swooped in from the side and caught the ball securely with both hands. Gu Yu leaped and took the shot. “…Swish!” In, in, in!! “Wow!! Back-to-back baskets!! That slick-haired guy has hit two in a row! This is getting exciting—the game is really heating up!!” On the court, the fans’ excitement was gradually building. Since the opening tip, the Timberwolves had basically been running roughshod over the Kings. Now, someone from the Kings had finally stepped up to trade shots with the Timberwolves, and the game—which had been a bit dull—was finally heating up. “Yeeeeees—!!” After sinking a mid-range jumper, Gu Yu, brimming with confidence, raised his arms in triumph. As he retreated on defense, his eyes swept toward the bench. “…Haha.” Westphal sat there, picked up Gu Yu’s “eye signal,” and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. This Asian guy with slicked-back hair really has what it takes! “Get it back!” The Timberwolves weren’t about to let this get them down. Johnny Flynn was a bit annoyed, but he still calmly dribbled the ball up the court. Once he reached the frontcourt, he linked up with Love again and, near the free-throw line, suddenly swiped the ball and lobbed it high. Oh no! Jeter was at a huge disadvantage in height. He reached up to swat the ball but didn’t even catch a whiff of the air it created, and could only watch helplessly as it sailed toward the basket. Great pass…! Love had intended to cut to the basket, but a quick glance out of the corner of his eye revealed that Jason Thompson, his defender, was positioned well. He decided to play along, setting a screen right where he stood and just barely blocking Gu Yu, who was trailing him. Under the basket, Wesley Johnson, cutting to the rim, soared skyward. “…BAM!!!” Alley-oop!! “Showti-baby——!!!” With the Timberwolves stringing together spectacular offensive plays, the atmosphere in the arena grew increasingly frenzied. The fans’ cheers grew louder and louder, and the Timberwolves players’ spirits soared. Let’s ride this momentum and keep attacking! “Hmph…!” After scoring, Wesley Johnson’s nose was in the air; as he passed by Gu Yu, he let out a cold snort and strutted back on defense with a smug look on his face. That’ll teach you to be so cocky! Back in his defensive position, Wesley Johnson let out a fierce exhale, venting his frustration. While he might not be what you’d call a “chosen one,” Wesley Johnson’s talent and potential were plain for all to see. The reason the Timberwolves drafted him so high was precisely because of his impressive physical attributes and relatively mature offensive arsenal. Originally, Wesley Johnson had been very happy. As a rookie, joining a rebuilding team like the Timberwolves would undoubtedly give him plenty of opportunities. With a young talent like Love on the team and the arrival of point guard Rubio on the horizon, Wesley Johnson envisioned that within three years, he would become a top-tier player, making a name for himself far and wide. However, just as the draft had ended—and he should have been getting plenty of exposure—some slick-haired guy suddenly popped up, knocked Kahn senseless with a single punch, and completely stole the spotlight from the entire draft class. What kind of nonsense is this! In Wesley Johnson’s view, Gu Yu’s behavior was a classic case of “seeking attention for its own sake”! Whether it was Timberwolves fans or fans of other teams, not a single person was talking about Wesley Johnson; instead, everyone was buzzing about this slick-haired guy who, by all accounts, was nothing more than cannon fodder. Even though not many people could remember Gu Yu yet, this outcome was enough to leave Wesley Johnson feeling resentful. Now that Gu Yu’s hype had finally died down and the Summer League had begun, he actually ran into that slick-haired guy again in the very first game. And to top it off, he’s scoring point after point right in front of him! Wesley Johnson felt as if the entire crowd was mocking him, saying he wasn’t even as good as the bottom-of-the-barrel player. Filled with both shame and anger, he was just waiting for a chance to thoroughly humiliate Gu Yu. Just then, a spectacular alley-oop dunk sent the crowd into a frenzy. Wesley Johnson finally felt vindicated and, naturally, had to deliver a scathing taunt. “Now you know why I was a lottery pick and you were the last pick, right? You piece of trash!” As Gu Yu ran up the court to set a screen, Wesley Johnson hadn’t had his fill of taunting yet and let out another jab. “…Hey, you’re really pushing your luck!” Gu Yu lost his temper right then and there. “How many points have you scored? Huh?!” Pointing his finger at Wesley Johnson, Gu Yu furrowed his brow and glanced up at the center scoreboard: “5 points? Just you wait.” Gu Yu’s gaze darkened as he fixed it on Wesley Johnson, his anger boiling over. “By the end of the first quarter, I’ll score twice as many points as you…!” Anyone following the CBA? In this crucial game, Yi Jianlian is still as steady as ever!