Chapter 39: Arenas' First Appearance (Part II)
The Mavericks sent Camby to the free throw line, Mo Xi and Arenas had to play, and at the same time, the Mavericks also replaced Nowitzki off the court to rest, which is good news for the Knicks, so that Mo Xi can spend more energy on the offensive end, but Mo Xi is actually more worried than Arenas, his big brother, will he pass the ball?
Camby hit one of two free throws to give the Knicks a one-point lead at 78-77.
Arenas made his first appearance in an official league game.
The Mavericks attacked, Tim Hardaway dribbled through the half, and even if it was his first time on the court, Arenas still had a nonchalant attitude towards defense, but at least he was decent on defense.
Although it can be seen that the hairy boy on the opposite side doesn't seem to have the steel bacteria of the Knicks defensively, Hardaway doesn't intend to impress Arenas either. Hardaway opted to give the ball to Finley, who was in his pocket.
Finley has been broken down by Thomas throughout the third quarter, not only physically, but also mentally, and it is not for nothing that Thomas has been called the "Iron Defender" of New York, and Finley has only relied on free throws to score two points so far.
After Finley got the ball, he turned his back directly and planned to impact the basket, but Thomas was elbow according to Finley's side ribs, at this time Finley was turning around, just when he blocked the referee, and Thomas mastered the proportions very well, but let Finley be turned around, others were far away from the real look, only felt that Finley seemed to be tired, and when he turned around, his movements were out of shape and did not turn around.
Thomas quickly stepped forward to stop Finley once more.
Finley was furious, but there was nothing he could do, Thomas's movements were not like Malone and them in the past, but like Stockton, although dirty, but very hidden, there was no slow motion, and it was difficult for people to know what was going on.
Finley, who failed to break through, had no choice but to stop the ball, but the Mavericks' offense is the kind of style that is slow death once stopped, especially in the face of the current Knicks' muscle strangulation, except for Arenas, of course.
Finley passes back and hands the ball to Hardaway.
Hardaway crossed the dribble, quickly changed direction, and then continued to crotch, but to his surprise, Arenas did not move at all, Hardaway was secretly shocked, could it be that this hairy boy turned out to be a defensive master? Hardaway's face was solemn, and seeing that Arenas was still more than one step away from him, he simply pulled it up and threw it directly, which is absolutely not allowed under the Heat's system, but Nelson Sr. is different, he really wants his players to play like this.
Hardaway's jumper didn't go in, and Mo Xi picked up the defensive rebound and gave the ball directly to Arenas. Then, Mo Xi just slapped his forehead, and I went, and I seemed to have made a bad choice.
Now the situation of the Knicks is very good, but if Arenas is too excited, well, that's for sure, everything depends on whether Arenas can score this goal, and if it is scored, Van Gundy will not say anything, but if he doesn't score?
It's a pity that Mo Xi thinks too much, where does Arenas have so many ideas, after receiving the ball, he sees the opportunity, aims at the loophole of the Mavericks' retreat, and kills it directly, but at this time, there is no one on the Knicks court who can keep up with Arenas's fast attack! The Mavericks tend to focus on the outside style of play, allowing the players to retreat quickly, and Arenas hit three at halftime.
At this time, Mo Xi had to admit that some people were born for big scenes.
When Arenas came on the court, he had a fire in his chest, he trained hard, he did well, he was not bad, but people always looked down on him, they felt that he was still far behind, and he wanted to prove to everyone that he was the best one.
Arenas made an almost beast-like sound, and then faced Tim Hardaway, the ancestor of the league's crotch dribble, Arenas shook Hardaway from Hardaway in a row, and then pulled horizontally, facing the Mavericks' substitute forward, Arenas almost ignored the other party's appearance, and directly dribbled and stopped the jump shot, shooting fast and high, so that the opponent did not react at all.
"Huh~"
The ball is in! At this time, Arenas scored the first goal in the league, and it took Arenas four or five seconds from receiving the ball to hitting the shot, all in a fast break.
Arenas turned around and walked to the audience, arms outstretched, and saluted the people of New York.
It's been a long time since New York has had such a personality player, and the fans in New York are also very excited, and think about it, whether it is Ewing in the past or Mo Xi now, they are not the kind of people who are happy and angry.
was scored such a goal by a rookie, the Mavericks' face was a little unsightly, and the Mavericks' next offense was more violent, but the fierceness was fierce, and the kind of defensive pressure brought by the Knicks pressed them fiercely, this time Hardaway and Finley came to cooperate with each other after a block, but Thomas took a step ahead of him and knocked the ball away.
Arenas rushed forward like crazy again, picked up the ball and ran straight to the front.
The Mavericks' backup quarterback swingman John Newman intends to chase defense, but how can he keep up with Arenas, who entered the league in '86?
Arenas rode the dust, and in the blink of an eye he was already outside the three-point line, stopped directly, pulled it up and shot.
Again!
This fire in Arenas's heart has been burning, either using it to burn the other party or burning himself, and the double-edged sword of Arenas has already shown love in his first place.
Van Gundy looked expressionless off the court, Arenas's style is the kind of player he dislikes the most, ignoring discipline and doing whatever he wants, although he scored, but it still didn't make Van Gundy like it, but Van Gundy had to admit that Arenas was really suitable to play Mavericks.
The old Nelson on the other side is even happier for some reason, these are all good seedlings, but unfortunately, they were all delayed by Van Gundy's cowardice, this point guard, stained, if he and Nash form a double point guard, the offensive rhythm will be three times that of others, plus Nowitzki, Guan is run can run the opposite side of the circle.
In just over a minute, almost everyone has become Arenas' foil, the Knicks played four consecutive fast attacks of defensive counterattacks, without exception Arenas as a finisher, three of four shots, one of two three-pointers, just over a minute, Arenas scored seven points, although this is also because Arenas just took advantage of the Knicks' current lineup, but their own hard power is also there.
The emergence of Arenas has brought a new turn in the speed of the Knicks' much-criticized No. 1 spot, of course, but this is only now, and when people see Arenas' defensive mentality, they may not think so. (Actually, the general is really a good defender, as long as the mood is right)
At the end of the third quarter, the Knicks led the Mavericks by nine points, which surprised everyone, and it seemed that the Knicks were really going to rise again.