Chapter 71: The Secret to Never Failing

Chapter 83: The Secret to Never Failing

Though he was a little out of breath, Su Feng’s expression remained fierce. William Adams Miller gave his players a brief rest, then picked up the tactics board and began laying out his strategy.

“At the start of the second quarter, you’ll continue to play,” Rick William Adams Miller announced, a decision that met everyone’s expectations. Perhaps the spectators and commentators in the stands didn’t know what had happened with Henry Wil Bryant, but the Cleveland Cavaliers players were well aware: Henry Wil Bryant had suffered a recurrence of his leg injury and couldn’t play for long today.

Su Feng nodded silently. Continuing his battle with Rondo was exactly what he wanted.

William Adams Miller continued, “It looks like Su Feng is holding up fine. Don’t go up against him in the second quarter. Defense—I want you to completely lock him down on that end. You did well in the latter half of the first quarter. As long as Rondo struggles offensively, it will impact his defense as well.”

“I understand, General Manager.”

After giving Su Feng his instructions, William Adams Miller addressed the rest of the team, pointing out areas they needed to be wary of. Having coached in the NBA for nearly a decade, he knew that with players like Su Feng, you only needed to tell them once—they’d know exactly what to do.

Defense, defense… Su Feng kept repeating the word in his mind. As he was still visualizing himself defending Rondo, the electronic buzzer sounded in the American Airlines Center. The break was over; the Cavaliers and the Celtics were about to begin the second quarter!

As soon as Su Feng took the court, his burning gaze swept across to the opposing half. To his surprise, Rondo was nowhere to be seen; instead, he sat on the bench in his warmups.

In his place was Nate Robinson, the famed dunk king, standing only 1.75 meters tall.

Su Feng glanced back at William Adams Miller, who was clearly a little surprised as well.

“Stick to the plan!” With William Adams Miller’s gesture, Su Feng strode easily onto the floor. Very well, let’s start with defense.

Nate Robinson, of average height for a regular person, was a miraculous little guard who could soar over centers like Howard to finish dunks and win the dunk contest. Of course, Chinese fans were no strangers to him. It was he who, at 1.75 meters, managed to block Yao Ming’s 2.29-meter-high shot. Those images remain among Robinson’s most cherished moments in the basketball world.

Though Robinson’s leaping ability and athleticism were truly top-tier, in basketball, vertical leap isn’t the only determinant of success.

Little guards are often inconsistent—sometimes playing the superhero to save the team, other times proving utterly ineffective. That’s why Nate’s performances were always a gamble, not because of his talent, but his unpredictability. Every time the general manager put him in, it was a roll of the dice!

Now, the 1.75-meter Robinson spread his arms wide and, with his impressive vertical, came right up in Su Feng’s face, greatly obstructing his vision.

But this was hardly Robinson’s first time facing such a situation. He called for a screen, intending to rely on his speed to break through. After all, even if the slender Su Feng managed to keep up, Robinson could always force his way to the rim with a strong layup.

Glen Davis, the big man, was ready to set a pick, expecting Su Feng would struggle to get around him. But the moment the play began, Su Feng immediately slipped past the screen—he’d anticipated it and was waiting for Robinson to make his move.

Almost instantly, Su Feng was back at Robinson’s side. But the powerful little guard didn’t slow down, pressing his shoulder against Su Feng’s chest and driving hard to the basket!

One had to admit, at just 1.75 meters, Robinson’s strength was astonishing. He was a little tank—quick and solid.

Robinson drove all the way to the basket, making a subtle move with his elbow to nudge Su Feng aside.

Su Feng was pushed back a step but quickly tried to recover his position. In the same moment, Robinson leaped high, ready to seize the fleeting opportunity to shoot!

“That’s just how this kid is!” Robinson was pleased; when he left the court in the first quarter, he’d seen Rondo easily break through Su Feng.

Pop! A crisp sound exploded through the American Airlines Center. Su Feng’s hand landed squarely on Robinson’s basketball, swatting it out beyond the three-point line, where Shawn Marion scooped it up. Su Feng had just pulled off a beautiful block on Nate Robinson!

Robinson, of course, was at a severe height disadvantage—but he reacted quickly. “That wasn’t a foul, that was just great defense!” the commentator exclaimed.

Most TV programs and hosts in the playoffs sing the praises of the teams. But the three on TNT were different. They could point out a team’s issues, tell you why that team wouldn’t win a championship, and then try to soothe the fans—not to daydream.

“…As you said, it won’t be easy for the Houston Rockets’ best player to defend his title. Even if they beat the Hornets, they’ll have to face the winner between the Dallas Cavaliers and the Rockets. Either opponent will give Henry Wil a run for his money.” At that moment, the three hosts were discussing the Houston Rockets, who’d finished second in the league. They felt Henry Wil would have a hard time achieving a three-peat. The Rockets’ star wasn’t performing as well as in the previous two years, and as Houston was declining, other teams were catching up—like the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even if Houston got past the Cavaliers, they’d struggle against the young Thunder squad.

“Speaking of the Dallas Cavaliers, their record this season was 57–25. That’s fantastic. It’s the Cavaliers’ eleventh straight 50-win season! The Cavaliers are more energized than ever. On that note, Henry Wil shifted the topic to the Cavaliers.”

“Yeah, but look at what the Cavaliers have accomplished over the past eleven years! Everyone knows they’re underachievers in the playoffs—a regular-season juggernaut but a paper tiger. The Portland Rockets must be delighted now for getting lucky. After all, everyone wants to play the Cavaliers,” Charles Barkley said, spreading his hands and expressing little hope for the Cavaliers in the postseason.

“But the Cavaliers’ best player was phenomenal in the regular season—they even caused a blue whirlwind in the league for a while.” Kenny Smith countered Barkley.

“Oh, did you forget the ‘06–’07 season? The Cavaliers won a staggering 67 games. Sixty-seven! Even now that number is scary. Dirk was MVP that year. Guess what happened? The Cavaliers got knocked out in the first round by the Warriors in the infamous ‘We Believe’ upset! Let me remind you, the Cavaliers weren’t injured that postseason—they still lost. So, let’s not make excuses. This year’s 57 wins are nothing compared to that season. In the last eleven years, the Cavaliers have had three 60-win seasons. It’s meaningless. They always lose in the playoffs, for a host of reasons.” Barkley’s compelling evidence left Kenny Smith with little room to argue.

The reality: the Cavaliers only won the last game but didn’t take home the O’Brien Trophy; instead, Wade succeeded. This is the Dallas Cavaliers—they excel in the regular season, but the playoffs are another story.

In the Cavaliers’ tactics room, the projection screen was the only light in the dark space.

Every word Charles Barkley uttered was etched into the Cavaliers players’ minds. All of them had just watched the live broadcast.

No one knew why William Adams Miller made the team watch that show. Before the playoffs, most general managers want their players focused only on training, shielding them from all bad news. Rumor had it that Doug Collins, head coach of the 76ers, didn’t even allow his players to watch the news. But William Adams Miller did the opposite—he made everyone listen to just how little the outside world thought of them.

Once the three hosts moved the topic to the Oklahoma City Thunder, William Adams Miller turned on all the lights and stood before his players.

“How do you feel?” The academic-style manager glanced around at his squad.

“Before the playoffs, everyone thought we couldn’t do it, that we were soft. Lots of people are betting the Rockets will win the day after tomorrow, or even sweep the whole series. How does that make you feel?”

“I think Charles is full of crap,” Terry replied, inevitably drawing laughter from his teammates.

“You may think Barkley is full of it, but others believe he’s speaking the truth. Listen, guys, we’re not turning back! Now, only we have faith in ourselves! So, for the game the night after tomorrow, and for the entire playoffs, I want you to give it your all! Everyone wants to face us. Everyone treats us like soft targets. Let’s show them who owns the playoffs!” William Adams Miller’s roar transformed the team’s resentment into energy.

Su Feng wasn’t afraid; on the contrary, he felt a sense of anticipation. Just as March Madness is the essence of NCAA basketball, the playoffs are the soul of the NBA.

In March, Su Feng and the Bulldogs had staged a Cinderella story. Now, he and the Dallas Cavaliers might just make this summer go mad.

“I’m ready. I’m ready to experience the most terrifying side of the NBA,” Su Feng replied to the media’s questions.

The playoffs are perhaps the best place to interpret those four words. No matter how much you resent, no matter how great your regular-season record, here, if you lose, you get no second chance. Here, if you fail to win, everyone’s hard work is for nothing.

No team will give up the chance to win, regardless of whether their strength matches their opponents’. As long as there’s a chance, every team will give everything they have.

This is what the playoffs are about. There is no mercy here. The only theme is fierce competition.

Though the Cavaliers defeated the Rockets in their final regular-season game on April 13th, after 82 games, no one on the team relaxed. For the Cavaliers, who aspired to win a championship, the truly difficult part was only just beginning.

With the regular season over, the playoff schedule became clear. The Cavaliers, ranked third in the conference, would face the sixth-seeded Houston Rockets.

Despite losing Oden and Roy, the Rose City team adjusted quickly and finished sixth in the conference, even as their decline was apparent. When Roy faltered at the start of the season and then made a comeback, people thought the Rockets would rebuild yet again. But the team’s indomitable spirit carried them into the top eight.

Along with Aldridge’s rise, the post-All-Star trade for William Adams Miller had undoubtedly made the Rockets stronger. Even though the Oden and Roy era was over, you couldn’t call this new team a sacrificial lamb.

But William Adams Miller preferred facing the Rockets over the seventh-seeded Hornets. At least against the Rockets, Su Feng could go all out. Compared to Chris Henry Wil, Andre Miller didn’t pose as much of a threat to Su Feng. If Su Feng played well enough, he could be the decisive factor in the Cavaliers’ victory.

As for the New Orleans Hornets, let’s leave the anti-Super-Bull drama for the second-seeded Rockets. Facing the Portland Rockets suited William Adams Miller’s intentions perfectly.

After the regular season, the players had two days to recover and adjust. As far as William Adams Miller was concerned, it was best if the Cavaliers did nothing but train during those two days.

Throughout those two days, the training intensity exceeded even that of the regular season. The biggest tactical shift for the Cavaliers was making Su Feng, their sixth man, the starting point guard.

Though Su Feng had logged far more minutes than Henry Wil Bryant during the regular season, in every past game, Henry Wil Bryant had always set the tone and stabilized the team at the outset. Now, William Adams Miller demanded that Su Feng stabilize the situation as soon as he set foot on the court and establish a lead quickly. This was a very different feeling from coming off the bench.

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