Chapter 587 - 84: Cavaliers, How Can You Compete With Us?

Years ago, NBA scouts described him as being like a young deer, bouncing through the forest.

SLAP!

The ball was swatted by Milicic.

Lowry got the ball and pushed it up the court.

He passed to Su Xi, who handed it off to Milicic as he pulled out to the edge of the paint.

Milicic caught the ball, showing no surprise. He decisively jumped and shot... SWISH!

The ball dropped through the net.

Even O’Neal hadn’t expected Milicic to be so decisive.

He looked a bit stunned.

Meanwhile, on television, Larry Brown was still going on and on: "I know Milicic all too well. He’s a player with no backbone, incredibly fragile, and prone to giving up on himself. Fundamentally, he’s just a sheep. How can a sheep compete with the great Shark?"

The words had barely left his mouth.

SWISH!

Milicic drained the jump shot.

The reversal came so quickly.

Milicic’s shot had been so decisive.

Reggie Miller said, "Is that a sheep?"

Larry Brown was stunned, at a loss for words.

The fans watching on TV were secretly laughing. They were already starting to look forward to Larry Brown’s performance tonight.

Every time Larry Brown commentated on a Knicks game, it was bound to produce a memorable moment.

Tonight, would some incredible magic unfold again?

Would tonight be the night Milicic served up a huge helping of crow?

Although it was hard to believe a bust could suddenly find his groove, with a reverse-jinx like Larry Brown on the call, it wasn’t impossible.

In the meantime.

The Cavaliers launched their offense.

The ball was passed to O’Neal, who posted up in the paint.

He was dominant, still powerful, though his agility, speed, explosiveness, and coordination were no longer what they were in his youth.

However, Milicic really couldn’t hold his ground against him.

O’Neal forcefully backed him down three times, and Milicic lost his position.

After getting deep under the basket, O’Neal made a quick turn.

But just as he was about to go up for the layup, Milicic, who had been pushed aside, suddenly sprang back up. He extended one arm, got his hand under the ball in O’Neal’s grasp, and as they both applied force, the ball instantly broke free from O’Neal’s control.

Su Xi shot out from the side and grabbed the loose ball.

The Knicks started a fast break, the whole team charging forward.

The Cavaliers’ Ilgauskas was just getting into position, and O’Neal couldn’t get up to speed quickly either.

Su Xi drove into the paint, drawing the Cavaliers’ defense in, then passed the ball back out. Milicic trailed the play, received the pass, and finished with a one-handed slam dunk.

He scored on consecutive offensive possessions.

And he had also made an excellent defensive play.

Milicic’s performance in the first two possessions sent Madison Square Garden Arena into a frenzy.

Everyone was screaming for him.

This was an outcome no one had expected.

Milicic was this ferocious?

He was this fast? He had started running at the same time as O’Neal but managed to get three body lengths ahead of him.

Although O’Neal wasn’t going all out, Milicic’s speed was definitely greater than O’Neal’s at this point.

He was only 21, after all.

Youth has its advantages.

Milicic seemed like a player from another era, his reputation as a bust was already widespread, but after bouncing around the league for nearly four years, he was still only 21.

"Larry, you didn’t expect Milicic to be able to defend O’Neal one-on-one, did you? Look at his speed on the fast break. He’s like a super elk!"

Reggie Miller deliberately provoked Larry Brown from the commentary booth.

His words brought a wave of satisfaction to the vast audience of fans watching on TV.

They loved watching Larry Brown get proven wrong.

It seemed to have become a ratings draw.

Larry Brown’s face wasn’t shown on screen. Luckily, it was only his voice, otherwise every viewer would be even more delighted to see his awkward expression.

Doubly delighted.

"Everyone has their few minutes in the spotlight," Mike Brin, the commentator in the middle, said, trying to smooth things over for Larry Brown. "Reggie, you don’t really think Milicic can beat Shaquille O’Neal, do you?"

Reggie Miller said with a smile, "Anything is possible."

Back in the half-court set, O’Neal was still trying to post up Milicic.

Milicic still couldn’t hold his ground.

But after O’Neal made his move, his speed and explosiveness were a far cry from what they used to be.

So this time, he used his left arm to fend off Milicic as a precaution.

The once-violent ruler of the paint now had to resort to such ’techniques’. In the past, he would just sweep through armies, slaying gods and devils in his path!

However, this time, while he fended off Milicic in front of him...

...he never expected Su Xi to appear out of nowhere from behind and pluck the ball right from over his head.

It was like pulling a turnip out of the ground.

With Milicic holding O’Neal’s attention, it was much easier for Su Xi to make his move from behind.

Su Xi got the ball and immediately threw a long pass.

Lowry caught the ball in the frontcourt, bumped Cavaliers point guard Gibson out of the way, and made an easy layup.

The Knicks’ transition from defense to offense was seamless. They had grit when needed and speed when needed.

The Cavaliers were stunned.

But Madison Square Garden Arena had already gone completely wild.

Mike Brown hurried to the sideline, reminding his players to control the pace and not get caught up dancing to the Knicks’ rhythm.

He was very worried about the Knicks seizing control of the tempo.

As an assistant coach, Mike Brown had won a championship with the Pacers. He knew all too well how terrifying Su Xi was as a master of tempo. Once Su Xi got a grip on the rhythm, his opponents would be completely locked down, with no chance of fighting back.

LeBron James took the ball himself. He settled the pace, ran a pick-and-roll with Ilgauskas, then pulled up for a jump shot... SWISH!

The Cavaliers made the shot.

Mike Brown breathed a sigh of relief.

On TV, Larry Brown also said, "LeBron is truly LeBron."

But at this moment, Reggie Miller chimed in, "Why do I get the feeling the Cavaliers are having too much trouble scoring? Can they really beat the Knicks?"

The Knicks were already setting up their offense.

Milicic came up to the free-throw line and received a pass from Lowry. Su Xi and Stephen Jackson were cutting hard, while Zach Randolph roamed the edge of the paint.

Ilgauskas went to defend Milicic.

Milicic quickly made a shooting motion, and Ilgauskas instinctively lunged forward to block.

But Ilgauskas’s movement was too stiff; he was very clumsy.

Milicic smoothly pulled the ball back in. His pump fake was incredibly convincing. He shook off his defender like a guard, drove quickly to the basket, and Shaquille O’Neal rushed over to provide help defense.

But with a flick of his wrist, he sent a bounce pass over. Zach Randolph scooped up the ball and jumped explosively... SLAM!

Another dunk!

So dominant!

This play from Milicic put his talent on full display.

He could handle the ball. As a center, he could handle the ball and pass.

That was remarkable.

Mike Brown slapped the back of his own head. His mind couldn’t quite process what was happening.

’We’re being specifically targeted.’

Milicic was perfectly neutralizing the Cavaliers’ Twin Towers!

He could pull out to the free-throw line to exploit the clumsy Ilgauskas.

He could also hold his own against O’Neal in the paint for a little while.

He could even facilitate from the high post.

He used to be mediocre at everything.

Why did it now seem like he was a master of everything?

And every single one of his skills seemed to perfectly exploit the Cavaliers’ weaknesses.

Isaiah Thomas was just that terrifying.

’How is he so good? How did he know Milicic had this kind of ability? How did he know to develop Milicic in this direction?’

He looked over at the bench, where Isaiah Thomas was stroking his chin with an enigmatic smile.

At that moment, Isaiah Thomas stroked his chin and took a slow breath.

’Truth be told, I only just realized that Milicic could actually neutralize both of the Cavaliers’ centers at the same time.’

’Perfect!’

’Cavaliers, you guys are so screwed!’

Isaiah Thomas thought smugly.

Milicic had given him a huge surprise.

Now, he just had to wait and see how the Cavaliers would get sucked into a spiral of defeat.

On the perimeter, LeBron James was being contained by Su Xi.

In the paint, their two big men had run into the one player they should have never crossed paths with: Milicic.

Heh heh.

’How are you going to compete with us?’