Y13 [EN]: Chapter 233

[The first quarter is already eight minutes in. The home team, Memphis Grizzlies, is employing a suffocating defense against the visiting Dallas Mavericks! Dallas’s offense has been struggling lately, turning this into a real grind-it-out game.]

[Dallas relies heavily on Nowitzki and Yoon’s offense in their starting lineup, but neither looks particularly effective today. They seem to be struggling against Tony Allen’s tenacious defense. Performing well against Tony Allen is always a challenge.]

[It seems Jason Terry will need to step up today. Nowitzki had a promising opportunity with his nemesis, Randolph, out injured, but he himself had to be replaced due to an ankle injury.]

Tony Allen, known as one of the best perimeter defenders, stuck to Youngjae like glue. To make matters worse, Nowitzki had twisted his ankle on a previous play and retreated to the locker room. Brandon Wright, his replacement, wasn’t finding any clear advantage against Speights either.

Swish-

Whether Youngjae had the ball or not, Tony Allen subtly harassed him, constantly testing the boundaries of what constituted a foul. Allen, whose offensive contributions were limited, focused on making a significant impact on defense. His trash talk also subtly bothered Youngjae. Normally, he would have ignored it, but his already frayed nerves were becoming increasingly sensitive.

[Youngjae Yoon, receiving the ball near the half-court line, calmly initiates the attack.]

Regardless of where he received the ball or started his drive, Tony Allen’s attention remained solely on Youngjae. He met Youngjae near the half-court line, using his exceptional agility and strength to block his path.

Youngjae switched the ball from his right hand to his left, then immediately thrust his right shoulder into Tony Allen’s chest. Protecting the ball and dribbling with agility, Youngjae seemed to be asserting himself.

Thud!

“Argh!”

But at that moment, Tony Allen slightly lowered his upper body and forcefully drove his shoulder under Youngjae’s right arm. In one swift motion, Tony Allen twisted his shoulder (not his elbow) and slammed his shoulder into Youngjae’s chest before throwing his entire body toward the ball.

Beep-

“Referee! That’s a foul!”

Youngjae, struck in the chest by the shoulder, fell to the court, and the ball fortunately went out of bounds. However, the Memphis home fans booed the fallen Youngjae, and Tyson Chandler, unable to contain his anger, stepped forward to protest to the referee.

Tony Allen, the instigator, simply shrugged and stepped back, feigning innocence, which only fueled Tyson Chandler’s anger.

“Chandler, calm down!”

“Damn it! How can I calm down? Those bastards have been playing dirty all game! First, the captain goes out, and now the kid is lying on the floor like that!”

Marion tried to restrain Chandler, but Chandler continued to vehemently protest to the referee. However, Youngjae, rising like a zombie, stopped Chandler in his tracks.

“I’m okay.”

“What do you mean, okay? That bastard!”

“I said I’m okay!”

Youngjae shouted, surprising himself, unsure why he was reacting this way.

“Just! It’s my fault! It’s my fault, so! Just drop it!”

Chandler was stunned by Youngjae’s outburst, and Marion couldn’t hide his embarrassment at Youngjae, who had never raised his voice to a teammate, now shouting in frustration.

[Dallas players are getting heated as the game turns rough. It seems Yoon is yelling at Chandler, who was protesting to the referee. Chandler must find it absurd.]

[Hmm, Yoon, usually so calm, is struggling to control his emotions today. Could it be the pressure from his recent slump making him so sensitive?]

[It’s not easy to maintain composure against Tony Allen and the Memphis team. They are one of the league’s toughest and most tenacious defensive teams, along with Boston. When Allen’s defense is combined with his trash talk, even seasoned players can get rattled.]

Tap-

“…”

Clack-

“You son of a bitch…”

Even Youngjae, known for his strong mentality, couldn’t suppress his anger at Tony Allen’s constant, subtle contact and wrist-tapping, hidden from the referee’s view under the guise of attempting a steal. As a result, Youngjae’s focus narrowed without him realizing it, leading to some questionable plays.

‘Yes, this is the situation I’m trying to create.’

Recalling the first quarter when he had shouted at Chandler without thinking, Youngjae took a deep breath and regained his composure.

[Seven minutes into the second quarter, Tony Allen’s confrontation with Youngjae Yoon can be seen as a narrow victory for Tony Allen. Youngjae Yoon, whose strengths are stability, accurate shooting, and constant movement, has only made 2 of 7 field goals and 0 of 2 three-pointers in 15 minutes so far. Above all, Youngjae Yoon’s off-ball movement, one of his greatest strengths, is being thoroughly stifled. Allen’s denial ability is so effective that the ball isn’t getting to Yoon, and Yoon’s passes are being contested.]

Youngjae exchanged the ball with Jason Kidd, switching positions to get Tony Allen in front of him. At that moment, Tyson Chandler set a well-timed screen as planned. Youngjae felt a pang of guilt for Chandler, who was focused solely on the game despite their earlier argument, but the best way to apologize was to make this play work.

Thud!

“Ugh!”

[Tony Allen! He collides with Tyson Chandler’s screen but fights through it! As expected, he’s the best in 2-on-2 defense as well as 1-on-1!]

But Youngjae had anticipated this. He knew Allen would shake off the screen and pursue him immediately. So Youngjae used his body to push Allen harder, driving straight to the low post. Allen, surprised by Youngjae’s sudden, aggressive move, had to retreat a few steps and ended up falling on his rear end.

[Ah! Ankle break?! Was he pushed with too much force?! Tony Allen! A humiliating fall!]

[Youngjae Yoon goes up for the shot!]

But at that moment, Marc Gasol, guarding the rim, rushed in front of Youngjae, who was attempting a jump shot from the low post, and extended his hand. Youngjae attempted a double-clutch to avoid Marc Gasol, who was challenging him with his considerable height.

Beeeep!

The whistle blew. Marc Gasol’s hand had grazed Youngjae’s wrist, disrupting his shot and causing a slight tingling sensation.

Tick-

Watching the layup bounce off the rim and teeter precariously, Youngjae couldn’t help but frown. As he walked to the free-throw line, his wrist, repeatedly struck by Tony Allen, throbbed, and he felt a strange heaviness in his body.

Youngjae, receiving the ball at the free-throw line, glanced back. Tony Allen was glaring at him, making a mocking expression. Youngjae returned an even more menacing glare, as if he were the one who had been wronged, then turned back to the rim.

“Huff-”

[Youngjae Yoon steps to the free-throw line. He’s currently 2 for 2 on free throws, a perfect 100% success rate.]

[Although his recent field goal percentage has been subpar, he’s typically a player with a free-throw percentage exceeding 90% for the season.]

Youngjae habitually spun the ball, lifted it slightly, and repeated the process before shooting.

The ball bounced around the rim, teasing the crowd as if it would drop in, but then veered away and fell weakly to the court.

[The first shot misses! It seems free throws aren’t working for him today either!]

[There’s definitely something affecting his shooting lately. It could be a physical issue or a significant psychological burden, but he needs to overcome it.]

“Yoon. Focus.”

Chandler, a true veteran, brushed off Youngjae’s outburst as if accepting the grumbling of a junior player. He was a demanding leader, but also calm and composed. Seeing Chandler offering his usual solid advice, Youngjae felt a sense of shame and self-pity.

Swish-

Fortunately, the second shot went in. But it was only one point. He only had seven points by the start of the third quarter. Although he had caused Allen to stumble, he had also allowed Allen to make a tremendous block and steal from behind earlier. His performance was far from his usual reliable standard.

‘Don’t be impatient.’

No matter how many times he repeated it, he felt impatient. It went beyond personal records; he felt his performance wasn’t recovering, and the team might lose because of it. That impatience was subtly affecting Youngjae’s mentality.

Clack!

[Ah! Brandon Wright dribbles and attempts a hook shot, but the ball is stolen in an instant!]

[Rudy Gay! He’s playing exceptionally well, alternating between the 3rd and 4th positions, filling in for Zack Randolph, who is absent today!]

Rudy Gay stole the ball and passed it to Mike Conley, who was sprinting down the court, securing the pass.

[Wow! Mike Conley’s explosive fast break! And Youngjae Yoon is chasing him fiercely!]

His body felt light, but the game wasn’t going his way. During defense, Kidd or another guard was guarding Tony Allen, who posed little offensive threat, while Youngjae was exclusively marking Mike Conley. Conley wasn’t a particularly strong offensive guard, but given the matchups, it was more advantageous for Dallas to have Youngjae guard Conley.

‘The plays are the same as usual, but my condition hasn’t fully recovered.’

Because it was a game against such a physical team, he felt his physical limitations were amplified. With Nowitzki out, the pressure increased, and the opponent defended Youngjae even more aggressively.

“Ugh!”

Seeing Youngjae relentlessly pursuing him, Conley felt a moment of disgust, followed by a chilling fear. The look on Youngjae’s face was one of pure rage, unable to suppress the anger that was bubbling up from within.

Mike Conley, passing the top of the key, drove into the high post. Youngjae caught up with Conley the moment he passed the high post. Conley jumped, thinking he had to make a play, and Youngjae, running at tremendous speed, jumped from almost the same spot and reached out his hand.

‘The ball is in my right hand, so a floater, or move it to my left hand and double-clutch…’

Youngjae, reading Conley’s hand and the ball’s movement with intense focus, disrupted Conley’s balance by sticking as close as possible to Conley’s upper body in mid-air as the ball transitioned from Conley’s right hand to his left.

‘Here it comes!!!’

Pow!!!!

The moment he secured the ball in his left hand for a safe layup, Youngjae gritted his teeth and accurately swatted Conley’s ball with his right hand. With a resounding thud, the ball crashed down onto the court like a volleyball spike, and Youngjae almost smiled, finally making a defensive play.