Y13 [EN]: Chapter 58

Y13-58 (58/296)

00058 2010-11 Regular Season ====================================================

The second quarter remained a tight contest. Dallas prioritized managing their starters’ stamina through frequent substitutions, keeping the score close until the mid-second quarter by using a mix of reserves and starters against Chicago. Chicago, however, displayed Coach Thibodeau’s signature reliance on his starters. With Joakim Noah limited in minutes, Omer Asik entered as center, and Kyle Korver, a 3-point specialist who had joined Chicago that season, replaced the offensively challenged Keith Bogans, significantly enhancing Chicago’s outside shooting. Briefly, C.J. Watson also relieved Rose at point guard, challenging Barea in an attempt to widen the lead.

[C.J. Watson passes to Kyle Korver on the right wing!]

Korver is a player whose mere presence is a strategic asset, possessing elite three-point shooting skills for a sixth man. In the 2009-10 season, he achieved an astounding 53.6% 3-point percentage (the highest in a single season in NBA history). However, Coach Thibodeau didn’t implement many specific plays for Korver, and Korver’s defense was, to put it mildly, a liability.

[Luol Deng sets a screen for Korver! Korver uses the screen to circle back to the top of the key!]

[Ah! Terry is blocked by Luol Deng!]

[Kyle Korver for three!!]

Korver’s exceptional three-point success in the 2009-10 season was largely due to the Deron Williams-Carlos Boozer pick-and-roll and Coach Jerry Sloan’s sophisticated offensive schemes. Kyle Korver’s distinctive shooting form, with his feet slightly spread and a pronounced wrist snap, allowed for a quicker release and faster shot speed, making it difficult for defenders to contest.

[BANG! KYLE KORVER FOR THREE!!!]

[Incredible! That wasn’t just a spot-up shot; it was a pull-up three-pointer off the dribble!]

[That’s what makes Kyle Korver’s three-point shooting so impressive. Until recently, he was viewed as just an average bench shooter, but his improvement as he approaches 30 is a testament to his late-blooming potential!]

Dallas responded immediately, but without success. Aside from Nowitzki, the Dallas Mavericks players seemed to be struggling with their shooting touch. In particular, Caron Butler and Jason Terry, expected to be the second and third scoring options, were having incredibly frustrating performances, both shooting below 30% from the field.

Shawn Marion briefly contained Taj Gibson, who was guarding him, and Nowitzki re-entered the game. Fortunately, Barea, who could at least drive to the basket, managed to get past screens and either pass to Nowitzki for a shot or finish himself when necessary. Otherwise, the game might have completely unraveled.

[Dirk Nowitzki is single-handedly keeping Dallas in the game! Timeout! Dallas Mavericks!]

[Well, Coach Rick Carlisle needs to strategize carefully during this timeout. If they lose their grip on the game, they could be relegated to garbage time [the final minutes of a game when the outcome is already decided], right?]

[Overall, Jason Terry, Caron Butler, and J.J. Barea are all shooting poorly! If a jump-shooting team can’t make their shots, there’s no solution! Especially Barea, who has zero points!]

That was Carlisle’s concern. He had mentioned it to Youngjae before the game, hoping he would step up as a shooting guard, but in reality, Caron Butler and Jason Terry were Dallas’s primary offensive options. Youngjae was still the fourth option, a rookie with good shooting accuracy but not yet capable of leading the offense.

‘……’

Carlisle decided that the current situation was unsustainable and spoke up.

“Nowitzki, conserve your energy for the rest of the second quarter. Shawn Marion! Get ready to go back in. And Kidd! You’ll replace Butler, and Yoon will replace Barea! On defense, Terry will guard the opposing point guard, Yoon will guard the shooting guard, and Kidd will guard the small forward! Kidd! Initiate pick-and-roll plays to create the illusion of attacking the basket or mid-range, just like before. Then! Yoon and Terry will keep moving on the right and left wings and sides to shake off their defenders! From there, Kidd, your role is crucial. Distribute the passes wisely based on your judgment! Alright! It’s still a 7-point game! We can catch up!”

Coach Carlisle clapped his hands forcefully, encouraging the players. Youngjae took off his jersey with a determined look, trying to shake off his poor shooting performance.

“Yoon! Kidd!”

Coach Carlisle called the two aside and briefly discussed another tactic.

“Kidd will lead, but Yoon, you’ll be responsible for breaking through the screen. This tactic requires Yoon to receive the ball from Kidd and shoot immediately if the outside defense is tight! Keep that in mind! Penetrate with confidence!”

“Understood.”

“Okay.”

The two exchanged a glance and nodded slightly.

[Well! Coach Rick Carlisle is making a bold move. Kidd, Terry, Yoon, Marion, and Chandler are on the court! A small lineup featuring three guards, right?]

[It seems they’re giving Dirk Nowitzki a rest since he can’t play all 48 minutes. Dallas’s situation isn’t good enough to bring in the fourth backup, Cardinal or Novak. Youngjae Yoon is in instead of Caron Butler, who isn’t shooting well. Youngjae Yoon’s stats are much better than Caron Butler’s! Caron Butler is better this season than last year, but his stats are still insufficient for Dallas’s second option.]

That was accurate. Kidd slowly dribbled at the top of the key, surveying the court, while Youngjae on the left and Terry on the right began cutting through the court to lose their defenders, Derrick Rose and Kyle Korver.

[Dallas has transitioned from a fast break to a set offense. Kidd is holding the ball at the top of the key for a moment?]

[If you look closely, Shawn Marion is constantly moving in front of Kidd, right? If necessary, they’ll run a 2-2 pick-and-roll, and if the outside is open, they’ll look for Youngjae Yoon or Jason Terry’s outside shot, right?]

As Webber commentated, Kidd glanced around and made eye contact with Youngjae. Youngjae immediately sprinted towards Kidd, received the ball, and Kyle Korver, caught off guard by Youngjae’s sudden acceleration from the set offense to a fast break, momentarily lost track of Youngjae. Marion set a pick for Youngjae, and Youngjae quickly began to drive towards the basket, utilizing the screen.

[Here he comes! Youngjae Yoon! Penetrating through Marion’s screen!]

[Kyle Korver and Taj Gibson are both held up by Marion! There isn’t a suitable player to stop Youngjae Yoon!]

[Oh! Luol Deng is rushing in with tremendous speed!]

At that moment, Luol Deng of the Chicago Bulls charged towards Youngjae with incredible speed. At the time, Luol Deng was one of the league’s premier small forwards, a cornerstone of Chicago’s defense, covering both the perimeter and the paint.

Youngjae noticed the approaching Luol Deng. Seeing Luol Deng closing in from right to left, Youngjae planted his left foot and spun clockwise, attempting a spin move.

[Youngjae Yoon’s spin move! But Luol Deng is no pushover! Luol Deng is trying to use his size and strength to overwhelm him!]

[Youngjae Yoon! Staggering, but still managing to take another step towards the rim before leaping! Luol Deng contests the shot! But Youngjae Yoon throws up a high-arcing floater!]

Youngjae had limited ability to draw fouls, but his opponent was Luol Deng. Since he couldn’t match Deng’s physicality, he had struggled immensely in his past life. He could penetrate, but he would be easily knocked off balance with the slightest contact. Developing the ability to draw fouls was pointless for Youngjae.

“Ugh!”

Therefore, Youngjae had no choice but to confront Luol Deng directly. He aimed to draw a foul by ensuring his hand made contact with Luol Deng’s outstretched hand. He hoped the shot would fall, but if not, he could only hope the referee would see the contact and call a foul.

Beee-!

[Luol Deng and Youngjae Yoon battling in the air! Youngjae Yoon, unable to withstand the force, is knocked to the ground while shooting!]

Thump!

Despite his pain, Youngjae looked up to see the fate of his shot. The high-arcing floater hung in the air, but Luol Deng swatted it away like a fly! The ball crashed to the floor and bounced out of bounds.

[It was a foul, but if it weren’t for Youngjae Yoon’s clever play, it would have been a clean block! He deliberately moved his body closer and released the ball as close as possible to Luol Deng’s hand to ensure contact!]

In any case, he had successfully drawn the foul. Youngjae calmly sank both free throws and returned to the defensive end. What followed was a fierce, back-and-forth struggle, like warriors locked in a desperate battle.

Youngjae’s shooting touch remained inconsistent. However, as Coach Carlisle had instructed, Youngjae shot without hesitation whenever he found himself open.

[Ah! Youngjae Yoon! Again, the shot rims out!]

After missing two consecutive open three-pointers, Youngjae repeatedly clenched and unclenched his right hand, hoping to regain his touch, but with his stamina dwindling as he defended Rose, it was almost impossible for his shooting accuracy to improve. Moreover, the plays where he created openings through penetration and passed to Nowitzki or finished at the basket were draining his stamina much faster than in previous games.

[Luol Deng with the block!!! He tips Youngjae Yoon’s double-clutch layup with his fingertips! Youngjae Yoon, on the floor, looks at the referee and raises his hand!]

[Ah, no foul is called. An unlucky play for Youngjae Yoon. He seems to be creating good drives today, but he’s not finishing them!]

[Derrick Rose with an amazing play! Joakim Noah sets another screen! Youngjae Yoon gets caught on the screen!]

[He’s tired, exhausted. Still, Youngjae Yoon tenaciously fights around the screen and stays with Derrick Rose!]

The vicious cycle continued on defense. Because he wasn’t recovering the stamina he expended on offense, Youngjae’s energy, as a rookie playing around 20 minutes a game, couldn’t keep pace with Rose, who had barely sat on the bench.

[Derrick Rose drives! Backstep and then another drive!]

[He’s shaking him back and forth! Youngjae seems to be anticipating Derrick Rose’s moves to some extent, but his body isn’t responding!]

[Derrick Rose just breezes past Youngjae Yoon and lays it in!]

Beee-!!

In the end, all Youngjae could do was commit a late foul.

“Hah, hah…”

He had never experienced such a grueling game. It was as if he was cursed. His shots wouldn’t fall, he was getting blocked, and he couldn’t defend his opponent effectively. Of course, he was just a rookie, and it was unreasonable to expect him to defend Derrick Rose, who was in his third year and would win MVP [Most Valuable Player award] that season, but the gap was so vast that his burning competitive spirit seemed to be fading. Even though Coach Carlisle was managing his playing time and rotating him in and out of the game, he was more exhausted than Rose, who had barely left the court, making him acutely aware of his limitations.

“Good job! Just a little more!”

However, Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler were shining examples amidst the struggle. Tyson Chandler led the tiring team, shouting, clapping, and reacting to every play, providing encouragement. And Dirk Nowitzki, who said little but silently carried his weight, shouldered the burden of the struggling players and took responsibility for the offense.

Watching these two players, Youngjae realized it was too early to give up. Before he knew it, the game had entered the fourth quarter, and Youngjae, with his heavy limbs, rose from the bench and shed his sweat-soaked jersey.

‘Less than half of my 2-pointers went in, and I missed all four 3-pointers. But I can’t hesitate to shoot when I’m open. My role is to provide spacing through outside shots.’

Spacing. That single word weighed heavily on Youngjae’s mind, and he began to understand his responsibility.

============================ Author’s Notes ============================

★Thank you to those who gave 선작 [pre-selection], recommendations, comments, and coupons!!

※53.6% for 3-point shooting is the highest single-season 3-point shooting percentage of all time. Usually, 40% for 3-point shooting is considered top-tier. 53.6% is a figure that even guards struggle to achieve for 2-point shooting percentage.

※Free Throw Get: Literally, the ability to get free throws. It’s a method of intentionally inducing fouls. If a player is good at free throws, it can be seen as the most efficient scoring method. James Harden is a representative example. He’s a player who prefers to induce free throws rather than making shots after penetration. That’s why his field goal percentage near the basket isn’t very high.

＠1st option and 2nd option refer to the difference in offensive weight. You can understand it as the concept of 1st starter and 2nd starter in baseball.

＠Spacing means using the space widely. Just like in soccer, where you do spacing through horizontal passes or long-range shots, in basketball, you need to shoot outside shots appropriately to use the space widely. If you shoot few outside shots or they don’t go in, the opponent will thoroughly lock down the basket. In soccer terms, it’s like playing with 10 defenders. Then it becomes very difficult to score.

zigichacha님/// Congratulations on the first comment!! Noah is so unfortunate ㅠ.ㅠ He was sluggish even in the regular season…

파이넨시아님, 유민팜님, 찬란한유산님, 쿤다라님/// Thank you for the comments!!

소심찌질열등남님/// Awakening… is ㅠ.ㅠ He has to keep rolling ㄷㄷ

pen36님/// There are many cases where a player who fails in the first half explodes in the second half. But this game wasn’t one of them

천상별리님/// Rose’s season is too strong haha

권우현™님/// 엌ㅋㅋ I’m writing hard every day ㅠ.ㅠ

라피르and진트님/// I’m rolling him hard haha

misscherry님/// If only I wasn’t in the hell of assignments and exams…

anwkdk님/// That’s right. His speed is top-tier, and his strength is above average

야베스님/// That’s only possible for Jordan ㄷㄷ

욘바인첼님/// ㅎㅎ Thank you~

-DarkANGEL-님/// Last year, the first round was so fun, but this season, the conference finals are exciting