Y13 [EN]: Chapter 75

Y13-75 (75/296)

00075 2010-11 Regular Season =========================================================================

The Boston Celtics, momentarily stunned by the unexpected blow, quickly regrouped under Coach Doc Rivers’ guidance.

“That’s just one time! One time! Tighten up the defense!”

Doc Rivers’ slightly raspy voice boomed, snapping the Celtics back into focus. Youngjae’s unexpected flair was noted, but the game was far from over. If they lost a bit of momentum, they’d just take it back, bit by bit.

“Stay calm!”

Rondo, dribbling the ball slowly across the half-court line, urged his teammates to stay composed. Boston’s style, a stark contrast to Dallas’ fast-paced game, relied on a slow, half-court offense and a suffocating defense to wear down opponents. The Mavericks, briefed by Coach Carlisle, avoided double-teaming or forcing risky plays.

‘Stick to your man! Allen, Pierce, and Garnett, Boston’s primary scorers, can shoot from anywhere on the court. But they’re all past their mid-30s. Tire them out by staying glued to them!’

Following Dwayne Casey’s instructions, Youngjae guarded Rondo, while Kidd, due to Allen’s reduced speed, covered Ray Allen. With Rondo’s limited offensive options, Garnett and Pierce set screens to create opportunities. Rondo, with his exceptional passing sense, could turn even the smallest gap into an assist.

[Garnett sets another screen! Rajon Rondo drives in!]

[Youngjae Yoon is on Rondo again?! But Dirk Nowitzki can’t stop Kevin Garnett! Garnett spins past Nowitzki and receives a bounce pass!]

Youngjae, a former point guard himself, could anticipate Rondo’s intentions, but that didn’t guarantee a stop. Rondo’s risky no-look passes [passing while looking in the wrong direction] and behind-the-back passes [passing the ball behind the back after catching it] were nearly impossible to predict, even for Youngjae’s quick reflexes.

[Kevin Garnett! Nowitzki trails, but the shot is already up!]

[He’s got it! Kevin Garnett! An incredibly accurate mid-range shot for a big man!]

[Youngjae Yoon is impressive as well! While not overwhelmingly dominant defensively, his excellent anticipation and judgment constantly disrupt Rondo! Just now, despite Rondo’s signature no-look pass, he read it perfectly and reached out! If Rondo had hesitated, it could have been a steal. Rajon Rondo accounts for half of Boston’s assists. Stopping Rondo means stopping half of Boston’s offense!]

The clash of two teams with contrasting styles made for a captivating game of shifting tempos. The Boston Celtics employed an extreme defensive strategy, prioritizing backcourt stability over offensive rebounds [a rebound when your team is shooting] to prevent fast breaks, and executing deliberate, slow-paced attacks from the half-court line.

In contrast, the Dallas Mavericks relied on their signature fast transitions [fast offense-defense transition]. After a successful defensive play and rebound, they immediately sprinted towards the opponent’s basket for a fast break. Youngjae and Terry, weaving through screens, created diverse opportunities, showcasing the team’s balanced attack.

The score remained tight. Youngjae glanced at the clock and score. About 3 minutes and 50 seconds left in the first quarter. Players waiting on the sidelines were watching the game intently, ready to replace tired teammates.

[The score is 24 to 23. Just a one-point difference. It’s a tight seesaw battle, and one mistake could shift the momentum.]

[Absolutely! In these situations, it’s crucial to stick to your team’s style, make it difficult for the opponent to shoot, and stay calm on offense to avoid mistakes!]

Kidd, after crossing the half-court line and ensuring everyone was in position, signaled the offensive setup. Over-relying on fast breaks could make it easier for the opponent to defend, and rushing could lead to careless errors. He wisely slowed down the tempo.

“Hoo.”

Frequent fast breaks could be physically taxing for Dallas, especially with their older roster, even though the Celtics were even older. Aware of this, Youngjae moved constantly between the paint, the three-point line, and from left to right. If Rondo, stuck to him, got caught on a Tyson Chandler screen or tangled up with teammates in the paint, that was a bonus. But even if that didn’t happen, Youngjae kept running. Creating space through off-ball movement was his primary responsibility, unless it was time to drive.

[Youngjae Yoon keeps running! He’s showing the most activity for Dallas. It’s not easy to disrupt the defense and keep running like that! He’s probably determined to give it his all during his playing time!]

[Is Youngjae Yoon’s constant movement creating gaps in the Celtics’ defense?!]

Even the best team defense would struggle against a player constantly moving and disrupting both inside and out. A slow, clumsy, or low-IQ player making pointless movements would be manageable, but Youngjae’s intelligent plays and precise shooting were already Dallas’ pride. Few players were as dangerous without the ball in their hands.

“Ugh!”

Finally, as Youngjae sprinted from right to left along the baseline, Rondo, glued to him, was momentarily stopped by Tyson Chandler’s clever screen.

Swish-

As Youngjae anticipated, Kidd delivered a perfect pass to his right hand.

[Incredible pass! Jason Kidd! And Youngjae Yoon, shooting right away!]

Swish-

[YES!! Youngjae Yoon, a clean jump shot!]

[According to the stats, Youngjae Yoon only has 5 points, 2 assists, and 1 rebound in 8 minutes! But Youngjae Yoon’s impact goes beyond the numbers!]

[Moreover, the Boston Celtics are playing a back-to-back game. Dallas is on the road, but they had a day off. Considering the age of Boston’s Big Three, Boston is likely to be more physically strained than Dallas.]

Sweating profusely, Youngjae high-fived Kidd, who had delivered the perfect pass, and returned to the bench. Carlisle patted him on the back, praising his effort. Youngjae grabbed a blue towel from the bench, wiping the sweat from his face, neck, and chest, and shaking the sweat from his hair.

“Whew.”

“You were running like you were about to die?”

Jason Kidd, also subbed out, smiled, impressed by Youngjae’s effort. Youngjae, drinking water, struggled to swallow properly, pausing to catch his breath.

“I have to do at least this much.”

Youngjae replied briefly, wiping the sweat from his face again. Kidd couldn’t help but feel proud. Dallas’ roster, mostly veterans, was often criticized for lacking energy. In fact, they often lost leads due to fatigue in the late stages of games, a problem Dallas had to solve every year. This was largely due to their policy of acquiring veterans through trades.

Youngjae was largely responsible for solving this energy problem. Although he hadn’t completely overcome the physical limitations of a rookie, he had steadily improved. Starting with 10-minute stints, he gradually increased to 20 minutes by mid-season. When Nowitzki was injured, he even played nearly 30 minutes. After Nowitzki’s return, he consistently played around 25 minutes, maintaining his performance. Usually, increased playing time during the season leads to a decline in performance. However, Youngjae’s dedication, arriving early to practice and working hard while enjoying the game, inspired even the veteran players to rediscover their passion.

“Going to get up and cheer again?”

“I’ll rest a bit first. It’s not like I’m playing 35 minutes. But it’s definitely tough today.”

Everyone was tired. Every game, the players felt mentally and physically exhausted. Youngjae, in particular, was responsible for stopping the opposing team’s ace guards’ drives, being a key offensive option, and constantly running to create space. But since his playing time wasn’t excessive, he would often get up and cheer when he had the energy. Tyson Chandler, even when fatigued, would stand and clap, encouraging his teammates.

“Ugh-”

“Don’t overdo it.”

“Hey, want to get hit with basketballs like Chandler before the Clippers game?”

“…Kidd’s still got it! Still energetic, huh?”

Youngjae, who had witnessed Kidd’s relentless basketball barrage on Chandler, quickly changed his tune and joined Kidd on the bench.

“Run harder! You’re dragging your feet!”

“Rest on the bench! Keep running on the court!”

The two cheered and applauded good plays, and encouraged the players when they looked tired.

As the second quarter began, the introduction of bench players turned the Celtics-Mavericks game into a fierce battle. Barea and Terry relentlessly harassed the Celtics’ perimeter with their shooting touch, while Shawn Marion and Brian Cardinal focused on defense, disrupting the Celtics’ offense. However, Brendan Haywood, replacing Chandler, showed a lack of energy, failing to contain Glen Davis’ physicality and recording a dismal 0 points, 0 rebounds, 2 fouls, and 2 turnovers in 5 minutes before being subbed out.

Conversely, Mahinmi, who was subbed in later, impressed Carlisle with his quickness, height, and ability to deflect Glen Davis’ strength, secure defensive rebounds, and make threatening moves in fast break situations.

The Celtics seemed determined to keep Rondo and Pierce in the game, not substituting them. They focused on exploiting the Rondo-to-Pierce connection, making it difficult for Barea to stop Rondo’s passes and playmaking. Marion used his superior physicality to defend Pierce, but Pierce was too elusive and slippery to be contained.

[Rajon Rondo, once again drives past Barea and heads to the rim!]

[Shawn Marion is forced to help, leaving Pierce open!]

[It’s a dilemma. Jason Terry eventually leaves Marquis Daniels, who’s lurking on the perimeter, and sticks to Pierce! Rondo delivers a fantastic back pass to Pierce! Terry tries to defend, but it’s already a mismatch [An offensive formation to facilitate a smoother attack]!]

Swish-

[Ah! Pierce pushes Terry away with a post-up and hits a turnaround fadeaway! Terry can’t stop it!]

[A clean shot through the rim! The Celtics regain the lead!]

[Coach Carlisle has a lot to think about! Brendan Haywood isn’t just failing to gain an advantage over Glen Davis, he’s getting dominated inside. And Barea is struggling to contain Rondo. Taking Kidd and Yoon off the court at the same time doesn’t seem like a good decision.]

[Rick Carlisle calls a timeout! 7 minutes and 30 seconds left in the second quarter, the score is 42 to 36, a 6-point lead! They quickly lost the lead from the beginning of the first quarter. They need to regain momentum!]

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

★Thanks to those who gave advance reservations, recommendations, comments, and coupons!!

※Offensive rebound: A rebound when your team is shooting. The number of offensive rebounds is less than defensive rebounds, and the probability of success is also low.

＠The Warriors have taken a 3-0 lead behind Curry’s MVP mode. Considering that there has never been a reverse sweep after being down 0-3 in the Conference Finals, it is no exaggeration to say that the Warriors are 90% of the way to the Finals. A Warriors vs. Cavs Finals is expected. The Cavs have many injured players, but they are a team capable of one-man shows, while the Hawks are a system team, so the void seems larger. The Cavs will struggle if Irving doesn’t regain his form. The Warriors have three players who can guard LeBron: Barnes, Green, and Iguodala.

＠I will also upload explanations of frequently used terms in the work settings for each episode. Most of the terms used so far are in the overall work settings. I will actively consider any other suggestions you send me via 쪽지.

Naye님, 도피칸님/// It can’t be helped. It had to be that way for balance. National team games will hardly be depicted.

소심찌질열등남님/// Um, it won’t be a big part.

-DarkANGEL-님, 아르잔님, 천상별리님/// Thanks for the comments!!

가연을이님, 킹덤브라더스님, Kai-Guelda님, misscherry님, 달의물방울º天님, 우유동자님, 권우현™님/// Thank you for your support!!

리얼이좋아님/// The opposite is also true. Moreover, I have never seen a novel with a clean development after naturalization, so I only vaguely planned it for the third time, and I was going to try it if it was often shown in the comments and most people supported it.

크레연님/// I think the same way. There will be no detailed depiction of national team games.

anwkdk님/// Yep. After all, the third one requires a complicated episode.

라피르and진트님/// Rondo… It would be a 라마 오덤-level disastrous trade for Dallas. They gave up draft picks, and because they didn’t part ways well, it became impossible to sign players belonging to Rondo’s agent, Bill Duffy. Rondo is almost a forbidden word in the Dallas fan forum.

huhcafe님/// Yes. The second one is more natural and less difficult to write. The episodes are also more diverse.

파이넨시아님, 쿤다라님/// Thank you for your comments as always!!

오멘님/// There will be no need to worry.