Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters-Chapter 462 - : 316

Chapter 462: 316

Riley was dissatisfied with Shaquille O’Neal, because this superstar, who had achieved a three-peat in Los Angeles, had never been a hard-working professional player. Moreover, he was completely out of sync with the professional mission of the Miami Heat—the team known throughout the League as the hardest training, with the best physical condition, the most ethical, the most selfless, the toughest, the dirtiest, and the least likable.

Although Shaq had responded to Riley’s desire for him to lose weight in February, deep down, he had always rejected Riley’s philosophy. He didn’t see basketball as a war or a symbol of manhood. To him, it was just a game.

Shaq enjoyed dressing up as his favorite movie character, Scarface, at parties, and he had even played roles in movies and served as a deputy marshal in the United States. His life was like “Back to the Past,” childlike adulthood filled with fun.

Riley couldn’t change this; he was used to the style of Ewing and Alonzo Mourning, who confronted the world with “black anger,” but he also couldn’t force Shaq to adopt his own philosophy.

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But at least there was one thing that was comforting for the Miami Heat: the relationship between Shaq and Wade would never develop like that of Shaq’s former teammates.

Before the playoffs began, Shaq gave an interview to Sports Illustrated where he talked about the difference in playing with Wade: “When I played with other players, it was all about me. Young Shaq had to control everything. Center Shaq and young Kobe: But old Shaq? I’m not going to stop him. Just like in ‘The Godfather,’ Anfernee Hardaway was like Fredo, Kobe was like Sonny, and Dwyane wanted to be a real man. He’s like Michael, so now it’s time to say, I’ve decided to let you do what you have to do, I must do this because I’ve slowed down.”

Nice words are easy to say, but how exactly do you do it?

Riley, looking at the score, already had an idea in mind as he watched a slowing Shaq walk off the court.

“Shaq, we need to adjust our current play style and tactics,” Riley said.

Shaq nodded in confusion. Adjust tactics? Had Riley ever cared about his opinion when considering such things? This was really strange.

He didn’t know what secret plan was hidden, he just looked at Riley.

“Compared to the past, you need to be more dedicated,” Riley said.

“Of course,” Shaq said. “I’m like Rudy (the protagonist of ‘Rudy’). I can sacrifice everything.”

But Riley said, “That’s not enough.”

Shaq was growing increasingly perplexed.

“Rudy sacrificed everything for four years just to play in the games. I haven’t seen you do something like that,” Riley said. “To win the game, are you really willing to be like Rudy?”

At that moment, if you could use Deepfake Technology to replace Riley’s face with Yu Fei’s, Shaq would understand why he felt so uncomfortable.

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

Shaq asked directly.

“The Bucks know you too well,” Riley said. “They will stop you with fouls, then attack you with screens, and you know it always works. If we want to defeat the Bucks, if you want to have a real victory in front of Frye, you must do things you normally wouldn’t.”

It was as if Sadako suddenly crawled out of Shaq’s television.

He knew what Riley wanted to say, he knew what Riley found difficult to articulate.

Yu Fei had always been saying that he was Wade’s dog, and now Riley actually wanted to make that a reality?

What a joke? He could take a step back and let Wade take the responsibility of leading the team, but to toil and provide service like Yu Fei’s dogs for Wade? Impossible! Unthinkable!

An enraged Shaq told Riley, “I’ve never done such things before, and I won’t start now. If you think I can do that, then I have to say, you’ve got the wrong man, Pat!”

It was unrealistic to expect Shaq to accept such an arrangement before the team faced a dire situation.

Shaq wasn’t Ewing or Mourning; he had been successful, so he couldn’t be incited by Riley in the same way they could.

The only thing that might drive him to change was his hatred for Yu Fei.

Like the second lead female in a cheesy TV drama, driven by unrequited love for the male lead or jealousy of the female lead, once the haughty second lead turns villainous, she degrades herself in unimaginable ways.

Riley couldn’t use his authority to force a change in Shaq; that would be counterproductive.

So, all he could do was wait.

That might mean a crushing defeat tonight, or even two consecutive losses.

If necessary, he might even cooperate with the Bucks to let Fei do what he wanted, reminding Shaq of past humiliations.

The timeout ended, and the only change for the Heat was Gary Payton replacing Jason Williams.

It appeared to be a sensible switch, substituting a defensively strong veteran for White Chocolate who was lacking defensively, better suited to stopping the Bucks’ momentum.

The changes for the Bucks were significant.

They first swapped Kwame Brown for Udonis Haslem, and then Pachulia for Mutombo, who had become a thorn in Shaq’s side in the 2001 NBA Finals.

The defiant Shaq, having refused Riley’s request, seemed to play with a more blatant desire to perform than before.

Seeing Mutombo only fueled his drive.

To get the ball, receive it, and then be aggressively fouled by the timely double-team of Haslem.

Shaq glared hard at Haslem, “You bunch of scoundrels!”

No matter how many times, Fei was never used to seeing Haslem in a Bucks uniform playing against the Miami Heat.

Hearing Shaq’s outbursts about the tactical fouls, Fei’s heart filled with a satisfying “yes.”

Exactly!

Why else would the team stockpile these big men if not to send the Big Fatty dozens of fouls when needed?

Furthermore, since the Bucks hadn’t reached the foul limit yet, Haslem fouled Shaq before he could shoot, so there were no free throws.

Subsequently, the Miami Heat faced a global problem—throwing in the ball from the sideline.

Payton’s inbound pass, although not exactly thoughtful, was at least equivalent to giving away possession. He could have safely tossed the ball to Wade, but when he saw Shaq calling for the ball in the low post, he thought, “Anyway, Dwyane’s going to pass to Shaq, so why not just cut to the chase?”

Indeed, his move cleared the channel, straight to the stomach.

With a very palatable technique, Payton served the ball right to Kevin Martin.

What followed was the Bucks’ defensive counter-attack.

Major incidents often occur when inbounding the ball from the sideline because once a mistake is made, the opponent, as the counter-attacker, is always in a preferable position.

After a steal, they can counter-attack on the spot, and it’s tough for the error-making side to prevent this.

Situations like this can completely change the outcome of a game when they occur at critical moments.

The Heat’s mistake was no different; Martin snatched the pass and whipped it to Fei.

Even with Wade retreating at full speed, Fei, in the leading position, only needs to lean against his opponent to high lift and shoot, scooping an easy two points.

“It seems like your big fat dog has a bit too much self-awareness,” Fei said enthusiastically. “Let me help you discipline him properly.”

Wade wouldn’t be surprised to hear any kind of insult coming from Fei’s mouth.

Due to Shaq’s crazy insistence on getting the ball, the Heat’s offensive tactics were completely restricted; apart from dumping it low, there was no second option.

Wade didn’t understand why Riley didn’t stop this situation.

Could Riley not see a problem so evident even to him?

However, as a third-year player who hadn’t fully established his leadership status, Wade still didn’t have the guts to challenge Riley’s authority.

You deal with things based on your status. Everyone has to follow the rules. Someone like Big Fei who caused a ruckus with Big Dan right from the start is one in a million.

Even a rebel like Kobe’s grudge with Shaq took 8 years to fully intensify.

Without comparison, there’s no harm done, and by contrast, Big Fei was just too abnormal.

For several consecutive minutes, whenever the Heat played a set piece, Payton would wait for Shaq to call for the ball in the low post.

Even if Wade wanted to make a play himself, Payton ignored him.

It was as if Payton had received some sort of instruction from Riley—they had to open up the situation through Shaq that night at all costs.

But opening up the game wasn’t so simple, right?

Once the Bucks saw that the Heat only played through Shaq, their defense became a lot easier to execute.

Zone defense, double teams, tactical fouls, they mixed them all up.

Sometimes, even when Shaq didn’t want to play, Payton still directed him to call for the ball in the low post.

However, Shaq, who frequently had the ball, had an extremely low offensive efficiency.

The Bucks hardly gave him any chances to go one-on-one. He was either forced to pass out of double teams, turned the ball over, or was sent to the free-throw line due to tactical fouls.

As the main offensive player, Shaq only brought 9 points to the Heat in five minutes, while the Bucks, relying on defensive counter-attacks and a small number of set pieces, scored 16 points.

Wade was subbed out to rest, not understanding the team’s tactics.

Even if Shaq was the core, did they have to play low post every single time?

Subsequently, Fei was also subbed out.

While being subbed out, Fei muttered to himself, facing away from the Miami team: “Ah, with such a glory-hogging, stupid dog, no wonder Kobe and Anfernee don’t want it.”

The most dramatic part was that the person replacing Fei was none other than the original Kobe-Anfernee, Anfernee Hardaway.

This was Anfernee’s first appearance in the playoffs, and no one would believe it wasn’t intentional by the Bucks.

Fei’s trash talk made this reunion show of old friends devoid of any warmth.

Moreover, influenced by Fei, Anfernee, who originally felt more envy and jealousy than hate for Shaq, now harbored a hatred that far exceeded the sum of his envy and jealousy.

Recently, Shaq likening him to Fredo Corleone intensified Anfernee’s resentment.

What kind of sad clown is Fredo in The Godfather? A weakling, executed for betraying his family—Shaq actually compared him to that character?

Seeing the Heat about to sub Shaq out for a rest, Anfernee was eager to do something to vent his anger on Shaq.

Like Fei, Anfernee called for a 1-5 pick-and-roll, singling out Shaq.

This wasn’t his usual style, but hatred can help a person transcend difficulties.

Anfernee handled the ball smoothly, and anyone who had seen him in his younger days would lament the swift passage of time, even the most agile NBA swingman would face a day when his talent faded.

Anfernee did not show off much skill but simply finished a jump shot in front of Shaq and then said to his face, “Your defense is even worse than Frye described it.”

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