One Year Left to Play-Chapter 222 - 74: It Actually Works

The current lineup of the Brooklyn Nets is also a slow-paced positional playstyle.

Since 1994, which was last season, the three-point line was shortened to 6.7 meters, leading to an increase in overall defensive efficiency in the league last season. However, the effect wasn't that noticeable last season. This season, all teams have realized the impact of the shortened three-point line on the game's pace – it's become easier to defend inside the three-point line.

Therefore, the slow-paced positional play is bound to become mainstream.

The Pistons are aiming to build a championship-winning roster around Grant Hill, so they'll definitely make good use of the rules.

The Brooklyn Nets didn't think much about it; their lineup naturally fits a positional playstyle. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

After Lynch Hunt gets to the frontcourt, he passes the ball to Grant Hill, who initially thought Zhang Hao was defending him. Seeing Jason Williams instead... he decisively accelerates for a strong drive!

The Brooklyn Nets were prepared for this, with PJ Brown moving to the right side of the three-second area. Grant Hill's mid-range shot was chased by Jason Williams, so he chose to drive deeper, attracted PJ Brown for a double-team, and then passed it to Don Reed behind PJ Brown!

Don Reed received the ball, tried to push up, wanting to squeeze past Zhang Hao for a tough shot... couldn't squeeze through! He had a strength advantage but not a big one; the ball was already lifted. During his confrontation with Zhang Hao, Don Reed didn't have good jumping space, and the lifted ball was smacked down by Zhang Hao!

A height of 206 cm, with a wingspan of 216 cm, and excellent static confrontation showcased great defensive effects against the Pistons, who had no strong inside presence!

PJ Brown was pleasantly surprised to grab the defensive rebound. Although he suggested this tactic, he didn't expect Zhang Hao to make an immediate impact.

At this moment, the excited Zhang Hao, after the block, had already burst out!

Grant Hill reacted quickly. Upon seeing Don Reed's block by Zhang Hao, he immediately started retreating on defense, sprinting out of the three-point line even earlier than Zhang Hao and indeed saw Zhang Hao rapidly speeding downcourt.

Grant Hill was relieved he remembered assistant coach Scott Collins' words to always beware of Zhang Hao's speed. Just then, Zhang Hao's speed suddenly increased! His speed was already extremely fast for his height, and now it got even faster!

When they reached mid-court, Grant Hill was overtaken and then saw Zhang Hao getting faster!

He couldn't keep up!

After receiving the ball from PJ Brown, Chales delivered a long pass, and Zhang Hao caught it as he charged into the opponent's three-point line, dribbled a step inside, grabbed the ball again, took three big steps, jumped, and double-hand dunked!

17 to 17, with Zhang Hao scoring 4 consecutive points, the Brooklyn Nets tied the game after the timeout!

As the dunk went in, Zhang Hao's subtitle prompt appeared again!

Medal: Dunk Master (Bronze) triggered, boosting the entire team's morale for the next three rounds!

This dunk was such a morale booster, mainly because Zhang Hao's solo fast break was too fierce. Even the speedy Grant Hill gave up chasing after Zhang Hao past the three-point line.

After the block, Zhang Hao was the first to reach the opponent's three-point line on a fast break!

Even teammates who had seen Zhang Hao's counterattacks several times were astonished, let alone the opponents. The Pistons' players, who noticed Zhang Hao's fast-break speed, found it ridiculously fast.

The on-site fans were stunned, most of them staring from where they sat, feeling like Zhang Hao had just blocked the shot and then appeared on the other half of the court, dunking even before they could muster a single boo!

Amid the fans' delayed jeers, Zhang Hao returned to the backcourt to high-five Chales in celebration, then went back to the vicinity of the three-second area, ready to defend.

The previous play had a lot of luck involved. The opponents' Lynch Hunt tried to steal the ball from PJ Brown, and Alan Houston's defensive recovery was a beat late. Otherwise, it might not have been so easy for him to complete a solo fast break, and he might not have triggered the second acceleration of the "Single Rider."

Collecting his thoughts after the shocking counterattack by Zhang Hao, Grant Hill picked up the ball and passed it to the returning Lynch Hunt, and the Pistons began their offense.

After Lynch Hunt advanced to the frontcourt, he passed the ball back to Grant Hill, who played similarly to the last possession, except this time he gestured towards Don Reed before the breakthrough.

While Grant Hill was breaking through, Don Reed pulled out to set a screen for Alan Houston. Alan Houston successfully shook off Chales' sticky defense, caught the ball, and hit a mid-range shot.

Don Reed is also a rookie this year, selected last in the second round. His only merits are his sturdy build and obedience.

While Grant Hill was passing to Alan Houston, he was already calling his teammates back for defense. With Ratliff and Edit Soper absent, they didn't really have any offensive capabilities and weren't thinking about pressing defense anymore; retreating was more important.

It was the Brooklyn Nets' turn to attack again, falling back into a positional battle.

Grant Hill dismissed the notion of underestimation that had crept in during the timeout and closely followed Zhang Hao.

On the other side, having confirmed the strategy of organizing offense around Zhang Hao's mid-range shot, the Brooklyn Nets' coordination became much easier. This style of play around mid-to-long-range shooters is inherently simpler.

Chales and Jason Williams performed a pick-and-roll. Chales moved to the top arc's left after the screen, drawing Don Reed away. There were two options: pass to the cutting Jason Williams or pass to Zhang Hao.

This time, Terry Mills timely contracted towards the basket, blocking Jason Williams' path to attack the rim. Chales had two options again: pass to PJ Brown on the left baseline for a mid-range shot or choose the other, passing to Zhang Hao, who ran out from under the basket to the right 45-degree angle!

Zhang Hao received the ball with his back to the basket, naturally stepping forward with his left foot, turning as he moved, and as his right foot landed, he pushed off with both feet simultaneously. He jumped towards the basket and, through inertia, glided out to the perimeter… taking a mid-range shot just inside the three-point line at a 45-degree angle!

Grant Hill closely followed. If Zhang Hao had caught the ball and turned for a shot, there wouldn't be enough room to perform any moves, forcing a tough shot. But this turnaround created a great opportunity to execute a shooting motion.

The touch was good, the pre-game warm-up fully played its part, and he nailed a long two just inside the three-point line!

This shot was crucial to his teammates' coordination. After the pick-and-roll, Jason Williams cutting through the middle and Chales moving to the top arc's left drew away the surrounding defenders. Edwards, one of the league's few players with an average of at least one three-pointer per game with a forty percent accuracy in the corner, provided enough distraction to give Zhang Hao excellent space to make a move.

Moreover, Grant Hill never expected Zhang Hao to shoot like this.

Receiving the ball, turnaround fadeaway—it looks easy but is actually very difficult, requiring immense core strength.

Coincidentally, within this lineup, Zhang Hao could do this move smoothly in the game.

Almon Gilliam and Kenny Anderson were substituted for rest; Grant Hill thought he could lead the team to widen the score gap. In the last defensive play, if things had gone as expected, the Brooklyn Nets would have given the ball to PJ Brown for a jump shot, and for the Nets, scoring would have been as uncertain as playing for luck.

He initially thought Scott Collins instructing him to tightly mark Zhang Hao was overestimating him or, rather, overestimating his former student. But after these few plays, he realized it was not an overestimation at all but rather an underestimation!

18 years old! How did he even practice to this level?

It was the Pistons' turn to attack again. Their last offensive play was successful, so naturally, a successful offensive strategy must continue to exploit more defensive holes.

This time the Brooklyn Nets defended well. When Alan Houston received the ball off of Don Reed's off-ball screen, PJ Brown timely blocked the mid-range. A sophomore almost made it to the All-Defensive team with his help defense showcased perfectly.

Alan Houston's mid-range shot was blocked, forcing him to drive with the ball. When he saw the slight Zhang Hao stepping up to defend, he chose to barrel right into him!

Alan Houston weighed 93 kg, Zhang Hao 96 kg. Their physical comparison justified it.

Alan Houston thought Zhang Hao blocked Don Reed using height and wingspan advantage. Only upon collision did he realize Zhang Hao's confrontation was so strong! Jumping up, Alan Houston tried to shoot in the face-to-face with Zhang Hao, but his shooting motion was distorted! Swatted out of bounds by a slap from Zhang Hao!