One Year Left to Play-Chapter 293 - 100: This Night Is Especially Wild

Although the Zen Master called a timeout, his calm expression effectively soothed some of the Bulls' impatient players.

Moreover, Jordan stood up and took off his training clothes at that moment.

The world's greatest basketball player took to the court!

Zen Master's composure + Jordan's strength = Absolute confidence for the Bulls players!

On the other hand, the Brooklyn Nets had the potential to gain momentum, but Zen Master timed the pause perfectly, subbing Jordan in, and without the game proceeding, just a simple timeout suppressed the Nets' momentum.

It was indeed suppressed, because upon seeing Jordan on the court, the soaring morale of the Nets was significantly countered by the immense pressure Jordan brought.

Zhang Hao distinctly perceived this; he saw Jason Williams glaring intently at the idol's arrogant face, saw Almon Gilliam biting his teeth while looking at the opponent to muster courage, and saw Kenny Anderson taking a deep breath...

But at least, their fighting spirit was not crushed by the pressure; partly due to the preseason matchup, and partly due to the morale boost from chasing scores, leveling up, and clinging tightly to the score.

The Bulls are not easy to deal with, Zhang Hao understands this very well, so he wasn't surprised by the current situation.

Keep going, there's no other choice. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Only reaching 6 minutes and 11 seconds in the second quarter, both teams scored 49 points, which truly isn't because the Bulls performed poorly but the Nets' offense was exceptionally good tonight.

Zhang Hao scored 19 points in just over 13 minutes, already matching his highest personal half-time score.

Randy Whitman hesitated a long time when deciding the rotations, and as the official timeout was about to expire, Randy Whitman finally made the decision.

"Kenny, Chris, Aix, Almon, Jason, you're up!"

...

The official timeout ended, and the Bulls sent in their starting lineup again: Ron Harper, Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Langley stepped onto the court.

On the Brooklyn Nets' side, the backcourt featured dual guards Kenny Anderson and Chales, while the frontcourt had Zhang Hao, Almon Gilliam, and Jason Williams.

This lineup almost meant fully abandoning defense!

However, the rotations Randy Whitman painstakingly pondered over were correct! The Bulls no longer played team cooperation as they did in the first quarter but switched to a triangle offense mode, Jordan with low-post isolation + Pippen in the high catch position + the third point for eating the pie!

When the triangle offense is executed, it appears very simple because this strategy mainly showcases the simplest - showcasing the power of a superstar in the most direct and powerful manner.

Without two synchronized superstars, Zen Master might not achieve success, but perhaps no one is better than Zen Master at fully exploiting the strength of superstars.

The Brooklyn Nets defensively couldn't hold up, even with PJ Brown deployed, they couldn't hold the line at all. No way out; with Pippen serving in the top arc area and Jordan at low-post isolation, the Bulls in the king bomb mode delivered offensive power that was beyond the Nets' defense.

Offense was far more crucial, and at this moment, Randy Whitman's rotations proved effective. Although defensively lacking, they maintained offensive continuity!

Kenny Anderson, Chales, Zhang Hao, the trio would throw as long as they saw an opportunity, with Jason Williams and Almon Gilliam providing the insurance with their aggressive pursuits!

The two fought fiercely for rebounds, offering robust support for their three teammates on the outside.

As the half was nearing its end, the Bulls still couldn't establish a clear leading advantage. Even Jordan felt a bit irritated inside. Receiving the ball amidst Zhang Hao's double-team, Jordan decided not to fake movements, as if his jersey number increased by one. Creating challenges without difficulty, he spun for a strong shot!

This attempt made Jordan lose his cool, allowing Zhang Hao, who typically finds it challenging to utilize his height and wingspan against Jordan, to showcase his advantage! Jordan's shot went cold!

Jason Williams, in pursuit of the rebound, faced Rodman's close-up defense, yet he didn't shy away this time, rather he tilted his face closer, startling Rodman who immediately avoided eye contact.

This small difference allowed Jason Williams, who already occupied the rebound spot slightly ahead for defensive rebounding, to hold the ball securely!

Rodman played shamelessly, but Jason Williams matched his shamelessness, perhaps even exceeding him! Sticking out his backside, he protected the ball from Rodman, abandoning fast-break opportunities; he refused to give Rodman any chance for a steal.

The other Bulls quickly retreated for defense, and they still led by 60 to 58 against the Nets. They didn't pressure the defense as there were only 20 seconds left in the half; returning to positional play for defense suffices.

Missing a shot can make some impulsive and less calm, but for others, it serves as a cue for calming down.

Kenny Anderson received the ball and quickly pushed it to the frontcourt, with the Nets players advancing swiftly this time.

Opting not to go solo, Kenny Anderson signaled Zhang Hao to take the ball.

The last offensive play of the half was handed to the most dependable player.

Despite Zhang Hao having scored no points since the latter half of the second quarter, his role was significant, being a deterrent!

When isolation was needed tonight, no one on the Nets was more reliable than Zhang Hao, who scored 19 points on 11-for-7 shooting including 1-for-1 on three-pointers and 4-for-5 on free throws.