James Harden dribbled the ball up to the frontcourt.
When Harden discovered that the defender in front of him wasn't the young man he'd imagined, but his old teammate Beverley, a visible look of regret appeared in his eyes.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
Regret was one thing, but scoring couldn't be forgotten.
After continuous crossover dribbles at the top of the arc, James Harden's signature step-back three-pointer was released!
"Swish!"
The basketball arced beautifully through the air and hit nothing but net!
The Houston Rockets opened the scoring!
After making that shot, Harden didn't even celebrate much.
Scoring against Beverley's defense was just too easy for him!
"What a brilliant crossover! James Harden always uses changes in his rhythm to break down the defense!"
"Beverley had no answer; he could only watch the basketball go in!"
Offense and defense switched, Clippers on offense!
Beverley, who had been frustrated on defense, quickly dribbled the ball past half-court, then passed it to Kai Chen's hands.
"Bang!"
The moment Kai caught the ball, a pair of long arms suddenly appeared.
PJ Tucker made a probing steal attempt, and if Kai hadn't pulled the ball back in time, the basketball in his hands would already belong to the opponent.
"A dangerous moment! PJ Tucker's attempt almost made Kai lose possession of the ball."
"Both of their reaction speeds were very fast. Tucker's attack was decisive and swift, and Kai's dodge was also quite timely."
"Look, Kai is making his move!"
Before Smith could continue his praise, Kai, who had dodged Tucker's probing steal attempt on the court, instantly accelerated.
With an extremely quick first step, Tucker behind him was quickly left half a step behind.
However, Tucker wouldn't be shaken off so easily.
While taking two quick small steps to follow, his body was already close to Kai, giving him body contact.
"Bang, bang!"
Just then, Kai Chen stopped and shifted the ball behind him, performing two quick behind-the-back dribbles consecutively, and a fake move that looked like a drive, fooling Tucker.
Then, he stepped back and released a mid-range jump shot!
"Swish!"
The basketball drew a perfect arc in the air, then swished through the net!
3:2!
Back on the other end!
James Harden received the inbound pass from his teammate on the baseline and immediately started accelerating from the backcourt.
Beverley's trailing defense was shaken off by Harden, who drove into the paint as if he had wind-and-fire wheels on his feet.
Facing the recovering Jeff Green, he rose up for a block!
"Bang!"
At the same time, Beverley, who had been trailing Harden from behind, leaped up, attempting a chase-down block from behind!
Facing a situation with a wolf in front and a tiger behind.
James Harden suddenly decelerated, performed a wide Euro step layup, faking out both defenders' blocks, and scored with a reverse layup!!
"Woohoo~~~"
"James Harden!!"
From the commentary booth, O'Neal held his head in his hands, saying with a look of disbelief, "This season's James Harden has undergone a complete evolution; his performance on offense is hard to describe with words!"
"I never deny James Harden's scoring ability!"
Smith, standing next to an overly excited O'Neal, replied, "But if you're talking about offense? Who can compare to Kai Chen!?"
On the court!
Kai received the ball at the top of the arc.
He signaled his teammates to clear out, then dribbled outside the three-point line, still facing Tucker's defense. Without any fancy dribbling, he took one accelerated step and drove directly past him on his left side.
Kai's quick first step left Tucker somewhat helpless, and he quickly gave chase at full speed.
"Bang!"
The next moment, Kai, who had originally charged inside the three-point line, instantly stepped back with the ball, adding a small fake move that disrupted Tucker's defensive footwork.
"Woohoo~!"
Amidst the cheers of the entire stadium, PJ Tucker, defending Kai Chen, lost his footing and fell heavily to the ground!
And Kai, who had stepped back to beyond the three-point line, didn't even look at Tucker, who he had shaken, and pulled up for a three-point long shot!
"Swish!!"
The basketball in the air was like a sword unsheathed, delivering a fatal blow!!!
"What did I just say!????"
Smith, with the same actions and expression, said to O'Neal, "If you're talking about offense, who can compare to Kai!!!"
"Come on!"
Kai, returning on defense, patted his chest and challenged Harden as they passed by, "Show me what you got!"
Kai had talked, but back on the offensive end, Beverley was in trouble.
Harden performed continuous crossover dribbles at the top of the arc, shaking off Beverley's defense, and drove straight to the basket.
Beverley quickly chased back from behind, but what awaited him was disaster.
Not only did Harden score two points, but he also drew a defensive foul from Beverley, earning an extra free throw!
"Swish!"
Easily making the extra free throw, Harden looked at Kai Chen as he returned on defense!
Keep it coming!
Kai, of course, wasn't afraid of this!
In this story, there was only one protagonist, and that was himself!
Beverley had just brought the ball past half-court from the backcourt when Kai Chen at the top of the arc signaled for the ball.
Seeing Kai Chen calling for the ball, Beverley didn't dare to delay for a moment and quickly passed the ball to his hands.
"Bang!"
With the basketball in hand, Kai Chen ignored PJ Tucker's defense, made a wide, quick change of direction, easily shook off the defender, and then strode into the paint!
Inside, Clint Capela had already positioned himself, ready to defend Kai as he drove to the basket!
If he could block Kai Chen's dunk, then no matter the outcome of this game, he would be the brightest star!
However, the next moment, just as Capela was fantasizing, Kai, who was speeding towards him, had already taken flight, gliding past him on his left side!
In the air, Kai, like a magician, transferred the ball from his left hand to his right hand as he glided, then switched it back to his left hand to grip the ball, finishing with a one-handed tomahawk dunk!!
"Boom!!"
The moment Kai Chen slammed the ball down, fans throughout the Staples Center stood up, cheering and applauding non-stop!
"What more can I say!???"
"This is Kai Chen; his dunks are like magic tricks!"
"Kai, is simply to good!"
If Harden's finishing after a drive was a perfect change of rhythm.
Then Kai's air-walk, hand-switching dunk was pure power!
Two of the league's top scorers fully displayed their talents on their respective offensive ends.
This game was indeed spectacular!
On the Rockets' possession, James Harden repeated his trick, with continuous crossover dribbles + front-of-the-body changes of direction, once again shaking off Beverley and driving into the paint, hitting a floater over two Clippers defenders!
Back on the other end, Kai Chen used Jeff Green's screen on the wing, quickly released a three-pointer, and scored again!
On the Rockets' offense, Harden was like a ghostly sprite, with continuous fake moves and pump fakes, then hit a step-back three-pointer!
Kai and Harden put on a show of offensive fireworks against each other in the first quarter!
After the first quarter, the fans throughout the Staples Center felt a sense of wanting more.
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