Link continued to use the threat of a pull-up mid-range jumper after the pick-and-roll, forcing the Cavaliers' interior defender Chris Mihm to step up. Then, with a pass, he assisted Haywood on the roll.
With a "Bang!", Haywood completed his third dunk of the quarter.
18 to 12; the Wizards' lead had reached 6 points.
Enjoying the dunk, Haywood even pulled on the rim for a moment.
However, he was warned by the referee: "rookie, if there's a next time, I'm blowing the whistle."
Haywood immediately nodded obediently.
Well, the NBA is actually a world that respects seniority; a rookie like Brendan Haywood has no special privileges.
Haywood's athleticism was a bit lacking, making it hard for him to complete flashy alley-oops. He mostly relied on bounce passes or direct passes to the waist. These two types of passes are relatively easy to disrupt, serving as a test of the passer's fundamentals.
Link ran the pick-and-roll again. He first used a between-the-legs crossover to pull Ricky Davis to one side, then suddenly transitioned into a front crossover. "Thump!" The basketball quickly hit the floor as Link lunged forward. The out-of-position Ricky Davis and Chris Mihm doubled him. Additionally... Cavaliers forward Jumaine Jones rotated to cover the Passing lane to Haywood.
If Haywood's vertical were a level higher, Link could have thrown a lob for a dunk. After all, Jumaine Jones's height was only 201cm and his jumping wasn't great, but the reality was that Haywood didn't have that bounce.
Rapid bullet passes and bounce passes didn't have good angles at that moment either.
In an instant, after weighing his options, Link stopped, held the ball with both hands, and made a powerful motion to swing it to Laettner. With just this move, not only did Laettner get ready to receive the ball, but Jumaine Jones also twisted his body to dive into that Passing lane. However, in the next moment, "Wow!" The home fans let out bursts of amazement.
It was just a pass fake. Link hadn't passed the ball; it was still in his hand. Suddenly, with a "Whoosh!", Link sent it to the basket again. An almost undefended Haywood caught the ball and completed another dunk.
24 to 14; the Washington Wizards led by 10 points.
Having "eaten four biscuits" in a single quarter, a more than satisfied Haywood thought to himself: This is damn great. Link's Passing is like an Italian cannon, blowing the Cavaliers to pieces. He had never experienced this kind of treatment even in the NCAA, where the intensity was several levels lower.
However, this time Haywood resisted the urge to pull the rim and only let out a roar.
The roar seemed to trigger something in Link's DNA, and he started shouting as well. Not only that, but Chris Bosh, who was watching the game on TV, couldn't help but howl along.
"Beep!"
The Cavaliers also hurriedly requested a timeout.
With 3 minutes and 21 seconds left in the first quarter, the Washington Wizards had already established a 10-point lead.
Ricky Davis, who had bragged before the game about teaching Link a lesson, currently had zeros across all five major stat categories.
After the timeout, the Washington Wizards went through their regular rotation.
But the Cavaliers kept their starters on the court.
Andre Miller is considered a heavy point guard. Even though Hubert Davis is 5cm taller, his physicality is clearly inferior to "Little Fundamentals." As for Tyronn Lue, who subbed in for Link, he was being run over so hard he didn't know what year it was.
The first quarter ended at 28 to 22; the Cavaliers had cut the deficit to just 6 points.
...
...
Entering the second quarter, Andre Miller, who played the entire first quarter, started again.
This guy's Stamina is indeed amazing. After using a screen from Chris Mihm, he drove straight to the basket and hit a pull-up mid-range jumper over the sagging Haywood.
28 to 24!
The "genius killer," "Little Fundamentals" Andre Miller, has a decent mid-range game. Er, to be precise, it's a short-range jumper. He rarely shoots from above the free-throw line, always below it. Additionally, he has a post-up game.
But the Washington Wizards weren't to be outdone. Link also initiated the offense through a pick-and-roll, though this time Haywood didn't fully screen Ricky Davis. This is normal; even Tim Duncan can't screen the defender every single time.
Facing the pursuing Ricky Davis, Link didn't panic. He used a between-the-legs move to trick the opponent's center of gravity to the right, then with a "Swish!", his first-step explosiveness ignited as he drove to the basket again.
"So fast!"
Ricky Davis, with his balance disrupted, couldn't keep up and was blown by. Having no choice, he could only try a tactical foul by grabbing him, but Link's vertical quickness at that moment exceeded his imagination. With a "Bang!", he completed a one-handed tomahawk dunk.
"Wow!"
"This..."
"Link... he actually dunked!"
The Cavaliers' home commentators were very surprised. After all, according to their data, Link's label was a "floor-bound point guard." Dunking was a rare occurrence for him, let alone a tomahawk in a half-court set.
"Coach... did you notice?"
"Link... his explosiveness and vertical quickness have both become stronger..."
On the Cavaliers' bench, the assistant coach spoke in surprise.
Link's dunk just now wasn't exactly earth-shattering, and his jump Explosiveness might even be considered subpar compared to other players at the same position, but his ability to dunk was stronger than many "elite-level" jumping point guards.
Nothing to be done... mainly because Link's static physical profile is at the Power Forward level; he can complete a dunk with just a casual hop.
...
...
Of course, to manage his Stamina reasonably, Link played more off-ball in the second and third quarters.
And Link's off-ball destructiveness was even more lethal for Ricky Davis.
Receiving a pass from Laettner and facing the closing Ricky Davis...
The Cavaliers' home commentator suddenly exclaimed.
"Euro Step!"
Link's first step was large and fast, seeming to glide past the defense for a layup.
45 to 38; the Wizards led by 7 points with 3 minutes left in the second quarter.
After this basket, the Cavaliers requested another timeout.
At 4:11 in the third quarter, Link ran a back-cut. He first flared out to the three-point line. Ricky Davis, who had been scored on with a three-pointer a few possessions ago, followed closely. Link suddenly turned and cut inside, receiving a pass from Laettner. Facing the help defense of Jumaine Jones...
"Euro Step!"
"Wow!"
The commentators and fans cried out in amazement.
But this time, after Link finished the Euro Step, Chris Mihm appeared in front of him, and the offensive space instantly evaporated. However, Link spotted Brendan Haywood in the weak-side dunker spot.
Link wrapped his long arm around Mihm's waist to get the ball to Haywood.
Seeing Link pass, the Cavaliers' coaching staff smiled. The defense on Link's cut was successful; he had no room to finish at the rim, and Passing to Haywood was forced. Although not a playmaker, the 213cm Chris Mihm had the spatial awareness and defensive instincts to react quickly.
Chris Mihm did not let the Cavaliers down, immediately turning and raising his hand to stick to Haywood, who was half a body length away.
Just as the Cavaliers were feeling smug about their successful defensive strategy... Haywood went up strong, using his off-hand to shield the ball while hitting a hook shot.
"WTF!"
"That works?"
"He can do that too?"
The Cavaliers' coaching staff stood up directly from their seats.