Chapter Seventeen: Yielding a Rebound?
“Damn it! I actually got my rebound snatched by a rookie!”
Inside the Orlando Amway Center, the young Kings big man, Willie Cauley-Stein, berated himself in frustration.
Just now, he had already boxed out both of the opponent’s interior players; that rebound should have belonged to the Kings. But out of nowhere, Michael Wu swooped in from the side and stole the board right out of his hands!
Willie Cauley-Stein had wanted to use this offensive rebound to teach the rookie a lesson, but in the end, he was the one who got outplayed!
“Calm down, Willie. It was a second jump—you lost a rebound, it happens.”
Seeing his promising young teammate so upset, veteran Rudy Gay stepped over to offer some words of comfort, then proactively moved to inbound the ball from the baseline.
In his mind, losing that rebound was still within acceptable limits. After all, Michael Wu had some serious hops, and since Willie had to go up for a second jump, he naturally lost out in height.
Besides, the Kings still held the lead. As long as they kept up their offensive rhythm and scored again to push the lead into double digits, once Cousins returned in the next quarter, the game would be all but secured.
Moreover, Rudy Gay was confident that as long as he was on the floor, the team’s offense would have no trouble. After all, the person defending him was the Magic’s number zero—a rookie!
“Hey! Kid, you’ve got some serious hops,” Rudy said, sizing up Michael Wu, who had just snatched that rebound off Willie Cauley-Stein’s head. “But do you know the price of stealing a rebound like that?”
“The price?” Michael repeated, genuinely puzzled. “What price? Am I supposed to give you a rebound in return?”
“Well, you’d have to miss your next shot before I could give you one back,” Michael replied with a shrug. “So, you’re saying you’re planning to brick your next attempt?”
“You sure talk a lot!”
Rudy Gay realized he’d made a mistake. He’d only meant to rattle the rookie with some trash talk, but he hadn’t expected the kid to be so quick with his retorts!
He really shouldn’t have bothered exchanging words with this youngster.
With that in mind, Gay stopped talking. He spun, backed down Wu, and chose the most physically imposing option—posting up, the purest test of strength. Even Jeff Green struggled against Rudy’s post moves, let alone this rookie who was now bracing himself behind him!
Thump!
Rudy dropped his shoulder, ready to bulldoze his way to the paint, but in the next instant, his feet stalled.
“Rudy Gay chooses to post up Michael Wu—an excellent decision!”
On the sideline, the ESPN commentator praised Rudy’s choice. Most NBA rookies simply can’t match established stars in physical battles; once it becomes a contest of strength, rookies are usually helpless.
“But… Rudy Gay seems to have stalled. Why isn’t he backing his way into the paint?”
The commentator’s tone shifted to confusion. On the court, a strange scene had unfolded: Rudy Gay held the ball, posting up Michael Wu, but he was going nowhere. He was just holding position, making no progress.
Of course, it wasn’t that Gay didn’t want to back him down—he simply couldn’t move Michael Wu at all!
The young man bracing behind him was immovable, like a mountain—utterly unyielding!
He’d have to reset.
Gay thought about passing the ball out, but just as he made up his mind, the referee’s whistle shrilled.
“Rudy Gay called for a five-second backdown violation? Oh my goodness, what a rookie mistake!”
The commentator glanced at the referee’s signal and couldn’t help but laugh. “Did Rudy Gay really fail to move Michael Wu in the post?”
“My goodness, how is that even possible?”
On the court, Gay looked at the call and could only force a bitter smile.
“Well done, Michael! You actually forced him into such a rookie mistake!”
In stark contrast to Gay’s helplessness, Bismack Biyombo was all smiles, giving Wu a quick compliment and jogging to the baseline to inbound the ball.
Wu, for his part, was totally bewildered. He hadn’t done anything special—just stood his ground while Rudy Gay tried everything he could. Suddenly, the ref’s whistle blew, Gay was left frustrated, and Biyombo was congratulating him?
“GO! GO! GO!”
While Wu was still dazed, Biyombo wasn’t about to let his young teammate zone out. As he inbounded the ball, he gave Wu a hearty slap on the back as he passed by. “Michael, it’s our possession now!”
“Come on, man!”
With that, Biyombo led the charge up the court to start the offensive set.
Wu snapped out of it. After that brief stretch of play, he’d already adjusted his mindset. Without missing a step, he sprinted up after Biyombo, catching up in no time.
Now it was the Magic’s turn on offense!
Elfrid Payton brought up the ball, facing Ty Lawson’s defense. Payton barely regarded Lawson as an obstacle—two quick crossovers, then a behind-the-back dribble, and he easily blew by Lawson straight to the rim.
Of course, beating his defender didn’t mean he had a clear path. Willie Cauley-Stein guarded the paint with arms raised, completely blocking Payton’s angle. Meanwhile, Lawson hustled back to help, forming a double-team.
In a flash, Payton reacted, flicking the ball backward to Evan Fournier, who had just come off an Ibaka screen. With no defender in sight, Fournier pulled up for a three.
Clang!
Unfortunately, Fournier failed to keep up his hot shooting from earlier in the quarter—the ball bounced off the rim.
Boom!
As the ball caromed high, Ibaka and Willie Cauley-Stein both leapt instinctively for the rebound.
The battle between the big men was quickly decided. It looked as if Cauley-Stein was about to secure the rebound for himself.
Whoosh!
But in that instant, a figure flew in from the wing and disrupted everything!
Michael Wu’s hands snatched the rebound right in front of Cauley-Stein. As soon as he landed, he quickly passed the ball back to Fournier.
Fournier caught it, still wide open. Shooter’s instinct took over—he stepped just inside the arc and let it fly. Even as the mid-range shot swished through, confusion was written all over his face.