The Knicks were also uneasy, as all the Nets' starters were sitting on the sidelines.

But...

This pack of tigers, lurking in the shadows, could emerge from the mountains at any moment.

Wei Guo continued, "Tyron, you need to reduce your ball possession time and let Collins facilitate in the low post. If you can't score under the basket, immediately move the ball to the outside. The Knicks' biggest weakness is their defense, and we have many scoring opportunities."

......

At the start of the second quarter, the Nets made only one substitution.

Wei Dong replaced Kidds.

Scott's idea was that even if Wei Guo didn't play, Stockton should organize the attack, since Tyronn Lue's organizational skills were nowhere near Stockton's level.

The Nets are on offense.

Tyronn Lue dribbled the ball to the three-point line and passed it to Collins. Mutombo closely guarded Collins, while Wei Dong made a back cut around the baseline.

"Whoosh~~~"

Collins flicked his wrist and passed the ball to Wei Dong.

Wei Guo received the ball and took a mid-range shot. It was an open shot, almost a sure thing!

"Whoosh!!!"

The basketball went into the net.

21:31!!

The Nets are only down by 10 points.

Wei Guo's change to the Nets' offensive style has been quite effective, but... the Nets understand their biggest strength, and Scott is yelling, "Defense! Defense! Defense!"

That's right!!!

The Nets' biggest strength with this roster is their defense.

Tyronn Lue closely guarded Marbury, but Marbury, with his exceptional individual skills, managed to get past Lue. However, Wei Dong came to help defend, and the rest of the Knicks players were also shut down. Marbury took a step and shot the ball under the basket.

*Smack!!!*

Kenyon blocked Marbury's shot!

This isn't a bench lineup. Kenyon, Collins, and Jefferson were all starters for the Nets in last season's Finals, and their defensive switching speed is something the Knicks can't match.

Wei Dong lunged forward and caught the ball, protecting it in his arms!

The Knicks' offense failed, and they quickly retreated on defense... Tyronn Lue took the ball from Wei Dong, crossed midcourt, and passed it to Jefferson. Jefferson received the ball and made a layup, then passed it to Kenyon under the basket!

"Bang!!!"

Kenyon catches the ball and slams it home with a dunk!

23:31!!

The Nets are only down by 8 points.

Knicks head coach Don was dumbfounded. The Nets seemed to have a completely different lineup, and their offense suddenly became more fluid. He still couldn't figure out why they had the home advantage.

Tyronn Lue is not Jason Kidd; he lacks Kidd's overall court vision. In the first quarter, his excessive ball possession stunted the Nets' offense. However, by reducing his ball possession and getting the ball moving, the Nets' offense became much smoother.

Following this rhythm...

The Nets quickly caught up and took the lead.

The Knicks called a timeout.

......

"As long as the ball doesn't stick to the ground, it's easy to play."

Wei Guo, holding his milk tea, said slowly, "However, we were able to catch up in the score thanks to our defense. If we want to win this game, defense must be our top priority."

Sterko nodded. "The Knicks' offense relies on individual ability. Houston, Hardaway, and Marbury are all very strong scorers. Everyone must pay attention to zone defense."

The Knicks' bench.

Head coach Tang said with a dark face, "After you get the ball, don't think about shooting yourself, pass the ball more!"

The Nets were able to close the gap by passing the ball more, while the Knicks made very few passes, and many of their passes were only made out of necessity.

"remember..."

Wei Guo handed the finished milk tea to Cummings, saying, "If we can take a lead of more than 10 points in the first half, this game is in the bag."

The Nets have another purpose in using this roster... to destroy the Knicks' confidence.

If the Knicks can't even beat this lineup, they'll lose their fighting spirit even when they return home in two days, and the Nets will easily win the series.

......

The timeout ended, with 5 minutes and 9 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

39:38!!

The Nets lead by 1 point.

The Knicks were on offense. Marbury signaled to Muhammad to set a screen, and after getting past Tyronn Lue, he immediately passed the ball to Thomas!

That was a very clever pass...

Hardaway and Houston were both moving around the perimeter, while Thomas was positioned under the basket. Marbury's pass to Thomas went through Kenyon's legs, and Thomas caught the ball and went for a layup.

"Gurgle..."

The basketball didn't go directly into the net; instead, it circled the rim a dozen times before flying out again.

Kenyon had already positioned himself under the basket and then grabbed the defensive rebound.

Wei Guo laughed and said, "This tactic is flawless, it just lacked a bit of luck... The goddess of victory is on our side."

"Hahaha..."

Scott grinned. "Looks like it'll be hard for us not to win."

Compared to the first quarter, Scott was much more relaxed. After being coached by Wei Guo, the players were able to coordinate well, and the Nets' overall offense was much smoother than in the first quarter.

"Victory is certain!!!"

"Victory is certain!!!"

"Victory is certain!!!"

The audience was cheering loudly; they had figured it out... to beat the Knicks without even starting players, what could be cooler?

Looking back at the league's decades-long history...

No team would dare to be this cocky in the playoffs, but the Nets are the ones who are.

After Kenyon grabbed the defensive rebound, the Knicks had already retreated on defense. Wei Dong was positioned outside the three-point line when he received a pass from his teammate. Hardaway gave Wei Dong a step away while defending.

The Knicks analyzed each Nets player before the game, including Wei Dong.

The Nets initially signed Wei Dong to a ten-day contract. Wei Dong made a brilliant debut in the NBA and even played so hard that he collapsed on the court, which shocked the league.

but...

Wei Dong rarely played after that until the Nets gave him a one-year contract. Wei Dong's average playing time was less than ten minutes, and he only contributed 2.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists. Moreover, Wei Dong used to play in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league, and he was not used to the NBA's three-point line, so he rarely made three-point shots.

Scott shouted, "Give me a break, then you can shoot!"

Wei Dong glanced at Scott, then glanced at the ground out of the corner of his eye; he was still a step away from the three-point line.

He is not from Weiguo...

There's no guarantee of making a three-pointer from that distance.

Now it was a matter of life and death. Hardaway passed him the ball one step away, but a breakthrough was not an option... He had to either shoot or pass the ball to a teammate. After a 0.7-second internal struggle, Wei Dong decided to shoot.

The curve is very straight...

The basketball flew through the air...

"Whoosh!!!"

The crisp sound of the rinsing net came from behind.

"damn it!"

Wei Dong clenched his fist hard. "It actually went in."

This goal was somewhat unexpected; even Wei Guo didn't expect Wei Dong to dare to shoot when he was still a step away from the three-point line.