Gentry's best friend was not Defoe, but Cummings.
For the defense of the country...
Gentry's friendship was mixed with a lot of admiration, and he and Cummings were best friends.
The two would talk on the phone every day during the offseason. He knew that Cummings hadn't given up just because Wei Guo was there. Throughout the offseason, Cummings had been training hard and constantly improving his shooting percentage.
......
"Cummings, you're amazing!"
Mourning couldn't help but give Cummings a thumbs up; this 1.9-meter-tall little guy really surprised him.
35:39!!
Cummings scored 8 consecutive points, leading the team to turn the tide of their losing streak.
"Don't overlook any player!"
Pacers head coach pointed at Cummings and yelled, "Stop guarding that guy!"
Look...
As a head coach, he couldn't even remember the name of the legendary Cummings.
The Pacers are on offense!
Harrington drives to the basket and scores a layup.
37:39!!
Jones clung to Cummings, while Rodgers stood at the top of the penalty area. Cummings circled around Rodgers to avoid Jones's entanglement and reached out for the ball!
The basketball is in Mourning's hands!
Without hesitation, Mourning lobbed the ball to Cummings at the top of the key, who caught the ball and shot!
"Whoosh!!!"
Another three-pointer!
Cummings held up three fingers, making a three-pointer gesture as he defended, looking quite arrogant!
The Nets started to extend their lead!
With only 2 minutes and 17 seconds remaining in the first half, the game was about to end.
The Pacers played very patiently, and Pollard didn't turn and shoot until there was only one second left on the 24-second shot clock.
*Smack!!!*
Mourning blocks Pollard's shot!
Mo Ning snorted, "You underestimate me too much."
Does this kid really think he can't play basketball after having undergone several major surgeries?
He's the tough guy, Mo Ning...
Fans call Alonzo Mourning the fifth greatest center, meaning that he is the strongest center outside of the "Big Four" centers: Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, Patrick Ewing, and David Robinson. Mourning may be slightly inferior to them, but he still won two blocks titles and two Defensive Player of the Year awards in his career!
In the 1990s...
Only Mourning could rival the four great centers.
Rogers dove to grab the basketball, held it close to his body, and waited for the Pacers players to start their defense before passing the ball to Tyronn Lue!
Jones continues to entangle Cummings!
The two players were physically entangled a lot, and the fact that eight key players were ejected did not diminish the tension on the field.
on the contrary...
Because of the recent brawl, the atmosphere on the court was even more tense than in the first quarter. However, everyone was more restrained, and although the physical contact was intense, they all refrained from actually fighting.
Cummings shoved Jones aside and ran to the three-point line to receive the ball. This time, Jones gave Cummings a step and said arrogantly, "Go ahead and shoot here if you dare!"
He's two steps away from the three-point line!
Jones actually dared to let Cummings shoot. He probably didn't know that Cummings had been practicing long-range three-pointers during the offseason. Cummings tucked the ball under his waist, put his index finger to his lips, and gestured for Jones to shut up.
Then...
"Whoosh!!!"
The basketball traced a beautiful arc and fell into the basket!
"Holy crap, awesome!"
Gentry pumped his fist excitedly; he hadn't been this excited even when Weiguo scored a goal.
......
The first half has ended.
41:50!!
The Nets went into the second half with a 9-point lead.
Leading by 8 points after the first quarter, the Nets' bench lineup did not fall behind in the second quarter and even maintained a 1-point lead.
Cummings played 12 minutes in the second quarter, shooting 7-for-9 from the field and 5-for-5 from three-point range, scoring 19 points, 1 rebound, 0 assists, 2 steals, and 0 blocks. Besides him, only Mourning scored 2 points... But it can't be said that Cummings carried the team alone. His teammates' defense and teamwork were equally important. Most of Cummings' shot opportunities were created by his teammates.
He just threw that damn ball into the basket.
"That's amazing!"
"Master Cummings is a master of disguise!"
Why aren't you starting?
Cummings was surrounded by his teammates as he returned to the away locker room.
"Brother Wei..."
Cummings entered and asked, "Are you alright?"
Wei Guo laughed and said, "I'm fine, my hand was just a little sore after the fight, but it's all better now!"
"Damn Artest!"
Cummings cursed, "Hitting Wei's hand with his face and making it hurt, I really want to kill him!"
Seeing the smiles on his teammates' faces, Wei Guo asked curiously, "Looks like you played well in the second quarter."
Wei Guo and his teammates were also worried about the game in the locker room. The Nets only had five players left to play, and these five players did not cooperate with each other. They only led by 8 points in the first quarter. Maybe by the end of the first half, the Pacers could take the lead, or even take a big lead.
"Brother Wei, you'd never guess..."
Rogers chimed in, "Cummings has exploded! He scored 19 points in a single quarter, and we're now up by 9 points against the Pacers!"
"Hmm?"
Wei Guo said in surprise, "I thought Brother Mo Ning would unleash his full potential, but Master Cummings is a master of disguise."
Even Wei Guo was unaware that Cummings had a hidden trick up his sleeve!
Cummings said, "Mourning played very well. Without his defense, we wouldn't have been able to maintain this lead."
Mourning scored 2 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, dished out 3 assists, made 1 steal, and blocked 2 shots in the quarter, proving himself a reliable defensive asset for the Nets!
The main reason is that the Nets' other center, Collins, is injured. If Collins were still there, the Nets might have an easier time. However, if Mourning can regain his form, even if it's only two-thirds of his peak, the Nets' strength will be greatly improved, and Wei Guo can return to his preferred small forward position.
Once Hill returns, the Nets' roster will be even stronger.
Point Guard: Stockton
Shooting Guard: Hill
Small Forward: Wei Guo
Power Forward: Kenyon
Center: Mourning
Furthermore, Jefferson and Kiddles can also improve the Nets' bench depth, which... will make the playoffs much easier.
......
Halftime has arrived, and Wei Guo stands at the locker room door, reminding everyone: "The Pacers will come back in the second half, so be careful not to get injured!"
The Nets are still in danger!
If a player gets injured, it will be a disaster.
We can't really let Gentry play... Gentry's old bones can't withstand the Pacers' big men's abuse.
"Don't worry, Brother Wei!"
Cummings clenched his fist and said, "We will definitely win this game."
"Well done..."
Wei Guo laughed and said, "If we win, I'll treat you to drinks tonight."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com