The Bulls, with their chaotic management and demoralized team, were the only team in the last four games to have a small Point Guard, Greg Anthony, defend Link in the first half. The result... Greg Anthony, a small Point Guard at 185cm and 84kg, was blown away by Link.
Facing shorter guards, when Link initiates an attack from the perimeter, he usually drives straight in. Even if the opponent anticipates his route, he can use his strength advantage to push past the defense. Of course, most teams set up help defense near the Free Throw line. With [First Step Master (Gold)], solid Ball Control, and good core strength, Link's first step is truly fast...
However, his subsequent Speed is slower, making it difficult to tear through the defense with pure Speed before the help arrives. Because of this, Link usually slows down, switching from facing the basket to a post-up. This allows him to further judge whether the opponent is providing help defense or a double-team.
If the opponent chooses to double-team, after Link passes the ball, the teammate who receives it will have a wide-open shot. If the opponent only provides simple help defense, Link can bulldoze the smaller guard all the way to the basket.
But...
The Bulls' current defense is truly atrocious...
There's a reason they are currently dead last in the league; no one was helping Greg Anthony.
After driving to the basket, Link would either score directly or dish the ball to Brendan Haywood, who would easily finish the easy basket.
"Hey... this guy has almost 10 points in the first half, right?"
"Yeah, exactly 10 points."
"They're all easy-balls; he's playing way too comfortably."
"Of course... after all, the person Passing him the ball is Link..."
On the Bulls' bench, Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry were very envious.
Especially Tyson Chandler, who had once been teammates with Link in the McDonald's All-American Game. If the Bulls had an excellent Point Guard like Link, his stats could definitely double.
Although these two were high picks from the same 2001 class as Link, Tyson Chandler, the second overall pick, and Eddy Curry, the fourth overall pick, were still struggling for starting positions.
In reality, this was the "true state" of high school rookies. Even with Garnett, Kobe, and McGrady before them, the vast majority of high school rookies still had to start from the bench.
"Wow!"
The fans in the arena suddenly let out a gasp of amazement. Link threw a no-look NO-LOOK-PASS during a fast break. The basketball flew past the eyes of the aging Charles Oakley like a cannonball, finding Haywood cutting to the basket. After receiving the ball, the latter performed a powerful two-handed dunk.
Although Haywood was a Floor-bound interior player, his jumping height this time was quite impressive.
"Man! I really want to take my talents to Washington!" As a rim-runner who thrived on easy baskets, Chandler watched Link on the court, his mouth practically watering. A good Point Guard can elevate his teammates' physical state; right now, Brendan Haywood's steps were faster and his reactions sharper than at the start of the game, as if he had been injected with bull's blood by Link.
Meanwhile, the arena's cameras were replaying the scene. Oakley, realizing what happened too late, hadn't reacted in time and was left grasping at thin air.
...
...
In the first half, the Bulls' starting Point Guard, Greg Anthony, was dominated by Link, who recorded 12 points and 6 assists.
And Artest, the league's defensive anchor, was also "thrashed" by Michael Jordan, who was returning home in glory tonight.
Artest clearly felt his defense was in place, yet Jordan could still score. With a 50% mid-range shooting percentage, going 7-of-14 from the field and 2-of-2 from the Free Throw line, he scored 16 points.
56 to 40; the Washington Wizards had already established a 16-point lead by the end of the first half.
Entering the second half of the game, the Bulls' coaching staff finally began to adjust their defensive strategy against Link. They had the team's shooting guard, Ron Mercer, defend him. He was a 1997 first-round pick, a shooting guard weighing 98kg.
This was similar to other teams, using Shooting Guards or small forwards around 2 meters tall to defend Link.
It's just that they only realized this now...
This shows just how advanced the Bulls' front office was at slacking off.
When Shooting Guards or small forwards defended Link, his strength advantage wasn't as significant. In terms of Speed... he never really had an advantage, but Link could still score through his ball-handling rhythm and finishing tricks.
"rookie... your show ends here," Ron Mercer shouted at Link.
Link ignored him, looking at him like he was an idiot. Since entering the NBA, Link couldn't remember how many players had said such things to him. But those who could actually deliver on their promise were few and far between.
Link used a pick-and-roll and an Explosive Acceleration on his first step. After getting past half of his opponent's body, he continued into the paint. Just as he was about to be caught, with a "thud," Link gathered the ball and jumped with both feet. A hop step "passed through" the defense, pinning the opponent behind him. The defense couldn't collapse in time, and Link easily finished with a layup.
"Hey, buddy, thanks for cooperating with my performance!" After scoring, Link immediately threw out a line of trash talk.
Ron Mercer was momentarily speechless.
...
...
"Wow! Link's hop step jumper is becoming more and more stable now."
"Yeah, since the start of the second half until five minutes into the fourth quarter, he's made no less than five of those mid-range shots."
Link's hop step finish wasn't just for layups; he could also transition into a face-up jumper after the hop step.
Sometimes Link would choose to gather the ball early. Although there was still some distance from the basket after the hop step, after getting past the defense, there was no interference from a trailing hand, making the face-up shot much more comfortable.
As for the stability of the shot after the hop step...
That depended on the defensive intensity. Tonight, Ron Mercer's lateral movement was a bit slow. Although he could provide contact when Link hop-stepped, he couldn't block Link's path. Once he got past the defense, Link turned directly into a "mid-range specialist."
...
...
The game ended.
118 to 83!
The Wizards easily defeated the Chicago Bulls, securing a two-game winning streak.