After Link dribbled the ball to the top of the arc, he wasn't in a hurry to attack, instead waiting for Yao Ming to get into position, which put immense pressure on the 206cm Kenyon Martin. Currently weighing around 130kg, Yao Ming directly established a "deep low post" position against the light Center. Link's surgical Passing found Yao Ming almost the instant he secured his spot; Yao Ming didn't even need to dribble before initiating the attack.
Upon receiving the pass, with a loud "Boom!", Yao Ming executed a powerful power dribble. Using that momentum, he spun forward, bumped Kenyon Martin aside, and finished with a finger roll.
That two-handed power dribble is a signature move of Yao Ming's. In reality, it's a bit redundant, as it not only affects the overall offensive rhythm but also makes it easier for the opponent to disrupt with a Steal. However, without that move, it's difficult for Yao Ming to generate enough power to bump the defender away.
The Washington Wizards looked for Yao Ming repeatedly at the start, and he made his first two shots. On the third attempt, he was contested by Kwame Brown's help defense, and the ball clanked off the rim. However, Yao Ming grabbed the Offensive Rebound in time and passed it to Link, who had suddenly cut inside. Link hadn't shaken off the veteran Jason Kidd, who was practically glued to him. Yao Ming wouldn't have dared to pass to any other guard in that situation, nor would there have been space, but Link has a large catch radius. Yao Ming lobbed it slightly higher, and Link caught it on the other side of the basket.
Facing Kidd, who lunged at him again with a hard body bump, Link scored with a hook shot while also drawing a defensive foul from Jason Kidd.
2 to 8; less than three minutes into the game, the Washington Wizards had already established a 6-point lead.
The Nets also intended to respond. Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin ran a high pick and roll, targeting Yao Ming's slow defensive footwork, and Kenyon Martin began his "alley-oop show." However, as the Washington Wizards' defense collapsed inward, they also maintained active rotation defense on the perimeter.
Having held back all offseason, Michael Jordan let out a "Smack!" as he actually blocked Richard Jefferson's Three-Point Shot during a defensive rotation, causing the entire Washington Wizards home arena to erupt in cheers.
He truly is the Flying Man; even at his age, he can still jump like that. After blocking Jefferson's Three-Point Shot, Michael Jordan was expressionlessly and rapidly chewing his gum, but Link, who knew him well, was very clear that the old man was showing off again. After all, the Speed at which he was chewing his gum had clearly increased...
On a Washington Wizards fast break, Link faced off against Kenyon Martin in the middle. After a brief exchange of looks, Link decelerated and then accelerated, suddenly slamming into Kenyon Martin. The latter stumbled, his feet leaving the ground and his Center of gravity becoming unstable, leaving him completely unable to jump. Link extended his long arms and finished the layup.
8 to 17; the Washington Wizards led the Nets by 9 points.
On the bench, Nets head coach Byron Scott couldn't help but frown, saying, "This guy's breakthrough rhythm has reached another level."
"Yeah, his maturity far exceeds that of players his age. He completely understands when to use power in physical play, how to manipulate a defender's Center of gravity, and how to choose his breakthrough angles. He's already reached superstar level," the Nets assistant coach nodded in agreement.
Although Link's static talent is stronger than Kenyon Martin's, the latter is an interior player after all; in terms of pure strength, Link is still slightly behind. However, Link can hit Kenyon Martin right when his Center of gravity is unstable; forget him, even a 120kg proper Center might not be able to withstand it.
Compared to the deficit on the scoreboard, Byron Scott was clearly more concerned about Link's growth. In last season's Eastern Conference Finals, although Link had moments where he scored on Kenyon Martin one-on-one during breakthroughs, the defensive positioning was completely different. This time, Kenyon Martin had retreated into position, yet Link still finished the layup with ease.
Yao Ming and Michael Jordan went to the bench to rest after playing 7 minutes in the first quarter, while Link played for 1 minute, only resting after extending the lead to 12 points. For the remaining 2 minutes, the bench lineup of Tyronn Lue, Juan Dixon, Gerald Wallace, Zach Randolph, and Brendan Haywood truly stunned the New Jersey Nets.
Last season, the Washington Wizards were widely considered to have a weak bench, but this season it was completely refreshed. Randolph started wreaking havoc in the Nets' paint, while Gerald Wallace's wing defense and Haywood's rim protection forced the Nets to shoot Three-Point Shots from the outside.
Fortunately, their Three-Point Shots were accurate enough.
By the end of the first quarter, the score was 29 to 45, with the Washington Wizards leading by a full 16 points.
After the second quarter began, Yao Ming did not return to the court immediately; he was replaced by the Biscuit King, Haywood. Michael Jordan, who had only two shot attempts and zero points in the first quarter, was becoming a bit restless with offensive desire, and the way he looked at Link was practically lingering.
"Eh, whatever, I'll let him enjoy himself," Link thought as he began feeding the ball to Michael Jordan.
The 39-year-old Michael Jordan indeed found it hard to drive to the basket, relying more on catch-and-shoot jumpers. Unfortunately, Michael Jordan's touch wasn't great tonight, and the Nets, who excel at fast breaks, took the opportunity to recover some ground. But Michael Jordan was Michael Jordan after all; after four consecutive misses, he finally found his offensive rhythm. As his body got into the flow, Michael Jordan even completed a one-handed tomahawk dunk on a fast break. By the end of the first half, the score was 45 to 58, with the Washington Wizards still leading by 13 points.
As the game entered the third quarter, the Nets were the first to strike. Corie Kiddles used Off-Ball Movement in a half-court set, and the moment he forced the Washington Wizards into a defensive switch, Jason Kidd drove into the paint. Facing a guard moving at high Speed with the ball, Yao Ming couldn't provide rim protection in time. Kidd helped the team catch up through drive and kick plays.
On the defensive end, they also employed fronting defense against Yao Ming.
Link's lob passes were decent, but after Yao Ming caught the ball, it was hard for him to immediately put the ball on the floor to attack the rim, which gave Kwame Brown a chance for help defense. Yao Ming's passing ability... for now, it's still a bit lacking; although there are occasional flashes of brilliance with great passes, the turnover rate is quite high.
"Yao is willing to share the ball and has good Passing potential, but facing defense of the Nets' caliber, he still looks a bit overmatched," Washington Wizards head coach Doug Collins said.
"Mhm," Larry Drew nodded.
Although the Nets effectively prevented Yao Ming from receiving the ball through fronting defense, the Washington Wizards' coaching staff wasn't panicked at all; the Washington Wizards had plenty of tricks up their sleeves...
Link began to take over the game, running high pick and rolls with Yao Ming and a two-man game with Laettner. Although Yao Ming's vertical in a real game might be higher than a matchbox, it wasn't by much. However, his 226cm height was no joke; in the third and fourth quarters, he grabbed many Offensive Rebounds from Link's and Michael Jordan's missed shots.
"Wow..."
"I thought the two teams from last season's Eastern Conference Finals would have a fierce battle tonight, but I didn't expect it to be such a one-sided affair."
"The Washington Wizards have dismantled the New Jersey Nets without breaking a sweat."
91 to 116!
In the Washington Wizards' season opener, they secured a home victory with a 15-point lead.
Regarding player stats, the rookie Yao Ming's individual performance left the chinese fans watching on TV feeling that it was merely passable.