Chapter 24: Offense and Defense Integrated, Elite-Level Defense.

Li Rui was already accustomed to falling behind early; he excelled at digging his team out of holes, often jokingly referring to himself as the "Little Prince of Hole-Digging." Such self-deprecating humor was harmless, as it carried no real weight.

At this moment, the Bulls' lineup on the court featured Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Andres Nocioni, and Ben Wallace. The ball was currently dead, but it was not a timeout, so play resumed quickly.

As Hinrich received the ball, he immediately felt intense pressure. He looked up to see Li Rui with his arms spread wide, closing in on him. Hinrich felt a flicker of doubt; in his experience, Asian guards shouldn't possess this level of physical intensity. It felt completely different from what he expected. Before entering the NBA, Hinrich had played against several Asian players, and without exception, he had dominated them all.

Li Rui kept his arms spread, lowered his center of gravity, and engaged physically. Hinrich couldn't find a single opening.

*Fuck, this guy’s defense is legit.*

In truth, Li Rui’s perimeter defense was rated at 81—not elite, but since Hinrich wasn't an elite offensive player either, and given Li Rui’s respectable natural talent, Hinrich naturally felt the pressure. Often, a player’s assessment of an opponent's defense is based on their own offensive capabilities. Just as Hinrich felt Li Rui's defense was stifling, Kobe Bryant might consider it merely average; the difference lay in their respective offensive tiers.

Li Rui’s defense was far more active than that of a 35-year-old Klay Thompson. He relentlessly disrupted Hinrich’s dribble, forcing the guard to pass to Luol Deng on the other wing. Luke Walton held his position, leaving Deng with only seven seconds on the shot clock. Deng took one dribble to the right and hoisted a hurried, contested mid-range jumper.

*Clang!*

It was an airball. Kobe grabbed the rebound.

The Bulls' offense had been stifled, primarily because Hinrich hadn't anticipated that Li Rui would apply more pressure than the Lakers' previous starter, Smush Parker, leaving him momentarily unprepared.

"Nice work," Kobe remarked as he dribbled past, offering a word of praise. He could tell that Li Rui had prepared extensively to neutralize Hinrich.

"Charles, this rookie isn't the softie you described; his defense is tough," Kenny Smith said with a laugh.

"..." Barkley just curled his lip. Even they could see that Li Rui’s defensive level was well above the NBA average for guards.

On the court, Hinrich felt frustrated. He had studied Li Rui before the game, but he had been careless. On the sidelines, Coach Phil Jackson was very satisfied with Li Rui’s defensive effort. Li Rui, however, didn't react, treating it as just standard, fundamental defense. Klay Thompson’s defensive decline in his later years was largely due to physical regression and a drop in intensity; the younger Li Rui, full of passion and hustle, looked significantly more effective by comparison.

Li Rui retreated to the left corner, watching Kobe orchestrate the offense. Kobe was currently the undisputed focal point of the Lakers' ball-handling; almost every set play required the ball to pass through him. Kobe scanned the court from the top of the arc, his peripheral vision tracking Li Rui’s positioning.

Hinrich was tasked with shadowing Li Rui, and his defense was equally formidable—Li Rui remembered that the man had even made the All-Defensive Second Team this season. Li Rui’s raw speed wasn't superior to Hinrich’s, making it difficult to shake him off through one-on-one movement alone. However, off-ball movement relied on more than just speed; it required a variety of techniques and screens. Li Rui wasn't worried about being completely locked down.

Kobe backed down Luol Deng, pivoted, and dribbled toward the free-throw line, glancing left and right while keeping his back to the basket. He hadn't yet decided whether to take the shot himself. At that moment, Li Rui signaled to Andrew Bynum, and they initiated a play, cutting toward the paint. Bynum set a screen, effectively shielding Hinrich from the pursuit. Li Rui then executed a sharp cut followed by a sudden stop, sprinting toward the right 45-degree angle. He slipped past the switching Ben Wallace, finding himself wide open beyond the arc.

Kobe delivered the pass perfectly. Li Rui caught and immediately rose for the jumper. His release was lightning-fast, his form as standard as a textbook.

*Swish!*

The ball sailed through the net. 11-15.

Li Rui had shaken his defender and contributed a three-pointer, helping the Lakers open up the perimeter. It was a classic catch-and-shoot sequence; Li Rui had performed it with textbook perfection.

"Beautiful."

Coach Jackson couldn't help but applaud. Just as Danny had said, Li Rui was a perfect fit for the team’s starting tactical system. The off-ball movement, Bynum’s screen, and Kobe’s pass—everything flowed seamlessly. He finished the play decisively the moment he had an opportunity, without any hesitation. If Li Rui could maintain consistency with his shooting, they could absolutely design tactics around him. Jackson didn't expect Li Rui to replicate the explosive performance of the previous game every night; it was enough to see that he had the potential to be a qualified starter.

Although Jackson didn't expect another outburst, that didn't stop Li Rui from striving to prove himself. He was just as capable even without a "hot hand."

The Bulls went on the attack again. Hinrich pushed the ball to the front court and scanned the floor from the right side. To avoid being beaten by a drive, Li Rui gave him a little space, but just enough to close out quickly if needed. Seeing Li Rui’s defensive stance, Hinrich passed to Ben Gordon, but Gordon found it harder to score against Kobe and passed it back to Hinrich. This time, Hinrich called for a screen.

Ben Wallace stepped up. Wallace was the pinnacle of a blue-collar interior player; besides scoring, his toughness, screening, rebounding, and defensive attributes were elite. As he moved, he quickly used his body to wall off Li Rui, allowing Hinrich to use the screen and accelerate past Li Rui to the right.

Facing a screen of this caliber required team defense. Bynum stepped up just in time. Hinrich adjusted, crossing over to the other side for a layup, but to avoid Bynum, his jump was not particularly high. At that moment, Li Rui recovered to provide help defense.

*Whack!*

Just as Hinrich was about to release the ball, Li Rui jumped from behind and blocked the shot. Lamar Odom secured the rebound.

*Click, click, click!*

The baseline photographers hammered their shutters, freezing the moment in time. Hinrich was a guard above the NBA average, and Li Rui’s block was nothing short of stunning. The reporters checked their photos and were very satisfied—they had excellent material for the day.

The fans at the United Center looked up in disbelief. Li Rui had delivered a forceful block on Hinrich. Two consecutive defensive stops on Hinrich—this rookie’s defense was no fluke.

"Nice job!"
"Li Rui’s defense is really solid."
"Haha, I didn't pay attention to Li Rui’s defense before, but it’s actually quite good."
"Li Rui won't be bad at defending perimeter players; his athleticism is just average."
"Even if his raw talent isn't top-tier, his hustle makes up for it."

The fans on the Hupu forum kept the comments flowing.

The game continued. Odom passed to Kobe, who charged forward with the ball. Luol Deng scrambled to stay with Kobe, while Li Rui sprinted along the right side. Kobe passed to Li Rui, who instantly drew the Bulls' defensive attention. Li Rui didn't shoot; instead, he immediately whipped the ball back to Kobe. It was a transitional pass. He hadn't forgotten his role as a playmaker—whenever there was an opportunity to rack up an assist, he would take it.

Kobe had already shaken off Luol Deng. Upon receiving the ball, he rose for a one-handed thunderous dunk.

*Bang!*

The ball slammed through the rim. 13-15.

Li Rui +1 assist.