No.1 in basketball scoring-Chapter 141 - 94. Finally found out why we were able to get the No. 3 pick_5
Chapter 141: 94. Finally found out why we were able to get the No. 3 pick_5
Zhang Yang wasn’t being modest; he believed that with his current abilities, he might be able to help the Bobcats win an extra 5 to 8 games. However, the leap from obtaining the third draft pick to playoff caliber, especially with such a significant improvement at the start of the season, was definitely not his doing.
Baffled and perplexed, he chose to train hard. Since there was a chance to make a run for the playoffs, he might as well go for it!
In the meantime, in the owner’s office, Jordan and the coaching staff were also puzzled.
They hadn’t had much hope for this season initially. Developing Zhang Yang, Gerald Wallace, Okafor, and Felton was their top priority. As for the team’s record—it didn’t really matter if they won or lost. Losing more would be better, to either draft a talented power forward or trade for a high draft pick.
So why were they at 3 wins and 1 loss? If they hadn’t started Felton alongside Brevin Knight in a dual point guard lineup in that game against the Bulls and fallen behind early on, they might have started the season with four straight wins.
They also discovered that the frontcourt defense of Gerald Wallace and Okafor was much better than expected. With such a cornerstone duo, it wasn’t going to be easy to tank the season.
After some discussion, Bickerstaff suggested, "Why don’t we make a push for the playoffs? If we purposely tank, I worry it will instill bad habits in the players."
Upon hearing this, his colleagues knew that Bickerstaff’s mention of "players" specifically referred to Zhang Yang.
Gerald Wallace had a strong mentality, and Okafor was mature; there was no need to worry about their drive even if the team tanked.
As for Felton, to be honest, up to that point, Jordan and the coaching staff were not completely satisfied with him—he was just passable.
His talent didn’t seem as good as Deron’s, and his immediate impact wasn’t as strong as Paul’s.
Jordan publicly stated he would never regret choosing Felton, but what he truly thought about it was another story.
Zhang Yang was the only one who really concerned them in this regard.
Although Zhang Yang showed a strong ability to handle pressure, ambition, and worked extremely hard, he was still only 17 years old, a fact which innately caused worry.
Upon hearing Bickerstaff’s suggestion, Jordan nodded and decisively agreed, "Then let’s make a run for the playoffs! The Chicago Bulls tanked for 6 years and didn’t draft a rookie with talent like Jack. If we can make the playoffs, it would be the first step toward success. If not, getting a lottery pick for immediate impact isn’t bad either."
Just as the Bobcats’ management and coaching staff had made a 180-degree shift in their season goals, an accident occurred.
The medical team reported that Okafor was injured!
...
After playing back-to-back games against the Chicago Bulls and the Celtics, Okafor felt discomfort in his ankle after getting home last night; he woke up with the discomfort persisting, and following an examination at his house by the team physician, it was diagnosed as a mild strain of the ankle’s soft tissue due to fatigue. He would need to sit out for at least a week.
Zhang Yang had just finished his morning training when he heard this news from Bickerstaff, who had rushed out of the meeting room. The confusion was suddenly cleared up, but a sense of frustration followed closely behind.
So, the Bobcats drafted Adam Morrison because of an injury!
He thought, with Okafor’s 127 kilograms frame protecting the hoop, and Gerald Wallace leading the team with an average of 2 steals + 2 blocks per game, both of them were fiercely competitive players; even if the team deliberately tanked, they wouldn’t have had the third-worst record in the league.
Zhang Yang had worried about the possibility of injury for Okafor, who was 127 kilograms and 208 centimeters tall and was expected to play around 35 minutes per game.
He had also heard the team physician warn Okafor about the injury risks associated with his weight.
But with the regular season starting and Wallace and Okafor performing so well, he gradually forgot about it.
Now, after just one back-to-back, Okafor had been struck by an injury!
However, there was nothing he could do to prevent or change such matters; he could only adjust his mindset and continue doing what he needed to do...
On the 9th, the Bobcats welcomed the Jazz Team at home.
Even without Okafor, the Bobcats were still a contending team.
Bickerstaff moved Felton back to the bench and started Brevin Knight, Karim Rush, Gerald Wallace, Jumaine Jones, and Brezec.
With a normal backcourt lineup, the Bobcats’ offense improved. Jumaine Jones, who primarily took catch-and-shoot threes, was actually more effective offensively than Okafor, who had bulked up.
This season, Okafor’s mid-range and close-range jump shots had been severely affected by his sudden weight gain of 9 kilograms, with his shooting percentage dropping to 41% over the first four games, making just 5 out of 12 attempts per game for an average of 13.2 points. His offensive performance was not as good as Brezec’s, who was shooting 51%. Substituting him for a space-stretching shooter actually benefited the offense of Wallace and Brezec.
The Bobcats’ offense saw a noticeable improvement that evening.
But their defense plummeted!
Gerald Wallace could tie together defense both inside and outside because he relied on having a 127 kg, top-tier basket protector like Okafor. Without Okafor, his defensive impact would drop by at least half!
Tonight, they scored 105 points against the Jazz Team, but the Jazz scored 114 points.
Boozer wreaked havoc in the paint tonight, making 11 of his 16 shots, plus 9 out of 10 free throws, racking up 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists!
Gerald Wallace had 23 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals, Brevin Knight scored 12 points with 9 assists, Felton had a minor explosion against Deron with 18 points and 5 assists, and Zhang Yang also performed well with 11 points from 4 out of 9 shooting... Although the offensive firepower was strong, it all went to waste.
Zhang Yang felt the impact Okafor had on their team and looked forward to his quick return, but he didn’t realize this was just the beginning!
On the 11th, the home game against the Mavericks started, and not long after the beginning, Gerald Wallace collapsed out of bounds while trying to cover on defense, injuring his left elbow joint and leaving the court directly...
Suddenly, the team’s two strongest players were gone!
Zhang Yang was cursing in the streets! He finally understood why the team was able to pick Adam Morrison this season!
With the team suddenly in turmoil, Zhang Yang’s mentality exploded for a moment, but he quickly calmed down.
Given the circumstances, the best thing to do was to try to steer things in a positive direction.
What else could he do at the moment?
That would be to swing!
Increase the... no, I mean the shooting effort!
He couldn’t change the situation of the team, so he’d grasp the increased shooting rights and swing forcefully!
With the team’s defense already like that, he took the initiative to ask Bickerstaff to be assigned to guard perimeter shooters, reducing the energy spent on defense, staying on the court longer, and swinging more.
Bickerstaff agreed to his request. He no longer had to worry about whether to tank or push for the playoffs; the team wouldn’t win games even if he didn’t sabotage his own players.
Starting with the game against the Jazz Team, followed by the Mavericks, Spurs, Miami Heat, and Magic, the team faced a five-game losing streak until they finally stopped it at home against the Pacers with a score of 103 to 85.
The Pacers were publicly embroiled in internal conflict, with Stephen Jackson accusing Artest, Artest ridiculing young O’Neal, who in turn asked for a trade...
After 10 games, the team’s record came to 4 wins and 6 losses.
In the 11th game, they defeated the Pacers again with a score of 99 to 95, bringing their record to 5 wins and 6 losses, closing in on a 50% win rate.
Then, they lost consecutively to the Timberwolves, Celtics, and Wizards.
By November 30th, relying on Felton’s 20 points and 6 assists, Brevin Knight’s 13 points and 11 assists, Zhang Yang’s 16 points, and Okafor’s 11 points and 11 rebounds, they beat the league’s last-placed Knicks Team 98 to 80, ending their losing streak.
The first month ended, and from a start of 3 wins and 1 loss, the team ended with 6 wins and 9 losses.
Zhang Yang’s worst-case scenario had materialized; starting with the game against the Jazz Team, Gerald Wallace and Okafor had not played together again! There were even occasions when both were injured at the same time.
At first, Zhang Yang was really annoyed; over time, he became somewhat numb to their injuries.
But after the game against the Knicks Team, with Okafor suffering from a sore knee the next morning due to a fierce battle with Eddie Curry, Zhang Yang couldn’t just sit by; he had to persuade!
Neither of their injuries were serious, Okafor’s was mainly fatigue, and he would recover after a few days of rest. Wallace, on the other hand, was always knocking and bumping because he played defense too fiercely.
There was nothing that could be done about Wallace; that was his style of play, and not playing fiercely wouldn’t be Wallace. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
But Okafor’s issue was truly caused by his weight!
On the afternoon of December 1st, carrying a fruit basket, Zhang Yang visited Okafor at his home.
After a few polite words, Zhang Yang got straight to the point, "Emeka, it’s time to lose some weight!"
...
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Today I’ve written 12,000 words, asking for monthly tickets! Asking for recommendation tickets!
This chapter is updat𝙚d by f(r)eew𝒆bn(o)vel.com
