《No.1 in basketball scoring》


 Chapter 1 - 1 Lets play basketball then!

    ?1: Let¡¯s play basketball then!


    1: Let¡¯s play basketball then!


    This world unexpectedly and magically began to change from one day onwards.


    During the great cataclysm, the ugly side of human nature was unreservedly exposed, but fortunately, the brilliance of humanity also illuminated this world.


    In this magical era, Zhang Yang encountered something even more magical¡ª


    In Hidden Mountain City, Los Angeles County, there was a two-story building, with a reservation-only family restaurant on the first floor and living quarters on the second.


    In the east-facing room on the second floor, just past 6 a.m., Zhang Yang woke up from his sleep.


    After languishing in bed for a few minutes, the alarm clock went off at 6:06 a.m.


    He stretched out his hand to press the alarm clock on the bedside table, and the ringing stopped.


    Getting up, he tore off a page from the calendar hanging on the wardrobe, July 18¡­


    2003.


    Three days ago, he woke up to find that he had arrived on July 15, 2003, and had become a 15-year-old teenager. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There is an old saying¡ª¡±In the half of July, ghosts run wild.¡±


    Time traveling is definitely a ghostly affair, but isn¡¯t the half of July supposed to refer to the lunar calendar?


    However, when he thought about the men¡¯s basketball team losing to the little devils, the time travel didn¡¯t seem so ghostly anymore.


    ¡°It seems I can¡¯t go back now, but time traveling isn¡¯t all bad; at least I¡¯ve developed the habit of going to bed early and waking up early,¡±


    Zhang Yang muttered to himself, dressed, and headed to the bathroom to wash up.


    As he passed the living room, he looked at the wedding photo of his adoptive parents on the wall.


    He had received the memories of his original self, and perhaps because his original self was only 15 years old with limited experiences, they had almost no effect on his cognition and personality.


    The biggest impact was on the familial front, helping him to quickly become familiar with his adoptive parents.


    The parents in the memories, the ones he had come to know in the past few days, bore no relation to the young man and woman in the photo.


    In the photo, his father Zhang Chen looked like a handsome young man, and his mother Yang Jing had a sweet appearance.


    If his mother were used as a reference, his father might not look tall, but in reality, it was because his mother was exceedingly tall, over one meter eighty.


    Thinking of his father now, with a big belly wielding a large cleaver to chop pigs, cows, and sheep, and his mother, broad-shouldered and wide-waisted, briskly carrying a bucket in each hand¡­


    ¡°Life is indeed a pile of pig feed¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang sighed as he arrived at the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror.


    After a few days of looking in the mirror, the awkward feeling had gradually faded, and he guessed that a little more time would get him used to it.


    The teenager in the mirror resembled the original him by about sixty to seventy percent, both sporting a sunny and handsome appearance.


    The eyes were the most similar feature; when he just focused on the eyes, he almost believed he hadn¡¯t time traveled.


    He was a touch less handsome than his original self, but the height of 188 centimeters made up for what was lacking; the original him was only average height at 175 centimeters.


    As the saying goes, ¡°Height conceals a hundred flaws.¡±


    There was only one problem¡ªright now, he was only 15 years old.


    Although he had passed the age of fastest growth, he could certainly still grow taller and continuing to grow would have a definite impact on life, like making it hard to buy clothes.


    But since he had already come this far, Zhang Yang stopped fretting about it and decided to at least enjoy the carefree student days of a young teenager.


    ¡­


    What was the happiest thing about student days?


    Zhang Yang reflected for a moment.


    Hanging out with classmates and blatantly breaking the law to play games in an internet caf¨¦ ranked second; first was playing basketball.


    After entering the working world, gaming became the number one pastime in his spare time; basketball, on the other hand, was not just about playing anymore¡ª even watching it became less frequent, which also had to do with the fact that over a decade later, the NBA had transformed into a league of constant three-point run-backs.


    Such games were refreshing at first, but overtime they became uninteresting.


    It seemed like the league also noticed this problem, trying to aggressively promote Giannis to the forefront.


    But even with Giannis winning dual MVPs, not many people considered him a marquee superstar, treating him like just a scoring player.


    This aggressive push not only failed to achieve its purpose but also alienated the fans.


    And the men¡¯s basketball team even dared to lose to the little devils¡­


    The good old days are best!


    Owing to his love for basketball, these past few days he had been following the latest basketball news through the internet, television, and newspapers.


    Yao Ming had just finished his rookie season, which started off slow but ended on a high note.


    Although he didn¡¯t win Rookie of the Year, his performance was recognized, and he was seen as a potential superstar center.


    Duncan ended the three-peat of the O¡¯Neal-Kobe duo, snatching away Malone¡¯s title as the all-time greatest power forward.


    Only 27 years old and already with two MVPs, two championships, two Finals MVPs, six first-team selections, five All-Defensive First Team selections, and one All-Defensive Second Team selection¡­


    Even in the era of the gods, such a player would make the gods shiver.


    Under the pressure that Duncan brought, the shocking Lakers¡¯ Four Giants were born.


    Last season, Kobe averaged 30 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2.2 steals; O¡¯Neal averaged 27.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.4 blocks; Malone averaged 20.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.7 steals; Payton averaged 20.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 8.4 assists, 1.7 steals¡­


    As a transmigrator, Zhang Yang felt numb looking at the combined stats of these four players.


    This was far more astonishing than the second generation F4 because, with Big Shark O¡¯Neal included, Zhang Yang even felt that O¡¯Neal alone could match the whole second generation F4.


    Along with Kidd, Iverson, Carter, McGrady, Webber, Garnett, Nowitzki, Ray Allen, Peja, Ben Wallace, Little O¡¯Neal¡­


    and other superstars with distinctive playstyles and charisma, as a basketball fan, coming back to this golden era, Zhang Yang felt that not hitting the court to throw some bricks was a disservice to the then-mighty No.


    8 hammer-smith with a head full of hair.


    After washing up, Zhang Yang went to the storage room and dug out his dusty basketball.


    Looking at the nearly new basketball¡­


    Zhang Yang -_-||


    The original owner also liked sports and was very fit, but his passion was not basketball, it was baseball.


    Of course, there¡¯s nothing wrong with liking baseball; after all, baseball is America¡¯s most popular sport, and many Chinese kids coming to America these days would usually choose to play baseball if they wanted to engage in sports.


    But the original owner¡¯s talent in baseball¡­


    After playing for five years, he had little to do with the school team and just played some casual games.


    If the original owner had been good at baseball, Zhang Yang wouldn¡¯t have minded trying out something new, but with those lousy skills and having never touched baseball before, he decisively gave it up.


    He rummaged through the cabinets again and found an air pump at the bottom of a box, pumped up the basketball, greeted his budget parents who had just woken up, and headed to the park to play basketball.


    Seeing Zhang Yang not wearing a cap and carrying a baseball to practice pitching, but instead holding a basketball and heading out, Zhang Chen and Yang Jing were a bit surprised, but didn¡¯t think much of it.


    Zhang Yang noticed their reactions and breathed a sigh of relief.


    The original owner had the habit of morning training, and for the past few mornings, Zhang Yang had gone out with a baseball as well just so his bargain parents wouldn¡¯t suspect anything was off.


    Instead of practicing pitching, he went for a few runs to work up a sweat.


    Now that he had accepted his new identity, he naturally wouldn¡¯t continue to fully emulate the original owner.


    It was too tiring, especially those minor details, which could be gradually changed and adapted¡ªit goes both ways.


    He jogged all the way to the nearby park¡¯s basketball court.


    It was not yet 6:30 a.m., and all three courts in the park were empty, not a soul in sight.


    Zhang Yang chose the middle court, because how could he not claim the center position?


    If it weren¡¯t for the unbearable heat of midsummer, he would have definitely donned a pair of overalls.


    He dribbled the ball a few times, feeling awkward as his mind and body seemed ¡®mismatched¡¯.


    In his previous life, his ball-handling skills were quite decent, the kind who could show off some tricks during his student years.


    However, this body had almost never played basketball, and it struggled to keep up with his consciousness.


    He was a bit annoyed, but didn¡¯t pay it much attention, as he was just there to have fun and get some exercise.


    He went to the free-throw line, jumped, shot, and yelled out ¡°Kobe¡±¡­


    The ball dutifully hit the backboard, and with a thud, it bounced into the hoop.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s eyes widened, not because of the absurd shot.


    He had mentally prepared for a wild throw, given the terrible feeling of ball control he had earlier; this kind of scoring was more comical than anything.


    But because there appeared a ¡®door¡¯ before his eyes!


    A semi-transparent double door with a ¡®zero¡¯ written right in the middle, and above the door, a signboard with the words ¡®Hall of Fame¡¯!

 Chapter 2 - 2 Youthful dreams reignited

    ?2: Youthful dreams reignited 2: Youthful dreams reignited Hall of Famer Zhang Yang certainly knew what it was¡ªthe difficulty level he couldn¡¯t beat without cheats in 2K¡­


    cough cough, regarding the origin of the Hall of Fame, he actually researched it in his past life when he had nothing better to do.


    The concept of a hall of fame first appeared in the accounting field, established in 1950 by Professor Herrmann Clinton Miller at Ohio State University to honor those accounting masters who had made outstanding contributions to the field.


    The initiative was embraced by elite professionals across many industries in America¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t want a monument after their death?


    The trend of creating halls of fame surged in the 1950s, and major American sports followed suit by establishing their own.


    After several years of preparation, the Basketball Hall of Fame was formally established in 1959, named after the inventor of basketball, James Naismith.


    It targeted not only the NBA and American basketball but all individuals worldwide who had made significant contributions to the sport.


    The first NBA player inducted was George Mikan, and the first NBA team was the Celtics, known for fielding the first starting lineup consisting entirely of black players.


    But what was this thing in front of him?


    No sooner had Zhang Yang¡¯s doubt arisen than related information flooded his mind.


    Gate of Trials of the Hall of Fame.


    This door would aid in enhancing his abilities.


    He could also earn Trials by completing tasks and participate in NBA games across different timelines.


    Some words had also appeared on the door:


    ¡°Name: Zhang Yang.


    Nationality: China.


    Age: 15 years (June 6, 1988)


    Height: 188 cm, Weight: 75 kg.


    Occupation: Student.


    Current Team: None¡­


    Ability Evaluation (High School): Shooting¡ª, Passing and controlling¡ª, Physical strength 90.


    Current Task: Accumulate 10,000 Shooting value points to unlock one Hall of Fame Trial, current progress: 2/10,000.¡±


    Zhang Yang blinked¡ªIs this my golden finger?


    Having already crossed over, he was only startled for a moment when the ¡®Gate¡¯ first appeared, but he quickly accepted the fact that he had obtained the ¡°Gate of Trials.¡±


    He tried to ask more about the ¡®Gate of Trials,¡¯ but no more responses came, so he let it be.


    He focused on the information he had, realizing that what he needed to do was to accumulate Shooting values to unlock the opportunity for a Hall of Fame Trial.


    So, what was the use of a Trial, and how could he ¡®participate¡¯?


    With his small arms and legs going into an NBA game, let alone O¡¯Neal, even that self-proclaimed 183 cm player from Philadelphia could probably knock him half-dead¡­


    His ability evaluation for passing, controlling, and shooting was just a dash¡ªdid that mean he had no skills in shooting and controlling?


    At least give me a few points!


    That¡¯s really harsh!


    But thinking about how he just dribbled and ran right into his own foot; how he aimed and shot the ball at the backboard, expecting it to ricochet off hard but it accidentally bounced in¡­ Okay, if there¡¯s none, there¡¯s none, he endured.


    The other evaluation was a pleasant surprise.


    Although tagged as a high schooler, a physical strength of 90 was top-tier, wasn¡¯t it?


    On the verge of top-tier is still top-tier.


    He knew he was in excellent physical condition.


    His baseball level, though a foreigner with yellow skin, always attracted people to team up with him because he ran fast and jumped high, but an evaluation that considered him top-tier in high school was beyond his expectations.


    This thought suddenly spurred him to pick up the ball, rush towards the hoop, take two strides, and jump with full force, easily slamming the ball through the hoop.


    Landing, Zhang Yang looked at his hands, then at the hoop, and then at the basketball bouncing on the ground.


    His emotions were stirred.


    Which basketball-loving teenager hasn¡¯t dreamed of standing on an NBA stage, competing against Kobe and James?


    But people inevitably grow up.


    One day you suddenly discover you haven¡¯t grown taller for a long time; the hoop you once hoped to reach one day hasn¡¯t gotten any closer, only to feel increasingly out of reach from some moment on; the basketball stars and teams you vowed to love and follow all your life, at some point, you stop following them, they become sealed in the corners of memory, and when occasionally recalled, it¡¯s only in memory of a youth that has passed¡­


    This dunk rekindled the youthful dreams of Zhang Yang.


    Just high school top-tier physical prowess maybe wouldn¡¯t stand out in the NBA¡­


    not even in the NCAA, but at least he had the ¡®qualification¡¯ to be at the table now.


    At the age of 15, starting was somewhat late, but the ¡°Gate of Trials¡± gave him hope.


    ¡°Since I¡¯m already here, why not give it a try?


    Making it into the NBA would be great, but even if I don¡¯t, it¡¯s still worth it¡­


    Charge!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Clang¡±, ¡°Clang¡±, ¡°Clang¡±, ¡°Shooting value +2¡±, ¡°Clang¡±, ¡°Clang¡±, ¡°Clang¡±, ¡°Shooting value +1¡±, ¡°Clang¡±¡­


    For the next hour, Zhang Yang kept hurling the balls on the court with repeated ¡°clangs¡±.


    The electronic alarm clock¡¯s ¡°beep beep beep¡± sounded, and he finished his morning training.


    Hundreds of shots slowly calmed his overly excited emotions.


    He silently commanded, and a semi-transparent door appeared in front of him, with the task progress showing as 112/10000.


    He didn¡¯t count exactly how many shots he had taken or how many baskets he had made, but he guessed his shooting percentage might be about 30%?


    It was mostly thanks to layups.


    The worst was the three-pointers; he had taken 11 shots and made just one.


    After that one went in, he didn¡¯t attempt any more three-pointers.


    His performance in shooting practice was unbearable to watch.


    Whenever he got slightly distracted during his shots, he would unconsciously power through with his original shooting feel, resulting in a wild shot.


    He needed to be fully focused.


    He felt even more exhausted than when he first started playing basketball in his previous life.


    Back then, he only needed to aim at the hoop, and as he kept shooting, his muscle memory gradually developed.


    Now, he had to spend effort overcoming the interference from his original shooting feel.


    However, this also calmed him down.


    He realized he had a long way to go to achieve his dream, and he needed to build a solid foundation first!


    He wasn¡¯t discouraged because of this; he chose to look on the bright side.


    His experiences playing basketball in his past life weren¡¯t entirely negative, at least he knew how to shoot and how to adjust when his strength was too much or too little.


    Additionally, after this hour of shooting practice, he understood how shooting value was acquired.


    Simply put¡ªget the ball through the hoop.


    Direct shooting from three-point or mid-range would do; three-pointers earned +3 shooting value points, mid-range shots earned +2.


    Layups only added +1 shooting point, and they had to be ¡®in layup style¡¯, such as driving layups, turnaround layups, pull-up layups, three-step layups¡­


    Basically, standing under the hoop and tossing it in without movement doesn¡¯t increase shooting value, and neither do dunks.


    Achieving 10,000 shooting points seemed far off, but Zhang Yang was not in a hurry, he was patient.


    School in Southern California started in mid-August, he still had almost a month¡¯s time, which was more than enough.


    Moreover, the more he trained, the more accurate his shooting would become, and the faster he would acquire shooting points.


    He would go back for breakfast and then come back to continue training!


    As Zhang Yang picked up the ball to head home, he saw someone coming¡ªa black teenager about 14 or 15 years old, nearly his height, and also holding a basketball. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Coming alone to the park to play basketball at 7:30 in the morning?


    Was he another avid basketball enthusiast?


    Zhang Yang took the initiative to say hello, ¡°Hello, coming to play this early?¡±


    The newcomer paused but didn¡¯t respond and continued towards the court.


    Zhang Yang shrugged and muttered to himself about the newcomer being aloof, but he didn¡¯t say anything more and just walked away.


    He had greeted out of politeness; it didn¡¯t mean that the other person had to respond.


    He didn¡¯t take it to heart.


    The next time he saw someone training early in the morning, he might still greet them out of respect for their effort.


    The youth who had just arrived at the court had just gathered the courage to greet back, but when he turned around, he only saw the back of the person who had just greeted him leaving¡­


    He stretched out his hand wanting to say something, but ultimately he said nothing.


    Seems like he offended another stranger?


    He felt annoyed for a moment, then pushed the thought out of his mind and started his training.


    He was used to such situations; he knew it was his issue but since he couldn¡¯t change it, he decided to just let it go.


    After all, he had basketball for company.

 Chapter 3 - 3 3

    ?3: 3.


    If you have strength, your voice can be louder.


    3: 3.


    If you have strength, your voice can be louder.


    After breakfast, Zhang Yang, holding a basketball and a thermos, returned to the park.


    His home was about a 15-minute walk from the park.


    With a quick jog, he arrived in a few minutes.


    Upon entering the park, he checked the time: 8:12 a.m.


    Nearly 40 minutes had been spent running there and back, plus eating breakfast.


    The morning exercise and meal at home didn¡¯t delay his training and even served as a short rest.


    There were already some people in the park, but it was still early.


    When he reached the basketball court, the only other person was the same young man he had seen before, practicing his shooting on the farthest court.


    Zhang Yang slowed his pace to watch the other¡¯s training¡­


    No wonder he¡¯s so cocky!


    The youngster before him would shoot the ball, then immediately dash under the hoop to catch it as it bounced off the ground, run outside the key, turn around, and keep shooting, sinking basket after basket¡­


    ¡°Swish, swish, swish,¡± several in a row before missing one, then back to ¡°swish, swish, swish¡±¡­


    Impressive!


    It was like during the heyday of League of Legends when a Platinum or Diamond player would speak louder than anyone else in the internet cafe.


    This young man on the basketball court must be considered a boss, so a bit of arrogance seemed warranted.


    After the other¡¯s set of shooting drills ended, Zhang Yang said hi again without waiting for a response, then ran to the middle court to continue his training.


    On the way there, he had analyzed things and decided to start with practicing layups.


    This drill was good for training both layups and dribbling.


    A mid-range shot was worth only two points of shooting value and with such a low hit rate, it wasn¡¯t necessarily more beneficial than practicing layups.


    If he had been good at three-pointers, he would have considered training that first, but he wasn¡¯t.


    The young man in the corner had noticed that Zhang Yang had returned.


    He had thought Zhang Yang wouldn¡¯t bother with him again, but to his surprise, Zhang Yang greeted him once more.


    The young man froze for a moment, then when he was about to respond, Zhang Yang had already started his practice, leaving him no choice but to let it be.


    He went to the sidelines to drink water, stealing glances at Zhang Yang¡¯s practice¡­


    uh¡­


    clunky dribbling, lousy layups¡­


    but he ran fast, perhaps even faster than him, and jumped quite high, not as high as he did though, strength was hard to say¡­


    a basketball rookie with outstanding physical qualities?


    He watched covertly for a while until his curiosity was worn away¡­


    It was just too pitiful to watch!


    ¡­ Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After 9 a.m., the park gradually filled with more people.


    The park was large, with areas for playing table tennis, tennis courts, and even open spaces for baseball or gatherings and speeches.


    Morning visitors to the basketball court were sparse, so Zhang Yang didn¡¯t need to give up his space.


    At 9:48 a.m., Zhang Yang saw his shooting value reach 300 points and stopped his training.


    He had been there since 6:25 a.m., and aside from the 40-minute break to eat, he had been training the whole time, starting to feel fatigued.


    However, his stamina was better than expected.


    Despite the long duration of focused and intensive training, he only began to feel truly tired now.


    Of course, he was very happy about this.


    Not to mention how important a talent for stamina is for an athlete¡¯s potential, just in the present, it was crucial for his ability to maintain long training sessions.


    Approaching 10 a.m., Zhang Yang took a sip of water, picked up his basketball, and headed home.


    Leaving the park, he glanced at the far court, noting that the ¡®boss¡¯ had already left at some point.


    After returning home, Zhang Yang rested for a while, took a shower, and at 11 a.m., went to help out at the family restaurant.


    Their restaurant was doing well, with reservations often booked two or three days in advance.


    Although they didn¡¯t earn big money, the income was substantial.


    During his school terms, he recalled, his parents wouldn¡¯t let him help out at the restaurant, insisting he focus on his studies, but during breaks, if he was free, he was expected to help with odd jobs around the restaurant during business hours.


    Sometimes, his father would even get him to help in the kitchen, to learn some life skills.


    The business hours ended at two in the afternoon, and after a late lunch, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t continue to the park for training, but instead went to the library and video store to borrow books on basketball fundamentals and rent training DVDs.


    On his way home, he passed by the park and took a glance.


    As expected, the sports facilities were overflowing with people in the afternoon.


    The basketball courts were split into six half-courts across three full courts, and one had to wait in line.


    There was no space for him to practice.


    He could have lined up to play half-court basketball since there were always teams short of players.


    His height wasn¡¯t remarkable in the school team, but he was considered tall among the park players, and if he queued up, teams lacking players would surely want him.


    In the morning, while he was practicing, passers-by would often pause and watch him for a while.


    But now, if he wasn¡¯t careful with his dribbling, he would end up kicking the ball.


    If he played on court, his teammates would surely disdain him.


    Even if they didn¡¯t kick him out right there, he probably wouldn¡¯t get to touch the ball much.


    He might as well read professional books and watch instructional videos.


    Learning professional knowledge, making a training plan, improving training efficiency¡­


    he thought these were also very important.


    By 5 o¡¯clock in the evening, after spending a couple of hours on instructional books and videos, Zhang Yang could no longer restrain his urge to train.


    Every time he threw the ball into the hoop, there was a ¡®progress bar increase,¡¯ akin to gaining experience in a video game, which could get ¡®addictive.¡¯


    Zhang Yang went to tell his mother that he wanted to practice.


    Yang Jing didn¡¯t refuse; the store wasn¡¯t short of help even without her son¡¯s assistance.


    But she was a bit curious, ¡°Basketball?


    You¡¯re not playing baseball anymore?¡±


    Zhang Yang replied, ¡°I suddenly find basketball more fun.¡±


    Yang Jing didn¡¯t doubt him.


    It was normal for a child to develop new hobbies, and now that her son was nearly 1.9 meters tall, it wasn¡¯t strange that he suddenly liked basketball and volleyball, sports that taller people play.


    She cautioned him, ¡°Go ahead, but be back before 8 o¡¯clock.¡±


    Zhang Yang acknowledged and, with a water bottle and basketball in hand, he headed out, not planning to practice too late.


    The public safety situation in Hidden Mountain city was quite good.


    In the 1970s and 1980s, Hidden Mountain city took over a large number of low- and medium-end manufacturing industries from deindustrialized megacities like Los Angeles and Long Beach.


    With plenty of job opportunities, the social situation was relatively stable, and public safety was better than in most cities.


    Hidden Mountain city attracted a large number of workers from East Asia and South Asia based on these industries, which is why Zhang Yang¡¯s parents chose to settle in this city.


    However, safety was relative.


    Walking the streets after 9 p.m¡­


    Zhang Yang would consider anyone doing so as quite brave.


    When Zhang Yang got to the park, by coincidence, he ran into the morning¡¯s ¡®big shot¡¯ again.


    A thought suddenly occurred to him¡­


    Normally at 7 a.m., there would be no one in the park, but the ¡®big shot¡¯ came to practice.


    After 9 a.m., when it became crowded, the ¡®big shot¡¯ left.


    In the afternoon, around five or six, as the park emptied, the ¡®big shot¡¯ was back.


    Could it be that the ¡®big shot¡¯ wasn¡¯t aloof, but had social anxiety?


    What a coincidence, Zhang Yang had social anxiety too.


    He greeted, ¡°What a coincidence, are you here to train too?¡±


    After speaking, he stared intently at the ¡®big shot.¡¯


    The youth stopped in his tracks, expecting the other to leave for his training after the greeting, but instead, he kept looking at him.


    The young man felt panicked, unsure where to put his hands.


    What should he do now?


    It took him several seconds before he responded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a coincidence, meeting you again.¡±


    Zhang Yang guessed right!


    He introduced himself proactively, ¡°Hello, my name is Zhang Yang, I¡¯m Chinese, my English name is Jack, and it¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    Having already started speaking, the youth no longer hesitated with his second utterance, ¡°My name is DeMar DeRozan, and I¡¯m also happy to meet you¡­¡±


    Before the other could finish, Zhang Yang exclaimed, ¡°DeRozan?


    The number one middle school player in Southern Cali?¡±

 Chapter 4 - 4 Im not very good at playing

    ?4: I¡¯m not very good at playing 4: I¡¯m not very good at playing Zhang Yang closely examined the other person¡¯s face, and it did look a bit like him!


    It must be that one¡ªthe traditionalist in basketball from over a decade later!


    It wasn¡¯t surprising he hadn¡¯t recognized him as DeRozan before; DeRozan had a very nondescript appearance, the commonplace face among black people.


    DeRozan, hearing the other¡¯s exclamation, wasn¡¯t surprised; it was normal for someone around his age to have heard of him, and in the field of basketball, he was very confident.


    He corrected, ¡°No, not the first in Southern California, but the first in California.¡±


    Zhang Yang upon hearing this: áê(-_-;)áê


    So you stop being socially awkward when rankings are mentioned, huh!


    Snake-like players are really interesting.


    Putting away his criticism, Zhang Yang said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to run into you here.


    Didn¡¯t the news say you joined Compton High School?¡±


    From 6th to 8th grade, DeRozan was very well-known among the middle school students in Southern California, especially Los Angeles County.


    Inglewood High School in Los Angeles and California High School, the two most athletically prestigious high schools in the Southern California region, both extended olive branches to DeRozan, yet he chose to stay at his hometown high school.


    DeRozan also started opening up and responded, ¡°My grandmother¡¯s house is in Hidden Mountain City, just off the park on the left turn beside that river.


    I come here every winter and summer vacation, Compton isn¡¯t safe.¡±


    Zhang Yang nodded, indicating he understood.


    He didn¡¯t know what Compton was like, but in the land of the free, most cities are not what you¡¯d call safe.


    He asked, ¡°Do you come here to train every morning and evening?


    We could train together; it¡¯s nice to have company.¡±


    DeRozan shook his head, ¡°I come here every evening, but not necessarily in the morning.


    Sometimes in the morning I have to help my uncle sort out the newspapers; he¡¯s a paperboy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Great, not only is he socially awkward, but he¡¯s also great at conversing.


    Zhang Yang could tell that this self-proclaimed number one in California was really making an effort to talk to him.


    But he was trying too hard, not only did he give away his address, now he¡¯s even divulging his family¡¯s jobs.


    If they continued talking, this genius might just spill his social security number as well.


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t continue the conversation, afraid he might scare the other away, and went back to the middle of the court to continue practicing his breakthroughs and layups.


    Just as Zhang Yang thought, DeRozan too breathed a sigh of relief after the chat ended.


    But DeRozan also felt a tinge of disappointment; because of his personality, he had few friends and seldom chatted with others, apart from that one good friend, he rarely talked this much with anyone. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He moved to a nearby court, warming up while watching Zhang Yang train.


    After watching for a while, he was somewhat surprised; compared to the start of the morning when he first began practicing his breakthroughs and layups, the stability of his dribbling and control of his speed had significantly improved.


    But another issue thereby became more noticeable¡­


    He couldn¡¯t restrain himself and approached him, saying, ¡°Jack, there¡¯s something wrong with your layup technique.¡±


    Immediately after saying it, he regretted it.


    Might talking so straightforwardly about the other¡¯s mistake just after meeting offend him?


    Then he heard the other ask, ¡°I¡¯m not very good at playing, can you teach me?¡±


    He was receptive to advice and willing to ask questions.


    Although he was about to be a sophomore, which was slightly older than DeRozan who had just graduated from junior high, there is always something new to learn, and expertise to be attained.


    The master is the one who has achieved excellence, and without a doubt, DeRozan was significantly better at basketball than him, so he decisively asked for advice when needed.


    DeRozan breathed a sigh of relief and felt a surge of fondness for his new friend.


    He organized his thoughts and said, ¡°When you get inside, you rush to make your shooting move.


    With your jumping height, you could start the motion as you leap.


    You also hurry to release your shot after jumping, and with such a quick shot, it¡¯s hard for you to control the power, and you¡¯re not making use of your jumping ability¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang had an epiphany after hearing this.


    It was still an issue of ¡®habit¡¯.


    Now, his physical condition was far better than in his previous life, with much greater height and wingspan, and improved speed and jumping.


    He also felt his drive and layup were a bit awkward, always feeling as though he couldn¡¯t harness his strength, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint the issue.


    Reading textbooks and watching videos hadn¡¯t helped¡­


    But with DeRozan¡¯s pointer, he immediately understood.


    In his past life, he was only 5¡¯9¡å with average speed and jumping ability.


    Back then, his approach to layups was to ¡®rush shoot¡¯; he would start the shooting motion as soon as he broke through and had begun his jump shot by the time he took off, with the ball flying towards the hoop at the peak of his jump.


    This was also related to the basketball environment back then, where during streetball, the defenders would all focus on the person with the ball.


    As soon as someone drove in, whether an opponent or teammate, everyone would collapse inside, and the driving player had to shoot quickly.


    If he continued to train that way, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible, and he might become a ¡®rush shooter¡¯ expert.


    But the biggest problem with this kind of shooting was that the shooting motion was incomplete, leading to low stability.


    Being a rush shooter expert doesn¡¯t necessarily mean being unskilled.


    He remembered the ¡®Sports Car¡¯ from GDP, who primarily executed rush shots inside, and had an incredibly high shooting percentage from the inside during his youth.


    However, such examples were rare, with only the French Sports Car making a name for himself that way; most players who liked close-range rush shots had an inside shooting percentage similar to Alan Houston.


    Zhang Yang decided to adjust the rhythm of his layups.


    He didn¡¯t want to gamble on whether he had the same rush shooting talent as the French Sports Car.


    If he wanted to play that way, he could develop the rush shot technique after mastering the conventional method.


    If he truly pursued a professional career, he would need to continuously enrich his offensive techniques¡­


    Zhang Yang asked DeRozan to help him adjust his layup technique, and DeRozan did not refuse.


    Men, after all, like to teach, to persuade prostitutes to reform, to coerce the virtuous into vice¡­


    ¡­


    Under DeRozan¡¯s guidance, Zhang Yang adjusted his layup habits.


    As this body was just beginning to play basketball, and although influenced by his previous basketball memories, the body had yet to develop muscle memory.


    He consciously controlled his movements, making adjustments not so difficult as long as he was patient.


    If he waited until the body also developed habits, the difficulty would increase significantly, and ¡°double the effort for half the result¡± wouldn¡¯t even begin to describe it.


    At first, DeRozan had casually helped Zhang Yang, but to his surprise, Zhang Yang displayed incredible perseverance.


    He repetitively practiced the basic drive and layup maneuvers, persisting through the tediousness and boredom without a single complaint.


    He even celebrated the tiny, almost imperceptible improvements¡­


    This sincerity made DeRozan take things more seriously, and he started adding complexity to the training, introducing moves like the three-step layup and spin layup.


    Zhang Yang had no complaints and instead practiced even more vigorously, inspiring DeRozan to teach with increasing enthusiasm.


    One liked to teach, and the other was eager to learn; the two hit it off, and two hours flew by in no time.


    As 8 PM approached, the two, still reluctant to end, had to finish their training for the day.


    As they left the park, Zhang Yang thought of something and asked, ¡°DeMar, does helping me train interfere with your training?¡±


    DeRozan shook his head.


    ¡°No worries.


    You don¡¯t have to worry about that.


    Helping you with the fundamentals is also a way for me to rebuild my own foundation.


    It¡¯s beneficial for me as well.¡±


    Zhang Yang saw some sense in that and didn¡¯t fuss, saying, ¡°Continue tomorrow morning?¡±


    DeRozan nodded.


    ¡°See you tomorrow morning.¡±

 Chapter 5 - 5 5

    ?5: 5.


    Snake-like players are elusive.


    5: 5.


    Snake-like players are elusive.


    On his way home, Zhang Yang looked at the 92 shooting value he gained from two hours of practice and didn¡¯t mind it.


    Being able to correct mistakes at the beginning of training, losing a hundred or eighty points in shooting value was very worthwhile.


    Moreover, he got to know DeRozan and received guidance from him.


    When it comes to playing basketball, the difference between having a coach and not having one is huge.


    The first day of training felt like a good start.


    After a day of training, he felt that the first task of the ¡®Gate of Trials¡¯ wasn¡¯t tough and he would definitely complete it before the tryouts for the new term at school.


    At that thought, he was somewhat annoyed.


    The school he attended, Hillside High School, which is also known as ¡®mid-mountain¡¯ high school, although academically very good, was a small private high school.


    The total number of students from 9th to 12th grade was just over a thousand and was not ranked as a first-tier school by CIF (California Interscholastic Federation).


    Regarding the levels of high school sports in California, the original owner knew that the gap between first-tier schools and non-first-tier schools was huge in terms of overall sports strength.


    This was because the CIF system was very rigid; many states¡¯ high school leagues had a promotion and relegation system, but CIF did not.


    The larger the school size and the more students, the higher the school¡¯s level.


    As a result, middle school students with athletic talent and aspirations hustled to get into first-tier schools since non-first-tier schools could hardly compete for talent.


    The situation was the same with coaching resources; capable coaches would all head to first-tier schools.


    When university scouts from prestigious teams were picking talents in California, they wouldn¡¯t set their sights on athletes from non-first-tier CIF schools.


    But he had just finished 9th grade, the equivalent of high one, and still had 3 years left.


    Should he consider transferring in the future?


    After fretting for a while, he decided not to worry about it for now.


    Thinking too much was useless; it was most important to improve his own abilities first.


    ¡­


    After resting for the night, Zhang Yang woke up promptly at just after 6 a.m.


    the next morning, and like usual, waited until the 6:06 a.m.


    alarm went off before shutting it and getting out of bed.


    ¡®Indulging¡¯ in bed for a few minutes was a small joy for the original owner in the morning, which he chose to adopt.


    He had trained for more than five hours the day before, and although the training wasn¡¯t very intense, it was extensive, so he was worried he would wake up feeling sore today.


    But when he got out of bed, he didn¡¯t feel anything unusual.


    He was thankful that the original owner had maintained regular exercise for the five years since he had come to America!


    If you were to ask an American student about their impression of Chinese international students, they would tell you ¡ª academic and athletic excellence, muscles rippling under their clothes, and generally being nice, careful in their actions, even very ¡°reasonable,¡± able to endure a lot, but if you call them Japanese, they would pin you to the ground and beat you up, and even if they can¡¯t win, they would still fight¡­


    The original owner was the ¡®standard Chinese international student¡¯ in the eyes of American students.


    This also related to his mother¡¯s strict upbringing; she wouldn¡¯t allow him to become weak.


    During the first two years when the original owner moved to America, his mother had always urged him to exercise.


    But the original owner found a sport he liked, which was baseball, and even though he wasn¡¯t good at it, he enjoyed it and developed a habit of exercising regularly.


    After washing up, Zhang Yang took a kettle downstairs to the shop to get hot water, water that was boiled and then cooled.


    As Chinese, his family still preferred to drink cooled boiled water and couldn¡¯t accept drinking raw water directly.


    Today, his thrifty father got up early and had prepared breakfast for him in advance, putting it in a food container, and there was a lot of it.


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re trying to stuff me to death here, I can¡¯t eat that much,¡± he said.


    Zhang Chen smiled and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you made a new friend who taught you to play basketball?


    So I prepared an extra portion as a thank you for teaching you.¡±


    Zhang Yang did talk about some of the basketball practice the evening before at dinner around 8 p.m., but he didn¡¯t expect his thrifty dad to take it to heart.


    Just like in the original owner¡¯s memories, his dad was gentle and considerate¡­


    He said, ¡°Thanks, Dad, I didn¡¯t think that far.


    Yeah, reciprocal courtesy is very important.


    I¡¯ll be going now and will help out at noon.¡±


    Zhang Chen felt that his son was much more lively than before, had he perhaps made an outgoing and cheerful new friend?


    That would be a good thing.


    If Zhang Yang knew what his dad was thinking as he walked out the door, he would absolutely have so many complaints he wouldn¡¯t know where to start.


    ¡­


    Today, Zhang Yang was even more eager to get out of the house than yesterday, arriving a whole 10 minutes earlier.


    There wasn¡¯t a soul in the park, but luckily, in the midst of summer, it had been bright since 5:30 AM, and now the sun had already begun to peek through.


    He wasn¡¯t afraid of encountering any ghosts, he stretched his body and continued his practice on driving layups.


    The practice was tedious and had to ¡®resist instinct¡¯, training in a rhythm more suited for his body now, which was even more torturous.


    However, his love for basketball allowed him to endure these negative feelings.


    And he could see his progress bar, so all in all, he quite enjoyed the training.


    He thought he would be training alone for an hour, but before 7 AM, DeRozan showed up.


    Zhang Yang was a bit surprised and greeted him warmly, ¡°Yo, DeMar, you¡¯re pretty early today!¡±


    DeRozan stopped about a dozen meters away from the court, looked at Zhang Yang expressionlessly for a while, didn¡¯t respond, and went straight to a corner of the court to dribble for warm-ups.


    Zhang Yang: [?_??]


    What¡¯s up with him?


    Weren¡¯t we chatting just fine yesterday?


    Do all snake-like players act like this?


    Forget it, just focus on my own training for now.


    I guess treating him to breakfast later should resolve any issues. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he couldn¡¯t keep training peacefully, as 10 minutes later, DeRozan came over and said, ¡°You¡¯re not powering your waist correctly when you turn for the layup.


    It¡¯s not the shooting motion that should drive the waist power, but the waist that should guide the power for the shot.


    That way, you can reduce the wastage of energy and also increase the stability of your shot.


    Didn¡¯t I teach you this yesterday?


    How could you still make this mistake?¡±


    Zhang Yang: ?!(.¥Ø¡ã)??


    What¡¯s his deal today?


    Though he¡¯s right, it is my mistake.


    Forget it, no use arguing with a snake-like player, he responded, ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll change it.¡±


    This perfunctory tone¡­


    what an attitude.


    DeRozan was annoyed.


    Seeing that although Zhang Yang was speaking dismissively, he consciously used his waist to drive his power on his next driving turn layup¡­ made DeRozan even more annoyed!


    Can¡¯t you be a little more consistent in your words and actions?


    He felt embarrassed to make a scene now!


    But having already expressed his annoyance, DeRozan felt much better and began teaching normally, ¡°Jack, when you turn, you don¡¯t have to do it too quickly.


    Start slow, get the footwork right first.


    Once you¡¯re proficient, then you can think about speeding up the turn¡­¡±


    With DeRozan¡¯s sudden change of attitude, Zhang Yang smacked his lips, figuring he¡¯d just get used to it.


    Snake-like players are probably all like this.


    An hour later, at around 8 AM, Zhang Yang stopped the training and invited DeRozan for breakfast.


    DeRozan initially wanted to say he¡¯d already eaten breakfast before coming, but when he saw the scallion pancakes and sandwiches inside the food box that Zhang Yang opened, he swallowed his saliva and didn¡¯t refuse.


    He followed and washed his hands before they began to eat.


    It looked and tasted much better than the breakfast his uncle made.


    In comparison, his uncle¡¯s hastily made breakfast was like pig slop.


    One scallion pancake and one sandwich later, DeRozan, who had already eaten breakfast, was full.


    He asked, ¡°Did you make this?¡±


    Zhang Yang shook his head, ¡°No, my dad made these.


    We own a restaurant, and he¡¯s a really good cook.


    I can cook too, but not as well as him.


    These are all simple dishes, I can teach you if you¡¯d like to learn.¡±


    DeRozan nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed, but he genuinely wanted to learn.


    His mom cooked pretty well, but his uncle¡­


    however, he had to come back here every vacation.


    At home, his mom wouldn¡¯t let him do these things, insisting he focus on his studies and basketball¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 6 - 6 6

    ?6: 6.


    Have you seen Hidden Mountain at 4 a.m.?


    6: 6.


    Have you seen Hidden Mountain at 4 a.m.?


    After digesting for a while, the two continued their training.


    DeRozan taught with even more care and spoke in a gentler tone, having been treated to food.


    Zhang Yang was somewhat puzzled by the sudden change in attitude¡ªit was just a bit too abrupt¡­


    And then he thought of the player known by the nickname ¡®snake¡¯.


    After a while, DeRozan felt it was time to up the ante, went to the security room to borrow a chair, placed it under the basket as an obstacle, and had Zhang Yang practice his moves to avoid the chair while attacking the basket, particularly in a range where his shots could be disturbed.


    Zhang Yang never thought he¡¯d see the day when he¡¯d be training with a chair, had he wronged Lian Mei?


    Look, even the traditional shooting guard practitioners use chairs during training.


    Like the day before, Zhang Yang trained in the morning and evening, helped out at home at noon, and rested in the afternoon by watching videos and reading books¡ªa similar duration of training as the previous day.


    Today, the total shooting value gained was not as much as yesterday, only 316 points, and the rate of shooting value gain per unit time was even less than last night.


    However, today¡¯s training was tougher than yesterday¡¯s, so getting over 300 was already pretty good.


    The night passed without incident, and the next morning, Zhang Yang continued his routine of taking his food container to the park¡ªhaving a dad who could cook was truly a blessing.


    He hadn¡¯t been training in the park for long when something unexpected happened¡ªjust at 6:30 am, DeRozan arrived!


    And like when he first arrived yesterday, his expression was very sour, and his teaching attitude extremely poor¡­


    no, even worse than yesterday!


    It wasn¡¯t until 7:30, after breakfast, that DeRozan started to speak normally.


    In Zhang Yang¡¯s view, this guy was somewhat neurotic, with sporadic mood swings.


    He didn¡¯t care, though¡ªwhatever will be, will be, as things always returned to normal.


    Thanks to his handy dad for his good cooking skills!


    He also didn¡¯t expect that his recognition of his parents would be enhanced on the basketball court, a rather subtle feeling¡­


    Another day passed, and on July 21st, Zhang Yang got up early for the fourth consecutive day to practice basketball.


    When he arrived at the park¡¯s basketball court, he saw a figure practicing fadeaway jump shots¡­(???)


    Zhang Yang¡¯s confusion from the past two days was suddenly cleared up.


    He really hadn¡¯t expected it to be for this reason¡­


    Zhang Yang walked over to the edge of the court, DeRozan paused his training, and looked at Zhang Yang with an obviously proud expression.


    Zhang Yang asked, ¡°Why so early today?


    What time did you get here?¡±


    DeRozan replied, ¡°6 am, not that early.


    The sky was already bright.


    I didn¡¯t intend to arrive earlier than you; I just woke up early today.¡±


    Zhang Yang¡¯s mouth twitched as he said, ¡°DeMar, have you ever seen Hidden Mountain at four in the morning?¡±


    That early?


    DeRozan asked in disbelief, ¡°Have you?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t either.


    I can¡¯t get up at 4 am.


    Starting tomorrow, if we are to train in the mornings, let¡¯s both get here by 6:30.¡±


    Zhang Yang was scared and quickly made things clear, in case DeRozan really came over at 4 am.


    Then would he follow or not?


    If he didn¡¯t, it seemed like a loss of face.


    Unspoken, it¡¯s true, snake-like players are so rolled up!


    No wonder snake-like players are the most likely to succeed among the ¡®next in line¡¯ superstars.


    Of course, this ¡®success¡¯ doesn¡¯t mean becoming the first man in the league.


    Comparing the future DeRozan with James or Curry, he definitely wasn¡¯t that impressive.


    But compared to the vast majority of athletes, DeRozan was definitely a standout, earning hundreds of millions of US dollars over a career spanning a decade and making a class leap.


    DeRozan was relieved, he didn¡¯t want to wake up any earlier either; before, he used to wake up at 7 am, have breakfast, jog over, and start training.


    Today he was up by 5:30 am.


    He did all of this not for anything else, but because he didn¡¯t want to lose in any aspect.


    After chatting idly for a while, the two started training.


    DeRozan observed Zhang Yang practicing several sets of layups, corrected some details, and then went to practice on his own.


    His fundamentals, personal abilities, vision, and judgment were strong, but only among peers.


    With just layups, the past three days and five training sessions had pretty much covered everything.


    He had thought he¡¯d have to teach for a longer time; when his middle school coach corrected his bad layup habits, it took about a week.


    But with Zhang Yang, it was basically sorted out in two and a half days.


    DeRozan was younger then, and didn¡¯t have Zhang Yang¡¯s level of focus or effort, but his fundamentals were much better¡­


    He felt an inexplicable pressure.


    Even though the newfound friend before his eyes was still so weak.


    Yes, he had come to see Zhang Yang as a friend, but that had only started this morning.


    He hadn¡¯t regarded Zhang Yang as a friend from the beginning, just as someone he met at the basketball court while spending the summer at his grandma¡¯s.


    But Zhang Yang¡¯s training sessions had shown DeRozan how much this guy truly loved basketball and was willing to work for it, making DeRozan willing to befriend him.


    The more seriously he taught, the more it was because Zhang Yang trained harder.


    A snake-like player¡¯s trademark characteristic¡ªliking or disliking other players not based on their skill level, but on whether they worked hard¡­


    Of course, it didn¡¯t exclude the possibility he was in a good mood because he arrived earlier than Zhang Yang today.


    After ¡®slacking off¡¯ for over two days, DeRozan felt he had to work harder.


    Although he didn¡¯t think it possible, it would be utterly embarrassing if he were surpassed by this friend who only started practicing basketball when he nearly reached 10th grade.


    ¡­


    A few days later, at 7:50 PM on July 25th, Zhang Yang¡¯s eighth day of training ended. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In these eight days, DeRozan trained with him every evening; mornings were less certain, including this morning, making it three days DeRozan hadn¡¯t shown up.


    Zhang Yang summoned the door and calculated his Shooting Value for the day¡ª612 points, dozens more than yesterday¡¯s 556 points, reaching a new high.


    His training wasn¡¯t just simply rushing in for layups; if that had been the case, today¡¯s five-hour session would have seen him making at least two or three hundred more baskets, right?


    Three-step layups, spin layups, baseline turnaround layups, jump stop layups¡­


    each time he shot, he tried his best to include these fundamental movements.


    Though he obtained fewer Shooting Values, he felt it was worth it.


    Since he wanted to walk this path, he couldn¡¯t skimp on laying a solid foundation.


    After several days of training, he was able to go for layups without deliberately controlling his movements and could start focusing on accuracy.


    His progress was faster than he had anticipated.


    In eight days, he had accumulated 3537 Shooting Value points.


    School would start on August 11th, and the school team would begin its internal recruitment after school started.


    There was definitely enough time to complete his task¡ªit was just uncertain how long that ¡®experience¡¯ would take.


    However, he wasn¡¯t fretting about it since he didn¡¯t know what the ¡®experience¡¯ really implied.


    He¡¯d focus on completing the task first.


    Zhang Yang was preparing to say goodbye to DeRozan and leave, but noticed DeRozan looking as if he had more to say.


    Zhang Yang asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, DeMar?


    Did you get too mischievous and your grandma kicked you out?


    Don¡¯t worry, we have a spare room at my place.


    You can stay with us.¡±


    DeRozan bristled immediately: ¡°You¡¯re the one who got kicked out of your house!¡±


    After shouting that, DeRozan seemed to let go of his hesitations and said, ¡°This morning when I came here, I ran into some annoying guys.¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°You came in the morning?


    Weren¡¯t you supposed to help your uncle sort the newspapers?¡±


    DeRozan: ¡°I came at half-past ten, by which time you¡¯d gone home¡­


    They provoked me, and I couldn¡¯t hold back, so I agreed to play a match against them.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t beat them?


    Are they even better than you?¡± Zhang Yang was curious.


    ¡°They are a few years older than me, but I am definitely better than them,¡± DeRozan stated confidently, ¡°it¡¯s just that I am one teammate short¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang thumped his chest and said, ¡°So you need my help?


    Why be so formal with me?


    If you need me, I¡¯m there!¡±


    DeRozan hesitated slightly: ¡°Although they aren¡¯t that great, they are a few years older than us¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang was nonchalant: ¡°With my skills, afraid of losing?


    But wouldn¡¯t it be even more awesome if we won?¡±


    DeRozan couldn¡¯t hold back: ¡°Winning would be great, but I don¡¯t have much confidence with you on the team.¡±


    Zhang Yang looked at DeRozan with a mix of reproach and pleading.


    Could he be a bit more tactful?


    That really hurt!


    Suddenly, something occurred to him, and he asked, ¡°They are three?


    Who is the third person on our side, besides you and me?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 7 - 7 Dont mind me holding you back

    ?7: Don¡¯t mind me holding you back.


    7: Don¡¯t mind me holding you back.


    DeRozan replied, ¡°My friend, he was also my middle school classmate, plays basketball pretty well, and is about to go to Lynwood High School.¡±


    Lynwood, also a small city in Los Angeles County, borders Los Angeles and can be somewhat considered a part of it, which is why the schools here have a wide student base.


    Zhang Yang wasn¡¯t thinking about the possibility of transferring or anything, but he had looked up the CIF Division 1 schools in Los Angeles County, and Lynwood High School was one of them.


    Being friends with DeRozan, who is still considered a ¡®kid¡¯, and being praised by DeRozan for playing decent basketball, and about to go to Los Angeles for high school¡­


    Zhang Yang summarized the information, and a face with distinctive features came to mind.


    Could it be that one?


    DeRozan didn¡¯t say the name, and Zhang Yang didn¡¯t ask further, leaving some suspense¡­


    Then, Zhang Yang asked DeRozan what had happened that morning.


    DeRozan thought about it and decided to tell him.


    If DeRozan was helping his uncle with the newspapers in the morning, he would come to the park to practice for an hour before noon.


    Today was the same; he arrived at the park around 10 a.m., and although there were already some people at the basketball courts, there were still two half-courts empty, so he practiced alone as usual.


    After practicing for a while, a group of people came and noisily told him to leave, not to hog the space.


    Although they were rude and cursing, he moved aside, since it didn¡¯t seem fair for one person to occupy a half-court.


    Moreover, he knew some of the people in that group and didn¡¯t want to provoke them and invite trouble.


    But as he was about to leave, the group started harassing him mercilessly, and eventually they challenged him to a fight¡­


    of course, a basketball game.


    The names of the three who wanted to ¡®fight¡¯ DeRozan were known to Zhang Yang¡¯s original self as well.


    Russell Jones, Andrew Mels, and Isaiah Mels; the last two are twins.


    America is not short of basketball prodigies, nor of former basketball prodigies.


    All three were the latter, considered basketball geniuses in their communities during their elementary and middle school days.


    However, like many geniuses, they failed to transition during their student years.


    By high school, they were no longer outstanding and dropped out early.


    But after dropping out, these three still clung to the label of ¡®basketball prodigies¡¯, unwilling to settle down; instead, they returned home, roamed the streets, and caused trouble, particularly enjoying using their basketball skills to bully the weaker ones on the courts.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s original self knew about these three, not because they played exceptionally well, but because his family and friends all warned him to steer clear of these hoodlums.


    After hearing the story, Zhang Yang commented, ¡°I remember those guys are almost 20, right?


    Picking on you, a 13-year-old kid, is pretty shameless.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the kid!¡± DeRozan, who was not going to turn 14 until the 7th of next month, immediately retorted.


    Zhang Yang: ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re the big kid¡­


    Did they hassle you because they recognized you as the top middle school player in Southern California?


    Trying to make a name for themselves off you while you¡¯re young?


    Or did they want to bully you because they¡¯re older, trying to crush your confidence, thinking that way you¡¯ll end up like them?¡±


    Big kid¡­


    DeRozan gave Zhang Yang a dismissive glance and then confidently stated, ¡°Those guys can¡¯t shake my confidence.¡±


    Zhang Yang thought for a moment, then suggested, ¡°How about we just forget about it?


    Let¡¯s not deal with them; we can find another place to train.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to run away!¡±


    DeRozan usually had a delayed response, but this time he didn¡¯t hesitate for a second.


    Zhang Yang smelled a rat.


    No longer contemplating ¡®the best way to handle this¡¯, he smiled and said, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s just play against them, just don¡¯t blame me if I hold you back.¡±


    ¡­


    Snakes are composed, and the next morning, Zhang Yang saw DeRozan, as if nothing had happened, engaging in his regular training.


    It was the same last night; it wasn¡¯t until the end of training that he noticed something was off with DeRozan. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It¡¯s only fair to say that the ability to make it into the NBA and become an All-Star is justified.


    No matter what happens, as long as it doesn¡¯t affect the training schedule, it doesn¡¯t affect the training¡­


    lesson learned.


    They trained until 7:30 a.m., had breakfast together, and now if DeRozan came out for morning practice, he wouldn¡¯t eat breakfast at home.


    After breakfast, having rested for a while, Zhang Yang asked DeRozan to practice together.


    DeRozan would break through and pass the ball to him for the attack on the basket.


    Having practiced dribbling and layups for seven or eight days, he originally planned to start practicing mid-range jump shots.


    Cooperation in receiving passes wasn¡¯t on his current agenda, but now, things had changed.


    There were indeed some students in the class who were quite good at basketball, but he estimated that they wouldn¡¯t be willing to come once they heard the names of those few hooligans.


    Besides, even if they were willing, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for his classmates.


    That meant he had to find a way to help DeRozan instead of holding him back.


    Seeing how seriously Zhang Yang was preparing for battle touched DeRozan deeply.


    There was no need for Zhang Yang to wade into this mess with him, but the other party chose to stand behind him without any hesitation¡­


    He didn¡¯t make a fuss and threw himself into the preparation.


    However, after practicing the break and pass a few times, DeRozan was surprised.


    He had only intended to ¡®sharpen his weapons at the last minute¡¯ to help Zhang Yang practice, but he didn¡¯t expect Zhang Yang to make any significant progress so quickly.


    After all, Zhang Yang had been learning to play basketball for less than ten days, and DeRozan had seen firsthand how bad his first day of practice was.


    Moreover, Zhang Yang had spent these days patiently practicing the most basic dribble layups, never having played an actual game of basketball.


    But the situation was different from what he had expected!


    After just a few practices, Zhang Yang¡¯s rhythm had already become very proficient, and it seemed he was even actively coordinating with DeRozan¡¯s pace of breakthroughs?


    Damn it!


    His buddy was really a genius!


    Somehow, DeRozan felt the pressure again.


    Because he was not very good at teamwork, he wasn¡¯t adept at responding to others.


    And he estimated that if he tried to learn it, he wouldn¡¯t be as quick as Zhang Yang.


    That meant his buddy might actually have more talent than him, simply having started playing basketball later!


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t so much that Zhang Yang was a fast learner; rather he already knew how.


    He had mastered the attacking moves in the past few days, and after coordinating a few times, he quickly got the hang of it.


    Responding to passes and cooperation differ from technique, focusing not on fundamental skills but on experience.


    DeRozan had better basketball strength, and even at the ¡®peak¡¯ of his former life, Zhang Yang was no match for DeRozan, given the vast difference in physical conditions.


    But when it came to playing experience, Zhang Yang was far more seasoned than DeRozan, who had still been playing for his department in intra-school competitions during his junior year in college and only gradually stopped playing basketball after starting his internship in his senior year.


    DeRozan put aside his distractions and focused on training properly.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s talent was something he had no control over; he was happy to see his buddy getting stronger quickly so they could have fun playing together.


    If Zhang Yang had a natural gift in this area, DeRozan could also take the opportunity to practice passing the ball.


    For Zhang Yang, as he thought, training in cooperation and making the shots also increased his Shooting Value.


    It allowed him to practice teamwork without delaying the accumulation of his Shooting Value.


    Moreover, since he didn¡¯t need to dribble and break through, focusing on catching and making layups, his shooting percentage improved some more¡­


    The two immersed themselves in training, and by 9 o¡¯clock, the park started to fill up with people.


    They ended their practice and headed to the bus station together.


    DeRozan, who frequently rode this bus, was very familiar with the station and led Zhang Yang onto the platform.


    DeRozan had timed it well, and not long after the two arrived at the station, the bus from Compton to Hidden Mountain pulled in.


    Zhang Yang watched the bus door intently as one by one, passengers got off.


    Soon, he spotted the person he was expecting.


    Although the physique was beyond his expectation, so round¡­


    the distinctiveness of that face could not be ignored.


    Even without the beard, the singer¡¯s charisma was evident.


    It was him, it was him, it definitely was him¡­


    The future King!


    Please save to your favorites, and I appreciate your monthly and recommendation tickets!

 Chapter 8 - 8 8

    ?8: 8.


    How about trying to grow a beard?


    8: 8.


    How about trying to grow a beard?


    Zhang Yang guessed right: when they mentioned DeRozan¡¯s childhood friend, the first person he thought of was Harden, as he had seen news about their friendship in his past life.


    It was Harden who had just graduated from middle school¡­


    His height was slightly shorter than both him and DeRozan, but he looked to be at least 20 kilograms heavier?


    Quite the chubby one.


    Unlike the extremely introverted DeRozan, Harden had run over to DeRozan with a ¡®duangduangduang¡¯, shouting, ¡°DeMar, you have to reimburse me for the bus fare, I¡¯ve already spent all my pocket money, and I even borrowed the fare from my brother.¡±


    DeRozan was prepared and pulled out some change from his pocket, handed it to Harden, who didn¡¯t hesitate and pocketed it immediately.


    Zhang Yang was embarrassed by their way of communicating.


    But he could understand.


    Compton and Hidden Mountain were both small cities in Los Angeles County, not too far apart.


    It takes over an hour by bus, and driving could cut that by a third.


    The fare wasn¡¯t expensive, but to two kids from families that weren¡¯t well off, being exact with money was best.


    With the bus fare settled, Harden looked at Zhang Yang and asked, ¡°DeMar, is this the new friend you said has a great talent for basketball?¡±


    Zhang Yang was surprised; DeRozan had spoken highly of him behind his back.


    Having spent a few days together, he understood DeRozan very well; he wasn¡¯t one to praise others easily.


    DeRozan nodded, ¡°This is Jack¡­


    Jack, this is my friend from childhood, James Harden.¡±


    ¡°Hi, my name is Zhang Yang, English name Jack, from China,¡± Zhang Yang greeted him, feeling Harden¡¯s gaze on him was a bit strange.


    Harden didn¡¯t respond but said to DeRozan: ¡°DeMar, your new friend is¡­ really handsome.¡±


    Zhang Yang: !!??


    If he didn¡¯t know this chubby kid¡¯s preferences, he wouldn¡¯t dare turn his back on him.


    Harden continued, ¡°If the two of us play basketball with him, the girls will all be watching him; no girls will watch us play.¡±


    Zhang Yang sweated.


    DeRozan was speechless and asked, ¡°Is that really important?¡±


    Harden: ¡°Of course, it¡¯s important!¡±


    Zhang Yang continued to sweat, curious about how these two completely different personalities ended up together.


    Seeing Zhang Yang¡¯s reaction, DeRozan felt rather embarrassed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, don¡¯t waste time here, let¡¯s find a place to discuss how to play this afternoon¡¯s game.¡±


    After he spoke, DeRozan started walking away, with the other two quickly catching up.


    While walking, Harden asked Zhang Yang, ¡°Jack, why were you staring at my face earlier?


    Is there something dirty on it?¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°Uh¡­ no, it¡¯s just that I think your face shape really suits a beard, like¡­ Baron Davis¡¯s style, it definitely could attract girls¡¯ attention.¡±


    DeRozan walked even faster, thinking what are these two even talking about!


    Harden, however, slowed his steps; he had touched his chin, having purposely shaved his beard that morning, perhaps he should try growing it out?


    He had always been annoyed about how early he started growing a beard, which extended from his chin to his sideburns, even connecting with his hair.


    Now that Zhang Yang mentioned it, he suddenly wasn¡¯t so bothered anymore.


    If a handsome guy thinks his beard might attract girls¡¯ attention, it must be right!


    ¡­ sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Minutes later, the two arrived near a park next to the bus station.


    Hidden Mountain¡¯s infrastructure was well developed, with parks everywhere, nearly all containing basketball courts and open spaces, some with high usage, others less so.


    This park was more secluded, mostly visited by those coming to catch the bus.


    Given the high rate of car ownership in the USA, not many people came here, and even fewer came to play basketball.


    Actually, this kind of place was more suitable for Zhang Yang and DeRozan to practice basketball on their own.


    They decided to practice in the previous park for two reasons: it was closer to home, and its greener environment made them feel more at ease.


    When they arrived at the court, the three of them started discussing how to play the game in the afternoon.


    Harden said casually, ¡°We just go up there and blow them away, aren¡¯t they just a bunch of older punks?¡±


    DeRozan nodded, his thoughts similar to Harden¡¯s.


    Zhang Yang smacked his lips and said, ¡°Going straight in is brave, but they¡¯re targeting DeMar, we must win this game.


    If we play well together and maximize both of your strengths, our chances of winning will be much higher.


    If possible, we should not only win but win beautifully!¡±


    His voice grew louder, and by the last sentence, it was strong and high-pitched, instantly igniting DeRozan and Harden¡¯s enthusiasm.


    Harden responded excitedly, ¡°Exactly, we have to win, and win beautifully!¡±


    DeRozan routinely nodded.


    Zhang Yang was pleased.


    Although he felt that their basketball perspectives were still immature, he didn¡¯t plan on lecturing them to correct this.


    After all, these two were only fourteen or fifteen, a very normal age for such thoughts.


    He chose phrases they might like.


    The approach worked well, getting them to buy into the idea of playing with teamwork.


    Harden, caught up in the heat of the moment, suddenly realized something was amiss and asked, ¡°Why is it about maximizing DeMar¡¯s and my strengths?


    What about you?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Zhang Yang suddenly felt awkward playing basketball with these two talents, and said somewhat embarrassingly, ¡°Didn¡¯t DeMar tell you?


    I just started learning basketball, I¡¯m not very good¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I thought you were being modest when you said you weren¡¯t good at basketball, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be this weak!¡±


    After a three-player teamwork drill, Harden couldn¡¯t help but make a comment.


    Zhang Yang rolled his eyes: ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t I say I only started playing basketball not long ago?¡±


    Alright, he found a common trait between the two¡ªthey both could be overly direct at times.


    Harden, seeing Zhang Yang¡¯s expression, realized he was being too rude and quickly added, ¡°But your passing is really beautiful, the rhythm of the shot was just perfect when I received the ball, much better than DeMar¡¯s.


    It would be even better if you could control the strength of your passes a little more.¡±


    DeRozan: ¡°Then I¡¯m really sorry for you, and I wish you better teammates when you go to Lynwood High School.¡±


    Harden coughed and turned to Zhang Yang saying, ¡°Jack, I didn¡¯t expect you could set up strategies.¡±


    He felt helpless, after pacifying one, he ¡®offended¡¯ another; what could he do but try to change the subject?


    After all, ¡®betraying friends and hometown¡¯ to move to the big city was indeed his issue.


    DeRozan¡¯s attention was successfully diverted: ¡°Yeah, Jack, I didn¡¯t expect you would just point out our playing style and come up with a strategy that suits the three of us.¡±


    Zhang Yang thought the two might start arguing, but the topic suddenly shifted.


    He felt a bit regretful and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that impressive.


    I just read some basketball-related books and watched videos these past few days and learned a few things.


    It¡¯s mainly because your two styles naturally match well, probably because you are teammates.


    And my playing style is very simple and basic, I don¡¯t need to do much, which suits teaming up with you guys.¡±


    DeRozan¡¯s playing style was completely in the style of a player from Los Angeles, even could be said in the style of the God of Basketball, capable of breaking, shooting, and passing, much more all-around than his future NBA days, Zhang Yang figured DeRozan made some compromises with his style when he got to the NBA.


    Harden¡¯s playing style was quite a surprise to Zhang Yang.


    It wasn¡¯t the kind of ¡®flexible fatso¡¯ he expected, nor was it the Thunder Team kind of all-around warrior style, nor was it the step-back three-pointer plus flopping style that came after being enlightened by the elbow of world peace, but more like the first half of his name.


    He relied on a bulky 185 cm + 95 kg frame for overpowering breakthroughs to score and to pull off three-pointers.


    At this stage, DeRozan was stronger than Harden, after all, DeRozan was the top high school player in Southern California, even Zhang Yang¡¯s original self who didn¡¯t play basketball knew DeRozan¡¯s name, whereas he had never heard Harden¡¯s name before.


    Zhang Yang wasn¡¯t being modest; overall, both were capable of breaking and shooting, their positions interchangeable, adding his cutting into the frame, it was easy to come up with a suitable strategy.


    Harden: ¡°That¡¯s already impressive, you¡¯ve only been learning basketball for a few days?


    Anyway, I can¡¯t match you in this aspect; I need to work harder.


    If you start practicing now and end up surpassing me, I won¡¯t have any face left.¡±


    DeRozan nodded, worthy of being his best friend since childhood, sharing the same thought on this matter.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Please vote!

 Chapter 9 - 9 9

    ?9: 9.


    The will-o¡¯-the-wisp boy acts without reason 9: 9.


    The will-o¡¯-the-wisp boy acts without reason They chatted for a few minutes before the three of them continued practicing coordination.


    Originally, Harden and DeRozan were just emotionally charged, but now, realizing that the tactics really suited them and were conducive to winning, they practiced with even greater focus.


    By noon, Zhang Yang took DeRozan and Harden home with him.


    He had already told his parents the night before about the competition he had to play in the afternoon, and his parents asked him to bring his friends home for lunch, as a way to observe what his new friends were like.


    When he brought the two of them home, his parents had already prepared several dishes on the upper floor, and there was also a dining table in the upstairs living room, though it was seldom used.


    Harden and DeRozan shared one thing in common regarding their family lives¡ªtheir parenting was very strict.


    Harden, in particular, had to get his mother¡¯s approval to make friends, and it was only because DeRozan was the one who brought him to Hidden Mountain; if it were anyone else, he wouldn¡¯t even have been able to leave the house.


    Yang Jing warmly entertained her son¡¯s two friends, chatted with them briefly, and seemed quite satisfied with their upbringing.


    After a few minutes, she went downstairs to busy herself, leaving the kids some space.


    Having been a kid herself, she knew that with adults around, kids might not even feel comfortable sitting down.


    After Yang Jing left, DeRozan commented, ¡°Jack, I¡¯m really envious of you for having such a gentle mother.¡±


    Harden was also envious, ¡°Yeah, My mom spends two out of every three sentences scolding me, and the other one threatening to hit me.¡±


    Zhang Yang felt a mix of emotions, as in the original body¡¯s memories, his mom was actually quite similar to Harden¡¯s mom¡­


    but after thinking about it, he decided not to explain.


    In case his mom heard from these two that he was ¡®bad-mouthing¡¯ her, he would probably end up getting beaten again.


    For lunch, Harden and DeRozan ate their fill.


    As the saying goes ¡°the youngsters eat the father dead,¡± Zhang Yang ate a normal amount, but the rest was gobbled up by these two.


    Patting his belly and leaning back in his chair, Harden said enviously, ¡°Jack, your home is really great, with a chef for a dad, you get to eat so much delicious food every day.¡±


    DeRozan didn¡¯t say anything.


    His mother¡¯s cooking was delicious, but he was now living with his grandma and his uncle, who was responsible for the cooking, and it was¡­


    less than ideal.


    Zhang Yang responded, ¡°You guys are welcome to come over for meals anytime, don¡¯t be shy.


    My other friend used to come over to eat all the time too.


    He used to take me to play baseball, but now he¡¯s studying at California High School.


    He doesn¡¯t come back much during holidays as he works there.


    I heard he¡¯s supposed to come back these few days to celebrate his mom¡¯s birthday, but I don¡¯t know if he has.¡±


    At that, Harden¡¯s face lit up with joy, but his expression quickly turned bitter, ¡°No, I have to go back in a couple of days.


    Only DeMar can come to your house often¡­¡±


    DeRozan rolled his eyes at Harden.


    After listening to Zhang Yang, he wasn¡¯t concerned about that.


    He was very interested in meeting Zhang Yang¡¯s friend to ask him, why on earth did he take Zhang Yang to play baseball?


    Zhang Yang obviously had the physique of someone who engaged in long-term sports.


    He had asked Zhang Yang which sport he used to play, and after knowing it was baseball and Zhang Yang¡¯s level in the sport,


    He thought that if Zhang Yang had started playing basketball two years earlier, their playtime together would have been even more enjoyable.


    At the very least, they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about losing the game against those thugs¡­


    Thinking about this, DeRozan felt he had to try even harder.


    His little buddy even had a talent for tactics, and the sense of crisis of being overtaken was enhanced once again.


    ¡­


    At 3 p.m., the park¡¯s basketball court was swarming with people, three layers deep on the inside and three on the outside.


    Usually, this time was the busiest, but today there were an exceptional number of people.


    Even the two other courts next to it were deserted, everyone had gathered around the central court.


    When Zhang Yang arrived at the court, he was a bit surprised; he hadn¡¯t expected so many people to come to watch.


    It must have been those guys spreading the word about their challenge against the number one middle school player from Southern California¡­


    What were they after?


    Were they so confident they would win?


    Had they not considered how embarrassing it would be to lose after challenging someone, especially being several years older if they lost¡­


    But such ghostly kids don¡¯t really need a reasonable excuse to do such things.


    They probably just wanted to do it.


    If they won, they could make a name for themselves, and as for losing face¡­


    people like them have one thing in common, they are very concerned about their image, but they¡¯re also quite unabashed when it comes to losing face.


    Jack muttered under his breath and teased DeMar on the side, ¡°DeMar, you¡¯re really the pride of Southern California, with so many people coming to watch you play.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s California No.1!¡± DeRozan instantly retorted.


    He was unsatisfied with the ¡®Southern¡¯ prefix and would have preferred if even the ¡®California¡¯ prefix were removed, but his skin wasn¡¯t that thick.


    Seeing that Jack wasn¡¯t intimidated by the crowd, he felt more satisfied with his little buddy, satisfaction level +1.


    He snorted, ¡°What¡¯s this?


    The March finals in Los Angeles County had over 3000 spectators for our game against Inglewood High School.¡±


    Harden joined in, ¡°Yeah, that game still excites me whenever I think about it.


    I hope to have the chance to play games like that again.¡±


    Inglewood High School, which included grades 6-8, was one of the two finalists in this year¡¯s Los Angeles County middle school basketball competition; the other was Compton¡¯s Liberty Park Middle School, where DeRozan and Harden played.


    A game surrounded by thousands¡­


    Jack also longed for that.


    But does Harden really have no confidence in himself?


    As the three casually chatted, three mischievous-looking youths approached, drawing a chorus of shouts.


    Some were calling out ¡®DeRozan¡¯, others ¡®little Iverson¡¯.


    ¡®Little Iverson¡¯ referred to Russell Jones on the opposing team.


    Barely 1.8 meters tall, he scored over 40 points in several consecutive games during the county¡¯s middle school competitions in 99¡ä, drawing considerable attention in the Los Angeles area.


    It was just after Iverson had claimed his first scoring title over Jordan, so the local tabloids naturally slapped Jones with the ¡®little Iverson¡¯ label.


    This business, in any other city, would have just caused a momentary stir.


    In Hidden Mountain City, the topic lasted a bit longer, but once Russell Jones entered high school and didn¡¯t make a splash, locals lost interest.


    But Jones himself still regarded himself as ¡®little Iverson¡¯, accustomed to being the center of attention.


    He blamed failure entirely on bad luck and couldn¡¯t accept being just an average person, so he chose to hang around the streets and parks where there were always weaker players, ensuring he always felt significant.


    Jack¡¯s casual criticism from yesterday turned out to be spot-on; Russell Jones really did want to derive his sense of significance from DeRozan.


    Russell Jones sized up Jack and Harden, then sneered at DeRozan, ¡°I thought you might be too scared to show up and would be crying in your mommy¡¯s bed, but here you are.


    Is this pretty boy and this fatso your teammates?


    That¡¯s hilarious.¡±


    DeMar immediately snapped back, ¡°They are a lot stronger than you, at least they didn¡¯t get kicked off the school team in high school.¡±


    Struck where it hurt, Russell Jones started cursing, and the Mels twins at his side joined in the slanging match.


    DeRozan fired back with passion, not showing any weakness.


    Jack gave a ¡®tsk¡¯ on the side.


    DeRozan¡¯s words¡­


    emmm¡­


    weren¡¯t wrong.


    Harden definitely wouldn¡¯t get kicked off the school team, and he couldn¡¯t either¡ª he wasn¡¯t even on the team.


    When Harden spoke, he seemed pretty goofy, and DeRozan usually acted like a recluse.


    Jack had planned to be the one to stand up and trade blows verbally¡­


    but DeRozan was surging with courage at times like this!


    Seeing Harden¡¯s spectator-like attitude, Jack guessed this wasn¡¯t the first time something like this had happened.


    Everyone has their own points of pride, and for DeRozan, it was naturally basketball.


    Like Harden, Jack switched to spectator mode and enjoyed the show. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The atmosphere became charged with the sound of the ongoing verbal battle.


    In the noisy crowd, two out-of-place looking observers were having a conversation.


    The onlookers were teenagers, and the two middle-aged men stood out.


    But since everyone¡¯s attention was on the court, no one paid them any mind.


    ¡°Tony, aren¡¯t you going to go and greet the talented new recruit your team has signed?¡± asked Andy Tang, the middle-aged Asian man speaking.


    After speaking, his gaze shifted from DeRozan and Harden to Jack on the court.


    This kid, he¡¯s actually going to play basketball?


    Vote for me!

 Chapter 10 - 10 10

    ?10: 10.


    Take another look.


    10: 10.


    Take another look.


    The person being called by Andy was Tony Thomas, the head coach of Compton High School, the school DeRozan was about to attend.


    Thomas shook his head, ¡°No, if I go and greet him, he will definitely get nervous, and then I won¡¯t be able to see this side of DeRozan.


    It might even affect his performance¡­


    I didn¡¯t expect to see such an interesting scene when I returned to Hidden Mountain to rest for a couple of days before school started.¡±


    Andy withdrew his gaze from Zhang Yang and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried?


    Although DeRozan is very talented, those three on the opposite side were once geniuses too, and you should know about them.¡±


    Thomas smiled, ¡°I once tried to recruit them, but they didn¡¯t come to my school.


    However, back in middle school, they were quite good, but they¡¯re nothing compared to DeRozan.


    They might be older, but they haven¡¯t gone through professional training for a long time, right?


    Plus, DeRozan has Harden as a helper, that chubby kid over there.


    Don¡¯t judge him by his looks, his talent is no less than DeRozan¡¯s.


    It¡¯s a pity, if Harden had also chosen to stay at Compton, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about finding DeRozan a helping hand for the next few years¡­


    By the way, who is that Asian kid, Andy, is he from your school?¡±


    Andy, ¡°I know him, he¡¯s a child of a friend¡¯s family, named Jack.


    He attended Hidden Mountain Middle School where I work for elementary and middle school, and now he is at a private high school halfway up the mountain.¡±


    The son of a friend¡¯s friend?


    He seems to have a good relationship with DeRozan, Thomas felt there could be a prospect of recruitment.


    As the coach of that rough place, Compton High School, he was always thinking about scouting talent.


    Thomas said, ¡°He has an excellent physique, even better than DeRozan.


    What about his skills?¡±


    Andy gave his workaholic friend a sidelong glance, and replied, ¡°He plays baseball, and is the captain of the taekwondo club; anyway, I¡¯ve never seen him play basketball.¡±


    Thomas, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡­


    DeRozan was holding his own against all three, but he didn¡¯t win either.


    In the end, the game had to decide the winner.


    There is an actual difference between troublemakers and troublemakers; with other troublemakers, after an argument like the one before, they might have just started fighting.


    But these three insisted on settling the score with basketball, the arrogance of former prodigies still there.


    Russell Jones set the rules for the game: half-court 3-on-3, best of three rounds, first to ten points for each round.


    For the tip-off, DeRozan lost rock-paper-scissors to Jones, and Andrew Mels, the older of the Mels brothers, scored from the free-throw line, giving Jones¡¯ team the first opportunity to attack.


    DeRozan passed the ball to Jones from the free-throw line, taking one step up to guard inside the arc.


    The game started with a king versus king matchup!


    Perhaps because the earlier trash-talking had strained his voice, Jones didn¡¯t spew any trash talk and went straight into action.


    Jones¡¯ ball handling was flashy, with various tricks, highly entertaining and drawing cheers from the crowd.


    It wasn¡¯t just for show; it was also good for annoying the opponent.


    DeRozan stepped up trying to stop the fancy dribbling with his body.


    Even though DeRozan still had about ten days left before he turned 14, four years younger than Jones, he was much bigger in terms of build.


    But this was exactly what Jones was waiting for.


    He pulled off a beautiful behind-the-back move to avoid DeRozan and then accelerated forward!


    DeRozan turned to chase after him but it was already too late, Jones was really fast!


    On the side, Zhang Yang was cutting off Andrew¡¯s passing route while closing in; Jones took a hop step to deftly avoid Zhang Yang, maneuvering under the basket, switched the ball to his left hand, and made a floater!


    Hearing the onlookers cheer ¡®Little Iverson¡¯, Zhang Yang put his hands on his hips.


    To become the most well-known troublemaker in the neighborhood, Jones indeed had some skills.


    The offense and defense switched, DeRozan went one-on-one with Jones.


    DeRozan, with his ¡®best middle school player¡¯ label, was not just for show.


    Using his height and a pump fake, he fooled Jones into close defense, then made a lateral step to break through to the free-throw line, pulled up quickly, and made a mid-range jump shot, tying the score at 1 to 1.


    Such graceful moves!


    Zhang Yang clapped twice, hmm, he had decided, when he would develop his shooting again, he didn¡¯t care about anything else, but he was definitely going to switch to a cooler posture.


    Some onlookers were shouting ¡®little Bryant¡¯¡­


    A phantom duel that neither Iverson nor Kobe themselves were aware of?


    The cries from the spectators just hit the spot for DeRozan and Jones, as Kobe and Iverson were exactly their idols.


    In the following rounds, the two continued to attack each other, playing to a 3-3 start, after which Jones¡¯s team began to take the upper hand.


    The Mels brothers, both 190 centimeters tall forward players, got used to DeRozan¡¯s offense after a few rounds, and the athletically superior younger brother, Isaiah, did a better and better job in closing down and double-teaming DeRozan.


    Moreover, the offensive cooperation between Jones and the Mels brothers was quite good, though simple, this kind of game becomes more effective the simpler it is played.


    DeRozan¡¯s team was also double-teaming, but due to a lack of clear defensive cooperation, the effect was far less than that of the other side; as for offensive cooperation¡­


    the morning¡¯s training was a waste.


    With Andrew hitting a three-pointer after receiving a pass from Jones, the score was 10-7, giving Jones¡¯s team the first game.


    During the break, the three players from Jones¡¯s team celebrated gleefully, while over at DeRozan¡¯s team, even the usually grinning Harden looked displeased.


    It seemed like they just couldn¡¯t beat those three former prodigies with just the two of them. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If it had been an official game, playing for 32 minutes, their chances of winning would have been greater, but in this half-court 3-on-3 game to ten points¡­


    DeRozan scored 5 baskets, Harden made two, they played well, but the other side had already scored 10 points by then.


    As for Zhang Yang, he didn¡¯t play any role in the first game, just filling in the numbers.


    At first, Zhang Yang was also anxious, a complete drag on the team, but after playing a couple more rounds, he calmed down and did what he could do¡ªobserve the opponents.


    After the first game ended, he thought for dozens of seconds, and waited after DeRozan and Harden¡¯s emotions had exploded the most, before calling them together and saying, ¡°I¡¯ve thought of a tactic that might work, wanna give it a try?¡±


    Zhang Yang¡¯s calm tone seemed to provide a pillar for the psychologically on-the-edge DeRozan, who quickly cooled down.


    DeRozan had already given his all in the first game, he was not outdone by Jones in one-on-one play, but in the end, he lost.


    He hesitated only for a moment before nodding his agreement.


    ¡®Jack has a talent for tactics,¡¯ had already been etched into his mind from the morning¡¯s encounter.


    Harden didn¡¯t have strong opinions of his own; when DeRozan was anxious, he was anxious, and when DeRozan calmed down, he did the same.


    Once DeRozan accepted Zhang Yang¡¯s arrangement, he naturally chose to accept it as well.


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t waste time, and started explaining his tactical strategy to his two mates¡­


    At the edge of the empty half-court on the other side.


    Andy: ¡°Those three guys aren¡¯t too bad, your new genius player might lose today.


    DeRozan is quite capable, and so is Harden, but they lack experience, and Jack is dragging them down.¡±


    Thomas: ¡°Those three guys were once middle school prodigies after all, while DeRozan and Harden have just finished middle school.


    That the two of them can outdo those older guys in individual skills is already impressive, but of course, they can¡¯t match their experience.


    However¡­¡±


    Andy: ¡°However what?¡±


    Thomas, looking at Zhang Yang who was saying something to DeRozan and Harden, replied, ¡°From the perspective of individual ability, it¡¯s definitely Jack who is dragging them down, but from another angle¡­


    let¡¯s just wait and see¡­¡±


    Thomas didn¡¯t care about the outcome of the game at all, if DeRozan won, he would be quite happy, but if he lost, it could serve as a lesson for the young man.


    Several encounters during the recruitment period had made him realize that despite appearing humble, DeRozan was quite arrogant.


    Such a personality needs some setbacks to be honed.


    If he always had it easy, he might not handle a major setback well when it inevitably came.


    This thought just flickered through Thomas¡¯s mind.


    Compared to winning or losing, he was more curious about something else¡ªthe baseball player named Jack.


    Was his positioning just now coincidental?


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Please vote!

 Chapter 11 - 11 11

    ?11: 11.


    Targeted Talent 11: 11.


    Targeted Talent They rested for a few minutes, and the second quarter began.


    Jones went to the free-throw line to inbound the ball, his voice finally recovered and he taunted, ¡°Just surrender early.


    Surrendering might be less embarrassing.¡±


    DeRozan ignored Jones.


    After calming down, he remembered that in the first quarter, he had completely forgotten about teamwork.


    No, not just teamwork; he had barely even passed the ball, and even Harden didn¡¯t get many shooting opportunities.


    Now he had to focus.


    Seeing Zhang Yang run to the designated position, DeRozan changed direction and drove forward.


    Jones couldn¡¯t stop DeRozan¡¯s breakthrough, but he didn¡¯t give up on defense.


    Using his speed advantage, he closely followed DeRozan and, together with Isaiah, successfully cornered DeRozan on the right side of the free-throw line¡­


    With the experience from the first quarter, their defensive coordination against DeRozan was already very skilled.


    However, DeRozan didn¡¯t just pull up and shoot when he encountered the double team like before.


    Instead, he continued to drive deeper into the trap¡­


    and then he passed the ball!


    Zhang Yang cut along the left side of the three-second zone, caught the ball, and without dribbling, he took two steps and jumped quickly, tossing the ball into the hoop.


    Andrew, who was guarding Harden on the left, timely moved in from the baseline, but it was too late.


    His athletic ability wasn¡¯t much better than his brother Isaiah¡¯s, as he was more of a technique player, while Zhang Yang¡¯s sprinting speed was even faster than Isaiah¡¯s!


    ¡°Shooting value +5¡±


    Zhang Yang¡¯s eyes brightened as he landed; it was much higher than in training!


    He put that aside for now and focused on finishing the game.


    Zhang Yang picked up the ball and went to the free-throw line, passing to Jones.


    Seeing that the one guarding him had turned to Zhang Yang, Jones felt a flicker of pride in his heart ¡ª see, I made the top middle school player from Southern California afraid to guard me!


    His ball-handling became flashier, wanting to severely humiliate this pretty boy in front of him.


    He didn¡¯t know Zhang Yang, but he felt annoyed just looking at Zhang Yang¡¯s face. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, Zhang Yang completely ignored him, didn¡¯t even move forward to press, and just stood at the free-throw line after passing the ball!


    Also, what was the meaning of this guy¡¯s puzzled look?


    Jones¡¯ anger rose rapidly; he stopped showing off his dribbling and just drove forward.


    Zhang Yang, slightly faster in lateral movement and turning than DeRozan, stepped back for defense but still couldn¡¯t block Jones¡¯ drive.


    The oncoming DeRozan, shrinking from the wing, also couldn¡¯t form an effective double team.


    Jones, moving forward, performed a behind-the-back dribble to shake off DeRozan and successfully made it under the basket¡­


    only to be stopped by Harden, who had preemptively moved back under the hoop!


    There was actually someone under the basket!


    Jones bumped into Harden, not only failing to displace him but also stumbling himself.


    However, his reaction was quick, and before falling, he flicked the ball to the right.


    Andrew, in the right side of the three-second zone, received the ball and went for a jump shot¡­


    ¡°smack¡±¡­


    Zhang Yang leaped forward, with a palm sending the ball flying out of bounds!


    The crowd screamed incessantly!


    What excites the audience most in a basketball game?


    It¡¯s neither dunks nor beautiful shots, but blocks!


    Zhang Yang¡¯s block was solid, clean, and sharp.


    Andy at the sideline also clapped his hands, ¡°Jack¡¯s block was really beautiful.


    He played well this round.¡±


    Thomas, ¡°Hmm, they might turn the game around.¡±


    Andy, ¡°Hmm?


    It¡¯s just one round, isn¡¯t it a bit early to talk about turning the game around?¡±


    Thomas, ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice?


    Jack¡¯s block wasn¡¯t a fluke.


    The three of them displayed defensive cooperation.


    The prior offense was the same; DeRozan didn¡¯t pass just because he couldn¡¯t break through.


    I think he deliberately drove to that spot to entirely draw the two defenders, creating an opportunity for Jack.


    The idea of actively coordinating is there, and it was well-executed.


    Their offense is fine, surely better than the first quarter.


    Now their defense has also coordinated.


    DeRozan and Harden both started moving as soon as Jones began his drive, with Harden completely leaving Mels unguarded.


    Since Mels lacks shooting ability, leaving him open doesn¡¯t matter.


    Jack, while DeRozan complemented the defense on Jones, directly lunged towards the technically solid but athletically weaker Mels¡­


    an outstanding defensive trio, considering the opponents¡¯ offensive patterns and habits.


    The gap wasn¡¯t particularly big in the first quarter, but now with DeRozan¡¯s team showing significant improvement in both offense and defense, Jones¡¯ team has no chance.¡±


    Andy, though not a professional coach, enjoyed basketball as an elementary and junior high school PE teacher and part-time basketball coach.


    When Thomas analyzed the situation, he immediately understood.


    He said in astonishment, ¡°Tony, the basketball level in Compton is really high!


    DeRozan and Harden had just graduated from junior high, and they already had such excellent tactical awareness.


    I finally understand why you regretted not successfully recruiting Harden.¡±


    At Thomas¡¯s words, he opened his mouth but ended up saying nothing.


    He returned his gaze to the court and, seeing Andy¡¯s reaction, he rated Zhang Yang¡¯s talent even higher.


    On the court, just as Thomas had analyzed, DeRozan¡¯s team began to dominate, and their advantage became increasingly apparent.


    After one effective trial, DeRozan played more resolutely, taking the initiative to delve deeper and distribute the ball through double-teaming.


    Zhang Yang primarily focused on supporting attacks to the basket.


    If Andrew moved in early to block him under the basket, he would pass the ball directly to Harden.


    Harden¡¯s baseline shooting was almost perfect, and Andrew, who was defending him, had never even considered contesting or expending any effort there; he wasn¡¯t aware.


    If Isaiah didn¡¯t double-team DeRozan, DeRozan would take the shot himself.


    On defense, Harden didn¡¯t worry about anything else; he just fell back to the basket using his significantly greater heft compared to others to block players under the basket.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s arc defense may have seemed useless, but he was slightly faster than DeRozan, forcing Jones to react quicker during his breakthroughs.


    Moreover, his positioning consciously cleared the way in DeRozan¡¯s direction, creating opportunities for DeRozan to help defend against Jones¡­


    These were things that DeRozan couldn¡¯t do at the arc, and Zhang Yang¡¯s way of compensating for Andrew now was something DeRozan couldn¡¯t achieve either; their awareness wasn¡¯t on the same level.


    DeRozan had to do something as simple as Harden: first confront Andrew, then just fall back.


    The offensive and defensive strategies set by Zhang Yang were actually very simple, but they were enough for this match.


    Jones¡¯s team, faced with the sudden coordination from DeRozan¡¯s team, had no idea how to respond.


    They hadn¡¯t reached the stage of tactical training in their high school careers before they were eliminated.


    Back on the streets, although they still played, they mostly relied on individual skills to dominate their opponents; their coordination was merely due to playing together for several years, gaining some experience.


    But when they faced a truly cooperative opponent, they couldn¡¯t measure up.


    The score for the second match was 10 to 6, DeRozan¡¯s team evening the overall score to 1 to 1.


    In the second match, Jones¡¯s team played relatively calmly, or rather, normally.


    In the third match, however, the team started playing erratically.


    After losing the first match, DeRozan¡¯s team had one person who could calm the others down, make clear tactical adjustments, and implement effective changes.


    Jones¡¯s team lacked a leader and any sense of tactical adaptation.


    They knew they needed to change, but didn¡¯t know how¡­


    so they just played blindly.


    The psychological quality also revealed the disparity between the teams; even Harden, on DeRozan¡¯s side, was affected by losing one match, but at least it didn¡¯t disrupt their gameplay.


    Jones¡¯s team¡­


    started cursing as they played.


    Although DeRozan¡¯s team dominated the second match, a score difference of 10 to 6 wasn¡¯t massive.


    The audience had hoped for a fierce battle in the third match, but it turned out to be one-sided.


    DeRozan¡¯s team, three junior high students, pounded the streetwise hoodlums, and the crowd cheered loudly for them¡­


    Zhang Yang too was mistaken for a junior high student based on his youthful face; he looked the youngest among the six players on the court.


    Quickly, the score reached 9 to 3.


    Zhang Yang intercepted a pass meant for Jones.


    DeRozan immediately dashed beyond the three-point line, catching Zhang Yang¡¯s lobbed pass, feinted a shot to send Isaiah, who had lunged at him, flying, and then drove to the free-throw line where he pulled up for a quick jump shot against Jones¡¯s desperate defense¡­


    and he scored!


    10 to 3.


    With a big score of 2 to 1, DeRozan¡¯s team clinched a comeback victory!


    As DeRozan landed, wearing a mocking expression, Jones pushed him.


    DeRozan hadn¡¯t yet steadied himself and was pushed to the ground.


    Jones, still furious, dove in to hit him again¡­


    and his face met a heavy blow¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Vote for me!

 Chapter 12 - 12 12

    ?12: 12.


    Harden¡¯s Alternative Talent 12: 12.


    Harden¡¯s Alternative Talent When DeRozan was pushed, Zhang Yang immediately rushed over, swung his arm powerfully, and slapped Jones across the face, knocking him flat on the ground.


    Isaiah rushed up to attack Zhang Yang from behind but was knocked down by Harden, who sprinted over.


    Zhang Yang had already turned around, ready to retaliate, not expecting Harden to be so reliable at that moment!


    But the weight of Harden¡­


    seeing Isaiah get knocked into the air and fall twitching on the ground, he felt sympathy for half a second.


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t stop his movements, got up, and with Harden, they both lunged at Andrew who was charging at them.


    The two quickly took Andrew down, their coordination perfect, they exchanged a look, feeling a mutual respect.


    The sudden fight did not surprise the audience much, as games involving gang members are usually like this, but nobody expected those two middle school students to be so fierce!


    The audience¡¯s exclamations were nonstop.


    Just when everyone thought the matter was about to end, seven or eight ghost fire youths started shouting and charged in, causing the audience to scream again, purely out of excitement.


    ¡°Crap!¡±


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Zhang Yang and Harden cursed in unison, but didn¡¯t back down, and the stumbling DeRozan also stood by their side.


    Just as they were ready to fight even if they couldn¡¯t win, someone suddenly dashed from the side and kicked the leading ghost fire youth to the ground, scaring the others so much that they immediately stopped in their tracks.


    A tall, slim black guy stood in front of them and shouted to the gang of ghost fire youths, ¡°Hey, hey, hey, those three losers can¡¯t play basketball and now they want to fight, and you guys want to help them?


    Have some shame.¡±


    A huge guy over two meters tall and weighing at least a hundred kilograms quickly ran over to stand beside them.


    Zhang Yang, seeing these two, relaxed and laughed, ¡°Jarett, Tyson, you guys are back?¡±


    Jarett Young turned and responded, ¡°I¡¯ve reached my work limit for the month, and just as the soccer team came to Hidden Mountain for a warm-up match, I hitched a ride back.


    I¡¯ll go back to school with them in a few days.


    We heard you were in a game when we came to your house, got curious to see it, and didn¡¯t expect you to have started playing basketball, even scoring a few points, not bad.¡±


    Tyson Roy also ignored the gang of ghost fire youths and just responded.


    Following the original body¡¯s habits, Zhang Yang said, ¡°Jarett, you¡¯re still the same as before, never letting any opportunity slip by.¡±


    After a bit of teasing, he introduced his old and new friends to each other. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jarett Young, a member of the Southern California High School baseball team, whose mother is friends with Zhang Yang¡¯s mother.


    It was he who introduced baseball to Zhang Yang after he arrived in America.


    Jarett Young realized not long after starting high school that he couldn¡¯t progress further in baseball due to lack of innate talent.


    Unlike most Black men, he didn¡¯t resign himself to fate or fall into bad ways but instead focused on studying and working part-time.


    As a student, Jarett Young was limited to working no more than 3 hours per day and 72 hours per month.


    However, he had a certificate from the city hall which allowed him to earn a minimum wage of 15 US dollars per hour if he worked more than 60 hours a month.


    Thus, even during school vacations, he stayed in Los Angeles to work part-time and fulfill his hours.


    He seldom came back over these two years.


    Tyson Roy, a member of the Southern California High School football team, and Jarett Young¡¯s childhood best friend, thus he knew Zhang Yang well.


    Unlike Jarett Young, who gave up his sports dreams early to focus on getting into a good university, he was a main player in the team and was hopeful for a full college scholarship.


    SInce there was an age gap of three years, during the first two years after Zhang Yang arrived in America, it was mainly these two who hung out with him and looked after him.


    After the two entered high school three years ago, they seldom returned to Hidden Mountain, sometimes only seen once a year during Christmas.


    Their interactions became less frequent, but childhood friendships are always hard to forget, not seeing each other for a year or two didn¡¯t make them strangers.


    When DeRozan learned that it was Jarett Young who introduced baseball to Zhang Yang, he blurted out, ¡°What were you thinking making Jack play baseball, wasting his basketball talent.¡±


    After saying that, DeRozan regretted it, fearing he had offended someone again.


    But Jarett Young was more amiable than he appeared, he said helplessly, ¡°I didn¡¯t know he had a talent for basketball.


    He was fast, strong, with good vision, I thought he¡¯d be a great pitcher or outfielder.¡±


    DeRozan, feeling embarrassed, scratched his head and said, ¡°Jack really does have the ideal physique for it.¡±


    He had played baseball in elementary school and knew that as a baseball player, Jarett Young¡¯s perspective wasn¡¯t wrong.


    After chatting for a bit, they didn¡¯t linger at the park but left together and headed to Zhang Yang¡¯s house.


    Jones and his gang had already scampered away shamefacedly.


    Advantage of ten against five?


    Are you kidding me?


    They dared not raise their hands again after seeing those two former community toughs; everyone was the same age, and they knew those two very well.


    Not only were they fiercely combative, but they also didn¡¯t pull punches¡­ And those two kids were just the same, Isaiah felt his waist was nearly broken by the impact, and Jones was dazed from the slap by Zhang Yang, both had to be helped away, not to mention one first-year middle schooler who picked fights with three people at once.


    Can¡¯t trouble those who are out of their league, might as well find someone easier to pick on next time.


    ¡­


    Jarett Young and Tyson Roy rarely came back, but they did, and Zhang Yang¡¯s parents were very happy as their son won his first match, bustling around to prepare a table full of dishes for the kids.


    Jarett Young and Tyson Roy, just as they used to, went into the kitchen to help out.


    Zhang Yang also wanted to help, but his mother, thinking he was too dirty from playing basketball, sent him upstairs to shower.


    DeRozan and Harden went upstairs to take a shower.


    DeRozan was about the same height as Zhang Yang and just a bit thinner, so wearing Zhang Yang¡¯s clothes wasn¡¯t a problem.


    Harden¡­


    with a height of two meters and a weight over 100 kilograms, Tyson Roy lent him a set of shorts and a T-shirt, which fittingly wasn¡¯t a problem.


    The game had been won, and they had also won the fight, so the five of them really enjoyed their big meal.


    After dinner, once everyone had cleaned up the dinner table, they all went to their respective homes.


    Zhang Yang had wanted to have Harden stay over as they had a spare room, but Harden, worried about his mom scolding him, chose to stay at DeRozan¡¯s place and took his dirty clothes back to wash and dry that night, planning to return them to Tyson Roy the next day.


    Jarett Young and Tyson Roy rarely came back, so they decided to visit other friends tonight.


    They had come to watch Zhang Yang play basketball and help maintain order today, spending half their day with him, so they didn¡¯t stay to hang out for longer.


    After sending everyone off, Zhang Yang thought about the afternoon¡¯s game and still felt a buzz, loving the feeling of playing basketball.


    After the excitement, he analyzed the day¡¯s game and gained a more direct understanding of his physical fitness.


    In terms of physical fitness, he surpassed the Mels brothers.


    If he was a 90, Isaiah Mels, the more athletic of the two, was probably over 80.


    Jones was hard to compare, his speed was just too fast.


    However, Jones¡¯s explosive power and jumping ability were quite ordinary.


    Iverson, who was fast, fierce, and could jump, was a rarity, not unique but definitely a rare sight.


    Zhang Yang felt that his little friend DeRozan was basically on par with him.


    DeRozan wasn¡¯t as fast or as strong, but his jumping ability, acceleration, and initial speed were better than his.


    Harden was also hard to compare at the moment, as his weight was excessively over the limit.


    At dinner, Zhang Yang asked Harden about his weight, 215 pounds, almost 97 kilograms, a bit heavier than he had guessed.


    From DeRozan, Zhang Yang learned something¡ªHarden had asthma as a child, which prevented him from engaging in prolonged physical activity.


    He also had a penchant for eating, and his two brothers often indulged him by buying him snacks, which resulted in his growing fatter.


    By the end of elementary school, his weight had already exceeded 200 pounds, while Harden was less than 1.7 meters tall.


    Later, when the symptoms of asthma no longer appeared, Harden started playing basketball to lose weight, but he couldn¡¯t slim down.


    However, three years passed, and Harden had grown to over 1.8 meters tall, but his weight still hovered around 210 pounds (95 kilograms).


    Perhaps this was also a kind of talent¡ªunable to reduce weight, then just grow taller.


    Technically, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t analyze who was stronger, anyway he was the weakest; even Isaiah Mels, who relied on his physique to play, had a strong drive to the basket.


    During the three rounds of the game, he scored a total of 6 points¡ª4 points in the second round, 2 points in the third round, with 5 layups and 1 dunk, totaling 30 shooting value.


    After scoring the first basket, he considered whether to ¡°practice instead of compete,¡± but now decided it was better to just keep practicing since practicing the technique also steadily increased his shooting value.


    ¡­


    The next morning, Zhang Yang continued to wake up early.


    He carried a large lunchbox prepared by his dad in one hand and dribbled with the other, walking while dribbling.


    Those few hoodlums would not be coming back for another three to five days, having just lost face.


    Even if they were thick-skinned, Zhang Yang wasn¡¯t worried, as he didn¡¯t think those guys would get up so early to come to the park now.


    In the evening, those people still had to queue at the free food distribution point.


    Having to watch over the lunchbox, Zhang Yang occasionally, not paying attention, sent the ball flying and had to go pick it up¡­


    Fortunately, it was just past six in the morning, and there were not many cars on the road.


    When he arrived at the park¡¯s basketball court, it was already past six-thirty.


    Seeing Zhang Yang arrive, a yawning Harden immediately began to complain, ¡°You two are exaggerating, starting to train so early!


    At six o¡¯clock, DeMar had already woken me up.


    But why so late?


    Had I known, I would have slept in for another ten minutes¡­¡±


    DeRozan, seeing Zhang Yang dribble while walking toward the court, guessed why his friend was late and sighed at his buddy¡¯s dedication, then harbored ever more resentment toward Jarett Young¡­


    But Jarett Young was what could be called an unexpected misfortune.


    When Zhang Yang¡¯s original self had just entered junior high and started growing taller quickly, the P.E.


    teacher suggested he play basketball, which he refused, insisting stubbornly on baseball while Jarett was already attending high school in Los Angeles.


    Harden, while complaining, suddenly saw the lunchbox in Zhang Yang¡¯s hand and fixed his gaze on it, saying, ¡°Getting up so early, I haven¡¯t even had breakfast¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang gave Harden a look and said, ¡°Then how about we eat breakfast first before training?¡±


    Harden immediately went over to take the lunchbox, chuckling non-stop.


    DeRozan also gave Harden a look, and seeing Harden about to directly open the lunchbox, slapped his hand, saying, ¡°Wash your hands first!¡±


    Harden went to wash his hands, looking quite pitiful, but he took the lunchbox with him to the sink, as if worried someone would steal it.


    Zhang Yang thought these two really complemented each other¡¯s personalities¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Requesting monthly tickets!


    Requesting recommendation tickets!

 Chapter 13 - 13 13

    ?13: 13.


    Do you want to go to Compton?


    13: 13.


    Do you want to go to Compton?


    After breakfast and a short break to digest, the three of them each occupied a half-court to start training.


    Although Harden complained, once he started training, he was as serious as the other two, practicing the corner three-point shot with great focus.


    Today, DeRozan was practicing his sidestep mid-range jumper. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After so many days of training, Zhang Yang noticed that DeRozan was particularly enamored with the mid-range shot.


    He remembered that even in the era of small ball, DeRozan¡¯s three-point shooting was poor, setting the record for the lowest number of three-points made in a season by a player averaging over 20 points per game during the small ball era.


    He seemed to have made only 9 three-pointers in a season, which was less than most centers.


    However, he didn¡¯t ¡®remind¡¯ DeRozan.


    Currently, DeRozan was also in the stage of building foundations.


    It was more important to practice the shooting areas he liked and was good at.


    Zhang Yang also started practicing mid-range shots today, not just shooting casually as he did on the first day.


    The first spot was free throw practice.


    It was a tough period of ¡°resisting instincts¡± again.


    In his past life, when he played intra-college games, he also shot free throws, but back then, he would jump when releasing the ball.


    You can jump during a free throw.


    There were two reasons he used to jump during free throws back then; one was that he hadn¡¯t received professional free throw training, and the other was that he was an average person in both height and strength who needed the momentum from the jump to help him exert force better in the shot.


    But now he didn¡¯t need to anymore.


    Even if he didn¡¯t use his legs or waist, he could smash the ball against the backboard with one hand using only his shoulder and elbow.


    After practicing 20 free throws in one set, Zhang Yang understood why he never saw anyone taking jump shots during free throws in professional games.


    The stability of shooting standing was much higher than jump shooting.


    Just in terms of the strength of the core muscles, the demand was much lower.


    Looks like the future ¡°Sun and Moon¡¯s Female Center¡± not leaving the ground when shooting wasn¡¯t just due to a lack of jumping ability.


    With Yao Ming¡¯s height, not many people could block his standing shot.


    After resting for 1 minute, Zhang Yang continued with the second set.


    Once Zhang Yang finished the second set, DeRozan from the adjacent half-court couldn¡¯t stay put any longer.


    He came over to correct Zhang Yang¡¯s power transition and shooting technique.


    Zhang Yang sneakily made a gesture signifying the loss of the South Korean market.


    Seriously tight control there, snake-like player!


    Compared to power transition, Zhang Yang valued DeRozan¡¯s corrections to his free throw shooting technique even more.


    The former could be adjusted gradually through practice, while the latter, once settled¡­


    Rick Barry was beckoning to him.


    A standard shooting posture is actually very pleasing to the eye.


    DeRozan¡¯s shooting form is currently very standard and, combined with his explosive jumping ability, his jump shot posture is very aesthetically pleasing.


    Setting aside Jordan¡¯s preference to wait in the air for opponents to fall first, and Kobe¡¯s penchant for creating difficulty where there was none and insisting on a forced fadeaway, their movements were actually pretty standard.


    The differences in detail actually showed the signature characteristics of their playing style ¨C the common ground between these two players was: when you have the ability, you can afford to be capricious.


    For Zhang Yang, he also planned to start with the standard shooting form, and then adjust the details of the shooting technique according to the actual situation during shooting.


    Some people are suited to high-angle shooting, so their shooting hand will be closer to the top of their head; others have flatter arcs, so their shooting hand will be closer to their forehead when releasing the ball¡­


    If conditions permit, Zhang Yang hoped his form would be as cool as possible.


    With the help of DeRozan, who had a ¡®mid-range shot obsession¡¯, Zhang Yang progressed much faster in adjusting his power transition and correcting his shooting technique than he would have on his own.


    Once he mastered the technique, he would then practice diligently.


    Just like adjusting his layup form and force habits, he would practice until his body got used to the movement; only then would he consider the basic adjustments complete.


    Time always flies when immersed in training; at 9:30 in the morning, DeRozan said goodbye to Zhang Yang and took Harden home.


    Being a teacher was quite fulfilling if the student was willing to learn earnestly and did well.


    He was looking forward to the evening¡¯s training.


    He liked little buddies like Zhang Yang, who were talented and diligent.


    The only thing he was troubled about was that he only knew so much, and Zhang Yang was learning so fast that he feared he would soon run out of things to teach.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s basics were poor, and what he could teach was limited to begin with.


    Fortunately, there wasn¡¯t much time left in the summer break, and he estimated he had saved enough to teach for that duration.


    A few minutes later, DeRozan and Harden returned to his grandmother¡¯s house, where an unexpected figure appeared, chatting with his uncle.


    Surprised, DeRozan asked, ¡°Coach Thomas, what brings you here?¡±


    The visitor was none other than Tony Thomas, the head coach of the basketball team at Compton High School, where DeRozan was about to enroll.


    Thomas laughed and replied, ¡°I came to see you about something, and I didn¡¯t expect you to be so diligent, heading out for training at 6 a.m.


    ¡­


    By the way, do you know that player named Jack who played with you yesterday afternoon ¡­¡±


    ¡­


    At 5 p.m., Zhang Yang started dribbling the ball from his house to the park.


    He wasn¡¯t carrying anything in his hands, which allowed him to apply more force to his dribbling and have the other hand as an aid.


    This time, he jogged all the way to the park without losing the ball, his days of breakthrough training hadn¡¯t gone to waste.


    Feeling the progress he had made, his motivation for training was through the roof.


    When he arrived at the basketball court, Zhang Yang saw DeRozan training alone and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s James?¡±


    DeRozan answered, ¡°His mom called him at noon to come home; he took the 3 p.m.


    bus, he should be home by now.¡±


    Zhang Yang said, ¡°If I had known he was leaving today, I would have invited you guys over to my place for lunch at noon.¡±


    DeRozan said, ¡°He said the same thing on his way to the bus station.¡±


    He felt the same, but he didn¡¯t say it.


    There was another matter ¡­


    how should he bring it up without seeming too eager?


    Otherwise, if the other person didn¡¯t feel the same way, it would be awkward for him.


    Just as Zhang Yang was about to start training, he noticed DeRozan looking troubled and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, DeMar?


    Is something up?¡±


    His buddy was so sharp!


    DeRozan deliberately spoke in a casual tone, ¡°Jack, the high school you attend, Hidden Mountain High, is not a CIF top-tier school, right?¡±


    Zhang Yang thought DeRozan was going to ask something important; was this it?


    Slightly puzzled, he still replied, ¡°Right, Hidden Mountain High doesn¡¯t meet the standards of a top-tier school.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t he clear enough?


    DeRozan emphasized, ¡°If you want to play in the NCAA in the future, you¡¯ll have a better chance from a top-tier school.


    Of course, you could apply to a team after getting into college, but it¡¯s tough to get as much attention as the talents coming from top-tier schools at the start.¡±


    So his buddy was worried about this!


    Zhang Yang said, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it too.


    The difference between top-tier and non-top-tier schools is not just in terms of college teams¡¯ attention; the level of training available in high school is also a big gap.


    But I¡¯m still too weak right now, a top-tier school¡¯s team would surely not want me.


    I¡¯m planning to aim for our school team first, to train for a year ¡­¡±


    DeRozan was baffled; no need to beat around the bush, he interrupted directly, ¡°Would you like to go to Compton High School?¡±


    Zhang Yang, who was talking about his high school plans, was stunned.


    This was quite unexpected.


    After a moment of surprise, he moved closer and put his arm around DeRozan¡¯s shoulder, saying, ¡°You want to recommend me to your school team?


    You haven¡¯t officially joined the team yet, right?


    Wouldn¡¯t they think you¡¯re being pretentious, being from Southern California ¡­


    cough cough, I mean, wouldn¡¯t they think the best middle schooler in the world is getting too big for his britches?


    Man, that¡¯s some loyalty!¡±


    That¡¯s brotherhood just like that?


    And the best middle schooler in the world?


    His buddy sure was realistic!


    DeRozan pushed away Zhang Yang¡¯s arm, not taking the credit for himself, and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to recommend you, our school¡¯s head coach is also from Hidden Mountain City.


    He¡¯s here on vacation these days, and when he heard I had a game yesterday, he came to watch and spotted your talent.


    He wants to recruit you.¡±


    Zhang Yang understood the situation and guessed that DeRozan didn¡¯t want to seem like he was taking advantage, so he hooked his arm around him again, ¡°It¡¯s still thanks to you.


    If it weren¡¯t for you, your coach wouldn¡¯t have come to the game ¡­


    Wait!


    We fought yesterday, right?


    Could that affect your coach¡¯s opinion of me?¡±


    What an odd concern.


    DeRozan pushed Zhang Yang¡¯s arm away again and said, ¡°How many players haven¡¯t been in a fight?


    Coach Thomas will be here at 6 p.m.; if you¡¯re interested in Compton High School, you can talk to him later.¡±


    After speaking, DeRozan walked over to the corner of the court to start training.


    For some reason, he felt emotionally drained and sensed that the days ahead would bring even more mental fatigue ¡­


    Zhang Yang snapped back to reality, realizing he had overthought things.


    Indeed, most American athletes were black, and there were hardly any who hadn¡¯t fought during their school years.


    Even Jarett Young and Harden, who were strictly disciplined by their mothers, had fought their share, and DeRozan probably had too.


    Thinking about the upcoming meeting with the head coach of Compton High School, Zhang Yang got excited; it was all so sudden.


    He went to the free-throw line, controlled his emotions, and began training.


    Did meeting with the Compton High School head coach conflict with his dedication to training?


    Not at all.


    ¡°In the company of three, there is a teacher for me.¡± That was the valuable trait he learned from DeRozan.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Please favorite and vote!

 Chapter 14 - 14 14

    ?14: 14.


    The child has grown up 14: 14.


    The child has grown up Half an hour later, at 6 p.m., Thomas arrived at the basketball court on time.


    DeRozan stopped training, greeted Zhang Yang, and approached him.


    Zhang Yang quickened his pace and took a moment to size up the head coach.


    About 40 years old, he had a handsome face typical of a mature middle-aged man, but his thinning hair was more mature than one would expect, as if the countryside was encroaching upon the city.


    After DeRozan introduced the two, Thomas got straight to the point, ¡°Jack, I want to invite you to Compton High School to join my team.


    I watched your game yesterday.


    Your tactical awareness and timing impressed me.


    I heard from DeMar that you¡¯ve been practicing basketball for less than 10 days.


    He keeps praising your talent.


    Knowing him, he wouldn¡¯t praise someone without good reason.¡±


    ¡°If you want to play basketball, to become a better player, I hope you can join my team.


    Hidden Mountain High School is a good school, but all the high schools at Hidden Mountain don¡¯t take sports seriously¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang patiently listened to the other party talk.


    Earlier, when he was emotionally engaged, he threw himself into training, interrupting his thoughts, which enabled him to now listen calmly without impulsively responding.


    From the way Thomas spoke, Zhang Yang felt that he was not someone who boasted aimlessly; his initial impression was positive.


    After Thomas finished speaking, Zhang Yang replied, ¡°Personally, I would like to go to Compton High School.


    I really want to be teammates with DeMar and receive more professional basketball coaching, but I need to discuss this with my parents first and get their approval.¡±


    Thomas¡¯s impression of Zhang Yang greatly improved upon hearing this.


    Every year, he needed to interact with dozens, if not hundreds, of middle school talents.


    Other 14 or 15-year-old kids were very self-centered; impulsively responding was one thing, but they never even considered their families¡¯ thoughts¡­


    Of course, he understood¡ªkids will be kids, and the vast majority of athletic talents were black.


    But understanding doesn¡¯t mean liking.


    Amid a vast majority of self-centered youth, Zhang Yang was like a breath of fresh air, which he really appreciated.


    Thomas smiled and said, ¡°Of course, this isn¡¯t just about you; you need to discuss it with your parents.


    This is a big decision for you and your family.


    Don¡¯t rush your decision.


    Take your time to think about it.


    Here¡¯s my business card, call me once you¡¯ve made a decision.¡±


    Zhang Yang carefully put away the business card, his impression of Thomas continuing to improve.


    He had some understanding of these school coaches.


    According to the memories of his predecessor, just three years ago when Jarett Young had just graduated from middle school, many high school sports teams came to recruit him.


    Jarett Young privately complained that some school coaches treated him like a fool, promising that choosing their school would surely lead to a professional sports career and lots of money.


    In the end, after consulting with his mother, Jarett chose California High School, which simply called their home.


    The reason was simple: the coach from California High School talked like a normal person. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thomas didn¡¯t stay long, left after speaking his piece.


    Zhang Yang resumed training, and although DeRozan wanted to chat with Zhang Yang about the city of Compton, seeing the situation, he too focused back on training, occasionally checking on Zhang Yang and correcting him whenever he noticed something awkward.


    More than an hour later, at 7:50 p.m., both ended their training and each went home.


    After Zhang Yang got home, showered and had dinner, he went upstairs to the study to search the internet for information about the city of Compton, Compton High School, Tony Thomas, and so on.


    Having a strong-willed mother, Zhang Yang already felt that transferring schools suddenly would be difficult, and after checking the information, it seemed even more challenging.


    The city of Compton¡­


    left much to be desired.


    However, the basketball teams, facilities, funding, coaching skills, and teammates¡¯ abilities at top-tier schools, as well as the rivals they would meet, were incomparable to those at non-top-tier schools.


    For sure, playing a year at Hidden Mountain High School would not provide as much growth as at Compton High School, otherwise those talents wouldn¡¯t be so eager to attend top-tier schools.


    If he had a choice, he¡¯d of course prefer to go to schools like Inglewood High, Lynwood High, California High in Los Angeles, but currently there were no better options.


    And excluding the problem of city safety and academic strength, the overall athletic strength of Compton High School was ranked among the top five in all Southern California high schools, making it a very good choice.


    Zhang Yang fell into deep thought about how to discuss the matter with his parents.


    It was indeed a difficult issue¡­ Soon, it was 10:30 p.m, and he heard his parents talking.


    After an hour, he still hadn¡¯t thought of a foolproof method, decided to stop thinking about it, and went directly to the living room to say to them, ¡°Dad, Mom, I have a very important matter to discuss with you.¡±


    Yang Jing and Zhang Chen looked at each other¡ªTheir son actually came to discuss something with them?


    How rare!


    Yang Jing asked, ¡°What is it?


    As long as it¡¯s not too excessive, I might consider it.¡±


    Zhang Chen said, ¡°Sit down and talk.¡±


    The three sat down on the couch, and Zhang Yang straightforwardly said, ¡°I want to transfer to Compton High School.¡±


    Yang Jing had thought Zhang Yang might want a car, or a new phone, or maybe he had a girlfriend and needed some money¡­ among other things that boys like to boast about, but she had never expected him to want to transfer schools.


    Especially to a place like Compton¡­


    Zhang Chen quietly tapped Yang Jing¡¯s arm, and she nodded, then asked Zhang Yang, ¡°Why do you want to go there?¡±


    Zhang Yang organized his words and said, ¡°DeMar is the strongest middle school basketball player in Southern California.


    Yesterday, when we were playing a game together, his school¡¯s coach, a local from our area, watched the game at the park.


    He thinks I have a talent for basketball and extended an invitation to me.


    I want to go.¡±

 Chapter 15 - 15 14

    ?15: 14.


    The child has grown up_2 15: 14.


    The child has grown up_2 Yang Jing¡¯s fist tightened, ¡°You¡¯ve already promised that coach?¡±


    Zhang Yang shook his head, ¡°No, I told him I needed to discuss it with you first. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He also suggested that I think it over carefully.


    He said it¡¯s a big deal for me and for our family, and I can¡¯t make the decision alone ¡­


    Here is his business card.¡±


    Yang Jing took the business card and glanced at her husband again, then told her son, ¡°I understand, go to sleep now, it¡¯s almost 11 pm.¡±


    Feeling relieved, Zhang Yang obediently went to wash up and then to bed.


    From what he knew about his parents, as long as his mother didn¡¯t immediately reject him, it meant there was a chance!


    ¡­


    Young men always sleep so well.


    Despite having things on his mind, Zhang Yang was dead tired by 11 pm and fell into a deep sleep, waking up promptly at 6 am the next day.


    After getting up, he went to the park to practice basketball as usual.


    Today, he was the only one there, since DeRozan had mentioned the night before that he had to help his uncle with the newspapers.


    At half-past nine, he came home, took a bath, and at 10, just like always, he first helped in the kitchen, then greeted the guests as usual, manned the cash register¡­


    The guests who had appointments today arrived quite early.


    By 1 pm, there were no new guests, and only two tables remained occupied.


    Yang Jing, who had been observing her son, came to the kitchen and said to her husband, ¡°Chen, Yangyang has really grown up!¡±


    Zhang Chen replied, ¡°Yes, Jing, before we knew it, Yangyang is already 15 years old, and we are both 40.¡±


    Yang Jing glared, ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve grown old?¡±


    Zhang Chen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Teasing her husband was too much fun, Yang Jing chuckled and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s start preparing lunch, Coach Thomas will be here soon.¡±


    Zhang Chen, ¡°Do you really plan to let Yangyang go to Compton?


    It¡¯s not a very good place.¡±


    Yang Jing, ¡°It¡¯s the first time Yangyang has seriously discussed something with us.


    We need to consider his opinion.


    Although it¡¯s not a great place, Yangyang isn¡¯t the type to wander off and get into trouble.


    He¡¯s so dedicated to basketball, and with his studies, he doesn¡¯t have spare time to mess around.


    Didn¡¯t you feel the coach was quite decent after talking with him on the phone this morning?


    Of course, we still need to talk to Coach Thomas in person before making a decision.¡±


    Zhang Chen nodded, agreeing with his wife¡¯s words, and began preparing the vegetables.


    While it seemed like Yang Jing was the leader of the family, it was Zhang Chen who made the decisions when it came to the big issues.


    Where their son would attend school was undoubtedly a major issue for their family.


    ¡­


    At two in the afternoon, the agreed time arrived, and Thomas arrived at Zhang Yang¡¯s home with DeRozan and Andy Tang.


    Zhang Chen and Yang Jing warmly entertained their guests, with Zhang Yang helping out too.


    DeRozan, the fussy eater, coming along wasn¡¯t beyond Zhang Yang¡¯s expectation, but Andy¡¯s presence was a surprise.


    After exchanging greetings, Zhang Yang asked, ¡°Mr.


    Tang, do you know Coach Thomas?¡±


    Andy Tang, whose parents had fled to the United States during World War II and a second-generation Chinese-American, was born in the U.S.


    and thus potentially eligible for running for a significant leadership position.


    However, his parents still adhered to traditional Chinese values in their upbringing, and he still considered China his homeland.


    The parents of Zhang Yang had met him shortly after moving to Compton; both sides, feeling like foreigners, quickly bonded and regarded each other as fellow countrymen.


    Five years ago, when Zhang Yang first came to America to study, Andy Tang, who was working as a PE teacher at Hidden Mountain Middle School, gave much help, which furthered their good relationship.


    Andy replied, ¡°Tony was my college classmate.


    He knew I had a good relationship with your family and thought that including me might increase the chances of successful recruitment¡­


    We were both on the basketball team in college, but in those four years, we never got the chance to play, to be precise, we never made the big roster.¡±


    Thomas¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Andy, there¡¯s no need to mention that.¡±


    Andy laughed, ¡°Is it embarrassing because there were two basketball prodigies?


    You¡¯re still bothered by that at your age¡­


    But do you really have such a high opinion of Jack?


    Not to mention that he¡¯s already 15 and just starting to play basketball, might it be too late?


    Does he really have such astonishing tactical talent?¡±


    Zhang Chen and Yang Jing focused their attention, listening to Thomas¡¯s response, Zhang Yang was also curious about how the other party viewed him.


    Thomas pondered for a moment, choosing his words carefully, ¡°15 is not too late.


    Olajuwon didn¡¯t start playing basketball until college.


    You might find it hard to understand, but having his kind of physical qualities along with tactical awareness is quite rare¡­¡±


    Thomas spoke subtly, but everyone understood.


    The best physical specimens in America were definitely Black, and what most of those people thought¡­


    indeed, it was hard for everyone present to comprehend.


    Zhang Chen and Yang Jing had initially planned to have dinner first and then talk business when they were nearly done eating.


    But since the conversation had reached this point, they started discussing with Thomas about Zhang Yang going to Compton High School immediately.


    The main topics were Zhang Yang¡¯s accommodation, training and match schedules, and how to balance these with his study time, plus the safety of the school, among other things.


    Thomas answered sincerely, stating both the good and the bad, without embellishing or slurring over anything.


    Andy helped Zhang Chen and Yang Jing fill in any gaps, while Zhang Yang mainly listened, and DeRozan mainly ate.


    After their discussion, Zhang Chen and Yang Jing were generally satisfied.


    However, Yang Jing still wanted to conduct further investigations and asked, ¡°If Jack goes there, could he become a starter?


    Can you guarantee he would have stable playtime?¡±


    Thomas hesitated for a moment, wanting to agree first and then see how it went.


    But in the end, he firmly shook his head, ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that Jack will play well immediately; he needs to hone his skills, perhaps starting in the reserves or even the freshman team, and be prepared for failure.¡±


    Despite being declined, Yang Jing smiled, ¡°You saying this reassures me a lot.


    If you had unhesitatingly promised Jack a starting spot, I definitely would have denied you.


    Such a coach either lacks principles or resorts to unscrupulous methods to deceive students into joining.¡±


    As she spoke, Yang Jing turned to look at Zhang Yang and asked, ¡°Yangyang, if I don¡¯t agree to you going to Compton, what would you do?¡±


    Suddenly asked, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t immediately respond but thought for a moment before answering, ¡°If I can¡¯t go to Compton High School, I will follow my original plan to improve my skills through training, strive to make the team at Hidden Mountain High in the new school year, tough it out for a year in lower-tier competitions, and aim to transfer to a top-level CIF school next summer.¡±


    The couple looked at each other again¡ª their child had really grown up!


    They felt both happy and a touch melancholic.


    After a brief hesitation, Yang Jing made her decision and said to her son, ¡°Since you want to follow this path, then don¡¯t waste your time at Hidden Mountain High anymore.


    Go ahead, but your studies cannot lag behind; you must at least get into college¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Vote for me!

 Chapter 16 - 16 15

    ?16: 15.


    Stay firm and keep working hard!


    16: 15.


    Stay firm and keep working hard!


    Zhang Yang hadn¡¯t expected his step-parents to be more open-minded than he imagined.


    After giving it some thought, he considered that he might have been ¡®misled¡¯ by the memories of his original self.


    His parents seemed very strict in those memories, this he couldn¡¯t do, that he couldn¡¯t do.


    But when Zhang Yang carefully reconsidered those ¡®prohibited¡¯ actions, they were indeed things that shouldn¡¯t be done, the only issue was that his parents, because their son was young, rarely explained why those things shouldn¡¯t be done.


    As for reasonable requests that the original self made, the parents agreed to almost all of them but took them for granted.


    This leads to a discussion about traditional Chinese education¡ªhistorical records would brush over the victorious battles quickly, while defeats were clearly remembered.


    In the following days, Zhang Yang carried on as usual; training, helping out in the store; there was no difference from before.


    The transfer to a new school was managed by Andy and Thomas, so there was no need for him to worry about it.


    Soon, August 1 arrived, beginning a new month, and it was also the day that Zhang Yang would leave for Compton City.


    Thomas had made a special trip from Compton City yesterday, first to check if the archives Andy had obtained from Hidden Mountain High School were complete, to be cautious and avoid another trip, and second because Zhang Yang would be boarding at his home.


    Thomas had agreed to help Zhang Yang find a boarding household with good conditions, including living environment and landlord quality; he had gone through all registered families at the school and couldn¡¯t find one that satisfied him as he was using Zhang Yang¡¯s home as a benchmark for selection.


    In the end, he took on the responsibility himself, helping to take care of Zhang Yang.


    Living alone in a home with a good environment and close to the school, it met all the conditions.


    After meeting Thomas, Zhang Yang¡¯s parents learned he was a responsible coach, and he was a good friend of Andy, so they accepted his kind offer.


    At 9 a.m., Thomas went to pick up DeRozan, who hitched a ride, and then arrived at Zhang Yang¡¯s house.


    After Zhang Yang put his luggage in the trunk, he said goodbye to his parents.


    ¡°Mom, if you receive a call from me asking for money, first call the coach to confirm if it was really me who made the call.¡±


    ¡°Mom, if you get a call saying I¡¯ve been kidnapped and you can¡¯t reach me, don¡¯t rush to send money, first call the police; although calling them might not be very helpful, it¡¯s better than sending money.¡±


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t buy random health products; if you really feel you need some nutritional supplements, go to the hospital and register as early as possible.


    By the time your appointment day arrives, you will have calmed down.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After giving his mother a long list of instructions, Zhang Yang turned his head and said to his father, ¡°Dad, take good care of Mom.¡±


    Zhang Chen: ¡°¡­¡±


    So many words to your mom and just this one sentence to me?


    And you didn¡¯t even say it directly to me!


    If his son wasn¡¯t as handsome as he was when he was young, he would have doubted if the boy was really his.


    Watching Zhang Yang go to say farewell to the teachers and classmates who had come to see him off, Zhang Chen complained to Yang Jing, ¡°Wife, who is the one leaving for a far place ¨C you or Yangyang?


    He¡¯s the one giving you all the instructions.¡±


    Yang Jing lifted her chin proudly, ¡°He¡¯s smarter than me; of course, he worries about me more!¡±


    Zhang Chen: ¡°¡­¡±


    What is there to be so proud of?


    After a moment of pride, Yang Jing¡¯s mood suddenly became downcast.


    Zhang Chen noticed his wife¡¯s change in mood and said, ¡°Now Yangyang is off to fight for his dreams, we should also strive for what we want!


    You¡¯ve always wanted to expand the store, right?


    Auntie Connecticut next door is getting on in years and is planning to close her shop.


    We could take it over, hire some pastry chefs and baristas; our menu variety is still too small.


    Our store¡¯s location is so good; people often ask if we do snacks, we should utilize the morning and afternoon downtime more effectively.¡±


    Yang Jing¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°That¡¯s right!


    Now that we don¡¯t have to take care of Yangyang, we have the time to focus on our careers!


    Build a business!


    Make money!¡±


    Seeing his wife regain her momentum, Zhang Chen smiled.


    In recent years, all their attention had been on their son, and supporting the family through their business, they had little time for themselves or their careers.


    Now was the time to shift the focus of their lives onto themselves!


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Located within Los Angeles County, Hidden Mountain City and Compton City weren¡¯t far apart; in terms of distance within China, they were like neighboring counties.


    During the trip, Thomas and DeRozan kept briefing Zhang Yang on various aspects of Compton City, mainly security issues.


    Zhang Yang had proactively researched this online in the past few days.


    Compton City, looking solely at economic output, was even higher than Hidden Mountain, with a larger population due to its mines¡ªactual mines.


    However, the city was hardly liveable¡ª40%+ of its population was African American.


    This city was once established around mining areas as a slave-trading zone for blacks, and to this day, it remains one of the cities with the highest proportion of African Americans in the country, with whites making up just over 10% of the population, the rest being mostly Latinos.


    Chinese and Southeast Asians generally avoided this city, so their numbers were negligible.


    However, that mere 10% of white people controlled over ninety percent of the city¡¯s wealth, a place where beautiful scenery was common, yet violent crime was not infrequent.


    Thomas and DeRozan agreed to exaggerate their descriptions to inject a precautionary mindset in Zhang Yang, nearly painting the city as a living hell to make him more vigilant and discourage him from wandering around like he did in Hidden Mountain.


    The journey was smooth, and an hour later, they entered the Compton City area.


    Thomas first dropped DeRozan off at his house and then took Zhang Yang home.


    After helping Zhang Yang move his luggage into the living room, Thomas hurriedly left for school.


    Zhang Yang roamed around the house for a bit ¨C a typical bachelor pad, messy, but it was evident that it was cleaned regularly and wasn¡¯t dirty.


    It was just the habit of leaving things strewn everywhere.


    Before entering the house, he examined the exterior; it was quite new, having been bought at most two or three years ago, a two-storey house with a small yard.


    The neighboring houses were similar, representing a standard middle-class residential area, indicating the area had relatively better security.


    The first floor consisted of a living room, a kitchen that looked hardly used, a bathroom, a study, and a storage room.


    There were three rooms on the second floor.


    Zhang Yang chose the second bedroom facing east and moved his luggage in.


    After going downstairs, Zhang Yang intended to have lunch, but looking at the untidy living room, he couldn¡¯t stand it any longer¡­


    he rolled up his sleeves and began to tidy up.


    On the other side, Thomas handed over Zhang Yang¡¯s profile and the transfer application form to his colleague in charge of admissions.


    The transfer process was now sorted out; he had already done everything necessary a few days ago.


    After submitting the transfer documents, Thomas immediately returned to his office to start working as the school team¡¯s head coach.


    Originally, his vacation wasn¡¯t planned to be that long, but he spent an extra three days on recruiting Zhang Yang, which meant he was now three days behind on work and needed to catch up quickly.


    The salary of a CIF Division I high school team coach isn¡¯t bad, but it¡¯s a tough job, ranging from communication with the NCAA to basic procurement, all of which he had to handle himself.


    He didn¡¯t have a professional team like college coaches; he only had a couple of little fish and shrimps under him, and he had to do everything himself.


    With three basketball teams ¨C the freshman team, the JV team, and the varsity team ¨C he needed to personally coach the varsity team while also keeping an eye on the other two teams to tap into their potential.


    After busy work all afternoon, Thomas, dragging his exhausted body, returned home, only to find that something was off as soon as he opened the door.


    The usually messy living room was now tidy and organized.


    ¡°Jack?¡±


    Thomas called out but didn¡¯t receive an answer, guessing he was out.


    Suddenly, his eyes brightened.


    Before heading back to Richmond, he had just washed some laundry and bed sheets, leaving a pile of stuff on his bed unsorted ¨C could it be that those were now tidied up, too?


    He excitedly went upstairs to open the master bedroom¡­ only to find that the bedroom was still as messy as it should be.


    He checked the home office downstairs, and that was still a mess as well.


    The young man valued his privacy, which made Thomas feel both happy and slightly frustrated.


    As a middle-aged singleton, he didn¡¯t have much to hide!


    Seriously, couldn¡¯t they have cleaned up together?


    Coming out of the home office, he smelled a fragrance that seemed familiar from when he entered the house, but his attention had been drawn away to the tidy living room.


    He went to the kitchen and found a few dishes on the warming tray.


    At that moment, the sound of the door opening rang out, and Thomas came out of the kitchen to see Zhang Yang returning with two empty plates.


    Thomas asked, ¡°Jack, what¡¯s this all about?¡±


    Zhang Yang replied, ¡°I made a couple of dishes to thank the neighbors across the street for taking me to the supermarket, and they invited me to have dinner with them at their place.¡±


    ¡°Oh, George and Milena are really nice, and very hospitable; you should get to know them¡­


    I didn¡¯t expect you could cook!¡±


    ¡°My family runs a restaurant.


    In case I hit a rough patch in my future career, I can always go back and take over my dad¡¯s business.


    Always good to have a backup plan.¡±


    ¡°Having such foresight is indeed never a bad thing.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Tony, I saw a broken table in the storage room with a large enough surface.


    Can I make a basketball hoop in the yard with it?


    I could use it to practice shooting.¡±


    ¡°Of course you can.


    Do you need my help?¡±


    ¡°That would be great.


    The neighbors around the corner being remodeled offered to give me some leftover wood¡­¡±


    Watching Zhang Yang go to the kitchen to wash dishes, Thomas breathed a sigh of relief; the boy was far better than he had imagined.


    Having brought Zhang Yang to this city, he felt it was his responsibility to take good care of him.


    If he had recruited a black student from the slums to this city, he would not have been so concerned.


    For those students, it made little difference where they were; for some black students from very poor areas, being able to study in Compton City was even a windfall due to better welfare benefits.


    But for a young man who grew up in a happy family, coming to such an inhospitable city alone because of his recruitment ¨C if he didn¡¯t fare well, Thomas would feel a great deal of guilt.


    ¡­


    After dinner, Thomas took Zhang Yang to the supermarket to buy a basketball rim and stickers and to pick out the woodworking materials they needed from the renovating neighbor¡¯s leftover wood.


    Thomas felt somewhat conflicted; with his busy work schedule leaving little time for socializing, he had been here for two years and wasn¡¯t particularly close with most of the neighbors, yet Zhang Yang had already met several of them.


    With shovels, electric saws, hammers, nails, screws, and nuts¡­


    all available in the storage room, they worked late into the night ¡°clang clang clang¡± to get the basketball hoop fixed up.


    With Thomas¡¯s expertise, the backboard and hoop height, and the backboard size¡­


    all were done to a pretty standard measure.


    Having not done any physical labor for a few months, Thomas slept soundly that night.


    The next morning, after 7 AM, Thomas woke up to the sound of ¡°clang clang¡± downstairs. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hadn¡¯t they already finished installing the hoop the night before?


    He got up, opened the window, and looked down into the yard, where he saw Zhang Yang¡­


    no, not blacksmithing, but practicing shooting, already drenched in sweat.


    ¡°Jack, you¡¯re really dedicated!


    Getting up so early to train.¡±


    Zhang Yang looked up and replied, ¡°I woke up at six and, with nothing else to do, started practicing shooting.


    I cooked some vegetable and lean meat porridge in the rice cooker; it should be ready by now.


    Coach, can you help cool it down by taking it out of the pot?


    If you¡¯re busy, you can eat first ¨C I¡¯m going to do a few more sets.¡±


    A breakfast made by a beloved student!


    Thomas responded with a shout and hurried downstairs.


    Having tasted Zhang Yang¡¯s cooking the night before, Thomas thought the flavor was pretty good, good enough to run a restaurant.


    Talking about having cooking as a backup, he felt it was a serious consideration.


    Zhang Yang, on his part, was unfazed and continued his training.


    Since he had chosen to walk the path of basketball by choice, he decided to proceed with determination and effort!


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 17 - 17 16

    ?17: 16.


    The first trial begins 17: 16.


    The first trial begins After arriving in Compton, Zhang Yang¡¯s daily routine didn¡¯t change much.


    He would train for 2-3 hours each morning and evening without increasing his training time, not because he lacked stamina but mainly due to the scorching heat.


    In the summer, between 10 a.m.


    and 5 p.m., playing basketball was still manageable¡ªafter all, a few half-court 3-on-3 games to ten points only took about twenty to thirty minutes, at most half an hour.


    Long training sessions in such heat could genuinely risk heatstroke.


    Moreover, the roughly five hours of training each day were already quite a lot.


    Each 2-3 hour session left him feeling tired.


    Despite his good physical condition, he was only 15 after all.


    When he trained with DeRozan, although it seemed like they were training for the same length of time, DeRozan wasn¡¯t actually training as much.


    At least a third of the time, he was helping Zhang Yang train.


    The current intensity of training was just enough for him to recover with a good night¡¯s sleep.


    Increasing it might indeed affect the next day¡¯s training.


    He no longer had to help out in the restaurant at noon, but now he needed to cook his own lunch and get dinner ingredients ready in advance.


    There were seemingly nice restaurants nearby, but they were expensive, and he didn¡¯t feel it was worth spending his parents¡¯ money on them.


    Fast food was cheap, but American burgers and fried chicken weren¡¯t as tasty as their versions back home.


    So he simply cooked for himself; after all, he enjoyed making his own meals.


    He could buy whatever ingredients he craved and adjust the flavors to his liking.


    Some evenings, he would take a couple of dishes to neighbors he hadn¡¯t met yet.


    He was likely to live here for the next three years, so it was necessary to maintain good relationships.


    The rest of the time, he didn¡¯t wander around aimlessly.


    The city wasn¡¯t as dangerous as his coach and friends had described, but it wasn¡¯t much better either.


    A wise man does not stand under a wall on the verge of collapse.


    Aside from going to DeRozan¡¯s home on the 7th to celebrate his 14th birthday with Harden, his activities were mostly confined to the relatively safer area near Thomas¡¯s house.


    He stayed put, but people came to visit him.


    DeRozan would have his mom drive him over to Thomas¡¯s house to train every other morning.


    DeRozan¡¯s mom, upon hearing her son was training at the head coach¡¯s house, didn¡¯t linger and would head off to do odd jobs after dropping him off.


    DeRozan mainly came to check on his friend¡¯s training progress and see if there was anything he needed to instruct.


    He would never admit that he started coming over because he found that his buddy¡¯s breakfasts were really tasty and he wanted to mooch off them.


    As days passed, Zhang Yang trained with increasing vigor.


    Not only did his determination to become an outstanding basketball player strengthen, but his Shooting Value was also approaching the ten-thousand mark.


    He didn¡¯t train to obtain a certain number of points or increase his Shooting Value each day; he focused on the training itself.


    Although the growth of his Shooting Value wasn¡¯t rapid, especially after adding new training routines, like when he first started practicing free throws or jump shots from the free-throw line distance, the gain in value would drop sharply.


    But he wasn¡¯t impatient.


    If efficiency was lacking, he¡¯d make up with time, and the task would eventually be completed.


    ¡­


    It was August 10th, and after having dinner with Thomas and scraping their plates into the dishwasher, Zhang Yang headed out to the yard to continue training.


    He was a bit excited about this training session because right before dinner, his Shooting Value had reached 9925 points, less than a hundred away from the goal.


    He kept his emotions in check, rotating through a set of free throws, a set of jump shots from the baseline at the free-throw line distance, and a set of layups after breakaways, without allowing the impending completion of his task to disrupt his training rhythm.


    At 7:58 p.m., with a mid-range jump shot from the right baseline, the ¡®Gate of Trials¡¯ appeared before him, and the characters above the gate changed!


    What was previously ¡®Zero¡¯ had turned to ¡®One¡¯!


    The characters in the task bar also underwent a change.


    ¡°Having amassed 10,000 Shooting Value, your first Gate of Trials will open tonight.¡±


    Zhang Yang blinked.


    Is that it?


    Some detailed description would be nice!


    He repeatedly questioned in his mind, but the characters above the gate didn¡¯t change, dampening his excitement.


    Forget it, just keep training!


    He would find out what the ¡®Gate of Trials¡¯ meant in time.


    Regardless, it was always right to persist with training.


    By 8:30 p.m., Zhang Yang finished training and went back inside to cool down before taking a hot shower.


    After the shower, he noticed light shining from the crack in the study room¡¯s door.


    School was starting in a few days, and Thomas had been busy preparing for things like recruitment and friendly matches for the new season.


    After saying goodnight through the door, Zhang Yang went upstairs to his bedroom.


    He read a book for a while, but unable to focus, he tossed it aside.


    Thomas was very attentive in caring for him¡ªhe had gone ahead and brought back the textbooks for the sophomore year and even borrowed study notes from an 11th grader with good grades.


    He was thankful, but the thought of previewing his new semester¡¯s courses just wasn¡¯t appealing.


    He wasn¡¯t someone who disliked studying, but having struggled through three years of high school in his past life to get into a key university, he had exhausted all his patience for academics.


    It was only because he chose a major he liked in college that he found his studies interesting, achieving good grades and smoothly obtaining his degree.


    Now, the thought of striving through high school again¡­


    it only fueled his motivation to play basketball more.


    He aimed to perform well in high school and make it into the NCAA!


    Zhang Yang¡¯s mind wandered, and sleepiness came over him.


    Around 10 p.m., he fell asleep as usual¡­


    ¡­


    The original body had good sleep quality, and after Zhang Yang had transmigrated, he maintained the original body¡¯s healthy routine, ensuring adequate sleep. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Waking up feeling refreshed was truly delightful.


    Just past 6 a.m., Zhang Yang woke from his sleep, having had a good night¡¯s rest, feeling clear-headed and energetic.


    But upon waking, he was confused¡ªhadn¡¯t the first Gate of Trials been set to open last night?


    Wait a minute!


    That¡¯s not right!


    Lying in bed, Zhang Yang focused his gaze and realized it wasn¡¯t the bedroom ceiling at Thomas¡¯s place, which he had grown familiar with.


    He sat up abruptly, took in his surroundings, and found himself in a room much larger than Thomas¡¯s guest room, with furniture that also looked much more expensive.


    No way, another transmigration?


    At that moment, information flooded his mind.


    This was the year 2010 in the ¡®Gate of Trials.¡¯


    After entering Compton High School, he had trained hard for two years, displaying outstanding performance in the 12th grade, and successfully joined the University of Arizona Wildcats.


    Through years of diligent training in attacking the rim, catching-and-shooting from mid-range, and fast-break scoring, he quickly established himself as a role player on the Wildcats¡¯ team.


    However, due to his one-dimensional skills and a rigid style of play, he made limited progress during his college years.


    After averaging 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in his junior season, he felt there wasn¡¯t much room for improvement in college and decided to declare for the 2009 NBA Draft¡­


    and then went undrafted.


    After not being drafted, he didn¡¯t give up on his basketball dream, trying out everywhere, but in the end¡­


    he couldn¡¯t make it into the NBA and lingered in the Development League.


    It wasn¡¯t until late March 2010 that the Phoenix Suns¡¯ backup guard Leandro Barbosa was injured.


    Short on players, the Suns signed him to a 10-day contract.


    Although his playing time was limited and his performance was mediocre, he exhibited a great ability to adapt to tactics in training, catching the eye of head coach Alvin Gentry.


    He signed a contract through the end of the season and, due to the team¡¯s plethora of injuries, was able to make it onto the playoff roster of 12.


    In the final game of the first-round playoff series against the Trail Blazers, he got 15 minutes on the court, making 4 of 7 shots plus two free throws to score 10 points, helping the team win 4-2 over the Trail Blazers, once again drawing the head coach¡¯s attention, with a good chance of getting playing time in the second round.


    His diligent training attitude won the approval of Suns superstar Steve Nash.


    Due to some special reasons, he was currently staying at Steve Nash¡¯s house¡­


    After receiving the information, Zhang Yang was a bit dazed.


    Is that all?


    This unreliable cheat!


    After grumbling to himself, he held back.


    What else could he do¡­


    Mentally calling it forth, a door appeared before him, and the information on it had changed.


    ¡°Training mode.


    Name: Zhang Yang.


    Nationality: China.


    Age: 21 years old (June 6, 1988).


    Height: 196 centimeters, wingspan: 210 centimeters.


    Weight: 92 kilograms.


    Occupation: Basketball player.


    Current team: Phoenix Suns.


    Attribute assessment: Three-point 68, mid-range 79, layup 88, ball-handling 76, passing 69, speed 91, strength 83, vertical leap 87, stamina 85¡­


    Training task: Help the Suns knock out the Spurs in the second round of the playoffs.


    Task reward: Steve Nash¡¯ ball-handling rhythm (Beginner level).¡±


    After reading the information, Zhang Yang focused his attention entirely on the training task.


    The difficulty of this task¡­


    It¡¯s like picking up rewards for nothing!


    ¡­


    ¡­


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    Thank you!


    As this book is being written on the fly with zero draft in stock, it¡¯s a bit late today, so I hope my dear readers can be patient~

 Chapter 18 - 18 17

    ?18: 17.


    I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re working so hard on every day.


    18: 17.


    I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re working so hard on every day.


    Zhang Yang remembered the 2010 playoffs, where the Suns, despite being underdogs, swept the Spurs 4-0, ending Nash¡¯s ¡°Spurs¡¯ Nightmare.¡±


    As long as he didn¡¯t drag them down, he should be able to complete this trial smoothly¡­


    Eh?


    Why is it always about not dragging them down?


    But 2010¡­


    it was another watershed in Nash¡¯s career.


    After that season, Stoudemire left Nash, and Nash never led a team to the playoffs again, eventually joining the Lakers to form the second-generation F4 and failing to win a championship, ending his career in obscurity.


    But regret is also a kind of beauty in the basketball games, Zhang Yang turned his focus back on himself.


    He went over the information he had received again, and after organizing it, he was frustrated.


    From the information, he knew that up to now, his skills were only fixed-point mid-range shots and attacking the basket.


    The counter-attack ability was actually also attacking the basket, it was just that he was fast, so counter-attack was a strength.


    He had a bit of three-point ability, but not much; it was clearly the result of many years of practicing mid-range shots.


    The skills he now possessed were those he had trained in before he opened the Gate of Trials!


    His tactical sense was good and had been recognized by professional coaches before he opened the Gate of Trials.


    That meant after the point he opened the Gate of Trials, he had not learned any new skills, wasting such good physical attributes!


    After calming his mind, Zhang Yang felt that he had roughly figured out what the ¡°Trial Mode¡± was all about.


    It can be seen as an ¡°instance,¡± based on his current abilities, ¡°growing¡± to a certain age to participate in classic series games.


    But then there was a new problem¡ª2010 was after he had initiated trial mode.


    What if it were before that?


    Wait, helping the Suns eliminate the Spurs means playing through a series of games?


    Even if it¡¯s a sweep, that would still take a week, right?


    Wouldn¡¯t that be when school starts?


    ¡­


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t ponder for long; he looked at the electronic clock with a calendar on the bedside table, it was May 1st.


    He got up, dressed, and left the room.


    Having had the mystery addition with no user manual for so long, his patience had improved a lot, assuming that was the benefit it provided; otherwise, he hadn¡¯t gained any advantage up until now.


    Taking advantage of the early morning and the homeowner not yet being awake, Zhang Yang toured Nash¡¯s house to familiarize himself, just in case he couldn¡¯t find his way back to his room.


    The house was very large, roughly counting, not including the kitchen and dining room, there were over a dozen rooms.


    Outside in the backyard, there was another building.


    Zhang Yang looked through the window and saw it was a basketball court.


    The door was unlocked, he entered, turned on the light, and looked around; the facility was simple, a few chairs for resting, a couple of ball racks, a full-court basketball court with a wooden floor, nothing else.


    After casually touring Nash¡¯s house, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t know what else to do, so he decided to train!


    After practicing for a while, he understood why his skills seemed decent on the panel; he had shooting and physical fitness, but still wasn¡¯t chosen.


    His ball handling had gotten better, but his style was very straightforward.


    He was smooth when moving directly and could fully utilize his physical fitness.


    But if he needed to change direction, it wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t, but he had to think it through first.


    If it were a high school or even college game, it wouldn¡¯t matter much, but it probably wouldn¡¯t suffice for an NBA game.


    Shooting was the same, stand-still jump shots were pretty good, but shooting after dribbling or turning to shoot, whenever he sped up the motion, he couldn¡¯t maintain accuracy, and the movements were awkwardly stiff.


    Just as the information described, his abilities were too one-dimensional.


    Moreover, the message described that after he failed to be drafted, he had been diligently training and had won the favor of Gentry and Nash.


    Thus, his abilities a year ago during the draft couldn¡¯t have been as good as they were now¡ªsufficient to play a functional role in college but not up to NBA standards, plus the impression left by a certain Chinese guard in the NBA last season, it was normal for him to be overlooked.


    It was only because he met Gentry, who was skilled at utilizing functional players, that he got the chance to officially step onto the NBA court.


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t think further and immersed himself in shooting practice.


    He might need to play in the upcoming series against the Spurs.


    To avoid holding his team back, he had to quickly familiarize himself with his current body and capabilities.


    Practice more, get used to the current feeling of dribbling, shooting.


    Maybe when the training ¡°Gate of Trials¡± is over and he returns, it might help improve his training.


    Before, his shooting practice was consistently filled with clangs, but now it was swish after swish, he was really energetic, and before he knew it, over half an hour had passed.


    Just after 7, Nash pushed open the gym door and, seeing Zhang Yang shooting, greeted with a smile, ¡°Hey, Jack, up early for training again, huh?¡±


    Zhang Yang had already stopped shooting¡­ Steve Nash!


    He contained his excitement and responded normally, ¡°Good morning, Steve, you¡¯re up early too?¡±


    Nash sighed lightly, ¡°Ah, tomorrow we have the game against the Spurs.


    Couldn¡¯t sleep, thought I¡¯d come and train with you early.¡±


    Was he worried about not being able to beat the Spurs?


    That was understandable.


    Zhang Yang remembered that before 2010, the Suns faced the Spurs in the playoffs in 2005, 2007, and 2008, and lost each time.


    In 2007, the Spurs had played dirty tricks, earning the Suns a lot of sympathy.


    But in 2008, after the Suns traded Marion for O¡¯Neal, they were brutally beaten by the Spurs in the playoffs, and last year the Suns didn¡¯t even make the playoffs¡­Facing the Spurs again this year was naturally worrisome.


    Especially since the Spurs had just upset the Mavericks in the first round¡­


    Zhang Yang encouraged, ¡°Steve, I believe you can definitely beat Duncan this time.¡±


    Nash smiled at the comment but changed the subject, ¡°What¡¯s for breakfast today?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ don¡¯t know yet.


    I¡¯ll see what¡¯s in the kitchen and make something.¡±


    ¡°Great, whatever you make is always delicious,¡± Nash said as he walked to the rack, grabbed a ball, and started dribbling as a warm-up.


    Zhang Yang looked up at the ceiling, speechless.


    Could the special reason mentioned in the message for why he was staying over be because he was a good cook?


    Could being able to cook actually become his fallback career if his career didn¡¯t go well?


    After dribbling a bit, Nash said to Zhang Yang, ¡°Let¡¯s hold off on cooking for a bit.


    I¡¯m not hungry yet.


    Let me teach you some dribbling first.¡±


    Zhang Yang immediately moved closer, holding the ball.


    Nash couldn¡¯t help but comment, ¡°With such good physical condition and yet such monotone skills, I really don¡¯t know what you do with all that effort in training every day¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Zhang Yang himself wanted to ask what he had been training all these years¡­


    After a light rant, Nash¡¯s tone returned to normal, ¡°Just practicing shooting every day isn¡¯t enough.


    Shooting needs time to accumulate.


    Ensuring effective training each day is enough.


    While practicing shooting, you also need to practice the techniques that allow you to utilize your shooting abilities better, that¡¯s how you¡¯ll perform better.


    Having the ability to showcase your shooting skills gives you a chance to play, gaining enough game experience to know how to adjust your shots, and that¡¯s how you progress¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang listened carefully to Nash¡¯s guidance; the man in front of him might be one of the best technical point guards in basketball history, perhaps not just limited to point guards!


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 19 - 19 18

    ?19: 18.


    Nash¡¯s Guidance 19: 18.


    Nash¡¯s Guidance Trials are not just about experiencing the feeling of many years of technical training or just about completing a task for a reward; there is also the opportunity to seek advice from the greats!


    No, it¡¯s not just that.


    If you play for the Suns, you can also learn the Suns¡¯ tactics.


    Even if you can¡¯t take back your strength or training results, the things you learn are all invaluable experiences!


    After Nash finished sharing his thoughts on shooting practice, he started teaching Zhang Yang about dribbling techniques and how to exert force.


    Though he was teaching, Nash didn¡¯t have high expectations for Zhang Yang to really learn.


    Yes, he offered guidance because he saw how hard Zhang Yang trained.


    Another reason was that this season the pressure on him was immense.


    After Barbosa, the main backup guard, was injured, Nash felt an unprecedented amount of stress and wanted to find something to distract himself and relieve some of the pressure.


    Teaching the stubbornly hard-training Zhang Yang was a headache-inducing affair.


    Nash had known Zhang Yang for over a month.


    After Zhang Yang ran out of money from his 10-day contract and had nowhere to live, and the team had yet to formally renew his contract, Nash, admiring Zhang Yang¡¯s hard-working attitude, knowing he was hygienic and polite¡­


    and could cook delicious food, brought Zhang Yang to live at his house.


    It had been a month.


    During this period, he had given Zhang Yang many pointers, and he had repeated this advice many times.


    But Zhang Yang listened patiently every time and then continued training as usual, as if he was determined to confront spot shooting to the very end, not taking advice, yet still training very diligently¡­


    Nash was troubled by the teaching process, but these challenging tasks indeed shifted some of his focus and helped him not to constantly think about the troubles on the court and with the team.


    However, this time was beyond Nash¡¯s expectation.


    After Nash finished teaching, Zhang Yang was truly patiently practicing the basics of dribbling.


    Moreover, when he went to the other half of the court to practice shooting, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t sneak away to practice fixed spot jump shots but continued to train patiently!


    Was he no longer going down a dead end?


    Nash felt very happy.


    He taught earnestly, naturally hoping that the hard-working rookie Zhang Yang would become stronger.


    At his age, he certainly had the desire to pass on his skills¡­


    No, he needed to watch a bit longer.


    ¡­


    The impression of stubbornness that Zhang Yang gave people actually matched the original¡¯s personality.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s original self clearly lacked baseball talent and progressed very slowly, and despite finding it quite painful to play, he insisted on focusing on baseball even after growing taller and being advised by his physical education teacher to switch to basketball.


    For the current Zhang Yang, getting guidance from Nash was something he could only have dreamed of, so of course he wanted to practice well.


    Basic skill training is tedious, but Zhang Yang had been through even more tedious training.


    Learning new things was like a treat for him; he kept going until Nash¡¯s alarm rang at 8 o¡¯clock.


    Nash stopped the training and said to Zhang Yang, who had been practicing basic movements for nearly an hour, ¡°Jack, let¡¯s call it a morning on training for now.


    Make some food; we¡¯ve still got to head to the arena to prepare for the game.¡±


    He was in a very good mood now, feeling as if he¡¯d finally managed to get the stubborn tree to bloom¡­ It doesn¡¯t have to be a headache to distract oneself; happy things can also serve as a distraction, even though in the past two or three years, there had not been many happy moments in basketball for him.


    The most dismal thing for the team was when their general manager Steve Kerr traded Marion for O¡¯Neal and then made a lopsided deal to send O¡¯Neal to the Knights¡­


    effectively letting go of Marion for nothing.


    Zhang Yang agreed and stopped training.


    He wanted to practice more, to remember the feel of this training for when he went back to practice ball handling. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It will definitely be useful.


    But he was also very interested in going to the arena to prepare.


    He could get in touch with the fast-break style of play!


    At this time, the fast-break was considered a ¡®non-mainstream¡¯ style of play, but a decade or so later, the entire league was playing small-ball.


    Familiarizing himself with it early wasn¡¯t a bad idea.


    Moreover, by understanding in advance how NBA games are played and which techniques he needs to know, he would be able to target his training more effectively.


    Zhang Yang went back to his room, which had a bathroom, took a quick shower, and then went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.


    When he opened the fridge to pick ingredients, he confirmed that Nash had let him stay to be the cook.


    The ingredients in the fridge were clearly prepared by him, and they were all things he liked to eat.


    Using the available ingredients, Zhang Yang made a low-fat, low-sugar breakfast.


    Nash really wasn¡¯t picky ¨C as long as it tasted good.


    After breakfast, the carless and houseless Zhang Yang hitched a ride with Nash to the Western U.S.


    arena.


    On the road, Zhang Yang was looking through his team manual.


    He had found it while packing his bag before departure, containing his tactical notes.


    The contents of the tactical notes were simple, fast break routes, cutting routes, and off-ball running routes¡­


    that was it.


    Zhang Yang was puzzled, wasn¡¯t the message that he had earned Gentry¡¯s favor with his outstanding tactical adaptability?


    What tactical ability did this little stuff require?


    Isn¡¯t this something everybody knows how to do?


    While stopped at a red light, Nash saw Zhang Yang flipping through the tactical manual and cautioned, ¡°Jack, Leandro is still out for the second round.


    Alvin will choose between you and Earl to be the counter-attack scorer.


    Earl lacks a sense of tactical cooperation, and he¡¯s not like you, able to pass after catching the ball; this opportunity will definitely be yours, so you must seize it!¡±


    Leandro?


    Oh, that¡¯s Barbosa¡­


    Earl, the watered-down lottery pick Clark, Zhang Yang had an impression of him; he was a player with excellent physical attributes, his draft comparison was Odom, and in his student days, he indeed could do everything much like Odom¨C208 cm tall but able to play like a Point Guard and organize the offense.


    However, once he reached the NBA, he turned into a jack of all trades, master of none, appearing to fit any position but not playing well in any.


    Hearing Nash¡¯s advice, Zhang Yang suddenly remembered what Thomas had said during the dinner at his home¡­


    understanding tactics is not something especially common among players with good physical qualities.


    After being involved in tactics for a long time, players with poor tactical awareness can still play well cooperatively by relying on game experience.


    But for a player just entering the NBA, the ability to understand and execute simple tactical movements seems indeed quite impressive.


    There you have it, Earl Clark, the lottery pick, was judged by Nash to lack tactical cooperation awareness.


    ¡­


    The US Airways Center started construction in 1989, was completed in 1992, and although refurbished in 2005, in terms of architectural style, it still seemed somewhat vintage, with a clear 1980s ¡®sci-fi vibe¡¯ to it.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s first impression of this arena¡ªlike a basketball court built inside a metal framework.


    Initially, Zhang Yang was somewhat worried that his teammates would discover something off about him, but after entering the arena and attending the team meeting, he realized he had been overthinking it.


    He was just an undrafted rookie, and aside from Nash and Gentry who valued his efforts, not many on the team cared about him.


    Those who saw him as a rival¡ªthe same batch¡¯s Earl Clark, but he wasn¡¯t acquainted with him either.


    However, he felt the atmosphere of the team was quite good; although his teammates were not enthusiastic, they would respond when he proactively greeted those he ¡®knew¡¯.


    At 10 a.m., Zhang Yang attended the team meeting, and from 1:30 p.m.


    to 4:00 p.m., he participated in the team¡¯s tactical training, where he easily outperformed Earl Clark.


    Earl Clark, during tactical positioning, was like a headless fly, seriously disrupting the flow of tactics.


    Zhang Yang understood why Nash said the opportunity would definitely be his in the morning; he guessed that Earl Clark must have been a core player in his student days without experience playing as a role player in tactical cooperation, nor did he have the talent for it, and the team clearly would not cultivate him as a tactical core.


    After the training ended, Gentry announced the rotation for the next day; Zhang Yang was placed among the 10-man rotation, along with Goran Dragic, Jared Dudley, Louis Amundson, and Robin Lopez, to serve as the main substitutes.


    After the team¡¯s training session ended, Nash, Stoudemire, Hill, and Jason Richardson were called to a small meeting by Gentry.


    The other teammates did as they wished, with some leaving and others continuing to practice.


    Zhang Yang, seeing that his landlord Nash couldn¡¯t leave for a while, continued to practice his ball-handling basics.


    More than half an hour later, after Nash finished the small meeting with Gentry¡¯s office, seeing Zhang Yang practicing ball handling relieved some of the stress he felt from the upcoming series against the Spurs.


    Nash watched Zhang Yang¡¯s training for a while and then stepped forward to point out, ¡°Jack, you¡¯ve got the rhythm of your ball control wrong.¡±


    Zhang Yang stopped his training and listened attentively.


    Pleased with his attentiveness, Nash continued, ¡°When you change direction and drive, you always start your explosive step after pulling the ball back.


    That¡¯s not right; you should prepare to start with every pull of the ball so that it truly serves the purpose of changing direction¡­


    The same goes when catching the ball on the fast break and cutting in; you must be ready to power through before catching the ball¡­


    ¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 20 - 20 19

    ?20: 19.


    Things on Race Day 20: 19.


    Things on Race Day ¡°It¡¯s not about speeding up the change of direction, but what if the defender isn¡¯t fooled?


    Then you¡¯re blocked and might even get stopped¡­


    I¡¯ll demonstrate for you like this¡­¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not how it¡¯s done.


    You can¡¯t lift your foot before making the dribbling move forward, or you¡¯ll be called for traveling.


    Your hand movements must be faster¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, that¡¯s it.


    Prepare to exert force but don¡¯t actually do it, ready to switch between pulling sideways and starting any time.


    Control the rhythm well¡­¡±


    ¡°You need to practice slowly, better control your body¡­¡±


    Seeing Zhang Yang finally ¡®get it¡¯, Nash taught with even more care and attention¡­


    yet he still wanted to criticize a bit.


    Despite being such a quick learner, he insisted on struggling with one or two techniques, wasting so much time!


    But as Zhang Yang had just ¡®gotten it¡¯, Nash chose to hold back.


    Under Nash¡¯s guidance, Zhang Yang began to refine his starting habits.


    These starting habits had been maintained for 5 years and had already become muscle memory, making it difficult for Zhang Yang to adjust, but he was very diligent in learning and practicing.


    He didn¡¯t care much about the effects he could achieve in this short time, but rather wanted to remember how to practice properly, so he could develop better habits when he went back to the basics.


    The first day of his experience, Zhang Yang spent in training.


    After a day of training, in addition to getting accustomed to the existing techniques, gaining a preliminary understanding of fast-break strategies, and learning the basics of ball control, he also understood his physical fitness now that he was an adult.


    At 21, his speed was top-tier in the NBA!


    Currently, only Nash and Dragic were faster than him in the team.


    From Nash, he learned that Barbosa was the fastest in the team; all three players were known for their speed, and being slightly slower than these three didn¡¯t mean his speed was slow.


    His strength was average among the team¡¯s guards.


    He was at a disadvantage when confronting Jason Richardson and Hill, had an advantage over Dragic, and was about even with Dudley.


    His jumping ability was also decent.


    Compared to the likes of Dunk King and powerhouse athletes, he couldn¡¯t compare, but he was much better than Nash¡­


    Plus, with a height of 196 cm, his physical fitness as an adult in the NBA, though not outstanding, was certainly not poor, perhaps even first-class?


    This gave him more confidence in his basketball career; physical fitness is the foundation of competitive sports.


    ¡­


    May 2nd, game day arrived, and today, the Suns would start their series at home against the Spurs.


    In the morning, after just a short training session, Zhang Yang was stopped by Nash, who told him to conserve his energy for tonight¡¯s game¡­


    then he was called to make breakfast, this time for three more people.


    Last night, Nash¡¯s wife, Alejandra Nash, returned from her parents¡¯ home with their two daughters.


    Zhang Yang learned from Nash that a few days ago was Alejandra¡¯s father¡¯s birthday, but since Nash was playing in the first round at that time, she went alone with their daughters to celebrate her father¡¯s birthday.


    Alejandra seemed not to take a liking to Zhang Yang, not offering him the warm hospitality one might expect, but he didn¡¯t mind.


    Being someone who was staying for free and even carpooling, it was a bit much to expect a warm welcome.


    However, the relationship between Nash and Alejandra appeared to be quite delicate, even in front of an outsider staying with them ¨C Zhang Yang didn¡¯t inquire, as it was their private matter.


    Nash¡¯s two daughters, however, were quite adorable, though slightly superficial, always chattering about their days at their grandparents¡¯ house.


    After breakfast, Zhang Yang joined Nash in watching video clips from the Spurs¡¯ first-round series against the Mavericks.


    Nash had watched this video montage many times before, mainly to explain to Zhang Yang what needed to be done on both offense and defense, essentially studying the video in a different way.


    Nash¡¯s professional explanations received Zhang Yang¡¯s attentive listening, as he tried to understand a top star¡¯s approach to the game.


    As noon approached, Nash didn¡¯t ask Zhang Yang to cook but instead took him to the US West Arena for a nutritional meal.


    Upon taking the first bite, Zhang Yang felt a bit nauseous.


    How to describe it, the ingredients were definitely top-notch, but the taste¡­


    it could only be said to accentuate the natural flavors of the ingredients.


    However, seeing Nash wolf it down, Zhang Yang also followed suit and finished the nutritional meal.


    After lunch, Zhang Yang felt a bit drowsy and slept for an hour in the lounge.


    When he woke up, he wanted to ask Nash about some tactical matters, but saw that Nash had already started warming up; Hill had also arrived.


    He greeted them and then walked into the locker room.


    Zhang Yang asked, ¡°Did I sleep that long?


    Have you already started warming up?¡±


    Nash stopped what he was doing, smiled, and said, ¡°It¡¯s still early for you to warm up, you might want to check out the video clips of Leandro and Jared¡¯s positioning, learn their running techniques. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I¡¯m old, not like you young players.


    You might get your body in optimal condition in an hour, but I need at least twice or three times that long, and I need breaks to conserve energy, gradually getting my body moving.¡±


    Zhang Yang expressed his understanding and did not disturb Nash as he prepared for the game.


    Being able to win the assist champion and perform as the league¡¯s number one point guard at the age of 36, the hardships involved were unimaginable to others.


    Hill had probably also come early to start warming up a few hours before the 8:00 PM game.


    With 82 games just in the regular season, doing such pre-game preparations for each match is a feat achieved by only a few, even in the NBA.


    Zhang Yang watched the videos for a while; the positioning and counterattacks of the two players Nash mentioned seemed quite ordinary to him.


    The choices in their running paths were standard; their in-play positioning was just tactic following, merely playing at the level of executing strategies, nothing outstanding tactically.


    The two excelled in their rich game experience, understanding the passing habits of Nash, Hill, Richardson, and others, allowing for seamless coordination.


    Especially Barbosa, with such exceptional physical qualities, the top-tier speed, quickness, and leaping ability, and strong finishing skills at the basket, along with an outstanding long shot¡­


    yet he had not become a star player.


    Only in the Suns¡¯ highest offensive season did he average 18 points a game, but after that, his performance declined each year.


    Yesterday, when Zhang Yang was looking at the team¡¯s stats, he saw that the 28-year-old Barbosa had dropped to an average of 9.5 points per game this regular season.


    The decline in Barbosa¡¯s scoring was likely due to the head coach changing from D¡¯Antoni to Gentry.


    The difference between these two coaches was significant.


    Although Zhang Yang was unclear on the specifics, he could clearly see the differences in the Suns¡¯ style between the two periods during the games.


    Barbosa¡¯s tactical adaptability was obviously not strong enough, even though both head coaches followed a fast-pace style.


    However, although those two had average tactical sense, their years of playing experience were still valuable for learning.


    By 3 PM, teammates gradually arrived at the arena, and Zhang Yang stopped watching videos to join in the teammates¡¯ pre-game activities, mingling around.


    He felt again the positive atmosphere of the team, which he guessed was influenced by the personalities of the team leaders.


    Nash was not a dominant leader; Stoudemire was loud and easily agitated, giving a straightforward impression without malice; elder brother Hill was gentle and refined; the Dunk King Richardson, a student of child psychology, was kind-hearted and generous¡­


    With these people as the team leaders, the atmosphere could hardly be bad.


    By 6 PM, Zhang Yang ate a carb-loaded meal prepared by the team for quick energy release, then started the pre-game warm-up with everyone under the trainer¡¯s guidance.


    At 7:30 PM, Zhang Yang, having changed into his uniform and training suit, followed his teammates to the player¡¯s tunnel.


    Coach Gentry, lagging behind, wanted to say a few words to ease the younger player¡¯s pre-game nerves.


    He was quite optimistic about Zhang Yang: he was physically gifted and worked hard.


    Moreover, Gentry had heard from Nash that Zhang Yang had recently had an epiphany and started expanding his skills.


    However, Zhang Yang¡¯s demeanor showed no signs of nervousness, but rather was filled with excitement!


    Had he gained confidence after scoring 10 points against the Trail Blazers?


    While being overly excited wasn¡¯t necessarily good, it was still better than being so nervous that he couldn¡¯t perform at his best.


    Gentry shifted his focus back to the upcoming game.


    Zhang Yang followed his teammates to the entrance of the player¡¯s tunnel, where the noise of twenty thousand fans surged into his ears.


    He didn¡¯t find it noisy, nor was he too nervous, just excited to be stepping onto the NBA court!


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 21 - 21 Its not the start I expected!

    ?21: It¡¯s not the start I expected!


    21: It¡¯s not the start I expected!


    At 7:40 PM, the entry ceremony began, with the visiting Spurs taking the floor first.


    The venue was filled with boos!


    In recent years, the fans who hated the Spurs the most were the Suns fans.


    The 2007 playoff massacre in the second round remained an eternal pain in the hearts of this generation of Suns fans.


    However, these boos also contained worries for their own team.


    This year, although the Spurs were only ranked seventh in the Western Conference, they had secured a 50-32 record, and in the first round, they completed an upset, defeating the Mavericks, who had a 55-27 record, by 4-2, pinning Nowitzki to the pillar of shame labeled ¡°soft egg.¡±


    The process of the Spurs defeating the Mavericks seemed easier compared to how the Suns defeated the Trail Blazers.


    Also, in the 2008 playoffs, they faced the Spurs once again, losing unmistakably with a score of 1-4, with Parker, Duncan, and Ginobili combining to score over 70 points per game.


    Public opinion almost unanimously doubted the Suns, believing that the Spurs were set to meet the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yes, poor Jazz Team, they hadn¡¯t even started their series against the Lakers yet, but everyone believed the Lakers were definitely advancing to the Western Conference Finals.


    Over the past two playoff seasons, the Jazz Team had lost to the Lakers, with number 24 player taking all his hatred for the old duo out on Deron and Boozer, displaying utmost cruelty.


    Especially in the 2008 second round, Kobe averaged 33.2 points, 7 rebounds, and 7.2 assists with a shooting percentage of 49.1%, leaving Deron in a daze.


    It wasn¡¯t just the fans; in the home team¡¯s player tunnel, the Suns players all looked solemn¡­ except for one rookie, who was overly excited upon seeing the ¡°Big Three.¡±


    After the entry ceremony ended, there was no interaction between the two teams; even Gentry only politely greeted Popovich before returning to the bench.


    Zhang Yang was excited to see the ¡°Big Three¡± for the first time, but he didn¡¯t foolishly go greet them; during the past two days of preparation, he distinctly felt his teammates¡¯ hatred for the Spurs, a real hatred, especially from Stoudemire, who gritted his teeth with anger.


    Standing together with his teammates was what he was supposed to do as part of the team.


    Moreover, being part of the Suns, influenced by his teammates¡¯ emotions, he didn¡¯t feel any goodwill towards the Spurs either.


    The pregame preparation time quickly passed, and both teams¡¯ starting lineups took the court.


    The Spurs fielded a starting lineup of Parker, George Hill, Richard Jefferson, Duncan, and Antonio McDyess.


    The Suns fielded a starting lineup of Nash, Jason Richardson, Hill, Stoudemire, and Channing Frye.


    Zhang Yang sat on the bench; unlike his teammates, he felt quite relaxed.


    In his mind, this series was about the Suns taking revenge on the Spurs, and the ¡°Son of the Wind¡± and ¡°Little Emperor¡± avenging their past defeats.


    But once the game started, things didn¡¯t go as he had anticipated¡­


    After Stoudemire won the jump ball, he rushed ahead¡­


    only to be blocked by Duncan, wasting Nash¡¯s excellent opening pass.


    Stoudemire got his own offensive rebound but was blocked by Duncan again, this time Richard Jefferson secured the defensive rebound.


    The Suns faced a blitz at the start!


    Duncan¡¯s two thunderous blocks severely struck the Suns¡¯ morale while simultaneously elevating the Spurs¡¯ spirit to the extreme.


    Riding that momentum, Parker scored four consecutive baskets in the first half of the quarter, contributing 8 points and 3 assists, leading the Spurs to a 16-9 half-quarter score.


    Fortunately, Gentry¡¯s coaching style was steady; he didn¡¯t panic.


    After an official timeout, he kept all five starters on the floor.


    In the latter half of the first quarter, the Suns barely stabilized their formation, scoring 12 points in five-and-a-half minutes, although they still allowed the Spurs to score 14 points during that time, widening the gap a bit further, but at least they didn¡¯t let the Spurs completely take control of the game.


    After the first quarter, Nash scored 6 points, Stoudemire scored 2 points, Jason Richardson scored 6 points, Hill scored 4 points, and Frye scored 3 points; the Suns were trailing the Spurs by 9 points with a score of 21 to 30!


    Seeing his teammates¡¯ morale sinking, Zhang Yang was completely baffled on the sideline.


    What¡¯s happening?


    Parker played 10 minutes and had a perfect 4 out of 4 shots, scoring 10 points and providing 4 assists?


    Duncan played for 9 minutes, made 5 of 6 shots, and scored 11 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots?


    Isn¡¯t that excessively fierce?


    What about the Suns¡¯ promised revenge against the Spurs?


    What about the ¡°Son of the Wind¡± avenging the deep-seated hatred?


    ¡­


    Although trailing by 9 points, at least they kept the score gap manageable.


    During the intermission, Gentry began making player changes.


    Nash, Jason Richardson, and Stoudemire continued playing, while Zhang Yang and Robin Lopez were substituted in.


    Gentry¡¯s substitutions were cautious, with only two younger and more spirited players brought in, while the team¡¯s three strongest members continued to fight doggedly.


    After listening to the tactical arrangement, Zhang Yang excitedly entered the court, his eagerness contrasting sharply with his teammates.


    Although the progression of the game was not as intense as the revenge battle he had anticipated, the joy of playing his ¡°first¡± NBA game overshadowed his confusion and unease.


    It was his first time in an NBA game, and although he understood Duncan¡¯s dominance over the past decade, he had no direct fear of it.


    However, not all his teammates were anxious and fearful; one person¡¯s anger overshadowed the frustration from being behind on the scoreboard and the fear from Duncan¡¯s years of dominance¡ªAmar¡¯e Stoudemire!


    The second quarter began with the Spurs taking the offensive.


    Popovich had a normal rotation in the first quarter; this quarter he sent out George Hill, Ginobili, Keith Bogans, DeJuan Blair, and Duncan.


    George Hill started the offense with a pick-and-roll with Duncan.


    Nash and Stoudemire defended the pick-and-roll, and Zhang Yang, seeing his opponent cutting to the inside, decisively left Ginobili and moved up to block George Hill, who had shaken off Stoudemire¡¯s cut-in.


    George Hill passed the ball, and Ginobili received it in the mid-range zone on the left side of the three-second area.


    Zhang Yang was nervous¡ªhad Ginobili chosen to stay beyond the three-point line, he wouldn¡¯t have left him open.


    But when Ginobili received the ball and moved towards the inside, it was likely that second-year player Robin Lopez couldn¡¯t contain him, but all he could do was hope that Lopez would guard the basket well since he had noticed during preparation that George Hill had a 47% shooting success rate after a pick-and-roll!


    But, Ginobili halted after receiving the ball and did not continue towards the inside.


    Instead, he took a sudden stop-and-jump shot from mid-range!


    ¡°Clang¡±¡­


    Ginobili, with a career mid-range shooting percentage of merely 35%, missed the shot!


    The moment Robin Lopez grabbed the defensive rebound, Stoudemire dashed like an arrow towards the front court.


    Duncan, trusting Ginobili¡¯s mid-range shooting, had seen Ginobili release the ball and immediately began retreating, successfully teaming up with George Hill and Keith Bogans to block the hard-charging Stoudemire and the flanking Jason Richardson.


    Stoudemire, receiving the ball on the left side of the three-second area, initially wanted to challenge two defenders with a forceful shot, but seeing another figure appearing on the other side of the three-second area¡­


    he didn¡¯t hesitate and passed the ball!


    Zhang Yang rushed from the right side beyond the three-point line, took the pass directly below the basket, grabbed the ball, and took two steps before leaping!


    Duncan turned his head just in time to see Zhang Yang charging in; he knew it was too late, but he still didn¡¯t give up, positioned himself under the basket with his hands up, and then everything went dark¡­


    Zhang Yang dunked the ball over Duncan and into the hoop!


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 Chapter 22 - 22 The key to starting the movement!

    ?22: The key to starting the movement!


    22: The key to starting the movement!


    In the cheering of the crowd, Stoudemire excitedly rushed up and chest-bumped with Zhang Yang to celebrate.


    Seeing his teammates¡¯ worried expressions, he thought he was going to have to fight alone.


    He wasn¡¯t afraid; losing was the worst that could happen, and it wasn¡¯t as if they hadn¡¯t lost before¡ªthey had lost to the Spurs three times in the last five years.


    Since it was already like that, it didn¡¯t matter anymore.


    He just couldn¡¯t accept it and wanted to fight.


    He hadn¡¯t expected this rookie teammate to be so tough!


    Duncan was dunked on because he ¡°asked for it,¡± but if it were another rookie, seeing Duncan coming up to block, even if the chance was good, they might still fumble.


    Stoudemire remembered the 2005 Western Conference Finals, where the second-year Barbosa shot 1 for 10 under the basket throughout the series.


    He performed outrageously poor, even missing open layups when Duncan charged at him.


    But just now, Stoudemire didn¡¯t see any fear on Zhang Yang¡¯s face.


    Instead, Duncan¡¯s defense seemed to excite him even more, making his dunk more decisive!


    He wasn¡¯t fighting alone!


    Not only the Little Emperor, but the other Suns players were also electrified by Zhang Yang¡¯s dunk over their opponent.


    If it had been Stoudemire overpowering his opponent for a score, the reaction wouldn¡¯t have been the same.


    But coming from a rookie like Zhang Yang, the effect was completely different!


    It was a surprise!


    When it was the Spurs¡¯ turn to attack, their top player had just embarrassingly been dunked over, but they seemed unaffected.


    Popovich had not yet officially changed the team¡¯s system, so the Spurs¡¯ offensive tactics were relatively simple.


    But their star players were strong!


    Duncan calmly set a screen for George Hill, who then cut in, received the ball, and used a fake to throw off the pursuing Stoudemire before leisurely hooking it into the basket!


    During the transition from defense to offense, the Suns wanted to speed up, but the scoring Spurs implemented full-court pressure defense, preventing the Suns from breaking through.


    Zhang Yang was entangled by George Hill, who, despite being only 191 cm tall and weighing 87 kg, played very tough defense.


    He was extremely serious, even against a rookie like Zhang Yang, with no relaxation whatsoever.


    Falling into a positional battle, Nash and Stoudemire launched an offense with a pick-and-roll.


    After engaging Zhang Yang physically, George Hill moved in to help delay Stoudemire¡¯s cut.


    Nash¡¯s pass threaded through the middle to Zhang Yang at the left side of the free-throw line.


    Zhang Yang received the ball and without hesitation¡­ shot and missed.


    Bursting in, Stoudemire rose explosively, dunking over Blair into the basket!


    The slight annoyance that had just begun to form in Zhang Yang vanished instantly.


    The Little Emperor was telling his teammates through his actions¡ªkeep shooting, I¡¯m here!


    When it was the Spurs¡¯ turn to attack, Ginobili received the ball at mid-range and didn¡¯t shoot impulsively.


    He drove into the paint, performed a Euro step, while Robin Lopez made a valiant effort to block, but still couldn¡¯t stop the elusive Ginobili.


    Ginobili jumped behind Robin Lopez and scored off a high bank shot.


    On the other end, the Suns were on the offensive.


    George Hill continued the strategy of engaging Zhang Yang first, then leaving him open.


    Defensive tactics are about double-teaming the strong and leaving the weak open, mainly considering how to double-team and who to leave unguarded.


    Popovich¡¯s skill in this aspect was top-notch throughout the league.


    The last round saw Stoudemire drive straight through for a dunk, but this time the Spurs contracted faster, preventing Stoudemire from dunking again.


    But Zhang Yang, upon receiving the ball, did not hesitate and decisively took the mid-range shot¡­ and it went in!


    Nash assist +1!


    27 to 34, the Suns were biting at the score!


    Having missed a shot only made them shoot more decisively; the Spurs¡¯ veterans faintly sensed the flavor of Los Angeles.


    The Spurs¡¯ fiery scoring continued, and George Hill, after a pick-and-roll, stepped back and hit a three-pointer, stretching the lead to 10 points, 37 to 27.


    Again, the Suns were on the attack, and with successful cooperation, they were set to continue, Nash kept up the pick-and-roll and passed the ball to Zhang Yang.


    However, Nash noticed the change in the defensive position as he broke through and decisively pulled back after passing the ball. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhang Yang caught the ball, raised his hand as if to shoot, and Duncan immediately came up from the free-throw line.


    But it was a fake from Zhang Yang!


    He, instead, flicked the ball back to the top of the arc.


    Keith Bogans, noticing Nash¡¯s movements, instantly rushed from the right sideline toward the top of the arc.


    But Zhang Yang, using his fake shot to attract the defense before passing, was very decisive.


    By the time Bogans reached the arc, Nash had already turned and shot the ball¡­


    It was a three-pointer!


    30 to 37, the Suns continued to bite at the score, opening the second quarter with a 9 to 7 run against the Spurs!


    Finally, the Spurs, after making three consecutive shots, missed in the next offense, with George Hill¡¯s repeated step-back three-pointer not falling.


    The Suns launched a counterattack!


    Nash chose to push forward based on the positions on the court, cut to the baseline, then passed back to the middle, where Stoudemire, taking a step into the paint, shoved Blair aside and forcefully laid up, scoring two points.


    32 to 37, the Suns had reduced the gap to 5 points, the Spurs called a timeout!


    Now it was Popovich¡¯s turn to be distressed.


    He had hoped to ride the momentum from the first quarter to widen the gap in the second quarter.


    Indeed, they started the second quarter playing well offensively, except for Ginobili having a brain-fade with a mid-range shot, the rest of the opening shots were successful.


    But unexpectedly, their opponents began to rise!


    The Little Overlord going wild was not unpredictable; as the leading center, the Little Overlord was highly likely to make the Second Team this year as a superstar.


    Zhang Yang was a complete surprise element in Popovich¡¯s eyes.


    If only the Little Overlord had gone wild, in the past few rounds, the Suns might have matched the Spurs blow for blow at most, maintaining morale from further declining, but to boost the Suns, the Little Overlord would have to keep going wild continuously.


    However, when Stoudemire was double-teamed, Zhang Yang¡¯s responsiveness with a dunk and his mid-range anticipatory pass that delivered a three-point assist to Nash, helped the Suns close the gap by 4 points in a few rounds.


    In Popovich¡¯s view, this move by Zhang Yang was key to the Suns¡¯ gaining momentum!


    Good counterattack sense, passable pass awareness, decisive shooting¡­ Popovich remembered this was an undrafted rookie, only contracted with the Suns for this current season.


    Should he poach him when the season ends?


    ¡­


    After the timeout, the Spurs continued their offensive firepower in their half-court game.


    Many people hadn¡¯t noticed, but in the past two years, Popovich had greatly improved in adapting tactics on the fly.


    The reason it went unnoticed was because the Spurs¡¯ performance had declined year by year, but the decline wasn¡¯t Popovich¡¯s fault.


    It was because players like Bowen, Finley, Kurt Thomas, Drew Gooden, Brent Barry, Oberto, Ime Udoka¡­ had left one after another, and their replacements such as Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess didn¡¯t come cheap and couldn¡¯t deliver as well within the Spurs¡¯ existing system.


    But Gentry, who had been an assistant coach at the Suns since 2003 and had battled the Spurs for years, could directly feel Popovich¡¯s improvement in this aspect.


    The old Spurs never had any continuity in their offense; once their offense got stalled, Popovich¡¯s only strategy was to rely on the Big Three, but now, George Hill, Blair, and even Matt Bonner could play important roles during offensive adjustments.


    However, the Spurs couldn¡¯t regain control and were gradually losing ground as the Suns nibbled away at the lead.


    Under Stoudemire¡¯s lead, the resurgent Suns matched the Spurs blow for blow in their half-court game.


    As the Suns maintained offensive stability in their half-court game, the Spurs had fewer chances to counterattack.


    The Spurs were not known for their counterattacks, but when they played against the Suns, they often scored a lot on fast breaks, like in the first quarter, where Parker scored 6 of his 10 points from counterattacks.


    Conversely, the Suns¡¯ counterattacks remained unimpeded; whenever the Spurs missed shots, they had to face the onslaught of the Suns¡¯ run and gun, and even a slightly delayed Spurs¡¯ transition defense risked facing a dunk from Stoudemire.


    At 11 minutes and 38 seconds into the second quarter, the veteran Hill scored a long two-pointer, tying the game at 56!


    It was the Spurs¡¯ turn to attack; Ginobili charged, catching the Suns off guard with a Euro step layup.


    With 10 seconds remaining, Gentry chose to call a timeout, bringing Zhang Yang back onto the floor after the official timeout; Nash, Hill, and Stoudemire continued to play, and Dudley, who had performed well in shooting from afar tonight, was also subbed in.


    He wanted to even out or potentially surpass the score entering the second half.


    Naturally, Popovich did not want to let his opponent have their way; he subbed in his strongest defensive lineup with George Hill, Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, Duncan, and McDyess.


    After the timeout, the Suns took a frontcourt inbound, and Hill successfully passed the ball to Nash.


    Nash promptly initiated an attack, Hill ran to play from the center to the left 45-degree angle where he just scored the long two-pointer, Stoudemire moved out for a pick and roll, Dudley positioned himself to the right sideline where he excelled in three-pointers, and Zhang Yang cut to the basket from the right, circling the baseline to reach the left baseline mid-range.


    The other four Suns players were their main scorers this season; when the Spurs defended Nash and Stoudemire in the pick and roll, they left Zhang Yang open.


    However, this time the Spurs leaving him open was a bluff; when Zhang Yang received the ball, McDyess had already moved from under the basket to the baseline mid-range, Richard Jefferson stealthily closed in from the right sideline to short range, teaming up with George Hill to block Stoudemire¡¯s pass route, and Duncan, guarding a smaller player, tightly followed Nash pulling out to the three-point line.


    Popovich had seen through the Suns¡¯ offensive tactic!


    He was gambling that Zhang Yang lacked the ability to handle the ball.


    Popovich correctly predicted the Suns¡¯ offensive tactic and also gambled right that Zhang Yang indeed lacked ball-handling ability; any block to his driving lane left him flustered, but what Popovich didn¡¯t anticipate was Zhang Yang¡¯s audacity¡­


    Zhang Yang, facing McDyess, jumped¡­ to pass!


    The ball flew over McDyess, Stoudemire, Richard Jefferson, George Hill, and several others¡¯ heads, heading towards Dudley on the right sideline.


    Dudley caught the ball just as the shot clock was about to expire, shot a three-pointer directly¡­ and made it!


    57 to 56, the Suns took a one-point lead over the Spurs!


    Popovich stood up and cursed; this rookie¡¯s audacity reminded him of that guy from Los Angeles!


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 23 - 23 22

    ?23: 22.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s Desire 23: 22.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s Desire Dudley, excited by his buzzer-beating three-pointer, rushed up to embrace Zhang Yang, ¡°Rookie, nice pass!¡±


    Thanks to the rookie for that top five play!


    It was because the pass was both straight and hard that the opponent did not anticipate it; otherwise, McDyess might have slapped it down with a swing of his hand to the upper left, and it almost slipped out of his hands when he caught it.


    By the way, what was the rookie¡¯s name?


    Hearing Stoudemire yelling ¡°Jack,¡± Dudley made sure he would remember next time.


    The others also crowded around to praise the rookie.


    Nash didn¡¯t join in the praises¡­


    mainly because he was too weak to squeeze through his teammates.


    He felt greatly relieved, the young brother had not only become savvy in training but also more flexible and bold during the game.


    Zhang Yang received the praises but still viewed his performance very calmly.


    Scoring 6 points and 2 assists in 7 minutes was quite good but the scores were easy shots, and those two assists highly tested his teammates¡¯ abilities.


    The real help to the team¡¯s momentum was Stoudemire, who dominated under the basket scoring 14 points and 6 boards in a single quarter.


    At most, Zhang Yang could be considered a catalyst speeding up Stoudemire¡¯s lead in the momentum.


    Of course, he did not sell himself short; if another substitute played, they probably wouldn¡¯t have performed as well, and it would take longer for Stoudemire to lead the momentum switch.


    Consequently, the time to even the score or take the lead would almost certainly be delayed.


    After returning to the locker room, Gentry repeatedly stressed they shouldn¡¯t become careless simply because they had taken the lead in the score.


    Zhang Yang felt the same; he was not clear about the specific conditions of this series, but after the half, he sensed that although the Suns had swept the Spurs 4-0, it certainly hadn¡¯t been as easy as the large score margin seemed.


    Just like in the 1995 finals, it looked like the Rockets were trouncing the Magic, but in fact, the Magic had almost won each game, only to collapse at critical moments.


    The Spurs were genuinely strong.


    In the second quarter, their side, under the leader of the little overlord, launched a fierce attack, but the Spurs showed no sign of crumbling.


    Instead, they stubbornly defended their lead until the last moment, which was nerve-wrackingly steady.


    However, Zhang Yang was neither nervous nor afraid, he was just a minor substitute.


    It was enough to cheer for his teammates from the sidelines and give his all when he had a chance to play.


    He had confidence in his teammates, he could clearly feel the change in their mentality. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the start of the game, they were overly tense, as if they were under immense pressure, but now, their confidence was rising!


    And they were playing better and better!


    ¡­


    After the halftime break, the third quarter began.


    As Zhang Yang had anticipated, the game didn¡¯t become easier but instead, entered a mode of fierce battle.


    All three main players of the Spurs were up!


    Duncan, who had performed heroically in the first half, scoring 19 points, started the third quarter with an aggressive attack.


    Although Parker had fewer counterattack opportunities, his scoring and passing behind Duncan¡¯s screens were still excellent.


    The magical Ginobili, who had moments of lapse and brilliance in the first half, also performed excellently in the third quarter.


    While battling the three main players, Spurs coach Popovich gave up on offensive rebounds from Duncan, McDyess, and the rotated-in Blair, opting fully for defense to trouble the Suns¡¯ fast breaks.


    On the Suns¡¯ side, Stoudemire continued his aggressive play, Nash, who had primarily passed and shot return passes in the first half, also increased his shooting in the third quarter, clashing hard with the three main players.


    Gentry also did quite well in making on-the-fly adjustments and rotating the lineup, struggling to compete with the Spurs.


    However, in such a situation, Spurs¡¯ coach Popovich, who seemed to have the upper hand on the court, was actually under greater pressure, while Suns¡¯ coach Gentry, barely hanging on, felt less stressed.


    The full-on attack by the three main players was the Spurs¡¯ method for harvesting the game.


    Deploying this strategy in the third quarter was bound to impact their performance later.


    If the Spurs managed to gain a scoring advantage, it would be okay to slowly grind their defense later, but they seemed to have an advantage that didn¡¯t translate into significant results.


    Popovich had no choice but to make such a decision, facing the overwhelming momentum of the other side after they took the lead in the score, and worried the game would slip away if he didn¡¯t use his strongest tactics.


    He also did not want to play a key ball.


    They were one of the teams least skilled at key balls.


    Ginobili was the best on the team at crucial moments, yet despite his talent, he was often erratic.


    In the second round game seven of 2006, Ginobili inexplicably fouled Nowitzki with a three-point lead, leading to the score being leveled by Nowitzki and the game pushed into overtime, where Terry and Stackhouse went on a rampage, and the Mavericks reversed and won¡­


    That scene was unforgettable for Popovich.


    So he chose to gamble, trying to regain the lead with the strongest play.


    This choice demonstrated a change in Popovich¡¯s coaching philosophy.


    However, the game did not go in the direction he had hoped¡­


    With 9:06 left in the third quarter, the Spurs led the Suns by two points, 81 to 79, having played a 25 to 22 quarter, dominating for a long period.


    But in the last two minutes, the trio¡¯s offense stalled!


    The Suns seized the opportunity to counterattack, with Zhang Yang and Richardson scoring on reverse layups, aided by Stoudemire¡¯s distraction, and Nash hitting a trailing three-pointer, scoring a quick 7 to 2 against the Spurs!


    By the end of the third quarter, the Suns had taken the lead again, 86 to 83, gaining a three-point advantage!


    Zhang Yang played for 5 minutes in the third quarter, scoring 4 points, 1 rebound, and 1 steal, not as spectacular as in the second quarter.


    But he played some special roles ¡ª¡ª he affected Popovich¡¯s defensive predictions.


    In regular plays, Zhang Yang is just a traditional player who can counterattack and make fixed-point mid-range shots.


    But after Gentry called for a timeout and during tactical offensive plays, which are critical moments when the Spurs must closely guard and double-team the Suns¡¯ stars, Popovich found Zhang Yang troubling and did not want to give him the chance to handle the ball, choosing not to leave him unguarded.


    Popovich could not predict what Zhang Yang would do after receiving the ball, and he hated this type of player, unless the player was on his team¡­


    In this quarter, during tactical plays, Zhang Yang himself didn¡¯t have any standout performances, but he indirectly made it easier for the team leaders to play.


    In the fourth quarter, it was the Suns¡¯ turn to explode right from the start.


    In the first four minutes, the Suns scored 15 to 8, extending their lead by 10 points, leading 101 to 91.


    The Spurs were truly steady, and they didn¡¯t collapse, giving only 12 points to the Suns, who were attacking aggressively but then fell into a slump in the final 7 minutes.


    However, since the trio was too exhausted from the third quarter, they had no energy left to attack and scored only 16 points during this time.


    At 10:22 p.m., the final whistle blew.


    Duncan had an excellent performance tonight, with 39 minutes on the court, he made 13 of 22 shots, plus made 7 out of 12 free throws, slashing 33 points, 17 rebounds, 3 assists, and 6 blocks.


    But Stoudemire performed even better!


    Playing 46 minutes, after scoring only 2 points in the first quarter, he ended the game with 37 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks!


    With 11 offensive rebounds, and scoring 12 points just from offensive rebounds, Stoudemire single-handedly provided long-range cover for his teammates.


    Nash also performed exceptionally well, scoring 26 points and 12 assists.


    Son of the Wind and the Little Overlord together led the team to beat the Spurs 113 to 107, leading the series 1 to 0!


    ¡­


    After the final whistle, the whole Suns team gathered to celebrate, this time around their teammate ¡ª¡ª the Little Overlord, Stoudemire.


    After the celebration, reporters also surrounded Stoudemire.


    In the face-to-face confrontation with the history¡¯s number one power forward, Stoudemire overwhelmingly outperformed his opponent, shining brightly tonight.


    Zhang Yang watched this scene with envy.


    He longed for the day he would also have such a moment¡­


    Tonight, he played 16 minutes, scoring 10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal, which was quite good.


    Especially in the second quarter, helping his team to gain momentum earlier, thereby allowing them to secure the victory earlier without needing to struggle for critical points at the last moment, he felt his role was quite significant.


    But there were still areas he wasn¡¯t satisfied with ¡ª¡ª his two shots in the final quarter paid homage to Los Angeles.


    Compared to Nash, Stoudemire, Richardson, Hill, and others, he felt he was still undercooked.


    He felt he had to work harder.


    If he was undercooked, he needed more practice!


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 24 - 24 23

    ?24: 23.


    The coach¡¯s heart is all black 24: 23.


    The coach¡¯s heart is all black The next morning, Zhang Yang got up as usual to practice dribbling and starting, which was monotonous.


    He would mix in some shooting practice, never having thought he¡¯d come to view shooting practice as a sort of seasoning.


    In yesterday¡¯s game, he had played just over ten minutes and didn¡¯t even feel tired afterwards.


    He had gained a clearer understanding of his physical strength as an adult, knowing this much training wouldn¡¯t affect his game performance.


    His weight of over 90 kg coupled with a strength rating of over 80 was sufficient when facing guards like George Hill.


    Against Ginobili he fell a bit short, not to mention competing with power players like Richard Jefferson.


    But at only 21, there was still room for improvement.


    He didn¡¯t know if continuing to gain weight would affect his speed; that was something he planned to consider upon returning home.


    Being 21 and entering the NBA, he still had six years for trial and error; he¡¯d wait until his height settled before deciding.


    After prolonged defense, his shooting stability declined rapidly, which was more an issue of skill.


    Now, he focused on learning ball control and pacing from Nash and playing well in the current games.


    He trained until 8 a.m.


    when he was forced to stop.


    Two little girls came to the training area, each hugging one of his legs, and chorused, ¡°Jack, we¡¯re hungry!¡±


    Zhang Yang wondered, ¡°Why is it you two waking me up?


    Where are Steve and Alejandra?¡±


    The elder sister, Lola, replied, ¡°Dad attended a press conference and an interview last night.


    He didn¡¯t come home until nearly 2 a.m.


    and is still sleeping.¡±


    The younger sister, Bella, added, ¡°Mom had something to do; she left as soon as Dad got home.¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°¡­¡±


    After the game last night, he had merely perfunctorily attended an interview with a local media outlet in the locker room before returning on the team bus.


    He really didn¡¯t know about these things.


    He couldn¡¯t help but be moved by the deep bond between the couple.


    The wife, seeing her husband had a busy day, graciously gave up the bed to him, a spirit of selfless dedication that touched him.


    But Nash was really well maintained; last night, the 36-year-old played 44 minutes, the second highest playtime of all players, second only to Stoudemire.


    For veterans like Nash, there was always so much to learn.


    After a few seconds of silence, Zhang Yang said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower and then make breakfast.


    You two go wash up first¡­¡±


    An hour later, Zhang Yang, having prepared breakfast, watched TV with Nash¡¯s girls.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that staying over would also involve babysitting.


    He asked the two girls why their family hadn¡¯t hired a nanny.


    Lola whispered to him, ¡°Mom and Dad often fight with the nannies.


    Mom hires one, Dad drives one away; Dad hires one, and Mom drives her away.


    Eventually, no one came to apply for the job anymore.¡±


    Zhang Yang was speechless again; these rich people really had some unique issues.


    By the way, were the nannies given severance pay when they were fired?


    Nash slept until noon, thanked Zhang Yang for helping with the kids, and took him out to the arena.


    Just as Nash was about to leave, his wife returned home to take over watching the kids.


    Once again, Zhang Yang was touched.


    Look at that, a wife who thoroughly understood her husband¡¯s work schedule on a working day.


    Initially, Zhang Yang thought it inappropriate to comment directly on someone else¡¯s family matters.


    He could¡¯ve bought some green plants or something as a gesture to Nash, but seeing this situation, it seemed there was no need to say anything, considering Nash might someday start anew with a wife not much older than his daughters.


    ¡­


    Upon arriving at the Western U.S.


    arena, Nash dove into preparations for the game, showing no signs of being affected by family matters.


    Zhang Yang: Look at that, that¡¯s professionalism!


    Today¡¯s preparation was much shorter, only including two and a half hours of training sessions.


    During training, Zhang Yang distinctly felt a change in his teammates¡¯ attitudes; they were more confident than before last night¡¯s game, and their morale was higher.


    But they did not become complacent after winning the first game; instead, everyone trained even harder.


    Zhang Yang also trained hard in running positions and learning tactics, gaining a deeper understanding of the strategies, which would lead to better performance in the games and also prepare him for the future.


    After training ended, the coaching staff called several key players for a small meeting, and Zhang Yang was also called over.


    Before entering the conference room, Nash said to Zhang Yang, ¡°You¡¯re invited to the meeting not to express your opinions, but to listen.


    As a rookie, just listen to everyone else.


    This is just the coaching staff signaling to you that they value your talent.¡±


    Zhang Yang nodded to show his understanding, and after entering the meeting room, he saw Dragic there too, which confirmed what Nash had said.


    He hadn¡¯t planned to say much though; even though he felt he grasped the tactics quite quickly, he didn¡¯t have much reserve knowledge in this area.


    Listening, observing, and thinking more was the right approach.


    He didn¡¯t become arrogant because his performance in the first game was decent and had played a key role to some extent.


    With his current skills, not making mistakes in the game rather than desperately playing well was more helpful to the team.


    Another day passed, and on May 4, the Suns played host to the Spurs in the second game of the series.


    At 8 p.m., the game started, with the Suns riding the momentum from their first-game victory, scoring a furious 31 points in the first quarter.


    The Spurs couldn¡¯t restrain the Suns¡¯ offense, and their own scoring didn¡¯t pick up either, only managing 22 points in the first quarter, giving the Suns a 9-point lead.


    Coach Gentry¡¯s high-risk press defense was very effective tonight; the Spurs committed 6 turnovers in the first quarter alone, while the Suns, controlled by Nash, had only 2 turnovers.


    Stoudemire continued his rampage, scoring 13 points with 5 rebounds and 1 assist in that quarter alone.


    Although Nash scored only 3 points, he delivered 6 assists in the quarter.


    Zhang Yang got into the game towards the end of the first quarter and made a three-pointer from a rebound that Stoudemire had flung out.


    Initially, he wanted to pass the ball back to Nash to reset the offense, but Stoudemire was yelling ¡°Shoot, shoot, shoot,¡± so he threw it, and it went in.


    In the second quarter, the Spurs¡¯ offense began to warm up, scoring 27 points, but they couldn¡¯t suppress the Suns¡¯ offense, which also scored 26 points.


    The Spurs fought hard throughout the quarter to close the gap by just 1 point, but by the third quarter, the Suns responded with a 26-25 scoreline, pushing the lead back to 9 points.


    If not for Ginobili¡¯s extremely long step-back three-pointer, the Suns could have extended the lead into double digits.


    In the final quarter, the Spurs had their best offensive display of the night, scoring 28 points and limiting Stoudemire to just 3 points.


    Unfortunately, Nash and Richardson took advantage of the inside dominance to fire continuously from outside, jointly scoring 5 three-pointers and racking up 19 points in the quarter, with the Suns also scoring 28 points.


    In the end, with Stoudemire¡¯s 33 points, Nash¡¯s 23 points and 15 assists, and Richardson¡¯s 27 points, the Suns defeated the Spurs 111-102, taking a 2-0 lead in the series!


    Zhang Yang played 21 minutes tonight, took 7 shots, made only two, and scored 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To be fair, his shooting opportunities tonight were really poor.


    This involves the role Gentry assigned to Zhang Yang¡ªScapegoat.


    When the team¡¯s morale was high, confident, and the tactics were playing out well, Gentry didn¡¯t allot regular shooting opportunities to the moderately skilled Zhang Yang but to the more capable, experienced veterans.


    When the tactics had run their course and they needed someone reckless to shoot, it was Zhang Yang¡¯s time to receive the ball.


    As a rookie, if Zhang Yang missed the shot, it wouldn¡¯t affect the team¡¯s morale, and since he was a rookie, when the tactics had run their course, he was often the easiest one to receive the ball.


    If he made the shot, it would definitely boost the team¡¯s morale.


    After figuring out the head coach¡¯s thinking, Zhang Yang spat out, ¡°These coaches all have dark hearts!¡±


    Haven¡¯t they thought about what happens if a rookie can¡¯t handle the pressure and collapses mentally?


    Well, they truly wouldn¡¯t care, there¡¯s a new batch of rookies every year.


    If one breaks down, they simply replace him, and they call it building your mental strength.


    Besides, he did give the impression of being very bold in his first game¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 25 - 25 24

    ?25: 24.


    The First Trial Ends 25: 24.


    The First Trial Ends The next day, May 5th in the afternoon, Zhang Yang and his team left Phoenix and flew to San Antonio.


    Playing an away game, Zhang Yang was looking forward to experiencing the Texas scenery¡­


    As Nash was taking him to the airport, he spoke in a tone that all men understand about the exotic charm of the area and the passionate South American women living there, and Zhang Yang started thinking about how if Nash planned to take him out on the town, he should play hard to get just enough to not seem too eager¡­


    However, after arriving in San Antonio, he remembered he had been in Phoenix for a few days and had only been to Nash¡¯s house, the stadium, and gas stations.


    They were here for a game, a postseason game at that, and it was dark by the time they reached the hotel.


    The coaching staff prohibited leaving the hotel that night, and the next morning, the entire team went together to the ATT stadium to prepare.


    There was absolutely no chance to enjoy the Texas landscape.


    After feeling slightly disappointed, Zhang Yang concentrated on his training.


    On the 7th, the Suns played against the Spurs in the third game of the series on the road.


    The Spurs, trailing 0-2, were not about to give up and played desperately.


    The Suns faced the most challenging game of the series so far.


    In the first quarter, the Suns were down by 6 points, trailing the Spurs 19 to 25.


    In the second quarter, the Suns fought back, scoring 31 to 24 and ended the half one point ahead at 60-59, overtaking the Spurs.


    Just when the TV commentators thought the Suns were going to replicate their Game 1 success, under intense pressure, Ginobili exploded with 18 points in one quarter, leading the Spurs to score 30 to 22 in that period, overturning to lead the Suns by 7 points, 89-82, going into the final quarter.


    With a 7-point lead entering the third quarter, the announcers quickly switched sides, starting to praise the Spurs for a potential comeback,.


    They said this game was the Spurs¡¯ call to counterattack, and with Duncan present, a 7-point lead was enough to grind it to the end.


    This time, however, Duncan disappointed many as his performance no longer resembled the stability of the past decades; his performance was lackluster on both ends, clearly showing his age.


    Stoudemire continued his aggressive play, repeatedly scoring against Duncan one-on-one, making 5 out of 7 shots and all his 2 free throws to score 12 points in the quarter.


    Nash shot 4 of 8, including 2 of 5 three-pointers, scoring 10 points and contributing 5 assists in the quarter, providing strong support for Stoudemire from the perimeter.


    With these two leading, the Suns blasted 35 points in the last quarter, completely breaking down the Spurs¡¯ defense.


    On the offensive end for the Spurs, despite facing adverse conditions, Parker¡¯s performance wasn¡¯t bad, but he didn¡¯t excel; Duncan was unusually dull on both ends; Ginobili continued to shine despite the dire situation, scoring 12 points in the quarter and reaching a career playoff high of 30 points in a half, and his 37 points for the game ranked second highest in his playoff career¡­


    However, the Spurs only managed 24 points in that quarter.


    Stoudemire with 29 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, Nash with 31 points, 9 assists, and Hill with 16 points¡­


    The Suns turned the game around to beat the Spurs 107-103, leading the series with a large margin of 3-0!


    Zhang Yang tonight made 2 out of 4 shots, performing decently in shooting, with the most ¡®eye-catching¡¯ being his 6 of 6 free throws, four of which he earned in the last quarter.


    After reaching the foul limit in the last quarter, Popovich employed the Hack-a-Shaq strategy.


    The dominant player tonight succeeded in 9 of 10 free throws, proving the strategy ineffective.


    The Suns¡¯ other players who played also performed well in their free throws, and then he targeted Zhang Yang, who was still a rookie.


    Popovich¡¯s highly creative idea was actually well-considered, as in recent years rookies have increasingly poor fundamentals, especially in free throws.


    Although Zhang Yang was bold, his abilities were indeed ordinary, making him a worthy gamble.


    But, coincidentally, free throws were the first aspect of shooting that Zhang Yang practiced when developing his shooting skills¡­


    Zhang Yang also made his contribution; his free throws in the last ten seconds not only scored him 4 points amidst boos and curses from the audience but also created some rest for Nash, who had played for over 40 minutes.


    ¡­


    On May 9th, the day of the fourth game in the Suns-Spurs series arrived.


    At noon, the Suns received good news¡ªNash and Stoudemire both were selected for the second team.


    Duncan only made the third team and second defense, marking this year as his worst performance and least honors since entering the NBA.


    With the dual cores winning awards, the already high morale of the Suns was boosted even further.


    On the other hand, the entire Spurs team was in low spirits.


    Media, the deceiving ghost, had been praising Duncan as one of the all-time greats who was old but sturdy, an evergreen before the second round started.


    But after falling behind 0-3, the media¡¯s Duncan was suddenly past his prime, the peak of the Spurs¡¯ era was over¡­


    This exacerbated the loss of confidence among the Spurs players.


    By 8 pm, when Game 4 started, the impact of the morale was evident.


    The Spurs played like the Suns did in Game 1. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No, they performed even worse than the Suns had back then.


    The Suns were the ones consistently losing, and with the grudge of an off-court defeat, they fought fiercely even when demoralized and lacking in confidence.


    However, the Spurs, who had always been winners, just fell apart completely.


    The Suns blasted 39 points in the first quarter, outscoring the Spurs, who only managed 22 points, leading by 17 points and essentially removing any suspense from the game.


    By the second quarter, the score was 27 to 24; by the third quarter, 25 to 22.


    The Suns did not give the Spurs any chance to overturn the game, and the Spurs actually failed to mount an effective counterattack.


    The overly stable Spurs, when faced with such suppression, often found themselves without a solution.


    Moreover, apart from a few players, most had already lost confidence.


    Ginobili, scoring 27 points from 17 attempts and making 10, was merely performing a solo dance.


    By the end of the third quarter, the gap had reached 23 points, and Popovich pulled out his big three, effectively conceding defeat.


    This elimination did not result in Popovich raging courtside as he had in the past; he was unusually calm, having made up his mind.


    After losing to Kobe with Gasol in 2008, he had contemplated changes, but back then they had at least made it to the Western Conference Finals, and the reserves for the new system were not yet sufficient.


    Last season¡¯s first-round exit was because Ginobili was out for the season.


    Before his injury, they had been second in the Western Conference and fourth in the league; Popovich had felt no immediate need to change.


    Now, a change was imperative!


    Popovich turned his focus to the explosive performance of Ginobili in this postseason.


    His new system would not include conventional stars, but it needed a dagger for piercing through opponents at critical moments.


    ¡­


    During the final quarter¡¯s garbage time, Zhang Yang was substituted in.


    He hadn¡¯t played in the first three quarters.


    Starting with the upper hand, Gentry had opted for stability, using the strongest lineup and firepower to maintain the lead until the opposition had completely given up, only then bringing in the first and second-year players.


    Zhang Yang and Dragic took turns shooting, one ball each, during garbage time; that was the time for these young guards, who were part of the team¡¯s development plan, to swing away.


    Dragic made 4 of 7 shots and all 3 free throws, earning 11 points and 3 assists; all three assists were passes to Zhang Yang that directly turned into assists.


    The Spurs didn¡¯t really defend anymore; Zhang Yang could circle out to receive the ball and shoot, making 4 out of 9 shots for 8 points, along with one rebound basket from Robin Lopez.


    The Suns scored 21 points this quarter¡­


    while the Spurs scored 31.


    Losing by 10 points during garbage time had no real effect on the Suns.


    112 to 99, the Suns won again against the Spurs, sweeping them 4-0 to advance!


    After the final whistle, the ¡°Gate of Trials¡± appeared before Zhang Yang¡¯s eyes, indicating that his training mission was complete, rewarding him with the ¡°Son of the Wind Ball-Handling Rhythm: Beginner Edition.¡±


    At the same time, a wave of sleepiness, unusual after just one quarter of playing, flooded into his mind, indicating that this training session was coming to an end.


    The principal¡¯s words, ¡°I can hardly bear to watch you turn away from me, and when it¡¯s time to leave, please do not hold on too much,¡± seemed to echo in his ears.


    It appeared he hadn¡¯t said goodbye¡­


    but perhaps no goodbye was necessary.


    The Zhang Yang here would still strive to continue his basketball dream¡­


    although this version of him was a bit stubborn¡­


    He wished him good luck.


    He was quite pleased with this training journey.


    Though he had mostly been a benchwarmer, his involvement in the second quarter of Game 1 had been impactful.


    After all, as a basketball player, was there anything more joyful than winning on the court?


    He had a very positive impression of this team.


    The team was strong, the veterans had good characters, and since the core players were not young, they were very supportive and willing to help the younger players grow.


    Robin Lopez, a first-round pick in 2008, Goran Dragic, a second-round pick in 2008, Louis Amundson, undrafted in 2006, and Dudley, a first-round pick in 2007, had all made their mark this season.


    Even Earl Clark, a lottery pick who had never performed well during the season, was not abandoned by the team during the playoffs; they arranged a personal trainer for him.


    If possible, he wanted to enter the NBA in such a team, where he could win with the greats and also have plenty of opportunities to grow.


    As his vision gradually blurred, the last image Zhang Yang saw was the Son of the Wind and the Dominator surrounded by reporters under the spotlight.


    He longed for the day when in such a grand scene, he would no longer be standing on the side!


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 26 - 26 25

    ?26: 25.


    Don¡¯t worry, our basketball team doesn¡¯t do that.


    26: 25.


    Don¡¯t worry, our basketball team doesn¡¯t do that.


    It was just past 6 a.m.


    when Zhang Yang woke up from his sleep.


    As usual, he planned to stay in bed for another six minutes, waiting for the alarm to ring before getting up to train and prepare for the new semester by buying some essential study materials and stationery.


    Although he was prepared to follow the path of a student athlete, he still needed to ensure basic academic performance; being too poor was unacceptable, as the NCAA had certain academic requirements.


    Moreover, what if he regained his interest in studying while in high school?


    After all, his study mindset was different; in his previous high school life, everyone kept telling him, ¡°Struggle hard for three years, and life will be easier afterward,¡± but now there was no academic pressure.


    Just as he had slumped back for two minutes, he suddenly sat up and looked at the digital clock on the bedside table that displayed the date, August 11, 2003.


    ¡°A week¡¯s worth of trials, and it¡¯s only been one night?¡±


    He actively tried to recall the journey of trials.


    Although he couldn¡¯t remember the details because they had occurred ¡®in the past few days,¡¯ he could recall roughly what he had done and even some interesting little things.


    But when he didn¡¯t actively try to think about it, those memories wouldn¡¯t spontaneously surface; the ¡®last night¡¯ he thought of was the night he had fallen asleep curious about what the trial would be like.


    This sensation, like forgetting a beautiful dream, made Zhang Yang feel a hint of loss but also relieved him somewhat.


    He had initially been worried that ¡®two lifetimes¡¯ might affect his normal routine, but it appeared he had been overly concerned.


    However, he did remember some things¡ªSteve Nash¡¯s ball-handling training content, the tactical details about him in the Gentry version of the run-and-gun strategy, he remembered these very clearly.


    He also remembered some experiences from playing games, such as how to move when a star attracted a double team or how to take advantage of the pulling power of another star during counter-attacks.


    ¡°This must be the ¡®reward¡¯ from the trial, being able to bring back the basketball knowledge learned, and oh, there¡¯s also that¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang internally summoned the ¡®Gate of Trials.¡¯


    In his ability assessment, a new category appeared, ¡®Trial Rewards¡¯ ¡ª Steve Nash Ball Handling Tempo (Beginner).


    The task list also updated!


    ¡°Current Task: Accumulate 20,000 shooting value.£¨1/20000£©


    Task Reward: Random increase by +1 in a physical talent limit.¡±


    Zhang Yang¡¯s eyes lit up, a boost to the talent limit!


    He recalled his physical attributes at age 21 in ¡®trial mode¡¯: speed 91, which might have peaked, and a bounce of 87 which also seemed about maxed out; 83 strength and 85 stamina, at the age of 21, definitely had room to grow.


    If he could choose, he would obviously opt for speed or stamina, but if it randomly went to bounce or strength, he wouldn¡¯t mind, any increase was welcome.


    He went over the details of this trial journey again and felt that it might have been a ¡®trial version.¡¯


    The difficulty for initiating the trial was low and so was the journey itself; he could do nothing and still get rewarded.


    But if given another chance, he would still opt for a harder route, to learn more.


    His training motivation was now even higher; ¡°Spending a year in the development league without giving up and finally seizing the opportunity¡± sounded simple, but on deeper thought, he knew how tough it was.


    He was now more diligent in his efforts, which would make the start of his NBA career much smoother!


    ¡­


    At half-past six, Zhang Yang was in the yard practicing ball-handling and shooting.


    He was somewhat worried that ¡®trial mode¡¯ would affect his feel for the game, but once he started training, he found this concern was also unnecessary¡ªhis technique was still as natural as ever.


    He didn¡¯t feel any effect from the ¡®Son of the Wind¡¯s ball-handling tempo¡¯ he had acquired; his ball-handling skills were not yet at a level where timing mattered¡­


    Around noon, Thomas came back and took him to a large supermarket to shop.


    First, they bought a mobile phone and got a SIM card.


    After school started, he needed to call home regularly to report his recent living situation to his parents.


    After buying the necessary school supplies and stationery, Thomas took Zhang Yang to the restaurant he had booked and treated him to lunch.


    Thomas had been wanting to treat Zhang Yang to a meal for a while; he felt somewhat guilty because Zhang Yang had been preparing both breakfast and dinner every day, saying he¡¯d just cook Thomas¡¯s portion too, and even though Thomas was paying for half of the groceries.


    Zhang Yang had intended to go home to cook, since he had nothing else to do at noon and could prepare the ingredients for the evening meal, but when he heard it was Kobe beef steak, he immediately agreed.


    He¡¯d been curious about the taste of the steak that some parents named their child after.


    You have to say, people from that island nation do know how to raise not just excellent daughters but also superb cattle; both the appearance and taste of the steak were pretty impressive.


    After lunch, Zhang Yang rode with Thomas to Compton High School.


    With the school term starting soon, Thomas took Zhang Yang around to get familiar with the campus.


    As they walked, Thomas explained, ¡°Compton High School got a new name 11 years ago¡ªCompton Centennial High School, as the school was founded in 1892.


    But we still like to call it Compton High School; the new name is too long¡­


    Over there is the Martin Luther King Jr.


    Memorial¡­


    over there is the Slave Trade Bombing Memorial¡­


    and there the Abolition of Slavery Monument¡­¡±


    Wow, Zhang Yang exclaimed internally, truly it was a public school in a predominantly Black city, practically every facility had some connection to African Americans.


    However, he didn¡¯t see many Black students around on the campus.


    Zhang Yang had researched this, and although Compton High School was the largest in the city and more lenient in its admissions than private high schools, it still wasn¡¯t a place just anyone could attend; about 20% of the students were Black.


    Statistics from the Compton city hall showed that 49% of Black adolescents in the city dropped out before finishing eighth grade, and only 27% completed high school.


    This meant that nearly half of the Black children didn¡¯t even qualify to attend high school.


    Moreover, the city also had institutions like Freedom Park College, a strictly Black high school that students could attend if they wished after grade eight.


    Of course, a 20% Black student ratio was still high compared to most other city high schools, where the proportion of Black residents was just slightly over 10%.


    In terms of academic performance, the school wasn¡¯t as poor as Zhang Yang initially thought.


    It couldn¡¯t compare with the leading private high schools, but it was still decent, and it had good teaching resources.


    They even offered elective college courses beginning in the 11th grade.


    After touring the school, Thomas took Zhang Yang to Allen Gymnasium.


    Compton High School had always been strong in sports, ranking top in the state in football, baseball, volleyball, and others.


    However, basketball had been a weaker spot, even local talents like Tayshaun Prince and Tyson Chandler couldn¡¯t be retained and were poached by a top-tier CIF school, Domingos High School in the neighboring Hanford city.


    But in the late ¡¯90s, when Tony Thomas, who was in his 30s at the time, became the head coach of the Compton High School basketball team, the school quickly rose to prominence.


    Although there was still some talent outflow, many local talents chose to stay, and in recent years, several have ranked among the top 100 high school players nationwide.


    In 2000, they received a donation from the deep-pocketed Microsoft tycoon Paul Allen, which they used to renovate and expand the old shabby basketball gym into a small sports complex.


    They renamed it Allen Gymnasium, which now supports various indoor sports¡ªof course, prioritizing basketball¡ªwith a stadium that seats thousands.


    With school soon starting, there were already quite a few people in Allen Gymnasium.


    The football team¡¯s training area was outdoors but they also had their own indoor gym.


    As Zhang Yang and Thomas walked past the football gym, they saw a group of players lifting weights and shouting ¡°USC.¡±


    Seeing Zhang Yang¡¯s baffled expression, Thomas chuckled and said, ¡°USC¡¯s Trojan Football Team, very famous nationwide.


    The Magnet Team athletes take pride in joining the Trojan team, and our basketball team feels the same.


    Most players aspire to join the Trojans and they really dislike the Brown Bears Team¡­


    Uh, Jack, don¡¯t worry, we don¡¯t do this during our training.¡±


    Already acting like university students of USC without having been admitted?


    Muttering to himself, Zhang Yang asked, ¡°I remember our team¡¯s also called the Magnet Team, right?¡±


    Thomas confirmed, ¡°Yes, but not exactly, we¡¯re called the Magnet Men¡¯s Basketball Team.


    Generally, when people hear Magnet Team, they refer to the Magnet Men¡¯s Football Team.¡±


    ¡°Are they strong?¡±


    ¡°They defeated the Libertarians from Washington Union High School in Fresno this May to win the California Championship.


    This summer, three of their players joined USC, one went to Stanford, one to Michigan, and several others got attention from different colleges¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang fell silent for a few seconds, then said, ¡°Tony, when you mentioned earlier that the football team represents the Magnet Team, my first instinct was to take back that mantle of representing the Magnet Team.¡±


    Thomas replied, ¡°That¡¯s my dream too.¡±


    Zhang Yang said, ¡°Well, Tony, I¡¯ll leave this great dream to you; I¡¯ll focus on practicing.¡± S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thomas: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡­


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 Chapter 27 - 27 26

    ?27: 26.


    Hidden Mountain Nash and Compton Kobe?


    27: 26.


    Hidden Mountain Nash and Compton Kobe?


    Zhang Yang followed Thomas to the basketball court for a visit, surrounded by over a thousand seats.


    He closed his eyes and imagined the scene of thousands cheering and shouting¡­


    He felt a little excited.


    But after his experience on an intensive training journey, he wasn¡¯t pressured by such a ¡®small scene.¡¯ His goal was to set foot on that court for real.


    After touring around the arena, Zhang Yang and Thomas headed to the basketball team¡¯s training grounds.


    He looked around at the entrance and thought that the Microsoft tycoon was really generous.


    He recalled that the main training grounds of the Western American Stadiums were about the same size, which meant that Paul Allen had provided them with an NBA-level training facility, complete with six full basketball courts.


    Inside the training grounds, several people were already practicing, and in the corner court, his buddy DeRozan was working out.


    Zhang Yang had agreed with DeRozan the day before yesterday to train together at school that afternoon.


    Zhang Yang said to Thomas, ¡°Tony, I¡¯m going to train with DeMar now.


    Are you coming home for dinner tonight?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be having dinner with a couple of other coaches tonight, won¡¯t be eating at home.


    After you finish training, come to my office.


    You should meet the other two coaches, the basketball coaching staff office is just up ahead, take a left at the second door.¡±


    Zhang Yang acknowledged and ran towards the corner court, grabbing a ball from the rack at the side, and said, ¡°DeMar, you came really early.¡±


    DeRozan replied with a cool tone, ¡°My mom has to work this afternoon and she left early, so she dropped me off at school first.¡±


    He didn¡¯t mention that he had urged his mom to take him early because he wanted to train with his buddy.


    After some idle chat, Zhang Yang started practicing dribble-then-shoot on the next half-court, and his hand was all iron.


    This shot was particularly askew because he used all the moves he learned from Nash: dribbling, pullbacks, stopping, and shooting.


    He hadn¡¯t perfected any single skill yet, so naturally, the combination didn¡¯t work out well.


    Mostly, he had just finished 3 hours of basic skill training that morning and now wanted to switch it up.


    This was his way of dealing with the monotony of training.


    Plus, by fully practicing dribble-then-shoot, he could identify which part was the weakest and focus on it.


    This could help maintain consistent progress across different training aspects and better develop this particular skill.


    Only by doing the complete dribble-then-shoot drills could he spot which details needed adjustments.


    Nash taught him well and meticulously with his body condition in mind, but not all of it necessarily suited him, especially since his body at its current age was significantly different from when he would be 21.


    After two sets of dribble-then-shoot drills with only a few baskets made, Zhang Yang¡¯s interest quickly faded, and he thought it was better to stick to the basics.


    Once he finished a few more sets, a surprised voice suddenly popped out from nearby.


    ¡°Jack, you¡¯re already practicing shooting with the ball?¡±


    Zhang Yang turned his head sharply, complaining, ¡°DeMar, you startled me!¡±


    DeRozan, ¡°Sorry, I forgot how focused you get during training.¡±


    Could your expression be less icy when saying sorry?


    Never mind, Zhang Yang thought for a moment and then said, ¡°I¡¯ve been watching Nash¡¯s play teaching videos these past two days, planning to learn from them.¡±


    DeRozan, ¡°Is Nash your favorite player?


    He¡¯s indeed amazing, the point guard with the best scoring skills in the NBA¡­


    The stars of the ¡¯96 draft all had great skills.¡±


    Zhang Yang wasn¡¯t surprised by DeRozan¡¯s high praise for Nash.


    The Nash that Zhang Yang learned about here, differed from the ¡®late bloomer¡¯ perception he had from his previous life in China.


    In the 02-03 season, Nash had already become very popular.


    He only received fewer All-Star votes in the Western Conference than Kobe and Francis, trailing Francis by just 180,000 votes.


    The Arizona newspaper reporter wasn¡¯t pleased with this and stated directly in the news that if the Rockets didn¡¯t have Yao Ming, the All-Star starter should be the stronger Nash¡ªNash made the third team that season, while Francis was not selected.


    This also answered one of Zhang Yang¡¯s past confusions.


    If Nash wasn¡¯t well-known before going to the Suns and not recognized by the rest of the league for his talents, why would the Hacker and the Little Emperor be willing to support Nash?


    The Suns of the 04-05 season were impressive from the start, rather than struggling through internal friction and gradually getting stronger.


    Stoudemire was okay, he entered the NBA in ¡¯02 and was just in his third year, and moreover, he was overshadowed by Yao Ming during his sophomore season.


    In the 03-04 season, Yao Ming, only in his second year, made the third team and slapped the faces of those who didn¡¯t vote for him as Rookie of the Year.


    This also overshadowed Stoudemire¡¯s limelight, and he wasn¡¯t even the core option for the Suns then.


    Marion, on the other hand, had already been selected for the All-Star and was the Player of the Month, a top-tier forward, and since he was part of the ¡¯99 draft, he entered the NBA at about the same time as Nash, roughly from the same era.


    Had he wanted to compete for the top spot, D¡¯Antoni, who was a rookie coach at the time, would have had no solution to the internal strife.


    Marion was willing to support because Nash was already an All-Star player in the 01-02 season, and for two consecutive seasons, 01-02 and 02-03, he was selected for the third team, making him one of the top fifteen players in the league, more honored than Marion by a long shot.


    As for Nash¡¯s poor performance in the 03-04 season¡­


    The Mavericks had just brought in Antawn Jamison and Anthony Walker.


    Nash and Nowitzki were both going to suffer from Cuban¡¯s devastating management that season.


    Of course, if you consider becoming the regular season MVP as a bar for ¡®late bloomer¡¯ compared to making it into the top fifteen players in the league, it barely passes.


    Zhang Yang noticed the emphasis DeRozan placed on his last statement and laughed, ¡°How about we make a bet to see who turns out to be greater, Nash of Hidden Mountain or Bryant of Compton?¡±


    DeRozan¡¯s eyes widened as he said, ¡°I want to know too¡­


    the winner will definitely be me!¡±


    Having said that, DeRozan returned to his training.


    Zhang Yang: ¡°¡­¡±


    He had just made a joke, but the other guy took it seriously.


    And it seemed he really considered him a future rival?


    Truly, what an honor!


    ¡­


    As time ticked by, it was past 3 PM, and more and more people began appearing on the practice courts.


    Some came to train, while others formed groups to start playing half-court games.


    When choosing a court, they usually preferred the two middle courts or the two courts closest to the entrance.


    Zhang Yang, who was training at the most remote court, didn¡¯t have anyone trying to take his spot, nor was anyone inviting him, a ¡®noob¡¯ still drilling the basics of ball-handling and shooting, to play.


    However, DeRozan, who was also in the corner, did have people coming up to him, but not to invite him to play.


    They came to challenge him.


    ¡°Are you the number one middle schooler in Southern California?¡±


    Zhang Yang looked in the direction of the voice and saw a burly young man, a bit taller than DeRozan, but not significantly, probably around six-two or so, with skin so dark that he jokingly thought you might only see his teeth when he smiled at night.


    DeRozan faced the dark-skinned guy and replied, ¡°Not just Southern California, I¡¯m number one in all of California!¡±


    Zhang Yang: -_-||, his buddy really clings to the title of ¡®California¡¯s number one¡¯!


    The dark-skinned guy sneered and said, ¡°California¡¯s number one, huh?


    That¡¯s even better!


    I love beating the number one.


    I¡¯m Carmelo Tatum, care for a one-on-one match?¡±


    Zhang Yang¡¯s attention was fixed on the dark-skinned guy, impressed by the cool name!


    DeRozan responded with a sneer of his own, ¡°Never heard of you.¡±


    Tatum: ¡°Well, you¡¯d better remember this name, it will be the nightmare of your basketball career, and your entire high school will live in its shadow!¡±


    ¡°If you want me to remember your name, beat me first,¡± DeRozan said, sneering again.


    Onlooker Zhang Yang broke out in a sweat, thinking to himself, there really was a need to respond twice when sneered at once?


    Off the court, DeRozan is quite understated, but on the court, he¡¯s never modest.


    Would a modest person ever participate in a slam dunk contest?


    At this point, the crowd began to get rowdy.


    ¡°Carmelo, show that number one middle schooler what you¡¯re made of, and kick his butt good!¡±


    Zhang Yang looked at the source of the noise and recognized the loud speaker as a young man with dreadlocks.


    Before coming to Compton, he researched the basketball talents of Compton High School. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He identified the speaker as Josh Hip, the team captain who was going into his senior year, 19 years old, ranked 79th among high school seniors nationwide by the Associated Press this summer.


    The old saying holds true that those with strength always speak louder.


    No sooner had Hip finished speaking than another person beside him raised his voice even louder, ¡°Josh, you¡¯re rooting for Carmelo?


    Then I¡¯ll support the first middle schooler.


    Go DeMar, you got this!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 28 - 28 27

    ?28: 27.


    You haven¡¯t noticed such a genius for 5 years?


    28: 27.


    You haven¡¯t noticed such a genius for 5 years?


    Zhang Yang recognized him as well, and the impression was even deeper¡ªit was Aaron Afflalo.


    Afflalo, too, was about to start 12th grade, and this summer he was ranked 82nd among the nation¡¯s high school students for the class of ¡¯04 by the Associated Press.


    However, although these two top-100 talents stood together and appeared to be joking, their tones seemed to carry a sense of confrontation.


    Zhang Yang had speculated when doing his research that these two would not get along in the new season.


    Both being in the 12th grade, a struggle for the role of the team¡¯s core was inevitable.


    Last season, with Roderick Stuart, who ultimately ranked 36th among high school students of the class of ¡¯03, both had played subservient roles.


    Now, with Stuart graduated and gone to the USC Trojans, it was certain that both were eyeing the core spot¡ªto have more shooting opportunities, a higher tactical status, to put out better stats, move higher in the rankings, and to get more attention after going to college.


    When the two strongest on the team fought, it was their teammates who suffered.


    But this had nothing to do with Zhang Yang, who was just an onlooker eating popcorn.


    His goal for the new season was to make it into the freshmen or reserve team; they could fight over the main team, by which time he¡¯d have grown stronger and would be ready to join, they would have already graduated.


    With these two leading the way, people on the training grounds began to gather around to egg them on.


    DeRozan and Tatum, amidst the egging on, came to the central court to start their one-on-one.


    Zhang Yang went to an area in the corner where it wasn¡¯t as crowded to watch the spectacle.


    As he had thought, one-on-one was no challenge for the snake-like DeRozan; he scored easily with both inside and outside moves.


    Tatum, on the other hand, was no slouch and wasn¡¯t just talking big; he held his own against DeRozan.


    The one-on-one exceeded expectations in terms of spectacle, and Zhang Yang was also quite engaged in watching it.


    Thomas, after seeing the commotion on the training field through surveillance, came over with two assistant coaches to join in the fun, and they didn¡¯t squeeze into the crowd but stood next to Zhang Yang.


    Noticing Zhang Yang¡¯s curious gaze, Thomas introduced the two assistant coaches.


    The assistant coach with a hairstyle much like that of Thomas¡¯s was named John Johnson and was in charge of leading the freshmen and reserve teams, as well as training the young players in their skills; in Thomas¡¯s words, Johnson was doing the most arduous work on the team.


    With a head full of hair that seemed to have robbed his colleagues of theirs, the assistant coach was named Del Burke, responsible for team tactics and accompanying the main team during games.


    Watching the fierce battle on the court, Thomas said to Zhang Yang, ¡°Jack, Carmelo is pretty good, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Zhang Yang analyzed, ¡°Strong body, good explosiveness, very good at utilizing his physicality, excellent ball control, his breakthroughs are formidable.¡±


    Thomas nodded, ¡°A very good assessment.


    Those are all Carmelo¡¯s strengths.


    Although he¡¯s not as famous as DeMar, last season as a rookie he already became the strongest player on both the freshmen and reserve teams.


    He¡¯ll be your and DeMar¡¯s primary competition over the next three years.¡±


    Zhang Yang wanted to be modest, but decided against it and simply replied, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    This response piqued Burke¡¯s interest, who asked, ¡°Jack, who do you think will win?¡±


    Zhang Yang answered without hesitation, ¡°DeMar.


    He¡¯ll bite to death all his opponents, just like a snake.¡±


    Thomas didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Like a snake?¡±


    Burke got the reference, ¡°You mean like Kobe Bryant?¡±


    Zhang Yang said, ¡°His idol is Kobe Bryant.¡±


    Burke continued, ¡°Why are you so sure that DeMar will win?¡±


    Zhang Yang said, ¡°Tatum is good at using his physical advantage, but he seems to have limited scoring moves.


    DeMar is already trying to adjust his defense.


    If Tatum only knows how to score through breakthroughs, then he¡¯s bound to lose¡­¡±


    Right as he finished, DeRozan blocked Tatum at the edge of the three-second zone, causing Tatum to throw up a clanger on a forceful shot.


    DeRozan¡¯s defensive attitude was something Zhang Yang had noted during his face-off with Jones and his crew.


    DeRozan during his NBA career wasn¡¯t known for his defense, but in his younger days, he didn¡¯t lag, maintaining a very decent defensive stance.


    It was just that his defensive ability and awareness weren¡¯t that outstanding in the NBA.


    Such a player wouldn¡¯t be too bad in defense during his campus days.


    If Tatum had a more comprehensive range of offensive techniques, DeRozan might not be able to defend well, but against someone who only knew how to make breakthroughs, DeRozan would find the defensive knack after a few rounds, while Tatum in a one-on-one could only pray DeRozan was off his shooting game.


    That play became a dividing line for their one-on-one, as DeRozan continued to have his way, while Tatum wasn¡¯t completely shut down, but his successful breakthrough rate dropped sharply.


    Burke praised, ¡°Jack, Tony says you have a high basketball IQ, and it seems he¡¯s right.¡±


    He had made the same judgment, but he was a professional coach.


    This young man, reportedly a former baseball player, hadn¡¯t even played basketball for a month, so this was exceptional¡ªespecially for just a 15-year-old kid.


    Before Zhang Yang could be modest, Johnson who had been silent added, ¡°One-on-one isn¡¯t Carmelo¡¯s strong suit.


    His real strength lies in his playmaking abilities.


    Being good at one-on-one is one thing, but in a real game, there aren¡¯t that many one-on-one opportunities.¡±


    Zhang Yang had a question mark flashing in his mind¡ªwhat kind of deal did this coach have with the charcoal head?


    They certainly weren¡¯t father and son; one¡¯s skin was whiter than his scalp, while the other had skin as dark as his hair.


    DeRozan might offend the assistant coach by blowing out his prot¨¦g¨¦ before even starting his high school career?


    What a way to start as the main character.


    Wait, his classmate Zhang Yang might have offended the assistant coach as well.


    The thought flashed through his mind, and Zhang Yang responded, ¡°You¡¯re right, one-on-one is one thing, a game is another¡­


    But I believe that DeMar will still be unstoppable in a game.¡±


    As a hint of tension arose, Burke teased Johnson, ¡°John, you better think about how to comfort your favorite student.


    He¡¯s likely to take a big hit today.¡±


    Realizing he had lost his composure, Johnson cleared his throat and said, ¡°Carmelo won¡¯t be easily broken.


    He doesn¡¯t need my comfort.


    I don¡¯t have a favorite student; I like all students who work hard.¡±


    Thomas and Burke exchanged looks of resignation.


    Their colleague was beyond compare, actually getting into an argument with a 15-year-old student, and even being the one to ¡®start trouble¡¯ at that.


    On the contrary, Zhang Yang¡¯s response pleased them both.


    Unlike other young people who are impulsive, he took in the coaches¡¯ advice but still staunchly defended his friend.


    As for whether Johnson would target Zhang Yang and DeRozan, the two weren¡¯t worried at all.


    Johnson just had a weird temper; his professional capability and work ethic were top-notch.


    They were more concerned about Zhang Yang having issues with Johnson, which would lead to DeRozan having issues with him¡­


    That would be troublesome; if a talent like DeRozan threatened to transfer, a bunch of schools in Los Angeles would scramble for him, not hesitating to take Zhang Yang along as a bonus.


    However, their worries were unnecessary.


    Seeing Johnson¡¯s embarrassed look, Zhang Yang thought the assistant coach was quite endearing.


    Zhang Yang now had a solid understanding of the three team coaches.


    Johnson was a straight talker who really liked to protect ¡®his own people¡¯.


    In Zhang Yang¡¯s view, this kind of coach was much easier to get along with than those with deeper scheming.


    Burke seemed quite crafty, a lively kind of coach.


    Thomas¡­


    was an honest man.


    ¡­


    The one-on-one lost its suspense as soon as DeRozan was able to effectively disrupt Tatum.


    10 to 7, 10 to 5, DeRozan took both sets of the duel.


    It was supposed to be a one-set decision, but after losing the first set, Tatum wasn¡¯t satisfied and requested best two out of three, only to lose even more miserably.


    Watching DeRozan arrogantly lift his chin and look down on people through his nostrils, Tatum trembled with anger, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask for best three out of five; he could only admit defeat.


    Josh, who was initially supporting Tatum, went up to DeRozan, slapped him on the shoulder, and laughed loudly, ¡°Woah, DeMar, you¡¯re really good.


    Even Carmelo is no match for you.


    I¡¯m Josh, the team captain, welcome to the team.¡±


    Afflalo didn¡¯t want to be outdone: ¡°DeMar, you¡¯re awesome.


    After I graduate, it¡¯ll be your turn to lead the team forward.¡±


    With the two veterans saying so much, the other team members all came to greet and get to know DeRozan.


    Seeing this scene, Tatum couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, and fled in humiliation¡­


    But DeRozan didn¡¯t enjoy such attention.


    He said, ¡°Sorry, I still need to practice,¡± ignored the gazes and voices around him, and went back to the corner of the court to continue practicing his shooting.


    Zhang Yang, still in the crowd, heard some discordant comments, but this time he didn¡¯t argue.


    Instead, he followed back to the half-court next to DeRozan to continue practicing the basics.


    The onlooking players gradually dispersed, going back to their own activities.


    Some would snipe at DeRozan privately, others wouldn¡¯t take it to heart¡ªgeniuses always have their quirks.


    The three coaches didn¡¯t leave.


    Since they were there, they decided to give some guidance to the players in training.


    Burke noticed that Johnson¡¯s gaze often drifted towards Zhang Yang, who was training alone, and asked, ¡°Hey, hey, hey, John, you¡¯re not really holding a grudge against a student, are you?¡±


    Johnson gave Burke a disdainful look: ¡°That kid¡¯s training is quite unique.


    When other kids start playing basketball, they go straight to games¡­


    Tony, has he always trained like this?¡±


    Thomas replied, ¡°Yes. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He stayed at my place for 10 days, and he would practice the basics about five hours every morning and evening.¡±


    Johnson pondered and said, ¡°Five hours of basics every day?


    He really has the patience.


    His strength won¡¯t increase as quickly at the beginning as those who spend all their time on the court, but once the basics are solid, his improvement could be frightening¡­


    By the way, Tony, I remember you saying he¡¯s been playing basketball for less than a month?¡±


    Thomas, looking at Johnson¡¯s surprised expression, laughed and said, ¡°He started playing basketball on July 18th, which was also the day he met DeMar for the first time.


    DeMar told me that when he first met Jack, Jack would even dribble the ball onto his own foot.¡±


    Johnson¡¯s eyes changed as he looked towards Zhang Yang: ¡°Although his basics are still not great, for just three weeks, that¡¯s very impressive.


    His training regimen is highly integrated; it¡¯s not something achieved by effort alone¡­


    He has analytical skills for the game and, from what I¡¯ve heard, he seems to have a tactical talent as well.


    Plus he¡¯s so dedicated¡­


    Wait, Tony, did you say he used to play baseball?¡±


    Feeling the piercing gaze of his colleague, Thomas guiltily said, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s been playing baseball for the past five years without much success.


    He lost interest and then switched to basketball.¡±


    Johnson gritted his teeth and glared at Thomas, ¡°Isn¡¯t he from your hometown?


    How did you not discover such a talent in five years?


    And yet you¡¯re the basketball coach with the keenest eye in California?¡±


    Thomas: ¡°¡­¡±


    As a basketball coach, even when he visited his hometown, he would go to basketball courts to scout for talent.


    Which basketball coach would hang around baseball fields looking for players?


    This pot (indication of blame) was too heavy to carry!


    ¡­


    ¡­

 Chapter 29 - 29 28

    ?29: 28.


    Disrupted Plan 29: 28.


    Disrupted Plan Out of the blue, but Thomas was still thrilled.


    The more fierce Johnson was now, the more it showed how interested this colleague was in Zhang Yang, which was definitely a good thing for Zhang Yang.


    Through Johnson¡¯s analysis, Thomas became even more optimistic about Zhang Yang.


    It wasn¡¯t just Zhang Yang¡¯s technical skills and shooting talent that Thomas valued; what he saw in him was excellent physical quality paired with a tactical awareness, hard work, and potential leadership abilities.


    High school head coaches rarely scout for technique; most junior high prodigies dominate purely with their physical attributes.


    On the foundation of good physical quality, being able to shoot stationary three-pointers like Harden, or having a passing sense like Tatum, was already a rare feat.


    Players like DeRozan with excellent physical attributes and a rich repertoire of offensive moves at just 14 years old were few and far between; a vast place like California might not produce one in a year.


    Initially, Thomas only hoped that Zhang Yang would become an outstanding high school or even college player, but now, he felt he could perhaps expect more?


    He was a coach who truly loved basketball, eager to cultivate good players, and the brighter the future prospects of his players, the happier he was.


    ¡­


    After training with DeRozan all afternoon, and returning to Thomas¡¯s house in the evening, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t continue training.


    Instead, he took out the textbooks and notes from his seniors that Thomas had helped him get ahead of time, to preview the new semester¡¯s courses.


    Controlling the daily training time, not overly exhausting the body, helped ensure the continuity of training and prevented it from affecting physical development.


    Although he had passed the age when boys grow the fastest, there was still room for growth; he had to at least reach his ¡®supposed¡¯ height of 196 cm.


    Picking up the books again, he felt less irritable than the past two days and was able to focus.


    Maybe it was because school was starting tomorrow, giving him that back-to-school vibe?


    Or perhaps the thought of focusing a bit more to master the basic courses quickly so he could have more time for training?


    Either way, this was a positive development; if he always loathed going to class, he might truly have grade issues a couple of years down the line¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to keep company with the big-jawed bunch¡­


    The following day, August 12th, Compton High School¡¯s fall semester began, and Zhang Yang arrived on time to report to his class.


    As the largest public high school in Compton, despite only accommodating grades 9-12, it had a student body surpassing 2000¡ªmore than most middle schools with grades 6 to 12 and seven grades.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s sophomore class alone had more than 600 students, almost reaching the total number of students at his former mid-mountain high school.


    There were 14 classes in the sophomore year, divided into A, B, Honor, and regular classes.


    A and B classes, each only one class, had no substantial difference, composed of the top academically performing students within the grade, totaling less than 60 students.


    The best educational resources of the school were concentrated in these two classes.


    Regular class students made up over 60% of the total, mostly composed of students with poor grades and little interest in learning.


    Honor classes were mostly for students who wanted to study but had average grades, as well as students with various special talents.


    Students specially recruited for the basketball team, like DeRozan, would be placed in Honor classes, which had significantly better teaching resources than regular classes.


    Zhang Yang also thought he¡¯d be in an Honor class, but the original body ¡®dug a pit¡¯ for him with a transcript full of A¡¯s and an academic scholarship¡­


    The B class homeroom teacher claimed him just before the start of the school year.


    He wanted to explode on the spot.


    In this class, if his grades were just minimally sufficient to meet NCAA participation requirements, wouldn¡¯t he rank last?


    And to slide from nearly all A¡¯s to last place, didn¡¯t he care about face at all?


    He never intended to be outstanding academically, but he didn¡¯t plan to stick out like a sore thumb either.


    Fortunately, after being able to concentrate on his textbooks the night before, he found the compulsory subjects quite simple¡ªjust four of them: English, Mathematics, Science which included a mix of Physics and Chemistry, and Social Studies which was essentially History.


    None of the subjects were harder than the 3+X in China¡¯s high schools; it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to excel in these four subjects.


    For the non-compulsory courses, Music and Art, as long as you didn¡¯t offend the teachers, you could easily get at least a C; in Physical Education¡­


    he was a gifted athlete; one technical training subject, which just needed a driver¡¯s license examination after turning 16.


    Some elective courses were challenging, and the original body chose difficult literature translation classes to win a scholarship.


    Zhang Yang wouldn¡¯t choose such difficult ones; he planned to seek advice from the seniors on the team to see which courses were easy and not time-consuming, just to scrape together enough credits.


    For a sports-talented student focused on basketball, having outstanding grades in the compulsory subjects was sufficient.


    ¡­


    On the first day of school, there wasn¡¯t much to do in the class.


    The school didn¡¯t have an opening ceremony, due to the school anniversary at the end of the month.


    After the homeroom teacher called the roll and handed out the timetables, that was it; by 10 a.m., classes were dismissed, allowing students to do as they pleased.


    As a transfer student, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t make any new friends on his first day, except for a couple of girls who exchanged phone numbers and emails with him.


    He didn¡¯t pay much attention to this.


    Classmates, after all, would naturally become familiar with each other over time spent at school together.


    Some classmates could go years without much conversation.


    There was no need to be too deliberate.


    The student identity is quite independent; to the extreme, a student doesn¡¯t need any friends to fulfill their basic responsibilities as a student.


    He had just left the classroom, ready to wander around the school to feel out the atmosphere of the school after the start of the semester¡­


    when he received a text message from DeRozan.


    DeRozan got a cellphone from his mother on his 14th birthday, to facilitate making friends and contacting family once he started high school.


    Zhang Yang had visited DeRozan¡¯s house once; the atmosphere there made him feel quite comfortable.


    The parents were good people.


    Although the family wasn¡¯t wealthy, they were willing to spend money on DeRozan.


    He had everything a kid his age could need, provided by his parents in a way that wasn¡¯t spoiling him.


    Zhang Yang arrived at the Allen Sports Arena and saw that DeRozan had already started his training.


    Zhang Yang teased, ¡°DeMar, you¡¯re the number one junior high student, right?


    You shouldn¡¯t be this busy today, should you?¡±


    DeRozan responded calmly, ¡°All that stuff is so boring, a waste of time.


    It¡¯s better to train.¡±


    Zhang Yang retorted, ¡°I seriously suspect you have a split personality; you¡¯re like two different people during games compared to normal.¡±


    DeRozan grunted and continued his training.


    Zhang Yang also picked up a ball and began to train.


    But he hadn¡¯t been training long when Johnson came to the court and called him into the office.


    Following Johnson, Zhang Yang entered the coaching staff¡¯s office, where he was handed a form.


    Zhang Yang asked, ¡°Class times for every day?


    Home time and address¡­


    Does the team need this information too?¡±


    Johnson replied, ¡°Reserve team members need to submit this information to us so we can create a specialized training plan for each of you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see¡­


    What?


    I¡¯m on the reserve team?¡± Zhang Yang suddenly realized and his eyes widened in shock.


    Seeing Zhang Yang¡¯s dumbfounded expression, Johnson really wanted to laugh, but he couldn¡¯t, not until after the person had left.


    Johnson, trying to keep a straight face, asked, ¡°You don¡¯t want to join the reserve team?


    I can remove your name from the list if that¡¯s the case.¡±


    Zhang Yang quickly responded, ¡°No!


    I want to join!


    It¡¯s just a bit sudden¡­


    Am I going to start playing in matches this weekend?¡±


    Johnson said, ¡°Yes, the Southern California High School League¡¯s third district warm-up matches start this weekend.


    Get ready for it, and make sure to hand in the information form by 6 p.m.


    tonight.


    I¡¯ll be here until then.¡±


    Zhang Yang acknowledged and left the office, feeling both excited and a bit worried.


    Joining the reserve team directly was great, but it had thrown off his original plan.


    He had learned about the team¡¯s season plan from Thomas.


    The high school league in California was rather complicated.


    Just in Southern California alone, there were hundreds of CIF schools, and a multitude of leagues ¡ª from the large Southern California League, which is only second to the first division, to smaller county or even city competitions¡­


    The coaches¡¯ hair loss wasn¡¯t for no reason.


    Of their three teams, only the varsity team didn¡¯t need to worry about the season schedule; their warm-up matches for the CIF first division began in mid-September.


    The freshman and reserve teams, however, had to decide which leagues to join based on decisions made by the coaching staff.


    This season, the freshman team had registered for the Los Angeles County High School League, with the official 10-player roster determined at the beginning of October and the new season starting in mid-October.


    Originally, Zhang Yang planned to train hard for a month to get into the freshman team and then aim to join the reserve team mid-season.


    Now that he was directly on the reserve team, his time to prepare through hard training was gone.


    Perhaps because they had acquired the super-talented DeRozan, the coaching staff was taking a wild approach this year by letting the reserve team join the Southern California League, which was just below the first division.


    Normally, teams that participated in this league were the strongest from non-first division schools.


    While it wasn¡¯t unheard of for a first division school¡¯s reserve team to join this league, it was rare.


    The primary teams of non-first division schools definitely weren¡¯t as strong as the varsity teams of first division schools, but their players were older, mostly 11th and 12th graders, whereas first division reserve teams were usually 9th and 10th graders.


    However, after carefully considering the structure of the Southern California League, Zhang Yang felt that perhaps joining the reserve team for this league would be better than playing in the Los Angeles County League with the freshman team.


    The Southern California League was very ¡®traditional¡¯ with an extremely long schedule, lasting six and a half months from mid-August to the end of February, but including only just over 30 games with the warm-up matches, league, and championship games combined.


    This schedule allowed high school players ample time to train and prepare after each game.


    The reason it¡¯s called ¡®traditional¡¯ is because many high school leagues have become ¡®non-traditional,¡¯ mainly the top leagues in various states.


    In the mid to late 90s, after Garnett, Kobe, and McGrady and their peers skipped college to go directly to the NBA and succeeded, the attention paid to high school basketball increased substantially, even boosting tourism, and as a result, municipal investments in high school basketball went up.


    By 2001, when the NBA saw its first high school draftee selected as the number one overall pick, the situation had become unstoppable.


    Major leagues began modifying their schedules, significantly increasing the number of games.


    For example, in CIF first division games, the number of league matches jumped from 24 to 36, an increase of 50%.


    Add to that around 10 warm-up games and up to 5 championship tournament games, and a team could end up playing as many as 50 matches in five and half months.


    The Los Angeles County League was also ¡®non-traditional,¡¯ likely because the schools were close together, with about 10 games scheduled each month.


    Zhang Yang pondered as he walked onto the training court, heading to the half-court next to DeRozan.


    Seeing Zhang Yang distracted, DeRozan asked, ¡°What did the coach talk to you about?¡±


    Zhang Yang replied, ¡°He informed me that I¡¯ve been selected for the reserve team and that I¡¯ll be participating in matches this weekend.¡±


    DeRozan¡¯s eyes lit up as he said excitedly, ¡°Oh?


    That¡¯s great, playing in matches with you, I won¡¯t have to worry about not having someone to catch my passes.¡±


    Seeing DeRozan so excited, Zhang Yang suddenly felt enlightened.


    What was there to worry about?


    Isn¡¯t he just concerned about lacking playing time and shooting opportunities in the reserve team due to insufficient skills?


    With a solid player like DeRozan by his side, these worries were unfounded.


    DeRozan, excited, pulled Zhang Yang to start practicing plays for two-man drills, and Zhang Yang was more than willing, as he was the one to receive the ball and shoot.


    Working on their coordination didn¡¯t get in the way of practicing his layups and shots.


    After about half an hour of practice, as it neared noon, they decided to grab a couple of burgers before continuing their training.


    Just as they were about to go to the restroom to clean up, a kid with hair as dark as charcoal rushed onto the court and approached DeRozan.


    Tatum said, ¡°DeMar, let¡¯s play one-on-one!


    This time the winner will definitely be me!¡±


    DeRozan ignored him and walked away, to which Tatum retorted, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?


    You scared?¡±


    DeRozan stopped in his tracks and said to Zhang Yang, ¡°Jack, toss me a ball!¡±


    Zhang Yang thought, ¡°¡­¡±


    He now understood what Johnson meant yesterday by ¡®Carmelo would not be easily knocked down.¡¯


    Maybe Tatum really would become DeRozan¡¯s ¡®court shadow¡¯ during his high school years.


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 Chapter 30 - 30 29

    ?30: 29.


    Things About Team Practice 30: 29.


    Things About Team Practice Zhang Yang¡¯s high school life officially began.


    The course schedule at public high schools is really light.


    Zhang Yang learned from DeRozan that the honors and regular classes each day were 3+1, with three main classes in the morning starting at 8:30 and ending at 11; one elective in the afternoon, including courses like music, art, and physical education, and school would end at 2:30.


    The rest of the time, they could arrange freely, including taking elective courses, but the electives offered within Compton High School were only those ¡°cheaper¡± subjects; for the more expensive ones, one had to ¡°self-study¡± or take classes off-campus.


    His Class B had a slightly heavier load, with six extra classes per week, with a 4+2 schedule from Tuesday to Thursday: four main classes in the morning and one main class plus an elective in the afternoon.


    On Monday and Friday, it was also 3+1.


    This was completely different from the class schedule he remembered in middle school in China, where in ninth grade there would be 35-40 classes a week, and the circle of Chinese and Asian international students was fiercely competitive, with many enrolling in weekend classes.


    And it was incomparable to his previous life where he had five classes in the morning, four in the afternoon, three evening self-study sessions, six days of classes per week, and even evening self-study sessions on the weekends¡­


    Apart from feeling that he wasn¡¯t learning much, this class schedule indeed made him quite happy.


    Zhang Yang figured there must still be a top student secretly working hard in his class, as there are always those who want to strive for the top anywhere.


    He was very serious in class; since he was going to learn, he wanted to learn well, but he didn¡¯t participate in the rat race during his free time.


    After school, he would head to the training court with DeRozan.


    Days flew by, and the first weekend of the new term arrived.


    He maintained his regular morning training, adjusting the timing to 6:15 to 7:15 after school started, shortening it to one hour and putting more training into the afternoon and after dinner.


    After eating breakfast at 8, he rode to school with Thomas.


    Living with the main coach wasn¡¯t something he needed to keep secret, and if Thomas¡¯s timing for going to school was convenient, he would get a ride whenever possible.


    However, Thomas¡¯s working hours were different from other teachers at school, often arriving at school between 9 and even after 10, but working long hours in the afternoon, usually busy until 7 or 8 in the evening.


    Arriving at the training court, Zhang Yang saw that DeRozan, as always, had arrived before him.


    There were only a few people at the training court, much fewer than usual after school, given that it was the weekend.


    Those who were there were all members of the prep team.


    ¡°Jack, good morning!¡± Kevin Miller greeted enthusiastically.


    Zhang Yang replied, ¡°Kevin, you¡¯re here early.¡±


    Kevin Miller, a sophomore at 15 years old, was a white center standing 206 cm tall and weighing 230 pounds (about 105 kg).


    He was highly regarded by the coaching staff and was being cultivated as a future mainstay in the team¡¯s frontcourt.


    According to Thomas, the likelihood of Miller becoming a widely noticed player, like being in the top 100 nationwide, was not high, but he was the best center Compton High School had seen in recent years, and the coaching staff treasured him dearly.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped; Compton High School¡¯s basketball team had always been weak, and they never had a tradition of good centers, which didn¡¯t attract talented centers to join.


    Without good centers, none could make a name, and that in turn attracted even fewer talented centers¡­ a vicious cycle.


    Miller was enthusiastic, outgoing, and proactive, good at socializing, and could chat with anyone.


    Over the past few days, Zhang Yang spent time training in the afternoons and had gotten to know many people, chatting the most with Miller.


    Miller said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s our first day of training for the prep team, and we have a game tomorrow.


    I got so excited I woke up early.¡±


    ¡°Me too, I¡¯m really looking forward to tomorrow¡¯s game¡­¡±


    After exchanging a few words with Miller, Zhang Yang went to the corner of the court and greeted DeRozan.


    DeRozan hummed indifferently and took a ball to the three-point line, signaling Zhang Yang to practice coordination with him through his actions.


    Zhang Yang was used to it.


    The little friend was still in his ¡®look at how cool I am when I¡¯m aloof¡¯ second-year phase.


    Zhang Yang warmed up his body and began the combined practice.


    Before long, Tatum rushed up beside them.


    ¡°DeMar, come for a one-on-one!


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    DeRozan looked at Tatum and wanted to walk away right there.


    Zhang Yang chuckled, grabbed the ball, and went to the next half-court to practice, leaving the spot for them.


    DeRozan tried to reach out to grab Zhang Yang but was too late.


    Watching Zhang Yang leave without looking back, DeRozan cursed silently for being heartless.


    Tatum laughed, ¡°Haha, Jack, I¡¯ve interrupted your training again.


    I¡¯ll buy you a soda later.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Zhang Yang offhandedly.


    This guy was enthusiastic and unrestrained as well, but his enthusiasm was different from Miller¡¯s.


    Miller was warm to everyone, wanting to have good relationships with all.


    Tatum, on the other hand, was loud and not quite skilled at maintaining good relationships, and he often offended people, but he was simple-minded and didn¡¯t hold grudges.


    Tatum challenged DeRozan to one-on-one several times every day, always getting schooled, but he never broke down and was even more arrogant the next time.


    Over a few days, Zhang Yang¡¯s perception of Tatum was renewed¡ªhe was thick-skinned, indeed a talent; persistent despite repeated failures, exhibiting a strong character; diligent in practice, and very determined.


    ¡­


    At 9 in the morning, Assistant Coaches Johnson and Burke arrived at the training court with two trainers, and all ten team members and five alternates of the prep team were present.


    The list of prep team members had already been announced on Thursday afternoon.


    There was only DeRozan from the ninth grade, the rest, including Zhang Yang, were all sophomores.


    Out of these 15 players, the majority were rookies from the reserve team, with only three players having been promoted late last season from the freshman team.


    Tatum and Miller both joined the reserve team in the latter part of their 9th grade, while another called James Keith, 16 years old and 198 cm tall, was a forward.


    After the reserve team roster was announced, Zhang Yang took the opportunity to observe the training and games of these teammates, and these three indeed proved to be the strongest on the team excluding DeRozan.


    Tatum excelled in penetration and fast breaks; Miller, though white, had decent athletic ability and was good at crashing the boards and close-range shooting; Keith wasn¡¯t as athletically gifted but had a knack for shooting three-pointers.


    Zhang Yang had learned from Thomas that the reserve team generally didn¡¯t take 11th-grade players, as by 11th grade, if they hadn¡¯t made the main team, they were essentially written off by the team, at most being arranged on the substitution squad of the main team.


    However, the substitutes for the main team and the reserve team were different; reserve team substitutes were real substitutes, stepping in if a player got sick, injured, or was let go, whereas the main team substitutes were essentially just for practice.


    Burke briefly explained the tactics and then began leading the players into group training sessions.


    The tactical manual had been distributed on Thursday, and he didn¡¯t think many players would understand it well, so lectures were probably ineffective.


    Direct hands-on practice was his long-standing experience.


    Burke and two trainers each led a group of five for tactical movement training.


    The tactics were actually quite simple; with DeRozan as the core of the team, the others mainly needed to move to the right positions, create spacing for DeRozan to play one-on-one, and give the frontcourt players better chances to crash the boards.


    With Keith as the core, the idea was to create space for him to shoot.


    With Tatum as the core, during fast breaks, teammates had to pick the right lanes to follow, and in set plays, open up space for shot opportunities or driving to the basket.


    The defensive training was even simpler¡ªstick to the player you¡¯re guarding.


    But even such simple tactics were messed up by most players during their first combined practice.


    Before joining the reserve team, their habit was to call for the ball on offense and once they got it, drive straight to the basket; on defense, everyone¡¯s eyes were on the player holding the ball, often clustering near the basket.


    Thus, Johnson¡¯s most frustrating time of the year had arrived.


    Watching the players during training, his expression couldn¡¯t have been more sour.


    What slightly comforted him was that the players were now willing to cooperate in training.


    In 9th grade, when still in the freshman team, each player was rebellious and no one was willing to back down, as each wanted to prove themselves, having been among the top basketball talents in their respective middle schools.


    Back then, there was no opportunity to cultivate tactical awareness.


    But after experiencing the freshman season and realizing what true talent was, they began to accept reality.


    Of course, they didn¡¯t give up on basketball; they still wanted to win on the court and strived for more opportunities through hard work¡­ wanting to create memories for their high school years.


    This is the purest and most beautiful thought of a student.


    However, not everyone¡¯s tactical training performance was poor.


    Johnson watched the players for a while, his gaze settling on Zhang Yang and DeRozan¡¯s group.


    He had heard from Thomas that these two coordinated quite well when playing 3-on-3 on the streets, and over the past few days, he had seen them practicing two-man plays from time to time.


    During today¡¯s training, the coordination between the two was the most pleasant for Johnson to watch.


    Furthermore, Johnson noticed that during the breaks, Zhang Yang gathered his four teammates to discuss tactics.


    Unfortunately, the other three didn¡¯t seem willing to take advice from a new transfer student with unimpressive skills, so it didn¡¯t lead to much.


    But Johnson didn¡¯t see any anger or negative emotion on Zhang Yang¡¯s face¡­ and his opinion of Zhang Yang went up another notch.


    ¡­


    At 11:30 a.m., the first day of combined practice ended rather abruptly.


    Not to mention the coaching staff, even Zhang Yang was not satisfied with the performance in training.


    But it was the first day, after all, and quite normal.


    When he made suggestions and his teammates didn¡¯t accept them, he actually felt frustrated, but at those moments, he would silently repeat to himself what Thomas had said¡ªhaving both physical fitness and tactical awareness is a rare thing indeed.


    Thinking this way, his frustration dissipated.


    In the afternoon, he continued training with DeRozan.


    The next day, Compton High School¡¯s reserve team faced their first warm-up match of the new season, against a local school, Freedom Park College.


    Zhang Yang trained as usual for an hour in the morning, but no longer continued afterward.


    Instead, he took a tactical movement class with his teammates in the morning, the feeling of which was still hard to put into words.


    At 1:30 p.m., Johnson led the players in a warm-up.


    Seeing that most of the players were chatting and laughing carelessly, warming up half-heartedly, Johnson didn¡¯t say much.


    The trainers had already instructed them on how to warm up; if they didn¡¯t take warming up seriously, so be it.


    The difference between players, aside from talent, lies in these little details, respecting their own destiny.


    But not everyone was careless; the baseball player was different.


    Johnson saw Zhang Yang actively seeking the trainers¡¯ help for a warm-up routine, and moreover, he noticed that the warm-up activities Zhang Yang requested were even more than what the team required!


    He seemed quite professional!


    As a result, he could only surmise that Zhang Yang was as diligent and studious in baseball as he was in basketball, although not particularly talented¡­ adding yet another grievance towards Thomas.


    Beyond just caring about his own warm-up, Zhang Yang also pulled DeRozan along for it; however, DeRozan, unlike the other players, was quite willing to accept Zhang Yang¡¯s suggestions about warming up.


    In addition to DeRozan warming up with Zhang Yang, there was another who shamelessly joined in¡­

 Chapter 31 - 31 30

    ?31: 30.


    Team Potential Crisis 31: 30.


    Team Potential Crisis At 3 PM, at Compton High School¡¯s Allen Gymnasium basketball court, the match between Compton High School and Freedom Park College was about to begin.


    The venue was packed with many spectators, nearly filling the thousands of seats, mostly students and parents from the school.


    They all came for the same person¡ªDeMar DeRozan.


    They chanted DeRozan¡¯s name, holding banners in support of him.


    Zhang Yang draped his arm over DeRozan¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°DeMar, I really envy you, you¡¯re so popular.¡±


    Standing next to them, Coalhead also felt envious, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s my first time seeing so many spectators at a reserve team game.¡±


    DeRozan shrugged off Zhang Yang¡¯s hand and went to the court to warm up with some shooting.


    He was a bit excited, but he didn¡¯t say so.


    The players from Compton High School were relaxed and full of anticipation for the upcoming game, eager to play.


    Freedom Park College was a high school that only enrolled Black students, and one could attend after completing the 8th grade without needing test scores, tuition-free, symbolizing ¡®freedom.¡¯


    Though there were no admission restrictions, there was a limit on the number of students due to budget constraints.


    With funds sufficient only for so many, enrollment caps meant the school catered to fewer than 800 students across four grades.


    The school wasn¡¯t large, and the campus was quite run-down.


    If there had been other options, even Black parents would hesitate to send their children there.


    In the eyes of Compton High School players, the opponents seemed weak.


    Last season, Compton High School had impressive results in the first division league; the baseball team made the top eight, basketball third, and football won the championship.


    Last season, Freedom Park College¡¯s basketball team hadn¡¯t even made it to the championship game in the Southern California league, meaning they didn¡¯t reach the top eight.


    So, the players from Compton High School didn¡¯t consider their current opponents a threat at all.


    But a few minutes after the game started, Freedom Park College began to thrash Compton High School! Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Centering around Center Ron Rod and Guard Charles Cooper, Freedom Park College executed some excellent offensive plays, completely outmaneuvering the disorganized and undisciplined defenders from Compton High School.


    Although Freedom Park College wasn¡¯t particularly strong defensively, their experience, team coordination, quick double-teaming, and proactive switch and help defense gave DeRozan and Tatum a hard time, facing at least two defenders each time they attacked.


    It wasn¡¯t that they weren¡¯t passing the ball, but they had no chemistry with their teammates, allowing the opponents to easily cut off their passing lanes.


    Their outside shooter, James Keith, was rendered useless.


    On the home team¡¯s bench, Burke shook his head and said, ¡°John, you really are ruthless, signing us up for this league.


    The opposing players seeing a bunch of fifteen- and sixteen-year-olds on our side¡­and DeMar, the 14-year-old freshman, they must be furious.


    Look at them; they¡¯re like they want to tear our players into pieces.¡±


    Burke¡¯s words sounded like he was blaming Johnson, but his tone was gleefully malicious.


    He wasn¡¯t here to help coach the game; he didn¡¯t get involved with coaching the freshmen or reserves, but he needed to attend the reserve games to observe the players¡¯ tactical performance and prepare for future tactical adjustments.


    However, today he didn¡¯t need to be too attentive to his work, considering the training situation these past few days, the players were hard-pressed to execute any solid tactics; they still needed a lot of practice.


    His work allowed for some slack, and he began teasing his colleague.


    Johnson replied, ¡°They don¡¯t even have the basic judgment of strength and weakness.


    It seems they attribute the varsity team¡¯s achievements to themselves; getting thrashed is justified¡ªit¡¯s meant to teach them a lesson.¡±


    Burke: ¡°It¡¯s really merciless.


    I still think we should let the junior team participate in the Greater Los Angeles League like last season.


    The strength of the first teams in those schools is about the same as our junior team, and it¡¯s more suitable for them to practice tactical coordination.


    The Southern California League is too difficult for the junior team, and Freedom Park College is only mid-level in the Southern California League.


    There are several schools stronger than them.¡±


    Johnson: ¡°The Greater Los Angeles League is too easy for DeMar.


    Last season, Carmelo could single-handedly overwhelm the opponents.


    DeMar won¡¯t get any training playing there, let alone help him practice his tactical skills.¡±


    Burke: ¡°DeMar is only in the 9th grade, he should be playing those easy games to adapt to the high school competition environment.


    There¡¯s no need to rush learning tactics, right, John?


    You¡¯re too aggressive, right, Tony?¡±


    Thomas, unexpectedly dragged into the conversation, thought for a moment and answered, ¡°The junior team¡¯s affairs are not my responsibility.


    I¡¯m good at discovering talent, but training players isn¡¯t my job.


    I support whatever John wants to do.


    In fact, looking at the individual abilities, DeMar, Kevin, James, and Carmelo are no worse than the opposing starters, it¡¯s just that they lack game experience and don¡¯t play well together¡­


    and I understand why John is being so aggressive.¡±


    Burke: ¡°Why?¡±


    Johnson: ¡°Del, you really have no sense of crisis.


    Haven¡¯t you noticed that our talent pipeline has gaps at the 10th and 11th grades?


    We have no outstanding talent in the 11th grade, and although the talents of Kevin, Carmelo, and James in the 10th grade are decent, they¡¯re not strong enough to carry the team.


    This season we have Aaron and Josh, but what are we going to do next season after they graduate?¡±


    Burke: ¡°So that¡¯s why you chose to enroll in the Southern California League, to help DeMar grow quickly, wanting him to take on a leading role as early as the 10th grade.¡±


    He understood, but he felt speechless.


    When he wanted to slack off at work and have a little fun chatting, how did the topic become so serious, making it seem like they were about to be unemployed?


    But indeed, the pressure to recruit talents was huge, and most of the local talents still thought of leaving the city after middle school graduation.


    In recent years, they managed to keep some top talent, but most still chose to go to big cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco.


    Thomas, responsible for recruiting talent, was really stressed.


    He wanted to say that being quiet for a year didn¡¯t mean they would be fired, but his two colleagues took basketball very seriously¡­


    On the court, only half a quarter in, the score was already 14 to 6, with Compton High School only scoring 6 points.


    It was Compton High School¡¯s turn to attack, Tatum drove in and passed the ball¡­


    too presumptive, the pass through traffic was intercepted by the opponent.


    Freedom Park College countered, Charles Cooper lobbed the ball, and Ron Rod slammed in a two-point alley-oop!


    16 to 6, Freedom Park College¡¯s lead reached 10 points, Compton High School called a timeout!


    Rod landed and taunted DeRozan, ¡°So you¡¯re the number one middle school player in Southern California?


    You¡¯re not that impressive!¡±


    DeRozan clenched his fists and turned to walk to the bench.


    He couldn¡¯t even bring himself to say ¡°I am number one in California.¡±


    Johnson watched his players return to the bench and shook his head.


    The psychological endurance was lacking, and they were too proud.


    The more unexpected the situation, the more desperate and worse they played.


    In his view, if the players could stay calm, the points difference wouldn¡¯t be so drastic.


    His view was the same as Thomas¡¯s: his 5 starters, based on individual abilities, were no inferior to the opposing starters; the only differences were in their tactical coordination and game experience.


    DeRozan had talent and ability but was also immature and lacked the initiative to lead, having no awareness to direct his teammates.


    When encountering problems, his only strategy was to take the ball and go for it, but the current opponents were not ones DeRozan could overturn alone.


    Not only that, the team¡¯s players on the sidelines were also intimidated.


    This was something Johnson had foreseen.


    The starting lineup of Tatum, DeRozan, Keith, Allen Kanter, and Miller, being the strongest 5 in the team, got crushed like this, dropping the confidence of the others to rock bottom¡­ No, not everyone was, there was one player who seemed to have expected this situation from the start.


    Johnson turned his attention to the expressionless exchange student.

 Chapter 32 - 32 31

    ?32: 31.


    Immediate results!


    32: 31. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Immediate results!


    ¡°Carmelo, Allen, you¡¯re off; Jack, Charlie, you¡¯re on¡­¡±


    The substituted Allen Kanter, a tall power forward at 206 cm, had decent inside scoring skills but slightly poor athletic ability.


    The newly substituted Charlie Monroe, standing 203 cm, was a power forward with outstanding athletic abilities, had almost no offensive skills, yet was very active defensively.


    Both were power forwards and focal training targets for the coaching staff.


    While their talents were quite ordinary, they had been the best two power forwards selected from last season¡¯s ninth-grade players.


    ¡°Kevin, don¡¯t keep driving towards the inside, spread out to the sides to open up space; Charlie, pay attention to rebounding and falling back; James, control the pace during side moves, and make sure the ball-holding teammates can see you; DeMar, Jack, play well together¡­¡±


    After the substitutions, Johnson gave each player brief instructions and said nothing more.


    Strategy?


    Forget it, if these kids can perform slightly better individually, he would be thankful.


    If not, he considered it a learning experience for the kids to recognize their own strengths and not to equate the varsity team¡¯s results with their own.


    Initially, Johnson hadn¡¯t planned on substituting Zhang Yang, as the others were playing so poorly, and Zhang Yang, still in the foundational phase, would likely fare worse, which he feared might undermine Zhang Yang¡¯s confidence.


    But seeing Zhang Yang so composed, Johnson changed his mind.


    If the starters were performing badly, what harm would it do if a substitute did the same?


    None.


    So, he decided to let this composed kid experience a high school game.


    Zhang Yang himself hadn¡¯t expected to play so soon; he thought he might wait until the third or fourth quarter, when the game was decidedly in garbage time, to get a chance.


    But since he was in, he definitely wanted to try to play well.


    He quickly recalled the opposing team¡¯s defensive habits and said to DeRozan, ¡°DeMar, next, play one-on-one two steps inside from the right side of the free-throw line; go there to attract defenses more effectively¡­uh¡­¡±


    As he was speaking, Zhang Yang saw the other three teammates gather around as well.


    He wasn¡¯t too optimistic about getting these teammates to listen to his arrangements, having already realized during the last couple of days of tactical training that most teammates didn¡¯t quite respect him, the weakest player on the team.


    It didn¡¯t bother him much, as he knew once his skills improved, his teammates would follow his lead.


    But now that his teammates gathered around him, he decided to say a word or two, organizing his instructions based on the training and what he observed in the first half of the game, assigning tasks to each player.


    Miller, initially just curious about what Zhang Yang and DeRozan were discussing, suddenly found the instructions falling on him; after a moment¡¯s consideration and seeing nothing wrong with them, his pleaser personality nodded in agreement.


    Keith, seeing DeRozan accepting Zhang Yang¡¯s arrangement and Miller also complying, nodded in acceptance as well.


    With three stronger teammates accepting the instructions, Monroe naturally chose to accept them as well.


    Zhang Yang inadvertently ¡®rode the wave¡¯, influencing the others.


    On the sideline, Johnson was surprised by the scene¡ªfour teammates actually listening to Zhang Yang!


    He was curious to see what this kid could pull off.


    ¡­


    Following the timeout, Compton High School was on the offense.


    Miller passed the ball to Keith.


    After Keith dribbled to the top of the arc, he passed to DeRozan, positioned at the right elbow outside the three-second area, then spread out around the three-point line.


    As DeRozan caught the ball, sparse cheers broke out in the arena, nowhere near the intensity from the beginning of the game, and quickly faded away.


    There was no doubt that they were disappointed with the performance of the ¡®number one middle schooler¡¯ from the first half of the game.


    DeRozan, unbothered by this, backed his defender and watched his teammates move.


    When Keith moved to a 45-degree angle on the left after circling around the three-point line, Miller moved up to set a screen; simultaneously, Zhang Yang moved to the free-throw line, while Monroe cut in from the right baseline.


    DeRozan turned around for an iso play, feinted to the right, and then pulled to the left into the paint.


    The defender on Monroe at the baseline didn¡¯t switch to help but chased to the left sideline of the paint, while the player guarding Zhang Yang at the free-throw line instantly moved to double team DeRozan with his teammate.


    DeRozan drove deeper, got trapped, and forced a pass¡­ Pass!


    Zhang Yang dashed to catch the ball at close range, faced the opposing power forward who recovered quickly.


    Zhang jumped, tossing the basketball towards the hoop amidst the contest¡­ It went in!


    ¡°Shooting value +20¡±


    So much!


    Zhang Yang excitedly jumped, then suddenly felt a bit silly and quickly turned to run back to the defense.


    His teammates didn¡¯t see anything wrong, they had heard that Zhang Yang had just started learning basketball, and scoring in his first school team game was normal, especially as making a basket under defensive pressure indeed lifted spirits; many in the audience cheered.


    Johnson, at courtside, widened his eyes¡ªCould it be that effective so immediately?


    Zhang Yang scoring over a power forward didn¡¯t surprise Johnson.


    The opposing power forward, Andrew Wright, wasn¡¯t very tall, only 198 cm, and his defense was average.


    Tatum had also successfully driven past Wright, and Zhang Yang¡¯s strength was about the same as Tatum¡¯s with a slight difference in explosiveness, but in a charging situation, the impact was nearly the same.


    The coordination between Zhang Yang and DeRozan did not surprise Johnson either, but what did surprise him was the other players¡¯ movements, which were not outstanding, but they moved with purpose now, not haphazardly like before the timeout.


    This could be said to be a qualitative change!


    It was Freedom Park College¡¯s turn to attack, but Compton High School still couldn¡¯t defend effectively, allowing the opponent¡¯s wing player to slip in and receive the ball through a screen.


    However, the opponent¡¯s small forward was unlucky as the layup circled the rim and popped out¡ªMonroe actively defended the rebound.


    Zhang Yang immediately went for a fast break, DeRozan, receiving Monroe¡¯s pass, also pushed forward rapidly but didn¡¯t manage to pass the ball successfully, transitioning back to a set play.


    Zhang Yang felt a bit of regret; DeRozan¡¯s push in the fast break wasn¡¯t fast enough¡­


    Well, set play it is then.


    After waiting for his teammates to get to the front court, he began actively making runs.


    Miller, Monroe, and Keith were also more active in their positioning than in the previous round.


    They had run their positions as Zhang Yang had instructed last time mainly because they had agreed to try it out; considering their previous poor performance, if running as Zhang Yang instructed didn¡¯t work, they could comfort themselves that it wasn¡¯t their fault¡­


    To their surprise, their positioning really helped DeRozan and Zhang Yang coordinate the two-man game!


    They were new to tactics and didn¡¯t fully grasp the strategic intent they were meant to demonstrate, but they could tell that their positioning had been effective.


    DeRozan continued his one-on-one; the opposing center, Rod, was guarding off the ball and when he saw Zhang Yang cut through the middle straight to the basket, DeRozan, leaping up, saw a clear path between him and Keith, and suddenly changed his passing target, lobbing the ball towards the left sideline in mid-air.


    Keith caught the pass and shot a three¡­ It was good!


    DeRozan had back-to-back assists!


    The previously quiet crowd immediately erupted into loud cheers.


    Had the first middle schooler finally found his rhythm?


    The spectators credited Zhang Yang and Keith¡¯s scoring to DeRozan¡¯s ability to draw doubles and distribute the ball.


    This notion wasn¡¯t wrong¡ªif it weren¡¯t for DeRozan¡¯s position as the ¡®first middle schooler¡¯ drawing hostility, and if DeRozan hadn¡¯t had the ability to pass while jumping, neither of those offensive plays would have worked.


    But the gaze of the three coaches on the home team¡¯s bench was fixed on Zhang Yang.


    Burke exclaimed, ¡°Tony, you really found a gem!¡±


    Initially, he had lost interest in the game, but having seen the players¡¯ orderly positioning and purposeful movement in the previous round, his attention was re-engaged.


    During the second offensive play, he was convinced that they had genuinely executed well-coordinated plays.


    Thomas boasted, ¡°I knew it the moment I saw him.


    I saw his tactical and leadership talents¡­ John, why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    Johnson¡¯s face was full of grievances, ¡°Five years¡­ Five wasted years¡­¡±


    Thomas: ¡°¡­¡±


    Seeking monthly votes!


    Seeking recommendation tickets!

 Chapter 33 - 33 32

    ?33: 32.


    Tool Man Jack 33: 32.


    Tool Man Jack Miller, Keith, and Monroe once again confirmed that their movements were effective, they ran more aggressively on offense, and their execution had improved.


    In the reserve team, they were clear about what they had to do, two things¡ªimprove strength and learn tactics.


    There are two concepts to learning tactics, one is like Zhang Yang¡¯s, understanding the tactics and knowing what each movement intends to do.


    The other is simply memorizing effective movement patterns, not fully understanding the tactics, but able to make qualified in-game decisions through the experience accumulated over long games.


    If acting as role players, learning tactics the second way is not much different from the first, except that it would be slower in learning new tactics, and many system players are of the second type.


    The three of them were the latter type; they were not aware of the difference between the two, feeling that their movement was effective was enough for them to start learning how to play tactically, which immediately motivated them.


    Zhang Yang was also seizing the opportunity, moving actively to ensure the threat on the offensive basket.


    At the same time, he observed the changes in the opponent¡¯s defense and promptly instructed his three teammates to adjust their movements.


    Given his teammates¡¯ tactical awareness, the adjustments he instructed were made as simple as possible, ensuring his teammates needed to move only ¡°once¡±. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the help of his teammates, DeRozan finally had normal one-on-one scoring conditions, able to lead the team to score properly!


    Although they were still at a disadvantage in the match, at least they were no longer helpless like in the earlier half of the session, being dominated by Freedom Park College.


    By the end of the first quarter, the score was 19 to 28, with Compton High School keeping the gap close.


    Going into the break between quarters, Johnson substituted DeRozan, who had been the main attack for half the quarter, with Tatum and replaced Charlie Monroe with Allen Kanter on the field.


    Johnson saw that having Tatum, who excels at breaking through and counterattacking, and DeRozan, who excels at fixed-point mid-range shooting, together was a better dual-core combination, which could cover both positional battles and counterattacks, and their playing styles did not clash.


    However, currently there weren¡¯t conditions to let both display their strengths simultaneously, so it was better to make good use of that young player.


    Johnson kept both Keith and Miller on the court, leaving two team members who would follow Zhang Yang¡¯s instructions, along with Zhang Yang, creating a 3 to 2 ratio with the new substitutes to ensure Zhang Yang¡¯s authority on the field.


    ¡°Allen, your strength is interior scoring technique, and you have a height advantage, be sure to seize the opportunity.


    Carmelo, you are quick with breakthroughs and pushing forward, capitalize on your strengths.¡±


    After the substitutions, Johnson discussed the strengths of the two newly substituted team members, then left the rest of the time to Zhang Yang.


    After Johnson finished setting up, both Miller and Keith consciously gathered around Zhang Yang, waiting for the arrangement.


    Both had shown talent back in 9th grade and were considered ¡®big shots¡¯ among their peers, and Kanter also joined in upon noticing this.


    Tatum had been re-substituted and wanted to demonstrate his leadership charm, although he didn¡¯t actually have much idea about how to lead the team, but he just wanted to show it, guided purely by sincerity¡­ Yet before he could greet his teammates, they had already gathered around Zhang Yang.


    He followed them annoyed and asked loudly, ¡°Jack, how do you think I should play?¡±


    ¡°You play in the way you are accustomed to,¡± Zhang Yang replied after turning his head, then told the other teammates, ¡°When we play a positional game, James, you go to the left at 45 degrees, Kevin, you try to spread out as far as possible at the baseline in the direction of Carmelo¡¯s breakthrough¡­ Regardless of whether the opponent scores or not, we need to get the ball to Carmelo immediately, our next focus is on counterattacks, James you move quickly from this side, Kevin, you follow up behind Carmelo¡­


    His arrangements were based on the principle that the simpler, the better.


    The teammates were very satisfied with such arrangements, three role-player teammates had simple movements, no need for thinking, and Tatum, initially quite annoyed, was immediately pleased when he heard that all attacks were revolving around him.


    Before going on the field, Zhang Yang glanced at Johnson, feeling like he was being used as a tool¡­


    Soon, the second quarter of the game started.


    In the beginning, Compton High School¡¯s offense was not smooth, as Freedom Park College scored several consecutive rounds, and Compton High School¡¯s attempt to counterattack was not successful, falling back into positional battles, but their synergy in the positional offense was far less effective than when DeRozan was present.


    Tatum, as a core player who only knows how to score by driving, actually occupies a lot of space on the court during set plays.


    His teammates need to clear out the entire paint as well as the spaces on both sides of it.


    The most suitable lineup for him would consist of a bunch of three-point shooters, ideally with the big men also able to shoot from the outside.


    However, of the four teammates partnering with him, Zhang Yang actively moved towards the free-throw line but his catch-and-shoot attempts failed to score; Miller spread out too wide baseline, and his shots did not go in either; Keith was heavily guarded by the opponents and couldn¡¯t receive the ball, instead, it was Kanter who followed up with a catch and score high, making one basket.


    Fortunately, there were moments in the game that went even worse.


    Their offenses in set plays being blocked didn¡¯t affect their spirits, at least they played with tactics, were able to create open shot opportunities, and could see hope!


    When the shooters of Freedom Park College began to lose their touch, Tatum started to lead the team successfully on the counterattack, boosting the morale of the Compton High School players, who began to push back with full force.


    His teammates became excited, and Zhang Yang got more involved in the game as it went on.


    With a simple cooperation with the two core players, he had figured it out and no longer needed to divide his attention between observing the opponents and his teammates; he focused completely on the game itself.


    His role in the cooperation was simple and he couldn¡¯t provide much support, but precisely because of this, he wanted to perform as well as he could.


    On the sidelines, watching his players increasingly play better, Thomas was thrilled.


    It had come!


    What he had been expecting finally happened!


    Zhang Yang displayed his talent as a basketball commander!


    This kind of talent isn¡¯t about being strong or weak; you either have it or you don¡¯t.


    But he noticed something slightly amiss ¡ª why wasn¡¯t Jack coordinating anymore?


    He saw that each of Zhang Yang¡¯s movements seemed designed only to create opportunities for Fixed-Point Mid-Range Shots or drives to the basket, and even the counterattacks targeted scoring through drives, not showing the passing ability he had during the previous streetball game.


    Was it because the difficulty of distributing the ball in a 5-on-5 full-court game is higher and he did not try easily without certainty?


    Worthy of the genius he had scouted, he was truly mature!


    Little did he know, someone on the court was muttering ¡°Mid-range 40, layups 20¡± to himself¡­


    ¡­


    In the end, Compton High School¡¯s junior varsity team still lost to Freedom Park College, 102 to 115.


    The overall strength disparity was quite apparent.


    The basketball team of Freedom Park College was, after all, a mid-tier team in California¡¯s second division; the players of Compton High School¡¯s junior varsity may have been more talented, possibly each having more potential than Ron Rod, the strongest on the opposing team, but they were younger by two to three years, and the gaps in skills, match experience, and tactical coordination were significant.


    Compton High School managed to keep the score within just over 10 points, largely thanks to Freedom Park College easing up a lot in the latter part of the game.


    If Freedom Park College had maintained its focus as in the first half of the first quarter, Zhang Yang might not have been able to help his teammates coordinate so effortlessly.


    Compton High School suddenly being able to execute plays caught Freedom Park College off guard for a while¡­ Otherwise, the points difference might have been exaggerated.


    DeRozan, Tatum, Keith, and others, seeing the cocky demeanor of Freedom Park College players led by Ron Rod, were unwilling to accept the loss; they were determined to strive harder!


    However, they had found something to be confident about ¡ª the tactical direction from leader Jack!


    Of course, there were still some who felt annoyed by this.


    A certain ¡°Black Charcoal¡± felt like he was being overshadowed, and he secretly resolved to study tactics on his own¡­ but for now, listening to Jack¡¯s arrangements was still okay.


    Zhang Yang gave a slight smile; he had won his teammates¡¯ trust¡­ Well, he couldn¡¯t really smile now; he too was quite unwilling to accept the loss.


    Before being substituted in, Zhang Yang¡¯s view of the game ¡ª just kids¡¯ basketball.


    After being substituted in ¡ª I am that kid, and a rather weak one at that.

 Chapter 34 - 34 Fried Fish Trio

    ?34: Fried Fish Trio 34: Fried Fish Trio Zhang Yang played very hard, but aside from his on-court commanding performance, his role was not that significant.


    Compared to his teammates, his biggest advantage in playing basketball¡ªgood off-ball movement, decisive shots upon receiving the ball, and not faltering even if he missed as long as he could get the ball¡ªcontinued to throw.


    He had many contingency plans in his mind, the opponent¡¯s tactics were actually quite crude, and their defense had many loopholes¡­


    but he couldn¡¯t seize those opportunities due to insufficient abilities.


    He entered the ¡°Gate of Trials¡± and shifted his focus.


    Losing a game would definitely evoke negative emotions, but losing is inevitable, and one shouldn¡¯t let such emotions take over; one needs to maintain a positive attitude.


    This game he achieved a shooting value of 185!


    He scored 3 times on set offense layups, 1 dunk on a fast break, 3 layups on a fast break, earning 80 points, 1 mid-range shot, 40 points, and also made 1 free throw, 5 points.


    In a game, a single shooting hit is worth so much more than in practice, but unfortunately, with limited abilities and games not happening every day, the chances of taking shots and the shooting percentage were not high.


    He managed to make 8 shots because he stayed on the court from the first quarter without being subbed out and played until the end of the game.


    More than the shooting value, Zhang Yang was happier about his physical condition; he had no problems playing the entire game.


    Of course, his simplified tactical role and less tiring playing style played a part, and additionally, a high school game quarter is only 10 minutes long, so his actual playing time was only about 34 minutes.


    The high scores from both teams were partly due to poor defense¡ªas long as one knows how to cooperate, opportunities can arise, and his simple adjustments were clearly effective precisely because the opponent had poor defense¡ªand partly because the pace was incredibly fast.


    But it was confirmed once again that his physical endurance was much better than most of his peers.


    The players were all stimulated and entered a mode of vigorous effort.


    Johnson was very excited on his end.


    He struck gold! sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Any team, even professional ones, would find a floor general invaluable.


    When he was devising tactics, there were limitations; he wouldn¡¯t simply tell someone to run from point A to point B, or who should set a screen, or rather, he couldn¡¯t.


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t need to explain to his teammates why they should run a certain way; he just had to issue commands based on the actual situation on the court.


    As a coach responsible for training players, Johnson¡¯s job was to cultivate players who could understand tactics.


    He needed to repeatedly observe each player, giving opportunities where possible, considering that some players mature later than others, all of which required a lot of time for trial and error¡­but that¡¯s what reserve games were for, to ¡°waste¡±.


    In fact, if the adept court commander Thomas were to co-coach the reserve team with him, one focusing on developing tactical awareness and the other on in-game commands, the combination would be a better way to train players.


    But they couldn¡¯t do that, as Thomas already had enough work and was tired enough.


    The input-output ratio was not proportional.


    They were not all tactically talented geniuses like some teams were made of the best high school players, let alone compared to the NBA.


    Moreover, on this matter, a coach might not necessarily be as useful as a floor general.


    A coach can¡¯t direct players every single round, but a floor general can do it all the time!


    ¡­


    After the game, Zhang Yang and DeRozan returned to the training court for extra practice.


    This time, DeRozan¡¯s practice seemed a bit rushed, while Zhang Yang practiced his fundamentals with even more patience.


    Mastering the basics and developing good power generation habits makes subsequent training much more effective.


    Tatum, once again challenging DeRozan to a one-on-one, didn¡¯t flee in shame after being furiously pummeled following a loss.


    Instead, he stayed to practice shooting with the two of them.


    And then he regretted it.


    These two grinders just can¡¯t stop once they start training, can they!


    DeRozan is one thing; his shots go ¡°whoosh whoosh,¡± but Jack, whose shots go ¡°clang clang,¡± can persist too!


    But Tatum, not wanting to lose, stubbornly practiced the shooting he disliked, enduring until 6 p.m.


    when the two grinders finished their session and then hurriedly escaped.


    It¡¯s not that he¡¯s lazy.


    On the reserve team, aside from Zhang Yang and DeRozan, he¡¯s probably the hardest worker, spending two to three hours on the court every day, whenever he¡¯s free.


    But he usually plays streetball on the outdoor courts; practicing boring fundamentals and shooting for several hours like Zhang Yang and DeRozan did was a first for him, and it numbed him so much that he swore never to train with those two again.


    The next day, however, on Monday afternoon after school, Tatum, having sought out and completed his ordeal, once again followed them to the adjacent court to practice shooting, gritting his teeth and persevering.


    This time, Tatum was keeping up with DeRozan.


    He¡¯d tossed and turned the previous night, unable to sleep, feeling he needed to work even harder.


    He was already no match for DeRozan.


    If DeRozan kept training so hard on shooting and he continued to play streetball every day, the gap between them would definitely widen.


    Johnson, who observed from the shadows, felt reassured.


    Over the past year, he reminded Tatum many times, but his beloved pupil still preferred playing on the streets and in playgrounds, unable to endure the monotony of the training court.


    It¡¯s not that playing doesn¡¯t lead to improvement, but for someone like Tatum, whose abilities had reached a certain level, those games brought little enhancement.


    He had arrived at a stage where he needed to patiently practice the basics and shooting.


    Zhang Yang, having an extra person training with him, didn¡¯t mind at all.


    He found pleasure in seeing Tatum¡¯s daily quest for challenges and watching DeRozan¡¯s psychological shadow grow.


    With daily classes and training, a week went by swiftly, and the second weekend of the new school term arrived.


    On Saturday morning, around 10 a.m., Zhang Yang arrived at school to meet up with DeRozan and Tatum.


    They had a morning team training for the main squad, and the reserve team¡¯s training was scheduled for the afternoon, so the three of them decided to go ¡°fishing¡± on the playground.


    Yes, fishing.


    When DeRozan or Tatum played streetball on the playground usually without other school team members, they would lead two or four others, with the stronger players on the opposite side, playing five against one or nine against one, creating challenges where there were none.


    But when both were on the same team and it was 3-on-3, with their opponents being regular basketball enthusiasts, it was pure ¡°fishing.¡±


    However, today it wasn¡¯t the two of them who were ¡°fishing;¡± it was Zhang Yang!


    Their opponents were fellow school students around sixteen or seventeen years old, ordinary basketball enthusiasts from grade 10 or 11, not as tall as him, not as strong, not as fast¡­


    He could break through their defenses with ease.


    In streetball, scoring a shot was worth 5 shooting points; he simply stopped passing and played solo, and both DeRozan and Tatum, seeing him enjoying himself, fed him the ball.


    Once he got into the groove, he even defended vigorously, dishing out a few ¡®go to hell basketball dreams¡¯ to the other side.


    After three rounds of playing to ten points, the three on the opposing team didn¡¯t want to play with them anymore¡­


    Then Tatum had to find a couple of hangers-on and play two more games with the three to placate them.


    Returning to the two grinders waiting on the sidelines, Tatum complained, ¡°Jack, why take it so serious?


    They were about to cry, no, I think they wanted to beat you up.


    Thanks to me they calmed down, so you owe me a soda at lunch.¡±


    DeRozan was quick to retort, ¡°That was your own decision to make things harder.¡±


    Tatum, looking at DeRozan, clenched his fist tighter.


    DeRozan continued, ¡°Jack practices Jeet Kune Do.


    Those three together wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against him.¡±


    Tatum rolled his eyes; he was beaten at his own game.


    Waiting for DeRozan to finish jabbing, Zhang Yang said, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll buy you a soda.


    I rarely play in games, got too excited.


    I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡±


    Jack knows how to speak to people!


    Tatum, disregarding DeRozan, turned to Zhang Yang saying, ¡°Even after what you said, I doubt they¡¯ll want to play with you again.


    But we could find others¡­


    By the way, Jack, you¡¯ve really improved your ball-handling.


    I bet it won¡¯t be long before you start dribbling in school games, right?¡±

 Chapter 35 - 35 34

    ?35: 34.


    Jack, you¡¯ve changed.


    35: 34.


    Jack, you¡¯ve changed.


    ¡°Jack¡¯s ball-handling habits and rhythm are also very good.


    He pays attention to protecting the ball when dribbling, and even if the defense can¡¯t stop him, he doesn¡¯t forget to protect the ball.


    The sense of rhythm is also good¡­¡±


    DeRozan, paying more attention to details, said with a bit of a heavy heart, although his buddy¡¯s ball-handling skills were still not considered good, they had already shown to be better than his own.


    Tatum thought about it, and it was true!


    He looked to his left, the top middle schooler in Southern California, glanced to his right, the late-training but amazingly talented scholar from Hidden Mountain¡­


    Geniuses are so annoying!


    ¡°But Jack, you¡¯re playing way too solo, I¡¯m wide open and you don¡¯t pass.¡±


    Jack had to find some trouble to feel thrilled.


    Zhang Yang: ¡°¡­¡±


    Who was it that had turned into a cheerleader just now, shouting ¡°Jack go go go¡± and urging him to keep on playing solo?


    However, he was used to the quirky temperaments of these two friends.


    Now that he was happy, he wouldn¡¯t retort.


    Right now, he was in the joy of ¡®grinding for days and finally leveling up.¡¯


    His approach to ¡®frying fish¡¯ today was simple: take a step to the side, start, burst in, go for a layup or a dunk.


    Since the 11th, he had started to adjust, and over the past dozen days, he had gradually gotten used to the new dribbling habits.


    His ball-handling level had also improved a lot compared to before the 11th, and he could dribble smoothly in non-confrontational or light-confrontational situations.


    The biggest improvement was in his initial move, the way Nash taught him to use power, making full use of his body more than before.


    He considered Nash to be the true ¡®master of body utilization,¡¯ who could make his six-foot-three frame, incapable of dunking, work wonders.


    The learning over that week was immensely beneficial to him.


    In addition to the progress in dribbling itself, ¡®Wind Child¡¯s Basic Dribbling Rhythm¡¯ was activated on Thursday, and he considered that day to have laid a solid foundation for his ball-handling.


    The changes brought about by ¡®Wind Child¡¯s Basic Dribbling Rhythm¡¯ were very obvious.


    When doing crossover moves and starting moves, he felt he had better control over his body and the ball.


    Of course, if Zhang Yang were to try fancy dribbling or in-front-of-the-body crossovers now, if he sped up, he would still put on a show of tripping over his feet.


    But for things like receiving the ball in the open and cutting in, he was confident.


    He felt that the effect of ¡®Wind Child¡¯s Basic Dribbling Rhythm¡¯ hadn¡¯t been fully exploited yet.


    Skills that required ball-handling, such as step-back shooting and stop-and-pop jump shots, could definitely benefit from it, and these two practical scoring skills were in his technical development plan. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the learning sequence for these two skills would have to be delayed.


    Taking into account the actual experience from the last game, the role he played on the team, the actual level of his ball-handling and shooting skills¡­


    and other real-life considerations, he was ready to develop that one move first.


    Zhang Yang said to Tatum, ¡°Carmelo, lunch isn¡¯t for a while, let¡¯s practice fast breaks together.


    You¡¯re good at that, and I could learn from you.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± Tatum agreed without hesitation.


    That¡¯s right, all men love to teach others.


    Not to mention someone asking for guidance; even if others didn¡¯t ask, he enjoyed giving unsolicited advice, be it playing games, chess¡­


    and so on.


    DeRozan¡¯s eyes bulged with surprise.


    Jack, you¡¯ve changed!


    You used to learn from me, and now you¡¯ve got another dog!


    Is it just the fast break?


    Well¡­


    well¡­


    okay, the Kobe of Compton High School isn¡¯t really that good at pushing the fast break.


    DeRozan went to the next court and made four fadeaway jump shots, missing three, using the music of Los Angeles to soothe the sadness of being ¡®abandoned¡¯ by his buddy.


    ¡­


    Tatum and DeRozan currently are not compatible; the three of them are nearly the same height, which isn¡¯t suitable for playing together.


    DeRozan¡¯s speed in initiating fast breaks isn¡¯t particularly outstanding, based on the actual situation of last week¡¯s game.


    After establishing a sound foundation in ball handling, Zhang Yang decided to learn how to push the pace himself.


    Tatum¡¯s ability to lead fast breaks is exceptional and he teaches with great enthusiasm.


    He wants to compete with DeRozan in everything.


    He had seen DeRozan teach Zhang Yang how to drive to the basket, and Zhang Yang learned well; Tatum wouldn¡¯t be satisfied unless he taught even better.


    Leading a fast break, overall, isn¡¯t difficult¡ªthere are just a few key points: controlling the ball over long distances, dodging defenders mid-stride with change-of-direction moves, and the rhythm of abrupt stops and explosive starts over long distances¡­


    When it comes to learning ability, Zhang Yang indeed has talent.


    In just over half an hour, he had understood with his eyes and felt he had learned with his brain, it¡¯s just a pity his hands wanted to hammer his brain and his feet wanted to kick it.


    When lunchtime arrived, Zhang Yang stopped learning and grabbed a couple of burgers with the two others.


    Then they returned to the practice court for a bit more practice until 1:30 PM, when the reserve team gathered for tactical training.


    The reserve team didn¡¯t have much time for joint practice¡ªjust two to three times a week.


    There was one session on Thursday afternoon, and sometimes one in the morning and one in the afternoon on Saturday, or just one in the afternoon, like today.


    This was because the starting team had team training in the morning, and the tactical coach Burke had to attend to them, leaving the reserve team with just the afternoon session.


    During Thursday¡¯s training, Zhang Yang was in high spirits.


    The four teammates in his group were all willing to listen to him.


    Tactics weren¡¯t difficult to grasp; their runs were much smoother compared to last week, and the learning progress had noticeably accelerated.


    But today his mood wasn¡¯t great.


    What was the meaning of constantly changing his teammates?


    Did the assistant coach with the sour face really treat him as a tactical utility player?


    Johnson, standing to the side with an expression so stern it could sour milk, felt inwardly joyful¡ªthe court commander was indeed effective!


    He had originally expected the players to be able to use a few simple tactics normally by the end of the entire preseason.


    Now, with Jack on the team, he estimated that time could be cut by at least half!


    He didn¡¯t blush at all; this was also a way of training the students¡¯ command abilities, wasn¡¯t it.


    The next day, at 2 PM, Allen Sports Arena, the Compton High School reserve team kicked off their warm-up game against the main team of Temple City¡¯s Saint George High School.


    Saint George High School¡¯s strength ranked among the bottom few in this year¡¯s Southern California league, a school that insisted on competing in California¡¯s second-tier league for the sake of prestige.


    Whether in terms of the players¡¯ individual skills or team cooperation, Saint George High School was far behind Freedom Park College.


    After the start of the game, even though Compton High School was still not doing well in team positioning, they managed to dominate the opponent solely through Tatum and DeRozan¡¯s turn-taking in isolation plays.


    When Zhang Yang substituted for Tatum, Compton High School¡¯s tactics also came into effect, and the score gap quickly widened.


    Crushing the opponent effortlessly, Johnson wasn¡¯t surprised; Saint George High School was precisely the kind of team he and Burke discussed last week, one that Tatum alone could break through, suitable for county-level competitions.


    Today, the team executed tactics better than last week, which was normal since this week¡¯s reserve team¡¯s combined practice sessions had a much better training effect than the previous week.


    But what was the deal with their court commander?


    He saw that Zhang Yang tonight was doing a lot more ball-driving and pushing fast breaks!


    The other players might not have noticed, but Johnson saw right away that Zhang Yang had gone from last week¡¯s ¡®tactical supporting role¡¯ to becoming the second main offensive option!


    He hadn¡¯t arranged for this; clearly, it was an adjustment someone made on their own.


    This kid was actually ¡®seeking private benefit using his authority¡¯!


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 Chapter 36 - 36 35

    ?36: 35.


    Two advantages 36: 35.


    Two advantages Amazed by the student¡¯s ¡°shamelessness,¡± but Johnson did not stop him.


    Zhang Yang had indeed made significant progress in ball-handling compared to last week.


    The key was his audacity!


    Having improved, he dared to apply his skills on the court.


    Tatum thought Zhang Yang would practice for another week or two before daring to handle the ball in a match, but Zhang Yang was not afraid of embarrassment¡ªif he learned something, he used it.


    Johnson found this praiseworthy; the opponent in front of them was weak, providing a perfect opportunity for Zhang Yang to gain experience, so he let him go ahead.


    Once Tatum replaced DeRozan on the court, Johnson¡¯s idea of giving Zhang Yang a knock on the head was extinguished.


    After Tatum entered the game, Zhang Yang immediately switched back to a tactical supporting role, allowing the stronger-receiving Kanter, the better-close-range shooter Miller, and the team¡¯s best three-point shooter Keith to perform, while he himself energetically engaged in running drills.


    Johnson discovered two more of Zhang Yang¡¯s strengths¡ª¡±shamelessness¡± and a sense of measure.


    During this match, Zhang Yang played continuously until the game ended.


    Johnson increased the time DeRozan and Tatum played together to let them build chemistry. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With both of them on at the same time, the similarly tall Zhang Yang had to be substituted off naturally.


    Although Zhang Yang was very talented, for now, those two were considered by the coaching staff to be the future dual cores of the main team.


    The playing styles of the two were compatible; Tatum was good at breaking through, and although DeRozan was also good at penetration, he excelled more at shooting.


    There were conditions for them to make the game easier for each other¡ªthey just lacked understanding.


    Therefore, they needed to play together more to develop that chemistry.


    As for the competition between them, main team players Afflalo and Hip had been competing since the 9th grade and had risen together into the national top hundred, getting stronger continuously¡ªhealthy competition within the team was beneficial.


    The match wasn¡¯t suspenseful; Compton High School¡¯s junior varsity team defeated St.


    George High School¡¯s varsity team with a score of 111 to 69, winning this warm-up match.


    Today Zhang Yang only played for 23 minutes, but he scored more points than the previous game, scoring 21 points with 2 field goals, 3 layups in set plays, 4 counter-attack points, and 3 free throws, plus 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, showcasing his physical abilities.


    Today, fewer people came to watch the game at Allen Sports Arena; only about half of the seats were filled.


    After the previous game, the performance of the ¡°Number One Junior High Student¡± disappointed many, and the school newspaper questioned the decision of the basketball coaching staff to let the junior varsity team participate in the Southern California League, resulting in a significant drop in the enthusiasm of the students to watch the junior varsity team¡¯s games.


    They did not expect today¡¯s victory to be so effortless!


    Those who watched the last game could clearly see the improvement in the players¡¯ teamwork!


    Moreover, they discovered that a genius suddenly emerged on the junior varsity team!


    Tatum, Miller, and Keith had already made a name for themselves among the school¡¯s basketball enthusiasts when they played in the freshman team competitions in the 9th grade.


    DeRozan was already well-known as the top junior high school player in Southern California.


    Zhang Yang, who scored 21 points, seemed to have popped out of nowhere.


    Many students wanted to know who this mysterious Eastern boy was¡­ especially the female students¡­


    ¡­


    The next day, a new week began, and Zhang Yang had another 6 days of leveling up time.


    He deeply realized the accuracy of the phrase, ¡°actual combat plus training is the best way to improve one¡¯s skills.¡±


    For a player like him, whose basics were not solid, training was the main thing.


    He had learned counterattack advancement from Tatum over the weekend and had also put it into practice during the game; he knew where he needed to focus on improving.


    Because of his shaky fundamentals, he needed a lot of patient training.


    If, like the freshman and varsity teams, he had two matches a week, he truly felt that there wouldn¡¯t be enough time.


    The deficiencies discovered in the last game might not even have begun to be addressed before the next game arrived, and then other issues would be discovered, continually accumulating.


    Problems didn¡¯t just arise from playing in matches; they were always there, but being exposed brought pressure.


    When issues built up to a certain level, one might feel like giving up.


    Moderate pressure is best.


    That¡¯s why high school coaches constantly complain about the reform of the first-division league schedule, which doesn¡¯t allow players any chance to rest once the league starts, with a game every two or three days.


    However, a tight schedule for the freshman team is reasonable.


    These days, Zhang Yang had noticed that among the 9th-grade freshman players, there were only one or two who, like DeRozan, would seriously practice their fundamentals every day.


    There was a white power forward named Alfred Aboya who had successfully caught the attention of the coaching staff, and Zhang Yang often saw Thomas watching the younger student¡¯s training.


    Most freshmen, thinking highly of themselves because they were the stars of their middle schools, did not realize their actual level.


    These players could only be trained through games and be shown that they aren¡¯t as good as they think, unless they are exceptional like DeRozan, who could skip the freshman team phase directly.


    After a year, the dozen or so who performed well would be selected for the junior varsity team, recognizing their shortcomings and willing to seriously practice fundamentals and tactics.


    At the same time, it prepares them for playing supporting roles¡­


    even in high school, it¡¯s quite merciless.


    Of course, if someone shows traits fitting the junior varsity team¡¯s needs early on, the coaching staff would move them up ahead of time.


    Classes, practicing ball control, shooting, counter-attacks¡­


    Several ¡°clangs¡± and days pass, and the date is August 29th, Friday.


    Today is a day off for the whole of Compton High School as it¡¯s the school¡¯s anniversary.


    Being a century-old high school, the 111th anniversary celebration is bustling.


    Performing and such was unrelated to Zhang Yang; girls in his class had invited him to perform with them, but he declined, considering it a waste of time to practice.


    During the first week of school, Zhang Yang could only talk to the girls in his class since the boys were rather cold to him, this transfer student.


    Those in his class had been competing from a young age, and relations would have been easier to establish if he had entered high school at the same time as them.


    But for someone joining midway, it would take more time to build rapport.


    Therefore, it was the more superficial girls who took the initiative to talk to him, but this only caused the boys to be colder to him¡­


    until they found out he was a member of the school¡¯s junior varsity team.


    For high school students, the three biggest hobbies are gaming, chasing celebrities, and sports.


    For Zhang Yang¡¯s classmates, gaming was a poison, they restrained themselves from celebrity-worship, but sports were different.


    Parents, teachers, and even the students themselves thought it was healthy and beneficial, and having a formal team member from classes A and B was a rare feat.


    When the second week¡¯s school newspaper reported that someone from the ¡®top class¡¯ had joined the basketball junior varsity team, his male classmates became curious about him and started contacting this rare ¡®top class¡¯ sports talent.


    Zhang Yang wasn¡¯t the aloof type like DeRozan; he was good at conversing and enjoyed making friends.


    Though not yet close with his classmates, he could chat away with them.


    Although he didn¡¯t participate in the performance, on such a festive day, he still went to join the fun.


    The school anniversary performance was in the afternoon, and Zhang Yang first went to the practice court to play ball after arriving at school in the morning.


    As expected, DeRozan was also at the practice court.


    And unexpectedly, he saw a spherical guy!


    Seeing Zhang Yang look over, Harden enthusiastically greeted him, ¡°Hi, Jack, heard you made the junior varsity team?


    Haha, we can play against each other the day after tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Long time no see, James,¡± Zhang Yang greeted back and asked curiously, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to arrive the morning after tomorrow?


    How come you¡¯re here today?¡±


    Compton High School¡¯s junior varsity team is set to play against Harden¡¯s Lynwood High School junior varsity team this weekend.


    This season, Lynwood High School, like Compton High School, had its junior varsity team signed up for the Southern California league.


    Before Harden could reply, DeRozan answered, ¡°This guy heard about our school anniversary performance and took today off.


    He ran back yesterday afternoon and got a spanking from his mom.¡±


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 Chapter 37 - 37 36

    ?37: 36.


    Heartbroken Harden 37: 36.


    Heartbroken Harden ¡°¡­¡± Zhang Yang smacked his lips, but couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°Taking time off to see another school¡¯s celebration, James, you might as well transfer back.¡±


    Harden waved his hand indifferently and said, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, just a beating.


    I¡¯ve been beaten up since I was a kid.¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°That¡¯s true, you do look like you can take a beating.¡±


    ¡°???¡± DeRozan exclaimed angrily, ¡°Is that the point?¡±


    He had thought Zhang Yang would scold Harden a bit, considering he was a year older and should act a bit like an upperclassman.


    But it turned out this guy really was only thinking about teasing!


    Understanding what DeRozan meant, Zhang Yang spread his hands, well¡­


    cough cough, and said, ¡°He¡¯s already taken time off to come back and has already been beaten by his mom, what else can we do?


    Should the two of us beat him up again to teach him a lesson?¡±


    Harden was shocked.


    Was this something a friend would say?


    DeRozan was speechless and seeing Harden sneakily move two steps to the side made him even more speechless.


    One took it seriously just like that.


    After some commotion, the three began their practice.


    After a while, Harden quit, saying to the others, ¡°I skip class to come back and train with you guys?


    You¡¯re going too far!¡±


    DeRozan coolly replied, ¡°Was it me who asked you to skip class?¡±


    Harden looked aggrieved.


    Zhang Yang laughed and said, ¡°Then let¡¯s not practice today.


    DeMar, missing one morning of practice won¡¯t hurt.


    Let¡¯s take James for a walk around the school, then go to the supermarket to buy some groceries, and I¡¯ll cook lunch.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± DeRozan agreed without hesitation.


    Harden: ???


    Seeing his friend¡¯s mournful expression, DeRozan coughed twice and asked, ¡°Jack, is it convenient?


    Will it interfere with the coach?¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°The coach has to attend a school event today, he won¡¯t be home at noon, so we don¡¯t need to worry about disturbing him.¡±


    DeRozan nodded in agreement.


    The three finished their practice and, after making a round through the school, went to the supermarket together to buy groceries.


    After buying groceries, both DeRozan and Harden offered to chip in, and Zhang Yang didn¡¯t play the big shot, accepting the money.


    Back at the coach¡¯s house, Zhang Yang began to arrange lunch.


    He liked the feeling of cooking.


    When he cooked, he felt calm because it required focus, or he would cut his hand.


    But today, his mood was not beautiful.


    He was happy when his two buddies said they would help, but DeRozan butchered the beef and Harden made a mess of the potatoes.


    After chasing these two out of the kitchen, Zhang Yang finally felt a bit better.


    Looking at the ruined beef and potatoes, Zhang Yang sighed, changed knives, changed the dish; beef stewed with potatoes became stir-fried beef and mashed potatoes.


    Putting things right after they¡¯d been made a mess of lifted Zhang Yang¡¯s spirits again.


    The three had a delightful lunch.


    Harden and DeRozan just had to spend a bit on ingredients, didn¡¯t have to do anything, and got to enjoy a delicious meal, so of course, they were happy, and Zhang Yang, seeing others enjoy the food he made, was also pleased.


    Harden leaned back in his chair and let out a burp, eliciting disgust from DeRozan sitting beside him.


    Feeling the gaze of his friend, Harden let out another burp and, seeing his friend¡¯s clenched fist on the table, his mood lightened.


    He liked to tease DeRozan¡¯s nerves, as this buddy was too reclusive and not fond of showing emotion.


    He hoped DeRozan would become livelier.


    After teasing DeRozan for a bit, Harden remembered something and said to the two, ¡°DeMar, Jack, it¡¯s my birthday tomorrow, you both have to come, okay?¡±


    ¡°Birthday tomorrow?¡± Zhang Yang was puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t you already have your birthday?


    On the 26th, DeMar felt so regretful, saying that it was the first time in eight years he didn¡¯t spend your birthday with you.¡±


    DeRozan wanted to kick Zhang Yang.


    He was also curious and wanted to ask, but that last part was superfluous.


    Harden answered, ¡°Isn¡¯t our team going to Compton to play a warm-up match against you guys this weekend?


    After my mom heard about it, she decided to make up for my birthday on Saturday¡­


    Oh right, DeMar, Jack, you guys can invite teammates you¡¯re close with too.


    My mom said the more the merrier.¡±


    DeRozan said, ¡°I don¡¯t really have any teammates I¡¯m very close to, forget it.¡±


    Harden was speechless for a moment, then asked Zhang Yang, ¡°Jack, what about you?


    You should have some teammates you¡¯re on good terms with, right?¡±


    Was this an attempt to help DeRozan bond with his teammates?


    Zhang Yang guessed what Harden was thinking and sighed at how strong their friendship was, with Harden going to great lengths for DeRozan.


    Zhang Yang suggested, ¡°DeMar, why not invite Carmelo and Kevin?


    You seem to get along with them pretty well, especially Carmelo.


    He¡¯s like your mental shadow, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Who gets along with him?¡± DeRozan contradicted on the spot, but he didn¡¯t refuse.


    Harden asked curiously, ¡°DeMar¡¯s mental shadow?


    Do you have someone that formidable on your reserve team?


    Or is it someone from the main team?¡±


    Zhang Yang told him about how Tatum challenges DeRozan one-on-one two or three times every day.


    Harden couldn¡¯t help but laugh, and seeing DeRozan¡¯s face turn even darker, he laughed even harder.


    ¡­


    After resting for a while, Zhang Yang got ready to clean up the dinner table and kitchen but was chased away by his two pals.


    DeRozan and Harden might not know how to cook, but they were used to doing miscellaneous chores since they were kids, and they did it better than Zhang Yang.


    The kitchen countertop, stove, range hood¡­


    all wiped to a sparkling clean, even more meticulously than Zhang Yang did.


    After cleaning up, the three went to the school to watch Compton High School¡¯s 111th-anniversary performance.


    Truth be told, while Compton High¡¯s academic performance wasn¡¯t impressive, they seemed to excel in everything unrelated to academics.


    In sports, they were top three in Southern California, only behind Inglewood High and California High in yearly overall performances.


    As for singing, dancing, and such, they were pretty impressive, and even the drama performances were quite good to watch.


    All in all, the trip hadn¡¯t been a waste¡ªit was much better than the Christmas celebration performance held at Zhang Yang¡¯s mid-mountain high school when he was in 9th grade.


    As the performance was coming to an end, Zhang Yang took his two pals to ask their teammates.


    He had looked around during the intermission of the show and had already found out where Miller and Tatum were.


    Miller gladly accepted Harden¡¯s invitation and then enthusiastically started chatting with Harden, the prodigy from Lynwood High School, making Harden feel unexpectedly honored. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He wasn¡¯t like DeRozan, a well-known talent since childhood.


    It was only after he grew taller in the past two years that he began to attract the attention of some high school coaches, and since he had always been DeRozan¡¯s teammate, even after he gained strength, apart from those professional coaches, not many people paid attention to him.


    But he didn¡¯t care; all that mattered was how pleasant this guy was to talk to.


    Watching this, Zhang Yang guessed that this teammate wanted to use the courtesy shown to him and DeRozan¡¯s friend to foster a more positive impression.


    Pure people-pleasing personality.


    Dealing with people with such a character can become tiring over time unless you intend to take advantage of them.


    These kinds of people appear to get along with everyone but have a hard time making genuine friends.


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t mean to use Miller nor had any intent to correct Miller¡¯s personality; he wasn¡¯t a psychologist.


    On their school team, Miller was one of the few with both excellent basketball ability and character.


    As long as they didn¡¯t get too close it wouldn¡¯t feel exhausting to interact, and being ordinary friends was quite nice.


    After idle chat with Miller, Zhang Yang led the two to find Tatum, and to his surprise, the guy who nearly pestered DeRozan every day actually turned down the invitation.


    Zhang Yang asked inquisitively, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just ask us yesterday to train together tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I was free tomorrow, but then my brother Jason heard our school was having an anniversary performance and cried about wanting to watch it, so his mom had to bring him over.


    She won¡¯t be back to pick him up until Sunday evening, so I have to take care of him.¡± As Tatum spoke, he pointed towards the kid beside him.


    Zhang Yang looked over at little Jason.


    He had noticed the kid earlier but hadn¡¯t connected him with Tatum because their skin tones were quite different.


    He hadn¡¯t realized that was Tatum¡¯s brother¡­


    wait a second, Jason?


    Jason Tatum?


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 Chapter 38 - 38 37

    ?38: 37.


    Outstanding people always cluster together.


    38: 37.


    Outstanding people always cluster together.


    Seeing Zhang Yang stare at little Jason, Tatum asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s up, Jack?


    Is there something wrong with Jason?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang glanced at Tatum, then back at little Jason, looking back and forth several times before saying, ¡°Is he really your brother?


    You and he, this¡­¡±


    Although Zhang Yang didn¡¯t finish his sentence, Tatum understood.


    It wasn¡¯t just Zhang Yang who questioned this; Tatum was dark as coal, while his brother wasn¡¯t exactly pale but wasn¡¯t very dark either.


    Tatum exclaimed angrily, ¡°Can¡¯t half-brothers count?!¡±


    Zhang Yang replied, ¡°Right, you just mentioned that his mom is coming to pick him up on Sunday.¡±


    Tatum, holding his chest and panting, tried to stay calm.


    Getting worked up could harm his health and might cost him his starting position.


    The guy in front of him had improved too quickly.


    He had only taught him fast breaks last week, and by yesterday¡¯s team training, he already had a good handle on it.


    After teasing Tatum, Zhang Yang suggested, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you just bring little Jason along?


    You want to go too, don¡¯t you, Jason?


    James, can we add little Jason?¡±


    Little Jason, with eager eyes on the group, nodded his head at lightning speed.


    He didn¡¯t know who the chubby guy was, but Zhang Yang and DeRozan were the talented teammates his brother always complained about.


    Harden had no objections; the more kids, the merrier.


    Seeing Tatum still hesitant, Zhang Yang said, ¡°You need to take care of your brother, right?


    You gotta take him out to eat.


    If you join James¡¯s birthday party, you¡¯ll even save on the meal.¡±


    Tatum immediately responded, ¡°I¡¯m in!¡±


    Little Jason: ¡°¡­¡±


    Undoubtedly his real brother.


    After dealing with those two, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t invite anyone else.


    Although Harden said the more the merrier, it was enough for him and DeRozan to bring one each.


    More would seem presumptuous.


    However, he hadn¡¯t expected DeRozan and Tatum to have such a connection.


    Zhang Yang remembered that when DeRozan revealed his depression later on, Tatum, who had just finished his rookie season, repeatedly publicly supported DeRozan, saying he would always support his good brother.


    When he saw the news, he was quite puzzled ¨C the two were a decade apart in age, one just finished his rookie season, and they didn¡¯t play on the same team.


    How could they be good brothers?


    So, it turns out, he was the younger brother of the strongest teammate on the high school team¡­


    Currently, Tatum is definitely DeRozan¡¯s strongest teammate on the reserve team.


    ¡­


    The next morning, Thomas drove Zhang Yang to Harden¡¯s house nearby.


    Four players going to the party was something that could promote team friendship, so of course, he supported it.


    Zhang Yang initially wanted to take the bus, but Thomas volunteered to drive him there.


    Unlike DeRozan, who lived in a cheap apartment, Harden bought a detached house in the suburbs last year.


    The location couldn¡¯t compare to Thomas¡¯s home, but it was still decent.


    Having known him for so long, Zhang Yang also knew a bit about Harden¡¯s family situation.


    Life before he was 8 years old was pretty tough for Harden.


    He had two older brothers and was raised solely by his mom.


    As far back as he could remember, his dad was in and out of jail for drug abuse, theft, robbery, drug dealing¡­ and other crimes.


    Finally, his dad abandoned his wife and three sons and ran off.


    It was only after his mom struggled to raise the three children and his oldest brother Rodryia started working as a successful barber at 8 that their lives gradually improved.


    When Harden¡¯s second brother Roberson finished college and became the quarterback for a minor league football club in the Bay Area, three out of the four family members were working, and their lives steadily got better.


    DeRozan chose to stay at Compton High School for several reasons: he wanted to stay with his parents, the Compton High School men¡¯s basketball team had just won third in California, and the coaching staff was strong.


    But another reason was money.


    Harden¡¯s preference for the big city was a personal taste, and being able to attend Lynwood High School was because his family could afford it.


    Following the address numbers, Zhang Yang found Harden¡¯s home and saw a flamboyant red sports car parked in the yard.


    DeRozan, Harden, Tatum, Miller, little Jason, and several unfamiliar fourteen-or fifteen-year-old teenagers were surrounding a man in a suit, looking very excited.


    The man was shorter than DeRozan, Tatum, and the others.


    Zhang Yang couldn¡¯t see his face clearly, catching only a glimpse of his hairstyle ¡ª dreadlocks.


    On closer inspection¡­


    wow!


    Zhang Yang¡¯s mind instantly conjured up the image.


    ¡°Why is Tyronn Lue here?


    I didn¡¯t hear Harden say that this NBA player would come to the birthday party!¡±


    With Harden¡¯s personality, if he could invite an NBA player, he would have boasted about it to me already.


    Zhang Yang walked into the courtyard and greeted, ¡°James, sorry, I¡¯m late.¡±


    The young lads were all focused on the NBA player and only realized someone had arrived when they heard the voice.


    Tatum spoke up first, ¡°Jack, why did you come so late?


    We were just waiting for you.¡±


    Zhang Yang guessed the situation and responded, ¡°There was no training scheduled for today; I practiced free throws for two hours this morning, so I left home a bit late.¡±


    Tatum walked over, put his arm around Zhang Yang¡¯s shoulder, and said, ¡°Jack, this is my uncle Tyronn; he came to see his nephew, who was just in town to hang out.


    He heard we were going to James¡¯s birthday party, so he gave us a ride.¡±


    Zhang Yang figured as much¡ªthe guy had an NBA player in the family and wanted to show off.


    He didn¡¯t expect that DeRozan, having just started high school, would already have connections with NBA players, albeit indirectly¡­


    But it seemed normal.


    A talented guy like DeRozan could still hang out with high schoolers who were definitely basketball prodigies, so getting to know NBA players through some twists and turns wasn¡¯t so surprising.


    Tyronn Lue looked at his smug nephew and felt embarrassed, but since he was already there, he had to save face for his nephew.


    He also took the initiative to reach out to Zhang Yang and said, ¡°So you¡¯re Jack, the super-talented kid Carmelo was talking about? S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hi, I¡¯m Tyronn; I think you know who I am.¡±


    Why does it feel like it¡¯s Tatum¡¯s birthday and Tyronn Lue is adding to the ambiance?


    However, the host didn¡¯t seem unhappy; on the contrary, he looked excited¡­


    Zhang Yang silently criticized, shook hands with Tyronn Lue, and said, ¡°Mr.


    Lue, I¡¯m Jack, nice to meet you¡­


    I¡¯m a big fan of Allen Iverson.¡±


    Shoot, I still couldn¡¯t resist.


    But Tatum just rolled his eyes, as he and his family often teased his uncle in the same way.


    ¡°I also like Allen Iverson, and this hairstyle was done for him,¡± Tyronn Lue said with a smile, pointing to his own head and easily defusing the awkwardness.


    There¡¯s no point in being upset with a kid.


    Having learned from his unlucky nephew that Zhang Yang was the last to arrive, Tyronn Lue finished his face-saving role, told the kids to work hard at playing basketball because the NBA was waiting for them, and left first.


    After Tyronn Lue left, all the young ones gathered around Tatum, asking about Tyronn Lue.


    This is a living NBA player, though Tyronn Lue is most memorably known for being stepped over by Iverson.


    But first, one must make it to the NBA, and even more, get the chance to play on the finals stage.


    The kids were also envious of Tyronn Lue¡¯s career, being able to join the NBA and play with the OK duo, spending the past two years with Jordan, and joining the Magic this summer to play alongside the new scoring champion McGrady¡­


    Of course, Zhang Yang wasn¡¯t one of the kids crowding around; he handed over the gift he was carrying in his left hand to Harden: ¡°James, happy birthday.¡±


    Seeing its shape, Harden said, ¡°A baseball bat?


    Thank you, Jack.


    By the way, you used to play baseball, right?


    Next time I come back, the three of us could go play baseball for fun.¡±


    Zhang Yang agreed; he knew from DeRozan that DeRozan and Harden also quite liked playing baseball as kids, although they weren¡¯t very good at it.


    But neither was he, Jack, so they might as well plan to play together for fun.


    Now that everyone was there, Harden called his friends and his friends¡¯ friends inside.


    His mother had prepared a lot of snacks, pastries, and drinks, and Harden brought out his deluxe Ludo game.


    They all played together, and the shadow of a future club prince could already be seen.


    The party was a great success with everyone enjoying themselves.


    Tatum and Miller attended as friends of DeRozan, and with this, DeRozan officially accepted the two as friends.


    Harden¡¯s goal for the party was thus achieved.


    And then there was little Jason, this 5-year-old kid who admired ¡®Southern California¡¯s number one junior high student¡¯ DeRozan very much.


    It just so happened that his favorite NBA star was also Kobe.


    Despite the nine-year age gap, the two had quite a good chat¡­


    Asking for monthly votes, asking for recommendation tickets!

 Chapter 39 - 39 38

    ?39: 38.


    Got stimulated 39: 38.


    Got stimulated A pleasant day passed, and at 3 p.m.


    on the next day, the match between the Compton High School reserve team and the Lynwood High School reserve team began.


    The overall talent at Lynwood High School was superior to Compton, with players like Miller, Aboya, and Keith, who were top talents nurtured by Compton High School, being a common sight at Lynwood.


    Lynwood, which was connected to Los Angeles, had unique advantages in attracting talented middle schoolers.


    The roster spots for official teams at Inglewood High School and California High School were limited, so ambitious talents who couldn¡¯t secure a guaranteed spot would often opt for Lynwood High School or Santa Monica Middle School, which were still part of Los Angeles.


    However, when it came to recruiting top-tier talent from middle school, Lynwood High School faced challenges.


    Those prodigies wanted to go to Los Angeles, and Inglewood High School and California High School wouldn¡¯t miss out.


    Even the top middle schoolers from Lynwood preferred those two schools.


    Therefore, the Lynwood High School reserve team didn¡¯t have any players who could compare to DeRozan or Tatum.


    At the time, Harden was not yet seen as a top-level talent by Lynwood High School¡¯s coaching staff.


    He had only begun to stand out in his last two years of middle school, and his talent had not fully manifested.


    In the reserve team, he was responsible for catching and shooting from the corner, a role similar to that of James Keith.


    Both teams consisted of 9th and 10th-grade players.


    Against their peers, DeRozan and Tatum had a significant advantage in personal ability.


    They took turns leading their team to attack, making the group of top-talented players on the opposing side feel overwhelmed.


    In the first quarter alone, they led by 35 to 18, a 17-point advantage, essentially breaking the game open.


    In fact, the Lynwood High School coaching staff didn¡¯t need to do much.


    Although few top-tier middle school talents joined them, their overall talent was still better than most CIF Division I schools.


    They just needed to train the 9th and 10th-grade players in the most ordinary way, allowing them to level up in lower-level leagues.


    By the time they reached the 11th and 12th grades, many could still stand out, and their strength wouldn¡¯t be inferior in Division I schools¡­


    but their coaching staff had a desire to prove themselves and often engaged in daring strategies.


    Just like this season, when they saw the Compton High School reserve team register for the Southern California league, they signed up too.


    The Compton High School reserve team had DeRozan and Tatum as key players, along with Zhang Yang helping to harmonize tactics.


    After two games, their strength was no longer at the bottom, whereas Lynwood High School¡­


    was performing worse than Compton High School did in the first half of their first game.


    *For Harden, the result of the first game was unacceptable, the second game struck a chord, and by the third game, he was numb.*


    *He had thought about turning the tide, but right now, all he could do was drive in for layups and shoot three-pointers from the corner, so he chose to grind and practice.*


    *It was his nature.


    Ever since he started playing basketball, he¡¯d had a big brother stronger than all his peers watching his back, and he¡¯d never thought of taking the lead role.*


    *Yet tonight, he was still stimulated¡ªhad Jack really improved so quickly?*


    About a month ago, when they were playing street basketball together, Zhang Yang in Harden¡¯s eyes was still just a newcomer to basketball, albeit with high basketball IQ.


    Now, Zhang Yang was already capable of long-distance possession, making a thunderous dunk over his center teammate Derek Glass!


    The match held little suspense, as Compton High School trounced Lynwood High School.


    Harden scored 15 points, which was quite good for a pure catch-and-shoot player with few ball-handling opportunities, including the most three-pointers in the game¡ªthree.


    However, Zhang Yang scored 18 points¡­


    For the first time in many years of playing basketball, Harden felt a stir of unwillingness.


    In his mind, the ranking among himself, DeRozan, and Zhang Yang was based on strength: DeRozan was the big brother, he was the second, and Zhang Yang was the third.


    *But now the third brother was soon to become the second!*


    *He had originally said he was worried about Zhang Yang surpassing him just off the cuff, but the third brother was actually serious!*


    *He really needed to work hard now!*


    ¡­


    ¡°Jack!


    Next time we meet, my score will definitely be higher than yours!¡±


    These were the words Harden left for Zhang Yang before getting on the bus leaving Compton High School.


    Zhang Yang, during the game, was just doing his best to score and make more shots.


    His tactical role was just that.


    Playing this way not only improved his practical abilities and tested his skills, but it also maximized his contribution to the team¡­


    Who knew it would stimulate Harden?


    For this, he was very hopeful!


    *If Harden¡¯s ambition kept growing during his student days, then would he still be willing to be a sidekick or a sixth man when teaming up with the Backpack and Gui Gui in the future?*


    *As a viewer in front of the TV, Zhang Yang would feel regret for the dissolution of the Thunder¡¯s Three Young Masters.


    But as a friend, when he reconsidered the Thunder¡¯s Three Young Masters¡­


    it did seem like Harden was living too aggrievedly.*


    *In terms of talent, the future king wouldn¡¯t be inferior to those two.*


    *Since competitiveness and motivation could be stimulated, then keep stimulating young Deng Deng!*


    *Therefore, Jack also had to work hard to improve his strength, striving for the next match to still have a higher score than Harden, as he had his own advantage¡ªsecuring benefits for himself within the tactics.*


    Classes, training¡­


    another week passed.


    This week, the training items didn¡¯t increase, including layups, shooting from the free-throw line, basic dribble penetration, and pushing the ball in a fast break, just these.


    He made this decision in line with the team¡¯s actual situation, to first master the current playing style.


    After playing three consecutive home games, the away games arrived.


    On September 7, the Compton High School reserve team went to Redondo Beach City to play a warm-up match against the main team of Harbor High School.


    Zhang Yang, DeRozan, Tatum, Miller¡­


    everyone worked hard, but they ultimately lost with a score of 88 to 106.


    Tatum, in the final moments, played bravely, scoring his first three-pointer in four games and narrowing the deficit to within 20 points.


    Harbor High School was a regular in the top eight of the Southern California league.


    For the 14- to 16-year-old ¡®kids¡¯ of the Compton High School reserve team, the strength was a bit overwhelming, and they suffered quite a bit.


    However, Johnson thought it was great.


    The psychological quality of the main players in this year¡¯s reserves was good, and the look in their eyes after losing was really excellent.


    Winning boosts confidence, and losing adds motivation. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For players with heart, the reasons to work hard could be found easily, and Zhang Yang was just like that.


    Continue training and keep shooting bricks!


    A few days later, on September 12, Friday, as the week came to an end, around 4 p.m., at the Allen Gymnasium basketball court, Zhang Yang was practicing free throws.


    He really had good talent in skills and shooting.


    After more than a month, his free throw level had already caught up with¡­


    O¡¯Neal.


    The current goal was to surpass O¡¯Neal and Duncan in free-throw shooting.


    You couldn¡¯t aim to surpass Nash or Curry from the start, it had to be done step by step.


    After completing a set of 100 free throws, the Gate of Trials appeared before him.


    ¡°Accumulated 20,000 Shooting Value, reward obtained: Stamina Talent Increase +1.¡±


    The first task, accumulating 10,000 Shooting Value, took twenty-five or six days.


    The second task, accumulating 20,000 Shooting Value, took just over 30 days.


    The daily training time was about the same, maybe slightly less.


    The Shooting Value from playing games was currently just a minor part¡­


    Building a foundation patiently turned out to be the right choice.


    The words on the door quickly changed again¡ª


    ¡°Optional tasks open:


    Ordinary task: Accumulate 10,000 Shooting Value.


    Reward: Quickly learn basic off-ball running in a short time.


    Advanced task: Before Christmas, accumulate 100,000 Shooting Value, upon completion, the second trial opens.


    Note: The official trial allows selecting tasks of different difficulties, corresponding to different difficulty rewards.¡±

 Chapter 40 - 40 39

    ?40: 39.


    Definitely learn the best 40: 39.


    Definitely learn the best Choose the ordinary or the advanced?


    It depends on how much money you have in your pocket¡­


    darn, it depends on the actual situation.


    If there¡¯s no other choice, the ordinary tasks are not bad either; they don¡¯t require spending time and energy on Basic Running Position.


    Now that there are more attractive advanced tasks, his thoughts have changed.


    In the reserve team¡¯s two to three weekly team training sessions, they teach Basic Running Position.


    It¡¯s not difficult, nor does it involve much skill; by following the team¡¯s training, one can slowly but surely get it right.


    The reserve team certainly doesn¡¯t lack training time.


    But advanced tasks come with risks.


    Zhang Yang calculated that from August 10 to September 12, it took him 33 days to accumulate 20,000 Shooting Value.


    Now, with nearly three and a half months until Christmas, based on the past month¡¯s efficiency, he can guarantee at least 70,000 Shooting Value.


    The more he practiced, the more accurate his shooting became; both training and match Shooting Values would increase, so the Shooting Value he could accumulate in three and a half months would definitely be higher than 70,000.


    The risk lies in whether the progress speed can meet the expectations?


    After all, there¡¯s no telling when a bottleneck might arrive.


    Just like DeRozan, he has been struggling with his mid-range shots, showing no significant improvement for a while.


    Zhang Yang comforted him, saying that if he is stuck in a bottleneck with his mid-range shots, then he should shift his training focus to three-pointers and layups.


    DeRozan is from the honors class, smarter; he readily agreed.


    However, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t hesitate for long before decisively choosing the advanced task.


    Pressure brings motivation!


    After making up his mind, the task bar changed; the description for the ordinary tasks disappeared, leaving only the task to accumulate 100,000 Shooting Value before Christmas.


    The displayed value for Shooting Value also changed to 21/100000.


    Closing the Gate of Trials, Zhang Yang continued to train, that folk song from Eastern Europe, what tune are those chords¡­?


    On Saturday, after a month of intensive training, the 11th and 12th grade players officially finalized the ten main players and five reserve players, creating a new main lineup centered around Afflalo and Hip.


    That afternoon, the coaching staff took the reserve team to play an internal match against the main team; that 20-minute game was brutal.


    The players of the main team¡­


    no, they were not just players, they struck mercilessly at their juniors, almost bursting into evil laughter.


    Consequently, the next day, when the reserve team visited San Diego Preacher High School, under the leadership of Zhang Yang and Tatum, they transformed into mad dogs, fiercely attacking their opponents and biting them to death, with DeRozan playing explosively¡­ Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The crazed Compton High School reserve team crushed the stronger main team of Preacher High School 114-86.


    DeRozan scored 31 points, Zhang Yang 13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks, Tatum 15 points, 9 assists, 3 steals, Miller 15 points¡­


    Seeing the performance of the players, Johnson thought that pulling the reserve team to spar with the main team could be a regular thing!


    Apart from erupting in rage after being ¡®bullied¡¯ by the main team, another thing about the reserve team pleased Johnson¡ªthe team managed to operate several basic tactics normally in the fifth warm-up game, cutting the initially anticipated necessary time by more than half.


    Having a field commander is really great!


    Johnson felt that the reserve team was ready to move to the next stage.


    ¡­


    As the team was considering making changes, Zhang Yang was also starting to make changes.


    The next day, Monday, life for Zhang Yang was as usual; attending classes, training, and during the noon break, he went fishing with DeRozan and Tatum.


    After he starting dribbling, Zhang Yang enjoyed playing Streetball during lunch breaks and became known as the ghost of the Compton High School playground.


    When Tatum played Streetball, he liked to take it easy, keeping everyone happy.


    When DeRozan played, he enjoyed creating challenges when there were none, always leaving the opponent with hope.


    Zhang Yang was different; he preferred playing in the simplest way, practicing body coordination with the help of his classmates.


    Even so, they never lacked opponents.


    When the three of them played Streetball together, a crowd lined up to challenge them.


    There was no lack of players as Tatum feared.


    By the afternoon and after the evening meal, a change occurred in Zhang Yang¡ª he added an hour to his shooting training time.


    Having to collect 100,000 Shooting Value in less than three and a half months put a lot of pressure on him; he decided to push himself by trying to increase his training time, specifically how much based on his body¡¯s feedback.


    While making full use of each day, he was mindful of its impact on his body, a lesson learned from time management expert Steve Nash.


    A week passed quickly, and after a few days of experimentation, Zhang Yang confirmed that adding one hour of training time was the right choice.


    Adding an hour and a half or two hours made him noticeably tired the next day, affecting his class performance and training efficiency.


    By Saturday, changes within the team had occurred.


    Johnson moved 9th-grade freshman Alfred Aboya and Sam Smith to the reserve team.


    Aboya, 15 years old, 206 cm tall, a white power forward with good one-on-one skills, decent mobility, and good strength, but lacks explosiveness and jumping ability.


    Sam Smith, a 15-year-old, 180 cm tall point guard whose speed is not particularly fast, typical for his stature, with the advantage of long-range shooting.


    As new players came in, naturally some had to leave, but those eliminated from the reserve team were not the weakest; they were the two least enthusiastic about training.


    Besides those few with top-notch talent, the skill levels of the other players on the reserve team weren¡¯t much different.


    Over the course of more than a month, Zhang Yang noticed changes in his teammates.


    Tatum had moved from relying solely on his physicality and breakthroughs to enduring daily technical training.


    Talent is a cruel thing; despite Tatum¡¯s efforts, not only had the gap with DeRozan not narrowed, but it had even widened incrementally because DeRozan was not only more talented but also worked harder than Tatum.


    However, Tatum was not discouraged but instead became more determined, spending more and more time on the training court.


    Such a person, even if he ultimately doesn¡¯t become a professional player, switching to another industry, he would not fare badly.


    But not everyone was as resilient as Tatum.


    Some reserve team players realized after the new season that they were no longer the stars of the team like in junior high.


    They accepted reality but still harbored a passion for basketball.


    Others couldn¡¯t accept the reality of becoming secondary players, and without the courage to compete with the top players like Tatum, their training grew increasingly sloppy¡­


    Zhang Yang saw shadows of Jones, Mels, and their cohort in these players.


    Zhang Yang did not think about ¡°correcting¡± his teammates¡¯ mindsets.


    How many high school players ultimately become professional?


    For most in the school team, basketball was just a hobby, similar to regular players of ¡°League of Legends¡± ¡ª continue striving if you love it; stop if you don¡¯t want to play anymore.


    Days passed, filled with classes, training, and a game every week.


    Zhang Yang lived a monotonous but fulfilling life, and within a blink, a month had passed, bringing them to October 12, Sunday.


    Last weekend, on the 5th, the reserve team played their last exhibition game; today, they would enter the league phase of the competition.


    The Southern California league consisted of 20 rounds, with one game played each week, either on Saturday or Sunday.


    Compton High School¡¯s reserve team¡¯s first opponent in the league was the same Redondo Beach City¡¯s Dock High School they had encountered in an exhibition game.


    At 10 am, both teams met at the Allen Gymnasium for the showdown.


    Compton High School¡¯s reserve team surprised the Dock High School players with their improved strength, catching them off guard in the opening phases.


    Compton High School¡¯s team coordination had improved significantly since a month ago, particularly the synergy between DeRozan and Tatum, with DeRozan playing from a high position and Tatum cutting in from the side after a block to receive the ball and attack or pass it off, creating shooting opportunities almost every time.


    This move, which Tatum learned from Zhang Yang, performed even better than Zhang Yang currently could.


    The personal skill improvement speed of Compton High¡¯s fourteen- and fifteen-year-old players also turned their seventeen- and eighteen-year-old counterparts from Dock High green with envy.


    However, Dock High managed a fierce comeback later in the game and successfully turned the tables on the score.


    Compton High fought hard but ultimately failed to secure their first victory of the league, losing to Dock High with a score of 104 to 111.


    The team was not willing to accept this.


    Johnson was quite satisfied though; in the exhibition game, Dock High hadn¡¯t played as earnestly, resulting in a more lopsided defeat for Compton High, with the biggest point difference reaching 30.


    A daring play during garbage time had only reduced the deficit to 18 points.


    This time, the improvement was significant, very significant.


    There was still a gap from the top 10 teams in the Southern California league, but they already had the capability to win against mid-tier teams.


    Zhang Yang, for his part, was also using ¡®improvement¡¯ to comfort a morose DeRozan after losing their first official high school game.


    The consolation wasn¡¯t very effective, and Zhang Yang did not continue to console him.


    He was frustrated with the loss himself and chose not to absorb more negative energy from DeRozan, believing that DeRozan would adjust well.


    Today, he played for 21 minutes, the same as before, maintaining a stable appearance as the team¡¯s third perimeter player, scoring 15 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 2 blocked shots.


    As his offensive role was straightforward and his skills enhanced, he played more comfortably, hence he began focusing more on defense during the games.


    Currently without much technique, his main strategy was to aggressively intercept and block shots ¡ª not recklessly, but rather learning through competitions.


    He wasn¡¯t in a rush to expand his techniques; he wanted to learn to do ¡®better¡¯.


    Before Christmas, he planned to continue his rigorous practice on ball-handling basics, shooting, and fast breaks, with a focus on mid-range shots.


    In this game, he took 13 shots, made 7, scoring on 4 layups, 2 dunks, and 1 mid-range shot, plus a free throw, securing a shooting value of 165.


    He checked the Gate of Trials, adding up this game¡¯s 165 shooting value, accumulating a total shooting value of 27,129.


    Today marked the 30th day of the task, and over this month, his shooting value accumulation rate had nearly improved by 40% compared to last month, with 2 months and 13 days left.


    Keep on shooting, keep on missing!


    Zhang Yang went over to the training court to continue practicing shooting, and teammates like DeRozan, Tatum, Aboya, Miller, and Keith also returned for extra training.


    Seeing these people, Zhang Yang still held a lot of confidence in his high school career, with a goal set for this phase ¡ª to become number one in California High School!


    Asking for monthly tickets, asking for recommendation tickets!

 Chapter 41 - 41 The new trial is about to begin

    ?41: The new trial is about to begin 41: The new trial is about to begin Autumn gave way to winter, and the comfort of California¡¯s early winter beds was devilish, eroding the will of the young men.


    But Zhang Yang still resisted the temptation of his warm bed every day, persisting in his training relentlessly.


    Persistence in hard practice is rewarding.


    By late October, Zhang Yang¡¯s free-throw accuracy had surpassed both O¡¯Neal and Duncan, marking a milestone in progress.


    However, by this time his free-throw improvement had hit a minor bottleneck, requiring a considerable amount of training time; given the current return on investment was not high, he increased the proportion of training for jump shots from five different angles at the free-throw line.


    The shooting training was progressing step by step, and his ball-handling skills were also continuously improving.


    When he played alongside DeRozan, he began to try going one-on-one at the top of the arc, experimenting with change-of-direction breakthroughs.


    Setting aside how well he played, let¡¯s just say he was bold¡ªas soon as he got a bit of practice in, he dared to try it in a game.


    After all, Johnson didn¡¯t stop him from playing this way and even arranged a sparring partner for him when he practiced his crossover moves.


    The rate at which he accumulated his shooting value also increased with the improvement of his shooting ability.


    From short-sleeved T-shirts to long-sleeved T-shirts, and then to needing a jacket when going out, by mid-November, Zhang Yang¡¯s shooting assessment value had successfully broken through 60.


    He had thought that passing and control would get an assessment value earlier; with violent drives to the basket and fast-break ball-handling, he had become very proficient.


    But to be honest, his shooting accuracy wasn¡¯t high after physical contests.


    He didn¡¯t expect that shooting would be the first to get an assessment value.


    But after giving it some thought, passing and control¡ªwell, he only had control!


    After all, his role on the team did not demand much of his passing; even when both teammates and he himself had opportunities, he preferred to take his own shots.


    This is high school basketball, where the overall level of shooting is not high, so it¡¯s quite normal to reach a passable level after a few months of hard work, and indeed, his shooting progress was quite fast, having surpassed Tatum in just a few months.


    In terms of ball-handling, guards who could make it into Compton High School¡¯s team all had excellent dribbling skills.


    Even Keith, who usually played as a spot-up shooter on the wing during team practice, could show off his flair when playing on the courts.


    However, limited by his insufficient physical confrontation and slower speed, he couldn¡¯t take on the role of the ball-handler in the team¡¯s official games.


    This meant that the overall level of ball-handling in high school was higher than that of shooting¡­


    much higher, to be precise.


    It also demonstrated the importance of physical attributes in competitive sports.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s ball-handhandling was inferior to Keith¡¯s, but he could rely on his top-tier high school physique to charge through the court during games.


    At the end of November, Thanksgiving.


    Zhang Yang tried roast turkey, understanding why such a meaty animal hadn¡¯t been bred on a large scale in his home country.


    It¡¯s still best to trust Zhang Qian¡¯s selection and Zheng He¡¯s precision.


    As time passed day by day, Zhang Yang¡¯s sophomore fall semester drew to a close.


    On December 20th, Saturday, at 3 p.m., Compton High School¡¯s reserve team started their 11th round of the league away game against their first warm-up match rival, the varsity team of Freedom Park College.


    Today, Freedom Park College¡¯s big shot, Ron Rod, experienced firsthand how cruel talent could be.


    Four months ago, the white post player called Miller was clearly not as strong as him, but in just a short four months, while Rod was still stronger, the gap had significantly narrowed, and Miller was now capable of competing against him in one-on-one.


    The Chinese exchange student who barely dared to dribble the ball four months ago was now excelling in fast breaks, making him the first choice for Compton High when they counter-attacked.


    It was quite clear to Rod that the Eastern pretty boy chose better fast-break routes than the dark-skinned head¡­


    Tatum was also quite despairing about this.


    When the Eastern pretty boy and the dark-skinned head played together, their pressing defense at the top of the arc surprised Rod¡­


    It was Tatum who, after seeing Zhang Yang transform into a mad dog on defense, followed suit.


    And ¡°the number one middle school student¡± truly lived up to the title of ¡®number one¡¯ this time¡­


    Initially, they had the upper hand in individual skill and were far ahead in team play, pressing Compton High School into submission.


    Now, they could only rely on team cooperation to barely hold their ground.


    Although Compton High School¡¯s reserve team had made significant tactical progress, compared to Freedom Park College¡¯s varsity team, they definitely still fell short.


    Looking just at tactical coordination, Freedom Park College¡¯s varsity team might not even be worse than Compton High School¡¯s varsity team.


    Limited by individual skill, Freedom Park College¡¯s varsity team focused on team offense whereas Compton High¡¯s varsity team relied more on the individual abilities of two top 100 national high school players.


    In the most recent rankings of high school players, Afflalo had broken into the top 50 of the class of ¡¯04.


    Rod was not content, he and his teammates fought valiantly.


    He knew that he would definitely not be a match for these guys in the future, but at least for today, he didn¡¯t want to lose¡­


    Unfortunately, the harder he tried, the more excited DeRozan, Tatum, Zhang Yang, and the others got!


    Heading into the final quarter with 9 minutes and 22 seconds left, Freedom Park College¡¯s guard Courtney missed a three-pointer.


    Tatum grabbed the defensive rebound and launched a counterattack, charging up from the right before lobbing the ball.


    Zhang Yang, following from the left, leaped high, received the alley-oop pass, and slammed down a two-pointer.


    111 to 100, with only 38 seconds left on the clock, the lead increased to 11 points, and the game lost all suspense.


    The final score was 113 to 103, and Compton High School¡¯s reserve team avenged the loss from the warm-up match four months prior!


    DeRozan scored a game-high 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists; Zhang Yang had 22 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block; Tatum added 20 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals¡ªall three scoring over 20 points.


    Watching his team celebrate the revenge, Johnson was also thrilled.


    After this game, the reserve team¡¯s record stood at 6 wins and 5 losses, ranked 10th among the 21 teams in the Southern California league¡ªa solid mid-tier level.


    Before the season started, Johnson¡¯s goal was for the reserve team to be at mid-tier strength in the Southern California league by the season¡¯s end.


    That was already a high target, one that not even the reserve teams from California High School and Inglewood High School could necessarily achieve.


    He had set this goal partly because of the pressure from the lack of talent in the 11th grade and partly because he had DeRozan and felt they had a chance.


    As it turned out, not even at winter break, and his goal was already achieved¡ªnearly three months ahead of schedule!


    However, what truly exceeded his expectations were actually just three points.


    The first point was naturally DeRozan¡¯s talent; halfway through the 03-04 season, DeRozan¡¯s performance outshone all other 9th and 10th graders in California, without exception, and his rate of improvement was astonishing.


    Stuart, Afflalo, Hip, and others couldn¡¯t compare.


    Of all the California high school players in recent years, the only ones Johnson could compare with DeRozan were two players, one of which was the national-level superstar point guard, Jordan Farmar from Santa Barbara High School.


    The second point was the team members¡¯ speed in learning tactics, and the third point was Zhang Yang¡¯s rate of improvement¡ªthese two points could also be considered as one.


    In terms of talent, Johnson compared another player to DeRozan, and that player was Zhang Yang.


    He felt that their team might really produce two NBA players!


    As for Tatum, Johnson felt both relieved and regretful.


    This season, Tatum¡¯s progress was much faster than in 9th grade, but the improvement from 75 to 80 points was still not on par with the pace of Zhang Yang and DeRozan¡¯s improvement, nor did it have the same impact on strengthening the team¡¯s power.


    It wasn¡¯t that Tatum wasn¡¯t excellent, but rather that the other two¡¯s talents were just too great.


    ¡­


    Lost the game?


    Extra practice to vent frustration.


    Won the game?


    Then extra practice to celebrate.


    After every game, Tatum would complain about Zhang Yang and DeRozan always thinking about training, but today, after returning to school with the team, he still ended up joining the two of them in the gym for a while to practice shooting.


    By 6 p.m., after extra practice was over, the three of them went to shower.


    Big guys showering together always chat about this and that; the final exams had just finished, and this time they were talking about grades¡­


    Who says underachievers don¡¯t like to talk about grades?


    Tatum, ¡°How did you guys do on the exams?¡±


    DeRozan, ¡°I got a B in science and Cs in the rest, except for physical education where I got an A.¡±


    Tatum, ¡°All Cs?


    NO!


    I got a D in one subject and an F in another.


    I have to retake them next year¡­


    What about you, Jack?¡±


    Before Jack could answer, DeRozan interjected, ¡°Don¡¯t ask him, you¡¯ll be pissed.¡±


    Tatum, ¡°Oh right, Jack is in class B, so his grades must be good¡­


    No, his grades must have been good in 9th grade, but this semester he¡¯s been soaking in the gym all day, even training more than you, DeMar.


    His grades must have gotten worse, right, Jack?¡±


    Seeing Tatum¡¯s expectant expression, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t want to crush his hopes and said, ¡°I got Cs in two subjects, art and community activities, and a B in music class.¡±


    Only two Cs?


    All others failing?


    Tatum couldn¡¯t believe it; even his grades weren¡¯t that bad.


    Still hopeful, he asked, ¡°All other subjects failed?¡±


    How dare he ask that!


    Zhang Yang was done indulging him and replied, ¡°All others are As.¡±


    ¡°NO!


    That¡¯s not fair!¡±


    Tatum¡¯s howls were so loud that even people passing by the bathroom thought something indescribable was happening inside and hurried away to avoid any trouble.


    Accidentally becoming a top student and creating a ¡®distance¡¯ with his teammates was not what Zhang Yang wanted.


    But the learning environment was too important.


    Being in the same classroom with the class toppers from class B, Zhang Yang couldn¡¯t help but take his studies seriously.


    His high school DNA from his past life fully awakened, and considering how much simpler the American high school knowledge and exams were compared to China¡¯s, all it took was careful preparation, attentive classes, and diligent homework to get As in the four main subjects.


    Seeing Tatum turn a shade of gray, DeRozan felt a tinge of sympathy and changed the subject, ¡°Jack, are you going back to Hidden Mountain for Christmas?¡±


    Zhang Yang, ¡°Of course.


    What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back after Christmas.¡±


    ¡°Great, we¡¯ll train together then.¡± Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Mm¡­¡±


    After a quick shower, Zhang Yang jogged back to the coach¡¯s house.


    Today, the school coaches had a year-end dinner, and Thomas wouldn¡¯t be returning for dinner.


    After eating something casually, Zhang Yang continued to practice shooting in the yard.


    His enthusiasm was because, after the afternoon game and extra practice, he was only 221 points away from 100,000 shooting value!


    Choosing an advanced task over three months ago, to push himself, was the right decision.


    The pressure from the task gave him more motivation to train harder.


    Two hours later, it was already past 9 p.m., with the streetlamps lit.


    Finally, the shooting value reached 99,999 points, and Zhang Yang was completely exhausted from the day¡¯s training.


    He picked up the ball under the hoop, ran out, and this time he didn¡¯t shoot.


    Instead, he dashed back under the hoop, jumped, and performed a layup while in the air¡­


    He was running out of strength, so he desperately threw the ball towards the basket¡­


    Luckily, the ball grazed the rim and dropped into the net.


    The Gate of Trials appeared before him, the numeral on it changing from one to two!


    ¡°Name: Zhang Yang¡­


    Height: 190 cm, Weight: 79 kg¡­


    Shooting: 66, Ball Control¡ª, Physical Fitness: 92¡­


    Trial Gains: Steve Nash¡¯s Ball-Handling Rhythm Sense (Beginner)¡­ Shooting Value: 100,000/100,000.¡±


    ¡°Having accumulated 100,000 shooting value, task complete.


    The second trial is about to begin.


    Opening time: December 25, 2003, evening.


    Timeline: After you helped the Suns sweep the Spurs in 2010.


    Difficulty of trial: Will be chosen upon entering the trial¡­¡±


    Seeking monthly and recommendation votes!

 Chapter 42 - 42 41

    ?42: 41.


    An unexpected start 42: 41.


    An unexpected start Continuing the timeline from last practice?


    That¡¯s actually pretty good, the Suns have a huge treasure trove of skills and game experience.


    A semester had passed, and his shooting had improved from zero to capable.


    In terms of ball control, he was also quite decent now, with the physical prowess, tactical bonuses, and the threats posed by DeRozan and Tatum, he had no problem playing a simple game.


    But his passing¡­


    next semester for sure, it definitely wasn¡¯t due to a broken pass button.


    As for physical fitness, the fastest two periods of growth had indeed passed; he only grew two centimeters during the semester.


    DeRozan had reached 193 cm; tears were shed.


    Fortunately, Tatum, who was now 16 years old, was still 190 cm, which greatly pleased Zhang Yang.


    He was just a slow grower, the charcoal head stopped growing.


    He had gained a whole 4 kilograms in weight, more than DeRozan who had grown 5 centimeters taller.


    He hadn¡¯t intentionally gained weight; it was simply a result of increased training volume and eating more, so it naturally happened.


    Back when he played baseball, although he was diligent, he hadn¡¯t received such professional training, and the intensity wasn¡¯t nearly as high.


    The increase of 4 kilograms in weight brought significant changes; his physical fitness assessment value had reached 92.


    After so many matches, he was sure that this value was calculated based on high school overall standards, not just for a 15-year-old.


    It could definitely improve, as his physical fitness would be considered excellent even in the NBA; at the high school level, he should be among the top-notch ones.


    The next morning, Zhang Yang rarely slept in.


    He was too tired from the previous day¡¯s training, plus, he was relieved from the pressure of one hundred thousand shooting practices and excited about starting his next trial, so he slept until past ten.


    After getting up and preparing food, he went to school in the afternoon to join the Gardening Club¡¯s Christmas event.


    When in Rome, do as the Romans do.


    For Americans, Christmas was as big as the New Year, and it was important to participate.


    Joining the Gardening Club was suggested by Hip, the team¡¯s respected leader who liked taking care of his teammates.


    He said it was a club with more girls, and so it suited him better.


    Zhang Yang was quite happy with this advice.


    Initially, he just relied on his looks and didn¡¯t have to do anything.


    But as he became famous within the school team, the club members became more enthusiastic toward him, and a senior even helped him print the club¡¯s end-of-semester report.


    The semester had practically ended after the exams, although it wasn¡¯t officially holiday time yet.


    Still, there were no more classes; only some club activities were left.


    On the afternoon of the 23rd, after watching the drama and dance clubs¡¯ Christmas performances, Zhang Yang and Thomas carpooled back to Hidden Mountain.


    In the evening, Thomas dropped Zhang Yang off at home and agreed on a dinner time with Zhang Yang¡¯s parents, then he went home, leaving Zhang Yang contemplating the transformed look of his family¡¯s restaurant.


    The facade had undergone major changes.


    The two adjoining stores had been merged, tripling the shop area and expanding the business scope to include afternoon tea and coffee, with several more staff members hired, including a professional barista and a pastry chef, making the business thrive.


    Zhang Yang: Could it be that I was the one holding them back before?


    No!


    Impossible!


    It must have been that my parents weren¡¯t trying hard enough before!


    Seeing her son¡¯s shocked expression, Yang Jing felt a bit smug.


    However, she thought that they as a couple needed to keep working hard.


    Having heard that their son was doing well in high school, excelling both academically and in basketball, and even had a chance to go professional, she as a mother couldn¡¯t fall behind.


    On the 24th and 25th, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t go training but instead spent a relaxing and pleasant Christmas¡­


    receiving New Year¡¯s money.


    His mother said that since they were celebrating a foreign festival, they needed a sense of ceremony, emphasizing a blend of Chinese and Western traditions.


    On Christmas evening, Zhang Yang and his parents watched the Christmas showdown between the Magic and the Knights, where rookie LeBron¡¯s defense allowed McGrady to perform above his level, scoring a spectacular 41 points.


    The Magic won the game against the Knights after an overtime.


    The 24-year-old McGrady, looking full of spirit and with an elegant playing style¡­


    Zhang Yang thought about how McGrady, not even 30, would fade from the star roster and end his professional career wandering for a few years, which was really regrettable.


    After having a shower and saying goodnight to his parents, Zhang Yang went back to his room, lay down, and with thoughts of ¡°Mr.


    Nadal, here I come,¡± drifted off to sleep¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Waking up well-rested, Zhang Yang opened his eyes and, sure enough, the style of the ceiling light had changed.


    Look at it¡­


    how did it turn into a hotel style?


    He sat up and looked around.


    Indeed, it was a hotel room.


    ¡°Did Teacher Na divorce me and kick me out?¡±


    ¡°Or was the house burned down by a wildfire, and the Hawkeye Federation forced me to sell land because they wouldn¡¯t rescue me?


    No, that can¡¯t be right ¨C Hawaii doesn¡¯t have an NBA team¡­¡±


    Then he saw a jersey, and after a few frozen seconds, he closed his eyes. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Evil spirits begone, evil spirits begone¡­¡±


    Reciting this incantation should surely work in the free United States¡­ When he opened his eyes again, it was still the same jersey in black and white, with ¡®Zhang¡¯ and ¡®3¡¯ printed on it.


    ¡°That¡¯s not right, I can¡¯t, or at least I shouldn¡¯t.


    How could I, Compton Zhang San, just join them because I couldn¡¯t beat them¡­


    Wait!


    That¡¯s wrong!


    It seems like I actually won!


    So there¡¯s nothing to blame.


    But where¡¯s my Teacher Na?


    My precious Teacher Na is just gone like that?¡±


    Zhang Yang initially wanted to play a detective game, analyzing his present time and recent performance in basketball through observing his living environment, just for fun, but now he wasn¡¯t in the mood.


    He mentally called out for the ¡®Gate of Trials¡¯ to appear.


    The last glimmer of hope disintegrated ¨C in the team column, it indeed had changed to the San Antonio Spurs.


    Immediately a flood of information entered his mind.


    In the 09-10 season, during the second round of the playoffs against the Spurs, his boldness won the favor of Alvin Gentry, head coach of the Suns.


    He earned stable playing time in the Western Conference finals against the Lakers, and in 13 minutes per game, he scored 6.5 points with 1 steal.


    Though not a standout performance, his fearless spirit against the defending champions caught the attention of the Lakers¡¯ management.


    Thus, during the offseason, the Warriors offered him a contract starting at 2.61 million US dollars, totalling 5.3 million US dollars over two years.


    He was inclined to stay with the Suns, but this price exceeded the expectations of Suns¡¯ general manager Steve Kerr, who refused to match the offer, and he ultimately joined the Warriors.


    After joining the Warriors, he had disputes over ball rights with Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, and David Lee, could not overcome them, but still managed to achieve an average of 20 minutes of play per game, competing in 50 games before the All-Star weekend, with a shooting percentage of 43.2%, averaging 11.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game¡­


    During the All-Star weekend, the Spurs and the Warriors completed a trade.


    The Spurs sent sharpshooter Steve Novak and undrafted shooting guard Gary Neal, trading him back in return.


    Yesterday, February 9th, he arrived in San Antonio and completed induction procedures, currently staying in a hotel¡­


    After digesting the information, Zhang Yang was silent for a while before he could bring himself to say, ¡°I¡¯m really a true Warrior!¡±


    Competing for ball rights with Curry, Ellis, and David Lee?


    Well, thinking about it, it¡¯s quite thrilling.


    If he had to choose again, he¡¯d make the same decision.


    Ellis and David Lee were black holes when it came to ball possession.


    Once the ball got to them, it wouldn¡¯t come back.


    In his sophomore year, Curry, teaming up with these two, had no choice but to compete hard.


    He, Jack Zhang, teaming up with these three, would have to fight for his chance or he might not even touch the ball for a full game!


    As a freshman or sophomore going to the Warriors back then, not taking a shot was a path to certain defeat!


    The Warriors¡¯ way of training players, was it like¡­


    raising a poisonous creature?


    I stayed late at work today, came back late, and hurriedly wrote a chapter.


    Please vote for monthly tickets, and recommendations!

 Chapter 43 - 43 42

    ?43: 42.


    This experience is quite challenging.


    43: 42.


    This experience is quite challenging.


    Looking at Curry¡¯s teammates during his first two years in the NBA, in his rookie season, his outside teammates were Ellis, Maggette, and Reggie Williams, both starting teammates and the first substitute in the backcourt needed the ball in their hands; in the second year, his teammates turned into Ellis, David Lee, Reggie Williams, Al Thornton¡­ all of them were the types who handled the ball.


    Playing alongside these people, if Curry didn¡¯t fight for ball-handling rights and instead just ran to be an off-ball shooter, he would definitely have been devoured by this group, leaving no bones behind.


    In such a ¡®Gu¡¯-breeding environment, Curry had to improve, had to be competitive, and with this lineup, the Warriors¡¯ record was bound to be terrible, and the fierce competition among players wouldn¡¯t affect the team¡¯s chances of getting draft picks to stockpile talent¡­


    Zhang Yang felt like there was a mastermind behind the Warriors, using a rookie averaging 17+5 and a 25-year-old top scorer averaging 25 points per game to ¡®breed Gu¡¯, something a normal team wouldn¡¯t dare to do.


    As for whether Curry would collapse under such high-pressure training, Zhang Yang guessed that the Warriors management actually didn¡¯t care that much; if he collapsed, they would just replace him with another talent.


    It was definitely better than the aimless, brainless losing of the past 20 years.


    Even the genius behind the scenes wouldn¡¯t have imagined that Curry would take the NBA into a whole new era in the future.


    Moreover, if just this level of pressure could break his mentality, then no matter how he was trained, it would be difficult for him to become a great player.


    Zhang Yang put away his speculations about the Warriors¡¯ ¡®Gu¡¯ breeding strategy and looked at his latest ability assessment.


    ¡°Experience mode:


    Name: Zhang Yang.


    Age: 22 years old (June 6, 1988)


    Height: 196 cm, wingspan 210 cm, weight 95 kg.


    Ability value assessment: Three-point 69, mid-range 84, layup 89, ball-handling 86, passing 70, speed 90, strength 85, jumping 88, stamina 88¡­


    Skilled playstyle: Dribble Break, Off-Ball Break, Basic Running Position, Mid-range catch-and-shoot from the free-throw line, Drive Attack, Pressing Defense.


    Training gains: Steve Nash¡¯s Ball-Handling Rhythm (Beginner)¡­


    ¡­¡±


    He recalled his last training period; after entering experience mode, the memories of the previous training were very clear.


    Nine months had passed, mid-range increased by 5 points, ball-handling by 10 points, weight by 3 kg, strength by 3 points, stamina by 3 points¡­ Three-point shooting and passing hadn¡¯t improved much, speed probably dropped by 1 point due to the weight increase, and jumping increased by 1 point.


    As for the skilled playstyle¡­ after the second training period, Zhang Yang could confirm that the playstyles and techniques he knew before starting the training directly corresponded to the playstyles and techniques during his training.


    This had its advantages and disadvantages.


    The advantage was that he could use the training to know precisely which aspects he needed to improve, identify the key skills to learn, and use what he learned in training directly afterward.


    The disadvantage was that if he didn¡¯t change teams for a long time in this timeline, his teammates might find him dull¡­


    but players whose playstyle hasn¡¯t changed for many years are not uncommon in the NBA, so let it be.


    After Zhang Yang had organized the basic information, the words on the door changed.


    ¡°Basic Mission: Deny the Black Eight, help the Spurs advance to the second round.


    Reward: Continuous jumping ability improvement.¡± S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Eh?


    Advance to the second round?¡±


    It was only then that Zhang Yang noticed something¡ªthe training session started in February!


    If he is to advance to the second round, wouldn¡¯t this training last nearly three months?


    Wouldn¡¯t he be able to learn even more this time!


    With the experience from the last training, he knew that no matter how long the training lasted, it would only feel like he had slept for one night and had a nice dream; as long as he didn¡¯t actively think about the training, it wouldn¡¯t affect his normal life, and the basketball knowledge he had learned would be deeply ingrained.


    Wait a second, he wasn¡¯t with the Suns anymore, no more Teacher Nash!


    Who were the technicians in the Spurs?


    It seemed to be only the GDP, and it had always been only them.


    He didn¡¯t know if those three were easy to get along with, but he definitely needed to be careful not to get his head patted by someone.


    After the basic mission, there were optional missions.


    ¡°Optional Mission One: Team¡¯s Best, help the Spurs achieve the best record in franchise history.


    Optional Mission Two: The 70 Win Club, help the Spurs get 70 wins.


    Optional Mission Three: The Restoration of the Silver Empire, help the Spurs win the 2010-2011 season championship.


    Note: The current record of the Spurs is 44 wins and 8 losses, the franchise¡¯s best record is 63 wins and 19 losses in the 2005-2006 season.¡±


    Zhang Yang first ruled out Mission Three, the most difficult one, because while it¡¯s important to be ambitious, one must also be self-aware.


    Not to mention Mission Three, even Mission One would be tough to achieve.


    The Spurs had the third-best mid-season record in NBA history, with the top two teams securing 72 and 69 wins, respectively.


    It seemed that 65+ wins were readily attainable.


    But Zhang Yang remembered clearly, the Spurs didn¡¯t win the regular season that year; the Bulls, with 62 wins, were the regular season champions, while the Spurs only managed 61 wins.


    This means that, in the latter half of the season, the San Antonio Spurs only had 17 wins and 13 losses in 30 games.


    He remembered that the Spurs¡¯ collapse in performance came during the last 12 games of the regular season, with only 4 wins and 8 losses.


    The Spurs being upset in 2011 was too shocking, as they were initially compared to the ¡¯96 Bulls during the early and mid-season; however, the season concluded with a disastrous performance, and the reasons have been discussed countless times.


    That point in time was very delicate, right at the stage when teams sprint towards the end of the season, fighting for playoff spots, jockeying for positioning, and preparing for the postseason.


    In the end, people concluded that it was only fitting for the Spurs to be upset by the Grizzlies, as the Spurs¡¯ system wasn¡¯t fully developed and their roster had holes ¨C they were merely a regular season team.


    Thinking of this, Zhang Yang realized that not only was the optional mission difficult, but even the basic task of advancing to the second round wasn¡¯t easy!


    No!


    The basic task was even harder than the first mission!


    This wasn¡¯t like the last time where he could lie down and still receive the reward in the trial version!


    After some thought, Zhang Yang chose the least difficult mission.


    This was a choice he made based on his own strengths and game experience.


    After he made his decision, the content of the mission display changed.


    ¡°Reject being upset: ¡­


    Best in team history: ¡­, Reward: Demon Slash¡¯s Devil¡¯s Pace.¡±


    The Devil¡¯s Pace of Demon Slash?


    This time the reward is related to Demon Slash!


    After a moment of excitement, Zhang Yang began thinking about how he could help the team.


    The Spurs had traded him for Gary Neal and Steve Novak; he remembered the Spurs had a better big man shooter, Matt Bonner, which basically meant Novak was unused ¨C despite that, such a white big man shooter is usually valuable for trades.


    And Gary Neal, Zhang Yang remembered, was an important substitute for the Spurs in the past two or three years.


    So the first thing he had to do was to fill the void left by Neal¡¯s departure and then make further plans.


    ¡­


    After setting his immediate goal, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t delve into what he had to do next; who knows how things would develop.


    The unreliable AI¡¯s messages were as sparse as ever, and with three months ahead, he needed to find out more information.


    Seeing a laptop on the desk by the window, he got up to do some research online¡­ about himself.


    There was a schedule on the office desk.


    He had received a similar schedule during his last training, very detailed, with everything he was supposed to do yesterday, down to each singular activity, such as reporting, receiving commemorative jerseys, taking official photos, performing physical tests, and undergoing health checks¡­


    The reason for such detailed schedules is that there are many players in the NBA with minds not on the right things.


    However, this schedule is usually given to agents, who then make sure the players follow through with the team¡¯s activities¡­


    which means he still doesn¡¯t have an agent?


    He didn¡¯t have one when he played in the playoffs last season, either.


    Having an agent could make many things more convenient, but not having one seems not to impact playing basketball too much.


    On the bright side, he wouldn¡¯t have to share his salary with an agent.


    Moreover, he wasn¡¯t the only player without an agent; the Silver Horned King from the Dallas Mavericks next door didn¡¯t have one either.


    At least it spared him the trouble of socializing with an agent.


    Zhang Yang checked today¡¯s schedule, team practice at 2 PM; currently, it¡¯s 6:25 AM.


    He planned to head to the ATT Center early to practice and get accustomed to the surroundings.


    He turned on the computer, to a win7 system, all good ¨C it was the system he was most comfortable and familiar with.


    He searched for videos of his time with the Warriors, and there were quite a few of them.


    After watching some videos, he found that his style of play during his time with the Warriors was different from what he had thought!


    All the Warriors players who competed for ball possession, including himself, didn¡¯t just avoid passing the ball.


    When he broke out on off-ball breaks, he always managed to receive the ball if conditions allowed it.


    In set plays, when he got into position, he also had the chance to catch and shoot.


    The group of players in their ¡®cauldron¡¯ weren¡¯t just fighting for ball possession to pad their stats; they struggled over who got to handle the ball because everyone wanted to win.


    It¡¯s just that with that roster, it was virtually impossible to win many games.


    This means they were just bait prepared by the Warriors for their ¡®Demon King¡¯ Curry.


    Zhang Yang then searched for information related to the Spurs¡­ damn!


    The strongest team basketball in history, Ginobili being the second-best shooting guard in the league, the possibility of surpassing the Lakers and Bulls with a 34-game winning streak at the end¡­


    the American media hypes it up even more than in China!


    Requesting monthly tickets, asking for recommendation tickets!

 Chapter 44 - 44 43

    ?44: 43.


    The next demon blade?


    44: 43.


    The next demon blade?


    At 9 a.m., Zhang Yang took a taxi to the ATT Stadium and was led by the security guard to the training court, where he saw someone was already there!


    Tim Duncan!


    Duncan had just played in the All-Star game the day before yesterday and had returned from Los Angeles only yesterday.


    Though today¡¯s training was scheduled for the afternoon, he had come early in the morning.


    Having returned to his peak after multiple career-threatening injuries and still being the stabilizing force of the team at the age of 40, Duncan¡¯s dedication was unmatched by anyone.


    Duncan noticed someone had arrived, saw the newcomer was a handsome young man, nodded at him, and then continued with his training.


    Zhang Yang stopped his greeting mid-action, afraid to disturb the other¡¯s training.


    It wasn¡¯t about offending someone, but rather the fear of the evil overlord messing up his hair.


    Soon, the security guard helped call over the trainer.


    Zhang Yang gave the security guard a 5 US dollar tip.


    It was Nash¡¯s teaching, that debts between players could wait, but it was better to tip team security, cleaning staff, and others who offered help.


    A tip of 5 US dollars was a suitable amount for such small favors.


    With the trainer¡¯s assistance, Zhang Yang loosened up his body and began his training, quickly becoming accustomed to his ¡®grown¡¯ physique.


    His existing skills improved, and those he was less proficient in, like the stop-jump shot and step-back shots, he could perform during training.


    However, neither muscle memory nor the feel of the shot were particularly good.


    These skills could be used under pressure in a game, but were best avoided if possible.


    After several sets of shooting drills, around 10 a.m., Popovich and several assistant coaches arrived at the training court.


    Popovich said, ¡°Jack, you¡¯re already here training?


    As hardworking as the rumors say.¡±


    Zhang Yang replied, ¡°Thank you, I want to adapt to the new competitive environment as soon as possible.¡±


    Popovich said, ¡°That¡¯s the right mindset.


    Since you¡¯re here already, let Chip take over your training, he will design the most suitable training plan for you.¡±


    Zhang Yang had heard of this assistant coach in his past life; Kawhi Leonard was personally trained by Ingles, who had a high level of expertise in shooting and related skills, earning him the nickname ¡®Shooting Doctor.¡¯


    After exchanging greetings, Zhang Yang said to Popovich, ¡°Greg, could you help me get a video compilation of Gary Neal?¡±


    Popovich frowned and asked, ¡°What do you need Gary¡¯s video compilation for?¡±


    Zhang Yang answered, ¡°I want to understand how he plays and learn his style to better integrate into the team¡¯s tactics.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t try to learn how Gary plays.


    We didn¡¯t trade for you to have a taller version of Gary.


    What you need to improve are your one-on-one skills and defensive techniques,¡± Popovich corrected.


    Improve one-on-one skills and defensive techniques?


    Zhang Yang¡¯s eyes widened as he thought of that one man.


    Was the Spurs team that hopeful when they traded for him?


    A draft reject carrying such expectations?


    But, considering it¡¯s the Spurs, it wasn¡¯t all that surprising.


    Amongst the three cores, one was picked almost last in the first round, and another was almost last in the second round.


    This season¡¯s tactical core for the Spurs was the guy who was the second-to-last pick in the second round.


    They wanted to nurture a draft reject, so what!


    Duncan and Bowen, weren¡¯t they both undrafted?!


    Sack of soybeans, why was he thinking of these two?


    Suddenly, Zhang Yang felt someone staring at him and turned his head¡­


    oh shoot!


    Does Duncan walk without making a sound?


    Zhang Yang, startled, placed his raised foot back down and asked, ¡°Hello, Tim, is there something you need?¡±


    Duncan sized up Zhang Yang and responded, ¡°You can speak English?¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°?¡±


    Duncan explained, ¡°I heard from O¡¯Neal that Yao didn¡¯t speak English, so I assumed you didn¡¯t either.¡±


    Zhang Yang asked, ¡°When did you hear that?¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment and replied, ¡°At the 2005 All-Star game, O¡¯Neal said that Yao, who had just joined the NBA, didn¡¯t speak English.


    I thought you were the same.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Could he interpret that Duncan hadn¡¯t spoken to O¡¯Neal in six years?


    At least during Yao¡¯s first two years in the NBA, Duncan hadn¡¯t spoken to Yao.


    ¡­


    The chat with Duncan started off weirdly and ended abruptly.


    Ten minutes later, Ingles returned from the office to the training court with a notebook in hand, ready to train Zhang Yang.


    After demonstrating his shooting fundamentals, Ingles gave him high praise but noted that the details of his shooting form still needed adjustments.


    Without much further talk, he started guiding Zhang Yang in dribbling followed by shooting.


    Elsewhere, Popovich and Budenholzer watched and chatted idly.


    Budenholzer said, ¡°Jack is about to turn 23, isn¡¯t it a bit late to start training him?¡±


    Popovich flipped through a folder and pulled out two scouting reports to show Budenholzer.


    Budenholzer, who was in charge of tactical aspects, only knew about Neal¡¯s departure after the trade was completed.


    He had been busy adjusting tactics for the past few days and was seeing Zhang Yang¡¯s scouting report for the first time.


    After comparing them, he exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Jack has improved so rapidly!


    So much progress in just a few months?¡±


    Popovich responded, ¡°His fundamentals are very solid.


    With such fundamentals, he can learn anything quickly.¡±


    Budenholzer said, ¡°That¡¯s true¡­


    but why are his skills still so limited?¡±


    Popovich replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know, look at his dribbling startup motion, who does it resemble?¡±


    Budenholzer watched intently as Zhang Yang practiced dribbling and shooting under Ingles¡¯ guidance, paying attention to the details of ball-protection during his startup¡­


    ¡°Steve Nash?¡±


    Popovich said, ¡°Yes, very similar to Nash.


    I guess the reason Jack¡¯s skills are limited might be because no one taught him.


    Perhaps because he is a Chinese player, the environment is not friendly to him, and he does not actively learn new techniques.


    He just knows to train hard alone.


    Isn¡¯t that big guy from New Jersey the same?


    I think last year Nash took the initiative to teach him some techniques, and only then did he start practicing new things, which led to such improvement.¡±


    Budenholzer compared Zhang Yang¡¯s scout reports from two different periods.


    Just by learning from Nash for a while and switching teams to train hard on his own, he improved so much within a few months¡­


    His thoughts about Neal quickly faded.


    Neal was an undrafted player who entered the NBA this season, but not from the 2010 draft, rather from the 2007 draft.


    He was already 26 years old.


    Although he was battle-ready with extensive tactical experience from overseas and was easy to utilize¡­


    his potential for growth was almost non-existent; perhaps now was the strongest Neal would ever be.


    Such a player was someone RC Buford could delve into, whereas Zhang Yang clearly had tremendous potential for improvement.


    Not only that, the scout report rated Zhang Yang¡¯s tactical awareness very highly.


    Would they possess the next magic sword?


    But, he already had a favorite prodigy¡­


    Popovich guessed what Budenholzer was thinking and said, ¡°Moreover, we don¡¯t need to put all our bets on Jack alone.


    The college player you¡¯re interested in ¨C I¡¯ve discussed it with RC, and we plan to draft him.


    By training them together, even if only one of them turns out great, we still win, and if both do, even better, their heights are very compatible.¡±


    Hearing this, Budenholzer had no objections and began to look forward to that day.


    ¡­


    In the morning, Zhang Yang practiced dribbling followed by shooting and adjusted shooting hand form details under Ingles¡¯ guidance.


    In the afternoon, Zhang Yang attended the Spurs team training.


    The training itself was simple, and so was the tactical role given to him by the coaching staff: receive passes for medium-range shots from both wings¡¯ baseline, provide cover for the three-point shooters from the wings, then pull to 45 degrees on both sides or drive to the basket, and counterattack.


    That was it.


    It meant that Popovich was serious about developing his one-on-one skills.


    He quite liked such arrangements.


    Compared to passing and organizing the offense, he preferred the feeling of personally throwing the ball into the basket.


    Perhaps it was the atmosphere of the team¡­


    somewhat strange.


    When Zhang Yang greeted his new teammates, the responses were lukewarm.


    Only Antonio McDyess and Richard Jefferson were a bit more enthusiastic, yet he could feel that his teammates were not that averse to him.


    Was it because the team had many veterans who were accustomed to teammates coming and going?


    During team training, there was very little conversation.


    No one commanded the teammates to move positions like Nash did.


    Instead, everyone first gathered around Budenholzer to listen to tactical plans, followed by a series of drills on positioning and passing.


    If they did poorly, they continued to practice, with Budenholzer speaking more than the entire team combined.


    Between training sessions, Duncan, Blair, Splitter, Ginobili, and George Hill sat in silence, as if engaged in a collective meditation practicing silence; Parker, Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, and Matt Bonner, being somewhat more lively personalities, also spoke softly during their breaks.


    The other five team members spoke even less, exercising extreme caution because they were all on the fringe.


    This season, the Spurs primarily used a ten-man rotation.


    Even after Zhang Yang replaced Neal, it stayed a ten-man rotation.


    With many veterans on the team who had already played 52 regular season games, their tactical coordination was at its peak from the start of the season.


    Budenholzer saw how effortlessly Zhang Yang integrated into his tactical role and ended the team training early.


    Ingles took over and continued to work with Zhang Yang on his shooting skills.


    On the first day of training, Zhang Yang started to miss school, finding practicing techniques more exhausting than basic drills, and the coaches had planned an intense training schedule for him!


    He wished he could relax and study in class¡­


    However, with one of the league¡¯s top shooting coaches directing him, he briefly grumbled to himself before diving back into the training.


    ¡­


    The next morning, Zhang Yang arrived at the ATT Stadium at 9 a.m.


    sharp to continue with training.


    The coaching staff was pleased to see Zhang Yang full of energy.


    The day before, they had intentionally increased the training volume and continued until Zhang Yang was visibly tired; they did this to test his stamina recovery.


    The results were pleasing; Zhang Yang¡¯s physical fitness was at the top tier in the NBA.


    Although there was a gap compared to the physical monsters, he was still two to three years from reaching his peak physical condition at twenty-five or twenty-six years old.


    He had potential in this area, with strong recovery capabilities, and could be trained intensively.


    Zhang Yang practiced hard all morning, and in the afternoon, he went with the team to Oklahoma City.


    In the evening, as Zhang Yang was about to find a place for dinner with the 103 US dollars for meal allowance provided by the team, his phone suddenly rang.


    Picking it up, it was Harden calling.


    After connecting, Harden¡¯s voice came through with a hint of reproach, ¡°Jack, you come to Oklahoma City and don¡¯t call me?


    I¡¯ve been waiting all afternoon!¡±


    Zhang Yang responded naturally, ¡°These past two days I¡¯ve been so tired from training, I¡¯ve been lying dead in my room.


    I¡¯m this tired and you didn¡¯t come to see me, yet you blame me?¡±


    ¡°True, you just joined a new team, you must be exhausted.


    Come on, dinner¡¯s on me.


    I¡¯m about to reach your hotel, I¡¯ll wait for you at the entrance¡­ Beep beep beep beep¡­¡±


    Just like in high school, the guy hung up so quickly¡­


    Zhang Yang thought as he felt somewhat dazed, he went downstairs to the hotel lobby.


    Outside the door, leaning against a sports car, was the big-beard Harden.


    Compared to the ninth grade Harden, the current one was ¡®thin yet strong¡¯, which was a bit jarring to see.


    But when he saw Harden dash towards him in a little trot after spotting him¡­ S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    hmm, still the same Compton Giga!


    After they hugged, they got into the car.


    When Harden started the engine, he began chatting incessantly about his time on the team, while Zhang Yang verbally kept up, a thought crossed his mind.


    Initially, he had treated his training as ¡®instances¡¯ to grind through, but now undergoing it a second time, he realized it might not just be simple ¡®instances¡¯ to ¡®reset¡¯ or ¡®delete¡¯.


    Could this be another timeline version of himself?


    After his last training, his playing style and personality here had distinctly changed because of him.


    Unable to understand the principle, Zhang Yang stopped thinking about it, resolved to learn new techniques, enhance his abilities, accomplish missions¡­ and enjoy this parallel timeline of his life!


    ¡­


    Requesting monthly votes, please recommend!

 Chapter 45 - 45 44

    ?45: 44.


    The sound of wind, rain, and hammering 45: 44.


    The sound of wind, rain, and hammering Zhang Yang arrived at the Ford Center with the team, preparing for the battle.


    At 8 p.m., he began his first game with the Spurs.


    Durant had won his first scoring title last season, leading the Thunder Team to rise with a record of 50 wins and 32 losses, ranking eighth in the Western Conference.


    This season, they continued their strong performance, currently standing fourth in the Western Conference with 35 wins and 17 losses, and Durant continued to top the scoring chart with an average of 27.6 points per game.


    Westbrook was selected for the All-Star for the first time this season, averaging 21.9 points and 8.2 assists, fiercely chasing the top pick of his draft class.


    Thunder Team sent away Jeff Green, promoted Ibaka, and Harden, as the sixth man, performed well too, averaging 12 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.1 steals.


    With Perkins, Krstic, Sefolosha, and Nick Collison¡­


    Feeding off the rookie bonus of Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, and Harden, the Thunder Team was power-packed this season.


    Facing such opponents in his debut, Zhang Yang was very nervous.


    Then, the trio, along with Richard Jefferson and Splitter, smashed the Thunder Team 19-7 in a half quarter¡­


    Zhang Yang was utterly shocked!


    Thunder Team¡¯s starters began to doubt their life choices, Durant, although he was already a scoring champion, was only in his fourth year.


    At this time, he played majorly as a shooter, with poor ball-handling skills and more turnovers than assists, and given his rather fragile mental state, started panic shooting even before the official timeout.


    Tortoise, however, played more fiercely as the pressure mounted, but of his average 21.9 points, 14 were scored from close range.


    He encountered a defensively efficient Duncan, whose performance peaked in four years¡­


    The Thunder Team made only 3 of 12 field attempts in half a quarter!


    Dead memories began attacking Zhang Yang, and he remembered, ¡°decades ago,¡± when he first witnessed the Spurs system, he was just as stunned.


    It was because of this system that many forgot that in the first decade of the 21st century, Popovich was one of the most villainous coaches, the Spurs were one of the teams most notorious for dirty plays, and because of this system, the Spurs jumped to become one of the most popular teams in the following years.


    ¡­


    After the official timeout, Zhang Yang was subbed in by Popovich.


    He was initially very excited and shocked, but now he had calmed down.


    Because his teammates were so composed, his excitement made him seem quite inexperienced.


    The game continued, and the Thunder Team was on the offense.


    The players of the Thunder Team were under immense pressure, showing not a single smile on their faces¡­


    except for Harden, this rare breed.


    With the big boss, the second boss, and the third boss leading in front, he felt no pressure.


    Harden, seeing his defender was Compton¡¯s Zhang San, became even more excited and rushed to the arc right after getting the ball.


    Zhang Yang went up to defend; his body at 196 cm and 95 kg was quite competitive.


    But Harden, also at 196 cm but heavier at 100 kg, had more mass and explosive power!


    Furthermore, Harden was no longer the guy from eight years ago, who only knew how to shoot corner threes and charge like a tank.


    His skill set was now very rich, even richer than after he had to become the main guy later, and he smoothly broke into the paint¡­


    only to be cornered at the baseline of the three-second area by McDyess and Blair.


    Thinking of passing back¡­


    After being bypassed, Zhang Yang moved towards the right side of the three-second area at a 45-degree angle according to the defensive strategy.


    Durant, using a screen from the right sideline, ran to the arc.


    Zhang Yang immediately covered for Ginobili and intercepted Harden¡¯s pass intended for Durant.


    Harden could only force a shot guarded by two inside defenders¡­


    It was a miss!


    George Hill grabbed the defensive rebound and rapidly advanced, initiating a transition offense!


    Thunder Team hustled back in defense, not giving the Spurs any direct fast-break scoring opportunities, but their defensive formation was already disarrayed.


    George Hill passed the ball to Ginobili, who, after drawing defensive attention with one dribble, passed the ball off with a bounce.


    Zhang Yang, using a screen, cut into the paint from the wing, received the ball, and scored a layup!


    In his first play on the court, Zhang Yang already felt the charm of the Spurs system.


    Role players¡¯ playing style, in this system, was too comfortable. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although their fast break wasn¡¯t quick, the rhythm was excellent, effortlessly tearing through the opponent¡¯s defense.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s role in both offense and defense within the tactic was simple; on defense, he was responsible for pressing the ball-carrier and intercepting passes to three-point shooters at the top of the arc, while on offense, he had a straightforward role of attacking the basket and mid-range spot-up shooting.


    With his excellent tactical awareness, he integrated into the team smoothly in his first round.


    Watching this scene, Popovich was more frustrated than pleased.


    He had already taken an interest in Zhang Yang during last season¡¯s playoffs against the Phoenix Suns.


    But last offseason, he was preoccupied with competing against the Lakers for Steve Blake.


    The Lakers, back-to-back defending champions with three giants plus Kobe, are a force to reckon with.


    If the Spurs had snagged Blake, it would have strengthened their line-up and simultaneously weakened the Lakers.


    However, the competition failed, and Blake preferred the Lakers¡¯ offer of a 4 million annual salary over the Spurs¡¯ full mid-level exception.


    By the time Popovich turned back to recruit Zhang Yang, he had already been snapped up by the Warriors with a 2-year contract worth over 5 million.


    Fortunately, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t waste his time during the majority of the season with the Warriors, making substantial progress under the pressure of battling for ball rights, and he hadn¡¯t picked up any bad habits from a weak team.


    His tactical awareness was still outstanding.


    Thinking of this, Popovich felt somewhat relieved.


    On the court, the Spurs continued to dominate, pressing the Thunder and increasing the lead further.


    At the end of the first quarter, the Spurs were leading the Thunder by 17 points at 33 to 16!


    Harden played for a little over 5 minutes, making 2 of 5 shots for 4 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist.


    Zhang Yang made 2 of his 3 shots, plus was perfect from the free-throw line, scoring 6 points with 1 rebound.


    Whether Zhang Yang or Harden was stronger was hard to say, but Zhang Yang played much more effortlessly than Harden.


    The Thunder¡¯s coach, Scott Brooks, was good at developing players, but his coaching was quite simplistic; the team¡¯s first-quarter strategy seemed to depend solely on Westbrook and Harden handling the ball, giving it to Durant for a forced shot if they couldn¡¯t make a play.


    This tactic, while providing the trio extensive opportunities to showcase and develop, led to the entire team¡¯s offense faltering when the trio couldn¡¯t find their shots.


    In the second quarter, the Spurs continued their strong offense, scoring 31 points.


    Duncan only played for 2 minutes this quarter, which impacted their defense, allowing the Thunder to score 25 points, but the Spurs still kept the upper hand.


    At halftime, the Spurs were leading the Thunder by 23 points at 64 to 41, thoroughly dominating the game!


    Zhang Yang played only 4 minutes in the second quarter, making 1 shot for 2 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist.


    After the halftime break, Popovich didn¡¯t put Duncan back in but rotated Parker and Ginobili with Zhang Yang, creating opportunities for him to play one-on-one.


    Zhang Yang had already somewhat guessed Popovich¡¯s intentions and was excited when the opportunity came.


    He took the ball and just went for it¡­ the sound of wind, rain, and missed shots filled the air.


    In the third quarter, Zhang Yang played 8 minutes, making 2 of 6 shots, along with making 1 of 2 free throws, scoring 5 points, 1 rebound, and 1 steal, single-handedly lowering the Spurs¡¯ scoring to 21 points¡­ The Spurs were also taken advantage of by Westbrook, who led a counterattack, helping the team score 27 points and reduce the deficit to 17 points.


    Popovich watched with a twitching mouth corner, as if he could hear the rims at the Ford Center weeping!


    But he strangely liked that sound, reminiscent of Los Angeles style.


    In the final quarter, Popovich continued to rely on Zhang Yang to lead the offense, and Zhang Yang didn¡¯t disappoint.


    Despite playing poorly in the third quarter, he didn¡¯t hold back and slightly improved, playing for 6 minutes, making 2 of 5 shots, one of which was a 2+1 layup, scoring 5 points and 1 assist.


    Seeing the lead shrinking to 11 points, Popovich called a timeout and brought in George Hill, Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, McDyess, and Splitter to stabilize the game.


    Zhang Yang was not subbed back in, sitting on the sideline and resting.


    Facing Westbrook and Harden¡¯s physical defense, he found it very challenging and felt a great deal of pressure.


    However, whenever he had the ball for a one-on-one, he was still focused on making every shot, continuously learning from the failures of previous plays.


    This was what Popovich admired about him: he didn¡¯t shrink from pressure.


    If he played poorly, he¡¯d try to do better next time.


    Not mentioning his talent, having such resilience under pressure was essential for rapid improvement!


    ¡­


    In the final quarter, the Thunder burst out with 30 points, scoring a 30 to 22 quarter, and further reduced the gap by 8 points.


    But having lost too much earlier, the last laugh still belonged to the Spurs.


    107 to 98, the Spurs beat the Thunder by 9 points, achieving a five-game winning streak and improving their record to 45 wins and 8 losses.


    In his debut with the Spurs, Zhang Yang scored 18 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal.


    After the game, with 29 games left, the Spurs once again faced calls for a ¡¯34-game winning streak¡¯ and ¡®surpassing the Bulls.¡¯


    However, some media criticized the Spurs¡¯ trade of Neal for Zhang Yang, claiming it cast a shadow over the Spurs¡¯ chance to ¡®surpass the Bulls.¡¯


    Through his efforts in the second half, Zhang Yang successfully brought his first-half shooting performance of 5 out of 3 down to 7 out of 16 for the game, dropping his shooting percentage to below 50%.


    These media outlets didn¡¯t care that Zhang Yang¡¯s tactical performance in the first half was much better than Neal¡¯s; they focused on his 4 out of 11 shooting in the second half.


    Another player might have wanted to prove themselves upon seeing such public opinion, potentially affecting their tactical play or hesitating to continue playing one-on-one.


    But Zhang Yang didn¡¯t.


    On the 14th, with the Spurs visiting the Wizards, he played as usual, doing his part well during tactical plays, and when Popovich asked him to play one-on-one during practice, he took the ball and swung into action.


    After the game with the Thunder, he knew that at this stage he didn¡¯t need to worry about the ¡®basic tasks.¡¯


    The team had already made tactical adjustments following Neal¡¯s trade, something he didn¡¯t need to worry about, and his performance in tactics was not inferior to Neal¡¯s.


    What he needed to do now was seize the time to enhance his strength and prepare for a potential ¡®collapse¡¯ later.


    He was turning his misses into music, continuing to play and dance to the rhythm.


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 46 - 46 45

    ?46: 45.


    Collapse Comes Earlier?


    46: 45. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Collapse Comes Earlier?


    103-95 defeating the Wizards, 99-89 defeating the Nets, 104-99 defeating the Trail Blazers, the Spurs took an 8-game winning streak, elevating their record to 48 wins and 8 losses.


    By February 19th, the Spurs¡¯ winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Chicago Bulls.


    With Rose exploding for 40 points and 9 assists, the home-playing Bulls defeated the Spurs 109-102.


    In the face of their ninth loss of the season, Popovich wasn¡¯t overly concerned.


    The game merely exposed their biggest issue¡ªthat apart from Ginobili, no one else could battle through tough games.


    Duncan¡¯s ability to break through defenses had been declining over the past two seasons.


    After losing 5 kilograms last summer, that ability was basically gone.


    Parker was fierce in regular games, especially when playing with a lead, but in adverse situations, if you depended on this speedster, he would show you what the best sixth man looks like, from the opposing team.


    They were left with only Ginobili able to fight the tough battles.


    When the team¡¯s offense stalled and they needed a star to stand up and score against tough defense, if Ginobili pulled a muscle, the Spurs were finished.


    Most of their eight or nine losses were like this.


    Ginobili¡¯s moments of weakness in critical situations were rare, but he was prone to erratic plays.


    Tonight, in anxious moments during the fourth quarter, he pulled up from the free-throw line for two mid-range shots that clanked off the rim, nearly causing Popovich to have a stroke.


    However, after working with him for so many years, Popovich just got angry in the moment, and then it passed.


    When he had resolved to switch to a faster-paced offense last summer, he had already anticipated this fate in the new system.


    Mainly because he has a soft spot for Ginobili.


    He could tolerate it¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t when Ginobili¡¯s flamboyant plays sometimes matched the level of that guy in Los Angeles?


    As for the issue of no one else being able to fight through tough games, he had already been seeking solutions last summer, trying to acquire Blake and Zhang Yang.


    Blake¡¯s scoring ability was average, but he was tough in clutch moments, having shown stability in key plays during his two and a half years with the Trail Blazers.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s performance in last season¡¯s playoffs had also left a deep impression on Popovich; the guy¡¯s got guts and is willing to take shots, yet he¡¯s smart and doesn¡¯t mess up during tactical plays.


    But at the time, he failed to land both of his targets.


    You ask why Popovich was looking at middle-class players like Blake and undrafted players earning a couple million like Zhang Yang?


    He would have liked to have Kobe or Wade, and he could accept the likes of Ray Allen and wild cards, but he¡¯s got to be able to get them first!


    Let¡¯s not even talk about money.


    They haven¡¯t had lottery draft picks in over a decade, no free agents were coming, and they had nothing much to offer in trades, forced to keep an eye out for neglected gems that others overlooked.


    Now that they had finally brought back Zhang Yang, Popovich was very committed to his development.


    Over the past 10 days, Zhang Yang¡¯s performance in games, his attitude during training and learning, and his willingness to take chances when given the opportunity¡­all of it greatly satisfied Popovich.


    But at the same time, situations that troubled Popovich also emerged.


    While most Spurs players were fully committed to playing tactically, Zhang Yang and Ginobili seemed like anomalies.


    Ginobili was having the most efficient season of his career, making All-Star for the second time, and with a good chance of being selected for the All-NBA team, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be criticized even if they lost.


    But it was different for Zhang Yang, a sophomore.


    He was using real games to hone his skills and gain experience¡ªnaturally, his solo performances couldn¡¯t be spectacular.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s individual play appeared so out of place in the Spurs system.


    From the first game against the Thunder Team, he started to face criticism.


    Popovich always despised those popular teams, and he never expected that one day, his team would become one of the powers, making him even more disdainful.


    But the first four games were actually not too bad.


    They won those games, and although Zhang Yang¡¯s shooting efficiency of around 40% was criticized, he wasn¡¯t blasted too harshly.


    After losing to the Bulls, the media and fans pointed their fingers directly at Zhang Yang, pinning the loss on him without any reservation.


    Popovich felt sorry for Zhang Yang because in that game he didn¡¯t arrange for Zhang Yang to train¡ªhe¡¯s not a fool.


    In the previous games when he let Zhang Yang freely shoot, it was when the point difference had already widened, effectively garbage time.


    In the game against the Bulls, Zhang Yang only had two solo plays and they both happened when the team was struggling and Ginobili wasn¡¯t on the court.


    Zhang Yang took the initiative to take the blame¡­


    though he didn¡¯t score, shouldn¡¯t he be praised for that?


    Moreover, Zhang Yang played quite well during team play, shooting 2 for 4, plus going 2 for 2 at the free-throw line, earning 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal.


    But they lost, didn¡¯t they?


    The blame, anyway, was dumped on Zhang Yang¡¯s head.


    On the 21st at noon, the Spurs returned to San Antonio.


    Popovich wanted to have a chat with Zhang Yang, worried that he would struggle under the pressure of public opinion.


    Developing young players is always a concern, especially for small-market teams like theirs; it¡¯s not easy to find a talent worth nurturing into a star.


    Then he saw Zhang Yang dragging a resigned-looking Ginobili to the practice court¡­


    Popovich remembered that during the past three-game road trip, Zhang Yang had been pestering Ginobili to teach him the Euro step.


    Ginobili, annoyed to the point of relenting, had even complained to him at night and helped himself to half a bottle of red wine left on his desk.


    Watching Zhang Yang, oblivious to everything outside the window and solely focused on learning techniques, Popovich felt he was a bit redundant here¡­


    ¡­


    Ginobili disparaged Zhang Yang when venting to Popovich, but that was just him showing off¡ªyou see, the newcomer isn¡¯t going to Parker, Jefferson, or Duncan, he¡¯s coming to me.


    While teaching, Ginobili was very dedicated.


    Zhang Yang was eager to learn and worked hard, so Ginobili put in even more effort.


    And Ginobili being a man of few words while working spared Zhang Yang from wasting time socializing.


    Ginobili has a classic quote mocking Durant: If you want to be a leader of a team, then you need to keep quiet because too much talk can annoy people.


    You should be like Duncan, who doesn¡¯t speak often, but when he does, it¡¯s with a certainty that reassures his teammates.


    Zhang Yang initially focused on developing his shooting skills after dribbling, but after playing two games, he realized that the team seemingly lacked tactics for mid-range isolations.


    He was aware of the criticism, but his focus was different from Popovich¡¯s; he had seen an opinion he felt was right¡ªwhen he began to play one-on-one, his teammates would stand still.


    He recalled that during the Spurs¡¯ heyday with four championships in nine years, there never seemed to be much emphasis on mid-range tactics.


    Even after Leonard emerged, the Spurs didn¡¯t have mid-range scoring tactics until the 14-15 season, and it wasn¡¯t until the 15-16 season that they started to refine it, finally getting it right in the 16-17 season.


    It was mainly because the Spurs had never had a really good mid-range shooter; over the past decade, Duncan was the most accurate from mid-range for the Spurs, but even he wasn¡¯t exceptionally good, not to the level of being a go-to tactic.


    In Duncan¡¯s best year for mid-range scoring, he averaged 5.8 points, while Nowitzki¡¯s best was 6.4 points a game.


    Considering Popovich¡¯s ability to iterate tactics, Zhang Yang wasn¡¯t expecting to come up with viable mid-range tactics this season.


    His goal was to help the team overcome difficulties by the end of the season so they wouldn¡¯t finish with just four wins and eight losses.


    The team had no other strong point of attack apart from Ginobili, which Zhang Yang had identified as a key issue when analyzing ¡®why the Spurs collapsed¡¯ early on.


    Therefore, he decided to learn Ginobili¡¯s style of play first, so at least when Ginobili was having an off day or wasn¡¯t on the court, he could collaborate with his teammates in one-on-one plays.


    Although he might not be able to get very strong in just a month or two, he wouldn¡¯t just be blindly flailing on his own.


    He still had to learn the post-dribble shooting techniques, but he shifted his training focus to driving attacks.


    Indeed, Ginobili didn¡¯t start by teaching Zhang Yang the Euro step; instead, he helped Zhang Yang enhance his drive attack skills.


    Popovich, who observed in secret, didn¡¯t stop Zhang Yang¡¯s ¡®private¡¯ adjustment of his training.


    When Ginobili went to tell Popovich that Zhang Yang was pestering him to learn the Euro step, he boasted a bit, but the main purpose was to give Popovich a heads-up about the situation.


    As long as Zhang Yang was making progress, Popovich didn¡¯t care too much; any technique that could get the ball into the basket was a good technique.


    During the games, since Zhang Yang ignored public opinion, Popovich continued to give him the opportunity to practice on the court.


    As for the outside criticism, let them criticize; after all, they were criticizing Zhang Yang, not him.


    This feeling was somewhat nostalgic; in the past, it was Bowen who took the heat for him.


    After Bowen retired, he had been the target of criticism for two years.


    Now the familiar feeling was back, and it felt great.


    ¡­


    As time passed day by day and games were played one after another, Zhang Yang¡¯s capabilities also improved progressively, and so did the criticisms he faced.


    There were also times he escaped criticism¡ªon March 4th, the Spurs crushed the Miami Heat at home.


    After Zhang Yang came off the bench, he had lots of opportunities for mid-range shots, driving to the basket, and fast-break points.


    When he came on, the team was already leading by 15 points with a score of 20 to 5, and then they went on to beat the Heat with a run of 16 to 7, winning the quarter by 24 points with the score at 36 to 12.


    After that, the lead ballooned¡­


    ending with a 36-point victory at 128 to 92, the second-largest point difference of the season.


    Zhang Yang made 11 of his 17 shots in that game, including 1 for 1 from three-point range, and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line, scoring the game-high of 27 points along with 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals.


    Excited to face off against the Heat¡¯s Big Three, Zhang Yang took every opportunity to score himself instead of passing the ball, which reminded him of a certain blacksmith in Los Angeles wearing number 21 with his evil hand messing with Zhang Yang¡¯s hair.


    Frightened, he returned to the hotel and prayed to Guanyin Bodhisattva, Lord Lao Zi, and the Master of Heaven, one after the other, to protect his hair volume.


    The next day, Zhang Yang heard from Ginobili and Ingles about something bizarre¡ªthe Big Three of the Heat cried in the locker room after losing by over 30 points.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s first reaction was one of disbelief, but considering that shocking kneeling¡­


    it wasn¡¯t impossible, ha.


    While Zhang Yang immersed himself in training and games, preparing for the end-of-season collapse, something he hadn¡¯t anticipated happened.


    On March 7th, the Spurs played two overtimes with the Mavericks and lost 114 to 121; on the 9th, they lost to the Grizzlies 95 to 104; and on the 10th, they lost to the Trail Blazers 92 to 98, suffering a three-game losing streak!


    After Zhang Yang joined, the Spurs had started with 4 wins and 1 loss and then had 5 wins and 1 loss, followed by slaughtering the Heat.


    During this time, they achieved 10 wins and 2 losses, a slightly lower win rate than at the beginning of the season but still the best in the league over this period.


    A three-game losing streak was a first for the Spurs this season, in fact, they hadn¡¯t experienced any losing streak this season!


    After losing to the Trail Blazers, the Spurs locker room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.


    Zhang Yang questioned his life choices; had the Spurs collapsed before he even reached the season¡¯s final rush after his joining?


    Although his impression of that season¡¯s Spurs was vivid, he definitely couldn¡¯t remember the details of the records.


    What stood out most in his memory was the Spurs being third at mid-season and then collapsing with 4 wins and 8 losses towards the end, which allowed the Chicago Bulls to overtake them.


    Reflecting on these three games, he scored 19, 12, and 16 points respectively.


    Since the games were always close or they were always behind, he lacked the opportunity to replace practice with games.


    He had already determined that he performed better in tactics than Neal, was stronger in scoring, and his physique provided the Spurs with a stronger presence in perimeter defense than Neal.


    Clearly, the problem wasn¡¯t with him.


    More precisely, in those three games, he didn¡¯t feel any of the role players on the team performed badly.


    They did what they could, and the coaching staff asked of them just that much.


    He went to ask Ingles for a statistics sheet and, sure enough¡­


    there was a problem with the GDP!


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 47 - 47 I have an immature suggestion

    ?47: I have an immature suggestion.


    47: I have an immature suggestion.


    Zhang Yang retrospectively recalled that after the start of the latter half of the season, the first few games had gone well.


    However, by late February, as the schedule grew denser, he noticed Duncan and Ginobili, the veteran cores, becoming increasingly fatigued after each game, but at that time, he did not pay attention to this detail.


    Firstly, in his memory, both were still the tactical cores of the team until the 13-14 season, playing against the Miami Heat¡¯s Big Three and almost sweeping the opposition.


    Secondly, both of them were of the type to speak little when with others and would not likely mention their tiredness in front of teammates.


    Both were capable of shouldering responsibility without affecting the team.


    Thus, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t consider this at the time.


    But this time, the three consecutive losses, specifically speaking, after the double overtime battle with the Mavericks and the back-to-back games, except for Parker, the other two¡¯s performance was very poor.


    Because both of them standing on the court could inspire confidence, every member of the Spurs was focused on what they should be doing.


    As a ¡®cog in the machine¡¯, Zhang Yang also did not notice their fatigue on both offense and defense.


    Just looking at the scores, under the Spurs system, everyone¡¯s scores were not high; Zhang Yang¡¯s average of 14 points was already the third highest on the team, even higher than Duncan, which did not reveal their poor performance.


    But a look at the detailed stats would show, both their shooting and defensive contributions were very poor.


    Back at the hotel, Zhang Yang opened his email.


    While he was undergoing physiotherapy, he had asked Ingles to send him this season¡¯s team player data statistics.


    He merely glanced over it once and spotted the problem.


    No, this issue might not be considered a problem by anyone at this time.


    But for Zhang Yang, who had a deeper understanding of the future of the ¡®Spurs system¡¯, it was a huge problem.


    The Big Three had played in every game this season!


    Not a single game missed, even back-to-backs.


    Popovich, on his part, seemed to have no intention of resting them¡­ sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Popovich¡¯s coaching style had involved pushing the Big Three hard, and it was the same in the last season¡¯s playoffs.


    Although Popovich¡¯s coaching style had changed now, it hadn¡¯t completely changed.


    Zhang Yang analyzed the current situation.


    He had been with the Spurs for almost a month; the more games they played, the more he felt ending with 4 wins and 8 losses was inconceivable.


    Even if the Spurs, except for Ginobili, lacked other strong offensive points, and their ability to fight hard in the playoffs was weak, it still shouldn¡¯t have collapsed like that.


    Therefore, fatigue might have a greater impact on them at the end of the season and in the playoffs than the system not being fully perfected and the roster not being optimal!


    Perhaps it was because of the physical crisis and the collapse of the records at the end of the season, which led to being ¡®blacked out¡¯, that Popovich began to change his rotation strategy?


    ¡­


    The next day, like usual, Zhang Yang came early to the ATT Stadium for practice.


    After playing back-to-back games, the Spurs had two days of rest.


    There was no practice scheduled for today, but Popovich arrived at the stadium just after 9 o¡¯clock.


    Passing by the training court and seeing Zhang Yang already practicing, Popovich greeted him.


    Usually, Zhang Yang would have responded and continued with his training.


    This time, he stopped his training and followed Popovich into the president¡¯s office.


    Popovich dropped his somber look and asked, ¡°Jack, what¡¯s up?


    Do you need me for something?¡±


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t answer but instead asked, ¡°Greg, are you worried about Tim and Manu¡¯s physical condition?¡±


    Last night, he had thought a lot about how to phrase it and finally decided to be direct, as he had no need to be overly concerned about tact.


    Popovich: ¡°You noticed that too?


    Right, with your keenness on the court, you would have definitely sensed it.¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°Is there a solution?¡±


    Popovich smiled and replied, ¡°I¡¯m planning to reduce their playing time, but the pressure might fall on Tony, Antonio, George¡­


    and you.¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°Then they still won¡¯t get any rest.


    Fatigue will still accumulate game by game.


    Moreover, reducing their playing time will surely affect the team¡¯s tactical operation, and ultimately, not only will they not rest well, our strength will also decline, worsening the more we drag on, and eventually dragging down our team.¡±


    Popovich shrugged: ¡°Is there a better way then?


    Am I supposed to perform magic and make them five years younger?¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°I do have a suggestion, though it¡¯s not fully formed¡­¡±


    Popovich: ¡°You¡¯ve been here less than a month and already want to command the team?


    You truly have the guts to compete for the ball with Monta Ellis, rookie.¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°A player who doesn¡¯t want to be the leader is not a good player.¡±


    Popovich: ¡°I like that saying.


    Alright, let¡¯s hear your suggestion.¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°This and that, like so and so¡­¡±


    Popovich, with widened eyes: ¡°You really do want to seize power, eh?


    Zhang Yang, you¡¯re still young, no need to rush.


    You¡¯re not capable of handling everything on your own, you need them to shield you.¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°I do have a personal agenda, wanting to try more of Manu¡¯s tactical roles, to practice his style more, but only when executing this strategy, I¡¯m well aware that they are the strong core of our team, our system can be without anyone, but it can¡¯t be without Tim Duncan.¡±


    Popovich looked at Zhang Yang for a while and responded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve taken note of your suggestion.


    You go and practice first.¡±


    Zhang Yang nodded, having said what needed to be said, and continued to train.


    Popovich thought for a while in his office, then got up and walked out the door to the corridor.


    Watching Zhang Yang practicing dribbling around a chair after taking a cover, he noticed that Zhang Yang didn¡¯t show much emotional fluctuation ¡ª his training movements were steady and patient, not in a ¡®done something major and waiting for the outcome¡¯ kind of state.


    Which means, this audacious kid just thought of this method and came to discuss it.


    If he didn¡¯t accept, it wouldn¡¯t affect the kid.


    He admitted, when Zhang Yang mentioned this technique, his first instinct was that it was the best solution, but it challenged his basketball philosophy once again.


    What superstar would do such a thing?


    Look at Jordan, at 40 he still plays 37 minutes a game, full attendance.


    Doing so without reason, how much infamy would Duncan have to bear?


    Popovich returned to his office, still conflicted, when suddenly, he noticed another spot had opened up in his liquor cabinet.


    There went a big bottle of wine!


    Ah!


    An idea struck!


    Why must Duncan bear the infamy?


    It might be time for villain Popovich to carry some of the blame!


    ¡­


    On March 13th, the Spurs came to the Staples Center in Los Angeles.


    Tonight, they would face the Los Angeles Lakers on their court.


    Currently, the Spurs were at 54 wins and 13 losses, first in the Western Conference and the league, while the Lakers had 45 wins and 22 losses, second in the Western Conference, fourth in the league.


    Both teams had 15 games left to play, and with a 9-game lead, people saw the Spurs as not just securing the first spot in the West¡ªbut clinching the regular season championship as well, with the Chicago Bulls at 49 wins and 20 losses, trailing by 5 games.


    Normally, this point in time would be when the battle for division and league championships is fiercest, like the current fight for first in the East between the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat.


    But with the Spurs, they were not even leaving a chance for others.


    Yet without this highlight, there were other attractions.


    Lakers vs.


    Spurs, the league¡¯s main feature ¡ª a Western Conference Finals preview.


    The Spurs were putting up a ¡¯96 Bulls-like regular season performance, and with the Lakers as back-to-back champions, this definitely caught the public¡¯s eye.


    Also, the legendary trio battles between GDP and KGO also drew countless viewers¡¯ attention.


    As for Bynum¡­


    averaging 11 points and 9 rebounds this season, he wasn¡¯t considered an elite player yet, not even by American netizens.


    In this year¡¯s All-Star voting, where the All-Star game was in Los Angeles, the out-for-the-season Yao Ming got more votes from the U.S.


    than Bynum did.


    The major media had been buzzing about this ¡®Western Conference Finals preview¡¯ for two days.


    Tonight¡¯s game was highly anticipated.


    By evening, the Spurs¡¯ head coach announced in a somber tone during a pre-game live interview, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to report some unfortunate news: this afternoon, Manu and Tim sneaked into my room to drink my red wine and got caught.


    They ran into each other while fleeing and injured themselves, making them unavailable for tonight¡¯s game¡­¡±


    Stern, awaiting a glamorous matchup in front of his TV, cursed furiously.


    He wanted to chop Popovich the old thief!

 Chapter 48 - 48 47

    ?48: 47.


    Contemporary Jordan 48: 47.


    Contemporary Jordan Duncan and Ginobili ¡°out due to injuries¡± caused quite a stir.


    Many fans who had paid in advance to watch the ¡°Western Conference Finals Preview¡± and ¡°Legendary Trio Showdown¡± online ran to the NBA official website and TV stations¡¯ official websites to protest¡­


    Popovich¡¯s injury reasons were too far-fetched.


    Popovich successfully drew everyone¡¯s attention to himself.


    He could have announced the ¡°injuries¡± sooner; he had neither Duncan nor Ginobili participate in the team practice yesterday morning in San Antonio or in today¡¯s game preparation practice.


    He chose to announce it just before the game to increase their chances of winning.


    Now, after the pre-game ceremony, Lakers¡¯ head coach Phil Jackson kept glancing toward the Spurs¡¯ bench from time to time.


    Old Fox Popovich¡¯s maneuver disrupted Phil¡¯s game preparation.


    Phil Jackson¡¯s tactics designed for Duncan and Ginobili were definitely unusable now, but just like that, the Spurs were without their two strongest players, greatly increasing the Lakers¡¯ chances of victory.


    Kobe was looking at Duncan and Ginobili, dressed in suits, with eyes full of rage.


    The Lakers had lost both of their earlier matches against the Spurs this season, and with their recent form being red-hot, Kobe had been eagerly anticipating this game, intent on taking revenge.


    But suddenly those two old rivals said they weren¡¯t playing!


    Can¡¯t handle it, huh!


    On Zhang Yang¡¯s side, he was shocked when he saw Duncan and Ginobili not participating in the tactical training yesterday morning.


    He guessed that Popovich would likely accept this suggestion, but he didn¡¯t expect the old man to act so quickly, immediately starting to rest players, even when the upcoming opponent was the Lakers.


    This was in line with Zhang Yang¡¯s impression of Popovich, a villainous coach who either didn¡¯t act at all or, when he did, he went all out, no matter the backlash.


    But now, Zhang Yang¡¯s focus wasn¡¯t on Popovich¡¯s sly maneuvering, but on Kobe.


    Playing against this guy, he was thrilled to the extreme!


    Kobe noticed someone watching him and turned his head to look¡­


    That Chinese guard, huh!


    Last year¡¯s Western Conference Finals against the Suns, this season¡¯s game against the Warriors; this Chinese guard named Jack didn¡¯t hesitate to shoot when facing his defense, leaving some impression on him.


    The young players nowadays, each and every one of them wants to take him on. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He felt a bit smug about this, thinking back to when he first entered the NBA, the younger players of that era all wanted to take on Michael Jordan.


    So, rounding up, he¡¯s the 21st century¡¯s Jordan!


    ¡­


    About fifteen minutes later, both teams¡¯ starting lineups took the court.


    Lakers¡¯ starters: Fisher, Kobe, Artest, Gasol, Bynum.


    Spurs¡¯ starters: Parker, Danny Green, Richard Jefferson, Blair, McDyess.


    Zhang Yang, sitting on the bench, looked at Zhang Tielin going on with the starters and felt a bit envious.


    Danny Green, a defensive shooter produced by North Carolina, played alongside LeBron James for two years in high school during his freshman and sophomore years, focusing on off-ball movement and shooting early on.


    He entered the NBA Draft after graduating college in 2009 and was picked in the second round, 16th overall, by the Cavaliers, his former teammate advocating for him.


    But the Cavs¡¯ roster was already filled with shooters, and he was cut after a reshuffle to free up roster space.


    Last summer he was signed by the Spurs and then assigned to the Reno Bighorns in the NBDL, where in 16 games in the Development League he averaged 20 points, showcasing his outstanding shooting and defensive skills.


    In January, Popovich recalled him to the team.


    He hadn¡¯t been given the opportunity to play before but had always participated in tactical training with the team.


    Finally, with Duncan and Ginobili resting, he made it to the active roster and was even put in the starting lineup.


    Hoping to catch the Lakers off guard by exploiting their unfamiliarity with Danny Green?


    After envying for a moment, Zhang Yang focused his attention on awaiting the game¡¯s start, observing the other side¡¯s offense and defense.


    At 8 PM, the game between the Spurs and the Lakers commenced.


    With Duncan and Ginobili ¡®out due to injuries,¡¯ Stern was furious, public opinion was in an uproar, and casual fans watching the live broadcast felt aggrieved¡­


    But most fans at the venue were very happy, as they saw it, tonight¡¯s game had no suspense!


    Their strongest opponents weren¡¯t playing; wouldn¡¯t they easily secure the win?


    The Lakers players thought the same, their tense preparations relaxing all at once, and then¡­


    the Spurs started the game with an 8-0 run!


    Danny Green, playing his first game for the Spurs, started with two consecutive three-pointers.


    Together with Parker¡¯s steal and fast-break layup against Fisher, the Spurs opened up a lead as soon as the game began.


    But Kobe quickly regained his senses, scoring two mid-range jumpers and drawing fouls from Richard Jefferson in two successive one-on-one plays, scoring 8 points and halting the Spurs¡¯ momentum to widen the gap, reducing the deficit to a safe four-point margin.


    Popovich called a timeout and replaced Richard Jefferson with Zhang Yang.


    The veteran was giving Popovich a headache.


    After Bowen left in ¡¯08, the Spurs¡¯ frontline defense was weak during the 08-09 season; hence, he traded for Richard Jefferson in the summer of ¡¯09.


    Although Jefferson¡¯s defense was not as good as Bowen¡¯s, it was still top-notch.


    He also had stronger transition defense and ability to drive to the basket.


    He performed very well last season, and last summer, Popovich re-signed him with a four-year, $40 million dollar contract¡­


    Who would have thought that right after turning 30, Jefferson¡¯s defense would collapse, and his athleticism would seriously deteriorate.


    Fortunately, Jefferson¡¯s shooting skills and passing awareness peaked with age, and this season his long two-pointers and three-point shooting percentages, as well as his total makes, were the best of his career.


    His assist-to-turnover ratio was also at a career-high, which was very beneficial for the team.


    But having such a talented player with a ten-million dollar annual salary was too much of a burden for the Spurs.


    Putting the troubles aside, Popovich was in a good mood now.


    He was originally worried that Duncan and Ginobili not playing would affect the team¡¯s tactical operations, but such a scenario did not happen.


    Even when Kobe scored 8 points in a row, the Spurs¡¯ tactical operations were not affected, scoring 4 points.


    The influence of Duncan on the Spurs transcends the game itself.


    As long as he hasn¡¯t retired, even if he just sits on the sidelines in a suit, his teammates can draw great confidence.


    On the court, the game continued, and it was the Spurs¡¯ turn to attack.


    Parker continued to initiate the offense with a pick-and-roll play with McDyess, and Zhang Yang¡¯s presence on the court did not disrupt the Spurs¡¯ team offensive operations.


    Zhang Yang indeed had good tactical awareness.


    Bynum, Artest, and Kobe¡¯s defensive combination successfully blocked the pick-and-roll between Parker and McDyess, cutting off Parker¡¯s passing routes back to the high post and the wings.


    Predicting the opponents¡¯ defensive intentions, Zhang Yang moved down from the right 45-degree angle ahead of time to the right baseline of the three-second area, ready to receive a pass from Parker and prevent Parker from being double-teamed and making a mistake.


    But Gasol defended superbly well, getting into position immediately, covering Zhang Yang¡¯s close-range shooting space.


    Artest also left Parker to press towards the baseline, blocking Zhang Yang¡¯s path to drive past Gasol under the basket.


    Just when everyone thought Zhang Yang would dribble the ball out and pass it back to Parker, Zhang Yang suddenly extended the ball out of the baseline¡­


    Pass!


    The ball flew behind Bynum, who was under the basket!


    Blair, on the left side of the three-second area, caught the ball behind Bynum¡¯s right side and scored a layup!


    Popovich was so frightened that he stood up ¨C that was a bold pass!


    But this was one of the reasons why Popovich valued Zhang Yang ¨C his daring creativity and execution, very reminiscent of Ginobili.


    However, he had some concerns: a player with such audacity might become reckless once his abilities strengthened¡­


    The offense-defense transition ensued, and it was the Lakers¡¯ turn to attack.


    The point guard, Fisher, brought the ball up the court and then gave it to Kobe, who had just scored 8 points.


    As soon as Kobe received the ball, he was closely guarded by Zhang Yang.


    Kobe managed to get past Zhang Yang, but it took slightly longer than when he got past Jefferson.


    Danny Green successfully got into position to help defend.


    While Zhang Yang¡¯s defensive skills and experience did not match Jefferson¡¯s, his athleticism was better than that of the deteriorated 30-year-old Jefferson, and his defensive attitude was relentless, helping Green to get into position for help defense.


    After being bypassed, Zhang Yang immediately turned and rushed to catch up, joining Green in double-teaming Kobe.


    Kobe, facing the disturbance from both defenders, forcefully shot¡­


    With Zhang Yang, standing 196 cm tall with a 210 cm wingspan, and Danny Green, 198 cm tall with a 208 cm wingspan, both leapt and stretched their arms out at just the right moment to interfere with the shot, forcing Kobe to increase the arc of his fadeaway¡­


    ¡°Clang¡±¡­


    It was a miss!


    McDyess secured the defensive rebound and quickly passed to Parker.


    Parker launched the counterattack, passing the ball to Zhang Yang, who was sprinting down the court.


    Kobe desperately chased back, getting under the basket before Zhang Yang, who just received the ball, could make a move.


    Instinctively reacting, Zhang Yang took a step forward with his right leg, dodging Kobe.


    As Kobe turned and pressed up again, Zhang Yang stepped left, arriving right under the basket, and jumped for a layup¡­


    It went in!


    The Euro step!


    Kobe was surprised; it had only been about two months since their last encounter, hadn¡¯t it?


    Back then, this guy named Jack didn¡¯t know this move!


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 49 - 49 48

    ?49: 48. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At first, he refused.


    49: 48.


    At first, he refused.


    When pushed to the brink, potential explodes, and anything becomes possible¡­except for math problems.


    Ginobili didn¡¯t specifically teach Zhang Yang the ¡°Euro step¡± by hopping back and forth, but rather set up many chairs for Zhang Yang to practice stepping and hopping around to approach the basket.


    Facing Kobe¡¯s defense, Zhang Yang subconsciously applied the ¡°basic chair maneuvering skills¡± he had been practicing these days, and it flowed even smoother than in training!


    That¡¯s why combining games and practice is the best way to learn techniques, requiring long hours of fundamental drills and flashes of brilliance in games.


    Zhang Yang was now faintly grasping the knack of the Euro step.


    Popovich was very satisfied with Zhang Yang¡¯s performance in this round, but he was even more surprised by Danny Green¡¯s defensive coordination.


    The scout report showed that Zhang Yang had been very active defensively since high school, like a mad dog, and his fundamentals and defensive awareness were also decent, but his defensive details and experience were lacking, even during his time with the Warriors.


    It was normal for him to maintain this defensive stance.


    Danny Green was different, though.


    He hadn¡¯t shown his defensive prowess in NBA games.


    Although he defended well in the development league, the level there was only between NCAA and the summer league, which didn¡¯t really count.


    At the start, because Richard Jefferson couldn¡¯t keep up with Kobe, Danny Green¡¯s help defense struggled to be effective.


    Now, with Zhang Yang who could keep up, Danny Green¡¯s performance suddenly made Popovich see him in a new light.


    However¡­


    now they had to endure that man¡¯s wrath, Popovich turned his gaze towards Kobe.


    In the 2008 Western Conference Finals, Kobe faced the defense ace Bowen, scoring an average of 29.2 points at a 53.3% shooting rate, with only 1.6 three-pointers and 2 free throws per game, scoring about 10 mid-range shots per game, causing a psychological shadow for Popovich.


    Facing setbacks on both ends of the court in one round, Kobe gritted his teeth, looking like he would bite someone.


    But, irritated as he was, he was very calm inside.


    After a few minutes, he clearly recognized that this shocking team of the season was still tough to deal with, even with Duncan and Ginobili missing¡­


    Start yelling at his teammates!


    As Popovich expected, under Kobe¡¯s leadership, the Lakers took responsibility on both ends of the court in the following minutes, drastically increasing their intensity.


    In the last 7-plus minutes of the first quarter, the Lakers scored 24 points to make 32 points in total.


    But the Spurs weren¡¯t crushed, calmly scoring 16 points during this time.


    30 to 32, the Spurs trailed the Lakers by two points going into the break.


    As long as the role players could run the strategies successfully without being affected by the absences of Ginobili and Duncan, with Parker leading the team, they could very well go toe-to-toe with the Lakers at full strength in regular time.


    In the second quarter, under Parker¡¯s leadership, the Spurs¡¯s team offense remained excellent, scoring 29 points, while the Lakers, with Kobe resting, others started to slack, scoring only 25 points.


    The Spurs led the Lakers by two points at 59 to 57 entering the second half.


    But the evenly matched situation was broken in the third quarter, as Kobe, Artest, Gasol, and Bynum played dominant defense, quickly overwhelming Parker.


    Seeing Parker act like a headless fly, Zhang Yang actively asked for the ball to go one-on-one, continuing to shoot from the free-throw line distance after using screens.


    The Spurs¡¯s previous pick-and-rolls, whether with Parker, Ginobili, or George Hill, always involved driving to the basket, using screens for mid-range shots, this was the first time, catching the Lakers off guard.


    But Zhang Yang had only recently learned from Ginobili how to break through using screens, and the variations were too limited.


    The Lakers replaced Bynum with Odom, Artest moved to power forward, and together with Kobe, they defended the top arc with a double-guard defense, making Zhang Yang overwhelmed as well.


    The Lakers scored only 21 points this quarter, but they managed to drastically reduce the Spurs¡¯s scoring to 19 points, reaching a tie at 78 all.


    In the final quarter, Kobe fired up, scoring 12 points in the quarter, leading his team to 24 points.


    The Lakers continued to maintain their third quarter¡¯s defensive level, holding the Spurs to only 15 points.


    In the end, Kobe scored 40 points, Gasol had 17 points, 17 rebounds, and 6 assists, Odom 17 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and Bynum 10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks¡­


    The Lakers defeated the Spurs 102 to 93, handing the Spurs their fourth consecutive loss.


    Zhang Yang tonight shot 8 for 20, adding 2 for 2 from free throws, scoring 18 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals.


    Despite the low shooting efficiency, with a highlight moment in the third quarter, Popovich was quite satisfied, faced with the two-time defending champion and basketball king Kobe Bryant, Jack, though not overpowering, was not intimidated.


    Picking up the main load, Popovich felt Zhang Yang wasn¡¯t there yet, but as a sixth man, and as a key player when Ginobili was erratic, he was looking more and more promising.


    Parker was the best on the team with stats, shooting 9 for 19, adding 5 for 6 from free throws, scoring 23 points and 6 assists, but he shot only 1 for 4 in the second half, becoming invisible when the going got tough, not quite as dependable as third-year George Hill, to Popovich¡¯s displeasure.


    Danny Green was a big surprise, shooting 4 for 7, including 3 for 5 from three-point range, scoring 11 points.


    Popovich had only thought of this guy as a sparring partner, but to his surprise, resting him turned out to be a treasure find, able to shoot and defend, a pure gain.


    Although they lost the game, Popovich was overall satisfied; against the prime Lakers, their lineup surely wasn¡¯t enough, but against ordinary playoff teams, they had the potential to win, and could up the intensity for a bold Jack.


    Against weaker teams, under the system, Parker alone could lead the team to a thorough victory.


    The experiment had already begun, and Popovich awaited the next game to test the results of the experiment.


    ¡­


    The Spurs lost to the Lakers, suffering a four-game losing streak, bringing their record down to 54 wins and 14 losses.


    The sad news didn¡¯t end there; after the game, the league announced a fine of $150,000 against the Spurs for basketball reasons and a $100,000 fine against Popovich.


    This amount of money is far from compensating for the economic loss Popovich¡¯s sudden announcement that Duncan and Ginobili would not play brought to this game, but this was already the highest level of punishment the league could impose for this.


    Faced with the league¡¯s sanctions, Popovich scoffed and immediately sent an appeal email to the league.


    The appeal was very likely to be futile and the fines would still have to be paid, but Popovich wanted to drag it out.


    The team fine could be handled through the team¡¯s accounts, but for his personal fine, he was sure the owner wouldn¡¯t help him pay, so he would delay as much as possible.


    On March 15, the Spurs arrived in Dallas and defeated the Mavericks 107 to 101 on the road.


    After a few days of rest, Duncan and Ginobili¡¯s performance efficiency was completely different!


    Ginobili made 8 out of 13 shots, including 3 of 5 three-pointers, along with 3 of 4 free throws, efficiently scoring 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.


    Duncan played 29 minutes, made 5 of 8 shots to get 12 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks, showing great performance in defense, making plays, and mid-range shooting.


    With the top players handling, Zhang Yang dramatically improved his efficiency, making 5 of 9 shots, including 1 of 2 three-pointers, along with 3 of 4 free throws, scoring 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.


    He had been learning from Parker and Ginobili how to use Duncan¡¯s screening, diversion, and playmaking abilities and was becoming increasingly proficient.


    Initially, Popovich was against the idea of resting players.


    But a daring No.


    3 player insisted that he implement a rest strategy, and he reluctantly accepted it though he was unwilling at heart.


    Now seeing the help that rest provided to the nearly 35-year-old Duncan and nearly 34-year-old Ginobili¡­


    he felt it was not unacceptable after all.


    After the game, Nowitzki, who lost to Duncan, was hung out to dry again.


    Zhang Yang saw the news and felt Nowitzki was treated unjustly as he had played well in that game, making 9 of 17 shots, including 2 of 4 three-pointers, along with 6 of 7 free throws, scoring 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists.


    It was Terry who messed up, making only 5 of 17 shots to score 16 points.


    Defending Terry were Zhang Yang, Ginobili, and Danny Green, taking turns¡­


    Zhang Yang felt that they hadn¡¯t defended all that well; sometimes Terry would miss even when he was wide open.


    What Zhang Yang found most distressing was Marion.


    In 2008, at the peak of his career, Marion was traded by the Suns for the 36-year-old O¡¯Neal, which completely crushed the spirit of this superstar forward.


    Whether with the Miami Heat or the Toronto Raptors, he merely existed, passing his days listlessly.


    Once a max-salary player, he could now only earn a $7 million annual salary with the Mavericks, having devolved into a corner shooter and wing defender, backing up DeShawn Stevenson.


    However, Marion had his pride.


    A media outlet reported that in the summer of 2009, Steve Kerr invited him for a meeting, hoping to re-sign him for 3 years at $26 million.


    Marion went, listened to the offer, didn¡¯t respond, but flipped Steve Kerr the bird, left without looking back, and promptly accepted a lower-priced offer from the Mavericks.


    On the 16th, the Spurs returned home, facing the Warriors in a back-to-back game switching between home and away.


    Ginobili and Duncan were absent again, and this time Popovich contacted the media early in the morning to officially announce the pair¡¯s ¡®limited injury¡¯.


    For the game against the Warriors, it was not worth deceiving the opponent, and he was sure that even without a live broadcast, the crafty old thief would find a way to fine his money.


    As for why Parker wasn¡¯t rotated¡­


    not even 29 yet, why rest him.


    In the original timeline, Parker didn¡¯t take a rest until the 11-12 season, which was shortened, and only in the 12-13 season, when his physicality had quite obviously declined, did he start resting.


    During Zhang Yang¡¯s first encounter against his former team after being traded, he chose to go all out, joining Danny Green as the fierce guard-forward duo.


    Danny Green chased Curry, Zhang Yang went after Ellis, with the help of George Hill, McDyess, Blair, and Splitter, they defended very well!


    Curry made 3 out of 8 shots, including 1 of 1 three-pointers, along with 2 of 2 free throws, scoring 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists; Ellis, although he scored 23 points, his 8 out of 21 shooting performance wasn¡¯t good either.


    Although Ellis ranked third among shooting guards in average points, the gap with the top two was huge.


    Since the shooting guards didn¡¯t heat up and David Lee was just padding stats, the Warriors were crushed by the Spurs.


    Parker exploded for 28 points and 11 assists, Zhang Yang 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, McDyess 13 points, 14 rebounds, Blair 12 points, George Hill 10 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists¡­


    The Spurs blew out the Warriors 111 to 96, improving their record to 56 wins and 14 losses.


    With only 12 games left in the regular season, Zhang Yang was at a key point he remembered from this season.


    He was both nervous and excited!


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 50 - 50 49

    ?50: 49.


    Increased intensity 50: 49.


    Increased intensity The next day, a rest day after having just finished three games in four days, the Spurs got three days off.


    Zhang Yang arrived at the ATT Stadium just after 9 am, requesting the scout reports for the remaining 12 games from Popovich to study.


    Over a month had passed; he had diligently studied tactics and techniques and trained.


    Although his shooting and playmaking did not show noticeable improvement, the techniques to execute those skills had become much richer than before.


    And it was precisely because of his solid basic skills that he could learn so many things so quickly and put them to use.


    Having introduced rotations early on, although a bit late after a four-game losing streak, its benefits were starting to show.


    And even if it was only starting now, it was better to have Duncan and Ginobili rest one game and play the next rather than being continuously defeated and exhausted.


    Besides, the chances of winning were higher after a rest.


    All these things, including studying the scout reports now, were preparation for the final 12 regular-season games.


    Just by looking through the names of the upcoming games, Zhang Yang discovered another reason for the Spurs¡¯ ¡°end-of-season collapse.¡±


    Out of 12 games, they faced 10 different opponents, nearly all unique, and except for the Kings, all teams were at least 40-win level, equivalent to playoffs caliber, and mostly contending for a playoffs spot.


    An absolute killer schedule!


    Zhang Yang felt the deep malice from the Jewish schemer; without looking at other teams¡¯ schedules, he could guess that no other team projected to win 50 games had a harder end-of-season schedule than theirs.


    When Zhang Yang saw the scout report for the Grizzlies, he looked at the current standings.


    He remembered the theory that the Grizzlies deliberately dropped to eighth in the Western Conference to pick the Spurs to compete against, given the Spurs¡¯ continuous losses at the tail end of the regular season.


    Now, he also believed that was the case.


    But the Grizzlies likely did not have much choice, as they had no chance of moving up to top six. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If they could have surged to fifth to play against the Thunder Team, or sixth to face the Mavericks, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t believe the Grizzlies would have chosen not to try.


    The second spot was held by the two-time defending champion Lakers, who were in formidable form.


    Given a choice, the Grizzlies would definitely not want to face the Lakers, as their strongest duo, the Black and White bears, had no advantage at all in front of Bynum¡¯s triplet towers.


    In other words, regardless of whether the Grizzlies had the confidence to defeat the Spurs, their only option was to drop to eighth and face the Spurs.


    After briefly reviewing the scout reports, Zhang Yang placed them in his shoulder bag to study slowly before sleeping, continuing the training: pick and roll breakthroughs, mid-range shots post-screen, Euro step basics¡­


    Let¡¯s go!


    ¡­


    On March 20th, the Spurs headed to the Pepsi Center in Denver to challenge the Nuggets Team.


    During All-Star weekend, the Nuggets sent Anthony and Billups to the Knicks Team; the ¡°Where¡¯s Melo going?¡± soap opera had been running for over a year.


    With the Nuggets dropping out of the Western top eight before the All-Star break and their core players traded away, everyone thought they¡¯d tank the season, with Duke¡¯s Kyrie still very tempting¡­


    However, the group of physically impressive role players received from the Knicks were just what Nuggets Team¡¯s head coach George Karl liked.


    His long-suppressed desire to run gun-and-run basketball resurfaced, deploying an eye-catching track-and-field style run-and-gun game.


    The Nuggets¡¯ record improved rather than declined, surpassing the Rockets, the Grizzlies, and the Hornets, now competing with the Trail Blazers for fifth in the West!


    At 8 pm, the game between the Spurs and the Nuggets began, and the Spurs were having a hard time¡ªthe opponents were too fast, and Popovich didn¡¯t let Duncan play.


    In the first quarter, the Spurs took a three-point lead, 29 to 26.


    In the second quarter, the Nuggets went on a mad sprint, scoring 40 to 35 against the Spurs, taking a two-point lead, 66 to 64, into halftime.


    In the third quarter, the Nuggets continued their rapid pace, scoring 33 to 31, extending their lead to four points, leading the Spurs 99 to 95.


    However, by the fourth quarter, when the Nuggets could not maintain their pace anymore, the Spurs¡¯ advantages began to show.


    The Nuggets Team got bogged down in position battles, almost without any tactics left.


    Previously they had Billups initiating attacks and Anthony playing solo, but now it had turned into Felton initiating and JR Smith playing solo¡­


    In the final quarter, having played only 15 minutes in the first three quarters, Ginobili asserted himself by scoring 3 out of 5 shots, including 2 out of 4 three-pointers, plus making both of his free throws, totaling 10 points.


    Zhang Yang made 2 out of 4 shots, along with making both of his free throws, scoring 6 points.


    Parker hit 3 out of 5 shots to also score 6 points.


    The trio joined forces to lead a 29-19 run in the quarter, turning the game around with a 124-118 victory over the Nuggets Team, improving their record to 57 wins and 14 losses!


    Zhang Yang played for 32 minutes, making 9 of 16 shots, including 1 of 2 three-pointers, and 3 out of 4 free throws, scoring 22 points with 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals, marking his third time scoring 20+ points since joining the Spurs!


    Defeating the Nuggets Team, Zhang Yang was very excited.


    From his memory, the Spurs had started a terrible losing streak from the 12th-last game.


    Seeing the ferocious momentum of the Nuggets Team tonight, if Duncan and Ginobili hadn¡¯t rested, even if Duncan had played this game, the Spurs would probably not have outpaced the Nuggets Team, and would have been worn down further after being dragged into a frenetic pace, with each subsequent game possibly ending worse¡­


    But the Ginobili here dazzled in the final quarter, smoothly dominating his matchup against JR Smith, practically showing people through his actions, not to compare any erratic sixth man with him.


    Ginobili was able to perform brilliantly in the final quarter not only because of the rest he got, but also because Zhang Yang held the fort in the first three quarters, hitting 7 out of 12 shots for 16 points, which allowed Ginobili to rest for an extended period.


    Defeating the Nuggets Team was Zhang Yang¡¯s first step in ¡°changing history¡±!


    ¡­


    Playing against the Nuggets Team was the start of the Spurs¡¯ four consecutive away games, followed by challenges against the Trail Blazers and the Rockets on the 22nd and 24th, respectively.


    Both games were tough battles, but luckily they managed to win them both without any mishaps.


    Playing the fifth-seeded Trail Blazers in the Western Conference, the Spurs went all out with their main players and led by just 4 points, 96-92, with one minute left.


    However, at that time, no one from the Trail Blazers could step up to make crucial shots, and Aldridge looked soft in critical moments, easily blocked by Duncan.


    Roy¡­ had been run into the ground by the Trail Blazers, and at just 26 years old, his season stats plummeted to an average of 12-2-2 and a shooting percentage of 39.7%.


    In critical moments, Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan didn¡¯t even send him in.


    Eventually, the Spurs defeated the Trail Blazers 99-92.


    Playing against the ninth-seeded Rockets, Duncan didn¡¯t play, and although Coach Popovich thought the game would be an easy win, they led by just 12 points at the end of the first quarter, 32-20.


    However, the Rockets showed resilience and managed to tie the score.


    Fortunately, in the third quarter, the Spurs again extended the lead, holding off the Rockets¡¯ comeback with their lead advantage to narrowly win 109-105, achieving a 5-game winning streak and improving their record to 59 wins and 14 losses.


    The Nuggets Team, the Trail Blazers, and the Rockets¡ªall three teams tested the Spurs¡¯ strength.


    Although the Spurs won all the games, they experienced firsthand the power unleashed by competitors for playoff spots and ranking contenders at the end-season sprint stage.


    If they had performed poorly in any aspect, they could have lost!


    However, in Zhang Yang¡¯s view, these three games were just the warm-up.


    The real test of strength would come in the final game of the four-game road trip¡ªagainst the Memphis Grizzlies Team!


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 Chapter 51 - 51 50

    ?51: 50.


    Administer eye drops first.


    51: 50.


    Administer eye drops first.


    On the afternoon of March 25, the Spurs arrived at the FedEx Forum in Memphis to prepare for the next day¡¯s game through training.


    The intensity of the training wasn¡¯t high; it mainly revolved around practicing Duncan¡¯s movements.


    After completing a set, Zhang Yang was subbed out and approached Popovich, saying, ¡°Greg, the group training next door might be our first-round opponents.¡±


    Indeed, he had come to Popovich to drop a hint.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Popovich glanced at Zhang Yang with a puzzled look, then turned back to watch the court, responding, ¡°Jack, you¡¯re still too young.


    Although you have great basketball talent, your judgment of team strength is still lacking.


    The Grizzlies, although they don¡¯t have a higher average winning margin than the Hornets, are good defensively.


    At this stage, they will definitely perform better than the Hornets.


    The Grizzlies will be the seventh seed in the West, and our first-round opponent will be the Hornets.¡±


    Zhang Yang said, ¡°You¡¯re right, the Grizzlies¡¯ strength might be superior to the Hornets¡¯, and they currently have the capacity to win more games than the Hornets.


    But the Grizzlies might not want to win that many games; they might choose to lose a couple more to pick us as their opponents.¡±


    Popovich exclaimed, ¡°What???¡±


    He wanted to have the team doctor check Zhang Yang¡¯s temperature; had the kid¡¯s brain been fried by a fever?


    What nonsense this was.


    Zhang Yang continued, ¡°I predict they¡¯ll choose to avoid the Lakers and pick us instead.¡±


    Popovich wanted to refute this, but after some thought, he felt it wasn¡¯t entirely out of the question!


    Indeed, the two-time defending champion Lakers, although only ranked fourth in the league, were still considered the strongest team in the league by most.


    Last season, the Lakers were not the top team in the league either.


    Historically, the number one team in the league often doesn¡¯t win the championship.


    Popovich thought about the previous three encounters with the Grizzlies, and this possibility seemed even more likely¡­


    He looked at Zhang Yang and asked, ¡°Are you so certain that the Grizzlies will actively choose to play against us?


    What makes you think they have the confidence to challenge the top team in the league?¡±


    ¡°Because of Zach Randolph.


    I¡¯ve reviewed the data from our last three encounters with the Grizzlies; Tim can¡¯t hold off Randolph since he lost weight¡­¡±


    As he spoke, Zhang Yang grabbed the menacing hand reaching towards his head and placed it on his shoulder.


    He noticed Duncan heading his way and purposely continued with his provocative statement, trying to influence him further!


    Duncan remained silent¡­


    He wasn¡¯t particularly intent on touching Zhang Yang¡¯s head; he just wanted to use body language to reassure Zhang Yang that he could handle it, or find a way to handle it if not.


    But now he wanted to touch, so he raised his hand and reached towards Zhang Yang¡¯s head again; Zhang Yang dodged, he chased, and as he continued to reach, Zhang Yang kept dodging¡­


    Watching the suddenly whimsical duo, Popovich, with a face full of exasperation, silently moved away, ashamed to associate with the two.


    After moving away from the scope of their head-touching game, Popovich began to seriously consider Zhang Yang¡¯s speculation, flipping through his little notebook, which he had prepared for each team.


    He turned to the detailed account of the previous three encounters with the Grizzlies¡­


    and frowned.


    Although the Grizzlies won two out of the three encounters, one victory was a close win in overtime, and in another, they had rallied in the last quarter, scoring 36-25 to win by 7 points.


    In those three meetings, Randolph scored 24 points and grabbed 21 rebounds, 24 points and 17 rebounds, and 21 points and 16 rebounds respectively.


    Duncan¡¯s one-on-one defense was still passable; Randolph¡¯s success rate in isolation plays wasn¡¯t high.


    However, Randolph could grab his own offensive rebounds after missed shots, which Duncan completely couldn¡¯t stop.


    Over those three games, Randolph had snagged 31 offensive rebounds, contributing to 34 points.


    Before the event had even occurred, Popovich had a feeling of being slapped in the face.


    The bold guess from Jack might actually come true!


    The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed!


    Never mind the embarrassment, if it had to happen, let it happen.


    On the bright side, having a player with strategic insight within the team lightened his mood considerably.


    Zhang Yang managed to escape from Duncan¡¯s clutches, and when Duncan chased him for a few steps and couldn¡¯t catch up, he stopped.


    Popovich called Duncan over, showed him the notebook, explained Zhang Yang¡¯s hypothesis combined with his own analysis, and then asked, ¡°Do you think the Grizzlies will choose to play against us?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡±


    Popovich: ¡°What¡¯s the probability?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°90%, with a 10% chance that the Hornets also don¡¯t want to face the Lakers.¡±


    Popovich: ¡°The Hornets wouldn¡¯t dare, with the Rockets chasing them.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°100%.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Please finish what you are saying,¡± Popovich murmured to himself, then said, ¡°It seems we need to change our imagined first-round opponent¡­¡±


    He had always used conventional thinking to determine who they would face in the first round.


    After watching for over a month following the All-Star weekend, he was certain that the Grizzlies were the strongest of the six teams vying for the seventh and eighth places, with the Hornets second and a clear gap in prowess between the two.


    Thus, in the past few days, he had already started preparing for the playoffs with the Hornets as their imagined adversary.


    Now, thinking back, he felt a chill; facing the Grizzlies was not a sure thing.


    If the Grizzlies suddenly lost intentionally in the last two or three games and dropped to eighth, it could indeed catch them off guard.


    Duncan: ¡°I can hold off Randolph.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Popovich was speechless again and said, ¡°Tim, could you please call Mike over, thank you.¡±


    ¡­


    The next morning, the Spurs had a new tactical training session.


    The tactical plan had been greatly adjusted compared to yesterday¡¯s training, and Zhang Yang was very pleased.


    He had mentioned it yesterday because he hadn¡¯t noticed that the team was particularly focused on the Grizzlies; he realized only then that the Grizzlies could only choose them as their opponent, based on a reverse deduction from known future incidents.


    Normally, nobody would expect the Hornets to finish with a better record than the Grizzlies.


    And typically, it¡¯s the higher-ranked team that chooses the lower-ranked team as their opponent, like a few years ago when the Mavericks chose the Warriors as their first-round opponents.


    No one had ever heard of a lower-ranked team losing on purpose to choose the number one team from the league as their opponent.


    Thankfully, the eye-opener worked!


    Popovich had begun to take the Grizzlies seriously and adjusted the tactics.


    The tactics they practiced yesterday were standard.


    However, there seemed to be something odd about this tactical plan¡­


    At the end of the training, when Popovich announced tonight¡¯s starters, he finally realized what was off¡­


    At 7:40 PM, at the visitor¡¯s entrance of the FedEx Forum, Zhang Yang did not stand in line with the substitutes outside as before but followed Parker under the spotlight.


    Zhang Yang was replacing Ginobili as a starter tonight!


    The first start of his professional career!


    Entering the court, listening to the wild boos from the fans, Zhang Yang was very calm.


    He had already been excited when he knew he¡¯d be starting, but now he had to remain calm.


    Starting the game meant taking on more responsibility, and his tactical role in the starting lineup¡¯s offense was also very important.


    He had to play well!

 Chapter 52 - 52 How could they know

    ?52: How could they know?


    52: How could they know?


    The visiting team¡¯s player introductions ended, and it was the home team Grizzlies¡¯ players¡¯ turn to take the court.


    There was Marc Gasol, with a full beard and a broad, bear-like frame.


    Mike Conley, with a stern face and piercing eyes. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tony Allen, all sinewy muscle and an aggressive expression.


    Sam Young with his gangster-boss look, his eyelids adorned with pronounced tattoos.


    Zach Randolph, with a simple and naive appearance but a hint of mischief.


    Zhang Yang watched the five starters emerge onto the court and thought of a Tianjin phrase¡ªthese guys don¡¯t look like the good sort!


    Just by appearance, the nickname ¡®Memphis Mob Team¡¯ wasn¡¯t given for nothing.


    Even the presence of Shawn Battier on the Grizzlies¡¯ bench, who could pass for a president, couldn¡¯t elevate the team¡¯s overall demeanor.


    After the entrance ceremony, Duncan, in a rare move, pulled his teammates aside to discuss the details of their defensive coordination with McDyess, Parker, and Richard Jefferson.


    Ginobili was also pulling Zhang Yang aside, reminding him of things to be aware of in high post defense and the details of coordinating interior and perimeter defense.


    Zhang Yang sensed what it meant to be a ¡®team player¡¯ from Ginobili.


    Even during his prime, Ginobili was willing to come off the bench, and today, suddenly being demoted to a bench role again, he showed no resentment, only repeatedly instructing his replacement.


    Having been with the Spurs for a while, Zhang Yang found that the team was actually quite warm on the inside, and the initial cold reception he felt was most likely influenced by a certain malevolent man.


    ¡­


    At 8 p.m., the game began.


    Duncan won the jump ball against Marc Gasol, and the Spurs had the first possession.


    Little brother¡¯s jump ball is really just that, a little brother¡¯s; teammates immediately retreated upon hearing the whistle.


    Zhang Yang quickly received the pass from Parker, but his attempt at a sneak attack was thwarted by Tony Allen¡¯s aggressive defense.


    He protected the ball and dribbled to the top of the arc, passing it to Parker who had come up to support.


    Thank you, Coach N for the highly detailed ball-handling training!


    Parker initiated an offense with a pick-and-roll with Duncan at the top of the key.


    After a drive, he was unable to tear through the opponent¡¯s defense, with four of the Grizzlies¡¯ players holding the line defensively and Randolph actively partaking in defense after his ¡®reformed bad boy¡¯ transformation, making no mistakes and committing no fouls.


    With Parker¡¯s drive yielding no results, he passed back to Duncan.


    Duncan, now closely guarded by Sam Young after a switch, dished the ball to Richard Jefferson.


    Jefferson then passed on¡­


    The Spurs¡¯ ball movement was exquisite, but they still couldn¡¯t create an easy shot, against the iron-clad defense crafted by Grizzlies¡¯ head coach Lionel Hollins.


    Parker received the ball again but with Big White Bear stationed beneath the hoop, he passed to Zhang Yang, who had come to support.


    Zhang Yang caught the ball, failing to shake off Tony Allen and was forced to shoot over the defender¡­


    it missed!


    On the sideline, Coach Popovich¡¯s face was serious.


    As expected, they couldn¡¯t break the defense with teamwork!


    The Grizzlies¡¯ half-court defense was even more tenacious tonight than in the previous three matchups.


    With less than 10 games left in the regular season, the referees¡¯ calls were already close to the playoff standard, which greatly benefited the Memphis Mob¡¯s defensive style.


    It¡¯s time to try that move, but first, he had to stop that black bear.


    The Grizzlies set a slow pace, but the Spurs quickly fell back into position, securing their defensive spots.


    There were significant changes in the Spurs this year, but one thing remained the same¡ªtheir defensive discipline.


    Conley advanced to the frontcourt, with Zhang Yang guarding the top of the key.


    Marc Gasol pulled up to the free-throw line, defended by Duncan; Richard Jefferson gave Sam Young some space and positioned himself on the right side of the three-second area; McDyess was sticking to Randolph at the right low block of the three-second area; and Parker was on the weak left side, guarding Tony Allen.


    Conley lobbed the ball to Randolph in the low post.


    Jefferson immediately collapsed along with McDyess, double-teaming Randolph and blocking his path to baseline on the left turn.


    Simultaneously, Conley cut down to the right corner, and the unguarded Sam Young moved up, hustling toward Conley.


    Zhang Yang stayed close to Conley¡¯s footsteps, but when Conley and Sam Young crossed paths, he abruptly backed out, pulling toward the middle.


    Sam Young set a screen for Conley without the ball and ended up screening nothing but air!


    Watching Zhang Yang cut in front of Marc Gasol to the free-throw line, Sam Young looked completely puzzled with a face full of question marks, not sure what to do next.


    Conley curled around Sam Young to the corner and was cut off by Richard Jefferson, who had expanded out, severing the passing lane to Randolph.


    As Zhang Yang contracted to the middle, Duncan moved into the paint, joining forces with McDyess to sandwich the right-turning Randolph trying to get to the middle!


    Facing a double-team from McDyess and Duncan, both defensive stalwarts, and having lost his passing lanes to Conley and Gasol, Randolph was flustered.


    Duncan and McDyess didn¡¯t reach out rashly, waiting for him to commit a three-second violation.


    Seeing the referee already puffing his cheeks, Randolph hurriedly passed the ball.


    Sam Young caught the pass but had three big men between him and the basket.


    Jefferson and Zhang Yang desperately tried to get around in front, so he took the shot, a long two-pointer¡­and missed!


    Randolph struggled to squeeze under the basket, hoping to fight for the offensive rebound, but was firmly blocked by both Duncan and McDyess.


    The Spurs¡¯ twin towers saw their teammate¡¯s move and chose to box out purely for position, not for the rebound.


    Randolph couldn¡¯t squeeze through at all.


    Parker retrieved the defensive rebound from the left side and initiated the counterattack!


    Parker pushed to the frontcourt, drawing the retreating Tony Allen and Sam Young into a double-team trap.


    He charged to the right side of the paint and passed the ball¡­


    Zhang Yang caught the pass on the left side of the paint, muscled past the rushing Conley, took one step and leaped, slamming the ball into the hoop with one hand!


    Popovich¡¯s tense body relaxed and he cracked a crooked smile.


    Grinding defense, it¡¯s been a while since they played it, but his iron-blooded Popovich-style was still holding strong!


    The Grizzlies were on the offense again, continuing to play the half-court game.


    The Spurs replicated their successful defensive strategy.


    This time Tony Allen was smart, proactively sticking to Parker and cutting towards the basket.


    However, both Duncan and McDyess were taller than Randolph and had longer arms; Randolph couldn¡¯t even see Tony Allen cutting from the left baseline, let alone pass him the ball.


    But Randolph didn¡¯t want to pass to Sam Young again, as their guards and forwards weren¡¯t shooting well.


    He decided to try something flashy and stepped back for a mid-range jumper¡­Duncan, standing tall, easily contested it, and the shot was off!


    After his shot, Randolph immediately pressured inside¡­


    only then did he see Tony Allen and Parker under the basket, with two turning into four; he had no chance to break through!


    Duncan grabbed the defensive rebound over the head of Tony Allen and passed it directly to Parker without hesitation.


    Parker broke out quickly, leading a fast break with Zhang Yang down both lanes.


    This time Conley, Sam Young, and Tony Allen defended the fast break better than the previous play.


    With a crowd at the basket just before, Parker had to circle around to start the rush, which also slowed his advance.


    The Spurs¡¯ fast break was halted.


    Zhang Yang, receiving Parker¡¯s pass, didn¡¯t force it and dribbled out to space, waiting for his teammates to arrive and set up a team offense.


    The Grizzlies¡¯ tenacious defense severely limited the Spurs¡¯ passing efficiency; their team offense still couldn¡¯t get going, and in the end, the ball found its way back to Zhang Yang.


    After a missed field goal attempt last possession, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t back down.


    Using a screen from McDyess, he came off the pick and pop for a mid-range shot¡­and it went in!


    Popovich rose to the court¡¯s edge, clapping his hands ¨C mid-range shots, mid-range!


    On the opposite side, Grizzlies¡¯ head coach Lionel Hollins looked astonished.


    The Spurs¡¯ offensive and defensive strategies were highly targeted!


    Especially the defensive tactics, they not only choked off their big three¡¯s communication but also specifically defended against Randolph¡¯s method of attacking the offensive rebounds.


    This was a situation they hadn¡¯t encountered in their previous three encounters!


    Hollins felt it was improbable.


    Why were they paying so much attention to a team that was about to clinch the seventh seed in the West?


    The attitude they were facing should have been like when playing the Nuggets Team or the Trail Blazers, with normal offensive and defensive plays!


    He didn¡¯t think he had revealed his playoff plans, which had only recently formed¡­


    Moreover, he had publicly set a goal for the fifth seed in the West, aiming to surpass the Nuggets Team and the Trail Blazers.


    He claimed that even if the hope was slim, he would strive for it with all his might, telling this to his players and playing the games accordingly.


    The opposition shouldn¡¯t have been prepared, right?


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 53 - 53 52

    ?53: 52.


    The decisive ball in the match 53: 52.


    The decisive ball in the match The Grizzlies¡¯ offense was mediocre to begin with, and Hollins chose a risky strategy, banking on Randolph¡¯s exceptional play and aggressive offensive rebounds.


    If the Spurs were still using their regular season¡¯s standard defense, with quick rotations and switches, Hollins¡¯ tactic would be effective, as it was tested in their first three encounters.


    But once the Spurs had made targeted defensive preparations, Hollins¡¯ unconventional move became too extreme and fell apart!


    The most important point¡ªDuncan had rested well over the past two weeks and had plenty of energy!


    Midway through the quarter, the score was 13 to 6, with the Spurs leading the Grizzlies by seven points going into a timeout.


    After the timeout, the Spurs made three substitutions, with George Hill, Ginobili, and Blair replacing Parker, Zhang Yang, and Duncan.


    With Parker off, the Spurs¡¯ fast break ability declined, and with Duncan off, the defense against Randolph weakened, but their defensive execution remained strong.


    Even when scored against, they remained steadfast in defense the next possession.


    In the latter half of the quarter, the Grizzlies significantly improved their shooting success rate but couldn¡¯t completely turn the game around, scoring only 11 points, while the Spurs also scored 11 points!


    Ginobili came on and paired with George Hill to lead the offense, with McDyess for mid-range support and Richard Jefferson at the corner, decreasing fast break and strong mid-range shots but substantially increasing set play scoring.


    24 to 17, the first quarter ended with the Spurs maintaining a seven-point lead!


    Being heavily pressed by the opposition, Hollins couldn¡¯t find a way to counter the Spurs¡¯ set defense.


    The opposing head coach was one of the league¡¯s top masters of defense.


    If Guy hadn¡¯t been injured, they could¡¯ve tried utilizing his talent to make some outside shots, but Guy was out for the season after the All-Star weekend, leaving them purely as a defensive team, with the offense relying on Conley, Randolph, and Marc Gasol.


    But Hollins didn¡¯t just sit back and accept defeat; if offense was no option, then they¡¯d make their defense as tight as possible!


    By the second quarter, the Grizzlies¡¯ defensive intensity and aggressive play increased even more, pushing their ironclad approach to the limit.


    The Spurs¡¯ offense in set plays declined once more, but fortunately, their scoring from counter-attacks kept up, with Parker, Zhang Yang, and Danny Green, who, once they got going, left the Grizzlies with no good solutions except to reduce their offensive rebounds and hustle back to defend.


    Randolph¡¯s offensive rebounding was further suppressed.


    By 9 minutes and 27 seconds into the second quarter, the Spurs and the Grizzlies scored 14 to 12 in the quarter, bringing the total score to 38 to 29, and it was nearly a double-digit difference.


    Just when the Grizzlies were on the verge of collapse, Conley stepped up, making three mid-range jumpers in a row, scoring six points in a quick succession.


    Mid-range jumpers!


    Taking advantage of Zhang Yang being subbed out, Conley found his shooting touch!


    During this time, his teammates, inspired by Conley¡¯s baskets, defended with great energy, stopping the Spurs on three consecutive offenses, cutting the lead to 35 to 38, and the Grizzlies still had possession!


    Conley continued in isolation, using a stop-and-shoot mid-range threat, followed by a fake drive and a step-back three-pointer¡­


    and it went in!


    38 to 38, the Grizzlies tied the game!


    The old problem was still there for the Spurs¡ªthis team was overly cautious.


    With 19 seconds left on the clock, Popovich called a timeout, bringing Zhang Yang back in, with Danny Green, Ginobili, Blair, and Duncan joining him on the court.


    On the Grizzlies¡¯ side, the lineup of Conley, Tony Allen, Battier, Darrell Arthur, and Marc Gasol took to the floor.


    Coming back from the timeout, it was the Spurs¡¯ turn to attack.


    Ginobili initiated an attack with a pick-and-roll with Duncan.


    He drove in with no chance to shoot and looked to pull back for a solo three¡­


    Suddenly, he saw an opening for a teammate and passed across a crowd through the middle of the court!


    The ball whizzed through a gap and arrived at the left baseline.


    Duncan set multiple screens in succession, first for Ginobili, then rolling down and quickly moving to the left side of the paint to screen off Tony Allen for Zhang Yang.


    Zhang Yang received the ball on the left baseline near the free-throw line, jumped, and took a mid-range shot facing the oncoming Battier¡­


    and was knocked down to the floor by Battier.


    But the ball was already on its way!


    Accompanied by the referee¡¯s whistle, the ball fell through the net.


    The basket was good, and he was going to the line for an additional free throw!


    Conley had worked hard to rally the Grizzlies, on the brink of evening the score before heading into the second half, where they could start again from an even keel with momentum at its peak¡­


    only to be met with a crushing blow!


    Everyone was numb.


    Ginobili dared to make that pass?


    The paint was full of people!


    Just one swing of an arm and the ball would be gone!


    Even the Spurs¡¯ own players could have ruined the play.


    That Chinese player, too, had astonishing guts!


    Battier knew he couldn¡¯t get in position in time, so he lunged forward aiming to foul, clawing and trying to intimidate his opponent.


    But Zhang Yang threw the ball in without any hint of timidity and even drew the foul!


    Conley clearly felt his teammates¡¯ rising morale being stifled.


    As for Duncan, who played a crucial role in this offense, he was ignored once again¡­


    With Zhang Yang¡¯s successful additional free throw, Conley¡¯s buzzer-beating long three-pointer bouncing off, the Spurs entered the second half with a 41-38 lead, a 3-point advantage!


    Popovich let out a long sigh of relief, nearly overwhelmed by Conley¡¯s offensive push.


    Mid-range!


    Mid-range!


    It still comes down to mid-range shots!


    In the second quarter, both teams defended well in half-court settings, with three-pointers and shots under the basket both being well-guarded, locking down the scoring.


    During this time, Conley stood out to break the deadlock using mid-range shots, and Zhang Yang used mid-range shots for his crucial points!


    Popovich always knew the importance of mid-range shots, but he had no one on his team capable of making them!


    Ginobili was not good at mid-range shots when he entered the NBA, averaging only 0.4 points from mid-range in his rookie season.


    After practicing fervently all summer, he slightly increased his mid-range scoring to an average of 1.4 points in his sophomore year; however, his mid-range shooting percentage fell from 37% in his rookie season to 29.9%¡­


    Now, at last, he had a talent with a gift for mid-range shots!


    ¡­


    Sometimes, one shot can decide the game.


    If Ginobili¡¯s pass had been a turnover, if Duncan hadn¡¯t noticed Zhang Yang¡¯s movement during the pick and roll and failed to block Tony Allen, if Zhang Yang had been intimidated by Battier¡¯s aggressive gestures and missed the shot¡­


    the Grizzlies would have tied the score and entered halftime with full momentum.


    The mindset of ¡®back to the starting line¡¯ differs from the mindset of being behind, even if it¡¯s just by 3 points.


    In the third quarter, the Grizzlies played fiercely, showing a determination to fight to the end.


    Another team might have been scared by their intensity, but their opponents were the Spurs with Tim Duncan! S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Grizzlies carved out 22 points in the quarter, one more point than in the second, with Randolph scoring 10 points in the quarter, Conley getting 6 points in 8 minutes, and Gasol and Battier each contributing 3 points.


    However, the Grizzlies¡¯ defensive lapses were even more prominent than their offensive improvements!


    Ginobili seized the opportunity to start rolling!


    Ginobili hit 2 of 3 three-point shots, plus caused harm inside the line 3 times, hitting all 6 of his free throws, scoring 12 points in the quarter, and leading his team to a 27-point outburst!


    Zhang Yang also played a significant role.


    Although he mainly played support and sprinted on fast breaks in the third quarter, just like an ordinary role-player, he was rotated with Ginobili in the first half, playing for longer with 13 minutes, allowing Ginobili to play only 11 minutes in the first half, concentrating his energy into an output for the third quarter¡­


    20 minutes of Jordan-time!


    68-60, the Spurs stretched the lead to 8 points!


    Come the final quarter, the defense of both sides declined.


    Time spares no one, and Duncan¡¯s defensive performance and energy waned in the last quarter, affecting the Spurs¡¯ team defense, letting the Grizzlies score 27 points in the quarter.


    But the 28-year-old muscle man Tony Allen appeared to be in worse shape than Duncan¡­


    His minutes per game this season were actually much lower than Duncan¡¯s.


    In the first half of the quarter, Zhang Yang scored 7 points, Parker had 4 points and 2 assists, and in the second half, Ginobili replaced Zhang Yang, scoring 5 points and providing 2 assists, with Parker adding 2 points and 2 assists¡­


    The three joined forces to lead their team, scoring 25 points in the quarter, not giving the Grizzlies any chance for a comeback!


    At 10:21 pm, the final whistle blew.


    With Randolph scoring 28 points and 7 rebounds with 2 assists, and Conley getting 25 points and 4 assists, both had good scoring performances, but the former¡¯s absolute advantage in rebounding was neutralized, and the latter failed to organize the offense effectively.


    Ginobili with 24 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists, Zhang Yang with 20 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals, Duncan with 12 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 blocks, Parker with 16 points and 9 assists¡­


    93-86, the Spurs defeated the Grizzlies, notching their 6th consecutive victory, improving their record to 60 wins and 14 losses!


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 54 - 54 53

    ?54: 53.


    ¡®History¡¯ changes, locking in first place 54: 53.


    ¡®History¡¯ changes, locking in first place On the 27th, the Spurs team flew back to San Antonio, finally ending their brutal four-game road trip.


    The intensity of each game was higher than the last, especially the game against the Grizzlies, which left Zhang Yang frightened.


    If there hadn¡¯t been any rotation, Duncan and Hill would still be fatigued; if there hadn¡¯t been any targeted tactical preparations, like when playing against the Nuggets Team, Rockets, and Trail Blazers using a conventional approach¡­ this game might have been dominated by the Grizzlies.


    With Randolph entering his peak season, he was truly fierce.


    Even being targeted like that, he still managed to score 28 points in a single game, holding down the fort and creating a comeback opportunity for Conley.


    Conley made his shots under pressure, had the ability and the heart, making him a very lethal but easily overlooked opponent.


    Of course, the most important factor was the Grizzlies¡¯ defense.


    The starters included Conley, Tony Allen, Gasol, and Sam Young¡¯s defense was also on point; with substitutes like Battier, Leon Powe, Darrell Arthur, Vasquez¡­ their defense was very good, and Coach Hollins was a top-tier defensive coach even before the era of small ball arrived.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for the Grizzlies¡¯ disorganized defense in the third quarter, the Spurs¡¯ team offense really wouldn¡¯t have broken through.


    After personally facing the Grizzlies, Zhang Yang finally understood why originally, in this timeline, the Spurs fell behind 1-3 straight after entering the playoffs and eventually suffered a crushing defeat.


    Back in San Antonio, Zhang Yang took the team¡¯s bus back to the AT&T Stadium to continue practicing his pick-and-pop mid-range shots and attacking the basket.


    The Grizzlies¡¯ defensive strengths were under the basket and beyond the three-point line; mid-range defense was average.


    If he could speed up and stabilize his mid-range shots after pick-and-pop, he could grasp more scoring opportunities.


    Attacking the basket with the ball was their weak point this season.


    Parker¡¯s shooting percentage was very high, but stationery battles couldn¡¯t shake off the defense of the ¡°Twin Bears¡± + Conley.


    Once the Grizzlies got going, Parker would virtually disappear.


    Duncan¡¯s offensive capabilities were gone, leaving only Ginobili as an attacking point inside, and Jack Zhang counted as half¡­


    With roughly three weeks left before the playoffs, he continued to strive hard!


    ¡­


    With only the last eight games of the regular season remaining, the Spurs¡¯ opponents were tough one after another, but the schedule became more relaxed.


    From March 27th to April 17th, they had 22 days to play eight games.


    This wasn¡¯t Stern being ¡®merciful¡¯ to the Spurs, but rather the onset of the NHC (high-post defense, no hands allowed) in the 04-05 season led to a widespread of injuries towards the end of the regular season.


    The league moved the start of the regular season forward a bit and increased the rest periods at the end of regular season, reducing the risk of widespread injuries as teams jockeyed for playoff positions and rankings, which could affect the playoffs¡¯ appeal.


    From the 27th to the 29th, the Spurs had three days of rest.


    On the 30th, they faced the challenge of the Kings at home.


    Today, Popovich let Duncan and Richard Jefferson rest, deploying a starting lineup of Parker, Zhang Yang, Danny Green, McDyess, and Splitter.


    Ginobili continued to play as the sixth man, which was also an adjustment by Popovich to let Ginobili rest more and play lighter, not solely to increase the intensity of cultivating Zhang Yang.


    The opponent¡¯s strongest player was definitely in their starting lineup, allowing Zhang Yang to wear down the opponents first, making it easier for Ginobili to play.


    From a developmental perspective, Zhang Yang was undoubtedly the most valued player by the Spurs at the moment, but from a game perspective, Popovich undoubtedly valued Ginobili¡¯s performance more.


    The game went smoothly, also making Popovich more heartbroken about the ten-million annual salary given to Richard Jefferson last summer.


    Earning a 460,000 US dollar salary, Danny Green, although less experienced than Richard Jefferson and not a passer, and less effective in shrinking the defense due to being lighter than Richard Jefferson, that difference was not worth over nine million dollars!


    Danny Green¡¯s one-on-one defense was better than the current Richard Jefferson, his shooting was superior, and his shooting range was broader, covering all three-pointers¡­


    The game went smoothly, with Parker being the superstar, scoring 26 points and 12 assists, leading the Spurs to an easy 111-92 victory over the Kings.


    Ginobili came off the bench to score 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, Danny Green 10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, Zhang Yang 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, McDyess 18 points, and George Hill 12 points, 4 assists, 1 steal, all delivering outstanding performances on the offensive end.


    Two days later, on April 2nd, the Spurs faced one of the championship favorites, the Celtics.


    The Celtics were only ranked third in the East, but no one dared to underestimate them.


    Last season, they achieved 50 wins and 32 losses, hammered Rose in the playoffs first, then toppled James, the league¡¯s top player in a 4-2 series, beat Howard in the Eastern Finals 4-2, and battled the Lakers to a Game 7 in the Finals.


    Many people felt that this year¡¯s Finals would be another showdown between the yellow and green.


    The Spurs, with their full starting lineup and having rested for three days, including Duncan and Richard Jefferson as per Popovich¡¯s orders, were ready to face the Celtics.


    But they did not win¡­


    Even though Duncan, facing Garnett, burst into action with 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Zhang Yang¡¯s 18 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, Parker¡¯s 13 points, 5 assists, and Ginobili¡¯s 14 points, 4 assists were all decent,


    they were still no match for Rondo with 12 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists, Garnett with 13 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, Pierce with 18 points, Ray Allen with 16 points, 3 assists, and Jeff Green with 18 points.


    91 to 97, the Spurs lost at home, ending their six-game winning streak.


    In the game, Zhang Yang fought hard to win, daring to fight and compete, but after the game, he had to admit that although his team was ranked first in the league, they truly weren¡¯t as strong as those real championship-contending teams.


    Their strength lay in their unique stability in the league, a characteristic that had not changed in the decades since Duncan joined, rarely losing to weaker opponents.


    However, this stability also lacked the capacity to upset higher-ranked teams.


    Regarding how to solve this problem, knowing the villain Popovich as Zhang Yang did, the answer should be¡ª as long as we are stronger than every other team in the league, there¡¯s no need to worry about upsetting others¡­


    Don¡¯t let problems arise if you can¡¯t solve them.


    On April 5, the Spurs lost at home against the Trail Blazers 102 to 110.


    Ginobili, Duncan, and Richard Jefferson didn¡¯t play.


    After losing to the Celtics, the Spurs could no longer surpass the Mavericks¡¯ record in Texas, and Popovich completely let loose.


    On April 7, the Spurs defeated the Hawks team 107 to 95 away.


    Although they won, Zhang Yang, guarded by the real modern-day Jordan, Joe Johnson, got a lesson.


    The coach is inhuman!


    He let him single defend Joe Johnson at the high post!


    He knew it was ¡°training,¡± but it was a bit too much; he experienced what it meant to be a first-class mid-range individual scorer.


    Joe Johnson shot more from the mid-range area, beyond the free-throw line and within the three-point line, than from outside the three-point line and inside the free throw line combined. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, Joe Johnson¡¯s height of 201cm and weight of 107 kg didn¡¯t translate to much power in the paint, which was the chasm separating him from a true mid-range superstar.


    But¡­ despite the drawbacks in Joe Johnson¡¯s playing style, Zhang Yang still really wanted to learn; this guy had so many mid-range scoring moves!


    By April 10, the Spurs were back home to face a challenge from the Jazz team.


    In this game, the Spurs played hard; 11 players participated, and 8 scored in double digits: Zhang Yang with 19 points, Danny Green with 12 points, Richard Jefferson with 10 points, Parker with 13 points, 7 assists, Duncan with 10 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, Ginobili with 12 points, 6 assists, Blair with 12 points, 7 rebounds, and Bonner with 17 points¡­


    111 to 90, the Spurs¡¯ team-play was fully fired up as they slaughtered the Jazz team, pushing their record to 63 wins and 16 losses!


    The Chicago Bulls, meanwhile, stood at 58 wins and 20 losses; the Spurs secured the regular season championship three games early!


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 55 - 55 This is real hatred!

    ?55: This is real hatred!


    55: This is real hatred!


    The Spurs locked in the top spot in the league and made headlines, but the buzz, though high, wasn¡¯t surprising to anyone.


    If they had been 44-8 halfway through the season and hadn¡¯t secured the top league position by the end, that would¡¯ve been a ¡®surprise.¡¯


    The Spurs players weren¡¯t too excited about it either¡­


    Before the game against the Jazz, everyone was enthusiastic, but after securing the top spot, it seemed like nobody really cared.


    It¡¯s possible that everyone was just imitating number 21, acting cool like the wind¡­


    When Zhang Yang was learning the pick-and-roll rhythm from Ginobili, he asked if he really didn¡¯t care about being first.


    Ginobili replied, ¡°You should learn to enjoy the process of striving for first place, not the outcome.


    You only need to care if you don¡¯t get it.¡±


    Zhang Yang blinked, what a reasonable point!


    The team had locked in the regular season championship, but Zhang Yang¡¯s optional mission wasn¡¯t over yet.


    He needed one more win to set a new team record.


    But Popovich, having lost the possibility of surpassing the Mavericks¡¯ 67 wins, didn¡¯t care about the record anymore after securing the regular season championship.


    On the 12th, the day before the Spurs played against the Suns, before the Suns had arrived in San Antonio, Popovich announced that Duncan and Ginobili wouldn¡¯t play in the games against the Suns on the 13th and 17th.


    Since they were playing the Lakers on the 15th, Popovich couldn¡¯t think of any injuries that would allow a break between games.


    Imagining different injury scenarios for a week was bothersome, so he simply stopped pretending.


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t know Popovich was worried about this, otherwise he would¡¯ve definitely suggested another immature idea¡ªinstalling a ¡®smart groin¡¯ for Duncan and a ¡®smart hamstring¡¯ for Ginobili.


    Even Parker could get a ¡®smart gluteus maximus¡¯ prepared.


    With the team¡¯s two strongest players not playing, Zhang Yang felt some pressure on the mission.


    Winning against the Lakers wasn¡¯t guaranteed, the Lakers were on an eight-game winning streak, formidable in their momentum.


    Achieving a victory over the Suns to break the team record was the priority.


    ¡­


    In the afternoon, the Suns arrived at San Antonio.


    In the evening, Zhang Yang spent a bit of money to treat Nash to dinner at a fancy restaurant.


    He was very grateful for the guidance Nash had given him during the playoffs last season.


    After dinner, Nash remarked, ¡°I knew you would make it.


    If only Steve hadn¡¯t refused to match the contract, your staying on the team would have increased our chances of making the playoffs.


    I didn¡¯t expect you to get traded to the Spurs.


    It looks like you¡¯ll win a championship before I do.¡±


    Zhang Yang responded, ¡°I think so, I¡¯m not far from winning a championship.¡±


    This year¡¯s championship probability wasn¡¯t high; the system this season was still lacking something.


    Playing high-intensity games was always tough, and these weren¡¯t issues he could solve.


    However, he wasn¡¯t worried; Popovich would eventually figure it out.


    The next three years were definitely the golden window for championships.


    It¡¯s just that he didn¡¯t know if ¡®he¡¯ would re-sign in the future.


    Considering ¡®his¡¯ past choices between staying with the Suns or moving to the Warriors based on money, ¡®he¡¯ seemed to care a lot about money.


    But it was hard to say.


    The difference between Kerr¡¯s offer of two years, three million US dollars, and the Warriors¡¯ two years, over five million US dollars was nearly half.


    As a lower-tier player, any normal person would choose the Warriors¡¯ contract. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If there were another Gate of Trials in this timeline, that would reveal ¡®his¡¯ choice.


    The next evening, on April 13 at 8 PM, the Spurs were set to host a game against the Suns at home.


    With Stoudemire heading for the Big Apple, the Suns¡¯ strength had significantly weakened, dropping from championship contenders to an ordinary playoff-level team.


    That was the least of it.


    Initially, relying on players like Nash, Jason Richardson, Hill, and Frye, the Suns had maintained a top-eight position in the West for the first two months.


    However, before Christmas, Kerr made his last trade with the Suns¡ªtrading their leading scorer, Richardson, averaging 19.3 points per game, along with the backup lineup¡¯s organizational core, Turkoglu, for Vince Carter from the Magic.


    This trade had completely wrecked the Suns!


    Currently, Nash, with an average of 14.7 points and 11.5 assists per game, was both the scoring and assist leader for the Suns.


    Carter was no longer at star level.


    Even in the Magic, he only averaged 15 points per game, and after joining the Suns, his scoring average dropped to 13.5 points per game, even less than what the 38-year-old veteran Hill could muster.


    However, Marcin Gortat, who had been just an add-on averaging 3.8 points and 3.6 rebounds over the first three-plus seasons, had been fed well by Nash.


    He averaged 13 points, compensating slightly for the loss.


    During the All-Star weekend, Steve Kerr resigned, leaving a mess for his successor.


    But even with Kerr having crippled the team, with Nash around, the Suns¡¯ offense was never bad!


    Tonight in the first quarter, having seen the Spurs, the Suns exploded to score 31 points, leading the Spurs, who had 27 points, by 4!


    In the second quarter, the Spurs withstood the Suns¡¯ firepower, tying the game at 29-29, preventing the Suns from further widening the gap.


    In the third quarter, both teams¡¯ stamina started to wane, the fast breaks slowed down, and the Spurs finally took advantage of their set-piece attacks, outscoring the Suns 29-26, reducing the gap to just 1 point.


    In the final quarter, the teams battled fiercely until the last moments, and at 11 minutes and 44 seconds, Nash hit a three-pointer after a pick-and-roll, bringing the quarter score to 26-25 and the overall score to 112-110, with the Suns gaining a two-point lead in the closing moment.


    The Spurs called a timeout, and Popovich brought in Zhang Yang and Parker, along with Danny Green, Richard Jefferson, and Bonner, all three-point shooters.


    After the timeout, Parker dribbled the ball, and with 8 seconds remaining, he passed to Zhang Yang, who with Bonner¡¯s help at the top of the arc blocked Carter, allowing Zhang Yang to use the cover to break through, easily shaking off the covering Frye, stopping on the right side of the three-second area, catching the ball, and jumping to take a mid-range shot¡­


    At the crucial moment, Zhang Yang was excited, but his hands did not shake, and he scored a mid-range jumper from nearly an open position!


    112-112, the Spurs tied the game!


    Nash felt a bit regretful at that moment, the small trick that Zhang Yang used to advance a step further after the pick-and-roll to shake off Frye was taught by him!


    In the final 4 seconds, the Suns did not score, sending the game to overtime.


    Both teams¡¯ veterans were sighing, they were already exhausted from the game, and they had to continue.


    But they sighed too soon¡­


    In the first overtime, Nash scored 4 points and 2 assists, Parker scored 6 points and 1 assist.


    The teams were evenly matched, ending the first overtime at 9-9, going into the second overtime.


    It wasn¡¯t over yet; in the second overtime the teams tied at 7-7, bringing on a third overtime!


    Zhang Yang collapsed in the second overtime, having played over 37 minutes in regulation time, the entire first overtime, and more than 3 minutes into the second overtime, ending his time on the court at 46 minutes.


    In games like these, it was still up to Parker!


    In the third overtime, Parker alone scored an 8-4 overtime score, killing the game!


    Parker played for 55 minutes, made 16 of 28 field goals, along with 12 of 16 free throws, racking up 44 points and 9 assists.


    With Zhang Yang¡¯s 29 points, McDyess¡¯s 24 points, Bonner¡¯s 10 points, George Hill¡¯s 13 points and 5 assists¡­


    the Spurs narrowly defeated the Suns with a score of 136-132, improving their record to 64-16, refreshing their best historical record!


    When the final buzzer sounded, several veterans simply sat down on the floor.


    Before the outcome was decided, people on both sides fought as if it were life or death.


    After the outcome was decided, the Suns¡¯ veterans felt that Nash¡¯s key three-pointer in the regulation time that could have turned the score around wasn¡¯t crucial.


    Winning one more game wouldn¡¯t have gotten them into the playoffs anyway, and, more importantly, they lost.


    The Spurs¡¯ veterans also felt it would have been better if Zhang Yang¡¯s game-tying mid-range shot hadn¡¯t gone in.


    They were already in first place; winning another game wouldn¡¯t increase their salary¡­


    Luckily they won, otherwise it would have been even more heart-wrenching.


    The Gate of Trials appeared before Zhang Yang, notifying him that the task of ¡®best in team history¡¯ had been completed and he had attained ¡®Devil¡¯s Pace of the Demon Blade¡¯.


    But now he was almost spent; he closed the Gate of Trials, deciding to rest a bit before looking again.


    46 minutes of playing time seem a lot¡­ indeed it was, especially for someone who was only in his second year, and crucially, the Suns often played a running game, so they also had to run.


    Unfortunately, he was the team¡¯s second option for fast breaks, also being Parker¡¯s primary support point when initiating fast attacks.


    Seeing Nash tonight, who played for 57 minutes scoring 26 points, 2 rebounds, 20 assists, and Hill, who played for 50 minutes scoring 24 points, 17 rebounds¡­


    Zhang Yang felt that these two really hated the Spurs!


    They truly despised them!


    Last year¡¯s revenge in a playoff series wasn¡¯t enough; given a chance, they would seek revenge again!


    ¡­


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 Chapter 56 - 56 55

    ?56: 55.


    Scared the opponent away?


    56: 55.


    Scared the opponent away?


    Well, you could say the young man was in good shape; completely drained the previous night, he was back in action the next morning.


    When Zhang Yang woke up, he felt like he was fully alert; he wasn¡¯t noticeably tired, just a bit of muscle soreness.


    He rarely did this, but he spent the morning lounging in the hotel for a good rest.


    He was still staying at the hotel; the time for team-sponsored room coverage had passed, and now he was paying for the room himself.


    He hadn¡¯t opted for renting an apartment because a good standalone apartment in a good location was nearly the same cost as a month¡¯s payment at the hotel, and it was closer to the ATT Stadium, with daily cleaning service included.


    After lunch, Zhang Yang went to the ATT Stadium; today he was the only one training.


    After last night¡¯s triple overtime victory, Popovich had walked back into the locker room and announced that this afternoon¡¯s training was canceled.


    The ¡°idiot¡± and the ¡°bald guy¡± were ordered to cut back on training and rest more; everyone else was too exhausted from last night and hadn¡¯t come.


    He had originally planned to rest all day, but he couldn¡¯t sit still and wanted to try out the new reward.


    ¡°¡­


    Experience gained: 1.


    Steve Nash¡¯s ball-handling rhythm (beginner level);2.


    Devil¡¯s Pace of the ¡°Demon Blade¡±: When executing a short-distance Euro step, the initial burst of speed is significantly increased.¡±


    Unlike the vague feelings associated with rhythm, the effects of the Devil¡¯s Pace were directly described.


    He started warming up, training around the chair.


    The first time, he felt the difference; his initial movements after catching the ball were faster!


    The speed of his direction changes increased as well!


    But there was no discomfort; it felt as natural as when he first managed to activate ¡®Nash¡¯s ball-handling rhythm,¡¯ and he ¡®got used to¡¯ it naturally.


    This made Zhang Yang very happy, as he had thought it might take time to adapt.


    However, after practicing a few more times, he realized he still needed to ¡®adapt.¡¯ Footwork wasn¡¯t just about chasing speed.


    If the opponent¡¯s big man was slow, and he used a Euro step pretending to move left but aimed for where the opponent was originally, and the opponent hadn¡¯t fully shifted, he would just run into him¡­


    This involved a rhythm issue; better ask an expert!


    The team had a top-tier expert in Euro step, so no worries!


    He then practiced mid-range shots using screens; although he had thought about the ¡®facing the tenth in the West, what fate are we playing with¡¯ after last night¡¯s game, now that he was rested, recalling that game-tying mid-range shot felt wonderful.


    This move, though simple, really worked.


    ¡­


    After a day of rest, on April 15th, the home game against the Lakers arrived for the Spurs.


    Early in the morning, Stern¡¯s blood pressure shot up.


    Popovich announced ahead of time the adjustment of the rest rotation plan, saying Duncan, Ginobili, Parker, and Richard Jefferson would all sit out tonight to preserve strength for the playoffs and he cancelled the rest rotation plan for the final game against the Suns.


    ¡®Rest rotation,¡¯ a term originally from agriculture, refers to letting the land ¡®rest¡¯ and regain fertility by not planting crops for a period; quite aptly used here. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This once again sparked a media storm; nobody cared when the Spurs rested players against the Suns.


    In just four years, Steve Kerr had collapsed the lineup that Joe Colangelo had initially built by tapping heavily into his connections, and the Suns were no longer a playoff team.


    But the Spurs and the Lakers were the two most popular teams in the Western Conference this season.


    The rest rotation by the Spurs caused a significant impact, but Popovich, through previous rest rotations, had managed to draw all attention to himself, sparing others such as GDP from criticism.


    Everyone was targeting him.


    This time Stern couldn¡¯t do anything to Popovich.


    They had just played a triple overtime two days ago, the veterans were exhausted, and not playing to avoid injuries was completely justified; as for Duncan and Ginobili not playing at all, that didn¡¯t matter.


    Moreover, Popovich had announced this in advance, leaving Stern with no grounds for fines, only impotent fury.


    By night, the game lacked suspense; this time even Parker didn¡¯t play, and the Spurs were hammered.


    Kobe scored 26 points with 5 rebounds and 5 assists, Gasol had 21 points with 9 rebounds and 5 assists, Bynum got 13 points and 8 rebounds, Odom had 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists, Blake scored 12 points with 4 assists¡­


    The Lakers defeated the Spurs 99 to 83, handing them their 17th loss of the season.


    Zhang Yang made 9 out of 24 shots tonight, including 0 for 4 from three-point range and 2 out of 3 free throws, scoring a total of 20 points with 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal.


    George Hill scored 15 points with 3 assists; Blair scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, with no other player scoring in double digits.


    Actually, the Spurs¡¯ team tactics were decent tonight; they only scored 83 points, but each of the 10 players who played scored.


    Even players pulled from the inactive list like Udoka, James Anderson, and Chris Quinn managed to score.


    However, without someone to clearly play the strong role like GDP to draw the Lakers¡¯ defensive attention, the team couldn¡¯t get a good shooting rhythm, and Zhang Yang was not yet at the point where he could carry the team alone.


    On April 17, the Spurs arrived at the Phoenix City Western Arena for an away challenge against the Suns.


    After a triple-overtime battle with the Spurs on the 13th, the Suns had also struggled the day before yesterday, being slaughtered by the Nuggets by 34 points, 98 to 132, in a scene that was utterly bloody¡ªthe third quarter alone ended 17 to 44, branded as the season¡¯s most disastrous single-quarter massacre.


    But tonight, facing the Spurs in their final regular-season game, the old guards of the Suns rallied, slamming in 30 points in the first quarter.


    For the Spurs, Parker and Zhang Yang were also firing on all cylinders, leading the team to score 35 points in one quarter and firmly pressuring the Suns.


    In the time that followed, both teams played a beautiful offensive battle, with the Spurs ultimately overcoming the Suns 114 to 107!


    Zhang Yang scored a game-high 19 points, along with 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal.


    Parker played 23 minutes and scored 17 points with 7 assists; Ginobili played 26 minutes to score 18 points with 3 assists; Duncan played 18 minutes to score 8 points with 7 rebounds and 3 assists; George Hill added 16 points and 4 assists¡­


    On the Suns¡¯ side, 9 players played, and 8 scored in double digits.


    Nash had 15 points with 15 assists, fully activating his teammates¡¯ abilities, but with both Ginobili and Duncan in play, the Suns¡¯ best performance in the first half was still dominated by the Spurs.


    It¡¯s worth mentioning that the Suns were one of this season¡¯s best-performing teams against the Spurs.


    Although they lost all four games, each game had a margin of fewer than 10 points, pushing the Spurs to the limit every time.


    After the game, Nash encouraged Zhang Yang briefly, then waved goodbye to the fans in the arena, saying, ¡°See you next season.¡±


    Nash appeared to take it graciously, but Zhang Yang sensed his disappointment.


    In 2005, Nash had made it to the Western Conference Finals, but during his peak six years, the league had number 21 and 24 dominating, these two occupied the Western Conference Finals spots for five of those years, collecting four championships.


    Reflecting briefly, Zhang Yang turned his focus back to his own team.


    With a record of 65 wins and 17 losses, the Spurs completed their first-ever 65-win season!


    Had his arrival turned their last dismal finish of 4 wins and 8 losses into 8 wins and 4 losses?


    Well, such improvement was already a great success.


    The hardest part was actually the four consecutive away games at the start of the last 12 games.


    If they hadn¡¯t stood firm then, they might have lost all the way to the end.


    Zhang Yang began to look forward to the playoffs against the Grizzlies, knowing the matches would be grueling, but the feeling of winning against such a tough, resolute team was genuinely thrilling.


    But just as Zhang Yang and his teammates returned to the locker room, staff brought in a surprising piece of news.


    The Grizzlies¡¯ final regular-season game against the Thunder Team had ended, with the Grizzlies narrowly winning 110 to 105 in overtime, surpassing the Hornets and securing the seventh spot in the Western Conference regular season with a record of 48 wins and 34 losses.


    Popovich: ?


    Zhang Yang: !


    Not playing the twin bears, time for 58?


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Vote for monthly tickets and recommended tickets; tonight at 9, there¡¯s an additional update for every 10,000 recommended votes.

 Chapter 57 - 57 56

    ?57: 56.


    It Seems There Really Is a Grudge (Extra update for 10k recommendation votes) 57: 56.


    It Seems There Really Is a Grudge (Extra update for 10k recommendation votes) The Hornets went on a rampage at the last moment of the season, winning 5 consecutive games to end the season, and yesterday they beat the Hawks in the final game, solidifying their record at 47 wins and 35 losses.


    The Grizzlies lost a game on the 15th, bringing their record to 47 wins and 34 losses.


    After the Hornets beat the Hawks, even Popovich thought they were definitely going to play the Grizzlies, as the Grizzlies hadn¡¯t been playing as desperately as the Hornets in their final games.


    The Grizzlies and the Hornets faced off four times this season, each securing two victories.


    In the Southwest Division, the Hornets had a record of 9 wins and 7 losses, while the Grizzlies had 8 wins and 8 losses.


    If the records were the same, the Hornets¡¯ ranking would be higher.


    The Grizzlies¡¯ last game was against the Thunder Team with a record of 54 wins and 27 losses, and Popovich guessed that the Grizzlies wouldn¡¯t fight to the death with the Thunder Team.


    Unexpectedly, the Grizzlies fought hard in their last game, battling the Thunder Team to the end and narrowly winning in overtime!


    Popovich and Zhang Yang looked at each other, both seeing the confusion and surprise in each other¡¯s eyes.


    Popovich, with decades more experience, reacted faster and said to Zhang Yang, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?


    The Grizzlies are stronger than the Hornets.


    Our opponent will definitely be the Hornets.


    Young man, you¡¯re still too inexperienced.¡±


    Zhang Yang, ¡°¡­¡±


    Shameless old thief, so thick-faced!


    Who was it that added positional defense training to the training in the past half month?


    Was this training to deal with the Hornets?


    Worried Duncan couldn¡¯t handle David West, who¡¯s 206 cm and 109 kg?


    Zhang Yang felt regretful that they couldn¡¯t play against the ¡°Twin Bears,¡± but thought facing off against Paul wasn¡¯t too bad!


    He was just very curious, why did the Grizzlies change their minds?


    Meanwhile, at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, the game between the Grizzlies and the Thunder Team had just ended.


    It was a close win, but Hollins felt that their playoff hopes were slim.


    He didn¡¯t want to play against the Spurs or Lakers, but the fifth and sixth seeds were too strong, with the Nuggets Team at 52 wins and the Trail Blazers at 50 wins¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t be able to catch up, even if they tried!


    When he first had the idea to drop to eighth and play the Spurs, it was during the Spurs¡¯ four-game losing streak.


    Recalling the three previous match-ups with the Spurs, where they weren¡¯t at much of a disadvantage, he looked into the Spurs¡¯ performance after the All-Star weekend and discovered their physical crisis¡­


    After much thought, he decided to target the Spurs.


    But what he didn¡¯t anticipate was that the Spurs suddenly started having ¡°fancy injuries¡±; towards the end, they weren¡¯t even pretending, openly stating they were resting for the playoffs.


    Preparing for whom?


    And there was the game at the end of last month, where he noticed the opponent had made tactical preparations specifically against them, something not seen in the first three matchups!


    Facing this situation, when it came to deciding the rankings, Baldy Hollins chose to bail.


    Better to be seventh and face the Lakers, at least the Lakers didn¡¯t take them seriously, treating the games against them as if afflicted with nobleman¡¯s disease.


    Moreover, whenever Pau Gasol faced Marc Gasol, he was extra motivated¡­


    ¡­


    The regular season was over, and on the 18th, the Spurs returned to San Antonio.


    They had the afternoon off.


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t go for extra training this time, browsing the news and playing League of Legends to relax after being on edge for over two months with the regular season finally over.


    He saw several media outlets placing him in the running for Best Sixth Man¡­


    and it wasn¡¯t much of a surprise.


    When he was with the Warriors, he averaged 11.6 points per game over 50 games.


    During his time with the Spurs, his scoring gradually increased, and he ended up averaging 16.6 points per game over 30 games.


    Overall, across 80 games, he averaged 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.4 steals.


    As his performance improved, the negative comments diminished and the praise grew.


    Finishing the regular season with the league-leading Spurs, it was quite normal for him to be nominated for Best Sixth Man.


    But winning the award was impossible, as Odom from the Lakers had already locked it down, averaging 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3 assists, with a shooting percentage of 53%, and being present for all 82 games¡­ Playing as a sixth man was just cheating.


    If Odom were on the Spurs, Zhang Yang felt Popovich would treat Odom as the core player.


    After resting all afternoon, the next morning Zhang Yang arrived at the AT&T Center to prepare for the playoffs with the team.


    The regular season was over, and the Spurs got 3 days of rest.


    The playoffs would start on the 21st at home.


    As Zhang Yang had expected, they were preparing to play the Hornets, and the team had a battle plan ready.


    Although they had switched their primary hypothetical enemy to the Grizzlies for the first round, Popovich didn¡¯t eliminate the possibility of playing the Hornets; he just focused more on the Grizzlies.


    The necessary preparations to play the Hornets were still done, so he could easily tease Zhang Yang.


    And indeed, he did breathe a sigh of relief that they were playing the Hornets¡ªhe wasn¡¯t eager to deal with the tough nut that was the Grizzlies. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Two days passed quickly, and April 21st arrived.


    The Spurs were set to face off against the Hornets at home in the first round.


    At noon, the Spurs received good news¡ªPopovich got 60 votes, beating Thibodeau, who got 55 votes, to win Coach of the Year for the season.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s opinion of Popovich was neither particularly good nor bad, even though he was the coach of his current team.


    They just had a normal working relationship.


    But for Thibodeau, he really didn¡¯t like him.


    Rose, Luol Deng, and Noah, these three talented players, all had multiple serious injuries during Thibodeau¡¯s coaching tenure.


    They broke down before turning 30, turning into classic bad contracts.


    The most tragic was Rose, who broke down at 23.


    Zhang Yang was quite fond of Noah.


    He used to laugh every time he saw the clip of Noah clapping while the Miami Heat were in internal conflict.


    In 2006, the Chicago Bulls¡¯ general manager wanted to trade the whole team for Kobe; Thibodeau played Rose, Luol Deng, Noah, and Boozer¡¯s luxurious lineup into four bad contracts¡­


    It seems the God of Basketball really ran out of luck for this team.


    At 7:40 PM, in the ATT Stadium, the Hornets and the Spurs entered the court one after another.


    When Zhang Yang saw Paul, he was extremely excited.


    Paul was one of his favorite basketball players, just as he loved the man in the overalls, with a profound affection.


    There was a time when he would reply with this emoticon whenever he encountered injustice¡ª


    Unfortunately, his teammates were quite indifferent; they made no gestures to chit-chat with the opposing players, and Zhang Yang could only bury his fondness in his heart¡­


    Mainly because their Spurs were not well-received, no one paid them any attention.


    Over time, they consoled themselves, believing they were aloof and did not care to interact with the opponents.


    This had its benefits, as the Spurs players were very focused on preparing for the game beforehand.


    At 8 PM, the playoff series¡¯ first game between the Spurs and the Hornets began!


    Duncan beat Emeka Okafor to win the ball, giving the Spurs the first possession.


    The starting lineup for the Spurs: Parker, Zhang Yang, Richard Jefferson, Duncan, Splitter.


    The starting lineup for the Hornets: Paul, Marco Belinelli, Ariza, Carl Landry, Emeka Okafor.


    David West tore his ACL in March and was out for the season, further depleting the already short-handed Hornets¡¯ roster.


    Parker advanced to the front court and started a pick-and-roll with Duncan, then passed the ball to Zhang Yang.


    Zhang Yang circled underneath to the left baseline to receive the pass while Emeka Okafor stepped out of the paint.


    Zhang Yang passed to the middle, where Paul couldn¡¯t stop Duncan, who cut in, took the pass, and made the layup¡­


    Emeka Okafor rushed back to cover, but it was too late.


    Duncan¡¯s layup was good, and he added an assist to Zhang Yang¡¯s tally.


    Emeka Okafor, only 28 years old, seemed slow like a 38-year-old in front of Duncan.


    In his rookie year, Emeka Okafor was seen as a bigger, scoring version of Ben Wallace, with explosive athleticism, fierce defense, and top-notch fundamental skills and awareness¡­


    But he suffered a devastating injury in his sophomore year, was out for the season, and although he still was a double-double machine on his return, he never replicated his rookie season performance, and his once limitless future prospects vanished.


    In the transition to offense, Paul used Landry¡¯s screen, faced Duncan on a switch, the small against the big, and with a burst of speed, stopped suddenly, stepped back, and launched a fadeaway jumper¡­


    It¡¯s in!


    Duncan relied on team play, Paul on individual skill, and each of them scored one basket to start the series.


    The way the two team leaders scored also announced the respective offensive approaches for this game.


    In the following possessions, the Spurs executed a beautiful team offense with a high success rate.


    In six possessions, they scored 3 baskets for 7 points, a 50% field goal percentage, which was very impressive.


    However, on Paul¡¯s side, he sank 2 out of 3 shots, including 1 for 1 from three-point range, personally scoring 5 points and providing an assist for Belinelli¡¯s three-pointer and helping Ariza complete a 2+1 play.


    With 4 minutes and 11 seconds into the game, the Hornets led the Spurs by 4 points with a score of 13 to 9!


    Paul, by his sole effort, was pressing the Spurs!


    Popovich stood up, his expression sour.


    Did all these super point guards have a grudge against their Spurs?


    They all played so hard when facing them!


    Suddenly, Popovich remembered, there indeed was a grudge.


    In the second round of 2008, they beat the Hornets 4-3 to advance to the Western Conference Finals, and Bowen had pulled down Peja, who was going for a layup, during that series¡­


    On the court, the Spurs were on offense.


    Paul, Ariza, and Landry worked together to cut off the connection between Parker and Duncan and the basket.


    Fortunately, Zhang Yang had good awareness and moved early to receive the ball, or Parker¡¯s pass would have been almost a turnover.


    Seeing this, Popovich prepared to call a timeout and was ready to bring Ginobili in early to stabilize the game with one-on-one plays.


    If things continued like this, they might run into trouble.


    Just then, Zhang Yang caught the ball, turned around, and shook off Belinelli, who was chasing in defense, entered the paint, took a step to the right to avoid Emeka Okafor¡¯s cover, landed and quickly stepped to the left front to bypass Paul, who was closing in on the double team, ended up behind Emeka Okafor, jumped, and banked a floater¡­


    it went in!


    One against three!


    When the Hornets were on offense, Paul drove in close, spun past Splitter¡¯s help defense, and scored a layup with a low shot.


    Popovich, who had planned to call a timeout, hesitated and stopped his motion.


    In the transition back to offense, Parker passed the ball to Zhang Yang, who asked for it actively, then went to the left baseline to keep up his threat of cutting to the basket.


    Zhang Yang used a screen to break through, with Ariza blocked solidly by Duncan.


    Landry did a good job defending the pick-and-roll, sticking closely to Zhang Yang¡¯s drive.


    Zhang Yang reached the right side of the paint, suddenly gathered the ball, and quickly stepped to the left front.


    Both Emeka Okafor and Landry lunged at Zhang Yang, who stepped back to the right sharply, swiftly evading both and went for the layup¡­


    another hit!

 Chapter 58 - 58 57

    ?58: 57.


    The Fully Liberated Demon Sword 58: 57.


    The Fully Liberated Demon Sword ¡°That kid, he¡¯s improving so fast!¡±


    Zhang Yang¡¯s Euro steps made even Ginobili exclaim in astonishment.


    He had been ready to be subbed in early, having pulled down his training pants halfway, but Zhang Yang¡¯s last two plays made him sit back down.


    Next to him, McDyess spoke in a deep, resonant voice, ¡°Jack is the hardest working youngster I¡¯ve ever seen.


    The progress he¡¯s made is well-deserved.¡±


    Ginobili shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not just about hard work¡­¡±


    The Euro step isn¡¯t a particularly difficult move, simply put, it¡¯s a three-step layup.


    But it¡¯s also quite complex, with a high ceiling that makes it almost impossible to defend, and yet a low floor that can make it worse than a standard three-step violation.


    Timing, anticipation of the opponent¡¯s movement, sense of position, balance¡­


    it all requires a very high level of overall ability to execute well.


    Ginobili felt teaching the rookie this time was worth it.


    Zhang Yang learned the Euro step from him, and in the future, when Zhang Yang made a name for his Euro step, people will certainly mention Ginobili.


    At this stage of his career, with no worries about honors or a steady salary, what he pursued was that bit of fame, wasn¡¯t it?


    Meeting Ginobili at this age was a stroke of luck for Zhang Yang.


    Had it been Ginobili at the peak of his career three to five years earlier, too proud to bother teaching rookies, he wouldn¡¯t have given them a second glance¡­


    Back then, Ginobili thought a leader was someone arrogant like Duncan, and Ginobili believed Duncan¡¯s arrogance stemmed from the fact that Duncan would go an entire season without speaking more than a few words to Parker¡­


    It was only later that Ginobili realized Duncan just simply didn¡¯t like the French.


    On the court, Zhang Yang faced the rampaging start of Paul with no fear, going head-to-head, but he couldn¡¯t hold on for too long.


    With 6 minutes and 22 seconds left in the first quarter, the score had reached 17 to 23, with the Spurs trailing by 6 points.


    Popovich called for a timeout, entering the official break period.


    Watching Zhang Yang walk back to the bench with his hands on his hips, looking unwilling to give in, Popovich patted him on the back.


    Popovich was very satisfied with Zhang Yang¡¯s performance.


    With Paul scoring 9 points and 4 assists in half a quarter, it was already good that Zhang Yang could last until the end of it, successfully giving Ginobili an extra two minutes of rest.


    Furthermore, Zhang Yang had helped Ginobili survive Paul¡¯s explosive state, at least for part of that phase!


    After the timeout, Ginobili came in for Zhang Yang and led the team on a 17 to 13 run in a little over 5 minutes.


    At the end of the first quarter, the Spurs trailed the Hornets by a score of 34 to 36, closing the gap to two points!


    Zhang Yang¡¯s half-quarter contribution of 9 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists, along with Ginobili¡¯s 8 points and 1 assist in over 5 minutes, meant that when someone needed to step up and take on the superstar on the other side, both players did.


    They made Paul¡¯s 17 points and 5 assists in the quarter look futile!


    ¡­


    The Hornets really were a ¡®one-man team¡¯.


    With Paul¡¯s rampage, the whole Hornets team went on a rampage; when Paul¡¯s performance declined, the Hornets wilted.


    In the second quarter, Paul had a moderately good performance with 6 points and 4 assists, and the Hornets scored a typical 26 points.


    The Spurs scored a normal 25 points in the quarter.


    Popovich didn¡¯t push for more, despite Zhang Yang and Ginobili¡¯s surge in the first quarter.


    He controlled the rhythm and played the usual tactics, just stabilizing the game.


    By halftime, the Spurs were trailing the Hornets by 3 points, 59 to 62.


    After the mid-game break, Paul rallied again with 10 points and 6 assists, leading the Hornets to a 29-point quarter.


    This quarter, Popovich increased the time the GDP trio played together and upped the output, but the Spurs still scored 28 points, biting closely at the score difference.


    Paul fought hard for an entire quarter, but the difference only widened by 1 point, 91 to 87, with a slight lead over the Spurs.


    In the final period, a frustrated Paul started with a ¡°clang clang clang¡± of three missed shots, and Zhang Yang and Parker seized the opportunity for a counter-attack.


    The Spurs began the final quarter with an 8 to 0 run, overtaking the Hornets with a score of 95 to 91!


    The notoriously tough Popovich was very adept at using his team¡¯s ¡®steadiness¡¯ to mess with the opponents¡¯ mentality.


    After gaining a 4-point lead, Popovich began to slowly grind it out with the Hornets.


    The following 8 minutes saw a score of 16 to 16, keeping the score close.


    The Hornets seemed to have a chance to turn the tables, but in reality, they stood no chance.


    With just over two minutes left to play, Paul lost his composure, and the Spurs finished the game with a 6 to 2 run in the final moments.


    Paul fought hard for 41 points, 16 assists, and 4 steals, but it wasn¡¯t enough against a well-rounded opponent!


    Zhang Yang scored 20 points with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, Ginobili had 24 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists, Parker contributed 16 points and 7 assists, and Duncan added 18 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks¡­


    117 to 109, the Spurs solidly defeated the Hornets, leading the series 1 to 0!


    In his playoff debut for the Spurs with over 20 points, Zhang Yang was quite satisfied.


    When the final whistle blew, he heard many fans in the arena shouting ¡°Jack¡±, which gave him a sense of accomplishment.


    He still remembered the first time he played in the AT&T arena and was booed as if it were just yesterday.


    After the first game, Zhang Yang felt that the Hornets¡¯ strength was actually not much different from the Grizzlies¡¯.


    Both had the ability to upset their opponents, yet their styles were completely different.


    While the Grizzlies were strong as a collective, the Hornets were strong because of one individual, but both had the same flaw¡ªthey lacked someone who could elevate the team¡¯s ceiling.


    Tonight, Paul took on that role himself in the first quarter, leading the Hornets to a dominant performance, but his style of play wasn¡¯t sustainable.


    They needed a teammate who could raise the team¡¯s ceiling for him.


    If David West hadn¡¯t been injured, he could have taken on some of that role.


    All things considered, playing against the Hornets was easier than playing against the Grizzlies!


    ¡­


    Paul¡¯s stellar 40+15 performance in the first game still hadn¡¯t led his team to victory.


    By the 23rd, in the second game of the series between the Spurs and the Hornets, the Hornets players were downcast, their morale was low.


    Paul¡¯s performance was also ¡°average,¡± scoring 23 points, grabbing 6 rebounds, dishing out 10 assists, and stealing the ball 3 times while the Hornets only scored 98 points as a team.


    On the Spurs¡¯ side, it was a team effort.


    Zhang Yang had 16 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 1 block, Duncan had 16 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, Parker had 28 points, 11 assists, Ginobili scored 13 points with 5 assists, and George Hill added 12 points and 2 assists¡­


    110 to 98, the Spurs won two consecutive games, making the series score 2-0!


    When Paul wasn¡¯t on a rampage and the Hornets returned to their regular playoff team strength, the French sports car shone brightly!


    He played as effortlessly as he had in the ¡¯07 Finals.


    After resting for two days and switching venues, the Spurs came to the New Orleans Arena, the Hornets¡¯ home court, to kick off the third game of the series.


    The Hornets, trailing 0-2, had no ground left to give; their backs were against the wall, and they had no choice but to make a stand.


    In the first quarter, led by Paul, the Hornets furiously scored 31 points, putting on a performance similar to the first game.


    But this time, the Spurs were better prepared.


    They had a deeper understanding of the Hornets¡¯ weak defense, and they executed better defense than in the first game, overpowering the Hornets with a 33-31 lead after just one quarter!


    The Hornets narrowed the gap by 1 point in the second quarter, 26-25, but come the third quarter, the Spurs countered with a 26-24 run, finishing the third quarter ahead by 3 points, 84-81.


    By the final quarter, Paul¡¯s shortcomings became apparent.


    Although he could rack up 13 points and 4 assists in the first quarter alone, when he needed to step up and solve problems through scoring in the final quarter, he couldn¡¯t do it!


    His skills and shooting were better than Zhang Yang¡¯s, but there was too much difference in their physique.


    Using screens, Zhang Yang just had to make quick moves, allowing him to disregard the opposing big men on switches and just pull up for shots.


    In the first 5 minutes of the fourth quarter, he made 2 out of 4 shots, including going 1 for 2 on three-pointers, plus making both free throws, for a total of 8 points.


    During this time, Paul went down.


    After putting in effort for three quarters, his energy levels began to decrease, affecting his movement.


    Following pick-and-rolls, he struggled against the likes of Duncan or McDyess, and even desperate shots from outside proved more effective than his efforts.


    After playing for 5 minutes, Zhang Yang was substituted off, and Ginobili took over.


    In 7 minutes, he made 5 out of 7 shots, including hitting 2 of 4 from beyond the arc, without taking a single free throw, for a total of 12 points, putting the game out of reach.


    Duncan had his best performance of the series, scoring 26 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, dishing out 2 assists, and blocking 3 shots in 32 minutes.


    With the Hornets¡¯ defense focusing on Parker, Ginobili, and Zhang Yang in the first three quarters, Duncan was happily feasting on easy points, something he wouldn¡¯t have believed possible during last year¡¯s offseason. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhang Yang scored 17 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and had 2 assists, 1 steal, Parker added 15 points and 8 assists, Ginobili had 21 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists¡­


    With a final quarter score of 28-23, the Spurs beat the Hornets by 8 points, the final score being 112 to 104, giving them a 3-0 lead in the series and putting them within sight of advancing!


    Having secured a steady victory, Popovich was very pleased, and what made him even happier was seeing the ¡®fully unleashed¡¯ Ginobili, but it also gave him a bittersweet feeling.


    Now that the team had a scoring guard who could relieve pressure off Ginobili, the focused energy output of the Argentine became even more formidable!


    Popovich reflected on Ginobili¡¯s nine years with the Spurs, and as much as he didn¡¯t want to admit it, the truth was¡ªZhang Yang was the best scoring guard Ginobili had partnered with in nine years.


    Before Zhang Yang, Ginobili¡¯s best scoring guard partner was a 33-year-old Michael Finley, who by then could only average about ten points per game and depended on his teammates to feed him the ball¡­


    with only his spot-up shooting ability left.


    Back then, Ginobili played as a sixth man; was a starting scoring guard there to alleviate pressure from him?


    That was wishful thinking, as every time Ginobili came off the bench, he was filling the holes dug by the starting guards.


    Popovich had Ginobili playing off the bench because there really wasn¡¯t a viable scoring guard on the bench; Ginobili as a starter during the 04-05 season was ferocious.


    With Zhang Yang on board, Ginobili truly became that ¡¯20-minute Jordan¡¯!


    Unfortunately, Ginobili was about to turn 34 years old¡­


    Popovich didn¡¯t want to repeat such a ¡°regret¡± and was determined to bring that certain someone back, even if it meant giving up George Hill, whom he was very fond of.


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 59 - 59 58

    ?59: 58.


    Wishing Brother Pao a happy May Day!


    59: 58.


    Wishing Brother Pao a happy May Day!


    The Spurs and the Hornets were battling fiercely; though the scores were lopsided, each game was a delight to watch.


    The Lakers, on the other hand, had a tough time, losing their home-court advantage in the first playoff game for being careless, with a score of 78 to 86.


    Although they managed to win back home-court advantage with consecutive wins in G2 and G3, the games were still agonizing, scoring 81-75 and 91-86 respectively.


    These three games felt like a throwback to seven years ago, during the NHC era when high-post defense was not allowed to reach over.


    When Zhang Yang saw the scores between the Lakers and the Grizzlies, he too felt a chill run down his spine.


    In the last 20 regular-season games, the Grizzlies allowed an average of only 93 points per game, whereas the league¡¯s average scoring during this period was 101.2.


    One could imagine how tormenting the Grizzlies¡¯ defense must have been.


    Only the Lakers, with their ¡°Three Towers,¡± managed to keep up, giving up an average of only 94 points in their last 20 regular-season games, almost on par with the Grizzlies.


    Their tall lineup could contend with the ¡°Twin Towers,¡± while Kobe harvested the game.


    Zhang Yang watched the live broadcast of Game 2 between the Lakers and the Grizzlies, originally thinking that the Lakers¡¯ performance in the playoffs would be mediocre.


    However, his actual impression was that they were incredibly strong!


    He even considered them the strongest team he had seen in over two months.


    A base of ¡°Three Towers,¡± enhanced by Kobe raising the ceiling, and the inside-outside game; this lineup was a paragon of contemporary basketball.


    No wonder when the Lakers were down 0-2 at home against the Mavericks, most people still believed the Lakers would eventually make a comeback.


    It wasn¡¯t that the Lakers weren¡¯t strong enough; they were justified champions with back-to-back titles¡­ it could only mean that the Silver Horned King playing like a god was too strong!


    Time moved to April 29th, when Game 4 of the Spurs vs.


    Hornets series was set to take place.


    Over these days, the regular-season individual awards were announced one after another.


    MVP, Ginobili¡­


    ranking eighth and making it onto the list for the first time in his career.


    Best Sixth Man, Zhang Yang¡­


    finished third in voting, just the small change compared to Odom and Terry.


    Best Defensive Player was quite interesting; Duncan ranked third, marking the highest voting percentage of his career.


    Howard¡¯s visibly declining dominance on defense, coupled with rumors of a herniated disc and back injury, was vehemently denied by the Magic.


    However, they discreetly began to inquire about his trade value to other teams¡­


    Garnett came in second in the vote, with a count almost equal to Duncan¡¯s.


    No one could have expected that the best defenders of the season, aside from Howard, would be two 35-year-olds. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Most Improved Player, Zhang Yang ranked second, receiving 26 first-place votes and 26.35% of the total vote share.


    He had made significant improvements, but Kevin Love, who won the award, improved so drastically it could be described as exaggerated, going from an average of 14 points and 11 rebounds to 20 points and 15 rebounds per game, becoming the first in 28 years to average 20+15.


    The last time anyone posted such numbers was Moses Malone in the early ¡¯80s.


    By 6 o¡¯clock in the evening, Game 4 of the Spurs vs.


    Hornets series kicked off.


    Trailing 0-3, the Hornets played as if they had given up, scoring 18 to 29 in the first quarter and 16 to 35 in the second, trailing the Spurs by 30 points at halftime.


    Their total score for the half was even less than what the Spurs scored in just the second quarter!


    The Hornets¡¯ performance was so unacceptable that even Zhang Yang, their opponent, couldn¡¯t believe it.


    What was up with them?


    His Spurs team couldn¡¯t possibly be that strong, could they?


    To build a 30-point lead at halftime against a playoff team was simply preposterous!


    He speculated that the Nuggets players who were part of the 58-point blowout in 2009 must have felt the same bewilderment.


    But seeing Paul play 21 minutes in the first half, attempting only four shots and scoring six points with one rebound and three assists from 2-for-4 shooting and 2-for-2 free throws, Zhang Yang understood.


    Indeed, during the first half tonight, Zhang Yang barely felt Paul¡¯s presence, not even close to what it had been in G1 and G3, and even worse than in G2.


    After the halftime break, Popovich benched the veterans, including GDP, Richard Jefferson, and McDyess, and didn¡¯t play them at all, letting George Hill, Zhang Yang, Danny Green, Blair, and Splitter play to continue expanding the lead¡­


    In the second half, Paul continued to play, for another 9 minutes, getting subbed out in the latter part of the third quarter, with Hornets¡¯ head coach Monty Williams not putting him back in again.


    Monty Williams was filled with despair, and so was Paul, but the latter¡¯s despair wasn¡¯t for this game or playoff series; it was for the team itself.


    He planned to call his agent tomorrow to discuss a trade with the Hornets¡¯ management.


    As for the growing deficit, Paul, sitting on the bench, wore a smile that seemed to be aloof from the world¡¯s concerns¡­


    At 8:24 p.m., the final whistle blew.


    That night, Zhang Yang hurled the ball 27 times, with 19 shots in the second half, hitting 15 of the 27 attempts, including 1-of-3 from beyond the arc.


    Alongside 5 successful free throws out of 6, he scored a game-high 36 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, dished out an assist, and picked up 3 steals.


    GDP trio all failed to score in double figures, with Duncan contributing 8 points and 8 rebounds despite his high salary, Ginobili with 6 points and 4 assists, and Parker with 8 points and 7 assists¡­ Each of them only played fourteen or fifteen minutes.


    Adding George Hill¡¯s 14 points and 9 assists, Danny Green¡¯s 18 points, and Splitter¡¯s 11 points¡­


    120 to 69, the Spurs slaughtered the Hornets by 51 points, sweeping their way to the second round!


    Advancing to the next round, it was a massacre, and the Spurs players merely high-fived and hugged each other.


    Their celebration was so quiet and calm, in stark contrast to the ebullient and exuberant Suns.


    Zhang Yang and his teammates celebrated briefly and with a hint of reluctance, he could feel that he was about to ¡°leave.¡±


    This trial was very different from the last.


    He spent a long time studying, training, and improving himself.


    He also thought about the team¡¯s perspective to bring help¡­


    The difficulty of the trial must be higher than the ¡®demo version,¡¯ but the mission he chose of the lowest difficulty was not particularly hard.


    Furthermore, his deep impression of this season¡¯s Spurs, after all, it was the most amazing debut of the ¡®Spurs system¡¯, helped him to analyze and complete the task smoothly.


    This trial marked a significant step in the direction he hoped to take.


    Although this series wasn¡¯t a big occasion, he played a considerable role instead of just watching from the sidelines!


    He had not anticipated the last game to end with over a 50-point gap; consider it an early Labor Day greeting to Brother Pao on May 1st!


    His vision gradually blurred¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    On December 26th, 2003, the morning after Christmas at 6 AM, Zhang Yang woke up from his sleep.


    The ¡®yesterday¡¯ he thought of after waking up was Christmas night, after watching the games and going to bed.


    The second time is easier than the first.


    This time, he actively recalled his journey through the trial¡­ A very nice trip it was, and he looked forward to when next on this timeline he might arrive, at what point in time.


    Just then, the Gate of Trials appeared before him, and reading the words on the door, he felt it might be some time before he returned to this timeline.


    The door displayed that the next trial would open up a new timeline.


    He felt a slight regret, but to the ¡®awakened¡¯ him, the ¡¯10th timeline¡¯ felt like a nice ¡®dream.¡¯ He briefly indulged in his disappointment before eagerly anticipating the new trials.


    He wondered what era the new timeline would be, what the start would be like, and who he would meet.


    Through this trial, he had learned a lot, understood the ¡®incomplete version¡¯ of the Spurs system, picked up numerous pick-and-roll techniques related mostly to scoring post-screen, and gained a lot in terms of defensive cooperation and skills, as well as the Euro step.


    The rewards of the trial increased to three: Steve Nash¡¯s sense of control tempo (beginner level), increased continuous jumping ability, and Ginobili¡¯s Devil¡¯s Pace.


    The Devil¡¯s Pace, paired with the Euro step, was perfect.


    He hadn¡¯t tried the improved continuous jumping yet, but by the name alone, it was apparent that, like ball sense and Devil¡¯s Pace, it would significantly enhance his basketball talent.


    A new task had also arrived.


    ¡°Task: Accumulate 20,000 Shooting Value; Reward: +1 to stamina talent limit.¡±


    Stamina again, Zhang Yang thought it was pretty good.


    At 22, his stamina wasn¡¯t bad, stronger than Ginobili¡¯s, probably stronger than Yao Ming¡¯s, but not amongst the top in the NBA.


    He re-evaluated his stamina talent; currently, he was better than DeRozan, likely due to being a year older.


    As they grew older, DeRozan would definitely close the gap and perhaps surpass him¡­


    He hoped for more tasks that would add to his stamina talent!


    Closing the ¡®Gate,¡¯ Zhang Yang got out of bed, washed up, changed into his long-sleeved sportswear, grabbed the basketball he had pumped up the night before, headed downstairs, lifted some chairs, and shot towards the park to practice the fundamentals of the Euro step, weaving around the chairs.


    Time to get to work!


    An hour later, Yang Jing woke up and went downstairs to make some purchases, noticing a few chairs missing from the coffee bar¡­ She was suddenly jolted; had they been burgled?


    She rushed to check her things¡­ The change was all there, electronics were all there, nothing else was missing, just a few chairs.


    No, what kind of thief doesn¡¯t take anything else but steals a few broken chairs?

 Chapter 60 - 60 59

    ?60: 59.


    Three brothers start the involution mode 60: 59.


    Three brothers start the involution mode By 9 o¡¯clock, Yang Jing and Zhang Chen looked at their son who came back carrying several chairs, their faces speechless.


    The couple guessed, it must have been their son who had taken them out for training, but they found it hard to imagine, as a basketball player, what kind of training would require chairs.


    Were they being used as weights?


    If you don¡¯t know, just ask!


    Zhang Yang replied, ¡°I use them as obstacles to practice maneuvering, the cafe doesn¡¯t have dine-in service in the morning anyway, so it doesn¡¯t interfere with business.¡±


    With their doubts resolved, Yang Jing felt relieved and said, ¡°For the training equipment, should we consider buying professional gear?


    The chairs are quite heavy as well.¡±


    ¡°Winter break is only half a month long, so let¡¯s just stick with chairs for now.


    The park isn¡¯t far, carrying them isn¡¯t tiring, and it¡¯s also a good chance to build up strength.


    We can talk about it again in the summer.¡±


    Yang Jing nodded, not insisting further as it wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    After washing up and changing his clothes upstairs, Zhang Yang went downstairs to help out.


    After lunch, he went to the cafe to help with chores and even learned how to grind coffee manually from the barista.


    He found it quite simple and realized the personal grinder and coffee beans the barista recommended were much cheaper than he thought.


    Seeing the price of the hand-ground coffee in the shop, he understood this business was truly profitable.


    However, grinding coffee, like brewing tea, could calm the mind.


    It¡¯s nice to do it occasionally when feeling restless.


    He didn¡¯t often drink coffee, but it could be a way to thank his coach for his care.


    He asked the barista to help him purchase a set of a grinder and a long-spout kettle to take to Coach Thomas¡¯s house.


    In the evening, he continued his training at the park.


    This time, he didn¡¯t carry the chairs, as practicing around them in the morning was enough.


    In the evening, he focused on practicing shooting, ball handling, and basic defensive moves.


    Compared to the ¡®him¡¯ who had practiced defense for three years in college and then two years after college, his current basic defensive skills were barely watchable.


    He didn¡¯t aim to reach that old level immediately, but he at least needed to get the basics down to develop better habits during games and avoid having to correct muscle memory later.


    Ball handling needed further enhancement, especially for shooting after pick-and-roll and performing the Euro step, all of which demanded high ball-handling skills.


    ¡­


    A few days later, on the 30th at 6:30 AM, Zhang Yang arrived at the park with chairs and saw a familiar figure, to whom he warmly called out a greeting.


    DeRozan responded and then hesitated.


    Were the chairs carried from home?


    Those wooden chairs are quite heavy, right?


    Why not borrow some from the security guard?


    Plastic chairs would be much lighter, wouldn¡¯t they?


    And there wouldn¡¯t be a need to carry them so far¡­ But he ultimately didn¡¯t ask, just let it be.


    After training with Zhang Yang for a day, DeRozan felt an increased pressure.


    The young friend was developing new techniques!


    Snake-like players are a fascinating bunch, with some being solitary, some prideful, some socially anxious¡­ but very proactive when it comes to learning, even from those less skilled than themselves.


    But after trying to learn from his friend¡¯s method of ¡®watching Spurs videos¡¯ for learning pick-and-roll shooting and the Euro step, DeRozan gave up, at least for the time being.


    These moves heavily rely on rhythm, and DeRozan is not a rhythm player, his style is too different.


    He is more of a ¡®hardcore technical player.¡¯


    However, Kobe had this style too in the first five years of his career, but after attending Jordan¡¯s training camp in the summer of 2001, Kobe began to focus on ¡®sense of rhythm¡¯ and after a year of hard training, he saw a significant improvement in the 02-03 season, averaging 30 points per game for the first time in his career, and also excelling defensively.


    His young friends Harris and Zhang San both have a good sense of rhythm, and DeRozan could learn from them anytime.


    For now, he is focusing on improving his catch-and-shoot from long range, primarily concentrating on high post long twos and baseline threes.


    He was preparing for his next two years of high school, aiming to better coordinate with Zhang Yang and Tatum.


    Zhang Yang currently focused on shooting from the free-throw line, attacking the basket, and counterattacks, while Tatum specialized in positional team tactics and counterattacks.


    DeRozan was responsible for isolation scoring plus long-range support, which was the most suitable style of play for their trio at the moment. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, DeRozan was very interested in the defensive fundamentals that Zhang Yang was practicing.


    In the evening, he would practice with Zhang Yang; when they grew tired, the two would play one-on-one, seriously focusing on both offense and defense, which was also a form of defensive training.


    A few days flashed by, and as the vacation neared its end, on January 7th, the fifth day before the end of the winter break, Zhang Yang and DeRozan took Thomas¡¯s car to Compton.


    School started on January 12th, and the day before school was a Sunday when their junior varsity team had a game.


    Upon arriving in Compton, Zhang Yang first accompanied DeRozan home, and then the two went to find Harden, casually joining him for lunch.


    Coincidentally, the first game back at Compton High School was against Harden¡¯s team from Lynwood High School¡¯s junior varsity.


    But when they reached Harden¡¯s place, DeRozan heard something he couldn¡¯t accept.


    ¡°James, you got into the first team?


    Why!¡± DeRozan sounded very unwilling.


    Harden arrogantly laughed, ¡°Hahaha, jealous, aren¡¯t you?


    I made it into the first team earlier than you both!


    Hahaha¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang was more philosophical than DeRozan.


    He analyzed, ¡°James now plays as a corner three-point shooter.


    This type of play might have more opportunities in the first team than in the junior varsity.


    In the junior varsity, he often can¡¯t get the ball even when he¡¯s open.


    Their team¡¯s coordination is much worse than ours; James¡¯s ability to attack the basket is not fully utilized, the inside often has a bunch of people scrambling around.


    If their team wants to develop him better, it makes sense to move him to the first team¡­ Oh, and DeMar, isn¡¯t our James going to the first team soon too?¡±


    DeRozan then remembered.


    On the drive back from Hidden Mountain in the morning, Thomas had mentioned that James Keith was going to play as a substitute for Afflalo in the first team.


    He felt Zhang Yang¡¯s analysis made a lot of sense¡­ but he was still not convinced!


    James Keith was a Grade 10 player, and to think that Harden, of all people, had made it to the first team before him!


    Wait, the coaches had mentioned that Zhang San¡¯s tactical awareness, understanding, execution, and leadership¡­ were all better than those of the first team¡¯s Juniors and Seniors.


    Could it be that Zhang San might also join the first team sooner?


    DeRozan felt even more pressure!


    He felt he might end up being the last!


    But he was needlessly worrying.


    Precisely because Zhang Yang had leadership qualities the first team players lacked, the coaching staff wouldn¡¯t move Zhang Yang, who was not yet quite strong enough, to the first team while Afflalo and Hip were still on the team.


    Zhang Yang was in the junior varsity, playing in the second-tier league where many issues could be resolved through physical fitness alone.


    But in the first-tier league, physical strength alone was not enough.


    A person not strong enough, despite having leadership abilities, couldn¡¯t perform well and might even irritate his teammates.


    Moreover, the trio of Tatum, Zhang Yang, and DeRozan as the outside players was seen by the coaching staff as the core lineup for the first team in the next two years.


    Letting them play more together to enhance their cohesion was better than anything else.


    After lunch, the trio went to fry some fish in the park.


    Having not seen Zhang Yang play for over three months, Harden was shocked at his progress; he even felt that he might no longer be able to beat Zhang Yang in one-on-one!


    Not acceptable!


    He had to hit the books!


    However, seeing Zhang Yang easily execute the Euro step while dominating weaker players, Harden really liked it!


    After frying the fish, Harden asked Zhang Yang about the Euro step, learning that Zhang Yang had picked it up by ¡°watching Ginobili¡¯s videos,¡± he also planned to buy the Spurs¡¯ game recordings.


    In the past, Harden never watched Spurs¡¯ games.


    Although the Spurs had Duncan, the likes of Carter, Ray Allen, Alan Houston¡­ had been victims of the Spurs¡¯ rough play, tarnishing the team¡¯s reputation ¨C it was one of the least liked teams among youngsters.


    But for learning skills¡­ watching them reluctantly wasn¡¯t out of the question.


    Seeing Harden intent on learning the Euro step, DeRozan felt even more pressure¡­ The Compton Trio had officially formed this winter!

 Chapter 61 - 61 Our Genius Has Gone Awry!

    ?61: Our Genius Has Gone Awry!


    61: Our Genius Has Gone Awry!


    The following day, January 8th at noon, Harden left his home for Los Angeles, while Zhang Yang and DeRozan joined their team for training. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Johnson¡¯s initial goal was to develop the reserve team to a mid-level strength in the Southern California League by the end of the season, but they had already achieved this halfway through!


    Not only in strength but also in terms of performance, with a solid mid-tier record of 6 wins and 5 losses, ranking tenth in the league.


    Given that, he adjusted his goal¡ªto break into the top eight!


    After Johnson shared this goal with the team members, they were extremely excited.


    Scared?


    Worried about not meeting the goal?


    Nonexistent, the youth feared nothing!


    However, Johnson was again shocked by Zhang Yang.


    After not seeing him for half a month, the baseball player had learned a new technique, reportedly by ¡°watching videos¡±¡­


    resentment towards the head coach +1+1+1¡­


    And he had also started practicing basic defensive skills, such attitude, effort, and planning for the future¡­


    continued resentment towards the head coach +1+1+1¡­


    On January 11, Compton High School¡¯s reserve team went to Lynwood to challenge Lynwood High School¡¯s reserve team and won decisively with a score of 111 to 82, raising their record to 7 wins and 5 losses, and kicking off the second half of the season.


    Because Keith had moved to the main team, Tatum, Zhang Yang, and DeRozan started for the first time, and with DeRozan growing to 193 cm, their combined height exceeded 190 cm, which meant they wouldn¡¯t be particularly disadvantaged.


    They played generally well together, better than their opponents could compare.


    Unlike the continuously improving Compton High School reserve team, Lynwood High School¡¯s was just following the trend in playing the Southern California League.


    The coaching staff had ambitious plans and the lineup seemed somewhat significant, but they lacked clear planning and reasonable goals.


    Their tactical coordination during warm-up matches was still the same.


    Seeing the condition of Lynwood High School¡¯s team, DeRozan no longer envied Harden for entering the main team in grade 9 but was rather relieved.


    If his friends continued in the reserve team, it would just be a waste of time.


    On January 12, the new semester began, and Zhang Yang continued his routine of studying, training, and sleeping.


    On Wednesday, he saw the school newspaper congratulating Afflalo for making it into the top 40 national high school students.


    Every time Afflalo or Hip¡¯s rankings changed, it made the school newspaper.


    Zhang Yang previously didn¡¯t care about it¡ªit wasn¡¯t his ranking.


    But what caught his eye was the name of the person Afflalo had surpassed¡ªAl Horford.


    He hadn¡¯t realized Afflalo was so formidable in high school.


    With this momentum, the top 40 might not be his limit, and he would likely surpass Stuart¡¯s ranking.


    Zhang Yang then slightly updated his personal goal for high school¡ªhe also wanted to surpass Stuart¡¯s ranking.


    Weeks went by.


    The coordination between Tatum, Zhang Yang, and DeRozan was improving, with each of them specifically strengthening an aspect of their capabilities to better complement each other.


    Well, someone¡¯s becoming more apparent play style was making the coaching staff feel a bit odd.


    Tatum still focused on aggressive drives and pushing for fast breaks.


    He gradually gave up dribbling before shooting, focusing on set shots instead, which the coaching staff felt was fine.


    DeRozan¡¯s play was diversifying.


    When his solo playing reached a plateau, he kept on grinding at it while starting to practice passing and shooting long twos and threes from the wings.


    The coaching staff was sure that this first middle schooler could definitely surpass Afflalo and Stuart, recognizing him as a world-class talent.


    But Zhang Yang was a bit different¡­


    his shot attempts were increasing significantly!


    Johnson and Thomas once worried DeRozan would become like that shooter fanatic from Los Angeles.


    As DeRozan played more steady, the least of their worries, the ¡°number-knowing genius Jack,¡± was developing in the direction of a shot-crazy maniac.


    When given the chance to shoot or pass, Zhang Yang would definitely choose to shoot rather than pass.


    However, after discussing it, the two coaches decided not to stop Zhang Yang from playing this way.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s stubbornness was still there, he didn¡¯t rush to go one-on-one, as long as DeRozan was in the game, when a one-on-one was needed, it was mostly DeRozan who took it, and when DeRozan rested, if needing to break through for a score, it was Tatum stepping up, with most of Zhang Yang¡¯s shots occurring within tactical plays.


    But when it came to tactical roles, it was up to someone to decide¡­


    A player with the ability to command on the court could use tactics to create more opportunities for themselves ¡­ they were difficult to stop.


    And seeing Zhang Yang¡¯s astonishing rate of improvement and continuously enhanced finishing ability, they didn¡¯t want to stop him.


    Their concern was that they initially thought Zhang Yang¡¯s exceptional tactical talent would make him an excellent strategic core, becoming a player like Chris Paul, Andre Iguodala, Shawn Livingston.


    Instead, Zhang Yang seemingly became crooked as he played, irreversibly moving towards being a pure scorer.


    Putting aside this ¡°flaw,¡± the coaching staff couldn¡¯t be more satisfied with Zhang Yang.


    Compton High School¡¯s junior team¡¯s strength also increased rapidly.


    They still struggled against top-tier teams, but not like during the warm-up stage or the beginning of the league where they had no power to fight back; they could now counter-attack, greatly aided by Zhang Yang¡¯s enriched ¡°game experience¡± and his command on the court.


    Having figured out DeRozan¡¯s personality, Thomas even publicly said¡ªmoving DeMar to the varsity team would greatly weaken the junior team¡¯s strength, but moving Jack to the varsity team would plunge the junior team¡¯s strength to the worst in the Southern California League.


    This statement didn¡¯t affect the relationship between Zhang Yang and DeRozan, but it made the latter even more aggressive.


    However, those ¡°game experiences¡± sometimes also troubled Zhang Yang; he needed to ¡°downgrade¡± and couldn¡¯t set up too complex running plays.


    Sometimes, when several ¡°high-end tactics¡± popped up in his mind, he had to discard those tactics and think simpler, which was quite frustrating.


    The time came to February 14, a Saturday, Compton High School¡¯s junior team had their 17th league game at home, facing Millikan High School from Long Beach, which had made it to the semi-finals of the ¡®Championship Game¡¯ last season and was currently ranked third in the Southern California League.


    The game was very tough for Compton High School.


    After initially leading 14 to 9 driven by momentum, they were pressed and dominated by the opponent for over two quarters.


    Millikan High School was a true top-tier team in the Southern California League, with good tactical cooperation and higher player levels than most teams in the league.


    By the middle of the third quarter, Compton High School was trailing Millikan High School by 18 points, 52 to 70.


    Just when Millikan High School thought the group of fifteen and sixteen-year-olds opposite them were about to collapse, Zhang Yang scored two consecutive drives with Euro steps, sounding the charge for a comeback.


    DeRozan and Tatum exploded into action, followed by Miller, Monroe, Aboya, and others being pulled into the momentum.


    Millikan High School got flustered, unable to defend, and their offense began to dip.


    Tatum seized the moment to initiate a counterattack wave¡­


    In the last one and a half quarters, Millikan High School only scored 31 points, while Compton High School blasted 54 points!


    In a rampage that lasted a quarter and a half, Zhang Yang scored 20 points, achieving a personal best of 31 points for the game, along with 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block shot.


    Together with DeRozan¡¯s 26 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists, and Tatum¡¯s formidable triple-double of 15 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds along with 3 steals, the trio led the team to a miraculous turnaround victory over Millikan High School¡¯s varsity team with a score of 106 to 101!


    This win escalated Compton High School¡¯s junior team from a 10-7 record to being ranked seventh in the league, bumping them up from ninth place and into the line-up of ¡®Championship Game¡¯ teams!


    The turnaround victory thrilled the Compton High School players.


    Beating the third-ranked team while ranked ninth was certainly a cause for excitement.


    Human joys and sorrows are not interconnected, the seventeen and eighteen-year-old players from Millikan High School were mentally devastated, but for the others, it was tolerable.


    Zhang Yang, DeRozan, and Tatum made the opposing players realize what it means to be so talented that you can do whatever you desire¡­


    This game marked another significant milestone for Compton High School.


    Although Johnson had set the goal at the top eight, he thought realistically competing for the eighth spot in the last one or two games would be an achievement; he had not expected to achieve it three games early!


    It wasn¡¯t just the players¡­


    No!


    Accurately speaking, it was Zhang Yang and DeRozan who actionably told Johnson that the limit he set was just what he thought was the upper bound, they had an unimaginable upper limit!


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Ask for monthly passes!


    Ask for recommendation tickets!

 Chapter 62 - 62 61

    ?62: 61.


    Fourth in the league!


    62: 61.


    Fourth in the league!


    Johnson once again raised the season¡¯s expectations¡ªsince they had already made the top eight, they wouldn¡¯t stop there!


    Keep the eighth and strive for the fourth!


    The team members were thrilled to hear the new goal, gathering together and chanting ¡°Top four, top four, top four!¡±


    Zhang Yang watched the scene unfolding before him and really wanted to ask Thomas¡ªdidn¡¯t you say our team wasn¡¯t like this?


    Had they been influenced by the neighboring football team? S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Humph, he, Zhang San of Compton, would never be so foolish¡­Well, he couldn¡¯t help but join in the shouting, and indeed, it felt very invigorating.


    Today, the stands were filled with fellow students, which greatly heightened Zhang Yang¡¯s sense of achievement.


    He remembered the first game of the warm-up matches, where the stands were nearly full, but by the second game, the number of students attending had halved.


    After months of effort, he finally had the stands full again!


    Next, they needed to push for the top four, or more precisely, the fourth place, which would be difficult and would also depend on luck.


    In the Southern California league this season, the gap between the top two teams and the others was significantly large¡ªSaint Beren High School in second place had lost only one game, to the first-placed team, and the first-placed Seaside High School hadn¡¯t lost a single game.


    The top two were clearly leagues ahead.


    The difference in records between third and ninth place was very small; Compton High School¡¯s junior varsity team currently stood at ten wins and seven losses in seventh place, having just defeated Milligan High School, which had dropped from third to fourth with a record of eleven wins and six losses.


    The two teams were separated by three places, with only one game difference in wins, but only three games remained.


    They would have to win all their remaining games, and the teams from fourth to sixth would each have to lose at least one game.


    That evening, after dinner and training, Zhang Yang went to Thomas¡¯s study to use the computer.


    He searched the school forum for posts related to Milligan High School¡¯s schedule¡­


    finding nothing, he changed tactics and searched for the Southern California league¡¯s schedule for the last three rounds.


    He found it¡ªinternet users really knew a lot.


    The fifth and sixth positions had three remaining games where they were not up against top-eight teams, which was a bit troublesome.


    But Milligan High School¡¯s remaining three games included one opponent they were almost certain not to beat¡ªSaint Beren High School.


    After checking the competitors¡¯ schedules, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t dwell on the three competitors anymore.


    He would focus on doing his own part, winning the last three games.


    He would do his best, and leave the rest to fate.


    Before bed, Zhang Yang opened the ¡°Gate of Trials¡± and checked his ability assessment.


    His control had reached 68 (high school level), with the major contribution from ¡°control.¡± His dribbling had improved significantly compared to before Christmas; whether in fast breaks or set pieces, playing as the secondary ball-handler was not a problem.


    As for passing, he hadn¡¯t practiced it specifically due to lack of time, only during team practices and operational passes in matches and internal training games.


    His shooting had reached 71 (high school level), mainly in mid-range shots and layups.


    He hadn¡¯t practiced three-pointers much, which brought down his overall rating.


    His rebounding and second-chance scoring had also improved significantly.


    The ¡°enhanced continuous jumping ability¡± had manifested its benefits in these two areas.


    After the second ¡°Gate of Trials,¡± the greatest improvement was in his practical abilities.


    He had advanced greatly in his understanding of games and tactics, and his utilization of physical conditions.


    At this stage, this advancement in understanding was more beneficial to actual combat than improvements in shooting and skills.


    In the current competitions, physical prowess + game reading ability + tactical leadership were sufficient to cope, and with his existing skills, he could perform very well.


    He could now patiently refine his skills without worrying about his performance on the court.


    After almost two months of effort, Zhang Yang had grasped basic moves like pick and roll ball penetration, shooting after pick and rolls, and the Euro step.


    He had reached a stage where he no longer needed to consciously control his movements; his brain would send the signals and his body would perform the techniques.


    His next goal was to improve the stability of performing these technical moves.


    Defensive improvement was the quickest.


    With the experience and awareness there, he just needed to acclimate his body to defensive movements and develop muscle memory.


    Because he had many things to train in after returning from the ¡°Gate of Trials,¡± and there were many basics to cover, he had slightly less time for shooting practice than before, and his accumulation of shooting value had slowed down considerably.


    It had taken over forty days to accumulate twenty thousand shooting value and complete the last task, which had improved his stamina talent by one point.


    A new task had already started¡ªto accumulate twenty thousand shooting value, this time the reward being a random shooting talent increase of +1.


    He was still planning to train as usual; he didn¡¯t need to worry about how to complete tasks with the cheat code, just getting the ball through the hoop was enough.


    ¡­


    A week passed, and on February 22, Sunday, Compton High School¡¯s junior varsity team defeated Barstow High School, ranked thirteenth in the league, 98 to 91.


    The game was quite tough.


    DeRozan didn¡¯t play well in the first half, with Zhang Yang and Tatum holding up the score in the early stage; the former scored 20 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, had 1 assist, 3 steals, and 1 block while the latter had 13 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals.


    In the second half, DeRozan finally found his rhythm, scoring 18 points, and Compton High School¡¯s junior varsity team ultimately completed a comeback.


    As they secured the victory with a reversal, the teams ranked fifth and sixth both suffered upsets, and they, refusing to be upset themselves, jumped to fifth place in the rankings!


    On February 28, Compton High School¡¯s junior varsity team won an away game against Palm Valley Forest Academy, ranked ninth, with a score of 115 to 107.


    The tension was high throughout the game, with neither side able to defend against the other, fighting to the very last moment.


    Zhang Yang, being the first scoring option beside DeRozan and Tatum, shot a lot and scored a lot, racking up 33 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks, once again setting a new personal scoring record.


    DeRozan scored 27 points and had 7 assists, while Tatum added 15 points and 9 assists.


    The trio led the team to a narrow victory.


    On March 6, Saturday, Compton High School¡¯s junior varsity team had their game tomorrow, but the players were very concerned about today¡¯s game.


    There definitely wouldn¡¯t be live broadcasts for their league¡¯s games; even the CIF Division 1 games rarely had livestreams.


    But there was a crafty plan involved.


    Following the advice of player number 3, Tatum and Miller headed to the computer lab and monitored the campus forum of Milligan High School.


    Sure enough, not long after the game should have ended, they saw the result of Milligan High School¡¯s final match¡ªSaint Beren High School thrashed Milligan High School 119 to 88!


    The next day, Compton High School¡¯s junior varsity team faced a challenge at home against Windbell High School, ranked eighteenth in the league.


    Under Zhang Yang¡¯s leadership, Compton High School played very fiercely and focusedly tonight; the feeling of potentially losing the top four spots due to an upset, at this point, would have been like losing to the fifth enemy after killing four, a pain remembered for years to come.


    Leading by 17 points at halftime, Zhang Yang and the others were still not reassured.


    They had experience with catching up more than a dozen points after halftime and were afraid of being upset, so they kept up the pressure in the second half.


    The players of Windbell High School were numb; they weren¡¯t trying hard as they didn¡¯t have much at stake in terms of records¡­


    Zhang Yang said no, you do, you just have to want it.


    So, in the second half, Compton High School won by 24 points¡­


    Today, Zhang Yang was in charge of controlling, defending, and scoring on counterattacks; DeRozan took on the main offensive role; Miller and Aboya were there to follow up; Tatum organized the attacks¡­ displaying the ideal performance envisioned by coaches Johnson and Burke.


    Zhang Yang had 16 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks; DeRozan scored 41 points; Miller scored 20 points; Tatum had 11 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals; Aboya contributed 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks¡­


    Compton High School slaughtered Windbell High School by 41 points, 114 to 73.


    With four consecutive wins to close out the league, Compton High School¡¯s junior varsity team finished with a record of 13 wins and 7 losses, securing the fourth place in the Southern California League!


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Last night was brutally tough, I dared not sleep, and even going to pass gas required squatting down.


    I had to go to the hospital in the early hours and have just returned.


    Thankfully, I had a few chapters backed up.


    After correcting some typographical errors, I posted them and continued writing~

 Chapter 63 - 63 62

    ?63: 62.


    Mysterious Oriental Genius 63: 62.


    Mysterious Oriental Genius Featured in the newspaper!


    And it¡¯s a major one!


    The day after securing the second spot in the Southern California league, on Monday morning, Zhang Yang was practicing in the morning when Thomas ran out and stuffed a newspaper into his hands, his expression joyful.


    Zhang Yang looked where Thomas was pointing¡­


    and saw his name!


    Jack Zhang!


    He had thought it was just a local minor paper, but when he glanced at the heading, it was the Los Angeles Times!


    Had his performance been good enough to be featured in this newspaper?


    He read the article again, no, he thought too much, it was just hitching a ride on the ¡®School Basketball Season¡¯ wave, in a special feature on the basketball season.


    College courts, NCAA basketball tournaments, also known as March Madness, starting in mid-March; high school courts, the final stages of high school leagues in various states are also in full swing.


    The CIF top-level league was also nearing its end, with the championship starting on the 15th, 32 teams from four districts competing for the title.


    As the main team from Compton High School, they had already secured first place in their district early, as the district¡¯s seeded team, and were highlighted in the reports, which casually mentioned their junior varsity team.


    However, although it was just a casual mention, it was recognition they had earned through performance.


    Inglewood High School, Santa Barbara High School, Southern California High School, Oakland Middle School¡­


    they all had special columns, but their junior varsity teams¡¯ performances weren¡¯t reported!


    Their performance in the Southern California league received the assessment¡ªdark horse.


    Zhang Yang, DeRozan, and Tatum, the three core players, all received evaluations.


    DeRozan had the most coverage¡ª20 games, averaging 24.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, hailed as the strongest rookie in California.


    Averaging 24.1 points might seem not that high, there are plenty of lower level leagues averaging over 30 points, but in the Southern California league, this was enough to rank third!


    The data from the Southern California league had the highest credibility among all the non-top level leagues.


    A 9th grade freshman performing like this in the Southern California league, DeRozan was rightly called the strongest rookie, the former ¡®top middle school player in Southern California¡¯ had now become the ¡®former top middle school player in California¡¯.


    The evaluation Tatum received was odd¡ªTyronn Lue¡¯s nephew.


    An average of 15 points, 5.2 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 2.2 steals, 1.1 blocks per game, clearly not as attention-grabbing as the title of an NBA player¡¯s nephew.


    The evaluation Zhang Yang received, he felt was full of holes¡ªthe best coach¡¯s eye, the mysterious Eastern genius unearthed from a baseball field.


    Who the hell told the reporter about his initial baseball playing days?


    He wasn¡¯t as good at baseball as Iverson was at football, mentioning it was quite embarrassing!


    Mentioning a Chinese person, they used the word ¡®mysterious¡¯, very American. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for Thomas¡¯s insight, that was a fact, Aboya, Miller, Monroe, Keith¡­


    these were all digs from other places, not spotted by other top-tier schools.


    Zhang Yang saw his average stats for the first time, he hadn¡¯t paid attention before¡ªaveraging 18.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 2.6 steals, 1.8 blocks, with a 56% shooting accuracy.


    His scoring in the last few matches of the league was much higher than this, but before Christmas his stats were merely at a sixth man level, pulling down his overall data¡­


    but for a major newspaper to give him a remark and post his stats was already quite something.


    ¡­


    The junior varsity team had advanced to the replays, and the school had given them a few days off to prepare for the weekend¡¯s game.


    This year¡¯s championship, hosted by the San Diego Missionaries Middle School, starting on Friday, lasting three days, a knockout stage.


    At 9 a.m., Zhang Yang arrived at the training ground and handed the newspaper to ¡®I always train earlier than anyone else¡¯ DeRozan.


    DeRozan had already seen this newspaper, his mom had already prepared the clippings, but seeing the description ¡®former top middle school player in California,¡¯ he couldn¡¯t help smirking.


    But seeing that Zhang Yang, with less than a year of playing basketball, had nearly caught up to him, DeRozan handed the newspaper back to Zhang Yang, and continued to train!


    By 10 a.m., Johnson and Burke arrived to lead the team in preparation training.


    They were about to compete in the ¡®Championship Game¡¯, and the players were very excited, Johnson too.


    13 wins and 7 losses, just swap those numbers around, and that was his initial prediction for the season.


    He was happy, but at the same time, he felt reluctant.


    After this week, most of these players would no longer be under his coaching, DeRozan, Tatum, Zhang Yang, Miller, Monroe, Kanter¡­ all of these guys would move to the main team.


    But that was his job, to cultivate outstanding reserve talent for the main team.


    As the saying goes, it¡¯s never too late to sharpen your weapons.


    The training from Monday to Wednesday was intense, and complaints were definitely there, like Tatum who always liked to nitpick, but complaints aside, everyone trained with great effort.


    When Thursday arrived, Compton High School¡¯s reserve team went to San Diego, rested for the night, and arrived at the San Diego Seagull Stadium early the next morning.


    This was a standard basketball stadium with more than 3,000 seats, the home court of the University of California, San Diego basketball team.


    The number of spectators at the scene was more than Zhang Yang had expected!


    Most were there for the ¡¯07 class¡¯s strongest newcomer in California, DeRozan, with many people shouting ¡°DeMar,¡± but since it was a city with a large Chinese population, Zhang Yang also heard some shouting ¡°Jack,¡± which made him feel great.


    The players of the Compton High School reserve team were highly spirited, whereas the players from the opposing Milligan High School main team were not feeling great.


    They had been firmly in the top four, but in the last month, they were overtaken by those fifteen- and sixteen-year-old kids!


    And they were overtaken by a direct defeat!


    They watched helplessly as the other side rose from ninth to fourth, while they fell from third to fifth.


    Today, they wanted revenge!


    Last time, leading by more than ten points at halftime, they were overturned, and they definitely wouldn¡¯t let that happen again!


    An hour later, Milligan High School achieved their goal, they indeed did not face the crisis of being overturned again.


    The first quarter ended 27 to 25, the second quarter 31 to 22¡­ Compton High School¡¯s reserve team had a double-digit lead by halftime, and it was Milligan High School that needed to turn the tables!


    Entering halftime, the players of Milligan High School were furious!


    Last time they clashed, they had a significant strength advantage, leading by 18 points at halftime, although they were eventually overturned by those three freaks of talent, they certainly had the overall strength advantage.


    Just a month had passed, and now it was their turn to be beaten down, losing by 11 points at halftime!


    Seeing Zhang Yang using his tricky footsteps to find space for shots among crowded defenders, witnessing DeRozan hitting one stop-jump shot after another, seeing the two of them improve so much in strength compared to the last encounter¡­ the players of Milligan High School were not willing to accept this!


    They had been in the top four in the Southern California league by putting in a lot of sweat.


    Was all their effort so useless in the face of talent?


    They couldn¡¯t accept it!


    In the third quarter, Milligan High School launched a fierce counterattack, but it was only moderately effective, with a score of 28 to 25 for that quarter, they only managed to close the gap by 3 points.


    In the final quarter, Compton High School, having withstood the counterattack, surged again, scoring 31 to 27 in the quarter, widening the gap back to double digits!


    The players of Milligan High School tried very hard, but what they couldn¡¯t see was that the two talents they cursed as ¡°just relying on talent¡± were trying even harder than they were!


    DeRozan scored 30 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and dished out 6 assists, Zhang Yang scored 26 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, had 2 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks, Tatum scored 16 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and had 9 assists and 2 steals, Aboya had 16 points¡­


    114 to 102, Compton High School¡¯s reserve team defeated Milligan High School¡¯s main team and advanced to the ¡®Championship¡¯ semifinals!


    As the second highest level of high school basketball in California, the Southern California league¡¯s championship stage could still attract some college scouts and professional player agents to the scene.


    And this year, there were two players in the Southern California league who were especially attractive to scouts and agents, one being the center from Seaside High School, and the other being Compton High School¡¯s DeRozan.


    Many professionals came to the game, and DeRozan¡¯s performance did not disappoint them, boasting a diverse scoring method, comprehensive skills, and a range that extended from close to beyond the three-point line.


    However, they didn¡¯t expect that coming to see a secondary league quarterfinal match would bring them a pleasant surprise.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s performance caught their eye, and at certain stages of the game, they felt that Zhang Yang was even better than DeRozan!


    Those who had seen that issue of the Los Angeles Times Sports section remembered that mysterious Eastern talent who had switched from baseball¡­ A few days ago when they saw the newspaper, they didn¡¯t take it seriously, thinking it was just like ¡°Tyronn Lue¡¯s nephew,¡± merely a media hype.


    This being a state with a large Chinese population, when they read the Compton High School column, they only cared about Afflalo, Hip, and DeRozan.


    Little did they expect that Thomas actually had uncovered another top talent!


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Please vote monthly, and recommend!

 Chapter 64 - 64 63

    ?64: 63.


    It¡¯s not easy to brush up on talents 64: 63.


    It¡¯s not easy to brush up on talents The next day, Saturday, was the matchday for the semi-finals of the Southern California League ¡®Championship¡¯.


    Compton High School¡¯s junior varsity team would face the varsity team of Seaside High School.


    By nine in the morning, Zhang Yang and his teammates entered the court.


    Looking at the hefty player on the opposing team, Zhang Yang quipped, ¡°Having a player like him in this competition is simply unfair!¡±


    Another player drawing scouts and agents¡¯ attention in this year¡¯s Southern California League Championship was on the opposing team¡ªDevin Harden.


    Ranked 95th among all American high schoolers in the 2004 class, 19 years old, with a physique of 216 cm and 113 kg, he had excellent mobility, a keen nose for rebounds and blocks, averaged 28.1 points, 16 rebounds, and 6 blocks per game in the league¡ªall leading the league¡ªalong with a 72% shooting percentage which was also the best.


    Unstoppable in the Southern California League, he¡¯d not suffered a single loss the entire senior season, from warm-up games to league play, with an average margin of victory of over 20 points per game.


    To be selected in the top 100 high schoolers in the nation coming from a single state like California and not from a first-tier school is indicative of his terrifying performance.


    Zhang Yang and his teammates stayed at the Seagull Gymnasium the previous afternoon to watch Seaside High School crush the eighth-ranked Missionary High School, 114 to 73, with Harden ruthlessly scoring 31 points on 14 of 18 shooting with 20 rebounds and 8 blocks.


    Back in the fifth round of the league, Harden had already given DeRozan, Tatum, and others a taste of ¡®adult basketball,¡¯ and months later, Harden had grown even stronger.


    DeRozan, hearing Zhang Yang¡¯s comment and remembering the game from the previous afternoon, nodded in agreement, ¡°It really is unfair.¡±


    Tatum, standing nearby, thought disdainfully¡ªYou two are quite unfair yourselves.


    The always amiable Miller said, ¡°We can¡¯t quite say that about him.


    I read a report that Harden was only six feet tall in the ninth grade, and no first-tier school wanted him at the time.


    Unexpectedly, he grew a foot in two years, shifting from guard to center, and he still kept good mobility.


    Over the past two summers, many high schools wanted to recruit him, but he refused to transfer due to being rejected for a physical exam before and chose to stay at Seaside High School.


    The media think his ranking is held back by the school.


    Had he transferred to a first-tier school, he might have been ranked in the top fifty.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhang Yang caught a hint of the sentiment ¡®never underestimate a young man in poverty¡¯ from this and didn¡¯t remember any NBA star center named Harden in the future, but whether Harden made it to the NBA was irrelevant to him.


    What mattered was that this 19-year-old high school top center was like an insurmountable mountain to them at the moment.


    However, this pressure also ignited his fighting spirit!


    As the season was reaching its end, Zhang Yang had long since become the undisputed leader of the junior varsity team, and his spirited demeanor greatly diminished his teammates¡¯ fear of Harden.


    By ten o¡¯clock, the game between Compton High School¡¯s junior varsity team and Seaside High School¡¯s varsity team tipped off.


    On Zhang Yang¡¯s side, everyone was fully motivated and battled fiercely against the opponents.


    Facing a bunch of 15- or 16-year-olds, Harden was utterly serious and showed no mercy, ferociously attacking the paint.


    Harden did not regret not going to a first-tier school, but staying at Seaside High meant he had to ensure victory in every game to attract top university attention.


    Zhang Yang and DeRozan were seen as top high school talents, and Tatum was not far behind, all possessing strength beyond their age group.


    However, the same was true for the top talent on the opposing side, who was also three years older¡­


    Zhang Yang scored 21 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and dished out 3 assists.


    DeRozan put up 25 points, 2 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Tatum contributed 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 6 assists¡­


    They fought valiantly, but against Harden¡¯s defense, close-range and paint scorers like Tatum, Miller, Kanter, Monroe¡­


    all faltered.


    Aside from Zhang Yang and DeRozan, the best performance from Compton High came from ninth-grade power forward Aboya, who scored 18 points.


    Devin Harden dominated with 32 points, 22 rebounds, and 7 blocks, leading Seaside High to a 105 to 96 win over Compton High, staving off an upset!


    ¡­


    The first season of his basketball career had ended.


    During the season, Zhang Yang thought he didn¡¯t care about the ¡®mere second-tier high school league¡±s results, but after truly being knocked out, he felt miserable for two nights.


    His desire to win was even stronger than he had imagined!


    On Monday morning, after returning to Compton with the team, Zhang Yang collected his emotions and dove back into training.


    Next season he would join the varsity team, and the strength of CIF first-tier schools was a whole other league compared to the Southern California League teams.


    Teams like Seaside High would be bottom-dwellers in the CIF first-tier; when the junior varsity played against the varsity in practice matches, they genuinely stood no chance.


    Against Seaside High, at least, they could keep the score close.


    Zhang Yang already knew that there was a talent gap in the eleventh grade of the school team.


    With the seniors graduating after this season, next semester, he, DeRozan, and Tatum would have to lead the varsity team¡ªa not insignificant pressure.


    The season ended, and Zhang Yang adjusted his training regimen.


    Without matches, team scrimmages, or group training, he began to actively seek out one-on-one games with Tatum and DeRozan and went alone to the court to play streetball¡­


    He actively created conditions that combined competition and training.


    By March 17, the varsity team lost to the Santa Barbara High School led by Farmar in the round of eight, ending their run in the quarter-finals.


    Upon hearing this news, Zhang Yang felt upset again.


    He already considered himself a member of the Magnet Boys¡¯ Basketball Team and had hoped the varsity team would make it to the end, preferably winning the championship and sharing in the collective glory.


    On April 4, he had accumulated twenty thousand Shooting Value, completing the task much faster than before, less than a month.


    His reward was ¡°Three-Point Talent Ceiling +1¡±.


    A new mission arrived, the next trial had yet to come, the reward this time was a random Physical Talent Ceiling +1.


    He continued to accumulate Shooting Value, another twenty thousand.


    However, being able to enhance his talent was extremely good.


    He hadn¡¯t fully digested the gains from his first two trials, so he settled down and continued training.


    By April 23, Zhang Yang had saved up another twenty thousand Shooting Value in roughly nineteen and a half days, earning the reward of Speed Talent +1.


    Zhang Yang was excited about the increase in speed.


    He remembered that when he entered the NBA, his speed was 91 at a weight of 92 kilograms.


    When his weight increased to 95 kilograms, his speed dropped to 90.


    So, in the future, would his speed remain at 91 after he increased his weight to 95 kilograms?


    It was hard to say.


    The balance between weight, speed, and strength was very important and delicate for a player.


    He hadn¡¯t troubled himself to study this; he would find out in the future.


    The new mission was also launched, this time involving enhancing random Shooting Talent, but the target had changed¡ªto accumulate forty thousand Shooting Value.


    He had thought since a new trial hadn¡¯t started, he would just ¡°farm talent¡±.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that just as he had sped up his accumulation of twenty thousand Shooting Value to under twenty days, the mission¡¯s objective had doubled!


    He analyzed the situation and concluded that the increased difficulty could have two causes.


    One was that he had grown stronger and his speed of obtaining Shooting Value had increased, hence completing missions faster, leading to the system boosting the mission difficulty¡­


    This possibility wasn¡¯t great, as his rate of Shooting Value acquisition would eventually slow down.


    The other possibility was that after a certain number of Talent Points were added, the Shooting Value needed for further talent upgrades would increase.


    He counted.


    After enhancing talent by four points, the difficulty increased.


    He decided to see if the difficulty would increase again after the next upgrade of four points.


    Soon, May arrived, and the seniors completed their standardized graduation exams, officially ending their high school careers.


    Before leaving school, Hip threw a party and invited the whole team.


    Hip, the son of a wealthy mining family¡ªand I mean literally wealthy from mining.


    He was good with people and had excellent interpersonal relationships.


    For a black person, he was basically from a wealthy family¡­


    Certain players wearing the number 8 jersey and the number 23 jersey were outliers in their social strata; standard examples should look to Hill and Jabbar.


    At the party, Hip took the initiative to talk to Zhang Yang, DeRozan, and Tatum about joining the varsity team, offering advice to the three of them.


    Zhang Yang felt that the other party had a strong purpose, whether it was because they had a strong probability of entering the NCAA in the future and might even aspire to join the pro league, perhaps out of pure consideration for the school team, or just because of their basketball talent.


    Hip had always taken the school team¡¯s matters to heart.


    He had been the captain since junior year.


    With his family background, decent academic performance, and basketball talent, transferring to a high school in a big city would have been effortless.


    It was said that he was ¡°lured¡± by a Coach Thomas, who had inspired him to contribute to reviving his hometown¡¯s basketball fame, which led him to join Compton High School.


    Hip¡¯s advice to DeRozan and Tatum was pretty standard, but when it came to Zhang Yang, it was quite exceptional¡­


    Hip: ¡°Jack, for the next school year, you can take the college preparatory courses for the 12th grade in advance through self-study exams.


    The prep courses are just to give us an early insight into those majors at the university, to help us have a clearer direction when applying for colleges.


    The curriculum is actually simple, but you need to accumulate class hours to take the prep courses in grade 12.


    If you self-study and take the exams in advance, you don¡¯t have to attend classes.¡±


    ¡°With your grades, you can easily get your completion certificate early, and then you¡¯ll have a lot of time free in 12th grade.


    I¡¯ve regretted a lot this year; I just played around in grade 11 and made my schedule so tight this year, having to play matches, attend classes, and deal with college entrance exams, all at the expense of my training time.¡±


    Zhang Yang¡¯s eyes lit up: ¡°Joe, your suggestion is well worth considering¡­


    no, let¡¯s be more direct.


    I¡¯ll study the main subjects for grade 12 in advance as well and try out the SAT next school year to see how many points I can get.


    If the score is high enough, I won¡¯t need to worry about academics at all in grade 12.


    By the way, Joe, the SAT scores are valid for two years, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­


    they are valid for two years¡­¡± Hip embarrassedly admitted.


    This junior was more aggressive than he had imagined!


    The world of academic prodigies was indeed hard to understand.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Please vote!

 Chapter 65 - 65 64

    ?65: 64.


    I really am the one holding everyone back.


    65: 64.


    I really am the one holding everyone back.


    Let¡¯s not talk about grades anymore.


    When it comes to money, Hip has a lot to say.


    Talking about grades with people from Class B kinda hurts my pride.


    Hip asked, ¡°Jack, which college do you want to go to?


    You¡¯re about to be a junior, it¡¯s time to think about it.


    With your skills, you¡¯ll definitely become a key target for college teams next season.¡±


    Zhang Yang said, ¡°A college in California or Arizona, I guess.


    My home is in Hidden Mountain, so I probably won¡¯t choose a college too far from the city.¡±


    Hip said, ¡°Then you should choose USC.


    We never got to play together in high school, which is a pity.


    We could team up in college.¡±


    Zhang Yang replied, ¡°To be teammates with you and Aaron?


    I¡¯ll consider it.


    DeMar would probably go by then too, but I¡¯m not sure about Carmelo.


    He might go to Saint Louis University.¡±


    Hip said, ¡°Don¡¯t mention Aaron.


    He didn¡¯t choose USC.


    He went to UCLA.¡±


    Zhang Yang exclaimed, ¡°UCLA?¡±


    This was quite a surprise.


    After the season ended, Afflalo was ranked 26th nationwide, setting a new record for the rankings of Compton High School¡¯s male basketball players, far ahead of Hip at 58th.


    Zhang Yang read in the newspapers that the predictions said Afflalo would choose USC, where the head coach is Henry Bibby, father of the famous NBA player White Devil Bibby, a defensive-oriented coach.


    It seemed to match Afflalo¡¯s impressive defensive talents shown since high school.


    Hip said, ¡°Yeah, but it doesn¡¯t matter.


    Nick Young joined USC, so it¡¯s fine without Aaron.¡±


    Zhang Yang commented, ¡°All the media predictions this year were wrong.¡±


    He really didn¡¯t know where Afflalo and Nick Young were going to college, but given Nick Young¡¯s flashy playing style, his idol being Kobe, and the newspapers predicting that he would definitely choose UCLA to form the strongest backcourt in the nation with Farmar, they had misled everyone.


    Both promptly smacked the media in the face. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hip remarked, ¡°I think Aaron and Nick Young had a pact to contradict the media.¡±


    Zhang Yang suggested, ¡°Is there a possibility that Aaron got tired of being teammates with you?¡±


    Hip laughed, ¡°Haha, I¡¯ve considered that too.


    I asked him, but he said he wanted to partner with a better Point Guard.¡±


    Zhang Yang said, ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d follow him to UCLA.¡±


    Hip chuckled, ¡°Haha, I¡¯ll consider your suggestion, but you¡¯d better be ready to be chased after by the coaches at USC if you go there¡­¡±


    ¡­


    After attending Hip¡¯s graduation party, Zhang Yang had a new goal and got to work the next day.


    Thomas fully supported Zhang Yang¡¯s study plan.


    He wouldn¡¯t recommend it to other players, but Zhang Yang was different.


    Being in the top class with all A¡¯s in core subjects, he could indeed save a lot of time, which would greatly help his ranking in senior year.


    Thomas had no doubt Zhang Yang would make the national top 100.


    If one just wanted to enter the NCAA, being in the national top 100 basically meant you could pick any Division I college.


    But Thomas¡¯s expectations for Zhang Yang went beyond that.


    DeRozan was the strongest in his grade in California in 9th grade, guaranteed to become a five-star high school player in the future.


    Thomas hoped that Zhang Yang could also become a five-star high school player, the first ever at Compton High School¡¯s boys¡¯ basketball.


    That very day, Thomas went to the school to get the textbooks and study notes for the 11th grade, 12th grade, and college prep courses.


    Before, Zhang Yang just attended classes to get through the exams.


    Now, he had an enthusiasm for high school he¡¯d never had before because this time he was working hard for the goals he wanted to achieve.


    Classes, training, one-on-ones, street basketball¡­


    Time flew until late May, and after the final exams, Zhang Yang finished his sophomore year.


    On May 23, Zhang Yang had arranged a time with DeRozan and Harden, who was back from vacation, to take the bus home to Hidden Mountain.


    This time he hadn¡¯t hitched a ride with Thomas because Thomas had entered his summer recruitment mode, traveling all over California, and even going to neighboring states like Arizona, Oregon¡­ to recruit new players from middle schools and poach from high schools.


    Although the chances were slim, there were always genius players like Devin Harden and Zhang Yang who emerged mid-high school, and Thomas had already successfully poached one, filled with enthusiasm for this very task.


    Having not been home for half a year, Zhang Yang missed his parents dearly as soon as he set foot on the road home; his heart had a place of return as long as they were there.


    But as soon as he got home, he was hit with a bombshell.


    Zhang Yang looked at his mother and said, ¡°Mom, please tell me you¡¯ve just put on weight around your stomach.¡±


    Yang Jing glared at him, ¡°What are you talking about?


    Has it been too long since I¡¯ve beaten you up?


    I dieted for half a year to prepare for pregnancy, where have I put on weight¡­


    Yangyang, do you want a little brother or a sister?¡±


    Zhang Yang took a closer look at his mom; she really had lost quite a bit of weight.


    Right, she seemed to have slimmed down some at Christmas¡­


    Wait a second, that¡¯s not the point!


    He thought of the unlucky Tatum, who had to spend his summer vacation in St.


    Louis taking care of kids, and he said vehemently, ¡°I won¡¯t babysit, whether it¡¯s a brother or a sister!


    Absolutely not!¡±


    Knowing he would react this way, Yang Jing rolled her eyes and said, ¡°You wish.


    If you want to take care of children, go find a girlfriend and have your own.


    Of course, your father and I will take care of them ourselves.


    It¡¯s a boy.


    We wanted a girl since raising a son has been somewhat tiresome¡­


    cough cough, not tiresome, I miss when you were little, when I was still young and slender, and your father was still handsome¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang felt stifled, but not because of the news of having a new brother.


    If the family was well-off, having a new brother at 16 wouldn¡¯t be a big deal.


    Despite refusing to babysit, if the brother wasn¡¯t too annoying, helping out would be fine.


    Besides, he was already in high school and would soon go to college, work¡­


    having a brother to keep his parents company was a good thing.


    The key was, in his memory, during the years he was at home, his parents were always worried and fretting over various things, many of which seemed to be related to him.


    Yet in less than a year since he left, his family¡¯s restaurant had doubled in size, and there were rumors of opening a branch in the Rural District.


    To be precise, they¡¯d hired people to keep the current restaurant operating while his parents went off to the Rural District to try their luck.


    His home was located in the urban area of Hidden Mountain City, a hub for various industries dropped from Los Angeles like craftsmanship, textiles, food production, and it was home to many companies, factories, workers, schools¡­


    not the ¡®Hidden Mountain¡¯ Californians referred to.


    The real ¡®Hidden Mountain¡¯ was in the suburban Rural District, with a permanent population of less than 2,000, yet the land area was much larger than that of the urban district, which had tens of thousands of residents.


    With beautiful scenery, good transportation, several large and small villa communities along the river, leisure farms everywhere, and plenty of luxury stores, it was home to many of Los Angeles¡¯s wealthy, celebrities, and stars.


    That their business was thriving was one thing, but even their hobbies were being cultivated!


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t want to admit it, but it seemed he truly was the one holding the family back!


    Filled with grief and indignation, he took his books and basketball to the park, where studying brought him joy and playing basketball became an obsession¡­


    The park was beside the river, offering a great atmosphere.


    Not long after Zhang Yang arrived, he saw his mother coming with two restaurant employees.


    The employees were carrying a large cardboard box, which they set down beside the basketball court.


    After some fiddling, Zhang Yang saw standees of Iverson, Kobe, Carter, McGrady, James, Duncan, Garnett, Yao Ming, O¡¯Neal¡­


    an array of cutouts.


    Zhang Yang: ¡°Mom, what¡¯s all this about?¡±


    Yang Jing: ¡°Yangyang, don¡¯t you need obstacles when you practice basketball?


    These look much better than chairs, don¡¯t they!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Please vote!

 Chapter 66 - 66 65

    ?66: 65.


    Are all fans of that person like this?


    Scary!


    66: 65.


    Are all fans of that person like this?


    Scary!


    ¡°I just spoke with the security guard over there, and when these aren¡¯t needed, we¡¯ll just leave them on that open space.


    As long as they don¡¯t block anyone, it¡¯s fine if they get damaged.


    There are more in the warehouse; just buy more if we run out ¡­¡± Yang Jing said, her face filled with ¡®watch me get praised now.¡¯


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang had to admit, it was quite creative.


    He picked three standees, Kobe a step inside the top of the arc, Garnett at the right side of the free-throw line, and Yao Ming in front of the basket.


    Looking at them ¡­


    his motivation for training boosted!


    Zhang Yang: ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of buying a few standees as training obstacles?


    Next semester when I go to the coach¡¯s house, I might buy a few too.¡±


    Yang Jing clenched her fist, her thumb brushing against the tip of her nose: ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m your mom.


    You¡¯re so smart because you inherited it from me.¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°¡­¡±


    He remembered, his mom adored Bruce Lee and had sent him to a dojo to learn Jeet Kune Do.


    The two clerks went back to the store first, while Yang Jing stayed to watch Zhang Yang train for a while ¡­


    but eventually, she left too.


    After increasing their investment and expanding the store, Yang Jing and Zhang Chen, the couple, were actually less busy than before, with meals even being on time.


    She was impressed with her son; training was so boring, yet he could persist in it.


    She hadn¡¯t expected her son to really possess such basketball talent; he was even mentioned in the newspaper!


    Dubbed as the ¡®Mysterious Eastern Prodigy.¡¯


    She had received even higher acclaim from Thomas, who said his skills were not inferior to California¡¯s top middle schooler ¡­


    As for how far her son could go in pursuing his basketball dreams, she didn¡¯t entertain high hopes but was ready to provide the necessary support and wouldn¡¯t drag him down.


    ¡­


    Morning training, self-study in the morning, napping at noon, afternoon chatting and shopping with mom or teaching parents to use the internet, evening training ¡­


    Zhang Yang¡¯s holiday schedule was orderly.


    On the 28th, after 35 days, Zhang Yang had accumulated 40,000 shooting value, and his speed had also improved, randomly gaining a +1 three-pointer talent.


    The next task began; it was time for random physical fitness, also needing 40,000 shooting value.


    Improving talents like this was always welcome.


    The physical condition evaluation at nearly 23 years old was quite good and adequate for his focused training under Popovich, who hadn¡¯t mentioned any issue with his physical capabilities.


    Nevertheless, compared to players with top physical skills, the gap was clear.


    He had played a match against the Heat¡¯s Big Three and, let alone James, even Wade, who had undergone meniscus surgeries on both knees, seemed monstrous.


    He could understand why some players stuck to simple playing styles for 20 years without changes.


    On the 30th, DeRozan arrived at Hidden Mountain first, while Harden had gone to his brother¡¯s house in San Francisco with his mom, and would only join a few days later.


    After dropping off his luggage at his grandmother¡¯s house, DeRozan headed straight to Zhang Yang¡¯s home to leech off his lunch.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s parents really liked this polite, reserved kid and warmly welcomed him.


    After lunch and rest, Zhang Yang and DeRozan played True Three 3 together.


    Zhang Yang: ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going to wait to come with James?¡±


    DeRozan: ¡°My mom started nagging me to come to Hidden Mountain within 5 days of vacation starting, told me to hang out more with you and learn from you, hmph, you¡¯re just a bit better at exams, right?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang recalled the scrutinizing look from DeRozan¡¯s mom the first time he saw her and her enthusiasm after discovering his academic performance ¡­


    Mothers all over the world are the same; if there¡¯s a chance, they all want their children to hang out with the ones who have good grades.


    But with DeRozan¡¯s sour look ¡­


    Zhang Yang responded: ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, not just a bit, a lot better.¡±


    DeRozan almost snapped the controller!


    After teasing DeRozan a bit, Zhang Yang said: ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, let¡¯s do like before, training after dinner?¡±


    DeRozan nodded, ¡°Okay, you said a few days ago that you wanted to practice pull-up jumpers, right?


    I¡¯ll help you¡­¡±


    At 5 p.m., DeRozan once again freeloaded dinner at Zhang Yang¡¯s home, then they went to the park together.


    Seeing the celebrity cutouts next to the basketball court, he was still surprised that the park management would actually spend money on this, and then he saw Zhang Yang placing the cutouts of Kobe, Garnett, and Yao Ming on the court as obstacles¡­


    DeRozan: ¡°Jack, did you put these here?¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°Yes, they¡¯re for training, isn¡¯t it great?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    As decorations for the basketball court, DeRozan thought they were quite nice, but as training props, he really didn¡¯t know how to describe his friend¡¯s thought process¡­


    But!


    He was somewhat tempted!


    When you¡¯re tempted, just act on it!


    DeRozan took one of the cutouts that Zhang Yang had brought onto the court to the side half-court and said, ¡°I¡¯ll use this one,¡± then regardless of Zhang Yang¡¯s reaction, he began practicing pull-up jumpers.


    Zhang Yang watched, and as he practiced pull-up jumpers against Kobe¡¯s cutout, he wildly flipped through its pages¡­


    Is this what true love fan looks like?


    Truly scary!


    ¡­


    Initially, Zhang Yang wanted to learn pull-up jumpers from Nash, Old Master Nash¡¯s pull-up jumpers had a flair that one could not find in Jordan, Kobe, or Arenas with their diverse jump shot styles.


    But he hadn¡¯t anticipated that he¡¯d be traded in his tenth season of time, eventually getting traded back to the Spurs, a team without even one player proficient in pull-up jumpers.


    Pull-up jumpers, first you need to nail mid-range shots, right? sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Zhang Yang got to the Spurs, he became the player with the most accurate mid-range shots on the team, a fact that was heartbreaking for those who heard and brought tears to the eyes of those who saw.


    Duncan and McDyess only had a slightly higher mid-range shooting percentage than him, but their shots were mostly pure catch-and-shoot situations.


    Unable to master pull-up jumpers, he could only tearfully learn screen and shoot basketball, Euro steps, and even basic defensive skills that he definitely wouldn¡¯t have had a chance to improve on with the Suns, plus helping his buddy over May Day¡­


    Since he temporarily had no opportunity to learn pull-up jumpers from technically proficient veterans, learning from the dashing DeRozan wasn¡¯t bad.


    When Zhang Yang first met DeRozan, Big DeRozan had already known how to execute pull-up jumpers, and over the past year under Johnson¡¯s coaching, DeRozan¡¯s foundational skills in pull-up jumpers had become very solid.


    The movements were a bit plain, lacking flair, but they were fundamentally correct.


    A few days later, DeRozan went fishing in the park on a sunny afternoon to vent his feelings.


    Five days, no, not even five days, the wretched Zhang San had already practiced the motions, force application, and shooting action of pull-up jumpers so well!


    Once again, DeRozan was stimulated by his friend¡¯s talent.


    He remembered how Zhang Yang, simply by ¡®watching videos¡¯, could develop Euro steps and screen shots, and in the past two or three months, his buddy had even started teaching him defense¡­


    He was going to make everyone in the park give up on their basketball dreams!


    There was a reason why Zhang Yang learned quickly this time.


    In the basic skills of his Euro step, there was a technique related to pull-up jumpers¡ªthe cross step.


    That change of direction in the Euro step was essentially a quick stop followed by a starting movement¡ªa principle that applied to many techniques.


    The better the fundamentals, the faster the learning of technologies, and the more fundamental skills you master, the more opportunities you have to learn more techniques.


    However, Zhang Yang¡¯s pull-up jumper couldn¡¯t even be considered at an entry level.


    He had to focus entirely on each motion to ensure the pull-up jumpers were stable and smooth.


    Training until his brain sent a signal and his body carried out the action, that was what truly counted as entering the door.


    Of course, given his learning speed, entering wouldn¡¯t take much time.


    Only when performing this technical move could ensure the shooting accuracy was up to standard could he be considered satisfactory.


    By Zhang Yang¡¯s standards, he would have to be able to use it in a game before he could consider it learned.


    On June 5, Harden arrived at Hidden Mountain the day before Zhang Yang¡¯s birthday.


    Zhang Yang had been really looking forward to seeing Harden, not having seen him for half a year.


    But after Harden really arrived, Zhang Yang felt overwhelmed.


    Harden had lost weight¡­


    no, he had grown taller!


    Zhang Yang had grown a little over the past half year, reaching a height of 191 cm, but Harden had shot up a lot, now matching his height!

 Chapter 67 - 67 66

    ?67: 66.


    The Counterattack of Zhang San 67: 66.


    The Counterattack of Zhang San But Zhang Yang¡¯s heartache didn¡¯t come from Harden himself, they were at least the same height.


    The real reason for the heartache was DeRozan, this guy is 196 now!


    Previously, hanging out with DeRozan every day, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t feel much about DeRozan getting taller, he got used to it.


    But when he saw DeRozan standing next to Harden, clearly towering over him, Zhang Yang felt terrible, as it meant that DeRozan was also that much taller than him.


    It wasn¡¯t just Zhang Yang who felt heartache, Erha saw that DeRozan was still so much taller than him, and his mood exploded even more.


    In the past year, he had grown 7 centimeters, yet the height difference with DeRozan had not only not shrunk but had increased by 1 centimeter!


    That just wasn¡¯t fair!


    A man fears not being tall enough and fears even more that his brothers will be taller than himself.


    Seeing that Harden was also full of jealousy, Zhang Yang felt a lot better.


    During lunch, Harden chattered about his half-season experience of making it to the main team.


    The coaching staff at Lynwood High School had made a rare correct decision; after Harden went to the main team, he performed better than in the reserve team, with more opportunities for wing catch-and-shoots and better space for driving to the hoop, averaging 13.2 points per game.


    Although it seemed similar to his time in the reserve team, the strength of the opponents was not on the same level, and his scoring was of a completely different value.


    Being able to average 13 points in the main team games at 14, Harden had also become a key player the Lynwood High School coaching staff planned to focus on developing.


    Zhang Yang and DeRozan were happy for Harden after hearing this.


    In the afternoon, the three brothers played video games for two hours, and once the sun wasn¡¯t so harsh, they went to the park to play basketball, starting with a few rounds of one-on-one.


    Harden couldn¡¯t beat DeRozan, which was to be expected, and couldn¡¯t beat Zhang Yang either, which he had also accepted, having lost more than he won half a year ago.


    But when Harden saw Zhang Yang and DeRozan playing toe-to-toe¡­


    No!


    He, Erha, had to strive harder!


    It had been less than a year, right?


    DeRozan was now only able to narrowly win against Zhang San by relying on more accurate shooting, and Erha had never felt such an urge to become stronger!


    While resting and drinking water after the one-on-one, Zhang Yang asked, ¡°James, didn¡¯t you buy the Spurs¡¯ footage to learn the Euro step?


    Haven¡¯t mastered it yet? S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But your step-back is pretty good, teach me!¡±


    Harden: ¡°At first, I did want to learn the Euro step, but that¡¯s too difficult, couldn¡¯t figure it out, so I tried Ginobili¡¯s step-back jumper from the footage, and that was easier¡­


    You teach me the Euro step, I¡¯ll teach you the step-back!¡±


    Zhang Yang remembered then, Ginobili had the step-back!


    Not learning it, big loss!


    But it seemed like Ginobili didn¡¯t consider his step-back jumper a mid-range technique¡­


    Seeing that Erha and Zhang San seemed to be leaving him out of their ¡®private feast¡¯, DeRozan immediately expressed his desire to join them.


    If DeRozan couldn¡¯t beat Zhang San in one-on-one anymore, he also started to panic!


    The three of them taught each other, with DeRozan teaching pull-up jump shots, Harden teaching step-backs, and Zhang Yang teaching the Euro step.


    DeRozan tried the Euro step again but indeed didn¡¯t like it, couldn¡¯t get the feel for it, but the step-back felt very good when he tried it.


    The step-back jumper, although also rhythm-dependent, relied more on reflex and physical ability.


    Harden tried both moves¡­


    DeRozan¡¯s heart of domination was strengthened.


    Harden¡¯s talent was too good, his terrifying strength allowed him to complete pull-up stops and quick direction changes easily, along with inherent rhythm, both pull-up jumpers and the Euro step felt great for him.


    Zhang Yang also felt the pressure, having already surpassed Harden, he naturally didn¡¯t want to be overtaken again.


    The trio started their summer training mode of mutually competitive learning.


    June 6th, Zhang Yang¡¯s 16th birthday.


    Jarett Young and Tyson Roy, together with Harden and DeRozan, pitched in to order a birthday cake for Zhang Yang.


    Thanks to his outstanding football prowess, Tyson Roy smoothly moved on to the University of Southern California after graduating from California High School; Jarett Young got great results in the ACT exam in February, secured a recommendation letter from the leadership of California High School, and received an admission notice for the sports medicine program at the University of California.


    If he couldn¡¯t become an athlete, he still wanted to work in the related field.


    Two very good friends who took great care of him have a bright future, and Zhang Yang was also very happy when he heard this news; he hoped they would have a good life ahead.


    Miller, Keith, Charlie Monroe, Allen Kanter, and Aboya, five teammates from the reserve team, also came over from Compton.


    Except for Sam Smith who joined midway and wasn¡¯t that familiar, two backcourt teammates he didn¡¯t get along with, and Tatum who had gone to St.


    Louis to be with his brother, all the others came.


    Andre Kyle, the classmate who chatted with Zhang Yang the most and often borrowed his study notes, also brought his girlfriend.


    By noon, big brother Hip drove his sports car to Hidden Mountain.


    Zhang Yang hadn¡¯t realized before that he already had so many friends¡­ he was very happy.


    Yang Jing saw that so many of her son¡¯s classmates had come from other cities and was also very happy, but at the same time felt emotional, ¡°Chen, it was right for Yangyang to go out and make his mark.


    We protected him too well in the past.


    Although he didn¡¯t turn out bad in those years, he also didn¡¯t have many friends.


    Jarett and Tyson were the ones who actively took him out to play.


    Now Yangyang has finally learned to make friends.¡±


    Zhang Chen: ¡°Yangyang was still young back then, it was right to protect him during his adolescence.¡±


    Thinking it over, Yang Jing agreed and, looking at her son who was now 16, she felt a bit sad; she knew that the time they would see each other each year would definitely get less and less¡­ The good thing was she had practiced the trumpet!


    ¡­


    After a day off for his birthday, on the 7th, the Compton trio formally resumed studying, training, challenging each other, and occasionally going fishing in the afternoon.


    This time Harden decided to stay at Hidden Mountain for good.


    Originally, even if DeRozan was at Hidden Mountain, Harden¡¯s mother wouldn¡¯t have agreed to let Harden stay too long, but after learning about Zhang Yang¡¯s academic achievements from DeRozan¡¯s mother, she consented.


    They had clear directions, clear goals, heavy enough team burdens, sufficient motivation, and were eagerly competing with each other¡­


    As time passed day by day, a new month arrived, and on July 2nd, Zhang Yang played one-on-one against DeRozan in the park.


    Zhang Yang drove to the basket.


    DeRozan retreated as he defended, and then, seizing the opportunity, he moved up to make contact¡­ but he hit air!


    Zhang Yang pulled off a Euro step, jumping behind to DeRozan¡¯s right.


    It was too late for DeRozan to turn around and block; Zhang Yang jumped and made the layup.


    10 to 8, Zhang Yang defeated DeRozan and won this round of one-on-one!


    In the past three months, Zhang Yang had improved very quickly, faster than during the competition season; he had reached the phase that the coaching staff had mentioned when they discussed focusing on polishing his fundamentals ¡ª a stage where after improving the fundamentals to a certain point, his strength surged dramatically.


    A month ago, DeRozan could still dominate him in one-on-one, but now they were truly trading wins and losses.


    The defeated DeRozan showed no emotional fluctuation on his face.


    Over the past year, he had been living closely with Zhang Yang, watched him transition from clumsy play to using the Euro step to toy with opponents¡¯ inside players.


    To be honest, even he felt threatened by the speed of Zhang Yang¡¯s improvement.


    He had only thought about it before; he never expected to actually be surpassed.


    Instead of being discouraged by the setback, he worked even harder.


    Zhang San was only a year older than him and was only a bit stronger; he had time to catch up!


    He picked up the ball from the sideline and went to the next half-court to play that song from the East¡­


    Harden, on the other hand, said excitedly, ¡°Jack, you¡¯re so cool!


    You won against DeMar again!¡±


    He too was hit hard, but now he had a new expectation ¡ª if Zhang San could surpass DeRozan, could he?


    The thought of him leading DeRozan on the court one day¡­ The mere thought excited him.


    Zhang Yang: ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?


    Wait for me to train for another two and a half years, don some overalls, comb a center part, and then you¡¯ll see how strong I really am.¡±


    Harden: ¡°Overalls?


    For playing basketball?


    Combing a center part?


    Will that really make you stronger?


    I¡¯ll give it a try!¡±

 Chapter 68 - 68 67

    ?68: 67.


    This person is not worth befriending deeply, but makes a decent tool for use (asking for first subscription).


    68: 67.


    This person is not worth befriending deeply, but makes a decent tool for use (asking for first subscription).


    Zhang Yang, ¡°¡­please don¡¯t try it recklessly!¡±


    Harden had entered into his fantasy mode of ¡®I, the great Harden, will play ball with Luo and Zhang San¡¯.


    He was not listening anymore.


    Watching Harden stroking his buzz cut and muttering ¡°It¡¯s too short to part in the middle,¡± Zhang Yang facepalmed.


    It was his, Zhang San¡¯s, fault.


    He knew well enough that Harden was a bit silly, yet he still teased him.


    Hey?


    Can I register the trademark for that hairstyle?


    Could I collect royalties from that guy in the future?


    Zhang Yang opened the ¡®Gate of Trials¡¯, spent over 30 days, and accumulated another 40,000 shooting value, earning a +1 talent in jumping as a reward.


    He noticed that he was only a few points short of the shooting value, so he purposely chose to play one-on-one with DeRozan to complete the task, treating basketball as a part of life, which should have a bit of ceremony.


    Improving his jumping was good.


    Thinking about Jordan¡¯s jump shot in the air as if leaning against a wall¡­


    Nothing was cooler than that.


    However, the growth rate of the shooting value had begun to slow down.


    His mid-range shooting was already very accurate.


    To achieve another qualitative improvement, he would have to spend a lot of time, and seeing that the new mission reward was exactly the three-point talent, he decided to start practicing three-pointers!


    Practicing three-pointers was beneficial for strengthening long two-pointers, and in 10 years, that guy would usher the NBA into the era of small ball.


    Three-pointers were a skill he must develop.


    However, the three-point line in high school was about the same as the NBA¡¯s long two-pointer.


    If possible, he would like to extend his three-point shooting distance to NBA standards before leaving campus.


    On July 10th, Zhang Yang, DeRozan, and Harden were invited to participate in a training camp hosted by Tyronn Lue at the Great Western Forum arena, with Tatum making the connection.


    After the Lakers moved from the Great Western Forum arena, this venue, which once held NBA glory in the ¡¯80s, declined rapidly.


    Without concerts, major events, or entertainment activities, it nearly went bankrupt within just a year.


    Eventually, an evangelical church bought the arena, once valued over a hundred million US dollars by the late ¡¯80s, for a bargain price of 20 million US dollars.


    That¡¯s why they say Jews know how to do business.


    After they took over the arena, they immediately changed the business model, selling nostalgia, marketing the Lakers, and bringing in Lakers players from the ¡¯60s and ¡¯70s as endorsers¡­


    Surprisingly, they actually revived the business.


    Now, every year, a large number of role players from the Lakers and former Lakers hold various training camps and youth competitions here.


    The charges are high, and parents are willing to spend money on their children.


    Of course, the majority of the profits go to the evangelical group.


    Zhang Yang and the brothers were invited as ¡®selling points¡¯, with no fees required, and transportation, meals, and accommodation were covered.


    Last year, before the three had made a name for themselves in high school, Tyronn Lue was already quite nice to them, leaving a good impression, which is why they accepted the invitation.


    The players who hosted training camps at the Great Western Forum arena were mostly there to make money.


    They would just lend their names for the cash, and didn¡¯t care what the camps were actually like.


    They would say nice things at the start of the camps, pretend to arrange training instructors in front of the children and parents, and then consider it done.


    Tyronn Lue was an ¡®exception¡¯ among these people.


    He was genuinely enthusiastic about participating in all aspects of the camp, actively taking part in teaching, patiently guiding, even personally teaching children basic movements.


    When people asked questions, he patiently answered¡­


    If it wasn¡¯t for the uncle¡¯s sincere involvement, Tatum wouldn¡¯t have called Zhang Yang and DeRozan over, to avoid wasting their time.


    The invited high school talents were not limited to them; there were two other nation-wide talents.


    One was a man who caught DeRozan¡¯s attention as soon as they met¡ªformerly the strongest middle schooler in America, a 9th grader last season who had been compared to LeBron James, known as ¡®the next Michael Jordan¡¯¡­


    OJ Mayo from Rose Hill Christian High School in Kentucky.


    DeRozan had been called ¡®the former strongest middle schooler¡¯ but had to add the prefix ¡®of California¡¯.


    He felt hostility towards Mayo, who wore the prefix ¡®nation-wide¡¯.


    However, Zhang Yang wasn¡¯t interested in Mayo.


    He was interested in the other talent¡ªKevin Love from Lake Oswego High School in Oregon.


    Besides these two, Zhang Yang also met another future talent, little Jason¡¯s neighbor, the 11-year-old Bradley Beal.


    Beal was 5 years older than little Jason, and when Tatum introduced Beal, he used the phrase ¡°changed Jason¡¯s diapers,¡± which led to his brother chasing him around¡­


    After several days of the training camp, Zhang Yang got to know a bit about the two future NBA high draft picks.


    He got to know them in different ways; with Love, he quickly became familiar.


    This white player had a rather soft character, giving Zhang Yang a sense of docility.


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t take the initiative to contact Mayo; it was DeRozan who brought trouble to him.


    The first time DeRozan challenged Mayo to a one-on-one, it was best of three rounds and DeRozan lost 1 to 2.


    Mayo mocked that all players from Compton High School were trash.


    DeRozan vehemently retorted, claiming the strongest in their school wasn¡¯t him¡­


    Then, Mayo came looking for Zhang Yang for a one-on-one.


    Zhang Yang was a year older than DeRozan, Mayo, and the others.


    As his fundamental skills and techniques improved, his physical advantages became increasingly prominent¡­ sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had no advantage over Harden, who, after growing taller, became faster.


    His strength was still unmatched among his peers, and Zhang Yang had to win with technique.


    He was about the same height as Mayo and a few kilograms heavier.


    He was good at using his body, rarely committed turnovers due to good ball-handling, his skills were increasingly comprehensive, and he could defend.


    DeRozan found it difficult to play against Mayo, completely unable to stop his breakthrough.


    But for Zhang Yang, the not-yet-good-at-shooting Mayo was easier to defend than the mid-range handsome guy.


    His success rate of disruption was higher, and the ¡®continuous jumping ability improvement¡¯ played a significant role when defending Mayo.


    The first one-on-one was a narrow victory for Zhang Yang.


    After that, Mayo kept challenging him to one-on-one every day.


    Mayo¡¯s arrogant attitude, his proud and impolite character, his swearing speech¡­


    Arrogant, proud, no manners¡­


    If it were just one issue, Zhang Yang could tolerate it.


    Every teammate in the school team had some of these problems to a certain extent¡ªTatum was very arrogant, DeRozan was very proud, and both Monroe and Kanter swore constantly¡­


    But all of them combined really gave him a headache, and he had no interest in being friends with Mayo.


    However, Zhang Yang was still very happy to have Mayo take the initiative to be a ¡°sparring partner¡±.


    If Zhang Yang won, he didn¡¯t need to say anything¡ªMayo would come looking for a one-on-one challenge again in a couple of hours.


    If he lost, Zhang Yang only needed to throw out a harsh taunt to stir up the other¡¯s anger¡­


    There was no need to be friends, but using him as a tool worked just fine.


    Zhang Yang had the upper hand against Mayo, winning more one-on-one games than losing, but the one who felt the impact the most was Tatum.


    Tatum had challenged Mayo to one-on-ones earlier than DeRozan, got hammered in the game, and was also mocked ruthlessly.


    DeRozan lost more than he won against Mayo, and while Tatum was regretful, he also felt a small sense of joy¡ªhey, no one could beat him.


    But then Zhang Yang won¡­


    Moreover, Tatum wasn¡¯t faring any better in his one-on-ones against Harden, though for now the losses and wins were evenly matched.


    But back in August last year, on Harden¡¯s birthday, he had a one-on-one with Harden and he was clearly winning back then!


    After a brief period of shutting down, Tatum entered a state of eager striving once again.


    He had long realized that he was nowhere near Zhang Yang in terms of talent.


    He was envious, but far from jealous, since the other person played better after only one year of basketball than he did after ten¡ªthe gap in talent was too big to be jealous of.


    There was a time when Tatum believed his uncle, Tyronn Lue, was the strongest basketball talent in the world, but after watching his uncle only warm the bench in the NBA, the huge letdown made him understand that even among geniuses, there are vast differences.


    Like his little brother and the neighbor¡¯s kid, they both had more talent than he did when they were younger.


    He wouldn¡¯t break down, never gave up; not because he was cheerful by nature, but it wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t understand anything.


    Unable to beat these three, Tatum decided to have some fun and dragged them all to go ¡®educate¡¯ Bradley Beal.


    Zhang Yang was very interested, Harden liked to join in the fun, and although DeRozan was indifferent, he went along since his friends were going.


    So, the young Bradley Beal faced trials he shouldn¡¯t have faced at his age, and his little heart was left with indelible scars¡­


    On July 21st, the 10-day training camp hosted by Tyronn Lue came to an end, and Tyronn Lue treated a few of the talented high school students who came to make an appearance to a lavish meal.


    After lunch, Zhang Yang, DeRozan, and Harden said goodbye to the Tatum brothers, Love, and Beal, and boarded the car arranged by Tyronn Lue to return to Hidden Mountain.


    Zhang Yang felt pretty good about this training camp.


    Although Tyronn Lue was just an average player in the NBA, he had many years of experience.


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t learn much in terms of technical skills, but Tyronn Lue, after observing his training and one-on-ones, gave him very targeted suggestions for detailed adjustments.


    During break times, Tyronn Lue would also share anecdotes about Kobe, O¡¯Neal, Jordan, McGrady¡­


    and other superstar players, stirring up the youngsters¡¯ passion for basketball.


    Dribbling past mid-court against Kobe, Jordan, and McGrady wasn¡¯t an easy task; for many point guards, it was a nightmare, but for Tyronn Lue, memories of being with these legends became his ¡®treasure¡¯.


    Little Jason, after listening to his uncle¡¯s stories, would shout ¡°Kobe¡± while shooting.


    Zhang Yang, out of curiosity, asked why he shouted Kobe¡¯s name, and little Jason said Kobe was cooler than the other three.


    Cool¡­


    indeed, that¡¯s the only point to be made.


    The vile blacksmith, corrupting the youth.


    What¡¯s the use of being cool, can you be the GOAT?


    Back at Hidden Mountain, the three of them continued training.


    On the 24th, Thomas ended his summer recruitment efforts and went back home to rest.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s parents invited Thomas and Andy to a meal.


    Zhang Yang inquired about the recruitment, and found out the biggest gain of the summer¡ªthe prodigy from San Jose, Drew Gordon, a 15-year-old big man with a height of 206 cm and a weight of 100 kg.


    Thomas was so excited when he mentioned Gordon, Zhang Yang could understand why.


    Compton High School had never recruited a top big man talent before, and had only managed to recruit Miller, who was considered first-rate.


    Last year¡¯s freshman, Alfred Aboya, showed amazing talent when he was in 9th grade, but that was an unexpected delight.


    Aboya was unknown in middle school, he applied to join the basketball club on his own, earned a spot on the freshman team on his own, and fought his way into the reserve team during the freshman season.


    Recruiting a middle school big man of Gordon¡¯s level was a first for Thomas.

 Chapter 69 - 69 The three brothers that upset Thomas

    ?69: The three brothers that upset Thomas 69: The three brothers that upset Thomas Thomas also recruited an exceptionally talented point guard, 15-year-old Jimmy Anderson who stands at 180 centimeters tall, hailing from the small seaside town of Anaheim, southwest of Compton.


    For Thomas to say in front of Zhang Yang and DeRozan that both Gordon and Anderson have very good talents means that he truly sees these two as the core for the future¡­


    High school coaches fight to grab the future core every summer.


    On July 31st, Zhang Yang bid farewell to his parents and was forced by his mother to say goodbye to his younger brother still in her womb, before departing for Compton.


    After a week¡¯s vacation, Thomas returned to Compton with the three high school students.


    Looking at Harden, Thomas felt regret.


    When Harden was 13 and still playing basketball at Mineral Vein Middle School, Thomas had recognized his talent as rivaling DeRozan¡¯s.


    In the past few days, he had been watching the training of the trio and saw a completely different Harden from last year.


    In terms of ability, Zhang Yang had all-around surpassed Tatum.


    Whatever Tatum could do, Zhang Yang could do, and even things Tatum couldn¡¯t do, Zhang Yang could as well.


    With Harden, it would have been different.


    Harden¡¯s jumper from the wing in the 9th grade was of a very high level in the CIF Division I; his drives to the basket were incredibly aggressive, able to soar up against seven-foot centers and forcefully score.


    When it came to scoring efficiency on breaks, Harden was also superior to Tatum.


    Zhang Yang, DeRozan, Harden, together they would be an unbeatable combination.


    But Harden¡¯s dream was to ¡°escape Compton and rush to the big city,¡± a sentiment Thomas also felt from Harden¡¯s family.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t think it was a bad aspiration to seek a better environment and yearn for a better life.


    It was the right thing to do.


    He simply regretted not being able to form the ideal trio.


    With this in mind, Thomas felt somewhat fortunate that Zhang Yang had ¡°grown crooked.¡±


    Zhang Yang had no idea of vying for the role of the core playmaker, as he was passionate about shooting.


    Given the choice between shooting and passing, he would always choose to shoot, and he skillfully and gladly used tactics to create shooting opportunities for himself.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s style of play avoided disputes over ball rights with Tatum.


    Yet, Harden became the regret that lingered in Thomas¡¯ heart.


    ¡­


    Arriving in Compton, Thomas dropped Harden and DeRozan at their homes before taking Zhang Yang to the shopping plaza.


    Expecting Zhang Yang to buy clothes and sneakers, he was surprised when Zhang Yang instead bought three cardboard cutouts that the shoe stores were going to throw out.


    Watching Zhang Yang use cardboard cutouts of Kobe, Garnett, and O¡¯Neal as obstacle training in the yard, Thomas realized it was this kid who had placed the cutouts in Hidden Mountain Park!


    Truly¡­


    he had ambition!


    Actually, Zhang Yang had wanted to buy one of Yao Ming, but Compton is one of the rare cities in California where Chinese people are hardly seen.


    The Reebok stores were full of Iverson¡¯s posters, with not a single one of Yao Ming, so getting a cutout was even less likely.


    He had to settle for O¡¯Neal¡¯s instead.


    Continuing his training and self-study, on the 7th, Zhang Yang invited several teammates who had a good relationship with DeRozan to join him in celebrating DeRozan¡¯s 15th birthday at his home.


    On the 9th, Zhang Yang completed a task and received a reward of +1 to his physical talent, with the new task bringing him a reward that would boost his shooting talent.


    Zhang Yang remembered that after he added a point to his physical talent, close to the age of 23, his physical strength was 88, which is the prime age for male athletic performance.


    Now that he had added two more points to his physical talent, his physical limit should have reached 90.


    This time, it took him 42 days to accumulate 40,000 shooting value points.


    Recently, he mainly focused on three-pointers, which initially affected his efficiency.


    But with the foundation of mid-range and long two-point shooting, his progress on three-pointers was swift.


    After just over a month, his stationary three-point shooting had become quite accurate.


    Games in CIF Division I would start in mid-October, two months away.


    He had to keep training.


    Last season, Zhang Yang watched several of the main team¡¯s games at home and concluded that if he could master the three-pointer after a pick-and-roll, he would add another scoring method to his arsenal.


    Memories from the experiences would be sealed at the end of the journey, and as long as he didn¡¯t consciously recall them, they could be considered gone.


    What wasn¡¯t sealed were the fundamental skills and technical training methods, as well as tactical knowledge.


    Thus, the experiences didn¡¯t affect Zhang Yang¡¯s personal life.


    However, he frequently took the initiative to recall those games to use as a reference, adjusting the direction of his future development and studying points of focus for playing matches.


    There¡¯s a significant difference between high school and NBA games.


    In the NBA, the mid-range shot after a pick-and-roll is a tough move to defend, but in high school games, it¡¯s a terrible option.


    In high school games, when playing a pick-and-roll, the two defenders will both rush towards the ball, ignoring the screener.


    If you dive in after a pick-and-roll, you¡¯ll undoubtedly be double-teamed.


    Therefore, a three-pointer after a pick-and-roll is known as a ¡°quick shoot¡± technique, which effectively avoids the certainty of being double-teamed after a pick-and-roll.


    A few days later, on August 13th, the autumn semester started at Compton High School.


    Zhang Yang met Gordon and Anderson, two talented freshmen.


    Their abilities were indeed good, although definitely not comparable to DeRozan from last year, but still much stronger than their peers.


    Zhang Yang learned from Thomas that both freshmen had directly made it into the reserve team.


    This year, the reserve team wouldn¡¯t continue to compete in the Southern California League, but would instead participate in the third-tier Los Angeles County Tournament.


    Aboya and Smith hadn¡¯t made it directly into the varsity team as sophomores like DeRozan, but like Tatum from last year, continued to train with the reserve team.


    Thomas told Zhang Yang directly that he, DeRozan, and Tatum were confirmed as the core of the varsity team.


    The other juniors who had made the reserve team were put by Thomas on the list of candidates for the varsity team.


    They still had to prove their strength in the upcoming training camps and warm-up matches.


    If they hadn¡¯t improved enough or if their potential had already peaked on the reserve team, they might not be able to displace the 12th-graders who had less talent but were a year or two older and had more game experience.


    Some of the players who didn¡¯t make the varsity team last year and were now seniors still hoped to make it onto the team, and occasionally someone would catch the coaches¡¯ eyes.


    Keith had made the varsity team in his sophomore year and performed very well, with accurate long-range shooting and a knack for finding open spaces.


    The coaching staff had already decided to keep him on the varsity team as the primary long-range option.


    Aboya didn¡¯t make the varsity team because Keith was there.


    Aboya would only be a substitute on the varsity team, and substitutes on the varsity team didn¡¯t get much playing time.


    The varsity team was about delivering results.


    In the two weeks before school started, the coaching staff¡¯s training for the varsity team candidates focused on individual skills to see the players¡¯ progress over the past half-year.


    During this period, their performances had already led Thomas to make some preliminary decisions.


    By the end of August, they officially entered the training camp phase.


    The training during this stage focused on team coordination to assess the players¡¯ tactical literacy.


    Some players might have been weaker, but their synergy with the three cores might have been better.


    Naturally, such players would be a priority for Thomas.


    During these two phases, Zhang Yang trained on his own.


    Thomas asked him not to direct his teammates¡¯ movements during practice.


    The purpose was to truly assess the players¡¯ tactical capabilities.


    Zhang Yang felt that such an arrangement was fine, as directing teammates with a better sense of tactics was definitely easier than directing those without any.


    He was happy to relax during this stage and focus on training.


    After starting his junior year, Zhang Yang quickly understood why Hip regretted not self-studying college-level courses in advance to take exams during his junior year.


    The varsity team¡¯s schedule was really tight, packed every day.


    During Hip¡¯s junior year, with Stuart, a top-fifty national high-schooler ahead, the burden wasn¡¯t so heavy, and there was still time for fun.


    Now he had to rush to the forefront and shoulder the responsibility, which was roughly equivalent to what Hip faced in his senior year.


    If he wanted to save 8-10 periods a week for college prep classes, it could really impact the training schedule.


    Luckily, he had a talent for studying.


    In China, he was considered quite good, and the time during classes in the daytime and before sleeping after evening practice was enough for him.


    The tight schedule was due to the increased duration of his training, which had started during the summer.


    His physical condition was better than the previous year at this time, and he needed to take advantage of it.


    Soon, time reached mid-September.


    On the 11th, Zhang Yang spent over 30 days accumulating 40,000 Shooting value and received a reward of a +1 mid-range talent. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As his three-point shooting got more accurate and his speed increased, things got easier.


    A new task started, with a reward of a random physical attribute.


    His analysis was correct; after adding 8 points to his talent, the task difficulty increased for the second time, requiring 60,000 Shooting value.


    Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t doubled again, which was much better than he had anticipated.


    On September 13th, Monday afternoon, Thomas announced the official 10-man varsity team roster and the 5 reserves.


    This year¡¯s reserves¡ªessentially practice players¡ªwere all juniors.


    By training more with the varsity team, there was a chance to make it the following year as seniors, but for this season, there was no hope.


    If a varsity player was suspended or injured, Thomas would prefer to bring up a player from the reserve team for training.


    Juniors who hadn¡¯t made the varsity wouldn¡¯t get more resources from the team, and becoming a practice player was the best case scenario.


    After Thomas announced the official varsity roster, Zhang Yang felt a mix of emotions¡ª10 players, 6 juniors: himself, Tatum, Keith, Monroe, Kanter, and Miller; 1 sophomore, DeRozan; and only 3 seniors.


    Last season there were 7 senior players, only 2 juniors, and 1 sophomore.


    The new season was full of challenges!


    Having officially made the varsity team roster, Zhang Yang unexpectedly received a second task¡ªto accumulate 50,000 Shooting value to start a new timeline of training.


    Zhang Yang planned to complete the task of upgrading his physical attributes talent first, and then to accumulate Shooting value to start the training.


    The task bar indicated that a new task would only be released after completing both tasks, so it didn¡¯t matter which task was completed first.


    Based on the growth rate of his stamina, he speculated that the increase in physical attributes or the ceiling of shooting talent had already started to impact his body¡¯s development and shooting talent.


    The training mode was based on his current talents and skills, with the expectation that adding a bit more talent before starting the new training would feel somewhat better from a psychological perspective.

 Chapter 70 - 70 69

    ?70: 69.


    Top 100 in the USA?


    Nailing the top 100 in the USA!


    70: 69.


    Top 100 in the USA?


    Nailing the top 100 in the USA!


    Playing more games provided more opportunities to test his strength and helped him understand which skills he was lacking.


    Through actual game practice, he could undertake targeted learning.


    Zhang Yang felt immense pressure for the new season.


    However, the coaching staff was exhilarated.


    Once the roster was announced, the main team immediately got moving with an internal training match to prepare for the upcoming friendly games that weekend.


    Zhang Yang and DeRozan were assigned to different teams.


    They played with utmost seriousness, each unwilling to lose to the other during the training matches.


    Johnson, who rarely participated in the main team¡¯s activities in previous years, now came to help whenever he was available.


    Watching Zhang Yang and DeRozan, Johnson exclaimed, ¡°DeMar and Jack¡¯s talent is incredible, even better than I imagined.


    They don¡¯t seem like fifteen and sixteen-year-old players.


    They are better than Aaron (Afflalo) and Farmar were at the same age.¡±


    Burke agreed, saying, ¡°Absolutely, especially Jack.


    His ability to learn on his own is so strong.


    In just one year, Jack has developed a richer scoring arsenal than DeMar, which is unbelievable.


    However, DeMar is a year younger.


    Next year, DeMar will definitely be stronger than Jack is now.


    But with Jack¡¯s rapid progress, it¡¯s hard to say who will be stronger when they are in twelfth grade.


    It¡¯s a pity they aren¡¯t in the same class.¡±


    ¡°John, Tony, I really think our team is going to produce NBA players¡ªtwo of them!


    It looks like after this, nobody on our team will be wearing numbers 3 and 23 anymore.¡±


    Johnson, ¡°Not only that, the main team¡¯s tactical coordination is already much better than last season¡¯s team before the season started.


    In the past, our players would spend a year in the reserve team just to remember the tactics and rely on extensive training and match experience to play cohesively.


    This batch of main team, however, is different; they clearly know how to coordinate with Jack, DeMar, Carmelo¡¯s positioning¡­


    Those in twelfth grade are still lacking a bit.¡±


    Burke rolled his eyes, ¡°Yeah, right, all the tactically strong players came from your team, and it¡¯s all thanks to Jack.


    You haven¡¯t even shared your salary with him.¡±


    Johnson, ¡°You cut down on half your workload last season because of Jack, why don¡¯t you share your money?¡±


    Burke, ¡°I¡¯d also like to share some money with him, but then he wouldn¡¯t be able to play in college games.¡±


    Johnson, ¡°You really are shameless¡­¡±


    Thomas was at a loss for words, listening to his two colleagues squabble again.


    However, their praise for the two talents he felt was absolutely warranted, even not enough!


    At the beginning of last season, fourteen-year-old DeRozan was only slightly better than sixteen-year-old Tatum, without much qualitative difference.


    A year had passed, and fifteen-year-old DeRozan had far surpassed seventeen-year-old Tatum and Zhang Yang was even a bit stronger than DeRozan.


    Eleventh grader Afflalo was already among the strongest high school students in California, but he was clearly outmatched compared to DeRozan and Zhang Yang.


    Given their terrifying progress over the past six months, Thomas believed by the end of this season, their ability might surpass even a high school graduate Afflalo¡­


    Five-star high school players!


    The NBA is within reach!


    ¡­ sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Zhang Yang was in the reserve team, he took the initiative to direct his teammates¡¯ positioning.


    At first, most teammates ignored him, but after tasting the benefits of following his commands, they made him their leader.


    In the main team, during the second team training, Burke, the tactical coach, directly assigned him the role of the on-court commander.


    It was mainly for the twelfth graders to see, as the old teammates from the reserve team would listen to him anyway.


    Initially, the twelfth graders were reluctant to accept it.


    Zhang Yang set the stage by letting team captain Miller and assistant captain DeRozan take action.


    DeRozan hammered the twelfth grade perimeter seniors once, and Miller did the same with the twelfth grade big men.


    After that, no one challenged their authority anymore.


    Burke secretly gave a thumbs-up for Zhang Yang¡¯s straightforward approach.


    A few days later, on September 19, a Sunday, the first day of the warm-up stage for Compton High School¡¯s main team arrived.


    On the day the main team roster was announced, Zhang Yang had already received the schedule.


    Over the past few days, he had spent several nights studying the CIF Level 1 high school distribution map, this season¡¯s schedule, and last season¡¯s schedule.


    He struggled to understand how the CIF League officials arranged the schedule as there were more Level 1 schools than he had expected.


    Compton High School, being in the third district of four, would not play all the schools in the third district this season.


    Instead, they would face some schools two or even three times, and it wasn¡¯t arranged by geographical proximity¡­


    In the end, he gave up trying to understand it, only to rant that California¡¯s high school league system was the most chaotic in the whole country.


    Today, Compton High School was bustling with activity.


    Students gathered outside Allen Gymnasium, waiting to rush in as soon as the doors opened, and many outsiders attended as well.


    Some were students¡¯ parents, friends, and residents from nearby neighborhoods, while others were agents and university scouts.


    A warm-up match had garnered such a huge interest solely because of one person¡ªDeMar DeRozan.


    It wasn¡¯t only Thomas who thought DeRozan would definitely become a five-star high school player.


    After seeing DeRozan¡¯s performance in the Southern California league in ninth grade, the media and experts thought so too and discussed him alongside OJ Mayo, Kevin Love, Kyle Singler, Eric Gordon, and Michael Beasley.


    Professionals wanted to see how the 15-year-old DeRozan would perform in the varsity team and how much he had improved in half a year.


    For this season¡¯s strength of Compton High School, professionals were not optimistic.


    In this generation¡¯s varsity team, only 3 out of 10 players were seniors, averaging a year younger than other schools.


    Professionals thought this season would be a transitional period for Compton High School, believing that their record of reaching the championship for 7 consecutive years would be broken.


    But when the game started at 4 in the afternoon, the professionals were shocked.


    The captain of Long Beach High School, Darren Collison, although he had just turned 17 last month and was a senior, was ranked as the 99th best high school student in the nation last summer.


    The professionals all thought this game would be a lesson from Collison to DeRozan, but it turned out DeRozan performed better!


    It was only then that the professionals noticed DeRozan¡¯s build, standing 196 cm tall and weighing 84 kg, he certainly looked like an ¡®adult¡¯, while Collison, at 185 cm and 74 kg, seemed so much smaller in comparison.


    It wasn¡¯t just DeRozan who performed well, Zhang Yang¡¯s drives to the basket, catch and shoot, fast break scoring, and occasional one-on-one plays¡­ were equally explosive!


    Tatum¡¯s ability to break through and push the counterattack, although not as unstoppable as in the junior varsity, was still quite impressive for a junior facing seniors.


    If it had just been the three of them playing well, that would have been one thing, but Compton High School¡¯s tactics were also better than those of Long Beach High School!


    Miller¡¯s abilities were indeed not as good as the opposing center, and Monroe and Kanter were even less so, but they knew clearly what they needed to do, how to cooperate with those three, and their execution was strong, their support play was excellent.


    Under the leadership of Zhang Yang, DeRozan, and Tatum, their performance was better than those older and stronger players!


    After DeRozan received a pass back from Zhang Yang and scored a three-pointer from the arc, the first half ended with Compton High School leading Long Beach High School by 9 points, 58 to 49!


    The professionals thought this season¡¯s Compton High School was in a transition period and couldn¡¯t beat Long Beach High School, and Long Beach High School¡¯s players believed this themselves.


    At the start of the game, they indeed took it lightly.


    After falling behind by 9 points at halftime, the players from Long Beach High School believed it was due to their lax attitude, and they rallied, prepared to turn the tables in the second half.


    However, while the players from Long Beach High School were taking it easy, the juniors from Compton High School were also tense.


    The players from Compton High School weren¡¯t very confident before the start of the game either, indeed they were a year younger on average, and it was impossible not to be nervous.


    After coming back from halftime, the players from Long Beach High School were no longer careless, and the players from Compton High School were no longer nervous, their confidence skyrocketed, and the added benefits from both sides canceled each other out!


    By the end of the game, Collison had scored 21 points, 3 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2 steals, performing very well.


    But DeRozan scored 30 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, Zhang Yang 28 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, Tatum 7 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, Keith 14 points, Miller 11 points, 9 rebounds¡­


    Compton High School scored 57 to 54 in the second half, resisted the counterattack from Long Beach High School, and secured a victory solidly at 115 to 103!


    As the final buzzer sounded, the audience erupted in a wild cheer, chanting ¡°DeMar¡± and ¡°Jack¡±.


    The classmates had been enthusiastic with their cheers from the start of the game, but they actually didn¡¯t hold much hope for their own team; they knew their team had no strong seniors, so they were prepared for a descent from their peak this season, viewing it as a process.


    They hadn¡¯t expected Zhang Yang and DeRozan to perform so well!


    The atmosphere at the venue was charged, most players from Compton High School were also very excited; Long Beach High School was a team expected to vie for a playoff spot in their division, and they beat them, and did so convincingly!


    DeRozan¡¯s expression was calm as he said to his teammates, ¡°Didn¡¯t expect the top hundred in the nation to be so weak, I was really looking forward to facing off against Collison, what a disappointment, he¡¯s so much weaker than Harden, is he really in the nation¡¯s top hundred?¡±


    Zhang Yang, ¡°¡­¡±


    Tatum, ¡°¡­¡±


    This show-off!


    Miller responded, ¡°You can¡¯t compare them like that, Harden¡¯s physical condition provides too great an advantage in high school games, the impact of a player of the same level who plays inside is always stronger than one who plays outside, and Harden¡¯s abilities are not just top hundred.


    When we faced off against Harden, it was already the end of the season, this season has just begun¡­ Of course, even if Harden came to play against us now, I believe, DeMar, you could still win!¡±


    DeRozan withdrew his affable gaze, satisfied, and turned away.


    Zhang Yang silently watched DeRozan challenging his teammates, while the gazes of professionals who had come to assess the performances of DeRozan and Collison were now locked on Zhang Yang.

 Chapter 71 - 71 70

    ?71: 70.


    Transition Season?


    71: 70.


    Transition Season?


    DeRozan overwhelmed Collison, who was two years older, leaving an impressive mark, but that was no shock given his reputation as the former ¡°top middle schooler in California¡± and ¡°the strongest rookie in California¡±¡ªhis progress exceeding expectations wasn¡¯t really a surprise.


    There have been even more exaggerated cases¡ªLeBron James in his freshman year could only support his upperclassmen, averaging 18 points and 6 rebounds, but by sophomore year, his capabilities skyrocketed to an average of 25 points, 7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 3.8 steals, leading the Associated Press to bring him up for ¡®cross-grade comparison.¡¯ His sophomore self, placed among senior players, ranked fifth in the nation, and he made the All-American high school basketball first team as a sophomore.


    It could only be said that they still underestimated DeRozan¡¯s talent.


    For other talented high schoolers, being in the top 100 nationwide was the goal, and being a five-star recruit was a dream.


    For him, being a five-star recruit was just the starting point.


    What really shocked them was Zhang Yang!


    They had researched the past performances of the main players from Compton High School, and Zhang Yang had entered their radar, yet in their eyes, Zhang Yang and Tatum were at the same level¡ªbetter than a top talent but not elite, worth an invite but not necessarily a scholarship.


    Because their stats from the last season in the Southern California league were similar, Zhang Yang averaged 18+7+2+2+1, Tatum 15+5+8+2+1; Zhang Yang¡¯s stats weren¡¯t as comprehensive but he had a higher shooting percentage, their average performances were pretty even.


    Today, Tatum scored 7 points and 8 assists, which was about what the professionals expected.


    He was already a qualified starter in the first-tier CIF league as a junior, but he temporarily couldn¡¯t deliver a star performance.


    Zhang Yang was different; his performance far exceeded expectations!


    Clearly, they hadn¡¯t looked into Zhang Yang¡¯s data changes over the last season¡¯s 20 league games, nor had they considered the ¡®championship stage¡¯ stats, which didn¡¯t count towards the season¡¯s average data¡­


    In this game, Zhang Yang displayed a diverse range of scoring methods, including off-ball mid-range shots, drives, three-pointers, and fast breaks, along with ball handling, fast breaks, and pick and rolls¡­


    What¡¯s crucial was his defensive awareness, capable of defending from position one to three, and he even gave the opposition three big blocks!


    Scoring 28 points with 3 blocks in his varsity debut, Zhang San gave a slight smile; he had captured the scouts¡¯ attention¡­


    ¡­


    After a victorious first match, by the next afternoon, Zhang Yang felt a change in his teammates.


    Last week, when teammates discussed the upcoming match with Long Beach High School during breaks in training, the topic had always been about the ranking of Long Beach High School, Collison being ranked 99th nationwide before he even turned 17 last summer¡­


    Today, the conversation about Wednesday¡¯s opponent, Glendale High School, shifted to whether he or DeRozan was better compared to someone from Glendale High School, discussions about whether they could win, and which tactics felt the most comfortable yesterday and possibly useful tomorrow¡­


    The mindset had completely changed!


    Confidence surged dramatically!


    With such a big change in the team¡¯s mindset, could their overconfidence affect the upcoming games?


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t worry about that; his role was to build his teammates¡¯ confidence, and everything else was the job of team captain Miller and head coach Thomas.


    Moreover, he believed that in high school competition, having confidence and momentum was more important than being calm.


    Their newfound confidence stemmed from his and DeRozan¡¯s performances.


    What he needed to focus on was maintaining his excellent performance to continue boosting his teammates¡¯ confidence.


    On Wednesday, at 9 a.m., Zhang Yang rode with Thomas to the parking lot to meet up with his teammates, boarded the school bus, and headed east of Los Angeles to the woodland town of Glendale.


    Glendale was one of the cities with the best climate in Los Angeles County.


    The living environment was comparable to Hidden Mountain.


    However, because it was located in a woodland area and environmental organizations did not permit excessive development, the real estate industry could not boom here, though tourism prospered, unlike the skyscrapers of Los Angeles and the pastoral scenery of Hidden Mountain¡ªthe forest environment here was beautiful.


    But Zhang Yang had no chance to enjoy the scenery; he slept for an hour on the bus, and after waking up in Glendale High School, he freshened up with some cold water and began preparing with the team for the afternoon¡¯s game, intending to return to Compton afterwards, as league phase matches were generally day trips. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, the game between Compton High School and Glendale High School started.


    Glendale High School¡¯s strength was mid to upper level in the third district; although they had no seniors ranked in the top 100 nationwide¡ªsuch recognition was not common¡ªamong all high schools in California, being in the ¡¯04 top 100 included only 11 people statewide.


    However, Glendale High School was not a lesser competitor than Long Beach High School; this team had a majority of white players, boasted 9 senior players, richer game experience, and well-coordinated tactics with strong shooting abilities.


    Compton High School couldn¡¯t boast of a better strategic advantage against Glendale High School.


    Moreover, aside from Zhang Yang, DeRozan, and Miller, the strength of Compton High School¡¯s other players generally fell short against their opponents, including Tatum.


    Although Glendale had no top-tier players, nearly the whole team consisted of expert players.


    This time, the high confidence of Compton High School played a critical role!


    If they were as nervous and unease as they had been the previous Sunday playing Long Beach High School, they might have been flattened at the start by Glendale High School¡¯s excellent team coordination.


    Facing the formidable performance of Glendale High School, Tatum, Monroe, Keith, Kanter¡­


    all chose to fight desperately, trying their best to assist Zhang Yang and DeRozan.


    Lacking individual capabilities compared to their opponents, they were mentally prepared for this, but their confidence stemmed from these two players.


    As long as these two performed well, their confidence would not wane, and their momentum would not break!


    With the help of their teammates, Zhang Yang, DeRozan, and Miller led the team in a back-and-forth battle with Glendale High School during the regular gameplay, with the score alternating leads, right up until the final moments.


    At the crucial moment, Glendale High School faltered, with no one able to guarantee a successful shot.


    On Compton High School¡¯s side, DeRozan hit two consecutive pull-up mid-range shots, plus a pass to Zhang Yang, who received the ball, stepped forward, and successfully made a layup, scoring a pivotal 6-2 lead during those critical moments.


    In the end, with DeRozan scoring 27 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals, Zhang Yang adding 29 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block, and Miller contributing 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks, Compton High School narrowly defeated Glendale High School 107 to 102!


    Glendale High School¡¯s basketball arena, with just over 500 seats, had half the seating capacity of Compton High School¡¯s gym, yet the number of college scouts attending was even greater.


    All the scouts felt that their trip was worthwhile!


    Just as the rumors suggested, DeRozan¡¯s talent was higher than expected!


    His improvement over the last six months far exceeded expectations!


    The news that circulated among the college scouts a couple of days ago was also true, that former mysterious Eastern baseball player had even more exaggerated progress!


    The scouts felt they had discovered a gem unknown to others¡­


    then they noticed the many colleagues in the spectator stands, curse it!


    A single old man longs for a woman; like a scout secretly wishes the demise of another¡­


    ¡­


    In matchups focused on star players, DeRozan and Zhang San could suppress top 100 senior players across the nation with their follow-up offensive moves and win; in games relying on team coordination, as long as they fully supported DeRozan, Zhang San, and Miller at crucial moments, DeRozan and Zhang San could emerge and seal the victory¡­


    Their teammates¡¯ confidence remained high!


    In the following three weeks, Compton High School played six more warm-up matches.


    By October 13th, Wednesday, Compton High School won at home 102 to 89 against Santa Barbara High School, which had significantly weakened after Farmar graduated, ending the warm-up matches with a record of 6 wins and 2 losses.


    The team¡¯s performance was far better than Thomas expected, and he felt a kinship with what Johnson experienced last year.


    Even though he had greatly raised his expectations for Zhang Yang and DeRozan, their performance still exceeded his imagination!


    In the eight warm-up matches, DeRozan averaged 25.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1.6 steals, while Zhang Yang averaged 26 points, 9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 2.4 steals, and 1.6 blocks.


    Although they were just warm-up matches and maintaining this performance in official games might be difficult, Thomas believed that given their talent, their official match performances wouldn¡¯t disappoint!


    Driven by these two, other team members maintained high confidence and relentless vigor during the warm-up games; even in defeat, their confidence wasn¡¯t shaken.


    Thomas realized that the source of the players¡¯ confidence came from Zhang Yang and DeRozan.


    As long as they continued to perform well, the team¡¯s confidence would persist.


    High morale was immensely beneficial for the games, with players running tactics more firmly, shooting more decisively, and not panicking when falling behind¡­


    Of course, it could have adverse effects at times, but the benefits vastly outweighed the drawbacks.


    From the start, they played with confidence, quickening the pace for the players to adapt to the intensity of CIF top-tier matches and to quicker familiarity with how to support Zhang Yang and DeRozan in a new setting.


    At the end of the last season, Thomas¡¯s expectation for the new season was to not perform too badly, develop a few sophomores and juniors, and take a transitional year, aiming to make a run for the top in California in the 05-06 season.


    After the main team selection phase ended, Thomas adjusted his expectations, perhaps to have an even win-loss season.


    Now, after four weeks of warm-up matches, Thomas adjusted his expectations once more¡ªwhy couldn¡¯t they aim for a championship spot during a transition season?


    Last season Hip and Afflalo both made it to the California first team, why couldn¡¯t sophomore DeRozan and junior Zhang Yang?


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 72 - 72 71

    ?72: 71.


    To become a thorn in the eye of all California High School students!


    (Please subscribe) 72: 71.


    To become a thorn in the eye of all California High School students!


    (Please subscribe) On October 17th, the first round of CIF Division I league games arrived.


    There are two to three CIF Division I league matches every week, usually two.


    Each school¡¯s matches are scheduled at the same time to facilitate the recording of scores and data.


    Compton High School¡¯s opening game was at home, starting at 4 p.m.; Zhang Yang and DeRozan began their leisurely warm-up training at 2:40 p.m.


    Having learned from Zhang Yang, last season DeRozan adopted a more professionally structured warm-up.


    Initially curious about why his friend started warming up so early, after trying it once and realizing its benefits, he stuck with it, and it eventually became a habit.


    At 3:45 p.m., players from Compton High School and Pomona High School entered the court.


    DeRozan treated this game as the true beginning of his high school career and wanted to share his emotions with Zhang Yang, but he saw Zhang San standing there with his face stern and his posture upright.


    DeRozan was completely confused, he admitted that his friend looked handsome, but even though he wasn¡¯t always frivolous, he wasn¡¯t usually this serious; what brought on this majestic demeanor all of a sudden?


    Was his friend also considering this game as the true start of his high school career and was thus so serious?


    No, DeRozan still felt something was off.


    He looked around¡­ damn it!


    Zhang San, you bastard, seeing a camera and not even giving me, DeRozan, a heads up!


    Are we still brothers?


    DeRozan also stood straight, head up, chest out, butt out.


    Since he was already wearing a serious expression, he didn¡¯t need to adjust his face, thus DeRozan Number Two was born!


    The preseason performances of Compton High School, and specifically those of Zhang Yang and DeRozan, had successfully caught the media¡¯s attention, with several local California media outlets sending reporters to the scene.


    There would be no live broadcast, but a Los Angeles TV station sent a cameraman to record the event, securing early footage in case Zhang Yang or DeRozan became big stars.


    The others noticed the cameras too, but they didn¡¯t act as regally; they just showed normal excitement, with Tatum going right up to the camera to introduce himself.


    At 4 p.m., the game between Compton High School and Pomona High School started on time.


    The performances during the warm-up games significantly heightened expectations for Zhang Yang and DeRozan, and they did not disappoint today.


    Zhang Yang made 11 of 20 shots, including one three-pointer in one attempt and three free throws out of four, scoring 26 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and recording 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks.


    DeRozan made 10 of 17 shots, including two three-pointers out of five attempts, and two free throws out of two, scoring 24 points, grabbing 2 rebounds, and recording 6 assists and 2 steals.


    With contributions from Tatum, 10 points with 7 assists, Miller¡¯s 8 points and 8 rebounds, and Keith¡¯s 16 points¡­


    Compton High School triumphed over the visiting Pomona High School with a score of 98 to 91, claiming their first victory of the season!


    Pomona High School¡¯s players were stunned; they weren¡¯t a weak team, and their strength was considerable with several players being noticed by prestigious colleges.


    Ten of their players were not as skilled as theirs.


    In high school basketball, the gap in ability due to age differences is often a chasm too wide for most players to bridge¡ªeven for supposedly talented players like Tatum and Miller, facing them was no easy feat, as they too were considered talents.


    But those two guys were outrageously strong!


    During the preseason, Pomona High School had faced Darren Collison, a 17-year-old among the top high school players nationwide, and had already tasted what it was like to be dominated by talent.


    This time, the blow was harder!


    These two were younger than Collison but stronger!


    In the world of basketball, there are always exceptional beings; they found it not so hard to accept the emergence of younger and stronger players.


    If Compton High School had only one such player, Pomona High School¡¯s players felt they could have won, as they had beaten Long Beach High School when most players at Compton High School were not as strong as those at Long Beach.


    But having two such players on one team at Compton High School was simply unreasonable!


    ¡­


    Zhang Yang was delighted with the auspicious start, and he was confident that he could deliver performances like this in official matches too.


    At the end of last season, he had thought it would be tough playing in the starting team this season since no eleventh grader at that time was impressive, and even tenth grader Keith had been pulled into the starting lineup as a back-up to Afflalo.


    Now, half a year later, he found that playing in the starting team wasn¡¯t that hard after all¡­


    his progress had even shocked him.


    He recalled his first serious challenge, when at 17 and in the twelfth grade with the help of DeRozan and Tatum, he could play, averaging over 20 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block per game, earning a full scholarship to the University of Arizona.


    Here, having learned so much in his two experiences and adding eight points to his talents, it was normal for his progress and performance to be much better than his high school phase in the original timeline.


    Moreover, DeRozan, a year his junior, was almost as strong as he was.


    With DeRozan on his heels, Zhang Yang was not merely pleased with his current progress; he was even more motivated to improve.


    He, Zhang San, had already surpassed DeRozan; he couldn¡¯t let DeRozan overtake him again!


    They had played nine games in the preseason till now, and Zhang Yang felt his teammates had changed a lot too.


    During the reserve team period, Tatum and Miller often stole the show, and everyone else also somewhat tried to grab the spotlight.


    But in the starting team, his teammates rallied around him and DeRozan, aiming to perform even better.


    The team¡¯s tactics had become more ¡®centralized¡¯ since the reserve team era, with Thomas often opting to initiate isolation plays.


    He and DeRozan frequently scored more than half the team¡¯s total points, largely due to changes in teammates and tactics.


    He enjoyed the feeling of being trusted and relied upon, though it also brought its own pressures.


    Fortunately, he was still making progress; he could feel, and indeed see, significant improvement from before the warm-up matches had begun.


    His shooting had reached 84 (high school), but his three-pointers were still a bit behind, only at a level where he could make them.


    Looking at his mid-shots alone, he felt he could score 85+ (high school).


    He certainly couldn¡¯t match DeRozan, and in the nine main team games he had played, he hadn¡¯t encountered any high schoolers who could match DeRozan¡¯s mid-shot ability, not even close.


    Not to mention compared to DeRozan, there were few high schoolers he had met who could match his, Jack Zhang¡¯s, mid-shot ability.


    When it came to attacking the basket, he was already the strongest on the team.


    His ball handling had reached 79 (high school).


    Although it still primarily dominated, it wasn¡¯t as good as the ball-handling expert Tatum, but it was better than DeRozan¡¯s decent level.


    His strongest aspect was still his use of physical condition, which had improved to 93 (high school).


    It was his foundation in high school competitions.


    In terms of skills, the Euro step, catching and shooting, fast-break attacks¡­


    all were increasingly outstanding, and stop-and-shoot had already become part of his regular offensive arsenal.


    He also took fewer three-pointers after screens; he still needed to practice more on three-point shots.


    The day after the season opener, a new week began.


    Zhang Yang, as usual, got up early for training, and upon arriving at school, he entered self-study mode; his self-study pace had already far exceeded the progress of classroom lessons.


    As a test-taking expert, his learning direction was clear.


    After school in the afternoon, he continued to train at Allen gym.


    DeRozan was already there before him, and Tatum arrived shortly after, and they started studying together.


    Not long into their study session, Miller, holding a newspaper excitedly, rushed toward them, ¡°Jack, DeMar, DeMar, we¡¯re in the news again¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Miller saw the three as swift as lightning, gathering around him and performing a vanishing act with the newspaper; his hand that had been holding the newspaper squeezed empty.


    The Los Angeles Herald, a local Californian newspaper unlike those aiming for a national or international audience, carved out a niche by focusing deep on California¡¯s local news, from local customs to campus culture.


    This differentiation made it one of the top-selling newspapers locally in California and garnered a large audience nationwide.


    Competitive sports was an important part of California campus culture, while other newspapers focused on the four major leagues or NCAA news.


    The Los Angeles Herald continued its differentiated approach, focusing specifically on high school sports news.


    This time, the front page of the high school sports section belonged to Compton High School!


    Upon seeing the news, everyone was excited.


    The Los Angeles Herald had called Compton High School potentially the biggest dark horse of this season¡¯s CIF top division.


    It also highly praised Zhang Yang and DeRozan¡¯s performances.


    It said the two had surpassed Afflalo, Hip, and Stuart to become the strongest players in the history of Compton High School¡¯s basketball team.


    The players with whom they were compared were highly exaggerated ¡ª LeBron James, Jordan Farmar, OJ Mayo.


    James, at 16, was ranked fifth among all U.S.


    high schoolers of the 2001 class, the youngest All-American.


    Farmar had made a national sensation in the 2002-03 season.


    Born in November 1986, at only 16 years old in 11th grade, he led his team alone to the California top division championship.


    At 17 years old in 12th grade, he managed a 2-on-1 victory against Afflalo and Hip, two top-100 U.S.


    high schoolers, leading his team to beat Compton High School and advancing to the championship semifinals, becoming an All-American.


    Mayo, turning 17 next month, a sophomore currently playing in Kentucky¡¯s second-tier league, scored 41 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists in the new season¡¯s opener.


    DeRozan couldn¡¯t suppress his smile upon seeing such an assessment.


    Zhang Yang was also excited, but at the same time, a bit troubled, ¡°The Herald is really setting a high bar for us!


    We¡¯re probably going to be targets for all high school players in California now.¡± Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    DeRozan, ¡°So what?


    No matter who comes, you and I can beat them!¡±


    Tatum, ¡°Hey, hey, hey, include me too!¡±


    Miller, ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t leave us out, okay!¡±


    Zhang Yang clicked his tongue and shrugged his shoulders.


    Being cautious seemed impractical now, so they¡¯d better tackle things as they come ¡ª whoever comes gets beaten!


    He also thought this was the right mindset for young guys!


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 73 - 73 72

    ?73: 72.


    Beat anyone who comes, say it and do it!


    (Please subscribe) 73: 72.


    Beat anyone who comes, say it and do it!


    (Please subscribe) October 20, Wednesday, Compton High School was playing host to a game against Saint Joseph High School.


    Upon entering the court, Zhang Yang immediately felt the hostile stares from the opposite side.


    As DeRozan went to the technical table to chalk up, he encountered a provocation from the opposing team.


    He didn¡¯t speak, but with a look that was three parts disdain, three parts contempt, and four parts nonchalance, he incited the other team to start swearing on the spot.


    When the provocation occurred, Zhang Yang, Tatum, Kanter, Monroe, and others saw it and immediately went to help.


    The opposing team also gathered around, sparking a shouting match.


    Miller also wanted to help, but with his personality, he had never cursed in the streets from childhood, and after approaching, he was scolded a few times without helping at all, and even ended up infuriating himself.


    However, Miller made a surprising discovery¡ªJack¡¯s cursing was fierce!


    Jack, who never usually used Black slang, swore dirtier than anyone!


    The magical combinations of slang, Miller didn¡¯t know how Zhang Yang came up with such curses.


    Furthermore, the restless look on Zhang Yang made Miller feel¡ªJack wanted to fight the opposition, he just didn¡¯t want to be the first to throw a punch.


    In the end, a fight did not break out as referees, league inspectors, and coaches from both teams worked hard to separate the two sides, and the referees solemnly warned not to cause trouble.


    DeRozan felt he had stirred up trouble and, after being pulled back to the bench, quietly apologized to Zhang Yang.


    Zhang Yang, ¡°Why are you apologizing?


    They should be the ones to apologize, not you.


    You didn¡¯t start insulting first.¡±


    DeRozan, ¡°I think maybe my expression was too arrogant¡­¡±


    ¡°You were born looking arrogant, can you be blamed for that?


    Definitely not your fault, it must be their fault for lacking tolerance.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhang San¡¯s unreasonable and extremely double-standard attitude left Drew speechless, but he felt incredibly warm¡­ Wait, what does ¡®born looking arrogant¡¯ mean?


    After handling a few words with DeRozan, Zhang Yang looked towards the opposition.


    They had no particular grievances with Saint Joseph High School, according to what Thomas said, their matchup in the championship was a thing of the last century¡­ although there seemed to be a bit of friction since their reserve team had snatched a talent named Drew Gordon from Saint Joseph High School.


    Gordon High School started the game very well.


    Compton High School had never had such an outstanding freshman center as Gordon, who, along with the shooting power forward Aboya, swept through the Los Angeles County competition.


    But such intense hostility from the opposing players was clearly not because of this, Lynwood High School even took Harden away, but they didn¡¯t hold a grudge against Lynwood High School for it, so it must have been the ¡®credit¡¯ of the Los Angeles Pioneer.


    The report, before comparing them with those few, first trashed the high school talents in California, doubling the effect of drawing hatred!


    Just as Zhang Yang had predicted before, they were hit with a wave of intensity as soon as the season started.


    However, seeing the full hostility from the opponents, as if they wanted to take them down, Zhang Yang became even more excited.


    Bring it on!


    The atmosphere on the scene was already heating up, and although there hadn¡¯t been a fight, the fierce shouting match between the two sides had already stirred up the spectators.


    At 4 PM, the game between Compton High School and Saint Joseph High School began.


    After the game started¡­ DeRozan played very calmly, extremely cautiously, keeping his success rate high at any time he took a shot.


    Because a certain man named Zhang played incredibly aggressively, shooting whenever there was a chance, creating opportunities to shoot when there weren¡¯t, and defending like a mad dog¡­ Drew had to remain calm and cautious, to cover Zhang San¡¯s back.


    The Saint Joseph High School players were fierce, playing very hard, and rough, but Compton High School, led by Zhang Yang, matched them in intensity, with Tatum, Monroe, Kanter, and others being even rougher!


    At 5:16 PM, amidst the cheers of the spectators, the final whistle blew.


    Zhang Yang made 14 of 26 shots, along with 6 of 4 free throws, scored 32 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, had 1 assist, 3 steals, 3 blocks, and achieved his first 30+ points game in the varsity team, leading Compton High School to a big win over Saint Joseph High School 94 to 78!


    DeRozan scored 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, his performance was ¡®average,¡¯ but his 10 of 6 mid-range shots were incredibly accurate.


    Tatum scored 7 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals¡­ After the game, when Zhang Yang saw the data sheet Thomas brought back from the technical table, he teased Tatum for having a bit of Kidd¡¯s style.


    Tatum felt incredibly frustrated, did he not want to score?


    Taking 8 shots to score 7 points, did he want to be that bad?


    Hadn¡¯t he already tried his best to make up for it by aggressively going for offensive rebounds?


    Anger rose from within him, and he challenged Zhang Yang to a one-on-one on the spot¡­ but was held down and laughed off by Zhang Yang rubbing him into the chair.


    Tatum resigned himself, unable to beat Zhang at basketball or fighting, so he decided to just focus on defending well, rebounding well, and passing well.


    In basketball, he was always quite flexible.


    ¡­


    The Los Angeles Pioneer¡¯s sensationalist tactics, while setting Compton High School up for a tough competition and drawing hostility towards Zhang Yang and DeRozan, also brought a lot of attention.


    Today, even more professionals had come to watch the game at Compton High School than at the opening game, with even college scouts from other states coming to observe their performance.


    Zhang Yang, enraged because his teammate was ¡°bullied,¡± madly took 26 shots and scored 32 points, showing the scouts another side of him¡ªthat Chinese players could also be explosive.


    Yes, in the eyes of the onlookers, it appeared that the opponents wanted to bully DeRozan, and Zhang Yang, leading a group of people, went up to argue and almost started a fight.


    He remained angry as the game started and relentlessly led his team to dominate the opponents.


    If Zhang Yang had known what the scouts were thinking, he would have recommended them to watch major confrontational moments involving the Chinese national basketball team and their opponents over the past ten years.


    After being ¡°bullied,¡± DeRozan remained calm and played even more steadily than usual, also leaving a deep impression on the scouts.


    It is rare for high school students to possess such a composed character.


    After the game, the local press interviewed Zhang Yang and DeRozan, and the reporters praised DeRozan for his calm demeanor during the conflict.


    DeRozan never thought he would assume such a role one day, but either he or Zhang San had to be the calm one, and his persona was that of a cool and relaxed man.


    It was a chance to hone his stability.


    When the reporter brought up the topic of the Los Angeles Herald starting trouble against them, Zhang Yang replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad thing; at least it made many people know my name.


    However, to avoid getting targeted and thrashed by my opponents, I need to work harder to become stronger, to have the ability to defeat all opponents.


    We¡¯ll beat anyone who comes our way.¡±


    DeRozan thought his friend was really bold!


    But it made a lot of sense!


    With two consecutive wins to start off, Compton High School opened the new season.


    On the 22nd, 24th, 27th, and 31st, Compton High School had four more games in late October¡­and four more victories!


    The opponents in these four games were of average strength; they were not weak, but also not particularly strong.


    Faced with the aggressive play from Zhang Yang and the steady DeRozan, all fell before them.


    The opponents, seeing Zhang Yang and DeRozan, were full of hostility and fought fiercely, but ¡°whoever comes, we beat¡±¡ªZhang Yang didn¡¯t just say it, he really did it!


    DeRozan did too!


    As the players from Pomona High School privately complained, having one player like Zhang Yang or DeRozan in a team was already tough enough, having both on the same team was simply unfair!


    With six consecutive victories, Compton High School continued to sizzle, drawing continued attention from scouts and local media in California.


    Many scouts and journalists were ¡°permanently¡± at the scenes of Compton High School¡¯s games.


    The performances by Zhang Yang and DeRozan were so outstanding, they turned the stunt pulled by the Los Angeles Herald from a bad thing into a good one!


    Thanks to the Los Angeles Herald, they gained attention.


    With one outstanding performance and victory after another, they continued to draw media focus.


    Using the media coverage, they rapidly built their reputation in the California region!


    The Los Angeles Herald predicted that Compton High School would be the season¡¯s biggest dark horse in the CIF Division I league, and Compton High School proved them right!.


    The media focused on Compton High School¡¯s winning streak and the stats of the two geniuses for each game.


    The scouts paid attention to these aspects as well, but they also noticed more details.


    They found that Zhang Yang and DeRozan were not only performing well but were also continuously improving.


    Taking just the adjacent matches for comparison might show little, but comparing the season¡¯s first game to the latest one against Pacific High School, the improvement in Zhang Yang and DeRozan was clearly visible.


    Zhang Yang averaged 26.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2.8 steals, and 1.8 blocks over six games, ranking him highest in the team for scoring, steals, and blocks.


    Comparing his first game and the sixth game, a significant improvement in his positioning to receive passes, movements attacking the basket, and shooting accuracy was clearly visible.


    DeRozan averaged 22 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.5 steals over six games.


    His scoring remained slightly above 20 points on average, which was lower than during the junior varsity and warm-up phases, but after six games, DeRozan¡¯s field goal percentage had improved to 50.6%!


    Becoming more stable!


    Now, whenever people watch DeRozan prepare to shoot, they feel confident he will make it.


    In addition, the core lineup of Compton High School was also improving.


    After six games, the coordination between the three core members, Zhang Yang, DeRozan, and Tatum, was taking shape.


    Zhang Yang was responsible for scoring, playing aggressively; DeRozan played steadily, provided support and made crucial shots; Tatum transformed into a defensive playmaker¡­


    The three, each with a different playing style, found a wonderful balance after several games of adjustments.


    A scout had discussed this aspect with Thomas, and what he learned was astonishing.


    Thomas revealed that their coaching staff only provided tactics based on the players¡¯ playing styles and habits, but it was their on-court commander who decided how to execute the tactics and what role each player would play.


    And that on-court commander was none other than Zhang Yang, who might appear to play the simplest and most brainless style!


    ¡­


    ¡­


    One more chapter before bed, around midnight. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asking for monthly passes and recommendations!

 Chapter 74 - 74 73

    ?74: 73.


    Jack¡¯s leadership ability is worth your trust!


    (Please subscribe) 74: 73.


    Jack¡¯s leadership ability is worth your trust!


    (Please subscribe) College scouts knew each other well, as most were part-time scouts for multiple colleges, selling player reports and scouting reports to make money, never selling the information to just one buyer.


    These scouts served not only colleges but also the NBA, high schools, and even overseas leagues if there was work to be done.


    Thomas had quite a few familiar scouts from whom he could get lots of information about talented middle schoolers.


    The information was not expensive; the scouts wouldn¡¯t even take Thomas¡¯s money.


    A couple of drinks at the bar on Thomas¡¯s tab was enough, of course, the information wasn¡¯t particularly valuable.


    Usually, it was just some scout visiting a city to observe a specific individual when they heard about some kid at a certain middle school, and then they¡¯d trade the tip for a drink with Thomas.


    That¡¯s why Thomas purposefully made trips every summer.


    When one of the scouts wanted to find out why Compton High School¡¯s core lineup adjustments were working so quickly, Thomas let the news slip.


    He was repaying a favor to that scout and at the same time, helping to ¡®advertise¡¯ Zhang Yang.


    Once a scout caught wind of this, all the colleges interested in Zhang Yang got the news, and even those that hadn¡¯t been aware of him came to know through a scout¡¯s recommendation.


    On November 3rd, the undefeated Compton High School team with six straight wins arrived in Lynwood city.


    Today, they were set to challenge their first real powerhouse rival of the new season¡ªthe also undefeated Lynwood High School with six vicories.


    At 3:45 in the afternoon, Zhang Yang and his teammates entered the court.


    Zhang Yang looked around the court, befitting a high school next to a large city like Los Angeles, the competition venue was actually at the neighboring college¡¯s sports complex.


    With over 8,000 seats but only a little over a thousand spectators, it looked a tad too empty.


    Zhang Yang looked across the court, eagerly anticipating the game.


    Lynwood High School, like Compton High School, had also won all six of their matches so far, joining Saint Maria College, Oakland Middle School, and Saint Mary¡¯s Middle School as one of the undefeated teams at the start of the season.


    Both Compton High School and Lynwood High School were the only two undefeated teams left in District 3.


    Having won six straight games, Lynwood High School¡¯s wins held more weight due to the strength of the opponents they faced.


    Top-tier teams from District 3 like Inglewood High School, Southern California High School, and San Diego High School had all been defeated by Lynwood High School.


    So, on November 1, the Los Angeles media¡¯s CIF Division One, District 3 power rankings placed Lynwood High School ahead of Compton High School.


    Lynwood High School, which usually had mid-tier performance in previous years, had jumped to the top of District 3 this year, thanks to two players.


    Tatum looked at the robust player on the opposite team and said, ¡°Is that the transfer student?


    Kevin, Allen, Charlie, Jeff (12th-grade center Jeff Cohen), you guys are in for a rough game today.¡±


    DeRozan, with a bit of mischievous glee, chimed in, ¡°Yes, Daven Jefferson, 19 years old, 6 feet 7 inches (201 cm), 250 pounds (113 kg), primarily plays power forward and center, transferred from Missouri High School to Lynwood High School in the summer, averaging 18 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks over 6 games.


    In the latest national high school rankings, he¡¯s number 50.¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°Big guys in the paint, please put in the effort, I¡¯ll be praying for you.¡±


    Miller, Kanter, Monroe, Cohen collectively fell silent¡ªthey were timid, so please don¡¯t scare them!


    Zhang Yang had heard of Daven Jefferson in his past life, not through NBA games, but from a news headline about this Black player being naturalized for South Korea.


    He clicked to read more and found out that Jefferson would play in China¡¯s NBL league and would later join the CBA¡¯s Shanxi team, also having played for clubs in Europe and South America.


    While DeRozan and Zhang Yang were teasing their teammates in the paint, a big-bearded man with a middle part in his hair appeared before them, his expression a mix of anger and grievance.


    When Zhang Yang saw who it was, he showed a look of surprise: ¡°Yo, James, long time no see, what are you doing here?¡± Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    DeRozan¡¯s mouth twitched, but this was fun!


    He followed up with, ¡°Yeah, James, it¡¯s been a while.


    Are you here to watch us play?¡±


    Harden was furious: ¡°I am your opponent today!¡±


    DeRozan: ¡°Eh?


    Is that true?


    The sophomore prodigy who¡¯s been averaging 18 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals, and who has helped Lynwood High School¡¯s rise, is you?


    The number one scorer and playmaker for Lynwood High School is you?


    No way!¡±


    Zhang Yang: ¡°Impossible, absolutely not!¡±


    Harden was really annoyed!


    Since entering the court, these two had focused only on his transfer student teammate, completely ignoring him.


    He knew these two were doing it on purpose, saying those things to provoke him, but he just couldn¡¯t control his rage.


    So this was what it felt like to be their opponent!


    Harden turned around indignantly and went back to the other half of the court to start playing with the ball like the Los Angeles Philharmonic.


    Zhang San and DeRozan high-fived, successfully infuriating their second opponent, Harden.


    In a match, trash-talking ability is indeed part of your strength.


    ¡­


    The confrontation between Zhang Yang, DeRozan, and their rivals Harden, Jefferson, was today¡¯s most highly anticipated basketball game in California high schools.


    Many reporters and scouts were present, most of whom had followed Compton High School.


    In other words, among the professionals, 10th-grader DeRozan, 11th-grader Zhang Yang were regarded as more important than Lynwood High School¡¯s Daven Jefferson ranked 50th nationwide in the Class of ¡¯05.


    There was no helping it, the popularity of Zhang Yang and DeRozan was such a headache for the scouts, making them wonder how they were going to recruit these two high schoolers when the competition was so fierce and ever-increasing.


    However, as professional scouts, being able to watch these two exceptionally talented young men play was a pleasure.


    At 4 p.m., the battle for the top spot in the third district between Compton High School and Lynwood High School began.


    Zhang Yang, DeRozan, Miller each scored a mid-range jumper at the start, leading off with a 6-0 score.


    But the lead didn¡¯t last long, as Lynwood High School, under Harden and Daven Jefferson¡¯s leadership, responded with a burst of 14-6, overtaking the score 14-12, prompting Compton High School to call a timeout.


    Provoking Harden before the game seemed to have the opposite effect¡­ Zhang Yang had no regrets.


    Trash talk is just like that, sometimes it impacts opponents¡¯ performance, and other times, it motivates them to play better.


    One could only say Harden had improved significantly, not just in skill but also in mentality.


    If it were the Harden from last year, he¡¯d probably be whimpering in a corner by now.


    In this half of the game, Zhang Yang gained a deeper understanding of Lynwood High School¡¯s strength.


    Harden¡¯s current strength was just okay; Daven Jefferson wasn¡¯t exceptionally strong either, having no scoring ability, his average of 18 points purely came from second-chance points and alley-oops.


    But Lynwood High School¡¯s role players were far stronger than those at other high schools; purely in terms of talent, any one of them would be on the level of Tatum, Miller, or Keith.


    Although Lynwood High School¡¯s player development was poor, and most hadn¡¯t fully realized their potential, being in 11th or 12th grade, they were still stronger than players with average talent.


    These players allowed Harden to display his talent in organizing offense, coupled with Daven Jefferson, who although technically poor, possessed explosive physical qualities, good rebounding instincts, and active shot-blocking, Lynwood High School demonstrated formidable combat power.


    Zhang Yang thought for a moment, he had a plan!


    ¡­


    Returning from the timeout, Compton High School made adjustments on both offense and defense.


    On offense, settling into half-court play, Zhang Yang and DeRozan took turns in isolation, with Tatum seizing opportunities on defense and in transition.


    On defense, block Harden¡¯s threes and drives, and prevent Daven Jefferson¡¯s offensive rebounding efforts.


    Thomas, upon hearing this ad-hoc suggestion, felt it was full of holes,


    This offensive strategy basically relied purely on Zhang Yang and DeRozan¡¯s one-on-one abilities.


    The defensive strategy wasn¡¯t so reliable either, leaving both wings wide open.


    But he didn¡¯t reject Zhang Yang¡¯s suggestion, since the game was being played by the players, and he trusted Zhang Yang¡¯s judgment.


    As Thomas had anticipated, after the timeout, Lynwood High School¡¯s wings scored on open shots, creating another scoring surge with 12 points, while Zhang Yang and DeRozan fought hard, managing to score only 9 points in that period.


    However, as the game went on, Lynwood High School¡¯s shooters began to miss, and it spiraled out of control; the more they missed, the more hesitant they became, and the more hesitant, the more they missed¡­


    From the end of the first quarter to the middle of the second, Compton High School launched a series of counterattacks, scoring an 18-9 run, and overtook Lynwood High School at 39-35!


    Thomas was initially surprised, but after watching for a while, he saw the reason ¡ª Lynwood High School¡¯s role players lacked confidence!


    They dared to shoot when they were making consecutive shots, and with Daven Jefferson guaranteeing offensive rebounds, they dared to shoot even when missing.


    But when their mid and long-range shots started to miss, and Daven Jefferson couldn¡¯t grab offensive rebounds, they began to worry that they couldn¡¯t make the shots.


    Thomas remembered seeing this last year while watching junior varsity games,


    At the time, he and two colleagues had complained that Lynwood High School was wasting a group of talented middle schoolers by playing their confidence away.


    The varsity players came from the JV team, and the flaws of the Lynwood High School JV players were also present in the varsity team!


    Thomas once again marveled at Zhang Yang¡¯s ability to command on the spot, even using the opponents¡¯ psychological state to his advantage!


    After regaining the lead, Zhang Yang and DeRozan continued to press their advantage, establishing a 10-point lead during the third quarter.


    Harden attempted to lead a counterattack, but his awakening of talent came too late; he was currently no match for either of those two rascals.


    The final score was fixed at 94-82, with Zhang Yang and DeRozan combining for 60 points, leading Compton High School to defeat Lynwood High School, recording a 7-0 victory and securing the top spot in the third district!


    Watching Zhang Yang and DeRozan, Thomas thought the two lads were astounding, once again exceeding his expectations!


    He felt the opposing team was in for a tough time, this game would surely get media coverage.


    His Jack had exposed Lynwood High School¡¯s weaknesses completely, making them a target for other teams.


    The way to break through was actually quite simple ¡ª him taking one-on-one shots.


    Zhang Yang and DeRozan usually did just that; if it weren¡¯t for their one-on-one abilities allowing teammates to focus on defense, they couldn¡¯t have executed this strategy.


    Thomas thought Harden had the talent but just wasn¡¯t there yet.


    Harden had realized this himself, and he had tried to go one-on-one in the game but was targeted by Zhang Yang; his outside shots were disrupted, and when he drove into the paint, he was met with a crowd¡­


    Watching Zhang Yang and DeRozan celebrating on the other side, Harden was unwilling to accept defeat.


    He wanted to become stronger ¡ª stronger than all his buddies!


    He had decided!


    From today, these two were the opponents he most wanted to defeat!


    Their friendship had shattered starting from this game¡­ ¡°James, we¡¯re going to that steakhouse you mentioned, are you coming?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Please vote for monthly and recommendation tickets!


    Thank you, buddies, 24-hour subscriptions just exceeded a thousand before 12 o¡¯clock.


    Tomorrow we start aiming for ten thousand a day!

 Chapter 75 - 75 74

    ?75: 74.


    The high school competition can no longer accommodate this duo!


    75: 74.


    The high school competition can no longer accommodate this duo!


    After Jack, DeRozan, and Harden finished dinner, they took a stroll by the river to help digest.


    Although Da Luo and Zhang San had invited him for dinner, Er Ha swore to himself after paying for his share that he would definitely settle the score in this game!


    (A handsome picture of Harden with a middle part hairstyle)


    Looking at Harden¡¯s fierce demeanor, DeRozan said he got it, he got it.


    DeRozan really envied Harden¡¯s optimistic and cheerful personality.


    This little buddy either lived worry-free or dashed forward with all his might once he had a goal, fearing nothing.


    *Zhang Yang wasn¡¯t worried about Harden being mad either; a meal was enough to placate him, and it was even a shared-cost scenario.*


    He reviewed today¡¯s game.


    For the previous six games, he hadn¡¯t helped adjust the strategy in this way; he only directed teammates¡¯ positioning based on his or DeRozan¡¯s scoring needs within the tactics.


    Those games, while some were quite tough, hadn¡¯t reached the point where tactical targeting was needed.


    He and DeRozan could solve problems with their personal abilities and still improve their skills.


    Today, facing Lynwood High School, a team described as ¡®talent as abundant as Tatum and Miller,¡¯ he realized without strategic planning, they really couldn¡¯t win.


    After making on-the-spot tactical adjustments, he found the opposing coach was nearly incapable of making effective counter adjustments.


    From the fact that the opponent could integrate Harden Jefferson, alongside other super-talented role players, into such a beautiful team play, it suggested that the coach¡¯s ability to develop tactics was competent, at least in using Harden¡¯s talent.


    This meant the other side lacked the ability to adjust on the spot¡­


    It seemed Thomas also didn¡¯t make on-the-spot strategic adjustments much, mostly adjusting after a quarter or half-game, and those weren¡¯t micro-adjustments either.


    *Previously, he hadn¡¯t noticed this.


    Thinking back, maybe high school coaches generally lacked the ability to micro-adjust tactics and command on the spot.*


    *However, the coach¡¯s on-the-spot command ability also indeed didn¡¯t play a major role on the high school court.* S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    *Suddenly calling a timeout to arrange a new play, players were unlikely to execute it well unless they had someone like Jack Zhang who could direct teammates¡¯ positioning correctly on the court.*


    *Player development ability > crafting suitable tactics ability > ¡­


    > on-the-spot command ability, if high school coaches were like this¡­*


    *No wonder Farmar and James could lead a group of mediocre teammates to frequently achieve winning streaks of over ten games after adapting to high school competitions in their sophomore years.*


    Farmar led his team to a 15-game winning streak in the second half of his sophomore year, seizing a spot in the District 3 Championship.


    James¡¯s side was even more dramatic; in his sophomore year, the 2000-2001 season, he led his team to a 26-1 record and won the championship as the sole core.


    *When star players had sufficient personal ability and could make tactical adjustments, they generally dominated the high school top leagues.*


    *Forget players who had both; even players with just the skill level of Farmar and James were rare, and those with such exceptional tactical minds were even scarcer.*


    Farmar was shockingly strong in high school, known as the best point guard in the United States.


    James was more exaggerated; judging by his tank style of play averaging 20+ points per game in the NBA since 18, he might have had NBA-level physical fitness at fifteen or sixteen.


    *Zhang Yang felt that he and DeRozan, compared to the two at the same age, still had a gap.*


    *Having a group of ¡®mediocre¡¯ teammates was not that easy.*


    Take their Compton High School, for example; the three seniors, Monroe, and Kanter, were considered quite burdensome, but they were already the best players in the 11th and 12th grades aside from the five starters.


    If these five could be swapped with CIF top-level average players, their team¡¯s strength would immediately rise by half a level.


    But he was in the same team as DeRozan!


    Zhang Yang stopped walking and said, ¡°DeMar.¡±


    DeRozan also stopped, asking, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Zhang Yang said, ¡°This season, let¡¯s take the championship and dominate high school!¡±


    DeRozan was taken aback for a moment but soon regained a calm expression, responding, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Harden said, ¡°Hey hey hey!


    I¡¯m still here!


    Even if we lost today, we¡¯re still second in District Three.


    Wanting to grab the championship, you have to ask us first if we agree!¡±


    DeRozan said, ¡°You can¡¯t beat the two of us.¡±


    Harden clutched his chest and stepped back: ¡°You¡¯re bullies, Jack, I was obviously first here!¡±


    Zhang Yang was speechless, thinking this drama queen.


    DeRozan said, ¡°How about transferring back?


    We can dominate high school together?¡±


    Harden said, ¡°No way!


    I want to defeat you guys!


    From today on, we are enemies¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang said, ¡°James, want some dessert after dinner?¡±


    ¡°Come with me, the strawberry cake at that place over there is really delicious!¡±


    ¡­


    As Thomas expected, the battle for the top spot of District Three attracted quite a bit of media coverage, and with information spreading online, teams in the division closely watching Lynwood High School quickly found out that three days later, on Sunday, Lynwood High School, second in the division, was unexpectedly defeated by Long Beach Middle School, ranked eighth.


    *Thomas felt bad for Harden, backstabbed by his two brothers, but he thought this was also good training for Harden.


    After all, the lineup at Lynwood High School was too good.


    Harden¡¯s style in the first six games was simple and relaxed; he could use his brain to lead the team to defeat opponents, with little opportunity for personal ability development.


    Now, finally, he had the conditions.*


    *If you had to say, Harden should probably thank his two brothers.*


    *While he couldn¡¯t bring Harden in, Thomas still hoped Harden could fully develop his talents.*


    Thomas¡¯s time focusing on Harden didn¡¯t last long, as the two geniuses over on his side were stirring things up again!

 Chapter 76 - 76 74

    ?76: 74.


    The high school competition can no longer accommodate this duo!_2 76: 74.


    The high school competition can no longer accommodate this duo!_2 Even though the fervor surrounding the claim of ¡°rivaling the talents of Farmar, James, and Mayo¡± and the slogan ¡°whoever we face, we beat¡± had gradually waned, they had yet to lose a game since the start and remained in the spotlight, still the thorn in their opponents¡¯ eyes.


    These two kids apparently thought it wasn¡¯t enough!


    On November 10th, Compton High School narrowly defeated California High School, led by the 23rd ranked high school player Shawn Williams, with a score of 96 to 89 on their home court, securing their 9th consecutive victory.


    Zhang Yang racked up 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks, demonstrating an aggressive defensive performance.


    DeRozan scored 41 points.


    With Zhang Yang being heavily guarded, he shifted to focus on defense, allowing DeRozan to bear the offensive load for the team single-handedly.


    Tatum achieved 10 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, notching his first triple-double as a starter, providing DeRozan with plenty of great passes and holding his own in the battle for rebounds.


    The three standout players were interviewed by the Los Angeles media after the game.


    When a reporter asked how long they thought their winning streak would last, Zhang Yang held up his index finger.


    Reporter asked, ¡°Is your goal to start with 10 straight wins?¡±


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t respond, but DeRozan shook his head and said, ¡°It¡¯s to keep on winning.¡±


    Thomas couldn¡¯t see how holding up an index finger related to ¡°winning continuously,¡± but his reaction was the same as the reporters¡¯¡ªMy God, you guys are really confident.


    Having confidence and ambition, Thomas didn¡¯t think it was a bad thing, but couldn¡¯t this kind of goal be discussed in private?


    Declaring it in front of reporters, especially those from Los Angeles, wasn¡¯t that needlessly making things more difficult?


    No difficulties, so you create your own challenges to overcome?


    However, Thomas thought about their current position as the top team in the league, with Lynwood High School, California High School, and Inglewood High School ranking from second to fourth, and they had already defeated two of them. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Knowing those two as he did, they probably really were creating challenges on purpose!


    What could he do?


    Just deploy more scouting resources, get more information about the opponents, and help them as much as he could.


    Having such players on the team was a headache, but constantly winning¡ªwhat a joy!


    He found himself needing to adjust his expectations for the season again, but this time he didn¡¯t want to change them anymore, just let Zhang Yang and DeRozan go all out!


    ¡­


    Thomas wasn¡¯t wrong in his guess; Zhang Yang and DeRozan were indeed actively creating difficulties and conditions for training.


    When the warm-up matches in September had just started, they could train in every game, but as the warm-up phase was nearing its end, they began to feel the competition¡¯s difficulty ¡®decreasing.¡¯


    Once the league started, thanks to the ¡°assistance¡± of the Los Angeles Pioneer, the opponents were hostile and played desperately against them, which gave them a good workout, but soon they felt that the opponents were no match again.


    After playing against California High School, they discovered that only the top teams in their district could provide them with proper training.


    It wasn¡¯t that the opponents weren¡¯t good enough.


    California high school basketball ranked at the very top in the nation, and their district was the strongest in the CIF Division I, with half of the district champions in the past decade coming from this area.


    Thomas had raised his expectations to aiming for a championship spot at the end of the player selection process, which indeed seemed like a reasonable goal at the time.


    Mainly because Zhang Yang and DeRozan had just passed the rapid growth stage of age fourteen or fifteen and had entered the phase where their bodies started to become stronger, and their skills and game experience were growing quickly.


    With both of them having solid fundamental skills, their rate of improvement took even themselves by surprise, with the opponents increasingly falling short.


    After discussing it, they decided to create their own challenges!


    That still wasn¡¯t enough.


    On November 14th, when Compton High School was away challenging Vincent Middle School of Pasadena City¡ªa weak team at the bottom of the district¡ªDeRozan deliberately eased off, letting Tatum take the lead in the offense.


    Against such an opponent, DeRozan could easily win without much effort, which didn¡¯t allow him to practice making calm, pressured shots.


    Yes, without conditions, he would create them!


    When Zhang Yang knew of DeRozan¡¯s intentions, he teased, ¡°You¡¯re becoming more and more like your idol,¡± and then joined in on the plan.


    Kobe, during his high school days in Pennsylvania, was capable of producing an average of 25+5+5+3+3 from the 9th grade.


    Pennsylvania high school basketball was generally mediocre, ranking between 30th and 40th in the nation, so starting from the 10th grade, Kobe would slack off in the first half and then turn the game around in the second half.


    Zhang Yang didn¡¯t need to be as deliberate as DeRozan; he only had to use techniques he wasn¡¯t good at or that weren¡¯t effective in high school games to create difficulty for himself.


    Unfortunately, Vincent Middle School was not a challenging opponent.


    Even when they went easy, the score at the end of the third quarter was only an 8-point lead for the other team, and a fierce offensive from DeRozan in the final quarter quickly turned the game around.


    DeRozan hadn¡¯t given up; he was determined to keep going, certain that the next game would provide ample training opportunities!


    ¡­


    As weeks passed and one game followed another, Compton High School kept winning, continuously drawing media attention.


    However, the media noticed that Compton High School¡¯s games had changed, with almost every match turning into a ¡®come-from-behind¡¯ situation.


    At first, the media thought the opponents had gone berserk against them because of Zhang Yang and DeRozan¡¯s proud claim of ¡°winning continuously,¡± making Compton High School¡¯s games difficult.


    They even mocked them for being too arrogant.


    But when every match turned out to be a ¡®come-from-behind¡¯ and ¡®adversity¡¯ situation, even against the teams at the bottom, the reporters realized something was off.


    After taking a closer look, they found that the duo had been using their opponents for practice!


    Following the journalists¡¯ reports, another wave swept through California¡¯s basketball scene with ¡°take down Compton,¡± ¡°take down the number one junior high student,¡± and ¡°take down the mysterious Eastern prodigy,¡± adding another layer of intensity to Compton High School¡¯s challenges.

 Chapter 77 - 77 74

    ?77: 74.


    The high school competition can no longer accommodate this duo!_3 77: 74.


    The high school competition can no longer accommodate this duo!_3 Zhang Yang and DeRozan were both very happy, sticking to their mantra, ¡°come at us, and we¡¯ll hit you back!¡±


    In this situation, Thomas, the head coach, didn¡¯t try to stop them.


    This was his first time coaching players as talented as Zhang Yang and DeRozan, and he kept raising his expectations for their progress.


    Yet they continued to exceed his expectations; his training plan could no longer keep up with their improvements.


    When they had their own game plans, he felt it was best not to interfere and just provide them with the maximum support in individual training, team training, and tactical preparation.


    On the bright side, with these two holding back, Tatum and Miller would get more practice opportunities, which was a good thing!


    Moreover, when facing the top four teams in District 3, such as Inglewood High School, Southern California High School, and West Hollywood High School, the duo played with great focus and didn¡¯t fool around.


    After being ¡°backstabbed,¡± Lynwood High School¡¯s performance declined, and they fell out of the top four rankings.


    Even sewing suspender straps onto his basketball shorts didn¡¯t help the big-bearded man who loved center partings.


    He didn¡¯t think it was the fault of the center-part suspender shorts; he just hasn¡¯t been practicing skills for even a year.


    Give him another year and a half, and he was sure he could blow away all his opponents!


    The 04-05 academic year¡¯s fall semester was quickly coming to an end.


    On December 22nd, Compton High School achieved a comeback victory over Long Beach High School, winning 103 to 98 and concluding the first half of the season with 21 consecutive wins.


    So far this season, Compton High School remained undefeated, continuing to spark widespread attention, with their influence reaching beyond California.


    Actually, if it were just about being undefeated, it wouldn¡¯t be so astonishing; there have been undefeated championship teams in California before, and there are teams in other states that haven¡¯t lost a game this season, like Monta Ellis-led Lanier High School, Mayo-led Christ School, Mario Chalmers-led Memphis High School¡­


    all boasting over 20 consecutive wins.


    But even the one hailed as ¡°the next Jordan,¡± Mayo, was overshadowed by Zhang Yang and DeRozan this season.


    Because Compton High School was the ¡°dark horse comeback,¡± with not a single capable senior, all five starters were sophomores and juniors.


    Before the start of the season, they weren¡¯t predicted to be at the bottom of District 3, only given some consideration due to DeRozan¡¯s reputation as ¡°the former number one junior high student in California.¡±


    As it turned out, DeRozan¡¯s talent was even better than people imagined, and on top of that, there was the emergence of the former baseball player Zhang Yang, whose talent was on par with DeRozan¡¯s, making the talk of the town complete.


    Moreover, these two were very fond of stirring things up, continually creating new topics.


    Halfway through the season, people within the small circle of high school basketball and its followers had more or less heard of the great names Zhang Yang and DeRozan.


    The winter break was coming, and the CIF Division I league would also be entering a break period.


    After a month, on January 23rd, Sunday, the second half of the league games would start.


    The break was that long to allow the players to digest their game experiences from the first half of the season, improve on their weaknesses through enhanced training, and to consider the academic performance of the 12th graders.


    It was common for players to graduate from high school with too poor grades to enter college.


    For a player with Garnett¡¯s talent, it didn¡¯t matter; they could go straight to the NBA.


    But most players didn¡¯t have the ability to play in the NBA right after high school; they would have to spend a year in college preparatory schooling, like a certain cheek-puffed man who wouldn¡¯t score 10 points¡­


    On December 23rd, Compton High School held a Christmas performance before the winter break.


    Zhang Yang and DeRozan sat in the last row of the bleachers on the playground, chatting. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After agreeing to train together after Christmas, DeRozan fell silent.


    Zhang Yang talked for a while and, not hearing a word from DeRozan, asked curiously, ¡°DeMar, what¡¯s wrong with you?


    Worried that Santa won¡¯t bring you any gifts for Christmas?


    Don¡¯t worry, you definitely won¡¯t receive any gifts from Santa, let me tell you a secret ¡ª Santa Claus is not real!


    There is no Santa Claus!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    DeRozan¡¯s tangled emotions suddenly deflated.


    He decided not to fret over it and said, ¡°Jack, after this season, I¡¯m not planning to play in the Division I league anymore.


    I want to talk with the coach about leading the team to the Moore League.¡±


    Zhang Yang¡¯s eyes widened briefly; coincidentally, he had the same thought and replied, ¡°I was just about to tell you, I¡¯m not planning to continue my senior year.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


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 Chapter 78 - 78 75

    ?78: 75.


    Beat the Boss at the Start (Please Subscribe) 78: 75.


    Beat the Boss at the Start (Please Subscribe) ¡°You¡¯re giving me a chance to shine, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Zhang Yang and DeRozan looked at each other and smiled, indeed thinking along the same lines.


    Three and a half months ago, during the warm-up match phase, they had to give their all, cooperating with each other and uniting the team to win.


    But now, they could clearly feel that they were ¡®hindering¡¯ each other¡¯s growth.


    Now forming a team together, for high school games, they were just too strong.


    Even if there were two or three teams that could potentially beat them, they wouldn¡¯t face them many times in a season.


    If one of them led the team alone, he could get much more practice.


    Both were worried that bringing this up might create friction between them, but now they no longer had to worry about it.


    DeRozan, ¡°Jack, are you planning on skipping a grade to go to college?¡±


    Zhang Yang, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take the SAT in March and the college preparatory course final and graduation exams in April.¡±


    DeRozan, ¡°College will be quite challenging!


    The toughest opponents we face now will just be freshmen there.


    I¡¯m going to the Moore League, so you don¡¯t have to skip a grade, do you?¡±


    Zhang Yang, ¡°Next season, Carmelo, Kevin, and James will definitely be stronger than now.


    Those three from the reserve team will also make the main team.


    I heard Gordon is even better than Carmelo was last year.


    Playing with them, there won¡¯t be much challenge next season¡­


    I crave more worthy opponents.¡±


    DeRozan, ¡°More worthy opponents, huh?


    That¡¯s only possible in college¡­


    college.¡±


    Zhang Yang, ¡°Are you thinking about skipping a grade too?¡±


    DeRozan, ¡°I¡¯m not confident in my grades, I might not pass the 11th grade.¡±


    Zhang Yang, ¡°You need to believe in yourself.


    Take the ¡®might¡¯ out, and you definitely will fail.¡±


    DeRozan: Do you believe I¡¯d smash my head into you and take us both out?


    Don¡¯t get angry, don¡¯t get angry, he chose his teammates himself, don¡¯t get angry¡­


    Having communicated their decisions about the future, the two happily reached an agreement.


    ¡­


    In the evening, when Zhang Yang returned to Hidden Mountain, he noticed his mother¡¯s belly was indeed very large.


    Zhang Yang, ¡°Mom, when is my brother due to be born?¡±


    Yang Jing, ¡°There¡¯s still one month to go until the due date, but it¡¯s hard to say exactly, why, didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯t help take care of your brother?


    You seem more anxious than I am!¡±


    Zhang Yang, ¡°I¡¯m not taking care of him.


    If he¡¯s born next month, he¡¯ll be Little Goku brother, but if he¡¯s born in February, he might end up being a rapper learning to sing and dance.¡±


    Yang Jing, ¡°You want your brother to be a singing, dancing rap artist?


    That¡¯s quite fun!


    It would be best if he learned street dancing, be a cool kid¡­ahem, I mean if Zhong Yang has artistic talent, we can nurture that, not just for fun.¡±


    ¡°¡­I believe you!¡± Zhang Yang was speechless for a moment, then suddenly reacted, asking, ¡°Zhong Yang?¡±


    Yang Jing, ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve already chosen your brother¡¯s name.


    It¡¯s Zhang Zhongyang.¡±


    Zhang Yang, ¡°My name is Yang, so my brother is called Second Yang?


    That name is too earthy and casual!


    If I have another brother in the future, are you going to name him Uncle Yang?


    Three Prosperous Yangs?


    How can you decide on names without discussing them with me?


    I don¡¯t agree to this name!¡±


    Yang Jing, ¡°Do we need your agreement to name our son?


    It simplifies things¡­okay then, Yangyang, do you have any better ideas?¡±


    Zhang Yang, ¡°Of course!¡±


    Yang Jing, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Zhang Yang, ¡°Zhang Dijia¡­


    hey, hey, hey, Mom, don¡¯t hit me¡­


    then how about Zhang Tailuo¡­¡±


    After the playful argument, his dad had dinner ready, and the family of three had dinner together.


    During dinner, Zhang Yang talked about wanting to skip a grade to go to college.


    His parents had no objections; it really didn¡¯t seem like a big deal.


    If he could skip the 12th grade and enter a prestigious university, it would save a year¡¯s worth of high school tuition and living expenses from an economic standpoint.


    If the skipping didn¡¯t work out, he would just continue with the 12th grade.


    After all, the purpose of high school is to prepare for college.


    It¡¯s not like he was 14 or 15 years old jumping to college, where the age difference with classmates would be concerning.


    In another half-year, he would be 17, which is a normal age to attend college.


    Zhang Yang¡¯s idea to skip the 12th grade was inspired by Farmar.


    Farmar, by the end of his 11th-grade season, felt he was no longer challenged in high school and wanted to start college early.


    He indeed had the capability to play college basketball at that time.


    When UCLA heard about it, they were very enthusiastic, offering many concessions, such as allowing Farmar to skip the Brown Bears Team tradition and start as a freshman.


    But when everything seemed ready, Farmar ran into problems; his academic performance was too poor.


    In March, May, June, and August 2003, he failed the college entrance exam four consecutive times, and his SAT scores didn¡¯t even meet the minimum requirement for special admissions.


    He could enter UCLA as a preparatory student, but preparatory students can¡¯t participate in NCAA games¡­


    In the end, this plan fell through, and Farmar returned to high school, worked hard for another year, and finally passed the minimum score line in June this year and successfully entered UCLA.


    DeRozan, his parents, and the coach had all been informed; he and DeRozan had agreed to wait until the end of the season to discuss it, dropping hints in the meantime to avoid the coach being unable to accept it. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For the next two days, Zhang Yang didn¡¯t go to training, instead spending time resting with his mother.


    On the 25th, Christmas, the Zhang family watched the Lakers and Miami Heat¡¯s Christmas showdown.


    Big Shark moved east, The Wild Head finally achieved his dream of being the boss and also managed to get rid of the charlatan who had always targeted him, switching to a new coach, Tom Janovich.


    Under Tom Janovich¡¯s coaching, the Lakers had a decent record so far, 14 wins and 11 losses, tied for seventh in the Western Conference.


    In the epic battle, the Lakers and Miami Heat exchanged leads.


    Kobe, in his second year, dominated the older Wade, scoring 42 points while holding Wade to 9 out of 26 shots.


    The Lakers nearly won¡­in the final moments of regular time, Eddie Jones scored two three-pointers consecutively, evening the score and pushing the game into overtime.

 Chapter 79 - 79 75

    ?79: 75.


    Beating up the Boss at the Beginning (Please Subscribe)_2 79: 75.


    Beating up the Boss at the Beginning (Please Subscribe)_2 After many years, Eddie Jones finally got his revenge on the number 8 who had driven him away.


    In the overtime game, Kobe was exhausted¡ªhis off-season weight increase to 105 kilograms significantly impacted his stamina, and even his health.


    In the first 25 games, he missed 5.


    Eventually, the Miami Heat overturned the Lakers in the overtime game, with O¡¯Neal winning the OK battle.


    After watching the thrilling game, Zhang Yang said goodnight to his parents, showered, and laid down.


    He opened the Gate of Trials; on November 8, he had amassed 60,000 Shooting value and received the reward of +1 to his physical talent.


    His physical talent had increased by 4 points.


    At nearly 23 years old, after adding 1 point to his physical talent, his stamina was 88, suggesting that his talent upper limit must have reached 91.


    On December 17, he accumulated another 50,000 Shooting value and received a notification to start training that evening.


    The main team¡¯s schedule was even more intense, he could make eight or nine baskets per game, his Three-Point Ability steadily increased, and with greater stamina, he could extend his training time¡­


    This time it took 3 months and 5 days to use up the 110,000 Shooting value, a significant increase in acquisition speed.


    A new task refreshed on the 10th, and unlike what he had thought regarding Shooting talent and physical talent, one task offered a random Shooting talent +1 for 60,000 Shooting value, and another task to increase shooting speed required 80,000 Shooting value.


    The second task was so expensive it made Zhang Yang¡¯s teeth ache, but it was a good reward.


    If shooting speed could be increased without compromising shot stability, it would be greatly helpful for pick-and-roll shots, stop-and-pop jumpers, and the Euro step¡­


    In the past two days of rest, Zhang Yang had already organized the basketball skills he had learned in the past year and a half, what he was good at, techniques that were not suitable for him, and the areas that needed the most improvement¡­


    He was ready to seek guidance!


    The teacher he hoped to meet most was naturally Nellie, but switching timelines likely meant he no longer knew him, which was fine since he was thick-skinned and could just get to know him again.


    Curry wouldn¡¯t be bad either, with the best long-range shooting ability in history.


    His three-pointers need no further words, and that surprising long two-pointer, some seasons he could shoot at least two per game with a 60+% long two-point field goal percentage.


    Among the top shooters, Curry has one of the lowest mid-range shot numbers, averaging less than one per game, but his terrifying long two-point ability boosted his average mid-range shots to 3, a top-tier performance.


    Alan Houston would also be nice, unrivaled in off-screen shooting, and reportedly a decent guy too.


    Big men weren¡¯t out of the question either.


    Dirk¡¯s playing style wasn¡¯t much different from a guard, earning him the nickname of seven-foot Bird.


    Just not Garnett or Kobe.


    Although their skills are good, dealing with them is too much of a headache¡­


    Lost in his thoughts, Zhang Yang drifted off into a deep sleep¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Waking up, Zhang Yang found himself in another unfamiliar room.


    Sitting up, he saw an old-fashioned butt-end TV at the foot of the bed, which made him feel a bit uneasy.


    He took a look at himself in the mirror on the bedside table, Damn, this kid is handsome!


    He actively recalled timeline 10¡­


    He looked pretty much the same as he did in the year 2011, around twenty-two or three years old.


    That mirror, too, had such a vintage vibe to it.


    At that moment, a flood of information entered his mind.


    He was born on June 6, 1963, a Chinese-American, with both his paternal and maternal grandparents having fled to California during World War II.


    In high school, he was discovered by the school team¡¯s coach and began playing basketball.


    He loved scoring and had once scored 69 points in a single game during his senior year.


    He also became the first Mr.


    California Basketball of the 1980-81 school year during his senior year.


    He chose to join the University of Kansas Jayhawks because he admired Wilt Chamberlain, the most scoring player in basketball history.


    During college, he was controversial; his teammates mocked him for only caring about scoring, but they couldn¡¯t do without him¡ªif he didn¡¯t score, the team would lose.


    The media criticized him as well, but he didn¡¯t care.


    In 1985, after his senior season, he entered the NBA Draft.


    During tryouts, the Lakers, who had the 23rd overall pick, promised to select him, leading him to reject all subsequent tryout invitations.


    The Lakers were ridiculed for wasting a first-round pick, and the media slammed him as arrogant.


    Rumors had spread before the draft that the Lakers would break their draft promises and had regrets.


    However, he didn¡¯t know if the Lakers had any regrets because the renowned Red Auerbach, who claimed to have seen him play in two games, used the 20th pick in the first round to draft him ahead of schedule.


    He didn¡¯t make it to the Lakers, couldn¡¯t join the team of his idol Wilt Chamberlain, instead, he went to the Celtics, the mortal enemies of both the Lakers and Chamberlain.


    Auerbach told him that his innate talent for fast breaks, persistence in shooting, and tenacity on defense were perfect for the Celtics, and his three-point ability was something the team had been dreaming of.


    Then, on his first day reporting to the Celtics, he got into a fight with the team¡¯s boss, Larry Bird.


    Bird told him to roll back to Los Angeles and throw baseballs by the sea; he told Bird to roll back to Ireland and farm the land, and then they started hurling insults at each other, with Bird throwing the first punch, and then he toppled Bird.


    This incident caused a huge stir, with Boston¡¯s media attacking him, calling for the Celtics to throw this rookie¡ªwho couldn¡¯t stop talking about the Lakers and Chamberlain¡ªout to Los Angeles.


    But Red Auerbach still, as promised, gave him a check for 90 thousand US dollars, while the median annual salary in Boston the previous year was 19 thousand US dollars.


    Fighting with Bird seemed to have had no impact on his joining the Celtics; the team atmosphere was already very odd, every member was an eccentric, and his addition did not at all stand out.


    When Bird was hit, no one helped; nobody in the NBA liked Larry Bird.


    Danny Ainge was polite to everyone and seemed caring, but his actions didn¡¯t line up with his words, which made him seem insincere, like how he didn¡¯t lift a finger when Bird was beaten, let alone intervene, despite usually calling out ¡®big brother¡¯ very diligently.


    McHale appeared to have OCD, even folding his discarded jerseys neatly, only for staff members to toss them into the laundry basket, getting jumpy if anyone touched his things.


    Bill Walton was a stutterer, taking ages to get a single sentence out clearly, getting furious when people lost patience with him.


    Dennis Johnson and Robert Parish only hung out with each other, very insular, partly because most of the team members were white.


    Bird didn¡¯t keep his mouth shut just because he got punched; he would mock Zhang Yang whenever he saw him, and when retorted, would fight back verbally but no longer physically instigate¡ªit was pure bickering.


    On the opening night, he stirred up trouble again; after being fouled hard by Bill Laimbeer, he retaliated on the spot, resulting in a brawl¡­


    which led to a two-game suspension amidst the controversy.


    Later, he grew passionate about shooting, criticized for a selfish playing style, got passionate about defense, criticized for destroying the beauty of basketball¡­


    Laimbeer, with whom he had fought, stood up for him¡ªif defense is not allowed in basketball games, then the NBA might as well give the championship trophy directly to Michael Jordan; that guy is the most accurate shooter.


    His rookie season was pretty good, mature from playing four years in college, serving as a substitute for 80 games, averaging 26 minutes per game, scoring 14.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.4 steals, with a shooting percentage of 45.5%, and a three-point shooting percentage of 37.5%; he and Bird were the only two players in the entire team capable of making three-pointers. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He ranked first in scoring among all the subs in the league, however, he did not win the Best Sixth Man Award.


    Yesterday, the day before the playoffs started, his teammate, Bill Walton, averaging 7 points, 6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.4 blocks, won the Best Sixth Man Award.


    Walton, on learning of his award, didn¡¯t stutter and shared in an interview that it was ridiculous he won, even refusing to accept the trophy.


    Today is the day of the first playoff game¡­


    Zhang Yang ¡®read¡¯ the message he received, and his whole person was numb.


    Putting aside everything else, he wanted to play with a technical master, but damn it, he ended up on the same team as Larry Bird!


    That was worse than being teammates with Garnett or Kobe!


    And to top it off, he had fought Larry Bird!


    ¡­


    ¡­


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    Today only 8,500 words were updated; I will write an additional 1,500 words tomorrow to compensate.

 Chapter 80 - 80 76

    ?80: 76.


    Starting lineup against Jordan!


    (Please subscribe, please vote for the monthly ticket) 80: 76.


    Starting lineup against Jordan!


    (Please subscribe, please vote for the monthly ticket) ¡°Name: Zhang Yang.


    Age: 22 years old (June 6, 1963)


    Height: 196 cm, Wingspan: 210 cm, Weight: 95 kg.


    Ability Assessment (Training Mode): Three-Point 75, Mid-Range 88, Layup 92, Ball Handling 92, Passing 68, Speed 91, Strength 85, Vertical Jump 89, Stamina 91¡­¡±


    Zhang Yang opened the Gate of Trials to check his ability assessment panel.


    His height, wingspan, and weight were still outstanding among shooting guards, and he wanted to grow up fast!


    In terms of physical fitness, compared to his nearly 23 years old self in the original timeline, he gained an extra point in speed talent, one in vertical jump talent, and three in stamina talent, all matching up.


    With one or two more points in speed and vertical jump, he would be on the verge of top physical fitness.


    Persevere, grow stronger, and create new glories!


    His mid-range and layup were as expected; after four years of college, his shooting ability was very mature. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With still five years to go until the theoretical peak age of 27 or 28, there was much room for improvement.


    But what about the coveted three-point ability that the ¡°Red Auerbach¡± of his dreams had promised?


    What kind of joke was a 75 three-point rating?


    Oh, right, this was the 80s, and players with a decent three-point shot were rare.


    Having a 75 rating in three-pointers after finishing the first NBA season, wouldn¡¯t he have at least an 80+ by his peak?


    An 80+ three-point shooter was truly top-level in that era.


    However, looking at his passing and ball handling skills, he felt he should go to Los Angeles.


    Byron Scott was also a backcourt technical master, currently the Lakers¡¯ second-strongest shooting guard in team history, patient, good-natured, and both willing and happy to guide the young guards on the team.


    The Lakers also had the ever-smiling ¡°Magic¡± Johnson, who, as long as one didn¡¯t stand in his way, was a perfect teammate.


    Being able to harmoniously inherit the leadership from Jabbar was no ordinary feat.


    Feeling a slight sadness, Zhang Yang pulled himself together.


    He had already come this far; how could every training encounter teammates like Nash and Duncan?


    Maybe he would even go to the Lakers of the 2020s and experience Jeanie Buss¡¯s miraculous management.


    He looked forward to the mission board with anticipation.


    ¡°Basic Mission: Scoring, Target: Score 30 points in a single game during the first round of the playoffs.


    Reward: Larry Bird¡¯s post-up rhythm (Beginner¡¯s level).


    Note: Slow down, when your movements are slower, you¡¯ll find more weaknesses in your opponent.¡±


    Optional Mission One: Atheist, Goal: Prevent Michael Jordan from breaking the playoff single-game scoring record during the first round of the playoffs.


    Optional Mission Two: I Am God, Goal: Outscore Michael Jordan in a single game during the first round of the playoffs.¡±


    When Zhang Yang saw the basic mission, he wondered why it was so simple, scoring 30+ points in a single game to get such a great reward.


    This was the 80s, the era of offensive basketball, where picking any team at random meant they were scoring 110+ points per game on average.


    He remembered that in the 85-86 season, in the first round, the Celtics¡¯ opponent was the Chicago Bulls.


    He was going to play against Jordan!


    He and Jordan were probably about the same height; his 196 cm was barefoot, so it was highly likely he¡¯d be facing off against Jordan!


    Second-year Jordan, it seems, scored 63 points in the playoffs¡­


    Without hesitation, he immediately chose Mission One, whose reward was displayed as a slight increase in core strength.


    This training should be similar to his first training experience in the original timeline, just to get used to the basketball environment of this era.


    As for the missions, apart from that outrageous Optional Mission Two, the others weren¡¯t hard.


    Scoring would depend on how good the defense of second-year Jordan was.


    He remembered Jordan wasn¡¯t selected for All-Defensive Team until his fourth year.


    To prevent Jordan from surpassing Baylor¡¯s 61 points in a single playoff game¡­He, Mad Dog Jack, surely had better defense than Danny Ainge, right?


    ¡­


    Zhang Yang got up, took a look around his place¡ªa living room, a bedroom, a study, a bathroom, a kitchen, about sixty or seventy square meters.


    He checked the surroundings outside his door and windows.


    The elevator area and the vicinity downstairs were quite clean, which suggested it was an apartment building in a decent area.


    A mailbox outside contained freshly delivered newspapers and newly sent bills for rent and utilities¡ªa monthly rent of 600 US dollars, and with heating and electricity, just over 1000 US dollars.


    He recalled that according to the information, the median annual income for Bostonians last year was 19,000 US dollars.


    Living costs weren¡¯t low.


    With his annual salary of 90,000 US dollars, he¡¯d have about 50,000 US dollars left after taxes, placing him in a high-income bracket.


    Zhang Yang read the newspaper for a while.


    The one he subscribed to was, naturally, sports-related, with the front page analyzing the playoffs starting that day.


    When he saw the Celtics¡¯ record, a question mark appeared over his head, followed by the realization that it was no problem.


    With him joining the team and playing as the sixth man, averaging 26 minutes per game, he had definitely made some contributions.


    69 wins and 13 losses, this season the Celtics had tied the Lakers¡¯ historic best record.


    The local newspapers looked down on the Bulls, the eighth seed in the East with a record of only 30 wins and 52 losses.


    However, in the West, the eighth-seeded Spurs had only 35 victories.


    Zhang Yang counted the number of teams listed in the league standings¡ª23 in total, 11 in the East and 12 in the West.


    Indeed, with such a number of teams playing 82 games, it was impossible for the eighth seed to have a winning percentage over fifty percent.


    When he saw content about the Sixth Man of the Year Award, he was surprised to see the local media actually complaining about him not winning!


    The way they had presented the information, the media here seemed very discriminatory against him.


    The media also praised Bill Walton for declining to accept the Sixth Man of the Year trophy.