No.1 in basketball scoring
Chapter 255 - 132. Won a prize!

Chapter 255: 132. Won a prize!

The weather was clear tonight.

Gazing at the bright crescent in the sky, Zhang Yang took a sip of soda. His favorite drink and the beautiful moonlight were unable to soothe the sadness in his heart.

Three hours ago, they had defeated the Pacers and secured the fifth position in the East.

After the game, Jordan took the whole team to party at a nightclub and even called a modeling agency... but he didn’t bring Zhang Yang along.

Actually, Jordan didn’t neglect Zhang Yang, having instructed the driver to take him to his estate in Charlotte, hinting that there was everything one could desire for fun there without worrying about age restrictions... but Zhang Yang declined.

He didn’t want to walk the same path as Jordan.

Taking another sip of soda, Zhang Yang reflected on the game from three hours ago. Coach Bickerstaff was quite something.

Peja’s three-point shooting loomed over them like a sword, rather than perpetually fearing it, better to confront it head-on... This strategy, from a defense-first perspective, was quite obvious.

Taking the risk of the score gap widening to an uncatchable extent while leaving only two stable scorers on the court... Bickerstaff deserved his reputation as a coach who could lead a team to a black eight, his approach was wild.

Bickerstaff’s on-the-spot adjustments were very well executed, and the players played crucial roles!

Okafor’s stability and calmness, Felton’s ability to resist pressure and his leadership among his teammates, and Gerald Wallace’s fiery impact were all pivotal. Without the three of them, they probably couldn’t have held on in the second period, let alone turned the tables later.

In the second period, Peja scored 10 points alone, and the trio defensively held the Pacers, limiting them to only 14 points in the quarter.

Zhang Yang took another sip of soda, and before he knew it, the regular season was over. If things had progressed as initially expected, the season would have been over by now.

He opened the Gate of Trials.

"Name: Zhang Yang.

Height: 195 cm, wingspan: 208 cm, weight: 90 kg.

Ability evaluation: Three-point 67, Mid-range 81, Layups 85, Ball Handling 86, Passing 73, Speed 93, Strength 80, Jumping 84, Stamina 84..."

Zhang Yang voluntarily recalled his first ability evaluation at the Suns during the 10th timeline. Only layups, strength, weight, and stamina were stronger than now, as he was about to turn 18, his skill, fundamentals, had already surpassed "four years later self."

Keep it up!

...

Thanks to the Pistons securing the top spot in the regular season, the Bobcats, placed on the same promotional path, had their playoff opener scheduled for the 23rd; this gave them four days to rest and prepare.

The unreliable owner had taken the team out for a wild night at the nightclub, bringing along a group of Cuban, Mexican, Brazilian, and African models. The next day after the closing game, most of the Bobcats’ players and some of the coaching staff lay in the hotel.

Bickerstaff first severely scolded his son, little Bickerstaff, whose legs were trembling when he got home at noon, and then had his son, who was an assistant coach, inform the players they had the day and the next day off, with preparations starting at 9 AM on the 21st, heading to Cleveland on the 22nd.

Seeing his father unusually irritable, little Bickerstaff seriously suspected that his father also wanted to go out last night but feared losing face without any money; however, he didn’t dare say it, as he would really get beaten.

Zhang Yang spent the morning leisurely. He thought about those memorable regular season games, considering which techniques needed more focus, researched online for newly released games, and knew the offseason would give him time to revisit the games of his childhood...

At noon, after receiving the assistant coach’s notice, Zhang Yang called his parents to discuss, and they decided to skip their first game in Cleveland. It was safe for just the two of them to travel to Cleveland, but not with a child in tow. They would attend the games held at their home court instead.

DeRozan and Harden were also busy lately.

Last month, after the league concluded, DeRozan, Harden, Tatum, and some players from Compton High School and Lynwood High School formed a team, receiving special training from Coach Thomas and Coach Johnson, and had gone to Texas last week to participate in the SWAC competition.

SWAC, short for the Southwest High School Super League, involves team registrations and primarily hosts junior high and high school teams from states like California, Texas, and Arizona, divided into three categories, with DeRozan and others participating in the highest levels for grades 11-12.

This competition, although not as large as the AUU, holds significant influence in the colleges of the southwestern states. Tyson Chandler made a name for himself here, averaging 26 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 blocks over 16 games in the 11th grade, attracting the attention of multiple universities from California and Texas, and was highly sought after by these regional universities upon completing high school, eventually taken by the Clippers.

The buddies have gotten busy too...

Zhang Yang didn’t regret much; after all, a man must learn to enjoy solitude. After lunch, he headed to the gym for extra training. Though sharpening your weapon just before battle might not be advisable, surprisingly, a teammate showed up — Okafor.

From their chat, Zhang Yang learned that Okafor had attended the nightclub last night to give face to Jordan. After Jordan had praised each player and had a drink with them, Okafor headed home, where his girlfriend was waiting.

Zhang Yang could only commend him as a good man.

The next morning of their second rest day, both the big boss Joe and the prince arrived for training with their crews. Aside from a few who might have played too hard, most of the teammates were still spirited, which pleased Zhang Yang. They were aware that the playoffs were ahead and had enjoyed themselves in moderation.

By noon, the Bobcats received news that Felton, with an April performance of 17.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, had beaten Zhang Yang for the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award.