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Chapter 259 - 133. Playoff Debut_2

Chapter 259: 133. Playoff Debut_2

At the season’s start, public opinion suggested Baylor’s general manager career was finished, yet he ended up winning Best Manager... This was more magical than watching an inspirational sports movie.

After a day of preparation, at 7:40 PM, inside Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena, the Bobcats players entered the court first.

Boos, jeers, and curses were incessant.

By the end of the regular season, fans of two teams particularly hated the Bobcats.

One was the Bucks fans, who had been in playoff seats for five months. By April, just as the playoffs were about to start, they were squeezed out by the Bobcats.

The other was the Knight fans, who thought the Bobcats were a despicable team, only targeting their King James’ weaknesses, shouting "If you’re a man, take on the KING head-on."

Zhang Yang felt some pressure at first, being his first playoffs ever; naturally, he was a bit nervous.

But hearing those bizarre comments from the fans and seeing those banners, he suddenly didn’t feel so nervous...

After the entry ceremony, James came over to the Bobcats side, warmly embracing the four Bobcats newcomers, expressing his anticipation for tonight’s game.

After James left, Felton asked in confusion, "Has he lost his mind?"

Gerald Wallace, "He must be crazy."

Okafor, "..."

He didn’t want to speak ill of others behind their backs, but he also found it odd.

Zhang Yang pointed to the side, and his three teammates looked and immediately understood.

Zhang Yang initially thought something was off with James too, about 10 days ago, after losing three times consecutively, James’ glares seemed predatory, and he went straight into the home team’s tunnel post-game, even speeding up to avoid the reporters who followed him.

But then he saw the CCTV camera set up beside...

The game tonight started an hour later than usual, specifically scheduled for 8 AM in Beijing time because CCTV would broadcast this game live.

In the US, ESPN was also broadcasting this game.

A national broadcast, face-saving had to be managed.

Zhang Yang and others weren’t sensitive to cameras because they saw them every day.

After being selected for the All-Star starting lineup, CCTV boosted his profile, from before when they dispatched reporters to stay with the team to interview, to now, akin to Yao Ming’s treatment, where cameras followed Zhang Yang’s training, games, and even his physical therapy and gaming time in the locker room, always asking if they could take a few photos.

Yao Ming’s coverage was even more exaggerated; they occasionally went to his home, to his hot pot restaurant for shoots. At Zhang Yang’s end, reporters were welcome to shoot at his family’s store, but he refused to let them into his place of residence.

Initially, the Bobcats players were excited to see cameras, but over time, they habituated, even treating CCTV’s interviews as casual chats.

Truth be told, James giving face in front of the camera didn’t make the four Bobcats dislike him.

That common saying might not be entirely appropriate, but it fits here — don’t strike the one who extends a hand with a smile.

...

The time approached 8 PM, and the Bobcats’ first playoff game in team history began!

The fan cheers at the venue were deafening; they anticipated the reunited James and Hughes backcourt duo to explosively defeat their opponents and redeem themselves!

Halfway through the first quarter, the fans were still cheering for the Knight players, but the volume had decreased significantly.

Why weren’t things going as they expected? Didn’t the media say the James-Hughes duo would crush the little cats?

Indeed, Hughes’ return had vastly improved the Knight’s defense. With his help on defending the wings and personal attacks on Gerald Wallace, the Knight’s defense tonight was significantly better compared to their last three matches, resembling a top-tier defensive team.

In 6 minutes and 22 seconds, the Bobcats only scored 9 points, marking the best defensive start for the Knight since January 31st.

However, the Knight only scored 6 points during this time!

With Larry Hughes on the court, James had even less space to attack!

Felton was guarding James, while Gerald Wallace pulled back to mid-range. Once Felton used the weak side and the basket’s threat to pin James outside the three-second area, Gerald Wallace immediately left Hughes and double-teamed.

James made two mistakes in half a quarter! With Larry Hughes on the court, James couldn’t play his offense.

After a timeout, Keith Bogans and Brezec were subbed out, Zhang Yang and Perkins came on.

Zhang Yang felt there was a slight problem with this rotation.

He thought Perkins should play at a later time, with Hughes on the court, the interior lineup of Okafor and Brezec was enough.

Facing Big Z, Brezec also performed well offensively, and although Brezec wasn’t as good at protecting the rim as Perkins, he could extend farther out...

When Zhang Yang saw the lineup on the opposite side, he realized he had overthought it, Mike Brown wouldn’t consider the offensive issues.

The Knights sent out Snow, Larry Hughes, James, Varejao, and Gooden.

They hadn’t considered the offensive aspect at all, otherwise the biggest improvement would have been to simply take Hughes out.

The game continued, the Knights attacking.

Felton’s job tonight was clear— stick close to James.

James drove to the right sideline of the three-second area, pushing against Felton... and passed the ball.

Hughes caught James’s jump pass and also chose to drive towards the basket, shooting among the crowd... "clang"... and missed!

Felton grabbed the defensive rebound.

The cheers from the fans turned into sighs, but they quickly rallied, chanting defense.

Felton took the ball, with James, Hughes, and Snow quickly retreating.

Zhang Yang stopped his fast break, not wasting energy.

These three defending the fast break, quite impressive!

Falling into half-court offense, Zhang Yang received the ball in the frontcourt, guarded by James.

Zhang Yang protected the ball and observed the defensive positioning of the other players.

Snow and Hughes on the wing, Varejao and Gooden inside, their positioning was really good, it could drive anyone nuts! No wonder they could achieve the league’s fifth-best defense before Christmas.

Under pressure, but Zhang Yang wasn’t the least bit afraid!

Time to shoot! His task when coming on was to shoot!

Zhang Yang waved to James’s right rear side, James turned his head... his head hadn’t completely turned when he saw Zhang Yang bend his knees and raise his hand...

James hurriedly jumped to block.

Zhang Yang tapped the raised ball under James’s crotch, dodged the jumping James, entered the three-point line and caught the bounced ball, driving straight down the middle!

Hughes cursed under his breath as he rushed from the wing to the middle, but it was too late.

Zhang Yang surged down the middle right to the basket and slammed down a one-handed dunk for two points!

The court commentator shouted, "That’s Zhang Yang’s first basket in the playoffs!"

The fans at the venue also knew this was Zhang Yang’s first playoff shot, his first score... and it was a dunk! The fans erupted into a fierce booing.

Some were booing Zhang Yang, some were booing Hughes for being slow on the side defense, and others were booing the center.

Gooden, even though he moved in from outside the three-second area, didn’t dare to go up and block, just gave a side contest, fearing a foul even in the playoffs.

Going straight to the basket raising his hands to disturb? He wouldn’t do such a foolish thing, if the opponent wasn’t intimidated then he’d just get dunked on? He isn’t Duncan.

Being booed, no big deal, when the team lost, one of their role players always had to be singled out, boos were nothing, not being put in the background was most important.

When it was the Knights’ turn to attack, this time James and Hughes coordinated well.

James broke through, Hughes followed behind the collapsing Gerald Wallace to the baseline, cut in along the baseline to receive the ball and draw the defense, then passed to Gooden in the left side of the three-second area, who made the close-range shot.

Next was the Bucks’ offense, this time Zhang Yang took the inbound pass and advanced to help Big Joe conserve a bit of energy.

As he advanced, Zhang Yang saw Hughes talking to James...

Zhang Yang reached the top of the arc, James had already returned to defense.

Zhang Yang waved again feinting, James still reacted, but only stretched out his right hand to interfere, raising his center of gravity.

Zhang Yang didn’t drive straight, the opponent was physically strong and reacted fast, he waited a moment, and when the time was right, he broke from the right!

James turned around... "bam"... damn, there really was a screen coming!