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Chapter 315 - 153. Manu, did you offend Popovich?

Chapter 315: 153. Manu, did you offend Popovich?

Having rested for a while at the Dallas Hotel, Zhang Yang, with nothing else to do, decided to go practice at the American Airlines Center. He was still short by over 2000 shooting points to acquire his new ability early.

In Dallas, more exaggerated than Boston or Salt Lake City, the redneck headquarters, he worried about his safety even just walking around. It seemed better to stick to training.

When he asked the receptionist to call a taxi, he ran into Ingles and Rondo, who were also heading to the American Airlines Center, so the three of them set off in the same car.

Once in the car, Zhang Yang asked what they were heading to the American Airlines Center for.

Rondo turned his head, and Ingles said, "Last night, Rajon didn’t hit any of his three mid-range shots, and he also missed two free throws. The boss called just now and scolded both of us. After talking it over, since we won’t have much playing time anyway and today’s practice shouldn’t affect tomorrow’s game, Rajon, don’t take the boss’s words to heart. You ought to know him by now; he’s strict with you because he sees your talent. That he’s noticed you is a good thing for you."

Zhang Yang thought about Rondo’s performance the previous night; Rajon had actually only played 14 minutes in the first three quarters, scoring 4 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists, of which 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 6 assists, along with 1 steal, were gained during garbage time.

During garbage time in a positional battle, Rockets’ players swarmed under the basket. In one sequence, Rondo couldn’t penetrate, so he made a quick stop and took a jump shot from the free throw line, the ball dropping right off the rim...

In fact, ever since returning from a two-week vacation in September, Ingles had started to help Rondo adjust his shooting form and correct the motion of his jump shots, as well as the details of his power exertion.

But Rondo’s shooting talent was really not that great.

It wasn’t just average talent and poor foundations; his shooting habits were deeply ingrained. He had been playing basketball since elementary school, shooting wildly for over a decade...

Zhang Yang said to Ingles, "Chip, you’ve had a tough job."

Ingles glanced at the ceiling, feeling it was the biggest challenge of his career.

Rondo: What do you mean? What do you all mean? You’re looking down on me, right? I have to make my shooting work just to show you!

...

On November 2, it was the second game day of the new season for the Bobcats.

The game was televised by CCTV; starting from January last season, the Bobcats’ games against strong Western teams were usually broadcasted, unless they clashed with Rockets’ games, but home games were seldomly live.

Last season, the Mavericks achieved 60 wins. Although their players weren’t very popular, with Nowitzki never having been voted as a starter in the All-Star games, this team was quite popular in China.

This was mainly because of the 2005 playoffs when the Mavericks came from a 0-2 deficit to overturn the ’contending’ Rockets, introducing their strength to the Chinese fans.

Moreover, the Mavericks’ games were very entertaining with their isolation plays—everyone likes that.

Today, many reporters from China came to interview Zhang Yang but strictly avoided mentioning the day before yesterday’s game between the Bobcats and the Rockets, focusing only on today’s game topics, which he found regrettable.

At 7:40 PM, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, the Bobcats were the first to enter the arena.

Felton, Zhang Yang, Gerald Wallace, Perkins, and Okafor entered in succession.

Zhang Yang, listening to the wild jeers in the arena, spread his arms and tilted his head back to listen, saying, "Finally, there are boos, finally it feels like a game!"

Teammates new to the scene glanced sideways.

Old teammates were used to it; once on the court, their star scorer would act all sorts of weird.

As the Mavericks took to the court, Zhang Yang looked at the opposing side... a wave of nouveau riche air rushed at him.

The starting lineup of Nowitzki, Terry, Josh Howard, Dampier, and Devin Harris, the rotation with Stackhouse, Devin George, Anthony Johnson, Austin Croshere, Greg Bagna, and Diop, and the Puerto Rican mountain, Barea, spotted by Cuban after the world championship.

Just two words—rich!

Zhang Yang heard that the Mavericks were still shouldering Finley’s maximum salary. In the summer of 2005, Cuban had cut Finley, who had signed a seven-year max contract in 2001, with still three years left. This meant that this and the next season, the Mavericks would still be paying Finley’s salary, plus a luxury tax, a total extra outlay of over 30 million US dollars per year.

But Cuban was also unlucky; just a year after they cut Finley, the Knicks came up with the Allan Houston rule the following summer, and by using the amnesty clause, the Mavericks could have saved millions in luxury taxes.

Not only was the Mavericks’ roster expensive, but their strength was also formidable. Last night at their home arena against the Chicago Bulls in the regular season opener, the Mavericks led by 20 points at the end of the third quarter, 89-69, turning the last quarter into garbage time. Key players like Nowitzki, Terry, and Dampier didn’t even go on the floor, easily securing a 111-99 win.

Zhang Yang’s hope of facing a tired team was dashed; all because the Chicago Bulls didn’t step up!

That guy, switching his jersey number to 24, hurry up, mess up the Chicago Bulls!

Zhang Yang remembered this regular season the Mavericks were incredibly strong, marking the peak year in the history of the Mavericks, and ranking among the top ten in all of NBA history with a 67-win season or so, with Nowitzki even collecting an MVP trophy in the office.

Precisely because the Mavericks were too strong in the regular season, their eventual upset in the playoffs was so sensational.

When compared to the ’Black Eight,’ Payton and Mourning were rarely mentioned; when people thought of the ’Black Eight,’ they thought of the German ’soft egg.’

At 8 PM, the second game of the Bobcats’ Texas triple-header kicked off.

The teams began attacking... all-out isolation plays!

For the Mavericks, Devin Harris, Terry, Josh Howard, and Nowitzki took turns isolating; whoever was effective at it got more play.