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Chapter 321 - 155. Come on! Let’s hurt each other!_2

Chapter 321: 155. Come on! Let’s hurt each other!_2

Zhang Yang was relieved. If Jordan had done that, his family wouldn’t need to buy a house; he could have scraped a mansion out with his toes.

Thinking back, it’s no wonder Yao Ming never talked about team strength or championships when chatting...

Shaking off the distractions, Zhang Yang looked toward the opponent, tonight’s Boston Celtics.

The start of the Texas trip, the Jew didn’t play fair.

After returning from Texas, the schedule’s oiling up like Uncle Sam’s big daddy.

Two home, two away, our opponents are all teams vying for the number one draft pick.

A decade later, the Celtics are tanking for that top pick once again.

Ainge wants to finish what Auerbach couldn’t, not landing Duncan has been an eternal regret for countless old Celtics fans. This time, Ainge swears he’ll secure Oden!

At the start of the new season, the Celtics are at 1 win and 3 losses, the bottom of the East. Look over to the West, the Lakers! The yellow-green teams are in sync!

Zhang Yang’s gaze landed on ’Little Bird’ Adam Morrison.

Well, you can’t deny it, Morrison has started strong. He scored 30 points in the debut against the Pacers, followed by 12 against the Grizzlies, 13 against the Cavaliers, and 21 against the Supersonics. With an average of 19 points, 3 boards, and 2 assists over the first 4 games, he currently leads the rookies in scoring.

Zhang Yang remembered Morrison’s rookie year was actually decent; he fiercely contended with the Trail Blazers’ Roy for the scoring lead early in the season.

However, as the season progressed, Morrison’s body couldn’t cope; his diabetes prevented him from maintaining high-level performance for long. After entering 2007, his condition rapidly deteriorated... But even so, Morrison’s average score per game ranked second among his class, performing better than top pick Bargnani.

What really ended Morrison’s NBA career, though, was a knee ligament tear from a fall in his sophomore training camp, sidelining him for a year. Already slow-footed, he couldn’t even outrun centers after recovery, and Jordan shipped him off to the Lakers, where he won two championships before wrapping up his NBA journey.

Thanks to his first 4 games, Morrison, dubbed ’Little Bird’ by the media and fans, stood out. The other Celtics rookie, not so much.

Using a 2007 first-round pick from the Cavaliers, the Celtics traded with the Suns for the 21st pick of ’06, selecting Jordan Farmar.

Not getting the player they most wanted, they chose a Lakers fan instead? Fits the Celtics’ drafting ethos just fine.

Back in ’98, the Celtics really wanted Vince Carter, but he was snatched up 5th overall. Instead, they picked Lakers fan Paul Pierce, which wasn’t bad – they got one of the top three talents of the ’98 draft at the 10th pick.

But this time, this Lakers fan isn’t doing so hot. Farmar, in the first 4 games, averaged 11 minutes and scored a meager 3.5 points with 1.5 assists, shooting 37%.

On a tanking team like the Celtics, Farmar, with neither exceptional skill nor talent, will find it tough to perform well.

At 5:58 p.m., the starters from both teams took the court.

Zhang Yang looked at the opposing five... The Celtics didn’t even pretend, wearing tanking on their faces.

Brevin Knight, Pierce, Gerald Green, Adam Morrison, Al Jefferson.

They didn’t use the more suitable Point Guard for half-court battles, Delonte West, or the legitimate shooting guard Szczerbiak. Instead, they started four forwards who couldn’t play fast-paced ball, paired with a single fast-playing Point Guard.

Facing that lineup, the game kicked off, and Zhang Yang led a defense to offense charge, rushing along with Felton, Gerald Wallace, and Okafor!

On the Celtics’ offensive end, aside from Pierce and Al Jefferson’s solo plays, there was nothing else, and their defense was a mess.

By the end of the first quarter, the score was 34 to 17. The Bobcats had blown the game wide open from the start!

Zhang Yang played for 9 minutes, went 3 for 5 shooting, including one three-pointer, scoring 7 points.

Felton played for 6 minutes, scored 5 points with 1 assist; Okafor, in his 6 minutes, earned 4 points; Gerald Wallace played the full quarter and got 7 points.

Coming off the bench, Rondo played for 6 minutes, scoring 2 points with 2 rebounds and 4 assists. Against a weak team, and not being targeted, he showcased his rebounding and passing talent.

But what caught Zhang Yang’s eye the most was Matt Carroll.

This teammate was ruthless against weaker opponents! In 5 minutes, he hit two catch-and-shoot threes, added a driving layup during set plays, racking up 8 points in 5 minutes!

Zhang Yang remembered that game against the Rockets where Matt Carroll blazed for 12 points during the last 7 minutes of garbage time. It was this teammate who helped slaughter the Rockets by over 30 points.

On the Celtics’ side, the biggest surprise of the first quarter for Zhang Yang was Pierce.

When other teams tank, the star players usually pad their stats, but Pierce seemed to have no intention of scoring big; he was completely passive. His shots and aggressive drives were fewer than last season, and his defensive enthusiasm was just the same...

It has to be said, although Pierce loves to brag and talk big, and even streams multiplayer gaming in the future, his competitiveness was no less than any other player. He couldn’t stomach this sort of thing.

At the peak age of 29, enduring a tanking season was absolute torture for the player who survived 35 seconds and 13 stabs and still came out kicking.

Zhang Yang felt empathetic, so he decided to let the bragger meet his swift demise tonight.

Returning from the quarter break, Zhang Yang reentered and started attacking fiercely... Crap! Blocked by Tony Allen and Pierce!

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