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Chapter 427 - 196. Bobcat Mascot: Am I that scary?_2

Chapter 427: 196. Bobcat Mascot: Am I that scary?_2

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At 8:40 PM, Tuhang Stadium was witness to the Knight’s entry onto the court.

James, upon his arrival, heard a mix of boos and cheers, which fueled his anger.

Those cheering were clearly mocking him, looking down on him!

James glanced at the opposing side, feeling greatly unwilling to accept it. Why could Anthony, Wade, Bosh, and Hinrich have back-and-forth victories against the Bobcats, but he couldn’t win even a single game against them and was always being hammered down?

When the spotlight hit the home team’s tunnel and he saw Muhammad, Millsap, Perkins, Okafor, Gerald Wallace... and Felton, his resentment and anger diminished greatly, replaced by a sense of powerlessness.

What sin had he committed! After struggling in the lottery for two years and finally leading his team into the playoffs, he had to face this team!

As the saying goes, to extremes are meant to be reversed. James’s sorrow and indignation reached a limit, and suddenly, he was filled with a reckless courage—this was the path he must tread on to become the GOAT!

Hadn’t the media always compared his relationship with the Bobcats to Jordan’s with the Pistons?

The team opposite him was the hurdle he had to overcome on his path to becoming the greatest goat!

After all, some emotions are universal. Initially, when James learned that the team was hyping up this narrative, he felt rather embarrassed.

But as time passed, he started to believe it...

At 9 PM, the game between the Bobcats and the Knights kicked off at the Bobcats’ home court!

The Knights started strong, taking the early lead with a score of 14 to 9, five points ahead of the Bobcats!

A while since their last encounter, the Bobcats’ players could once again feel James’s improvement!

Not just this time, but in the previous three encounters, every game allowed the Bobcats’ players to witness James’s incremental progress; albeit not by much, it was still there.

Since adopting the title ’Reserve Goat’ and viewing the Bobcats as his era’s ’Bad Boys Legion,’ it wasn’t merely self-consolation. His current opponent forced him to adjust his game and strive for improvement.

Last season, during the regular games, he was actually reluctant to share ball-handling duties with Larry Hughes and even thought, ’Great, no one can interfere with me playing point,’ when Hughes was injured.

But after the playoffs, during the off-season, he proactively communicated with Larry Hughes. Upon returning from the World Championship, he and Hughes trained hard to coordinate, resulting in notable changes in his playing style this season. His ratio of off-ball cuts and off-ball offensive route choices and timing had significantly improved.

This season, across the first 70 games, James’s average assists fell to 6.2 per game, and his scoring also dropped to 28.3 points, but he achieved a career-high shooting percentage of 49.1%.

In a year’s time, his defensive play also improved compared to the last playoffs; at least he wouldn’t rely solely on instinct anymore. His opponents couldn’t just fake him out, and he was able to perform basic defensive tasks, reducing the defensive pressure on Snow, Hughes, and Big Z.

Tonight, in the opening phase, James executed cuts and low-post passes better than in their last encounter, and he could also effectively close off the flanks like a point guard.

However, after the official timeout, the Bobcats stabilized the situation.

With James and Hughes performing well on the wings’ defense and Snow and Gooden handling the pick-and-roll defense, Bickerstaff decided against using those strategies. Instead, he had Gerald Wallace drive, Zhang Yang play one-on-one on the high post, and Okafor engage in face-up play in close range.

Having the right players gives you the edge!

In the latter part of the first quarter, the Bobcats scored 12 points while holding the Knights to 10 points. At the end of the quarter, they closed the gap to 21-24, just three points behind.

James was improving, but his progress was in the finer details. His fundamental skills remained the same; he couldn’t develop new offensive methods in a short time, and with no foundation to develop skills like a three-point shot, it was very difficult. It was too long neglected; trying to pick it up again was harder than when he first developed it.

He was much stronger than when he first entered the NBA, but his shooting habits remained unchanged...

This season, his efforts were circling within the ’how to simply receive the ball and pass’ realm, which was quite limiting. However, being highly spirited and physically gifted, he always found room for improvement.

But the Bobcats were just too good at handling James, with both point guards, Felton and Rondo, bravely blocking the way in front of him, who is nearly 20 centimeters taller. A bunch of tough guys with different characteristics in the paint, Zhang Yang was good at chasing down shooters, Gerald Wallace did well cutting off passes to the weak side and the top... James went rigid for half a quarter, then deflated again.

By the second quarter, the Bobcats launched a counterattack, scoring a crazy 30 points on the offensive end and continuing the performance from the latter half of the first quarter on defense, limiting the Knights to just 22 points.

Zhang Yang played for 16 minutes in the first half, 6 out of 10 field goals, including 1 of 1 three-pointers, plus 2 of 2 free throws, scoring 15 points!

James couldn’t stop Zhang Yang’s one-on-one breakthroughs, Snow couldn’t stop his back-to-basket shots, Larry Hughes had to follow Gerald Wallace, otherwise the slow-footed Big Z would be turned upside down by Gerald’s penetration.

Okafor did well with his face-up singles play too. After so many encounters, he had some insights into how to deal with the Knights’ frontcourt.

Honestly, although the Knights’ frontline was expensive, except for Big Z who took a pay cut to help bring in Larry Hughes and Varejao on a rookie contract, the other big men were not living up to their salaries.

Okafor played for 15 minutes in the first half, 4 out of 6 field goals, plus 2 of 4 free throws, scoring 10 points,

Under their leadership, the Bobcats went into the second half with a 5-point lead, 51 to 46 over the Knights.

The second half was just a crushing, with the third quarter ending 25 to 19, and the final quarter 32 to 29, the difference stretching from 5 points to 11, and ultimately 14...

James had 19 field goal attempts tonight, making 8, including 1 of 4 three-pointers, plus 8 of 11 free throws, ending with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Larry Hughes had 20 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists. Big Z had 15 points and 9 rebounds, Marshall scored 10... The Knights were once again defeated by the Bobcats.

James and Hughes both worked hard throughout, not getting discouraged even when the deficit reached double digits. Big Z, Marshall, Varejao, and others also fought hard all the way.

But many players on the Knights quickly resigned themselves after the score was overturned.

Regular season + playoffs, 11 consecutive losses to the Bobcats... now it’s 12.

Zhang Yang made 11 of 21 shots, including 2 of 4 three-pointers, plus 3 of 4 free throws, scoring 27 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal; Okafor 9 out of 15, scoring 22 points and 10 rebounds; Gerald Wallace 17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks; Rondo 6 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists; Jarett Jack 11 points; Muhammad 13 points...

to 94, the Bobcats easily defeated the Knights!

James looked at the scores on the big screen, the Bobcats’ record... 50 wins, 25 losses, the first time in Bobcats history to reach 50 wins.

He felt his grief and anger surge once more—You couldn’t get 50 wins when playing against Wade, but you did it against me, what’s the implication?

He tried to readjust his emotions, as he still had to face a post-game interview with the Court Channel.

Though filled with sorrow and anger, he wasn’t the same as last year, he was more mature now, better at controlling his emotions... wait, Rufus, you damn cat, stay away from me...

After celebrating with his teammates, Zhang Yang was about to join James for the post-game interview, only to see James frightened by Rufus scampering backward, turning around, and darting straight for the player tunnel...

Zhang Yang reached up and tugged on the tuft of hair on top of their team mascot’s head.

Turning to Okafor, who was also invited for the post-game interview, he asked, "Is Rufus really that scary? I think he’s... well, a bit ugly, but he’s kind of cute if you look more."

Okafor: "..."

This cat, you pet it too?

On the other side, Larry Hughes was stunned.

Hold on, man, I just managed to get my emotions in check, ready to join you for the interview and take the heat, and you just ran off!

Thus, the post-game headlines of the various major media outlets took a bizarre turn—"James scared off by the Bobcats’ mascot, may need a psychologist to treat ailurophobia"

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Updating one Chapter first, just finished watching The Singer live broadcast, will continue writing~ ask for monthly passes!