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Chapter 457 - 205. Genius Kidd dances alone, Bad Boys Legion advances strongly!_6

In the first quarter, the Bobcats led 26 to 20, in the second quarter they led 28 to 23, and in the third, powered by Zhang Yang’s 17 points, they dominated with a 28 to 16 lead... After three quarters, the Bobcats were up by 23 points over the Nets at 82 to 59!

Zhang Yang scored 8 points in the first quarter, 6 in the second, and just on fast breaks, managed to score 9 points in the third, including 3 layups and a follow-up mid-range shot for a 2+1. In the half-court set, he sank two three-pointers and added a successful drive to the basket - 10 shots, 7 makes, of which he was 2 for 3 from the three, plus 1 for 1 from the free-throw line, accumulating 17 points to explode with 31 for the quarter, notching his second career playoff game with 30+ points!

The Bobcats had a high team score, and Zhang Yang’s 31 out of 82 points was actually a healthy proportion, especially since in the third quarter his scoring was mainly from fast breaks.

On the Nets’ side, it was clear there were issues, with three stars amassing 43 points out of the team’s 59...

In the final quarter during garbage time, Eddie House, Clifford Robinson, and others dared to fight hard, scoring a 28 to 22 run, making the loss margin seem a bit more respectable.

In the end, with Zhang Yang’s 31 points, Okafor’s 14 points and 10 rebounds, Felton’s 14 points and 4 assists, Gerald Wallace’s 21 points and 9 rebounds, Jarett Jack’s 10 points and 2 assists, and Rondo’s 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists... the Bobcats beat the Nets 104 to 87, leading the series 3 to 1!

...

Two days later, on May 1st, a new month arrived, and the Bobcats returned to Charlotte to face off against the Nets in Game 5 of the series.

Down 1 to 3, no one believed the Nets had a chance, and even their fans felt the season was already over.

But Kidd didn’t give up! Under his leadership, the Nets players were reinvigorated, reversing the decline from Game 4 and fighting back... It was a do-or-die moment.

Lose and go fishing, win and there’s still hope.

In the first half of the first quarter, Kidd went 2 for 4, including 2 for 2 on threes, plus 2 for 2 from the foul line, scoring 8 points and dishing out 3 assists, aiding Carter to score 6 points and Richard Jefferson to add 4. Together, they unleashed an 18 to 12 run, leading the Bobcats by 6 points mid-quarter!

It seemed the Nets were about to launch another Game 2 offensive.

But this time, the Bobcats’ players and the coaching staff were calmer and more relaxed in their response; with a 3 to 1 lead, they could afford to be a bit more bold.

After the official timeout, Zhang Yang went for a pick and roll with Perkins, pulling up for a three before Richard Jefferson could close in on him... and it was good!

He shot confidently, knowing his partner Point Guard Rondo and forwards Gerald Wallace and Okafor were already storming in to fight for the offensive rebound. Whether they got the rebound or not, their teammates charging forward with such momentum allowed Zhang Yang to shoot without any hesitation,

The Nets’ offensive firepower was still intense in the latter half of the first quarter, scoring 15 points. Kidd didn’t score in the latter half, Carter only added 2 points, and Richard Jefferson managed 3, but Eddie House and Clifford Robinson each sank a three, while Mikki Moore and Jason Collins each caught an alley-oop. Together, they successfully spurred the team on.

However, the Bobcats, following Zhang Yang’s reckless style, responded to the Nets with 18 points themselves in the latter half of the quarter.

By the end of the first quarter, the Bobcats had closed the gap to 30 to 33, avoiding a collapse like in the second quarter of Game 2!

Coming into the second quarter, both teams continued to score heavily. The Nets, led by Kidd, managed 28 points in the quarter, while the Bobcats played even more fiercely. They focused on effectiveness in the second period; Zhang Yang’s draw, Felton’s pick and roll penetration, Gerald Wallace’s drives, Okafor’s face up or back down post moves... they blitzed for 31 points that period.

The score was tied at 61 by halftime!

Having fought to a 61-point tie at half-time, and trailing 1 to 3 in the series... even Kidd couldn’t keep his teammates’ confidence up anymore.

Coming back from halftime, the Nets collapsed!

In the third quarter, the Nets’ score plummeted to 21 points, and they only managed 22 points in the fourth quarter.

On the other side, the Bobcats continued their offensive firepower from the first half, scoring 27 and 26 points respectively!

Zhang Yang played the most minutes on the team tonight, logging 36 minutes, went 9-for-17 shooting, including 3 of 5 from three-point range, and 2 for 2 from the free-throw line, accumulating 23 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.

Okafor had 21 points and 10 rebounds, Felton contributed 17 points and 6 assists, Gerald Wallace had 12 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks, Jarett Jack scored 10 points, Jumaine Jones 11 points... With a 114-104 victory over the Nets, the Bobcats won their third straight game, advancing to the second round with a series score of 4-1!

The outcome of the game did not surprise the fans in the stands or those in front of the television.

Kidd, once again, led his team to create opportunities, and there was a chance for an upset, which was not unexpected; this is the same Kidd who was praised by Magic Johnson in ’02 as having the ’highest basketball IQ in history.’

After the game, Kidd received an invitation from the imperial court channel to do a post-game interview with Zhang Yang, and he did not refuse.

The reporter first commented on the performance of both players in this series.

Kidd, over five games, averaged 36 minutes, scoring 15.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 12.2 assists, and 2.2 steals per game with a shooting percentage of 40.6% and a three-point shooting percentage of 42.2%, averaging 3.2 three-pointers per game, achieving triple-doubles in three games, and averaging a triple-double...

Upon hearing these stats, Zhang Yang was inwardly exclaiming "damn" — if he wasn’t facing domestic cameras, he would have let slip his usual catchphrase.

He had a faint feeling... Kidd must have wanted to create a chance to win, which is why he played so desperately.

But there might be another reason; with his performance, Kidd was telling other teams: "I’m 34 years old and still the league’s number one point guard, strong teams come and court me."

In five games, Zhang Yang scored 35 points, 27 points, 23 points, 31 points, and 23 points, averaging 27.8 points per game, surpassing Carter’s average of 27.4 points to become the series’ top scorer, and he also averaged 3.6 assists per game.

When Kidd heard Zhang Yang’s stats, he was stunned too. This kid is only turning 19 next month, right?

When asked about his feelings on the series, Kidd replied, "Although I played well, we lost, so I definitely can’t be happy, but I do respect the outcome very much. As people say, my era of dominating the East with the Nets has passed... It’s long gone, and while I’m reluctant to accept such a result, I have no choice but to do so..."

Kidd paused, then turned to Zhang Yang and said, "The future belongs to young talents like you, Jack. I am now like an old antique that’s about to be thrown into the corner of a warehouse."

Zhang Yang, reflecting on how Kidd, after facing the brutal reality, was no longer the same person who would defy everyone and everything like he did three or four years ago, had become more mature. Hearing Kidd’s last words, he shivered all over.

"No, no, no, Jason, you’re not old yet, you still have a future. I think there’s still a lot of gas left in your tank, and you could play another five or six years with no problem. Even when you’re 40, as long as you’re on the court, I’ll always consider you to be one of the most important players on that team."

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I’m asking for votes!