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Chapter 579 - 249. Michael is really stingy!_2

Chapter 579: 249. Michael is really stingy!_2

He had become teammates with Kobe, and although he verbally criticized Kobe, he actually really wanted to learn Kobe’s techniques. Nash’s style was cool, but Kobe’s was artistically beautiful, even cooler...

When recalling studying with Nash, Zhang Yang felt that Kobe was willing to teach him, but after watching Nash train him for half a day, Kobe left for Germany the next day for conservative treatment on his knee and shoulder, so he had to wait until next time.

Shouldn’t he re-sign with the Lakers? The Lakers need to find a successor for Kobe—a big city, a big contract, and a better business market...

These three moves, it took less than one day, and with the remaining day and a half, he learned various breakthrough techniques, which is what Nash said—since you started playing basketball too late and didn’t naturally have the ball sense that other NBA point guards developed over ten to twenty years, you should learn every teachable and unteachable breakthrough technique, and practice both your strong and weak moves vigorously.

Nash said, "I believe your ball-handling talent is definitely top-notch. You haven’t even been playing basketball for ten years, and your ball-handling is already better than most point guards in the NBA. Your anxiety stems from not just wanting to be better than most, but wanting to be at the very top."

Nash wasn’t sure if this method would work, and neither did Zhang Yang, but it was still a strategy, and exploring various unfamiliar breakthrough methods would also benefit his enhancement in one-on-one breakthroughs.

I mean, when he recalled Nash’s breakthrough teaching, he felt that teacher Nash was ’neglecting his duties’.

Front crossover breakthrough, crossover step breakthrough, Iverson-style wide dribble breakthrough, fast dribbling followed by a between-the-legs change, Rondo’s sneak step, various types of screen-based breakthroughs, and even street-style breakthroughs... Zhang Yang felt that there was no breakthrough technique Nash didn’t know!

Even the breakthrough techniques Nash commonly used, even in his peak athletic period with the Mavericks, were all about timing the gaps—so straightforward and simple. Unexpectedly, he knew every kind of breakthrough and had mastered all the details... Although my body only allows me to be a floor general, doesn’t it stop me from having a heart that can soar to the skies and tackle anything?

It’s like being suited only to play Support, or perhaps choosing a rogue character for Top Lane, yet having the heart of a steadfast E and the dream of an R-flash?

Zhang Yang temporarily set aside the matter of training and looked toward the "Gate of Trials."

Two tasks, optional tasks accomplished, basic task failed, and it seemed he had no chance with the ’fade-away’ training related to Kobe.

This was his first time failing a trial... His feelings were complicated.

He accessed the trial gains panel to see the new skills he had acquired.

"Reaper (Beginner): Killer instinct, in the last 24 seconds of the game when your team is behind by 3 points or less, and you have possession, your stamina temporarily restores to its best condition."

Extremely useful, but a very low activation rate.

Firstly, it can only activate in the last 24 seconds, and the score must be a deficit of 3 points or less, plus you need to have possession. That means if you are leading by 1 point and need to make a clutch shot to secure the win, this trial gain is useless.

If you’re behind by 5 points, 7 points, etc., wanting to use this to score, commit a foul, and then shoot, aiming for a 24-second, 8-point play is impossible—it simply won’t activate.

Of course, if all these conditions are met, it would significantly enhance his ability to make a clutch play in the last attack.

But would the effect improve after an upgrade?

Hey! The words on the gate have changed!

"Reaper levels are split into beginner and advanced. After upgrading to advanced, it can also trigger on the defensive end in the last 24 seconds, when your lead is 3 points or less, and you are in a defensive round, your stamina temporarily restores to its best condition."

This time it even provided a hint for the effects after upgrading!

Zhang Yang saw that it was very useful!

But the activation probability is still very harsh; if your lead is 4 points, it can’t be activated.

Moreover, the advanced version won’t be of much use to him now; he has to wait until his frame becomes more robust and his defensive muscle memory is trained.

However, the Gate of Trials mode was immediately useful, especially the 10 timeline emphasizing defense, where muscle memory for basic defensive skills was perfect. Zhang Yang defended Harden, then in his fourth year, so intensely it was overwhelming, but unfortunately, the teammate’s lack of skill in defending screens was a letdown, unable to even slightly delay Harden’s speed bursts after picks...

...

After getting up, Zhang Yang, as usual, checked the news in his study.

Yao Ming joining the Bulls was earth-shattering, the shock of the Lakers’ big three continued, and the soap opera of where Pierce and Ray Allen would go had just begun.

Zhang Yang also saw that Bibby had become one of the stars requesting a trade, and at 29, Bibby could not wait anymore.

But the King’s management did not want to dismantle the team to rebuild. They had confidence in Bibby, Kevin Martin, Artest, and Brad Miller, hoping to attract a superstar center to join them.

Zhang Yang thought the King’s management had a good dream. This quartet was indeed attractive, and adding a superstar could possibly make them soar, but it seemed there wasn’t any major center either available or about to be available, right?

If it came to trades, these four were the most valuable trade assets of the King, maybe together they could bring in a superstar center?

And believe it or not, if Duncan and Garnett were both at the Spurs, and the two were about to fight over jersey number 21, Popovich might just trade these four for Garnett alone.

Zhang Yang couldn’t grasp the King’s management thinking—regardless of the actual situation, they just had the confidence to attract a superstar center?

But considering that the King had the rookie Evans playing point guard averaging 20+5+5, moved him to shooting guard in his second year, and small forward in his third, ruining him... It was too normal for the King to have such confidence.

By 8:30 AM, Zhang Yang arrived at the gym over an hour early, first practicing the step-back shots, pick-and-shoot, and euro-step layups he’d learned from Nash, just getting a feel for them.

Enhancing ball control was his second target this summer, with the primary targets being to enhance skills, shooting, and physical conditioning.

Enhancing physical conditioning was Legendary Trainer Grove’s strongest ability, or as Jordan said, "Without Tim, I wouldn’t have won my second three-peat.

This had been arranged last summer; at that time, Zhang San was too young for this type of training, but this summer he could start involving in such training. Of course, training in skills and shooting came before physical conditioning, after all, it was just a start... Zhang Yang felt he was going to be Tim Grove’s meal ticket for the next decade or so.

Around 9 AM, Felton, who had been vacationing in California for two weeks, and Rondo who had started shooting training last week under Ingles, also arrived at the training court.

The three talked about Gerald Wallace’s departure, expressing their sentiments... but as the departed had left, this topic didn’t last long, and they returned to discussing this training camp.

Zhang Yang: "Is it just the three of us at this training camp?"

All-knowing Fatso Boss: "Aaron and Paul are playing in the summer league, they aren’t qualified to enter Jordan’s training camp yet."

Zhang Yang: "What about Emeka?"

Felton: "He went to Oakley’s camp, Emeka’s defense improved so much last season, he could replace Ben Wallace as the second defender if he played center, Oakley’s special training helped Emeka a lot."

Zhang Yang: "Why do I feel it’s because Michael is stingy, reluctant to spend money? I heard Tim charges per head, look, we two didn’t go to the summer league either."

Felton: "There’s that possibility... Michael is really stingy!"

Rondo: "..."

No, how did you two manage to steer the conversation in this direction? Jordan’s been pretty good to you two, hasn’t he!

Even Kobe pays for his own training sessions with Grove!