manynovel Chapter 70: Away Game Against the Spurs! Bowen Volunteers
Chapter 70: Away Game Against the Spurs! Bowen Volunteers
The competition for "Rookie of the Year" has come to an end.
The final score was 108 to 81.
The Trail Blazers, playing away, put on a highly efficient performance, easily defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in three quarters.
Hansen Lee scored 24 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists and 2 turnovers in three quarters, marking his first career double-double.
On the other hand, let's look at LeBron James' side.
Even when they were down by 30 points in garbage time, they were still "diligently" and "tenaciously" fighting hard on the court, striving to grab rebounds. Their professional attitude was admirable.
He ultimately recorded a near triple-double with 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Although losing to the prison team was disappointing, Cleveland fans could at least find some consolation in LeBron James' near triple-double performance.
After all, the team has just recovered from tanking, and LeBron needs to grow.
As for the so-called "Rookie of the Year" competition, LeBron's stats are not bad at all; it's just that the other Cavaliers players have bigger problems.
in short.
The Cavaliers lost, but LeBron didn't!
In the subsequent post-match interview.
The reporter also raised some pointed questions about the "Rookie of the Year" award:
"Hanson Lee, do you think you'll be Rookie of the Year?"
Li He paused for a moment, then asked in return:
Is the Rookie of the Year award really that important?
The reporters were taken aback, clearly not expecting Li He to give such an answer.
Rookie of the Year is an official recognition and the first step on the road to stardom for many players, with a relatively high success rate.
Hansen Lee doesn't seem to care much?
Li He continued:
"I have never heard superstars talk about the 'Rookie of the Year' award in comparisons."
"So I have absolutely no interest in this piece of junk."
Wow.
Splash.
Reporters exclaimed in disbelief, "Wow, Hansen Lee has only played less than 10 NBA games and he's already thinking about becoming a superstar?"
This is simply...
and many more.
It's worth noting that Hansen Lee is currently the NBA's all-time leading scorer, surpassing a host of established stars.
It seems pointless to measure such a talented player by the "Rookie of the Year" award.
The All-Star team, or even the MVP award, is what he really needs!
Another reporter asked:
"Hanson Lee, why didn't you choose to play in the last quarter, while LeBron was still playing?"
Li He smiled and said, "Maybe LeBron loves basketball more than I do."
……
The first two stops of the five-legged road trip have been completed smoothly, but the most difficult challenge is yet to come.
The long-distance flights and intense matches left the players physically and mentally exhausted.
Even so, Zach Randolph, Rasheed Wallace, and Little Flying Squirrel still need to find a girl to have some fun before the game.
Unlike these bastards, Li He only celebrates with girls after the game.
What's worse, they have to play a back-to-back game next.
They are heading to San Antonio to challenge the Western Conference powerhouse Spurs in two days;
The following day, they would travel 280 miles to Dallas to continue their battle against the Mavericks.
The two teams have completely different styles, but both are tough opponents.
This outrageous and grueling schedule is almost like a special punishment from the league for the Portland Jailers, making Coach Maurice Cheeks very hesitant.
Should we strategically forfeit one of the matches to allow the players to get sufficient rest?
If you compare the Spurs and the Mavericks, the San Antonio home court is definitely more difficult to play against.
Because the Mavericks' defense has been poor this season, the Trail Blazers might still have a fighting chance if they focus on offense.
But soon after, Coach Morris abandoned the idea of choosing between the two.
The team is currently in high spirits and may well be able to compete with the Spurs!
……
San Antonio Spurs training facility.
After finishing his daily training, Gregg Popovich sat on the sidelines, thinking about the arrangements for the next game.
Hansen Lee.
A name popped into his mind.
This young Chinese player, who has recently gained fame in the league, has displayed astonishing talent in the game.
It also left a deep impression on Greg Popovich.
The Trail Blazers' "prison team" is nothing to fear in Popovich's eyes.
The problem is how to limit this suddenly emerging Hansen Lee.
So far this season, the Spurs' starting backcourt duo consists of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
Both players are fast and do a good job of rotating the overall defensive lineup.
However, given their defensive abilities, it seems like they would struggle to defend Hansen Lee head-on.
Tony Parker is 188cm tall and is not known for his defense. He is at a disadvantage in terms of strength and physicality, especially when facing Hansen Lee, who is tall and has a long reach. He may very well be used as a target.
Ginobili was indeed "cunning" on the defensive end, but apart from his exaggerated flopping and stealing the ball from behind, he didn't have any other ways to deal with Hansen Lee.
At this moment, a player who was a little over 2 meters tall and of slender build walked over and asked curiously:
"Boss, what are you thinking about?"
The visitor was none other than Bruce Bowen, the most notorious slob in NBA history.
Popovich said, "The question is how to defend Hansen Lee in tomorrow's game against the Trail Blazers."
Upon hearing this, Bruce Bowen chuckled:
"I thought it was something serious."
"Hansen Lee? I've heard about that kid for ages. Let me guard him one-on-one!"
"I guarantee I can keep that kid locked up tight!"
Bowen's defense was extremely dirty, and many players, including Vince Carter, Steve Francis, Jamal Crawford, and Szczerbiak, suffered as a result.
The "Heavenly Cripple Kick" is a nightmare for many players.
The most outrageous thing is that this guy and Ray Allen have a good relationship in private. They would go on vacation together during the offseason, and he even beat Ray Allen in the Western Conference semifinals.
Despite having a decent corner three-pointer, Bowen played a more significant role with the Spurs, and that's what made him such a jerk.
Popovich raised an eyebrow; this method was indeed feasible.
The Trail Blazers' starting small forward Ruben Patterson isn't a strong offensive player; a slight switch in matchup would effectively contain Hansen Lee's performance.
He brought Bruce Bowen into the team specifically for this purpose.
Even with his exceptional abilities, Hansen Lee would be severely affected by Bowen's defense.
only……
What worries Popovich the most is...
Hansen Lee is no pushover either.
Leaving aside his past before entering the NBA, Bruce Bowen has a history of beating up teammates and knocking out Ron Artest. If he gets emotional during a game, won't he suffer the consequences?
Those ferocious iron fists are quite terrifying.
Bowen noticed Popovich's doubts.
"Boss, you don't think I can't handle a newbie, do you?"
"Don't worry, leave him to me!"
"I can even defend him one-on-one!"
That said, apart from Bowen, there really isn't anyone else on the Spurs roster who can match Hansen Lee.
Popovich's heart sank, and he decided, "OK, you keep an eye on Hansen Lee then."
"But let's make it clear beforehand that we'll try our best not to cause any trouble."