Chapter Seventy-Eight: The All-Star Game Begins

Before the opening of the main competition, Zhang Kong, Yao Ming, and Yi Jianlian got together again. Forrest Gump didn't have a leader to accompany him this time, and even Yi Jianlian seemed to let go a little, talking and laughing, at least not as restrained as before. Zhang Kong told Yao Ming what James said, and Yao Ming immediately patted his chest and promised: "Don't worry, I will get out of the way when he breaks through the inside line." But I don't think it will last long. The All-Star Game is really not for me. ”

In fact, Yao Ming has already made up his mind to save his physical strength at this time, and he hopes to avoid injuries as much as possible in the next competitions to ensure that he can go all out in the běijīng Olympics, after all, this běijīng Olympics is the Olympic Games with the greatest chance for the Chinese team.

"Brother Zhang, in fact, I have always wanted to ask why you can play so well." Probably after eating a few glasses of wine, Yi Jianlian also let go more, and couldn't help but ask a little bitterly.

Since the start of the new season, Yi Jianlian's performance has been very bad. With an average of 8.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, it is not very efficient compared to the average playing time of 25 minutes per game. As an interior lineman, he shot just 42 percent from the field and averaged less than three free throws per game. This kind of performance is enough to disappoint anyone, especially when he is the No. 6 rookie, and compared to Zhang Kongyi, this result is even more embarrassing and embarrassing.

For Yi Jianlian, Yao Ming didn't have too good advice. He has been completely transformed by Van Gundy, his physical characteristics are like this, Van Gundy's transformation has made him a completely low-post machine, and his destructive power in the low position is only O'Neal can hold him down. And Yi Jianlian, whether it is his height, weight or xìng strength, can not be won in the low position like Yao Ming.

For Yi Jianlian, it is even more difficult for Zhang Kong to have good suggestions. All his abilities are obtained out of thin air, without any training and no experience, he was already the strongest in the NBA when he joined the NBA, and there is nothing he can't do as long as he wants to.

However, Zhang Kong still felt that he should give Yi Jianlian some advice, so after thinking about it for a while, Zhang Kong said: "First, you have to understand one thing, what can you do yourself?" “

Yi Jianlian listened very carefully. So much so that after listening to Zhang Kong's question, he revealed a confused look.

"I mean." "If you want to survive in the NBA, you have to do something, do something that no one else can do, at least on your team, only you can do it, and no one else can do it. There has to be some kind of unique ability. You see, your shooting is good, your low-post offense is okay, and your ability to play in the high post is a bit, but it's not too strong. One-on-one singles ability is mediocre, and you hardly show any characteristics that can make people shine. You have to find your own characteristics and let your coach, your teammates, know that you can do that. ”

Zhang Kong organized his language as much as possible, so that he did not look like a layman, and tried to give Yi Jianlian a little help. Although in later life, Zhang Kong belongs to the firm ranks of 'Yi Hei', but now, the two will become teammates in the summer and will fight side by side, Zhang Kong still hopes to help him grow as much as possible: "First play out your own advantages, establish your status on the field, and then make up for your shortcomings little by little." Now, one of the more obvious strengths is your good shooting ability and excellent athleticism, so the first thing you need to improve is your consistent shooting ability and scoring ability in the fast break......"

Zhang Kong talked for a long time, probably because he felt that what he said was really a bit of a space, seeing that mosquito coils appeared in Yi Jianlian's two big eyes, Zhang Kong frowned and said: "Otherwise, I will train together in the summer, I will defend, and you will attack." Let me see what you're up to in the summer. ”

"Well, ...... well" mentioned this, Yi Jianlian became excited, Zhang Kong is now undoubtedly recognized as the best inside player in the league, and in the recent media, the doubts about Zhang Kong have almost disappeared, especially in the six battles with the Celtics, after Zhang Kong fought against the entire Celtics team, the doubts about Zhang Kong almost disappeared. Now there are even calls from time to time in the alliance that Zhang Kong is the 'first inside line of the alliance'.

These are completely different concepts from Dampier's hilarious form of the second center in the West.

For Yi Jianlian, if he can train with Zhang Kong, it will undoubtedly be of great help to his growth. Yao Ming is not ready to train together, mainly he himself knows that his potential has almost been developed to the limit, and it is impossible to have a big increase, relatively speaking, the next thing he has to do is to ensure his condition as much as possible, and at the same time avoid injury......

The three of them chatted for a while, BA's games have always been very intensive, and considering the strength of the Rockets and the Cavaliers' lineups, it is certain that they will enter the playoffs, and even the Cavaliers may go all the way to the finals, so that when the whole season is over, the Olympics will start immediately, and there is not much time left for them, and there is even less time to be able to practice together.

Although it is difficult to say how effective such a conversation will be, the key point is that at least you can build a good relationship. Through the conversation with Yao Ming, Zhang Kong also had a more in-depth and detailed understanding of the national team. It's no longer floating on the surface as it used to be.

That night, the All-Star Game finally kicked off!

After a series of warm-ups such as the Rookie Challenge, and after the selection and recommendation of the fan head coach, the confrontation between the twelve selected from the Eastern and Western Leagues, a total of 24 first-rate players in the league, is finally about to begin. For an entire All-Star weekend show, slam dunk contest, three-point contest, mixed shot contest. Skills Challenge...... No matter how varied it is, it's just a dessert, and only the East-West All-Star Match is a gluttonous feast in the true sense.

An hour before the start of the game, the arena was already full, and the frenzied cries almost knocked the roof of the stadium over. However, compared to the previous All-Star Game, this year's All-Star Game seems to have missed a lot. The most important point is the absence of O'Neill.

This year, O'Neal's form has declined sharply, and most of the time O'Neill has been recovering from injuries after half a year. After assisting Wade to win the Heat's first championship, O'Neal seemed to have exhausted the little energy he had left, and the aging heavy truck finally broke down.

At present, the Heat have been rumored to trade O'Neal, and along with Pau Gasol, the Grizzlies' trade star of the house, has become the most concerned topic for managers of all 30 teams in the league. It is said that the Phoenix Suns first expressed interest in O'Neal, and the situation that they have been excellent in the regular season for many years, but they have never been able to go further in the playoffs, has made the Suns' management begin to lose confidence in the small-ball strategy, and they want to get O'Neal and use O'Neal's low power to open up the situation for Phoenix's playoff journey.

Zhang Kong also knows that O'Neal was indeed traded to the Phoenix Suns in history, and this deal also exposed the league's cold commercial nature, driving out meritorious players just after winning the championship, although Pat Riley's hand got rid of O'Neal's big contract, but it also made outsiders question his character again.

It wasn't the first time he had done this, and the last time his beloved protégé, Arrenzo Mourning, had been treated the same.

However, because of this, O'Neal really didn't perform much this season, so neither the fans nor the head coach sent this fat man to the All-Star team in New Orleans, ending his record of being selected to the All-Star team for 14 consecutive times.

But without this hilarious fat man, the atmosphere of the all-stars seems to have become a little depressing. Without O'Neal's innate comedy factor, it seems difficult for other star players to carry on this fine tradition.

In the Eastern locker room, Wade, James, and Bosh got together to talk and laugh, and the three of them and Western small forward Anthony are both players of the 03 platinum generation, and they have more common topics with each other, and their relationship is quite good in private.

James also introduced Zhang Kong to the two, but Zhang Kong really couldn't get into the topic of the three of them. The backgrounds and growth experiences of the three are very similar, which leads to a lot of topics naturally arise when the three of them get together.

And Zhang Kong's growth environment is far from theirs, and it is really impossible to chat without hindrance. In fact, not only them, Zhang Kong's experience is very different from that of everyone here, and to be honest, it feels a little difficult to talk about.

Paul Pierce and Ray Allen and the Pistons' trio got together and chatted quietly, and Joe Johnson and Jamison talked from time to time. Jamison's gaze at Zhang Kong was filled with a kind of disgust.

So in the end, Zhang Kong sat alone in the corner, carefully arranging his shoelaces.

"Why do you sit here alone and not talk to them?"

Source: Forrest Gump