"Huh!"

In the training hall, several Rockets players stood on the sidelines, watching a 1v1 matchup that was going on on the field.

Wang Chao made a mid-range back-to-back jumper and hit Leonard's defensive hollow shot.

11:3, this is the final score of the two heads-up.

The heads-up result is almost the same as last season, and there is still a huge gap between the two sides.

"Boss, you're amazing."

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Leonard was a little unwilling and had to admire.

This summer, while Wang Chao was competing in the Olympic Games, Leonard had a hard work, and originally wanted to surprise Wang Chao before the start of the new season, but he didn't expect that the results of the two heads-up rounds were no different from last season.

On the offensive end, Leonard is surrounded by comprehensive coverage in all aspects such as height, strength, speed, and bounce, except for a slight lead in terms of arm span, Leonard has no advantage over Wang Chao.

Wang Chao's defense is also much more difficult than imagined, in a heads-up situation, Leonard can only use his back-to-back jumper or deliberately increase the shooting angle to ensure that he is not blocked, and the offensive efficiency will naturally not be very high.

On the defensive end, Leonard's vaunted death entanglement did not have an obvious effect on Wang Chao.

Although the arm span is not as exaggerated as Leonard's 2.21 meters, Wang Chao's arm span of 2.18 meters also belongs to the top of static talent, and more importantly, Wang Chao's 92 dribbling ability and ball handler talent make him also look comfortable in the face of Leonard's close pressing death entanglement, including the power of 88 can also have the upper hand in the physical confrontation with Leonard.

In the case of numerical crushing, unless you have a burst of hand or a certain level of experience in heads-up, it is not strange to be single-handedly beaten.

Although he easily beat Leonard, Wang Chao was also very satisfied with Leonard's sense of defensive oppression.

He doesn't quite know how strong his defensive ability was when Leonard was selected for the All-Defensive Team for the first time in the 13-14 season, when the Spurs won the championship, and Leonard was selected as the FMVP, but with Leonard's intuitive experience of going head-to-head now, the opponent's defensive ability has reached a very high level, at least it has reached Sean. Battier's level, considering the gap in arm span, the real defensive effect is probably only stronger than Battier!

On the offensive end, although it is difficult to score by Wang Chao, it can also be seen that he has improved in the offensive with the ball, especially in the middle range similar to Jordan, Kobe's retro style of play and long-distance offense outside the three-point line.

Give him enough ball possession, not to mention more, there is no problem at all in getting an average of about 15 points per game.

This is only Leonard's second season, so what is Wang Chao not satisfied with?

"You're already great." Wang Chao patted Leonard on the shoulder and said sincerely: "You will definitely become a top star in the league in the near future, continue to work hard in this direction!" ”

With that, Wang Chao beckoned to the sidelines. "Jimmy, you can try it too."

Among the several players watching the excitement on the sidelines, Butler was originally standing at the back, and when he heard Wang Chao say that Leonard would definitely become the top star in the league, Butler couldn't help but bow his head slightly, and a trace of loss flashed in his eyes.

As a rookie who was selected by the same Rockets to participate in training and games together.

Leonard has been a target for Butler, and while both were drafted in the first round, the difference in talent is like a world apart.

Leonard became the starting small forward of the Rockets in his rookie season, averaging 11.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, and was selected as the best rookie team, becoming a highly anticipated and highly anticipated star of tomorrow.

Butler, on the other hand, can only serve as Courtney. Lee and Korver's benches only play an average of 15 minutes per game, and the statistics are even more invisible.

Of course, Butler is not willing to accept this unfair fate, he is the one who trains the hardest every day except for Wang Chao, Wang Chao's exaggerated training amount is based on the various auxiliary effects of the training potion, but Butler is different, except for Wang Chao's occasional use of the 30% effect bonus provided by the sparring potion, Butler completely relies on his own perseverance to persevere.

But there aren't many people on the Rockets team who can really see how hard he puts in.

Fortunately, Wang Chao is one of them.

When he heard Wang Chao call his name, Butler was stunned for a moment, and then pointed to himself in disbelief and confirmed: "Let me come?" ”

Heads-up with Wang Chao has always been Leonard's patent until now, including Butler and Chandler. Although Parsons and Wang Chao have also had heads-ups, they are more powerless than Leonard, and the gap is so big that they can't learn something from abuse.

So Butler didn't expect that Wang Chao would actually call his name.

"I've heard that you've been training hard in the summer and you've grown a lot, so let me see what you're capable of."

Wang Chao looked at Butler and said with everyone's surprised expressions: "If you can score 5 points under my defense, then you will be the team's starting point guard in the new season." ”

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.

Wang Chao said this as if he was joking, but the Rockets players present all knew how much Wang Chao had a say in the team.

Not to mention letting a player be the starter, that is, the head coach and the general manager have to look at Wang Chao's face to act, for many players, this is simply a long time to see, and it is the first time they have seen a player with such exaggerated privileges, I am afraid that even Kobe Bryant of the Lakers during the three consecutive championships after Jordan and the current stage of the Lakers is just like this, right?

Hearing Wang Chao's promise, Butler's eyes suddenly burst out with hope.

Be a starter!

Even if Wang Chao is really just a joke, it is enough for him to do everything he can!

Wang Chao and Leonard's heads-up just now, he saw it in his eyes, and thought that he was afraid that he would not be much better than Leonard when he played, and these 5 points were probably really difficult to get, but how would he know if it would work if he didn't give it a try?

Without hesitation, Wang Chao directly gave Butler the right to take the lead, and the heads-up officially began.

A few minutes later, Butler gritted his teeth after watching Wang's ultra-light pick-up send the basketball into the basket and the 11-0 dazzling score.

"Come again!"

Gradually, the heads-up between the two attracted the attention of more and more players, including Da Yao, Garnett and even some assistant coaches were attracted to watch the heads-up.

"Why is Jimmy fighting Wang Chao alone? How could he be the king's opponent? ”

A group of people whispered and talked about what they were not knowing, and they were even more surprised to hear the previous melon-eating crowd tell the reason.

The heads-up on the court went round after round, but the 5 points were as difficult to cross as a moat.

Sweat gradually wet Butler's jersey, but the continuous defeats did not discourage him in the slightest, but the fighting spirit became more and more vigorous.

Because as the game progresses, he has gradually become able to score from 11:0 at the beginning, and the problem he faces is not that he can't score points, but that once Wang Chao gets the ball, he will often end the game with consecutive scores, and he can't prevent it at all.

"A chance! All it takes is one chance! ”

Butler, who was sweating profusely, was extremely concentrated, and his competitive level was constantly improving.

Finally, in the new round of heads-up, Butler burst into the hand, shooting two three-pointers from the outside in a row, one-on-one heads-up, the three-point shot counts as two points, and the two-pointer goal counts as one point, so Butler, who hit two three-pointers in a row, has scored 4 points, only one step away from the goal of 5 points.

However, when he broke through with the ball and attacked the basket with a pull-up layup, Wang Chao interfered with and deviated from the basket, and the situation changed dramatically.

Wang Chao began to score in a row again, hitting consecutive pull-up jump shots outside the three-point line, mid-range pull-up jump shots, and using speed or direct brute force to break through the basket and dunk.

Butler tried his best to defend every ball, but James was scored 57 points in front of Wang Chao in the Olympic finals, let alone him?

The score went from 4:0 to 4:4 and then to 4:10.

The melon-eating crowd on the sidelines couldn't help but shake their heads and regret.

"It's a pity, it's just a little bit."

Of course, there are also people gloating, after all, if Butler really scores 5 points in front of Wang Chao and thus becomes the starting point guard in the new season, it will definitely damage the interests of some players in the team, it is a starting position, why give it to a marginal figure in the team last season?

Chandler, for example. That's what Parsons had in mind.

As a second-round pick, although Parsons had a lower draft pick than Butler, he had a higher status on the team last season and had more playing time and playing opportunities.

This made him always think that he was stronger than Butler.

The team's starting point guard, Courtney. Since Lee's departure, Parsons has always felt that he will be given more opportunities to play.

He didn't want Butler to ruin his good deeds.

Wang Chao attacked with the ball, continuously dribbled under the crotch and then suddenly accelerated to start, breaking through to a mid-range emergency stop jump shot.

Butler moved awkwardly but persevered to follow Wang Chao, even though the difference in height and arm span between the two was huge, he still raised his hand in vain and insisted on trying to block Wang Chao.

The basketball flew in the direction of the basket under the gaze of everyone, and then ......

Box ——!

The crisp sound of striking iron sounded, and the basketball bounced off the basket, and after two pads, it still missed the basket.

"Didn't hit?"

Everyone couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Butler's chance is here! The next attack will be his last chance, and it will be a matter of success or failure.

Butler also understands this truth, his opportunity is only this once, no matter what!

"Do you choose a dry shot from the outside, or is it more secure to break through with the ball?"

Butler's mind was torn up.

"I just hit two three-pointers from the outside, and I have a good outside shooting, but if I miss it, I ...... it."

Thinking of this, Butler's dribbling movements froze slightly.

But in the next second, his gaze became decisive.

In the face of Wang Chao's defense, Butler decisively chose to hold the ball to accelerate the breakthrough, but as soon as he took a step, he immediately pulled back the basketball in his hand, stepped back from the three-point line, and threw the basketball in his hand in the direction of the basket.

Butler's movements were fast, but Wang Chao's reaction was faster, a sudden brake stopped his footsteps, and Wang Chao had stopped in front of Butler during the pace adjustment, and his raised hands completely blocked his shooting vision, and even the basketball was dangerously passed by Wang Chao's fingertips, and he was almost blocked.

The basketball then fell into the net under everyone's watchful eyes.

"Drink!"

When the ball was thrown, Butler raised his head to the sky and roared, as if he had hit a lore, venting his emotions to the fullest.

"Good boy, don't rush to shout, go on."

Wang Chao didn't care, picked up the basketball and threw it at Butler.

Butler: "......"

The final heads-up result was 11-5, and Butler failed to score a single goal after that.

However, the 5 points he got were really done with his own ability, and Wang Chao did not have any behavior of releasing water during the game, because if he released water, wouldn't it be self-deception?

Wang Chao is ready to let Butler start the new season because he feels that the other party has the strength to become a starter, even if he is still slightly inferior to Leonard, but with his hard work and diligence to catch up with the progress during the regular season, he can become the backbone of the team in the playoffs.

And this heads-up session in front of the players of the whole team is also the foundation laid by Wang Chao for Butler.

Of course, Wang Chao doesn't need to care about anyone and directly appoints the starting players, but Butler, who was appointed in danger, is different, and may be isolated by some players in the team and cause conflicts.

I have to admit that Leonard and Butler are both very good players, with talent and potential and both working hard enough, but neither of them has good emotional intelligence, and they will have conflicts with their teammates or teams in the future.

As the current leader of the Rockets, Wang Chao needs to maintain the atmosphere in the locker room.

And after this heads-up, Butler's starting role is not easy to show even if some people are dissatisfied, after all, this is an opportunity for his own efforts, and as the regular season progresses, as long as he plays well, Butler's position in the team will become more and more stable.

——

When Rockets head coach McHale came to the training gym, he learned that the team's starting list had been set.

Although his first reaction to learning of the starting list was a no, McHale was very good at putting himself in the right position.

After arranging the training, McHale found an opportunity to call Wang Chao out alone.

"Wang, there's nothing wrong with such a starting lineup, right? I trust your judgment, but wouldn't it be a bit ...... for a young player like Jimmy to suddenly give him such an important role?"

McHale doesn't have the same remarkable vision as Wang Chao as a traverser.

In his vision, Butler is just a fringe figure on the team, not as strong as Korver and Chandler. Parsons.

And the traditional coaching thinking made him unable to accept Wang Chao, a striker, to make a cameo for a while...... No, it should be the act of directly changing to a point guard.

But he had such an idea before the start of last season, when McHale looked at the Rockets' roster and only felt that his life was gloomy, so how could a bad roster make a difference?

As a result, Wang Chao took the Rockets team to the first place in the league, and the playoffs went all the way to the finals.

Therefore, McHale is not good, and he dare not question Wang Chao's decision-making, so he can only use this kind of question to knock on the side.

Wang Chao looked at McHale and smiled: "Head coach, don't worry, Jimmy is much more powerful than you think, our current lineup, the overall strength is only stronger than the Heat and the Lakers, as long as there is no serious injury, we will be able to win the championship!" ”

(End of chapter)