One Year Left to Play

Chapter 576 - 176: Beating Them to Death with Respect (Part 3)

So, before the game against the Mavericks, Zhang Hao couldn’t help but eye the two starters and a suit-clad Jordan successor from the opposing side...

Zhang Hao originally thought he could easily defeat the Mavericks led by Kidd and Jim Jackson, as the two had already fallen out. However, after the game started, these two, along with Three-Point King candidate George McCloud, actually used their outside offensive power to lead the first quarter against the Lakers 31 to 23!

The offensive power was fierce, and the defensive side was relentless, not at all like they had any grudges.

It was more like Mr. Zhang had given them both a hard time at once!

At this moment, Zhang Hao remembered and looked at the mission... Whenever these two encountered him, if there was even a slight common goal, they would temporarily strengthen their desire to cooperate because of the confrontation with Mr. Zhang!

In fact, recently the two often wanted to beat up certain opponents who frequently eyed them like Zhang Hao did before games.

However, mutual hostility far exceeded the idea of working together.

But encountering Zhang Hao was different...

In the second quarter, the Lakers showed signs of recovery. Zhang Hao began to adapt to the opponent’s fierce defense and the referees’ inaction towards early double-teaming.

With scores of 27 to 28 this quarter, they didn’t allow the Mavericks to further widen the score gap, trailing 50 to 59 by 9 points, still within a 10-point difference.

In the third quarter, the strength gap began to show. The thoroughly recovered and adjusted Lakers, with Van Exel scoring 11 points, Doug Christie 6 points and 4 assists, and Zhang Hao 10 points and 2 blocks, played to a 32 to 15 score. They caught up and surpassed by 8 points entering the final quarter.

In the final quarter, with the Magician leading the team, they executed a steady suppressing play, scoring 31 to 21 in the quarter, steadily widening the score gap to secure the victory.

In the end, thanks to Van Exel’s 31 points, Zhang Hao’s 28 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 assists, the Magician’s 12 points and 6 assists, and Doug Christie’s 13 points and 10 assists, the Lakers reversed the Mavericks 113 to 95, achieving a 3-win streak and improving their record to 62 wins and 17 losses!

Then, post-game, Kidd and Jim Jackson started arguing...

One complained about the other’s failure to shut down Zhang Hao, the other complained about being blown up by Van Exel...

What fascinated Zhang Hao the most was Kidd’s stats: 1 out of 7 in shooting, 1 out of 2 in free throws, earning 3 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals. Incredible! In the second half, he missed all 5 shot attempts!

...

The feeling of turning the tables was exhilarating, and the Lakers’ morale was high.

On April 18th, the Lakers arrived in San Antonio for their fourth game of the season against the Spurs.

If one were to place the "Warrior" title on a player, previously, Zhang Hao wouldn’t associate this title with David Robinson, who had a poor playoff performance.

But now, Zhang Hao feels David Robinson deserves the "Warrior" title.

For over half a month, with a constantly swollen foot, David Robinson truly persisted, getting used to playing with a foot injury. After experiencing a five-game losing streak, in the last game, with O’Neal out due to injury, the Spurs beat the Orlando Magic at home 104 to 95, with David Robinson scoring 32 points on 12 of 26 shooting, 8 of 10 in free throws, and grabbing 9 rebounds, as the team’s top contributor.

The Spurs’ record also improved to 60 wins, becoming the fourth team this season to achieve 60 wins.

If he didn’t know that David Robinson would worsen his foot injury due to playing hurt, leading to it not healing over the summer and missing the new season due to a fractured ankle cartilage, Zhang Hao wouldn’t have guessed, observing Robinson’s April performance with averages of 22.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game, that he was playing in such pain.

"Perhaps, some people are a bit different from public perception..."

Regarding David Robinson, Zhang Hao initially thought he was just good at mid-range shots, with infinite luck meeting Duncan by chance like Howard. But after facing him, he understood why people call him the scoring king, rebounding king, block king, MVP, DPOY regular-season Grand Slam player.

Now, seeing David Robinson play with an injury for over half a month, Zhang Hao has gained a bit more respect for him.

Mr. Zhang reminded him to change hospitals, not to go to the one that provides their team doctors, but Robinson ignored him.

Now, it’s game time, and Zhang Hao has only one thought—strike while it’s hot!

How do you play against an opponent with an injury to their legs and feet?

Of course, you run!

Once the game began, starting from beating Charles Smith for the jump ball, Zhang Hao charged forward like a tough guy with his head down.

Every time the Spurs finished an offense, whether they scored or not, Zhang Hao initiated a fast break with George Lynch, pushing the pace and forcing the opponent to speed up their retreat on defense.

In the half-court offense, wherever David Robinson was defending, Zhang Hao would proactively instruct Van Exel to go for a pick and roll, even if Van Exel wasn’t adept at it, they would still attack, regardless if David Robinson stayed in the paint, so he could charge towards the basket, and George Lynch could charge inside too.

If David Robinson was not injured, this veteran who had made All-Defensive Second Team since his rookie season, three times in First Team, three times in Second Team over the past six years, and won the Defensive Player of the Year, would wish for the Lakers to play like this.

But now, if he moved in to help against either Zhang Hao or George Lynch, he couldn’t get back to the other, and if both moved quickly, Robinson couldn’t help either!

Zhang Hao’s instigated playing style made the Spurs’ defensive actions more brutal, and both teams’ half-court offensive efficiency sharply dropped, but the Lakers could always seize fast-break opportunities, and the Spurs’ strongest fast-break player couldn’t keep up!

Once on the court, every advantage must be utilized!

In the brutal dogfight, both teams scored low, with the Lakers only getting 91 points, but the Spurs scored just 83!