MM Racing Chapter 23 First Battle with James
Chapter 23 First Battle with James
Purple-level cards, due to their incredible functionality, often don't have lower-end versions like white and pink.
After using the purple-level speed-up card, Du Xiaoshuai spent the last two days getting used to it in the team's intra-team matches and found that the buff was indeed very useful.
This experience is somewhat like buying the most expensive and newest skin in the game "Honor of Kings" in your past life, where the starting skill animations become much smoother.
It's not easy to stack the buff to ten layers. Stomping on the ground while wearing shoes doesn't count as an attack; you have to attack at close range to count.
After three dribbles or physical contact, the buff seems to be instantly applied to the body, making the player feel light and ethereal, and the rhythm becomes even more unpredictable.
What makes Du Xiaoshuai most comfortable is an invisible sense of relaxation, as if his own weight is gradually being released.
During a game, the buff usually only lasts for 2-3 stacks because your attention and target on the court won't stay on one thing for a long time. When you're battling, dribbling, or shooting, your attention and target are easily interrupted or replaced. Then, after a few seconds, when the buff is about to disappear, a new buff will replace it and replenish it. Normally, the acceleration will be maintained at 4-6%.
Such an enhancement is not outrageous, and it will take Durant some time to adapt on the court and gradually integrate it into his body's instincts before he can unleash its full potential.
Of course, if the passive buff is fully stacked at ten layers, the acceleration will be increased by an additional 20%, which will significantly increase the burst damage and speed cap.
However, this kind of extreme state is hard to achieve on the court. On the contrary, in a quiet room, two people can be a ruthless pile driver when they are fiercely competing.
These past two days, his teammates feel that Du Xiaoshuai has started to pull off some tricks again. They can't keep up with his unpredictable acceleration and deceleration. He was already unstoppable on offense, but now Du Xiaoshuai's jumping ability under the basket is even more unpredictable, especially his low-post back-to-the-basket moves and layups. His increased explosiveness and speed make him even more unstoppable on both ends of the court.
Before the game, ESPN's Tim Legler interviewed James about his thoughts on Kevin Durant.
"Kevin is a unicorn rookie," LeBron, who only has a high school education, said proudly of his new term. "He can put up crazy numbers and lead his team to victory. I'm glad that the league has more talent coming in, and that's what keeps us passionate about basketball."
The second half of the sentence has a hint of relying on seniority, after all, LeBron has only just finished his rookie contract, but who can blame him when the King led his team to the Finals single-handedly last year.
"So, what kind of welcome will you be giving Kevin to the NBA today?" Resident reporter Tim Legler asked casually.
"The SuperSonics are very strong. They just won two straight games. I will do my best to win the game. That's why we're here, and it's also a welcome ceremony for Kevin," James replied after thinking for a moment.
It was comprehensive, though the pre-match announcements were a bit conservative. But the point of the game is to win, and wanting to win is perfectly acceptable—and it was all very appropriate.
The young emperor, who had just grown a beard, was taking a mature approach and had always been quite protective of his reputation.
In his opinion, all the trash talk before the match was stupid; would they die if they didn't show off?
How embarrassing would it be if the car overturned!
Before the game, Du Xiaoshuai was interviewed by Yahoo Sports. The interviewer was Adrian Wojnarowski, who later became the famous Woj and had just joined Yahoo Sports this year.
In my past life, Woj revealed many trades and star player moves in advance, such as Durant going to the Nets to form a Big Three, trading for Westbrook, and LeBron deciding to go to the Lakers. He knows how to deal with star players.
Wojnarowski, whose hairline is even higher than LeBron James', still looks rather young. Holding the microphone, he asked, "Kevin, tonight is your first time playing for the fans at home in Seattle. Your opponent is league superstar LeBron James. Everyone is really looking forward to your performance. Are you confident you can win the game?"
? ?
Du Xiaoshuai looked completely bewildered.
Should I avoid his sharp edge?
The original owner's first regular season victory in the NBA was a gift from LeBron James. If it were me, Durant, I wouldn't be able to win.
"I have great respect for LeBron. I grew up watching him play. The Cavaliers are a very strong team; they just made it to the Finals this summer." Durant took the microphone, said politely for a couple of minutes, and then started to boast again: "Although I'd like to be humble, my abilities don't allow it."
"So, you mean you're definitely going to win this game?" Woj was surprised by Du Xiaoshuai's confidence, his eyes widening so much that his forehead wrinkles creased, and he asked with a tone of confirmation, "Really?"
"Yes," Du Xiaoshuai said without hesitation, pointing calmly to his chest, "We're going to win tonight's game. Even Jesus can't stop us, I said it!"
"Wow—I've never seen such a determined pre-game declaration!" Wojnarowski has seen many arrogant rookies with big mouths, most of whom are just trying to attract attention and gain popularity. He has never seen anyone as arrogant as Kevin Durant.
After all, that's the Cavaliers, who just made it to the NBA Finals.
You'll see him today.
SuperSonics starting lineup: PG Billups, SG Jeff Green, SF Durant, PF Thomas, C Collins.
Cavaliers starting lineup: PG Damon Jones, SG Larry Hughes, SF LeBron James, PF Drew Gooden, C Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
At 7:10 p.m., the lights in KeyArena focused on the central jump ball area.
SuperSonics center Jason Collins stands opposite Cavaliers' Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
The referee tossed the ball into the air, and Big Z, using his height advantage, flicked the ball to LeBron James, officially starting the game.
On the Cavaliers' first possession, LeBron James received the ball a step beyond the three-point line at the top of the arc, with Kevin Durant leading the defense.
James dribbled with his right hand, signaled to his teammates to spread out with his left hand, and suddenly accelerated to break through from the right side, with Durant closely marking him to delay him.
Wild Boar Charge – Young LeBron James already possesses center-level strength, and Durant, who can contend with most power forwards, is finding it difficult to withstand the opponent's explosive power.
At this moment, the purple speed-up card he had just acquired came in handy. The passive effect from his constant physical confrontation with James instantly stacked up, greatly increasing his speed and explosiveness, allowing him to fight and retreat with much more ease.
The two battled to the free-throw line. Seeing that he couldn't get past Durant, James slowed his pace and prepared for a strong attack.
But Du Xiaoshuai's arms were too long, like a spider web covering the area in front of him, blocking the passing lanes of his teammates and making it impossible for them to pass the buck.
James had no choice but to jump up and attempt a somewhat clumsy vaulting shot.
Durant stretched out his arm to interfere, and unsurprisingly, the ball was rejected by the rim.
Collins was in a good position, Thomas grabbed the rebound, and passed the ball to Billups.
Fans on the sidelines cheered enthusiastically when Du Xiaoshuai easily defended against the young emperor's first goal.
Kevin Durant's stats have exploded this season, making him the most talked-about player, even overshadowing the Celtics' Big Three. However, SuperSonics fans haven't yet witnessed Durant's high-scoring home show.
In the transition between offense and defense, Chauncey Billups dribbled steadily past half-court. Du Xiaoshuai positioned himself on the left wing, and Billups lofted a high pass over Damon Jones from the center circle.
After receiving the ball, Durant faced away from James. After two consecutive back-to-the-basket attempts, he suddenly turned towards the baseline and launched a fadeaway jump shot. James jumped with all his might to block, his arm outstretched, but Durant's true height of 2.11 meters and long arms allowed him to release the ball at an extremely high point, letting it arc beautifully into the net.
2-0.
The ball came out with the heel on the three-point line!
In the Cavaliers' next offensive possession, James and Ilgauskas ran a pick-and-roll.
James broke through from the left side using a screen. Durant was screened by Zydrunas Ilgauskas and was a step too slow to switch defense. James squeezed out half a body's distance and drove straight to the basket, slamming home a one-handed dunk.
2-2 tie.
The SuperSonics were on offense. Billups advanced the ball up the court and saw Durant already sprinting down the right corner, while James hadn't followed. Billups delivered a precise long pass. Durant received the ball and, without adjusting, pulled up for a three-pointer, which swished through the net.
Supersonic 5-2 overtakes.
"Defense—" Mike Brown shouted from the bench behind Durant.
The young LeBron James in his first Cavaliers era wasn't lacking in defense, but compared to his time playing for the Heat under Pacleley, he often left his man open. This is different from his later days with the Lakers when he couldn't defend at all; now it's simply because he hasn't had enough of a beating yet.
......
In the fourth minute of the game, Cavaliers' Drew Gooden received a pass from James in the low post and isolated against Kurt Thomas, but his hook shot missed.
Durant grabbed the rebound and initiated a fast break. Near the mid-court line, he made a wide behind-the-back dribble past Larry Hughes and drove straight to the basket.
James came to help defend from the wing, and the two jumped at the same time. Du Xiaoshuai switched to his left hand in mid-air for a layup, his exaggeratedly long arm extending beyond James' fingertips. His wrist deftly flipped the ball under the rim, sending it flying and rolling onto the backboard before it silently fell into the net, as smooth as an old married couple making love.
Goal! And that draws a foul from James.
He shrugged, and Du Xiaoshuai made the extra penalty.
8:2, a perfect start.
The fans in the stands were chanting Durant's name wildly.
Less than two minutes later, Mike Brown called a timeout.
The coach who also served as an assistant coach for the Spurs for several years is a typical black coach template: good at developing rookies, giving motivational speeches, and emphasizing defense. He called James over and gave him a long lecture.
After a timeout, the Cavaliers adjusted their tactics, frequently utilizing James' drives and passes. Other players were constantly moving around the court.
Durant can barely limit James' offense, but he really can't stop James' passing and assists.
This guy is as strong as an ox, and when he charges, he evolves into a rhinoceros, hard and big. Even with a death grip, he can only make it difficult for him to score, and his passes are impossible to defend.
Even with the system's enhancement, Du Xiaoshuai's frail body felt like it was falling apart after a few impacts.
Throughout his life, Durant has been a die-hard LeBron James hater, which is why he pays more attention to and understands James than other stars, and he considers himself more objective.
LeBron James is a player who relies heavily on the ball. His need for the ball even exceeds his dependence on his physicality. This can be seen from his late career statistics. Even in his forties, when his body has gone down a long way like in the US, as long as he is given enough ball possession, he can still be an All-Star level player with 20+5+5. The biggest cost is that his team's record is not very good.
Just tell me, can you blow it or not?
To say he relies solely on his physicality is not entirely accurate. As for his skills, they're only so-so, with occasional flashes of brilliance. And if you accuse him of exploiting the rules or relying on referees, with players like Harden and Daniel Davis setting examples, people will have something to say.
According to Du Xiaoshuai's observation, the statement that James is a system player is definitely correct. The team must build around him to make up for his weaknesses and play to his strengths. As long as the lineup fits well, his floor is high and his ceiling is not low either.
Of course, if he were to take his talent with him one day, his original team would definitely be swooping down for the number one draft pick.
Why build a system around him? Because he has the physique to be truly exceptional and his talent is all-around great.
Physical fitness is the foundation, and LeBron's foundation is solid enough. Throughout his more than 20-year career, he has basically had no major injuries. If he did have any, they were tactical injuries like groin strains. This is unique in history. As for his self-discipline and willingness to spend money on maintenance, those are just gimmicks. As long as you are tough and durable enough, you can shout whatever you want in the end.
"All-around talent" means that LeBron James can develop most basketball skills, even if his ceiling isn't top-tier, he can still reach an elite level, such as dribbling, mid-range shooting, and three-pointers... This is often overlooked. If you replace him with Simmons, even if he trains like a god in the offseason, he'll still be afraid to shoot in the regular season, making him just as useless.
Moreover, he has a knack for passing the ball around, which can motivate his teammates and raise the team's ceiling. He has a keen sense of fast breaks, and his defense—well, what more could you ask for?
Therefore, reaching the finals nine times at least proves that the system he built around him does have its unique aspects.
Getting back to the main point, the system that young LeBron James brought in 1.0 was not yet mature, but it was already showing promise, and very few teams in the league have started to tailor tactics to counter him.
P.J. Carlesimo didn't realize this either, after all, the Cavaliers are an Eastern Conference team.
The Cavaliers, who have reached the Finals, have adapted a number of players around LeBron James, who can help him create space, clear the paint, and take the blame, etc.
Therefore, even if Durant could limit James's breakthroughs, his teammates couldn't stop him from passing the ball out after a breakthrough.
James assisted Larry Hughes on two consecutive three-pointers.
The SuperSonics' offense was equally fluid. Billups controlled the tempo, and Durant was active off-ball movement. In addition to hitting a jump shot near the free-throw line, he also screened for Green to drive to the basket for a layup.
第一节3分19秒，21:18，骑士追回3分。
Du Xiaoshuai scored 10 points and returned to the bench, where he remained until the end.
James, along with his bench players, rallied at the end of the quarter to close the gap and take a two-point lead.
People who regularly travel during off-peak hours.
26:28, the first quarter ends.
With the game still long, Du Xiaoshuai wasn't in a hurry and even had time to admire his own cheerleading team during the break.
During this period, Seattle had one of the top five white populations in the United States, and also one of the highest Asian populations. Naturally, the cheerleading squad was predominantly white. Apart from one black girl representing political correctness, there were even two Asian girls. Looking at the names on the signs behind them, they were in Japanese and Korean. Ugh—you bastard!
That hot pants over a short skirt looks amazing!
Du Xiaoshuai was engrossed in the reading when he suddenly felt a small object hit his back. Turning around, he saw two familiar figures, one tall and one short. It was the same two from the Yinyun Hotel restroom—
Du Xiaoshuai raised his hand to greet the two, and they waved back excitedly, like typical female fans.
The taller one pointed to the small piece of paper that had just been thrown over and made a "call me" gesture. Du Xiaoshuai nodded, picked up the paper, and stuffed it into his drawstring bag.
Ah, home fans, they're our bread and butter, their enthusiasm is hard to refuse!