Chapter 179 [The times create heroes]
Some heroes create momentum, while others create heroes.
Guo Xu participated in a rookie competition with a major change. If it were the previous few sessions, he would not have scored so easily.
The rookie match was first held in 1994 and was divided into "genius team" and "passion team". The lineup was composed of rookie players. In 1995, it was changed to the white team and the green team, and it was still composed of rookie players. In 1996, it began to divide rookie teams into east and west to fight. It was only in 2000 that it was changed to the rookie team against the second-year team.
The first challenge game in 1994 was very unsuccessful. The team with the second-year illness scored 74-68 in the end. The genius team won, and Anthony Hardaway was elected MVP.
The fans were almost asleep after watching it, and there were all doubts after the game. The winner did not see how talented the winner was, and the group of people on the other side were not passionate. They looked like a group of crazy iron-shots.
After that, the scores were very low in every rookie match because they were all first-year freshmen participating, and the competition was very fierce. They were all real and defending their lives. In two games, the players were angry.
President David Stern gradually realized that the game could not be done like this, and it was too uncommercial. In 2000, it changed to second-grade vs first-grade. As a result, the first-grade winner won 92-83, and Brand won the MVP. Although the score was still not high, the ratings increased a lot.
The league has since found the correct game mode and has followed the rules of two-grade confrontation this season.
In this way, the players' mentality is a bit different. Sophomore players have played once last year and found that their hard defense cannot steal the limelight of All-Star players. This time, the defense will not be too hard and have to work hard from the offensive end.
Starting this year, in order to attract the attention of fans, rookies will also begin to imitate the All-Star Game model and develop in the direction of exhibition games.
In the second grade offense, Francis forced a breakthrough in the face frame, Guo Xu did not defend seriously and put him into the inside line. Francis jumped into the middle and wanted to dunk. As a result, Martin flew up from the side and slapped the ball down with one hand.
No matter what challenge Martin is, he just likes to show people his jumping power and strength. He averages 4.1 fouls per game. Occasionally, he is very beautiful if he doesn't make a foul.
Francis lost his center of gravity and fell to the ground, unable to return to defense quickly. Richardson picked up the basketball and passed it to the frontcourt without thinking. He played this kind of cooperation in the NCAA semi-finals and knew that Guo Xu would get off as soon as he had a misplaced chance.
Guo Xu received the ball from the right and made a quick break. Odom returned to defense quickly, but retreated farther. Guo Xu was good at breaking through, and without waiting for his teammates, he chose to shoot a three-pointer from the right and scored another one.8 to 0.
Woodson smiled and said, "If the regular season is called a timeout, Jason Guo is a big favorite in tomorrow's three-point competition. It will definitely not be possible to prevent him from shooting like this. There are big problems with the defense of the second-year team."
"Fans must like to watch them play like this, and there hasn't been a player in a row in the rookie game."
Francis was a little angry when he was blocked by Martin. He felt that his 20+6+6 data this year should be selected for the All-Star Game, rather than participating in the rookie game. He waved to his teammates for cover, played a pick-and-roll with Brand, and misplaced to face Martin.
Martin is a blue-collar worker. He plays defensively wherever he is. He immediately switches defense and speeds are comparable to guards to follow. Francis forced a layup to avoid Martin's block, and misses the basket under severe interference.
Richardson grabbed the backcourt rebound and made another long pass. This time Guo Xu rushed faster. When Francis returned to defense, he entered the three-point line. Brand is a heavy inside line. After being misaligned, the speed difference is very far, and he is thrown away by two meters.
After receiving the ball, Guo Xu took two steps with the trend, and jumped up with one hand. When the ball was about to touch the basket, he followed up with his other hand and dunked the ball in with both hands. He grabbed the basket and threw his legs high, and took a pull-up action and landed steadily. 10 to 0.
There were more and more fans cheering, which stimulated Frances. The performance of the defenders on both sides at the beginning was two extremes, and Frances was even more eager to return one.
Guo Xu lowered his center of gravity from two steps to prevent breakthroughs but not from shooting. Francis scored three points again and finally hit a 10-3.
After scoring the goal, Francis was a little grateful to Guo Xu. He would be too embarrassed if he didn't score a goal. If Guo Xu was as close as he did in the regular season, he wouldn't have made such a relaxed goal.
Guo Xu will not defend hard when he comes to such an occasion, and there is no bonus for offending others.
In the first grade offense, Guo Xu dribbled the ball to the frontcourt and Martin played pick-and-roll in the middle, lowered his center of gravity and forced his way to the bottom line, attracting Odom to switch defense.
When he was about to reach the bottom line, he stopped suddenly and turned around and passed the ball to the middle. Martin cut the ball at a free cut, jumped up in one step, and dunked the ball with both hands!
12-3, it was easy for Guo Xu to assist Martin, but this guy was the pick-and-roll and the mid-range shot was unstable.
In the second grade offense, Francis also started passing the ball, Szebiac took the ball and made a three-pointer. 12-6.
Guo Xu looked for pick-and-roll again. This time Francis was in the position to catch up and defend. Guo Xu passed the ball to his teammates. Richardson ran from the right corner to 70 degrees with Jackson's cover without the ball, and caught the ball and made a three-pointer.
15-6, Guo Xu made the second assist.
Brand was not that strict when defending his teammate Richardson. Guo Xu thought of this before the game and told Richardson to actively run. Last year's rookie Brand won the MVP and was almost impossible to win again. This time he was here to relax and had no passion for playing.
Currently, the Bulls record in the regular season is at the bottom of the league. The management is very dissatisfied with Brand's ability to lead the team, and he is under great pressure. Even if Brand goes all out, his simple style of playing is not suitable for star weekends.
A good point guard must not only understand his teammates, but also understand his opponents. Although Guo Xu doesn't have many assists in the Lakers, he is good at allocating balls reasonably and passing them to those who are easy to score.
Brand received the ball and beat Jackson one by one. Both of them were very strong. Brand was a little shorter and only 203CM, but he had the advantage of wingspan. He turned around and threw the ball away from the block. 15 to 8.
Guo Xu brought him to the frontcourt and waved to his teammates for cover first. Suddenly, he started to break through the left side, and Francis followed.
Guo Xu quickly observed the situation, Martin attracted defense in the middle, Brand and Jackson stood outside, and the penalty area was empty.
He held the ball with his left hand on his back, leaned against Frances, shook his left shoulder gently in the middle, and at the same time, he gently patted the basketball with his right hand to his left hand, making a false move to turn to the middle. Francis' center of gravity moved slightly, and Guo Xu held the ball with his left hand and quickly turned to the right.
Guo Xu broke through this time and completely got rid of defense. He entered the basket from the left and easily picked the basketball with his right hand.
17 to 8, the 12th point in the individual.
In the second grade offense, he passed twice. Odom made a mistake in passing the ball to Hamilton and was directly intercepted and hit by Richardson to counterattack. Guo Xu received the ball and quickly advanced to the frontcourt.
Guo Xu broke through the road frame in the middle, took a big step with the ball in his left hand, and when he was about to hit Frances, he slapped the ball and gave it to his right hand. The racket was relatively backward, deliberately causing Frances to reach forward and steal.
He sideways and avoids the steal, holds the ball in his right hand and changes direction to the right to break through, relying on speed to exceed the opponent. When Francis saw that he can't keep up, he quickly pulled someone to commit a foul.
Guo Xu made two free throws steadily on the free throw line, 19 to 8, with the 14th point in his own free throw.
Chapter completed!