Chapter 513: Chapter 155: Every Effect Has Its Cause
Starting from the game against the Lakers, Kidd has been left open in the set play for four consecutive games!
Moreover, in the past three games, the Mavericks’ opponents have had better defenses than the Lakers — Cavaliers, Heat, Blazers... These teams have utilized this point far better than the Lakers, with stronger set play control capabilities.
Although Kidd continues to nearly achieve a triple-double each game with 9 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 8 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 7 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists... the stats are decent, but the media still claims he’s hit the rookie wall!
In this regard, the media and experts are actually right. The rookie wall is essentially the problems faced by players soon after entering the NBA that cannot be quickly resolved.
This problem, even with Kidd being more mature than his peers at the point guard position, is unsolvable — it’s a matter of ability, not playstyle.
With the Cavaliers, Heat, and Blazers’ lessons, when the Lakers faced the Mavericks again, Del Harris had a more precise and targeted strategy against Kidd.
Smoother than the last game, although they led by up to 20 points last time, the Lakers were quite exhausted, needing full concentration until garbage time. A few moments of distraction nearly allowed the energetic Kidd and Jim Jackson duo of the Mavericks to catch up, with focus being key to balance the aggressive Mavericks’ offense and seize the opportunities from their offensive gaps to establish an advantage.
But this time, it was much easier. 104 to 88, the Lakers learned from teams with strong defenses and won the game effortlessly!
Zhang Hao played better than last matchup, exploiting the Mavericks’ poor defensive switches more effectively, scoring 27 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks from 17 field goals attempts, hitting 11, including 2 out of 6 three-pointers, plus making all 3 free throw attempts.
During the game, Zhang Hao felt that Kidd wanted to bite him to death...
He felt innocent — it’s Kidd’s own issue; even if he doesn’t exploit it, someone else would.
In the future, when Kidd developed his three-point shot during his time with the Nets, wasn’t it because of being constantly targeted, practicing hard, that he achieved over 35% three-point shooting and averaged 2 three-pointers per game?
Moreover, tonight Kidd recorded 11 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists, and 3 steals from 16 shots, marking his career’s 16th triple-double. Quite impressive!
But the media still approached Mr. Zhang after the game, questioning the reason for exploiting O’Neal’s flaws that led to him getting 144 free throws in 5 games post-All-Star weekend, and then making Kidd hit the rookie wall.
Zhang Hao replied helplessly: "For every cause, there is an effect. Maybe... their retribution is me."
...
...
Usually, if someone finds and exploits a player’s flaw, they are likely praised for being smart and having high basketball intelligence.
However, if the rookie is too popular and such events are not hot topics despite positive coverage, yet fans closely follow this rookie’s news, the media tends to take a contrarian approach — slandering!
O’Neal made 66 out of 144 free throws, causing the Magic to lose both close games out of 5, and getting ejected in another against the Knicks, leading to a disastrous loss and a 2-win-3-loss record. Meanwhile, the Mavericks suffered 6 consecutive defeats due to the targeting of Kidd, their current pillar.
Both situations were orchestrated by Zhang Hao, thus earning him a "sinister" reputation as media gossip fodder.
Indeed, such coverage easily creates buzz, and Zhang Hao does have quite a fan base. Recently, since the release of the massive Win95, which will later be colloquially known as Win97 in China, in January, forums, this emerging communication tool, have seen a substantial boost, making interactions more convenient. Many basketball enthusiasts from the North American Region have increasingly used forums for exchanges, hence the start of the flame wars.
Traditional media also polarized, with some newspapers and TV channels reporting on Zhang Hao’s intelligence and high basketball IQ after the topic simmered for a while, at later times.
From most fans’ perspectives, Zhang Hao is full of controversy, with both media and fans holding mixed opinions about him.
But upon learning that he once again became the subject of hype, Zhang Hao didn’t let media opinion guide him as easily as most players of this era would. He astutely noticed that in most cases, media members are rather united in creating buzz...
It’s a minor issue; that’s life playing for the Lakers. Although Zhang Hao gradually grows more concerned with fan approval and media evaluations, having played for the Lakers for such a long time, this level of hype is within his tolerance range.
What he values now are the upcoming two strong opponents!
On February 23rd, Zhang Hao arrived in Houston with the team. Tomorrow, they’ll challenge the defending champion Rockets on the road, and on the 26th, they face the Grizzlies, whom they can thrash, but on the 28th returns to the home court against the New York Knicks!
Post-All-Star weekend, the Rockets are on a fierce run, resembling the defending champions’ demeanor. Their win rate was just over fifty percent, constantly hovering around sixth to eighth in the West by mid-season, and they have posted a 5-1 record since All-Star weekend, with 30 wins and 24 losses, solidly securing the fifth spot in the West.
The Rockets still have 28 games left, but recent media predictions consider them a viable contender for 50 wins!
That’s frightening; it indicates the media forecasting the Rockets might win at least 20 out of the remaining 28 games!
Mind you, the Lakers were 38 wins and 9 losses before the All-Star weekend, with 35 games left to play. Yet, few media outlets predicted they could take 22 out of those 35 games!
Surely, having the defending champion title, especially back-to-back, adds credence and makes them easy favorites.
However, the media analyses of the Rockets’ strength and their excellent performance have led Zhang Hao and the Lakers to place great emphasis on the game against the Rockets.
The probability of meeting in the first round is low, but if the Rockets stabilize their fifth position in the West and the Lakers aim for 60 wins or even first in the West, the defending champion would inevitably become their hypothetical opponent in the second round!
