One Year Left to Play-Chapter 154 - 48: Chatterbox Skills Take Time (Monthly Ticket and Recommendation Requested)

Chapter 154: Chapter 48: Chatterbox Skills Take Time (Monthly Ticket and Recommendation Requested)

The team’s strength is what it is; Randy Whitman no longer cared about winning or losing and started making rotations, waving his hand to begin developing the lottery picks. The combination of Kenny Anderson, Graham, Vaughn Fleming, Zhang Hao, and PJ Brown was subbed in.

"Aix, I’m not worried about your offense. Even if you don’t perform well, it’s okay. In the preseason, you just need to get used to the confrontation and adapt to the game. The important thing is you need to learn to play defense. Your physique, speed, and stamina have the potential to become a great defensive player. Don’t worry about being out of position, it’s okay, try going for help defense..."

Before going on the court, the coaching player Butch Baird pulled Zhang Hao aside to advise him.

After listening to the head coach’s advice, Zhang Hao stepped onto the court, and suddenly a prompt came!

"Special contract player Zhang Hao is about to step onto a professional court for a formal game. The upcoming game is a preseason game, and the task: Rookie Debut is triggered."

"Rookie Debut:

Objective: Special contract player Zhang Hao must help his team, the Brooklyn Nets, secure at least 4 preseason victories.

Reward: Securing 4 wins will reward 15 days of lifespan. For every additional win, an extra 5 days of lifespan will be rewarded, with a maximum of 30 days of lifespan reward."

"Special contract player Zhang Hao is about to enter the NBA as an off-ball shooter. The first opponents faced include top-level off-ball shooters Glenn Rice and Dale Curry. Task Trigger: Shooting Star."

"Shooting Star: Triggered whenever special contract player Zhang Hao faces a top-level shooter, gaining the respect of the top-level shooter.

This time’s target: Dale Curry.

Objective: Zhang Hao must outscore Dale Curry in this game.

Reward: Dale Curry’s goodwill towards Zhang Hao significantly increases.

Note: The host can guide special contract player Zhang Hao to form good relationships with NBA’s top shooters, finding warmth together."

Finally! The task of extending lifespan has arrived! Zhang Hao was very excited! An additional increase in lifespan!

The memories of the future made him happy to live freely for so long, but this was just the initial thought. As living longer and moving freely became the norm, naturally, he became greedier and wanted to continue living, and there was an opportunity to do so; naturally, he had to strive for it.

However, this task, Zhang Hao feels it’s difficult! They’re really not sure if they can win 4 preseason games.

"Luckily, this is just the preseason; opponents shouldn’t take it too seriously."

Another task made Zhang Hao look at it again and found no substantial rewards. The reward is winning the opponent’s goodwill... Zhang Hao thought of the status of shooters at this time.

The status of shooters is indeed low!

Coaches should value off-ball shooters greatly, but in the minds of players, it’s those who dribble and drive, bulldoze in the low post, and dominate under the basket who are the real stars. These people, if they have shooting ability, are considered strong by other players.

And stars who primarily use shooting as their scoring means and are not famous for other scoring methods always seem to be one level lower, even for later superstars like Garnett and Nowitzki. The former always carried the title of an iron-blooded mid-range shooter, while the latter would have always been labeled as ’soft’ if not for his godly 2011 championship season.

Reggie Miller said after retiring why he had to make so many enemies during his playing days, because he wanted presence, since at that time, the presence of off-ball shooters was too low. Without the competition he actively started and brought to the surface with other superstars, he would have gone unnoticed for his excellence, just like other shooters of his era.

It wasn’t until the era of small ball that shooters truly became recognized by players and fans.

With this situation, Zhang Hao realized that he is a player of purely off-ball style and even became a power forward, so it’s really sad...

The game continued, Zhang Hao came to the sideline, received the ball from the referee, and passed it to Kenny Anderson.

The Hornets made a large-scale personnel adjustment, sending up a combination of veteran point guard Michael Adams, top shooter Dale Curry, veteran forward Rafael Edison, Grandma Johnson, and Chief Parish.

Kenny Anderson received the ball at the midline and quickly pushed forward, with Zhang Hao catching up and cutting towards the inside first.

Zhang Hao ran into the inside and was tightly defended by Larry Johnson. This guy was ridiculously strong, with a height of 199 cm and weighing 113 kg. Even though he played the power forward position, he wasn’t afraid of anyone in terms of confrontation. The power rating Zhang Hao had seen before for Larry Johnson was 96! Super top-level strength!

Thus, Zhang Hao decisively chose to leave the paint, drifted around the baseline and ran out from the right side of the three-second area.

While Zhang Hao was running outward, Vaughn Fleming decisively cut towards the basket. Just as Vaughn Fleming expected, Larry Johnson immediately gave up on Zhang Hao and retreated to guard the basket, since Parish was already following PJ Brown out of the paint. Larry Johnson was more wary of Vaughan Fleming, this old rival, than Zhang Hao, the skinny rookie stick.

Kenny Anderson passed the ball at the first opportunity, and when Zhang Hao reached the free-throw line distance on the right side of the three-second area, it was open!

Receiving the ball without hesitation, Zhang Hao executed a mid-range jump shot...

Watching the ball swish into the basket, Zhang Hao couldn’t quite believe it; was it really that simple to get an open shot?

He hadn’t done anything; he just followed the tactic, cutting in to look for a chance to attack the basket or drifting along the baseline when PJ Brown set the top arc pick and roll, and the shot opportunity came... 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

While running back, Zhang Hao quickly analyzed the recent situation in his mind and discovered something... Before the game, Kenny Anderson had told him: "Don’t worry, you’ll definitely have plenty of opportunities to get used to the game."