Dunlap was also having a headache. Although he had been a teaching assistant in the NBA, this was his first time officially leading the Bobcats. Of course, he wanted to do well.
He felt that his coaching skills were top-notch, but what could he do if the players were too bad? When he was upset, Han Zhe's face could not help but appear in his mind. He now knew that Han Zhe was very strong, but he did not think that Han Zhe could be like Kobe, Iverson, and other superstars who could dominate the game and bring victory to the team.
He thought that Han Zhe was too inexperienced. He was able to charge forward because his opponents did not know him well enough. Although Han Zhe's physical strength had been strengthened by training, it was still not enough. This was also a big weakness. It was impossible to rely on him to support a team.
However, although Han Zhe was a little thorny, he was indeed very strong and well-rounded. He could make a good supplement for the team.
Dunlap went through all the players in his mind. Of course, he knew that the team was not as weak as he had said in the office. Gordon was still very good when he was in a stable state. His offensive ability was very strong. Michael, the second-runner-up, was not inferior to ordinary star players.
Although Walker and Anderson's performances were not too outstanding, they were stable and reliable in the game. Only the center seemed to be lacking in strength. Mullens and Haywood could catch the rebound, but their scoring ability was too poor. He now realized that he had been very naive in practicing the double-tower tactic.
After resting for a few days, they started fighting the Knicks again.
The New York Knicks were now a strong team in the Eastern Conference. They had big shots like Amare, Monica Chan, and Anthony. Their lineup was much stronger than theirs. So far, Dunlap had never encountered a lineup that was worse than theirs.
Dunlap had given Han Zhe a surprise with the attitude of giving it a try. He let Han Zhe play in the starting lineup. This decision made Han Zhe extremely happy. This was his first time starting since joining the Bobcats.
Dunlap once again emphasized that Han Zhe must play as a whole and not be alone. He restricted Han Zhe, but Han Zhe relied on his good vision and personal ability. With Walker's full cooperation, the first quarter ended with a 22-20 two-point lead.
The head coach of the Knicks scolded his players with a dark face," Felton, Smith, what's wrong with you two? How can you let that rookie number 10 be so arrogant? He even got intercepted and destroyed several offensive opportunities. And you, Anthony, you actually scored as many points as that rookie Michael. Is this your strength?”
Felton and Smith looked at each other helplessly. They had not taken Han Zhe seriously at all before, but they realized that something was wrong. Smith had been intercepted twice in a row. This did not make sense.
When they realized that Han Zhe's ability to break through was very strong, Smith and Felton switched positions. Felton, who was better at defense, was the one to match Han Zhe. However, the effect was almost the same because they realized that Han Zhe's prediction was very accurate. Their feints could not fool Han Zhe at all, and they were easily intercepted.
When Han Zhe attacked, every time their center of gravity shifted, Han Zhe would quickly launch a breakthrough. His timing was very precise and difficult to deal with.
As for Anthony, he was helpless. He could not blame him for scoring the same as the other rookie. Others often received good shots from Han Zhe, while his two defenders were often intercepted. His chances of getting the ball were naturally much lower. Moreover, he usually had to fight alone to break through when he got the ball. It was already good enough that his score was not lower than Michael's.
The atmosphere on the Bobcats 'side was different. Dunlap, who thought he would be beaten up, didn't expect them to end the first quarter with a lead.
Dunlap held the tactical board and said," You guys played very well this quarter. Keep it up. Han, your steals are very strong, very good. However, you break through too often. Try to reduce it. You have to know that every breakthrough may mean a mistake.”
Han Zhe nodded lightly and did not tell him that he would definitely not be intercepted. The old man was very stubborn and did not listen at all. He was self-centered and let the players do whatever they thought before.
Dunlap turned to praise Michael." You played well. You were in good shape today. Your shooting was very accurate. You're not any weaker than Anthony.”
Michael blushed and looked embarrassed. The other players also looked at Dunlap strangely. They really wanted to ask Dunlap if he was blind or if he really knew basketball.
Anthony's chances of scoring were much lower than Michael's, and he had to rely on his own strength to score. As for Michael, he had Han Zhe, the abnormal breakthrough, to help him pull away and let the other side help defend. He often created opportunities for him to open up. If he did this, he would really be letting down the title of the second runner-up.
After Dunlap finished, Han Zhe said," Coach, I found that they weren't too close to the outside line. I had a lot of chances to shoot three-pointers.”
Dunlap shook his head decisively and said in a deep voice," The current way of playing is good. There's no need to be so radical. It's better to play according to the previous strategy. You have a good vision and dribble steadily. You're mainly responsible for organizing and pinning down the ball. Then, let Michael take the shot or Walker cut inside.”
Han Zhe rolled his eyes. What else could he say? If he were to get high again, he would probably get physical punishment and a few cold benches waiting for him. Besides, the regular season was about to start. He had to try his best to avoid offending this old man. It would be terrible if he was made to suffer in the regular season.
Moreover, judging from Dunlap's decision to let him start in this game, his prospects seemed to be good. Dunlap at least had some recognition of him before letting him play in the starting lineup to test the waters.
When the second quarter began, Han Zhe's pressure increased significantly. Felton probably felt that he had lost face in the first quarter. He was very unhappy that the rookie had stolen the limelight, so he stuck close to him. Moreover, when Han Zhe took the ball, he would press and snatch it, and there were some small movements with his hands. However, a player like Felton was experienced and did it very discreetly. The referee did not call for a foul.
Although Han Zhe was very angry, he also scolded Felton in a low voice. However, Felton just smiled proudly and turned a deaf ear to his words. Han Zhe also knew that this was a part of the NBA players that had to face. Many players knew this trick. He had to get used to physical confrontations and the opponent's little tricks. He endured it!
When he made his third mistake and was robbed of the ball, Han Zhe finally got angry. He shouted," You idiot, do you only know how to play these little tricks? If you have the ability, fight with your own strength. F * ck!"”
"Yo! Little rookie, you're quite angry. I'm teaching you how to play basketball. You have to thank me!”After saying that, Ferton ran away with a smile.
"Han! Calm down, calm down, pass more passes and play less solo!”
Dunlap, who was on the sidelines, knew about Han Zhe's situation, but he didn't say anything because Felton didn't go overboard. He didn't do anything to hurt Han Zhe. He just made him feel uncomfortable. Han Zhe had to overcome all of this himself. This was also due to his experience in the game. He had thought that Han Zhe lacked experience in the game, but Han Zhe was a little confused in this situation.
At the end of the second quarter, Han Zhe's performance was much better. When he had a chance, he would rush forward. If he was entangled, he would not be stubborn and would choose to pass the ball to Walker.
By the end of the second quarter, they had already been outscored by five points. Han Zhe was also sweating profusely. The opponent had been very aggressive just now, and Han Zhe's stamina had been depleted very quickly. This was the first time Han Zhe realized that the NBA was not so simple. He had thought that he would not be afraid of anyone in the one-on-one. He did not expect Felton to make him suffer so much.
Most of the team's previous scoring opportunities were created by Han Zhe. Now that Han Zhe was being pressed, their scoring ability had declined to the limit. It was normal for them to be overtaken. However, this also reflected Han Zhe's importance. Dunlap also raised his eyebrows. He did not expect Han Zhe to play such a big role. He felt that Han Zhe's active team was very fierce, and Han Zhe's sluggish team was weak. This did not make sense!
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