The longest river

Chapter 228 2001-2002 Season (Yao Ming Special)

Before the game between the Trail Blazers and the Wizards, Yang Shuai was interviewed by reporters on the sidelines during warm-up.

Since Yao Ming is an athlete under HARK Entertainment, reporters naturally asked about his performance.

“If you look back at my career, you’ll realize that it’s not a problem at all.”

Yang Shuai expressed his support for Yao Ming based on his own experience.

Seeing that the reporters seemed about to say something, he added another reminder.
"This year's rookies are still adjusting."

Yao Ming received so much attention because of his status as a Chinese player.

But in reality, the other two of this year's top three picks didn't perform much better either.

Although Kwame Brown was not Jordan's teammate, as Jordan's handpicked number one draft pick, Jordan naturally took him very seriously and often took time out of his busy schedule to mentor Brown.

As a result, Brown seemed completely clueless about what to do on the court.

His current average of 7 points and 5 rebounds per game shows that he is poised to snatch the "bust" from Olowokandi.

Perhaps only Brown himself, and a few others, know what Brown went through; Jordan's "guidance" is not something everyone can handle.

As for Chandler, due to competition within the team, he averaged less than 15 minutes of playing time per game, with an average of only 6 points and 4 rebounds per game.

What do you think of Barkley's remarks?

Because Yang Shuai had led Barkley to a championship, reporters naturally asked about Barkley's bet.

"We'll soon see Barkley kissing Kenny Smith's ass, if Smith doesn't mind the whole world seeing his ass."

The Thanksgiving Day game was highly anticipated, but looking at the game itself, the difference in strength between the two sides was obvious.

The Wizards are rebuilding, and their star player, Jerry Stackhouse, who averaged 29.8 points per game last season, opted to sit out this game due to injury, making the outcome even less suspenseful.

After the warm-up, the starting lineups for both sides were announced.

Wizards: Chris Whitney, Hubert Davis, Courtney Alexander, Laettner, Yao Ming

Trail Blazers: Sura, Reed, Young, Wallace, Collins
Billups had ankle soreness at the start of the season, but the team doctor's examination did not find anything wrong, so he continued to play with the injury.

However, the symptoms did not improve, and Yang Shuai knew that the team doctor was not very reliable, so he asked Billups to go to Los Angeles for an examination. The examination results showed that Billups had a torn ankle ligament.

This will give him about three weeks of rest, and Reed earned his first starting opportunity in his career thanks to his outstanding performance on the bench.

Yao Ming jumped for possession, and the Wizards started by using Yao Ming's low post strategy.

This kind of opening was also a new experience for Yao Ming.

Before Stackhouse got injured, the team's offense revolved around him, while Yao Ming was more responsible for pick-and-roll, defense, and second-chance rebounds.

Collins has a solid build, and although he is shorter, he has the upper hand in physical confrontations. Carlisle is also confident in letting him guard Yao Ming one-on-one.

However, Yao Ming amazed the Portland fans in the very first possession.

Without hesitation after receiving the ball, he spun around Collins from the baseline, took a step, and scored with a reverse layup.

This move isn't particularly difficult in the NBA, but it's quite surprising to see it performed by a 226cm tall player.

And the key point is the smoothness of this performance, which has never been seen before among big men of this caliber.

After scoring, Yao Ming excitedly pumped his fist on the sidelines.

With such a strong competitive spirit and the expectations of all Chinese fans, the psychological pressure Yao Ming faced was unimaginable.

This goal, along with this action, allowed Yao Ming to release all that pressure at once.

In the next possession, facing Collins' aggressive defense with his hip lock and elbow, Yao Ming opted for a back-to-the-basket move followed by a turnaround fadeaway.

It's not unusual for a guard to make a back-to-the-basket turn and fadeaway move, but it's quite unusual for a 226cm player to do it.

The key point is that, just like his previous turnaround layup, Yao Ming's moves felt incredibly smooth.

Collins looked speechless: How can this be defended?
Jordan's fadeaway is nothing compared to this, because a 226cm center playing a fadeaway is virtually impossible to block on a frontal defense.

"Shh!"

The key point is that the ball still went completely swish after it was released!
This moment sent the Rose Garden Arena into a frenzy.

Compared to Yao Ming, Portland fans are more focused on Reed, who is making his first start.

But in the first two rounds, Yao Ming completely drew their attention.

These two rounds instantly brought to mind Yao Ming's scouting report during the draft: a soft touch and agility that didn't match his physique.

After several rounds, Carlisle also realized the problem with this matchup.

Collins is a good low-post defender, capable of holding his own even against O'Neal, but he is at a disadvantage against a technically skilled center like Yao Ming.

He had no connection with Yao Ming and wouldn't give Yao Ming a chance, so he decisively called up veteran Willis.

After Willis entered the game, Yao Ming's offense in the low post was suppressed.

Although this veteran is 39 years old, he has played in the league for 17 seasons and has been a starter for a long time. He has faced all types of players and can anticipate Yao Ming's offensive moves.

Yao Ming was quiet for a few rounds, but just as the fans in the arena were taking their eyes off him, he immediately made another play that amazed the entire audience.

After setting a screen for Whitney, he cut to the basket, received a pass from Whitney, and delivered a thunderous alley-oop dunk!

Even Yang Shuai was surprised by this shot.

In his memory, Yao Ming was a low-post weapon like Shaquille O'Neal. As long as he wasn't fronted or double-teamed, his ability to dominate in the low post was on par with O'Neal's.

But it's clear that he hadn't seen Yao Ming in the early part of his career.

All I can say is, that's incredibly flexible!

Moreover, this round perfectly showcased Yao Ming's basketball IQ and ability to adjust to the schedule.

He lacks Willis's physical strength and experience, but he has an advantage in speed, which makes pick-and-roll plays a great role in his performance.

Before this, he had been setting screens for Stackhouse, the only difference being that Stackhouse wouldn't pass, while Whitney did.

Yao Ming previously averaged only 7 points per game, but tonight he scored 6 points in less than 5 minutes at the start of the game.

This immediately made Kenny Smith in the commentary booth extremely uncomfortable.

The biggest difference between Barkley and other commentators is that he doesn't like to follow a set routine, but prefers to improvise.

This initially gave the production team a headache, but after commentating on the previous season, they realized that Barkley's actions could greatly boost viewership, so they allowed him to do so.

Therefore, Barkley's previous bet was also impromptu, and Smith was completely unaware of it beforehand.

If he had known, he would have definitely stopped Barkley from saying those words!

As Yang Shuai said, who would want to expose their backside to a global television audience?
Even if he's wearing pants, everyone will know he's not clean.

But the show was live, so he couldn't possibly refute Barkley, so he could only hope that Yao Ming would be eliminated.

But the current situation is clearly not right.

Beside him, Barkley, the one who started the bet, seemed completely unconcerned, even unusually analyzing the game.

“I think Jerry (Stackhouse)’s presence is limiting Yao’s growth. That guy only shot 40% last season, and the Wizards had the worst record in the Eastern Conference last season. I think they should promote Yao. This guy looks like he has unlimited potential.”

Barkley's point is valid; players do have their own style.

The Wizards' previous approach of having Yao Ming do things that were clearly not his strengths; to play to his strengths, he needs to have the ball in his hands.

Whether it's a low-post isolation play or a pick-and-roll, he can perform well as long as he has the ball in his hands.

Stackhouse's stat-padding style of play is clearly detrimental to Yao Ming's development.

Let's straighten out your grandma!
Smith was completely bewildered. He even suspected that Barkley was probably a butt fetishist and had made that bet just to kiss his butt!

Before Smith could even complain, Yao Ming made another impact on the court.

Alexander attempted a drive to draw a foul, but he was unsuccessful against Sura's defense, and the ball bounced off the rim and went out.

Just then, Yao Ming, who had been blocked by Willis, successfully judged the landing point of the basketball, suddenly turned around and got rid of his opponent to grab the offensive rebound, and then powerfully scored the ball directly in the crowd!
Yao Ming has already scored 8 points in this quarter!
With his offense picking up, Yao Ming also became more confident on the defensive end.

He first successfully lunged out to disrupt Reed's three-point attempt, and then successfully blocked Wallace's shot while helping him defend.

Under his leadership, the Wizards, who were initially considered no match for the Trail Blazers, actually put up a good fight against them.

At this moment, domestic fans were extremely excited. Ever since Yao Ming entered the NBA, they had been eagerly anticipating his dominance of the league.

That expectation, they finally saw hope on this day.

Yao Ming played until there were 4 minutes left in the quarter before being substituted.

For a player who is 226 cm tall, his physical condition looks much better than expected.

He had already contributed 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks before leaving the court.

Barkley seemed to only then remember his 19-point bet, and began to analyze Yao Ming's performance in this quarter.

"He's just not being taken seriously. Rick Carlisle is the best coach, and he'll address that in the second quarter."

As it turns out, despite his big mouth, Barkley, who considers himself a Trail Blazers legend, truly understands Carlisle.

When he returned in the second quarter, Carlisle employed a double-team strategy against Yao Ming.

For a rookie, especially one who has had a poor season and has been ridiculed by the media, to receive this kind of treatment speaks volumes about Yao Ming's performance tonight.

However, it was precisely this adjustment that led to Yao Ming's amazing performance in the first round.

Facing Sura's double-team, he opted to drive to the baseline early, turn around, and break through for a dunk!
Collins was truly turned into a wooden stake by Yao Ming tonight.

Furthermore, fans have also realized that Yao Ming is different from other rookies.

Although the CBA league is of average level, it is still a professional league, and Yao Ming had played in that league for four years and dominated it.

His understanding of professional basketball is far superior to that of students who have just entered the NBA.

Or to make a comparison, most NBA rookies are the type who are exceptionally talented but relatively rough in their skills and need to continuously improve their skill set.

However, Yao Ming is the type of player with high technical skill but lacks experience in physical confrontations and NBA-level games.

This difference distinguishes him from Chandler and Brown, or rather, he is like Pau Gasol of the Grizzlies next door, someone who can put up impressive numbers in his rookie season if given the ball.

However, Yang Shuai soon taught Yao Ming a lesson.

When Yao Ming received the ball in the low post and prepared to go one-on-one, Yang Shuai's early help defense forced him to pass the ball, and then he pounced on the ball and made a steal.

Yao Ming clearly underestimated the reaction speed of top NBA players; his ball-handling ability in the CBA was actually insufficient to cope with this level of double-teaming.

But soon, Yao Ming once again demonstrated his excellent ability to adjust.

Seeing that he was easily double-teamed when playing one-on-one in the low post, he moved directly to the high post to receive the ball.

Then, just as Sura double-teamed him, he made an incredible behind-the-back pass, assisting Whitney's layup.

"What brilliant passing imagination!"

Even Smith temporarily forgot about the heavy blow to his butt and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

He also agreed with what Barkley had said earlier: Stackhouse's presence was indeed hindering Yao Ming's development.

Because once Yao Ming had the ball, he showed everyone what the executives had seen during his tryouts: Yao Ming seemed to have unlimited potential.

In the end, the Trail Blazers defeated the Wizards 104-91.

The result of the game was not surprising, but the Wizards and Trail Blazers battled until the final quarter.

开拓者队这边备受关注的里德首发首秀并不好，全场11投4中，三分球7投2中仅得10分。

This game made him realize the difference between starting and substitute; the defensive treatment and the intensity of the game are completely different.

However, his performance has made Yao Ming's performance even more noteworthy.

姚明全场比赛打了32分钟，15投11中，得到26分10板3助攻4盖帽的华丽数据。

He showed off all his skills tonight, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he completely dominated the Trail Blazers' center.

“He is excellent, with outstanding basketball IQ and skills. His ability to adjust on the court and handle double teams is also impressive. He has the potential to become one of the top centers in the league.”

At the post-game press conference, Carlisle also praised Yao Ming highly.

Tonight, in order to deal with Yao Ming, he tried all the centers on the team. Apart from Okur being able to move Yao Ming out of the paint and having some effect, the others were completely outmatched by Yao Ming.

"I think what impressed me most about Yao was his mental strength. He played his best game in the most watched games."

Carlisle mentioned what the fans could see, while Yang Shuai said what the fans were unaware of.

Yao Ming possesses a strong mental fortitude, which destined him to achieve greatness sooner or later.

From this perspective, it's a real shame that he didn't make it to the Warriors.

Because the very things that Jordan used to destroy Brown would be a huge help to Yao Ming.

Four days later, amidst much anticipation, the latest episode of TNT's "NBA Insider" premiered.

The show achieved record-breaking ratings the moment it premiered.

All the previous efforts of Ernie Johnson and others have proven that hard work is worthless in the face of talent.

Barkley's creative talent on the commentary desk is even greater than when he played in the NBA.

After a season analysis, the show finally came to the part where Barkley delivered on his promise.

Kenny Smith, of course, refused to stick his butt out in front of the live broadcast camera.

Finally, a donkey with Kenny Smith's name on it was brought out of the studio.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone in the studio, Barkley risked getting kicked in the rear by kissing a donkey on the ass.

And after kissing the donkey's rear end, Barkley immediately changed his attitude on the show and began to rave about Yao Ming's potential.

He exaggerates much more than Carlyle does.

"I think Yao will be Shaq's biggest rival in the league in the future, and he may even become the best center in the league when Shaq gets old."

As it turns out, Barkley really knows how to create entertaining moments, and the results are consistently top-notch.

To call someone the best center after just one game is tantamount to surpassing Kobe with zero championships or surpassing Jordan with one.

Even after praising Yao Ming, Barkley gave his advice to the Wizards' management.

"Jerry Stackhouse can't help them win, he can't help any team win, the Wizards should trade him and make Yao Ming the star player."

Barkley's words were hurtful, but they were also the truth.

Stackhouse started his career with the 76ers, who rose to prominence after he left.

He was then traded to the Pistons, and as soon as he left, the Pistons made the playoffs.

He only made it to the playoffs under Jordan's leadership, but his performance was mediocre.

After this episode aired, Yao Ming's fame soared across the United States.

A week later, whether they thought Barkley's suggestion made sense or they simply felt that Stackhouse was no longer worth developing, the Wizards actually chose to trade Stackhouse.

They traded Stackhouse to the Warriors in exchange for Larry Hughes and Mark Jackson (center).

Hughes was the 8th overall pick in the 1998 draft. He debuted with the 76ers but didn't get many opportunities. He was later traded to the Warriors and performed exceptionally well.

Last season, he averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.

His problem is similar to Stackhouse's; both are relatively inefficient, with a field goal percentage of only 38.9% last season.

His advantage lies in the fact that his defense is much better than Stackhouse's, and most importantly, he doesn't demand much possession of the ball.

The Warriors' reason for trading Hughes is simpler: Hughes' contract expires this summer, and they have significant disagreements on his contract extension. They don't want to lose Hughes for nothing.

This trade has been met with skepticism from many DC fans, as it essentially amounts to selling Stackhouse for a pittance.

However, this sentiment gradually diminished and eventually disappeared over the next month, because after Stackhouse was traded, Yao Ming's ball possession increased, and his performance improved accordingly.

他在12月场均能够贡献16.5分8.5板2助攻1.8盖帽，俨然一副和保罗·加索尔竞争最佳新秀的架势。

It was at this moment that Yang Shuai sent a text message to Barkley.

"Thank you."

(End of this chapter)