The longest river

Chapter 231 Yang Shuai's Alchemy

Bennett's plan to acquire the Cavaliers ultimately failed due to continued protests from Cleveland fans.

The Cavaliers then officially entered league trusteeship.

Stern did not tell Gandhi about Yang Shuai's decision, because Gandhi might accidentally let slip the news to appease the fans, which would cause a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Moreover, Gander's actions have caused the alliance a great deal of trouble, and he has lost his right to remain on the table.

Although the team is under trusteeship, everything continues to operate normally.

After all, the Cavaliers are in this situation because investors have lost confidence in the team's future prospects, not because there are problems with the team's operations.

However, the Cavaliers are in a state of panic, especially the players. No one can remain calm when playing for a team with no future.

The team's star player, shooting guard Richard Hamilton, requested a trade.

Third-year student Hamilton averaged 22 points per game last season, already living up to his scoring potential.

This scene mirrors Paul's choice when the Hornets were placed under trusteeship in history.

However, the team's actual controller, the league committee, or Stern, who had the final say in this matter, rejected Hamilton's trade request.

None of the Cavaliers' former "Four Little Tigers" have lived up to their potential; now, only Hamilton and Ilgauskas have fulfilled their potential.

Basketball is a team sport, and Stern is unlikely to leave Yang Shuai with a mess in the future.

While the Cavaliers' turmoil was nipped in the bud, the Trail Blazers received a devastating blow.

White, who joined the team in a previous trade, opted to undergo knee surgery and is expected to be out for 3 to 4 months.

Moreover, White is a short (2.06 meters) heavy center who relies on his physical attributes to play basketball, so such a knee surgery will inevitably have a huge impact on his explosiveness.

I thought the Wizards were doing the Trail Blazers a favor, but it turns out they ended up really screwing over the Portlanders.

The Trail Blazers' center position problem remains unresolved, making it extremely difficult for them to start their championship run again.

However, Yang Shuai did not pay attention to these things; his focus was on his own evolution.

He has reduced his weight back to 98 kilograms. Although his weight last season gave him an advantage when backing down his opponent, it also significantly reduced his stamina and limited his defensive capabilities.

He even invited Grover to Portland so that he could help him identify and address any shortcomings in his training of specific muscle groups.

His abilities are now almost at their maximum, and all he needs to do next is to minimize the energy expenditure of each of his attacks.

Whether it's a drive or a shot, use as few movements as possible to complete the action.

To achieve that goal, one must ensure that they have a higher speed than their opponent even when not in the "zone".

To further achieve this goal, he also upgraded to A-level dynamic vision, continuing to improve his court vision, defensive reading, and shooting ability while moving at high speed.

In late September, training camps for various teams began one after another.

On the first day of training camp, the Trail Blazers players immediately noticed the changes in Yang Shuai.

One misstep in positioning would earn him a glare from Yang Shuai;
A single mispass will lead to a severe dressing-down from Yang Shuai.

"Has the boss always been this strict?"

During a training break, Prince, a newcomer, cautiously asked Billups a question.

"He is only strict with those who are not serious."

Billups did not give a direct answer, but the answer was obvious: Yang Shuai will not be as easy to get along with this season as he has in the past.

After the training camp ended, each team held a media day.

As the defending champions, the Lakers are the focus of attention.

"I can feel that the team's desire for the championship is even stronger than last season, which reminds me of the 1991-1992 Bulls."

Phil Jackson compared the Lakers to the Bulls during their first three-peat, fully expressing his expectations and optimism for the team.

“We all know what happened in Portland last season. We are the defending champions, but we are still the challengers.”

Kobe spoke to reporters about the team's motivation.

Although the Los Angeles media showered the Lakers with praise after their championship win last season, he remained clear-headed.

It's clear that after successfully leading his team to the championship last season, Kobe's mental state evolved earlier than in history.

Before the season officially began, TNT still ranked the strength of each team for the new season.

Barkley once again wrote this list.

However, unlike last year, he placed the Lakers at the top of the list this time.

"The Lakers lost Oakley (retired) this summer, but they retained their core roster and added Tim Hardaway and Brian Russell to further increase their depth. A mature Kobe will lead the Lakers to defend their title."

Barkley also gave the Lakers the highest praise in the list.

The Trail Blazers are ranked fourth on this list, behind the Lakers, Pacers, and Spurs.

"The Trail Blazers' center problem remains unresolved. Billups' return from his Achilles tendon rupture is questionable, and they also traded away their defensive anchor, Bob Sura. Hansen is still the best player in the league, but the Trail Blazers are no longer the best team."

The release of this list has sparked intense controversy.

Los Angeles fans think Barkley truly understands basketball, but Yang Yang's fans think Barkley is betraying his roots.

Barkley used to call himself a Trail Blazers legend, but after the Trail Blazers failed to win a championship in just one season, he started to look down on the team.

This sentiment has also been expressed within the Trail Blazers team.

The veteran players who had fought alongside Barkley all said they would prove Barkley wrong with their performance.

"Commentator Barkley and player Barkley are two completely different people."

Even Billups couldn't help but sigh in Yang Shuai's ear.

Respect is earned, not demanded from others.

After the Barkley kissing a donkey's rear end incident, Yang Shuai gained a deeper understanding of Barkley in the commentary booth.

After Barkley became a commentator, much like actors create a public persona, everything he said or did was aimed at gaining attention.

Normally, this kind of ranking wouldn't attract much attention, but his actions made it a hot topic right before the start of the season.

As for being proven wrong, Barkley would love to be proven wrong, because that would generate another wave of attention.

And look at how Barkley quickly turned into a Yao Ming fanboy after kissing a donkey's ass; he can totally handle this kind of attention.

As for this list, it's also good news for the Trail Blazers.

Just like Kobe still sees himself as a challenger, it is the lack of confidence that creates a "subordinate mentality" and generates intrinsic motivation.

Billups smiled and nodded.

Sensing the coldness in Yang Shuai's words, he felt a pang of longing for Tyronn Lue.

Just as the preseason was underway, Whitsit brought Yang Shuai some good news.

He successfully persuaded Sabonis to return to the game.

To make room for Sabonis, the Trail Blazers will trade Collins to the Jazz in exchange for a second-round draft pick from the Jazz.

The Trail Blazers are expected to sign Sabonis to a two-year, $13 million contract.

Because Sabonis did not play for any other team last season, the Trail Blazers still retain his Bird rights (Bird exception), which allows them to extend his contract above the salary cap.

Giving such a high salary to a veteran who hasn't played in the NBA for a year is something only Allen would do.

However, this is indeed the only way for the Trail Blazers to solve their center problem.

A week later, Yang Shuai saw Sabonis again in the locker room.

After more than two years apart, Yang Shuai shed the facade he had worn for the team this season and went up to give the other person a big hug with a smile.

While Allen certainly gave a lot, Sabonis' return to the NBA did indeed save the team from dire straits.

When the team trained, Sabonis's condition surprised Yang Shuai even more.

He initially thought Sabonis' return was more of a psychological factor, but aside from being a bit slower, Sabonis' competitive form looked quite good.

After a brief exchange during a training break, Yang Shuai learned that Sabonis had not left basketball after returning to Lithuania.

Sabonis returned to his hometown club, Zarjiris, where his dream began.

Last season in the Lithuanian league, he averaged 16.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game. He was the team's leading scorer, rebounder, and blocker, and led the team to win the Lithuanian league championship and reach the EuroLeague Round of 16. He was also named the EuroLeague regular season and Round of 16 MVP.

No wonder the Trail Blazers were willing to give him such a big contract.

It's just that the internet wasn't well-developed in this era, and Yang Shuai didn't pay special attention to it.

However, this undoubtedly gave the Trail Blazers a shot in the arm.

Although the intensity of the Lithuanian league is not on the same level as the NBA, given his current form, Sabonis should be able to play 15 to 20 minutes per game.

The new season will open with two games: the Trail Blazers vs. the Lakers and the Pacers vs. the 76ers.

Both games were highly anticipated, with the clash between the Trail Blazers and the Lakers, the former and current champions, being particularly exciting.

The game was held at the Staples Center.

The Lakers held a championship ring presentation ceremony before the game.

Last season, the Lakers watched the Trail Blazers receive their rings; this season, it's the other way around.

Although the Lakers' championship rings were much more ordinary than the Trail Blazers', the Lakers players all seemed very excited.

Kobe, in particular, had his eyes instantly well up with tears after receiving the ring.

Although he can no longer see Yang Shuai's taillights, this championship ring, which he won after six years of hard work, is the reward for countless days and nights of sweating and training.

Moreover, he was defeated by Yang Shuai's Trail Blazers for three consecutive seasons before finally defeating them to win the championship, just like Jordan in history who was defeated by the Pistons for three consecutive playoffs but successfully avenged his loss and won the championship.

If he can later establish a dynasty like Jordan, then he will truly be compared to Yang Shuai and Jordan.

Of course, the Trail Blazers see things very differently.

For veteran players like Billups and Wallace, this role reversal scenario was particularly stimulating.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups for both sides were announced.

Trail Blazers: Billups, Reed, Young, Wallace, Sabonis

Lakers: Fisher, Kobe, Artest, Jermaine O'Neal, Ratliff. Ratliff jumps for the ball for the Lakers, Kobe quickly dribbles up the court, and hits a mid-range jumper over Reed.

Kobe looked very excited on championship night.

The Trail Blazers started by giving the ball to Sabonis in the low post for a one-on-one play.

Sabonis's physical condition is currently limited, so he needs to make the most of his role when he's on the field, and he has a significant size advantage over Ratliff.

However, just as Sabonis turned and hooked the ball with his back to the basket, Ratliff leaped high and swatted the ball out of bounds. The ball eventually hit Sabonis's hand as he tried to retrieve it and went out of bounds.

This immediately drew a burst of cheers from the fans in the stadium.

Despite Ratliff's long and tedious contract, his defensive prowess is undeniable, especially his shot-blocking ability. As a 2.06-meter center, his multiple league-leading shot-blocking titles are the best proof of this.

"When did they bring Avidas back? I have great respect for Avidas, but he's moving as slowly as my grandmother now."

The commentators for this game were Barkley and Kenny Smith, with Barkley continuing his high-traffic style.

The Lakers started running the triangle offense after they got to the frontcourt.

Jermaine O'Neal received the ball in the low post, with Sabonis guarding from behind, and Wallace ready to double-team.

However, Jermaine O'Neal's offense was very quick, turning around and then hooking the ball off the backboard.

While Barkley's words may be an exaggeration, Sabonis's current speed is indeed very slow for an NBA player.

The Lakers started strong, leading 4-0.

The fans at the stadium also started shouting excitedly for a defensive play.

Sabonis's opening performance made the Trail Blazers look exactly like the Pistons of yesteryear, their glory days overshadowed by the Lakers' potential for a great resurgence.

During the Trail Blazers' offense, Wallace's low-post move was disrupted by Kobe and went out of bounds.

Although the Trail Blazers still had possession of the ball, there were less than 6 seconds left on the shot clock.

Kobe couldn't hide his excitement as he pumped his fist and roared.

As Phil Jackson said, the Lakers' hunger for the championship this season is no less than last season.

With this shift in momentum, the pressure instantly shifted to the Trail Blazers.

Sabonis goes to inbound the ball from the baseline.

Yang Shuai and Wallace executed an off-ball pick-and-roll. After receiving a beautiful sideline pass from Sabonis, Yang Shuai faked a drive to the basket, then jumped to stop Artest, who was chasing him, and pulled up for a mid-range jumper.

The shouts at the scene stopped abruptly.

“Your grandma could never make a pass like that,” Kenny Smith said, turning to Barkley with a smile.

"If Arvidas can help this Trail Blazers win a championship now, then my grandma can too."

Barkley was the most stubborn person in the entire group, but his gaze was fixed on Yang Shuai at that moment.

Compared to Sabonis' pass, Yang Shuai's finish was even more impressive.

Yang Shuai broke through Artest's defense without dribbling from receiving the ball to releasing it.

It's not that Artest's defensive ability is weak, but rather that if he were to try to contest the shot, Yang Shuai would definitely choose to drive to the basket and score.

Yang Shuai broke the Trail Blazers' scoring drought, and the Lakers responded by continuing with their triangle offense.

The Trail Blazers adjusted their defensive matchups, assigning Wallace to guard Jermaine O'Neal.

Kobe held the ball and gestured for Jermaine O'Neal to move to the high post to receive the ball, then passed it to him and went through his back door.

Jermaine O'Neal then passed the ball to Reed, who was chasing him, and Kobe accelerated past Wallace and drove straight into the paint from the baseline.

At this point, all that remained in Kobe's way was the retreating Sabonis.

Since Ratliff's offensive contributions are negligible, Sabonis's retreat was very skillful.

However, when faced with Sabonis raising his hand, Kobe simply stepped over him and made a reverse layup.

This play fully demonstrated Kobe's improved ability to read the game.

He discovered Sabonis's slowness as a weakness and directed his teammates to execute a counter-strategy.

The Lakers' championship win last season was not only due to a more reasonable and balanced roster, but also to Kobe's significant improvement.

Their victory was definitely not just luck.

The defensive chants from the crowd rose again, putting pressure on the Trail Blazers once more.

Reed and Wallace were playing off-ball, but Kobe's puppy-dog footwork was already perfected. He successfully bypassed Wallace's screen and limited Reed to no chance to receive the ball.

But at that moment, Billups passed the ball to Yang Shuai, who had already created an opportunity using Sabonis's screen.

Reed's off-ball tactics were just a feint; the Trail Blazers' real offensive finisher in this possession was still Yang Shuai.

This pass was incredibly comfortable. Billups had Johnson guiding him last season, and this season he's with Mark Jackson, transforming him into a master of all trades.

Sabonis used his solid frame to block Artest, and Ratliff moved towards Young to help defend.

Yang Shuai's shooting motion instantly sent Ratliff flying, and then he quickly started his drive towards the basket.

Kobe then made a desperate effort to help defend Yang Shuai, but Yang Shuai's fake pass forced him back.

By the time Kobe realized it was a fake, it was too late. Yang Shuai took a step forward, leaped, and slammed the ball into the basket with a gliding one-handed dunk.

The shouts at the scene instantly turned into a commotion.

This time, it wasn't just Barkley; they all sensed the change in Yang Shuai.

Every move Yang Shuai makes on the court can easily break down the defense, as if he had anticipated the defense in advance.

Jermaine O'Neal received a pass from Kobe Bryant at the high post and made a mid-range shot.

During the "OK era," Kobe and Shaq primarily served to contain each other, but now the "Little OK" duo has taken the triangle offense to a whole new level.

In a sense, they are an enhanced version of the Kobe-Gasol duo in history.

However, before the cheers from the Los Angeles fans had subsided, Yang Shuai cut to the basket, received the ball, and after jumping and facing O'Neal's help defense, he hesitated in mid-air before passing the ball to Wallace in the corner, who then drained a three-pointer.

On championship night, the Lakers played a near-perfect game in the first quarter, scoring 35 points with a 58% field goal percentage.

However, the Trail Blazers were not to be outdone, scoring 32 points in the quarter.

Yang Shuai scored 18 points and had 2 assists.

The Lakers did try to double-team Yang Shuai in this quarter, but many times their double-teams were too slow to get close enough.

After watching this segment, most of the fans at the stadium thought that Yang Shuai had entered "zone" mode early tonight.

Fans became aware of this condition after Jordan mentioned it in an interview last season.

Once they realized that, they felt much more at ease.

Because that state is extremely physically demanding.

However, they were dumbfounded when the game entered the second quarter.

Because Yang Shuai continued to perform like he did in the first quarter!
Barkley gradually realized the situation Yang Shuai was in.

That's not a "zone," because a "zone" relies on instantaneous processing and response, but Yang Shuai is clearly relying on his defensive reading and acceleration advantage.

It's not as exaggerated as "zone" because it does involve a defensive reading process, but it looks like it's operating the defender just as well.

Moreover, it doesn't have the drawback of "zone" which consumes a lot of physical energy.

Or to put it more bluntly, Yang Shuai has evolved once again this season. He doesn't need to enter the "zone" to break through most defenses.

He has broken through to another level.

That reminded Barkley of Jordan in the 1993 NBA Finals.

At that time, Jordan was in his physical and technical prime, and he was unstoppable from the start to the end of the game.

It seems that Yang Shuai has now reached that level as well.

But Jordan was 30 years old in 1993, while Yang Shuai is only 25 years old now!
Kenny Smith was still marveling at Yang Shuai's outstanding performance when he turned around and found Barkley praying there.

"Charles, what are you doing?!"

Smith was dumbfounded. He was feeling increasingly stressed working with Barkley and had no idea what this guy was up to this time.

"I am praying."

Barkley began speaking after completing the ceremony.

"For whom?"

Smith was speechless. Anyone with eyes could see what you were doing.

"For Hansen's opponents."

Barkley is eccentric, yet very genuine.

Even if Yang Shuai's physical abilities decline, it should be at least after he turns 30.

In other words, as long as Yang Shuai doesn't suffer a major injury, he can maintain this form for the next five years.

Looking at it this way, the wing players who were in the same era as Jordan don't seem so unfortunate after all.

The unfortunate ones should be the "Big Four shooting guards" who were labeled by the media early on.

Yang Shuai's performance remained high-energy, and the performance of the other Trail Blazers players, or rather their execution, was significantly better than last season.

That stemmed from Yang Shuai's strictness during training.

The Trail Blazers are no longer the better team, and they must play at a higher level to beat their opponents.

Continuing with the old mindset won't work; someone has to step up and push the teammates, and be the bad guy.

Yang Shuai, as the team's leader, is the obvious choice.

Especially after he made the decision to return to Cleveland once he had helped the team win the championship again.

Long-term psychological pressure is bullying, but if it's just for one season, then it's a necessary process.

(End of this chapter)