shooting guard era

Chapter 6 6. Preseason War Wizards
December 2004, 10.

The Time Warner Center, home of the Charlotte Bobcats.

Ye Han ushered in the first official game of his career, a home game against the Washington Wizards.

Before the game, Bickerstaff had a request for this game.

Win the game!

For a new army, it is really not easy to win the first game, even if it is a preseason game.

But who calls the opponent the Wizards? The little boss Michael Jordan hates the Wizards the most. He was on this team for the last two years of his career and was finally kicked out.

Whether it's to keep the little boss happy or to kick off the first season, this game has to be won.

Fortunately, when I joined the NBA, I got so many experienced players from other teams. Although the strength is not good, it is still much better than the Magic who had to gather enough players for a new team many years ago and won the No. [-] pick for two consecutive years.

But the Wizards are not easy to fight against.

Last season, the Wizards only got 25 wins, ranking last in the East, but they got top power forward Antawn Jamison this year, plus Gilbert Arena, the most improved player dug from the Warriors with a high salary a year ago Hughes, and Larry Hughes, who can not only score 20 points per game but also play the best defensive player-level defense on the perimeter, form the Three Musketeers of the Royal Forest Army, which is far superior to the current Bobcats.

In addition to the Three Musketeers, other players of the Wizards cannot be ignored. Jordan’s parallel import champion Kwame Brown, who was selected by Jordan when he was the executive chairman of the Wizards, made his debut last season, averaging 11 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. In terms of statistics Unsatisfactory, but his defense is definitely the top in the league, and his single-defense efficiency can even be compared with Garnett, Duncan, and Ben Wallace.

In addition to these four stars familiar to fans, there are also Brandon Heywood, Juan Dixon, Anthony Peeler and other role players who average double figures per game on the Wizards bench. This is a team that cannot be ignored. New forces.

It is very difficult for the Bobcats to win this game!The only good news is that this game is a preseason game, and the opponent may not be so concerned.

Before the game, Bickerstaff announced the starting lineup: Blevin Knight, Jason Kapono, Gerald Wallace, Emeka Okafor, Primoz Brezek.

Ye Han was placed on the bench.

When Ye Han heard the news, he was very calm, unwilling?Of course there is, but he has already prepared himself mentally. When he fell to the second round of the draft, he knew that the starting point of his career would be difficult.

Looking at the expressionless Ye Han on the bench, Bickerstaff nodded in satisfaction, neither angry nor disappointed, much better than he imagined.

Bickerstaff had two considerations for putting Ye Han on the bench. The most important thing was that the Bobcats bench was too weak and didn't have a strong point, and letting Ye Han play during the rotation would allow him to face even weaker teams. Opponents adapt to the rhythm of the NBA faster.

Although the Bobcats are not favored this season, the enthusiasm of the fans makes everyone in the Bobcats very excited.

If there is a lottery team that has just joined the NBA that will have all the fans wearing team jerseys to watch the game together, it is only the Bobcats!

And it's preseason!
North Carolina fans, who had been away from an NBA team for two years, gathered at the Time Warner Center Arena to welcome the arrival of a new NBA team and the Bobcats' first game.

This is a game that will be recorded in the history of the Bobcats, and loyal local fans do not want to miss it.

As the first game in team history, although it was a preseason game, the Bobcats also did some small activities, gave a speech, and after some bits and pieces of activities, the game finally started.

The Wizards started very strong, with Gilbert Arenas at point guard and Larry Hughes at guard.

The forwards are Samaki Walker and Antawn Jamison, and the center is Kwame Brown.

The game starts with a jump ball in the middle circle.

Kwame Brown deserves to be the No. [-] pick of high school students selected by Jordan, and what he sells is talent.

What talent can be seen in high school?Nothing more than physical fitness.

Kwame Brown's height, wingspan, running and jumping ability, and explosive power are the most important reasons why he was selected as the No. [-] pick.

Kwame Brown easily won the jump ball over Blazek, who was half a head taller than him.

Arenas goes first.

Facing Blevin Knight, Arenas accelerated into the three-point line.

Blevin-Knight knew that he would be unable to guard against it, so he did not catch up.

Arenas made an emergency stop jumper!Before Gerald Wallace, who came over to make up the defense, made up the defense, he shot it!

hit!

The Wizards scored first.

Letting the opponent score is too easy!
This defense.

Ye Han shook his head as he watched off the court. Brandon Knight made it clear that he knew he couldn't defend himself and gave up defending.

Offensive and defensive transition, the Bobcats attack.

Brandon Knight controlled the ball, broke through Larry Hughes' single defense with speed, and entered the penalty area, attracting Jamison to fill in the defense and pass the ball to Okafor who was in the gap.

Kwame Brown backs up, misses…

That's right!
Okafor can't squeeze Kwame-Brown, and it doesn't work if his speed and explosive power are strong, so he makes a forced shot!

"Snapped"

Kwame Brown slapped Okafor, Larry Hughes picked up the ball and passed it to Arenas.

Arenas caught the ball and stopped outside the three-point line!

Chasing three points!
hit!

too fast!The Wizards' counterattack was too fast!

5 to 0, the Bobcats were completely overwhelmed.

The Bobcats' twin-tower tactics are good. On the defensive end, Okafor moves well laterally, and the inside defensive end is very powerful.On the offensive end, no matter who faces the opponent's small power forward, the two insiders are misplaced, but no matter who faces the opponent's center, they are all in the wrong position!When the twin towers are crowded inside, it looks very crowded.

Bobcats continue to attack.

Gerald - Wallace missed a three-pointer, and the Wizards got another chance to counterattack.

Antawn Jamison, as the league's top power forward, showed off his offensive skills, flexibly turning his back and playing Okafor, but unfortunately he missed a small throw.

but!

Today is disaster day for Okafor!It was also the day he accepted the NBA baptism.

Jamison misses a shot, and Okafor, relieved, turns around for the defensive rebound and leaps high.

Suddenly a huge force came from behind him, knocking him directly out of the bottom line.

"boom"

Kwame Brown's violent dunk!

Grab defensive rebounds and no one is going to top people!Kwame-Brown jumped up and jumped up to make a violent deduction!
The Time Warner Center was silent. The fans had thought that the team would be very difficult at the beginning, but they didn't expect to play so badly. Even the most famous parallel importer in history could play O'Neal's performance.

Even Kwame Brown, who is a poor offensive rebounder, can play such a performance in the paint. The Wizards' morale is boosted.

After 7 minutes, the Bobcats didn't even score a single sports game, and the Wizards hit a 25-4 super-scoring shock wave!

Finally, Gerald - Wallace made a tip-up and caused a foul. The Bobcats entered the official timeout with a score of 6 to 25.

Bickerstaff put a bad face on his face. During this period, he did not call a timeout or make a substitution. He wanted to see how the starter he might rely on this season could perform well, and now he finally knows.

Okafor walked back to the bench dejectedly. Ye Han did not comfort him, but instead said, "This virtue was hit by another high school student again?"

The most unpleasant thing about Okafor at the beginning of his career was not being the No. [-] pick, but Howard snatched the No. [-] pick. Ye Han's shock immediately inspired Okafor's fighting spirit.

"I'm just not used to it, I'll show you my strength later!" Okafor said angrily.

Ye Han shrugged: "Let them see our strongest defense!"

Okafor grinned, he figured it out, what does it matter if he can't make a goal?It's enough to make the opponent unable to make a shot!
Bickerstaff wanted to comfort Okafor, this is the Bobcats' hope, and he cannot lose confidence.

But Bickerstaff was very surprised to see that Ye Han's two or three words made Okafor full of fighting spirit again, still with anger.

Ye Han was not good at communicating with his teammates, and he didn't participate in their activities. Bickerstaff once thought that he didn't have the talent that a leader should have, but now it seems that Ye Han has a leadership style that is different from ordinary leaders.

"Ace and Steve come on, replace Primoz and Jason, Gerrard, you go to the fourth position to open up space." Bickerstaff began to arrange the rotation, Ye Han and Steve Smith replaced the card Bono and Brezek go off.

"We have to play defense, Emeka, you guard the inside and grab the rebounds. The [-]th position opposite Gerrard is handed over to you, Ace is your main attack, Blevins and Steve are responsible for distributing the ball!"

(End of this chapter)