vncnus Chapter 66: Showdown with LeBron James! The Battle for Rookie of the Year!
Chapter 66: Showdown with LeBron James! The Battle for Rookie of the Year!
As predicted by Charles Barkley, the "Flying Pig".
In the fourth quarter, the Timberwolves still couldn't find their rhythm.
On the other hand, the Trail Blazers' aggressive and headstrong playing style made them very comfortable to play against.
At this moment, the host who was broadcasting live also noticed something amiss:
"The Trail Blazers' roster is quite interesting!"
"Coach Maurice Cheeks benched Bonzi Wells immediately, and he hasn't even come on in the second half!"
"Perhaps that's why the Trail Blazers are playing with more cohesion and passion!"
"A comeback isn't scary; what's embarrassing is who's missing!"
The camera panned to the bench, where Bonzi Wells sat there expressionless.
His mind is blank now, and he's just waiting for the team to make a trade so he can leave.
Let's look at the field again.
The Trail Blazers are now leading the Timberwolves by 8 points.
With 4 minutes and 22 seconds remaining in the game, the Trail Blazers are likely to win.
This only further confirms that not letting him play was the right choice.
With two minutes remaining, Li He and Rasheed Wallace each hit a three-pointer, effectively ending any suspense in the game.
Ultimately, the Trail Blazers rallied from a 21-point deficit at halftime to complete a remarkable comeback in the second half, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 87-74.
In this game, Li He scored only 9 points in the first half, but then scored 24 points in the second half, contributing 33 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists in total, leading his team to a comeback victory!
The entire match was full of highlights.
Aside from the Trail Blazers' incredible comeback after DNP Bonzi Wells.
The two teams nearly clashed during the match, which was also full of exciting moments.
Kevin Garnett's "fighting and retreating" approach, in particular, is bound to become a topic of discussion in the media.
More interesting.
In this era of abundant guard talent, after 8 games.
The top scorer has reached a terrifying 31.8 points.
It far surpasses the 27.8 points scored by second-place Tracy McGrady.
And the top scorer is none other than...
It was Li He!
Even so, this was the result after the second game ended with the player being ejected at halftime, which significantly lowered the score.
Recent games have proven that no one questions whether Hansen Lee, this notorious troublemaker, can adapt to the intensity of NBA games.
Judging from the current situation, it seems that NBA teams need to adapt to Hansen Lee's playing style first.
Of course, there's also his devastating fist.
Post-match interview segment.
Maurice Cheeks was extremely happy about the comeback victory against the Western Conference leaders, believing it would be a turning point for the team and that everything would move in a positive direction.
When a reporter asked why Bonzi Wells didn't play in the second half, Coach Morris cleverly avoided the question.
The camera focused on Li He.
The reporters asked even more questions, each one turning into a curious child with countless questions to ask.
"Hanson Lee, after Kevin Garnett pushed you, you used the butterfly step. Were you trying to beat him up on the spot?"
Li He remained calm: "Kevin made an offensive stance at the time, and that was the only way I could respond. You know, I never take the initiative."
The reporter's lips twitched, thinking to himself, "How could you say something like 'not taking the initiative'?"
"Hansen, could you tell me your impression of Kevin Garnett?"
Li He said frankly, "Well, what I mean is, as the team leader, when a conflict breaks out, at least I won't back down."
"Even at the risk of getting beaten up, I would never stand in front of my teammates."
The reporter was taken aback; he had been asking about impressions of the competition, not this...
"Bonzi Wells didn't play in the second half. Was he feeling unwell? Could you tell us the reason?"
Li He shrugged: "It's nothing serious, just a simple disagreement between Bangqi and me. Didn't you see? We played even better when he wasn't there."
The reporters were completely speechless.
Hansen Lee's thought process is extraordinary. It's one thing to diss his opponents in front of the media, but he also publicly attacks his own teammates!
This 16th pick is too arrogant, acting like the new master of Rip City and considering himself the team leader!
The last question arises:
"Hansen, do you consider yourself the best rookie of the year?"
2003 was a great year for the NBA draft, and many players already showed superstar potential and were gradually adapting to the pace of the game.
LeBron James needs no introduction, and Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and others are all excellent.
Of course, except for that poor Darko Milicic.
Larry Brown is known for his aversion to using rookies, and he believed that Milicic was "not ready" and benched him.
Eight games have been played so far in the regular season, and Milicic has been disqualified from playing in the first six games.
He finally got his chance in Game 7, playing 3 minutes during garbage time against the Pacers.
米利西奇贡献0分、0篮板、0助攻、0盖帽、0抢断，唯一的统计是2次个人犯规。
The 8th game was slightly better. He played for 4 minutes and, in addition to failing to score in any of the games, he committed 1 more turnover.
Milicic was incredibly frustrated, but that's the helplessness a player can face.
Without hesitation, Li He answered the question about "Rookie of the Year":
"Of course, can't you look at the leaderboard yourself?"
Li He, who averages 31.8 points per game, is currently the top scorer in the entire league.
Compared to other rookies of the same period, LeBron James ranks second with an average of 21.2 points per game.
He scored 10.6 points less than Li He.
The difference is truly obvious; it could almost fit a Dwyane Wade in.
Of course, this also takes into account media coverage and reputation.
Li He is indeed far inferior to LeBron James.
But who in their right mind would study that stuff?
The reporter added, "But many media outlets and experts believe that LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony are equally outstanding and are strong contenders for Rookie of the Year."
"At the same time, it is also predicted that your stats will drop when you are targeted by coaches."
The 2003 Rookie of the Year was quite interesting. Carmelo Anthony and young LeBron James had similar stats, but following the original trajectory, the Nuggets made the playoffs while the Cavaliers missed out.
In the end, it was given to James.
Upon hearing this, Li He shook his head helplessly:
"I don't deny the excellence of these two players, but the theories of so-called experts are utter rubbish, always speculating on unfounded things."
"However, I think some questions will soon be answered."
The Trail Blazers embark on a grueling five-game road trip, heading straight to Cleveland after their game against the Timberwolves to face the Cavaliers.
The head-to-head confrontation between Li He and LeBron James has become a scene eagerly anticipated by fans across the United States.
Li He himself is also looking forward to facing off against You Zhan.