One Year Left to Play

Chapter 393 - 116: Crazy December!

However, tonight they suffered another blow... This time it’s not injuries, but instead it’s led by an unnamed Lakers rookie with the number 8, who seems to pound them as if there’s some deep-seated hatred!

Zhang Hao can always find something exciting—this damn Blazers team traded Sean Respet, their number 8 pick from the Pistons trade, and didn’t keep him.

Sean Respet is playing for the Bucks, even though the Lakers can easily beat the Bucks, they only play twice a year and can’t add more lifespan to Mr. Zhang each time!

There’s plenty to motivate Zhang Hao to exert all his strength, and his high spirits also influenced his teammates, pounding the Blazers who were missing four key players!

Zhang Hao gets the ball and finds a way to shoot. Originally, the Blazers had a player very suitable to defend him, Clifford Robinson, but Clifford Robinson is injured. The Blazers’ perimeter defense tried to stop him as if his jersey number was multiplied by 3, yet he takes tough shots against them, while the inside players are easily bypassed by him...

And it’s all about attacking the rim!

Just how tragic is the Blazers’ center position?

The white center Chris Dudley, averaging 5.1 points with only 45% shooting accuracy, is starting for them.

This player, picked 6th in the 4th round of the 87 draft, in his first seven years played fewer starting games than in these two years with the Blazers...

Paul Allen wants to smoke desperately on the sidelines—how did we provoke this rookie? We have no hatred with him, our injured twin towers even spoke well of this rookie... Maybe after his contract is up, we’ll spend money to bring him over?

Good idea!

On the other side, Del Harris also wants to smoke, tonight Zhang Hao took 23 shots before the third quarter ended... and here comes the 24th shot! Oh, he still knows how to score!

shots, 11 made, only 2 of 9 on three-pointers... shooting without limits!

If you count free throws, Zhang Hao took about 10 shots each quarter!

of 11 shooting, 3 of 10 from three, plus 8 of 9 free throws, Zhang Hao scored 34 points!

When three quarters were over, Zhang Hao played 32 minutes, shooting 11 of 24 including 3 of 10 threes, plus 10 of 11 free throws, achieving 36 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block before being substituted.

points short... But the Blazers are about to explode, it’s clear to everyone that Zhang Hao wants to use them, depleted of players, to pad his stats!

to 58, after three quarters the Lakers were 24 points ahead.

Del Harris saw Zhang Hao’s indifferent face flash with dissatisfaction, coldly snorting in his heart: "If we weren’t leading, I would have replaced you a long time ago..."

But Zhang Hao’s decisive shooting is exactly what management and the coaching group want to see. Why trade away Sibaros?

A more reasonable lineup is one reason, but also to give Zhang Hao more shooting rights and more room.

Doug Christie almost seamlessly integrated, playing really well with 12 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals tonight.

Donyell Marshall is still getting into rhythm, during the first half of this season the Warriors benched him. He hasn’t had stable playing time for too long, it will take a while.

The Lakers’ goal is certainly still to make some waves in the playoffs, but cultivating talented rookies is a higher-level target.

In games with easy wins, Zhang Hao should take more shots.

...

Two consecutive games with over 30!

Zhang Hao, who’s been in the spotlight after the Christmas classic, continued to be on fire!

He truly performed well against the Spurs, and against the Blazers... bullied them because they lacked suitable defenders; he relied on the lead to shoot recklessly to get high scores.

But who cares about the process?

When playing against the Spurs, many saw Zhang Hao’s truly outstanding performance, and playing against the Blazers there was no broadcast, no one paid much attention to the process, just seeing Zhang Hao ultimately scoring 36 points in 24 shots helping the Lakers win.

wins, 8 losses, the Lakers, since acquiring Zhang Hao, played 12 wins, 3 losses in December which was such a tough schedule!

The Lakers before trading for Zhang Hao, in November played exactly 15 games, with a record of 10 wins, 5 losses.

Which means, after the trade that people thought the entire Lakers management drowned in water to make, the Lakers record not only didn’t decline but improved, and after the Spurs lost to the Rockets, the Lakers caught up to second place in the West!

During December, media and fans didn’t feel much about this aspect.

Back then it just seemed like Zhang Hao’s personal performance repeatedly shocked people, now when it’s time for year-end assessment, Zhang Hao joining the Lakers showed how insane his performance has been!

...

On December 31st, the Lakers arrived at Salt Lake City, facing their second opponent of the two-game road trip, the Utah Jazz.

Rest for one night, tomorrow will be the away challenge against the Utah Jazz.

The last day of 1995 has arrived, and 1996 is coming soon.

January 1st, this so-called holiday is quite awkward, Europeans and Americans celebrate Christmas, Asians celebrate Spring Festival, anyway Zhang Hao doesn’t care.

Upon reaching the hotel, Zhang Hao focused on researching tomorrow’s opponent.

First match of the new year, want to start with a good beginning!

Soon will face Malone...

Zhang Hao unexpectedly finds himself excited, remembering the last encounter with the Utah Jazz, where he was miserably abused, this excitement even scares himself.

"Am I a masochist? Bah bah bah... It’s just excitement meeting a future MVP... Damn! Malone will be 33 after this season, and he’s still a future MVP! Is there any justice..."

While Zhang Hao is ranting, text suddenly pops up.

"Special contract player Zhang Hao has performed spectacularly after joining the Lakers, averaging 28.2 points in 15 games, ranking second in scoring among all NBA players in December 1995 with only Michael Jordan ahead at 30.3 points per game, helping the Lakers achieve a 12-3 record, second in December only to the Blazers at 12-2 and the Bulls at 14-2, stirring up the basketball world, becoming the top candidate for December’s player of the month, China’s nickname translated to the United States, Fucker-sky begins to circulate in the North American region...

Mission: Rookie Skybreaker triggered.

Goal: To be selected as an All-Star starter..."