One Year Left to Play

Chapter 504 - 152: W-Wait a Minute!

"Hmph, even at 15, she’ll grow up!"

Grow up? Zhang Hao thought about Britney growing up...

"I actually hope Britney never grows up."

Right after saying that, Zhang Hao regretted it, realizing that it could be easily misunderstood.

However, Aprile Clark had a rather unique way of thinking about it: "Okay, okay, we’ll have a daughter as our first child! I know you’re a daughter-lover..."

"Uh..."

Zhang Hao was a bit puzzled, how did it even come to this?

"Speaking of having a daughter, should I learn more from Kobe?"

...

Before they got together, they didn’t deliberately think so much, but once they were really together... it was as if everything naturally fell into place without any drastic emotional or psychological changes.

Because even before they got together, many people already saw Zhang Hao and Aprile Clark as almost like a couple.

The only thing they hadn’t noticed was that their way of interacting, except for the lack of inquisitive probing, was already like an old married couple.

At two in the afternoon, at the Time Warner Training Center, the Lakers were preparing for tomorrow’s game against the Mavericks.

During the tactical meeting, Del Harris first acknowledged the good physical condition and competitive state that the players showed in training and at the beginning of yesterday’s game.

Del Harris was generous with his praise for their competitiveness, positivity, and willingness to take responsibility.

Before the All-Star Weekend, the Lakers players were in a state of excitement from winning for a long time and their competitive state was fiery, but inevitably, they might experience mental fatigue after more than three consecutive months of competition. After a full week of rest during the All-Star Weekend, the Lakers players adjusted well in this aspect.

Then, the main point came up.

Del Harris said sternly, "We are a team-based team, and everyone should understand that we achieved our current results by relying on the team. When there’s an opportunity, believe in yourself, we need to maintain this, but when opportunities are not ideal, we need to rely on our teammates. Relying on teammates is not a shameful thing, rather, it’s what we should do..."

As Del Harris said this, the Lakers players couldn’t help but glance at Van Exel, who, feeling his teammates’ gaze, was somewhat displeased. Although he was regretful for not making those shots after last night’s game and had actively taken responsibility during the interview, hearing the coach say this still made him unhappy.

However, at this moment, Van Exel noticed that the player he was paying close attention to didn’t look at him with those evasive eyes. Instead, after taking a deep look at him, he started to speak!

Zhang Hao slapped away the hand of the Magician who was sneakily patting him and said, "Coach, you’re right, but as a role player like me, I should also do better. I missed a few open shots last night, and I want to become a shooter that the core can rely on, so I need to live up to that standard."

After he said this, some players had strange expressions...

Indeed, last night’s loss, from a certain perspective, was also because the open shooters didn’t perform well in the second half, so Van Exel chose to take more shots himself.

Feeling the change in the players’ mentality, Del Harris took a glance at Zhang Hao...

"This kid... actually eased the potential conflict between Nick and me..."

The things he said earlier were correct suggestions for the team itself and for Van Exel’s playstyle, but from a certain angle, it was also looking for someone within the team to blame, focusing the potential tension from last night’s grand defeat on one person.

In this role, Van Exel was the most suitable.

Just like the later OK Duo, no matter what problem arose, K was always the one to blame. Who let K, whether in playstyle or personality, be the one who should take the blame? Van Exel was now in that role.

The goal was to divert the conflict. With the remaining 34 games, Del Harris believed it was unlikely to replicate the pre-All-Star Weekend performance, so he had to plant hidden threads. In case any conflict showed signs of emerging, the fault could be pinned on Van Exel.

But what Zhang Hao said shifted the direction of the conflict!

From conflict, it turned into taking responsibility!

...

After the tactical meeting was the free training time.

For playing against the Mavericks, the team second to last in the West, there wasn’t much tactical preparation needed, mainly adjusting mental mindset issues.

Zhang Hao went to the training ground to practice post-up moves. After one set, the Magician came up to hand him a drink: "What you said earlier was great, even better than I thought. I thought you might choose to stir up conflict with the coach to divert the tension and win the favor of the dribbling core, especially considering you don’t already have a good relationship with the coach... But young man, you need to know your limits!"

Zhang Hao saw the Magician’s smile turning especially sly, looking down... there were still fading bite marks and hickeys on the collarbone.

"Ahem..." Zhang Hao ignored the latter part, shook his head, and said, "I was speaking from the heart. I just feel that I’m not good enough. If I could step up and solve the problem at such a moment, wouldn’t that prevent such a conflict from happening?"

Or, divert the conflict onto me... I don’t mind."