Last season, the SuperSonics secured 52 wins, placing first in the Northwest Division, and battled the Spurs for six games in the second round of the playoffs, but due to mismanagement, their strength severely declined this season, bringing their record down to around 30 wins.
Ray Allen did not hold back either, putting in effort throughout the early to mid-season, but effort does not always yield results. He did not have the scoring prowess of his peers, averaging only about twenty-five or twenty-six points per game, and was unable to single-handedly defeat the opposition, while also witnessing his scoring king contemporaries, one leading his team to the top eight of the West and the other making a push for the playoffs in the East, ultimately accepting his fate.
Feeling sorry for Ray Allen’s predicament for three seconds, Zhang Yang redirected his attention back to his own team.
After a breather against the SuperSonics, the next eight games featured six opponents with 50-win records, one playoff team, and one playoff contender, marking the start of a brutal schedule...
On the 18th and 19th, the Mountain Cats faced the league-leading Pistons back-to-back, home and away.
In the home game, the Mountain Cats lost 78 to 101.
Only four Mountain Cats players scored in double figures, with none surpassing 15 points. Felton made 5 out of 14 shots for 13 points and 5 assists, Zhang Yang made 6 out of 16 for 14 points, Gerald Wallace made 4 out of 13 for 11 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 blocks, and Okafor made 4 out of 9 for 13 points and 11 rebounds, while the rest of the team was completely shut down.
This game clearly demonstrated the Pistons’ targeted preparation!
During the first two encounters between the teams, the Pistons had stuck to regular preparations!
Not only did Riley begin to take the Mountain Cats seriously, viewing them as an opponent he did not want to face in the first round, Pistons head coach Philip Saunders felt the same!
Who would want to face this group of stubborn young Mountain Cats when they could play against the Wizards or Bucks?
The Wizards’ trio of stars, Arenas, Caron Butler, and Jamison, each one worse than the last on defense, wouldn’t it be nice to play against these three?
As for the Bucks, they lacked significant strengths. Looking at their lineup, it seemed like they were decent everywhere, but upon watching their games, one would realize that aside from Reed, the others were too mediocre, barely passing as "not bad."
Shooting guard being a point of strength...
With Payton, Wade, Jason Williams, and James Posey, the Heat had a solid backcourt, and with Billups, Tayshaun Prince, Delfino, and Hamilton, the Pistons had a duo that was confident they wouldn’t struggle—even if Reed had an explosive game and won, they wouldn’t be worried in a series.
Meanwhile, the Mountain Cats seemed like a watered-down version of the Chicago Bulls, with a point guard, small forward, and center who could both defend and play tough games, along with a sixth man averaging 15 points per game.
It wasn’t that the teams feared the Bulls or Mountain Cats; it’s just that playing such opponents meant even a victory would come at a great cost.
In the Eastern Conference’s lower half, the only real threat to the top four teams was the Pacers, boasting four stars: Tinsley, Stephen Jackson, Peja, and the young O’Neal.
On the 19th, the Mountain Cats travelled to the Auburn Palace in Detroit for a back-to-back game against the Pistons.
By the end of the first quarter, Philip Saunders was already feeling the tenacity and toughness of this young team.
They were truly resilient and tough!
Having been handled easily just the previous night, they were still full of fight this evening.
The Pistons, in the second game of a back-to-back, were impacted on the offensive end, managing only 19 points, while the Mountain Cats scored 24!
During the second quarter, a revved-up Pistons unleashed 37 points, showing offensive firepower unseen during the past two years under Larry Brown’s coaching.
But the Mountain Cats also scored 32 points that quarter!
The Pistons’ aggressive second-quarter offense meant less effort on defense.
At halftime, the two teams were tied at 56 points each!
In the third quarter, the battle continued, with the Pistons initially enjoying an advantage but later on, led by Zhang Yang and Gerald Wallace’s counterattacks, the Mountain Cats caught up again, playing to a 29 to 29 tie in the third quarter, ending it with an 85 to 85 score.
By the last quarter, it was a contest of star power.
Billups and Hamilton’s duo advantage became apparent.
As rash as Billups might be, with the twin Wallaces on the inside, whenever it was impossible to shoot, Hamilton was always there to receive the ball and score.
The young Mountain Cats put up a valiant effort, but they couldn’t overcome Billups and Hamilton, both at the peak of their game.
With a fourth-quarter score of 23 to 29, the game ended with a score of 108 to 114, a six-point loss for the Mountain Cats, who suffered back-to-back defeats, sliding their record to 33 wins and 33 losses.
On the 21st, the Mountain Cats arrived in Washington, D.C., challenging the Wizards on their home court.
Arenas, fourth in scoring with an average of over 29 points per game, exploded against the Mountain Cats’ backcourt, scoring 33 points, while Butler was also on target with 27 points.
However, Gerald Wallace and Okafor exposed the dismal defense of the Wizards’ frontcourt, demonstrating what cruelty meant.
Gerald Wallace made 11 out of 17 shots, along with 12 free throws from 16 attempts, hammering down 34 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks.
Okafor made 8 out of 15 shots, plus 4 free throws from 8 attempts, securing 20 points and 23 rebounds, marking the second double twenty of his career, the previous time being in his rookie season.
Together, they forced Jamison into playing like a point guard, making only 3 out of 10 shots for 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Although Arenas crushed Zhang Yang and Felton, they actually played quite well offensively, with Felton scoring 10 points and 11 assists, and Zhang Yang putting up 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists.
After a high-scoring battle, the Mountain Cats defeated the Wizards 109 to 104, ending their losing streak and improving their record to 34 wins and 33 losses, while also dragging the Wizards’ down to the same record!