From Yao Ming’s words, Zhang Yang inferred that no one might have ever discussed the issue of weight on health with Yao. The Rockets needed him to play with more dominance to make money, and so did Yao’s team. After Yao gained weight, the media frenzy indeed went wild, with fans influenced by the media...
However, Zhang Yang didn’t offer any more advice and shifted the conversation to other topics. Bringing it up was just enough; dwelling on it would only annoy people.
October 31, the first day of the NBA regular season arrived.
Today, the league scheduled only two games, the Miami Heat hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers at home, and the Houston Rockets welcoming the Charlotte Bobcats.
Both games had great appeal, "America’s Son" versus "the first FMVP of the ’03 class," and the China Derby. The media hyped these two topics.
But contrary to the media’s expectations, the hottest topic among fans today was not the games themselves but why the league didn’t arrange for a Yao versus Shaq showdown, why not schedule James versus the New Bad Boys Legion?
Were they afraid the defending champions would get hammered? Or that "America’s Son" would get hammered?
Obviously, these two matchups excited the fans more in America.
Of course, in China’s basketball circle, the China Derby was the hottest topic of the day.
At 7:40 p.m., the Toyota Center, the Bobcats entered the arena first.
The domestic tourists and Chinese immigrants present to watch the game warmly cheered for Zhang Yang, their voices outweighing the boos of the other fifteen thousand spectators.
This away game atmosphere was simply amazing.
Zhang Yang shook his head, cast aside the discomfort, and looked towards the opposing team’s tunnel.
Yao Ming, McGrady, McGrady.
Finally, he was competing on the same court as the Yao-McGrady duo!
Seeing Yao Ming on the court, that sense of oppression as an opponent was overwhelming!
If Zhang Yang remembered correctly, Yao Ming played less than 50 games this season but made the second team; one could imagine how strong he was!
However, one of the "Big Three" looked quite different from what Zhang Yang saw when playing against the Kings last year.
Was it because he lost $30 million and only got $5 million, drowning his sorrows in booze and ending up like Vin Baker? His chin had joined with his shoulders!
In the morning’s preparation, Zhang Yang and his Big Brother Group teammates talked about Bonzi Wells, and he thought Matt Carroll’s guess made sense—Bonzi was 30 years old and thought he could get his last big contract this summer, so he wanted to cash in big, but he didn’t expect to be ignored.
Before the game, Zhang Yang and Yao Ming had a friendly photo op for the cameras. Once the game started, both wanted to explode against each other tonight.
Zhang Yang: To suppress the Rockets and steal their sponsors!
Yao Ming: To avenge last season’s sweep, this season is a must!
Their friendship was good, but it had nothing to do with the court.
At 8 p.m., the game started, Okafor won the jump ball against Yao Ming, and the Bobcats took the first possession.
The Bobcats’ starters: Felton, Zhang Yang, Gerald Wallace, Okafor, Perkins.
The Rockets’ starters: Alston, McGrady, Shawn Battier, Juwan Howard, Yao Ming.
Zhang Yang received the ball knocked back by Okafor and advanced to the frontcourt... very disappointed.
He had asked Big Fatty Neal to give him the first opportunity to attack, wanting to go one-on-one with McGrady, but McGrady ended up defending Gerald Wallace!
Zhang Yang passed the ball to Felton and returned to the established tactics. Felton against Alston was a definite advantage.
Alston defended with a good attitude and grit... but was faked out by Felton’s move, retreating two steps.
Felton collected the ball, stepped back, and jumped, three-pointer on the way... the opportunity was there, but unluckily it didn’t fall.
Yao Ming judged the ball’s landing spot, took a step across to the right side of the basket, spread his left arm to block the charging Okafor and Gerald Wallace, and Juwan Howard grabbed the defensive rebound.
Zhang Yang, Perkins, and Felton quickly got back in place for defense; though the Rockets had a slower rhythm, Alston’s fast break had to be guarded.
Yao Ming’s positioning just now showed Zhang Yang that the giant center had a deeper understanding of how to use his body.
Last season, in the opener, once Yao Ming secured his position, he would jump to grab the ball, reflexively making such a move even when setting screens for teammates.
But not this time. After blocking the opponents, Yao Ming passed the rebound opportunity to his teammate, reducing his exertion and the pressure on his knees and feet.
Alston, taking the ball and seeing the opponents had retreated to the midcourt, slowed the pace and advanced; after reaching the frontcourt, he ignored McGrady asking for the ball, choosing to pass to Yao Ming instead.
Unlike Bob Sura, Alston knew who had helped him earn all those endorsement fees.
Yao Ming went one-on-one, Perkins grimaced, struggling to hold his ground... but didn’t manage to create enough time for a double team from Okafor.
Yao Ming shoved Perkins under the hoop with a couple of bumps, turned, and slammed the ball into the basket with one hand!
It was simply brutal!
Zhang Yang watched Yao Ming run back down the court with a clenched fist, realizing that just watching Yao Ming play now, it was hard to feel nostalgic for the lighter Yao Ming. No wonder even after understanding the impact of weight gain on health and having experienced it last season, Yao Ming wasn’t too interested in losing weight.
He was genuinely strong!
In the transition to offense, Felton continued his solo effort against Alston, missing again but not affecting his confidence.
Lil’ bro said, "If you miss, the next shot must be taken even more decisively so the opponent can’t afford to leave you open."
But during the last defensive play, Alston had received a tip from Battier: defend the shot, allow penetration.
Only then did Alston realize, with the Little Giant under the hoop, there was nothing to fear.
Felton’s fake drive was closely contested, turning into a genuine drive and bulldozing past Alston into the lane, approaching the no-charge zone... he chose to pass.
The Little Giant looked even more intimidating than Shaq!
Okafor, leaning on Juwan Howard, received the pass, turned and took a mid-range jumper... it didn’t go in either!
Yao Ming turned towards the front of the hoop, extended his arms, blocking Felton on his left and Gerald Wallace on his right. As the ball bounced off, Yao Ming was about to jump to rebound... when a collision came from behind!
Yao Ming, looking up, saw a hand extending over his head, tapping the ball back into the hoop!
The color of that arm... damn it, Zhang San!