On the Bobcats’ side, Okafor had a good reputation, and both Gerald Wallace and Felton were enthusiastic and cheerful.
Zhang Yang, Felton, and Rasheed Wallace were all alumni.
With so many connections between the two teams, after several confrontations, many players had already formed good personal relationships with their opponents.
The nickname ’New Bad Boys Legion’ for the Bobcats also made players from both teams inherently feel closer.
When Bobcats players were asked about this nickname by reporters, they expressed respect for the ’Old Bad Boys Legion’, calling them ’one of the greatest teams’.
Even Jordan said in an interview that the ’Old Bad Boys Legion’ was one of the two toughest opponents he had encountered in his career.
The other, of course... was not the Jazz Team but the Celtics.
The only apparent contradiction was between Little Duncan and the Lord.
Rasheed Wallace greeted Okafor warmly but was ignored, which made the Lord express his anger with an emoticon.
Player #3 instigating from the side said, "Mr. Crawford, Rasheed’s face looks scary, better throw him out!"
Bald-headed Crawford really wanted to whistle for a technical on the Bad Boy, but he held back, walked away a bit, leaving behind a regretful Bad Boy and a mournful-looking Lord.
When Zhang Yang wasn’t paying attention, Rasheed Wallace sneakily moved behind him and reached out... only to be slapped away.
Rasheed Wallace regretted it; he had watched the live broadcast of the Bobcats and Spurs game, where he saw Duncan reach towards Zhang Yang’s head and get slapped away, and wanted to try and surprise his junior but failed as well.
The Lord, one of the thickest-skinned in the league, clung to the disdainful-looking Zhang Yang’s shoulder and asked, "Why has Emeka suddenly started disliking me these last two games? He wasn’t before; last summer, he even went to the opera with me."
Zhang Yang, "Maybe it’s because you don’t have a college degree?"
The Lord, "You’re the one without a college degree. I had already completed my dissertation defense and got my degree during my rookie season. I’m not like Carter who took three years after leaving college to get his degree."
Zhang Yang, "I indeed don’t have a college degree, I’m only a sophomore."
Zhang Yang, "No kidding, did you forget you were ranked the second-best power forward in the East, and Emeka was ranked third?"
The Lord, "He already blew past me in our last game, and he still remembers that!"
Zhang Yang, "Our Emeka... his memory is pretty good, you know, he had a GPA of 4.3, and I heard that he got a B in one subject when he graduated from high school, and he cried and insisted on repeating the year."
Rasheed Wallace found this statement quite outrageous, but he knew it might be true.
These poker-faced guys really are petty!
The Lord, "Can you talk to him for me? I think he’s actually the top power forward in the East, and now he won’t even hang out with me at concerts."
Zhang Yang, "No way."
The Lord, "Why not? We’re good friends! I was the first one to treat you to dinner at last year’s All-Star game!"
Zhang Yang, "You didn’t invite me to a concert or to an opera, maybe later."
Please, please, please! Will an invitation not do? It only costs a few bucks!
However, Rasheed Wallace understood what Zhang Yang meant—Okafor didn’t like looking at him, and facing him made him play harder, increasing the odds of the Bobcats winning, especially in the playoffs.
Even if Zhang Yang wanted to help him, it wouldn’t be now.
The atmosphere before the game was generally harmonious, but at 5:58 PM, when the referees called for starters from both teams, the atmosphere changed.
Neither side wanted to slip up in the battle for the top spot in the East!
The Bobcats sent out Felton, Zhang Yang, Gerald Wallace, Millsap, and Okafor as the starting lineup.
The Pistons rolled out Billups, Hamilton, Prince, Jason Maxiell, and Rasheed Wallace as their starters.
In front of the benches, Bickerstaff and Saunders exchanged glances.
Bickerstaff: Just knew you wanted to play dirty!
Saunders: This old man is tough to deal with, predicting our fast play.
As Okafor won the tip off against Rasheed Wallace by sending the ball backward, the game began and the Bobcats went on the offense first.
Felton advanced into the frontcourt and passed it to Zhang Yang, who took the ball and broke through!
Driving to the right side of the foul line, Zhang Yang couldn’t shake off Hamilton, so he moved closer to him, giving a bump during the skirmish, pulled back, and shot a midrange jumper... it fell short!
The direction was good, but the shot lacked force as it hit the outer rim of the basket.
Rasheed Wallace seized the defensive rebound and passed to Billups, who pushed the counterattack on defense...
Hamilton, focused on speed, wasn’t faster than Zhang Yang and got stuck.
Gerald Wallace quickly returned, and Prince’s rapid descent didn’t pose a threat.
However, these two weren’t the teammates Billups relied on for defense reversal; Jason Maxiell, tall at 201 centimeters with speed and strong impact, was the key to his full-force counterattack.
But the speedy Maxiell was matched tightly by Millsap!
Maxiell had good athletic ability, but Millsap was better!
Luckily, Billups had mentally prepared himself upon seeing the opposing lineup. He only tried in vain as the fast break didn’t surge; he didn’t force it, slowed down after crossing half-court, and settled into a set offense.
Felton guarded Billups, Gerald Wallace chased Hamilton, Okafor wrestled with Rasheed Wallace, and Millsap pulled up close to defend against the wings cutting in.
Billups isolated and passed... Hamilton quickly moved, took the pass from Billups, turned, and shot a midrange... missed!
This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om