After reaching the halfway point, with all adjustments complete and in top form, the Chicago Bulls, currently on a winning streak, are incredibly imposing, putting unprecedented pressure on the Bobcats.
Especially for the Bobcats’ coaching staff, there’s a feeling of being powerless.
This feeling wasn’t even there the last time we played against the Lakers.
After the game, Carlisle returned to the office and sighed to his close friend: "Initially, I thought Jack was gambling in the first quarter, trying to disrupt the opponent’s rhythm. It wasn’t until the game was over that I realized he sensed a crisis, which is why he went all out in the first quarter. If he hadn’t led us to a 4-point advantage in the first quarter, the game might have ended by halftime.
It’s just a pity we didn’t hold on at the start of the fourth quarter. If we had resisted Yao’s fierce attack during that period, we would still have had a chance to win."
Vincent: "Yao, in his prime, is unstoppable. He’s like O’Neal back in the day. He only played 26 minutes in the first three quarters and was in his best condition at the start of the fourth quarter. We simply couldn’t stop him. We had the advantage in the third quarter, but Hinrich stepped up."
Carlisle: "Aside from Jack, we don’t have another top scorer. When Jack needs a break, we don’t have anyone who can stand up and solve the problem."
Vincent: "Jack is good enough. We can’t ask for more. Finding another top scorer isn’t easy. It’s very difficult to form a team like the OK combination, and we can’t find an All-Star like Ginobili willing to take such a low salary.
We have Jack, along with Raymond and Emeka, which is already a fantastic core combination. Patiently wait for them to continue growing, and all problems can be solved. Don’t forget, Jack is only 19 years old. Maintaining stable output and being able to suppress opponents with personal ability for a certain period is already rare."
Carlisle: "I know, but we also have to do our work and find ways to make it easier for Jack when playing against strong teams."
Vincent: "We still have room for improvement. If we can utilize Brad better, our offense can further improve. If Paul can progress a bit faster, we can potentially have a setup like the Kings had, with Divac in the starting lineup and Turkoglu as a substitute, always maintaining excellent playmaking points on the court. Our offense can be even better."
Carlisle, speechless: "You’re always so optimistic."
Vincent retorted: "Who told you to always consider the worst-case scenario when things happen?"
Carlisle: "By considering the worst-case scenario, we won’t be so passive when problems arise."
Vincent: "That’s why we complement each other. Someone has to stand up and boost your confidence, right..."
On February 13th, the All-Star break began.
In fact, the All-Star break once had another name, more popular in soccer—winter break. Originally, the All-Star Game was scheduled in January, with a week of rest time before and after the game. But in the 1980s, when Stern became the NBA commissioner, he adjusted the All-Star Game to February, after the NFL season, no longer in winter, and the name gradually fell out of use.
Of course, Stern made this adjustment very well. Over 20 years ago, the All-Star Game was held in January to compete with the NFL playoffs for market share—a mere entertainment game competing with a championship-deciding event...
In 1984, as soon as Stern became commissioner, he adjusted the All-Star Game to February. This adjustment changed the All-Star Game’s role from competing with the NFL to attracting football fans’ attention to basketball after the NFL season ended.
In the following 20 years, he adjusted the previously monotonous All-Star Game, successively adding the Slam Dunk Contest, Three-Point Contest, Rookie Challenge, and Skills Challenge, creating today’s rich and globally high-profile All-Star Weekend.
This timing adjustment also divided the regular season into the beginning, middle, and end phases, as referred to by the media, providing more topics and simultaneously enhancing the influence of the Christmas battle, achieving multiple benefits.
Each year, more than 60 players participate in the All-Star Weekend, leaving more than 85% of NBA players with a pure vacation starting after the 52nd game. Even players participating in the All-Star Game, like All-Star starter Okafor, take their wife, kids, and nephews for a two-day, one-night trip to Hot Spring City.
Another All-Star starter, Yao Ming, after winning last night’s game, was thrilled. Today, he went to visit a nearby university with Ye Li.
Felton, who is participating in the Skills Challenge, flew to New Orleans early this morning, right after last night’s game.
He had arranged with Paul to find a safe nightclub and was determined to take a New Orleans hottie back to the hotel without getting robbed—a bold objective.
It’s Monday today. No games in North Carolina. Harden only had one class in the morning, so he and Tatum traveled to Charlotte to hang out with Zhang Yang, only to find out that Zhang Yang was going to the gym for training in the afternoon!
Since they were already there, what else could they do but train together?
They trained together all afternoon. By dinnertime, Harden and Tatum finally got to enjoy a good meal. At 19 and 20 years old, these young guys gorged themselves, leaving the table spotlessly clean.
After dinner, Harden, patting his now bulging belly, praised Zhang Chen’s uncle’s culinary skills, to which Zhang Chen smiled, feeling gratified for the emotional value Harden added.
After Zhang Yang’s parents left, Harden complained to Zhang Yang: "You have to play a hundred games a season. On the rare occasion you have a few days off, you’re still hanging out at the training ground."