Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 274 Where the Ship is, the Wind is

In the last game of January, the Clippers faced the Trail Blazers at home.

The last time they played against the Trail Blazers was last October. Chen Fang was not worried, but he didn't take it too seriously either.

Many things happen suddenly, without us noticing.

Lillard and McCollum were both powerful, scoring 45 points together in the first half, allowing the Trail Blazers to lead by 72 points, 54 to 18, entering the second half.

During the halftime break, the whole team seemed to wake up from a dream after being scolded by Rivers.

In the second half, Chen Fang began to take the initiative to take on the task of chasing points. In the third quarter, he scored 11 points and narrowed the score to five points.

But Lillard was in great form today, and he competed against Chen Fang, making three consecutive three-pointers to stop the Clippers again.

Turner tightened the restrictions on Chen Fang today. Halfway through the season, Chen Fang has been under the microscope by all teams.

His physical weakness has always been a breakthrough point for his opponents to exploit.

Strong confrontation after a breakthrough, early physical contact during movement, and high-pressure line-stepping that is within the foul scale can all be means of restricting Chen Fang.

The referee of this game also became the protagonist. The continuous disregard made Chen Fang furious, and he protested loudly to the referee with his torn jersey.

"What is this? Are you blind?"

This sentence resulted in Chen receiving his first technical foul in the NBA.

This call almost cut off the Clippers' hopes of catching up, but this was not the worst.

Griffin made a breakthrough and fell to the ground in pain, holding his left knee without any physical contact. This shocked Chen Fang, who was still holding back his anger.

He remembered a lot of things at once.

The loss of a key general completely threw the Clippers into disarray. Rivers then replaced Chen Fang and surrendered early.

The Trail Blazers' duo proudly took the victory away from Los Angeles, and also completely ended the Clippers' bad luck.

A day later, the Clippers officially announced Griffin's injury: a torn medial collateral ligament (LCL) in his left knee①, and he would be out indefinitely, which also meant that Griffin's season was over.

The injury that happened in November of the previous life finally came and was even more serious.

On February 2, the Clippers, who had finally recovered from their rest, faced the Bulls at home.

Facing the Bulls, who were not strong and only had LaVine as the leader, it was not easy for the Clippers to win, especially after Beverley took the initiative to ask to be replaced after a confrontation with Justin Holiday.

In the fourth quarter, the Clippers relied on Chen Fang's consecutive singles in the last three minutes to win this game that did not seem difficult before the game.

The joy of victory did not last long, as Beverly's injury dampened the atmosphere in the locker room.

A day later, the Clippers officially announced that Beverley would be out indefinitely. Rivers rushed to Lawrence's office and scolded him for not doing his job carefully and letting an injured player get away with it②.

Beverly's right knee meniscus injury was not detected during the physical examination. Then Beverly pretended to be stupid and played with the team for a while until he stopped pretending after a minor fracture after this collision.

Media reporters began to look up old accounts and found that Beverly had been playing on and off for the Rockets since the start of the season, and only played in 11 games half a month before he was traded.

It's just that his playing time was severely compressed and the pain in his right knee was ignored.

This is already a Rashomon. Beverly complained that the team concealed his injury from him, while the Rockets protested that the other party had never expressed any discomfort in the knee, and the Clippers actually omitted physical examinations during the transaction process, which was a rare work error.

The consecutive injuries to two main players put the Clippers in a situation where everyone was in danger. The whole team was required to undergo a routine comprehensive physical examination, and the results made Rivers look disappointed.

It is normal for veterans like Rose, Channing and Tony to get injured. As long as they don't have much impact, they are basically treated with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Jordan's back injury has been discovered, and he is in a vague line between being able to play or rest, depending entirely on his personal wishes.

Okafor was found to be injured when he was traded, and Richaun Holmes is also on leave with an injury. Both of them have not reported to the team yet.

When Chen Fang understood, he was also surprised.

A wave of injuries suddenly wet the Clippers' floor.

"How many of us are still able to play basketball?" Chen Fang asked Brian blankly.

The bald man had a serious look on his face. He glanced at Rivers who had locked himself in the office, as if he saw his still angry partner through the glass door.

"You, Kuzma, Harrell, Lou Williams, Zubac, Thornwell, Wallace, CJ Williams. Channing and Tony can only play sporadically. Jordan is not very willing and should rest. Rose expressed that he has no problem, but it is difficult for him to play the whole game."

"That's the situation," Brian sighed.

"8 people?" Chen Fang was confused.

"Only 8 players can play the whole game, and 3 players can take over. The team currently has 11 players rotating. We are considering letting Okafor and N'Jon return to the team quickly, and their injuries are not a big problem." Brian is very clear about the current bad situation.

The door of the head coach's office suddenly opened, and Rivers came out. Seeing Chen Fang was there, he did not shy away and said, "Come in."

The two went in, and Rivers shook the phone in his hand: "Okafor is on the way, and N'Jon will be here tomorrow."

"You have a good eye." Brian smiled.

The so-called recuperation is all false. It's nothing more than the feeling that the Clippers currently have no room for playing, and the agent is forcing him to adjust his body to the best state before playing. There is nothing wrong with this operation.

Now seeing Griffin injured, he immediately realized that this was a good opportunity and took the initiative to come forward to report.

The Clippers don't care about Okafor because they just want next year's draft pick, and also as a backup measure to buy insurance for the fragile Griffin.

Now the insurance will take effect.

As for Richaun, he is actually injured and the team believes that he needs special protection. His early return can indeed help the Clippers who are in trouble.

Rivers looked at Chen Fang and said, "Now it all depends on you, but don't force me to do anything. You can't get hurt."

Chen Fang nodded: "I know, I will pay close attention."

"It's not a matter of attention. I saw the intensity in the last game. I am putting pressure on the alliance. This trend is going to strangle the cradle. If it continues like this, it will be bad for us."

Rivers is very serious. As an experienced person, he sensed that the Clippers' bad luck has not dissipated. This kind of bad luck has always been a vicious cycle. If they want to get rid of it, the key is to control the injuries to players and decisively lower the record requirements.

This is a pit. If you want to fill the pit, you should not fill it up, but quickly evacuate the pit to avoid falling in completely.

"Okafor is a very classic center, are you sure?" Rivers asked.

Chen Fang thought about it, but he didn't dare to say anything. "Everything depends on him coming. We'll know after we practice together."

"Very good, he will be here this afternoon. You go out first. The whole team needs you to calm down now. If you need any help, please feel free to communicate with the coaching staff." Rivers looked worried, but he forced himself to smile and advise Chen Fang.

"Please rest assured. This is a difficult hurdle and also a test." Chen Fang nodded with a serious expression.

After leaving the office center, Chen Fang went straight to the training ground. The field looked empty. Chen Fang took a quick glance, then walked over and called out to everyone one by one.

The first thing he did was to call all the elderly people to his side.

"This is a good opportunity for you." Chen Fang spoke frankly with the window open.

Wallace, CJ, Evans, Zubac, and Thornwell all looked excited. It was obvious that Chen Fang had hit the nail on the head.

"The next situation will depend on us. Everyone's playing time will be greatly increased, especially Ivica." Chen Fang named Zubac.

The Croatian, who had been performing extremely unstably since the start of the game, nodded immediately. He saw the opportunity to play, but the limited and stable playing time made him unable to find the feeling of the game. He kept losing his sense of presence in the fragmented playing time.

"Okafor is here." Chen Fang said, which made Zubac's eyes dim, but the next second Chen Fang hit him on the chest.

"Why, you have no ambition anymore?"

"No, I have confidence." Zubac immediately expressed his opinion.

"Train well, and you'll have a chance to play next." After admonishing his younger brother, Chen Fang walked towards another court.

"At this time, we can only rely on the brothers." Looking at Qian Ning, Tony, and Ross, Chen Fang changed his expression and said worriedly.

"NBA is like this. No team can be healthy throughout the whole process. Chen Fang, you don't have to worry." Tony comforted him. He also knew that it was time for them to show their presence and role.

"Let them all come over, we need more practice together." Tony, as the one with the highest seniority and status, spoke directly.

Chen Fang knew that his thoughts were guessed, but he didn't care. This was a move to integrate the team, and it was what he should do as the team leader. It was also the duty of the veterans in every team to let Wallace and other new recruits practice with the veterans and pass on their game experience.

Kuzma also took the initiative to come forward, and when facing difficulties, he very consciously followed Chen Fang.

With the joining of others, Chen Fang's first joint training as the team leader also started smoothly.

With so many injured players, there is no system. We can only find a sense of tacit understanding in assisting and switching defenses, as well as clarifying the primary and secondary functions of the offense's open cuts, pick-and-rolls, and screens.

After the training, Chen Fang shared his understanding with his teammates. This was the first time this had happened. He had this realization and now needed his teammates to understand what he wanted to do and then have everyone cooperate with him to accomplish it.

"I will be double-teamed more and more often when I hold the ball, so I need someone to start supporting me in the middle circle, preferably from the inside, so that the inside opponents who follow me can get rid of me more easily."

"We have to play some easy balls instead of complicating things. When I call for pick-and-roll, the wings and corners should be more deterrent and force the opponent to disperse the defensive forces."

"The center needs to follow up slowly after pulling out of the arc to delay the opponent's follow-up, so that it will be easier for me to attack the basket."

"When I succeed a few times, the opponent's defensive strategy will change, and your pulling and assisting will get more open shooting opportunities. At this time, passing the ball can form an effective assist, and our offensive situation can be completely opened up."

"What if the opponent doesn't double-team?" Harrell asked.

"Then I will force them to double-team you." Chen Fang answered confidently.

After finishing the training, Chen Fang unexpectedly saw two people standing on the sidelines, one was Bryan, and the other tall guy was Okafor.

Okafor, who is 208cm tall, looks more powerful than Zubac, who is 221cm tall, because of his 278cm wingspan and 213lbs weight. Chen Fang walked over.

Before he even got close, Okafor took the initiative to extend his hand: "Hello, Big Falcon."

"Welcome to your comeback, we need you." Chen Fang was very enthusiastic, but he didn't say more and turned around to do rehabilitation.

There is no need for him to be too hypocritical. Regardless of whether Okafor can play well or not, you have to show the status of a boss instead of giving the other side the illusion that you are a savior.

On February 2, the injured Clippers welcomed the Mavericks at home.

The whole team was in the process of running-in in this game. The mistakes and fouls caused by a large number of new recruits made the whole game very fragmented. The Mavericks did not have a better way to limit Chen Fang. Chen Fang scored 27 points and 6 assists, made 6 of free throws, and played singles in the last two minutes, and still suppressed the counterattacking Mavericks and defended the Clippers' home court.

As the best player of the game, Chen Fang expressed his views during the interview.

"Yes, our strength has been damaged, but this is not a disaster. For others, it is an opportunity. I believe in my teammates. Ivica played very well today. Jarvan's breakthrough helped me. Sindarius' defense was great. Today's victory is worth celebrating."

Then, the reporter asked about Okafor, who scored 11 points and 4 rebounds in his first game. Chen Fang replied: "He is still a talented person. He needs trust and more opportunities. We will help him find himself again."

Finally, the reporter asked about Njori, who played for 21 minutes. He grabbed 11 rebounds today, the highest on the team.

"Unbelievable performance. I am very happy to have him at this time. I am also very sure that his performance is still to come."

Back in the locker room, Chen Fang took the initiative to call the entire team together. Under the watchful eyes of the coaching staff, Chen Fang spoke as the leader in the locker room for the first time.

"It was difficult today, there were a lot of troubles, but we all overcame it. I'm proud of you, guys. This is a good start, and I hope you can keep it up. Next, we will start our away trip, which is a bigger test, but please believe in the people around you. If we unite together, no one can beat us."

Rivers was very satisfied with Chen Fang's leadership performance. When the team was in turmoil, he was the first to stand up. The Chinese not only showed his leadership on the court, but also did what a team leader should do off the court.

Next, the Clippers will be on the road throughout February, first going to the East to face the Pistons, 76ers, Nets, and Celtics in turn.

The All-Star Weekend is from the 15th to the 18th, and the Western Conference road trip will continue on the 23rd.

Warriors, Suns, Nuggets.

There are 7 away games, including some very strong teams. Such a lineup is a huge test in itself.

But Rivers keenly felt that this was a blessing for the Clippers and an important transformation moment for Chen Fang.

Once they get through this, the Clippers will be completely labeled as a failure, and no matter who wants to make any moves, it will be difficult to succeed.

Chen Fang took the initiative to apply for the post-match press conference. When asked by reporters about the current situation of the Clippers, he calmly replied, "We have no problem. Injuries are part of the profession. We have them, and so do other teams. There is no need to bring it up."

"I am very happy with the performance of Okafor and Njori. This will be a shot in the arm for our next away game. I believe they will play better."

"hurricane?"

When a reporter asked this question again, it seemed like a challenge, but Chen Fang smiled.

"The hurricane is always here, and as long as the ship is here, the wind will be here. This is my attitude." Chen Fang pointed to his heart and said.

"We will not fall out of the top eight, and we will not miss the playoffs. When April comes, everyone will see how strong the Clippers are. I can guarantee that this is just the beginning."

Faced with the confident Chen Fang, the Chinese reporters at the scene couldn't help but applaud and cheer.

In the Clippers' locker room, everyone watched the live broadcast of the press conference. They felt their leader's determination and their eyes were filled with fighting spirit.

Brian, who witnessed the scene in the corner, said to Rivers: "This is a typical case of a bad thing turning into a good thing."

"I was shocked by Chen Fang's quick response."

Rivers sighed and whispered, "If souls could be swapped, Tracy's historical status would not be like this."

Brian was stunned. He could hear the resentment in Rivers' voice. If it was Chen Fang in the Magic, he would not have been blamed for the reversal.

In the Clippers' office center, Wenger and Lawrence accompanied their boss to witness Chen Fang's guarantee.

"As long as the wind is there, the ship is there. That's a great saying. I really love this guy. The strong self-confidence he exudes intoxicates me. He is the leader of the Clippers. His spiritual attributes are much stronger than Blake. Yes, you are not wrong. This time, I won the bet." Steve Ballmer's face turned red and he knocked on the table in the conference room excitedly.

Wenger and Lawrence exchanged a quick glance.

Looking silently at Chen Fang who was still answering reporters' questions, both of them felt a sense of awe in their hearts.

Just as Brian said, people who have the ability to turn bad things into good things are very admirable, but at the same time, they also give rise to a strange feeling of fear.

Management is most afraid of players who are very strong and smart both on and off the court, because it means that if you continue to be strong, you will appear stupid and you have to make concessions. It is obvious that Chen Fang's personal charm has captured the hearts of everyone on the Clippers, and he is now the boss of the Clippers.

And just as Chen Fang said, the Clippers won their first away game cleanly against the Pistons.

Although Harris and Drummond of the Pistons played normally and scored 57 points together, Chen Fang, with a group of recruits and veterans, scored an amazing 132 points in the Pistons' home court.

38 points in the first quarter, 35 in the second quarter, and 73 points in the first half.

In the third quarter, the Pistons strengthened their defense, but were unable to suppress Chen Fang, who scored 12 points in a single quarter.

全场比赛，陈放上场37分钟，36分14助攻5篮板2抢断1帽的数据，冠绝全队。

His performance attracted the attention of the entire league, and everyone was clearly aware that as long as there is pressure, the Chinese can burst out with unimaginable fighting power.

"He should be in the All-Stars. His performance is obvious to all." As the loser, Drummond humbly praised Chen Fang.

Harris was unconvinced. He found some excuses, but finally admitted under the reporter's harassment: "Yes, the big falcon is very strong. He doesn't look like a rookie. His performance deserves this victory. We did a good job in limiting it, but it is not enough. This is the NBA. There will always be better people who beat you."

Los Angeles Daily News reporter Ron wrote a message praising him: "Sorry, I have to announce something. There is only one king in Los Angeles now, and that is Chen Fang. In China, all the fans worship him and call him - Chen King."

Clippers team reporter Tomer Azali also posted an excited message on Twitter.

When Blake fell, Beverley was injured, and Jordan was sidelined, and three of the entire starting lineup fell, I thought it was another sad season, and I was used to this kind of ending. But what shocked me was that Chen Fang was like the awl in fate's pocket. He took the initiative to pierce the hand of bad luck that was strangling his throat, forcing the god of fate to give up the fateful pursuit of the Clippers.

Let us get to know him again: the king of Missouri Red Devils, the commander of the Trojan Army, the captain of Los Angeles, the eagle lord from the East, invincible, indestructible, the embodiment of courage and strength - Chen Fang. ③
While everyone was praising them, the main player of the Clippers' next opponent, the Philadelphia 76ers, Embiid, who has been in the spotlight recently, said on Twitter.

Condor? Overlord? Please, enough is enough, we'll roast the condor like a turkey tomorrow in the Vakova Center.

And below him there were rumors about Ben Simmons, so he wrote a sentence and attached three smiley faces.

As we all know, Chinese people never play back-to-back.

Embiid's declaration of war and Ben Simmons' ridicule immediately made the topic of the Clippers' back-to-back games against the 76ers the hottest topic in the United States.

Based on previous practice, both the media and fans found it difficult to refute.

At 10 o'clock that evening, Chen Fang rarely spoke, but his officially certified Twitter account suddenly tagged Embiid and Ben Simmons.

A very brief sentence.

【See you tomorrow! 】

(End of this chapter)