Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 309 All the Way to the End of the World

It's November, and the wind in Los Angeles is getting so cold that you have to wear a windproof jacket.

Broderick Turner hurried home, hung up his coat, and made himself a cup of instant hot coffee.

Holding a steaming cup of coffee, he went to his desk, opened his Apple laptop, and looked at the subscription notifications popping up. Instead of opening them, he glanced out the window.

Presumably, the Clippers' team bus has already returned to the hotel with the players.

Today is November 8th, which is a very important day.

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers to claim the top spot in the Western Conference for the first time, and also the best team in the league.

10 wins and 1 losses.

Apart from losing to the Rockets on the road, the Clippers have been on a winning streak.

Neither the Thunder nor the 76ers posed any trouble for the Clippers.

In 11 regular season games, except for the one they lost, the Clippers never kept their hopes of winning until the last minute in the other ten games. Usually, they had the game in hand by the end of the third quarter or the first half of the fourth quarter.

As an NBA columnist for the Los Angeles Daily News, Broderick Turner was responsible for covering Clippers and Lakers games.

This year's Lakers team had a lot to offer, with the chemistry between LeBron James and Chris Paul being particularly captivating, but the result wasn't exactly what people hoped for.

Nine games, seven wins and two losses.

Ranked 9th in the West, which is barely satisfactory.

Despite James' repeated statements that he is still adapting and that the future will be very different, many media reporters do not think so.

It's normal to lose to the Rockets, and it's understandable to lose to the Trail Blazers, but why can't they beat the rebuilt Spurs?

It's incredibly ironic that DeRozan, who has been bullied for so many years, actually won against the Lakers.

Then the Raptors' loss to Leonard was even more poignant.

Some reporters believe that the Lakers' current strength is not good enough, and this cannot be entirely blamed on James. However, Turner does not think so. As a columnist for the Lakers and Clippers, he has been covering them for almost five years, and he knows what's going on.

James' dominance wasn't that strong!
He needs more help to perform, and clearly, the Lakers can't provide that for him right now.

Paul shared the playmaking burden for him, Ingram solved his wing problems, Caruso kept cleaning up his defensive lapses, and McGee did his best to protect the rim.

This lineup is not bad; whether it's the substitutes or the rotation players, they are all decent fighters.

In 11 games, James' plus-minus was still negative. He didn't help much; he just won the stats.

Turner saw through it all, but he wouldn't say anything, because even if he wrote it down, the newspaper would suppress it, and if he were to express his opinion on Twitter, trouble would come his way tomorrow.

A super team heavily protected by the alliance and the media?

Turner shook his head with a cold laugh.

Cutting off that train of thought, Turner turned his attention to today's topic.

With the Clippers winning the championship, he had to write an article to analyze it.

The Clippers' rise this year is astonishing; it shouldn't have happened, but it did.

It stood there, dazzling and proud, forcing one to look directly at it.

By conventional standards, the Clippers' roster would have been considered a terrible team, waiting for the lottery results. Yet, they've achieved the league's best offensive efficiency.

The number 117.3 far exceeds the Bucks' 114.3, the Golden State Warriors' 113.8, and the Rockets' 112.5.

Furthermore, their defensive rating of 106.7 is the third highest in the league, only behind the Pacers' 104.7 and the Heat's 105.9.

These are the reasons why they are currently ranked first in the league.

So, where exactly did the Clippers win?

Turner knew he needed to go over it again in his head and organize his thoughts.

Is he the fourth overall pick, Jaren Jackson Jr., who excels on both offense and defense?
So far, he's averaging 11.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game!
This is truly amazing; he was just a hair's breadth away from a double-double, especially with an average of 2.1 blocks per game, which is enough to prove that the Clippers' interior defense has reached a new level with the addition of Jaren.

But Turner doesn't think so, because the Clippers team still has some great players.

Brunson averaged 15.3 points, 5.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals.
This is another surprise from the Clippers' draft. This second-round pick delivered a superb performance, displaying a maturity beyond his years. In just 21 minutes of playing time, he was highly efficient, with a plus-minus of 10.3 per game.

Who else is key to the Clippers' victory?
Turner pictured an arrogant face.

Dillon Brooks.

11.2 points, 2.3 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 4.8 fouls.

This thug, who has only played 11 games but has already accumulated 6 technical fouls, including one game ejected, is heading straight for the league's rule of accumulating 16 technical fouls and triggering a one-game suspension.

Is it Ti Lung?

Turner shook his head. He took a sip of coffee, and the bitterness on his taste buds invigorated him, making his thoughts clearer and more profound.

who is it?

Zubac? He's still on his learning journey.

Is it Juhollidi?
Correct!
This is where the Clippers' greatness began!

The arrival of Juholdi completely liberated Chen Fang.

Brunson can handle the ball and attack, but his defense will always be the biggest weakness of the lineup.

Jrue Holiday is not as good at scoring or playmaking as Brunson, but his individual defense and team defense are far superior.

When King Chen obtained Juholedi, he was freed from position 1; strictly speaking, he was freed from all three positions.

He became the Clippers' freest player.

No matter what position he plays, he will be the Clippers' sharpest weapon!
If the Clippers are strong because they freed up Chen and Wang, the core essence is that the Clippers built a lineup that perfectly complements Chen and Wang's characteristics.

What are Chen Fang's special qualities?
It's about the ability to play from 1 to 3, organizing, scoring, penetrating to create scoring opportunities, and posting up to score.

How did the Clippers achieve perfect compatibility?

When Chen Wang plays point guard, Jrue Holiday can play point guard. When Chen Wang plays point guard, Jrue Holiday can play point guard. When Chen Wang plays a mixed-play inside scoring role, the Clippers can provide a group of forwards and guards to help him draw attention.

Looking at the Clippers as a whole, their 15-man roster includes 11 forwards/guards and 4 centers.

There are 11 forwards and guards, 7 defenders, and 4 forwards.

Among them, there are 3 regular point guards: Brunson, Rose, and Beverley.

The shooting guard position is full of talent, with Jrue Holiday, Lou Williams, Donte DiVincenzo, and Evans.

The forwards are Bridges, Dillon, and Sandwell.

These 10 players, along with Chen Wang, formed the Clippers' outside scoring synergy.

Chen Wang can freely choose 2 players from these 10, and pair them with any two inside players to form a strong offensive and defensive lineup.

The Clippers' strength lies in the fact that these players are a perfect match for Chen Fang.

If we have to point out a flaw, it's that the Clippers' three-point shooters are currently inconsistent; most of their three-pointers come from opportunities rather than individual skill.

Jrue Holiday, Brunson, Dillon, Lou Williams, and DiVincenzo are not true three-point shooters.

But what's scary is that Chen Fang can keep giving these non-professional three-point shooters opportunities to shoot three-pointers.

The Clippers have established a completely new offensive and defensive strategy.

That is to use three different lineups, each with a 7-minute time limit, to repeatedly break through the opponent's defensive formation.

The Clippers are currently the team with the lowest average scoring average, which highlights their strong team spirit. With that in mind, Turner had an idea.

He downed his coffee in one gulp and began typing rapidly on his laptop.

The Clippers are on their way to the new world!

Turner cited data, listed roster examples, and explained the role of each Clippers player in detail, arguing his point from various angles.

Finally, he concluded by writing: "The Clippers are still figuring out how to win. Every game makes them stronger. They crave strong opponents to help them find their weaknesses."

These will all contribute to making them stronger in the playoffs.

Currently, only the Raptors and Bucks in the East pose a real challenge.

In the West, only the Warriors and Rockets can cause trouble.

Whether the Clippers can succeed in this season's league depends on their matchups against these four teams.

That's right, by success I mean winning the championship.

The Clippers are on a path to a new world because they have Chen Wang, a player who far surpasses most players in the league in terms of skill, physique, and basketball IQ.

Who says a group of players with an average age of under 25 can't win a championship?
Before the All-Star Game in February, the Clippers will use their overwhelming record to prove my judgment today.

※※※

Setting the newspaper aside, Chen Fang asked Mazura, "What do you think?"

“I can only say I got a tiny bit,” Mazura responded.

"This author still doesn't understand the essence of basketball." Mazura put the sausage to his mouth with his fork and took a big bite. Chen Fang watched him chew with envy.

It's really torture. Since the start of the regular season, Chen Fang has been in the special nutrition meal phase. He hasn't had a free meal in a long time. Every time he communicates with the coaching staff during mealtime, he has to keep swallowing his saliva.

"We are strong because we have established a complete offensive and defensive system. Of the 15 players on the team, 13 are a perfect fit. Even Lou Williams can provide firepower on many occasions."

"We can keep bringing on players, in the high post, on the flanks, in the bottom corners, and in the elbows, to carry out simple but difficult-to-prevent tactical combinations."

"As long as you are there, this system will continue to function. Any team that wants to beat us will either have to use more fouls to disrupt it, or they will need a better defender to cut you off from the team."

"Dillon and Brunson are doing a great job. They are now the team's second and third in command."

"With the addition of experienced mid-career players like Lou Williams, Derrick Rose, and Jrue Holiday, the entire perimeter game has been running smoothly."

"However, he was right about one thing."

"We only have four opponents, and it seems that the Bucks will be our problem."

"Is that so?" Chen Fang said calmly.

"Giannis has grown very quickly this season. He has the ability to break through the entire defense and indiscriminately dominate all positions. Once he gets going, he is unstoppable."

"Jaylen is still too inexperienced; he can't handle Giannis."

Chen Fang thought for a moment, then asked, "So, where do we need to win?"

"you!"

"You need to be more proactive in scoring and try to widen the gap, but don't forget that the Bucks have the second-best offensive efficiency in the league right now."

"Okay, now that you mention it, I'm really looking forward to this match."

"I thought I was going to save up for the Warriors the day after tomorrow, but I didn't expect that I would have to fight today."

Mazura smiled upon hearing Chen Fang's words.

“You haven’t put in any effort lately, and everyone knows who you’re waiting for.”

“Isn’t it a good thing to use the Bucks as a warm-up opponent and play them first?” Mazura stood up, rubbed his stomach, and said, “Time to get back to the office and get to work.”

Chen Fang laughed, stood up, glanced longingly at the half-eaten sausage left on the plate on the table, swallowed the last mouthful of saliva, and turned to leave.

The Bucks coaching staff are having a pre-game meeting at their hotel.

“We need more wing play to give Giannis more opportunities to attack down the middle,” said head assistant coach Scott.

Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer looked at Van Baker, who is in charge of the Western Conference teams.

"The Clippers have a good top-of-the-arch defense, especially their starting lineup. Jrue Holiday and Dillon will both move to the middle to defend." Van Baker knew it was time for him to show his work.

"As Sterling said, only better wing and corner offense can force the Clippers to spread out their defense and form a double defense, rather than a triple defense."

"Furthermore, I suggest that Giannis should not actively carry the ball across the halfway line, but instead make off-the-ball runs, dropping back from the flanks or the penalty area to the top of the box before receiving the ball and attacking."

Mike Budenholzer thought for a moment, then made the decision: "Let's arrange it this way. Next, we'll have a proper discussion about how to restrain Prince Chen."

"I still think it's better to have Malcolm lead the defense and Middleton cover, but it might not be very effective." Scott shrugged to express his helplessness: "Chen Wang has been in great form recently. He hasn't played more than 30 minutes, but he's averaging 28 points per game, with a scoring efficiency that's almost 1, which is 0.93."

"Not to mention anything far removed, even Kobe didn't achieve that level of efficiency."

"Excellent speed and agility, high basketball IQ, and an incredible shooting touch," Mike sighed.

"I've already voted for him. If he keeps playing like this, he's definitely a shoo-in for an All-Star starter."

"Hopefully we can stop him this afternoon!" Scott wasn't very confident either.

The Chinese are already in the alliance and are beginning to inspire fear.

Five hours later, Mike looked grim, but his eyes were full of relief as he said to Scott, "We did our best."

"But it's no use. Today's King Chen is terrifying."

Both of them looked up at the large screen hanging in the center of the stadium, where the number 21 was clearly marked.

46 points, 4 assists, and 6 rebounds!

He played for 41 minutes, setting a new record for Chen Fang's longest playing time so far this season.

This made the Bucks feel both proud and sad.

Pride forced Chen Wang to give his all, but sadness came from losing the competition.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's 42 points, 5 assists, and 14 rebounds only earned him the title of "empty stats" (a Chinese idiom meaning a poorly executed performance).

The media reporters present watched Chen Fang stand on the court with awe, being interviewed by league reporters. Today, Chen Wang was simply amazing.

"King Chen, what are your thoughts on winning against the Bucks, the top team in the East, today?"

"Respect!" Chen Fang said again, "Respect!"

"The Bucks are definitely a strong contender for the Finals. They are good on both offense and defense, and they have given us a lot of trouble." Chen Fang wiped the sweat from his forehead. He was a little tired today, and his breathing was still unsteady.

"46 points is also the highest score this season. Do you think it can be broken?"

"Of course, I feel good. Although the Bucks gave me a lot of trouble, my free throws will punish them." Chen Fang was referring to his 14 free throws in the game, and the Bucks could only stop him from scoring by fouling him in the end.

"We all know who our opponents are next. What do you want to say?" the reporter asked, getting to the heart of today's interview.

"I'm all warmed up, Golden State Warriors, come on, let's continue our rivalry from last season, all the way to the ends of the earth!" Chen Fang proudly declared to the camera, his words dazzling all the sports media that day.

Los Angeles Times reporter Turner posted three tweets expressing his thoughts, which also represent the sentiments of everyone in North America.

This will be a preview of the Western Conference Finals, and more importantly, one of the main themes of league rivalry for the next few years.

Let us quietly await November 12th, that peaceful and sunny Monday evening.

The vengeful king has assembled his army; he needs the blood of the people of Golden State to wash away past humiliations!

(End of this chapter)