Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 329 We'll be back!

Detroit Pistons.

Detroit, the Motor City, was a pillar supporting America's golden age.

The Pistons are known for their tough and resilient style, especially for Lakers fans, for whom the hardships they endured are unforgettable.

But the Pistons today, like the city of Detroit, have long since declined.

The Pistons' "Fab Five," who once defeated the Lakers dynasty, have also scattered over time.

In the first decade of the 21st century, the Pistons were the toughest nut to crack in the league.

Unfortunately, times have changed. The current Pistons are easy prey for everyone and pose no threat whatsoever.

Chen Fang sat on the bench, watching his teammates easily defeat the Pistons.

The Villanova trio is back in form: Brunson had 15 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals; DiVincenzo had 12 points, all from three-point range; and Bridges had 14 points and 10 rebounds, showcasing his excellent 3-and-D abilities.

The inside players were playing well today. Jaren scored 21 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots, playing with great energy and dominating the court.

Zubac was quite aggressive, scoring 22 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, seemingly leaping into the ranks of the league's top centers.

Sandwell, on the other hand, seemed rather ordinary, scoring 8 points and grabbing 4 rebounds, lacking his previous brilliance.

Lou Williams took a few shots and finished the third quarter with 19 points and 5 assists, remaining one of the team's most consistent scorers.

The Clippers had six players score in double figures, racking up 132 points and completely dominating the Pistons.

During the match, the camera repeatedly panned to Chen Fang and remained still for several seconds.

This is the language of the camera, as if telling fans and reporters that the Pistons are absolutely terrible.

Head coach Dwane Casey, the dark-skinned, skinny man who was the Raptors' head coach last season and won Coach of the Year, stood expressionless with his hands on his hips outside the bench.

This is his first season coaching the Pistons, and the record is neither good nor bad, with the playoff chances hanging between making and not making the playoffs.

He glanced enviously at Rivers not far away, secretly cursing the guy for being so lucky.

There are no secrets in the coaching world. Rivers has been basically doing nothing for the Clippers these past two years. As long as he doesn't mess things up, everything is going in the right direction.

With the support of Prince Chen, the chosen one, Rivers was able to sit comfortably, enjoying both military achievements and power.

Watching his opponents and Chen Wang whispering to each other, Dwayne Casey snorted. He also wanted such a cornerstone to build a team and reopen the iron gate for the Pistons, but he was missing a superstar.

After using DeRozan for so long, he still couldn't take the final step. Leonard finally came along, but it was after Leonard was fired.

The Raptors are currently third in the league and second in the East. Casey could talk about his frustration for three days and three nights straight.

For Chen Fang, this was a welcome improvement; after overcoming a period of difficulties, his teammates had visibly grown.

After leaving Detroit, the Clippers headed straight to Toronto. It was an international flight, and many players fell asleep on the plane. However, Chen Fang, who didn't have a game, was in high spirits and discussing with the coach in the front cabin how to face the Raptors.

"The Raptors are almost flawless." Mazura's first sentence made her stance clear.

He then expanded on his insights: "First of all, all five positions have both offense and defense."

"Lowry, Danny, Leonard, Siakam, Ibaka."

"These five people are among the best in their respective positions in terms of experience, qualifications, and skills."

"Furthermore, the Raptors have a group of players with distinct technical characteristics, including Marc Gasol, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Jonas Valanciunas, Norman Powell, and Delon Wright. This gives them ample tactical support when it comes to lineup changes."

"Whether it's positional warfare or transition warfare, we are not afraid of any team. I'm sure everyone still remembers the embarrassing situation we had last time we played against each other."

"To beat the Raptors, I think we need to play good defense while maintaining a steady scoring output and drag the game out until the very end. That's when we'll have a chance."

"I reviewed the Raptors' loss tapes, and a large part of it was due to their own offensive problems, while a small part was due to the opponents having off nights. These aren't very useful for reference," Brian chimed in, sharing his own opinion.

Chen Fang listened the whole time; he was there to listen, but he never asked questions unless someone asked.

Rivers let Mazura continue, and the latter then began to move on to personal analysis.

"Leonard has been exceptional this season. Since leaving the Spurs, he has taken on many responsibilities he didn't have before, including how to connect the team's offense, how to control the pace, and how to handle the ball in crucial moments. He has demonstrated what a superstar leader should do."

“Before I analyze Leonard, I want to tell Chen Wang that I am just commenting and have no other intentions,” Mazura suddenly said.

Everyone was surprised, but Chen Fang smiled and waved his hand: "Of course I won't overthink it. I know you're focused on the analysis."

I don’t know when it started, but no one mentions Chen Fang’s name to his face anymore; instead, they call him Prince Chen.

There's a little-known rumor that because the Clippers are now the home team for Chinese fans, there are a lot of Chinese reporters. In a conversation between Clippers staff and reporters, when asked how they address Chen Fang, the Chinese reporter replied that they would use a respectful title.

For example, "brother," "grandfather," or even nicknames.

When asked why this was the case, the reporter replied that addressing someone by their first name was disrespectful, as it implies a superior-subordinate relationship or a hierarchical distinction.

Then the Clippers staff realized that calling Chen Fang by his name directly was disrespectful.

Since Chen Fang doesn't have an English name, people guessed from social etiquette that calling him that would be problematic, but Chen Fang just didn't mind.

As a result, the nickname "Chen Wang" became popular, and it seems that he was quite happy with it, so both players and management used this nickname.

Returning to the main point, Mazura said seriously, "First of all, Leonard's offense and defense are the best I've ever seen, and on defense, he puts in more focus and energy than on offense."

"He doesn't have many assists because he seizes every scoring opportunity. From a technical point of view, he plays very hard and without fancy moves. Whether it's a jump shot or a layup, these are the most basic skills, but he's very consistent."

"His strong core strength ensures that he has a high degree of resistance to interference on both offense and defense, which is unique in the league."

"Furthermore, in terms of the system, he won't be as involved in tactical changes as James, but will instead become the most reliable member of the five roles."

"It won't be like Chen Wang, where the team's operations become stagnant without him."

"Lowry is in charge of playmaking, Danny is in charge of three-pointers, Ibaka is in charge of rim protection, and Siakam is in charge of help defense. All he needs to do is deal with the opponent's forwards."

At this point, everyone glanced at Chen Fang, who sighed and nodded: "That's right, that's how it is."

Leonard and the Raptors are a perfect match. With such a great system, DeRozan was able to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, but his lack of defensive ability and leadership qualities prevented him from taking that final step.

"The Raptors' stability on both offense and defense lies in Leonard's non-competitive and high-level performance in fulfilling his duties. As a result, the Raptors have a very strong system, and everyone knows what they are supposed to do."

"Perhaps compared to some other high-flying teams, the Raptors are not outstanding, but they are solid."

"An extremely solid sense of integration between offense and defense," Mazura emphasized.

"So, what should we do to break this?" Chen Fang couldn't help but ask. He was indeed very anxious. If there was one team in the league he wasn't confident about, it was the Raptors.

Mazu then said something that seemed to explain this confusion.

"When Leonard fulfilled his role as a small forward, the sense of security he provided allowed players in other positions to fully focus as well."

"It's understandable. Leonard acts like a tranquilizer, keeping the Raptors from being anxious and impatient. This makes the Raptors almost impossible to find a weakness and allows them to fully showcase their advantages."

"Just like the league said, Leonard is a robot, so the Raptors have also become a machine without emotional fluctuations?" Brian couldn't help but ask.

“Yes, that’s a fair way to understand it,” Mazura replied.

The meeting fell into a temporary silence as everyone pondered how to defeat such an opponent.

“We need more targeted tactics, but once we use such tactics, we will be countered if we use them again,” Mazura said slowly, looking at Chen Fang, not Rivers.

But Chen Fang understood.

"If we consider the Raptors as our final opponent this season, then I personally suggest we don't use them," Chen Fang said.

They were all seasoned veterans, and when Chen Fang said that, they all understood.

“It’s irrelevant; losing to the Raptors in the regular season is no loss. Joe, let’s continue to optimize how to counter the Raptors.” Rivers agreed with Chen Fang’s suggestion.

“Okay, so now, we’ll stick to the old approach: focus on the overall strategy.” Mazura also breathed a sigh of relief.

As a teaching assistant, it would be dereliction of duty to withhold information if there is a way to do so.

The flight attendant arrived and reminded us to return to our seats, as the plane was about to begin its descent.

“Okay, let’s see how far we can go in this game.” Rivers clapped his hands, signaling everyone to return to their seats.

After everyone else dispersed, only Chen Fang and Rivers remained.

"Like I said before, keep a calm mind," Rivers said softly.

In response to the head coach's instructions, Chen Fang replied in a low voice, "I won't get carried away."

Chen Fang understood the head coach's concerns; he worried that Chen Fang would place extra importance on this match because of the special occasion of the New Year.

Leonard's one-on-one defensive ability will undoubtedly force all available resources to be deployed. At this point, it's not time to go all out. As Mazura said, we need to have a long-term vision, focusing on the playoffs and even the Finals.

Furthermore, Chen Fang was very clear about where his anxieties lay.

No matter what happens, the Raptors have a high probability of winning the championship. Even if the Clippers beat the Warriors, they might not be able to win against the Raptors in the Finals.

And because of several encounters, Chen Fang felt that the Raptors were his natural counter.

With Leonard on the outside, Ibaka on the inside, Siakam protecting the rim, and the "Iron Green Law" (a reference to a specific rule in basketball), these are all mental demons.

Suddenly feeling his body sink, Chen Fang realized that they had arrived in Toronto.

This is the hurdle you must overcome on the road to success, Chen Fang, you have to hold on.

※※※

There are quite a few Chinese people in Toronto. No matter why they come, when a Chinese player comes here, there will always be people coming to support them.

Moreover, during the Spring Festival, many Chinese people consider attending a Clippers game in person as an important holiday activity.

As a result, Chen Fang saw a large number of Asian faces at Scotiabank Stadium.

This put some psychological pressure on him, so he didn't smile or laugh during warm-up.

Chen Fang's emotions also affected the other players, and everyone became more focused. In many ways, reading between the lines is one of the most important skills in life.

This tense atmosphere persisted until the start of the match, with neither side exchanging pleasantries.

Chen Fang had a straight face, while Leonard was naturally dull, which made the commentators joke, "Today is a duel between two heavyweight robots."

Clippers starting lineup: Chen Fang, Jrue Holiday, Samwell, Jaren, Zubac.

Raptors starting lineup: Lowry, Danny Green, Leonard, Siakam, Ibaka.

The Raptors won possession early on, and Lowry quickly passed the ball to Danny after crossing half-court, while Leonard was already positioned on the wing.

The two made a cross-handoff run, and Leonard came to the top of the key. Facing Thornwell's defense, Ibaka came up to set a screen for him.

Jaren Jr. followed up and switched to defend Leonard.

Leonard dribbled the ball toward the basket, and after one dribble, he half-turned to look for contact. Jaren was pushed back half a body length, and Leonard immediately took a three-step layup, the ball bounced off the backboard and into the basket.

Chen Fang stared at Lowry on the wing, and when he turned around and saw the goal, he remained expressionless, instead going to the bottom corner to receive the ball.

But then Lowry caught up, and Chen Fang realized that this was the Raptors' full-court press strategy, designed specifically to target him.

So he gave up receiving the ball, circled around, and ran from the sideline towards the frontcourt, while Lowry stayed close by.

Lowry wasn't tall enough, but he had enough strength, speed, and experience. When Chen Fang came to the frontcourt, Sandwell came up to screen for him, but Chen Fang immediately sensed something was wrong.

As expected, Lowry and Leonard switched places, with Lowry standing next to Thornwell, while Leonard stood in front of Chen Fang.

To be fair, aside from speed and agility, Chen Fang is inferior to Leonard in other physical aspects. When stationary, he needs to expend more energy to break free and requires the help of his teammates.

Jrue Holiday had the ball, and his first choice was Chen Fang, but Leonard was already closely guarding him, wary of the opponent's large hands, and hesitated for a moment before passing to Samwell on the other side. As a result, Chen Fang's side became the weak side, and he actively looked for a screen. Jaren Jr. ran out, but Siakam nimbly followed.

Even though Chen Fang and Jalen made a run off the ball, Chen Fang was briefly suppressed by the long-armed and long-legged Siakam when he arrived in the penalty area.

Due to the delay, Leonard switched back.

Unable to find opportunities to get the ball, the Clippers eventually got possession of the ball to Zubac.

Facing Ibaka, Zubac ended the Clippers' attack with a side hook shot.

Mazura and Rivers looked grim; in this Raptors defensive possession, they had suppressed Chen Fang's usually unstoppable mismatch ability to the minimum.

Whether facing Leonard or Siakam, Chen Fang has no absolute confidence in scoring. Against defenders who are both strong and mobile, Chen Fang needs to use more moves or simpler moves to score.

This is where the problem lies.

In the Raptors' offensive possession, Lowry was still in charge of organizing the offense. This time, Siakam came out to set a screen for him, but it was just a fake screen. He immediately rolled to the basket, shaking off Jaren who was following him. At this moment, Lowry was already moving to the right wing and made a half-high pass, which Siakam caught on an alley-oop.

This play also sparked cheers from Raptors fans. The Raptors have had such a great record this year that their home games are packed with fans every time.

The game started 4-0.

Clippers commentator David said seriously, "The Raptors are the toughest team for the Clippers. They lost in their first meeting this season. The Raptors have a strong advantage over the Clippers in every position."

Chen Fang finally received the ball. He used a handoff after a screen at the top of the arc, dribbled back two steps to create space, and Leonard did not press too hard. Instead, he opened his arms, stood in a half-side stance, and glided forward.

With a series of crossovers, Chen Fang had an in-and-out pendulum swing, but Leonard was not affected by the shift in his center of gravity. Instead, he alertly took a half-step back.

This prediction worked. Chen Fang's acceleration allowed Leonard to catch up, and the mere physical contact achieved the effect of slowing him down.

Chen Fang was mentally prepared. He smoothly pulled the ball sideways, used an inside cut to widen his lateral movement space, and quickly pulled to the left with a dragging step.

Leonard adopted a fully sideways stance and used his hand to touch Chen Fang's ball-protecting arm, constantly using physical contact to interfere.

Chen Fang made a feint to get the ball, but Leonard kept his weight on his hips, fully prepared to counterattack.

Helpless, Chen Fang could only gather the ball and quickly pass it back to Julius Erdoğan on the wing of the penalty arc.

"The one-on-one attempt failed!" The Clippers coaching staff felt a sinking feeling.

This is truly rare; if it weren't for tactics, Chen Fang would never have voluntarily stopped his personal attacks.

This was a bad omen, and as the game continued, the entire coaching staff looked even worse.

The Raptors updated their tactics manual, and they brought out Mazura's intentions on the plane.

Not only did Leonard guard Chen Fang one-on-one, but Siakam also switched on defense indefinitely, and Lowry led the defense throughout the game.

Raptors head coach Nick Nurse is a renowned tactical mastermind, and he spotted the Clippers' fatal flaw.

Not only do small forwards lack a second ball-handling threat, but there is also a lack of qualified combo guards.

So Nas divided the defensive tactics into three zones and phases.

The first area is in the backfield. Use Lowry's ability to control Chen Fang so that he can't easily accelerate and become a runaway horse.

The second zone is from the center line to the free throw line, where Leonard will replace Lowry in the center line zone to closely guard him.

The third area is Siakam. No matter who the Clippers assign to the pick-and-roll, the player who switches onto the defense will always be Siakam. His athleticism and wingspan can effectively delay the defense and give Leonard time to get back on the court.

Even if they don't switch back, Siakam can still disrupt and suppress Chen Fang in the paint.

Thus, a perfect defensive loop is formed.

Other teams would find it difficult to replicate this approach because they lack the three players on that line.

Perfect suppression!

This adjective also appeared in the minds of the Clippers coaching staff.

Good grief, we haven't even used our trump cards yet, and Nass has already used his. He's not planning on the future!
Rivers got angry. Now that he understood the Raptors' defensive strategy, he immediately called a timeout.

In fact, it was time to call a timeout. Three minutes into the game, the Raptors were leading 9-2.

Chen Fang switched to the small forward position, Brunson came on as point guard, and Jrue Holiday couldn't be benched; he was the primary defender against Leonard.

Jaren was substituted by Richon. At this stage, Rivers needs a player with inside scoring ability to put pressure on the Raptors.

At the same time, he briefly explained the countermeasures to Chen Fang: get rid of Lowry in advance, avoid being stuck with Leonard, play quickly and move out quickly, and maintain mobility.

Chen Fang nodded repeatedly. This was exactly what it meant when facing a strong opponent; the whole team needed to work together and exert their collective strength to overcome it.

After the timeout, Chen Fang followed the coach's strategy, and as expected, the pressure lessened, and he began to receive more balls.

The Raptors' response remained unchanged; they had plenty of players available. Leonard played for 8 minutes before leaving the court, and Powell came in instead.

Chen Fang also started scoring, and the score difference changed from double digits to single digits.

第一节打完，陈放6分2助攻2篮板，而伦纳德10分4篮板1助攻。

It seemed like the difference wasn't significant, but Chen Fang himself knew that he had once again lost the duel.

Before the other side even exerted any effort, I was already sweating and panting.

That's the problem.

In the second quarter, given Zubac's outstanding performance, Gasol's playing time increased. The Raptors actually have two players of DOPY caliber: Leonard and Gasol.

And next to them were players of near-elite caliber like Siakam and Ibaka.

Zubac fell silent when facing Gasol.

When Leonard returned, the score was back in control.

Throughout the first half, the Clippers were dominated by the Raptors, and the team felt powerless.

Duan Ran also lowered his voice and said, "Chen Wang was not in good form today, making only 3 of 11 shots in the first half, which is very rare."

He won't emphasize that it's because of Leonard; that shouldn't come from his mouth, because hundreds of millions of fans are watching today.

"Perhaps it's because of the Spring Festival that Prince Chen has something on his mind," Ke Fan said, feeling frustrated. If Prince Chen had performed well today, it would have been perfect.

After muting their microphones, the two began to whisper to each other.

"Kawaii is still fierce, completely suppressing Chen Wang," Ke Fan exclaimed.

"Your physique is what it is, and your experience is the same. Being a top defensive player is no joke," Duan Ran reassured him.

Meanwhile, in the away game's locker room, the Clippers coaching staff were discussing tactics for the second half.

The main strategy is to increase scoring opportunities through tactics, which can reduce the pressure on Chen Fang's team.

Mazura wouldn't be foolish enough to say it was Chen Wang's fault; everyone needs to have some social skills.

Chen Fang didn't say anything. He was the most frustrated. After gaining muscle, he was at a greater disadvantage when playing against Leonard, and he couldn't accept this result.

The increased strength is certainly no match for Leonard's steel muscles; instead, he lost agility and shooting accuracy.

If Chen Fang were to blame the team for lacking ball-handlers, causing him immense pressure, that would be understandable. But Chen Fang wouldn't do that; such an excuse would be undignified. His teammates might not say it outright, but they will eventually.

He doesn't want to see former teammates mocking him on podcasts in the future.

At the start of the third quarter, Chen Fang launched a scoring offensive, using his speed to attack Leonard, playing to his strengths and avoiding his weaknesses, and making the most of his advantages to score.

He started making shots, but it came at the cost of enormous physical exertion. Looking at Leonard, who seemed completely unaffected, Chen Fang felt extremely bitter.

He has absolutely no power; he's utterly useless!

At the same time, Chen Fang felt that this was a test that fate was giving him!

For every star player, fate will inevitably pair them with a few rivals. If you can't overcome them, your life is over.

Chen Fang thought of DeRozan; they were exactly the same.

The point difference is widening, and this is happening when Leonard is on the court.

Chen Fang was substituted again; he was indeed very tired, and Rivers used his authority as head coach.

Two minutes into the fourth quarter, Chen Fang requested to play, despite Rivers's hints, he insisted on coming on.

"We lost on the field, and I won't leave the field until the game is over!"

With a resolute mind, Chen Fang made his entrance.

95:81.

The Clippers are down by 14 points.

Offense: keep moving around to find better scoring opportunities, exploit mismatches and isolate opponents, and don't waste any chance.

Chen Fang displayed a tenacious desire to win in the ten minutes of the fourth quarter.

This attitude also inspired his teammates, and the Clippers launched a furious comeback in the final stages, closing the gap to 5 points at one point.

However, Leonard stabilized the situation with two pull-up jumpers and successfully defended Chen Fang, who was trying to respond.

As time passed, Duan Ran bitterly summarized the competition.

"The Clippers never led from start to finish, and the closest point difference was 5 points."

"Chen Fang scored 31 points, 7 assists and 10 rebounds, which can be described as giving his all."

"But the Raptors played better. Playing at home, they were on fire, hitting 21 three-pointers and killing the Clippers."

“伦纳德41分7助攻15篮板4抢断3盖帽，惊为天人。”

"Today's match was incredibly exciting and well worth the ticket price."

"Buzz!" A buzzing sound rang out as Chen Fang stood on the court with his hands on his hips. This was a rare game that went down to the wire and ended in defeat.

Seeing that the others were listless, Chen Fang cheered them up and went over to comfort them one by one, pulling them off the field.

Rivers strode over to him, and the two embraced.

"Sorry, I still didn't win!" Chen Fang shook his head and sighed.

"We will win back!" Rivers said firmly. At this moment, as the head coach, he could not play a weak role.

In a post-match interview, Chen Fang first apologized to Chinese reporters, saying that he had upset fans across the country.

Then, when faced with pointed questions from an ESPN reporter, he did not shy away from them.

"Yes, Kawhi Leonard rubbed me to the floor today."

"It's even more ruthless than last time, that's the feeling I get."

"I'll stop making harsh remarks. I've learned my lesson and will continue to improve, preparing for the next competition."

"That's a long time from now, next season," the reporter pointed out, which sounded more like a sarcastic remark.

Chen Fang said meaningfully, "Who knows? We might come back."

After leaving the press conference, the Clippers' bus took the whole team to the airport. On the way, Chen Fang fell asleep from exhaustion, which moved the others and made them feel guilty.

It's rare to see Chen Wang fall asleep in the car, which shows how exhausted he was during this match against Leonard.

(End of this chapter)