Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 350 Warriors Dynasty VS Clippers Era
No one expected the Trail Blazers to be so incompetent.

It's as if the Trail Blazers' seven-game battle with the Nuggets was just a pipe dream.

On May 4, the second round between the Clippers and the Trail Blazers tipped off at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The 20773 spectators present witnessed the home team's invincibility.

Sitting closest to the Clippers' bench, Qin Changzheng was thrilled, witnessing the highest level of competition on the planet up close. Every second felt like eating a ginseng fruit.

Unbeknownst to him, CCTV and Tencent Sports had been discussing him extensively, going on and on about him.

"Qin Changzheng was selected by Blue Ocean last summer and is one of the 50 students who went to the United States to study at American high schools."

"He attends Chen Wang's alma mater, Chaminard, and is the starting shooting guard for the first team."

"Not long ago, he became a player for the Midwest Late Spring team, the Pegasus. A few days ago, he played an invitational game against Bradford Christ School, which is ranked tenth in North America. He scored an amazing 21 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks."

"According to the latest EPSN US high school assessment, Qin Changzheng has been awarded the title of a four-star high school student. He just turned 16 this year and is hailed as the next Chen Fang."

"His playing style is extremely fierce and sharp, his scoring pattern is very similar to Chen Wang's, and his pull-up jump shot is unforgettable. His future is worth looking forward to."

Duan Ran's words also reached thousands of households through the internet, and Qin Changzheng immediately became the most envied and watched figure in Chinese school basketball.

Xi Shilun watched the game quietly in his dormitory with his teammates. Although the channel he watched didn't mention an Asian face in the front row, Xi Shilun still recognized Qin Changzheng at a glance.

Don't say how bad it is, at least you're feeling down.

The two kept in touch and shared their daily lives. Compared to Qin Changzheng's rocket-like treatment, Xi Shilun seemed quite ordinary.

He moved back and forth between the first and second teams, mainly playing for the second team and then going to the first team as a substitute in the rotation to earn a few minutes of playing time.

Although his teammates and classmates encouraged him and thought he was the next Chen Wang, Xi Shilun knew very well that this was obviously impossible.

He is already 17 years old, and anyone who is eligible to participate in the draft is already a household name in the state and famous throughout the United States at the age of 17.

It wasn't until I came to the United States that I realized what it meant to be surrounded by geniuses and have so many outstanding talents.

In this forest of basketball, he was just an inconspicuous sapling in a grove at the foot of the mountain.

Having heard about Qin Changzheng's recent situation, he was selected for the Midwest Late Spring Team. This year, the Midwest only formed two teams, with a total of 15 people.

These 15 people were selected from 12 states, including Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, and Minnesota.

They are all the best high school players in the state, and each one is a king among geniuses with a halo of honors.

Chen Wang really liked Qin Changzheng; everyone could tell back in the training camp.

But Qin Changzheng is truly promising and has made something of himself!

In the late spring level, scoring 21 points is hard for Xi Shilun to imagine; even his breathing becomes heavy.

The camera panned across Qin Changzheng's face again, and Xi Shilun sighed deeply and stood up.

"Wash it! Aren't you going to watch it anymore?" asked Allen, my roommate and teammate on Team 2.

"Okay, I'll go to the stadium to shoot a ball."

“Then I’ll go too.” Allen stood up.

"You're not watching? Aren't you a Trail Blazers fan?" It was Xi Shilun's turn to be puzzled.

Allen looked dejected: "I'm not watching anymore. We can't beat them at all. I really can't understand it. Are the Clippers really that strong?"

Xi Shilun didn't know how to respond to this, so he could only pat his roommate on the shoulder in comfort.

Allen's opinion is also the opinion of Trail Blazers fans.

From the start, the Trail Blazers' backcourt duo was completely suppressed.

Jrue Holiday, on the eve of his career peak, was tasked with guarding Lillard, causing the latter to miss many scoring opportunities.

CJ's opponent is Dillon, a terrible nightmare.

Compared to Jrue Holiday, Dillon's defense wasn't outstanding, but he was dirty.

His mouth was dirty, his hands were dirty, his feet were dirty, and every part of his body reeked of a foul stench.

McCollum's mentality was completely shattered by Dillon; not to mention handling the ball, even receiving it was a disgusting experience.

Anyone would feel uncomfortable if someone kept spouting nonsense at you from beginning to end, while also making small, disruptive gestures.

Then McClum retorted, "Is King Chen so annoyed with you that he's trying to get rid of you through a deal?"

Dillon was stunned for a moment, his brain not quite processing it.

"Like Kobe Bryant, after playing against the Rockets, immediately recruited Artest?"

Just as Dillon was stunned, McCollum suddenly accelerated, received the ball on the wing, and launched a three-pointer.

His first three-pointer has finally arrived.

The score is now 58-46.

The 12-point difference was also the smallest in the first half.

The Clippers came out firing on all cylinders, taking a 16-point lead by the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Brunson, DiVincenzo, and Bridges came on as substitutes, and their height and defensive abilities were more than enough to handle the Trail Blazers' starters.

By rotating players into the starting lineup and maintaining the same level of intensity, it's clear to anyone with a discerning eye that the Trail Blazers are doomed.

Before the Trail Blazers could even celebrate, Brunson went one-on-one against Lillard, using a step-back jumper to sink a mid-range shot, bringing his score to double digits and reaching 11 points.

That wasn't the end of it. In the next possession, Richon protected the rim and disrupted Nurkic's hook shot. After grabbing the rebound, he immediately passed it to Brunson, who then accelerated up the court.

Facing Lillard's lead defense, he changed direction to get past him and passed the ball to Bridges, who had just positioned himself.

He caught the ball and immediately launched a three-pointer, hitting his second three-pointer of the day and bringing the score back to 17 points.

They were heading towards the rhythm of clapping flowers again.

Fortunately, the buzzer sounded to signal the end of the first half, and the Trail Blazers scrambled to the locker room.

"The Clippers have crushed the Trail Blazers!" Several commentators exclaimed in the CCTV studio.

All pre-game predictions failed to come true. The Trail Blazers were completely trapped by the Clippers' impenetrable defense and were unable to withstand the Clippers' sharp transition offense.

Yang Yi, Yang Jian, and Su Qun all had smiles on their faces; the Clippers were sure to win this game.

Judging from their knowledge and abilities, it's highly likely they've made a mistake.

"The Trail Blazers are strong because of their two outside shooters, while the Clippers' perimeter defense is among the top three in the league, second only to the Raptors."

"Lillard and McCollum are relatively short players, and they have an advantage in speed, but they will have a very difficult time against Dillon, Jrue Holiday, and Chen Fang's help defense," Yang Yi analyzed.

"The Trail Blazers' interior defense isn't particularly strong; both Jaren and Zubac can handle it easily."

"Right now, it's a complete domination. Even if the Clippers are down by 20 points, they can hold back. If Chen and Wang step up their game in the second half, they'll blow the game out in three quarters."

Yang Yi's eloquent speech went unchallenged; both Su Qun and Yang Jian nodded in agreement.

These are all facts. In fact, a few days ago, during the Trail Blazers and Nuggets' Game 7, everyone was chatting about it after dinner.

Playing against the Nuggets is definitely more difficult than playing against the Trail Blazers, but I didn't expect the Trail Blazers to perform so poorly.

The atmosphere in the two locker rooms was also different.

Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts was in a terrible mood. Although he had anticipated being suppressed in the pre-game tactics, he did not expect that there would be no competition at all.

With the help of his assistant coach, he presented the tactical plan for the second half.

"All the inside players move up to set screens for the outside players. We don't need the inside players anymore. All our offense should start from the outside. We should shoot whenever we have the opportunity, then cut to the basket and attack the rim, trying to score as many points as possible."

"Damian, Seth, CJ, Farooq, Morris."

"You five go up in the third quarter and look for every opportunity to catch up."

This was the best solution Terry Stotts could think of; now all he could do was hope for a power spike from the dual pistols.

The atmosphere in the Clippers' locker room was very relaxed.

Chen Fang only played for 12 minutes in the first half, letting others take the lead. As the game progresses, it's important to give role players more opportunities to boost their confidence.

Mazura is strategizing.

"No matter how the Trail Blazers changed their lineup in the second half, they couldn't solve one problem."

"So, besides the two gunners, who else can score?"

"Therefore, even after a pick-and-roll or screen, we need to focus on those two immediately and ignore the others."

"Occasional scoring won't change the overall situation."

"Offensively, they lack height, so the flanks and corners will be difficult to estimate. Bridges, DiVincenzo, Thornwell, Beverley, Lou Williams, Rose."

"Use more space to play reasonable ball, be more decisive in your shots, and in the third quarter we need to build a lead that will force the Trail Blazers to give up."

After giving her instructions, Mazura looked at Chen Fang, but Chen Fang shook his head; there was no need for him to say anything at this point.

Qin Changzheng was talking to Sun Lexian. Chen Fang had given them two tickets today, originally three, but Wu Zhen didn't want to come.

"Brother Sun, I feel like they're so fast!" Qin Changzheng said, expressing his feelings.

"Yeah, very fast!" Sun Lexian laughed. "Isn't it faster than high school?"

"Much faster, the movements are very simple, the rhythm is so fast, the repeated running, the muscles are cracking and popping."

That's the advantage of sitting in the first row—the visuals and sound are top-notch, and you can even clearly hear what the players on the field are saying.

"Feeling pressured?" Sun Lexian asked.

Qin Changzheng shook his head: "I can do it even faster than them!"

These words surprised Sun Lexian. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that Qin Changzheng had broken down.

"On the condition that I have three years!" the boy said, feeling embarrassed.

“Five years!” Sun Lexian didn’t take it seriously. He repeated, “If you can maintain this pace on the court in five years, you’re at the NBA level.”

"21 years old?" Qin Changzheng muttered to himself, "Let's say three years. I want to go to the NBA at 19."

"You really want to compete against Chen Wang?"

"No, I want to make money so that my dad doesn't have to work so hard."

Sun Lexian couldn't help but suppress his smile. It's said that children from poor families mature early, and Qin Changzheng is very similar to those genius high school students in the United States in this respect.

"Brother Sun, I heard you're a coach at USC?" "Yeah, I just started there recently." Sun Lexian suddenly realized that Qin Changzheng's smile was very familiar.

How come he looks so much like Chen Wang from high school? They both have that kind of smile that's about to trick people.

"Hey Sun, do you think I could play some basketball at USC?"

"Play ball? What exactly are you trying to say?"

"What I want to ask is, with my current skill level, am I good enough to make it into the first team?" Qin Changzheng asked, revealing his true feelings.

Sun Lexian shook his head decisively: "Impossible. You're not strong enough and you don't understand tactics. If you went to the team, it would be chaotic."

Qin Changzheng pursed his lips. Everyone said that, but he really didn't understand. He had clearly played very well.

On the court, Lillard and Aminu executed a one-two pass. This time, Lillard didn't choose to drive, but instead stepped out, jumped, and passed the ball to Aminu who was cutting down the court.

The latter received the ball and attacked the basket, but was interfered with by Zubac. While in the air, he forced a pass.

Seth Curry appeared out of nowhere in the corner, caught the ball and shot, giving Bridges no chance to contest.

The ball swished through the net, eliciting a collective sigh.

“Look at Seth, he’s not good enough in many ways, but he knows his position and ability. This kind of play shows that he’s always looking for open opportunities. Even if he knows his teammates won’t pass to him, he still goes to make an open run.”

"That's the attitude you need."

Qin Changzheng didn't understand, so Sun Lexian shook his head: "You are still a long way from the NBA, and in my opinion, you are still far from the D1 level league."

"You should work on your brain first. Don't waste your intelligence on life. Chen Wang has focused all his energy on basketball from the beginning. If you want to succeed and make money, first make sure you have the right attitude!"

Sun Lexian raised his index finger: "First, let the game be bigger than life; first, let your profession be everything; first, let winning be above all else!"

After saying that, Sun Lexian continued to focus on watching the game. For someone as stingy as Chen Fang, the opportunity to get a front-row ticket for the playoffs was rare, and he had to cherish it.

But he didn't notice that Qin Changzheng lowered his head and remained silent. Sun Lexian didn't realize that his casual talk was changing a person.

As expected, Chen Fang went all out in the third quarter, focusing all his energy on offense without needing to expend much energy on defense.

He scored 16 points in the third quarter, including two of his four three-point attempts and five of his seven mid-range shots, leading the Clippers on a 41-31 run.

They widened the gap to 28 points in one fell swoop.

This completely extinguished the Trail Blazers' hopes of winning. At the start of the fourth quarter, both sides substituted their starters, turning the game into garbage time.

Twenty minutes later, the Clippers and Trail Blazers' second-round game ended with a resounding final buzzer.

The frustrated Trail Blazers quickly left the court, and Lillard was the only player present at the post-game press conference.

他今天28投11中，罚球10中7，得分32分7助攻，还有5个失误。

The Trail Blazers had the best performance today, but it was to no avail. Seven Clippers players scored in double figures, and the Clippers achieved their biggest playoff margin of 38 points.

"We need to do a thorough review and think about where things went wrong." Lillard seemed stubborn, and he didn't make excuses: "We were stunned today. This shouldn't happen in the playoffs. We will recover and face the second game well."

For the Clippers, the highest scorer was Brunson, who, as a rookie, recorded 25 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds in his first playoff performance.

"Thank you to my teammates and the coach. I feel great today. We've been working hard to get to this moment."

"Without Chen Wang, we couldn't have played such a smooth offense and defense. He kept creating tactical opportunities for us, giving us many easy chances."

Brunson was pleased, but he knew very well who was in charge here, so he spoke humbly.

After the match, the media also gave their comments.

"It will be difficult for the Trail Blazers to get past the Clippers, both in terms of roster configuration and the quality of their star players."

Let's look forward to the Western Conference Finals.

Only the Portland media remained defiant: "Just wait, we'll play to our full potential in Game 2. The Clippers aren't invincible. Lillard and CJ will deliver the most devastating blow."

But in fact, the Clippers' advantages were clearly demonstrated in this game.

Three days later, on May 7, the Clippers once again won the game cleanly by a score of 21 points.

The Trail Blazers' dynamic duo had a strong showing in this game, with Lillard scoring 35 points and CJ McCollum adding 38.

But the Clippers shut down everyone except them, limiting the Trail Blazers to 112 points, while scoring 133 points on their own offense.

All 14 Clippers players scored, with 6 scoring in double figures. Chen Wang's 22 points, 3 assists, and 7 rebounds were relatively unremarkable.

But everyone knows that Chen Wang just didn't exert himself; his playing time was 29 minutes, even less than in the regular season.

No one would think Chen Wang is a stat padder now. He plays entirely based on the team's situation and is more willing to give up playing time to the rotation players.

Media reporters unanimously predicted a poor performance from the Trail Blazers, believing that these two games were very telling.

But the Portlanders didn't give up; they returned to their home court and waited for the Clippers to arrive.

"We will bring the score back!" Lillard told reporters confidently.

On May 10, the Clippers visited Portland. The first three quarters were very close, which seemed to be back to the situation in the first round. The Trail Blazers are good at seizing opportunities to fight back when the score is close.

But Chen Wang is not Murray. At the start of the fourth quarter, he used his unstoppable back-to-the-basket moves, scoring on four consecutive attacks, leaving the Trail Blazers' commentators speechless.

With those 8 points, the Clippers began to take the initiative, resolutely slowing down the pace and employing a positional warfare strategy that prevented the Trail Blazers from gaining momentum.

With two minutes remaining, the score difference was still 7 points, and it seemed like there was still hope.

But Chen Fang once again showed his ruthless side. He held the ball at the top of the arc for several consecutive times, and through Jaren's screen, he made two unreasonable long-range jump shots, hitting two three-pointers.

It completely destroyed the Moda Center in Portland.

This lucky museum chronicles Chen Fang's journey from an unknown to a globally renowned superstar.

The Clippers lead the Trail Blazers 3-0 in the second round.

Based on the league record, the Trail Blazers have no hope of advancing. Their only realistic goal now is to win a game and avoid a complete shutout.

But the Clippers weren't so tactful. On May 13th, the Clippers defeated the Trail Blazers 127-116.

Thus, the suspense of the Western Conference Finals was revealed.

Actually, the results were almost out as early as the 7th.

The Rockets won two consecutive home games, but lost to the Warriors on the 7th. The Warriors dominated the game and the Rockets had no chance to fight back.

On May 10, the Warriors refused to play a Game 5 and defeated the Rockets 118-113 at the Rockets' home court, advancing to the Western Conference Finals.

They had three more days of rest than the Clippers, and those three days were crucial. After a series of tough games, the entire team's physical condition was nearing its limit.

On the 13th, the entire Warriors team watched the Trail Blazers' valiant fight against the Clippers in the conference room, only to be defeated by them.

"The Clippers have improved by several points again."

The Warriors share this sentiment.

"Guys, this is the last matchup we wanted to see, but it's also the one that was bound to happen," Kerr encouraged the players.

"We can only win the championship if we sink the Clippers."

"The dynasty awaits us, and no opponent can stop our determination to win the championship!" Cole was excited, and everyone was excited.

Three titles in three years—that's a dynasty, an undisputed dynasty.

Historically, the Bulls have won two three-peat championships, the Lakers have won one, and now only the Warriors remain.

Whether they can surpass other teams and become the first Warriors dynasty in franchise history to win three consecutive championships will be decided in the next two weeks.

"King Chen!" Curry thought to himself.

It's not just him; Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Andrew Bogut, Jordan Bell—every single Warrior has a strong impression of this guy.

This is their nightmare, their biggest opponent at this stage.

"At one time, Jordan also felt fortunate for Malone and Barkley, who were destined to be with him. It was because of them that Jordan achieved his unparalleled success."

This is how his father instilled these values ​​in Curry, and Curry was inspired by it, seeing Chen Fang as the best whetstone for his current situation.

The Clippers, on the other hand, did not celebrate wildly for breaking their franchise record by advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the first time; they didn't even smile.

This comes from a speech Chen Fang gave in the locker room after eliminating the Trail Blazers.

"Take your smile back, or we won't be able to laugh so comfortably in any of the games to come."

"Yes, we all know who our Western Conference Finals opponent is, but please don't forget how lucky we were to win every game."

"I feel incredibly lucky!"

"Therefore, be mentally prepared to be in a desperate situation and on the verge of despair!"

"The real competition is about to begin!"

"I hope that everyone, no matter how many points you scored or what classic moments you had before, please forget about them and prepare well for the Western Conference Finals in three days."

"These words are not for you, but for myself first."

"The Warriors dynasty only has these last two series left. Are you willing to accept that?"

The last sentence made everyone's expressions even more solemn.

Chen Fang's words awakened everyone.

Yes, the Warriors won't give up this opportunity, and neither will anyone else. They will definitely do everything in their power to fight us to the death.

With this awareness, the Clippers returned to Los Angeles overnight. There was no celebration; everyone agreed to meet at the arena the next day.

At this very moment, the alliance began to ramp up its media promotion efforts.

The long-awaited Kaiyu has finally arrived.

Compared to the animal showdown between the Bucks and Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Western Conference Finals are more exciting.

Media outlets flocked to California, awaiting May 17th.

"If we can overcome the mountain of warriors, Chen Fang will not only destroy the establishment of the warrior dynasty, but also signify the rise of a brand new dynasty."

"This is either the eve of Curry's most glorious moment or the eve of Prince Chen's ascension to the throne."

"Is this the forging of a Warriors dynasty or the arrival of a Clippers era?"

"Let us hold our breath and wait through the night!"

(End of this chapter)