Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 364 The Second Spur

ESPN featured a photo of Chen Fang's game-winning shot against the Raptors on its front page, with the headline "A Chinese Man Who Plays Like Jordan."

This is also the first time ESPN has publicly linked Chen Wang with Jordan.

The content is as follows: Nothing is more convincing than a game-winning shot against the Raptors over Leonard.

Chen Wang, the strongest killer of the season!
Words cannot describe Chen Wang's strength. Although he only scored seven points in the first half, he scored 24 points in the second half, especially in the last three minutes, when he accounted for all of the Clippers' points.

The most reliable clutch player, the most convincing team leader, and the most terrifying victory closer!
Not only EPSN, TNT, and other sports media giants, but also Daily America and other media outlets published articles praising Chen Wang's greatness.

"This is Chen Wang's great season, another example of a single-core team leader, with an unprecedented number of game-winning shots, unparalleled finishing skills, and outstanding leadership."

The accompanying picture shows Leonard crouching on the ground in frustration, while Chen Wang raises his arms and roars, his huge number 21 clearly visible.

Compared to North American media, domestic media are much more explicit.

"Slaughtering the Raptors, the Clippers' first championship is just around the corner!"

"Victory day is three days from now!"

"The league's number one superstar, looking down on everyone else!"

Their content is almost always the same, as if the championship is already in their grasp and all that's left is to celebrate.

In response, a well-known media personality publicly criticized the move on his social media account.

"Opening champagne at halftime is really unethical. Making predictions in advance just to grab traffic is outrageous. I am shocked by the practices of some news platforms. It is a very childish and absurd operation."

Some fans were also very displeased: "Game 5 was very close. The Raptors are stronger than the Clippers. It's only 3-2 now, and anything is possible."

"Those who do things that damage their character will be punished. All the misfortunes will be borne by Chen Wang. I feel disgusted just thinking about it. Please, you unscrupulous media outlets, stop harming your own people."

"I admit that Chen Wang played at a superstar level in this playoffs, but we must also see the hardship after each victory. Sprained ankle, coughing up blood, these shocking injuries all mean that Chen Wang was playing with injuries."

“During every short break, you can see Chen Wang applying ice to his left foot urgently. He has a serious problem with his left foot and has hardly dunked since the injury.”

"Can you all shut up and just watch the game? Wait until the outcome is clear before you start criticizing, okay? You bunch of scumbags."

Many fans left comments protesting under similar news articles, and some even impulsively called the platform to file complaints.

These actions are understandable. As a nation with Chinese people at its core, the prospect of winning the NBA championship is something that the Chinese people are eagerly anticipating.

One can imagine that if the Rockets had overcome the Lakers and made it to the Western Conference Finals, they would have had no problem facing the Nuggets, and the Magic's star player Howard, who was the Eastern Conference champion, would have been no match for Yao Ming and could have easily defeated him.

The Rockets and Lakers tied 4-3 in the Western Conference semifinals, which was the toughest series on the Lakers' road to the championship.

The difficulty of the match between the two sides also gave Chinese fans endless imagination. In 2009, Yao was actually just one game away from his championship!
But they ultimately lost to Kobe's Lakers. Now, another Chinese player has the opportunity to win the championship as a core player. This honor has captured the hearts of countless Chinese fans.

More than 2 million people watched yesterday's crucial match between Tencent and CCTV, and the commercial advertising value generated by the live broadcast of the game reached one billion yuan.

A single competition sold for a price almost equal to that of the Spring Festival Gala. (The highest price was in 2020 when a certain company exclusively bought the Spring Festival Gala rights for 30 billion yuan.)
In fact, in terms of viewership, it has already surpassed the Spring Festival Gala, and strictly speaking, its value still has room for growth.

According to reliable sources, the price of advertising for the sixth session has already increased, and the manufacturers are in urgent negotiations with the platform.

This is the allure of sports, and it's why the NBA is so lucrative, offering players multi-million dollar salary contracts. No other project boasts an annualized return on investment as high as the NBA, reaching 20%.

Seriously speaking, if the Finals go to a Game 7, everyone involved in this series will make a fortune.

No wonder there have been rumors that the league manipulates the games and deliberately controls the outcome of the series. Everyone involved, except the players, is happy to see this happen.

Even professionals dare not respond to the fans' concerns. The league keeps quiet about this matter, and all speculations are conjectures without any evidence.

But Chen Fang unexpectedly sensed something was amiss.

After the match, Chen Fang was immediately taken to the hospital for a thorough physical examination, especially the damage to his oral cavity and gums.

The conclusion was that, for the short term, King Chen could only replenish his energy through liquid food, and his teeth were temporarily unable to function.

Chen Fang also felt his gums were sore and numb, and he kept drooling. He also felt a strong soreness when his upper and lower teeth touched.

He had to wear a protective mouthguard, an injury that left Chen Fang feeling helpless, but the thought of almost losing his tongue made him feel fortunate.

Accompanied by Wu Zhen, Wu Zi rushed to the hospital.

Her face was full of worry. Now, Chen Fang gave Wu Zi the feeling that there was danger if she went out. Before, she dared to watch the live broadcast, but after this playoff, Wu Zi felt that it would be very difficult.

"It's okay!" Chen Fang mumbled. Because of his braces, it was very inconvenient for him to speak, and his tongue was still tingling.

What could Wu Zi say after listening to the doctor's retelling, with Ilya's explanation?

Fearing a concussion, the attending physician ultimately decided that the patient needed to stay in the hospital for observation overnight.

Ultimately, that night was spent in the hospital.

In the latter half of the night, Chen Fang had already fallen into a deep sleep, but Wu Zi was wide awake.

Wu Zhen sat next to him. This was the best single ward in the hospital, with a bed for a caregiver, a sofa, and all the necessary amenities.

"That's how professional players are..." Wu Zhen couldn't find any words to comfort his sister for a moment, and after thinking for a long time, he whispered.

"But I've never seen anyone like him, getting injured every few days." Wu Zi sighed, also speaking in a low voice.

"The intensity of the playoffs is much greater, and moreover, he is the core player, so he faces even stricter scrutiny," Wu Zhen commented.

Wu Zi was well aware of this, but as a player's family member, her attitude towards injuries was far different from that of fans towards their beloved stars.

In fact, they are completely different.

Fans rarely worry about star players getting injured; they only hope to see them perform better on the field. They only worry about them for a few days after an injury.

The family members were worried about the injury from beginning to end, and it was actually during the player's recovery period that the family members were at their most at peace.

Chen Fang groaned unconsciously from his hospital bed, trying to turn over, but when he turned his head, he touched his swollen jaw and returned to his original supine position, groaning again in pain.

"He has a habit of grinding his teeth. Sigh, he can't fall asleep unless he's really tired," Wu Zi said with heartache.

Outside, Chen Fang is a dazzling and mighty superstar. Tonight, the country must be celebrating. But in reality, Chen Fang is alone in a hospital bed, suffering from the pain of his injuries.

Wu Zhen was filled with emotion, but if they could switch identities, he would agree without hesitation, even if it meant exchanging this one night for his life.

Therefore, Wu Zhen's inner feelings were complex, a mixture of envy and longing, helplessness and frustration.

News of Chen Fang's hospitalization spread immediately, and his attending physician was surrounded by reporters. However, due to the doctor-patient confidentiality agreement, the reporters did not obtain any information.

However, this did not stop reporters from speculating. Some inferred that the left foot injury had worsened, while others bluntly judged that it was a mouth injury sustained during the game. In short, the news of the hospitalization cast a shadow over the Clippers' championship hopes.

The next game will be back in Toronto. The Raptors will not give up, and Chen Wang's injury has touched the hearts of countless people.

The Clippers were also keeping a low profile, with their press officer consistently avoiding a direct answer.

On June 19, reporters staked out the Clippers' training center but never saw Chen Wang's Cullinan car appear, leaving his availability for the next game uncertain.

On June 20, reporters finally managed to catch Chen Wang appear and take photos and videos of him boarding the plane with his team.

Judging from the video, Chen Wang appeared to be in good spirits, but his cheeks were noticeably swollen, and he was wearing braces. Fortunately, he was able to walk freely. Given everyone's preconceived notions about Chen Wang, G6 will definitely be able to play.

But none of the Clippers coaching staff were smiling.

There was only one reason: Chen Wang had been supplementing his diet with liquid food for two days. Despite the team nutritionist's best efforts, the routine blood test report reminded the coaching staff that Chen Wang's physical recovery was not going well.

My blood oxygen level is below normal, and I feel very tired.

Especially regarding sleep, Chen Wang told Rivers that his sleep quality had been extremely poor these past two days, to the point that he might need to take sleeping pills.

Therefore, the coaching staff did not arrange for Chen Wang to train. After landing, he did not go with the team to the field to adapt to the warm-up training, but stayed at the hotel alone to catch up on sleep.

In the afternoon, the coaching staff held a meeting.

"We've been consistently outmaneuvered by the Raptors, who have dominated us at every position without discrimination. That's the problem," Brian concluded after analyzing the data from the first five games.

“Every game requires Chen and Wang to solve the problems head-on; there’s very little our coaching staff can do.”

"We need to change."

Rivers remained silent. He knew exactly what the coach was thinking. The "big trial" tactic had not worked as expected. The problem was not only with Chen Wang, but also with the offensive efficiency of other players, which had not improved.

The most dazzling performance was in Game 4, but after Rose's brief but impressive appearance, Game 5 was quiet again.

"Judging from these few games, Zubac has played a significant role in stabilizing the team. Jalen is not stable enough. If we let him focus on defense, the effect will be much better."

Previously, the coaching staff's arrangement for the inside game was that Zubac would be the main defender and 3J would be the main scorer, but after a few games, it did not meet expectations.

"Do we need to take risks or play it safe?" Mazura asked, under immense pressure, but his tactical leadership was undeniable. Everyone fell silent, turning to look at Rivers.

Rivers knew it was his turn to make the decision.

So he nodded: "Taking risks or playing it safe depends on which offers greater potential reward."

"If King Chen is not in good condition, we will take the risk; if everything is normal, we will stick to the original plan and strategy."

He's a seasoned veteran, and he resolved the disagreement with a single sentence.

That's the logic. If King Chen is fine, then we should build our offensive and defensive system around him. If that doesn't work, we should switch modes immediately.

G1 and G2 didn't make that kind of decision, and they dug themselves a huge hole.

If they had won even one game, they would already be parading around Los Angeles celebrating.

Today was probably the best sleep Chen Fang had ever had; he didn't wake up until 8 p.m.

Chen took a shower to clear his head, then called food delivery and dialed Mazura's number.

Soon after, Mazura knocked on the door.

At the same time, he brought his notebook. The two had agreed yesterday to review the issues from the first five games, especially the gains and losses of the Grand Trial tactic.

This move also indicates that Chen Fang himself is not very confident about G6 and is eager to seek help.

"Where is the problem?" Chen Fang asked bluntly.

Mazura was prepared; he first projected the computer onto the multimedia TV using a data cable, and then began his explanation.

“The problem lies with the wing players’ reading of the game,” Mazura then played a edited video.

"look."

In the video, Dillon showed a noticeable hesitation when Chen Fang was in the middle. When Chen Fang was backing down Leonard, Dillon hesitated between going to the baseline and moving up to facilitate the play.

“If Dillon goes to the baseline, he can draw the defender down, reducing the threat of double-teaming you. You can then adjust your back-to-the-basket strategy in that area. If Danny Green double-teams you then, you can immediately pass the ball to Dillon.”

"If Danny Green doesn't double-team you, you can also get into the short corner and create a more direct back-to-the-basket jump shot threat."

Chen Fang nodded; Mazura's analysis made sense.

"In addition, the timing of the inside players' withdrawal was not precise enough."

“Zubac and 3J didn’t make good choices. Often, before you even get the ball, they drop out. Although they open up the paint, they also make it harder for you to receive the ball because Siakam, Ibaka, and Gasol can take the opportunity to double-team you along with Leonard.”

Chen Fang defended himself by saying, "First of all, I need to get the ball, and I need someone to go to the top of the arc to be the setter. Only the inside players have the height to pass the ball in."

Yes, that's the problem.

"We lack excellent point guards and are forced to rely on centers to take on the role of setter."

“Throughout the series, we’ve been grappling with one problem!” Mazura said, revealing her true feelings.

"There are no guards, so you play; there are no attacking small forwards, so you play."

"We don't have a small forward who's good at all-around help defense, so you'll have to do it."

"We don't have a shooting guard who can dominate the rim, so you come on."

"Since we don't have a reliable three-point shooter, you'll have to take over!"

"That's the problem! You keep changing your role on the field, so the whole tactic has to change accordingly. No one but you can find a position to fully utilize their talents. Everyone is confused. They seem to know what they need to do, but at the beginning of the game, there will always be intermittent periods of confusion."

“Dillon is fine, but he’s thinking about whether he should go to meet you or assist you.”

“Journald Jrue is fine, but he has focused on defense all season and his offense has declined somewhat.”

"Brunson's height and playing style make it difficult for him to be a pass-oriented point guard. Rose is good, but his physique makes it difficult for him to consistently play as the starting point guard."

"Everyone has problems, everyone is troubled, and when these troubles accumulate, they become your troubles."

Chen Fang went from calm to astonishment, and then back to silence. He waited until Mazura finished speaking before he finally spoke with difficulty.

You should have told me sooner.

“I’m sorry, I just realized that myself.” Mazura smiled wryly.

The room fell into a long silence. Chen Fang understood that these problems could not be solved in just a few words.

"Isn't there a good way to optimize this?"

"There's no really good way. The only thing you can do right now is to remind your teammates every round."

Chen Fang thought for a moment and nodded: "You're right."

"Actually, you came here today to tell me that there are personnel changes needed during the offseason."

"Yes, you handpicked everyone. We did very well and made it to the final stage, but that was largely due to your exceptional performance."

"We need a reliable point guard, excellent forward rotation, and a stretch four."

“Give them time, and they will have room to grow.” Chen Fang doesn’t like solving problems through transactions from the bottom of his heart, and he prefers to cultivate values ​​that align with his own.

“It’s up to you.” Mazura sighed. Chen Fang was still stubborn; he was too attached to his brotherhood.

He values ​​both Jaren and Dillon highly.

But unless those two can make a significant leap forward next season, Chen Fang can play point guard with peace of mind, and then the Clippers will be perfect.

Otherwise, positions 3 and 4 will always be the Clippers' weak points.

"Do me a favor and make an offseason plan for everyone. I'll give it to them one by one."

"Give them a chance. This is a business alliance, but it's also a brotherhood!"

“When it comes to playing with us, we should not only see our value, but also consider the friendship between us.” Chen Fang’s words touched Mazura.

Chen Fang strongly resisted the "business as usual" approach.

"I found them all, and I'm responsible for everyone. The word 'brother' isn't something to be used to fool people; it means doing what you say you'll do," Chen Fang said from the bottom of his heart.

Chen Fang's ten years of experience playing streetball in his previous life instilled in him this value: he must never make a mistake before others do.

"Don't worry, everything will go smoothly. I won't lose this game." Chen Fang took a deep breath. Winning would cover up all the problems and give him plenty of time to make corrections.

The overall champion can at least guarantee a year of tolerance.

"Don't gamble everything!" Mazura was now filled with worry.

"I'm not that into it, oh dear...!" Chen Fang wanted to laugh, but the pain in his jaw turned his face into a bitter expression.

Upon seeing this, Mazura gained a deeper understanding: such a person inspires confidence, which is part of Chen Wang's charm.

"I heard you'll be very busy this summer?"

"Yes, the national team is coming to play in the Summer League, and as the host, I need to take the lead in taking care of them."

"Summer League in July, World Championships at the end of August, I estimate I won't be back until the end of September," Chen Fang said, counting on his fingers.

“Don’t worry, now that you’ve made your decision, I’ll do everything I can to help.” Mazura was also determined to improve the players rather than seek trades within the league to solve the problem.

“Actually, you’ll find it most enjoyable once you start raising her.” Chen Fang was equally delighted to see that Mazura had changed her mind.

"Do you know which team I'm a die-hard fan of?"

Mazura paused for a moment, then shook her head.

"Spurs!"

“I’m a Spurs fan at heart. I built the entire championship-contending roster myself, and I hope you can become the next Popovich.” Chen Fang revealed his innermost secret.

Mazura was greatly surprised, but then she figured out the whole thing.

"I'll try." He smiled.

"Believe me, the Clippers will be the next Spurs, and even better!"

(End of this chapter)