Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 403 The Infiltrator
How exciting is the opening match of the Los Angeles derby?
You can't find a single person you don't recognize in the two rows closest to the stadium; they're all Hollywood stars and socialites.

The CCTV broadcast was live, and the familiar host, Yu Jia, was present.

Live broadcast across the United States, the focus of billions.

But for Chen Fang, it was just an ordinary match, and he felt no excitement whatsoever.

He was sitting on the bench with his ankle bandaged; his sprained ankle from last season had made him more careful. Dillon was sitting next to him.

"Hey buddy, are you feeling a bit annoyed?" Chen Fang asked.

Dillon shook his head: "There's nothing we can do about it. If we squeeze out the main force, we'll lose time too."

“Mazura is actively thinking about new systems. Many times, you don’t need so many people in the paint. You play 2, I play 3, and it’s also feasible to let Butler play 4.”

"Either I play 1, and you play 3 or 2, in any case your playing time will not decrease."

Having received Chen Fang's promise, Dillon was genuinely happy. He nodded and said, "I feel much better now."

"That's for the best. If you want the Clippers to become a dynasty team, everyone needs to make some sacrifices. Believe me, the rewards will be huge."

“We’re all still young. When you reach the right age, a big contract will be waiting for you.”

"I understand, thank you for your comfort." Dillon hugged Chen Fang.

"I'll go first, then you can come on, and we'll take down the emperor together!" Chen Fang winked at Di Lung, who burst into laughter.

When Chen Fang appeared, the noise in the stands grew louder. Chen Fang was already focused. He first high-fived his teammates, then tucked his jersey into his shorts, looked up at the opposite side, and saw familiar faces.

Chen Fang walked over, first hugged Rondo, then went to Davis, bumped fists together, and walked back to his own half of the court to wait for the referee to throw the ball.

"The Clippers' first regular season game of the 2019-20 NBA season is about to begin."

"Chen Wang, who had been out of the public eye for two months, is back in top form. He just received his first championship ring."

"We're about to face the Lakers, who have the best odds of winning the championship this season. This is also the most anticipated opening game of the season. Will the Clippers, with Butler, be stronger, or will the Lakers, with their super Big Three, be more formidable?"

"It will be revealed soon."

"Okay, the referee has entered the field, and the match can start at any time."

"Zubac jumped, and Howard hit him first."

"Davis controlled the ball and passed it to James."

The Clippers have retreated to defense, with Chen Fang in the center, Holiday on James' side, and Butler already beyond the three-point line, guarding Leonard.

Davis came to the top of the arc, Chen Fang let Jaren come up, and moved to the top of the arc himself, keeping a close eye on James who had the ball, while maintaining distance from Rondo.

Howard didn't go to the paint; instead, he set a screen for James. James, with the help, moved the ball towards the top of the key, with Holiday chasing behind.

Chen Fang didn't switch on defense, but instead took a step back. Rondo doesn't have an outside shooting ability, so Rivers' strategy is mostly to ignore Rondo and focus on a 5-defense-4 strategy.

Seeing that Chen Fang didn't come up to close the gap, James passed the ball to Rondo on the wing and walked inside. Davis continued to come up and set an off-ball screen for James.

This is a very clear signal that the Lakers still want to focus on James in the first game.

James, now a free agent, faked a screen for Davis. Davis cut to the basket, taking Jaren away, and James got a wide-open shot at the free-throw line.

Rondo, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately passed the ball to James, who turned to receive it, but saw someone out of the corner of his eye.

It's Chen Fang!
He pretended to be drawn to Davis and double-teamed Jaren, but turned back halfway through, knowing that Rondo would not pass to Davis, but would definitely pass to James.

Rondo's passing was masterful. Even with Chen Fang's effort, the ball still ended up in James's hands first. But Chen Fang reacted quickly and immediately reached out to steal the ball from James.

Aside from slow-motion replays, the referees couldn't make a judgment based on whether the two were happening simultaneously.

James was caught off guard; he felt his wrist slip and the ball was gone.

Chen Fang, who had secured the ball, accelerated forward. Butler, who had been entangled with Leonard on the perimeter, reacted quickly, leaving Leonard behind and speeding down the court.

Chen made a pass before crossing midcourt, and the ball handler sent Butler inside the Lakers' three-point line.

Catch the ball, jump, and smash it through the rim with both hands.

Butler's first point since joining the Clippers was born!
"Great! Chen Wang's steal and Butler's fast break are very good signs. The Clippers' two stars have great chemistry."

When Chen Fang saw Butler dunk, he raised his arms to celebrate. But when he turned around, he saw that James had already found the linesman and was making a gesture of protesting that James had hit his hand.

With a disdainful laugh, Chen Fang deliberately walked past James, ignoring him, and shouted to the linesman, "Excellent call, absolutely no problem."

Faced with Chen Fang's provocation, James turned his head and glared, trying to put mental pressure on Chen Fang, but Chen Fang curled his lips, spread his hands, and walked away with a smile.

The director quickly focused on this scene. Who would have thought that in the very first round, James and Chen Fang would spark an angry confrontation?

The fans started booing, while Yu Jia cheered for Chen Fang without hesitation: "There's nothing to complain about with this kind of steal where the player and the ball are one. You can only blame yourself for not protecting him well."

"James didn't get back on defense, but instead kept arguing with the referee. It's a familiar scene," TX Sports commentator Duan Ran chuckled, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Since the World Championships, domestic commentators have reached a tacit understanding: whenever Chen and Wang play, they blindly support them regardless of who they face. Is there anyone else who holds a higher position in the hearts of Chinese fans?

Lakers ball.

Before Rondo crossed half-court, Leonard suddenly stepped back. Butler wasn't ready. When he saw Leonard receive the ball and cross half-court, he took a small step back.

As Leonard crossed half-court, Rondo set a screen for him, allowing him to move from the wing to the middle. Butler squeezed the screen, but Leonard suddenly accelerated and shook him off.

A figure appeared in front of him; it was Chen Fang.

Standard high-position double-team.

Butler clamped down on him after just a brief block, and Leonard, playing it safe, passed the ball to Rondo on the wing.

As soon as the ball reached Rondo's hands, James, who had cut along the baseline, reached out to signal for the ball.

The ball arrived, and Holiday arrived too.

After gesturing with the three-threat maneuver and seeing that he wasn't fooled, James passed the ball back to Rondo.

At that moment, Howard and Davis set a screen for each other in the paint, and Davis, who had come out, raised his arms in the elbow area to call for the ball.

The ball was skillfully lobbed halfway from Rondo's hand to Davis's.

He caught the ball, turned around, faked a shot to shift Jaren's center of gravity, and took three steps after releasing the ball. This was Davis's signature move. Chen Fang had already come over to cover, but he was still next to Davis, watching him finish the attack with a floater.

"Davis turns, lays up, great shot, score 2-2."

Does this feel familiar?

"Butler and Chen double-team Leonard. This scene kept happening to Chen last season. We are very curious to know how the Lakers will respond to the Clippers' defensive strategy?" David, who is now the Clippers' chief commentator, was more excited than anyone else. His slightly joking words also aroused the curiosity of the fans watching the game.

Clippers have possession of the ball.

Holiday dribbled the ball across half-court, accompanied by Chen Fang.

The Lakers' response has gradually become apparent.

Leonard's shift in the rotation of the ball indicates that Lakers head coach Vogel still wants Leonard to handle the ball.

Butler dribbled to the wing, and Davis stepped out two steps – this strategy was somewhat unexpected.

James went inside and shut down Jaren.

Rondo continued to keep an eye on Holiday, while Zubac naturally got entangled with Howard.

Both sides have clear objectives and adhere to the same strategy of "one-to-four" monitoring, which, from a rational standpoint, is actually the correct answer.

This was in line with the Clippers' assessment. Holiday passed the ball to Chen Fang as soon as he crossed half-court and then set a screen for him. Chen Fang, who moved to the wing, did not wait for Leonard to come over and immediately started his offensive mode.

Rondo came over to help, shielding the ball with his shoulder and using a sharp turn to get rid of Leonard before Leonard could get back on defense. He then dribbled inside.

Davis could only come over to help defend, but Chen Fang saw out of the corner of his eye that James was actively moving towards the basket, which was a clear reaction of wanting to grab the rebound, so Chen Fang found Butler.

He jumped and made a wide cross-court pass, and Butler, who received the ball, got up and shot.

Three point hit!

The whole audience cheered!

"That was a perfect pass! Chen Fang drew all of the Lakers' attention with his attack, then passed the ball wide to Butler on the other side. It was such a comfortable shot, a wide-open look!"

Butler's five consecutive points put the Lakers in a difficult position.

In the next possession, Leonard attempted a post-up move, but Jaren had already double-teamed him, passing the ball to James.

James took two steps back and performed a series of crossovers on one side, but Holiday seemed not to see it and maintained his posture.

So James tried to break through, he dragged out half a step, then suddenly accelerated and cut in from the left.

Holiday held his own in physical duels, creating half a body length gap and regaining his defensive position through acceleration.

Zubac moved forward to protect the rim, and James had already gathered the ball. He judged that there was no chance to shoot, so he passed the ball in the direction of his teammate's position that he remembered from before.

Rondo was always on the receiving end, ready to receive the ball when James drove to the basket.

Although the ball came out off course, he still caught it, avoiding a mistake.

Time was running out, and Rondo was forced to take the shot.

Zubac grabbed the rebound, and Chen Fang, who had already come over, started running as soon as he received the ball.

Speeding up transitions is an offensive and defensive strategy, and the Clippers have practiced many tactics for this purpose.

Holiday made a mid-range play in the middle, Butler went to the wing to play as a winger, and Jaren Jr. went all out to the basket. Chen Fang, who had the ball, easily dodged Rondo's delay, paused after crossing half-court, drew Leonard out, and then passed the ball to Holiday.

Without touching the ball, Holiday passed it to Butler on the wing.

Butler received the ball and made a cross pass to Jaren, who had just run into the Lakers' paint area.

The latter accepted without hesitation, ending the attack with a powerful two-handed slam against the rim.

7:2.

The Clippers started strong and aggressively.

Vogel nodded; he had figured it out. If James didn't participate in defense, the Lakers would inevitably concede points.

Offensively, if the Clippers maintain a triangle formation of three players under the basket, James's attacks will be suppressed.

This is the Lakers' biggest problem right now. Vogel had some ideas and solutions, and he called out to Caruso.

A dozen seconds later, the Lakers drew a foul on defense and called a substitution, with Caruso replacing Rondo.

His presence on the court will improve the Lakers' offense and defense. Offensively, he has a three-point threat and a driving threat, and defensively, he can switch and help out.

The situation, which had been dominated by the Clippers, did improve somewhat, but Caruso couldn't change the score. Chen Fang and Butler had excellent chemistry, with Butler taking the lead in attacking and utilizing the ball possession that was passed to him.

Chen Fang is in charge of the game and decides to distribute the ball to teammates who have good opportunities, depending on the situation.

In the first quarter, Chen Fang scored 4 points in 6 minutes, while Butler scored 10 points.

The Clippers lead by a large margin, 23 points to 12.

The speculation that the Lakers might disrupt the Clippers' championship ring presentation ceremony, given their perceived evenly matched strength, has vanished.

It's clear to everyone that the Clippers have a significant overall advantage, while the Lakers are still in disarray.

As a commentator for TNT's live broadcast, A-Smith bluntly stated: "We had too high expectations. The Lakers haven't figured out how to use Leonard yet."

"Leonard has only touched the ball four times so far, and has scored two points from the free throw line. Most of the time, he is being harassed by Butler, and the Lakers have no corresponding solutions."

"Vogel may think the Lakers can win 4-on-4, but don't forget, King Chen's sword is still unsheathed!"

"Chen Wang is currently averaging 4 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds. This shows that Chen Wang is doing the basics, covering both offense and defense." Yu Jia doesn't think Chen Wang needs to prove anything now; he has completely transformed his role and is solely dedicated to the team's victory.

"The Clippers requested a substitution. Chen Wang was taken off the court and replaced by Dillon."

"Bridges is on the field now, replacing Butler."

"Dillon and Bridges are both strong defensive players, so the Clippers' intensity won't drop."

Perhaps seeing the Clippers substituting their starters first, the Lakers suddenly sped up. James, who had only scored 2 points through fast breaks, began to attack the basket, but he failed. Dillon committed a brutal foul, sending him to the free-throw line.

Chen Fang clapped on the bench and whistled at Dillon, which was their secret signal. Upon hearing the whistle, Dillon responded by pounding his chest.

"How are you feeling!" After confirming that his brother had received the signal, Chen Fang looked at Butler.

"More comfortable than the 76ers!" Butler's answer made Chen Fang laugh out loud. He patted Butler on the back and said, "Buddy, don't compare yourself to a team like the 76ers. You'd be cleaning up their messes there, but here, you'd be the sharpest knife."

"However, Kawhi hasn't integrated into the Lakers yet, and he hasn't received much help. You have to be careful."

Butler wiped the sweat from his neck: "I know, but so what? I have you behind me."

"To be honest, your defensive support allowed me to go all out against Kawhi."

"Keep it up, let's win this one first."

After their conversation ended, the two continued watching the game.

In the few minutes they were off the court, the Lakers' scoring slowly returned, at the cost of three key players getting almost no rest.

James kept turning around, signaling to head coach Vogel with his eyes that adjustments needed to be made, but the latter seemed oblivious, standing with his hands behind his back, as if he was considering something.

James wasn't substituted until the end of the first quarter, and he angrily questioned Vogel, "What are you doing?"

Vogel seemed not to hear, but simply beckoned Anthony and Beasley over and gave them a few instructions.

The second quarter began quickly, with the Lakers fielding a completely reserve lineup.

Rondo, Pope, Anthony, Beasley, McGee.

They will be facing a well-rested Chen Fang and Butler.

He brought along Richon, Jaren Jr., and Brunson.

This lineup has a stronger offensive capability. Right at the start, Chen Fang took advantage of the Lakers' slow reaction and hit his first three-pointer of the game in front of Pope!
Turning around, Butler disrupted Anthony's post-up play, Beasley grabbed the offensive rebound, and was then blocked by Jaren.

Bruns got the ball and drove into the Lakers' half of the court, scoring a layup over Rondo.

The crowd cheered, and the score became 35-21.

The situation was one-sided, which surprised the audience. Some Hollywood celebrities grabbed the camera to express their disappointment with the Lakers.

Daniels then shook his head repeatedly and tore up his ticket in front of everyone. Interpreting his lips, it was clear that he was complaining: "The Lakers are terrible, LeBron is terrible."

The Clippers continue to put pressure on the team, with a very impressive rotation, allowing for seamless integration between their first and second units.

Three minutes later, Vogel substituted back his starters, and the point difference remained within 15 points.

43:28.

A. Smith commented: "It looks like the Lakers' bench is better. It's very rare for them to be able to tie the Clippers' starters with an 8-7 score."

"The Lakers' points were actually lost by their starters. I don't know why, but Chen Wang seemed to have a stronger offensive drive when playing against James."

"That's what motivated me to watch the game today."

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Fang was seen facing James on the court with the ball.

This was a duel after a mismatch screen, and James had no way to avoid it. He quickly looked left and right at his teammates' positions and then moved in close.

Chen Fang had no intention of competing with James in terms of strength. He dribbled the ball and took a step back. When James raised his leg again, Chen Fang lowered his center of gravity and cut towards James' right side.

There was no physical contact between the two. Chen Fang blew past James in one step, dribbled the ball to the side, and seemed to anticipate James's attempt to block the shot, thus avoiding James's contact once again.

He jumped with the ball at the same time and made the lateral drift shot in the short corner.

The best part is yet to come: Chen Fang, seeing the ball go in, said to James, "Hey, just a hair's breadth away!"

At the same time, he extended his right index finger and then pointed with his left finger, preemptively saying as James prepared to counterattack, "I have a ring that allows me to lead a team single-handedly. Do you have one?"

James was dumbfounded; he never expected Chen Fang to attack him face-to-face.

Despite countless people mocking him for forming cliques, this was the first time he had done so in person.

James's anger fueled his desire to retaliate by scoring, and he kept demanding the ball in the following possessions.

This undoubtedly disrupted the established plan, and Leonard had no choice but to engage in a banter with Butler in a corner.

The Lakers did score, but not against Chen Fang, which disrupted their offense and widened the gap. By the time Chen Fang was off the court with three minutes left in the second quarter, the Lakers were already down by 21 points.

63: 42.

The Clippers unleashed a fluid and efficient offense, and Rivers adopted a strategy of substituting players whenever there was a dead ball, resulting in 13 Clippers players appearing on the court in the first half.

This also gave Vogel a headache. Although he had no hope for today's game and hoped to use it to clean up the internal problems of the team, seeing this situation made him look bad.

He needs to make adjustments during halftime.

However, A. Smith in the commentary booth made a definitive prediction about the outcome of the game.

"If the Lakers approach last season's champions like this, I think they must be dreaming."

"The Lakers lacked teamwork and fighting spirit in the first half. Leonard has only scored 7 points so far. James' 12 points look good, but everyone watching the game knows that James is actually making things worse."

"This Clippers team is much more terrifying than last season. When Chen Wang is no longer double-teamed, he can unleash his full potential."

"Butler was so efficient. He devoured every ball he was given. He was also the Clippers' highest scorer in the first half with 18 points. A flawless debut."

"Behind Chen Wang's 10 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals is the secret to the Clippers' lead over the Lakers throughout the game. He was omnipresent, turning this crucial game into a high school level matchup on both offense and defense."

"Hopefully, the 21-point deficit will wake the Lakers up. This was a terrible performance, and the Lakers' Big Three will be on the front page of every major media outlet tomorrow, becoming the laughingstock of everyone."

Have the Lakers woken up?
of course not!

Feeling humiliated, James tried his best to prove himself in the second half, but he wanted to prove that he was fine, not the team.

The data is his instinctive reaction, and the outcome of the game is no longer something he considers.

This is also a realization that James has formed over the years. He has lost too many games, and if someone who sees winning as their mission, he would go crazy.

If you accept Paul's winning philosophy, as long as you haven't lost, you can continue playing without any mental barriers.

Chen Fang knew this very well, so he deliberately teased James, knowing that once James gained possession of the ball, even Leonard wouldn't be able to take it back.

This is a calculated move in itself.

Rivers' strategy inherently allows James to handle the ball more often for offense, given his efficiency. Meanwhile, the Clippers have increased their transition offense and defense, creating more easy plays, which is a win-win situation.

In fact, the Lakers were the most frustrated in the second half.

Vogel also learned his lesson, realizing that an out-of-control James could hurt the entire team.

Leonard, for the first time, regretted choosing the Lakers.

Throughout the second half, the Clippers controlled the tempo, and the point difference never fell below 20 points.

Halfway through the fourth quarter, the Clippers brought in their third substitute, while Chen Fang had already been chatting and laughing with Butler on the bench during the third quarter.

Yu Jia commented: "A disappointing derby. The Lakers were not prepared. Their poor offense and defense simply couldn't withstand the defending champions."

"James has scored 28 points, and he's still on the court. The point difference has reached 30 points. I don't know what he's thinking," David sarcastically remarked.

"Look at Leonard's expression on the bench, I think he must be questioning his decision this summer!" A. Smith commented with a sneer.

Duan Ran summarized it as follows: "The opening match was rather dull, the only bright spot being that Chen Wang got another triple-double."

“16分10助攻11篮板3抢断1盖帽的数据，代表陈王不错的竞技状态。”

"In the first game of the 19-20 season, the Clippers achieved their first victory. Congratulations to the Clippers and congratulations to Chen Wang."

At the post-game press conference, since the loser spoke first, James's acquittal remarks were provided to Chen Fang by a reporter.

In front of hundreds of reporters, Chen Fang made a startling statement.

"I guessed it before he even said it."

"His 32 points, 6 assists and 10 rebounds are impressive stats, but this was our Clippers' pre-game strategy."

“We know very well that he can’t help much. The plus-minus rating says it all. He had a near triple-double, but still had a plus-minus of -8.”

"For us, James is our helper!"

"There's a Chinese movie called Infernal Affairs. I recommend James watch it; he'll find it rewarding!"

(End of this chapter)