Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 411 The Battle for the Imperial City (Part Two)

First half score!
85:80.

The West led by 5 points going into the second half.

"I didn't expect the first half to be so close, but with 72 points left, things will get tough," Yu Jia commented.

"There's a high probability that the fourth quarter will be delayed, mainly because James energized both sides in the first half," Duan Ran further explained.

“Yes, James was a completely different player today. He was outstanding on both offense and defense. As a power forward, he did everything inside and outside. Whether it was switching on the perimeter or double-teaming inside, he did it all very well.” Yu Jia nodded. He was no longer in a relaxed mood. James, pushed to the brink, was terrifying.

“21分5助攻6篮板，外加3抢断3盖帽。”

"This is the most terrifying LeBron James ever, with peak performance." Duan Ran also looked solemn.

"However, Chen Wang's performance was no less impressive, with 15 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds. It's just that his steals and blocks were slightly lower, with 1 steal and 1 block."

"Today's All-Star Game was absolutely amazing. It was probably the most intense, suspenseful, and dramatic game in the last decade."

"Leonard's 17 points, Harden's 12 points, Davis's 10 points, you can see that the middle generation is putting up a strong performance." Yu Jia reported the data, while Duan Ran picked up the data from the Eastern Conference to look at.

"Giannis Antetokounmpo 10 points, Trae Young 9 points, Jayson Tatum 8 points, Joel Embiid 6 points, Kyle Lowry 9 points."

"The Eastern Conference scores are relatively more even, but this is also clearly visible in the data."

"This All-Star Game is a head-to-head matchup between James and Chen Wang."

"This is not just a battle for MVP, but a bloody clash for the throne!"

Both locker rooms were quiet. Vogel and Nurse didn't say much, mainly just discussing defensive strategies.

Both players were well aware that the core of playing under these scoring rules was not scoring, but defense.

"Defense should focus on collapsing the wings. When there is a delay due to a pick-and-roll on the wing, the inside players should rush out, and the other players should quickly get back to help the inside."

"We need to rotate between the strong and weak sides faster, and we need to focus more on defense in the third quarter."

As Nurse spoke, he drew on the tactics whiteboard, while in the next room, Vogel highly praised James' attitude. He was very happy, saying that if James played like this every game, he would be a true superstar.

His comprehensive abilities and talents are unparalleled in history. If he could compensate for his lack of mental attributes, he would be invincible.

Others were also stunned by James today, feeling that their previous understanding of him had been refreshed.

For most people, James is a bit of a mystery; they feel he's very strong, but when they actually play against him, he doesn't seem that strong.

In addition, James has gotten older in recent years, and the Lakers haven't achieved much, so people have gradually become less optimistic about them.

There were more jokes around, but today I was truly shocked. From head to toe, inside and out, he exuded an aura of madness.

Many celebrities are currently discussing LeBron James.

The conversation between Kobe and Jordan was even more incisive.

“He was born to be a superstar,” Kobe said.

Kobe then added, "If you give him two or three players who are good at both offense and defense, he can focus on one or a few statistics and get the highest score."

"This will elevate the team's power to a new level."

"It cannot be denied that this is also a kind of talent."

Jordan didn't say anything, he just listened quietly.

Seemingly wanting to vent, Kobe continued, "But if he goes to a weak team, it will be difficult for him to perform well, because you can't keep him doing that every day for 82 games."

"Even in the playoffs, he couldn't maintain this level of play throughout the series."

"Because his technique is flawed," Jordan said.

"He's a flawed product, which surprises me. After all these years, he's still this weak point." Jordan shrugged and smiled at Kobe, saying, "For us, this is the easiest area to improve. It's a surprising result."

"His other talents gave him such an advantage that he often lacked a sense of urgency and pressure," Kobe said, revealing the essence of the matter.

Jordan sighed, "It's a real shame. Maybe that's just the way things are between gains and losses."

"He should have become the new ruler of the league, perfectly taking over from you after your retirement, so that the league would not have experienced such a long gap in dominance."

Kobe also fell silent, his eyes flickering, as if he were regretting something.

A buzzing sound interrupted my thoughts. I looked up and saw that both teams had already walked out of the player tunnel.

The second half is here!
Chen Fang didn't play much in the first half, and his stats were lower than James' because he knew how terrifying the second half would be.

On this day in the past, both sides raised their defensive intensity to playoff level in the fourth quarter.

They used every tactic imaginable: fouls, timeouts, jump balls, challenges, and free throws. In the end, Team LeBron won 157-155 thanks to Davis's free throws.

The entire fourth quarter actually lasted about 42 minutes, so fans felt that "the fourth quarter lasted 40 minutes".

He will save his energy for the fourth quarter, and Chen Fang believes that this time, he will not need 40 minutes. He will show the world his unparalleled offense in the fourth quarter!

This was also the result of his communication with Nurse. Nurse highly approved of Chen Fang's judgment and had made all the necessary preparations, saving all available timeouts for the fourth quarter.

He also tried to get as many players on the court as possible so that there would be more players in competitive condition in the fourth quarter.

In the third quarter, both sides started with their starting lineups, and from the very beginning, the intensity of the game suddenly increased.

Luka, with the ball under James' screen, drove inside and was double-teamed by Chen Fang and Siakam, creating a three-man scramble for the ball.

By the time the linesman blew his whistle, all three men were already on the ground.

This was the first time three players had fallen to the ground during the match, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

"Just as expected, the second half is going to be serious," Yu Jia exclaimed.

The linesman did not call a contest for the ball, but instead called a foul on Siakam.

The West team inbounded the ball to James, who went up to receive it. As soon as he got the ball, Trae Young and Chen Fang surrounded him.

James wanted to step back; he didn't want to pass the ball. However, Chen Fang anticipated this and risked leaning out to touch the basketball in James' hands, causing him to lose control.

James reacted quickly, turning around immediately. Instead of diving for the ball, he first positioned himself to block Chen Fang.

A head with disheveled hair swept past James, but Trae Young slid across the ground and got there first.

Chen Fang immediately turned around, trying to get rid of James and switch to fast break mode.

Just as James had anticipated, he didn't want Chen Fang to receive the ball, and he also turned to block him.

The two were already entangled in hand and foot, and they reacted in the blink of an eye, forgetting their current situation.

"Ohhhhh!" the commentator exclaimed, and the fans gasped in surprise.

Because they saw James and Chen Fang grapple and fall to the ground.

Trae Young, who had intended to pass the ball, quickly got up. He had only ever cheered for his brother on TV before, and today he finally got his chance.

The others reacted quickly as well. Everyone was initially apprehensive, worried that a full-blown brawl might break out today.

But the next second, everyone's eyes widened.

Chen Fang hugged James with a smile on his face, and James, who was about to get angry, saw Chen Fang's smiling face and immediately suppressed the fire in his chest.

First, Chen relaxed his grip and released his strength, and James reciprocated by lying on the floor with his hands outstretched.

In the end, Chen Fang got up first, then reached out to James, as if to help him up.

This time, James didn't refuse and extended his hand.

Witnessed by their league teammates and watched by 20,000 fans at the United Center, Chen Fang and James stood hand in hand.

"That's the greatness of the All-Star Game, that's the charm of the NBA," the ESPN commentator exclaimed.

"Are you alright?" Chen Fang asked.

“No!” James slapped his butt and answered.

"Then let's continue!" Chen Fang smiled.

“Okay!” James nodded.

At this moment, for the first time in his heart, James regarded Chen Fang as an equal.

I don't know who started clapping, but soon it started in a chorus, everyone was clapping, the camera panned across the entire arena, Kobe and Jordan were both smiling and clapping.

"This moment has become a classic," Yu Jia said excitedly.

“Not a reconciliation of the century, but better than that.” Duan Ran pondered the words carefully.

Not only them, but even the players on both sides realized it. At this moment, Chen Fang and James defined the intensity of this game.

No matter what happens, this is the bottom line.

No one can cross that line; competition and confrontation can only take place within that boundary.

This is why Kobe and Jordan applauded, because they saw each other's vision. Whether it's Chen Fang or James, they are great, at least today.

The game continues.

Not only did Chen Fang and James set the tone, but they also set the intensity, ushering in a new phase of the competition between the two sides.

Nurse and Vogel were really having a blast today. It was all big names, and it was a real battle. Any coach would have been thrilled. It's like they were playing with superpowers.

The increased intensity in the third quarter also brought a problem: the rate at which the score was rising slowed down, and the number of fouls increased.

Chen Fang has moved to point guard. Trae Young made consecutive mistakes, and under pressure, his passing lanes were all predicted, allowing the West to launch fast breaks. Nurse immediately substituted him, putting Chen Fang at point guard. Tatum took over Chen Fang's position, becoming a swingman.

In response, ESPN commentators offered a sharp observation: "Tractor Young is not yet able to play at a high level. Today, the league's 22 best players have been brought together because the rules force them to face off against each other."

"It is conceivable that such high intensity will sift out the truly elite players who can withstand the highest level of competition on the planet and still help the team score and take the lead."

This statement wasn't just directed at Trae Young, but also at others, such as Luka Doncic.

He was only able to have some fun in the first half today, but he made a lot of mistakes in the third quarter. He was flawed in both physical strength and experience.

"The anticipated late spring is still unrealistic, which is also a true reflection of the three people's situation."

"Only Chen Wang has adapted and risen above them, which is in line with the honors and status that the three have achieved so far." ESPN's commentary consisted of three people, including A. Smith.

He bluntly pointed out the problems with the Late Spring team that were hyped up before the competition, which he considered to be nothing more than pointless hype.

Of the eight players who made their All-Star Game debut this year, only Jayson Tatum seems to be able to contribute on the court.

But as the intensity continues to increase, he will soon fall off the field and return to the bench.

This is the most brutal aspect of this year's All-Star Game: when it's a real battle, only those with real strength can stay on the court.

Given the current situation, the East has made changes, and Nass is already feeling the pressure.

Chen Fang, Tatum, Butler, Siakam, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

These are the five players that Nurse considers most trustworthy on his team.

Of course, there's also Lowry, who will be the sixth man. Lowry and Middleton will form a rotation point between the inside and outside of the starting lineup.

In the West, Vogel has also seen changes.

Harden, Leonard, James, Davis, and Jokic form the true Western Conference starting lineup, with Paul and Westbrook becoming the most reliable sixth and seventh men.

Both sides selected their seven best players from their eleven to prepare for the tough battle ahead.

Tatum positioned himself on the wing, leaning against James, and then Chen Fang lobbed the ball in from the outside.

Tatum's backhand was a bit raw. He tried to push it up a couple of times, but when he found he couldn't get it up, he immediately switched to a three-step lateral movement and mounted an arrow.

Davis's move to the power forward position immediately elevated the Western Conference's defensive dimension to a new level.

The ball flew out from the side, and despite being almost blocked, Tatum, relying on his memory, threw the ball towards Chen Fang.

Chen Fang took two steps to the side and caught the ball, while Leonard pounced on him.

Between experts, sometimes it comes down to a split-second decision.

The moment Chen Fang received the ball, he saw Leonard rushing towards him, so he didn't even collect the ball and directly dribbled it towards the baseline.

Leonard swerved to catch up, only to find Chen Fang pause and pull the ball back to the initial position.

He took off with a pull-up jumper as soon as the ball was in his hands, and Leonard, having lost his ability to contest or deter, could only watch helplessly.

"Wow, that's amazing!" This wasn't an exclamation from the commentator, but from Kobe.

Jordan nodded in agreement. Only the world's best forwards and guards could see the brilliant details of this play.

As long as Chen Fang stops the ball, any subsequent action will reduce his shooting percentage. Only by moving can he move the ball around. This time, Chen Fang moved while remaining still, perfectly grasping the core logic of one-on-one basketball.

Rhythm is king!

This was a blame game, without any pre-planned strategy, relying entirely on Chen's lightning-fast offensive decisions and reactions. However, his use of space was sophisticated enough that even Leonard was manipulated by him.

And his final shot further demonstrated Chen Wang's scoring consistency.

The ability to maintain such consistency even with continuous swings and pull-up jumpers, resulting in a clean three-pointer, is what truly moved Kobe and Jordan.

“I’m already standing shoulder to shoulder with you,” Jordan said.

Kobe rolled his eyes, implying that he hadn't reached Kobe's level yet. However, after retiring, Kobe's mindset changed significantly. The more he interacted with Chen Fang, the more accepting he became. Therefore, Kobe did not refute Jordan's words.

This, in turn, made Jordan glance at Kobe a few more times. The cunning old rogue on the court immediately realized that Kobe had actually accepted this fact long ago.

The stands gasped again as James hit another long-range three-pointer, bringing his score to 32 points, the highest in the game. He also had 7 assists and 8 rebounds, and was on the verge of achieving a triple-double.

The camera immediately focused on Chen Wang, who had scored the goal. James was unusually fierce today, and he would strike whenever he had the chance, regardless of who he was facing.

"Chen Wang currently has 21 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds."

"He rested for 4 minutes in the third quarter and 10 minutes in the first half, compared to James' current playing time of 27 minutes. That's a difference of 7 minutes."

"So the two are actually equal in terms of their personal comparisons." Yu Jia was trying to defend Chen Fang, and what he said made sense.

"The score is now 104 to 101."

"The West maintains a slight lead, and as part of this year's All-Star Game, over $100 million in charitable donations will be made to the Chicago community through NBA Cares."

"The team that wins the All-Star Game, the first to reach the final goal score, will be able to donate $20 to its community."

“If a team wins every quarter of the first three quarters and is the first to reach the final goal score, the winning team’s charity will receive a donation of $50; the losing team’s charity will receive a donation of $10.”

"So with one minute left in the third quarter, if the West can take the lead again, they will be one step closer to the $50 donation."

Both sides scored an invalid possession, and possession returned to the East with 21 seconds remaining.

Chen Fang dribbled the ball across half-court and passed it to Lowry, who replaced Tatum. He is now back in the shooting guard position.

Neither side engaged in much offensive maneuvering; the fighting was mostly positional.

Chen Fang was positioned high up, and Leonard had already begun guarding him. Not far away, James was watching intently.

Lowry called Giannis Antetokounmpo, set a screen and cut to the basket, passing the ball to Siakam who was positioned in the corner.

Siakam was immediately delayed by Harden's wireless switch. He dribbled to the wing, and Butler pretended to receive the pass from the other side, then suddenly moved up to block Leonard.

Chen Fang, who had been slowly moving to the high ground in the middle lane, suddenly accelerated and rushed towards Siakam's side.

Never letting his guard down, James immediately pressed forward, employing a defensive strategy of cutting off passes.

Siakam didn't dare to pass, but he saw Chen Pai make a gesture a second later, pointing a finger upwards.

So he raised the ball high, and when he saw Chen Fang use even faster speed to overtake James and rush straight towards the penalty area, he understood.

He tossed the basketball high into the air, and the ball traced a trajectory as it hurtled straight toward the basket.

When Chen Fang saw that Siakam understood his idea and put it into action, he leaped up, stretched his long arms high, and reached for the basketball in mid-air with his left hand.

Because Chen Fang jumped so suddenly, no one in the audience reacted in time. They were all standing on the floor, their necks still moving as they turned their heads to catch a gliding trajectory of Chen Fang.

The front row of the stands offers the best vantage point, where the aircraft, like a sailfish leaping out of the sea, displays a graceful gliding motion as it hurtles forward, a sight to behold.

Many fans instinctively cried out and started raising their arms to cover their heads.

James had already overshot his target. The moment he turned around, he saw Chen Fang flying through the air. Knowing there was no chance of defensive interference, he instinctively put his hands on his hips and looked up.

This was also the first time he had looked at Chen Fang's back with respect.

When he saw Chen Fang's height, he thought to himself: I can jump that high too.

The next second, when he saw Chen Fang catch the ball with his left hand and bring it together with his right hand, making an ultimate feint in the air, he thought: No, I can't do that move!

The only one who reacted on the court was Davis, who reacted faster than Jokic and made a rim protection move.

He was also the only one who jumped.

Chen Fang's upward momentum had been exhausted, and he began to fall, just in time to meet Davis, who jumped up from the side to block the shot.

With a straightening of his waist and a backward lean of his upper body, Chen Fang narrowly avoided Davis's powerful two-handed block. Before physical contact, he used his left hand to tip the ball away, pulled his arm back to above his head, and then sent it toward the basket.

This was an ultimate glide evasion; facing Davis's block, Chen Fang made a move that no human could achieve.

Even Jordan stood up, but when he saw Chen Fang tip the ball into the basket and fall to the floor, he sat back down.

He said to Kobe, "Well, now he's at the level I was at when I was young."

"An incredible aerial ballet! Chen Wang's incredible hang time resulted in a 2+1 play. My goodness! If he makes the free throw, the two teams will be tied and go into the final quarter, a time-limited game where the first team to reach 157 points wins."

Countless people sighed, cheered, and applauded.

The sound reverberated throughout the United Center, and all eyes were on Chen Fang, who had just gotten up and was standing at the free throw line.

"The undisputed king among superstars."

"The last 53 points, the last quarter, I don't know how long it will last, but I can assure you, this will be the greatest quarter of the All-Star Game ever."

"The arena erupted in MVP chants, the best reward for Chen Wang. After three quarters, the East and West are tied at 104." Yu Jia shouted when he saw Chen Fang make the free throw.

Chen Fang walked back and saw James.

The two stared at each other for a long time, neither looking away first.

Just as Butler pulled Chen Fang off the court, Davis appeared and put his arm around James.

But everyone knows that the two were evenly matched in the first three quarters.

In the final quarter, with no time limit, whoever scores 53 points wins.

Who is the best player in the league?
In the final 53 minutes!

(End of this chapter)