Chapter 54 54. This is true hatred!
The Spurs have secured first place in the league and made headlines, but despite the popularity, this matter did not surprise people. People would have been "surprised" if they had not taken first place in the league after a record of 44 wins and 8 losses at the first half of the season.

The Spurs players weren’t too excited about this… They were all very active in the preparations before playing against the Jazz, but after securing the first place, no one seemed to care much.

There is a possibility that everyone is imitating a certain No. 21, pretending to be cool...

When Zhang Yang was learning the pick-and-roll rhythm from Ginobili, he asked the other party if he really didn't care about being first.

Ginobili responded: "You have to learn to enjoy the process of competing for the first place, instead of caring about the result... You only need to care if you don't get the first place."

Zhang Yang blinked his eyes. That makes perfect sense!

The team has secured the regular season championship, but Zhang Yang's optional task has not yet ended. They have to win one more game to set a new record in team history.

But Popovich no longer cared about the record after losing the possibility of surpassing the Mavericks' 67 wins, and he cared even less after winning the regular season championship.

On the 12th, the day before the game between the Spurs and the Suns, before the Suns arrived in San Antonio, Popovich announced that neither Duncan nor Ginobili would play in the two games against the Suns on the 13th and 17th.

Since there was a Lakers game between them on the 15th, Popovich really couldn't think of any injury that could separate a game. It would be too much trouble for him to think of two different injuries in a week, so he simply didn't pretend.

In other words, Zhang Yang didn't know that Popovich was worried about this, otherwise he would definitely give another immature suggestion - install a "smart groin" for Duncan and a "smart calf tendon" for Ginobilian.

Even Parker can prepare the smart gluteus maximus.

The two strongest players on the team didn't play, so Zhang Yang felt the task was a bit stressful.

It is not certain that they can beat the Lakers. The Lakers are on an 8-game winning streak and are in high spirits. Winning against the Suns and breaking the team's record is the priority.

...

In the afternoon, the Suns came to San Antonio.

In the evening, Zhang Yang had some bleeding and invited Nash to dinner at a big restaurant.

He was very grateful for Nash's guidance during last season's playoffs.

After the meal, Nash said with emotion: "I knew you would be able to perform well. If Kerr had not refused to match the contract and you stayed with the team, our chances of making the playoffs would be higher... I didn't expect you to be traded to the Spurs. It seems that you will win the championship earlier than me."

Zhang Yang responded: "I think so. I'm not far from the championship."

The chances of winning the championship this year are not high. The system this season is still lacking something, and it will always be difficult to play high-intensity games. These are not something he can solve, but he is not worried, because Popovich solved them later.

The next three years will definitely be the golden period for competing for the championship.

He just doesn't know whether he will renew his contract in the future. Judging from his choice between staying with the Suns and joining the Warriors, he values ​​money very much...but it's hard to say. The 2-year, 300 million US dollars offered by Kerr and the 500-year, more than million US dollars offered by the Warriors are nearly half the difference. As a bottom-level player, a normal person would choose the Warriors' contract.

If there is another experience in this timeline, I will know my choice then.

The next day, at 4 p.m. on April 13, the Spurs faced the Suns at home.

After Stoudemire went to the Big Apple, the Suns' strength plummeted, and they fell from the championship contender to an ordinary playoff-level team.

That’s not all. Thanks to Nash, Jason Richardson, Hill, Frye and others, the Suns remained in the top eight in the Western Conference in the first two months.

But before Christmas, Kerr made his last trade with the Suns - trading Richardson, the team's top scorer averaging 19.3 points per game, and Hedo Turkoglu, the core organizer of the bench lineup, for Vince Carter of the Magic.

This trade has ruined the Suns! Currently, Nash, who averages 14.7 points and 11.5 assists per game, is the Suns' leading scorer and assist leader.

Carter is no longer at the star level. When he was on the Magic, he only averaged 15 points per game. After coming to the Suns, his average score dropped to 13.5 points. His scoring ability is not even as good as that of the 38-year-old veteran Hill.

However, Marcin Gortat, who averaged 3.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in the previous three seasons, was fed by Nash and averaged 13 points per game, making up for some of the losses.

During the All-Star Weekend, Steve Kerr resigned, leaving the mess to his successor.

But even if Kerr ruins the team, with Nash there, the Suns' offense will not be bad!

In the first quarter tonight, the Suns, who got angry when they saw the Spurs, scored 31 points in a single quarter and led by 27 points over the Spurs who scored 4 points!
In the second quarter, the Spurs withstood the firepower of the Suns and tied the game 29-29, preventing the Suns from widening the gap.

In the third quarter, both teams' physical strength declined and their fast breaks were slower. The Spurs finally relied on their positional offensive advantage to score 29 to 26, narrowing the gap to 1 point.

The two teams fought fiercely until the last moment in the final quarter. At 11 minutes and 44 seconds, Nash hit a three-pointer after a pick-and-roll. The score in the quarter came to 26 to 25, and the total score was 112 to 110. The Suns took a two-point lead in the final moments.

The Spurs called a timeout, and Popovich sent out Zhang Yang and Parker, plus three three-point shooters Danny Green, Richard Jefferson and Bonner.

After the timeout, Parker dribbled the ball and passed it to Zhang Yang with 8 seconds left. Bonner helped Zhang Yang block Carter at the top of the arc. Zhang Yang broke through with the help of the screen and easily shook off Frye who was switching defense. He stopped on the right side of the three-second zone, collected the ball, and took a jump shot...

At the critical moment, Zhang Yang was very excited, but his hands did not shake. He dribbled the ball into an open space and made a mid-range shot!
112 to 112, the Spurs tied the score!

Teacher Na felt a little regretful at this moment. The little trick that Zhang Yang used to take an extra step sideways to shake off Frye after the pick-and-roll was taught by him!
In the last 4 seconds, the Suns failed to score and the game went into overtime.

The veterans of both teams were sighing. They were already exhausted from running this game, but they still had to keep running.

But they sighed too early... In the first overtime, Nash scored 4 points and 2 assists, Parker scored 6 points and 1 assist. The two teams fought evenly and the two teams were evenly matched. The game was tied at 9-9 and entered the second overtime.

This is not over yet. In the second overtime, the two teams were tied at 7-7, and the third overtime is coming!

Zhang Yang fell in the second overtime. He played for more than 37 minutes in regular time, the entire first overtime, and was replaced after more than 3 minutes of the second overtime. His playing time was fixed at 46 minutes.

In this kind of game, Parker still has to rely on him!
In the third overtime, Parker alone scored an 8-4 overtime score, killing the game!
帕克出战55分钟，28投16中，外加16中12的罚球，狂飙44分9助攻。

加上张杨的29分、麦克戴斯的24分、邦纳的10分、乔治-希尔的13分5助攻……马刺队以136比132险胜太阳队，将战绩提升到64胜16负，刷新了队史最佳战绩！
When the final whistle sounded, several veterans sat directly on the floor.

Before the winner was decided, people on both sides fought to the death.

After the outcome was decided, the Suns' veterans felt that it would have been fine if Nash hadn't made the crucial three-pointer in regular time to overtake the score. Even if they had won one more game, they wouldn't have made the playoffs, and the key thing was that they still lost.

The veteran players of the Spurs also felt that it would be better if Zhang Yang's shot to tie the game missed. They were already first, and winning one more game would not result in a salary increase... Fortunately, they won, otherwise they would have been even more upset.

The gate of training appeared in front of Zhang Yang, informing him that the mission of "Best in Team History" was completed, and the reward for the training was "Devil's Steps of the Demon Sword".

But now he is almost useless, so he should close the door to experience and wait and see.

46 minutes of playing time is not a lot...it's actually a lot, at least it's too much for him who is only in his second year. The key is that the Suns play on the run most of the time, so they have to run as well. Unfortunately, he is the team's second fast break player and the number one receiving point when Parker starts a fast break.

看着今晚打了57分钟拿到26分2板20助攻的纳什、打了50分钟拿到24分17板的希尔……张杨感受到了，这两人对马刺队是真恨啊！真的恨啊！

It’s not enough to take revenge on a series last year, we must take revenge if we have the chance!
……

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(End of this chapter)