Chapter 96 95. A strange sense of recognition

Some things are not deeply impressed, and you can only remember them when you encounter them.

Okafor suffered fatigue injury for the fourth time in the first month of the new season. Zhang Yang finally remembered the serious injury Okafor suffered early in his career - ankle stress fracture.

This is different from leg and tibia fractures, which can allow one to remain active and full of energy after recovery. Okafor's athletic ability, who was hailed as a 'tall version of Big Ben' in his rookie year, was severely damaged by this injury.

The cause of this injury is the exaggerated weight of 127 kg. Okafor is only 208 cm tall, and this weight is really too much for him. When Yao Ming first entered the NBA, he was 226 cm tall, and it is said that he was 229 cm tall with shoes, and weighed only 133 kg.

Even O'Neal did not weigh 133 kilograms in his second year of his career.

Later, Okafor seemed to have lost weight and regained his health, but his damaged athletic ability had been lost, resulting in the loss of all his offensive means that originally relied on his athletic ability. He could not jump as high as before, and his shooting rhythm was gone. He could only score in the paint. In his rookie year, he could only average 15+ points per game, and at his peak age of or , he could barely average double digits.

In the preseason and the first seven games of this season, Okafor's offense has been affected and his mobility has been greatly reduced.

In fact, Zhang Yang could not care about what would happen to Okafor, but as teammates, they had no grudges against each other. If he did not think about it, it would be fine. But if he did think about it and did not remind him, he would feel guilty.

And Okafor's injury also affected Gerald Wallace.

After knowing each other for a few months, Zhang Yang and Gerald Wallace get along well. He admires Gerald Wallace's character and attitude towards work very much. Some people are Chandler Parsons, and Gerald works hard as long as the money is in his hands.

Okafor's injury indirectly increased Gerald Wallace's injury risk.

With Okafor around, it was easy for Gerald Wallace to make up for the defense in the interior. Okafor moved into position to hold the defense, and Gerald Wallace went up and blocked the shot with a fly-swatting block.

But Okafor is injured, and if Gerald Wallace wants to guard the inside, he has to rush into the basket to defend, or even fight with the inside players. Given Gerald Wallace's defensive enthusiasm, the risk of injury will naturally increase.

Not only that, if Okafor gets seriously injured, he will never be able to return to the level of his rookie season, let alone improve. Then Zhang San will lose an important helper in the future. Even if Okafor is used as a bargaining chip, his value will plummet... This is something that Zhang Yang feels will be a big loss in the future.

Out of conscience, friendship and interests, Zhang Yang thought it over again and again at noon and went to Okafor's house in the afternoon.

In fact, he didn't have much hope that Okafor would listen to his advice, just as he said to Felton at the beginning, he was a 17-year-old rookie with little influence, while the other guy was so old and was the second pick in the best rookie draft.

As soon as Zhang Yang mentioned the word "weight loss", Okafor frowned.

Okafor frowned for two seconds and then said: "Jack, thank you for your concern. The team doctor has told me that my injury is caused by increasing my weight too quickly. My body has not yet adapted to the new season. Once I adapt, I will not be injured so often."

Zhang Yang's eyes lit up, there's hope!

If he was determined not to lose weight, given his understanding of Okafor, the man who imitates the Stone Buddha would not say so much.

That is, Okafor has actually been hesitating.

Zhang Yang asked, "The doctor should have given you an injury assessment report, saying that you can't bear a weight of 280 pounds, right?"

Okafor nodded: "Yes, but the assessment report says that I may not be able to bear it. But since it is a probability, then I may be able to adapt to my current weight."

As the saying goes, 'children speak without restraint'. Relying on his 17-year-old age, Zhang Yang was ready to be more direct: "Is it because you want to target Howard?"

Okafor: “…”

Zhang Yang: "It seems so. It seems we are very similar. I really want to shit on Bogut's head."

Okafor was stunned: Is this something Jack could say? What the hell! Is this still the little brother in his mind who might be more educated than him in the future?
But, shitting on Howard's head...he wants to too!

Doesn’t it make you feel more identified?

Zhang Yang leaned back while the momentum was high and continued, "To compete with Howard is not just to see who is stronger in the matchup.

Even if you can defend him, if he can beat Bosh, Curry, Martin, Camby, Nene... and you can't, then even if you are better than him in the matchup, people will only think that you are the type that just happens to restrain him. The Celtics' backup center Perkins and the Lakers' bust No. 1 pick Brown just happen to restrain him.

I don't think it's worth it to give up the advantage over other players and take such a big risk of injury just to play those games against Howard.

According to the team doctor, you are lucky to have only sprained or strained your ankle and knee. If your leg muscles and ligaments are torn or your joint bones are injured due to fatigue, it will be irreversible. There are many such examples in NBA history, and many geniuses have fallen due to stress injuries. "

Okafor frowned and was silent for a few seconds, then said: "Jack, you are indeed a genius with better grades than me in high school. You are right, but losing weight is not something you can do just by saying it... I promise you, I will seriously consider this matter."

...

Before coming to the Bobcats, Zhang Yang had never thought that the reason a senior star was willing to listen to him was actually because of his good academic performance... The NBA is really full of weird things.

Although he did not get a clear answer from Okafor, Zhang Yang had already put the matter aside when he left Okafor's house.

There is a saying that goes, good words can hardly persuade a damned ghost.

He has done what he should do according to his conscience, and he has no right to interfere with what Okafor decides.

Human obsession is terrifying. Just look at how unhappy Okafor is about not being the No. 1 pick like Duncan.

Now, Zhang Yang can be sure that Okafor will not be able to play in most games this season.

It takes time for Okafor to lose weight. With his muscular body, is two months enough for him to lose 10 kilograms in a healthy way? Including recovery training, it would be considered fast if he could return in late February. It is possible to return in March or April. May... well, judging from the situation of the Bobcats, it is impossible to return in May, not even in late April.

If Okafor doesn't lose weight, that would be even more direct. He might be out for the season one day, and the Bobcats would no longer include Okafor in the team's plans in the future.

Next, Zhang San seized the opportunity to continue leveling up.

As for the issue of losing, Zhang Yang had already been preparing himself mentally when he was selected by the Bobcats - this was a process.

The 3-1 start gave him a surprise, but the current Bobcats team, without Gerald Wallace and Okafor, is nothing.

Although Zhang Yang felt sorry for his good predecessor who gave him the jersey number, he did improve faster in the 11 games when Okafor and Gerald Wallace were injured alternately or together!
By defending the corner shooter, his defensive energy was reduced and his average playing time increased by nearly 10 minutes.

The number of shots also increased from 5-10 times to 8-12 times.

In the first two games when he increased his shot attempts, his already poor shooting percentage became even worse. Although his shot attempts increased, his scoring did not increase at first.

But after playing two more games, hey, his mid-range shooting percentage has risen again. He adapted quickly! He took a lot of shots and was able to score more than 10 points per game.

首月15场，他场均出场24分钟，以41.6%的命中率拿到12.2分，外加3.8板0.8助攻1抢断0.4盖帽。

When playing against the Knicks, who are ranked last in the league, facing the NBA's worst defensive back line consisting of Marbury, Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson and Big Q, Zhang Yang had his best performance since the start of the season, playing for 26 minutes, making 9 of 6 shots, plus 6 of 4 free throws, and getting 16 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block with a super high hit rate.

The main reason is that he is not afraid of the next shot due to a missed shot, nor will he rush to shoot for the sake of performance. He will shoot when the opportunity comes, and he shoots calmly and without rushing. He uses the step-back, step-over, and lateral pull techniques to maximize his ability to break free from the defense. Every shot is a training and improvement of himself.

What has been improved more is layup. He often has counterattack opportunities. When he is fast, he often encounters the opponent's outside players. At this time, his European step, stride layup, turn or jump step... can all be used.

Okafor and Gerald Wallace were injured one after another, and his number of attacks on the basket in positional battles increased. There was nothing he could do, he was forced to do so.

Two months have passed since the start of the training camp. His layup has improved from 77 to 80, which is actually an adaptation to the NBA's attacking style. His ball control has also improved from 79 to 80.

After solving the problem that was bothering him, Zhang Yang returned to the gym and trained with Felton and Anderson, who had already started extra training on their day off.

After the trainer mentioned that Charlie Villanueva of the Raptors won the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in November, Zhang Yang and Felton trained even harder...

...

December 12, the Bobcats' game day, home game. Morning preparatory training, personal training arranged directly by Bickerstaff, I have something to do this morning.

This does not mean to deliberately give up. The two core players in the frontcourt are injured alternately or together, so no tactics can be implemented. So let Brevin Knight and Zhang Yang lead the counterattack, and Felton and Zhang Yang lead the positional battle.

Just think of it as training for two rookies.

The players were training on the training ground, some were very serious, some were just slacking off, and some were just being lazy.

This scene was seen clearly by several people in the boss' office upstairs.

Bickerstaff watched Felton practice top-arc pick-and-rolls, go around screens, step into the three-point line and shoot, and exclaimed, "I didn't expect Raymond to be so perseverant."

England: "I didn't expect it. When he came to me and said he wanted to adjust his shooting habits, I was not optimistic. He said that he had perfected his shooting style by the end of high school. It's hard to change the habits of so many years. At least in my career, I have never met anyone who can stick to it."

Jordan: "It's because of Jack. He put pressure on Raymond who wanted to be the boss. He was pushed forward and scared by a 17-year-old kid. It's shameful."

Bickerstaff: "Haha, you must feel relieved to see Raymond doing well. After all, he is your junior. Well, they all are."

After the conversation with Zhang Yang more than a month ago, Felton began to actively adjust his playing style. After being inspired by Zhang Yang's buzzer-beater in the opening game, he practiced even harder.

After more than a month, the progress is obvious!
It is mainly reflected in the choice of offensive methods and shooting options.

When breaking through and needing to defend against a strong opponent, do not try to be too aggressive and take the initiative to seek cover.

When shooting, reduce shots in areas you are not good at and try to shoot in areas you are good at.

This change not only did not reduce his scoring, but also significantly improved his shooting percentage. In recent games, Felton's shooting percentage has increased from 39% in the first few games to 42.3%, including his three-point shooting percentage from 33.3% to 35.8%. His shooting choices have improved and his threat has become greater.

His passing basics are very solid, but his vision is average. In fact, he never sticks to the ball, but he occasionally fails to see opportunities for his teammates to appear, so the time he holds the ball in a single round varies.

When the opponent's defense against him increases, he naturally sees more opportunities and makes more effective passes.

Felton is also insisting on targeted intensive shooting training.

He did as Zhang Yang said and sought advice from Englander on how to create better shooting opportunities. After studying several of Felton's games, Englander developed a training plan for him on long-distance shooting techniques including pick-and-roll and step-back shooting, and quick-stop rhythm adjustment for close-range lobs.

Felton's change surprised Jordan.

Jordan thought that Felton's career was over, his playing style had become rigid, he had a lot of minor problems and there was no way forward. He didn't expect that this junior fellow was actually willing to change and was working hard to change!
When he led the team in training on November 11, he praised Felton.

This made Felton very excited and he practiced harder.

This was the first time Jordan praised him in person after he joined the Bobcats. He had praised him before, but they were all polite words said in front of reporters. He has always kept it in mind.

Felton's change was not just due to any one person. Paul's stronger combat effectiveness, Deron's talent praised by Stockton, the pressure brought by Zhang Yang, and Jordan's contempt... were all reasons for his change.

The people upstairs watched the players train for a while, then sat down to hold a meeting.

The Bobcats coaching staff has been very tired lately.

The start of the season was full of disasters, the season goals were constantly adjusted, and the plan failed at the very beginning. Now the team has 6 wins and 9 losses in a single month, which is not very bad, but it has lost the initiative if it wants to compete for the top three picks... The coaches don't know what tricks Boss Joe is going to do today.

Jordan: "Emeka applied for a period of rest to lose excess muscle and reduce the risk of injury. I found a professional team and they gave me a schedule. It is expected to take 3 months to ensure that Emeka will be healthy and adjust his playing habits when he returns to the game after losing weight. Our season plan has to be adjusted again."

Bickerstaff was surprised when he heard this: "Didn't he reject the team doctor's advice to lose weight yesterday morning? Michael, did you talk to him in person?"

They already knew that Okafor's injury was caused by his weight.

Bickerstaff is very worried that Okafor will suffer a serious injury, which would ruin the career of this top talented inside player who has just begun.

The heavy center suffered leg and foot injuries, which is no joke.

But the team doctor advised Okafor countless times, but he refused to accept the advice.

It was no use for head coach Bickerstaff to talk to the other side, as the other side was too stubborn.

As for the boss Jordan... Bickerstaff didn't know how to describe it. It was very awkward. Perhaps he hadn't fully entered into the role of the boss yet. Anyway, he didn't try to persuade him.

Jordan: "I didn't go. Jack went to Emeka's house for afternoon tea yesterday afternoon. I don't know what they talked about, but Jack succeeded in persuading him."

Bickerstaff was stunned. What the head coach said was useless. What the team doctor said was useless. But what the 17-year-old rookie said was actually useful?

He shook his head and smiled: "It seems that Raymond will really be the boss of the team in the future."

Little Bickerstaff also laughed and said, "Yeah, Jack respects Raymond very much."

Jordan rolled his eyes. Such a boss? If it were him, he would not want to be such a boss even if he jumped off the roof of the stadium.

However, these two are his juniors, so it doesn't matter who is the boss of his team.

After joking for a while, Bickerstaff returned to the topic: "Emeka will not be able to play for at least 3 months. We have to adjust our plan again. The record is not important to us. I think we already have the core lineup of Raymond, Jack, Gerrard and Emeka. A high draft pick is not important to us."

Jordan: “Exactly.”

After getting the boss' approval, Bickerstaff continued, "What we have to deal with now is the impact of Gerrard's injury. We need an inside player with better mobility who can help Gerrard share the defensive pressure. Primoz's defense is not a drag, but that's all. I'm going to trade Blevins for an inside blue-collar player."

In addition to being the head coach, Bickerstaff also serves as the general manager. He has the right to make the decision on this matter, but his boss is always pushing him around and often interferes with the team's operations. If he wants to trade the team's assist leader, he has to report it first.

Jordan: "Okay, who's the candidate?"

Bickerstaff: “No one has been chosen yet.”

Jordan: Are you kidding me?

Bickerstaff: "I just learned that Emeka will not be able to play for a few months and just made this decision."

Jordan: "That's right, let's all work together to find a center with the right price and salary."

Randy Brown: “I have a choice.”

Jordan: “Who?”

Randy Brown: "A backup center of the Celtics, I heard from my old teammate in the Celtics that Leif LaFrentz has recovered from the past two seasons, played in all games, and occupied the starting position. The backup center is not satisfied with the current playing time."

Jordan thought about the Celtics roster: "That high school kid?"

Randy Brown: "Yes, I also heard that the Celtics are looking for a point guard who is good at organizing offense to share the pressure of organizing offense with Pierce. Delonte West and Ricky Davis are not in their plans."

Jordan: "Bernie, do you know that high school center?"

Bickerstaff recalled and replied: "He is very similar to Kwame Brown, but he has a smaller defensive coverage area and less low-post defensive experience. His offense is also worse than Kwame Brown, but he is more active and confident than Kwame Brown."

Jordan: "..."

(End of this chapter)