One Year Left to Play-Chapter 245 - 85: Is He Better Suited as a Center?

The referee watched the replay several times, discovering that besides holding Zhang Hao, Damon Stoudamire didn't exert any forceful actions. His intention was merely to stop Zhang Hao from dunking directly, which counted as a tactical foul rather than a flagrant one. However, Zhang Hao's fierce play gave an impression of a flagrant foul.

The referee confirmed that Damon Stoudamire committed an ordinary foul, and Zhang Hao's basket was good, earning him a free throw!

During this time, Zhang Hao adjusted his emotions and made his free throw steadily.

24 to 18, the point gap widened to 6!

Now it's the Raptors' turn to attack, with Zhang Hao still defending Oliver Miller.

Oliver Miller now doesn't know how to get a position; if he's too aggressive, the opponent might pull the chair.

In a normal position, he is much more agile than he looks, but he remains an inside player. However, compared to other inside players, his agility is not a disadvantage. The rookie on the opposing team is as agile as a guard.

Damon Stoudamire holds the ball outside the three-point line, facing Charles' defense, making it difficult for him to shoot. He feels annoyed by the boos from the audience; he just got embarrassed big time!

Oliver Miller hesitates when trying to position himself, and the other teammates... Damon Stoudamire decides to go solo!

At this moment, Damon Stoudamire pulled off an impressive move; he might be the fastest NBA player ever. His breakthrough skills and rhythm changes are outstanding. Despite Charles' excellent defense, he was still beaten by Damon Stoudamire.

After getting past Charles, Damon Stoudamire charged directly at the basket.

Since he started playing basketball, in Damon Stoudamire's worldview, as long as he charges, he's invincible. Seeing Zhang Hao leaving Oliver Miller and coming to help, he directly charges into the paint, goes for a baseline turnaround floater... did not expect Zhang Hao's quick turn, and the floater was smacked by Zhang Hao turning and jumping up!

Three consecutive possessions successfully defending the rim!

The ball flew off course, hit the neck of the rim, and the alert Jason Williams came in and grabbed the defensive rebound.

Oliver Miller was rudely blocking Zhang Hao, preventing a fast break. But it didn't matter; Charles steadily pushed the ball to the frontcourt, settled into a half-court game, where this lineup is strong.

While retreating, Oliver Miller kept pace, running past the midline, and Zhang Hao trash-talked: "Do you dare to face me like a man?"

Zhang Hao replied: "You look a lot like a man."

After speaking, Zhang Hao immediately accelerated.

Oliver Miller couldn't keep up; this time his lagging defense cost the Raptors, as Zhang Hao charged into the three-point line with others having to come up to help defend.

Charles passed to Edwards, who ran out freed by Zhang Hao's decoy, the latter drove in close and scored with a floater.

26 to 18, the point gap expanded to 8!

With Zhang Hao's three consecutive rim defenses and subsequent scoring, the Brooklyn Nets decisively broke the stalemate, not dragging the game with the Raptors anymore.

Riding this momentum, the Brooklyn Nets played increasingly well. At the end of the first quarter, the Nets were leading the Raptors by 11 points with 33 to 22 entering a break!

During the official timeout for a full 5 minutes and 38 seconds, the Raptors only scored 6 points!

At the beginning of the second quarter, Zhang Hao was substituted, with Jason Williams and PJ Brown entering to pair in the post, Charles, Edwards, Almon Gilliam forming the perimeter.

Zhang Hao rested on the sidelines.

Randy Whitman looked at Zhang Hao's statistics... 9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 1 steal... two turnovers with such performance don't need much concern.

The Raptors indeed are weak, but Zhang Hao's ability to seize opportunities is phenomenal, and his quick thinking found a way to defend against Oliver Miller.

Oliver Miller may not be very strong, but defending him is very effective against the Brooklyn Nets. Randy Whitman was most concerned about this, yet Zhang Hao figured out a solution...

During the rotation phase, the game situation looked good, no worries, the lead became increasingly apparent. The Raptors' new team energy was crushed by Zhang Hao's first-quarter performance.

Randy Whitman hesitated a moment, asking the head coach next to him: "Butch, do you think Aix is more suited to play center? Will he continue to grow taller?"

"..." Butch Baird looked at Zhang Hao's slim figure, and this time fell silent, then glanced at Randy Whitman's hopeful eyes: "I think he might."

"Even if he does, don't think about making Aix play center; he still needs to grow, both physically and technically."

"...???" Butch Baird was bewildered – What was I thinking?

...

The game situation had been swayed onto the Brooklyn Nets' path by Zhang Hao. If not for those morale-boosting reverse dunk, especially the stellar defense in those three possessions, the Nets might have had to grind with the eager Raptors at the start of the season.

If grinding, the Raptors' perimeter capitalizing on Oliver Miller's inside constraint, whoever wins or loses is still uncertain, as all NBA teams, even the last can win against the first in the league, occurrences are quite many in NBA history, let alone Brooklyn Nets.

But relying on Zhang Hao's critical few possessions breaking the deadlock, the Nets established an evident lead, dissipating the Raptors' momentum on their side.

In the second quarter, relying on Almon Gilliam's single-quarter 9 points, and Charles and Jason Williams' pick-and-roll offense, the Nets scored 18 to 12 in half a quarter.

When Zhang Hao came back on, the score was 51 to 34, the lead expanded to 17 points.

By then, the Raptors had started chaotic play entirely, which suited Damon Stoudamire leading a bunch of athletic teammates for frantic charges, similarly suiting Kenny Anderson!

Moreover, both teams' point guards have similar traits, but Kenny Anderson is stronger!

At halftime, Zhang Hao's personal scoring rose to 15 points, and the Nets led by 21 points with a score of 69 to 48 entering the intermission.

The second half became garbage time, with Randy Whitman placing Zhang Hao, Charles, Jason Williams, Edwards, Vaughn Fleming on the court.

Let Zhang Hao practice catching and turnaround fadeaway in the half-court game!

The match's outcome was without surprise, Raptors lacked the ability to overturn the game; if they had consistently intense morale, progressively better and more accurate shots, this new team might defeat any opponent, but once collapsed, they're like scattered sand.

120 to 91, the Brooklyn Nets massacred the Raptors by 29 points, achieving two consecutive victories at the start!

Zhang Hao played another 14 minutes during garbage time, finishing the game with 32 minutes, shooting 9 of 19, 5 of 5 on free throws, scoring 23 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals, 4 turnovers...

Looking at himself going from 6 out of 10 with a shooting percentage of 60% in the first half, only two turnovers, to finishing with 9 out of 19 with a shooting percentage below 50%, 4 turnovers... Zhang Hao felt developing new skills really challenging!