One Year Left to Play-Chapter 277 - 97: Despair-Inducing Three-Point Shooting
In the locker room, on the morning of the game against the Utah Jazz, he spent over an hour practicing three-pointers before his teammates arrived, and then the worst thing happened...
Zhang Hao pushed a shot put three-pointer, and luckily, it went in.
"This shooting form really suits me!"
He was quite unwilling to accept it, but the training effect of this three-pointer shooting movement was indeed better than using the conventional shooting action! Since it's accurate, what can you do? Just practice! Getting the three-pointer right is more important than making the shooting form look good.
...
A day of non-stop action passed, and the next morning, Zhang Hao arrived at the gym early with his luggage for extra practice.
Another continuous away game is about to start soon, the team bus departs from the gym at 9:20, Zhang Hao arrived at the gym at 7, giving him almost two hours to train.
Chris Owen yawned at 7 and prepared the training equipment for Zhang Hao, looking at Zhang Hao's bitter expression and jokingly said: "Aix, can you give me a day off?"
"No! Work makes us happy!"
"I think you don't seem very happy."
"That's your misconception..."
"Then why do you train while avoiding your teammates?"
Hearing this, Zhang Hao thought for a moment and replied: "I'm afraid I seem too talented and make others feel inferior."
"..."
Looking at Zhang Hao's shameless attitude, Chris Owen really had no words to refute—it indeed is talent!
In terms of long two-pointers, Zhang Hao was already very good, and with the three-point shooting area from both 45-degree corners to the top arc region shortened so much compared to before 1994, Zhang Hao found a suitable shooting action and the training effect in this area was quite obvious..."No way!"
Chris Owen quickly shook his head, almost got convinced by this guy's nonsense!
By 8 AM, the coaching staff arrived at the gym.
Originally Butch Baird and Randy Whitman were supposed to drive directly to the airport, but this morning the team owner notified them to come to the gym for a meeting.
The content of the meeting wasn't so pleasant for the two of them. After the owner left, they sat in the meeting room for quite a while before coming out.
Zhang Hao just finished a set of three-point training and was discussing training details with Chris Owen when he saw the obviously upset coaches arrive at the training field.
Before Zhang Hao could speak, Chris Owen asked: "Butch, Randy, what's wrong with you guys?"
Seeing Zhang Hao, their expressions visibly softened, Butch Baird forced a smile and replied: "It's nothing, you guys continue training, remember the time, we need to head to the airport later."
Since they didn't want to talk, Chris Owen didn't ask further and continued discussing the three-point training with Zhang Hao.
The two coaches didn't stay either, afraid their emotions might affect Zhang Hao's training and didn't wish for Zhang Hao to learn about those matters.
...
"The Cavaliers were actually stronger in the past..."
Looking at the opposing Cavaliers team with a 6-3 start, Zhang Hao once again realized a truth—weak teams have no rights!
A month with 13 games, and 10 of them were against playoff strong teams.
After resting a day in Cleveland, on November 20th, the Brooklyn Nets faced their 9th game of the season, an away game challenge.
Zhang Hao recalled that the Cavaliers were considered a first-rate strong team capable of achieving 50 wins. The most dazzling season in team history was the 91-92 season, led by legendary coach Lanny Wilkens, relying on Larry Nance, Brad Daugherty, Mark Price to secure 57 wins, and reached the Eastern Conference Finals that season, pushing the reigning champion Bulls to the sixth game; in the 92-93 season achieving 54 wins, soundly defeating the Nets in the first round, however, the Cavaliers met the Bulls again in the second round, and in 93 Pippen reached his career peak, delivering his best playoff performance ever. If not for Jordan's godlike performance of averaging 41 points that year, FMVP might have been taken by Pippen who averaged 21+9+7+2+1 in the finals, and the Cavaliers were easily swept by the Bulls in the second round.
After the 1993-1994 season, the Cavaliers' three big stars showed signs of aging, with Larry Nance and Brad Daugherty retiring decisively as they faced a decline. The substitutes they previously picked, once given more playtime, stepped up.
Terrell Brandon, Chris Mills, Bobby Phills, Danny Ferry, all top four scorers for the Cavaliers this season, were players they picked around 1990. After the old generation of leading stars retired, they timely filled the void and continued the strong team status.
Additionally, with their decisive acquisition of last season's star player Mark Price exchanged for former Phoenix Suns All-Star player Dan Majerle, they have had a great start this season.
Just got beaten by the Utah Jazz, although the Nets players have thick enough skin not to lose morale over such events, they didn't have high hopes for tonight either, thinking it's fine to just try their best.
Zhang Hao also felt the Cavaliers were the strongest team among their recent opponents barring the Utah Jazz, compared to the not-yet-peaked Pacers, the Heat just started transitioning, and teams like the Hawks and Kings, the Cavaliers who have continuously delivered outstanding performances in the playoffs in recent years, were evidently stronger at this stage.
But, theoretical strength is just theoretical; as things develop, they are always uncontrollable.
When the Cavaliers' top three scorers delivered performances of shooting 3 out of 12, 4 out of 15, and 5 out of 14, it's hard to win games.
Terrell Brandon only scored 9 points, Chris Mills got 12 points, Bobby Phills scored 13 points, all three with shooting percentages less than 40%. The highest scorer for the Cavaliers was Danny Ferry who shot 7 out of 14, scoring 19 points with 3 three-pointers.
