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Chapter 57 Hansen Lee, Isolated
Coach Maurice Cheeks was also aware of this.
A close look at the first quarter reveals that when the Trail Blazers' starters were on the court, it was like two separate teams.
Damon Stoudemire, nicknamed "Little Flying Squirrel," often collaborates with Bonzi Wells and Rasheed Wallace, with the latter two passing the ball back to Stoudemire even when they don't have an attacking opportunity.
Occasionally, the news would reach Zach Randolph.
However, Li He received the ball significantly fewer times in the first quarter than in the previous games.
Sometimes, even when he runs into open space, the basketball still doesn't reach him.
Basketball is ultimately a team sport. No matter how strong you are, it's useless if you can't get the ball.
To put it bluntly, Li He was isolated by Bonzi Wells and others during the competition.
Maurice Cheeks gathered the players together and reiterated:
"Remember, we are one!"
"Get the damn ball moving! Share it selflessly!"
"Don't let me see any more of those wicked ideas they're plotting!"
Maurice Cheeks' warnings had no effect.
He has been coaching the team for three seasons, and the Trail Blazers' "Prison Team" has gotten worse and worse. If these bastards could listen to him, the Trail Blazers wouldn't be in this state.
Whether it was a run into open space, a fast break opportunity, or a cut to the basket, Li He was never able to get the ball smoothly. This wore down his patience and completely disrupted his rhythm of the game.
At halftime, Li He had only 4 shot attempts, scoring 2 goals and earning 5 points.
This is a stark contrast to their performance in the previous matches.
The Portland Trail Blazers, playing at home, trailed the Washington Wizards 36-48.
Inside the players' tunnel.
Zach Randolph gave Li He a wink, and the two walked back to the locker room side by side. Randolph whispered:
"Hansen, the others seem to have some issues!"
"I can see that now, they're not passing the ball to you!"
Li He nodded silently: "I felt it too."
"If I'm not mistaken, it must be that guy Bonzi Wells who's behind this."
Since their confrontation in the locker room, things have escalated significantly, with leaks even circulating and reports of a direct conflict between the two in Portland media.
As a rookie, Li He's two consecutive high-level matches have indeed attracted a number of fans.
However, Bonzi Wells has already played for the Trail Blazers for six seasons, and his teammates and substitutes are much more familiar with him.
Damon Stoudemire, nicknamed "Little Flying Squirrel," spent seven seasons with the Trail Blazers.
Rasheed Wallace, known as "Roaring Naïve," has been there even longer; this is his eighth year in Portland.
In other words, of the starting five, apart from the chubby Randolph, the other three have been teammates for six years!
In a commercial league like the NBA, being teammates for six years is actually not easy.
These are all problematic players with similar temperaments and personalities; it's common for them to eat, drink, have fun, go to nightclubs, and find women together.
In other words, the number of meals Li He and his teammates had eaten together was far less than the number of times these people had group parties together.
As for role players like Quintel Woods, Jeff McGinnis, or Derek Anderson, they are definitely more familiar with players like Bonzi Wells, so the trend is one-sided.
Don't think that you don't have to worry about interpersonal relationships in the NBA.
When Bonzi Wells called Rashid Wallace and Flying Squirrel, among others.
A plan to isolate Li He has already taken shape.
No matter how good Hansen Lee is, he won't score if you don't pass him the ball.
Without performance on the court, what makes him so tough?
As for the head coach, Bonzi Wells and others didn't care at all.
In their minds, apart from Zach Randolph, no one else on the team supports Hansen Lee, and the management wouldn't risk offending all of them by desperately protecting Hansen Lee.
Halftime break.
Li He sat silently, thinking of a solution.
In any case, let's finish the second half of the game first.
Some people may not want to win, but Li He was aiming to win.
If you don't want to win, why bother with competitive sports!
Seeing Li He's "isolated and helpless" appearance, Bunzi Wells was extremely pleased and even let out a cold laugh unconsciously.
This is what happens when an arrogant rookie offends a veteran player on the team!
The NBA is a very complex place; it's not something a rookie like you can easily understand.
A season is still long, and Bonzi Wells is confident he has plenty of ways to punish Hansen Lee, that arrogant guy.
……
The halftime break passed quickly.
Despite Maurice Cheeks’ repeated calls for greater team unity, his poor control of the locker room meant that few of the prison team’s players paid him any attention.
Li He deliberately slowed down a few steps, and the chubby Randolph, sensing that something was wrong, stayed behind to wait for Li He.
"Hansen... don't let the first half affect you," Randolph comforted him.
Li He said, "Zack, I'm not counting on these guys passing me the ball."
"Come here, listen to me..."
Li He is definitely not one to swallow his anger. Even if he is targeted by people like Bonzi Wells, he will definitely respond with action rather than remain silent.
The third quarter begins.
Both sides retained their starting lineups.
Li He was matched up against Gilbert Arenas, a senior from the University of Arizona who had watched Li He play in the NCAA and was very impressed with him.
"Hansen, I was really looking forward to playing against you," Arenas said. "You'll have to step up your game in the second half."
"Of course," Li He smiled confidently. "The competition isn't over yet, is it?"
"OK, OK!" Arenas nodded.
Bonzi Wells and Little Flying Squirrel intended to inbound the ball from the backcourt, repeating their actions from the first half, but Zach Randolph was faster, immediately picking up the ball and standing outside the line.
Without much thought, the two let the chubby boy serve the ball.
Surprisingly, Randolph didn't send it to the two of them, but instead gave it directly to Li He.
Li He dribbled the ball past midfield alone, facing Arenas' defense, and observed the situation.
The flying squirrel is asking for a ball from the side:
"Hey! Hansen! Give me the ball, you run the play!"
The ball is for you?
Here's a ball for you!
They both graduated from the University of Arizona, so why is there such a big difference?
Li He was not fooled; once the ball was handed over, getting it back would be as difficult as climbing to heaven.
"Come on, Hansen, let me see your offensive talent!" Arenas thumped his chest and roared at Li He.
Compared to his offensive prowess, Arenas' defense was not outstanding; his lateral movement and defensive focus were rather average.
But when facing his juniors from university, the general adopted a serious defensive stance.
This is a sign of respect from a senior.
Li He dribbled between his legs repeatedly, then suddenly started his drive and broke through to the right.
Arenas immediately moved to the side to block the way, but Li He suddenly changed direction in advance and connected with his left hand to turn and release the ball.
Although it's just a simple dribbling move, in Li He's hands, it's full of rhythm, flashy, and extremely deceptive.
"A turnaround fadeaway jumper?"
Arenas is very familiar with this move; Kobe always used it!
He immediately adjusted his position to block, but unexpectedly Li He only made a half turn, and after straightening his body, he made a steady mid-range shot.
Swish!
hit!