No.1 in basketball scoring-Chapter 888 - 380. A Future Opponent Not to Be Underestimated_4

After resting for a night, the following afternoon, Zhang Yang left Charlotte with the team, heading to Atlanta, and after another night of rest, they prepared at the Philips Arena.

Looking at the brand-new training facilities in the arena, Zhang Yang curiously asked, "Did they renew everything to celebrate the playoffs?"

Hill responded, "They replace the latest equipment every year, all arranged after the regular season ends. The purchasing arrangements were made long ago, but their manager didn’t expect to make it to the playoffs this year."

Zhang Yang: "Oh, seems like it. Every new season when I come here to play, I feel something is off. Turns out they replace the facilities every year, and after a few months, I forget. Only because it’s in the same season, I noticed it... Does their owner have unlimited money to spend? Grant, you seem very familiar with the Hawks team?"

Hill: "The Hawks team’s owner Steven Price’s father, his father’s sister, and her husband were college classmates with my father. I knew him since young. His father’s family and his aunt’s family are both wealthy. Their two families’ Ruiz Investment Group and Paul Management Group combined into a large conglomerate, a top bond issuer on the South Coast.

Steven loves basketball. His father used this team to train him in business, but he is someone who only spends money. When he acquired the Hawks team 10 years ago, they were still a top-tier team. In 2000, when I switched teams, he invited me, glad I didn’t come here, or I’d drag him down."

Zhang Yang: "Uh, you meant he would drag you down."

Hill: "Haha, I never said that."

Zhang Yang: "..."

Speaking of the bond issuing conglomerate, he remembered that Hill would become one of the Hawks team owners in the future, teaming up with investors to buy the Hawks team for 850 million US dollars.

That was during a phase when NBA team valuations were soaring. It amazed many sports investors that they could acquire a big-city team at such a price, thanks to the connections behind it.

But Zhang Yang felt somewhat odd at this time — why does Hill love boasting about his heritage to him?

Normally, when chatting with other teammates, it’s just basketball, life, family, and fun stories. But with him, it’s all ’showing off.’

Is it because he’s envious of Zhang San’s higher basketball talent? But it doesn’t seem like it!

Unable to figure it out, he stopped wondering and focused on preparing!

...

On April 27th at 7 PM, Philips Arena in Atlanta, the Bobcats and Hawks team faced off in the third match of the series.

After two hours and 23 minutes of gameplay, returning to their home court rejuvenated, the Hawks team defeated the Bobcats 114 to 109, refusing to fall behind 0 to 3!

Tonight, Pierce, who was suppressed for two games, exploded with 26 out of 14 shooting, including 1 out of 4 three-pointers, and 5 out of 6 free throws, achieving the highest score on the court of 34 points, along with 10 rebounds and 3 assists.

Joe Johnson solidly scored 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Although Bibby’s scoring was not high, with only 17 points, less than previous games, but when it was time to score, he still did it, and his offensive organization exploded, achieving 14 assists!

Pachulia played for 39 minutes tonight, setting a new career high. Scoring-wise, he only made 1 out of 7, earning 4 points, taking several big blocks from Okafor and Perkins, but secured 15 rebounds, definitely a breakout.

Along with Othella Harrington’s 2 points and 2 rebounds, Horford’s 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, Childress’s 18 points, Solomon Jones’s 6 points, only 8 out of 10 Hawks players scored, but those 8 managed 114 points, violent performance.

On the Bobcats side, team offense was much stronger, all 11 players scored. Okafor 10 out of 7 shooting, plus 4 out of 7 free throws, scored 18 points, still not bad, but only grabbed 6 rebounds, tonight being grabbed by Pierce and Pachulia.

Felton’s 17 points and 11 assists, Brad Miller’s 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists, Mike Miller’s 13 points... all okay.

Lost because of the defensive rebound protection, as well as Zhang Yang’s performance... Zhang Yang got the second highest score of 32 points, but only made 12 out of 30, including 2 out of 6 three-pointers, plus 6 out of 8 free throws.

It’s a game, sometimes you play well, sometimes poorly. Although losing was frustrating and self-blame, by the end of the third year in the NBA, Zhang Yang knew how to adjust his emotions.

After a day’s rest, on the 29th, Zhang Yang and teammates took to the Philips Arena’s court again for the 4th match of the series against the Hawks team.

Previous game’s shooting performance was terrible, tonight Zhang Yang decisively made adjustments... shooting with more confidence!

Having played 3 games, both sides understood each other’s strategies.

The Hawks team relies on players for offense. As Zhang Yang told Felton and Okafor, no matter how many autonomous adaptation strategies a player-led offense has, after many matches, it reaches its limit.

However, the Bobcats mainly use simple team-play offense, also seen through by Woodson. Although the Hawks team can’t organize decent team defense, they can still focus on key points.

At this stage, it’s about competing individual star skills.

Tonight, Zhang Yang exuded a determined sharpness, inspiring his teammates.

First quarter score 28 to 25, second quarter score 26 to 28, third quarter 32 to 30, after back-and-forth three quarters, in the final quarter, the Bobcats achieved a score of 30 to 23, crushing the Hawks team midway!

Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om