So I am the god of basketball?

Chapter 80 I’m going to be 20 soon, it’s time to do something big!
  "I'm not going to let this rookie score half as many points as he normally does! Tell me that number... 19 points? I have to say, this guy can score a little more than I thought. Is there no defender in this league? Then I can be lazy during the game for a while, I will give him some scoring opportunities, and then control his scoring to less than 10 points!"

In his last interview before the game officially started, Gary Payton stated his goals.

Behind the scenes, he looked down on Meng Lang completely.

Well, when a defender, who has just entered his fourth season in the league, has already become a strong contender for the "Defensive Player of the Season Award" - the latest issue about the "Defensive Player of the Season Award", Gary -Payton is ranked second behind Mutombo. Many media are saying that he will become another outside player to win the "Defensive Player of the Season Award" after Dennis Rodman. (In short, you cannot regard Rodman during the Pistons period as a complete insider.) - Then it makes sense for him to have absolute confidence in his defensive ability!
  Interestingly, no reporter asked Gary Payton why he was so hostile to the Chinese newcomers.

Because there is no need to explain the reason at all, everyone is clear:

This NBA does not allow such a flamboyant newcomer to appear!

Since Drexler failed to teach him a lesson, and Reggie Miller failed to teach him a lesson, let him entertain this rookie and let him see what pure "NBA-style defense" is!

Everyone knows that the Magic's "new army" is going to suffer.

Yes, not only Meng Lang will suffer, but Hardaway will also face the Sonics' suffocating defense and play what may be the most difficult game since entering the NBA.

However, the SuperSonics' start in this game exceeded everyone's expectations.

11-1!

At 6 minutes and 34 seconds of the first quarter, the Magic scored the first point of the game with Shaquille O'Neal drawing a foul under the basket.

Hardaway made two mistakes in less than 7 minutes.

Nate McMillan was directly put into the starting lineup by George Karl today.

He has a thorough understanding of Hardaway's passing ideas.

When "Jordan's successor" meets him, it's like an actress meets Taka Kato. ——The actress can squirt or not, all at the fingertips of Kato Takashi. Whether Hardaway makes a mistake or not, it's all within McMillan's fingertips.

When Meng Lang faced off against Gary Payton, he was unsurprisingly locked up. In the entire 7 minutes, he only touched the ball less than five or six times and had only one chance to take action.

The nickname "The Glove" comes from Gary Payton's crazy close defense of his opponents, as if he was wearing a pair of invisible gloves.

Now Meng Lang can really feel the power of these "gloves" on the defensive end.

Whether it is defensive awareness, intensity of entanglement, or defensive judgment, it is the best that an outside player can do.

Meng Lang is still a pitcher who mainly runs without the ball. I can't believe how helpless a ball holder would be facing such a defense.

If these two people were restricted at the start, it was not expected by the media.

So it's a bit surprising that Shaquille O'Neal didn't have a presence under the basket!

In order to implement the "SOS" tactic where everyone is involved, the Sonics did not have a traditional big center inside.

Shaquille O'Neal usually performs well when facing this kind of inside group.

But in this game, he got the ball three times in a row at the beginning, and he finally passed the ball.

Detlef Schrempf guarding him is not a problem.

The weight is not even 100kg. If O'Neal exerts enough force, he may be injured and fractured.

The problem lies in the Sonics' fourth position, which is helping to defend, and is also another core of this team:
  "Rain Man" Shawn Kemp!

The 1989th overall high school pick in the first round of the NBA in 17. Of course, he is not a typical high school student. He was already 20 years old when he entered the draft. Because of the stealing problem, Kemp was unable to go to Kentucky, his ideal destination, and spent another year in a vocational college. Then he directly announced that he would skip college and enter the NBA.

His immature character is his shortcoming, which is the key to his fall to the 17th pick in the first round.

But no one doubts his impact on the game.

This can be seen from his nickname "The Ruler". ——The pronunciation of "Ruler" is similar to "Rain Man", so Kemp's nickname became "Rain Man" after coming to the NBA, which is similar to Meng Lang's nickname "Dream".

After entering the NBA, Sean Kemp continued to improve his abilities in all aspects and soon became a player with both offense and defense.

这个赛季他场均可以贡献18.1分10.8篮板2.6助攻2.1盖帽1.8抢断。

He is already the core player on both offense and defense for the current Sonics.

In fact, in the 96 Finals, Gary Payton was the one who defended Jordan, but "Rain Man"'s contribution was also indispensable. This was a man who could steal the MVP vote from Michael Jordan. man!

Many times, his contribution cannot be reflected in the data.

This is also the reason why his statistics are not that explosive, but he is highly praised.

Meng Lang has never seen Sean Kemp at his peak.

But tonight he saw how Kemp, who had just entered his prime, contributed to the team on both offense and defense.

The first time Shaquille O'Neal gets the ball, he is bound to be flanked by "Rain Man". After forcing him to pass the ball out, he can return to his defender with his high mobility.

If the Sonics' "SOS" system relies on Gary Payton on the outside, then Sean Kemp relies on it on the inside.

His assisting defense cut off the Magic's last "bullet".

On the offensive end of the Sonics today, he also contributed the most.

Later, many fans just heard about Sean Kemp's amazing dunks and thought he was a pie-eating "dunker." But in fact, he has very good ball control ability, and he can often pass by just by accelerating. Move slowly to position and complete the "bombing the frame".

Jeff Turner has already used him as a "backdrop" twice tonight.

Meng Lang took his performance seriously. If he had to compare it to a later star, Camp would probably mean a greatly enhanced mid-range shot, enhanced skills at the basket, enhanced endurance, similar impact, and absolute strength. Lesser Zion.

Of course, Camp here is in its complete form after 96.

Well, that is to say...

Tonight he played in his "complete" form at the start.

After all, the Magic's defense is not weak. Meng Lang entered the starting lineup. The shortest person on the outside is Nick Anderson, who is 1 meters tall.

Since apologizing to Meng Lang, their cooperation on the court has increased.

In addition, there is no "three-second zone" now. Shaquille O'Neal is standing there as a "natural wall", and they can form a "iron chain" very well.

Rao is the main "multi-point bloomer" of the Sonics. So far this season, this team has 10 players averaging more than 6 points per game, plus Vincent Ace who averages 9.1 points per game. Qiu is also well restricted.

The Sonics' problem is still very obvious. They have many scoring points, but their shooting is generally not good, especially shooting from beyond the three-point line. Only Sam Perkins's three-point shooting percentage per game exceeds 35%!

Although Nate McMillan averaged 39.1% of three-pointers per game, he was not the focus of the Sonics' offense. He took no more than 6 shots in a game and only took 1.8 three-pointers.

Others are hovering around 30%.

The Magic's defensive intensity was very high, and the Sonics had no way to break the game with three points. ——There is another key problem. Their fighting is also very fierce, which makes their breathing rhythm unable to slow down. Their shooting is not good in the first place, and the rhythm is messed up, which makes it even more inaccurate.

But the Sonics still have Sean Kemp, and 11 of the 8 points came from him.

"Boy, if you only have this strength, please keep your mouth shut from now on!"

Payton was disappointed.

Although he looked down upon Meng Lang in his tone before the game, he was still looking forward to this game.

This rookie who can play "glider" and score points with Reggie Miller at critical moments has the ability!
  result……

Sure enough, my defense is indeed too strong!

"What's the hurry? I just need to get 10 points on your head!"

Meng Lang curled his lips and replied, and suddenly made an air cut towards the basket while running. This was the first time he made such an action tonight, and Hardaway quickly gave him the ball.

"Glove" was following him. Schramf was leaning towards him at this time. Meng Lang took action in advance and threw the whole person out.

"beep!"

The referee's whistle blows.

SuperSonics No. 11 fouled.

"This is my man, Detrev!" Gary Payton was very dissatisfied with his teammates for "dogs taking advantage of mice." "I don't need help on defense, I can take care of him by myself!"

Schrempf spread his hands speechlessly.

There was a lot he wanted to say, but because he did foul and gave Meng Lang two free throw opportunities, he couldn't say it and could only curse in his heart:
  Cunning Chinese people!

This guy clearly traded his life for a foul.

"Shh!"

"Shh!"

After making two hard-won free throws, Meng Lang said to Gary Payton: "There are still 8 points left!"

Huh~
  Gary Payton spat out disdainfully: "You mean you still have 8 free throw opportunities in this game? I guarantee it as George's grandmother, this is the last time you score in this game!"

George Karl on the sidelines:? ? ? I'll thank you on behalf of my grandmother!

A strange smile suddenly appeared on the corner of Meng Lang's mouth.

because……

"Ding, there are always some games where you will feel like shooting is like throwing pebbles into the sea, and your opponent will feel like they are defending God!"

A prompt sound came from the system, and the "Buddha's Light Shining" badge on the system panel also lit up at this time.

"Payton...if I made you question your defensive abilities, would you blame me?"

Meng Lang spit out what he wanted to say coldly, and Gary Payton wanted to sneer again, but he met a pair of exceptionally bright eyes, so bright that they were frighteningly bright. Payton was startled for a moment, and then an even more unhappy emotion emerged from his heart. He hated Meng Lang's words, and even more hated Meng Lang's "As long as I want, I can do it" look.

Well, it can only be said that Gary Payton is not a time traveler and does not have a system, so it is difficult for him to imagine how confident a man who has turned on his hanger is at this moment.

Kemp completed another dunk over Turner's head, looking so casual.

The point difference returned to 10 points!
  The Seattleites at the scene cheered even louder, and the fans holding posters and placards couldn't help but sway their bodies to the restless music.

According to the current situation, if nothing unexpected happens, the Sonics will usher in a big victory tonight, Sean Kemp will get a gorgeous statistic, and the Magic will leave Seattle in despair. leave.

A special issue of ESPN in December mentioned the Magic team in November, describing them as "a new force in the league" and "a youth army that will change the future structure of the league." Many Seattleites also saw this special issue.

But now they just want to say one thing:

new force?

The youth army that will change the future landscape?

Huh~
  When you come to Seattle, you still have to make "beef noodles" for me?
  After I finished eating the noodles, I said, "I don't eat beef." What can they do?
  Shout louder, Seattle!
  All we have to do now is be arrogant!
  Meng Lang kept running without the ball, and Payton followed him, bypassing one screen after another. The first time he got the ball, Payton did not pounce on it, but observed Meng Lang's next move. If he got the ball, Meng Lang immediately passed it out. If his prediction was correct, he might be able to cut it off in advance!
  Blocking Meng Lang can no longer satisfy Gary Payton, and his ambitions are getting bigger!

only……

When Meng Lang took the ball, he didn't even look at his teammates. He took a step back and came to the three-point line, raised his hand and shot.

"Shh!"

The basketball passed through the basket and stopped the excited audience.

The difference is 7 points!
  "Five minutes left..." Meng Lang stretched out his palm and gestured towards Payton expressionlessly.

"whispering sound!"

Gary Payton thinks it was caused by being too greedy.

But he wanted a response.

Ok……

After Meng Lang hit this three-pointer, he already scored more points than him.

Not only did he have to guard Meng Lang, but he also had to score more points than him. This is just like LeBron's greatness, no need to say more!

Anderson judged Gary Payton's breakthrough very well, blocked the position in advance, and stopped the "glove" directly. He turned around to find his teammate, but Meng Lang blocked the blind spot of his perspective when he turned and rushed straight towards him. Come over.

Hug the ball in his arms.

The "glove" reacted quickly and immediately increased its strength. Due to the mutual force, the two people turned into "gyros", spinning twice in place, falling to the ground together, and wrestling together.

The referee hurried over and used his whistle to separate the two people:

Scrimmage!

"damn it!"

Meng Lang got up from the ground. Hardaway and Shaq just ran towards him at this time. The two of them were completely stunned. When they saw Meng Lang getting up on his own, they realized that it was time to pull Meng Lang up. Meng Lang didn't care either. He was completely focused on the fight for the ball. He almost snatched the ball away.

Payton stood up with the help of his teammates, trying his best to suppress the panic in his eyes.

At that moment, he really felt like he was fighting for his life with a hungry wolf.

Okay, okay, okay, okay!

This game is getting more and more interesting!

Gary Payton is naturally not someone who is afraid of intensity.

Since Meng Lang gave him strength, he should also give this rookie strength.

"Boy, you finally let me see something worthy of your current popularity!" Payton expressed his appreciation. He always speaks out. It was like this when he looked down on Meng Lang, and it's the same now.

"If this is how you give in, then I will be very disappointed. Payton, I am going to beat you today!" But Meng Lang didn't care what he said. He said to the referee who was still correcting the positions of other players. , "Hurry up, referee, I'm in a hurry to destroy this bitch!"

"Snapped!"

With his taller height and excellent wingspan, Meng Lang successfully passed the ball that he failed to steal directly into Hardaway's hands.

The "Successor to Jordan" is now familiar with McMillan's pressure and has regained some composure. ——If he didn't have this ability to adapt, then he wouldn't have such a title.

Payton and Meng Lang "struggled" together again.

At this moment, Meng Lang thought of Rodman.

Payton's defense is very good at using his hands.

This is also the key to his ability to cover others at all times.

Meng Lang simply crossed paths with Hardaway, using this most familiar tactic to create space for himself.

but……

Payton came around immediately.

No one saw clearly what he did, but when Meng Lang bypassed Hardaway, Payton also appeared in front of him.

If not once, then twice!

There is nothing in this world that a barbecue cannot solve, if so, then two meals.

In the same way, there is no defense in this world that cannot be escaped in a pick-and-roll. If there is, then do it again!
  Hardaway's pass landed in Meng Lang's hands in a thrilling way, almost touching Gary Payton's fingers.

"Glove" gave up half of his body's space because of this action of stealing.

This kind of shooting space had appeared many times in the previous quarter, and Meng Lang didn't dare to take action.

But now...

The "cheating" Meng Lang raised his hand and voted without hesitation.

Such a decisive move scared Payton, and he immediately turned his head and waved his hand.

"Snapped!"

"beep!"

As the ball flew out, Payton's hand hit Meng Lang's hand.

The referee whistle blows and at the same time...

Go in!

3 plus 1!

"OMG!"

The young fans in the audience directly held their heads, as if they had seen some incredible scene.

There were some memories in Chuck Daly's eyes.

At this moment, the figure in the training camp who faced Jordan and made a "3 plus 1" shot at the critical moment completely overlapped with the figure wearing the Magic's No. 23 in front of him.

Ok!

This is the same person!

"Payton, did you have diarrhea again last night?" Before the free throw, Meng Lang glanced specifically at Gary Payton behind him.

One sentence made Payton look like he had diarrhea.

This is his classic quote.

In a previous game with Stockton, at the end of one round, he sneered at Stockton: "Your defense is as soft as the shit I took last night."

Then he added "By the way, I had diarrhea last night", which directly made "Old Coin" Stockton break his defense.

At the time, Payton probably didn't expect that one day he would fall for the "boomerang" of this "trash talk".

"Look, Payton, I'll teach you how to shoot free throws!"

Another stab into Payton's heart.

This season Gary Payton's free throw percentage per game is only 59.2%!

Almost as good as Shaq.

"Seriously, what a pity. You were standing behind me, otherwise I would have closed my eyes and made the free throw. Let you see how simple a free throw is!" Meng Lang reached out after making a steady hit. With one finger, "One point left, Payton!"

After this "3 plus 1", Meng Lang's score has reached 9 points.

And the game time is still a few minutes away from the end of the first quarter!

Under the current situation, it is obviously difficult for Payton to prevent Meng Lang from scoring a single point in the next time.

Everyone could see that he was angry, and he took it out on Anderson.

Gary Payton is famous for his defense, but it does not mean that his offensive ability is worse than that of ordinary guards.

It is difficult for a defender who "defends the strong and attacks the weak" to become the core of a team's perimeter.

Payton's breakthrough ability is considered top-notch in the league.

Anderson made a misjudgment, allowing Payton to reach the free throw line with the ball. When Shaq was still hesitating whether to step forward to cover, Meng Lang came out from the side and directly fouled Payton.

"You can only use guilt..."

Payton finally found a chance to vent, but Meng Lang's words reached his ears in advance: "Come on, let's see how well you learn free throws!"

"..."

It was not only Gary Payton who was silent, but also other Sonics players on the court. They are used to watching Gary Payton use "trash talk" to trash every opponent. This is the first time they have seen someone bully Gary Payton into shutting down.

And he’s still a rookie!
  "Dangdang!"

"Dangdang!"

Meng Lang's "trash talk" was quite destructive. Payton's two free throws all hit the neck of the basket, and Shaq protected the rebound.

Payton shook his head slightly as he returned to defense. He did not see the broadcast camera and gave him a close-up shot. The fans who were watching this game could clearly see his wavering.

Hardaway is now focused on finding Meng Lang's position.

And Meng Lang...

Peyton was more intensely entangled.

It was like a woman who didn't want to break up with Meng Lang, clinging to him for fear that he would leave her eyes.

If Martha had the same hysterical attitude and wanted to keep him, maybe the two of them could talk for a few more months.

"Meng Lang, this way!"

Anderson's shout came after the pick-and-roll between Hardaway and Meng Lang failed to work. He took the initiative to set a screen. Meng Lang bypassed him and did not get the ball in the first place, but when he passed Shaquille O'Neal .

Hardaway gave the ball to Shaq and passed it smoothly to his hands.

Not only Anderson, but also Shaq also actively cooperated with Meng Lang.

This is a subconscious behavior.

With the team unable to open up the situation at all, Meng Lang has now scored 7 points in a row, helping the team narrow the point difference to 3 points.

His strong presence on the court allows all players, as long as they have professional player ethics, to cooperate with him in attacking immediately.

Get the ball, turn around and shoot!

Meng Lang didn't waste the space that Shaquille O'Neal gave him.

This shot was wise, because when he turned and shot the ball, Gary Payton appeared in front of him again. If he walked outside the three-point line, there would probably be no room to shoot.

Now Gary Payton has entered his most serious mode. Even though Meng Lang's ability to run without the ball is already excellent, it is still difficult to get rid of his entanglement.

Fortunately, with "Buddha's Light Illuminating" activated, he only needs to seize the momentary opportunity to take action.

"Shh!"

Meng Lang fell to the ground because he turned around quickly and took action.

When the ball went in, he secretly clenched his fists as he fell to the ground.

George Karl finally couldn't bear it anymore and called a timeout.

At this moment, the whole place was silent.

Meng Lang, who was lying on the ground, turned around and saw a blond female fan sitting on the sidelines. She was very young and beautiful. She seemed to be a die-hard SuperSonics fan. She was wearing a SuperSonics jersey.

Her eyes contacted Meng Lang at this moment.

This goal was scored, and Meng Lang scored 9 points in a row in less than two minutes.

The advantage of the Sonics' "dream start" disappeared at this moment, and the 10-point lead became 1 point.

"I should be your nightmare tonight, ma'am!"

"Well done, man..." Hardaway rushed over and pulled Meng Lang up.

The Magic team was about to fall off the cliff, but Meng Lang pulled them back alone.

Grant Hill's happiness, he felt it!
  Chuck Daly patted the tactical board and asked everyone to gather quickly, but he did not forget to pat Meng Lang on the shoulder with the tactical board and said silently: Well done.

His next arrangement was mainly to help Meng Lang get space to take action. After the arrangement was over, he said with confidence: "Let's do the big thing, dream!"

Meng Lang nodded: "I'm going to be 20 soon, it's time to do something big!"

The game restarted and the ball was given to Shawn Kemp. He used a cross step to shake Turner away and hit a mid-range jumper.

He actually went crazy in the first quarter.

It's just that during the time Meng Lang stepped forward, he was forgotten by the Sonics, or in other words, by Payton in a corner that no one remembered.

The point difference came to 3 points again.

It's just that George Karl's face doesn't show any relaxation, but is full of solemnity.

Just after calling a timeout, he deployed defensive tactics against Meng Lang, but was stopped by Payton.

"I can handle it!"

"The problem now is that you can't handle it. You've allowed him to score 11 points in a single quarter!"

"I told you, I can handle it!"

Payton's eyes were filled with bloodshot eyes. When Meng Lang fell to the ground and scored the ball, his whole body was shocked.

Meng Lang's words rang in his ears:

Payton...if I made you question your defensive abilities, would you blame me?
  Yes!

At that time, Meng Lang's words came to his mind inexplicably and clearly.

Would I question my defense?
  How could I possibly question my own defense?
  Since owning basketball, defense has been Gary Payton's most proud ability. He believes in himself that as long as he wants to guard against someone, he can definitely guard against him!
  Including Meng Lang!

Yes, he broke his promise. He didn't limit the rookie's scoring to less than 10 points in a single game. This guy even did it in less than one quarter.

but……

He will lock this rookie down!
  Most definitely!
  Gary Payton is determined to prove his single defense ability, but the Magic team has already begun to make tactical moves around Meng Lang.

No matter how good a person's defensive ability is, it is impossible to compete with the entire team.

In particular, the Magic team has a "big shark" whose screen quality is comparable to that of two people!
  "Shh!"

George Karl's timeout did not affect Meng Lang's condition at all. Returning to the court, Meng Lang hit another 3-pointer.

The score was completely evened!

Gary Payton's eyes also showed unprecedented wavering.

"So you should be awake now, right? Damn it!" During the intermission of the first quarter, George Karl scored 26-23 in front of Gary Payton.

Meng Lang hit a 3-pointer to tie the score, and the whole situation completely turned to the Magic. In the following time, they successfully overtook the score and entered the second quarter with a 3-point lead.

Payton was speechless, and he couldn't say anything in front of the facts.

Meng Lang's three-pointer after the timeout hit his strongest defense.

It was like a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor in my childhood!
  George Karl finally noticed this. He said: "Defending players like the Chinese rookie is not your job alone. Don't forget what our best defense is!"

"SOS" requires constant switching of defenses, continuous forcing of the player holding the ball, and forcing him to make mistakes.

Gary Payton put all his thoughts on Meng Lang, and the SuperSonics did not play their best defensive mode at all.

This made Gary Payton nod.

George Karl finally breathed a sigh of relief. If Gary Payton could change his mind after the first quarter, then even if the 10-point lead turned into a 3-point deficit, George Karl felt it was worth it. of.

Moreover, he didn't take Meng Lang seriously, who scored 14 points in the first quarter.

What's the biggest problem for pitchers?
  That's instability!

He had seen Meng Lang's game data from so many previous games.

It is no longer so obvious in recent times, but looking at Meng Lang's overall data, he has "until the end" and "struggles", so he is not worried that Meng Lang's state can be sustained. In the Sonics' "high-pressure defense" "Sooner or later, he will be struggling!
  He also has to thank Meng Lang. If it weren't for his performance in the first quarter, Gary Payton wouldn't have bowed to him!

This increases his prestige in the team. If the Sonics win the championship this season, he will thank Meng Lang.

But the game continued, and halfway through the third quarter, George Karl finally discovered something was wrong:

Why is this rookie in such good shape?

He scored 14 points in the first quarter, 15 points in the second quarter, and now 6 minutes have passed in the third quarter, his score in a single quarter has exceeded 9 points!
  Ok……

Not only did he not fall into a struggle, but he became stronger and stronger with every move he made!

The Sonics' "SOS" tactic will immediately switch defenses when encountering passes and pick-and-rolls. No matter how high the quality of the defense changes, there will always be a moment of neutrality. Meng Lang seized this moment of opportunity and completed the shot.

As he became more and more familiar with the "Buddha's Light" mode, he naturally became more and more accurate in his predictions!

You can't switch defenses, you have to find someone to stick to him all the time!

George Karl finally reacted, and Gary Payton stood in front of Meng Lang again.

But at this moment, Payton's eyes no longer had the determination they had at the beginning.

Meng Lang's shot tonight was too fierce and too accurate!

One thing is certain now. Although Gary Payton has entered the peak period of his career, there is still a difference between the "gloves" in the 96 Finals and the "gloves" now.

Yes, after all, it is only 93, and there are still at least 96 and a half years away from the summer of 2.

This is a period of time that is enough to cause a huge change in a player's abilities. Gary Payton is obviously not at his peak yet!
  But it doesn't matter. Now in Meng Lang's eyes, Gary Payton is no longer there. What he is doing is to do something big tonight!
  Meng Lang's shots are getting smoother and smoother. No matter who the Sonics switch to in front of him, they can't stop him from shooting.

Including Gary Payton.

Also included was Shawn Kemp, who had the second best performance of the night.

While Meng Lang kept scoring, he also kept scoring.

The Sonics clung to a 7-point deficit.

This is not entirely good news, because it means that George Karl must choose between winning the game or preventing Meng Lang from scoring.

Let everyone in the Sonics keep an eye on Meng Lang. He believes that the Sonics can greatly reduce the frequency of Meng Lang's shots, but Meng Lang is a smart guy. At least in this game, he showed this. When the Sonics focus too much on him, Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal will deal a fatal blow to the Sonics' defensive weaknesses.

The Sonics did a good job of limiting Shaq and Hardaway tonight.

Compared with Meng Lang going crazy on his own, the situation would definitely be worse if all three cores of the Magic team are open.

George Karl's initial thought was, "Young Chinese rookie, you can vote, but I don't believe you can kill us!"

Now looking at Meng Lang who was still scoring goals, he couldn't help but curse:
  Damn it, this guy is really going to kill us!
  Meng Lang's score in this game reached 40 points.

The scene has become a "Silent Hill", and there is no sound at all in the audience. Sean Kemp's dunk has always been the catalyst for the Sonics' home sound, but this time, this "catalyst" seems to have expired.

Even though he dunked the rim loudly, the expressions of the Seattleites in the audience were becoming more and more numb.

As Meng Lang scored his 40th point of the game, the Magic also opened up a 10-point lead.

Let such a newcomer show off his power and take away the victory...

The most loyal Sonics fans certainly don't want to see this happen.

But this...

It is slowly becoming an unstoppable fact!
  At 7 minutes and 15 seconds of the fourth quarter, Meng Lang scored more than 45 points tonight...

Now even Chuck Daly's expression was no longer calm.

He kept changing his posture on the sidelines, trying to calm down his excitement.

He did say to Meng Lang, "It's a big vote", but even he didn't expect that Meng Lang's vote was so big!
  Do you want 50 points in a single game?

If he remembers correctly, no rookie since the 80s has been able to score 50 points in a single game in the first season of his career!
  Meng Lang...

Tonight is so crazy!

Shaquille O'Neal's eyes couldn't stop being shocked. Hardaway watched Meng Lang hit one goal after another with an expressionless face, and wanted to kneel him immediately.

Now he not only has Hill's happiness.

He also had a joy that Hill had never experienced before.

Payton gritted his teeth and used all his strength to suck.

But Meng Lang no longer had him in his eyes.

Regardless of whether he was in front of him or not, Meng Lang would take action immediately if he felt there was a chance to take action.

At this moment, the "glove" is no longer a "glove" and is no different from other defenders.

Meng Lang only had eyes for the basket.

This is the strong self-confidence brought to Meng Lang by constantly hitting shots.

Payton could swear to George Karl's grandmother that he was definitely not out of position, but Meng Lang completed the shot against his fingertips.

Well, it wasn't actually that close. After Payton pounced, he was at least an arm's length away from Meng Lang.

At such a distance, Payton, who is 1 meters tall, defends Meng Lang, who is 91 meters tall. The intensity of the interference is not that exaggerated.

It's normal for Payton to have the illusion of "I've defended myself to this point, why can this guy still make a shot?" because in his eyes, Meng Lang is no longer Meng Lang, but the man wearing the same clothes as Larry Bird said. God is playing ball on the 23rd.

The moment the ball hit the frame, a historic moment was officially born. The first NBA rookie to score 80 points in a single game since the 50s appeared. His name:

rash!

Countless cameras were focused on Meng Lang at this moment. Even though the game was not over yet, after Meng Lang officially scored his 50th point tonight, winning or losing the game and everything else were unimportant.

No shot can compare to this moment!

Chuck Daly called a timeout at the right time, allowing Meng Lang to enjoy his first peak moment after entering the NBA.

It can be said that, because this is a feat that none of the "super giants" such as "Magic" Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan have ever accomplished!
  "Thank you Peyton for me. Without his repeated ridicule, I wouldn't have known I was so damn strong!"

His voice echoed in the Sonics "library" and seemed so abrupt.

Equally abrupt were Shaq and Hardaway rushing towards him, as well as the shouts of all the Magic players.

Meng Lang made them proud at this moment!

The atmosphere completely belonged to the Magic. At the end of the game, Meng Lang scored 52 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, overwhelming Sean Kemp with 41 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists, helping the Magic fall behind by 10 points at the start. Next, they reversed the situation in one fell swoop and took away the victory from the away game with a score of 106 to 93, a 13-point difference.

"The 19-year-old Meng Lang has done a big thing. The history of the NBA now has him as an important figure. I believe there will be more and more moments like this!" - Chuck Daly talked about Meng Lang after the game. 52 points in a single game.

"It's really incredible. He hit 11 three-pointers. I think I may not be able to catch up with the number of three-pointers he hit tonight in my entire career. This night belongs to my little brother Meng Lang!" - Shaq -O'Neal's tone emphasizes the word "little brother."

"He destroyed us with his shooting. I have to change my view on pitchers. He is an unbelievable young man and I expect him to play better games in the future." - George Karl also gave it Enough of Risby.

The moment he lost the game, he was angry.

But he soon heard something that made him less angry. As soon as the game was over, Gary Payton went into the gym to practice shooting.

For George Karl, there is no better news than this. If it is just a loss, it will lead to changes like Payton, and he is very willing.

Meng Lang also accomplished a lot tonight:

For example, he is the youngest "Mr. 50 Points" in the NBA, and tonight he broke the NBA record for three-pointers made in a single game...

Each of these records is very difficult to break. When they appear together, they are destined to plunge the United States into madness the next day because of this incident!
  "With 52 points in a single game, China's super rookie Meng Lang broke many NBA historical records in one game! 》

"On a crazy night, Meng Lang created a new masterpiece in his career!" 》

"Can't score in double figures?" 52 points! Meng Lang slapped Gary Payton in the face with a career-high score! 》

……

Almost all sports newspapers put this incident on the headlines.

Bill Walton expressed his views on this matter: "After this game, I think many people will refresh their inherent impressions of pitchers and three-pointers!"

"Rain Man" also scored a high score of 41 points in this game, but his presence on the court is not as strong as Meng Lang.

And after the Sonics were overtaken, even if the scoring momentum was not interrupted, the Magic slowly opened up the score because a three-pointer is always one point more than a two-pointer!
  Even though this is an atypical example, after entering the league for so long and one season in the NCAA, Meng Lang only played such a "crazy three-point show." But now if the three-pointer is still regarded as a "lucky ball", it is not disrespect for the three-pointer, but disrespect for Meng Lang.

Because he just destroyed the second place in the Western Conference with a three-pointer!

While Jerry West was watching the news, he received a call from Jenny Buss:
  "Jerry, tell me how we can get our dream. He is really crazy!"

West said: "We have lost our best chance to get him!"

"Logo man" is not talking about the draft.

That time he had already used all the team's chips, but the Timberwolves still selected the Magic's three draft picks.

This is beyond human control.

West won't regret that opportunity.

That's not a pity at all.

What he regrets is...

When he watched Meng Lang's game for the first time, he didn't immediately choose to mess up. If they had the No. 4 pick in the first round, then they wouldn't have to look at other people's faces.

A fact that Jerry West must admit:

Meng Lang's performance on the court had already given him a strong premonition, but he ignored it.

This is the closest opportunity he has to getting Meng Lang.

He had been regretting this for a while.

But today, his thoughts of regret were stronger than before.

Hill also expressed his views on this matter: "I am not surprised that he performed like this. If it is a dream, then it is normal. He has unlimited possibilities, including (scoring 52 points in a single game) )this matter!"

(End of this chapter)