Chapter 810 - 254: Child of the Wind Descends Again (Part 2)

But sitting in this position, he felt uneasy, constantly feeling a weight on his back.

Hearing the DJ’s introduction, Kenny Anderson excitedly was about to rush out... only to be pulled back!

Kenny Anderson watched the tall figure breeze past him, watched as the figure ran out of the player tunnel...

His heart was about to break, just a little more, just a little more, and he wouldn’t have to be the boss tonight... Kenny Anderson wanted to kick up a fuss!

Originally, after Barkley entered, the on-site fans’ cheers began to diminish again, becoming noisy, discussing why Zhang Hao hadn’t come out first, even forgetting to politely cheer for Boss Kenny. Suddenly, a man with center-parted, slicked-back hair and long hair down to his neck ran out of the player tunnel, quickly standing next to his teammates outside the player tunnel.

However, hiding was not an option. Despite Zhang Hao running fast, exploding with speed akin to "Single Rider" at full power, he was still discovered by the fans, and the spotlight was directed onto Zhang Hao.

Listening to the fans’ rapidly erupting enthusiastic cheers, Zhang Hao fell into despair...

Kenny Anderson, who had walked silently out of the player tunnel and was ignored, felt extremely complex emotions; he didn’t want to be the last to appear, didn’t want that feeling of being stared at as the last one out.

But when truly ignored, there was still a slight sense of loss inside...

...

No one expected Zhang Hao to have this side, but it seemed to align with his image—never willing to concede anything.

Looking at the two long-haired men wiping chalk on the technique table, the fans’ jeering and cheering was unstoppable.

Nash was really nervous now; he never expected Zhang Hao’s competitive nature to reach this extent!

Even though he didn’t wear a wig for more than half a month, seeing this rookie with the same hairstyle as him, he actually put on a wig!

Although Nash’s performance as the main point guard was quite impressive, compared to Zhang Hao... he remembered that match a month ago... shadows looming in his heart!

But after wiping the powder, Nash found that Zhang Hao didn’t even acknowledge him; instead, after walking to the mid-circle, he taunted Rashid Wallace, who was also preparing to jump ball at the mid-circle.

As before, Zhang Hao declared he would score at least 10 points higher than Rashid Wallace and win tonight... Originally very worried about being targeted by Zhang Hao, Nash, at this point, felt very uncomfortable.

The opponent simply didn’t put him in his eyes... Besides feeling a bit disheartened, unwillingness also surged up within Nash at this moment.

The Lakers sent out a starting lineup of Kenny Anderson, Doug Christie, George Lynch, Barkley, and Zhang Hao.

The Blazers sent out a starting lineup of Nash, Isaiah Rider, Gary Trent, Rashid Wallace, and Sabonis.

Soon, at 7 PM, the game began.

This time, Zhang Hao lost the jump ball! Rashid Wallace won the jump ball over Zhang Hao’s head with a quicker leap!

The Celestial Venerable’s physical prowess was indeed explosive; Zhang Hao had no hard feelings; the opponent, having just been taunted, was surely focused.

After landing, Zhang Hao quickly retreated on defense, squatting in the paint area.

Nash received the inbound pass and pushed towards the frontcourt, with Kenny Anderson guarding at the top arc, not daring to be careless against the rookie in front of him.

Since starting in early December, Nash’s performance had been quite impressive.

Like the performance on his first start night... it didn’t carry on, but after starting, he averaged 28 minutes, notching 11.6 points and 7.6 assists per game, quite outstanding.

Kenny Anderson’s defense wasn’t bad, but not great either, decent enough not to drag the team back.

Upon reaching the frontcourt, facing Kenny Anderson’s close defense, Nash didn’t use his skills to force through but signaled for a screen from Rashid Wallace.

An extremely smart choice, minimizing the physical cost, Nash, after the screen, used his top-notch speed to find a space to cut under Barkley’s switch defense, heading straight to the basket!

George Lynch moved to mid-range on the right to help block Rashid Wallace, Kenny Anderson moved to intercept Gary Trent, cutting towards the left baseline. Though Kenny couldn’t stop the 110 kg’s Gary Trent, it reduced Nash’s direct passing options that were likely to result in assists; Sabonis had originally spaced to the left baseline but shifted to mid-range left, creating a route for Gary Trent to cut in, now that a group blocked his path, hard to pass; Barkley chased from behind, with Zhang Hao who had retreated below the basket in front...

At this moment, Nash was in a tricky position, neither a direct pass nor a shot was particularly wise.

In a split second, Nash made a decision, cut directly to the basket, stepped his right foot on the right sideline of the paint, and jumped!

The right-hand dribble, the right-foot jump, it looked like he hadn’t gauged the distance well, readying to jump up and pass, and Rashid Wallace quickly turned aggressively to block George Lynch, ready to receive the ball.

Even his teammates were fooled!

Nash jumped with his right foot, grabbed the ball with his right hand and lifted it along with the jump, throwing the ball towards the basket’s inertia... a layup with the same hand, same foot! But before the ball reached its peak, a long arm appeared in Nash’s vision...

Zhang Hao blocked and intercepted, grabbing Nash’s same-hand same-foot layup mid-motion.

This move was hard to defend, difficult to anticipate on a first encounter, and it was the first time Nash used it against the Lakers, but, rather unfortunately, Zhang Hao had just come across a task related to this move before the game started.