Chapter 767 - 692: The Lakers Take Off

Chapter 767: Chapter 692: The Lakers Take Off

With the new direction for his training established, Nowitzki’s special regimen officially began.

The training didn’t start with skills. Instead, it focused on physical conditioning: strength, lower body strength, core stability, and balance.

The body is the foundation for executing any technical move.

Alongside this physical conditioning, Chen Yu’s team had Nowitzki take a massive number of shots. They then used data analysis to gradually find the most suitable form for his fadeaway jumper.

They cross-referenced the data with his shooting percentage to identify the ideal fadeaway angle, the perfect release point, and the most fluid body mechanics for him.

Adding such a heavy training load during a packed game schedule had a major impact on Nowitzki’s in-game performance, even with the physical maintenance and recovery sessions Chen Yu provided after every workout.

This was especially true for his shooting touch.

When you practice a new technique to build new muscle memory, it inevitably interferes with and overwrites your old habits. The most obvious result was that shots he used to make were no longer falling.

As a result, starting in December, Nowitzki’s shooting percentage plummeted.

He often had games where he shot a dismal 3-for-10 from the field.

Fans and media all over Phoenix were asking, "What in the world is wrong with Nowitzki?"

The team, however, knew the reason and gave Nowitzki their full support.

Both Skiles and Hardaway repeatedly stated their belief in Nowitzki, telling everyone he was working hard to get his game back on track.

Skiles even instructed Hardaway and Marion to take on more of the offensive load to ensure the team could still secure wins.

So, there were no issues within the team.

The only concern was Nowitzki himself. They worried he might not be able to handle the pressure, and that the frustration from his training struggles would eventually take a mental toll.

This led to them adding counseling sessions to his training schedule.

To Chen Yu’s relief, Nowitzki’s mental state was still good; he remained optimistic.

One reason was that his teammates were able to step up. Their record was still decent, and they weren’t caught in a bottomless losing streak.

That was the advantage of being on a strong team.

On a weaker team, forget a month-long slump—even a single off-game would have the media and fans hounding him for answers and tearing him to shreds.

But the core reason, Chen Yu believed, was that Nowitzki himself had come to a realization: to take the next step, to become a more dominant player, a superstar, and a leader, he had to endure this period of struggle.

He was focused on the future, which allowed him to calmly accept all the scrutiny.

During this time, the Phoenix Suns’ record slipped. At one point, they fell to sixth place in the conference, landing in the bottom half of the playoff picture.

The truth was, the West was still a gauntlet this year.

The Spurs were as tough as ever, their GDP trio growing even more reliable with age.

Then there was the Pioneer.

No one was labeling the Pioneer a rebuilding team of rookies anymore.

After pulling off an eighth-seed upset and going all the way last year, they had, under Nash’s leadership, become one of the new powerhouses in the West, holding a firm spot in the top half of the conference.

And they weren’t the only new contenders.

The Grizzlies, led by Wade and Gasol!

The Nuggets, with their veteran-rookie duo of J Kidd and Anthony.

And, of course, there were the O’Neal-led Mavericks.

Their two rookies, Josh Howard and Devin Harris, were developing rapidly.

Even Marquis Daniels and Kendrick Perkins, whom the Phoenix Suns had traded away, were also developing rapidly and making a name for themselves.

But the most dazzling team in the West was, without a doubt, the Lakers!

They held the top spot in the West.

Last month, Artest had been raising hell, demanding a trade.

Bird obliged him.

And his next destination turned out to be the Lakers.

For a while, media outlets across the league speculated that Jackson and Bird must have struck a deal under the table.

For a top-tier wing defender averaging 19 and 5, what did the Lakers have to give up?

A rookie, Danny Granger; an average role player, Devon George; and perhaps a ’07 first-round pick and an ’06 second-round pick.

But the Lakers’ draft picks weren’t worth much.

The Lakers were unlikely to land in the lottery anytime in the next five years.

As a result, the trade was widely seen as a highway robbery. The Lakers had made out like bandits.

Many in the media had long argued that the Lakers’ inability to take the next step was due to their weakness at the small forward position.

Despite stockpiling players at the position, none of them were truly effective.

When they acquired Granger this year, much of the Los Angeles media was already in a frenzy, proclaiming that the Lakers’ time had come.

But as good as Granger was, he was still just a rookie. How could he compare to Artest?

His arrival was seen as the final piece of the Lakers’ championship puzzle.

As for his volatile personality and fiery temper, and whether he might blow up the locker room, Lakers fans weren’t concerned.

If Jackson could easily handle a character like Rodman, what was Artest in comparison?

Therefore, the media could only conclude that the trade went through for one reason: Artest himself had demanded a trade specifically to the Lakers.

Bird had simply granted his wish.

This trade gave the Lakers wings, instantly vaulting them into the position of top championship contender.

However, these developments didn’t affect the Phoenix Suns or Chen Yu.

The Phoenix Suns continued to play at their own pace.

Chen Yu’s focus remained on Nowitzki and his own work.

Back in China, the 2005 Chinese Super League season had already concluded.

The figures Chen Yu released to the public were impressive. Tianhe Stadium’s average attendance was nearly fifty thousand. Factoring in advertising and merchandise, the season’s revenue reached 180 million.

These numbers dwarfed the rest of the Chinese Super League, stunning everyone involved in the soccer industry.