The era of point forwards in the NBA

Chapter 284 All-Star Game: Shining Moment
At nine o'clock in the evening on February 2010, 2, the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, here is the home of the Mavericks and the venue for this year's All-Star Game.

After commenting on the Rookie Challenge, Barkley met his old partner Kenny Smith again in the main game. There were many new faces in this year's All-Star Game, but the most anticipated one was Lin Yue, the second-best pick in last year's draft. In this All-Star voting, he got more than 1 votes more than James, becoming the league's newest vote leader.

But such things are obviously not uncommon. Back then, Yao Ming also successfully ranked among the All-Star starters by relying on the number of votes, and squeezed the peak O'Neal, who was in his prime, to the bench.

However, rookie Lin Yue's stats are much better than Yao Ming's before the first All-Star Game. For a rookie, the media has already put him together with the great god, expecting him to set a new record.

This is not a big deal, after all, even Yi Jianlian, who has not stabilized his foothold, is ranked in the forefront, but his statistics are a qualified rotation player, and there is still a long way to go before he can enter the All-Star.

During the game between the Thunder and the Nets, Yi Jianlian and Lin Yue met in private. During the Olympic Games, the two met a lot, and Yi Jianlian also vomited bitterness to Lin Yue.

He is very envious of the talented Lin Yue. From the NCAA to the NBA is a smoother path than the CBA to the NBA. There is no obstruction from the Basketball Association, and getting along with teammates is more natural.

Yi Jianlian cannot do this.

Lin Yue, who is familiar with the American environment, has not had those psychological problems for a long time. Compared with Yi Jianlian, he is very glad that he met Stephen Curry. If it is not for the healthy competition between the two and the guidance of the other party in basketball skills, maybe his NBA journey will not be smooth sailing.

There is also the training of coach McKillop, these are the nobles of his playing career.

Yi Jianlian did not go so smoothly in the United States. He was traded. Although the Nets valued him very much, it was not easy to get along with his teammates. It was difficult to integrate into the American culture, and the jokes among teammates could not be understood.

It is more about the nostalgia for the CBA. Although the NBA is the highest hall of basketball, he still prefers the CBA, where there are teammates who have played for a long time.

Lin Yue couldn't understand these emotions.

There is not much difference in age between the two, but their moods are already different. Lin Yue likes the atmosphere of the Thunder team very much, and hopes to realize his dream here. All this is not easy, but fortunately, he has someone to accompany him along the way.

Yi Jianlian is the leader of the Guangdong team in China, and he is a card player. He came here to exercise himself, but he is often troubled and even worried about playing time.

After a period of silent companionship, Lin Yue asked Yi Jianlian to come to the All-Stars to play, maybe the atmosphere there would infect him.

After coming to the United States, Lin Yue often feels the enthusiasm of American fans in basketball. Every time he goes out to buy breakfast, someone will greet him, and someone will ask him to play with him on the field. Hearing the cheers of the crowd, he can fight on the field to his heart's content.

Of course, these are just Lin Yue's one-sided views. He loves basketball, so he likes the atmosphere here.

Yi Jianlian also loves basketball, but he prefers the relationship between domestic teammates. He has different starting points, different experiences, and different views.

"After you entered the NBA, people paid less attention to me. They no longer regard me as the only inheritance of Yao Ming in the NBA, and the future of the Chinese men's basketball team."

When he said this, Yi Jianlian's relieved expression made it difficult for Lin Yue to understand.

"Sorry." Lin Yue thought that the other party was anxious because of his arrival.

"No, no, that's not what I meant. Thank you for coming. The pressure on my shoulders has also been reduced a lot. Maybe I can stay in the NBA for two more years, try to adapt, strengthen training, and change the outside world's views as soon as possible." Yi Jianlian only felt that Lin Yue's arrival made him feel relaxed, and at the same time increased his determination to do better.

He is also Chinese, so he will not be bad.

At that time, due to his unsatisfactory performance in the Olympic Games, Yi Jianlian was criticized by the public, saying that his style of play was weak, and the same was true for his inability to play in the NBA.

The data is not eye-catching, the title of "Lianmei" is frequently posted on the Internet, and then he is slandered for not working hard in training, saying everything, but few words are to help him.

"It's time for the All-Stars to take a look. Maybe you will change your mind about this place." After Lin Yue finished speaking, he got up and left. He had to train more at night.

Seeing Lin Yue, who is younger than him, walking ahead, harder and more determined than him, Yi Jianlian also slowly seeks to change.

People always have to adapt to the environment and try to change.

……

In a corner of the auditorium, Yi Jianlian sat in an inconspicuous position. He listened to Lin Yue's words and came to the NBA All-Star scene.

He is very clear that this game will also be broadcast live in China, so he doesn't want to be caught by the camera. At that time, the accusations will definitely sound again at night. After all, he failed to make the All-Star even though the fans supported and voted so much.

But he didn't have any regrets in his heart. Instead, he was secretly happy. He knew very well that he didn't have such strength. If he wanted to be an All-Star, he had to rely on his strength. This kind of voting was based on relationships, but it was more like a mockery of his lack of strength.

Wearing a hat, Yi Jianlian felt the cheers of the fans. The players hadn't entered the field yet, but the fans warmed up in advance, as if the enthusiasm would not fade with time.

This love is pure.

He has been sitting on the bench for a long time, and he has never felt the enthusiasm of the audience at close range. American fans are the same as China. Obviously, he can enjoy this kind of sound in the CBA. Why does he ignore it in the NBA because of tension and pressure?
All members of the East and West officially entered the stadium at this time, and the fans cheered even louder. Whenever the player's name was read, their screams would be issued at the same time.

When he was chanting Lin Yue, he saw many ethnic Chinese using their voices to overwhelm those around them, full of cards.

Looking at the smiling Lin Yue in the center of the court, Yi Jianlian seemed to understand what he meant. Maybe his love for basketball can dilute everything. He almost forgot his dream when he was selected three years ago.

At that time, Yao Ming was in full swing, and for a while he was the number one center in the league. He wanted to become an existence that surpassed the opponent.

……

"Some familiar faces in the All-Stars are not on the court this time. Kobe Bryant withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Jason Kidd. Iverson also withdrew due to injury, and the position was given to David Lee." Kenny Smith said.

At this time, the players of both sides are warming up off the court, and the game will officially start in 10 minutes.

"Every year there will be controversy about the All-Star lineup. This year is also the case. Stephen Curry of the Thunder averaged 24.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. He is fully worthy of the All-Star. Naturally there will be complaints, but Lin Yue's becoming the top voter has really made him brag a lot on the Internet.

"A team already has two All-Stars, and it has to be considered for other teams." Kenny Smith said, of course he knows that Stephen Curry's data has reached the standard, but the list is determined by the league, and they can't help it.

In addition to Curry, there are still some people in the league who have not been selected for the All-Stars, such as Shaquille O'Neal, the once king of insiders. Last year, the scene where he and Kobe clinked glasses at the same time in the All-Star Game was called the most beautiful moment of the All-Stars.

The two duo who had a falling out for honor and status once again settled their suspicions. At the moment of toasting, people think that the beauty of basketball is like this. In addition to honor, the brilliance created by everyone and the achievements of the same team will not be forgotten with time.

It's a pity that neither of them will appear in the All-Star Game tonight. O'Neal's votes are not enough to start. The starting insiders in the Eastern Conference are Garnett and Howard. As for the substitute lineup, O'Neal's data has declined seriously and is no longer at the level of the All-Stars.

Without the scenes of O'Neal's whole life, the All-Stars are also a little less flavorful.

"After a period of warm-up, the starting players of both sides officially debuted." Barkley said.

The starting lineup for the Eastern Conference is Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Howard.

Originally the starting point guard was Allen Iverson, but now that he is absent, this starting position is naturally given to the Bulls' young leader Derrick Rose.

The starting lineup for the West is Steve Nash, Lin Yue, Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan and Amare Stoudemire.

The all-star lineup is good-looking, full of stars, and there are a lot of fresh blood. This is the first time Rose has entered the starting list. He is also gearing up and preparing to compete with the legendary point guard Nash.

However, the All-Star Game is naturally based on entertainment. They will definitely not increase their defensive strength like the Rookie Challenge, and work hard for the final victory.

Although Lin Yue is the starting lineup in the West, but with Paul and Billups on the bench, his playing time must be limited.

Just like Yao Ming back then, he will definitely be replaced in a short time, and the overall time is not as good as the guard on the bench.

The head coach George Karl from the Denver Nuggets intends to replace Billups after a few minutes of appearance, and his own players will definitely give a little preferential treatment.

As the referee throws the ball up, the game officially begins.

Howard successfully defeated Stoudemire in the opening jump ball and stripped the ball to his side. In recent years, the winning percentages of the East and West have been similar.

As for the West, Kobe, Anthony, O'Neal and others have always been very active. The All-Stars still use scoring methods to attract audiences and promote the NBA, so there must be drama.

NBA president David Stern on the sidelines hopes that the point difference in this game can be maintained. It is best to have a real competition in the last 4 minutes, so that the audience will watch it more enjoyable.

Rose advanced with the ball, and after halftime he passed the ball to Wade, and the player defending him was Lin Yue.

The Heat and the Thunder have played many games this season, and Lin Yue and Wade have played against each other many times. Although Wade's statistics are better, his shooting percentage can only be said to be average.

But the All-Star Game still had to defend symbolically, and Lin Yue couldn't keep up with Wade's breakthrough speed, so it didn't look like acting.

Wade easily used his speed to pass Lin Yue, and his signature lost step swayed across the basket to defend Duncan and scored the ball.

2 to 0, the scoring in the All-Star Game is very high, and one or two goals are not so critical.

On the other side, Lin Yuechang passed to Anthony. Anthony's scoring average this season is ranked below Durant, a little short of 30 points, and his mid-range shooting percentage is higher than Durant.

This time the teammates around him were stronger than him, but he didn't know who to pass the ball to.

After Anthony received the ball, he naturally chose his favorite singles. The player who defended him was James.

After coming to the NBA, the two have been compared, and this matchup also attracted cheers from the audience.

Anthony performed a three-threat action in the familiar flank position, and James did not dare to act rashly. He knew that the opponent was very confusing, so he did not dare to make a move easily.

Then Anthony turned around and made a mid-range shot, and the basketball hit the net. James failed to keep up with the defense.

In this way, the two sides came and went, and soon the score came to 10 to 12, and the Eastern Conference All-Stars temporarily led by two points.

Wade scored 12 of his 6 points. Except for a three-pointer, he made all his shots. In front of him, Lin Yue's defense seemed full of loopholes. Sure enough, a rookie who just entered the league cannot be compared with the stars of the platinum generation.

Wade was the first player to win the championship in the 03 draft, and also the first to win the FMVP. He has won the scoring champion, and his personal strength should not be underestimated.

Against Wade again, without Durant's defense, Lin Yue's solo defense seemed very difficult.

Anthony thought about helping him defend, but he gave up. The All-Stars are here to play. Lin Yue is a young junior. He can't defend well himself, and he has to teach others.

Compared with Wade, Lin Yue's offense is not outstanding. Except for the lob to Stoudemire, Nash handles the rest of the ball.

Nash's offensive organization and passing timing are much better than Lin Yue's, which is a real blow to Lin Yue who is observing closely.

He always thought that he could rely on first-hand organization to be famous, but compared with the people in front of him, he seemed too young. If the Thunder's offense was controlled by him, the statistics of Durant and Curry could go up, and the team's record could also go up a level.

The cooperation between him and Stoudemire can be said to be perfect, and both sides understand each other's meaning.

This can be seen as the mutual understanding of teammates, but Duncan also knows how to play more comfortably, which can only show that Nash is a master of field control.

Lin Yue didn't even think about giving up. He knew that if he didn't play proactively, he would be replaced soon and become a fake starter.

This time after he received a pass from Nash, he directly chose to single Wade, and he signaled his teammates to pull away with his hand.

This is not to praise his Thunder, he is surrounded by big names, but Lin Yue can't care too much, he represents not only himself, he wants to prove to everyone that Chinese players are good.

Wade smiled, he wanted to see what this young man would do.

Wade's defense is considered top among guards. He blocked Lin Yue's forward path with his body, forcing him to dribble in only one direction.

This is Wade's stealing experience. Instead of judging the opponent's dribble route, it is better to strangle the opponent's dribble and only give a fixed direction.

But this was also Lin Yue's opportunity. Due to Wade's stealing center of gravity imbalance, Lin Yue immediately pulled the ball back and made a fallback jumper. Wade's motor nerves were also very developed, and he immediately adjusted his center of gravity to keep up with the defense.

The rest of the players were admiring the duel between the two. James really hoped that Lin Yue could score the goal, so that he could make fun of his friend's defense and save him from boasting every day.

Off the court, Durant opened his jaw, and Lin Yue's shot choice was very unreasonable.

However, the ball went in and hit a fadeaway jumper against Wade's defense.

People saw Kobe's shadow in this teenager.

The teenager from China is shining in the All-Star.

(End of this chapter)