unfinished glory

Chapter 25 Against the Rockets for the first time ([-])

McGrady sat back on the bench with a livid face, and slammed the towel handed over by the staff on the ground.

Fortunately, he was somewhat rational and did not blame Yao Ming for not being able to guard against others.

After the timeout, Popovich still let Li Chongxiao play.

If it is in the regular season or playoffs, he might replace Li Chongxiao, so that McGrady can't find someone to vent his anger on, so he becomes angry and does something that disrupts the coach's arrangement.

But now it's just a preseason game, let the young people play more.

Before Li Chongxiao went on stage, Bo Wen patted his arm, and Li Chongxiao replied with an "OK" gesture, indicating that he was fine and he was already mentally prepared.

Sure enough, as soon as he played, McGrady asked for the ball from beyond the three-point line.

Facing Li Chongxiao's defense, he looked gloomy. He looked at the opponent for two seconds, bent over to stop a breakthrough, and then made a direct pull, and the ball went straight into the basket.

Li Chongxiao didn't have much emotion, he just lamented how powerful McGrady is.

McGrady looked loose with this ball, and even made fake moves casually, as if he didn't care if Li Chongxiao could see it.

Then it was so sudden that Li Chongxiao's consciousness didn't catch up. By the time he defended, McGrady had already completed the entire shooting action.

At the same time, Li Chongxiao was also reviewing the mistakes he made in the defense just now, and he was a little nervous, which caused the defensive position to be a bit backward.

Li Chongxiao, who came back to attack halftime, had no intention of going back. He was just a rookie player on the bench, and he didn't have that much power and willfulness.

He ran tactics honestly, without even touching the ball, Ginobili broke through and made a layup.

When it was the Rockets' turn to attack, McGrady asked for the ball again. This time Li Chongxiao was in a good defensive position.

McGrady made a fake shot, and Li Chongxiao jumped up, but he didn't lose his position, and at the same time stuck the position where McGrady made a breakthrough.

McGrady dribbled the ball to the baseline, and Li Chongxiao followed closely, sticking to the opponent and not relaxing.

At a point on the baseline, McGrady made an emergency stop.Li Chongxiao stopped and raised his hands.

At this time, McGrady turned to the left, kicked his left foot, and raised his arm, this time Li Chongxiao was shaken.

Then McGrady made another right turn, connected with a dry pull, and hit again.

Li Chongxiao let out a sigh of relief, obediently went to serve, then ran back to the frontcourt, helped his teammates block the open space, and scored two points.

For the Rockets' third ball, McGrady still asked for the ball to single Li Chongxiao.

This time, McGrady started to dribble after catching the ball a little before the middle circle. It seemed that he wanted to make a breakthrough.

Li Chongxiao stood in a defensive position at the top of the arc, waiting for the opponent to come over.

McGrady started slowly, and suddenly speeded up and transported over. Then, in a disguise, Li Chongxiao's center of gravity was shaken, and it was too late to react.

McGrady passed Li Chongxiao in one step, went inside, and before Duncan could react, he completed a one-armed dunk.

After the dunk, Mai Diyang gave a long roar, and then turned around and walked slowly to the backcourt amidst the loud applause of the audience.

When passing by Li Chongxiao, he said disdainfully: "Rookie, the NBA is not your place, go back and find your mother!"

Before Li Chongxiao could react, Duncan came over and hugged him, patted his head, and pushed him to the serving position.

Popovich shook his head off the court. He was very satisfied that Li Chongxiao was not defeated, but he felt that the kid was a bit stupid and he couldn't defend himself, so why didn't he ask his teammates to help.

O pride of youth!

In this round of the Spurs' offense, Duncan fouled and made two free throws.

Taking advantage of the gap between free throws, Popovich called Parker and Li Chongxiao, instructing McGrady to attack in the next round, so he stepped forward to double-team.

Li Chongxiao nodded, expressing that he would not be brave.

Duncan made one of two free throws and the Rockets got a backcourt rebound.After Sura dribbled the ball across the frontcourt, he handed it to McGrady.

Seeing this, Parker quickly surrounded him with Li Chongxiao. McGrady had a good vision and passed the ball to Sura who was open.

However, Sura's "triple-double" level is well-known in the league, but his shooting ability is really average. He hit an iron and assisted Duncan with a rebound.

The next game was a bit uneventful. After the Spurs and the Rockets each completed a stunning performance, it returned to calm. It was a "bang bang bang" iron fight.

After Li Chongxiao finished the third quarter, he never played in the fourth quarter.Sit down and watch the whole game.

In the end, the Spurs won the defensive battle 79:69.

At the Rockets' post-match press conference, the reporter asked McGrady what he thought of being dunked by Li Chongxiao.

McGrady said very disdainfully: I am the scoring leader, who is he?The lion took a nap, allowing the hyena to sneak up on it.When the lion wakes up, the hyena will die without a burial place.He almost cried out for my three balls and called his mother.

After finishing speaking, McGrady added another sentence: I will be able to lead the team to the playoffs and even the championship in the future.And that rookie, maybe you won't see him next season.

After saying this, Yao Ming's smile suddenly disappeared, and the Huaxia reporters present looked at each other in blank dismay.

Out of anger, a Huaxia reporter asked Yao Ming the same question again, and asked it in English.

Yao Ming said that he didn't defend well. He didn't expect Li Chongxiao's speed to be so fast. He was careless for a while and let him slip past. The responsibility for the ball was his own.And McGrady's behavior of stepping forward to make up defense is the fighting quality of a great player, and his efforts to win the game are not something to be ashamed of.

If it was him standing under the basket, he would rush forward without hesitation, and he would not worry about making the background board by himself for the headline of the Huaxia sports newspaper tomorrow.

Then he said humorously, Huaxia people pay attention to what they want to do, but this little brother is too shameless, next time we meet again, we must teach him a lesson.

Yao Ming's repeated fights relieved the tension on the scene.

As for the Spurs, Popovich gave the media face and brought Li Chongxiao to the post-match press conference.

First, a Huaxia reporter rushed to ask the first question. He asked Popovich how he would rate Li Chongxiao today.

Popovich said seven points.

Before the reporter asked why, he counted on his fingers: a mid-range shot, a dunk, and a three-pointer, so seven points.

Then the reporter asked Li Chongxiao about the dunking of McGrady, and asked him what he thought.

Li Chongxiao replied: I am happiest when the team wins.

I must be excited about buckling McGrady, this is McGrady!But that's just taking advantage of the other party's inattention.

He also said that he was then repaired by McGrady and was hit three times in a row.This shows that McGrady, who is serious, is far from being able to match.The opponent is an All-Star, and he is just a rookie, so he can't be complacent just because of a fluke success.

He still has many deficiencies, and he hopes to continue to grow in the next training and games, and he will not be so embarrassed next time he plays against the Rockets.

Finally, the reporters asked Li Chongxiao how is your relationship with Yao Ming?
Li Chongxiao replied with a smile: If you continue to ask questions like this, it will delay my going to Yao Ming's house for dinner.

When leaving the field at the end of the game, Yao Ming came over and invited Li Chongxiao to his house for dinner.Li Chongxiao asked Popovich for instructions and got his consent.

After the press conference, Li Chongxiao got into Yao Ming's car and left.

(End of this chapter)