The team with the fewest losses in the Eastern Conference in December was the Pacers. They also played 16 games and only lost 3 games. Their record in December was 13 wins and 3 losses.
Therefore, on January 1st, the league officially awarded the Pacers' Jermaine O'Neal as the winner of the Eastern Conference's "Player of the Month Award" for December!
Throughout December, he averaged 21.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 blocks per game...
Woody's average data per game in December is actually not worse than him, and is even much better than him. He averaged 18.5 points, 15.5 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, 3.25 assists and 1.25 steals per game. It's a pity that the team's record is not as good as the Pacers.
In addition, he just won the "Player of the Month Award" in November. This performance alone is not enough for him to win the "Player of the Month Award" again.
However, the Eastern Conference's "December Rookie of the Month Award" was once again in Woody's hands...
There is no other way. Needless to say, the head-on collision between the Heat and the Cavaliers was enough to determine the fate of this award.
But this is not the biggest headache for LeBron James' team.
The "Player of the Month Award" for December is gone, and it's gone. The problem is...
In January and February, the Cavaliers will play two games with the Heat.
Originally, the media in Cleveland were looking forward to when LeBron James would meet Woody head-on on the court, so that they could seize the areas where Woody was not as good as LeBron and conduct point-to-point "blastings."
result……
Make people explode like this!
If the results in the next two games are still like this, then LeBron James can directly announce his withdrawal from the competition for "Best Rookie of the Year"...
Can……
Just like how miserable LeBron was when he faced Woody in December, they really don't think that LeBron James will be able to grow enough to compete with Woody in less than a month.
The good news is that they can't go back any further.
As for LeBron James's 8 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in the last game, they didn't believe it. It could be worse than this!
Thinking about it on the other hand, does it mean that every subsequent increase in LeBron James' statistics represents some progress on his part?
can only say……
In terms of optimism, it has to be LeBron James’ team!
In this regard, there is really no one!
The Western Conference's "Player of the Month" award belongs to Kevin Garnett.
Throughout December, except for the first two games where the Timberwolves had 2 losses and 0 wins, the Timberwolves won all the next 13 games. In these 15 games, Kevin Garnett averaged 26.4 points and 13.2 points per game. 5.8 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 1.4 steals! The average shooting percentage per game is 57.2%!
To be honest, without objective analysis of Woody's data, just looking at the data, he can be considered capable. There are really not many players in the entire league who can unilaterally suppress him.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be on the Eastern Conference's "Player of the Month" candidate list.
But put together with Kevin Garnett, Woody's data was completely suppressed.
Except for his obvious advantages in rebounding and blocking shots, he is far behind in other aspects.
Thinking about Kevin Garnett's style of play that uses strength on both offense and defense, which requires higher physical fitness and concentration, Woody's gap becomes even more obvious...
Looking at this data, Woody is even more eager for the third template.
He knows that there is still a big gap between himself and the "superstars" of this league!
The Western Conference's "Rookie of the Month" still belongs to Carmelo Anthony.
Averaged 22.3 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal per game.
The performance is much more stable than in November.
In addition, the team's record has been stable among the top 8 in the Western Conference.
Many media believe that in the race for "Best Rookie of the Year", Carmelo Anthony is currently the rookie who can bring the greatest competitiveness to Woody. Even LeBron James has to be ranked behind him.
Naturally, the LeBron James team was dissatisfied with these remarks.
If you have the ability, let us try it in the west!
They decided to cause some trouble for Carmelo Anthony...
On January 1, the Heat set off for Houston.
In the first game in January, Woody will face an opponent that the outside world is paying great attention to:
Yao Ming and his Houston Rockets!
What surprised Woody was that after he checked into the Houston hotel, Yao Ming took the initiative to call Woody and invited him to have dinner at "Yao Restaurant".
Woody and Yao Ming had no communication. Even when Yao Ming called Woody, it was from an unfamiliar number.
Much of the interaction between the two is conveyed through the media.
Su Qun and Zhang Weiping often brought some of Yao Ming's opinions to Woody.
This should be considered:
We have been friends for a long time!
In current fashionable words:
Meet netizens!
Woody's first impression when he saw Yao Ming was just one word: tall, so damn tall!
It feels like a telephone pole!
Woody is almost 2.06 meters tall, but standing next to him, you still have to raise your head slightly to make eye contact with him.
Yao Ming's temper was as he imagined, modest and restrained.
It's the kind of temper that is very suitable for representing the image of the country.
Woody enjoyed this meal very happily. Yao Ming specifically asked the chef to cook it according to the taste of domestic people. ——Many Chinese restaurants in the United States claim to offer Chinese cuisine, but in terms of taste, they are all improved "innovative dishes." It belongs to the "sweet and greasy vegetables" that Americans like. Woody never ate at Chinese restaurants in America. There is no "taste of hometown" at all.
But this is normal. Restaurants must meet the tastes of local people before they can be opened.
Just like if you sell "salty tofu brain" where "sweet tofu brain" is supposed to be sold, how can you sell it? Even if I don't lift the stall for you, I'm considered good-tempered.
After eating and clearing the table, Woody thought it was over, but unexpectedly, Yao Ming's expression gradually became hesitant. In the end, even his agent went out, and only Woody was left. He said: "Xiao Wu Ah, actually today I am not just inviting you to dinner, I also have something else I want to ask you..."
"Have you...ever considered representing the national team in this year's Olympics?"
Dayao was very embarrassed, but he still spoke.
When Woody heard Yao Ming's question, he was not surprised at today's meal.
In fact, there were clues about this news as early as December last year.
It's just that at the time they were all rumors and groundless news, and Woody didn't take it to heart. Now it is time to let Dayao take the first shot.
Woody didn't answer immediately.
How should I put it, representing the country in the Olympics is definitely an honor in itself. Woody must have thought about this.
but……
not now!
In other words, if he cannot get the third template before this summer, Woody will most likely agree to Yao Ming and play in this year's Olympics.
But the current situation is that he will soon get a third template, which means that Woody will spend a lot of time in the offseason to improve his template potential. Rather than putting on a men's basketball jersey, he hopes that he can improve as soon as possible and become more famous in this league.
Speaking of which, doing this will also help him better enter the national team!
Only with enough strength can he have more say in the national team.
otherwise……
What is he doing?
He didn't get the tickets for the Olympics on behalf of the team.
You guys worked so hard to win the Asian Championship and get the tickets, but in the end, you parachuted into the team and became the main starting lineup?
Are you just using your buddy as a "stepping stone"?
Do you match the key?
It's no wonder that Woody thinks so. According to what he learned, Yao Ming's process of becoming the absolute core of the Chinese men's basketball team was not smooth, and he also encountered situations where he was talked about and ignored by others.
He should wait until he achieves greater results in the NBA, or even wait until he wins the league championship, before talking about joining the China Men's Basketball Team!
Therefore, for various reasons, Woody declined Yao Ming's invitation.
Yao Ming didn't force it, and there was nothing he could do to force it. Woody came out of an American high school, and he had never registered as a basketball player in China. Lan Xie was not qualified to ask for anything from him anyway.
Otherwise, would you still be so polite?
I got a notification right away!
He also comforted Woody: "It's a good thing to have your own ideas. I support your decision. Don't worry, Lan Xie won't think anything of you because of this. Let's discuss this matter again when you feel the time has come!"
Woody nodded and left.
After he left, Yao Ming immediately called Lan Xie's people: "I told you, it's still too early. After all, he is only 18 years old. He still needs some time to experience... This is almost his final attitude. Don't do it either. Don't bother him, 2004 is not important, 2008 is the key, let's leave a good impression on him..."
The person on the other end of the phone was persuaded and said, "That's all it can do" and hung up the phone.
Listening to the busy signal on the phone, Dayao let out a heavy breath.
This matter is finally solved!
Early the next morning, the newly built Toyota Center was crowded with reporters.
There is a story about Toyota Center:
Originally, Toyota wanted to invite Yao Ming to endorse their cars and made an offer of 100 million. But due to brand issues, Yao Ming rejected the 100 million. When Toyota heard this, they did not give up and simply invested in the Rockets, built a new arena, and named it "Toyota Arena"!
In this way, Yao Ming is indirectly endorsing Toyota...
I haven’t received a penny yet!
Of course, Yao Ming has done a lot of this kind of money-losing thing.
100 million from Toyota, another 100 million from Nike...
Yao Ming's ability to attract money is really amazing!
Even in Woody's rookie season, there was a big gap with Yao Ming in this regard.
But compared to his ability to attract money off the court, Yao Ming's performance on the court is much inferior.
Only 13.5 plus 8.2 in his rookie season...
It looks okay, but don't forget that Yao Ming was already 22 years old when he entered the league, which is "older" than Wade, and he needs to prove himself with immediate combat effectiveness.
Wade averaged 15.5 points, 6.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game...
With such a comparison, you can see the difference.
Therefore, many media in Houston are worried about whether Yao Ming can quickly become a leader in his second season...
Especially after the Rockets' "meritorious coach" Tomjanovich suddenly diagnosed with a serious bladder condition and had to resign as head coach, Jeff Van Gundy entered the team. ——Frequent coaching changes are a test for a rookie’s adaptability!
However, amidst so many worries, Dayao gave a very good result in the second season of his career: 17.5 points, 9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2 blocks! The field goal percentage was 52.2% and the free throw percentage was 80%!
Among them, his points per game, rebounds per game, and blocks are all on the team.
This is definitely a data report that only top NBA insiders can produce!
Under his leadership this season, the Rockets have re-entered the top eight in the Western Conference, ranking seventh in the Western Conference...
At this time, the doubts surrounding him completely disappeared. Except for that idiot Bill Simmons who was still sparing no effort to use various data to analyze Yao Ming, Yao Ming could only be analyzed to this extent... Of course, for such an embarrassing voice, There is absolutely no need for Yao Ming to take it to heart.
Today is definitely the "birthday" of Huaxia fans.
CCTV-5 and Sina NBA both broadcast the game. Four or five waves of domestic reporters rushed to Houston to record a large number of pre-game videos for broadcast before the game.
CCTV-5 even secured the opportunity for Dayao and Woody to be interviewed together.
When the two of them sat in front of the camera and greeted domestic fans, some old Chinese basketball fans couldn't help but burst into tears. They had only one feeling:
This day, it’s bright!
The atmosphere on site is also very good.
Many Chinese and Chinese-Americans made a special trip to watch this game. They not only cheered for Yao Ming, who was playing at home, but also sent wave after wave of cheers to Woody.
Woody and Yao's embrace in front of the camera was recorded by many media.
The big screen at the scene showed the starting lineups of both sides:
"Heat team: No. 1 Wade, No. 2 Jones, No. 3 Woody, No. 4 Odom, No. 5 Grant;
Rockets: No. 1 Francis, No. 2 Mobley, No. 3 Jimmy Jackson, No. 4 Cato, No. 5 Yao Ming;"
Jeff Van Gundy and Stan Van Gundy hug on the sidelines.
The "brotherly rivalry" between the two of them is also one of the highlights of this game.
The game then officially begins.
Woody's jump ball with Yao Ming once again caused the Chinese reporters on the sidelines to raise their cameras.
There are so many memorable shots from this game...
Dayao is 2.26 meters tall, but his wingspan is only 2.25 meters.
Because of this, Dayao has a nickname called "Tyrannosaurus Rex".
However, the wingspan of 2.25 meters is not very good compared to Yao's height, but simply speaking, this wingspan is not short!
Just like some people are 10 when they are soft, and 14 when they are straight. It doesn't look like they have increased much.
But it is still better than some people who are 6 when they are soft and 12 when they are straight!
Coupled with the unique agility of his height, the right to attack was snatched away by the Rockets.
Francis held the ball for half the game, and when Yao Ming passed by him, he set a pick-and-roll for him.
The quality was very good. When Francis saw that he had completely gotten rid of Wade, he immediately accelerated and rushed towards the basket.
Jumping in the air, "Boss Fu" started to think of moves.
As the league's most durable man in the air, Francis has enough confidence to perform such a move.
only……
Francis raised his head and observed the position of the basket again and suddenly found that in front of him...
Why do you have a hand?
"Snapped!"
A slap accurately landed on the basketball, making a huge noise and causing "wow" sounds from the sidelines.
Francis grinned. He was not hit by the ball, but at this moment, he felt the same as the basketball being slapped.
pain!
It hurts so much!
"Yao, is your little fellow so fierce?"
The person who covered Francis was none other than Woody!
During the live replay of this "air battle", Francis opened his mouth again.
In terms of ability to stay in the air, he actually surpassed Woody.
It can be seen from the playback that Woody's entire body has begun to fall.
But that outstanding wingspan still waited until the moment he took action.
The ball was caught by Wade, and he turned his head to speed up the ball.
When Francis rushed in, the Rockets began to prepare to return to defense.
Therefore, it effectively limits the Heat's defensive counterattack.
Bill Walton, who commented on this game, said: "Obviously the Rockets took special measures against the Heat's defensive counterattack tonight!"
He was not surprised either. Jeff Van Gundy and Stan Van Gundy came from the same school and were brothers. They were truly "same brothers." It was surprising that there was no such targeting.
Wade did not force the attack and wanted to wait for his teammates to land.
This scene made Stan Van Gundy frown.
Wade didn't continue the fast break just now, he was very happy; now he wants to wait for his teammates to get into position, he is very unhappy...
As for the Rockets' insiders, one is 2.11 meters tall and the other is 2.26 meters tall. They have successfully positioned themselves, but they are still trying to beat the inside?
Wade is indeed a little less spiritual in terms of organization!
Just when he was about to speak, Woody moved and came up with a pick-and-roll.
He moved, Wade had to move.
The first step was full of explosiveness and he rushed to the basket smoothly.
Cato is a "heavy tank" and should have played the fifth position.
But he was not willing to serve as a substitute for Yao Ming.
Last season, he was the one who put his feet on Yao Ming's lap and asked Yao Ming to tie his shoes.
Jeff Van Gundy can only catch up and let him play the four position.
In this way, the problem with his footsteps becomes more obvious.
Wade paused, then continued to break through, leaving him behind.
The Rockets only had Yao Ming left under the basket.
Wade rushed up and forced a layup regardless.
result……
"Snapped!"
This is really high!
Wade watched his shot blocked by Yao Ming and glanced at Yao Ming's feet.
A sense of shame and humiliation rose in Wade's heart:
Yao Ming didn't even jump!
Fortunately, Woody was right behind him, caught the ball, and raised his hand for a second attack.
Yao Ming interfered again in time.
This sensitivity...
Even Woody was a little surprised.
Fortunately, Woody was cautious and didn't leave any force behind when he jumped, so he could do some "thinking" in the air.
After narrowly avoiding Yao Ming's hand, Woody still successfully put the basket into the frame.
2-0!
The Heat scored first.
After Francis got the ball this time, he did not challenge the Heat's penalty area alone.
He waited patiently for Yao Ming's position and then gave the ball to his hands.
As a scoring No. 1 position, Francis' organizational skills are actually weak. However, after Jeff Van Gundy arrived and established a tactical system with Yao Ming as the absolute core, Francis did not have any dissatisfaction. Instead, he patiently learned to pass the ball to Yao Ming.
This is also the reason why his scoring dropped sharply to 16.6 points this season.
Grant desperately tried to get in position with Yao Ming, trying to prevent Yao Ming from getting the ball.
But Yao Ming has completed the initial weight gain and already has a clear advantage in tonnage.
He almost used up all his strength, but failed to have any impact on the "Great Wall of China" on the opposite side.
No, what on earth is this?
Before he had any more ideas, Yao Ming took the ball and started playing hard.
Odom next to him was hesitating whether to step forward to help.
Yao Ming had already pushed Grant away twice, turned around and made a small hook, and very softly threw the ball into the basket.
Easy hit!
this……
Stan Van Gundy was a little dazed.
He finally understood why his brother was always cheerful when he called him after joining the Rockets.
How could he not be happy to get such a piece of insider information?
"This is Yao Ming!"
Bill Walton's eyes were full of appreciation.
He has been optimistic about Yao Ming since he entered the league.
And the goal just now is enough to explain why he is optimistic about Yao Ming!
The Heat's counterattack was still the cooperation of Wade and Woody.
This time Woody pretended to walk towards the basket after the pick-and-roll, and Cato, who was too slow, hurriedly returned to defend the basket.
But at this moment, Woody ran back to the high post again, and Wade returned the ball to Woody's hands.
Mid-range jump shot...
"Boom! Boom! Swish!"
The ball jumped twice on the basket and rolled into the basket smoothly.
In!
"yes!"
Woody clenched his fist while returning to defense.
Normally scoring a goal would not make him so happy.
But when he made a mid-range shot, it was just like Stephen Curry completing a dunk in one go during his usual practice. It was not an easy task.
He couldn't help but smile naturally.
The Rockets still gave the ball to Yao Ming.
This time Odom resolutely double-teamed, and Yao Ming, who caught a glimpse of this scene from the corner of his eye, simply turned forward away from the basket, and then jumped to shoot.
When Grant turned around in front of him, he thought Yao Ming had given up, and he was immediately relieved. By the time he discovered that Yao Ming was going to perform a forward turn jumper, it was too late, and even if he pounced on him, it would not cause any interference.
"Uh-huh!"
Yao Ming responded with a jump shot.
Grant was stunned.
No, you're a 2.26-meter-tall guy, so you're just trying to shoot jumpers, right?
Do you still give others a way to survive?
Jeff Van Gundy showed a satisfied smile.
He expects Yao Ming to perform like this on the court.
To be honest, even if every ball is handed over to Yao Ming, he will not have any objection!
In his opinion, this is how basketball is played...
If a 2.26-meter-tall man shoots a jump shot on the court, the world is so unfair!
He was satisfied and his brother was a pain in the ass.
Or else Lu Xun would say that the joys and sorrows of people in this world are incompatible with each other!
Cato became more passive.
The current situation is that when Woody moves out of the pick-and-roll, he has to follow him to the high post, but when Woody walks towards the basket, does he still follow...
If he didn't follow, Woody would have dunked the ball.
No matter how tall Yao Ming is, he is still 2.26 meters tall. It is impossible for him to be able to defend every ball in time.
But if he follows, like just now, Woody turns his head and returns to the high position, catching the ball and making a jump shot. Apart from defending with his eyes, he can't do anything to interfere at all.
He is very "blue and thin".
The rest of the game turned into a show for Woody and Yao Ming.
The two used their respective talents and skills to make opposing defenders shake their heads frequently.
After the first quarter, the score between the two sides was 31 to 26.
The Rockets, who are playing at home, are 5 points behind.
Woody played 10 minutes and 13 seconds and scored a total of 8 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and 1 steal; Yao Ming played 8 minutes and 12 seconds, made 6 of 8 shots, and scored 12 points efficiently. In addition, he made 3 of 3 free throws. Scored a total of 15 points.
In the first quarter, the Rockets had only 11 points not scored by him.
Other times, the Rockets players were more focused on getting the ball to him and then watching him put the damn ball into the basket...
In the CCTV-5 studio, Yu Jia watched the replay of the first quarter of the two teams and was very excited.
The "Chinese Derby" is also a historic moment for Chinese basketball.
Before the start of this game, domestic fans did not pay attention to who could win this game.
They care more about the process of the game than the result.
They hope to see both Woody and Dayao perform brilliantly in this game!
And now the result...
It can no longer be described simply as bright and eye-catching.
Whether it's Woody or Yao Ming, this performance can only be said to be outstanding!
This stage was set up for them, and no one else made a sound at all!
Watching Woody's cutting, watching his defense, watching Dayao's low-post play, in the eyes of Chinese fans, is this still the regular season between the Rockets and the Heat?
Isn't this just the two core members of the future national team playing in-team training matches?
They were immediately full of expectations for the future of the national team, no, for the upcoming 2004 Athens Olympics.
this time……
We can definitely break out of the top eight!
The game continued in the second quarter, and Dayao's dominance in the interior continued.
The Heat also once again exposed their weakness in the interior against teams with strong "traditional centers".
Grant can defend against ordinary insiders, but when he encounters insiders like Yao and "Big Shark", he can't stand it at all.
The most uncomfortable thing for Stan Van Gundy is that Dayao also has a good turnaround jump shot.
This makes Odom's double-teaming have no obvious effect at all.
Because as long as he leans in that direction when Yao Ming is about to hit hard, Yao Ming will immediately turn around and shoot a jumper, or turn around and fake Grant to complete the score.
There was one time in the middle that Grant managed not to be deceived, but he didn't notice that his position was already under the basket. He opened his hands, but Dayao still completed the dunk directly above his head.
The Heat's point difference in the first quarter was flattened again in the second quarter with Yao's continuous performance.
Just when the time came to the 8th minute of the second quarter, after Dayao was replaced by Jeff Van Gundy again, the Heat once again opened the score.
With Yao on this team, the advantage at the basket is obvious, but without Yao, their remaining combat effectiveness will not be as good as the Heat...
In response to this problem of the Rockets, Stan Van Gundy adjusted his tactics during the halftime break. He no longer tried to kill the Rockets with one stick. As long as Dayao was on the court, they could stabilize the situation and maintain a good score. , even if it cannot be opened, it is acceptable as long as it is not shrunk.
The Rockets became a little more impatient in the following time. At the same time, Dayao's physical fitness obviously had problems, and his singles efficiency began to decline. ——This issue has actually been paid attention to by scouts from other teams in the league. This issue was mentioned in the Heat's report about the Rockets.
As his weight increases, Dayao's physical fitness is no longer as strong as it was during his rookie season.
This is actually a problem that most players need to face when gaining weight.
While the increase in tonnage has brought about resistance capabilities, it has also brought about the disadvantage of being more easily consumed.
In addition, Yao Ming has been playing frequent singles in the previous period of this game, which is also an important reason for exacerbating the consumption of his physical energy.
Stan Van Gundy made the final adjustment at this time. He put Woody at the fourth position and Gerald Wallace at the third position. Two forward players with more mobility and more explosive physical fitness make Yao Ming more passive when dealing with the problem of being double-teamed.
Because of the mobility of these two people, ordinary catching and distribution of the ball cannot pose any threat to these two people. As soon as you raise your hand to pass the ball, before the ball reaches the opponent's hands, they have already Running back to his defender...
As a result, Dayao became even more feared!
And this team has been relying on Dayao to cling to the score from the beginning. Now that Dayao is restricted, the Rockets can no longer catch up with the points difference behind, 98 to 89, a 9-point difference. The Heat successfully won this away game.
Woody had the last laugh in this "Chinese Derby".
He scored a total of 22 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 blocks and 2 steals in the game.
The rebounding data is not as good as the previous games.
After all, one of the Rockets' insiders is 2.26 meters tall, and the other is 2.11 meters tall. The height of the penalty area is really high enough. As long as it is a rebound with a normal trajectory, it is really difficult for the opponent to grab it. This means that the Rockets can beat the opponent by an average of 3 meters per game. This can be seen with more than one rebound.
Especially for the protection of backcourt rebounds, there are about 4 more!
But scoring and assists were very easy to get dazzling data.
Neither Cato nor Jim Jackson can effectively interfere with his air cuts and mid-range shots.
In fact, it is quite easy to defend Woody. As long as you have good physical fitness, and you catch up with him when his shooting touch is not good, you can easily reduce the number of his shots.
But if it's the kind of person whose physical fitness is not up to par, then I'm sorry, no matter how experienced you are, if you should watch him fly past you, you still have to watch.
Yao Ming's final statistics were 30 points and 11 rebounds.
The data is very luxurious, but it is a pity that except for him, the Rockets are not as strong as their opponents in other positions.
Coupled with his physical problems, the victory that he had a chance to win was finally taken away by Woody, a "little fellow"...
(End of chapter)
