"Put the Chicago Bulls under your feet!"
At noon, Zhou Quan's words spread throughout the United States through television and radio media.
Two consecutive championships, Olympic champion, Jordan's popularity and influence, his status and momentum in the league, and his influence and status in the American sports world are all increasing rapidly. After the Magic Bird retired one after another, he has truly become an NBA legend. New sign.
The new season is about to begin, and the media's attention is mainly focused on the Bulls, Michael Jordan to be precise.
Nowadays, as long as the topic related to Jordan is very interesting and topical, not to mention Zhou Quan and Jordan are still old enemies, Zhou Quan himself is getting a lot of attention now, and the Bulls and Pistons are mortal enemies, so the topic will soon become popular. It spread all over the United States and grabbed many media headlines.
When interviewed by the media, Barkley said this: "John Salley was traded to the Heat, and the Pistons lost their hardness inside, and Seikaly was ineffective. He couldn't stand up at critical moments and had no ability to play hard, so I didn't I am not optimistic about the Pistons this season. The new season will be dominated by the Bulls and our Suns."
As a superstar, he has been traded to the Suns and moved from the East to the West. This made him relieved because he could finally avoid Michael Jordan, and he was very excited to join forces with the Lightning. He began to look forward to the championship. Champion.
Karl Malone accepted an interview with the media. The reporter asked: "Postman, Larry Johnson and Oakley have all fought against the Killer King. Obviously, the Killer King has the strength of a professional boxer, so even though they lost, they are honored and can be called warriors. So when are you going to fight Iron Fist?"
The postman said with a cruel look on his face: "My license hasn't come out yet. When it does, I will have a tough battle with him. I will let him know that this murderous king is just bullshit."
"So do you think the Pistons can crush the Bulls in the new season? Do you think Iron Fist has the strength to crush Michael Jordan?" the reporter asked again.
"Are you kidding me? He's just a big mouth, crazy guy, he has no sense."
When the postman heard this question, he immediately shouted loudly, and then said disdainfully: "What strength does the Pistons have to trample the Bulls under their feet? What strength does that bastard Iron Fist have to trample Michael under his feet? I bet that this season, the Bulls will still crush the Pistons. , Michael still crushes that shit.”
The media also analyzed this topic. Except for the Detroit media, even the Los Angeles media did not believe that the Pistons had the strength to step on the Bulls.
As for Zhou Quan stepping on Jordan to become the top player, that is even more impossible. No media or individual supports this statement.
In fact, Zhou Quan did not say that he would step on Jordan. He only said that the Pistons would step on the Bulls.
Some media also interviewed Jordan. Jordan only said in a disdainful tone: "Pistons? What team is that? Why are we talking about it? It is not worth talking about. Let's change the topic, okay?"
"So do you think the Killer King will pose a threat to you in the new season?" The reporter immediately changed the question.
Jordan laughed loudly and asked: "What do you think he has the ability to threaten me? Is it just his offensive ability as a three-legged cat?"
Gentlemen, please remember that I just averaged 40+ per game on his head in the Eastern Conference Finals series. "
That night in Las Vegas, Holyfield started his second world boxing title defense this year, but ended up losing all his gold belts.
…
Before the start of the new season, many media analyzed the situation, divided all teams into four tiers, and listed several championship-level teams with hopes of winning the championship as the first tier.
The Bulls, who are looking forward to a three-peat dynasty, and the Knicks, whose lineup and tactical style are becoming increasingly mature built by Pat Riley, are the two first-tier teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Trail Blazers, who failed in the finals but were very capable, got Barkley's Suns, and they are the two first-tier teams in the Western Conference.
The Pistons and Cavaliers in the East, the SuperSonics and Mosaics in the West, are the second gear.
On the 6th, the Pistons' opening game begins, facing the Bucks at home.
Unfortunately, for this opening game, the league's major television broadcasters did not arrange a live broadcast across the United States. Only the Pistons' local regional broadcaster, Detroit TV, could still provide the Pistons with some modest broadcast revenue.
"Bang bang bang bang..."
At the beginning of the new season, the Palace of Auburn Hills arranged a little fancy show. Fireworks were set off when the home team played, and the atmosphere was very lively.
This time, Joe Dumars went first, and Zhou Quan made the final appearance.
He was still a rookie last season. Even if he became the boss, he would always let Joe Dumars finish out of respect, but this season he is no longer a rookie.
"Oh oh oh..."
The cheers of more than 21,000 fans were shaking and countless arms were waving.
The attendance for the opening game was full, and Detroit's declining economy did not seem to make the fans' enthusiasm disappear. Season ticket sales in the new season were stronger than those in the previous two seasons, which is excellent news for the team's operations.
After the warm-up, Zhou Quan sat back on the bench and turned on the system.
Just now, the system issued a regular season mission.
"Task 1: Ask the host to play no less than 80 games in the regular season this season, average more than 30 minutes per game, be selected as the main All-Star, join the 20+10 Club, be selected for the All-NBA Team and the All-Defensive Team, and hit the field goal The shooting rate is no less than 46%, the three-point shooting rate is no less than 36%, the free throw shooting rate is no less than 90%, the true shooting rate is no less than 54%, and the assist-to-turnover ratio is no less than 3.”
"Task 2: Ask the host to lead the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. The host will average 20+10 per game in the playoffs, and his efficiency will be no less than that of the regular season."
"Reward, both tasks are completed, injury resistance +3, speed +1, jumping +1, agility +1."
"I X!"
Zhou Quan cursed.
Now his weight is fixed at 90 kilograms, strength training has been completed, and he is almost 21 years old. His athletic qualities have actually reached the ceiling. It is no longer easy to improve these qualities, and the rewards of the system, It is undoubtedly helping him raise his ceiling.
There are two tasks in total. The first is to avoid serious injuries, otherwise it will affect attendance. The second is to choose the timing of shooting well and try to improve the offensive efficiency. The last is to ensure the stability of passing and control mistakes.
There are also all-star main players. Among the defenders, Jordan is definitely the vote leader. He can't compete, but there is still hope for the other main defender.
There have been no major changes to the Pistons' lineup this season. They have been weakened and strengthened. It's hard to say how strong they are. It depends on how they play and everyone's performance. His own strength has also increased a bit. It's not impossible to reach the Eastern Conference finals in the playoffs. hope.
Therefore, he still hopes to complete these two tasks.
However, this time the system has issued all tasks for the regular season and playoffs at once, so there may not be any tasks for this season.
His opponent tonight is Eric Murdock, who was drafted in the same year as him. He was the 21st pick in the first round last year and was selected by the Jazz. He failed to take a fancy to him after a year and was traded to the Bucks this season.
The Bucks are also lacking a point guard. The rookie last season did not start a game with the Jazz, but this season he became the Bucks' starting point guard.
"Beep!"
The referee blew the whistle and the game started. Seikali won the jump ball and the Pistons attacked.
Zhou Quan dribbled the ball across the center line in two steps. When Murdock came up to him, he suddenly accelerated and made a one-handed feint breakthrough at level 90. He passed the opponent in one step and reached the free throw line in a few steps.
At this time, the Bucks' defensive formation had not yet been completely set up, and the center had not yet been positioned. The small forward and the power forward who had just arrived at the basket rushed over in a hurry, forming a pincer attack on Zhou Quan.
At this time, small forward Ulrich appeared open and immediately cut inside to the basket.
"boom!"
Zhou Quan tossed the basketball casually, and the basketball flew over the head of Bucks small forward Anthony Avant. Urry caught the ball and exploded with one-handed dunk, instantly blasting the opponent's basket.
"Great pass! Iron Fist assists Ulrich, his pass is enough to break through any defense..."
The Palace of Auburn Hills immediately burst into cheers and applause, while the on-site commentator, bearded John Rowell, also roared with excitement.
Looking back, Murdoch advanced with the ball, while Zhou Quan defended and retreated from the backcourt.
"squeak!"
Seeing the opportunity, using his feet, he suddenly took a step forward and stabbed the ball with his long arm.
"Snapped!"
Murdoch didn't react in time. Zhou Quan stabbed the ball away with a big wave of his hand, then forced his way away from the opponent, got the ball and launched a counterattack.
"Oh oh oh……"
The counterattack after the steal easily aroused cheers from Pistons fans.
Zhou Quan reached the free throw line in a few steps, shook his head to the left, saw Murdoch still two steps away, and immediately flew towards the basket. Holding the ball in both hands, when he was approaching the basket, it suddenly flew up in the air. A 360-degree turn, and then a strong slam with both hands.
"boom!"
With the explosive sound of the basket exploding, the Bucks basket was instantly exploded.
"boom!"
The Palace of Auburn Hills instantly erupted into cheers.
Countless Pistons fans stood up from their seats and looked at Zhou Quan who was interacting with them on the court with disbelief.
They had never seen Zhou Quan perform such a fancy dunk before. This dunk really gave them a huge surprise.
A fancy dunk won't turn two points into a three-pointer, but it makes a world of difference in the viewing experience. Which fan doesn't like to watch such a dunk?
Moreover, this dunk also made Pistons fans understand one thing, that is, the athletic quality of the team boss Iron Fist is stronger. Otherwise, it would be impossible to do this action. The body is the basis of technology.
"Oh oh oh……"
In the live commentary booth, the bespectacled man Lundgren Lance couldn't believe it either. He kept mumbling and obviously didn't react.
The bearded John Rowell shouted excitedly: "Look, it turns 360 degrees in the air. This is no one else. It's not Michael Jordan, it's not the human movie essence Wilkins, and it's not a glider. This is Iron Fist, this He's the Detroit Killer King. He has the strength to do fancy things, haha, his talent has improved..."
Facing an average rookie of the same year, Zhou Quan showed no mercy. He played 32 minutes, made 8 of 14 shots, a shooting percentage of 57%, 2 of 5 three-pointers, and 4 of 4 free throws, scoring 22 points and 4 rebounds. Data of 12 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers and 3 fouls.
Joe Dumars scored 25 points and was the Pistons' leading scorer.
Center Sekali scored 17 points, Rodman had 11 points, and Ulrich had 15 points. The five main players all scored in double figures, scoring a total of 90 points.
In addition, the ten-man rotation and the substitute lineup also blossomed. Five substitutes jointly contributed 30 points. The team scored 120 points, beating the Bucks by 15 points.
The Pistons successfully defeated the Bucks and got a good start to the new season.
But Chuck Daly is a little worried, because he allowed a weak team like the Bucks to score 105 points on him. You must know that the Pistons averaged the lowest points in the league last season, only 96.9 points.
This game told him that because there is no John Salley under the basket, the Pistons' defense has dropped significantly from last season.
He estimates that the average points allowed per game this season is likely to exceed 100.
Of course, the offensive ability and rebounding ability have been enhanced, which is undeniable.
On the sidelines, Zhou Quan was being interviewed live by a Detroit TV station.
"Iron Fist, there were two fancy dunks today and several pull-up layups under the basket. These have never happened before. What makes you so energetic?" the reporter asked excitedly.
Zhou Quan said excitedly: "Of course it is the support of the fans and friends." As he said this, he waved to the fans who were leaving the field and received a burst of cheers.
"We all know that you didn't rest throughout the offseason. Is it because the extra training has increased your athletic talent?" the reporter asked with a smile.
He nodded and smiled: "Yes, I just entered the league and I have to work harder."
Today he did some fancy work, but he also controlled it and did not overexert his body, which would easily cause excessive wear and tear and increase the chance of injury.
"Rick, how many points did Jordan score?"
After the interview, Zhou Quan asked after returning to the locker room.
Assistant coach Musk said: "The Bulls played the Cavaliers at home. Jordan scored 29 points and shot 46% from the field. Although he was very serious in the regular season, he would never go all out. I think he just played casually."
This sentence made Zhou Quan feel a lot of pressure. Just hit this data casually. This is the same as the task requirement issued by the system before the game, with a shooting percentage of 46%.
Musk added: "The Magic played against the Heat. The No. 1 pick O'Neal just finished his debut. Against Selley, he made 4 of 8 shots and scored 12 points, 18 rebounds, 3 blocks, 8 turnovers and 6 fouls."
"Sixth offender appeared? How long did he fight for?" the assassin asked.
"32 minutes."
Musk laughed and said: "Selly didn't perform well either. He made 1 of 7 shots and only scored two points. But today his rebounds and assists were good, with 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. But under O'Neal's defense, there were also Made 7 turnovers.”
"Except for offense and mistakes, everything else is pretty good," the assassin said.
When Ronny Seikali heard his teammates discussing John Salley, he thought of his performance today, 17 points and 8 rebounds, which was average.
He is the Heat's double-double king, but now he has Rodman, the rebounding leader. Rodman grabbed 17 rebounds tonight, only allowing him to grab 8 rebounds. Obviously, in front of Rodman, he His rebounding ability pales in comparison.
However, thanks to Tekken's passing, his shooting percentage tonight is not bad, 56%, which is much higher than his average shooting percentage last season, which makes him happy.
The Pistons have a passing master like Tekken. He hopes to play more efficiently here, which will be of great help to his career.
It started with back-to-back games at home and away. That night, the Pistons flew to Indiana overnight.
After beating the Pacers, there will be another away game, going to Chicago to challenge the Bulls on the 11th.
At noon on the 7th, Zhou Quan and others got up from the hotel bed. After lunch, they rushed to the arena for training.
Unfortunately, during training, perhaps because he did not move enough before training, Rodman's waist was sprained, and it was still serious and he had to be out for at least a month. Chuck Daly had to take down the main force of the big bug and let Trimmell. Si will be the starting power forward tonight.
"Hey, Iron Fist."
"Hey, Reggie."
At seven o'clock, before the game, Reggie Miller came to the visiting team's locker room to visit Zhou Quan.
"Senior, the other teams have strengthened. Your lineup has not changed much this season. Can you make it to the playoffs?" he asked in a teasing tone.
Reggie Miller said angrily: "You should care about yourself. It's golf and boxing. Will you have to play baseball one day? Too much energy is not good for you."
Zhou Quan smiled and explained: "No, I know it in my heart and it will not affect basketball."
Reggie Miller reminded: "Although the Bulls defeated you four to two in the last Eastern Conference Finals, if it weren't for your serious injury problems, you wouldn't have reached the tiebreaker as you said, and your strength this season wouldn't be the same." No, I'm sure Jordan will be keeping an eye on you this season and will not let down his guard against your mortal enemy."
Zhou Quan said confidently: "Compared with the Bulls' main lineup, our main lineup's scoring ability is not bad. As long as my organization work is done well, except for Rodman's scoring ability, the other four points are not very good. The scoring ability is very good.
We have strengthened the bench lineup, and with the addition of Assassin and Aguirre, the bench lineup should be stronger than the Bulls' bench.
Senior, this season, as long as the lineup remains healthy, we will not necessarily lose. "
That night, the Pistons, who played back-to-back games, still played a better offense and defeated the Pacers with a score of 109:96.
Zhou Quan played 40 minutes against LaPeer Richardson, a point guard with little reputation. His height, size, athleticism, and skills were not as good as his.
In total, he made 8 of 16 shots, 1 of 3 three-pointers, and 3 of 4 free throws. He scored 20 points, 6 rebounds, 15 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers and 3 fouls.
All the top five starters scored in double figures. Mark Aguirre also scored 11 points from the bench. Six players in the team scored in double figures. Zhou Quan and Joe Dumars both scored 20+ points.
Under the blockade of Joe Dumars and Zhou Quan, Reggie Miller had a poor feel and made 1 of 11 shots. He was forced to break through wildly, making 9 of 11 free throws and only scored 11 points.
At the end of the game, Reggie Miller, who was playing very embarrassingly, said to Zhou Quan angrily: "Boy, did you use your strength to deal with Jordan on me? Your next away game is to play the Bulls, so don't hit him on the head. Play 30+10 and I’m not done with you.”
"We are No. 11, No. 9, you go against the Bulls first, senior, don't let me down, hit 30+10 on Jordan's head." Zhou Quan said with a smile.
"Nothing is impossible." Reggie Miller said unconvinced.
(End of chapter)
