Game 3: Clippers Choke a 20 Point Lead

Summary: 1845

Badges gained: Pick & Roller, Tireless Scorer, Ankle Breaker, Pick & Roll Maestro, Lob City Passer, Lob City Finisher.

With your current VC, you can upgrade an attribute three times or a badge once... what will it be?

1 or 2?

Lonzo picked attributes again.

I see! Spinning the wheel of attributes ... Outside Scoring! Spinning the wheel again... Inside Scoring! Spinning the wheel again... Outside Scoring! Spinning increase amount... 2... 1... 3!

Congratulations:

Outside Scoring +5

Inside Scoring + 1

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OVERALL

Name: Lonzo Ball

Archetype: Lonzo

VC: 345

Tier: Silver

Overall: 72 (+1)

Potential: 88

Badges: 3

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BODY

Age: 21

Height: 6'6

Weight: 190lbs

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500vc = One random attribute +1

ATTRIBUTES

68 Outside Scoring (+5)

57 Inside Scoring (+1)

80 Athleticism

79 Defending

85 Playmaking

64 Rebounding

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BADGES

Mental: Floor General, The Zone, Copy Cat

Inside Scoring: Acrobat, Relentless Finisher, Pick & Roller

Outside Scoring: Catch and Shoot, Difficult Shots, Limitless Range, Deep Range Deadeye, Tireless Scorer

Playmaking: Break Starter, Dimer, Flashy Passer, Ankle Breaker, Pick & Roll Maestro, Lob City Passer

Defending: Defensive Stopper, Pick Pocket, Pick Dodger

Athleticism: One Man Fast Break, Lob City Finisher

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"This app is truly a blessing from God himself, it just works."

Lonzo went over to the interview area and sat down.

"Are you ready?" One of the people asked

Lonzo nodded "I was born ready."

"You dropped 49 points, a career-high. What was the driving force behind this?"

"I think... it was the trade. It gave me the motivation to get better. It woke me up, the Pelicans also give me more freedom than the Lakers. When I'm on the court, I get the ball more... so I perform better."

"What do you think of the New Orleans Pelicans?"

"I think we're a young team that's going to get better and I like the city. We just won our first game... and we're looking to keep winning and hopefully get to the Playoffs."

"What do you think of your teammates?"

"I think they're all amazing players, especially Zion and Jrue. If we all play well together... we can make great things happen."

...

~Game 3

The day before the game, Lonzo attended practice. In that practice, he focused on building chemistry with his teammates. The next game would require all of them to play at their best to even win. Lonzo got to know almost every player on the team and he got their numbers. After the practice, the whole team went to have dinner at a restaurant. They all had their fill and the meal was all on the coach. Once the team split up to go on their own way, the head coach approached Lonzo.

"Do you want to start tomorrow?"

"Yeah, but I don't want to start over my teammates..."

"Alright, your starting. Jrue will still get good minutes, don't worry about that. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you started over him."

"Alright... I hope your right."

~Lonzo watching ESPN at night

"I TOLD YALL, MY SON BETTER THAN STEPH CURRY.... TWO SEASONS AGO! Without my boy, the Lakers are never winning a championship! NEVER. My boy is going to lead the Pelicans to the Finals!"

Dad, as enthusiastic as ever. Lonzo checked the comments.

"Lavar was right... he is better than Steph Curry. 10 Threes on 77% shooting 🔥🔥🔥."

"Lonzo is heating up... this is only the start 💯."

"Yall need to chill, it's only been two games 😂."

"Lonzo a bust? I'm not so sure about that... 🤔"

"Yall haters converting to fans, smh bandwagons."

"Lonzo is now James Harden with Kawhi Defence lol."

~Game 3

The Clippers were looking to continue their win streak (which was 3) and the Pelicans were looking to give them a good game at home. Everyone knew who the leader of the Pelicans was now...

Buzzer rings.

Zubac gets the jump ball over Favors. Lonzo was on Beverly, but he saw that PG13 was posting up on Ingram so he came to help. He tried to block but he got a shooting foul instead. PG13 bricked the first FT and swished the second. Lonzo Ball pulled from three and bricked the shot as Beverly managed to contest it at the last second. In the next possession, Beverly shoots a 2 over Lonzo and makes it. Lonzo pulled up from three again... and missed. PG13 makes a layup.

Pelicans are down 5 with the ball...

Lonzo starts being more aggressive; he drives through Beverly and makes a heavily contested layup over Harrel. Lonzo sags off and Beverly makes a 3. Lonzo drives again, he misses but gets fouled on the shot. He swishes both FTs.

"HEAT METER: 50%"

PG13 misses a fade-away but Zubac puts it back in. The score was 4-10...

Lonzo passes to Favors who then misses a layup. Kawhi makes a layup. Lonzo gets an open look for Zion and passes to him, he makes the layup. The Clippers waste a possession and Lonzo misses a wide-open midrange shot. Kawhi slams the ball in, uncontested. Lonzo turns over the ball. Ingram gets a steal, passes to Zion who then lays the ball in. The score was 8-14. PG13 misses a wide-open three but Zubac puts it back in.

Zubac was completely owning Favors tonight...

Lonzo then makes a floater over Beverly.

"HEAT METER: 70%"

Redick fouls Kawhi, who makes the first but bricks the second FT. Lonzo makes another layup over Beverly.

"HEAT METER: 90%"

Redick fouls Kawhi again, he makes both FTs this time. Lonzo ball makes a fade-away over Beverly, Beverly didn't even contest and it went in. The score was now 14-19. Kawhi then made an up and under layup over Redick.

"HEAT METER: 100%, ACTIVATED"

You know what time it is...

*STEPBACK*

*SPLASH*

Lonzo makes the 3 right over Beverly... he couldn't even contest the shot. Lonzo was too quick, too smooth. Lonzo was now on Kawhi, Kawhi shoots a mid-range shot and it gets swatted. Kawhi then redeems himself by getting the ball back and making a layup. Lonzo then uses his GOD-LIKE vision to find Favors. He passes to him and he gets a wide-open SLAM. PG13 misses another wide-open three, Zion passes to Lonzo and Lonzo pulls up from 3!

*SPLASH*

Another three! He can't miss!

Kawhi then slams the ball in. The Pelicans were now three points behind (22-25). A three would tie the game... you guessed it.

*SPLASH*

TIE GAME!

Lonzo makes another three! His third three-pointer of the first quarter!

Then the Clippers waste a possession.

Lonzo starts a fastbreak with a long pass to Zion, who then makes a corner 2. Clippers choke on another possession, Lonzo starts another fastbreak with a long pass to Holiday. He makes a floater. Pelicans were up by 4 (29-25)!

"HEAT: 0%"

Lonzo cooled off after that... it was a bad thing.

~Start of 3rd Quarter

The Clippers were up by 19 points (54-73)! It was a very bad situation for the Pelicans... but Zo started heating up again. Kawhi shoots a heavily contested fade-away over Zo and misses. Zo wasn't giving Kawhi any breathing space... the Pelicans have to win this game! Lonzo then misses a wide-open 3. Kawhi misses a 3 which was over Lonzo, Favors turns over the ball. Redick fouls PG13 on the next possession, which sends PG to the line. He makes both. Then Beverly steals the ball from Lonzo... it wasn't looking good. Harrel misses a well contested 2, Lonzo grabs the board and dribbles the ball up the court.

Lonzo passes to Ingram, he shoots and misses. On the next possession, Pelicans force a shot-clock violation but Redick turns over the ball. Kawhi SLAMS the ball in over Lonzo and Lonzo comes back with a pull-up 3. Lonzo locks Kawhi up and gets the board from Kawhi's miss. Lonzo runs up the court and starts a fastbreak. He passes to Ingram who lays it in.

Pelicans were down by 18 (59-77)

"HEAT METER: 50%"

Kawhi bricks a shot, Redick grabs the board and passes to Lonzo. Lonzo pulls up... and bricks the shot. PG13 makes his first three-pointer in the next possession. Pelicans were down by 21.

Beverly sags off and Lonzo makes a pull-up 3 to stop the bleeding.

"HEAT METER: 70%"

Kawhi then bricks two shots, but the Clippers manage to keep the possession alive. Beverly makes a layup. Lonzo drives and hop-steps to the basket, he makes the layup despite contact (there was no foul call). Harrel makes a layup... it looked like the Clippers were just keeping their lead and the Pelicans couldn't do anything to stop them...

Lonzo finds Zion; who then misses the layup but puts it back in seconds later.

Harrel makes a CRAZY layup over Zion who tried his best to block the shot...

Lonzo makes a behind-the-back pass to Redick who then makes a long 2.

Pelicans still down by 18 (68-86).

Zubac, like the unstoppable god he is, makes a well-defended layup. Zion comes back with a layup of his own.

Kawhi misses a 3... Lonzo passes it over to Zion... who then makes a SLAM over Harrel. AND IT WAS A 3 POINT PLAY! He swishes the FT.

Clippers waste a possession...

"HEAT METER: 100%, ACTIVATED"

Lonzo runs to the corner and swishes a corner 3.

PELICANS ONLY DOWN BY 12 (76-88)!

Lonzo steals the ball from Kawhi and speeds up to the other side of the court. Kawhi looks back "What the hell?" he thought. Lonzo passes to Zion, he swishes a corner 2.

Kawhi gets locked up and misses, Lonzo steps back and swishes a 3.

The Pelicans were only down by 7 (81-88)!

Harrel shoots a highly contested jumper (what was he thinking?) and Ingram grabs the board.

Lonzo dribbles up the court...

*STEPBACK*

*SPLASH*

Right over Beverly, Lonzo makes another 3. He remembered his first NBA game... how that roleplayer annoyed him. Now he's humiliating that roleplayer. Kawhi misses and finally, Lonzo misses too. But the Pelicans get the offensive rebound... and Lonzo MAKES ANOTHER 3! His 9th 3 pointer this game!

Pelicans were only down by 1... and Lonzo had 40 points!

CLIPPERS WASTE ANOTHER POSSESSION AND ZION MAKES A LAYUP THANKS TO A PASS FROM ZO!

LONZO BLOCKS WILLIAMS, STARTS THE FASTBREAK AND THROWS AN ALLEY-OOP TO HOLIDAY. HE SLAMS IT IN! PELICANS UP BY 3! Lonzo makes Williams go back to the half-court line... and it's a backcourt violation!

"HEAT METER: One more shot."

"That's all I need..."

LONZO STEPS BACK AGAIN!

*SPLASH*

"AND OHHH WHAT A SHOT FROM LONZO! WHO SAID HE COULDN'T SHOOT?"

PELICANS ARE UP BY 6!

That was the beginning of the end for the Clippers.

The Pelicans kept the gas on the pedal, not allowing the Clippers to catch up. In the end, Pelicans won the game 129-124. Lonzo had another career game with 48 PTS, 5 REB and 15 AST. PG13 had a really bad game, which was one of the reasons the Pelicans won. The Clippers immediately left the arena after they lost.

Box score:

(Pelicans)

Lonzo: 48 PTS, 5 REB, 15 AST, 3 STL, 3 BLK, 7 TO, 16-26 FG, 10-16 3PT, 6-8 FT (35 minutes played)

Z.Williamson: 29 PTS, 9 REB, 10 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO, 14-20 FG (37 minutes played)

J.Holiday: 10 PTS, 5 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 2 TO, 5-9 FG (26 minutes played)

(Clippers)

K.Leonard: 42 PTS, 7 REB, 2 AST, 3 STL, 2 TO, 17-31 FG (37 minutes played)

I.Zubac: 16 PTS, 11 REB , 2 BLK, 7-9 FG (31 minutes played)

P.George: 14, 5, 7, 4-14 FG, 2-8 3PT (36 minutes played)

During the press conference, the staff announced that Lonzo won the player of the week in the Western Conference. Lonzo was surprised, proud, happy and excited for the future. Maybe he could really become a star in this league...

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