LeBron Lost Both the Game and the Battle

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https://www.webnovel.com/book/nba-warrior-godfather._30578665700272505

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The nickname "Liubulang" (Six-Steps LeBron) is well-deserved.

Wang Chong watched as James broke through with the ball, took three steps for a layup, then took a fourth step while pushing against a defender who tried to guard him, and effortlessly put the basketball into the basket.

Wang Chong glanced at the referee, who was standing nearby, but the official remained completely indifferent.

"NB!" Wang Chong muttered to himself, too lazy to argue with the referee. It would be useless anyway.

After all, if the opponent could get away with traveling in the playoffs without a call, what's the big deal about doing it in a preseason game?

The pace of the game in the third quarter returned to the intensity of the latter half of the first quarter. Wang Chong and James traded buckets, with neither side able to effectively stop the other's offense, resulting in a back-and-forth scoring battle.

Before long, the third quarter ended, and both Wang Chong and James had scored over 30 points each.

The Lakers' home crowd was thrilled to witness two rookies who didn't look like they were just entering the professional arena. They were effortlessly scoring at will on the offensive end. Although this was partly due to the lower intensity of preseason games, it also highlighted their outstanding offensive abilities.

"Wang Chong is so strong! It's already the third quarter, and he's keeping up with James, shot for shot. His mid-range shots are incredibly accurate," one fan exclaimed.

"They're two completely different types of players. James's offense is all about dribbling and driving. His drives are incredibly strong and nearly unstoppable, even when Kobe was on the court in the second quarter. Meanwhile, Wang Chong's offense is primarily mid-range shooting. With his height and wingspan, almost no one can block his shots. His style is simple but effective," another fan analyzed.

"Wang Chong is definitely a better scorer. What skill is there in just driving to the hoop? It's all about body strength. And this is only the preseason. If it were a regular-season game, James wouldn't find it so easy to drive. Shaq could send him flying from one end of the court to the other. He's got a long way to go before he matches up to the Big Diesel!"

When the game entered the fourth quarter, the scoring rhythm of both players slowed down, partially due to physical fatigue.

James played most of the first three quarters, logging 29 minutes. Although Wang Chong's playing time wasn't as long, he had taken numerous shots. Moreover, off-ball offense required a lot of running. Even with a stamina rating of 89, the energy drain was substantial.

Despite their fatigue, neither Wang Chong nor James had any intention of exiting the game early, as the score remained tied.

It was at this point that the reliability of scoring in tough situations began to show.

With his physical condition declining, James was no longer a significant threat when driving to the basket. His offense now depended on his teammates' pick-and-roll screens and his favorite pull-up three-pointers from beyond the arc. More often, he would dribble in place for twenty seconds, and when he couldn't find a good shot, he'd pass to a teammate at the last second.

Wang Chong, on the other hand, was a different story. Even though his mid-range shooting accuracy declined with fatigue, his shots still posed a substantial threat. Unable to keep running off the ball, Wang Chong switched to receiving the ball in the post and using his back to the basket to shoot.

Though his shooting percentage dropped, Wang Chong continued to score steadily.

Gradually, the scoring gap between the two began to widen.

Another offensive possession.

Wang Chong received a pass from his teammate in the corner. Backing down James, he had no intention of driving to the basket. After a few shoulder shakes and fakes, he turned around and launched a fadeaway jumper.

James, knowing Wang Chong's intentions, jumped with all his might but still couldn't disrupt the shot effectively.

At this point, James's mentality began to change as the gap widened. Seeing he couldn't contest Wang Chong's shot, he gritted his teeth and swung his hand hard, smacking Wang Chong's arm.

Smack!

The referee's whistle blew immediately.

James had committed a shooting foul, sending Wang Chong to the free-throw line.

"Hiss—" Wang Chong winced, rubbing his forearm, his brows furrowing slightly.

That blow had some real force behind it, and his arm was noticeably red and numb.

However, only a few minutes remained until the game ended, and the outcome was already decided.

At the free-throw line, Wang Chong calmly sank both free throws, pushing his personal score past the 40-point mark.

While Wang Chong was shooting his free throws, the Cavaliers substituted James out.

James walked off the court, his face full of frustration, but he was helpless.

When Wang Chong reached 40 points, James had only managed 33.

In the fourth quarter, he had scored just 3 points, going 0-for-3 from the field before that and hadn't scored in a long time. Even though he racked up 8 rebounds and 10 assists—almost a triple-double—it couldn't hide the fact that he had lost the scoring battle to Wang Chong.

With the team scores still separated by more than 20 points, the game's outcome had long been settled.

This result was the worst-case scenario for James. He had lost both individually and as a team.

On the bench, James wore a grim expression, sitting silently.

Ricky Davis, seated beside him, gave him a pat on the shoulder with a wide grin.

"It's alright, it's just a preseason game. Nobody takes the result of a preseason game too seriously. Cheer up; you did great today."

James glanced at Ricky Davis.

Does this guy really think he's the team leader? What a joke!

Not long after, Wang Chong was also subbed out for a well-deserved rest.

This game had been the most taxing one since his stamina rating had been boosted to 89.

James indeed was a tough opponent—his speed, strength, and jumping ability were all superior to Carmelo Anthony's. Just defending him drained a lot of Wang Chong's energy.

But all the effort was worth it.

Though it was merely an inconsequential NBA preseason game, and the league hadn't started recording preseason statistics yet—the NBA only began officially recording preseason stats starting in the 2005-06 season—the specifics of this game might soon be forgotten.

However, the media would undoubtedly give this game ample coverage, and fans would remember that Wang Chong had beaten James in their first head-to-head matchup.

More importantly, after this game, Wang Chong's standing in Lakers head coach Phil Jackson's eyes would surely rise sharply. This would better secure him to achieve the system task—the scoring requirements at the beginning of the regular season.

It was like killing two birds with one stone. Perfect!

As soon as Wang Chong came off the court, he was immediately hugged by Shaquille O'Neal, who tousled his hair.

"You did great, kid! That guy needed to be taught a lesson. High school kids should be playing in the NCAA, not the NBA!"

Kobe, standing not far away, frowned slightly.

"Who are you calling out?" Kobe muttered.

End of this chapter

Note: I will continue uploading as promised 4-5 chapters every day until 100, after 100 1-2 per day, with stones, reviews, and collections I will upload more don't worry.

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