(TN: Sorry yall, I've been studying for my finals, but enjoy these chapters cause I still have another week left)
At the same time, the system's cold, mechanical electronic voice rang out in Link's mind.
[Ding! The Host has triggered a main quest—Locker Room Leader.]
[Quest Reward Description: As a Locker Room Leader, standing up for teammates and underlings is standard procedure. Scottie Pippen deliberately belittled Michael Jordan before the game; the Host needs to take the initiative and teach Scottie Pippen a lesson.]
[Limit Scottie Pippen's scoring tonight to under 15 points to obtain 1000 GOAT points!]
[Limit Scottie Pippen's scoring tonight to under 10 points to obtain 2000 GOAT points + Superstar sparring partner card x1!]
[Limit Scottie Pippen's scoring tonight to under 5 points to obtain 3000 GOAT points + Ultra-Superstar sparring partner card x1!]
…
…
Both the Washington Wizards and the Portland Trail Blazers had quite a few players out with injuries.
For the Wizards, besides Michael Jordan resting during this away game, Laettner, the core of their interior orchestration, still needed two more games before he could return.
However, Brendan Haywood, a fellow member of the same rookie class, had already completed his return last week.
The Portland Trail Blazers, a team with championship aspirations, despite having the league's wealthiest bench depth, also had many issues.
The team's starting Center and Yao Ming's idol, Arvydas Sabonis, was out for the season due to a knee injury and hadn't played a single game.
Uh... according to the NBA medical team, the Old Sabonis's knees were in such bad shape he could practically apply for a disability certificate.
The team's roster suffered from serious aging; although the former explosive dunker Shawn Kemp was on the bench, he was now so fat that even O'Neal's grandmother wouldn't recognize him.
Scottie Pippen, universally acknowledged as the greatest second-in-command in history, was already 34 years old and had suffered a major injury in '98, resulting in a severe loss of explosiveness and vertical leap. Furthermore, after leaving the Chicago Bulls—or more accurately, leaving Michael Jordan—Pippen the Second desperately wanted to escape Michael Jordan's "shadow." Since joining the Portland Trail Blazers, he had been constantly fighting with Rasheed Wallace for the team leadership.
The media had repeatedly reported locker room conflicts between Rasheed Wallace and Pippen the Second.
Tonight's starting lineups for both teams:
[Washington Wizards (Away)]: Link, Hamilton, Gerald Wallace, Randolph, and Haywood.
[Portland Trail Blazers (Home)]: Damon Stoudamire, Bonzi Wells, Pippen, Dale Davis, and Rasheed Wallace.
Before taking the court, Link once again emphasized tonight's defensive strategy to Gerald Wallace.
"Double-team Pippen!"
"We must resolutely double-team him. Even if Bonzi Wells makes a few shots in a row, we still double-team Pippen the Second."
Although the Portland Trail Blazers were an aging team, they were experienced and had many players who knew how to play. To defeat them, it wasn't just about basketball skills; the psychological level was also very important.
Wasn't Pippen the Second fighting Rasheed Wallace for the top spot? Hehe, then we simply can't let Pippen the Second get any shots off.
After the game began, Scottie Pippen immediately sought out Link. Yes, that's right—in Michael Jordan's absence, Link was undoubtedly the focus of the opponent's defense; actually, even when Michael Jordan was present, Link was usually the primary target of the opponent's man-to-man coverage.
"rookie, I heard you're pretty good. Let me test you out tonight." Pippen the Second was full of confidence, his calm demeanor as if saying to Link: Kid, you should feel honored to be guarded by a future Hall of Famer like me.
"Uh, no wonder Pippen the Second isn't well-liked by the superstars of the 80s and 90s; he really doesn't understand his own place. Even though you and Michael Jordan complemented each other, you're just a second-in-command. How dare you come and show off in front of me, the absolute leader of this team?" Link thought to himself.
However, on the surface, Link remained polite to Pippen, saying, "Senior, your defense is indeed formidable. I don't even dare to drive to the basket casually. After all, you have Rasheed Wallace anchoring the paint."
Hearing Link's words, Pippen the Second froze for a moment, feeling quite uncomfortable. What did this damn rookie mean? Did he think I wasn't important enough?
Although Rasheed Wallace had a better vertical than Haywood, tip-offs involve a fair amount of luck. This time, Rasheed Wallace jumped too early, and Haywood won the tip, allowing the Washington Wizards to launch the first attack of the game.
Link advanced with the ball, with Pippen the Second picking him up full-court.
Pippen the Second's defense was very aggressive, actively initiating physical contact while staying within reasonable limits.
Despite the high intensity of the contact, Link maintained his balance well while dribbling at high Speed, remaining unaffected. This surprised Pippen the Second, who thought, "Two months ago, this kid wouldn't have dared to dribble this fast under contact."
To advance at high Speed while under physical pressure, a ball handler needs not only solid ball-handling skills but also excellent core strength. Clearly, Link not only possessed both but exceeded expectations in them.
Standing 203cm tall and weighing 95kg, Scottie Pippen found it difficult to slow down Link's advance through contact like he had two months ago. Upon reaching the top of the arc outside the three-point line, Link didn't wait for his teammates to get into position; he continued to drive hard, intending to use his strength to bump past Pippen the Second.
Pippen the Second sneered inwardly. He didn't immediately meet the force with hard contact but used finesse, controlling his body to slightly dodge before applying pressure. This was elite defensive awareness and experience. Link, who wasn't known for his Speed, was tangled up after losing his strength advantage. In the next instant, to Pippen the Second's surprise, Link, having no space to drive, didn't pass. Instead, he adjusted his footwork, turned his back, and chose to post up aggressively at the high post.
The moment Pippen the Second was bumped back, Link immediately launched an 18-foot turnaround fadeaway jumper. At that moment, Pippen the Second felt a sense of déjà vu. It was... so damn similar... like a larger-framed, slightly slower Michael Jordan with almost identical movements. With a "swish," Link's fadeaway jumper went in.
In the first two minutes of the game, Link attacked four times himself, specifically targeting Scottie Pippen. He went 3-for-4, all from mid-range. After all, Link had activated the Player Takeover—[Moment of Domination: Gods Weapon].
The Portland Trail Blazers fans watched Scottie Pippen get scored on by Link's contested shots over and over, looking bewildered.
Link was simply too accurate!
Being blown out on the defensive end by a rookie—and the number one draft pick chosen by his former teammate Michael Jordan—Pippen the Second felt he was losing face. He began to impatiently call for the ball. Although Pippen the Second had the title and label of a "Point Forward."
In reality, he was a "Point Forward" who relied partially on others to set him up. Pippen the Second's off-the-dribble shooting was insufficient, and his half-court offense was primarily off-ball. Without Michael Jordan, his ability to break through defenses relied mainly on his first step's stride and Speed; his change of direction in tight spaces and rhythm changes were weaknesses. To put it simply, he could drive in, but he wasn't a "live ball threat in the paint," which was a marked difference from a "primary ball-handler" like Link.
Pippen the Second made an impatient cut with Gerald Wallace following closely behind. Noticing Damon Stoudamire's Passing intent, Link immediately left his matchup, Bonzi Wells, to double-team Pippen the Second.
Pippen the Second's Passing wasn't slow, but it wasn't elite either. Furthermore, the double-team from Link and The King of Cats was powerful. Pippen the Second struggled to get the ball out, and that time was enough for Link to recover on defense. This ineffective pass left the Portland Trail Blazers with only 7 seconds on the 24-second shot clock, forcing them into a tough, contested shot.
(TN: I believe "King of Cats" is Wallace)
"Quick, give me the ball!"
"Give me the ball, quick!"
Pippen the Second shouted at Bonzi while fighting for position against The King of Cats at the left elbow.
Noticing Wells's intent to pass, Link again joined The King of Cats to trap Pippen the Second as he reached for the ball at the elbow. Their double-team made it difficult for Pippen the Second to catch the ball, and even after catching it, he had no room to shoot. Pippen the Second jumped forcefully, but The King of Cats and Link jumped with him. Seeing he was about to be blocked and caught in a dilemma, Pippen the Second chose to dump the ball off…
Bonzi, having held the ball for less than a second, was completely out of rhythm for his shot…
With a "clank," the three-pointer hit the rim and bounced straight off the backboard…
This possession left three Portland Trail Blazers players with dark expressions, their displeasure evident.