Chereads / NBA: LeBron James wants to team up with me / Chapter 126 - All-Star Voting and Reward System Tasks

Chapter 126 - All-Star Voting and Reward System Tasks

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On Christmas Eve, the Lakers secured a victory over the Miami Heat with a score of 112-99. The Big Shark (Shaquille O'Neal) scored 35 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots against his former team, but failed to get the revenge he sought. Meanwhile, the dynamic duo of Kobe Bryant and Wang Chong combined for 61 points, showcasing a dominance that rivaled the legendary Shaq-Kobe duo from years past. Fans were left wondering: Could they create a new dynasty together?

Adding to the drama, an interesting incident occurred during the game when Wang Chong, while saving the ball from going out of bounds, accidentally hugged Hollywood actress Jessica Alba. After the game, the two shared a friendly chat. This sparked speculation among the media: Was the goddess of Staples Center about to be won over by the Lakers' rising star?

The Christmas game was highly anticipated, and the aftermath only fueled its buzz. The next day, nearly every major sports media outlet featured headlines about the Lakers' victory over the Heat, overshadowing the results of other games played on Christmas Day. Tabloids had a field day with photos of Wang Chong hugging Jessica Alba, further cementing the game as one of the most talked-about events of the season.

Two days later, paparazzi caught Wang Chong and Alba entering and leaving a hotel together. Despite Jessica's efforts to hide behind a hat, trench coat, and sunglasses, the 2.10-meter-tall Wang Chong was hard to miss. News of their private dinner quickly spread, leading to wild speculation that Wang Chong was about to capture the heart of America's sweetheart.

In reality, the dinner was simply Wang Chong's way of apologizing for the in-game hug. But their conversation went well, and it wasn't hard for Wang to find common ground—he had watched Jessica's popular films, Sin City and Fantastic Four, and discussed them with her in surprising detail. Jessica was flattered by how much Wang knew about her work, especially his prediction that Sin City and Fantastic Four would be remembered as her defining roles.

It turns out, Jessica was indeed single. Wang Chong, ever the opportunist, thought to himself, Sorry, Cash Warren. Since you haven't made your move yet, don't blame me for stepping up!

Despite the rumors, the Christmas game was just one victory in a long season. On December 28, the Lakers defeated the Toronto Raptors 117-99, wrapping up their December schedule with a three-game winning streak. By the end of December, the Lakers boasted a record of 21 wins and 6 losses, placing them third in the Western Conference behind the Spurs (25-5) and the Suns (25-4).

A significant development came when the NBA announced the first round of All-Star voting results. Yao Ming, backed by strong fan support from China, led the vote count as the top overall vote-getter. Kobe Bryant followed close behind in second place for the Western Conference, and to everyone's surprise, Wang Chong was in third place, leading the forwards.

Wang Chong himself was shocked. Competing against legends like Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, and rising stars like Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, Wang hadn't expected to surpass such fierce competition in the All-Star voting. But upon reflection, it made sense. His season stats were stellar—an average of 26 points and 8 rebounds per game—and he had the support of both Chinese fans and the large market of Los Angeles.

Among the 2003 draft class, Wang Chong received the most All-Star votes, only trailing Yao Ming, Kobe, and Shaquille O'Neal league-wide. LeBron James, despite his impressive stats of 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists per game, ranked third in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, Wade's rising popularity, bolstered by his partnership with Shaq, made him a fan favorite, though he still trailed Iverson and LeBron in the guard voting.

As for Carmelo Anthony, he found himself struggling to keep pace with his peers. Though the Denver Nuggets had a solid season and Anthony's stats (20.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists) were respectable, he hadn't shown the same improvement that Wang, LeBron, and Wade had. As a result, Anthony's once-bright star began to dim in comparison to the other members of the 2003 class.

The New Year brought a tough loss for the Lakers. On January 2, 2005, the Nuggets visited the Lakers in a much-anticipated rematch from the season opener. The result, however, was no different than their previous meeting. The Lakers defeated the Nuggets 99-91, with Wang Chong scoring 28 points while Carmelo struggled, hitting only 33.3% of his shots.

Just two days later, the Lakers faced a formidable opponent—the San Antonio Spurs. Despite a valiant effort, the Lakers lost 100-83. Kobe had a poor shooting night, going 5-for-16 from the field, and no other Lakers player scored more than 20 points. Meanwhile, Tim Duncan dominated inside, with 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

The loss to the Spurs exposed the Lakers' weaknesses—unstable outside shooting and a lack of interior strength. Even with Phil Jackson experimenting with small-ball lineups, the Lakers couldn't keep up with San Antonio. Lakers fans came to accept that this season, a deep playoff run might not be in the cards.

However, the team quickly bounced back with wins against strong Western Conference foes like the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets. Kobe and Wang Chong's partnership continued to flourish, each scoring over 25 points in both games, proving that when firing on all cylinders, the Lakers were a formidable force.

As January rolled on, the results of the second round of All-Star voting were released. Yao Ming remained the top vote-getter, while Wang Chong fell to second place among forwards, just behind Kevin Garnett. Despite this, Wang was well on his way to becoming a Western Conference All-Star starter.

Not long after, the NBA reached out to Wang Chong with an unexpected invitation—to participate in the All-Star Weekend three-point contest. Initially, Wang was unsure about joining, but before he could decline, a system prompt appeared:

"Ding! System task activated!"

Mission: Shine at the All-Star.

Mission Objective 1: Reach the finals of the three-point contest. (Reward: Silver Badge - Baseline Three-Point Shooter)

Mission Objective 2: Help the Western Conference All-Stars win the All-Star Game and be named MVP. (Reward: 2,000 points + Random Gold Badge)

Wang Chong's eyes lit up. Two missions with great rewards? This was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

And so, he began preparing for the All-Star Weekend, ready to take on the best in the league.

 End of this chapter

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