Chereads / NBA: LeBron James wants to team up with me / Chapter 173 - Set a Small Goal, Win Ten Scoring Titles First and Then Talk About It

Chapter 173 - Set a Small Goal, Win Ten Scoring Titles First and Then Talk About It

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"The winner of the Eastern Conference Focus game is already decided. The Cavaliers were defeated by the Bulls 84:103 at home."

"Wang Chong scored 36 points in the game, completely overpowering his opponent, Ben Wallace. A key reason the Cavaliers brought in Ben Wallace this summer was to strengthen their defense, hoping to contain Wang Chong, but clearly, even Ben Wallace couldn't handle him. If they can't stop Wang Chong and pass his test, they are destined to fail in standing out in the Eastern Conference. What's next for the Cavaliers?"

LeBron James: "The result of one game doesn't mean much. The Cavaliers just assembled this team. We need time to adapt and find a set of tactics that fit our lineup. The next time we meet on the court, it won't be like today."

As one of the most-watched battles in the entire league, the clash between the Bulls and Cavaliers allowed everyone to witness just how strong the Bulls have become.

Especially when Wang Chong joined in the Bulls' defense, the team's defensive capabilities were instantly maximized. It's somewhat reminiscent of the 2019-2020 Lakers. In the paint, they had Anthony Davis and two seven-footers like Howard or McGee, making them almost impenetrable defensively.

Of course, Wang Chong's defensive ability isn't quite on the level of Anthony Davis, but future Howard lacked the mobility of Tyson Chandler at this stage.

All in all, the Bulls could be considered a combination of two towers on the interior. They can protect the rim and keep most defenders out of the paint.

While the Bulls' defensive strength has significantly improved compared to last season, their offense no longer relies solely on Wang Chong's individual ability. The development of Monta Ellis and Luol Deng has given the Bulls an offensive advantage as well.

Thus, the Bulls have become a fully upgraded team, stronger both offensively and defensively compared to last season.

After the game, TNT commentator Barkley praised Wang Chong's performance.

"In this game, aside from Wang Chong's consistent and efficient scoring, what impressed me most was his willingness to take responsibility on the defensive side. With his height, wingspan, and athleticism, if he's committed, he can definitely become a top-tier defender at the forward position. Even if he's not at Kevin Garnett's level, he can still give any team in the league a headache."

"A truly powerful player not only excels offensively but also contributes defensively. The most representative players on the perimeter, like Michael Jordan in the past and Kobe Bryant now, are all-around players selected for both All-Defensive and All-NBA teams. I hope to see Wang Chong make an All-Defensive team someday. With his physical gifts, he can certainly do it if he chooses to."

So, can Wang Chong make the All-Defensive team?

The answer is yes. While Kevin Durant never made the All-Defensive team in his career, it wasn't because he couldn't; he just focused more on offense.

In fact, Wang Chong shares a similar view. Defense can garner praise, but for a player like Durant, who is so offensively talented, the cost-benefit ratio isn't high, especially when his physical condition limits him on the court.

Wang Chong is currently in a similar physical state to peak Durant. Thus, he only shows his defensive ability occasionally in key moments when chasing victories. Offensive scoring remains the key to determining his status in the league, and he won't sacrifice his offensive stats for excessive defense.

At this stage, Wang Chong is still in the rising phase of his career, where he needs to accumulate honors.

Having traveled through time and acquired a basketball system, Wang Chong's goal is, of course, to surpass the basketball god, Michael Jordan.

Though Jordan made nine All-Defensive First Teams and won a Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award, what defines his legacy more are his two three-peats and his ten scoring titles—records that have rarely been matched since.

There's a saying that Wang Chong believes: any top-tier historical superstar must have a record that's nearly impossible for others to break.

While Jordan's ten scoring titles and Kobe's 81-point game don't directly affect a player's historical ranking, they are crucial in separating legends because these records are incredibly hard to break.

Jordan's ten scoring titles may remain untouchable for the foreseeable future.

While Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game and Kobe's 81 points stand tall, Chamberlain's 100-point game had some flaws. There were ugly fouls where both teams kept fouling each other to delay the game, fragmenting it and boring the audience.

Many players have since tried to surpass Kobe's 81 points when they got hot, but whether it was Devin Booker with 70 points or Lillard and Mitchell with 71, they all fell short of Kobe's 81. The gap shows how difficult it is.

Similarly, LeBron James' 411 career project (total points, assists, and rebounds) will likely become another untouchable record in the league's history. It may even be harder to break than Jordan's ten scoring titles.

Despite his polarizing style and various criticisms, James' discipline and professionalism can't be denied.

It's incredibly difficult for a player to train with such dedication for 20 years. Even as a billionaire, James never indulged. Wang Chong, at least, admitted he couldn't match James in that regard.

Some argue that James' 411 milestone was artificially padded.

But could other players achieve a 411 if given the chance? Even reaching 311 is tough.

Wang Chong estimates that after retirement, he should have a shot at competing with James for 40,000 career points. However, reaching 411 might be tough, especially because of the 10,000 assists needed.

Durant's career average of 4.4 assists per game is decent for a scorer, but he has only amassed just over 4,000 career assists. This underscores the challenge of reaching 10,000 assists. Averaging 7.3 assists per game like James is a tough ask for Wang Chong, who isn't focused on playmaking right now.

Of course, Wang Chong doesn't plan to compete with James in everything. If he tried to match him in the 411 project, would he also mimic his signature celebrations?

Ahem, back to the topic at hand.

As far as achievements go, Wang Chong's main goal remains Jordan's ten scoring titles.

Winning ten scoring titles is no small feat, but Wang Chong already has one. He took it from Kobe, who averaged 35.5 points per game.

In the next ten years, the league's scoring leaders mostly averaged just over 30 points per game. The only exception was Durant, who averaged 32 points per game in the 2013-14 season.

It wasn't until James Harden averaged 36.1 points per game in 2018-19 that anyone approached the levels of Kobe and Jordan.

This season, Wang Chong is aiming for the regular-season MVP, so he's prioritizing his team's record and focusing on defense in some games. He won't be scoring recklessly like last season.

Luckily, Kobe is in a similar situation.

Last season, when Kobe was competing with Wang Chong for the scoring title, he had to take far more shots. However, the Lakers' performance in both the regular season and playoffs was underwhelming, and the media criticized Kobe for it.

This season, after switching to the number 24, Kobe seems more composed. In the first few games, he's no longer trying to do everything himself but is instead delegating to teammates like Hinrich.

As a result, in the first week of the new season, Kobe's scoring average is just over 30 points per game, close to Wang Chong's. Neither of them is competing as fiercely for the scoring title as they did last season, at least not early on.

Wang Chong's attitude toward the scoring title is to go for it if possible, but if it negatively impacts the team's record or his MVP chances, he'll reluctantly let it go.

Fortunately, Wang Chong is only 22, and his career is long. Even if he misses out on this scoring title, he'll still have time to chase Jordan's ten.

Even Jordan was over 34 when he won his last scoring title.

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The Bulls, who defeated the Cavaliers on the road, maintained their momentum and continued their undefeated streak. On November 11, they beat the Indiana Pacers 98:86 at home for their sixth consecutive win. On November 14, they barely edged out their opponent 107:104, extending their winning streak to seven games.

In the 2006-07 season, the Mavericks would go on to post the best record in franchise history, with 67 wins and 15 losses. They dominated the regular season but suffered a dramatic 4:2 loss to the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.

At the start of this season, however, the Mavericks were not in great shape. Before their game against the Bulls, they had just 2 wins and 4 losses, showing signs of a slow start.

Naturally, Wang Chong wasn't going to miss the opportunity. Since Eastern and Western Conference teams only face off twice in the regular season, winning this road game would greatly benefit the Bulls' season record.

Though Nowitzki scored 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds on 10 of 19 shooting, the Mavericks still regrettably lost by 3 points to Wang Chong's 35 points and 9 rebounds.

After the Bulls' battle with the Mavericks, their next opponent in the eighth game of the season would be the Houston Rockets, on the road.

If there's one player the Bulls' current defense fears, it's Yao Ming.

With Shaquille O'Neal aging and dealing with injuries, Yao is one of the top centers in the league.

However, while Wang Chong can control most NBA centers, Yao is an exception. His combination of height and skills presents a challenge even for top-tier defenders. Yao had a strong season with an average of 25 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game.

Could Wang Chong outplay him on defense?

Wang Chong wasn't quite sure.

End of this chapter

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