"Swoosh!" With Casspi setting a solid screen, CJ found just enough space to launch a three-pointer from beyond the arc. The defender could only watch helplessly as the ball sailed through the net.
The Grizzlies had initially assigned Tony Allen to defend CJ, Sacramento's main offensive threat on the perimeter. But the Kings, always crafty, had a counter-strategy. Whenever CJ was on the court, Zach LaVine would line up as the other guard on the outside. If Tony Allen locked in on CJ, LaVine would slip through with his aggressive cutting game, taking advantage of the gaps left in the defense.
The Kings were executing their plan perfectly, but the Grizzlies were no slouches—they had one of the toughest defenses in the league. LaVine's fearless drives into the paint usually met with the "Black and White Bears," Randolph and Gasol, waiting to swat his shots away. But LaVine, undeterred by the fierce defense, continued to attack relentlessly.
LaVine's aggressive style wasn't always successful, but with the league's modern rules favoring verticality, he started drawing fouls. Combined with Cousins controlling the paint, the foul count on Randolph and Gasol began to climb quickly. By the start of the third quarter, Randolph had racked up four fouls, and Gasol wasn't far behind with three. Even Allen, who had been chasing LaVine earlier, found himself in foul trouble.
For a defensive powerhouse like the Grizzlies, foul trouble to key players was devastating. Their defense was forced to shrink, which played right into Mike Malone's hands. He directed CJ to run around screens and light up the scoreboard from three-point range.
With the Grizzlies' defense crumbling, CJ took full advantage, draining shot after shot from beyond the arc. Even the toughest defense has its cracks, and the Kings, led by Jake's strategic insights, exploited those weaknesses.
When the Grizzlies' starters were resting, the Kings brought in their bench players, including Timothy Mozgov and Carl Landry, to grind it out in a defensive slugfest. Both teams played scrappy basketball, locking each other down, but when CJ and Cousins returned to the floor, they quickly widened the lead, putting the game out of reach.
In the end, the Kings protected their home court with a dominant performance. CJ effortlessly posted 30+ points, while Cousins added a solid 22 points and 11 rebounds. The fans erupted in cheers throughout the game. Sacramento, a city that had been starved for basketball success for years, finally had a reason to stand tall. Win or lose, the atmosphere in the Kings' arena was electric, leading to rumors that Sacramento had become one of the toughest places to play in the league.
As December rolled around, the holiday spirit began to spread everywhere. Yet, despite their recent success, the Kings remained one of the least talked-about teams in the league, with little media attention. When it came time for the highly anticipated Christmas Day games, the Kings weren't scheduled to play. Instead, they'd be watching the games from home.
December's games were relatively unimportant, mostly against weaker teams, so Mike Malone gave CJ and Cousins more freedom on the court, except against playoff contenders like the Rockets and Thunder. They won those games with ease.
During this time, Jake had begun attracting fans with his engaging media interviews, showcasing his professionalism and sharp sense of humor. Riding this wave of popularity, he opened his own Twitter account, where he frequently interacted with fans. After a few weeks of online banter, he had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. Still, this wasn't enough to satisfy his ambitions.
Jake had a clear goal in mind: to maximize his influence. Just when he was feeling uncertain about how to take the next step, a strange phone call caught his attention.
Lying on the couch in his apartment, Jake stared at his phone screen, puzzled by the unfamiliar number. He answered, "Hello? Is this Manager Jake?"
"Yes, it's me. Who's calling?" he responded.
"Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Jake. I'm from Instagram, and we'd like to invite you to join our platform. If possible, we'd also love to have CJ join as well."
Jake couldn't believe his luck. It was as if the opportunity had fallen into his lap at the perfect moment. "What do you mean by 'joining'?" he asked, playing it cool.
"Well, we'd like to sign you up with an official Instagram account. Once you're on board, we'd come to Sacramento to set up a live broadcast, which would greatly boost your profile and commercial appeal."
It was exactly the opportunity Jake had been hoping for.
"Oh, that's what you mean." Although Jake was thrilled inside, he played it cool, pretending to hesitate for a moment before continuing, "I'm fine with it, but I'll need to discuss CJ's side with his agent first."
Hearing the positive tone in Jake's response, the person on the other end of the phone was excited. "Of course, of course! Should we exchange contact details now and follow up with the specifics later?"
Jake almost blurted out his real thoughts—don't delay!. Time was ticking, and December was already halfway through. Any more delays could mean the All-Star voting would close before they made any real progress. While CJ's stats had been steadily improving, Jake knew that the All-Star Game wasn't just about numbers. Just two days ago, the Kings had lost to the Thunder, and Westbrook was gaining momentum. His votes were creeping closer to CJ's, with a real chance to surpass him soon.
Thinking quickly, Jake reached out to CJ's agent. The agent, hearing that there would be no cost involved, immediately agreed. After all, this wasn't a complicated deal like a sneaker or beverage endorsement. It was simply setting up an account on a sports platform overseas, and the team would handle everything. Jake would guide them step by step, making it easier than the agent ever could on their own.
With CJ on board, Jake had another idea: why not bring LaVine into the mix? CJ had the game, but LaVine had the rookie buzz, plus, with his looks, he could attract even more fans. Jake figured that after this move, they would have the fan base completely locked in!