Monster rookie（ +1 chapter for our 296 power stones）

（This week we received 296 power stones!

Thank you!

I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you.

Your unwavering support, daily engagement, and votes for my novel mean the world to me. Writing is a journey, and your presence alongside me makes it truly special. Your dedication fuels my creativity and inspires me to bring you more captivating stories.Thank you for being a part of this adventure. Your enthusiasm keeps the words flowing, and your encouragement keeps me motivated.

In addition, I have a small request here...

If you find it appealing, consider sharing it with your friends. 

Wishing all my readers and fans a Merry Christmas!）

"Without Allen Iverson, the 76ers, now led by Iguodala, the former teammate of the 'Answer,' have an average strength, not a strong team. As for the Cavaliers and the Raptors, the absence of LeBron, the 'King,' and Bosh, forming the 'Big Three' in the Heat, has turned these two teams into weak ones, almost to the point of lying down. Dealing with them with our current strength shouldn't be a big problem. The key lies in... the fourth opponent, the Los Angeles Lakers. Yes... facing the defending champions with Kobe Bryant is the biggest challenge ahead!"

Defending champions!

Kobe Bryant!

When Carlos heard these two words and thought about Kobe's online challenge to him, he squinted his eyes, and a surge of fighting spirit ignited within him. He wanted Kobe to witness the unique style of this center.

Little did he know that Carlos also wanted to compete with Kobe, not just any Kobe, but the Kobe known as the "Black Mamba," "Three Rings," "Kobe-WanKenobi," "The 80-1," and more. Kobe, the man referred to as the "number one in the league."

Besides Carlos, Curry, Nash, and others also had an unwavering look. Facing the defending champions was one thing, but daring to face them was another. The Suns, with their current 13-game winning streak, had no reason to fear any team.

Gentry clapped his hands, speaking with a resonant voice, "Guys, let's go all out, win against the Lakers, defeat the defending champions, and let the league know that we, the Suns, are the strongest dark horse this year!"

"Oh!"

Everyone shouted, their eyes determined, displaying a united team spirit and a powerful fighting intent. The atmosphere of the entire team was bursting with positivity.

Gentry smiled, nodded, and his gaze fell on Carlos. Everything happening now was because of Carlos. Only he could give a seemingly hopeless team such astonishing cohesion and strength.

At noon...

The Suns' team boarded a charter plane to Philadelphia.

The 76ers, Cavaliers, and Raptors, these three teams were all on the road. Even though they weren't considered strong teams, it wouldn't be easy to win all three consecutive away games.

At 9 PM...

Wells Fargo Center.

Both teams finished warming up, and the starting lineups were about to enter the court.

Although this was in Philadelphia, the home of the 76ers, you could still see many fans in the stands wearing Carlos's "0" jersey.

There was no other way...

This "monster rookie," who had just signed a record-breaking contract with Adidas, had already won countless fans with his performance, capturing the hearts of too many basketball enthusiasts.

Starting lineup for the Philadelphia 76ers: 6'4" point guard Jrue Holiday, 6'4" shooting guard Jodie Meeks, 6'6" small forward Andre Iguodala, 6'8" power forward Elton Brand, and 7'0" center Spencer Hawes.

Starting lineup for the Phoenix Suns: 6'3" point guard Steve Nash, 6'3" shooting guard Stephen Curry, 6'6" shooting guard Vince Carter, 6'11" power forward Channing Frye, and 7'1" center Carlos.

"Jump ball!"

Carlos and Hawes went for the tip-off.

Hawes, the 10th pick in the 2007 draft, had a decent jump, combining it with his 7'0" height, often securing the first offensive opportunity for the team.

But tonight...

His opponent was Carlos.

"Smack!"

With a jumping speed more than twice as fast as Hawes, Carlos effortlessly tipped the ball, Nash caught it, and smoothly initiated the Suns' first offensive play.

"Ah... what is this..."

Hawes was stunned for a moment, sulking back to his court.

Nash, holding the ball at the left arc, then drove toward the middle, directly passing the ball to Carlos, who faced Hawes' frontal defense.

Hawes defending Carlos?!

Yes...

Hawes was one of the few players in the league who played offense on the perimeter. Before growing to 6'11", he was a point guard, and that's why he hated inside confrontation. He preferred to play offense and defense on the perimeter.

But on the defensive end, he usually couldn't get what he wanted.

However, tonight, facing Carlos, the center who doesn't specialize in strong inside play, Hawes, the player he wanted to match up against, had an inner desire to stop Carlos, to stop this recently explosively popular "monster rookie." He wanted to show the coach that he was actually more suitable for playing on the perimeter.

"Wow! Hawes has a decent speed and is not shorter than Carlos. Maybe he can really defend Carlos. No, even if it's just interference, it's enough!"

Carlos faced Hawes, placing the basketball on his side and bending his body along with it. Then... he suddenly activated his left foot and dashed to the right.

Just as he took a step...

"Squeak!"

Carlos abruptly stopped, pulling the basketball back between his legs. However, Hawes, who couldn't control his center of gravity, toppled sideways and fell beneath the basketball hoop.

"Wow!"

The court erupted in amazement.

"Wow!"

Carlos gave Hawes a casual glance, adjusted his posture, and then smoothly executed a jump shot like in practice, hitting it effortlessly.

"I take it back, I take back what I said just now."

In the commentator's booth...

Jon Barry shook his head with a smile, and Mark Jackson also laughed, "His talent is not even close by a bit. The only thing Hawes has that matches Carlos is that extra centimeter in height. I really don't know where he got the courage to match up with Carlos on the three-point line."

"Hehe!"

Jon Barry chuckled, "Maybe... he thinks Carlos is a center."

"Haha!"

The two exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

On the court...

The embarrassed center, Hawes, with a flushed face, couldn't bear the occasional mocking from the audience. The laughter echoing from the stands only added to his embarrassment.

As the game transitioned from offense to defense...

The team's core, Iguodala, couldn't bear it any longer and lobbed the ball to Hawes on the left high post, giving him a chance to shoot.

"Wow!"

Hawes faked a three-point shot, and when Carlos stepped up, he immediately drove to the basket, then relied on a nimble turn to create half a body's distance from Carlos.

"Swoosh!"

Accelerating once again, he appeared behind Carlos.

"Carlos got passed?!"

"Wow! Hawes really has some skills!"

Some fans expressed surprise.

With his back to Carlos, Hawes was about to accelerate for a layup. However, when he appeared behind Carlos, when he was about to accelerate for the layup, just when everyone thought Carlos had been beaten.

Carlos, without turning around, suddenly and precisely reached out to intercept.

"Swoosh!"

Hawes rushed toward the basket, but... he suddenly realized that the basketball in his hands was gone.

"What?!"

Hawes was shocked.

"What?!"

In the commentary booth, Jon Barry was also shocked, and Mark Jackson shouted, "Hawes doesn't have the basketball! Carlos has his back to Hawes! But... the ball has been stolen. What just happened?!"