Chapter 4

A Rookie's Triumph

The second half began with the sound of the whistle, and Ze Yu walked onto the court with his teammates, ready to face the Pacers' tighter defense. Once again, it was Cassell handling the ball over half-court. Against the Pacers' defensive strategy, Nets head coach Calipari had already prepared a countermeasure.

Although the Nets were not as strong overall as the Pacers, and the opposition had the star player Reggie Miller, Cassell and Kendall Gill were still capable of handling things. Therefore, coming into the second half, Calipari decided to shift the offensive focus to these two players, hoping to loosen the defensive pressure on Ze Yu.

Calipari's strategy was clear, and after just four offensive possessions, the Pacers began to relax their defense on Ze Yu. Gill's remarkable ability to attack the rim forced the Pacers to collapse their defense in the paint, attempting to block his progress.

Cassell brought the ball up again, and Gill posted up in the low block, quickly drawing a double-team. This created a perfect opportunity for Ze Yu. Cassell passed the ball to Ze Yu, and just as Miller rushed over to cover, it was already too late.

Receiving the ball, Ze Yu quickly spun around to drive past the defense. The first layer of the Pacers' defense was torn open. As Ze Yu faced the quick help defense from center Rik Smits, he swiftly passed the ball to the waiting Gill, who finished with an alley-oop dunk.

On the next possession, Ze Yu controlled the ball at the top of the key, dribbling slowly as he assessed the defense. At that moment, Gill quietly ran to the top of the key to set a screen. Using Gill's solid pick, Ze Yu found a brief window of space and cut to the basket. Meanwhile, Gill, positioned at the top, followed closely, running toward the basket to find his own opportunity.

Facing the collapsing defense inside, Ze Yu rose and tossed the ball toward the air, and with a loud "boom," another alley-oop dunk was completed.

The commentator was astonished: "It looks like Ze Yu's performance has truly surprised everyone. Not only is he a scorer, but he can also be an excellent playmaker! Look at that incredible teamwork! It seems the Nets are on the rise this season!"

With two consecutive alley-oops, the score tied at 79:79, a 10-point deficit had been erased. The Pacers quickly called a timeout.

On the bench, Calipari shouted to his players, "You're doing great, take advantage of this momentum and extend the lead. The longer the score stays close, the worse it is for us. Let's go!"

As the timeout ended, Ze Yu walked over to an assistant coach and asked, "How many points do I have today?"

"27 points."

Hearing this, Ze Yu couldn't help but smile. It turned out that after the game against the Nuggets, the system had already assigned him another task: to score at least 30 points in the next game. Judging by the current situation, this task was as good as done.

Back on the court, with the Nets in an excited state, the score was quickly pushed in their favor. The cheers from the crowd already felt like a celebration for the impending victory.

As expected, with just five minutes left in the game, the Pacers were falling apart. Even their leader Miller had stopped fighting, as the score had ballooned to 101:89. Although the NBA was no stranger to miracles, they didn't happen every time.

Thus, with the final buzzer, the Nets claimed a 112:100 victory in their second game of the regular season.

Ze Yu had put up a perfect stat line of 39 points, 7 rebounds, and 11 assists—keep in mind, he was still just a rookie.

As Ze Yu walked into the locker room amidst the cheers of the fans, Cassell passed by and said, "Nice job, kid."

Ze Yu smiled appreciatively. Cassell had passed to him frequently today, and he knew it was Cassell giving him the chance to prove himself, to show that he could survive in the NBA, a place full of elite players.

After returning to his apartment in New York, it was already 1 a.m. As Ze Yu turned on the TV, the familiar sound of the system echoed in his mind.

Exhausted, Ze Yu collapsed onto the couch, lazily grabbing the remote to turn on the television. The screen was showing highlights from the day's game, replaying his dunks, assists, and drives over and over, while the commentator's voice filled with excitement: "This rookie's performance tonight is nothing short of stunning! The Nets may have truly found new hope under his leadership."

But before he could fully savor the joy of the win, the familiar electronic sound of the system suddenly rang in his mind—

Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the task: Scoring at least 30 points in this game!

Task reward: +3 in Jumping, +2 in Steals.

A new task has been issued: In the next five games, maintain an average score of no less than 25 points and lead the team to win at least three of those games!

Upon hearing the task requirements, Ze Yu's eyes narrowed slightly. The NBA schedule was tight, and five games meant that within just two weeks, he had to maintain high performance and help the team win as many games as possible. For a rookie, the difficulty was certainly not small.

Feeling the boost in his jumping ability, Ze Yu could sense a physical transformation within him.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm the fatigue and excitement from the game. He understood that to establish himself in the NBA, a single breakout performance was not enough. Consistent play was the key to long-term survival.

At that moment, his phone buzzed. He picked it up and saw a message from the team's assistant coach:

"Tomorrow at 10 a.m., meet at the practice facility. Adjust your condition; we've got tougher challenges ahead."

Ze Yu smiled wryly. As expected, life in the NBA left no room for rest. He turned off the TV, quickly showered, and then collapsed into bed.

Three Consecutive Wins: Against the Knicks

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. Ze Yu rubbed his eyes, dragging his sore body out of bed. After freshening up, he changed into light sportswear and stepped out of his apartment. The cool breeze that greeted him helped shake off some of his grogginess.

Before heading to the practice facility, he stopped by a nearby café. Ordering a black coffee, he sat by the window, scrolling through the news on his phone. Social media had already started buzzing about his performance. Fans were placing high expectations on him, though there were also doubts about his consistency.

"Hope this isn't just a flash in the pan."

Ze Yu smiled, unfazed by the criticism. If anything, he saw it as motivation. He opened his contacts and sent a text to his family in Los Angeles, telling them about his first NBA win. A few minutes later, he received a voice message from his mother, filled with pride and concern.

"You're amazing! But remember to take care of your body, don't overdo it."

Ze Yu felt warmth in his heart. He understood his mother's worries, but the competition in the NBA didn't give him time to slow down.

After practice, he met up with a few teammates at a restaurant downtown for a meal. Cassell, Gill, and several young players from the bench were all there. They talked about the game, joked around, and the atmosphere was light and relaxed.

"Ze Yu, how are you finding life in New York?" Gill asked.

"It's pretty good, just a lot faster-paced than I expected," Ze Yu replied with a laugh.

"You'll get used to it," Cassell said, patting his shoulder. "But be careful, there's a lot of temptation in New York. Don't let off-court distractions affect your game."

Ze Yu nodded. He understood Cassell's point. Life as an NBA player wasn't just about what happened on the court. Maintaining discipline off the court was just as important for survival.

Two days later, game day arrived.

Madison Square Garden's lights shone brilliantly, and the arena was packed to capacity. As soon as the game began, Ze Yu felt the intense defensive pressure from the Knicks. Every time he touched the ball, he was tightly guarded, even getting fouled a few times. At the end of the first quarter, he had only scored 6 points.

Back on the bench, Calipari walked over and whispered, "Stay patient, look for opportunities, don't force your shots."

Ze Yu nodded, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

The second quarter resumed, and Ze Yu adjusted his approach. Instead of forcing his way to the basket, he began using screens to find better shooting opportunities. Gradually, he found his rhythm, knocking down a few smooth mid-range shots, causing the Knicks' defense to loosen up.

In the third quarter, Ze Yu showcased his offensive skills. He scored several times off the dribble, even finishing a reverse layup over Ewing, causing the crowd to gasp in awe.

"This kid's fearless!" the commentator shouted from the sidelines.

By the fourth quarter, the score remained tight, and the game had entered a high-stakes moment.

With one minute left, the Knicks applied full-court pressure. Ze Yu held the ball at the top of the key, with just 24 seconds remaining. He faked his defender with a quick move, drove into the paint, and faced Ewing's shot block. Adjusting in mid-air, he switched hands for the layup—the ball bounced twice on the rim before finally dropping through the net!

The Knicks quickly advanced. Chris Childs received the ball and attempted a three-pointer, but Ze Yu sprinted to block, and the ball grazed his fingertips before missing the shot! The Nets grabbed the rebound and quickly passed it to Ze Yu, and the Knicks had no choice but to foul.

Stepping up to the free-throw line, Ze Yu took a deep breath and calmly sank both shots, sealing the victory!

In the end, the Nets won 102-97, securing their third straight win!

Ze Yu, who scored 29 points in the game, once again became the focal point, and his several confrontations with Ewing on defense left everyone in awe.

The Court of Pure Basketball

After the game, Ze Yu didn't head home immediately. Instead, he changed into some comfortable sportswear, put on a hat, and made his way to a streetball court in downtown New York. He wanted to experience the pure basketball atmosphere away from the professional arena.

The streetball court was still buzzing with energy at night. The loud hip-hop music echoed through the air, the players clashed fiercely on the court, and the crowd cheered and shouted, making it feel like this was the true basketball temple. Ze Yu stood to the side, watching a few Black players battling it out on the court. Their style was rough and unrestrained, but their skills were just as sharp.

"Hey, man, wanna play a game?" A tall Black player motioned toward him with a nod of his chin.

Ze Yu smiled slightly, took off his hat, and walked onto the court. "Sure, how do we split the teams?"

Some people in the crowd recognized him. "Wait a minute, you're that Nets rookie, right? The one who scored 30 points against the Knicks today?"

The crowd immediately stirred, with people gathering around and whispering. Ze Yu shrugged, "I'm just here to play ball, no need to get so worked up."

A 4v4 pickup game began. Ze Yu's opponents seemed to want to test his skills, defending him tightly and even intentionally adding more physicality to see if the NBA player could adjust to the streetball style.

But Ze Yu wasn't bothered by the aggressive defense. He handled the ball smoothly, drove, passed, and even used a flashy Eurostep to glide past a defender, easily finishing with a layup.

"Yo, this guy's legit!" someone in the crowd exclaimed.

As the game went on, it grew more intense. Ze Yu loosened up and started enjoying the freedom of street basketball. Unlike in NBA games, where he had to follow tactical instructions, here he played entirely by instinct and individual ability. He crossed over his defender, stopped abruptly, and hit a jump shot, then finished a fast-break alley-oop with a windmill dunk, igniting the entire court.

The crowd roared, and some people pulled out their phones to start recording videos. Ze Yu was slightly out of breath, feeling the pure joy of basketball he hadn't experienced since playing on the streets of Los Angeles as a kid.

After the game, he slapped hands with his opponents. The tall Black player who had first challenged him clapped him on the shoulder and grinned, "Man, you're not just an NBA player, you're a streetball baller too."

Ze Yu smiled and shook his head. "I'm just passionate about basketball."

"Cut the humble act." The player with dreadlocks grinned. "You were great tonight, but the way pros play is different from how we do it. You guys think about tactics, team play, and executing the coach's plan. But we're all about pure style, creativity, and street culture."

"That's true," Ze Yu nodded, his gaze drifting back to the court. He really liked the atmosphere here—the freedom and unrestrained style of streetball reminded him of his days practicing on the courts in Los Angeles.

He wasn't one of those players who grew up in an elite basketball system. His childhood was spent on community courts. Back then, he was small and often bullied by older kids, but it was those countless failures and falls that taught him how to survive on the court.

"But what you lack is discipline," Ze Yu smiled. "If you could combine the creativity of streetball with NBA tactics, you might really make something out of it."

The dreadlocked player curled his lip. "That sounds nice, but not everyone gets the chance to make it to the NBA."

Ze Yu paused for a moment, then stood up, looking at these fellow basketball lovers. He suddenly spoke up, "You guys free tomorrow?"

"What for?"

"I'll be practicing my shooting at the Nets' training facility tomorrow morning. You can come check it out and see how professional players train," Ze Yu said, then added, "Maybe you'll realize that the NBA isn't so far away."

The dreadlocked player was taken aback for a second, then burst out laughing, "You're something else, alright. Alright, we'll come see how you pros train tomorrow."

The others all chimed in, excitedly discussing it.

Under the night sky of the streetball court, Ze Yu flashed a knowing smile.