Chapter 10: He's a top scorer?
"Dude, great job, just hit it." Odom came over and high-fived Zeng Zhen.
Howard grinned and held up his hand to show that the shot was his problem and he should have defended it out.
Howard didn't care after expressing it, and the rest of the Magic didn't take it seriously either.
After all, the Lakers can't go an entire game without scoring a three.
Magic up and down on Zeng Zhen has also known, they all know that Zeng Zhen is just in the last game broke out just, before that, Zeng Zhen are obscure players.
A player with real talent and strength will not remain unknown, if he is not famous enough, it means he is not strong enough.
This also made the Magic up and down before the game did not emphasize too much on Zeng Zhen's defense.
"It's OK, Zeng Zhen's offense is good."
"Coming up with three contributions."
"The three-point shot is really accurate."
"Zeng Zhen's running game is very soulful."
"That's a change of pace that Howard can't defend against."
The fans are talking about it.
Magic's offense.
Francis caught the ball and dribbled across half-court with Zeng Zhen on Nelson.
Francis went to the top of the arc and directed the ball to Nelson.
Nelson tries to shift past Zeng Zhen, but misses.
Zeng Zhen's defense isn't strong but he's working hard.
Nelson didn't have much of a chance as he gave the ball inside to Howard.
Howard received the ball and then turned around after leaning on Kwame Brown for a little hook shot along the baseline.
This hook was used roughly and the basketball hit the rim hard.
Odom leaped to collect the rebound.
Instead of giving the ball to Smush Parker, Odom took the ball across half-court himself.
Odom continued to watch after he got to the frontcourt.
Zeng Zhen continued to run with Nelson.
Nelson was drafted by the Magic in the first round with the 20th overall pick in 2004, and he has been able to average 14 points and 4 assists per game in his second season, which is already very impressive.
He's defending hard this time and not allowing Zeng Zhen to get the shot off.
Odom guided the ball to Vujacic, who took a sudden step before giving the ball back to Zeng Zhen.
Zeng Zhen dives for a triple threat from the right three-point line.
Nelson yelled at Zeng Zhen, "Rookie, you can't take a shot if you're not given space."
Instead of fighting Nielsen, Zeng Zhen quickly dribbled and started to change directions to try to switch Nielsen.
Zeng Zhen is not the only one who can shoot threes.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Zeng Zhen's continuous change of direction dribbling was so frequent that Nelson's forehead was constantly sweating as he kept following Zeng Zhen's rhythm.
However, Nelson was physically stronger than Zeng Zhen, and as Zeng Zhen shifted the pace with a change of direction and prepared to break through.
"Bang!"
Nielsen used his body to fight with Zeng Zhen under the confrontation, Zeng Zhen breakthrough blocked, he can only quickly come to a crotch back to pull the ball, followed by stomping the ground step back.
After forcing a wiggle out of space, another shot was taken from the three-point line.
Nelson's confrontation kept Zeng Zhen from bursting through, but it also gave Zeng Zhen a chance to lend a hand.
From the three-point line, another handoff.
The basketball made a wonderful arc.
"Swish!!!"
22 to 18.
A three-point double play, Zeng Zhen this time with a one-handed release gliding back to half-court.
The gesture is a sign that Nelson is too short.
Nelson does have a better matchup than he does now, but not at his height.
At 1'82", there was no way he could interfere with Zeng Zhen.
The three-point shot through the net also sparked the crowd.
It's too difficult to take a shot off the dribble.
Zeng Zhen didn't take an open shot on this one, but found an opportunity in motion to complete the one-two punch.
Zhang Weiping shouted, "Good job, this three is more dominant than the one just now, haha."
Seo Je-sung said, "Zeng Zhen is playing with more and more confidence and has two consecutive threes, both of which are very demoralizing."
Nelson on the field was staring at Zeng Zhen's back, and Zeng Zhen's provocative actions made him feel very hot.
Nelson wanted to respond to the past.
Francis also saw Nelson's fire, and he gave the ball to Nelson after bringing it across half-court.
Nielsen faces off against Zeng Zhen's defenses and kills him with a change of direction before taking over the body position.
If it had been Zeng Zhen's defense alone, the ball might have been passed for a goal, but he had Odom behind him.
Odom interfered with Nelson in time for the assist.
Nelson's breakaway layup was not there and the rebound went to Kwame Brown.
Back to the Lakers' offense.
The Magic employed a man-to-man defense strategy, still with Nelson clinging to Zeng Zhen.
Zeng Zhen was running the floor very aggressively as Odom held the ball himself and backed up Turkoglu.
The Lakers have a good inside presence, which gives outside shooters some opportunities.
Turkoglu can't hold off Odom just yet, and he's at a bit of a disadvantage, as Odom's consecutive sideways slams have Turkoglu consistently backing up as the Magic's interior shrinks.
After feeling the pressure, Odom decisively gave the ball to Zeng Zhen.
Nelson is blocked by Kwame Brown.
Kwame Brown has basically no offense and average defense, but is very active in blocking shots and grabbing rebounds for those dirty jobs.
He's doing the dirty work with absolutely no mental burden of being a first-rounder.
As soon as Zeng Zhen caught the ball, Howard, who had switched defenses with Nelson, came flying in.
The main reason Howard is considered to have no way to defend beyond the three-point line is that his movements are really too slow for a defender.
Zeng Zhen can totally anticipate his defensive moves to change his offense.
Zeng Zhen faked a shot, Howard's whole body fluttered out of the three-point line, and Zeng Zhen dribbled the ball one step up and across.
Finding his rhythm.
A quick three-point push shot.
The basketball cuts a rainbow.
"Swish!"
Another hit.
22 to 21.
The Staples Arena once again erupted in cheers, and the Magic asked for a timeout.
CCTV studio, Zhang Weiping tapped the table and shouted, "Three-point trifecta, well done, Zeng Zhen's three-point shooting ability is not blowing, he is now getting more and more adapted to the rhythm of the NBA, will he replicate the magic of the last game?"
Xu Jicheng said, "Haha, it should be unlikely to replicate the last game, but it is certain that Zeng Zhen's three-point shooting percentage will be very stable and will give the Lakers great outside fire support."
On the field.
Zeng Zhen shook his head and chewed on his braces in celebration as he made his way back to his home bench.
Zeng Zhen could feel that even without the support of the Peak Performance Card, he was still very good.
Opponents are too lax in their defense of him, a lax defense that allows him to feel no pressure.
As long as he's open, Zeng Zhen is in a rhythm, and he's looking at the basket in a very big way, the kind of way that he can put it in at any time.
Zeng Zhen continued to celebrate with his Lakers teammates by high-fiving them after they arrived off the court.
Zeng Zhen's play during this period was so crucial.
On the Magic's side, they made a personnel rotation.
Francis went down and Nelson starred with Hill, Stevenson, Turkoglu, and Tony Battie.
On the Lakers' side of the lineup, there were no adjustments.
"Crap, Zeng Zhen has silenced the blacks."
"It's so awesome, the strength is just so dang good."
"This style is rare."
"From the three-point line, one shot!"
"Why do I see Zeng Zhen open at the three-point line and think it must be there."
"This ability to make three's in a row is horrible."
Back from a timeout.
Magic's offense.
Zeng Zhen turned into a matchup with Stevenson, and Nelson didn't give it to Stevenson anymore or come to hit Zeng Zhen himself.
The timeout calmed him down a bit.
Nelson gives the ball to Turkoglu.
Zeng Zhen glanced at Turkoglu and thought about his scouting report.
Turkoglu is a 2'08", organizational power forward with a good individual offensive game and the ability to get in and out of the paint.
Facing Odom's slightly lax outside defense, Turkoglu opted for a long-range jumper after making a triple threat from the right side.
The basketballs also both made a gorgeous arc.
"Swish!"
24 to 21.
Turkoglu also helped the Magic take control with a mid-range.
Laker offense.
Immediately after Smushparker dribbled to the frontcourt, the Zen Master on the sidelines snapped, "Give the ball to Tseng."
The Zen master rarely commanded in this way, but when he spoke, be sure to listen.
Smash Parker gives the ball to Zeng Zhen.
Zeng Zhen gets the ball to face the Stevenson defense.
Stevenson is 1 meter 96 and has a tough defense, Zeng Zhen tried to pass him with a change of direction but couldn't get past him.
Zeng Zhen greeted the cover and Kwame Brown brought up and blocked Stevenson.
Zeng Zhen moved across the floor and broke through, drawing a pinch from the Magic interior.
Just now Zeng Zhen's consecutive offensive scores made the Magic players wary of him.
Instead of thinking about playing himself this turn, Zeng Zhen saw an opening in the clinch and Zeng Zhen threaded the ball through the middle of Turkoglu and Tony Battie to Kwame Brown down the line.
Kwame Brown picked up the tempo of the ball so well that he padded up and got his hands up for a foul.
"FRAME!!!"
24 to 23.
The sound of the scene is up again.
The local Los Angeles commentator roared back, "Foul from the first-round pick, that dunk was fantastic, and Tseng's pass was nifty, penetrating the defense."
"Was proving to Phil that not only can he play without the ball, he can also play with the ball!"
"With a very good three-point shot and some organizational skills, this is the best No. 1 pick for the Lakers, I guess."
"When Kobe comes back, the pairing of Tseng and Kobe will take the Lakers' outside firepower to a whole new level."
The commentators on the Los Angeles scene were very exuberant.
Zeng Zhen also heard these commentaries and he smiled.
This commentator knows his stuff.
Zeng Zhen was able to sense that his fused Curry really should be more than just a catch-and-shoot shooter; he could hold the ball to attack.
As long as he has the ball on him, then he is the biggest draw in himself.
If opponents don't take him seriously, he can just pitch them into a meltdown.
Zeng Zhen's personal goal now can no longer be a guaranteed contract, he would like to have more time, more opportunities to show himself and become a real king of the ball!
The king of the ball isn't an all-star or a superstar or anything like that, but the true king of the court!
Others have talent, what about your own hang-ups!
With the support of hanging, Zeng Zhen now dared to think of anything.
Maybe Jordan will be known as "Zeng Zhen Jr." in the future.
Kobe is also known as the "poor man's version of Zeng Zhen".
Soon, the Magic offense interrupted Zeng Zhen's fantasy.
Nelson plays blocker with Turkoglu.
After the block, Nelson used a step back to get open at the top of the arc.
Decisive three-point jumper.
"Swish."
27 to 23.
The Magic were very resilient and the Lakers defense didn't put enough pressure on them tonight.
Laker offense.
After bringing the ball upcourt, Odom commanded a pass before stumbling through the break himself with the help of Kwame Brown's coverage and splitting the ball out again.
With Kardashian on the scene today, Odom's lack of individual offense was a bit soft to watch.
Zeng Zhen received the ball and faced Stevenson's defense.
Stevenson has been fighting Zeng Zhen a little bit, as he keeps giving Zeng Zhen a physical confrontation.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
The referee never whistled in the face of such a confrontation.
Zeng Zhen was also hit with a bit of a sad face.
Obviously, confrontation is not his strength.
The Lakers fans on the sidelines are a little worried about Zeng Zhen ah, Zeng Zhen's rhythm are destroyed.
Stevenson is indeed a very experienced veteran now, and he knows he can't give Zeng Zhen any room to strike.
It's just that Zeng Zhen's dribbling fundamentals are also very reliable, and the basketball is always under his control as if it's glued to a part of his body.
Stevenson's press is still too close to Zeng Zhen, Zeng Zhen holds the ball with both hands and catches the moment Stevenson crashes over and meets him sideways.
Stevenson reacts with an attempt to avoid it but it's not happening, it's unavoidable.
"Bang!"
Zeng Zhen's body is contorted by the impact of the strikes and the referee blows his whistle.
"Beep!!!"
Zeng Zhen's entire body flew backwards as well.
The referee signaled that it was a three-point foul.
Stevenson looked at Zeng Zhen in disbelief, the rookie was hitting too much oil.
Zeng Zhen got to his feet with Odom pulling at Kwame Brown.
Zeng Zhen used his ball skills this round to crack the difficult monster of not being as good against his opponent.
Standing at the free throw line, the fans continued to send cheers.
"Swish!"
"Swish!"
"Swish!"
A solid three free throws.
27 to 26.
The Magic's offense came over, this time with a turnover, as Turkoglu held the ball on the right side to try to greet a block, only to have Tony Battie hang on to Odom on the block.
Odom fell to the floor and the referee gave the ball to the Lakers decisively.
Laker offense.
Odom holds the ball to the frontcourt.
Pressing the clock and the first quarter came down to the final 11 seconds, the Lakers capitalized on their final possession.
Stevenson continued to stay close to Zeng Zhen as Stevenson shouted at Zeng Zhen, "Rookie, that move of yours is too soft, you can only use it once, I won't give you another chance."
Stevenson stuck close to Zeng Zhen this time and wasn't even going to connect with the ball.
Stevenson's defense is very tough and just full of confrontation.
Zeng Zhen didn't tangle with Stevenson on his own, he chose to call his teammates.
Again, Kwame Brown is coming up very aggressively to cover.
Zeng Zhen utilized Kwame Brown's frame to once again combine with a reverse run to get Stevenson off.
Zeng Zhen's run was non-stop and it caused Stevenson a lot of headaches as well.
As soon as Zeng Zhen came out open, Odom's pass came through.
After Zeng Zhen got the ball, Turkoglu, who had switched to defense, pounced on him with full force.
Zeng Zhen shoots in with a takedown attempt against the guard.
The rhythm of this ball is a little messed up.
"Frame!"
The basketball hit the basket hard.
Zeng Zhen makes a body contact with Turkoglu as he lands, and Zeng Zhen goes down again.
The ball Turkoglu violated Zeng Zhen's cylinder, but the referee didn't whistle anymore.
It's time for the first quarter as well.
"It's a foul." Zeng Zhen said towards the referee.
The referee ignored Zeng Zhen and left on his own.
"Zeng Zhen can't keep relying on the umpires."
"Got to play tough."
"How can you play when you fall down at the first touch?"
"It's finally starting to not go in."
"Zeng Zhen will struggle when he meets a high-intensity defense."
"As opponents continue to familiarize themselves with his style of play, Zeng Zhen will become more and more difficult in the future."
"This guy's physical confrontation is real bad."
"No comment, or the intensity didn't come up before."
"I hope Zeng Zhen can adapt to this kind of confrontation."
"On a weak note, the ball was really fouled."
Fans have expressed a wide range of opinions.
Back on the sidelines, Zeng Zhen didn't feel demoralized.
He can't make every shot, there are bound to be times when he doesn't.
Kobe, who was wearing a suit, came over and told Zeng Zhen, "Don't be afraid to take a shot, and when you have the chance, shoot it yourself, no need to pass it to anyone else."
After Kobe lost to Zeng Zhen in the three-point shooting contest, he counted to understand the horror of Zeng Zhen's three-point shooting now.
Zeng Zhen said, "I won't be intimidated, and I will always believe I can throw it in next time."
Kobe may have a foul temper, but it's only for the field of basketball, and he'll do whatever it takes to win.
Kirby then left.
The second quarter started off with the teams proceeding to battle it out in the second lineup.
Laker possession.
Odom continues to hold the ball at the line
Zeng Zhen kept running around with Stevenson.
Stevenson got a little bit of a head start from Zeng Zhen's run.
Zeng Zhen's running wasn't just on his own, he'd been using coverages as well.
Zeng Zhen this time received the pass handily from Odom, who smoothly gave him another cover to block Stevenson.
Zeng Zhen finishes his pre-shot preparation the moment he catches the ball.
A quick push shot.
The basketball arced beautifully.
As if a scope had been mounted.
"Boom!"
Dry hits.
27 to 29.
Zengzhen hit another three on the first possession of the second quarter to help the Lakers complete the comeback on the scoreboard.
Stevenson cursed under his breath, "Fark!"
It's too tough!
The defense against Zeng Zhen is making him lose his strength.
He's trying to stand up to Zeng Zhen's body but Zeng Zhen keeps avoiding it.
Zeng Zhen turned around and spit out his braces, shaking his head and shaking his shoulders in celebration.
It was a very underhanded celebration, but Stevenson couldn't do anything about it, and Zeng Zhen's celebration wasn't directed at him.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone