章 118: Anthony was Beaten in Various Ways
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On the Lakers bench, players, including Kobe, stood up and cheered loudly, while the fans in the stands laughed even louder.
Wang Chong dribbled past Anthony and made a quick stop jump shot just inside the free throw line. Nuggets center Camby had no time to step forward to defend, leaving Wang Chong in an almost open position, making a steady mid-range jump shot.
As Wang Chong finished the shot and landed, he turned around and looked at Anthony. The latter had just gotten up from the floor. As if feeling Wang Chong's gaze, Anthony subconsciously looked up and saw Wang Chong looking down at him.
"Click!"
Reporters on the sidelines captured the incredible moment.
Wang Chong and Anthony stood in stark contrast—Wang Chong looking down from a higher vantage point. The moment carried the same dominance as when Iverson jumped over Tyronn Lue.
Anthony quickly scrambled to his feet, but it was too late. The scene had already been captured and would likely be tomorrow's front-page headline.
He was furious but equally shocked.
The move Wang Chong had just executed was one Anthony had witnessed up close countless times during the Olympics two months ago. It was clearly Iverson's signature disguised breakthrough move.
Basketball techniques are often replicated, and it's not unusual for players to use similar moves. However, what stunned Anthony was how closely Wang Chong's execution mirrored Iverson's, almost as if it had been perfected from the same mold.
"How is this possible? Did he learn Iverson's disguised breakthrough at the Olympics? But it's way too similar."
During the Olympics, not only Wang Chong but rookies like Anthony, James, and Wade had joined the Dream Team with the intention of learning a few tricks from their predecessors.
After observing Iverson's Butterfly Step up close, Anthony had tried to mimic it. However, after several failed attempts, he gave up. The move required a low center of gravity and lightning-fast directional change—perfect for small guards like Iverson. For a player like Anthony, who stood at 2.03 meters tall and weighed nearly 110 kilograms, it was not practical.
Wang Chong's version wasn't as quick as Iverson's, but it was fast enough to be beyond the average player's ability to react. The fact that Wang Chong was a 2.10-meter-tall man made it even more unbelievable.
Anthony couldn't comprehend the magic of Wang Chong's system, nor did he know the countless hours Wang Chong had spent in the training space perfecting the move to 85% proficiency.
The game continued, and it was now the Nuggets' turn to attack.
After being humiliated by Wang Chong, Anthony couldn't bear to lose face again. As soon as he crossed half-court, he immediately called for the ball, waving off teammates who tried to set screens for him.
Having just been knocked down, Anthony was desperate to regain some pride and get back at Wang Chong.
But as he faced Wang Chong with the ball in hand, the familiar feeling of helplessness from last season resurfaced, as if he was up against a wall of spikes.
It wasn't that Wang Chong's defensive stance was flawless. It was more that his sheer height and wingspan created an enormous defensive area, leaving Anthony no room to penetrate.
Despite the new season's cancellation of handchecking, players and referees were still adjusting to the rule changes. Minor infractions were unlikely to be called, especially on the Lakers' home court.
After a moment of hesitation, Anthony's only option was a pull-up jumper from beyond the three-point line after a pump fake.
To be blunt, Anthony was still far from the offensive dynamo he would become in his prime. In this sophomore season (2004-05), it was widely recognized that Anthony was trailing behind James and Wade.
By then, James and Wade were averaging 27+7+7 and 24+5+6.8, respectively, with shooting percentages above 47%.
Meanwhile, Anthony's numbers had dipped compared to his rookie season, averaging 20.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. His shooting percentage lingered around 43%, showing little improvement from his rookie year.
In contrast, both James and Wade were All-Stars and All-NBA Second Team members during the 2004-05 season, while Anthony went unrecognized—a stark and embarrassing comparison.
Fortunately, in his third season (2005-06), Anthony would make significant strides, averaging 26.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, earning a spot on the All-NBA Third Team. But by that time, James was already on the First Team, and Wade had claimed a Finals MVP, becoming the first of the 2003 class to win a championship.
In any case, Anthony was talented—his nickname as an "offensive kaleidoscope" wasn't without merit. However, as the saying goes, being a jack of all trades can also mean mastering none.
One move is sometimes all it takes to dominate the game. Compared to James and Wade, who had honed their driving techniques to perfection, Anthony's slower progression was evident.
And now, facing Wang Chong, whose defensive skills were bolstered by his silver-level "Death Coil" badge and an 82 perimeter defense rating, Anthony felt overwhelmed.
Predictably, Anthony's pull-up jumper missed.
In trying to avoid being blocked by Wang Chong, Anthony elevated his shooting angle, which made the shot far more difficult. Compounding matters, three-pointers had never been Anthony's strength.
In the early part of his career, especially during his rookie contract, Anthony's three-point shooting percentage hovered around 26%. It wasn't until the 2007-08 season that he improved it to 35.4% through hard work.
"Damn it!"
Seeing the shot miss, Anthony cursed inwardly, but Wang Chong was already back on the attack!
This time, standing at the top of the three-point line, Wang Chong received the ball again.
Anthony, tense and hyper-focused, didn't dare let his guard down after the disguised breakthrough move Wang Chong had pulled off earlier.
But Wang Chong's offensive game had evolved significantly since last season.
Wang Chong drove left, then spun, momentarily pausing before executing a seamless crossover dribble from his left hand to his right and pulling up for a fadeaway jumper.
Once again, Anthony was caught off guard, unable to adjust his center of gravity, leaving him helpless as Wang Chong sank the shot.
Odom, standing nearby, couldn't help but notice the familiarity of the move.
It wasn't surprising. Wang Chong had perfected Odom's signature left-handed dribble and spin. For most players, such a smooth left-handed move would be difficult to pull off, so it was no wonder Anthony was fooled.
However, Wang Chong didn't need flashy moves to dominate Anthony.
He could simply rely on a combination of driving and jump shooting, leveraging his height and wingspan to render Anthony's defense ineffective.
After several possessions, Wang Chong's shooting percentage was so high that the Nuggets were forced to double-team him.
Meanwhile, Anthony's offense was inefficient against Wang Chong's defense. Most of his points came from driving to the basket rather than from outside shots.
In the first five minutes of the second quarter, Wang Chong scored 8 points on 4-of-6 shooting, while Anthony struggled with just 1-of-5 shooting, salvaging 4 points with 2-of-2 free throws.
The Nuggets, who had trailed by 9 points after the first quarter, fell further behind, with the deficit ballooning to 15 points.
To make matters worse, Kobe, fully rested after a long break, returned to the court after the timeout.
By the end of the first half, the score was 50:32, with the Lakers leading by 18 points.
Kobe had 19 points, and Wang Chong added 14, outscoring the entire Nuggets team by themselves.
Lakers fans were ecstatic.
The Kobe + Wang Chong duo had demonstrated such potent firepower that they were already being compared to the legendary Shaq-Kobe pairing.
Of course, this was only the first game of the regular season, and the Nuggets weren't a particularly strong opponent. But it was enough to ease the worries of Lakers fans.
Even if a championship was unlikely this season, the Lakers would have no problem making the playoffs and performing well.
In the second half, the Nuggets mounted a comeback in the third quarter, outscoring the Lakers 26-22 to close the gap slightly.
However, in the final quarter, the Lakers quickly shut down any hopes of a Nuggets rally. Every time the Nuggets scored, Kobe or Wang Chong would immediately respond, giving them no chance to mount a serious comeback.
The final score was 94-78, with the Lakers winning by 16 points at home to kick off the season in style.
It was a resounding victory.
Kobe led the game with 28 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists, making 8 of 16 shots and 12 of 14 free throws.
Wang Chong, playing as the second offensive option, was just as impressive. He made 7 of 15 shots, 2 of 5 from three-point range, and 8 of 9 free throws for 24 points and 6 rebounds.
Odom's debut with the Lakers was more subdued. While he grabbed 13 rebounds, he made only 2 of 8 shots, finishing with 5 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 assists. His efficiency was actually lower than Caron Butler, who came off the bench, shot 5 of 7, and scored 10 points in 24 minutes.
However, since this was Odom's first game with the Lakers, and as a player who often needed more time to adjust, fans and teammates didn't hold it against him.
On the Nuggets' side, Anthony scored 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists but made just 5 of 18 shots. Half of his points came from the free-throw line.
This result was very similar to the regular-season matchups between the Lakers and Nuggets in the previous season, where Wang Chong consistently outperformed Anthony.
Even Anthony's excellent free-throw shooting was not enough to salvage the defeat.
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