บท 148: Another Christmas Battle—Wang Chao vs. James
Sorry the university kept me very busy as the 22nd is the last day, I have to do all the exams and activities since finals.
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Last season, the Lakers took on the Heat in a Christmas game that featured Shaquille O'Neal's dramatic return to the Staples Center. This year is no different.
On December 25th, Wang Chao's Chicago Bulls will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Christmas game.
That's right—the league is marketing this game as the 2003 Draft Class Showdown between Wang Chao and LeBron James.
At this point, fans have a pretty solid grasp of how the 2003 class of players stacks up. Wang Chao and James are head and shoulders above the rest. Wade is a close third, but while he lags slightly behind the top two, the gap isn't huge.
The regular season has been going for about a month and a half now, and Wade has been playing great, averaging 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists per game, which puts him just a step below Wang Chao and James.
If Wade manages to lead the Miami Heat to the championship this season like he did in the original timeline, and wins Finals MVP with a phenomenal performance, he'll officially join the elite tier of the 2003 class. He might even temporarily be seen as better than Wang Chao and James. But for now, Wade remains a step behind them.
Below Wade is Carmelo Anthony, once thought to be neck-and-neck with James. This season, Anthony has closed the gap a bit, boosting his scoring average from 20.8 points last season to 26 points. While his overall numbers are still the lowest among the top four players from the class, at least he's now in the conversation with the other three.
It's also worth mentioning that other 2003 draftees are having solid seasons, such as Chris Bosh, who's averaging 22 points and 9 rebounds per game for the Raptors, and David West, putting up 17 points and 7 rebounds for the Hornets. Kirk Hinrich is also doing well for the Lakers with 16 points and 5 assists per game.
But apart from Bosh, none of these players can really compare to the "Four Kings" of the 2003 class.
If Bosh can maintain 20+10 averages in the coming seasons, he might join that elite circle and make it a "Five Kings" class.
But back to the main point.
The first showdown of the season between Wang Chao and James, the two top stars from the 2003 class, takes place in the Christmas game. Naturally, the hype surrounding it is huge.
Comparisons between the two have been ongoing since their rookie season. Statistically, they're neck and neck. Wang Chao is a slightly better scorer, while James is more balanced and versatile.
In terms of team leadership, Wang Chao, having played alongside Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant in his first two seasons with the Lakers, was obviously far better off than James. But it's also true that Wang Chao wasn't really the leader of the Lakers; that was O'Neal and Bryant's team.
When it comes to personal accolades, Wang Chao has the edge so far. Although James won Rookie of the Year, Wang Chao has an All-Star Game MVP. Last season, Wang Chao was named to the All-NBA Second Team, while James made the Third Team. Plus, Wang Chao has an Olympic MVP to his name, which definitely outshines James' Rookie of the Year award.
Wang Chao's fans naturally believe he's the better player, but James' fans aren't ready to admit it.
Now, the two will face off in the most even matchup to date.
Currently, the Bulls and Cavaliers have similar records. Wang Chao no longer has the support of superstars like O'Neal and Bryant, while the Cavaliers have a slightly better lineup than the Bulls. However, the game is being played in Chicago, so home-court advantage works in Wang Chao's favor.
In this matchup, everything is balanced. Whoever loses will have no excuses.
The league began hyping up the game between these two stars from the 2003 class a full week before Christmas.
But for Wang Chao, it's just another game.
The reason is simple: only players who feel like they're behind in a comparison will be eager to prove themselves by winning one game.
Wang Chao, currently ahead of James in most areas, doesn't need to worry about the outcome of a single game.
That said, he has no intention of letting James win. He'll give it his all to secure the victory.
What Wang Chao didn't expect, however, was that this seemingly normal game would trigger a special mission from the system.
"Ding—Random Mission Activated."
"Mission Objective: Completely defeat the Cavaliers in the Christmas game, with a margin of victory of no less than 20 points."
"Mission Reward: 1,000 points and a random bronze badge."
Considering this is just a regular-season game, albeit a highly anticipated one due to its Christmas timing, the reward for this mission is quite generous.
Of course, the task's difficulty matches the reward.
Wang Chao is confident he can lead his team to beat the Cavaliers. While most people think Cleveland's roster is better, Wang Chao knows the Bulls are underrated and much stronger than they appear.
Also, although James is having a great season, averaging 31.4 points, 7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game, he's still not at his peak. There's a gap between his current self and the LeBron James who will dominate in the future.
Facing James head-to-head doesn't intimidate Wang Chao at all. Along with his teammates, he's certain they can defeat the Cavaliers.
However, winning by 20 points is a different challenge.
After all, the Cavaliers in the 2005-06 season were a 50-win team. Only five teams in the league had better regular-season records. They also made it to the second round of the playoffs, pushing the Pistons to seven games before narrowly losing. This is no weak team.
To win by 20 points, Wang Chao will have to focus not just on his own play, but on strategy and tactics.
The Cavaliers' biggest weakness this season? Their point guard.
Although Cleveland's frontcourt, with players like Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Drew Gooden, and Anderson Varejao, isn't top-tier, it's solid.
On the wings, they have James and Larry Hughes. But the point guard position is where the Cavaliers really struggle.
Their current starting point guard is Eric Snow, an aging player who peaked years ago, averaging 13 points and 6 assists at his best. Last season, as Cleveland's backup point guard, Snow averaged just 4 points and 3.9 assists per game.
The Cavaliers' primary point guard from last season left during the offseason, so Snow was pushed into the starting lineup by default.
The Cavaliers don't rely on their point guard to run the offense, as James handles most of the ball-handling duties. Still, Snow's current averages of 4.8 points and 4.2 assists per game are far below what you'd expect from a starting point guard.
Snow, who was born in 1973, is about to turn 33 and is clearly on the decline on both offense and defense.
This is where the Bulls can capitalize. Wang Chao's teammate Monta Ellis can exploit this weakness with his speed.
Wang Chao reviewed recent game footage of the Cavaliers to confirm his strategy. With Ellis's speed, blowing past Snow on the court should be easy.
If the Bulls want to win by 20 points, exploiting this matchup will be crucial.
Christmas is just a few days away.
The atmosphere in Chicago is noticeably different from Los Angeles during this time of year. It's not just about how vibrant the city is but more about the different ways they focus on celebrating.
Los Angeles, with its Hollywood scene, is all about entertainment. Many movies get released during the Christmas season, and the city is buzzing with festive energy.
Chicago, as a financial hub, has a more mature, business-like atmosphere. While the city is still festive, the enthusiasm feels different, less over-the-top.
Wang Chao noticed the contrast, having spent the last two Christmases in Los Angeles.
But, to be fair, Christmas celebrations don't matter much to him personally. Although he's Chinese-American, Wang Chao has a strong connection to his Chinese roots. In China, Christmas is just an excuse to hang out with friends—nothing as meaningful as the Spring Festival.
This Christmas, though, is different.
"Ta-da!"
Jessica appeared from the dressing room wearing a bright red Christmas dress and white stockings, her outfit a perfect holiday look. She twirled around, smiling at Wang Chao, and asked, "How do I look?"
Wang Chao's eyes widened, and he nodded quickly, like a bobblehead. "Beautiful! So beautiful!"
Jessica looked absolutely stunning in her Christmas-themed outfit.
Yes, Wang Chao wasn't spending this Christmas alone. Jessica had flown all the way from Los Angeles to Chicago just to be with him. This wasn't just another holiday—it held special significance for them.
The two first met at last year's Lakers Christmas game.
During that game, Wang Chao dove into the crowd to save a loose ball and ended up falling into Jessica's arms. That's where their romance began.
A year later, their relationship was still going strong, even though Wang Chao had left Los Angeles for Chicago and their long-distance relationship wasn't easy. Despite all the challenges, Jessica remained devoted to Wang Chao.
End of this chapter
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