Life as NBA Rookie (SlamDunk System)

Since becoming good friends with Zack, with whom she'd often have deep conversations, this was the first time Rachel Carlisle had seen him so serious and focused in a basketball game. It's true that in March Madness, a stage where it's all about winning or losing, every game feels like a do-or-die final. But for Rachel, who knew Zack's personality well, his serious and focused demeanor tonight meant that Wake Forest had quietly fallen into a completely passive situation. 

Especially when she noticed through her camera that his usually confident eyes were involuntarily squinting tonight, Rachel knew that Zack was now showing a level of concentration he had never displayed before in a college game. 

On the court, UConn was on offense. Gordon's drive forced Zack and his teammates to collapse the defense. On the perimeter, off an Okafor screen, UConn sharpshooter Anderson, wide open, caught Gordon's kick-out pass and knocked down a three-pointer. It's well-known that in most NCAA games, because contact is encouraged, referees tend to let marginal fouls go. But even so, Gray, who had been pulling on Gordon's arm the whole way, couldn't stop the UConn star guard's drive. 

Back on offense for Wake Forest. Looking at the "restricted area death triangle" formed by Okafor, Villanueva, and Armstrong, Breen commented, "How will Wake Forest break through this defense, which averages 6 feet 11 inches in height?" As one of Jim Calhoun's coaching masterpieces, UConn's "death triangle" tonight was specifically designed for Zack. Just as the Demon Deacons knew they had to get past UConn to reach the Elite Eight, Calhoun was well aware that Wake Forest was UConn's strongest competitor in the Phoenix regional. 

Therefore, entering March Madness, Calhoun had opted for a tactical change from the very first round, testing the possibility of Okafor, Villanueva, and Armstrong playing together simultaneously. As a future legendary coach for UConn, Calhoun knew better than anyone that in a single-elimination March Madness game, every team's star player could potentially enter "the Zone." So, to minimize the chance of an upset, the best coaches, when they clearly have the better hand, will find ways to reduce the opponent's star player's chances of finding that "Zone" switch. 

Facts proved that Calhoun perfectly achieved this through his strategy. Because after the first five minutes of this highly anticipated game, Wake Forest's No. 10, who could usually do whatever he wanted in the air, still hadn't scored a single point in the paint. 

Although Zack, through prolonged coordination with his teammates, demonstrated his ability to handle the ball when facing help defense and double-teams in the low post, the significant difference in role players between UConn and Wake Forest continuously helped UConn extend their lead as the game progressed. 

On the court, UConn's offensive possession. After receiving a pass from Tariq Brown, who substituted for Anderson, Okafor easily made a layup under the basket. At this moment, looking at Zack, who had to extend to the perimeter to help his teammates on a screen, Okafor didn't mock him. Because after their exchange since the beginning of the game, Okafor, having assessed Zack's quality, felt this matchup tonight was inherently unfair. Zack had to bear far more pressure on both ends of the court than he did. 

But then again, when has this world ever been fair? If this world truly were fair, then God wouldn't have created luck. 

Fortunately, UConn's defense tonight was incredibly condensed to target Zack. And this, invisibly, gave Paul ample space on the perimeter. In Zack's previous life, Paul consistently had a high percentage on long two-point shots. His career long-two percentage exceeded 45%, even better than many "mid-range kings" who relied on that shot. So, in the NCAA, with a shorter three-point line, what kind of performance did Paul deliver in his college career, treating the three-point line like an NBA long two? 

The answer is that in his two years of college, Paul recorded excellent three-point percentages of 46.5% and 47.4%, respectively. Tonight, Chris Paul, who was already adept at pull-up jumpers, officially began his shooting clinic off Zack's screens as Wake Forest found themselves in an increasingly passive situation. In three minutes, over four Wake Forest offensive possessions, Paul went 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. 

At this point, on the Wake Forest bench, assistant coach Victor asked, puzzled, "Why do I keep feeling that Qin's aggressive post-ups in UConn's paint after the start of the game were intentional?" 

Hearing this, Coach Prosser smiled and said, "Don't doubt it. Often, the best hunters are the ones who are best at disguising themselves as prey." 

In fact, Zack's choice to challenge UConn's "death triangle" at the start of this game wasn't just a matter of pride. It was to ensure that UConn's defense would be firmly confined to the restricted area. Zack knew very well that Wake Forest was undoubtedly the weaker team compared to the star-studded UConn. In such a situation, if Wake Forest wanted to win, they couldn't rely on defense; they had to focus on offense. Specifically, they had to fully utilize their advantage of having many perimeter shooters. While this style of play certainly wouldn't make Zack's individual stats look flashy, it was the only way Zack could think of to win. 

"Is the way Qin chose to play tonight something you asked of him?" Victor asked curiously. 

Shaking his head, Prosser said, "Actually, before the game, I told him he should play like Larry Bird, trying to initiate offense from the perimeter. That way, he could put up good numbers by utilizing his shooting range. At the same time, he could subtly break through the intricate trap UConn had set for him." 

After thinking for a moment, Victor said, "But Skip, you and I both know Qin's shooting isn't consistent right now." 

Nodding, Prosser said, "So, based on his judgment of the game, and his reading of the game, he chose a more difficult path, but one that was most beneficial to the team." 

"Stats won't show the help he's giving the team tonight," Victor said. 

Prosser, however, shook his head, "But stats can improve his draft stock." 

At this moment, Victor, momentarily speechless, sighed deeply and said, "He has the same great character as Tim Duncan." 

Great character? But Victor, do you know that's exactly what I'm worried about? 

Prosser knew very well that even though it had only been a few years since Duncan graduated from college, with the development of the internet, people would only care about players' on-court statistics, rather than their value on the court that couldn't be quantified by numbers. Even if those numbers were inflated. In Prosser's eyes, this era was becoming increasingly utilitarian. Therefore, even if he knew from the beginning which path Zack chose would be more beneficial to the team, out of self-interest, he still hoped Zack would choose the easier path. After all, even if Zack chose the most correct path, against UConn tonight, he would only increase Wake Forest's chances of defeating UConn slightly. 

As Zack's mentor, Prosser was more clear-headed than anyone. Leading Wake Forest to defeat UConn might indeed become a highlight of his coaching career, but compared to Zack's future, what did his own old man's achievements matter? 

On the Demon Deacons' bench, after glancing at the remaining time in the first half, Prosser turned and called for Jamal Levy and Ronnie Evans. Holding his tactics board, Prosser said to Levy and Evans, "Jamal, I need you to operate on both sides of the lane. You need to use your movement to open up space for our shooters. Ronnie, I have only one demand for you tonight..." After a pause, Prosser kicked Evans and said, "Make that damn three-pointer!" 

In the first half, with about 9 minutes left, Wake Forest and UConn made substitutions. For Wake Forest, Levy replaced Beast Ellis, and Evans replaced Monk. As for UConn… no matter how you looked at it, they seemed to be showing off their depth. On the court, fresh legs in Boone replaced Armstrong. Anderson re-entered the game for Villanueva. And Williams came in for Brown. They could always keep three to four future NBA players on the court. Even if Paul had previously narrowed the deficit with four three-pointers, it couldn't shake UConn's absolute dominance in this game. 

Because compared to Wake Forest, where every scoring opportunity required Paul to rack his brain and Zack to exert every ounce of effort, UConn's offense tonight was as effortless as eating and drinking. 

At America West Arena, after the substitutions, UConn had possession. Okafor drove into the paint with the ball and, despite Zack's interference, assisted Boone for two points. Back on offense, the Demon Deacons, Zack desperately grabbed an offensive rebound and quickly passed the ball to Evans. But the latter failed to make that damn three-pointer. On the court, with a clang, the paint, guarded by Okafor and Boone, no longer gave Zack a chance to crash the offensive boards. And at the same time, Gordon, who caught the outlet pass, dribbled past Gray and hit an unreasonable three-pointer. 

At that moment, Demon Deacons supporters in the arena felt varying degrees of despair. Because the hard-earned lead Paul had narrowed was instantly stretched back to double digits by UConn. 

"UConn has shown their championship caliber tonight," said Mike Breen, who was calling the game. At halftime, the score was 54-41. UConn entered the second half with a 13-point lead. In the first half, Zack only scored 4 points from one fast break and two free throws, along with 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block. While his scoring numbers alone didn't seem to show much contribution, if it weren't for his tireless, high-quality screens in the first half, Wake Forest would have had no chance of scoring 41 points against UConn's high-quality defense. 

And as the Demon Deacons' perimeter anchor, Paul also expended all his energy in the game. In the first half, Paul shot 5-for-9. Besides one mid-range attempt, all his other shots were high-efficiency three-pointers. But even so, Paul, who had 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists at halftime, couldn't help the team defy fate in the game. 

During halftime, Zack and Paul both felt a sudden surge of powerlessness. This season's best rookie duo from the ACC had been excellent so far, but against UConn's overwhelming absolute strength, they still needed time to improve their game—this was the most accurate portrayal of Zack and Paul at that moment. 

"Actually, when the bracket came out, I already guessed how tough our March Madness journey would be this year," Zack said in the locker room, turning to Paul, who was sitting next to him. "But no matter what, as long as the game isn't over, we still have a chance. Chris, don't you dare tell me you've given up." 

At this moment, their eyes met. After a perfectly synchronized fist bump with Zack, Paul said, "We have a lot of shortcomings right now, but we haven't wasted a single minute in the past. Many things, you have to try your best to avoid regrets. Maybe our March Madness journey will end tonight, but that will only become our next goal, right?" 

Inside the locker room, seeing their two core players recover through mutual encouragement, the previously dim eyes of the Demon Deacons players instantly regained their sparkle. Seeing this, Prosser said to his players, "That's it. No matter the outcome, just make sure you don't regret it." 

The Final Push 

After halftime, the game resumed. Looking at the resilient Demon Deacons players on the court, Huskies coach Jim Calhoun couldn't help but exclaim, "What a formidable opponent." 

In the second half, to increase their offensive firepower and match UConn's offensive level, Prosser boldly employed a three-guard lineup consisting of Paul, Gray, and Evans. Now, the desperate Demon Deacons had completely handed their interior defense over to Zack. 

"Wake Forest has gone all-in. Now, they're putting all their hopes of a comeback on Qin alone. He has to carry the load, facing repeated assaults from Emeka, Hilton, Charlie, Josh, and others in the game," said Mike Breen, who was calling the game. 

While the truth that human power is finite is eternal, in Zack's eyes, unwilling to give up, even if there was an abyss ahead, he would try to jump over that cliff. 

On the court, after Levy scored two points for Wake Forest with a backdoor cut, it was UConn's offensive possession. Okafor, who had great chemistry with Gordon, rolled after a pick-and-roll, immediately gaining a direct path to the Demon Deacons' basket. Fortunately, Zack, frantically engaging every cell in his body, rotated in time for the help defense. However, the next second, Okafor calmly dished the ball to Armstrong, who trailed the play. Seeing this, Zack, with a forced turn and a feigned block, successfully deterred Armstrong. But, after Armstrong chose to lob the ball, what could an exhausted Zack do? 

Wait, hold on! In the Demon Deacons' paint, Okafor couldn't quite receive Armstrong's imaginative alley-oop pass. Because after Zack bought enough time, "Panama Spring" Jamal Levy, who wasn't skilled at one-on-one defense, had quietly reinforced the basket. In terms of quickness, Okafor couldn't match this scrawny, less-than-85kg stick. Inside, Levy successfully disrupted UConn's offensive possession for the Demon Deacons. And just as the ball, altered by Levy, was about to fly out of bounds, Gray, who had also rotated back, decisively threw his body out of bounds first. 

On the court, Gray successfully saved the ball along the baseline. Paul successfully received Gray's courageous save. And only at this moment did Okafor and Armstrong realize that in that brief instant, all of Wake Forest had fully rotated back on defense. 

Basketball is never a one-man game. It wasn't before. It isn't now. And it won't be in the future. 

"Run!" 

On the court, as Paul's roar echoed through the arena, how could Zack, who was already leading the charge, miss this excellent opportunity to boost the team's morale? At America West Arena, Wake Forest supporters, suppressed for an entire half, all rose from their seats in unison the next second. Then, the beast from Wake Forest, after receiving Paul's long pass, overpowered the fastest recovering Charlie Villanueva under UConn's basket, igniting the entire city of Phoenix! 

In basketball, there's no better way to boost team morale than a poster dunk! And in competitive sports, losing is never truly scary. What's scary is not having the courage to keep fighting your opponent. Now, as long as Wake Forest was still fighting, why would you say they had already lost the game? 

On the court, it was UConn's turn to offense. The previously suppressed America West Arena, re-ignited by Zack, became Wake Forest's best sixth man. Facing the boos from all directions, the UConn players, desperately needing an offensive possession to steady themselves, chose to give the ball to their interior anchor without hesitation: Emeka Okafor. 

However, what no one expected was that in the next legitimate low-post battle, Zack, having read Okafor's offensive move, shattered the best player in America's offense with a direct block! 

"I admit, you're strong. And far stronger than I am right now. But not long ago, I just played against a player even stronger than you," Zack said under the basket, looking at a stunned Okafor. Hearing this, Okafor, knowing he didn't have time to get back on defense, simply looked at Zack and asked, "Who was that person?" 

"Tim Duncan." 

At this moment, Okafor fell silent. 

On the other side, on UConn's half-court, as Evans made a successful fast-break layup, Wake Forest, having a successful run in the second half, had narrowed the deficit against UConn to just 6 points. For a long time after that, UConn and Wake Forest engaged in a back-and-forth battle around those 6 points. 

On the sideline, on the Huskies' bench, Jim Calhoun was no longer as calm and composed as he was in the first half. "What kind of monster will he become if he gets another year to grow?" Looking at the sole defensive anchor in Wake Forest's paint, Calhoun knew very well that this year's UConn could no longer be described as lucky. Because once he fully developed, Calhoun couldn't even imagine how dominant he would be in college basketball. 

And on the court, as time continued to tick down, the game reached its most suffocating moment. To minimize turnovers, Calhoun didn't stubbornly stick with the three-big lineup throughout the game. 

"Three more minutes, and we'll advance to the next round." 

In the final moments of the second half, after glancing at the scoreboard, Calhoun, feeling like he could barely breathe, thought to himself. It's well-known that in the NCAA, each offensive possession is 30 seconds. So, while holding a consistent 6-point lead, logically, it shouldn't have made Calhoun this nervous. But deep down, Calhoun just felt that unless the dust settled, he and his players absolutely couldn't afford to be careless. 

"Only two minutes left now." 

On the sideline, after another glance at the scoreboard, Calhoun thought to himself. And at this moment... at America West Arena, UConn still led by 6 points and had possession. 

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