Rookie of the Year

Although the 2002-2003 season was not yet over, the Rookie of the Year had already been decided.

The two strongest contenders for the rookie spot this season are Yao Ming and Stoudemire.

His data are as follows:

Stoudemire: 13.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1 assist, 0.8 steals, 1.1 blocks, 42% field goal percentage, 20% three-point percentage, 2.3 turnovers.

Yao Ming: 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.4 steals, 1.8 blocks, field goal percentage 49.8%, three-point percentage 50%, 2.1 turnovers.

However, their statistics pale in comparison to Li Chen's averages of 24.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 2.2 steals, 1.8 blocks, 49.8% field goal percentage, 50% three-point percentage, and 1.1 turnovers per game.

This is just regular season data.

It's worth noting that Li Chen led his team to the second round of the Playoffs, and even created a miracle in the first round.

Li Chen exemplifies what it means for a former contestant to achieve a comeback after failing to qualify for the finals.

Noon.

"Fuck, Chen, look! You've become Rookie of the Year!" Odom handed over a sports magazine.

Li Chen was not surprised by this result, however...

Meanwhile, the other players gathered around and egged them on, saying, "Chen, you've got to treat us!"

Li Chen smiled slightly and said, "If we win the game tonight, I'll treat you all to barbecue."

"Fuck, Chen, do you have to be so stingy? Shouldn't you be inviting me to a nightclub?" Odom said, clearly displeased.

Hearing this, Li Chen gave Odom a sympathetic look, as if to say, "Brother, good luck."

Seeing Li Chen's look, Odom's head buzzed, and a bad feeling rose in his heart.

Just then, Alvin Gentry gritted his teeth and said, "Lamar, you bastard, pay the fine tomorrow."

Odom "..."

Li Chen and the other players laughed gleefully.

That evening, the Clippers returned to the Dallas Airways Center.

The starting lineups for both teams remained largely unchanged in this match.

The first quarter began with both teams putting on a shooting show, making every shot as if they were on fire.

From the start of the game, the Clippers displayed a strong offensive desire.

The Clippers players constantly weaved through the Mavericks' defenders, creating numerous scoring opportunities.

Their shooting accuracy is astonishing; every shot seems to carry the air of certain victory.

Whether it was a mid-range shot or a three-pointer, they didn't hesitate to put the ball into the basket.

However, the Mavericks were equally determined to prove themselves.

Led by the mad scientist Nelson, they were known for their sharp offense, responding to the Clippers' challenge with a series of accurate shots.

In this quarter, the Mavericks players demonstrated what it means to be a top-tier offensive team.

Whether inside or outside, they can make shots with ease. Every shooting motion is full of confidence.

It's worth mentioning that Li Chen noticed a phenomenon: in the last two minutes of the first quarter, the referees would favor the Dallas Mavericks in crucial calls. This caused several Clippers offensive possessions to be interrupted, and also affected his teammates' morale. Although he calmed them down after reassuring them, he knew it was a ticking time bomb, but he was powerless to stop it.

At the end of the first quarter, the Clippers trailed the Mavericks 40-44 by 4 points.

Despite the Clippers' tremendous efforts, the Mavericks' outstanding performance and the Sixth Man of the Year (referee)'s excellent play put the Clippers slightly behind.

However, the game has only just begun, Clippers still have a chance to turn the tide.

Of course, this is assuming the Dallas Mavericks' Sixth Man of the Year (the referee) doesn't contribute.

In the second quarter, Li Chen's worries came true.

At the same time, Clippers coach Alvin Gentry also has this concern.

As it turned out, their concerns were justified, as the referees once again favored the Mavericks in the second quarter.

Alvin Gentry couldn't help but wonder about the Clippers players' mentality and whether they could handle this difficult situation.

However, what reassured Alvin Gentry was that Li Chen performed exceptionally well.

Without his outstanding performance, the Clippers might have trailed by even more points.

He kept a close watch on Van Exel, who was very active today, giving him no chance to catch his breath.

This keen sense of the game greatly pleased Alvin Gentry.

However, despite Li Chen's commendable performance, the Clippers still lost the second quarter 21-27.

This result wasn't so surprising, considering the Mavericks players were on fire today.

Despite trailing in the Clippers, the Clippers still have a chance to win the game.

Because if they don't fall behind in the third quarter, the Clippers, the reigning champions, can turn the tide in the fourth quarter.

During halftime, Li Chen now had a general understanding of his current situation without the system's help.

He scored 8 points in the first quarter, but only 4 points in the second quarter because he was constantly guarding Van Exel.

Van Exel, who was effectively shut down by him, only managed 5 points.

He scored 12 points in the first half, which looks decent. If he can get 8 more points in the second half, 20 points would be good too.

Of course, one match cannot be used as a basis for judgment, but Li Chen still has one more chance to test the waters.

A short while later, the third quarter of the game officially began.

At the start of the game, the Clippers displayed formidable offensive capabilities.

It's important to understand that the Dallas Mavericks are a team with a strong offense but weak defense, especially with Nash being a defensive liability.

On Li Chen's advice, the Clippers focused their attention on this defensive weakness of the Mavericks.

The Clippers' strategy was to attack whoever was matched up against Nash.

The Clippers' success rate against Nash was over 70%, which greatly lessened their dissatisfaction with the referees' biased decisions.

During this period, the Clippers tied the score.

However, after seeing this, Mavericks coach Nelson had no choice but to substitute Nash out of the game. Clearly, he also realized that Nash's presence on the court was more of a liability than a liability.

After Nash left the game, the Clippers' offensive efficiency dropped for the remainder of the third quarter.

Whether it's outside shooting or inside penetration, the Clippers encountered considerable obstacles.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks and Mavericks sixth man once again showed their sharp fangs on the offensive end.

This exposed some weaknesses in the Clippers' defense.

At the same time, due to the referee's incident, their defense became somewhat passive, and they did not actively try to disrupt the opponent's attack.

The Mavericks capitalized on this opportunity, frequently finding numerous shooting opportunities and achieving a good shooting percentage.

The Clippers lost the third quarter by 6 points, 24-30.

After three quarters, the Clippers trailed the Mavericks 85-101, a deficit of 16 points.

Despite trailing the Mavericks Mavericks as many as 16 points, the Clippers players did not show any signs of frustration under Li Chen's motivational speech; instead, they were eager to try again.

Li Chen's comment, "The fourth quarter is king," was particularly pleasing to them.

At this moment, the Clippers players even seemed eager to try their luck.