After finishing the game with the Lakers, the Bulls went to Oklahoma the next day and played a back-to-back game with the Thunder.
This was a contest between two young teams. After the final fierce battle, the Bulls defeated the Thunder 96-86, winning two consecutive games after four consecutive losses.
Xu Yong and Rose scored 22 points and 21 points respectively, Deng scored 14 points and 4 rebounds, and Noah also had an all-around performance with 13 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks.
On the Thunder side, Durant scored 28 points with 7 of 19 shots, and Jeff Green scored 24 points with 8 of 19 shots. Apart from them, no one else scored in double digits, especially in the inside, which was blown away by the Bulls.
Harden only came off the bench and played for 19 minutes, making 3 of 7 shots and scoring 8 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist.
After the game, Xu Yong and Harden couldn't help but reminisce about the past and they even drank some wine.
"I'm still struggling for playing time, and you're already aiming for the best rookie." When talking about the situation in the team, Harden, who was wearing a copper coin bracelet, drank a glass of whiskey, and the bitter wine went down his throat and caused pain in his heart.jpg.
He was talking about the reality. Xu Yong's performance had some ups and downs at the beginning of the season, but he has scored 20+ points in three consecutive games so far. As teammates who came from the same team as him, and with only one pick difference in the draft, how could he not be envious?
Even though they were not so clear-cut friends, to be honest, he was the boss of the Devil Team in the beginning.
"James, believe in yourself. As long as you really try your best, everything will be fine." Xu Yong said something meaningful.
His appearance disrupted the original draft, but failed to change Harden's fate of going to the Thunder.
History has not been changed. He knows that Harden will most likely end up like in history and be forced to leave the Thunder because of 6 million.
From a financial perspective, this is a good thing, but from a career perspective, it may not be a good thing.
Because if he hadn't left the Thunder for $6 million, Harden would have had the opportunity to get both money and a championship.
You know, a new labor agreement will be reached in a few years.
And he also knew how high the ceiling of that Thunder team would be if it was not broken up.
However, the prerequisite for doing so is that Harden must be much stronger than in history.
Because only when you are strong enough can you make your weight heavier and not be the one abandoned when others make a choice.
Harden put down his wine glass, looked at Xu Yong for a long time, and then nodded vigorously.
As the third pick in the draft, but he didn't get a chance, it's impossible for Harden not to complain. That's human nature, but Xu Yong's words reminded him.
Just like what was said to him when he was on the Devils, he can still work harder, and there will definitely be changes just like he did then.
Harden then raised his glass to toast Xu Yong. It was the same whiskey, and when he drank it, it was already a drunken nectar.
…
After ending their away trip, the Bulls returned to Chicago.
Xu Yong also went to Ross's home as agreed before.
Ross's original home was in Inglewood, a slum in South Chicago.
But since he entered the NBA, he rented another apartment in downtown Chicago.
He is just a rookie now, and the shoe endorsement contract he signed with Adidas only pays him one million a year, so he cannot afford to buy a house for the time being.
However, the house is very large and a whole family lives together, which is quite good for Rose who has just entered the NBA.
It was in the living room that Xu Yong met Ross's three, not four, brothers.
It seemed that there was a slight deviation from his memory.
But this kind of thing is too normal. Those who know all the details are only found out by the author of the novel on Baidu.
Moreover, he had met one of these three people before on the Bulls. Because he didn't look very much like Rose, he initially thought he was an assistant hired by Rose.
These three brothers, the eldest brother Dwayne, the second brother Reggie, and the third brother Alan, are indeed members of gangs, but the second brother Reggie, the one Xu Yong has ever met, is the most special one because he also loves basketball.
So he not only played the role of a bodyguard, but also a guide for Rose's basketball. He learned a lot of basketball tactics and terminology. When Rose was ten years old, he became an assistant coach at a local high school, and then followed him all the way from college to the NBA.
So in terms of conversation, he is the most cultured.
Moreover, Xu Yong learned during the conversation that his problem was handled by his second brother Reggie.
"I didn't really help much. When the guy heard that it was your stuff, he went to get it back overnight. You know, Chicago is also a basketball city."
Xu Yong smiled and nodded after hearing this. This should be true. Jordan's influence definitely left a basketball mark on the city of Chicago.
Other musicians can play basketball part-time, so it’s not too much for these gangsters to play basketball as a hobby, right?
So when he found out that the person he had stolen was the city hero who had just helped the Bulls defeat the Cavaliers in an upset, he really turned himself in overnight.
Xu Yong learned the whole story and gave them the Rolex watches that he had prepared as gifts.
I didn't originally prepare one for Ross, but because my brother calculated one extra, I just gave the extra one to Ross.
Rose wanted to refuse, but Reggie had already accepted it all, then patted Xu Yong on the shoulder and said, "No one will bother you in Chicago anymore."
See what is great value for money.
Of course, Reggie said this not because of the watches, but because of Xu Yong’s help to Rose.
He was following Ross, how could he not see it?
After dinner, Xu Yong and Ross went for a walk on the nearby road.
Perhaps it was because they had more contact, or perhaps it was because he already regarded Xu Yong as someone more than a teammate, Rose was obviously much more talkative than before.
During this time, he talked about some past events between him and his brothers.
Why did Anthony lose to James, who did not make the playoffs, in the Rookie of the Year voting even though he led his team to the playoffs in the Western Conference as a rookie and dominated the team in scoring and rebounding?
Is it just because of those two or three missing assists?
No, Anthony's gangster background is the main reason. The NBA is very taboo in this regard.
Back then, Rose was almost rejected by the Bulls because of his gangster background. In order not to affect Rose, Reggie called the Bulls management and said that they could cut ties with Rose. After Rose learned the news, he rarely contacted the Bulls and said that if the price was to separate from his brothers, he would rather not be the No. 1 pick.
As a result, it was the relationship between them that made the Bulls feel that Rose was a responsible person.
"When God closes a door, he always carefully leaves a window for people." Xu Yong made a comment after listening to Ross's description.
Although Ross was born in a dark environment, at least he had his brothers to light the way for him.
Ross smiled and nodded.
It was at this time that Xu Yong felt that the atmosphere was almost right.
"Derrick, has anyone ever talked to you about your breakthrough method? Your... changing direction without slowing down?" They happened to be passing by a baseball field at this time, and Xu Yong stopped and asked.
Ross also stopped and looked at Xu Yong. He did not answer, but smiled bitterly and asked, "Are you here to persuade me to change my playing style as well?"
Xu Yong was stunned by the question, I came here to learn skills from you!
But before he could continue, Rose continued, "I know what you want to say. This style of play will hurt my knees and shorten my career. I know that, but this is how I survive. If you ask me to change my style of play, I will only lose myself."
After hearing this, Xu Yong looked at Ross for a long time.
Before the rebirth, just like persuading Yao Ming to lose weight, persuading Rose to change his playing style is also something that many protagonists of basketball novels like to do.
But it seems that, just like McGrady, most people won't listen to advice.
Maybe one day in the future, after suffering, they will regret choosing to do that when they were young, but if you really let them choose again, they will still make the same choice.
The reason may be just as Ross said.
To put it bluntly, only in this way can one achieve such a high level of achievement. Why do you suddenly ask him to give up and become a relatively mediocre person?
Just because others say that their careers may last longer? You haven't seen it, so why do you say that mine won't last long?
Even if you really saw it, why should I believe that you saw it?
Yao Ming is Xu Yong's only successful case, simply because he made a choice between the NBA and the national team.
"No, that's not what I wanted to say. I just want to learn from you how to change direction without slowing down. I really appreciate that way of breaking through." Xu Yong smiled and shook his head.
Now it was Ross' turn to be surprised. He subconsciously looked down at Xu Yong's knees, as if asking Xu Yong: Can your knees hold up?
"Don't worry, I'm fine, and this is my own choice." Xu Yong said with a firm look.
"Okay." Ross said, raising his hand. He was wearing the Rolex that Xu Yonggang had given him. After checking the time, he continued, "It's still early. Let's go to the training hall."
"Wait here for me. I'll go drive."
Xu Yong nodded when he heard this. He originally wanted to practice on the baseball field in front of him, but since Rose was introverted, it was normal for him to choose to go to the training hall.
Moreover, if you go to the training hall, you can make use of the extra training time in the evening to practice, killing two birds with one stone.