Chapter 836: Chapter 836
Under these rules, when one side holds a lead, it’s easy to start dribbling and passing ineffectively to waste time, which is the main reason for the slow offensive tempo in NCAA games.
The reason for the 24 seconds is that it allows most teams to execute two complete tactical rounds.
People who often watch basketball games should know that a buzzer-beater is usually initiated in the last 10 seconds or so.
Now with the second offense compressed to 14 seconds, it means you must do one of two things during the second offense: execute a successful strategy, or execute two strategies within this time.
Theoretically, executing one successful tactic is the better choice, but neither coaches nor players can ensure this because tactics can be read by opponents. Once read successfully, you’ll inevitably encounter situations where the strategy can’t be executed and needs to be re-strategized.
This has led to a significant use of simplified tactics such as pick-and-rolls, mismatched iso plays, and off-the-ball three-pointers.
This change impacts not only the second offense.
Because a team can’t say they train tactics specifically for certain situations in a game.
So simplification of tactics leads to an increase in the number of rounds, which speeds up the game tempo, causing an explosion of scores, creating a chain reaction.
The change also brings about a scoring explosion for players.
In the past dozen seasons, the player ranked tenth in the League’s average scoring was mostly around 23 or 24 points, but this year, ranked tenth is Lillard with an average of 26 points!
The last time such a big change occurred was in the 2004~2005 season when the no-handcheck rule was just implemented, and the league’s top ten scorers were generally around 21 points.
And this year, the top remains highly competitive.
Ranked third is Westbrook.
He is having an unprecedented crazy season, averaging 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists!
What’s more worth mentioning is that this is already his third consecutive season averaging a triple-double performance.
His performance is like a shocking revelation, causing James fans to break their defenses like Americans stepping out of the Truman show.
The so-called [versatility] they used to boast about lies shattered.
Westbrook proves with facts that even at the NBA, the highest stage of basketball in the world, as long as he’s given enough ball possession, he can post more flamboyant stats than Jordan.
Ranked second is James Harden, who averages 36 points!
After countless early morning studies of the rules, Harden’s proficiency in drawing fouls has reached its peak, averaging 11 free throws per game this season, with an 88% free throw percentage, providing him with nearly 10 stable points each game.
Apart from this, Harden attempts an average of 13.2 historic three-point shots per game this season, and a considerable 36.8% hit rate provides him approximately 15 points per night.
When viewed separately, these two aspects are not that exaggerated. The former was even surpassed by early players like Maggette and Iverson, while the latter is closer to Curry and Lillard.
But together, these factors create such an exaggerated performance.
However, more exaggerated is that with such explosive scoring, Harden still isn’t the Scoring King of the league.
The Scoring King of the League is that man.
Hansen averages 40.6 points this season!
In the 2005~2006 season, the season where Kobe slaughtered all, with a season of consecutive 9 games of 40+, and 4 games of 50+, the media once used headlines like "Kobe scores only 40 points", which felt surreal.
But this season, Hansen scoring fewer than 40 points indeed became a news headline, because Hansen scoring fewer than 40 points was pulling down his season’s average score!
However, Hansen’s performance did not match the Kings’ current record, which is 14 wins and 8 losses, ranking behind the Warriors, Pelicans, and Rockets, and sitting fourth in The West.
Basketball is not a one-man sport. Mitchell’s inconsistent performance, Sabonis’ weak inside presence and unstable outside shooting, Stan’s mental fragility, and the team’s lack of a qualified backup Point Guard are many issues the Kings face this season.
But the biggest problem comparatively is Tatum.
Tatum had highlights in the game against the Warriors, but then gradually returned to mediocrity.
Although after the game with the Warriors, his shooting desire increased, but the impression he gives is increasingly like a marginal role.
He can break through, has mid-range shots, three-pointers, passes, and defends; giving the impression of being mature and versatile for his age, but when it comes to breaking down a play, he doesn’t seem to have any standout signature moves.
His physical quality is not outstanding, his breakthrough speed is too slow, his shooting is unstable, and his passing lacks creativity. Check latest chapters at 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹·𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲·𝗻𝗲𝘁
Besides capabilities, he seems to always lack chemistry with Hansen.
As the season progressed, Hansen increasingly felt like he was back in his rookie season; sharing the court not with Tatum, but with James.
This has led to increasing questioning of Tatum, even putting him into some trade rumors.
After the Kings mercilessly dismissed him, the former Kings General Manager, a key player of the Kings, angrily exposed some things, including negotiations with the Cavaliers.
He wanted to send away Tatum, but Hansen chose Doncic.
This makes it hard for the outside world not to compare the two, and in comparison, Doncic seized the opportunity of Murray’s season-ending injury, playing better and better alongside Jokic.
So far this season, he averages 21.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.4 assists and has been awarded the East’s Rookie of the Month for November.
The only advantage Tatum seems to have over Doncic now is his playing age, which only proves how poor Hansen’s choice was back then.
However, Hansen didn’t care much about those external comments. Since he chose the Kings back then, he’d already foreseen facing these problems.
If a team of all rookies suddenly turns into championship-level teammates because of his arrival, that would be a magical story.
One must know that even Jokic took three seasons to truly grow into an independent player.
If eager for success, he would’ve proactively let Divac go all-in to trade for Leonard.
On this day, a guest visited Hansen’s estate, someone he had met earlier at Thomas’s funeral, Hughes.
Hughes’ early boasts went in one of Hansen’s ears and out the other, but he left contact information out of politeness.
This time, Hughes heard about Tatum’s situation with the Kings and came specifically to Sacramento.
Hughes, the Godfather, seems to care deeply for Tatum, his godson.
Initially, Hansen didn’t plan to meet Hughes, as he was busy.
In its most literal sense, since deciding to become an owner after retiring, he also started seeking more in business.
After all, at best, when he retires, his shares in the Kings can only be sold for around a billion, which is not enough for him to purchase a team.
He is now living the life of a bottom-tier American citizen, working multiple jobs daily.
However, Hughes mentioned some very important matters concerning Tatum, so he made time to meet.
Their meeting was by the fireplace in the castle’s living room.
Although Sacramento is not a northern U.S. city and not as cold as Cleveland, it’s Christmas time and the coldest part of the year.
"I’ve talked with Jason, he’s just a bit childish." Hughes wasn’t visiting Hansen without preparation.
But Hansen waved it off as it was something he’d heard from Lue before; however, factually, Tatum is already a father.
Seeing Hansen’s reaction, Hughes quickly caught on, then pulled a photo from his pocket.
Hansen took the photo and glanced at it, slightly stunned.
It was a group photo featuring a child, about eight or nine years old, wearing Kobe’s All-Star No. 8 jersey, presumably Tatum.
The other person in the photo, although a bit youthful, was an unfamiliar face to Hansen, but that person was clearly James.