Losing the game in the final minute left the players in the locker room feeling very down, especially Russell, whose missed layup at the end practically killed the game.
When Kayce entered the locker room, he saw silent faces. Russell and Durant both had towels over their heads, not saying a word, and Jeff Green was the same. Everyone was quiet.
"What's wrong, guys? We fought until the very end in this game, and we played really well!"
"Russell, no one can guarantee every layup goes in. If you're frustrated, remember to add some shooting practice. We can work on optimizing our shooting techniques together."
"Green, Kostić, our interior anchors, 18 rebounds! Without your performance, we wouldn't have made it to the fourth quarter."
"Kevin, 28 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists. Buddy, your field goal percentage was over 50%! You're our superstar, don't be so hard on yourself; we're under a lot of pressure!"
"Even though we lost, we gained experience in losing in the final minute. That's a good takeaway. Cheer up, we're going home!"
Kayce stretched his body while speaking in a relaxed tone, trying to lighten the mood in the locker room. He knew everyone was upset about losing the top spot in the Western Conference.
"Ultimately, it was my fault. I promise I'll never play so hesitantly again!"
His good friend Russell was the first to respond to Kayce. In fact, he played well in this game, shooting 6-for-14 from the field, 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, for 17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 turnovers. He was hesitant in the first half but improved in the second.
"I need to thank you, Bro, really. My three-point shooting was like dog shit, but you still believed in me. I'll also increase my shooting practice. I promise my three-point percentage will go back up!"
Jeff Green was genuinely touched. His shot attempts this season hadn't decreased much, and many times he was getting open looks. Kayce was definitely the one who passed him the ball the most on the team.
When Durant saw Jeff Green also starting to give his heartfelt speech, he immediately felt a bad premonition:
"Have I already lost control of the locker room? Jeff Green, even you, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, are going to betray me!"
Just as he was about to speak, the team's veteran, Nick Collison, also started to voice his opinion:
"Kayce is right. We are already on the right track. When Ray Allen and Lewis were still with the Supersonics, we won 53 games, but after that, the team's record kept declining."
"Even if we lost this game, we are currently 19 wins and 4 losses, guys. We are still second in the Western Conference. Win 4 more games, and we'll match last season's record. This is a huge leap!"
"So, cheer up, guys! We are a rookie team; we are still learning how to win games. There are many more regular season games. Maintain our form, our goal is to make the Playoffs!"
Seeing that even Collison had started speaking, Durant quickly expressed his attitude:
"Kayce and Collison are right. We are a family. Back in Oklahoma City, everyone can review this game together. I will continue to improve my scoring efficiency. Let's go, guys!"
The locker room atmosphere gradually became lively. Durant maintained a cheerful facade, but in his heart, he was secretly envious of Kayce's performance:
"24 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 turnover, and 3-for-5 from three-point range. He can score inside and out. He's like this in his rookie season. Am I going to be the second option in the future…?"
"Jeff Green is also going to betray me! Thabo Sefolosha has always been close to Kayce, and Ibaka has the best relationship with Kayce. Am I really going to lose the locker room?"
Kayce naturally didn't know about Durant's silly thoughts. While everyone was chatting, he sat next to Durant:
"Kevin, you're already a star player. You need to make good use of the referee's whistle. Star players have certain privileges. When we get back to Oklahoma City, we can discuss some tricks for drawing fouls."
"I haven't been selected for the All-Star team yet, but you're right, I really should make better use of the rules. I need to stand at the free-throw line and punish their rough fouls!"
Durant responded with a smile on his face, but inwardly, he cursed himself:
"Shit! I should have thought of this earlier. Why do I look like a rookie! Is there really a gap even among geniuses?"
After Coach Brooks's press conference ended, he was surprised to see the relaxed atmosphere in the locker room. However, after seeing a signal from the other members of coaching staff, he simply said:
"Alright, boys, get ready to go home! You have a day off, relax well, and remember to spend more time with your families. I'm very satisfied with this game, keep up the good work!"
"Oh yeah!!"
Everyone cheered. A day of rest after back-to-back games was the best reward for their hard work.
… …
The Thunder and Denver Nuggets game had a very large viewership due to CCTV's broadcast. When they saw the Thunder lose, the Kobe fans on Hupu immediately felt triumphant.
The post-game report threads for both teams were completely overrun by Kobe fans.
"Kobe is back to number one in the West! Lakers for the championship!"
"The Thunder can't hold on! Kayce, hurry and come to the Lakers! Kobe will teach you how to win games!"
"Lakers are awesome! The West is still the Lakers' world. I also think Kayce would be better off with the Lakers in the future, assisting Kobe to win championships and striving for another dynasty!"
"Exactly! Just replace Old Fisher, let Kayce play point guard. Just thinking about it makes me excited! This lineup will definitely win a few more championships, surpassing Jordan!"
"Kobe fans, get out! Just wait, the Thunder will eventually blow out the Lakers! With Kobe's toxic personality, his teammates will eventually leave."
"Heh heh, why go to the Lakers? To learn how Kobe rides coattails? Sorry, Kayce can't learn that. The Thunder's Big Three will definitely win a championship; they don't need to ride coattails."
"Exactly! The Lakers are a rookie graveyard. Would he get his current number of shots if he went there? Kobe fans, stop commenting on Thunder news!"
"The Thunder just have no development, and people aren't allowed to say it? No one can refuse an invitation from the Lakers."
"Ugh! Get out, reported, you're welcome!"
As CCTV broadcasted more and more Thunder games, Chinese fans became more and more familiar with the Thunder, and the Thunder's fanbase began to surge. Many basketball journals and magazines also started to increase their coverage of the Thunder.
Kayce's No. 10 jersey was not only selling like hotcakes in America, but sales in China were also steadily climbing. Durant's and Russell's jerseys also got a boost.
Many domestic basketball media outlets also couldn't sit still. Previously, they had wanted to maintain some decorum, waiting for Kayce to actively invite them. After all, the Chinese market is so huge; they thought he should give them some face and make some early arrangements.
But after waiting for a month and a half, there was no news at all. Aside from a simple interview with CCTV, Kayce had no contact with the Chinese side, which felt a bit ungracious.
But unfortunately, Kayce's strength was too great. Although there were few game broadcasts in China, everyone could always see him in the top ten NBA plays.
Exaggerated dunks, spectacular assists, and scoring after crossover ankle-breakers left fans wanting more. He was too damn strong! Is this really our compatriot?
When fans started looking for information about Kayce in basketball magazines, they found nothing. They were furious. They were tired of hearing about Kobe and James every day. Why weren't they praising their own compatriot?
Newspapers and magazines also need to make money; no one turns down money. If fans have a demand, reports must be written. To get more detailed reports, they had to travel to Oklahoma City for a personal interview.
Which is more important, face or money? Obviously, most people would choose the latter. Therefore, after the game against Denver Nuggets, Chinese basketball media outlets collectively set off for Oklahoma City, hoping to interview Kayce multiple times.
Kayce, who returned to Oklahoma City late at night, was unaware of the little thoughts of his compatriots. The team had a day off tomorrow, so he first enjoyed a nice bath, then checked the text messages on his phone.
Seeing the message from his agent, Chapman, he had already secured the composer for "No Scrubs," and the single was set to be released next Friday.
"Hehe, reaching an agreement early to prevent them from sharing profits if the single becomes a big hit later. This is good news!"
Thinking that he was about to make a lot of money, Kayce happily lay down on his big bed and slowly drifted into Dream Training Space.
In the Dream Training Space, Kayce calmly called up the control panel. He now had almost all silver badges, and his anticipation for badges had decreased significantly.
But seeing the three notifications in the Achievement Room, he still grinned:
"Let's see how Anthony's experience pack is. James's gave me quite a surprise!"
Upon entering the Achievement Room, two upgraded silver badges and one newly generated bronze badge appeared before Kayce. He tapped his finger to view their attributes:
Achievement Badge [Bullet Passer]: 3 / 500
Enhances player's quick passing ability and improves player's passing accuracy.
Achievement Badge [Needle Threader]: 1 / 500
Increases the likelihood of penetrating defenses with difficult passes and improves player's passing accuracy.
Both upgraded passing badges gained dual attributes. Passing accuracy is indeed quite practical, and Kayce was very satisfied with these two badges.
Achievement Badge [Box-Out Master]: 3 / 50
Enhances player's box-out ability.
The attributes of the newly generated achievement badge were simple and direct, but Kayce felt that box-out would still be very practical; this badge would be used in both offense and defense.
"I just don't know what the effect will be, but with new badges produced, the game wasn't played in vain!"
Kayce, feeling increasingly cheerful, decided to have a few rounds of one-on-one with the simulated Durant tonight. With the increase in strength training, Kayce's playing style had also slowly undergone some small changes.
Trainers Tony and Meg suggested that Kayce reduce some sudden stops and starts and large-scale changes of direction. In short, they advised him to lower his speed and enhance his rhythm.
Kayce humbly accepted the advice, but he always felt that he was developing towards a ground-bound playing style.
"A ground-bound style is good too, saves me from getting undercut. When you're popular, trouble follows."
The next morning, just as Kayce finished breakfast, his agent Chapman's call came in directly.
"Kayce, you're going to get rich, I'm not kidding, this song will definitely be a hit, all the infringement risks have been taken care of by me, no one can take a single cent from us!"
"Say goodbye to basketball! You are a musical genius, God, so much money is waiting for you! The young girls of America will be crazy about you, and for Christmas, you will shoot a promotional video with Taylor, we..."
Hearing Chapman about to continue his nagging, Kayce directly interrupted him:
"Alright, buddy, I'll play basketball and release a single. Don't worry, I'll cooperate fully. But why shoot a video with Taylor? She's country music, I'm pop. That doesn't seem to fit, does it?"
"God! Nobody cares what you two sing. You're handsome, Taylor's beautiful, and a large portion of Taylor's fans are young women. What does that mean? Dollars! They are all potential consumers."
"Kayce, the people who listen to music aren't Grammy Awards judges. No one cares about music genres. Handsome, good-sounding, and young girls will buy it. Believe me, this song will definitely be a hit!"
His agent, Chapman, was already deeply lost in his fantasies, dollars waving at him.
"OK, I have no problem, but you have to be careful that Taylor doesn't hear these words. Women are petty! Alright, I have a party this afternoon, the single is all up to you! Bye!"
Kayce quickly hung up the phone, so that Chapman wouldn't start his usual nagging again. After all, he really loved playing basketball, and his cheat-enabled basketball career had just begun; he wouldn't be foolish enough to give it up.
In the afternoon, Kayce drove to Russell's house. Nina was hosting a party today, and Russell had invited all the single Thunder players over, with the goal of setting up Nina's girlfriends.
Kayce was mainly responsible for livening up the atmosphere, as both sides were familiar to him.
However, seeing Russell in his bizarre, trendy outfit, Kayce's mouth twitched. What kind of strange aesthetic was this?
"Kayce, you're just in time! The girls are waiting for you to sing your heart out! Come on, once everyone arrives, we still have an opening dance to do!"
"???"
Kayce was dragged away by Russell, completely bewildered. He thought it was a matchmaking event, why did he have to awkwardly dance with him?
Russell's house wasn't small, but it seemed a bit crowded at the moment. This guy had even invited people from the fashion industry. Kayce felt like he was going to be socially dead today.
When the girls at the party saw Kayce, their eyes lit up. White canvas shoes, dark blue jeans, paired with a simple patterned white T-shirt. Tall, strong, handsome, and rich, this was their ideal man.
"Alright, girls, Kayce is here! Let's dance a song first, and I hope everyone has fun today!"
After Nina finished her opening remarks, she immediately started the music.
"Oh ho! Oh oh oh!"
Russell let out a strange cry first, then started his ghostly dance moves. Kayce could only brace himself and awkwardly dance along, with only one thought in his mind at this moment:
"I'm really socially dead."
On the afternoon of December 16th, after completing the team's tactical practice, the Thunder's press officer suddenly approached Kayce.
"Kayce, there are many media reporters from China tonight. Do you want to go say hello to them?"
"No need to break the team rules for me. Let's follow the usual procedure. Of course, remember to save them some good seats in the media section. Thank you for taking care of me!"
Kayce was stunned for a moment, then responded with a smile. He really didn't know about this. CCTV had his private contact information, so these must be other Sports Media.
"Haha, you're really too polite, Kayce. This is good for us too. More attention means more money. Good luck with the game tonight!"
Kayce got along very well with all the Thunder staff. He was outstanding in strength, humble, and unpretentious, so everyone naturally liked him.
Durant secretly glanced at the situation and was slightly surprised:
"In just a few months, even the staff admire Kayce so much! I've been here for two years, and many people just give a simple greeting when they meet."
"I need to communicate more with everyone in the future. This is the job of the team leader. Shit! I'm a step behind again!"
After the Dallas Mavericks were defeated 4-1 by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals last year, their roster underwent some changes this season. They traded for the perimeter defensive anchor, Shawn Marion.
This 'Matrix,' known for being able to defend from position 1 to 5, greatly supplemented the Mavericks' frontcourt strength.
Before the game, in the Thunder's locker room, Coach Brooks was also emphasizing this point:
"Kevin, pay attention to Marion's defense. Reduce dribbling on offense and play smarter. Green, if you get an opportunity, shoot decisively!"
The unlucky Jeff Green was matched up against Dirk Nowitzki in this game.
Just thinking about the opponent's 213cm height, 111kg weight, and offensive moves including the fadeaway, Jeff Green felt like life was meaningless. It was another day of being dominated.
Kostić felt better, as he was matched up against Erick Dampier. He only needed to focus on protecting the rebounds, so the pressure was much less.
Kayce saw Jeff Green's dispirited look and offered comfort:
"There's more to the game than just defense. You can respond on the offensive end. Be confident, Bro!"
"Don't worry, I... I'm fine!"
Jeff Green still had a gloomy expression, after all, Nowitzki really would dominate him.
The atmosphere at the Ford Center was still fiery tonight. Although they lost to the Denver Nuggets in the previous game, the Oklahoma City fans wouldn't complain about the team. They only narrowly lost in the final moments.
Finishing second in the Western Conference had already greatly exceeded the fans' expectations. On the Reddit forum, the Thunder section's traffic had surged recently, and many fans had reached the point where they felt uncomfortable if they didn't praise the team for a day.
Kayce hadn't been reading the fans' comments lately; they were too exaggerated, all kinds of backhanded compliments.
The Chinese media reporters experienced the enthusiasm of the Oklahoma City fans firsthand for the first time. Before the game started, the venue was incredibly noisy. When the DJ played a hype song, many fans holding cheering signs began to dance wildly.
Su Qun really didn't expect the atmosphere in Oklahoma City to be so fervent. He had some understanding of the former SuperSonics, but after the team started tanking, he naturally stopped paying attention to the Thunder's news.
"Watching the broadcast really doesn't convey the live atmosphere. Kayce is very popular locally! There are many Oklahoma City fans wearing number 10 jerseys here. The game hasn't even started, and the foreigners are already jumping around. This atmosphere is really something!"
Su Qun said loudly to the staff beside him.
"ESPN's reporting on Kayce is also particularly exaggerated. I didn't even dare to translate it. They're already shouting about him being Jordan's successor!"
The accompanying staff member said with a laugh.
"Tonight, we'll finally get to see Kayce's performance live. We should have come earlier; we've missed too much news!"
A Sina Sports reporter also sighed, if he had continued interviewing after covering the NCAA, his performance bonus might have already doubled.
"And it's against the Mavericks. I'm a Nowitzki fan!"
The home team entered, the lights in the arena went out, and when the DJ howled and introduced Kayce:
"Let's welcome from UCLA, this year's Rookie of the Year, our superstar, Number 10, Kayce-Lee!!!"
"Ah!! Roar!"
The Ford Center immediately erupted in astonishing cheers. It had to be said that, just by the sound, Kayce might really have become the leader of this team; his popularity was off the charts!
Kayce's good looks added a lot of points; Oklahoma City fans actually judged by appearance too, after all, Durant's aura was somewhat indescribable...
Su Qun listened to the deafening cheers and sighed in his heart:
"He's even more popular than Yao Ming. I wish Yi Jianlian could have such popularity."
As both teams' players conducted their final pre-game warm-ups, Coach Brooks called Jeff Green over again:
"Just try your best on defense. In this game, we need to respond on the offensive end. Stay focused!"
The home announcer, Twin, began introducing the Mavericks' starting lineup:
"Coach Rick Carlisle has sent out his regular lineup tonight. In the backcourt are Jason Kidd and Jose Barea. In the frontcourt are Shawn Marion and Dirk Nowitzki, and the center is Erick Dampier."
"I believe our backcourt will have an excellent performance tonight. Russell and Kayce are very good at playing against smaller guards!"
"The game begins! Dampier of the Mavericks won the tip-off for the first possession. It seems this veteran is in good form tonight!"
Kayce was matched up against Jason Kidd for this game. Seeing Kidd dribble past half-court, he immediately played tight defense. Kidd, while protecting the ball, calmly signaled an offensive play, and Barea came over to receive the pass.
Nowitzki set an up-screen, then received a pass from Barea near the free-throw line elbow. Facing Jeff Green's defense, he faked a shot, then backed down twice, and immediately turned around for a fadeaway shot.
"Swish!" The one-legged fadeaway went in for two points.
"Boo!!!"
Seeing the Mavericks score on their first possession, the Ford Center crowd immediately erupted in boos.
Kayce watched with wide eyes from the side. After seeing Nowitzki's move up close, he silently complained:
"With that height, and then a wide-arc fadeaway, the one-legged fadeaway... how am I supposed to defend that?"