Ch: 316-323 (Complete)
Chapter 316: A super long three-pointer scared Nick Young into an emoticon!
Upon learning that the US President attached great importance to this game, the Wizards' general manager, flattered, said, "Don't worry, we will definitely go all out and absolutely not disappoint the US President!"
Although the Boston Celtics were last year's Championship, the Wizards' general manager did not believe they were weaker than them.
Especially since they had "Agent Zero" Arenas, whose scoring ability was superb, even comparable to Kobe.
Besides Arenas, there were also Jefferson and Butler, both excellent scorers who had been selected as All-Stars.
So, the Wizards' general manager informed the three main players of the Washington Wizards about this matter, urging them to perform well in this game.
When Arenas learned of this news, he instantly became incredibly excited:
"Great! Finally, an opportunity to show off in front of the US President!
I just want to know, will the US President be present?"
"As far as I know, he will be there!
So, you must play this game with two hundred percent focus!"
Without the general manager needing to emphasize it, the three main players of the WashingtonWizards already knew what to do in this game.
This was a rare chance to gain exposure!
If they won this game, perhaps the US President, in his delight, might even award them some special medals.
For them, this was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
At the same time, the US President's secretary also specifically called NBA Commissioner David Stern, asking him to remind the referees to give the Washington Wizards some favorable calls.
David Stern was very curious about the US President's secretary's request:
"So, this is what the US President wants?"
"Anyway, the US President doesn't want to see the Washington Wizards lose.
So, you should be very clear about what to do!"
David Stern instantly understood after hearing his words:
"Don't worry, I will carefully select the referees for this game.
I will definitely ensure the game proceeds smoothly!"
The teammates were all very surprised that Chen Hao didn't give the US President face.
However, when they thought about defeating the team he supported in front of the US President, they instantly became excited.
This was a rare opportunity!
So what if you are the US President?
You still can't stop your favorite team from losing!
Because of this, Chen Hao didn't need to motivate them; his teammates were already quite excited.
Thus, on the day of the game, the Boston Celtics players were exceptionally combative, already excited during the warm-up.
Just as both teams' players were warming up, the venue suddenly erupted!
And a figure that surprised all the Fans appeared on the big screen:
It was the US President!
He actually appeared at the game to watch the Washington Wizards vs. Boston Celtics match!
The US President's sudden appearance made the live commentator incredibly excited:
"Oh my goodness!
What am I seeing?
It's our great US President!
He actually appeared at the game!
Is he here to watch this game?
So, which team does he support after all?
As far as I know, they just met with the Boston Celtics yesterday!
Does that mean he supports the Boston Celtics?
But, this is Washington, his home ground!"
Just as the commentator was feeling incredibly curious, the live host had already walked up to the US President, asking him with a curious expression:
"Hey, esteemed US President, we all really want to know, which team are you supporting today?"
In response to the host's question, the US President smiled and quipped:
"Although I just met with all the members of last season's Championship Boston Celtics yesterday.
But what I want to emphasize is that it's just an annual White House tradition, unrelated to my personal preferences.
And the reason I am here today at the Washington Wizards' home court to watch the game.
Clearly, it's because I am a loyal Fan of the Washington Wizards!
So, of course, I choose to support the Washington Wizards!
Hey, Washington Wizards players, kick their butts!
I'm here to cheer you on!"
The US President's words instantly sent the entire stadium's Fans into a frenzy.
The game hadn't even started, but the atmosphere was already incredibly intense.
The Washington Wizards players, upon hearing the US President's words, also appeared exceptionally excited:
"Oh my goodness!
The US President is supporting us in person!
This is so surprising!
We must win this game!"
At this moment, the Washington Wizards' starting players were also full of excitement, especially Nick Young, who had just been promoted to a starter, excitedly saying to Arenas:
"Hey, boss, that's the US President!
This time, it's finally our turn to shine, isn't it!"
Regarding Nick Young's excitement, Arenas calmly waved his hand and said:
"Hey, rookie, calm down!
It's just the US President, isn't it?
Since he chose to support us, it proves he has good taste!
So, in this game, I will let him know my strength!"
Nick Young had unshakeable faith in Arenas's confidence.
On the other hand, the Boston Celtics players were quite calm, as if they had long expected the US President to be present.
Just as the Washington Wizards players felt greatly encouraged, the referee blew the whistle to start the game!
The game officially began!
The Boston Celtics' starting lineup had not changed; it was their regular lineup.
As for the Washington Wizards, their starting lineup was:
Caron Butler, Antawn Jefferson, Gilbert Arenas, Nick Young, Andray Blatche.
Tip-off!
Jefferson first tipped the ball to Chen Hao!
Standing in front of Chen Hao was Nick Young, the man who would later become a meme.
At this time, Nick Young was still quite green, but he was relatively serious about defense.
From the backcourt, he intently led the defense against Chen Hao.
At this moment, Chen Hao looked at the serious-faced Nick Young, and his mind automatically connected him to that meme with the question marks all over his face.
Thinking of this, Chen Hao wanted to see Nick Young make that expression in person.
To make him show such an expression, Chen Hao would have to do something he couldn't understand.
So, with Nick Young leading the defense, Chen Hao suddenly accelerated with the ball and crossed half-court.
Nick Young followed closely, not giving up easily.
And at this moment, Chen Hao chose a sudden stop and pull-back, instantly causing the full-sprinting Nick Young to lose his balance, almost falling to the ground!
Because Chen Hao's pull-back position was very strange; hadn't he just crossed the half-court line?
What did he intend to do with a pull-back from that position?
The next moment, Chen Hao provided the answer!
To Nick Young's shocked expression, Chen Hao actually gathered the ball and shot a deep three-pointer directly!
At this moment, Nick Young's face was full of question marks; his classic meme expression appeared!
And the moment Chen Hao shot, his eyes were not on the basket; instead, he was staring intently at Nick Young.
When he saw Nick Young make his classic meme expression, Chen Hao's mouth curved upwards, and he shot the ball with satisfaction.
Chapter 317: Dribbling with his left hand, pointing to the center line with his right hand: I will hit a three-pointer here!
Nick Young had not expected Chen Hao's ultra-long-range three-pointer to actually go in, which completely refreshed his worldview.
Moreover, Chen Hao's ultra-long-range three-pointer, shot from beyond the half-court line, was released with a normal shooting posture.
Let alone professional players, even superstar players with amazing wrist strength would find it extremely difficult to shoot the ball with a standard shooting posture from that distance.
But Chen Hao did it with ease!
After doing all this, Chen Hao didn't forget to tease Nick Young:
"Hey, let me tell you a secret, that expression you just made is going to be a huge hit in the future!
This is a little trick I'm giving you to go viral."
Nick Young looked puzzled at Chen Hao's words:
"What are you talking about?
My expression is going to be a huge hit?"
Chen Hao smiled and nodded:
"Yes, you can remember what I said.
As for whether it's true or not, we'll just have to wait and see!"
Just then, Arenas, the team's boss, walked up to Chen Hao and Nick Young with a gloomy expression.
"What are you doing?
You're still chatting with him?
What were you just doing?
I told you to lock him down, but you're chatting with him?"
After being questioned by the team boss, Arenas, Nick Young felt very wronged:
"Hey, boss, I was defending seriously just now!
But he just pulled up for a three-pointer after crossing the half-court line, who could have expected that?
If it were anyone else defending, they wouldn't have been able to stop him either!"
In fact, Chen Hao's ultra-long-range three-pointer did shock Arenas.
Because he was very good at this kind of sudden pull-up three-point shooting, but his range was far inferior to Chen Hao's three-pointer.
So, when he saw his teammate Nick Young still chatting and laughing with Chen Hao, he was very annoyed.
That's why he found an excuse to pick on Nick Young.
Now, Nick Young's rebuttal made his expression even uglier.
Just as he was about to continue questioning Nick Young, Chen Hao on the side spoke up:
"Hey, actually, your teammate is right.
No one can defend against my ultra-long-range three-pointer.
So, you shouldn't blame him!"
"I'm lecturing my teammate, what business is it of yours?
You better shut up!"
Chen Hao's unsolicited help made Arenas even more annoyed, and he immediately retorted.
Arenas's words made Chen Hao burst out laughing:
"Alright, alright, since you're so confident, if you have the guts, you come and defend me!
I promise I'll also make a three-pointer from the half-court line while you're defending me!
I mean what I say!
It just depends on whether you dare to actively defend me!"
Chen Hao's words left Nick Young on the side completely shocked; this guy really dared to say anything!
Although he was shocked by Chen Hao's ultra-long-range three-pointer just now, he also thought it was because Chen Hao was too lucky.
Most players who make such an ultra-long-range three-pointer would be able to brag about it for several years.
But this guy, Chen Hao, once again boasted in front of his teammate Arenas; did he really think Lady Luck would still favor him?
When Arenas heard Chen Hao's words, his expression instantly became playful, and he couldn't even hold back his laughter:
"What did you say?
You said you could still make a half-court three-pointer?
Who do you think you are?
Do you really think that three-pointer just now was due to your skill?
Who gave you such confidence!
Alright, I'll defend you, you better dare to pull up for a half-court three-pointer in front of me!
I'd like to see if you have that kind of ability!"
Arenas glanced at Nick Young, motioning him to step aside.
After seeing Arenas's expression, Nick Young wisely moved to the side.
But now, they had to wait for the Washington Wizards to complete their offense first!
Arenas received the ball in the backcourt and slowly dribbled it past half-court!
At this moment, he also wanted to make a three-pointer in front of Chen Hao, in response to his three-pointer earlier.
So, when he had the ball at the top of the arc, he motioned for all his teammates to spread out.
His teammates were used to Arenas's request.
Thus, the Washington Wizards players all spread out, clearing the area at the top of the arc.
At this moment, the one defending Arenas was Chen Hao!
Seeing Chen Hao actively appear in front of him, Arenas said to Chen Hao with a confident expression:
"Watch closely, this is what a real pull-up three-pointer looks like!
In the entire league, I am the best at pull-up three-pointers!"
Arenas's pull-up three-pointers were indeed very accurate, but this time he was facing Chen Hao.
Not a single mistake, not a single omission, everything was perfectly in order!
In Chen Hao's eyes, he would not allow such an arrogant guy to exist in his life.
So, this time, he would personally let Arenas know what despair felt like.
Chen Hao's defensive stance was not too far forward, appearing very relaxed.
He was even two body lengths away from Arenas, a position that was definitely an excellent three-point shooting opportunity for Arenas!
So, Arenas suddenly stopped, faked a shoulder, gathered the ball, jumped, and shot a pull-up three-pointer!
Arenas's method of pull-up three-pointers was indeed unique in the league, truly worthy of being someone who could duel Kobe in three-point shooting.
However, that was only because his opponent was Kobe.
Now he was facing Chen Hao as his defender, and Chen Hao certainly wouldn't allow him to easily make a three-pointer!
So, the moment Arenas jumped and released the three-pointer in mid-air, a huge shadow suddenly appeared in front of him.
This massive shadow completely blocked Arenas's vision, making it impossible for him to see where the basket was.
By the time Arenas realized what was happening, it was already too late!
The basketball in his hand had just been released when it was directly swatted away!
And the figure who swatted away his three-pointer was none other than Chen Hao!
After completing the block, Chen Hao quickly rushed to the frontcourt after landing and picked up the basketball!
After picking up the basketball, Chen Hao didn't rush to dribble it to the frontcourt; instead, he stopped in place.
He even looked back at the stunned Arenas behind him, then shouted loudly at him:
"Hey, hurry up and catch up!
Weren't you going to defend me?
How can you be so slow?"
Chen Hao's shout brought Arenas back from his shock.
Although he felt extremely unwilling and frustrated, he still appeared in front of Chen Hao at the first opportunity.
Coincidentally, the position where he confronted Chen Hao was exactly at the half-court line!
Seeing Arenas appear in front of him, Chen Hao's expression was very satisfied:
"That's right!
That way, my ultra-long-range three-pointer in front of you will count!"
While chatting and laughing, Chen Hao had already dribbled the ball past the half-court line.
After crossing the half-court line, Chen Hao dribbled with his left hand and pointed his right index finger at the spot on the ground, meaning was obvious, he would shoot a three-pointer from this position!
By the time Arenas finally understood the meaning of Chen Hao's gesture, Chen Hao had already gathered the ball and jumped!
Although he felt it was unbelievable, he still quickly rushed forward!
He absolutely could not let Chen Hao make another ultra-long-range three-pointer!
Chapter 318: With just a little effort, you are invincible! (Wishing readers a happy Year of the Snake)
Arenas' height was not far from Chen Hao's, so he thought his block would definitely interfere with Chen Hao's shot.
However, when he actually went to block, he found that Chen Hao had chosen to shoot a jump shot!
A super-long three-pointer jump shot from beyond the half-court line!
Is this something a human can do?
How could he possibly shoot the ball into the hoop?
This is simply impossible!
At this moment, Arenas had clearly realized that Chen Hao's shot this time would definitely be an air ball.
So, as he rushed towards Chen Hao, he turned his head and shouted loudly to his teammates:
"Rebound!"
Arenas' idea was very clear: Chen Hao's super-long three-pointer would miss, and as his teammates grabbed the defensive rebound, he would already be quickly in the frontcourt.
In this situation, his teammates would only need a powerful long pass to easily pass the ball into his hands, assisting him to score.
This is the drawback of missed three-pointers easily leading to an opponent's fast break, and it's a situation many teams that like to shoot three-pointers cannot avoid.
When Arenas jumped to block Chen Hao, Chen Hao had already jumped into the air and steadily shot the ball!
Arenas' block did not interfere with Chen Hao at all, which made him feel a bit depressed.
However, he was not discouraged by this; instead, after landing, he immediately sprinted towards the frontcourt without looking back.
Because he was very confident that Chen Hao's shot this time would definitely miss!
However, when he sprinted beyond the three-point line and looked back behind him, he was dumbfounded!
The imagined pass from his teammate did not appear in front of him, because his teammate was already standing at the baseline, inbounding the ball!
What does this mean?
This means that Chen Hao's previous super-long jump shot three-pointer actually went in!
How is this possible?
Arenas would not believe it even if he died; Chen Hao's super-long jump shot three-pointer could not have gone in!
At this moment, he quickly looked up at the big screen above, and then he saw the replay of Chen Hao's three-pointer that had just gone in!
His block did not interfere with Chen Hao at all; after the basketball swept over his head, it quickly spun and flew towards the hoop!
This was a three-point shot with an extremely high arc; the ball was in the air for far too long!
After a long wait, the basketball swished through the net, making a crisp sound!
Such a goal instantly silenced all the Fans in the arena!
Everyone was stunned!
They had never seen a three-pointer shot like this; is this even human?
Beyond the half-court line is the attack range; how can one defend against this?
Originally, Arenas' attack range was already far enough, but that was only limited to the logo area.
This had already made teams across the league tremble with fear, not knowing how to defend, only able to pray that his shooting touch was off.
But now Chen Hao is even more terrifying; he even shoots directly past the half-court line. How can one play like this!
The US President watching from the stands was even more shocked at this moment, he simply couldn't believe his eyes.
He is also a basketball enthusiast, and he had followed Chen Hao's games, knowing that Chen Hao had many offensive methods.
But before this, Chen Hao had never shot a three-pointer from such a long range!
Has this guy developed another offensive skill?
In this situation, they really have no other way!
Arenas, who was frozen in place, heard Chen Hao's shouts:
"Hey, what are you trying to do?
Are you preparing to complete a quick attack?
You can certainly try it.
However, I can tell you responsibly that this will have no effect.
Don't worry, in this game, you will fully experience what despair is!"
Chen Hao's shouts made Arenas feel extremely annoyed; he had always been the one to mock others, and no one dared to mock him like this.
You know, even Kobe, when he met him, had a big headache.
As a rookie player, why did Chen Hao think he could easily defeat him?
Arenas has always been an arrogant player; his ability to grow from a second-round pick into a superstar also proved his exceptionally strong mentality.
Therefore, at this moment, he knew he had to prove himself and let Chen Hao see his strength.
This is a game with the President watching from the sidelines; if he lost like this, the impact on him would be too great!
Moreover, once the President was disappointed in him, that would definitely not be a good thing!
Every single word, every single detail, every single piece of content, not a single mistake!
So, at this moment, Arenas had already made up his mind; he would also retaliate in kind.
Chen Hao can shoot super-long three-pointers, and he can shoot super-long three-pointers too!
After his teammate dribbled the ball past half-court, he actively stepped forward to receive the ball.
After receiving the ball, Arenas saw Chen Hao appear in front of him.
At this moment, Arenas made the same move as Chen Hao just did, pointing his left hand at the logo, and suddenly gathered the ball with his right hand for a pull-up super-long three-pointer!
Arenas' shooting rhythm was very fast, and his release speed was extremely quick!
Therefore, ordinary people simply couldn't interfere with his shot; by the time they reacted, the ball had already swished through the net.
But at this moment, Arenas was horrified to find that Chen Hao's figure had already appeared above him!
The basketball he shot had already been firmly caught by Chen Hao!
This outcome surprised everyone!
Arenas' eyes were as if he had seen a ghost; he simply couldn't believe what he was seeing!
Are this guy's feet tied with rockets?
How could he appear above him in an instant and confiscate the basketball?
And after Chen Hao caught Arenas' shot, he shook his head and said to him after landing:
"Your release speed is really too slow!
In this situation, I only need to make a slight move, and you won't be able to complete the shot at all!
Moreover, I can tell you responsibly that in this game, if you score five points, I lose!"
After speaking, Chen Hao quickly dribbled the ball and sprinted towards the frontcourt!
At this moment, Arenas was so angry at Chen Hao that he almost vomited blood; this guy's trash talk was really infuriating!
In this situation, he could only choose to quickly follow Chen Hao and defend against his offense!
If he could deliver a pin-down block to Chen Hao, it would make up for the humiliation of being blocked by Chen Hao!
Therefore, Arenas also pushed his speed to the limit; he wanted to stop Chen Hao's fast break this time!
However, when he actually started chasing Chen Hao, he realized the seriousness of the situation.
Because he found that the distance between him and Chen Hao was actually getting wider and wider!
How is this possible?
Chapter 319 The whole world knows about the bet between Chen Hao and the US President! This time he wins!
As one of the league's top-tier shooting guards, Arenas's speed was naturally very fast, especially during fast breaks, where few could keep up with him.
Of course, when defending against a fast break, Arenas could also quickly return to his own half of the court to defend.
But this time, he failed!
He could only watch helplessly as the distance between him and Chen Hao grew larger and larger, yet he was powerless.
The end result was that just as he arrived outside the three-point line, Chen Hao had already completed a one-handed dunk!
The distance between him and Chen Hao immediately stretched to three or four meters!
This outcome made it difficult for him to accept; he even thought he was dreaming!
However, the quiet atmosphere on the court told him that this was not a dream, this was reality!
Thinking of the boast he made before the game, Arenas's mood became exceptionally irritable.
Especially with the US President still watching the game from the sidelines, he hadn't even scored since the game started, which was truly quite humiliating for him.
Therefore, the most urgent task was for him to score immediately, at least to prove that his scoring ability was not an issue.
So, Arenas actively received the ball and quickly dribbled it past half-court.
After a teammate's screen, he quickly took a three-point shot!
But the moment he shot the three-pointer, Chen Hao had already flown over!
Although Chen Hao's dive this time did not block his shot, it significantly interfered with his release!
This caused Arenas's pull-up three-pointer to miss, the ball hitting the back of the rim and bouncing directly into Jefferson's hands.
And the moment the ball landed in Jefferson's hands, he had already thrown it with one hand towards the front court!
This was a powerful, full-court long pass!
Both the passer and the receiver needed strong power to complete it!
Compared to the passer, the receiver needed to be faster and seize the timing of the catch well.
When Arenas quickly turned his head towards the front court, he discovered with horror that Chen Haohad already appeared under the basket and leaped high!
Subsequently, Chen Hao easily caught the basketball with both hands and slammed it heavily into the hoop!
From Jefferson securing the defensive rebound to Chen Hao completing the two-handed alley-oop dunk, the entire process took no more than three seconds!
Even the live cameras couldn't keep up with Chen Hao's speed; it wasn't until Chen Hao completed the two-handed dunk that the camera finally captured his figure!
The commentator on site even shouted with a heart-wrenching voice:
"WTF?
What did I see?
What happened?
I haven't even seen the basketball, and Chen Hao has already completed a two-handed dunk over here?
How did they do that?
This is absolutely crazy!
This is a real fast break!
I have never witnessed such a fast break speed!
Oh my God!
I'm already starting to worry for the home team, the Washington Wizards!
Can they win this game?
Gilbert hasn't even scored a single point; he's been completely locked down by Chen Hao!"
Because the Fans in the arena were silent, the commentator's words were heard clearly by the players present.
This made the Washington Wizards players' faces extremely grim; they had originally thought this game would be an easy win, but instead, they were easily beaten by the opponent.
If they didn't solve their scoring problem now, the first quarter might end up going straight into garbage time.
So, the Head Coach could only call a timeout, letting the players cool down and re-strategize.
In fact, even the Washington Wizards' Head Coach found Chen Hao's fast break incredible.
Because such a passing combination was simply too fast, it required both parties to have excellent chemistry to achieve it.
Let alone in a formal game, even in an exhibition game, such a combination rarely appeared.
He had seen more instances of the ball being passed from near mid-court to under the basket, assisting a teammate in completing an alley-oop dunk.
But the one just now wasn't like that; it was a powerful throw towards the front court immediately after securing a defensive rebound under the basket!
This passing method was quite audacious, and most Head Coaches would not advocate such a risky passing style because it was very prone to turnovers.
However, Chen Hao did it with ease!
As for Chen Hao himself, he still looked relaxed.
He even shouted loudly at the US President on the sidelines:
"Hey, US President, it's not too late for you to choose to support us now!
Because we are definitely winning this game!
So, will you choose to support a team that is destined to lose to us?"
Chen Hao's words made the US President's face turn somewhat gloomy after hearing them; he couldn't even force a smile!
This Chen Hao guy was truly despicable; he was clearly deliberately mocking him and embarrassing him.
No matter what, he was the US President; didn't he care about his reputation?
Apparently, Chen Hao didn't care that he was the US President; this guy was always fearless.
Moreover, he knew very well that Chen Hao was doing this to protect himself.
He wanted all the Fans in the world to see him openly provoke the US President, which meant that all the Fans in the world were Chen Hao's witnesses.
If Chen Hao were truly targeted by the US President, or even if some petty tricks were used to teach Chen Hao a lesson, it would prove that the US President was a narrow-minded person.
It could even land the US President in various troubles.
After all, this Chen Hao was from Dragon Country, and the Fans from Dragon Country were not to be trifled with.
Therefore, the US President now even had to worry about Chen Hao's personal safety, especially during his time in Washington.
If anything happened to Chen Hao, almost everyone would assume it was the US President's doing.
Thinking of this, the US President felt extremely stifled; he felt that Chen Hao was deliberately plotting against him.
"This damned guy, why does it feel like he's deliberately trying to provoke me?"
Just as the US President was feeling incredibly frustrated, the referees officiating the game finally took action!
David Stern had already instructed them to favor the Washington Wizards more, at least ensuring that the Washington Wizards players could frequently appear at the free-throw line.
So, this time, the Washington Wizards' offense earned two free-throw opportunities.
But these two free-throw opportunities were not earned by Arenas, but by Butler.
As the team's second-in-command, he naturally had to step up and score, not letting the team fall into a scoring drought.
In fact, Butler could also see that Arenas was completely locked down by Chen Hao at this point; he even found dribbling quite difficult.
In this situation, the only thing to do was to pass the ball to a teammate, so Butler actively stepped forward to demand the ball.
Chen Hao naturally wouldn't stop Butler from demanding the ball.
The only player he wanted to lock down was Arenas; as for the other players, they couldn't stir up any trouble.
With the referees' intervention, the game finally gained a bit of back-and-forth momentum.
Of course, the Washington Wizards players were completely unable to stop Chen Hao from scoring; each time, they could only watch helplessly as Chen Hao completed a dunk.
Conversely, the Washington Wizards' scoring mainly came from free throws, resulting from the referees' whistles.
Seeing this, the Fans of Dragon Country completely lost their composure
Chapter 320: A crushing victory over the Wizards, offending the US President, and becoming the public enemy!
"It seems the league has truly thrown away all pretense to let the Wizards win!"
"How can such clean defense be called a foul?"
"This can no longer be called a phantom whistle; this is outright flopping!"
"Good heavens, truly good heavens, they're going to stage a blatant fake game in front of the US President!"
"Honestly, when it comes to shamelessness, the old U.S. has always been a model for us all!"
"But even with the referees' efforts, the Wizards are still behind!"
"So, Chen Hao gave them a chance, but they're just not up to the task!"
Just as the Fans in Dragon Country said, Chen Hao had given them a chance, but they really weren't up to the task.
Even with the referees' efforts, under what could even be called an eight-on-five situation, the Wizardswere still trailing by double digits.
Especially since the first half of the game was already over, and the score difference had widened to 16 points.
45:61!
Chen Hao had already scored 48 points in the first half, dominating the entire court.
This was even with many 'and-one' plays not being called for defensive fouls.
If the referees had called fouls on the Wizards with the same strictness they applied to the Celtics, Chen Hao would have scored at least 60 points by halftime.
This is why the Dragon Country Fans believed the Wizards were not up to the task.
In the visiting team's locker room, the Celtics players all looked grim.
They also felt the severe inconsistency in the referees' calls; it was an obvious attempt to help the Wizards!
"Are these three damn referees blind?"
"They're ignoring so many obvious defensive fouls, but specifically targeting our normal defensive actions!"
"I think it's all because the President is sitting courtside!"
"Yes, they all hope the President can win his bet against Chen Hao; it's absolutely despicable!"
"Don't worry, even with all that, aren't they still trailing us by double digits?"
His teammates were discussing the first half of the game and the refereeing issues, but only Chen Haoremained calm.
Seeing Chen Hao so calm, Jefferson asked, somewhat dejectedly:
"Hey, Chen, why do you look like you don't care at all?"
"Is there anything worth caring about?"
"The referees are clearly biased towards the Wizards!
This is really unfair to us!"
"But has their bias been effective?"
"Not yet, we're still holding onto the lead!"
"Then there you have it?
Don't worry, we'll continue to maintain our lead in the second half!
I will make them feel what true despair is!"
Seeing Chen Hao so confident, Jefferson was instantly filled with fighting spirit:
"Great, then we definitely need to kick their butts hard in the second half!"
Chen Hao smiled and nodded; he was also preparing to break the league's single-game scoring record at this point.
Setting this record in front of the US President would certainly be very interesting.
He believed the expression on his face at that time would be quite spectacular!
As the second half of the game continued, Chen Hao remained on the court.
Although the referees were constantly targeting the Celtics, calling a foul on them for even the slightest body contact.
But Chen Hao didn't care at all, even responding in his unique way.
Every time the referees called a defensive foul on the Celtics, Chen Hao would immediately attempt a super-long three-pointer on the next possession.
And Chen Hao's super-long three-pointer would accurately find its mark.
At first, the Wizards players thought Chen Hao was just lucky to make such super-long three-pointers.
But when they saw Chen Hao make several consecutive super-long three-pointers, they realized the seriousness of the situation.
Moreover, as the number of Chen Hao's successful super-long three-pointers increased, the score difference between the two teams grew larger and larger.
Even the US President, watching from courtside, looked dejected and complained to his secretary beside him when he saw this:
"Why is the Wizards player's defensive ability so poor?
They clearly know he's going to shoot a super-long three-pointer, so why don't they actively step up to defend him?
Are their eyes having problems?"
The secretary, of course, dared not contradict the President's complaints and could only silently choose to lower his head.
There was no mistake in the content of the first sentence!
He had done his utmost, but Chen Hao's offensive firepower was simply too fierce, completely unstoppable.
After the third quarter ended, Chen Hao's personal score had already reached 78 points!
And the score difference between the two teams had already widened to a staggering 24 points, a result that made the Wizards players and Fans feel utterly despairing.
How could they even play anymore?
Chen Hao was a completely unsolvable presence; if he wanted to, he could easily score in any way he pleased.
It was just like playing a basketball game with cheats enabled; every shot went in!
As the Wizards' star player, Arenas, his only thought now was to slap himself.
He truly regretted it now, regretting provoking Chen Hao.
This led to him becoming the backdrop for Chen Hao's scoring countless times, and the key was that each backdrop was unique.
Arenas even felt that this one game had served as the backdrop for his entire life!
And the US President, watching from courtside, could no longer sit still after the third quarter ended!
He chose to leave early, and the expression on his face was vastly different from when he arrived.
When he arrived, he was all smiles, looking radiant.
But when he left, his face was gloomy, and his steps were quick.
From the contrast in his expressions, it was clear he was extremely dissatisfied with the outcome of this game.
He was displeased with both the process and the result of the game.
Even the players' performance and attitude greatly disappointed him.
Especially Arenas, the star player, his performance could only be described as disastrous.
Therefore, the name Arenas had already appeared on the US President's blacklist.
As for Chen Hao himself, he was also placed on his blacklist.
His only thought now was to see Chen Hao lose in a game, and his expression had to be extremely dejected.
He hated seeing Chen Hao with that harmless yet 'I am the best in the world' expression.
Most importantly, he lost a bet to Chen Hao in this game.
Although there were no verbal promises between them, a loss was a loss, and he hated the feeling of losing.
"Tell the NBA Commissioner to do everything possible to make the Celtics lose more games.
I don't want to see his arrogant demeanor!"
After hearing the US President's words, the secretary was also quite shocked, but ultimately nodded silently in understanding
Chapter 321: Master Chen, when were you number one in the US? Of course, now!
Chen Hao's explosive performance in Washington excited all the Fans in China, especially when they saw the US President leave with a gloomy face, they were even more thrilled.
"This is the backbone a Chinese person should have!"
"Did you see the US President's expression? It was simply too satisfying!"
"These guys are still too disappointing; they couldn't even cause Chen Hao the slightest bit of trouble!"
"According to rumors, the US President seemed to have made some kind of bet with Chen Hao, and he obviously lost!"
"Brother Hao is getting better and better; he even dared to win against the US President!"
As for Chen Hao himself, after the game, he accepted a reporter's interview in high spirits.
"Hey, Chen, your performance today was truly astonishing!
The home court has been completely silenced by you!
Why did you have such a strong desire to score?"
"You know, earlier, Mr. President met with us.
He said then that our strength might be somewhat exaggerated, and the Wizards might be able to defeat us.
Since Mr. President said so, I could only choose to prove our strength in my own way.
So, that's why you saw me go on a rampage during the game."
After hearing Chen Hao's words, the reporter fell silent; there was really no way to respond.
And Chen Hao himself laughed heartily and said:
"I'm just kidding!
How could I not give face to Mr. President?
Besides, Mr. President wouldn't possibly take such a small game to heart!"
After speaking, Chen Hao smiled and left the court.
In reality, Chen Hao knew very well that in the upcoming games, he would definitely be targeted in various ways.
However, this would not affect Chen Hao at all, as he was least afraid of trouble.
Especially trouble that arose on the court; there was even less need to worry about that.
The news of Chen Hao's rampage against the Wizards spread throughout All-America, making many All-America Fans very depressed.
Many All-America Fans even expressed such sentiments:
"It seems now that our All-America players really cannot defeat Chen Hao!
His individual strength is truly too strong; I can't think of anyone who can stop him!"
"If it's a one-on-one challenge against him, I believe no one in All-America is his opponent!"
"Are you still an All-America person? Why would you have such a thought? Do you really think there's no one left in All-America basketball?"
"Although Chen Hao's strength is very strong, if it's really one-on-one, he might not be the strongest, right?"
"Whether he's the strongest or not, you have to try it to know, right?"
"It's just that this kind of one-on-one discussion has happened many times before.
Although star players participate in the discussion, they themselves certainly won't personally step onto the court, as this would affect their individual reputation."
"Yes, Chen Hao isn't a fool; even if he knows he's strong, he certainly wouldn't dare to accept a one-on-one challenge."
"Yeah, what if he really lost to an opponent in a one-on-one match?
That would truly ruin his reputation!"
"That's absolutely right; he's a Chinese person, and Chinese people value their reputation the most!"
"So, he can't possibly accept this kind of challenge!"
The topic raised by All-America netizens about whether Chen Hao would lose in a one-on-one match interested many people.
After all, the strength Chen Hao displayed in the game was indeed invincible, which also led many people to believe that Chen Hao had no opponent.
However, All-America is, after all, the place with the most basketball masters in the world, and it has always been full of arrogance.
Therefore, their local Fans certainly did not believe that Chen Hao's one-on-one strength was the strongest.
Because, in their opinion, in a one-on-one situation, many NBA stars might not even be opponents for some famous streetballers.
After all, these streetballers have a very diverse range of speeds and offensive styles, and professional players might not necessarily be their opponents.
Thus, discussions about Chen Hao's true one-on-one strength reached Chen Hao's ears.
In fact, Chen Hao himself is a player who likes to surf the internet, and he quickly learned about this topic that Fans were so enthusiastic about.
Even his teammates developed a great interest in Chen Hao's one-on-one abilities.
O'Neal proactively teased Chen Hao:
"Hey, Chen, we all know that your one-on-one strength is the strongest on our team.
But, looking at the entire league or All-America, do you think you are the strongest?"
"Of course, I must be the strongest one-on-one king in All-America!
That is beyond doubt!"
Although he was Chen Hao's teammate, seeing Chen Hao so confident, O'Neal, as an All-Americaperson, still felt a bit displeased:
"Hey, don't speak so absolutely.
As far as I know, we still have many famous streetballers among the public.
They are all top-notch!
Their one-on-one strength is incredibly strong.
And in a one-on-one situation, skill and strength are both very important.
I don't think you possess such absolute strength!"
Facing O'Neal's skepticism, Chen Hao smiled, shrugged, and said:
"Since you also don't think I'm the strongest one-on-one king, why don't I just accept one-on-one challenges from all over All-America?
Let strength speak for itself?"
Chen Hao's words left O'Neal utterly shocked:
"Are you serious?
This isn't a joke; do you know how many basketball players there are in All-America?
Including streetballers from the public, they are countless!
If you really accept their challenges, you'll be very busy!"
To O'Neal's shock, Chen Hao revealed an even more explosive idea:
"Not only that, I will also offer a reward to players who challenge me.
If someone can defeat me in a one-on-one match, they will receive a prize of one million usd!
A prize of this amount should attract many good basketball players, right?"
After hearing Chen Hao's words, O'Neal looked at Chen Hao with a face full of horror:
"Are you telling the truth?
You're not kidding?"
"Do I look like I'm kidding?
I also want to see what kind of strength your All-America streetballers truly possess.
If someone can really defeat me in a one-on-one match, that would be too interesting!
I believe you all would also love to see this happen, right?"
O'Neal was speechless; he truly thought Chen Hao had gone crazy.
However, he also knew very well that once Chen Hao made up his mind, he would definitely follow through.
"I only know that if you really offer this huge reward, it will definitely attract a large number of streetballers.
Even players in the league will challenge you.
Are you really ready?"
"Of course, now that you mention it, I'm even more excited!"
Chapter 322: A million-dollar reward, accept the challenge!
Originally, the discussion about whether Chen Hao's one-on-one ability was strong was just a gimmick; no one truly believed Chen Hao would take it seriously.
However, when Chen Hao publicly announced he would accept one-on-one challenges, All-Americawas stunned!
This wasn't even the most important part. The most important thing was that if someone defeated Chen Hao in a one-on-one, they would receive a one million usd reward from him!
Not only did he accept challenges, but he also offered a prize!
Chen Hao's move instantly sent basketball Fans across All-America into a frenzy!
The detailed rules for Chen Hao's one-on-one challenge clearly stated that both professional basketball players and amateur players could challenge Chen Hao.
This meant that all players or Fans in All-America could participate, which was undoubtedly one of the biggest sports news stories in American basketball this year!
After all, throughout the entire sports history of All-America, such an outrageous thing had never happened. Chen Hao's actions indeed made Fans across All-America quite excited.
Leaving aside the possibility of defeating Chen Hao, just the one million usd prize was enough to make everyone incredibly excited.
Although everyone in All-America knew Chen Hao's strength was immense, what if he wasn't in good form on the day of the challenge?
What if someone really did defeat him in a one-on-one?
That's one million usd!
Not one hundred usd!
Under a heavy reward, there will always be brave men!
Especially in a money-driven country like All-America, Chen Hao's bounty made everyone participate.
The rules Chen Hao set were also quite simple: register online to participate in the challenge against Chen Hao.
Of course, because Chen Hao still had regular season games to play, the number of challenges he could accept each day couldn't be too many, and they had to be held in the city where he was playing.
For example, if he was playing in Los Angeles today, he could only accept challenges from Los Angeles, and the number of games that day couldn't exceed ten.
Players who wanted to participate in these challenges were quite surprised by these requirements, feeling that this was already a lot of games.
Especially for a superstar like Chen Hao, whose schedule should be packed, accepting at least ten challenges every day was not a simple matter for Chen Hao.
Even Chen Hao's teammates were quite shocked after learning about his crazy move.
Especially his teammate Jefferson, he even looked at Chen Hao with a shocked expression and said:
"No, Chen, are you serious?"
Regarding his teammates' shock, Chen Hao smiled and shrugged, saying:
"What do you all think of my idea?
Can it attract all the attention to me in a short period?"
In reality, the main reason Chen Hao had this idea was because he saw the immense commercial value in himself.
This inspiration also came from the 'Streetball King' competition in Dragon Country many years later; especially in that era, where traffic was king, it could indeed attract a lot of attention.
Currently, Chen Hao's net worth has soared a lot, and even because he launched this challenge, many businesses have started approaching him, requesting to live stream the events for Chen Hao.
Regarding the ownership of these live streaming rights, Chen Hao naturally wouldn't easily give them to others; this was his cash cow.
Moreover, Chen Hao also wanted to use this opportunity to maximize his commercial value.
After Chen Hao announced the bounty challenge, the number of people who wanted to challenge him had already reached a terrifying figure.
In three days, nearly 100,000 people signed up, hoping to defeat Chen Hao in a one-on-one.
Chen Hao was also quite shocked by this number; it was not a small amount.
However, Chen Hao was not afraid because of this; instead, he immediately began his first one-on-one competition in Boston!
Among the many registered participants, there were many well-known civilian streetball players, all aiming for fame and fortune.
To ensure the fairness and impartiality of this challenge, Chen Hao hired the most professional referees.
On this day, because there were no regular season games, Chen Hao would accept challenges from twenty people.
This meant that twenty players would challenge Chen Hao to a one-on-one, and each one-on-one challenge had to be played for a full ten minutes.
Within ten minutes, whoever reached 21 points first would win.
Of course, if no one reached 21 points, then whoever had the higher score would win.
The rules for the one-on-one were even simpler: it was one-on-one, with no limit on dribbles, and even allowed for offensive rebounds, with continued possession after scoring.
These rules, for Chen Hao, were not necessarily a good thing.
After all, in the eyes of many, although Chen Hao's strength was immense, basketball was ultimately a sport for tall players.
Especially when a center player challenges Chen Hao, with their strength and height completely overwhelming him, Chen Hao might not necessarily be able to defeat his opponent.
Therefore, many center players in the league chose to sign up for this challenge.
Not for anything else, but for the one million usd reward Chen Hao offered.
What excited these Fans the most was that the one million usd reward Chen Hao offered was not a one-time thing.
It wasn't to say that if someone defeated Chen Hao once, the one-on-one competition would end.
Instead, as long as someone defeated Chen Hao, they would receive a one million usd reward, and the next person to defeat Chen Hao would still receive a one million usd reward!
This opportunity, for ordinary people, was truly a once-in-a-lifetime chance, so many people wanted to use this opportunity to defeat Chen Hao and become millionaires.
Today, the first contestant to challenge Chen Hao has been confirmed; he is Chen Hao's teammate, Al Jefferson.
When he learned of Chen Hao's idea, he immediately expressed his desire to be the first to challenge Chen Hao.
Although they were teammates, Jefferson was equally interested in the prize money Chen Hao offered.
Besides, in his opinion, although Chen Hao was very strong, he wasn't necessarily invincible.
Although he had lost to Chen Hao in a one-on-one a long time ago, that didn't mean he would lose every time, right?
In fact, privately, he had repeatedly proposed to challenge Chen Hao to a one-on-one, but Chen Haohad always refused.
Chen Hao's reason for refusing was simple: he believed that his strength was no match for him, and there was no need to make him lose embarrassingly.
Jefferson felt that Chen Hao was disregarding his strength, and he was actually a bit displeased inside.
Now, the opportunity had finally arrived to challenge Chen Hao fairly and squarely to a one-on-one.
Just thinking about the possibility of defeating Chen Hao in a one-on-one made Jefferson exceptionally excited.
In fact, he was quite familiar with Chen Hao's offensive moves because he had always studied Chen Hao's playing style.
This time, he finally had a chance to put it to use.
Chapter 323: The King of One-on-Ones! The Undisputed GOAT! NBA Big Deal!
Chen Hao's one-on-one match today attracted widespread attention across All-America, with ESPN, which spent 100 million to acquire the broadcasting rights, responsible for televising the event.
Even before the game began, the viewership ratings were already approaching those of last year's NBA Finals.
This made the owner of ESPN incredibly excited:
"I knew this guy would attract huge attention; he's truly amazing!"
In fact, the ESPN owner deeply regretted not being able to buy the rights to this one-on-one match, as it would have surely made him a fortune.
However, Chen Hao was clearly not so easily fooled; he knew how much attention his one-on-one gimmick would garner, and this represented immense wealth.
In this era, combined with his fame and basketball skills, he was bound to receive enormous attention.
As for his teammates' desire to defeat him in this one-on-one match, Chen Hao was naturally full of anticipation.
He didn't look down on his teammates, but he knew exactly how strong he was.
Although Jefferson was very strong and his post-up ability was quite good, if he were to truly face Chen Hao, he would still be somewhat lacking.
Thus, amidst the cheers of the entire audience, Chen Hao slowly walked onto the court.
As Chen Hao's teammate, the first opponent to challenge Chen Hao was Al Jefferson.
At this moment, he was already warming up with a serious expression, preparing for the upcoming one-on-one.
Seeing Chen Hao enter, Jefferson shouted at Chen Hao:
"Hey, Chen, I'm fully prepared today, so you better be careful!"
Chen Hao shrugged indifferently and said:
"Good, I'm also looking forward to your performance. I want to see if you're truly fully prepared!
However, I'll tell you in advance, it's not a big deal even if you lose.
After all, there shouldn't be anyone in All-America who can beat me!"
Chen Hao's words instantly caused a stir among the Fans, because this guy was simply too arrogant.
You know, even Jordan, during his peak, wasn't so arrogant when asked about his one-on-one ability.
But now Chen Hao actually said he had no opponent in All-America; this truly meant he didn't put any All-America players in his eyes.
And after hearing Chen Hao's words, Jefferson's expression also turned ugly:
"Although you're my teammate, if you underestimate us like this, I will definitely make you regret it!"
Chen Hao still shrugged indifferently, and even directly said to Jefferson:
"If you're ready, we can start right away!"
Seeing Chen Hao's disdainful look, Jefferson was indeed a bit annoyed:
"Are you sure you don't need a good warm-up?
I won't show any mercy!"
"You'd best go all out, otherwise you'll lose the game very quickly!"
Chen Hao said to Jefferson with a calm expression.
As the referee's whistle blew, Chen Hao and Jefferson's one-on-one officially began!
The two decided who would start with a coin toss, and Jefferson won the first possession!
A huge cheer instantly erupted from the Fans!
Clearly, at this moment, Jefferson had become the player supported by the Fans, as this was All-America.
Jefferson stood at the top of the arc, received the pass from Chen Hao, and then looked towards the basket.
His strategy was simple: to get close to the basket, use his height and weight to overpower Chen Hao, and play high-post.
You should know that in this one-on-one rule set, there is no five-second backdown violation, and the heavier player has a greater advantage.
Jefferson didn't care whether he won beautifully or not; he directly adopted the safest offensive method, starting to post up Chen Hao from beyond the three-point line.
The Fans watching this scene all shouted loudly, cheering for Jefferson.
They all believed that Jefferson's offensive method was the smartest, and that victory was the most important thing.
However, after Jefferson dribbled twice with his back to the basket, Chen Hao, who was behind him, easily stole the ball by fronting him.
By the time Jefferson reacted, Chen Hao had already completed the steal!
Having successfully stolen the ball, Chen Hao dribbled directly to the center circle, pointed at the spot on the floor, and said to Jefferson:
"I'll shoot from here. If you think I'll miss, you can try to crash the boards!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Hao directly pulled up for a super-long three-pointer!
Under these 21-point one-on-one rules, a shot from beyond the three-point line counts as two points, while a shot from inside the three-point line counts as one point.
When Jefferson saw Chen Hao decisively attempt the super-long three-pointer, he was also caught in a dilemma, because he didn't know if Chen Hao would make it.
However, judging by Chen Hao's past super-long three-point shooting percentage in games, he had a very high success rate.
Thinking of this, Jefferson could only rush forward desperately to block Chen Hao!
But his defensive effort was futile; it didn't disrupt Chen Hao at all!
"Swish!"
A crisp sound rang out, and Chen Hao calmly sank the super-long three-pointer!
The noisy venue instantly fell silent!
And this was just the beginning of Chen Hao's performance!
Because possession is retained after a score, Chen Hao continued to attack!
When Jefferson passed the ball to Chen Hao, Chen Hao didn't even make any fakes; he just raised his hand and shot a super-long three-pointer!
Another swish!
4:0!
There was no mocking expression on Chen Hao's face; he just quietly said:
"Hey, we're teammates, but right now we're opponents!
So, I'll give it my all; that's my respect for you!"
Jefferson's expression was stiff; he couldn't speak!
On the next possession, Chen Hao still raised his hand and shot a super-long three-pointer, without even moving his feet!
Although Jefferson had already anticipated that Chen Hao would shoot a super-long three-pointer, he still couldn't disrupt Chen Hao's shot in any way!
The third super-long three-pointer!
The fourth super-long three-pointer!
The eleventh super-long three-pointer!
Chen Hao scored 22 points!
He easily defeated his first challenging opponent; at this point, Jefferson was already full of dejection, his expression downcast.
He finally realized how great the gap in strength was between himself and Chen Hao!
And Chen Hao gently patted his shoulder and said:
"Don't be dejected, don't be discouraged, because the subsequent challengers will receive the same treatment!"
Chen Hao didn't fool Jefferson, because he kept his word!
Among the next 19 challengers, all were defeated by Chen Hao with the simplest three-pointers, and his opponents didn't even score a single point!
Chen Hao's first day's challenge record was twenty wins and zero losses, shocking All-America!
After Chen Hao accepted challenges from All-America players, his schedule was packed every day, engaging in one-on-one matches with various basketball masters. His opponents were all prominent figures, but the final result remained unchanged: the winner was always Chen Hao!
Many players in the league also participated in challenging Chen Hao in one-on-one matches, and the result was the same: they were easily defeated by Chen Hao!
Six months passed, and while Chen Hao was accepting one-on-one challenges daily, he casually won his second NBA Championship, leading the Celtics to achieve back-to-back Championships.
And during these six months, Chen Hao remained undefeated in all his one-on-one matches, becoming the undisputed One-on-One King!
Precisely because Chen Hao remained undefeated, more and more Fans paid attention to his one-on-one matches, and viewership ratings continued to climb, while Chen Hao's personal assets also reached an astonishing figure.
Another five years flashed by, and under Chen Hao's leadership, the Celtics topped the NBA for seven consecutive years, achieving a magnificent seven-peat!
As for Chen Hao himself, his form was still at its peak, with no signs of decline.
As for players attempting to defeat him in one-on-one, they were still as numerous as fish crossing a river, coming in an endless stream.
However, Chen Hao remained the solitary seeker of defeat, still the One-on-One King who looked down on All-America!
Chen Hao's story continues, and legends about him still circulate in All-America basketball circles, with various opinions on how many NBA Championships he will ultimately win.
But one thing everyone agrees on is that Chen Hao is undoubtedly the greatest GOAT in NBA history, without any dispute!
At this point, the story of Chen Hao dominating the NBA has been fully told. The book is complete! (End of this chapter)