The longest river

Chapter 174 Returning Severely Injured (×) Back to Factory for Upgrade (√)

The Rose Garden Arena, which can accommodate more than 19,000 people, was packed to capacity.

The fans' faces were beaming with enthusiasm.

There were also many fans at the scene holding up various KT boards in support of Yang Shuai.

This is the first time they have truly felt hope since Drexler left the team.

Even though Yang Shuai hasn't played a single game yet, his 51-point outburst here and his title as the youngest Finals MVP still fill them with anticipation.

That emotion instantly transformed into a deafening roar of cheers when Yang Shuai walked out of the player tunnel.

His first appearance after nearly half a year with the team was truly something everyone was eagerly anticipating.

Yang Shuai smiled and waved to the fans.

After feeling the deafening roar around him, he subconsciously looked up at the top of the stadium.

When he visited here before, he felt that the sound waves here were comparable to the canyon effect of Delta Air Lines, the home of the Utah Jazz.

He had previously thought it was just Portland fans being overly enthusiastic, until Whitsitt told him during a previous visit to the arena that it was because the arena's roof was equipped with sound reflectors that could significantly increase the sound levels at the stadium.

Just like the dome arena that Ballmer built in Inglewood, this new arena that Allen built with the Portland government in 1993 is also full of technology for this era.

Tonight, the commentary team will be comprised of Ernie Johnson and Mav Albert, a long-time duo.

"Hansen has just suffered a serious injury, and it is not wise for him to make his comeback in a match like this."

Ernie Johnson spoke with a worried expression.

He became a huge fan of Yang Shuai after witnessing Yang Shuai's performance against the Bulls last season.

"I think it's great. If he wants to lead the Trail Blazers to a championship, he has to prove that he can lead the team to beat strong teams."

Albert couldn't help but smile as he spoke.

If Yang Shuai continues to stay with the Pacers, not only will the Knicks have a hard time breaking through in the Eastern Conference, but the Pacers will also have a hard time getting revenge on Yang Shuai.

But, alas, Yang Shuai left on his own!

And he ended up with a team like the Portland Trail Blazers.

After Paul Allen bought the Trail Blazers, all he knew was how to throw money around and he didn't know how to build a team culture at all, resulting in the team being in turmoil every year.

As a result, Yang Shuai, a newcomer, immediately made the arrogant statement that there was "more than one," which made him extremely happy.

If Yang Shuai can't do it, he can ridicule him to death.

“You know he hasn’t played a formal match in six months, he needs an adjustment period.”

Ernie Johnson couldn't help but worry.

Because of signing that $1.5 million contract, not only Portland fans are paying attention, but the media is also paying special attention to Yang Shuai's performance.

This kind of attention is a huge pressure. Even if Yang Shuai performs only moderately, let alone poorly, she will probably be ridiculed by the media.

“Ernie, you have to trust Yang. After all, he himself has such faith in himself.”

Albert's main characteristic is his eccentric and sarcastic style.

Halfway through the pre-match warm-up, Carlisle put down his tactical board and called Yang Shuai over.

“Bryan (Russell) is trying to drag you into a fight with him. He will definitely try to provoke you during the game, so you must stay calm.”

Although Carlisle is still somewhat inexperienced as a coach and not particularly adept at managing players, he is quite knowledgeable when it comes to game strategy and tactics.

"Rick, when have I ever lost my composure?" Yang Shuai smiled.

Carlisle wanted to complain, but when he thought about Yang Shuai's reaction after being fouled in the Finals last season, he felt he had nothing to say.

"Be careful in all things, you are our only hope now."

Carlisle patted Yang Shuai's arm as he spoke.

If Yang Shuai goes down, the Trail Blazers' season is over, and his job as head coach will probably be over.

"Don't worry, I'm incredibly strong right now."

As Yang Shuai spoke, he flexed his muscles, displaying a powerful aura.

In fact, after those two scrimmages yesterday, not only were the Trail Blazers players greatly encouraged, but his confidence was also greatly boosted.

Compared to the recovery and improvement of his ability values, he was more surprised by the change in his speed after training in Grover's way.

He now feels like he wants to take on ten of them.

After the warm-up, the opening ceremony began.

Yang Shuai was the last player to appear for the Trail Blazers.

"6'8", number 16, from Cleveland High School, the youngest Finals MVP, Hansen Young!"

This was the first time the DJ at the Rose Garden Arena had introduced Yang Shuai, and the introduction was full of personal touches. It's worth noting that players are usually not introduced with honors or nicknames.

This unique introduction sent the fans in attendance into a frenzy.

Yang Shuai waved and stepped out of the darkness into the spotlight. Listening to the deafening sound that seemed to pierce his eardrums, the blood in his body surged uncontrollably.

His career with the Trail Blazers is finally about to begin!

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups for both sides were announced.

Jazz: Stockton, Hornacek, Adam Kieffer, Malone, Ostertag
Trail Blazers: Kenny Anderson, Yang Shuai, Walter Williams, Rasheed Wallace, Sabonis

When both teams started their respective lineups, Yang Shuai looked somewhat disappointed when he saw that Russell wasn't in the starting lineup.

He didn't pay much attention when the Jazz came out, and he didn't expect that Russell would not even be able to make the starting lineup now.

However, a smile quickly returned to his face as he discovered that the player replacing Russell in the starting lineup was a towering 2.06-meter tall guy.

Although it's unclear what Sloan was up to, it's a good thing for him.

Sabonis beat Ostertag in the jump, giving the Trail Blazers the first possession. "Go Trail Blazers!"

The fans at the stadium were overflowing with emotion, and they were already cheering for their home team right from the start.

Yang Shuai arrived at the frontcourt and began making runs.

Hornacek, who was defending him, directly cut off Anderson's three-point passing route, while the Jazz's interior players retreated into the paint.

Don't give him three-pointers, limit his drives, and force Yang Shuai into the mid-range area where he's least comfortable.

Sloan's intentions became clear at this point.

After all, they were opponents they faced in the finals last season, so this defensive setup was quite targeted.

Seeing this, Yang Shuai used Sabonis's screen to cut inside. After Sabonis blocked Hornacek, he suddenly turned and moved towards the free throw line and reached out for the ball.

Anderson's passing awareness is much worse than Mark Jackson's, but he is still a guard with 8+ assists in his career, and the ball eventually got to Yang Shuai.

After receiving the ball, Yang Shuai immediately took a mid-range jump shot near the free-throw line.

Sloan's demeanor clearly indicated that he didn't believe in his mid-range shooting ability, so he had to give the opponent a "what the hell is a surprise".

"Shh!"

With a crisp sound, Yang Shuai's mid-range shot went in.

The shouts at the scene instantly turned into an explosive cheer.

No one expected that Yang Shuai's first point in his Trail Blazers career would come so quickly!
During the Jazz's offense, Malone received the ball in the low post. Facing Wallace's defense, he opted for a back-to-the-basket move, bumping past his opponent before swinging his elbow and driving to the basket for a layup.

This play explains why Malone developed his signature jump shot, because opponents would often use a center to mismatch and defend him.

The Trail Blazers' early game defense with a relatively light power forward was simply too much for them to handle.

In the Trail Blazers' half-court, Yang Shuai used the same tactic again, using Sabonis' screen to penetrate to the mid-range position.

This time, Anderson's pass came even faster; he delivered the ball before Yang Shuai could even reach out for it.

The Jazz's defensive strategy remained unchanged.

Yang Shuai did not hesitate at all and took a shot from a mid-range position at 16 feet.

"Shh!"

The basketball swished through the net once again.

Although his mid-range shooting ability isn't that strong right now, Sloan's defensive strategy is basically giving him points!

The stadium was once again filled with cheers from Portland fans.

Only a handful of people witnessed yesterday's match, and fans don't know what condition Yang Shuai is in after recovering from his injury.

It's quite surprising that he's hitting consecutive mid-range shots right from the start, even though he's not good at them.

Sloan was also pleasantly surprised.

One mid-range shot could be considered a fluke, but two in a row are enough to illustrate the point.

In particular, Yang Shuai was clearly not forced into the shot, but rather took the initiative, and seemed very confident in his mid-range shooting.

So his targeted defense seems to have been aimed at nothing?

In the transition between offense and defense, the Trail Blazers switched their defense, with Sabonis guarding Malone.

Malone turned and hit a mid-range shot over Sabonis.

He can crush opponents who aren't strong enough, and he can turn around and throw down opponents who are strong or tall. Malone's two-pronged attack is something most people can't defend against.

He scored 38 points with this move in last season's Finals, giving the Jazz a fighting chance.

Moreover, his performance this season is just as good as last season. The Jazz currently have a record of 7 wins and 1 loss, second only to the Lakers who have won 8 games in the Western Conference.

The Trail Blazers are not as strong as the Pacers, so beating the Jazz won't be easy.

During the Trail Blazers' offense, Yang Shuai scored two consecutive baskets before moving to the weak side to draw defenders' attention.

Then the Trail Blazers' offense stalled.

Whether in preseason games or previous intra-squad scrimmages, it was clear that they were not yet fully adapted to this style of play.

This is understandable, as the Pacers' ability to adapt quickly is largely due to their original playing style and roster.

Without Reggie Miller, the Trail Blazers' offense had previously revolved around the low post.

In the end, the ball could only be passed to Yang Shuai.

This time, Ostertag came out to defend, and after Yang Shuai received the ball, the Jazz immediately double-teamed him.

Sloan's on-the-spot reaction was still very quick.

However, Yang Shuai did not panic. His current dribbling skills were more than enough to deal with this kind of double attack.

He passed the ball to Sabonis while retreating, and then, taking advantage of Hornacek being drawn to the ball, he suddenly accelerated without the ball, bypassing his opponent and driving straight to the basket.

He is now not only explosive but also very fast. By the time Hornacek turned around, Yang Shuai was already gone.

This is where Sabonis's strength compared to Schmitz came in; he passed the ball to Yang Shuai the moment Yang made his run into the box.

Yang Shuai received the ball and took one step into the three-second zone...

"Oh!"

A performance-style two-handed slam dunk that hangs on the rim.

The Rose Garden Arena was once again filled with cheers from the fans.

Yang Shuai scored the Trail Blazers' first 6 points!
This doesn't look like a player returning from a serious injury; it's like he's been upgraded after going through the factory!

(End of this chapter)