NBA, Yao Ming is back!

After switching sides, the third quarter had just begun.

Before the cheers in the stadium had even subsided, Hu Weidong had only run two rounds of offense and defense when his leg suddenly felt heavy.

That kind of fatigue wasn't the soreness you feel after a workout; it was a weariness that seeped into your very bones.

It's a real aftereffect of the fierce battle with Yao Ming in the first half—he didn't rest at all, shooting from beyond the three-point line, whether it was a long shot, a shot against a person, or a shot after a person, he put all his effort into every shot.

Even if the fighting spirit of [China's Flying Man - Level 3] is fully stacked, offsetting most of the side effects of physical exertion, he is still flesh and blood, not iron. Moreover, with 800 degrees of myopia and 200 degrees of astigmatism, he has to concentrate three more times than others every second when staring at the basket.

The mental strain is more tiring than the physical strain.

The most crucial thing was that he suddenly discovered a terrifying problem.

He raised his hand to wipe his face, beads of sweat hitting the floor. He could feel his arm trembling slightly at his fingertips, but a thought was vaguely rising in his mind:

Not right.

It wasn't about my own condition, it was about the opposing player number 15.

Something's wrong with him.

Yao Ming stood two steps outside the three-point line, slowly raising his hand to his teammates to ask for the ball, his face clean and not even panting.

His eyes still held that same calm ruthlessness, exactly the same as at the start of the first half.

He played the entire first half, made a three-pointer, and was involved in some tough battles in the paint. He even got into a fight with Spencer and knocked him down, but he acted like nothing had happened.

He wasn't tired at all, and there wasn't even the slightest sign of his form declining. He just stood there, his back ramrod straight, waiting to receive the ball.

He was waiting to keep pushing himself to the limit, as if the 50 points he scored in the first half were just a warm-up.

Hu Weidong gritted his teeth, his competitive spirit still burning. He was China's Jordan, the first player in the CBA to score 50+ points. Even if he was tired, he couldn't back down. This was the MVP's battle, the all-out offensive duel he had agreed to with Yao Ming.

Well then, we have to hold on no matter what.

Moreover, he was harboring a strong desire—

Even if this kid is the future of Chinese basketball, we still have to give him a good go at today.

Let's see just how high the ceiling of the future really is.

Jiangsu team attacked first, and the ball was steadily passed to Hu Weidong. Liang Da was still sticking close to him, with his arms outstretched and his feet planted firmly on the ground. He didn't even dare to breathe. But this time, when Hu Weidong made a change of direction to break through, he clearly felt that his first step was not as fast.

His legs felt unsteady, lacking the power he had in the first half, where a single twist could leave opponents behind.

He habitually took a half-step back, retreating to a super-long three-point position seven meters away. This was his usual spot in the first half when he went head-to-head with Yao Ming. Back then, his touch was red-hot, and he could easily toss the ball into the net. But now...

The moment he bent his knees and jumped, he knew something was wrong.

The jump height was too low, and the wrist force was also slightly off, which affected the shooting hand shape that I had practiced to develop muscle memory for.

Because of his lack of physical strength, he lost his form.

"Clang!"

"Oops, it didn't go in."

The Jiangsu team's commentator also expressed his regret.

Duang!

The basketball slammed solidly against the front of the rim and bounced far away. This was Hu Weidong's first shot of the second half, and also one of his few missed shots today.

He frowned and shook his wrist, the unease in his heart growing stronger.

When your physical fitness declines, everything falls apart.

Hand position, rhythm, take-off—all were a bit off.

But this very point makes all the difference between scoring and missing on the field.

Just as one player missed a shot, Yao Ming received the ball over there.

As soon as the ball crossed half-court, Yao Ming reached out for it, and Kennard Robinson reluctantly stepped up to him, his heart pounding.

He had seen Spencer's pathetic state before he left the court. The 2.05-meter-tall Spencer was thrown to the ground by Yao Ming. Although he was 5 centimeters taller than Spencer, he still had to look up at the sky when facing the 2.26-meter-tall Yao Ming.

Moreover, he's just like Spencer; he's spent his whole life guarding the paint, boxing out for rebounds, and has never had any experience defending beyond the three-point line.

Standing at this distance, he didn't even know where to stand defensively.

He froze on the spot, his center of gravity swaying back and forth.

Yao Ming didn't take his defense seriously at all. He dribbled the ball once, made a simple lateral movement, and flicked his wrist. The ball drew a small arc in front of him, and Robinson's center of gravity was instantly shifted, causing him to stagger to one side.

In that split second, Yao Ming did not hesitate and leaped into the air, reaching a height of 2.26 meters.

The release point was ridiculously high; Robinson jumped with all his might.

With his arm outstretched, he couldn't even touch Yao Ming's fingertips.

They could only watch helplessly as the basketball traced a smooth arc through the air, heading straight for the basket.

"Whoosh—"

Swish through the net, three-pointer in!

After landing, Yao Ming glanced at Hu Weidong, making no other move, the meaning of which was clear:

Your turn, Dong Ge.

Hu Weidong's heart sank, and he immediately countered. This time, he dared not shoot too far, so he took a step back and forced a pull-up jumper over Liang Da's defense, but his legs were too weak, and his jumping rhythm was completely disrupted.

bang-

The basketball grazed the edge of the rim and flew out; it missed again.

After missing two consecutive shots, Hu Weidong's forehead was covered in even more sweat. He could clearly feel that his touch was following his physical condition.

The more I shot, the more off-target I became, and the more off-target I became, the more anxious I got. The feeling that "I knew the ball would go in as soon as it left my hand" was completely gone.

We must close the distance; we can no longer shoot long-range three-pointers.

Meanwhile, Yao Ming gave the Jiangsu team no chance to breathe.

The Shanghai team grabbed the rebound and launched a fast break. The ball was passed to Yao Ming again. This time, he didn't even need to dribble. He caught the ball and shot. Robinson reached out to try to interfere, but he didn't even touch the edge of the ball. The basketball swished through the net again, another three-pointer.

In the next possession, Yao Ming used a teammate's screen to shake off Robinson, then retreated to a long-range three-point position and shot.

brush--

Still so steady, still so accurate, the sound of the net splashing was exceptionally clear in the arena.

Fortunately, Hu Weidong had just responded with a shot near the three-point line.

Otherwise, he'd probably get a huge egg hanging from his head.

They're going to get thrashed 9-0.

With three consecutive three-pointers, Yao Ming scored 9 points in just a few minutes, causing the Shanghai team's bench to erupt in celebration.

The players jumped and shouted, while Li Qiuping gripped the tactical board, his hands trembling, repeatedly muttering:

"This kid, this kid isn't tired at all! How can someone play a full half, score 50 points, and still be this dominant in the second half!"

"Is your physical fitness that good?"

Hu Weidong stood there, watching Yao Ming's back, and for the first time, a sense of panic welled up inside him.

Having played basketball for so many years, from domestic leagues to international competitions, he has seen players with excellent physical fitness, even black foreign players, even the most athletic and resilient teammates on the national team, all experience a significant physical bottleneck in the second half after such a frenzied exchange in the first half.

But Yao Ming is different. He's like a tireless monster. He takes the ball and goes for it. He can make any shot. His shooting touch and rhythm are exactly the same as in the first half.

Not only did it decline, it was even more stable than in the first half—

He knew that the kid hadn't used up all his energy.

He was saving his energy for the 50 points he scored in the first half.

This level of skill is rare, not just in China, but even in Europe.

His physical fitness is already at the NBA level, right?

Hu Weidong underestimated Yao Ming. With his physical strength and recovery speed, he's not even in the NBA.

He is among the strongest in NBA history.

After all, his current physical fitness level surpasses that of Chamberlain at his peak.

At his peak, Wilt Chamberlain could play a full 48.5 minutes in a season.

He can play 0.5 more minutes than the regular season's 48 minutes, meaning he won't be substituted in overtime.

He surpassed him.

Even in the NBA.

I want to compete with him in physical strength.

Those are all people who are courting death.

Anyone who has such thoughts will die.

No, it's also possible that he was just putting on a brave face.

Hu Weidong was unwilling to give up and gritted his teeth to continue attacking, but he no longer dared to insist on three-pointers from the outside. Instead, he drove into the paint and, relying on his years of experience on the court, drew fouls from Saulius.

He went to the free-throw line and made both shots, barely managing to score a point.

However, his scoring efficiency is vastly different from the first half. In the first half, he could score any number of points, racking up 25 points in a single quarter. Now, after playing with all his might, he has only managed to score 5 points in five minutes.

The negative effects of declining physical fitness have become fully apparent:

They were slower to jump, their shots were weaker, and even their drives to the basket lacked the energy they had in the first half.

Saulius lifted him up slightly, and he lost his balance.

All I could do was watch as Saulius hit the backboard.

Furthermore, he doesn't practice three-pointers from over seven meters away very much. In the first half, he was on fire and had plenty of energy, which is why he could make every shot. Now that his energy is depleted and his touch is cold, shooting from that spot again...

Just looking for a blacksmith.

Sometimes when he runs into open space, his teammate passes him the ball, and he raises his hand to shoot, knowing full well that it's going to miss.

That feeling of helplessness is even more painful than losing a game.

But Yao Ming is different.

He maintained the same rhythm, unhurried and focused, taking the ball and attacking with ease: three-pointers from the outside, put-backs from the inside, drawing fouls and making free throws—he did it all, and every shot he took seemed to find its mark.

Robinson was completely outmaneuvered by him. When defending the perimeter, Yao Ming would drive into the paint and easily score layups using his height advantage.

When defending the paint, Yao Ming would simply pop out and shoot three-pointers, which Robinson couldn't even keep up with.

Several times when Yao Ming drove into the paint, Robinson tried to pull him away, but Yao Ming easily shook him off, either drawing a foul or scoring a layup.

Robinson stood on the field, at a loss, his face pale, just like Spencer had been.

The grievances and frustrations piled up in my heart, and I almost lost the courage to even raise my hand to defend myself.

The contest between the two continued, but the situation was gradually becoming one-sided.

After a few more minutes in the third quarter, Hu Weidong couldn't hold on any longer; all his muscles were aching.

He could barely keep up with the pace of the game, and in the subsequent ten shots, he only made four, including two out of five three-point attempts, barely managing to score points only from free throws.

This efficiency isn't actually low, especially for an outside player, but compared to his hot streak in the first half, it doesn't look very impressive.

Yao Ming, on the other hand, remained incredibly accurate and efficient.

He made every shot, including five three-pointers.

With inside putbacks and free throws, scoring is as easy as drinking water.

The other players on the Jiangsu team couldn't get involved at all. They could only watch helplessly as Hu Weidong was panting heavily and Yao Ming was dominating the court.

Their skill level is nowhere near that of these two.

They just go up there and give it away; they can't help at all.

The Shanghai team players completely let loose, simply passing the ball to Yao Ming, occasionally setting screens, and then watching Yao Ming put on a show.

Anyway, whether it's Yao Ming passing the ball, shooting, or making a second pass.

It's best to let him get a pass every time.

Anyway, letting him pass the ball over will always be beneficial.

The entire Great White Shark understood this.

Giving it to him, even if it's passed back, will give me a better chance to shoot.

The professionals and coaching staff who were following the game were all filled with disbelief, with only one thought in their minds:

This doesn't look like a 16-year-old.

This is a monster.

Hu Weidong was in such hot form in the first half, but he was suppressed in the second half.

With one minute left in the third quarter, Hu Weidong could no longer hold on. He dragged his exhausted body slowly toward the coach's bench, shook his head at the coach, and indicated that he needed to leave the game to rest.

His face was etched with exhaustion; he barely had the strength to raise his hand to signal to his teammates. This gesture also signified the start of his individual scoring duel with Yao Ming.

The event has officially come to a close.

The Jiangsu team coach immediately seized the opportunity when the ball was dead and waved to make a substitution. Looking at Hu Weidong's appearance, he felt heartbroken.

He knew Hu Weidong's personality all too well: competitive, persistent, and always giving his all on the field.

I battled Yao Ming for three quarters today, and my energy was completely drained.

Moreover, the fact that his opponent was still full of energy put psychological pressure on him. If his opponent was also tired, he believed that Hu Weidong wouldn't lose if they just relied on willpower to fight back. But what could he do? That guy...

They didn't even give Hu Weidong a chance to fight back with his willpower.

call--

Hu Weidong slumped on the bench, grabbed a towel and pressed it tightly against his face. Sweat poured down his cheeks and neck like raindrops, soaking the towel and gradually soaking his jersey.

Through the gap in the towel, he stared blankly at the still energetic number 15 figure on the court, watching him move around with ease, catch the ball with ease, and score with ease...

He didn't look tired at all.

For the first time, I felt an indescribable sense of powerlessness.

At 26, the prime age for a basketball player, he always felt that his physical fitness was still top-notch and that he could play the entire game without any problem. But today, for the first time, he wondered if he was really getting old.

After all, playing the entire game and playing the entire game like this are two different things.

This player took the vast majority of shots and played the entire game.

too tired.

In a normal game, you don't need to do most of the balls yourself, so who can handle that?

Okay, this number 15 can hold on.

When the referee blew the final whistle of the third quarter, the numbers on the scoreboard were so glaring they hurt everyone's eyes—

The Big Shark scored 105 points, while Jiangsu scored 90, widening the gap to 15 points!

The two players' individual statistics sent the entire audience into awe.

Yao Ming scored 25 points in the third quarter alone, bringing his total score for the three quarters to 75 points!

Their efficiency remains terrifying. Although they missed a few three-pointers, their shooting percentage will definitely drop a bit in this game.

But his three-point shooting percentage is already ridiculously low; imagine if it were two points.

The hit rate is already off the charts.

In addition to inside putbacks and free throws, there wasn't a single point wasted; every point came cleanly and decisively.

Hu Weidong exhausted his last bit of energy in the third quarter, scoring only 15 points, for a total of 55 points across the three quarters.

Even with declining physical fitness and shooting percentage, this is still an unprecedented achievement, in any game.

Both are enough to lead the team to victory.

But today, he met Yao Ming.

In this era of the CBA, scoring over 100 points in a game is considered a high score, but the two teams combined for nearly 200 points in just three quarters, directly breaking the CBA's all-time record for total points in three quarters.

It completely overturned everyone's understanding of basketball games.

The fans, commentators, coaches, and players at the scene.

Everyone was completely stunned by the scoring ability of these two players.

Hu Weidong sat on the bench, took a sip of water, his throat burning. He looked up at the court again, watching Yao Ming and his teammates give each other high-fives.

Watching his still-steady breathing, seeing his completely calm state, a thought suddenly flashed through Hu Weidong's mind—

like……

The entire game, from the start to the end of the third quarter.

The Shanghai Sharks' backup center, from beginning to end.

He never even played a game!

Yao Ming has played the entire three quarters since the start of the game, without a single minute of rest.

I battled him for three whole quarters.

He engaged in physical confrontations, positioning, shooting, defense, and even got into a physical altercation with someone.

Yet he still has plenty of energy and his condition hasn't declined at all.

crunch.

The mineral water bottles rattled as he unconsciously squeezed them.

But at this moment, the shock in Hu Weidong's heart was far stronger than the loss itself.

On the court, Yao Ming seemed to notice Hu Weidong's gaze. He looked up at the bench and nodded slightly to Hu Weidong.

He could see that Hu Weidong's fighting spirit was still intense, but there was a hint of respect in that intensity.

Respect for oneself.

Self-acceptance.

Moreover, Hu Weidong's early exit from the game also alerted him.

Hu Weidong is tired.

This man gave it his all, playing the most thrilling domestic head-to-head match ever.

The second half of the game has only just begun.

because.

His 75 points

not enough.

Not enough.

Since the atmosphere has already reached this point, why don't we...

P.S.: Please read and vote a lot! If you support me, I'll update three times a day tomorrow!