One Year Left to Play

Chapter 570 - 174: What About My OK? (Part 3)

Advanced goal: Western Conference regular season champion.

Advanced reward: One superstar top Star Experience Card.

Note: If the top Star Experience Card from this task reward is used before the task is completed or fails, the advanced task will automatically fail.

After glancing at last night’s task prompt after beating the Warriors, Zhang Hao felt a bit surreal.

It’s done...

Just like that, it’s done!

After the All-Star Weekend, the Lakers achieved a 22-8 record, with 5 games left, leading to Zhang Hao completing the task of 60 wins in advance.

Last night was just excitement; because of it, he didn’t enter study mode and instead enjoyed a great dream. But early this morning, seeing so many news articles praising ’Mr. Zhang’ for scoring an average of 27 points, with the news celebrating the Lakers’ miraculous regular season performance...

In terms of surprise, the Bulls with a current record of 68 wins and 10 losses don’t compare to the Lakers.

The Bulls have Jordan; no matter how great the record, there’s at least a reason.

But the Lakers traded their best inside player, their best forward, their best shooter, acquired a rookie inside player, and a point guard who hadn’t played in over 4 years. Post-trade, believed to be falling apart, they achieved a record of 50 wins and 12 losses.

At this point, looking again at the completed task’s basic goal, Zhang Hao realized just how unbelievable this season has been.

Opened up the section for the teams of specially signed players.

Looking at Van Exel who played 70 games averaging 16.5 points and 6.9 assists, Magician in 50 games averaging 12.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.2 assists, Jason Williams during his Lakers period played 61 games averaging 8.8 points and 10.8 rebounds, Campbell played 77 games averaging 11.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, Doug Christie during his Lakers period played 29 games averaging 12.3 points, 3.1 assists, Anthony Peeler played 69 games averaging 8.9 points...

From the data, from Zhang Hao’s impressions of the games, he knew it’s not as the media says, that his arrival changed this team.

Rather, he arrived at this team and relied on these motivated teammates... Maybe he initiated them, but it was these hardworking teammates that granted him so many scoring opportunities.

It was their collective effort towards winning that led to 60 wins.

After some reflection, he regained focus.

With 5 games left, currently, the Lakers are at 60 wins and 17 losses, trailing the Supersonics at 61 wins and 17 losses, placing second in the West. He knows the season isn’t over yet.

"Should I express some gratitude to my teammates? No way, it’ll scare them, right? If I go thank them, they’ll surely take me to the hospital to check if I’m too happy."

...

...

Last night, before the Lakers secured 60 wins and their game against the Warriors, another game was completed first, with the Bulls demolishing the Philadelphia 76ers 112-75 in their 77th game this season.

Jordan played just 21 minutes, making 10 out of 13 shots and 3 out of 4 free throws. It seemed like he intentionally missed the last free throw and was soon substituted out.

After this game, the Bulls broke their historic team record with 68 wins and 10 losses.

Then... the Lakers’ achievement of 60 wins stole the headlines.

By now, the regular season champion is no longer in doubt. When the Bulls reached 60 wins and 8 losses, it was already settled.

Currently, the media and fans’ focus is on how many wins the Bulls will have, the possession of the Western Conference first place, and the playoff berth and ranking battles in each team’s last 3-5 games.

Also, on April 13, the NBA 1996 draft registration began!

It’s not the era of college basketball players rushing to join the draft after one year; mostly, talented college students typically choose to play at least three years to hone their skills before entering the NBA.

Like Iverson declaring for the draft after the sophomore season’s Final Four because of family circumstances.

However, this year is somewhat different.

Due to Zhang Hao’s rookie season debut, many became intrigued about whether high school players would enter the draft in ’96.

Undoubtedly, Zhang Hao performed the best among high school rookies in his debut season, without a rival.

Thus, Kobe Bryant, Jermaine O’Neal, Lamar Odom, Richard Hamilton, these high schoolers received more attention.

With the draft registration begun, TV stations and newspapers are stirring up this topic, predicting which high schoolers will join the draft and who will ultimately be selected.

Among them, the 17-year-old talented high schooler Kobe Bryant, who already held prestigious recognition during his high school days, was mentioned the most.

However, on the afternoon of April 13, before the topic heated up, Duke University and Kobe Bryant held a press conference to announce that Kobe Bryant will compete for the NCAA championship with Duke University in the new season!

...

On the afternoon of April 13, Zhang Hao together with his teammates conducted their pre-game training for the next day’s opponent, the Suns. Upon returning home, he turned on the living room TV while waiting for Aprile Clark to prepare dinner, and watched the news of Kobe announcing his entry into Duke University, becoming mesmerized on the spot.

In basketball, globally, the NBA unquestionably holds higher fame and attention, but within the United States, the NCAA’s fervor matches the NBA.

A basketball powerhouse like Duke University recruits a talent spoken about possibly joining the NBA directly—a high schooler breaking Chamberlain’s Pennsylvania high school four-year scoring record—they naturally became hot news.

Already powerful, Duke, with several key players returning next season, topped the Atlantic Coast Conference with Kobe’s addition, igniting a media frenzy and fan discussions rivalling the topics at the NBA regular season’s end.

"No, where’s my OK? Where’s my OK? Where’s my OK?"