"King of Understanding:
Objective: Zhang Hao needs to help the Lakers find the right way to utilize Shaq O’Neal and get Shaq O’Neal to agree.
Reward: Special Card: King of Understanding."
This task name, this reward name, Zhang Hao felt like he should be living in a large iconic white building and, outside, it should also have the most beautiful scenery.
The argument subsided, but the atmosphere in the Lakers remained tense. However, the players felt that things might be improving.
The past few games were indeed frustrating, with unpredictable changes in each match that caused problems.
Now, hope was pinned on Zhang Hao.
But regardless of what result their argument reached, no one expected the Rockets to decline so quickly before the season began. Their start was even worse than the past two years. This game was scheduled for nationwide broadcast, and the argument’s footage was seen by many fans on TV.
After the game, Del Harris and the Magician stated that the disagreement between Zhang Hao and O’Neal had been resolved and that their conflict was about the game itself, so there were no more issues.
But no one believed it.
Conflicts and clashes are always more intriguing than a harmonious situation where everyone is getting along, and they attract more attention.
Moreover, with the internal strife between Zhang Hao and O’Neal, the media was more willing to stir up this topic.
There are quite a few fans who like seeing the Lakers do well, but there are more who don’t.
And even those fans who want to see the Lakers succeed pay more attention and spend more time on the internal disputes than they do on the positive news about the team.
The media wants the fans’ time...
...
...
The day after the game with the Rockets, the Lakers players had a day off.
But the coaching staff didn’t take a break. Early in the morning, Zhang Hao went to the arena to discuss new strategies for utilizing O’Neal with Del Harris’s coaching staff.
Last night, a sleepless Del Harris listened to Zhang Hao’s strategies and wanted to throw up!
This is called "understanding how O’Neal should play"? It’s too hasty!
However, with the conditions of the past few games, Del Harris did feel that many of the prepared tactics were wasted.
The planning of tactics is definitely based on experience, the players’ previous performances, and their technical characteristics.
Yet, despite the Lakers adding many shooters over the summer, they were far from matching the Magics’ shooting group. When playing the Rockets, Zhang Hao even started to shoot threes like Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott, trying 9 times in the game, but the effect... He could take numerous shots and make many, but the others couldn’t!
The Magics’ playstyle allows them to win because they lead the league in threes, having two players in the top five average threes, and Dennis Scott’s godlike average of 3.3 threes.
Moreover, even though the Magics win games, it’s not stable. Among all 60+ win teams last season, they had the lowest point differential, with an average only 5 points higher, even lower among other 50+ win teams.
Del Harris did not want to continue with such a gambling-like style as the Magics’.
The planned tactics do not fit the actual situation.
Adjustments couldn’t be made quickly, and even following conventional strategies, it might take one or two years without a solution, ultimately leading to the players scattering.
The Lakers weren’t the first team with a luxury lineup, and failures were not uncommon.
However, hearing Zhang Hao’s ideas on strategy, Del Harris found them hard to accept!
Too hasty!
Stuck and unable to go forward, Del Harris, looking at Zhang Hao’s calm and handsome face that almost asked for a beating, decided to let Zhang Hao present his ideas to the team himself.
...
In the afternoon, the Lakers’ big five arrived at the Time Warner Training Center.
The Magician, Kenny Anderson, Barkley, and O’Neal went to the conference room, while Zhang Hao stayed in the head coach’s office.
They could guess what would be discussed this afternoon.
The Magician was looking forward to it, and as for worries...
During the past few games, the Magician also thought about compatibility issues multiple times but couldn’t figure out how to maximize their potential, or even make the best decisions in terms of trade-offs or sacrifice.
Their lineup indeed seemed luxurious, but expecting to have it all is impossible.
The Magician was open-minded; at his age, winning another championship would be delightful, but if not, it would only be slightly regrettable. Experiencing such situations was more about the anticipation of what constructive insights Zhang Hao might present.
Kenny Anderson was mostly worried, reflecting on the tumultuous and unpredictable nature of his career, he truly felt miserable...
But seeing the three teammates around him, well, miserable it is.
His main concern now was whether Zhang Hao, who had placed himself in a precarious position, could safely extricate himself.
Compared to resolving the immediate issue, Kenny Anderson worried more about whether Zhang Hao could handle such heavy responsibility at not even 20 years old.
Barkley, a seasoned veteran, had similar experiences with internal team conflict on the 76ers and Phoenix Suns. He thought about starting from easing relationships but hadn’t found a solution yet.
As for O’Neal...
He got more and more irritated after getting home last night!
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