The NBA schedule is very tight. The day after their home game, they had to board a plane and travel to Detroit to face the Pistons.
In the early part of the season, away games didn't affect teams much, but as the season progressed and fatigue set in, this constant flying around would start to impact players' physical condition.
However, Kayce didn't have this problem. The B-grade energy drink from the Dream Training Space allowed him to fully recover his stamina by the next day, so he treated away games like a vacation.
On the plane, Kayce was playing cards with his teammates to pass the boring time.
Durant and Russell were engrossed in magazines beside him.
"Kevin, what's so interesting about a magazine? Play a few rounds for me, I'm on a losing streak right now."
Kayce saw Durant staring intently at the magazine and couldn't help but be curious.
"Scarlett Johansson is truly captivating, I think I'm falling in love with her!"
Durant put down the magazine and said to Kayce. This guy had been reading news about Scarlett all along.
"I admit Scarlett is indeed stunning, but don't you think she's a bit short? Not many women in Hollywood are innocent."
Scarlett wasn't Kayce's type. He preferred tall women; he generally wasn't interested in anyone under 170cm unless they had certain special qualities.
"Taylor is still the best, beautiful and sweet-voiced. Kayce, your next album will depend on you!"
Russell was a die-hard fan of Taylor, so everyone automatically ignored his comment.
"It's not about height, it's about charisma, guys. That captivating charisma is what's most important!"
Durant explained to his teammates while drawing cards.
"Forget it, Kevin, these blonde white girls aren't our type. I still prefer passionate Latinas!"
Jeff Green almost directly said he liked 'electric mini-motors.' His love for big butts really left Kayce speechless.
"Latinas, huh? Shakira is indeed beautiful! Too bad her figure is a bit too petite."
Kayce somewhat agreed with Jeff Green's point, as he particularly enjoyed studying Spanish in high school.
"Shit!! What a terrible hand! Kayce, your position is definitely rigged!"
When Durant shifted his attention to the cards, he immediately yelled out. Kayce smiled faintly and quietly turned to leave.
"Kevin, you need to stick it out for a few more rounds, no cheating!"
The Detroit Pistons won the championship a few years ago, giving fans hope of a resurgence.
Unfortunately, good times didn't last, and the team began to decline. Although they still achieved a 39-win record last season and made it to the Playoffs, they were swept in the first round by James's Cavaliers.
However, the team's roster changed this season. They traded Allen Iverson and added several backcourt players. Moreover, their main players are still plagued by injuries, and Richard Hamilton should not play in this game.
"I don't really like the city of Detroit, and I definitely don't like the Pistons' style of play."
Upon reaching the hotel, Russell began to complain. Rookies generally don't like it here, as the Pistons' veterans play a somewhat aggressive style.
The playing style throughout the entire Eastern Conference is pretty much the same, focusing on physical confrontation.
Russell was very uncomfortable with the restrictions during his rookie season last year. He wasn't afraid of confrontation, but too much of it easily led to missed shots.
"I don't like this style of play either, but the league encourages physicality. Look at their games against the Lakers a few years ago; defense can indeed win championships."
Durant was very honest and spoke the truth.
"I just think tomorrow's game will be tough. A physically strong Pistons team, I hope their shooting is ice cold."
Kayce only hoped to rack up more badge experience; several of his badges were close to leveling up.
The Pistons' home arena, The Palace of Auburn Hills, can accommodate nearly 20,000 spectators. On the evening of the 30th, Detroit fans had completely filled the stadium.
During warm-ups, Kayce could feel the fans' support for the Pistons, as they had won the championship a few years ago, defeating that star-studded Lakers team.
Coach Brooks trusted veterans more after the regular season began, and Menor and Byron had already fallen out of the rotation.
"Kevin, make sure to move the ball a lot. The opponent will definitely defend you specifically. Prince is an elite defender, don't force your offense."
After his usual pep talk, Brooks began to remind the players of important details.
When the arena DJ started shouting, the Thunder players also came out one by one. Kayce found it interesting that when his name was announced, there was a small smattering of boos.
"People fear fame, pigs fear getting fat…" Kayce muttered helplessly to himself.
After the last game, ESPN hyped him up again, with Stephen A. praising him profusely. Kayce seriously suspected that his agent, Chapman, had given Stephen A. a red envelope.
The Pistons' live commentator also joked about Kayce:
"Kayce definitely won't like it here. The Palace of Auburn Hills is a rookie graveyard. I bet he won't even score 10 points today. This isn't the soft West."
Kayce was still coming off the bench today. He had a premonition that there would be no garbage time today.
"Go, Bro!" Kayce stepped forward and fist-bumped his teammate.
"The game officially begins, and the lucky Thunder get the first possession!" the Pistons' commentator was in full swing.
The Pistons' starting lineup had changed significantly: the backcourt was Ben Gordon paired with Rodney Stuckey, the forwards were Tayshaun Prince and Charlie Villanueva, and the center was Ben Wallace.
After Russell brought the ball across half-court, he found that the opponent's defense was very oppressive and their rotations were quick. With no good opportunities, he handed the ball off to Durant.
Durant felt somewhat uncomfortable facing Prince's defense. Prince was tall with long arms, good at physical confrontation, and very strong, which made it difficult for Durant to easily shake him off.
Fortunately, after a forced drive, he found Thabo Sefolosha on the perimeter, who caught the ball and shot a mid-range jumper.
"Swish!" The ball went through the net, opening the scoring for the Thunder.
Coach Brooks saw the team's offensive problems, but there was nothing he could do. You can't expect every team to be like the Kings.
The Pistons' offense was very slow. They were experienced and patiently shared the ball. With 10 seconds left on the shot clock, Ben Gordon caught the ball on the perimeter, faked out Russell with a slight pump fake,
took one dribble, and shot a mid-range jumper.
"Swish!" The 2-point shot went in smoothly.
The home fans immediately gave a huge cheer for the home team.
On the Thunder's offense, Russell brought the ball across half-court and ran a pick-and-roll with Kostić, accelerating past Rodney Stuckey and driving straight to the basket.
Ben Wallace's help defense was timely, and he used a small foul during the confrontation, which caused Russell to lose his balance and badly miss a shot.
Ben Wallace grabbed the rebound and immediately passed it to Prince to initiate a fast break. The Thunder were a step slow in getting back on defense.
Prince drove all the way to the basket, going up against the recovering Thabo Sefolosha, and using his height advantage, he made a steady layup.
After the Thunder missed several shots, the Pistons used their preferred half-court offense to slowly extend their lead.
The game pace was slow. After more than 6 minutes in the first quarter, the Thunder trailed 12-18 by 6 points.
Brooks saw the team was in trouble and immediately called Kayce:
"Kayce, after you get in, try to speed up the game. We need to increase the number of possessions."
"No problem, Coach." Kayce immediately replied, while secretly thinking:
"After this game, the [Rhythm Shooter] badge should be able to upgrade. How exciting!"