Entering the All-Star in his rookie season is actually a significant achievement. Looking at the history of the NBA, there aren't many players who have done so.
After joining the NBA in 2007, Durant was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics. Full of ambition, he expected to dominate, but the cruel reality hit him hard.
In his rookie season, Durant averaged 20.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, with a 43% field goal percentage and 28.8% three-point percentage. The stats looked decent, but they were inflated later in the season.
Durant was incredibly inefficient when he first entered the NBA, and with the Seattle SuperSonics tanking and their record being terrible, his dream of making the All-Star as a rookie was completely shattered.
Just thinking about Kayce being selected for the All-Star, and his name being listed alongside legends like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Michael Jordan, and Olajuwon, made Durant incredibly jealous.
"Who is the most talented player on the team? It's me! Who trains the hardest on the team? It's still me! But why do all the good things always happen to Kayce? Why does Lady Luck always favor him?"
The more jealous Durant felt, the more he turned and walked to his home gym. He had recently started obsessively refining his ball-handling skills. After repeatedly losing to Kayce in one-on-one training, he had transformed into a relentless worker.
Durant did basic ball-handling drills, silently vowing:
"I must surpass everyone in skill! The media all like you, but basketball doesn't lie. I am the true core of this team!"
On February 6th, the Thunder would fly to Oakland to challenge the Golden State Warriors, whom they had just played a few days prior. Before the All-Star, the Thunder also had a game against the Portland Trail Blazers. In short, both were easy games.
The Warriors were tanking, and the Trail Blazers were plagued by injuries, which made everyone on the Thunder feel very relaxed. At this point, they stopped talking about their opponents and instead discussed the All-Star.
"Allen Iverson actually withdrew from the All-Star due to personal reasons, and David Lee was actually added to the All-Star as a replacement. Big city teams really have it good!"
After this news broke yesterday, many players were extremely jealous. David Lee's stats were good, and with the backing of New York, his All-Star selection was reasonable. But Jeff Green just wanted to complain; he admitted he was jealous.
"Playing in New York is really great! Whether it's the newly built Barclays Center or the somewhat ancient Madison Square Garden, both are fantastic. I'm genuinely a bit envious of the New York teams."
Russell has been thinking about the Barclays Center ever since he saw it.
"But New York fans aren't very friendly; cursing is common. Oklahoma City fans are much better in that regard. I think our home atmosphere is the best in the league!"
Veteran Nick Collison suddenly chimed in, complaining about New York fans.
"Eastern Conference teams are too lucky. They play so badly and can still make the All-Star. The competition for Playoff spots isn't fierce every year, with no competitive pressure. It's truly enviable."
Durant believed that, aside from the Boston Celtics and the Magic, all other Eastern Conference teams were easy wins. As long as the Thunder's perimeter shooting was on fire, beating other teams wasn't difficult.
"Yeah, the Western Conference competition is really intense. 39 wins and 10 losses, the Lakers have the same record as us. The Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, and Denver Nuggets are also very close in wins. Losing a few games would drop us directly to the lower half."
Kayce also complained helplessly. The teams behind them were too close. The 5th place Nuggets were only 5 wins behind the Thunder. In the second half of the regular season, it would come down to who was healthier and more consistent.
"If Kayce were on an Eastern Conference team, maybe he would have been selected for the All-Star."
"Forget it. The league clearly wants to select veterans. After Duncan, only Yao was selected for the All-Star in his rookie season, but in recent years, this phenomenon has completely disappeared!"
"The '96 generation dominated the league for too long. I actually think these old guys should give up their spots. The past few All-Star Games were really boring."
"Kayce, you absolutely have to win the Skills Challenge. I bet 1000 US dollars on you."
"I think Kayce has too big an advantage. Uncontested three-pointers will definitely be easy to make, and passing is no problem. I also bet 500 US dollars."
"Perhaps Nash can compete with Kayce. I don't think Rose will be able to defend his title!"
Hearing his teammates' teasing, Kayce immediately struck a pose of a sure champion and declared loudly:
"Guys, you all know my strength. Bet on me to win, and I'll definitely make you a lot of money!"
On February 3rd, the NBA announced the participants for the All-Star Skills Challenge.
The two selected from the Western Conference were Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns and Kayce of the Thunder. The two selected from the Eastern Conference were Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls and Brandon Jennings of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Veteran Nash had a career resurgence this season, playing explosively well. In most cases, the Skills Challenge would select younger players, so many people didn't expect the league to actually let the 35-year-old Nash participate in this event this year.
"I believe you, Bro!" "I'll add another 1000 US dollars!" "Nash is definitely no match for Kayce!"
Kayce smiled inwardly at his teammates' flattery. Not making the All-Star, but winning the Skills Challenge, would also be very memorable.
After arriving in Oakland, during lunchtime, Kayce went to Steph Curry's house as planned. Although Curry didn't earn much money in his rookie year, with a guaranteed contract, he wouldn't shortchange himself or his girlfriend.
Curry chose to settle in the suburban town of Orinda. Although the house was temporarily rented, the interior was very cozy, a completely different style from Kayce's Oklahoma City mansion.
"Welcome! Kayce, lunch will be ready soon. Curry's mood has been much better since returning from Oklahoma City last time. Thank you so much."
Ayesha, dressed casually, first hugged Kayce, then quietly thanked him.
"You're welcome. I really envy Curry's life; you take such good care of him!"
Kayce was indeed a bit jealous. He should have suggested meeting at a restaurant; he had just been shown up.
"You can also have a life like this. Anne is a good girl. Perhaps you should consider getting married. Good girls don't wait forever."
Ayesha had also heard some of Kayce's romantic exploits and almost burst out laughing when she saw his dejected expression.
"She's right. Actually, I plan to get married next year. Kayce, you're still young, but when you meet a good girl, you must act decisively!"
Kayce saw Curry come out of the kitchen with a plate of salad, looking incredibly happy, and immediately felt a critical hit. Good heavens, a fancy display of affection.
"Maybe you'll receive our wedding invitation next year, Kayce. You shouldn't just focus on your career; you should also cherish the girl by your side!"
Ayesha also went to help Curry with the dishes. The two looked like a perfect couple, which made Kayce even more depressed.
"I'll give it some serious thought! Curry told me your cooking is amazing. I'm eager to taste it!"
"Ayesha's cooking is getting better and better. Believe me, it's definitely as good as a Michelin restaurant!"
Kayce was speechless after hearing Curry's words:
"You didn't say that when you were in Oklahoma City! I didn't expect you to be just like Russell, both henpecked."
The Oracle Arena had a particularly high attendance tonight. San Francisco is not far from Oakland, and many local Chinese fans had bought tickets early just to watch Kayce play.
Many Chinese fans wearing Thunder number 10 jerseys entered early. Everyone knew Kayce would warm up in advance, and this was the best time to get autographs and photos.
Although he successfully showed affection at noon, Curry still looked envious when he saw Kayce surrounded by fans. The Warriors' current star player was Monta Ellis, and many fans had not yet recognized him.
However, thinking of the grand plans Head Coach Nelson had for him, Curry firmly believed he would become a core member of the team and silently thought:
"I will patiently wait for my opportunity to arrive!"
Before the game, in the Thunder's locker room, Head Coach Brooks once again emphasized health:
"Guys, the regular season has only two months left. At this time, we must maintain our health. For the two games before the All-Star Weekend, we have no pressure to win, so don't push yourselves too hard on the court!"
"Manage your intensity on the court. After the All-Star Weekend, we will focus our energy on preparing for the Playoffs. In the second half of the regular season, the competition in the Western Conference will become even more intense. I don't want to see us fall behind due to injuries."
"Whether it's pre-game warm-ups or post-game stretching and physical therapy, everyone must strictly demand it of themselves. I won't emphasize tactical issues too much; we just played a few days ago, so we'll stick to our normal game plan."
"Play these two games steadily, and we'll strive for a relaxed and happy All-Star Weekend!"
"Yeah, one, two, three, family!"
The game was about to begin, and both sides were doing their final warm-ups. Durant was in a good mood at this time because the NBA announced the All-Star replacement players this afternoon, and Chauncey Billups of the Nuggets successfully made the All-Star Game.
Just as Charles Barkley said, for veterans who have already achieved great success, the league still needs to show some respect. When records are similar, it comes down to seniority.
"It's okay, Kayce, this is a rookie's rite of passage. Back then, I also missed the All-Star Game like this!"
Durant came to Kayce's side during warm-ups and quietly comforted him.
"Thanks, Bro. Actually, I didn't have too much hope. Besides, Billups has won a championship before. Of course, the league will strongly support a champion guard like him."
Kayce appeared nonchalant. Everyone is in the same circle, and often it's about human relations. It's normal for a rookie to face some suppression.
"Next year, we'll participate in the All-Star together. Do you want to take more shots tonight? I'll give you the ball."
Russell also comforted Kayce. He was a little worried that his good brother's mentality would collapse.
"Haha, just play normally. It's just the All-Star Game. My mentality isn't as fragile as you think."
Kayce felt a little helpless inside. He really wasn't mentally unbalanced. Unlike the local players in America, Kayce didn't take All-Star qualification so seriously. As long as he got stats, that was enough. All-Star qualification was just icing on the cake.
When the game started, Kayce was a bit confused when he saw the Warriors' lineup. Was Head Coach Nelson giving up on treatment? One big, four small, but this was too small!
Kobe Karl, who had just been promoted to starter today, was 196cm, Steph Curry and Monta Ellis were 191cm, and veteran Corey Maggette was 198cm.
All four of these perimeter players were shorter than Kayce. The Warriors relied entirely on 211cm Andris Biedrins for height.
When your opponent is taller and stronger than you, and also just as fast, playing the game only gives one feeling: despair.
As masters of crushing weaker opponents, Kayce and Durant went all out from the start. Coming off screens to receive the ball, they disregarded the defense in front of them and pulled up to shoot directly. Whenever the Warriors switched, their defense was essentially free.
When the Thunder attacked, Andris Biedrins mostly stayed in the paint, but this kind of defense gave the Thunder many mid-range opportunities. After a pick-and-roll with Kostić, Kayce drove to his left.
Curry squeezed through the defense, but seeing Kayce take one dribble and then quickly pull up for a jump shot, he felt utterly helpless and could only watch Kayce sink the ball into the basket.
"Woohoo!"
The Oracle Arena erupted in cheers. Many of Kayce's fans had come, a splash of blue among the yellow, and the Chinese fans were very happy.
"Dude, I think you should switch onto him in time. Kayce is very accurate from mid-range near the free-throw line!"
Steph Curry, back at home, wanted to perform well, especially since his girlfriend was personally there to cheer him on tonight. He didn't want Ayesha to worry. Seeing his teammate defend this way, he couldn't help but complain.
"Shut up, rookie! You don't need to tell me how to defend!"
Andris Biedrins retorted. Young people really don't understand anything. If he defended out there, the rebound wouldn't be his. Stats mean money. Since they were going to lose anyway, he might as well rack up more stats.
"Stop complaining and go inbound the ball, Steph."
Monta Ellis saw the two arguing a bit and immediately came over, tapped the ball to Curry, and motioned for him to inbound it quickly. Although he didn't like to share the ball, he wouldn't make things difficult for a rookie.
Steph Curry suppressed the frustration in his heart and quickly inbounded the ball. Monta Ellis received the ball, dribbled it across half-court, and after a pick-and-roll with Andris Biedrins, he drove left-handed, accelerating past Kostić's defensive interference, but failed to make the layup.
After Jeff Green secured the rebound, he passed it to Russell, who noticed that the Warriors had quickly retreated on defense and made an offensive gesture.
While Jeff Green and Kostić set a double screen for Durant, Kayce, in the left corner, suddenly moved towards the top of the key, then quickly backpedaled and cut along the baseline. Russell understood perfectly and delivered a high lob pass.
After catching the ball in mid-air, Kayce paused for a moment, then slammed the ball into the hoop with one hand!
"Clang!" The alley-oop dunk was successful.
"Oh!"
"Ah!!!"
Oracle Arena erupted in gasps of amazement. The slow-motion replay on the big screen showed that because Kayce jumped so high, he caught the ball from above and, without touching the rim, slammed it in with a spiking motion, just like in volleyball.
Steph Curry's eyes gleamed with envy. This dunk was too flashy, absolutely awesome!
Kayce, who had just dunked, appeared calm, as if to say, "This is just routine." Koby Karl, who was defending Kayce at the time, really wanted to shout at Head Coach Nelson:
"Let me go back to the bench, Coach!"
Due to the large number of Chinese fans present, Durant also shared the offensive possessions with Kayce. When the Warriors missed another shot, Kayce dribbled the ball directly across half-court.
Facing Koby Karl's defense, he suddenly lowered his center of gravity, dribbled the ball left-handed with a crossover and pull-back. The moment the defender closed in, he quickly spun to his right, following with a between-the-legs change of direction.
Feigning a drive, he changed his rhythm, quickly dribbling the ball twice in place with his right hand. Seeing Koby Karl stumble, he deftly dribbled behind his back and shot a three-pointer from beyond the arc.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly.
"OMG! What a brilliant Crossover! Li Zhen should be an All-Star. Fans love such a flamboyant style of play."
The Warriors' home commentator also began to loudly praise Kayce.
After sinking this three-pointer, Kayce gave a thumbs-up in the direction where the Chinese fans were gathered, instantly causing the excited fans to cheer wildly.
Koby Karl was already frequently looking towards Head Coach Nelson. Was he put into the starting lineup to defend Kayce just to be a scapegoat for his other teammates?
The young man was very excited before the game, but after personally defending Kayce, he deeply realized that he and his opponent were definitely not players of the same level.
With his monstrous body coordination, exaggerated movements, and unpredictable offensive rhythm, Koby Karl felt incredibly tormented after more than 6 minutes into the game!
"Squeak!"
Head Coach Nelson still called a timeout. He could naturally see that Koby Karl was becoming increasingly frustrated, but after looking at the bench, he couldn't help but sigh softly:
"I'll trade all of you sooner or later!"
In the subsequent game, the Thunder played more and more smoothly. Kayce also showed off some fancy moves, a rare occurrence for him. After all, there were too many Chinese fans present, so he had to put on a show and not let them feel like they bought tickets for nothing!
As the game progressed, some Warriors fans actually defected, starting to cheer for the Thunder's baskets.
Kayce, who had been substituted out for a rest, saw this scene and scratched his head, feeling a bit speechless. He couldn't help but mutter to himself:
"The Warriors are completely tanking; even their fans are defecting."
After Kayce checked out in the third quarter, the game time quickly ran out. 112:100. Although the Warriors' bench played with courage and determination during garbage time, the Thunder still won easily.
Except for Durant, who played for over three minutes in the 4th quarter to accumulate points, all other starters were substituted out by Coach Brooks at the end of the 3rd quarter.
Kayce and Russell each got 20+4+7 and 20+5+5, respectively. Their backcourt duo combined for 12 assists and only 3 turnovers.
On the Warriors' side, Monta Ellis alone had 7 turnovers, and with Steph Curry's 3 turnovers, the Warriors' backcourt turnovers had already reached double digits.
This game was a repeat of their previous loss. Head Coach Nelson and his Coach Ben probably gave up on trying to fix things.
"See you at the Rookie Challenge. Keep it up, Curry. Take care of your body; your chance will come!"
"Same to you. A lot of people have been getting injured lately. I don't want to see your name in the news."
Kayce and Curry hugged in greeting, wishing each other well. Afterward, Kayce briefly waved to the Chinese fans before slowly walking back to the player tunnel.
After the game, the Thunder's locker room was filled with laughter. Before the All-Star Game, there was only one game left against the Trail Blazers. Considering that Roy and Oden were injured for the opponent, everyone agreed that the game would be very easy.
"Finally, I can get some good rest. I don't want to go anywhere for All-Star Weekend; I just want to stay in Oklahoma City and get some good rest," Kostić exclaimed.
The Thunder's interior defense was weak, facing numerous attacks from opponents in every game. Kostić's attendance rate was already very good, but fatigue was unavoidable.
"Yeah, the older I get, the more I like to stay home. I also want to stay home and watch the games during All-Star Weekend," Nick Collison echoed, sharing his feelings.
"Guys, you're not even 30 yet. Don't act like old men. We're going out as a team to cheer for Kevin and Kayce. I bet 1000 dollars, and I have to witness Kayce win the championship live!"
Jeff Green loved excitement. He had been looking forward to this All-Star Weekend for a long time; a steel rod would rust if not used! The girls in Dallas were waiting for him.
"I'm going to Dallas with Nina, like a vacation. Anyone want to go with me in a few days?" Russell asked loudly with a smile, thinking about his happy time with Nina, but he was met with boos from everyone.
"Eww! A men's gathering doesn't need women."
"Russell is the one who's truly living like an old man."
"Women only affect your shooting percentage, Russell. You need to learn to enjoy solitude!"
Kayce felt a headache coming on when he thought about having to bring two girls with him. Although everyone had a great time at Christmas, that didn't mean their relationships were very stable.
"Planting trees is indeed a technical job."
The Portland Trail Blazers had a very unlucky season. Just one month into the season, their number one draft pick, Oden, got injured. Afterward, Brandon Roy also suffered continuous minor injuries and played through them.
As a result, in early February, Roy, who had been struggling with a knee injury, could no longer hold on. This injury would sideline Roy for at least a month.
With the competition for Western Conference Playoffs spots intensifying, Head Coach McMillan was forced to start digging into the potential of the team's bench.
But what was both funny and frustrating was that Coach Ben found that the most reliable guard was 34-year-old veteran Andre Miller, and the most reliable big man was 37-year-old veteran Juwan Howard. With no other options, the Trail Blazers could only rely on their veterans.
In their last game, the Trail Blazers lost by a large margin to the Lakers at home, bringing their record to 30 wins and 23 losses, placing them 8th in the Western Conference. If they lost again tonight, they would only be one win ahead of the Rockets.
Head Coach McMillan was under immense pressure, and team core LaMarcus Aldridge was not happy either. The thought of facing the relentless onslaught from Russell, Kayce, and Durant made him utterly depressed.
On February 9th, at Rose Garden Arena, tonight's attendance was good. Portland fans knew the team was going through a difficult period and needed their support. Therefore, many fans even brought signs with well wishes, hoping Roy would recover soon.
After the home DJ's excited shouts, the game was about to begin. During the final warm-up phase before the game, Kayce noticed many fans in the stands holding up signs, praying for the home team, and couldn't help but lament to Durant beside him:
"Should we take it easy and then push hard in the third quarter? After all, we should show some respect to the veterans."
"No, Kayce, we need to secure the win in the first quarter, and then slowly rack up points. Although Coach Brooks didn't emphasize a specific tactical approach, if we run more 4-5 pick-and-rolls when we're on the court, the effect will definitely be very good."
Durant, who had recently transformed into a "small expert at crushing weak teams," was already eager to play. He now particularly enjoyed the feeling of winning by a large margin. He wanted to win back all the games he had lost in his rookie season.
"Kevin is right. Let's use pick-and-rolls to kill them and try to blow out the game in one quarter!" Russell was also impatient. Western Conference teams generally had strong interiors, so it was a rare opportunity to face a team with old, weak, and injured players. They had to strike hard.
"..."
In this game, Head Coach McMillan continued with his previous lineup: Andre Miller and Martell Webster in the backcourt, Nicolas Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge on the wings, and Juwan Howard at center.
Once the game started, before Kayce and Durant could even exert themselves, Russell began his performance. First, he made consecutive mid-range shots from high pick-and-rolls, then he started driving aggressively, continuously dishing out passes.
Kayce, with the help of his [Sticky Hands] + [Catch & Shoot] badges, successfully converted several passes, which made Russell even more excited. In a fast break, he even showed off a Sam Cassell move, shaking off Andre Miller before easily making the layup.
"Boo!"
The crowd at Rose Garden Arena immediately booed Russell loudly. The Trail Blazers were completely suppressed after the opening, and the fans' emotions never rose. They could only watch the Thunder's waves of transition offense.
Russell, who thrived on excitement, was fully in his game state. His defense also became exceptionally focused, tightly guarding Andre Miller. Except for Aldridge, who could post up strongly, other Trail Blazers players frequently missed their shots.
By the end of the 1st quarter, it was 32:17, with the Thunder easily leading by 15 points. During the break, a classic quote suddenly popped into Kayce's mind:
"It's already over!!"
In the subsequent game, the Trail Blazers' bench players were also completely out of form. Steve Blake and Rudy Fernández, who came off the bench, combined to miss 11 shots, completely killing any suspense in the game.
112:80. The Thunder won overwhelmingly against the Trail Blazers by 32 points on the road. After such a large loss, the Trail Blazers players didn't even pretend to be friendly anymore; they simply turned and walked back to the locker room after the game.
"We're all teams from the Northwest Division. In the future, let's take it easy sometimes!" Durant also regretted it a bit. He didn't expect the Thunder's bench to be so accurate after coming on. Such a large point difference felt a bit like offending people.
"It's too late. I expect them to come back hard once Roy returns from injury," Kayce said, not caring about the point difference. The game was over, so thinking too much wouldn't help.
"Next time we play the Trail Blazers, let's play the same way, haha! I love this kind of game rhythm!" Russell was completely hyped. He waved to the distant Thunder fans while shouting to Kayce beside him. He couldn't be bothered to think about offending people.
After the game against the Trail Blazers, the Thunder could enjoy All-Star Weekend. Back at the hotel, Kayce also felt relieved. He casually turned on the TV, and a news report caught his attention.
"The NBA announced tonight that Kobe Bryant of the Lakers will be unable to play in the All-Star Game due to an ankle injury."
Upon hearing this news, Kayce first felt regret, then suddenly thought:
"All-Star replacement? Maybe it really will be my turn!?"