With 5 minutes and 12 seconds left in the Rookie Challenge, the game was essentially decided. The First-Year team led by 16 points, having completely outshot the Second-Year team with a barrage of outside jumpers.
When Head Coach Dantley pulled all the starters, the rest of the game became garbage time. Of course, in an exhibition game like this, people weren't too focused on the score difference, but more on individual stats.
Brandon Jennings and Evans were both furiously padding their stats. Not only had they failed to suppress Kayce in this game, but they had also been thoroughly outshone by him. Though they were unhappy, they could only force smiles and try to score more points in the remaining time.
After James Harden was substituted out, he sat next to Kayce, recalling Kayce's stats, and quietly asked:
"Kayce, 100% shooting? If I'm not mistaken, 12 three-pointers, 6 dunks. Watching you play, scoring seems as easy as drinking water. Is this the 'Moreyball' theory you mentioned before?"
Seeing Harden's yearning expression, Kayce, afraid of leading his good brother astray, quickly explained:
"This is an exhibition game, Bro. Coach Brooks wouldn't allow me to shoot like this in a regular season game. When we play normally, we have to consider the referees' on-court officiating. It's hard to maintain a high three-point shooting percentage under intense defensive pressure."
"What about three-pointers combined with free throws? In the Sacramento Kings, the coaching staff doesn't encourage me to shoot too much from the outside, but they are very supportive of drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line."
"When Martin was still here, I trained with him for a while. Free throws are definitely an efficient way to score. If I can also improve my three-point percentage, perhaps that will be the future scoring model!"
James Harden grew more and more excited as he spoke. He seemed to see a path to becoming a scoring champion. Although the Coach Ben currently didn't allow him to play this way, it didn't stop him from implementing his plan.
"..."
What you said makes so much sense, I truly have nothing to say.
"But you have to consider the Playoffs. If one day the referees really do change the officiating standards, perhaps you could achieve the effect you imagine. But don't forget we're still rookies, and the Head Coach is the boss of the team. You don't want to be glued to the bench, do you!"
"Anyway, the Sacramento Kings don't have any record requirements, so you can spend a lot of time improving your basketball skills. All-around development is the real key."
James Harden's stats were soaring in the Sacramento Kings right now. He had all the ball-handling duties on the court. Although his shooting percentage was indeed a bit low, he was still averaging 20+5+5.
"You're right, but I definitely need to increase my three-point shooting. Why haven't I seen that guy Green? Where are we going to party tonight? He texted me, promising hot girls tonight."
Kayce almost didn't react. This was a 180-degree turn. The game wasn't even over, and he was already thinking about big-bootied girls?
"Green was drunk last night. After he arrived in Dallas, he's been practicing with Russell. He overindulged last night. Don't worry, I've already booked a private venue."
"Maybe you'll see some big stars tonight, Alicia Keys, Shakira, Usher. They all have singing performances tomorrow, so they might also come out to party tonight."
Chapman had booked such places for Kayce, ensuring privacy and security, specifically catering to the entertainment industry. The excitement might be a bit less, but the quality was definitely not bad.
"No interest, I still prefer girls with full, shapely butts like Kardashian."
"..."
The game time quickly ran out. Although Russell of the Second-Year team also scored 40 points, two-point shots were too inefficient for catching up. In the end, 142:128, the First-Year team made history again, successfully defeating the Second-Year team.
48 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 100% shooting percentage—these were Kayce's stats for the game. The players all knew that the MVP was a foregone conclusion.
"I am honored to personally witness the birth of a new record. He broke the Rookie Challenge three-point record, and he set a new scoring record for the Rookie Challenge."
"Let's cheer for the new record holder, Kayce Kayce, the MVP of the Rookie Challenge! Your performance tonight was amazing!"
Kayce took the small trophy handed to him by the NBA operations staff, examined it closely. It looked a bit like a trident, still made of transparent glass, appearing somewhat simple.
Hearing the cheers erupting from the crowd, Kayce grabbed the trophy with one hand, showed it to his supporting fans, then picked up the microphone beside him and said:
"Thank you, Head Coach Dantley, your coaching was fantastic! Thank you to our assistant coach Kevin Durant! Thank you to my teammates who trusted me, and thank you to our excellent opponents! Together, we played a wonderful game!"
"Thank you to all the fans who came to support us! Let's enjoy this All-Star Weekend together! See you tomorrow at the American Airlines Center!"
"Oh, ah!!"
The fans who bought tickets tonight were ecstatic. They had witnessed history being made with their own eyes. Regardless of the game's outcome, the overall viewing experience was very good. The tickets were well worth it!
After the game, Kayce found Russell and Love. They had to bring their good brothers along for the party tonight, and also to fend off girls.
"Russell, Love, let's party tonight! It's a rare gathering. We don't have many games tomorrow, so we don't have to worry about our condition."
Kayce still had a Skills Challenge and the All-Star Game where he would just coast. Both of these games were very relaxed, so he could drink freely tonight.
"Cool! I really miss those parties in Los Angeles! Let's go, Russell, it'll help relieve your gloomy mood, haha. I really didn't expect to lose even after scoring 40 points."
Love had been cooped up for too long. Ever since he went to the Minnesota Timberwolves, his entertainment activities had drastically decreased. He could only find companionship in food, which had made him noticeably fatter than when he was in college.
"No way, if I don't go back and accompany Nina tonight, I won't have a good life when I return to Oklahoma City. I've been practicing for the past two days, and Nina has been exploring Dallas by herself for two days!"
Russell looked dejected. He regretted bringing his girlfriend. Seeing Kayce and Love able to leave at a moment's notice, he showed an envious gaze.
"Don't regret it! Green is already having the time of his life, so don't say your brother forgot about you!"
Kayce looked as if to say, 'you'll definitely regret it if you don't come.' Russell was conflicted, but after thinking carefully about his girlfriend waiting for him at the hotel, the responsibility of a good man welled up in his heart, and he still declined the invitation:
"Forget it, Kayce, next time for sure. I really have to go back to the hotel to accompany Nina. Don't go too crazy, there's still the All-Star Game tomorrow."
"OK, don't worry. Even if all of them combined, they can't outdrink me. It won't delay anything important."
With his superhuman metabolism, Kayce's alcohol tolerance was a bottomless pit. Love, hearing Kayce's words, immediately recalled the scene back at UCLA when a group of them couldn't outdrink Kayce.
"We agreed, absolutely no drinking straight away! I don't want to be carried back to the hotel!"
...
The intoxicating night had just begun. Kayce, Love, Jeff Green, Durant, and James Harden were all having a blast. If looks weren't enough, money made up for it.
The nightclub tonight wasn't huge, but everyone who entered had some wealth. At midnight, the atmosphere reached its climax, with wailing and shouting all around. Kayce sat in a booth on the second floor, accepting drinks from all comers. Two girls were already completely drunk.
Jeff Green hadn't been sober since yesterday evening, and the others were also numb from drinking, picking up glasses and downing them. Coupled with the constant teasing from the hostesses, everyone's spirits grew even more excited.
Kayce didn't know how much he had drunk. He pulled away a Latin girl who was clinging to him like an octopus; he needed to relieve himself.
He must have drunk quite a bit, as his legs felt weak, as if he were walking on clouds. On his way back to the booth from the restroom, Kayce felt like he bumped into several people. Suddenly, a Spanish curse came from beside him:
"Damn big oaf! Don't you have eyes when you walk!"
Kayce was a bit lightheaded, but not drunk. He immediately retorted in Spanish:
"Little lady, I truly didn't notice you. After all, you didn't exist in my line of sight."
"You speak Spanish? You must apologize to me!"
Hearing this, Kayce finally lowered his head and looked at the blonde girl in front of him, wearing denim shorts and a white short-sleeved T-shirt, dressed refreshingly. Upon closer inspection, she looked somewhat familiar. After a moment of thought, he realized:
"Oh! I'm sorry, Shakira, I didn't recognize you just now..."
Shakira looked at the slightly dazed Kayce, her eyes darting around, and an idea immediately came to her:
"Aren't you going to invite me over for a drink? Chapman and I are old acquaintances."
"Of course, it is my honor."
Kayce, who had taken a seat at the bar, was a bit confused. What was this woman up to? Was she lusting after his body?
"You know, Kayce, sometimes I really envy you and Taylor. Chapman protects you two too well. I can also guess a bit about Big Machine Records' revenue-sharing agreement; it was unimaginable before."
Shakira put on an envious expression.
"Oh, please. The company belongs to the Dutton Family. I don't need Chapman's protection. Just say what you want, Shakira, don't treat me like a child."
Kayce secretly curled his lips. A sob story? Did she really think he was a pure, young boy?
"I invited you to write songs for me before, but Chapman flat-out refused. That guy is truly heartless. We used to have a good relationship when he worked at Sony Music."
Shakira again put on a wronged expression.
"No, no, Sony Music also has factions. Don't treat me like a newbie. Chapman understands our strength, so he doesn't want to rely on Sony's channels. Besides, inviting songs now? Shouldn't you be preparing for the South Africa World Cup theme song?"
"Sony Music must have been lobbying for this for half a year, right? The World Cup is the biggest hot topic this year. As for your next album? That's still a long way off."
Outwardly, it was hard to tell that Shakira was currently 33 years old. Although the blonde woman in front of him put on a pitiful act, Kayce knew that having been in the music industry for so many years, this woman was definitely not to be underestimated.
"Do you also follow the World Cup? I remember you're a basketball player, and you were selected for the All-Star Game this year."
Shakira felt that the young man in front of her was indeed hard to fool, so she took the opportunity to change the subject again.
"If it weren't for my height, I might have gone to play forward long ago. I've been a Manchester United fan for 30 years, you know, the Dutton Family all Love Manchester United."
Kayce drained the drink in his glass, casually teasing his fan identity.
"Haha, you like watching Premier League games? English football doesn't have much technique. You should watch more Spanish leagues; that's the center of world football. Barcelona is the best club."
Shakira was also a true fan, but it was not easy to find someone who watched football in America.
"Want to make a bet? This year's UEFA Champions League, Guardiola's Barcelona definitely won't win the championship. They're not as strong as fans imagine."
Kayce chuckled, digging a pit for the blonde woman in front of him.
"Are you serious? Let's bet on a song. Barcelona's dominance is unquestionable; they will definitely win the championship. You wouldn't be saying you're backing Manchester United to win, would you!"
Shakira revealed her true intentions; she just wanted a song. Sony Music was very optimistic about Kayce's new album, and industry insiders also recognized Kayce's creative talent.
"No, although I hope Manchester United wins, I'm more optimistic about Mourinho's Inter Milan. The Special One has truly transformed that team."
"If I lose, I'll cover all the songs for your next album. If Inter Milan wins, all my expenses for the South Africa World Cup trip will be on you."
Shakira thought about it; this bet wasn't a loss. She didn't believe the nonsense about Inter Milan winning the championship. She was more willing to believe this was a result of her own charm.
"It's a deal. Even if you lose, we can still go watch the game together. Don't overthink it; I don't have time to play house with little boys."
Shakira said, winking at Kayce.
"Our heights don't match, you know. I think we'll see the result very soon. Don't forget to plan your South Africa itinerary in advance."
Kayce shrugged, a look of 'you're going to lose' on his face. Shakira, hearing Kayce bring up her height again, was fuming inside, but still maintained a smile, even provocatively saying, "It's on me tonight, want to have a few drinks with me?"
"You're sure you're buying me a drink?"
Kayce didn't expect her to provoke him. Seeing Shakira quickly finish the few drinks in front of her and beckon him with a seductive look, Kayce stopped pretending. Tonight, he had to give Shakira some serious competition.
All-Star Weekend meant Dallas was a battlefield recently, with clothes scattered everywhere in the room, indicating the intensity of their battle.
As an excellent offensive player, Kayce's ball-handling skills were absolutely top-notch. Whether it was face-up offense or post-up moves, he was proficient in everything. Coupled with his physical advantage, his play against smaller opponents was utterly dominant.
In certain situations, height isn't an issue. Kayce, with both hands on the ball, launched a series of strong attacks. Shakira could only play passive defense, feeling her body's powerlessness, and hoarsely cried out, "Ah! You're such a beast..."
On the afternoon of February 14th, the selected All-Star players began taking their official photos. They were also scheduled to participate in the fan carnival and various outreach activities with NBA staff.
Kayce and Kevin Durant, as the youngest All-Star players, naturally stood on the side for photos. The center spots were reserved for LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki.
Kayce and Kevin Durant seemed a bit out of place. The veteran players automatically formed a circle: Nash, Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and others were chatting heartily.
The '03 draft class also huddled together, led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh, all chatting happily.
Rajon Rondo clung tightly to Kevin Garnett's leg, joining the circle with the veteran, leaving the few overly young players feeling a bit awkward. As soon as Kayce saw this, he immediately knew it was the older players collectively asserting their seniority.
"It seems we're not very popular. Everyone dislikes young people!"
Kayce light-heartedly joked about his situation. Kevin Durant, hearing Kayce's words, secretly pouted and immediately said, "They were young once too. These boring NBA traditions really should change. Kayce, how did you get lost drinking last night? I only realized something was off when I woke up this morning."
"Uh, I just ran into an old friend and went to her place for a while, to sober up. You know, I drank too much last night."
Kayce had practically played ball all night. It must be said that defense also depends on experience; Shakira was indeed a seasoned defender, with an endless variety of defensive methods.
"How much playing time do you think we'll get? My whole family came to watch, and if I only play for 5 minutes, that would be really lame."
Al Horford had invited all his parents, siblings, aunts, and uncles, but he didn't expect that just for a group photo, various small cliques would form.
"It doesn't matter, less playing time is fine, just more time to rest. It's a boring All-Star Weekend, just an exhibition game anyway."
Derrick Rose stood coolly to the side, also putting on a big shot act. Kayce would give that act a 9 out of 10.
"Don't worry, you'll at least get 10 minutes of playing time, Al. Are your family members all in front-row seats? Watching a game from the back of Cowboys Stadium requires binoculars."
Kayce comforted Al Horford. This All-Star Game was almost a replica of an NCAA game. Cowboys Stadium wasn't completely finished yet, but seating 100,000 people was easy.
David Lee remained silent. He always felt his stats were inferior to everyone else's, and the thought of playing in front of 100,000 spectators tonight made the nervousness in his heart linger.
"Alright, we still have a practice session this afternoon. The media will be there to take photos, so everyone remember to perform well!"
"Dunk a few times, many young fans will be there. The older players need to set an example. Nash, remember to organize everyone well."
Coach George Karl and Stan Van Gundy briefly instructed their respective players. This was the most important part of the fan carnival, and they couldn't afford to perform poorly. These players represented the face of the NBA.
"Yeah! Don't worry, sir!" "We're good!"
Kayce couldn't help but feel a headache coming on at the thought of all the miscellaneous activities. He had changed his red All-Star uniform many times today, which was truly exhausting.
Finally, the evening arrived, and the All-Star activities slowly began. The first event was the H.O.R.S.E. competition, which was actually quite interesting. Three players took turns shooting in bizarre ways, and each person had to replicate their opponent's shot.
However, Kevin Durant's opponents were a bit weak. Rajon Rondo and Kaspi's shooting abilities were clearly much weaker than Kevin Durant's. Although Charles Barkley tried to interfere with the shots, Kevin Durant still won easily.
Kayce watched from the sidelines, also very happy. Seeing Kevin Durant successfully defend his title, he immediately offered his congratulations: "That's awesome, Bro. If you had used your super long-range shot earlier, they would have been eliminated much sooner, haha. Rajon Rondo and Kaspi even had several air balls."
"That's a matter of skill. I didn't expect to win so easily. The NBA should invite you to participate next year. I think our skills are similar, and the competition could be even more exciting."
Kevin Durant was wearing a white training uniform, with the Thunder logo on his left chest and the number 35 on his right chest. Without those bizarre color schemes, he looked somewhat handsome overall.
The Shooting Stars event was also very popular, especially when Dirk Nowitzki of the Texas team hit a half-court three-pointer, erupting in a huge cheer from the crowd. This was the advantage of playing at home!
The subsequent Three-Point Contest was somewhat uneventful. Defending champion Cook completely fell apart. Chauncey Billups and Steph Curry also performed mediocrely. Ultimately, Paul Pierce won with a score of 20 points.
This score, in Kayce's opinion, was indeed a bit low. The audience's mood was also not high. This game was almost like picking the tallest among the short, and Paul Pierce won somewhat by luck.
"Kayce, the NBA should consider letting you participate. I think 20 points is really too easy for you."
Russell felt the game was a bit boring and couldn't help but complain to Kayce next to him.
"Indeed, next year Kayce could consider signing up. With normal play, I think he could at least get 24 points. Winning a Three-Point Contest would be pretty good!"
Jeff Green, who had been living a life of debauchery for several days, also came to the venue tonight. His good brothers Kayce and Kevin Durant had both made it to the All-Star Game, and tonight he was their cheerleader.
"We'll see if there's an opportunity in the future. I feel my shooting percentage is higher when I'm being defended. I should be a practical three-point shooter!"
Hearing Kayce's words, Russell and Jeff Green were a bit speechless. This was something that couldn't be refuted, but they still felt like Kayce was just showing off.
When the Slam Dunk Contest began, it thoroughly disappointed the audience. It was truly a disaster, with several consecutive players failing difficult dunk attempts and hastily finishing the competition with ordinary moves.
The atmosphere in the arena never heated up. Kayce and James Harden both shook their heads helplessly after DeRozan failed several dunks. The audience wouldn't buy into ordinary moves.
Sure enough, the final Slam Dunk Contest champion was again Nate Robinson. The audience, of course, valued visual spectacle, and the 'little potato' benefited from his height, barely beating DeRozan with 51% of the votes.
"Come on! Bro, try to compete again next year. We'll win another dunk championship then!"
After the game, James Harden comforted his good brother.
Kayce looked at the dejected DeRozan and couldn't help but think of his unlucky 'superficial brother' Griffin. Next year's Slam Dunk Contest should be better, he thought.
Before the All-Star Game began, in the Western Conference locker room, Coach George Karl announced a strategy:
"Guys, pass the ball a lot when you're on the court. I want to see Nowitzki win the MVP of this game. Play some defense too, and make some exciting plays. You don't want to disappoint the fans, do you?"
"Yeah! We completely obey your arrangements, let's go, guys!"
Steve Nash was the first to stand up and respond to the Coach's words. He also wanted to help his good brother Nowitzki win MVP in this game, and he wholeheartedly supported this strategy.
Kayce and Kevin Durant also responded in a perfunctory manner. They were both bench players, so this matter didn't really concern them.
"It seems we won't get much playing time. Is this what the All-Star Game is like? It feels particularly boring."
During the final warm-up, Kevin Durant whispered a complaint to Kayce beside him.
"It's good enough to even play. But since we're coming off the bench, we can play freely. Let's see how the game goes, and then, you know."
Kayce had anticipated this situation. The All-Star Game was all about seniority. However, if he had the chance, he wanted to stir things up.
"Hehe, I like your plan. Luckily, both of us made the All-Star team. Playing alone would be too boring."
While Kayce and Kevin Durant planned to seize the opportunity to stir things up, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh on the Eastern side were also whispering. They didn't want to easily give the MVP award to Nowitzki.
"Carmelo Anthony will be fully focused on scoring in the West, so we need to keep up. Everyone must help each other. It's a happy occasion no matter who wins the award!"
LeBron James, acting like the leader, planned tonight's game strategy.
"Don't worry, LeBron. The prerequisite for winning MVP is the team winning. As long as we beat the Western team, the MVP will definitely come from one of us."
Bosh believed that the exhibition game was best suited for James and Wade to perform, and he planned to assist them in this game.
"We'll see how it goes. If we can maintain a lead, then we'll try for the MVP. If we're losing by too much, I'd rather come off early and rest."
Wade, on the other hand, appeared very laid-back. He also didn't want to exert too much in this game. The Heat currently relied solely on him for everything, and he had put all his focus on the remaining regular season games.
...
When the All-Star Game began, the atmosphere in the arena was still quite lively. With 100,000 people present, even a slight gasp could create a feeling of a roaring mountain and surging sea. Sitting on the bench, Kayce felt as if he was back in the NCAA.
After Stoudemire helped the Western team win the tip-off, Steve Nash quickly dribbled past half-court. The Western team's starting lineup had three big players, so making the game play well was not an easy task.
Tim Duncan mostly just slacked off, Dirk Nowitzki preferred to float outside and shoot, and Stoudemire was the only one who played attractively, but he still relied on Nash's drive .
As for Carmelo Anthony, this 'human jump shot essence' wasn't very good at playing in exhibition games like this.
In the first few minutes, the Western Conference team played particularly poorly, all making 'iron-blooded' long two-point jump shots.
Only Stoudemire occasionally dunked.
The Eastern Conference team was completely different.
Even with similar 'iron-blooded' long two-point jump shots, Kevin Garnett would pound his chest after making a shot, showing extreme excitement.
Combined with his and Howard's passionate defense, and James' and Wade's fast break dunks, the game immediately became much more exciting.
Joe Johnson was still playing by the book, but even he would occasionally show off some fancy moves, with a few crossovers that drew cheers from the audience.
In the CCTV studio, after more than 7 minutes of play, Zhang finally couldn't help but complain:
"The Western Conference isn't playing well at all. They should quickly put Kayce in, and Kevin Durant too.
Let those two charge in and liven up the atmosphere."
"Indeed, it's hard for these three Western Conference big men to make beautiful fast-break dunks.
At this point, they need to substitute in guards and forwards."
Yang Yi, watching the somewhat dull All-Star game, strongly agreed with Zhang's opinion: "They should quickly substitute Kayce in!"
Coach George Karl frowned, seeing the somewhat ugly situation on the court.
Noticing there were just over three minutes left in the first quarter, he took advantage of a dead ball to substitute out the slacking Duncan, the non-attacking Nash, and the constantly jump-shooting Anthony.
Jason Kidd, Kayce, and Kevin Durant were substituted in.
The Eastern Conference All-Star team also took the opportunity to make substitutions, taking out the chest-pounding Kevin Garnett for Chris Bosh, and replacing the less impactful Joe Johnson with Derrick Rose.
After Kayce entered the court and saw the lineup, he chuckled to himself.
Kidd was also slacking off, so he would get almost all of the possession.
If the Eastern Conference team wanted to win, they would have to ask him first.
Sure enough, when the Western Conference team attacked, Kidd touched the ball twice and immediately passed it to Kayce.
Kayce dribbled the ball across half-court with his left hand, then faced Wade's defense from the right 45-degree angle outside the three-point line.
He slightly pushed the ball forward with his left hand, quickly pulled it back with his right, changed his footwork, and easily shook off Wade with a wide Sam Cassell move.
He then accelerated with the ball in his right hand, driving straight into the restricted area.
Seeing Bosh's symbolic help defense, he made a bounce pass to Nowitzki, who received the ball and, in one fluid motion, made a simple dunk.
"Ah!!!"
Dallas fans in the American Airlines Center began cheering loudly for Nowitzki.
Finally, a dunk! The previous 'iron-blooded' jump shots were too boring.
"Kayce's crossover move was so beautiful! We really need to put in young players; they play with passion, and that makes the game exciting!"
When the Eastern Conference All-Star team attacked, Rose was also quite 'Zen-like', still giving the ball to James.
The latter gestured and directed traffic at the top of the three-point arc, planning a feint to pass directly to Howard under the basket.
Unfortunately, the pass was directly intercepted by the disrespectful Kayce.
After stealing the ball, he accelerated wildly, instantly rushing across half-court.
Noticing James chasing him from behind, Kayce made a bank pass.
Kevin Durant, arriving on horseback from behind, caught the ball with both hands, briefly glided through the air, and slammed the ball into the basket with one hand!
"Clang!" A successful fast-break dunk.
LeBron James gave an awkward smile.
He tried to show off but got countered by Kayce and Kevin Durant.
He felt a bit annoyed: "You guys are too disrespectful!"
The Eastern Conference All-Star team attacked.
This time, Wade and Bosh ran a pick-and-roll.
After splitting, Bosh received the pass and completed a powerful one-handed dunk.
In the next possession, Kayce dribbled the ball directly across half-court.
Facing LeBron James's defense, after a series of between-the-legs dribbles, he held the ball in his right hand, suddenly raised his center of gravity to fake a drive, then quickly dribbled behind his back, turned quickly with his left hand, and instantly slipped past the defense.
While moving, he made a fake pass that left Howard standing still, then tossed the ball with his left hand to Stoudemire under the basket, who easily completed an alley-oop dunk.
"Wow!!!"
The audience at the American Airlines Center, seeing Kayce consecutively shake off two defenders and assist Stoudemire for a complete dunk, all cheered excitedly.
This was the All-Star game they had been waiting for; you had to show off!
In the remaining few minutes of the first quarter, Kayce did not take any shots, focusing more on assisting his teammates.
Kevin Durant, however, was in full attack mode, immediately shooting whenever he got the ball.
Without much defensive pressure, Kevin Durant was frighteningly accurate.
By the end of the first quarter, the Western Conference All-Star team had caught up, and the score was tied at 37.
During the break, Kevin Durant raised an eyebrow at Kayce, signaling to continue with their plan.
In the early part of the second quarter, all the substitute players from both sides entered the game.
Deron Williams and Kayce partnered in the backcourt, Kevin Durant and Randolph formed the frontcourt, and Pau Gasol played center.
On the other side, Rajon Rondo, Gerald Wallace, Paul Pierce, David Lee, and Al Horford also made their appearance.
But after the two sides played, Coach Stan Van Gundy immediately realized the situation was not good; his players were all 'head-down' players, and the offensive space on the court was somewhat constipated.
The Western Conference All-Star team's three-pointers began to take effect.
Kayce launched a direct assault, sinking three three-pointers in just over a minute after the start, with Deron Williams and Kevin Durant also firing away.
The Eastern Conference All-Star team missed their shots.
After securing the rebound, Kayce's side pushed the transition offense.
The game became exceptionally lively, with three-pointers and dunks constantly happening, thrilling the audience.
In the limited three-plus minutes, the Western Conference All-Star team went on a 14-6 run, and then Kayce and Kevin Durant were substituted out.
Sitting on the bench, Kayce chuckled to himself, "As long as I'm on the court, the Western Conference All-Star team won't lose."
"Nice job, Bro, you might not have noticed LeBron James's expression.
When he saw us take the lead, his expression instantly became serious."
Kevin Durant also knew he wouldn't have much playing time.
His and Kayce's plan was for one person to set the pace and the other to score points, and this strategy was currently very successful.
"Haha, even if we don't get the All-Star MVP, we definitely can't let the other side have it. Let's continue in the second half and try to make the fourth quarter garbage time."
Kayce and Kevin Durant whispered constantly on the sidelines, grinning mischievously.
On the court, LeBron James and Wade felt the momentum shift back to the Western Conference team.
With Nash's playmaking, Nowitzki was in full attack mode, his outside shots swishing in.
Nash was on the court solely to assist Nowitzki, clearly aiming to ensure his good friend won the All-Star MVP.
In the remaining minutes of the second quarter, the excitement level decreased somewhat.
At halftime, the Western Conference All-Star team led 75-65, a 10-point lead.
"After Kayce left the court, the game became lukewarm. They really need to use young players more!"
Zhang continued to criticize Coach George Karl's player rotation strategy.
"There's also a Skills Challenge at halftime. Let's see if Kayce can win the championship. Steve Nash is in really good form!"
Yang Yi took the opportunity to change the subject, "Sir, please stop complaining about the game."
The Skills Challenge is actually very simple.
The entire process involves scoring under the basket, dribbling around cones, chest passing, bounce passing, and a three-point shot, then repeating the cycle once.
As the youngest contestant, Kayce was naturally the first to compete.
Hearing the arena DJ introduce Kayce, the audience at the American Airlines Center gave him a considerable cheer.
The host asked the routine question:
"Kayce, anything you want to say before the competition?"
"I'm here to win the championship!"
Kayce said confidently and loudly, and the crowd erupted in another round of cheers.
"This is getting exciting! Everyone wants to see fierce competition."
"Cool! I like your confidence! Are you ready? Ready, Go!"
Kayce quickly made a layup, then accelerated his dribbling.
He passed the simple cone dribble exceptionally quickly, and both the chest pass and bounce pass were successful on the first try.
Upon reaching the three-point line, he didn't adjust, just grabbed the ball and shot.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in without touching the rim.
"Oh!!!"
The audience was already gasping in amazement.
It was too fast; he completed everything on the first attempt.
In the second half of the course, Kayce maintained his rhythm, easily completing all segments.
After his final layup, the clock stopped at 26.7 seconds.
"Kayce is amazing! This is already close to Deron Williams's Skills Challenge record from 2008. It's safe to say he's advanced to the next round!"
Yang Yi's praises never stopped, he just kept on gushing.
The second contestant, Russell, was a bit stunned.
Kayce was too strong, creating some psychological pressure for him.
As a result, Russell indeed faltered!
He took three attempts to complete both the passing and three-point shooting segments, finishing in 44.6 seconds.
The third contestant, Brandon Jennings, didn't fare much better, performing similarly to Russell at 42.8 seconds.
Finally, the veteran Nash competed, and he wasn't much better, finishing in 39.7 seconds, barely making it to the finals.
But unfortunately, perhaps due to over-exertion in the first half of the All-Star game, Nash's performance in the finals was also very average, at 32.9 seconds.
The audience immediately applauded the veteran; he was once a star guard for Dallas!
Kayce, the last to compete, had no pressure.
He once again completed everything on the first attempt, finishing in 24.9 seconds, and in the process, broke Deron Williams's Skills Challenge record.
During the simple awards ceremony, hearing the cheers erupt from the crowd, Kayce smiled slightly, raised the trophy, and thought to himself with a smug grin:
"I didn't even try hard, and all my opponents fell. This is what you call a 'record-breaker'!"
However, once the second half of the All-Star game began, Kayce could only slack off on the bench.
Steve Nash on the court was desperately passing the ball to Nowitzki, and the Western Conference All-Star team's score was rapidly climbing.
By the time there were just over 5 minutes left in the third quarter, the Western Conference All-Star team was already leading by 16 points.
These veteran players were treating the All-Star game like a regular season game, playing with extreme seriousness.
It must be said that Nash was indeed a master of controlling the game.
By the time Kayce and Kevin Durant re-entered the game, it was almost garbage time.
Of course, according to the script, after Kayce and Kevin Durant came in, they should have tried their best to lose, allowing the Eastern Conference All-Star team to catch up.
But unfortunately, Kayce and Kevin Durant were there to stir things up.
They immediately launched a fierce assault after entering the game.
Kayce made flashy crossovers and assists, while Kevin Durant focused on scoring.
LeBron James was furious on the sidelines:
"You guys are disrespecting the tradition of the All-Star game!"
After all the action, Kayce had 9 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists in three quarters, while Kevin Durant had 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist in three quarters.
The point difference had already reached 20 points, so there was basically no suspense left.
In the final quarter, although the Eastern Conference All-Star team fought back, the combination of Nash and Nowitzki easily withstood the pressure.
Ultimately, the game ended with a score of 146-132, with the Western Conference All-Star team winning comfortably.
Honestly, the game wasn't particularly attractive to watch, especially with the Western Conference veterans mostly relying on 'iron-blooded' jump shots.
But the audience at the American Airlines Center was very happy!
Because their star player, Dirk Nowitzki, would receive the MVP award for this All-Star game.
When Nowitzki raised the All-Star MVP trophy, all the fans erupted in their most enthusiastic cheers!
"Ah!!!"
Kayce saw the somewhat dejected expressions of the 2003 draft class and almost burst out laughing, thinking gleefully to himself:
"The awards I can't get, you guys won't get easily either. I'm serious about causing trouble!"