The 2009-2010 NBA regular season was nearing its end, and with it, the various regular season awards were about to be decided.
All the attention was focused on these awards, with media reporters and basketball commentators frequently expressing their opinions publicly.
Aside from the Rookie of the Year award, which was a foregone conclusion, the other awards had sparked fierce debates among star fans and the media.
Any program related to the NBA would inevitably discuss the awards.
The most talked-about award, of course, was the Regular Season MVP.
This season, the Thunder had emerged as a dark horse, and Durant had climbed to second place on the Regular Season MVP candidate list, surpassing Kobe Bryant and trailing only LeBron James.
On TNT's NBA 24 Hours program, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley also followed the hot topic, beginning to discuss Durant's rise in the rankings.
"Charles, with the regular season almost over, who do you think will win this season's MVP? Your previous pick, Kobe, has already been overtaken by Durant in the rankings."
Kenny Smith began to tease his old partner, whose predictions were rarely accurate.
"If I had to pick someone else, I'd cast my vote for LeBron James.
At the start of the season, the Cavaliers' lineup wasn't gelling well, and their record was a mess!"
"But LeBron James stepped up as a leader, and as the season progressed, the Cavaliers' performance got better and better."
Charles Barkley seriously stated his favored winner.
"Wow! Why not Kevin Durant? If I were voting, I would definitely vote for Durant. He has a very high chance of winning the scoring title this season, he's the best player on the Thunder, and his performance is absolutely on par with LeBron James."
Kenny Smith naturally put forth a different viewpoint, as TNT's program philosophy was all about heated debates.
"Durant has played very well, but I still believe the true core of the Thunder is Kayce. Durant is an excellent scorer, but he hasn't made his teammates better."
Charles Barkley, not to be outdone, immediately gave his reasons.
It is well known that the NBA Regular Season MVP is chosen by a joint vote of America reporters, Canada reporters, and basketball commentators.
Everyone can choose 5 players and write their names from 1 to 5.
The first-place player receives 10 points, with subsequent players receiving 7, 5, 3, and 1 points respectively.
Everyone's top 5 choices will naturally differ, but the unwritten rule is that selections should come from teams with one of the top four records in the league.
Candidates must be core players for their team, have good statistics, and decent attendance.
Of course, there's also the most important point: having a good relationship with the media reporters.
Unless your performance is significantly better than all other players, why would anyone put you in first place?
Kenny Smith heard Charles Barkley's reasoning, burst out laughing, and immediately retorted:
"The team's highest scorer is, of course, the team's core. With Durant drawing attention, Kayce plays even better. The Thunder have their own offensive system, and Durant serves as the team's core scorer."
"OK, I admit Durant's scoring ability is strong, but you should also look at LeBron James's teammates!"
"His most reliable scoring option is Mo Williams, which is simply incomparable to Kayce. Considering the difficulty of leading the team, LeBron James should be the one to win the award."
Charles Barkley changed his reasoning and continued the debate.
"You're comparing a rookie with a veteran, that's not fair!"
"The Thunder are almost all rookies, and achieving their current record is even more admirable. Durant, as a third-year rookie, has done very well.
You're being hypocritical!"
Kenny Smith immediately became displeased upon hearing this and retorted sharply.
"I'm stating a fact. If you put me on a team with Michael Jordan during his rookie year, the games would definitely be easier, we might even win the NBA Finals.
You have to consider the actual situation; being a rookie doesn't mean weak immediate combat power."
"No matter how strong they are, they are still rookies, and this should be a bonus. We've all been players; you should understand how difficult it is for a rookie team to achieve what the Thunder have!"
"OK, by your logic, then I'll cast my vote for Kayce. I support him winning the Regular Season MVP."
"You're being unreasonable! We're discussing players on the MVP candidate list; you can't go outside that framework!"
"That list is a pile of crap, and I don't agree with it!"
Durant, who was resting in his hotel, immediately turned off the TV when he saw this, angrily cursing:
"F*** you! That dog-shit Barkley, difficulty of leading a team? I'm not the team manager. Is it my fault that the team roster is reasonable? Is it my fault that Kayce is strong?"
After finishing the game against the Raptors, Durant returned to his hotel, happily surfing the internet.
While scrolling through Twitter, he saw that he had risen to second place on the MVP candidate list, which put him in a great mood.
However, after watching the TNT program, he was utterly furious.
Durant immediately switched to his alt account and began to rally his discussion group members, silently vowing:
"I have to absolutely roast this fat pig and make him stop slandering me on TV every day. You're a piece of trash who can't even win an NBA Finals by riding coattails.
From now on, you'll never get any positive reviews from me!"
Kayce, resting at the hotel, didn't bother with those boring NBA programs.
He knew that the regular season awards were about to begin, but as a rookie, an MVP award was basically out of the question.
At most, he'd make an All-NBA Team; First Team was a bit of a stretch, but Third Team was pretty solid.
After a quick shower, Kayce lay on the hotel's large bed, looking at the pile of unread text messages on his phone, feeling a headache coming on.
Then he saw a flood of messages on Facebook and Twitter and was completely overwhelmed.
He couldn't be blamed for this.
Ever since he sang a song at that Toronto restaurant, a few fans had uploaded the video to YouTube, and the views had exploded.
Originally, "Shape of You" was already hovering in the Billboard Top 10, and now it had become a small hit again.
"Looks like I'll have to open a burner account when I get the chance, otherwise, this many unread messages is going to drive my OCD crazy!"
In the Dream Training Space, Kayce finally saw the upgrade prompt above the Achievement Room on the control panel again, and a sigh of relief escaped him.
It seemed that having all silver badges was about to be completed.
Upon entering the Achievement Room, Kayce first checked the experience status of all his badges.
After a quick estimation, he confirmed that there was no hope of upgrading to gold this season, but seeing the large number of silver badges still made him very happy.
He lightly touched the newly upgraded silver badge in front of him to check its attribute changes:
Achievement Badge [fadeaway King]: 3/500
Enhances the ability to perform post-up fadeaway shots and improves shooting stability.
Kayce saw that it was another attribute that improved shooting stability.
This attribute effect was actually very good, ensuring that he could still exert force smoothly even with distorted movements, but it didn't directly increase his shooting percentage, which still left him slightly disappointed.
He thought helplessly:
"An upgrade is good, but I still need to continue with Hot Zone shooting training."
On March 21st, the Thunder flew to Yin Di An Na, where they would challenge the Pacers on the road.
The day after this game, there was a back-to-back game against the Spurs.
Kayce was already too exhausted to complain about such a grueling schedule.
"Kevin, did you have trouble sleeping last night? Congratulations on rising to second place on the MVP candidate list.
Perhaps you have a chance to win this award this season!"
On the plane, Kayce saw a listless Durant next to him and offered a simple congratulation.
"Thanks, Bro, but I basically don't have much hope of winning MVP. I bet 80% of the media votes will go to LeBron James; he's Nike's top star."
Although Durant appeared calm on the surface, he was secretly fuming:
"Let James jump around for a while. Once I sign that 10-year, 300 million dollar super contract in the offseason, Nike's top star will be me!"
"Perhaps the NBA should change the Regular Season MVP selection rules. Many media and commentators don't even understand basketball; they've never even played, yet they get to vote on this award.
That's so unfair!"
Jeff Green also complained about the selection rules on behalf of his good friend.
"If I'm not mistaken, the league seems to have changed the rules this year, adding a fan voting component. The top 5 vote-getters also get normal points, but I feel like this rule change won't make much difference; it's still mainly about media votes."
Russell also had an MVP heart and was constantly monitoring changes in the rules.
"Such a modification won't change the voting results; it's just a way to appease the fans. Actually, the league should move the award ceremonies for all awards to after the NBA Finals, which would avoid some awkward situations."
"In the 2006-2007 season, the Mavericks played great, and Dirk Nowitzki won the Regular Season MVP, but unfortunately, he was successfully upset by the Warriors in the first round. Guys, I still remember how incredibly awkward Nowitzki was when he received the award."
Collison recalled the embarrassing scene of the award ceremony back then, complaining with a wry smile.
"Why doesn't the NBA hold an awards ceremony similar to the ESPYs? Before the end of the season, we could just announce the list of nominees, and then after the NBA Finals are over, announce the winners at the awards ceremony.
That would be much more reasonable!"
Kostić also envisioned future possibilities; although his own chances of winning an award were low, watching the excitement was still very enjoyable.
"Judging by the current trend, an awards ceremony is out of the question. Perhaps we'll even face the crisis of a lockout."
Menor, thinking about the possibility of losing his job, suddenly felt his future was bleak.
Role players like him certainly didn't want a league lockout, as he had grown accustomed to spending lavishly and truly had no savings.
"Oh! Shit! Shut up, don't bring up those depressing things!"
"There definitely won't be a lockout.
Anyway, we can play as usual next season, so there's no point in thinking that far ahead!"
Kayce listened to everyone's chatter, constantly going off-topic, and suddenly information about the future flashed through his mind:
"Lockout, huge salary cap increase... current players probably can't even imagine how much money future superstars will earn."
The Indiana Pacers currently held a record of 23 wins and 46 losses.
Theoretically, they still had a chance to make the Playoffs, provided that the Bulls, ranked 8th, and the Raptors, ranked 9th, started losing consistently.
Despite the team's poor record and seemingly no hope for the Playoffs, Conseco Fieldhouse had a very good attendance tonight.
Many fans had bought tickets specifically to see the Thunder.
After a season of games, NBA fans had also discovered that the Thunder played a truly entertaining brand of basketball.
Regardless of wins or losses, you could see fast-paced offense and defense, explosive dunks, and spectacular Crossovers in Thunder games.
Watching them live was definitely worth it.
However, just over 4 minutes into the game, Durant twisted his ankle during a drive and fell to the ground in pain.
"Oh!!"
The Conseco Arena crowd also gasped when they saw Durant fall to the ground clutching his ankle.
Coach Brooks and the Coaching Staff were instantly terrified. If their starting scorer got injured at this point, their Playoffs hopes would truly be dashed.
"F*ck!"
Coach Brooks cursed under his breath, quickly signaling for Doctor to check on him. After a long while, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Durant able to stand up on his own and limp towards the bench with the help of his teammates.
"It's not a big problem, just a minor sprain. To be safe, let's take Kevin out for the first half!"
Hearing Doctor confirm Durant's injury, Coach Brooks finally let out a long breath and quickly substituted Durant, while also admonishing his players:
"Watch your movements, guys. We must stay healthy. There are only a little over 10 games left, and I don't want to see any of your names on the injury list for the first round of the Playoffs!"
"I feel fine, Coach. Let me rest for 5 minutes, and I can still play."
Durant was still thinking about his scoring spree, after all, LeBron James was chasing him fiercely, and he didn't want to suddenly falter in the last dozen regular season games.
"You'll sit on the bench for the first half. During halftime, we'll see how things are. The outcome of one or two games isn't important!"
Durant could only sit on the bench helplessly after hearing Coach Brooks's words. Although it hurt a lot at the time, he could feel that his ankle was only slightly twisted, and it was much better now.
Kayce was also startled. If Durant were really injured at this point, then the Playoffs would truly depend on him to explode with scoring. Durant, that hard-headed kid, the Indiana Pacers' paint was full of people, yet he still charged in.
Troy Murphy and Roy Hibbert are both big men over 210cm. Both play drop coverage. Plus, with their matchups also brought into the paint, there were feet everywhere after landing, so twisting an ankle was highly likely.
"Ibaka, when you're on the court, focus on protecting the rebounds. Communicate more with your teammates on defense. We'll continue with the 3-2 zone. Kayce, if you see an opportunity, shoot decisively. Use more jump shots and charge into the paint less."
Kayce heard Coach Brooks's words and immediately nodded, indicating he understood. With a dozen regular season games left, his main offensive method now was his Iron-Blooded Jumper. If he could dunk when driving in, he would, but he absolutely wouldn't try any fancy moves. It was a pure, conservative playstyle.
The game resumed with the Thunder on offense. Serge Ibaka set a high screen. Kayce drove to the left with the ball, easily shaking off Brandon Rush's defense, and pulled up for a jump shot from the left elbow of the free-throw line.
"Swish" The mid-range shot went in steadily.
Kayce was a bit speechless seeing Roy Hibbert continue to play drop coverage. Both big men almost exclusively guarded the paint. Was this to rack up rebound stats?
When the Indiana Pacers attacked, Danny Granger received the ball and executed a pick-and-roll with Troy Murphy. After the screen, Troy Murphy quickly popped out, received a bounce pass, and shot a three-pointer from beyond the arc.
"Swish" The three-pointer went straight through the net.
Kostić didn't expect the opponent to shoot without adjusting, so he reacted a beat late and immediately indicated that it was his fault.
Kayce's expression was strange. Playing against the Indiana Pacers, he felt like he was seeing the Nets' interior pairing. Lopez and Yi Jianlian were one inside, one outside. He didn't expect the Indiana Pacers to be the same. As long as Roy Hibbert was inside, Troy Murphy would shoot from outside. Perhaps they had an agreement on how to rack up points.
In the first quarter, after Durant left due to injury, the game became uneventful. The Thunder's offensive space shrank significantly. Although Kayce's mid-range was very accurate, Russell was in the sewers again.
Kayce had figured out Russell's sewer-diving schedule. When the schedule was tight, if he played well in the first two games, there was a high probability he'd struggle in the third. As for Jeff Green, he shot well in the first quarter, but in the second quarter, the basket was basically blocked!
The second quarter unfolded exactly as Kayce had predicted, with Jeff Green slowly starting to clang shots again.
Seeing Jeff Green miss two consecutive shots, looking a bit embarrassed, Kayce smiled and comforted him during the retreat:
"Keep shooting when you're open. The Indiana Pacers won't guard you out there. Their strategy for this game is to let us shoot from the outside. Keep shooting decisively, Bro!"
Kayce also understood the Indiana Pacers players' thoughts. Since they were most likely out of the Playoffs, there was no need to exert themselves on defense. Except for Danny Granger, who was still full of vigor, the other few players who came off the bench clearly just wanted to rack up some offensive stats.
However, the Thunder's offense also ran into a small problem: they couldn't make open shots.
By halftime, the score was 48:54, with the Thunder trailing by 6 points on the road. Kayce played exceptionally steadily, scoring 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in the first half, with no free throws and a perfect 10-for-10 from mid-range.
Under such drop coverage, as long as he was in a shooting hot zone, Kayce's silver badges allowed him to easily achieve over 50% shooting accuracy.
At halftime, Russell and Jeff Green were both a bit embarrassed. Such situations had occurred in previous games, but with Durant, the Thunder's offense could still hold up. Tonight, they were completely exposed.
"What's wrong, Russell? You should continue to shoot in the second half. The Indiana Pacers' two big men won't come out to defend. You should kill them with mid-range shots. Don't tell me you lack confidence in your shooting."
Kayce noticed Russell's low spirits and immediately teased him with a smile. Everyone has ups and downs, and the Thunder's trio had played almost every game. It was normal for their shooting to fluctuate towards the end of the regular season.
"Our three-point shooting in the first half was 2-for-8, which is still pretty good. Green, keep shooting when you get the chance. I'll still pass you the ball when I'm on the court in the second half."
Durant had been watching the first half from the bench, itching to play. Noticing Jeff Green's low spirits, he immediately reassured him. Even if he missed, he still had to pass the ball; this was his number one supporter.
"Phew, I believe my touch will definitely return in the second half!"
Russell also adjusted his mindset. Since Kayce joined the team, he had rarely forced shots when cold, but facing the Indiana Pacers' defensive strategy, he felt he should respond.
Jeff Green also nodded. Anyway, it wasn't the first time this had happened. If the outside was open, he still had to shoot.
Coach Brooks didn't overemphasize tactical arrangements at halftime. This was the true level of the Thunder's perimeter. When Kayce and Durant were on the court together, the perimeter offense was guaranteed.
So far, Durant's three-point shooting percentage is 40.3%. Although it's slightly down from last season, such a percentage is already terrifyingly accurate.
Coupled with Kayce's 38.6% three-point shooting percentage, it can be said that the Thunder have the most potent perimeter combination in the entire NBA. More importantly, both are forward-sized, which will be a huge advantage in the Playoffs.
"Alright, boys, in the second half, we'll stick to our previous game plan. Don't worry about winning or losing one game. At this stage, the most important thing for us is to identify problems and then solve them."
"After this game, we can go back to Oklahoma City. Four consecutive home games are enough for us to get some good rest."
"Oh!!"
After the second half began, the Indiana Pacers continued to use their previous defensive strategy, completely abandoning the Thunder's power forward, with both big men completely camped in the paint. This was a lesson the Indiana Pacers learned after their last encounter with the Thunder: you can't have both inside and outside defense, you can only give up one.
In the third quarter, Kayce didn't attack frequently, but rather gave more possessions to Durant and Russell. Most of the time, he was 'smoking' in the corner, creating offensive space for his teammates.
Durant's ankle was slightly sprained, but this did not affect his game. Facing Granger's defense, he crossed over, suddenly dribbled behind his back with his right hand, changed direction twice in front of his body, completely shaking off the defense, and pulled up for a jump shot.
"Swish" The mid-range shot went in easily.
Coach Brooks was completely relieved to see Durant's excellent form.
Roy's mid-range shot also found its touch in the second half, consistently hitting mid-range shots from the free-throw line. So, while this style of play might seem a bit soft, if the ball goes into the basket, it's a good shot, and the home crowd also started cheering for Hibbert's baskets.
Led by the arena DJ, the home crowd also cooperated by shouting for the home team's defense:
"Defense! Defense! Defense!!"
With Russell and Kostić's high pick-and-roll, Troy Murphy didn't follow up, and Russell didn't hesitate, taking a mid-range jump shot near the free-throw line.
"Bang" Another miss.
Seeing Roy Hibbert grab the rebound, Russell walked back on defense dejectedly. It was a great opportunity, but he just couldn't make the shot.
Such continuous misses became a microcosm of the Thunder's offense in the second half. Apart from Kayce and Durant, who continued to perform steadily, the other teammates were somewhat listless. With the offense struggling, the defense was also affected, and there were missed assignments in the zone defense.
Ultimately, 106:112, the Thunder lost to the Indiana Pacers on the road. Kayce shot 14-for-16 from the field, 2-for-2 from three-point range, and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, scoring a team-high 34 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 turnovers, once again demonstrating his terrifying perimeter firepower.
Although the game was lost, Coach Brooks was in a good mood. The Coaching Staff also discovered that as the regular season neared its end, Kayce's condition was getting better and better, and he showed no signs of any physical problems. This was simply superhuman.
The doctor had long noticed that Kayce's physical recovery ability was out of the ordinary. During therapy, he noticed that Kayce hadn't sweated much after the game, and could only secretly complain in his heart:
"Unscientific body, God is truly unfair! Talent really does allow you to do whatever you want."
On March 22nd, the Thunder, who had just returned to Oklahoma City, were scheduled to face the San Antonio Spurs that evening. The continuous back-to-back road games made it difficult for everyone to get energized.
Coach Popovich naturally wouldn't miss such an opportunity. The Thunder currently had a 54-14 record, ranking second in the Western Conference. For the 7th-ranked Spurs, tonight was about taking down a rich team, sharing the spoils, and solidifying their own ranking.
The Spurs' Coaching Staff were actually quite satisfied with their current ranking. With a 41-27 record, they were seventh in the Western Conference. If this trend continued, they would face the Thunder in the first round of the Playoffs.
Among the top 4 opponents, the Thunder were the youngest and had no Playoffs experience. If they wanted to get through the first round, the Thunder were indeed a good opponent.
Coach Popovich also didn't want to face old veterans like the Lakers, Mavericks, or Suns. Young teams were ultimately easier to play against, especially since even their Head Coach was a rookie. Such opponents were hard to find.
Before the game, in the visiting team's locker room, Coach Popovich was drawing on the tactics board while instructing his players:
"The opponent has played several away games in a row and is playing back-to-back. Their physical stamina and focus will both decrease. Tony, how to break the zone defense is up to you, but what I need to emphasize is that baseline position."
"Richard, you need to increase your off-ball cuts along the baseline. When Tim has the ball in the high post, both you and Antonio need to move. Don't just wait on the perimeter for the pass."
"A zone defense always has weaknesses. Tony is responsible for controlling the pace of the game. George, you also need to make more strong-side to weak-side transfers. Openings will appear on both wings, and you must seize these opportunities!"
Coach Popovich ranted a lot in front of the whiteboard, but found his players unresponsive, all staring straight at him. He immediately got angry and roared:
"Give me some feedback! Guys!"
"Yes, sir!"
Popovich rubbed his temples helplessly. It was all Tim Duncan's fault for making everyone on the team so dull.
When the game started that evening, Kayce found that Manu Ginobili was defending him. Coach Popovich had actually changed the starting lineup, putting Manu Ginobili directly into the starting five.
Clearly, after their last encounter, the Spurs' Coaching Staff had realized that George Hill was basically a freebie against Kayce, completely overwhelmed by Kayce on both offense and defense. So, for this game where they were going all out for a win, Manu Ginobili appeared directly in the starting lineup.
After tip-off, Tony Parker showed his aggressiveness, using Duncan's high-post screen to hit consecutive mid-range jump shots.
The Thunder's form was very ordinary, perhaps affected by the back-to-back game. After Durant missed two shots in a row at the start, he proactively gave the ball to Kayce, feeling that he had no touch at all in this game.
After Manu Ginobili hit a three-pointer, the Thunder quickly inbounded the ball. Russell, just past half-court, passed the ball to Kayce. Noticing Manu Ginobili's defense, which seemed to completely give up the right side, Kayce immediately accelerated with the ball in his right hand to drive.
Manu Ginobili's defense also instantly tightened up. While in motion, Kayce suddenly pulled the ball back between his legs, paused slightly, pulled his left hand back, faking a spin, and after faking out the defense, twisted his body and accelerated his drive with the ball in his left hand.
Before Duncan's help defense could come up, he shot a high-banking floater with his left hand.
"Swish!" The two-point shot went in easily.
"Wow!"
The audience at Ford Center all let out an exclamation. Kayce's individual move seemed simple, but its entertainment value was undeniable. This shot essentially toyed with the entire Spurs' defense.
As he was about to retreat on defense, he noticed Manu Ginobili still slightly dazed, couldn't help but pat the veteran, and said with a smile:
"It's hard for Argentina to win the World Cup, but Messi is indeed the best in the world!"
"Messi is great, but Maradona is the true King of Football! We will win the championship this year."
As a die-hard fan of Maradona, Manu Ginobili immediately retorted. Seeing Kayce's unconvinced expression, he quickly added:
"Argentina's front line is world-class; no one is our opponent!"
Tim Duncan noticed his old teammate was still bickering with Kayce and immediately shouted:
"Manu, focus!"
Manu Ginobili also remembered Coach Popovich's serious expression before the game and immediately composed himself. In this game, they had to press their advantage while the Thunder were in poor form. Once the opponent found their rhythm, the outcome of the game would be hard to say.
For the remainder of the first quarter, the Spurs displayed their excellent tactical discipline, especially Manu Ginobili and Parker. Zone defense was no stranger to them, and organizing the offense on the court was effortless, completely dismantling the Thunder's defense.
By the end of the first quarter, it was 32:25, with the visiting Spurs leading by 7 points.
Kayce also had to expend a lot of effort on offense against Manu Ginobili's defense. Although he still scored 10 points in the first quarter, the rest of the Thunder's offense was piecemeal, and Durant mostly scored from free throws.
The back-to-back games after a series of away games indeed affected the condition of all players. After all, everyone returned to Oklahoma City without having time to go home and rest properly. After a simple recovery training in the afternoon, the game immediately started again in the evening.
In the subsequent games, the Thunder's defense was already struggling to keep up with the Spurs' rhythm. Even a physical monster like Russell showed signs of fatigue. Towards the end of the regular season, physical issues gradually began to emerge.
Oklahoma City fans, however, didn't care about the outcome of the game. They just wanted to cheer for their home team. Regardless of the score, everyone unleashed their enthusiasm 100%, and every basket brought huge cheers from the audience.
Throughout the game, the Spurs firmly controlled the offensive rhythm. With a score of 98:90, the Spurs successfully secured the victory. Kayce once again scored the highest for the Thunder with 28 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 turnovers. His three-point shots were off, otherwise his score would have easily exceeded 30.
After the game, Coach Popovich proactively approached Coach Brooks, showing a caring demeanor towards a junior, and said kindly:
"Scott, you have achieved remarkable success this season. Perhaps we will meet in the first round of the Playoffs. To be honest, among the top 4 teams, the Thunder are the team I least want to play against. Your perimeter talent is truly outstanding!"
"Regular season records don't mean anything. The Spurs are a championship team, and you are a championship coach. I still have a lot to learn. If we do meet in the first round, I hope we can deliver an exciting game for the fans."
Coach Brooks also behaved very courteously, appearing as a humble junior, and began to exchange pleasantries with Popovich.
Despite losing this game, the Thunder still remained in second place in the Western Conference with a record of 54 wins and 15 losses, having already secured a Playoff spot. When the audience at Ford Center heard the live DJ announce this news, they all cheered excitedly:
"Ah!!"
"OKC!! OKC!! OKC!!"
Kayce and his teammates also began to wave to the audience. From a 23-win bottom-feeder team to securing a Playoff spot with 54 wins, the Thunder had undergone a monumental transformation. The fans at the arena were all shouting wildly, venting their excitement.
Kayce felt the passionate atmosphere on site, and a sense of accomplishment welled up in his heart:
"I did help this team after all. In the Playoffs, we will definitely go further!"
When Kayce returned to his home in Oklahoma City, he simply washed up and saw a pile of unread messages on his phone. He immediately felt helpless. This was the trouble of having too many superficial friends; of course, he had to reply to all the congratulatory messages one by one.
After replying to all the messages, it was already midnight. Kayce shook his sore fingers and silently complained:
"When will there be a voice input method! Typing is really too painful."
In the Dream Training Space, Kayce once again saw the upgrade prompt on the achievement room, and his heart was immediately filled with surprise. He immediately entered the achievement room and looked at the newly upgraded silver badge in front of him, gently touching it:
Achievement Badge [Brick Wall]: 3/500
Reduces the likelihood of being bypassed and evaded by attackers, and rapidly drains the opponent's stamina upon physical contact.
After the dual-attribute badge was upgraded, the attributes did not change, but the bonus effect would definitely be greatly improved. The upgrade speed of this badge left Kayce somewhat amazed.
But then he thought, after all, defensive badges are used constantly in every game, so the badge experience naturally accumulates a lot.
Except for [Circus Threes], all badges had been upgraded to silver. Kayce thought about it and decided it was time to finalize his core playstyle for the Playoffs.
The [Hot Zone Hunter] badge gives Kayce the biggest bonus! It directly increases the shooting percentage when shooting from his preferred spots.
Although Kayce currently only has the three-point arc top, left 45-degree three-point line, left elbow of the free-throw line, left block of the paint, left short corner, and right corner three-point line unlocked as shooting hot zones, they are already basically sufficient for games.
Coupled with the shooting bonuses from [Rhythm Shooter], [Difficult Shots], and [Tough Shooter], his shooting percentage in the left half-court should be close to 50%. Of course, if he faces a first-team All-Defense player, the shooting percentage might be even lower.
Kayce looked at the other badges, and a thought suddenly popped into his mind:
"I guess I could be considered a young Michael Jordan of the left half-court!"