On March 29th, Coach Brooks gave the Thunder a day off. There were 10 regular-season games left, but the upcoming schedule was very unfavorable for the Thunder.
At the end of March, they would play a road back-to-back, and entering April, the Thunder would have three back-to-back games.
With all the teams in the Western Conference fiercely competing, they still had to face playoffs teams like the Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, and Portland Trail Blazers. Coaching Staff almost swore when they thought of such a schedule!
Coach Brooks was even prepared to lose. The Thunder were ranked second in the Western Conference, leading the third-place Mavericks by 5 wins. Even if they lost these few games, their ranking should not change too much, as there were still 5 easy games against weaker teams.
After the Lakers returned to first place in the Western Conference, their record had to make way for health. Coaching Staff also planned to appropriately reduce the playing time of Kayce, Russell, and Durant, starting to prepare for the playoffs.
After the All-Star Game, the Thunder had been continuously insisting on defensive training. Frequent video and training sessions also left Kayce mentally exhausted. During his rare time off, he planned to lie at home and go nowhere.
"Ring, ring, ring"
After breakfast, Kayce was lounging on the internet when he heard the phone ring and frowned. Seeing Russell's name on the caller ID, he had no choice but to pick up the phone:
"What's up, Russell? Don't tell me you're going to do extra three-point practice again. No need to rush with training; let's talk about that during the offseason!"
"No, Kayce, Nina is having a baking Party. Come over for dessert tonight, and remember to dress fashionably!"
Kayce rubbed his forehead helplessly. Thinking of how Russell had started to delve deep into the fashion world, with his outfits becoming increasingly bizarre, he couldn't help but complain:
"I really can't pull off your mixed-and-matched style! Don't worry, I promise to dress up carefully. See you tonight."
As soon as he hung up, the phone rang again. Kayce saw it was Anne calling, immediately adjusted his mood, and answered again:
"Kayce, I confirmed with Chapman. Big Machine Records should be quite profitable next year, so the plan will proceed as normal. Next year, we'll start preparing to acquire SkinMedica."
"No problem, maybe Keds will also start making a profit this year, which will give us more funds. Have you become Beth's secretary? I envy Beth's life, having you by her side every day. I miss you, Anne!"
Anne, on the other end of the phone, pouted at Beth and Britney, as if saying that scoundrels are like this. Kayce heard the girls' laughter and felt a little awkward; he had been exposed.
"Take good care of yourself! We don't have time to flirt with you lately. Being able to participate in such a hundred-million-dollar acquisition is a rare learning opportunity. Remember to attend fewer Parties. That's all, bye!"
Beth saw Anne decisively hang up and teased:
"Are you really not concerned about Kayce? You haven't seen each other in a while, have you? Don't be shy, we can actually step away."
"They often video call, I know. Don't let Anne's serious face fool you; she's always especially happy and smiles like a flower whenever she video calls Kayce!"
Anne saw Britney expose her and immediately said angrily:
"Then who is it that calls and whines so much every time? I have a recording here; how about we enjoy it together?"
"You hateful big-chested woman, invading my privacy! Compensate me, you must sleep with me tonight!"
Britney didn't want Beth to hear her delicate whining, so she immediately changed the subject and pounced on Anne.
Beth saw the two girls wrestling on the sofa again and said helplessly:
"Alright, girls, we still have a lot of work to do. Anne, remember to contact your mentor. We should have dinner together sometime; I need to express my gratitude personally!"
"No problem, my mentor should be coming to London in a few days!"
Kayce hung up the phone and let out a sigh of relief. For his future grand plan, he had to work hard to make money in the next few years. He didn't want to be just an ordinary basketball player. Having lived a second life, it would be a failure if he couldn't control his own destiny.
"Ring, ring, ring"
"Shit! I just want to lie down and surf the internet, why are there so many calls!"
Kayce cursed under his breath, then saw Rick's name on the caller ID, and had no choice but to answer the phone:
"Incredible, Kayce, how did you think of foam materials before? We've reached a preliminary agreement with Dow Chemical, and they really do have the technical reserves for TPU foaming. We'll need more tests later."
"Of course, we also need to avoid patent issues. Dow Chemical believes that bypassing the patent issue is not a big problem. I don't know what stage Adidas and PUMA's collaborative research with BASF has reached, but this is definitely a revolutionary material!"
"Perhaps we can also launch professional running shoes to completely enrich our product line. I can guarantee that as long as we act fast enough, we will have a place in the running shoe market."
Kayce heard Rick's somewhat excited voice on the phone and also let out a long sigh of relief. Although he didn't remember which brand collaborated with Dow Chemical in the future, his subconscious memory information did not disappoint him.
"This is truly good news, Rick. Now, what we need to do is to polish a classic product. At the same time, always pay attention to the movements of Adidas and others. Oh, and don't forget my signature sneakers. No need to consider mass production; I will be the best test subject."
"Don't worry, this is really an excellent opportunity, and I will seize it. Keds will rise again!"
Kayce hung up the phone, feeling the green American dollars beckoning him. His mood immediately brightened, and he continued surfing the internet, but his good mood was instantly ruined when he saw the Reddit Thunder section.
"Poor Thunder, only stayed in first place in the Western Conference for one day."
"As long as the Lakers are in the Western Conference, no one can surpass us. Perhaps when Kobe retires, Thunder fans will finally achieve their wish!"
"Let the kids have fun in the regular season. As soon as the playoffs start, Kobe will tear them apart, just like in the last game. Durant only scored 26 points against Artest's defense by relying on free throws. He won't get that kind of treatment in the playoffs."
"Kayce is excellent, but he hasn't experienced the playoffs. Kobe will definitely destroy him in their matchup. Regular season? That's just for Kobe to find his rhythm."
Kayce saw the Thunder section filled with a large number of posts from Lakers fans, and the small flame in his heart surged. He finally witnessed what it meant to be a top-tier team.
After winning one game against the Lakers, a bunch of Lakers fans complained after the game that the referees' whistles were problematic, Durant had too many free throws, and there was a flurry of comments like it wasn't Kobe's fault, but his teammates couldn't make outside shots!
But Kayce never expected that after the Thunder lost to the Portland Trail Blazers, there would still be so many Lakers fans crossing over to mock them. There were also a bunch of people on Facebook and Twitter making sarcastic remarks. The noble Lakers fans launched their verbal offensive.
However, in the Thunder section, there was also a sharp-tongued Thunder fan fighting back, with the ID: Easymoney
"Kobe is so strong in the playoffs? Then why did he lose to the Boston Celtics in '08?"
"Without O'Neal, he finds Gasol. If he's missing one star big man, he can't make it work. KD is much better than him; he led a rookie team to second place in the Western Conference!"
"Playoffs experience? Come on, man, for players with outstanding talent, experience is never an issue. KD will destroy everyone; he's the strongest."
Kayce felt this ID was familiar, but after thinking carefully, he still couldn't recall who it was. However, seeing the opponent's sharp counterattack, Kayce also became interested. He felt that today he was going to become a keyboard warrior again.
"Keyboard, come! I'm not going anywhere today; I'll show you what a true keyboard warrior is!"
On March 30th, the Thunder flew to Philadelphia, where they would challenge the 76ers on the road. After this game, they would immediately fly to Boston without stopping, playing a back-to-back game against the Boston Celtics.
Upon arriving in Philadelphia, Kayce was picked up by his good friend Jrue Holiday and taken to his home in Philadelphia. Seeing the somewhat messy room, he asked curiously:
"Isn't Lauren living with you? Why is the room so messy?"
"Because Lauren went to training camp. She's really going to be selected for the national team. Women's soccer, honestly, before I started dating her, no one around me cared about soccer except you."
Holiday casually tidied up the room and complained.
"Soccer is very interesting! You should pay more attention to it. I recommend you watch Manchester United games. If you want to watch live, you can ask me for tickets; I'll arrange a VIP box for you. What are we eating for lunch? Don't tell me you ordered takeout."
"Let's eat salad. I've used up my cheat meal quota for this month. I have to say, controlling my diet really helps me a lot. I've hardly hit a rookie wall and have been in good form."
"But I've noticed that many players don't care about their eating habits at all. You know, Kayce, Derrick Rose is a gummy bear enthusiast. In a previous game against the Chicago Bulls, that guy was eating candy during the game!"
Kayce was slightly stunned when he heard Holiday's words. He really didn't know Rose had such a habit, as they didn't play against Eastern Conference teams often, and outside media wouldn't report it.
However, player gossip is often reliable. It seems NBA players generally like sweets.
"OK, then let's eat salad. Anyway, last night I went to Russell's house and ate a bunch of sweet donuts, cream cookies, and chocolate mousse. The baking Party was truly unforgettable!"
Holiday heard Kayce's words and felt his stomach start to rumble. He rubbed his belly and then said helplessly:
"Sometimes being an NBA player is quite painful. I will definitely not touch those high-calorie foods. I don't want to end up like Allen Iverson at the end of my career."
"Haha, congratulations on getting your starting spot back again. It seems Iverson is really done."
Kayce was also happy for his good friend. The prodigal son's return story was over, and Holiday was back in the starting lineup.
"Yes, he's gained some weight and it will be difficult for him to continue playing in the league. It's a shame the 76ers were eliminated so early this season. I really want to play in the playoffs. I'll go to Oklahoma City to cheer for you!"
The 76ers currently have a record of 26 wins and 47 losses, ranking third from the bottom in the Eastern Conference. Head Coach Eddie Jordan might be fired after this season. If the team's performance is poor, the Head Coach has to take the blame.
With 10 regular-season games remaining, the 76ers, who were already out of contention, were just going through the motions in tonight's game. The crowd at the Wachovia Center was also unenthusiastic, and the first quarter was a one-sided affair from the start.
Especially after Kayce and Durant each hit two three-pointers, the Thunder's score soared.
Andre Iguodala was also a bit helpless seeing this situation. The Thunder only needed a few continuous screens and passes to create open opportunities. His teammates' defense was like paper tigers; everyone's mind was no longer on the game.
The most serious player in the game was still Jrue Holiday. Whether facing Kayce or Russell, his defense was diligent and responsible, but unfortunately, relying only on him and Andre Iguodala couldn't change the situation on the court much. The Thunder's outside shooting was terrifyingly accurate when they were ahead.
Ultimately, 111:93, the Thunder easily defeated the 76ers on the road. Many fans had already left early; a one-sided game offered no entertainment value.
Kayce, who played three quarters, had 20 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals. The 3 steals also showed the 76ers' attitude towards playing, as Kayce's defense mostly relies on defensive positioning and he doesn't easily go for steals.
Coupled with Durant's 30 points and Russell's 20 points, the trio once again combined for 70 points, getting their road trip off to a good start.
However, the Thunder players were not happy after the game. The thought of the continuous back-to-back games ahead made their scalps tingle. Fortunately, they had a significant lead in wins, so they didn't have to worry about a playoffs spot. Otherwise, the Thunder would definitely falter in the end for the sake of ranking.
"In April, we have to play 8 games in 11 days. This schedule is absolute garbage!"
Durant had some minor physical issues at the end of the season. Although their record was secure, the continuous back-to-back games still made Durant very dissatisfied.
"Fortunately, we had a big enough lead before, so we don't have to compete with other teams. Eastern Conference teams are really too lucky; the competition is far less intense than in the Western Conference."
Russell was still thinking about Derrick Rose's Chicago Bulls, especially when he saw that they were actually going to make the playoffs with around 40 wins. He secretly felt a pang of jealousy; losing so many games and still making the playoffs?
"The Lakers should also increase their rotation, right? I remember they also have games against the Spurs and Denver Nuggets later, but their overall schedule is much friendlier than ours."
Jeff Green was already fed up with back-to-back games. His performance was already unpredictable, and he almost always played terribly during consecutive road games.
"It seems the Cavaliers will likely get the league's best record, and the MVP award voting time is also approaching!"
Kayce naturally noticed that the Cavaliers only had two tough games in April, against the Boston Celtics and the Magic. According to this trend, as long as they consistently beat weaker teams, the Cavaliers could achieve the league's best record.
Durant naturally heard Kayce's words and felt a bit depressed. Coaching Staff had already informed him that the rotation would increase in the upcoming games, and the team was no longer pursuing victories. This made it difficult for the Thunder's record to surpass the Cavaliers, and the MVP was likely out of reach.
"If I were on an Eastern Conference team, it would definitely be easier to win honors than it is now!"
On March 31st, after a brief rest, the Thunder flew to Boston again. Coach Brooks was already prepared to lose. It was not an easy task to sweep the Boston Celtics in the season.
Head Coach Doc Rivers was in a good mood recently. The conflict between Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo had been reconciled, the team was back on track, and all of the Big Three were healthy. He felt the team had a chance to reach the NBA Finals this year.
The status of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett next season was unknown, so seizing the present was the most important thing to do.
The Boston Celtics currently had a record of 47 wins and 26 losses, ranking fourth in the Eastern Conference. Rivers felt this ranking was good; they would have home-court advantage in the first round, and even if they started slow in the playoffs, they would have room to adjust.
As long as they got past the first round and the team entered playoffs mode, he believed that none of the Eastern Conference teams could stop the Big Three. Rivers was already imagining their opponent in the NBA Finals.
"Doc, should we make some special defensive arrangements for this game? Although the Thunder are playing a back-to-back, we should still take them seriously!"
Assistant Coach Tom Thibodeau saw Rivers lost in thought and couldn't help but remind him.
"Tom, I trust you to handle things! I'm responsible for the team's direction, but for specific defensive details and tactical arrangements, you call the shots! Go for it, man!"
Rivers felt that as a championship-winning coach, he should appropriately delegate power to his Assistant Coach. After all, his strength lay in uniting the team, and details naturally fell to his assistant.
"Alright, but I still need to remind you about Ray Allen's contract extension. Danny Ainge still hasn't given a definite answer. You can go talk to him."
Rivers frowned when Thibodeau reminded him, but he didn't have many options regarding the contract issue. Chicken soup couldn't be spent like American dollars; if the money wasn't in place, Ray Allen wouldn't give him face.
"I know. It seems our championship window isn't open for much longer, Tom. We need to prepare for a tactical analysis class on the Lakers in advance. I have a hunch we'll meet them again in the NBA Finals this year."
Thibodeau felt a bit helpless hearing Rivers' instructions. Who was the Head Coach, anyway? Every defensive training session and tactical analysis class took up a lot of his time. Rivers just had to speak, but he had to run himself ragged.
"Perhaps, this summer, I can leave here!"
North Shore Garden had a particularly high attendance tonight. The Boston Celtics had declared this game a revenge match before the game.
The last time the two teams met, the Boston Celtics missed key shots consecutively in the final moments and lost the game. They were determined to win tonight; no one could sweep them in a season.
After the home DJ finished introducing the teams, both sides began their final warm ups. Kayce listened to the noisy sounds around him and couldn't help but say to Durant beside him:
"Did they have such animosity towards the Thunder last year? The North Shore Garden audience is much worse than Oklahoma City fans!"
"Last year, the Thunder were a bottom-feeder team, so of course, no one cared about us. As for the quality issue you mentioned, Boston is just like this. You'll get used to it after a few more times."
Durant had a look of accustomedness, and Russell, who was next to him, heard their conversation and also spoke:
"In comparison, playing in Los Angeles is the best. Of course, now I like Oklahoma City the most; our fans are definitely the best in the league!"
Kayce glanced at Russell, not expecting him to still be thinking about hometown basketball. Thinking of those superior Lakers fans, Kayce didn't believe it would be a good choice to actually go to the Lakers.
The game was about to begin, and Coach Brooks gave his players some final simple instructions on the sidelines:
"If you have physical problems, raise your hand immediately. Pay attention to your movements, and stay healthy. Winning or losing isn't important to us. I hope no one will be on the injury list in April."
Although Kayce felt that Coaching Staff was too conservative, he could understand Coach Brooks' decision. The rookie coach must be under immense pressure at this time. The team's regular-season record was so good; if they were eliminated in the first round, Oklahoma City fans would definitely not be satisfied, and he might even lose his job.
"Tonight will be our revenge match! We don't care about being the second seed in the Western Conference. This is North Shore Garden, the graveyard for away teams! Tonight, we must win!"
"Oh! Kevin Garnett, with his excellent jump, won the tip-off for us! A clean and crisp offense, Pierce shoots from beyond the arc!"
The Boston Celtics were naturally well-prepared for the Thunder's 3-2 zone defense. They used Kevin Garnett's low-post threat to force Durant's defense to collapse, resulting in Pierce getting an open three-point opportunity from the outside.
Pierce caught the pass from Garnett and immediately shot without adjusting.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly.
After scoring, Paul Pierce pounded his chest furiously and pointed to the sky with one hand, successfully entering his showboating mode.
Kayce found this set of actions utterly speechless. Influenced by his previous life, in his eyes, Paul Pierce was a walking meme, looking somewhat comical no matter how you viewed him.
Thunder offense, Durant received the ball at the 45-degree angle on the right side of the three-point line, after a double screen from Jeff Green and Kostić. Garnett's switching speed was very fast, and he immediately switched to guard Durant.
When Durant drove with a crossover, Garnett also discreetly tugged at him, always maintaining his defensive position. When Durant pulled up for a Fade Away, Garnett's defense also followed up in time, interfering with the shot.
"Clang!" A missed shot.
After missing the shot, Durant, while transitioning back on defense, made a pulling gesture to the sideline referee, indicating that Garnett had pulled him when he started his drive. However, the referee didn't react, and the game continued.
Kayce had already noticed this phenomenon. It's worth noting that in the middle of the season, Durant averaged 13 free throws per game, but now that number had dropped to around 9.
Although the league had abolished hand-checking, as the playoffs approached, the referees' whistle-blowing standards began to loosen. Just as Old Dunleavy had reminded him, play smart and always pay attention to the referees' interpretation of the rules.
Unlike future basketball, in this era, referees strictly called illegal screens, which troubled Serge Ibaka for a long time. However, for hand-checking, the referees' standards became more lenient.
So, as the playoffs approached, Kayce began to increase his post-ups and reduced his face-up attacks from beyond the three-point line. He went with the flow of the referees, knowing he could always find suitable offensive methods.
Rajon Rondo dribbled the ball past half-court. Noticing that Russell had given him a lot of space, even in a zone defense, such a distance was somewhat insulting. However, Rondo didn't play recklessly; instead, he passed the ball to Garnett, who had moved up to the free-throw line, and quietly ran into position.
Garnett noticed that the Thunder didn't choose to double-team him. Facing Jeff Green's defense, he faked once, then took a big dribble with his right hand, quickly gathered the ball, turned, and shot a Fade Away.
"Swish!" The mid-range shot also went in steadily.
The Thunder quickly inbounded the ball from the baseline. By the time Russell dribbled past half-court, Kayce had already successfully posted up in the left elbow area of the free-throw line. Receiving the pass from Russell, after a triple threat, he accelerated and drove with the ball in his left hand.
He suddenly changed direction with a crossover dribble, pulled the ball back with his right hand, quickly gathered it, turned, and shot a Fade Away.
"Swish!" The two-point shot went in cleanly.
Facing Ray Allen's defense, Kayce had an advantage in both height and weight, and on the left side of the court, Kayce had even stacked a bunch of buffs!
With the combined boosts from [Hot Zone Hunter] + [Three Threat Veteran] + [First Step Master] + [Rhythm Shooter] + [Difficult Shots] + [Fade Away King] + [Tough Shooter], his shooting percentage was strongly guaranteed.
Furthermore, all his technical movements were enhanced by [Ball Handler] + [Control Master] + [Ball Security], combined with Kayce's balanced left and right hands, making Ray Allen naturally very difficult to defend.
"Good technical moves. It's great to see a rookie player pick up post-up skills!"
Although Ray Allen was scored on by Kayce, his attitude was very good; he even praised Kayce.
"I just want to make myself more well-rounded. Your home crowd's atmosphere is really terrible!"
"Boo!" "Shitty shot!" "He traveled! Ref!"
Kayce shrugged at Ray Allen, indicating that the home crowd's emotions were a bit too agitated, and then turned to run back on defense.
This was Kayce's first time at North Shore Garden, and his playing experience was not good.
The game proceeded without much excitement. With 3 minutes and 42 seconds left in the first quarter, Kayce was substituted out by Coach Brooks for a rest. Towards the end of the regular season, Thabo Sefolosha's playing time also began to increase.
Out of caution, Coaching Staff began to consciously reduce his playing time, which made the Thunder's offensive spacing on the court feel a bit constipated.
Durant felt it most clearly. When he received the ball in the right elbow area of the free-throw line, he would occasionally be bothered by Ray Allen's help defense. If Kayce were on the court, this would almost be impossible.
Facing Paul Pierce's defense, Durant, after a triple threat, quickly put the ball down, accelerated with the ball in his right hand, and drove straight into the paint. Under Garnett's sweeping defense, he cleverly threw up a floater.
"Swish!" The two-point shot in the paint went in.
Durant felt a bit conflicted after scoring. He was increasingly getting used to playing with Kayce. Both of them had excellent athleticism and shooting ability, and being on the court together could effectively avoid double-teams.
"Kayce, if only you could just focus on assisting me..."
Sitting on the bench, Kayce naturally didn't know what Durant was thinking. He was currently interacting with fans on the sidelines. A few international female students must have specifically come to watch him play, having bought front-row tickets and sitting right behind the Thunder's bench.
"Kayce! Kayce! Here! Here!"
Kayce saw a pretty girl with glasses and long black hair behind him desperately waving at him. He immediately waved back and gave her a wink.
"Ah!! I'm falling in love!!"
Her short-haired best friend next to her, seeing her friend excitedly screaming, couldn't help but roll her eyes. She pulled her back to her seat and whispered in her ear:
"Be a little more reserved! Haven't you noticed that the surrounding audience isn't very welcoming to Kayce?"
The pretty, long-haired girl then realized that her rash behavior seemed to have caused dissatisfaction among the surrounding audience. She could only sit down helplessly and muttered:
"It's just watching a game, is there really such hostility? Kayce is so handsome..."
Serge Ibaka on the bench noticed the situation and immediately showed an envious look. Every time they went to an away game, they could find Kayce's fans; his popularity was off the charts!
"What's wrong, Serge? It'll be your turn to play soon. If you improve your shooting consistency next season, your stats will definitely be good!"
Kayce saw Serge Ibaka staring blankly at him, thinking he wasn't used to the atmosphere, and immediately comforted him.
"I know! This is completely different from the Spain league. The NBA is more physical. I will practice my shooting well during the offseason."
Serge Ibaka also immediately responded to Kayce. Towards the end of the regular season, he had indeed missed quite a few easy shots, but as long as an opportunity arose, Kayce would still pass him the ball, for which he was, of course, very grateful.
Kayce, in a boss-like manner, patted Serge Ibaka's shoulder and encouraged him:
"Keep it up! Strive for a DPOY next season!"
While Kayce was chatting with his teammates, the first quarter ended. It was 25:32, and the Thunder were down by 7 points in the first quarter. The Boston Celtics' Big Three were firing on all cylinders, and the Thunder's zone defense was struggling to contain them.
In the subsequent game, the Boston Celtics played more and more aggressively. Coach Brooks didn't struggle either and began to rotate players extensively. Losing this game wouldn't affect the Thunder's ranking anyway.
Ultimately, the Boston Celtics successfully avenged themselves at home with a score of 98:109. This was Kayce's least playing time, as he only played 26 minutes, essentially clocking out after two and a half quarters, finishing with 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.
This was also a back-to-back game, so Coaching Staff was giving him special treatment.
After the game, Rivers actively sought out Brooks and engaged in some friendly banter:
"Scott, I'm already looking forward to us meeting in the NBA Finals. I think you guys can take down the Lakers! You've played wonderfully this season, and for achieving such results, the league should definitely give you the Coach of the Year award!"
"There are too many seniors better than me; I'm just lucky. I wish you all the best in getting out of the Eastern Conference, Doc. I still have a lot to learn from you!"
After a brief high-five with the Boston Celtics players, Kayce noticed the two chattering girls on the sidelines.
"Are you studying in Boston? Front-row tickets aren't cheap. Next time, I'll get you a few tickets so you don't have to spend money."
Seeing Kayce actually standing in front of her, the pretty, long-haired girl became a bit shy, while her short-haired best friend spoke confidently:
"We're studying at MIT. We can afford the tickets. Mu Qianqian is a little rich girl. Zeng Yanjing, nice to meet you!"
Before Kayce could react, the short-haired girl, Zeng Yanjing, immediately stepped forward and hugged Kayce's arm, then excitedly shouted to her best friend:
"Quick, quick, quick! Hurry up and take a picture of us! Haha, I'm going to make the girls in the discussion group so jealous!"
"Hey! We said we'd take a picture together! Let go first!"
Kayce was immediately at a loss whether to cry or laugh. He quickly called over a Thunder staff member to help take the photo, while also comforting the two girls:
"Just take it together. Oh, and you can also add me to your discussion group. Actually, I often check Facebook messages too!"
At the mention of this, the pretty Mu Qianqian immediately perked up. Kayce strongly suspected that she was an internet addict.
"Oh? Really? That's great! Our discussion group isn't that big, less than 100 people, but everyone is your fan, mostly your music fans, all international students here in Boston. We even have regular activities..."
"Alright, we can chat online later. Let's take the picture first!"
Kayce felt that the situation was not right, but he had already agreed and couldn't back out. Looking at the two girls with bright smiles, Kayce smiled outwardly but muttered inwardly:
"I hope this doesn't turn into a situation where one fan causes ten haters... 'You're not allowed to criticize our idol'"
The March schedule officially ended, and the Thunder players could return to Oklahoma City for a good rest. There were still consecutive back-to-back games to play, and Coach Brooks began to estimate which games could be given up.
"The Mavericks are two wins ahead of the Phoenix Suns. Theoretically, we can fight for the April 3rd away game. The Lakers have also lost recently, and we are only one win behind the first place."
"I don't think we need to consider the Western Conference's first place anymore. We have two consecutive back-to-back games against the Utah Jazz and the Denver Nuggets coming up. If we don't want to waste the players' energy, we need to give up one game."
"But if we get first place in the West, we can face the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. We should try harder!"
"Playing against the San Antonio Spurs is also not a problem. We should believe in our perimeter strength. At this stage, health is the most important. As long as the main players are healthy, we can definitely get through the first round."
"Scott, what's your opinion? We're going to face the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, and Phoenix Suns consecutively. If we're really going to give up these games, we should make a decision soon."
Brooks looked at Coaching Staff, who was arguing in the office, and rubbed his temples in frustration. Should they fight for first place, or give up games and maintain second place? Thinking that the competition for 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th place was already heating up, he made up his mind and said:
"We will still follow the original plan and continue to reduce the playing time of the main players. Finishing the regular season healthy is our top priority. As for the first-round opponent, let's start making a game plan now. The San Antonio Spurs are not that scary."
Coaching Staff members looked at each other, then spoke.
"Alright, Scott, we also trust your decision. Our boys are big-game players; the first round definitely won't stop them!"
Coach Brooks appeared relaxed on the surface, but secretly thought:
"I hope this isn't a wrong choice."