With 84 points in the regular season, Kayce experienced what a dogfight truly felt like for the first time. The entire game was incredibly dull, and his emotions could never be fully released. Every screen involved a massive amount of physical confrontation.
Durant and Russell were in low spirits after the loss. After a brief greeting, they immediately turned and walked back to the players' tunnel. Kayce's mood wasn't too affected; after all, this game was genuinely the Thunder's own problem.
"Congratulations, buddy! You've made the All-Star team. You've been playing great for the Grizzlies this season!"
Kayce found Zach Randolph and initiated a session of mutual flattery. Randolph's comeback performance had truly surprised many.
"Yeah! Thanks, man, I didn't expect to make the All-Star team either. You're really outstanding, Kayce. In our film sessions, almost half the time is spent discussing how to effectively defend you."
Zach Randolph was also a bit emotional. Recalling his previous dismal career, he cherished the opportunity he had found with the Grizzlies even more.
"Wow, that truly flatters me. Enjoy this All-Star Weekend. I'll be there to cheer you on!"
After a simple hug and greeting with Zach Randolph, Kayce chatted with Pau Gasol for a long time before excusing himself. It must be said that the All-Star voting at the end was full of surprises, with host Dirk Nowitzki actually being overtaken by Duncan.
Half an hour earlier, on a special TNT program, the NBA announced the All-Star starting lineup, with significant changes in the final voting results.
Kobe Bryant, who had been in the top spot for votes, was successfully surpassed by LeBron James in the final stage. James led Kobe by 90,000 votes, successfully becoming the 2010 All-Star Vote King.
Host Dirk Nowitzki was also overtaken by Duncan by 60,000 votes, losing his Western Conference All-Star starting position.
The Eastern Conference voting results, however, did not change much. Allen Iverson, boosted by sentiment, was far ahead, and Vince Carter ultimately failed to make a comeback.
Thus, the 2010 All-Star Game roster was officially finalized:
Western Conference Starters: Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan, Amare Stoudemire.
Western Conference Reserves: Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Kevin Durant, Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Zach Randolph, Brandon Roy.
Eastern Conference Starters: Allen Iverson, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard.
Eastern Conference Reserves: Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Gerald Wallace, Chris Bosh, Al Horford.
The Western Conference All-Star reserves were quite evenly distributed, as there were many strong teams and everyone had to be given some consideration. The Eastern Conference All-Star reserves were clearly different; with more weaker teams, most of those selected were from teams with good records.
Kayce was not surprised when coaching staff told him he had not made the All-Star team. He had to compete with older players for a starting spot, and the Thunder's reserve spot was already locked in by Durant. In such circumstances, not being selected was quite normal.
The coaching staff selecting reserves doesn't just consider ability; he also has to consider some personal favors. 'I help you this year, you help me next year', that's how personal connections are built.
In the Thunder's locker room, everyone was congratulating Durant on making the All-Star team. After Kayce returned, he also immediately offered his blessings:
"Congratulations, Kevin! The All-Star selection is well-deserved. You're also participating in the H.O.R.S.E. competition. I'm already looking forward to your performance at All-Star Weekend!"
Kayce smiled and bumped fists with Durant.
"Haha, I love the H.O.R.S.E. competition. Maybe I can defend my title this year! When I get back to Oklahoma City, we definitely have to throw a party to celebrate!"
Although they lost tonight and he only scored 26 points, Durant was still very happy. He had finally made the All-Star team!
"Nina and I will also be there to cheer you on, Kevin! Try to win an All-Star Game MVP!"
Russell, who had a rough game tonight, also chimed in.
"Haha, well said, get the MVP!!", "You absolutely have to snatch the MVP, otherwise they'll definitely give it to Kobe again.", "We support you, Kevin!"
Durant chuckled foolishly. This was the reward for two years of hard work. Thinking about the All-Star Game MVP, his heart couldn't help but burn with excitement. Slacking off was no fun; if he could snatch this award, that would be amazing.
"Haha, guys, I don't want to become a league enemy. The MVP is out of the question!"
After the Thunder lost to the Grizzlies, fans in China across the ocean were immediately surprised, especially seeing both teams only score in the 80s. Many fans exclaimed that it was unbelievable.
"So ugly! The 4th quarter made me want to fall asleep. Both teams were incredibly slow, and they kept clanking shots. What a boring game."
"Do we even need to watch Thunder games? Wake up and it's a… uh, small loss. Kayce actually played very well with 22 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, just a bit off on his three-pointers!"
"2-for-6 isn't even that bad. Westbrook is the one who was off; he almost bent the rim in the second half. Of his 20 points, 8 were from free throws. If he had been a bit more accurate in the 4th quarter, the Thunder definitely would have won."
"I never want to see such an ugly game again. It was just clanks and free throws. The Grizzlies were so physical, and the refs didn't call anything."
"Why do I find this game so exciting! These kinds of physical games are my favorite. Randolph played really well, and O.J. Mayo's game is very stylish, but unfortunately, Kayce defended him to 1-for-12."
After the All-Star roster was finalized, the media in America began a new round of heated debates, constantly advocating for some of the unselected players and, incidentally, inciting fans to argue with each other.
Kayce had no interest in these messages. He just wanted to rest quickly, as the Thunder had a back-to-back game tomorrow and had to fly to Cleveland to challenge the in-form Cleveland Cavaliers.
After briefly replying to the consolations from his 'superficial brothers,' Kayce immediately collapsed onto the large hotel bed. This game had indeed taken a lot out of him.
"Fortunately, I have B+ grade functional drinks. I can be fully recovered by tomorrow morning!"
After falling asleep, Kayce routinely entered the Dream Training Space. Seeing the badge upgrade notification in the Achievement Room, his heart subtly rejoiced, a step closer to all silver badges!
Upon entering the Achievement Room, Kayce saw two achievement badges upgraded to silver. He quickly stepped forward and lightly touched them to view their attributes:
Achievement Badge [Transition Master]: 3 / 500
Increases overall speed when dribbling during transition from defense to offense, and improves the finishing rate at the rim during transition.
Achievement Badge [Catch & Shoot Specialist]: 2 / 500
Increases the accuracy of catch-and-shoot jumpers from mid to long range, and improves shooting stability.
Kayce saw that the new attributes of both upgraded badges were all about improving finishing, and his face immediately lit up with joy, especially the [Catch & Shoot Specialist] badge, which would be a great help for his frequent 'hot potato' situations.
"It seems I'm destined to be the man who takes all the tough shots!"
On January 23rd, on the plane to Cleveland, the Thunder players looked a bit tired. After all, they had been battered by the Grizzlies for an entire game last night, so fatigue was inevitable.
Durant's stamina hadn't fully recovered, and thinking about having to defend LeBron James's tank-like drives again tonight, he couldn't help but complain:
"James should play football. I guarantee he'd do very well!"
"I never thought the Cavaliers' record would get better and better. The combination of O'Neal and James is really going to succeed."
Jeff Green slowly rotated his shoulders and casually added.
"The Cavaliers' record is catching up to ours, 33 wins and 11 losses. No wonder the media always praises James!"
All-Star Vote Leader, #1 on the MVP candidate list. Although he had a slow start, James later led the Cavaliers on a winning streak and is currently in the top spot in the Eastern Conference, earning widespread praise from the media.
Russell couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy seeing LeBron James's soaring popularity.
"Media reporters and commentators are all fickle. They praise loudly when things are going well. Don't pay attention to what they say, Russell. You don't need to make any changes. We're still number one in the league right now. Let those critical media outlets go to hell!"
Kayce naturally knew that Russell had been heavily criticized recently. The media had started questioning his playing style, believing he wasn't fulfilling his duties as a point guard.
But the Thunder's current strategy was precisely this: Russell could fully unleash his offensive attributes, while Kayce was the on-court orchestrator, making many of the tactical decisions.
The coaching staff was very satisfied with Russell's performance, transition offense, drive-and-kick, execution of set plays, all were impeccable. But the media didn't care about any of that; an explosive point guard like Russell simply wasn't favored by commentators.
"I know! Oklahoma City fans all really like me. I won't pay attention to media evaluations. I just play basketball!"
Russell said confidently, 'What you're saying sounds very reasonable, but I'm just not going to change!'
"That's the spirit, Russell!" "You'll definitely be an All-Star starter next season!"
Kayce saw everyone chiming in to comfort Russell and couldn't help but smile knowingly. The Thunder were truly on the right track.
Quicken Loans Arena was packed tonight. The team's performance was getting better and better, and their star player, LeBron James, had been elected All-Star Vote King. This made Cleveland fans proud and elated.
LeBron James was a gift from heaven to Cleveland, and fans firmly believed he would bring a championship back to Cleveland!
During pre-game warm-ups, Durant couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy and said to Kayce beside him:
"Kayce, look at what Nike has done for James. This city is full of his posters of him. I want my own signature shoes too."
"I think you'll be able to sign a pretty good shoe deal in the offseason. All-Star, scoring champion, MVP candidate, do you also want to sign with Nike?"
Kayce, full of energy, was dribbling dazzlingly. Hearing Durant's sarcastic remarks, he simply comforted him before retorting.
"Cool! That's definitely a good choice. Of course, I care more about the contract amount. Kleiman will help me sort this out. We agree that the cash in hand is the most important thing."
Durant responded excitedly at the thought of getting a big contract soon.
"Hey, Kevin, congratulations on being selected for the All-Star. Kayce, I believe we'll definitely see you in next year's All-Star Game!"
LeBron James, in high spirits, praised everyone he saw. Noticing Durant and Kayce warming up, he immediately switched to 'PY mode'.
"And congratulations to you for being the All-Star vote leader, 2.5 million votes, that's truly incredible."
Kayce collected the ball and skillfully began the commercial mutual flattery.
"Congratulations! LeBron, surpassing Kobe to become the vote leader, that's so cool. The old guys really should step aside!"
Durant also put on a sincere expression and began to praise the other party. The three stood together, chatting happily. James could definitely rank first among Kayce's superficial friends; his superficial efforts were truly on point.
Quicken Loans Arena was bustling with noise. After the live DJ's wild shouting, all the home team players had entered. Kayce felt that Cleveland fans were similar to Oklahoma City fans, all excessively enthusiastic.
When LeBron James made his appearance, a huge wave of sound erupted from the crowd.
As the game was about to begin, James walked to the scorer's table and, with a sense of ceremony, tossed up the chalk powder, letting out a roar:
"Roar!!!"
"What an old-fashioned way to start. My opening dance is still better, Kayce, we haven't danced in ages!"
Russell, while acting jealous, nudged Kayce beside him.
"Uh! You know, dancing on the road tends to provoke public outrage!"
Kayce's mouth twitched slightly as he casually brushed off Russell. Still thinking about dancing? Better get out of the sewer first.
The referee signaled Kostić and O'Neal to the center circle for the jump ball. The game was about to begin.
The Cavaliers attacked. O'Neal set a high screen. J.J. Hickson waited near the paint for an easy pass, while Daniel Gibson and Anthony Parker spread out on either side beyond the three-point line to create offensive space.
In the first possession of the game, Durant naturally went under the screen to prevent James from driving to the basket. But perhaps feeling invigorated by good news, James, noticing Durant's defensive positioning, shot a jump shot from the top of the arc after the screen.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly.
"Wow!!!"
Quicken Loans Arena immediately erupted in a huge cheer. The fans knew that if LeBron James could find his rhythm from beyond the arc, he would be unstoppable in this game.
The Thunder attacked. Kayce first executed a baseline cross-screen with Ibaka, then used Kostić's back screen to successfully receive the ball at the top of the three-point arc.
Noticing Anthony Parker's slow close-out, Kayce didn't hesitate and immediately shot a jump shot.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in steadily.
Due to playing back-to-back, Kayce became the Thunder's primary offensive player in this game instead of Durant. After all, Kayce was in the best physical condition, and the team needed him to shoulder the offensive burden at this time.
The Cavaliers quickly inbounded the ball. After Gibson brought it across half-court, he immediately passed it to James. James didn't hold onto the ball, lobbing it to O'Neal in the low post. O'Neal had deep post position this time. After backing down once, he quickly spun to the baseline and gathered the ball, then softly tossed it in with his left hand.
"Swish!" Two points in the paint. O'Neal, full of energy, was still effective on offense.
The Thunder attacked. Durant crossed half-court and immediately went to the right corner. Russell made an offensive gesture, and Kayce, using two screens from Ibaka and Kostić, received Russell's pass at the 45-degree angle beyond the three-point line.
O'Neal, who should have switched, failed to close out in time. Kayce paused at the three-point line, glanced at the hoop, and then easily shot a jump shot.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in steadily.
"Boo!!!"
The fans at Quicken Loans Arena were not happy. What was going on? This game was supposed to be a celebration for their Chosen One, LeBron James, for being the All-Star vote leader. This kid was trying to steal the show!
After making the three-pointer, Kayce smiled and quickly retreated to defense. In this game, he would show them what a ruthless shooting machine looked like.
LeBron James this time brought the ball across half-court himself, directing traffic from beyond the three-point line. Hickson set a high screen. Ignoring Durant's defense beside him, James, with the ball in his left hand, accelerated and drove to the basket.
But Ibaka had been waiting in the back for a long time. Seeing that he was about to be blocked, James immediately threw the ball to Anthony Parker on the perimeter. However, such an obvious pass intention was easily seen through by Kayce, who, with quick eyes and hands, directly stole the ball.
After stealing the ball, Kayce accelerated frantically. It was a 1-on-0 fast break in the frontcourt, with no one defending him. Just past the free-throw line, he took off, stretched his body, switched the ball between his legs, and slammed it down with one arm!
"Bang!" Kayce showed off his between-the-legs dunk.
"Oh!!!"
The fans in the arena immediately let out a gasp of surprise. That dunk was truly spectacular, somewhat reminiscent of Vince Carter. The fans in the arena, wearing Kayce's Thunder No. 10 jersey, even erupted in cheers, excitedly shouting and yelling.
LeBron James's expression darkened. He had been careless, not expecting Ibaka's help defense to be so quick and his jump so high.
Gibson quickly ran back to the baseline to inbound the ball. Having returned to a starting position, he wanted to perform well. The Emperor's trusted guards also needed to compete for their spots!
LeBron James again held the ball high. This time, O'Neal set a high screen. Durant still went under the screen to defend. James chose not to shoot, instead accelerating with the ball in his right hand, tanking his way into the restricted area.
Ibaka, coming over for help defense, reacted quickly and once again stood in front of James. Learning his lesson, James flicked his wrist and passed the ball directly to Hickson under the basket. The latter, upon receiving the ball, was about to go up for a dunk when Ibaka, having turned around, immediately delivered a pin-down block.
"Oh!!!"
The fans in the arena gasped again. Ibaka's quickness was astonishing!
Kostić, who controlled the ball, passed it to Kayce. Upon receiving the ball, Kayce first used a large in-and-out dribble to shake off Anthony Parker, then, with the ball in his left hand, accelerated wildly, charging towards the opponent's half.
The upgraded [Transition Master] badge had a very good effect on speed. Kayce charged forward, and LeBron James behind him also put his foot on the gas, chasing Kayce at full speed.
Feeling the movement behind him, Kayce continued to accelerate. After taking three big steps, he chose not to lay it up, but instead lightly tossed the ball behind him. Russell, understanding the intention, caught the ball with one arm and immediately slammed it into the basket.
"Bang!" An alley-oop dunk was successful.
"Ah!!!"
Russell, after dunking, faced the boos from the home crowd, first let out a roar, then flexed his biceps, and excitedly chest-bumped Kayce in celebration.
Kayce noticed LeBron James's dejected expression to the side and couldn't help but chuckle to himself:
"Celebrating the All-Star vote leader? You'll have to ask if I agree first!"