NOVEL NEXT Chapter 57: Chapter 57
Chapter 57: Weber's Mission
"Overwriting..."
"The coverage is complete. The coverage effect: the host has obtained a level 88 dry pulling technique."
"Only level 88? System, McGrady's dry pull is only level 88? Did you lower my level?" Zhao Dong asked, frustrated.
"The core strength of the host is insufficient, so it can only be upgraded to level 88," the system responded.
"Special!" Zhao Dong rolled his eyes and silently complained. He then asked, "System, there are no branches in this strength column. What is my current strength level? What's the core strength level?"
"The host can double-click the 'Power' column with his consciousness to display the categories within it," the system explained.
Zhao Dong immediately complied, and sure enough, there were three categories listed under strength: upper body strength 85, lower body strength 82, and core strength 76.
"Only level 76? That's third-rate? I guess it's not bad that I could raise it to level 88," he thought, though still a little disappointed. Core strength refers to the muscles between the shoulder joint and the hip joint, totaling 29 muscles. This group of muscles is crucial for stabilizing the center of gravity and transmitting power as a whole. For Zhao Dong, who aimed to develop his outside game, core strength was particularly important. Without sufficient core strength, many outside skills couldn't be practiced. Even with the system, McGrady's dry pull only reached level 88, likely limited by his core strength.
He then thought of the air-cut technique, which is divided into inner and outer cuts. After double-clicking, the classification appeared: 90 for inner cut and 76 for outer cut.
"Level 90? That's top-notch." He was somewhat impressed. He had overlooked this technique. There weren't many cuts in the game, but it was Cobra Grant's frequent cuts that helped the Bulls eliminate the Knicks. However, Zhao Dong had been focusing on ball possession, and cutting inside—being a play without the ball—didn't align with his style.
"System, if my core strength is insufficient, can I use skill points to increase Ganba's level?" he asked.
"No," the system replied.
"Then, my speed is currently at level 86. Can I continue to improve it?" Zhao Dong inquired again.
"It can be raised to level 87 at most," the system answered.
Zhao Dong understood that while some skills, like low-post moves, could still improve regardless of physical fitness, other skills and qualities were more limited.
"The level 88 dry pull is usable, and it's not too bad—it's close to top-tier. But if I had known earlier, I wouldn't have upgraded it. I could have waited until my core strength improved. System, you tricked me again and didn't remind me!" Zhao Dong grumbled unhappily.
Chapter 57: Weber's Mission
"Host, I'm just a program. Please don't assign me too many permissions and responsibilities, as it could over-intelligentize the system and interfere with the host's self-development," the system said.
Zhao Dong was taken aback, then nodded. It seemed that the system's explanation made sense.
"Alright, sleep. There's another back-to-back game tomorrow, then I have to rush to Miami to face the Heat again. The physical toll is a bit high. I need to keep improving my fitness to last the whole season."
The next day, on the 4th, the Knicks defeated the struggling Nets in their back-to-back away games, achieving a record of 13 wins and 3 losses. On the 5th, the Knicks flew to Miami for their second away game, where they would face the Heat on the 6th. Zhao Dong had been keeping an eye on the system, but up until the game started, no task had been issued, which made him a bit disappointed.
In this game, Ewing had fully recovered, making 10 of 20 shots. He also increased his offensive presence, hitting 6 out of 7 free throws, scoring 26 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 3 turnovers, and 4 fouls. He played a solid game against the Heat.
With Ewing's resurgence, Zhao Dong's scoring opportunities were slightly affected. He played 33 minutes, shooting 7 out of 13 from the field, 0 out of 2 from three-point range, and 5 out of 6 from the free-throw line. He finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 4 blocks, 2 turnovers, and 3 fouls.
Meanwhile, the Heat, determined to take revenge on their home court, had a poor performance. Mourning, in particular, was shut down by Ewing, shooting only 3 out of 10 from the field and 4 out of 6 free throws, finishing with just 10 points and 13 rebounds.
On the 7th, the Knicks returned home and defeated the Clippers, improving their record to 15 wins and 3 losses, still holding the second spot in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls were leading with 17 wins and 3 losses, but with two more games than the Knicks.
At noon on the 9th, Zhao Dong was excited to receive a new task from the system:
Hall of Fame Sniper Mission:
Limit Chris Webber's points to below 15.
Limit Chris Webber's rebounds to below 6.
Limit Chris Webber's field goal percentage to below 40%.
Block Webber 5 times.
Do not commit more than 2 turnovers yourself.
Achieve at least 20+10 or 20+5+5 with a field goal percentage of 50% or higher.
Mission Rewards:
The host will receive a quality point reward for completing any three mission options. Every additional mission option completed will earn another quality point reward. If all objectives are completed, the reward will be doubled.
This is a new sniper mission at the Hall of Fame level. There is no team sniper mission this time. Zhao Dong knew that Webber was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021. He was often regarded as the greatest "uncrowned" star in the league, a superstar with perfect integration of speed, explosiveness, vision, and skill. This season marked Webber's fourth year in the league, and according to media evaluations, he was beginning to enter his peak period. He had mastered all offensive skills both inside and outside the paint and was also known for his excellent rebounding and playmaking abilities.
Zhao Dong understood how formidable a Webber at the peak of his career could be, especially without knee problems. Successfully sniping such a player wouldn't be easy, but it was certainly a challenge Zhao Dong was ready to take on.
Though the game was not nationally broadcasted, it was available on regional broadcasts by New York's MCD TV station.
This afternoon, a program on the sports channel of MCD TV highlighted some of the key moments from the game. Among the discussions, the matchup between Webber and Zhao Dong at the power forward position caught the attention of New York Knicks fans. The TV station invited two Knicks legends to participate in the show: Walter Frazier and Willis Reed.
Frazier was the 67th pick in the first round of the 1987 draft and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. He holds two championship rings and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. Reed, selected 64th in the second round of the 1982 draft, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984. He won two championships alongside Frazier and was named Finals MVP in both series. Reed also earned a regular season MVP award, 1 All-Star starting appearance, 4 All-NBA First Team selections, and multiple All-Defensive First Team honors.
Both of these legends, while having fewer total points than Ewing, surpass him in terms of major accolades and have had a lasting influence among Knicks fans.
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