The regular season is still uncertain. In the playoffs, Zhang Hao found that the Heat were regarded as the biggest favorite of the Eastern Conference Finals team at the beginning of the season, and it seems that they do not have the strength to win in the playoffs.

Not all defensive strong teams are strong teams in the playoffs. Zhang Hao thought of the original 1999 Heat were blackmailed by the Knicks in 1994...

What Zhang Hao cares more about is the series between the Suns and Spurs, which no one discusses now, and draws 2-2. Both teams play very well at home. When they reach the fifth, it is really hard to say who can advance.

The next morning, the Lakers team meeting.

It has now been confirmed that they will start the second round of the game on May 6. Due to uncertainty of their opponents, Silver Fox arranged personal training today and tomorrow. The Suns and Spurs won the fifth place. Silver Fox No. 4 arranged the team training match, and they could conduct targeted tactical training on the 5th.

There must be many benefits to advancing first. You can observe the opponents in the next round and have more rest time... But the disadvantage is that the opponents are always playing games and their game state is maintained. They can only maintain their state through personal training and team training matches.

But if you ask any team's coach or player who is more willing to sweep or advance to the last game, you will definitely be willing to advance as soon as possible and wait for the opponent in the next round to slowly waste it.

After the tactical meeting in the morning, Zhang Hao was training on the training ground for back-playing skills and wanted to find a sparring coach, but Jia Giant, Corey Blunt, Sean Lux, and even Ben Wallace were not willing to be his sparring coach.

There is no way, Zhang Hao can only find O'Neal.

But O'Neal actually refused!

"I will practice with you in the afternoon, I'm busy."

"What are you busy with? Are you not walking around and passing the time?"

"MVP! The alliance will announce the MVP later!"

"oh……"

Zhang Hao never expected this. From the beginning of his playing basketball to the present, the MVP has nothing to do with him, so he has never cared about it very much.

He remembered that Jordan should have won the MVP this year in time and space, and it must have been O'Neal here. He won 73 times. In the last month, O'Neal even won the third player of the month.

Since that's the case, then go and practice three-pointers and practice back-to-beat in the afternoon.

At the temporary 10 o'clock, Zhang Hao, who was training, saw his teammates walking towards the lounge one after another, but did not join in the fun.

Not long after, he heard the cheers from the lounge and knew that O'Neal must have won the MVP.

But after a while, there were bursts of exclamations again.

Zhang Hao was a little curious, but he didn't go in, thinking, could he even have a tie-up MVP? Malone or Jordan?

At this time, O'Neal rushed out of the lounge and said to Zhang Hao excitedly: "Aix, I've got the MVP!"

"Oh, didn't I say it? You are the MVP. From the first day I knew you, in my mind, you are the MVP."

I got used to coaxing Dapang, so Zhang Hao came out.

"Hahahaha, that's of course...hey, wait, how do I remember when we first met, every word you said to me was ridiculing me?"

He actually remembered it! Zhang Hao said without changing his face: "You remembered it wrong."

"Is it...is it?" O'Neal himself was a little uncertain. Although he was still hostile to Zhang Hao, he still recognized Zhang Hao's character very much. He was a gentleman who told the truth.

Leaving this for now, O'Neal said: "There is another period that I will definitely surprise you if I get an MVP!"

Zhang Hao was curious and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Duncan won the best defensive player!"

"watt?"

...

On May 2, 1998, O'Neal won the regular season MVP with 71 first votes and a vote rate of 37.1%. Jordan, the second, got 34 first votes, Malone, the third, got 15 first votes, and Zhang Hao, the fourth, got 1 first vote.

This is almost the same as Zhang Hao expected. Originally, the MVP in time and space was Jordan. Here, O'Neal, who combines better performance and record than Jordan's personal performance and record, must be O'Neal.

He, Zhang, is the fourth again.

But the best defensive player...

Duncan won the best defensive player with a 33.1% vote rate, surpassing Mutombo, who won 25.2% vote rate and Payton who won 24.5% vote rate!

Indeed, Duncan here does not have a similar defense coverage area, but some Campbell is more suitable for his personal performance. His defensive efficiency and performance are stronger than in the original time and space. If he is a power forward, he is likely to be selected as the first defense.

But if Duncan's defensive performance is better than Mutombo, who is at his peak, although he doesn't know how old he is... Anyway, he directly fights, Zhang Hao thinks Mutombo's defensive performance is better.

In the lounge, Zhang Hao looked at the voting results of the two most important regular season individual awards posted on the TV screen today...

"The alliance and the American media really want to promote Duncan!"

O'Neal heard this and said, "Just like you were the rookie year that you praised you?"

"..." Zhang Hao glanced at O'Neal speechlessly and said, "Mr. O'Neal, you are really good at everything, it's simply perfect, there is only one flaw."

"What's wrong? Is it bad for free throws? I just try to dig the ball and don't get fouled."

"I'm not talking about basketball."

"What did that mean?"

"You're good at everything, but unfortunately you have a mouth."

“…”

If it weren't for winning the MVP today, O'Neal would have dueled Zhang Hao on the spot!

It’s definitely not because I can’t beat it so I don’t take action!

Absolutely not!

That's not!

...

...

Just as Zhang Hao and O'Neal said when they were chatting, after the best defensive player was announced, the American media unanimously commented that this was a life-long praise of Duncan.

This public opinion is just like when Zhang Hao was selected for the first time in the rookie season.

Even the media that voted for Duncan would post news like this.

Face is not important. At this time, you have to write such news to attract more people to read it.

It is obvious that everyone can see that the league, media, experts, announcers, commentators... are waiting for the vote to launch an American player of the same age to compete with Zhang Hao.

Anthony Hardaway, Grant Hill, Kidd and others are older, and Iverson is defeated by Zhang Hao, and Duncan is the best choice.

In the afternoon, the Lakers held a press conference for O'Neal, and the league's vice president Stu Jackson came to present the regular season MVP trophy.

It is also officially announced that O'Neal won the MVP, and the real grand award ceremony will be placed in the first match of the second round.

Zhang Hao also arrived at the press conference to help O'Neal support the venue.

On the 76ers, a press conference was held for Duncan at noon. Duncan went to attend the press conference in a slipper POLO shirt and a look that looked like pajamas.

O'Neal saw the news while having lunch, and temporarily ran out to buy a more casual outfit...a set of pajamas, which were pink, with a bear hat.

Although Duncan's best defensive player is questioned, Duncan is indeed a candidate for the best defensive player. However, he originally predicted that he would win the top five votes, but if he was selected, he would be selected. When there are more honors in the future, the best defensive player will become tough now.

So, the call for "the strongest No. 1 pick in history" came again.

Obviously, O'Neal and Duncan have a fight and are not willing to fall behind in either aspect.

Duncan seemed to care about the best defensive player, so he had to show that he didn't care about the MVP. He looked like he went back and took a nap and rushed to attend the press conference.

Sure enough, during the press conference, reporters asked about Duncan's best defensive player when asked, and O'Neal responded that Duncan was not worthy of it.

Zhang Hao was also asked.

"Aix, do you still think Duncan is a talentless player?"

"Isn't it? The defensive honor he can get has come to an end, and it is impossible to make any progress."

This is simply impeccable!

The reporter asked another question: "Aix, the Suns and the Spurs have played in the fifth game, and the outcome is unpredictable. Do you want the Suns to advance or the Spurs to advance?"

"I don't care about this."

"not give a damn about?"

"Yes, anyone can do it. For us, there is no difference between the Suns and the Spurs. I don't pay much attention to the Western Conference Finals later. Supersonics, Jazz or Trail Blazers, it's all OK. Whoever they competes for the Western Conference runner-up is the same. I have begun to consider the opponent in the finals..."
Chapter completed!