During the halftime break, as Jordan expected, the team collected enough materials to fight directly and began to make adjustments.

In the third quarter, the Supersonics changed their playing style, using Zhang Hao as the high-level singles. They threw away when they had the chance and passed the ball if they didn't have the chance. Kassel responded at the mid-range shot point he was good at, and Jordan looked for opportunities to run!

This is much better than Jordan's high support in the first half.

Whether McGrady defends Zhang Hao or Jordan, she can always do a good job and can play some restrictive roles. However, with Jordan on the court, McGrady will definitely focus on preventing Jordan. At this time, Zhang Hao should play. If the Bulls use Kobe to defend Zhang Hao, Zhang Hao will be very happy.

After confirming that other Bulls forward players did not have a good defensive effect against Zhang Hao in the first half, Doug Collins determined the adjustment of his playing style during the half-time break.

As for why I didn’t start adjusting in the first half... I was in a hurry and kept leading the way in the first half. There was no need to consume too much, just play steadily.

As expected by the Supersonics coaching staff, Zhang Hao played back at the high position, and Kassel responded at the nearby mid-range shot point. Kobe, who was defending Kassel, often went to attack Zhang Hao.

Eric Williams, rookies Desmond Mason, and Michael Ruffin were all beaten by Zhang Hao. Only with Kobe's assisted defense ability can it affect Zhang Hao's high-level back play.

At this time, the Bulls did not match the Bucks' big contract with Tim Thomas last summer came again.

During his time with the Bulls last season, Tim Thomas averaged 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.9 blocks per game. The data cannot be said to be very good. For example, he cannot protect the rebounds, and Kobe and McGrady have to protect the rebounds. However, both offense and defense play a great role. He has the experience of winning the championship with Iverson and Duncan, with comprehensive skills, good athletic ability, and hard work...

Last summer, the Bucks poached Tim Thomas with a six-year, US$60 million contract. This year, the Bucks' rise has played a big role in the Bucks' sixth man, who averaged 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 0.6 blocks per game.

The Bulls' total salary this season is only more than US$29 million, which is not as good as Jordan's salary alone back then...

The Supersonics made good use of one of the Bulls' characteristics in the third quarter. The defensive team collaboration was well done.

This is definitely an advantage, but when the opponent is too strong, the Bulls teamwork is not an advantage. Everything is based on strength. The Bulls role players are motivated but not capable enough.

In addition, in the third quarter, Zhang Hao defended Kobe very well! Kobe only scored 9 points in 3 of 10 shots in the third quarter.

Jordan scored 14 points in a single quarter with Zhang Hao's restraint and Kassel's pass.

The Supersonics played the Bulls 26-17 in the third quarter. Apart from Kobe's 9 points and McGrady's 5 points, only the substitute rookie Jamal Crawford scored a three-pointer.

"Jamaal Crawford, 21 years old, 196 cm, 85 kg, ability evaluation 64... Average of 4.2 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists... shooting percentage of 36.1%, three-point shooting percentage of 35.5%..."

After the third quarter, the Supersonics led the Bulls 12 points with a crushing performance of the Gods and Buddhas in the third quarter!

Jordan scored 22 points in the third quarter, Zhang Hao scored 15 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block, Ben Wallace scored 4 points and 14 rebounds in the third quarter, and Cassel scored 8 points and 6 assists in the third quarter.

In the final quarter, Zhang Hao, Cassel and Jordan were all substituted. The Supersonics sent a combination of Muqi Breckle, Ruben Patterson, James Percy, Schramf and Ben Wallace to the court, and the consumption was steadily done.

There is no rush to lock in the victory. On the contrary, the Supersonics feel a little bit like learning the Bulls' defense...

With strength, the Bulls are indeed not the top team. With the B plan combination, it is not difficult to win 50, but it will be difficult to be better... it will be difficult! The Bulls' All-Star Weekend schedule is not easy.

What the Supersonics should pay attention to is the star competition. Jordan scored well in the third quarter of tonight and withstood steadily.

In the final quarter, although the Bulls fought back, the Bulls only caught up with only 5 points with 12 points with 17 seconds left.

As Artest, who was in the rotation, squeezed Kobe to make a layup, the score was 96-89, and the Supersonics secured the victory!

Although Kobe's three-pointer with 5 seconds left increased the team's total score to 92 points and helped McGrady increase the number of assists to 8 times, it was just useless.

Ben Wallace led the team to defend the lead in the final quarter. In the end, the Supersonics defeated the Bulls 96-92, winning the second 10-game winning streak in the season, ending the first half of the season with a record of 43 wins and 9 losses!

If he lost, the opponent lost with the team led by Wallace in the last quarter. Kobe was very irritable, but just because of the loss itself.

To be honest, after he fought in person, he felt that the Supersonics were stronger than he thought!

In this game, Kobe led the team to catch up with points fiercely, and once played an 11-2 shock wave, but the Supersonics finally relied on Zhang Hao to get the advantage back at the end of the first quarter.

The score difference was narrowed in the second quarter, just because Zhang Hao played for only 4 minutes in the second quarter, Jordan played for only 5 minutes, and Ben Wallace played for only 3 minutes. Most of the second quarter, Kassel led the team alone to support it.

Others think that the Bulls management does not renew the contract to save money. Kobe knows that the management is focusing on the big fish this summer and next summer. In these two summers, many rookies of the 98th class have expired. The most important thing is that a good part of the 98th class players signed contracts before the suspension, and there are no terms for the parent team to renew the contract!

...

The Supersonics and Bulls had a focus battle, but the Supersonics were not very excited. Instead, they had a 12-point lead in the final quarter, and Zhang Hao, Kassel, and Jordan stopped playing.

This made many fans feel like they hit cotton with one punch, and they thought that Jordan would explode when he met his old club when he was a strong team, or Zhang Hao would show his power when he met Kobe... But none of these situations happened.

The Supersonics team played steadily like a normal opponent, and then took away the victory steadily!

This is the feeling that the Supersonics give this season. If the Supersonics had not played several explosive matches in January, the Supersonics would have entered a state of being ‘forgotten’ since the New Year.

But at the end of the half, the Supersonics ranked first in the league with a record of 43 wins and 9 losses! At the same time, it is the only team this season with less than 10 losses!

With the game between the Supersonics and the Bulls over, the first half of the season has also ended.

In the West, the Supersonics won 43 and 9 losses first, the Lakers won 41 and 11 losses second, and after the half-season season, each team played 52 games, and only the Supersonics and the Lakers won at least 40 wins.

The Kings lost 39 and lost 13, the Trail Blazers lost 37 and 15, the Suns won 37 and 15, the Mavericks lost 5, the Mavericks won 34 and 18, the Jazzes lost 33 and 19, and the Timberwolves won 32 and 20, and the Eighth.

In the East, the 76ers won 37 and lost 15, the Bulls won 34 and 18, the Bucks won 34 and 18, the Heat won 31 and 21, the Raptors won 30 and 22, the Hornets won 6, the Cavaliers won 28 and 24, the Cavaliers won 28 and 24, and the Pacers won 25 and 27.

...

...

Kassel failed to make the All-Star again, but he didn't think anything was wrong, but other players of the SuperSonics were quite regretful.

But there is no way. Kassel has been attending all this season so far, averaging 16.5 points and 7.2 assists per game.

The Supersonics have a good record. If Jordan had not been selected as the All-Star, Cassel would have really been in.

If the Supersonics play star tactics, Kassel may be able to make it, and the data will definitely be more than that.

However, the Supersonics have been focusing on the team this season and have not considered the data of the three major stars at all. They have been working hard to cultivate young players, maintain the veteran's form, and enhance the team's tacit understanding.

It even reached the point where I didn’t consider whether to compete for the first place in the West.

The record is very good through the efforts of the whole team, but it can be seen that the data of Kassel, Jordan and Zhang Hao have been affected.

Zhang Hao, Jordan doesn’t have to worry about all-stars, Kassel is in trouble...

The young players don’t have much idea, but the veterans of the Supersonics who have been selected as All-Star substitutes many times know that Kassel suffered a big loss.

but……

Veterans think that Cassel's appearance is the biggest loss.

Kassel himself said that he was sent away by the Rockets because of his image problems. Because of his image problems, he was suppressed when the rookie contract was renewed after the end of his contract.

Even in the 97-98 season that led the Nets into the playoffs, Kassel lost to the All-Star substitute...

Kassel started to join the Nets in the 1996-97 season and has been performing at the All-Star level for three consecutive years, but has not been selected once.

The young players of the Supersonics don’t understand the emotions of veterans, so the veterans will help them understand and tell them.

Veterans know that this is a way to improve team cohesion.

Since Kassel has not made it to the All-Star, this matter naturally needs to be made good.

...

The All-Star Weekend is here!

For most players of the Supersonics, they can finally have a good rest.

For Zhang Hao, something more troublesome than playing games in a row.

At the request of Zhang Weidong, Henry Thomas arranged a lot of commercial activities for Zhang Hao.

At 7 a.m. the next morning after the game against the Bulls, Zhang Hao set off for Washington, DC, so that at 7:30, Kobe, who arrived at Zhang Hao's doorstep to wait for Zhang Hao to practice in the morning and came back for breakfast, stood for a long time, Zhang Hao's mother and April, who went out to throw garbage, saw Kobe, and chatted a few times. Kobe realized that Zhang Hao had left...

Kobe was so angry that he apologized to Zhang Hao's wife and mother politely, saying that he should make an appointment in advance, and then blessed Zhang Hao's three children and said goodbye to him and left.

Looking at Kobe's back as he quickly left, both the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law sighed that Kobe, a black man, was so polite.

There is a reason why Zhang Hao is busy. X Sports needs a lot of technology, but if there is no such technology in China, you can only find American companies to cooperate, so you can only ‘sell’ Zhang Hao and ask Zhang Hao to endorse them. The rewards they get and the endorsement fee are second, and technical support is the key.

This All-Star Weekend, on the Rookie Day and Comprehensive Event Day, Zhang Hao was still busy. It was not until February 13, the All-Star Game Day that Zhang Hao got a rest time.

The rookie match was really a massacre...

Balang Davis of the second-year team scored 37 points and 11 assists, leading the second-year team to massacre the rookie team 121-90.

The difference is not much different from the first and second grades last year. The strength gap between the first and second grade players this year is too big. Even Kobe, Szebiac and Francis, the second grade team, does not participate. If the remaining players do not consider their salary, they will be the biggest favorite to win the championship in the NBA. The rookie team is almost all substitute-level role players.

Balang Davis easily won the Rookie MVP.

The three-point competition on February 12 was actually very exciting, but the fans on the scene were not excited.

Ray Allen, Hornersek and Peja fought fiercely in the final. Ray Allen finally defeated 23-pointers Hornersey and 21-pointers Peja with an outstanding performance of 24 points.

But people's expectations are like Zhang Hao's destructive performance, but the best performance this year is not as good as Zhang Hao's preliminaries in the preliminaries last year.

But at least, the three-point competition is worthy of this game. Although the fans are a little regretful, there is a level of excitement.

The dunk contest is terrible...

Bulls rookie Desmond Mason easily won the dunk king. He relied on this dunk king to gain fame and demonstrated his outstanding physical fitness.

But there is nothing to praise.

Those who participated in the dunk competition last year, Zhang Hao and Carter, who did not need to be a king-level player, were the three of Kobe, Iverson and McGrady, and their standards were higher.

At this time, what Zhang Hao said last year turned hot, "I don't want to participate in this competition again in a short time, so I decided to ruin it."

Judging from the media and fans' viewing experience this year, he really destroyed the NBA All-Star Weekend Comprehensive Event Day as Zhang Hao said!

...

On the morning of March 13, Zhang Hao participated in the pre-match roundtable for the All-Star Game.
To be continued...