No.1 in basketball scoring

The three star players of the Hawks team were furious, dominating three quarters only to be defeated by the Bobcats with 5 three-pointers and 4 mid-range shots in a single quarter. In the final quarter, the Bobcats scored more points with mid-to-long range shots than the entire Hawks team by 1 point, leaving them completely overwhelmed both offensively and defensively.

The Hawks team actually played a very good game, with 9 players on the court, each contributing to the score, with even the lowest scorers getting 4 points. Five players scored in double digits: Joe Johnson with 19 points, Pierce with 17, Bibby with 15, and Ronald Murray with 11.

Sophomore Horford was particularly explosive, scoring 15 points and grabbing 15 boards in the three quarters, at one point outplaying the Bobcats' inside line. However, he finished the game with just 15 points and 16 boards, paying tribute to the Dragon King in the final quarter...

…

Time has moved to February 12th, the regular season of the NBA 2008-2009 before the All-Star weekend reaches its last game day.

The Bobcats arrived at the Miami American Airlines Arena for an away game against the Miami Heat.

There are three popular games today, and this game is one of them, with the other two being the OK battle and the showdown between the first pick and the third pick of the 2003 draft.

At 5:40 PM, players from both teams entered the court. Being two of the 'four major number 3s', Zhang Yang and Wade had a lively chat before the game. They've been competing for the Scoring King title for most of the season, and the rivalry remains intense, but they appreciate each other more and more.

Zhang Yang has played every game this season, averaging 31.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2.4 steals, and 0.9 blocks, with a shooting percentage of 48.1% and a three-point shooting percentage of 41%.

Wade has missed 4 games, playing 47, averaging 31.3 points, 5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2 steals, and 1.3 blocks, with a shooting percentage of 49.3%.

Just looking at scoring performances, they are almost equal. Wade's higher shooting percentage is because he mainly scores under the basket, whereas Zhang Yang's primary scoring is mid-range, which inherently has a lower percentage. However, with Zhang Yang's shooting-focused approach having a 48+ percentage, it's arguably stronger than Wade's 49+ percentage which is attack-the-basket focused. Though Wade's actual shooting true percentage is higher than the 49+.

This season, Wade has been working hard on developing his three-pointers. In just 47 games, he already has 164 three-point attempts, 11 more than the 06-07 and 07-08 seasons combined, but only made 52 with a 31.7% accuracy, something fans reluctantly acknowledge as lacking three-point talent.

If Wade continued his earlier approach of shooting a little over one three-pointer per game, his percentage would easily exceed fifty percent.

In terms of compatibility with teammates, Zhang Yang is slightly better than Wade. With a 41% hit rate, Zhang Yang averages 3.1 three-pointers per game, surpassing Lewis with 2.8, and Ray Allen with 2.7, ranking first. He excels at number 1 levels in terms of under the basket, mid-range, and long-range shots.

In terms of shooting, Zhang Yang excels far beyond Wade in free throw percentage with 88.3% compared to Wade's 76%.

As a guard, Wade has actually been targeted by the hack-a-shack strategy, and the opponents succeeded!

Recently, in a Pacers versus Heat game, with Pacers trailing by two and no possession, DeRozan fouled Wade, who missed both free throws. Subsequently, Granger hit a buzzer-beater three-pointer, leading the Pacers to a 102-101 victory over the Heat.

Overall, in terms of offensive and defensive performances, Wade is slightly better than Zhang Yang, especially in a playmaking role. Wade can take on the role of organizing core, while Zhang Yang primarily plays a supporting role.

In defense, each has their advantages. Zhang Yang has better physique and long-distance versatility, allowing more matchup flexibility. Wade, however, offers higher one-on-one defense intensity and powerful help defense to protect the basket.

Wade has given arguably the best individual performance in the league this season, managing to carry a severely weakened Heat team to the sixth place in the East with a 27-24 record.

Aside from Wade, the Heat's best performer has been the sixth man, top pick of Beasley, who, after a sluggish start, began to show glimpses of his college form. His average scoring rose to the fourth highest among rookies at 14.1 points, with an additional 6 rebounds and 1.2 assists.

The 08's class proudly earned the nickname 'Best Sixth Man Year,' with contenders like Eric Gordon from the 76ers, Westbrook from the Clippers, and Beasley from the Miami Heat, all hot candidates for the best sixth man.

Three more popular players are Terry from the Mavericks, Ginobili from the Spurs, and Nate Robinson from the Knicks.

At 5:30 PM, the game between the Bobcats and the Heat started, with Okafor defeating Joel Anthony to win the jump ball first attack for the Bobcats.

The Heat's starting lineup: Chalmers, Wade, Marion, Haslem, Joel Anthony.

The Bobcats' starting lineup: Felton, Zhang Yang, Pietrus, Millsap, Okafor.

Felton received the ball, advanced to the front court, and passed it to Zhang Yang, then moved to the side to watch.

Guarding Zhang Yang was none other than Wade!

The head-to-head showdown between number 3s did not keep the audience or TV viewers waiting long; it began immediately!

Zhang Yang hit the high post, turned, and moved for a mid-range shot... misses!

He was quick, but Wade influenced his jump, forcing Zhang Yang to add power to his shot. However, the shooting angle had been slightly compromised, and it bounced off the inner rim before Marion secured the defensive rebound.

With the change in possession, Wade got the ball, and Zhang Yang closely marked him.

Wade attempted a directional change to break through, but Zhang Yang stuck to him firmly. At close quarters, Wade utilized his explosiveness to carve out a tiny space, starting a euro-step layup... only to be disrupted by Zhang Yang and Okafor.

Wade, cheeks puffed, retreated aggressively on defense. Solo battles against Zhang Yang had started to give him a headache.

This guy's speed increased alongside gains in weight and strength - was this truly the 'most talented basketball athlete ever'?

Wade used to think of Josh Smith and James as having unmatched physical fitness among interior and exterior players, but this season he found that although Zhang Yang was not physically acclaimed, in some aspects, he rivaled these two.

The opponent's defensive sense and enthusiasm were top-notch, seemingly faster than Wade, with not much of a power gap. Wade's advantage lay in his explosiveness and acceleration, but with two athletic inside players doubling quickly… Wade felt a bit stuck and decided to defend like there's no tomorrow!

Zhang Yang, just advancing to the frontcourt, was quickly engaged in a close battle with Wade. Naturally, he faced him head-on, fought back for the ball, and continued his solo plays!

In the next few rounds, both players showcased a variety of fancy iron shots, displaying different iron-shooting styles.

Zhang Yang had Millsap and Okafor aiding him, just as Wade had Marion and Haslem. The difference was that Millsap and Okafor provided more direct help, while Marion and Haslem created threats to double-team, making Zhang Yang hesitate to enter the paint freely. The effects were similar, aiding both players' solo defenses.

Initially, Wade was quite proud of being able to stop Zhang Yang, confident that under the same conditions, even if Kobe, Tony Allen, Battier, Gerald Wallace, Artest came, none would defend better than him.

However, after several more rounds, he noticed a shift in the score, leading Wade to realize he might have fallen for it...

When his big-cheeked drive for an iron, his teammates mostly retreated immediately, whereas on the opposite side, when Zhang San went for an outside shot, Millsap and Okafor actively crashed the boards to get supplementary scores!