Chapter 88: Traits of a Madman, All Cards Played

Someone once said, "Luck's just another form of strength."

Alaric was riding a wave of good luck today. In his first regular-season game, he was up against the Trail Blazers. Their backup center, Shawn, was on the court, and let's just say he wasn't exactly a defensive powerhouse like the veteran Arvydas.

Time's a real jerk. Shawn's pudgy frame would make fans do a double-take, thinking they were seeing someone else.

Back in his prime, Shawn was a beast—6'10", 228 pounds, with the speed of a guard, the strength of a center, and insane hops. He could dribble coast-to-coast, nail mid-range shots, and dominate in the post. His passing was the only thing that wasn't top-notch.

But now? Shawn's mind was far from the game. His out-of-control eating had him tipping the scales at 300 pounds, and his game had gone downhill fast.

Bloated, hooked on drugs, a heavy drinker, and living a wild life—if these words fit anyone, it was Shawn. Bill Russell's got 11 championship rings; Shawn's got 11 illegitimate kids. If they all inherited his talent, the future of basketball might look pretty bright.

That summer, the Trail Blazers made some boneheaded trades. They sent the promising Jermaine O'Neal to the Pacers for the veteran Dale Davis.

In Alaric's past life, it was clear the Pacers' management knew what they were doing. Jermaine, who barely made a dent with the Trail Blazers, went on to average 18.6 points and 9.6 rebounds with the Pacers and made six All-Star teams, even with injuries holding him back.

Trading for Shawn was even dumber than letting Jermaine go. Shawn was too out of shape to even touch the rim, but he joined the Cavaliers in '97 with a sign-and-trade deal worth $107 million over seven years. His contract wouldn't expire until 2004, and the Trail Blazers were definitely regretting it.

The game rolled on. The Trail Blazers ran a pick-and-roll, with Rasheed helping Bonzi shake off Isaiah.

Bonzi drove hard to the hoop. Horace, not as spry as he used to be, couldn't keep up and didn't foul, watching Bonzi throw down a one-handed dunk. 32 to 24.

The Lakers were on the attack, and Alaric called for another screen. This time, Shawn stepped out to defend, positioning himself further out.

Logically, Rasheed would be much better at defending pick-and-rolls, but he'd already played the entire first quarter. In the second quarter, Mike had him focus on offense. If he kept switching to guard, Rasheed's stamina wouldn't last the whole game.

Mike was a tactically rigid and overrated coach. If the Trail Blazers had a coach better at in-game adjustments, they probably wouldn't have been reversed and eliminated by the Lakers last season.

This time, Alaric drove left, made a crossover, and blew past Shawn. Before Greg Anthony could catch up, he stopped at the elbow and nailed another jumper!

34 to 24, Alaric's 13th point. He was 5 for 5, on fire, and didn't feel like passing the ball anymore.

The Trail Blazers attacked, Rasheed screened for Greg Anthony to shake off Alaric. Horace was slow to switch, and Greg Anthony hit a pull-up jumper just inside the three-point line. 34 to 26.

Alaric brought the ball up again, and Greg Anthony kept his distance.

Previously, Greg Anthony had been screened several times when he tried to stick close. Once he collided with a big man, it was hard for him to chase. Shawn was too slow, and Greg Anthony knew he had to catch up.

Alaric signaled Greg Foster for a screen. As soon as he made the gesture, he suddenly pulled up from the middle and took a step-back three-pointer.

Greg Anthony's attention was on Greg Foster, trying to get around the screen to chase. Unexpectedly, Alaric shot suddenly, and the step-back created some distance. Greg Anthony was a bit slow to jump and block.

Alaric didn't get much preseason action, but he never slacked off in practice. His game plan was simple: shoot. He was decisive, and the ball swished through the net.

37 to 26, his 16th point, 6 for 6.

After scoring, Alaric got so hyped he forgot it was an away game. His habit of dancing anytime, anywhere kicked in, and he moonwalked back on defense.

The Trail Blazers' home crowd was stunned, booing like crazy. Even on the Lakers' bench, guys like Shaquille were dumbfounded. This rookie had guts!

With the opponent's momentum surging, Mike had no choice but to call a timeout.

Tom said, "Alaric's performance reminds me of 'Madman' Nick Van Exel. They're both short guards, both second-round picks by the Lakers, and both have a strong desire to attack, daring to shoot endlessly."

Mark Woodson laughed, "I think he's found his summer league rhythm."

Nick Van Exel was the 37th overall pick in the second round by the Lakers in '93 and was an All-Star in '98. He was a black player with a similar build to Alaric.

In his rookie season, he averaged 13.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1 steal, making the All-Rookie Second Team. In his second season, he posted star numbers: 16.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.1 steals. Last season, he averaged 16.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 9 assists with the Nuggets.

Actually, Nick Van Exel didn't shoot much. At his peak, he played 37.9 minutes and took 15.7 shots per game. The nickname "Madman" came from his crazy three-point attempts, averaging 6.4 in his second season.

Of course, Nick Van Exel's "madness" was compared to other point guards of his time. To Alaric, 6.4 attempts were not crazy at all, almost too modest. When he went crazy, even he was scared, throwing up 10 threes in a quarter was nothing.

Phil noticed Alaric's "madman" trait during the summer league. Alaric was perfect for leading the bench offense with the OK combination, as it was hard to share the ball. With him, the OK combination could rest more during the regular season, reducing the risk of injury.

The coaching staff knew well that in the regular season, Kobe had plenty of stamina and could play more minutes, but Shaquille had to conserve his energy.

Last year, despite Shaquille's heavy minutes in games, Phil allowed him to slack off in practice, or else Shaquille wouldn't have escaped injury. After all, he was a super heavyweight inside, and the energy consumption and pressure on his feet and knees were much greater than for ordinary players.

Kobe often expressed dissatisfaction with this. He trained 6 to 7 hours a day and couldn't tolerate someone who only practiced for 30 minutes.

Phil always sided with Shaquille when he heard Kobe's complaints. This better stimulated Kobe and unleashed his potential. Phil was a smart man; he knew what needed to be done. This was Shaquille's team.

After the timeout, Phil emphasized the tactics, "If Shawn defends the paint, watch for off-ball screens and baseline screens. Isaiah and Devean, spread out to catch and shoot. Shawn can't defend outside. If they sub out Shawn, foul quickly on defense. Don't give them free throws; we need to adjust our lineup."

Shawn's weight could single-handedly challenge Shaquille. Once he rested, the Lakers subbing in Shaquille for low-post isolation was a perfect opportunity. The Trail Blazers' other big men didn't weigh over 242 pounds.

Phil was adept at using his team's strengths to create isolation opportunities for stars, winning games and making the stars' stats look good.

After the timeout, Mike hadn't subbed out Shawn but changed the defensive setup, having Shawn guard the paint and Rasheed defend the pick-and-roll, planning to exhaust Rasheed.

Additionally, he subbed in Steve Smith early, replacing Stacey, adding an outside attacker.

The second quarter had just begun, and the Trail Blazers had already played all their cards.