Carrying an old science teacher with him

Chapter 56 The Clash of the Old and New Three Kings

In the victory against the Rockets, Wang Kai missed his sixth triple-double of the season, falling just three rebounds short. Had Van Gundy held on a little longer, or if Yao Ming had given in slightly more, Wang Kai could have achieved his sixth triple-double.

However, just two days later, Wang Kai achieved his sixth career triple-double in an away game against the Raptors.

In the NBA at that time, triple-doubles were not as common as they would be in later years. A month and a half into the 05-06 season, apart from Wang Kai, only LeBron James had recorded a triple-double of 36 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Sacramento Kings.

Wang Kai is able to achieve triple-doubles so frequently because he plays for the Warriors. Their team's offensive and defensive transitions are inherently fast, so they have more offensive and defensive rotations than other teams, which increases their chances of grabbing rebounds and getting assists.

Secondly, Wang Kai's playing style makes him very good at achieving triple-doubles, just like Jason Kidd, the current triple-double king. Although the two are completely different in terms of physical condition, Wang Kai's playing style is indeed somewhat similar to Kidd's.

By December, Jason Kidd had recorded 68 triple-doubles in his career, the most among active players.

王凯在与猛龙队的比赛中刷下了27分、11篮板、11助攻的三双数据，勇士队兵不血刃地以108比98取得比赛的胜利。

Bosh had an outstanding performance in this game, scoring 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. Whether his stats were inflated is hard to say, as the Warriors' defense in the second half was beyond lax.

It's worth mentioning that four Warriors players scored over 20 points today: Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, and Derek Fisher, who came off the bench, all scored 20+ points. However, Dunleavy, the second-generation basketball player, seemed to have forgotten his aiming device today. He usually has a good three-point shot, but today he went 0 for 7 and only scored 2 points.

If it weren't for Dunleavy's "powerful" performance, Wang Kai might have been able to finish the game in just three quarters.

After easily defeating the Raptors, the Warriors continued their road trip, traveling to New Jersey to face the Nets.

The Nets are no longer the team that made it to the Finals two years in a row.

Since firing Byron Scott, young head coach Lawrence Frank has taken over. This young coach has firmly grasped Kidd's coattails, allowing the Nets to continue to struggle in the Eastern Conference playoffs with a winning percentage of just over 50%.

Before the game against the Warriors, the Nets had a record of 10 wins and 12 losses. Such a record would put them in the top eight in the Eastern Conference, but in the Western Conference, they would definitely be considered a "summer fishing" team.

However, this regular season game against the Warriors was hyped up by the league and became a contest between the old and new triple-double kings.

After the game officially started, Wang Kai continued to control the game from the beginning.

Baron Davis now only handles the ball during transition periods or when leading the substitutes, or during specific tactical situations. He's gradually starting to enjoy the life of making big money and doing nothing.

Wang Kai used his skillful and agile dribbling to repeatedly outmaneuver Richard Jefferson, not only scoring himself but also helping Jason Richardson complete a dunk and a three-point play.

The Warriors started strong. Their lineup today wasn't purely small-ball. Murphy rarely starts, and he needs to use his outside shooting range to draw the Nets' interior defense out of the paint.

However, the Nets, led by Kidd, are not a weak team. Their offense is very skillful, and their fast breaks are very threatening.

Carter doesn't dunk as often as he used to when he was younger. Like his relatives, Carter is now also plagued by injuries. Although he still occasionally makes five-star dunks, the frequency is much lower than before.

The two sides were locked in a stalemate in the second quarter, with Murphy and Byron both hitting three-pointers, and Carter responding with a three-pointer of his own.

Byron struggled to defend Kidd, who was also a heavyweight point guard. Kidd's physical attributes were no less than Byron's, and his vision and awareness in assists were far superior to Byron's.

The current Kidd is not the "Kidd who can't attack" he will be a few years later. Last season, he averaged 14.4 points per game with a field goal percentage of 40% and a three-point percentage of around 36%.

The two teams were tied at 58 at halftime. Kidd scored 16 points and 9 assists in the first half, while Wang Kai was not far behind, scoring 17 points and 8 assists.

However, Wang Kai also grabbed 6 rebounds in the first half, including 3 offensive rebounds.

Nets center Jason Collins, who is 2.13 meters tall, plays a crucial role on the court by positioning himself to help Kidd grab rebounds.

After the start of the second half, the Warriors' offense suddenly went cold, and Dunleavy continued his poor form from the previous game, failing to score a single point in the first half.

Jason and Byron also faced tighter defense from the Nets, and their shooting percentages began to decline.

The Nets changed their tactics in the second half, cutting off Wang Kai's connection with his teammates and allowing him to dribble and attack one-on-one as much as possible.

Although the Nets reduced the number of fast breaks, their offensive success rate was actually higher than in the first half, thanks to Kidd's extensive experience and control of the game's tempo.

Wang Kai increased his outside shooting attempts, but his performance was mediocre today, with a lackluster shooting touch. In addition, Richard Jefferson defended Wang Kai more closely in the third quarter, preferring to let Wang Kai dunk inside rather than allow him to take three-point shots freely. The Nets built a 9-point lead in the third quarter.

In the final quarter, the Nets' bench players stepped up, with Jeff McGinnis and Scott Paget hitting consecutive three-pointers to help the Nets build a double-digit lead.

Wang Kai started playing off-ball in the fourth quarter, using his teammates' screens and his faster speed to get past Jefferson's defense and hit three consecutive three-pointers, helping the Warriors stay close in the score.

However, with Kidd hitting his fourth three-pointer of the game in the fourth quarter and Carter converting a three-point play on a fast break, the Nets led the Warriors by 13 points with two minutes and thirteen seconds left in the game, essentially sealing the victory.

The Nets ultimately won the game at home with a score of 118-107, an 11-point advantage.

Kidd played 40 minutes and racked up a near triple-double with 24 points, 13 assists and 9 rebounds. Wang Kai, although the team lost, still managed a triple-double with 36 points, 12 assists and 14 rebounds, marking his seventh triple-double of the season.

The old triple doubles king won the game, and the new triple doubles king won the statistical victory. Everything was "perfect" just like the league's preview.