Lokesh versus Josh

Baltimore

Maryland

USA

Lokesh sat on the bench as Zaire Roberts, Danny Reynolds, Don Ababio, Odai Beckham Jr, and Keon Jordan Jr started the game. Also benched with him was Kobayashi Ichikawa. But, Lokesh couldn’t wait to get onto the court.

He couldn’t wait to duel Josh Okongo.

He was still mad about the altercation they had earlier, and how he had insulted Terry Parker. He was absolutely determined to prove Josh wrong. He couldn’t believe that such a polar opposite of him actually existed. Josh was blessed with all the talent in the world. But, he was arrogant, disloyal, and disrespectful. Lokesh couldn’t wait to pay him back.

As the game started, Lokesh was quick to notice that Josh Okongo was an absolute magician with the ball. The way he shot, defended, and made plays for others was a real treat to the eye.

Finally, Steven Walker summoned Lokesh and Kobayashi to be subbed into the game. Lokesh ran onto the court for his debut game and marked Josh Okongo.

“You really trying to guard me, bro?” asked Josh.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way!” said Lokesh.

“Fine, don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

Josh received a pass from Stan Smith, Baltimore’s point-guard, and stared down Lokesh. Josh was eight inches taller and had way more experience. This was a defensive mismatch.

Of the worst kind.

Josh spun and then pushed his way past Lokesh, who felt like he had just been hit by a freight train. Lokesh fell to the ground as Josh then went and dunked the ball easily.

Lokesh was actually an excellent defender who had successfully stopped much bigger players. But Josh’s skill and dexterity made him an absolute nightmare of a defensive assignment.

The first quarter ended with Baltimore leading 39-25.

Lokesh was stunned. He knew that Josh Okongo was good. But never did he assume he was that good. He was the prefect small forward in every way possible. Suddenly, with a feeling of slight discomfort, Lokesh realized he was admiring his biggest enemy. He tried to shake that thought out of his head.

“You’re admiring him, aren’t you?”

Lokesh whipped around. It was Danny Reynolds. He smiled, seeing the visible discomfort on Lokesh’s face.

“I know you don’t like the guy, but find yourself in awe of him. Let me tell you, that’s absolutely okay! I would be madder if you didn’t admire him!”

“Oh.”

“Admire him and observe him hard, kid.”

“And learn from his game!”

*

Dan’s veteran advice had gotten Lokesh all pumped up for the second quarter. Once the game resumed, he started observing Josh Okongo’s movements, handles, and footwork harder. He came to the conclusion that it would take him months of practice to reach that level.

He quickly tried to poke the ball out of Josh’s hands. But Josh predicted it. As fast as a thunderbolt, he flung up a random floater as Lokesh’s hand hit his.

The ball went into the hoop with a SWISH.

“Reach-in foul (1)! Houston, number 64! Basket counts! One free throw!” shouted the referee.

“How did he do that?” thought Lokesh wondrously as Josh made the free throw easily

On offense, Kobayashi threw up a lob. Lokesh shot into the air and caught it. His air-time shocked every player on the court as he went in for an easy dunk. He suddenly felt his arms being blown back by some almighty force. He realized that Josh had blocked him cleanly and flung him to the ground. He retrieved the ball and ran to the other court with Lokesh in hot pursuit.

Lokesh was the faster player. He quickly overtook Josh and stood under the basket, ready to block, and Josh ran right into him.

It was like a tsunami had collided head-on with him. Lokesh was blown backwards as Josh scored the easy layup. His chest hurt like it had been hit with a battering ram.

“Blocking foul (2)! Houston, number 64! Basket counts! One free throw!” yelled the referee.

Josh once again made the free throw easily. As Odai Beckham Jr inbounded the ball, Josh Okongo stole the inbound pass. He then rose up for a dunk as Lokesh rose up to block him. “OH NO YOU DON’T” he yelled.

However, he wasn’t even a mild deterrent.

Josh powered through Lokesh’s block and posterized him with an extremely powerful dunk. Once again, Lokesh found himself on the ground, in pain.

“Foul! Houston, number 64! Basket counts! One free throw!” said the ref.

“WHAT?” yelled Lokesh furiously. “HE PUSHED ME! IT’S AN OFFENSIVE FOUL! COME ON, REF!”

The ref didn’t take too kindly to that.

He blew his whistle.

“Technical foul! Houston, number 64! One free throw!”

“WHAT?” shouted Lokesh.

“That’s enough!” said Steven Walker. “Back to the bench!”

Josh made both the free throws, easily.

Lokesh had a stat line of zero points, rebounds, and assists. He also had three fouls and one technical foul.

It was a disaster of a debut game.

*

The final buzzer rang and the game ended.

Baltimore beat Houston 127-88.

A blowout loss.

Josh Okongo shook hands with all the opponent players. When he reached Lokesh, he didn’t take the hand. Instead, he looked him dead in the eye and spoke.

“You’re surprisingly weak, man! Did you really average 40 points in the G-League? Guess everyone there is just weak as hell!”

Lokesh didn’t respond.

It was now he started to realize the level of players he would have to face in the NBA.

“Take my advice, and quit the NBA, child! Go home and relax! Any further NBA games would only mean further embarrassment for you!”

He laughed heartily. “No wonder you were picked last in the draft! You probably should’ve gone undrafted!”

His tone suddenly became serious.

“Go home, kid, and never, ever, talk about Terry Parker again!”

*

“Well, hard loss! But, we bounce back! We learn lessons! We get better!” said Steven Walker encouragingly.

“One! Two! Three!” Danny Reynolds called.

“END THE CURSE!” the team yelled.

“Don’t fret, kid,” said Danny encouragingly to Lokesh. “You cannot be depressed for too long. We need that guy that averaged 40 points in the G-League!”

“Yeah,” said Lokesh. “I’m not depressed. And I intend to average at least 30 points in the NBA!”

Keon Jordan Jr blanched. “30? What kind of fantasy is that?”

“It’s no fantasy, bro,” said Lokesh. “Get ready, Keon.”

“We’re starting a winning culture here!”

Endnotes

1. Reach-in Foul: A reach-in foul in basketball happens when a defender extends his arm and “reaches” in to steal the ball from one player, but instead, the defender makes an unwarranted touch with any part of the player's body.

2. Blocking Foul: A blocking foul in basketball is a foul assessed to a defensive player who is not properly positioned and makes contact with an offensive player to stop their movement.