Check out my new fanfics.
Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.
The return of Itachi
I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.
Please give it a go š
***
As the All-Star Game voting results in Houston were about to be announced, the Houston Rockets, as the host team, found themselves in an increasingly awkward position.
After Tracy McGrady returned from injury, the team's performance hadn't improved much, but fortunately, the fans supported him as always, so he didn't have to worry about not being selected as a starter.
Affected by a toe injury, Yao Ming also rested for a period, and the Houston Rockets were basically on the verge of getting the first pick, with a high possibility of missing the playoffs this season.
Under these circumstances, in the first two rounds of voting, Tracy McGrady was far ahead, which made many players jealous.
On sunday, January 29th, the Miami Heat defeated the Houston Rockets 101:95 on the road.
After the game, Wade thought about the voting and subtly remarked:
"Perhaps fans only like to see pretty stats, but I won't play for stats. All-Star reserve, I accept that result."
With a record of 15 wins and 28 losses, the Houston Rockets' record was naturally not comparable to the Miami Heat's, but Tracy McGrady was an All-Star starter, and Iverson from the Eastern Conference also enjoyed this treatment.
Perhaps influenced by the 81-point game, recent scorers all wanted to prove themselves.
Despite the Houston Rockets' loss, Tracy McGrady's stats were not bad:
He played 45 minutes, shooting 13-of-37 from the field, 4-of-15 from beyond the arc, and 7-of-10 from the free-throw line, accumulating 37 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block, with no turnovers.
Tracy McGrady, who scored the highest points of the game, remained defiant when attending the post-game press conference:
"I am very grateful for the fans' recognition! Although the Houston Rockets lost, we know our own level."
"If not for injuries, we should have been challenging for the championship!"
"Some people are very lucky to enter a league with excellent roster depth. Don't mistake luck for strength!"
A lucky Kobe had O'Neal by his side when he entered the league, and a fortunate Wade collaborated with the tail end of the peak O'Neal in his rookie season.
As for Clay Lee, he was blessed by God. Not only was he healthy, but the New York Knicks' roster depth was unmatched by any team in the league.
Tracy McGrady, who had lamented his misfortune in front of the media more than once, firmly believed he was the strongest, even though he didn't have solid accolades.
Some media reporters agreed with his view, but more people were gloating.
A reporter from the Miami Herald asked a mocking question with a twist:
"Can the Houston Rockets win before the All-Star Game? Without Yao Ming, you seem to struggle to get victories."
When Tracy McGrady once again reminisced about the past and declared himself the "second best," the atmosphere quickly became cheerful.
In "IF," this popular delusional All-Star had already won a championship!
On January 30th, the Los Angeles Lakers continued their Eastern Conference road trip.
In last night's loss to the Detroit Pistons, Kobe Bryant once again scored the highest points of the game!
He played 42 minutes, shooting 12-of-28 from the field, 3-of-11 from beyond the arc, and 12-of-14 from the free-throw line, accumulating 39 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers.
Regardless of the game's outcome, Kobe scoring the highest points of the game had become the norm this season.
Phil Jackson returned for his second stint and emphasized ball-sharing before the new season began, but halfway through the season, no one mentioned such words anymore.
Everyone wanted to see Kobe perform.
Not every player appreciated the 81-point performance.
Ray Allen, when discussing the NBA's second-highest individual scoring record, spoke bluntly:
"As long as you take enough shots, 81 points isn't difficult, but we won't play that way."
New York newspapers initially followed suit with praise, but recently, many columnists seemed to have amnesia and began to collectively question:
"This is why the Toronto Raptors can't rise. They don't double-team when leading at halftime. They should reflect on why they allowed one player to score 81 points."
In last week's games, LeBron James of the Eastern Conference and Elton Brand of the Western Conference once again won the Player of the Week awards.
Although the Los Angeles Clippers in the same city encountered injury problems, their record was better than the Los Angeles Lakers, and they did not lose a single game in a five-game week.
Unfortunately, no one discussed them. Sam Cassell seemed to have a built-in buff.
After joining the new team, they were once again severely overlooked.
With a record of 23 wins and 20 losses, the Los Angeles Lakers' performance naturally did not meet Phil Jackson's expectations.
The Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man was very low-key after arriving in New York, only accepting interviews on game day.
On tuesday, January 31st, the last game of January, when the Los Angeles Lakers arrived at the Madison Square Garden early in the afternoon for warm-ups, Kobe, surrounded by media reporters, once again talked about his record:
"To be honest, I'm a bit embarrassed. Our record is nowhere near what we expected."
"I'm not interested in surpassing Wilt Chamberlain. Compared to 81 points, I'd rather score 25 points and dish out 10 assists."
"Letting all my teammates find their rhythm is the most important thing."
Losing made Kobe extremely frustrated.
Every game had to be played until the end, and occasionally there would be overtime.
In terms of record, he still needed to work hard for the playoffs.
Crazy Excel also required a huge price.
Kobe Bryant liked to see his reputation reverse, but a playoff-fringe team did not meet his expectations.
He needed a championship.
Kobe's face showed a tired expression.
The Los Angeles Lakers' atmosphere crew was somewhat envious of such treatment.
Phil Jackson, who also accepted an interview, was particularly humble when discussing tonight's game:
"It's very difficult to play against the defending champions on the road. They've only lost three games this month."
"After watching the footage, I think the New York Knicks are simply impeccable. Their roster depth is too outstanding. Coach DAntoni should be in a state of happy trouble."
Ever since TNT's show "Redefining Greatness," there had been more and more fun.
Media reporters seemed to want confirmation from the Champion Coach:
"Phil, how do you think a player should be fairly evaluated?"
"In your coaching career, you've experienced two eras. Who is better, Michael Jordan with 5 championships or Clay Lee with 7 championships?"
As a beneficiary of championships, Phil Jackson only felt that these media people were crazy, but he didn't like Clay Lee, so he frowned and simply replied:
"Michael Jordan brought basketball to the world. The number of championships means nothing to him."
"Failures at the end of his career will not affect his achievements. In my opinion, failure makes him even greater!"
"Clay Lee is excellent. He is the most successful active player, but don't forget, Michael Jordan was already 35 years old then."
Everyone present understood the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man's unspoken meaning.
Similar to the comments about "30+ means you're done," he was not optimistic about Lee's future.
If they couldn't break the dominance of recent years, then they would bet on the future.
This was also the plan of many teams.
Players would always get old.
Praising Lee and being pessimistic about the future were not contradictory.
No one knew what would happen in the future.
If they praised him every day, how would the show's ratings increase?
The game officially started at 7 PM. Half an hour before the game, Madison Square Garden was already buzzing.
The "81-point scorer" came to New York, and even people who usually didn't like to watch games live would buy a ticket, looking forward to Kobe's performance tonight.
If in previous years everyone would still mock, this season's continuous high scores had also earned Kobe the respect of New York fans.
In the locker room before the game, many reporters had greater expectations, repeatedly asking Lee similar questions:
"Clay, how many points do you think Kobe will score tonight? Will you respond in time?"
The New York Knicks had just won a big road game against the Atlanta Hawks last night, and returning home, everyone was in great form.
Lee feigned a serious expression, frowning slightly, as if contemplating how to defend Kobe.
Under everyone's expectant gaze, Lee finally relaxed his brows and responded with a smile:
"I think that question should be asked to Ron Artest and Tayshaun Prince. We have the best perimeter defenders in the league."
"At Madison Square Garden, the fans on site are also our backing. No matter how many points Kobe scores, we will win the game."
Tonight's game was not nationally televised, but Ron Artest was still full of enthusiasm.
Hearing his name, he immediately started cheering on the side:
"The game should be conceded after three quarters. If Kobe continues to play in the fourth quarter, perhaps he can get some good stats."
"We don't need to devise special defensive strategies. No one cares about Kobe. The reason he can score so many points is because he's still trailing against the Toronto Raptors."
Ron Artest had clearly read the New York newspapers and took the opportunity to mock the value of the 81-point scorer's performance.
When interviewed, Fisher answered questions more gracefully, first saying that he had sent a text message to wish Kobe well, then he started to boast:
"Compared to scoring, I'm more eager to see Kobe demonstrate his leadership qualities."
"He needs to learn from Lee, learn how to control the game's tempo, how to win easily, and how to make his teammates better."
"."
The atmosphere group finally understood why Fisher had hopes of becoming the next Players Union president.
No one on the New York Knicks could match his flattery skills!
After the game officially started at 7 PM, Kobe Bryant did not immediately enter scoring mode.
Perhaps he had read the New York newspapers and began to share the ball more.
In the first quarter, the Los Angeles Lakers dug a small hole, but fortunately, Smush Parker and Sasha Vujacic erupted during the rotation, successfully helping the team tie the score before halftime.
55:55, both sides were tied, and many fans who had specifically bought tickets to watch the game were somewhat disappointed.
2-of-7 from the field in the first half, 0-of-1 from beyond the arc, and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, Kobe played only 19 minutes, tallying 6 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 turnover.
Seemingly very satisfied with his performance, Kobe smiled as he walked towards the players' tunnel, constantly high-fiving his teammates in celebration.
"Good job, Good job!"
Affectionately praising his teammates, Kobe continued to high-five everyone in the locker room, saying loudly:
"Leave the second half to me! We need to make our opponents pay for their underestimation!"
"Come on! Go fight them!"
As the team leader, Kobe had been working hard to unite everyone.
His passionate encouragement, complete with applause, fist pumps, and speeches, quickly ignited the locker room atmosphere.
Odom had a mediocre first half, shooting 2-of-6 for only 4 points, and committing 2 turnovers.
Hearing his leader's encouragement, he immediately responded:
"We need to take responsibility. The third quarter is Kobe's moment. Play good Defense and avoid turnovers!"
Everyone chimed in, reassuring their leader.
When Phil Jackson entered the locker room, he saw a confident Kobe, his emotions running high:
"Conserving energy is the right thing to do."
The New York fans present were somewhat disappointed they didn't get to see Kobe's offensive show, but fortunately, Lee delivered 8 assists in the first half, and his occasional flashy moves made the ticket price worthwhile.
"Defense!."
After the third quarter began, the defensive cheers rose again.
Smush Parker received the ball on the baseline, and the Los Angeles Lakers initiated the offense.
Under Kobe's direction, Parker immediately passed the ball to Odom on the left wing.
As Odom received the ball, Kwame Brown immediately came up to set a screen.
Before his teammate could set, Odom put the ball down with his left hand and drove with a step.
Ron Artest, who was already prepared, immediately squeezed through, chasing back in time to slow down the opponent.
Kurt Thomas cooperated with a retreat Defense.
Just as he was about to be double-teamed, Odom made a timely jump pass, giving the ball to Kwame Brown who was cutting down the middle.
The pass was too strong, and the latter fumbled the catch momentarily.
Facing Kurt Thomas who was recovering on Defense, Kwame Brown took a big dribble step and immediately jumped into the paint.
Directly in front of the basket, Kwame Brown regretfully realized he had made the wrong choice, encountering Gasol's help Defense.
Intending to pass the ball to Chris Mihm near the baseline on the right, Kwame Brown's cross-court pass was directly stolen by Gasol's long arm the moment he sent it out.
"Oh!"
The fans' cheers irritated Kobe.
As Lee received the ball, he immediately ran up to defend him.
The Los Angeles Lakers' retreat Defense was quick.
By the time Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, crossed half-court, the opposing team had already completed their defensive matchups.
In the semi-transition offense, Gasol stopped early at the top of the arc.
As Lee approached the three-point line, he turned his body for a high screen.
Kobe kept an eye on what was behind him.
Before the screen could fully develop, he stuck close to Lee again, forcefully squeezing through the screen at the same time.
The body contact slowed Lee down slightly.
Taking advantage of Kobe squeezing beside him, Lee suddenly stopped, used a pound dribble to turn against the Defense, leveraged his protective hand, and accelerated again.
He tried to reach out to interfere, but his arm was directly slapped away.
Kobe forcibly adjusted his center of gravity, but being squeezed in the middle of the screen made it difficult for him to exert force.
Amidst the cheers, Lee completed his spin move, shaking off Kobe.
Facing Chris Mihm who was moving horizontally, he executed a wide In and out dribble while on the move.
Dribbling the ball with his right hand, feinting left and driving right, the big man Mihm was faked out and stopped.
When he reacted, Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, had already squeezed past him.
The on-ball Defense was easily broken.
In a blink of an eye, Lee rushed into the paint.
Kwame Brown under the basket quickly moved his feet.
Arriving directly in front of the basket, Kwame Brown didn't have time to jump for a block.
Clay Lee, jumping with both feet, had already flown in front of him, symbolically raising his hand, and then was forcefully bumped away.
Grabbing the ball with his right hand, Lee evaded the Defense in mid-air, pulled his arm back, and after gathering power, slammed the ball into the basket!
"Squeak!"
As the rim rattled, the referee blew his whistle.
Seeing Lee smiling faintly and shaking his head under the basket, Mike Breen at the Madison Square Garden commentary desk chuckled and commented:
"Clay Lee's moment has arrived! I think many fans, like me, are starting to anticipate Kobe's response!"
Walt Frazier, thinking of Kobe's playing time in the first half, also felt that the Los Angeles Lakers would erupt:
"Facing a top scorer in the league, it's time to test our perimeter Defense!"
As the two predicted Kobe would take over the game from the commentary desk, Lee's free throw was calmly made.
55:58, cheers echoed throughout the Madison Square Garden, and the New York Knicks were leading again.
Slipping along the baseline from left to right, Kobe used a teammate's screen to reach the right block, received the pass, and faked a shot.
Many casual fans were shouting, seemingly wanting to see Kobe explode, but Raja Bell, guarding him, was not easily fooled and maintained his balance steadily.
Putting the ball down with his left hand, Kobe began to post up.
Before his opponent could turn towards the baseline, Lee at the top of the key suddenly collapsed for help Defense.
Kobe did not force the offense and released the ball early.
The pass was too soon.
After Smush Parker on the right wing received the ball, Lee followed him back on Defense.
Facing Lee's tight Defense, Smush Parker seemed a bit flustered.
He put the ball down with his left hand and drove with a step.
Just as he crossed the three-point line, he immediately stopped, leaned his body, and decisively clanked a long two-point shot.
Gasol secured the rebound, and cheers erupted in the Madison Square Garden once again.
Parker, who had been exceptionally brave against Fisher, showed signs of misfiring.
Kobe's face darkened as he chased back on Defense again.
"Let's go New York Knicks!."
Seeing the two stop on the left wing, the cheers grew louder.
Kobe lowered his center of gravity and actively pressed forward, not giving Lee a chance to change direction.
Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, faked with his shoulder.
Kobe simply chose to drop his left hand and turn his body to defend him.
As Lee leaned in to accelerate, Kobe, who was already prepared, slid back to his right in time, continuing to provide body contact.
The two tangled as they rushed past the three-point line, nearing the restricted area.
While moving, Lee stopped abruptly with a pound dribble, creating space for a behind the-back dribble.
Kobe, who had stopped, lunged forward to defend again.
Lee took advantage of the momentum to turn sharply towards the baseline, flinging the basketball out while accelerating his steps.
Near the baseline, Lee touched the ball with his left hand again, shook off the Defense, paused slightly, and simultaneously raised his head to elevate his center of gravity.
Kobe, who was chasing back, was instantly fooled, pushing off with his feet, attempting to block the shot.
In a flash, Lee suddenly lowered his center of gravity, sped up his dribble with his left hand, drove straight along the baseline into the paint, and squeezed past Kobe.
The beautiful crossover reignited the cheers.
The big man Mihm timely arrived at the lower left of the basket and jumped to block, while Kobe, who was chasing fiercely with gritted teeth, also jumped with all his might.
Lee, who charged up in three large strides, held the ball in his left hand.
As the two defenders extended their arms to block, he lowered his arm, curled his body to effortlessly evade the Defense, glided to the other side, twisted his wrist, and casually tossed the ball towards the backboard!
"Ah!"
Amidst the screams, the basketball spun off the backboard and into the hoop.
Lee casually strolled back on Defense, while the fans in the front row stood up and cheered.
"Unbelievable! Clay Lee has once again shown us an unguardable offense! The Los Angeles Lakers' Defense is completely ineffective!"
The spectacular shot sent Mike Breen into a state of excitement.
This was exactly the performance he had been anticipating.
Kobe slammed the backboard in frustration.
Phil Jackson on the sidelines noticed that the New York Knicks seemed to be planning a double-team and repeatedly shouted reminders to his players to be ready to receive the ball.
Receiving the ball in the same spot, when Kobe tried to go for a one-on-one again, he was once again double-teamed by Lee from the top.
Learning from the previous possession, Kobe this time put the ball down with his right hand, accelerated towards the baseline, and after completely stretching the Defense, he then passed the ball to Parker on the right wing.
At this moment, Ron Artest was guarding two players at the top.
When the opponent received the ball, he immediately slid, and Parker, observing the defensive movement, decisively passed the ball back to Odom at the top of the arc.
When the latter received the ball, facing Kurt Thomas who rotated up, he put the ball down with his left hand and drove with a step.
Odom gained more than half a step before passing the ball to Kwame Brown at the lower left of the basket.
With Gasol's help Defense under the basket, Kwame Brown also did not force an attack.
He passed the ball again, an inside-to-inside pass to the big man Chris Mihm.
Taking the ball and exploding up, attempting a dunk, the big man Chris Mihm had just exerted force when cheers from the fans erupted around him.
Lee, who had jumped up behind him, leaped high and pressed down on the ball, delivering a huge block right in the opponent's face before he could even shoot!
"Shit!"
Watching his teammate stumble after being blocked, Lee regained possession.
Kobe cursed under his breath, then loudly called for everyone to retreat on Defense.
Raja Bell sprinted quickly along the left sideline.
Kobe didn't dare to be careless, chasing back while instructing Parker to match up in time.
Facing Lee, who was advancing with the ball in his right hand, Parker kept retreating, always maintaining a defensive distance.
As the Los Angeles Lakers players retreated back to half-court, Parker also stepped onto the three-point line to establish a defensive position.
Nearing the top of the arc, Lee began to slow down, performing a small in-and-out dribble while moving, then a sudden stop and start, faking a drive.
Facing Lee, who suddenly leaned in and accelerated, Parker instinctively slid backward to the left.
When the basketball disappeared in front of him, he realized his misjudgment.
At the top of the arc, Lee stopped abruptly and pulled the ball back between his legs.
Parker in front of him tried to pounce on the Defense, but his body couldn't keep up with his mind, and he stumbled and fell to the floor.
Unguarded, Lee calmly gathered the ball and easily took a jump shot on the fast break!
55:63, the three-pointer swished through the net.
On the New York Knicks bench, the atmosphere crew jumped and cheered along with the fans.
Parker, who had stood up, lowered his head in frustration, and soon heard words of comfort:
"Don't worry, man! The game will be over soon, this is our last matchup this season!"
"..."
Lee's words made Smush Parker's mouth twitch slightly.
He felt his self-esteem had been insulted!
Parker hadn't found a chance to prove himself again.
This time, Kobe directly called for the ball on the right wing.
After receiving it, he immediately signaled Chris Mihm for a screen.
Before his teammate could set, Kobe, with the ball in his right hand, lowered his shoulder and accelerated, breaking into the restricted area.
He observed Gasol retreating on Defense, paused slightly, then accelerated again.
Raja Bell was prepared and continued to pounce on the Defense.
At the same time, Gasol completely abandoned his matchup and charged directly at Kobe.
Near the baseline on the right side, Kobe accelerated and stopped abruptly, drifting backward to the right.
Facing the two defenders' blocks, he took a fadeaway shot, forcing a jump shot that clanked off the rim!
Kobe fell out of bounds, and the rebound was secured by Kurt Thomas.
As Lee received the ball again, Odom and Parker simultaneously moved forward to delay him.
Facing the Defense, Lee suddenly spun at the free-throw line, giving the two no chance to foul.
The instant his left hand touched the ball, he immediately delivered a bounce pass.
Ron Artest, who had sprinted past mid-court, was unguarded.
It was a 1-on-0 fast break.
He raised the ball with his right hand, took three large strides, and finished with a powerful one-handed dunk!
55:65, the Los Angeles Lakers called a timeout.
The cheers in the Madison Square Garden were non-stop.
The Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man sighed inwardly, arms crossed, realizing the gap between the two teams was wider than he had imagined.
"Come on! Score! He's overrated! They're just a bunch of softies!"
Ron Artest, after completing the dunk, kept shouting towards the sidelines as he walked to the bench.
Global news outlets were reporting on it.
He particularly envied the popularity of the "81-point scorer."
Not just Ron Artest, Raja Bell and Prince also felt envious.
Kobe Bryant had been passing the ball throughout the first half, so they didn't have a chance to perform.
Now that the Los Angeles Lakers were behind, it was Kobe's turn to shoot, and they could also bask in some of the attention.
After the timeout, Kobe was subjected to an all-encompassing double-team.
No one cared about the Los Angeles Lakers' role players.
The New York Knicks players were only focused on him.
He forced jump shots against two defenders and was surrounded by four defenders when he drove to the basket.
Even the referees seemed to be watching the show, hoping Kobe would have a miraculous performance.
In some possessions, they even tolerated physical contact, which infuriated the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man, who complained repeatedly.
Low-quality passes under the double-team led to consecutive turnovers for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Watching Clay Lee steal the ball and Parker complete another dunk on a 1-on-0 fast break, Kobe couldn't hold it in anymore.
Kobe complained repeatedly to the referees without getting any explanation, continued to miss shots, and the New York Knicks' fast breaks were like tigers, causing the game to suddenly collapse.
In the latter half of the quarter, the Los Angeles Lakers barely scored, relying on Parker's three-pointer and two free throws from the big men.
At the end of the third quarter, laughter echoed through Madison Square Garden.
The New York Knicks fans' respect for Kobe Bryant had completely vanished.
11:32, after three quarters, it was 66:87.
The fourth quarter entered the familiar garbage time.
The Los Angeles Lakers bench was exceptionally quiet.
0 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 turnovers on 0-for-6 shooting in a single quarter.
A furious Kobe was fuming.
He threw his drink, then his towel.
Sitting in his seat, Kobe elbowed Odom, who had 4 turnovers, twice, then glared angrily at Phil Jackson in front of him.
The Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man, however, remained calm.
Seeing Kobe quiet down, he stared at the team and said in a low voice:
"There's no need to waste energy. Sasha Vujacic, you guys get ready to play."
"Damn it! I don't accept this game!"
Kobe, burning with rage, glared fiercely at his teammates.
Odom could only brace himself and echo his sentiment, indicating that they also wanted to continue fighting.
In the final quarter, Kobe finally found his rhythm, driving and drawing fouls, helping the Los Angeles Lakers continuously score!
Clay Lee, forced to continue playing, led the rotation lineup to respond easily.
Every player who entered the game scored, and his occasional flashy assists drew
continuous cheers from the New York fans.
Kobe Bryant persisted until the very last moment.
With his final two free throws made and Lee's ultra-long three-pointer missed, the game officially ended.
94:117, the New York Knicks secured a big victory.
Gasping for air with pursed lips, Kobe glared at the New York Knicks players, then turned and walked away.
Along both sides of the player tunnel, fans, enjoying the spectacle, shouted "overrated" in unison.
The pre-game respect had vanished.
In 40 minutes of play, Kobe Bryant only scored 26 points on 7-for-22 shooting, 1-for-4 from three-point range, and 11-for-13 from the free-throw line.
The festive atmosphere at the arena particularly angered Kobe.
Upon entering the player tunnel, he noticed the mocking expressions on the New York Knicks staff's faces and ripped off his jersey:
"I'll win it back!"
...
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)