met free Chapter 382 This MVP is a gift we gave to Michael!
Chapter 382 This MVP is a gift we gave to Michael!
After exchanging harsh words with Kobe, the referee hurriedly ran over.
just?
The referee really didn't react in time! Who would have thought that Jordan and Kobe would just start fighting like that? This is the All-Star Game!
These two aren't hotheads anymore. They were chatting and laughing on the judges' panel of the dunk contest last night, and today they almost came to blows.
Who would have thought!
Lin Tian had been waiting for this moment.
However, this brief pause led to a timeout for both sides.
"I'm going to kill him," Jordan said to Rivers without any hesitation. "I'll rest after I kill him!"
With Jordan's words, and given his position and Lin Tian's arrangements, there wasn't a single dissenting voice in the East.
If you're happy, then let's keep playing!
Not only did Rivers let Jordan continue playing, but he also thoughtfully arranged a lineup that allowed Jordan to play freely: Kidd, Ben Wallace, Duncan, and Allen played alongside Jordan!
Of these four, there is a top shooter, a top guard, a top role player, and a top coaster!
With these four players paired with Jordan, he could absolutely play however he wanted.
On the Western Conference side, it was a four-in-four-out process, with Kobe taking the free throws after his foul.
And then?
Then, when Jordan was preparing for revenge, Kobe had already walked off the court with a pout and a disgruntled look on his face. He picked up a towel and covered his head, as if he had suffered some great injustice. He rested his chin on his hand and muttered to himself in dissatisfaction.
Jackson won't let him play!
Phil Jackson said it was just for fun and the most important thing was to have fun, so he let Kobe go up and take a free throw, and then he put Kobe on the bench.
result?
As a result, Jordan scored two goals right away, and after each goal, he grinned at Kobe, mocking him for not daring to continue playing.
Kobe was so angry that he stood up twice, but Jackson pushed him back down both times!
At this point, Jackson seems like a waste!
It's a pity this is the All-Star Game. If someone did this to Kobe in the Finals, he could easily score 60 points and lead his team to victory!
It's a pity, but how about inviting Jordan to Los Angeles to watch the Finals? Maybe give him a live motivational performance?
It's not that there's no potential.
After Jordan made two baskets, he felt bored playing without Kobe, so he asked to leave the game and was replaced by Baron Davis, who was a first-time All-Star.
For the rest of the first half, neither Jordan nor Kobe played again! Rivers kept his promise; if Jordan didn't ask, he simply treated him as if he didn't exist on the team.
And Kobe?
Jackson wouldn't let him have his way; he was so angry his cheeks puffed up, but there was nothing he could do.
There was no other way but to wait until the third quarter. Both Jordan and I were starting in the third quarter, so Jackson couldn't just be kept out of the game, could he?
At the end of the first half, the score was 71-74.
The Western team is 3 points behind the Eastern team, but this gap is negligible.
In terms of scoring, the highest scorer in the East is currently Tracy McGrady with 13 points, followed by Michael Jordan with 11 points and Vince Carter with 10 points.
No one else scored in double digits, and everyone except Ben Wallace got points.
In the West, Francis led all scorers with 13 points, followed by Peja with 11 points from three three-pointers, and Kobe with 10 points!
In the West, 11 players scored, with the only one not scoring being Dazhi.
Following the tradition of awarding the MVP to the player with the highest score on the winning team, the MVP award tonight is still full of suspense! The score between the two sides is not far apart, and the players' scores are also not far apart.
Who will have the last laugh is completely unknown!
At the start of the third quarter, both sides still fielded 10 starting players. On the first possession, Kobe seemed to have regained some composure. After a pick-and-roll, he passed the ball to Wang Zhizhi outside the three-point line. Wang Zhizhi stood at the top of the arc, raised his hand, and launched a three-pointer!
"Whoosh!"
With a crisp sound, he became the last person to break the scoring drought in the entire game, and this 3-pointer also allowed the Western team to tie the score again!
Then, turning around, Yao Ming was clearly happy at this moment. He reached out for the ball outside the three-point line and shot it as soon as he got it!
"Whoosh!"
After hitting a three-pointer, Yao Ming smiled broadly again, and excitedly yelled at Da Zhi twice, even bumping him with his chest.
When Su Qun and Sun Zhengping saw this scene, they couldn't stop smiling. This was exactly what the Chinese fans had been waiting for, sitting in front of the TV.
What a lovely and beautiful moment!
It would be truly exciting if these two giants from China could continue their duel!
Unfortunately, that's clearly not an option.
These two were completely unqualified to continue their duel on the court, from their personalities and performance abilities to their standing in the industry. In the following games, the ball almost never got into their hands again.
Of course, it wasn't that Lin Tian didn't pass the ball to Yao Ming.
Instead, it was Jordan and Kobe who were completely locked in a fierce battle!
In the second possession, Kobe aggressively backed down Jordan to try and get the ball, but Jordan spun around and backed down in front of Kobe, while also elbowing Kobe in the back!
Having suffered a loss, Kobe wasn't about to let it go so easily. He shifted to the side, then slammed Jordan in with his shoulder, sending him staggering with a loud thud!
With both players fighting tooth and nail to secure position, even a lone wolf like Francis felt embarrassed to take the ball himself. Taking advantage of Kobe's lead, he quickly passed the ball to Kobe, who then spun around and pulled up for a shot!
"Whoosh!"
"Where are you? Michael, where are you? The gap you gave me is easier to penetrate than the Maginot Line! By the way, you don't know the Maginot Line, do you? After all, you didn't go to school much."
"You high school student, looking down on me for not having gone to college?" Jordan was so angry with Kobe that he almost laughed. He took the ball from Lin Tian and charged at Kobe.
"I'll show you the difference between a college student and a high school student!"
Jordan turned around almost immediately from the backcourt and used his back to block Kobe. It was the purest physical contact and the most direct collision. Both of them brought out the highest level of competition they could muster. It was like playing the Finals!
Jordan drove past Kobe, all the way to his waist, then suddenly raised his left elbow and bumped Kobe in the stomach. He then quickly turned and faked Kobe, who was above him, before easily executing a step-back move.
Take a step forward and easily toss the ball in.
"Kobe, where are you? Your defense is easier to break down than the gates of Troy. I could smash your gates down on a wooden horse!" After scoring, Jordan couldn't wait to start trash-talking.
"Idiot, the Trojan War lasted eight years! The gates of Troy were incredibly strong! And they weren't broken down by ramming, they were tricked open." Kobe continued, comparing history and culture with Jordan.
"Those who attacked the city before were stupid. I just used a little trick, and you obediently opened the city gates, letting me score points at will? I am Hector, I can easily beat you to a pulp!"
"Can you two illiterate people stop embarrassing yourselves?" Lin Tian couldn't help but interject. "The Trojan War lasted a damn ten years, and Hector was the leader of Troy, not Greek!"
"In the end, Hector got his head chopped off by Achilles. Michael, were you trash-talking to get Kobe to chop off your head?"
"We're talking, what right do you have to interrupt!" Jordan and Kobe once again demonstrated their perfect teamwork, yelling at Lin Tian, "Get out of the way!"
Okay, okay, let's go.
Anyway, it would be best if you two smashed your brains out; I'm just here to add fuel to the fire.
In the following games, everyone in the East took turns feeding Jordan the ball. Whenever Jordan wanted to play, he had almost unlimited shooting opportunities! At the same time, he was completely caught up in the moment and stopped using pick-and-rolls, otherwise the East could have easily given him a high post 4-screen!
In the Western Conference, Kobe didn't have nearly as many touches of the ball as Jordan, but he still had plenty. The two of them were practically taking turns attacking each other endlessly!
Throughout the entire third quarter, these two guys had different teammates all over the place, but these two never left the court and played the entire third quarter!
这一节比赛，乔丹14投8中，罚球4罚4中，拿下20分，三节比赛已经轰下全队最高的31分5篮板1助攻2抢断！
科比12投7中，罚球5罚全中，3分球2投1中，拿下20分，也已经拿下了西部最高的30分4篮板1助攻2抢断！
They're neck and neck, evenly matched!
Those fans who love Kobe and Jordan really enjoyed watching this third quarter!
Although the one-on-one duel between these two players resulted in less screen time for other players, fans were still very satisfied to see such a fierce and intense match on the All-Star stage, where players were determined to defeat their opponents!
The experienced and knowledgeable Philadelphia fans fulfilled their responsibilities as fans at this time.
Kobe passed the ball, and the whole arena booed.
Jordan passed the ball, and the whole arena booed!
When Kobe and Jordan stepped to the free-throw line, chants of "MVP!" immediately resounded throughout the arena!
The main thing is to stir up trouble, and to enjoy the excitement without fear of things getting out of hand!
Lin Tian had no doubt that if any fan at the stadium had brought a wrench, hammer, or other weapon, they would have enthusiastically handed it to Jordan and Kobe to make them play even more!
Philadelphia is a place with kind and simple people!
Kobe and Jordan were evenly matched, and naturally, the East and West were also evenly matched in this quarter!
103: 104!
The Western team was still down by one point at the start of the fourth quarter! In this quarter, the Western team narrowed the gap to two points, and the difference between the two sides remained within one round!
Then, in the fourth quarter, the entire arena suddenly erupted in boos.
The reason is very simple: both Kobe and Jordan were sitting on the bench!
The intensity of the game thus quickly declined, returning to the level of a regular All-Star game.
Boring!
The fans were completely distracted from the game, booing Jackson one minute and Rivers the next.
Finally, tired of whining, he started cursing Stern again.
Stern, who was drinking water in the private room, was so angry that he almost spat it out onto the floor.
What's it to me?!
I'm even more eager to see these two keep going at each other than you are!
All those are bright green banknotes, who wouldn't like that?
Without Kobe and Jordan battling it out on the court in the fourth quarter, the fans' enthusiasm noticeably dropped a notch, with their shouts and cheers falling far short of the boos they had made to the two coaches at the start of the fourth quarter.
When the game finally reached the last 5 minutes of the fourth quarter, the score was still very close!
138: 139!
The Western team is currently trailing by 1 point!
At this point in the match, according to convention, both sides should be fighting for real no matter what!
Just then, the game entered its last official timeout of the night, and the fans in the stadium immediately started making noise again.
"Give us Kobe! We want Kobe!"
"Michael! We want Michael!"
"Come on up! Let's fight for real!"
"If they don't let Michael play, Rivers, that idiot, should be fired!"
"Phil, please stop showing off and let Kobe play for a bit!"
Fortunately, neither coach was truly stupid, nor did they genuinely intend to antagonize the fans or the league.
They simply wanted to balance the ball possession on the court and give everyone a chance to perform, because those two guys had played too much in the first three quarters.
Now, with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, both coaches are holding nothing back. Although neither has devised any specific tactics, their choices are surprisingly consistent.
Kobe and Jordan appeared together! They played the last 5 minutes!
Besides Jordan, Rivers also fielded Lin Tian, Carter, McGrady, and Duncan in the Eastern Conference team, a classic combination of one big man and four small men, which many people believe should be the five players who should be the starting lineup in the East.
In the West, besides Kobe, Jackson cleverly substituted Francis, who had played the first 7 minutes of the fourth quarter and was racking up points, and brought in Nash, Nowitzki, Peja, and Divac.
Well, Jackson, that cunning guy, benched O'Neal at this time.
Shaquille O'Neal's performance this season is far from what it was last season. Perhaps losing the championship last year has dampened his spirits, as his free throw percentage has dropped back to 60%, and injuries have also plagued the big man once again.
Throughout the All-Star break, O'Neal was barely noticeable. Tonight, he only played 17 minutes, scoring 10 points and grabbing 5 rebounds before sitting quietly on the bench. Judging from his appearance, he clearly doesn't plan to play in the later games.
In fact, if Jackson had the choice, he would definitely have let Francis play the whole game so that Kobe could get more rest.
What a great rest time! Kobe wasted it all. This guy insisted on chasing Jordan for a one-on-one match. He really doesn't know anything about health!
Still young.
On the court, the game continued. The first possession was Lin Tian dribbling the ball up the court and then passing it to Duncan on the wing. Duncan received the ball, backed down Divac, and then suddenly made a bounce pass to Jordan, who was running in front of him.
Jordan immediately jumped and shot after receiving the ball.
"Whoosh!"
Even though Kobe was very close, Jordan still managed to take the shot with ease!
Then, Kobe's backcourt partner in the West changed from Francis to Nash, and he naturally had more ball possession. This time, instead of choosing to call for the ball at the top of the key to go one-on-one, he imitated Jordan and ran around the court. Then, with the help of a screen from Divac, he circled out, received the ball, and pulled up for a shot!
"Whoosh!"
With a crisp sound, Kobe caught the ball and made a jump shot!
"I saw Michael! I can do everything you can, and I can do it better!" Kobe was completely excited and was now in high spirits! He and Jordan had a really blast playing today!
Lin Tian calmly dribbled the ball to the frontcourt, but this time he didn't go for Jordan. Instead, he suddenly passed the ball to the inside, and it immediately passed through the crowd to Carter, who was cutting to the vicinity of the three-second zone.
Even though Divac showed no intention of helping defend after Carter got the ball, he didn't even look at the basket and made a bounce pass to Jordan who was advancing in the middle. Jordan then took the ball and scored 2 points!
Kobe then did the same thing, sprinting and then trying to cut inside.
In other words, Nash has excellent passing skills and high emotional intelligence. He successfully threw this ball under the basket with a very subtle underhand pass, assisting Kobe to dunk it alley-oop!
Lin Tian had the ball again. This time, Lin Tian directly called Jordan to set a screen for him. The two made contact and then moved towards the inside at the same time. Then Jordan suddenly stopped. Kobe, caught off guard, took another step forward before he realized what was happening, but it was too late.
Because Lin Tian's pass came at just the right time; Jordan hadn't even started his sudden stop and reverse run when Lin Tian passed the ball and released it!
Just from this one play, you can see how incredible their teamwork is! It's like they can read each other's minds; they completely understand each other's thoughts, and every pass is perfectly timed!
After receiving the ball, Jordan pulled up and made another mid-range shot!
Then, in the next few minutes, Lin Tian and Jordan, the former ace duo, once again showed everyone why they are known as the strongest backcourt combination in history!
These two seemed to know each other's thoughts perfectly. As long as they ran to the right position, the ball would definitely end up in the other's hands. Sometimes, it wasn't the person carrying the ball, but the ball carrying the person!
From high pick-and-roll plays and handoffs to drive-and-dish plays, pick-and-rolls, and 2-on-1 wall plays, the two players displayed masterful skill, leaving the entire Philadelphia fanbase in awe!
Isn't the chemistry between these two a bit too good?
Su Qun went even further, saying, "I really can't believe it! Lin Tian and Jordan haven't played together for five years! The chemistry they're showing is like they've been playing on the same team for the past five years!"
"This natural and unspoken understanding is truly something to be impressed by."
"So, if this duo hadn't broken up, how many championships could they have won?"
Sun Zhengping smiled and said, "At the very least, those four consecutive championships from 96 until Jordan's retirement in 99 wouldn't have fallen into the hands of anyone other than those two!"
"As for what happens next, that depends on whether Jordan still wants to retire!"
"The only thing I'm certain of is that they both missed an opportunity to create a super dynasty!"
Su Qun nodded and said, "That's right! In my opinion, since the Celtics, who won eight consecutive championships in the 1960s, broke up, the team with the best chance of coming close to them was the Bulls, the team Lin Tian and Jordan played for!"
"With those two together, winning 4-5 championships is absolutely no problem!"
"The only problem is that neither of them is content to be second fiddle; they won't settle for playing a supporting role or being the team's second-best. Otherwise, we could truly expect the birth of an unprecedented modern dynasty!"
As the two marveled at Lin Tian and Jordan's seamless teamwork and brilliant doubles plays, the game time flew by.
155: 156!
With one minute remaining in the game, the score difference between the two sides is still one point!
At this moment, Kobe once again provoked Jordan, continuing to fight him in the low post, with the two of them practically having their hands on each other's necks!
The referee has yet to comment on this.
The referees believed that the two wouldn't fight!
Seeing that Kobe's jersey was about to be torn to shreds and there was no way to get it, Nash stopped thinking about it and directly dribbled past the basket, forced his way to the basket, and scored the crucial 2 points!
157: 156!
With 45 seconds left in the game, the Western team finally took the lead!
The entire stadium erupted in cheers, with fans screaming and shouting wildly!
"Michael! Michael! Michael!"
Fans knew that at this point, it was definitely Jordan's turn to take the shot!
"Everyone spread out and watch your own men! I'll take care of Michael!" To everyone's surprise, the first person to shout out for a one-on-one fight was Kobe, not Jordan!
So, with Kobe's eyes practically glowing, both the Western and Eastern Conferences spread out, giving Jordan and Kobe a one-on-one opportunity.
Let's do it! The stage is yours now.
Jordan, holding the ball at the top of the key, kept dribbling. He didn't deliberately try to compress the time, but instead kept looking for opportunities and changing the rhythm of his dribbling. Then, with 14 seconds left on the shot clock, he suddenly accelerated!
After a crossover dribble, Jordan drove into the three-point line, then shoved Kobe hard with his shoulder, and then pulled up and shot!
But this time Kobe had clearly anticipated Jordan's style of play, gritted his teeth and withstood the impact, then relentlessly jumped to block!
Kobe failed to block the shot, but he successfully disrupted Jordan's hand position.
"Bang!"
With a crisp sound, the basketball missed its target.
But the West didn't even have time to cheer, because Lin Tian had somehow broken into the paint, grabbed the offensive rebound, and then passed it directly to Jordan, who had already moved to the free-throw line.
"Michael! Again!"
"Bang!"
Jordan, after receiving the ball, chose to shoot again, but still missed! His shot was once again interfered with by Kobe.
But this time it was Duncan who grabbed the offensive rebound. Duncan held off Divac, then with a nimble flick of his wrist, passed the ball to Carter, who was right next to him.
After Carter got the ball, he didn't even look at the basket, but dribbled the ball towards Jordan.
The two quickly executed a screen and handoff, with Jordan taking the ball from Carter. Kobe, however, persisted, squeezing past Carter's screen almost touching Jordan's body and jumping with him.
"Snapped!"
This time, Kobe finally got to touch the basketball! He finally blocked it!
He swatted the basketball directly towards the sideline.
"Michael!" This time, it was McGrady who suddenly appeared. This usually lazy guy rushed to the sideline, took advantage of his height and wingspan, grabbed the ball, and then turned around and passed the ball to Jordan again!
At this point, only 14 seconds remained in the game!
"Come on! Come on, Michael! Again! I can stop you one more time!"
After successfully defending Jordan three times in a row, Kobe was now completely enraged. His adrenaline and dopamine were surging, and he excitedly provoked Jordan, immediately sticking close to him.
"Get out of the way! Get out of the way! Don't screen!" Jordan was now in a frenzy.
In his entire life, when has he ever been blocked three times in a single round?
It would be no exaggeration to say that those 40 seconds were the worst and most embarrassing 40 seconds of his career!
Jordan certainly knew why, and everyone on the court knew why.
Although Jordan didn't play for long today.
But he was almost constantly going head-to-head with Kobe, and the level of physical confrontation between the two was definitely at the NBA Finals level!
Both of them put in their best effort to fight back!
Especially in the last 5 minutes, the two were not separated for even a second.
They were all caught up in the moment, forgetting that it was just an All-Star game, and they were giving it their all!
In this situation, Jordan's shortcomings—having not played professional games for two years, lacking physical reserves, and being 38 years old—finally became fully apparent!
Even in just those last 5 minutes, if Lin Tian hadn't kept feeding him the ball, covering for him, and conserving his energy, Jordan probably wouldn't have been able to go toe-to-toe with Kobe!
The two are a full 15 years apart!
Kobe knew this, and Jordan certainly knew it too!
Even so, Jordan still had everyone pull him away at this moment!
I'm Jordan!
After being beaten three times in a row, Jordan would come for a fourth time no matter what!
Pass the ball out to your teammates to solve the problem? Have your teammates set a screen so you can then bully Divac, Nash, or Nowitzki?
Lin Tian might be able to do something like this, but Jordan wouldn't!
The last 7 seconds!
After catching his breath, Jordan finally started dribbling!
He still used his signature crossover step and change of direction to drive into the paint.
Kobe, however, did not give an inch, sticking close to Jordan and not giving him any space to shoot.
But when Jordan takes the shot, he obviously doesn't need much space!
He used his shoulder to brace himself against Kobe again, then stepped back, pulled up, and shot!
Everything is exactly the same as it was about 40 seconds ago!
Jordan is all about getting back up from where he fell!
He wanted to prove that your defensive play was just a fluke, while his scoring was inevitable!
Everything was so similar to what had just happened; the two people's positions, actions, distance, and everything else were as if time had reversed.
The only difference is the result of this goal!
"Whoosh!"
With a crisp sound, Jordan's game-winning shot swished through the basket with unparalleled precision!
"Buzz!"
At the same time, the final whistle blew!
The Eastern Army has won!
It was an absolute game-winner, leaving Kobe and the West with no chance or possibility of a comeback!
157: 158!
The East team narrowly defeated the West team by 1 point! They secured the victory in this year's All-Star Game!
Jordan was ecstatic after hitting the game-winning shot!
He ripped off his jersey and roared wildly at the sky.
I'm not old yet!
I can still fight!
McGrady, Carter, and the players on the Eastern Conference bench completely let loose at that moment. They erupted in cheers, ran towards Jordan, surrounded him, and celebrated with boundless excitement!
"I think this All-Star Game will go down in history," Su Qun remarked after the game. "A duel between Kobe and Jordan, a passing of the torch from one generation to the next, a battle for the title of best shooting guard."
"Their performance tonight was absolutely spectacular! In the final 40 seconds, we thought Kobe was about to officially take over and once again reap a huge victory over Jordan."
"But we clearly underestimated Jordan! He proved one thing with his last shot: what's his is his, and if he doesn't give it up, no one can take it away!"
Sun Zhengping also remarked with deep emotion, "Perhaps this is the charm of sports! Everything is changing every moment, and unexpected events can happen at any time! Who would have thought that Jordan and Kobe were 15 years apart? In the United States, that age gap is enough to make someone a father or son!"
「这种对决，真的是看一次少一次了！让我们看看两个人今晚的数据吧！乔丹拿下46分6篮板2助攻3抢断！科比则拿下48分8篮板3助攻4抢断2盖帽！」
"Statistically, Kobe slightly outperformed Jordan, but Jordan used his game-winning shot to tell Kobe that he wasn't ready to step down!"
After calming down a bit, Su Qun said, "This is also the first time in All-Star history that there has been a 40+ point game between two teams! Add to that the game-winning shot and the story between Kobe and Jordan, this year's All-Star Game will definitely be something we discuss for a very long time."
"In addition to Kobe and Jordan, Lin Tian also put up an impressive 13 points and 21 assists, continuing his dominant assist numbers in the All-Star Game. His pass to Jordan in the final minutes brought back memories of the wonderful time five years ago!"
"Among the other players, Carter scored 17 points, McGrady 15 points, Allen 10 points, Duncan 10 points, Ben Wallace 12 rebounds, Kidd 7 points and 7 assists, and the rest of the players also contributed in their own ways!"
"In the West, besides Kobe's 40+ points, Francis scored the second-highest points for the team with 21 points, Nash had 11 points and 10 assists, Nowitzki had 12 points, Garnett had 10 points, and O'Neal had 10 points."
「最后嘛，则是咱们华夏球迷最为关注的两个人了，大姚今天上场18分钟拿下7分4篮板2盖帽，大致出场14分钟拿下5分2篮板！」
"The two Chinese big men didn't perform particularly well overall tonight, but the early part of the third quarter when they traded three-pointers was definitely one of the most entertaining moments in Chinese basketball history!"
On the court, Kobe, who had just been defeated by Jordan, let out a long breath, shook his head helplessly, and then, after the excited Eastern Conference players dispersed, he was the first to walk up to Jordan, extend his hand, and say, "See you next time! Next time, I'll defend even better!"
"Next time?" Jordan didn't hold back his hug, and after high-fiving and embracing Kobe, he continued, "Next time, you can't possibly defend me three times in a row!"
Just as Jordan and Kobe were exchanging pleasantries and boasting to each other, someone came to spoil the mood.
Lin Tian quickly stepped between the two, smiling, and said, "Thank goodness you made it into Michael! Thank goodness you made it! Otherwise, all our efforts would have been wasted! Kobe, you bastard, didn't you hold back at all?"
"You almost ruined the gift we prepared for Michael!"
"Giving it your all is the only way to show respect to your opponent!" Kobe patted Lin Tian on the chest with righteous indignation, then asked with great curiosity, "What gifts have you prepared?"
Before Lin Tian could speak, Jordan had already frowned; he instinctively sensed that something was wrong!
It's a trap!
It's definitely a scam!
That bastard Lin Tian wouldn't give me a gift for no reason; he'd only dig a hole for me for no reason!
Then, before Jordan could react, the East team players walked over one by one.
"Well played, Michael!"
"You will always be our hero!"
I am so proud of you!
"Honestly, I got a little nervous at the end, but thankfully you made it!"
"I knew you could do it!"
"Rest in peace, your buddies will remember you!"
One by one, the Eastern Conference players spoke up, and one after another shook hands and hugged Jordan, leaving Jordan completely bewildered.
What's going on? Are they sending me away?
Jordan didn't realize what was happening until the last tall figure walked up to him.
"Although I can't be bothered with it, I really like the gift Lin gave you." Mourning smiled and hugged Jordan, then stood aside gloatingly, waiting to see what would happen.
Forest?
Jordan's eyes quickly swept over Lin Tian, but Lin Tian ignored him and instead walked away to chat with Yao Ming and Da Zhi.
Just as Jordan was about to step forward, the makeshift award stage had already been set up, and Stern was already standing with the All-Star MVP trophy, holding a microphone with a smile on his face.
He was very satisfied with tonight's match!
Beautifully dry!
Keep up the good work next year!
"Hello everyone, I'm David Stern."
With a wide grin, Stern delivered his signature opening remarks, only to be met with boos from the fans, a response common to all 29 teams.
After a huge chorus of boos, Stern smiled and said, "Tonight's game was fantastic, a truly unforgettable match! I think for the next 10, 20 years, or even longer, we'll be looking back on this year's All-Star game again and again!"
"Here, I can't help but think back to 20 years ago, when I first took over the league."
"Stop talking nonsense!"
"Stop your damn rambling! It's too bland!"
"We're not here to watch you post nonsense! We're here to see the players!"
Philadelphia fans started commotion again after only a couple of sentences, interrupting Stern's reminiscence of past hardships.
Stern didn't seem to mind, and after chuckling, he said, "Now, while we wait for the final MVP results, I'd like to interview Lin first."
"Lin, I just saw your Eastern Conference players hugging Michael one by one, as if they were celebrating something. What was it that made you all so excited?"
"Because Michael hit the game-winning shot! He didn't let us down! We all fed him the ball, and he finally did it!" Lin Tian walked to Stern's side with an innocent look and took the microphone.
Jordan's expression changed immediately.
Are all of you deliberately feeding me balls?
"We all know that this year's All-Star Game has a completely different meaning! This is Michael's return to the court after three years, and it's another time for him to come here and give back to everyone."
"But what I want to say is that we all know that Michael came back for his friends and for his fans! He even set a date for his departure when he came back."
"I know, even though Michael didn't say it, this is his last All-Star appearance! After discussing it privately, we all decided to give Michael a gift—we hope he can win the All-Star MVP tonight!"
"Everyone was incredibly united; no one chose to be selfish, and no one refused! Everyone agreed to the proposal, and all of us actually only have one task tonight."
"Make Michael happy, let him play a fantastic game of basketball, let him show everyone 100% of himself!"
At this point, Jordan had gone from looking completely bewildered to having an expression as cold as ice.
At first, he was just shocked to learn that he was preparing to retire again.
Then, he was enraged by what Lin Tian said next!
The whole team fed me the ball? Set screens for me? Everyone did it to keep me company, to make me happy, and to help me get MVP?
These bastards, are they playing house?
Do I need you to let me win MVP? Do I need you to feed me? I can win it anytime I want, okay? At least not tonight.
After his anger subsided, Jordan felt a series of indescribable emotions.
Because he knew very well that if Lin Tian hadn't used passing and teamwork to save his energy and create shooting opportunities in the last few minutes, his efficiency would definitely not have been that high!
He also knew that with 40 seconds left, Lin Tian, Duncan, and Carter all had opportunities to attack the basket themselves when they grabbed offensive rebounds, but they chose to pass to him.
Without their feeding, we really couldn't have won tonight!
But even if I can't win, I don't need you guys to give me this much leeway!
Just like how Kobe had to go all out against Jordan to earn Jordan's respect, if Kobe had gone easy on Jordan, stopped playing defense, and just watched him attack, Jordan would have gotten bored after playing 4 or 5 shots.
Similarly, he doesn't need his teammates to give him preferential treatment!
This frustration and resentment even made Jordan forget that Lin Tian had just stated that this was his last year!
Jordan himself hasn't decided whether to retire again after this year and focus on running the team. You're making that decision for me now?
Should I cancel?
Lin Tian's words left even Stern stunned.
What's this?
I was just chatting casually to fill some time, and you're going to reveal that Jordan is retiring?
Stern now regrets it! He deeply regrets it!
He felt he shouldn't have called Lin Tian up; he should have told him to shut up and get lost!
Fortunately, it's not too late to kick him out now!
Stern quickly chimed in, "Lin's every statement always brings unexpected surprises, but now I'd like to ask Michael, how are you feeling? Are you really so exhausted you want to retire on the spot?"
Stern used all his knowledge to come up with a harmless joke and a little bit of provocation, hoping to steer the conversation away from the topic. Even if he couldn't, he was determined not to give Jordan any way out.
We have to set it up!
After all, it's not like Jordan can't retire again, but you have to give advance notice so the league can prepare and maximize its benefits! At the very least, there should be some warning, right? You can't just have that bastard Lin Tian come over, say a few words, and then declare he's retiring, can you?
At the very least, give me time to prepare a ceremony, find a singer to perform a song to praise Jordan, right? Or find a multi-talented player to play the piano or saxophone, or something to give everyone an unforgettable memory, right?
What is this now?
Lin Tian looked at Jordan and said, "Come on, my best friend in this life, Michael, come on, let's chat!" (End of this chapter)