redvbooks Chapter 345 Successor
Chapter 345 Successor
Is there anything more painful than a crushing defeat?
Yes, for example, the post-match press conference.
With a pale face, Mike Brown laid his hands flat on the table in front of him, his fingers spread wide. The skin on his forearms was stretched and deformed by the friction of the table. Only in this position could he maintain his last shred of dignity and avoid collapsing completely into his seat.
He used to watch TV dramas and couldn't understand why the adulterous young men in those shows would rather go through fire and water, hanging from the exterior wall of a high-rise building, than be honest like men when faced with a woman who suddenly returns home.
But now he understands.
He wanted to appear nonchalant, as if it were just a regular season game and nothing serious, but just looking at the eager expressions on the reporters' faces told him he was dreaming.
"How would you rate today's game? A disaster, an absolute disaster."
"Today's loss is entirely my fault. My players played well in the second and third quarters. LeBron and Reed did a great job. It's all my fault. I didn't adjust in time."
"Our biggest problem? Underestimating our opponents. Without Milicic, the SuperSonics are definitely not as strong as last season, but they still have Ray Allen, Morey, and other talented young players. Their record speaks for itself. They are still the best team in the league and the top favorite to win the championship. We are still challengers, not equals."
"With a 30-point gap, we have so many things to adjust and improve. The only encouraging thing is that this is just a regular season game, and we still have time and opportunities to adjust..."
Mike Brown grabbed the microphone at the start of the game, trying to focus the attention on himself, but the confession of a usually unremarkable center coach was not enough to satisfy these vulture-like reporters.
You're only making a small amount of money, yet you want to take on such a big responsibility?
"LeBron, you've mentioned in previous interviews that you want to compete against Mo Williams. So, what are your thoughts on today's loss?"
"James, this is the 25th loss to Mo, what do you want to say?"
"King LeBron, why did you only defend Mo for a few possessions at the beginning of the game before giving up on continuing to guard him? As the core of the Cavaliers, shouldn't you take responsibility for guarding Mo?"
"LeBron..."
Having been interviewed in front of the camera since his second year of high school, how could A-Zhan not hear the barely suppressed mockery beneath those earnest voices?
They were less conducting an interview and more torturing and judging the victim.
That's enough, you bunch of sons of bitches!
Get out, all of you get out!
What right do you have to doubt me and judge me? Have you ever played ball with that bastard?
Ajam really wanted to show them what the king's wrath was like, but he knew even more clearly that if he actually did it, the vultures wouldn't be angry; on the contrary, they would be very happy.
"We played terribly. We couldn't stop their three-pointers, and we didn't execute our plays well. Maybe we should watch the film tonight and make some adjustments..."
"Mo played better than me tonight. Tonight, yes, tonight... No one can win all the time, and no one can lose all the time. We still have one more regular season game, maybe we'll even have the finals. I still have a chance..."
"Losing by 30 points is absolutely unacceptable to us. We definitely need to make adjustments, yes, adjustments..."
LeBron's team prepared what is arguably the most detailed and formulaic speech in the NBA, enough for him to handle any situation.
However, this does not include situations where a team loses by a large margin to a fast opponent and fails to find any winning points in its individual statistics.
Reed, sitting to the side, secretly curled his lip.
The Cavaliers have already made all the necessary adjustments. Since he came to the Cavaliers, there have been significant changes every year, with star players coming and going, but what has been the result?
The core of the problem, the core issue, is right there, but nobody cares, and nobody dares to care.
Reed glanced at Ajax, a bold idea suddenly forming in his mind, but he quickly came to his senses and couldn't help but chuckle self-deprecatingly:
"If any 'adjustments' are to be made, I'll probably be the first one."
……
As March arrives, the NBA season is entering its intense final stage.
Because of the unseen butterfly effect, the current NBA has a more severe concentration of star players than in the same period in history. This change has made the line between strong and weak teams exceptionally clear, but because there are more winners, the intensity of the regular season has not been reduced.
The Eastern Conference has a lot of tanking teams, so the overall environment is relatively mild. In contrast, the wild Western Conference is so fierce that the air is filled with the smell of blood.
The top eight teams in the Western Conference all have an impressive winning percentage of over 60%. Apart from the SuperSonics having a significant lead and the Lakers having a slight lead, the other teams are not far apart in terms of record.
Health management and rest rotation are no longer relevant at this time, and no team dares to relax at this point.
Teams vying for a top-three or top-four finish in the West are unwilling to relinquish their home-court advantage, while the Nuggets and Jazz, ranked lower, are also striving to secure fifth or sixth place in the West.
Carmelo Anthony, who had given up hope for this year, has recently changed his usual lazy attitude and shown a very positive attitude towards the game.
There's no way around it. If we don't work hard and end up in eighth place in the West, we'll have to face the SuperSonics again.
He could use minor injuries as an excuse to avoid playing in the regular season, but the same excuse wouldn't work in the playoffs.
The thought of possibly being toyed with by Mo Wen for another series made Melo's anus tighten.
Actually, he was used to losing to Mo Wen, and after 88 points, he was already in Mo Wen's shape.
What he fears even more is that he will lose to Mo Wen more times than A Zhan. If that happens, he won't even have the right to be the laughingstock of others. When the Class of 03 reunion comes around, he'll probably just be the dessert after the main course.
Fortunately, Carmelo Anthony's anxiety didn't last long, because... the Warriors fell behind.
In early March, Yao Ming suffered a foot injury, ending his season.
Mo Wen was also helpless. Under his persuasion, Yao Ming had successfully lost weight, increased his outside shots, reduced his inside contact, and played far fewer domestic games, but he still couldn't escape the pursuit of injuries.
The root cause of Yao Ming's brittle bones was sown when he was a child. Moreover, although his playing style with the Warriors reduced the confrontation in the paint, it increased a lot of running. He even had to follow the forwards in fast breaks, so he actually had more physical activity than the Rockets.
By the time Mo Wen arrived in San Francisco with the team on March 10th, Yao Ming had already undergone surgery at lightning speed.
"The surgery was a success. I asked the doctor, and I think I can make it to the Olympics this year, haha."
Yao Ming's face didn't show much frustration, and his smile didn't seem forced: "Damn, I was really scared to death at first. I thought I was going to die this year. I was trembling with fear. Luckily, I had been dieting before and found out early."
"I was worried before that if we were to compete for the championship this year and the tournament went all the way into June, there wouldn't be much energy or time left for national team training. Now it's good, I can focus on conserving my energy."
Mo Wen can understand Yao Ming's feelings. For Yao Ming, this year's Olympics is probably the highest priority in his entire basketball career.
The Warriors' current roster can last for another two years, and they still have a chance to compete for the championship. Although he missed the Olympics, he will only be 32 years old in four years and can still participate. However, Yao Ming doesn't dare to gamble on his condition at that time. Moreover, this is the Olympics held on home soil. If he misses it, it will truly become a once-in-a-lifetime event.
After winning the World Championship in 06, the State Sports Commission wanted to make a documentary about the men's basketball team to promote the spirit of the men's basketball team in the new era, but he and Yao Ming dragged it out and it never got done.
No, the pressure is too much.
Honor and responsibility go hand in hand; they enjoy the admiration of thousands, and therefore must bear the corresponding expectations.
Mo Wen couldn't guarantee that he would be able to defeat the "Redemption Team" later on, because his cheat was too weak. He could only add points to the human limit, and he wouldn't even be able to become a minor character in Basketball Fire.
"Take good care of yourself and don't put too much pressure on yourself. We have me and Sun Yue on the perimeter, and Wang Zhizhi and Yi Jianlian in the paint. That's enough to win the championship. Old Ha joked with me before, saying that it was hard to arrange the lineup and distribute the ball. With your injury, the problem is solved."
"Heh, just say it. Wait until my leg heals and see if I'll take you on." Yao Ming gritted his teeth and gave a cold laugh.
The SuperSonics won the game easily that night. Without Yao Ming as a stabilizing anchor, Don Nelson rediscovered his mad scientist side, leading the depleted Warriors to a frenzy of fast breaks.
At first, they were able to keep up with the SuperSonics through back-and-forth attacks, but in the second quarter, their offense stalled, and the SuperSonics quickly widened the gap.
Rasheed Wallace, the unlucky fellow, thought he could latch onto Yao Ming's coattails, but who would have thought that Yao Ming's injury would turn him into the big brother again.
Although he has to become the defensive anchor in the paint and play the full-court fast break style that he doesn't particularly like, Rasheed is still very happy because Don Nelson won't put pressure on him and will simply let him exert himself.
Happiness for middle-aged people is so simple.
Without Yao Ming, currently considered the best center, the Warriors' roster on paper can still maintain the strength of a playoff team, but the team's morale has collapsed, and they have lost their previous resilience.
However, this game alone cannot represent the true strength of the Warriors, because in addition to Yao Ming, the Warriors' perimeter defensive specialist Matt Barnes was also unable to play.
Old Nelson was furious because Matt Barnes wasn't absent due to injury or personal leave; it was simply because assistant coach Smart wrote his name as Pietrus when submitting today's starting lineup.
As punishment, Don Nelson revealed the investigation results at the post-game press conference, stating that Smart had made a mistake on the list after watching an adult film.
The diagnosis was that he was in a daze...
The SuperSonics' schedule in March was relatively easy, and they started a winning streak, but it didn't attract much attention because March Madness had begun.
This year's March Madness has garnered unexpectedly high attention.
Unlike last season when Oden and Durant were expected to lock in the top two picks in the draft, this year's draft predictions are incredibly diverse.
There are three most popular ones, and two of them have been dubbed by the media as Mo Wen's successors.
Mo Wen: When people are speechless, they really are speechless...
He's not even 24 years old yet, not married, his eldest son/daughter is still in little Catherine's belly, the Mo surname hasn't been passed down yet, and he hasn't even reached his peak, but he already has a successor on the court.
Is it because the elixir isn't good anymore?
In fact, all three were originally supposed to be, but Rose was kicked out because he couldn't develop a three-point shot like Mayo and Beasley, and was instead given the title of Jordan's successor.
I don't know when it happened, but it seems like the American media has collectively developed cataracts. They say any promising rookie who can shoot three-pointers looks like Mo Wen, which is really unreasonable.
Some ESPN experts have tried to provide objective projections for this year's promising rookies, as is the usual practice, but fans are not buying it.
If you say Beasley's role model is Anthony, fans will think of Melo, who scored 88 points against Morton.
You say Rose's role model is Wade, and fans will ask, "Is it the Wade who failed without Mo Wen?"
You say Mayo's role model is Ben Gordon, and fans will ask if Ben Gordon has ever beaten Mo Wen in a single game.
A veteran ESPN reporter privately complained to his colleagues:
"What can we do? The highly anticipated son of America is being treated like a ball by Mo. Even Kobe lost more often than he won against him. Of the golden generation that has been hyped for 10 years, only Duncan stole two championships before Mo entered the league. Mo has never lost a series since his rookie year. There is simply no opponent for him among the current players. When you don't know who is better than him, you can only hope that someone will become the next him and let him defeat himself."
If you look at the history of the NBA, you'll find that this situation is not uncommon.
After Jordan's three-peat, his successors emerged like mushrooms after rain. During the Shaq-Kobe three-peat, those big men with excellent athleticism were also given the hope of becoming "Little Shaq." Now it's Mo Wen's turn.
And to be fair, the title of Mo Wen's successor is indeed quite useful.
OJ Mayo was the most anticipated high school player after LeBron James, but he failed to produce the same level of performance in college. His stagnant growth and lack of top-tier talent were issues that could have caused him to fall out of the top draft pick discussion. However, he managed to secure the title of the number one successor to LeBron James with his decent three-point shooting, thus maintaining his status as the top favorite for the number one draft pick.
Several top draft picks, including the Knicks, Timberwolves, and Grizzlies, have shown considerable interest in Mayo.
The "Smiling Assassin" was appointed to a critical role and worked hard for a season, finally leading the Knicks to become the top favorite for the number one draft pick.
He himself showed a strong determination to win over Mayo.
Although Thomas could see that Rose was the most talented perimeter player this year, he didn't even think much of Danny, let alone players like Danny.
Speaking of which, Mo Wen is also looking forward to the lottery in the summer.
With the young Bulls losing their fighting spirit and Gasol joining the team, their record has now climbed to the top four in the Eastern Conference, meaning they're definitely out of the running for the number one draft pick.
The Heat have made improvements after he left, but they haven't gotten rid of Shaq's burden, so they haven't completely tanked and are still on the edge of the playoffs, meaning they're destined not to get a high draft pick.
Meanwhile, the SuperSonics, who historically received the fourth pick, are currently on a quest for consecutive championships under their leadership...
It's unknown who will ultimately obtain Ross in this timeline.
……
"I don't understand why KG is ranked ahead of me in the MVP rankings. He is a very good player. He had an MVP performance with the Timberwolves, but I don't think he has performed better than me this year."
On March 17, the Lakers were fortunate to end the SuperSonics' winning streak, and Kobe took the opportunity to publicly express his doubts about the latest MVP rankings at the press conference.
He can't compare to Mo Wen in terms of team record and individual statistics, so he accepts that he is behind Mo Wen in the MVP rankings, but why should Harden be considered?
It's still hard to say whether Harden can be considered the Celtics' leader.
"I don't understand either." In the Celtics' training facility locker room, Pierce, holding a newspaper, felt extremely bitter. He was clearly the leader, and both Harden and Carter were there to assist him, yet his MVP ranking was even below Melo.
(Wade: I know this plot inside and out!)
"What are you looking at?" Carter asked curiously as he entered the locker room and saw Pierce staring blankly at the newspaper.
"They just beat the SuperSonics. Anyone who didn't know better would think they won the Western Conference. That idiot doesn't understand. We'll show him that KG can not only surpass him on the MVP list, but also surpass Mo!" Pierce was a little embarrassed and guilty at first, but then he squeezed out a look of indignation on his face for his friend.
Carter glanced at Pierce, pursed his lips, and finally shook his head.
“What, you don’t believe me? You have to believe your brother, Vince.” Pierce’s tone was strange, and his eyes were filled with doubt.
“I believe KG can win this year’s DPOY, but PP, this is your team.” Carter patted Pierce on the shoulder.
Pierce froze, momentarily at a loss for words.
Because of their similar positions, ball possession was difficult to distribute, and his relationship with Carter could only be described as superficially harmonious. Unexpectedly, Carter was a good person, and although he was touched inside, he had to pretend to be indifferent on the surface.
"It doesn't matter, we're all brothers, aren't we?"
"Brothers are brothers, but this is your home. We'll still have to rely on you for the game against the SuperSonics the day after tomorrow." Carter gave a friendly smile.
"Yeah, you're right, I'll teach them a lesson." Pierce nodded heavily. "By the way, why isn't KG here yet? Wasn't his calf bothering him before? Did he go for a checkup?"
“He checked, but I heard from the team doctor that the situation isn’t good. KG will most likely be out for a while, so it’s all up to you.” Carter patted Pierce on the shoulder again.
Pierce: "..."
Give me back my gratitude!
(End of this chapter)