basketball never sleeps

Chapter 307 Brothers
Six years ago, Carter could still score 50 points in a single game against Iverson in the playoffs; five years ago, the duo of Pierce and Walker could still reach the Eastern Conference Finals; four years ago, Garnett led the team to the Western Conference Finals with the MVP honor.

The three were once renowned heroes, but this summer they set aside their pride and gathered together.

There are many underrated players in the league, but Wolf King and Carter are clearly not among them. Therefore, among the many big trades in the summer, the emergence of the Celtics' Big Three has undoubtedly become the most dazzling star.

At the press conference, Pierce grinned, showing off his white teeth, and brazenly put his arms around his two "good buddies".

After all these years, he finally got the helpers he had been dreaming of, even though these two helpers were more famous than him, a native... But it didn't matter, all he wanted now was to win.

Pierce, unlike his usual lazy way of speaking, was speaking quite quickly today.

He couldn't wait to let the world hear his and their voices again.

"I don't understand why some people can be elevated to the same level as Michael Jordan and Machiavellian just because they have better teammates and seize the gifts of fate?"

"Of course I have to admit that the path he chose was indeed easier to succeed, so we... came too, and we won't let him enjoy this glory all to himself."

"I've heard many people say that our generation's time has passed, but brothers, our era has clearly not yet arrived. We will prove to everyone with our strength whose era this is! Together, we will bring the Celtics their 17th championship trophy in franchise history!"

Unexpected yet reasonable, Pierce turned his criticism on the then-rising star, Mo Wen, at the press conference.

After leading the SuperSonics to victory, Mo Wen's fan base and public influence expanded rapidly, and he finally took that dangerous but inevitable step—facing Danzi directly.

You know, being the first is just the beginning and the end.

Although Mo Wen didn't declare himself the GOAT or create any customized statistics, his performance on the court is still enough to inspire fans to cheer him on.

He won the championship in all four years he entered the league, won the Finals MVP for three consecutive years, and this year he completed the ascension to godhood by winning both the MVP and Finals MVP awards. What is even more terrifying than his dazzling resume is the endless future that he can't see the end of.

What? The rebels have stormed the capital?
Wrong, that's the royal army!
Jordan's fans began to panic, but unfortunately, Dan Zi had already retired, and no matter how much they recounted Dan Zi's glory, it couldn't compare to the influence that Mo Wen was having now.

Even more frustrated than Jordan fans are the current players. They don't want to acknowledge Moratti's status as the best player in the league, but Moratti has surpassed them by comparing himself to Jordan.

This feels like a freakish joke, as if the blond-haired guy had somehow gotten promoted by uttering a three-word curse.

At first, Pierce just saw Mo Wen as a junior, a lucky junior who was lucky enough to join a championship contender, lucky enough to be snatched up by Riley, lucky enough to catch the rule change and take advantage of his superstar teammates to form the Big Three, lucky enough to join a promising team as a free agent, lucky enough to catch the team's historic bet and win the league's favor, and made it all the way to the Finals, and lucky enough to meet LeBron, a disappointing opponent.

It may be impossible to logically explain why Mo Wen had so much good luck, but there are many things that Pierce's limited knowledge cannot explain.

It's easier to accept that Mo Wen was lucky than to admit that Mo Wen was much better than him.

Pierce doesn't think he's much weaker than Mo Wen. The two have faced each other many times, and in his opinion, the gap between them isn't that big. At most, his three-point shooting is a bit worse, which makes him less of a threat in terms of spacing and thus affects his drives and one-on-one plays.

The main reason for the difference in their circumstances was their teammates.

Just as Ray Allen envied Kobe Bryant at the beginning of the century, Pierce firmly believed that he could achieve the same success if he were on the same path as Mo Wen.

Payton, who was close to him, also praised Mo Wen in private, but he didn't believe it. He thought that Payton was acting this way only because Mo Wen had led him to victory.

Now he has strong enough teammates, while the SuperSonics almost let Milicic go for nothing.

The advantage is in my hands? Victory is in my hands!
Garnett wasn't letting Pierce steal the spotlight; after all, this was his and Carter's press conference.

"I'm incredibly excited to join this amazing team, and playing alongside PP and Vince is a dream come true. From the first day I arrived in Boston, I knew exactly how to dominate this city. The current Celtics are stronger than ever before, and I think this is the best chance of my career to win a championship..."

"My passion has never cooled, and I will dedicate all my energy and experience to this team..."

"We will end everything, end the suffering of the past, end all doubt, and end the unrealistic fantasies of some people..."

Hardt's mind flashed back to everything he had experienced with the Timberwolves. Summer was always his favorite season, not only because of the warm weather, but also because the summer trade season brought him hope, just like the short but beautiful summer in Minnesota.

And when summer ends, a long, bitter cold will arrive.

His abundant passion could make him endure the bitter cold, but in the long night, being awake was a curse.

He was also envious of Mo Wen, a lucky person who could keep up with the times at every step.

If he had also had the opportunities and freedom that Mo Wen had, would he still have remained mediocre until today?
As for that epic contract that "trapped" him, and the countless zeros in his bank account—I can't remember—it was a great ordeal.

Compared to the other two, Carter was much more low-key.

“I’m honored to be teammates with KG and PP. I’m really happy to play on a competitive team.”

If we're talking about who faced the most criticism in this alliance, it wasn't Harden who failed to maintain his loyalty, but Carter.

After the season ended, considering that the Nets might trade Kidd, Carter felt that it was reasonable for him to stay with the Nets to help the team sell tickets and ask for a bigger contract. However, Nets general manager Thorn talked to Carter about market economics... According to market prices, you are worth this price.

But when Carter chose a better buyer at the same price according to market economy rules, Thorne broke down again. Apart from hurriedly comforting Kidd, who had already packed his bags, he could only accuse Carter of being too market-oriented and having no loyalty.

Thorn was once the NBA's vice president, so he has influence. In addition, the negative impact of Carter's tanking and defection from the Raptors a few years ago has not yet dissipated. The Nets will not be able to fully cash in the draft picks that he gave to the Raptors until next year in order to get them, which has really dealt another blow to Carter's reputation.

The reporters at the scene weren't satisfied with just the big news about the three giants; they asked two very practical questions.

Who's in charge? How is ball possession divided?
To the reporters' disappointment, Harden readily admitted that it was Pierce's team, while the usually laid-back Carter showed absolutely no interest.

As for ball possession, the Big Three said it wasn't an issue, as none of them are selfish and they can easily work out their chemistry.

However, reporters remained skeptical, noting that the Celtics' Big Three didn't have a clear functional distinction compared to the Heat's Big Three, with their comfort zones overlapping considerably, and that Magic coach Rivers wasn't adept at dividing the spoils.

Regardless, the Celtics' Big Three still attracted a lot of attention.

Bill Simmons, a well-known die-hard Celtics fan, excitedly wrote a long post that recounted the Celtics' lavish past, analyzed the current chaotic situation, and even helped the Celtics secure a loan for next season's championship.

"The most successful team management in a single season in the 20th century? You might say it's the Bulls drafting Michael Jordan, but I'm more inclined to say it's the series of rebuilding trades made by McLeod (Pistons) around Isaiah in '86. They built a championship-winning team in just one year without getting any luck (high draft picks) or giving up any major assets. As for which one is the most successful in the 21st century, it's obvious!"

"I don't know if Morey can surpass Michael Jordan's achievements in the future, but it's obvious that he's more arrogant and conceited than Jordan. He arrogantly believes that after winning one championship, he can easily win another (given his career experience, I think it's perfectly reasonable for him to have this perception), so he allows the team to be weakened. But only those who have created greatness know that defending a title is always harder than winning the first one. You can no longer rely on the motivation that made people climb the mountain for the first time. Morey's good luck has come to an end. The Celtics will take over the torch of the times and show him how to create lasting success."

"The great Auerbach is gone, but the championship culture he left behind at Celtic will never leave. Nothing in this world is absolute, except for the success that Celtic is about to achieve."

It's clear he's really been holding back. Even the terms "absolute" and "loan prediction," which are rarely used by media professionals, are appearing almost as frequently as if they were free. Mo Wen, whom he had previously praised extensively, has become a backdrop to highlight the Celtics.

Bill Simmons, or rather every veteran Celtics fan, firmly believes that the reborn Celtics Big Three will bring them glory again. Although there are many failed examples of superstars teaming up in NBA history, the Celtics are not among them. Looking back at the Celtics' history, they have won the championship every time they formed a superstar team.

Inside the Dream Team's training camp, Paul stood with his hands on his hips, looking at Kobe with a smug expression.

"Practice 1000 three-pointers a day? I don't feel like you're that much better than me, old man."

The two had just played a three-point contest, and Paul unusually won against Kobe. Even though it might anger the man, considering the ridicule he had endured during previous training sessions with his coach, he didn't hesitate to retaliate.

"You better pray you stay this accurate." Kobe didn't seem angry, but just coldly gestured for Paul to continue.

Paul, confident in his shooting touch, fearlessly went up against the opponent. The training session had ended, but neither of the two, who were taking it seriously, showed any sign of stopping.

When the two are driven to victory, usually only the trainers responsible for their bodies can separate them.

Everyone seemed unfazed; this kind of scenario had been happening repeatedly since Kobe joined the training camp. Many times, other Dream Team players couldn't help but suspect that these two were using this method to increase their training volume and secretly work harder.

James glanced in their direction twice before pulling Wade away.

"Aren't we going to wait for Paul?" Wade asked.

"With them in this form, neither of them will admit defeat," the observant Azan concluded.

"So there's a reason why CP3 has improved so quickly. Bro, I think you should go practice with Kobe more, especially your three-pointers and one-on-one skills," Wade joked. LeBron turned and left without a trace of waiting or lingering.

Surprisingly, Paul managed to escape from Kobe's clutches and make it to the dinner party for the young players of the Dream Team VIII.

"Kobe actually let you go?" Melo asked in surprise.

"What happened? My three-pointers completely crushed him today. He had no choice but to admit defeat and go back to practicing his three-pointers." Paul was very proud. Being able to beat Kobe in his area of ​​expertise felt incredibly satisfying.

"Really? Oh, is Vanessa here?"

"This is real power!" Paul slammed his hand on the table in dissatisfaction.

"Alas--"

Seeing that no one believed him, Paul finally softened his tone and said, "Okay, I think he's probably just confused."

“He’s confused. We train together every day, what could he be confused about? Could it be that… he forgot to pay again?” Melon chimed in, looking rather sly.

Paul coughed slightly, ignoring Melo's witty remark, and replied seriously, "Maybe it's because there have been too many big transfer news lately. After Jermaine came, we all thought we could play casually next season, but who would have thought that someone else would come to steal the spotlight and disrupt things, which probably made the old guy feel threatened again."

Paul, who had little experience and whose personal skills were still improving, did not have a sufficient understanding of human suffering. He was in a stage of overflowing self-confidence and believed more in his own strength than in studying his opponents.

"If it weren't for Kobe's constant antics, I think our original roster would have been enough. Teaming up is something only old men and cowards do." Perhaps because they beat Kobe today, Paul's voice was brimming with a bit of domineering confidence.

When this was mentioned, the group of young people readily agreed.

Wade: To be honest, it's true.

Azkaban: You're absolutely right, bro!

Howard: Oh right, right, right!

Bosh looked at the group of people, touched his face, and seemed to understand why he had been unable to make the playoffs.

Melon, who had some ulterior motives, wanted to argue back, but Sir Ba's voice suddenly grew louder from the television.

"As a journalist, I should be excited about all these big news stories, but believe it or not, I think these deals that have happened recently have been absolutely terrible!"

In the TNT studio, Barkley waved his arms and shouted in an exaggerated tone, "That's fucking awful!"

“You can say that player transfers are normal, but I don’t see their determination to strive for improvement. They don’t know how to hone their skills and improve themselves; they only think about getting a better team or better teammates. I understand their motivation to some extent, but to be honest, it’s essentially a cowardly act!”

Kenny Smith, unaffected by Barkley's passion, instead suppressed a laugh and reminded him, "Oh, tough Sir Charles, I must remind you, do you remember what you've done?"

Barkley's momentum faltered for a moment, but he quickly found another reason.

"How can that be the same? My opponent is Michael Jordan, the GOAT. You can only beat him by any means possible."

"McK, okay, I can understand you, but can you understand the current players? Their opponents are Mo."

This remark not only left Barkley speechless, but also left the others at the gathering speechless.

Upon hearing this name, Melon couldn't help but grit its teeth.

"I mean, if, maybe, just in the unlikely event that we ever have the chance to play together on the same team, it won't be for victory or some powerful opponent, but because... we're brothers!"

The dinner table fell silent for a moment, then erupted into even more enthusiastic agreement.

"That's right, we're brothers!"

Cheers to my brothers!

"I only love the family!"

……

While the various warlords were making a big fuss about forming alliances, Mo Wen had no interest in paying attention to all the commotion. With the help of Jack, a professional vocal expert that Hugh Man had found for him, he was producing his new single.

With large hands sweeping across the guitar strings, a tender and affectionate voice flowed through the recording studio, and simple lyrics painted a warm picture.

The sound engineer kept nodding until the song ended, at which point he and Jack clapped together.

"Your singing skills still have a lot of room for improvement, but as far as 'Perfect' is concerned, it's already perfect. If I didn't know you were a basketball superstar, I would definitely have asked the company to sign you." A hint of fatigue flashed in Jack's eyes, but he still praised you in a very sincere tone.

"Really? Don't let my skill at playing basketball fool you, I don't actually practice much. So I have a lot of free time. If possible, I might as well give it a try for the Grammys." Mo Wen stroked his chin and raised an eyebrow at Jack.

To be honest, if even the future NBA China ambassador can redeem himself in the music industry through his talent, he feels there's a slight possibility for him to do the same.

Jack pursed his lips helplessly: "...I can only say that your potential in the music industry is far greater than Michael's limit in the baseball world."

"Hahahaha!" The people present exchanged glances and burst into laughter together.

Only after Mo Wen left did the sound engineer click his tongue and ask Jack, who was still there.

Did he propose by writing this song?

“I don’t know, but I do know that in the future, many men will use this song to jump into the grave of their marriages.” Jack lit a cigarette and looked at the passageway where Mo Wen had left with a touch of emotion.

With a large body, a strong physique, and a net worth of hundreds of millions, how could he possess the soul of a good man?
What a waste! If he had Mo Wen's resources, he could eat rainbow rice three times a day. He'd even eat the chef if he were good-looking.

But it's all for the best. If Mo Wen were to compete in this way, half of Hollywood's actresses would probably have to experience the taste of hardship.

Mo Wen did not leave New York after leaving the recording studio; instead, he was pulled away by a real estate agent.

"Do you know where Manhattan's most secret treasure is hidden? Look over here, I found this especially for you. It has a 4.2-meter high ceiling, and when you draw back the curtains, you can see the Empire State Building. The balcony faces Manhattan Park..."

The real estate agent was talking non-stop, but Mo Wen's attention was not on her words. One of his large hands was stroking her shapely and fleshy waist and hips.

The eldest princess, dressed in a business suit and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, continued to enthusiastically introduce the many selling points of this luxury apartment, and Mo Wen gradually became interested.

Yes, it's not an interest in this house.

As everyone knows, you have to test drive a car before buying it. Naturally, Mo Wen had to test drive the house he was buying. From the sofa to the kitchen, from the bathroom to the bedroom, he kept asking the princess until she was hoarse before Mo Wen finally reluctantly started writing, just to save face for her.

"Is this all the surprise you were talking about?" Mo Wen found it somewhat amusing. This girl really inherited her father's genes. She was the one who came up with the idea, but she invited him out to ask for his help and then wanted to sell him a house to make a profit. She was simply too good to be true.

"I haven't finished introducing it yet. Do you know who your neighbors are?" The princess, wiping her sticky hair, finally began to introduce the core selling points of the house.

"It's good that you have a house here."

"It's not just me, but also Olivia, Zoe, and the two from the Olsen family. They all really want to meet you. I've set up a party in my house, which is upstairs from yours, and they're all looking forward to welcoming their new neighbor tonight."

I vaguely remember a few of the names; they were all somewhat famous socialites, and quite good-looking.

"Do they want to get to know me or do they want to eat me?" Mo Wen touched the princess's face, and the princess sucked on his thumb in response, giving a muffled answer.

"This world is wonderful."

(End of this chapter)