basketball never sleeps

Chapter 314 Humor
On November 11, the SuperSonics easily defeated the Clippers 116-93 at home, achieving another six-game winning streak to start the season.

The season has just begun, and the Clippers have already become the first team to prepare for the 2009 season and the first to enter the battle for the number one draft pick.

They had suffered a four-game losing streak, but their performance was frighteningly consistent. This was mainly because the Clippers' star player, Elton Brand, suffered an Achilles tendon injury during the offseason, which almost ended his season. In the most optimistic scenario, he would not be able to return until after February.

With their only player capable of scoring 20+ points injured, the already struggling team was left with only a bunch of mediocre players. Nobody knew how to play anymore. In the end, there was no other option but to bring down Corey Maggette, who was originally relegated to the sixth man last season, to find himself wearing a yellow jersey.

The league's perception of the Clippers' pitiful situation also gave Maggette a boost.

You've been enhanced; go and punish yourself!
So a guy born in the 00s whose name was almost unheard of got the league's highest average of 10.3 free throws per game, surpassing his two godsons at the time, and even more than the "Archaeopteryx" who was criticized for his free throws.

It's a pity he only knows how to brute force, and his free throws are mostly brute-forced. If only he could learn some Hollywood skills and memorize the rules...

Millsap was completely outmatched by him, accumulating five fouls. He didn't foul out early simply because the coaching staff saw that he was about to argue with the referee and put him on the bench ahead of time.

Mo Wen slacked off for three quarters, casually racking up 24 points and 12 assists before going to the bench to rest.

Before the season started, he was still thinking that he could continue to compete for the scoring title this season, even if he was forced to take over the ball possession after Milicic left.

It seems unlikely now.

The concentration of star players leads to a clear distinction between strong and weak teams. Unless he plays against a weak team and shamelessly racks up points, it will be difficult for him to defend his scoring title.

In reality, if he could score 18+12 like Nash, his team could easily win. However, in order to attract home fans who buy expensive tickets and to maintain his personal brand image, he still needs to rack up points to the level of a top star.

Burdened by reputation?
They've been set up by capital!
Surprisingly, instead of criticizing him for his declining data, people praised him for becoming "mature".

"Mo started to truly understand the essence of the game, sharing possession. When he chose to give the basketball and the game to his teammates more often, I saw a temporary ruler starting to learn how to prolong his reign, which frankly terrified me."

Dude, you're getting all knowledgeable just because I'm slacking off?

What is the current employment situation for liberal arts graduates?

On November 13, the SuperSonics welcomed their first significant opponent of the season: the San Antonio Spurs, who currently sit second in the Western Conference and second in the league with a record of 6 wins and 1 loss.

After the summer trade, the Spurs immediately became a top contender for the championship, with Las Vegas placing them second only to the Lakers and Celtics in the odds.

Despite Yao Ming officially taking the throne of the best center last season, he has never been able to shake Duncan's status as the best inside player. This is not only because of Duncan's MVP, FMVP and two championships, but also because of his truly unique influence on the game.

You know, Duncan can provide you with almost everything you need on the court—except for three-pointers and foot-planting.

McGrady's arrival transformed the Spurs' perimeter game from excellent to top-tier.

Historically, McGrady's career began to decline significantly this season, officially sliding into the abyss of decline. Reduced training volume led to more and more frequent injuries. He dismissed the trainer who had been with him since his rookie days and switched to Jordan's former training team. However, the problems of injuries and laziness could not be solved by simply changing training teams.

Until the 09 season, his health problems completely spiraled out of control. Many times, the Rockets did not know whether McGrady could play before the game. McGrady, whose reputation had already declined due to missing training and poor performance, was completely turned into a locker room cancer. Finally, in the face of public criticism, he made the disastrous decision to announce his season-ending injury to the media without informing the team.

In fact, judging from his performance after being traded to the Knicks, he was not lying about his injury; his body had indeed broken down at that time.

As for how it collapsed, the answer is simply that heaven was jealous of its talent.

But McGrady is fortunate to still be in form, averaging 27 points per game since the start of the season, second only to Carmelo Anthony.

His resentment at Yao Ming's departure and his jealousy of Mo Wen's success became his goals and motivations.

Most importantly, he now has a superstar teammate who is widely recognized as the greatest power forward in history, so there are no more excuses.

Revenge! Victory!
The classic, fast-paced storyline injected endless energy into McGrady's body.

Duncan was a player who required two players to contain, and a healthy McGrady was the same. Their partnership on the court was like a perfect match, a match made in heaven...

Tony Parker: Hey, hey, hey?

Well, add a French sports car with unparalleled speed.

While the Spurs' Big Three weren't as dominant as the Heat's Big Three, they were still arguably the best-chemistryed combination in the league right now.

"I don't care about the SuperSonics' home winning streak. If I were in San Antonio last season, we could have done the same thing."

"I've looked at their schedule. So far, their perfect record isn't a big deal. If those opponents were me a year ago when I was still with the Rockets, I could have achieved the same winning streak."

"Actually, I don't take the regular season wins and losses that seriously, because many things, such as injuries, everyone's form, and luck, can affect the outcome of a game. But what I can tell you is that we can win this game, we will win, and we definitely will win!"

Before boarding the plane, during an interview, McGrady's eyes sparkled with confidence and arrogance; he seemed to have rediscovered his 22-year-old self.

"T-Mac, weren't you being a bit too absolute just now?" On the plane, Duncan was a little uneasy about McGrady's outrageous remarks in front of the media.

As everyone knows, the Spurs' news is just as colorful as San Antonio's nightlife.

"Absolutely? I think it's just right." McGrady's eyes were half-closed, and he looked quite relaxed.

“They were last season’s champions,” Parker reminded him, sitting on his other side.

"That was all last season, wasn't it? They lost a key center in the summer, while San Antonio gained me, so they should be the ones who are nervous and afraid now."

Like Pierce, who was thousands of miles away, McGrady also genuinely felt that Mo Wen's previous achievements were all thanks to having a great group of teammates.

During the worst period of the past four years, Mo Wen had two All-Star level teammates by his side. He could have succeeded in the same situation, so it's impossible for him to be convinced.

"The SuperSonics are not that simple. I watched their tapes. Their interior defense has weakened, but their perimeter defense is stronger than last season."

Duncan's eyes were serious. As a senior player, he was already 31 years old. With his athletic ability declining year by year, his understanding of technique and tactics became more and more profound. What was frightening was that Mo Wen also became more and more unfathomable in his eyes.

The scenes of his match against Mo Wen flashed through McGrady's mind. The simple and clean technique made him feel that he could do it too. With a healthy body and better teammates, he didn't believe that he was really inferior to Mo Wen.

Put on your blindfold, and then go fuck it.

……

Whether it's the first clash between the defending champions and a strong team, or the battle for the top spot, this match is highly anticipated.

Mo Wen was also very interested in this almost unfamiliar Spurs team.

McGrady going to the Spurs is the "if" scenario that McGrady fans have been fantasizing about the most.

Later, Gay, who was a lower-tier version of McGrady, performed well after joining the Spurs at the end of his career. McGrady, who still had fuel in the tank, was bound to take off when he joined the Spurs.
Judging from the footage of the Spurs' previous few games, McGrady and the Spurs seem to be a pretty good fit.

McGrady was able to serve as the Rockets' playmaker, his basketball IQ was sufficient to run the Spurs' tactics, and he was good at pull-up jump shots, so he was also quite good at off-ball catch-and-shoot plays.

The presence of Parker and Duncan in the paint gave him ample space for isolation plays on the perimeter, and with Popovich constantly correcting his poor shot selections, McGrady's current style is truly refreshing.

Seattle media outlets are also very interested in the Spurs.

However, their focus was on the private lives of the Spurs' Big Three.

Duncan noticed his wife's strange behavior while fishing early in the summer. He had just asked someone to investigate and collect some evidence when his wife realized what was going on and filed for divorce on the grounds of irreconcilable differences.

Parker and Eva are newlyweds and their relationship seems fine. However, Eva's ex-boyfriend has leaked a videotape showing intimate moments between them. Considering they've been dating for two or three years, things are hard to predict.

As for the "good man" McGrady, he was recently sued for child support by a model holding her child.

After a court examination, it was confirmed that this was indeed his child, an illegitimate daughter. If he simply had an illegitimate daughter and ran away to abandon her, the damage to McGrady's reputation would be limited. After all, having an illegitimate daughter is not illegal; he was just making a mistake that many Black people would make.

However, some inquisitive reporters dug deeper into the matter and, based on the information provided by the female model, discovered that the approximate time of McGrady's "target practice" coincided with a period of his leave.

The Rockets didn't hide the reason McGrady took leave during that time—his mother-in-law was seriously ill, and he had to go back to take care of her.

Considering that his mother-in-law did indeed pass away not long afterward, the whole thing became exceptionally...

humor.

The last time Mo Wen saw news with this kind of entertainment value was when Randolph asked for leave to attend his aunt's funeral, only to be caught red-handed at a nightclub that same night.

As for the SuperSonics team, they didn't really react much to this game that the media was hyping up; they just saw it as a strong team.

Hill made some changes to the lineup for this game, starting Scola.

Millsap's height is a given. His strength advantage as a short, strong forward is particularly effective against the German machine, which is unstable in both upper and lower body. However, against the Stone Buddha, who is good at using his physical gifts to play inside, he can only be a laughing stock.

Even if it were Millsap at his peak, he wouldn't be able to match up against Duncan, but he could use his three-pointers to keep Duncan out of the game. However, the current Millsap can't handle that level of intensity.

Millsap was happier to learn he wouldn't be starting than if they had won a game. The pressure of playing against Duncan in his second year was immense.

Scola, on the other hand, showed no fear and was even excitedly rubbing his hands together. He had been held back by the Spurs for several years, and his resentment and hatred towards the team were almost tangible.

Farewell to the cage?
nonexistent.

Wait for me to come out and I'll make you red bean paste!

Scola didn't think Duncan was anything special either. In the 04 Olympics, the Argentine men's basketball team beat the US team to reach the final. In that game, he was Argentina's starter, while Duncan was the US team's starter, so his win rate against Duncan when starting was as high as 100%.

Before the game, some media outlets approached Mo Wen and told him about the harsh words McGrady had said earlier, wanting to see how Mo Wen would react.

Mo Wen was very polite and pretended to be confused.

"T-Mac? Hasn't he retired yet? I don't remember much about the regular season, but I haven't seen him in the playoffs in a long time."

The reporters happily relayed the exact words to McGrady on the other side.

McGrady confirmed Mo Wen's words with the reporters twice, then smiled and shook his head as if nothing had happened and left.

But when Duncan habitually placed the black hand that had once been on the Pampas Eagles on McGrady's head, he felt a noticeable tremor.

Noticing something amiss, Daidai looked down and saw that Zhongdeng, who had been sleepy-eyed, had now turned so dark and gloomy that he could replace a Bull Terrier in the movie "Conquest".

The competition officially began at 19:30 PM.

With his defenses broken, McGrady had no intention of arguing with Mo Wen; he just wanted to beat Mo Wen to death on the basketball court, or be beaten to death by Mo Wen.

Tyson easily tipped the ball over, and amidst the cheers of the home crowd, Mo Wen began to advance the ball.

The defender, Mo Wen, is still the familiar Coach Bao.

McGrady wanted to take over from Bowen and confront Mo Wen directly, but Popovich wouldn't make such a basic mistake.

Mo Wen, who has been in the league for five years, has joined the ranks of the physical monsters, while McGrady, although he did not fall into the same depravity as in the original timeline, still cannot improve his physical problems.

He rarely has stamina issues with the Spurs these days, mainly because he manages his playing time well, and Duncan and Parker share the pressure with him.

If someone can handle both offense and defense, they might disappear by the halfway point.

Mo Wen gestured, and Scola stepped up to set a screen, followed by Scola's national team teammate Oberto.

Seeing that Millsap wasn't in the starting lineup, Popovich placed Duncan at center. Duncan had a size advantage over Tyson Chandler, and it was easier for him to draw fouls with his skills. Most importantly, he would be pulled out of position less often.

Ray Allen started cutting to the baseline, drawing Parker away. Gay set an off-ball screen for Ray Allen and then crouched in the corner to smoke.

Knowing that Scola had no shooting range, Oberto did not choose to switch defenses, but instead Bowen and Oberto double-teamed Mo Wen.

Mo Wen took a step back, and once Scola was out of Bowen's defensive range, he grabbed the ball with one hand and flung it over, while simultaneously starting his run.

Scola received the ball but didn't rush to shoot in the long two-point area. He took a step forward, drawing McGrady's help defense, and started his back-to-the-basket move.

Duncan, who was originally under the basket, moved over and positioned himself in the path Scola took after turning and rushing to the basket. Bowen, who had turned around, blocked Scola's route to pass back to Mo Wen while double-teaming him.

Millsap on the sidelines was sweating a little, but Scola remained calm. He bumped McGrady to make sure he was on solid ground before turning and passing the ball to Gay in the corner.

Gay had space to shoot after receiving the ball, but the sharp-witted Bowen sensed something was wrong as Scola made his move and turned to rush towards Gay.

When he saw Bowen arrive, Guy, who knew who he was, didn't risk taking a shot. Instead, he passed the ball to Mo Wen when he reached the receiving position.

Facing Oberto's one-on-one defense, Mo Wen showed no mercy, simply using a crossover dribble to shake him off, then running into mid-range and unleashing a powerful shot that easily found the net.

Roar!
Mo Wen was startled, but then he saw Scola unable to resist imitating Harden, pounding his chest and yelling in Duncan's direction.

Duncan blinked his innocent eyes. He had heard from Oberto about Scola's dissatisfaction with the Spurs, but he hadn't expected it to have reached this level.

On the sidelines, Popovich frowned again. He had thought that Mo Wen would choose to isolate and attack Bowen more often, just like in last season's playoffs. Although the Spurs still couldn't stop him, at least it would wear him down.

But if the ball goes past his teammate and then the Spurs' interior player goes to defend him one-on-one, it won't just fail to wear him down, it might even help him get back into form.

Those experts and media were right; Mo Wen has indeed become more mature.

McGrady was already eager to get going on the Spurs' offensive possession.

Halfway through the game, he was quite satisfied to see that Mo Wen was intentionally letting go of Bowen and moving closer to him.

It's good to know who poses the greatest threat.

He really wanted to show his strength by taking on two opponents in a one-on-one situation, just like he did with the Rockets, but when he felt Popovich's gaze on him, he obediently chose to play the game.

Although Ginobili was replaced by McGrady, the Spurs' tactics did not change much. It was still the same old "Big Three" system: Parker and Duncan pick-and-roll, inside-out plays around Duncan in the low post, and McGrady's drives and passes to the weak side.

Seeing his teammates start running, McGrady adopted a triple threat stance against his younger self, took two tentative steps, and then seized the small opening in Gay's center of gravity adjustment to break through.

The Supersonics opted for a collapsed formation, and the ball circled around the perimeter before landing in the open hands of Parker.

Parker cursed himself for not being focused enough; how did he end up receiving the ball beyond the three-point line?

He had no choice but to shoot even with a wide-open shot.

boom.

The ball hit the front rim, and McGrady was lucky enough to grab the long rebound. This time, instead of trying to reorganize the play, he faked a shot from the spot, shook off Gay, then took a step to the side to create space and made a wide-open jump shot.

After scoring, his target was quite clear: he pointed straight at Mo Wen with one hand.

He actually wanted to shout a few lines, but his idol image wouldn't allow it.

The best active player?
Do you deserve it?
(End of this chapter)