NBA: Start by torturing Jordan and add points to upgrade

"No need, that's just who I am! I've never been like those hypocritical idiots who always like to hide their true feelings." Old Nelson was full of momentum at this moment, clearly in battle mode.

"I want the best record in history, I want to be the best coach in history, I want a three-peat, I want both regular season and playoff results! I want all of these! So I will say it instead of saying it's not important, I don't care, or I don't care."

"So I want the same for you guys. I want Lin to say me without hesitation when talking about his favorite head coach, instead of that idiot and that lunatic."

“I believe you all hope that when Lin talks about his favorite teammates, he will say it's you guys, not the sarcastic shooter, the fatso, or some plumber.”

"That's all I have to say. How the game goes tonight is up to you!"

"Everyone, any more questions?"

"no!"

"Is there anything else you want to ask me?"

"no!"

"So our purpose tonight is..."

"To become Lin's best teammate in his life!"

"fart!"

Don Nelson kicked Anthony in the backside as he answered first, laughing and cursing, "Win the game! Then make yourself part of the greatest of all time!"

"Yes! Make yourself part of the greatest of history!"

Amidst shouts and cheers, the Knicks players on site were in high spirits and full of fighting spirit!

They are ready.

come on!

Lakers!
Sink you all.

A few minutes later, the Knicks walked into the Staples Center with great strides. They had played a game here the night before, but tonight, the decor was completely different!
First of all, the fans were all wearing gold clothes to show their support for the team. But last night at the Clippers' home game, the clothes were a complete mess, with all sorts of people wearing them, but there were very few fans wearing Clippers jerseys.

In addition, the more than ten championship banners and retired jerseys on the ceiling flutter in the wind, showcasing the Lakers' magnificent and glorious history.

Of course, they haven't won a championship in almost 20 years now.

Over the years, they have been defeated by various teams. They have made many efforts to build their team and reach the finals, but have been defeated time and time again.

Now, with Durant on board, the Lakers are setting sail once again!

They may not be the favorites to win the championship right now, but their ceiling is quite high!
Kobe still has at least 4-5 years of peak performance ahead of him, Durant is averaging 18.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game this season, and Bynum has also grown into a formidable player averaging a double-double under the basket.

In addition, Kirilenko has fully recovered from his injury, and the defensive trio he forms with Kobe and Bynum gives the Lakers a top-ten level defense in the league.

This season's Lakers, and the Lakers for the next few seasons, are definitely one of the championship favorites and a top team with excellent offense and defense, and unparalleled balance.

Tonight, they will carry the hopes of the entire city, the expectations of most of the league, and the dreams of everyone who hates Lin Tian and the Knicks, becoming the last line of defense against the Knicks!
This night is destined to be a fierce battle, a clash of titans!
Of course, before the match officially begins, before both sides use each other's eggs as ping-pong balls, this is Lin Tian's last visit to Staples Center.

According to the rules of this season, the Lakers will definitely make some moves.

No matter how hard they risk their lives later, the proper tribute segment must still be performed at this moment.

Of course, it's worth mentioning that the Clippers also prepared a gift and a tribute for Lin Tian yesterday, but it was completely insignificant.

Nobody cares if the Clippers don't prepare.

Who told them to be nobody?
But what the Lakers will prepare tonight is something to look forward to!

Who can blame them when their owner, Buss, is practically the league's most recognized best owner?
Who can blame them for coming from Los Angeles, the most entertaining place in the United States?
Who can blame them for having the league's most glorious history and the most terrifying lineup of legends?
Who can blame them when countless stars appear at every game here?
Here, of course, countless surprises and dramatic events will occur!

Accidents are the most normal thing here!
Soon after the Knicks and Lakers players entered the court, the big screen and lights went out.

When the screen lit up again, it was in an office where Magic Johnson, West, Kupchak, Kobe Bryant, and Buss were sitting. They were Lakers legends, owners, leaders, and general managers.

"What kind of farewell ceremony should we give Lin? He defeated us so many times, and honestly, I'd like to give him a whole magazine of bullets." Kobe's voice rang out first.

“How about letting him reunite with his family?” Bass said with a smile, “I value family the most, and I believe Lin feels the same way. He would be very happy if his family were there!”

Then the scene shifts, and Theron suddenly appears with Claire.

The little girl is now almost 8 months old. Perhaps she inherited Lin Tian's excellent motor skills, because she can now stand up shakily with her mother's help.

Of course, that's all the cute little girl can do; expecting her to recite a poem like "The Back View" on the spot is completely impossible.

They can't speak yet.

"Congratulations, Lin! We are waiting for you to retire and return to your family. We all miss you very much."

"Meeting you is the luckiest thing in my life. The happiest thing for me is that on the night I met you, I chose to bravely strike up a conversation with you instead of slinking away."

"I will be proud of the choice I made that night for the rest of my life."

After Theron finished speaking, a beam of light suddenly lit up the scene, and Theron smiled and waved to Lin Tian.

As for Claire, she's probably too young to be there at this time, so she'll just have to wait at home.

Before Lin Tian could even speak to Theron, the beam of light disappeared, and the big screen lit up again.

This time it was still in the office, but West was the one speaking: "It's too sentimental. It lacks the magnanimity and confidence that we Lakers have always had. I think we can prepare something else."

"How about an honorary Lakers jersey? I can personally deliver it to him!"

After he finished speaking, a light came on again, just like before, except this time West was holding a Lakers jersey, without a number, but with Lin Tian's name on it.

Similarly, West did not rush forward to present the gift, but waited for the lights to dim again.

"Damn, I was going to give him a jersey." This time it was Kobe's turn. He said regretfully, "I've been beaten by him too many times. Maybe I'll never have a chance to beat him in the playoffs in my life, so I thought, maybe I could give him one..."

"I won't give him anything! I'm petty, I can only wish him to get lost and never show his face in front of me again. Every time I see him, I'm reminded of those painful failures! So maybe I can give him the middle finger?"

"Okay, I know this joke isn't funny. After all, I don't have much of a sense of humor. I'm not Shaq."

Kobe's joke, of course, elicited bursts of laughter and boos from the crowd. The Los Angeles fans gave Kobe a friendly boo, which expressed that they were really happy tonight.

There were only well-intentioned boos, and no insults or abuse.

"But I'm from Philadelphia, and Lin went to college in Philadelphia, so I thought maybe I could help him find some old friends." Kobe on the big screen ignored the fans' attempts to engage and continued delivering his lines.

Next, perhaps to leave a suspenseful moment, the lights did not come back on, nor did the big screen go dark again; instead, the magician took over the conversation directly.

"I've heard that in China there's a gift that represents the highest level of etiquette, given to those you respect and value most. I've looked into it, and it's available in Los Angeles. I've decided to give Lin one of these!"

"So we've all decided?" Bass's voice rang out again, and the others nodded in agreement. Then Bass smiled and said, "Well then, I hope Lin likes what we've prepared for him!"

After those words were spoken, the big screen went dark again, and then almost all the lights in the Staples Center came on at the same time. The intense lights, combined with the background music played by the live DJ, instantly ignited the entire Staples Center!
The fans cheered and shouted wildly, yelling Lin Tian's name!
Even though Lin Tian had never played for the Lakers for even a single day and had repeatedly defeated them in the Finals, the Lakers fans still gave him the utmost respect and the highest level of treatment at this moment.

"Lin! MVP! Lin! MVP! Lin! MVP!" The roars and shouts of the fans were like an endless wave, one after another, while Lin Tian kept spinning around, waving to the fans in every direction, thanking them for their enthusiasm.

At this moment, everyone also saw those who were preparing to provide gifts for Lin Tian.

Theron and Bass stood together smiling, while West held the jersey in his hand.

But the gift Kobe prepared shocked Lin Tian the most.

It turned out to be Lin Tian's coach from when he played basketball at the University of Pennsylvania! An elderly man with white hair.

This coach was virtually unknown in the NCAA and even in the entire American basketball world. Apart from developing Lin Tian and playing in March Madness with him, he left behind no noteworthy achievements.

Who can blame them when Penn is a school that doesn't place any emphasis on sports?
Almost none of the Lakers fans present recognized the elderly man.

They couldn't help but whisper among themselves, speculating about the old man's identity.

But the appearance of his mentor at this moment still moved Lin Tian deeply. He took the microphone and said, "Long time no see, Coach! How are you?"

"I hope to introduce you to everyone."

"Crick Smith, the coach of the University of Pennsylvania basketball team!"

"He coached me for four whole years. Although we didn't win many honors together, we fought together for four years, which are four years I will never forget in my life."

"In these four years, in addition to my basketball skills improving by leaps and bounds, I have also learned many things that cannot be learned on the basketball court."

"Honor, dignity, dreams, hard work, never giving up, and countless knowledge."

"Those four years are my most precious treasure, and Coach Smith will always be one of the people I respect most. Thank you for bringing him here, thank you!"

After saying this, Lin Tian stepped forward and gave his former coach a big hug. He really didn't expect the Lakers to be able to find this old man. After all, the 76ers didn't do this when he went to Philadelphia for an away game!
Then Lin Tian hugged Kobe and said a few trash words.

Next up was West. The old man handed Lin Tian the jersey without a number on it, whispering in his ear, "Even though it's too late, I still sincerely hope that you can actually wear this jersey and write a number on it."

"If you like the number, I can take my jersey off, or even any of those numbers you see on the ceiling, I can find a way to get them."

"This promise remains valid!"

West patted Lin Tian, ​​indicating that he could go and perform the 'handover ceremony' with the magician.

As for what the magician prepared, well...

He's right, this is indeed a gift that Chinese people give to express gratitude or respect.

But it feels a bit strange that it's here, covered in English.

A bright red, triangular banner with gold trim and a hook on top!

A banner!
Damn, this is really memorable!

Even Lin Tian wondered if his banner might be the first in history to have English writing on it.

Lin Tian accepted the banner with a somewhat strange expression and gave the magician a big hug.

He didn't bother to read what was written on it, and quickly walked to the last group of people.

Theron and Bass.

Bass smiled and waved, indicating that Lin Tian could hug Theron now.

Lin Tian didn't stand on ceremony and leaned in to kiss Theron passionately. When they parted, Lin Tian whispered to Theron, "Darling, everything you just said is exactly what I was thinking."

“I’m also glad I went to that party that night.”

"That was the luckiest choice I've ever made in my life."

"No one else?" Theron gave her a look that said, "Don't be ridiculous, I don't believe you at all," and then laughed and said, "I'm worried about Claire sleeping at home, so I can't watch the game. I have to go back first, and the two of us will wait for you to come back at home."

We must win this game!

With that, the special program prepared by the Lakers for Lin Tian has come to a complete end. It can only be said that this is a team worthy of Los Angeles, and a team backed by Hollywood.

A tribute ceremony was managed to feel like a movie, complete with suspense, gradual build-up, camera transitions, and a blend of reality and illusion—all sophisticated elements.

In this instance, the Lakers have given it top-notch attention, in terms of entertainment value, professionalism, and unique memorable moments.

Not simple, indeed not simple.

After this joyful and harmonious moment ended, both teams had to compose themselves and return to their respective halves of the field.

Next, they need to warm up; they need to prepare for the match!

The most intense game in NBA history, which will determine whether the Knicks can break that record, is about to begin!
The Knicks will certainly not change their starting lineup; their starting eleven has remained unchanged all season!

The Lakers also fielded their best lineup available!
Fisher, Kobe, Durant, Kirilenko, and Bynum!
Another noteworthy point is that Lin Tian looked around the court several times but couldn't find any trace of the Lakers' second-in-command, Tracy McGrady.

This guy didn't even show up at Staples Center for this kind of event, and Lin Tian thinks it's quite possible that it's because McGrady and the Lakers had a falling out.

It seems unlikely that McGrady will have the opportunity to appear as a Lakers player next season.

The question is, who can the Lakers get in return for McGrady?
However, that has nothing to do with Lin Tian anymore. No matter when the Lakers win the championship, or whether Kobe can lead the team to victory again, that's all after Lin Tian retires.

What Lin Tian needs to do now is to play this game well!
Before the match began, the players from both sides, as is customary, embraced each other.

Fisher, Kirilenko, and Kobe are all old friends and rivals, so there's not much to say about them. As for Bynum, last season the Knicks and Lakers had a full-blown brawl because of him, so the two teams actually have a grudge against each other.

It's just that Lin Tian is too popular, and this year is his last year. Otherwise, if he hadn't come to Staples Center, he would definitely have been greeted with boos and curses by the Los Angeles fans.

However, Lakers fans spared Bynum because Lin Tian was about to retire, and didn't hurl trash talk at him. But Lin Tian wouldn't let Bynum off the hook.

"Kid, I hope you can walk off the court intact tonight," Lin Tian said sinisterly as he hugged and high-fived Bynum. "This is a heartfelt wish!"

Before Bynum could react, Lin Tian walked over and hugged Kevin Durant, the Lakers' rookie and future pillar.

The young Durant was even thinner than he appeared on TV. His limbs were as long as his body was thin, which explains why many people say that Durant's most important task and goal this season is to eat more meat and gain weight.

With his current form, he'll most likely be useless in the playoffs; those seasoned veterans could easily knock him out!

"Kevin, if you feel there's any obstacle you can't overcome, or any opponent you can't beat, don't be afraid or hesitate." Lin Tian patted Durant on the shoulder, looking like he was about to impart life experience to the next generation.

"Join them! Once you join the enemy you can't beat, they're no longer enemies, but your friends! Together, you'll become an enemy that no one else can defeat!"

"Oh, huh? What? Join the enemy?" The young Durant had clearly not yet awakened his keyboard warrior tendencies or his desire to drink bathwater. At least on the surface, the current Durant was quite reserved, quite taciturn, and visibly thin-skinned.

"This isn't a good idea." Durant scratched his head, which hadn't yet started to recede, and felt that this was wrong.

"Trust me, I won't lie to you!" (End of Chapter)