basketball never sleeps

Chapter 351 The Strange Tales of Mo's Rules

49 points is not the end of Mo Wen's performance tonight.

Mo Wen didn't like doing things that would drive someone with OCD crazy, so he chose to keep grinding... no, to keep creating greatness.

Pierce, whose mind was already numb, tried to gamble on doing Mo Wen one more time.

But Mo Wen simply turned to the side to dodge Pierce's lunge, and then secretly and swiftly delivered a vicious elbow strike to Pierce.

It's as smooth and freehand as a jungler casually clearing out a wave of minions while ganking.

The sudden pain made Pierce realize he was still alive, but then an even greater pain surged up – he clearly saw Mo Wen throw that damn basketball in front of him again, and then make the shot.

What I'm saying is, why does a perfectly good basketball hoop have to have a hole in the middle?

Why can't you just play basketball? Why do you need a basketball hoop?

The photographers on the sidelines were snapping photos rapidly, their hands shaking as if they had Parkinson's disease.

Pierce, with his contorted posture and ferocious expression, and Mo Wen, who casually and confidently throws his hand, create a remarkably harmonious and perfect scene.

Swish!

51 points!

Almost all the fans watching the live broadcast cheered at that moment, and the commentators in the studio also went into a frenzy after witnessing something great.

"He did it! Mo Wen achieved a 100% shooting percentage and scored 51 points. Mo Wen has created a new record, a new legend. My God, this is incredible."

"Even if God descended at this moment, he would have to call Mo Wen God. In the actual combat, nearly twenty shots from different positions all hit the target. What kind of skill is this?!"

"What's most terrifying is that Moke didn't do all this against some lousy team. This is the Celtics, the great Celtics, currently the top team in the East!"

"I think this is an even more terrifying record than 88 points. Kobe has proven that as long as you are determined to shoot, you still have a chance to get high scores, but a 100% shooting percentage for 50+ means that you not only have to take more shots, but you also have to be able to accurately seize every opportunity!"

In contrast, the tranquil North Shore Gardens arena resembles a library.

The fans at the scene were either dejected and exhausted, just looking up at the big screen above, or they put their hands behind their heads in the classic inverted triangle pose, or they still couldn't accept reality and covered their mouths and eyes with their hands.

Those with stronger execution skills have already stood up from their seats, turned around, and left.

Meanwhile, in the front row season ticket section, Bill Simmons, who had been prepared for today's defeat, also briefly lost his ability to think.

The Celtics are not immune to losses; after the great 1980s, the Celtics have been in decline for more than a dozen seasons.

He witnessed the Celtics, basking in the afterglow of their dynasty, being mercilessly crushed by Danny's Bulls; he witnessed the fall of a promising star who could have been the team's future; he witnessed the idiot Pitino destroy the team culture and operating system that the old Celtics were so proud of; he witnessed Pierce and Walker, who were called a twin star but actually were fighting each other, being stopped in the Eastern Conference Finals; and he witnessed Ainge's big gamble in the summer.

As a die-hard Celtics fan born in 1969, defeat has been a constant presence throughout his youth.

When the Celtics returned to the top of the Eastern Conference after 20 years, he felt like his childhood had returned.

But Mo Wen's smiling face on the court was like a heavy blow, telling him that his youth had returned, or perhaps his youth had never ended.

Anyone who knows a little about basketball knows what it means for someone to score 50 points with a 100% shooting percentage.

The complete collapse of the defensive system?

An absolute generational gap in strength?

Or perhaps, it was an accident.

"Of course, it's highly likely that this was an accident. Mo was in top form and ran into the Celtics without KG, and that's how the tragedy happened."

Bill Simmons tried his best to convince himself to accept the idea, but the creator's divergent thinking still made him think uncontrollably about what the Celtics would do if they encountered such a Mo Wen in the Finals.

Mo Wen doesn't even need to maintain a 100% shooting percentage all the time. As long as he can make a few shots at crucial moments, it's enough to make people despair.

“It’s okay, we still have KG.”

Bill Simmons, like the cameras on the sidelines, focused on Garnett, who sat solemnly on the bench, as if he were a drowning man grasping at a straw.

Whether that straw could truly save his life remained to be seen, but he was certain that at least it could give him a little more breathing room.

"Moreover, the Lakers should be the ones with a bigger headache right now. They have to face this monster first, thank goodness."

When the underlying code of beat LA was activated, Bill Simmons's lips curled up almost imperceptibly by two pixels.

Carter called a timeout.

The terrible memories of Mr. 57 flooded back into his mind.

Perhaps he and Pierce could still stop Mo Wen, and Mo Wen should be under even more pressure later on.

But he didn't want to gamble anymore.

Therefore, he decided to let Mo Wen off the hook for the time being.

So you've opened up, huh? Well then, I'm not playing with you anymore!

Pierce was more decisive than Carter; he even headed straight for the player tunnel, but before he could, he was pulled back by Harden and pinned to the bench.

“I know you’re in pain, and I’m in pain too, brother, but at least we can’t be deserters.”

Pierce's emotions surged instantly, and he wanted to yell at Garnett, "You have no idea what I've been through!"

But the thought of having to rely on Harden for defense in the next game made him close his eyes in frustration.

Seeing that both star players shared this attitude, Rivers could only resort to a coach's ultimate weapon—the "Heaven and Earth Together" strategy.

He substituted all the starters, bringing on a bunch of nobodies who never get playing time.

I'm warning you, if you dare to hit it again, that's animal cruelty, and you'll only face the iron fist of animal protection organizations!

Knowing that his form was rare, Mo Wen actually wanted to push his record even further. He was confident that he could continue to extend the record against the mentally broken Celtics, but he was too embarrassed to stay on the court in this situation.

The record for a 100% shooting percentage stopped at 51 points.

Mo Wen felt it was a bit of a pity; it would have been great if he could have scored 60 points. The impact of 51 points was not as great as 60 points.

Young Guy was thrilled to see his boss set another record and wanted to stay on the court to show off his skills, but Hill benched him and replaced him with the more experienced Hill. The game ended peacefully.

After the game, back in the locker room, his teammates, who had been restrained from celebrating by Hill, rushed over and lifted Mo Wen up.

From the Celtics players' perspective, Mo Wen is a devil, but from their perspective, Mo Wen is the true god.

Only on the court, facing various open spaces, can one truly perceive the defensive pressure Mo Wen is under.

To maintain a 100% shooting percentage under such double-team pressure is something they wouldn't even dare to dream of.

Sometimes they are afraid that one day the team will abandon them and they will be on the opposite side of Mo Wen, which would be a terrifying scene.

Those who haven't witnessed Mo Ge's dominance might still have the courage to fight him, but for those of them who know Mo Wen's true strength, the fact that they can still stand steadily in front of him is something to be proud of.

I'm fucking awesome!

Ray Allen, who is usually not very talkative, took the initiative to congratulate Mo Wen today. He was determined to talk to the super administrator about renewing the contract.

If he could, he really wanted to be Mo Wen's second-in-command for life.

He had a premonition that if Mo Wen could continue his reign, the competition for the second-best position in the supersonics would become incredibly fierce.

Especially since Mo Wen has quite a few brothers...

The only good news is that Mo Wen's strength is too great and too stable. If you want to get close to Mo Wen, you not only have to accept a stable second-place position, but the presence of this second-place position will also be greatly dimmed by Mo Wen's brilliance.

In Mo Wen's presence, any unnecessary ambition will only bring pain.

At the post-match press conference, Mo Wen appeared unusually humble.

"With KG out, the Celtics couldn't play the defense that's the best in the East, and I also had a good shooting night, so that's how the record was set. It's not a big deal. The more important thing is that we won the game."

"The fans at TD Garden are actually quite friendly, aren't they? Look, they didn't boo me much in the end, and they even kept quiet, hahaha."

"It's nothing special, just a regular season game. Kobe scored 85 points before and you didn't give him a championship trophy. Work goes on, buddy."

"When will I get 100 points? To be honest, I don't expect it at all, because it means the team needs me to score 100 points to win the game. My teammates are good enough that they won't give me that opportunity."

Despite saying it, Mo Wen still really wanted to set more records.

Although the NBA's defense has been criticized for changes in rules and officiating environment, competitive sports are always moving forward.

It is foreseeable that as teams analyze and study their own systems, basketball in this timeline will improve even faster. In addition, the quality of role players is also improving, making the future competitive environment even more intense.

He felt he was born too late; in the 80s and 90s, the physical attributes of the role players were generally low, and he could easily score high points against them.

Time is of the essence!

……

In the post-game press conference, even the usually eloquent Rivers was at a loss for words when it came to praising Mo Wen. "He's terrifying. I don't know how to defend him. My players gave it their all, and he didn't get away from the defense every time he shot, but he just kept making the shots. I can't understand it. This goes beyond conventional basketball philosophy. Maybe he really is a shooting machine from the future, like the T800?"

Pierce, who was the number one culprit of the day, was greatly provoked. He not only remained silent after returning to the locker room, but also refused to attend the press conference. He preferred to accept the fine rather than answer questions that reminded him of today's game.

Harden, who is seen as the hope of Celtics fans, also did not give an interview. He is very confident in his defense, but after watching the whole game today, he dared not make any promises.

Mo Wen was his least favorite opponent. He was fast, physically strong, and prone to dirty tricks, which were all normal problems. The key was that Mo Wen was accurate in his shooting and quick in his release. Not only was his release quick, but he could also reach far from the target.

His fans only dare to boast that his defense can cover from the basket to the three-point line, but many of Mo Wen's three-pointers are taken from a step outside the three-point line.

If Mo Wen gets on fire again like he did today, he might not be able to guarantee Mo Wen a 100% shooting percentage, but how much of a limitation could he impose on Mo Wen?

The easygoing Carter did grant a press interview, but throughout the interview, he repeatedly said, "I don't know!"

Before today, he was still thinking about revenge against Mo Wen for the "humiliation of 57," but now his mind is full of "love and peace."

He's already wondering if coming to the Celtics was a mistake.

It seems that Mo Wen always holds back against weaker teams, but prefers to go all out against stronger teams. If he were still with the Raptors, he and Mo might still be good friends.

But the problem is, if he's not on a strong team, how can he compete for the championship?

Wait a minute, if we can't beat him, we can still...

……

While 51 points with a 100% shooting percentage may not be as impactful or groundbreaking as Moriarty's 88 points last year or Kobe's 85 points this year, it still represents a significant achievement.

But the impact on the basketball world was even greater.

Although Kobe's 46% field goal percentage this year is often criticized by later fans as inefficient, it is still top-tier efficiency among guards in the current environment. Apart from Morey and Wade, who always attacks the basket, he can consistently outperform Kobe while maintaining a high level of development.

Mo Wen managed to make 100% of his 20 field goal attempts and free throws throughout the game, which is simply a miracle!

It's undeniable that Garnett's absence had a significant impact, but Pierce and Carter are no pushovers either.

As a result of this match, the topic of discussion on various online forums and in the media has shifted from how to defend against Mo Wen to how to limit Mo Wen.

Fans clicking in for the first time might think they've entered some kind of bizarre rule-based fantasy.

Rule 1: You can stick close to Mo Wen, but only when he doesn't have the ball in his hands, otherwise he will appear behind you in the blink of an eye.

[Rule 2: As long as Mo has the ball, your team must ensure that two players are around him, and at all times, one player must be watching his eyes. Otherwise, he will cause you to lose something.]

Rule 3: Do not trust any of his passing moves. When he has teammates close together, you must stand in front of him regardless of whether he has the ball in his hands.

Rule Four: Do not provoke him in any way...

Besides discussions among fans and experts, it has also had a significant impact within the NBA itself.

Many agents, like sharks smelling blood, have raised their contract expectations for athletic shooting guards and small forwards, while also setting their sights on a number of promising rookies with good athleticism and defense.

OJ Mayo was initially a top contender for the number one draft pick for several years due to his cosplay of Mo Wen, but he suffered a major setback when matched up against a kid who looked like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. His performance plummeted under Westbrook's high-intensity defense, and his once-fancy skills became nothing more than empty gestures.

Rose, who also became a top draft pick based on his talent, was outmatched by Westbrook in the semifinals of 3 Madness.

Then, Mo Wen's "miracle of 51" happened, and an unprecedented scene appeared. This kid, who was expected to be only at the end of the second round of the draft like Mo Wen, was directly promoted to the number one draft candidate.

"If you missed out on the 03 draft, your only chance to make up for it is to draft Russell Westbrook in 08."

Bill Walton's assessment directly drove Westbrook's odds as the number one pick in this year's NBA draft to their lowest point.

Westbrook himself was somewhat stunned by this overwhelming wealth.

"Just because I might be able to defend Mo, they're willing to pick me as the number one draft pick?"

……

The Celtics actually had another chance for revenge in the regular season. Garnett, whose hamstring was not fully recovered, wanted to force a comeback to help his teammates regain their confidence, but was firmly rejected by Rivers and the team doctor.

Their primary goal is still the playoffs. If Harden's forced return causes problems in the playoffs, then it will truly become a joke.

Aja is a great role model.

In a corner where no one was paying attention, LeBron missed the home game against the SuperSonics because of his teammate's injury... no, because of a groin injury.

Although the media in New York and Los Angeles were mocking LeBron James as a coward, Ben Wallace and Reed, after their injuries, didn't even have the courage to face Mo Wen alone.

However, the Cleveland media praised LeBron James for making a great decision, enduring humiliation to preserve his strength. Although the Cavaliers were crushed by 40 points in three quarters, as long as LeBron James didn't lose, the Cavaliers didn't lose.

……

"We won! Kobe made the crucial shot, giving us a 5-point lead with 2.6 seconds left. We can finally congratulate the Lakers on their victory today."

"Mo scored 14 points in the final quarter, but his teammates made several mistakes and missed opportunities, making Mo's efforts go to waste."

In the last game of March, Kobe was panting heavily on the court while showing a happy smile.

They won. They finally won against the supersonics, and he finally won against Mo Wen again.

Yes, again.

The last time he beat Mo Wen was in the 04 finals.

To be precise, Mo Wen didn't lose that game either. He hit the game-tying shot, but in overtime, he was benched by Larry Brown.

Today marks the first time he has won a fair and square victory against Mo Wen since becoming the team's star player.

Hahaha, hahahaha!

Mo Wen wasn't too upset about losing the game. He calmly shook hands with Kobe and left quietly.

It's just a regular season game, nothing to worry about.

The current Lakers are indeed strong. The two MVP contenders on the perimeter, plus a healthy O'Neal, have created a chemistry that is among the best in the championship contenders after they have fully integrated.

In addition, the SuperSonics have been on a winning streak recently, and their form has become too relaxed, so it's normal for them to lose.

However, the outside world reacted strongly to this.

In the eyes of several Eastern Conference title contenders, the Lakers have become the pride of the East.

Regardless of whether the Lakers' Big Three are strong or not, as long as that man is locked up in the West, the Eastern Conference teams will have a great chance to contend for the championship.

Especially for A-Zhan, after learning the news, he was initially confused about the future, but he was immediately revitalized.

Even though they were already five games behind the Celtics and couldn't catch up to the top of the Eastern Conference, LeBron James still showed great enthusiasm, scoring 30+ points in three consecutive games.

Paul Pierce, who has always looked down on the Lakers' Big Three and has repeatedly claimed that the Celtics are the only true Big Three in the league, has also put away his arrogant attitude. In an interview, he bluntly stated that the Lakers are a tough and respectable opponent, and that both teams have great heritages. He hopes to meet them at the top of the Finals.

You'd think Lakers and Kais were one big family if you didn't know better.

The response to this argument from the supersonic world has been lukewarm.

They remain the top team in the league, and with Francisco's return, the SuperSonics will be able to enter the playoffs with a fully healthy roster.

What's more, they also have Brother Mo.

After Kobe scored 85 points and the Lakers achieved the second-best record in the league, there were many calls for Kobe to be named MVP.

But the betting odds are honest; their biggest bet this year isn't on who gets the MVP, but on whether Mo Wen can get the MVP with a unanimous vote.

There's no way around it; Mo Wen's stats speak for themselves: a triple-double average of 30+ points per game in the regular season, still the scoring champion, assist champion, and steals champion.

“You’re too cruel, Mo, not leaving any hope for anyone else,” Ray Allen teased Mo Wen.

"There's nothing we can do about it; it's Nike's fault. They finished preparing the MVP commemorative colorway for this year's Magic Shoes back in November," Mo Wen said helplessly, shrugging. (End of Chapter)