basketball never sleeps

Chapter 347 The Moon

Kobe had his jersey in his mouth and was sucking on it vigorously.

The sour, foul smell, combined with a salty, fishy taste, gave him the illusion that he was drinking a new Gatorade.

His violently heaving chest and stiff leg muscles told him that his physical abilities, which he was usually so proud of, were nearing their limit.

Unlike the Raptors in the original timeline, this year's Raptors are not a weak team.

Even without Paul and O'Neal, the Raptors' coaching staff weren't fools; they focused on him and wore him down throughout the game.

65 points, every single one of which was soaked with his sweat.

But Kobe knew he couldn't stop.

It wasn't about trying to break Mo Wen's record, nor was it about etching his name on the monument of basketball history, nor was it about using an epic performance to solidify his position as the leader, which Paul had repeatedly challenged.

He no longer had the energy or strength to think about anything else; he just wanted to win, to win this battle, to fight, to feel good.

I felt like I was witnessing the great Fisher trying to pass the ball to Kobe as soon as he crossed half-court.

Then, unsurprisingly, the ball was intercepted by Calderon, who was lurking next to Kobe.

The Zen master on the sidelines stood with his hands on his hips, his mouth and eyes pursed into three horizontal lines.

He was speechless. At this point in the game, Kobe not only had to endure close-range defense from Anthony and Parker, but also had two other players lurking around him ready to double-team him. How could Fisher possibly make a hard pass?

The road to greatness is never smooth.

"Kobe played much more tired today than he did in that game with Mo. Without Paul's playmaking, it's too difficult for him to comfortably receive the ball and develop his shot in the mid-range sweet spot. He was effective at driving to the basket today, but he also endured a lot of physical contact. Although I really want Kobe to try to break Mo's record, I wonder if he really has the stamina to maintain the level he showed in the first three quarters?"

"The Raptors players don't need to panic. Their pressure is far less than that of Melo and Answer on the Nuggets back then. They still have a good defensive system. What they need to do is to bring playoff-level defensive intensity and keep wearing him down. As long as Kobe wants to win, it will be difficult for him to break any records. Of course, for Kobe, scoring 70 points is enough to prove his greatness."

The commentator, Van Gundy, did not think Kobe could break his former disciple's record.

However, Ernie Johnson, who was his commentator today, offered a different opinion.

“Wait, Stan, I disagree with you because… this Raptors team doesn’t have much playoff experience in the last four years.”

……

Just as Van Gundy had predicted, Kobe remained silent for the next two minutes.

The Raptors players were also afraid of Kobe setting a record against them, but their limited courage allowed them to double-team him.

The problem was indeed physical. After the heavy exertion in the first three quarters, Kobe's stamina was no longer sufficient for him to make the same aggressive breakthroughs and beautiful turnaround jump shots after backing down opponents as before.

Kobe thought of the game where Moriarty scored 88 points, a game he had watched and studied countless times in private. In a moment of inspiration, he decided to try his luck with Moriarty and take a gamble on a three-pointer.

Unfortunately, although his jump shot was on point today, his declining stamina severely affected his three-point shooting.

After missing three three-pointers, the Raptors seized the opportunity and launched several fast breaks, narrowing the gap between the two teams to 6 points.

Kobe's brow furrowed deeply as the score difference narrowed.

Paul, standing on the sidelines, also frowned, but covered his mouth and nose with both hands.

There's no way around it; you can force a frown, but it's really hard to hold back a laugh.

Because of his traditional point guard role and individual abilities, Paul has always maintained a rather indifferent attitude towards high individual scores.

Are you really that good at fighting? What good is being good at fighting anyway!

In this world, power and connections matter.

From the Lakers' three-peat at the beginning of the century to the Big Three in recent years, which championship was won single-handedly by individual ability?

When Duncan won the championship in 03, David Robinson had not yet retired. The Pistons' underdog championship, in retrospect, was a case of a rising star leading a bunch of All-Stars.

He was initially worried that if Kobe Bryant succeeded in breaking the record, it might hinder his own attempt to seize power.

Just like the Rockets' owner originally wanted to build the team around Yao Ming as the absolute core, but after McGrady scored 13 points in 35 seconds, McGrady became his most valued player and the absolute core in words.

But if Kobe loses the game while scoring a record-breaking high score, then this game will become an assist to his rise to the top!

After the Lakers won two consecutive championships, there were calls for Kobe to take over and Shaq had a brief window of opportunity due to injury. However, Kobe often had games where he scored high points but the team lost. The record doesn't lie, and in the end, he could only continue to be the second-in-command until Shaq was kicked out by the Lakers management before he could finally take over.

Paul originally thought he was the Lakers' best playmaker, but now it seems he still has a lot to learn!

Just as Paul was imagining how furious Kobe would be in the locker room after losing a game, how much he would smash things, and how much dissatisfaction his teammates would cause, someone reached out and put their arm around him. Then, a familiar white man's voice rang in Paul's ear.

"I plan to leave the rest of the games to Kobe, so Paul, do you think we can win today?"

Paul was startled and quickly suppressed his gloating, replacing it with a serious and worried expression.

"I don't know, Coach. Kobe's shooting touch has cooled off. If we want to play it safe and win, I think we should call a timeout now and use Kobe's current offensive threat to make him the ball-handler and start some plays where he draws the defense and then assists his teammates."

"But for the sake of team unity, I think it's okay for you to decide to hand the game over to Kobe, after all, we all know Kobe's personality."

After saying that, Paul shrugged, his tone sarcastic and teasing, revealing a hint of indulgent helplessness.

KFC nodded slightly, a glint of light flashing across his glasses.

"That's a good assessment, but if that's all you think... it means you don't understand Kobe enough."

Paul's expression froze.

Still don't understand Kobe enough?

He's constantly arguing and bickering with Kobe. Their relationship is just one championship away from evolving into the next OK combination. How could he not understand Kobe?

Yes, he only spent two and a half years with Kobe, but he collected all of Shaq's comments about Kobe.

Aside from not measuring Kobe's length with a ruler, what else could Kobe possibly not know?

"Whether it's Kobe, Michael Jordan, or... Mo, they're all the same kind of people—the kind of people you can truly trust and rely on on the court." Seeing the confusion on Paul's face, the Zen Master slowly explained.

"Tactics are very important in basketball. Precise tactics and timely and flexible changes can give players an advantage on the court, that's for sure."

"The problem is that tactics ultimately need to be executed by people, and basketballs ultimately need to be shot by people. People are not machines. More often than not, just a little bit of tension can make all your previous efforts and thinking go to waste, and then you can only wait for the judgment of fate."

"I know that Kobe is often not rational, and most of his choices are smart, but when you really need him, you can and must completely trust him."

The Zen master spoke with a sermon-like solemnity and mystery, which made Paul think involuntarily.

He had to admit that the Zen master was mostly right.

Tactics don't always work. Although he's only a third-year student, he's already experienced countless times wanting to execute a tactic, only to have it fail to come out because his teammates were nervous, or even resulting in mistakes, losing possession, and being countered.

Even he himself had times when he was afraid of his touch and the pressure, and would hand the ball to Kobe to solve the problem.

Just as Shaq needed Kobe, he needed Kobe too.

Seeing Paul deep in thought, the Zen master nodded in satisfaction and left with his hands behind his back.

Paul, who only caught a glimpse of the Zen master leaving, secretly curled his lip in disgust.

"After saying all that, it's still bias. If Kobe can do it, then... I can do it too if I practice more!"

On the court, the Raptors players, who had been closing the gap, seemed to have regained some of their momentum, and Bosh was cheering on his teammates like a leader.

If we can make Kobe lose when he scores a huge number of points, then he'll be able to stand up completely at the next 03 reunion.

"You think you're so great with 88 points? Kobe scored 8X points and I still beat him. What are you muttering about? Come on, Mo, pour me a drink, fill it up!"

For a moment, Bosh seemed to be in a daze along with his opponent Odom.

But just then, beyond the three-point line, a figure leaped up, followed closely by another, a whistle blew, and—

Swish!

Three-pointer goes in, I score 10,000!

3+1!

Even the Raptors' home fans gasped in surprise.

Kobe, who was lying on the ground, swung his fist forcefully.

With the free throws made, Kobe's score instantly reached 69 points. Having secured his minimum points, Kobe didn't capitalize on his momentum by attempting another three-pointer. Sensing the Raptors' attempts to double-team him beyond the three-point line, he decisively returned to his old ways, driving to the basket and... drawing a foul.

As you know, drawing fouls is a skill that every scoring champion must master.

The referee initially didn't want to call the call, after all, it was the Raptors' home court, but somehow he seemed to hear some shouts and decided to call it anyway.

Stern, far away in New York, only lay exhausted in his office chair after the referee finally blew the whistle, and casually picked up the coffee next to him and gulped it down.

He'd been shouting for ages, but the referee in this ditch is completely clueless!

Fuck, you guys can just blow your whistles all you want! Fuck you!

Meanwhile, a bald guy in the office who was helping Stern organize documents had a sudden inspiration when he saw this scene.

"Mr. President, what do you think about arranging an in-ear monitor for the referee, the kind that the hosts use, so they can communicate with the audience and those off the field in real time?"

Stern raised an eyebrow and gave the bald boy a deep look.

"The Donaghy affair has just passed, and you're already thinking of this? Shiwar, remember to think before you make suggestions next time. And remember, a loss of trust doesn't require concrete evidence; all it takes is for your behavior to be suspicious enough."

"It's my fault, I will reflect on it, thank you for your guidance." The little bald man slid to his knees at lightning speed, his tone and attitude of admitting his mistake were quite sincere.

Stern nodded, but inwardly shook his head. The lack of any argument or questioning could only mean that either he lacked his own opinion, or he was still sticking to his own ideas and just waiting for the right time.

This child...

On the court, two crisp swishes of the net rang out, and Kobe's score reached 71 points.

With less than 8 minutes remaining, it seems increasingly difficult to surpass Mo Wen's record.

After Kobe scored a 3+1, the Raptors players initially froze, but when Kobe stepped to the free-throw line again, they entered a state of anger disguised as fear.

Nobody wants to be part of the record.

So they forgot about tactical discipline and instead tried to shut down Kobe in a primitive and aggressive way.

The point difference wasn't narrowed, and they had given up hope of winning today, turning Kobe's milestone into a tragic one.

But the referee seemed to have finally found his way and started "protecting" the team by making the whistle.

With 1 minute and 43 seconds remaining, facing an opponent who dared not approach, Kobe, with almost no pressure, used his classic turnaround fadeaway against Bosh near the basket.

The ball bounced on the rim but still fell into the net.

The Raptors' home crowd erupted in uproar over this seemingly unremarkable fadeaway jumper.

Because... I got 80 points.

Raptors coach Sam Mitchell called a timeout.

On the sidelines, Sam Mitchell stared intently at the referee, who, in turn, gazed at Sam Mitchell with a tender look, his whistle in hand.

In the end, Sam Mitchell didn't give the referee a chance to call a technical foul, choosing to be angry rather than frustrated.

Meanwhile, the Lakers' home arena was filled with jubilation. Even Paul, who was practically ready to rebel, raised his hands in support of Kobe.

With 100 seconds left, Kobe only needs 9 more points to break Mo Wen's record.

"I've heard how Wilt (Chamberlain) played that game, so you don't need to say anything, just rest and leave the rest to me." The Zen Master put away his nonchalant composure and shifted his gaze from Kobe to Sam Mitchell on the other side, who was gesticulating wildly like a German with a mustache.

Kobe simply nodded, but in his heart he was also making a resolution to practice his three-point shot diligently over the summer. Without a three-point shot, it would be too painful to score high points.

Moreover, he himself was a little uneasy about the point he had just won. He knew without watching the video that his performance in this match was far worse than Mo Wen's.

Mo Wen finished with an 88-point, 3+1 game, and now you're asking him to shoot a three-pointer again...

But just as a decent person can't tell which gold bar is noble and which is base, the same goes for points; Kobe didn't have much of a psychological burden.

The SuperSonics players in the hotel also became a little nervous, their eyes glancing at Mo Wen from time to time.

Whether it's four championships, three FMVPs, or last year's MVP, they are all remarkable achievements. But what truly made Mo Wen famous worldwide, break out of the circle, and gain international recognition was his 88-point game.

If Kobe had surpassed that...

Mo Wen himself, however, remained completely unperturbed.

Just as there is no such thing as a 35-second, 13-point award in this world, there is naturally no such thing as an 88-point award either. It's just that for Mo Wen, setting a record is the easiest thing to achieve.

To be honest, he has been slacking off a bit this year and hasn't scored any high points yet. After his daughter Catherine got pregnant, he scored 57 points in the game against the Mavericks, but because the Mavericks gave up early, he didn't press his advantage.

That's right. Although he doesn't seem to care on the surface, and he doesn't care in his heart either, if Kobe really breaks his own record like Adebayo in the future...

He will also try to set the league's first 90-point record.

It's not that he's petty, but rather it's his responsibility as the world's number one leader and executive vice president.

On television, the game began to turn ugly and comical. The Raptors indeed adopted the tactic the Knicks used to defend Chamberlain back then—fouling Chamberlain's teammate with the ball to prevent him from receiving the ball and attacking.

After holding back for a while and letting the Knicks wear them down for a dozen seconds, the Lakers quickly woke up and started fouling the trailing Raptors, trying to quickly regain possession of the ball.

Unlike Chamberlain, Kobe had elite-level dribbling skills. Even with limited stamina, he could still dribble the ball himself with the help of referees.

Kobe took five consecutive shots, making one, missing two, drawing two fouls, and making three of four free throws, finally pushing his score to 85 points with six seconds left.

Bosh inbounded the ball, Calderon received it and immediately made a long pass, giving the Lakers no chance to foul. Bargnani in the frontcourt saw Odom coming over to hug him and decisively took a shot. The rebound was caught by Kobe who followed up, but the time had already been reduced to 1.7 seconds.

The Lakers called one last timeout.

"Don't foul him, let him shoot," Sam Mitchell said wearily to his players after trying every tactic imaginable.

On the Lakers' bench, no one spoke; everyone was watching Kobe.

Paul really wanted to put on his jersey and inbound the ball himself—what if he passed it to Odom?

Odom, feeling Paul's gaze, involuntarily shivered.

What causes a sudden, heart-pounding feeling of impending death?

The Raptors players, not wanting to send Kobe to the free-throw line again, didn't foul him, while Bosh, like a man, chose to defend the shot.

Kobe didn't want his career to be defined by free throws... although strictly speaking, Mo Wen's last point of 88 was also a free throw, a 3+1 free throw.

So Kobe faked a shot outside the three-point line. Perhaps because Bosh was also running out of energy, Bosh was clearly fooled but didn't jump. There was no time left, so Kobe could only shoot the ball with a standard shooting motion.

boom!

……

Hey!

As the basketball flew out, countless people sighed.

Kobe's 85 points were finally frozen in time with the red glow of the game's finale.

Bosh wanted to roar when he saw Kobe fail to score, but when he saw Kobe score on the big screen, he instantly lost all his strength.

The Raptors lost, and Kobe scored 85 points.

But why did he feel okay, or even a little bit good?

"You lost, Kobe!" Bosh wanted to be more magnanimous, but when the moment came, he realized he couldn't be magnanimous, at least not now, not when there were no cameras or microphones. So he inexplicably grasped the spirit of Ah Q.

Kobe wanted to retort with the arrogance of an absolute winner, since he had never won like this before, and how could he tolerate others saying he had lost at this moment?

Can……

Chamberlain's 100 points are just a distant, cold legend, but Mo Wen's 88 points are still hot to behold.

"Perhaps, my rivalry with him didn't take place during the regular season."

Kobe looked up. There was nothing on the empty ceiling of the Raptors' home arena, but through the cold, thick steel plates, he seemed to see the moon outside.

And Mo Wen, who was looking at the moon at that moment. (End of Chapter)