basketball never sleeps

Chapter 346 Let's pop the champagne!

"That's the truth. Without Shaq, Kobe has achieved nothing. Three championships are great honors, but none of them belong to him alone. He still needs to prove himself."

"LeBron is the biggest thief in the entire league. He stole Melo's Rookie of the Year award, he stole the MVP award from the Heat's Big Three, and he stole the All-Star spots from the East over the years. He's just lucky. If my good teammates can do it, I can do it too!"

"No one in the East will be our match this year; our only goal is the championship."

"The fact that the MVP list doesn't include me, KG, and Vince in the top three only proves that it has no value."

Paul Pierce has never been afraid to boast in front of the media. As the man nicknamed "The Truth" by Shaq, he has a clear understanding of his own excellence.

He has always considered himself a diamond, and the reason he has not achieved anything significant so far is entirely due to bad luck and bad company.

Think of his old teammates: Fat Walker, Vince McMahon, Ricky Davis, Old Payton, and the rookies who were given high hopes by the management in recent years but were ultimately disappointed. Their figures are still vivid in his mind. Whenever he thinks of his teammates' poor performance, the management's perfunctory attitude in signing players, and the failure at the last minute, he can't help but grit his teeth for his wasted years.

He may have had his off days, but the untapped memory of Black people always saved him from burning out because of past embarrassments.

So after forming the Celtics' Big Three and achieving the best record in the Eastern Conference, he almost daily exercised his privileges as a "strong player"—

Indiscriminately displaying one's true colors.

Pre-announcing victories and offering sharp critiques of opponents became something Pierce did almost every game before and after.

Having grown up in Los Angeles, he had always idolized humble and cheerful magicians, so he always looked down on Big Bird's boastful talk.

A player who scored 8 points twice in the Finals, if he wasn't one of those superstar teammates, why are you barking like a dog?

But when it was his turn, he realized... Big Bird was perfectly fine!

Pretend?

That's just pretending to be something you're not, but keeping your word is true honesty!

After the Celtics climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference, he had been planning a big move.

Big Bird's experience has taught his successors that showing off is never about empty rhetoric, but about how grand the backdrop or stage is.

Who can be this backdrop?

According to the league's preseason promotion, Kobe was undoubtedly the best choice, whether it was the historical rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics, the same Big Three model, or the intensity of star matchups.

But Pierce was unwilling. According to his and most industry experts' expectations, the Lakers and Celtics would most likely meet in the Finals. Before the championship is decided, all talk will seem pale and useless. A championship is worth a thousand words.

So if you want to make a big splash in the regular season, there's only one option—Mo Wen.

Aside from his first year where he could look down on Mo Wen, who was playing as the sixth man, as the Celtics' star player, for the next three years he was like a goblin in a dark cave, only able to watch Mo Wen enjoy everything he dreamed of—stats, victories, championships, money, off-court career, and the favor of beautiful women…

Facing Mo Wen, he didn't need to prepare a draft; he could recite a thousand-word essay against the thief at any time using only the simple vocabulary of the Black man.

If Bird and Green hadn't broken up, he would have even wanted to get Bird one-on-one tutoring.

Knowing that Mo Wen had some ability and that the SuperSonics' record had unexpectedly remained the best in the league, he maintained a relatively restrained attitude. Apart from making some tough remarks at the beginning of the season, he had been waiting for the two teams to face off.

Unlike A-Zhan, who is hypocritical and enjoys the benefits of the roster while talking about a "fair fight," he just wants to crush him with the roster and defeat him in the same way Mo Wen did a few years ago.

But why, why did Garnett get injured at this crucial moment?

Even without Harden, he and Carter could still carry a strong team, but the thought of facing the top-ranked SuperSonics and that man who was as stable as a Terminator robot from the future made him inexplicably humble and rational.

But the bullet was already loaded, and the feeling of holding back and not firing was really unbearable.

Does that mean they can't beat the Supersonics if they lose one of their key players?

Does this mean that even after forming a trio, he still has to bow down to Mo Wen?

Does he not even have the courage to challenge a junior?

The night before the game against the SuperSonics, Boston media, as usual, came to the Celtics' training facility for interviews.

Looking at the microphone offered to his mouth, at the beautiful reporter's expectant eyes, and at the 16 champion flags fluttering in the sky.

Pierce gripped the microphone tightly, steeled his resolve, and gritted his teeth.

Goodbye to my past self, and to my cowardice...

"The Supersonics are strong, but we're not bad either. Even without KG, we'll try our best to win this match... Yes, we've made ample preparations for this match, and we will win..."

Pierce's face turned bright red.

You damn mouth, what the hell are you talking about?!

For a fleeting moment, Pierce wanted to slap himself, but he couldn't. Whether it was a sliver of rationality or intuition, his memory was blocked before he could speak, leaving him only to subconsciously utter the same mild and polite words he had said countless times, words that made him want to vomit.

When the hell did I become like this?

The female reporter holding the microphone showed visible disappointment, but it wasn't unexpected.

Mo Wen had just executed James, and Pierce is perceived by the public as less capable and less famous than James. Respecting Mo Wen when Harden is absent is not cowardice, but rather a sign of a wise man.

Pierce noticed the female reporter's changing expressions and felt increasingly frustrated.

After the reporters left, Carter, who had finished his interview, put his arm around Pierce's neck and gave him a thumbs up.

“Well done, my brother. I thought you would continue to talk big like before, but you have really matured.”

Carter's words were just a routine, polite compliment, but they sounded rather harsh to Pierce.

“I’m not a coward, I just… I just want to let my actions speak for themselves!” Pierce jumped up and shouted.

Carter was baffled by Pierce's sudden outburst. He had only praised Pierce for not firing indiscriminately. When did maturity become synonymous with cowardice?

……

The Supersonic crew didn't wander around at night after arriving in Boston. As one of the wealthiest cities in the United States, Bostonians have an arrogance similar to that of old Shanghainese. It's not that you're bound to run into those brain-dead, staunchly racist fighters when you go out, but some things do exist and can be clearly felt.

After the routine tactics session, the players either went back to their rooms to rest or stayed in the conference room to watch the game on the big screen that night.

Mo Wen was naturally too lazy to watch the game and was thinking of going back to his room to watch an American TV series, but a phone call came in and Mo Wen knew that he would not be able to rest.

Boston is only 300 kilometers away from New York. The eldest princess, who had just seen off her relatives last week, acted on her biological instincts and drove straight over, even booking the suite directly above his.

Mo Wen naturally did not disappoint the beauty's heart. He went to the hotel rooftop to enjoy the view for a while, and then strolled down, entering the wrong floor but the right room.

Boston in March was still chilly. As soon as Mo Wen entered, he saw the princess, dressed in an elegant trench coat, leaning against the window in a pretentious pose that revealed her alluring curves, yet she exuded a refined air.

An old married couple naturally needs no further explanation.

Mo Wen thought today would be like unwrapping Christmas presents, slowly opening the packaging one by one. To his surprise, he only had to unbutton a row of buttons to see the latest Victoria's Secret collection.

There's a contrast?

However, when Mo Wen was about to engage in a formal battle, he realized that he seemed to be missing a key item.

"I didn't bring any, so should I use the hotel's or... should you take your medicine?"

"They don't want to use it or take medicine, so how about we have a baby?"

Boom!

"You're being naughty again!"

Mo Wen flicked the princess on the forehead, then turned and started rummaging through her bag.

However, Mo Wen couldn't find the interactive props that the two liked to use, which showed that the princess had indeed arrived in a hurry.

However, a hydrating spray?

If we don't have baby oil, this will do.

The princess also realized Mo Wen's intention. Out of a woman's instinct, she subconsciously placed her hand on Mo Wen's waist and tried to pinch it. However, because there was no excess fat, she failed to grab it twice. Unable to choose, she could only elbow Mo Wen instead and snatch the spray to check the ingredients.

Although facial skin is relatively fragile, cosmetics and skincare products applied to the face generally avoid irritating ingredients, the internal body is actually more fragile and sensitive.

Last time, having nothing else to use, Mo Wen boldly tried rose essential oil. He simply showered it off afterwards, but she enjoyed it for two days. Considering she needed to return to her team-arranged room to rest that night, Mo Wen went all out, leaving the princess barely breathing after just one hour.

boo——

Before the two could say anything, Mo Wen's phone rang. He picked it up and saw that it was Little Catherine calling.

Looking at the mess before him, Mo Wen couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.

Question Kobe, understand Kobe, surpass...

Mo Wen shook the princess's eyes back to make sure she wouldn't make any strange "ah-ba-ah-ba" sounds due to loss of consciousness. Then, he held up the phone to her quite seriously, signaling her not to cause trouble. Only after she nodded in understanding did he answer the phone.

Although they were only separated for half a day, little Catherine still felt empty inside knowing that Mo Wen had gone to another city.

Mo Wen showed no impatience whatsoever, speaking sweet nothings to his young wife in a gentle voice.

The princess, who was standing to the side, was well aware of her position as a lover and casual sex partner, but she couldn't help but feel jealous when she saw this scene. The dog of a man clearly knew what gentleness was, but just now he seemed to want to stand up and kick her violently.

Although she twisted her waist wildly just now, people are always greedy and always want to have it all.

Therefore, driven by jealousy, the eldest princess decided to carry out a controlled act of revenge.

She put her long, loose hair up in a bun.

Awoo~

Mo Wen stared wide-eyed at the beautiful snake woman before him.

So this is what it means for a snake to try to swallow an elephant when it's never satisfied!

But now he's still on the phone with little Catherine, so isn't the plot reversed?

Or is it... a female boss series or her younger sister?

Ugh, I'm so damn stupid!

Feeling guilty, Mo Wen subconsciously pushed the princess's head back.

It wasn't that he had a change of heart; it was mainly because the princess was too greedy, and he was afraid that she would suffocate him and he would cough up more.

As for whether a little stimulation will make him make any strange noises.

Just kidding, he has very poor self-control, but his control over his body is unparalleled.

To be honest, after discovering that the princess was working exceptionally hard, Mo Wen didn't rush to put down his phone after ending the call. Instead, he pretended to continue chatting and then fully enjoyed the authentic Japanese service.

Mo Wen only ended his performance when the princess was parched.

"I can't do it anymore, I really can't..."

Seeing Mo Wen still lingering with satisfaction, fear also surfaced in the Princess's eyes.

People really shouldn't be greedy. She was only thinking about the wonderful feeling of eating alone, but forgot that her stomach was only so big.

……

When Mo Wen came out of the princess's room, the phone rang again, but this time the caller ID showed Guy.

"Hey boss, aren't you in your room? Where have you been? Something terrible has happened!"

Mo Wen raised an eyebrow, glanced around nervously, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that no one was there.

"Don't rush, tell me slowly who's in trouble and what happened."

"It's you who's in trouble," Guy said instinctively, but then, realizing the ambiguity in his words, he quickly added, "It's not you, it's just that your record is in trouble. Kobe looks like he's about to break your single-game scoring record!"

Mo Wen felt a sense of relief, but couldn't help but become alert. Although the security of a five-star hotel could keep out evil spirits, there were still risks. He couldn't play with fire. He would let it go this time, but later... he would still have to learn from Shaq and buy a house in each of the cities where the games were held.

You should listen to the advice of the elderly.

Back on the floor where the team was located, everyone had indeed gathered in the conference room, where a close-up of a bald man was displayed on the big screen.

really.

As the camera zooms out, the figure is standing at the free-throw line, preparing for the shot.

Upon closer inspection, what nearly made Mo Wen lose his composure was the score and team displayed below.

Lakers 93:85 Raptors.

Joan of Arc ate ​​a mud duck!

Is there really such a thing as destiny in this world?

When Mo Wen arrived, no one asked him where he had been. His teammates, not wanting to miss out on the fun, simply gave him the central seat.

"With almost a quarter left, Kobe is only 23 points away from catching up with you, Boss!"

Scoring 20 points in a single quarter is likely a team's single-quarter scoring target in an era where offense is generally stagnant, and it is also a huge and difficult challenge for superstars.

But today, with Kobe scoring 65 points in the first three quarters, this inhuman goal doesn't seem unattainable.

Mo Wen looked at Ray Allen, who first nodded, then shook his head.

"Jermaine and CP3 are both injured today. Kobe was lucky; he had a great shooting night, and the referees were understanding of the Lakers' current predicament. However, I don't think he can surpass you. His three-point shooting today was just your normal level. The Raptors won't let him get the ball comfortably anymore..."

Mo Wen revealed an expression that said, "I knew it."

On the court, Kobe calmly made both free throws, bringing his personal score to 67 points.

This surpasses his personal scoring record of 65 points set last year, in which he only scored 56 points in regulation time and 9 points in overtime.

Kobe had been regretting his decision ever since he saw Morten receive praise that almost surpassed Jordan's for scoring 88 points.

In a game against the Mavericks at the end of 2005, he also had a chance to create a miracle. He scored 62 points in just three quarters. If he had continued to play, given his shooting touch in that game, he could have easily scored 80+ points, if not surpassed 88.

However, with the score difference between the two teams already reaching 34 points by the end of the third quarter, the final quarter was essentially garbage time. Out of sportsmanship and ethics, Kobe did not stay on the court.

Of course, when reporters asked him about it later, Kobe always gave the same answer: he didn't regret it. After all, regret doesn't solve anything, so it's better to maintain his composure.

But honestly, Kobe was human too.

Or perhaps they are the kind of people who are particularly obsessed with and crave "lowbrow tastes".

In terms of energy and excitement, Kobe is now even more energetic than he was in the game where he scored 88 points.

Perhaps because Mo Wen has achieved countless exaggerated personal statistics in dungeons, for him, a high score is not a miracle that requires perfect timing, location, and luck, but rather a matter of a little luck, good technique, and hard work.

If Mo Wen is willing, even if he doesn't have a season like Zhang Liangwan with an average of 50+ points per game, averaging 40+ points per game wouldn't be a problem for him if he passes the ball less.

Mo Wen was unwilling, partly because his performance had to match his salary, and as a successor of socialism, he couldn't be a scab; and partly because he was afraid of ruining his teammates.

In the last year of Jordan's first three-peat, and in the first year after his first comeback, the immense praise he received from the media led to a significant decline in his teammates' motivation. More accurately, they were more willing to give the ball to Jordan and watch the "god" play, which eventually turned into a disastrous situation where he was playing against four opponents while being guarded by nine.

Kobe was excited, but Bosh, Mo Wen's good friend, was a little numb.

Previously, he was the leader of the 03 Melon Slayer Alliance. Whenever he argued with Melon about something, if he couldn't win, he would just shout "88" and Melon would immediately fall silent.

But now it's his turn...

I don't want it to become history!

In a mansion somewhere in Denver.

Melon solemnly took out a beautiful, heavy bottle from the wine cabinet and then shook it vigorously twice.

Let's pop the champagne!

...(End of this chapter)