Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters Chapter 568 - 406: Number 24 is Far Worse than Number 8

Yu Fei and George Karl saw the Lakers’ winning streak since 2004 unceremoniously snapped in the third ga of the Western Conference Finals.

Back on their ho court, the Lakers unleashed their full power, and everyone perford well. Even with the added boost of ho-court advantage, the Supersonics struggled through four quarters but still ca up short.

106 to 101

"The free throw count is 15 to 31," Karl’s reaction was like the Zen Master’s before him, questioning the officiating, "Why can’t we play under the sa standards?"

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However, such complaints were useless against the Lakers.

Karl was fined, but the officiating in the fourth ga of the Western Conference Finals remained the sa.

This wasn’t because Karl lacked clout, or that the League wanted the Lakers to win; no, it was a matter of inertia — and a form of reward.

For a long ti, the Lakers’ Whistle Power had been a cut above other teams. This didn’t an that the Lakers were the Celestial Dragons of the NBA; it was a reward for being a big-market team that not only was profitable but also shared its spoils with other teams.

If you were consistently bringing in money, filling your own coffers as well as contributing to others, then a bit of favoritism on the court was not hard for the League and other team owners to accept.

Of course, for those competing, it was a tough pill to swallow.

But that was the tradition.

If the Lakers wanted the whistle, they got it.

In the fourth ga, the Lakers once again received 30 free throws, while the Supersonics had only 9 for the entire ga.

In the end, the Lakers beat the Supersonics again, 104 to 95.

Karl couldn’t understand it.

Yu Fei also had his doubts. He knew the League had so scripts prepared for those widely anticipated series, but what did this script imply?

"Kobe’s free throws alone are more than our whole team," Yu Fei couldn’t help but make comnts that would draw a fine, "This definitely makes our ga difficult."

Regarding the disparity in the number of free throws, the Lakers had their own leading version of an explanation.

Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said, "I understand the complaints about the number of free throws, and I acknowledge that we have so advantages at ho, but you should also notice that the Supersonics took far more three-point shots than us. If you refuse to drive to the basket to earn free throws and instead opt to attack mainly through outside shots, isn’t it natural to have fewer free throws?"

However, when the issue with officiating was so obvious, such explanations were unconvincing.

Seattle’s dia began to create montum, portraying David Stern as the villain, alleging that he was obstructing the rise of the Supersonics, ultimately aiming to relocate the team.

The dia machine behind Yu Fei was also in motion, questioning the officiating in both the third and fourth ga from various angles.

This was precisely what the League was trying to avoid.

The lingering impact of the Tim Donaghy affair was still there, with fans widely rejecting the League’s claim that "Donaghy was an exception."

The worst impact of Donaghy’s case was that whenever there was any hint of unfair officiating, fans couldn’t help but think the worst.

Stern was committed to improving the image of the League, which had hit rock bottom since the Donaghy scandal.

Now that public opinion was escalating, even if the League wanted to intervene in the series following their own script, they would be restricted.

The players caught in the whirlwind remained silent.

Kobe refused to comnt on the officiating issues.

Yu Fei stated that he had said all he wanted to say and now wanted to focus solely on the fifth ga.

With the series tied at 2-2 and returning to their ho court, the Supersonics once again had the advantage of terrain in a ga they couldn’t afford to lose.

Although the fifth ga was not yet a "win or go ho" situation, given the Lakers’ display of ho-court whistle in the third and fourth gas, if the Supersonics were to lose Ga 5, the prospects for Ga 6 back at the Staples Center were grim.

Therefore, they must defeat the Lakers’ montum on their ho court.

Thirty minutes before the ga, Karl saw the list of referees for tonight.

The lead referee was Steve Javie, a veteran in the NBA with many years of experience and known for his iron-fisted reputation, nicknad "Mr. T."

Yu Fei certainly recognized him, having played hundreds of NBA gas under Javie’s officiating wasn’t few.

But what struck Yu Fei the most about Javie was from the 2003 All-Star weekend.

It was Jordan’s last All-Star appearance, sowhat passing down the torch, and Javie was one of the referees.

When Vince Carter reluctantly gave up his starting spot, Javie comnted that Jordan deserved the gesture because "Jordan is a role model for professional players, and you guys can’t go wrong emulating him."

Five years had passed, and Yu Fei still rembered it, not because he disliked Javie, but Javie’s admiration for Jordan reflected his refereeing style.

He was a basketball conservative, who liked physical play and confrontation, with a high tolerance for minor foul play.

This ant the gas he officiated would have very intense physical contact.

This was obviously disadvantageous for the Supersonics, who had too many young players. Once confused by the collisions, they might not even perform at half of their usual level.

But what could they do if things had progressed this far? They had no choice but to accept it.

An old-school referee with a bad temper might not be ideal, but was still better than those who consistently gave the Lakers a multiple of the free throws their opponents received.

During the pre-ga warmups, both teams seed very composed.

Yu Fei mainly focused on layups and spot shooting in the line drills.

There was a low pressure in the air before the big battle that made everyone subdued.

It was Childress of the Supersonics, nicknad "The Smart One," who broke the silence, "Since the Lakers are saying we have fewer free throws because we shoot more from three, if we all attack the basket tonight, won’t we get free throws?"

Posey gave him a ’you’re-an-idiot’ look, "Just look who the lead referee is tonight."

Then Childress realized that the lead referee was Steve Javie.

This made the "Smart One" feel stupid about his own remarks, "Why on earth would they assign him as the lead referee in our ho ga?"

Childress, who always believed the playoffs were controlled by the big hands of the League, was convinced that this was the League’s arrangent to get the Lakers to match point.

After the warm-up, the starting lineups for both sides were announced on-site.

As the DJ passionately finished announcing the Supersonics’ starting five, the venue beca brightly lit again, signaling the imminent start of the ga.

Since the head referee was Steve Javie, who advocated physical play, Karl chose to start with the lineup he used in the fourth quarter of the first ga.

Yu Fei, Roy, Marion, Posey, and Brown.

Durant was benched, a move of last resort by the coaching staff.

After entering the playoffs, Durant’s performance was lackluster, with his average score falling to 11 points and his shooting accuracy just over 40%.

For a genius considered to be a superstar, such a blow was significant, but not unacceptable, because the physicality of the playoffs was entirely different from the regular season.

Durant could accept such a temporary arrangent, knowing it was just a short departure from the starting lineup, not a complete relegation to the bench.

Then, the opening jump ball took place.

Tonight, the Lakers team looked like Kobe himself.

Cold, combative, with a will to win.

Foster won the tip-off, Kidd initiated a fast break, aiming to pick up the pace from the very first play.

Little O waved his hands, standing out in the crowd.

Kidd passed the ball.

First, Little O attacked aggressively under Marion’s defense, missed.

But, using his height, he grabbed the offensive rebound and scored on a second chance.

0 to 2

"Kwa, can you tolerate that?"

Roy was referring to the "F" word that Little O ford with his lips after the second-chance score against Brown.

"How can I tolerate this?"

Brown felt that if he didn’t fight back, he would beco a joke as the league’s number one center.

Which number one center gets provoked like that?

Was Shaquille O’Neal ever challenged like that during the dynasty days?

Turns out, he was indeed challenged ruthlessly, and the person who did it without any repercussions was right beside Brown.

Initially, Brown wanted to respond with a low post move.

After all, Little O’s score was just off a second-chance attack. What’s the quality in that? Anybody with hands can do it. He disdained to do so, not because he had small hands, but because it was too easy, as you know.

But when Yu Fei had the ball at the top of the key, he noticed a big problem with Foster’s defense on Brown.

Because Brown now only played with his right hand in the low post, it seed that Foster’s strength was entirely leaning on that side. This kind of defense that heavily pressures one side was essentially betting that the opponent wouldn’t adapt.

Brown originally didn’t want to adapt.

But when Yu Fei pointed upwards with his left hand, he got the ssage.

Sure, scoring on your own is an ability, but what’s a greater ability? It’s having the league’s top player willingly feed you the ball, don’t assu it’s without skill involved, does Jermaine O’Neal, that dumbass, have this treatnt? He’s less than a dog in front of Kobe!

When Brown turned around, shook off Foster’s defense, and caught Yu Fei’s lob for a thunderous alley-oop, he felt he had already won too much.

"Damn it!" Brown couldn’t help but exclaim, "I really am unstoppable, aren’t I!"

"Unbeatable!" Roy flattered him, "You actually caught that pass!"

Brown, full of pride, completely ignored Roy’s insinuation about his small hands and looked down on Little O like a victor.

Little O just wanted to know, when would Kwa Brown realize that without Big Fei, he’s nothing? Had he forgotten that he was personally certified as useless by Michael Jordan?

In his anger, Little O was looking to face up against Brown.

But turning around to see Kobe with the ball at the top, he knew no one else was getting a touch this possession.

Kobe played one-on-one against Roy, with no fancy moves, just a shuffle to the left and right, then after a single dribble, he pulled up for a fadeaway jump shot and scored.

"I’m not interested in you," Kobe said with ego-wounding indifference, "Get Frye to guard !"

Roy was not a confrontational person, and his big-picture thinking was rare among young players, but this did not an he lacked temper.

It was already annoying enough to be scored on face-to-face without losing position, and now the opponent didn’t even respect him.

"He doesn’t really think I’m no match for him, does he?" Roy passed the ball to Yu Fei for the inbound.

Yu Fei didn’t expect to be tasked with inbounding the ball.

But more than that, he found it odd how Roy phrased it, "He doesn’t just think so, he believes it."

"FUCK!" Roy exclaid, "Next play has nothing to do with you guys, get ready to play defense!"

Yu Fei was wondering if sothing was off, as the ga had just started, and everyone seed a bit too revved up.

Then, Roy responded to Kobe in kind, mirroring his previous offensive move right in front of him.

"Swish!"

"Don’t need Frye to handle you," Roy told Kobe, "Also, 24 is way worse than 8!"