"Good night, Los Angeles!"
In the 2005-06 season, if Zack’s first two career gas were already captivating, then after dropping an epic 48 points, 17 rebounds, 15 assists, 5 blocks, and 2 steals in his third career ga, leading the Warriors to conquer the Staples Center, this ssiah chosen by the Warriors that sumr had truly beco the NBA’s leading man this year.
David Stern, who was always adept at crafting grand narratives, could never have imagined that the Zack-led Warriors would deliver such a compelling storyline at the beginning of the regular season.
If ti could be reversed, Stern, knowing the details of this Lakers-Warriors battle in advance, would have ticulously orchestrated this ga.
At the very least, it would have been a national broadcast.
Then, he would have invited those "bards" skilled at storytelling, and with their vivid prose, they would have immortalized this ga as an eternal classic.
"My God, the ball goes in, the clock stops, the ssiah has hit a ga-winner against the Lakers! Even Kobe Bryant, who scored 70 points for the Lakers tonight, won’t have a chance to change the score. It’s unbelievable! I can declare right now, this ga is the greatest battle of the 2005-2006 NBA regular season!"
On TNT, even though they only cut into the ga in the final monts, Charles Barkley was fortunate enough to witness Zack’s ga-winning shot with his own eyes.
And that "Good night, Los Angeles" that plunged the entire arena into instant silence.
On the court, walking towards the player tunnel with his jersey in his mouth, Kobe, who had just experienced a career night, felt incredibly complex emotions.
When a milestone turns into a "milestone of sorrow"...
Clearly, even Kobe needed ti to process it.
Conversely, on the other side of the court...
Even though Richardson and Pietrus once again allowed Kobe to rack up a high score against them, including an earth-shattering 70 points in a single ga, since the Warriors won, Pietrus, Richardson, and their teammates naturally rushed towards their ssiah.
It’s hard to imagine that the Warriors team, now completely united on the court, was, just a month ago, a chaotic ss, constantly "beating each other up."
"This is definitely the best night I’ve ever experienced in my life," Anthony Lester, a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle who accompanied the Warriors to Los Angeles, silently mused.
It was indeed a beautiful night to savor.
From a viewing perspective, tonight’s Kobe was incredibly close to the "81-point scoring Kobe" that Zack rembered.
To be honest, while Pietrus and Richardson had never been good at defending Kobe, especially a red-hot Black Mamba, if it weren’t for their relentless effort and selfless commitnt in this ga, Kobe truly might have scored 80 points against the Warriors.
Fans born ten years later are destined to find it difficult to appreciate the shock Kobe delivered to the world in the 2005-06 season.
Because ten years from now, as the number of possessions in NBA gas increases and star players’ stats beco more inflated, people will gradually beco desensitized to so-called epic stats.
As for Zack?
After the ga, as that mystical feeling faded, looking at the string of records he had carved out that night, Zack knew very well that a ga like this was destined to be a rare occurrence.
After all, besides the ga-winner, who would have thought that Mr. Kobe Bryant would wield his scoring blade in this ga?
If not for Kobe’s 70 points as a backdrop, and if the red-hot Zack hadn’t received such dreadful cooperation from the Lakers’ interior in the ga, the epicness of this ga would instantly drop several notches.
Indeed, the current Warriors and Lakers, by any asure, didn’t deserve the title of "NBA strong team."
But this didn’t prevent the highlights of Kobe and Zack’s performances after the ga, and Zack’s "Good night, Los Angeles," from exploding across the internet.
In this era of the internet, compared to Michael Jordan, who had to rely on newspapers and word-of-mouth to reach GOAT status back then, almost imdiately after the Lakers-Warriors battle ended, Kobe, who scored 70 points for the Lakers, and Zack, who snatched the final victory with epic triple-double stats, stole the attention of the entire basketball world.
Especially Zack’s "Good night, Los Angeles" video.
When hundreds of thousands, millions, even tens of millions of clicks poured in...
Even Nike, which had already placed a heavy bet on Zack, couldn’t believe what kind of player they had signed.
Lynn rritt, always decisive, called an ergency eting that very night.
Nike’s founder, Phil Knight, also attended the eting.
At the eting, Nike’s top executives, knowing they had to step up at this crucial mont, overwhelmingly voted to move up the release date of Zack’s "Overlord Generation 1" shoe.
"Tell Tinker Hatfield to add ’ssiah’ to Zack’s shoe. As for the specific placent, let him decide."
In just three gas...
Zack had conquered the entire Bay Area fanbase with his performance.
At the sa ti, he also conquered the entire Nike executive team.
So...
Knight and rritt knew better than anyone...
Now was the perfect opportunity to boost Zack and solidify his image as the ssiah.
The next day, at Nike’s behest, Nike’s partners went into action.
On the front pages of newspapers that traditionally had good relations with Nike, "ssiah" undoubtedly beca the most eye-catching word of the day.
anwhile, Stern, always adept at leveraging opportunities, also fueled the montum.
Though he regretted missing the chance to praise this ga with the grandest of narratives, if the league didn’t act quickly to redy this, David Stern was certainly going to lose sleep.
At this mont, Stern’s only solace was perhaps that CCTV had live-stread this epic showdown.
Considering Zack and Kobe both had extrely high popularity in , Stern imagined that the post-ga feedback from the market would be excellent.
However...
It wasn’t until many years later that Stern realized he had underestimated the impact of this epic showdown on the market.
Because...
This was an ultimate showdown destined to influence an entire generation of fans.
In the ga, there was the tragic Kobe, and the high-spirited Zack.
Even twenty years later, whenever fans who experienced this ga talk about that night, they can’t help but sigh...
"No wonder today’s NBA feels bland. All the good stuff was already consud by us."
Having hit the ga-winner against the Lakers, too excited to sleep, Zack was dragged out of the hotel early the next morning by his general manager, Evans.
"Do you like the title ’ssiah’?"
"It’s alright, why?"
"I’ve found you the best designer. We need to brand ’ssiah’ as your signature now."
"Why?"
"All the dia are hyping you as the Golden State Warriors’ ’ssiah.’ This is a great opportunity for us to create your unique brand."
"But I have a question."
"What question?"
"ssiah ans ’savior’ in Hebrew, but in Christianity, it refers to Jesus.
If, and I an if, I am the ’ssiah,’ then what’s the relationship between LeBron, the ’Chosen One,’ and ?"
At that mont, Evans was stumped.
But then, Evans quickly reacted, "Anyway, you and LeBron Jas are brothers, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.
Besides, we’re just solidifying you as the Warriors’ ’ssiah,’ not Cleveland’s ’ssiah.’"
Hearing this, Zack smiled, "I was just joking with you, Ronnie... You have absolutely none of Tim Duncan’s sense of humor."
Seeing this, Evans said, "Zack, is there a possibility that your and Tim Duncan’s cold jokes are genuinely, well, cold?"
That day, looking at the "ssiah" brand, a blend of and English, Zack imdiately loved it.
This wasn’t because the designer was exceptionally talented and made the logo surprisingly good-looking.
It was simply that Zack genuinely felt...
His performance so far this season completely lived up to the "ssiah" title.
It’s also worth ntioning that after this epic showdown, Zack also completed the previously assigned mission: [Charles Barkley’s Gift One].
The mont the mission was completed, the [Sudden Charge] badge, which had an initial All-Star level, was simultaneously added to Zack’s badge wall.
However, Zack was puzzled that day...
He didn’t receive a notification in the system for the activation of the [Charles Barkley’s Gift Two] mission.
"It seems the task trigger rules for the [Peak] system still need further exploration."
At this mont, looking at the [Sudden Charge] badge, which granted him a 3-point burst of instantaneous explosiveness when triggered, Zack silently thought to himself.
"Kenny... Are you ready to fulfill your bet?"
On TNT, as Zack scored over "40 " points in just his third career ga, a triumphant Barkley aggressively questioned his good partner, Kenny Smith, the next morning.
Hearing this, Smith, looking ashen, sighed deeply and said, "If Shaq really doesn’t want to kiss ... then Charles, can I just kiss a pig’s butt instead?"
The next second, Barkley, who was already preparing to drop his pants, was imdiately hugged by Smith. "I wasn’t talking about you, you idiot!"
Seeing this, Barkley, suddenly losing interest, said, "Fine, a pig’s butt it is, then. Ugh!"
At that mont, watching a dejected Barkley, Smith, itching with rage, decided to go all the way and said, "Charles, are you really willing to let kiss your butt?"
Barkley nodded frantically.
"Good, then drop ’em! Let all of Arica see your fat and ugly ass!"
That day, on TNT, since O’Neal wasn’t willing to be the sacrifice for Barkley and Smith’s bet during All-Star Weekend...
So, Barkley and Smith, having to fulfill their bet in a different way, thus...
Completed their wager.
Although, when Smith went in for the kiss, Barkley only lifted a corner of his underwear.
But that day...
To quote their colleagues’ assessnt, Charles Barkley not only offended everyone’s eyes but also successfully disgusted Kenny Smith.
After the ga-winner against the Lakers, the Warriors, starting perfectly with three consecutive wins, suffered their first loss of the season on the 8th.
In Phoenix, the Suns, another fast-paced team, gave them a good lesson.
Historically, as one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA in the 2005-06 season (third from last), the Suns had only one secret to winning ever since Nash joined the team in the 2004-05 season.
That was to score more points than they gave up in gas.
For this Suns team, scoring over 110 points was routine.
As for gas like the Lakers-Warriors’ mutual 130-point shootout?
Sorry, Phoenix fans were already used to it.
Historically, in the 2005-06 season, the Suns even played an open-door ga against the Bucks, with a final score of 149-152.
Does that score seem outrageous to you?
If you think the points the Suns scored in that ga were outrageous, then it only ans you’re not a fan of this era.
Because fans who truly watched basketball from this era know very well that the Suns were the most dazzling sight in the NBA at that ti.
Perhaps not everyone approved of their style of play.
But they were indeed leading the trend of this era.
Even the current Warriors can only be considered latecors.
That night, there were many reasons why the Warriors couldn’t win that run-and-gun battle.
For example, they had just gone through a life-or-death battle with the Lakers, leaving them physically and ntally exhausted.
For example, they were playing consecutive road gas, and the travel exacerbated their fatigue.
For example, during the ga, Amar’e Stoudemire and Steve Nash, aided by Shawn Marion, shalessly attacked them.
But...
After losing to the Suns 108-125 on the road, Zack imdiately stopped head coach Montgory, who was about to review the ga to find the culprit for the loss.
Because in his teammates’ unwilling eyes, Zack saw the growing cohesion of this current Warriors team.
"Mike, a loss is a loss. We can make up for our deficiencies in the ga during the upcoming practices.
But we should try to avoid post-ga reviews that easily affect the team’s mindset in the future."
In Zack’s opinion, the coaching staff certainly had to find the reasons for the Warriors’ loss.
But why couldn’t they solve the problem on the practice court, instead of conducting a post-ga review to find out who should take the bla?
An NBA season has 82 gas, and this current Warriors team is not truly a strong team.
Reviewing to assign bla?
There’s no need.
On the 10th, the Warriors lost another ga in San Antonio.
That night, the young Warriors were once again taught a lesson by the seasoned Spurs and Zack’s senior.
This lesson was called:
—Championship pedigree.
In fact, no matter how much fans in Zack’s mory disliked Gregg Popovich twenty years later, it wouldn’t change the fact that the Spurs of this era, in addition to having a top-notch coaching staff, also had Tim Duncan at his peak, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker, who was about to enter his pri.
During the ga, Zack, who was already struggling just to handle his own senior, even had to face a double-team from other Spurs players.
On the court, Zack said indignantly, "You said one-on-one, but it always turns into two-on-one?"
Hearing this, Duncan, with a wicked smile, said, "Welco to the NBA, junior."
"Two fists are no match for four hands" beca a true portrayal of Zack that night.
However, during this ga...
As Zack completed a powerful one-handed tomahawk dunk on the court, a small incident occurred on the sidelines.
At that ti, from the Spurs bench, Popovich sneered and said, "What a flying raptor. I just wonder if he’ll fall back to earth like Vince Carter soday." (Note ①)
Seeing this, Duncan, who was then playfully ssing with Ginobili’s head, imdiately turned serious.
Then, walking directly in front of Popovich, Duncan said with a solemn expression, "Pop, I don’t like that joke."
At that mont, looking at Duncan’s incredibly intense face, Popovich said in a flustered tone, "Tim... I didn’t an it that way. Since you don’t like it, I’ll never make that joke again."
Duncan certainly didn’t like that joke.
Because in this life, he and Zack shared the sa "root."
On the 11th, the Warriors, playing on a back-to-back, lost another ga.
This ti, they lost to the Mavericks in Dallas, who had not yet been renad the "Mavericks" (in , it was still "Little Cow").
Compared to their schedule at the beginning of the new season...
The Warriors indeed suffered from a tough schedule during this five-ga road trip.
After all, historically, the Spurs and Mavericks of this season had 63 wins and 60 wins, respectively.
Not to ntion that the Warriors’ overall strength still needed improvent...
And now, they had to play back-to-back against "Cow-Horse" (Mavericks-Spurs)?
In Zack’s opinion, the NBA’s scheduling staff clearly didn’t see the Warriors as human beings, but rather as actual beasts of burden.
"Playing back-to-back against peak Duncan and Nowitzki, what kind of brainless idiot arranged this schedule?"
A day later, on the 13th, the Warriors finally faced a relatively weaker opponent, and also their last opponent of this five-ga road trip:
The Los Angeles Clippers, led by Doc Rivers (old Dunleavy).
During this period, the Clippers, featuring "Captain" Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, "Alien" Sam Cassell, Chris Kaman, "Old Cat" Cuttino Mobley, and Shaun Livingston, were not the bad team they would beco in the future.
If Zack rembered correctly, this Clippers team historically would make the playoffs this season with 47 wins.
In fact, in terms of overall strength alone...
This Clippers team was actually superior to the Warriors.
And compared to the Warriors, who were playing on the road, the ho-court Clippers also had the advantages of timing, location, and people.
Plus the Warriors’ past reputation...
To be honest, even Warriors fans were ntally prepared for the team to return to Oakland with a four-ga losing streak before the ga started.
However...
When the Warriors returned to Los Angeles...
No one expected that on the night of the 13th, they would end their five-ga road trip with a resounding victory.
A week prior, Zack, who had just made headlines with "Good night, Los Angeles," tallied 24 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, and 1 steal in this ga.
In the ga, Zack certainly continued his previous performance.
But the excellent play of the entire Warriors team was the key to their big road victory.
The original "Big Beard" contributed 19 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals in this ga.
Richardson, still rembering Tom Izzo’s teachings, scored 21 points, second only to Zack, along with 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
Dunleavy Jr., the "dutiful son" who personally broke his father’s (Doc Rivers’) mindset in the ga, hit 6 three-pointers on 8 attempts from beyond the arc.
Murphy and Jack, coming off the bench, contributed 14 points and 10 points respectively.
And Kwa Brown, who fought alongside Zack, enjoying life more and more each day, scored 10 points and 11 rebounds in the ga.
Although the Warriors’ recent three-ga losing streak did bring back so unpleasant mories for fans, compared to the past, this Warriors team, with a different mindset, successfully returned to winning ways with this 127-91 road victory.
As Zack’s most loyal and capable lieutenant, Jack noticed that before the five-ga road trip began, the veteran Warriors who used to call Zack "that arrogant kid," "that presumptuous brat," or "that haughty fellow," had gradually begun to unify their address for Zack to that resounding title:
—The ssiah.
During the three-ga losing streak, Zack consistently supported his teammates in interviews, which allowed him to gradually build authority in the locker room.
And now, returning triumphantly from Los Angeles with a big win...
Perhaps the process of this five-ga road trip wasn’t so pleasant.
But Jack, who was always observing the entire Warriors team from another perspective, believed that they had gradually accumulated so capital.
On the 16th, after two days of rest, Zack, who had finally returned ho with the Warriors, received a notification from Nike.
"Nike plans to change your shoe release date to the 18th of this month," Evans told Zack.
Hearing this, Zack asked, "Do I need to do anything then?"
Evans shook his head and said, "You don’t need to do anything. Nike and Jeff Schwartz will arrange everything for you.
You just need to wear your beautiful new shoes that day, and then... it would be best if you can lead the Warriors to win that ’ Derby’ ga."
On November 18th, according to the schedule, the Warriors would host the Houston Rockets, led by Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady.
Although this ga would be broadcast nationally, its influence would clearly be greater in .
Zack knew very well that Nike’s heavy investnt in him was precisely to open up the market.
Therefore, Zack was not surprised that his shoe release date was moved to the day of the first " Derby."
However...
"Nike also added ’ssiah’ to my shoes?" Zack said with a wry smile that day, looking at the shoe display image sent by Nike.
"Zack, this is the NBA; it’s a business league. Since we all know how to build our brand, how could Nike not know?"
"Ronnie, compared to before, you’re becoming more and more like a big shot now."
"Co on, Zack, how much I achieve in this life isn’t decided by , but by you.
Zack, in fact, you’re not just the Warriors’ ssiah, you’re my ssiah."
On the evening of the 16th, the Warriors hosted the Seattle SuperSonics, who had not yet been taken away by Oklahoma City.
So far this new season, the SuperSonics had only achieved a 3-5 record.
For them, who had ranked third in the Western Conference last season thanks to the unique divisional advantage of the NBA at that ti, they desperately needed a win to break their losing streak.
Additionally, before this ga began, Zack also witnessed Ray Allen’s mouth...
A mouth that seed to offend everyone wherever he went.
"These kids nowadays are getting more and more ridiculous. They haven’t even played in the playoffs, but they dare to call themselves ’Chosen One’ and ’ssiah’."
However, regarding Ray Allen’s remarks at the pre-ga press conference...
You might not believe it, but it was Kwa Brown, the "silly, dark, sweet" guy, who delivered a brilliant retort.
"At least unlike so veterans, who haven’t even touched the Finals court... yet they dare to look down on this and that all day.
Oh, by the way, does Mr. Ray Allen know that Kobe Bryant, who has three championship rings, just beca the backdrop for our ssiah?"
"However, please, Mr. Ray Allen, don’t worry about the upcoming ga.
Because Kobe Bryant can score 70 points in a ga, but we all know that Mr. Ray Allen doesn’t have that ability, so Mr. Ray Allen doesn’t need to worry about becoming the backdrop for our ssiah."
Brilliant!
First, he subtly mocked Ray Allen for never reaching the Finals.
Then, he brought up Kobe, who was known to have a frosty relationship with Ray Allen, to hit him where it hurt.
Finally, he closed with a perfectly executed "put soone down to lift soone else up"!
"Did you really co up with those words yourself?" That day, Zack asked Brown, who had returned from the pre-ga press conference with head coach Montgory.
Hearing this, Brown scratched his head and said, "I just got so mad... then the inspiration just ca out of nowhere."
Seeing this, Zack thought seriously for a mont and then asked, "Do you plan to write moirs or have soone write your autobiography in the future, Kwa?"
Brown shrugged and said, "How would I know? In my opinion, to write moirs and an autobiography, at the very least... I’d have to do a lot better in my career."
At that mont, looking at Brown with a serious expression, Zack said, "Promise you’ll spray less when you write your autobiography and moirs later."
That day, Zack had already seen the heart of a "hater" beneath Brown’s "silly, dark, sweet" exterior.
And on the evening of the 16th...
Regarding Brown’s retort before the ga...
During the teams’ warm-up, Zack noticed that Ray Allen kept casting cold glances at him.
It must be said that old-school NBA players really lacked creativity when they disliked soone.
Because it was either glaring at you or glaring at you in a different way.
As if a glare could actually kill the opponent.
"He doesn’t think I taught you those things I said in the press conference, does he?" Brown asked with concern, looking at Zack, who had been glared at by Ray Allen for a good half-hour before the ga.
"Does it matter if I taught it? What matters is, since he thinks I don’t deserve to have ’ssiah’ tattooed on my back, then we’ll settle it on the court," Zack said, looking at Brown.
Of course, at so point, Zack really got fed up with Ray Allen’s glaring...
So, before the ga, to this veteran who had been staring at him with cold eyes...
Zack decided to respond in a more satisfying way.
He shaped his hand like a knife, looked directly at Ray Allen, and lightly drew it across his throat.
This gesture was called:
—The throat-slash.
Zack knew very well that this gesture would definitely lead to a penalty after the ga.
But in the dog-eat-dog NBA...
Sotis, even knowing he would be penalized, Zack had to show his tough side.
Because in the NBA, only the fittest survive.
Note ①: Vince Carter was historically sidelined by significant injuries due to Zaza Pachulia (it was Bruce Bowen who caused the injuries in the story) undercutting him three tis: in April 2000, February 2004, and February 2005.
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