"Yes, one ga we won by 25 points, and in another, just last night, Kobe went all out and scored 81 points, a margin we reached in just three quarters on the court."
"Kobe’s no good!"
"Indeed, he’s not up to par!"
Finally, a reporter couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
All the reporters were satisfied; they believed that Su Wan’s and Artest’s ’cody skit’ would make the Lakers’ away ga against the Pacers on January 28th full of highlights to watch.
Kobe soon saw this ’cody skit’ as well.
From yesterday to now, he had watched many videos of superstars comnting on his single-ga 81-point achievent.
McGrady, "Big Sour Bitch," and Allen Iverson, "Little Sour Bitch," were the ones that left the biggest impression on him. He had already circled the dates of the gas against the Lakers, Nuggets, and Rockets.
But now, after watching the video of Su Wan and Artest, he put those two in the back of his mind; all he could see were Su Wan and the Indiana Pacers!
So you’re saying I’m no good, huh?
Just wait, I’ll turn you into the "Can’t Team" when the ti cos!
Kobe was extrely confident now.
The look of despair on the Raptors players’ faces as he continued to score was still vivid in his mind.
He believed that as long as he found his groove, any team in the league would show the sa expression that the Raptors had.
Including the Pacers!
Less than a week passed, and January 28th arrived.
Before this matchup, Kobe had already put on another 40-plus ’scoring show’ and thoroughly humiliated the Western eighth seed, the Sacranto Kings.
With such form, even the Indiana dia felt sowhat uneasy, with one outlet admitting, "Kobe is in the best phase of his career!"
Su Wan also saw this report. The journalist who wrote this piece was familiar to him. When he ran into the journalist in the player’s tunnel, he specifically ntioned the report: "I’ve always liked your writing, Mark, but your latest piece, stating that ’Kobe is in the best phase of his career,’ is missing a sentence... Unfortunately for him, the Indiana Pacers he’s encountering are also in the best phase in their history. Tonight, he’s destined to leave with his head bowed! Rember to add that!"
The new ESPN photographer stood behind Erin and captured Su Wan’s departing figure, then asked Erin, "Don’t you think Su Wan is particularly aggressive today?"
Erin shook her head, "No, he’s not being aggressive; he’s continuously giving himself strong psychological suggestions..."
The photographer looked puzzled, "You an he’s nervous?"
Erin denied, "He doesn’t understand the aning of nervousness; Kobe’s 81 points simply aroused his competitive spirit, and he wants to beat Kobe, it’s that simple!"
The photographer felt he had heard of a player like this before, and Erin gave him the answer, "Michael Jordan was like that!"
"Exactly, exactly!" The photographer nodded vigorously, realizing why he hadn’t been able to think of that familiar na earlier. He had a sudden inspiration, "Since he’s so similar to Michael, why not call him the ’Indiana Jordan’?"
"Do you know what he’d say if you called him that to his face?"
"What?"
Erin laughed, "Does a freshman Jordan even know what a championship ring looks like?"
The Pacers weren’t just talkative through Su Wan; Artest was also chiming in.
On the eve of the ga, as the starters took the floor, Artest stood beside Kobe and asked in a booming voice, "Have you had enough enjoynt, Kobe?"
Kobe: "???"
"I an, the attention you got from scoring 81 points, have you had enough of it?"
Kobe: ???
"Starting tonight, nobody will talk about that anymore; they’ll only say that Ron Artest has locked down the Best Defensive Player Award!"
"Heh," Kobe laughed, his eyes becoming as sharp as a snake’s.
He suddenly thought of sothing and turned to look at Su Wan. "You’re not guarding tonight? What, got scared after watching the Lakers and Raptors ga? Too afraid to guard ?"
Su Wan stood with his hands on his hips, a playful look on his face. "It’s hard to explain to soone who’d hit a teammate for a 100 bucks what it ans to have teammates!"
Kobe was initially stunned, then his face turned embarrassingly red.
About six or seven years ago, when Kobe was still the "Young Snake," the Lakers had a "mid-court shooting contest," where the first to make a basket from mid-court would win 100 US dollars from the other contestants.
Kobe finally won the victory, the other teammates accepted their loss after the bet, only a guy nad Samaki Walker reneged, unwilling to give Kobe 100 bucks.
Kobe got mad at that mont, chasing after him for the 100 bucks, and when he saw Walker playing dumb, he punched him.
Kobe had almost forgotten about that...
Damn, how did this guy find out?
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the Pacers’ bench, where "Mad Fan" was sitting!
Suddenly, it wasn’t surprising to him anymore.
But looking at Su Wan’s face, which read "So this is the real Kobe," he felt an inexplicable panic inside.
No, what’s wrong with these people?
There are so many things to do in Indiana; why snoop around behind my back?
He marked Su Wan and Van Exel as "two bastards"!
The ga’s jump ball session.
Little O’Neal easily defeated Chris Mimm, getting the first attack for the team.
Mimm had proven over the course of a season that he couldn’t be Shaquille O’Neal, not even half of Shaquille.
Seeing the inside was a weakness, the Lakers’ managent decided to strengthen it.
But who knows what goes through their minds.
Inexplicably, they traded away a quality shooter like Caron Butler to Washington for "water cargo five" Kwa Brown. Then they put Brown on the bench, continuing to play Chris Mimm as five.
Hmm...
Really can’t understand!
Aside from the five position, the new season’s starting lineup for the Lakers was: Point Guard Smash Parker, two Kobe Bryant, small forward Brian Cook, Power forward Lamar Odom.
Lots of movents, but you can’t even tell at first glance if this team’s overall strength has gone up or down compared to last year...
Mitch Kupchak: Doubt Mr. Baylor, understand Mr. Baylor, beco Mr. Baylor, surpass Mr. Baylor!
Su Wan had already stated before the ga that he wouldn’t defend Kobe, but during the Lakers’ defensive rounds, Kobe still stood in front of Su Wan, both "snake eyes" glaring sharply at Su Wan as if to say,
You don’t defend , but I will defend you!
When Tinsley passed the ball to Su Wan, he even gestured actively, letting Su Wan receive it.
And once Su Wan got the ball, Kobe spoke up, "Michael told you could really get into ’The zone’, co on, let see what this legendary zone is all about!"
So that’s how it is!
Su Wan had seen the arrangents Phil Jackson had made for Kobe over this period: to ensure his physical fitness, to let him have enough energy to continue performing on the offense, he rarely had Kobe defend the opposing team’s key player.
By rights, Kobe should not be defending him tonight.
At first, Su Wan thought Kobe wanted to avenge last season’s "bone-breaking grudge."
Now he understood; he wanted to see "The zone"!
Kobe pressed up against him the mont he got the ball, constantly using his chest to bump Su Wan, disrupting his "post-up stance" and balance, while crazily pinching Su Wan’s waist in the referee’s blind spot.
Su Wan suddenly wanted to learn Barkley’s "butt-up back attack."
The mont he received the ball, he took a big step back to put so distance between himself and Kobe, then posed in a "cross-step" position, using continuous "hesitation steps" to probe Kobe’s defensive response, and with the help of little O’Neal’s screen at the three-point line, he rushed into the paint, a fake "passing" motion with one hand fooled Chris Mimm, who had co over to defend. He originally wanted to end it with a layup, but on a whim, he switched to a one-handed "slam dunk."
"Bang!"
The baseline Pacers’ fans had a look of relief on their faces, from their perspective, they could clearly see Kobe, who had leapt high, raising his arms. If Su Wan had gone for a layup, it might have been a "chasing block."
Luckily, he chose the dunk.
"Do you know, Kobe?"
"Michael paid two ribs to see The zone!"
"What about you, what are you willing to pay?"
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