บท 493: Chapter 493: I Won't Score 81 Points Tonight
In mid-November, all the players on the Suns had adjusted their form.
Green and Thompson had long recovered from their injuries and returned to the court.
Since the start of the regular season, the Suns, who had won nine consecutive games, faced their first formidable opponent, the Lakers.
Many teams were preparing to snatch Wade Dong away in the summer, but the Lakers had a different plan. After confirming Kobe's decision to retire, the Lakers aimed to recruit LeBron James through Kobe's connections and rebuild the team around him.
Kobe arrived at the Western Arena, and the Suns had prepared two gifts for him.
"We are opponents on the court, but we are friends off the court."
Before the game, Tian Zhen presented the first gift to Kobe: two Suns jerseys with different numbers on the back, 8 and 24.
"Thank you, everyone."
Kobe stood in the center of the court, showing the fans the gifts he had received.
"Kobe!"
"Kobe!"
"Kobe!"
The fans stood up and applauded, cheering and clapping for the legendary superstar.
Many Suns legends were present to watch the game, including Steve Nash. Before the game, the arena's big screen played a highlight reel of Kobe's matchups against the Suns.
There was one particular clip.
In Game 2 of the 2006 playoffs, Kobe, wearing the number 8 jersey, received a pass from his teammate and soared for a dunk, sending Steve Nash flying.
This was one of Kobe's most memorable dunks in his career.
The camera then shifted to Steve Nash.
"Oh ho ho~"
This was originally a taunt towards Phoenix, but the fans, seeing this clip again, started to cheer for Nash.
"Haha..."
Kobe covered his face and laughed, running over to Nash to give him a high-five and a hug.
...
There were only a few minutes left before the game started, but when Wade Dong took off his jacket and stepped onto the court, Kobe's eyes sparkled.
Wade Dong had always worn the number 7 jersey since joining the league, but tonight... he had changed into the number 24 jersey, a tribute to Kobe.
"Wow!!!"
Everyone was moved in that instant.
The fans watching on TV, many of whom were Kobe fans, felt a sense of respect when they saw Wade Dong paying tribute to Kobe in this way.
Recognition from the league's top player!
This was the Suns' second gift to Kobe.
Standing next to Wade Dong, Kobe smiled and said, "Brother, you're making me nervous with this."
"Don't be nervous, idol," Wade Dong said with a smile. "I won't be scoring 81 points over your head tonight."
Starting Lineups:
Suns: Wade Dong, Stephen Curry, Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green.
Lakers: Lin Hao, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Hill, Boozer.
"Beep!!!"
With the referee's whistle, the game began.
After the Lakers' Big Four disbanded, Harden went to the Rockets, Howard to the Heat, and Gasol to the Bulls. LeBron James' arrival didn't make the Lakers stronger. In the early season, the team still had many issues with chemistry, and they currently had a 5-3 record, placing them third in the Western Conference. The Western Conference's top team was the undefeated 8-0 Suns.
Kevin Durant and Boozer jumped for the tip-off.
Boozer tapped the ball to Lin Hao, who dribbled to the frontcourt and passed to Kobe.
Kobe posted up against Wade Dong, and as James cut to the basket, Kobe made a no-look bounce pass, delivering the ball to James.
"Bang!!!"
James soared for a one-handed slam over Green!
"Great pass!"
James and Kobe high-fived and ran back on defense.
The fans had waited for many years, but they didn't get to see the matchup between 23 and 24 in the Finals. Instead, in Kobe's final year, they witnessed the combination of 23 and 24.
Kobe, James, and Wade Dong.
They were all iconic figures of their era and the faces of the league. Having these three on the court together was a treat for the fans, regardless of the outcome.
Durant stood at the baseline to inbound the ball. Curry dribbled to the frontcourt and passed to Wade Dong, and then Durant, Curry, and Thompson all spread out, giving Wade Dong space to isolate against Kobe.
Wade Dong faked a shoulder move and then executed a beautiful turnaround fadeaway jumper.
"Swoosh!!!"
The ball swished through the net.
There were two number 24s on the court, making the fans feel a bit dazed, unsure of which one was the real Kobe.
First Quarter:
Kobe kept feeding James, while Wade Dong, on the other hand, had no desire to pass at all. Every time he got the ball, his teammates would spread out, and he would go one-on-one.
17:13!!!
The first quarter had been played for 6 minutes, and the first timeout was called.
Wade Dong had scored 11 points on 7-of-5 shooting. In addition, he had only 1 rebound and 1 steal, while his blocks and assists were both 0. On the other hand, Kobe had already racked up 5 assists for the Lakers, contributing to 11 of the team's 13 points. Kobe had only taken one shot, which bounced off the rim.
Lakers head coach Scott reminded Kobe, "You need to be more aggressive on offense."
"That was the old me," Kobe smiled. "Now that we have James on the team, I want to try a different style of play."
James said, "Only those who have guarded Wade Dong know that his defense is hellish. It's really difficult to score against him."
"Hmm..."
Boozer seemed to feel the pressure, saying, "Wade Dong's defense is suffocating."
Lin Hao: "???"
Lin Hao wanted to retort, "You've guarded Wade Dong too?" But he couldn't say that, as it would create a rift between teammates. Perhaps there were one or two instances where Wade Dong had actually defended Boozer in the low post.
On the Suns' side...
Alvin Gentry was very relaxed. He asked, "Wade, are you planning to score 81 points tonight?"
"Yes!"
Wade Dong nodded.
"Tsk tsk tsk~"
Alvin Gentry clicked his tongue. "Everyone should learn from Wade and set small goals for themselves before the game, like scoring 81 points tonight."
"Is that a small goal???"
The Suns players looked very pained.
In the history of the NBA, there have only been three instances of a player scoring over 80 points in a single game: Chamberlain's 100 points, Wade Dong's 82 points, and Kobe's 81 points. Aside from Green, who isn't a prolific scorer, even Durant, Curry, and Thompson would find it extremely difficult to score 60+ points in a game. To score 81 points would be like ascending to godhood and bringing glory to one's ancestors.
"If I score 81 points in a game, I'll burn the box score for my ancestors during the Qingming Festival," Yi Nan muttered quietly.
...
After the timeout, the Suns had the ball.
Wade Dong ran a backdoor cut to get away from Kobe, and Durant set a high screen. Wade Dong received the pass, took one dribble, and then executed a big euro step, going around the basket and laying the ball in with his off hand.
19:13!!!
Up to this point in the season, Wade Dong had been averaging only 21.7 points per game, but some people seemed to have forgotten that he was a two-time scoring champion.
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