basketball never sleeps

Chapter 336 Perfection

On the last day of January, the league announced this year's All-Star reserve roster.

Ray Allen, who has been selected as an All-Star reserve for four consecutive years, was undoubtedly selected once again.

After his transformation, Ray Allen became the dream man of almost every coach. He has accurate shooting, an unselfish playing style, and can play both with and without the ball. His previously weak defense has also reached the level of a second-tier player in the league. Although Ray Allen's stats this year do not match his top-salary player value, the coaches do not care about that.

Do you even understand what it means that data cannot measure its value?

Ray Allen was also very happy after seeing the results. The reason for his happiness was partly because he received the coaches' approval, and partly because... Iverson and McGrady were not selected and were completely out of the running for the All-Star Game.

Generally, there are three spots for the center-back position out of seven. He and Nash took two spots, leaving one open. However, the coaches did not choose these two top players who received millions of votes during the voting phase. Instead, they chose Paul, who was still under pressure with the Lakers.

"This is crazy. They are all excellent players who have put on outstanding performances and made great contributions to their teams. But as you know, this is the West. The competition is everywhere and extremely fierce. To stand out in the West, individual excellence is not enough. You also need to make sufficient contributions to the team."

"Of course, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they're not a good team, but in terms of team value, Paul is definitely the better one. Kobe is the best player in the Lakers' current success, and Jermaine also plays a crucial role in their interior defense, but the one who truly makes the Lakers operate efficiently as a whole is Paul."

"Why are you all so concerned about data? It can distort people's contributions, you know?"

Ray Allen usually presents a humble demeanor, but today he was unusually enthusiastic and proactive during the interview.

Mo Wen hadn't seen Ray Allen this happy in a long time. Even when a bunch of domestic companies approached him for endorsements, earning him over 1.5 million dollars, he still wasn't this happy.

Indeed, human happiness is built upon the suffering of others.

Paul was also pleasantly surprised to hear the news.

Thank goodness, he thought that with the presence of Mo Wen and Nash in the West, he would never make it to the All-Star game before he got old and took over from Kobe. He didn't expect that the coaches were all quite knowledgeable about basketball.

"Fans don't know anything about football. They only know who plays well and vote for them. If you really know about football, you have to ask the coach!"

Paul was waving the day's statistics sheet around in the locker room, as if he were waving a plane ticket to New Orleans. He seemed to be showing off to Kwame Brown, but he didn't lower his voice. His true intentions were obvious to everyone.

Kobe cast a calm glance at him and said indifferently, "You're lucky to have this opportunity. I'm not. I've been an All-Star starter since my second year. By the way, so is Mo."

Kwame Brown: Good boy, pat on the head.

Los Angeles media outlets also praised the coaches for their excellent judgment, and Paul's selection made the Lakers' "Big Three" title truly fitting.

But while some are happy, others are worried; the media in Denver and San Antonio are somewhat disheartened.

Ray Allen's 20+7 performance was acceptable, considering he won the championship as the second option last season. But what's with this guy called Chris Paul?

Ququ is a third-grader, only the Lakers' third option, with stats of 16 points and 9 rebounds, which is not even as good as that chubby kid from the same year at the Jazz. How can he possibly outperform Answer and McGrady, who are still in their prime?

Stern, you old geezer, are you trying to hype up Los Angeles stars again?

It's a cover-up, absolutely a cover-up!

Stern was also helpless. Donaghy's gambling scandal hadn't even died down yet; where would he find the time to pull any stunts? There really wasn't any.

In the ESPN pre-game preview the following day, former Grizzlies head coach Hubie Brown explained that coaches tend to choose stars who aren't flashy but rather contribute steadily and effectively to the team.

George Karl, who returned to the commentary booth, analyzed the coaches' selection logic from the perspective of a recently unemployed coach.

"I admit Hubie (Brown) has a point. We don't tend to draft players who always play isolation plays. But the key reason this time isn't that. What is it? It's that they all want to see the Lakers have some fun, hahaha. They all want to see how Paul's relationship with Kobe develops after he becomes an All-Star. I don't know what the others are thinking, but if I were still the head coach, that would definitely be why I voted for Paul, hahaha!"

"Wait a minute, if you were on the Nuggets, would you not vote for the answer? He's a Nuggets player!" Hubie Brown noticed the blind spot.

"So, I'm no longer the Nuggets' coach." George Karl shrugged.

……

Ahead of the All-Star break, the SuperSonics had an easy stretch of games.

The match against the Spurs on February 6th was one of only two strong teams that can be considered during this period.

Ray Allen felt a slight discomfort in his ankle that day, but he was still able to train normally, and the team doctor thought it was okay, but Hill still decisively put him on the bench.

Ray Allen was not happy, so Mo Wen decisively added another layer of seal to him in the name of the boss.

He had already shown signs of ankle discomfort, yet he still insisted on playing against the Spurs. Isn't that like a character in a horror movie who discovers their house is haunted but refuses to move out or consult a fortune teller, stubbornly staying there to gamble on their fortune?

The Supersonics are short-handed in the paint, but have plenty of depth on the perimeter.

McGrady's body did not fully recover after intermittent injuries. Instead, the irregular rest disrupted his body's already fragile balance, and he truly entered injury mode.

Congenital scoliosis is like an inescapable curse. It not only directly causes a series of injuries and illnesses, but the corresponding muscle group compensatory strain also erodes McGrady's health.

However, McGrady insisted on playing with an injury today. He accepted not being selected as an All-Star starter, but what kind of nonsense is it that he couldn't even make it to the bench?

Yes, he and Popovich had a minor disagreement recently, but given his stats and the Spurs' record, why should he be on the receiving end?

McGrady was smarter this time; he didn't make any harsh statements before the game, and his anger was directed at Ray Allen.

Ray Allen's absence immediately put him in an awkward position.

Fortunately, after losing the previous two games, Duncan didn't want to lose to the SuperSonics who were missing Ray Allen, so he played exceptionally well today. McGrady also performed well under the guidance of his star player, and finally Parker was activated, showcasing the power of the Big Three.

Today, Mo Wen was focused on leading his teammates and put his energy into the playmaking aspect. After all, he can't always rely on his explosive performance when facing strong teams. If he has an explosive performance, there is a chance to win, but if his teammates take this as a routine and don't improve, then he will have a hard time in the playoffs.

Under the guidance of Mo Wen, the SuperSonics players played in an orderly manner. However, Duncan stepped up his game and exploded inside too quickly. Hill once again brought out the small-ball tactic, but this time the small-ball strategy did not gain much advantage against the Spurs, who had already studied it and had full discipline and execution.

The Spurs ultimately secured a valuable victory, but neither the Spurs team nor the players showed any signs of joy despite winning the game.

Because McGrady rewarded himself with a dunk when the game was pretty much over in the final quarter, Millsap, who had been bullied by Duncan all game, didn't want to watch him perform, so he blocked his shot with normal defense.

McGrady fell to the ground, the team doctor came onto the court, shook his head, and then a stretcher was brought onto the court.

Millsap was stunned. He hadn't used any force or tricks; he was just playing normal defense, and even felt like he was about to be dunked on.

Popovich instinctively thought Mo Wen was up to something, but when he looked at Mo Wen sitting on the sidelines, he saw that Mo Wen also looked surprised.

When multiple replays were shown, the commentators immediately pinned the blame on Popovich.

"TMac said he was injured before the game, and Greg should have substituted him immediately after Mo came off the court. I don't know why he took that risk." Duncan's eyes also turned strange when he looked at Popovich after he understood the situation.

Popovich opened his mouth, unsure how to explain. He and McGrady had both been trying to mend their relationship recently, and he figured since McGrady hadn't made the All-Star team, he'd leave him on the court today to rack up 30 points for fun. Who would have thought...

Fuck, it's all that damn Chinese guy's fault. If he had stayed on the court, McGrady would have had a legitimate reason to stay.

……

On February 13, the SuperSonics will host the Nets, which will be the SuperSonics' last game before the All-Star break.

The game was pretty much a foregone conclusion, except Kidd played with exceptional passion.

He transformed from someone who couldn't score to someone who couldn't make a shot, trying out three-pointers, mid-range shots, and floaters from various angles and with various offensive methods. Although most of his shots missed, he still caught Mo Wen, who was guarding him throughout the game, off guard.

He took 15 shots in the first half alone; you'd think he was possessed by Iverson or Kobe.

"This might be his last days with the Nets," Payton, who was on good terms with him, guessed the reason for Kidd's unusual behavior today.

The Nets wanted to trade Kidd last season, but they lost Carter in the offseason and had no one to sell tickets, so they had to keep Kidd to make ends meet. However, the Nets currently have a record of 19 wins and 26 losses, ranking only 10th in the Eastern Conference, and it is highly unlikely that they will make the playoffs. The fans are not happy about it.

Spending another 2000 million to support Kidd is already a losing proposition. Kidd himself doesn't want to rot and stink with the Nets and has privately hinted multiple times that he wants to be traded to a suitable team. It's just a matter of time before he has to confront them directly.

At the beginning of the season, the Nets' management expressed interest in trading Gasol, but the Nets didn't have any good draft picks. The Grizzlies' management wanted draft picks, but given the increasingly competitive environment in the Eastern Conference, who knows how much the team would improve by trading for Gasol? If it's just a first-round or second-round exit, it wouldn't mean much to a team like the Nets that made it to the Finals twice in the early 2000s.

Furthermore, with the new Brooklyn arena about to begin construction, the Nets' owner is looking forward to a fresh start with a new arena and is unwilling to trade away draft picks.

The trade deadline is a week after the All-Star break, and this might be Kidd's last time wearing a Nets jersey.

After shooting 20 shots that missed, Kidd finally managed to score 22 points and suffer a less-than-honorable loss.

After the game, Payton approached Kidd to comfort him. Kidd showed the strength a man should have and did not show any unusual behavior. The trade involving him has not yet been finalized, so it is not time to be sad.

Kidd even joked that Payton had gained weight and become rounder after retiring, and that if he didn't control his weight, he might end up like Barkley.

Payton didn't care. He didn't have Sir Alex Ferguson's sweet tooth, nor did he drink heavily or smoke weeds. Besides, his children were growing up, and he had to work as a sparring partner after work, so it was impossible for him to get fat.

"Is this roundness? No, this is perfection!"

Payton pointed to the flags flying above the arena, beaming with pride.

Kidd followed his finger and looked at the brand-new championship banner in the sky, and couldn't help but purse his lips. It was so sour, so incredibly sour, it made his teeth ache.

His peak years were spent with the Nets. Looking in the mirror, he can feel his aging. On the court, when he faces Mo Wen and sees Mo Wen easily sinking three-pointers and dismantling the Nets' defense with space, he can feel the progress of the times.

His declining health and the progress of the times made him realize that his time was running out, at least three years, at most five years.

Unlike Payton, who became a journeyman at the end of his career, searching for a star player throughout the league and then aimlessly acquiring a ring that had little to do with him.

Furthermore, the experiences of Sir Alex Ferguson, Karl Malone, and Gary Payton all prove that playing the field to gain points is also a skill. If you play the right way, that's one thing, but if you play the wrong way, losing money and face is one thing, but the real danger is wasting your last years and having to retire without a title. In that case, you might be ridiculed by Payton, that scoundrel, for the rest of your life.

……

On February 13, Mo Wen flew to New Orleans with Ray Allen, Millsap, and Gay to participate in this year's All-Star Game.

In this timeline, although the Hornets moved to Oklahoma, just like in history, the Thunder retained the original team name and history, only taking away their league entry qualification.

Stern also has no intention of changing the location of the All-Star Game, or rather, holding it in New Orleans is politically correct.

After all, the United States has its own unique circumstances. Although the local disaster relief speed is comparable to Evergrande saving an unfinished building before the foundation was laid, and three years after Hurricane Katrina, half of the city is still in ruins, both the state and federal governments are happy to arrange some events and conferences for New Orleans to cover up... oh, I mean to show off New Orleans' outstanding post-disaster reconstruction.

Ray Allen came with his eldest son. After getting off the plane, they rested at the hotel arranged by the alliance. Mo Wen, on the other hand, took his two underlings out and found a taxi to start sightseeing in the city's reconstruction.

Since Hurricane Katrina, the Hornets have been based in Oklahoma City. They moved back for half a season, but when they realized they weren't making money, the owner decided to pack up the team and move it to Oklahoma City for good. This is probably the first time that Mo Wen has visited the city since the disaster.

The relatively high-lying downtown area has been rebuilt quite well, and it is now almost indistinguishable from most American cities. Mo Wen even saw two posters of himself, one taken by the league and the other an advertisement for Nike.

The highest point, Saint-Louis Basilica, was almost undamaged, except for some water damage that reportedly knocked down two sycamore trees and ruined an expensive pipe organ. It's worth noting that the organ itself took three years to repair.

Once the taxi driver drove the car out of the downtown area, the scene became dilapidated. Building ruins, cleared construction debris, and rebuilt structures were scattered haphazardly along the roadside. The driver even pointed to a ruin and said that it used to be his home. When the hurricane brought floodwaters, the house was submerged four or five meters underwater.

Mo Wen couldn't bear to know too much, so he left after accumulating some human compassion. As the league's top player, he had quite a few All-Star activities this time, and some things were unavoidable. Having a little bit of emotion would save him a lot of acting effort later.

My father-in-law said on the phone that he would also come and join in the fun. I'll have to ask him for advice then. Although the old man has never won an Oscar or even a Golden Globe, he's become governor, so he's a practical guy.

In the evening, the stars participating in this year's All-Star Game arrived one after another, and Mo Wen also became busy. He didn't know when it started, but his popularity suddenly became exceptionally good. Whether it was stars from the East or West, entertainment stars who came to ride the wave of popularity, or local political figures and celebrities, they would all put on a warm smile in front of them.

Fortunately, under the training of his management team and the guidance of his mother-in-law, Mo Wen is no longer the young man who can only bounce a ball. His smile muscles are working overtime, and he transforms into a central air conditioner, moving freely among the crowd.

"He's not like us anymore. With his current attitude, I wonder how many more years Michael can hold on?" In a small private room at the bar, Melo listened to the lazy jazz music but didn't feel relaxed at all. Looking at the empty seat next to him, he just felt restless. The cocktail in his glass seemed to have too much lemon juice in it, so his mouth was full of sourness as soon as he opened it.

"You've changed Melo. I didn't expect you to start comparing him to Michael Jordan." Wade raised his glass and clinked it with Milicic next to him. He was quite enjoying his slightly tipsy state, and his body would occasionally sway and shake to the music.

“Of course, if you let Mo score 88 points, or lose by 58 points... ahhhhhh!” Before Milicic could finish speaking, Melo jumped up from the sofa, leaped over the two people, and grabbed him by the neck.

"Damn it, if you dare mention that number again, I'll fight you to the death!"

The monster on one side didn't know who to help, but he soon didn't have to worry about it anymore. Melon was quickly grabbed by the neck by the big white guy, who held down his hands, and then Milicic called on the people around him to feed Melon Prince drinks.

After a while of joking around, the private room calmed down.

Paul asked Bosh, who was standing next to him, with some curiosity, "Why isn't LeBron here today? Hasn't he arrived yet?"

Ah Pao wanted to integrate into the small group of the Class of 03, and Ah Zhan was probably the one he was closest to.

“He arrived, but he said he had something to do, so he didn’t come.” Bosh shook his head, then chuckled, “I think he’s deliberately avoiding Mo.”

"Hiding from Mo? Surely not. The league is portraying him as Mo's number one rival, and he actually believed it?" Paul couldn't quite understand this line of thinking.

“If he were truly Mo Ge’s match, he would definitely be here today. The problem is… who still considers him Mo Ge’s rival?” Milicic said, suppressing a laugh. (End of Chapter)