The NBA's Absolute Dominance

Chapter 93 A Romantic Encounter on the Fantasy

"Old comrade?"

Jordan's eye twitched, and he snorted coldly, "Since it's any way, fine, let's play an 18-hole round of golf tomorrow morning. I'll arrange the venue and pick you up from the hotel at nine o'clock."

"Eighteen holes? Golf?"

Tang Bei asked in confusion, "What is that thing?"

"..."

Jordan paused for a moment, then scoffed, "You country bumpkin, you don't even know what golf is, how dare you talk about any method?"

Tang Bei said unhappily, "Boxing, wrestling, Sanda, free fighting, Aikido, karate, knife skills, swordsmanship, gun skills, street fighting—you can choose any of these sports. Why did you pick one that I don't know?"

In front of so many reporters, Jordan retorted, "Golf, baseball, football, ice hockey, soccer, tennis, swimming, shooting, high jump, long jump, sprinting, bowling, and poker."

"You ignorant country bumpkin, how many of these sports have you even heard of? Pick any one, and if you lose, I'll give you a Ferrari."

“If I can do something you can’t, and you can do something I can’t, then let’s find something we can both do and compare,” Tang Bei said.

"OK."

Jordan nodded without hesitation.

Tang Bei pondered for a moment and said, "I heard you even want to compete with others when it comes to peeing. How about we compete to see who can pee the farthest?"

"puff!"

A group of reporters burst out laughing.

"Fuck you! That's a lie."

Jordan was so angry that he cursed and gave Tang Bei the middle finger, cursing inwardly, "Damn rookie, there are so many reporters here, you may be shameless, but I still have my pride."

"Hahaha……"

Watching Jordan turn and leave, Tang Bei let out a smug laugh, just like Stephen Chow's.

"Tang, what does beating the Bulls mean to you?"

Tang Bei was the best player of the game, and as the post-game interview began, an ESPN reporter immediately asked him this question.

"It means the Heat are a little closer to the playoffs," Tang Bei said.

"Not counting Grant, who was injured by the impact, you injured two opponents today. Was that a targeted attack?" the reporter asked again.

Tang Bei said seriously, "Inflicting casualties is a targeted tactic, while injuring the opponent is an accident. These need to be discussed separately. Injuring the opponent was not my goal."

The reporter then asked, "If the Heat and the Bulls meet in the series, do you think the Heat still have a chance to beat the Bulls?"

Tang Bei considered the question for a moment before replying, "If the Bulls don't make any targeted improvements to their interior defense, I think we have a chance with our current lineup."

"Do you think tactics can't solve the problem?" the reporter pressed.

Tang Bei asked, "You mean the Bulls are using tactics to limit me?"

Seeing the reporter nod, he immediately shook his head and said, "The Bulls' collapsing defense they used today couldn't completely contain me."

This tactic was already very effective; they even used three-on-one double teams on me at least seven times and double teams more than ten times.

So it's clear, I can't think of any better tactic the Bulls could use to limit my performance.

央视直播室，徐计成说道：“乔丹打了40分钟，砍下42分6篮板7助攻3抢断1盖帽的数据，投篮命中率47.5%，稍低于本赛季场均49.5%的命中率。”

孙真平说道：“唐北35分钟，40分19篮板2助攻1抢断3盖帽，投篮命中率高达85%，篮下进攻占比达到了80%。”

Xu Jicheng said, "The Heat's victory over the Bulls, the biggest favorite to win the championship, is the best proof of Tang Bei's strength."

Sun Zhenping nodded and said, "In this game, the Bulls only had two of their five big men left, and three of them were injured. Tang Bei's offensive power was too amazing, which is the main reason why the Bulls lost the game."

Xu Jicheng said with a smile: "After this game, I believe that all teams in the NBA will strengthen their interior defense."

Especially at the center position, they need greater strength and size to compete with Tang Bei; otherwise, Tang Bei will crush their defense with overwhelming force.

Sun Zhenping said, "The Heat are currently on a winning streak, with a record of 9 wins and 13 losses, a winning percentage of 40%. Their record continues to improve, and we hope they can keep up the good work and make it into the playoffs."

Xu Jicheng nodded and said, "Yes, Tang Bei was traded from the Hornets, who had the best record in the league, to the Heat. If they don't make the playoffs, they will really suffer a huge loss."

Because the playoffs are the true stage for stars; a star who hasn't played in the playoffs can't be considered a true star.

Sun Zhenping glanced at the schedule and said, "The Heat's next game is at home against the Jazz. I heard that Tang Bei has a conflict with Karl Malone of the Jazz?"

Xu Jicheng said, "It can't be called a contradiction. They don't know each other and have probably never met. Tang Bei seems to have said that his combat ability is the best among active players. The mailman Karl Malone was not convinced and said some things."

"Oh."

Sun Zhenping nodded and did not discuss the matter further.

In the away team's locker room, Tang Bei, exhausted, sat on a chair but didn't go to take a shower immediately; he wanted to recover first.

He attacked the basket too much today. In order to defeat the Bulls and destroy their interior defense, he spared no effort in attacking the basket.

If he plays like this every game, for example, in a playoff series against the Bulls, he probably wouldn't be able to keep up. He'd be exhausted before he even defeats the Bulls.

Fortunately, his shooting skills are continuously improving, which means that his sustained offensive ability and scoring ability will be further enhanced.

He studied the playing styles of three super centers: Hakeem Olajuwon's offense under the basket accounted for only 29%, Patrick Ewing's for 31%, and David Robinson's for 30.8%.

His current percentage of offense under the basket is still as high as 65%, which is more than double that of the three super centers and also exceeds O'Neal's 54%.

Although their accuracy was higher than theirs, they expended more energy, were more tired than the four players, and their physical condition was also more worn out.

This is not good for the long term of his career. Top-tier historical centers like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have 20-year careers. If he continues to play like this, he may not even last 10 years.

So he has a plan: before the end of the regular season, after improving his shooting skills, he wants to control the percentage of his offense under the basket to 60%.

An hour later, the Bulls held a press conference.

"Michael, you scored 42 points tonight in a losing effort. How do you feel?" a reporter from Miami asked.

He tilted his hard-boiled egg, not wanting to look at the reporter, and remained silent for at least ten seconds before saying with a sour face, "Sir, now you know how I feel?"

"Ha ha……"

The audience burst into laughter, and even the Miami reporter who asked the question couldn't help but laugh.

Jordan pulled the microphone and said, "That rookie scored 40 points in my home court, injured three of my teammates, took a basket and a win from me, and made my words a joke. I remember him very well."

"So what will you do?" the reporter pressed.

"This is not over yet."

A murderous glint flashed in Jordan's eyes. After a brief remark, he removed the microphone, indicating that he would not continue the topic.

A reporter asked Phil Jackson, "Phil, do you think the Bulls need to strengthen their interior defense?"

After a moment's thought, Phil Jackson said, "We definitely need a big man with great strength and the ability to compete in the paint."

He then said with some helplessness, "The NBA has seen two unprecedented heavyweight centers appear at once, and they are both in the East. This is a disaster for the Eastern Conference teams."

"Coach Jackson, how do you think their strength compares to the three super centers?" the reporter pressed.

Phil Jackson said, "They will definitely be the fourth or fifth superstar center, and they already are."

He then added, "They have strength, weight, speed, and even good technique. They dealt the most brutal blows to those light inside players, even threatening their survival and safety in the league."

In less than two months, look how many interior players have been injured by Tang and O'Neal? Especially Tang, he's injured far too many people.

"Mr. Jackson, do you think Don should be held responsible for the injured?" the reporter interrupted Phil Jackson.

Phil Jackson shook his head and said, "If the injury is due to the game, then the injury is just a result of the competition, and no one should be held responsible."

At 12 PM on December 22nd, the Heat's chartered plane arrived in Miami. Before even leaving the airport, Tang Bei received some good news.

His jersey sales have skyrocketed in the past few days. He sold more than 3,000 jerseys the day after playing the Knicks and more than 6,700 jerseys the day after playing the Bulls.

According to official statistics from the Heat, as of yesterday, they had sold over 18,600 items in half a month.

He played for the Hornets for a month and sold less than 2,000 jerseys. On his first day with the Heat, he sold 1500 jerseys, bringing his total sales close to 20,000. In comparison, the Heat's sales were 17 or 18 times that of the Hornets.

Before the trade, Larry Johnson sold more than 50,000 jerseys, ranking 11th in the entire league, and the Hornets regarded him as a cash cow.

Now, with his jersey sales skyrocketing, he feels great and is looking forward to surpassing Larry Johnson one day, preferably this season.

Eric Fleischer was not in Miami, but in New York.

Previously, Tang Bei only received a fourth-tier sponsorship contract. However, after leading his team to victory against Barkley's Suns, Ewing's Knicks, and Jordan's Bulls, the company finally offered him a third-tier team shoe endorsement contract.

The third tier offers endorsement fees ranging from several hundred thousand to one million US dollars per year, which is much better than the fourth tier sponsorship contracts, representing a significant improvement.

The company behind this brand is called FILA.

Fila is one of the world's most famous athletic shoe brands, originating from Italy. It mainly produces tennis, golf, ski, and running shoes and is known as a representative of art.

Eric Fleischer was contacted by FILA USA, which operates independently.

Unlike its parent company, FILA USA is preparing to enter the basketball shoe market, and Tang Bei is now their first target as a spokesperson.

But Eric Fleischer didn't want to sign a third-tier contract; he didn't think it was good enough.

He believes that Tang Bei's influence is growing rapidly, and judging from the sales of his jerseys, his commercial value is also growing rapidly.

Tang Bei is no ordinary center. His playing style is more entertaining than that of the three super centers, and even more entertaining than Shaquille O'Neal, who is in the same league.

The fact that Tang Bei's playing style is entertaining means that he has huge commercial potential. Given time, he believes that Tang Bei has the opportunity to become a superstar.

If he rashly signs a third-tier contract for Tang Bei now, he will regret it in the future. He may be dismissed as an agent because he helped Tang Bei sign a contract he shouldn't have.

I came here just to learn more.

If Tang Bei can become the starting center for the Eastern Conference All-Star team and his jersey sales continue to be booming, he will likely be offered a second-tier contract by a brand company.

The second tier of contracts consists of near-signature shoe contracts, such as the one Barkley signed, which are worth between one hundred and several million dollars.

Tang Bei received two pieces of good news. After returning home, he got on a whim and drove around the port by himself.

Porto Bar is undoubtedly a bustling city with a thriving economy, boasting numerous resorts, hotels, shopping malls, and various private clubs.

Upon arriving at the pier, one finds numerous yachts and cruise ships of all sizes docked, including a large luxury cruise ship.

He knew that the family of Heat owner Mickey Arison was the owners of Carnival Corporation, the largest commercial cruise line in the United States, and was extremely wealthy.

This large luxury cruise ship bears the name "Carnival" and is called Carnival Fantasy.

I've only been in the US for nine months and don't know much about cruise ships, but in short, they're "huge".

It must be at least 200 meters long and about 10 to 15 stories high.

He had seen warships in Tianjing Port two years ago, but none of them were this big. It was the first time he had seen such a large ship, and he was deeply impressed.

There were staff and crew members busy on the cruise ship and at the dock, and a large amount of supplies were being transported onto the cruise ship.

There were many luxury cars at the dock, and many people were boarding the ship with lots of luggage. It seems that this cruise ship is about to embark on another round-the-world trip.

He stopped below the Fantasy luxury cruise ship, got out of the car, and looked up at the enormous ship with curiosity.

"Oh, that's Tang."

Is he going to board the cruise ship?

Although he only played 6 games for the Heat, he had already gained considerable popularity, especially after consecutively defeating the Knicks and Bulls and tearing down two rims, which made him famous in Miami. People on the cruise ship and at the dock would point and whisper about him when they saw him.

"Hey, Tang."

"Tang, if we play jazz tomorrow night, will you beat up the postman?"

"Tang, wanna go out tonight? I've booked a room on the Fantasy."

"Hey Tang, last night's game was amazing! I never thought we could beat Michael Jordan's team. Thanks!"

"Tang, you are the fourth greatest super center."

"Tang, I will vote for you."

He spent more than ten minutes by the cruise ship, and at least thirty people greeted him. Several attractive "beauties" even asked him out, which made him very happy.

The only thing that bothered him was that although these "beauties" were enthusiastic enough, they didn't quite fit his aesthetic, and they weren't tall enough, so he wasn't interested in flirting with them.

"Hello, Tang, I'm Chesman Lucas, captain of the Fantasy..."

At that moment, a middle-aged white man in uniform disembarked from the cruise ship, introduced himself, and invited him to tour the Fantasy.

He was also very curious about the cruise ship and gladly boarded it.

"Captain Lucas, when will the Fantasy set sail?"

"Tang, the departure time is 10 a.m. tomorrow."

"Will the Fantasy pass through China?" he asked.

“Yes, Tang, the Fantasy will stay in Hong Kong for three days before heading to Singapore,” Chesman Lucas said.

"It's a pity. It would have been better if we had stayed in Tianjing. That way, I could have taken a cruise ship home later," Tang Bei said with some regret.

"Tianjing?"

Lucas muttered the name.

Tang Bei boarded the cruise ship, which had everything, including casinos, bands, cinemas, shopping malls, various fitness facilities, restaurants, and more, making it feel like a small city.

He was like Grandma Liu visiting the Grand View Garden, finding everything new and exciting, broadening his horizons and gaining new knowledge.

"Tang, I've already contacted the boss..."

Lucas called a waiter for Tang Bei, left for a while, and returned to give Tang Bei a VIP card. With this card, Tang Bei could enjoy free services on the cruise ship, including using any class of room.

Upon hearing this, Tang Bei decided to spend the night on the cruise ship, enjoy himself first, and then disembark the next day.

He toured the various rooms on the cruise ship, including interior cabins, ocean view cabins, sunrooms, and suites divided into four categories.

The inside cabin was the cheapest, and the top suite was the most expensive. He chose the mid-to-high-end sunroom instead of the most expensive top suite.

The most luxurious suites are over 100 square meters in size. Occupying such a large area on a cruise ship is extremely extravagant and very expensive.

Soon, the waiter brought Tang Bei various daily necessities, and most importantly, he helped him extend the bed by two feet.

He didn't ask the waiter to prepare bathrobes or pajamas, figuring they wouldn't fit well, so he called John Liu and asked him to bring them over.

"Oh, Tang, why didn't you take me with you? Please, take me on board!"

Upon hearing that Tang Bei was planning to spend the night on the cruise ship and even get free services, John Liu was immediately filled with envy and began to complain.

Tang Bei prepared to go for afternoon tea, closed the room door, and chuckled as he said:
"Why would I bring you along? There are beautiful women everywhere on the cruise ship. I'm planning to have a romantic encounter on the Fantasy. Bringing you along would just be like bringing a third wheel."

The door across the hall opened, and a white girl in a cream-colored trench coat came out.

The girl had a soft, oval face, a gentle and elegant demeanor, and moist, jade-like eyes. She wore light pink lipstick, long black waves in her hair, and dark gray ankle boots that were probably 180 centimeters high.

Upon seeing Tang Bei, this giant, standing at the door, the girl was startled. She raised her eyebrows slightly, nodded, and walked forward.

(End of this chapter)