The longest river

Chapter 210 The Chain of Transactions Triggered by the Christmas Battle

I accidentally got caught up in the gossip myself.

Jordan certainly wouldn't act rashly, but the Wizards faced a very real problem: they couldn't handle Barkley.

Moreover, with Barkley as the Blazers' main offensive weapon, Yang Shuai could even match up against Jordan on the defensive end.

At halftime, Barkley had scored 20 points, and the Trail Blazers led the Wizards 53-40.

Originally, it was thought that the focus of this Christmas game would be Jordan vs. Yang Shuai, or Jordan vs. Pippen, but Barkley stole the show.

In the second half, Jordan had to step up his game earlier, and Yang Shuai took over the team's offensive control at that time.

The familiar showdown between Yang Shuai and Jordan is finally back online.

Jordan was determined to defeat the Trail Blazers, even changing his playing style; his desire for revenge was obvious.
However, Yang Shuai's determination to defend his title and his persistence in silencing external doubts are beyond question.

Yang Shuai scored 18 points in this quarter, while Jordan also contributed 16 points.

Even at 38, Jordan still displayed the strength of a top superstar during his retirement season, leaving DC fans in awe.

But that was all; the Wizards were unable to close the gap in this quarter.

In the final quarter, Barkley, determined to be the star of the show, continued to dominate in the paint, completely dismantling the Wizards' interior defense.

After completing a dunk, he even imitated Yang Shuai's gesture of spreading his hands and shrugging his shoulders to Jordan on the sidelines.

I spent a sleepless night waiting for this moment.

In the end, the Wizards still ran into problems with team composition.

The Howard-Laitner duo is good on offense, but defense is a major problem.

Ultimately, the Trail Blazers defeated the Wizards 114-100, winning this Christmas Day game.

Barkley scored a team-high 30 points, along with 14 rebounds and 2 blocks. It's hard to believe that this is a 36-year-old veteran.

Yang Shuai scored 28 points in three quarters, and six players on the Trail Blazers scored in double figures.

Jordan scored 34 points in a losing effort, and the image of him sitting on the bench in the final quarter was heartbreaking.

He, a remnant of the old era, can no longer find a new era that can carry him.

The Christmas Day game was ultimately just a regular season game, but the result of this game undoubtedly left DC fans feeling utterly hopeless.

If they can't beat the Trail Blazers, then beating all the teams in the East is meaningless.

For other players, reaching the finals and winning the runner-up title might already be an honor.

But for Jordan's team, not winning the championship meant failure.

Perhaps sensing the despair of the fans, just two days after the Christmas game, before the arrival of 2000, the Wizards and Raptors quickly made a big trade.

The Wizards traded Juwan Howard and several other players to the Raptors in exchange for Charles Oakley, Kevin Willis, and Dell Curry.

The Wizards have always adhered to their trade principle: make Jordan comfortable in his final season.

Back then, Jordan had a falling out with the Bulls' management because of Oakley's trade. Now, being able to team up with Oakley at the end of his career feels like rekindling a romance with his first love, making up for the regret he felt.

Although Oakley and Willis are both veterans, their tough defense can solve the team's interior defense problems.

Curry can play a similar role to Kerr, acting as a tactical point in crucial moments.

This trade greatly improved the team's roster depth, and most importantly for the Wizards, it got rid of Howard's contract.

With a salary of $15 million and an average of less than 1500 points per game, Howard's contract was practically a waste of money in the eyes of the Wizards' management.

As for the fact that the team has a lot of veteran players, that's not a problem for the Wizards.

The moment Jordan retired marked the beginning of the Wizards' rebuilding process.

For the Raptors, they are arguably one of the few teams in the league willing to accept Howard's contract.

Carter made a remarkable comeback in his second year as a rookie, averaging 27 points per game, ranking fourth in the league.

The potential he has shown is of an unprecedented level.

Moreover, his playing style is incredibly entertaining. If he were a team in a big city like Los Angeles or New York, he would probably be as popular as Yang Shuai.

Even so, he has now surpassed Kobe and Iverson, who were also with Reebok.

For the Raptors, all they need to do is quickly build a playoff team, elevate Carter to a higher level, and garner more attention for them.

Because of their previous tanking, they now lack a second-in-command and have no other valuable assets to offer.

Howard is the best option they can get among the players.

A tree dies when transplanted, but a person thrives. Howard is, after all, one of the Michigan Fab Five, and there's a high probability that his performance will improve if he gets more playing time with the Raptors.

As for salary issues, the Raptors are currently mostly composed of rookies. Last season, they gave Oakley a multi-million dollar annual salary in order to fill the salary cap, which is exactly what they wanted.

After this trade was completed, both DC fans and Raptors fans felt that they had a bright future ahead.

Just two days after the trade was completed, the Wizards faced the Pacers and defeated them 101-92.

Oakley contributed a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds in his first game with the Wizards, a respectable performance for a 36-year-old veteran.

However, Jordan scored a whopping 45 points!
This instantly revived DC fans who had fallen to rock bottom.

Oakley's overall strength may not be as good as Howard's, but his side effects are obvious.

That made 38-year-old Jordan look back on his youth and get fired up.

Then, like toppling dominoes, a chain reaction began to occur.

A few days later, time crossed the last threshold of the 20th century, and the millennium year 2000 arrived.

When Jay Chou, whom Yang Shuai had been longing for, finally debuted, the Pacers quickly made a trade with the Bulls.

They traded Jalen Rose and Antonio Davis to the Bulls for Ron Artest and Toni Kukoc.

Rose replaced Mullin as the starter this season and averaged 17+ points per game, beginning to realize his potential. He is considered by many to be Reggie Miller's successor.

But for the Pacers, what they need right now is not a Miller successor, after all, Jermaine O'Neal is that person.

What they need is someone who can stop Jordan so they can make it back to the Finals and not waste Miller's career.

They chose Kirilenko for this reason.

Unfortunately, they failed to reach an agreement with Kirilenko's club in the summer, and his move to the NBA remains a long way off.

So they eventually set their sights on Artest.

Artest's offensive performance for the Bulls was mediocre, with a field goal percentage barely over 40% as a small forward, but he demonstrated top-notch defensive skills.

Players like this are a complete waste of resources on a tanking team.

Moreover, after Rose fulfilled his potential, he began to compete with Miller and Jermaine O'Neal for ball possession, so trading him away could also alleviate the competitive pressure within the team.

For the Bulls, who selected Brand with the first overall pick in last year's draft, what they need is not a defensive player like Artest, but a core player on the perimeter.

Rose has realized his potential; it's much easier for them to have what they already have than to wait to find the next one.

As for Kukoc, as a former Bulls player, he was already a target for being cleared out. Being able to replace him with a versatile inside player would be a win-win situation.

A Christmas Day game prompted two Eastern Conference powerhouses to make major roster changes.

It's clear that the Trail Blazers, as the defending champions, have a significant influence.

However, the Trail Blazers did not fare well after the turn of the millennium.

Barkley displayed incredible prowess in the Christmas Day game, but just like Rock Lee after the Chunin Exams, he was banned.

Because the fight was too intense, his old injury flared up, and he is expected to be out of action for two months.

This was also the reason why Barkley hesitated at the time. He wasn't worried about his own condition, but rather whether he could complete a full season.

The answer has already been given at this point.

Even at this time, an old topic was brought up by the fans.

Bill Walton's serious injury back then was largely due to the Portland Trail Blazers' team doctor.

Walton sued the Trail Blazers' team doctor after retiring.

Walton repeatedly emphasized in the lawsuit that whenever he had muscle soreness, the team doctors never gave him a proper examination, but would only comfort him by saying that it was normal, and then persuade him to take a lot of painkillers.

Then there's Sam Bowie, the player the Trail Blazers passed up to draft Jordan, who also fell apart with the Blazers due to injuries.

Whether Barkley has any connection with the Trail Blazers' team doctor is unknown, but his absence is a foregone conclusion.

Although it's not a season-ending injury, it will undoubtedly cause a lot of trouble for the Trail Blazers.

It was at this time that the Lakers welcomed Kobe's return.

Then, from early January to early February, the Lakers were like a beast awakened, and went on a 16-game winning streak!

Kobe seemed like a different person after his return. He became less selfish and connected with his teammates more effectively, which elevated the Lakers' offensive level to a whole new level.

"We all love Kobe!"

Shaquille O'Neal grabbed Kobe Bryant's head and gave him a big kiss on camera to express their close relationship.

Even Phil Jackson made a rare public statement praising Kobe.

"Kobe reminds me of Michael. He was the kind of guy who would say to me, 'Coach, I won't let you lose your first game as a coach.' He had an unparalleled competitive spirit."

An injury suddenly turned the Lakers' situation from stumbling to soaring.

Yang Shuai was puzzled by this.

Is it possible for a person to change their gender?

The answer is, of course, no.

Like Yang Shuai, other media outlets were also curious, and the Los Angeles media quickly dug into the fundamental reasons for Kobe's change.

Jerry West, the man who valued Kobe the most, had an unprecedentedly serious conversation with Kobe during Kobe's injury recovery.

The content of the conversation is unknown, but it can be roughly guessed that "logo" was probably warning Kobe that if Kobe continued his selfish playing style, the Lakers would really trade him.

Kobe regarded West as his "godfather," and West was also Kobe's biggest supporter in the Lakers. When West made such demands, Kobe had no choice but to force himself to change.

Those changes proved effective for the Lakers.

This winning streak not only put the Lakers back on track, but also suddenly gave them a chance to challenge for the best record in franchise history.

Yang Shuai finally understands why this Lakers team was able to start a dynasty.

This Lakers team would be the toughest opponent for the Trail Blazers in the West.

At this time, the 2000 All-Star Weekend was about to begin.

The All-Star voting results were released at the end of January.

For the first time in NBA history, three players have received more than 200 million All-Star votes.

Yang Shuai was elected All-Star vote leader with 244 million votes.

The other two are Jordan and Carter.

Carter received 205 million votes in his first All-Star selection, surpassing Grant Hill's record.

The day before All-Star Weekend, Reebok held its usual sneaker event.

However, their event was not held in Oakland, where this year's All-Star Weekend is taking place, but in Portland.

Yang Shuai, Carter, Iverson, Kemp, and even Yao Ming and Lewis were all present.

Everyone knows that Portland is where Nike is headquartered, so Reebok's actions are tantamount to a direct declaration of war against Nike.

However, the event was a great success.

Not only local Portland fans, but also a large number of fans from surrounding cities including Seattle came to the event.

Yang Shuai has already achieved a breakthrough in Portland, with his team's offense flourishing.

And it was at this moment that fans suddenly realized that Reebok had unknowingly surpassed Adidas and was now on par with Nike!
Even in the head area, they have surpassed Nike.

Besides Yang Shuai and Carter, Iverson also received 150 million votes, ranking fourth among all players, second only to Jordan.

Meanwhile, Tracy McGrady, the new generation core selected by Nike, was overshadowed by Yang Shuai and Kobe Bryant, and missed out on the All-Star starting lineup.

Reebok's move is actually a reminder to fans of this point.

Although Reebok currently has fewer signed players than Nike, their rise is unstoppable.

In particular, they even specially invited Yao Ming over this time.

Yao Ming has made significant progress in the CBA this season, and the biggest obstacle to his move to the NBA still comes from his club.

Or rather, as long as he can lead the Shanghai team to win the CBA championship, his candidacy is a foregone conclusion.

When Reebok fully opens up the Chinese market, its momentum will be unstoppable.

That same evening, after the event concluded, Yang Shuai, Carter, and Iverson flew to Oakland on a private jet operated by Marques Jets.

Iverson remained seated alone in the corner of the plane, appearing unwilling to interact with anyone.

Yang Shuai was already used to it; he and Carter chatted while playing cards.

Although he and Carter never played together, they were old acquaintances who participated in the McDonald's All-Star Game together back then.

Moreover, based on his previous interactions during the Asia trip, he felt that Carter was a pretty good person.

This is related to Carter's upbringing.

Carter is one of the few Black NBA players whose parents are both alive and who were born into middle-class families. He also played college basketball at North Carolina, giving him a refined and scholarly personality, or perhaps a rare scholarly air among Black basketball stars.

In this respect, he is somewhat similar to Grant Hill.

The only difference is that on the court, he is more passionate than Hill because of his playing style.

During their conversation, Carter expressed his regret that Yang Shuai hadn't participated in the dunk contest, as he hadn't had enough of a dunk contest with Yang Shuai during their previous Asian tour. "I'm no match for you," Yang Shuai replied, leaving Carter stunned.

Even Iverson looked up in this direction.

They had never heard of Yang Shuai admitting that he was inferior to his opponents.

"Vince, you are the number one dunker." Yang Shuai said very frankly.

If he had chosen to participate in the dunk contest, he actually had a chance to beat Carter.

He only needs to bring out the creative moves he knows to achieve a surprising victory.

But even if Gordon had won against Carter through such a cunning method, it would only have led people to discuss Gordon as an uncrowned king, thus increasing Carter's influence.

Carter's dunks are the epitome of violent aesthetics, just like Duncan is widely recognized as the greatest power forward of all time.

"Okay, I'll assume it's not because you said you wouldn't participate in the dunk contest back then."

Carter, however, laughed and took Yang Shuai's words as modesty.

Iverson seemed to have received an answer and lowered his head again.

Yang Shuai shrugged helplessly.

Sigh, why does nobody believe me when I tell the truth?

However, looking at Carter again, Yang Shuai remembered something.

His impression of Carter from his previous life was that, apart from his impressive dunking skills, his overall ability was average. At his peak, he was just an All-Star player who maintained his influence by playing in the league for a long time, following the same path as James.

But now he realizes that Carter is actually very strong.

Keep in mind that in his second year, he was still just a 3-and-D star, but Carter was already capable of carrying the team and leading them to the playoffs on his own.

"Vince, you know I was tripped during the Finals and was seriously injured for six months," Yang Shuai recalled.

"That Russell guy is such a bastard!" Carter was indignant, though he didn't know why Yang Shuai suddenly brought it up.

At the time, he was studying at North Carolina and watched the Finals with Jamison. Both of them were cursing Russell in front of the TV, and then they were shocked by Yang Shuai's act of playing free throws despite his injury.

To be honest, his joining Reebok was largely due to Yang Shuai, because at that time he believed that Yang Shuai could take Reebok to new heights.

"No, what I mean is, no matter how high we jump, there will always be a moment when we land."

The story of "Bowen's three cushions for Carter" is so famous that even Yang Shuai, a post-00s generation, has heard of it.

"Compared to the punishment they received, the rewards they received were much greater," Yang Shuai added.

The fact that Giannis Antetokounmpo wore a championship ring on his foot, and that Zaza Pachulia won a championship by stepping on a ball, are things he's already seen while watching basketball.

When Yang Shuai said those words, Carter realized that Yang Shuai was reminding him to be careful not to be tripped up as well.

Cardi nodded, his gaze towards Yang Shuai filled with gratitude.

This kind of reminder is usually given between friends.

However, just as he was feeling grateful, Yang Shuai played his last card.

"you lose."

Yang Shuai smiled and spoke while Carter stared blankly at him.

Carter is just too honest.

On the second day of All-Star Weekend, Carter and McGrady staged a cousin showdown in the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest.

These two guys, who didn't find out they were related until they were adults at a family gathering, even became each other's assistants during a dunk contest.

Carter started the dunk contest with a visually stunning 360° windmill dunk, followed by a between-the-legs dunk that brought the contest to a climax, and finally ended the suspense with a hanging dunk that made Kenny Smith, who had become a commentator, call a timeout.

Just as Yang Shuai said, Carter's dunks are a perfect blend of violence and aesthetics, and watching him dunk is a pleasure.

Because Jordan didn't retire and Yang Shuai emerged out of nowhere, the NBA didn't need Carter to "save the NBA." However, after a lockout season, Carter did indeed "save the Slam Dunk Contest."

Of course, after the initial excitement, fans still felt regret that Yang Shuai did not participate in this year's Slam Dunk Contest.

McGrady was too weak. If it were Yang Shuai, this would definitely be a match of the century.

The final day of All-Star Weekend is also the main game that fans are most looking forward to.

During pre-game warm-ups, O'Neal imitated Kobe's crossover step on the court.

Moreover, at the end of the imitation, he deliberately let the ball slip from his hand and slide it directly into the stands, just like he was imitating Kobe's mistake during a drive.

This scene drew laughter from the fans on the sidelines.

Shaquille O'Neal always seems to find a way to entertain the audience.

However, Yang Shuai gleaned some information from O'Neal's action.

While O'Neal spoke highly of Kobe, he couldn't hide his dissatisfaction with Kobe.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups from the East and West took to the field one after another.

Eastern Conference Team: Allen Iverson, Grant Hill, Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Alonzo Mourning

Western Conference Team: Yang Shuai, Kobe Bryant, Garnett, Duncan, O'Neal
As the two sides prepared for the jump ball, Kenny Smith uttered a poignant remark from the commentary booth.

"Without Ewing, without Olajuwon, without Charles Barkley, this is such a young All-Star Game."

It was only at this point that the fans realized this.

Of the All-Star starters this year, six were under the age of 24!
The suspension of last year's All-Star Game made many people unaware that the league had quietly undergone a generational change.

The star players they once knew have begun to fade from their sight one by one.

However, unlike the feeling of decline that Yang Shuai had before his transmigration, this kind of renewal and replacement feels more like a vibrant and flourishing world.

Or perhaps it could be: Talented people emerge in every generation, each leading the way for hundreds of years.

This was quickly demonstrated after the opening.

Duncan won possession for the Western Conference team, and on the first possession of the game, after a pick-and-roll with Yang Shuai, Duncan received a pass back from Yang Shuai and cut into the middle for a spectacular one-handed dunk.

Then, Iverson delivered an alley-oop pass to Carter, who was cutting in from the baseline. Carter finished with a powerful alley-oop dunk, his head grazing the bottom of the rim.

A vibrant energy, distinct from the rigid, positional style of play of the old era, emanated from the All-Star Game stage.

In this atmosphere, Jordan, who had become somewhat indifferent to the All-Star game, seemed out of place.

"Allen Iverson, Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, and Tracy McGrady are the 'Big Four' shooting guards of the new era."

Looking at the youthful energy overflowing on the screen, Ernie Johnson couldn't help but sigh.

Where is Hansen?

Kenny Smith couldn't help but ask curiously, "Are there five of the four great shooting guards?"

"He is not in that category; he is the ruler of this era."

Ernie Johnson's words gave Smith a sense that "learning has no end."

Even bragging requires some build-up.

Before Johnson could finish speaking, Yang Shuai put on a brilliant performance on the court.

He was originally preparing to organize the attack from the outside, and he was the only one in the West team's starting lineup with the ability to organize the offense.

O'Neal was also on the right side, back to Mourning, ready to call for the ball.

However, Yang Shuai, who had already made a one-handed pass motion, suddenly faked a shot and then cut straight to the basket from the right side.

His movements were too quick, and the All-Star players lacked defensive chemistry with each other. By the time they reacted, Yang Shuai had already cut to the free-throw line.

Only then did they begin to flank Yang Shuai from both sides.

O'Neal also raised his hand, ready to catch the ball.

However, Yang Shuai still didn't pass the ball to him, but instead threw it out with one hand.

The ball wasn't going for the rim, it was going for the backboard.

As everyone else's attention followed the ball, Yang Shuai dribbled past them through the double team.

Then, amidst the astonished gazes of the players on the court and the cheers of the fans, Yang Shuai leaped up and, facing the basketball that bounced back after hitting the backboard, executed a gliding windmill dunk in one smooth motion!

A moment of silence fell over the crowd; the fans had never imagined that the game could be played like this.

Then, the stadium was immediately filled with cheers from the fans.

At this point, Kenny Smith in the commentary booth couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Ernie Johnson's statement wasn't an exaggeration; Yang Shuai is indeed in a class of his own.

He also realized that the dunk contest between Yang Shuai and Carter, which couldn't take place yesterday, would be just as good if it were to happen in the All-Star Game.

However, halfway through the first quarter, the tone of the game began to change.

Hill is directing the Eastern Conference players to pass the ball to Jordan.

Because Jordan had previously announced that this would be his last season, this All-Star Game was also his final All-Star appearance.

The young people were so engrossed in their game that they forgot about the incident, so Hill, the older guy, started to remind them.

The fans were having a blast when suddenly the rhythm changed, giving them the feeling of watching a beautiful woman dance and then suddenly putting her clothes back on.

It may sound unbelievable, but at that moment, they instinctively thought, "How much better it would be if Jordan weren't here tonight."

Fortunately, their idea did not spread.

Because Jordan wasn't really interested in tonight's MVP award.

Although league staff had informed him before the game that this year's MVP trophy was custom-made for him.

But how could Jordan, who knew best how to please the audience, not notice the changes in the fans' emotions?

Or rather, the current Jordan has a completely different mindset than the Jordan during his second comeback in history.

The AMVP award was the only honor Jordan could achieve at the age of 40, while at 38, he still had one last championship to chase.

Even halfway through the quarter, he signaled to Collins that he wanted to be substituted.

In fact, the Eastern Conference teams are clearly no match for the Western Conference teams this year.

Putting aside Yang Shuai, the East team simply couldn't handle the inside combination of two 21s plus O'Neal.

Jordan's decision, in a sense, also prevented an embarrassing situation like the 1998 All-Star Game from happening again.

At halftime, the West team led the East team 65-54.

During halftime, the league invited Mariah Carey, who wore a Jordan Wizards #23 onesie and performed "Hero" from Jordan's 1993 album for him.

This movie theme song, originally intended to be inspiring, seems particularly fitting at this moment.

Jordan didn't feel much at first, but his eyes welled up with tears when he heard the song.

Because he was always on the path to winning a championship, even after making the decision to retire again, he never considered leaving the league.

But at this moment, he realized that he was really about to leave this stage.

After halftime, Jordan changed his playing style.

He started to actively demand the ball, and then led the East team to start catching up.

At that moment, the desire in Jordan's eyes was very clear.

He wasn't fighting for the MVP award, but for the fans who still supported him.

In the latter part of this quarter, he even entered "zone" mode, leading the East team to a comeback victory.

Yang Shuai did not go toe-to-toe with Jordan like they did during their regular season matchups.

Because he had no ambition for this year's MVP, and the outcome of the All-Star Game was not important to him, he didn't have that kind of "desire".

Ultimately, Jordan scored 24 points in the second half, leading the East team to an unexpected 140-137 victory over the West team, securing the final win.

Jordan scored a team-high 32 points and ultimately won the MVP trophy that was made just for him.

This result can be described as extremely dramatic.

However, when Jordan raised the luxurious trophy that had been custom-made for him, the crowd erupted in deafening cheers and applause.

It's rare for regrets to have a chance to be resolved again, but this year's All-Star Game did make up for the regret of 1998.

Yang Shuai was also clapping for Jordan at that moment.

Because of his appearance, many things he knew changed.

For example, Jordan didn't retire, and the frustrating situation of Carter giving up his starting position to make way for Jordan was no longer an issue.

Although they were opponents on the court, he was happy for Jordan at this moment.

Although he took away Jordan's championship and made Jordan no longer the god of basketball, Jordan also gained many things that he originally did not have.

For example, the three-time MVP, and the MVP trophy right in front of you.

What is lost in one place is gained in another.

Amid cheers from the fans, Jordan delivered a brief acceptance speech.

He didn't mention his retirement or the competition of the season, but only talked about his gratitude to the fans.

"Without you, there would be no Michael Jordan."

Not all farewells need to end. Jordan showed his true self at this moment, revealing his reluctance to leave the stage, but even more so, his reluctance to leave the fans.

As the fans' applause rang out, the curtain slowly fell on the All-Star Weekend.

(End of this chapter)