The longest river

Chapter 220 "Retire, and Leave Yourself with Dignity"

With nine minutes remaining in the game, the Western team continued to extend their lead, which had now reached 21 points.

The head coach of the Eastern Conference team is Larry Brown.

After more than half a season of fierce competition, the team that emerged from the chaos in the East was not the Magic, who had made bold statements before the season started, but the 76ers, who made steady progress year by year. Their record before the All-Star Game surpassed that of the Pacers, placing them at the top of the Eastern Conference. As a result, Brown became the All-Star Game head coach for the first time.

Brown was already prepared to give up the game.

Such a game is difficult to come back from even in an NBA regular season game, let alone an All-Star game.

However, just as Brown was about to speak, Iverson, his former protégé with the 76ers whom he both loved and hated, gathered all the Eastern Conference All-Stars together.

"Why can't we come back from a 21-point deficit in an All-Star game?"

Iverson's question did not elicit much of a reaction from others, who simply took it as a casual remark.

After all, the outcome of the All-Star Game is insignificant, and there's no need to fight for an insignificant game. If you end up getting injured, it would be a huge loss.

"Anyone want to make a bet with me?"

Seeing that the others remained unmoved, Iverson then looked around and spoke.

It was only then that the others realized Iverson was serious.

But what is the significance of a comeback victory in an All-Star game?
After the timeout, the Eastern Conference team brought in Iverson, while the Western Conference team fielded a reserve lineup except for Kobe.

The Western Conference's head coach was Phil Jackson, who clearly had ulterior motives and wanted Kobe to win the All-Star MVP.

However, what happened next on the court was beyond Jackson's, or rather, everyone's, expectations.

Iverson started by using Mutombo's screen to drive to the middle and score a layup over Divac, converting the and-one play to help the East team narrow the gap to less than 20 points.

In the very next possession, he made an incredible layup.

He cut in from the baseline and received an alley-oop pass from Marbury, but the pass was clearly too long, and Iverson was already out of bounds when he jumped to catch it.

But even in this situation, he switched hands in mid-air and then made a close-range throw from outside the boundary.

This brilliant goal ignited the emotions of the fans in the stadium and fueled the momentum of the East team's counterattack.

Iverson's earlier words didn't cause much of a stir, but his actions on the court made them all the more exciting.

While the outcome of the All-Star Game itself is meaningless, a 21-point comeback would give the game significance for this group of players!

After a shift in mindset, the East team launched a fierce counterattack, frequently making steals, layups, and fast breaks to score.

With four minutes remaining in the game, they had narrowed the gap to single digits.

The camera then focused on Phil Jackson.

The head coach, who disliked calling timeouts even when he was with the Lakers, remained unmoved.

He didn't call a timeout until two minutes before the end of the game, when the score difference had narrowed to 5 points.

As he left the court, Iverson was greeted with a deafening roar of cheers from the fans in the arena.

Although they didn't know what Iverson said before he went on the court, what they could see was that Iverson's entry into the game sparked a comeback surge for the Eastern Conference.

If the Eastern Conference team manages to come back and win, this game will become the greatest All-Star game in NBA history.

After the timeout, there were no major personnel changes on either side, except that the Western team replaced Yang Shuai.

Since it was this group of players who scored the points, then these last two minutes should also be their time.

Phil Jackson didn't make any substitutions for this reason: the players on the court weren't his Lakers' substitutes, but stars from various teams, including established stars like Payton and David Robinson.

Replacing them would mean rejecting them, which would offend many people.

As for Yang Shuai, he knew that Yang Shuai was the one who could help the Western Army win.

Kobe can only win the MVP award if the Western Conference team wins.

After the timeout, the West team passed the ball to Yang Shuai.

Yang Shuai could guess Phil Jackson's little scheme, but no matter what the game was, once he was on the court, all he had to do was win.

He dribbled past Marbury one-on-one, drove to the free-throw line, pulled up for a stop, and hit a mid-range shot.

Yang Shuai practiced his post-up footwork last summer, and the area he will definitely improve in this season's regular season is his mid-range shooting.

His mid-range shot has already reached the maximum of 95, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, he can raise it to the maximum of 99 before the end of the season.

The point difference has widened back to 7 points.

Turning back, Iverson dribbled past Payton's defense in the attacking third with a change of direction.

However, Iverson was unable to continue his drive to the basket because Yang Shuai's timely help defense blocked Iverson's path to the basket.

It was at this moment that Iverson chose to pass the ball.

Iverson's playing style is essentially the same as Yang Shuai's. They are not playmaking masters, but they know how to use their offensive threat to drive and pass.

The ball was passed to Marbury on the outside, and Marbury took a three-pointer before Yang Shuai could get back on defense.

The basketball went into the pocket cleanly.

The point difference has returned to 4 points.

Yang Shuai continued to attack with the ball, but this time the Eastern team double-teamed him. Yang Shuai passed the ball to Kobe, who then scored a mid-range two-pointer.

However, in the next possession, Iverson once again dribbled past Payton and drove into the paint.

Payton knew Iverson would go to the right, but he just couldn't keep up with Iverson's speed.

For someone his age, that was even more frustrating than defending Jordan.

Iverson eventually scored another 2+1 over Divac while off-balance.

Upon seeing the goal, Iverson sprang to his feet and excitedly waved his arms in celebration.

What seemed impossible was gradually becoming a miracle under his leadership.

Iverson made the free throw, bringing the score difference to 3 points, just one basket.

"AI is challenging Hansen."

This scene prompted Ernie Johnson, who was commentating from the commentary booth, to exclaim in amazement.

Just like the 76ers led by Iverson broke through the Eastern Conference this season, it was also Iverson who led the Eastern Conference team to launch a counterattack tonight.

Moreover, even when Yang Shuai was on the court, Iverson's performance was still just as good.

Many people then recalled that Allen Iverson and Yang Shuai had both participated in the Nike training camp back then, and that Iverson was much more famous than Yang Shuai at that time.

Many people even thought that Iverson was also a Reebok sponsored player, which not only challenged Yang Shuai's status in the league, but also Yang Shuai's status as Reebok's top player.

The Reebok top spot competition that Vaccaro predicted back then never happened, but Yang Shuai is now facing that challenge.

There were 40 seconds left in the game.

Phil Jackson still did not call a timeout.

After the Western Conference team crossed the frontcourt, the ball was still in Yang Shuai's hands. This time, Yang Shuai did not choose to pass the ball. He broke through Marbury's defense and then hit a mid-range shot over Juwan Howard, who was helping on defense.

With 23 seconds left in the game, Yang Shuai hit a crucial, difficult shot.

The game was paused again.

The fans at the stadium were also incredibly excited.

This was the most intense and exciting All-Star Game they had ever seen.

After the timeout, the East team brought on all the players who could shoot three-pointers.

However, the Western team knew that the Eastern team would shoot three-pointers, so they spread their defense outwards.

With no chance for the Eastern Conference team and little time remaining, Iverson had no choice but to quickly drive to the basket and score two points.

With only 5 seconds left in the game, the West team would secure the victory if they could serve the ball safely.

However, many seemingly impossible things always happen at the most unlikely times.

Divac wanted to quickly pass the ball to Yang Shuai, but Iverson abandoned his defender Payton at this moment and stole the ball through a risky steal, then passed it to Marbury on the outside.

Marbury received the ball in the same spot, and this time he took a three-pointer over Kobe's help defense.

The red lights on the sidelines came on as the ball reached its highest point.

"Shh!"

With a crisp swishing of the net, Marbury sank the game-tying three-pointer!
At this moment, people vaguely recalled the Nike training camp of that year, when Marbury's reputation was almost on par with Iverson's.

The East team members on the field began to celebrate wildly.

Although the 11 points scored by Marbury and Iverson only helped them force overtime, coming back from a 21-point deficit to tie the game has become the greatest All-Star game in NBA history!
"Phil paid the price for his arrogance."

Barkley provided the most accurate analysis of this result.

If Phil Jackson had used Duncan or Garnett in the final moments, that passing error would never have happened.

Although the outcome of the All-Star Game is not important, when the game has reached this stage, the outcome becomes the most important thing for everyone.

The game went into overtime, and the Western team still did not make any personnel changes.

This seemingly stubborn approach once again demonstrates Phil Jackson's ability to manipulate psychology.

Because of this, outsiders would think that the result of the game was determined by the five players on the field, and had nothing to do with him, the head coach.

After all, theoretically speaking, being the head coach of the All-Star Game is just an honor.

As the game went into overtime, both sides played with increasing intensity, making it very difficult to score.

Moreover, the initial momentum was quickly waned, and the indomitable spirit of the Eastern Army disappeared as the regular time ended.

It was under these circumstances that Yang Shuai demonstrated his strength as the league's number one player.

He scored 8 points in overtime, dominating the game and helping the West team defeat the East team 120-114 to win the final victory.

The East team's performance of scoring 21 points in 9 minutes was inspiring, but they ultimately fell short.

But after the match ended, a dramatic scene unfolded.

Before the end of regulation time, Kobe Bryant had scored 22 points, making him the top scorer for the Western Conference. However, after overtime, the top scorer became Yang Shuai with 28 points.

Yang Shuai naturally became the MVP in the end.

Phil Jackson spent the whole night making plans, but in the end, it all came to nothing.

This year's All-Star Game was even more dramatic than last year's.

Theoretically speaking, this year's All-Star Game, with its dramatic twists and turns, should be the focus of fans' post-game discussions.

However, this year, O'Neal, who was unable to play due to injury, did a lot of work.

Before the All-Star Weekend began, he kept everyone in suspense, saying that he would announce a major "decision" after the All-Star Game.

Fans are very curious about this, and some even speculate that O'Neal might be requesting a trade.

Given that Kobe's stats this season are almost on par with O'Neal's, and the conflict between the two is more intense than in any previous season, it's not impossible that O'Neal requested a trade before being traded.

When the All-Star Game came around, O'Neal announced his decision on camera during halftime: he decided to work with Nike to research the Chromz signature shoe, so that the brand's fourth-generation shoe could appear on the professional court.

This unexpected turn of events left the expectant onlookers utterly exasperated.

This is no good story at all. After all, not many people care about Shaq's affordable sneakers, and who the hell cares how many generations they've been released in?!

All I can say is that O'Neal really showcased his business acumen this time, using the fans' gossip-loving mentality to stage a "playing with fire" scenario.

He may not win the NBA championship, but he has a good chance of winning the sales championship.

The All-Star Game has ended, and the annual trade deadline is just around the corner.

Because of Kemp's condition, the Trail Blazers have been quite active in the trade market.

Whitsit also demonstrated his "trading prowess," acquiring veteran Kevin Willis from the Wizards in exchange for Detlev Schrempf and a second-round draft pick.

Willis was traded to the Wizards in the previous Oakley deal, but because he still had two years left on his contract and was already 38 years old, they couldn't trade him.

However, this veteran is in excellent physical condition. This season, he plays as a substitute for the Wizards, averaging 20 minutes per game and still contributing 8.8 points and 6.4 rebounds.

A dramatic turn of events occurred at this point: Schrempf, who had originally signed with the Trail Blazers to ride their coattails, then reached a buyout agreement with the Wizards and joined the Lakers on a minimum salary contract.

With OK and Pippen among them, the Lakers have formed an "Avengers" team, and their target for revenge is undoubtedly the Trail Blazers.

However, the most attention-grabbing trade at this year's trade deadline was not this one, but the trade between the 76ers and the Hawks.

The 76ers traded their starting center Theo Ratliff and several other players to the Hawks in exchange for Dikembe Mutombo.

Ratliff is a shot-blocking machine, averaging 12.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game this season.

However, his status is still far inferior to Mutombo's.

The Hawks' reason for wanting to trade Mutombo is simple: they have begun rebuilding.

Although Mutombo still averages 14.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks this season, his field goal percentage (47.7%) and scoring (9.1 points) have both hit career lows.

Although his official age is only 34, no one knows how old this Congolese center with his weathered face is actually.

More importantly, Mutombo's salary this season is as high as 1440 million, and his salary will increase every year until the summer of 2005.

The Hawks want the future, while the 76ers want the present.

As the season entered its second half, teams began their push for the playoffs. The Trail Blazers, while continuing to develop players like Billups and Reed, also began vying with the Lakers for the top spot.

Willis's addition greatly strengthened the team's roster, but their season seems destined to be bumpy.

Reed suffered a left patellar tendon injury at this time, ending his season.

However, the Lakers, who welcomed Fisher's return, also experienced a period of adjustment and growing pains, and their record fluctuated at the end of the season.

Time flies, and it's already early April, marking the end of the 2000-2001 season.

In the Eastern Conference, the 76ers ultimately achieved a record of 56 wins, ranking first.

After switching to shooting guard, Iverson had a season full of individual heroism, averaging 31.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.5 steals per game, while also winning the league's scoring title and steals title.

Meanwhile, the 76ers' second-leading scorer is Dikembe Mutombo, who only joined the team at the trade deadline, but he only averages 11.7 points per game.

"Iverson single-handedly led the 76ers to the top of the division" is a widely accepted conclusion, and he is therefore considered the most popular candidate for this season's MVP.

The Bucks, Heat, Raptors, and Knicks ranked 2nd through 5th, respectively.

The Pacers are the most surprising and disappointing team in the Eastern Conference this season.

Previously a championship contender under Bird's coaching, this season, led by Isaiah Thomas, they only managed 46 wins, ultimately finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference.

This perfectly illustrates the saying, "An incompetent general can lead to the downfall of the entire army."

The Orlando Magic, who garnered significant attention at the start of the season due to Tracy McGrady's comments about returning to the NBA Finals, ultimately finished eighth with 43 wins.

McGrady contradicted himself, but on the bright side, because of Hill's injury, McGrady had unlimited shooting opportunities with the Magic. His performance this season, averaging 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists, makes him seem worthy of his status as Nike's new generation of brand ambassadors.

In the Western Conference, the Lakers finished first with a record of 60 wins.

O'Neal averaged 28.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.8 blocks per game. He is also one of the top candidates for MVP and is expected to win his first MVP award.

Kobe averaged 28.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, and has already entered the ranks of superstars.

Pippen averaged 10.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2 steals per game, marking a career low in scoring.

The Spurs are second in the Western Conference with 56 wins.

Duncan averaged 22.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game.

The Trail Blazers are third in the Western Conference with 58 wins.

杨帅场均30分8.2板7.2助攻2.4抢断1.8盖帽，三项命中率分别是54.2%/39.5%/89.6%。

This season, Yang Shuai has not only relinquished ball possession, but also made a significant change in his playing style. Just like in last season's playoffs, he passes simple balls to his teammates and then plays difficult, high-scoring plays.

However, because he plays small forward this season, his overall efficiency is actually higher than last season, especially his shooting percentage, which has reached a career high.

开拓者队本赛季最让人眼前一亮的是华莱士，他场均得到19.3分8.2板1.9助攻1.3抢断1.8盖帽，投篮命中率50.1%，并且三分球在场均出手4次的情况下命中率达到了36%。

Although his stats are weaker among the "five great forwards" because he is the team's second option, he is the only versatile interior player who can play both offense and defense.

Just as Barkley said, although the Trail Blazers traded away Pippen, they ultimately found the Pippen that belonged to Yang Shuai.

比卢普斯场均13.5分3.4板5.8助攻，他打出了生涯最高的命中率（42.2%），并且在场均出手3.8次三分的情况下，命中率达到精英级别的39.4%。

The Kings are in fourth place with a record of 55 wins.

Ironically, the Kings, who had previously been lingering in the lower half of the Western Conference with McGrady, surged into the upper half after McGrady left.

韦伯在麦迪离队后打出了生涯最巅峰的表现，场均贡献27.1分11.1板4.2助攻1.3抢断1.7盖帽。

The scoring void left by McGrady's departure was filled by Stojakovic, who performed well in last season's playoffs. Stojakovic averaged 20.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, with a field goal percentage of 47% and a three-point percentage of 40% on 4.8 attempts per game, which is comparable to "King McGrady".

Of course, the most important thing is that the addition of Doug Christie has significantly improved the Kings' defense. For the first time this season, they have allowed less than 100 points per game, reaching 95.9 points.

The Mavericks are ranked fifth in the Western Conference with 53 wins.

In the previous "Top Five Forwards" selection, the only controversial player was Nowitzki.

This third-year player is averaging 21 points and 9.8 rebounds per game this season, and more importantly, he is shooting 38.7% from three-point range on 4.8 attempts per game.

The Jazz are ranked sixth in the Western Conference with 53 wins.

The Suns are ranked seventh with 51 wins.

The Timberwolves are ranked eighth with 47 wins.

The gap in strength between the East and West is obvious in their records; the Suns, who are seventh in the West, would be third in the East.

This record will undoubtedly make this year's first round of the Western Conference playoffs even more brutal than in the past.

The Mavericks and Jazz's rankings were only released after their final games, so the Trail Blazers didn't even get their opponent confirmed until the very last minute.

Because they are old rivals, and the Jazz haven't changed much in terms of head coach and core roster, the Trail Blazers can train more effectively.

Carlisle focused on Wallace and Billups during training.

They sacrificed the team's record and Yang Shuai's ball possession to allow the two to put up the best stats of their careers. Now it remains to be seen whether they can continue that performance in the playoffs.

Carlisle's attention is understandable, since the two of them are matched up against the "Utah Twins" on the court.

However, Yang Shuai was extremely confident in the two of them.

He even felt that this was an opportunity for the two of them. Although the "Utah Duo" were still famous, they were already outdated. What better stepping stone could there be?

Moreover, compared to the peak-form Jordan he faced back then, this was obviously much less difficult.

The first-round matchup between the Trail Blazers and the Jazz has also garnered significant attention.

Three years ago, the two teams also faced off in the first round, and it was also third to sixth, the only difference being that their positions were reversed in the series.

"In the last game, some players said we should go all out to improve our ranking so we could avoid the Trail Blazers, but for me, this is the best matchup."

The Jazz arrived in Portland the day before the first round began, and star player Karl Malone also revealed another piece of news to reporters.

From Malone's perspective, this choice is perfectly reasonable. After all, defeating the Trail Blazers would not only avenge the upset loss in the first round three years ago, but also end the Trail Blazers' three-peat.

It's even possible that, like the Rockets back then, they could use the morale boost from an upset to make it back to the Finals.

This year, Jordan is no longer in the East, and the West is clearly stronger than the East. As long as they can get out of the West, the championship is within their grasp.

A reporter quietly noted down what Malone said, and then relayed it verbatim to Yang Shuai during the Trail Blazers' open practice.

When Yang Shuai heard this, he couldn't help but scratch his ear, because it sounded very familiar.

After a moment's recollection, he remembered that Ewing had said something similar in the first round of the season when the Pacers won the championship.

So this seems like a good omen.

Yang Shuai put down his hand and smiled: "This is also the matchup I wanted the most."

Jordan has already retired, and the "Utah Jazz Duo" no longer belong to this era.

Why not bury these two old guys with my own hands?

On the night of the game, the Rose Garden Arena was packed to capacity.

With the playoffs opening game against a villainous team like the Jazz, fans' enthusiasm for watching the game couldn't be higher.

That enthusiasm turned into a frenzy of boos at Ma Long during the opening ceremony.

Ma Long deserved this treatment for saying those things.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups for both teams were announced.

The biggest change for the Jazz compared to before is that Hornacek has retired, and the Jazz have signed John Starks, Yang Shuai's old rival, as his replacement.

The commentators for this game were Barkley and Albert.

Taking advantage of the final tactical preparation time, the two began to predict the outcome of tonight's match.

Barkley is definitely on the Trail Blazers' side.

Albert unsurprisingly supported the Jazz.

He wasn't bothered by Malone's pre-game comments, but rather felt that the Trail Blazers weren't that strong this season, considering that the two teams were only five wins apart in terms of record.

The Jazz may not be able to pull off an upset, but since Malone dared to make such bold statements before the game, he must have had plenty of confidence.

Malone jumped for the ball for the Jazz, and the Jazz started with Malone receiving the ball in the low post and going one-on-one.

It’s still a familiar recipe and a familiar taste.

However, Malone's first attempt at a turnaround jump shot was disrupted by Wallace and bounced off the rim.

On the contrary, after the offensive and defensive transition, Wallace and Yang Shuai set a pick and roll, and Wallace received a pass back from Yang Shuai and hit a mid-range shot to give the Trail Blazers the lead.

Malone received the ball in the low post again, and this time he chose to back down Wallace, then drove past him with a hook shot towards the paint.

This is Malone's signature offensive move, but with Wallace's long arms interfering, the basketball missed the basket again, and Wallace also grabbed the rebound after turning around.

Wallace has height and wingspan, and his speed and strength are not bad. On the other hand, Malone's speed has declined as he got older, and he no longer has any advantage in matchups.

This drew whistles from the Portland fans in the stadium.

Before the match, they, like Carlisle, were worried that Wallace might be suppressed or even defeated by the experienced Malone.

But as it turns out, Wallace has proven himself to be a reliable player after this season's experience.

Turning back, Yang Shuai continued to run pick-and-rolls with Wallace. This time, the Jazz dared not double-team Yang Shuai easily, and Yang Shuai took the opportunity to get past Malone's defense and drive into the Jazz's paint, delivering a powerful two-handed dunk.

This completely ignited the emotions of the Rose Garden fans.

Carlisle is a typical "cooking master". Unlike Sloan, he doesn't have a fixed strategy. He is the kind of person who can constantly adjust the recipe according to the ingredients until he cooks the best-tasting dish.

Historically, he was able to build tough defensive teams during his time with the Pistons and Pacers, and after joining the Mavericks, he was able to build team basketball around Nowitzki, a defensively vulnerable core. Later, with the Pacers, he even played a fast-paced style of play.

Since Yang Shuai and Wallace's pick-and-roll was effective against the Lakers, he incorporated it into his regular tactics afterward.

This gave the Jazz a real rude awakening at the start of the game.

Isn't your Jazz team the best at pick-and-roll tactics?
How will you deal with my screen?
You know what, Sloan really didn't have many options.

Knowing how to use pick-and-roll only means you understand this tactic, but whether you can counter it depends on the personnel configuration.

Both Wallace and Yang Shuai can play inside and outside, making it difficult to predict their choices after a pick-and-roll.

Not to mention Yang Shuai's powerful individual offensive ability, which often forces you to double-team him.

Because Yang Shuai has a strong passing awareness, he can give Wallace many excellent scoring opportunities.

All Wallace had to do was grasp them, and he did it very well.

So if Carlisle is a "master cook," then Sloan at this moment is a "skilled cook," but even a skilled cook can't cook without rice.

His only option was to signal Stockton to also start using pick-and-roll tactics.

Since they can't defend against it, they'll just hurt each other. At least in the pick-and-roll game, the Jazz are better than the Trail Blazers.

Stockton and Malone's pick-and-roll was like the tacit understanding between a married couple of twenty years; they could tell what the other was thinking just by glancing into the room.

However, Carlisle had already made preparations, and these preparations were quite extreme.

On the court, Billups completely ignored Stockton when facing the pick-and-roll and immediately double-teamed Malone.

Stockton was taken aback by this choice, but he reacted quickly and launched a three-pointer before Billups could get back on defense.

Unfortunately, his shot missed.

Stockton's shooting percentage this season is not low, especially his three-point shooting, which is 46.2%, second only to Brent Barry in the league.

However, he only attempted 1.6 three-pointers per game this season, which was not enough to generate significant volume.

To put it more bluntly, he is averaging only 11 points and 8.7 assists per game this season.

These statistics all point to one thing: as Stockton gets older, his offensive impact has reached its lowest point in his career.

That's exactly what Carlisle was targeting.

This time, Sabonis grabbed the rebound, and Yang Shuai turned around and launched a fast break. After attracting the defense's attention during the fast break, he passed the ball to Sura, who was fast breaking down on the other side, and Sura scored with a fast break dunk.

Sura hasn't been shooting well from three-point range this season, but his enthusiasm remains undiminished. He's always at the forefront on both offense and defense.

6:0.

Even Barkley was somewhat surprised by this start.

As it turns out, while regular season results are important, they can only serve as a reference.

历史中2000~2001赛季的湖人队常规赛只拿到56胜，但他们季后赛的战绩是15胜1负夺冠，公认的最强湖人。

The Trail Blazers are clearly doing something similar; they use the regular season to develop their players, and the playoffs are their harvest season.

Ma Long was getting a little anxious.

The reason he dared to make such a bold statement was because the Jazz had a 2-1 lead over the Trail Blazers in the regular season, but they never expected to be crushed at the start of the playoffs.

When people are desperate, they act on instinct.

After receiving the ball following a pick-and-roll, Malone was double-teamed again. Without hesitation, he immediately swung his elbow, striking Wallace squarely in the chest.

However, he is too old to do it as naturally as he used to. This was a clear offensive foul, and the referee blew the whistle.

The crowd immediately erupted in boos.

Yang Shuai then walked towards Ma Long with a smile and made a very sincere suggestion:
"Retire, wouldn't it be better to leave yourself with some dignity?"

(End of this chapter)