Reborn in 96, I started by taking charge of the Dallas Mavericks.

It's 7 PM US time.

Dallas, Reunion Arena, the Mavericks' home arena.

The match was about to begin, but only a handful of fans had come to watch.

Previously, Kobe's poor performance caused the Mavericks' record to plummet, causing the fans they had painstakingly built up to turn against him, and ticket sales to drop again and again.

At 7:30 p.m., the players from both teams began to enter the field.

The DJ was as passionate as ever, but the fans in the stadium lacked their usual enthusiasm.

When the DJ introduced Kobe, instead of the usual cheers, there was a chorus of boos.

The fans' reaction once again deeply stung Kobe's nerves.

Under the spotlight, Kobe's expression was grim, and his eyes revealed a strong sense of killing intent.

This seems to foreshadow that the upcoming match is destined to be a bloody and fierce one.

After the opening ceremony, the players from both teams entered the field to warm up.

At the same time, the starting lineups for both sides appeared on the big screen at the venue.

The Mavericks still have their usual five rookie players.

Center: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Power Forward: Ben Wallace, Small Forward: Peja Stojakovic, Shooting Guard: Kobe Bryant, Point Guard: Steve Nash.

The 76ers' starting lineup is as follows:

Center: Scott Williams, Power Forward: Derrick Coleman, Small Forward: Clarence Witherspoon, Shooting Guard: Jerry Stackhouse, Point Guard: Allen Iverson.

The 76ers' roster is brimming with talent, on par with the Mavericks.

Apart from center Scott Williams, who was an undrafted player, the other four were all lottery picks.

Allen Iverson was the number one pick this year, power forward Derrick Coleman was the number one pick in 1990, shooting guard Jerry Stackhouse was the third pick in 1995, and small forward Clarence Witherspoon was the ninth pick in 1992.

On paper, the 76ers are slightly stronger than the Mavericks.

Soon, the warm-up ended, and Big Z and Scott stood in the center circle to prepare for the jump ball.

……

Inside the CCTV Sports Channel studio.

CCTV continued to broadcast the Mavericks' game today.

As CCTV broadcasts more Mavericks games, many people are starting to learn about and follow the NBA.

Many young people began to idolize Kobe after watching his games.

In 90s China, the internet was not very developed, people were generally kind, and there were no keyboard warriors or haters.

But Kobe's recent performance has indeed been less than satisfactory.

As a fan of Kobe Bryant, Coach Zhang Weiping was also anxious about what was happening.

"Coach Zhang, the game is about to start. Do you think Kobe's performance today will be as lackluster as in the previous games?" Sun Zhengping asked.

As is customary, before the match begins, the commentators will analyze both teams.

During a previous Mavericks game, Sun Zhengping asked him the same question, and he always gave a very confident answer, but reality has repeatedly proven him wrong.

This time, he really wanted to stand firmly on Kobe's side, but he was also afraid of being proven wrong again.

After thinking for a moment, Coach Zhang said, "When the camera panned to Kobe during the entrance ceremony, I felt that Kobe would be in great form today, judging from his eyes."

"But we'll have to wait until the competition starts to know for sure. After all, none of us know how the competition will turn out."

Seeing that Zhang Weiping did not jump into the pit, Sun Zhengping had no choice but to change the subject.

Just then, the match began, and both teams took their positions.

Big Z won the jump ball, giving the Mavericks the right to their first possession of the game.

Nash dribbled the ball up the court, and Kobe, upon reaching the opponent's half, actively demanded the ball, displaying a strong offensive desire from the very beginning.

This was the first time in so many days that he had asked for the ball.

During his time receiving special training from Chen Fang, Kobe had virtually no offensive desire on the court due to his physical limitations.

He would attack when he got the ball, and pass the ball when he couldn't. More often than not, he was kept on the bench by Chen Fang to watch the game.

Now that the seal has been broken, he naturally wants to prove to everyone with his actions that he has returned!

Seeing Kobe ask for the ball, Nash passed it to him without hesitation.

After Kobe received the ball, the 76ers players immediately double-teamed him.

They had used this tactic many times in their previous games against the Mavericks, and it helped them win by a large margin.

So, right from the start of the game, when Kobe asked for the ball, the 76ers players decisively chose to double-team him.

But things are different now. Kobe Bryant today is not the same Kobe Bryant he was a month ago.

Summer League, preseason, and the early season's 5-game and 6-game winning streaks—Kobe had a smooth ride all the way.

His string of victories made him forget that he was just a recent high school graduate.

Fortunately, reality gave him a timely wake-up call, jolting him back to reality.

Fortunately, Chen Fang is now his boss and head coach. If it were someone else, Kobe would probably have become a substitute or been used as a trade asset.

When two 76ers players surrounded him, Kobe's expression was firm and full of fighting spirit, without the slightest bit of fear.

"Come on! Watch how I crush you!"

Kobe silently cheered himself on.

Suddenly, Kobe moved.

Before the 76ers could double-team him, Kobe suddenly sprang into action, dashing between the two defenders and driving straight for the basket.

He decided to take the shot himself!

Seeing Kobe easily break through the double team, Iverson immediately abandoned his own defense on Nash and went to help defend Kobe.

Meanwhile, 76ers center Scott was also keeping a close eye on Kobe's movements.

If Kobe dares to step into the restricted area, he will definitely give Kobe a big block.

Kobe saw Iverson coming over to help defend, and at the same time he saw Nash being shut down by Iverson.

Kobe dribbled the ball with his right hand and slowly raised his left hand, making a motion to collect the ball.

It was just that one look, that one gesture, that made Iverson realize Kobe was going to pass the ball, causing him to pause for a moment.

In that brief moment, Kobe suddenly accelerated and continued his drive towards the basket.

Upon seeing this, Scott rushed to Kobe's aid.

Both players jumped at the same time. Kobe held the ball with one hand and used the other hand to block Scott's block.

boom! ! !

A thunderous dunk over a defender!

Kobe Bryant delivered a thunderous dunk over Scott's defense!

It's been so long, so very long since we've seen Kobe play like this.

After successfully attacking the basket, Kobe grabbed his jersey and roared wildly.

He wanted to vent all the frustration he had accumulated over the past few days.

Iverson was shocked, the other 76ers players were shocked, and the entire crowd was speechless with shock.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

There was a full five seconds of silence before a deafening roar of cheers erupted from the crowd!

"Kobe, Kobe!!!"

"Kobe, Kobe!!!"

"Kobe is back! The King of Dallas is back!"