Silently Writing
Chapter 170 The Biggest "Rumor" in History
On this night, the Timberwolves of Minnesota, like a husky who had just wrecked the house, gave up resisting their owner's furious head rubs.
101 to 80, the 76ers finally stopped their losing streak in the freezing cold of Minnesota.
Smith's old car failed to make his second three-pointer in this game until the very end.
However, considering that he wasn't completely destroyed by Marbury when he came off the bench, Su Feng gave him a high score of 10 after the game.
Remember, Kenny, I'm giving you 10 points now!
If you dare to give me 9 points when I participate in the slam dunk contest in the future, we can't be friends anymore.
You know, Su Feng doesn't need to make money by scoring 9 points. Isn't his purpose in working so hard to prevent himself from becoming that kind of boring person?
Iverson scored 30 points in this game, plus 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals, and his performance rebounded.
Su Feng made 7 of 17 shots, including 1 of 4 three-pointers, and 3 of 3 free throws, scoring 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. He was the number one contributor to the 76ers' victory in this game.
Garnett was really tired.
This "Little Wolf King" really didn't even have the strength to do push-ups after the game...
In this game, Garnett's stats were almost identical to Su Feng's.
His physical strength declined in the third quarter, and he gradually lost his accuracy. He made 7 of 17 shots in the game, and 4 of 4 free throws, scoring 18 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal.
The reason why Garnett's rebounds failed to reach double figures was because Su Feng kept pulling him to the outside.
On this night, Garnett, who could only watch his teammates being bullied and never deliver a heavy blow, what else could he do other than raise the eight hundred and ten jins heavy hammer and smash it into his chest?
Tonight, he was like that fathead fish in Los Angeles, powerful, lonely, brutal, but helpless.
Marbury's performance was also affected by his teammates. In this game, this young socialite only scored 17 points and 6 assists, and was suppressed by Iverson in terms of stats.
After this game against the Timberwolves, the fans' calls for "Ai Feng" (Iverson & Su Feng) to win the Rookie of the Year award together became louder and louder.
Poor Marbury, he was crossed off the list again.
However, it is worth mentioning that the more the fans appealed in this way, the more "mischievous" Stern became.
Because in a recent interview, Stern said that the league's award selection has always been "fair, open, and just."
Many Philadelphia fans regarded Stern's words as the league not wanting "Ai Feng" to win the Rookie of the Year award together, and wanting to leave some regrets for this "Golden Double Gun"...
Therefore, more and more Philadelphia fans began to write letters and make phone calls to the league, strongly protesting the NBA's "discrimination" against Su Feng because he was a Chinese player.
Speaking of which, Su Feng was really amused to death by these American fans when he saw these reports before.
Brothers, is your reading comprehension different from mine...
Su Feng believed that as long as the 76ers could make it to the playoffs this year, Stern would definitely give the Rookie of the Year award to himself and Iverson together.
Because if Stern "discriminated" against him, would he still let himself and Jordan win the All-Star MVP together?
The more he says "fair, open, and just," the more it means he is about to start operating in the dark.
In fact, as long as you understand Stern, you will know that in addition to liking to "dismantle teams" and suppress dynasty teams, he is also a little old man who especially likes to play "broken mirror reunion" and "don't expose people's difficulties" kinds of sentimental tropes.
In Su Feng's previous life, in 2009, in order to make OK get back together, Stern let O'Neal and Kobe join hands to lift the All-Star MVP trophy.
And the shared All-Star MVP between Malone and Stockton in 1993 was also the same.
There's also Kidd and Hill sharing the Rookie of the Year award.
In short, Stern would not miss such a gimmick as the "Zhong Hua Jia Hero Rabbit" (China Hero Rabbit) and the "Mi Li Jia Civilian Eagle" (US Civilian Eagle) winning awards together. If he did, he would not be David Stern, but Adam Silver.
"Well... it seems that I have to practice my strength again in the summer. The NBA's inside line is worth exploring!"
After the game, looking at the almost two and a half dozen bricks he made, Su Feng thought silently.
For the sake of the team's victory, Su Feng is no longer the person he used to be.
Now, he is willing to shoulder the team's defense on the front line, including the power forward position!
But speaking of which, when it comes to a certain unit of measurement, Su Feng is both excited and...
A little uncomfortable.
The reason why he was uncomfortable was that after playing the Timberwolves, the 76ers had to fly to Chicago immediately to prepare for the challenge against the Bulls.
For the 76ers, who had just ended their losing streak, the difficulty of this back-to-back game was conceivable.
As for the reasons for excitement...
That was naturally because Su Feng "missed" Jordan and Pippen.
Su Feng, who had formed a "deep friendship" with Jordan at the All-Star Game, had been very concerned about this senior Pippen recently.
For example:
Have you been angered by the recent reports saying that my defense is better than yours? How is your mood after Rodman's return? Have you paid back the $200,000 you owe Ewing and Mutombo...
Don't be surprised, as a young player who "respects the old and loves the young," Su Feng has always cared about the daily life and mental health of his seniors.
……
The back-to-back game against the Bulls was difficult, but on the 14th, after the team flew to Chicago and rested for one night, because Iverson and others had an early night in Minnesota, their condition was better than Su Feng had imagined.
If Su Feng remembered correctly, in the next game against the Bulls in his previous life, Iverson would once again prove to the world:
He, Allen Iverson, is the nemesis of this Bulls team.
In Su Feng's previous life, if it wasn't for Pippen stepping up in this game, the Bulls would have really been defeated by Iverson.
You know, Iverson made 15 of 23 shots at the time, scoring 37 points and turning the Bulls' inside and outside lines upside down.
There was no way, just like the last time the 76ers defeated the Bulls, the Bulls' best weapon became a "suicide car" when facing the 76ers.
Because if the Bulls use small lineups and increase their speed, wouldn't that be exactly what the 76ers wanted?
Full-court press can restrain many teams, but it can't restrain rushers like Iverson.
Therefore, this is also the reason why Jordan hopes that the 76ers can secure the seventh seed in the East.
After all, in this era, the first round of the playoffs only has five games. If Jordan is not careful, the Bulls may really be dragged into a hard battle by the 76ers.
The most interesting thing about the "Beast Chess League" is this. The 76ers have opponents they don't like to play against, and the Bulls also have teams they don't want to meet early.
To put it bluntly, if the Bulls had a choice, Jordan would have kicked Rodman away long ago...
In Su Feng's previous life, some people always boasted about how powerful the Bulls' bench was, but in reality, when playing against the 76ers, you ask Zen Master if he dares to let Steve Kerr stay on the court for a while.
And Longley and the Chief and those people.
And speaking of the Bulls' lineup, I have to mention the biggest rumor in the NBA in Su Feng's previous life, that is: Jordan's salary is not included in the Bulls' salary cap.
In Su Feng's previous life, there were many versions of this rumor, the most awesome version was blown by the original Jordan fans:
Because the NBA was about to end, all the team owners in the league begged Jordan to come back, and also guaranteed that after he came back, his salary would not be included in the salary cap.
Wake up, where are so many good people in the NBA?
Are you all teaming up to help your Bulls create a dynasty?
Not to mention anything else, do you think Auberbach and Popovich would agree?
Do you believe that if the team owner dares to agree, they will send the team owner to a mental hospital the next day?
In fact, there is only one truth.
That is, Jordan's salary has always been included in the Bulls' salary cap. For example, this season, the Bulls' total salary is as high as $58 million!
It is not difficult to crack this rumor. First of all, if you check Jordan's career salary, you will understand.
In the 94/95 season, Jordan's salary for playing half a season was $3.85 million.
And in the 95/96 season, when the Bulls played 72 wins and 10 losses, Jordan's salary was still $3.85 million.
So here comes the question.
In the case of the Bulls winning the championship with 72 wins and 10 losses, do you think other teams would be kind enough to propose to the league not to include Jordan's salary in the salary cap in order to help the Bulls keep the championship lineup and beat themselves?
It is possible for a team to be a masochist, but are the other 28 NBA teams all masochists, eager for Jordan to beat themselves to death?
You need to know that Jordan only received a "30 million +" annual salary in the last two seasons of the second three-peat. Because the issue of Jordan's renewal in the second three-peat has been mentioned before, it will not be discussed for the time being.
You just need to know that the salary system in this era is completely different from the future and you can understand why the Bulls can sign Jordan for 30 million.
Before the labor negotiations in the 98/99 season, there was no luxury tax or maximum salary in the NBA.
Without luxury tax and maximum salary, in this era, Bird rights can play its terrible role.
Without luxury tax, and no maximum salary, you can simply understand that as long as Reinsdorf is willing, it is his own business if he wants to give Jordan 50 million.
Because there are no restrictions, Bird rights can ignore the salary cap to help the Bulls complete the renewal above the cap.
Behind Jordan's "30 million +" annual salary, in addition to the Bulls owner Reinsdorf's brainless behavior of not accepting Jordan's proposed 2-year 50 million renewal before, there is also a major reason from the pressure given by James Dolan.
Because when Jordan was negotiating with the Bulls, Dolan had offered Jordan a 27 million annual salary to recruit Jordan to join New York.
Of course, because the Knicks' lineup was too luxurious at the time, the offer Dolan gave Jordan was actually composed of a 12 million annual salary + a 15 million commercial endorsement contract.
Before the NBA had a complete salary system, you cannot judge many contracts in the 90s with the future in mind.
Otherwise, Glenn Robinson signed a super big contract in his rookie season, doesn't Robinson's salary also count in the Bucks' salary cap?
Ewing will also receive a $20 million salary next season, doesn't Ewing's salary also count in the Knicks' salary cap?
If Jordan's salary really doesn't count in the Bulls' salary cap, then Jordan would have kicked Rodman away long ago.
Because if you deduct Jordan's salary, and then deduct Rodman's $9 million, the Bulls would have space to sign a super center.
In Su Feng's previous life, after many Jordan fans blew up this rumor, coupled with the misleading of some marketing accounts, many people were convinced of this rumor.
But in reality, the Bulls' second three-peat lineup is far worse than you think.
Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, the Bulls can't function without any of these three.
Therefore, in the 97/98 season, Jordan will once again show his EQ borrowed from God, which he will have to pay back in the future.
He first threatened the team to renew Phil Jackson's contract, then resolved the conflict between Rodman and the team, and then prevented the trade that the Bulls planned to use Pippen to trade for McGrady.
And it was precisely because of this that Zen Master, on the first day of the team's training camp in the 97/98 season, gave each Bulls player a tactical manual, and that manual wrote:
"theLastdance".
Chinese direct translation: The Last Waltz.
Therefore, this is also the reason why people generally believe that the Bulls in the first three-peat were stronger, but the Bulls in the second three-peat were greater.
Because the Bulls in the second three-peat can even make you forget Jordan's terrible character and Rodman's dirty private life... to cheer for the Bulls' victory.
Of course, in this life, because of Su Feng's appearance, the trajectory of history has already quietly deviated from its course...
……
On the 14th, when the fully armed 76ers came to the United Center again, no one dared to underestimate them anymore.
After more than half a season, the name of the Philadelphia Thugs has long been feared throughout the United States.
How much those "championship teams" love the 76ers, that's how much "pseudo-strong teams" like the Bulls, Knicks, SuperSonics, and Jazz hate them.
It is worth mentioning that before the start of this game, Jordan had repeatedly told Rodman to put away those small actions that should not be there.
Because NBC TV has temporarily adjusted the broadcast schedule, this game between the Bulls and the 76ers at home will be broadcast live to most of North America.
Jordan, who has finally returned to the right track, does not want Rodman to cause the Bulls to fall into a public opinion crisis again.
"Pretending" also has to "pretend" to be a senior, which is exactly the kind of person the great Michael Jordan is.
You may not believe it, if it weren't for the fact that the Bulls lost two more games in this life, which may cause them to be robbed of the league's top spot by the Jazz, Jordan really wanted to give the 76ers a chance to win.
After all, letting the 76ers help the Bulls grind down the Heat in seventh place in the East, in the eyes of the "Old Rogue", this is the most favorable playoff matchup for the Bulls.
Rules? Victory or defeat?
For the strong, Michael Jordan only has the championship in his eyes.
In the 97/98 season, in the time when Pippen was not there, in order to compete for the league's top spot and ensure that the Bulls could get a favorable game in the playoffs, even if he made 27 misses in the previous game against the Spurs, in the next game against the Magic, Jordan still took 25 shots without changing his face.
Since they are all "Old Rogues", then what is a mere small matter in Jordan's eyes?
United Center, as the 76ers and Bulls finished their warm-up, under the gaze of more than 20,000 Chicago fans at the scene, the big screen showed the starting lineups for the two teams tonight.
Bulls: Longley, Rodman, Pippen, Jordan, Harper.
76ers: Ratliff, Big Ben, Su Feng, Harris, Iverson.
As Longley and Ratliff jumped for the ball in the center circle to start the game, the entire arena instantly reached a climax.
The 76ers, who had just successfully slaughtered the wolves in Minnesota yesterday, had Ratliff jump for the team's first offense.
Iverson, with his cornrows, passed through the half court with his light steps.
And unlike the previous mutual pit, tonight, neither Jordan nor Pippen had the intention of joking with these two rookies from the 76ers.
Harper matched up with Iverson, this defensive expert gritted his teeth and looked at the "183" in front of him. For some reason, before Iverson started to break through, Harper felt a little pain in his ankle...
On the wing, even more uncomfortable than Harper was Pippen.
Because in order to give Pippen the motivation to kill himself (actually to further consume Pippen), Su Feng kindly asked Pippen about his debt problems before the game.
So...
At this moment, perhaps the person in the best mood in this Bulls lineup is Jordan, who won $13,000 last night.
Don't ask, just ask if the God of Basketball is also played by a human.
t it okay for Jordan to find some fun outside the court recently when the Bulls are winning streak?
In this attack, Iverson broke through Harper's defense without the help of a screen.
Longley was too slow to get out, so he could only let Iverson jump shot one step in front of the free throw line.
Swish——!
2 to 0!
Kenny Smith's cheering effect is becoming more and more significant. This "Answer" (Iverson's nickname) is regaining his demeanor from the beginning of the season!
Although Su Feng estimated before the game that the situation of this game was 90-10 in Bulls' favor, it now seems that the situation has become 80-20.
While retreating, Su Feng bumped fists with Iverson and said, "Allen, do you know why I am less and less afraid of this Bulls team now?"
Iverson shook his head with a puzzled look on his face.
"Because, we have 'The Answer'!" Su Feng said with a smile.
Bang, bang!
After elbowing Su Feng's waist twice, Iverson's motivation on the court increased again!
It was the Bulls' turn to attack. Looking at the defensive posture set up by the 76ers, Jordan, who was tightly entangled by Su Feng, waved to his teammates, he was open again...
Seeing this scene, "Zen Master" calmly nodded to Harper on the court. Willfulness is the privilege that "Zen Master" gives Jordan.
Triangle offense?
As long as Jordan is willing, "Zen Master" doesn't mind letting him go one-on-one all night.
And on the court, those defenses that made Hardaway and others uncomfortable were like a thin piece of paper in front of Jordan at this moment.
Even Jordan's body hair in the second three-peat came with fake moves.
Watch carefully, kid, this is how you play basketball.
After swaying Su Feng handsomely, Jordan completed a beautiful jump shot.
Clang——!
Jordan: "......"
No......
F**k, this hoop is poisonous, right?
Big Ben protected the rebound, and the 76ers immediately launched a fast break.
Um......
The most annoying thing about the 76ers is that once they successfully defend, they will run with you like crazy.
The double fast break from the "Golden Double Gun", Su Feng cut into the Bulls' hinterland with the speed of lightning, and Iverson's pass came as soon as he said it, so Pippen had no choice but to "hug" Su Feng directly with a foul.
The second master tonight is still conscientious.
In Su Feng's previous life, this season was definitely one of the best seasons of Pippen's career.
It's a pity that in this life, because of Su Feng's appearance, this season has become one of the seasons that Pippen will least want to remember in the future.
Especially when he thought of Su Feng's words to him before the game, "If you don't have money for Patrick and Dikembe, I can lend it to you, I have a lot of money"...
Pippen really wanted to kick Rodman to death.
Pippen is bitter, Pippen doesn't want to say......
……
ps: Guaranteed 2/2, 10,000 words update completed!