Chapter 12 December

In December, after defeating the Nets but losing to the Clippers, the Heat's opening winning streak was ultimately capped at 22 games.

Although in the NBA, no one can guarantee that they can keep winning...

But no one expected that the team that stood up to stop Su Feng, the Great Millstone, was actually the Clippers, who were near the bottom of the Western Conference.

In fact, in the NBA's long season, there are highs, and naturally there will be lows.

In this game against the Clippers, the team's recent winning streak not only turned into a psychological burden for the Heat players, but also, due to underestimating their opponent before the game, the Heat didn't play tight enough on the court, even when they were behind.

In competitive sports, the reason why strong teams easily stumble against weak teams is because when playing against weak teams, the players of strong teams cannot prepare as fully as when playing against other strong teams.

Fun fact.

In Su Feng's original timeline, the 72-win Bulls and the 73-win Warriors both lost to bottom-ranked teams in the regular season.

However, losing at this juncture was not a bad thing in Su Feng's opinion.

Because after rewriting the opening winning streak record of the four major North American sports leagues to 22 games, the Heat can now start considering the Finals.

In mid-December, the Heat officially launched the "Veteran Rest Plan" jointly formulated by Riley and Su Feng at the beginning of the season.

On the 11th, O'Neal, Payton, and Mourning were all absent from the team's road victory over the Nets due to various reasons.

In this game, Su Feng and Pierce's contest on the court became a major highlight.

In the entire game, Pierce, who shot 11 of 24 from the field, including 3 of 9 from three-point range and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line, scored 30+ for the first time against a team with Su Feng.

In the past summer, through careful study of the "martial arts secrets" created by Su Feng over the years...

You know...

Pierce, the little smart aleck, actually figured it out.

After research, Pierce found that the reason why Kobe could still maintain a large number of shots when facing Su Feng was because Kobe was rarely led by the nose by Su Feng.

On the basketball court, even the strongest defensive player can only react.

So Pierce knew that when facing Su Feng, regardless of whether it was a great opportunity or not, as long as he could shoot, it was a great opportunity.

And although this style of play relies heavily on the offensive player's own feel...

But after being hammered by Su Feng for many years, it must be said that Pierce is indeed on the right path.

"I said, in this league, besides me...

No one else is worthy of shining your shoes!"

That night, even though the Nets ultimately "died tragically" at Su Feng's hands...

But after the game, when shaking hands with Su Feng...

Pierce's chest was obviously much more puffed out than before.

It's just that, after Su Feng forwarded Pierce's words to McGrady, Carter, Iverson, Kobe and others...

Whether Pierce will be beaten to death next is none of Su Feng's business.

After all, as an amiable senior, Su Feng is always happy to help others.

On the 13th and 14th, the Heat faced the Celtics and Sixers in back-to-back games.

With a relatively easy start to the schedule, the difficulty of the Heat's next schedule can be described as a straight upward climb.

Just as energy is always conserved, in the NBA, games against these Eastern Conference powerhouses may be postponed, but they still have to be played.

On the 13th, at the TD Garden, the new Celtics tormented the Heat quite a bit.

This season, Parker, who has gradually shown the demeanor of a star point guard, has already become the "true C" of this Celtics team.

And facing O'Neal, the Celtics also sent Randolph, Battie, and other meat shields to the court.

Inside, with Duncan helping to defend, even O'Neal didn't dare to be as casual as before when attacking.

And outside, another Tony teacher paid his tuition in full on this night.

In the entire game, the Celtics made a total of 11 three-pointers.

You know, even though this era has already opened the "Pandora's box" ahead of schedule due to someone's influence, 11 three-pointers in a single game is still not a small number in this era.

Just...

Swish!

Swish!

Still swish!

Back then, Su Feng, who entered the NBA with a dream of shooting bricks, never expected that he would actually feel troubled one day because he couldn't shoot bricks on the court.

In the entire game, Su Feng, who took 14 shots from beyond the three-point line and made 11 of them, said in the words of the TNT television comedy duo...

"He single-handedly challenged the entire Celtics' perimeter!"

In the end, relying on Su Feng's strong performance from beyond the three-point line, the Heat narrowly defeated the Celtics on the road with a score of 109 to 104.

And in the game against the Sixers on the 14th, Su Feng, who was still troubled by not being able to shoot bricks on the court in the previous game...

How could he have imagined...

That the retribution of Versailles would come so quickly?

Because O'Neal and others were absent from this game, Su Feng was double-teamed from start to finish.

No matter how accurate Ariza and Payton were from the outside, Carlisle never wavered in his determination to double-team Su Feng in this game.

As a result, Ariza, Payton, and others, who had been in good form in the first three quarters, all revealed their true colors in the final quarter.

And looking at the opposite side...

In the Heat's restricted area without O'Neal and Mourning...

Little Yao played like a beast!

On this night, Yao Ming continued his good form from the previous game, where he had hammered Howard into a younger brother.

On the 12th, in the game between the Sixers and the Magic, Yao Ming scored a season-high 36 points and 15 rebounds.

And Howard on the opposite side once again "exploded" another super center in this league with a luxurious stat line of 4 points and 6 rebounds.

CCTV, when commentating on this game, Zhang指导 laughed and said: "Yao Ming is really amazing today, he can score whether he's standing or sitting!"

And originally, in the first three quarters, Iverson and Su Feng were reminiscing about the days when they stood shoulder to shoulder...

But who would have thought...

That this Ai wouldn't be so ethical!

In the final quarter, Iverson and Yao Ming both exploded.

In the final quarter alone, the "Ai-Yo" duo combined for 27 points.

In the end, facing the "Ai-Yo" duo in hot form, Su Feng was unable to turn the tide even with his ability to overturn the sea.

In the entire game, the score between the two teams was 103 to 114.

And after the game, Su Feng, who played for the Heat for 46 minutes and 21 seconds and only scored 41 points, took all the responsibility on himself.

"If I was a little more accurate, then we should have won this game."

Online, when Su Feng's haters heard him conducting a self-examination, they rushed forward excitedly.

And then...

How happy they were a moment ago, that's how much they wanted to curse in the next moment.

Because this season, Su Feng's feel has been consistently good, so the "iron" that Su Feng himself understands is no longer the same as the "iron" that others understand.

In fact, even in this game that Su Feng himself thought he was very "iron" in, his overall shooting percentage reached 50%.

It's just because he missed a few too many shots from beyond the three-point line in this game...

So...

Su Thief, is this your reason for being able to flaunt your skills without restraint!?

On the 16th, the Heat returned to their home court and defeated the Grizzlies.

In this game, O'Neal and others continued to be absent.

In the first three quarters, relying on slowing down the pace of the game and slowly grinding the Heat in the half-court, the Grizzlies led by Van Gundy once established a lead of up to 10 points.

And compared to the game against the Sixers before...

In this game, under the crazy entanglement of Battier and Eddie Jones and others...

Su Feng was really a little bit "iron."

It's just a pity...

That in the final quarter, Su Feng regained his feel inexplicably.

Similar to the elementary school students of the 14/15 and 15/16 seasons...

It was as if as long as Su Feng himself firmly believed, the basket would attract the basketball itself.

To be fair.

This kind of mysterious feeling...

Su Feng himself found it difficult to describe.

And at the American Airlines Arena, when Su Feng led the Heat to suddenly play a climax on the court, Van Gundy also contributed a large number of emoticons for this game.

When Su Feng made his first three-pointer in the final quarter...

Van Gundy was still able to cross his arms and remain calm.

When Su Feng made his second three-pointer in the final quarter...

Van Gundy had already begun to frown.

And after Su Feng made his fourth and fifth three-pointers in the final quarter...

At that time, Van Gundy's expression on the sidelines was probably like this:

(⊙ˍ⊙).

No...

You t

Heat players felt like they were playing at home.

On the court, when Payton received a pass from Su Feng and hit a three-pointer, even this veteran, who wasn't even worthy of dribbling the ball on the Heat team, relived the thrill of being a superstar.

"I love New York!" In the third quarter, when he was substituted early, Payton shouted excitedly to his teammates on the bench.

As an arena that specializes in helping visiting team stars regain their confidence...

Don't ask, just know that Madison Square Garden Physical Therapy Center is awesome!

This season, Larry Brown, whose life has become increasingly difficult since the Athens Olympics, has recently reached the brink of being fired.

Because of his long-standing feud with the Knicks management's number one loafer, "Smiling Assassin" Thomas, you can often see news reports of the two of them passing the buck to each other in front of the media recently.

There's no way...

If not for the disastrous loss in Athens...

Then, in terms of Brown's skill at passing the buck, how could the mere Thomas be his opponent?

It's just a pity...

That this time, even if Su Feng still "deeply loved" Larry Brown, he was unable to help him.

Without the championship with the Pistons as a premise, Brown has now completely lost control of the entire Knicks.

After all, how could these Knicks players, who only want to lie down and earn Dolan's money, be able to withstand Brown's sliding step training that was accurate to the millimeter?

But you know what...

If Dolan really chooses to fire Brown...

Then Brown wouldn't lose out at all.

Because according to the liquidated damages, he could even count money at home.

On the 21st, the Heat, who returned to Miami, were defeated by the Celtics.

In this game, Parker and Duncan both exploded.

Without Popovich's constraints, Parker, who wouldn't be pulled to the sidelines and scolded for taking too many shots on the court, once again displayed the demeanor of a super guard in this game.

In order to ensure that he could complete the entire season, veterans like Payton would choose to allocate their energy more rationally in the regular season, even without rest.

"When we get to the playoffs, I'll take care of him!" In the fourth quarter, on the Heat's bench, Payton said angrily as he watched Parker score 37 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists in front of him in this game.

With the point guard getting torched, the Heat could make up for Payton's beating with the performance of Su Feng and Ginobili.

But inside, O'Neal was clearly holding back on this night as well.

Because he was going to Staples on Christmas night to play the Lakers in a few days...

In this game, O'Neal lacked the desire to perform on both the offensive and defensive ends.

And Su Feng expressed his understanding of O'Neal's choice.

After all, as a veteran who has been playing in the NBA for nearly 9 seasons, Su Feng has long passed the age where he had to demand that his teammates play their lives out every game.

Moreover, if the Heat were all at their peak...

Then just Mourning and Payton, plus himself, would be able to make other teams cry.

In the end, after losing to the Celtics at home, the Heat suffered their third loss since December.

In the entire game, the score between the two teams was 117 to 106.

On the 23rd, the Heat ushered in their last game before the Christmas game.

In order to ensure that he could play against the Lakers in the best condition, O'Neal took the initiative to request a rest before the start of this game.

And at the American Airlines Arena, with Su Feng leading the team alone, Ginobili, who had been slightly silent recently, ushered in a big explosion against the Western Conference powerhouse Kings.

Ginobili, who was substituted on with 6 minutes left in the first quarter, not only reversed the game with his own strength, but also defended Su Feng along the way.

In the first half, Ginobili, who made all 11 of his shots, scored 31 points including free throws and three-pointers.

And in the third quarter, Ginobili, who was still feeling hot, scored another 14 points on 5 of 6 shooting.

As a result, before the Heat fans could enjoy themselves in the first three quarters...

The Kings raised the white flag.

CCTV, when commentating on this game, Xu Jicheng laughed and said: "Tonight, Manu Ginobili defeated the Kings with his own strength!"

As everyone knows, because Chinese is the most profound language in the world, the rabbits in front of the TV were overjoyed after Xu Jicheng deliberately emphasized the tone of the word "Kings."

Although according to Su Junyang's translation back then, Su Feng's nickname in China should be "Little Emperor," the direct translation of "the.king" is after all, "国王" (King), so Xu Jicheng's pun commentary can be said to have hit Su Feng's heart.

In the entire game, when he was substituted early, looking at his statistics of only 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists...

For a moment, Su Feng really wanted to kick Ginobili into the Atlantic Ocean.

Because it's one thing to not give himself a stage to perform...

But this pampas condor's ability to throw the ball away...

It would only be stronger than O'Neal, and would never be weaker than O'Neal.

However, for the sake of winning the game...

After ruffling Ginobili's head after the game, Su Feng still chose to "forgive" Ginobili.

On the 24th, the Heat had a day off due to Christmas Eve.

Britney, who had flown to Miami in advance, wanted to show Su Feng her cooking skills.

It's just...

That after tasting the vegetable salad made by Britney herself, Su Feng decisively drove her out of the kitchen in order to live a few more years.

"Is the salad I made that bad?" Looking at Su Feng's fierce expression, Britney felt extremely wronged.

"The salad is very colorful." Hearing this, Su Feng, who knew that he had been rash just now, quickly blinked his eyes and said in order to survive tonight.

Look!

What is called adaptability?

Not bragging okay...

This kind of survival instinct that comes with procreation...

An average guy wouldn't be able to learn it in a few years.

And just as Su Feng was painfully and happily enjoying this moment of peace before the arrival of the Christmas game...

In Los Angeles, Kobe was experiencing a rare bout of insomnia.

Because for Kobe...

He had also been looking forward to this Christmas game against the Heat for several months.

So far this season, the Lakers are ranked sixth in the Western Conference.

In terms of record, this record has far exceeded Old Buss's psychological expectations for this new Lakers team.

After all, after kicking O'Neal to Florida...

Old Buss was very clear that in the short term, the Lakers' task would be to rebuild around Kobe.

But...

Due to the Heat's incredible breakthrough in the new season...

Old Buss, who originally thought that the Lakers had made a huge profit in this transaction, suddenly felt...

That the Lakers didn't seem to have made that much of a profit.

Of course, judging from Milicic's current performance...

Old Buss believed that even if the Lakers didn't profit from this transaction, it was at least a win-win transaction.

This season, Milicic, who can average 15.4 points and 6.8 rebounds for the Lakers, has high looks and a stylish play style.

And even if Odom always has one god-like game and one ghost-like game...

Because in Tomjanovich's system, he always manages to make Lakers fans recall the memories of when "Magic" was still playing...

So...

In Old Buss's opinion, even if he had to choose again, he would still trade with Riley.

However, as an owner who is very good at using the media to create momentum, Old Buss knows...

No matter how much he thinks the transaction about O'Neal is a profit in his heart...

Once the Lakers lose to the Heat in the Christmas game, the Lakers will inevitably face tremendous pressure.

Because in this world, you can't ask everyone to be as visionary as Old Buss.

For the entire Los Angeles...

This game against the Heat, after various build-ups...

It is no longer as simple as an ordinary regular season game.

Whether it's the feud between O'Neal, Payton and this Lakers team...

Or the "8 vs. 23" that Stern has been trying to create in recent years...

Or the two 80+ point performances that Kobe and Su Feng respectively had not long ago...

"David...you know, the game you arranged may become the most talked about and hottest regular season game in recent years." That night, looking up at the Los Angeles night sky, Old Buss said with a look of emotion.

And in New York...

If you were to ask Stern what he wants to say most now.

Then he would definitely tell you...

That this game between the Heat and the Lakers is the best gift that Santa Claus has given him!

Because Stern, who just wanted to stir up some trouble...

How could he have imagined that Su Feng and Kobe would raise the bar of this Christmas game even higher before the start of this game?

Before the game, when playing this year's Christmas game mv, this game between the Lakers and the Heat alone occupied half of the entire mv's length.

Do you want to know who the best scorer in the world is between Kobe and Su Feng?

Do you want to see how O'Neal will perform when facing his old team?

December 25, 2004.

Los Angeles, California, Staples Center.

When the stars gather...

When half of Hollywood, when half of the American high society's celebrities gathered here.

When an ordinary ticket for this game was炒至 (speculated to) ten thousand US dollars.

Above the Staples Center's dome, the twelve championship banners fluttering in the wind, and the ten retired legendary jerseys, are proof of Su Feng's famous saying.

Friends come and go.

Only the banners flutter in the wind.

"Do you think they'll boo me when I come out?" In the visiting team's locker room, after changing his equipment, O'Neal looked at Su Feng with a curious expression and asked.

"If they choose to boo you, doesn't that mean they're afraid of you?" Patting O'Neal on the back, Su Feng laughed.

"I have a feeling." After a pause, O'Neal continued to say to Su Feng.

"What feeling?" Su Feng looked up and asked.

"Kobe, like me, must care about this game a lot." O'Neal said.

"Actually, I care a lot too, Shaq." Su Feng laughed.

"No...you're different, Su.

Because I can feel that you're more like you're participating in this game from God's perspective." Looking down at Su Feng, O'Neal said.

"Why do you have this feeling, Shaq?" Su Feng asked curiously.

"Maybe it's because you no longer need to prove yourself with a regular season game.

Maybe it's because you've gotten used to the taste of being a winner in the past few years.

Maybe it's because your strength is already above everything else in world basketball...

In short, you're just different from us." At this moment, O'Neal's expression could be described as unusually solemn.

Su Feng knew that this fat-headed fish wasn't complimenting him.

But...

Just as O'Neal said.

Today's Su Feng is already different from the past.

However...

O'Neal still doesn't understand Su Feng enough.

"You ask me, what kind of player is Su?

In my opinion, he's more like the kind of player who hides his passion inside.

When he was in high school, he rarely let others see his ambition.

But I knew from the beginning...

He was never the kind of player who was content to be second to anyone.

Every moment, he was thinking about how to defeat me and surpass me." In the Lakers' home locker room, before the game, when Milicic asked him about Su Feng in his eyes, Kobe said after pondering for two seconds.

"Then if, I mean if...

If you two were on the same team one day, how would you two rank yourselves?" Looking at Kobe with a curious expression, Milicic asked.

As a player who has been teammates with Su Feng and Kobe...

Milicic didn't know whether to say he was lucky...

Or lucky...

Because he had indeed learned a lot from these two people.

But at the same time...

Milicic was also very curious...

How did these two guys, with their天上地下唯我独尊 (heaven and earth, only I am supreme) personalities, work together back then.

Hearing this, Kobe said after a pause: "If that day really comes, then it depends on whether Su's Italian sausage pizza suits my taste or not."

Milicic: "......"

No...

Are you sure you really want to answer such a serious question so casually?

It's just a pity that Su Feng can't hear Kobe's answer.

Otherwise, he would definitely know what Kobe is trying to express.

It's just...

That the future is too far away after all.

Now.

At this moment.

It is the moment to decide the outcome.

Staples Center.

As the players from the two teams came onto the court one after another, the City of Angels ushered in the first climax of the night in an instant.

Without the deliberate lead of the on-site dj.

In an instant, the 18,997 fans who came to the scene tonight reached a tacit understanding.

MVP!

MVP!

MVP!

Listen...

This cheer that used to often ring out for O'Neal in the past few years.

Now it belongs to the Lakers' number 8.

In Su Feng's opinion, this cheer is definitely far more ear-piercing than booing for O'Neal.

"You know, what do I usually do when the away fans shout MVP?" Patting O'Neal's trembling back, Su Feng laughed.

Before O'Neal could react, Su Feng raised his arms in the center of the court, as if he was the master of Staples, and accepted the cheers of the entire arena.

Kobe: "......"

O'Neal: "......"

Fans at the scene: "......"

As the saying goes, as long as I'm not embarrassed.

Then it's others who are embarrassed.

Tonight, Staples, are you ready to welcome your king?

……