Chapter 462: Goddess vs. Chinese Food
Yang Mo happily cheered for Kobe Bryant, but Phil Jackson frowned so hard it could kill a mosquito: "Can this Knicks' incomplete lineup really defeat our powerful ships and powerful guns? Impossible. The Lakers are so much stronger than them. There's no way they can gain the upper hand."
Phil Jackson's alarm was quickly lifted after he resolved it himself. He still believed that Yang Mo's lineup would not last long and would collapse sooner or later.
However, the reality disappointed him once again. Back in half court, the Knicks once again put on a brilliant display, with Tracy McGrady assisting Jeffries on a counter-attack, who then used Yang Mo's pick-and-roll to easily score a layup. The entire process was as smooth as flowing water, with perfect coordination.
"Princeton style?"
Phil Jackson couldn't help but frown again as he watched the goal from the frontcourt. This high-post play, with the two-way corner screens, was so familiar; it was unmistakably Princeton. Phil Jackson had suffered greatly from this tactic back then. If it hadn't been for the biased officiating, the OK/OK duo might not have won their third consecutive championship, and the Kings, known for their Princeton-style play, might have even had a shot at the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Tracy McGrady was acting strangely today. He didn't attack the ball himself, but chose to pass it twice. Could it be... could it be that he really had a personality change?
The Zen Master was confused and began to waver in his confidence because the five temporarily put-together players of the Knicks were becoming more and more like a whole, which was incredible.
Phil Jackson was amazed, but Chris Webber, on the commentary desk, was thrilled and yelled, "Princeton style, absolutely Princeton style. McGrady's position was my favorite position in the past. He did what I always do. It seems that he didn't shoot under Adelman. He studied this tactic so well that it seemed like he was just doing it for free."
But for McGrady himself, it wasn't a big deal. He had already unknowingly adapted to his changing role. Ever since that heart-to-heart talk with Yang Mo, he no longer held onto expectations of being the Knicks' leader. Instead, he truly settled down, willing to be a cog in Yang Mo's side, radiating his last rays of light and warmth.
Obviously, Phil Jackson misjudged McGrady's mental state. He still envisioned him as the same McGrady who rivaled Kobe Bryant for points, imagining him constantly tempted to go one-on-one. But the truth was, McGrady had become more of a playmaker, his last remaining talent. He'd rarely used it before, but now he wanted to use it more, lest it go to waste.
When a head coach makes a mistake in defining the attributes of the opposing players, then... naturally, his overall plan will be disrupted.
And… there was one thing Phil Jackson hadn't figured out: the shadow Pau Gasol felt when facing Yang Mo. It could be said that, with the exception of Kobe Bryant, every other key Lakers star had suffered varying degrees of damage from Yang Mo. They might have been able to play normally or even exceptionally well against others, but when facing Yang Mo, sorry… they were hampered, their hands and feet were tied, and they couldn't let go!
Pau Gasol is such a typical example. In the tough confrontations with Yang Mo again and again, he was completely defeated by Yang Mo , so when Yang Mo stood in front of him, his momentum inexplicably decreased by three points.
With poor judgment and underperforming key players, Phil Jackson's comeback was nearly impossible. Five minutes later, the Lakers were still trailing by 43 points. Indeed, their lead hadn't narrowed, but had widened by two points.
drop!
Phil Jackson requested a timeout and scratched his head vigorously, feeling somewhat helpless. He felt like he didn't understand the players on the court at all, whether they were opponents or his own team, and everyone was playing in an abnormal state.
When the players came down, Phil Jackson immediately walked up to Pau Gasol and asked anxiously, "What's wrong with you tonight? Why do you seem out of form? You had at least three or four chances to shoot, but you didn't shoot. Are you afraid of your defender?"
When Pau Gasol was questioned by Phil Jackson, he hesitated for a long time, and finally said what he was thinking with difficulty: "Yes, I am afraid of him!"
"What is there to be afraid of him? He is not even as tall as your shoulders? There is no way he can stop you from shooting. You have to remember that your perfect offensive skills are unique in this league. There is absolutely no way he can defend you!!" Phil Jackson held Gasol's head, almost forehead to forehead, and tried to encourage Gasol with passionate words to make him come out of his fear.
However, the effect was minimal. Gasol's gaze was only lost for a moment, and then he shook his head vigorously: "I'm still scared!"
Gasol was already resisting Phil Jackson's attempts to appease him, and Phil Jackson quickly stopped him. He then shook his head helplessly, glancing at the score in the air. He could only shake his head, unable to change the situation.
Phil Jackson didn't consider himself a god, and even if he were, there was no way he could have saved the situation. From the outset, the game was out of his control. If he had firmly controlled the team's tempo and managed Kobe's emotions from the first minute, they would have had over an 80% chance of winning. But...the first step was wrong, and he had dug such a huge hole that it was impossible to save the situation.
After returning to his seat, he said directly to Kobe: "It's up to you now. I can no longer help you tactically."
His words were tantamount to announcing that he was powerless and the defeated team was powerless to recover.
Kobe Bryant bit his lower lip hard when he heard Phil Jackson's words. Then, he made up his mind. Since the defeat was already decided, he would get back at Yang Mo's gambling.
Kobe made up his mind and when the game resumed, he immediately resumed his singles mode, constantly attacking the basket and constantly looking for fouls. But the Knicks ignored him at all. If he wanted to score, they let him score, anyway, they didn't foul.
Seeing Kobe trapped in endless one-on-one situations, Yang Mo immediately led the team in a relentless attack, extending their lead to 50 points. Then... it was time to easily enter training. Yang Mo began practicing his passing technique again and again. Under Tracy McGrady's close guidance, Yang Mo's short-range passing skills actually showed some immediate improvement.
Kobe Bryant sought fouls, while Yang Mo sought passes. They each got what they needed.
In the end, the game ended without a doubt. Kobe Bryant, with 15 fouls drawn, led Yang Mo by 13, and won the game. Yang Mo, on the other hand, finished with an impressive 48 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals, taking home the victory.
The game was anticlimactic, even unexpected. Everyone initially expected the Lakers to win easily, and that Kobe and Yang Mo would desperately pursue fouls. However, the situation was completely reversed. The Lakers were mired in a quagmire, while Kobe continued to draw fouls.
Kobe Bryant won the match against Yang Mo, but he didn't smile at all. In a post-game interview with reporters, he said, "Today's defeat was entirely my fault. I fell for that guy's trick. He deliberately set up a meaningless bet and led me into a crazy and meaningless one-on-one match. Although I won the bet, I lost the game. I'm still the big loser!"
Kobe Bryant acted like a loser. Yang Mo, however, sounded even more aggrieved: "I lost. Yes, I lost. Now everyone knows I might not be the best foul-drawer in the world, and that makes me very sad. Kobe Bryant finally beat me, even though he lost the total points, and even though his team lost to mine. But I'm still very sad. There's no reason to be happy."
Both men expressed their frustration. But from this reporter's intuitive feeling, Kobe Bryant was genuinely heartbroken. Yang Mo... while she looked sad too, it didn't seem fake. But he's still an actor, and his acting chops earned him a Best Actor nomination from the National Association of Film Critics!
Besides, what was the big deal about losing the bet? He didn't really lose anything, after all. Instead, he easily won. In contrast, Kobe Bryant lost everything. Not only did his team lose, but he also faced widespread criticism from nearly every commentator, who considered him the league's most selfish example, demonstrating the dangers of selfishness through his actions.
When Kobe Bryant was being criticized, Yang Mo was blocked at the locker room door by Scarlett Johansson, with Jessica Alba standing next to her.
"Yang, I'd like to invite you to dinner." Scarlett spoke first. "I know there's a famous and delicious Chinese restaurant in Los Angeles. You'll definitely find the taste of home there."
"Yang, I'd like to invite you to dinner too." Jessica Alba followed suit and made her invitation: "I can take you to the most authentic French restaurant in California. You should try French food. It's very exquisite and delicious."
"No, Yang, as a Chinese, he should try his hometown cuisine instead of French food!"
"What do you know? It's precisely because Yang is Chinese that he must be tired of Chinese food. Now he needs to try some new delicacies."
“You’ll never get tired of the taste of home!”
“It’s always wonderful to try new things. No one wants to stay the same!”
“…………”
“…………”
The two of them quickly got into an argument, and Yang Mo was overwhelmed. Just as he was worrying about it, he discovered that there was a camera next to him that was broadcasting live.
Oh my god!!
