Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

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In the second quarter, the Spurs began to treat the Bucks as equals.

However, the first quarter's gap had widened, leading to the Spurs never having the chance to face the Bucks in a normal rhythm tonight.

Due to underestimating their opponents, they were blasted by the Bucks' start and had been in a tough chase unable to close the gap since the second quarter.

The Bucks' playing style seemed odd but was unspeakably sharp.

One impression Popovich had was that the Bucks' offense tended too much towards three-point shooting.

Including Yu Fei, the Bucks had six players who averaged more than two three-point attempts per game.

Their average number of three-point shots per game was almost the same as Don Nelson's Mavericks, with 24 attempts per game.

The problem was, Popovich couldn't find any similarities between these two teams' play styles.

The Mavericks had many three-point shots, but they played the traditional game.

Not so for the Bucks, according to data Popovich received from his assistant coaches, their opponents tonight took more than 70% of their field goals in the final 8 seconds of the shot clock during half-court sets.

The Spurs focus on defensive quality, pressing their opponent's ballhandlers in every game; hence the Bucks' ballhandlers took 6-7 seconds to cross half-court.

Which means most of the Bucks' offenses were completed within 9 seconds after reaching the frontcourt.

This is a terrifying offensive rhythm.

Usually, only powerhouse teams against weaker ones would have this rhythm.

But it seemed like the Bucks always played this way.

Then there was that dizzying five-out lineup that Popovich saw.

Under Yu Fei's leadership, that lineup displayed an offense Popovich couldn't imagine.

At first, he thought the key was the other four shooters.

Until Yu Fei started pulling up for direct three-point shots off screens and continuously exploited the space created by the four shooters to penetrate and cause disarray inside and outside for the Spurs, he realized it wasn't the four shooters on the perimeter that were frightening, but rather the ballhandler who fully utilized the space threat the shooters created.

The Bucks used that system to build a 17-point lead in the first quarter and then quieted down.

For the next three quarters, Popovich didn't see that again.

He didn't believe it was a coincidence.

That had to be the Bucks' ace in the hole, and tonight they were just testing the waters against them.

And indeed, it broke them down.

For the rest of the game, the Spurs' focus was on catching up.

All the Bucks had to do was consolidate their advantage.

By halftime, the Spurs had cut the lead to 9 points.

In the third quarter, Yu Fei exploded against Bowen.

Under normal conditions, Bowen had no way to deal with Yu Fei.

Popovich felt that Yu Fei had improved a lot since last season, especially his shooting and physical play.

Yu Fei's outburst allowed the Bucks to again widen the gap to 15 points.

Starting the fourth quarter, Ray Allen scored consecutive three-pointers, and Sprewell turned a Parker turnover into a 2+1 on the fast break.

Once the gap reached 20 points, the suspense of the game was gone.

The Spurs, averaging only 95 points per game, didn't have the offensive firepower to catch up 20 points in the fourth.

Popovich let his starting lineup play a few more minutes, which allowed Yu Fei to secure his 19th triple-double of the season.

Counting his rookie season, Yu Fei had now achieved 28 triple-doubles.

As the game entered garbage time, George Karl also subbed out his starters.

Soon after, the garbage time ended.

Final score, 109 to 92, the Bucks got their revenge at home against the Spurs and achieved their 58th win, once again surpassing the Mavericks to become the first in the league.

Yu Fei, who scored 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists, was asked for the N-th time about the possibility of averaging a triple-double.

It was no wonder the media asked; Yu Fei was indeed the player closest to averaging a triple-double in decades, currently leading his team with averages of 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists.

"If I were playing on a lottery team, I believe I could achieve those numbers," Yu Fei said, "But what would that mean? The Big O wasn't great because of averaging a triple-double. It's just a statistic; if I get it, great, but if not, what difference does it make?"

George Karl even mocked the media for their lack of understanding, "You can only look at the stats. Compared to Frye's defense tonight, his stats are nothing. His defense was great, do you know how many points the Spurs players scored against him? The answer is zero."

Popovich gave the Bucks some early praise: "If the Bucks make it to the finals this year, I won't be surprised."

"The talk before the game was that Eastern Conference teams were not worth mentioning, I think those people can shut up now," Duncan remarked, perhaps deliberately, "Why would D.C trade Frye?"

If Yu Fei was successful and the Wizards likewise, those who like to revise history would naturally say it was a win-win trade.

But now, unlike the struggling Wizards fighting for a playoff spot, the Bucks had already secured their playoff berth.

The Bucks, unconcerned about securing a playoff spot, are aiming to be the first in the league.

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Although some blatantly ignorant media like to emphasize that it was Sprewell who brought change to the Bucks, Yu Fei's stats are just too dazzling to ignore.

They simply can't be overlooked.

Moreover, last year he took the Wizards into the playoffs, and now the Wizards clearly have three stars, and even though one of them often triggers an intelligent groin injury, there are still two hardworking stars when all is counted. So, why can't they even secure a playoff spot?

So why trade Yu Fei?

Is it because of lack of skill? Could someone who led the team to the playoffs in his rookie season be lacking in skill?

Or is it because of commercial value? Yu Fei didn't show much commercial value when he was with the Wizards, but after coming to Milwaukee, his enthusiasm for participating in team activities soared, and his popularity in Wisconsin began to rise, with products related to him becoming hot commodities locally.

Since he has both skill and commercial value, what else could it be for?

Or is it to say, he had a bad record?

Unfortunately, Jordan's media friends racked their brains trying to find a bad record that made it necessary for the Wizards to trade Yu Fei, but all of "his" bad news was on the court, such as discord with Jordan, discord with someone... As a newcomer in the world, too sharp, does that count as bad?

As of now, Yu Fei is just like a certain Kobe from Los Angeles, pure as a blank slate!

Since even Kobe, with poor EQ and bad interpersonal relationships, who was also not very good at handling media relations, could become a hot topic, why couldn't Yu Fei? What exactly were the Wizards aiming for by trading him?

On the very night the Bucks beat the Spurs, the Wizards also had a game to play.

The Wizards' opponent was their arch-enemy in the playoff race for the death match—the Orlando Magic.

At the moment, the Magic ranked eighth in the Eastern Conference, two games ahead of the Wizards.

As a result, that night McGrady scored 42 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, not only crushing the Wizards, but also increasing the victory margin to three games between the two teams. And because of the head-to-head results, the Wizards would need to win four games to overtake the Magic for a playoff spot—assuming the Magic don't win another game from now on.

In such dire straits, when asked by a reporter how he evaluated the Magic's victory over the Wizards tonight, Jordan said dissatisfiedly, "We played a bad game."

"T-MAC thinks he completely won his matchup with Jerry, what do you think?"

"That's right," Jordan said coldly, "His horse won, while my mule fainted during the game."

No one would ask Jordan what it felt like to score 12 points off 6 of 18 shooting (0 free throws, 0 three-pointers).

But hearing Jordan calling his own teammates mules up front, one can feel that the Basketball God was so upset by the defeat that he couldn't control himself.

Since the Bucks finished their game against the Spurs earlier and won, the Bucks were once again ranked first in the league. Ever since the start of the season, whenever the Bucks' record hit the top of the league, someone would ask Jordan for his thoughts.

Initially, Jordan would insincerely congratulate Yu Fei and then say the Wizards were still adjusting, and the situation would eventually get better.

Months passed... The Wizards remained the same.

It looks like things are not going to improve, and now whenever Yu Fei is brought up, Jordan always glares furiously.

Who will bring it up tonight?

Although being labelled as "trash journalist" by Jordan meant one could forget about ever asking him questions again, those who work in professional sports know that Jordan's athletic career is almost over.

He doesn't have many games left to play.

Once he retires, he will become that reclusive capitalist again, and nobody will be interested in such a guy.

At this time, a reporter from a local tabloid in Washington asked, "Michael, with the Bucks beating the Spurs tonight and ranking first in the league again, what are your thoughts on this?"

Already very annoyed at having lost to a playoff rival, Jordan glared at the reporter: "This is the Washington media room. If you want to ask that, you should go to Milwaukee!"

"But, Michael, we still don't know what the systemic issue was with trading Frye," the questioner persisted, "What kind of serious systemic issue makes us trade a superstar who led the team to the playoffs all by himself?"

This question accurately hit another sore spot for Jordan.

Jordan yelled uncontrollably, "Led the team by himself? How dare you say that? Are you saying that last season's playoffs were all his solo effort?!" Stay updated through empire

"That's... of course not... but when Frye took over the team, we were ninth in the Eastern Conference," the questioner added convincingly, "just like now."

Had he not smartly added the last sentence, God might have still engaged with him for a few more words.

Not now.

Jordan knew the principle of 'the more one says, the more one errs'. He had already misspoken, and lingering on this question would only make his situation worse.

So Jordan gave a signal to the press officer.

The Wizards' press officer then said, "Any other questions?"

Then, a reporter from The Washington Post, a well-known "Anti-Mike" media outlet in the D.C. area, asked, "With less than ten games left this season, but needing four victories and for Orlando to stop winning to get into the playoffs, do you still have enough motivation?"

Jordan showed his leadership quality, "I won't let anyone who lacks the motivation to win play."

"In the last few games, we also have one at home against the Bucks," the Post reporter asked, "Will you put personal emotion into that game?"

The scene was so quiet one could hear some people's breathing.

Jordan couldn't avoid questions related to the Bucks.

He took a deep breath, picturing that night, the game destined to be filled with personal emotion.

"No," Jordan's brown eyes hid all emotions, showing only indifference, "I just play the game."

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