noveldrama
Chapter 806 806 Untitled Section_2
Chapter 806 806 Untitled Section_2
?Chapter 806: Untitled Section_2 Chapter 806: Untitled Section_2 “`
“Don’t just yet,” Smith said, “What if they win?”
“Good point.”
Yu Fei and the past renowned individuals he passed by greeted each other; this was his life.
But this life was an illusion; those relationships were not solid.
He walked down the corridor, with fans on both sides frantically shouting his name, holding jerseys and pens, hoping for his autograph.
Yu Fei had a habit of signing an autograph for one fan in the corridor at every game.
Tonight he randomly selected a female fan.
The problem was, she only had a pen.
“Where would you like me to sign?” Yu Fei asked with a smile.
The woman boldly pushed out her chest, the significant peaks standing erect through her clothes before Yu Fei, “Don’t be shy, Frye.”
The surrounding crowd started to egg them on; Yu Fei’s numerous gossip tidbits meant many of his quirks were well-known to the fans.
“I’m not the shy one.”
…
“If every one of my fans were of such high quality,” Yu Fei said as he saw Lin Kaiwen in the players’ tunnel.
“What female fan?” Lin Kaiwen asked.
“Nothing important,” Yu Fei said, “What’s up?”
Lin Kaiwen said, “Reebok heard about your pre-game prediction and if you really hit 50 points, they’re going to issue a ’50 Points Night’ commemorative T-shirt next month.”
“And?”
“Just like before, you’ll get a 10% profit share,” Lin Kaiwen said, “You’ll need to step it up in the second half.”
Yu Fei wasn’t interested in fleecing fans, but he understood that this was the logic of sports economics, capitalizing on some hype to sell an otherwise mediocre product.
A T-shirt of average quality, made of nothing special material-wise, could be marketed before the fans’ fervor cooled down if it was linked to tonight’s game. Priced at 150 US Dollars, the manufacturing and labor cost might not even reach 30 dollars.
Fans were fully aware of this yet always played the sucker.
As if wearing that T-shirt created a formidable connection with Frye.
“I didn’t say that phrase to sell shirts,” Yu Fei remarked.
Lin Kaiwen laughed: “Is there anything related to you that isn’t business, Frye? Fame is a deep pool, and you…”
Lin Kaiwen stopped short.
“I know,” Yu Fei said self-mockingly, “I’m probably one of the deepest pools of fame in the world.”
In the basketball season, perhaps not even one of them.
Lin Kaiwen silently added this thought to himself.
Visitors’ Locker Room
Phil Jackson had his unique perspectives on many things.
In his decades-long coaching career, he had also encountered many challenging situations.
Now, his coaching was nearing the end.
His contract with the Lakers would expire in the summer of 2011.
Previously, he had hinted that if the Lakers could win back-to-back championships next summer, maybe he would sign on for one more year for the chance at his fourth career three-peat.
But now, he didn’t have so many thoughts anymore.
To lead Kobe and LeBron to their rightful heights, having LeBron leave next summer with a victory like Jordan in 1998 would be the best ending.
To achieve this, they first needed to make James understand that the Lakers were Kobe’s team, but would eventually be his too.
He was only 25 years old. There was plenty of time.
“Kobe, I need you to play aggressively in the second half,” Jackson said clearly, establishing Kobe’s core position, “if necessary, the ball can be concentrated with you.”
“LeBron,” Jackson called out James’s name casually, “do you remember how we beat Seattle in our second game?”
“I have a good memory, Coach.”
“Be the person you were that night,” the Zen Master said, “We still have a chance tonight.”
James liked the victory of the second game, but not his performance in it.
Or to put it another way, he felt he could do more, but on the Lakers team, he couldn’t get the biggest slice of the cake.
Now that the Zen Master wanted him to be his former self, he understood, as tonight he had been thoroughly outplayed by Yu Fei as the core.
If one plug of the Lakers was not working, naturally it was time to try the other.
He accepted the arrangement, just unsure if he’d get the chance.
If he didn’t get the chance, was he supposed to just be the undisputed second-in-command, the Scottie Pippen to Kobe—as it was said—in his pursuit of his first championship?
Was this what he came to Los Angeles, amidst all the finger-pointing, to pursue?
There wasn’t much time, not enough for James to find the correct answer.
At the beginning of the second half, the Lakers played with a desperate desire to score.
Even playing a small ball, filling a 20-point gap was no easy feat.
Kobe didn’t play much in the first half. He needed to be aggressive in the second half, yet he was unfamiliar with Key Arena’s baskets.
Technically speaking, NBA arena baskets are standard, but players’ performances differ from venue to venue, like Nadal on clay, Federer at Wimbledon. Data showed that Key Arena was Kobe’s least favorite.
He rarely had dazzling performances here.
Suddenly burdened with a heavy task, Kobe first opted for outside shooting and then demonstrated post-play like a textbook.
He started off well.
Outside shots went in, the post-play was steady, but on the Supersonics’ side, the two stars shone brightly together.
Durant, after getting rid of James with a screen, caught a pass from Yu Fei and hit a three-pointer.
Yu Fei, on the next play after Kobe’s successful post-play, also fought back with his own post-play.
After a round of showing off their individual skills, both sides distributed the ball to outside shooters.
“`