Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

Chapter 923 923 555 As the Sovereign Commands Heaven

?Chapter 923: Chapter 555: As the Sovereign Commands, Heaven Bestows; As the Sovereign Commands, Heaven Takes Away_2 Chapter 923: Chapter 555: As the Sovereign Commands, Heaven Bestows; As the Sovereign Commands, Heaven Takes Away_2 The Supersonics could relax their approach in the first round against the Timberwolves. Compared to the Lakers and the Spurs, the Timberwolves were a relatively easy opponent. What thrilled Supersonics fans the most was that Chris Bosh, who had been sidelined for several days due to a facial fracture, was to make his playoff return in the first round. Although his injury had not fully healed and he needed to wear a mask during the game.

Bosh could have rested longer, but with the playoffs about to start, he wanted to fight alongside his teammates. This increased his popularity locally and also brought more resentment towards the Supersonics’ owner.

“Chris, are you sure you want to wear such an ugly mask?” Bosh’s mask was black, and due to its shape, it completely changed his demeanor.

“Isn’t it cool?” Bosh suddenly felt that using momentum to compensate for his lack of personal charisma wasn’t a bad idea.

Then came the first round of the playoffs. The Timberwolves were an awkward team. In 2008, they were lucky to draft Westbrook and had veterans like McGrady to assist, so the team’s performance was decent. However, no matter how you looked at it, they were only a team whose ceiling was the semifinals.

The harsh reality faced by playoff teams was that they had painstakingly secured a playoff spot through the long 82-game regular season, all for the purpose of contending for the championship.

If it was just to make the semifinals, they wouldn’t need to work that hard.

Westbrook’s rookie contract was ending this season, and he deeply understood the feelings Garnett had experienced.

He had boundless energy and desired an unlimited outburst.

But in Minnesota, his owner was just satisfied with the team making the playoffs to stabilize the fan base.

On the other hand, their opponents…

Every goal Yu Fei scored ignited the passion of the fans.

The playoffs belonged to Seattle’s basketball season.

Over the past three years, they had always returned victorious.

This time, the fans expected a win just the same.

Yu Fei ignited the crowd with a dunk and killed the game with a long-range three-pointer. The Timberwolves struggled for a bit but were then swept away in one smooth flow.

In Seattle’s two games, the script was nearly the same.

“Back home, we have the same chance of winning.”

Westbrook said this, as if to give himself and his teammates confidence.

But McGrady knew well that their only chance was if Supersonics had internal conflicts, yet the Greatest of All Time suppressed those evil thoughts with his outstanding leadership and personal charisma.

It was as if those things had never happened.

On the journey to Minnesota, Yu Fei asked Roy a question: “Did KD apologize to you?”

“No,” Roy said, “but he gave up the ball reigns.”

During the playoffs, Roy averaged 18 shots per game, Durant 16 shots.

In the regular season, Durant averaged nearly 19 shots, while Roy only 15.

Was choosing to cede his tactical position and settle for being the third option considered an apology?

Yu Fei didn’t think so, although by now, whether or not an apology was given was no longer important. The choice of whether or not to apologize would determine how teammates would view Durant in the future.

Had Nike still been causing disturbances from behind the scenes?

This was Yu Fei’s initial judgment. Nike wanted Durant to leave Seattle, and, if this continued, even if they achieved a four-peat, Durant might request a trade after the season.

He had already lost the Seattle market, no fans liked him, and his teammates didn’t support him; he completely had no foothold.

This was just a guess, and how things would turn out could only be seen in time.

However, the outcome for the Timberwolves in the first round was certain.

Westbrook worked hard, and McGrady did all he could, but his first-round curse was just too mystical.

Whether it was with the Magic, the Houston Rockets, or the Timberwolves, McGrady could consistently provide immediate contribution and then lead his team to a first-round exit.

Essentially, he was playing in three competitively deficient teams, but, like a dean-type player in LOL, he could ensure his teammates’ minimum by his robust individual skills, but McGrady’s skills were only enough to secure the first round, which was not a great minimum.

In the fourth game of the first round, the Timberwolves tried their absolute best to make the game suspenseful, but, against opponents whose overall talent far surpassed their own, no matter how hard they tried, they still ended up with a regrettable loss.

4-0
The Supersonics defeated the Timberwolves effortlessly, advancing smoothly to the semifinals to meet the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Westbrook, who had averaged 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists in the first round, signed a continuation contract with the Timberwolves immediately after last year’s lockout ended.

Moreover, to show his loyalty, Westbrook didn’t opt for a short-term contract like the star players after Yu Fei.

He rejected the short-term offers and, like Durant, tied himself to Minnesota until Summer 2016 with a four-year max contract that included no options.

This was undoubtedly exciting news.

In a time when the teams were becoming more passive, star players more proactive, and championship team building no longer depending on the management’s strategies but on the popularity and recruiting skills of the stars, there was still someone who kept a pure heart. How could one not be thrilled by this?

The Timberwolves’ owner Glen Taylor excitedly announced on social media after Westbrook’s renewal: “Lars is the greatest Timberwolves player ever!”

Kevin Garnett, still the holder of many of the Timberwolves’ records, took this opportunity to harshly criticize Taylor for his disloyalty years ago, which greatly hurt him when he had decided to end his career in Minnesota; otherwise, he wouldn’t have given up the precious “one franchise player” award.