When pride still matters

Chapter 446 I choose No. 24

On Christmas Eve, the SuperSonics played against the Lakers away from home.

In early December, Kobe Bryant officially returned, and the Lakers also switched from a stumbling state to championship mode.

For the Lakers, one major disadvantage this season is Kidd's aging, and the second biggest disadvantage is Jermaine O'Neal's uncontrollable injury.

At the beginning of the season, O'Brien was given greater responsibilities due to Kobe's absence.

As the league's top insider in the past, O'Brien once averaged 20 points and 9 rebounds per game, but the good times did not last long, and his body was obviously unable to support such pressure.

As the Lakers' second-highest-paid player with an annual salary of nearly $2000 million, he suffered a fracture in mid-November and will be sidelined for several months.

Just when the outside world thought that the Lakers would be at the bottom of the Western Conference before Kobe Bryant came back, Spanish center Marc Gasol, who had just proven himself in the recent Olympics, gave the Lakers a huge surprise.

Although Gasol's dynamic talent is not as elegant as that of his elder brother, he has the confrontation of the European Great White Bear, as well as solid basic skills and overall awareness.

For Phil Jackson, he was an ideal pivot in the triangle offense.

Gasol quickly defeated Bynum in the competition and became the Lakers' starter. Currently averaging 12 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists per game, he is known as the biggest legacy of the 2007 draft.

For Xiao Ao, this may be a great irony.

He was originally the Lakers' strongest inside force, but he was quickly replaced after suffering an injury.

With Kobe Bryant back, the Lakers rely on the twin towers of Gasol and Bynum inside, Artest at the third position, and Kobe and Kidd on the outside, which is enough to sweep most teams in the league.

Moreover, compared to the finger injury last season, Kobe is now in full health.

It can be said that this Lakers are stronger than last season.

They have a fighting spirit.

But it's also unfortunate for them.

Because the opponent did not stop and watch them become stronger.

Sonics also got stronger.

三年级的布兰登·罗伊正在成为联盟首席双能卫，杜兰特目前场均23分5篮板3助攻，三项命中率是50+42+84。

The growth of the second boss and the evolution of the supernova are enough to offset the Lakers' progress.

What's more, Yu Fei is playing the most efficient season of his career.

论数据，本赛季的于飞可能比不过雄鹿时期的场均三双及单核那年疯狂的场均36+10+9。由于分了许多球权给罗伊，加上杜兰特也在进攻端占据相当的比重，于飞的场均得分处于新秀赛季之后的最低：目前场均27分8篮板10助攻1盖帽2抢断，三项命中率分别是57+44+86。

For those who study statistics, this is unprecedented efficiency.

Yu Fei's data is different from the statistics before 1984 that had no evidence of game videos and relied entirely on data sheets from unknown sources. Yu Fei's data in every game is well documented. In this case, ESPN's data expert Hollinger (the person who created the efficiency rating (PER)) said: "The scary thing is that Frye may only have used six or seven He got this data with his strength, and the regular season has become a free game for him.”

Therefore, there is a view that Roy's maturity is related to Durant's accelerated evolution and Yu Fei's efficient performance as the first in history.

Because of Yu Fei's existence, Roy, who averages 6 assists per game, does not need to worry about the team's organizational problems, because there is another Yu Fei who has a lower ball possession rate than him but averages 10 assists per game. Durant will not be targeted by opponents. For Sonics opponents, Yu Fei and Roy are more dangerous than Durant.

It is this clear-cut Big Three that has created the Sonics' record of 26 wins and 3 losses before the Christmas game.

The Christmas Day game between the Sonics and the Lakers attracted the attention of more than 900 million Americans.

Since the ugly 2005 Finals between the Spurs and the Pacers set a new low in the league's ratings, and two years after Donaghy dealt a heavy blow to the league's reputation, draining NBA viewers and leaving the league's image in jeopardy, Yu Fei and the Sonics have become A golden sign.

It was chemistry with the right team and the right people at the right time.

In the world of basketball, there is a force that wants to push Yu Fei to the top.

Jordan believer and ABC commentator Doug Collins said before the game: "Under Frye's leadership, the Seattle SuperSonics currently lead the league with a record of 26 wins and 3 losses, and the second-ranked Los Angeles Lakers The team, that is, their opponent tonight only has a record of 20 wins and 9 losses. The gap between the first place in the league and the second place in the league is amazing. The Charlotte Bobcats are like the opposite of the Sonics. Fault’s 3 wins and 26 losses ranked last in the league.”

You can really feel some of the seals coming loose.

The consensus that "Jordan is the best in history, there is no dispute about it" has been shattered.

Even the position of Collins, the famous Joe who waggled his tail to Jordan in "Extreme Jordan" with the rhetoric "If you want to beat Michael, you have to cut off his feet, but he will still crawl over and bite you." became suspicious.

If someone tries to move Jordan's statue, someone will defend him.

TNT's Charles Barkley, who remains Jordan's brother to this day, was shocked when he heard TNT guest Brent Barry (a former teammate of Yu Fei's who has since retired) say, "The Sonics led by Da Fei are better than the 1996 Bulls." "Great", he immediately looked up the data, and then retorted: "Brent, your math teacher will be angry when he hears you say this. The Bulls lost 1 less game than the Sonics during the same period, even if the difference is very small. That Bulls team is still the best."

Barry then started talking about the evolution of the game.

Barkley laughed: "It was only five years ago since Michael last played, and we all know he can be successful in this era." So Barry turned to the competitiveness of the league.

This is his most powerful argument, because in 1996, because the previous generation of superstars had retired and the development of new stars like Coleman and Webb had stagnated, the league was still dominated by the 84 golden generation. Continuous expansion at this time has greatly dispersed the talent pool, resulting in not many competitive teams.

That season, there were not only the 72-win Bulls, but also two 60-win teams and a 59-win team. When there are multiple 60-win teams in a season, the most counter-intuitive fact is that they can The high probability of winning so many games is not because the team is extremely strong, but because the league is weak in competitiveness.

What Barry said makes sense, but you know, Barkley is now a media person. In order to defend his position and enhance the overall effect of the show, he could have strapped a bomb to his good brother and exploded Barry.

"That's enough, Brent, if you want to talk about competitiveness, it's not competitive in the modern era! There was no 1995-3 team on Christmas Eve in 26!"

Even the ultimate egotist like Jordan wouldn't be angry at Barkley for blowing up his Bobcats and others.

Because the essence of the topic is to defend the historical status of the 96 Bulls.

Barry failed because he was not good at looking up data. If he looked for data like Barkley, he would find two things. On Christmas Eve in 1995, the NBA did not have a 3-26 team, but they had a 4-win Grays. The Bears and the 5-win 76ers.

This is a symbol of the heated debate on GOAT.

When Yu Chui points out Yu Fei's advantages and power, Qiao Chui will immediately jump out to refute.

Moreover, since their respective owners have excellent results, the only thing that the fans admit that Jordan is not as good as Yu Fei is the three-pointer, but it is an admission. While admitting, they will also say "If it were placed in the contemporary Jordan's three-pointer, it would be More accurate than Yu Fei" card.

From television media, to news newspapers, to online forums and every corner offline, there are disputes wherever there are basketball fans, and 90% of the disputes are about "44 VS 23".

This is already a cultural phenomenon that extends beyond the sports world.

But for the Lakers' No. 24, he has a question.

Why does this ultimate topic have nothing to do with him?

Duncan only has two rings, and O'Neal can't go any further.

Kobe, who is 30 years old, is a remnant of the old era and the only one who may shake the rule of Fei.

Tonight, Kobe shined with his most criticized trait - almost all of his greatest games were regular season games.

In the Christmas Day game against the Sonics, Kobe scored 50 points against the Sonics. But what made nearly ten million fans in front of the TV climax was that Yu Fei responded with 51 points.

The two competed for dozens of rounds in this game, and a dozen minutes of highlights could be edited just from the confrontation between the two.

This is Kobe Bryant's rallying cry.

Number 24 should enter the eternal conversation in the basketball world.

However, Roy's 30 points decided the game from the side.

When the absolute core is tied, the performance of the deputy will determine everything.

Durant was sealed by Artest, but Roy? He is unstoppable.

The most watched Christmas game in twenty years ended with a narrow victory for the Sonics.

After the game, Yu Fei and Kobe had a face-to-face meeting.

"See you in Seattle."

What Yu Fei is talking about is the second home game with the Lakers next February.

Kobe looked arrogant: "I will score 60 points by then."

"Then I will score 61 points." Yu Fei responded.

When Kobe Bryant walked to the scene, ABC reporters had been waiting for a long time.

"A lot of people are saying this is the greatest game they've ever seen, Kobe, what do you think?"

"I don't want people to think of a game where I'm the loser as the greatest."

"You and Frye are the protagonists tonight, what do you think of his performance?"

"Excellent," Kobe said confidently, "but I didn't lose."

"Fry vs. Michael's GOAT debate has become the greatest debate of the decade. Whose side are you on?"

Kobe's eyes flashed and he said loudly: "I choose No. 24."

(End of this chapter)