Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters-Chapter 1137 - 628: The Year of Discord_2

Chapter 1137 -628: The Year of Discord_2

Winning the championship is a phrase often thrown around by the Lakers Team, but the members know deep down how hollow it sounds.

The Lakers Team suffers from a pathological narcissism and conceit.

After trading away Pau Gasol and Anthony without any backup plan, it was reasonable for the outsiders to suspect that they were going to start playing the nostalgia card by using Kobe to sell tickets, while strategically tanking to rebuild.

To which, Magic Johnson said during the media day of the preseason camp: “Are you kidding? We are the Lakers Team, tanking is definitely not in our plans!”

When the media wanted to know how the Lakers planned to build around an 38-year-old Kobe for a championship run, Magic confidently said: “Kobe is our cornerstone, but his most important task now is turning Zach and DeAngelo from boys into men!”

However, Kobe had endlessly exclusive shooting rights, but Zach and Russell’s progress had significantly slowed down.

Actually, the Lakers were really using Kobe to sell nostalgia, yet they weren’t tanking, ranking top ten in the Western.

Kobe knew these kinds of games were meaningless to him, yet he was not willing to retire just yet.

Looking at his stats, his gas tank was still quite full.

So, on hearing Yu Fei’s comment, he couldn’t help but say: “OK, we will definitely make it to the playoffs, and then do everything to knock you over!”

“Is it time to dream now, Kobe?”

Compared to other events during the All-Star weekend, this kind of trash talk was definitely something everyone could enjoy.

When LeBron arrived in New Orleans, reporters asked him which position the team still needed to reinforce.

LeBron bluntly said: “We need to strengthen our center position, otherwise, we will be at a disadvantage again when playing against the Clippers.”

Actually, LeBron’s view was not wrong, but on hearing this, Barkley could not refrain himself and burst out in the studio: “LeBron’s words are inappropriate; Miami has already provided all he needs, they are one of the highest-spending teams in NBA history, with stars like Stephen Curry, Kevin Love, and Jimmy Butler by his side. If he wants to prove he’s the best player in the world, he should just shut up and prove it in the finals!”

It can be said that Barkley was riding the tailwind.

Because LeBron’s reputation was not good lately.

But LeBron did not intend to suffer in silence and responded one day before the All-Star Game: “He is a loser, what makes him credible? Just because he’s on TV? I won’t let him disrespect my achievements. I’m not the kind to throw someone out of a window or spit on a child, and I’ve never owed any gambling debts in Las Vegas!”

Thus, things got more interesting.

A loser calling another a loser, mainly attacking each other by digging up past scandals.

Seeing LeBron’s reaction, Barkley was so excited that he nearly jumped in the studio.

He is now a media person.

What’s the most important for a media person? Traffic.

Barkley didn’t lack that, but his feud with LeBron would push his traffic to a whole new level.

For that, he specifically applied for a media pass to visit the Western All-Star Team’s locker room on the day of the All-Star game.

Barkley went straight to Yu Fei and asked: “How do you feel when the media place your name alongside LeBron’s?”

Yu Fei countered: “How did you feel when Number 23 cut ties with you because you spoke some truth on TV?”

“That was terrible, I understand you now, Frye.” Barkley then asked, “Do you still think LeBron doesn’t deserve to win a championship?”

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Yu Fei continued by asking: “Which do you prefer, donuts or sandwiches?”

“Donuts! Honestly, donuts are really delicious!”

“Will you change that view until the end of your life?” Yu Fei asked again.

Barkley replied: “Absolutely not!”

“I don’t like denying others,” Yu Fei began speaking like the Greatest of All Time, seemingly concluding something definite. “But if I do, I will view it the same way you look at donuts, never changing!”

Barkley was thrilled.

The things Yu Fei said were enough to make headlines across all major media.

Moreover, with Yu Fei’s endorsement, digging into LeBron’s past scandals was worthless.

People clearly prefer to attack an ongoing failure than settling scores with a definitively concluded loser.

Before the All-Star Game began, ESPN reporter Marc Stein, who has a close relationship with Yu Fei, called the 2017 NBA the “year of discord.”

Not only the overt hostility between Yu Fei and LeBron, nor just the mudslinging between LeBron and Barkley off the court.

There were also explicit internal feuds within the Bulls, as Dwyane Wade who transferred to Chicago exploded due to dissatisfaction with the bench players;

Durant’s increasing skepticism towards Phil Jackson and his Triangle Offense;

The hostility between Eastern Conference teams, Wizards’ Wall and Bill felt that Miami Heat received too much attention, questioning why all the traffic should be focused on Miami when there are several teams in the Eastern Conference?

There was also the Cousins crisis, his ongoing terrible relationship with referees due to his uncontrollable temper, D.C had a love-hate view towards Cousins.

But recently, this view had shifted.

They began considering trading Cousins.

Finally, a recent incident, Knicks’ legend Charles Oakley, due to his harsh words, had an impolite exchange with the team owner James Dolan during a game, resulting in being expelled from Madison Square Garden and banned from attending future matches.

This represents a disheartening fight between a disappointing owner and a legendary team’s veteran.