Mountain Peak System: a Path to NBA-Chapter 695 - 240: Here to Defeat God (1st of 2 Consecutive Updates, Please Subscribe and Vote!)

After the All-Star Weekend, the Warriors' first opponent was the Supersonic.

In the Supersonic team, severely aging in its personnel structure, the youngest player in the starting lineup is Yao Ming, who will be turning thirty-two this summer.

And in two months, Kevin Garnett will turn thirty-six...

He remains, within the Supersonic team, the player whose performance in the regular season so far is second only to Yao Ming.

This season, Yao Ming averages 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.

Garnett averages 15.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.

Looking solely at this pair of indomitable inside towers...

The Supersonic still seems like the Supersonic.

After all, this team, led by Rick Carlisle, has a tradition of coasting during the regular season and then exploding in the playoffs.

But compared to the past...

This season, even the most devout Supersonic fans probably harbor no expectations for this aging team.

At the age of thirty-three, Mike Bibby is already prepared to officially retire at the end of the season.

This once renown "White Devil"...

His season's average stats are a miserable 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists.

With such performances, it's not just the fans who can't accept it.

Even Bibby himself has realized that he has become the worst starting point guard in today's league.

And Ray Allen, who will officially turn thirty-seven this summer, has fully felt what it means for the legs to age first.

Although with his steady three-point shooting, Ray Allen still averages 14.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists so far this season.

But as his physical abilities continue to decline, this sharpshooter can no longer replicate his former glory.

As for the Supersonic's other regular starter...

James Posey, who played one more season than Qin Yue's memory?

Sorry, Posey, who just celebrated his thirty-fifth birthday not long ago, can now only be described as experienced in defense, offense, and technique.

No doubt, this Supersonic has reached the moment when it needs to be completely torn down and rebuilt.

Without any surprises, this summer, the Supersonic, needing to strengthen by releasing salary space, will likely decline to exercise the team option in Ray Allen's current contract.

"Of course, we hope 'Ray-ray' can retire with this team."

In an interview, Supersonic owner Howard Schultz said, "But if 'Ray-ray' wants to leave and continue his career in a different environment, we would also give him our blessing."

To ensure that the Supersonic remains a strong, ticket-selling team during the peak of Yao Ming's remaining career, Schultz and the Supersonic's management team are undoubtedly determined to strengthen the team.

And once Ray Allen leaves, Bibby and Posey choose to retire...

This team, which once stopped the GOAT from achieving a three-peat when the GOAT was young, will officially enter the "2.0 era."

On the night of February 19.

KeyArena.

Because starting next season, the Supersonic will officially use their new arena.

Therefore, this game was the Warriors' last regular-season meeting with the Supersonic at KeyArena.

Before the game, looking at this team with an average starting age of thirty-four, and this arena that will become a DOTA holy ground in the future, Qin Yue couldn't help but feel the relentless passage of time.

You see, he was just twenty-four when he regretfully missed the three-peat.

But now?

Now he's a twenty-eight-year-old player, and in two years, he will reach the threshold of thirty.

This makes Qin Yue more eager to seize the present than ever.

"To be honest, I wanted to find an excuse not to play this game."

Before the game started, Garnett, seeing the determination in Qin Yue's eyes, said helplessly.

To this, Qin Yue laughed, "But you still chose to stand in front of me."

Garnett nodded, "Because I know my career has entered its final stage, and I don't want to miss any opportunity to face you."

Perhaps, Garnett's image of retreating and fighting on the court is deeply ingrained in people's hearts.

But with his career nearing its end, Garnett fully demonstrated at this moment that his belief is completely different from that of the new generation players.

"By the way, can you promise me one thing?"

"What?"

"Promise me, if 'Ray-ray' wants to join your team this summer, please reject him."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to see him have more championship rings than I do."

It's the fear of seeing a brother struggle, and the fear of seeing a brother succeed greatly.

Although at this moment, Garnett's joking words are not very macho.

But in Qin Yue's view, Garnett's worry is completely unnecessary.

Because even today, Qin Yue has not forgotten the evaluation Ray Allen gave him in his rookie season.

The evaluation that deemed him unworthy of the title of Messiah.

That night, Qin Yue scored 51 points at KeyArena in just three quarters of the game.

During the match, Garnett, giving his all, had done everything he could.

Yet, in the face of the fully committed Qin Yue, Garnett still couldn't escape being slaughtered by the opponent.

"I tried my best."

"But as you saw, my efforts are insignificant in front of him."

"I know, you don't like me always bringing up age."

"But how could a nearly thirty-six-year-old Kevin Garnett stop a twenty-eight-year-old God of Basketball?"

"He's in his prime."

"And I? Long past my peak."