Jim Bass Ambition

Chapter 56 Don't Call After Ten O'clock

With a height of 2.16 meters and a weight of 153 kilograms, O'Neill is a veritable behemoth.To supplement his protein, O'Neill eats five meals a day.Sometimes, he adds a few onion rings or a serving of ice cream to his recipe.

During the truce, he couldn't watch his opponent's panicked face and helpless expression on the court. O'Neill felt that he couldn't treat his stomach badly at this time.

The team will face the Atlanta Hawks at home, and O'Neill stayed at home for reasons of physical therapy, waiting for the visit of a private doctor.

In 1996, also in Atlanta, Jerry West waited hours in a hotel room with a contract before finally signing his own name on the seven-year, $7 million League One contract.Thus surpassing Alonzo Mourning and Juwan Howard.

"Alonzo Mourning never deserves to get more salary than me. At any time, as long as I am still playing on the court, then he can only be No.2 at most!"

"I'm going to make the people of Orlando realize what a stupid and horrible mistake they've made, that they think I'm not worth $1.15 million?"

"Anfernee Hardaway wants to be the highest paid player on the team? Well then, good luck."

O'Neal looked at the framed photo of himself with Jerry West and his agent, recalling the scenes when he first arrived at the Lakers.

O'Neal's agent at the time, Leonard Amato, was a shrewd businessman, and he was able to hold his breath. Seeing the urgency of the Lakers to get O'Neal, he chose a delaying tactic. In the end, Jerry West With a salary, George Lynch and Anthony Peeler were reluctantly sent to Vancouver, only in exchange for a second-round pick from the Grizzlies.

Due to various reasons, O'Neill and Amato parted ways last year.

The new agent Perry Rogers believes that O'Neal is qualified to get more, especially after winning the MVP in 2000 and the FMVP for two consecutive years, O'Neal has proved his No.1 position in the league.

No one thinks too much money.

After several calls with the Bass family, O'Neill received a response from Rodgers that the team management hopes to discuss the issue of early contract renewal after the end of the season, and they are open to contract renewal.

O'Neal and Rogers agreed that this period of time is for recuperation on the one hand, and on the other hand, it is to let the Lakers clearly realize that without O'Neal, they cannot compete for the championship.

But at any time, things will not develop wishful thinking.

Because of O'Neal's absence due to injury, the Lakers, who switched to a small lineup, increased their offensive rounds. Arenas stepped up in a timely manner. The confident and fighting rookie made up for it with strong outside firepower. The team's missing offensive power.

Kobe tried hard to prove that he was not a pure scorer. He got a triple-double in 3 consecutive games, and together with Arenas, who averaged 26.3 points per game, helped the Lakers win a three-game winning streak.

In the game against the Eagles, Kobe scored 42 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, and teamed up with Arenas, who scored 28 points, to make the Eagles' backcourt riddled with holes.

"Although the team lacks Shaq, we are still strong. I am ready to lead the team to defeat the next opponent." The same spirit, the same talent, the same Jordan successor.Watching Kobe's wonderful performance in the news, O'Neill seemed to think of Penny back then.

"Hopefully the people of Los Angeles aren't as stupid as the people of Orlando."

O'Neal turned off the TV and concentrated on the steak in front of him for supper.

Kobe's rhetoric failed to bring the team more victories. In the next away trip, the Lakers first fought hard for overtime, and finally lost to the Trail Blazers led by Rasheed Wallace. Antoine Walker suffered a three-point lore in the middle of the game. Kobe's consecutive triple-doubles were broken, and Walker also scored a triple-double.

The Lakers' record was almost overtaken by the Kings.

Fortunately, in the game that ended later in the day, the Kings faced the door-to-door challenge of the San Antonio Spurs, and Charles Smith, the legendary weakest part of the Spurs, played a career masterpiece.Doug Christie was completely unable to stop Fu Zhixin's opponent. Smith scored 32 points, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks. The Spurs gave the Kings a disastrous defeat.

Jim turned down Dr. Bath's invitation to a weekend party, and he's been a little preoccupied the last few days.It was almost twelve o'clock in the middle of the night, and he was lying on the bed, but couldn't fall asleep, staring at the traces of the night lights on the ceiling in a daze.

To say the scariest thing, the phone ringing suddenly in the middle of the night under the black light is definitely one of them.

"Sir, did you watch our game against the Celtics?" It was Stevens, who was with the team in Boston.

Boston is three hours ahead of Los Angeles.

It seems that Jim is not alone in insomnia.

"Look, a sad loss. Obviously, we were unlucky. Antoine Walker doesn't do more than five games like this in a season, and we just happen to have one of them. You don't Is it because of such a failure that I am so angry that I can't sleep? Then for your health, I have to find a job that suits you again."

"Sir, I think the problem lies in our defense. Anthony is very uncomfortable with Antoine Walker's style of play. I once suggested that Coach Jackson use Stephen to defend Walker during the game, but was rejected."

"Remember what I told you before? Anthony has played in the league for more than ten years and has also been an All-Star. You can't just replace him and sit on the bench just because he didn't perform well for a certain period of time." Jim said somewhat Depressed, this Stevens is too upright, and loves to dig into dead ends, and he has to ask the question to the end if he can't figure it out.

"But Anthony himself told Coach Jackson that he didn't have much to do with Walker. Coach Jackson just let him continue playing." Stevens didn't understand Zen Master's approach. At the last moment, Mason still Defending Walker is basically equivalent to giving the Celtics a big open, and Walker, who feels hot, also succeeded in killing the Lakers with his last three-pointer.

"I see. Maybe Phil has his intentions and it's just a lost bet. Never mind Brad, it's just a regular season, and as frustrating as the loss to the Celtics is, this loss Not much of an impact, and remember, we're missing Shaq."

Stevens fell silent.

"Okay, Brad, staying up late is not a good work and rest habit. You should rest. By the way, there is nothing important in the future. Try to send emails after ten o'clock in the evening. I can't bear it very well. Good night."

"Good night, sir." Stevens muffled.

Jim hung up the phone, dug out another number from the address book, and pressed the call button.

"The phone number you dialed belongs to Mr. Phil Jackson. The owner of the phone is inconvenient to answer the phone right now. Please leave a message if you have anything to do."

(End of this chapter)