NBA: The man who passed the ball to Yao Ming

They did not participate in the competition today, so Zhang Jinshui and Yao Ming naturally did not need to attend the post-match press conference.

However, because McGrady is one of the protagonists in the focus battle with the Lakers tomorrow, he was still designated to attend.

Zhang Jinshui and Yao Ming did not need to change their clothes. They returned to the team bus early, waiting for other teammates, staff members, Van Gundy and Tracy McGrady to return to the car, and then drove back to the Hilton Hotel together.

When getting off at the entrance of the Hilton Hotel, Zhang Jinshui was taken aback again.

Beside the entrance of the hotel, there were 7 or 8 hot beauties standing, constantly winking at the Rockets.

And there were at least twice as many girls in the hotel lobby than when they arrived at noon yesterday. They all looked at the members of the Rockets unscrupulously.

Zhang Jinshui sighed in his heart, even though it is a modern society where everyone is equal, there are still many absurd scenes, but if it is not for the small group of people at the top of the pyramid, they will not be able to see it at all.

After having dinner together, Alston, Birdman Anderson and several other young players, it was natural that they would go downstairs to flirt with those active beauties.

And Zhang Jinshui came to the gym with Yao Ming again.

As Zhang Jinshui predicted, it may be because they just finished a game, and those Los Angeles "fitness girls" didn't think that there would be Rockets players coming here for extra training, and they didn't come here to block them.

Therefore, the gym was rarely empty and became a black existence under the lights.

Now, Zhang Jinshui can finally let go of his arms and practice the set of fitness movements that strengthen dunks. Yao Ming also stretched his muscles in the gym to prepare for tomorrow's game.

After the two of them soaked in the empty gym until 10:[-] p.m. before returning to their room, Zhang Jinshui became much more confident when he called Zi Chunlin again.

He has gradually discovered that Yao Ming's good reputation is not only effective among the fans, but also effective in front of Zi Chunlin and Zi Qiuli.

When Zhang Jinshui announced on the phone that he had been staying with Yao Ming in Los Angeles for the past two days, just listening to the voice, Zhang Jinshui could also feel Zi Chunlin's smile and peace of mind on the other end of the phone.

However, this also has a side effect, that is, after Zi Chunlin is relieved, he is too lazy to talk to him on the phone again.

Amidst Zhang Jinshui's clamor that "the compensation is not over yet", Zi Chunlin hurriedly hung up the phone, and then devoted herself to the redecoration of the flagship store.

Zhang Jinshui could only sigh helplessly. Zi Chunlin devoted himself so much to store decoration because he wanted to help him, but Zhang Jinshui still felt that he was at a big loss.

Seriously wanting to make money, Zhang Jinshui has a lot of ways, not to mention the memories from his previous life, his maximum salary contract and endorsement fee after being in the Rockets alone are enough for him and Zi Chunlin to live happily for several lifetimes, Why do you make your girlfriend so hard.

However, Zhang Jinshui knows that Zi Chunlin is a woman with career ambitions, and creating value through work is also her interest. Zhang Jinshui doesn't really want to completely circle her into a canary.

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Jinshui brushed his teeth and washed his face, and then lay down on the bed early.

In my heart, I can't wait for tomorrow's game against the Lakers.

If we insist on finding a representative season for every NBA superstar in his career, then the 05-06 season should be Kobe's most representative season.

In Zhang Jinshui's view, this season is even more important than Kobe's two championship seasons in the post-O'Neal era.

It was in this season that Kobe led the team with a single core to fight in the cruel arena of the NBA. He averaged 35.4 points per game and won the scoring title for the first time in his career. The miracle of 81 points in a single game even set a record. Highest scoring record in the NBA since Wilt Chamberlain.

Although it is still lower than Chamberlain's 100 points, considering that the NBA in Chamberlain's era did not have a high technical and tactical level, and the strength of opponents was also uneven, Kobe's 81 points in a single game were even more exaggerated than that 100 points.

Since he traveled back from his previous life to play in the NBA in the 05-06 season, if he can't play against Kobe this season, Zhang Jinshui will even feel that even if he wins the championship this season, it seems that there will be some imperfections.

Thinking, thinking, Zhang Jinshui's consciousness gradually became blurred, he turned off the bedside lamp casually, and then fell into a drowsy sleep.

......

When Zhang Jinshui regained consciousness again, it was already 8 o'clock the next morning.

He got up and washed his face, went to the hotel restaurant to eat a buffet breakfast, and then appeared in the gym on the 9th floor of the hotel at 25:8 in the morning.

Uncle Mu, McGrady, Yao Ming and other Rockets players are all here. They are scattered on different equipment, doing various warm-up exercises.

The hotel gym during this time period was paid for by the Rockets, and other hotel guests could not come.

Although there is still no training scheduled today, Van Gundy still brought everyone together. The most important purpose is naturally to use this place to hold a pre-match mobilization meeting and announce the starting lineup for the game against the Lakers.

And you can also let the Rockets do some simple stretching exercises to find the feeling of exercise.

At 9:30, Van Gundy showed up in the gym on time with the coaching staff.

Van Gundy clapped his hands and said loudly: "Everyone stop for a while and come to me."

After all the players gathered around, Van Gundy continued: "Next, let's announce the starting lineup for the evening game."

"Center Yao Ming."

"Power forward Chuck Hayes."

"Small forward Shane Battier."

"Shooting guard Tracy McGrady."

"Point guard Zhang Jinshui."

This lineup has been used more and more frequently recently, and it can be regarded as the Rockets' gradually stable lineup for tough battles.

After a pause, Van Gundy said again: "Everyone, in the past, I would often give you some psychological massage before the game, and try to let everyone go to the game without any psychological burden."

"However, I thought about it for myself. On the road to the championship, the further you go, the more inevitable the pressure will be.

Now, I'm going to try to put pressure on you before the game in a different way.

Yesterday we already lost the game against the Clippers due to the rotation. If we lose to the Lakers today, we will become the laughing stock of the league. What's more, this is a game that has attracted the most attention from the league recently.

Therefore, my request to you is: you can only win, not lose. "

"No problem!" Sprewell and Zhang Jinshui's desire to fight was immediately aroused, and they shouted in unison.

Yao Ming stood up, clapped his hands, and shouted loudly: "Brothers, it turns out that the coach has always protected us like infants. In this game, let us prove that our psychological quality has always been the same. They're all powerful, okay?"

"Okay." McGrady stood up with the other players and greeted loudly.

......

At 6:15 p.m., Zhang Jinshui and all the Rockets soldiers, like yesterday, drove into the familiar Staples Arena parking lot in the Rockets bus.

However, when they changed into the Rockets jerseys and rushed out of the player tunnel at 6:[-] p.m., the entire Staples Arena has become a completely different look from the impression they had yesterday.

In the stands at this time, the fans were almost all wearing the purple and gold color jerseys of the Lakers team, which complemented the background color of the center court of the arena. Coupled with the purple and gold balloons all over the sky, the entire Staples Arena was rendered It became a purple-gold ocean.

The Lakers fans in the stands, after the Rockets fans entered the arena, immediately chanted the slogan of "beating Houston" like a tsunami, showing a more fierce side than the Clippers fans, which can be regarded as a blow to the Rockets.

However, Zhang Jinshui not only did not feel any deterrence, but the fighting spirit in his chest became even more agitated.

This is the holy place of the NBA in Zhang Jinshui's mind - the Staples Arena.

He can't wait to have a gorgeous basketball dance here.

At 6:58 p.m., after the referee whistled the warm-up substitute players off the field, the game was about to begin.

Zhang Jinshui stood at his position, looked over, and carefully scrutinized the opponent's starting lineup, almost all of them were familiar faces:

Center Andrew Bynum.

Power forward Lamar Odom.

Small forward Brian Cook.

Shooting guard Kobe Bryant.

Point guard Smush Parker.

Except for Brian Cook, who is a bit too ordinary, the other players are definitely faces that Zhang Jinshui is very familiar with in his last life.

When Zhang Jinshui glanced over Kobe, he found that the familiar guy wearing the No. 24 jersey was also looking at him, with a contemptuous smile on his mouth, and an unabashed provocation in his eyes.

This guy is exactly the same as in his previous life, he still likes to put pressure on his opponents before the game.

Not only did Zhang Jinshui not feel offended, but he couldn't help feeling a warm current in his heart, his nose was a little sore, and his eyes were a little moist.

It's great to see this very competitive guy appearing in front of him again.

Frankly speaking, in his last life, Zhang Jinshui had always been a loyal fan of Yao Ming and the Rockets, so he couldn't say he had much affection for Kobe.

Especially in the last 08-09 season, when McGrady was reimbursed for the season, Yao Ming and Artest led the Rockets to win the Blazers in the first round of the playoffs, and finally broke through the Rockets' first-round magic. curse.

When facing the Lakers in the second round, Yao Ming even led the Rockets to win the first game away.

But unfortunately, Yao Ming was hit by Kobe's knee in the final stage of that game, which led to his reimbursement for the final season, and the Rockets also regrettably stopped in the second round of the playoffs.

Although that collision was only part of the game, how could a Rockets fan for many years not be bitter about Kobe who caused Yao Ming such a serious injury and regret.

Until that morning in 2020, when Zhang Jinshui woke up from his sleep and habitually opened Moments on his mobile phone, he found that all his friends were sadly talking about the same name: "Kobe".

Zhang Jinshui immediately opened the webpage and learned that Kobe had suffered a helicopter crash.

It wasn't until that time that Zhang Jinshui realized that Kobe had always been a very important presence in his youth that was penetrated by the NBA.

Then, Zhang Jinshui began to open his heart, and slowly learned about Kobe's past through some documentaries.

It was only then that I discovered that Kobe was actually a very pure person behind the superficial paranoia about victory. Off the court, he was definitely not a difficult guy to deal with.

On the contrary, he loves his family and friends very much. In fact, he has helped many people and done a lot of good things, but he never said these things out, and he doesn't even care about others' misinterpretation of him.

How can such a department boss be disrespected.

Therefore, when Kobe found that Zhang Jinshui was looking at him with excessively friendly eyes, he had to make himself look more vicious.

Zhang Jinshui still just shook his head with a smile, and shouted: "Kobe, I am very happy to compete with you. I am half of your fan."

Kobe still looked disdainful, and replied: "I have too many fans, who are you? Are you trying to please me now, are you afraid that I will blow you up? To tell you the truth, I have already talked to the coach, As long as McGrady is off the field, I will immediately switch to your front and wait to die, rookie."

"It's an honor to be marked by you." Zhang Jinshui continued to say sincerely.

Kobe pursed his lips and shook his head vigorously. Obviously, he found that Zhang Jinshui didn't seem to be affected by his threat, which made him even more upset.

Kobe still wanted to continue to carry out mental attacks on Zhang Jinshui, but McGrady couldn't listen anymore.

He knows his opponent and brother too well, and he knows that with his persistent personality, if he doesn't use trash talk to make Zhang Jinshui mad, he will definitely not let it go.

Immediately interjected: "Kobe, what's going on, isn't today a duel between the two of us? Why do you still have time to provoke my little brother, who do you look down on?"

After McGrady interjected, Kobe's attitude finally softened a lot.

It can be seen that Kobe is still very friendly to his friends.

However, his mouth was still sharp, and he said, "McGrady, I still don't know you Rockets? At the 6th minute, you are definitely going to rest. At that time, won't I take care of your little brother?"

Zhang Jinshui nodded with a smile: "No problem, Kobe, then let's make an agreement. See you there or be square."