"Haha... Kenny, what did I tell you? I said Washington would win the game."
Charles Barkley in the TNT Broadcast Booth couldn't stop grinning.
Thinking that he would soon be able to avenge the grudge of kissing a donkey's butt, Barkley felt wonderful.
Kenny Smith rolled his eyes speechlessly and said, "Even though Washington won tonight, there was a huge element of luck involved... Not only did the starters perform excellently, but their bench was also in exceptionally good form tonight... Even Connet made 2 of his 4 Three-Point Shots tonight..."
"As for Sacramento tonight... the Twin Towers in the paint got into foul trouble too early, and the Sharpshooter Peja wasted too many good opportunities in the second half, and so on. But I believe Sacramento won't make the same mistakes next time."
The turning point of tonight's game was undoubtedly the Kings' Twin Towers getting into foul trouble too early, which almost paralyzed half of the team's offensive system. Although the Sharpshooter Peja has outstanding catch-and-shoot ability, he also needs high-quality Passing and screens.
Player statistics...
Michael Jordan, 6 of 14 shooting, 1 of 3 Three-Point Shots, 12 of 16 free throws, finished with 25 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 Blocks.
Don't look at Michael Jordan's score tonight as not being much; he really gave it his all tonight, carrying the burden and constantly attacking the Kings' interior. Honestly, it felt a bit like a return to his peak.
Link, 12 of 17 shooting, 4 of 9 Three-Point Shots, 9 of 12 free throws, recorded a triple-double with 37 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists, and 2 Steals.
Link's super isolation tactic tonight, through high-post double screens, frequently targeted Vlade Divac and Chris Webber; it seemed like he only took 17 shots, but of his 12 free throws, 5 were from fouls drawn during shots or layups.
Tonight's output, let alone for a rookie like Link, would be considered "high output" even for many All-Star guards, and the shooting percentage was also extremely impressive...
Describing it as "high-volume and efficient" wouldn't be an exaggeration at all.
Besides that, Link also became the second player in NBA history to record a triple-double during the Christmas Day Games.
Hmm...
The first was Oscar Robertson. Uh... he didn't just get a triple-double on Christmas; he got a total of four, in 1960, 1961, 1963, and 1967.
"Ding, congratulations to the Host for becoming the second player in NBA history to record a triple-double during the Christmas Day Games."
"Ding, rewarding the Host with 1000 GOAT Points; [Superstar (Russell Westbrook 2017-2018 Season) sparring partner card] x1."
Westbrook's MVP season was the 2016-2017 NBA season.
In the 2017-2018 NBA season, although Westbrook's athleticism was almost the same as his MVP season, his shooting ability had declined.
That season, Westbrook was the league's assists leader in the regular season and also won the Best Dressed and Most Hustle Player awards.
Currently, Link's "sparring partner cards" have already collected the entire "OKC Thunder Big Three."
After some thought, Link decided to start with Westbrook tonight.
Compared to the other two, Westbrook's shooting is the worst, making him slightly easier to defend.
...
...
After the game, as usual, Link was the last to return to the team locker room.
Well... it couldn't be helped; who told Link to be so popular? Many All-Star players were not as popular as Link, who had only played for a little over two months.
"Holy crap!"
"Tomato!" (TN: Huh?)
"Fuck!"
"I'm freezing to death!"
Just as he walked into the locker room, Link was splashed with "ice water" by his teammates, which instantly turned Link into a shivering mess.
However...
The next moment, Link noticed that among the people splashing ice water on him, Michael Jordan's figure was nowhere to be seen.
"Where's Michael Jordan?"
"Something's not right. Michael Jordan loves to instigate and egg others on to splash ice water on me the most. Plus, the old guy always brings out a camera to record my... pathetic state after being sprayed with cold water?"
"Is the old guy going to save some gold-digger's soul tonight?"
Link couldn't help but complain in his heart.
Soon, the Washington Wizards' assistant coach Larry Drew told everyone that Michael Jordan felt discomfort in his knees and back after the game. After an examination, there was slight swelling in the knees and a minor muscle strain in the back. He would need at least a week of rest, which meant Michael Jordan would miss 2-3 games.
Michael Jordan's absence made the Washington Wizards players feel a chill in their hearts.
Except for Link, whose furrowed brow was genuine...
The worry on the other teammates' faces was all damn fake; deep down, joy was even sprouting.
The unsmiling Masked Man's mouth was harder to keep down than the recoil of an AK.
Uh... Michael Jordan's popularity in the current Wizards team was not very good. Much of his status in the team was supported by his identity as the "god of basketball" and "team management." If Michael Jordan missed games, the young players' playing time would definitely increase. Besides, compared to the harsh Michael Jordan, Link was much gentler and more enlightened.
Hmm...
For the Wizards, Jordan was an aging tyrant, while Link was a benevolent ruler who could bring everyone big contracts.
Hmm...
To put it modestly, Link was the "greatest emperor of all time" in the basketball world.
Of course, the Washington Wizards players didn't hope for Michael Jordan to suffer any serious injuries; they just hoped he would understand that he was no longer young and needed to know how to delegate power, just like many veterans, further reducing his playing time and ball possession.
...
...
[On Christmas night, the NBA number one draft pick—Link, perfectly replicated Oscar Robertson's triple-double feat, becoming the second player in NBA history to record a triple-double. Although he is not yet 18 years old, I believe he already possesses the skills of an All-Star. Oh, by the way, TNT commentator Kenny Smith will also replicate a tribute to his partner tonight and will kiss a donkey's butt this Saturday.]
[In the Christmas Day Games between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers, Shaquille O'Neal missed the game due to a toe injury. Although Kobe had an injured finger, he played through the injury and recorded a near triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists. The star player of the Philadelphia 76ers, Allen Iverson, was in full force, scoring 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, but the Los Angeles Lakers won the game 88 to 82 thanks to Rick Fox's breakout performance of 22 points.]
[Vince Carter scored 27 points; however, he ran into an explosive Allan Houston, who scored 34 points and teamed up with Sprewell the Madman to lead the New York Knicks to victory.]
[In the three games on Christmas night, Link, who exploded with 37 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists, and 2 Steals in a single game, became the brightest star of the night.]
After returning home, Link walked out of the virtual space with Isaac and happily listened to the sports news broadcast.
Link loved the way the media hyped him up like crazy.
The Washington Wizards' next game is in two days against the Indiana Pacers.
Michael Jordan did not travel with the team this time. According to NBA rules, players who are injured but can move freely need to travel with the team.
However...
He is Michael Jordan, after all. He just finds an excuse and that's that.