The Way of Basketball: Never Talk Shit to Him!
Chapter 417 - 203 Good Night Kobe_3

Chapter 417: Chapter 203 Good Night Kobe_3

He wanted a no-holds-barred game, like the one right now. Even though they led in score, facing Su Wan’s incessant "trash talk" without responding felt like losing anyway.

So Phil Jackson knew that Kobe was very displeased, extremely displeased!

But that was from his perspective. From the coach’s perspective, his strategy was extraordinarily successful.

The fourth quarter began, and Kobe started to take over the Lakers’ offense.

However, perhaps because he was preoccupied, he wasn’t in the zone at the beginning. Facing Su Wan’s "trash talk," he missed three consecutive one-on-one plays.

At this time, the Pacers caught up by 5 points.

Two of those points came from a pick-and-roll between Su Wan and the young O’Neal, with Su assisting the latter to complete a slam dunk.

The other three points came as Su, facing Kobe, quickly passed the ball after a pick-and-roll, ending with a three-point shot.

Unable to enter "The zone"...

This was something Su had always been mentally prepared for.

He had thought there would be a day when no one in the league would dare to provoke him, even to counter his "trash talk." Now, in his third season’s final series, his vision seemed to be turning into reality.

Even Kobe...

Had chickened out!

But he wasn’t panicked.

This was his third year, his third finals, and he was now a two-time regular-season MVP, two-time finals MVP, and a man who had won the O’Brien Cup twice.

He was the two-guard who had played the most games in the NBA over the past three years and the most dominant over that period. He wasn’t like in ’04 when he only had one move to break through and the forced strategy of "assist."

Now, he had signature breakthroughs and mid-range jump shots, he could also make running catch-and-shoots, whether mid-range or long-range. He was a fully skilled two-guard, even without entering "The zone"...

He could still continuously help the team in various ways, doing his utmost!

He believed he could do it.

And when the three-pointer went in, the crowd instantly erupted into a massive cheer.

With that shot, not only was the gap narrowed, but Su’s score in this game also reached 22 points, just 4 points shy of Kobe’s 26... suddenly, the gap didn’t seem that large.

Barkley said, "Kenny, weren’t you just saying that Su Wan isn’t performing well?"

Kenny Smith: "..."

Who would have known that Kobe would suddenly falter at the start of the fourth?

If it was according to his scoring rate at the end of the third quarter, Su Wan would be at 22 points, but Kobe’s should have already broken 30.

"Obviously, Su Wan has found a way to limit Kobe!"

What is "only poison"!

Barkley just threw back all the comments Kenny Smith had made about Su Wan.

Only at this moment, he clearly forgot his "poison milk" tendency...

Just as he finished speaking, Kobe immediately found his rhythm again. The Pacers took turns bringing up Su Wan and Artest for a "rotation battle," only to end up "both wings flew back home," with Kobe scoring 11 points, pulling the Lakers ahead by about 6 points again in the last 2 minutes.

During this period, although Su also scored 4 points, compared with Kobe’s form, there was no comparison.

The difference between a "Superstar" and a "Star" became apparent:

Su Wan had 7 points in the fourth quarter, but Kobe’s points had already reached double digits.

Had the Pacers not had an outstanding shooting performance from the outside tonight, the Lakers might have extended the lead by more than just a bit.

But Kobe’s expression was not happy, not excited at all.

Instead, he was a bit frustrated...

Throughout the game, he had to endure Su Wan’s "trash talk," wanting to retort but immediately Phil Jackson’s sage-like demeanor would come to his mind, making him feel even more stifled.

He could ignore Su Wan’s "trash talk" and respond with his performance...

That much he could do.

But now, realizing that listening to "trash talk" seemed to bring out the strongest form of Su Wan... he felt that not countering Su Wan was akin to a psychological weakness and compromise for him.

How was that different from admitting defeat?

Could such a victory...

Even be called a victory?

Kobe glanced at the time and the final score.

Just 1 and a half minutes left, the Lakers led by 6 points...

It looked like the Lakers had the game in hand.

"Look at the score, kid, the way you talk trash makes me think the Pacers were leading!"

"You know what you should be doing now?"

"Shut up, accept the loss, and go back and review this game thoroughly, so next time I beat you it won’t be so easy!"

Kobe finally couldn’t hold back, and after another line of Su Wan’s "trash talk," he unleashed a barrage of his own.

After a few sentences of "trash talk," he immediately felt much better.

Indeed!

This was how he, the "Black Mamba," should be playing!

He had never held back even in front of Jordan, so why would he let a grasshopper like Su Wan get to him?

Phil Jackson, that "God Stick," I actually let him fool me for so long, almost lost my moral compass!

What "listening to trash talk makes me stronger"...

I’m taking on his "strongest Su Wan"!

Kobe believed that with a 5-point lead and the last 1 and a half minutes left, if he couldn’t win this game, then he deserved to lose.

Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m