The Way of Basketball: Never Talk Shit to Him!
Chapter 708 - 261: Even as a Substitute, He is the ’Chosen One’_4

Chapter 708: Chapter 261: Even as a Substitute, He is the ’Chosen One’_4

Aside from the fierce Bulls who still held the Eastern Conference top spot, the Heat Team, after moving LeBron James to the bench, also displayed a terrifying momentum. Prior to January, they hadn’t won a single game, but following LeBron’s move to the bench, they didn’t lose a single match, stringing together an impressive "8-game winning streak."

The team’s ferocious form appeared to purify the previously stormy public opinion climate in Miami.

Most media forgave LeBron’s "kneel-down" at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks, believing he had become an indispensable part of the Heat Team, playing an important role off the bench.

It made sense, as the Heat Team became the team with the most formidable bench firepower, leading the league with an average of 31.4 points from their bench in the second half of January.

Of course, most of those points came from LeBron James.

He averaged 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists per game with a 50% field goal percentage, a 38.6% three-point shot percentage, and a free throw percentage of 78.4%.

Yet, the moment Su Wan had feared most still occurred.

After playing the Heat Team’s final game of January, LeBron James expressed his views on the team’s current "winning streak," "I can handle any position in the team, and I will make any sacrifice to win games, including coming off the bench. Honestly, I’m still one of the best in this League, but for the sake of the Heat Team’s victories, I’m willing to maintain my current role on the team!"

Personal skill and the spirit of sacrifice, these were the words LeBron had been frequently using lately.

From this, it was clear he actually didn’t want to be on the bench.

So, what was to be done?

His current public opinion was terrible, and besides, the Heat Team hadn’t won even a single game with him starting for so long. Pat Riley didn’t want to hastily sell him at a loss.

Apart from playing off the bench, the only other option was to be benched entirely.

He had no choice but to suffer in silence.

Time proved that the "Chosen One" was indeed the "Chosen One," even if he played off the bench!

Could an ordinary superstar produce such explosive statistics while in a reserve role?

Hmph!

LeBron believed that his recent performances proved his worth.

His team advised him to emphasize his sacrifice and contribution to the team more.

This was called going with the flow, for now, the Heat Team’s public stance was that he had sacrificed and volunteered to come off the bench.

He needed to seize this opportunity well to turn around his public image.

See, Old Zhan isn’t someone who can’t sacrifice!

Look, isn’t he sacrificing now?

Upon seeing LeBron’s remarks, Su Wan shook his head helplessly. What more could be said?

A man without shame...

On February 1st, the League announced the "Monthly Best Players" for both the Eastern and Western Conferences, and the Eastern ultimately went to...

Su Wan!

Despite the New York Knicks only having a 10-6 record in January, Su Wan’s single-game score of 83 points shone brightly, and ESPN believed that this match alone was sufficient to make Su Wan the recipient of January’s "Monthly Best Player Award."

The "January Monthly Best" for the Western Conference went to Kevin Durant of the Thunder Team.

Throughout January, the Thunder Team had an 11-4 record.

Even more dazzling than the record was Kevin Durant’s average statistics for the month.

He managed to secure averages of 34.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists.

His outstanding scoring performances made him the Western Conference’s "January Monthly Best."

But Kevin Durant wasn’t happy.

His goal was to hit that 83-point mark.

No matter how hard he tried or how fierce his scoring runs started, either his performance began to fluctuate, his focus waned, or his physical fitness posed issues. frёewebnoѵēl.com

In short, scoring 30-plus was as easy as reaching into a bag for him, and he could do it whenever he wanted; for 40-plus, it depended on whether his form could last through the night; as for 50-plus...

He had tried for a month and hadn’t managed it once.

The closest he got was 48 points, yet those last two points always eluded him.

50-plus seemed to require a bit of luck...

80-plus...

When could he ever reach that?

Seeing the gap between himself and Su Wan, Kevin Durant was utterly disheartened. What was the point of merely winning "Monthly Best" if he couldn’t have Scarlett Johansson’s bathwater?

He had been going crazy thinking about Scarlett...

He even dreamed of Scarlett at night.

So on February 2nd, when the League announced the 2011 All-Star rosters for both conferences, Kevin Durant didn’t bother paying attention. Instead, he was obsessively watching Scarlett’s red carpet walk. Becoming increasingly heated, he finally couldn’t resist tweeting:

"Scarlett, I want to drink your bathwater!"

Suddenly, the entire internet was abuzz.

David Stern, seeing this news, was nearly enraged enough to retract Kevin Durant’s All-Star spot.

Another topic also caused heated debates:

LeBron James failed to make it into the Eastern All-Star lineup.

This was the first time he had missed the All-Star game since 2005.

LeBron’s team led a push, suggesting that it was because of his lack of regular-season games that he was not selected. But this was quickly refuted as although there was a games played requirement for All-Star selection, playing 14 games qualified a player.

LeBron, having attended all the games in January, was eligible for All-Star consideration.

The real reason he wasn’t selected...

League coaches felt he wasn’t qualified to enter the Eastern All-Star lineup.

LeBron James expressed his anger, "This selection process is bullshit, it’s disrespectful to us, the sixth men. We are just as crucial to our team’s victories, yet we can’t make it into the All-Star lineup simply because we are sixth men. Is this fair? This goddamn rule!"

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