Chapter 87

When Yang Mo stepped onto the court, he immediately engaged in intense interaction with Kevin Garnett, the atmosphere becoming highly charged.

Whether it was Yang Mo's question to Kevin Garnett after scoring a three-pointer, or Garnett's subsequent thumbs-down gesture, both actions significantly stirred the adrenaline of the audience watching on TV. They had come to see this, and now they finally witnessed the direct confrontation; how could they not be excited?

The fans were thrilled, but the referee was not at all excited. Instead, he was extremely nervous, fearing that the two might start fighting. He quickly pulled them aside for a brief talk, urging them to control their emotions and not affect the game. Both agreed, then glared at each other and ran to the front court.

"Oh, Yang is finally on the court, and he immediately hit a three-pointer. I love him; he saved our ratings." TNT's host Collins was almost in tears after Yang Mo came on. Damn, the ratings are finally improving.

"Although Yang saved the ratings, I still have to say that his provocation of KG was very unwise. KG will definitely go all out next, showing this rookie what an All-Star power forward is all about." Steve Kerr, who had become a Yang Mo hater after seeing him knock Randolph to the ground, firmly stated.

In contrast, the other commentator, Charles Barkley, became a complete Yang Mo fan after the latter's death block. So when Kerr made a negative comment about Yang Mo, Barkley quickly rebutted: "Wasn't Garnett's performance in the first quarter that of an All-Star center? You shouldn't be afraid to provoke anyone in the game. For me, the stronger the opponent, the happier I am. I believe Yang feels the same way."

"So... you met the greatest Michael Jordan in history, and you never won a championship ring, even when you joined the Houston Rockets at the end of your career, right?" Kerr couldn't help but snipe at Barkley.

Not winning a championship was Barkley's lifelong pain. Now that Kerr brought it up, he immediately got angry, slapped the table, and said, "Is it so great to win a championship ring as a supporting player? I've won every other honor except the championship ring. What about you? Have you ever been in the All-NBA First Team? Have you ever been an All-Star? Have you ever won an MVP? Have you ever broken any records in your career?"

Barkley's sudden outburst made the audience go wild. The tension on the court was intense, and the commentators were equally fiery, making the game incredibly exciting.

Although Collins, considering the ratings, should have let Barkley and Kerr continue their argument, he quickly intervened to keep the commentary on track: "Wow, look, Kevin Garnett has the ball. He's facing Shawn Marion near the free-throw line. He's already been successful in this position several times in this game. Will he succeed again? Will Yang help Marion with the defense?"

Collins' intervention redirected the audience's attention back to the game.

After receiving the ball near the free-throw line, Kevin Garnett didn't hesitate and immediately drove to the basket. Garnett, tall and long, with excellent ball-handling skills and more strength than the lanky Marion, found it easy to break through, even though Marion was known for his defense in his early years. But Garnett had the upper hand in every aspect; how could Marion defend?

Marion followed Garnett into the paint, ready to jump and block the shot.

But just then, Garnett suddenly stopped, and Marion quickly braked, hating the feeling of being toyed with.

However, Garnett immediately used his body to shield Marion, then spun around him, as if he were a post to be bypassed.

Easily getting past Marion, Garnett leaped to dunk, but suddenly, a figure appeared from the side.

Garnett was surprised; Yang Mo had been defending Davis on the weak side. How did he suddenly appear? Did he predict that I would stop and spin to dunk?

Garnett was surprised, but he quickly passed the ball to the unguarded Davis, who quickly took a mid-range shot... swish!

A classic bank shot.

There was no choice; Yang Mo had made a wrong judgment and had to pay for it.

He thought Garnett wouldn't pass after a full jump, but Garnett's reaction was so quick that he passed the ball before Yang Mo could jump.

Being a star player is not that easy.

"Rookie, basketball isn't just about dunking; it's also about assists," Garnett said smugly, raising his head and running to the front court with a proud stride.

Yang Mo ignored Garnett's arrogance, quickly grabbed the ball, and passed it to Chalmers, who was breaking down the court. Chalmers, however, was stopped by Rajon Rondo near the mid-court line, disrupting a potential fast break, and they had to settle for a set offense.

When Yang Mo ran to the front court, he still didn't enter the paint. This time, Glen Davis learned his lesson and closely followed Yang Mo, not giving him any open shots.

Having a fat guy closely following him didn't worry Yang Mo at all. Since Wade was being tightly guarded by Tony Allen, making it hard for him to receive the ball, Yang Mo quickly started moving around the court.

As soon as Yang Mo started running, Glen Davis, who weighed around 300 pounds, found it tough. Despite his good agility, he was still a fat guy! How could a fat guy keep up with someone running and changing directions?

So, before long, Yang Mo found an open spot, a corner three-point position.

Chalmers quickly passed the ball to him, and Yang Mo, without hesitation, took the shot... swish!

Another three-pointer!

The two corner three-point spots were where Yang Mo shot the most accurately.

"Hey, KG, don't forget to tell your little brother. Basketball isn't just about driving to the basket; it's also about taking open shots," Yang Mo shot back, not letting up after scoring.

Garnett had never been talked back to by a rookie, and with his already short temper, he immediately signaled to the coach to replace Glen Davis and have him personally deal with Yang Mo when he ran to the front court.

Just as Garnett made this gesture, his good teammate Paul Pierce created a substitution opportunity by driving into the paint and drawing a foul from Dorrell Wright. Rivers quickly prepared to make a substitution, but after scanning the bench, he found no one who could counter Marion's style. In the end, he gritted his teeth and focused on Miles. This guy, standing at 206 cm, was once hailed as the next Kevin Garnett, with a talent that was arguably the best in history for his height. He was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers, but... that was it.

This year, the Celtics signed him, and while he still had some of his talent, he seemed to have become a locker room troublemaker. After all, he had played with a failed arsonist (Ricky Davis), a rapist (Ruben Patterson), and a player who claimed to attend his grandmother's funeral but was seen at a nightclub (Randolph). How good could he be?

"Miles, you're up!" Rivers made the decision, wanting to see how much Miles could contribute on the court. If he couldn't perform, he would have to kick him out of the team.

Miles seemed to understand Rivers' intentions. After getting the chance to play, he quickly took off his shirt, gritted his teeth, and ran onto the court with the determination to perform well.

...

[Second update delivered. It's already a new day, so please give me recommendations and add to your collection. PS: Thanks to "惊..." "孤风№傲视√" "丁傲宇" for each donating 100起点币.]

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