NBA: Goat is actually me

Chapter 126 I Don't Want to Kill You

After beating the Boston Celtics, the Bulls will face the Nets back-to-back on the 11th and 12th.

At this time, the Nets are in the first stage of their five-year plan of tanking. It is a complete loss and it is more difficult to lose than to win against them.

The Nets' plan is to stockpile high-ranking rookies and then complete the rebuilding. This is a good idea, but the rookies they have chosen in recent years are not good, and their management's vision is average. Neither Denis Hopson nor Chris Morris can be the cornerstone of the team.

The New Jersey Nets' best chance was in 1987. If they had picked Meng Jin with the third pick, perhaps the rebuilding period could have ended early, but they missed it.

The Bulls won both games by more than 20 points. For Meng Jin, he would rather face a strong team than play against a weak team like the Nets. Clocking out after three quarters would cause him to lose a lot of data.

Meng Jin is not a stat-grubber, but there is no player who doesn't like his data sheet to be filled up. If a player says that he doesn't care about his data, it must be a lie. Usually the more a player says so, the more he cares.

After the game, when Meng Jin shook hands with the Nets players, he found that most of them had dull eyes and looked like they were either drinking heavily or taking drugs.

Even three-time All-Star player Buck Williams is the same. He averaged 18+10 per game in the first two seasons, but he had no fighting spirit and no desire to attack in today's game. Logically, he should be the boss of this team, but Buck Williams only took 10 shots throughout the game, ranking fourth in the team.

Meng Jin lamented that this place would really make people useless. Being in a bad team for a long time would affect a person's magnetic field. When a player stays in a bad team for a long time, it is easy to be assimilated. Moreover, athletes have strong energy. If they cannot use up all the energy on the court, they will definitely have wild thoughts when they return to their lives. Women, gambling, cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs are all commonplace.

If you don't want to fall, you can only ask for a transfer. For example, Mike Gominsky, the main center of the Bulls' next opponent, the 76ers, is 29 years old and does not want to waste his golden age. In order to leave this decadent place, he applied to transfer to the 76ers in the middle of last season.

After arriving at the 76ers, Mike Gominsky exclaimed that this is a professional team, these are a group of people who play basketball!
Although Barkley can eat twenty or thirty hamburgers in one meal and have some dessert after the meal, he is extremely self-disciplined compared to Gominski's previous teammates. At least he doesn't smoke, drink, take drugs, and he loves basketball.

Gominsky is not a star player. At best, he is a big man with stable production and above-average level. However, it is this level of player that makes Barkley excited for several days.

Charles Barkley really had no help around him, which made him very jealous of Jordan. At the same time, he felt that if he and Jordan swapped positions, he could do better.

During the offseason at the North Carolina training camp, Barkley often used Meng Jin to tease Jordan. Barkley's attack was simple and crude. He said that if Jordan didn't have Meng Jin, he would have been a virgin who was eliminated in the first round.

Jordan's counterattack power is also very strong. He said that if he were to lead the 76ers, they would at least make it to the playoffs.

This is why Barkley later left the North Carolina training camp and came to Syracuse University to train with Meng Jin. He and Jordan were friends off the court, but they really didn't get along on the court. Jordan's bad mouth always attacked Barkley's most vulnerable part.

Barkley couldn't even imagine what this guy would look like to him if he won the championship.

"You can't pamper that bastard Michael. You have to ask him for the ball. You have to tell him that you are the best scorer of this team and let him pass the ball to you obediently! If you let that guy shoot recklessly, it will be the end, all over. He will lead the team into the abyss."

The day before the two teams played against each other, Barkley went to Meng Jin's apartment on purpose, and it was obvious that he was trying to sow discord between them.

Meng Jin looked at the TV and said nonchalantly: "This season Michael will focus on passing and organizing, and he won't mess around."

Barkley's tone changed and he raised his voice: "Do you believe what Michael said? That guy is moody. Today he said he was responsible for organizing the whole team, and tomorrow he was like he had amnesia and shot 30 or 40 shots!"

Meng Jin smiled and said, "You know that guy very well."

Barkley: "Of course! We've known each other since the 84 Olympic trials. I know him best. You can't be fooled by him!"

"Then what should I do?" Meng Jin asked deliberately.

"Be tough! Tell him that you are the most important person on the team. That guy doesn't dare to do anything to you. He doesn't even dare to do anything to Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn, let alone you."

"Charles, to be honest, you are not suitable for sowing discord. Instead of wasting your time on this, you might as well practice basketball." Meng Jin said bluntly.

"Fuck, how did you know I was provoking you? Was it obvious?"

Barkley looked frustrated and was trying to recall which detail he had not done well.

Meng Jin was speechless. Barkley almost instigated Meng Jin to fight with Jordan. If this guy was a spy, he would definitely be the first to be discovered because his intentions would be exposed on his face.

"Charles, want pizza?"

Meng Jin didn't want to talk nonsense with Barkley anymore. He put the two pizzas into the microwave without waiting for Barkley to reply. He knew that Barkley's answer would definitely be "YES".

Three minutes later, Barkley picked up the pizza and put it into his mouth: "Meng, you know, I'm trying to lose weight recently. If someone else invites me to eat pizza, I will definitely refuse. But you are different. You are my brother, I have to give you this face."

It took Meng Jin one minute to heat up the pizzas, and it took Barkley one and a half minutes to eat the two pizzas.

When Meng Jin came out from the bathroom, the plate was empty.

Meng Jin looked at Barkley in shock. Barkley licked his fingers and said, "It tastes really good. By the way, don't you want to get yourself something to eat?"

Barkley thought the two pizzas were for him alone.
In the second day's game, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Philadelphia 126ers 107-76.

Five players on the 76ers scored in double digits, but no one scored more than 20 points.

Charles Barkley only got 17 points and 10 rebounds tonight, far below his normal level.

"Charles, since when did you start playing egalitarian basketball?"

After the game, Meng Jin walked up to Barkley and teased.

"Fuck, it's all your fault!" Barkley said.

Meng Jin was confused: "Is it my fault? Was the pizza last night poisonous?"

Barkley shook his head: "Pizza doesn't have it, but you do. It's too tiring to defend you! Too damn tiring!" It's not that Barkley didn't want to attack today, but he didn't have the energy to attack. He tried his best just to defend Meng Jin.

It was not coach Jim Linam's idea to defend Meng Jin tonight, but Barkley volunteered.

Barkley was very confident. He thought that he had practiced with Meng Jin for an offseason and knew him inside and out. He would definitely be able to lock him down today.

Meng Jin was locked down, and Jordan was sure to attack on his own. Didn't those divisive words he said last night become a fact?
Barkley is indeed very familiar with Meng Jin's offensive habits. For example, if he chooses to shoot after passing the ball with his right hand, he usually only dribbles once. If he dribbles more than twice, he will most likely break through. For example, when Meng Jin uses Meng Jinbu, his first step will be smaller and faster than normal, and the second step will be a big step with all his strength.

But Barkley soon discovered that even knowing Meng Jin's habits still couldn't stop him from scoring.

For example, at 7 minutes and 29 seconds in the second quarter, Meng Jin received the ball and ran down the court quickly, while Barkley retreated while observing Meng Jin's movements.

When Meng Jin approached him and quickly took a step to the right, Barkley's brain was spinning rapidly. He knew that this time Meng Jin would make progress.

The moment Meng Jin took his second step, Barkley moved forward to the right.

Barkley can predict, and Meng Jin is not a robot!
Meng Jin was also able to adapt to the situation. When he took the second step, he did a high kick and blocked his elbow at the same time.

Iron elbow clears the way!
Barkley reacted quickly, leaning back and taking a step back, avoiding Meng Jin's iron elbow and sitting on the ground.

After Barkley fell to the ground, Meng Jin scored two points with a very elegant left-handed dunk.

Barkley quickly stood up and butted Meng Jin with his head: "You want to kill me?"

Meng Jin said coldly: "If I wanted to kill you, you would have been lying on the ground instead of sitting on it."

Although it is said that there are no brothers on the basketball court and anyone wearing different team uniforms is an enemy, Meng Jin obviously held back just now. If it was Bill Laimbeer defending him just now, Meng Jin would not have used his elbow to clear the way, but would have directly elbowed him in the face.

After Meng Jin finished speaking, he jogged to defend half the court, while Barkley stayed where he was and thought quietly for a while, as if it was indeed the case.

However, Meng Jinliang's elbow was not the most unacceptable thing for Barkley. What he could not accept the most was the commentator shouting: "He was knocked down! Charles Barkley was knocked down by Meng!"

Barkley couldn't help but rush to the commentary booth and yelled at Johnny Kerr: "Do you have cataracts? Didn't you see his big elbow?"

Barkley's behavior successfully attracted the attention of the referee, who gave him a T without saying a word.

Meng Jin scored 31 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks in this game. Barkley's defense was very tough, but that was all. His defensive skills were average and he was too obsessed with blocking shots, which would cause him to miss at the slightest touch. If Meng Jin's mid-range touch wasn't so average tonight, he thought he would have no problem getting 40+.

A day later, the Bulls players came to Philadelphia back-to-back. Barkley was at full firepower in this game. Since he couldn't defend him anyway, he might as well let go.

Barkley was dry tonight, scoring 46 points in regular time and sending the game into overtime with a layup in the last 39 seconds.

Of course, the 76ers' ability to play the Bulls so closely was not only due to Barkley.

Gominsky and Ron Anderson both scored 19 points. As Maurice Cheeks gets older this season and his condition further declines, Gominsky is now almost the strongest helper around Barkley.

Ron Anderson is the unexpected surprise of the 76ers this season. He performed mediocrely in the Pacers last season, averaging only 7.3 points per game. In the first six games of the new season, his average data skyrocketed to 6 points. This is not accidental. He had too few opportunities to perform in the Pacers, with only 14.5 shooting opportunities per game. When he came to the 5.9ers, this number increased to 76 times.

The Pacers have too many good outside players. Chuck Bosen, Wall Fleming, and John Long all need the right to shoot. There is also Reggie Miller, who is Ramsey's key training target, on the bench. There is too little stage for Ron Anderson.

It was different when he came to the 76ers. Apart from Barkley, there were no outside ball handlers. Even in his All-Star season, point guard Cheeks only averaged 9.5 shots per game. He was a player good at connecting and defending. He was the starting point guard in the 76ers' championship season with Julius Irving and Moses Malone. Just think about it and you will know that he must be a guy who does not occupy the ball and shooting rights.

Other players' daily worry is how to take more shots and score more points, while Barkley's daily worry is how to digest these shots. So Ron Anderson is lucky, otherwise, with his level, he would not be able to get 14 shots per game in any team.

After entering the overtime, Barkley continued to attack the basket, and in the first round of overtime, he rushed in and made a flying slam dunk, igniting the atmosphere of the home court.

His impact is no different from when the game started. Barkley's physical fitness is also at the top level in the league. To be precise, except for his appearance, all other aspects of him are top-notch.

Of course, this is Meng Jin's evaluation. Barkley himself doesn't think so. He always thinks that he is more handsome than Jordan and is on par with Meng Jin. If he could put on a handsome suit, the two of them would even be 60-40, with Barkley 60% and Meng Jin 40%.

Barkley thinks that the reason why Meng Jin is so good at picking up girls is because he is good at talking, and girls just fall for sweet talk, while he suffers because he is too straightforward.

Meng Jin only agreed with the last half of the whole paragraph. Barkley was indeed too straightforward. Meng Jin had witnessed Barkley's god-level pick-up skills with his own eyes. Once when they were training together, Barkley walked up to a female college student. Meng Jin pricked up his ears, wanting to know what Barkley would say.

As a result, Barkley made Meng Jin burst out immediately as soon as he opened his mouth: "Your butt looks very soft, and my big hands can just control it."

Meng Jin swore that if he were that girl, he would definitely sue Barkley for sexual harassment. The most outrageous thing was that Barkley's approach was actually successful. However, an hour later, Barkley came back angrily. When Meng Jin asked, he found out that he was blackmailed by the female college student. He won't go into details about what happened, but it cost him 15000 US dollars to settle the matter.

In the first two minutes of overtime, the 76ers had a good offensive performance, but in the last three minutes, they lost momentum, only scoring three points and eventually losing the game 3-130.

After all, Barkley was no match for the Bulls, as he was beaten back to back by the Bulls. Gominsky and Ron Anderson were fine in the regular stage, but disappeared at the critical moment.

Barkley was already very tired in the final moments, but he still had to handle the ball himself, hold the ball, shoot by himself, and even rush into the inside to grab rebounds and fight for second offense.

Jordan scored 37 points, 13 assists and 13 rebounds in this game.

Meng Jin was even more explosive than him, scoring 50 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks.

Meng Jin felt exhausted but also refreshed in this game. This was the first time he played overtime in the regular season since entering the NBA, and also the first time he scored 50+ points this season!

(End of this chapter)