The NBA's Absolute Dominance

Chapter 76 Playing ball with him is really deadly!
A group of security guards had already arrived. Tang Bei got up, and Barkley quickly scrambled to his feet.

Tang Bei asked, "Fatty, you're getting on in years, haven't you won a championship yet? I watched the Bulls win the championship last time, it didn't seem too difficult."

This really hit Barkley where it hurt, and he was so angry that his face turned red as he said:

"Kid, Michael Jordan didn't win a championship until his seventh season. Do you think winning a championship is easy? You'll find out how difficult it is later."

Tang Bei fell silent for a moment. Indeed, even someone as strong as Michael Jordan didn't win a championship until his seventh season. So how many years would he have to wait to win an NBA championship? Until the perfect combination of timing, location, and people?
Thinking about it this way, he felt that his conflict with Larry Johnson was perhaps a bit unreasonable, since that short guy was quite capable.

"Forget it, he doesn't have a mid-range shot, and he's not a good match for me at all. I need a defensive power forward so I can focus more on offense."

"Either he leaves, or I leave. We're incompatible by nature, and we can't work together if we're on different paths."

"Besides, if you can't be the leader of a team, even if you win the championship, it's just doing the work for someone else, which is meaningless."

"Comrade Lu is right. A true man lives between heaven and earth; how can he remain subservient to others for long? First, be the leader, then figure out how to win the championship. Isn't that wonderful? Hehe!"

While Tang Bei was daydreaming, Barkley noticed the bandage on Larry Johnson's chin and suddenly had a flash of inspiration: this kid has been sidelined for several days due to injury, could he have already been beaten up by Tang?
Thinking about it this way, he couldn't help but get angry. He hooked his arm around Larry Johnson's neck, pulled him to a secluded spot, and asked in a low, angry voice, "Kid, you lost too?"

Larry Johnson looked around awkwardly, but remained silent.

"Then why won't you tell me?"

Barkley raised his voice angrily.

"What do you want me to say?"

Larry Johnson, feeling embarrassed, stammered.

"Tough luck!"

Barkley said dejectedly.

It was almost eight o'clock, and the warm-up was over. On the two benches, the head coach was giving final tactical instructions.

"Don, Larry, I hope you two can work together so that our team can unleash its true potential, OK?"

Tang Bei glanced down at Larry Johnson and muttered, "Did you hear that? The coach told you to give me some space under the basket."

Larry Johnson clenched his fists instantly, his breathing quickened, and he felt a renewed pain in the wound on his chin that was almost healed.

Bristol's headache instantly worsened. "Tang, is that what I meant? I clearly said you guys should cooperate and not fight amongst yourselves, okay?"
In Larry Johnson's comeback game, Tvercz, fearing another round of infighting, also came to the away game. Upon hearing Tang Bei's words, he couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"Can't you accept defeat? If you dare to deny it, then let's have another round. This time, I'll invite you." Tang Bei muttered angrily.

Larry Johnson's teeth were practically grinding to powder, making a rattling sound, before he spat out a cold sentence through gritted teeth: "OK, you go in, I'll come out."

From that moment on, he knew he had nothing to do with being the Hornets' leader anymore, and he had to leave the team. His patience with Tang Bei had reached its limit.

"It's a word."

Out of habit, Tang Bei used a Chinese idiom in Mandarin.

John Liu, who was sitting idly by and felt like he was about to lose his job, was stunned when he heard this. "Tang Bei, how am I supposed to translate this?"

Seeing everyone staring at him, he thought for a moment and had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Deal, that's what it means."

Bristol and Tvortske were stunned. No, the conflict was resolved just like that?
Then Tvertzke thought of a question: should either Larry Johnson or Tang Bei leave? If only they could both stay!
He has been thinking about it over the past few days, but even without considering the feasibility of the trade, and only taking into account the importance of the two players to the team, he still cannot decide who to trade.

Tang Bei reached his peak right from the start, but judging from their current performances, Larry Johnson's importance on the court is slightly lower than Tang Bei's.

But off the court, Larry Johnson's commercial value is even more important to the Hornets.

Of course, Tang Bei's influence in Charlotte is also rapidly increasing, and his future commercial value will not be low, but it is still far from being as high as Larry Johnson's.

As a small team, the Hornets' owner isn't very wealthy, and it's already good enough if they don't take money from the team. Therefore, the team's operation is very important, and they should not trade Larry Johnson unless absolutely necessary.

In fact, winning a championship isn't the most important goal for a small team; ensuring the team's survival through sound management is paramount. Therefore, he can only stall; he won't make a trade unless the knife is at his throat.

Now, however, the situation seems to have changed. Tang Bei is becoming more domineering and assertive, and Larry Johnson seems to be showing signs of yielding.

Of course, this submission was forced and could not last, so although he was happy, he still had some worries.

Actually, Tvertzke was wrong. After Tang Bei and Larry Johnson fought once, their relationship had completely soured. There was no such thing as becoming friends after a fight.

The competition began at 8:00 AM sharp.

Tang Bei and Mark West jump for the ball, and the Hornets go on offense.

When Tang Bei moved down to the left wing to call for the ball, Larry Johnson, true to his promise, did not call for position but instead moved to the right midfield position.

As point guard Muggsy Bogues approached the top of the key with the ball, just two steps away from the defender, he suddenly lobbed the ball to the left wing low post.

Tang Bei received the ball and, without pausing, immediately began a back-to-the-basket move.

After a month of real-world practice, his low-post back-to-the-basket game has reached level 73, and the practice has allowed his skills to improve very quickly.

Although his skills are still only at a third-rate level, his top-notch talent makes his offensive capabilities absolutely first-rate.

The first tentative dribble and post-up move knocked Mark West back a step. Then, with a second powerful dribble and post-up move, there was a loud thud, and Mark West flew backward with a heavy body impact.

"..."

Mark West was stunned. The moment he was hit, his chest jolted, and his heart stopped. It felt like he had been hit by a bus, which terrified him.

"Oh!"

A huge gasp erupted in the American West Arena as they watched their star center being knocked flying.

"Oh!"

Bill Russell and the other two exclaimed in surprise at the same time.

When Barkley, who was defending Larry Johnson, saw this, he was startled and his steps faltered as he returned to defend the basket, stopping on the right side in front of the rim.

"Oh!"

Mark West crashed to the floor, and the floor bounced twice.

"boom!"

At the same time, with an explosive, one-handed dunk that shattered the Suns' basket.

"This kid is really fierce, his style is completely different from Hakim and the other two," Barkley thought to himself in amazement.

"God, playing ball with him is really deadly!"

Panting, Mark West was pulled up by Barkley. He felt as if his entire chest had been run over by a tank, and he was in pain from the outside in. His breath seemed to carry a bloody smell.

"Mark, well done, keep up the tough defense." Barkley encouraged him, patting his head.

Mark West was terrified. "Continue? Do I want to die? Damn Barkley, shouldn't you have said, 'Hey bro, I'll guard him next round?'"

In the live broadcast room, Mave Albert shouted excitedly: "The behemoth's unique low-post back-to-the-basket style is very savage and brutal, full of infinite violent aesthetics."

But it gets people's blood pumping, and I love that style. Besides Tang, only Shaquille O'Neal has a similar style of center.

Chamberlain said, "It was definitely a behemoth style; we didn't have that kind of play back then."

Bill Russell said, "This style is too talent-dependent. Most centers don't have that much muscle, let alone that explosiveness and impact."

(End of this chapter)