The longest river

Chapter 195 "Michael, Scotty is a really good second-in-command"

The Wizards and Bulls game had already ended before the Trail Blazers and Lakers game finished.

The Wizards thrashed the Bulls 108-68.

Jordan scored 34 points in three quarters, dominating his former backcourt partner Ron Harper, and also outplaying Brent Barry, whom Krause had proclaimed as his successor at media day.

This match made everyone understand two things.

First, although news reports kept accusing Jordan of spending time in casinos and golf courses during the lockout, he silenced all doubts with his performance.

With only eleven days left until his 36th birthday, Jordan, who redefined his status as a god last season, remains the basketball god familiar to fans.

Secondly, the Bulls can trade away all their valuable players and then tank without worry.

"Hansen, this Wizards team is pretty strong."

In the locker room after the game, Lu, who was well-informed, immediately chatted with Yang Shuai about the Wizards' game.

"That's great! We have a chance to play them in the finals."

As a time traveler, he had heard of "Genius Joe".

The two years Jordan played for the Wizards are generally considered by Jordan fans to be unnecessary, because apart from lowering Jordan's stats and giving LeBron fans more reasons to attack Jordan, they had no real significance.

Although Jordan is only 36 years old now, which is fundamentally different from the 38-year-old Jordan who retired and came back without systematic training, the same team still makes him worry.

However, given the current trend, Yang Shuai's dream of playing in the NBA Finals against Jordan has a chance to become a reality.

Pippen had just walked into the locker room at that moment.

"Scottie, do you want to play Michael in the Finals?"

Lu then called out to him.

This question caught Pippen off guard.

He wanted to prove that he could succeed without Jordan, and he dreamed of winning a championship with the Trail Blazers, but he never thought of beating Jordan to achieve those goals.

Yang Shuai also looked at Pippen, curious about how Pippen would respond.

Pippen smiled, didn't answer, and went back to his seat.

Yang Shuai couldn't help but shake his head.

If someone is bullied by another person for a long time, they may not even have the thought of fighting back.

The shortened season has a tight schedule, with the Trail Blazers playing five games in a week after their opening game, including two back-to-back games.

As a result, Carlisle had to expand his rotation, giving Lue, Cato, Booth and others more playing time.

Even so, the Trail Blazers still managed to get off to a five-game winning streak.

It's not that they've become so strong that they can easily win, but it's quite obvious that their opponents have declined significantly in strength compared to last season.

Shaquille O'Neal gaining 20 pounds is not an isolated case; even more extreme cases include Shawn Kemp of the Cavaliers and Vin Baker of the SuperSonics.

These two big men, who were in the same trade last season, have gone from zero to zero, gaining a full 30 pounds!
This is just the most typical example; other teams have similar problems to varying degrees.

Just as Yang Shuai thought, the suspension of the season divided the players into two completely different groups.

Whether due to a lack of self-discipline or a lack of resources, many players have lost their physical condition, resulting in a significant drop in their performance in the new season.

Of course, not all teams are like that, or rather, it is precisely because of the comparison that some teams stand out.

The Wizards, Pacers, and Heat in the East, and the Spurs, Jazz, and Trail Blazers in the West are in significantly better form than the other teams.

It was already mid-February, which is usually the time of the All-Star Game.

However, this year's shortened season has an incredibly tight schedule to avoid impacting the next season, so it's impossible to hold an All-Star game.

At this point, the game between the Trail Blazers and the Wizards became known as the "All-Star Game" among fans.

Last season, Jordan avenged his loss to the Pacers and defeated Hakeem Olajuwon in the Finals to win the championship, restoring his legendary status. It can be said to be one of the most perfect championships in NBA history.

The only regret is that Yang Shuai wasn't on the Pacers team he defeated.

Young's defense against Jordan was crucial to the Pacers' victory over the Bulls. The image of Young defending Jordan until he fell to the ground is a poster that many new fans put on their room walls.

Last season, the Trail Blazers were not strong enough and were eliminated in the conference semifinals, failing to face Jordan in the NBA Finals.

However, this season, both of their teams have performed exceptionally well (neither has lost a game), giving Jordan the opportunity to make up for this shortcoming.

Or rather, just like the Cavaliers-Warriors rivalry that Yang Shuai watched before his time travel, and like the Bulls-Rockets matchup before, this is a Finals matchup that fans are looking forward to.

Of course, this is also the part that the league is currently focusing on promoting.

If these two teams meet in the Finals and the Wizards win the championship, Jordan will not only be able to collect the "last fragment of Godhood" – Yang Shuai – but he will also prove that he can win a championship even without Pippen and the Bulls, truly demonstrating his "human strength".
If the Trail Blazers win the championship, Yang Shuai will be just like Jordan back then, taking over the torch from the league's current best player.

Either outcome would be something Stern would be happy to see.

However, there is a lot of uncertainty in this matter. After all, if the Rockets hadn't unexpectedly made it to the Finals last year, the showdown between Jordan and Olajuwon in the Finals would have been a permanent regret.

Therefore, we cannot place all our hopes on the finals. As the only matchup in the shortened regular season, there will inevitably be a lot of publicity.

The game was played at the Wizards' home arena, Verizon Center.

The Trail Blazers arrived a day early, and when they held their open practice, there were more media reporters on the sidelines than at any previous game.

DC already had the most media outlets in the US, and Jordan's arrival drew them to the basketball court.

After the training session ended, Yang Shuai was quickly surrounded by reporters, with all sorts of cameras and microphones pointed around him.

Yang Shuai now thinks that the media reports about Jordan joining the Wizards because of the media were not unfounded. In this era when the internet was not so developed, the media was the biggest propaganda machine.

"Two years ago in the conference finals, you defended Michael and became famous overnight. Can you do it again tonight?"

"No, I'm not trying to stop Michael, I'm trying to beat him."

Yang Shuai's words drew a flurry of flashes from the surrounding cameras.

Essentially, Yang Shuai played the role of the second option for the Pacers. As Pippen said, it was the Pacers who beat the Bulls, not Yang Shuai who beat Jordan.

But now, Yang Shuai is the leader of the Trail Blazers, and like Jordan, he is the leader of his respective team. This change in roles makes their matchups completely different from the past.

However, precisely because of this, Yang Shuai's words resonated particularly strongly with the media.

A 21-year-old player saying he wants to lead a team to beat Jordan's team is bound to generate a lot of buzz.

On the night of the game, the Verizon Center was packed to capacity.

This arena is somewhat similar to the Rose Garden Arena; both were only put into use last season and are also new arenas.

Because of Jordan, the Wizards' attendance and popularity have increased exponentially this season, and being located in DC has also attracted many big names to attend.

Yang Shuai even recognized one of them, the old Trump who had provided him with a lot of fun when he was in school. He and his daughter Ivanka were sitting in the front row, right in the center.

During the pre-game warm-up, Jordan went to the Trail Blazers' side and caught up with Pippen for a while.

Pippen's decision not to follow Jordan to the Wizards did not change Jordan's attitude towards Pippen.

Just as Yang Shuai had verified with the system, Jordan believed in his heart that his success with the Bulls was inseparable from Pippen.

However, something interesting happened: Pippen's appearance during the opening ceremony drew some boos from DC fans.

Jordan's attitude towards Pippen does not represent DC fans' opinion of Pippen. In their eyes, Pippen gave up following Jordan and joining the Wizards for money, which they despise.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups for both sides were announced.

Trail Blazers: Billups, Young, Pippen, Wallace, Sabonis

Wizards: Strickland, Richmond, Jordan, Juwan Howard, Ben Wallace

When the two teams started, Strickland and Sabonis exchanged greetings at midfield.

This game wasn't just about Jordan and Pippen being former teammates; Strickland, the former leader of the Trail Blazers, was also a teammate of Sabonis.

Including Yang Shuai, not only Jordan, but also Richmond, who was matched up against him, was a well-known "stepping stone" in his rookie season.

Tonight's match can also be described as a "battle of familiar faces".

However, Yang Shuai was still stunned when he saw Ben Wallace.

He genuinely didn't notice that Ben Wallace was actually with the Wizards at that moment.

Among the Pistons' starting five, the most famous is undoubtedly "Big Ben," with six All-Defensive Team selections, five All-NBA Team selections, and four Defensive Player of the Year awards. He is the least ordinary of the "people's Pistons."

Of course, he is also one of James' many CBA teammates, whom his deskmate complained about, saying that "as long as he's on the court, the Cavaliers' offense is always 4 against 5."

Then Yang Shuai couldn't help but turn his head to look at Billups and Wallace beside him.

Three of the "Pistons' starting five" are playing on this court tonight.

With the referee's whistle, this "All-Star Game," also known as a "battle of acquaintances," began.

Sabonis won possession for the Trail Blazers, and Yang Shuai immediately shook off Richmond and scored a three-pointer to take the lead.

Back then, Yang Shuai relied more on defense and team tactics to gain an advantage when facing Richmond, but now he can do it with his individual ability alone.

Turning back, Jordan used Ben Wallace's screen to get out, received a pass from Strickland, and made the shot smoothly.

Judging from Jordan's muscular physique, it's clear that he must have trained a lot during the lockout after deciding not to retire.

Jordan's self-discipline didn't need to be proven through media publicity; his "Breakfast Club" was enough to deter most players.

Yang Shuai then broke past Richmond and accelerated into the paint for his signature tomahawk dunk.

The Trail Blazers' spacing style of play is very conducive to star players' one-on-one offense, because as long as they have an advantage in one-on-one situations, if you don't help defend in advance, you have no chance to help defend.

However, Jordan used a screen to shake off Pippen, who rushed out, and then hit a mid-range jumper after a quick stop.

Media hype, coupled with the pent-up desires stemming from past grievances, led Yang Shuai and Jordan to abandon any preliminaries and jump straight into action.

Fans also experience the thrill of fast-forwarding directly to the climax of a short film.

Moreover, they also felt a sense of temporal and spatial displacement when watching the game.

Jordan is still Jordan. Although his physical condition has declined, his skills and fighting spirit are still at their peak.

Yang Shuai's playing style looks like a young Jordan with enhanced three-point shooting;
However, as the competition progressed, the two players' performances began to diverge.

After Collins realized that Richmond couldn't stop Yang Shuai, he started to double-team him. Yang Shuai then used the ability he had developed as a ball-handling big man last season to frequently deliver passes to his teammates.

Wallace's baseline catch-and-go scoring, Sabonis' mid-range free throws, and Billups' more consistent three-pointers from the top of the arc compared to last season make even simple drive-and-kick plays look incredibly threatening.
On the other hand, Jordan, after finding his rhythm using tactics at the start of the game, began to engage in more low-post isolation plays.

Yang Shuai successfully defended against his attrition tactics once before. Since last season, he has paid special attention to energy management. He has streamlined his arsenal and kept only offensive methods that consume relatively little energy.

Then he frequently scored against Pippen in one-on-one situations.

Collins was also applauding Jordan frequently from a distance.

In his mind, Jordan didn't need any complicated tactics; that would be a waste of time. One-on-one was the best tactic.

Then every time Jordan scored against Pippen in a one-on-one situation, the crowd erupted in cheers.

Unlike Richmond, who couldn't stop Yang Shuai, Pippen's defensive aggression against Jordan was noticeably lacking, and his body language gave off a timid and hesitant impression.

At halftime, the score was 54-50, with the Wizards leading.

Yang Shuai scored 22 points and 5 assists in the first half, while Jordan scored 28 points.

The two players' high-scoring performance in the first half thrilled the fans.

Another player who impressed was Ben Wallace, who replaced Rodman in the starting lineup. He grabbed 6 rebounds and made 2 blocks in the first half.

Moreover, his performance is not only reflected in the statistics. He can not only hold his own against Sabonis in the low post, but his help defense ability also shows a hint of Rodman.

Both sides entered the halftime break.

After returning to the locker room, Yang Shuai walked to the corner where Pippen was.

What exactly are you afraid of about him?

He can accept that Pippen couldn't stop Jordan, after all, he himself couldn't stop him back then either.

He couldn't accept Pippen's defensive attitude; Pippen didn't even put enough strain on Jordan.

Of course, more importantly, just like when Lue asked Pippen if he wanted to face Jordan in the Finals and Pippen didn't answer, if Pippen can't overcome that psychological barrier, he can't really go against Jordan.

Pippen looked angry, and Yang Shuai's questioning style drew the attention of the other players in the locker room.

Although he was certain that Yang Shuai needed him, he was very dissatisfied with Yang Shuai's disregard for his feelings.

Can't you, a high school student, learn from Jordan and use a gentler approach?!
"That's MJ!" Pippen was a little embarrassed, and finally managed to stammer out a sentence.

In this era, Jordan is synonymous with greatness. Even though he was defeated by the Pacers two years ago, his status among players has returned after his successful revenge last season.

Just as "becoming the next Jordan" remains the pursuit of most young people, "losing to Jordan is normal" is also the thought of most players.

However, these words instantly enraged Yang Shuai.

"That's just a 36-year-old man!"

Lu had already gotten up to go up and try to persuade them, but Yang Shuai's shout made him sit back down.

Yang Shuai really wanted to kick Pippen.

In subsequent conversations with Lue, he learned about Pippen's experience in the opening game.

From Lue, he learned that Pippen didn't go to the Wizards with Jordan because he wanted to prove that he could succeed even without Jordan.

However, the current situation is that if the Trail Blazers do make it to the Finals, their opponent will most likely be the Wizards.

Pippen's mentality not only won't help the Trail Blazers, but will also drag them down like it did tonight.

Pippen's face turned red, but he still didn't dare to say anything about telling Yang Shuai to defend.

Having played in the league for ten years, he knows very well that basketball is not a one-man game. Even Jordan in his prime could not be the main offensive and defensive player all game.

Otherwise, the Bulls wouldn't have waited until he joined the team and developed before overcoming the Pistons and finally winning the championship.

The higher the level of the situation, the more important it is for everyone to perform their respective duties.

If Yang Shuai is really assigned to guard Jordan, then the Trail Blazers' offense will inevitably have to rely on him as the primary scorer. He hasn't found his form on offense yet, and if he really becomes the primary scorer, he'll only look more pathetic on the court.

However, he didn't speak, but Yang Shuai did.

"I'll guard Michael in the second half."

Pippen's eyes widened, but Yang Shuai had already turned and left, giving him no chance to choose.

After halftime, DC fans were in a frenzy.

The first half proved that Jordan is still Jordan, and he will bring a new championship trophy to the Wizards this season.

However, at the start of the second half, not only the fans but also Jordan were somewhat surprised when Yang Shuai switched to guard him.

"Michael, do you really think Scotty came to Portland just for the money?"

As soon as Yang Shuai opened his mouth, his brows furrowed involuntarily.

This guy never says anything nice.

"And Phil Jackson, Steve Kerr, why don't they choose to follow you anymore?"

Jordan chose to turn his head away.

He was clearly not going to fall for it; Yang Shuai had used this tactic on him far too many times before.

"I ask you, if it were you, would you choose to accompany a 36-year-old man on his 'old age craziness'?"

"Negative energy from Michael Jordan +1240".

What the hell is going crazy in his old age? Jordan is 36, not 63!
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won Finals MVP at 38 years old. You're so ignorant, kid.

Yang Shuai successfully provoked Jordan, but Jordan still didn't ask for the ball and was about to signal Strickland to move the ball to the weak side.

However, Yang Shuai's next words made him stop.

"Scottie, defending Michael isn't just about using your hands, it's also about using your mouth!"

Yang Shuai turned to Pippen and gave him a live demonstration.

Pippen was shocked. Of course he knew how sharp Yang Shuai's tongue was on the court; he knew that before he came to Portland.

The problem is that Yang Shuai is now using him to provoke Jordan!

Jordan reached out for the ball.

He can maintain strategic composure at any time, except against Pippen.

If he doesn't teach Yang Shuai a lesson, Pippen will really think that he, as the leader, is no longer capable.

After receiving the ball, Jordan opted for a post-up move, then drove to the free-throw line and pulled up for a jump shot.

The two were already very familiar with each other, and Yang Shuai jumped almost simultaneously with Jordan.

This round shows that Yang Shuai has a greater advantage over Jordan on the defensive end.

Jordan, who was going down the mountain, and Yang Shuai, who was going up the mountain, had already brushed past each other at some unknown moment.

Jordan dodged the shot with a layup in mid-air, but Yang Shuai was already prepared for this move. Although the assistant's sweeping motion didn't block Jordan, it provided the latter with a second interference.

"when!"

Jordan's one-on-one attempt ultimately hit the rim and went out.

After landing, Yang Shuai turned around and grabbed the defensive rebound.

"Scottie, see? He's just a 36-year-old man!"

Yang Shuai is determined to get Pippen to take that step today.

Pippen's face burned with embarrassment, and he dared not look directly at Jordan. Yang Shuai had forcibly tied him to the ship of fighting against Jordan.

However, to Pippen's surprise, after the two sides switched sides, Yang Shuai did not go to the weak side to draw attention, but instead continued to ask for the ball on the strong side to attack.

He was stunned for a moment before he realized that Yang Shuai was going to take charge of both offense and defense in the second half!

He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

However, as the rounds progressed and he watched Yang Shuai give his all on both offense and defense, a strange emotion welled up inside him uncontrollably.

Because Yang Shuai acted as if he was completely unnecessary!

Even recalling Lu's words, including Yang Shuai's words at the press conference, they were all indirect hints. Yang Shuai never said "I need you" to him like she did to Billups.

With about 7 minutes left in the third quarter, the game went into a timeout.

Yang Shuai's successful defense against Jordan gave the Trail Blazers the initiative right from the start.

However, as Yang Shuai's energy waned, the Wizards gradually turned the tide.

Just as Lue said back then, this Wizards team is very strong.

After leaving the court, Yang Shuai took the towel handed to him by Lu and wiped his sweat, then turned and looked coldly at Pippen.

disappointment.

His eyes betrayed his deep disappointment.

He tied Pippen to the ship of opposing Jordan, not to cause a break between Pippen and Jordan, because he didn't have the time to pay attention to their past grievances.

He was pushing Pippen to break free from the psychological trauma caused by Jordan's long-term bullying, because only then could Pippen truly help the Trail Blazers.

But now he was truly disappointed. For so long, Pippen had watched him fight alone, without showing any intention of stepping forward.

What use is a Pippen like that?

We're better off without a Pippen like that!

Carlisle picked up the tactical board and was about to deploy tactics when Yang Shuai suddenly got up and walked over to Pippen.

Under everyone's astonished gaze, Yang Shuai spoke to Pippen:

“If you’re sure you can’t live without Michael, then I’ll talk to Bob tomorrow and have him send you to the Wizards.”

Yang Shuai's tone was calm, but it stunned everyone around him, including Pippen.

This is not a locker room, and Yang Shuai is not afraid of being accused by the media of interfering with management.

And he finally spoke to Pippen, but not in the way Pippen wanted, "I need you," but rather, "I don't need you."

"But you better hope you don't run into me in the finals, or I'll bury you and that old guy together."

If Pippen is useless to the Trail Blazers, if he only chokes, then let him go back to Jordan's side.

Last season, Jordan needed 45 points to win the Finals; now he'll probably need 50, which is a good thing.

The Trail Blazers' bench fell silent; even Carlisle put down his clipboard.

Yang Shuai's words just now imply a complete abandonment of Pippen, whose career with the Trail Blazers lasted less than a month.

However, no one spoke up for Pippen.

It's not because Pippen just joined this season, but because Pippen is really too timid.

Whether it was facing Kobe before or Jordan now.

As Yang Shuai said at the press conference, Pippen is a veteran who has played in the league for ten years, not a rookie who just entered the league.

Even Billups, in his second year, knew that shame was the mother of courage.

Just then, Pippen suddenly stood up abruptly from the bench.

Wallace reacted quickly, reaching out to stop Pippen.

Pippen is gone, but if he had gotten into a fight with Yang Shuai before leaving, it would have had a huge negative impact on the Trail Blazers.

However, Wallace stopped halfway through reaching out, and everyone else on the Trail Blazers' bench stared wide-eyed.

"I'll go guard against that old man!"

After being pushed to the brink by Yang Shuai, Pippen's inner desire finally broke through the psychological shadow he had cast over Jordan.

He doesn't want to go back to those days when winning was all Jordan's fault and losing was all his fault!
Yang Shuai stared at Pippen for a long time until the whistle blew to signal a pause on the court.

After the timeout, the Wizards resume their offense.

When Jordan got to the frontcourt, he found that the person guarding him had changed from Yang Shuai back to Pippen.

His previously furrowed brows finally relaxed.

It wasn't that he was afraid of Yang Shuai's defense, but rather that Yang Shuai's trash talk was just too annoying.

But now things are better, with Pippen on the team, he can finally have some peace and quiet...

"Michael, do you know why I won't go to Washington with you?"

Yang Shuai had already asked the same question at the start of the second half.

However, Yang Shuai was speaking from the perspective of a third party, while Pippen was the person directly involved.

"Because you don't respect us at all. Me, and Steve (Kerr), why should we be bossed around by you on the training field every day? We're your teammates, not your dogs!"

Jordan's eyes widened in shock.

Having spent so much time with Pippen, he knew Pippen's personality very well, and he didn't recognize the tough-minded Pippen he was seeing at this moment.

"Why should we be blamed when the team loses, while they turn a blind eye to your 6-for-24 shooting performance, including 0-for-6 from three-point range?"

Pippen's questioning continued.

Clearly, Pippen's words weren't spoken out of the blue, but rather something he had been holding back for a very long time.

He had to hold it in before because they were teammates, but now Yang Shuai forced him to break through that psychological barrier, and he let it all out at once.

Jordan opened his mouth wide, realizing he didn't know how to answer.

He wanted to tell Pippen: Is it because of my extreme desire for victory that I bully you guys?
Or should he say that he can't control what the media says?

These are all pale in comparison, because nothing is certain; it all depends on whether he wants to or not.

He can lead his teammates in other ways, or he can use his influence to pressure the media.

However, because of his personality, he did not do that.

And the eventual success made him feel that there was nothing wrong with those methods.

If we win, everything is right.

Does winning mean everything is right?
This is the difference in thinking between Jordan and Pippen at this very moment.

Jordan did not initiate an attack in this possession.

Yang Shuai disrupted Richmond's outside shot on the weak side, and Pippen grabbed the long rebound and passed it to Yang Shuai, who was already fast-running down the court.

After receiving the ball, Yang Shuai completed a spectacular 360-degree turn and windmill dunk amidst the commotion of the DC fans.

The All-Star Game has been canceled, and there's no dunk contest?

This is the dunk contest!

This dunk was incredibly graceful and visually stunning, sending DC fans into a frenzy and even causing ripples in the eyes of many spectators, such as Ivanka Trump, as she looked at Yang Shuai.

For fans, what attracts them to the stadium is never the statistics, but whether it's entertaining or not.

After retreating from defense, Yang Shuai found Pippen and gave him a high five.

His attitude towards Pippen has never changed, even though he had just decided to trade Pippen. But it's never too late to mend the fence after the sheep are lost.

Pippen's gaze was now more determined than before.

He wasn't exactly a trash-talking expert, but after venting his feelings to Jordan and Jordan not playing him one-on-one, he felt that he wasn't entirely incapable of doing it himself.

Jordan still reached out for the ball and started a one-on-one game.

Pippen was extremely focused this time, constantly putting pressure on and wearing down Jordan.

Jordan was just too familiar with Pippen, and he had played one-on-one with Pippen many times when they were on the Bulls. He successfully broke through Pippen's defense and drove to the basket.

However, Yang Shuai's help defense arrived immediately, and in order to avoid being double-teamed, Jordan chose to stop abruptly and turn around to shoot a fadeaway.

Yang Shuai made a timely save and touched the ball, which changed its trajectory and eventually went out of bounds.

This quarter of the game has completely proven one thing: if 36-year-old Jordan doesn't enter his "zone" mode, he will have a hard time gaining any advantage in one-on-one situations against Yang Shuai.

"Just defend like this, don't worry about getting beaten, I'll take care of things behind you."

Yang Shuai spoke to Pippen, who was chasing after him.

Jordan was about to inbound the ball when he heard Yang Shuai's words and was momentarily stunned.

Back when he was with the Bulls, after Pippen developed, the task of guarding the opponent's offensive core fell to Pippen.

At first, Pippen seemed to struggle a bit, as the sudden change in intensity can be difficult to adjust to for a while.

Back then, Jordan would always help Pippen with his help defense and encourage him with the same words.

He and Pippen are still playing together on the court, but Pippen has gone from being teammates to opponents, and those familiar words are not coming from his mouth, but from Yang Shuai's.

Pippen's changes on the defensive end not only improved the Trail Blazers' defense, but more importantly, they greatly reduced the physical strain on Young on the defensive end.

That allowed the Trail Blazers to change their previous passive situation, and even take control of the game through fast breaks and defense, turning the tide of the match.

Furthermore, Jordan's performance in the second half was noticeably off after being guarded by Pippen.

Ultimately, after four quarters of intense competition, the Trail Blazers defeated the Wizards 106-96, winning this "All-Star Game".

During the handshake after the game, Yang Shuai smiled as she shook hands with Jordan.
"Michael, Scotty is a really good second-in-command."

(End of this chapter)