Basketball miracles

Chapter 150 [Red Aura Nourishes the Body]

After the timeout, the substitutes from both sides started pecking at each other like rookies.

The Celtics' bench players fought harder, but their morale collapsed, and they still couldn't narrow the score gap. Cooper, McGee, Kupchak, Rambis, and others had plenty of energy and performed even better.

The Lakers crushed the Celtics 143-97 in Game 1, a 46-point victory that set a new record for the largest margin of victory in NBA Finals history.

The cameraman frequently gave Xiao Tu close-up shots on the sidelines, even though he had already clocked out. Fans in front of their TVs wanted to see him more, and they wanted to see his expression after setting the record.

Xiao Tu sat chatting with Magic Johnson, a confident smile on his face, looking incredibly handsome.

A rosy complexion is good for one's appearance, and it's unlikely anyone in the sports world will be more handsome than Xiao Tu in the short term. Even Michael Jordan in a parallel world during the 90s wouldn't compare; even with six consecutive championships, he would only be considered the most handsome Black man.

Xiao Tu received another Golden Treasure Chest, and just like the triple-double he got against the Nuggets in the semifinals, the quality of the treasure chest has been upgraded.

Unless Magic Johnson stops passing the ball to Xiao Tu and focuses solely on winning accolades, his Finals MVP award is practically guaranteed.

Everyone knows Johnson isn't that kind of person; he always acts very unselfishly on the court. And even if Johnson went all out, he couldn't score 50 points; he tried it during the regular season.

Many Lakers fans felt that if Xiao Tu had played the entire final game and scored 60+ points, the point difference between the two teams would have been over 50 points.

McHale, who has been matched up against Xiao Tu the longest, is destined to be dragged out and humiliated tonight.

他出战31分钟13投3中，罚球2中2，得到8分4篮板，还有4次失误4次犯规。

The statistics don't fully capture McHale's poor performance. He repeatedly attacked the basket only to be blocked by Xiao Tu, and he also lost many defensive rebounds. Today, he didn't even dare to commit aggressive fouls and was completely ineffective on the defensive end.

拉里-伯德的表现同样糟糕，出场31分钟，14投5中，罚球2中2，得到12分6篮板6助攻。

He stumbled on offense and repeatedly became a mere backdrop on defense, showing absolutely no signs of being a two-time MVP. In the third quarter, when the team needed him to step up the most, he didn't even dare to take a shot, and he bears a significant responsibility for the team's mere 9 points in that quarter.

After the game, Bird also acted very unsportsmanlikely. He immediately got up and returned to the locker room without shaking hands with his opponent. He was afraid that Xiao Tu would trash talk him and cause a big scandal.

The Lakers players didn't seem to mind, rushing onto the court to celebrate their victory. After waving to the fans, they excitedly returned to the locker room.

Everyone chatted non-stop while showering, believing they would definitely win the championship this year.

Even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who is usually quiet, was excited. He has the most championships on the team, and this year marks his fourth title. He may not become the greatest player in NBA history, but he is definitely the greatest center of all time.

At the Lakers' post-game press conference, Xiao Tu shared his thoughts, saying, "I put up amazing numbers today, mainly because of my perfect performance in the first quarter. The Celtics' defense was very tight, but I was on fire, and every shot I took was a winner."

The reporter asked, "How would you rate Larry Bird's performance?"

Xiao Tu laughed and said, "You should interview Worthy and Cooper. They were the two guarding Bird today. The coach gave me a relatively simple defensive task: waiting to block shots near the paint."

The reporter asked, "So how would you rate McHale? Did you know he once scored 56 points in a regular season game?"

Xiao Tu nodded and smiled, "Of course I know. His teammates didn't pass him the ball much today. He didn't take many shots and wasn't in good form. I hope he takes more shots in the next game and shows his strength. A game where someone scores high is more interesting."

Then I'll be able to break the Lakers' franchise record for most blocks in a single game.

This guy hasn't mastered his mid-range shot yet; he can only rely on strong attacks in the low post.

After two regular season games and one finals game, Xiao Tu had figured out McHale's weaknesses and completely countered his playing style.

He wouldn't belittle McHale after the game; the two have no animosity.

Moreover, he's going to beat a star player, not a loser.

The higher McHale's reputation grows, the stronger Xiao Tu will appear. He doesn't believe someone with his feet firmly planted on the ground can defeat him, but he can't deny that McHale is an all-star power forward.

Xiao Tu's sarcastic remarks about Bird stemmed from a past conflict with him. He felt there was no need to be polite to someone with whom he had a falling out; it would only make him appear foolish and hypocritical.

When asked to predict the upcoming games, Xiao Tu remained modest. "We won't let our guard down until we lift the trophy; we'll give it our all in every game." He refrained from criticizing the Celtics' malicious fouls, noting that both teams played cleanly today. The only disagreement occurred when Ainge collided with Scott during a layup; otherwise, the game was harmonious.

The reporter asked, "You're currently a strong favorite for the Finals MVP. What are your thoughts on that?"

"Let's talk about it after we win the championship. I hope to perform well in the future as well. My goal is to win the championship, and putting up good stats is secondary. If my teammates are on a hot streak, I'm willing to take fewer shots and pass the ball more."

Many people would believe Xiao Tu if he said that, because he had double-digit assists today. He has had two double-digit assists in the playoffs, both in important games and he recorded triple-doubles, leading fans to believe he is selfless.

Xiao Tu was speaking from the heart; players who get more assists receive more praise. A combination of drives, passes, and shots is key; if he wants to become the best star, he must be well-rounded.

Bird's ability to become a superstar, despite being a floor-bound white player, is directly related to his driving-pass-shooting style of play.

It must be said that Bird's playing style was very advanced, and his high basketball IQ resulted in a lot of assists. Unfortunately, he was limited by his physical attributes, his ability to penetrate was not top-notch, and his peak period was not very long.

Next, Xiao Tu thanked the coach and his teammates, saying that his good performance was a victory for the team.

Other Lakers stars gave interviews and all praised Xiao Tu highly.

Magic Johnson admitted that Xiao Tu was a better scorer, something he had known for a long time.

In team training, both he and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had a tough time one-on-one against Xiao Tu. They were able to win at first, but Xiao Tu got stronger and stronger after practicing his post-up game, and by the playoffs, he had the upper hand.

Xiao Tu will be the Lakers' number one scorer for the long term, and Johnson never intended to develop into a superstar scorer.

Pat Riley commented on Xiao Tu, saying, "I think Seb's talent ranks among the top three in NBA history, and of course I want to focus on developing a player like him. He has been improving all along, and I didn't expect him to reach this level in just one season."

The reporter asked, "How would you rate his incredible triple-double today?"

"He's already an MVP-caliber superstar; he's the only one who's put up those numbers in the Finals. He nearly had a quadruple-double today, and I still can't believe it."

Throughout NBA history, there have only been eight instances of 50+ point triple-doubles (six in the regular season and two in the playoffs), fewer than the number of All-Star appearances in a year.

Xiao Tu achieved both of the only 50+ point triple-doubles in the playoffs this year. His stats are more impressive than those of Elgin Baylor, Rich Guerin, Wilt Chamberlain, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

At the Celtics' press conference, everyone was speechless.

After a crushing defeat in their opening game, the Celtics were forever branded with shame.

The gap in strength between the two sides is too large, and any words of encouragement seem ineffective. Coach KC Jones said that the team has a chance to win the championship as long as they haven't lost four games, but he knows very well how likely that is.

Bird's social anxiety flared up, and he lost the composure he displayed after eliminating the 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals. No matter what reporters asked, he remained silent with a dark expression, withdrawn and isolated.

When a reporter asked Bird to comment on Xiao Tu, he stormed off the stage in anger.

He wouldn't use phrases like "God put on the number 24 jersey" to describe Xiao Tu, because the Celtics suffered a crushing defeat.

In a parallel universe, Bird's comment on Jordan's 63 points, "God wore the number 23 jersey," had a second part: "But our mighty Celtics still beat him tonight!"
Bird lost everything, both in terms of reputation and substance. His stats couldn't compare to Xiao Tu's, nor were they as good as Magic Johnson's.

When the Celtics win, Bird usually takes the credit and everyone praises him. Today, with the Celtics suffering a crushing defeat, as the team's core player, he definitely has to step up and take responsibility.

Bird's regular season stats are often amazing, but they drop in the playoffs, and his performance today was a complete disaster.

他不是第一次在季后赛拉胯了，只有上赛季的得分效率是胜过常规赛的。82年季后赛他投篮命中率42.7%，17.2次出手得到17.8分。83年季后赛他投篮命中率42.2%，19.3次出手得到20.5分。

A star player's poor performance in a crucial game can easily earn them a "soft" label, which is difficult to shake off once it's attached. This isn't the first time the Celtics have suffered a defeat; they've now lost three straight games against the Lakers in the regular season.

The Celtics players had a mental problem; they were under a lot of pressure and lacked fighting spirit.

They can't afford to lose their next game, but they'll most likely still lose...

(End of this chapter)