69novels Chapter 49 The Most Awkward Locker Room in History
Chapter 49 The Most Awkward Locker Room in History
2009年1月20日，上午8:00。
The morning sun shone on Li Xiangbei's bare upper body as he did his morning exercise.
After I hit the game-winning shot against LeBron James, the red "King Killer" achievement appeared on the system panel.
[Congratulations, host! You have completed the epic achievement: The King Killer (Defeating peak LeBron James in a head-on confrontation).]
[Rewards Distribution: Balance Improvement.]
[Effect: Slightly increases core strength (+2), and improves balance by 15% after combat.]
Note: You are not only hard now, but also as stable as a roly-poly toy.
Li Xiangbei clenched his fist, and the feeling of continuous power made him unable to help but smile.
He stood up, walked to the mirror, and looked at his increasingly defined muscles.
"Is it because my balance has improved? There should be far fewer embarrassing scenes of people getting knocked over in the future."
Li Xiangbei was in a great mood. Right now, he felt incredibly strong.
……
7:00 PM. TNT Live Broadcast.
Tonight is a night of celebration for basketball fans across America. Barkley and Kenny Smith are sitting in the studio, ready to announce the starting lineup for the 2009 Phoenix All-Star Game.
"Alright, gentlemen, the exciting moment has arrived!" Smith picked up the envelope in his hand. "Especially for the East, this may be the most talked-about starting lineup in history."
Let's take a look at the starting five in the East!
On the large screen, five avatars lit up in turn.
Center: Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic).
Howard's face in the picture is all smiles, but viewers across America know that his smile disappeared for a long time after he was dunked on by Li Xiangbei in the Christmas game.
Power Forward: Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics)
That wolf king with the fierce look on his face had just been insulted by Li Xiangbei a few days ago, who asked if he had been "kneeling for too long," and then killed him.
Small Forward: LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers).
Needless to say. He was just provoked by Li Xiangbei wearing a mask, then his vote-winning ticket was stolen, and he was ultimately defeated. This is a blood feud.
Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat)
He was thrown out of bounds by a chair that was removed from his seat, resulting in a last-minute defeat. He's a victim of a cruel twist of fate.
Point Guard: Li Xiangbei (New York Knicks).
The ticket king. The culprit.
When the five names appeared on the screen at the same time, the studio was silent for a second.
Then, Barkley burst into maniacal laughter, slamming his fist on the table, tears streaming down his face.
"Hahaha! My God! What is this?! Is this the Avengers?! Except their target isn't Thanos, but their own teammates!!"
Smith was doubled over with laughter: "This is absolutely the most awkward locker room in history! Just imagine the scene... Li Xiangbei pushes open the door, will these four just tear him apart alive?"
Barkley wiped away his tears: "No, I think they'll line up, one by one. Li Xiangbei might need to buy a huge personal accident insurance policy."
This scene instantly went viral online.
Posts on the forum sprang up like mushrooms after rain:
"All-Star Game? No, it's Li Xiangbei's day of suffering!"
"I bet five cents, who among these four will make the first move?"
Li Xiangbei was watching a live stream at home. When he saw the list, the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.
"Good heavens... they're all people I've offended to death."
He picked up his phone and tweeted.
@LiXiangbei：
"Bodyguards needed. Requirements: Must be able to fight, resilient, and preferably know some Chinese Kung Fu. Work location: Phoenix All-Star East Locker Room. Salary negotiable, room and board included, Rolex provided."
Zach Randolph replied to the tweet instantly.
@Z-Bo: "Boss! I'm going to buy a standing ticket! If anyone dares to touch you, I'll sit on them and kill them!"
……
2009年1月22日，晚7:30。
Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls.
After the game started, the Bulls' number one draft pick, Derrick Rose, continued to attack the Knicks' defense like a whirlwind. He was so eager to prove himself to Li Xiangbei that he didn't slow down with every change of direction and launched himself into the air with every layup.
But Li Xiangbei didn't go toe-to-toe with him like he did last time.
This was a regular season game. Having just played the Cavaliers, Li Xiangbei was actually a bit tired.
Given that his teammates were in great form today, he decided to "slack off" tonight.
He became as composed as a veteran.
Li Xiangbei dribbled the ball past half-court. Facing Rose's pressure, he calmly protected the ball, then flicked his wrist and delivered a precise bounce pass to Randolph, who was making a run down the court.
Randolph receives the ball and easily makes a layup.
"Good shot!" Li Xiangbei shouted.
Next possession. Li Xiangbei drives and passes to Du Hong in the corner. The three-pointer goes in.
In the entire first half, Li Xiangbei only took 2 shots and scored 5 points. However, he delivered 8 assists.
He acts like a coach on the field, constantly directing his teammates' positioning.
"Zack! Cut in!"
"David! Improve your pick-and-roll!"
"Nate! Don't run around! Stay in the corner!"
While the Knicks' offense wasn't as explosive as before, it was exceptionally fluid. Teammates were racking up easy baskets and racking up incredible stats.
During the timeout in the third quarter.
Rose looked at the scores on the stat sheet, somewhat puzzled, and asked, "Li, why aren't you attacking? Are you looking down on me?"
Li Xiangbei took a sip of water and looked at his former teammate, who was covered in sweat.
"Derek."
Li Xiangbei's voice was gentle and calm, completely devoid of the hostility he displayed when facing James.
"Don't rush so hard. Your knees are consumables; every bit you use, you lose."
He pointed to his head.
"Learn from me, play with your brain. Sometimes, it's more satisfying to let others score for you than to score yourself."
Ross was taken aback. Looking at Li Xiangbei's nonchalant demeanor, he suddenly felt that Li Xiangbei's level of understanding seemed to be a notch above his own.
competition is over.
The Knicks easily defeated the Bulls 105-92.
Li Xiangbei only took 6 shots throughout the game, making all 6 and scoring 15 points.
But he delivered 15 assists, setting a new career high!
Randolph scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, beaming from ear to ear; David Lee also contributed 20 points.
Post-match interview.
A reporter asked, "Li, as the top vote-getter, you only scored 15 points tonight. Were you holding back, or were you preparing for the All-Star Game?"
Li Xiangbei shrugged, looking completely innocent.
"Conserving strength? No. I just want to tell the entire league."
He pointed to his teammates, who were as happy as if it were New Year's Day.
"I can be a good point guard when I'm not being a villain."
"Besides, don't you guys think it feels great to watch your teammates rack up stats while you're yelling '666' from the sidelines?"
Reporters present: "..."