svetikya Chapter 12: The Lakers Officially Set Off!
Chapter 12: The Lakers Officially Set Off!
"Today I'm going to tell you the truth, the real facts."
"The truth is, my relationship with that fat guy was even worse. If I had a gun, I wouldn't blow his head off; I would just smash his dick and get him to the hospital immediately. Let's put it another way, if I could choose any woman in the world to spend an unforgettable night with..."
"I wouldn't choose Marilyn Monroe. I'd choose that fat man's mother and have him watch. If I could choose two, I'd choose his mother and his daughter and have him watch!"
"This is our true relationship, so tonight I have only one request for all of you!"
"Kill them!"
"That fat bastard thinks he can succeed without me, without us, and that he can build a championship roster. He thinks he's smart, and even thinks he's got the cornerstone player for rebuilding. What we need to do tonight is wake him up and show him he's dreaming!"
"Rebuild? Unless that fat bastard gets out of here!"
"Really? Their relationship is really that bad?" O'Neal asked Lin Ze, who was sitting next to him, in a low voice, with a look of amused curiosity.
"Even worse." Lin Ze shrugged. "But I think Klaus will probably choose Phil's mother and girlfriend. I've even heard that in Chicago, Klaus goes to every girl Phil has ever been with."
"Then he asked the girls to say he was better than Phil."
"Phil's girlfriend isn't..." O'Neal's attention shifted to something else, and he opened his mouth wide in an exaggerated, comical way.
On the other side of O'Neal, Kobe didn't speak or participate in anyone's discussion. He just quietly bandaged his ankle, then put on his shoes and protective gear.
The most upset person on the team was definitely Rice. This guy was originally a chatterbox, but the team arranged for him to sit next to Kobe.
On the other side of Rice was another taciturn man, Hubble.
Sitting between these two, Rice was really suffocating.
There is no way.
The team's locker room seating arrangement is based on team hierarchy. Shaquille O'Neal, the team's leader, undoubtedly sits in the center, with Kobe Bryant, the team's second-in-command, next to him. On O'Neal's other side, Lin Ze was chosen by O'Neal himself, so Rice, the team's theoretical third-in-command, could only sit next to Kobe to show his status.
By his side, naturally, could only be Hubble, the team's theoretical fourth-ranked player.
The current Lakers roster can be described as having players from three generations, with all types and styles of players.
Below O'Neal and Kobe, the team had reliable offensive player Rice, young and energetic players like Linze, George, and Fisher, veteran A.C. Greenegan-Harbour who could anchor the offense, and experienced mid-career players like Fox and Horry.
If this team has any flaws, it's that Fisher is the only guy on the team who actually plays point guard. Apart from him, there isn't a single point guard on the team.
Their starting lineup is a lineup without a number one player; simply put, it consists of three shooters and two star players.
The Lakers are destined to play the triangle offense this season, and the triangle offense has never needed any traditional guards.
The triangle offense only needs superstars and highly functional role players.
The Lakers have both of these.
Jackson glanced at his watch, then clapped his hands and said, "So, kids, remember, our goal tonight isn't to win, it's to play this game as if it were our last! Do you know what our last game is?"
Lin Ze cleverly chimed in, "Jerry's last game as general manager! Let's beat that fatso until he's out of a job! Let him get out of the league! Let that bastard go to Somalia to be a general manager!"
Yes, Lin Ze hates Klaus even more than Jackson does! If it were up to Lin Ze to decide Jackson's choice, he would have assigned Klaus to Jackson so they could have a wonderful night together.
It wasn't because Lin Ze disliked Jackson, but because Lin Ze wanted to pair Klaus with the person he hated most. Lin Ze's dislike for Klaus surpassed his respect for Jackson.
Lin Ze also believed that Jackson would not be angry and would consciously take the little blue pill and work hard to complete the task.
If Jackson and Krause were destined to be incompatible due to their power struggles and disagreements over team leadership, then Lin Ze was simply an unlucky guy who was passively dragged into the Bulls' internal strife and suffered an undeserved misfortune.
……
When the Lakers players finished their pre-game preparations and entered the arena, they were greeted by a frenzy of cheers and shouts from the entire Staples Center.
With the regular season finally here, the Lakers' front-row audience has finally risen in status. It's no longer just Nicholson struggling to keep the crowds together; many Hollywood A-listers have come to the game, including the famous Schwarzenegger, Leonardo DiCaprio before he became overweight, and the glamorous Cameron Diaz...
Lin Ze spotted Kate again in the crowd.
This time, however, Kate was sitting next to a burly man whose chin was almost as wide as his neck and a middle-aged man.
Lin Ze recognized the burly man as Ben Affleck, but he didn't recognize the middle-aged man. However, seeing Affleck's somewhat agreeable expression, he knew that the man was probably the famous director Michael Bay.
It seems Kate has succeeded in her audition. The cast and crew of "Pearl Harbor" came for a team-building event, but of course, the main purpose was publicity, hype, and increasing exposure.
After quickly glancing at the stands, Lin Ze walked towards the only Bulls player he recognized.
"How have you been lately, Tony?"
Kukoc gave a wry smile: "It was terrible, you know. We won so much back then, the whole league hated us. Every game was incredibly difficult for us. How about you? How are you doing?"
"You shouldn't ask me," Lin Ze shrugged. "You'll be jealous, because I'm doing incredibly well."
"Still the same bastard." Kukoc shook his head and punched Lin Ze as he did so.
Kukoc was arguably Lin Ze's best, and perhaps only, friend during his two seasons with the Bulls.
Given the Bulls' bizarre atmosphere and team dynamics, Lin Ze's ability to make even one friend is quite remarkable.
After all, which team can be like the second-dynasty Bulls, where almost everyone on the team dislikes each other and almost everyone has some kind of grudge against each other?