Chapter 25

On the 25th, the media revealed that in the morning, according to routine, Su Feng, Kobe, Gasol, and Marion together shot the Lakers' new season core promotional photos.

After being absent for nearly 20 months due to injury, Kobe's return became the focus of the media open day.

Wearing the Lakers' No. 24 jersey, he was radiant and full of confidence, saying that he was ready to return to full strength in the 08/09 season.

However, Su Feng poured cold water on this, saying: "I don't think Kobe's performance can recover to what it was before his injury before January next year.

"In fact, we are already prepared to play the beginning of the new season without Kobe."

"Then how much of his pre-injury state do you think Kobe can eventually recover to?" the reporters asked.

Su Feng replied: "It's hard to say.

"His recovery could be good or bad.

"Only when he appears on the court will we know whether his recovery is good or bad."

Reporter: ".......”

Good heavens!

Schrödinger's Kobe, is it?

"Then, if Kobe's recovery goes very smoothly, do you think the new season will be the best time for the Lakers to launch an assault on the championship?" The reporter asked, suppressing the urge to complain.

Su Feng spread his hands and replied: "It's only September now, and I don't want to talk about things that will happen next year.

"Our goal for the new season is to make the playoffs and strive to improve."

Reporter: ".......”

Oh heavens!

Is this the Su Feng we remember who used to argue with everyone and everything?

How did he suddenly become so low-key?

Uh.......

Su Feng realized.

People seemed to have a bit of a misunderstanding about him.

Because he has always been humble, has he ever been arrogant?

Of course, the main reason why Su Feng was so low-key on media open day this year was because he was forced by the situation.

In September, with the new season approaching, basically nine out of ten NBA posts on forums in China and the United States were about him, Kobe, and this Lakers team.

Look!

What is top-tier?

For the NBA, Su Feng and Kobe had already become Stern's secret weapon to fight the financial crisis.

In the new season, the Lakers' nationally televised games will reach a record high of 45.

Therefore, with half the basketball world hyping up this Lakers team, Su Feng knew very well that only by being low-key, pragmatic, and steady could this team avoid being drowned in the spittle of fans from the very beginning.

In short.

You think Su Feng is being humble........

But in reality, he just wants to play it safe first and create a good recovery environment for Kobe.

Otherwise.......

With Kobe's personality, where he can't help but want to use his performance to slap others in the face whenever he hears others criticizing him.......

How could he possibly accept the 25 minutes of playing time that Tyronn Lue arranged for him?

In Su Feng's original timeline, even the "Zen Master" had to respect Kobe's opinion.

Therefore, how much more so for Coach Lue, who had just finished his first season as a head coach?

As an experienced veteran and leader, Su Feng knew very well when to say what.

Therefore, in his opinion, it would be better to lower people's expectations of this Lakers team first.......

And then, after everyone has developed for a while, enter the arena to reap the rewards.

It's just.......

After Su Feng finished his interview, Kobe felt that he had been deceived!

"Didn't you tell me last season that we were going to challenge the NBA's best record in history this season?" Kobe asked, sticking his nostrils to Su Feng's face with a disgruntled expression.

"What I said at the time was clearly, 'What about the new NBA historical record? If you achieve this record, are you sure people won't remember you?'.......

"Mr. Kobe, please don't misinterpret my original intention, okay?" Su Feng said, pushing Kobe away with a look of disgust, and spreading his hands.

Kobe: ".......”

Liar!

Big liar!

Sure enough.......

Su Feng's mouth is a deceitful ghost!

How could I have been so stupid.......

To be deceived by this guy again and again?

"Then the promise to help me get a season '30+ triple-double' and let me be the boss, was also a lie?" Kobe looked at Su Feng very aggrievedly.

"Didn't I already promise you that before you fully recover, the Lakers will be completely built around you?

"And, is 25 minutes of playing time not enough for you to get a '30+ triple-double'?" Su Feng asked rhetorically.

25 minutes of playing time.......

"30+ triple-double"?

Bro, do you think I'm a three-year-old like Stephen Curry?

"Okay, I'm just kidding.

"Kobe, I know you are extremely eager to prove yourself now.

"But you should understand that this season is not the best time for us to challenge the NBA's best record in history.

"However, if you can follow Tyronn's tactical arrangements, then I think that as your playing time returns to what it was before your injury.......

"'30+ triple-double' will be as easy as drinking water for you.

"As for the throne of the Lakers' boss, I am 4 months older than you, so I will definitely have to sit on it." Su Feng said, patting Kobe on the shoulder to appease him.

Hearing this, after weighing the pros and cons in his heart, Kobe's mood suddenly improved a lot.

Anyway, in his opinion, as long as he gets the tactical weight on the court.......

Then the so-called boss is just a false name.

Of course, if it wasn't because he was afraid that Su Feng, this chef, would run away if he disagreed.......

Then how could he, Kobe, possibly compromise with Su Feng?

So.......

In the end, it still comes down to the importance of being able to cook good food for playing basketball.

On the morning of the media open day, after the interview and photo sessions, in the afternoon, under the expectant gaze of hundreds of Lakers fans who were lucky enough to win tickets to watch the game, Su Feng and Kobe led the red and blue teams respectively at the Staples Center to conduct a scrimmage for the fans.

As a result, under Su Feng's deliberate targeting, Kobe, who really wanted to show off in front of the fans, suffered a setback.

Because although it was called a scrimmage.......

As the game started, basically wherever Kobe went, someone from Su Feng's team would follow him.

And as long as Kobe received the ball on the court, Su Feng would immediately come over to double-team him.

"2 of 13 shots, tsk tsk, just asking, is this our new season's tactical core?" After the game, pointing to the stat sheet that Kobe handed over, Coach Su publicly criticized him.

"That's not fair!" Kobe retorted with an angry expression.

"How is it not fair?

"You picked the people first, and in order to take care of you who just recovered from your injury, do you think anyone on our side went all out against you just now?" Su Feng asked, looking at Kobe.

Hearing this, Kobe fell silent.

Because although Su Feng's team was indeed very tactical against him in this scrimmage, if you only talk about the intensity of the game.......

I'm afraid the intensity of the Summer League game is higher than this scrimmage.

And the next day, after many media outlets in Los Angeles published articles about Kobe's poor performance in this scrimmage.......

For a time, the Kobe fans who were originally waiting for Kobe to lead everyone to turn over and sing praises were speechless!

Because, quoting the views of these media outlets.......

Although Kobe seems to have recovered well.......

His strength now is at most only a third-rate star.

Inside the Lakers' general manager's office, this day, looking at the Emperor Feng who came to guide the work, Kupchak said with a wry smile: "Su, I don't understand, why did you ask me to specifically find someone to publish these articles that are unfavorable to Kobe?"

"Mitch, what do you think Kobe needs most now?" Su Feng said unhurriedly, lying on the sofa in Kupchak's office.

"People's opinions of him? Or the motivation for the new season?" Kupchak asked.

"Motivation?

"A person like Kobe can't possibly lack motivation, especially when I haven't retired yet.

"As for people's opinions?

"It depends on whose opinions.

"The media's opinions?

"Kobe does like to argue with media reporters, but that's already in the past.

"The fans' opinions?

"In the NBA, apart from a few people.......

"I would like to ask, who wouldn't care about the opinions of people who like them?" Su Feng said, pointing to a promotional poster of the Lakers' new season composed of a cartoon image of Su Feng and Kobe.

"Then in your opinion, what does Kobe need most now?" Kupchak asked.

"Of course, it's historical status.

"Historical status of being second to one and above ten thousand." Su Feng said.

Second to one, above ten thousand?

"Although Kobe likes to bicker with me on the surface.

"But I know very well that when people make their final conclusions in the future, he will definitely be one of those who sincerely believe that I am the best in history.

"So Mitch, don't you think my existence is a very cruel thing for other people?" After getting up and looking out the window, Su Feng continued to say to Kupchak.

Hearing this, Kupchak also decided to patiently wait for Su Feng to finish his bragging.

"Because my existence is destined to mean that the stars of this era can only compete for who is second.

"Therefore, before helping Kobe get back everything that belongs to him.......

"We have to make him hold back first." Su Feng said, looking at Kupchak.

"According to you guys, this is called suppressing before promoting?" Kupchak, who had recently been studying Chinese allusions, asked.

"That's right." Su Feng nodded.

Kobe, do you know how much I've put in for you behind the scenes?

To be honest, Su Feng probably wasn't as attentive to O'Neal and Big Ben as he is to Kobe now.

There's no way around it.

After all, who asked Su Feng to meet Kobe Bryant, who was willing to be his initial cheat, on that afternoon in 1994?

Just like in the national team, only Yao Ming had the privilege of arguing with Su Feng.

At the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe is also a very special existence for Su Feng.

……

"Su, I don't know why, but I feel like our tactics have been a little weird these past few days of training together."

At the end of September, as the Lakers officially began their tactical training, Kobe, who was nominally the Lakers' tactical core on the court, always felt like he was being left out.

"It's okay, I feel." This day, facing Kobe's doubts, Su Feng, who had scored 36 points in a 20-minute scrimmage, turned around and looked at Kobe.

"No, you had a good time.......

"But I played for a full 20 minutes, do you know how many shots I took?" Kobe asked.

"The thing is, isn't the ball always in your hands?" Su Feng asked rhetorically.

"The ball is indeed in my hands, but.......

"Every time I pass it to you, the ball can never come back." Kobe said.

"Isn't that because I'm open?" Su Feng asked, puzzled.

Kobe: ".......”

What you said makes so much sense that I'm speechless!

"You can't play like this, Su." After pondering for two seconds, Kobe said.

"Then how should I play?" Su Feng asked, blinking his eyes and looking at Kobe.

"In short, if that's the case, then I think I might as well not be this tactical core!" Kobe said.

Su Feng nodded, "Then how about I be the tactical core for the next two days?"

Kobe hesitated for a moment, "We can try."

So, two days later.

Kobe cried.

Because in the next two days of scrimmages.......

Don't even mention taking shots.......

Kobe didn't even see the ball a few times!

"Why don't you pass the ball?" After the game, Kobe questioned Su Feng.

"Because I'm open!" Su Feng replied righteously.

"You clearly have a defender in front of you, where are you open?" Kobe became anxious, so anxious that he directly stuck his nostrils to Su Feng's cheek.

"Isn't a one-on-one an open shot for me?" Su Feng said.

Kobe: ".......”

"Su, if you play like this, then in future games, we'll each rely on our own abilities!" After being angered to the point where his lungs almost burst by Su Feng, Kobe said.

"No, can you be reasonable?

"I've clearly been playing according to the tactics, and the ball has been going in.......

"So, don't you think there's something wrong with you?" Su Feng retorted to Kobe.

I.......

There's something wrong with me?

On the sidelines, watching Kobe, who basically argued with Su Feng every day, the Lakers' assistant coaches had already begun to tremble.

"Don't we really need to do something?" Jeff Van Gundy, who will officially serve as Coach Lue's first assistant coach in the new season, looked at Coach Lue and asked.

"Don't worry, from what I've observed these past two days, Su's speed of coaxing Kobe is definitely faster than France's speed of surrendering." Coach Lue turned his head and smiled at Van Gundy.

Van Gundy: ".......”

On the court, sure enough.

After ceding pizza and paying for a big meal, Su Feng quickly coaxed Kobe.

It's just.......

As the preseason approached.

Kobe, whose training results these past two days have been less than ideal, became increasingly uncomfortable.

Because it's not like he hasn't tried to play a little more selfishly.......

But the effect.......

Basically, if you play a 20-minute scrimmage with Kobe on your team, your teammates will have to shut themselves off.

What exactly is going on?

Is there really something wrong with me?

But.......

Su Feng is clearly playing the same way!

There's no way around it.

Because he couldn't find the answer on the court, these past two days, Kobe had asked Van Gundy for the Lakers' training videos and went home to ponder where the problem was.

Then.......

Looking at Su Feng, who was playing all kinds of cha ji ba in the training videos....... (nonsensical/random)

Kobe was really shut off by these few videos.

However.......

As the number of times he watched the videos increased.......

Kobe discovered that Su Feng's cha ji ba play.......

Seemed.......

Not entirely cha ji ba play either.

"So that's how it is.......”

……

"Su, I have no intention of sowing discord between you and Kobe.

"But if this continues.......

"I'm worried he won't be able to take it." This day, before the start of training, Coach Lue said to Su Feng.

Hearing this, after smiling, Su Feng said: "With his basketball IQ, I think he should already know where his problem is."

If he and Kobe were really incompatible, then how could Su Feng have accepted the invitations from Kupchak and Little Buss?

Recently, Kobe just hasn't figured out his position on this Lakers team.

In the first few days, it may have been because of his relationship that Kobe had been trying to connect the team on the court.

But then the problem came.......

If you keep passing the ball to your teammates, then is that still Kobe Bryant?

And in the next few days.......

In order to get back at people and prove that he is still one of the top scorers in this league, many of Kobe's shot selections are questionable.

Therefore, in order to prevent his teammates from just standing on the sidelines watching the scrimmage, Su Feng began to issue various instructions to the Lakers players on the court with his eyes.

And in this way.......

Kobe was obviously becoming an outsider on the court.

To put it bluntly.

From the very beginning, Su Feng didn't want to change Kobe.

Whether it's the Pennsylvania Magician or the Los Angeles Black Mamba.

Kobe, who is too eager to prove himself, can only return to his original style, become Kobe Bryant again, and then he can integrate into this Los Angeles Lakers team.

Because for the past year.

The Lakers' tactics have been preparing for today.

On the court, after the morning's training session, the Lakers' new round of 5v5 scrimmage began in the afternoon.

Starting five: Gasol, Marion, Su Feng, Kobe, Dragic.

Bench five: Jordan Jr., Big Ben, Livingston, Evans, Mo.

In the center of the court, after Jordan Jr. tipped the ball, the bench team attacked first.

Mo hit a contested jump shot over Dragic.

0 to 2.

Back over, Dragic was responsible for dribbling the ball across half court.

Gasol moved up to the high post to receive the ball, ready to play the triangle offense with Su Feng and Kobe.

Noticing that Su Feng had sunk to the low post, Kobe suddenly stopped his steps to cut inside.

At the same time.......

With a slight smile on the corner of his mouth, Su Feng, who received Gasol's pass, also smashed the ball to the outside line before the bench team's double-team arrived.

Jeff Van Gundy had already left his seat on the sidelines.

And beside him, Coach Lue was already trembling.

Because at this moment.......

Now.......

As the Lakers' starting five triangle offense formed.......

Even if you put the five best defenders in NBA history in front of them, this Lakers team.......

Still can't stop them!

In the low post, Su Feng immediately cut to the inside after passing the ball.

And at the same time as he received the ball on the outside, Kobe also used a bounce pass to find Su Feng, who was running!

And at the moment when Jordan Jr. pounced on Su Feng.......

At the top of the arc, with the help of Gasol's screen, Kobe, who cut straight in along the middle, didn't even need to make eye contact with Su Feng, and had already leaped towards the basket!

This is not a question of trusting Su Feng to pass the ball or not!

But.......

If Zhang Zhida and others, who had personally witnessed the Raul-Morientes duo on the sidelines back then, were at the scene.......

Then they would definitely not be unfamiliar with such a scene!

"Considering that you've just recovered, I'll just throw it at a height that even Carter can catch!"

And on the court.......

As Kobe received the ball and slammed it down........

At this moment, time seemed to flow backwards to thirteen years ago!

At the scene.

It was clearly just one offense.

But the Lakers' coaching staff was shocked by this attack.

"Welcome back, my best brother, Kobe Bryant." After high-fiving Kobe to celebrate during the retreat, Su Feng smiled.

Hearing this, Kobe also raised the corners of his mouth with a smug expression, "Your alley-oop pass was too low just now, who are you looking down on?"

"Isn't that because I was considering that you, old man, haven't fully recovered yet?

"Don't worry, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to show off your talent in the future." Su Feng said, looking at Kobe.

"The future is too far away, I only seize the day." Kobe said with a serious expression.

Snap——!

Inside the Lakers' training gym, after reaching out to intercept Livingston's pass, Kobe threw a long pass forward without even thinking.

And on the sidelines, looking at this lucky guy, Tyronn Lue.......

Van Gundy also said with a disgruntled expression: "With this Lakers team, who wouldn't be able to win a championship as head coach?"

Coach Lue shrugged and spread his hands, "So, feel free to envy me, buddy.

"Because I am the head coach of this Lakers team!"

Bang——!

And on the court, at the moment when Coach Lue's voice fell, as Su Feng dunked the ball........

I don't know why........

Anyway, the Lakers' bench five just wanted to say to the starting team:

Give me the ball.

I want to go home!

……

ps: Update is here! Please give me double monthly tickets!