Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

Karl let out a sigh and said in a deep voice, "I don't care how big your grudge is with Michael, but now I need to take you out to cool down for a while."

Yu Fei replied, "That's your right, I accept."

Karl felt that he should be happy and satisfied because Yu Fei still acknowledged his authority.

If he hadn't acknowledged it, what Karl would have heard would have been "I refuse."

Just like that, Karl subbed out Yu Fei, who had scored 13 points in less than half a quarter since the opening.

Ray Allen also lectured him when he went on the court, "No matter how angry you are, that's no reason to completely ignore your teammates on the offensive end!"

"I indeed have many shortcomings," Yu Fei humbly said, "I still have a lot to learn from you, Ray-ray."

Ray Allen, who truly considered himself the leader, humphed, "Then watch closely from the sidelines and learn well!"

Yu Fei blinked, "Okay."

Yu Fei was subbed out, yet Jordan remained on the court.

Before long, Jordan hit a beautifully postured turnaround jumper over Ray Allen's head.

That was his second basket tonight, and the last shot made in the first quarter.

The return of Ray Allen injected some vitality into the Bucks' offense, and his shooting threat benefited Sprewell's penetrations and Mason's one-on-one post plays.

However, ironically, in the remaining half of the first quarter, the Bucks, who resumed their team basketball style, scored even less than when Yu Fei was playing solo.

In nearly seven minutes, the Bucks' outside shots were off, relying solely on attacking the rim and a few free throws for 12 points.

Fortunately, the Wizards' offense also struggled, and the Bucks still maintained the lead.

The first quarter ended, 21 to 25.

The Wizards, playing at home, entered the second quarter with a 4-point deficit.

Four minutes into the second quarter, the Wizards tied the score with Cassell's excellent pace control.

31 to 31

At this point, Karl put Yu Fei back in the game after a long rest.

"Can I shoot freely?" Yu Fei asked Karl.

Karl replied irritably, "Does my opinion matter to you?"

"Not really."

"Then why do you ask?"

"To give you a heads up."

He's too considerate...

George Karl showed a smile uglier than crying, "I'm the idiot coach tonight; do as you please."

Collins seemed to intentionally stagger Jordan's court time with Yu Fei's.

A few minutes after Yu Fei entered the court, Jordan was subbed out.

"What would a hunter do if he can't find his prey?"

As if without Jordan on the court, Yu Fei's aggressiveness would diminish.

Yu Fei's mind echoed with George Karl's words.

If this was the best night of his two years in the NBA, what did he want people to remember?

Then, Sam Cassell's face came into his view.

"You don't think defeating a 39-year-old MJ is a big deal, do you?" Cassell jeered, "Lots of people can do that nowadays, it's really nothing special!"

Who would have thought that the most sensible words of the evening would come from the most uniquely ugly man in NBA history?

Yu Fei raised his hand, and the basketball flew into his palm.

"You're right," Yu Fei said indifferently, yet with an inevitability that seemed just about to be realized, "Next up to be blown away is you."

That was the last thing Yu Fei said to Sam Cassell before the first half ended.

Seconds later, Yu Fei's breakthrough caused Cassell to foul.

The Bucks inbounded the ball again, and Yu Fei received the ball and broke through Cassell again; this time the Alien couldn't stop him.

Yu Fei burst into the paint, dunking with both hands.

The Wizards tied the score through Starkhouse's one-on-one play.

But Yu Fei called for a pick and roll, broke through the Wizards' perimeter defense without any pressure, went straight to the inside, completed an in-air double-clutch, scored a goal after drawing the foul.

And One!

After the successful free throw, Yu Fei's personal score reached 18 points.

The Wizards missed in their half-court offense, Yu Fei grabbed the defensive rebound, rushed to the frontcourt arc outside the three-point line, Cassell hesitated, and his trailing three-pointer shot was lifted.

It's in!

A minute later, Cassell fouled to stop Yu Fei again.

However, Yu Fei demanded the ball again.

This time, he received the ball in the low post, backing down the smaller Cassell without any pressure, used his body to get underneath the basket, then stepped back, faked, and casually hit a layup creating a separation with a quick timing move.

His style of play was exactly the same as in the first quarter.

The moment he got the ball, there was no option to pass.

When Cassell fouled Yu Fei for the third time, Collins finally couldn't help but shout, "Double team him! Don't let him go one-on-one!"

When the opponents began to double team Yu Fei, he also returned to his usual style of play, finding a balance between individual offense and assisting his teammates.

The Wizards couldn't stop him.

But it wasn't just the Wizards' problem.

"Who can stop Frye tonight?" Collins asked his assistant coach.

No one answered.

Then, 30 seconds before the end of the first half, Yu Fei charged like a tank with Cassell's body on him, surged inside the paint, and as he leapt up, he bumped the Alien out of bounds and slammed a ferocious dunk over his friend Kwame Brown's head.

"Is beating a thirty-three-year-old All-Star a big deal?" Yu Fei looked down at Cassell on the ground, "It's not worth mentioning."

So what's a big deal?

At the end of the half, Yu Fei had 30 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and the Bucks led the Wizards by 15 points, 59 to 44.

With a 15-point lead, Yu Fei's stats looked so dazzling.

Yet he was still thinking about it. What was the most amazing thing tonight?
Experience more tales on empire

If it wasn't defeating Jordan, if it wasn't blowing up Cassell, then what was it?