Sports Medicine Master System

Chapter 364 - 304: Did This Guy Take a Shower?

On November 12th, the Lakers hosted the Hawks at home.

Jackson returned to the locker room, his face etched with exhaustion. He had been swarmed by reporters at the pre-game press conference.

The questions were all about the same thing: Yao Ming’s performance.

This game was particularly hyped, as it would decide whether Barkley would have to honor his ass-kissing bet.

The media was in a frenzy, turning it into the biggest drama of the year.

It got to the point where Jackson was tempted to find an excuse to bench Yao Ming for the night. Just say he had a tight back muscle. Who could argue with that?

Inside the locker room, the atmosphere was silent.

Kobe sat in the furthest corner, same as always, not interacting with any of his teammates.

Everyone else was used to it, chatting amongst themselves and going about their own business.

Jackson’s gaze fell on Yao Ming. He was sitting quietly next to Kobe, lost in thought.

"Phil, are we still starting Yao?" Lambis asked in a low voice.

Jackson sighed and nodded. "Chen also said to keep him in the starting lineup."

Lambis was speechless. ’Nice,’ he thought. ’He’s already got someone to pass the blame to.’

During the pre-game strategy meeting, Jackson wore a serious expression. He made a specific request for the starters to coordinate more, to focus the attack under the basket, and to pass the ball into the paint more often.

He didn’t say it outright, but he felt he’d said enough.

These crafty veterans could read between the lines.

Horry and the others exchanged glances, their eyes all turning to Yao Ming.

’What’s this? Are they so disappointed in Yao Ming that they’re just going to pad his stats before trading him?’

’Can’t be, right?’

「In the TNT Television studio.」

Ernie Johnson asked tactfully, "Kenny, did you take a shower today?"

Before Smith could answer, Barkley, sitting across from him, couldn’t wait to shout, "Ernie, don’t even dream about it! I know what you’re getting at. The Lakers will definitely feed Yao Ming the ball and try to get him to 20 points. But I’m telling you, even if everyone passes to him, he can’t do it. That’s right, he couldn’t reach 20 points even if all he did was try to pad his stats."

Next to him, Smith shrugged and shouted at the camera, "Yao, go score your heart out! Get those 20 points! Charles is asking for a beating, and I want him to kiss my ass."

The two played off each other, creating maximum entertainment value for the show.

But since they were professional commentators, they had to offer some professional analysis.

Barkley was already counting on his fingers as he laid out his reasoning: "Even though the Hawks lack height in the paint, they’re tough enough. Don’t underestimate Ratcliffe. He might not be as tall or as strong as Yao Ming, but like I said, Yao’s clumsy as a giraffe. Ratcliffe has a hundred ways to block a shot right over his head."

Ernie Johnson nodded in agreement. "Although Ratcliffe was out last season with a major knee injury, he’s made a full recovery this season after being treated by Chen. We have to trust Chen’s medical skills. Just look at how well he’s played in the Hawks’ first few games—it’s like he was never injured. So he’s still one of the best shot-blockers in the league. I think he could win the blocking title again this year."

As a former All-Defensive Second Team selection and a past block champion, no one could ignore Ratcliffe’s defense in the paint.

Kenny Smith chimed in, "Raheem’s not bad either."

Barkley, whose instinct was to trash-talk for ratings, scoffed without hesitation. "Even if that guy scores 50, I’ll still think he’s a softy."

In front of the TV, Chen Yu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

’This Barkley guy is just addicted to running his mouth.’

Just then, the camera cut to the live feed from the arena.

The camera focused on Yao Ming, who was completing his final warm-ups with a blank expression.

When it came to finding drama, TNT had no shame. The camera panned to the stands.

In the stands, a fan was holding up a homemade banner. It featured an abstract drawing of a giraffe that had fallen over, with a sentence written on it.

"You idiot, we don’t need you! We want the Big Shark!"

And there were quite a few similar signs.

Clearly, after the last few games, these Lakers fans had lost their patience.

"Chen, do you think he can do it this game?" Lexi asked from beside him.

She felt that if she were in Yao Ming’s shoes, facing so much doubt and ridicule, she would completely fall apart.

"Don’t worry, he will," Chen Yu replied without much hesitation.

From their last conversation, Chen Yu sensed a core of resilience in Yao Ming. He shouldn’t be so easily defeated.

He just needed to find himself and get over this hurdle.

Before long, the game began.

Watching the players from both teams standing at center court, Chen Yu suddenly thought of Terry.

’He can get his chicken wings at home games, but what about away games? Does he pack them all the way from Atlanta?’

As his mind wandered, Yao Ming leaped up and won the tip-off.

It couldn’t be helped. Ratcliffe was just too short.

After the tip, Yao Ming was the first one down the court.

As he approached the three-point line, Yao Ming subconsciously looked up, scanned his teammates’ positions, then ran to the wing and raised his arms to set a screen for Kobe.

Jackson had told him many times that he wanted him to integrate into the team’s offensive system and use his agility to create opportunities for his teammates.

Kobe shook off Ira Newble and squeezed past Yao Ming. Just as he received the pass, the whistle blew sharply.

Kobe turned his head in confusion and saw the referee raising his hand.

Yao Ming was called for a moving screen!

Yao Ming looked completely lost, unsure of what to do.

In the studio, Barkley burst out laughing, bending over backward and slamming the table. "I’m dying! He’s so stupid! How could he make such a rookie mistake?"

Next to him, Kenny Smith frowned and offered a fair comment: "Yao’s screening technique is poor. I remember him getting called for several moving screens."

Just then, Ernie Johnson cried out in surprise.

"Look!" Barkley exclaimed.

On camera, Kobe, whose offense was cut short by the foul call, threw the ball to the floor. He then stormed over to Yao Ming and began speaking to him with aggressive gestures.

"What are they arguing about?" Smith wished he could jump into the screen to listen in.

Barkley was already shouting, "If I were Kobe, I would’ve cursed him out ages ago! He’s playing like a pile of shit! Look at the Lakers’ terrible record! It’s all because of this guy!"

At the game, Jackson shot to his feet.

He had always thought that the more humble Yao Ming would be able to get along with Kobe and that there wouldn’t be a repeat of the O’Neal situation.

But in that moment, Jackson suddenly realized he might have overlooked Kobe.

’That guy’s competitive drive is off the charts, and he’s incredibly demanding of his teammates. With Yao Ming playing this badly, Kobe has probably been holding back for a while now.’

On the court, Kobe pointed two fingers at his own eyes, then turned and ran off with a vicious look.

Jackson couldn’t hear what was said, but judging by the gesture, it clearly wasn’t anything nice.

"Fack," Jackson cursed in frustration, feeling like when it rains, it pours.

Yao Ming ran back to the defensive end.

Kobe’s words were still ringing in his ears: "What the hell are you doing? Is setting screens and grabbing rebounds all you know how to do? Score, damn it! Chen told me you were a genius and that I should help you! Is this how you repay me? I need you to score! Score, you understand?!"

’Chen Yu?’

Yao Ming frowned slightly. He’d been wondering why Kobe, who had been giving him the cold shoulder, would suddenly approach him and say all that.

’Score!’

Yao Ming silently clenched his fists. All the pent-up frustration from the past few days erupted as if it had finally found an outlet.

’Forget it. Forget coordination, forget tactics, to hell with it all. I’m going to score.’

Yao Ming stopped looking for his teammates and planted himself under the basket.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Raheem make a reverse cut, agilely shaking Horry to receive the ball and drive to the hoop. Yao Ming turned and charged at him.

’Fuck you!’

Yao Ming leaped into the air.

In an instant, it was as if a wall had risen up in front of Raheem.

With a thunderous SMACK, the basketball was viciously swatted away by Yao Ming.

The force was so great that Raheem stumbled backward upon landing before regaining his balance.

He was a bit stunned. ’Is this guy’s help defense really that fast?’

The entire Staples Center fell silent for a moment.

Was that... a good play?

In the studio, Barkley, who had been chattering nonstop and speculating about what Kobe and Yao Ming had argued about, abruptly fell silent.

’That block was so fucking amazing!’

"Fack, he jumped so high," Smith exclaimed beside him.

With a terrifying height of 226 cm, when he jumped, he truly blotted out the sky. Smith could already imagine the kind of pressure an outside player would feel driving to the hoop and facing such a giant.

Barkley snapped out of it and immediately said, "That idiot Raheem actually got blocked."

But he was clearly just being stubborn.

Soon, it was the Lakers’ offense.

Yao Ming charged into the paint with his head down, no longer looking for teammates. As soon as he backed into Ratcliffe, he immediately put up his hand, demanding the ball.

Kobe saw him. He had been planning to attack himself, but without a second thought, he lobbed the ball into the post.

The ball arrived. Yao Ming lowered his center of gravity and started backing him down.

In that moment, Ratcliffe felt like he was being charged by a Bull. He was only just discovering how strong this big man was.

With just two bumps, Yao Ming had savagely pushed his way under the basket.

He gave one last violent push backward, then spun and jumped. In that instant, all his frustration and resentment erupted like a volcano, coalescing into a silent "Fuck you."

’Go in!’

Yao Ming grabbed the basketball with both hands and slammed it violently through the hoop.

The entire arena fell silent once again.

At that moment, it wasn’t just the fans; even Jackson and the others on the bench never expected Yao Ming to suddenly unleash such a spectacular power play under the basket—an unstoppable monster dunk.

"Yao, great job!"

Jackson reacted instantly, jumping to his feet and waving his arms as he yelled to Yao Ming on the court.

Beside him, only Olajuwon stood up to applaud and cheer for Yao Ming.

Even Horry and the other players on the court were a bit slow to react.

A block, a dunk... was this the same Yao Ming who had been out of position constantly in the previous games, who would get pushed around under the basket, who would fumble the ball as soon as he touched it?

If you didn’t know better, you might have thought it was O’Neal.

Only Kobe let out an excited roar, yelling at Yao Ming, "Fack, you should’ve been doing that from the start!"

The TNT Studio was also dead silent.

"Fack, that was a fluke, right?" Barkley’s eyes were wide with disbelief.

Ernie Johnson and Smith exchanged glances, remaining silent.

That play was absolutely spectacular, absolutely tough.

"Charles, I’m starting to think you might really have to kiss Kenny’s ass," Ernie Johnson said faintly.

The corner of Barkley’s eye twitched. He subconsciously glanced over at Smith.

’Damn it, did this guy even shower or not?’