LRAB Chapter 73 The aftermath of the conflict goes far beyond just the conflict itself!
Chapter 73 The aftermath of the conflict goes far beyond just the conflict itself!
What Lin Tian and everyone else didn't expect was that his conflict with the Jazz team was far more than just a conflict on the court.
Because the very next day after the conflict, Stockton was the first to report bad news.
This ironman on the field will need 2-4 weeks of rest before he can return to the game due to a fractured rib.
Based on the current timeline, Stockton will definitely miss the All-Star Game in San Antonio in early February!
Players often express impatience and boredom with the All-Star game, saying they'd rather not be selected than play. But if they are injured and miss the game due to injury, especially malicious actions by opponents, then everyone will be extremely unhappy!
For example, Ma Long is very unhappy because his good partner will be absent for at least half a month!
This dissatisfaction carried over into the Jazz's home game against the Lakers!
This season's Lakers are still not very competitive for the championship, but they are a team from Los Angeles, the entertainment capital, which is never short of topics!
So even though the team lacks star power and has no hope of winning the championship, they still have other things that can attract the attention of the entire league!
The Magician's comeback!
Yes, Magic Johnson, who was forced to retire in the 1991 season due to HIV infection, finally felt his body was ready after battling the virus for five years! He returned to the basketball court he loved so much!
Some players were happy to see Magic Johnson return and welcomed him, while others were scared and unhappy, but out of consideration for Magic Johnson's status, they didn't dare to openly express their dissatisfaction.
For example, Jordan and Rodman are among the current superstars who most welcome Magic Johnson's comeback. Jordan is willing to support his good friend because he played alongside Magic in 1992 and had a very good relationship with him.
As for Rodman...
Lin Tian thought that Rodman was worried that he would one day be infected with AIDS, so he supported James in advance. That way, if Rodman himself got the disease in a few years, others would definitely welcome him back to the league!
This big worm still has a brain!
Of course, there are also some people who will directly express their concerns, dissatisfaction, and opposition!
For example, Ma Long!
When the news of Magic Johnson's desire to return to the league first broke, Malone expressed his clear opposition. He stated that he was 100% against it and 100% unwilling to compete against a patient. He hadn't lived enough, he didn't want to have a terminal illness, and he certainly didn't want to contract an incurable disease because of such a foolish act.
From beginning to end, Malone has been the biggest obstacle to Magic Johnson's comeback and the most prominent of all his opponents!
However, no matter how much Malone objected, Magic Johnson eventually passed all the checks and votes of the league and the players' union and returned to the league!
And on February 2nd, the Lakers will play the Jazz on the road!
Before the game, Malone, who already had a bad attitude towards the media and a bad temper, was further troubled by Stockton's injury and the fact that he had to deal with Magic Johnson in the game. Therefore, Malone was even more irritable and arrogant when he was interviewed!
"I won't compete against a patient, and I won't put my life in danger for a game! That's too stupid! I don't care what others think; maybe they're all fearless idiots, but I won't be foolish enough to join them!"
"I will absolutely not play against Jason in this game! He'll be off the court when he's on, and I'll only go on when he's off! I've also requested the highest level of disinfection measures, with continuous disinfection on the court!"
"Honestly, if it weren't for the fans in Salt Lake City, and not wanting them to leave disappointed, I absolutely wouldn't have played tonight! I'm playing for the fans, not because I agree to James returning to the league! My stance is, I will never agree to him returning to the league in my entire life! Absolutely not!"
After making those remarks, Malone indeed avoided playing against Magic Johnson during the game.
Whenever Magic Johnson comes off the bench, he immediately goes off to rest.
And as soon as the magician goes to rest, he will immediately take the stage again!
Even with the Jazz leading by only 3 points in the final 3 minutes, Malone immediately fouled Magic Johnson as soon as he saw him enter the game, requesting to be taken off the court for a rest.
Throughout the game, Malone only played 23 minutes, scoring 17 points and grabbing 9 rebounds. The Jazz were also defeated by the Lakers because both of their leaders were absent in the last three minutes, resulting in a two-game losing streak.
After the game, Magic Johnson, who scored 15 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists, smiled and said in an interview: "It's a pity that I can only play 26 minutes. My stamina is very bad right now. If I could play 48 minutes, then Karl wouldn't have to change clothes and could just sit and rest. I will try my best and work hard to overcome my physical weaknesses."
Ma Long's words may be exactly what many players are thinking, but in the end, only he spoke his mind!
Therefore, many people started questioning Ma Long during this match!
Miller, Barkley, Olajuwon, Rodman, Jordan, Payton...
Dozens of All-Star caliber players came forward to express their disappointment with Malone's remarks and, in turn, to express their support for Magic Johnson and all people living with HIV/AIDS.
Several of these star players, who have great teams, took the opportunity to launch charitable activities to help AIDS patients, instantly gaining a huge number of fans.
Malone became the biggest loser in the Magician incident!
In addition, if someone looks at the schedule, they will find that on February 10, three days before the All-Star Game, the Los Angeles Lakers will play against the Bulls on the road. As Magic Johnson's good friend, Jordan had been supporting Magic Johnson in every way before Magic Johnson officially returned to the court, and even played a one-on-one game with Magic Johnson at Staples Center.
This home game against the Lakers is Jordan's chance to show his support for his good friend and to showcase his own style!
As for Lin Tian, although his unlimited shooting rights were only maintained for half a game because Jordan didn't rest for a single game and went straight into the next game, Phil Jackson's adjustments to the lineup were almost finalized.
His method of using Lin Tian has also changed significantly!
From February 1st to 8th, the Bulls played a total of 4 games in one week. Except for the first game, which had some changes in the starting lineup due to Rodman's suspension, the starting lineup of the Bulls was exactly the same in the remaining 3 games!