Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters-Chapter 1147 - 631 He Still Wants More_3
Chapter 1147 -631 He Still Wants More_3
Clippers faced an old rival in the first round, the Minnesota Timberwolves, who had defeated them once during the regular season.
This might be the season that Westbrook was fated to.
Just like averaging a triple-double, just as tough bringing the team to the playoffs, but unlike the main timeline, he would not win the MVP due to the triple-double average.
“Lars, is everything okay?”
Westbrook averaged 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Timberwolves, leading his team desperately into the playoffs only to end up quickly eliminated after possibly making the All-NBA team. How cruel does that sound?
Yet, Westbrook ignored the GOAT’s kindness: “We’ve beaten you in the regular season, we can beat you in the playoffs too!”
Yu Fei nodded: “I admit there’s a 0.1% chance of that happening.”
The rest was up to the game.
True, the Timberwolves had beaten the Clippers in the regular season, but that was when most of the Clippers players were not in optimal condition.
From the perspective of strength comparison, the Timberwolves had almost no chance.
One criterion to measure strong teams is their ability to adjust to their best condition in the playoffs.
As a team striving for a three-peat, the Clippers’ ability to adjust could be the best in the league.
Westbrook was troubled from the start.
He had to compete against Yu Fei in scoring, compare physical qualities with Antetokounmpo, match triple-doubles with Jokić, and then contest three-point shooting percentage with Thompson.
Clearly, he lost in most of these battles.
Besides Westbrook’s 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists, the Timberwolves had almost no performance worth mentioning, as they had lost by 33 points to the Clippers in the first game.
“If you keep playing like this, you won’t even have that 0.1% chance.”
That was what Yu Fei last said to Westbrook.
Could he understand? He would not.
Just like averaging a triple-double, Westbrook’s burden was much higher than Yu Fei’s ever was with the Bucks and Supersonics.
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He lacked adequate support, or rather, he was caught in the self-imposed belief of “no one can help me.”
With such a mindset, he tied the entire outcome to himself.
Yu Fei had never seen any player endure such immense power and pressure, forcibly dragging the team; looking across NBA history, nobody else had managed that.
This might be the most attractive yet repulsive trait of Westbrook.
Like cilantro, those who like it adore it, those who dislike it despise it profoundly.
Yu Fei liked this version of Westbrook.
In the second game, the opponent notched another triple-double but the Timberwolves still suffered a crushing defeat.
In the third game, Westbrook erupted for 45 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists, yet the Timberwolves lost by 11 points.
On the Timberwolves’ season-ending day, the Clippers led by double digits from the start, but Westbrook constantly attacked the defending champions like an erupting volcano.
Antetokounmpo knocked him down during a block, but he got up and forcefully pushed away the Greek.
Yu Fei scored a three-pointer over him, and Westbrook immediately retaliated with an even longer three-pointer against the GOAT.
He raised the intensity of the game to its peak, and despite the outcome being clear, he played furiously, ending the night with a futile 52 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists.
The Timberwolves lost by 22 points, Westbrook was destined to be blamed and mocked, and the criticism about his stat-padding would escalate.
Yet, it was this Westbrook that made Yu Fei feel truly old.
Even he couldn’t match Westbrook’s intensity throughout the night.
Maybe the question should be, who could?
“Regardless of the outcome, I think those criticizing Lars should shut up,” Yu Fei said after the game, “The biggest problem of our times is, even when someone gives their all and delivers the best performance they are capable of, we still mercilessly critique them. It’s a sickness, please seek immediate medical attention.”
Westbrook and the Timberwolves were sent home.
For Yu Fei, this was a delicious appetizer in the playoffs.
He still wanted more.
