David Stern said with a smile: "Tonight's game was exciting. I'm very happy with the way you played."
Then he glanced at the two of them and said to Zhou Quan: "Zhou, you once told the media that you were willing to reconcile with Michael, is that true?"
Zhou Quan said with a smile: "Mr. Stern, I said this. I have publicly expressed goodwill to Mr. Michael Jordan, but unfortunately he seems to have no intention of resolving our conflicts."
"snort!"
Jordan snorted angrily, "You hit me in public and almost destroyed me. Is that your kindness?" But with Stern in front of me, it was difficult to have an attack.
"A very good attitude." Stern said approvingly.
Zhou Quan continued: "There is a proverb in our country that it is better to resolve enemies than to end them. This means that when there are conflicts, it is only suitable to resolve them, rather than aggravate them."
"It's very good. This is a life attitude full of philosophy and wisdom. If all of us act accordingly, there will be real peace in the world."
Stern praised again, then looked at Jordan and said, "Michael, what about you?"
Jordan was speechless, are you forcing me to reconcile with this bastard? Then you might as well persuade me to retire. I would rather retire than reconcile with him.
Stern saw Jordan's reluctance and advised: "Michael, do you really not want to think about it?"
Jordan turned around and stared at Zhou Quan, then looked at Stern and said: "Mr. Stern, I will not have any off-court conflicts with him, and I will try to avoid on-court conflicts. I can guarantee this, but my relationship with him They can only be mortal enemies, and this cannot be changed. Even if we retire, it will not change this fact, and I don’t want to change it.”
Zhou Quan smiled and said: "We have a proverb in China, fighting with others is endless fun. Having an irresolvable mortal enemy will make me want to become stronger."
"snort!"
Jordan stared at Zhou Quan again, complaining in his heart, you Chinese have so many proverbs, and they still mean the opposite.
Stern is sorry, but that's all.
As long as things like the Battle of Auburn Hills don't happen again, and violence doesn't happen on and off the field, as opponents, it doesn't matter if the relationship is close, but it can add some topicality.
However, Michael Jordan is indeed not as grand as Zhou Quan.
In the TNT commentary box, Robert Guida said at the end of the game: "Tekken played 42 minutes in this game, making 5 of 12 shots, 41.7% from the field, 6 of 6 free throws, 16 points, 7 rebounds, 12 assists, 4 steals and 6 steals. Turnovers and 3 fouls.
Jordan didn't guard him in the last game, but this time he limited his offense well, and more importantly, limited his breakthroughs with the ball. Michael Jordan played a truly top-notch offense and defense in the fourth quarter, and he was indeed worthy of it. The first person in active service.
The current Tekken, whether it is physical fitness, skills, game experience, control of the game, ability to adapt on the spot, and self-adjustment ability, are very far away from Jordan.
Of course, his assist performance was still outstanding, but it was only in the first three quarters. In the fourth quarter, Jordan destroyed his rhythm on the defensive end, and it should be said that he had no performance at all. "
Ringo Wilson said excitedly: "Michael has made 17 of 32 shots in 46 minutes, a shooting percentage of 53.1%, and 9 of 10 free throws. He scored 13 points in the final quarter and scored 43 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals and 4 turnovers. 3 foul data.
His performance in the Eastern Conference Finals, against the Pistons, which has the strongest defense in the league, was better than the first-round series in which he averaged 45 points per game. After three games in the Eastern Conference Finals, he has averaged 44.7 points per game. This The playoffs are so exciting! "
Robert Guida could only express his admiration and said with a smile: "In this state, Michael Jordan has shown an invincible attitude. He is indeed powerful."
On the sidelines, Zhou Quan chatted with Catherine for a few words, and then said goodbye to the fans with his teammates.
At this time, Jordan was being interviewed live by TNT TV station.
"Michael, what does winning the G3 game at the Palace of Auburn Hills mean to this series?" the reporter asked.
Jordan said excitedly: "It means we are on the right path, we have found a way to deal with them, and we have begun to officially launch an attack on the second championship."
"Do you have a lot of confidence?"
"Of course, the Pistons are just a small obstacle in front of us. We are sure that we can get over it and achieve our final goal."
"Today you not only restricted Tie Fist's offense, but also restricted his passing in the final quarter, and even forced him to hand over the ball and become a spectator on the court, thus winning this game. So what do you think next? Will this happen again?"
"Of course, I'm sure he won't be able to make changes in a short period of time. I'm faster and more flexible than him. Once I find and seize his weaknesses, he won't be able to escape my grasp." Jordan was full Said confidently.
"Mr. Stern finally called you together. Why?"
"It was a normal conversation. He wanted us to reconcile, but I refused."
"Why?"
"Why do we need to reconcile? We are not teammates, we are mortal enemies. There is no need for us to reconcile, not at all. I never expect to be friends with everyone in the world."
An hour later, the Pistons' postgame press conference began.
"Iron Fist, what do you think of your performance in the final quarter?"
"very bad."
“What improvements are you going to make?”
"We don't have a clue yet."
"Are you still confident about the series?"
"No matter what, we hope to win the G4 game, and we are not allowed to lose two consecutive home games."
"Who do you think is responsible for the failure?"
"It can only be mine."
"Iron Fist, do you still have the confidence to face Michael Jordan?"
"Of course, I believe I will do better. And Michael Jordan failed for so many seasons to get to the end, how could I lose confidence just because of one failure?"
"If, I said if, the Pistons lost the Eastern Conference Finals, what would you do?"
"If that happens, I'm going to train all offseason and we'll come back next season and stand in front of Michael Jordan again."
Soon after, the press conference ended. Zhou Quan went back to the dressing room to get his bag. When he was about to leave, Rodman shouted: "Iron Fist, you'd better sleep separately from Catherine. This is my suggestion."
Zhou Quan didn't look back. He walked forward and replied: "Dennis, this is also my advice to you and Madonna."
"Haha..." A group of people burst into laughter.
Half an hour later, Zhou Quan got into his pickup truck, with Catherine waiting for him next to him.
Catherine observed Zhou Quan's expression. There was no obvious frustration or displeasure after losing, but she was a little disappointed. She smiled and said: "Zhou, what will your sneaker sales be like tomorrow?"
Zhou Quan was startled, suddenly laughed several times, shook his head and said with a bitter smile: "A sharp drop in sales? Ignore it, there are only less than one million US dollars in sales. Anyway, I can basically complete the sales this season ahead of schedule. Next season 8 million, let’s talk about it next season.”
"Michael Jordan is so strong, no wonder Madonna doesn't want to accept him." Catherine suddenly said.
"What do you mean? Have you seen their news?" Zhou Quan didn't understand.
"The past two days have been full of news about them, and I can't even hide from them."
Catherine expressed envy, and then explained: "People like Jordan have a very strong and domineering personality because they are too strong. It is impossible for a queen-level woman like Madonna to have higher achievements and social status than Jordan now." Put up with that kind of character.”
"So as a woman, what kind of man do you think Madonna likes?" Zhou Quan asked curiously.
"I don't know. Anyway, it's not like Jordan. Maybe it's the kind that's very obedient? I'm not sure." Catherine said.
"Is this the reason why Rodman was attracted by Madonna? That guy is someone who can come to Madonna immediately, and then go away immediately." Zhou Quan suddenly realized.
…
When Zhou Quan woke up, it was already broad daylight. Catherine beside him was no longer in bed. He looked at his watch and it read 11 o'clock in the morning.
He felt that the soreness after the game was still there, and he could not recover the physical energy consumed in one night. Fortunately, the G4 game was on the 25th, and there was still time to recover.
"Zhou, are you up? It's time to have breakfast. I fried some veal steak, medium rare as you like, sprinkled with black pepper and chili sauce as you like."
At this time, Catherine pushed the door open and came in. She was still wearing a cooking apron. It was Zhou Quan's apron, which was a bit big, but she was also 177 centimeters tall, maybe only 175 centimeters, not much bigger, just a little fat.
"Sorry, I should have done it." Zhou Quan quickly got up and said politely.
"We'll make dinner together." Catherine smiled.
"OK."
After Zhou Quan washed up, Catherine had put food on the table, including steak, salmon, fried eggs, sausages, vegetable salads, milk, fruits, bread, etc., waiting for him.
"Very rich. But wait a moment."
He quickly ran to the door and brought the newspaper in before sitting at the table.
"This is not a good habit."
But when he was about to read it, Catherine confiscated the newspaper.
"Haha, then don't watch, let's eat." He said calmly.
"Try the steak. Is it cooked well?"
"Well, not bad."
He tasted a piece and it was really good. As long as he put some chili pepper on it, the taste would be the same.
"Catherine, let's go to the supermarket to buy groceries in the afternoon, and I'll cook Chinese food for you."
"OK, I haven't tried Chinese food yet. Is it delicious?" Catherine asked curiously.
"Oh, let's put it this way, as long as I eat the fish nuggets and bacon that you British eat every day for two days in a row, I would rather starve to death than eat it again. But if I don't eat Chinese food for three days in a row, I I can’t eat anymore,” he joked.
Catherine rolled her eyes at Zhou Quan and said angrily: "Is it that bad? Didn't you say you would go to England to visit me in the future? I'll treat you to fried fish and bacon every day."
At this point, the two of them couldn't help but sigh at the thought of their upcoming breakup.
After breakfast and lunch, Zhou Quan picked up the newspaper and started reading.
He mainly depends on the local media to evaluate last night's game and his performance yesterday. The media in other cities don't care much.
Fortunately, the Detroit media still supported him and did not blame him for losing a game. Instead, they were quite tolerant.
After spending half an hour browsing the news, Zhou Quan drove his girlfriend, who was about to break up, to a supermarket outside the community to do some shopping.
In the afternoon, he was busy cooking eight dishes, including braised eggplant, braised pork, braised pork ribs, braised squid, braised salmon, steamed eggs, etc. There were no Chinese supermarkets in Detroit, and the raw materials and seasonings were not complete, so he could Make these dishes.
Catherine didn't know how to use chopsticks, so Zhou Quan helped pick up vegetables from time to time. She would occasionally sigh while eating.
Zhou Quan didn't ask why he sighed, it was just that he didn't want to break up with him. He knew that Catherine still liked being with him, otherwise she wouldn't have fallen in love again.
It's a pity that both of them are currently struggling for their careers and can only accept this ending.
On the 24th, the Pistons did not arrange training on this day and continued to allow players to seize precious opportunities to recover their physical fitness.
That night, the G4 game of the Western Conference Finals started, 112:121. In the end, the Jazz won two consecutive games at home and pulled another game, tying 2-2 with the Trail Blazers.
The Malone brothers scored 61 points, and John Stockton also played his best performance in this series, with 18 points, 15 assists and 3 steals, shooting 54.5% from the field. The three of them combined to contribute 79 points, 19 rebounds and 20 assists.
In the Western Conference Finals series, the Trail Blazers' best performer was not the glider Drexler, but the All-Star backup point guard Terry Porter. This time he scored 34 points and shot 56.3% from the field.
The Glider also scored 27 points and teamed up with Porter to contribute 61 points. The Trail Blazers performed no worse than the Jazz in other aspects, but the Jazz had the home court advantage and got 55 free throw opportunities, 16 more than the Trail Blazers. In free throws alone, he scored 19 points more than the Trail Blazers. Based on this, he won the game.
"We Pistons are not popular in the league and do not get such a home court advantage. In last night's game, we had five fewer free throws than the Bulls. I deserved free throw opportunities for some breakthroughs, but even at home, the whistle would not favor me. ." Zhou Quan said.
"Why?" Catherine asked curiously.
"Well, well, maybe the reputation of the Bad Boys Legion is still costing us." He said in a teasing tone.
At this time, he thought of the second half of the last quarter last night. While Jordan was still able to play in a very good state, his teammates lost their excitement.
This is a problem he has been worried about before the Eastern Conference Finals started.
The veterans around him, Joe Dumars and John Salley, who have won two consecutive championships, have lost their energy and spirit.
Even if you can encourage morale and other means, you can summon up the courage for a while, and you can show your knife-like sharpness when facing the bull, but it cannot last long.
It's the so-called rush of strength, then decline, and then exhaustion. This is the situation of the Pistons now. They don't have the fighting spirit to fight to the end and fight to the end.
Although the slogans are loud, in fact, since last season, the tenacity of the Bad Boys Legion has been lost in the bones.
"Dennis is okay, but he's just unlucky, and injuries happened in the playoffs. Ulrich just arrived with the Pistons, he didn't have a championship, and his contract was small. He had good morale, but his defense was too bad and his offense was terrible. It’s also very monotonous and has limited capabilities.”
He was a little helpless. It was a bit difficult to beat the Bulls with this lineup.
…
On the 25th, the game day of G4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Rest continued in the morning, and Zhou Quan came to the headquarters at noon to participate in the team's recovery training.
After more than two days of rest, the soreness on his body is gone. Of course, his physical fitness will definitely not return to 100%, which will require a longer period of rest. And now his body gets tired more easily.
Rodman said seriously: "Iron Fist, it seems that you and Catherine have slept in separate beds for the past two days, and your physical fitness has recovered well."
"Get out!"
Zhou Quan laughed and cursed, and said angrily: "You should worry about your condition. You only grabbed 10 rebounds in the last game."
"Don't worry, after two days of rest, my injuries have improved a bit, at least 20 for this game." Rodman assured, patting his chest.
Chuck Daly came over at this time and asked: "Zhou, have you thought of a way to deal with Jordan's defense in the past two days?"
Zhou Quan nodded and said: "After much thought, I still need to improve my athletic quality before we can truly solve this problem. With my current ability, I'm afraid there is still no way. I still have to use the pick-and-roll to get rid of him."
Chuck Daly nodded and said: "That's right. If his defense was so easy to solve, he wouldn't be Michael Jordan. Only by correcting your attitude can you solve the problem.
In this game, if he plays full-court press again, I will arrange more pick-and-roll tactics for you. After you pick it up, immediately distance yourself from him, but don't go to Pippen. Pippen's defense is no worse than Jordan. Maybe even more difficult. "
"clear."
…
At night, the Palace of Auburn Hills is brightly lit.
At 7:30, both sides announced the starting lineup.
Bulls: Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan, John Paxson
Pistons: John Salley, Dennis Rodman, Orlando Ulrich, Joe Dumars, Zhou Quan
At this time, substitute players from both sides came on stage and began to warm up.
Although Isiah Thomas' reputation has plummeted and his strength has plummeted, he still has a strong fan base in Detroit and the Palace of Auburn Hills. Countless Pistons fans cheer for him when he appears on the court.
He couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Magic and Barkley sitting together instead of behind the team's bench.
He was afraid of the disease. Before the start of the season, he protested against Magic's playing. This turned the relationship between him and Magic from friendly to bad, but he did not regret it. Who the hell asked you to mess around?
(End of chapter)
