The game is over, and Wei Guo and James shake hands and hug.

This situation...

Seemingly needing a few words of encouragement, Wei Guo patted James on the back, "Keep it up! The future is yours..."

This is no exaggeration.

James entered the draft straight out of high school and was not yet in his prime, while Wei Guo was preparing to retire in the summer of 2008.

If no new prodigy emerges in the league after Wei Guo's retirement, the future will inevitably belong to James.

"Brother, I will work hard." James was greatly encouraged.

Post-match interviews are also important.

A reporter, holding a microphone, asked James, "The Cavaliers were so close to winning the game. You scored 39 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists today. You were just one assist away from a triple-double. It's such a shame."

"Losing a game renders all statistics meaningless."

Did Wei Guo's entry into the game in the third quarter put pressure on the Cavaliers?

"Yes..."

There's no denying that, James said. "He's the best player in the league, and we're all chasing after him. All we can do is try to close the gap."

Suns post-game interview.

When asked by reporters why Wei Guo was coming off the bench, Gentry frankly said that Wei Guo had been spending less time with his parents because of playing basketball, and he would spend more time with them this season. So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Wei Guo would continue to come off the bench in the next 80 regular season games.

The media reporters sighed in dismay.

Wei Guo, the league's top player, is also a very filial son, and the media reporters expressed their understanding of his actions.

certainly...

When asked about his career plans, Wei Guo said he would not retire too early, nor would he play until he was forty. He would retire when his arms and legs were too old to continue playing.

This approach is similar to Jordan's.

Jordan once chose to retire after winning three consecutive championships to play baseball. However, Jordan's basketball talent was top-notch, but he could only be considered a second-rate player in baseball. Later, due to various reasons and team calls, Jordan returned to the league after a two-year hiatus.

The media reporters are not worried about Wei Guo... With Jordan as an example, Wei Guo retired at his peak, so who knows if he will return to the league?

and...

Wei Guozhen's retirement will give other players a chance.

If Jordan hadn't retired, the Bulls might have achieved an incredible eight-peat, leaving no chance for other players.

......

The news that Wei Guo would be a substitute this season spread like wildfire.

The reason is to spend more time with parents...

This is a reason that everyone can accept, especially since many NBA stars have given Wei Guo a thumbs up.

The players who received the most likes were those who had been overshadowed by Wei Guo over the past three years, such as Garnett, Duncan, Ben Wallace, and McGrady. Wei Guo's presence caused them to miss out on the regular season MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, scoring title, rebounding title, and block title over the past three years. Some players even missed out on All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team selections because of Wei Guo.

Playing Wei Guo as a substitute also gave them an opportunity.

It is conceivable...

This is, after all, an extremely competitive season.

Every player fights for honor, and everyone wants to have a few impressive accolades after retirement, otherwise they won't even get into the Hall of Fame.

Jordan was very strong...

However, Jordan still gave his contemporaries many opportunities.

Even during Jordan's peak in the 90s, he didn't sweep all the honors like Wei Guo did; he simply prevented his opponents from winning the championship.

......

The Suns have won two games in a row.

Gentry, however, was worried. He could see that the Suns' offense was very fluid, and this was bound to create a small-ball storm in the league!

The Suns could even achieve the best record in the league.

But...

In the past two years, whether with the Rockets or the Nets, which team coached by Gentry did not have the best regular season record in the league?

Gentry is no longer satisfied with the regular season; his goal is the championship. However, a key characteristic of championship teams is their balanced offense and defense, and the Suns' defense is hardly impressive.

Nash's physical gifts determined his defensive abilities; against some guards with strong offensive capabilities, Nash had a hard time containing them.

As for the other players...

The defense is barely passable.

However, D'Antoni did not have a mature defensive system, and his seven-second offense often resulted in two players running up the court after the opponent shot. In a game against the Cavaliers, there were even instances where players did not cross half-court during the defense.

The rebounding was not adequately protected.

Nash's connections with his teammates were incredibly impressive. Whether it was Stoudemire, Marion, Richardson, or Johnson, Nash always found a way to help them score easily.

but...

The connection between Nash and Weiguo was the most efficient.

This is why Wei Guo is often at the forefront of the Suns' offense, which prevents him from being distracted by protecting the rebounds.

In the game against the Cavaliers, Wei Guo grabbed 7 rebounds, including 3 offensive rebounds. The only player on the Suns to reach double figures in rebounds was Marion, who grabbed 13 rebounds.

......

Two days later, the Suns will host the Lakers at home.

With the breakup of the OK duo, O'Neal's move to the East to join the Heat, Malone's retirement, Payton's transfer, and even the Lakers' core coach Phil Jackson's dismissal, the Lakers now only have Kobe as a superstar.

so...

The Lakers have already suffered two consecutive losses in the regular season.

With the Lakers on a two-game losing streak facing the Suns on a two-game winning streak, can Kobe prove himself?

Starting lineup for this match:

Lakers: Otkins, Kobe, Butler, Odom, Mihm

Suns: Nash, Richardson, Johnson, Marion, Stoudemire

Knowing that Wei Guo's parents were back at the game, Kobe brought them gifts. He gave Wei Guo's father a bottle of red wine and Wei Guo's mother a limited edition handbag.

The total value is only a few tens of thousands of US dollars.

The gift wasn't expensive, but it was carefully chosen by Kobe, truly a small gift with a heavy heart.

This small incident sparked a gift-giving frenzy in the league. Until the end of the regular season, whenever the Suns played at home, the Wei Dafa couple would receive many gifts from the players. When the couple left the United States, Wei Dafa specially arranged a private plane to bring the gifts back to China.

The key players are getting ready to enter the game.

Gentry instructed, "Stop Kobe, and you'll win the game!"

It wasn't just the Suns; this season, any team facing the Lakers has made Kobe a primary defensive target, except for the year he played alongside Wei Guo... Iverson received the same treatment.