The Magic did not suffer a crushing defeat. With Wei Guo and Kobe leaving the game early, the Magic managed to close the gap in the second half and ultimately lost by only a dozen points.

The significance of this match lies elsewhere...

When Wei Guo set the record for the fastest quadruple-double in history, the entire audience cheered for him!

The audience cherished this game because they knew it was Wei Guo's last game at the Magic's home arena, and the last time most people would see him play live. Wei Guo would retire after this season, a decision that was both understandable and incomprehensible to many.

I don't understand why Wei Guo retired when he was still at the peak of his career. What I do understand is that Wei Guo really had no rivals in this league. He didn't seem to lack money either, so there was no point in continuing to play... He won all the honors, and he held two-thirds of the league's records.

Just because of defending the country...

This has led to a significant decline in the status of many veteran players.

Take Oscar Robertson, for example. Fans always referred to him as the triple-double king, but Andrew Wiggins broke all of his triple-double records. Now, when triple-doubles are mentioned, fans can only think of Wiggins. Another example is Wilt Chamberlain. This ancient giant held many records, such as single-game points, single-game rebounds, and single-season average of 50+ points... These were all broken by Wiggins. The only thing that Wilt Chamberlain didn't surpass was probably the number of women he slept with.

If Jordan could retire after winning three consecutive championships, it's understandable that Wei Guo would retire at his peak.

so...

The Orlando crowd just enjoys the game!

After the game, the team owner presented a long-prepared gift to show his respect for the league's top player.

......

A day later, the Lakers flew to Detroit.

Winning this away game would break the team's winning streak record... 34 consecutive wins are nothing compared to the Lakers' goal of remaining undefeated in the regular season.

Detroit is a city rife with violence.

According to statistics, the city's violent crime rate is as high as 1759.6 per 100,000 people. From the Bad Boys to the Pistons' "Fab Five," the Pistons have never been a team to be trifled with.

Jordan suffered a lot of losses against the Pistons.

It is said that the reason Thomas was not selected for the Dream Team was because Jordan did not like him. Jordan had won games here, but he could not defeat the Detroit team.

Wei Guo also has a long-standing rivalry with the Pistons. With the 76ers, the Nets, and the Knicks, he blocked the Detroit Pistons' path to the championship, shattering their championship dreams three times.

This may be the last time Wei Guo comes to Detroit...

But when he walked onto the court, the atmosphere almost brought Wei Guo to tears. The stadium was packed, with more than 10,000 spectators divided into seven camps, wearing different jerseys, and lined up in order: 76ers, Rockets, Nets, Suns, Knicks, Trail Blazers, and Lakers, representing the seven teams Wei Guo played for.

Only a dozen or so Pistons jerseys were visible at the scene, all worn by Pistons players.

The banners held by fans who didn't understand Chinese were varied. Some only had numbers, such as 108, 59, 37, 19, and 17, representing the highest single-game score, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals for Wei Guo—all league single-game records. Others contained words like, "We don't want you to leave... We've been with you for 7 years... Rest in peace..."

Upon seeing the "May you rest in peace" banner, Wei Guo couldn't hold back anymore. He walked up to the fan and asked, "Could I have this banner?"

"certainly!"

The fans were thrilled, exclaiming, "Idol, this is my blessing for you!"

"Thank you..."

Wei Guo squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth.

Judging from the fan's excited expression, he really likes Wei Guo, but his lack of education limits him.

Walking back to the bench, Wei Guo shoved the banner into Cummings's hand. Cummings, both amused and exasperated, asked, "What am I supposed to do with this banner?"

Cummings is cultured!

"burn..."

Wei Guo wanted Cummings to burn the banner, but then thought that burning it would be even more unlucky, so he changed his mind and said, "Find a secluded place and throw it in the trash can."

......

Pistons players gathered around and chatted with Wei Guo.

Rashid said that Wei Guo's straight-arm shot against the Magic was amazing, and asked if he could teach him, as he has been practicing straight-arm shots recently.

The match will start in half an hour.

The players then began to warm up one after another. Rasheed clung to Wei Guo, who then instructed him on some techniques and essence of straight-arm shooting. These soon-to-be-lost moves are not as simple as they appear to the eye; otherwise, Kobe would not have gone to Hakeem Olajuwon to learn the Dream Shake.

Enthusiasm is one thing, but we must play the game seriously.

The Pistons are third in the Eastern Conference, behind the Celtics and Magic. They are hoping to win a few more games, and even if they can't be the first in the East, they can at least be the second. If they work hard, they might even be able to meet the Lakers in the Finals.

The Lakers cannot afford to lose...

They want to create an invincible legend.

......

Starting lineup for this match:

Pistons: Billups, Hamilton, Prince, Rasheed, McDyess

Lakers: Wei Guo, Kobe, Ariza, Odom, Bynum

......

After Ben Wallace's trade, McDyess joined the Pistons and became their starting center. Don't underestimate this 2.06-meter-tall guy; he averaged 21 points per game in his peak season. While his defensive ability wasn't as good as Wallace's, he filled the Pistons' weakness in interior offense. The rest of the Pistons' key players remained largely unchanged.

For the Lakers...

Paul and Gasol continue to recover from their injuries, and both are expected to return in two days.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the Pistons have never fallen out of the ranks of the strong teams, consistently ranking among the top four in the Eastern Conference. They are more resilient than the Magic, and their goal against the depleted Lakers is victory.

Rashid offered to jump the ball with Weiguo, and Weiguo granted his request.

"Beep!!!"

The whistle blew, and the game began.

The basketball was tossed into the air...

Rashid jumped first, and as soon as his feet left the ground, Wei Guo sprang up as if he had stepped on a spring.

*Smack!!!*

Wei Guo dribbled the basketball, and Rashid hit Wei Guo's arm.

Kobe gets the ball...

After Wei Guo landed, Kobe handed the ball to Wei Guo and then quickly ran to the frontcourt to take his position.

Rashid defends the nation!

His athleticism can disrupt Wei Guo's shots, and if Wei Guo gets past him, his teammates will need to help defend... Overall, this is the Pistons' best tactic against Wei Guo.

Wei Guo dribbles to the left...

Rasheed, McDyess, and Prince all moved with Wei Guo, opening up space on the right side. Wei Guo lobbed the ball to Kobe!

Kobe received the ball, backed down Hamilton, and after getting close to the basket, faked a move with his right shoulder, turned and got past Hamilton, then laid the ball into the basket with a layup.

2-0!!!

The Lakers scored first.

This is the advantage of having two super scorers. Wei Guo can create space, making it easier for Kobe to score. Although his average points per game have decreased this season, his shooting percentage has improved significantly.