In 1996, Tyronn Lue was a student at the Nike Peach Jam alongside He Xi Meng and Kobe, hailed as one of the nation's top high school players, with fame rivaling that of Kobe.
Two years later, He Xi Meng and Kobe had become All-Star players in the league and undisputed starters for the Lakers. Tyronn Lue, on the other hand, had just entered the league, becoming a reserve for He Xi Meng's backup. This history made fans who knew it sigh with emotion.
However, during daily practice, He Xi Meng was very attentive to his former classmate, now his subordinate. Compared to Fisher, He Xi Meng trusted Tyronn Lue more. This was because Tyronn Lue had no bad habit of poaching teammates, and as expected, would become a renowned coach in the league in the future, essentially aligning with He Xi Meng's future development path. They saw each other daily, so it was wise to foster a good relationship while Coach Lue was not yet famous.
Of course, He Xi Meng's relationship with Xiao Yu was also good, but he dared not be too close, especially not inviting him to his home.
101:88, the Lakers defeated the visiting Mavericks by a large margin, securing their sixth consecutive victory.
After the game, Nowitzki shook He Xi Meng's hand and complained, "Shaq's huge backside is too much. It's impossible to defend him in the paint..."
O'Neal, having evolved to his peak state, was indeed an unstoppable force in the paint. He Xi Meng could only offer his sympathy.
"This isn't just your problem; it's a problem for the entire league... Just wait, soon, the league's teams will undoubtedly devise effective methods to deal with O'Neal... Also, a small suggestion: you shouldn't gain weight, nor should you play as a center. I hope you seriously consider your positioning and leverage your shooting touch. Never become just an inside bruiser..."
Even though the German Tank would likely not stray from the right path without He Xi Meng's reminder, He Xi Meng still decided to advise Nowitzki to prevent any unforeseen changes or misguided shifts in play style, which would be a significant loss.
After seeing off the Mavericks, the Lakers welcomed an old friend, the Hornets!
If the Mavericks and the Suns had a close partnership in these past few seasons, then the Hornets were close partners with the Lakers.
However, the trades between the Mavericks and the Suns were generally back-and-forth, with neither side suffering a significant loss. In contrast, the Hornets had been at a severe disadvantage in their dealings with the Lakers.
Two years ago, the Hornets had traded He Xi Meng and Kobe for Divac and Delk.
Now, Divac had left for the Kings as a free agent, and Delk had been traded to the Warriors last season for Bj Armstrong, who was also relatively unknown.
The Hornets had lost everything and gained nothing. Yet, He Xi Meng heard that the Hornets were once again brewing a major trade with the Lakers.
Had the Hornets forgotten their pain after two years?
He Xi Meng always held a sense of pity for the Hornets, the team that had almost been the starting point of his professional career.
This season, Glen Rice was still sidelined due to injury. The Hornets were led by David Wesley, with support from Derrick Coleman, Bobby Phills, JR Reid, and Bj Armstrong... With such a lineup, let alone the Lakers, even a weak team in the Western Conference that couldn't make the playoffs could easily defeat this Hornets team.
It was said that ticket sales for the Hornets' home games were extremely dismal. Fans didn't want to pay to watch a guaranteed loss. After all, masochists were a minority. Most fans paid for tickets to watch their team win. Perhaps this was the original intention and cause behind the Hornets once again brewing a trade with the Lakers. After all, in the eyes of the current Hornets management, every player on the Lakers was a potential star.
There was no suspense in this game, but He Xi Meng did spot a familiar figure on the Hornets' bench: Brad Miller!
In the recently concluded World Championship, Brad Miller was one of the core inside players for the American team.
As a result, the American team lost to the Chinese team, leading to widespread criticism of all participating players from domestic fans. Brad Miller was naturally one of those players who were angrily criticized. He Xi Meng saw Brad Miller, and Brad Miller also saw He Xi Meng from afar, but their playing times were different, and they had no interaction.
After defeating the Hornets, the Lakers secured their seventh consecutive victory with ease.
Perhaps due to winning the last two games too easily, arrogance began to spread within the Lakers.
The internal conflict between Kobe and Eddie Jones escalated into open confrontation, with frequent clashes during team practice. Should it be Kobe or Eddie Jones? Some within the Lakers' management had already begun to raise this question.
Internal discord and arrogance soon led to the Lakers' first defeat of the season. The team that inflicted this loss upon the Lakers was the Indiana Pacers!
Reggie Miller, the nemesis of "The Boss" Jordan, who had spent most of his career in the shadow of the Bulls dynasty, naturally did not want to miss this golden opportunity this season and was determined to lead the Pacers to the championship trophy they had long dreamed of!
Facing the Lakers, last season's Western Conference champions, the Pacers played with united hearts, treating the game as a preview of the finals.
On the Lakers' side, they were engrossed in their own problems and did not take the Pacers seriously. In contrast, He Xi Meng remained the clear-headed one on the Lakers. While O'Neal was double-teamed and Kobe and Eddie Jones fought for ball possession, He Xi Meng seized the few rare opportunities to exchange three-point shots with Reggie Miller, helping the Lakers stay close and preventing the Pacers from widening the score gap.
The game entered its final minute with the score tied.
However, O'Neal missed a hook shot in the paint, and Eddie Jones missed a mid-range jump shot. The Pacers then extended their lead to 3 points.
Subsequently, Kobe made a three-pointer from beyond the arc off a pass from He Xi Meng after a drive, tying the score once again.
But the Pacers' sixth man off the bench, Jalen Rose, stepped up and hit a difficult mid-range jump shot against Kobe.
Yes, this Jalen Rose was the same Jalen Rose who would later become the backdrop for Kobe's 81-point game. He was the 13th overall pick in the 1994 draft! He started his career with the Nuggets and rose to prominence with the Pacers. He was the de facto leader of the Pacers in the post-Miller era – at least in terms of scoring.
This season, Jalen Rose was still playing as a sixth man for the Pacers, but he was on the verge of transforming into a near All-Star player in the league.