With a slight buzz from alcohol, He Xi Meng enjoyed a pleasant day before finally boarding the flight back to the Celtics.
He had brothers in San Antonio, and he had brothers in Boston.
Isn't the ideal state of life to be able to fly anywhere and find one or two friends who can drink with you, talk about anything with you, and waste time with you enjoying life?
Now, He Xi Meng is gradually letting go of his obsession with basketball and beginning to enjoy the fun basketball brings to his life.
For a moment, He Xi Meng suddenly felt that O'Neal was actually quite clear-headed.
To maintain a playful attitude both on and off the court is truly not something ordinary people can do.
After all, without absolute strength, without absolute dominance, your "fun basketball" is a form of disrespect. Disrespect to teammates, disrespect to the team, and disrespect to yourself.
And during O'Neal's peak, the only one who felt this disrespect seemed to be Kobe, the workaholic.
Others who played alongside O'Neal did not feel there was anything wrong with O'Neal.
Because O'Neal did not train, or trained little, yet still dominated all centers in the league when he played...
"If I had that kind of strength, I'd be lazy like O'Neal too..." Perhaps, this is the true mentality of most people, rather than being like Kobe, constantly demanding strict standards of themselves.
There is no right or wrong, because they are all different choices made by each person.
The main reason He Xi Meng dared to spend a day indulging in San Antonio was the Celtics' upcoming schedule: three home games, all against teams at the bottom of the league.
The first home game was against the New York Knicks.
This season, the Knicks' starting lineup consisted of Eddy Curry, Antonio Davis, Quentin Richardson, Nate Robinson, and Stephon Marbury.
At first glance, this lineup looked quite good.
However, Antonio Davis was no longer the All-Star forward he was on the Raptors. Eddy Curry began to experience weight control issues after establishing his value with the Bulls. Otherwise, the Bulls wouldn't have traded him away.
Marbury had finally seen Alan Houston leave, and with some salary cap space freed up, he didn't expect the management to bring in new recruits like Antonio Davis and Eddy Curry...
"Hey, Stephon, your team's lineup looks good this season!"
Before the game, He Xi Meng pretended to be unaware of the Knicks' true situation and struck up a casual conversation with Marbury at mid-court.
Marbury's face immediately fell: "Are you sure you're not mocking me?"
"Of course not! You and Eddy, one outside, one inside, a perfect match of high-low post!"
In fact, this was precisely the intention of the Knicks' management when they signed Eddy Curry from the Bulls.
"If only that big guy was as obedient as your team's little giant!" Marbury couldn't help but sigh. "I haven't seen his skills yet, but I've seen his weight, and I've experienced his temper..."
After establishing his value with the Bulls, Eddy Curry's biggest problems were rapid weight gain, a passive attitude on defense, and a lack of strong will and determination to win. With the Bulls, Eddy Curry was often the first player to give up on a game, which greatly annoyed the Bulls' management.
Otherwise, the Bulls would not have chosen to waive Eddy Curry after signing him to a six-year, $60 million contract, and sent him to New York after only one season.
If he didn't have inherent flaws, would the Knicks have gotten such a bargain?
So, Marbury's complaint was understandable.
"Young people, it's normal to have a bit of temper," He Xi Meng comforted Marbury. "You need to be patient and help the coaching staff train him. If he's trained well, Eddy might still be a boost for you on the Knicks!"
"Who doesn't know that?" Marbury rolled his eyes. "Do you think I haven't tried? Since this summer, I've been trying to coach that big guy, but..."
Marbury trailed off, looking utterly distressed.
He Xi Meng could understand Marbury's pain.
After all, when he was coaching in his previous life, he had encountered troublesome players.
Including the one in front of him, Stephon Marbury, who was himself one of the biggest troublemakers in the league.
From the Timberwolves to the Nets, from the Nets to the Suns, and from the Suns to the Knicks, Marbury had conflicts with teammates, coaching staff, and even management wherever he went.
Marbury's abilities were recognized by the league early on, but his personality had always been criticized by various teams.
The Knicks were considered quite tolerant, willing to accept Marbury even with his somewhat tarnished reputation and build a team around him. But in the end, Marbury still ended up in an irreconcilable conflict with the Knicks.
The Knicks management's incompetent operations were, of course, one of the significant reasons.
Marbury's own strong personality and his inability to unite teammates were also major reasons for his tumultuous career.
"Trust! You need to give your teammates more trust!" He Xi Meng said with feigned distress. "As the leader of the team, you must act like a leader! Not only should you urge your teammates to train and play well, but you should also give them full trust, allow them to make mistakes, and let them have a sense of belonging..."
He Xi Meng and Marbury's chats usually involved mutual digs and teasing.
But as He Xi Meng accumulated more championship rings, Marbury's confidence in talking back to He Xi Meng weakened, becoming less and less substantial.
This led to He Xi Meng becoming increasingly arrogant during their conversations.
See, He Xi Meng was even using a tone of disappointment in someone with potential.
"Did you eat the wrong medicine today? Why are you being so nice to me? And you're even concerned about my team building?" Marbury looked as if he had seen a ghost.
"Hey, it's just that I'm getting older and like to dispense advice!" He Xi Meng said shamelessly. "However, you've misunderstood me regarding caring about you. Of course, I care about you, otherwise, why would I waste nearly ten years, day after day, chatting with you?"
Marbury pouted, still not believing it. "What if you just want to find amusement at my expense? I know a type of person who takes pleasure in others' unhappiness..."
"How could I be so shameless?"
"Shameless people always claim to be noble!"
"If you're going to talk like this, we'll talk this conversation to death!"
"If it dies, it dies! Goodbye!"
Marbury's hot temper led him to leave abruptly, which greatly annoyed He Xi Meng.