Life is full of imperfections, with eight or nine out of ten things not going as planned.
If He Xi Meng hadn't crossed paths with Vince Carter, the Wake Forest University in 1996 would never have won the NCAA championship. Carter's college career wouldn't have carried this pressure and obsession. Reaching the Final Four might have satisfied him.
However, without meeting He Xi Meng, the current Carter would definitely not have a championship ring.
As it is, he would likely be wasting his precious prime career years alongside Jason Kidd on the Nets.
If Carter hadn't mentioned it, He Xi Meng wouldn't have realized that his decision to join Wake Forest had actually influenced Carter.
"But, you give some, you get some. Trading a shadow for at least one championship ring, it seems like you didn't lose out much on this deal, right?" He Xi Meng said with a smile.
"I didn't lose out, but I just had to get it off my chest! Seeing that young fellow reminds me of my past self..."
"Then I apologize to your past self."
"No need! Since I've chosen to be open with you, it means that chapter is closed. Now, we just need to look ahead! Of course, if you really want to compensate me, then help me get another championship ring..." Carter said, bursting into laughter.
"That compensation is acceptable!" He Xi Meng also laughed and playfully bumped fists with Carter.
Michael Jordan, watching from the VIP seats, couldn't resist coming over to join the fun when he saw two of his team's key players chatting so happily at courtside.
Carter felt embarrassed to recount his embarrassing moments in front of his senior, so he steered the conversation towards Chris Paul.
Michael Jordan glanced at the 4th overall pick of this year's draft, wearing a Hornets #3 jersey, and replied indifferently, "I don't recall him..."
"Good heavens, the future number one of the 2005 draft class, and you say you don't remember him? Did you even attend the draft combine?"
He Xi Meng's admiration for Michael Jordan was beyond words.
If one day he were to leave the Celtics, how would the Celtics survive? He Xi Meng expressed his deep concern.
The rest of the game proceeded without much excitement.
The Hornets hadn't yet integrated into a cohesive unit, and Paul, facing He Xi Meng, couldn't play with peak efficiency. He only made 4 out of 11 shots, missing both of his three-point attempts. However, his strong driving ability allowed him to draw 12 free throws, making 8 of them, and he finished with 16 points and 6 assists with 1 turnover.
It was evident that Paul was playing with determination and aggression on offense, but he couldn't find his rhythm against his senior.
At the same time, Paul's assist-to-turnover ratio was excellent, indicating that he was imitating He Xi Meng's playstyle, learning to control the game's tempo.
But unfortunately, the current He Xi Meng remained a towering mountain that Paul couldn't surmount.
In this game, He Xi Meng effortlessly scored 21 points, 14 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, and 2 turnovers.
He outplayed Paul in all five categories: points, assists, rebounds, steals, and blocks, and his assist-to-turnover ratio was also superior to Paul's.
Carter continued to be the Celtics' leading scorer, with a game-high 28 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal.
Yao Ming's playing time was reduced today, and consequently, his personal statistics also dropped to 18 points and 9 rebounds.
This was because the Hornets' starting lineup was short, small, and fast.
He Xi Meng didn't want Yao Ming to engage in a physical battle with them, as it was entirely unnecessary.
It was just a regular season game, not a playoff match, so there was no need to go all out against the Hornets.
He Xi Meng suggested to Kerr that against teams like the Hornets, they should play more rookies and let them develop, rather than having Big Yao chase the rookies all over the court.
He Xi Meng didn't explicitly state the reason for not having Yao Ming chase them, but based on last season's performance, Kerr could likely guess the underlying motive: He Xi Meng was protecting Yao Ming.
Although this was only Yao Ming's fourth season in the league, He Xi Meng was already considering how to preserve Yao Ming's body, a paramount concern.
After all, not every giant like Yao Ming could endure nearly 20 seasons of brutal competition in the league like Shaquille O'Neal.
Since Kerr could infer the reason, he naturally complied, reducing Yao Ming's minutes and giving the rookies ample opportunities to shine.
Trevor Ariza, who had no significant contribution in the previous game, found his shooting touch in this one, going 4-for-6 from three-point range and scoring 16 points and 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals, making him the most outstanding role player for the Celtics after the Big Three.
Making Ariza a team leader might be a significant disaster, but as a role player alongside superstars, Ariza is a rather excellent championship piece: solid defense, sharp three-point shooting, and doesn't demand the ball...
After completing a two-game home winning streak, the Celtics embarked on their first road trip of the new season.
For this away game, the Celtics flew to Memphis to challenge the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies had traded with the Miami Heat in the summer to acquire Eddie Jones, aiming to pair him with Pau Gasol and develop a golden duo.
The person responsible for executing this plan was the former Lakers general manager and current Grizzlies GM, the "Logo Man" Jerry West.
It must be admitted that Jerry West's vision was indeed outstanding. He keenly perceived that Pau Gasol could be paired with a top-tier shooting guard.
League high-low combinations typically involved a point guard with a center or a power forward.
For instance, the Celtics' current He Xi Meng and Yao Ming, the Spurs' Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, the Suns' Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire, and the Heat's Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal...
Last season, the Logo Man had attempted to build a Jason Williams and Pau Gasol combination. The Grizzlies successfully made the playoffs but were utterly outmatched by the peak Suns.
Jerry West was certainly not one to give up easily, and he was serious about rebuilding the Grizzlies.
Thus, he traded Jason Williams for Eddie Jones, attempting to create the Grizzlies' "OK Combination"!
Indeed, the peak combination of a shooting guard and a center, wasn't that the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal combination the Logo Man had built with the Lakers?
Jerry West attempted to replicate his past glory in Memphis, but unfortunately, while Pau Gasol wasn't as dominant as O'Neal, he possessed the high-post playmaking and mid-to-long-range shooting abilities that O'Neal lacked. However, Eddie Jones was no match for Kobe.
Beyond the gap in individual ability, the biggest difference between Eddie Jones and Kobe was their leadership and their desire for victory, which was far less fervent than Kobe's.
From an individual perspective, Kobe's intensity was difficult to accept and understand.
But from a team perspective, Kobe was an ideal leader, setting an example and leading from the front, leaving his teammates with no excuse for laziness...