Chapter 1253: Chapter 508: Take the Court and Win the Championship!

The scene of Bobcats players and coaches holding hands in a circle celebrating is a stark contrast to the Lakers’ despair, trailing 1-3, it’s over!

Garnett muttered: “Am I really just like Barkley and Malone, an unlucky fool?”

Kidd didn’t say anything. Compared to Garnett, he had a much better ‘resilience’. Losing in the finals was something he was familiar with, yet at that moment, he was also internally breaking down. He couldn’t bring himself to comfort his teammates as he did after the G1 and G2 losses.

Usually, the emotional mediation within the team was handled by the two of them. The Wolf King would play the good cop, Ji Bugong the bad cop, yet both of them were so disheartened and at a loss, making their teammates feel even more down.

At this moment, Kobe’s voice, caught by reporters, reached the ears of his teammates.

“Of course, I have confidence to turn the tide, don’t say 1-3, even if it’s 0-3, I think we will be the ultimate winners! I know I might sound like a madman saying this, but my creed is to never give up until the last moment, I’ll fight till the very last second, even if it’s my last day on the court, I’ll never say no.”

The words of the old Ironsmith revived the spirits of the Wolf King and Ji Bugong!

“If the only choices are retirement or joining the Spurs, I’d choose retirement!”

“Can’t and give up are not in my dictionary, nothing is impossible, everything is possible!”

Kidd recalled what he said in the summer of ’03 when the Spurs were waving Parker and a first-round pick as a chip, wanting him to sign and trade.

Garnett also remembered what he said during the ’04 Western Conference Finals, when his Timberwolves were trailing 1-3.

At that time, they had just reached the peak of their careers, yet the dark moments followed swiftly, and even then they didn’t give up, so why should they now?

The two of them re-energized and began playing their good cop/bad cop roles again…

After finishing the interview, Kobe left his teammates to find some place alone; a maverick can only provide emotional value, no one could calm his frustration.

The Zen Master also accompanied the players back to the bench, maintaining his air of calm indifference.

Back in the office, with no one else around, only left with assistant coaches and consultants like Bryant Shaw, Hamblen, Rambis, Tex Winter… the Zen Master finally slumped back into his chair.

The office was very quiet until finally the Zen Master broke the silence: “As expected, facing such an opponent, we can’t show any flaws. We shouldn’t have done such targeted defensive arrangements, just like they did in 4 games, without defending Kobe or Kevin that way.”

Shaw, Hamblen, Rambis and others did not dare respond, acknowledging would mean admitting the head coach was wrong?

Winter comforted him: “You can’t blame yourself, it’s an adjustment we discussed with the players, and I don’t think we did anything wrong, just unlucky, Mark’s consecutive fouls disrupted our entire rotation rhythm.”

Winter, a basketball veteran nearly 90 years old, founder of the Triangle Offense, the main tactical coach for the Bulls’ and the Shaq-Kobe dynasties, announced retirement in ’04, ending his 57-year coaching career, returned to the Lakers as a consultant in the summer of ’05 at the Zen Master’s invitation… in prestige and qualifications, he rivals even the Zen Master, being one of his teachers, without the worries of other assistants and consultants.

His words did lighten the burden on the Zen Master’s mind a bit.

The Zen Master shook his head: “I was too arrogant. I thought I could see through all changes based on the Triangle Offense, but I ignored that Carlisle is completely different from me, he’s a madman who can play with a madman like Bickerstaff!

I thought he wouldn’t dare to adjust easily, but he’s someone who believes the reward outweighs the risk to the point of recklessness. Mark’s foul crisis seemed coincidental, but it was inevitable. In this match, I indeed lost to that guy.”

Admitting defeat verbally, but his expression regained determination, his back straightened as he called his subordinates to start reviewing tonight’s defeat.

First manager in history with 9 crowns, his presence was that strong, he didn’t need to say any motivational words, just straightening his back could reinvigorate his colleagues.

He focused on his work as a coach, leaving the players to handle their own issues, as he had Kobe Bryant.

…

“Let’s not celebrate tonight yet, we haven’t won the championship, popping champagne at halftime is not a good habit… When we win the championship, you can choose any Los Angeles store, the Boss said, it’s his treat!”

In the visitors’ locker room, Zhang Yang’s words brought the high spirits to a halt, but after hearing the latter part, the team became even more excited than before.

Going out tonight, the three youth, Hill and others who love to pay, certainly won’t go, they’ll have to pay for themselves. In Angel City, the finals team’s player consumption standards definitely can’t be low… even though these players aren’t stingy with their spending, the Boss footing the bill is naturally better, then they can go to the best clubs, drink the most expensive wine, pick up the hottest club chicks!

Thinking of the strict ‘ban on alcohol’ by the Third Brother at this moment, it wasn’t such a bad feeling, cheers! Must support it!

Felton suddenly glared at Zhang Yang, oh well, he just said it, the little brother calling him Boss, sounds really nice.

Hearing teammates shout “Boss is generous”, he got excited too, shouting: “No popping champagne at halftime, championship! Championship…”