Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

In early April, the SuperSonics' unbeaten record since March was broken by the Spurs, taking their ninth defeat of the season. If they wanted to surpass the '96 Bulls, they could not afford to lose again. As per the season's pattern, after every loss, Fei would perform heroically, boosting the team's morale. But this time, with the Cavaliers as their opponents, the focus on Yu Fei versus James added extra heat to the game. Although the SuperSonics were leagues ahead in terms of record, the Cavaliers, with James, were also one of the top three in the Eastern Conference. In early March, a rule change regarding traveling directly amplified James's already unstoppable drives. The Celtics fell due to Garnett's injury, while leveraging the new rule, the Cavaliers suddenly rose to become a powerhouse on par with the Magic and Bucks. So, the situation before the game was that the SuperSonics were newly defeated and very eager to break the record, which could be a psychological burden, while the Cavaliers were in high spirits, with James averaging 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists over the past month, unquestionably earning the title of Eastern Conference Player of the Week. At the same time, many saw this as James's last chance to defeat Fei as a member of the Cavaliers. Although James repeatedly emphasized his dream of leading the Cavaliers to a championship and not leaving before then, such words could only deceive Clevelanders—big city media had grown accustomed to stars going back on their word. Therefore, this game was a summation of the six-year rivalry between Yu and James. James's twenty-seven consecutive losses to Yu Fei had become even more emblematic of failure than Susan Lucci's streak of being passed over for the Best Actress Emmy award. On that day, Quicken Loans Arena was packed without an empty seat. Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert nervously appeared in the front row. Once upon a time, James was deemed by Gilbert as a symbol of divine favor. But as James lost to Fei over and over, and as the humiliating record grew and the rift between Yu and James developed, James was thoroughly trampled underfoot, and that divine favor mindset had vanished. Gilbert began to wonder if "God hates Cleveland" might actually be true. Not because they propped up an incapable person, but because after selecting Yu Fei in the 2001 draft, they personally handed him over to Jordan's clutches. They were the ones who initiated the ill-fated bond between Fei and Jordan, so this was the curse of the Basketball God. When you personally trade away the incarnation of the Basketball God, you can't achieve anything on the basketball court. Gilbert's mind wandered as James, on the court, poured everything into playing 46 minutes. It was evident that after the traveling rule modification, James got a version boost, and when his shooting was smooth, he could even contend with Fei on the offensive end for a while. However, Fei had more tricks up his sleeve. He exhausted James's shooting touch from the post, the high post, and the perimeter in a trinity of fatigue. In the final five minutes, the Cavaliers were down by 5 points, and with a slight hiccup in their touch, the SuperSonics consecutively sank chasing threes. To the despair of Clevelanders, in the last two minutes with the SuperSonics leading by 12 points, Fei blocked James's layup, then grabbed the rebound himself, and dribbled solo to the left 45-degree angle beyond the three-point line, launching a chasing three against the defense. "Swish!" That wasn't the sound of the ball going through the net, it was the sound of Clevelanders' hearts breaking. In the final two minutes, the SuperSonics led by 15 points. Guided by the number one player in the league, this team possessed a forward-thinking concept; Fei, although no longer the super-high usage rate mega-core of his Bucks days, had become an invincible heavy artillery and still maintained an average of 8 assists despite a significant decrease in ball possession. The multiple threats of the SuperSonics, their fluid offense, a plethora of threes, and their deadly wing one-on-one offensive system, were George Karl's vision of the perfect basketball carnival. He only had two complaints. Roy wasn't excellent enough as a point guard, and Durant, as a small forward-power forward, wasn't strong enough to go inside. Other than that, there really wasn't much to criticize. The Cavaliers delivered the best game they could, keeping the suspense alive until the last five minutes of the game, and then, after a momentary blackout, were bombarded by the SuperSonics. "They're tall, fast, and accurate," summarized Cavaliers' head coach Mike Brown, marveling at the SuperSonics' performance, "like a team from the future." After a grueling 46-minute battle, James racked up 39 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists, while across from him, Fei calmly notched 41 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists with apparent ease. By those statistics, they seemed evenly matched. But from watching the game, James had burnt out, while Fei clearly still had energy to spare. "I haven't lost." When asked how he felt about being captured by Fei twenty-eight times over the past six years, James's response was surprising. "I just can't win here." That statement held a subtle implication. Realizing his words might impact him negatively, James quickly added, "You know, we can't control everything. Like... yes, just like Michael never beat Larry Bird in the playoffs in the early stage of his career. But what does that matter? That's life. You know, that's how life is; we can't win at every stage of our lives. If God has decided I can't win during this period, then that's God's plan. I've done all I can." The folks from the SuperSonics, however, weren't so kind with their words. "If LeBron leaves Cleveland in the name of God this summer, I wouldn't be surprised," Karl said, "because his God always shows up when he needs him most." ``` DeAndre Jordan, who played 10 minutes off the bench for the SuperSonics, was even more straightforward. "If he really knew the will of God, he should know that God has already decided not just for this period, but for his entire career, he won't be successful." DeAndre Jordan said brazenly, spouting harsh words. Then a reporter asked, "The God you're talking about, is he wearing No. 44?" "Oh, man!" DeAndre Jordan laughed, "You're catching on!" The game against the Cavaliers was the SuperSonics' first marquee matchup in the closing stage. From now on, every game they play will be scrutinized by the basketball world. Because they bear the mission of surpassing the '96 Bulls. With each victory, they move one step closer to the record. Starting today, the national media will follow up on the SuperSonics' performance in their reports to fans. On April 10th, in the penultimate fourth game of the season, the SuperSonics faced the Bobcats for the last time this season. At present, the Bobcats are ranked last in the League with a record of 15 wins and 63 losses. Considering this is Jordan's team, the interest in watching the game greatly increased. However, the SuperSonics were merciless, thrashing their opponents by 40 points away from home to take their 70th win. With that, the SuperSonics tied the second-best historical record set by the Bucks in the 2006-07 season. The only team left in front of them now was the '96 Bulls. The next day, the SuperSonics went back-to-back against the Bucks. Since the Bucks had already secured the second spot in the Eastern Conference, perhaps to avoid injuries or out of good will, they rested Danny Granger, Kevin Martin, and Pau Gasol. The SuperSonics naturally won with ease, achieving their 71st victory. Only two games remained in the season. The SuperSonics' remaining opponents were the Trail Blazers and the Clippers, both of whom were not playoff teams, with the Blazers even competing with the Timberwolves for the dubious honor of Western Conference's worst record. "Considering the quality of the SuperSonics' opponents, besides God, the only thing that could stop them from breaking the record is themselves." The basketball fever in Seattle this year came unusually early. Last year's basketball surge happened in June, during the championship season. But now, surpassing the '96 Bulls' 72 wins has become the citizens' top concern. Because the team set to become the biggest footnote to the '96 Bulls is the '96 SuperSonics. April 13th: Yu Fei went 10-for-10 from the field, scoring 30 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists with a 100% shooting percentage. This was his 140th triple-double of his career and also helped the SuperSonics tie the '96 Bulls' best historical record. "Thirteen years," George Karl said to reporters, "the only way I can be rid of that nightmare is for Seattle's heavy rain to turn it into eternal history." April 15th, 2009: Los Angeles, Staples Center. This was the most important game day in the history of the Los Angeles Clippers, as they were facing the SuperSonics in the final game of the season. If they miraculously won, the SuperSonics could only tie the '96 Bulls for the best historical record. If they lost, they too would go down in history on this most symbolic record-setting night in recent years. No miracle occurred; in fact, the game lost its suspense within the first five minutes of play. In the first quarter, the SuperSonics, as if they hadn't won before, exploded for 40 points, while the Clippers only managed 19. From then on, everyone understood a new record was about to be set, and the '96 Bulls would be consigned to history. As a team from 13 years ago, they would be repeatedly mentioned only because of their record. It's like the difference between being the champion and the runner-up. The best are remembered, and second place is nothing. In a season where the title of the basketball world's GOAT is no longer certain, the changing hands of the NBA's best historical record undoubtedly part-dismantled the divinity of the Chicago Ghosts. In the last game of the season, the SuperSonics dropped a season-high 156 points on the Clippers, who only managed to score 89. This 67-point massacre was not meant to humiliate the opponent, it was a symbol, like the proclamation of the sovereign to the world. I didn't come for second place, I came to sweep you into the dustbin of history. That's the essence of competition. "Now, ladies and gentlemen," ESPN's Mike Breen said loudly after the game, "the NBA's best historical record chart welcomes a new team. Let us welcome the 2008-09 Seattle SuperSonics!" ```