In the blink of an eye, NBA All-Star Game has accompanied fans through 68 years of long years. From the East-West Confrontation to the current talent show melee, generations of stars have been passed down on the highly anticipated stage, showing the world its extraordinary talents and superb skills. The unique charm of the All-Star Game is that in addition to its exciting and intense nature, it also has warm feelings. This issue will take you to review the 2009 All-Star Game OK team to win the MVP trophy.
In the summer of 1996, Shaq O'Neal, who was at the peak of his life, and Kobe Bryant, who had just shown his strength, came to Angel City together, and Los Angeles Lakers' history has since opened a new and brilliant page. After more than four years of hardship, the Lakers gradually showed their dominance and won three consecutive championships in the early 21st century to revive Purple Gold Dynasty . The OK combination is even known as the strongest duo in history of NBA.
The good times did not last long. As Kobe became more prosperous, O'Neal's status as the boss was strongly impacted. Their training attitude and desire to win are also very different. Kobe always resented O'Neal's postponement of toe surgery, causing the Lakers to miss four consecutive championships, and the relationship between the two was extremely tense. The Lakers defeated the Pistons in the 2004 Finals, and the conflict between the OK combination completely intensified and they parted ways.
O'Neal went east to Miami to join forces with Dwyane Wade and won the championship in the 2006 finals. Kobe stayed in Los Angeles and fought alone to score countless times. It was not until 2008 that Paul Gasol helped to return to the finals, but unfortunately lost to the Celtics led by the Big Three. O'Neal gloated and even used freestyle rap to mock Kobe, causing the relationship between the two to fall to freezing point.
However, the so-called enemies should be resolved rather than formed, let alone the former partner who fought side by side. In the 2009 All-Star Game, he came to Phoenix. Since O'Neal had joined the Suns through a trade, as the host, he became a teammate with Kobe again after five years, which also gave the two an opportunity to repair their relationship.
The All-Star Game opened gorgeously after O'Neal's mask dance. In the first quarter, the five starting points in the Eastern Conference scored a perfect start of 16-6, but O'Neal's substitute came on the bench in the middle of this quarter. He joined again, leading the West to a 13-0 offensive climax and overtake the score. O'Neal's hands were still domineering, and Kobe also scored 11 points in the inside and outside shots. The only drawback was that the only link between the two in the first half was destroyed by Dwight Howard , which also made everyone look forward to their next interaction.
The second half changed sides and fought again. In the third quarter, 5 minutes and 25 seconds, the scene everyone was looking forward to finally staged: O'Neal took the initiative to come forward to cover Kobe and immediately cut inward. Kobe understood the help of O'Neal as if he had made a layup reappearance yesterday.
Then O'Neal was very playful, not only playing with Howard through the crotch, but also "superior" Kobe completed the retouch and pull-ups. On the court, O'Neal and Kobe cooperated tacitly, and the two of them chatted and laughed off the court, and the past hatred disappeared.
In the end, the West beat the East 146-119, Kobe scored a game-high 27 points, O'Neal also made 8 of 9 shots and scored 17 points and 5 rebounds efficiently. The OK combination teamed up to win the All-Star MVP trophy and smiled and eliminated his grudges moved countless people. At this moment, the conflict and insult turned into respect and nostalgia. Basketball can really heal everything.
After the game, when the reporter asked why O'Neal was full of energy, he replied: "For me at the age of 37, this may be the last All-Star in my career. I must do my best to help my brother Kobe win the game. Tonight it seems like turning back time to let the OK group dream back to its peak."
NBA history has only Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan have won three All-Star MVPs, and now the OK group has also entered the ranks of greatness. O'Neal and Kobe hugged and said, "We are all legends!", Kobe replied shyly, "I really couldn't think of a better word than this!"
