1/

In the away game with the Lakers, Bamot and Yang Yiming completed the smashing of the board and the empty dunk, but they didn't expect the ball to be too strong, Bamot grabbed the edge of the basket with his hand, and one finger joint was not grasped steadily, losing his center of gravity and falling to the ground.

Yang Yiming hurriedly rushed over and squatted down to comfort the injured.

Bamot, an African titan nicknamed "The Chief", was lying flat on the floor, looking at the face of Yang Yiming who came over, baring his teeth and showing a smile: "Maybe my shoulder is a little dislocated, it's okay." How about that dunk just now, is it domineering enough? ”

Of course, he was domineering, and Yang Yiming nodded vigorously.

Bamot's smile became even brighter: "That's good, I can't live up to your second pass." That ball is so beautiful! ”

Yang Yiming quietly retreated to the sidelines, pulled Yu Xiaochun, who worked as a translator and assistant, and said in the other party's ear: "Luke (Luke Richard Bamot) said that he seems to have a dislocated shoulder, which should be similar to my previous injury." Is Nina coming to Los Angeles? ”

Yang Yiming must have thought that if Bamot is injured, with Nina there, he can help him recover as soon as possible and not delay the playoffs. After all, he himself had a dislocated shoulder at the time, and through hypnotherapy, he recovered in a few days and was able to train again. To Yang Yiming's relief, Yu Xiaochun nodded at him.

"Well, it's true that the season is coming to an end, and there should be a lot of players who need Nina's services." Yang Yiming muttered a few words to himself, and then said, "Then you will follow Bamot to the locker room to see what his injury is?" If you have a chance, I would like to recommend Nina to him by the way. ”

Yu Xiaochun comprehended.

The team doctor over there and Paul, who did not play today, escorted Bamot off the field and walked into the players' tunnel, and Yu Xiaochun also followed.

2/

In the locker room, Bamot sat on the physiotherapy bed, taking off the Rockets' jersey and revealing his swarthy upper body. His arm was long, and his injured right arm was drooping, like a floating sand eel.

After briefly moving his right arm and shoulder to determine the extent of the injury, the team doctor put bandages on his shoulder joint and chest.

Paul was standing not far away, he was wearing a gray suit and pink tie today, and his eyes were concerned.

Bamot is a notoriously stuffy guy on the Rockets, usually a man of few words. After dunking just now, he was excited, probably the most he talked about, but at this time, seeing that Paul was a little worried, he still forced out a few words to comfort him in turn: "It's okay, Chris." ”

"Dislocated? It's too hard. ”

"Hmm." Bamot stroked the bandage with his other hand, his expression a little embarrassed.

"That kid Yang is not good enough, playing the board empty? Sensationalism, if I were me, I would throw it so gently and gently..."Paul stood on tiptoe, pretended to have a basketball in his hand, and flicked his wrist: "It's got to be like this - the arc is gentle, the time is enough, and it's easy for you to buckle up." When you're healed, I'll pass you another one and let you deduct it. ”

Paul's funny gesture amused everyone, and there was laughter in the cloudy locker room just now.

The team doctor's diagnosis further confirmed Paul's optimism: "Prima facie, it was indeed an ordinary dislocated shoulder, and there were no other injuries. I've fixed it for Luke, and I'll have another check-up and x-ray tomorrow, and if I'm sure it's okay, I'll be back in a few weeks. ”

Bamot nodded in satisfaction, and his shoulders that had been tense just now finally relaxed. He said to Paul, "Go back, Chris." The game still needs you, and you can cheer everyone on the sidelines. ”

Paul said a few more banters, taking Bamot's hand and greeting in the usual way of black players. The two patted each other on the back, and finally said goodbye in silence like brothers who you know and I know for many years.

After Paul left, the team doctor sprayed Bamot with several more medications and placed water and towels on the table next to the physiotherapy bed. He adjusted the treatment bed to an angle and motioned for Bamot to lie down, turning the TV in the locker room in the direction of the bed.

"Luke, I'll go back and stare at the game first. If you have any questions, feel free to call me, take a break. ”

"Don't worry, no problem."

3/

Bamot lay down on the bed with his left hand propped up, and the team doctor also withdrew, leaving only Yu Xiaochun and him in the entire locker room.

Yu Xiaochun pulled a swivel chair and sat down beside Bamot. The rest of the second quarter of the Rockets vs. Lakers was shown on television.

The Lakers' Andre Ingram received the ball in a 45-degree open spot on the left side, and he raised his hand to shoot a three-pointer. Yang Yiming pounced, but it was too late, and the three points were hollow into the net. The entire Staples Arena erupted in festive cheers.

"What a rookie!" In the quieter locker room, Yu Xiaochun spoke first to break the silence. Andre Ingram, a 32-year-old veteran signed by the Lakers from the South Bay Lakers in the Development League, will be on the NBA stage for the first time in his career. Although the Lakers management's move to give a two-game contract to a veteran who has been in the development league for 10 years is suspected of being a favor and earning applause when there is no hope of a playoff result, it is also a rare heartwarming move in the intense closing stage.

"You know him?" Bamot pointed to the thin old Ingram on TV, with gray hair.

Yu Xiaochun shook his head, but he immediately added: "I don't pay much attention to the development alliance. However, I checked his profile yesterday and saw that he shot 48% from three-point range, making him the top scorer of the season. Coming to the NBA at the age of 32 and playing your first game, do you think that feeling is particularly magical and wonderful? ”

"Hmm." Bamot snorted in a low voice.

"Luke-" Seeing that Bamot was about to stop talking, Yu Xiaochun hurriedly brought up the topic of Nina: "Your shoulder is dislocated." Yang Yiming also suffered this injury at the beginning of the season, do you remember, when he played against the 76ers, Emile Johnson hit him on his left shoulder? A friend of ours did a hypnotherapy session for Yiming at that time, and it worked very well. He soon came back again..."

"Well, that's good..."

"Good?"

"As long as you can make it to the playoffs, you can do anything..."Bamot's mind was clearly elsewhere. He stared at the TV screen and muttered only one sentence.

"Well... Wait for the final test results to come back tomorrow, if it's not serious, I'll ask her to do a hypnotherapy for you. Without any side effects, you can rest assured that the recovery is fast. ”

"Okay."

Yu Xiaochun nodded. Bamot's confirmation without asking for details made him a little uneasy, but he didn't know what to say, and the locker room fell silent again.

On TV, Andre Ingram hit another three-pointer. There are already MVP calls on the scene, dedicated to this veteran who has no regrets about basketball.

"Mr. Yu, do you know?" Smooth? Bamot actually took the initiative to speak? "That Ingram, and me, and Chris (Paul), we're all 32..."

"I know."

"It's just... A feeling that is too complicated. Yu Xiaochun could see that Bamot, an African man who was not good at words, was doing his best to organize the language: "Last second, basketball seemed to be our first love." A game of barefoot chase in the sun-drenched land. The next second, you find that your first love is still the same, but we are already unrecognizable, and we are empty-handed. ”

"Luke—" Yu Xiaochun felt a subtle tremor in the depths of Bamot's voice.

"Empty-handed, we are like middle-aged men who have not yet prepared any dowry, and can only watch younger, more talented boys surround her and pursue her. They dance beautifully, they can fly, and we still have those few moves, and we can't get into her eyes at all. At 32 years old, our time is getting farther and farther away, but we are still trying not to let go and try to seize the last chance to win the world for her. ”

Yu Xiaochun understood what Bamot was distracted just now, and today's game and sudden injury made this mountain-like African man a little touched. "The Chief" went on to say, "I didn't give up when I was the 37th pick in the second round; They said I didn't give up when I had been playing college basketball for too long and the technique was finalized; They said that I was strong in defense and weak in attack, and I didn't give up any offensive tactics when I was a weakness. It's nothing — look at this man on TV, he must have been reminded by countless people that he couldn't play in the NBA for the rest of his life, but he didn't give up. We belong to those who have never seen hope, but Paul, he seems to be the man who is destined to be, but every time he thinks he wants to hold the hand of his son, someone always snatches his childhood sweetheart away. With such a cruel gap, he didn't give up. But suddenly one day, we realized that it was time to give up..."

Bamot turned his head sharply to stare at Yu Xiaochun, and there seemed to be something flashing in his eyes:

"But none of us are reconciled. This year may be the last chance, Mr. Yu! So if you have any way to get me on the field, just take it! ”

"So close to my dream, I don't want to lose her again!"