On Christmas Eve, the SuperSonics played the Lakers on the road.

At the beginning of December, Kobe Bryant officially returned, and the Lakers also switched from stumbling to championship mode.

For the Lakers, one of the biggest downsides this season is Kidd's aging, and the second biggest downside is Jermaine O'Neal's uncontrollable injury.

At the beginning of the season, due to Kobe's absence, Xiao Ao was given greater responsibility.

As the former league's top interior player, Xiao Ao once averaged 20 points and 9 rebounds per game, but the good times did not last long, and his body was obviously unable to support such pressure.

The second-highest-paid player on the Lakers, who earns nearly $20 million a year, suffered a fracture in mid-November and will be out for several months.

Just when the outside world thought that the Lakers would be at the bottom of the West before Kobe Bryant's return, Spanish center Marc Gasol, who had just proven himself at the Olympics not long ago, gave the Lakers a big surprise.

Although Gasol Jr.'s dynamic talent is not as elegant as his brother's, he has both the confrontation of the European Great White Bear, as well as solid basic skills and overall awareness.

For Phil Jackson, he's an ideal triangular offensive axis.

Gasol Jr. quickly defeated Bynum in the competition and became the Lakers' starter, currently averaging 12 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists per game, and is hailed as the biggest jewel of the 2007 draft.

For Xiao Ao, this may be a great irony.

He was the strongest player on the Lakers' interior line, but he was quickly replaced after an injury.

With Kobe Bryant's return, the Lakers rely on the twin towers of Gasol Jr. and Bynum on the inside, with Artest on the third and Kobe and Kidd on the outside, which is enough to sweep most teams in the league.

Moreover, today's Kobe Bryant is in full blood compared to last season with a finger injury.

It's fair to say that this Lakers team is stronger than last season.

They have the title to play.

But for them, it's also unfortunate.

Because the opponent didn't stop where they were and watched them get stronger.

Supersound has also become stronger.

Brandon Roy, a third-year player, is becoming the league's leading two-way guard, and Durant is currently averaging 23 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists per game, with a three-point shooting rate of 50+42+84.

The growth of the two masters and the evolution of supernova are enough to offset the Lakers' progress.

What's more, Yu Fei is playing the most productive season of his career.

In terms of data, Yu Fei this season may not be able to compare with the average triple-double per game during the Bucks period and the crazy average of 36+10+9 per game in the single-core year. Due to the fact that a lot of balls were given to Roy, and Durant also accounted for a considerable proportion on the offensive end, Yu Fei's average points per game were the lowest since his rookie season: he is currently averaging 27 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 block and 2 steals per game, and the three-point shooting rate is 57+44+86.

For those who study statistics, this is unprecedented efficiency.

Yu Fei's data is different from the data list listed in the data table from unknown sources before 1984, which was not supported by the video footage at all. In this case, ESPN's data expert Hollinger (the person who created the PER) value) said: "The scary thing is that Frye probably only used six or seven percent of his strength to get this statistic, and the regular season has become a freewheeling game for him." ”

Therefore, there is an opinion that Roy's maturity is related to Durant's accelerated evolution and Yu Fei's all-time No. 1 efficient performance.

Because of Yu Fei's existence, Roy, who averages 6 assists per game, does not need to worry about the team's organizational problems, because there is also a Yu Fei who has a lower ball possession than him but averages 10 assists per game. Durant will also not be targeted by opponents, and Yu Fei and Roy are more dangerous than Durant for supersonic opponents.

It's this hierarchical triumvirate that has built the SuperSonics' 26-3 record before the Christmas war.

The Christmas battle between the SuperSonics and the Lakers has captured the attention of more than 9 million Americans.

After the ugly Finals of the Spurs and Pacers in 2005 set a new low in the league's ratings, two years after Donaghi's reputation was dealt a heavy blow, the NBA audience was lost, and the league's image was ruined, Yu Fei and the SuperSonics became a golden sign.

It's the right chemistry at the right time, with the right team and the right people.

In the world of basketball, there is a force that wants to push Yu Fei to the top.

Jordan's devotee and ABC commentator Doug Collins said before the game: "Under Frye's leadership, the Seattle SuperSonics currently lead the league with a 26-3 record, and the second-placed Los Angeles Lakers, who are their opponents tonight, are only 20-9. The gap between the first and second in the league is staggering. The more emotional Charlotte Bobcats are like the opposite of the supersonic. They sit at the bottom of the league with a faulty 3-26 record. ”

You can really feel some of the seals loosening.

The consensus that "Jordan is the best of all time, and there's no controversy about it" has been shattered.

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Even Collins' stance on the famous Joe, who wags his tail at Jordan in "Extreme Jordan" with the phrase "if you want to beat Michael, you're going to cut off his feet, but he'll still crawl over and bite you" has become suspicious.

Someone tried to move Jordan's statue, and someone would defend him.

TNT's Charles Barkley, who is still Jordan's brother to this day, immediately looked up the data and retorted, "Brent, your math teacher would be angry when he heard your guest Brent Barry (Yu Fei's former teammate and now retired) say that "Da Fei's supersonic speed is greater than the 1996 Bulls." Even if the margin is small, that Bulls team is still the best. ”

Barry then started talking about the evolution of the game.

Barkley laughed: "It was only five years ago that Michael last played, and we all know he can be successful in this era. ”

So, Barry turned to the competitiveness of the league.

This is his strongest argument, because in 1996, with the previous generation of superstars retiring and the development of new stars like Coleman and Webb stagnating, the league was still dominated by the 84 golden generation, which coincided with the continuous expansion of the league at this time, greatly dispersing the talent pool and resulting in not many competitive teams.

Not only did the Bulls have 72 wins that season, but also two teams with 60 wins and one team with 59 wins, and when there are multiple 60-win teams in a season, one of the most counterintuitive facts is that they can win so many games not because the team is strong, but because the league is weak.

Barry has a point, but you know, Barkley is a media guy right now. In order to defend his position and at the same time make the whole show work, he can completely tie a bomb and Barry to his good brother.

"Enough, Brent, if you want to talk about competitiveness, that's also the poor competitiveness of the modern era! Christmas Eve 1995 was no 3-26 team! ”

Even Jordan's ultimate egocentric wouldn't be angry at Barkley for blowing himself up with his Bobcats.

Because the essence of the topic is to defend the historical status of the 96 bulls.

Barry was defeated because he was not good at querying data, and if he looked for data like Barkley did, he would find two things, that on Christmas Eve 1995, the NBA really didn't have a 3-26 team, but they had a 4-win Grizzlies and a 5-win 76ers.

This is a symbol of the GOAT debate entering a white heat.

When Yu Chui pointed out Yu Fei's strengths and strengths, Qiao Chui would immediately jump out and refute it.

Moreover, because of the excellent results of their respective main players, the only thing Qiao Blowing admits that Jordan is not as good as Yu Fei is the three-point shot, but the recognition is admitted, and they will also play the card "If it is put into the contemporary Jordan, the three-point shot will be more accurate than Yu Fei" at the same time.

From TV media, to newspapers, to online forums and offline, where there are basketball fans, there is controversy, and 90% of the controversy is about "44vs23".

This is already a cultural phenomenon that goes beyond the world of sports.

But for the Lakers' No. 24, he has a question.

Why is this ultimate topic irrelevant to him?

Duncan only had two rings, and O'Neal couldn't go any further.

Bryant, who is 30 years old, is a remnant of the old era and the only one who could shake Yu Fei's rule.

Tonight, Bryant shined through his most criticized trait — his greatest games were almost always in the regular season.

In the Christmas battle against the SuperSonics, Bryant scored 50 points against the Sonics. But what made nearly 10 million fans in front of the TV climax was that Yu Fei responded with 51 points.

The two singled out dozens of rounds in this match, and the confrontation between the two alone could edit out a ten-minute highlight.

This is Kobe Bryant's boom chanting.

Number 24 is supposed to be an eternal topic in the world of basketball.

However, Roy's 30 points decided the game on the side.

When the absolute core is tied, the performance of the deputy will decide everything.

Durant was sealed by Artest, but Roy? He was unstoppable.

The most-watched Christmas battle in two decades ended in a narrow victory for the supersonic.

After the game, Yu Fei and Kobe Bryant took a photo.

"See you in Seattle."

Yu Fei is talking about the rematch with the Lakers at home next February.

Kobe Bryant looked arrogant: "I will score 60 points when the time comes." ”

"Then I'll get 61 points." Yu Fei responded.

Bryant walked to the scene, and the ABC reporter had been waiting for a long time.

"A lot of people say it's the greatest game they've ever seen, Kobe, what do you think?"

"I don't want people to see a game where I'm the loser the greatest."

"You and Frye are the protagonists of tonight, how do you think he is doing?"

"It's outstanding." Bryant said confidently, "But I didn't lose. ”

"The Frye vs. Michael GOAT debate has become the greatest debate of the decade, which side are you on?"

Kobe Bryant's eyes flashed, and he said loudly: "I choose No. 24." ”