Stephen Marbury was drafted by the Bucks with the fourth pick in the first round in 1996 and was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he began his NBA career.

In the three seasons of the Timberwolves, Marbury averaged 17 points, 8.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game, although the shooting percentage was a little low, but the overall performance was definitely a quasi-All-Star level.

But because the Timberwolves gave Garnett a big contract of 100 million yuan in advance, this made Marbury dissatisfied, and finally chose to leave the Timberwolves for the Nets.

In the three seasons with Garnett, the Timberwolves reached the playoffs in two seasons, but both stopped in the first round, and it can be said that the cooperation between the two did not achieve anything.

With Marbury's bad experience with the Nets, Suns and Knicks after that, Timberwolves fans are even glad that Marbury didn't stay in the first place, otherwise it would have completely hurt the team.

Timberwolves fans disdain Marbury for ridicule, just how much they love and respect Lin Fei.

After all, Lin Fei brought Timberwolves fans not only an O'Brien Cup, but also countless classic moments in the 03-04 Western Conference Finals and the Finals.

Unlike the original world's "three-headed monster" who lingered outside the playoffs year after year, today's Timberwolves have become a stable and powerful team in the West under the influence of the championship effect.

Along with Duncan's Spurs, Nowitzki's Mavericks are known as the top three powerhouses in the West.

After the All-Star break in January of this year, with Glenn Taylor's financial backing and general manager McHale's aggressive trade,

The Timberwolves got Puerto Rico star point guard Carlos Arroyo in point guard, and traded Ricky Davis, a scoring guard who averages 19 points per game, and the guard line has been upgraded.

Plus the trio of Kevin Garnett, Ron Artest and Gerard Wallace, as well as Szebiak and the fast-growing Danny Granger off the bench.

All of this makes the Timberwolves strong, both offensive and defensive.

Although they lost to Dirk Nowitzki's Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals last season, the main reason was that Artay was suspended, otherwise the two teams would have been at least evenly matched.

The Timberwolves maintained their original roster in the offseason and finished fourth on ESPN's team power list for the new season, behind the Heat, Mavericks and Spurs.

The 30-year-old Kevin Garnett has entered his peak and is also in the top three of the regular season MVP list for the new season.

It is reported that Timberwolves general manager McHale is negotiating with the Seattle SuperSonics, who are worried about internal and external problems, and wants to get Ray Allen through a trade to further upgrade the team's backcourt.

In the first two games of the new season, the Timberwolves defeated the Jazz and beat the Spurs, showing the style of the championship.

Whether the Knicks led by Lin Fei can win the mighty Timberwolves and win three consecutive victories is a real test of the team's strength today.

However, the handicap given by Spinach is that the Timberwolves give the Knicks 10.5 points.

It can be seen that the mainstream media and experts believe that the overall strength of the Timberwolves is significantly higher than that of the Lakers and the Rockets, and the Knicks are obviously not opponents.

Back in Minneapolis, as soon as Lin Fei and the Knicks team got off the plane, they met many Timberwolves fans at the airport, including hundreds of them.

These Timberwolves fans wore Lin Fei's former No. 22 Timberwolves jersey, holding signs high in their hands, waiting for Lin Fei's autograph group photo.

When I took the bus to the hotel where I stayed, there were also many Timberwolves fans waiting at the door of the hotel to welcome Lin Fei's arrival.

The Knicks' teammates were shocked and admired by Lin Fei's away treatment, and Marbury felt even more ashamed, and now there are probably few Timberwolves fans who remember that he also played here for three seasons, right?

According to the NBA's regular season format, teams in the East and West meet twice a season, swapping home courts.

Therefore, Lin Fei has only visited Minnesota twice in his two seasons with the Heat, and now this away game on behalf of the Knicks will also be the only time he has visited the Target Center Arena in the whole season.

Unless the Knicks and Timberwolves can meet in the Finals next June.

That's why Timberwolves fans are looking forward to and cherishing this Knicks vs Timberwolves game even more.

They naturally expect the home team to win, but they also expect Lin Fei to play the familiar feeling on the field.

That night, Garnett and Si Zebiak, as the hosts, also drove to the hotel to pick up Lin Fei and went to Si Zebiak's home villa for dinner.

In Minneapolis in early November, the average temperature has reached 3 degrees, and the minimum temperature at night is -6 degrees Celsius.

Garnett's Rollslas Phantom drove on the brightly lit Beltway, and the song on the car stereo was "Tim McGraw."

Lin Fei, who was dressed in a gray windbreaker, looked out the window at the familiar environment, where freighters on the Mississippi River came and went, quiet and prosperous.

"Lin, I heard that you have been having an affair with little Taylor? Could it be that there really is something going on? Otherwise, how could you leave your brothers behind and join the New York Knicks? ”

The gold earrings on the earlobes of the "Wolf King" Garnett shone with a cunning light, and the gossip heart burned.

Lin Fei glanced at Garnett with contemptuous eyes, and chuckled: "Kevin, he is still a 16-year-old child, even if I really have any ideas, I have to wait until they are 18 years old, right?" ”

Garnett's eyes widened, obviously surprised by Lin Fei's thoughts:

"Lin, do you really think this is a girl from your Heavenly Empire? Do you know how open the girls in the country are? Not to mention 16 years old, maybe 15 years old or even earlier in love! ”

"Especially a talented, well-built, and fuckingly beautiful girl like Taylor, do you think no one can chase her?"

"If I had waited until I was 18 years old, I might have become a bus long ago!"

Si Zebiak beside him smiled first and said:

"Kevin, Lin and Qin are talented and beautiful, according to the words of their Celestial Empire, they are childhood sweethearts, not to mention this 16-year-old Taylor, even if they love Mameper and Scarlett, he can't look down on them!"

Although Garnett and his wife are also a model couple in the NBA, the "Wolf King" is an NBA superstar after all, how can they not mess with flowers in private?

It's just not as often as Wade.

And Lin Fei and Si Zebiak are real perfect men, very dedicated to their girlfriends and wives, and have the same love values.

Lin Fei quipped: "Kevin, are you little Taylor?" But I'm afraid that people won't look down on you as an old man! ”

Garnett smiled, his sly eyes dripping and rolling in his sockets, obviously holding back some bad intentions:

"Lin, you understand me, how can I like a teenage girl? But I heard that Amber Heard and you're good friends too? Tsk, that's my dish! ”

Looking at Garnett's obscene little expression, Lin Fei raised his eyebrows and smiled:

"Amber seems to be in a relationship with a guy named Aaron Musk lately, if you feel like you're capable of prying into a corner, I can give you her phone!"

Garnett frowned and muttered, "Aaron Musk? What kind of guy is this? Is it famous? I've never heard of it! ”

……

At 7 p.m. the next day, the Target Center Arena.

The crowd was already full of Timberwolves fans, many of whom were still wearing the old No. 22 Timberwolves jersey.

Since Lin Fei left, the Timberwolves have sealed the No. 22 jersey, and any new players cannot use this number, which shows respect and affirmation of Lin Fei's contributions.

Timberwolves owner Glenn Taylor has long claimed in front of the media that whether Lin Fei can return to the Timberwolves in the future, he will choose to retire his No. 22 jersey after Lin Fei retires.

Being able to play just one season on an NBA team and then have his jersey retired is not something that any superstar can get.

Five minutes before the start of the game,

The high-definition four-sided screen above the head also played a video of Lin Fei's wonderful goal highlights in the Western Finals and Finals in the 03-04 season, which was officially edited by the Timberwolves.

In this way, Lin Fei is welcome to return to the target center arena.

Looking up at the familiar jersey and figure in the past, Lin Fei couldn't help but be moved, although more than two years have passed, everything seems to have reappeared yesterday.

Without that heartfelt three-pointer, there would be no '03-04 championship flag flying over the Target Center Arena.

One of the most amazing and classic championships in NBA history.

Many old Timberwolves fans at the scene were also full of emotion, Lin Fei will be the eternal wealth and spiritual totem of the team.

Soon, amid the cheers of the fans at the scene, the starters of both teams also took to the field.

The starting five on the Knicks' side are:

Point Guard (PG): Stephen Marbury,

Scoring Guard (SG): Lin Fei,

Small Forward (SF): Trevor Ariza,

Power Forward (PF): David Lee,

Center (C): Eddie Curry.

The starting five Tigers on the Timberwolves' side are:

Point Guard (PG): Carlos Arroyo,

Shooting Guard (SG): Ricky Davis,

Small Forward (SF): Gerard Wallace,

Power Forward (PF): Ron Artest,

Center (C): Kevin Garnett.

Since the beginning of this season, Garnett has played as the starting center most of the time, which naturally has a lot to do with Lin Fei's promotion of the early arrival of the NBA small-ball era.

Although Garnett can't shoot three-pointers, his offensive and defensive transition speed is top-notch inside, and after the appropriate weight gain, his personal dominance under the basket has become stronger.

In front of the commentary stand on the sidelines.

The key players in charge of commentating on this highlight game are still ESPN's old acquaintances Mike Brin and Thunder Miller.

"The Knicks' start to the new season, under Lin's leadership, has far exceeded the expectations of fans and pundits, and it also proves that Lin has grown into a good team leader!"

"Although the Knicks won two consecutive victories at the beginning, defeating the Lakers and Rockets successively, Lin also beat Kobe Bryant and Maddy in personal performance and moved towards the position of the league's No. 1 quarterback!"

"But tonight in the face of the Timberwolves, who have a full lineup of fierce offense and defense, Lin and the Knicks really met a strong opponent!"

Eddie Curry and Kevin Garnett jumped the ball in the center circle, Garnett took the first step to pick up the basketball, Carlos Arroyo advanced with the ball, and the Timberwolves opened the game to take the lead.

Coming to the top of the frontcourt arc, Garnett and Arroyo blocked and dismantled, misplaced and went down to the free throw line to receive the ball, Lin Fei decisively changed the defense, and the long arm made effective interference.

Garnett faced Lin Fei in a misplaced position, and did not choose to play directly, but quickly gave the ball to Artest, who was in the low position under the basket to resist David Lee.

Although he is 2.01 meters tall and has made cameos from small forward to power forward, Artest's 116-kilogram body is too strong, which makes the soft David Lee very uncomfortable in the confrontation, and he suffers a big loss in terms of tonnage and experience.

"Whoosh!"

After Artest received the ball, he suddenly made a basket against David Lee, a jump basket that was not too coordinated, although it was not beautiful but very practical, and the basketball went into the net after playing the board.

"Huh!"

Artest, who landed on the layup, held his chest up, and when he turned around, he deliberately hit David Lee with his shoulder, glaring at the other party viciously:

"White boy, if you don't want to be abused too badly by me tonight, let's pretend to be a grandson obediently!"

Artest, who was originally savage and murderous and not very good at trash talk, has been around the Timberwolves for more than a season, and now he has also been around the Wolves and learned a lot of trash talk tricks.

Although David Lee is a few centimeters taller than Artest, he weighs more than 30 pounds less, and his upper body strength is even more crushed.

In the first basket confrontation just now, David Lee was very uncomfortable by Atai, the lower set was unstable, he completely lost his defensive position, and lost from the beginning.

At this time, in the face of Artest's provocation and trash talk, he didn't dare to speak for a while.

Lin Fei took the initiative to come up and pat David Lee on the shoulder, encouraging him to adjust his mentality.

"David, you must not resist hard to defend Artay, you must be clear about your advantage in the confrontation, and then magnify it!"

Conversion of possession.

As soon as Lin Fei stepped across the midfield line with the ball, Artest pounced fiercely like a beast, directly giving the intensity of the confrontation and interfering with Lin Fei's offensive rhythm.

"Lin, since Kobe Bryant can't stop you, then let me handle it!"

Timberwolves head coach McHale obviously laid out a clear defensive strategy, that is, let Artest misplace the main defense Lin Fei.

As the 2004 NBA Defensive Player of the Season, Artest was the first small forward in NBA history to win the Defensive Player of the Year, and his defense is fierce, calm, tough, and aggressive.

In terms of individual defense ability, Artest is definitely the top in the league, from 1 to 4, it can be said that he is not afraid to fight against any player.

Although Atai tends to defend strong small forwards such as Pierce, Anthony and James, he can also mark the whole court against quarterbacks like Kobe, Maddy and Carter, and his lateral movement and running speed are not inferior to those of guards.

In the face of Artest's close confrontation and iron arm confinement, Lin Fei protected the ball with his back and signaled to the referee that Artai's defense was obviously suspected of fouling, but the referee was indifferent.

Quickly summoned Eddie Curry's uplift to cover, Lin Fei forced the dribble to shake off Artay, and misplaced Kevin Garnett, who quickly switched defenses, it was difficult to find a three-point opportunity to retreat.

While Arroyo and Ricky Davis on guard are mediocre defensively, Garnett, Artest and Gerald Wallace at the 3-5 position have built the Timberwolves' impregnable frontcourt defense.

Seeing that Marbury suddenly threw off Arroyo to cut into the penalty area, Lin Fei also quickly avoided the wolf king and stuffed it straight in.

"Whoosh!"

Marbury received the ball and went straight to the basket, and Gerard Wallace on the right quickly stepped up.

Eddie Curry at the top of the arc followed closely down the restricted area, and Marbury took off to deceive Gerrard with a fake pass, and quickly gave the ball to Eddie Curry.

The tall and mighty Eddie Curry roared angrily and jumped up to dunk.

And just before the basketball was about to be vigorously dunked into the basket, a strong figure behind him jumped up suddenly, waved his iron arm down, and slapped his big hand on the basketball in Eddie Curry's hand.

"Smack!"

None other than Artest.

Even though Eddie Curry weighs more than 130 kilograms, he still can't resist Artest's flying cap.

The basketball bounced off the tempered rebound and was picked up just by Carlos Arroyo, and the Timberwolves quickly launched a counterattack.

Lin Fei rushed up and failed to make the first steal, and the vigilant Arroyo changed direction with a bad luck, and his delicate skills were undoubtedly displayed, and then quickly gave the ball to Ricky Davis, who was fast on the left side.

The Knicks' return defense didn't keep up at all, and Ricky Davis faced Marbury's pursuit and easily gave the ball to the wolf king who strode up in the middle.

The wolf king received the ball and rushed straight to the basket, and when he jumped up, it was a two-handed dunk.

"Boom!"

Knicks (0) :(4) Timberwolves.

Garnett, who completed the fast-break score, was arrogant and shrugged his shoulders at Marbury, who had always been at odds:

"Stephen, even if you have Lin as a teammate, it still can't change the fact that you are a tumor!"

Marbury was so angry that he couldn't rush up and punch Garnett.

The scene erupted in cheers, and the Timberwolves opened the game with a wave of 4:0, quickly showing strong dominance on both offensive and defensive ends.

The Knicks attack again.

Lin Fei faced Artest's oppressive defense on the outside, gritted his teeth to open up a trace of space, and then used a realistic half-turn to mislead and mobilize Artai's defensive center, and the reverse acceleration breakthrough directly threw off the opponent's position.

"Whoosh!"

Quickly hit the three-point line, feeling the beast chasing behind him, Lin Fei suddenly made a sudden stop and changed hands to the crotch, and instantly shook Artest in front of him,

Then he retreated and dribbled to the outside of the three-point line, watching Artest grit his teeth and pounce again, depressing his center of gravity and suddenly making a sharp double crossover,

The swift breakthrough body shape and continuous sharp change of direction made the oversized Artest tired, like a lion with a rabbit being played, in another rapid sideways pursuit,

The ankle was twisted, and the whole person fell to the ground.

"Bang!"

In the loud noise, Lin Fei faced Artest, who had fallen heavily on the floor in front of him, calmly moved sideways and retreated to adjust the rhythm, and jumped up to make a decisive move.

"Huh!"

The first.

Knicks (3) :(4) Timberwolves.

Artest, who was shaken to the ground by Lin Fei, was full of pain, but Lin Fei, who landed in a dashing manner, looked down at Atai and calmly spread his hands:

"Ron, I heard you're the best defensive player too? I don't think so! (End of chapter)