All-Star Weekend (6000)

After hanging up the phone, Li Chen smiled. Avril was a really nice girl.

Just then, his phone rang again. When he picked it up, he saw it was Odom, whom he hadn't contacted for several days.

After answering the phone, he smiled and said, "Lamar, how are you doing?"

"Fuck, this damn place, the Miami Heat, I really don't want to stay another day," Odom cursed.

Seeing Odom's indignant expression, Li Chen was slightly taken aback; his emotions were getting a bit too intense!

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"Ugh! That damn Riley! Not only do I have to do extra training, but if I get caught going to a nightclub, I'll be fined 50,000. And if I'm late for training, not only will I get extra training, but I'll also be fined 50,000. Do you think it's easy for me to earn money? Now I think Coach Alvin is really a good guy!"

Pfft! Li Chen laughed out loud with schadenfreude.

"Hey! You bastard, we've been through thick and thin together! How can you gloat like this?" Odom roared angrily.

Li Chen's smile faded, and he said seriously, "Lamar, well... I can't help it! You know, I'm just a player."

Odom rolled his eyes and said, "Of course I know that."

Li Chen blinked and asked curiously, "Then what do you mean? Don't tell me you deliberately spat at me so I could gloat? No, you're not that kind of person!"

Odom rolled his eyes again, then said, "I don't like being laughed at! I called you to ask if I'm really going to be traded, as you said. I really don't want to stay in this godforsaken place anymore."

"Hey, hey, hey! I was just saying it casually, don't take it seriously!"

"Tch, we've all heard of your reputation for jinxing," Odom said disdainfully.

Li Chen: "..."

Li Chen thought for a moment and said, "Riley is actually an ambitious guy, so he craves a championship. If the Lakers can't win the championship this season, there's an 80% chance they'll break up."

Upon hearing this, Odom's eyes lit up as he quickly replied, "Then the Lakers will trade for O'Neal or Kobe, and that ambitious Riley will make his move. And the trade asset might be me, is that what you mean?"

Li Chen smiled and said, "Congratulations on being able to answer so quickly! But it might not be you! Also, the Lakers wouldn't trade for a younger Kobe unless they were stupid. Of course, this is all just my speculation; maybe it's not even possible."

"No, no, no! I wish this were all true," Odom prayed.

Odom thought for a moment, then asked hesitantly, "Chen, do you think the Clippers could trade me back?"

Li Chen decisively shook his head and said, "Lamar, your current contract is comparable to Elton's. That miserly Donald Sterling would never be willing to spend that kind of money."

"Wait, didn't I say this was just a guess?"

"Fuck, can't I even fantasize about escaping this awful place?"

After hanging up the phone, Li Chen's lips curled into a wicked grin as he thought to himself, "When Lamar goes to the Lakers, I'll definitely tell Kobe that Lamar is a hard-working and dedicated player who loves training." He wondered if Kobe, already spurred on by his own efforts and already training hard, would be overjoyed and want to train with him.

The thought of Odom looking like he was questioning the meaning of life made him want to burst out laughing.

On February 15, 2023, the world's most exciting men's basketball game—the NBA All-Star Game—will ignite passion in Los Angeles, USA.

This is a grand event that brings together the world's top players and will deliver a spectacular match for the fans.

Los Angeles, the host city of this grand event, was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

The streets and alleys were decorated with lanterns and colorful lights, and enthusiastic fans flocked to the stadium to cheer for their favorite idols.

As they entered the stadium, fans were greeted by dazzling lights and exciting music.

The first event was a pre-All-Star game party, where representatives from all teams gathered from all directions.

Fans can interact with their favorite stars, take photos, and celebrate this unique basketball extravaganza together.

The All-Star Game begins in the afternoon, while the morning features various entertainment activities such as the Shooting Stars Competition, Skills Competition, Three-Point Contest, and Slam Dunk Contest, which are among the highlights of All-Star Weekend.

The players will showcase their strength and skills in these challenges, bringing surprises and joy to the fans.

The first event of the morning was the Shooting Stars Competition.

The 12 players participating in this tournament will be divided into four teams to compete: the Detroit Pistons, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the San Antonio Spurs.

The Pistons roster includes current Pistons guard Billups, 2003 WNBA Rookie of the Year Detroit Shock forward Shelly Ford (Malone's daughter), and former NBA star John Salley.

The Los Angeles Clippers roster includes current Clippers guard Li Chen, WNBA Los Angeles Sparks Nikki Tisley, and former NBA star Trieu Cummings.

The San Antonio Spurs roster includes current Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, recently retired WNBA San Anthony Silver Stars guard Jennifer Azzi, and former Bulls and Spurs guard and five-time NBA champion Steve Kerr.

This year marks the first time the NBA All-Star Weekend has introduced the Shooting Stars Competition rules, which have already been mentioned before and will not be repeated here.

Before the Shooting Stars Competition, Li Chen shook hands and greeted his teammates.

"Haha! Kid, well done. I hope you can bring a championship to the Clippers this season," Trieu Cummings laughed heartily.

Li Chen smiled and said, "Senior, I will do my best."

As for Cummings, Li Chen had never heard of him being so outstanding. Well, it has to be admitted that the Clippers don't really have any legends.

Afterwards, Li Chen greeted Nikki Tisley for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks.

Nikki Tisley, a lively Black girl, excitedly interrupted Li Chen before he could speak, saying, "Chen, I'm your fan! I really admire you so much!"

Li Chen smiled slightly, "Nikki, you're not bad either. I often watch the WNBA Sparks' games."

"Really?" Nikki Tisley asked in surprise.

Li Chen's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

Hey, hey, hey! Girl, I was just being polite, why are you taking it so seriously? You're putting me in a difficult position.

He never expected that this girl's emotional intelligence was so lacking!

Although he was inwardly complaining, he nodded seriously on the surface, "Of course."

Just as Nikki Tisley was overjoyed, the DJ announced that the Shooting Stars competition was now beginning.

Li Chen's lips curled up; he was determined to win this match and leave the other three teams in despair.

Yes, Li Chen was very confident. A moment later, he executed [Unrestrained][Assist Master][Open Three-Pointer] and [Pull-up Jumper].

Finally, he equipped the newly acquired skill [Gorgeous], which increases coordination.

Meanwhile, in the TNT broadcast room.

"Kenny, I feel a surge of excitement right now."

"Yes, Charles, I feel the same way."

As he finished speaking, he added, "I never expected that Li Chen from the Clippers would also participate in Shooting Stars. I have to feel sorry for the other competitors."

"Haha! Kenny, you can't say that. After all, it's a three-person game, and my idol's teammates, to be honest, are really weak."

"That's true. Let's see how Li Chen turns the tide!"

At that moment, the DJ shouted out the Clippers' name.

This order of appearance clearly shows that Los Angeles didn't have much hope for the Clippers.

First, Nikki Tisley stood three meters to the right at a 45-degree angle, calling out, "Nikki, go for it!"

The dark-skinned girl was overjoyed to hear her idol's encouragement, and she nodded vigorously.

"I'll pass the ball to you," Li Chen said, flashing a set of pearly white teeth.

Nikki Tisley nodded vigorously again, happily saying, "Chen, I think I can make my first shot if you pass me the ball."

"Of course, you're the best player in the WNBA," Li Chen said, sounding a little guilty.

Just then, the DJ shouted, "Start the timer!"

Just as he finished speaking, Li Chen quickly passed the basketball to Nikki Tisley.

Swish! The basketball actually swished through the net.

The second shot came from Cummings, who was positioned three meters to the left at a 45-degree angle. Li Chen quickly passed the ball to him.

Swish! Cummins also enters.

At the same time, Li Chen ran to the three-point line and then jumped high into the air.

Swish! The basketball goes through the net cleanly.

They scored the first three goals in just seven seconds.

Next up was a three-pointer from the right baseline. Nikki Tisley missed both of her shots this time, but he made both.

Then, Cummings hit a three-pointer from the left baseline.

This scene surprised Li Chen greatly, and he thought to himself, "Sorry, senior, I underestimated you."

At this point, a little over fifteen seconds had passed.

In a flash, Li Chen had already run to the most difficult three-pointer spot in the middle of the court. Li Chen jumped, his movements graceful, and swish! A game-winning shot.

The time-locked battle lasted 18.8 seconds.

At this moment, the fans whistled, applauded, and cheered.

"Oh my god! No wonder he made a three-pointer from the mid-court line during the game. The Los Angeles Clippers are the undisputed winner of the Shooting Stars Competition," Kenny Smith concluded.

"Hahaha! How could Barkley's idol be bad?"

Meanwhile, the players from the Pistons, Lakers, and Spurs looked at each other, thinking... there's really no need to compete anymore!

Shortly after, the times for the other three teams appeared one by one.

Spurs 46 seconds

Detroit 1 minute 06 seconds

Los Angeles team 43.9 seconds

Although it was expected that the Clippers would win in the end, the time difference was too much.

The DJ at the event shouted in a sustained tone, "The first annual Shooting Stars Competition champions are the Los Angeles Clippers! Let's give them a big round of applause!"

At that moment, enthusiastic applause erupted in the Staples Center as they congratulated the Clippers on winning the Shooting Stars Competition.

But what they didn't know was that this achievement would become a permanent record.

Next up is the Skills Competition, which will feature Li Chen, Davis, Marbury, and Payton.

Seeing that Payton was also there, Li Chen naturally went over to say hello.

Of course, he saw Marbury, but he ignored him. However, if Marbury dared to cause trouble, he wouldn't mind making him look foolish.

"Yo yo yo! Isn't this Uncle Payton? Long time no see." Li Chen bit the uncle really hard.

Payton was somewhat disillusioned after the last Christmas game, and now hearing Li Chen call him "uncle" sounded incredibly jarring.

"Kid, we're not that close, don't try to get too friendly."

Li Chen curled his lip and said meaningfully, "Don't get me wrong, a player who has to suck up to others just to win a championship isn't worth me trying to get close to."

"I fucking want to punch someone!" Gary Payton was furious.

But he was also a man who refused to admit defeat, and he coldly said, "You'll see later."

Payton decided to get his revenge at the Skills Competition.

Li Chen scoffed, "Uncle, don't be so hasty, you might twist your back."

Payton "...

Marbury's lips twitched. He decided to back down and not provoke this petty jerk.

Ever since he offended this bastard last year, he felt that Li Chen was targeting him every time the two teams met.

If Li Chen knew what Marbury was thinking, he would definitely cry foul, saying he really didn't do it!

The so-called Skills Competition involves players dribbling through four obstacles after the referee's whistle, followed by five opportunities to complete a chest pass (which, if combined with the previous moves, would be a beautiful run pass), and then a bounce pass test.

Next, the players will take a jump shot from the three-point line. After the jump shot, they will face another direct pass challenge, and then they will have to navigate around three obstacles before making a layup.

The two players with the shortest times in the preliminary rounds will advance to the final, and the player with the shortest time in the final will win the championship.

After equipping the skill [Gorgeous] which enhances coordination, Li Chen's physical strength became unprecedented, even surpassing that of Li Chen Jordan.

The Skills Competition is a two-person team competition, with the winner advancing and the loser being eliminated.

First up is the match between Li Chen and Davis.

Finally, Li Chen advanced to the final with a time of 21.5 seconds, surpassing Davis's 28.7 seconds.

Next up were Payton and Marbury. Payton was right, as Li Chen predicted, and was eliminated by Marbury in 35.6 seconds.

This time, Li Chen didn't make any sarcastic remarks. Instead, he shook his head with feigned regret.

Li Chen's appearance made Payton even more uncomfortable. He was shocked to realize that this kid was really petty, just like Jordan in this respect. No! Jordan was just a one-off deal. But this guy has a sequel!

Okay! Okay! I have to admit, his skills are pretty good, but he believes that if he were 10 years younger, he could definitely defend against him. He wants to find his mother. But things rarely have "what ifs".

In the end, Li Chen eliminated Marbury in 20.1 seconds. Li Chen also received a reward of $50,000.

"Haha! I'm really looking forward to the upcoming Slam Dunk Contest."

Kenny Smith nodded; he was also looking forward to it, after all, Li Chen's physical talent was undeniable. However, the Slam Dunk Contest also required imagination, and Li Chen's imagination was certainly worth exploring.

Li Chen did not participate in the three-point contest, but Korver, who had found confidence with the Clippers, signed up for the contest.

This is also why Li Chen gave up the three-point contest instead of other contests.

Korver performed well in the first round, scoring 19 points and successfully advancing to the final.

The other players' scores were: Stojakovic 21, Lewis 16, Billups 12, Leonard 18, and Mobley 13.

Second round

Stojakovic 15 points

Leonard scored 17 points.

Korver scored 18 points, narrowly defeating Leonard by one point. Of course, this Leonard is not the Leonard we know today.

Finally, there was the Slam Dunk Contest.

The four participants in this Slam Dunk Contest are Fred Jones, Jason Richardson, Chris Andersen, and Li Chen.

At that moment, Kobe walked over, punched Li Chen, and said, "Do your best."

Li Chen smiled and nodded, saying, "Of course, I'm here for the championship."

Kobe was slightly taken aback by Li Chen's arrogant words, then gave him a thumbs up, with an expression that said, "I believe in you."

A short while later, Li Chen was the first to appear in the preliminary round.

Li Chen was a little annoyed; why was he the first one to go again?

But then he thought, being the first to go isn't bad either. He can show Richardson's aiming for a three-peat, what a real dunk is. So he started preparing for his first dunk.

Although Li Chen may lack creative ideas, his current physical abilities allow him to perform many dunking moves, so he still chooses to follow others' paths, leaving LaVine with nowhere to go.

The fans cheered as Li Chen stepped onto the court.

Because they knew Li Chen was the kind of guy who could dunk from the free-throw line during a game, they were really looking forward to it.

What surprises will Li Chen, with his outstanding physical talent, bring to them?

Li Chen tossed the basketball forward, and then, in a highly artistic manner, launched a stunning and aesthetically pleasing behind-the-back reverse dunk.

Incredibly, Li Chen seemed to float in the air, instantly igniting applause and cheers from the entire audience.

His movements were flawless, fluid, and powerful.

Yes, Li Chen's exceptional coordination makes his behind-the-back reverse dunk extremely aesthetically pleasing, even more so than LaVine's dunks.

"Oh my God! I, Barkley, guarantee that this year's Slam Dunk Contest belongs to Li Chen." Barkley was completely captivated by Li Chen's dunk.

"Perfect, absolutely perfect," Kenny Smith exclaimed repeatedly.

Li Chen's behind-the-back reverse dunk left the fans mesmerized.

Li Chen indeed surprised them, and they couldn't contain their excitement.

The fans cheered and applauded for Li Chen. His dunking performance added a highlight to the game.

They were looking forward to Li Chen's next performance.

At the same time, Kobe was also surprised. He secretly compared himself to Li Chen in his mind, and when he felt that he could also do this move, he felt relieved.

The five judges were also amazed by Li Chen's natural and smooth dunk, so they raised their "10 points" signs without hesitation.

Li Chen's first dunk earned him a perfect score of 50.

Amidst the cheers of the fans, Li Chen began his second dunk.

As the whistle blew, Li Chen strode briskly to the basket and gripped the basketball tightly.

He looked at the fans' gazes and thought, "Let's give the NBA a little shock!"

Suddenly, Li Chen threw the basketball onto the floor. As the basketball bounced up, he moved. He quickly grabbed the basketball, and as he leaped into the air, his body spun around.

For a fleeting moment in mid-air, he twirled like a ballet dancer.

The fans stared intently at him, holding their breath.

Time seemed to stand still, leaving only Li Chen's beautiful figure.

Finally, at the peak of his power, he slammed the basketball into the hoop!

After a loud bang, cheers resounded throughout the stadium.

The fans jumped up excitedly, giving him the loudest applause for his amazing performance.

Moreover, the judges immediately raised their 10-point plaques to demonstrate their excitement.

Barkley and Kenny Smith exchanged a glance, looking as if they had just expected it.

They also look forward to Li Chen's brilliant performance next.

Li Chen smiled slightly, thinking, "You're already excited like this, so won't you go crazy next?"

Meanwhile, Li Chen's perfect performance left the other players feeling somewhat hopeless, especially Jason Richardson, who was aiming for a three-peat. However, he still wanted to give it a shot.

The second player to take the court was "Birdman" Anderson. His first dunk was a two-handed windmill back dunk, scoring 42 points. His second dunk was a high-backboard two-handed heavy dunk, scoring 43 points.

Fred Jones was drafted in the same class as Yao Ming. He was unfortunately selected 14th overall in the first round. His first dunk was a one-handed catch of a ball bouncing off the floor, followed by a diagonal dunk, which scored 45 points.

Actually, this dunk would have deserved full marks if Li Chen hadn't dunked first, but the judges felt that giving it full marks would be a desecration of Li Chen's spectacular dunk. So they tacitly awarded it 9 points.

The second dunk was a reverse layup after a jump that swept over the rim, scoring 42 points.

Jason Richardson's first dunk was a one-handed windmill dunk from behind the backboard to the basket, scoring 43 points.

His second dunk was his signature between-the-legs dunk, where he caught the ball bouncing off the backboard, slammed it in with one hand, and scored 45 points.

Li Chen and Richardson advanced to the final, while the remaining two were eliminated.

In the final round, the judges weren't concerned about whether Richardson could win; they were only interested in seeing Li Chen's performance.

Therefore, Li Chen will go first.

At this point, Kenny Smith analyzed, "Actually, Li Chen shouldn't have been so amazing from the start. That would have spoiled the judges' tastes. If Li Chen's performance isn't as amazing as it was in the preliminary rounds, the contrast will make the judges feel that he's giving her a lower score."

Barkley said dismissively, "Kenny, he's a reliable guy, so he must have a backup plan."

Kenny Smith thought about it and realized that made sense.

On the field.

Li Chen stood near the center line. Seeing this, the fans and judges were invigorated. Li Chen seemed poised to...

Just then, Li Chen began his dribbling run-up, and as he approached the free-throw line, he slammed his right foot onto the floor, instantly launching himself into the air.

The atmosphere at the scene instantly reached a climax, and people couldn't help but cheer.

What happened next left everyone in awe.

He executed a perfect hand-switching maneuver in mid-air, transferring the ball from one hand to the other.

At the moment of the hand change, the ball passed through the gap between his slightly parted thighs.

Then, without hesitation, he dunked the ball into the basket.

After a muffled thud, the fans stared wide-eyed in shock.

Immediately afterwards, the entire audience erupted in cheers and applause like a volcanic eruption.

Li Chen's between-the-legs dunk from the free-throw line flashed before the fans' eyes like a bolt of lightning, leaving an unforgettable and beautiful image.

Meanwhile, the judges couldn't stay calm; they jumped up too.

"My God! He actually did that!" Barkley exclaimed in shock.

Kenny Smith nodded repeatedly, "It's truly incredible."

Kobe gritted his teeth inwardly; this bastard was a monster.

Without a doubt, the judges unanimously gave Li Chen a perfect score of 50.

But they were eager to see how Li Chen would perform on his second dunk. In their view, that should be the limit.