Larry Brown looked at the disciple before him, steam seemingly rising from his entire body while his eyes shone like searchlights, and it felt as though a lump of cotton had clogged his throat.
He had seen countless prodigies throughout his coaching career and tamed countless untamed wild horses, but he had never seen anyone like Iverson.
He wasn't playing basketball. He was burning his life away.
The renowned coach, known for his harshness and iron-fisted ways, ultimately chose to compromise.
He gave Iverson a deep look, then nodded heavily and said only one word: "Protect yourself."
"Ding—"
The buzzer signaling the end of the break sounded, like a horn calling for a second charge.
When the players from both sides stepped back onto the court, the entire Madison Square Garden crowd broke into astonished murmurs.
"God, look over there! The 76ers' number 1... no, number 3! Allen Iverson is still on the court!"
"He didn't rest? Not even for a second? Van Gundy has already put reserve guard Chris Childs in, yet Larry Brown is still letting Iverson play?"
"Is he crazy? Or are the 76ers crazy? Are they trying to run their franchise star to death in a regular-season game?"
In the broadcast booth, Bill Walton waved his arms excitedly. "This is why I love Allen Iverson! He isn't a player—he's a warrior! A gladiator! He knows who his opponent is. He knows that when mortals face a god, their only chance is to never retreat and never stop!"
Kevin Harlan, meanwhile, offered a more rational analysis. "But this is undoubtedly a huge gamble. Iverson's stamina will face an unprecedented test. The Knicks' rotation is far deeper than the 76ers', so they can wear Iverson down with fresh bodies, while Li Fei... he doesn't even look like he's