Inside the Celtics locker room, head coach Rick Carlisle's gaze swept over each player. "That ceremony was touching. But once the game starts, Eddie Jones is the enemy. The person guarding him must be focused and aggressive. Doc ( Doug Christie ), you're in charge of guarding Eddie today."
Doug Christie had just nodded when Pierce suddenly raised his hand and stood up. "Coach, let me guard Eddie."
Rick Carlisle paused for a moment. Pierce's eyes were firm. " Eddie is one of my best teammates, I know all about his game. And... I want to face him head-on, that's the most respect I can give him."
Rick Carlisle was silent for a few seconds, then Lin Qi at the door whispered, "Let Chris Paul go." Rick Carlisle nodded, "Okay, Chris Paul, he's in your hands."
At 7:45 PM, the players returned to the court. As the DJ enthusiastically introduced the visiting team's starting lineup, the crowd erupted when he announced, "Shooting Guard... Eddie Jones." Eddie ran onto the court, waving to those around him, then looked towards the Celtics ' bench, where Lin Qi was giving him a thumbs-up. He then turned to meet Pierce's expectant gaze. Eddie took a deep breath; tonight, he would give it his all.
In the opening tip-off, Big Ben used his explosive power to pass the ball to Gary Payton. The Boston Celtics took the initiative, with Gary Payton lobbing the ball high to Garnett, who flicked his wrist and the ball was precisely guided to Doug Christie lurking in the corner, who drained a three-pointer, making it 3-0!
Turning around, the Kings immediately responded. Bibby steadily advanced, and Eddie, like a nimble fish, used Divac's solid screen to instantly shake off the defense. Facing Pierce's rapid defense, Eddie didn't hesitate for a moment, pulling up for a smooth pull-up jump shot, the basketball swishing through the net, 3-2! The fans in the No. 7 jersey went wild.
The game turned into a fierce offensive battle from the very first quarter.
Garnett's mid-range turnaround jumper was rock solid, while Lewis's corner dunks were equally deadly.
Pierce's powerful drive tore through the defense, and Eddie immediately responded with a pull-up jumper.
Gary Payton skillfully orchestrated the fast break, connecting with Big Ben for an alley-oop, while Webber used a fake pass and a layup trick to outmaneuver the defense.
Just six minutes into the first quarter, the score had already soared to 28-26, with both teams shooting over 60%.
Rick Carlisle was forced to call a timeout, yelling at the whiteboard, "Where's our defense? Get some intensity! Chris Paul, stick close to Eddie, he's on fire tonight!"
After the timeout, the Celtics brought in their second unit, attempting to overwhelm their opponents with tougher physical play. However, Eddie Jones was completely unstoppable tonight. He not only caught and shot off the ball through off-ball movement but also frequently dribbled and isolated, repeatedly piercing the Celtics ' defense.
Time flew by in the fierce competition, and the game entered the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, a nail-biting affair. The scoreboard showed the Celtics leading 115-107. At this point, Eddie Jones had unbelievably scored 42 points! The entire arena rose to their feet to celebrate this career-high score, their cheers deafening.
But the Celtics will not let victory slip away.
With two minutes remaining, Gary Payton regained his composure and passed the ball to Pierce.
Facing Eddie Jones ' defense, Pierce executed a series of crossover steps followed by a sudden step-back three-pointer...
Swish! Three-pointer goes in.
118-107!
The Kings launched a swift counterattack. Bibby advanced the ball, and Webber handed it to Eddie Jones. Eddie Jones made a convincing fake shot, and seeing Pierce unmoved, he decisively drove to the basket. Facing the towering Big Ben Wallace under the basket, Eddie Jones passed the ball in mid-air to Lewis lurking in the corner. Lewis confidently launched a three-pointer and sank it! 118-110!
With the game entering its final minute, the Kings unleashed a full-court press. Gary Payton made a difficult pass, and Garnett, double-teamed, cleverly threaded the ball to Pierce. With only 35 seconds remaining, Pierce, facing Eddie ' defense, suddenly lowered his center of gravity and drove directly into the paint! Eddie Jones desperately tried to block him, but Pierce, battling the defense, forced his way to the basket, overpowering Divac's help defense, and powerfully leaped for a layup...
"Beep!" the referee whistle sounded.
The ball bounced twice on the rim and fell into the net. 2+1!
This powerful goal not only found the net, but also forced Divac to foul out.
The entire venue erupted in cheers.
Pierce calmly made the free throw and added another, making it 121-110.
With 25 seconds left, Chris Webber's tough mid-range jumper bounced off the rim, and Big Ben secured the rebound, effectively ending any suspense in the game.
The final whistle blew, and the final score was 121-110.
The stat line was star-studded: Garnett went 16-for-22, scoring 38 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out 6 assists. Pierce contributed 34 points and 7 rebounds. Gary Payton racked up 10 points and 12 assists. Big Ben grabbed 14 rebounds and delivered 3 blocks. For the Kings, Eddie Jones went 18-for-28, scoring a game-high 42 points, while Webber also delivered a stellar performance with 25 points and 9 assists.
As the final whistle blew, Eddie stood with his hands on his hips and his head bowed. His career-high 42 points couldn't bring him a victory.
Pierce walked over and put his arm around Eddie's shoulder. "You were amazing tonight. The Boston fans will remember you tonight."
Garnett joined in and gave Eddie a tight hug. "Bro, you were absolutely insane tonight."
Gary Payton, Big Ben, Tianzun all stepped forward to give each other a high five.
Just then, Lin Qi walked over from the sidelines. The crowd erupted in even louder cheers. Lin Qi opened his arms, and Eddie hugged him without hesitation, tears finally streaming down his face.
"Forest..."
"You did a fantastic job, Eddie." Lin Qi patted him hard on the back. "42 points, a career high. You've proven to everyone that you're not just a championship piece, you can be the core of a team."
Lin Qi released his grip, turned to face the stands, and raised the microphone. " Boston fans! The Celtics won tonight, but I want to say, Eddie Jones won too! Let's give Eddie Jones another round of applause!"
The entire stadium rose to their feet once again, their unified shouts echoing for a long time.
Eddie Jones walked to the center of the field and bowed deeply to all around.
The entire venue erupted in cheers.
After the initial excitement subsided, a sense of dejection filled the Kings ' locker room. Coach Adelman encouraged his players, acknowledging the team's fluid offense but also pointing out weaknesses in their defense.
The Celtics' locker room next door was similarly devoid of joy. Rick Carlisle pointed out seriously that the 110 points conceded proved that their defensive system still had significant vulnerabilities.
Lin Qi walked in with a smile, comforting the tired players and reminding them that it was only the beginning of the season and they had plenty of time to grow and gel.
At the post-game press conference, Adelman praised Eddie's performance and commended the Celtics players as well. Rick Carlisle also admitted that the team's defense was still in a period of growing pains, and Eddie's performance tonight certainly gave him a scare.
Facing the barrage of reporters' cameras, Eddie Jones gently stroked his gleaming ring. "During my last two years with the Celtics, I learned what sacrifice is. But now I'm a Sacramento Kings player, and I'll give it my all for Sacramento."
Pierce and Garnett also praised their former teammates in the interview, and admitted that the Sacramento Kings players were tough to deal with.
Late Night, the noise fades away.
Lin Qi sat alone at his desk, looking at the technical statistics on the screen: 121 to 110.
The Kings' display of Princeton offense tonight undoubtedly served as a wake-up call for the Celtics.
He called Rick Carlisle, expressing his complete trust in the coaching staff and telling them to continue refining the defensive system at their own pace.
After hanging up the phone, Lin Qi stood up and walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window.
Outside the window, Boston's night view remained vibrant, with the neon lights of the New Garden shimmering in the cold wind.
Eddie Jones' performance tonight was truly moving; he earned glory through sacrifice and dignity through his skill.
For Lin Qi and his Celtics, the long season has only just begun.
To achieve the great goal of a three-peat, every detail must be perfect.
Tonight's heartwarming moments have come to an end; starting tomorrow, they must prepare to face even more brutal challenges.