As Lin Qi praised the Suns, Kenny Smith, standing nearby, suddenly frowned. Known as TNT's most skilled at stirring up controversy, he seemed to have seized upon a fatal flaw, slamming his pen on the table and leaning forward.
"Wait a minute! Lin, you just praised 'the ability to break through one-on-one defenses on the wing' so highly." Kenny pointed at Lin Qi exaggeratedly, his tone laced with undisguised provocation, "But look at your Boston Celtics, you don't have a single superstar one-on-one player who can forcefully sink 30 or 40 points just by getting the ball! And this reminds me of the 2000 NBA Finals, when you didn't seem to have a high opinion of Kobe Brian, who was arguably the best one-on-one player in the league at the time?"
Faced with Kenny's blunt attempt to "dig a hole" for him, Lin Qi waved his hands repeatedly, then held up a finger and earnestly corrected Kenny's statement.
"First of all, Kenny, Boston isn't lacking in players like that. Chris Paul Pierce absolutely possesses the league's top-tier one-on-one scoring ability." Lin Qi unequivocally defended his star player, "His offensive versatility and ability to draw fouls are phenomenal. If Coach Rick Carlisle told Chris Paul in the locker room, 'Tonight you don't need to worry about any plays, just take the ball and shoot it thirty times,' he could still average 30 points per game, and even compete with McGrady for the scoring title."
"Come on, Lin!" Kenny Smith immediately raised his voice, his face full of skepticism. " Chris Paul Pierce is indeed a good player, an All-Star, but he absolutely can't do what Kobe did, force the ball into the basket under a triple team! He doesn't have Kobe's crazy, even beast-like, individual scoring explosiveness!"
"I agree with Kenny." Ernie Johnson, who always controls the pace of the game, joined in, pushing the topic to a climax. " Pierce is more of a scorer within a system. He relies on screens and spacing in the paint. But Kobe... he doesn't need a system; he is an offensive system himself."
"That's the crux of the matter, Ernie." Lin Qi wasn't angered by the two hosts' rebuttals; instead, a smile appeared on his lips. " Chris Paul doesn't need to play like Kobe, because Boston's system doesn't require him to play that way. Getting bogged down in endless one-on-one isolation plays does nothing to help the team win."
When Lin Qi once again pointed the finger at "endless one-on-one isolation plays," Kenny Smith got completely excited. His gossip-loving spirit, typical of TNT commentators, instantly ignited, and the director even timely displayed a close-up photo of Kobe wearing a Chicago Bulls jersey with an arrogant look on the big screen.
"Since you brought up one-on-one, then we have to talk about Kobe!" Kenny waved his arms, loudly proclaiming to tens of millions of television cameras across the country, "This guy's obsession with one-on-one was simply pathological! You know, back when Kobe was playing in high school, if a teammate was open and yelled at him to 'Pass the ball!', his answer was always—'No! Go for the rebound!'"
The studio erupted in laughter.
"That's not all!" Kenny continued, dropping bombshells like a storyteller. "Back in his Lakers days, he actually beat up a teammate in the locker room over a mere $100 gambling debt! When he was traded to Chicago, most of the Los Angeles players were secretly celebrating with champagne. Almost all of his teammates disliked his aggressive, selfish behavior, which showed no regard for his teammates!"
"And now that we're with the Chicago Bulls, things haven't improved at all." Ernie Johnson added, showcasing TNT's extensive information network. "Our sources in Chicago say that head coach Beal Cartwright is practically indulging Kobe's isolation plays without any limits. Kobe can refuse to execute plays at will, calling for the ball two steps beyond the three-point line to go it alone. This has caused extreme dissatisfaction among other players, including Jalen Rose. Chicago is completely disorganized now; they look like complete strangers on the court."
After the two hosts thoroughly exposed Kobe's obsessive personality and terrible locker room relationships, viewers across the United States were on the edge of their seats. Chicago's ratings soared instantly. Everyone stared at Lin Qi, who was sitting in the middle, waiting for the "mastermind behind four consecutive championships" to give his final evaluation of the Chicago Bulls ' star player.
Lin Qi picked up his water glass, took a sip, and his smile faded, replaced by a focused expression.
"You've misunderstood my opinion of him. I've watched Kobe's game film from this season with the Chicago Bulls very carefully." Lin Qi's tone was very sincere. "I must admit, his scoring performance was amazing. His fundamentals, footwork, fakes, and that core strength to force a shot over the defense are all historic. He has almost no weaknesses in terms of technique."
Looking at the camera, Lin Qi gave an extremely high, yet strangely odd, evaluation.
"I even think that if there were a professional league with 'one-on-one' games, or a half-court game like 3-on-3, Kobe Brian would absolutely be the undisputed GOAT (Greatest of All Time) in that league. He could devour all defenders; no one could beat him in a one-on-one game."
Just as Kenny Smith was about to nod in agreement, Lin Qi suddenly changed the subject.
"But, guys, basketball is ultimately a five-on-five, full-court sport." Lin Qi spread his hands, a hint of helplessness in his voice. " Kobe definitely has the ability to be the core of a team; his skills are impeccable. However, his mentality and personality don't seem to be fully mature yet. He still doesn't know how to lead a team."
Lin Qi held up two fingers, precisely dissecting Kobe's current predicament.
"You can't always try to play '1v9' on the court. You're not only going to be up against five defenders, but also against four teammates on your own team who are frustrated, angry, and ultimately just want to watch you go it alone because you never pass the ball. When you force a shot, your teammates won't go for the offensive rebound because they think it's pointless. And when you leave your man open on defense, they won't help you."
"When you turn your teammates into spectators on the field, your team has already lost. Ultimately, individual success does not necessarily lead to team success."
"No! No! No! Lin! You can't say that!"
Hearing Lin Qi's candid analysis of Kobe, Kenny Smith, sitting next to him, shook his head vigorously. He didn't joke around as before, but sat up straight, adopting the serious attitude of a former professional player and commentator.
"Lin, I disagree with you." Kenny held out his hands, his tone resolute. "I know you've been one of the most successful team managers in the league these past few years, but what you just said is actually denying the very foundation of the NBA."
Kenny pointed to the viewership ratings on the big screen and put forward his argument. "The NBA is ultimately a league of superstars. It's Michael Jordan, Shaq, and Kobe who are selling tickets. Fans spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to sit in the front row at Staples or the United Center to see Kobe score 50 points over three players, not to see five role players constantly passing and setting screens!"
" Kenny's right!" Even the usually mild-mannered Ernie Johnson unusually sided with Kenny, vehemently retorting, "Lin, the individual heroism of superstars is the cornerstone of this league! Look at the TV ratings! When a lone hero puts on a scoring show, the whole of United States goes crazy for them! Jordan built this business empire by saving his team time and time again with his incredible one-on-five performances! You say individual success doesn't equal team success, but without the individual performances of superstars, even the team's commercial value wouldn't exist!"
"Furthermore, from a tactical perspective, in the most intense moments of the playoffs, all tactics become ineffective. When there are only 5 seconds left on the shot clock, doesn't the team need a superstar to execute those unreasonable one-on-one plays? Without the individual heroism of a superstar, even the team's floor cannot be guaranteed."
The two hosts' rebuttals were very sharp, representing the league's deeply ingrained "superstar supremacy" culture. The atmosphere in the studio instantly became somewhat confrontational.
Faced with their relentless attacks, Lin Qi not only didn't get angry, but instead smiled and leaned back in his chair, quietly watching them.
The real ratings surge has only just begun.