Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

The Lakers team exited the airport, making their first visit of the season to Milwaukee.

If all went well, they would meet the other team in next year's Finals, and then, they could settle the score for good.

Shaquille O'Neal called out to a baggage handler, "Wait! Wait! That suitcase! Give that suitcase to me!"

He got it.

Then, O'Neal carried the black case onto the team bus, pressed a few buttons on it, put on headphones, and quietly listened to hip-hop music.

After the bus had driven for a while amidst various noises, suddenly, O'Neal unplugged his headphones and the tune of 50 Cent's "P.I.M.P" blared from the speakers.

As a song much loved by the Lakers players, they could easily sing along, most of them knowing the lyrics by heart.

"I don't know what you heard about me

But a bitch can't get a dollar out of me..."

(I don't know what you heard about me But a bitch can't get a dollar out of me...)

The song was meant to start like this, but O'Neal improvised a rap instead:

"Kobe is a bitch, everyone can see

But you'll never see me on TV..."

(Kobe, he's a bitch, everybody can see But you'll never catch me on TV...)

For O'Neal, this was just a commonplace prank, a slight release of his dissatisfaction with Kobe.

Just the night before last, after finishing a game, O'Neal "kindly" "suggested" to his little brother: "You should become a passer."

The little brother immediately replied, "I don't need advice from anyone."

O'Neal, predictably irritated, said, "I hoped that things would start off on the right foot at the beginning of the new season. If you don't like it, then you can choose to leave. As long as this is my team, I will voice my opinions. If you don't like them, then I don't need you."

Seemingly in retaliation, yesterday Kobe invited ESPN's Jim Gray for an exclusive interview, where he fully responded to O'Neal's comments. Moreover, from Gray's recollection, Kobe had not one ounce of love for Shaquille O'Neal.

That was why O'Neal embarrassed Kobe in the name of a prank on the bus.

Standing next to Kobe were two burly men, his bodyguards, who didn't know how to react, because Kobe was wearing headphones and couldn't hear O'Neal's freestyle.

Compared to these events, the grudge between O'Neal and Yu Fei was just a minor interlude.

Phil Jackson had too many things to worry about.

Every season before it started, he would set a theme for the team.

His most famous season theme was "The Last Dance" for the 1997-98 season, and this season, seeing OK combust like fire and water, Payton claiming mastering the Triangle Offense only needed a week yet still not understanding his tactical role, Little Buss questioning his coaching abilities, external expectations and pressures, and the burden of having to win the championship, all made it hard for him to breathe.

Eventually, Jackson chose "Where Is the Soul" as the theme for the Lakers season.

He called the team a "squad seeking its soul", in fact, that was the title of his next book. What he didn't know was that although the book purported to be about the team, in reality, it contained material that would drive Kobe fans mad. Now, less than two years before the book's release, Kobe was about to unlock a unique milestone – less than a decade into his career, two of his colleagues closely related to his career had written books trashing him.

Bradley Center

Two teams unbeaten so far in the season were about to clash here; this was the least interesting of all their storylines.

Compared to the dramatic backdrop of the game itself, no one cared about their records.

The only Lakers' F4 member to greet Yu Fei was Gary Payton.

It made sense for the former King of Seattle to say hello to a son of Seattle.

"Gary, you'll regret not joining us sooner or later," Yu Fei said. "George still hasn't forgiven you for accepting the mid-level exception from the Lakers."

"Fuck off!" Payton had no respect for Karl, "You gave me the same mid-level exception. So what if I chose the Lakers? They are a three-time dynasty, and you're just a bubble team who lucked out on a championship."

If he said that, Fei would not be pleased.

"Indeed, hope you have a good time with that racist and snitch-filled team," Fei mocked. "No, you should play here until retirement." Stay tuned with empire

If there was anything special about this game, it was the presence of Christina Hendricks.

However, since Christina was unknown in Hollywood, her appearance didn't garner any extra attention; ABC didn't even bother to give her a close-up shot.

Tonight also marked the return of Bucks' starting center Dan Gadzuric after his comeback.

The Bucks were probably the only team where Gadzuric could secure a starting spot, and though his abilities weren't outstanding and his play style wasn't Fei's favorite kind of big man, in the Big Ball Era, his presence was vital for the Bucks.

The Bucks didn't expect Gadzuric to hold off Shaquille O'Neal or Duncan; they just hoped he would make a productive sacrifice as cannon fodder.

Now the cannon fodder was back, which also spared the Bucks the embarrassment of having to continue starting Pachulia at the five.

After a while, the starting lineups for both sides came onto the court.

Without discussing the Bucks, the Lakers' side was truly star-studded, Payton, Kobe, Fox, Karl Malone, O'Neal – four future Hall of Famers.