Sports Medicine Master System
Chapter 810: Chapter 728: This Time, I Cannot Give Up Again
The chaotic aftermath of the game finally came to an end. The furious Phoenix Suns fans didn’t resort to any radical actions, like mobbing the Lakers’ Bus. For the fans, tonight was a terrible night, but that was the extent of it. While most teams in the league were still a million miles away from a championship, the Phoenix Suns had already achieved a glorious three-peat. Having experienced such glory and reached the absolute summit, even on the way down, they could still face the new climbers with pride. At the post-game press conference, Skiles didn’t vent or complain either. What would be the point? Some things simply couldn’t be changed by sheer human willpower. All the resentment and frustration seemed destined to just quietly subside.
Chen Yu was stopped by reporters for a brief chat, then went to discuss offseason plans with Brian before finally preparing to leave. While passing through the players’ tunnel, Chen Yu spotted a team staffer who worked under player skill Trainer Jon Hamm. Ham had previously worked under Chen Yu before staying on with the Phoenix Suns. Over the past two years, he had risen to become the Suns’ head Trainer.
"Colin, what are you doing?" Chen Yu asked out of curiosity.
The man was holding a padded shield used for contact training and dragging a cart full of basketballs. It looked like someone was practicing. The catch was, it was nearly midnight. The team had to travel to Los Angeles tomorrow. Who could it be?
He followed Colin to the court. Seeing Nowitzki shooting a fadeaway jumper over Jon Hamm’s defense, Chen Yu couldn’t help but sigh. After losing the game, he had actually taken it upon himself to stay behind for extra practice. Patting Colin on the shoulder to signal him to go ahead, Chen Yu turned and walked away. He called Lexi to say he would be home a bit late, then returned to the court and sat down on the sidelines. He had just played a high-intensity game, and now he was doing extra training. Chen Yu didn’t want him injuring himself. So, he had to keep an eye on him.
Nowitzki saw Chen Yu, gave a slight nod, but didn’t stop. He was practicing his release—shooting through contact, shooting out of double-teams. In the empty arena, the only sounds were the swoosh of the net, the squeak of his sneakers against the hardwood, and the rhythmic BOOM BOOM BOOM of the basketball bouncing on the floor.
About half an hour later, Chen Yu called for Nowitzki to stop. "Dirk, you need to take a break first."
Under the Eye of All-Seeing, his knees, ankles, and muscles were already glowing red with fatigue. If he kept going, his body would be highly susceptible to fatigue-induced injuries.
Only then did Nowitzki stop. He glanced at the time and said, "Then I’ll rest for ten minutes, and practice until one o’clock."
Jon Hamm and Colin nodded without protest. He was the franchise cornerstone, after all; making a request like this wasn’t unreasonable.
Chen Yu had just grabbed a soft mat from the physiotherapy room. He unrolled it, had Nowitzki lie face down, and began massaging him to help his muscles relax. His muscles were wound far too tight, a direct result of excessive wear and tear. Chen Yu only massaged him in silence.
After three minutes of silence, Nowitzki suddenly asked, "Chen, are we going to lose?"
Chen Yu said nothing. Nowitzki was a top-tier superstar who had been in the league for years. He had to know exactly what the current situation was.
"I didn’t say that," Chen Yu said with a smile.
"No." Nowitzki turned his head, his expression dead serious. "But that’s what you’re thinking. Chen, you’ve given up."
Chen Yu froze. For the first time since he started studying psychology, he felt completely seen through. For a moment, Chen Yu didn’t know what to say, forced to respond with silence.
A moment later, Chen Yu countered, "What about you?"
Today’s game had been ugly, but it clearly demonstrated the league’s resolve: no one else was allowed to win the championship. It had to be the Lakers. It was like this in this round, it would be the same in the Western Conference Finals, and the NBA Finals would be no different. The referees would always be waiting in the shadows, ready to strike and alter the course of the game.
Nowitzki pushed himself up and sat on the hardwood. He grabbed a sports drink, took a few gulps, and instead of answering Chen Yu’s question directly, he said, "Chen, let me tell you a story about myself."
Chen Yu nodded.
"You probably know my parents were both athletes.
"My dad was a handball player, so I started practicing handball when I was just a few years old. I’ve always thought my shooting touch is so good because of my early handball training.
"But back then, I had a lot of hobbies, and my dad never restricted me. So when I was eight, because I idolized Becker, I chose to play tennis.
"I was really good at it, mostly because I was taller than all the kids my age. By the time I was twelve, I had won the national youth tennis championship. It’s safe to say that if I had kept playing, I probably would have become a professional tennis player."
Chen Yu nodded and chimed in, "And then you kept growing taller and taller, so you started playing basketball, right? I remember your mom was a basketball player."
He vaguely recalled that Nowitzki had only started playing basketball because he grew too tall. He got a relatively late start in basketball. To reach the heights he had achieved today, his raw talent must have been unfathomable.
"Not exactly," Nowitzki replied, shaking his head. "Looking back on it, the real reason I gave up tennis for basketball was because I ran into a guy named Tommy Haas. Chen, have you ever heard of him?"
Chen Yu thought for a second and nodded. There was indeed someone by that name in men’s singles. He thought the guy had even won the silver medal at the Sydney Olympics.
Nowitzki continued, "We were the exact same age. Because of that, I kept running into him at every national youth tennis tournament—and I always lost to him.
"I lost over and over again. I was forever in second place. I practiced like my life depended on it, desperate to win a championship and finally beat him, but I just couldn’t do it.
"I was frustrated, discouraged... even furious!
"My parents and my coach kept encouraging me, but I kept losing. I simply couldn’t beat him."
Bringing up the past visibly riled up Nowitzki’s emotions. Chen Yu remained silent. Tommy Haas was already one of the top stars in the tennis world; defeating him was never going to be easy. The fact that Dirk could even rival him at one point was a testament to his own talent.
"Eventually, I got taller and taller, and they convinced me to play basketball. So, I did.
"Chen, I didn’t switch to basketball just because I was tall. I switched because I gave up.
"At the time, I felt like I would never beat Tommy, that I’d never win a championship in my life. So, instead of pushing harder, I chose to quit. Giving up is so easy. You can just toss away all your frustration and all your bitterness, and start over with a clean slate.
"And nobody blamed me for it. I quit with a perfectly clear conscience. I even made up a ton of excuses to justify it to myself.
"But Chen, quitting is quitting. I was a quitter!"
Nowitzki turned to look at Chen Yu, his eyes filled with deep agony and regret. "I think that was the moment I became someone who gives up easily. During clutch moments, I subconsciously shy away. I avoid contact. So, they aren’t wrong when they call me soft. Ever since I voluntarily quit tennis at fourteen, I’ve been soft. I always have been!
"But not this time!" Nowitzki locked eyes with Chen Yu without blinking. "Chen, this time, I refuse to give up. I want to win. I want to keep winning until we’re the champions!"
Chen Yu’s heart raced, deeply shaken by the raw intensity.
Nowitzki just stared straight at him. "I’ve already given up once in my life, so I can’t do it again. So, Chen, are you willing to help me? Are you willing to fight alongside me?"
Chen Yu said nothing, his mind a turbulent sea of emotions. In a flash of realization, Chen Yu suddenly felt that, at some point without him noticing, he too had become someone who gave up easily. The old him wouldn’t hesitate to go on television and fight tooth and nail against the Magic’s front office for Hill. But somewhere along the way, he had lost that original fierce determination.
Meeting Nowitzki’s expectant gaze, Chen Yu waited a full minute before finally nodding.
"Yes!"

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