Releasing internal team pressure in this way can both resolve conflicts and make divisive factors disappear without causing disaster.
So, after the training session, Bird let everyone else leave, leaving Kobe and Riddle on one half of the court, giving them a chance to resolve their conflict with basketball.
"The old rules: one-on-one duel, 10 balls. Regardless of winning or losing, you two are not to fight in private anymore. You don’t have to be friends, and it’s okay to dislike each other. But remember, at this moment, you are still teammates, still people who need to fight side by side. That’s the minimum requirement. Do you dare to accept the challenge?"
Kobe wasn’t afraid at all, especially after getting punched, he was eager to use this chance to regain himself on the court.
So Kobe immediately stepped forward, came to the court, and said he accepted the challenge of the duel.
Riddle hesitated a bit, but seeing Kobe step up, how could he back down?
Thus, Riddle also nodded in agreement, and the battle between him and Kobe was about to begin.
Trail Blazers players, coaches, trainers, and staff all prepared their seeds and small stools, ready to watch the fateful duel between the two.
Bird blew the whistle, teammates watched, and the two began their showdown.
Kobe was much leaner than Riddle, but after half a season of honing, his physique and muscle had grown.
Moreover, his crossover dribbling skills had made significant progress, which was very useful in a one-on-one duel.
He quickly used his agile body to continuously make layups and take the lead.
Riddle seemed a bit rusty, failing twice with back-to-the-basket moves, while Kobe repeatedly shook his head saying, "You can’t do it."
Riddle was enraged and increased the amplitude of his moves and used his skills, managing to defend twice and equalizing the score with his back-to-basket shots.
The two played from 3:3 to an 8:8 tie, making it hard to tell the winner.
Riddle was amazed, recalling that when he dueled with Kobe in training earlier, Kobe was completely at a disadvantage.
In just half a season, Kobe had made notable progress in all aspects.
Though Riddle disliked Kobe, he had to admit that this guy truly loved basketball.
Kobe played the role of a catalyst, making Trail Blazers backcourt players work harder than before.
The two battled their way to 9:9, leading to the final decisive point.
Kobe forced his way past Riddle, aiming for a decisive layup, but Riddle caught up and blocked it from behind.
Kobe signaled to Bird that Riddle had committed a foul, but Bird didn’t blow the whistle, indicating the game should continue.
Riddle then, with his back to Kobe, pushed forward and made a fadeaway jump shot, scoring.
9:10, Riddle relied on his body and experience to defeat the newcomer Kobe.
Kobe wanted to argue with Bird, insisting that Riddle certainly fouled on the last move, otherwise he would have won.
Bird ignored Kobe’s grievance, signaling that the challenge was over and everyone should prepare for the evening’s game.
Kobe was very upset, sitting alone on the sidelines with reddened eyes. Little O’Neal came to comfort him, saying, "You’ve already performed superbly; Riddle is no match for you."
"But I still lost. I could have won. I really didn’t want to lose to him; he even punched me twice, this bastard."
Little O’Neal didn’t say much, just stayed with Kobe.
Gan Guoyang saw Kobe sticking around, refusing to leave while others were going to shower and tidy up.
Gan Guoyang said, "How about I play a few games with you? If I beat you, you should stop sulking here."
Kobe looked up at Ah Gan, blinked, then got up and left with Little O’Neal.
Forget it, facing Ah Gan could very well end with a 0:10, better not to embarrass himself.
More importantly, upon seeing Gan Guoyang, Kobe realized that he was his true goal.
Riddle was just a small pebble on his path forward, not worth too much attention.
Someday soon, it won’t be too late, he’ll kick that small pebble aside without leaving a trace.