Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

About five minutes into the second quarter, with the Bucks possessing a better second unit, they still couldn't close the gap in the score. George Karl finally gave up the illusion and, after a timeout, brought in Ray Allen and Sam Cassell, replacing Anthony Mason, whose stats looked good but whose effect on the game was nothing short of disastrous.

As Mason walked off the court, he looked imposing, and the audience in front of the TV could see NBC kindly display his stats: 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists.

Not bad, but at what cost?

Against the Wizards' second unit, which lacked a core player, the Bucks' second unit, boasting Big Dog, Mason, and Red, managed to gain only one point in five minutes.

Seeing the Bucks make a substitution, Collins also sent Fei back on.

And, before the substitution, Collins specially looked at Jordan, "Michael, are you ready to go in?"

Fei looked at them with amusement.

Who had less authority in front of his star, Collins in front of Jordan or Karl in front of Mason?

Jordan felt discomfort in his leg. Since Fei was in good form tonight, letting the opponent play more might not be so bad.

He had been struggling with tendinitis for so long already, what difference would a little rest make?

"We have good momentum right now." Jordan didn't give an answer, but Collins understood what he meant.

Collins then turned to Fei and said, "Frye, as long as you keep the touch you had in the first quarter, I won't mind even if you take 50 shots."

Take 50 shots?

"Got it." Fei didn't think he would be taking 50 shots in a single game.

The Bucks also changed their defensive strategy.

Karl had given up the idea of having Tim Thomas match up with Fei because watching Fei shred Thomas' defense was harmful to his eyes and heart. Rather than fielding a player who neither defended nor attacked well against Fei, it would be better to switch to someone who could tire him out on the offensive end.

So Karl decided, it's going to be you, Glenn Robinson.

"Glenn, I want you to put some pressure on Frye on the offensive end. I don't want to hear excuses, and I don't care if you're comfortable or not. Your job is to tire him out."

Robinson merely replied with a perfunctory "OK" and then took the court.

But Big Dog didn't take Karl's command to heart because their relationship was poor.

Once on the court, Robinson glanced at Fei, who was initially planning to just go through the motions. To his surprise, Fei even took the time to probe into the Bucks' internal issues, "Everyone can see that Anthony Mason is a problem, why can't you see it yourselves? Or are you all scared of him?"

"None of your business, you rookie who knows nothing! Better keep your mouth shut!" Big Dog brought out the aura of a veteran who'd been in the League for nearly a decade, trying to suppress Fei.

And Fei simply received the ball from a teammate.

Ball in hand, it seemed that Fei was sizing up Big Dog's defense, but actually, he had spotted Cassidy White getting into a favorable position under the basket. All that was needed was a risky but worthwhile surgical pass.

In an instant, Fei whipped the ball inside, and aside from White, nobody reacted.

The next second, White shook off his defender and slammed the ball in for the score.

"Let me tell you something I do know," Fei said while playing defense against Big Dog, "Someone whose toughness is openly questioned by his own coach is definitely afraid of Mason."

Robinson erupted in anger, as Fei's remark hit the sore spot of his fractured relationship with George Karl.

It happened during the offseason when Karl, in an interview, called him out by name for lacking toughness, using injuries as excuses, and not having the manly fortitude to endure pain and keep playing.

Since then, the relationship between Robinson and Karl was beyond repair.

Fei was only reopening Big Dog's wounds, and he couldn't stand it.

"You want to see my toughness?" Big Dog called for the ball, "Then I'll f***ing show you!"

Big Dog's style and strengths were clearly outlined in the Wizards' scouting report: a solid mid-range game, but lacking aggression.

This meant, although the fellow could hit mid-range shots in various positions, he never used his mid-range threat to drive to the basket.

If he wanted to show Fei toughness, shouldn't he play with a bit more venom?

The answer was no.

How could a work habit developed over years change overnight? Big Dog held his position against Fei firmly, then swiftly executed a step-back jumper. The move was inelegant but cleverly executed, leaving Fei, despite being in position, able only to contest the shot.

"That's right! That's the way! There's still hope for you, Glenn, as long as you play like that you'll be fine!"

Karl loudly cheered from the sideline, a noise that could be completely ignored.

Fei had never seen a coach as noisy as this one.

Then, Fei brought the ball up the court himself. Robinson tried hard to defend, but like his offensive habits, a person who hadn't taken defense seriously for years, even if he initially had decent defensive capability, would lose it after a prolonged period of underperformance.

Fei blew past him with a quick acceleration after facing him up and hit his signature floater off the glass from the free-throw line.

"Coach Carl, I don't think he needs saving. Make a substitution; I want to be up against a tough defender."

Of course, Karl knew Fei was driving a wedge between him and Big Dog, and moreover, it was working.

"Rookie, stop stirring up trouble here!"