Helped back to the locker room by the team doctor, Zack received both good news and bad news. The bad news was that his injury was more severe than David Stern had imagined. The good news was... due to the unexpected injury, the [Peak] System had released a new mission.
"Host's right ankle has a severe sprain. Estimated recovery time: four weeks. Injury mission [Tyranny] triggered. To hell with recovery time! How can you be held back by the dirty tricks of scoundrels?
Play-through-injury privilege one: If the Host chooses to play through the injury, the Host will not suffer any injury escalation from this specific injury (excluding accidental injuries not related to this specific injury).
Play-through-injury privilege two: Until the Host fully recovers, any pain-killing injections the Host takes will not incur any penalties.
Play-through-injury privilege three: Any attribute losses incurred by the Host due to this injury while playing through it will gradually recover as the injury heals."
At this moment, looking at the [Peak] System's mission panel, Zack could probably only describe his current situation as "injured, but also not injured."
He was injured because... even when playing through it, he would still inevitably suffer temporary "losses" to certain attributes due to the ankle sprain. For example, most noticeably, his speed and vertical leap would be affected.
He wasn't injured because... with the privileges granted by the [Tyranny] mission, Zack could freely take pain-killing injections—something in competitive sports that had affected countless athletes' careers but was a necessary evil for glory. Aside from needing time to heal and recover his attributes, and enduring the pain from the injury, he was essentially no different from a normal person. Plus, he wouldn't have to worry about the ankle sprain escalating into a more severe injury by playing through it.
However, now Zack needed to convince... the Warriors' team doctor and coaching staff to let him play through the pain with injections.
"No way! You're only twenty-three! We can't predict what consequences taking those injections might have on you!"
Unlike old-school coaches who would squeeze every last drop out of their players, Mike Malone immediately rejected Zack's request to play through the injury with injections. The Warriors' team doctor also disagreed with giving Zack injections rashly before an MRI scan.
True, in the 1980s and 90s... in the eyes of many tough, old-school players, an ankle sprain was something a player could power through with sheer willpower, with just a little endurance. For example, in the 1988 Finals, "The Smiling Assassin" Isiah Thomas famously scored 25 points in a single quarter, limping with a severe ankle sprain.
But with the increasing development of modern sports medicine, and NBA teams paying more attention to player injuries... in most cases, even for a common injury like an ankle sprain, teams wouldn't force a player to play through it. And besides, the Warriors were only in the Western Conference Semifinals. In Mike Malone's opinion, Zack taking injections for a Western Conference Semifinals game was completely impulsive.
"I know you really want to get back on the court and punish the opponent who used dirty tactics on you. But what you need to do now is patiently rest and actively receive treatment." Mike Malone said, patting Zack's back, trying to comfort him.
In the locker room, seeing the concerned looks from the team doctor and head coach, Zack's heart warmed. But since the [Tyranny] mission had given him a chance to play without permanent damage... how could Zack, who still had unfinished business with the Spurs, possibly compromise?
"If you try to stop me from taking injections and playing through this, I'll retire tonight!"
The next second, Malone looked at Zack and, uncharacteristically, swore at him: "What the hell is wrong with you? You're stubborn as a mule!"
Hearing this, Zack, knowing Malone was genuinely concerned for him, wasn't angry. Instead, he said, "I told you, Mike, only take me out when I'm dead!"
Unlike the atmosphere and situation the last time Zack said this, this time, Zack's increasingly resolute gaze truly shook everyone in the locker room.
After a long silence, "Old Drunkard" Mullin, who had been watching from the side for most of the discussion, suddenly spoke, "Get him the injections. None of you can talk him out of it."
Malone made one last effort: "This is just a Western Conference Semifinal! He's only twenty-three! What if this injection affects his future career? None of us can be responsible for that!"
Mullin replied, "Of course, no one can be responsible for it! But Mike, I also believe Messiah wasn't joking with us just now. Do you want him to retire after tonight?"
Malone sighed in defeat, "Damn it! That bastard Bruce Bowen deserves to go to hell!"
To hell? In a way, Bowen was already there. Considering Bowen was about to turn 36, first a broken right ankle, then a torn right ACL... Although Bowen still needed an MRI to confirm the extent of his injuries, Bruce Bowen's career had clearly been buried by his own hands.
Oracle Arena.
Head referee Dan Crawford had never been so tense in his life. Amidst the relentless cursing of the "golden wave" of fans, Bowen had just been stretchered off minutes ago. Tim Duncan, whose nose was broken by a punch from Mike Dunleavy, had already gone back to the locker room, his face covered in blood. Robert Horry was still on the floor clutching his groin, having suffered a critical blow from Warriors veteran Adonal Foyle. Gregg Popovich, nearly choked by Ron Artest, was furiously complaining to the other two referees.
In the historically chaotic brawl that had just occurred, almost all players from both teams were involved... but in front of the Warriors' "martial artists," the Spurs players were largely just taking a beating. Parker had a black eye from a flying kick by Warriors' backup guard Will Bynum. Ginobili, his face bloody, still had no idea which bastard had been slapping him.
But compared to all that... Crawford was clearly more worried about "Messiah," who had countless influential people backing him. Forty minutes had passed since the game was interrupted. Warriors fans hadn't received any news about Zack. So, after an urgent discussion with his two assistants, Crawford, knowing the ultimate judgment could only come from David Stern, made the following rulings:
Bruce Bowen was ejected for a flagrant foul.
Little Dunleavy was ejected for leaving the bench and throwing a punch.
And then... that was it.
"Are you blind?! That bastard almost killed me just now!" Popovich exclaimed, pointing at Artest, who was whistling, looking utterly distraught.
Crawford replied, "I'm quite sure Ron was just trying to protect you."
Protect... me? After a pause, Crawford added, "And both sides were involved just now. What, do you want me to eject all of your players and all of the Warriors' players?"
Seeing this, Popovich suppressed his anger and said, "I will protest after the game! This is absolutely the darkest day in NBA history."
Crawford sneered internally, Protest? I'm afraid your protest will only incur David's wrath.
Crawford knew very well... who stood behind Zack. He didn't believe the Spurs, with their size, could shake those powerful figures behind Zack. Perhaps Stern would publicly punish the Warriors players who fought in the game afterward. But Bowen and the Spurs, who dared to trip the NBA's cash cow during a game... were bound to be blacklisted by those powerful figures after tonight.
"Some things don't weigh four pounds until you put them on the scale, but once they're on the scale, they might hit ten thousand pounds," Dan Crawford, who had witnessed Michael Jordan's "last shot" years ago, thought to himself at that moment.
The farce ended.
After the first quarter, with no Duncan for the Spurs and no Zack for the Warriors, the visiting Spurs trailed 19-29. Duncan, having received initial treatment, returned to the Spurs' bench early in the second quarter. However, on the advice of the team doctor, Duncan, whose nose was broken, did not return to the court.
"If we need Tim to play through the injury, we'll have to get him a custom-made mask."
The Spurs couldn't send Duncan out in Game 1 of this Western Conference Semifinals without any protection for his nose. But compared to Duncan's injury, what concerned the Spurs' coaching staff more at this moment was... Duncan's emotional state, which had never given them cause for worry before.
About an hour ago, Zack had collapsed right in front of Duncan.
"And you, my dear senior, are you also completely unaware of what your teammate Bruce Bowen has been doing?"
"Tim, I still thank you for taking the time to come to Wake Forest back then to guide me in basketball. But if you're not blind, you should be able to see how that damn bastard is playing against me."
As Zack's soul-searching questions constantly replayed in his mind, as Duncan's equally complex humanity clashed within him, as Zack fell heavily in front of him after a blatant cheap shot by Bowen... Recalling the jersey retirement ceremony at Wake Forest last summer... In a daze, Duncan felt lost. In the remaining years of his life, he didn't know how he would face Zack's consistently clear eyes. At this moment, he also didn't know where his soul would find peace in the future.
But unlike the emotional turmoil described above, in the second quarter, when the "golden wave" of the crowd suddenly erupted into cheers that sent shivers through the entire basketball world... on the Spurs' bench, Duncan suddenly clenched his fists.
He was back!
Player tunnel.
After enduring the excruciating pain to perform a few regular movements as instructed by the team doctor, Zack, realizing he had been "tricked," fully experienced the torment required to be a hero. He didn't hesitate for a second, walking back into the arena with his head held high!
It proved that even with the injections, even with the ability to play through the injury without permanent damage, even with Zack mentally prepared to endure the pain from the ankle sprain, the pain still far exceeded his imagination. But as long as he could keep playing basketball, what did any of that matter?
In the stands, Swede, a centenarian who would turn 100 next month, had tears in his eyes: "He's back! He's back! I knew he'd come back!"
Oracle Arena.
All the Warriors fans were screaming hoarsely for Zack. On the court, looking at Zack, whose expression was clearly a grimace of pain but who kept telling the team doctor he wasn't hurting at all... the Warriors players all felt their heartbeats accelerating.
Then, after passionately high-fiving and hugging each teammate... Zack looked directly at Gregg Popovich: "Old dog, don't think your schemes will succeed! I've prepared four injections for you and your team! (1)"
(1: Playing through an injury would usually involve more than just four injections. Zack is implying he will sweep the Spurs.)
Four injections... On the Spurs' bench, looking at Zack's increasingly twisted expression, Duncan, knowing the other side was certainly enduring immense pain, felt an unprecedented jolt inside.
"Who told you to show off? Which bastard agreed to give you those injections?"
Meanwhile, in the Warriors' camp, the players, who had initially thought Zack returned because his injury wasn't serious, all looked shocked after hearing the word "injections." Seeing their reactions, Zack smiled, "I insisted on getting them myself."
"Don't you know this could seriously affect your future career?"
"They couldn't stop me. I told them if they didn't agree, I'd retire immediately."
"You're a complete lunatic!"
At that moment, no more words were needed. All the Warriors players knew what they had to do next.
Baron Davis's eyes burned, as if he wanted to devour Tony Parker, his direct opponent. Ron Artest gritted his teeth, regretting that he hadn't strangled that old dog earlier. Kwame Brown was determined, vowing to protect the paint for Zack, who was playing through pain. Jason Richardson, usually all smiles, now had a fierce expression, completely devoid of his usual playful demeanor.
Troy Murphy, temporarily subbed out for rest, scanned the Warriors' bench and said, "Our king has returned, brothers! Let's get fired up!"
Zack's first offensive possession after returning to the court. He received a pass from Baron Davis on a drive and immediately pulled up from the left 45-degree angle to hit a three-pointer. This was a three-pointer that sent Oracle Arena into absolute delirium. As Zack passed the Spurs' bench, gritting his teeth in pain, Duncan felt his heart impacted once again. And scenes like this would continue to unfold.
Playing through the pain, Zack gradually adapted to it. As his focus slowly returned, the piercing pain was diluted by his relentless desire and obsession for victory.
In the second quarter, on the Warriors' last offensive possession. On the right side of the court, Zack, who had aggressively called for an isolation play against Oberto, first faked him off balance with a drag step. Then, after a sudden burst of power, he cut into the Spurs' paint and, just before halftime, sealed the half-time score at 40-61 with a powerful one-handed dunk for the Warriors.
Halftime, NBA headquarters.
David Stern once again received the latest intelligence from the front. But this time... his mood plummeted.
"Didn't you say his injury wasn't serious earlier?" Stern said, looking at Mark, shocked to hear that Zack was playing through the pain with injections.
Mark sighed helplessly. "I just heard the news myself." After a pause, Mark added, "David, our allies are very angry about this."
Seeing this, Stern uncharacteristically roared, "I'm even angrier than they are!"
"To encourage defense, I've already allowed them to use more aggressive defense in games, so why do they still choose to intentionally injure players? They say fans prefer brutal physicality, but whose commercial value can compare to Messiah's flashy style? What about that bastard Bruce Bowen? How did Dan punish him?"
Mark sighed deeply. "Bruce Bowen has been rushed to the hospital. From the looks of his injuries... his career is likely over."
"Over? Wouldn't that be letting him off easy?"
Stern made up his mind: after this season, he would implement a "Bruce Bowen Rule" to prevent such malicious trips on the court. He wanted all basketball fans and future generations to forever remember which scumbag that league rule was created for. The name Bruce Bowen would forever stink with that rule. Until the end of the world.
And at Oracle Arena, to allow Zack, who was playing through the injury, to rest as quickly as possible, the Warriors players killed the suspense of the game in less than two and a half quarters. Zack, playing through the pain, was subbed out having scored a total of 26 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1 block. He was replaced to the resounding cheers of the fans that filled the arena. However, even after Zack was subbed out, Duncan's constantly turbulent heart still hadn't settled. Or rather, it simply couldn't settle.
The final score: 81-121. The Warriors secured their first victory in this Western Conference Semifinals with a 40-point blowout.
"This is absolutely the darkest day in league history. Head referee Dan Crawford condoned the Warriors players' brutality on the court! They weren't playing basketball, they were a bunch of thugs!" – Spurs head coach Popovich said after the game when discussing the conflicts.
"Brutality? Bruce Bowen might be 'clumsy' once or twice on the court, but are so many intentional injuries just because he's 'clumsy'? On behalf of the entire Warriors coaching staff, we state our position: we will never forgive the San Antonio Spurs for sending Bruce Bowen onto the court to intentionally trip Messiah in order to win! Remember, never!" – Mike Malone responded to Popovich at the press conference.
"I had no intention of hurting their head coach. You all saw it, I was just protecting him underneath me." – Artest on his "choking" of Popovich.
The next day, Zack's MRI results were officially released. He had a severe ankle sprain, expected to require at least a month to fully recover. For Warriors supporters and Zack's fans, this was undoubtedly a thunderbolt of news. Although the Warriors officially confirmed that Zack would play through the injury in the upcoming playoff run by taking injections, fans online nevertheless petitioned: "Don't let him take those damn injections! We'd rather not have this championship!"
Kobe Bryant, who had played through wrist injuries for the Lakers numerous times with injections, also advised his rival: "Ankle injuries are different from wrist injuries. I know he's always been a tough bastard, but he should think about his future."
However... at a press conference held the same day as his MRI, Zack insisted: "I'm very grateful for everyone's concern, but I will absolutely not be defeated by the Spurs' malicious foul. And I believe we only need three more games to send the Spurs home. Then I'll have plenty of time to rest!"