Chapter 107: On the Verge of Explosion

As Charles Barkley once said, the Orlando Magic’s second stop on their consecutive road trip will be Milwaukee!

Waiting for them there will be their old rivals—the Milwaukee Bucks!

The game won’t tip off for another day, but on American basketball forums, this matchup has already become a hot topic.

“Honestly, I can’t wait. You know, the last time these two teams met, it almost turned into a brawl!”

Fans had already started commenting early on the preview post for the Bucks vs. Magic game.

“Who isn’t excited? Look at Giannis’s angry face—there’s no way he’ll let Michael have an easy time on his home court!”

“But that was only Michael Wu’s second game back from injury. He played exceptionally well today, acting like nothing ever happened!”

There were so many focal points in this game that the discussion thread remained pinned to the front page without ever dropping.

“Michael, are you nervous?”

During a break in practice, Biyombo stood beside Wu Rui and asked.

After all, tomorrow they would face the team that had forced Wu Rui to sit out a game.

Anyone who had witnessed Wu Rui’s burning desire to play after being benched would sense the fierce determination he held against the team responsible for his rest.

“Nervous? Why would I be nervous?”

But Wu Rui was completely unfazed, continuing his shooting drills as if nothing was amiss.

Truth be told, his mid-range jump shot was gradually taking shape. Out of ten attempts, he could now sink seven!

Just half a month ago, his shooting was more about brute force than finesse.

“The opponent is Giannis Antetokounmpo!” Biyombo emphasized, “That guy is...”

“Bismack,” Wu Rui interrupted, “I think that’s a question you should ask Giannis.”

He casually tossed the basketball with ease.

“He’s the one who should be nervous, my friend.”

“He’ll be unsettled, even overwhelmed, by my return.”

Having said that, Wu Rui picked up another ball and charged to the hoop, launching a powerful windmill dunk.

He wasn’t nervous about facing Giannis Antetokounmpo again; on the contrary, Wu Rui was thrilled.

He was eager to shake the Greek Freak’s home court to its core!

On November 27th, at Milwaukee’s Bradley Center, the stands were already packed to the brim.

“Come on, guys, let’s cheer for Giannis together!”

“Go, Giannis, our hero!”

The crowd roared in unison, fully aware of the visiting team’s identity and the history between these two squads.

Giannis, hearing the fans’ cheers from the sidelines, was still warming up but caught a pass and soared for a thunderous dunk.

“Giannis, you’re looking good today!”

“Jet” Terry, almost ritualistically before every game, said the same line again, but this time Giannis only nodded quietly.

“Hey, man, is that guy going to play?” Jabari Parker, holding a ball beside Giannis, asked his teammate as he weighed the question.

“I hope he does,” Giannis answered honestly. “My rivalry with him in Orlando is far from over!”

“Everyone on Earth knows what’s between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Michael Wu!”

Inside Bradley Center, the on-site commentator, clearly savoring the drama, said, “Michael Wu returned from injury on short notice and shone brightly in his first game back, helping the team defeat the Eastern powerhouse Washington Wizards—a truly impressive feat.”

“But Giannis is also on fire. After the Orlando incident, he seems to have poured all his energy into the game, scoring 34 points in the last match!”

“No one wants to miss seeing Michael Wu face off against Giannis again! We’ve interviewed both teams’ head coaches to hear their thoughts!”

The camera cut to the Magic’s head coach, Frank Vogel.

“Coach Vogel, congratulations on starting your road trip with a win. How does it feel to be here in Milwaukee?”

“It’s loud as hell, man,” Vogel smiled slightly at the camera. “Look at their fans—they really know how to make noise. But that’s what defines this team: they’re young and full of energy.”

Vogel’s answer was flawless, leaving no opening for the reporter to dig deeper.

“Back to the players—Michael Wu came back after sitting out one game. How would you rate his performance last game?”

“Honestly, the whole team played perfectly. Everyone deserved a perfect score.”

Vogel, a seasoned veteran, spoke without missing a beat: “You know, winning starts with a perfect team effort. Michael included, everyone earned full marks.”

“Alright, last question,” the reporter admitted, impressed by Vogel’s deft answers. “Will Michael Wu play today?”

“Or more specifically, will he face Giannis Antetokounmpo?”

“Absolutely. They will definitely match up,” Vogel nodded. “The whole world is waiting for these two young stars to collide.”

“That’s rare. You know, Milwaukee boasts one of the league’s top potential superstars. Having our player go head-to-head with him is something Michael can be proud of for a long time.”

Vogel continued, “It’s also a great lesson. Michael still has many areas to improve. He won’t waste this learning opportunity.”

“Michael, Coach Vogel sure knows how to talk,” DJ Augustin teased as he leaned in beside Wu Rui after the interview, “That reporter’s face was turning green. Coach Vogel just wouldn’t mention Giannis’s elbow to you.”

“Coach Vogel knows exactly what to say—that’s the mark of a great coach,” Wu Rui replied, warming up.

He only needed to hear Vogel’s opening line to recognize the masterful level of their head coach’s communication skills.

Meanwhile, on the Bucks’ side, just as head coach Jason Kidd was about to speak to the media, Jabari Parker barged into the frame.

“Just wait, rookie from Asia, what happened in Orlando isn’t over!”

With that, Jabari flashed a highly provocative gesture at the camera.

“Hey, Jabari’s talking about the last game we lost in Orlando!”

After ushering Jabari off, Kidd hurriedly defended his young player: “We played terribly in that game. Jabari said in the team meeting afterward that he would lead by example and strive to be the best performer in the next game.”

“That’s right. What he said isn’t just talk—it’s about delivering in this game.”

Kidd staunchly defended the youngster, but no matter what he said, the crowd was already fired up.

The second showdown between the Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic was about to ignite!