Chapter 88: Minnesota’s Martial Arts Tournament—Is Alex Mo Trained by Bruce Lee?

The press conference after the game kicked off with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Philip Saunders, the Timberwolves' head coach, walked to the podium with a serious expression. He looked visibly upset.

Understandable—his team had been thoroughly defeated, and his star player had taken a hit to the face.

Standing beside him was Kevin Garnett, his nose bandaged, his face dark with frustration. Getting punched in the nose and bleeding all over the court was not exactly something anyone could laugh about.

Garnett sat down, trying to keep a calm face. But the first question from ESPN's reporter made him tense up.

"Kevin, why did you back away when Ben Wallace confronted you? Were you scared to go head-to-head with him?"

Garnett's eyes twitched.

"I'm a basketball player," he said calmly. "I solve problems with basketball, not fists. If someone wants to fight, they can find me after the game."

He sounded tough, but deep down, Garnett was praying that no one would actually come to the locker room looking for him.

The next question came from a TNT reporter.

"Kevin, if the rules didn't exist, would you have confronted Ben Wallace with your fists?"

Garnett paused. These reporters were ruthless, really trying to get into his head.

"I'm not a barbarian," he said, tapping his temple. "I prefer to solve problems with my brain."

He wasn't about to admit that he would avoid Big Ben even if there were no rules. He knew full well that Ben Wallace could flatten him in one punch.

A Tough Question

An NBC reporter followed up:

"Kevin, we all saw you approach Allen Iverson and shout something at him before he punched you. Can you tell us what you said?"

Garnett broke into a cold sweat. He remembered exactly what happened.

He thought Iverson was approaching to de-escalate the situation, so he took the chance to talk trash and act tough.

Then Iverson punched him straight in the face.

Garnett had no intention of answering this question truthfully.

"I didn't say anything. You must have seen it wrong," he said, trying to brush it off.

Mo vs. Garnett

A Los Angeles reporter stepped in.

"Kevin, if the roles were reversed and your teammate was surrounded like Allen Iverson was, would you rush in to protect him like Alex Mo did?"

Garnett hesitated for half a second before responding.

"Of course! I swear on my injured nose."

But deep down, Garnett knew the truth. If his teammate was surrounded by Big Ben, Iverson, and Alex Mo, he would rush in just to say:

"Sorry for disturbing you. Carry on."

If it were other, less intimidating players, he might have charged in while roaring to boost morale.

Reporters Relentlessly Focus on the Fight

Every question directed at Garnett was about the fight. None of the reporters even mentioned the actual basketball game.

"Is this a press conference or a martial arts tournament?" Garnett thought, frustrated.

He sighed internally. "I should've just pretended to be knocked out like Rasheed Wallace. Then I wouldn't have to answer all these questions."

The Lakers' Turn

The Lakers' representatives, Coach Del Harris and Alex Mo, stepped up to the podium next.

Meanwhile, back in the locker room, Big Ben and Iverson were still talking about the incident.

"I thought Kevin Garnett was a tough guy," Big Ben said, shaking his head. "Turns out he's soft! If I knew he was like that, I wouldn't have rushed in."

Iverson laughed. "Seriously! A whole group surrounded me, and not one of them dared to throw a punch."

Kenny Smith's Analysis

Back at the press conference, NBA veteran Kenny Smith praised Alex Mo's involvement.

"You don't realize how much damage Alex did when he 'broke through the Timberwolves' formation.' He looked like he was just separating players, but trust me—there were some elbows involved. Those guys are probably sore right now."

Big Ben burst into laughter. "Hahaha! I know exactly what that feels like!"

He had taken plenty of hits from Alex Mo during practice, and they always left him sore for days. "I bet those Timberwolves players are crying in the locker room right now!"

Coach Del Harris Defends the Team

At the press conference, a reporter asked: "Coach Harris, why didn't Ben Wallace and Allen Iverson attend the press conference?"

Del Harris smiled. "Oh, they're still in the locker room, getting a 'talking to' from our veterans. We take this kind of behavior very seriously, and they'll be punished accordingly."

When asked what kind of punishment they would receive, Del Harris dodged the question with a vague answer.

"Rest assured, it'll be severe."

Of course, "severe punishment" could also mean just a stern lecture.

Alex Mo's Stand

A local Minnesota reporter asked Alex Mo:

"Alex, if your teammates were surrounded again, would you rush in like you did today?"

"Absolutely," Alex replied without hesitation. "That's what being a teammate is all about. No matter who the opponent is, I'll always stand by my teammates."

Unlike Garnett, who hesitated, Alex Mo didn't care who the opponent was. Whether they were a superstar or a bench player, he treated them all the same—with full force.

Martial Arts Tournament in Minnesota

The day's events became known as "The Minnesota Martial Arts Tournament."

Its influence spread far beyond the Target Center. In Chicago, Dennis Rodman sat in front of a TV in the Bulls' locker room.

He watched the replay of Iverson's punch and Alex Mo's powerful presence on the court.

"Damn, that punch was solid!" Rodman said, grinning. "Is Alex Mo trained by Bruce Lee or what?!"

Rodman leaned back, laughing. "I need to keep an eye on these guys. They're turning the NBA into a martial arts league!"