Sports Medicine Master System

Chapter 375 - 315: The Yao-Shark Showdown

"My left knee... I guess you could call it an old injury."

Woods smiled self-deprecatingly, rubbing his knee. "Back in ’94, when I got into Stanford University, I had surgery to remove a benign tumor from my knee. The doctor told me he got it all, that there wouldn’t be any problems."

"And that was true, for the most part. For the next few years, my knee didn’t give me the same trouble. But this year, it started hurting constantly, and it would swell up. The pain just kept coming back. They recommended I get it checked out. They just said they saw a shadow in the joint cavity and that I’d need a biopsy."

"I was too scared. I was afraid the tumor had come back, or worse, that it was malignant. Then Kerry recommended you to me. He said you were incredibly professional, a highly skilled doctor. I’ve been hesitating... I actually wanted to see you back in the summer, but I never had the time. And I was scared."

"Chen, I don’t really have cancer, do I?" Woods suddenly reached out and grabbed Chen Yu’s hand, his eyes wide with panic as he looked at Chen Yu.

In his eyes, Chen Yu saw fear.

The fear of death!

Chen Yu instinctively glanced at his left knee.

With just one look, Chen Yu saw two cysts around the anterior cruciate ligament, inside a knee joint cavity filled with fluid.

As for cancerous changes, there were none.

’But... that’s it?’

Chen Yu couldn’t help but look toward Stenberg.

Stenberg’s face was unreadable.

’So I guessed wrong. Woods doesn’t have the yips at all.’

’Stenberg must have asked about the yips earlier just because he saw the news about Anjel. He probably noticed it was common in golfers and just asked offhandedly.’

Chen Yu glanced at Woods’s head again but saw no obvious changes.

Besides, changes in the cerebral cortex are, to be honest, very difficult to detect.

’Am I really just overthinking this?’

"Tiger, besides your knee, are you having any other problems?" Chen Yu asked.

Woods shook his head, a strange look in his eyes, as if to say, ’Isn’t the knee problem serious enough?’

Chen Yu sighed silently, but he also felt a sense of relief.

For a player like Woods, getting the yips would be a devastating blow.

It would be like Jordan suddenly forgetting how to shoot, or Tyson forgetting how to throw a punch—absolutely explosive news.

So it was a good thing he didn’t have it. Chen Yu came back to his senses and gestured for Woods to go for his examination.

His problem wasn’t actually that serious. Normally, a knee MRI would have been enough, but he was scared and requested more tests—a full-body workup.

It wasn’t like he was short on money, so Chen Yu didn’t mind.

For these VIP clients, the more tests, the better. He’d earn more, and they’d have peace of mind.

Once he had the test results, Chen Yu immediately said, "Tiger, first of all, I don’t think you have cancer or anything like that."

The guy’s expression was full of anxiety; he was clearly terrified.

Hearing this conclusion, Woods asked for confirmation again and again, then let out a huge sigh of relief.

"That’s great, Chen. I believe you." Woods excitedly stood up and hugged Chen Yu, holding on for a long time.

It was a perfectly normal reaction, and Chen Yu understood. After Woods had calmed down, Chen Yu pointed to his knee and said, "However, your knee does require a small surgery. You see, two cysts have formed around your anterior cruciate ligament. They appeared because your ACL sustained some minor damage."

There are many types of joint cysts. The most common is definitely a popliteal cyst, but Woods’s was a different kind, caused by inflammation resulting from minor ligament damage.

The best option is a minimally invasive procedure to drain the fluid and remove the cysts.

It’s really a very minor surgery.

After a pause, however, Chen Yu added, "But Tiger, your body is actually already showing many signs of strain. The formation of these cysts is also related to that strain. You really need to start paying attention to this."

Born in ’75, he was only 27 years old now, but the guy had been playing golf since he was a few years old—for over twenty years already.

Golf might seem like just walking around and swinging a club, like some kind of relaxing social activity.

But once it becomes a profession, the physical toll of golf is no less than any other sport.

Chen Yu had seen news reports saying that Woods had trained incredibly hard since he was a child. After turning pro, it was even more exaggerated—a thousand swings a day.

And that was just his full swing, not counting putting and chipping.

One can only imagine the intensity of that training. It’s no wonder the yips are so common when you train the same motion for that long.

Before Woods could speak, Stenberg jumped in. "Chen, can you help Tiger then? Like how you created a training plan for Vincent. I know you also opened a sports lab."

’I was just about to bring that up,’ Chen Yu thought.

’Since I have the sports lab, why not recommend an exclusive training plan while treating him? I get to make more money, and he gets better. It’s a win-win.’

"Of course, I can do that, if you need it," Chen Yu said, looking at Woods.

Woods nodded eagerly.

As for the cost, he didn’t even ask.

That same day, Chen Yu arranged for Woods to be admitted and scheduled the surgery for the next day.

Woods didn’t have the yips, which was a good thing, but it also left Chen Yu feeling a little disappointed. He began wondering if he should use his connections at other hospitals or put out a call for a patient with the yips.

Amid his busy schedule, Chen Yu bid farewell to 2002 and welcomed the new year.

「January 4th.」

The entire Lakers team rode the bus, arriving once again at the US Airways Center.

In the locker room, Kobe quickly changed into his jersey and called over to Yao Ming to go get a feel for the court.

Yao Ming was looking at his phone. He answered with an "Oh," and quickly got up to follow.

"Don’t overthink it. The media is just hyping things up. You might not be as strong as Shaq, but you have your own advantages, like your agility. We don’t expect you to be able to handle Shaq right now, but you can bring us wins, and that’s what’s most important."

As they walked through the players’ tunnel, Kobe took a moment to add,

"And you’re tall enough. Use that to your advantage. I’m sure you’ll be able to limit him."

Rekton was still with them, but after two months, Yao Ming’s English had improved a lot. He could basically understand everything Kobe was saying.

Most importantly, he was listening intently.

This made Kobe very satisfied. Although he was only two years older than Yao Ming, Yao Ming had always been humble on the team, treating him with the respect due to a senior.

That was a world of difference from O’Neal.

Back when O’Neal was with the Lakers, Kobe had also tried to communicate with him, to talk about on-court issues like better coordination, but O’Neal would never listen. Even if he heard, he wouldn’t take it seriously.

But Yao Ming was different. He actually listened, took it to heart, and worked hard to change and improve himself.

On the current Lakers team, the person Kobe talked to most in the locker room was, surprisingly, the rookie Yao Ming.

When they reached the court, Yao Ming immediately looked to the other side and spotted Liu Yudong and Liu Xiang sitting courtside.

"Kobe, my friends are here. I’m just going to go say a quick hello," Yao Ming explained humbly first.

That attitude put Kobe in a great mood.

Because he felt respected.

’O’Neal always said I didn’t respect him, but looking at it another way, when did O’Neal ever respect me?’

’During the championships, sure, you were the main reason we won, but did I really get zero credit?’

’But in O’Neal’s mind, I was just some random guy, someone riding his coattails, completely dispensable.’

That was what Kobe couldn’t stand the most. He was so diligent, so hardworking, and O’Neal either didn’t see it or didn’t care.

"I’ll go with you." Kobe clapped Yao Ming on the back, and they walked over together.

"Da Yao."

Liu Yudong, who was in the final stages of his treatment, quickly stood up and embraced Yao Ming with a broad smile.

Liu Xiang had also made a special trip to see his fellow countryman, Yao Ming.

So far from home, being able to meet up with a National Team teammate and a fellow countryman brought a brilliant smile to Yao Ming’s face.

Chen Yu chatted with Kobe for a bit before turning to Yao Ming. "You’ve been playing well lately."

Ever since that game with the Barkley bet, it was as if something had clicked for Yao Ming. He had suddenly found himself again.

He finally knew how to use his strengths and was playing better and better.

In November, his performance was dragged down by his early-season struggles, and the Nicks’ rookie pick, center Stoudemire, won Rookie of the Month. But throughout December, Yao Ming’s form improved significantly. Averaging 10.6 points and 8.8 rebounds, he successfully won Rookie of the Month.

All one could say was that his future was bright, and he hadn’t let down the Lakers for investing in him.

"Thank you, Dr. Chen. That training plan you gave me has been a huge help." Yao Ming’s face was full of gratitude.

Appropriate weight gain, increasing core strength, and agility training.

Chen Yu had also recommended that Yao Ming learn the Dream Shake from Olajuwon, studying his playmaking and ability to facilitate.

Yao Ming could genuinely feel how much this training plan had helped him improve.

Chen Yu smiled. "Nothing to thank me for. Besides, a plan is just a plan. Whether it works or not still depends on you."

No matter how good the plan is, it’s useless if you don’t follow it strictly.

Just like with O’Neal—his weight problem was seriously giving Chen Yu a headache.

Thankfully, it was the middle of the season. If this were the offseason, after getting married and going on a honeymoon, his returning weight would definitely be a "surprise."

This game was, of course, broadcast nationally and eagerly anticipated by all.

During the season opener, Jackson had deliberately arranged it so that Yao Ming and O’Neal never truly matched up.

Today was their true first matchup, their first head-to-head.

Before the game, O’Neal grinned menacingly at the reporters. "I’ve seen Yao’s games. You all keep saying he can handle me, but I’m telling you, he’s scared of me. Just like in the first game, the Lakers were too scared to even let him guard me. So today, I’m going to destroy him and tell him, ’Welcome to the NBA!’"

While he was at it, O’Neal also took a jab at Jackson.

Meanwhile, in the TNT Studio, Smith was once again trying to coax Barkley into a bet—whether Yao Ming could score 20 points on O’Neal. He claimed that if he lost, he would be willing to kiss Barkley’s ass.

The bet was actually a little tempting for Barkley, but then he remembered he’d already fallen for it once. To fall for it again would just make him look like an idiot.

"Kenny, stop with all this ass-kissing talk. Are you trying to corrupt the kids?" Barkley retorted, refusing to take the bait.

But as soon as the game started, Barkley suddenly regretted it.

Because once they were on the court, standing under the basket, Yao Ming was no match for O’Neal.

CRASH!

O’Neal’s style was never fancy—it was just brutish. He relied on pure physicality. He caught the ball, powered his way past Yao Ming, and forced a ferocious, rim-hanging dunk.

The slender Yao Ming was clearly unable to stop the rampaging O’Neal.