Earvin Johnson the Magic of Basketball

Earvin Johnson the Magic of Basketball

Orlando, Florida, it's late in the fourth quarter of the 1)1992 All Star game. I can't believe I'm here. Just three months ago I learned I had the HIV virus. As soon as I heard the news I stopped playing basketball. When I announced my retirement 1 on November 7 I never even imagined that I would be able to play today. When it became possible, some people were convinced that I wouldn't or that I shouldn't. But the crowd is with me, they're cheering me on, my teammates are making me feel welcome.

I haven't played in a real game all year so I am relieved to see that I haven't lost a step, and I'm loving it, every minute every play, my heart is pounding. I don't want it to end.

The game is almost over now, I've just hit a pair of three pointers and I'm feeling great. Now Isiah Thomas is bring the ball up the court to the 2)East. Isiah's my friend and I can see what he's thinking. Man I shouldn't let you make that last one. He wants to score me, I just know it, I got to shut him down. One of his teammates is in the way I wave him aside. I want it to be just Isiah and me one more time. Suddenly the other eight guys on the court start to melt away and it's just the two of us, Isiah and me, back on the playground. There's nobody else around, before you get the reputation of being really good, you got to go through everybody one on one and show them your best stuff.

The crowd is going crazy. They're loving it, these two warriors 2, old friends and tough rivals are going at it again. Now Isiah starts 3)dribbling, the way he always does getting fancy now between the legs behind the back I wave him toward me. "Come on," I'm telling him, "Quite stalling, you gonna make your move or what?" Finally he takes a jump shot, misses everything, the defense 3 is too tight, loud cheers from the crowd.

Here comes Michael Jordan bringing up the ball, he's grinning, I want him to. Again I clear everybody out of the way, the crowd is screaming. They love this, I love it too. I'm waiting for Michael to drive to the basket, to fly up with one of his incredible super 4)dunks, but I'm playing him tight and he surprises me, pulls up short for the jumper, 5)clang off the 6)rim 4, more noise from the crowd. People ask if these little battles are rehearsed, sorry I'm not that smart, who could have thought this up.

With 30 seconds left in the game I get the ball one last time, I'm about to drive for a lay-up but Isiah's all over me. I toy with him a little, same as he did with me. Now I step back behind the three-point line and throw up a long rainbow. I'm falling back so I have to shoot it a little higher and a little harder than usual, feels good to me and yes swish, another one. The fans are roaring, everybody is stunned 5, three three-point shots in a row and this last one was from the next county, who says I can't still play this game?

Fourteen seconds left but nobody picks up the ball, suddenly I'm surrounded 7)mobbed by all the All Stars on both teams, they're showing me their affection, their support and I'm holding back the tears. I don't think I ever felt more 8)exhilarated than I am right now or more loved. Those three-pointers were great, but this incredible ending is the best moment of all...game called on account of hugs.

注释:
1) 1992 All Star game 1992年的全明星赛上，“魔术师”约翰逊归入西部全明星队，而下文中的Isiah Thomas和Michael Jordan都是东部全明星队的队员
2) East 这里指东部全明星队
3) dribble 6 [5dribl] v.（篮球）运球
4) dunk [dQNk] n.（篮球）扣篮
5) clang [klAN] v. 叮当而过
6) rim [rim] n.（篮球）篮圈
7) mob [mCb] v. 成群结队喧闹地围着
8) exhilarate [i^5zilEreit] v. 使高兴，使愉快
“魔术师”约翰逊的传奇一刻

佛罗里达州，奥兰多市，1992年全明星赛第四节末段。
我不能相信我能站在这里。三个月前，我知道自己得了艾滋病，从那时起，我就不再打篮球了。当十一月七日我宣布退役时，我根本没有想过自己今天还可以继续比赛。有些人知道我有可能复出后，还是认为我不会或者不应该再比赛。但观众支持我，他们一直在为我打气。我的队友给了我回到家的感觉。
我很欣慰自己的球技没有退步，因为我已经整年没有打过正式的比赛了。我喜欢在场上的感觉，每一分钟，每一次运球，我的心都在跳，我希望比赛能一直延续下去。
现在比赛快要结束了，我已经投进了两个三分球而且感觉浑身是劲。伊塞亚·托马斯带着球攻入东部全明星队的前场。他是我老朋友了，我知道他在想什么。抱歉，伙计，我可不能让你拿下最后一次进攻。他想从我手中拿分，我就知道他这一套，我得阻止他。他的一个队友过来接应，我挥挥手，示意他让开。我想跟伊塞亚再来一次单对单。突然间场上其他八个人全都散开，只剩下伊塞亚和我。身边已经没有其他人了，在你让世人都佩服你的球技以前，你得在任何人面前都有单个作战的能力，把你最强的一面展现出来。
观众全都开心得发疯了，他们爱看这样的对决。两个勇士，两个老朋友，两个强劲的对手再次聚首。伊塞亚开始运球，这是他常用的伎俩，但现在显得更加纯熟，他的双手不断地胯下运球。我向他招手，说：“放马过来，别拖拖拉拉的，你到底上不上？”最后他来了个跳射，可是射了个空球，因为我的防守太紧了，还有观众的欢呼声令他不能集中。
现在球落在了迈克尔·乔丹的手上。他咧开嘴对着我笑。我也想跟他来一场单挑。我又一次让大家让开。观众们在尖叫，他们太高兴了，我也是。我等着看乔丹带球冲到篮下，等着看他高高地跃起，使出他那不可思议的超级灌篮。我的防守十分严密，可是出乎我意料之外，他后仰跳投，但球打在篮筐上弹了出来。观众席发出了更大的叫声。有人问我这几场短时对抗是不是预先排练好的。对不起，我可没那么聪明，想不出这样的安排。
比赛还剩三十秒，我最后一次拿到球。我本来打算冲过去上篮的，但伊塞亚缠上了我。我做了个假动作，就像他对我做的一样。然后我退后一步踏出三分线外，掷出一道长长的彩虹。因为我身体往后倾，所以我得比平时射得高一点，远一点。我感觉很好，没错，“嗖”的一声，我又投中了一个三分。球迷们咆哮起来，大家也都呆住了，连续三个三分球，最后一个还是在进攻时间最后一秒投出的。谁说我不能打球？
比赛还剩十四秒，但没有人捡起球。突然间，我被双方的球星们团团围住。我感受到了他们的友情，他们的支持，泪水在我眼里打滚。我想我一生中从没感到过像现在这么愉快，或者说是被关爱。那几个三分球很棒，但这难以置信的完场才是整场比赛中最好的一刻……比赛在拥抱中结束了。