106 Thank you!

"Wait—"

In the commentator's booth...

Van Gundy frowned and said, "Whether it's the spectacular back-and-forth clashes in the first quarter between Heat's 'Big Three' and Kobe, Pau Gasol, or the second-quarter showdown between '23' and '24,' the dazzling exchange of LeBron and Kobe. Or the third-quarter rampage from Heat's 'Big Three' and the fourth-quarter comeback attempt led by the 'Black Mamba' Kobe.

In summary...

There were many highlights in this game. But... why do I feel it's not exciting enough, even though it's an undoubtedly thrilling matchup?!"

He was puzzled...

Mike Breen, too, rested his chin on his hand, sharing the same confusion. They, along with some fans, felt that something was lacking and even found it uninteresting.

"Why?!"

They glanced at each other, falling into contemplation.

At this moment, a departing fan behind them complained to himself, "A one-sided suppression, an uninteresting Christmas showdown. Forget it... I'd rather go home and rewatch the Suns vs. Lakers game; that was exciting and satisfying, the kind of matchup I want to see."

Buzz!

This remark woke them up.

The fan's words made Van Gundy suddenly understand and he chuckled, saying, "Mike, I get it now. I know why we feel the Lakers vs. Heat Christmas showdown is not exciting enough."

"Why?!"

Mike Breen was still puzzled.

Van Gundy smiled faintly, "In fact, tonight's Heat vs. Lakers game is quite thrilling, at least the most exciting among today's five Christmas matchups. The reason it feels dull is not that the game is not exciting enough, but... because the Suns vs. Lakers game before the Christmas showdown was too extraordinary."

"Exactly!"

Mike Breen regained his senses and nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes, that's it! It's because of the incredible matchup between the Suns and the Lakers. Tonight, even though we have fantastic duels between Heat's 'Big Three,' Kobe, Pau Gasol, and the stars, from the third quarter, after Heat's 'Big Three' unleashed that stormy offensive, the game became one-sided. The Heat consistently suppressed the Lakers, maintaining a lead, undoubtedly reducing the suspense. On the contrary, in the Suns vs. Lakers matchup, it was a clash from the beginning, with Carlos and Kobe going head to head. When the Suns fell behind, Carlos stepped up, hitting a three-pointer to close the gap and keeping the suspense alive. In the final stages, the two teams traded leads. The dramatic ups and downs, the suspenseful moments of the Suns vs. Lakers game, were genuinely thrilling. And because the schedules were so close, tonight's Heat vs. Lakers matchup seems less exciting due to the shadow of the Suns vs. Lakers game."

"Bingo!"

Mike Breen snapped his fingers, nodding repeatedly, "Exactly, that's it! It's because the Suns vs. Lakers game was so thrilling that tonight's game feels somewhat lacking."

Buzz!

This realization also dawned on many fans who heard their conversation.

"Ah, so that's it!"

"I mean, they played well tonight, but why did I feel no excitement? It turns out my brain automatically compared it to the Suns vs. Lakers battle."

"Bingo!"

"Yes, even though the Heat vs. Lakers tonight was thrilling, it still can't match Carlos, who hit 13 three-pointers and scored 65 points against the Lakers. That matchup was truly spectacular."

"Enlightened, feeling relieved!"

"Uh..." The fans who had found the Christmas game uninteresting one by one realized the reason and immediately decided to go back home and rewatch the thrilling Suns vs. Lakers showdown.

As for Carlos and Cindy...

Carlos, being directly involved, didn't share this sentiment, and Cindy, who hadn't watched the game, didn't feel anything. Her interest in basketball wasn't fervent to begin with; she was here tonight just to accompany Carlos.

Tonight...

She was here to accompany Carlos.

And for Carlos, watching the game as a fan for the first time since becoming a player was delightful and thoroughly enjoyable.

"Let's go, Carlos!"

Cindy, seemingly not wanting to leave yet, pulled Carlos to exit the arena.

Just as they stepped out of the stadium, they found that the ground was covered in white. At this moment, in the approaching early morning in Los Angeles, it was snowing heavily.

"Wow!"

"Carlos, it's really snowing!"

Cindy ran to the outdoor plaza outside the arena, looked up at the sky, raised her hands adorned with Santa Claus gloves, and spun around, displaying immense happiness.

Last night, she wished for snow, and here it was today. Thick layers of snow were covering the ground, exactly what she had hoped for.

With childlike joy, she hopped back to Carlos, displaying a big smile, and said happily, "Carlos, let's walk back to the hotel!"

"Sure."

Carlos agreed happily, then took out his phone and said, "Cindy, stretch out your arms like you did just now. I'll take a picture; it must be beautiful."

"I was thinking the same thing."

Cindy nodded repeatedly. Carlos used the falling snowflakes as a backdrop to take several photos of Cindy. Both the person and the scenery were picturesque, and the resulting pictures were more beautiful than art photos.

"Carlos, stand by that rock and strike a pose. I'll take a few shots for you."

"Hey, sir, could you take a picture of us? Thank you—"

So...

In the early morning streets of Los Angeles, filled with Christmas vibes, Carlos and Cindy took pictures of each other and asked passersby to capture moments for them.

They continued their leisurely stroll toward the hotel.

The well-lit streets, the falling snow, and the bustling Christmas atmosphere made the night brighter. The road, green slopes with trees, structures, and some cars parked on the roadside were all covered in white. The night seemed to grow even more luminous.

They walked for a long time until they couldn't walk anymore.

But...

They weren't far from the hotel.

The snowfall grew heavier, the night grew deeper, and the air became colder. Carlos picked up the hat and scarf that Cindy had playfully taken off earlier, putting them back on her.

"Thank you!"

Cindy took off one of her Santa glove strings, handing it to Carlos, and they continued walking through the snowy streets of Los Angeles.

"Cindy, are you happy?"

"I'm very happy. Los Angeles covered in snow is so beautiful. This Christmas is the happiest I've ever been."