Iron elbow postman, immortal

He is not the chosen son of God, but he has used nineteen years of cold and heat to temper his steel and iron into a majestic monument in the top three scores in the NBA history.

He has a terrifying force that can destroy any defense line, but he can never knock on the ultimate door called "Champion".

His name - Karl Malone is synonymous with strength, diligence and tragedy, and is also an uncrowned legend created in the wind and snow of Salt Lake City. The starting point of the story is the almost forgotten town of Somerfield on the Louisiana map. Malone has the same childhood story as most of the NBA black players. His father's abandonment and his mother holds multiple positions alone and takes on the livelihood of eight children.

As the seventh child in the family, his childhood memories are filled with the heavy sound of following his grandfather into the forest and wielding an axe and chopping wood. My grandfather's words, "As long as you keep working hard at all times, you will definitely get rewards" are like the most primitive imprint, deeply melted into the depths of the young Ma Long's soul, becoming the source of strength that will never run out in the NBA arena in the future.

Sweat and tenacity are the most precious gifts this barren land has given him. In college, Malone averaged 18.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, and her performance successfully attracted the attention of Utah Jazz scouts. After the junior year, he chose to participate in the 1985 NBA Draft.

In 1985, the Jazz selected the "muscle monster" Malone from Louisiana Institute of Technology with the 13th pick in the first round. At that time, he was frustrated by the fact that Salt Lake City was too far away from home. His technical "rough man" image with a body fat rate of 10.5% seemed to indicate the upper limit of a blue-collar coolie.

However, Malone's belief in "rewarding hard work" turned into almost cruel self-discipline. Within a year, he dropped his body fat percentage to a terrifying 4.8%, and his bench press weight reached a terrifying 230 kilograms, which surpassed many inside monsters known for their strength and became a rare "human strength specimen" in the league. ——Toughness depends on beating, and the postman dunked

The real transformation began in 1988. Iron coach Jerry Sloan takes charge of the coaching stick and will be the defender who has a scalpel-like pass-through, John Stockton, to the starter. At this point, the Jazz's pick-and-roll duo played a symphony belonging to Salt Lake City.

Maron's wide and thick body became the most solid cover, while Stockton's pass was like a precisely guided missile. At the moment of disassembling, Ma Long transformed into a chargeable armored train, the iconic "Iron Elbow" opened the way, supplemented by an increasingly pure mid-range jump shot, which made the opponent fall into despair in the choice between "crushing" and "shooting". ——The master of central shooting, he fell back after receiving the ball, in 1997, averaged 27.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, and won the regular season MVP championship from the Bulls dynasty star who won 69 wins. The reputation of "postman never rests" resounds throughout the alliance.

Karl Malone's career was shrouded in the huge shadow of the three-time championship failure. Every time it was unforgettable and full of fateful tragedy.

1997 Finals G1, the Jazz led by 1 point 9.2 seconds before the final game. Malone got two decisive free throws. The hustle and bustle of the Chicago United Center made Malone, who had always been steady, tremble with his hands rarely, and both free throws were lost. Then, No. 23 of Red Clothes ruthlessly crushed Salt Lake City's hope of a good start.

1998 Finals G6, at home in Salt Lake City, the Jazz led by 1 point in the first 40 seconds of the final game, and the victory was in sight. Malone held the ball in a low position, preparing to use his best back-to-back single lightning, the Red No. 23 broke out from behind like a ghost, and slapped the basketball with one palm! What followed was the "decisive kill of the century" that broke the whole of Utah.

The moment the ball entered the net, Malone seemed to have been cast a fixed spell and looked up at the basket. This sad watcher of Salt Lake City could cover the sky with his arm span, but he could not touch the ball that changed his destiny.

For the ring that was lingering in the dream, in the 2004 Finals, 40-year-old Ma Long put down his figure and pride and joined the Lakers "F4" who was at its peak at that time. However, facing the Pistons' tough "Iron Barrel Formation" defense, he staggered with a serious knee injury and averaged only 5 points and 7 rebounds per game. The once invincible "postman" was completely swallowed by the ruthless years and the young muscle jungle of the piston. When the Pistons held the O'Brien Cup in Los Angeles, Malone silently pulled off the protective gear that wrapped around her knees, and the 19-year long and persistent pursuit finally came to an end in a tragic way.

Karl Malone's greatness and controversy are like two sides of a coin that jointly creates his unique steel mark. Iron-blooded badges and shadows, the iconic "Iron Elbow" is an extension of its dominance and the source of great controversy.

"Admiral" David Robinson was unconscious on the spot under his elbow. The most tragic one is the "smiling assassin" Isaiah Thomas, who was hit by an elbow in the layup and left a permanent scar on his face. Malone's tough style is a microcosm of the fierce confrontation in the 1990s.

1998 Finals G6 Malone & Rodman's double helix curve wrestling was even more full of "program effect". The two representatives of the tough guys in the last century started fighting from outside the three-point line in the backcourt. The two were like two shoelaces tied together, entangled from Baicaoyuan to Sanwei Bookstore, and hugged all the way back to the middle circle. The postman spirit who never leaves the class, putting aside controversy, is a model of professionalism. In 19 seasons, 1,476 regular season games, missing 10 games due to injury only - this terrifying attendance rate is the best footnote to "the postman never leaves the class". ——Reinforced steel, no fear of confrontation

"When others enjoy their holidays, I will always be in the gym. No matter how tired I am back to back, I will be full of blood when the whistle sounds!" This self-discipline has built its steel body. When asked about the regrets of his career, he looked at Salt Lake City: "I fired all the bullets, but the goddess of fate never seemed to be on my side."

When the gap between the God of Basketball and the body of a mortal, it finally solidified on the steal and kill of No. 23 of Red Clothes. The steel figure who fell countless times and stubbornly got up has long become a more shocking spiritual totem than the Golden Cup.

Now, above the dome of the Vivint Smart Home Stadium in Salt Lake City, the No. 32 jersey is quietly hanging high. It silently tells a truth about power, persistence and destiny—some great, without ring crowning; some legends, called Karl Malone.

On July 23, Carl Malone will start a new career chapter at the party. What kind of energy does his steel-like body contain? Let's wait and see together!