NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 356 The chaotic new season (daily chapter)
The two Chinese preseason games in October 2004 should be the most carefully organized games by the NBA in recent years.

The two games were broadcast in 177 languages ​​to 8 countries and regions around the world. This is the first time in the history of the NBA.

David Stern followed the entire process. With the NBA league ratings declining year by year, he naturally paid special attention to the Chinese market.

Fortunately, Yao Ming is indeed up to par, and his personal strength is consistent with his status as the No. 1 pick. If he were replaced by another player, it would be difficult to say. After all, Chinese fans would not like their players to be embarrassed in the United States.
On the night of the 17th, at BJ Stadium, the Rockets once again lost by a big score.

Compared with the last game, Li You's personal shooting status has improved visibly. The Chinese sports media once again realized why Charles Barkley always shouted that "the stars are not good enough."

For Chinese fans, after buying high-priced tickets, they don’t care about data issues. It’s enough to have good posture and cool playing skills!

In the BJ station game, McGrady wore the Rockets' red away jersey, a white elbow pad on his left arm, and a white leggings on his left calf.

Although there were frequent strikes during the game, anyone who saw McGrady’s ecstatic pull-up jumper would say:
"So handsome!"

For the Knicks players, everyone can clearly feel that McGrady's physical condition has declined seriously.

Maybe it's because he's had a lot of rest during the offseason, or maybe it's because waist and back injuries are still bothering the former "second man." McGrady seemed to have a hard time facing Artest's defense in the two games.

In this familiar land, Li You has many fans, and some don't like him.

"Of course, media reporters will not report this. Don't listen to Rashad's nonsense. He is Michael Jordan's official reporter."

China's sports media always likes to package stars with perfect personalities. In contrast, the New York Times report is relatively true.

The new season hasn't even started yet, but the domestic sports media has already praised McGrady.

The content is to express love for basketball. Chinese sports media reported it extensively, but the New York Post made fun of McDuck:
"He knows he will be surpassed by Lee, and he will no longer show off his 5 rings to us!"

Just as it is difficult for most fans to watch a game in its entirety, half of those who follow the NBA watch highlights.

On the morning of the 18th, the two teams continued to participate in activities in China, which can be regarded as a cultural exchange between China and the United States.

出场36分钟，19中6，三分线外4中0，罚球4中2，砍下14分4篮板3助攻4失误。

Sina Sports' football reporting was very personal at this time, and the editors were very talented.

The broadcast conditions were not very good at the time, but this game still aroused heated discussion among fans. Yu Jia and many of his peers were Jordan fans, and the Knicks were considered villains at the time.
After returning to the hotel that night, when Li You said goodbye to the Chinese sports reporters, he said simply and straightforwardly:

Compared to McGrady, Yao Ming speaks every day and leads the team to 8th place in the Olympic Games, which makes him receive more attention.

The basketball media will not report on Li You’s estimated net worth on the Forbes 400, let alone the luxurious life revealed by the Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair and other media.

The Sun likes to educate British fans about Li You's financial resources, life, and personal preferences, and the Sina Sports football section also benefits.

"The Rockets have no chance of winning the championship. McGrady's strength is far behind Li You."

But this is a good thing for the fans. Everyone cheers when McGrady hits a difficult goal. As for the data, it doesn't matter.

""Love and Respect""

Seeing Li You waving goodbye, everyone felt that the recent reports might have been to blame.

In contrast, Chinese fans who follow Manchester United know the other side of Li You better.

Fans did not react much in the two games, but many practitioners understood it clearly:

This kind of report never appears in Chinese sports media. The essays in various magazines are just chicken soup. At present, Li You's personal image has been divided.

"I believe in the strength of the team. In the new season, the Rockets will challenge for the championship!"

Obviously this was a joke about Li You taking his girl to watch a game before. At the old Yankee Stadium, a New York reporter took a photo of the two kissing.

After the 2003 All-Star Game, the New York Times reported a letter from Michael Jordan to fans:

After returning to Manhattan, Li You looked at the news that was full of superiority and shook his head secretly. He didn't like such news reports.

Many mainstream media believed that this was a victory for American culture, and the crowd-free scene made many melon-eaters happy.

Before returning, McGrady was interviewed and lived up to the fans’ expectations, boasting again:
"Losing is also a good thing. We have just joined the team and we have been training together for less than a month. Losing games can help us find problems."

"We believe Michael Jordan truly loves basketball, but he can also be a bad ass sometimes!"

CCTV host Yu Jia once shared his story with Li You. After the Bulls were eliminated in the 98 Eastern Conference Finals, many Chinese fans cried:
"Michael Jordan lost!"

Although some people may find it strange, the fans at the scene will still shout "Niu X" after watching the game!
Chinese fans know the Rockets players very well. After all, when CCTV Sports broadcasts them on Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, they will not miss the home team's games as long as they are broadcast.

At the end of the game, McGrady looked a little ugly, but fortunately the enthusiastic fans at the scene didn't care about his data.

On October 10, the mainstream media in the United States were reporting on this grand preseason game, and news channels like CNN also joined in the fun:
“American sports culture is taking the Chinese market by storm!”

At 88:110, at BJ Station, the Knicks once again relied on continuous transition attacks to easily defeat their opponents.

Taking photos in front of Tiananmen Square and climbing the Great Wall to commemorate the event. Although the weather was getting a bit hotter, the Knicks still insisted on wearing formal attire. This is something David Stern strongly advocates.

Fans began to expect Yao Ming to go further, make a difference in the playoffs, and preferably win a championship!
Li You is still the same. He doesn't like fanatical fans. He can accept Japanese fans kneeling, but he doesn't want to see the same scene in China.

In addition to stating that the team will defend the title during the interview, Li You also left opportunities to his teammates.

In contrast, it was the New York Times article that made him laugh uncontrollably. The football commentator's column commented on the performance of the two preseason games in a more joking tone:
"We hope Scarlett Johansson can stay in Los Angeles for a while."

After the two preseason games, the Chinese media no longer "pointed to the championship", and this matter cannot be blown away.

Rather than saying that Li You loves basketball, it is better to say that he enjoys the feeling of victory and success.

The Knicks all wear light gray plaid suits, white shirts and red scarves, and the Rockets can just wear their away red training uniforms.

"Basketball stars are just ordinary people. We are no different. From another perspective, basketball is just an ordinary job."

Character splits have begun to appear. As for what will happen in the future, we can only leave it to time.

The New York Yankees failed to enter the World Series this year. Fans are a little disappointed about this. Although they performed well in the regular season, everyone still wants to continue to participate in the championship party!

Also of interest to New York fans are some tabloid revelations:

"Knicks general manager Glenn Field is suspected of having an extramarital affair."

There are no secrets in New York, and even though the Knicks flew across the ocean, reporters still dug up the news.

In the past few days after returning to New York, everyone in Glenfield was numb. He never thought that one day, he would also become the center of attention.

These gossips made the melon-eating crowd excited to watch, which is much more interesting than Artest's raid on Rucker Park!
On the evening of the 20th, Li You and Jin were invited to have a routine dinner at Tina Fey's home.

After Richmond met Tina Fey in Chicago, the two fell in love and their relationship became very stable after they got married.

Although I bought a house in the Upper East Side, the area is not large and the interior is quite warm. The sofas and carpets are all beige.

However, when Li You opened the refrigerator and saw a pile of instant food, he knew that the two of them would rarely cook in person.

Richmond has gained weight in recent years. After the composer was driven into the living room, he took the beer thrown by Li You and complained helplessly:
"Jimmy left SNL, and Tina should make the right choice. The work pressure is too much, and we planned to have a child, but it has been delayed until now."

In May, Jimmy Fallon left Saturday Night Live, and Tina Fey also considered leaving, but is still hesitant.

Li You watched Richmond, who had curly black hair, vomiting bitterness and talking about the inhumane work pressure at Saturday Night Club. He couldn't help but joke:
"Jeff, I think you should keep in shape. You look more like someone who's been beaten down by the pressure."

Looking at his obvious beer belly, Richmond sighed helplessly. Love also has a shelf life, and he was indeed slacking off.

Around 2000, the two were living in poverty, and Li You reached out to help. Now that the conditions are better, there are some minor problems in their relationship.

Tina Fey, who was preparing dinner in the kitchen, could guess what her husband was complaining about. Kim was one year younger than her, but in appearance, she looked more like a 25-year-old.

"Kim, when are you going to have a baby? I don't know if I should resign. My life has been a mess lately."

Jin, who was wearing a wide blue sweatshirt, knew the purpose of tonight's dinner party. He looked at his friend who looked troubled and said in a relaxed tone:
"It should be next year! You should also consider leaving SNL to relieve the pressure. Jeff will definitely agree."

Although Li You's love life was a bit chaotic, Tina Fey began to understand Jin's choice.

The two of them were talking quietly, Jin's face turned red, he shook his ponytail behind his head and complained in a low voice:

“Clay always wanted to fill Peninsula Manor with people!”

"."

After the warm family dinner, Li You drove home. Jin, who was sitting in the passenger seat, twisted around and pretended not to care and said:
"Milinda won't be here tonight"

Before the other party could finish speaking, Li You interrupted:
"I know, I promise it will be a sleepless night tonight!"

"You're such a little bastard!"

His waist was twisted, and Li You laughed instead. Every girl has a different way of inviting people. This year, everyone rarely does safety precautions. Next year, the population is expected to increase dramatically.

Before the start of the new season, Philadelphia's sports media broke its defense again.

In the preseason game on the night of the 29th, the 76ers were beaten again!
109:81, the 76ers playing at home had no power to fight back.

Since 96, the team has lost 32 games in the regular season and 8 games in the preseason.

Not talking about the playoffs, the 76ers have never won these low-intensity games.
Iverson has stopped speaking grandly in recent years, and did not appear in this year's preseason. He sat on the bench watching the game with a big face throughout.

Philadelphia fans also expected Iverson to express his position after the game. As a result, Iverson left the game early after the game, seeming to be avoiding interviews with sports reporters.

The New York Post did not miss this opportunity. After defeating its opponent, the column on the second day ridiculed:
"Allen Iverson appears to have shaken off his injury and the 76ers operator will be waiting to answer the call!"

"It's a pity that the Knicks won't make an offer. Fisher is a better fit for the team than Iverson."

Fred Kerber's columns always sarcastically mock his opponents. He said similar things after the game against the Nets two days ago.
Kidd underwent knee surgery, and the New York media has always believed that the Nets will eventually choose to trade away the 31-year-old point guard.

Perhaps because the opponent was too weak, Grant-Third's injury did not have much impact on the team.

In the 4 preseason games, the New York media has gradually become more and more outrageous and has now returned to its crazy boasting state.

Li You who was interviewed did not want to discuss too much about the game against the rookie, but he still gave New York fans a piece of cake:

"The team is in good shape. There are 11 games in November and we plan to complete the warm-up before Christmas."

"Maybe we won't win 70 games this season, but I think 60 wins shouldn't be a problem."

"There are many dynamic young people in the team. We plan to continue to strengthen our offense in the new season. Coach D'Antoni will completely activate the team!"

Although Laga Bell will increase Li You's usage rate, the degree of adaptation is excellent.

Additional shooting practice during the offseason is still effective. After observing 4 games, D'Antoni couldn't help but swell:

"An attack can be completed in 7 seconds. I believe in Li's attack choice!"

"If we receive a pass in the open space, all we have to do is to take decisive action. The new rules are conducive to offense. It's time to reduce those ineffective ball transmissions!"

During the offseason, two owners, James Dolan and Mark Cuban, once again applied to the league, and this time the league did not reject it. The handcheck rule will be canceled in the new season. Although the referee will have to adjust the scale of whistleblowing, outside stars are destined to be strengthened!

Li You and D'Antoni boasted, and Ewing, who had just emerged from a relationship crisis, also followed suit.

During the offseason, Gorilla almost divorced his wife. The impact of the Gold Club incident gradually diminished, and Ewing began to let himself go again.

The reason why Ewing did not fly to China was to save his marriage. Fortunately, the sword worked, and his wife finally chose to forgive him.
On Friday, October 10, general managers around the league voted Ron Artest the best defender in an NBA.com survey;
At the same time, Artest also won the title of the league's toughest player.

Ben Wallace of the Detroit Pistons finished No. 2 in both polls.

This news made Artest inflated again, and even the New York media followed suit.

The NHL (hockey) next door has recently suspended work, and the NBA's collective bargaining agreement has not yet reached a consensus. The New York Times also reported David Stern's recent conference call:

"The NHL is an example and we should reach an agreement as soon as possible."

The disagreement in the new collective bargaining agreement is that the owners want to change the maximum length of the contract to four years, which has been strongly opposed by the players union.

On November 11st, the NBA league continued to preview the new season. Tomorrow’s opening game, the league has prepared three games for fans.

Rockets vs. Mavericks, Nuggets vs. Lakers, Pistons vs. Knicks.

In the new season, the league has added a sense of ceremony. Unlike in the past, the opening game was mediocre, with 10 games a day.

The highlight of the Rockets is naturally the "Yao-Mai combination". For the Lakers, Tomjanovich finally took over the team.

Fans are also looking forward to what kind of performance Kobe can perform under the guidance of this famous coach.

As for the game between the Pistons and the Knicks, it can be regarded as a continuation of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Before the game even started, the sports media on both sides were already at war.

The New York Post did not forget to continue the gossip while mocking its opponents:

"Charles Barkley may not stay in TNT for long. He wants to return to the league again, not as a player, but more involved in management work."

Regarding such gossip reports, Charles Barkley personally confirmed on the TNT program in the morning:
"Sooner or later I will become the general manager of a team. I am not in a hurry about this. I have absolute confidence!"

"I guarantee that I can go anywhere, and the reason is very simple, I can do better than the current management!"

"If I were the general manager of the 76ers, I would completely give up on Iverson. Believe me, this is definitely the right choice."

"He is no longer fit to lead the team. He has been completely destroyed by Lee. I don't see any desire to win in his eyes."

"The shitty performance in the Olympics didn't inspire him. If I were the general manager, I would trade him away immediately!"

It is not uncommon for star players in the NBA to serve as general managers and head coaches. Not only Barkley, but Michael Jordan is also working hard.
Kenny Smith watched his partner's output and couldn't help but interrupted:

"Trade Iverson, there is simply no better guard on the market than him."

"I think the 76ers' strategy is right. They should continue to accumulate talent!"

Ernie Johnson was not worried about the two people quarreling on the show. Instead, he followed Gonghuo and asked:

"Do the 76ers have a chance to enter the playoffs this season? After such a long break, Iverson should have recovered his physical condition."

Charles Barkley was a little unhappy after being interrupted by the two men. When he heard this question, he answered without hesitation:
"There is no chance. Iverson is not a qualified leader."

"I am more optimistic about the Cavaliers. They performed well in the preseason. Coach Van Gundy has changed the Cavaliers' defense. They will become a no-fly team!"

"Among the rookie players, LeBron James and Wade have the opportunity to challenge Lee and beat Lee to win the championship after their rookie contracts end. I am very happy to see such a scene."

Kenny Smith and his partner agreed that the Cavaliers indeed showed an excellent game state:
"Coach Van Gundy is fulfilling his promise. Defense wins championships. I am also optimistic about the Cavaliers' performance in the new season."

"."

In order to adjust their status in the preseason, each team will also work hard. Compared with the 76ers, the Cavaliers maintained a complete victory in the preseason.

Although the Cleveland sports media blew the whistle, Van Gundy still had some troubles:
"Rookie Howard is rougher than he thought"

Ewing can absorb the ball, but Howard currently doesn't see such potential.

If Howard takes 15 shots in a game, there is a high probability that the pie-eating rounds will account for half of them, and the other part will be secondary rebounds.

Low-post singles work is still too difficult for Howard.

The knock-on effect of this situation is that LeBron James' usage rate has skyrocketed.

Fortunately, the team's defense is on the line. In the preseason, they relied on their personal counterattacks to defeat their opponents.

In the Sport Center program, James’s highlight goal in the preseason was included.

In the game against the Pacers, James collected rebounds in the backcourt, chased his opponent's butt all the way to the paint, and finally completed a layup against the defense.

Although the Pacers had completed their retreat, James still managed to score with his personal impact by seizing the opportunity of not gaining a firm foothold.

The Cavaliers' tactics are not complicated. They try to reduce the number of rounds and create more counterattack opportunities. If they can't shoot, they can rebound.

Translated into simple basketball terms, it can also be summed up in one word:
"Throw and grab."

Perhaps because they saw the hope of entering the playoffs, LeBron James and Howard were not as bitter and bitter as Iverson. They were laughing and joking during the interview, as if they were playing happy basketball.

Although he failed to participate in the opening game, James was still in a good mood when interviewed by Cleveland sports media:

"This is a brand new team and we are enjoying the game!"

"Dwight's talent is so good, I just need to break into the paint and throw the ball up in the air, and then I can see him complete the alley-oop under the basket."

“We are confident we can get back into the playoffs this season!”

Van Gundy is also very satisfied with the current state of the Cavaliers. His plan has worked, and he has become particularly confident amid the praise:

"Now what we have to do is go through more games and give our best in every game."

"When the rookie players fully adapt to the league, the Cavaliers will undergo qualitative changes, and we are ready for this!"

Although the sports media all know that the Cavaliers will most likely not cause too much trouble to the Knicks, in order to create topics, the sports commentators began to tell lies again:

"The Cavaliers led by Van Gundy will be the Knicks' biggest opponent on their way to defending the title in the new season!"

These words were applied to the Heat not long ago, and the Miami sports media had already shouted:
"Heat championship!"

On November 11nd, at 2:19 that night, Madison Square Garden will usher in the championship award ceremony.

During the preseason games in October, no ball commentators commented on the strength of the Knicks. Instead, each team just flattered the local fans.

Detroit's sports media stopped responding in November, leaving New York's newspapers to be weird.

Grant Hill's injury did bring about some chain reactions. At least fans in the Eastern Conference felt that the home team had a chance!

In the afternoon, the Knicks came to Madison Square Garden early to warm up.

Li You wore a new style of compression garment and smiled to sell the product to sports reporters:

"HeatGear series is more breathable and can provide wrapping and support for muscles!"

"Don't underestimate these sports equipment, this is my secret to staying healthy."

Although everyone didn't believe it, they all praised this beautiful compression garment.

Under the pure white compression clothing, you can clearly see the muscle outline of Li You's upper body, and the biceps on his shoulders and arms are particularly obvious.

If you look carefully, you can still see 6-pack abdominal muscles under the chest muscles.

Every year after the new season starts, Li You will cut his hair shorter. Although he has become stronger, he has not become bald, and his whole person looks strong and capable.

Under Armor's line of compression garments is selling well, and its stock price has stabilized.

After seeing Li You's figure, many sports reporters felt that he did not relax his demands on himself during the offseason.

After all, figures don’t lie. The Los Angeles Times report is definitely a deliberate smear campaign to highlight Kobe Bryant, who is training hard.
The Knicks, who were still warming up for shooting, looked relaxed. Although tonight's opponent was the Pistons, everyone was confident of winning on the awards night.

After some business exchanges, ESPN reporters suddenly asked Li You about the gossip:

"Lee, Sprewell still has not been able to reach a contract extension with the Timberwolves."

"We've received word that Sprewell believes he deserves a big contract, and if he ultimately fails to reach an agreement with the team, he appears to be planning to return to New York as a free agent."

Sprewell did not attend the Timberwolves' mandatory dinner last Thursday.

Although Cassel was also absent from the dinner, the alien was absent because of the flu.

What’s even more outrageous is that when the Minnesota sports media interviewed Sprewell, the championship guard made no excuses and admitted generously:
"I didn't plan to attend the dinner, I just wanted to see how the management would react."

"Unfortunately, I haven't received any response so far."

"I'm a championship guard and I helped the Timberwolves reach the Western Conference Finals last season."

"I shared my championship experience with the Knicks without reservation, and I told everyone how Lee took on the responsibility of being a leader!"

"Obviously this worked, and Kevin also won the first MVP trophy of his career."

"In the Timberwolves, I think I am indispensable. I have given everything to the team. Now I just want to get a contract that matches my status."

"If we can't reach an agreement, I will leave this team as a free agent. Maybe returning to New York is a better option."

Although the Timberwolves press spokesman said that the contract issue will not affect Sprewell's ability to play, no one can guarantee what tricks the championship guard will play.

ESPN recently reported on this incident, and the crowd started cheering after reading the news.

Li You also felt that the remarks of the champion defender were outrageous. It was difficult for him to evaluate such unparalleled confidence:
"Sprewell performed very well last season. I know his strength. The Timberwolves will reach an agreement with him. This is a win-win signing!"

"I also welcome Sprewell back to New York. We won championships together and the fans will never forget his contribution."

"."

It is difficult for the Knicks to offer another big contract, and sports reporters also know the team's salary space for next season. Li You's words are all superficial.

After the interview, Li You came to the sidelines and looked at Stoudemire who was concentrating on warming up. Thinking of Grenfield's instructions, he suddenly felt that he should give out more cakes:
"Playing your worth this season is also a win-win choice!"

"."

(End of this chapter)