NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 371 "The Arrogance of a Big Star" (Daily Chapter)

On the evening of February 2005, 2, at Madison Square Garden, the game was coming to an end. In the MSG commentary box, Mike Breen couldn't help but gossip about the news he got this morning:

"The NHL has become the first sports league to suspend its season this year. I hope the NBA will not fall into such a predicament."

"If no agreement is reached before June 6, this year's free market will also be affected."

As a Knicks legend, Walter Frazier is naturally on the side of the players:
"I don't agree with limiting the age of players entering the league."

"It would be unfair to them if a talent like Lee comes along again."

Both men are avoiding the most conflicting issue at the moment. David Stern wants the league to further promote marijuana testing, which is also the main reason why the labor and management cannot reach an agreement.

The Bucks have switched to the atmosphere team at this time, and both sides are waiting for the game to end.

This is the last game before the All-Star break for both teams. The level of investment from both sides is not high, and the players are already preparing to enjoy the All-Star break.

As the final buzzer sounded, the score finally settled at 92:107. The Knicks narrowly defeated their opponents and avoided two consecutive losses.

MSG will not move because they want to retain the property tax breaks granted by the Koch administration 20 years ago, and Bloomberg is speaking out on behalf of the mayor:

James Dolan and his father have recently been busy selling the family's cable TV business, and they also had to fight with New York City Hall.

"Lee, maybe Artest is going to be bothered!"

With 44 wins and 9 losses, according to the Knicks' current record, they have almost locked in the playoffs.

Bloomberg has stated more than once that James Dolan should be worried about the Nets Arena being built in downtown Brooklyn. The 75000-seat stadium will not affect Madison Square Garden.

Several sports media followed the discussion. Artest had sold Leafs before, so everyone would naturally be biased against repeat offenders.

"As for the issue of lowering the luxury tax threshold, that is something Mr. Dolan should consider, but I don't think he will agree."

"Does Georgina like that pretty little mare?"

“Without the development spurred by Jets Stadium, New York would not be able to afford a subway extension to that location.”

"Take me to the bathroom! Maybe I should go to Florida for a while."

Li You is the union representative of this year's Knicks. As the All-Star Weekend approaches and the NHL suspends its season, the sports media has also begun to pay attention to the current labor agreement.

Bloomberg has been advising MSG since last year to build a new facility near the existing stadium.

"Is it time to get up? Honey, I want to sleep a little longer."

"Promoting marijuana testing is not an issue for the Knicks."

After easily defeating the Celtics and Cavaliers, they have recently achieved a record of 3 wins and 2 losses.

Bloomberg also tried to get Li You to stand up for him, firmly believing that the Jets would not affect the Knicks.

"However, I do not agree with age limits. It is also inappropriate to limit the maximum contract to four years. Players need more protection."

In order to dispel the other party's idea of ​​building a stadium, MSG offered $6 million for the land on which it is located. The Dolan family did not give the mayor any face, and they planned to "kill" the stadium.

The two sides had been at odds recently, and Li You had no intention of participating. He sent a beautiful horse to Georgina, and asked Ivana to follow her to show her "daughter style".

"Pau should return in March. Regarding the record, we have no goal. Maybe the Knicks will become the earliest team in the league to prepare for the playoffs."

After the morning exercise, the rosy-faced Ivana returned to the bedroom. Li You helped arrange her waist-length blond hair. Seeing that the other person was still showing off her beautiful figure, she leaned over and rubbed it twice:

After arching twice in frustration, Ivana reluctantly raised her upper body and lay on Li You again. She closed her eyes and whispered:

D'Antoni still expressed his position with the same confidence as in previous interviews:
"Currently we are still No. 1 in the league. I have confidence in the boys. We will still insist on taking action after the All-Star Game."

On Thursday the 17th, Li You got up early and looked at the scenery outside the window.

The reporter from Yahoo Sports heard Li You's answer and joked in a low voice:

"There are 29 games left. The team currently has a considerable advantage. The next step is to adjust."

"Your father is coming back today and should deal with restaurant issues."

"We all agree in the locker room that marijuana is an illegal drug and any measures the league wants to enact is a good move."

A few minutes after 6 o'clock, Ivana, who was a little confused, couldn't help but asked in a low voice:

After tidying up the other party's messy blond hair, Li You reminded:

D'Antoni, who once again became the head coach of the Eastern Conference All-Stars, was also asked about the issue of state fluctuations in an interview with local New York media after the game:
"For several consecutive games, our outside shooting percentage has been less than 3%. Does this mean that the team needs to make tactical adjustments?"

In this regard, James Dolan’s response was simple:
"MSG will renovate the current location without using taxpayer dollars."

The Jets were planning to move in, and the two sides were deeply divided over the decision to build a 75000-seat stadium.

At the end of their road trip in the Western Conference, the Knicks lost to the Heat and Pistons.

After saying these words, D'Antoni laughed again. Even if he loses half of the game, the coaching staff can accept it. It is better to leave it to other teams to make efforts later.

"If we don't end up getting a stadium, everyone will forget about Line 7."

Li You didn't care about this boring discussion. He straightened the microphone and said jokingly:
"It will be difficult for everyone to see Ron on the court this season. If the league allows him to return, you can ask him in person what he thinks."

Seeing her fair skin begin to deform in the mirror, Ivana laughed out loud, and then said meaningfully:

Halfway through the schedule, the Knicks, like most teams, have entered a period of fatigue, and their three-point shooting percentage has dropped sharply.

The room was still dark, and when Li You returned to Ivana, the latter squeezed into his arms again.

When attending the press conference, Li You did not avoid the issue of marijuana, but said frankly:

"She loves it, but she recently put the horses at Peninsula Manor."

Li You shrugged his shoulders. He didn't have time to go back recently, so he stopped participating in the gatherings of celebrities.

The two of them only wore towels. Ivana turned around and hugged Li You, raised her head and asked in a low voice:
“Do email and social media actually influence voters?”

Li You guessed that the white rabbit in his arms must have talked about the election with Georgina before he had questions:
"I think the answer is yes, but more importantly, campaign funds. In 2001, Bloomberg reportedly spent $1400 million on emails."

"At that time, his Donkey Party opponent Mark Green spent only 1650 million during the entire campaign."

"I remember this data very clearly. Although it is suspected of being exaggerated, the role of money cannot be ignored."

Bloomberg won 47% of the Hispanic votes and 25% of the black votes that year. Li You was deeply impressed by this. He has a good memory and has never forgotten the news of previous years.

Bloomberg spent $7500 million on the campaign and defeated his opponent. In this election, the billionaire raised his own campaign funds and announced that there was no upper limit.

After hearing Li You introduce the situation back then, Ivana blinked and suddenly whispered:
"If my father ran for office, would he be successful with enough money?"

"God knows, I think he'd rather be a TV star now."

"."

On the night of the 17th, at 90:94, after the Cavaliers lost to the Timberwolves in an away game, their record came to 32 wins and 19 losses.

The record was the same as the Pistons, but the relationship between victory and defeat was not as good as that of their opponents. In the end, the Cavaliers fell to fourth place in the Eastern Conference before the All-Star break.

McHale took over the Timberwolves and improved to 27-27 after winning the game.

Although he lost, LeBron James seemed particularly confident after the game. He simply said hello to Garnett and came to the sidelines for an interview.

When a reporter asked how he felt about being invited by Michael Jordan during the All-Star Weekend, James felt the noisy atmosphere, increased his volume, and simply responded:

"Michael Jordan was a great basketball player and I grew up watching him play."

“I was happy to get advice from him.”

After entering the league, James and Michael Jordan did not have much interaction. Regarding this, the local sports media in Polis asked:
"LeBron, a lot of people are calling you the next Michael Jordan. Does that put any pressure on you?"

"I am who I am. There is no next Jordan. You know, times have changed. The game is now faster and more focused on three-pointers."

"Michael Jordan represents an era, and now, Lee represents the future."

"I prefer to learn from the best players in history. I feel that I can do more, rebound, assist, defend, score. I want to become a more all-around player."

"."

LeBron James' words completely changed after ESPN's processing and reporting:
"The new generation of players believe that Lee has surpassed Michael Jordan and become the best in history."

"LeBron James doesn't want to be Michael Jordan, he wants to play like Lee."

Li You, who was about to fly to Denver, also saw the news. The low-key Michael Jordan was still used for consumption.

This year, Hook will sign a lifetime contract with Li You during the offseason, and personal sneakers will also be released at the same time.

Before the All-Star Game, Hook made a preview, and by the way, gave some shout-outs to the old sneakers.
Due to sales problems in Germany, Hook started a new round of litigation with Adidas at the end of last month.

When Li You boarded the Gulfstream private jet prepared by American Express, Matt Parker, who was traveling with him, sat down in his seat and started talking about Michael Jordan, who showed up:

"McKen has a good relationship with the owner of the Bobcats, and he probably hasn't given up on the idea of ​​owning a team."

"Maybe in less than two years, he will become the management of this team, but we are not optimistic about him. The era of David Falke and him has passed."

Agents often come up with solutions for the team. Perhaps Falk still has influence in the industry, but as time goes by, new agencies will eventually replace them.

Li You naturally knows Michael Jordan's draft vision. In a few years, everyone will be able to witness his management talents:

"Why did Converse sign Wade? This rookie is quite popular."

Hearing Li You's inquiry, Matt Parker did not hide anything:
"We have just acquired Converse, and naturally we hope to develop this brand more."

"But more importantly, our resources are currently limited. Apart from you, everyone is more optimistic about LeBron James."

"Wade has had too many injuries, and you have to remember that he is only a second-year rookie."

The All-Star Weekend has begun, and most players choose to go on vacation. Kidd, who was undrafted, has been very active recently, and his agent even spread the word:

"Kidd hopes to go to Minnesota and join forces with Kevin Garnett."

Neither the Nets nor the Timberwolves said much about such trade rumors.

Kidd himself denied the news in an interview:
"I don't want to be traded, and I have never asked the team to send me away." "Currently I am only focusing on the Nets. Before the trade deadline, you can report as much as you want. I promise the fans that I will lead the team into to the playoffs.”

Carter was selected for this year's All-Star Game on behalf of the Nets. Kidd, who stayed in New Jersey, tried hard to make a presence for himself, but received very little feedback.

The Nets, which are still struggling for the playoffs, have no hope of competing for the championship. In contrast, fans are more concerned about the Heat's state.

O'Neal's data also declined in late January and early February. Li You felt tired, and Fat Shark was even more aggressive.

Ranked third in the MVP rankings, O'Neal was dissatisfied with this, but it was difficult to improve his performance.

O'Neal, who recently traveled with his younger brother, started to speak eloquently during an interview:

"With 28 games left, we're not going to let up, and don't be surprised if the Heat overtake the Knicks at the end of the regular season."

"We don't rely on three-pointers. Let me rest for a few days. After the All-Star break, I will continue to dominate the inside!"

With 40 wins and 14 losses, the Heat are ranked second in the Eastern Conference, and the win gap is still within reach.

Following behind O'Neal, Wade wore a large white short-sleeved T-shirt, paired with a pair of equally large gray sweatpants, and white Converse skate shoes.

Wade is also very proud of the team's current record, and his agent has recently received several good endorsement contracts for him.

Thinking of the playoffs, without waiting for reporters to ask questions, Wade on the side took the initiative and added:

"We will reach the Eastern Conference finals this year. As you can see, we can beat the Knicks. After the All-Star break, the Heat will win more games."

In the second game not long ago, the Heat won on the road, which gave O'Neal and Wade more confidence.

O'Neal doesn't want to expend too much energy during the All-Star Weekend. His playing time has been reduced recently. This season, he intends to prove himself again.

The local sports media in Miami also started discussing in low voices when the two left. Thinking of the gap in wins, someone suddenly said:
"Maybe the current weakness of the team is the coaching staff. If Pat Riley coaches this team, maybe we can win the championship."

On February 2, the city of Denver became lively with the arrival of fans.

In the morning, the NBA organized players to take personal makeup photos and attend a press conference.

There will also be a fan meeting in the afternoon, where invited players will give speeches in front of children and complete promotion work.

Oversized clothes have become popular in the NBA in recent years. Although David Stern has repeatedly emphasized the dress code, when taking pictures in the morning, most of the players who appeared at the Pepsi Center in Denver had pants so fat that they could fit two people.

If the league allows it, there is a high probability that players will lose their buttocks.
Kobe, who has recently returned from injury, has grown a beard, and his whole person looks a bit vicissitudes. He does not like Colorado, which will remind him of some bad experiences.

This year's All-Star Game, Kobe didn't bring Vanessa with him. If the fans here call him an "illegal intruder" again, it will be his family who will be embarrassed.
Like NBA stars who pursue fashion, Kobe also wears a baggy black formal suit. The white shirt on his body is baggy, and the jeans on his lower body are also unusually baggy.

At this time, Kobe was chatting happily with the outdated Garnett. The two had known each other for a long time and had a very good relationship in private when they were not talking about basketball.

Ever since Karl Malone wanted to seduce him, Kobe has become cautious in making friends. When he saw McCready appear, he greeted him loudly:
"Tracy! Well done, it seems you convinced the coach!"

With 32 wins and 21 losses, most of the hole dug by the Rockets at the beginning of the season has been filled.

After sending away Tyronn Lue and acquiring David Wesley in a trade, the Rockets also began to pick up speed, and Mike Brown's tactic of handing the ball to McGrady finally worked.

It seems that he didn't sleep well last night. McGrady was wearing a large white T-shirt and his eyes were sleepy. He stepped forward to fist bump with Kobe and said proudly:
"I should be able to break through the first round this year. If the coaching staff can accept my suggestions early, the record should be even better."

The three of them hadn't seen each other for a while. This time they got together in Denver and chatted non-stop.

This year, all three members of the Spurs team were selected to the All-Stars, making them the biggest winners in the Western Conference. Popovich was also elected as the head coach of the Western Conference All-Stars. There were obviously more reporters surrounding the Spurs.

Garnett was a little unhappy. Last year he was still the protagonist, but this year he has become obsolete. Seeing Duncan and others smiling and accepting interviews, he couldn't help but said angrily:
"Why hasn't the event started yet? I have no interest in standing here all the time."

McGrady also followed suit at this time and said loudly to the staff responsible for taking pictures:

"One chance. Let's leave after taking a photo. Take it carefully. I don't want to waste time here."

Arenas on the side was naturally very low-key when he entered the All-Star Game for the first time. When he saw the two pretending to be sexy, he secretly curled his lips.

While McGrady was still communicating with the staff, Li You and Ray Allen appeared on the scene.

Looking at a pile of crotchless pants, Li You raised his eyebrows. Personal appearance was personal freedom, and he had no intention of intervening:
"The time is just right. Billy Hunter will come over in an hour. We will have a simple meeting and unify our approach during the All-Star Weekend."

Ray Allen on the side did not notice anyone pretending to be X, and simply added:

"None of us want to see the NBA suspended. Hunter will ensure everyone's interests and don't cause trouble for the union these days."

Both of them were wearing gray plaid formal suits, which seemed out of place with the environment. When Li You greeted the staff and started taking pictures, Lewis and Ben Wallace laughed from the sidelines.

Arenas poked Antoine Jamison on his side, turned his head and grinned.

Garnett and McGrady failed to show off, and seeing the smiles on everyone's faces, they were so angry that their faces turned black.
O'Neal, who was deliberately late for the finale, was also wearing a loose gray formal suit. After communicating in a low voice with Li You, he also agreed to follow-up arrangements.

As for taking photos for an hour, Fat Shark had no objection.

Newcomers such as James and Wade have been quietly watching the development of the situation. Yao Ming and Nowitzki do not care about union matters.

The staff breathed a sigh of relief. Sports reporters secretly recorded this scene and noticed that Garnett was still thinking about it. They all found it very funny.

In the Rookie Challenge that night, Garnett and others disappeared.

Li You and LeAnn Rimes were sitting in the front row watching the game. This singer debuted very early and won the Grammy Award for Female Country Singer of the Year. She will be the halftime performer of the main game tomorrow.

The female country singer who got married at the age of 19 has a pretty good personality, but she has become completely crooked as she grows older.

In the TNT commentary box, during the intermission, Kevin Harlan and Steve Kerr discussed the topic of MVP again:
"It seems that Lee has locked up this award. Although the Knicks started losing before the All-Star break, their record is still ahead of the Spurs."

"Steve, we all know you played for the Spurs, how would you evaluate Duncan's performance this season."

With 41 wins and 12 losses, before the All-Star break, the Spurs defeated the Hornets and continued to maintain first place in the Western Conference.

"I think the Spurs have finished rebuilding under Duncan, and Ginobili gave us a big surprise."

"Although the outside world is criticizing coach Popovich, I understand his role for the Spurs and he is the best coach for Duncan."

"As Popovich said, Duncan is a selfless leader. I learned a lot while playing for the Spurs. I am currently more optimistic about the Spurs than the Knicks."

The difference in wins between the two teams is not big. Kevin Harlan asked curiously:
"Is it due to injuries? We all know that the Bulls also encountered such a dilemma that year."

"Do you think the Spurs have a chance to end the Knicks' reign?"

Steve Kerr smiled and put on a look that I have experienced:
"Other than the injuries, it's more about the desire to win. The Spurs have better mental attributes. I mean the Knicks win too much."

"In order to solve this problem, when the old dunk motivated us on the training ground, Li didn't seem to notice this. He needs to be more strict with his teammates."

"I believe the Spurs' desire for the championship has surpassed that of the Knicks. This is the key to victory!"

When it comes to mental attributes, Kevin Harlan almost couldn't answer the question. He just nodded in agreement, thought for a while and suddenly said:
"Maybe the Spurs are more eager to win the championship, but Lee played the best data of his career and he was simply unstoppable on the offensive end."

"Faced with a scorer who averaged 36 points per game in the regular season, I don't think the Spurs can limit him."

"."

Steve Kerr was speechless. If we don’t talk about spirit but data, there is no comparison. Currently, the Knicks are still far ahead in the scoring list, and the Spurs have not scored more than 100 points. There is a big gap between the two sides.
Carmelo Anthony, who was not selected for the All-Star Game, worked particularly hard in the Rookie Challenge.

In the second half of the game, everyone gave the host country face. As the first-year team gave up early, the final score was fixed at 133:106.

Anthony, who scored 31 points, won the Rookie Challenge MVP trophy at home.

However, Anthony was not happy when he won the award. James and Wade were both selected as All-Stars.
On Saturday the 19th, before the start of the individual challenge, Popovich, who was interviewed, also talked about the arrangements for the main game:
"Players don't have to worry about playing time. This is a festival for the fans, and we will give everyone a wonderful game."

Obviously Popovich does not intend to use the Spurs trio too much. After the All-Star weekend, the team still has to fight for the home court advantage in the playoffs.

The same is true for D'Antoni. After bringing his family to Denver, he no longer paid attention to specific matters. The most important thing was to let Stoudemire and Li You spend this weekend healthy.

Mustache almost made the same point, without giving a clear answer regarding playing time:

"I will control everyone's playing time and also take care of the fans' emotions."

"I believe the Eastern Conference is going to win because we have the best backcourt in the league and the best big man in the league."

Since none of the Nuggets players were selected for the All-Star Game, as the host nation, they had to actively participate in individual challenges.

In the skills challenge that night, Earl Boykins, who was favored by Nuggets fans, failed to win.

Steve Nash defeated Arenas and Ridnour and finally won the trophy.

In the three-point shootout, Nuggets fans expect Watson Leonard to defend his title.

As a result, Quentin Richardson of the Suns defeated Ray Allen, Joe Johnson, Korver, and Radomanovic to become this year's three-point king.

Slam Dunk Contest, Nuggets fans continue to shout loudly for the home team’s beast power forward Kenyon Martin
The result was disappointing again. Josh Smith of the Hawks easily defeated Chris Anderson and Jr. Smith, and finally won the dunk king trophy.

The three individual games were mediocre, and the Nuggets fans at the scene were disappointed.

Wearing a yellow jersey and a yellow headband, JR Smith actually performed well. After all, he is only 19 years old, but his dunk action failed to fully demonstrate his physical fitness.

Josh Smith's windmill after turning in the air for a dunk in the finals was also extremely stretched.
The Pepsi Center was a little noisy after all the individual games, and some home fans with high expectations booed.

The newbies who got the trophies were not affected and were still very excited after the game and celebrated with their families.

Although Ray Allen lost the game, he was still in high spirits. The Sonics currently have a record of 36 wins and 14 losses.

This year they have great hope of entering the top half. In addition, after making some noise recently, they entered the MVP rankings. Ray Allen is also a bit inflated.

After Li You greeted his acquaintances on the sidelines, he took a simple photo with the award-winning newcomers.

When he was about to leave the game, Ray Allen came close to him, looked at the Suns who had a great harvest, and whispered:

"They don't have any chance, maybe we can meet in the finals this year."

Li You just patted his swollen friend next to him and followed what the other person said:

"I hope you can eliminate the Spurs. You and Bowen have a good relationship. I hope the game will not affect your friendship!"

Ray Allen smiled and did not take these words to heart. He did have a friendship with Bowen, but he did not think that the other party could restrict him:
"I have to rest up this weekend, get first place in the Western Conference, and maybe I can get the MVP!"

"."

(End of this chapter)