NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 426 "Overrated" (7000 words chapter)
As the voting results for the Houston All-Star Game are about to be announced, the Rockets, as the host, are in an increasingly embarrassing situation.

The team's record did not improve much after McGrady returned from injury. Fortunately, the fans are as supportive as ever and there is no need to worry about losing the starting lineup.

Affected by a toe injury, Yao Ming also took a break. The Rockets are basically on the verge of swooping for the No. 1 pick, and there is a high possibility of missing the playoffs this season.

In this case, McGrady was far ahead in the first two rounds of voting, and many players were jealous.

On Sunday, January 1, at 29:101, the Heat defeated the Rockets in an away game. After the game, Wade thought about voting and secretly said sourly:
"Perhaps fans only like to see beautiful data, but I will not play for data. I will be a full substitute. I accept this result."

With 15 wins and 28 losses, the Rockets' record is naturally not as good as the Heat, but McGrady is an All-Star starter, and Allen Iverson in the Eastern Conference also enjoys this treatment.

Perhaps due to the influence of 81 points, recent scorers want to prove themselves. The Rockets lost, and McGrady’s statistics were not bad:

出场45分钟，37中13，三分线外15中4，罚球10中7，37分12篮板6助攻3抢断1盖帽，没有失误；
McGrady, who scored the highest score in the game, still refused to admit defeat when he attended the press conference after the game:
"I'm grateful to the fans for their recognition! Although the Rockets lost, we know our level."

"If it weren't for injuries, we would have been able to win the championship!"

"Some people are lucky enough to have excellent lineup depth when they enter the league team. Don't mistake luck for strength!"

Regardless of the outcome of the game, Kobe getting the highest score in the game has become the norm this season.

In "IF", the popular all-star has already won the championship!
On January 1, the Lakers continued their road trip in the Eastern Conference. In the loss to the Pistons last night, Kobe scored the highest score in the game again!

"To be honest, I'm a little embarrassed. Our record didn't meet expectations at all."

Crazy Excel also comes at a huge price. Kobe likes to see his reputation reversed, but the fringe playoff teams do not meet his expectations and he needs a championship.
Kobe had a tired look on his face. The Lakers atmosphere team was a little envious of such treatment. Phil Jackson, who was also interviewed, was particularly modest when talking about tonight's game:
"It's difficult to play against the defending champions away from home, they've only lost three games this month."

"At the end of three quarters, the opponent should admit defeat. If Kobe continues to play in the fourth quarter, maybe he can get some good data."

Some media reporters agreed with his point of view, but more people were still gloating about his misfortune. A reporter from the Miami Herald asked roundly and sarcastically:
"Before the All-Star Game, can the Rockets win? Without Yao, it seems difficult for you to win."

Since TNT’s program “Redefining Greatness”, there has been more and more fun, and media reporters seem to want to get affirmation from the champion coach:

Everyone present heard the implication of the KFC old man's words. Just like those who said "it won't work after 30+", he was not optimistic about Li You's future.

"McDunner brought basketball to the world, and the number of championships means nothing to him."

"Failure at the end of his career will not affect his achievements. In my opinion, failure makes him greater anyway!"

Under the expectant eyes of everyone, Li You finally relaxed his brows and responded with a smile:
"I think this question should be asked to Ron and Tyshawn. We have the best perimeter defenders in the league."

出场42分钟，28中12，三分线外11中3，罚球14中12，39分6篮板3助攻1抢断3失误。

Not every player appreciates 81 points. Ray Allen was honest when talking about the second highest personal scoring record in the NBA:

"After watching the tape, I think the Knicks are simply unassailable. Their depth is so good that Coach D'Antoni should be in trouble for happiness."

There is no contradiction between praising Li You and being pessimistic about the future. No one knows what will happen in the future. If you brag every day, how can the program increase its ratings?
The game officially started at 19:, half an hour before the game, and Madison Square Garden became lively.

"Lee, how many points do you think Kobe will score tonight? Will you respond in time?"

"Let my teammates find the rhythm of the game, that's the most important thing."

In the locker room before the game, many reporters had greater expectations and surrounded Li You and repeatedly asked similar questions:

"You have gone through two eras in your coaching process. Who is better, Michael Jordan with 5 championships or Lee with 7 championships?"

"In Madison Square Garden, the fans are also our support. No matter how many points Kobe scores, we will win the game."

Phil Jackson returned for the second time. Before the start of the new season, he emphasized sharing the ball, but halfway through the schedule, no one mentioned it anymore. Everyone wanted to watch Kobe perform.

The lucky Kobe had O'Neal by his side when he entered the league, and the lucky Wade teamed up with the Sharks at the top of his game in his rookie season;
As for Li You, it is God's blessing. Not only is he healthy, but the depth of the Knicks' lineup is also comparable to that of any team in the league.

"I have no interest in surpassing Chamberlain. Compared to 81 points, I prefer to get 25 points and send 10 assists."

"As long as you take enough shots, it's not difficult to score 81 points, but we won't play like this."

"Phil, how do you think a player should be evaluated fairly?"

When "Mr. 81 Points" comes to New York, even people who don't usually like to come to watch games will buy a ticket and look forward to Kobe's performance tonight.

New York newspapers first followed the trend and touted it. Recently, many columnist writers seemed to have suffered from amnesia and began to collectively question:
"This is why the Raptors couldn't rise up and didn't double-team when they were leading at halftime. They should reflect on why they let one player score 81 points."

The Knicks just defeated the Hawks in an away game last night, and everyone is in good shape when they return to their home court.

Although the Clippers in the same city have encountered injury problems, their record is better than the Lakers. They have not lost a game in five games in a week.

In last week's game, LeBron James of the Eastern Conference and Elton Brand of the Western Conference once again won the Best of the Week award.

Tonight's game was not broadcast live across the United States, but Artest was still very motivated. When he heard his name, he immediately shouted:

It's a pity that no one discusses them. Cassel seems to have a buff, but after joining a new team, they were ignored again.
With a record of 23 wins and 20 losses, the Lakers' record naturally did not meet Phil Jackson's expectations. The old KFC man kept a low profile after arriving in New York and only accepted interviews on the day of the game.

If people would still laugh at him in previous years, his continuous high scoring this season has also allowed Kobe to win the respect of New York fans.

Li You pretended to be serious and frowned slightly, as if he was thinking about how to defend Kobe.

As the beneficiary of the championship, Phil Jackson only thought that these media people were crazy, but he didn't like Li You, so he frowned and simply replied:

He lamented his misfortune in front of the media more than once. Although McGrady does not have any outstanding honors, he firmly believes that he is the strongest!

When McGrady once again recalled the past and revealed his identity as the "second person", the atmosphere quickly became joyful.

The loss made Kobe very depressed. Every game had to be played to the end, and overtime would come from time to time. In terms of record, he still needed to work hard for the playoffs.

"Lee is very good, he is the most successful player currently, but don't forget, McQueen was already 35 years old at that time."

If you can't break the dominance of recent years, then you can borrow money for the future. This is also the plan of many teams. Players will always get older.

On Tuesday the 31st, the last game of January, when the Lakers came to the arena early to warm up in the afternoon, Kobe, who was surrounded by media reporters, talked about his record again:

"We don't need to customize a special defensive strategy. No one cares about Kobe. He can still fall behind against the Raptors. This is why he can score high points."

Artest obviously read the New York newspaper and took this opportunity to mock the value of 81 points.
When faced with the interview, Fisher answered the questions more decently. First, he said that he sent text messages to bless Kobe No No No, and then started to brag about X:

"Compared to scoring, I'm more looking forward to seeing Kobe show his leadership qualities."

"He needs to learn from Lee and learn how to control the tempo of the game, how to win easily and how to make his teammates better."

"."

Everyone in the atmosphere team finally understands why Fisher is expected to become the next president of the Players Association. No one in the Knicks can match this ability to flatter!
After the game officially started at 19 o'clock, Kobe did not immediately enter the scoring mode. Perhaps he read the New York newspapers and began to share the ball more.

The Lakers dug a small hole in the first quarter. Fortunately, Smush Parker and Vujacic broke out during the rotation and successfully helped the team tie the score before halftime.

At 55:55, the two sides were tied. Many fans who bought tickets to watch the game were a little disappointed.

半场7中2，三分线外1中0，罚球2中2，科比仅打了19分钟，砍下6分2篮板4助攻1失误的数据。

Seemingly very satisfied with his performance, Kobe walked towards the tunnel with a smile on his face and kept high-fiving his teammates in celebration.

"Good job, Good job!"

He praised his teammates affectionately. After returning to the locker room, Kobe kept high-fiving and said loudly to everyone:

"Leave the second half of the game to me! We will make our opponents pay for their contempt!"

"Come on! Go fight them!"

As the team boss, Kobe has been working hard to unite everyone, applauding, pumping his fists, giving speeches, and his passionate encouragement quickly ignited the atmosphere in the locker room.

Odom's performance in the first half was mediocre. He made 6 of 2 shots, scored only 4 points, and made 2 turnovers. He immediately expressed his stance after hearing the encouragement from his boss:
"We have to shoulder our responsibilities. The third quarter is Kobe's moment. We must defend well and don't make mistakes!"

Everyone reassured the boss with their words. When Phil Jackson came to the locker room, what he saw was Kobe, who was in high spirits and showed a confident look:
"It's right to save energy."

The Knicks fans at the scene were a little disappointed not to see Kobe's offensive performance. Fortunately, Li You sent out 8 assists in the half, and his flashy moves from time to time saved the ticket price.

"Defense!."

After the start of the third quarter, the defensive cheers sounded again. Smush Parker received the ball from the bottom line and the Lakers took the lead in attacking.

Under Kobe's command, Parker immediately gave the ball to Odom on the left wing. The latter received the ball, and Kwame Brown immediately came to the line to cover.

Without waiting for his teammates to stand still, Odom released the ball with his left hand and broke through. Artest, who had been prepared for it, immediately squeezed through and pursued the opponent in time to slow down the opponent.

Kurt Thomas cooperated with Shen's defense. When the two were about to be surrounded, Odom made a timely jump pass and passed the ball to Kwame Brown down the middle.

The pass was too strong, and the latter paused for a moment and almost let go. Facing Kurt Thomas, who came back to defend, Kwame Brown took a big step and immediately jumped to the basket.

Right in front of the basket, Kwame Brown found out he had made the wrong choice and was defended by Gasol.

He wanted to give the ball to Chris Mihm who was near the baseline on the right, but when Kwame Brown sent a cross pass, Gasol directly intercepted it with his long arm.

"Oh!"

The cheers of the fans made Kobe angry. When Li You caught the ball, he immediately led the defense.

The Lakers retreated quickly. When Li You, who was holding the ball in his left hand, rushed through the half court, the opponent had already completed the defensive matchup.

In the semi-transition attack, Gasol stopped at the top of the arc early. When Li You was close to the three-point line, he turned his body to cover high.

Kobe kept his eyes on what was going on behind him, and without waiting for the screen to happen, he pressed forward again and squeezed through the screen at the same time.

The physical collision caused Li You to slow down slightly. When Kobe squeezed into his side, he suddenly stopped. He leaned against the defensive ball and turned around. The ball protector took advantage of it and accelerated a second time.

He tried to reach out to interfere, but his arm was directly slapped off. Kobe forced to adjust his center of gravity, but the position squeezed in the middle of the screen made it difficult for him to exert force. Amidst the cheers, Li You, who completed the turnaround, got rid of Kobe and faced Chris Mihm who moved laterally, making a large in and out movement.

His right hand circled the ball with one hand, swinging left and right. The big man Mim was shaken to a stop. When he reacted, Li You, who was holding the ball in his right hand, had already squeezed past him.

The upper line defense was easily broken through. In the blink of an eye, Li You rushed into the paint area, and Kwame Brown under the basket hurriedly moved his steps.

Arriving right in front of the basket, Kwame Brown had no time to jump up to block the shot. Li You, who had taken off with both feet, had already flown in front of him, raised his hand in a symbolic gesture, and was then knocked away with great force.

Grabbing the ball with one hand with his right hand, he dodged the defense in the air. Li You pulled his arm to the side, accumulated strength and slammed the ball into the basket!
"squeak!"

When the basket exploded, the referee blew the whistle at the same time. He saw Li You smiling and shaking his head under the basket. In the MSG commentary box, Mike Breen commented with a smile:

"Lee's moment has arrived! I think many fans, like me, are beginning to look forward to Kobe's response!"

Walter Frazier thought about Kobe's playing time in the first half and felt that the Lakers would explode:
"Facing the league's top scorers, it's time to test our perimeter defense!"

When the two began to predict in the commentary box that Kobe would take over the game, Li You's extra free throw was a solid hit.

At 55:58, cheers echoed throughout the arena, and the Knicks took the lead again.

Sliding across the baseline from left to right, Kobe used the cover of his teammates to come to the right block, received the pass and feinted the ball.

Many fun fans were shouting, as if they wanted to see Kobe Bryant explode. The opponent, Laga Bell, was not easily fooled and still maintained his center of gravity.

Putting the ball with his left hand, Kobe started to play with his back. Before the opponent could turn towards the baseline, Li You, who was on the line, suddenly shrank to help defend.

Instead of forcing the offense, Kobe released the ball early and passed the ball too early. After the right wing Smush Parker received the ball, Li You followed back to defend.

Faced with Li You coming up on defense, Smush Parker seemed a little panicked. He put the ball with his left hand and broke through smoothly. He just passed the three-point line and immediately stopped. He leaned forward and hit the ball decisively.

The rebound was collected by Gasol, and cheers erupted in the arena again.

Facing the especially brave Parker, who showed signs of misfiring, Kobe's face darkened and he pursued the defense again.

"Let's go Knicks!."

Seeing the two men stop on the left wing, the cheers became louder. Kobe lowered his center of gravity and took the initiative to press forward, not giving Li You a chance to change direction.

Li You, who was holding the ball with his left hand, shook his shoulders. Kobe simply chose to let go of his left hand and turned his body sideways to defend.

When Li You leaned forward to accelerate, Kobe, who was well prepared, slid to the right and rear in time and continued to provide physical confrontation.

The two struggled to cross the three-point line and approached the blocking area. During the process, Li You suddenly stopped to blast the ball, leaving space to dribble behind his back.

Kobe stopped and defended again. Li You took advantage of the situation and turned sharply toward the baseline, throwing the basketball away and speeding up his pace.

Approaching the baseline, he touched the ball with his left hand again. Li You shook off the defender and paused for a moment. At the same time, he raised his head and raised his center of gravity. Kobe, who was chasing after him, was instantly deceived. He used his feet to try and complete the block.

In a flash of lightning, Li You suddenly lowered his center of gravity, accelerated his dribbling speed with his left hand, drove straight into the basket along the baseline, and squeezed past Kobe.

The beautiful pass brought cheers again. The big man Mimu came to the lower left side of the basket in time and jumped to block the shot. Kobe, who was chasing behind him, jumped even more energetically.

Li You, who rushed up in three strides, grabbed the ball with his left hand. When the two people stretched out their arms to try to block the shot, he pulled his arms down. He curled up and calmly dodged the defense, glided to the other side, twisted his wrist, and threw the ball to the backboard at will!

"what!"

Amid the screams, the basketball spun and hit the frame. Li You walked back and defended with a relaxed expression. The fans in the front row stood up and cheered.

"Incredible, Lee once again showed us an unsolvable offense! The Lakers' defense has no effect!"

The wonderful goal put Mike Breen into a state of self-euphoria. This was the performance moment he was looking forward to.

Kobe beat the basket in frustration. Phil Jackson on the sidelines saw that the Knicks seemed to be double-teaming, and kept loudly reminding his players to pay attention to the response.

Receiving the ball in the same position, when Kobe tried to play singles again, he was assisted by Li You on the line.

Learning from the lessons learned from the previous round, Kobe released the ball with his right hand this time, accelerated towards the baseline, and completely stretched the defense before throwing the ball to Parker on the right wing.

At this time, Artest was defending one against two on the line. The opponent caught the ball and immediately slid. Parker observed the defensive movement and decisively returned the ball to Odom at the top of the key.

When the latter caught the ball, facing the rotating Cortette Mas, he released the ball with his left hand and broke through smoothly. Odom grabbed most of his body and then gave the ball to Kwame Brown on the lower left side of the basket.

Gasol's assistant defender at the basket, Kwame Brown, also did not force the attack. He distributed the ball again and passed inside to the big man Mihm.

He took the ball and tried to complete a dunk. As soon as the big man Mimu exerted his strength, the cheers of the fans could be heard in his ears.

Li You, who was jumping behind him, jumped up high and pressed down on the ball. Before the opponent could make a move, he hit the opponent with a big hit in the face!
"Shet!"

Seeing his teammates staggering after being blocked, Li You regained control of the ball. Kobe cursed and then loudly called for everyone to retreat.

Laga Bell rushed along the left sideline very fast. Kobe did not dare to be careless. While pursuing the defense, he directed Parker to counterattack in time.

Facing Li You who was advancing with the ball in his right hand, Parker kept retreating and always maintained a defensive distance.

When the Lakers retreated to halftime, Parker also stepped on the three-point line to establish a defensive position.

Approaching the top of the arc, he started to slow down. During the process, Li You made a slight in-and-out, stopped suddenly and started suddenly, pretending to break through.

Facing Li You who suddenly leaned forward and accelerated, Parker instinctively slid to the left and back. When the basketball disappeared in front of him, he realized that he had made a mistake in his prediction.
At the top of the arc, Li You stopped suddenly and pulled his hips back. Parker in front of him tried to defend, but his body couldn't keep up with his brain and he stumbled and fell to the floor.

With no one on guard, Li You calmly combined the ball, switched offense and easily made a jump shot!

At 55:63, the three-pointer hit the net.

On the Knicks' bench, everyone in the atmosphere team jumped up and down, cheering along with the fans. Parker stood up and lowered his head in frustration. Soon, a comforting voice came to his ears:

"Don't worry, man! The game is over soon and it's the last time we play each other this season!"

"."

Li You's words made Smush Parker's mouth twitch slightly. He felt that his self-esteem was insulted!

Parker hasn't found a chance to prove himself again. This time, Kobe directly reaches for the ball on the right wing. After receiving the ball, he immediately calls for Chris Mihm to cover.

Without waiting for his teammates to stand still, Kobe, holding the ball in his right hand, slumped his shoulders and accelerated. He broke into the blocking area and observed Gasol retreating from the defense. He paused slightly, and then accelerated a second time.

Raja Bell was well prepared and continued to defend. At the same time, Gasol also completely gave up on the defender and went straight to Kobe.

Near the baseline on the right side, Kobe accelerated to an emergency stop, drifted to the right and rear, faced the two blocks, lay back and shot, and forced a jumper!
Kobe fell off the baseline, and the rebound was protected by Kurt Thomas. As Li You caught the ball again, Odom and Parker moved forward at the same time to delay.

Facing the defense, Li You suddenly turned around at the free throw line, not giving the two men a chance to foul. The moment his left hand touched the ball, he immediately sent a ground pass.

Artest, who rushed through the midline, was unguarded. He was 1 on 0 in the frontcourt. He raised the ball with his right hand, rushed up in three strides, and then dunked with one arm!
55:65, the Lakers requested a timeout.

The cheers in the arena couldn't stop. The old KFC man crossed his arms and sighed secretly. The gap between the two sides was wider than he imagined.

"Come on! Come and score! He is overrated! There are a bunch of weaklings on the opposite side!"

After completing the dunk, Artest kept shouting to the sidelines when he walked to the bench. Global news followed the report. He was particularly envious of the popularity of "Mr. 81 Points"
Not only Artest, but also Laga Bell and Prince are very envious.

In the first half, Kobe kept passing the ball, and everyone had no chance to show off. Now that the Lakers are behind, it's time for Kobe to take action, and they can take advantage of the heat.

After the timeout of the game, Kobe enjoyed double-teaming without blind spots. No one cared about the role players of the Lakers. Everyone in the Knicks only stared at him.

He forced a jump shot against two people, broke through to the basket and was surrounded by four people.

Even the referee seemed to be watching the show, expecting Kobe to perform magically. In some rounds, he even allowed physical confrontation, which made the old KFC man complain repeatedly.

The low-quality passes under double-teaming caused the Lakers to make consecutive mistakes. Seeing Parker, who stole the ball from Li You and completed another dunk in a 1-on-0 situation, Kobe couldn't hold it anymore.

Continuously complaining to the referees without getting any explanation, Kobe continued to strike, the Knicks' fast break was fierce, and the game suddenly collapsed.

Relying on Parker's three-pointer and two big men's free throws in the second half of the game, the Lakers barely managed to score.

At the end of the third quarter, roars of laughter echoed throughout the Madison Square Garden Arena, and Knicks fans' respect for Kobe was gone.

At 11:32, the third quarter ended, at 66:87, the fourth quarter entered the familiar garbage time again.

湖人队替补席上格外安静，单节6中0，0分2篮板2助攻2失误，哑火的科比此时暴怒。

After throwing the drink and towel, and sitting in his seat, Kobe gave Odom two more elbows, who made four turnovers, and then stared angrily at Phil Jackson in front of him.

The old KFC man looked calm. Seeing Kobe become quiet, he stared at the crowd and whispered:

"There is no need to waste energy, Vujacic, you are ready to appear."

"Hell! I won't accept this competition!"

The furious Kobe looked at his teammates fiercely, and Odom could only bite the bullet and echoed, saying that they must continue to fight.

In the last quarter of the game, Kobe finally found his touch and even made sudden penalties to help the Lakers keep scoring points!
Li You, who was forced to leave the game, led the rotation to respond easily. Every player on the field scored, and his occasional assists made the New York fans applaud again and again.

Kobe persisted until the last minute. With the last two free throws, Li You missed a long three-pointer and the game was completely over.

94:117, the Knicks ushered in a big victory.

Pursing his mouth and gasping for air, Kobe glared at the Knicks team, then turned around and left.

On both sides of the tunnel, fans who saw the fun shouted "overrated" at this time, and the respect before the game had disappeared.
出场40分钟，22中7，三分线外4中1，罚球13中11，科比仅仅拿到26分。

The joyful atmosphere at the scene made Kobe particularly angry. After entering the players' tunnel, he noticed the teasing expressions on the faces of the Knicks staff and tore off his jersey:
"I'll win it back!"

(End of this chapter)