NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 483 Who is the Second Person? (5300 words chapter)
2007年1月10号星期三，尼克斯队在结束西部客场之旅后休整了4天，再次迎来和76人队的比赛。

Just before the start of this game, the 76ers announced the buyout of Chris Webber, for which the team will pay 3600 million US dollars.

Webber also made sacrifices. He lost nearly $700 million after being bought out. The veteran, who will be 3 years old in March, made a statement to the outside world through his agent Aaron Goodwin:

"In pursuit of the championship, Webber wants to play for a more competitive team!"

Goodwin did not say anything definite. As an agent, he is very aware of the strength of his players. The 34-year-old Webber is basically out of energy, and a multi-year contract is actually the goal of the veteran.

The news came out in the morning, and a sports reporter responded in the afternoon that the Lakers were interested in Webber and Kobe was willing to play with the veteran.
Anyone who knows the salary structure knows that if the Lakers want to sign Webber, their salary cap is not enough and they have to give up a player. At the same time, both sides have to negotiate on the salary.

If the management wants to sign this outdated All-Star big man directly, they have to work harder. After all, for the 34-year-old veteran, US dollars may be the most important thing.

Still following the team to Manhattan, Webber advertised himself through the New York Times and began to complain about his experience in Philadelphia during an interview:
"Since leaving for Philadelphia, my dad said I haven't smiled on the court in a long time."

"Yeah, I'm not happy here. Maybe Iverson is a good player, but I stick to my point of view. Sometimes he dribbles too much, which affects the rhythm of the game."

"Now that's over, I need to move on and I want to play with a team that can really compete for a title."

“I’m not too old to play, and I want to be an integral part of a championship team.”

Webber, wearing a striped suit, hopes to return to the game on Monday, but his options are limited. He most wants to go to the Western Conference and completely avoid the Knicks.

With 8 wins and 26 losses, the 76ers are currently losing. The team has a clear goal, which is to go straight for the No. pick and get rid of Webber, and they are determined to play badly.

Andre Iguodala is currently the team leader and has been confirmed to be the next core of the 76ers, but the team lost too badly since the start of the new season and was continuously exported by Philadelphia fans.

In the game that night, head coach Cheeks watched numbly on the bench as his team was defeated early. Not long ago, Iverson had a record of 0 wins and 42 losses, and the 76ers will share this record tonight.

The New York fans, who had been holding back for almost two weeks, were very enthusiastic, and every goal scored by Li You triggered cheers that resounded throughout the stadium.

Although Iverson is gone, there are still fans holding up signs that say 0-42. The neighboring city of Philadelphia is the happy pill for New York fans, and they can laugh at their opponents at will.

In the VIP box on the top floor of the stadium, Ivana unbuttoned her coat, watched her daughter clap along, and said unhappily:
"All philandering men are unreliable. I thought you would be careful. What are you going to do in the future?"

Ivana, who had her blonde hair tied up, wore a large black sweater, but her bulging waist was still visible. She noticed her mother's reproachful look and said in a coquettish tone:
"We are doing well now, you see how much he cares about me!"

In addition to the annual birthday gifts, Li You would pick up and drop off Ivana to and from get off work whenever he had time. The two have lived together for more than two years, have very few conflicts, and have unlocked more ways to do things.

Ivana wanted to light a cigarette to relieve her depression, but looking at her plump daughter, she sighed helplessly. The old woman found a bottle of wine from the wine cabinet and continued to complain about her big baby:
"What's the point of caring? Donald wanted to give me all his hotels, but he ended up finding a bunch of bitches!"

"These philandering men are born liars. He said he would not have any more children! But now a little son appears. You can see his transformation."

"How do you normally live? Three people? Four people? OMG! Be careful that God will punish you!"

Ivana's face turned slightly red after hearing what her mother said, but she remained silent. In fact, there were even more exaggerated things happening. Li You was very good at breaking double-teams. Even when he was alone against five, he could still cut down some gorgeous statistics.

"You are only 25 years old. Remember, if you get married in the future, you must be the one to stay with him until the end."

"Look at my experience, I gave everything for Donald, and in the end I was taken away by that bitch, be smart!"

Worried that her daughter would be cheated of everything by the scumbag, Ivana had to hug her bewitched baby, whispering advice to her while secretly thinking.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported a lot of news that the hedge funds owned by Bobby Akers and Kenneth Griffin have officially entered the top 6 in the world.

Just like the Chicago media called Kenneth Griffin the "Miracle Boy" in the early years, it is unimaginable to achieve such results in just over 6 years.

Once Amaranth is officially acquired, Li You's wealth as a major shareholder will continue to grow.

Forbes also recently announced that the Knicks are valued at US$6.92 million and their revenue last season reached US$2.68 million. Both figures are first, far ahead of other teams.

Ranked second is the Lakers, with a valuation of US$2 million. The gap between the two is quite large. As long as the Knicks continue to win, breaking through US$5.68 million will not be a problem.

The rising market value is actually not in line with the current situation of the league. Li You’s personal blessing is huge, and it is his joining that has completely activated the New York market.

The Yankees, who had won so many games before, are showing a trend of being surpassed. Knicks' peripherals are becoming more and more popular. In the past, everyone wore Yankees hats, but now sports fans like Knicks ones.

Li You's No. 1 jersey has been the most popular jersey among fans since 98, and every time it is revised, it attracts fans to buy it.

Hook has also recently started to settle accounts for sneakers, which is also a considerable income. Although Forbes has not been able to estimate Li You's wealth specifically, everyone has a scale in their hearts, and it would be a large sum of US dollars.

"In two years, we plan to buy a seaside estate in Florida. Greenwich is still too cold, and the children will grow up in a warm environment."

Ivana didn't listen to her mother's words. Instead, she leaned into her mother's arms and talked about her future plans. When she heard that she wanted to have another child before she turned 30, Ivana stared at her and slapped her obsessed daughter in annoyance:
"If anything unexpected happens in the future, don't expect me to help you take care of these little guys!"

Hearing her mother's complaints, Ivana just chuckled. She believed that she would be the winner in the end. She was still young and could always be as beautiful as a flower as long as she took good care of herself.
The game lost its suspense after the first half. The 76ers stopped pretending and just wanted to play badly. Oden was the target of Philadelphia fans.

In the end, 84:114, both teams won, there was no loser tonight!
In the first game of this week, the Knicks showed good form, but in an interview after the game, D'Antoni took the initiative to talk about another topic and shouted:

"Basketball philosophy is constantly improving with development, we can't be limited to the past!"

"After Pau returns, we are subtracting Lee. He will be able to complete the offense more easily. The game will be simple. The team that scores more will win."

"I'm not going to burden the core players, and that's why the Knicks have been successful."

Phil Jackson recently expressed his dissatisfaction in an interview, believing that the Knicks were helping Li You to improve his statistics, and also commented on the relevant tactics:
"Those illegal screens are ruining basketball!"

The Lakers need Kobe to add points, and the old man from KFC has emphasized more than once the need to share the ball. The tactical concepts of the two teams are completely opposite, and the obvious difference can be seen from the number of shots from the outside.

The MSG reporters were of course aware that D'Antoni was expressing his dissatisfaction. As championship coaches, although D'Antoni temporarily lags behind his opponent in the number of championships, the mustache guy also has his own style.

"Mike, where do you think basketball is going to go in the future? Will the Knicks always be the leader?"

When D'Antoni heard this question, he smiled again and continued to brag without hesitation:

"I believe we can keep winning. The most significant tactical change will undoubtedly be more emphasis on pitch spacing."

"Basketball is constantly improving. In my opinion, Lee represents the future and he will lead an era!"

"."

伊戈达拉今晚出场32分钟，12中3，三分线外4中1，罚球6中5，砍下12分6篮板4助攻3失误的全能数据。

Feeling the boiling atmosphere in the arena, Iguodala, who officially became the team leader, felt a little lost, but unlike in the past, he can finally get to know Li You in the new season:
"I don't want to play here anymore. Now I care more about when you lose than the fans do."

Seeing Iguodala coming up to him with a wry smile, Li You stepped forward to bump fists, then patted the leader's shoulder who was numb from losing:

"This is a basketball mecca. If you can score 50 points here, all the New York fans will cheer for you!"

"Believe me, everything I say is true!"

Glancing at Artest who was interacting passionately with the fans, Iguodala felt that this goal was difficult to achieve. Perhaps before he could get a high score, he would have to have a boxing match first.
Without Iverson, most of the 76ers players were resigned and no longer hostile to the Knicks. The two sides said goodbye in a friendly manner. Lee You and Hill attended the press conference after the game. In the final stage of the All-Star voting, as Wade dislocated his left shoulder and missed the game, Hill successfully overtook him.

A special channel for Hill to canvass votes has been opened on Reddit, and Li You is also making efforts on Facebook. Online voting ends on the 21st, and Hill has a chance of getting the starting spot.

The team won the game and will face the Bobcats, who are injured again, the day after tomorrow. The schedule is stress-free and Hill is in a good mood. When talking about the contract, he did not hide it:
"I haven't thought about the future yet. If I have to make a decision, I would still prefer to get another multi-year contract!"

"With my current physical condition, I can still be competitive in three years. Of course, I'm not talking about the MVP. I know how to win."

34 years old is the watershed of a player's condition. Webber and Gary Payton have proved this, but Hill shows no signs of decline based on the data.

As the general manager of the team, Donnie Walsh will naturally not offer a big contract to the veteran. The ideal situation is to sign another All-Star to replace Hill.

At the end of his career, the veteran who has no shortage of honors pursues US dollars. Li You also agrees that his teammates can take high salaries, but he will not put pressure on the general manager. This is a tacit understanding between the two parties.

"Lee, we noticed that your assists have been decreasing since the Western Conference away games. Is this the arrangement of Coach D'Antoni?"

"This is my 11th season, and even though I feel young, I am actually a veteran in this league."

In front of the media, Li You counted the old guys with more experience than himself, and only O'Neal still had a little competitiveness.

"The coach is right. I need to score more easily. This will reduce consumption. I don't want to be laughed at by young people in a few years!"

A group of sports reporters laughed when they heard this. If there were people who questioned Li You's physical condition in the past few years, after several seasons of full attendance and increasingly stronger physique, no one mentioned it anymore.

In the NBA, durability is an extremely important talent. A reporter from the New York Post even joked:
"Lee, we all thought you would retire later than Dwyane Wade!"

Amid the laughter, Li You waved his hand with a smile. He really didn't expect that Wade would be injured again this year and the Heat had fallen behind.

The news that Chris Webber gave up 700 million to join a championship team quickly swept major sports media.

Goodwin has publicly stated that they have narrowed their choices to Los Angeles, Dallas, Detroit, Miami and Orlando.

As for why the Spurs are not included, it is because San Antonio rejected the transaction information at the first opportunity and they are not interested in recruiting veterans.

As the trade deadline approaches on February 2, Phil Jackson has not made it clear that the Lakers will pursue Webber. The old man from KFC has been busy fighting with Bynum recently, and the traitor can no longer be suppressed.

On Thursday, the 11th, Bynum was interviewed at the El Segundo Training Center. Since he has been playing as a substitute recently, the newbie couldn't help but complain again:
“At the beginning of the season, when I started to start, my game was at a higher level.”

"It was hard for me to find my rhythm quickly when I was on the bench, but the fans saw my talent and I could be the starting center."

TNT's program quickly reported the news, and the conversation between D'Antoni and Phil Jackson was also included in the program.

As the Knicks have played fewer games recently and their opponents have all been weak teams, the trio has had no chance to perform well. Recently, they have been discussing the topic of the "second man" and also talked about who will win the MVP.

In the studio, the director showed the post-match interview of the mustache, and Charles Barkley laughed and teased Li You's recent performance:

"I think Lee is being lazy. I watched the Knicks game and he's passing the ball to Gasol right after half court."

"Then he used the screen to run to the bottom corner. Teams that only wanted to lose often didn't want to defend and watched him catch the ball and shoot in the bottom corner."

"A lot of the rounds in the game are screens and then catch the ball and shoot. Think about how we played in the past. I agree with coach Phil Jackson that a single tactical coordination should not appear in the NBA."

In the past, the muscular guys were all in the paint. Kenny Smith certainly knew what old-school basketball was like. When he heard his partner's booing, he simply retorted:

"In my opinion, modern basketball is no different from the past. The Rockets also shot three-pointers back then, and we won the championship."

"Lee just has a longer shooting range, which is his advantage. Looking at Gasol's data, if he has enough playing time, I even think he can easily get a triple-double."

"Kobe lacks such a helper. I think Webber is indeed a good addition! He can liberate Kobe's offense."

As one of the tactical initiators of the Kings that year, Webber's ability to assist was excellent, but Ernie Johnson heard the voice-over of the old man from KFC and gave Lakers fans a heads-up in advance:
"The Lakers are still sticking with the triangle offense, and if their goal is a big man who is dominant in the low post, it will be difficult for Webber to adapt to such a role."

"In comparison, the Knicks' tactics are more suitable for him, but unfortunately, the defending champions have no place for Webber."

"As for the Mavericks, I believe they will not change their lineup easily. With 29 wins and 8 losses, they are still second in the league. Nowitzki has a chance to win his first MVP trophy in his career."

The MVP rankings have not changed in the past half month, and the Knicks and Mavericks are incredibly stable.

"Why Nowitzki? Lee's numbers have been on the rise recently, and there's no doubt he can win another trophy."

Kenny Smith asked knowingly, and Charles Barkley, who was sitting on the far left, naturally cooperated tacitly and said with a smile:

"Because Lee no longer needs this trophy to prove himself, I am very happy to see Nowitzki and the two meet again in the finals after winning the award. This is a great opportunity for the German to prove himself!"

"."

On November 11, the Mavericks started their road trip in the Eastern Conference. When they challenged the Pacers that night, the two sides fought into overtime.

115:113, thanks to Nowitzki's key free throw, the Mavericks continued their winning streak.

出场44分钟，24中13，三分线外4中2，罚球18中15，43分12篮板2助攻3失误，加时赛独得8分的诺维斯基交出了一份完美数据。

Last year, because of his 81 points, Kobe was once elected "second man", but after the classic moment in this year's Christmas game, this glorious title was stripped away by the media.

In order to create a "rival", the Mavericks with an excellent record have become the favorite of basketball critics recently, and Nowitzki has been officially crowned the "second man" of the season.

After winning this difficult game, Mark Cuban, who was with the team, watched Nowitzki cheer from behind the basket, and he followed Jason Terry and others to cheer loudly:
“MVP!”

When hearing this title, Nowitzki was also secretly happy, and a smile appeared involuntarily on his sweaty face. He liked this honor!
Garnett and Duncan both won the award. As the top power forward in the league, Nowitzki felt that he should also win this award:

“It was a tough match, I’m glad to keep the winning streak going!”

"I want to thank my teammates. This victory is inseparable from their excellent defense. We will continue to win in the next away games."

The ESPN reporter saw what Nowitzki was thinking and took the opportunity to ask about the hot topic recently:

"Dirk, do you think you can win the MVP this season? Many commentators call you the "second man", what do you think about this?"

"Of course I am qualified for this award. We are still No. 1 in the Western Conference, and our record and personal statistics are excellent."

After Nowitzki lowered his head and said this, he looked up and thought for a moment, then confidently expressed his opinion into the microphone and took the initiative to brag:

"I don't like being second. This season I am the best big man in the league. We lost the finals last year. This year I am ready and I will return to this stage again!"

It's rare for a German to brag. The ESPN reporter was a little surprised. After a simple blessing, he watched Nowitzki leave and muttered to himself:
"Maybe there will be another good show soon."

(End of this chapter)