NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 496: Winning also makes you tired (Daily Chapter)
On the morning of April 2007, 4, the NBA announced this season's Coach of the Year (COY):
The New York Knicks' Mike D'Antoni was unsurprisingly selected for the award again.

Since coming to New York, Moustache has won many awards such as Coach of the Month, and for him, the Coach of the Month award has become a regular award.

At the Tarrytown Training Center, the coaching staff conducted a video session with everyone in the morning, and during the lunch break, they held a press conference for D'Antoni.

Other contenders for this year's Coach of the Year award include the Raptors' Sam Mitchell, the Utah Jazz's Jerry Sloan and the Mavericks' Avery Johnson.

The three of them ultimately lost, and the 73 wins were not the reason for the defeat. The outrageous record of 41 home wins was the key to the mustache winning the award again.

The Eastern Conference playoff situation is basically clear. Since Wade is troubled by shoulder and knee injuries and only relying on O'Neal, the Heat has a great chance of falling in the first round.

This will leave the Knicks facing the Chris Bosh-led Raptors in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Considering that this is Bosh's first time entering the playoffs, the commentators simply ignored the Dragon King, and it has become a matter of time before the Knicks go straight to the Eastern Conference Finals.

The sports journalists who attended the press conference did not ask about the game. It would take a long time to reach the finals. Everyone wanted to eat melons and talk about the MVP issue, and to add fuel to the fire of Li You.
D'Antoni was in a good mood. He appeared in the media room with a smile on his face, wearing the Knicks' loose training suit.

Five consecutive championships are beckoning him. In fact, the coaching staff did not take the Eastern Conference opponents seriously at all. The Cavaliers have a height advantage, but the Knicks' twin towers are better.

Yesterday, the Best Sixth Man Award was won by the Suns' Leandro Barbosa. The Yahoo Sports reporter didn't even come up to eat melons. After congratulating, he asked about the award first:

"Mike, we all remember that you have always been a voice for your players. How do you comment on Prince missing out on the best sixth man award?"

The Knicks have too many scorers in their rotation and the ball is almost not enough. D'Antoni failed to solve this problem, and the mustache can only continue to make empty promises:

"I know that this award is more focused on scoring ability, but for a team that wants to pursue a championship, defense is actually more important."

"Tayshawn is good at both offense and defense. If he were on another team, he could even become a core player!"

"As a Knicks team, we have sacrificed for each other in pursuit of greater things, and I firmly believe that Tayshawn deserves this award."

The reporters in Los Angeles felt bad after hearing these words. The Knicks had so many players but no conflicts, while Kobe of the Lakers was bullied by role players. The gap between the two teams was getting bigger and bigger.

"Talking about MVP, although the result has not been determined, Nowitzki was at the top of the list in March and April."

"Mike, the media seems to be deliberately avoiding Lee. In this case, do you think Nowitzki should get this award?"

ESPN reporters once again pointed the finger at the Germans. The Mavericks got more than two days of rest, and Game 2 hasn't started yet, but the heat of the discussion is getting higher and higher.

Sports reporters always want to use MVP to stimulate Li You, but unfortunately it has no effect so far.

What confused D'Antoni was that without the award, Li You was not annoyed, but lost interest in the game. The internal situation could not be leaked, and the mustache could only say polite words:
"We all know that people have different expectations of Lee and Dirk."

"68 wins is enough to win the MVP, but in my opinion, Dirk still needs to prove his strength to everyone. He needs to show his dominance."

"Lee welcomes challengers. When his opponent is a new MVP, he will be more committed. I think this is also a matchup he is looking forward to."

"."

The Knicks did not have a training session in the afternoon and would fly to Washington tomorrow. Those who wanted to practice more could stay and continue training. Li You was picked up by Scarlett early.

Rajon Rondo, who was preparing to have lunch at the training center, felt mixed emotions as he watched the red Porsche drive away. New York at 4 a.m. was fake. Li You never practiced extra hours.

Dio and his friends were staying in Tarrytown, and they also had lunch at the training center. Raja Bell selected his food in the restaurant and returned to his seat. He looked at the people flipping through the newspapers and gossiped casually:

"Dwight Howard is said to have $1.2 million in revenue this summer, a $4000 million endorsement from Adidas, and an $8000 million contract with the Cavaliers."

The Cavaliers lead the Nets 2:0, the situation is very good, and agent Aaron Goodwin has begun to build momentum for the happy big boy.

Next season is Raja Bell's player option. Dio glanced at his friend, continued to stare at the newspaper and simply responded:

"An All-Star center, that guy will be the rebounding champion next year. If we want to pursue a big contract, we have to go somewhere else. Maybe there will be a team that will offer a good price."

Dio's team option will definitely be raised in price, which is why he is relaxed. The coaching staff does not want to lose the all-purpose rotation, so he can sign a premium contract in the summer.

Steve Novak, who has never been able to make the active roster this season, is envious. If it weren't for Matt Barnes, he would have given up:

"The general manager will definitely keep the current lineup, but I don't know if the last-place players like us still have a chance."

Barea was also a little worried when he looked at the plate. He performed well after being demoted, but he couldn't squeeze out Rondo's position. The little guy pointed at the news in the newspaper and said enviously:
"Everyone is paying attention to the Warriors. It seems that no one is paying attention to the next two games. I really hope the coach can give us some opportunities."

Rondo ate his lunch alone in silence. The Knicks practiced extra practice entirely on their own initiative. The coaching staff was too lazy to even give him some motivational speeches. If it weren't for someone chasing him, the newbie felt that he couldn't hold on any longer.

JR Smith, who got rid of the 12th man status, performed well in the playoffs and can be called a god of war with the wind.

As his status in the team improved, JR Smith was smiling and teasing the newbies. When he saw Rondo was about to leave, he immediately shouted:

"Hey! Remember to ask those rookies to prepare freshly squeezed orange juice for us. We want to see it before the afternoon training!"

Handmade fresh orange juice and the New York Times, this is Li You’s set meal. If there is a training class in the morning, the newbie has to prepare early in the morning.

Rondo was a little annoyed by JR Smith's bad taste, but noticing that several main players were there, the newbie could only force a smile and nod in response.

"Kobe will definitely be eliminated by Amare this year. I've said it before, he's just a stat brush, no one will pay attention to him in the playoffs. Derek's advice last year was terrible!"

"It's a good thing Matt didn't go to the Lakers. Now he and Steph have become big stars."

Artest made a prediction for tonight's game. Last month, Kobe's consecutive 50+ points made him jealous. In the playoffs, he took the opportunity to start belittling his opponents again.

Rondo was a little upset when he heard these gossips. Kobe did it in Los Angeles at 4 a.m. He respected him very much, but when he thought of the record, he could only sigh in his heart when he left:

"God is so unfair!"

"."

The Lakers and the Suns faced off in Game 2 that night, and just as the commentators had expected, the outcome was no longer in doubt after the first half.

47:68, Steve Nash made 11 assists in the first half, and Barbosa and Stoudemire, who were in the starting lineup, were in full swing.

Marion and Quentin Richardson also performed well, and the Suns brought the game into garbage time early.

Doug Collins, feeling the joyful atmosphere of the stadium, glanced at Kobe's technical statistics, and finally made a tactful comment:

"I think Kobe should do what he is good at. 8 of 4, 3 of 1 from beyond the arc, 13 points is not enough."

Kevin Harlan also agreed with this view. Stoudemire made 11 of 7 shots in the first half and scored 16 points. He broke through the Lakers' defense and was unable to limit the opponent. Offensive battles were a better choice:

"We can look forward to the Lakers' adjustments after returning to their home court. Coach Phil Jackson will find a solution."

In the end, this game turned into a show for Barbosa. Kobe played for only 32 minutes and watched his team being beaten by the opponent with a dark face in the fourth quarter.

94:124, the Suns defeated their opponents by 30 points!
After the game, Kobe went through the fast player tunnel. At the American Airlines Center, more than 18,000 Suns fans were celebrating their easy two-game winning streak at home.

After playing for only 24 minutes, Stoudemire was in a good mood after winning the game. When interviewed by TNT, he even had the mood to tease another focus game:
"We are ready. Kobe performed well in the regular season, but he can't win in a matchup like this. The Lakers are not a playoff team."

"Maybe we'll meet the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. Matt is doing a great job and it's great to see him achieve success with the Warriors!"

"."

Kobe still looked unhappy when he attended the press conference after the game. Although he DNPed Smush Parker and put Andrew Bynum on the bench, the atmosphere in the locker room could not be changed.

When Kobe heard the TNT reporter gossiping about another matchup and talking about the MVP again, he couldn't hold back for a moment and confidently stated:
"As the best scorer in the league, I am qualified to be elected MVP. You should respect me. I am only focused on the current game!" These words startled the sports reporters in the audience. Then some people whispered with a smile on their faces, and the New York reporter took the opportunity to speak unceremoniously:

"Lee, who has 73 wins, will give the trophy to Nowitzki, who has 68 wins, but he has no interest in giving the MVP to the player who leads the team to 41 wins."

Kobe broke through the defense on the spot and immediately got into an argument with the reporters in the audience. The press officer failed to stop them for a while, and the two sides quarreled more and more fiercely, and finally both left the stage.

Smush Parker, who played only three minutes in the game, took the opportunity to speak out about the Lakers' locker room problems:

"Really capable players are being suppressed. Kobe thinks of himself as Michael Jordan, but he forgets that he can't lead the team to win."

"I don't care about my playing time. Even if it's only 40 seconds, I will play seriously when I'm on the court."

Phil Jackson had lost control of the locker room, which made Kobe even more depressed when he returned to the hotel. He refused Fisher's comfort and threw himself into the gym to train more to vent his frustration.

The Lakers lost the game, but the Heat launched a counterattack. Wade and O'Neal, who played with injuries, teamed up to defeat the Raptors and successfully took the initiative.

When asked about the MVP after the game, O'Neal, who has been low-key this season, suddenly fired back, saying in front of a group of reporters:
"Maybe you think MVP is a regular season award, but I never think so. This award represents the best player of the season!"

"The MVP shouldn't fall in the division. I respect the players who have won the award in recent years, but they brought shame to the trophy."

Wade's outstanding performance was overshadowed by O'Neal's big mouth. The sports reporters at the scene were all eating melons and forgetting about the core player who was fighting with an injury.

On Wednesday, April 4th, at home in Manhattan, Li You, who had rarely stayed in bed recently, lay lazily until 25 o'clock.

Ever since he confirmed his failure in "cutting leeks", Li You's motivation to play began to decline. In G1, he punched hard but his opponent did not resist. In G2, he only played for 29 minutes and scored a mediocre 32 points.

83:121. A big victory failed to restore Li You’s motivation. Instead, the multiplayer competition brought him more happiness.

After taking a shower, Melinda returned to the bedroom and saw Li You staring at the ceiling with his arms behind his head. She chuckled and sat down beside the bed and joked:

"Were you unhappy last night? Or are you worried about David Addington's invitation from Albuquerque? Maybe he just wants to take care of you."

David Addington, the president's chief of staff, is not doing well, and that has a lot to do with Dick Cheney's troubles at Halliburton.

The big boss was about to go bankrupt, and when he received the invitation from the Heritage Foundation, it seemed like he was the right person to take over.

This year's trip to the White House was a hassle. Li You flew to Washington and was blocked by David Addington.
"Kim also studied at the University of Albuquerque, so the two of them are barely alumni, and this old friend has never helped me before."

Li You patted Melinda's butt and made a joke. The big-breasted girl glared at him in anger. Although she had become a mother, her personality was still the same as before.

"So you're not interested in basketball? Scarlett told me you're more interested in the mail from England."

The big-breasted girl snuggled into his arms and whispered again. Li You looked at her big watery eyes and shook his head helplessly. He was used to those outstanding talents and couldn't accept that he had become the "strongest" for a while.

"I love basketball, and it feels great to be in the spotlight and move my body. I'm just looking forward to stronger opponents. Winning too much will make me tired."

Li You kissed the dishonest Melinda in his arms. The big-breasted girl looked a little strange after hearing this reason. She didn't know how to comfort her for a moment.

Scarlett came to the room with breakfast in her thin nightgown. Seeing Li You still lying on the bed, she quickly squeezed in on him, tilted her head and whispered:

"Dear, how about we wait another two months and then go out to sea? Travel on the sea."

As the succubus was talking, she whispered in her ear a suggestion that she had been looking forward to the yacht play for a long time and the new boat must be shaken up.

He agreed immediately, and soon there was a sweet laugh in the bedroom. In the morning, he practiced controlling the ball from behind again. The dimples on the succubus's waist increased Li You's ball control speed:

“Let’s have breakfast together”

"."

When the Knicks set off for Washington in the afternoon, the Mavericks were still preparing for the game at home. If they lost again, they didn't know what the outside world's public opinion would be like.

After the unexpected loss to the Warriors in G1, Nowitzki felt tremendous pressure. The German was happily preparing to receive the MVP trophy, but now he feels his scalp tingling at the thought of failure.

More and more reporters gathered around, and everyone wanted to have fun. The team staff had to limit interviews these days, and the words of head coach Nelson made people feel uneasy.

In the game that night, the Mavericks relied on the Warriors' 24 turnovers to continuously attack their opponents in the second half and eventually won the game.

99:112, although the Mavericks made only 17 of 1 three-pointers, they still protected their home court.

诺维斯基的表现让小牛队球迷有些失望，15中7，三分线外2中0，罚球11中9，23分7篮板1抢断2盖帽。

Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse both stood up. After the game, the Germans breathed a sigh of relief. Nowitzki, who was interviewed, had no smile on his face and commented seriously:

"The playoffs start with winning on the road, and the Warriors did that. Now we have to tighten up and take the initiative back."

The atmosphere in the American Airlines Arena was not very enthusiastic. Most Mavericks fans expected Nowitzki to explode, and if he could score 40 points, they would not be stingy with their cheers.

"Dirk, does the MVP trophy bring you more pressure?"

Hearing the question from the ESPN reporter, Nowitzki couldn't help but take a deep breath. The public opinion almost made him lose sleep, but thinking of the 68 wins, he still showed confidence:
"No, we just lost a home game. In the next games, the Mavericks will show their true strength!"

On April 4, the NBA announced this season's Most Improved Player Award (MIP):
Monta Ellis of the Warriors won the award.

Back in San Francisco, receiving the trophy, Monta Ellis smiled brightly in front of the media. When asked about the subsequent games, the newbie also expressed his confidence:
“Coach told us to play like Lee, which encouraged us, and Stephen and Matt brought championship experience. Now we are fearless!”

“I received a text message from Li after I won the award. He encouraged me. This recognition gave me extra motivation.”

"In last year's finals, Lee defeated Nowitzki. Now we have to do the same thing. We know how to win."

Sports journalists can't wait to watch the drama. Although the Mavericks won, most of the commentators were discussing what Nowitzki should do after the loss.
The Wizards were sorely ignored that they failed to make any waves when they returned to their home court.

Although there were rumors before the game that Caron Butler would play with an injury, after the activation list was announced, Butler and Arenas did not appear on the list.

At 17:30 p.m., more than 2 fans poured into the Verizon Center, many of whom came to watch the Knicks. The injury-ridden Wizards failed to attract the fans' attention.

The first quarter was the same as usual. Antawn Jamison was tightly guarded and could not catch the ball in his sweet spot.

Stevenson, who just threw the ball, still missed the target.
Although the Wizards were behind, the fans at the scene did not hesitate to cheer. After Li You stole the ball, he made a long-distance dunk, and the Verizon Center was boiling.

When Chief of Staff David Addington and White House staff appeared in the front row at the end of the first quarter, the director quickly turned the camera to the group.

"It seems that the rumors are true. Many staff members in the White House are fans of Lee!"

"God, Mr. President has been meeting with the Knicks for all these years, I almost forgot about it."

Doug Collis made a joke in the TNT commentary booth. Kevin Harlan noticed that the gray-bearded David Addington smiled and greeted Li You, and he also made a joke:

"Watching the Knicks game allows me to enjoy the joy of victory!"

"Maybe this is also a way to relieve stress. According to the current pace of the game, Li will get another big win tonight."

At the end of the first quarter, the score was fixed at 35:17. The Wizards improved a little, but the game basically lost its suspense.

During the intermission, the fans at the scene completely changed their sides and began to cheer for the Knicks. Arenas, who was wearing a gray suit on the bench, frowned at the shouting:

"How did it become like this?"

(End of this chapter)