NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 512: Thoughtful Gifts. (Daily Chapter)
On Monday, June 2007, 6, the San Antonio Express-News published an early morning report about the brutality that befell Bruce Bowen:
"We will never forget Bruce Bowen's contribution to the community. This kind and good husband should not have been treated like this."

"He could have given the championship to his newborn son, but now he can only watch the team fall into trouble in the hospital."

"The opponents are afraid of our adjustments. They are terrified by coach Popovich's tactics. The Spurs can hold their heads high. They showed the purest basketball to the fans!"

4 finals, losing more and more miserably, and finally breaking down completely.
As one of the major daily newspapers in San Antonio, the newspaper no longer analyzes the game as it used to, and the entire sports page is filled with emotional output.

Not only newspapers, but many local sports reporters also denounced Game 3 on their blogs after the game, and firmly believed that the Spurs had a chance to win.

Although the Spurs did not win a quarter like in the previous two games, and lagged behind in rebounds, assists, steals, and shooting percentage, Spurs fans firmly believed that as long as Bowen was not injured, they would definitely win!
Regional newspapers naturally serve local fans. If you read the New York Times, the Spurs' die-hard fans will probably tear the newspaper to pieces on the spot:
“San Antonio is crying again.”

There is no suspense in the series anymore. A photo of Li You making a listening gesture after hitting a long three-pointer was quoted to officially announce the arrival of the fifth consecutive championship, and by the way, it also paid off the loan for the championships in the following years.

In the picture, we can see that a large number of fans are holding their heads in frustration, and some fans are directly covering their faces. The photos are well taken. Although the content is all about belittling opponents and bragging, New York fans are in a good mood after seeing them.

Yun fans didn’t care about tactics and matchups. In the second half of the game, Li You was very accurate from beyond the three-point line, so all they had to do was exclaim “Wow.”

Witness a brilliant individual performance that will be the subject of conversation for months to come, and as for the hapless Tim Duncan, who cares about the losing side?
Fans who want to see technical analysis can read the articles of Bill Simmons, a well-known ESPN columnist. Although his articles always like to show off his "writing style" and "cold jokes", the content is more substantial.

Bill Simmons updated his column late at night and gave a direct conclusion in his article:

"As long as Lee is still in the league, the era of big men will not come in the next five years"

The above conclusions refer to Michael Jordan's career. The deputy GOAT's performance reached the worst of his career at the age of 34. Considering Li You's age, 5 years is the most reasonable prediction.

No one mentioned Tim Duncan's "all-round offense and defense" anymore. This big man who was highly expected after entering the league had inefficient offense and poor defense in three games.

Maybe there was something wrong with his mentality. He couldn't make any free throws during the game and wasted the home advantage.

The trend of public opinion will not care about the lineup gap between the two teams. Duncan, who has reached the finals four times, will probably only receive the most fair evaluation after he retires.

On Tuesday, the 13th, TNT, which was unable to broadcast the finals, struck again in its afternoon program.

Spurs legend Sean Elliott appeared on the show, but this did not affect Charles Barkley's performance. Instead, it took this opportunity to consolidate the "star quality theory".
San Antonio will face Game 21 at 4 p.m. that night, but there is no suspense in the series anymore, and everyone assumes that the Knicks will win the championship.

"At 31, I respect Tim Duncan, but I don't think he can be as good as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when he's nearly 40."

"Duncan is probably the most overrated player. I don't understand why nobody criticizes him when he plays badly, when he's had a lot of shit games over the years."

"Whenever Duncan performs poorly, he always finds excuses: tactics, injuries, teammates. I've heard enough!"

The director had just played a highlight reel of Duncan's missed shots. The camera turned to the studio, and Charles Barkley kept talking. He noticed that Sean Elliott's face had darkened, and he looked at him and added:
"I think Lee let the fans see Tim Duncan's true strength. In this era of dimming stars, he is just an ordinary All-Star and he can't lead the team to win the championship."

"Just like the MVP was given to him by Lee, Tim Duncan never reached that height, and considering his age, the Spurs' championship window has closed."

He played for 45 minutes, made 21 of 9 shots, 14 of 8 free throws, 26 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 turnover. The director once again showed Duncan's statistics to the fans in front of the TV, and it looked really mediocre.

Sean Elliott, as a former teammate, was upset when he heard this. Duncan's reputation plummeted, and he couldn't do without Barkley's big mouth. He was even stripped of his MVP. He couldn't stand it anymore:
"Basketball is not a one-man sport, and sometimes we have to acknowledge the gap in the lineup."

"I know Tim, he is a true leader, he is willing to sacrifice to win, statistics are never something he considers, no other player on the Spurs can do better than him!"

Kenny Smith didn't say anything when he saw the emotional Spurs star. Charles Barkley didn't care at all and started to make sarcastic remarks again:
"I have lowered my expectations for Duncan. Don't say I don't care about the statistics. Whoever scores more points in a basketball game will win."

"In fact, Duncan was unable to score against the Knicks' defense. If he averaged 30+10 and lost, I would have retracted my opinion long ago. I am just telling the fans a fact that he is overrated."

Ernie Johnson felt that if he continued the conversation, today's guest might explode on the spot, so he could only smile and change the subject:
"Eight three-pointers in a single game in the finals. We are not unfamiliar with such performances. Sean, why do you think Li was able to explode in crucial games?"

"Some of the three-point shots last night were incredible to me!"

出场40分钟，22中14，三分线外13中8，罚球6中6，42分8篮板14助攻2抢断2失误；

Li You broke out in the third quarter, changing his state in the first half. At the critical moment, he led the team to a 36:16 score and easily ended the game.

The director once again reviewed Li You's five three-pointers in the third quarter, including a strong shot after a pick-and-roll, a throw after a reverse run, and a long three-pointer just past half court.
"It's hard to describe. When Lee hits these incomprehensible shots, it has a huge impact on the defender, sometimes even destroying the confidence of the opposing players."

"You can't predict his offensive choices. Unlike when he first entered the league, Lee's breakthroughs are more threatening now. Apart from double-teaming, I can't think of a better defensive method."

After saying this, Sean Elliott seemed to be a little depressed as he recalled the 99 Finals. He almost won a ring that year.

Kenny Smith noticed that the star was getting more and more depressed, so he stopped talking about the topic and just talked about the recent gossip:

"Lee is leading the Knicks to challenge the historical record, and it seems that no one in the league can stop them."

"The Suns, Lakers, Celtics, and Timberwolves seem to be initiating a four-way trade. Maybe we'll get the news after the finals."

"Kevin Garnett's departure seems to have entered the countdown."

Before the evening game started, Popovich, who had lost three games in a row, appeared in front of the media with a haggard face. The old man still seemed unable to let go. After answering a few questions, he said with red eyes:

"Bruce is a good man. He and Yardley Barbon just welcomed their second child, but now he can only lie in the hospital."

"It was very sad to see a tough guy lying on his bed in tears. We cannot accept such an outcome."

124:95, the Spurs suffered a crushing defeat in G3 after returning to their home court. Tonight they will face the most familiar battle of honor!

Most sports reporters are no longer interested in the results of the game. They only want to interview Tim Duncan. Unfortunately, this core player seems to have broken through the defense and refused to accept personal interviews after attending the press conference.

The media reporters naturally did not buy the Spurs' response to Duncan's injury. Anyway, the Spurs' championship window is almost over, so there is no pressure to add insult to injury at this time.

Game 3 was not a good match. The Spurs had too many free throws and their offense did not show a good routine. ESPN reporters kept asking this question: "We noticed that the Spurs' free throws increased a lot after returning to their home court. Was the reduction in outside shooting the reason for the team's loss?"

由于鲍文的退场，马刺队G3三分线外13中5，其中吉诺比利一人6中4，布伦特-巴里4中0，罗伯特-霍里3中1
Hearing the other party's sarcastic questions, Popovich certainly would not admit the coaching staff's arrangement, but just spoke politely with grief and anger:

"I'm so proud of my players! No one gave up until the very end."

"."

Some reporters secretly curled their lips when they heard these boring remarks. Everyone knew that Bowen was using the tactics to match up against the opponent's core players, and Popovich would also have to take the blame for the loss.

Since the NBA had already started preparing for the award ceremony a day in advance, on the day of the game, Li You was mainly busy greeting sports reporters throughout the afternoon.

Unlike the Spurs players who were ignored by everyone, the Knicks players have long been surrounded by a group of media. The AT&T Center is not unfamiliar to Li You. He held the trophy here when the new arena was just built.

Well-known sports reporter Jim Gray was warmly received by Li You. Even when he asked about the conflict in the previous game, it did not affect the atmosphere in the locker room:

"Bruce Bowen is an excellent defender and we all don't want to see this happen."

"Like the fans, I feel very sorry to see this veteran leave the field!"

"But I also prepared gifts for my old rivals. These champagnes symbolize our friendship. After my career ends, I will definitely miss these years of confrontation."

Li You hugged Jim Gray and recalled the past with a smile. No reporter who heard this refuted, but instead followed suit to flatter him.

Every reporter present got a share. The green bottle of the golf limited edition Spade Ace was the small gift for everyone. Not only the reporters, Li You also prepared champagne for his old rivals.

Sharing the championship champagne may bring good luck. Li You believes that Tim Duncan and others will like this special gift.
"Lee, after winning the championship, will you accept the invitation from head coach Krzyzewski?"

The Fox Sports reporter asked about this year's selection. In order to prepare for the 12-man Olympic roster, an open tournament will be held in July, which will be broadcast live across the United States.

"I need to return to my family. I recommended Jason Kidd a long time ago. If you want to bring a rookie, Kevin Durant is the best choice."

After hearing Li You's answer, everyone knew that the idea of ​​an open tryout was not a good one. It was obvious that coach Krzyzewski wanted to calm the tempers of the big-name stars.
"It seems that there will be a major trade before the draft. Which team in the Western Conference will be the next opponent of the Knicks in the future?"

TNT reporters automatically ruled out the Spurs. The weak roster depth and the annual "filling the salary cap" operation made the commentators completely lose confidence in this team.

“What about Kobe?”

Before Li You could answer, the young reporter from Yahoo Sports in the back suddenly shouted. No one said anything for a moment, and then low laughter was heard from the locker room.

JR Smith, who was watching the fun, laughed and shook his head to imitate, and after shouting a few times, he mocked the big star who frequently caused heated discussions during the finals:
"Where is Kobe? He's fishing! Who in the league cares about him? There's no second Shaq now. The best big men are in New York!"

For a moment, everyone on the Knicks team was smiling, even Gasol, who did not participate in the gossip, had a smile on his face. The atmosphere group, led by JR Smith, created an even more joyful atmosphere.

"I am more concerned about the team's own condition. As long as we can stay healthy, the Knicks can keep winning!"

"It's a shame that Grant chose to take his talents to ESPN, the championship needs him."

Li You did not answer the question directly, but after hearing this, the sports reporter knew that the previous news was true. Hill chose to terminate his contract and retire directly.

After the media reporters left, D'Antoni and the coaching staff returned to the locker room, all dressed up. Hill, who was attending the pre-match press conference, took a deep breath and formed a circle with everyone for the final game.

Without much emotion, Hill showed a relieved smile on his face. Maybe he is not a qualified leader, but his career is undoubtedly successful:

"Logging is tiring!"

After shouting in unison, everyone followed Li You and trotted towards the player tunnel. At the end of the team, Rajon Rondo felt both excited and confused.

In the finals, D'Antoni became very conservative, and the newbies could only play in garbage time, with each game lasting only more than 2 minutes.

Without any outstanding performance, Rondo won a championship in the first season of his professional career. It was not until he heard bursts of boos in his ears that the rookie came to his senses.

"Champion!"

David Lee, with his curly hair, didn't have as many emotions as a newbie. He jumped and danced, and shouted happily with Raja Bell and others, waiting for tonight's game.

At 21 p.m., the AT&T Center was not full even after the game started. The disappointed Spurs fans seemed to have no interest in watching their old rivals lift the trophy again at home.

After losing Game 3, Duncan seemed to be autistic. He didn't say a few words for more than a day. As the game progressed, he showed no desire to attack.

Tonight is Hill's last game in his career. The Knicks team frequently passed the ball to the veteran, and Li You took the lead in feeding the ball.

Prince, who appeared in the starting lineup, did not show himself much, and he kept pestering Ginobili on the defensive end.

In addition, Parker was silenced by Li You, and the Knicks quickly launched a transition offense. The continuous counterattacks caused boos in the stadium again.

Popovich, who used a timeout early, failed to inspire Duncan's fighting spirit. With several missed jump shots in the left blocking zone, the Spurs gradually collapsed.

In the final stage of the first quarter, as Li You grabbed long rebounds one after another and Hill, who was as fierce as a tiger in fast breaks, scored easily again, the AT&T Center became like a library.
35:15, the first quarter ended, the atmosphere team on the Knicks bench celebrated wildly, and the championship was only a matter of time.

3 of 0 shots, 2 of 0 free throws, and zero points. Duncan returned to the bench and covered his face with his hands. No one said anything. Everyone on the Spurs realized that their leader had collapsed.

Popovich was unable to offer any inspiration. The old man looked at his beloved player in pain, and his eyes turned red for a moment:

“It’s all my responsibility.”

(End of this chapter)