NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 550 The Beginning of the Contempt Chain (Daily Chapter)

On Monday, April 2008, 4, head coach Doc Rivers faced an embarrassing moment. The home team was hyped too much, and now reporters were looking at him in a different way.

Everyone can understand losing, but losing two games in a row in the same way is something that should not happen to a championship team.

Maybe sports journalists didn’t feel it deeply before, but the Knicks’ success in the Eastern Conference and their repeated 12-0 performance in the playoffs have made more and more people accept a concept:
"Bullying the weak is the prerequisite for winning the championship."

It was almost 23pm, but the sports reporters were still enthusiastic. Seeing Rivers making all kinds of excuses, they thought it was more interesting than winning!
No one believed that the Hawks could advance. If the Celtics unexpectedly lost and were eliminated in the first round, Rivers would be fired in front of everyone.

If a team like the “Big Four” can’t win, don’t coach an NBA team!
The reporter from Fox Sports was a young white guy. Perhaps because he had just started working, the questions he asked were somewhat fan-like:
"I noticed that Paul Pierce's shooting percentage was less than 40% in two consecutive games. Does this mean that there is a problem with the team's tactics?"

If the players perform poorly, it must be the coach's fault!

The NBA has had a "fan-oriented" trend for a long time. Most fans firmly believe that their idols are the best, and that poor statistics must be due to other reasons.

As for "lack of ability", fans don't even consider this issue.

In Game 3, Paul Pierce shot 13 of 5. After the loss, in Game 4, Pierce shot 14 of 5 again. His scores in both games did not exceed 20 points. His poor performance was beyond everyone's expectations.

Not only Pierce, but Ray Allen also performed mediocrely. In addition, there were defensive loopholes on Marbury's side, and they were eventually reversed by their opponents, and the two teams returned to the same starting line.

Rivers, who was sitting on the stage, was silent for a moment after hearing the question. Since he announced 100 sets of tactical combinations, the bored basketball commentators began to count.

After losing two games in a row, more people are beginning to doubt his tactical system. In the two away playoff games, "giving the ball to Garnett" seemed to be the "core" of the tactics, which is completely different from what was hyped.

"I have to take my hat off to the opponents. They are very energetic. Josh Smith has excellent physical talent. Joe Johnson and Al Horford also caused us a lot of trouble."

"Players are not robots. When playing away from home, their physical condition will fluctuate. I believe everyone will be able to adjust quickly."

"Maybe you have all forgotten that many people on the team haven't played in the playoffs in recent years. The veterans will also be nervous. Winning a game tests the team's talent, which is the charm of basketball!"

Rivers is very good at persuading people. After he gave his reasons in a low and hoarse voice in a serious manner, many reporters in the audience actually nodded.

But there are still people who don't buy it. After all, the two recent losses were too ugly, which does not fit the image of the "Big Four" in people's impression.

"I don't know if the Celtics are paying attention to the situation of their opponents. The Knicks have already advanced. What adjustments will the team make for the upcoming G5?"

The TNT reporter didn't say everything. Not only the Knicks, but also the Cavaliers, who were in good form, swept the Raptors 4:0. The Beast beat Spaghetti and completely dominated the inside.

So much so that after the Raptors lost, Chris Bosh publicly stated after the game that "Andrea needs to perform better."
Rivers was a little overwhelmed when thinking about facing the Cavaliers in the next round, who would take zone defense to the extreme. He didn't even consider the Knicks. After several years of beatings, LeBron James also grew up.

"As for rebounds, we lost 8 rebounds to our opponent tonight, and we also lost 12 offensive rebounds to them. This shows that our game energy is not enough!"

"The playoffs are a test of wills. We are no worse than anyone else in this respect. No one wants to win more than us!"

Instead of talking about tactical coordination, Rivers started talking about "basketball will". This double-blocking behavior made some reporters secretly curl their lips, but some also showed approval.

They may not understand the specific tactics, but when it comes to talking about these "virtual things", no one is better than them, and fans like this kind of reports.

Time seemed to have lengthened, and Rivers finally breathed a sigh of relief after the press conference. Losing two games in a row was really embarrassing, after all, their opponents couldn't even get 40 wins in the regular season.

As he walked quickly towards the locker room, the assistant coach stopped Rivers and leaned over to remind him in a low voice:
"Kevin is organizing a team meeting. We can wait for a while. The next home game is too important."

Rivers heaved a sigh of relief and a relaxed smile appeared on his face. He had already mastered the essence of the "AFK" head coach. When Garnett finished the meeting, he only needed to serve him chicken soup.

The Celtics received extra attention after losing two consecutive away games. Even the former owner of the Hawks, CNN founder Ted Turner, joked in an interview with his own TV station:

"I don't know much about the league right now, but it looks like the boys beat a tough opponent."

"If I were still the owner of the team, I would give them a big contract. These young people are the future of the Eagles."

The old guy is very popular in Atlanta and once turned the Atlanta Braves baseball team into a nationally popular team. He is an excellent owner for local sports fans.

No one would refute the billionaire, but more and more people began to laugh at the "Big Four". If they lost Game 5, they would most likely become the next Mavericks.

"Pau, I need you to show your energy. Don't tell me you're scared by the rookie on the other side!"

"He can jump really high, but this is basketball, and you should be able to handle him 100 ways."

Garnett, standing in front of everyone, was the first to fire at Pierce. In fact, his performance tonight was not very good. He made 21 of 9 shots and only scored 20 points.

The reason why I mentioned Josh Smith is mainly because he lost face.
16中8，三分线外6中0，罚球13中12，28分6篮板2助攻2抢断7盖帽1失误，约什-史密斯让老鹰队内线变成了禁飞区。

Most of Pierce's points are concentrated outside the three-point line. After the magic ball, he is very dependent on finishing near the paint. He made 7 of 1 shots from inside the three-point line tonight, which is really poor.

Looking at Garnett who was chattering non-stop, the annoyed Pierce could only pat his chest and said that it was his fault tonight. Soon Marbury also heard the criticism from his old teammate and his face became even uglier:
"Mike Bibby is a softie who can only shoot jump shots! Steph, you only got 4 free throws in a game, damn, you should go after him!"

"You're not too old to break through. This is the playoffs. Opponents won't lose rebounds easily. You have to stop the game at the right time."

"Ten free throws, go to the rim, and Kendrick and I will get the rebounds."

Although Marbury felt that he had lost face, losing was a fact, and he finally responded, expressing his agreement with what was said.

After meaninglessly insulting his opponent for a few words, Garnett calmed himself down, looked at Ray Allen who was looking at him quietly, forced a smile, and took the initiative to bump fists:
"Ray, as long as you can maintain this offensive efficiency, we will definitely win when we return home! We will end this series as soon as possible."

Among the Celtics, the best player tonight was Ray Allen, who made 14 of 8 shots, 8 of 5 from beyond the three-point line, and scored a team-high 21 points.

Although he allowed his opponent Joe Johnson to score 35 points, Ray Allen played strictly according to the tactical requirements and had a good attitude. He performed better than the other two who were just throwing around the ball.

"Don't worry, we are still adapting to the playoffs. In fact, we haven't felt this kind of atmosphere for many years. Maybe losing is not a bad thing."

Ray Allen showed a relaxed look on his face and took the initiative to comfort his angry teammates. Everyone was under too much pressure and failed to seize several opportunities to overtake during the game.

Tonight's game actually involves a 7-player rotation. Rivers stopped pretending to be cool and fought hard against the main players, which created considerable psychological pressure on the atmosphere group. The chain reaction was that everyone's shots became worse and worse.

Sam Cassell nodded in agreement, looked at Garnett, and then looked around at the atmosphere group who didn't dare to speak, and finally suggested:

"We can give everyone more playing time. I believe everyone can get back to their form when they return to their home court."

Although the "alien" is ugly, he has been in the league for so many years and knows the psychology of role players very well.

The Timberwolves' locker room had some minor problems at the beginning. Garnett looked down on his teammates who were imparting "championship experience", which was the reason why the team began to collapse after the second season.

Realizing that he should encourage everyone, Garnett quickly smiled and took the initiative to fist-bump with James Posey, Leon Powe and Eddie House. Glen Davis, the rookie, did not notice the problem in Garnett's words. Seeing the boss kindly encouraging everyone, Roudunzi was very excited and finally took the initiative to express his opinion:
"I swear, if you give me 10 minutes of playing time, I can grab 5 rebounds!"

Noticing the fat face in front of him, Gannett nodded, punched the other person's chest, showed his white teeth, smiled confidently and said:

"Well done, Bro! This is the kind of fighting spirit the team needs. I guarantee you'll get more chances."

By the time head coach Rivers entered the locker room, everyone had regained their energy. He was very satisfied with the players' current state and started to offer some spiritual chicken soup:

"Hey! Hey! Very good! Forget about these two games, we have two home games next, but I don't want the game to go to G7."

"Remember, believe in yourself and your teammates. We are a team with 63 wins. In the game the day after tomorrow, I hope you can make your opponents feel desperate!"

"."

On Tuesday, April 4, New York newspapers reported on the conflict that occurred last night's game, with Knicks fans and 29ers fans fighting outside the stadium after the game.

The boxing match almost turned into a brawl, and the New York fans, who were outnumbered, suffered a great loss, which made sports reporters particularly angry.

Several columnists have criticized the basketball environment in Philadelphia, and some have attributed the opponent's 12-year winless streak to the "violent" Philadelphia fans.
"It's unbelievable that two neighboring cities have completely different basketball environments. Philadelphia fans should reflect on why the 76ers keep losing!"

New York fans were in a good mood after reading the newspaper. Madison Square Garden is a basketball mecca, while Philadelphia is the "basketball graveyard."

If you hit people when you lose, what will happen if you win?
周六的比赛，132:79，76人队惨败，核心球员伊戈达拉三节比赛17中4，三分线外5中0，罚球6中2，贡献10分6篮板2助攻1抢断4失误；

周一晚上，124:86，76人队被干脆利落横扫，伊戈达拉三节23中7，三分线外6中1，罚球8中4，砍下19分5篮板3助攻2抢断5失误。

The Wachovia Center had a very poor attendance rate last night, with only 1 fans choosing to watch the game, including nearly 2000 New York fans.
Li You collapsed the basketball market next door, and eventually the angry Philadelphia fans chose to take action.

After the first round of games, young fans who like to have fun began to promote a "chain of contempt" in the Reddit section, with Philadelphia basketball at the very end of the chain.

Dallas, which suffered a shameful loss and stole honors, ranked second from the bottom, while San Antonio, which reached the finals for many years and created many shameful records, ranked third from the bottom;

Boston and Los Angeles, which are close to each other, are not ranked high either. Only New York has the best basketball atmosphere, where everyone can enjoy the purest basketball game in the world:
Champions, records, one-person-one-city awards, etc.
Social media has been developing at an increasingly rapid pace in recent years. If you despise someone online, you will be hit hard offline.

Young people have endless energy and can discuss the topic of "who is a better basketball player" for years.

This morning, the NBA announced the best coach (COY) of this season:
Byron Scott of the Hornets successfully won this award. The speed of this team's rise this year was beyond everyone's expectations, and Scott has proved himself again.

In addition, the Hornets have already got the match point, which is double happiness. Byron Scott, who was receiving the award, was grinning from ear to ear. Seeing Kidd in bad luck, he also felt relieved.

In the afternoon ESPN radio program in New York, Stephen A. Smith not only congratulated Coach Scott on his award, but also invited Iguodala based on his many years of connections in Philadelphia.

Although the influence of print media and radio has been gradually declining in recent years, there are still many fixed groups of people who have the habit of listening to the radio.

Due to ESPN's reform this year, Stephen A. Smith's appearance frequency has decreased, so his big mouth talent can only be demonstrated on the radio program.

The first question at the beginning made many drivers who were listening to the show almost fall on their steering wheels with laughter. Stephen A. Smith obviously had inside information and asked directly:
"How about the title of Philadelphia Mamba? Lee praised your defensive ability after the game. You know, Mamba is not only about offense!"

Although he was prepared, Iguodala was still a little annoyed when he heard this title. He now fully understands that "Mamba" sometimes means loser.

But players who have never played against Li You are not aware of this and think it is a kind of "compliment".

"Looking at my statistics, it's hard for me to live up to such a title. You know, Lee taught me a lesson this year. It was actually a rare experience."

"I assured the coach in the locker room that I would defend Lee, but I overestimated myself. I agree with O'Neal. In the playoffs, Lee is in a different state!"

Wearing headphones and talking about his feelings into the microphone, Iguodala vividly portrayed a Li You who was different from the regular season, which also refreshed the impressions of some new fans.

Not everyone has been watching basketball since 96. As for Li You, who competed against Michael Dunk in the early days, fans can only learn about him from "old" documentaries.

Stephen A. Smith was very satisfied with this answer. When the younger brother had finished speaking, he asked again with a hint of meaning:
"We all know that the Celtics seem to be in trouble, of course, I believe they can make it to the Eastern Conference Finals!"

"You've played against them, and I believe the 76ers coaching staff has shown you a lot of Boston's game tapes. What do you think of the conference finals?"

Although the Celtics didn't say who their opponent was, everyone knew that the Pistons couldn't stop the Knicks. Iguodala didn't want to offend the old guys, so he gave a more tactful answer:

"I think the key to the playoffs is matchup. No one in the league can limit Lee, even though he is 30 years old."

"In the past, there was a view that time would take away a player's physical talent, but Lee is different. I think he is stronger now. His experience, skills and physicality are at another level."

"Basketball games are sometimes very simple. Give the ball to the superstars and they can solve the problem. No one can compare to Lee in this respect."

"."

The program was very friendly. Although it was a pity that Iguodala did not accept the title of "Philadelphia Mamba", the fans were able to get a deeper understanding of Li You on the court from the young players' mouths.

"If you have the opportunity in the future, will you come to New York to play basketball? You know, this is the holy land of basketball, and fans all over the world are watching us."

Iguodala felt a little uncomfortable seeing Stephen A. Smith's proud look, but he also had to strengthen his image and answered without hesitation:

"I want to end my career in one city like Lee did. I'm old-school in that."

On Wednesday, April 4, the Tarrytown Training Center was bustling again as MSG was about to start filming a documentary, starting with Lee You winning the MVP trophy again this year.

The Eastern Conference semifinals can be regarded as a "grudge game". Returning to the Palace of Auburn Hills, the Pistons have already got the match point and the opponent will not miss such an opportunity.

In the morning, we deliberately filmed some training and speech shots. For a marginal player like Gary Neal, this experience was very novel.

Li Youke is an old actor. At the end of the training session, the camera recorded the champion's declaration:

"I respect every opponent, but to lose to a team with less than 40 wins, to be honest, I am a little disappointed."

"But we still have to be nervous. We have to let them know what a true championship team is!"

"I don't like Paul Pierce's big mouth"

When Artest heard the name of his old rival, he immediately grabbed a shot for himself and said viciously:

"I promise, I'm going to beat the shit out of him this year!"

(End of this chapter)