NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 775 A Special Way to Express Respect (Daily Life Chapter)
On Friday, February 11, 2011, the Lakers made their first visit to New York this season. For this occasion, the New York fans club unusually did not give Anthony, who plays for the second team next door, a warm welcome to the Mamba this week.

The NBA recently released the results of a fan demographic survey, which showed that among the four major sports leagues, the NBA has the youngest audience, with an average age of 39.5 years old.

This survey report is very convincing. At least in New York, most of the season ticket buyers in recent years are die-hard fans of the Li You era. Young people do not have enough spending power, and most of the people watching the games live are older fans.

However, young fans in New York have their own unique way of watching the games. Since Times Square started showing the Finals, most young people prefer to watch the games outdoors.

The atmosphere was just as good as watching a game live, and even more free. In short, the New York fan club was born under these circumstances.

When it comes to "meeting" skills, these guys are second to none, and no other fans in other regions dare to claim to be number one.
The New York Knicks fan club also has its own channel on YouTube, providing daily MSG reports and cooperating with the Knicks in promotions. In just a few months, its number of fans has skyrocketed!
Those who can't create something special aren't qualified to join. The level of "beating group" cosplay has risen sharply. Taking advantage of Kobe's visit to New York, the fan club will hold "meetings" for Mamba every day this week.

In the latest episode on Thursday, the cold weather didn't dampen everyone's enthusiasm. When talking about their old rivals, members of the New York fan club enthusiastically fanned the flames:
"Kobe should step aside and accept Stoudemire's leadership; he has no right to boss a championship forward around!"

"The Joker should just play his role! Stop portraying himself as Lee's rival. Kobe didn't even have the ability to steal the MVP!"

"Kobe's championship ring should be confiscated so he'll stop calling himself a superstar."

"Kobe, go for the All-Star MVP! That's the trophy that truly belongs to you! Remember to thank Lee, otherwise we won't cooperate with your performance!"

"."

In front of the camera, everyone was so happy they were practically steaming. When it came time for the "beating" segment, the doll wearing a Kobe mask was thrown to the ground, and everyone scrambled to kick it, stomping on it before cheering again.

Although this process is simple and straightforward, it is very popular among online fans. Even young fans from neighboring cities have participated in the event. Not long ago, a Philadelphia fan betrayed the team and publicly burned his "No. 3" jersey.

The program concluded with the usual well wishes, accompanied by a barrage of "fucks," and ended with "Father."
If you can't attend the game in person, watching the New York fan club's program before the game will provide a better experience. They've already figured out the Knicks' strategy this season, and they usually don't lose at home.

A recent string of home games, coupled with the 76ers' generosity, has propelled them to 8th place in the standings. Although they will likely miss the playoffs again, it's enough to give everyone something to celebrate before the All-Star break.

Kobe's arrival in New York at this time naturally earned him no respect. Before the game even started, the Mamba was humiliated, and the news of the incident even overshadowed the news of Howard's injury.

ESPN's morning show reported that "The Happy Beast" might miss the All-Star Game, which surprised many commentators, as no one expected the back injury caused by the previous flagrant foul to be so serious.

It's no wonder people didn't take it seriously; it's mainly because Howard looks too strong!

Compared to his rookie season, "Happy Beast" has developed tremendous muscle mass in recent years. Just look at those muscular shoulders; he looks like a "monster."

Although it looks like technology, most fans don't care about these things. Taking drugs is the norm, and becoming stronger always comes at a price.

Not only is he unlikely to play in the All-Star game, but according to an unnamed source within the Cavaliers, there are also problems in the locker room, with Howard and Artest reportedly having a conflict.

Fortunately, there was no mole among the Cavaliers players, and the specifics of what happened can only be speculated by the media at this point.

At 19:30 p.m. that evening, Madison Square Garden was packed. Although Kobe's reputation was poor in the new season, it did not affect everyone's enthusiasm for watching the game.

New York fans naturally didn't expect Mamba to have a breakout performance; everyone wanted to see Kobe struggle and rage in the basketball mecca. For this reason, fans who bought seats for screaming started shouting enthusiastically from the very beginning.

Wearing a purple away jersey, Kobe's face darkened at the start of the game amidst jeers and taunts. He rarely received the ball on offensive possessions, and New York fans on the sidelines loudly mocked him.

"Take off your protective gear! Stop imitating Michael Jordan, all you do is miss shots!"

Because Li You sparked a craze for arm braces, Kobe Bryant, in order to show his uniqueness over the years, has always worn a "retro" and old-fashioned elbow brace on his left arm.

This style of dressing was very popular in the 90s, but after the turn of the century, most players became "gear enthusiasts," and arm sleeves became the preferred choice.

Kobe, who was making a triple threat on the left wing, had a twitch in his eye. Meanwhile, the New York side had "fast-forwarded" into mindless criticism, with even equipment becoming the target of criticism.

Prince stayed close to Kobe, seemingly unconcerned that Kobe would blow past him. Seeing his old teammate stop the ball, Odom quickly stepped up from the left corner to set a screen.

Without using a screen to get rid of the entanglement, Kobe placed the ball with his right hand and quickly went in and out, then lowered his center of gravity and accelerated forcefully.

Gasol completely left Odom open on the perimeter, and promptly moved up. Seeing the big man helping to defend, Kobe, who was in the right elbow area, immediately stopped and then faked a move with the ball.

Prince simply extended his long arm and didn't fall for the fake. Kobe, who was in a dead ball situation, suddenly turned around, twisted his body in mid-air, and managed to slam the ball onto the rim with difficulty.

"Oh!!"

Cheers erupted again, but Stoudemire couldn't squeeze into the paint at all, being firmly blocked behind Chandler, watching as Gasol easily grabbed the defensive rebound.

With a powerful flick of his wrist, the basketball flew quickly across half the court. Felton gave up halfway through the chase. With no one guarding him, Li You took off early, glided a long distance, swung the ball around in the air, and slammed it in with a windmill dunk!
At 6:14, with 7 minutes and 33 seconds left in the first quarter, the Lakers were already showing signs of collapse.

"what!!"

The New York fans behind the basket stood up and cheered excitedly. Li You, who was turning 33, looked like he could fly even more than Black Mamba Carter. Time had not taken away his excellent physical qualities.

During the Lakers' offensive possession, head coach Byron Scott on the sidelines began giving passionate instructions again. Felton, who had the ball in his hands, directly signaled to Kobe to crouch in the corner, indicating that the Lakers were going to run a double screen play.

Shouts of "Give the ball to Kobe!" rang out in the arena, causing Mamba, positioned in the left corner, to look extremely displeased. Meanwhile, Felton, at the top of the key, moved directly to the right and completed the play with the team leader.

The smaller player was surprisingly fast, and Li You didn't try to squeeze past him with all his might. Chandler retreated in time, and Odom also moved to the outside of the three-point line to create space.

Stoudemire received the ball near the free-throw line unguarded and hit an open jump shot to give his team the answer. Amid cheers, championship forward Bonbon pounded his chest, once again demonstrating his leadership qualities.
Kobe, who had been "watching the show" the whole time, started giving Li You a "death stare" when he retreated to the right wing. Li You, who had just stopped the ball at the top of the arc, changed direction in advance, switched to his right hand, and accelerated with a drop in his shoulder, gaining a lead of more than half a body length.

Despite Felton's hard work on defense, his constant sliding movements caused the smaller player to completely lose his defensive position after Li You suddenly stopped and pulled back between his legs near the free-throw line, ultimately allowing Felton to watch the shot go in.

"oh!!"

Amid cheers, the basketball swished through the net. The ease with which the score was scored ignited Kobe's anger, and he immediately unleashed a torrent of words on the court:

"Don't play defense like a coward! Give him physical contact!"

Seeing Kobe's furious elbowing and slapping, Felton remained unconvinced and, while receiving the ball on the baseline, glared back and said:
"You're on defense! Shit! Don't tell me what to do."

Felton signaled to his teammates to run the same tactic again, but the angry Mamba stopped crouching at the baseline and instead called for the ball on the right wing, only to be ignored by his teammates.

JR Smith chuckled at the sight, and as Felton initiated a screen with the ball in his left hand, he twisted his body and mocked the Mamba standing beside him:

“What’s up, Bro!” “You should go to the bottom corner; that’s your place.”

Seeing JR Smith's right arm pointing towards the corner, an angry Kobe immediately shoved him. Odom, who had just finished setting a screen and received the ball, hadn't even had a chance to shoot when the referee's whistle blew.

"Fuck! Give him a punch!"

"Let's teach this clown a lesson! Go for it, buddy!"

"Hand over the ring; you don't deserve to wear it."

"."

JR Smith and Kobe Bryant got into a scuffle, and the referee had to intervene to separate them. The fans on the sidelines started to boo loudly, and many even began to express their dissatisfaction with the referee.

Once Kobe calmed down, a fierce look appeared on his face. He turned and went back on defense, remaining silent. On the other side, JR Smith waved his arms, hyping up the atmosphere and shouting incessantly.

"The most overrated guy! I've exposed his true colors!"

Coach Byron Scott stood on the sidelines with his arms crossed and no expression on his face. A bad locker room atmosphere can sometimes tear apart a game, which is one of the reasons why the Lakers have not performed well.

On the defensive end, seemingly to make up for the mistake in the previous possession, Kobe immediately took the lead in defense, while Felton switched to the right wing to watch the game.

Accelerate and stop abruptly, dribble between his legs, switch to his right hand, and then quickly dribble behind his back. He observes the defensive positions on the court, then ignores Kobe's sliding block and accelerates again.

Kobe, who was desperately sliding, almost lost half his body length to Li You. In the instant of the collision, Li You subtly pulled him, and then Kobe was elbowed.
Kobe felt a tightness in his chest near his left elbow, and staggered as he forcibly regained his balance, trying to continue guarding against interference.

However, after Li You stopped abruptly, he made a half-turn feint, and Mamba subconsciously moved a step, then remained in place, watching Li You turn his body and drift backward to shoot.

Amid cheers, the basketball swished through the net again, almost from the same spot. Li You scored easily once more, and the laughter grew even louder. It seemed like Kobe was really past his prime!
Li You, who was retreating on defense, left Kobe with the back of his head exposed. Seeing this, Kobe was so angry that his eyes almost turned red, and he immediately called for the ball at the baseline.

Barnes, who hadn't participated in the help defense earlier, ignored the past leader of the training ground and passed the ball to Felton again. The Lakers started another pick-and-roll at the top of the key, and Stoudemire, who rolled down, drew a foul.

Both free throws were made. The championship forward, who was retreating on defense, gave a loud command. Kobe gritted his teeth and took the lead in defense. As a result, Li You passed the ball out early this time.

Gasol at the top of the key feigned a handoff, then suddenly raised the ball quickly and passed it to Li You, who was making a run.

Cutting into the middle, the preemptive pass allowed Li You to take off after receiving the ball, while Kobe behind him reached out and pulled up nothing, watching his "arch-rival" slam dunk with both hands!
The cheers grew louder and louder. With a quick rotation, the Lakers' pick-and-roll failed, and by the time Kobe received the ball on the right wing, there were only 5 seconds left on the shot clock.

Kobe faked a move to the right and then drove to the left, attempting a pull-up jump shot with the ball in his left hand for a long two-pointer. Just as he finished the shot, he was met with help defense from Li You at the top of the key.

Surrounded by two players, Kobe tried to turn around, but before he could pass the ball, Li You stole it. The Mamba, who had lost the ball, tried to steal it back but was tripped and fell to the floor.
Felton, who had managed to close the gap to half the game, had no choice but to give up on defense and once again watched as Li You glided down the court for a powerful dunk!
Kobe stood up and complained loudly to the referee. He cursed under his breath and asked for the ball again on the offensive possession, trying to save face.

Kobe received the ball on the right wing and, taking advantage of Odom's fake screen, immediately passed the ball with his right hand and drove forward, squeezing into the right side of the defense while holding off JR Smith.

Noticing that Gasol hadn't returned to defend the basket, Kobe spun around and, upon reaching the paint, completely shook off JR Smith, raising the ball with his left hand to complete a layup.

"Oh!"

Cheers suddenly rang in his ears. Kobe had just tossed the ball toward the basket when it was intercepted in mid-air. Li You, who was chasing after him, blocked the shot and slapped the ball onto the backboard.

Mamba, who had gone out of bounds, turned around and cursed under his breath. Gasol, who had secured the rebound, had already passed the ball back to Li You, who was sprinting forward.

Li You charged faster and faster down the middle. Before Kobe had even returned to his half, he had already reached the basket. Facing Barnes who was coming back to defend, he easily flicked the ball into the basket with his left hand after an aerial contest!

"10 straight points! Lee is killing the game! He's dominated the Lakers again tonight!"

Mike Breen was all smiles in the MSG commentary booth. Their old rivals looked vulnerable, not only because of their poor record, but also because Kobe's physical condition was visibly declining.

The Lakers called a timeout. The opponent's scoring was too easy. Byron Scott shook his head repeatedly and looked at the bench, sighing inwardly.

Noticing that Kobe, walking towards the sidelines, seemed to be arguing with his teammates again, Walter Fred chimed in, adding fuel to the fire:
"A true leader should lead by example! Kobe seems to have never taken on this responsibility. He used to play alongside MVPs, but now it seems he has lost the trust of his teammates."

"The locker room is important. Maybe he should ask Lee for advice. Amare is an easy-going guy."

After the timeout, Kobe was unable to return to the court, and Mamba sulked alone on the bench. Seeing the score continue to rise, he became even more annoyed.

The defensive intensity seemed to drop suddenly, and Felton made a three-pointer after a pick-and-roll, and for a while, the two sides went back and forth and "swiped" the ball.

With 2 minutes and 16 seconds left in the first quarter, Kobe returned to the court. By then, Li You had already clocked out, and the Knicks entered their rotation phase.

By traveling off-peak, Mamba managed to salvage some pride, breaking his scoring drought with free throws, followed by a low-post turnaround jumper that hit two points over Danny Green.

At the end of the first quarter, the score was 26-39. Kobe's face was long and he returned to his seat to glare.

In the subsequent games, Byron Scott intentionally controlled Kobe's playing time, which prevented the Mamba from finding his shooting rhythm and made him almost invisible on the court.

By the end of the third quarter, the point difference had unsurprisingly reached 20 points. The Lakers failed to mount a comeback in the final quarter and ultimately surrendered early, with Kobe Bryant finishing the game after three quarters.
At the end of the game, with a score of 93-115, Madison Square Garden erupted in cheers.

Seeing Kobe get up early and walk quickly towards the player tunnel, the New York fans on both sides started shouting again:
"Clown! Go back and thank Lee!"

"Terrible performance! The Lakers will definitely trade you!"

"Go invite the Germans to team up with you. You need an MVP, the 'softie duo'."

An enraged Kobe tried to argue with the fans, but team staff surrounded the Mamba and pulled the furious star back to the locker room.

Li You didn't seem to care about Kobe's departure. He was catching up with his old teammates, and the atmosphere was very harmonious. When he was interviewed by MSG, the cheers continued.

When asked about the New York fan club's performance this week, Li You smiled and answered seriously:
"New York is the city that respects the Lakers the most. I know many fans criticize Kobe, but that just proves how much they respect him!"

"Kobe has encountered some difficulties, but everything will be fine. I know my little brother, and Amare will lead the Lakers well."

"."

(End of this chapter)