NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 798 New Cornerstone of New York (Chapter without Main Character)
On Friday, June 17, 2010, NBA Vice President Adam Silver announced that the league would cancel the Las Vegas Summer League that weekend.

Multiple sports media outlets reported the news early this morning. Adam Silver, in an interview with CBS Sports, didn't say much, but emphasized one key point:

"We haven't sent any signals to the players!"

Just yesterday, Billy Hunter from the players' union suddenly sent three emails in quick succession. One email notified player representatives to come to New York as soon as possible, and another email reminded players that a suspension was imminent.

The final email mobilized everyone to unite and resolutely refuse to compromise with the board, stating that a 33% reduction in player salaries was unacceptable and that a hard salary cap was also firmly opposed!
Perhaps worried about a mole among the players, Billy Hunter repeatedly emphasized in the email that the introduction of a hard salary cap would eliminate mid-level exception contracts and increase the number of non-guaranteed contracts.

This won't have much of an impact on superstars, but lower-level players will face a nightmare working environment!
In summary, at this time, don't back down, don't give interviews, make a firm statement, and a strike is the only option.
Interestingly, after the email was sent, its contents were leaked, revealing that there was still a mole among the players.

The New York Times and the Boston Globe even published columns this morning advising players to surrender. After reading the articles, many players were so angry that they took to Twitter to call them cowards.

Fisher is being blamed again. Nobody knows who the mole is, but Fisher "went soft" in February, something all the star players at the time knew.

The NFL also suspended operations recently, and the two sides argued fiercely. Now it's the NBA's turn, but many sports fans don't seem to care much about it, since they believe a solution can eventually be found.

Dallas sports media don't care about these things; the championship parade is next Monday, and Obama has already called head coach Carlisle!
The Dallas Morning News gave high praise to the president's concern. It's well known that Obama has a basketball court at the White House, and columnists have all become sycophants, each ending their articles with a shout of praise:
"Looking forward to the White House trip!"

ESPN's morning program didn't report much on the suspension of the games. Industry insiders are well aware that it will be difficult for the two sides to reach a consensus before the collective bargaining agreement expires on June 30.

The only dilemma is how long the suspension will last. The cancellation of the Summer League reflects the attitude of the owners and the league. As for when the new season will start, no one can say for sure right now.

Steve Kerr, who became a commentator after leaving the Phoenix Suns, recently became a hot topic during an appearance on an ESPN radio show. During his analysis of the NBA Finals, Kerr offered very insightful commentary on LeBron James' performance:

“LeBron is not Michael Jordan, nor is he Lee. In my opinion, he is actually more like Scottie.”

"He's so much like Scottie. Defensively, he's a monster. He can guard anyone. He's really more like a point forward than a shooting guard."

"Scottie always liked to control the ball, and LeBron also favored that."

This was Steve Kerr's assessment on Monday, and after appearing on the show for the second time on Wednesday, Kerr further explained his views:
"Phil Jackson once called Scottie a 'sometimes shooter,' because sometimes he could make shots and sometimes he couldn't, just like LeBron."

"He is indeed a genius, but he also has major technical flaws; he lacks a reliable offensive weapon."

"This is the impact of Lee. In the past few years, teams that like to play in the low post and mid-range have had no chance in the Finals, but many offensive methods have actually been underestimated."

"When the game gets tough, we've seen the results this year. LeBron needs to change. He can't play like Lee. Nobody in the league can maintain a three-point shooting percentage above 50%."

Steve Kerr gave a very insightful commentary, but when the host asked whether these changes would be effective against the Knicks next season, Kerr changed the subject.
Clearly, increasing low-post and mid-range shooting is of little use against the Knicks.

When ESPN interviewed Pat Riley this morning, the slick-haired coach was also asked about the issue, and the former championship coach gave a different answer:
"LeBron needs to gain weight. When he plays the power forward position, he can always easily get mismatch opportunities."

"The Heat's basketball philosophy is to constantly look for mismatches. They just haven't done well enough this season, but we're on the right track."

Due to his mediocre performance in the Finals, James's prestige has dropped considerably. Although he still has a promising future, in the past, commentators liked to compare him to Li You and Michael Jordan.

The public opinion has completely changed now; LeBron James has become Pippen. This is equivalent to going from being the top dog to the second-in-command. Luckily, he's only 26, otherwise the title of "softie" would have gone to the chosen one.
With the draft approaching, the Heat's draft picks are all in the hands of the Cavaliers, leaving them with no opportunity to acquire rookies. When discussing the team's plans, Pat Riley confidently stated:

“We have never thought about or discussed trading any of the three players, and I am happy to see the three of them playing together on the court.”

"As for the draft, honestly, it won't affect the Heat. I don't think we can win a championship with inexperienced young, athletic players."

"."

Although Pat Riley is very confident, the largest sports betting company in the United States disagrees. Since Lee Yu-hyun updated his Twitter for the first time during the offseason last night, the odds for the championship have been released.

Without a doubt, the Knicks are once again the favorites to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy in 2012, with the Heat ranking second.

The slicker believes the Knicks' strength has declined because they don't trade draft picks and have too many rookies, but the betting expert disagrees. After watching this year's Finals, he has a deep understanding of Lee Woo's abilities.

Even if you replaced all the starters, let alone five rookies, most New York fans would still believe the Knicks could win the championship.

In response, the New York Fan Club has announced a 2012 championship parade to be held on Monday. The video of the parade, which was posted on YouTube, has received a great response, with many young people planning to celebrate early!
Winning the first overall pick in the NBA draft and celebrating the 2012 championship, he won twice in a row, and the Reddit community was in an uproar.
In the afternoon, the NBA officially announced this year's "Green Room" roster. To the surprise of many, the 12-man roster also included Bismack Biyombo from Congo.

Many scouts have given this Congolese center forward a good evaluation, and two other international players have also received invitations to the "Green Room".

MSG has been focusing on their rookie feature for the past few days, and Donnie Walsh, on "The Last Dance," has consistently appeared confident. The veteran even made a bold claim on the show that night:
"This draft will lay the foundation for the Knicks for the next 10 years!"

-

On Sunday, June 18, another interesting development occurred in Philadelphia: Tavana Iverson filed for divorce again in Fulton County Superior Court, citing "her husband's mental instability and domestic violence" as the reason.

The couple's marriage had already broken down last year, but they withdrew their application after only a few days. This time, Tavana Iverson was determined and even publicly revealed private details:

"He has been numbing himself with drugs! His irritability has been going on for years, and he has even refused to see a psychologist."

Although Tavana didn't elaborate on the medication, many people had already seen Iverson using marijuana.

After Kobe took the "Son of Philadelphia" title this year, the two interacted, but sources revealed that Iverson didn't like Mamba taking his title and privately called him a "softie".

The column in the Philadelphia Inquirer showed no sympathy for Iverson's plight; in fact, it criticized him and championed the true son of Philadelphia!

In response, Vince Carter updated his Twitter account that morning to speak out in support of Iverson and, incidentally, remind fans again:
“This isn’t the first time he’s stolen the title of best player. I’ve played against Allan, and I know how good he is. He’s the one who truly represents Philadelphia.”

The onlookers, always eager for a good show, fanned the flames in the comments section, all wanting to see a "Mamba Battle".
Despite it being Sunday, the 76ers have recently started a mini training camp despite the suspension of the season. Jrue Holiday has been training with Kobe for five days now, and the rookie has been completely inspired by the Mamba.

Doug Collins may not be as good a coach as the league’s current top coaches, but he has plenty of experience dealing with star players.

Just talking about Michael Jordan's early career with the Chicago Bulls would motivate Kobe to train with renewed energy.

More importantly, after watching this year's Finals, Mamba suddenly regained his confidence. The German won the championship by relying on low post and mid-range shots, which is enough to prove that this technique is not outdated. Kobe firmly believes that he can do it too!
By the afternoon, Elton Brand had already been "running" through the drills, and Marreese Speights, watching Kobe Bryant endlessly repeating footwork in the low post at the training center, was getting tired of it too.
Jodie Meeks, covered in sweat, kept taking deep breaths. He was the only member of the atmosphere team who was invited and worked very hard during training!

As for why he works so hard, it's mainly because his salary is too low. He'll only get $85 next season, and Jodie Meeks has already spent all of this year's salary. He's been praying every day that the season won't be suspended.

"Incredible! Kobe trains three times a day. I've never seen a star player work this hard."

Jodie Meeks' dark face showed admiration, and upon hearing this whisper, Jrue Holiday, who was leaning on his knees beside him, also sighed in admiration:
"Like you said, Louis told me that Iverson rarely did extra practice, and neither did Andre. Kobe worked too hard."

On the other side of the court, Doug Collins, clinging to Mamba's leg, would occasionally encourage him. Leaving aside tactical considerations, his emotional impact was off the charts. Marreese Speights, carrying the ball, walked away and whispered gossip to his teammates:
"Rumor has it the team is planning to trade their 16th pick to New York for Thaddeus Young? What do you guys think of that guy?"

The two exchanged glances. They were only sophomores, having played a year less than Speights, and knew nothing about Thaddeus Young. They also didn't seem inclined to get answers from a rookie. Speights whispered:

"I think there's going to be problems in the locker room! You know, the Knicks players don't like Kobe."

Speights, who had been winking and making faces, suddenly showed excitement on his dark face, as if the locker room split was a "good thing." Jrue Holiday, not wanting to get involved in the gossip, was about to speak up when he heard the boss's greeting:

"Hey! Let's play 3v3! If you're participating in training, don't let me see you slacking off!"

Kobe, with a serious expression, directed the group's physical exercises. His dark face was full of focus. Doug Collins, standing on the sidelines, crossed his arms and began to flatter him again, loudly giving instructions in unison:

"Kobe is right, you have to put in 12% effort in training. I want to see you guys make physical contact. Remember, give it your all in every round."

"." Upon hearing this, Jrue Holiday became serious and took the initiative to defend Kobe. The rookie guarded Kobe closely whenever he saw him with the ball, constantly making hand movements, and stayed close behind him even when Kobe was attacked in the low post.

Kobe called for a screen from a big man who was also his practice partner, but Holiday forced his way through. After several rounds, the two kept colliding, and the Mamba missed several shots.

Speights quietly hit consecutive three-pointers, and Jodie Meeks followed with a step-back three-pointer, temporarily overwhelming the leader.

Failing to take on three opponents at once, Mamba's expression darkened. Fortunately, Doug Collins promptly timed out the game, and the old man looked at the group with a smile, saying:
"Very good, Kobe has inspired your fighting spirit. If there is a shutdown, I hope you can continue this training and be strict with yourselves every day!"

"Remember, opportunities are for those who are prepared. We will officially 'set sail' next season."

Kobe didn't speak, but nodded slightly with a straight face, maintaining his boss-like demeanor. Jrue Holiday and the other two responded with a sound of agreement. During the break, Speights leaned close to Mamba and subtly reminded him:

"Kobe, I think Thaddeus Young might disrupt our locker room."

Kobe glanced up at the rookie, a nonchalant expression on his face, and confidently replied while hydrating:
“I’ll handle any disobedient guy! All you have to do is train hard. I don’t want to see you covered in fat in a few months.”

"."

Holiday glanced at the two whispering to each other, then at the coach on the sidelines. A sense of foreboding crept into the rookie's heart. He recalled the heavy blow Li You had dealt him in his rookie year and muttered to himself:
"God bless."

-

Monday, June 20th, the Mavericks' championship parade was a huge success, with fans lining up on the sidewalk behind the barricades as early as 7 a.m., and the road was completely closed by 8 a.m.

After departing from City Hall at 10 a.m., the cheers never stopped. The parade consisted of three floats, 10 convertibles, and more than a dozen trucks. Mark Cuban and the players took turns lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

It was almost noon when we arrived at Victory Square in the American Airlines Center. There were 3000 people gathered there. The high temperature even caused more than 100 people to receive treatment on site, but the noise only grew louder.

The final stage of the parade naturally involved making promises, with Mavericks fans concerned about contract renewals, while a jubilant Cuban loudly announced the team's plans:
"For the next six years, Tyson will belong to the Mavericks! He and Dirk will dominate the paint!"

"No one is satisfied with just one championship. Even if there is a lockout, it won't affect the Mavericks. Believe me, our goal for the next few years is still the championship!"

"Oh!!"

Amid cheers, the championship players began to speak. Ron Artest, a key player in Game 7, was very popular, and the championship forward was equally delighted to see the enthusiastic fans. He even made a joke about the coaching staff at the end.
"When I came to the team, I was shocked to see that there was no boxing practice here. You know, in New York, everyone has to keep practicing boxing!"

"Fortunately, the coaching staff took my advice, which allowed us to crush those softies in the finals!"

The ecstatic Dallas fans began chanting Artest's name, and the championship forward grinned, seemingly very pleased with the atmosphere, and immediately promised:

"In the coming years, I will continue to share my championship experience without reservation! We will build an excellent winning culture."

During the final stage of the outdoor activities, Nowitzki led his teammates to the top of American Airlines Arena and sang "We Are The Champions" with the fans.

This old song has become a favorite among fans. At 12:20, during the indoor event, season ticket holders witnessed the Germans' bold statement.

Seemingly having completely shaken off the psychological shadows of the past, Nowitzki, standing in the center of the court, appeared very confident and proactively offered his loan:
“I know some people question our age, but I don’t think age has ever been an issue.”

"Kidd promised me he'd stay with the team, and so did Jason. We went through the low point of 06 together, and after winning the championship, we wanted to fight again!"

"Everyone will have a few months of rest. I believe the championship will still belong to the Mavericks in the new season!"

The cheers were deafening. Nowitzki, grinning from ear to ear, saw Game 7 of the Finals starting to play on the big screen above. The German was ecstatic; the feeling of winning was simply wonderful!

-

On Thursday, June 23, 2011, the NBA Draft was held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, due to renovations at Madison Square Garden.

At 19:30 p.m. that evening, half an hour before the draft officially began, ESPN, as the broadcaster, still couldn't resist adding their own "antics."

Kevin Negandi of the Sports Center was the host that night. A Philadelphia sports fanatic, he has recently been calling for "no trade with New York."

The draft analyst was Chad Ford, whose forehead was mostly bald. The two initially discussed rookie players, but the conversation veered off course, with Kevin Negandi deliberately questioning the Knicks' moves.

“We all know the capabilities of rookie players. They may be useful in the regular season, but in the playoffs, rookies often struggle to cope with the high intensity of the game.”

"Lee is great, but he's almost 34. I don't want to question anything. Most players at that age will decline, and it's difficult for rookie players to bring much help to the team."

Kevin Negandi is of Indian descent, and his remarks were a veiled reference to Li You's skin color. There's a prevailing view that Black players decline at 34, so it makes no sense that Asian players are still "strong."

Not everyone likes Li You. Hardcore sports fans in Philadelphia have been hoping for him to underperform; the basketball market has been decimated in recent years, and everyone just wants to see the GOAT fall from grace and get beaten up by the 76ers.
"I had the same doubts before, but after watching the finals, I believe Lee will continue to dominate this league!"

Chad Ford is also an "Excel fan." ESPN is developing advanced data, and the more you look at the spreadsheets, the clearer it becomes how outrageous Li You really is, with his pure ability far surpassing all players in history.

Noticing that his partner wanted to say a few more words, Chad Ford didn't want to talk about it anymore. As a self-proclaimed "football expert," he offered another perspective:

"In the current league environment, the Knicks cannot be too strong or too weak, and the addition of rookies to the team will just achieve that."

“New York gains a future, and other teams are also competitive, which is a win-win situation! But I also want to observe Kyrie Irving. There are too few high school and college game samples, but he is indeed a talented player.”

“From my perspective, Kyrie Irving’s playing style is somewhere between Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups, and playing alongside Lee will definitely help him reach his full potential.”

"."

The two analyzed the situation together, with the director occasionally focusing the camera on Drederic Irving. Although their son was certain to be drafted by New York, they were still worried as fathers because they hadn't heard David Stern call out his name.

Most of his friends and family shared the same mindset: playing basketball in New York meant success. Although taxes were higher there, the earnings were also higher. More importantly, Lee Woo-jin was wealthy, which was a valuable connection.

With the draft about to begin in two minutes, Kyrie Irving was quite relaxed in the locker room, confident that he would be selected by New York.

"Buddy, don't forget us when you win the championship! I only realized how strong Li is after watching this year's finals."

Derrick Williams was clearly jealous. Although he had eliminated Duke University head-to-head in the NCAA Tournament, the thought of Kyrie Irving being drafted by New York made him unhappy.

After losing to the University of Connecticut in the finals, Derrick Williams' draft stock has risen, and his agent has informed him that he is very likely to be selected by the Timberwolves with the second overall pick.

The difference between Minnesota and New York is obvious to the naked eye.
"Yee! I won't lose in the NBA anymore, buddy, good luck!"

A beaming Irving patted Williams on the shoulder, stood up, and prepared to take the court. His confident demeanor made the rookies secretly envious.
At 20 PM sharp, the draft officially began, and many commentators started paying attention to the Knicks' selection. David Stern, at the front, glanced at the cards and announced with a smile:

"In the 2011 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks selected Kyrie Irving from Duke University with the first overall pick!"

"."

A huge cheer erupted from the family and friends. Irving, beaming, put on a Knicks hat and went up to shake hands with the president.

14th pick – Markieff Morris;
18th pick – Tobias Harris;
26th pick – Jimmy Butler.

Upon hearing these names, many sports reporters frowned slightly. Is this the cornerstone of MSG's publicity?
(End of this chapter)