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Chapter 272 I am the reason, the resentment from the NBA's ninth-ranked point guard
Another summer has passed, and before the start of preseason training camps for all teams, the league officially announced the promotional slogan for the 12/13 NBA season:
—I'm-why (I am the reason)
This is a slogan with a double entendre.

Because you can interpret this "I" as Qin Yue, who led the Warriors to establish a dynasty last season.

You could also interpret "I" as the players who want to pull the Warriors off their throne.

Of course, in the eyes of most fans, the NBA's promotional slogans over the past three years are clearly more like an official endorsement of Qin Yue's GOAT status.

The big event happened the season when Qin Yue scored 101 points in a single game.

Why did we play last season?

And then there's the reason for this season.

It's no exaggeration to say that the NBA's promotional slogans over the past three years have, in the eyes of many, become Qin Yue's personal promotional slogans.

The alliance's publicity department, which was responsible for developing the slogans, was also helpless in the face of this situation.

Because in this era called "Great Qin"
No matter what slogan they use to promote the upcoming new season, people will inevitably associate it with Qin Yue at first glance.

This is the influence of GOAT.

Just like back then, whenever people mentioned the NBA, they would immediately think of Jordan.

In late September, the Warriors' preseason training camp opened as scheduled in Cancun, Mexico.

As a dynasty coach, Mike Malone has always believed that a large part of the reason why the Warriors were able to establish the first dynasty in Golden State last season was due to the "holiday indulgence plan" he tailored for each of the Warriors' key players.

During the Warriors' dynasty, the Warriors players, who played hundreds of high-intensity games every year, were undoubtedly among the NBA's highest-risk group for injury.

Therefore, having learned from past experiences, Malone has made it a point to keep the team's most active players away from basketball every summer since Qin Yue's return from injury.

Even though this resulted in the Warriors losing a lot of games they shouldn't have lost at the beginning of the regular season in the past two seasons, Malone believes it was worth it.

After all, a team riddled with injuries can never win in the NBA.

Therefore, after achieving a three-peat
Considering that Warriors players need rest more than training, on Malone's advice, the Warriors held their preseason training camp this year in the famous resort of Cancun.

Kwame Brown became the most eye-catching player on the first day of the camp.

While Qin Yue was working like a slave in China, the epic octagon battle between Brown and O'Neal was also coming to an end at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.

How should we evaluate this brutal, no-holds-barred fight?

Simply put, it was when the audience realized that Brown and O'Neal weren't just playing around.

In the long battle that lasted a total of ten rounds, even though O'Neal and Brown's fighting skills could only be described as mediocre in Qin Yue's eyes.

But this deadly octagon battle, which determined both victory and defeat and life and death, still left the audience thoroughly entertained.

"If we're going to fight, we have to fight for real. You know, the audience pays to come in, they don't want to see me and Shaq play a friendly match."

On the opening day of the camp, Brown, who still had many bruises all over his body, said this to Qin Yue.

Upon hearing this, Qin Yue, who knew that Brown had earned his money through hard work this summer, said, "It's a pity that you had a chance to knock out Shaq in the seventh round."

Seeing this, Brown sighed in regret, "I didn't expect Shaq to be able to fight back after I hit him with a knee. I should have punched him again."

Qin Yue, who joined the team in Cancun, did not participate in any of the team's training sessions during the preseason training camp.

It wasn't until the day of the media open day that Qin Yue was allowed to participate in shooting practice for a total of less than thirty minutes, with the permission of Ma Long and the team's coaching staff.

"I don't want you to overwork yourself and get sick." On the training field, looking up at Qin Yue's face, which was full of longing to play, Ma Long smiled and said, "Right now, your priority is to relax and take a vacation."

Although in the past two seasons, Qin Yue had already gotten used to having to wait until the start of the regular season to use games as practice.

But Qin Yue, who always cherishes a pure heart for basketball, inevitably feels a little emotional urge when he can't play, thinking, "Coach, I want to play basketball right now."

So, with no other option, Qin Yue, who couldn't play ball, could only teach others how to play from the sidelines, just like last year.

Then, the Warriors' two rookies suffered the consequences.

Especially Green, who is not yet a star player.

Qin Yue had high expectations for this Green.

So if Green dares to slack off on the court, Qin Yue will immediately call him to the sidelines and kick and punch him.

This
This is undoubtedly the episode that Curry, Butler, and others love to watch the most.

After all, the beating Green is suffering now is also a kind of earnest teaching from the god of basketball that they have experienced on their respective paths to growth.
Moreover, how can young people become anything if they are not scolded and beaten?
"He's a monster."

Just one week into preseason training camp, Green, who felt like he couldn't breathe, said privately, "I've heard stories about Michael Jordan's later years, but compared to him, Michael was an angel."

An angel?
It's incredible.

At that moment, Brown, whose gaze had turned to the overly naive Green, decided to personally show him what a devil was and smiled, "'Dray,' are you free after training?"

"I'm free, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I just wanted to treat you to a big meal."

Don't get me wrong, Brown really wants to treat Green to a big meal.

However, this customized dinner, which cost approximately $30,000, was paid for by Brown and paid for by Green.

At a luxury hotel in Cancun, after enjoying a lavish meal, Green discovered that Brown, who had been treating him, had already disappeared. Green almost instantly realized that this was a prank by an NBA veteran on an NBA rookie.

Then, Green found himself in an unprecedentedly awkward situation.

Because at this moment, where is Green, who hasn't even received his full salary, going to find $30,000 to pay the bill?

Under increasingly unfriendly stares from the hotel staff, and with nowhere else to turn, Green finally had his agent call the Warriors' management.

The next day, when Green arrived at the training ground looking disheveled, Brown immediately walked over to him and said with a smile, "Did you enjoy yesterday's feast, 'Dray'?"

Then, after patting Green on the shoulder, Brown said, "'Dray,' what Michael Jordan did to me when he was with the Wizards was a million times worse than what I did to you yesterday."

"Listen, rookie! Never, ever compare that scumbag Michael Jordan to the great messiah within the Warriors, or next time, no one will be able to save you."

Green never expected that simply complaining about Qin Yue in private would lead to Brown's retaliation.

“Remember, ‘Dray,’ you can be unhappy with Messiah while playing for this team,” Butler, who had been there before, advised Green. “But any complaints you have about him can only be expressed to him directly.”

Green nodded, sweating profusely, and said, "No wonder those veteran players didn't want to talk to me today."

Butler sneered, "Pay attention to you? 'Dray,' you should thank Kwame for saving you yesterday."

Yes, Green should be thankful that it was Brown who attacked him yesterday.

Because if Brown hadn't restrained Barnes, who couldn't stand hearing people talk badly about Qin Yue behind his back, and JR Smith, who was absolutely loyal to Qin Yue, it wouldn't have been for him.

Based on Green's complaint to Qin Yue alone, Green would be sentenced to death ten thousand times by these two brothers.

Green got a good lesson from Brown during preseason training camp.

As October arrived...
Stephen Curry, who already had a very unpleasant summer with the Warriors, suffered another "major blow".

ESPN's positional rankings for the 12/13 season have been released.

Despite already having three championships, Curry was ranked only ninth among point guards by ESPN. And what Curry found most unacceptable was ESPN's assessment of him.

"Stephen Curry should thank his teammates for being messiahs, otherwise he would never have been ranked so high."

ESPN conducted two surveys on Curry this summer among a total of 90 anonymous players.

The first survey is: Is Curry the weakest second option in NBA history in terms of individual ability?
As a result, a total of seventy players chose "yes".

The second survey question is whether Curry is currently the most overrated player in the NBA.

This time, more than eighty players chose "yes".

Qin Yue knew very well that this was the first backlash Curry had suffered since choosing to join Under Armour this summer.

Unlike in the 1990s.

In the second decade of the 21st century, the NBA had quietly transformed into the Nike empire.

In Qin Yue's previous life, during the same historical period, Curry, who had to prove himself in almost every game, faced public pressure that was incomparable to that of ordinary NBA stars.

But Qin Yue had no doubt that Curry could overcome such pressure.

Of course, as someone with experience, Qin Yue still had to appease his deputy, who was currently on the verge of exploding.

"Why should you care about ESPN's position rankings?" Qin Yue said to Curry. "Since they can rank LeBron James fourth among small forwards, why should you care about ESPN's evaluation of you?"

Upon hearing this, Curry said, feeling wronged, "That's what makes me sad too! Why is LeBron ranked so much higher than me?"

At that moment, Qin Yue never expected that his attempt to comfort Curry would only make him feel more aggrieved.

While the Warriors were actively preparing for the preseason, LeBron James, who was about to lead the Timberwolves in their quest for the 2013 number one draft pick, was plunged into unprecedented despair.

Even though the regular season hasn't started yet.

But James knows very well that this Timberwolves team can already start preparing for next season.

Bogut, who has always been ambitious but lacks the ability to succeed, will be the starting center forward for Wolves in the new season.

Yi Jianlian, who only truly shines on the international stage, is the second most famous player on this Timberwolves team after LeBron James.

If 31-year-old Luke Ridnour were transferred to another team, he would at best be a substitute.

However, in the upcoming new season, Ridnour is undoubtedly one of Wolves' starting backline duos.

Of course, Wolves also have promising young players in their squad.

For example, Ricky Rubio, who had a true shooting percentage of 47% in his rookie season and claimed to have practiced his shooting intensively in the summer, was still outperformed by even LeBron James in team practices.

Without a doubt, this Timberwolves team is the worst team James has ever played for.

There is no hope.

There is no future.

All that remained was endless darkness.

Furthermore, he was dissatisfied with the team's management's trade of Love and Beal to acquire James.

Almost every day after practice, James can see local fans outside the training ground holding up signs that read "We don't want a champion LeBron" and "LeBron was never a king".

James is well aware that his reputation in the basketball world may even decline further.

After all, in the NBA, who cares about the life or death of a bad team's star player?

James noted that the Timberwolves will only have six games broadcast nationally in the upcoming 12/13 season.

And what's even more crucial is that two of these games are against the Warriors.

Why risk your life?
Given the Timberwolves' current strength, they would certainly suffer a crushing defeat against a top team like the Warriors. James has considered using his groin injury as an excuse to stay out of the game.

But now, if James chooses to avoid the game...
That means he can only participate in four nationally televised games in the new season.

James never imagined that one day he would be reduced to the point where even participating in a nationally televised game would become a luxury.

It's worth noting that last season with the Knicks, including the playoffs before he was DNP'd, James played 49 nationally televised games.

In James' view, the long-term lack of exposure will inevitably cause him to completely degenerate into a second-rate star over time.

"Brown, no matter what others think, you have to put up convincing stats in the new season."

On that day, Randy Mims, one of James's close associates, said the following to James.

However, James, who found the words of the man profound, immediately fell into a long period of contemplation about life.

Impressive technical statistics?
James is certainly confident that he will put up a spectacular stat sheet with the Timberwolves.

just
Even if he pads his stats on a bad team, no matter how much he does, James doesn't think it's meaningful.

Especially considering that Qin Yue, the king of statistics, is also in the NBA.

Over the years, Qin Yue's incredible statistics on the court have raised people's expectations for NBA star statistics.

Therefore, James knows better than anyone that even if he puts up impressive numbers with the Timberwolves, it will be difficult for him to return to the center of the basketball world.

So now comes the problem.

What can James do?

The answer is that James is so distressed precisely because he knows he cannot defy fate in the next two years.

But in the end, fate still favored James.

Qin Yue was only allowed to participate in the team's daily practice after the Warriors' preseason games were over.

Therefore, if James can seize the opportunity and deliver a crushing blow to the Warriors in the regular season opener, when Qin Yue and many of the Warriors' key players need to use games as practice to find their form, then James may well gain the attention he desires.

10 month 28 day.

The 12/13 NBA regular season has officially begun.

That evening, led by James, the Timberwolves visited Oracle Arena to participate in the Warriors' championship flag raising ceremony and championship ring award ceremony.

Before the game, James spent most of the day agonizing over whether to play or not, but ultimately decided to play.

As for the Warriors...
Curry, who received his training clearance two weeks earlier than Qin Yue, displayed a "I must prove myself" spirit during the pre-game warm-up phase.

Qin Yue knew that the pressure the media had been putting on Curry lately had caused Curry to play with resentment.

Therefore, considering that he did need to use the competition as a form of practice for a while, Qin Yue immediately gathered his teammates together.

"We need to set up Steph more for this game," Qin Yue said to his teammates before the game started. "We need to show ESPN where Steph really ranks as a point guard."

……

P.S.: As expected, both games ended 3-1 today. There's no way around it; in the NBA, a player's health is always paramount. As for tomorrow, I'll make a bold prediction: both the Cavaliers and the Thunder should win.

(End of this chapter)