NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 215 The Influence of MVP (Daily Chapter)
In early April 2001, the NBA received a proposal from the board of directors, and most teams wanted to implement new rules next season.

However, there are naturally objections to some suggestions. Old Buss and James Dolan feel that these rules are unreasonable and harm the interests of the team!
The two sides started arguing at the beginning of the month and failed to reach an agreement until the end of the regular season in mid-April.

By the end of the month, for the sake of the healthy development of the league, the NBA Board of Directors finally approved four changes to the rules of the game:

Eliminate illegal defense, increase the three-second defensive violation rule, reduce the half-time dribbling time from 10 seconds to 8 seconds, and relax the defensive contact rule.

The above four rules will be implemented starting from the 4~2001 season. Most teams are happy to accept it, except for the Lakers and Knicks.

Although James Dolan doesn't know much about football, after the management's popular science, he also understands the intention of canceling illegal defense and relaxing defensive contact rules.

There are more people in the penalty area, and the Knicks' past border zone defense can be used openly.

By relaxing defensive contact, perimeter defenders can take further advantage.

Regardless of the impact on big men, the above rules are still not conducive to the "Show time" plan.
For Buss, this rule is customized for the Lakers!

O'Neal kills everyone in the paint, allowing zone defense and three seconds of defense. Everyone can better execute double-teams, pile people inside, and just bet that outside shots can't be made.

Eastern Conference teams will only play the Lakers twice a season, so it won't have much impact.

But if Western Conference teams want to enter the finals, they always have to face O'Neal. Therefore, these rules are in the interests of most Western Conference teams.

On Thursday, May 5, major sports media officially informed fans about the rule changes, but the response was mediocre and everyone didn't care about these details at all.

ESPN invited several out-of-service coaches to discuss the impact of the new rules on the league;
On the TNT program, Charles Barkley gloated and mocked O'Neal with a big grin:
"The reasonable collision zone was added in 97, which benefited Shaq. The defensive 3 seconds next season will definitely have a huge impact on him!"

"Big guys can't stay under the basket all the time. I like this rule."

Kenny Smith shook his head. He could not predict the impact of the rules yet, so he could only say cautiously:
"This will have an impact on all big men in the league. In theory, perimeter players get more opportunities, but relaxing defensive contact reduces this advantage."

"There will definitely be teams that use zone defense more next season, and you know, a lot of old-school coaches actually really like this defensive strategy."

In the 90s, most teams used zone defense more or less on the sidelines, using zone defense in various ways to limit superstars.

Ernie Johnson has naturally experienced that era. Thinking of the current situation of various teams in the league, he just remains neutral and gives his own opinion:

"Relaxing the defensive standards depends on the referee's call. I don't think this rule will have much impact on outside stars."

"The simplest example, if you watch Li's game carefully, his breakthrough has changed from relying on rhythm at the beginning to now relying more on the explosive power of the first step to complete the offense."

"Players who are gradually reaching their peak are getting better and better physically. Maybe rookies still need to adapt, but for the current All-Star players, the rules have little impact."

"Of course, I support the rule change, which will increase competition and is definitely a good thing for the fans!"

When Charles Barkley heard what his two partners said, he subconsciously tugged on his tie, thought for a moment, and nodded in agreement:

"Maybe it will have an impact on some small men. If you want to restrict Li, you have to rely more on the defensive ability of the players themselves."

"However, after increased confrontation, most teams' offense will be compromised. This is definitely not good news for offensive teams."

"I'm looking forward to the changes in the league next season!"

On May 5, the NBA announced this season’s Most Valuable Player Award:

Li You of the Knicks won the MVP for the second time in his career!

After the news was announced, the New York media was overjoyed, and Mayor Giuliani immediately congratulated Li You:
"Congratulations to Lee on being elected MVP, this is a victory for New York!"

The mayor used to be a die-hard fan of the New York Yankees. The team completed three consecutive championships during his term, and he also became a die-hard fan of the Knicks.

During the regular season, you can often see the mayor taking his young son to watch games together.

The victory attracted more attention to the Knicks. No one likes to lose, at least in New York, most fans like the feeling of winning.

In the evening, Li You wore a smart black formal suit and attended the celebration party held by the mayor at Gracie Mansion.

The Mayor's Mansion is a federal-style wooden structure house that looks unremarkable from the outside. However, it is in an excellent location in Karl-Schulz Park on the Upper East Side, close to the East River, and is also a New York landmark.

Old Charles and his eldest son James Dolan exchanged pleasantries with Li You and then started socializing.

Most of the people attending the party were Elephant Party members and city hall officials. Bloomberg, a member of the Donkey Party, was also there. This rich man was actively running and has a high probability of becoming the next mayor.

Jin was also wearing a black professional suit. He was introducing some municipal officials in a low voice next to Li You. He noticed the white man with slight baldness next to Giuliani and immediately whispered:

"Bernard Kerker, the New York Police Department commissioner who just took over Saffir last year."

Li You still had an impression of the previous old chief, but after he retired, he no longer paid attention to the changes in the New York Police Department.

After recalling the news in the newspaper, Li You smiled and shook hands with the other party.

Although Giuliani lost some weight due to illness, his mental state became better and better after the divorce. At this time, he also introduced with a smile:
"Bernard is a loyal fan of the Knicks. If he is not too busy with his daily work, he will not miss any game."

"Li, you will definitely have something in common. I remember that there was a theft at your house. Believe me, this kind of thing will never happen again!"

Hearing the mayor's joke, Bernard Kerke also smiled and made a promise:

“Yes, we will continue to maintain law and order in New York. The Upper East Side is definitely the safest place in Manhattan!
"Li, I'm very happy to see you achieve such an achievement! At the age of 23, you are still studying. It's really amazing!"

Thinking of the outside world's comments about this successor, Li You also complimented:
"I have always believed in the police force in New York. Of course, I also understand the difficulties faced by grassroots police officers. If necessary, my foundation will also help!"

"Growing together with the city is our common wish."

Bernard Kerke understood the situation and after recalling the bitter experience, the two sides began to exchange business ideas.

After the two of them left, Jin reminded Li You in a low voice:
"His term should not be too long. He has over-enforced the law and abused his private power. In less than a year, many problems have arisen. The mayor will step down and there will be changes in the New York Police Department."

The surroundings were temporarily quiet. Li You hugged Jin and whispered nonchalantly:
"The foundation will indeed make donations, but I can't guarantee the time. We will discuss these matters in detail after the billionaire takes office."

Different players have completely different social circles. For Li You, basketball is not pure, and he is not interested in experiencing the "4 o'clock sun in Manhattan."

When the Ewing era is about to pass, with Li You as the absolute core, the Knicks are about to enter the era of "playing music and dancing".

There’s nothing wrong with winning three consecutive championships and enjoying life.

At 5 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, the media room at the Tarrytown Training Center was packed with sports reporters.

Early in the morning, major newspapers in New York reported on last night's party, winning MVP, and it seemed to have turned into a party for the entire city.

Jimmy Fallon, who was sitting in the front row of the audience and was wearing a blue formal suit, straightened his tie, looked at Tina Fey who was chatting and laughing with her boyfriend in a low voice next to him, and couldn't help but complain:

"We agreed that we are all here alone. Maybe I should invite Kerstin. As a partner, we should really get to know each other in advance."

In early June, Jimmy Fallon will partner with Kirsten Dunst as host of the MTV Movie Awards.

This is also an affirmation for Jimmy Fallon, who has been in the industry for a few years.

Tina Fey, who has become the chief writer of Saturday Night Show, rolled her eyes at her masculine friend. Milinda in front of her turned her head and joked:

"That's a beautiful girl, maybe you two can create a spark!"

Kirsten Dunst, who is about to become the heroine of Spider-Man, is a beautiful girl in the eyes of everyone. She is 19 years old and is the most beautiful time in her life.Jimmy Fallon just laughed after being teased. Like Li You, everyone likes 18 years old.
The little follower Christen-Litte sat next to Milinda and sighed secretly. Her modeling career was not going well. Compared to stars who started out as child stars, it was also difficult to enter the film and television industry.

As if aware of the mood of the girl next to her, Milinda put her arms around the young attendant's shoulders and said with a smile:
"Alyce is also beautiful. I just like brunettes!"

Looking at the blushing little attendant, Jin helplessly patted Milin's thigh to remind her that the press conference was about to begin.

NBA Vice President Robert Stein walked to the podium with a smile. Looking at the reporters huddled in the dark audience, he first touched the bronze man trophy, and then immediately introduced it loudly:
"It is an honor to witness such a historical moment with everyone. Let us invite the three-time FMVP winner, the youngest MVP in NBA history, and the league's superstar-Clay-Lee!"

On the right side of the podium, Jeff Van Gundy and everyone on the Knicks team were all wearing black formal suits, and they all took the lead in chirping at this time.

Robert Stein, the vice president, is also an old acquaintance of Li You. The two of them can meet every year at the championship award ceremony.

Li You, who was wearing a light blue suit, hugged the vice president, came to the podium, and nodded to the elder Charles and his son and Mayor Giuliani in the front row.

After scanning around, Li You touched the trophy, held the microphone, and said with a smile:

"I'm very happy to be recognized by everyone. I like this trophy and I like this feeling of chasing history!"

"Basketball changed my life, and for a kid growing up in Albuquerque to be successful in New York was unthinkable."

"Thanks to Uncle Varga and my good brother Nacho. Thanks to their care, I can grow up healthily."

"."

In the audience, Manuel Varga, who has lived in New Mexico for most of his life, his eyes turned red when he heard Li You's words. He just moved to Tribeca this year. For his current life, it is simply paradise.

Nacho, who had been active in Connecticut recently, just smiled, but Mike on the side seemed to recall his son who was the same age as Li You, and was completely lost for a moment.

After simply recalling the bitterness and sweetness and thanking the Knicks for their tiredness, Li You also began to joke about the recent changes in the league's rules:

"I'm aware of the recent league announcements and hotly debated matters, and I want to assure New York fans that the Knicks will not be affected in any way."

"The new rules will make the game more exciting, and the MVP will not be restricted by the rules. We will still win big, and victory will always be with New York!"

The New York media in the audience groaned again. In the early 90s, the Knicks were losing, and things were changing. It was their turn to experience the feeling of their old rival, the Bulls.

When the scene became quiet again, Li You finally said seriously:
"Thank you again to my Knicks opponents for making me who I am today."

"The second MVP trophy in my career is a huge encouragement to me. I hope my opponents can work harder and not let me get too far ahead!"

Li You raised the small bronze man trophy beside him and greeted everyone with a smile again.

The New York media in the audience were all smiles, but some Los Angeles reporters felt uncomfortable. They had been ridiculed for a year. No one mentioned the "Chamberlain + Jordan" thing anymore.
Reporters from Sports Weekly are very interested in Li You's "remembering the bitter and thinking of the sweet". They cannot report on the luxurious life of the stars, but the readers will definitely like to watch the struggle process.

The young reporters were all excited. Only Su Qun sighed secretly in his heart. It seemed impossible that what he imagined would happen:

"The national team can't wait for the core defender."

After the MVP award was announced, all the NBA first-round games ended.

Spend the most money and get the worst beatings!
The star-studded Trail Blazers were eventually swept out by the Lakers.

With a big score of 3:1, the Kings also easily defeated the Suns.

In the Western Conference semifinals, old rivals met again. The Lakers vs. the Kings attracted the attention of many fans.

The Spurs also defeated the Timberwolves easily, the Twin Towers showed their power again, and Popovich seemed to have figured it out.
The Mavericks, which has attracted much attention from Chinese fans, has completed its counterattack!

No one expected that after returning to their home court, the Mavericks would be in full swing, winning two games in a row and even beating the Jazz by 4 points in G30.

In the G5 game, with Karl Malone's last-minute shot, the Mavericks passed the test, 3:2, and successfully reached the semifinals.

There will be a battle between horses and bulls on the night of the 5th. Chinese fans have mixed emotions. Many of them are paying attention to the NBA for the first year. Wang Zhizhi did not get any chance in the series. This is completely inconsistent with everyone's expectations:

"Nowitzki is replaced by Dazhi, and the Mavericks don't have to take risks!"

In a life-and-death battle, Nowitzki and Nash made 11 of 3. The former scored 18 points on free throws, while the latter only scored 9 points.

It's no wonder the fans complained. The Mavericks relied entirely on Michael Finley, so everyone naturally didn't have a good impression of Nowitzki.

After the morning press conference, in addition to socializing, Li You also received an invitation from the fishing expert Kuqi.

This season, Kukqi on the bench can still average 10.1 points per game, stretch the mid-range, and shoot three-pointers well.

Thanks to more bad games, the three-point shooting rate has increased to 39.6%.
Data can sometimes be deceiving, and most of the games in which Kukchi was in excellent form entered garbage time.

At around 1 p.m., Li You followed Kuqi to the Jean Georges French restaurant.

Seeing that the other party chose a restaurant he liked, Li You also smiled and joked:
"It took a lot of effort, but it seems that this favor will definitely not be easy to help!"

Known as the best French restaurant in New York, it is not cheap to spend money here. Kuqi shrugged his shoulders and said in a low voice:
"Anyway, I'm not footing the bill. I'm only responsible for spreading the word. Everyone just wants to hear your opinion."

The Interperformances agency founded by the famous agent Herb Ludoy signed Kuchi that year.

Most European players will choose this agency when they land in the NBA. It has been in the industry for more than 23 years and is deeply trusted by European players.

The current president flew to New York, and along with several American managers, everyone had a happy meal without mentioning anything work-related.

When the meal was over and only two people were left, Wizard Cook introduced again:

"Interperformances wants to send Pau Gasol to New York."

"You need to pay a buyout fee to join the NBA. The Knicks are the best choice. You know, the team is really generous."

"Gasol is a genius from Spain. His technical style is somewhat similar to mine, but his draft prospects are much better than mine."

"It seems that Coach Van Gundy prefers Tyson Chandler, so we want to hear your opinion."

"You don't need to reply to them. As long as you don't refuse, everyone will know the result. They are all from Europe. I am just doing a small favor."

Li You was a little surprised when he heard the whole story. The lottery only started in the middle of the month, and he didn't know where the Bulls' first-round pick was.

There are still nearly two months to go, which is indeed early enough.
Li You frowned secretly, and finally simply responded:

"Let's talk about this matter after the lottery ceremony is over. We have no control over the alliance's lottery ceremony."

When Kukqi heard that Li You didn't refuse immediately, he was in a good mood and joked:
"I guarantee that the Wizards will get the first pick!"

"The league will take care of Maikou. If we continue to lose, Maikou's patience will be exhausted."

The memory in his mind told Li You that the Wizards had indeed won the No. [-] pick, but just thinking about McDuck's eyes, he laughed and complained:
"The No. 1 pick cannot save the Wizards. I have told him a long time ago that he is not suitable to be the director of operations. Hamilton is disgusted by him. He should change his standards, otherwise he will continue to lose."

"."

The Interperformances strategy was successful. Li You didn't think about these things before. On the way home, when he thought about the internal situation of the team, he secretly sighed:

"Are Europeans going to help Europeans?"

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(End of this chapter)