NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 270 The bonus is unpalatable (daily chapter)

On November 2002, 11, the Lakers started a road trip in the Eastern Conference.

After the start of the new season, as the broadcasters have reduced the broadcast of the regular season, fans who want to have a deeper understanding of the team's trends need to pay more attention to the corresponding sports programs.

Commissioner David Stern hopes to increase ratings by reducing games, but there are still many problems with this approach.

TNT gave up the weekend prime time to the other side, and the ESPN broadcast team was in some confusion. This caused the regular season to just start, and the ratings showed signs of decline.

As the defending champions, the Lakers have received more attention. In addition, ESPN broadcasts gossip news every now and then. The public also wants to see what kind of performance Kobe will give when he leads the team alone.

Lakers fans soon felt disappointed. At 70:89, the Cavaliers taught the Lakers a lesson!

Ricky Davis and Ilgauskas both broke out, scoring 47 points together and leading the team to a victory over the Lakers.

科比13中5，拿到15分13篮板9助攻2抢断5失误的准三双数据。

This game was just the beginning, and the Lakers subsequently lost to the Celtics, Wizards, and Hawks.

After losing to the Hawks at home, Lakers fans were disappointed. They thought it was a bonus schedule in the Eastern Conference, but the Lakers turned out to be the bonus itself.

After a 4-game losing streak, the record came to 2 wins and 6 losses, and the defending champion was no longer dominant.

In 4 consecutive games, Kobe's shooting percentage failed to exceed %. This performance naturally caused his reputation to fall to the bottom.

When encountering opponents with strong internal strength, there is a high probability that Eastern Conference teams will fail.

But if the opponent is an outside core, everyone must attack hard!

Under Li You's training, Eastern Conference teams have a very mature solution for how to double-team the outside ball holder.

Although Li You can't be solved, he can easily solve Kobe Bryant

Fortunately, the Lakers only have three games this week, and their next opponent is the Warriors, who will most likely end their losing streak.

In contrast, the Knicks had a relatively stable start. They did not have back-to-back games for two consecutive weeks and their schedule was relatively easy.

In the home game on the 12th, the Knicks defeated the Jazz at home, 88:110.

Encountering old basketball, the energetic Knicks defeated their opponents in the first half.

In the same pick-and-roll, Li You knocked Jaylon Collins, the team's training partner from last season, out of the game.

Stockton, who is already 40 years old, cannot bear the task of leading the defense at all. The old man really can't stand it anymore.

This game made Stockton's mentality explode. When he attended the post-game press conference, he appeared extremely frustrated and even took the initiative to reveal the news:

"This is my last season and I can't keep up with the pace of the game anymore."

"As much as I don't like the Knicks, they're definitely playing the right basketball."

“The way to beat big men is not to find another great big man!”

"No matter what, we will still challenge for the championship this season."

Karl Malone on the side is also quite depressed. He really wants a championship, but the reality is that the old man can't play basketball anymore.

Throughout the press conference, Karl Malone didn't say much, nor did he state that he wanted to retire. When asked about his future options, he just stated calmly:

"I don't know. I hope to win the championship this year. As for the future, I haven't thought about it yet. I am focused on the current game."

The main reason why the two old guys' mentality exploded was Li You's performance.

仅仅出场32分钟，21中15，三分线外10中7，罚球8中8，45分5篮板12助攻2抢断2盖帽4失误。

Except for a few mistakes, Li You played extremely efficiently in this game.

The true hit rate even reached 91.8%

The old guy tried his best, but Li You scored as easily as drinking water.

The headline of the sports section of the New York paper media on the second day was:

"Superman—Clay-Lee!"

"Superman" comes out every three to five, naturally to mock the big-mouthed O'Neal. The Lakers' record just happens to be poor, so naturally they want to step on their opponents.

After the start of the game, they had a record of 8 wins and 0 losses. Although their opponents were the Kings and Pacers who had injuries, the Bucks and Hornets were both in good shape.

The Knicks have one game left this week against the 76ers, which will be in three days. Plus, it's a home game, so the team chose to take a day off.

Not long ago, Time Inc. Sports Group changed its editor-in-chief, and Terry McConaughey became the 18th editor-in-chief of Sports Illustrated.

On the evening of the 13th, the 58-year-old well-known editor and writer held another party at his home in Manhattan.

McConaughey has two precious sons. The eldest son Nick’s novel was just published not long ago. Thanks to his father’s connections, well-known magazines such as The New Yorker and Entertainment Weekly followed suit.

The younger son Thomas is also good-looking. If nothing happens, he will most likely become an actor in the future.

Sports Illustrated's magazine cover next week will feature Li You again. Although O'Neal stole the attention during the offseason, after the start of the new season, the Lakers pulled back and the Knicks regained the spotlight with their excellent record.

Although McConaughey is almost 60 years old, he is well-maintained. Apart from many wrinkles on his face, the blond hair on his head is still thick.

With his second wife, he made everyone laugh at the banquet. He once worked for Rolling Stone and Newsweek magazines and has many connections in the industry.

The two eldest children were already 17 years old. At this time, they were all surrounding Li You, chattering and asking questions.

Growing up in Manhattan, the two grew up watching the Knicks. They were season ticket holders many years ago, and the entire family is a die-hard Knicks fan.

Also wearing a formal suit, Nick is more relaxed than his younger brother. At this time, he is still complaining about last year's whistle:

"The league is biased towards the Lakers, otherwise we will definitely continue to win the championship. The whole summer has been news about the Lakers, which feels terrible!"

Li You saw that the two young men were really unhappy, so he smiled and comforted:

"It doesn't matter, we will continue to win. Maybe in a few months, there will be a championship parade in Manhattan again!"

"Want to sit on the bus at the front? That feels really good!"

Winking at the two of them, Li You briefly described the feeling of the parade. His younger brother Thomas was a little yearning for it and quickly followed suit:

“In previous years the festivities were even bigger than the Thanksgiving parade, and I love the Parade of Champions!”

Many industry media and magazine editors from other industries came tonight. After chatting with old friends, McConaughey walked over to Li You with a smile.

After patting his two eldest children and handing the red wine to Li You, the two reluctantly left. McConaughey then said gently:

"Li, it seems you have a chance to win another MVP trophy!"

Li You was a little surprised. Hook had already told him that this year's MVP would not be his turn:

"Winning this award for three consecutive years? The league and the sports media most likely don't want to see this happen. I have long given up my illusions."

In the incentive clause, Li You specifically marked this situation. Losing the MVP will not affect his income, but he still has to try his best to harvest other honors.

McConaughey shook his head slightly, and then reminded in a low voice:

"Sixty wins, beautiful data can get a lot of votes. Of course, if your opponent also gets 60 wins, then there is nothing I can do."

"But according to the state of the Lakers since the start of the game, they may not be able to get a very good record. Lee, this is your chance!"

Seeing the old guy looking confident of winning, Li You complimented him a few times, but curled his lips in his heart:

"I thought I could get an implicit deal, but it turned out to be a rip-off!"

The memory in his mind told Li You that the Spurs in odd-numbered years would break out of the Western Conference again.

The Spurs also recently ushered in a trip to the East. On the night of the 13th, they lost to the Knicks second team 82:91.

On the second day, they challenged the 2ers back to back, 76:94, and the Spurs lost another game.

It turns out that the Eastern Conference bonus is not so delicious. Iverson completely broke out when he met the Spurs.

25中12，砍下37分4篮板6助攻1抢断3失误，遇到马刺队的外线防守，艾弗森表现得非常出色！

Losing this game, the Spurs' record came to 5 wins and 4 losses.

Tim Duncan's performance has been mediocre recently, and his shooting percentage has been less than 50% in several consecutive games.

Although Popovich was a little upset, he still blew his thigh as usual after the game:

"The new season has just begun and Tim is still recovering. He will be back in shape soon!"

The 37-year-old David Robinson is still pursuing the championship, but the Spurs were in average shape after the start of the game, and the sports reporters in San Antonio were also a little uncomfortable.

Everyone wants to see David Robinson win the championship. Of the four major centers in the past, only the general has not yet had a championship ring.

This season is the last dance for many old guys, "feelings are priceless", and many fans also hope to see a complete story.

But for the people in New York, the dreams of their opponents are none of their business. Everyone buys tickets to watch the game, not to see their opponents realize their dreams.

On the night of the 16th, at Madison Square Garden, Allen Iverson ushered in his 26th loss in the regular season.

整场比赛完全迷失，出场43分钟，22中5，砍下17分6篮板6助攻1抢断5失误。

At 89:108, after the game, Iverson left the game early wearing a towel.

He has to experience this kind of failure 4 times every season, and losing hemp is a true reflection of him!

In the MSG commentary box, Walter Frazier smiled brightly. He liked to see such a torture game:

"Wonderful basketball! This season, Pau Gasol's improved screen quality has changed the team's offense."

"Lee plays more easily. When opponents choose to double-team him, others can always get easy scoring opportunities."

"The most important thing is that our defense is extremely good. This kind of pressure on the ball holder, no team in the league can do it better than us!"

The Knicks won 9 consecutive victories, and Marv Albert was also very happy, and he also followed suit at this time:

"The team has a great possibility of achieving a complete victory in November!"

"A perfect start will benefit the rest of the schedule. There are also 12 games in December. New York fans will receive a good gift on Thanksgiving and Christmas!"

The Knicks have just two games next week on an easier schedule.

There was a game against the Timberwolves on Sunday, but considering the strength of the opponent's lineup, the two agreed that the Knicks would have a complete victory before Thanksgiving.

On the night of the 17th, fans across the ocean finally waited for Yao Ming's explosion.

93:89, in the away game against the Lakers, Yao Ming played 23 minutes, made 9 of 9 shots, 20 points, 6 rebounds and 3 turnovers. Yao Ming's performance was eye-catching.

The melon-eaters in the United States also ushered in a happy moment, and Charles Barkley, who had a good flow, fulfilled his promise.

Under the cheers of his TNT colleagues, a donkey bearing the name "Kenny Smith" appeared on the stage.

After Charles Barkley kissed, this news naturally made the melon-eaters happy.

Different from the serious and rigorous sports programs in the past, live broadcasts seem to be more popular.

而对于很多中国球迷来说，37中18，砍下46分6篮板4助攻1盖帽3失误的科比也让人印象深刻。

Although the Lakers lost again and their record came to 3 wins and 7 losses, Kobe fans can also shout:

"Boss did his best."

Perhaps the sports media on the other side of the ocean will exaggerate Kobe's performance, but for professional football commentators, Kobe's current team leadership ability is really weak.

For MVP, everyone has higher standards, but Kobe's bragging was not fulfilled, but O'Neal, who was sitting on the bench, was highly praised.

Without a core, the Lakers have become weak, and O'Neal has completely secured his position as the boss.

On Monday night, the 18th, when the Knicks faced the Pistons at home, Billups was injured and left the field less than 7 minutes into the game.

However, this did not affect the overall strength of the Pistons. Atkins, who came on the bench, learned from the lessons of the last match and stopped making random shots.

Relying on excellent defense in the first half of the game, the Knicks only led by three points at 9:12.

The New York fans at the scene were not affected in any way. After the game resumed, the cheers soon resounded through the arena:

"Let's go Knicks!."

As a small man, Atkins relies entirely on his enthusiasm on the defensive end. Li You made tactical gestures early, and then quickly crossed the half court against the opponent's defense.

After his strength attribute increased, Li You was too lazy to make too many moves and accelerated and stopped. The closer the opponent was, the easier it was to create an attacking space.

On the left flank, Atkins, who was desperately defending, was shaken away by Li You's emergency stop.

If he wants to continue to pursue the defense, Kurt Thomas' pick-and-roll is already in place.

Noticing that his teammates failed to squeeze through the screen, Ben Wallace delayed to the three-point line. Kurt Thomas quickly passed down the line at this time. Atkins did not choose to pursue or cut off the defensive line, but continued to follow Li You. behind.

The two of them hadn't formed a double-team yet, and Li You didn't look at anyone as they were moving, and suddenly sent a crotch pass.

The fans at the scene cheered, and Kurt Thomas, who caught the ball at the free throw line, did not waste the opportunity. Unguarded, he made a solid mid-range jumper! When it was the Pistons' turn to attack, Li You led the defense and delayed Atkins' advancement. Artest pursued Hamilton, and Grant Hill also followed Michael Curry to the right flank, causing a huge delay.

Under the three-man defense, Atkins finally chose the safest pass and passed the ball to Ben Wallace who was connecting at the elbow on the left side of the free throw line after halftime.

Kurt Thomas also knows "Big Ben" very well, takes a big step forward, and is ready to retreat to the basket at any time.

Carlisle's head coach on the sidelines found out that it was difficult for his outside players to catch the ball from hand to hand.

Sensing that his teammates were in trouble, "Big Ben" simply gave the ball to the big man Rebrasha inside.

Even though he received the ball in the paint area right in front of the basket, Rebrasha's left-hand throw immediately hit the target under Gasol's top defense.

Gasol grabbed the rebound, and everyone in the Pistons retreated desperately. Ben Wallace returned to the half court and was still shouting out to his teammates. He soon discovered that Li You, who was holding the ball with his left hand, made the same tactical gesture.

Still in a "V-shaped" position, after Li You made a tactical gesture, Kurt Thomas moved to the left wing, preparing for a pick-and-roll;

Gasol on the right elbow area immediately ran to the right near the baseline, preparing to eat a pie or rush for a rebound;

Artest did not move in the left and right corners, and Grant Hill slowly moved up the line to reopen the offensive space.

As if it was a repeat of the last round, Atkins was still knocked away by Li You's sudden stop, and Grant Hill stepped forward to pick and roll.

The difference is that Ben Wallace delayed faster this time, and Li You also lowered his center of gravity, accelerated in a straight line with the ball in his left hand, and leaned on "Big Ben" to drive straight to the basket.

After covering the screen, Kurt Thomas came down and stopped near the free throw line. Watching Atkins chasing Li You, he knew he would get another chance.

Sure enough, in less than two seconds, Li You relied on the defense, faked a real pass, and flicked the ball behind his head.

The basketball passed by Atkins. Kurt Thomas, who had been prepared for a long time, happened to be in the paint area when he received the ball, and he succeeded again in an open jump shot!

"Wow!"

After scoring consecutive goals, cheers resounded throughout the stadium, and Kurt Thomas also pumped his fist in celebration.

In the next few rounds, as the Pistons fell into a scoring drought, Li You followed suit.

Atkins rarely squeezed through the screen, but before the two formed a circle, Li You hit the ground and passed the ball again, and Kurt Thomas once again took the cake from the free throw line.

Rebrasha caused Gasol to foul and missed two free throws. During the transition attack, Li You relied on Atkins' defense to break through to the inside and attracted Ben Wallace's help.

Quickly slipping across the baseline, Li You circled around the basket, and the Pistons' two big men immediately lost their defensive attention.

Li You, who was near the lower right side of the basket and holding the ball in his left hand, looked at Kurt Thomas who was cutting in front of him, and then made a subtle flick of his wrist.

The basketball flew to Gasol, who was near the baseline on the right. The latter was unguarded and made another mid-range jumper!

At 9:20, with a double-digit point difference, Carlisle's head coach had no choice but to request a timeout.

Hamilton seemed a little frustrated. The Pistons had just won a winning streak, but they were hit in the head again tonight.

On the Knicks bench, the atmosphere team was particularly happy. According to the current trend, everyone will get more playing time tonight.

In the first half of the game, Li You sent out 5 assists. After the timeout, everyone in the Knicks attacked hard.

First, Gasol hit a mid-range shot after a pick-and-roll, and then Grant Hill counterattacked and made a layup.

Hamilton broke through and was intercepted by Artest at the free throw line. During the counterattack, Li You strode towards the basket, attracted the defense and then gave the ball to Artest who followed up for a dunk!

Relying on free throws to stop the bleeding, it was Li You's breakthrough on the left wing that attracted the Pistons' three-man attack.

Grant Hill was wide open in the left corner, and he also made a three-point jumper!

In the last minute of the first quarter, the head coach of Carlisle on the sidelines watched Grant Hill and Li You pretend to break through and pass the ball continuously.

After Li You caught the ball on the right wing, he made a sudden three-pointer from a long distance. Carlisle crossed his arms, shook his head slightly, and sat back on the bench.

This extremely simple and crude offense also sent Madison Square Garden into a complete rage.

At the end of the first quarter, at 1:18, coach D'Antoni smiled from ear to ear again and walked to the field to clap his hands and cheers.

In the commentary box, Groom Albert also knew that the outcome of this game was decided, and he stopped talking about the game at this time:

"I like the Sports Illustrated issue today. The best in history? At the age of 24, Lee is the best in history!"

This week's Sports Illustrated cover shows Li You in a black formal suit, with four rings on his hands, posing in a contemplative pose. The title is simple and crude:

"Best in history?"

Michael Jordan won his first championship when he was 28 years old. Li You, 24, has only missed one finals in his current career.

The two did have different starts because the Bulls were a toxic team back then.

Therefore, most football commentators usually compare Li You with Magic Johnson.

Both of them have benefited from the lineup bonuses, and Magic is also taken care of by Big Brother.

As a famous player of the Knicks, Walter Frazier naturally also followed suit:

"I believe that Lee will still lead the team to win the championship, and he will soon win his fifth championship."

"And given his age now, I think Lee is going to be the best in history very quickly."

"Before he became the best player in history, he was already the best player in the history of the Knicks. Everyone here loves him!"

The excessive point difference made the game one-sided. The two people in the commentary box almost beat Li You to the sky. At the same time, they also did not forget to mock the non-dominant Lakers.

In the second quarter of the game, the Pistons failed to solve their offensive problems and only scored 2 points in a single quarter.

At 34:66 of the half, during the intermission, Madison Square Garden turned into a happy party again.

Tonight, there is a high probability that beer and snacks will hit new sales highs this season.

In the end, 80:119, the Knicks beat their opponents wildly, and the Pistons' eyes were straight as they walked to the tunnel.

Although Ben Wallace was depressed, he still took the initiative to comfort his teammates and left New York. Although he won many honors, the championship seemed to be far away.

Coach D'Antoni still had a smile on his face when he was interviewed after the game:

"119 points? That's in our plan, too. When our big men can hit those pick-and-roll shots, the team will be unstoppable."

"Lee changed the existing basketball game. No one can play like him. In my opinion, he is the best in history!"

"."

After the latest issue of Sports Illustrated was released, football commentators turned their attention to Li You.

Football commentators are very receptive. At least since the start of this season, no one will question Li You's shot selection.

Even if Li You likes to try long-range three-pointers when he is leading, no one will blame him because the Knicks have been winning by a large margin.

Before Thanksgiving, the Knicks were not on vacation. Although they got a lot of rest time, the coaching staff did not relax their requirements. The players still had to go to the Tarrytown Training Center on time every day to train.

Li You has been living in the small town of Tarrytown recently. When the weather got cold, he also brought Happy the husky here.

I get up early every day to walk my dog, have a video class in the morning, a training class in the afternoon, and occasionally practice ball control in the evening.

On the morning of the 19th, the ABC reporter calculated the time and blocked Li You who was walking his dog home early in the morning.

After obtaining the broadcast rights, the ABC program team moved back to New York's Times Square to dig out materials for Saturday's NBA countdown, which has been the task of sports reporters recently.

After the weather in New York cooled down, Happy's eyes became clear again, and he circled around Doris Burke, as if waiting for her to smile and pat her head.

Doris Burke has been working at ESPN, mainly covering the WNBA, and she is also a commentator for the New York Liberty.

In 2000, Doris Burke became the first woman to serve as a television commentator for Knicks games.

It was not yet 7 o'clock in the morning, and the town was very quiet. Li You saw a few people waiting at the door of his house early, and he joked helplessly:

"Doris, this week is supposed to be a program on ABC. Are you ready to change jobs?"

Doris Burke, 37, who has rich interview experience, greeted her ABC colleagues and then said with a smile:

"I just want to make the show more exciting and let more fans know about your life!"

A group of five people followed Li You into his home in Tarrytown Town. Some people looked at the house curiously, and soon everyone discovered that Li You was preparing breakfast alone.

The staff in charge of the camera naturally wanted to take pictures. Doris Burke had known Li You for a long time, so she spoke very naturally:

"Lee, it looks like the latest Sports Illustrated didn't bother you too much!"

Li You, who took off his coat, was not affected by the crowd. Hearing such a topic, he joked again:

"These are discussed every year. I'm used to it. The most important thing is that as long as I win again this season, I can win five championships."

“I have to say that this year is indeed the best time to discuss this topic!”

Despite loaning out the championship, several people agreed with this statement. The Knicks, who had a winning streak, did show stronger dominance.

The Knicks' morning training plan was also adjusted to facilitate filming by the ABC team.

Ewing has long been accustomed to such scenes, and he naturally boasted during the interview:

"Look at the championship banners surrounding the arena. They represent what the Knicks have accomplished in recent years!"

"Young players will always be full of motivation when they play in such an environment!"

"I think Lee should get the MVP. Don't forget that we are still in the rebuilding period and most of the players are rookies."

"Under these circumstances, we made a perfect start. Although the league always prefers other players for small awards such as Player of the Week, I think Lee should continue to win this season."

"Compared to Larry Bird, Lee is even better!"

The issue of MVP is naturally a topic that everyone discusses frequently recently. Although the regular season has just begun, the Knicks are in really good shape.

Considering that the schedule in December is not tight, even if the team wins 12 games in a row, commentators will not be surprised.

Without back-to-back games, the Knicks are terribly stable.

Grant Hill also maintained his excellent form after the start of the regular season, with his usual 50% shooting percentage and fast breaks as fierce as ever.

He can even make a few three-pointers from the corner that were left open.

At the end of the video class, Grant Hill, who was interviewed, also made a serious statement:

"The Regular Season Most Valuable Player Award will naturally be awarded to the player with a better record and better statistics."

"I don't like aesthetic fatigue. For media reporters who vote, everyone should respect the facts."

"We are confident that we will win 60 games again this season. If we finish first in the league, I think Lee should win the award again."

"It's a recognition of him and a respect for us."

"."

ABC reporters quickly discovered that everyone in the Knicks team was boasting a lot, and everyone was very active in training.

Stoudemire seemed to enjoy the attention. In addition to boasting about Li You during the interview, reporters also teased out some of his inner thoughts:

"Well, there is indeed a lot of pressure. I want to be in the starting lineup. This is the goal I have been working hard for."

"But I'm still getting used to the game. It's different from high school. Every player on the court is very talented."

"Lee is tough, of course, on the pitch, but privately he is a good person."

During the interview, Stoudemire revealed more information, such as that the Knicks like to play cards within the team, enjoy two drinks after returning home, and occasionally visit some interesting clubs.

After getting the material they wanted from Mengxin, the ABC filming team finally left with satisfaction.

Whether it's NBA Countdown or NBA Insider, if you want to increase ratings, simply reporting on pre-game previews is outdated.

On November 11, the Knicks flew to New Orleans, Louisiana.

This season the Hornets officially moved from Charlotte, and this was also the first time the Knicks came to play in New Orleans this season.

The two sides met for the second time this season, and the bearded Baron Davis was depressed to find that his fans had switched sides.

Perhaps it was because Davis's performance in the first half was really stretched. He made 11 of 3 shots and only scored 6 points. Before the end of the half, Li You hit a long three-pointer while riding a horse in the middle of the line. The New Orleans Arena was boiling. Got:

"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

Listening to the cheers getting louder and louder, Baron Davis, who was walking towards the tunnel, pulled out his jersey angrily, looked at his listless teammates, and secretly complained in his heart:

"I didn't mess with anyone!"

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(End of this chapter)