NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 328 The Lost Trophy (Daily Chapter)

On April 2004, 4, the NBA announced the winners of this season's Best Sportsmanship Award:

P.J. Brown of the Hornets won this award.

Winning the award will not change the situation of the Hornets. They will be eliminated by the Pistons.

The opponent has not yet got the match point, but in the first two games against the Iron Bucket, the Hornets had difficulty scoring. They scored 82 points in one game and 80 points in the other.

Although the team controlled the number of turnovers very well, they still lost. In the words of Baron Davis:

"We just can't make it!"

Ever since Li You gave this reason for the Knicks' loss, it has been cited repeatedly by many players.

Missing a shot is a universal reason to lose, and it's a very honorable one.

The recently announced Best Sixth Man Award was won by Antawn Jamison of the Mavericks, and the Most Improved Player award was awarded to Zach Randolph of the Trail Blazers.

As the awards are announced one after another, it will soon be time for Best Rookie.

Although the Cavaliers have a poor record and are last in the league, LeBron James is the third player in NBA history to achieve 20+5+5 in his rookie season!

In the words of Cavaliers fans, Li You has not achieved this achievement, and James should win the award.

This award was established to encourage contributions to the community. Old Miller played for the Pacers for half his life and deserved the award.

ESPN didn't care about the Lakers winning, they were more concerned about Phil Jackson's reaction to Kobe being treated like this.

For the Chinese sports media, Yao Ming's first playoff experience did not meet everyone's expectations.

Li You missed this achievement. After all, the Knicks were full of stars and were already regulars in the playoffs.

奥尼尔虽然17中11，但罚球来了个15中5，砍下了27分13篮板的两双数据。

"There is no need to pay attention to these rookies. The next 10 years will belong to the Knicks!"

"Maybe the league will give out two awards together, which is what happened with Grant."

"Lee is the GOAT of modern basketball! The Knicks are the most successful team in the 21st century!"

The shooting rate was 41.4%, the three-point shooting rate was 29.0%, and the free throw shooting rate was 73.1%.

Despite their outstanding performance this season, ranking second in the Eastern Conference and not losing to the Western Conference teams, most sports media still ignored the Pacers.

LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony both won the regular season Rookie of the Month award.

Not every team will strictly enforce the dress code. Most black stars still like Iverson’s hip-hop dress. For this reason, David Stern criticized the rookies who did not follow the rules.

Artest was not interested in James' statistics. After playing against him four times this season, he didn't think the opponent was very strong. Before leaving, he shouted:

The Nuggets have reached the playoffs for the first time since 95, and Anthony has become a city hero.

However, both of them have flaws. The Cavaliers' record is poor, Anthony's personal reputation is average, and the league does not seem to like this personality player.

In the G3 game, 96:83, the old guys played steadily, suppressing the newcomers throughout the game, and easily got the match point.

I watched the Finals last season and the Spurs were beaten hard by the Knicks and suppressed throughout the game. I thought that even if they couldn't win the series, they should still get a home victory.

However, the outcome of this game is not the biggest highlight. Kobe appeared again in Denver. The fans at the scene were wildly rejoicing, and many people even held up photos of the blond white girl.

O'Neal and O'Neal also suffered, and shouts of "Shaq did it too" echoed through the arena from time to time.

The only previous players to achieve this feat in their rookie seasons were Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan. LeBron James has a promising future!

出战80场比赛，场均21.5分5.5篮板6.6助攻1.6抢断0.7盖帽4.2失误；

"20+5+5 is very good, and leading a rebuilt team to the playoffs is also very good!"

Kobe and O'Neal both had dark faces throughout the game;

Carmelo Anthony had a signature smile on his face, which made Kobe refuse to shake hands after the game and even glared at the newbie. Anthony had entered the list of "mortal enemies."

Although he is about to be eliminated, Nuggets fans and local sports media are also singing praises for Carmelo Anthony.

"."

Last night, after easily defeating the Bucks, the Pacers also got the match point.

In last night's simultaneous game, the Knicks beat their opponents by a wide margin, as did the Lakers.

Yao Ming made 14 of 9 shots and scored 22 points efficiently. He couldn't even win, "Teammate CBA"!

On the 24th, Li You was also criticized by the Boston Globe, who believed that he humiliated the Celtics during the game.

Regarding the scene where dribbling is always shown in a round when it is obvious that you can easily pass the opponent, the Globe will not let go, and the words are sharp, even its own players scolded:

"Atkins is Lee's toy, Pierce even cried like a child during the game, they are not the future of the Celtics!"

As a result, the Spurs showed no mercy and relied on their rich experience to defeat the rookies in the playoffs.

98:88, after the G3 game ended, Sina Sports held criticism meetings for Francis and Mobley every day these days.

"The Celtics are just a team that has reaped the dividends of the times!"

The 21st century has only passed four years, and under such limited conditions, the Knicks are indeed the most successful.

There was no suspense in the series, and Pierce even refused to be interviewed. Therefore, after the afternoon training session, when Li You was interviewed, the most common question he heard was:

"Who's going to win Rookie of the Year?"

The old man from KFC didn’t mention it at all after the game, he just smiled and talked about the situation:

"The Lakers are getting better. I like Payton's performance. One game will not affect the outcome of the series. He needs to be himself!"

LeBron James' rookie numbers are beautiful and fill up the stat column.

At the same time, this newbie also became the first player since David Robinson in the 89-90 season to lead the team into the playoffs as a rookie.

The most eye-catching thing was Gary Payton. Facing Andre Miller, he shot 13 of 3 from the field and 5 of 1 from beyond the three-point line, scoring only 7 points.

Fortunately, Malone was in good form, shooting 18 of 9 and contributing a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds. After the game, the "big brother" also spoke out for his younger brother:

"I didn't feel respected tonight. Nuggets fans should pay attention to the news. Kobe is a championship guard and they shouldn't treat him like this!"

On April 4, the NBA announced this season’s Kennedy Citizenship Award:

Reggie Miller of the Pacers successfully won the award.

Grant Hill, who was wearing training clothes, heard these words when he passed by and immediately agreed:

"Records and results, Lee is right, the fans will love the results."

This reaction also confirmed the news that Phil Jackson had broken up with Kobe, and the championship coach really hated his players.

As award time approaches, Jeff Van Gundy and the Cleveland sports media are cheering for James.

The New York Times highly praised Li You's performance in the game and loaned him again:

After adding Stephen Jackson, head coach Carlisle took over the team and completely activated the Pacers offense.

受到干扰的科比又进入到了“不高兴”状态，全场21中7，罚球8中6，砍下20分6篮板3助攻2抢断1盖帽3失误的数据。

Having been beaten repeatedly by the Knicks in the past few years, coupled with Li You's 72 wins this season, ball commentators believe that even if the Pacers enter the conference finals again, the result will be the same and they will eventually be swept out.

After receiving the award, the old Miller took the initiative to express his determination in front of sports reporters:

"I don't care how the outside world evaluates us. I know the team is stronger! I am willing to give everything for the championship."

These words made many sports reporters stand in awe. Everyone knows that if this guy chooses to leave and go to the Knicks with a minimum salary, he will definitely win the championship!

It's clear to everyone that the Knicks love shooters, and the elder Miller fits the bill perfectly.

On the night of the 25th, at the Fleet Center Arena, before the game started, Boston fans did not come to the arena as early as they did in the previous game to support the home team.

After experiencing the G3 game, the Celtics collectively entered a state of silence. Only the Boston Globe was still clamoring for the Battle of Honor.

Before the game started, the visiting team was introduced and when Li You's name was called, there were faint cheers.

After the home team took the field, Pierce was booed by some fans.

Pierce, who was wearing a green headband, looked listless and seemed to have lost his energy.

During the warm-up, he just shot simple shots and no longer communicated with his teammates. Pierce seemed to be doing it as a routine, hoping to end the game as soon as possible.

Since the Knicks like to hit hard on core players, after three games, the Celtics' inside performance was pretty good, with McCarty scoring 10 points in every game.

The same goes for Ricky Davis, who consistently scores in double figures but is not very motivated to defend.

Chris Mihm on the bench also has this problem. After the two came to the Celtics from the Cavaliers, they seemed to have brought their lazy defensive habits to the new team.

Li You remained the same, saying hello to the doormat and continuing to stroll around the field.

I wanted to chat with Pierce, but I found that wherever he went, Pierce moved quietly, as if he didn't want to talk.

I think back then, when Antoine Walker was still there, Pierce was still a superficial brother. At the end of this year's series, Li You knew that the two would most likely become "mortal enemies."

McCarty did not regard Li You as an outsider. At this time, he came up and whispered:

"In the game the day before yesterday, Pau had beer thrown at him by a fan. He cried for a while during halftime. The Celtics fans were also very picky!"

Li You's eyes widened slightly. He thought the Globe's report was exaggerated, but he didn't expect it to be true. Thinking of Pierce's tragic experience, he sighed in a low voice:

"I will end tonight's game as soon as possible. After all, we are all brothers. Remember to say hello to him for me!"

"."

McCarty laughed dryly. He always felt that Atkins was going to be unlucky, but it was none of his business.

In the live commentary box, Rivers was chatting enthusiastically about the "Spiritual Victory Method":

"Losing is not terrible. No one can succeed all the time. The team must learn from failure!"

"No matter how strong the opponent is, the Celtics should try their best and they should show the spirit of never giving up in front of their home fans."

"As a championship team, the culture of the locker room is extremely important. Unfortunately, so far in the series, I have not seen the mentality of the players who want to fight."

Kevin Harlan felt that what his partner said made sense, but after thinking about it for a while, he felt that it was wrong. The gap between 72 wins and 36 wins was ridiculously large.

The Knicks have four All-Stars in their starting lineup, while among the Celtics' starting five, only Pierce is considered a has-been All-Star.

Rivers' mental victory method may be useful against teams of comparable strength. The Knicks are crushing them every game, and Pierce has obviously lost.

After the game started at 20 o'clock, Celtics fans only felt that the game seemed familiar.

After a day's rest, head coach Carroll and the coaching staff seemed to have settled down without making any adjustments.

On the court, Pierce didn't have much desire to attack, and he didn't struggle to catch the ball in the face of Artest's tight defense.

In desperation, Atkins had no choice but to let go and led the Knicks in several transition offenses after the start.

Relying on a solid screen, Atkins hit a beautiful pull-up jumper from the top of the key in the last round.

Hitting a long two-pointer spurred the little guard to clap his hands repeatedly, and began to loudly encourage his teammates when he returned to defense.

"Defense!."

The Celtics fans at the scene also responded and cheered loudly for the defense.

The Knicks ran across half court early, and Li You, who was holding the ball in his right hand, was not blocked by his opponent.

After coming to the left wing, he saw Atkins spreading his feet, clapping his hands repeatedly, and assuming a serious defensive posture. Li You also looked serious, approached the three-point line, lowered his center of gravity, and quickly in and out with his left hand.

Shaking right and thrusting left, Li You swayed forward to the right and then immediately leaned forward to the left to accelerate.

The expected defense did not come up, and Li You was a little surprised. He held the ball with his left hand and went straight to the basket.

Atkins, who was frozen in place, showed an annoyed expression, turned his head and watched Li You approach the paint area and succeed in a jumping shot.

"I like the defensive attitude shown by Atkins. He is the most motivated player on this Celtics team!"

Rivers praised the defense in his hoarse and deep voice. Kevin Harlan was speechless for a moment. If he read it correctly, Atkins was in a defensive posture.

At 14:6, the point difference seemed not big, but there were 7 minutes and 57 seconds left in the first quarter. Seeing that half of the quarter had passed, the Celtics had difficulty scoring again.

In the next few minutes, Li You finally experienced what a performance defensive end is. Atkins would always put on a serious defensive posture, and then in most possessions, he would be passed by one step and there would be physical contact. The stocky guard would scream and lie down on the floor.

The home referee did give face and called an offensive foul on Li You, but as Atkins' performance intensified, the Celtics fans at the scene couldn't stand it anymore.

"Shh!"

Li You collected the backcourt rebound and waited until his teammates accelerated through half-court before he passed the midline in a hurry.

The Knicks' offense was still the same, with a "V-shaped" stance. Atkins looked at the movements behind him and took the initiative to step forward to defend.

Li You, who was holding the ball in his right hand, first gave Gasol a look, then immediately leaned forward and accelerated.

Gasol came to stand on the three-point line near the right wing. Atkins bumped into him and fell to the ground with another scream in pain.

Big Blount originally wanted to cooperate with his teammates to delay Li You, but as Gasol passed down, he couldn't help but stop and began to move to help defend.

On the right wing, Li You made an emergency stop at the three-point line. The referee didn't say anything and immediately made a jump shot!

"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net.

"Shh!"

The boos resounded through the arena again. Atkins' performance really made Li You unable to play, but Celtic fans did not want to see this softie who fell down at the first touch.

In the commentary box, Rivers stopped talking, and Kevin Harlan said cheerfully:

"I'm more concerned about Li's current physical condition. He seems to be getting stronger!"

"What an incredible physical talent, being so strong yet still having such great agility."

Li You raised an eyebrow at the linesman, who quickly warned Atkins in a low voice that Fisher's defensive method was outdated.

The opponent fell down at the first touch, and Li You lost interest. The Knicks changed their tactics in the next game.

Gasol often catches the ball in the low post or at the elbow, Grant Hill frequently holds the ball at the top of the arc, and Li You begins to appear in the bottom corner to open up space.

Pierce lost his mood, but Artest felt that his defense was working. Coupled with Li You releasing the ball, the DPOY became more and more energetic.

At the end of the first quarter, as Pierce hit a jumper from the right wing, Artest, who just collected the long rebound, made a sudden breakthrough with the ball.

The Celtics fans at the scene watched Artest dribble stiffly across half court and began to boo again.

Pierce, who retreated from defense, wanted to catch up and immediately foul, but he didn't expect Artest to dribble behind his back and easily dodge the cut ball.

After switching to his left hand and rushing into the paint, Artest took three long steps and hit a one-arm dunk!

"what!"

After completing the dunk, Artest landed and yelled at Pierce. Pierce, who had broken the defense, finally couldn't stand it anymore and immediately rushed forward and pushed:

"Shut your stinky mouth!"

Before the referee could react, Pierce and Artest were already hugging each other.

Amid the cheers of the fans, the two pushed each other and eventually fell into the bottom line of the camera.

Players from both teams rushed forward, the referee blew the whistle repeatedly, and the depressed Celtics fans began to throw away snacks and beer in their hands in order to avoid chaos.

Li You hugged Pierce, who was still trying to charge, while McCarty also hugged the boss who had lost his cool.

In the chaos, Pierce received an old punch and couldn't help but become more emotional.

When the referee pulled Pierce to the bench, he still couldn't control his emotions and instead complained loudly.

In the end, the referee pointed to the tunnel and Pierce was ejected directly.

Throwing the hairband on the bench, Pierce left without looking back. Everyone on the Celtics was stunned. The game had just begun, and the boss blew himself up?

On the Knicks bench, Artest saw Pierce being ejected and immediately clapped his hands.

Li You didn't expect Pierce to bid farewell to the series in this way, but when he saw many fans cheering loudly, he suddenly understood:

“What a decent departure”

Gasol didn't expect that the fans at the scene would like this scene very much, and there was endless applause:

"The game has just begun. Isn't this live broadcast across the United States?"

Seeing the question mark on Gasol's face, Grant Hill turned to look at the opponent's bench, and finally said with a smile:

"It's a good thing we can get back to Manhattan sooner!"

Hill is naturally good at guessing the opponent's thoughts. According to the state of the game between the two sides, there is a high probability of winning by a big score again tonight. Pierce doesn't want to experience another beating.

Head coach D'Antoni crossed his arms with a look of regret. Without his opponent's core players, Li You would definitely be taking advantage of the situation, and the VIP viewing experience would be reduced.

When players from both sides returned to the court, the Fleet Center Arena was still noisy.

The Carroll head coach had no choice but to replace Ricky Davis, and then it was up to the sixth man to take over the game.

Celtics fans thought Pierce's departure would inspire players, but the result was just the opposite.

At 33:19, after the first quarter, the Knicks' rotation felt that an opportunity had come and started to strike hard again!

Raja Bell chased Davis, and Mutombo, who came off the bench, also performed to his heart's content.

Stoudemire, who was restricted from playing, wasted no time in attacking the basket. For a while, the Knicks' rotation showed extraordinary enthusiasm.

Halfway through the second quarter, the Celtics fans were silent again. Six minutes passed and the score reached 2:6.

In the commentary box, Rivers did not mention his spiritual victory method at this time:

"Pierce was too impulsive and the Celtics had a chance to move back to City One."

Kevin Harlan was speechless, trailing by double digits in the first quarter, and the result was already doomed.

Li You was sitting on the bench and had no interest in playing. Without core players, the game couldn't show off.

Ewing watched happily and seemed to enjoy this scene. When he saw Li You starting to change clothes, he couldn't help but joked:

"Aren't you going to play again? There are still many fans here who are looking forward to your performance?"

"Play another quarter in the second half, Pierce is very cunning!"

Li You also understands the opponent's little thoughts, but he doesn't like this scene. Without Pierce, the Celtics' rotation lineup is too weak.

In a single quarter, 30:14, and at halftime, 63:33, the Fleet Center Arena was silent again.

After the start of the second half, Li You continued to pick and roll, squat in the corner, and occasionally complete counterattacks. The Knicks' game rhythm slowed down visibly.

The Celtics still failed to seize the opportunity. Coach Carroll looked helplessly at the bench, unable to make adjustments.

At 91:50, after three quarters, the score difference came to 41 points.

As if trapped in a time loop, some Celtics fans couldn't help but cover their faces with their hands. They were humiliated again!

The appearance of Matt Barnes, Gazulic and others means that the victory or defeat has been decided.

After letting go of brushing, the Celtics' rotation failed to allow the score to exceed 80 in the end.

At 114:79, the final buzzer sounded, and only the Knicks atmosphere team cheered loudly.

Li You wore training clothes and greeted the Celtics with a cordial hug.

Ricky Davis did not become depressed because of the loss. Instead, he greeted with a smile on his face:

"Li, when you come to Boston in the future, remember to send me a text message in advance. Don't be polite to me. We are brothers!"

McCarty couldn't help but curl his lips when he saw such a scene. Sure enough, he was not the only one who wanted to hug his thigh.

On April 4, the Knicks, Lakers, and Spurs advanced to the semifinals.

In the game between the Nets and the Heat, the big score came to 3:1. Kidd will reunite with Li You soon.

The first round of the game was a one-sided situation, which is not what football commentators want to see.

The NBA also knows what fans are concerned about during this period and continues to hype the Rookie of the Year award before the awards are presented.

On the 27th, the NBA announced the Rookie of the Year for the 03-04 season:

Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony successfully wins the award!

After the award was announced, Cavaliers fans went crazy. The chosen one actually lost the best rookie?

On the TNT show, the trio also followed the hot topics and were not discussing last night's game.

"I think there is no problem with the selection results. Anthony deserves the award. He is the hero of the Nuggets. He led the team to the playoffs."

Charles Barkley firmly supports Anthony. His statistics are similar to those of James. Being able to gain a foothold in the Western Conference and enter the playoffs is a huge bonus for him.

Kenny Smith also didn’t expect that the league would not share awards. At this time, he couldn’t help but say good things to James:

"20+5+5, LeBron James performed at a historical level. I think he should win the award."

"This season he has scored 30+ and 40+ points."

After hearing his partner's reasons, Charles Barkley immediately interrupted:

"We all know under what conditions James obtained this data, and Anthony faces huge competition in the Western Conference!"

"This is not a simple scoring issue. There is no reason why we should not select players with better records."

Ernie Johnson took over the conversation at this time and also expressed his approval:

"Iverson and Lee also experienced similar competition back then. In the end, Lee won the award with his better personal performance."

"This is somewhat similar to the situation this year. I respect the choice of the commentator!"

The trio ended up losing 2:1, with Kenny Smith defeated, but Cleveland fans thought it was Anthony who stole the trophy that belonged to James.

In his first season after taking over the team, Jeff Van Gundy cost James a major award.

The bald young handsome man was full of chicken soup. After the award was announced, he accepted an interview and expressed his position publicly:

"A lot of people don't realize how good LeBron James is!"

"We could win some games, but those wins didn't help us at all!"

"Our goal is only to accumulate talent. LeBron deserves this award. The Cavaliers are far more than that."

James, who had flown to Manhattan, was not surprised that he lost the trophy.

Next, he planned to watch the contest between Li You and Kidd. James did not show any emotion during the interview, but said calmly:

"I don't care about this award, I have bigger goals!"

"Coach Van Gundy is right, the Cavaliers should accumulate talent, and I also need to continue to polish my body."

"Bless Melo and hope to play against him on a bigger stage!"

The beginning is always wonderful every minute. James does whatever Van Gundy says. The chosen one trusts the championship coach immensely.

After returning home yesterday, Li You also noticed the huge controversy caused by the best rookie.

The Knicks chose to take two days off to let the players adjust their physical condition, so Li You was still fishing at this time.

Li You couldn't comment on the remarks of the Cavaliers' "mentor and apprentice". Therefore, in an interview with the New York Times this morning, Li You said tactfully:

"Feeling sorry for LeBron, it's not easy to get a trophy in the Eastern Conference!"

"I think my body is in good shape and the Knicks will still dominate the Eastern Conference in the next few years."

The reporter from the New York Times believed that the Cavaliers were not at a loss, and the league would most likely give them the No. 1 pick, and soon asked about the draft.

In response, Li You just smiled, gave a brief answer, got in the car and left. He also wanted to attend Tina Fey's celebration party:

"Rookies are rookies, good luck to them!"

(End of this chapter)