NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 518 Core and Respect (Daily Chapter)

On Monday, July 2007, 7, the summer league ended and the Knicks won another championship this year!
Thanks to the outstanding performance of Barea, Novak and Gary Neal, head coach Mike Malone won his second consecutive summer league championship.

New York fans are naturally delighted by this, and have been arguing with each other on Reddit these days. Ever since the birth of the "Big Four", fans of both sides have been frequently venting on the Internet.

Celtics fans have been holding back for nearly a decade, and now that there's finally hope for the playoffs, they naturally want to brag.

It's just that the two cities are too close, and with the additional feud brought by the Red Sox and Yankees, New York sports fans don't feel comfortable seeing the other side happy.

With sports journalists fanning the flames every day and newspapers on both sides mocking each other, young fans naturally followed suit and struck back!

However, both sides also have a consensus. Whether it is New York fans or Boston fans, everyone believes that the championship will come from between the two teams. As for other teams, they are all ignored.

The Lakers attracted a lot of attention during the finals because Kobe publicly proposed a trade, but after so much time, neither side took any action and the fans lost interest.

“What about Kobe?”

The question asked by the Yahoo Sports reporter has become a joke among New York and Boston fans. Who cares about a clinger who doesn't even have an MVP?
At the same time, there are also many gossips about the US men's basketball team, which is preparing for the America's Cup at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, who hosted the ESPYs, clashed over differences in opinion about team leadership.

Many media gossiped that head coach Krzyzewski had lost control of the team. After a training session, James and Kobe verbally abused each other and almost came to blows.

The reports are naturally exaggerated, but in fact there are only differences in tactical play. James insists on counterattacks, while Kobe likes positional offense. The two have different playing habits, so naturally they can't get along.

The Thomas and Mack Center will be broadcast live across the United States in a few days. After the training session ended on Monday afternoon, Kobe left alone again, which made Chandler and others very unhappy.

The head coach couldn't control the weirdness between the players. Howard looked at Kobe's back and shouted with a laugh:
"Come on, Kobe, play a few games with us! We will train with you at 4 o'clock if you agree!"

"Don't yell at Dwight, he's a superstar with the right to deny trades, he's completely different from small characters like us, and I don't want to get up early!"

Chandler, who was sitting on the sidelines bending over to untie his shoelaces, laughed after saying this. Hinrich, his former Bulls teammate, shrugged his shoulders, took off his glasses and spoke for Kobe:
"Tyson, stop talking, at least we can't do that kind of training."

Deron Williams, who also participated in the training camp, has become very inflated. Since reaching the Western Conference Finals, he has been awarded the title of "the future No. 1 backcourt player" by basketball critics.

Considering that Li You is 30 years old this year and four years have passed, Deron Williams also feels that he will usher in his peak period. Naturally, he has little respect for the Lakers, a fishing team with no potential:
"It's 2007! Training also needs scientific planning. Haven't you read Li's new book? I suggest all defenders buy a copy."

"What?"

Redick, who was hiding in the training camp, was confused and shouted in confusion. He had always been targeted by Kobe and liked to watch him have fun. However, he really didn't know about the new book that Deron mentioned.

“Winning Formula!”

"I received it as soon as possible. The content is really helpful for core guards. It is a book that explains how to control the game from the perspective of a small person."

"It covers training, team building, and psychological development. It was just released this weekend, and Lee didn't promote it too much, but every high school student who plays basketball in New York should have a copy."

Chris Paul, who also received free books, inadvertently showed off his special treatment. A small character like Redick could not get in touch with the circle of big guys.

Michael Reed, a little-known person in the training camp, nodded in agreement. He also secretly bought a copy and said with emotion when talking about the content:

"Lee is right. Professional players really need to take good care of their bodies. The training method that squeezes out potential is outdated."

Battier, Prince and Mike Miller got together and no one participated in this topic. Although Kobe did not play with them, they all agreed with the spirit of hard training.

Billups shook his head helplessly. Although the Pistons were in decline, as a championship guard, he also had some complaints about Kobe's "big shot" behavior.

But since he was already here, Billups didn't want to be bored by reporters asking him about gossip every day, so he stood aside with his hands on his hips and took the initiative to suggest:

"Understand Kobe, he just wants to prove himself too much."

Marion, who is still suffering from injuries, has remained silent. It is really unpleasant that the Suns always use him as a bargaining chip.

On the contrary, Stoudemire, who was greeting the "Knicks", was particularly active. As soon as Billups finished speaking, Stoudemire said sarcastically:
"If he wants me to respect him, he has to beat me more times. I can get opportunities when I play next to Li. Why does he regard himself as the core and ask me to cooperate with him?"

"Just because he scored 81 points? The Raptors suck!"

Chris Bosh, who was just watching the show, was caught in the crossfire. He immediately shouted "Hey! Hey!" and said loudly in dissatisfaction:

"I was just a rookie at the time, but I could still lead the team to the playoffs! Don't always bring me into this."

Kidd was annoyed by the young players' chattering. The main reason for the conflict was that Kobe lacked a good impression of players from the Knicks.

There is nothing wrong with this old-school style, but Kobe himself has too few honors to show off. Just talking about championships, many people at the scene have rings.

He laughed at the "core" at the top of his lungs. Since Duncan's reputation plummeted, Stoudemire has received more praise. He doesn't consider Kobe's feelings at all.

"J! When we divide the teams, I hope you can be in the same team with me. We both know that you are the captain!"

James once again took the initiative to show his goodwill to Kidd. Both of them are good at transition offense, and he believed that the other party would definitely support him.

"Listen to the coach! Bro! We have to speak with one voice and stop letting those reporters report those boring news. Remember to communicate with everyone."

Kidd stood up and high-fived James. He didn't object to the two teaming up. After all, they were both in the East and knew each other well. More importantly, he was not very good at positional attack.
The young guards were discussing Li You's new book. Those with rings started bragging about it. Friends were busy trying to win over their teammates. Carmelo Anthony, who was out of tune with the atmosphere, sighed in frustration:
"Damn this selection! How did it turn out like this?"

As for Kevin Durant, the newbie among newbies, he was already confused. This bad locker room atmosphere made him experience in advance the other side of NBA players' pursuit of fame and fortune.

On Thursday, July 7, the trio also promoted the product on TNT’s evening show, and Li You’s new book appeared in the studio.

Many NBA players and coaches like to write books to make money, and some even use writing books to fight with each other. The most famous example is Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar mocking each other through their autobiographies.

A few years ago, Phil Jackson also criticized "Kobe Bryant is not coachable" in his new book.
It is considered conscientious of Li You to publish a book only once in many years, but most of the contents are dictated by him, and the compilation and distribution are completed through the channels of the Qi Fu brothers. This is another win-win cooperation.

In the studio, Kenny Smith, who was holding a book, praised the content and gave it a very high evaluation:
"I think this is Lee's summary of his 11 seasons. Young people entering the NBA should read this book."

"Even if the overall strength of the league has declined, the nine championships were not by chance. Lee even analyzed his own weaknesses. It was this clear understanding that allowed him to achieve such success."

The original static talent is not outstanding, Li You has never denied this, and the book praises the two former general managers and two owners of the Knicks.

At the same time, it bluntly states the importance of "managing upwards". "Only a team that is united from top to bottom can win the championship" is one of the core points of the book.

Although he was recharged, Charles Barkley also read the contents of the book carefully. After hearing his partner's praise, he did not brag too much, but laughed and joked about the recent hot news:

"I like Lee's book, but I'm not him. I can't control the team as thoroughly as he can."

"Maybe Kobe should read Lee's book. The atmosphere in the Lakers' locker room is too bad. The team hasn't made any response to this public trade yet."

"After leaving O'Neal, Kobe has become an ordinary All-Star who can only score but not win. Maybe he should sit down and have a frank talk with Dr. Buss."

There were conflicts in the Lakers locker room, they were unwelcome in the national team, and Kobe's team, which was clamoring that the Bulls were their only choice, was left out in the cold by old Buss until now.

As a member of the same top team, Paul Pierce's loyalty was rewarded, but now Kobe has become a joke and no one cares about what he says.

Ernie Johnson's first reaction after reading the book was that Li You and black players had completely different attitudes towards basketball, so he added another perspective:

"In the past few years, we saw a lot of news questioning Lee's love for basketball and his professionalism. Now it seems that Lee was right."

"There's nothing wrong with treating basketball as a job. Compared to those star players who make money and start squandering it, Lee is the role model that young people should learn from."

"I sincerely recommend this book to children under 18 years old. It can help you better develop the mentality of a professional player."

Over the years, many basketball stars who advocated passion and dreams have fallen one by one and become like everyone else. Only Li You, who once declared that basketball was just an ordinary job, won in the end.

The out-of-date Iverson has become the best counterexample. He was abandoned by his parent team and questioned by Nuggets fans. Now the only thing worth bragging about is his "confidence."

The whole body is so hard that only the mouth is left. The days of veteran Allen Iverson are getting harder and harder.
The three of them praised the book to the hilt. After the praise session, they started discussing the "Big Four" that have attracted much attention recently. The director also showed the picture of the leader Garnett's press conference:
"As 30-year-old veterans, we know what we want!" "Everyone came to Boston with the only goal of winning the championship. We know how to win, and Coach Rivers has created the most suitable system for us."

"Everyone can shoot. At critical moments, everyone has the ability to finish the game. We don't need a fancy offense. We can still win by scoring 100 points in every game."

"To hell with those prejudices! No one can stop us from pursuing victory."

Completely different from the other three people's speeches, Garnett has seen the tactical system. This Celtics team continues the tradition, and he is confident that he can lead the team to play suffocating defense.

At the end of the interview, Garnett beat his chest confidently in front of the media, obviously having secured his core position.

When the camera returned to the studio, Charles Barkley was smiling again. He was not laughing at Garnett, but because Marbury was "whitewashed" too quickly, making everyone forget his original team performance:
"I understand the fans in Boston, but they are too happy too early. I have never questioned the energy that Garnett brings on the court, but they lack a winning culture."

"Think about the gap between Marbury and Kidd. The Nets only completed their transformation after Kidd joined."

"This way of building a team means it is difficult for them to build an excellent lineup depth. I got the news that the Knicks have reached an agreement with Boris Diaw and JR Smith."

"While I think the contract will be overpriced eventually, there is no doubt that the Celtics have a slim chance as long as they keep this championship roster."

Charles Barkley has been following the news in New York. As for the team options, the Nuggets, Suns and Mavericks have all raised their prices, but the player's agent has remained silent. Apparently the Knicks have already matched the offer.

Not only is Barkley not optimistic about the Celtics, the Mavericks are also ahead in the odds. No matter how the Boston media hypes it up, it cannot cover up the gap in lineup depth.

Kenny Smith was relieved that his partner didn't belittle the "star quality" of the four players. Thinking of the scene where Marbury's whole family was out, he could only remind the fans in a tactful way:

"Four All-Stars playing together, everyone has the ability to hold the ball, the lineup is excellent on paper, but the game is not a game."

"No matter what the final result is, the new season is worth looking forward to."

"."

Kobe, who is in Las Vegas preparing for the Open, also watched tonight's show. The trio is not optimistic about the Celtics, but he is envious. At least the All-Stars are better than lazy guys.

Unfortunately, he had a bad relationship with Ray Allen and looked down on Marbury. He wanted to team up with Garnett, but was worried about being overshadowed by the MVP. Kobe regretted not replying to Garnett's text message.

All the teams that wanted to pursue the championship were fighting hard, but the Lakers were still leaving him alone. Feeling annoyed, Kobe finally fell asleep with anger.

On Saturday, July 7, there was no major news in the free market, and those who were clamoring to poach players from the Knicks at the beginning of the month were silent.

Unless there is a huge premium contract, there is simply no way to disrupt New York's current roster.

That night, more than 15,000 fans poured into the Thomas and Mack Center, and the star warm-up game sponsored by State Farm officially began.

The players recruited by head coach Krzyzewski were divided into two teams, blue and white. Kobe became the leader of the blue team and Kidd led the white team.

Due to the lack of big men in the training camp, Chandler and Stoudemire were assigned to Kobe's team, while Howard and Bosh supported Kidd's team inside.

Before the game started, when the reporter interviewed Kobe, who looked serious, he didn't say much, his eyes were burning with fire, he stared at the court and said seriously:

"I don't think this is a training match, for me this is a battle, I will give it my all, I don't care what you say."

The starting backcourt of the blue team is Hinrich and Deron, Anthony and Chandler form the frontcourt, and the bench lineup also includes Marion, Stoudemire, Redick and Durant.

Coach Gentry was forced to play with three guards, while the opposing team had a more balanced lineup. It was clear that coach Krzyzewski had already determined his own tactical style of play.

This game was very exciting. The White Team continued to play transition offense through excellent defense, and James and Kidd ran all over the court.

It was just that Kobe's strong three-pointer in the connecting period and Durant's consecutive scoring brought the difference back to 10 points.

At the critical moment of the fourth quarter, Miller's shots were inaccurate and he frequently fell into positional attacks. After the score difference was narrowed, the player who stood up for the white team was neither Kidd nor James.
Thanks to Billups's three-pointer, Prince's mid-range jump shot, and Bosh's free throws under the basket, the white team finally managed to defeat their opponent.

102:107, at the Thomas and Mack Center, fans who bought tickets to watch the game applauded.

Kobe, who scored 22 points, a game-high 10 of 26 shots, pursed his lips after the game, watching Prince and Billups celebrate in a low-key manner, feeling more depressed.

LeBron James was also a little embarrassed. He failed to take over the team at the critical moment. Instead, the low-key Billups showed his big heart.

Winning or losing the internal warm-up match is not important, but Kobe took it too seriously. When he walked towards the locker room angrily, he was photographed by media reporters with his teammates laughing.

Chandler was not unhappy about the loss. Instead, he pulled the low-key rookie Durant and boasted in front of the media:
"Kevin performed well and scored 22 points. Maybe we can meet in the finals in the future. This guy has amazing talent!"

Durant just smiled shyly. He really hopes to go to the Olympics, and he made a low-key statement on this topic:
“Lee helped me a lot in coaching me last year, and I’m confident I can perform even better!”

"."

On Saturday, the 21st, after releasing his new book, Li You had some leisure time. He set out from Peninsula Manor and hosted Manchester United CEO David Gill and his party on the Happy.

The 52-meter yacht was originally designed to serve families. Although it has 7 rooms, only the master bedroom on the top floor is the focus.

FeadShip is a long-established custom yacht manufacturer with unparalleled strength. In addition, the girls carefully inspected the yachts, so this was the first time for both parties to work together, and the process was very pleasant.

Starting from the private dock, leaving the island of Peninsula Manor and heading into the deep sea, Li Youzan, who was enjoying the sea breeze beside the outdoor swimming pool at the rear, praised the club's champion this year:
"It's going much better than I thought, David, tell Sir Alex Ferguson to relax, it's just a friendly game, it's no big deal."

Manchester United started its Asian tour on Tuesday this week. Ferguson flew there with the team. All the first-team players were there, showing great sincerity.

In early August, there will be a warm-up match with Inter Milan at Old Trafford, and the two games against Rangers will be coached by the old man's son Darren.

Although the following games are not important and the opponents are teams from the fourth-tier league, the son's move to follow in his father's footsteps is likely to be criticized.

David Gill could only smile at Li You, who was dressed in beachwear. The CEO, who was wearing shorts and a light gray T-shirt, explained:

"There are too many applications for warm-up matches. You know, Lee, sometimes you have to handle these relationships well."

"AIG's jersey sponsorship has been a big help, and our financial report this year will satisfy the fans."

"You should really come to the JJB Stadium to watch the team be crowned champions, Manchester United fans are the best in the UK."

After the league ended, Li You, who won the championship, did not go to the scene to join in the fun. British newspapers are never merciful in their words. Instead of listening to those remarks that make people go into debt, it is better to watch the show from a distance.

"I know, so I plan to sell bonds in the UK after paying off my friend's debt. Don't worry, JPMorgan Chase will not rush us to pay back the remaining money when the time comes."

"If the bond issuance goes smoothly, the other party will most likely lend us a large sum of money again."

"AIG's $5800 million jersey sponsorship is just the beginning. Debt can help the team develop better. In about 11 years, we can re-list in New York."

"In short, it's a win-win situation. If we can win the Champions League this year, I can give Sir Alex Ferguson a good horse!"

Li You raised his eyebrows at David Gill, teased the old man's hobby, and told him his goal for this year. The Champions League will not only bring profits, but also gain more attention.

When he heard about the bond issuance, David Gill could only smile bitterly. The team's debts allowed them to gain heavy jersey sponsorship, but this way of operating made him feel uneasy.

With delicious food, fine wine and slim girls in swimsuits, the yacht was soon filled with joyful laughter again.

Li You watched a blonde girl tear off the cloth on her chest with a sweet smile, raised his glass to everyone again, and said meaningfully:

"Don't worry, guys, the club is not my big toy. When my sons grow up, if they are interested in sports, non-executive directorship will be a good position."

"So, we have long-term plans, now enjoy the championship, you deserve it!"

"."

(End of this chapter)