NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 532: Time is running out for the veterans (Daily Chapter)
On Saturday, December 12th, Tim Duncan, who was caught up in trade rumors, once again became the subject of heated discussion among fans.

It wasn't that Duncan made any remarks after the game that night, but the Spurs' opponent taunted him, and Iverson, who lost the game, angrily scolded the "honest man" after the game!
90:98, the Spurs won at the AT&T Center. After defeating their opponents at home, their record reached 18 wins and 5 losses!
In the game that was played simultaneously, the Mavericks easily defeated the Rockets, with the former's winning record reaching 16 wins and 9 losses, while the latter lost and their record dropped to 12 wins and 12 losses.

Competition in the Western Conference is very fierce. The Suns and Hornets, both with 15 wins and 9 losses, have surpassed the Rockets and squeezed into the top half;
After the Lakers were reversed by the Warriors on Saturday, their record was 12 wins and 10 losses. Kobe made 23 of 6 shots and scored 21 points. After leading the team to a loss, he was ridiculed by a group of commentators for two days.
In comparison, the Nuggets have a pretty good record, 13 wins and 9 losses. Even if they lose this game, they are still ahead of the Lakers. However, Iverson somehow broke down and openly fired back after the game:
"Age is never an excuse to chase a championship. I don't know what's wrong with the league now?"

"I don't understand why someone wants to leave the No. 1 team in the Western Conference! If I had those great All-Star teammates, maybe I would have been successful in Philadelphia."

Iverson, who had the word "loyalty" tattooed on his neck and was wearing a loose black suit, spoke these words with great rhythm, not giving the reporters a chance to speak. He quickly spread his hands and added:

"I will never respect such behavior, it is a betrayal!"

"New York, Los Angeles, maybe these are good choices for players, they are big cities, there are bigger markets, but players shouldn't do this, you represent the city behind you."

"I'll fight my ass off for Denver, but I'll always be a 76ers kid. They drafted me, I won the scoring title there, and a part of my soul will always remain in Philadelphia."

He almost has the word "loyalty" engraved on his forehead. Although he lacks the ability, Iverson's statement is indeed very popular. The "One Man, One City Award" will never go out of style!
Of course, this statement is not just to show his attitude. The All-Star voting has already started, and Iverson is still working hard for the starting position. He wants to prove himself again.
When talking about this topic, Carmelo Anthony couldn't get a word in. Among the rookies in 03, although he won the best rookie award, James and Wade had already reached the divisional finals.

Only his team had a mediocre record and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. In addition, the commentator was Duncan, who led the team to four finals. Anthony could only watch his idol perform.

No sports reporter in San Antonio refuted it. In fact, many people thought so in their hearts. Although Duncan could end his contract early, fans hoped that he could stay.

Many fans even expressed their confusion as to why the team, with the best record in the Western Conference, could not retain its star player, but could win the championship by going to Los Angeles?

When Tony Parker and Ginobili, who were injured and sidelined, appeared at the press conference later, ESPN reporters took the lead in asking questions:

"Congratulations to the Spurs for winning this game. We would like to know if you have discussed the trade with Tim Duncan? Will there be any changes to the team's lineup before the All-Star Weekend?"

Parker, dressed in a dark gray suit, wiggled his fingers. After hearing the question, he subconsciously turned his head to look at his partner beside him. He found that the Argentine was also looking at him. He was speechless for a moment.

"I think the team is doing very well at the moment, so we rarely talk about it!"

"A lot of times people just focus on basketball. Bruce is a good role model. When we play together, we just want to put on a great game for the fans."

Parker, who was just speaking politely, did not answer the question directly, but the reporters in the audience all knew that the Frenchman obviously knew something, and not mentioning Duncan was a signal.

Ginobili has not been in a good mood for more than a month, and Duncan has become more and more taciturn. He can understand that, but he really has not thought about a trade.

If possible, he doesn't want Duncan to leave the team. The trio can be said to be at their peak, and Ginobili feels they have a chance to win the championship.

"We just want to catch up with the teams ahead of us as quickly as possible. We will be ready when the new season starts. Now the team needs to get the home-court advantage in the playoffs."

Ginobili frowned slightly and suddenly felt bored after saying this. It was too difficult. The two teams in the Eastern Conference had only lost one game so far.

December is already halfway through, and the end of the Christmas battle means that the schedule is almost one-third over. If we want to catch up, we must not only exert our strength in the later stages, but also pray that the opponent's condition is poor.

The Argentine's remarks made the San Antonio reporters lose interest. Year after year, just like the Spurs always fill the salary cap, they have not changed.
Parker and Ginobili did not respond to Iverson. For them, many times they are just too lazy to change the environment. After all, the NBA is not the only thing, and they are just working here.

In the end, the press conference ended hastily. When Popovich was interviewed in the corridor, the old man looked very haggard. The No. 1 team in the Western Conference could not make him happy. The great guy was really going to leave.

The reporter from the San Antonio Express was actually very dissatisfied with the old man in front of them. Some fans believed that it was because of Popovich's poor coaching level that the team missed the championship.

There has even been another saying in the past half month that Duncan was going to Los Angeles because of the recruitment of championship coach Phil Jackson. If the Spurs had changed coaches earlier, they might have won the championship long ago!

"I know what you want to ask. The news in the newspaper is not true."

"The team is now No. 1 in the Western Conference. We have shown excellent form since the start of the new season. Tim is very happy in the Spurs. He likes the fans here. This is his city."

Popovich lied with his eyes open. Duncan made 11 of 4 shots tonight and only scored 8 points. He was obviously affected. Many reporters also found that the big man went to the parking lot alone again today.

Although the Spurs are still winning, there are problems within the team, and Duncan's departure seems to have entered the countdown.
"Greg, everyone supports you, but right now the fans are just like us, we don't see any hope of winning the championship!"

"Does the team have a reinforcement plan before the trade deadline? Has the team developed a new tactic? We can't get humiliated after entering the finals like we did before."

Hearing his old friend's words, Popovich subconsciously opened his mouth, wanting to offer some chicken soup, but for a moment he was speechless. They lost four times, and the shameful record of the finals was created by the Spurs.

After consecutive defeats in the finals, Tim Duncan's historical status has been declining, and the players who were fishing are laughing at him. Popovich is aware of this situation, but he is powerless to change it.

"."

Without saying anything more, the old friend patted Popovich on the shoulder. Everyone understood why Duncan chose to leave. He needed to change. After all, the 32-year-old veteran really didn't have much time left to win the championship.

Regardless of how the outside world reported it, Duncan did not give a positive response. After winning the game, he greeted the team staff, walked to the parking lot alone and sat in his Toyota.

The lights in the car came on, and the newspaper on the passenger seat showed signs of being flipped through.

"Chicago's victory" was the headline of the sports section yesterday, and the Knicks' away loss attracted everyone's attention.

A large part of the newspaper's content was devoted to praising the Bulls' core guard Hinrich. After Li You missed the game due to family affairs, Rondo was completely suppressed by his opponents on both offense and defense.

Ben Gordon and Hinrich's three-pointers made the United Center boil, and even the San Antonio commentators called this game "the best victory of the Bulls in 2007".
As an old rival, Duncan is clearly aware that the Knicks are not so impeccable. When he faces the Suns, his winning rate is extremely high, and the tactical systems of the two teams are almost exactly the same.

After so many years of analysis, the corresponding tactical routines have been analyzed many times, and it is difficult for D'Antoni to come up with another system.

But basketball games are sometimes unreasonable. When the opponent uses the strongest tactics, no one in the league can respond.

Duncan looked down at the newspaper again and noticed that there was a text message on his phone. He did not respond. He started the car after reading it again and made up his mind again:
"No matter where I go, I am the core!"

On the evening of the 16th, Sunday, Li You was still busy with family affairs at Peninsula Manor. As Christmas was approaching, everyone wanted to celebrate the holiday together.

The quiet and spacious outdoor environment allows the previously shy girls to relax their bodies and minds. Although Li You has accumulated knowledge over the years, she can always unlock more tricks.

The protagonist of tonight is Kristen Ritter. After becoming a mother, the black-haired girl has become much fuller-bodied and has completely lost her youthful appearance.

As it approached midnight, the birthday boy, attacked from both sides, finally collapsed. Every birthday night is an unforgettable night.

Like a succubus who never takes any protective measures, Christen-Ritter didn't mind having another child, but Li You felt sorry for the girl, and in the end it was Melinda with a smirk who bore everything.

The flames of the fireplace and the dim lights gave the room an ambiguous atmosphere. When Li You left the big bed and hugged Jin who came back with a glass of wine, the latter pinched him shyly.

Li You couldn't let go of the carefully maintained fair body. He took the red wine handed over by the other party and praised softly:
"Thank you for your hard work! If we can just delay it for a while longer, we won't have to look at the Attorney General's face anymore!"

His skin began to turn red. Jin took a sip of wine and twisted his body subconsciously. When he was brought to the bed, he looked at the scene in front of him and his breathing became a little rapid:

"Prohibiting investors from withdrawing their capital will lead to more and more attacks. Let Bobby and the others think of a solution, at least to speak with one voice." Melinda chuckled lazily, and stopped playing with the young girl beside her. She stretched out her full body, entwined with the two of them, looked at Jin with her big eyes, and said with an innocent look:
"We have the agreement, I don't mind continuing to work in court, honey, she is distracting"

He blew a breath in Jin's ear and watched Jin's face get redder. Then Melinda dribbled the ball into someone and leaned behind Li You and laughed softly.

The overtime game soon started again. Li You, who had been busy preparing for Christmas these days, decided to practice hard tonight. The little one had already started to call "Dad", and now the family needed a few daughters.

"You still have to work tomorrow, God! Aren't you tired?"

"."

On Monday the 17th, after the Cavaliers arrived in New York, the New York Times and the Daily News were still gossiping about Scarlett's second child.

I thought the young girl would further pursue her acting career after winning the award, but what she got was news about her family.

Li You is about to turn 30. He has 6 sons now and will have his 7th child next year. With one child born every year, they are almost forming a football team.
Not only did the succubus post photos on Facebook, she even shared her feelings about becoming a mother again on the newly popular Twitter.

Not long ago, Scarlett invited her closest friends to her home on 82nd Street. Even Rachel showed up. The quarreling scene that the crowd was expecting did not occur. Anyway, the party ended successfully.

No matter how the media reports, most of the girls who have had interactions with Li You have never had any conflicts, and the two sides are even good friends.

Jennifer Connelly's eldest son Kai was photographed in the same frame with Li You. Although the Hollywood actress is already married, the two are still in contact.

It is rumored that Aksu Capital has been helping some Hollywood stars manage their assets in the past few years. Now it seems that this news is undoubtedly true.
Jeff Van Gundy, who returned to New York again, was not in the mood to pay attention to these gossips. The team's record fluctuated, conflicts broke out in the locker room, and Larry Hughes publicly expressed his dissatisfaction after the game!

At that time, Van Gundy advocated trading the steals leader and offered him a good contract.

As LeBron James' voice increases, Larry Hughes, who has performed poorly, has become a bargaining chip in the indirect dialogue between the two.

What makes Van Gundy sad is that the team seems to be on James' side. Although he has just signed a contract, he has no control over the deal and the steals leader is destined to be cleaned out.

At 11:50 a.m., the Cavaliers completed a simple warm-up. In the empty Madison Square Garden, a large number of reporters gathered on the sidelines.

The sports media in Boston next door also followed suit, and at the end of the month they had a direct dialogue. The two sides are now competing in the air, and at the same time they don't mind adding fuel to the fire and provoking the arrogant New Yorkers:
"Jeff, we got the news that LeBron James does not support your choice. The young leader seems to be questioning the original deal."

The dark circles under Van Gundy's eyes showed that he was indeed not in good condition. When he heard the Boston reporter's question, he instinctively put on the airs of a championship coach and simply responded with a frown:

"Larry's form is just fluctuating. We trust him very much. He is the core of our perimeter defense."

"I don't know where this news came from. The Cavaliers are united and we are catching up with the two teams ahead of us. Other issues are never in our consideration."

"."

Tom Thibodeau was watching his "besieged" partner on the other side and sighed inwardly. Only then did he realize that it was a miracle that there was no problem in the Knicks locker room at that time.

There are always conflicts between rookies and veteran players. Although Larry Hughes promised to assist the "Chosen One," conflicts arose between the two after last year's Eastern Conference Finals.

The steals king thinks that James' efficiency is poor and he can't support the offense, and the chosen one complains that his big brother is too iron and can't even seize the open three-pointer.

The two disliked each other, and Van Gundy admired Larry Hughes very much, so the conflict eventually escalated to tactics. After all, someone has to take the blame for the loss.

After realizing that the Knicks' experience could not be replicated, Thibodeau became somewhat discouraged. It seemed that all these years of struggle had become meaningless. If he had stayed in New York, perhaps he would have won by now.

Howard was warming up with a smile on his face, not noticing the assistant coach's expression. Instead, James saw Thibodeau was in a low mood and seized the opportunity to comfort him with the ball:

"I have great respect for the coach, he brought me to the conference finals, which is an achievement that many players cannot achieve in their lifetime!"

"But sometimes we have to move on, you know, I want to work hard, and there has to be a unified voice in the locker room. It's just a basketball issue."

"Everyone trusts you. We know that you built the team's defensive system. For this, we have nothing but respect!"

The young boy who used to only nod his head now tries to control the team in front of him. Thibodeau seems to have seen a second Li You. This is how the Knicks cleaned up the big brother.
"Focus on training and don't argue with Larry. I don't want to be made a joke here!"

Thibodeau patted James on the shoulder, and the latter saluted with a smile, then called his teammates to gather together, shouted, and then ended the training.

At 19:30 p.m., in the familiar Madison Square Garden, New York fans seemed to become more enthusiastic, but Van Gundy on the sidelines was almost so angry that he burst into curses.

Point forward James took great care of his big brother. Facing the Knicks without Li You, the Cavaliers failed to play their own tactical system, but instead frequently played singles.

Rondo, who was in the starting lineup, played defense desperately on the court, treating the regular season as the finals, and suppressed Gibson on the opposite side with his momentum.

Although the offense was no longer smooth, the Cavaliers frequently found reasonable opportunities. Relying on Gasol's offense and Raja Bell's defense, the Cavaliers fell behind again in the first quarter.

23:30, the score difference was not big, but during the intermission, Van Gundy was almost angry. This was completely different from the game plan he made before the game:
"We must speed up the offensive tempo, work hard to get to the basket, and don't wait for the opponent to establish a defensive position!"

"."

This should have been James' job, but unfortunately the latter seemed to have lost his desire to attack tonight. Facing Artest who had returned from injury, he frequently dealt cards from the top of the arc.

Larry Hughes pursed his lips and stared at the floor angrily. He knew the young man did it on purpose to express his dissatisfaction with being in the starting lineup.

The coach got angry and James nodded immediately. In the next game, Larry Hughes couldn't get the ball again. Howard relied on his stronger body to blow the horn of chasing points in the interior.

In the end, the game was deadlocked until the fourth quarter, and the score difference fluctuated around 4 points. In the final moments, head coach D'Antoni simply let Gazuric commit a foul, and Howard's free throws were poor.

Despite James' outstanding performance, the Knicks still had the last laugh thanks to Gasol and Chandler's stable free throws in the final moments.

93:99, at the end of the game, Madison Square Garden was full of jubilation, Rondo was so excited that he punched repeatedly, and made 12 assists in a single game, which was his best performance this season.

The excellent rotation lineup helped the Knicks, and D'Antoni breathed a sigh of relief. If they lost the game without their big player, his status as a championship coach would definitely plummet.

After adjusting his red scarf, the mustache came to the technical desk with a bright smile. After shaking hands with Van Gundy, he couldn't help but sigh:
"Fortunately, Lee will return in the next game. I prefer to leave the game to the players. Jeff, you are the only one in the league who understands this feeling!"

Thinking of his AFK career, Van Gundy was a little annoyed at first, and then he couldn't help but feel nostalgic that James failed to carry his dream.

"You guys performed better tonight!"

Van Gundy said this dryly, forcing a smile, and then immediately turned away. He noticed that Larry Hughes was looking at him in front of the player tunnel, and felt a little guilty for a moment:
“Time is running out for veterans.”

(End of this chapter)