NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 543: The pinnacle of the modern defender (Daily Chapter)

On Tuesday, February 2008, 2, many newspapers were congratulating Ray Allen for winning the AMVP for the first time in his career.

119:134, the Eastern Conference All-Stars easily defeated their opponents. Ray Allen had the best stats with 30 points, but the game was just an exhibition match for Li You and others.

The Los Angeles Times was no exception, but their content was still a bit sarcastic, saying that Kobe, who was injured, and Duncan, who was just slacking off throughout the game, did not have any outstanding performances in the game.

The former only played for two minutes, and although the latter got 12 minutes of playing time, he made 5 of 2 shots and only scored 4 points. Duncan's overly simple style of play disappointed many Lakers fans.

The sarcasm mocks New York's flashy games, but Lakers fans actually prefer showmanship
The New Orleans All-Star Game was a complete success. The recruited volunteers said it was the most exciting All-Star Game ever. The City Hall also followed suit, saying that sports reduced crime rates.

For ordinary fans, this exciting All-Star Game may be their youth, but for the local citizens of New Orleans, the shitty mayor is making empty promises again, and this city is hopeless!
With crime rates rising, the economy in decline, and problems with urban reconstruction, many people naturally cannot empathize with the joy of sports fans.

After all, they have to live in this city, and the fans have already left.

While reporting on the All-Star Game, the free market was also very lively. The Lakers and Celtics were both vying for PJ Brown, and agent Matt Bartelstein became the key.

There have been very few reports about Li You's agent in recent years, but Priority Sports & Entertainment has been developing better and better, and people in the industry know the influence of this company.

Sports agents can sometimes be regarded as alternative "gamblers". They can take off by holding on to a big leg. There are too many such examples that truly talented college players have become more sought after.

In the early years, agents preferred to scratch the lottery on big players, but now, practitioners don't mind signing some underdog small players.

This transformation has become increasingly obvious in recent years. ESPN data expert Hollinger recently proposed a "modern guard" theory, which has allowed many small players to receive far more attention than before.

Pick-and-roll, three-point shooting, and finishing at the basket are the three basic requirements. If there is also excellent passing and the ability to break double-teams, then such a guard will become the core after entering the league!
Hollinger even included a joke for the fans in his column:
"In the future basketball world, big men with crude skills and only physical strength may leave the stage, shooting will be the most important thing, and basketball will become more pure."

Such a statement was resisted by Lakers fans because Kobe Bryant does not meet the requirements of a modern guard at all. He is mediocre in every aspect, and perhaps only his mid-range performance is better.

Currently in the league, Wade, Parker, Chris Paul, and Deron Williams fit this theory very well, especially the first two, who attack the basket frequently and finish well.

Paul is very good at pick-and-roll, and Wade is also very threatening when he uses pick-and-roll to break through or pass the ball. This is why the two of them can surpass Kobe in the eyes of basketball commentators.

On Tuesday night, the Lakers had no new players in their first game after the All-Star Weekend, but Kobe and Duncan were confirmed to play.

Perhaps it was the random comments of the commentators that angered this old-school team. After Phil Jackson delivered some strong support, the Lakers, after half a month of running-in, showed the temperament of a championship team!
The Hawks, who made the trade early, were obviously slow to warm up, scoring only 14 points in the first quarter, which made the Staples Center boil.

14:32, Lakers fans in the screaming seats were shouting loudly, this was the game they were looking forward to!
During the break before the holiday, Joel Meyers, who took over as the legendary commentator, also had a look of joy on his face. He has been praising Duncan since he joined the Lakers.

In addition to catering to the fans, Joel Meyers sincerely felt that the former "lazy guys" were not as good as the MVPs. After the trade, both offense and defense became visibly stronger:
"I've been following ESPN's articles, but I think they're just talking nonsense sometimes. The role of big men is irreplaceable. They should really watch Duncan's game!"

"Tim Duncan is like a gem. After coming to Los Angeles, he shines again!"

Stu Lantz, who has been a commentator for the Lakers since 1987, was dressed in a black suit and had a happy look on his face. He borrowed his partner's words to add encouragement:
"Modern defender? I don't understand why such a theory would emerge? ESPN may be trying to please Lee. They are always keen on various data and concepts."

"But basketball is not like that. Simple data models cannot truly reflect the content of the game. Kobe is better than everyone thinks."

Every team had the same home commentator. The finals were broadcast live across the United States on ABC. Duncan couldn't defend against Li You on the defensive end, and couldn't respond in time on the offensive end.

The poor performance on both offense and defense happened last year, but fans like to hear this kind of bragging. At least they can have fun tonight. It doesn’t matter what the facts are.

As long as they can win, the home atmosphere of Staples is definitely among the best in the league. Duncan, sitting on the Lakers' bench, was still a little uncomfortable with his jersey and watched the game expressionlessly.

"How do you feel, Tim? The coach's tactics are a bit complicated. We can communicate at any time."

Fisher is considered an old player on the Lakers who fully understands the triangle offense. He is currently also the leader of the locker room. Duncan is a man of few words, so he will take the initiative to communicate whenever he has the chance.

"I don't think it's complicated. When I was with the Spurs, we kept watching the Lakers' game videos. I understand this tactical system very well."

Duncan responded briefly, noticing the forced smile on Fisher's face, shook his head slightly, put down the towel and whispered:

"Now I am more concerned about health issues. It is almost impossible for the team to achieve absolute home advantage, but we must at least go one step further in the Western Conference."

As the two were talking, Kobe, who was chatting and laughing with his teammates, also pricked up his ears to listen. 33 wins and 19 losses, the current record is average. Thinking of the home court advantage, he also turned his head and said:

"We still have time and the top half is not difficult."

After hearing Kobe's serious statement, neither of them spoke. Phil Jackson also requested a timeout at this time. Kobe, who was about to appear on the court, took off his training clothes and said with a smile again:

"I promise the team's performance will get better and better"

At 23:42, the huge score difference made the Staples Center completely boiling. Seeing Kobe and Duncan preparing to come on the court, the fans cheered even louder.

After the game resumed, Phil Jackson made a tactical retreat on the bench. The old man from KFC saw it clearly and the opponents did not dare to double-team Kobe easily. This is the effect of the triangle offense.

Near the blocking area, once Duncan gets the ball, the players on the court will follow suit. The big guy can always make good quality passes using his height advantage. This is much better than that traitor Bynum!

The Eagles were powerless to resist and the score gap kept widening.

Although Josh Smith delivered two wonderful blocks and showed his physical talent with a beautiful dunk, the Lakers had already entered a rhythm of blooming in multiple places and the game lost suspense at halftime.

37:73, 41 points in the second quarter, the Lakers fans at the scene were completely crazy.

"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

On both sides of the player tunnel, seeing Duncan coming over, the excited fans shouted loudly to vent their excitement. Kobe, who was following behind, frowned slightly. He hadn't been treated like this for a long time.

In the past, Los Angeles newspapers always complained that winning by a large margin was not fun, but when the home team beat their opponents, everyone started to feel "really happy"!
On the other side, Al Horford and several others walked towards the locker room in frustration. In fact, they were used to losing to the Knicks by a large margin, but this was the first time for the Lakers, which made everyone feel uncomfortable.

"Damn it! Tim Duncan is a wimp. I thought he was going to stay in San Antonio."

Josh Smith threw his headband off as soon as he entered the door, and started complaining in his seat, blaming the big loss on Duncan.

6 of 4 shots, 10 of 7 free throws, 15 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 2 turnovers, Duncan almost filled the stat column at halftime. If the Hawks' shooting continues to be poor in the second half, then he will have a chance for a big double-double tonight.

The 36-point difference reminded Joe Johnson of the Knicks. Although he was selected as an All-Star this year, he was basically invisible in the game. The development of the league made him unable to understand, and he also sighed at this time:

"How long will this situation last? These veterans are going crazy!"

On Wednesday, the 20th, the expected trade did not happen. Instead, the Nuggets defeated the Celtics at home and became the focus of commentators.

119:124, Garnett returned from injury, but he only played for 20 minutes and was eventually knocked down by the Nuggets double guns
Being selected for the All-Star game again seemed to inspire Iverson. The little guy seemed to have turned into the omnipotent fighter again. He played for 46 minutes in this game!

16中7，三分线外1中0，罚球20中14，28分7篮板9助攻4失误，赛后艾弗森向球迷们激情呐喊：
"I'm back!"

The Denver Post gave a very high evaluation of this game, believing that this was Iverson's best performance since joining the team, and also praised Anthony and head coach George Karl.

41 wins and 10 losses, the Celtics lost and their record was widened a little bit because the Knicks easily defeated the Wizards last night.

Caron Butler missed the game due to injury, and in the end Li You and his teammates clocked out after three quarters, defeating their opponents 119:90 away from home.

After the All-Star Weekend, there was a back-to-back away game. Fortunately, the Knicks were in good shape after returning from vacation, and they ended the game early when they encountered a sluggish opponent.

In the afternoon, when we went to the Wachovia Center to warm up, a group of sports reporters gathered around Li You early. Since the game against the Lakers this season has ended, the sports media can only comment on the game online. This did not affect everyone's enthusiasm. On the contrary, because there is no game to speak freely, the conversation over the air is more topical!
Li You flew back to New York from New Orleans only for a short rest for one night before getting on the plane again. This unfriendly schedule consumed his enthusiasm for the game, but it did not affect his ability to comment on the game.

"I know what you want to ask. PJ will most likely go to Los Angeles. Matt and I briefly talked about this."

"Don't ask why. I think you can guess the reason."

Li You, wearing a blue away training suit, stood on the sidelines wiping his sweat and gave everyone a look that said "you all understand".

The reporters from the Philadelphia Inquirer remained silent. Until now, they still have not forgiven Li You. This season, the 76ers' home attendance has further declined, and loyal fans are not interested in watching an ugly loss.

The city is paying less and less attention to the home team, and if gossip from next door is reported, fans may be more interested.

The person who caused all this is Li You. Philadelphia has been beaten badly since 96, and it has been almost 12 years. This long time has worn out a generation of fans, and even those who work in the industry have been looked down upon.

"Um, I want to know the reason. Sorry, Li, I just joined Yahoo."

A young white reporter scratched his head and continued to ask questions without knowing why. The senior media executives in New York did not embarrass him and quickly gave him the answer:

"Because I'm going to play in Boston, I won't have a chance to play in the finals!"

"."

With a dry laugh, the young reporter didn't know how to respond. Although it sounded like bragging, considering Li You's experience, this answer might very well become the fact in the end.

ESPN reporters are also paying attention to the free market. The Bulls seem to be targeting Joakim Noah on the bench, while the Knicks have no information on reinforcements:
"Lee, does the team have any other plans before the trade deadline?"

The other party was referring to sending JR Smith or Artest. Li You knew this, but after being controlled by the general manager, the two worked hard to practice and did not even go on vacation. At this time, they had to be encouraged:

"We are in great shape! If you watched the game last night, it's not hard to see how good everyone is."

"Basketball is sometimes like a car. If there is no problem, we should not intervene too much. If JR was not injured, maybe he could compete for the best sixth man."

"I'm not worried about Ron's health. He's a tough guy and will be fine. Don't worry!"

Although Li You did not seem to have this attitude not long ago, after hearing these words, most sports reporters smiled and nodded. This is the privilege of the winner. As long as you can win, people will support you no matter what you say.

JR Smith, who is working hard to warm up on the court, has become more and more honest recently. As long as the trade deadline is over, he will most likely stay in New York!

In order to get this contract, the father and son even stayed at the Tarrytown Training Center during the All-Star break for extra training. Smith Sr. even publicly expressed his loyalty to the media:
"We just want to play in New York, and my son will help Lee achieve greater success"

David Lee, who couldn't play for the Knicks, wanted to find an opportunity, but the team disagreed and did not give any opponent any potential chance to compete!
Although they are demoted to the Development League from time to time, the atmosphere group members are not in a hurry to leave. If they can have an outstanding performance in the playoffs, they will get a follow-up contract.

In the team, apart from some financial pressure, Barea and others are the most patient. They all believe that opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared.

Halfway through the season, no one is discussing Diaw's overpaid contract and his stats look mediocre, but the Frenchman offers a lot of variety in his game and is able to impress by swinging in multiple positions.

"Luckily I didn't go to New Orleans. French style? I'm not interested."

Gasol shared his interesting stories from the All-Star Game. Dio, who was dribbling the ball near the three-point line, said something with a sense of superiority, and then he was ridiculed by everyone.

Due to historical issues, New Orleans has retained many French and Spanish-style buildings, and its food culture is also influenced by both countries.

The group of people who were going on vacation finally chose Italy under the persuasion of Dio. Rondo, who was participating in the Rookie Challenge, had no say. He was not happy during this All-Star Weekend:
"Why was Chris Paul selected as a starter in the Western Conference All-Star Game?"

Thinking of the All-Star Game, when Paul, the host, acted like a big star, Rondo was particularly unhappy. The more the New York media praised him, the more he wanted to prove himself.
As the warm-up was drawing to a close, Artest saw a familiar reporter and laughed and joked about the 76ers' recent situation:
"Ben is a nice guy, but he can't help you win!"

"They say there are only 1 fans tonight? God, you guys should give away free tickets, maybe they'll enjoy watching the Knicks game."

Ben Wallace originally turned Artest into a bag-carrying boy. Now that the opponent has declined, he seized the opportunity to counterattack.

The reporters of the Philadelphia Inquirer have become numb. In fact, they have the same opinion as Artest. An inside player who can't attack is out of date in this era, and a trade will not have much effect.

At 19:30 in the evening, after the game started, the Wachovia Center was not full. With a record of 21 wins and 33 losses, Philadelphia fans really didn't want to be there to support.

The fans who came into the stadium to watch the game regretted their decision after just one quarter. The score was 37:17, with a 20-point deficit in the first quarter, and the game returned to the rhythm they were familiar with.

Head coach Maurice Cheeks was idle the entire time. He knew that he would most likely leave the team next season. He was not optimistic about the 76ers and believed that a chaotic team-building philosophy would make it difficult for them to succeed.

After the start of the second quarter, what was hard for Philadelphia fans to accept was that the rookie Thaddeus Young on the opposing team suddenly broke out, scored twice, took advantage of a turnover to complete a steal, and stood at the free throw line on a fast break.

He scored 6 points in a short period of time. In contrast, Willie Green of the 76ers suddenly lost his form and did not have the efficient performance he had in the first quarter.

At the end of the first half, some fans sitting in the back row quietly left the stadium. After the third quarter, the seats near the front row were empty.
The game entered garbage time early, and Joakim Noah, who came on as a substitute, was completely numb. After losing half of the season, no one complained in the locker room and everyone was playing the game numbly.

124:82, back-to-back games, the Knicks once again defeated their opponents!
"Shh!"

Amid scattered boos, Joakim Noah watched his opponents happily celebrate their victory and felt increasingly depressed. At this moment, he no longer objected to becoming a trading chip, after all, the Bulls had a chance to make the playoffs.

"Let's go, Bro, this is the NBA, you have to accept the reality that not everyone can taste victory."

Iguodala patted the newbie who was standing there in a daze. The latter nodded silently, thinking of the column in the newspaper that evaluated Rajon Rondo, and finally couldn't help but complain:
"I also want to be a lucky rookie!"

On Thursday morning, the 21st, a leaked deal took place as expected, and the Cavaliers once again became the focus.

The team traded Larry Hughes, Ira Newbell, and the 2008 first-round draft pick to the SuperSonics in exchange for Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West.

The three-way trade among the Grizzlies, Rockets and Hornets was overshadowed by the Cavaliers' popularity. They gave away a first-round pick and also sent away the steals leader. Szczerbiak's contract is not small either, it's just one year shorter.

From the perspective of transaction value, this is not equal at all. Considering the news that Jeff Van Gundy was sidelined, another coach came out to speak for the championship coach.

There were only three games that day, but TNT's program connected to the famous agent Aaron Goodwin early on, which surprised the fans watching the program. Since when can an agent represent the team?

"This is a win-win deal. Larry can get the starting position and Wally can become the sixth man of the Cavaliers!"

Charles, Barkley and the other two did not comment much on this reason during the live broadcast. Only at the end of the show, Kenny Smith complained cryptically:
"A team should have only one voice. I support Coach Van Gundy. His success in New York is not a fluke."

"."

On the second day, Friday, after returning to their home court, the Knicks narrowly defeated the Raptors. Jose Calderon and Chris Bosh almost became autistic after the game. This was the worst performance since the All-Star Game.

86:113, the score difference was not big, and Madison Square Garden was still full of joy after the game.

Lee You, who was being interviewed by MSG, was also asked about the Cavaliers' trade. He naturally expressed his support for Van Gundy's situation:
"I know the ability of Coach Van Gundy. He is the first head coach in modern basketball to win four consecutive championships. The Cavaliers should respect his opinion."

"If Coach Van Gundy eventually chooses to terminate his contract early, do you think he will still accept New York's invitation?"

Although they were "our own" reporters, they obviously also liked to stir up trouble. Li You glanced at the mustache blowing on the other side, shrugged his shoulders, and whispered:
"The coach is tired, maybe the commentary booth is a better choice"

(End of this chapter)