NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 589: Waking Up from a Dream (No Protagonist Chapter)

On the afternoon of August 2008, 8, the Olympic Games on the other side of the ocean were drawing to a close. The American men's basketball team had made it to the finals as they had hoped, and their opponent was the Spanish team.

In this Olympics, American captain Kobe is very popular, but the fans here are also familiar with Gasol, Prince, Chandler and others.

At 14:30 in the game, as time passed, the American men's basketball team, which had always received cheers, was booed for the first time.

The game was a bit tense, but a collision in the second half of the fourth quarter was the "trigger" of the boos.

"shush"

In the Wukesong Sports Center, as Gasol was carried back to the bench by team staff, the boos became louder and louder, and it was obvious that some fans of the team were expressing their dissatisfaction.

Although Kobe has been very popular in BJ recently, it does not mean that there are few fans who hate him. If CCTV had not taken the initiative to interview Captain America, perhaps his "die-hard fans" would have been hit back long ago.

In the NBC studio behind the scenes, commentator Bob Fitzgerald didn't say much after watching the replay. In slow motion, it was a knee collision.

Kobe broke through the crowd and hit Gasol's right knee with a Euro step. The latter then fell to the ground in pain and it seems that he cannot continue to play.

"It seems that Spain is in big trouble! Pau Gasol brought his good form in the Finals to the Olympics. I even saw the shadow of the Knicks in this team."

"Their three-point shooting was impressive and they almost tied the score. Fortunately, we suppressed the opponent with rebounds. Dwight Howard has a chest injury and it seems that he will not be able to return to the game at present."

In the third quarter, Marc Gasol's collision forced Howard, who was playing with an injury, to leave the court. Both teams were angry, and Bob Fitzgerald would not speak for his opponent at this time.

Doug Collins, an analyst, is a bit older than he was a few years ago. He is no longer interested in coaching the team, but he still has no shortage of work as a "paper strategist":
"Yao suffered a foot injury in the knockout round. I've read a report that the current fast pace of the NBA league will potentially increase the risk of injury to players."

"Maybe this report tells a fact that Yao, Nowitzki, Howard and Gasol all suffered injuries during the game. Maybe the long regular season really affected the health of these big men."

Doug Collins did not comment too much on Kobe's offensive choices. Without Gasol, the US men's basketball team can more easily suppress the opponent's counterattack. Everyone hopes to regain the gold medal this year.

In the Wukesong Arena, the Spanish players were still putting pressure on the referee, while some were yelling at Kobe.

Anthony, James and others protected the captain, while Kobe stood expressionless, waiting for the game to resume.

With only 5 minutes and 26 seconds left in the game, as the game resumed, continuous defensive counterattacks completely broke down the Spanish team, and Wade and James' aerial connection once again aroused cheers from the fans on the scene.

The two players who scored the goal even bumped their chests to celebrate when they were returning to defense. The more fierce the counterattack, the better the two performed. In this Olympics, "Tank" Wade became the team's top scorer and received unanimous praise.

In the end, 121:101, relying on continuous counterattacks in the final period, the US men's basketball team finally reached the top again.

Tyson Chandler raised his arms in celebration with a smile on his face. Howard was plagued by injuries, so he played more time and his performance on the defensive end was widely recognized.

Kidd also smiled. Initiating counterattacks is what he is best at. Although his offensive performance was poor again, he continued his undefeated record and once again became the "lucky star" of the US team.

"You did it, Bro! I knew we could win! Shit, this was easier than I thought!"

Amid the cheers, Wade smiled brightly and appeared extremely excited. Compared to the NBA playoffs, this was a lot easier, but the first championship in his career still made him very happy.

James, who was being beaten on the chest by his friend, also laughed out loud. He didn't expect that his popularity on the other side of the ocean was not as good as Kobe's. Fortunately, in terms of personal data, he was still better:
"Yee! I like this feeling! This is the game I want!"

"Wow! Bro, you guys are doing really well, you really deserve a starting spot in New York."

James hugged Prince, who was waving to the fans. Prince just chuckled and responded quietly:

"I just fit in better with this tactical system"

With a shooting percentage of nearly 60% and a three-point shooting percentage of nearly 50%, Prince's performance showed the style of a championship forward.

Although Kobe was celebrating with his teammates, his mood was not as good as at the beginning of the month. The Olympics did not improve his reputation. As the schedule progressed, the picky American media began to attack him again.

Head coach Krzyzewski and the coaching staff all breathed a sigh of relief. They had to win the gold medal. No one would accept failure again. The salary of the entire US team was far ahead of the world. Second place would be a shame.
At the award ceremony, Paul and Deron Williams were smiling happily. Their playing time was actually longer than Kidd. Boozer was also grinning, and he just made a cameo appearance.

Only Howard, who was wearing the gold medal, was not so happy. The injury to his chest was a bit troublesome. He never expected that he would be injured in the Olympics.

In the NBC studio, Doug Collins noticed that Gasol was not on the podium, and immediately said in the show:

"Before the Olympics, the Spanish Basketball Association refused to buy insurance for Gasol. It was only after the Knicks' strong insistence that the two sides finally reached an agreement."

"It has to be said that this is bad news for New York. Gasol has been injured twice in international competitions."

"I don't want to see them apply for an injury exception, but the Knicks have to prepare for the worst."

Bob Fitzgerald didn't want to be attacked by New York fans, so he quickly changed the subject after hearing the director's instructions:

"We can listen to the interviews after the game, the boys did a great job!"

Kobe still had the gold medal around his neck when he attended the press conference. This was the first championship he won in so many years, and it had a special meaning to him.

The completely relaxed head coach Krzyzewski was no longer as serious as he had been a few days ago. He spoke wittily and praised everyone on the team. When talking about Kobe, he did not hesitate to praise him:

"Kobe's arrival changed the locker room. We have great talent, but we always fall into arrogance. He woke the boys up!"

"I think I will still choose Kobe for the next London Olympics. We need such role models."

"."

As the captain, Kobe continued to praise his teammates until the NBC reporter in front suddenly asked a question that made both of them frown:
"Kobe, who do you think performed best on the team in this Olympics?"

This is a question full of malice. If Kobe is as confident as before and says "I am the best player", American basketball critics will mock him in a sarcastic tone the next day.

If you admit that others perform better than you, it means that data is important. After all, if you only look at Excel, Kobe's performance is not as good as that of the new generation of players.

Chinese sports journalists did not notice these "elements" and were somewhat puzzled by Kobe's silence until he spoke in a deep voice:
“Everyone on the team worked together and performed very well in this Olympics!”

"I am proud of my teammates! This gold medal heralds the rise of the Dream Team again"

Kobe averaged 23.5 minutes per game, second only to LeBron James at 24.8 minutes per game on the U.S. team.
With an average of 15.0 points per game, Kobe ranks third in the team, behind Wade and James, but his average of 13.0 shots per game is ahead of the two and ranks first in the team.

With a shooting percentage of 46.2%, Kobe is third from the bottom in the team, only ahead of rookies Deron Williams and Carmelo Anthony. This Excel will become the "original sin". These days, some commentators have criticized him for taking too many shots, and all this change started with Charles Barkley's big mouth.
The NBC reporter seemed satisfied with the answer and sat down with a smile. Chinese sports reporters were not sure what was going on, and some were secretly applauding Kobe's leadership qualities.

The press conference was particularly harmonious, but Kobe's smile gradually disappeared. Starting from the boos tonight, he felt like he had woken up from a dream, and the shadow of the past returned to his head again.

Coach Krzyzewski never participates in this kind of "competition", and he doesn't want to make Li You unhappy.

He once suspected that the American Basketball Association compromised with Li You, removed him, replaced him with D'Antoni, and then the master and apprentice joined forces to lead the national team.
Fortunately, none of this happened. Thinking of the public opinion environment of Kobe in the United States, after the press conference ended, before returning to the locker room, Krzyzewski hugged the captain and comforted him:
"Don't pay attention to the media reports. It doesn't matter what they say. Just focus on playing basketball. I will always support you!"

"As long as I am in the national team, you will always be the captain."

Looking back on everything he experienced in BJ's these days, Kobe felt as if he was dreaming. This was the basketball he had imagined, everyone recognized him and everyone respected him.

But now that the dream is over, there are indeed more and more news about him on my phone, but most of them are mocking him:

"Kobe isn't even the best player on this USA team"

Charles Barkley's words were widely recognized. The American men's basketball team had overwhelming talent, and the gold medal failed to gain respect for Kobe. In the men's basketball team, it was Wade and James who stole the show.

"I never care about those boring news. Thank you, coach! It's my regret that I couldn't play for Duke!"

Kobe came back to his senses and smiled confidently again. Krzyzewski was relieved and laughed, encouraging him again:
"That's it, Kobe! You're only 30 years old. I believe with your self-discipline, you can surpass Lee in two years!"

"I don't like the current league very much. Many people don't actually like basketball. They just like winning. This impetuous atmosphere has affected the entire basketball world."

"Kobe, keep going! One day, they'll realize they made a mistake!"

Li You has recently attended or hosted a series of parties, and the carnival at Ax Capital was reported by Vanity Fair and the Wall Street Journal.

Buses carrying young models kept heading to Greenwich. Although no one knew what the parties were like inside, some leaked photos gave people a feeling of "indulgent carnival".

If it were any other player, all the big mouths would have started criticizing him a long time ago, but time is always on Li You's side, and his many years of championships have made everyone silent.

Howard shared this news with everyone every day, and the "happy big boys" were envious. Everyone seemed to think it was a good thing, except Kobe, who became more upset after seeing the news.

When they returned to the locker room, except for Chandler and Prince who went to visit their teammates, everyone was still celebrating happily. At this moment, no one cared about Kobe, their mission was over.

Wade and James clapped their hands, and after everyone quieted down, they smiled and said loudly:

“We did great!”

“Our talent is unstoppable!”

"Oh!!"

As the music played, Howard, who had a chest injury, danced with his mouth wide open. Bosh also got into a fight with Wade and James. Kobe seemed out of place. Fortunately, Paul was understanding:
"Captain, I hope we can work together again next time!"

Looking at the newbie's serious smile, Kobe heaved a sigh of relief. Even if he likes this place, he has to return to Los Angeles to meet the "challenge" again:
"Don't think I'll show mercy. I'm going to beat you, a rookie, to pieces in the new season."

On Monday, August 8, the New York Times and other newspapers praised the successful Olympics, which achieved a viewership of 25 billion, a record that will be difficult to break in the future.

The American men's basketball team that won back the gold medal didn't receive much praise because Phelps and the swimming team dominated the Olympics!
Especially that record-breaking relay race, which has basically secured the ESPY award next year.

Even the President wants to introduce his daughter to this swimming genius who has won multiple gold medals. You can imagine how popular he is now. Some talk shows can't wait to send out invitations.

The news from the Spanish sports media made New York fans extremely angry. The report that "Paul Gasol may miss the regular season" made young fans start to denounce Kobe again.

Charles Barkley is still very active. There are no related programs on TNT during the offseason. Inside the NBA will not be launched again until October, but this does not prevent him from outputting:
"I have said more than once that Dwyane Wade is the closest active player to Lee!"

"Look at his performance in the Olympics. Wade is clearly better than Kobe, but he never says he is the 'best player.'"

"LeBron James is also better than Kobe, but he has respected Lee since he entered the league."

"Kobe is very good. In the past, he needed O'Neal to get a ring. Now the Lakers have to find 11 All-Star teammates for him so that he has a chance to bring a championship to Los Angeles!"

When participating in a talk show on Monday night, Charles Barkley not only expressed his support for Obama, but also blasted Kobe, bringing a joyful atmosphere to the show.

Some of Kobe's die-hard fans are very confused as to why Charles Barkley would chase after his idol. The two should not have any personal grudges.
Big Mouth naturally would not tell everyone that he owed 75 US dollars because of gambling. Some old friends did not lend a hand, only Matt Bartelstein sent him a check!
Although Charles Barkley did not receive any instructions, the fat man knew that there were people in the American public opinion who did not like Li You's refusal to be drafted, so he took the initiative to change the subject and bring "Joy" back into the spotlight.

When many mainstream media began to ridicule the special Mamba, Kobe thought it was Excel's problem. In fact, no matter how well he performed, there would be people attacking him.
The US dollar has long corrupted these basketball critics. In an era where entertainment attributes are magnified, old-school basketball has become outdated, and it is correct to praise God-Lee.

On Tuesday, the 26th, the Los Angeles Times was still fighting back, cheering for Kobe and once again saying, "Statistics are not important, and games with too big a gap in strength cannot reflect Kobe's true strength."

At about noon, in a modern mansion in the Bel Air area of ​​Los Angeles, a billionaire who was about to go bankrupt had dark circles under his eyes. He read the newspaper in his hand and tore it into pieces anxiously:
"Damn it! MF, these idiots! They just report this shitty news!"

At the beginning of the month, after the third attempt to launch the Falcon 1 rocket failed, Musk, who was unable to attract investment and whose wallet was shrunken again, began to suffer from insomnia.

The 3000 million left him with only two choices. Tesla also failed to deliver on time, and after kicking out the founder, he is currently facing litigation.

There is more than one trouble. The divorce lawsuit is still going on. Musk, who was stood up by Goldman Sachs, wants to turn himself into a rocket and fly into space. If he fails again, everything may be over.
When the slim Talulah Riley returned home, she saw her boyfriend lying in a "dead" state, and felt a little distressed for a while. The two had been dating for half a year, but after watching the Rockets, she felt that she had met "true love":
"I can borrow some money from my father and sell those gifts!"

“Maybe I can sell my house.”

Musk was very moved by his girlfriend's full support. He sat up and was about to speak, but found that Talulah Riley's hair was "golden". At this time, she had a haircut:

"Sorry, honey, I won't take your money! I can fix that, and your hair color is beautiful!"

Musk frowned and always felt that something was wrong. It wasn't that he was cheating on his girlfriend. He believed that his girlfriend would not leave him. After all, she was planning to spend all her family's money.

"I borrowed an invitation from a friend to a party in New York, which was held at the Metropolitan Club. Lee was the organizer. It was said to be a party for Ken Griffin to celebrate their survival of the crisis."

Looking at his girlfriend's beautiful figure and long golden hair, Musk didn't wait for her to finish and immediately jumped up and interrupted:
"Damn it! Stay away from them! Wall Street is full of shit! They are just a bunch of perverts!"

“Do you know how many startups they have created in the past few years?”

"You need this money! I just want you to succeed!"

Seeing his girlfriend crying, Musk stopped talking and woke up from his dream of Mars. He needs money
(End of this chapter)