NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 594 New Version——"Identity Basketball" (No Protagonist Chapter)
On Monday, October 2008, 10, Reuters reported a piece of news that shocked NBA fans:
"We have made a decision that the economy will be a little bit unstable and will result in a reduction of about 9% of the domestic workforce, which is equivalent to about 80 jobs."

"Season ticket renewals are down, new sales are taking a hit, and the NBA is also cutting its staff by 9 percent."

The Knicks' preseason games in the UK and France were very successful and were a huge hit!
But just after the game, David Stern revealed in an interview that he would lay off employees, which disappointed those fans who had imagined that the NBA would return to its heyday. The golden age was destined to be gone forever.

What surprised the fans even more was that although the president praised the ratings of this year's finals, he did not make any big promises, and the key news he revealed made the fans feel disappointed:
"50% of the teams in the league are still losing money. We are working hard to improve this situation every year, but it will take more time at the moment."

Making the playoffs does not mean there will be no losses. The team at the bottom of the table each year may actually make a small profit through dividend subsidies.

In fact, many team owners are not satisfied with the current situation of the league, and Stern is not a qualified president in their opinion.

Just as some football commentators criticize referees for interfering too much in games, bosses who continue to invest money but always suffer losses are also constantly complaining that the economic downturn has exacerbated the situation.

Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke is very low-key and wealthy. His wife also controls the wealth of Walmart. However, he did not invest too much after buying the team.

As the new season approaches, there are more and more reports about trading Iverson, but old man Kroenke, as before, did not appease the fans. After ticket sales became difficult, the team chose to lower ticket prices.

Unlike what some fans imagined, Kroenke paid more attention to the Pepsi Center after buying the team.
When the old man was in the UK, he discussed the issues of attendance and revenue with Li You, but the other party didn't care about out-of-date stars at all.

In the eyes of Iverson's die-hard fans, the team would collapse without Gege, but from the management's point of view, selling off out-of-date stars and saving costs can make up for the losses from lowering ticket prices.

The cloud fans who are shouting loudly on the Internet will not affect the team's decision, just like the Knicks will never change the game time for the broadcast across the ocean. Everyone only serves the fans who buy tickets.

In the preseason game on Saturday, the 18th, Kobe, who had just returned from surgery, made his first appearance in front of the fans. However, he played for less than 10 minutes before leaving the court due to a hyperextension of his knee.
The Brooklyn Nets, who also played preseason games overseas, also suffered a setback when Vince Carter strained his thigh after playing just half a game in Paris.

Many players were injured in the preseason, and before the regular season officially started, a wave of injuries was sweeping the league.

The external environment has little impact on New York fans. The Knicks tickets are still the same. Except for the screaming seats, the season tickets have been sold out early. There are no price cuts or promotions. The attitude is clear:

"If you don't buy it, there are people who will."

Parking is difficult and expensive at Madison Square Garden above Pennsylvania, and food in the stadium is expensive. The surrounding areas of the team only change color. The situation has not improved over the years, but has become worse.

But all this does not affect the loyal New York fans. Agents who want to pay for courtside seats have to queue up, and the few boxes have been booked early.

If the old stadium could be expanded, the Dolan family would have added a few thousand more seats. There would be no end to the enthusiastic fans, and they would make money without doing anything every year.

In the latest publication of Forbes magazine, the Knicks' valuation has reached 9.81 million US dollars, ranking first in the league, far ahead;
The second place goes to the Lakers with 5.06 million US dollars. The dividends of Show Time are still continuing, and O'Neal's championship gold content seems to be getting higher and higher.
The third place is the Bulls with 5.01 million US dollars. The loyal fans brought by Michael Jordan still influence the Chicago team.

Geographical location plays a big role, but championships also make the team's market value continue to expand. Even when the NBA is in a trough, the Knicks are still going against the current and continuing to increase in value.

And according to the current trend, even if Li You retires in a few years, the influence of the championship will last at least 10 years. Young fans will still buy tickets enthusiastically, and the winning culture has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.

The Knicks played four of their preseason games overseas, two in the UK and one each in Germany and France. The games were very exciting, but they didn't win a single game.

Most of the overseas fans buy tickets to watch Li You's performance. Not only can they see "head kicks" and "foot skills" before the game, but they can also enjoy all kinds of "random passes" during the game, which is dazzling.

Fans can enjoy the ultimate personal show, even Li You's shooting posture is so "beautiful". As for the team's poor condition, no one pays attention to it overseas.

Celtics fans who are about to have their last preseason game this Thursday are very happy. Although the team has not made any reinforcements and the salary cap does not allow them to do so, the team is clearly in better shape than their next door!

Perkins has returned from injury and is confirmed to play in the opening game. Tony Allen and Glen Davis seem to have made considerable progress, and Leon Powe has surprised everyone.

The bench depth has increased, and there are trade rumors claiming that head coach Rivers is actively recruiting P.J. Brown. Before the new season begins, Celtics fans are excited again:
"The enemy is tired and we are strong!"

"win!"

Among the six teams arranged by the NBA for the opening game, the Celtics are in the best shape, the Lakers rely on Duncan, the Bulls have Derrick Rose, and the Trail Blazers have Oden who has returned from injury.

As for the Bucks, they went to the United Center to serve as a backdrop. Michael Redd, who was not selected for the US men's basketball team, often complained, but the fans didn't care about his attitude at all.

On the afternoon of the 20th, LeBron James became the focus again. Jay-Z, who had already arrived in Cleveland and was preparing to hold a concert at the Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday, came to support his little brother!

Jay-Z, who visited the Cavaliers' clinic training hall, became the "most handsome guy" that afternoon. Even head coach Mike Brown was circling around him, and everyone seemed to have become his little fan.

Jay-Z has never enjoyed this treatment in the Knicks, not only because he is a shareholder of the Nets, but more importantly, the team's training hall is not open to him.

Except for special events, MSG prohibits all "hostiles" from visiting. Reporters who had discredited Li You in previous years could not even squeeze into the press conference.

In addition to making money, the main purpose of this concert was to canvass votes for O'Hare, so there were a lot of reporters.

Wearing a white Cavaliers T-shirt, a black jacket, and baggy jeans, Jay-Z, dressed like a superstar, was surrounded by people during the training session.

Dwight Howard, who was troubled by a chest injury, acted as a "dog" throughout the whole process, introducing the team situation to the big singer with a smile.

Not long ago, NBA TV broadcast the Knicks' daily training. This time, Jay-Z used his personal influence to increase LeBron James' exposure. In front of the camera, he cheered for his little brother's dunks from time to time.

"That's it!"

At the end of the afternoon training session, Jay-Z stood up and shouted, high-fived, and hugged LeBron James in front of the camera, patted his chest, and continued to praise him:
"I don't know why the Cavaliers missed the opener, my little brother is underrated, his talent is amazing!"

"This team is stronger than ever now. I respect Van Gundy, but I insist that only a black coach can understand black players and truly unite the team."

"Coach Brown and my little brother will accomplish great things! They will create a new future and LeBron will become the best player in NBA history."

Reporters from the Associated Press and other media outlets heard the voice-over and asked a question as Jay-Z kept emphasizing "black basketball":

"Do you think LeBron James has a chance to surpass what Lee has achieved in the future?"

Jay-Z put on his sunglasses again and his eyes twitched slightly. Ever since the business conflict, he disliked Li You more and more. However, he did not give a direct answer to this question:

"I don't like the current environment in the NBA. Black players should be respected more instead of being made into a joke!" "Lee hurt LeBron, but no one cares about it. Instead, they laugh at him! I don't know why this is happening. In the past, the league has always been dominated by black players."

"Some people forget how much black players have contributed to this league. Without these people, the NBA would not be where it is today."

"I believe LeBron will win back respect for us! He is really great. I even hope he can come to New Jersey to play, but I know he will not leave. He is the king of Cleveland!"

When the number of championships reaches a certain level, it will naturally prevent certain bold statements. Anyone who says he can surpass Li You's achievements will be laughed at.

Jay-Z avoided talking about this, but the reporters who heard this answer were still very satisfied. Everyone likes the "identity" issue, which is the popular trend recently.

As the election draws closer, LeBron James becomes more active. His big brother's praise makes him look grateful. Facing the microphone, he takes the initiative to express his opinion:
"After leading the US team to win the gold medal, I have a deeper feeling for victory and a different understanding of basketball!"

"As you can hear, I'll earn more respect."

"I never play for statistics. I hope my teammates can get into the game faster. I am a passer and I will play a completely new role in the new season."

“Maybe I will still experience failure, but time is on my side and I am ready for it.”

Although coach Krzyzewski officially announced that Kobe is the captain, ever since the Mamba Excel team finished last, Wade and James have upgraded themselves to true team leaders after returning to the United States.

LeBron's dark face seemed full of confidence, and Howard, who didn't want to be invisible, was also adding drama to himself:
"I also think black players must be respected! I don't want to talk about the referee's problem, but the league always gives extra care to some stars."

"We should unite instead of waiting to be laughed at. It's time to stand up and all players should say 'no' to this phenomenon."

As if he had thought of something, Howard paused for a moment with his mouth wide open and quickly added:

"Those overrated black players should also be given a fair evaluation. Some people say they don't care about the statistics, but they shoot frequently during the game!"

"If people make fun of this kind of player, I don't mind it."

Lacking experience in using sarcasm, Howard's pointed words were somewhat stiff, and he even winked in front of reporters. He would never say that he was jealous of Kobe's popularity.
The entire team talked about "black people should help each other" during the interview. Finally, Jay-Z and LeBron James made another joint appeal:
"If you're still hesitating, go vote for Obama after the concert. This country needs a black president!"

"."

On Thursday, October 10, during the election, the influence of black superstar Jay-Z was also magnified.

After two days of fermentation, the calls for "voting for a black president" and "giving black players respect" became louder and louder, and even some extreme fans began to criticize Kobe:
"Kobe Bryant is the culprit who made black players become clowns!"

"Kobe never cared about the interests of black players, he only cared about himself."

"He should stop talking nonsense, if he can't beat Lee, he should give up his position and stop embarrassing black players in the finals"

Such an abstract train of thought actually received support from many black fans. As for the view that "Lee lacks respect for black players", as soon as it appeared, it was overwhelmed by the fans who wanted to win:

"How many championships have your idols won? How can you be respected?"

Most NBA players support O'Neal. In the past, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar liked to participate in rights protection, but after leaving that era, Michael Jordan, under the packaging of the hook, completely broke away from political attributes.

Until now, the league's atmosphere has changed again, and more and more players have begun to call for voting on social media. At the same time, many players have also spoken out:

"Black players need to be respected more!"

The NBA did not stop this phenomenon. Charles Barkley on TNT also called for it. The election is getting closer and closer. Under the influence of Obama, black players have completely "woken up."

Wherever there are calls, there are objections. The vast majority of players in the league are black, and those who are clamoring about this haven't actually made it clear how to respect the law.

Maybe these players just want to win once, even with the help of the referee, they want to win "fairly" once. After all, in the NBA league, only champions deserve respect, and losers will only be ridiculed.

The Celtics finished their last preseason game at home tonight. The "Big Four" played for three quarters and easily defeated the 76ers in the same division.

As he is about to depart for New York, Stephen Marbury has temporarily won back "respect" through his excellent performance in the preseason.

The Boston Globe has been calling on him to challenge Lee Yoo again recently, and a group of columnists have suffered a relapse of amnesia and have praised Marbury to the skies, making the fans who read the newspaper feel excited.
If we only consider the popularity, Marbury has surpassed Iverson.
After the trade rumors emerged, the 76ers never made any statement about letting the "Son of Philadelphia" return home. For local fans, the Iverson era was like a nightmare.

There was no formal press conference after the game. A group of sports reporters crowded into the locker room and witnessed Marbury and his teammates high-fiving in celebration. Then they gathered around to prepare for the interview.

"Stephen, have you paid attention to the recent calls from many players?"

Older stars actually like to pay attention to current affairs. Plus, Boston is a dark blue team, so Marbury answered very straightforwardly, with a hint of "anger" on his face:
"Yes, everyone is right, I think the league currently lacks respect for black players!"

"We should be more cautious in some penalties. The new season has increased the review time, which I think is a good thing."

"I know some people don't dare to say those words, but I still want to stand up bravely. As a black player, I think Lee has received more care from the league!"

"."

Marbury became more and more excited as he spoke, and an "angry" look appeared on his face again. He was heartbroken by the New York fans, and he believed that Li You was the "culprit."

He just wants to get his respect back and have his hometown fans cheering for him again instead of just laughing at him and turning into a "clown".
Ray Allen, leaning back in his chair, remained silent. He glanced at Garnett and Pierce who were also talking about "respect for black players" and couldn't help but sigh.

He also wanted to win. During the offseason, he even accepted Garnett's request and stopped taking the initiative to meet with Li You.

Ray Allen agreed with Garnett. They had plenty of time after retirement, and now as enemies, they had to be nervous. But the situation at this moment really made him speechless, so he simply stood up and left.

Ray Allen ignored the calls from behind him, but couldn't help but complain to the staff as he left:
“They are all crazy!”

"."

(End of this chapter)