NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 595 starts with "littering". (6000 words chapter)
On Tuesday, October 2008, 10, as the NBA opening game will officially begin that night, the related programs of TNT, the broadcaster, will also be fully revived.

The most watched game starts at 20:. The NBA league announced early that the Celtics will visit New York to "bless" their opponents to raise the championship flag again.

As in previous years, the pre-match and halftime segments are still handled by a three-person team in the back studio. It is worth mentioning that the recently released 2K 9 faithfully restores this scene.

However, the trio in the game are not loudmouths, and in the real world, Charles Barkley is on full blast, and all he needs to do is put on a green jersey and cheer with the Boston fans.

Old partners are all aware of the nature of fence-sitters. If the score difference at halftime exceeds 10 points, Barkley will immediately "change" to the Knicks jersey. Big Mouth is always invincible.
About an hour before the game started, the trio in the studio discussed the Celtics' good form in the preseason, which was in stark contrast to the Knicks.

In the four overseas preseason games, the Knicks did not win a single game. It was not because Li You had too little playing time, but because everyone was possessed by a blacksmith.

Chandler, who had just returned from the Olympics, had obviously not touched the ball for a while, and he repeatedly missed the ball.

Most of the other players were not able to recover until the fourth quarter, and coupled with the fact that their playing time was evenly distributed, this resulted in the fast-paced game ending just as the team was beginning to improve.

In contrast, the Celtics are more coordinated than last year, and Kevin Garnett started the mini-training camp very early.

For more than three months, except for Pierce who "relaxed and was arrested", the rest of the players were concentrating on training.

Boston fans can testify to this. They can always see big stars at the training center in Waltham. Garnett is more popular than last year. Everyone likes a hard-working idol.

The trio was talking about the Knicks not using the mid-level contract, and Charles Barkley praised the Celtics' operation a few days ago:

"I think PJ Brown can make up for Scalabrine's injury. Coach Rivers made the right choice by signing this tough inside player with only a minimum salary."

"In the finals, PJ Brown failed to get the trust of the Lakers. I think he must want to prove himself again. The Celtics can obviously provide him with such a stage."

"."

Listening to his old partner praising a marginal rotation player, Ernie Johnson, who was sitting in the middle, didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Kenny Smith was not polite and immediately interrupted this boring speech:
"If the Knicks choose to recruit a veteran, I don't think anyone will refuse, even if it's just a minimum salary contract!"

"In fact, Lee just doesn't like working with veterans. He prefers to teach rookies. At least in the preseason, Chalmers, the MOP, performed well."

"As long as Lee recruits these veterans, the Knicks won't mind spending a little more money, after all, they are destined to pay a large luxury tax this year."

Many fans like to imagine that the team's 12th player can also decide the game. Charles Barkley caters to this audience. He didn't care after being exposed by his partner, but laughed:

"Sager interviewed Pau Gasol and the Knicks' medical team before the game, and they did not give a definite answer on the time of his return from injury."

"I think this is an opportunity for the Celtics. It's hard for them to deal with two big men, but with the height reduced, I believe Garnett will perform better."

"If I were Garnett, I would definitely teach them a lesson on the day of the award ceremony! Now he is the leader of black players, he needs to show his tough side!"

When it comes to "identity basketball", Ernie Johnson is a bit overwhelmed. He has lost his thick hair a long time ago, and he has been losing his hair in the past few days because of this topic.
After black fans denounced Kobe, tough guy Garnett was placed with high hopes. This "black player leader" took on the responsibility of regaining respect.

"I'm more interested in what's going on in New York right now, who's going to be in the starting lineup?"

After Ernie Johnson changed the subject, the scene soon returned to the front. Earlier, both teams were interviewed, but the Knicks did not disclose the starting lineup.

Madison Square Garden gets busy early, and the game times are friendly enough that you can go straight to the arena after get off work.

In the center of the field, after the warm-up activity had just ended, Kevin Harlan and Doug Collins couldn't stop laughing when they saw Li You patting Dio's belly and joking about the offseason.

"When he was with the Eagles, Burris played the No. 1 position, then the No. 2 position, and then the point forward position."

"Now he's going to become a true power forward. Maybe he's ready after seeing Pau get hurt. This is also a way to sacrifice for the team."

The two could see that Li You didn't care about the preseason defeat, and didn't even take the Celtics' arrival too seriously.

The fatter Dio shrugged in front of the camera. In fact, some traces of training can still be seen, but the increased weight conceals most of it. The Frenchman entered the starting lineup and was very grateful to the coaching staff for this:

"The coach told me that rebounding would be difficult, and I am very confident about it. Maybe I can't jump as high as Garnett, but I will get into position and the team will solve this problem."

"."

Doug Collins just kept nodding. As a coach, he could understand such a choice. Sometimes the starting lineup was just the coach's personal preference. The situation of "if I say you can do it, you can do it" is very common in the NBA.

Li You, wearing the Knicks' white training uniform, ended the final pre-game connection with a simple fist bump. Kevin Harlan had a different opinion on the starting lineup and quickly asked his partner:
"Maybe Coach D'Antoni can try to give David Lee more opportunities. He's in good shape in the preseason. Doug, what do you think of tonight's starting lineup?"

In previous years, Doug Collins would have questioned without hesitation, but the Knicks have won so many games that this experienced and outdated coach is completely unsure:
"I have no idea!"

Seeing his partner's surprised look, Doug Collins raised his eyebrows slightly, his expression revealed a hint of helplessness, and then explained seriously:
"The Knicks are built around Li Jian. His extreme personal ability makes basketball games simple. It is difficult for us to judge this championship team based on past experience."

"."

Too many championships have made well-known sports commentators more cautious. In previous years, there were those who only talked about it on paper, but now, apart from the big mouths who want to attract attention, professional sports commentators do not do anything but applaud.

As the game time approached, Chalmers, who had become the "bag-carrying boy" in the Knicks locker room, continued to show his courtesy. Since it was confirmed that Rondo was leaving the team, this newbie has become a "suck-up".

Seeing Li You appear at the door, Chalmers put on a smile, pointed at the energy drinks he had personally arranged, and said flatteringly:
"Boss, I promise you'll have 10-degree drinks during the game! I've even prepared a cooler!"

No matter how many times he has seen it, Gary Neal still feels that his worldview has exploded. He has seen "dogs licking", but he has never seen anyone who can "lick" like this.

After his suggestion, the newbie refused but secretly practiced the orange juice squeezing technique. During the overseas preseason tour, Li You even gave him high praise:
“Mario’s fresh squeezed orange juice is the best I’ve ever had!”

Until now, Gary Neal still can't forget Chalmers's excited look after receiving praise on the plane. He got up early every day in the hotel and even picked the ingredients himself.
Thinking that he still hasn't entered the stable rotation lineup, Gary Neal, who was sitting in his seat, couldn't help but reflect in his heart:
"If only I had let go of my pride sooner."

David Lee, who rarely got into the rotation, looked at the newbie who was circling around Li You and cursed in his heart. He was just a flatterer, but this guy was a bootlicker, which further lowered the bottom line and aggravated the internal competition.

Thaddeus Young couldn't help. As a newbie, he was somewhat reluctant to do odd jobs, but Chalmers, the MOP, opened his eyes.

Thinking of the opponent's increasing playing time, the second-year rookie also tried his best, took out his "ultimate move", and said attentively:
"Boss, I prepared popcorn with less sugar!"

The locker room was in chaos, JR Smith was clamoring to teach those "ungrateful Nicos" a lesson, Chandler cursed Perkins for "talking nonsense";
Raja Bell shouted that he wanted to teach Marbury a lesson, and Gadzuric, who had always been a bystander, expressed his intention to beat the opposing veteran!

Artest clasped his hands together and muttered to himself that he and his friends and family had recently contacted some black religious sects, were still working hard for the election, and were still fighting for America.
Gasol lowered his head and tried to hold back his laughter. The Spanish big man witnessed the chaos during the preseason, but he almost couldn't hold it back when he saw such a scene.

Only Prince was quietly adjusting his protective gear as usual. As for Rondo, he looked up at the ceiling. After two years, he still couldn't completely adapt to this locker room culture.

Li You returned to his seat and continued to fist-bump with his teammates, occasionally offering words of encouragement, and rejected Dior's special-flavored chewing gum. Finally, he simply concluded:
"Do our job well and victory will come!"

D'Antoni is still the same. No matter how the outside world evaluates him, he still has his own personal preferences in terms of personnel. When the mustache came to the locker room, he simply drew two strokes on the whiteboard:
"They'll keep rushing for rebounds because that's their only chance."

"We just need to protect the rebounds, find Lee as soon as possible, and pay attention to the counterattack position, and we can win the game."

Mike Malone on the side applauded, but he couldn't help feeling a little worried. After watching the preseason games, he saw that the opponents were indeed in better shape. In the league, only the Celtics did not show any sense of unfamiliarity.

Obviously, persistence in training paid off. As for the situation of the Knicks, the coaching staff is not sure as to whether they are as well prepared as the other team.

The game was about to begin. In the visiting team's player tunnel, the Celtics could hear cheers. Everyone looked serious. Rivers' "chicken soup" tasted good and everyone was eager to play.

The little Eddie House was in hot form from three-point range in the preseason, with a hit rate of over 4%. However, when he came to the familiar arena, he couldn't help feeling nervous.

The same was true for several new players. Tony Allen and Glen Davis no longer had the excitement they had at home. They moved their bodies nervously until Pierce's hoarse voice came out:
"Stay focused, we've been looking forward to this day for a long time!"

"."

Everyone gathered together. Pierce, as the original leader of the Celtics and currently the nominal captain, kept encouraging everyone.

Influenced by the public opinion environment, Garnett also became a little inflated. Thinking of the hard training during the offseason, this iron-blooded tough guy finally pulled up his green training suit and shouted, "Let's go!"

Every year at the opening game, the Knicks hold an awards ceremony. As Li You's 10th championship, this year's ring is a "ring" style, which is customized for the thumb.

The arena became dim, and under the lights, the large rings seemed to glow. Marbury on the sidelines stared straight at the championship banner on the other side:
"2007~2008, World Champions."

The words under the flag are very simple. Combined with the flag above the arena, it is not difficult to find the consecutive years. Marbury was particularly devoted to this and even ignored the cheers of the fans for a while.

It was not until David Stern's voice came and Marbury saw Li You had already taken the ring that he came to his senses.

He felt inexplicably emotional. When he returned to his hometown, he was still an unknown person and no one paid any attention to him. Marbury wanted to promote his strong body, but unfortunately, the sports media did not give him the opportunity.

“We have achieved a small goal and are one step closer to the record!”

"Maybe everyone still has doubts, but in my opinion, our desire to win has never changed."

"Focus on basketball, let the performance and data speak for themselves, I don't know why anyone is still confused, but I think you are always like me, tell them, what does the Knicks respect?"

Li You put the ring on the thumb of his left hand with a smile on his face. At this moment, he suddenly raised the volume and raised the microphone.

Perhaps realizing what the New York fans were going to shout, Garnett and his team, who had been shouting "respect" for nearly a week before the game, suddenly looked unhappy, and then excited shouts rang in their ears:
"Champion!"

"Yee, we always respect the winners and the champions"

When Marbury heard Li You's voice again with his lips pursed, he felt extremely angry. He didn't hear the rest of the words clearly. At this moment, he remembered how his family was laughed at by New York fans.

The director keenly captured Marbury's "determined" look, and the shouts of nearly 19000 fans seemed to arouse the fighting spirit of this out-of-date star.

The team's 12th championship flag rose higher and higher, and the cheers became louder and louder. James Dolan, who was trying hard to hold in his stomach, clenched his fists to celebrate under the flag, deliberately showing off the rings on his hands.

In the commentary booth, Kevin Harlan couldn't help but exclaim again as he looked at the 12 flags above the arena:
"It's unbelievable! Since Lee came to the Knicks, he has led the team to tie the achievements of the Lakers for many years. I think this is a miracle for the fans!"

"The Celtics have won 16 championships in their history. Maybe we will have a chance to witness the birth of another miracle in the future!"

Although in the hearts of New York fans, the home team has long surpassed the Lakers (after all, in their opinion ancient basketball champions should not be included in the statistics), but when they really witnessed the 12 flags, everyone was still excited.

One more championship will surpass the Lakers. Thinking of this, the fans who bought the high-priced tickets no longer feel heartbroken, because they are witnessing history.

"The last time the Celtics won the championship was in 1986! I think they should feel the crisis!"

"I don't think Lee will suddenly decline. In December, he will be only 12 years old! I think he can bring at least two more championships to the team."

Doug Collins also changed his usual behavior and overturned his views from previous years. He began to take active loans. Time did give the answer. After winning the game, both the "black fans" and the "rationalists" disappeared.

With five minutes left before the game started, Madison Square Garden was already boiling. Some fans were drinking beer crazily, numb themselves, and enjoying the joy brought by the championship.

The Celtics, who were experiencing the "championship opener" for the first time, felt like they were dreaming of the playoffs. The increasing number of shouting and cursing made everyone look sullen:
"Boston clowns!"

"Count your championships, not your recent victories."

“A suffocating legacy!”

Perkins tilted his head and yelled at the fans a few times, which made the people in the stands even more excited and entered the personal attack stage early.

Rivers pulled the players aside and yelled at them from time to time. The atmosphere on the scene was beyond the expectations of the coaching staff. The pre-game "chicken blood" may not work:
"Calm down, OK! Kevin, remind everyone to execute the game plan."

Garnett, who was held back by the coach, lowered his head and listened, then nodded vigorously. When he returned to the court again, he punched himself twice, yelled, and then came to the center circle to prepare for the jump ball.

Seeing Li You and Ray Allen joking and laughing, Garnett's face became even darker. He insisted on his basketball theory that one should not be so friendly with his opponents.

Pierce, wearing a green headband, found that Prince had become his opponent. He felt relieved and began to loudly remind his teammates that he needed more ball possession.

When the referee threw the ball into the air, the stadium, which had been silent for several months, once again erupted in unison:

"Let's go Knicks!."

Garnett, with a scowl on his face, failed to jump to the ball. After quickly retreating, he pounded the floor angrily, took a defensive stance near the free throw line, and at the same time shouted at his teammates.

After starting Dio rushed across half court, he stopped at the top of the arc. The Knicks' wing had not yet moved to the bottom corner, and as Chandler also stood still, double screen was initiated immediately.

Although Marbury became stronger, he lost some of his agility. Although he tried hard to squeeze through, he was still overtaken by Li You who accelerated sideways with the ball in his left hand.

Seeing that Li You was about to break free from the defense, Garnett pushed Perkins, then slid quickly and rushed to the left wing.

Marbury squeezed through the screen and opened his arms, trying to cooperate with his old teammate. When Garnett quickly rushed to the three-point line, Li You suddenly lowered his center of gravity and pretended to break through.

The two players who were too nervous on the defensive end made the same reaction and began to move inside the three-point line. As Li You stopped suddenly and quickly stepped back, Marbury could only jump from the side to defend.

"squeak!"

When the whistle sounded, Garnett's block was a beat late and didn't have much effect. The basketball still flew towards the basket. The moment it went into the net, cheers immediately resounded throughout the stadium.

"OH——! Yes, And a foul!"

Less than 9 seconds into the game, Li You's "sudden shot" almost stunned Kevin Harlan. When he saw the referee signaling that the goal was valid, he added loudly:
"The Knicks seem to have changed their offensive dynamics. I think Lee's offensive choices were beyond many people's expectations."

It is not difficult to see from the replay that after stepping back, Li You was already close to the left sideline, still some distance from the three-point line. If he hadn't made it, the opponent would have probably counterattacked.
Doug Collins was a little embarrassed. He had analyzed a lot before the game, but the signal revealed by Li You's "random throw" at the beginning was completely different from what he expected:

"Lee seized the fleeting opportunity with keen acumen"

Moving to the paint area, Garnett was still glaring. When Li You came to the free throw line, he noticed the expression of his old opponent. Taking advantage of the quietness of the stadium, he teased:

"Talk less, score more, everyone likes this kind of KG!"

After seeking "respect" for a week, Garnett came to his senses again during an attack. Apart from a dry cry of "bullshit", the MVP concealed his true emotions with anger.

After the free throw, the Celtics had their first offensive round. Just like last season, they started with Garnett's pick-and-roll.

Perhaps he was more confident facing a shorter opponent. After a pick-and-roll at the top of the arc, Garnett came to the left elbow area, received the ball, and instead of passing the ball, he faced Dio's arm and made a decisive jump shot.

"Oh!"

When the basketball hit the rim and bounced out, cheers rang out again. Although Perkins kept pushing towards the basket and even secretly grabbed Chandler's arm, the rebounding circle did not fly to the upper right side of the basket.

It hit the back edge and bounced back quickly. Garnett, who wanted to rush for the frontcourt rebound, found that Li You was faster. With the help of Dio, he easily picked up the rebound in the paint area.

“Move!!”

Head coach Rivers shouted loudly on the sidelines. The Celtics were retreating at a fast speed, but Li You, who was accelerating along the right sideline, was getting faster and faster.

When they reached the right wing, Garnett had already retreated to the paint area and Perkins also rushed back to his teammates. Before the two could find their footing, Li You, who was on the line, was In and Out and rushed in against Marbury.

Near the elbow area, Li You first secretly elbowed Marbury away, then ignored Perkins' pull, rushed forward with three steps, and went straight to the basket beside Garnett.

As the whistle sounded again, Garnett pursed his lips and landed on his hips. The New York fans at the scene began to shout desperately:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

(End of this chapter)