NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 647 "Forced Reorganization". (Daily Chapter)
On Saturday, May 2009, 5, Philip Falcone, the founder of Pioneer Capital, who made a big splash on Wall Street last year, chartered a plane to sponsor the Knicks' away game.

The journey from New York to Cleveland takes less than 2 hours. In the past, the team also used a special plane for away games, and Falcone has upgraded the specifications this time.

Although the company has always been in New York, Philippe Falcone has not been an avid fan in the past few years. The former ice hockey player still loves the sport after entering the financial industry.

Unfortunately, the Rangers' performance has been poor in recent years. After the Curly-haired owner officially took over the team, the record has become worse and worse. It will probably take a few more years for this ice hockey team to rise again.

When interviewed by New York media, Philippe Falcone did not hide his attitude when talking about sponsorship:

"I am a supporter of Lee! Maybe we compete in business, but we share the same love for sports."

"If my body allowed, I might still be active on the ice hockey field. It has nothing to do with wealth, it's just pure love."

"I envy Li for having such a body. His performance on the basketball court impressed everyone. Last night's game was like God was playing in the No. 1 jersey!"

"."

In recent years, the Knicks' courtside seats have often been contracted by Wall Street people. During the most profitable times, some star traders would even bid for seats.

Don't be surprised if you see a famous model snuggling up to an average-looking man on the broadcast; it's just a way to enjoy life and absorb good luck.

Many people believe that victory is helpful to stocks. As for whether watching the game to "absorb good luck" is useful, only God knows.

The low-key Philip Falcone has not been so ostentatious in the past few years, but he started to become high-profile after making money last year.

Purchased 40% of the shares of the NHL Minnesota Wild hockey team, becoming a minority shareholder of the team, and continued to purchase shares of the New York Times;

Philip Falcone, who recently appeared on a CNN program and whose wealth has skyrocketed, has begun to make his own voice heard and, by the way, strengthened his "sports personality."

Before boarding the plane, Falconet, who was wearing a gray casual suit, took Li You, who was dressed in sportswear, and talked nonstop in front of reporters, talking about his twin daughters and almost having a "child marriage" with them.

They just moved not long ago, and both of them live in the Upper East Side, so they are indeed not far away. However, Li You has never visited this "distant neighbor". The last time they communicated was at the Capitol in Washington.

"I like playing at home because New York has the most loyal fans, but playing away can sometimes be more inspiring!"

"It's never easy to maintain a good match state, but fortunately I always meet excellent opponents."

Li You praised his opponent with a smile on his face, and a group of media reporters expressed their approval. At the same time, some people laughed at Cavaliers owner Gilbert's "telling tales" behavior:

"They actually complained to the league and sent the game video. This is really unreasonable. Li, do you think there is a problem with the referee's decision?"

In Game 2, the Cavaliers repeated the same mistake and only scored 19 points at the critical moment of the third quarter. After 19:35 in the quarter, the game lost suspense in the fourth quarter.

In the third quarter, Li You shot 9 of 7, 4 of 2 from beyond the three-point line, and 5 of 5 free throws, scoring 21 points efficiently and winning a small victory over his opponent.

After the game, Gilbert blasted the penalty standards, believing that the Cavaliers were treated unfairly.

All the points were scored from the outside, and Li You's distance in the face-up shot was naturally no problem;

But Howard couldn't get free throws, which made the Cleveland sports media angry, and this was the cause of the conflict between the two sides.

In the last round of the game, Howard faced the Celtics and made 12 free throws in four quarters with great ease. In his two home courts, he made a total of 31 free throws, causing Perkins to foul out early.

But when he came to New York, Howard was not in good shape. His free throw number dropped sharply, with a total of 11 free throws in two games. Faced with the huge gap, Gilbert imitated Cuban and blasted the referee. He even mailed the video early this morning.

"Free throws never decide the outcome of a game, at least that's the way it's been for the games I've experienced!"

"Let's focus on the game tomorrow night"

After briefly responding to the referee's question, Li You and Falconet said goodbye and left while talking and laughing in low voices under the gaze of everyone. Some young reporters were jealous, thinking that this was the "walking dollar".

"If I were Li, I would have retired and with so much money, I should enjoy life instead of training every day."

The reporter for the Daily News had just graduated. The cost of living in New York was high, and coupled with the economic downturn, his salary had not met expectations, so young people were particularly eager for wealth.

"So you're not Lee! New York sports fans need Lee. No one wants to go through what happened in the 90s again."

The old reporter glanced at the young man and complained in a low voice. Losing a game can't make people happy, not to mention that most sports fans are "winning fans". How can they get attention if they don't win?

The specially modified Boeing 757 was more spacious. Falcone, with a middle-parted hairstyle, greeted everyone enthusiastically. After takeoff, he moved closer to Li You and talked about last year's parliamentary events, and whispered:
“It is said that Soros intends to donate a large sum of money to New York State to help the federal recovery bill move forward.”

Soros, who rarely participated in political donations in the early years, became active only in 04 and even mocked Cheney's name in public.

Li You naturally got the news, but seeing the middle-aged man in front of him showing a curious look of "Do you want to follow?", he responded casually:

"I donate every year, but not to New York State. It will be the same in the future. If you have any questions, you can send an email. No one will refuse a win-win situation."

Adjusting his glasses, Falcone did not give up. Many people wanted to cooperate with Ax Capital, but the other party's evaluation method was difficult to understand, which made him go to the "family" route to test the waters:
"Are you interested in acquiring SkyTerra together? We have the opportunity to create a 4G wireless mobile network covering North America."

Li You's good memory allowed him to search for the content of recent emails in his mind in time. The assessment given by Ax Capital was that the risk was high and there was a high probability that it would be affected by political factors:

“You have the FCC’s backing?”

“Damn, I envy your memory! We didn’t get any real backing, but Mr. O’Hei invested like $9k in this company.”

Noticing that no one came to their side, Falcone first praised them, then whispered the source of his information. Li You looked strange. He thought the other party was a technical expert, but now he saw that he was also a "fellow traveler":
“Perhaps you have overestimated the influence of the other party. There will definitely be people in the House of Representatives who oppose you. The interests of traditional operators will not be easily ceded to you. The cost of lobbying for support is too high.”

Li You briefly explained the reason for the assessment, but Falconet did not give up. He did not participate deeply in the past, but now that Soros has taken action, he has to keep up with the "trend":
"The Federal Restoration Act was fully supported by the Donkey Party and passed despite the opposition of the Elephant Party. We have also donated to the Elephant Party."

Hearing the other party talking about Aohei's influence, Li You shrugged his shoulders and continued to listen until the other party finished speaking, then whispered:
"It is precisely because you have such support that those guys are against it. How much do you plan to spend?"

When the respectable man Falcone heard Li You bluntly say "giving money", he felt a little embarrassed for a moment. This was different from the "personality" he promoted, but after thinking about it, he still raised two fingers.

"200?"

Li You looked at the other party and shook his head slightly. SkyTerra was likely to have no future. Falcone still believed in the president's influence. Since the cooperation failed, he simply changed the subject:
"Lisa founded a film production company last year, so we might have a chance to work together!"

"Of course, I like movies, and I have a chance to make a small fortune on my Marvel stock."

When the news of Disney's intention to acquire Marvel came out, Falcone looked at the young Li You and sighed secretly. It was not easy to cooperate with him. He always felt that this was too cautious:

"We are planning to acquire Zapata. The Glazer family wants to sell all of their shares. Lee, are you interested?"

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were very successful, but Glazer's other companies were in trouble. Li You was naturally not interested in such non-performing assets, but this time he did not refuse outright, but joked:
"Give them my regards. If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need funding in the future, I'd personally support them!"

"."

New York is so small, and since some old money was rejected, emerging capital such as Falcone saw an opportunity. However, after this contact, they found that both sides seemed difficult to cooperate.

The middle-aged man looked at Li You and was surrounded by "sycophants" after he bowed and left. He frowned secretly for a moment. The Elephant Party was temporarily finished. He didn't know why he was rejected.

G2 easily defeated the Cavaliers, and the atmosphere group was naturally extremely happy. The difficulties that the coaching staff had expected before the game were not encountered, and the opponent was simply vulnerable.

Sitting in their seats and swaying to the music, Chalmers and others were laughing. The rookie was the happiest, after all, he had never tasted the taste of being a champion.

Falcone went to the management and learned that after buying the ice hockey team, he also needed to absorb some operational experience. Although the Rangers were indeed not doing well, MSG was still the most successful sports operations team in recent years.

But after the communication, Falconet felt confused again. He always felt that these people in front of him were "lying flat" and were not at all the "great reformers" as the outside world advertised.

Glen Sather is a senior consultant to the Rangers and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame a few years ago. In order to make Falcone's trip pleasant, he flew to the away game with the brother team.

The 65-year-old man with flowing white hair seemed to see the billionaire's confusion after a brief exchange. Speaking of the current president of MSG Sports, he said meaningfully:

"Sir, God sometimes favors some people. I never thought that MSG had achieved success. Our glory was built on Lee."

"Sometimes we worry about the future, just like the difficulties Rangers encountered, maybe those loyal fans will leave one day in the future."

"."

Steve Mills is currently the president and chief operating officer of MSG Sports, overseeing all sports-related activities for three professional teams and Madison Square Garden.

This black executive currently enjoys a very high reputation in the industry. The Knicks' championship has earned him high recognition in the industry. Recently, many teams have wanted to poach him, and Falcone is one of them.

Although MSG was very united in the news reports, many people internally disliked Steve Mills, who was so happy with his wins that they thought he was just resting on his laurels.

Steve Mills, who was still communicating with the team reporters, did not take the initiative to talk to Falcone in order to maintain his status:

"Yes, I will participate in the next labor agreement negotiations. The external economic environment will not affect the team. Our financial prospects are very good!"

When talking about the Knicks' home attendance and season ticket sales, Steve Mills showed a look of pride on his dark face. This is all real credit. Under his leadership, MSG is thriving.

He glanced to the other side from time to time. Although MSG was good, there was a lack of respect for him internally. If the new club could offer a higher salary, he wouldn't mind switching to that club.

Seeing Falcone nodding to him in a friendly manner, Steve Mills was secretly delighted, thinking that he might gain more by leaving those "yes men" here.

That night, the Western Conference Finals ushered in Game 3. Although Phil Jackson expressed his confidence in winning the away game before the game, some commentators were still predicting the decline of the Lakers and praising the strength of the Nuggets.

The Lakers were very low-key when they came to the away game. Apart from the routine interviews, the players were training seriously. Duncan's arrival affected the team's temperament, and the Lakers seemed to have become a strengthened version of the Spurs. Half an hour before the game started, Duncan, who was constantly practicing free throws, showed a determined look on his face. After watching the highlights of Lee Woo's Game 2, it triggered his painful memories again.

The mid-range jump shot that was as accurate as a layup after the pick-and-roll was simply a nightmare. When Duncan thought of the finals that year, he took free throws with anger.

The boss's mood will naturally affect the locker room. Duncan no longer has fun with everyone, and Odom no longer shares Kardashian. G3 is crucial, and the veterans know that they need to take back the initiative as soon as possible.

As the broadcaster, ESPN frequently focused the camera on Anthony, who was smiling and playing with his teammates, and from time to time also took care of his girlfriend Lala in the front row.

Winning can gain attention, and Anthony enjoys such moments very much. No one looks down on him anymore. As long as he can protect his home court, the outcome of the series will be decided.

In the commentary booth, when Van Gundy talked about Anthony's many honors, he naturally couldn't leave out the best rookie. Speaking of the selection that year, the championship coach still spoke for his former disciple:

"I insist that LeBron is the best rookie in 03. Although he can't lead the team in his rookie season like Lee, his personal performance is already very good."

"In last night's Game 2, LeBron made 9 of 4 shots in the third quarter and scored 12 points. His personal score exceeded half of the team's. Obviously, he has a big heart."

"Anthony is also very good, but he is more of a scorer, and the test for him has just begun."

Mark Jackson chuckled when he heard this reason. The competition between young people still lacks attention. He prefers to take advantage of the popularity and talk about the "grudge" between Kobe and Li You:
"Lee scored 2 points in Game 50. Do you think Kobe will respond tonight?"

25中17，三分线外11中6，罚球11中10，50分5篮板8助攻3抢断1失误，赛前有记者拱火李佑的数据，科比黑着脸没回应。

"I think the key to the game is Duncan. He has to suppress the big man on both offense and defense, and he has the ability to do it!"

Van Gundy spoke highly of Duncan. In the finals that year, the rookie power forward left a deep impression on him. If it weren't for Li You's thick thighs, he even thought they would lose the game.

Hearing that the two gradually reached a consensus, Mike Brin immediately introduced the two players before the game started:
"Head coach Phil Jackson said before the game that he would no longer control the playing time of core players, which is a huge challenge for the Nuggets."

The Pepsi Center gradually began to cheer and shout. Anthony came to the center circle with a bright smile, seemingly not taking Kobe and the others seriously, and even had the mood to tease his opponents:

"Dude, are you here to defend me again?"

The small-time player Ariza ignored the opponent's provocation and had the same expressionless face as the big boss.

Odom wanted to retort, but when he saw Duncan had already got into position near the center circle, he finally focused on the ball.

No one responded, Anthony was unhappy, and seeing Kobe's sullen face, he chuckled again, showing his contempt for Mamba again.
“She said no!”

"You're guilty!"

"."

The Denver fans at the scene were shouting at the top of their lungs. When Kobe heard these sarcastic shouts, his face turned even darker. The noise was getting louder and louder, and the Mamba was so angry that he showed a "ferocious" look.

The game officially started at 20 p.m. Amid the taunts, Phil Jackson on the sidelines was not as relaxed as he was before the game, but kept reminding Kobe loudly to pass the ball.

After the opening, the ball was frequently given to Duncan, who did not disappoint the coaching staff and showed excellent game form. He first made a mid-range jump shot, then attacked from the low post and scored with three-step lobs.

The excited Anthony continued to attack the inside and repeatedly got free throws, and the game soon entered a stalemate.

After the first quarter was a tie, the second quarter quickly turned into a defensive battle. Duncan took the initiative to give up the ball and focused completely on defense. He contributed 2 blocks in a single quarter, causing the Denver fans at the scene to cheer continuously.

At the end of the first half, the score was 50:52 and the Nuggets were temporarily leading. The Denver fans shouted louder and some fans began to use insulting words against Kobe.

Bryant was furious when the past was brought up again, but Anthony was already smiling broadly at this point, thinking his opponent was nothing special.

After the start of the second half, Duncan was extremely efficient on both offense and defense. Not only did he block two shots again, he also scored repeatedly on the offensive end, making 4 of 4 shots and 6 of 5 free throws, scoring 13 points in a single quarter.

Kobe also had an outstanding performance, making 8 of 3 shots, 2 of 1 from beyond the three-point line, and 7 of 7 free throws, scoring 14 points.

With a score of 33:27 in a single quarter, the Lakers successfully reversed the score, and the Pepsi Center became completely quiet.

In the last quarter, Billups and Anthony were both silent, watching their opponents score inside and outside. As Duncan blocked Kenyon Martin's shot in succession and the Lakers' morale was boosted, they ended the game in one go.

115:95, the final buzzer sounded, the Lakers took back the initiative, Kobe celebrated with his fist in front of the camera, then turned around and hugged Duncan.

出场43分钟，17中11，罚球12中10，32分18篮板6助攻6盖帽2抢断2失误，邓肯怒砍大号两双；

出场45分钟，24中12，三分线外6中2，罚球17中15，41分5篮板3助攻2抢断1失误，科比高效终结了比赛。

The duo's 73-point performance also amazed the three people in the commentary booth. After looking at the technical statistics, Mark Jackson joked about the Lakers' performance tonight:
"Maybe the Knicks' outstanding performance stimulated the two. For the Lakers, this was a perfect game. They dominated both offense and defense, and the whole team looked more tacit!"

In last night's game, the Knicks also won a big victory with a score of 98:119. They also exploded in the second half and the game process was almost the same.

Van Gundy also felt that this game completely activated the duo. It was rare for Duncan to attack so hard. The MVP was obviously responding:

"This is the chemistry that the fans are looking forward to. I think the Lakers have not yet reached their best form. They can perform better in shooting from beyond the three-point line!"

"."

Anthony, who scored 16 points with 6 of 8 shots, 2 of 14 from beyond the three-point line, and 12 of 26 free throws, lowered his head and walked quickly through the player tunnel. Kenyon Martin behind him also had his eyes wide open, having been blocked tonight.

When he returned to the locker room, Kenyon Martin was still immersed in his memories. In the past few years, he, like old Kidd, always boasted that they had defeated the Knicks and the championship was theirs.

As a result, when they met in the playoffs this year, Duncan was terribly strong, and this was his physical condition after suffering an injury.

"Shit! How did he do that?!"

Leaning back in his seat and cursing softly, Kenyon Martin thought of how Duncan nearly broke down when facing Li You's attack in the finals. For a moment he began to doubt his life. This was not the game he had expected.

Anthony remained silent until the team doctor showed up with Billups, then he let out a low cry and quickly asked:
"what happened?"

Billups looked painful and a little frustrated. He was just one step away from victory, but he collapsed in the second half. What's worse, he was injured.

"Groin strain, we still need to confirm it."

After hearing what the team doctor said, the atmosphere team looked at each other, Nene also sighed, and Anthony was speechless again. He opened his mouth to say a few words of comfort, but in the end he couldn't say it, and his heart sank:

"Why is this happening?"

On Sunday, May 5, the Eastern Conference Finals ushered in the crucial G24 tonight. The familiar life-and-death battle came again, and Cavaliers owner Gilbert mobilized sports fans across the city to cheer for the team.

The "little report" gave feedback and a fine of $2. The league determined that there was no problem with the referee's whistle, which also angered Cleveland fans.

On Reddit, the Cavaliers section has "rioted", and some professionals who have transformed themselves into "frame fans" have begun to magnify the Knicks' defensive actions and actively speak up for Howard;
On Twitter, Dwight Howard also took the initiative to express his position and updated his status:
"Ball Don't Lie!"

The comment section was quickly flooded with jokes, with more and more fans mocking his clumsy low-post offense. Only the Cavaliers fans believed that their big star could pull himself together.

In the afternoon, TNT interviewed Steve Mills, an executive of MSG. When talking about future plans, he gave a vague answer:
"Winning eight consecutive championships is the team's biggest goal. As for next year's offseason, there are currently no plans."

In fact, Steve Mills intends to "run away" at the highest point. In the next labor-management negotiations, Li Youhe's contract amount will increase. With huge contracts and injuries, the Knicks will go downhill.

James Dolan did not give any specific promises. Once the contract is renewed, he will face a larger amount of luxury tax. Except for those who want to just sit back and do nothing, those who are ambitious plan to take this opportunity to find better jobs.

There is no doubt that with such an outstanding resume, any team will be open to them.

It was originally a normal piece of news, but after several changes, it became that the Knicks will be disbanded during the offseason next year, and Li You is about to start his "retirement tour".
LeBron James was in a bad mood after returning to Cleveland. His personal performance was good, but he still couldn't defeat the opponent. The refereeing was one aspect, but what disappointed him even more was the state of his teammates.

James had not accepted many interviews until before the game. He adjusted his mood and made bold statements during warm-up, but was soon attracted by the news from the reporters:

"We just got the news that the Knicks will make big moves in next year's free market, and the team may be reorganized again."

"LeBron, have you ever considered playing in New York? Jay-Z has said more than once that New York is a better fit for you."

In the past, James would have denied it outright, but for the sake of stronger teammates, he suddenly wanted to put pressure on the team and acted uncertain:

"You know, Lee and I have a really good relationship! He's always been a role model to me."

"No one will refuse to show themselves in the holy land of basketball. I am now fully focused on the game. As for the future, time will give the answer."

Howard kept practicing free throws and was the last one to go to the locker room. When he heard the reporter repeating his teammates' attitudes, he immediately smiled. He was not satisfied with the current team positioning.

In the third quarter of the last game, Howard only got 3 shots. He was completely a tool and even began to question Black Bread. Van Gundy would not treat him like this:

"Offseason? I don't care about that, I just want to play in Cleveland! I'm loyal to my team!"

"New York is great, but I don't like the fans there. I just want to bring a championship to Cleveland."

Howard showed his loyalty in front of the media, grinning and blowing the whistle, and finally did not forget to put pressure on the referee tonight, and once again advocated his low-post skills:
"No one can limit me in the low post. They can't stop me except by fouling me!"

"I just hope I get a fair call, you know, free throws can spark my game!"

"."

(End of this chapter)