NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 679 Role Reversal (Daily Chapter)
On Tuesday, September 2009, 9, the Referees Association once again released rumors after discussing a new contract with the league on Monday. Spokesman LaMell McMorris publicly blasted:

"David Stern acted extremely naive and failed to negotiate in good faith."

The contract between the league and the referees will expire today, but there was unhappiness between the two sides during the initial contact. The reason is that the league has been affected by the financial crisis and it will be difficult to get out of the predicament in the new season.

Many teams are suffering losses, home ticket revenue has been halved, and the polarization has also affected the referees' contracts. The league wants to freeze the first year's salary, which naturally makes everyone angry.

The drastic cuts in the referee budget caused David Stern's reputation to plummet. The unpleasant initial negotiations also led more basketball commentators to explore how to increase attendance in small markets.

Although the analysis on ESPN's program in the afternoon was very logical, it failed to provide an answer because the home team fans did not buy it.

When a team has no superstars, plays poorly, and has a poor record, it is difficult for them to get the support of local fans. The vast majority of people are "winning fans", and the problem becomes unsolvable.

At the end of the discussion, the question became how to improve the strength of the bottom-ranked teams, so that they can at least perform well instead of "falling down at the slightest touch".

There is an answer to this question. The whistle can change the course of the game, and the league's plan to cut the referee budget has made the problem more complicated.
In the end, the discussion about the new season came to nothing. New York fans had the loudest voices. They were all looking forward to surpassing the Celtics after winning eight consecutive championships.

Cavaliers fans have a promising future. Although LeBron James did not renew his contract, everyone firmly believes that the Chosen One will stay because he has no reason to leave and he has everything he wants here.

Lakers fans are focusing on the free market, repeatedly discussing which other small forwards can seamlessly integrate into the team, and by the way, paying attention to the hard-working Tech Mamba, hoping that Kobe can evolve again in the new season;
Nuggets fans are also looking forward to the future. After completing a series of contract extensions, the team has retained the framework for the conference finals. Carmelo Anthony's contract is still there, so they don't have to worry about the core players running away. They just want to make it to the finals.

Ticket sales are not a problem for the top teams, and they have the strength to reach the divisional finals. The fans also have this idea. The training camp will start at the end of the month, and many die-hard fans are ready to welcome their idols!
In the Eastern Conference, the Knicks' Gasol and Diaw will play in the EuroBasket, and training camp will not officially open until media day.

The Celtics next door do not have this problem. Although Rajon Rondo, the new leader of the team, does not train until 4 a.m., he has been training on time at 9 a.m. recently, which has won unanimous praise from the local media.

Maybe Rondo can't completely dominate the game with his personal ability like Li You, but this newcomer can definitely be called a high-quality championship puzzle and fits perfectly in the star-studded Celtics!

After the afternoon training ended, it was almost 16 p.m. in the training hall. Rondo was sweating profusely. He had been honing his shooting, which is his biggest shortcoming at the moment.

Although he will not get too many offensive opportunities in the Celtics, Rondo does not want to be left alone on the court. In the Knicks, he has deeply realized the importance of shooting.

Invited by the Celtics, well-known columnist Bill Simmons and the team reporters have been observing the team recently. They believe that local fans are too pessimistic, which is not conducive to ticket sales. Their task is to "blow hard".
Unlike Li You who can raise ticket prices solely by relying on his personal influence, even a top team like the Celtics has to come up with some gimmicks, and "aiming for the championship" is a common practice.

"They haven't communicated thoroughly yet?"

Bill Simmons took off his suit jacket and stroked his short gray hair. He whispered to Rivers beside him in silence. The latter also showed a helpless expression and whispered:

"Kevin is a proud man and he won't give in to a rookie."

Recalling Garnett's experience of beating up a rookie when he was on the Timberwolves, Bill Simmons suddenly felt that it was good enough that the two had not had a "boxing match" so far.

A bunch of basketball commentators are expecting Garnett to beat up Rondo in practice, and some are even betting on how long it will take for the conflict to happen. No one expects the Celtics to win the championship, everyone just wants to have fun.
In order to be able to carry out 5V5 training as soon as possible, Garnett has been working hard to recover in the past half month. His knee injury makes it difficult for him to return to his previous physical condition, which also makes Garnett feel uncomfortable.

Perkins and Glen Davis, who were training with him, could feel the boss's anxiety and rarely spoke on the training ground.

"Man, it's time for you to transform. In this league, you can't succeed by relying on defense alone. You may not realize this yet and fantasize about limiting the defending champions."

Rondo quietly came to the half court, and while Garnett was sitting on the sidelines to rest, he shook his head and suggested. When he saw Garnett glaring at him, he continued to add nonchalantly:
"This is the reality. This is a math problem. Mid-range shots are an inefficient offensive method. You can look at the Knicks' shot distribution and only Pau will move in this area."

"But his task has never been to score, but to crack those defensive strategies. I don't know who dominated the Celtics in the past, but now I'm here, and I will correct this mistake!"

Garnett's eyes widened. The Celtics once played the best defense in the league because the team built its framework around him.

Now being laughed at by the rookie, Harden has started to clench his fist, but Rondo seems not to notice and continues to output:

"I have communicated with Ray. He must get more opportunities on the offensive end. You actually let an inefficient scorer like Marbury lead the offense. This guy doesn't have that kind of ability at all."

"Shut up, Nico!"

Garnett suddenly exploded, yelled and stood up, waving his right arm, trying to use a swing punch to get the rookie, but he didn't expect Rondo to dodge nimbly, then changed his pace and sent a jab.
Fortunately, the two younger brothers realized that something was wrong and squeezed in between the two men, otherwise Rondo's long-arm jab would have succeeded.

"You brainless wimp! I'm teaching you how to play basketball properly, Nico, you think you're so great? You're just a pathetic wretch"

Rondo, who was hugged by Perkins, refused to give in and continued to yell. Garnett, who was frightened and took a step back, was hugged by Glen Davis and became angry and started to yell:

"Get out of here, Niko! Don't talk to me about basketball"

Bill Simmons on the sidelines was stunned. Several members of the coaching staff also shouted in low voices. They wanted to rush over, but Rivers stopped them. His dark face showed a look of expectation, and he comforted them:
"No problem! Hey, this is a man's conversation, they know how to do it!"

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. When the two sides charged again and the four of them and the medical team were huddled together, Rivers became annoyed and, without caring about his face, ran over and loudly dissuaded them:
"Hey! Hey! It's dangerous to be a woodcutter!"

"."

Unexpectedly, the rookie really punched him. Garnett, who was pulled away by everyone, calmed down instead. The tough guys felt a sense of mutual respect for each other. For the first time, he felt that Rondo had something.

When Rivers returned to Bill Simmons, he had an awkward smile on his face, but the die-hard fan didn't care. Instead, he talked about what he heard:
"Rondo has some truth to it. The team needs to rebuild a system and play a more efficient offense while retaining a strong defense."

"We can't rely on talent alone anymore, Doc, you can talk to everyone about this."

Bill Simmons intends to paint a big picture for the fans through "offense", which will definitely be recognized. As for whether the Celtics can really play the expected offense, that is none of his business. Thinking of building an offensive system, although Rivers put on a confident look on his face, he began to complain in his heart. This is a problem that has not been completely solved in the past two seasons.

With the help of his younger brother, Garnett calmed down after returning to the locker room. Fortunately, there were not many people in the training hall today, so he did not lose face this time:
"I don't care what the rookie says. In the new season, we have to show tough defense."

Garnett looked at his younger brother with a glaring look on his face. The two of them started to promise, but Perkins felt a little uneasy when he thought of "muscle basketball". Finally, he whispered:
"If the coach is on the rookie's side."

Garnett only said half of his words when he started to curse again, pounding his chest from time to time, saying that his point of view was correct. His tough guy temperament impressed Glen Davis, and the fat man immediately flattered him:

"The rookies don't understand the game at all. We have to rely on ourselves!"

Garnett said nothing more, and a thoughtful look appeared on his dark face again. Although he was extremely disgusted with championship experience, basketball would not lie. Was the rookie really capable?
On Wednesday, September 9, a large number of media reporters gathered outside George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC.

Cheney has finally escaped from the danger zone since he fell into a coma, but the old man's life seems to have come to an end. The UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) system has not yet found a match for a heart source.

Outside the ward at this time, Mary was still crying, and her "husband" beside her didn't know how to comfort her. This feeling of both hope and despair was driving her crazy.

Lynn, the wife, was holding her husband's hand in the ward and whispering comfort to him. As for Liz and her husband, they were standing outside the ward and walking back and forth.

The doctor did not disturb the family members. Only some young nursing girls looked at Li You who was comforting Mary from time to time. They did not expect to see a big star here.

"Don't worry, maybe we'll get the news tomorrow. The current medical level is far better than before."

Li You patted Mary, who was crying in his arms. The latter felt better, but after looking at her "husband", she shook her head and whispered pessimistically:

"The doctor told me that even if I could find a matching heart, the chances of success of the surgery would be slim, as I was nearly 70 years old. I know everyone was comforting me."

Liz's husband Philip Perry also looked unhappy. Since the election, he resigned from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice. Without their greatest supporter, the family's influence will decline sharply.

What worries him even more is that once Cheney returns to God's arms, Liz's political future will most likely be affected. It has never been easy for a woman to succeed in politics.

Cheney had not spoken to anyone since he woke up. At this moment, Lynn appeared at the door of the ward, looking haggard. She greeted him in a hoarse voice:

"Lee, Richard wants to see you."

Liz's face didn't look very good, but when she saw Li You nod slightly to a few people and walk towards the ward, she didn't know what to say for a moment. She was no longer the influential government official.

Perhaps because he felt that his life was coming to an end, Cheney no longer acted as a "riddler" like he used to, and said weakly, "I'm not going to lie anymore."

"I want you to support Liz's next campaign. She needs more support. I don't care if she's a senator or a congressman, you have to support her."

Campaigns cost money, and even though Cheney's family is wealthy, politicians rarely pay out of their own pockets.

Seeing that the old man had difficulty speaking, Li You agreed immediately and made a promise:
"No matter how much it will cost, I will support her, I promise!"

The two parties have been friends for more than 10 years. Old-school capital may abandon the Cheney family, but the old man believes that Li You will stick to it, because only cooperation can lead to a win-win situation.

Seeing her husband showing a tired look again, Lynn had to step forward to interrupt. After hugging Li You, the two left together. She did not go to see her daughter, but took this opportunity to whisper:

"It may be too late, Li. We still haven't found a suitable heart."

The old woman glanced at her husband, then made up her mind and whispered a few words. Li You did not show any surprise, but just looked at her and nodded again.

Seeing Li You leave, Liz didn't say anything. She was still not used to her current role. She just thought that her father was about to die and finally shed tears silently.

Many reporters outside the hospital immediately surrounded the familiar figure when they saw him again. Li You, dressed in a gray suit, waved his hand, and with the help of Nacho, he got into the customized Cadillac and left quickly.

On the way to Happy Restaurant, the driver, Old Mike, glanced at the rearview mirror, and then asked in a deep voice:
"He's dying? That doesn't look good, but maybe that's a good thing for us."

Li You, who was sitting in the back seat, looked puzzled. He unbuttoned the collar of his shirt and did not answer the question directly. Instead, he whispered:

"Lynn hopes to get a heart from another source."

Nacho, who had grown a beard, immediately stared, as if he couldn't believe what he was thinking, and turned his head to confirm:
"What if there's no suitable one? He looks like he's going to die soon."

Since entering the Forbes top 100, Li You has also received some invitations and gained a new understanding of the current medical level. Seeing his friend's shocked expression, he shrugged and confirmed:
"This is America. I am sure we will find the right one and our cooperation will continue."

Old Mike, who was driving, cursed "Damn America" ​​and stopped talking, while Nacho was shocked. Privileges will override the rules. If there are no resources, they can be created.

"Chuck Rhodes is cleaning out the five mafia families in New York, which King was previously in charge of. Remember to say hello to some of the Latin Kings."

Li You stopped talking about the issue of privilege and reminded the two again that they had many resources in the Latino community and should prepare in advance to avoid being "severely hit". Thinking about the issue of promise, he thought to himself:

“No one can plan the future.”

(End of this chapter)