NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 716 "My Era is Over" (Daily Chapter)

On Thursday, May 2010, 5, Boston sports fans were "heartbroken". After being swept out of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Garnett accepted an interview for the first time, and the message he conveyed was very negative:

"Maybe my body doesn't allow me to pursue the championship anymore. After the contract ends, I might end my career early."

After the Boston Globe reported the news in a column, many fans were dumbfounded. The usually passionate Harden suddenly became discouraged, and this mentality was beyond everyone's expectations.

The interview did not contain much content, with Garnett mainly taking the blame. In the four-game series, his average number of shots per game was less than 4. Garnett frankly admitted that he could no longer "develop an offense."

Not only was he blamed on the offensive end, but on the defensive end, Garnett admitted that his knee injury took away some of his athletic ability. This year's failure seemed to have dealt a heavy blow to Harden. The newspaper article also specifically emphasized a point:
"We watched a lot of game videos and the coaching staff discussed many game strategies, but in the end we still couldn't limit Li."

"When we try our best to put the ball into the basket, the defense can only hope that the opponent will miss the shot."

The columnist quoted Garnett's original words. Perhaps Garnett was speaking from the heart, but Boston fans felt that this core player had become weak. Celtics fans would never believe that the window to win the championship has closed.

Frustration seems to be contagious. After holding it in for a few days, Paul Pierce suddenly expressed his feelings on Twitter:

"In 10 years, maybe we will become a joke among young people. I want to say sorry to the fans in Boston."

"."

After holding it in for several days, Pierce finally gave in. Recently, Boston sports fans have been clashing with New York fans on social media every day.

Although the Celtics played poorly, in the NHL, the Boston Bruins performed very well in the first round. Compared with the Rangers, they won in ice hockey!

No one likes to lose when watching sports events. After the Celtics were eliminated, the Bruins are currently gaining popularity, with many people "calling for a championship". Local sports fans are in urgent need of boosting morale.
The two core players apologized to the fans. Rajon Rondo, who performed best in the series, did not blame his big brother. After reviewing the series, the championship guard insisted that the team should change its system.

Of course, Rondo did not mention Rivers by name when he said he would be fired, but a replacement of the coaching staff is a foregone conclusion. The Celtics may also make some big moves during this offseason!

Another person whose "faith was broken" was Stephen Marbury. He failed to get any playing time in the playoffs, and the Celtics will not renew the contract with the son of New York.

In the past few years, not only has his income decreased, but Marbury's personal sneaker brand has also gone bankrupt. Even though his sneakers are sold at a very low price, sales are still dismal.

New York fans even openly mocked Marbury's brand. It was useless for several East Coast rappers to support him. The "loser" label could not be removed at all. Even the black brothers in Brooklyn did not buy it.

It took less than three seasons for the "Big Four" to turn into a "cancer". Marbury recently criticized Rivers and the coaching staff. No one pays attention to the outdated stars, and only local fans gossip about them every day.

What made New York fans happy the most was that Marbury complained on Twitter that the head coach only knew how to "Let's go". After giving up, he even accused the championship guard who had just joined the team on Twitter:
"That rookie ruined our efforts! Without that trade, we would have made it to the Finals."

"."

Fans who follow the Western Conference playoffs naturally won’t pay special attention to news about the Celtics, but on the East Coast, there is a show to watch every day, and the Celtics’ public opinion storm will most likely continue until the weekend.

ESPN commentator Lynch Hunter has also been very active recently. After the Celtics lost, he shouted "The championship game begins again" more than once on the show!
Some people used to mock this veteran for being too "suck-up", but after the tough Celtics were completely blown up, the value of "game theory" is still rising. Lynch Hunter really understands basketball.
This year, ESPN is responsible for broadcasting the Eastern Conference Finals, so TNT missed the biggest highlight of the playoffs. The two teams with 60+ wins will collide again, and the winner will most likely win the O'Brien Cup.

The next door is full of live broadcasts every day, praising Excel. In Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Li You's playing time finally reached 40 minutes, and the data exploded again:
26中17，三分线外13中7，罚球10中10，51分5篮板7助攻2抢断1盖帽1失误。

Although the game happened four days ago, ESPN's daily programs discuss Li You's performance in this year's playoffs. He averaged 4 points in the semifinals, and the data became more and more outrageous as they were discussed.

TNT is jealous, but unfortunately, they have to warm up for the Western Conference Finals and discuss more about the Lakers and young teams.

Compared with previous years, although Kobe is efficient, compared with Li You, he still looks like an "inefficient brush". Mamba rarely plays data like Li You. Only discussing the game, the enthusiasm of the Western Conference Finals is poor.

Since the Lakers have already advanced, there is only one game left that night, and the Thunder, returning to Oklahoma City, will make one last fight.

In the afternoon's pre-game show, in addition to giving game predictions, TNT also connected with Li You and O'Neal for the divisional finals, and the trio began to gain popularity again.

In the studio, the trio first agreed that the Trail Blazers would advance, and then after talking about the divisional finals, Charles Barkley began to guide the topic:
"The reason why I am not optimistic about the Trail Blazers is that they are too young and lack veterans in the locker room. Facing the Lakers, this will be a fatal flaw."

"Unlike the Cavaliers, after the introduction of Raja Bell and Rasheed Wallace, this young team has become unstoppable with the blessing of championship experience and veterans."

"Experience and talent coexist, which is why the Cavaliers have been so successful this season. As a young team, the Trail Blazers still have a long way to go."

Big Mouth kept praising him in the studio, and Li You and O'Neal, who were connected via video, smiled to show their approval while the other kept shaking his head to refute him.

Although Kenny Smith also believed that the Trail Blazers had no chance, he still predicted that the Lakers would advance 4:2. Hearing his partner's arbitrary opinion, he took the initiative to ask:
"Many media are reporting that the transition from old to new in the league has begun. As veterans, what do you think of these young teams? Which team will be the first to succeed?"

O'Neal, who was eliminated by his younger brother, was in a bad mood. He was wearing glasses when he was connected. When he heard this question, he started to flatter him:
"Many reporters and columnists don't understand basketball at all. This issue depends on Lee. Only when Lee retires can the so-called transition from old to new occur."

In the camera, Li You, who was wearing a black shirt, laughed along, and the old shark also forced a smile on his face and began to promote his "finals theory":
"Those young people have no idea of ​​Lee's power in the finals! Only the players who have truly experienced it understand what I'm saying."

"Young teams will face salary pressure after realizing their talent. We all know that the luxury tax is also a big problem. Existing teams cannot support a bench like the Knicks."

As if thinking of the Suns management team saving money, O'Neal chuckled and said sarcastically:
"It's difficult to succeed in the current competitive environment by saving salary. The championship is harder than young people think. If they can make it to the finals, maybe they can understand what I said."

Although the heat of the luxury tax changes has dissipated a lot, people in the industry are aware that the "super luxury tax" is likely to appear in the next labor agreement.

O'Neal was not talking nonsense, because everyone knew that the Knicks intended to pay the money, and at least next season, New York would still have no pressure to maintain its championship lineup.

In the studio, Ernie Johnson heard that the old Shark was so pessimistic about the young team, and immediately asked Li You:
"Lee, do you think young teams like the Thunder and Trail Blazers have a chance to make it to the finals in the next few seasons?"

Li You, who had been smiling all the time, suddenly took a breath, and then responded simply with a normal expression:

"The future undoubtedly belongs to the young. I know my body, and my time is over."

In the studio, Charles Barkley took the lead in making a noise, with his big mouth making a "don't joke" expression and loudly retorting with his partner.

"In the NBA, winning consecutive championships is more difficult than imagined. I know how much effort we put into it!" Li You was not affected and continued to express his views. When talking about future expectations, he even gave an accurate answer:

"It will be difficult for the Knicks to keep winning like they are now. As we get older, our physical condition will decline. Every injury is a huge test."

"After the young team gains enough playoff experience, they will take over the trophy. I have always been optimistic about the Thunder. Kevin Durant's talent is outstanding."

"They have a great chance to reach the finals in the future. We all know that the competitive environment in the Western Conference is more favorable to young people. I am optimistic about them."

The trio didn't expect Li You to frankly admit that the Knicks will fail in the future. Although everyone knew that no team would win all the time, such a frank attitude still surprised them.

"I'm more curious about the Knicks' plans for the next few years? Lee, will you give up on pursuing a championship?"

Kenny Smith looked curious. He really wanted to know whether Li You would focus on the "basketball show" and no longer pursue trophies as the Washington Post columnist said.

"No one will give up the pursuit of trophies, but for me, it is also very interesting to witness the growth of young people."

"If one day a young person beats me, I will definitely send my blessing. In the future, I may be more focused on meeting these challenges. I believe that a group of outstanding young people will emerge in the Knicks."

Several people were a little surprised that Li You once again frankly admitted that he would no longer pursue consecutive championships, but after thinking about it carefully, this might also be the team's choice. After renewing the contract with the veteran, the Knicks will not pay the money without thinking.

"I'm starting to look forward to the future of the league. It's an opportunity for young players. I feel bad for the class of '96. My little brother is probably the luckiest guy!"

O'Neal shook his head and started teasing his old partner again. In the studio, a surprised Ernie Johnson also sighed:
"Perhaps a new era for the Alliance is about to begin!"

In the subsequent program, Li You gave his own prediction, believing that the Thunder would drag the series into a seventh game, but O'Neal believed that the Trail Blazers were more dominant in the interior and Portland would eventually advance 4:2.

When Old Deng and others talked freely on the show, the commentators and fans on social media were all excited. Fans who were used to the Knicks winning all the time followed suit:

“We still want to keep winning!”

Some people thought that this was the league interfering in the game, and that the Knicks had won at least 10 consecutive championships. Philadelphia fans, who had been having fun recently, immediately refuted this, and some even shouted "a monopoly damages the league's brand"!
A number of basketball commentators also followed suit and expressed their opinions on Twitter, with some even claiming to have inside information and making a statement with confidence:

"1098 regular season games and 220 playoff games, the large number of games has pushed Lee's body to its limit and will continue to decline in the next few years."

"."

All the heat of the Western Conference semifinals was sucked away by this episode, and Li You, who ended the connection in the study of the townhouse on 82nd Street in Manhattan, was almost sucked dry by the succubus.

Scarlett, who was only wearing a black nightgown, swallowed slowly and wiped the corner of her mouth, then stood up and sat in Li You's arms. She turned her head to look at the computer on the desk, and with some regret, she reached out and tapped her chest:
"You're deceiving them again!"

The succubus' voice was a little hoarse, and she whispered in her ear. Li You was already used to these little tricks, so he just stretched out his hand and rubbed it twice. When he heard the other party's low laugh, he whispered:

"I'm not 23 years old. Look at the trophy behind me. Mr. Stern will probably invite us over for 'tea' next month."

"I'll help you take care of those little ones for the next few years, just in time for them to reach an age where they become hyperactive."

The young mother was not bothered by her big son. Recently, she even had some time to spend alone time with him. The succubus did not care about that. She took the initiative to remove his shoulder straps and continued her activities after giving him a kiss.

Li You, whose shirt was torn off, finally carried the succubus on his shoulders and walked towards the bedroom on the third floor with a sweet laugh. The divisional finals would be held on Sunday, so he had to find his touch and polish his ball-handling skills.

At 19 p.m. that evening, the Thunder team returned to their home court and were hit by Li You's "poisonous milk". Not only did they continue their poor performance from the previous game, but under the pressure, their mistakes also began to increase.

In the crucial game, Durant was possessed by the blacksmith, and the goddess of victory failed to bless him. After being substituted off in the last moments of the fourth quarter, he sat on the bench and stared at the floor.

The Ford Center turned into a blue ocean during the playoffs, and Oklahoma City fans cheered for their home team until the very end.

In the end, the score was 101:84, and the Trail Blazers celebrated wildly. Despite being unfavored, they made it to the Western Conference Finals.

TNT reporter Sager wore a blue and white plaid suit tonight. Unfortunately, this suit did not bring good luck to the home team. Durant lowered his head and said depressedly:
"It's a shame to end the season this way. We could have done better and I think we have the quality to reach the finals."

Hearing Durant's stubborn response, Sager just smiled and expressed his approval while asking about today's hot topic:

"Lee thought his era was coming to an end in the afternoon show. Kevin, we all know that Lee has always admired you very much. As the leader of a young team, what do you think of this view?"

The fans in Oklahoma City were still cheering for the home team. The enthusiastic fans finally made Durant smile. As the winner of the new generation "Lee You Recognition Award", the young leader took the initiative to meet the challenge:
"I'm so happy to have Lee's recognition! I grew up watching Knicks basketball! Lee's expectations of me mean a lot."

"If we meet in the finals in the future, I hope to defeat Lee myself. In my opinion, this is a kind of inheritance, and the Thunder will continue to work towards this goal."

"."

Amid the cheers of the fans, Durant finished the interview and waved his arms as he walked toward the player tunnel. After returning to the locker room, he found that his teammates were not too frustrated. Harden even shouted:
"Will we meet Lee in the finals next year? God, I've always fantasized about this before I entered the league."

"That's cool! Maybe I should go to Lee's camp during the offseason"

Westbrook on the side also changed his impression of Li You. Old Deng was so humble and optimistic about them. This was completely different from the "arrogant image" reported by the Los Angeles media:
"Next year we better beat Kobe first, then beat Lee. I swear, this will be the best championship experience!"

Everyone in the locker room was getting more and more excited as they talked. Durant, who returned to his seat, suddenly felt something was wrong. Based on his understanding of Li You's ability to beat people in one-on-one duels, he felt that the reports were not right.

But thinking that the goddess hasn't updated her life photos recently, Durant also became excited. If he really wins the championship, he can make more money and provide a better life for the goddess and the children. He also felt a yearning in his heart:

"My time is coming soon!"

"."

(End of this chapter)