NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 726 The King Returns! (7700 words chapter)
On Thursday, May 2010, 5, the news that Rasheed Wallace announced his retirement swept the NBA league, and another veteran's career officially came to an end.

On Monday night, when the Knicks lifted the division championship trophy at the Quicken Loans Arena, some media reporters noticed that Wallace was in a bad mood. As a result, within three days, the veteran announced his departure on Twitter:

"Thank you Cleveland for accepting me. It's been a great experience, but it's time to say goodbye!"

"Maybe I didn't stand the test of God. Lynch Hunter was right. Leaving at the right time is the best choice. I will return to my life completely."

Rasheed Wallace only updated two posts on Twitter, and the veteran still seemed unable to get over the disbandment of the Pistons.

Although Ben Wallace angrily criticized his former teammate on the court, in life, he admired tough guys like Wallace very much and sent his blessings as soon as possible.

The Pistons' former teammates also reacted quickly. Billups and Hamilton also spoke up for their old teammates. Wallace did not give up. He is a real warrior!

At least he didn't join the Knicks, but chose to fight to the end.

In the morning ESPN program, when connected to Lynch Hunter, this "licking dog" commentator rarely did not put on a mocking attitude. Speaking of the experience of "fighting against Li", the veteran's eyes were red on the show:
"I swear, I never meant to hurt the team! I love the Pistons, it was the best experience of my career."

"I'm sorry to see Wallace's life end this way. I will always support my brother."

Lynch-Hunt almost shed tears in front of the camera, showing his true emotions, but the New York fans who saw the show had no sympathy and continued to laugh at these defeated opponents.

Many of Li You's fans retweeted the relevant tweets. Most of them did not send their blessings, but took the opportunity to criticize their opponent in the finals:

"Who's next? When will Tim Duncan, that wimp, retire!"

"Why not Kobe? Maybe after the finals, Mr. Best will leave the league."

"The Shanghai Sharks will definitely welcome Kobe. Yao can introduce a reliable agent team to him."

"I kind of want to see the Trail Blazers make it to the finals. The tickets to the Rose Garden shouldn't be expensive. Los Angeles is crazy about making money!"

"."

As the Lakers lost again on the road on Tuesday night, contrary to everyone's expectations, the series entered the decisive battle. Tim Duncan's return date is currently uncertain, and Lakers fans are numb.

New York fans who like to have fun have been particularly active recently. At the award ceremony, Li You called Pau Gasol the MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals, and this remark made many of Gasol's supporters smile.

Even Spanish fans have recently joined in the "crusade against opponents" campaign. Duncan, who was shrouded in "green light", not only did not receive sympathy, but was ridiculed by more fans.
In the afternoon, during TNT's pre-game show, the trio also discussed the news of Wallace's retirement. Regarding the veteran's choice, the two veterans in the studio were inexplicably emotional:

"I think Rasheed Wallace can stick around for another season. The loss in this series is not his fault. We can all see that the veteran has done his best."

Kenny Smith shook his head slightly, and fell silent after saying this in front of the camera. If you put yourself in his shoes, you will realize that it is really difficult for veterans.

"This guy is a real tough guy, but I disagree with your point of view. Wallace should choose to play for another year and try it out."

After praising them twice, Charles Barkley suddenly changed the subject and questioned the Knicks team that advanced to the finals with a big grin:
"The defending champions were stretched to their limits, and they did sweep their opponents, but the Cavaliers always turned the game around in the second quarter after returning home."

"Unfortunately, this young team lacks experience. They were intimidated by the tough defense of the Knicks and were unable to match the intensity of the game in time in the third quarter."

"Lee is very cunning, but after this series, we all know that at the age of 32, he can be contained."

The director also switched to Li You's Eastern Conference Finals data. In order to better prove the big mouth's point of view, Li You's personal data in the semi-finals was used as a comparison:
“场均39.0分钟，场均拿到33.3分6.3篮板11.3助攻3.0抢断1.0盖帽1.8失误；”

"Only 18.0 shots per game, shooting percentage is 59.8%, three-point shooting percentage is 50%, and free throw shooting percentage is about 91.2%."

Compared with the average of 43.8 points per game in the semi-finals, Li You's data has declined a lot. He looks mediocre and has lost his dominance.

Watching his partner talking endlessly about his views, Ernie Johnson, who was sitting between the two, felt a little helpless. Such data was already very scary.

On the Cavaliers side, LeBron James averaged only 28.8 points per game, with a shooting percentage of only 44.7%. His three-point shooting percentage was less than 4% after four games.

Although this is related to the fact that the Cavaliers always fall behind in the second half, James, who takes a lot of three-pointers, is still far behind Li You.

The more shots you take from beyond the three-point line, the lower your hit rate. Perhaps this is normal.

When the director announced James's relevant data, he specifically marked the result of Game 4, 110:96. The Cavaliers "almost" turned the tables. They are the best performing team in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

"I think after Game 3, Coach Mike Brown lost control of the locker room!"

Kenny Smith pointedly commented on the Cavaliers coaching staff's performance in this series, and when his partner shook his head, he added:
"The Cavaliers were too conservative in Game 4. They even changed their strategy from the first three games and started to reduce their shots from beyond the three-point line."

"Too much low-post offense seriously disrupted the team's offensive rhythm. Howard averaged 21.8 points per game and had a double-double, but such performance could not change the trend of the game."

"It has been proven once again that low-post offense is no longer suitable for modern basketball. What I saw in this series was the inner vacillation of head coach Mike Brown."

Charles Barkley was not interested in discussing the Cavaliers' gossip. Knowing that the Knicks would definitely win, he stopped arguing with his partner and smiled at the camera, changing the subject:
"Will LeBron go to Los Angeles to play? I am sure that after this season, Tim Duncan will leave. Maybe LeBron's team is ready!"

The Lakers have already made internal penalties, Shannon Brown has been suspended, and other players have also been reminded that no one can talk about the "Green Light Incident" to the media anymore.

Kobe Bryant expressed his support for the team's decision as soon as he returned home. Shannon Brown himself did not show up, but Duncan still had no response. The rift seemed irreparable.

The director suddenly reminded the three people, and soon the screen switched to the front connection. TNT reporter Sager announced the good news to the fans in front of the camera:

"Tim Duncan will return to the court in tonight's crucial Game 5. The Lakers have officially confirmed the news. There is no doubt that this is a huge encouragement for the team!"

"."

Sager gave a quick introduction to the pre-game situation in the media room. In the camera, many reporters were asking questions loudly. The scene was a bit chaotic, and everyone was excited about Duncan's return.

Phil Jackson also smiled at the camera at this time. The old man was relieved. When he heard someone asking about the situation in the locker room, he immediately stopped smiling and responded seriously:

"We are very united and everyone is focused on the game!"

"I just want to remind you that I will answer basketball-related questions at this time. This is the Western Conference Finals, the score is 2:2. For the Lakers, this is a game that cannot be lost."

With the help of the staff, the KFC old man avoided the sensitive questions and got up and left. Now all he has to do is to calm his thigh down!
One hour before the game started at 21 p.m. that night, news of Tim Duncan's return was still gaining popularity on social media.

No one is discussing the elimination of the Chosen One and Howard anymore, and the battle for the King's Mountain is becoming increasingly heated.

An insider secretly shared a photo of Tim Duncan. The glowing green MVP had a face full of stubble and his eyes seemed to be "firing". Apart from being a little sloppy, he looked full of fighting spirit.

All the attention to this year's divisional finals was absorbed by Duncan. Compared with the Eastern Conference Finals that just ended, the discussion level was far less.

During the pre-match warm-up, a large number of media reporters gathered at the Staples Center, not only sports reporters, but also mainstream media sent staff to watch the show on the spot. When Duncan was practicing free throws, there were "long guns and short cannons" under the basket.

The last time Tim Duncan received such attention was in the shortened season of 99, when he and David Robinson formed a twin tower and reached the finals, and were also watched by a large number of reporters.

Unfortunately, the two eventually lost the game. Li You’s blessing that year was interpreted as ridicule by media reporters, and “the future is yours” has become a “label” for Duncan.

Although there were staff on site to maintain order, there was still some chaos at the end of the warm-up. Fans who entered early were shouting loudly, and some Los Angeles fans were holding up signs that read "Stay".

Duncan, with sweat on his forehead, simply nodded to the fans, then quickly walked into the player tunnel. Chief assistant coach Rambis immediately came up to him and asked with concern:

"How do you feel, Tim? If you have any problems, you can continue to rest. We will help you win this game."

Duncan still didn't show much emotion on his face, he just responded calmly:

"I don't want to play G7. We will get the match point tonight. The team needs some rest time. I want to get an away victory in the finals this year."

Rambis smiled and responded without saying anything else. The staff also greeted Duncan in a friendly manner. Before entering the locker room, Jim Buss patted his thigh with a concerned look on his face:

"Welcome back, Tim, don't force yourself, we will help you get to the finals."

Due to the poor physical condition of old Buss, with the help of Kupchak, Jim Buss has begun to take over most of the team's work. Both of them hope that Duncan can stay.

"There's no time to lose. Don't worry about me. I swear, I will do my best to help the team win the championship this year. Just help me deal with those boring reporters."

After hearing Duncan's statement, Jim Buss wanted to say a few more words, but Kupchak on the side secretly gave him a hand and encouraged him. Then, when he saw Duncan entering the locker room, he frowned and whispered:
"Don't talk about work at this time. If we can win the championship, we can talk about it with Tim."

“What if we keep losing?”

Jim Buss asked subconsciously. As soon as he said this, an embarrassed look appeared on his face. Kupchak didn't care. He could understand this emotion:
"Lose? Then go talk to the league. The championship game is over! This offseason, we can rebuild a championship lineup."

"."

Kupchak, with white hair, spoke meaningfully about the offseason. After eight consecutive championships, the league has reached its limit. Considering the expiring labor agreement, this matter is naturally worth discussing.

Jim Buss is still a little nervous. His health is getting worse and worse. If he continues to lose in the future, he doesn't have much idea about how to rebuild the team.

The two of them whispered for a while, and finally explained something to Rambis before quickly leaving.

The atmosphere in the locker room was a little awkward. Shannon Brown was really going too far. Even Fisher thought the boy was too bold. After all, he was just thinking about taking over.

"Looks like we'll win this game easily! Welcome back, Tim, we have to start preparing for the finals!"

Kobe was the first to step forward and bump fists with Duncan, with a smile on his face. Losing two games in a row made him see the strength of the team clearly. The lazy guys were unreliable. If they wanted to win the championship, they still had to rely on this big inside player.

The training ground leader spoke, and soon everyone came forward to fist-bump and hug Duncan. Barnes even punched the outdated MVP and said seriously:
"Bro, if you need help, don't hesitate to ask me!"

"I know what you've done for basketball, and you deserve all the credit."

Vujacic also showed a trace of guilt on his face. In fact, there were gossips earlier, but he didn't take it seriously at the time. He was busy getting angry with the coaching staff:
"Sorry, Tim, I'll definitely help if you need me, everyone wants to see you lift the trophy!"

“Maybe we can win it at home!”

Farmar followed suit and cheered loudly. Veteran Joe Smith also laughed. Odom shouted for the champion and FMVP. The locker room became lively. Although Kobe was unhappy, he still insisted on encouraging:
"We will succeed! God sees our efforts!"

"."

Duncan felt the "green light" above his head disappear. He made up his mind to end this marriage. Thinking of basketball accompanying him, the former MVP was overwhelmed with emotions. He patted everyone and said in an excited tone:

"Yes, we will win the championship!"

At 20:45, Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals was about to begin. When Tim Duncan came on the court, Lakers announcer Lawrence Tanter raised his voice and called out Duncan's name. "Oh!!"

It was difficult for 61-year-old Lawrence Tanter to ignite the atmosphere, but fortunately the Lakers fans were involved enough, especially in the screaming seats in the back row, many people were cheering loudly to express their support.

Jim Buss in the box suddenly felt that the "black curtain" was outdated. The atmosphere of Staples Center was indeed not as good as that of Madison Square Garden, and New York fans were obviously more fanatical.

When the players from both teams were doing their final warm-ups, the Trail Blazers players came forward and patted Duncan on the shoulder to show their encouragement. Even Marcus Camby, who likes to brag, didn't stop talking nonsense.

Duncan is undoubtedly a real man as he can return in such an environment of public opinion.

When the game started at 21 p.m., Reggie Miller, on the TNT commentary booth, saw Duncan make a pull-up jumper in the left blocking area at the start of the game, and immediately praised loudly:
"Tim Duncan is back in force! I believe he will help the Lakers get the match point tonight!"

Doug Collins, who was standing by, thought of Duncan's experience and sympathized with him. He also encouraged him:
"If anyone can beat the defending champion, I believe it will be Tim Duncan. I see the desire to win in his eyes."

"Lee should cheer up and not think he's 'secure'. His old rival will go all out to challenge for the championship!"

There were cheers every time he touched the ball, and the Staples Center was boiling with excitement when he made a shot. Duncan, who made a strong comeback tonight, was the only protagonist on the court, and even the Mamba kept passing the ball to his teammates.

Odom, who had two away games, also showed his vitality, making shots from inside and outside, and making a wonderful pass from behind in the transition offense, assisting Duncan who followed up with a two-handed dunk!

Perhaps influenced by Duncan's momentum, Aldridge missed shots frequently and was cut off when protecting rebounds, failing to continue his good form at home.

After Kobe and Duncan made consecutive pick-and-rolls and sent the ball into the basket, the score difference quickly reached double digits.

"oh!!"

During the intermission, the cheers couldn't stop. At 21:33, Fisher's buzzer-beating three-pointer brought the score difference back to 12 points.

Phil Jackson, who had been sitting on the bench, also stood up. The old man from KFC took the initiative to pat Duncan, surrounded him and walked back to the sidelines, whispering encouragement:

"That's it Tim, I want to see you enjoy the game."

满头大汗的邓肯打满首节，7中5，罚球4中3，高效贡献了13分4篮板1助攻1盖帽的全能数据。

"Coach, I'm fine. I can return to the court early in the second quarter."

Duncan, who had just taken his seat, said that he wanted to continue fighting. The former MVP was fully committed. Basketball made him forget all the bad things, and a rare look of excitement appeared on his face.

Rambis looked at the coaching staff, then winked at Phil Jackson. The old man from KFC did not deliberately control Duncan's playing time. He sat in front of everyone and gave instructions loudly:

"Attack! We need to find more transition scoring opportunities, Tim, get the rebounds and be careful with your positioning."

"."

Kobe, who was substituted off the court, sat in his seat with a towel covering his head. After the game started, he stood up from time to time to remind his teammates to take defensive positions. When he saw a goal, he clenched his fist to celebrate.

The director's camera would occasionally find Mamba, and when Duncan took the free throw line again, Kevin Harlan sighed:
"After Tim Duncan's return, the Lakers easily suppressed their opponents. Kobe was very efficient in this round. They do have a chance to beat the defending champions."

Reggie Miller seemed to be moved by Duncan's focused attitude. The veteran was also affected by family affairs. Seeing Duncan so excited, he stopped pretending and revealed his "Li Hei" nature:
"This is Tim Duncan! The best big man in active service. His attitude towards basketball deserves praise."

"I have never liked Lee's point of view. Basketball is more than just a job. I think Duncan will explode after going through so much. For him, basketball means everything!"

Every time a veteran retires, Reggie Miller will be sarcastic to Li You. Fans can understand this. Old Miller is also a victim. He was "humiliated" repeatedly by Li You and lost all his dignity.

The game time was running out, and Duncan was substituted out with 2 minutes and 12 seconds left in the first half. As he walked to the sidelines, the Lakers fans at the scene began to shout loudly again:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

The king has returned, and the Lakers have widened the gap to 18 points. Tim Duncan completely suppressed the opposing big man, and his outstanding performance made the Lakers fans excited.

The director also focused the camera on Duncan who had returned to his seat. The former MVP had a determined look on his face, and it seemed that he had completely gotten rid of the influence of the "Green Light Incident."

39:56, at the end of the first half, the Lakers basically secured the victory, and Kobe finally smiled as he walked towards the player tunnel.

In the crucial game, the Trail Blazers suffered a crushing defeat and the game was over in less than two hours.

When the buzzing sound sounded, Marcus Camby and others saluted Duncan again, and Andre Miller patted the tragic MVP on the shoulder and gave him some simple encouragement:

"Great to see you back, Bro, welcome to the Rose Garden in advance!"

Duncan was also a little excited to win the respect of his opponent. When he came to the sidelines for an interview, Sager seemed to see the turbulent emotions in the MVP's heart, and he hugged and comforted him before asking the routine questions:

"Tim, congratulations on helping the Lakers get the match point! Let's talk about this game. You seemed to have completely suppressed your opponent."

There were no sensitive questions. Duncan showed a grateful look on his face and said seriously into the microphone:

"Yes, we are full of desire to win! Facing a young team, we need to control the tempo of the game. Tonight, we did a good job and everyone performed well."

After Sager saw Duncan calm down, the old man smiled and asked about the finals:

"If the Lakers make it to the finals again, you will face Lee for the seventh time. What do you think of your old rival this year?"

The corner of his eye twitched slightly. When he mentioned Li You, Duncan thought of Bruce Bowen's arrangement of Shannon Brown's defense. Before he could "clumsily" do it, he ended up getting green:

"I'm already 34 years old. The future doesn't belong to me. Maybe this year is my last chance!"

"I won't leave anything to chance. I will focus on every game. I am not interested in the achievements of my opponents. I just want to fulfill my promise and bring the championship back here."

In the past, Duncan would be modest, but this time he was different. He seemed to recall what he had experienced over the years and added seriously:

"Only basketball accompanies me now! I will win the championship, and I am willing to pay any price."

-

On Friday, May 5, mainstream sports media such as ESPN and TNT continued to report on last night's Western Conference Finals, and Tim Duncan's return became front-page news.

87:108, the Lakers defeated their opponents with a strong force, the series score came to 3:2, and the finals will once again stage a showdown between the West Coast and the East Coast.

Although Duncan still did not attend the post-match press conference, the NBA did not issue a fine. Everyone understood the MVP. Fortunately, there is Kobe and the Mamba did not disappoint the media reporters after the game.

The Yahoo Sports reporter once again fanned the flames by talking about Li You's statistics and emphasizing his performance in the fourth quarter. Mamba shook his head and refuted the other party's argument that he had a breakout in the finals. He responded seriously:

"Why didn't the Cavaliers' defense work?"

"I know that basketball commentators always like to hype up Lee's statistics, but he is not an alien. When he encounters multiple defenders, he will also have problems."

"The Cavaliers did a good job, and the Lakers will do better. Compared with young teams, we can grasp those details!"

"I can't score as efficiently as he can, but I am confident that if I can stop Lee from scoring in the crucial moments, Tim will take over the game. He deserves an O'Brien Trophy."

Kobe made bold statements again after the game, and Mamba looked confident when answering questions. Finally, he took the initiative to talk about the situation in the locker room. Everyone is more united, which is the best situation in recent years.

On social media, a group of players also sent their blessings to Duncan. It is a consensus to sympathize with the weak. Some fans even called for:
"The Knicks have won so many games, Lee should have given up the championship and honor long ago!"

"."

Some basketball commentators who came to join in the fun also took advantage of the situation and kept updating their status on Twitter, opposing Li You and claiming that the championship game was over.

The fun on the West Coast has no impact on New York. The Knicks have already released their 8th consecutive championship peripherals in advance. The hats and T-shirts with changed colors are selling like hot cakes. The championship-colored signature shoes recently launched by Hook are also selling well.

New York fans have long been accustomed to this kind of "loan" behavior. Some fanatical fans are planning their travel time. They want to go to Los Angeles to witness the historic moment!
As for what Kobe and Duncan said, who cares about these two wimps? Winning is everything!
As the weather in Manhattan grew warmer in late May, many firefighters and police officers at the Brothers Fried Chicken restaurant, not far from the World Trade Center site, threw away their light jackets.

Everyone grinned as they talked about the latest sports gossip. The Boston Bruins next door were leading Philadelphia 3:1, but were reversed. This made New York sports fans very happy. The next door lost!

The bar counter and walls of the store are decorated with various police badges and medals. On the large-screen TV above, the First Take program is playing, and Stephen A. Smith is routinely mocking his opponents:
"Shut your stinky mouth, don't talk about my basketball on the show, call me back right now, Nico, or I'll make you pay!"

Stephen A. Smith shook his head and began to read the text message again. The restaurant burst into laughter again. They were too familiar with each other. Soon, Stephen A. Smith added:

"Yes, this is another text message from Kobe!"

"You want me to change my opinion? OK, if you can average 30 points per game in front of Lee, I will take back everything I said!"

"Listen man, you don't realize you did a stupid thing. Why doesn't LeBron James get into trouble? Because he only praises Lee. The young man has seen the situation clearly."

"I sympathize with Duncan, but Lee will completely destroy this 'soft egg combination' this year. The Lakers have no chance. The GOAT will complete 8 consecutive championships and the Knicks will surpass the Celtics!"

"We are the greatest team in the world."

On TV, Stephen A. Smith speaks very fast and does not give his partner a chance to refute. This has almost become a fixed plot, and only New York fans like to watch the show.

Li You, who was sitting at the bar, rolled up the sleeves of his black shirt and raised his glass to the people around him from time to time, causing constant shouting in the restaurant.

Matt Bartelstein was a little uncomfortable with this environment, but he felt relieved when he saw a bunch of police officers. The agent had been busy with the contract renewal issues of his players, and came to New York specifically after receiving the news:

"CAA Sports plans to team up LeBron James and Wade. Although I think it's unlikely to happen, once it happens, it will affect many things."

Li You knew that CAA was excluded by traditional agents, but seeing Matt Bartelstein's expectant look, he couldn't help but joked:
"Young people forming teams has nothing to do with me. I can't influence LeBron. You can talk to Hook."

Matt Bartelstein awkwardly took a sip of the cocktail in front of him. Mexican food did not suit his appetite. Considering that Li You's career was approaching its end, he planned to make some plans in advance:
"Maybe we can talk to LeBron. He is just an agent. I can help the Cavaliers add suitable players."

Despite making huge profits over the years, Matt Bartelstein is still not satisfied. He believes that once Li You retires, his good days will be over. This situation has occurred in Michael Jordan's economic team.

"Matt, why are you paying attention to LeBron? I recommended Stephen Curry to you. If you help him get an endorsement contract, maybe Stephen Curry will give you his son!"

Li You did not point out this matter, and once again recommended his own "way to make money". Unfortunately, Matt Bartelstein looked confused and had long forgotten about the rookie.

It seems that seeing that Li You is really not interested in the sports business, Matt Bartelstein is still making a final effort and gently reminds him:
"Li, if those young people really join forces, it may affect your future championship plan."

On TV, Stephen A. Smith was still criticizing the Lakers. Li You shook his head, smiled, raised his glass, and teased this greedy old partner:
“The old guys are retiring soon, and the young guys are forming a team. Isn’t that interesting?”

"."

(End of this chapter)