NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 727 "The Spiritual Victory Method of Pretending to Be a Ghost." (Daily Chapter)

On Wednesday, June 2010, 6, ABC's morning show continued to warm up for tomorrow night's NBA Finals.

Recently, in order to promote the 8 consecutive championships, ABC also helped fans review the Celtics' magnificent winning history, and Red Auerbach was once again missed by a group of celebrities.

Unfortunately, the images saved at that time were not high-definition enough, and due to the development of basketball, some of the content made young people sleepy.

After getting used to fancy basketball moves and fast-paced games, young fans are not interested in watching games from the glory days of the 90s, let alone "ancient basketball."

Some New York fans even disliked the basketball played at the end of Ewing's career, saying it was not as enjoyable to watch. Looking back at the 98 Eastern Conference Finals, some fans even lamented on social media:
"Michael Jordan has benefited from the times. If he had entered the league in 96, he would be an enhanced version of Kobe now!"

Only some old stubborn people still value the past over the present, but young fans don’t buy it. When the commentators discussed the dominance, the comment section of social media was flooded:

"With a 8:16 record in 0 seasons and a current 78-game winning streak in the playoffs, the Knicks are the most dominant team in history!"

"."

As long as we pull out the data, there is no way to talk about this topic. There is no team in history that has won so many games. The fans in Boston next door were ridiculed after watching the show, and they felt so aggrieved that they held "meetings" with the team every day.

Criticizing the Celtics was not enough, and the Lakers, Spurs and Mavericks also became targets of attack by fans.

You don’t know until you see it, and you’ll be shocked. The Western teams give Li You the championship every year, but they can’t even win a game. It’s really outrageous that the East is strong and the West is weak!

By the afternoon, ESPN also started warming up for the finals and released recent interviews with the two teams.

It was thought to be a "chicken soup" process, but the Knicks won too many games and all the player stories were gone. In the end, ESPN chose to "loan" and began to talk about the future in the interview.

Although Tayshaun Prince has been actively recovering from his injury, veteran Marion is getting better and better, so the medical team did not force the player to return from injury early.

Unlike JR Smith who always appears on TV, Prince, who plays mediocre basketball, cannot be a highlight star, but he is still very popular in New York.

Many old fans in the community like this low-key champion forward and think that Prince is a good role model for children. He makes a lot of money and doesn't cause trouble. He is much better than those rich guys who become arrogant.
However, in this year's interview, Prince rarely made bold statements. Perhaps because he felt that he did not help in the playoffs, the champion forward gave a positive answer when talking about breaking the record:

"Everyone who likes basketball must have heard of the Celtics' eight consecutive championships. For me, that is a piece of history that I have only seen in reports."

"But when I entered the NBA and came to the Knicks, I suddenly realized that I was making history. This feeling is so wonderful that it is hard for me to describe."

"If there is a chance to create a new history, I will definitely go all out. I want to continue to win under Li's leadership!"

Not only Prince, but also rookies like Chalmers, Thaddeus Young and Matthews arrogantly stated that "we haven't won enough."

Chandler, who is still suffering from a shoulder injury, also grinned when he heard this question. Not only did he express his desire to win, he also happily said at the end:

"The happiest thing about a basketball game is to witness the failure of your opponent! I know some people don't like this view, but this is my personal experience after coming to New York."

"I've never experienced this feeling in Chicago. I love winning. Winning makes me happy!"

"."

James and Wade, who arrived in New York early and planned to watch the game with their friends, saw this ESPN interview on TV.

In order to deal with the bored New York reporters, both of them wore white "CHECK MY STATS" T-shirts in the hotel.

Seeing his friend covering his head without saying a word, Wade was a little angry. After standing up, he walked around the room. When he heard Stephen A. Smith's voice, he became even more angry:

"These lunatics! They still want to keep winning?! The original labor agreement should have set salary limits. Derek Fisher must have been bought off!"

"."

After finally getting rid of his ex-wife's lawsuit, Wade was ridiculed by local fans when he arrived in New York. When they saw him, they shouted "change your jersey number" and even mocked his idol Iverson.
Hearing his friend complaining loudly, James showed a helpless look on his dark face. In this year's Eastern Conference Finals, he only felt powerless. This was not a problem that two first-team players could solve.

The Chosen One fully understands why the players who make it to the finals every year lose so badly. The lineups are simply not matched and the role players are too different.

In Game 4, the Knicks even rotated 12 players, which impressed James very much. Gary Neal, who came off the bench, hit a three-pointer as soon as he came on, bringing the score difference back to 14 points.

The Cavaliers coaching staff didn't even analyze the player at the end of the bench. Mike Brown firmly believed that there was no problem with three defending four. As a result, he stood on the sidelines for a long time after the game.

"The issue of the agreement has nothing to do with us. Young people have no say in the union. It is said that Garnett and several others agreed at the time, and Billy Hunter also thought it was okay."

"Bro, you have to learn to accept this fact. If it hadn't happened right before my eyes, I wouldn't have believed that I could witness eight consecutive championships."

James, who was curled up on the sofa, spread his hands helplessly after saying this. Seeing that Wade wanted to say something, he immediately interrupted:

"Wesley told me that the new labor agreement will limit the emergence of super teams like New York. The news is absolutely reliable!"

William Wesley still has a great influence among black players. Although Michael Jordan is out of fashion, his connections are still there and everyone gives him face.

"What does this have to do with us? Even if there is a luxury tax issue, it will not affect New York. 3 US dollars? They make too much."

Wade shook his head and complained again. He was a little annoyed when he mentioned the tickets. The front row seats were all taken, and agent Thomas only helped them buy seats near the front row.

As for calling Li You, Wade never thought about it. He always felt that Artest and David Lee were targeting him at every turn because of Li You's instigation!
His championship experience almost made him organize a boxing match. Wade even suspected that Li You just wanted to watch his fun, and Boston was caught.
“Maybe New York will sell off some big contracts then!”

Although James did not say it directly, Wade heard the hidden meaning. The league's intervention allowed New York to "save money" by giving up the championship and allowing other teams to taste the "sweetness".

"This is the most outrageous thing I've ever experienced! It sounds like a handout."

Still feeling angry, Wade immediately thought of the championship in Los Angeles after complaining. Until now, New York fans still call them "thieves."

Seeing that his good friend didn't seem to want to talk about the offseason, Wade tactfully changed the subject:
"Bro, why not consider forming a super team? Just like Garnett, they just missed the best time to form a team."

Although the 30-year-old player is still at his peak, his physical condition has begun to decline. Garnett's failure allowed Wade to learn a lot of experience, and James was also somewhat tempted by this.

It's just that the "One Person, One City Award" is too tempting. Even if the agent team encourages him, James doesn't want to give up:
“Want to come to Cleveland to play?”

Hearing his friend's joke, Wade didn't lose face, grinned and responded with a joke:

“Why not Chicago?”

James did not respond. He thought a lot after losing this year. The ideal situation is that the Cavaliers continue to strengthen and replace high-quality role players.

Agent Leon Rose has been communicating with the team management. As the biggest free agent in the offseason, James has the ability to make requests and he hopes to match the Knicks' lineup conditions.

That night, James and Wade changed into casual clothes and went to Jay-Z's 40/40 Club together.

Ever since the new Russian owner took over and the Nets announced their move, fans have been looking forward to this year's free market, and Jay-Z has assured fans that he will actively recruit his little brother.

Nets fans don’t have high demands. Just an All-Star player is enough. Not talking about the championship, at least there is motivation to watch the game live.

The sports-themed 40/40 Club is called the ultimate lounge by fans. It is not only luxuriously decorated, but also has a large number of classic sports memorabilia.

In order to let the little brothers have fun, Jay-Z also found a lot of real fans to act as the atmosphere group. Under the witness of the invited media, both sides laughed and hugged each other, and the atmosphere became more and more lively after entering the box.

"Hey! Bro, welcome to New York! I swear, you're going to love it here."

The portly William Wesley was also present, wearing a simple black suit. He put his arm around Wade and started chatting with him enthusiastically.

James didn't care when he saw his friend being taken away. He knew it was useless for Wesley to poach him because Wade had a very good relationship with his agent Thomas.

The Chosen One also doesn't like being controlled by the agency team. If it weren't for the fact that his good brothers are still learning, James would have planned to go it alone. These old guys are unreliable.

"How do you feel, LeBron? New York is the best basketball city. You should have felt the basketball atmosphere here."

Throwing his sunglasses aside, Jay-Z took the initiative to ask James how he felt these days. Recently, Knicks fans have been borrowing championships every day, and the No. 1 jerseys that can be seen everywhere make Manhattan even more restless.

James didn't talk about recruiting, and the two of them worked together to get votes for O'Hare, and they've always had a good relationship, but the Chosen One wasn't interested in going to the Nets, and he didn't want to go to the "second team" even if they moved to the Barclays Center.

"Not bad! It's just that the reporters here are not very friendly. These guys always like to belittle their opponents from other cities."

Thinking of the disparagement from some bored reporters in recent days, James could only shrug his shoulders. The sports articles in New York newspapers are simply unreadable. There is no useful information at all, just win, win, win.

The two soon talked about the recent hot topic. Obama's health care reform was questioned for being too costly, and black opinion leaders followed suit and supported the president's decision.
James thinks Reuters is all fake news, but Jay-Z doesn't care and tells his little brother that those economists are shit!

Politics, sports, and gossip about the music industry, under Jay-Z's deliberate guidance, James soon smiled happily, and when Wade came over, the two had already raised their glasses.

"Wesley told me that Larry King from CNN wanted to interview us, and I thought it was a great opportunity!"

Wade took the wine glass and expressed his thoughts with a laugh. He wanted to use this opportunity to put pressure on the team and do some advertising at the same time.

As a well-known host of CNN, Larry King's program has great influence, and James also thinks this is a good opportunity to continue to put pressure on the team.

The topic returned to basketball. Jay-Z seemed to see James' hesitation and continued to remind him:

"Bro, I don't want to see you become the next Allen Iverson. Wesley should have told you about this. Lee has been deliberately hurting him since he entered the league."

"Black footballers should unite, this is our sport, look at those young Negroes, they no longer support their compatriots."

"Lee is a vampire! He is sucking our blood, and those idiots will cheer after they are drained dry!"

"."

Suddenly, his tone became excited. Noticing the strange look on the younger brother's face, Jay-Z calmed down, sat up straight, and spoke his "heartfelt words" under the influence of alcohol:
"Kobe is not one of us, he is just a spoiled bastard, he is completely done."

"Listen, guys, don't let loyalty get to you. Basketball is a winner's game, and even if you don't want to come to New York, I want to see you succeed."

"We have to take back the respect that belongs to black people."

James responded with a smile and stopped talking about this sensitive topic. Leaving Cleveland means losing US dollars, and staying with his home team will qualify him for 10.5% of the starting salary.

Garnett is a lesson learned. Joining a team does not mean winning the championship. James is still looking for the best of both worlds. He wants both a big contract and a championship.

After the girls from the atmosphere group heated up the atmosphere in the box, the two stopped worrying about it, and Wade even forgot about his current girlfriend.

The party didn't officially end until 4 a.m., and after being sent back to the hotel, Wade, who was drunk, suddenly complained to his friends in the elevator:
"I thought I could drink customized Ace of Spades. It is said that the champion's Ace of Spades tastes different from the commercially available ones." Alcohol made James' thoughts wander. His friend's complaints made him think of a question: Even if the Cavaliers strengthen their role players, can they really make it to the finals?

-

On Thursday, June 6, ABC began warming up for tonight's finals and continued to broadcast interviews with players from both teams. Kobe, who is familiar to fans, also appeared in the camera.

Entering the finals for the 7th time in his career, Kobe has a good record of 1 win and 5 losses, unlike his partner Duncan who had his head shaved.

Affected by the "Green Light Incident", Kobe Bryant supported his partner this year and took the initiative to express his attitude in an interview:

"We have the ability to win this series. Tim deserves a championship. I will fully support him. In the finals, I will focus on defense."

"."

No matter how the sports media provokes him, Mamba no longer responds too much. His partner is too miserable. Kobe really hopes to help Duncan win this trophy.

Duncan still did not accept the interview. Although Amy had returned to San Antonio, the media did not let them go, and the popularity of the "Green Light Incident" remained high.

After the Lakers arrived in New York in advance, Duncan almost never went out. Except for training, he was always protected by the staff and did not give reporters any chance.

Phil Jackson was also low-key. After getting on the bus with everyone in the afternoon, the old man from KFC was still worried. He clapped his hands and reminded in the car:

"I don't want to see any reporters get the news from the locker room. Focus on tonight's game and stop reading those boring reports!"

This morning, several New York newspapers reported on the gathering of Jay-Z, James and Wade. Basketball analysts predicted that the two young men would most likely reunite on the Nets.

It sounds a bit outrageous, but the proud New York basketball critic gave a convincing reason - no one can refuse to come to the best city in the United States to play basketball.

A team of young people is much better than a group of old men. Although no one on the Lakers believes it, if it is true, it means that the window for winning the championship in the future will become smaller and smaller.

Kobe didn't react much to the news, but his good friend Garnett's tweet on social media made him sad:
"I was wrong. If we could have teamed up when we were younger, maybe the result would have been completely different."

"."

The Boston Globe reported Garnett's movements. According to insiders, Garnett recently organized a team meeting, apologized to Ray Allen and Rondo in public, and finally begged his teammates to stay.

As if they were there in person, the relevant feature article wrote that Garnett burst into tears in the conference room, and Rivers was also said to have cried. Neither of them wanted to see the Celtics break up.

Danny Ainge had already made his final announcement not long ago, but after this players' meeting, attitudes changed, and the Celtics are likely to continue their push for another year!
Although he sympathizes with Garnett's situation, Kobe does not like the talk of forming a team. If he wants to defeat his "mortal enemy", the lineup configuration must be good.

In his opinion, the Lakers' configuration is still lacking, so in this year's finals, Kobe has asked the coaching staff for 48 minutes of playing time, and he will face tonight's game without reservation.

After Odom temporarily left the big-butt girl, his physical condition has recovered a lot. If he were at home, he estimated that he would be drained in less than 3 games.
"That's crazy! Chris Bosh is said to be involved in this year's team. Maybe they will come to the Western Conference to play?"

Turning his head to look at Kobe, Odom gossiped meaningfully. Of course, Mamba could hear that he was talking about the Lakers' plan for a major purge, and the management was already prepared for Duncan to leave the team.

"I'm not interested in where they go! They're a bunch of losers making excuses for themselves, and that's not what I'm after."

Kobe, with a sullen face, said a few words and then stopped talking. Duncan in the back was still sitting in his seat with a blank expression. The Lakers players could feel the energy of the New York fans. There were just too many people wearing the No. 1 jersey.

The game started at 21:19. At :, players from both sides came to the stadium to warm up, and all the media reporters were also ready.

But what surprised everyone was that the Lakers suddenly did something. Assistant coach Brian Shaw strolled around the sidelines with smoking sage in both hands, and the smoke was so thick that everyone was stunned.

The Knicks staff was also confused. Noticing that Rambis also wanted to follow the "Smoke the Arena", they immediately chased after him and hurriedly shouted:
"Sir, this behavior poses a serious safety hazard!"

"."

Despite being stopped by the crowd, Brian Shaw quickly walked to the Knicks bench, waving smoking sage over the empty seats and muttering to himself.

Although they didn't understand what the other party said, the security personnel still held the two people. This was the first time they had seen such a scene. Rambis saw that his goal had been achieved, so he stepped forward to explain:
"Don't be nervous, this is just a special way of praying!"

Some young journalists almost thought they were watching a televised sermon. They saw their colleagues pulling out their phones and quickly updating their Twitter accounts:
"The Lakers seemed to be using evil witchcraft before the game"

Phil Jackson, who attended the pre-match press conference, was very satisfied with his arrangement. After receiving feedback, he smiled brightly. The old man from KFC rarely praised the team's status:
"We have fully activated our physical condition through 6 games. My players will be blessed tonight. This is the best Lakers team in recent years!"

It sounds familiar. It seems that Phil Jackson always praises the team in the finals in recent years. Ignoring the boasting, the ESPN reporter asked curiously:
"We got the news, Phil, that you seem to have brought sage into the arena?"

Phil Jackson interrupted the other party and chuckled, then explained slowly:
"I know what you want to ask, but this is the Lakers locker room culture. We will also meditate later, which can help everyone quickly get into the game state."

"."

The mysterious old man at KFC left New York reporters with a puzzled look on his face. Fortunately, D'Antoni, who appeared in front of everyone later, was still normal. The man with a mustache listened to the questions with a smile and quickly responded:

“It’s always good to be able to take a couple more days off!”

"We have the most experience in the finals in the league. I won't worry about the players' condition. They have performed very well in training sessions recently."

The TNT reporter brought the trio's questions to the scene and asked again about Li You's scoring decline in the fourth quarter of the Eastern Conference Finals. In response, D'Antoni just raised his eyebrows and explained with a smile:
"If the Lakers plan to send three people to defend Lee, they will have a chance to limit Lee's performance."

"I don't believe the opponent will make such a defensive choice. As for other situations, Li will tell you the answer soon!"

"Believe me, as long as Lee wants to score, no one can stop him."

Neither head coach discussed tactical strategies. After playing against each other for several consecutive years, both sides know their opponents very well, and the finals will be an "open" game.

After returning to the locker room, Phil Jackson saw the players returning to their seats one after another. The old KFC man clapped his hands, then took out sage and started to fumigate the locker room with the assistant coaches.

Noticing that the time was almost up, Phil Jackson stood in front of everyone with a serious expression. After looking at everyone one by one, he guided them in a deep voice:

"Now close your eyes, empty your mind, don't think about anything, and stay like this."

"Take a deep breath, pull out of your brain the experience of last year's finals, and tell me, what did you see?"

"."

No one spoke in the locker room. In the end, the devoted Mamba gave the answer. Kobe, with his eyes closed, couldn't help but reveal a ferocious expression and said angrily:

"Failure! We are defeated! Everyone has lost the will to fight."

Perhaps the guidance really worked, Duncan also spoke up and responded in a somewhat hoarse voice:

"The opponent kept scoring in the crucial rounds and I couldn't do anything."

Under the guidance of the two leaders, everyone expressed what they had “seen”. Phil Jackson nodded with satisfaction and said again in a deep voice:
"Very good, continue to take deep breaths, think about our experience in the playoffs this year, and feel the victory with your heart."

“God guides us in light”

Outside the locker room, the Knicks security personnel looked at each other in bewilderment. They always felt that the Lakers were in a bad mood. They burned the grass while playing basketball. What kind of behavior was this?
The mysterious old man from KFC got many reporters in the stadium to discuss this. This year, the other side of the ocean also sent its own broadcasting team. Yang Jian heard his colleagues talking and subconsciously turned his head to ask:

“Americans are superstitious too?”

Yang Yi almost couldn't hold it in. Seeing the surprised look on his partner's face, he was about to speak, but Zhang Weiping immediately interrupted:

"This is called meditation! The best trick of Zen Master! But I don't think it will work. Kobe is really no good."

The staff around couldn't hold it anymore and all laughed quietly. Yang Yi even covered his mouth and tried to control his emotions. Ever since the Lakers made it to the finals again, the old man has been criticizing the Mamba.

Kobe took the blame before the game even started. Zhang Weiping also felt that he had spoken out of turn. After being reminded by the staff, he quickly asked everyone to move to the center of the venue.

Li You, who came to the stadium to warm up, first greeted Van Gundy and others, and then loudly instructed his teammates to accept interviews. He was responsible for the CCTV team.

"This is incredible! Eight consecutive championships, all the fans around the world have witnessed history!"

Zhang Weiping came up and started talking with a smile. After studying in New York several times, the old man had learned this skill, and chatting while talking had become his instinct.

Yang Yi, who was standing by, saw that the old man wanted to continue playing, so he quickly came over and took the initiative to talk about the game:
"This is the seventh time you're playing against Kobe in your career. A lot has happened to the Lakers this season. Will this affect your emotions for the game?"

Duncan has been portrayed in China as a "tragic basketball fanatic" who neglects his family for basketball. This report has caused Duncan's popularity to soar.

Li You was not aware of these situations. After hearing the question, he simply responded with a smile:

"I have always supported Tim, but in the game, I insist that giving my all is the best respect. I have been training hard in the past week for tonight's game."

"I will be in the best condition to face my opponent. As for off-court matters, if there is anything I can help with, Tim only needs to make a phone call. He knows my number."

When Yang Jian heard this, he thought Duncan was done. Seeing that the old man wanted to ask more questions, he was worried that the broadcast would make a fool of himself, so he quickly took over the conversation:

"I noticed that the Lakers assistant coach was burning some herbs in the arena. I think our fans are a little confused about this. Is this a special ritual?"

Considering that most fans on the other side of the ocean don't know about Phil Jackson's Sagebrush operation, Li You shook his head in front of the camera and said in Mandarin:
“It can be considered a luck-changing ritual, but these fancy operations are useless!”

"Matt should tell them the right thing to do, give the Knicks some compliments, and they'll lose less."

Hiding behind his partner, Yang Yi could no longer hold back and laughed with his head down. Zhang Weiping also laughed out loud. The old man found an opportunity to praise Li You again, and in front of the camera he listed all of Li You's honors in detail.

The praise was so strong that Li You himself could not remember all the small trophies and records. Finally, he showed a rare shy smile in front of the camera and sent his blessing:
“I hope to present a wonderful finals to the fans.”

After the interview, Zhang Weiping did not give his two partners a chance and began to look ahead to the camera:
"Look at Li You's muscles. Not to mention he's 32, even if he's 40, he can still maintain his competitive form."

"Kobe can't play recklessly at the beginning of the game, otherwise the Lakers will have a hard time in tonight's game. No matter how good Phil Jackson's game strategy is, it still depends on the core players to execute it!"

The old man made an analysis, and the two supplemented it. After the pre-match interview, Zhang Weiping still couldn't forget it, and followed behind the others and whispered:

"It's too difficult. Kobe is a star of a different level. If Li You had partnered with Duncan, maybe Phil Jackson could have won 10 consecutive championships."

"."

(End of this chapter)