NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 812 Champion Experience from Across the Ocean (Daily Chapter)

On Tuesday, October 25, 2011, The Washington Post again reported on Michael Jordan's stance in the labor negotiations:

"Small markets need more revenue, and that has always been our demand."

Michael Jordan did not change his attitude despite the players' dissatisfaction during the interview, and Charles Barkley's big mouth was also ignored.

This strong stance led to a chain reaction in which the NBA announced the cancellation of two weeks of games, and a columnist for the Washington Post even made a bold prediction:

"If both sides continue to insist, then the matches in the last two weeks of November will also be cancelled."

NBA officials declined to confirm the news, but an unnamed source revealed that the new season will start no later than Christmas Day, as David Stern does not want to miss this important holiday.

Current players who saw the news were incredibly disappointed, and even now, some still refuse to believe that Michael Jordan had actually "betrayed" them.
This has also caused many people to give up their illusions; the secondary GOAT has been corrupted by the US dollar!

In fact, after retiring, Michael rarely met with his old friends and faded from the public eye in basketball. Compared to his old friends, Li You was the one with whom he had a closer relationship.

Both of them have their own brands, and they have made a fortune from the profit sharing of hooks alone in recent years.

When Michael Jordan acquired the Bobcats, he also received a low-interest loan from Li You. In another sense, the two had already detached themselves from basketball, and it would be more appropriate to describe them as "businessmen".

Some young players were still fantasizing that their idols would speak up for them, but unfortunately, the other side was clearly on the side of the owners. The main reason for this situation is that the Bobcats' sponsors have gone bankrupt.
The Knicks can refund season ticket holders, and even offer interest on the refunds, but many smaller teams can't afford to do that, as they have huge problems with ticket sales alone.

Sponsors are also incredibly important. Even a powerhouse team like the Lakers can falter due to issues with sponsors and broadcasting agreements, so it's understandable that smaller teams would seek more benefits.

Many players were already playing in overseas leagues at this time, but everyone was paying close attention to the NBA. Within a week, many people were criticizing Michael Jordan for disregarding the bigger picture.

If the tournament can start as scheduled, everyone wants to return as soon as possible. If it really waits until Christmas, then there's basically no chance of coming back in 2011.
Of course, some teams like the current pace, like the Knicks. Rookie Kyrie Irving has benefited from this, having waited until his foot injury was fully healed!

Pau Gasol is the same. He's played too many games in the past few years, so he's overjoyed to have so much rest now. He's been posting photos of himself and his brother on social media every day lately.

Ray Allen, who hasn't officially joined the team yet, isn't in a hurry either. He spends four days a week at Basketball Lee for all-around training, and more time taking his daughter to school and taking care of her at home.

Ray Allen, who moved to Manhattan's Upper East Side, still occasionally has afternoon tea with newcomer Jimmy Butler at a coffee shop.

The two have very similar lifestyle habits in some aspects, a situation that was rarely seen in the Celtics in the past.

After all, Garnett and Pierce don't like the white guys' ways. They'd rather spend their time practicing at some club, drinking coffee, enjoying afternoon tea, or killing time on Broadway. That's not what tough guys do!
Most rookie players were complaining, but fortunately, LeBron James and a few others spoke up during the players' meeting in Los Angeles last week.

The chosen one stopped Garnett and his old guard from their pointless argument, and immediately updated his social media after the meeting, reiterating his promise:
“We will be back at the negotiating table soon. Everyone needs to work, but they also need respect. 50% remains the union’s bottom line.”

There were 30 player representatives in total. Superstars like Li You, Kobe, and Duncan were absent, Garnett and Pierce lost their voice this time, and James's team successfully took over.

Not only did the meeting go smoothly, but Artest and others also contributed to Obama's fundraising efforts on the West Coast, and James actively promoted the president.

In short, the old guard has completely declined. Even Durant looks down on Garnett, who only knows how to curse, and recently made a pointed sarcastic remark in his frequently updated Twitter posts:
False loyalty is not worthy of respect.

The suspension continues, but across the ocean, the CBA league has entered the preparation period. Unlike previous years, this year's league is exceptionally popular, with attention reaching record highs!

CCTV Sports' weekly Basketball Park program provides extensive coverage of the Guangdong team and Kobe Bryant. Here, nobody cares about the lockout; everyone just wants to see the Mamba unleash his full power.

Under these circumstances, JR Smith's arrival changed things slightly. The championship-winning guard arrived at Zhejiang Chouzhou Bank ahead of schedule and then gave an exclusive interview to Sina Sports.

To promote this special season, Sina Sports launched a brand new CBA section, and its coverage has been warmly received by Chinese fans.

In particular, the recently released documentary "Deadly Mamba" moved Kobe fans who have stuck with the series to tears. Many fans praised Sina on Weibo, saying that the quality of the documentary is no less than that of CCTV!
On Wednesday morning, the interview, which had been promoted for half a month, was officially launched online. Enthusiastic fans almost "crashed" Sina Sports, but after seeing the video content, many people laughed.

Unlike the humble and focused Kobe Bryant, JR Smith maintained the air of a championship guard throughout his interview with Ke Fan, even speaking with disdain when discussing potential CBA opponents:

"As a championship-winning guard, I want to help the team through my own efforts, which is why I chose to play in Zhejiang. There are no champions here."

"That's just how Kobe is; he's good at being a passenger in the NBA too!"

“I know that the Guangdong team has won many championships. In the league, they are somewhat like the Knicks. Perhaps this also fulfills Kobe’s wish. You know, he can’t do anything in the NBA.”

JR Smith delivered a rapid-fire rap, his disdainful expression when mentioning the Mamba made host Ke Fan somewhat embarrassed, as it was rare to encounter such direct mockery here.

The champion defender, however, was in high spirits and became increasingly happy as he spoke, continuing to reveal more without needing to be asked questions by the host:

"Lee made Kobe. Without Lee, who would care about him? In fact, when matched up against Lee, he was no different from any other player."

"With the Knicks, I had the job of guarding Lee countless times, and in terms of team statistics, I was able to put up similar numbers to Kobe."

"With a field goal percentage of less than 40% and a three-point percentage of 30%, I would never be complacent about these stats, because I know that Li was not using his full strength at all."

"Maybe many people here will praise Kobe, but I have a responsibility to tell the inside story. If Li Xiang tries to limit him, this guy won't even be able to average 20 points per game."

"In the upcoming CBA games, I will share my championship experience without reservation. Perhaps Zhejiang will have a hard time winning the championship, but I hope to plant a seed of championship success."

"."

In the video, Ke Fan was completely dumbfounded. In addition to belittling Mamba, the championship guard also used all sorts of polite remarks, which was completely unlike the black players he had encountered in the past.

The interview was quite successful. JR Smith shared his championship experience and inside information. Apart from praising Li You to the skies and criticizing the Mamba, the whole process was relatively objective.

Ke Fan rubbed his forehead one last time. Even though he was curious, he was too embarrassed to ask Kobe for any more "insider information." At the end of the interview, he could only smile and warm up for the opening game:

"Let's look forward to JR Smith's CBA debut. I believe it will be a very exciting game!"

"."

Fans who saw the video were in an uproar. Not long ago, someone dug up Stephon Marbury's original tweet criticizing the Mamba Mentality. Due to the difficulty of accessing the internet, many fans did not believe it.

Now that JR Smith has shared his championship experience, most people have noticed one thing: the Mamba doesn't seem to receive much respect in the NBA, which is completely different from the situation reported by domestic sports media!
American sports stars sometimes do have a poor public image, which is why Bill Simmons can directly mock Garnett, Pierce, and Kobe.

In contrast, in China, the stories are mostly inspirational, while Kobe is always portrayed as a loser in the media, making him a true king of inspiration!
Now, after industry insiders revealed the information, Mamba's image is suddenly in danger of collapsing. Die-hard fans have started attacking JR Smith, while many young fans have started a different kind of "celebration".

The CBA season hasn't even started yet, but everyone is already eagerly anticipating it!
-

On Saturday, October 30, a rare East Coast storm brought blizzards on Halloween, causing power outages across much of Connecticut, with little chance of restoration for the next few days.

Hartford, the capital city, recorded 12.3 inches of snow yesterday. New York and New Jersey were also affected, and the snowstorm forced people to stay home, postponing Halloween activities in the community until November.

Ivana, who was turning 30, didn't seem to be bothered by the blizzard. Li You had already started preparing for the snow disaster with the kids. The Peninsula Manor had its own power supply system, so there was no need to worry about food reserves.

On her birthday night, the increasingly mature young woman indulged herself for once, but she still woke up early in the morning. Unlike in the past, 30-year-old Ivana no longer looked forward to her birthday, because it meant she was getting older.

In this regard, Melinda, Kim, and Catherine no longer hold birthday parties. Although the girls say they want to celebrate properly, they are always anxious about their appearance. No one likes to grow old.

The bedroom on the third floor was surrounded by thick curtains, and the fireplace flames were reduced to mere embers. Ivana, nestled in the blankets, instinctively snuggled into Li You's arms twice, and after being embraced, she whispered unconsciously:

"I wish time could stand still. I envy Georgina a little; she never worries about these things."

Yesterday was a gathering of young women at the Peninsula Estate. Ivana, who was celebrating her 30th birthday, was happy, but compared to her easygoing friend, she felt an inexplicable sense of envy, as the friend never considered such things.

Li You gently stroked the anxious girl, and Ivana, who was naked, quickly warmed up. She opened her eyes and instinctively gave him a kiss. Only after being held in his arms again did she stop squirming.

"Everyone gets old. You should have confidence in yourself. Aren't we planning to have another family member?"

Thinking about her wild ramblings that night, Ivana still blushed slightly. She hadn't been using protection lately, hoping to have another daughter, and had been trying very hard. Every year on her birthday, Li You would say sweet nothings to warm the girls' hearts, and of course, he would also make grand promises about the future.

Ivana particularly liked it; this mature woman had even planned out where her children would go to university.
Biting her lip, Ivana began her morning exercise. Her deliberately trained body gave her great confidence. At least in some ways, she was indeed very charming, and Li You had a hard time keeping up with her.

Halfway through the match, the room door suddenly opened. Ivana noticed Georgina wearing a heavy nightgown, and her face turned even redder. She lay on Li You without saying a word.

Ignoring her beautiful figure, Georgina came to the bedside, pouted, and reluctantly sat down, saying:
“Honey, Emma would like to talk to you sometime. It’s about Chris Frisola. His fund is having some problems.”

Rarely hearing news of another Ms. Bloomberg, Li You covered the still trembling Ivana, rested her head on his left arm, blinked, and asked with some curiosity:

“I thought your sister would never contact me. It seems our relationship will improve soon. Has someone put pressure on Frisola? This is indeed my problem.”

In 05, Emma got married, and Georgina got involved with Lee Yoo. Just like the rebellious girl she was when she was 19 and filming "Born Rich," the two sisters had completely different ideas about their love lives.

Of course, Emma disliked Lee Yoo's "devotion" more than anything else. In addition, Ax Capital had a poor reputation among its insiders at the time, and Emma, ​​who was fond of politics, strongly opposed her sister's choice.

Last week's investor conference turned into a mudslinging session, with Bobby embarrassing David Einhorn and Jim Chanos claiming he was bearish on Tesla and might short it in the future, only to be ridiculed by Li You.

The atmosphere between the two sides was highly charged, and the internal meeting was eventually leaked by many financial journalists. Industry insiders were delighted after reading the reports, and many began discussing Li You's "reckless remarks":
"Go buy Tesla stock, don't even think about shorting us, because it will grow by 2000% in the future!"

At an investor conference, Green Mountain Coffee's CEO presented the company's financial situation and announced before the conference ended that the SEC's investigation had concluded and that they had received approval from the Securities Commission.

As if his opponent had foreseen the future, David Einhorn's meticulously prepared short-selling plan collapsed, and Green Mountain Coffee's stock price not only did not fall back, but instead reached a new high.

As a result, Bobby and Einhorn held opposing views during the discussion, and the two sides completely broke off relations, much to the delight of the audience.

Although Georgina wasn't particularly interested in the specifics, she was aware of the recent Wall Street gossip. Noticing Li You's nonchalant expression, she shrugged and gave a simple response:
"You guessed right, someone did make things difficult for him. Everyone knows Emma doesn't like you, and maybe they want to cause a rift between us."

Seeing her friend listening intently, Georgina playfully grabbed her, then, with a gasp of surprise, leaned in and whispered something in Li You's ear:

“We haven’t talked to our father about these things. You know, he’s actually quite unhappy about this marriage.”

"."

The two sisters also manage a portion of the family trust, which is also a huge sum.

Hearing her friend gossip about her family, Ivana couldn't help but think of Donald's recent extravagant spending on public speaking and his complete immersion in political activities, and she sighed inwardly.

Sometimes married daughters do tend to favor their husbands. Thinking that Emma would back down because of her husband's pride, Li You felt that Ivana should continue to have sons. A 20-person roster would be good.

"No problem, let's get together soon. We can also catch up over Thanksgiving, since we're all family!"

Li You spoke of his family so naturally that Georgina couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. She glanced at her silent friend, then smiled, stood up, and whispered:

"I'll be going with Milinda and the others to clear the snow for the little ones in a bit. No one will bother you. Happy birthday."

Ivana, her face flushed, tried to get up to explain, but was quickly pulled into Li You's arms. Watching her friend's departing figure, she subconsciously whispered in his ear:
We need to get down quickly.

Receiving no response, Li You noticed it wasn't 7 o'clock yet. He grasped the mature woman's waist again, and Ivana quickly forgot her worries. Today, she had "special privileges."

In the afternoon, Li You posted photos on social media of his family preparing for Halloween. The blizzard did not dampen the energy of the little guys, and even the elderly dog ​​Happy regained its spirits in the weather.

Scarlett Johansson and several young women, who had just finished filming in Albuquerque, posted photos of themselves clearing snow with their young children that morning.

"A special Halloween! Happiness is all around us!"

It's no wonder that some bankrupt people can't empathize with Li You. While most people are experiencing blizzards, the festive atmosphere at Peninsula Manor is getting stronger. Heavy snow, power outages? None of that matters.

-

On Monday, October 31st, Sina Sports continued its special coverage of the CBA across the ocean. While Stephon Marbury declined an exclusive interview, he readily admitted to his previous tweets:
“I don’t respect Kobe. In my opinion, he’s just running away. That’s my point of view.”

"The Guangdong team doesn't need him at all. They are champions even without Kobe."

"In the new season, I only want to fight for BJ. Here, I have found a sense of belonging."

Kobe, embroiled in another media storm, has finally responded. Not only Kobe himself, but also his Guangdong teammates have voiced their support, with Wang Shipeng and Zhu Fangyu even showing their solidarity on Weibo.
"I have never seen such a hardworking superstar. Kobe will earn everyone's respect through his actions!"

"A champion doesn't need to care about what others say; Kobe will let the basketball speak for itself!"

After the routine training session ended on Monday afternoon, Kobe was once again surrounded by a group of sports reporters. Despite the somewhat rudimentary training facilities, the Mamba's smile seemed to grow brighter with each passing day.

After hearing the question through the translator, Kobe laughed it off, seemingly unconcerned by the comments. He even jokingly added while answering the question:
“Passengers? Drivers? I never care about those things because I have a championship ring, and I know how much effort I put into it.”

"I've always said that my primary goal in coming here is to give back to the fans who have always been there for me. You know, that's incredibly important to me."

"Here, I just want to show real basketball, regardless of statistics or honors. I want everyone to understand that the process of chasing championships and meeting challenges is far more important than trophies!"

"Basketball doesn't lie. I'll accept their challenge, and these guys will soon realize the gap between them and me. Provoking a superstar is obviously not a wise thing to do."

Kobe's confident demeanor prompted a chorus of cheers from his teammates, but Yi Jianlian looked somewhat strange; in his memory, Kobe wasn't like that at all.

-

On Thursday, November 3, player representatives gathered again in Manhattan for the labor negotiations to continue, though this time most of the participants were young players.

Upon arriving at the headquarters' conference room, James, Wade, Anthony, and Paul huddled together, occasionally whispering amongst themselves, while Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook glared at each other.

James Harden looked sleepy, but New York's nightlife wasn't affected by the storm. The big-assed girls here are quite impressive, and they've almost drained him dry these past two days.

Sitting in his chair early, Durant pulled out his phone and started typing away. Wearing a thick pink cap, he was immersed in his own world, continuing to surf the internet.

Upon seeing the goddess's Halloween cosplay photos updated today, Durant launched another round of high-intensity replies, continuously switching between alternate accounts to leave comments:

"It's so cold in Greenwich, make sure you wear warm clothes and drink plenty of hot tea."

"."

Chris Bosh took off his heavy coat. The washed-up star had been keeping up with New York gossip lately, and seeing Anthony's low spirits, he couldn't help but whisper a joke:

"Melo, Spike Lee will be at Barclays Center to support you. It seems you've won over the hearts of New York fans."

New York is considered an area unaffected by the shutdown, and the newspapers are constantly filled with sports news. Whenever the Knicks are involved, it's basically a daily win.

With the lockout seemingly on the verge of ending, loyal fans like Spike Lee have become more active, recently stating in an interview that they will join the New York fans in occupying the Barclays Center.

While James Harden spoke highly of Carmelo Anthony, his assessment of Lee Yu-ho and the game results was the same as that of the New York media: both were wins.
New York fans were unfazed by the victory, but Anthony was struggling. The thought of being mocked after the Nets' subsequent loss made him increasingly upset, and he subconsciously responded in a muffled voice:
"Perhaps we should add some clauses to prohibit fans from attacking players!"

"."

When David Stern and his executives arrived, the atmosphere in the meeting room did not become tense. The president seemed confident, and after taking his seat, he turned to reassure them:

"At this meeting, we will reach a consensus: it's time for basketball to return!"

(End of this chapter)