NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 819 "No one expects my success." (Daily chapter)

On Thursday, February 23, 2012, the CBA across the ocean once again became the focus of attention for many sports media outlets.

It's not that the playoffs were particularly exciting; it's mainly because the previous All-Star games were so incredibly entertaining that related news on Twitter even surpassed the buzz surrounding the upcoming All-Star game.

"Stephen Marbury punched Kobe Bryant during the game, causing the latter to suffer a broken nose and a mild concussion."

"."

Sina Sports reported the news on Sunday, and then the US was in an uproar. The video of Marbury blocking Kobe's shot on YouTube saw a surge in views.

The video showed Kobe Bryant injured, which sparked an "interaction" between the two teams. Instead of leaving the court immediately, Kobe had a verbal altercation with Stephon Marbury, who then lashed out in anger, making the scene extremely heated.

According to lip-reading experts from the US media, in addition to cursing his opponent with "Fuck," Marbury also made a "more interesting" comment:

"Back in America, you'll still be the same clown! With Lee around, you can't do anything."

Related analysis videos also went viral, and no one expected that Stephon Marbury, who was expelled from New York, would regard Li You as a "reliable person".

In response, social media erupted in chaos, with some extreme Black fans hurling insults at "Son of New York" and even labeling Marbury a traitor. They argued that Black people overseas should be brothers, so why are they being treated like this?
Despite his injury, Kobe showed great resilience, playing through the pain and giving his all on both ends of the court in the first round of the playoffs against Zhejiang Chouzhou Bank on the 22nd.

Despite JR Smith's impressive 32 points showcasing his scoring prowess, the final score remained 92-115, with Kobe leading the Guangdong team to a resounding victory at home!

Mamba's popularity soared again after such a performance, and some die-hard fans were moved to tears. They not only cursed JR Smith during the game, but also took the opportunity to criticize Marbury on Weibo after the game.

This sparked a "war" between BJ fans and Guangdong fans, and the CBA once again broke out of its niche, attracting even casual fans who don't follow the league. As a result, sales of Kobe's signature shoes in China skyrocketed.

After being cyberbullied, Stephon Marbury's brand is completely ruined, and there's no possibility of rebuilding it in China. The "Son of New York" complained on Twitter, feeling wronged.
"I just want them to know the truth."

Kobe, who led his team to victory, was adored by the Chinese media, and everyone experienced the charm of a superstar for the first time.

Faced with the praise from the crowd, Mamba did not become complacent, but instead made a thought-provoking remark at the press conference:

"I don't care about these minor injuries, and they won't affect my physical condition. Since I started my professional basketball career, no one has expected me to succeed."

"Here, I just want to show pure basketball, and I want to remind everyone of the emotions and joy that basketball originally brought us."

These words were quickly interpreted in various ways by fans and the media. Kobe's hard work in playing with injuries earned him everyone's trust, and everyone wanted to understand Mamba more deeply.

Amidst the heated discussions among die-hard fans, a question quickly arose: Was Kobe's past experience with basketball not pure?

Why did the NBA disappoint Kobe?

Who exactly made basketball complicated?
Kobe fans quickly found the answer: Lee Yu, the most successful player in the NBA, has corrupted the culture of basketball. Twelve championships are far too many; one would have been enough. Basketball shouldn't be like this!

Social media was in complete chaos. Lee Yu-na, who was ecstatic about winning, was the spiritual leader of many fans. Even 20-year-old New York fans jumped out to criticize Mamba, and the controversy even spread to Twitter.

The backlash launched by Kobe's die-hard fans on Reddit was quickly extinguished by the New York fan club. When it comes to "verbal abuse," fans in most cities can't compare to the noble New York fans.

The related discussions remained so heated that even the attention on tonight's rematch between the Knicks and the Heat dropped.

The fully-staffed Heat will host the Knicks. In preparation for this game, Lee Yoo only played 27 minutes in yesterday's back-to-back game against the Hawks, and Ray Allen and Marion were even rested.

Both teams took this matchup very seriously, but there wasn't much discussion about it before the game. The Heat's trio were a little unhappy about this, even though they were the ones who should have been the main focus!
LeBron James' marketing agency, LRMR, recently changed its public relations strategist, bringing in the strategist who served on former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign.

Hoping to turn his public image around this season, Kobe has jumped out again.
At 19 p.m. that night, the reunited Heat trio displayed excellent competitive form, going all out from the start of the first quarter.

Head coach Spoelstra was also extremely involved, even yelling at key players during some defensive possessions, and the 2 Heat fans at American Airlines Arena cheered wildly along with him.

In the "high-level games," with frequent pick-and-roll mismatches, even veterans like Ben Wallace couldn't keep up. Coach D'Antoni had to bring in Serge Ibaka, who had just returned from Spain, but they still couldn't contain the opponent.

Rookie players also find it difficult to gain the trust of the head coach at this time. In the third quarter, the Heat's proactive change in zone defense suddenly proved effective. Under the intense double-teaming, the Knicks' outside shots kept missing.

After 24:29 in the quarter, the shouts at American Airlines Arena couldn't stop. The nationally televised game on TNT was commentated by Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller, and the two in the audience were also shouting and yelling.

Old Miller even dropped the pretense, yelling loudly after James hit a three-pointer at the start of the fourth quarter:
"A double-digit point difference! Tonight, these young men are about to declare that their era has arrived!"

"."

Contrary to the Heat's coaching staff's expectations, the Knicks brought back Kyrie Irving in the final quarter, who had shot 1-for-6 in the first three quarters, while veteran Davis was unable to play.

Heat rookie Norris Cole successfully outplayed Patrick Beverley, earning more playing time and partnering with Mike Miller in the backcourt during rotation periods.

The frontcourt trio consisted of Battier, James, and Haslem. Although they lacked height, the Knicks were not tall either.

Kyrie Irving and Danny Green continued to pair up in the backcourt, while Shawn Marion, Markieff Morris, and Serge Ibaka formed the frontcourt. Compared to the Heat, the Knicks had too many rookies and seemed to be at a disadvantage in terms of game experience.

As the game time went by, James, who hit a three-pointer in the first possession, quickly realized that the rookie on the other side seemed to have "awakened".

First, he overpowered Cole at the top of the arc and hit a floater in the paint. Then, seizing the opportunity of a fast break, Irving faked a pass and passed the ball behind his back to Marion, who dunked it.

When the Knicks set up zone defense to block James's drives, Battier and Mike Miller missed their shots one after another, and Irving and Danny Green's three-pointers forced the Heat to call a timeout.

After a 10-3 run, the Knicks' bench erupted in cheers. Kyrie Irving, walking to the sidelines, repeatedly pounded his chest. After being embraced by assistant coach Charles Oakley, the rookie didn't forget to shout loudly to the front row of fans:
"You can't do anything!"

90-91, less than 4 minutes later, the score difference suddenly returned to 1 point. The Knicks' haphazard offense left Coach Spoelstra speechless.

Norris Cole didn't dare to speak at this moment. The rookie knew that the comeback started with him. He really couldn't stop the Heat's defense, which caused the Heat's defense to shrink too much.

Wade and Bosh both stood up. In the crucial final quarter, the Heat, as before, stuck to their small lineup. The trio all pursed their lips, while Coach Spoelstra, reminded by his assistant coach, firmly directed the team:

"Stick to our defensive strategy, double-team Li early, and be quick in providing help defense."

After the timeout, James' turnaround fadeaway jumper in the right-side paint caused the Heat's bench to wave towels wildly, while the Chosen One on defense loudly directed his teammates to get into position.

Seeing that the Knicks were sticking to their previous tactics, Wade followed Ray Allen to the top of the key and immediately abandoned his defense, cooperating with Randy Foye to double-team.

As Li You passed the ball, Ray Allen, who was still half a step away from the three-point line on the left wing, still caught the ball and shot!
James, who was rotating on defense, thought the veteran would continue to miss shots as before, but the three-pointer went in cleanly, and the cheers from the defense at American Airlines Arena quieted down a bit.

Coach Spoelstra loudly instructed his players to stick to the defensive strategy, but in the following minutes, although the Heat were able to score +2 points each time, Ray Allen and Lee Yu responded one after another from beyond the three-point line.

After Bosh missed a wide-open shot at the top of the key, the long ball was picked up by Li You. Wade, who was on the defensive end, was faked out by a behind-the-back dribble while moving. He gritted his teeth and chased after him, but couldn't catch up.
"Oh"

Amid gasps of alarm, James, who was taking off at full speed, attempted to intercept in mid-air, while Wade, who was behind him, jumped up and simply reached out to pull him away.

After a confrontation with James, Li You, wearing the Flash, abruptly hovered, pulled his right arm to the side, dodged the block, and casually tossed the ball toward the basket.

All three players fell out of bounds at the same time. James, losing his balance, crashed into the basketball hoop, while Wade, propelled by the momentum, lurched into the stands and fell headfirst into the camera's view.
As the basketball spun twice and fell into the hoop, Kevin Harlan excitedly shouted:
"My God! Lee has scored another incredible basket! The Knicks are going to extend their lead!"

"."

Old Miller was speechless for a long time. Li You, who accelerated with the ball, was even slightly faster than Wade. Was he really 34 years old? He always felt that even Michael Jordan didn't have this kind of speed back then.

This 2+1 play completely changed the course of the game. The two teams kept trading baskets until the end of the game. Although the Heat were able to respond, their fouling strategy failed in the final moments, and they could only lose the game.

At the end of the game, with a score of 113-108, the boos from the American Airlines Arena were deafening.

Wade watched as Li You smiled and high-fived Ray Allen and the others, and for a moment he cursed under his breath in annoyance before he could barely control his disappointment.

Bosh performed very well in the final quarter, shooting 3-for-4 and missing only one three-pointer. After losing the game, he stood helplessly with his hands on his hips, feeling that he was only a little bit away from victory.

James, who also performed well, was somewhat frustrated. He was dissatisfied with the defensive strategy in the last few minutes, but he also felt a bit resentful when he thought about Ray Allen's 1-for-5 three-point shooting performance earlier.

Mike D'Antoni, sporting a fadeaway jumper, smiled broadly. Despite losing his All-Star head coaching position this year, the veteran didn't seem to care, and was even engaging in friendly banter in front of the scorer's table:

"I think this was the most exciting regular season game of the season! Eric, the Heat are much more mature than last season, and you guys are definitely going to achieve great things!"

"."

Spoelstra forced a smile, said a few polite words, and turned to leave. Sticking to the game plan was correct, but he did have to take some responsibility for tonight's loss.

尽管李佑今晚平平无奇地砍下28分7篮板10助攻2抢断2失误的数据，但赛后TNT的记者萨格尔却依旧狂拍马屁。

When asked to evaluate the growth of the trio, Li You appeared "exhausted" and praised his opponents with a smile:
"After this game, all I want to do is go back and get some sleep. I think all the fans felt the pressure from the Heat's young players; their execution was outstanding."

"Thankfully, God bless the Knicks tonight."

The comprehensive and exciting live broadcast before the All-Star Game greatly satisfied the broadcaster, TNT. During the post-game Q&A, Shaquille O'Neal immediately offered his congratulations, expressing his unwavering support for James Harden and stating that he genuinely did not want the Heat to win.
"Lee, I think no fan in America would question the GOAT at 34 years old now! Time cannot defeat the GOAT!"

"What are your plans for the rest of the regular season? Will the Bulls' comeback in the standings pose a problem for the Knicks?"

As of February 15th, the Bulls had a record of 23 wins and 7 losses, successfully surpassing the Knicks. Thibodeau was also selected as the head coach of the Eastern Conference All-Star team due to the extension.

Regarding the record, Li You didn't seem to care too much, and reiterated:

"The Knicks' goal is the playoffs. With a packed schedule, the team will recall rookie players from the G League. The rookies are doing a good job and they will get more opportunities."

"As for home-court advantage, with a 2-3-2 schedule, we are confident that we will lift the trophy when we return to New York."

"."

Although Li You was once again in the Finals, O'Neal didn't seem to mind, and continued to smile and offer his blessings. When the camera returned to the studio, Charles Barkley was shaking his head again, and his big mouth started spouting off:

"I respect Coach Spoelstra, but tonight his stubbornness cost the Heat a victory they had in the bag!"

"Ray Allen is the greatest three-point shooter in the NBA since Lee. Even if he doesn't perform well in the first three quarters, we shouldn't relax our defense against him."

Seeing his partner blatantly lying, Kenny Smith immediately retorted:

"The Heat extended their lead to 8 points by suddenly changing their zone defense. You can't use the game result to deduce their defensive strategy."

"."

The three quickly got into a heated argument about why the Heat lost. Ernie Johnson, completely used to this, took advantage of the director's interview with James to change the subject, saying:

"James has never won a game against the Knicks since he entered the league, which reminds me of Allen Iverson."

In the post-game interview, all three Heat players appeared somewhat dejected. James seemed numb from the loss, and when asked about it by a reporter, he complained for the first time:

"I know that after joining the Heat, nobody expected me to succeed!"

"Those wins and losses don't matter to me. Whether with the Cavaliers or the Heat, our records are excellent, and these results are enough to prove that I am a team player."

“Looking back at those superstars, they could team up with MVPs without being criticized, but for young people, both the media and fans are very demanding.”

"No matter what, the Heat will win the championship. We don't have basketball stories; we just want to let basketball speak for itself."

Wade agreed, even using himself as an example, saying that when he teamed up with MVP Shaquille O'Neal, no one criticized him. Thinking about the stolen spotlight, the Flash's face darkened as he said:
"I know some people are jealous of us and afraid we'll win the championship, but the more that happens, the harder we'll work to prove ourselves!" Only Bosh maintained his composure, simply smiling slightly when asked about missing out on the starting lineup, before reiterating:

"After giving back to the fans, all I want to do this All-Star Weekend is get some rest. Maintaining our position as the league's number one team and securing home-court advantage is the most important thing."

After losing the second game, the Heat's trio opened up for the first time. Shaquille O'Neal remained unmoved, and upon hearing Barkley praise the young players, immediately retorted with sarcasm:

“The three ‘drivers’ teaming up shouldn’t be praised. I understand my little brother Wade, but he should do what I do and find the right ‘passengers’.”

-

The Orlando All-Star Weekend officially kicked off on Friday, February 24th. However, unlike previous years, the packed schedule left most players feeling exhausted.

With four games a week, especially back-to-back away games, players often have to spend most of their time on airplanes. Many players are complaining about this and are even too lazy to compete for All-Star spots.

Despite the shortened season, there was still plenty of publicity, but the players weren't keen on competing, which resulted in a less intense voting process this year.

Under these circumstances, Li You, who received 210 million votes, easily became the top vote-getter. In terms of popularity, young players who haven't experienced many finals simply can't compare to veteran Deng.
The Eastern Conference All-Star head coach is Tom Thibodeau of the Chicago Bulls, and the starting five are:

Li You, Derrick Cross, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard;
The seven substitutes are:

Deron Williams, Dwyane Wade, Ray Allen, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh, Pau Gasol, Roy Hibbert.

Hibbert of the Pacers has had an outstanding season, and in the game against the Hornets, he scored 30 points and 13 rebounds on 11-of-17 shooting, achieving a career high.

The Cavaliers' duo is firmly in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Although there have been frequent trade rumors, Cleveland fans are convinced that both players will stay with the team and have been actively campaigning for votes during the voting period.

The Western Conference All-Star head coach selection was also renewed, with the Spurs quietly overtaking the Mavericks. Gregg Popovich, who finished second in the West, was selected again. The starting five are:

Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Andre Iguodala, Kevin Durant, Amar'e Stoudemire;
The seven substitutes are:

Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Love, Marc Gasol.

Stoudemire replaced Yao Ming, who was injured, as a starter, and the Spurs' record improved. However, this surge in performance has also led to injuries for the team. Ginobili suffered a fracture in his left hand and is now out for the rest of the season.

Iguodala's popularity skyrocketed after arriving in Los Angeles, reaping the benefits of the Western Conference. In contrast, although the Suns are ranked third in the West, the aging Bynum did not receive many votes.

Without the support of a major market, Bynum, touted as the best center in the West, has lost his appeal.

Other invited players for the weekend's games also suffered injuries, with Stephen Curry falling again and unfortunately missing the Skills Challenge;

Joe Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks also missed the Three-Point Contest and the Meteor Shooting Contest due to injury.

Derrick Rose, who flew to Orlando that day, became the star of Friday's show. After winning the MVP last season, he took advantage of the "Li You Rule" adjustment to successfully secure a "supermax contract".

Not only did the Bulls offer him a huge contract, but Adidas also offered him a new contract worth $2.5 million. Although the hype has cooled down, Rose is still one of the most watched players of the new generation.

Before Friday night's Celebrity Game and Rising Stars Challenge, TNT interviewed Rose. When asked about the MVP race for the new season, the Bulls' star player maintained a stoic expression and calmly commented:
"Both are excellent players, but I would vote for Durant. You know, loyalty is commendable in the league!"

"."

Perhaps these words "hit the nail on the head," because after the game started, Heat fans began mocking Rose's poor performance in last season's playoffs on social media.

This scene felt familiar to many fans, who quickly realized that it was exactly what New York fans used to do.
Howard, who was also present and exchanging flirtatious glances with the Magic, gave a cheerful interview. When asked the same question, the "Happy Beast" once again started his sarcastic remarks about his old partner:
"LeBron always steals the spotlight, but as a Cleveland resident, I will vote for Durant. My loyalty will never fade!"

"."

The scene at the Amway Center was very lively. Perhaps anticipating its own "reputation," the Heat's trio did not come to the scene. Instead, Durant, Westbrook, and Harden frequently appeared in the camera's view.

After the Celebrity Game, Durant kept greeting everyone, a bright smile appearing on his dark face. After signing a big contract, the increased salary cap also helped the Thunder solve some problems.

Durant is full of confidence about the future. During a pre-game interaction with Mike Fratello, co-head coach of the second-year Chuck team, the young man responded with a beaming smile:
"Thank you for your support! MVP is great, but I want to win the championship even more. The Thunder will hold onto first place. As Finals rookies, we need home-court advantage!"

"."

Amidst the mutual praise, Durant also started taking out loans, and the sports reporters present didn't think anything of it. Compared to Harden of the Mavericks, the Thunder did indeed have a better championship look.

-

On Saturday the 25th, after a week of in-depth investigation, a group of sports reporters finally erupted on media day, combining the criticism wave across the ocean with a reflection on the NBA.

However, most of the star players in the morning were not convinced, with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin looking particularly puzzled when they heard the questions on stage.

Paul spoke modestly about Kobe's "pure basketball," while Griffin chuckled, and the Slam Dunk Champion looked at his partner and mocked the Mamba.
"Go check the data. In the 07-08 season, Chris's advanced stats were second only to Lee's."

"Kobe isn't even the second-best player in the league. You can't talk about pure basketball when your stats aren't good."

"Honestly, we don't care what he said at all. Everyone knows how he performed in the Finals. If he wasn't in Los Angeles and wasn't Lee's opponent, who would care about his performance?"

Paul, a potential successor to the union president, also dislikes "reflection." With the collective bargaining agreement just finalized, he didn't want to speak ill of the union at this time, and thus, along with his partner, added:
“I’ve talked to Li about data. You know, I’ve been taught by Li for a long time that data can’t fully reflect the situation on the field, but it can certainly tell some things.”

"Respecting objective facts is also part of modern basketball. The NBA's status as a top league is inseparable from the continuous development of scientific statistics."

"Lee is the greatest of all time because he excelled in every aspect. Looking back at the great players in history, they all dominated the relevant statistics."

"Under the new collective bargaining agreement, the union will experience rapid development. We still have some issues, but there's no need to dwell on them."

"."

Paul gave a serious explanation, but many reporters in the audience were not convinced. This was not the kind of "fun" they wanted; they wanted to hear voices saying that "Li You is not pure enough."

Disappointingly, most star players stood against the Mamba that morning. Roy Hibbert, a first-time All-Star, became impatient when asked questions and bluntly said:
"Who cares about Kobe? What right does that loser have to point fingers at us!"

“He even fled to China out of fear, and everyone in the league knows that Lee is the true greatest of all time.”

The group of "reflective weirdos" had no choice. In the United States, Li You was synonymous with winner. Everyone wanted to acquire massive wealth. Pure basketball simply had no market here.

In the afternoon, Li Youcai, who was still at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Grande Lake, woke up in his suite. He had made a fortune on Nrtflix put options, which caused the girls to unleash 200% enthusiasm.

Even Ivana, who had been inspecting the resort hotel recently, joined in the celebration. Everyone was fast asleep on the big bed, but it was Catherine, who had the best physical fitness, who finally discovered that Li You had woken up from his slumber.
Fighting seven opponents nearly exhausted Li You. He struggled to his feet, managing to pull himself up from Ivana and Melinda's clutches. Seeing Catherine blink, he immediately rushed forward and patted her on the shoulder.
"You should have woken me up earlier; I missed Media Day again this year."

Catherine, displaying her still-beautiful figure, ignored the complaints and, resting her head on the still-sleeping Elizabeth's fair body, whispered excitedly:
"Honey, are we now shareholders of Nrtflix? Can we join the board of directors now?"

Melinda, who had just woken up, chuckled and snuggled into Li You's arms. Having not had a multi-person competition in a long time, the mature woman responded in a slightly husky, sweet voice:
“Nrtflix should be worried about being acquired. The board will most likely initiate anti-takeover proceedings. The other party certainly won't welcome us, after all, they lost a lot of money this time.”

From its peak of over $300 to its current $70, if it were to be acquired again, it would truly become a laughing stock in the industry. Li You nodded, holding the soft woman in his arms, and before he could say anything more, he was kissed again.

Olsen opened his eyes and gasped before even seeing his sisters. Scarlett had somehow squeezed onto his fair skin. Amidst the succubus's giggles and panting, the afternoon training session began again.

-

On Sunday, February 26th, the All-Star Game turned into an unconventional battle for MVP honors.

Despite the media's attempts to stir things up, all the star players were unmoved. No one was interested in discussing what Kobe had said, nor did they want to know just how popular the Mamba was across the ocean.

James and Durant went head-to-head during the game, and Li You, whose stamina was exhausted in advance, firmly controlled the rhythm of the game in his limited playing time, constantly stirring up trouble.

Chris Paul played the same role on the Western Conference All-Star team, and with intentional passes to him, the two young players even started exchanging heated words in the fourth quarter.

The electrifying scene thrilled the fans at the Amway Center. In the final two minutes, James showcased the results of his special training, repeatedly attacking Durant in the low post.

Durant was stunned by several excellent footwork techniques, while James responded with a passionate roar after hitting consecutive shots.

Sitting in the front row, Kyrie Irving, who scored 34 points and won the MVP in the Rising Stars Challenge, made a rude accusation of traveling, but the All-Star Game doesn't scrutinize such things, and the fans in the arena were cheering for the chosen one.

With LeBron James' outstanding performance of 36 points on 15-of-23 shooting, including 6-of-8 from three-point range, the Eastern Conference All-Stars secured another victory!

At the end of the game, with a score of 134-139, cheers for the MVP resounded throughout the arena.

With 14 of 25 shots, Durant scored an efficient 36 points and managed a forced smile after the game, joining the crowd in applause.

When David Stern handed the Star of Stars trophy to James, Durant saw the chosen one raise the glass with a confident smile, and cursed under his breath in annoyance.

"I want to thank Li and all my teammates for their support! You know, winning AMVP is no easy feat!"

"A salute to my opponents, we delivered a fantastic game for the fans tonight."

"."

Holding the trophy, James spoke eloquently, his leader-like demeanor causing Three-Point Contest champion Kevin Love to secretly scoff. Among the Western Conference All-Stars, the younger players were somewhat displeased.

On the contrary, Tony Parker, who won the Skills Challenge, was all smiles early on. Under the old man's arrangement, he easily played a minor role in this All-Star Weekend, going through the motions without putting in any effort, which made the Frenchman extremely happy.

In a post-game interview with TNT, James denied any intention to strengthen the team in the free agency market, and confidently reiterated his stance:
"I know nobody wants to see me succeed, but the Heat have successfully built up their chemistry."

"We are in great shape right now, the locker room is incredibly united, and in the next two months, the whole team will be in playoff mode ahead of schedule. I believe we can defeat any opponent!"

"."

New York media only focuses on their own players, and Li You also had his share of successes at this year's All-Star Weekend.

In the Shooting Star Contest, he teamed up with Allan Houston and Poundst of the Liberty to win the championship for New York in just 21.8 seconds, breaking the 06 San Antonio record of 25.1 seconds!

Despite a lackluster performance in the All-Star Game, New York media articles have portrayed Lee Woo, who broke records, as the biggest winner of the Orlando All-Star Game.

Unsurprisingly, New York also won big this weekend!
-

On Monday, February 27th, players were still on holiday, there were no major free agency deals, and most teams would have to wait until March for their final push.

The Nets signed Steve Novak, who had been waived by the Spurs, at this time. Novak returned to his "hometown" and quickly broke explosive news to the New York media:
"Tim Duncan is experiencing serious psychological problems and has been receiving treatment from a psychologist throughout the season."

"I had a great time with the Spurs under Coach Budenholzer, and I completed the tasks he assigned me. In the locker room, I also shared my championship experience without reservation."

"This helped the Spurs, but everything changed after Duncan and Popovich returned. For no particular reason, I suddenly lost the trust of the coaching staff."

"Fortunately, I'm back in New York, and I'll continue to use my championship experience to help the team!"

The New York Times article was well-written, but Garnett, reading it at his home in Brooklyn, tore the newspaper to shreds.

He understood Duncan's feelings. The thought of Knicks players appearing in the locker room again brought back memories of his time with Sprewell and Rondo, and he cursed in frustration.
"This damn championship experience!"

"."

(End of this chapter)