NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 840 The Special "Winner" (Chapter without a main character)

2012年7月26号星期四，圣安东尼奥的球迷终于看到了一条好消息，邓肯同意球队的3年3400万美刀的报价。

After the regular season ended, there were more and more rumors about Duncan's retirement. Combined with his declining stats, many fans believed it to be true. Now that they see their idol "returning," they are naturally overjoyed!
Not only did Duncan successfully re-sign, Boris Diaw also signed a two-year, $9 million contract with the Spurs.

The "brotherhood basketball" is about to begin next season, and Tony Parker immediately updated his social media with a photo of himself and his friend in London. Clearly, the two Frenchmen are very satisfied with the team's moves.

Although Diaw has gained a lot of weight, he is still an excellent championship forward. Joining the Spurs will undoubtedly provide the team with a wealth of championship experience. ESPN gave this trade an A- rating!
The Spurs' biggest addition is already in the team. Kawhi Leonard performed well during the Summer League, and the team hopes to increase the forward's offensive role. So far, the plan seems to be working.

Another newcomer, George Hill, no longer needs to prove himself. As a favorite of Popovich, Hill is fully capable of taking on a starting position, but for the sake of the team, the young man is willing to make sacrifices.

Fans have seen this performance and will naturally give it high praise.

Even the notoriously frugal Spurs have splurged. After receiving a promise to maintain this structure, Popovich finally revealed his goals in an interview with the San Antonio Express-News:
"We will return to the Finals in the next three years! This has always been the Spurs' goal, and we crave a championship!"

The vast majority of NBA teams never win a championship, and the Spurs are among them. But unlike teams that only win seven games a season (like the Bobcats), Popovich firmly believes that the team has built a winning culture.

Popovich also offered his perspective on the Finals losses over the years:
"I don't think losing in the Finals is a failure. If that's a failure, then what about teams that don't make the playoffs or get eliminated in the semifinals?"

"Failure should not discourage us; we should even be proud of it!"

"There are no losers after reaching the Finals. Perhaps the Knicks are the biggest winners, while we are the 'special' winners."

"Stop questioning Tim Duncan, stop being so harsh on such an excellent player. He gave everything for basketball, and he deserves more respect!"

Perhaps it was the outstanding roster that gave Popovich the courage to speak out. The old man changed his previous attitude and began to subtly criticize unscrupulous sports commentators again.

However, it's not surprising that the old man spoke out at this time. Ever since Shannon Brown appeared on sports programs this week to talk about that "complex emotional experience," people have been making fun of the former MVP every day.

Duncan pays no attention to social media; he has devoted himself entirely to "God's embrace," spending his days meditating and listening to the pastor's teachings at church.

Whenever Shannon Brown was short of money, he would make a big fuss about it. Popovich didn't want to see his beloved disciple humiliated, so he naturally had to stand up for Duncan.

Aside from the Spurs finalizing a contract, the other trade news this week was rather lackluster. After the Bulls re-signed Kirk Hinrich, Derrick Rose, who was injured, also spoke out for the first time.

In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, the young MVP, Rose, said he was recovering well and hadn't suffered a defensive breakdown as many had expected. When discussing his injury and the new season, he maintained his tough-guy attitude as always.

"I have seen the fans' well wishes, thank you all for your support!"

"The Bulls are great, and we will continue to pursue the championship. I don't want to discuss who our opponents are because that's not important. I just want to win the championship in Chicago, and I hope everyone will continue to support the team!"

"."

The interview mainly focused on recovery after the injury. Knee injuries inevitably affect a player's physical condition, which Roth admitted, but the young players are more confident that they can return to their peak.

The Bulls only had the 28th pick in this year's draft, which is considered a weak draft class and is hardly a good pick. When asked about whether the team would "build up talent" in the future, Rose quoted Thibodeau:
"We only think about the present. Only God knows what the future holds. We just want to win in the moment and give it our all in every game."

The Bulls maintained a tough stance by not tanking or forming super teams, an article that delighted Chicago fans. Compared to a soft player like Dwight Howard, everyone still prefers the tough guy Derrick Rose!
In contrast to Chicago's tough stance, the Sacramento Kings, who had just changed head coaches, began to "trust the process," with Mike Malone quietly sharing his championship experience after taking office.

In this year's draft, the Kings held the 4th pick. With a versatile big man like Cousins ​​already on the team, Mike Malone selected a perimeter center as the team's core player:
Dion Waiters.

Because the Sacramento Kings had a poor record for several consecutive seasons, commentators didn't pay any attention to the team, and only Kings fans were actively discussing Dion Waiters' arrival.

Fortunately, Mike Malone brings his own media attention. In a recent interview with ESPN, the newly appointed head coach, who served as the Knicks' lead assistant coach for many years, revealed his plans to the fans:

“In modern basketball, combo guards are incredibly important, and Dion Waiters’ hunger for the game is truly impressive.”

“I don’t care about his reputation in college. Although this is the first time I’ve led a team, my extensive championship experience will reshape the Kings!”

"Leaving aside those outdated basketball philosophies, the Kings will become a modern offensive team, and Cousins ​​will face more challenges. Fortunately, I have already talked to him about this, and the young man is excited about it."

"."

The Kings' neighbors, the Warriors, selected Harrison Barnes, the North Carolina Blackhawks, with the 5th overall pick in this year's draft.

Similar to his neighbors, head coach Mark Jackson also "trusts the process." When local media questioned why the team didn't draft a bigger player, the new coach gave the following reason:
"Forwards are a better fit for the new Warriors!"

Draymond Green, who was selected 35th overall by Michigan, was not favored by many, mainly due to his height. The Warriors had too many guards and lacked a versatile big man, and Mark Jackson was heavily criticized.

Although trade rumors circulated that Monta Ellis was on the trading block and the Warriors' target was David Lee of the Raptors, the deal was immediately rejected by the Raptors.

Tristan Thompson, the hometown player drafted by the Raptors last year, also spoke out in support of his teammate:
"David's championship experience has helped the team. He will not leave. He has become our spiritual leader."

Toronto fans are actually very loyal. Despite being ridiculed year after year by fans from their "neighboring" New York, the team eventually accepted the championship forward after David Lee joined and worked hard.

On the contrary, Michael Beasley's physical condition has been declining year by year due to his marijuana use, and he has basically been put on the trading block. However, "drug addicts" are not popular in the league, and after asking around, no one could be found to take him on.

After selecting Terrence Ross with the 6th overall pick this year, the Raptors' backcourt and overall team are basically complete. With the same "trust in the process" mentality, Toronto fans are already looking forward to a completely revamped team!
These three teams have been dubbed "new forces" by ESPN, and their draft-based team-building approach has been recognized by the league. Whether they will perform well in the new season is not the most important factor.

-

On Sunday, July 29, the US men's basketball team will play its opening game of the Olympics against the French team led by Tony Parker.

The French team's roster includes Diaw and Ronnie Turiaf, both of whom are rotation players in the NBA. The team as a whole is quite strong and even briefly dominated their opponents at the start of the game.

Unfortunately, under intense defensive pressure, Parker appeared somewhat sluggish, and several turnovers quickly helped the US team launch a counterattack.

The most outstanding player in the game was the newly crowned MVP Kevin Durant, who scored points as easily as drinking water, driving inside and shooting outside, effortlessly helping his team complete the comeback.

The suspense of the game ended early, with the US men's basketball team winning 98-71 in their opening game.

Durant scored a game-high 22 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. After the game, Durant's stern face was full of smiles. As a leader on the court, the young man was quite satisfied with his performance.

James put up an all-around stat line of 9 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists. The chosen one was in a good mood, enjoying the feeling of having the ball in his hands as the locker room leader.

NBC, as the main channel, only broadcasts the knockout stage. Fans who want to watch the group stage need to watch the secondary channels. During the group stage, the reporters on the ground are no longer the "familiar faces," which made Durant somewhat disappointed when he was interviewed.

When asked about his game-high score by a young reporter during the routine Q&A session, Durant smiled and confidently replied:
"That's my job. As a leader on the court, I have to step up and help the team score!"

"I also want to thank my teammates. We did a good job on the defensive end. Parker had 4 turnovers, but we executed the coach's game plan very well."

Coach Krzyzewski noticed that Kobe was in a bad mood after arriving in England and didn't know how to comfort him. Unlike in 08, the young players had matured.

Durant, who won the MVP award, only gave Mamba a token response, and the young man didn't even glance at James Harden's coaching.

Although Durant didn't say anything, all the players in the locker room understood what the young man meant:
"I've played basketball for half my life and never won an MVP, so don't come and tell me what to do." In contrast, LeBron James showed more respect for the young Mamba. In a similar interview with NBC, the "Chosen One" remained humble.
“We have excellent scorers, and in this situation, all I have to do is get the ball to Kevin!”

“Besides our performance on the field, we are also very united in the locker room. You know, I like to play the role of locker room leader. We are like family.”

Durant never talks much about Kobe, while James always makes polite remarks, and tonight was no exception:
"Kobe scored 10 points. He played very well. In fact, he has always been our spiritual leader. You know, young people always get complacent and careless. That's when the veterans need to remind them."

"We have so many excellent young players, and we hope the team won't start slowly again in the next game."

"."

On Monday the 30th, mainstream American media outlets used similar headlines to report on the Dream Team:

"Durant and LeBron led Team USA to a 98-71 victory over Team France."

No one mentioned Kobe; only fans across the ocean were more focused on the Mamba. It was Yao Ming's last Olympics, and basketball fever exploded in China.

-

On Tuesday, August 7th, the Portland Trail Blazers hired Terry Stotts as head coach, ushering in a new era for the team after waiving Greg Oden.

In this year's NBA draft, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Damian Lillard with the seventh overall pick.

Although there were early reports that the Raptors were interested in young players, Lillard did not want to go abroad and did not go for a tryout. In the end, the Trail Blazers became the first choice, and the two sides hit it off.

Terry Stotts was well-prepared to secure the head coach position, and a detailed PowerPoint presentation made the Trail Blazers' management very happy. This is the kind of coach the team needs!

Perhaps fueled by his failed job search in New York years ago, Terry Stotts has been keeping an eye on the Knicks, and he came prepared for this move to take over the Trail Blazers.

At the press conference, when a sports reporter from The Oregonian asked about the team's plans for the new season, Stotts confidently responded under the watchful eyes of everyone:

"The Trail Blazers will undoubtedly embrace modern basketball. I don't want to build a complicated tactical system. Aldridge is an all-around big man, and Lillard will give the fans a surprise!"

"The new duo will change the team's tactical system. We need more pick-and-rolls, and I have reached a consensus with the players on this point."

"."

As the interview progressed, it became clear to everyone present that Stotts intended to "replicate the Knicks," and no one objected to this plan.

When Li You retires and the young players mature, the Trail Blazers have a chance to become the next Knicks. That sounds like a very tempting prospect!
This is also related to the attitude of rookie Damian Lillard. During the draft, the young man clearly stated his identity in an interview with ESPN:

“I am a big fan of Lee. I became fascinated with Lee when I was 7 years old, and I have been imitating all of Lee’s basketball skills ever since.”

"It's not just his performance on the court. I like Lee's basketball philosophy. The NBA is a high-paying job. Being able to enter the league makes me much luckier than ordinary people who are busy with their jobs."

"As for the boring stuff that's imposed on basketball, that's not what I'm after. I just want to work hard in Portland and bring championships to the fans there."

The young man wasn't lying; aside from his slender physique, anyone who watches Lillard's college highlights will notice that his playing style is strikingly similar to Li You's.

The only criticism is the young players' shot selection. Scouting reports show that Lillard is overconfident in some games, and his unreasonable long-range three-pointers can be a disaster for the team on some nights.

In short, Lillard is already very skilled, and the Trail Blazers have really struck gold!

The "big trade" that the onlookers were expecting didn't happen. What made the commentators uneasy was that Dwight Howard changed his mind again at the crucial moment!
In a conversation earlier this month, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert not only promised a maximum contract but also insisted on continuing to build the team around Dwight Howard.

In addition, Mike Brown also showed "Happy Beast" a brand new low-post tactic during this meeting. "Black Bread" also did not want the core of the inside to leave and did not mention the pick-and-roll at all.

The Magic are also pursuing Howard aggressively, but under the new collective bargaining agreement, they can only offer a maximum of 5 years, while the Cavaliers can offer a long-term contract.

Howard was somewhat unhappy after the Lakers, another "suitor," signed Nash.

As we all know, Nash is a "severely bankrupt version of Li You," heavily reliant on pick-and-rolls. Tactically, Howard doesn't like to play the "puck forward" role, and the Lakers haven't shown any sincerity.

After a month of turmoil, "Happy Beast," who had been burying his head in the sand, has now updated his Twitter account to continue demonstrating his "loyalty," even though he didn't sign a contract renewal.
"Let's go! Cleveland will always be my home! The back surgery in Los Angeles was a great success, let's win big this season!"

"."

Howard claimed that his trip to Los Angeles was simply for surgery. While some fans forgave him for this, many more Cleveland residents began to dislike this "fence-sitter."

The team was supposed to sign Deron Williams to a new contract at the beginning of last month, but now the plans have been disrupted, and everyone has seen the true colors of "Happy Beast".

-

On Sunday, August 12th, the men's basketball final of the London Olympics took place, with the two teams being the familiar American team and the Spanish team.

As with the previous knockout rounds, Durant, James, and Paul continued to receive significant playing time, and in the closely contested games, the newly crowned MVP became the most dazzling presence on the court.

However, with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, Durant completely disappeared, and James's driving dunk and step-back three-pointer helped the team widen the gap again.

Chris Paul's reverse layup after running down the clock almost sealed the game, with the final score settling at 107-100.

After winning, the young men were all smiles. After Westbrook finished his free throws, he wanted to give Kobe a high-five, but Kobe didn't smile and quickly returned to the bench.

Playing 38 minutes, shooting 8-for-18 from the field, 5-for-13 from three-point range, and 9-for-9 from the free-throw line, Durant scored 30 points on the night of the finals, breaking both the Olympic scoring record and the average points per game record.

In 37 minutes of play, James continued his efficient performance, scoring 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting, 1-of-2 from three-point range, and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, while repeatedly high-fiving his teammates in celebration.

NBC's broadcasters continued to praise the two leaders, while Kobe was naturally overlooked.
At the awards ceremony, Gasol, who won the silver medal, was somewhat unhappy. His old partner Navarro was not Li You after all; otherwise, even if the opponent was the American team, the gold medal would still be his.

Gasol, who was riding high on his NBA winning streak, maintained his composure and exchanged brief pleasantries with his old rivals, but the smile vanished when he attended the press conference.

Spanish sports media were quite satisfied with the result, while in the United States, an NBC reporter unusually joked about the big man who was overwhelmed with wins:
“Pau, I don’t know if you’ve been following the recent news, but Popovich believes that the team that loses the final is a ‘special winner.’ After losing in two consecutive Olympics, do you agree with this view?”

Gasol, who was in a bad mood, laughed in exasperation at the mention of the Spurs, shrugged, and responded with a sneer:
"That sounds like a joke! Like a loser making excuses for himself."

"There can only be one winner in competitive sports. In the Olympics, we strive for gold medals; in the NBA, we strive for the championship. Basketball is that simple!"

"I have no interest in making excuses for the loss. Tonight's opponent was the better team."

"."

(End of this chapter)