NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 846 Old Deng is back again? (Chapter without main character)

On Wednesday, November 21, 2012, the day before Thanksgiving, injury news once again dominated headlines.

Contrary to previous reports, when ESPN released the cause of Andrew Bynum's injury, many fans felt they were reading fake news:

"Andrew Bynum's left knee injury has recurred due to bowling activities and he may miss the remainder of the regular season."

"."

The brief report was read by many onlookers several times, and even in the end, most fans still couldn't understand how bowling could cause a knee injury to recur and end the season. It seemed like a joke!
The Suns' medical team is highly regarded in the industry; if even a "miracle doctor" couldn't cure him, then Bynum, this "glass man," is probably beyond saving.
The happiest people upon seeing the news were actually Philadelphia fans. They almost traded him to the team during the offseason, but now they have successfully escaped a "huge pit," and many people are shouting "God bless us."

Of course, it wasn't all good news. Not long after the new season started, Kobe suffered a finger injury.

In the game against the Knicks earlier this month, Mamba only played 7 minutes and 16 seconds before leaving the game due to injury. The 76ers ultimately suffered a crushing defeat, losing 74-132, a blowout of 58 points. Afterwards, New York fans braved hurricane weather to taunt their opponents.
Before Halloween, Hurricane Sandy made landfall in New Jersey. The NBA initially wanted to cancel the opening game, but at the urging of fans, everyone braved the heavy rain to watch the game.

The weather wasn't great at the beginning of the month, but many young fans still bought discounted secondhand front-row tickets to watch the game, just to have some fun. The wealthy old guard stayed home, but the enthusiastic young people were fearless.

A group of people were shouting "Beat up Mamba" in the rain, which got the Philadelphia fans next door excited. In short, after being humiliated with 0 wins and 65 losses, Kobe started to fight back desperately.

Before Thanksgiving, the 76ers' locker room atmosphere improved considerably after they arrived in Cleveland for back-to-back games.

Leaving Philadelphia would reduce the "noise," and Holiday could understand Kobe's feelings, but the young players couldn't change the team's current situation.

At 18:30 p.m., an hour before the game was scheduled to start, Kobe Bryant, who had arrived at the arena early, attracted the attention of many media reporters as he stepped off the bus.

Philadelphia's record is 7 wins and 4 losses, which is not bad so far. However, Mamba has higher expectations and will not give everyone a good look after each loss, which has led to a complete split in the locker room.

The index and middle fingers of his right hand were tied together, and the swollen fingers indicated a serious injury. However, Kobe appeared unaffected during warm-up.

Head coach Doug Collins, whose reputation has temporarily turned around, rarely smiled and displayed a humorous side during interviews, involuntarily revealing a satisfied expression when discussing the team's performance.

"This is undoubtedly a good start. We have indeed lost some games, but I value the team's overall performance more!"

"The 76ers have welcomed back an excellent leader. Kobe overcame his injury, you know, he could have chosen to rest, but playing through the pain has encouraged the younger players on the team."

The ESPN reporter glanced at the "isolated" Kobe, but ultimately didn't ask any inappropriate questions. The Mamba, playing with an injury, truly deserved respect.

The Cavaliers' starting lineup looks good after completing a major trade.

Deron Williams and Raja Bell continued to pair up in the backcourt, while the frontcourt trio became Evan Turner, Lamar Odom, and rookie Meyers Leonard.

With a record of 6 wins and 4 losses before tonight's game, head coach Mike Brown was in a difficult position, and the coaching staff did not expect Odom to decline so much.
Not only is he overweight, but he has also lost his passion for basketball. Since leaving Los Angeles, his marriage has been in crisis, and the 33-year-old Odom's departure from the league is imminent.

Fortunately, newcomer Varejao is in excellent form off the bench. After leaving the Hornets, the low-key championship center continues to contribute in Cleveland, winning the hearts of local fans in just 10 games.

Despite a sharp decline in his physical condition, Odom, who continues to start, appeared to have "seen through everything," offering sincere advice to his former teammates before the game:

"Kobe has achieved success in China, but this is the NBA, and honestly, I think he should retire with me."

“We are not like Li, who can still be competitive at this age, accept the facts, try to compromise with ourselves, and accept failure with equanimity. There is nothing wrong with that.”

“I plan to lose weight. No matter what the future holds, I want to contribute to the Cavaliers. This is D-Wil’s team, and I will help him.”

Odom was unaware that Kobe had promised Jerry Buss that he would return to the Lakers in the future. After the new season started, everyone was making fun of their old teammate, but he just didn't want to see the Mamba being humiliated.

This sincere advice was responded to by Kobe. In the game that night, the Mamba gave Odom some physical contact, and during a drive, he delivered a "flying knee" that sent his old teammate crashing to the ground.
"Oh"

The Cavaliers fans in the arena let out a low cheer as Raja Bell and Evan Turner stood up for their teammate. When the two stepped forward to shove each other, Yesle Leonard, who was behind, took the initiative and tried to "lock" the Mamba.

Fortunately, Holiday arrived in time, and Kwame Brown immediately stepped forward to separate the group. Deron Williams pulled Odom up and looked at the expressionless Kobe, feeling unhappy, and couldn't help but complain loudly:

"Dude, you don't need to do this!"

"."

Kobe didn't say anything, just glanced at everyone and left with a pursed mouth. The constant boos from the arena made Mamba's mood worse. Now all he wanted was to win this game.

In the first half, Kobe played exceptionally efficiently, shooting 5-for-7 from the field and 1-for-3 from three-point range, scoring 11 points while playing with an injury, helping his team take a 55-48 lead over their opponents.

The Cavaliers didn't seize the opportunity to turn the tide of the game until the final quarter. Deron Williams, who went 1-for-6 in the third quarter, regained his touch with a combination of inside and outside shots, while Raja Bell also hit consecutive three-pointers.

Evan Turner responded at the free-throw line with two minutes left, and as Kobe missed several shots, the 76ers collapsed in the final quarter, sending Quicken Loans Arena into a frenzy.

At 95:100, as the buzzing sound rang out, Odom on the bench joined his teammates in fist-clenching celebration. Tonight, his "family" had helped him get revenge.

Playing for 41 minutes, Kobe scored 25 points efficiently, shooting 8-for-15 from the field, 1-for-4 from three-point range, and 8-for-10 from the free-throw line. However, he only made 1 of 5 shots in the fourth quarter, ultimately leading to a loss.

Despite losing, Nick Young was all smiles. With the holiday approaching, he didn't take the game to heart, loudly bumping fists with his opponent and completely ignoring the Mamba passing by.

Holiday looked at Thaddeus Young's other teammates with mixed feelings; the locker room hadn't turned out like this even after last year's defeat.

At the post-game press conference, Kobe still had a long face. When a reporter repeated his former teammate's advice, he angrily retorted again:
"I am still the best shooting guard in the league. I said this before the Olympics started. This is the best physical condition I have been in in recent years."

"Don't point fingers at the champion; I don't need anyone's advice."

"Back with the 76ers, all I want to do is win games to repay the fans who support me. If anyone wants to slack off in practice, they should leave the team as soon as possible."

“Building a winning culture is not an easy thing, and I don’t want to waste time with lazy people.”

After holding back for half a month, Kobe finally couldn't resist unleashing his fury. Everyone was pointing fingers at him, and his lazy former teammates even advised him to retire together, which was simply an insult to him.

Ahead of Thanksgiving, the sports media successfully got the news they wanted: everyone loves an angry Kobe!

-

Thursday, November 22nd, was a day of good weather for Thanksgiving, and the 86th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held as scheduled.

Kermit the Frog balloon floated from the west side of Central Park, and giant balloons featuring new versions of Hello Kitty, Buzz Lightyear, and others also appeared. This year, 300 million people participated in the parade, making Manhattan as lively as ever.

Although the mayor was heavily criticized for the 9/11 malfunction, most of the disaster victims still cheered for beautiful New York after delivering their speech in front of City Hall.

There were too many people at the parade, so Georgina didn't bring her kids to the event. Instead, she took a group photo with everyone by the window. After posting the photo on social media, the public got used to it, and the comments section was full of blessings.

Happy Restaurant is offering free hot cocoa and coffee this month, and police officers, firefighters, armed forces personnel, sanitation workers, and volunteers can also enjoy three meals a day for free.

Lee Yoo-yi, as always, cares about his "family." According to statistics from the New York NBA store, sales of the Knicks' No. 1 jersey have recently skyrocketed, with other numbers also benefiting. Nike's signature shoes are also selling like hotcakes.

Most of the young people were wearing Knicks hats, and in the broadcast, besides chanting "Let's go Knicks!", some would also shout "FK Kobe!"

Members of the New York fan club were everywhere, even joining in the Thanksgiving parade with their own homemade "Mamba balloons" and "Anthony balloons," which caused a stir among the crowd.

Everyone wanted to throw a few punches, and the shouting and yelling while holding up DV cameras and cell phones momentarily overshadowed the official parade.

The atmosphere was incredibly joyful, but whether these abstract balloons would have any impact on the children remains to be seen.
A Thanksgiving parade was also held in neighboring Philadelphia, but the atmosphere was different. Some sports fans shouted at the camera, but most of them were saying "Go Phillies!"

Since the 76ers suffered their 65th consecutive loss, no one believed the home team could end the record. Local basketball fans only hoped that Li You would retire as soon as possible. As for Kobe, not having a "meeting" was already a great respect.

During TNT's Thanksgiving special in the afternoon, Shaquille O'Neal once again held a meeting with his "little brothers." Even though the 76ers' record was decent, O'Neal could still use "loans" to criticize Kobe Bryant.

The Knicks began their Western Conference road trip this week, and despite the absence of Lee Yu, they remain undefeated with a 10-0 record, making a perfect start to the new season.

However, there was also bad news. In last night's game against the Mavericks, Gasol left the game due to knee soreness. After examination, it was found to be tendinitis, and he may miss three weeks of games.

In other teams, the absence of key players might cause significant problems, but on the Knicks' side, the young players are particularly appreciative of this opportunity.

During the recent road trip in the Western Conference, the coaching staff called up Isaiah Thomas from the G League. The little guy has performed quite well in the last two games, at least he's played hard enough and his attitude is absolutely commendable.

Gasol's absence presents an opportunity for rookie Vucevic and the recently returned Mozgov, even though D'Antoni prefers a small lineup, their playing time will always be more than before.

The broadcast showcased Kyrie Irving's performance this week. If he can beat the Rockets after Thanksgiving, the rookie will likely be a shoo-in for Player of the Week. Back in the studio, Charles Barkley couldn't help but praise Irving's performance, especially against the Hornets, where the rookie went 9-for-15, scoring a career-high 29 points.

Unfortunately, Anthony Davis was sidelined due to injury, and the "number one draft matchup" did not materialize.
"A surprising improvement! Kyrie Irving is playing the right kind of basketball, his ball handling is becoming simpler and faster, and I think he's transitioning to Lee's style of play."

Barkley criticized the rookie for dribbling too much last year, and Irving has changed his bad habit this season. Of course, this change mainly comes from his physique, and the rookie has become noticeably stronger.

Before Kenny Smith could even add a comment, O'Neal turned and said:

“Playing alongside the GOAT will naturally lead to improvement. I don’t want to blame Kobe, but he turned Holiday into a dribbling guard.”

"This magnifies the shortcomings of young players. Holiday is not Fisher; going to the bottom corner makes no difference."

"The young man has a high three-point shooting percentage, but he can't take on many opportunities. He takes less than three three-point shots per game. I don't understand why Holiday wants to change his role."

Shaq was clearly lying through his teeth; Kobe didn't take a lot of shots and was very considerate of his teammates during the game. Kenny Smith shook his head; he didn't want to discuss the topic.

"The 76ers have a decent record. Yes, they lost to the Knicks again, but I don't think it matters."

"The most regrettable thing for me this season is Nash's broken left leg. He was in very good condition. Of course, Stoudemire's back injury is also a pity. The wave of injuries came too suddenly."

The Lakers are in big trouble. After only two games, Nash and Stoudemire have both suffered injuries.

Unlike the injury-prone players in the league, Nash's last month-long absence was due to an ankle injury with the Mavericks in 99. His sudden injury after being healthy left Lakers fans feeling frustrated.

"What intrigues me is the Heat's rotation; the coaching staff seems to be controlling the playing time of three players."

"This cost them a game. What are your thoughts on that?"

With a record of 10 wins and 2 losses, before Thanksgiving, Coach Spoelstra's timed rotations led to the team's winning streak being ended by the Bucks. Upon hearing a question about Ernie Johnson, Barkley was the first to comment:
“I don’t like this kind of rotation. James is only 28 years old, he can play more minutes.”

"Only Wade can reduce his playing time. You know, before I turned 30, I never felt tired!"

"."

After a barrage of criticism, Shaq fell silent, and Kobe's playing time became unrestricted, with 40 minutes becoming almost the norm.

Seeing his partner focusing the conflict on the Heat, Kenny Smith chuckled and offered a gentle reminder:
"In fact, the Spurs also adopted this rotation strategy. Tim Duncan had very little playing time in back-to-back games, but they did a good job in the new season."

With a record of 9 wins and 3 losses, the Spurs are currently ranked first in the Western Conference. Although Popovich's rotation strategy has been criticized, the team has not suffered an injury crisis like the Lakers, which has greatly satisfied San Antonio fans.

After the four people discussed whether the league would issue a fine for this, O'Neal changed the subject and began his usual monologue:
"Kobe doesn't seem to realize how ridiculous his success in China is after losing in Cleveland. The CBA league is about to start, and I'm optimistic about McGrady. We'll see a champion emerge soon!"

-

On Sunday, November 25th, the CBA across the ocean also ushered in the first round of the new season.

Without a doubt, the most anticipated match was Fujian Quanzhou Bank vs. Qingdao DoubleStar, with McGrady making his debut and home tickets selling out quickly!
In terms of popularity, with the support of Rockets fans, McGrady is no less popular than Kobe. Even the best fans wouldn't speak ill of Yao Ming's good partner, so his public image is better than Kobe's.

At 19:30 p.m. that night, both the fans at the stadium and those watching on TV were anticipating McGrady's "game-changing" performance, with a 40+ point game being the minimum expectation.
However, after the game started, most fans frowned. McGrady, who had won the "defense-first award," looked like he was just "directing traffic," and the Qingdao team's defense was really not good.

Fortunately, the match was exciting enough. Although it seemed like a clash of weaklings, the suspense lasted until the very end.

Ultimately, McGrady's debut ended in a narrow defeat, 95-92, but his die-hard fans cheered with excitement. His performance of 34 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists, nearly achieving a triple-double, was in line with expectations.

The sentiment that "Qingdao lost, but McGrady didn't" appeared on Weibo, and naturally, the argument that "teammates are CBA" was also prevalent.
Kobe fans brought up their idol's debut to belittle McGrady, saying that the Mamba's dominance on both ends of the court completely overwhelmed the "washed-up second man"!
Both players have die-hard fans, and the two sides argued fiercely in the comments section of Weibo. Most veteran Rockets fans still firmly believe that McGrady can perform better, just look at those "stunning calves" and you can tell that their idol still has oil.

On Wednesday the 28th, the most anticipated match in the second round of the CBA was the Qingdao DoubleStar's away game against Foshan Youcheng Financial.

Despite being an away game, tickets were still in high demand. Unfortunately, the Qingdao team underperformed that night, losing to the Foshan team 80-92 despite McGrady scoring 32 points.

After suffering two consecutive losses, McGrady looked grim. Fortunately, the Qingdao team took the blame and released a statement the next day:
"Zhang Shizhang, the head coach of the second team, will serve as the head coach of the first team, and the former head coach, Kang Jung-soo, a South Korean, will serve as the team's advisor."

"."

With this, the Qingdao team became the first team in the CBA this season to change coaches, and after "teammates in the CBA", "head coach in the CBA" has also appeared in the discussion.

Tracy McGrady, who transformed into a "non-stick pan," looked sleepy during the interview, but fortunately, fans love their idols like that, and they ignored the news that McGrady was having a blast.

"Two consecutive losses? I don't care. You know I'm still getting used to the league's pace."

"My teammates and I are developing better and better chemistry, and the championship is the team's goal!"

With bold words, McGrady firmly believed that he would soon achieve his "first victory," and fans began to look forward to the third round game against the Bayi team.

McGrady's abilities are only truly showcased against strong teams; victories against weaker teams are insignificant.

-

On Friday, November 30, the NBA suddenly fined the San Antonio Spurs $25,000 for resting four key players during last night's game, according to Gregg Popovich.

Parker, Ginobili, Duncan, and George Hill did not travel with the Spurs to Miami for their away game against the Heat.

With Leonard sidelined for three weeks due to tendinitis, this "clash of titans" ultimately ended with Diaw leading one team and Gary Neal leading the other.
Throughout the game, the Spurs attempted 35 three-pointers, with a shooting percentage of just over 4%, seemingly a poor performance, but the game was not decided until the fourth quarter.

The Heat narrowly won 101-105, nearly losing the game to a third-quarter surge.

Despite the game being relatively good, the league still issued a fine, and David Stern stated this clearly in an interview this morning:
"The Spurs only have one chance to play in Miami during the regular season, and the absence of four key players is disrespectful to the away fans."

Despite his harsh words, Popovich had no intention of changing the team's game plan. The Spurs were back on track, and James Harden just wanted to focus on the playoffs and work towards returning to the Finals!

On Saturday, December 1st, the NBA announced its Players of the Month for the first month of the new season:
LeBron James of the Eastern Conference and Kevin Durant of the Western Conference were the winners.

The Heat are second in the Eastern Conference with a record of 12 wins and 2 losses, behind the Knicks who have a record of 14 wins and 1 loss.
The Thunder are second in the Western Conference with a record of 13 wins and 4 losses, one game behind the Spurs.

The Knicks and Spurs have suddenly become the frontrunners again, which feels very familiar to longtime fans. After two years, it seems like the veterans are back.
That evening, the Thunder faced the Hornets on the road. The game was without any pressure, as the Hornets had a record of 4 wins and 10 losses. Anthony Davis was still not back, and it's highly likely he'll be vying for the number one draft pick again this season.

Durant, who won the trophy before the game, was not so happy. After failing to reach an agreement on the contract and the management's insistence on keeping Harden, his teammates seemed more eager to start and put up stats in the new season.

Jeff Green has recovered well, but his rebounding problem hasn't improved much. What frustrates him even more is that his good partner has become somewhat obsessed with rebounding under the tactical adjustments.

Suddenly there weren't enough balls to go around, and Durant had to appease everyone in the locker room every day, while also having to put up with Perkins's mindless posturing from time to time.

What frustrated him even more was that on Thanksgiving, his girlfriend not only showed off her relationship but also announced the good news that she was expecting her third child, adding to their family.
Against a weak team, the Thunder were out of action in three quarters. Durant played 31 minutes and only took 11 shots. As the team leader, he could only try to improve his efficiency and make some concessions in terms of statistics.

"shush"

At 106:79, the buzzing of the buzzers was accompanied by a relentless chorus of boos. The Hornets were completely outmatched; this was hardly the game the local fans were hoping for.

出场30分钟，18中8，三分线外4中2，18分7篮板10助攻3抢断1盖帽5失误，威斯布鲁克今晚交出一份全能数据！
Harden went 6-for-13 and scored 22 points, but he was in low spirits after the game, as he didn't want to play the role of the sixth man anymore.

Carter noticed the conflict in the locker room but couldn't do much to help. He could only pat Durant on the shoulder and express his support during an interview. Durant grinned in front of the camera, trying to show his leadership qualities.

When asked by reporters about the team's changes for the new season, Durant boasted:
"We've matured after the Finals, and Jeff's return has been an encouragement to everyone. You know, overcoming heart problems isn't an easy thing!"

"Some commentators don't think highly of us, but I know how good the Thunder are. As Coach Brooks said, we're a family, and we fight for each other."

"."

On Sunday, December 2nd, the Lakers suffered a shock defeat to the Magic at home. To make matters worse for Los Angeles fans, Dwight Howard suffered a recurrence of his back injury and left the game in the fourth quarter.

After the game, Iguodala, interviewed by ABC, looked completely numb. Three All-Star teammates had been injured in just one month. When asked about the team's plans, he could only helplessly reply:

"I don't know, injuries have ruined all our plans, this is the worst start ever!"

"."

(End of this chapter)