NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 847 Even the CBA Has Gaps (Daily Chapter)
On Friday, December 21, 2012, the Qingdao DoubleStar team, a highly anticipated team in the CBA league, hosted their game at home.

The pre-game buzz wasn't due to the Qingdao team's outstanding performance under McGrady's leadership, but rather because everyone was curious to see if they could end their losing streak.
What was initially thought to be a "lower-dimensional attack" has turned into a laughing stock for many fans, as McGrady's team is currently on a 10-game losing streak.

This level isn't even up to Stephon Marbury's standards. McGrady's die-hard fans are even trying to compare him to Kobe Bryant. Whether he can even compare to an average foreign player in the CBA is now questionable.

At 19 PM that evening, in the CCTV studio, Yang Jian and Yang Yi were no longer on the "IF" screen. After watching so many games, they had basically "demystified" McGrady; he was indeed no match for the Mamba.
"Qingdao's losing streak cannot be entirely blamed on McGrady. He did perform poorly in some games, but he is still the best player on the team."

"I think the fans' expectations are too high. They always want to compare him to Kobe, but that's completely unnecessary. He's already done a great job at his age."

Yang Jian has been speaking well of McGrady lately, but Kobe's die-hard fans on social media are launching a vicious attack, which even veteran Rockets fans can't stand. As a long-time Rockets fan, he hopes to save face for his idol.

"I understand what you mean. It's like how our American counterparts always try to use Kobe to draw comparisons to Li You, but they're not even in the same league!"

Yang Yi, who had just finished speaking, laughed as soon as he said that. Seeing his partner trying not to laugh, he chuckled and continued:
"This may not be pleasant to hear, but I think everyone can understand the meaning."

"The gap between Kobe and Li You is equivalent to that between Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. To be honest, the gap between McGrady and Kobe is no smaller than that."

"Let's think about it. Since 96, the only team that has won the championship from Li You is the Lakers. Although Shaq was the 'driver,' Kobe was at least a 'navigator.'"

"This level can't be compared to just leading a team to a first-round exit. Our expectations are too high. The CBA isn't that easy either. Marbury leading BJ to the finals is already very impressive. Don't look down on him."

The pre-game program at the basketball park wasn't so rigid; Yang Yi's unrestrained commentary still made Yang Jian laugh out loud. After regaining his composure, he continued:
"You can't just look at the results in the NBA, you can't compare them like that. We all know what the Rockets were like back then."

"Understand what? Don't think I'm being mean, but if you replaced McGrady with Kobe, the Rockets might have made it to the Finals."

"Replace McGrady with Li You, and the championship is guaranteed. If 40 points per game isn't enough, then 50 points. Add a few good defenders, and no one can stop us."

"I noticed these problems when I was a reporter covering the team. Back then, people said I was criticizing McGrady, but I really wasn't. Even star players have differences. Now that I've come to the CBA, I think everyone understands that now."

As is well known, Zhang Weiping is a notorious "Kobe hater". Whenever he broadcasted a Lakers game, he would say "Hu ho" and "It's over" dozens of times in a single game.

After Yang Yi stopped being a reporter covering the team, he made sarcastic remarks about McGrady after returning from Houston, earning him the reputation of a "McGrady hater" and being relentlessly attacked by die-hard fans.

Seeing Qingdao team suffer their 10th consecutive loss, Yang Yi is in a great mood and has started promoting his views again.

Because information spreads slowly, Yang Yi's commentary is basically the same as Stephen A. Smith's: accolades plus Excel spreadsheets. Most domestic fans are highlight fans, so they naturally don't like this approach and often feel indignant on behalf of their idols.

The pre-game program almost turned into a stand-up comedy routine. Yang Yi finally felt relieved after a series of sarcastic remarks. Fans were hoping that McGrady would end the losing streak, but he would rather see the Qingdao team continue to lose.

At 19:35 PM, the highly anticipated match took place as scheduled. The Shanxi team showed no mercy, dominating the Qingdao team from the very first quarter.

McGrady was also desperate. He could make excuses for losing two games, but a 10-game losing streak only showed that he was not good enough. Now he desperately needed a victory to prove himself!

The first half was still very close, but in the second half, Qingdao was overwhelmed again.
His pull-up jumper was still captivating, and his one-handed ball handling was still elegant. Unfortunately, McGrady couldn't respond consistently, resulting in efficient missed shots on offense and poor ball control on defense.

Despite the home fans' support until the very end, the Qingdao team still suffered their 11th consecutive loss.

With a score of 126-107, McGrady's face darkened, and his smile vanished.

Fans cheered loudly for their idol, while haters celebrated on social media, with some well-meaning individuals even compiling Kobe's stats from the same period last season:

"11-game winning streak vs. 11-game losing streak. Stop comparing McGrady and Kobe. They can't even figure out how to play in the CBA. No wonder they were eliminated in the first round."

"."

Every time the Qingdao team loses a game, Kobe's die-hard fans on Weibo launch a barrage of attacks, and of course, McGrady's die-hard fans retaliate in kind, usually joining in the flame war:
"Can Kobe lead the 76ers to a win in New York? He went silent in the NBA. He should just give the 'Black Mamba' back to Carter as soon as possible."

In the CCTV studio, Yang Yi controlled his smile, gave a brief commentary on the game, and offered his best wishes to McGrady and the Qingdao team. Then, he abruptly changed the subject to talk about Kobe Bryant, the CBA's greatest player:
"McGrady's experience reminds me of Kobe. We were both commentating on Sunday's game, and it was heartbreaking to watch!"

"Kobe really gave it his all, sweating profusely, but Li You managed to get a triple-double in 30 minutes. The two are only a few months apart, and Kobe is even younger. The difference is just too big."

128:88，76人队周日在主场惨败，喜提0胜66败。

ESPN in the US even gave it a nationwide broadcast. If Li You hadn't played through the third quarter, he would most likely have gotten a "58" (meaning a score of 58). Yang Jian felt a pang of sadness thinking about Sunday's game and could only sigh helplessly:

"This is the cruel side of competitive sports. Superstars will grow old. The Kobe and McGrady we remember are no longer the invincible superstars they once were."

"Kobe also lost back then; he wasn't invincible. The record for the biggest point difference in the Finals was set by him and Duncan!"

Yang Yi replied with a grin, and Yang Jian couldn't help but laugh along. After seeing McGrady and Kobe, all the fans across the ocean clearly realized one thing: Li You was indeed "not human".

-

On Sunday, December 23, ESPN and several other mainstream sports media outlets also began to make fun of Tracy McGrady, who was far away on the other side of the ocean.

Some commentators have even called for McGrady to be stripped of his "American citizenship," arguing that it's incredibly shameful for an NBA superstar to have never led a team to victory in the CBA.
In contrast, Marbury's reputation has improved considerably recently. Although he no longer has "New York citizenship," New York fans no longer mock him, after all, Marbury has indeed done a good job in the CBA.

Before Christmas, Kyrie Irving fractured a finger in his right hand and will miss at least a month of games, which greatly frustrated the rising rookie. Only Isaiah Thomas secretly wished for his safety.

Competition in the backcourt wasn't fierce. Danny Green, with his more consistent shooting, basically took up half of Ray Allen's playing time, which Danny Green, who received a new contract, was very satisfied with.

With just two more seasons to go, Ray Allen, though in good physical condition, is seeing his stamina and physicality decline year by year. Danny Green knows that starting in the starting lineup is only a matter of time.

The Knicks' most demanding position is the small forward (3). Although Butler is trusted, Stephenson will get more playing time if he's not in good form.

If there's too much garbage time, Tobias Harris can still grab some stats. One of the three will definitely leave; the young players don't want to leave New York. After all, if they can hold on for a few more years, they might even become the team's leader.
That night was the last game before the Christmas Day games. The day after tomorrow at noon, the Knicks will face the Lakers. Nash has just returned from injury, and the "new F4" is full of hype, making it the most anticipated game of the five.

At 19:30 p.m., Madison Square Garden, already enveloped in Christmas spirit, had transformed into a sea of ​​joy.

The cheerleaders also changed into Christmas skirts. Although they are no longer all blondes in the past two years, they are still among the top in the league in terms of looks.

Since there was no mascot, the girls were the ones handing out the gifts. When they caught the jerseys that were launched, the fans in the back row cheered loudly. On the Timberwolves' bench, a slender Kevin Love, dressed in a suit, sat in his seat. He had fractured his right hand last month and was out indefinitely; he could only look at his teammates with a sullen expression.

Ricky Rubio, who suffered a torn ACL in his left knee last season, has only recently returned from injury. Before Christmas, the Timberwolves had a record of 11 wins and 13 losses, and the young man, who is often criticized by basketball commentators, was not in a good mood.

After the game started, Derrick Williams on the bench would look at head coach Adelman from time to time. He preferred to field a "3-defender" formation rather than let him start. The young man wanted to show off in front of Irving, who was at the same age.

As the second overall pick in 2011, Derrick Williams' development is incomparable to that of the first overall pick. In his second year in the professional league, he has already landed a bunch of endorsements.

Pepsi also plans to revive the "Uncle Lee" series with Kyrie Irving during the offseason. With the support of big cities, the rookie not only won a championship but also made a fortune in business, completely leaving his contemporaries behind.

"Oh!"

Amid the gasps of surprise, Derrick Williams, regaining his senses, then noticed Li You crossing half the court to deliver a ground ball.

The basketball passed through Luke Ridnour and Alexei Shved, who were retreating to defend, and rolled in front of Marion. Dante Cunningham, who was chasing him, could only watch as the veteran retrieved the ball in the paint and made a layup.

On the Knicks' bench, Gasol stood up and cheered, and Irving and others who squeezed to the sidelines also shouted and yelled. This kind of "magical" pass has become more and more common this season.

With more than half of the first quarter gone, Rubio had only taken one shot, which indirectly led to an increase in Li You's rebound count.

Vucevic, who had been practicing his rebounding skills so diligently, practically clung to Nikola Pekovic. The rookie desperately tried to box out, and with Ibaka's help, Li You could quickly launch a counterattack after securing the rebound.

When it was time for the rotation, Marion, who was replaced by Butler, was also covered in sweat. If he were a few years younger, he could have made more runs, but the veteran was starting to feel the strain from the frequent substitutions.

"Well done! If every game could be like tonight, maybe we could get 70+ wins."

Gasol chuckled and boasted to the veteran, while Marion, covering his face with a towel and gulping down water, shook his head; as the rounds went on, he was truly exhausted.

"It would be fine if I were 5 years younger, but if I ran for another season, I suspect I would have to retire early."

After being substituted, Ray Allen returned to his seat and took several deep breaths. Perhaps the opponent was too inflexible, as the pace of the game tonight was faster than before.

Seeing Danny Green's energetic entrance, Ray Allen could only raise an eyebrow and glance at the two beside him, jokingly remarking to himself:

"The coach is right, our defense was indeed better during the rotation phase, and time took away my lateral movement speed."

The New York Post recently joked that the Knicks' defense relied entirely on Ibaka, but the young players have seen a significant increase in blocks this season and have a chance to chase the block title.

The rise in statistics is indeed inseparable from the support of teammates, with Ray Allen contributing a great deal.

While the group was chatting and whispering, Ibaka delivered another spectacular block, chasing down and blocking substitute Derrick Williams on the way back on defense. As the young man was blocked and fell to the ground, laughter erupted throughout the arena.

"Shet!"

Williams, who hurriedly got up, tried to argue with the referee, while Li You, who had received the ball again near the logo, had already pushed the ball and changed direction to get past the "short and thin" Luke Ridnour.

Ridnour stumbled from the impact, looked up at the three-point line, saw Pekovic making way for him under the basket, and could only mutter a frustrated curse.

Li You's powerful tomahawk dunk ignited the atmosphere once again. Walter Frazier, who is only serving as a commentator this season, shouted along and then chuckled.
"If Kidd had Lee's shooting ability back then, the Nets might have won a few more games in the playoffs!"

In just over a month, Li You has already achieved seven triple-doubles, prompting basketball commentators to jokingly call him "Kidd-like." Reflecting on these comments, Mike Breen laughed and remarked:

"Li's triple-doubles are completely different! I respect Kidd, but his assists are more evident in transition offense, which is one of the reasons why the Nets failed back then."

After the first quarter, the game was essentially over. With a score of 18-36, a deficit of nearly 20 points, the Timberwolves players lost their spirits and now all they wanted to do was go home for the holidays.

The New York fans at the stadium remained enthusiastic, cheering even louder after seeing Li You achieve a triple-double early in the third quarter.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

"."

Despite their aggressive play during garbage time, the Timberwolves suffered a crushing defeat, 82-126, bringing the Knicks' record to 25 wins and 3 losses, continuing to lead the entire league.

Li You, who had changed into his training clothes early, stood up and applauded. Tina Cervasio, who quickly squeezed next to him, smiled and showed off her recently dyed blonde hair. In a quick interview, she said:

"Li, congratulations on your eighth triple-double of the season. Will you continue this hot streak in the Christmas game the day after tomorrow?"

"I haven't been paying much attention to the stats, but I'm really happy to see Steve recover from his injury. There aren't many active players from the '96 draft class left, so it's great to be able to compete with my old rivals again!"

"I have the respect for the Lakers, and I will give my best on Christmas Day."

Li You gave a brief answer to the question and then said goodbye to his old acquaintances at MSG. The 37-year-old Chervasio was a little unhappy when he saw Elizabeth Olsen hugging the little guy on the sidelines.

All these years, Li You has remained devoted; his love for the blonde girl has never changed.
-

On Monday, December 24th, sports media across the ocean were celebrating a holiday as the Qingdao team lost again last night, with McGrady leading the team to their 12th consecutive defeat.

No one is discussing "Qingdao's championship" anymore; everyone is now speculating about when McGrady will achieve his first CBA victory.

Although McGrady was enjoying a comfortable life while celebrating the holidays in China, he couldn't be happy. He had hoped to turn his fortunes around like his friend, but instead, his reputation plummeted.

Related news also trended on Twitter. After surfing the internet and seeing the comments mocking him, McGrady angrily updated his status several times:
"You have absolutely no idea what the CBA is like!"

"Don't judge me, at least I didn't join a championship team! I just want to give back to my fans!"

"."

(End of this chapter)