NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 852 A Final Gamble (No Main Character)

On Thursday, March 14, 2013, the NBA confirmed the referees' missed call when Kobe Bryant was injured. After ESPN's detailed report, Philadelphia fans were furious.

It's understandable for fading stars to not get calls, but Dahntay Jones's malicious tripping is unforgivable to fans. What's even more outrageous is that the person who tripped Jones boasted after the game:

"That's my tough defensive style. Kobe can choose not to shoot in front of me."

Both teams have a record of 34 wins and 29 losses. Now, Kobe has a serious sprained left ankle, and the 76ers might fall behind at the last minute. This foot-planting incident has caused great damage to the team.

To make matters worse, after examination, Kobe not only suffered a sprained ankle, but also had bone spurs that continued to plague the Mamba. Despite this, he insisted on playing through the injury, which deeply moved his die-hard fans.

Fans across the ocean are showing their strong support for their idol. Dahntay Jones' Twitter account has been flooded with comments, and fans who have bypassed the Great Firewall are incredibly enthusiastic. The Philadelphia subreddit on Reddit is filled with posts praising the Mamba.

That afternoon, Kobe Bryant appeared somewhat frustrated during an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer. He had been on a losing streak for the past two weeks, first getting "beaten up" by the Knicks and then "dominated" by the Heat.

Towards the end of the regular season, despite their best efforts, the 76ers could only barely hold onto a playoff spot; as for the top half of the bracket, they had absolutely no chance.

"Kobe, will the 76ers lose their playoff spot after this injury? Many fans want to know when you will return to the court."

The young reporters showed great respect for Kobe, who was playing despite his injury. Seeing the reporters surrounding him all looking at him with concern, Kobe breathed a sigh of relief and then responded earnestly:
"Give me a week, and I swear I'll be back in the game as soon as possible!"

"The 76ers will make the playoffs. Everyone has worked very hard this season, and we don't want to waste this opportunity."

Most reporters looked surprised. This injury was really serious. Kobe is still limping when he walks. A week is not enough. With bone spurs, Mamba is going to have to play through the injury!
"Perhaps health is more important, Kobe. I think most fans would prefer you to play healthy."

Kobe interrupted the reporter, shook his head, and said seriously:
“I have no time to waste. I don’t know how long I can maintain this physical condition, so I will give my all in every game.”

"Injuries won't defeat me, and I won't back down in the face of difficulties. That's the Mamba Mentality!"

"Basketball is not just about statistics and honors. I want to tell everyone that how to face difficulties is the most important thing. I hope my performance can inspire more people who need help."

"."

Hearing this sincere answer, everyone was filled with respect. At the same time, everyone disliked New York even more. Li You shouldn't have attacked such a respectable veteran so hard!

In the first three games earlier this month, the 76ers lost by 36 points at home. In the fourth game on Monday, the Knicks crushed the 76ers 80-132 at Madison Square Garden.

With a record of 0 wins and 68 losses, Philadelphia fans were completely disillusioned. During this time, despite the ridicule from the New York fan club, no one mentioned the playoff "revenge" anymore.
Many fans even blamed Li You and Wade for the injury, noting that Kobe's shooting percentage had not exceeded 35% in the last two games.

It was this performance that led to ridicule from Dahntay Jones. In the game against the Hawks, Kobe was clearly playing with emotion, shooting 11 of 33 for 31 points, but his inefficient performance continued throughout the game.

Amidst everyone's concern, Kobe finally smiled after the interview and continued to support Doug Collins.
"We're doing great. The 76ers have been very united this season, and the coach has done a lot of work!"

"You all say the triangle offense is outdated, but it's the tactical system that's best suited for us. Doug shouldn't be blamed."

If the 76ers miss the playoffs, Doug Collins' contract will most likely be over. Kobe just wants to give his unwavering support to this veteran coach who trusts him.

After the interview, Kobe returned to the locker room to a rare welcome from everyone, with even Nick Young praising him loudly:
"Bro! You're a tough guy, playing with bone spurs, that's insane!"

Thaddeus Young stopped his sarcastic remarks, offered Kobe a seat, and then clapped his hands and began to speak earnestly:

"Guys, the time to test us has come. Kobe has given everything. In the second half of the month, we must at least make sure we don't fall behind."

Marreese Speights, whose rookie contract just expired, was the first to respond. As the regular season progresses, he has already entered the starting lineup, and the 76ers have been working on refining their stretch lineup over the past month.
"Danger, family! It's time to fight for each other."

"."

Everyone chimed in with their opinions, but Jrue Holiday stared wide-eyed, sensing something was amiss. He thought Thaddeus Young's "group" probably wasn't really concerned about Kobe.

Moved by his teammates' performance, Mamba once again promised to return within a week, instantly boosting the atmosphere in the locker room. This was the most united locker room meeting of the season.

After practice ended at 16 PM and most of the team had left, Justin Holiday, who had just joined the team, couldn't help but whisper to his brother:

"They seem to be planning to embarrass Kobe in the playoffs! Damn it, our home crowd is all New York fans, but nobody cares about this infighting."

Jrue Holiday hadn't expected Thaddeus Young and his team to have such an "evil" plan, and couldn't help but curse under his breath. Thinking about the Knicks slipping to second place in the East, he suddenly lost interest in actively trying to maintain their sixth-place position.

"Perhaps we should remind Kobe?"

"Forget it, maybe he'll leave after another season. Yang might stay in Philadelphia and not get involved in these struggles."

Justin Holiday didn't want his younger brother to be ostracized, so after repeatedly reminding him, Jrue Holiday remained silent, nodding quietly with mixed feelings.

"Maybe basketball really shouldn't have become like this."

-

On Saturday, March 23, Karl-Anthony Towns, a sophomore who led the St. Joseph's team to a 27-5 record, was named New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year.

Winning this award is no easy feat; in addition to outstanding performance in competitions, academic achievements must also be maintained at an average level. Towns, who won the award this time, is a "good kid."

In addition to the trophy, Towns, a die-hard Knicks fan, also received an unexpected gift.

The rookie, interviewed by the Newark Star, cried with emotion while reading Li You's handwritten letter. Head coach Dave Terco, with his gray hair, patted his proud player and encouraged him with a smile:
"This is what you deserve. Li saw your performance."

"I'm so excited. When I first got into basketball, my parents hoped that I could take Li as my role model and study and train hard."

"To receive recognition from the GOAT of basketball is like a dream come true. Although I live in New Jersey, I've always been a Knicks fan."

Seeing Towns' face flushed red and his words becoming incoherent with excitement, the coaching staff quickly interrupted the interview. After all, they were local sports reporters, and they had to maintain a proper demeanor.

However, the media reporters present didn't seem to care, and even took the initiative to invite Towns to take photos with his family while holding the Knicks' playoff tickets.

In the afternoon, news about Karl-Anthony Towns, who loves shooting three-pointers, appeared on social media and became famous.

Sudden fame also has its downsides; Towns' tweets have been dug up by netizens, and the young man's posts seem overly candid.

"Carmelo Anthony is just a stat padder. As long as he's on the team, the Knicks will continue to dominate the Nets."

"Why do basketball commentators always like to compare Kobe Bryant to God-Lee? I'm fed up with these reports. Kobe is a clown, and the 'Mamba' was stolen from Carter."

"Kevin Garnett is injured again? This softie should retire. Ray should have come to New York to play much earlier."

"."

The tweets were incredibly authentic, and the onlookers were laughing their heads off. This is the real basketball atmosphere around New York, where even the opposing team's star players are seen as clowns.

Commentators have mixed opinions on this trend. Old-school big men don't like it, and many legends have subtly criticized it, but three-pointers are still becoming more and more common.

Big men shooting three-pointers has become very common this season. The Suns' new head coach, Lynch Hunter, encouraged Bynum to shoot threes. If it weren't for his recurring knee injury, the "Lakers ex-player" might have already become a stretch center.
For the Knicks, Vucevic has been taking a lot of three-pointers as the season progresses, almost catching up with Chris Bosh in terms of volume. He has been repeatedly criticized by commentators after losses.

While everyone was still focused on these interesting news items, a columnist for the Charlotte Observer suddenly launched an attack on Michael Jordan on social media that afternoon:
"The Charlotte Bobcats are poised to finish the regular season with the worst record in the NBA for the second consecutive year. In our nine-year history, we have only made the playoffs once."

"Michael Jordan is the root of the team's disaster, so why did he draft another 'bust'? How did Michael Gilchrist manage to get a contract during his tryout?"

"Stop blaming head coach Mike Dunlap. It's not his problem. We have to face the facts."

"."

Blaming the poor record on rookies is a bit much. Gilchrist performed well among the 12 rookies, but there is still a significant gap between him and rookie guards like Damian Lillard.

Faced with criticism, Michael Jordan had no choice but to make promises to season ticket holders, once again dangling a carrot in front of them:

"Things will change in the offseason. Everyone on the team will be evaluated in the spring, both in terms of basketball and business. We will get back to the playoffs."

That evening, Michael Jordan personally came to the home court to watch the game. Perhaps it was the overwhelming pressure from the "second GOAT" that led to the Pistons' comeback attempt in the fourth quarter.
When Rodney Stuckey blocked Josh McRoberts' final shot, Mike Dunk on the sidelines immediately put on a "pain mask".

The Bobcats lost again, 92-91, bringing their record to 16 wins and 53 losses. The fans, numb from their losses, were silent even. Kemba Walker and the others looked at Michael Jordan with embarrassment; even winning had become a luxury. No wonder the fans were so disillusioned; their record truly was abysmal.
During an interview with ESPN, Michael Jordan, having composed himself, could only continue to offer empty promises. Fortunately, the reporter tactfully refrained from asking further questions about the game, instead using recent gossip to ease the awkwardness.

"After losing to the Knicks at the beginning of the month, the Heat went on an 11-game winning streak. Last month, when LeBron James won Player of the Month, he also had a career-high PER of 38.5."

"In the third year of the team's formation, do you think all three young players will be able to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy this season?"

Since February, the Heat have only lost two games, and their incredible winning streak has propelled them past the Knicks to take the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Despite the outstanding performance of the Big Three, Michael Jordan raised an eyebrow when he heard the question, responding with a pointed remark:
"In the NBA, three years is a bottleneck, and even championship teams sometimes find it difficult to break through."

"The Heat have been playing exceptionally well, but I think they've reached their limit, and this season might be their last chance."

"You know, Lee is in excellent physical condition, I would even rank him first among MVPs."

"Young people can only fight with all their might, and I'm really looking forward to their matchup in the playoffs."

After finishing his interview, Michael Jordan, dressed in a black leather jacket, put on his "pain mask" again. The boos from the fans in the arena made the "second GOAT" even more unhappy.

Instead of leaving immediately as usual, Michael couldn't stand it anymore. After listening to the coaching staff's summary in the locker room, he suddenly frowned and asked:
"4 out of 18, tell me, why did you only score 15 points in the final quarter?"

"Josh, you're no longer a rookie. Why did you get blocked by a little guy after you got the offensive rebound?"

"We had almost twice as many free throws as our opponents, so why did we still get reversed? Why do you always make the wrong offensive choices?"

"."

The locker room fell unusually quiet as Michael Jordan continued to question him. Ben Gordon, who was 1-for-7 from the field, looked dark-faced as he questioned Jordan. At that moment, he could only mutter to himself:
"If the NBA were that easy, we wouldn't have only won 16 games!"

-

On Monday, March 25th, Forbes released its print edition, and the topic of the 27th annual ranking of the world's billionaires has once again gained traction this month.

Unlike simple online rankings, this issue of the magazine includes some targeted reporting, even ranking which billionaire has the most children:
"Saudi Arabia's Suleiman al-Raj and Russia's Roman Avdeyev are tied for first place with 23 children each."

Li You still has a long way to go on this list, but many onlookers were still taken aback by his personal wealth after reading the magazine.

"170 billion, 37th place."

Li You is ranked just after the Mars family, which owns Mars Foods, a giant food processing company with a long history that has been overtaken by "New money".

The Wall Street Journal also devoted a significant portion of its coverage to Li You this morning:

“Ax Capital is being sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and future lawsuits against Lee and Bobby Ax cannot be ruled out.”

Although unnamed sources revealed that federal prosecutors have not yet fully intervened, the information disclosed has already stunned onlookers:
“Just last week, Ax Capital paid $1400 million to settle insider trading allegations against Dell and Nvidia stocks.”

The sudden revelation of the news led many to question the nature of Li You's wealth, and some discordant voices emerged on social media. However, no investors from Ax Capital expressed their intention to withdraw their investment.

The onlookers, who were left "seeing through the fog," could only express their amazement, while the well-known New York law firms were overjoyed, all anticipating a "big case" waiting for them in the future.

The New York Times didn't chase these trending news stories. As a board member, Li You naturally had some privileges. Under the cover-up, it only took two days for the general public to stop paying attention.

On Wednesday the 27th, the Heat, on a winning streak, went on to win 12 games and faced the Bulls on the road tonight. The Big Three were full of confidence before the game.

The Bulls, without Derrick Rose, displayed their tenacious defense. Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer's aggressive play played a key role, and the Bulls successfully dominated the first half thanks to their rebounding advantage.

James complained to the referees more than once during the game that the Bulls' defensive actions were too aggressive, but the Chosen One did not receive any special treatment, and such defensive situations actually increased in the second half.

As James attempted to squeeze through the screen, he collided with Boozer and was completely broken down. Boozer deliberately aimed at James' injured shoulder, and in his anger, James continued to attack, resulting in a technical foul on the spot.

In the final quarter, the Big Three remained highly efficient, but the shooters went 1-for-8 from three-point range. The Bulls withstood the comeback attempt, surprising many commentators and successfully ending their winning streak.

After winning 97-100, Bulls substitute Nate Robinson jumped for joy, shouting loudly at the camera:

"Nobody's afraid of them! Nobody's afraid of those softies on the Heat!"

James, who scored 32 points on 11-of-17 shooting and lost 12 rebounds, had a long face. Both Haslem and Brand had an exceptionally poor performance tonight.

With 7 of 13 shots going for an efficient 18 points, Wade breathed a sigh of relief. Losing isn't necessarily a bad thing; he can relax in the last few days of the month.

When James and Wade attended the press conference, most reporters did not ask about the end of their winning streak, but instead brought up Michael Jordan's "three-year theory" from not long ago.

Wade wanted to deny it immediately, but James answered faster:

"I agree with some of the points. Looking at the Celtics, it's true that teams often face difficulties in their third year."

"But that's precisely why we have to give it our all this season. I firmly believe that winning the championship can solve most of the problems."

Upon hearing his good friend's response, Wade fell silent again. Thinking about the recent winning streak, he swallowed back the words that were about to come out. At this moment, he didn't want to know about James's future plans.

-

On Wednesday, April 17th, the final day of the regular season, the Knicks, who had started resting their players early, hosted the Hawks at home.

Both teams' starting lineups only played half the game, and the match progressed very quickly as the outcome did not affect the rankings.

The Knicks narrowly defeated their opponents 92-106, and Madison Square Garden once again turned into a sea of ​​joy.

Li You has been traveling to and from Washington recently due to personal matters, and he will also miss tonight's final game.

When asked about the rankings by a reporter from MSG, D'Antoni, who was being interviewed, once again smiled confidently and emphasized:
"With 61 wins, we still have home-court advantage after entering the finals. This year, the schedule has been changed back to 22111. This record is enough!"

"."

In the Western Conference games played simultaneously, both the Thunder and the Spurs lost their games.

With 59 wins, and having also taken early rest days, after securing second place in the Western Conference, Popovich, in an interview, was very confident, unusually making grand promises to fans since returning to coaching.

"I am very satisfied with this team, and I believe the Spurs can return to the Finals!"

"As for home-court advantage, it's not important to us. We will win back the respect that belongs to the Spurs."

After all the games for the day were completed, the 16 teams for the playoffs were officially determined.

The eight Eastern Conference playoff teams are:

The Heat won 64 games, the Knicks won 61 games, the Nets won 50 games, and the Pacers won 49 games.

The Bulls had 45 wins, the Hawks had 44 wins, the 76ers had 42 wins, and the Bucks had 38 wins.

The eight Western Conference playoff teams are:

The Thunder had 61 wins, the Spurs had 59 wins, the Nuggets had 57 wins, and the Clippers had 55 wins.
The Grizzlies had 53 wins, the Warriors had 46 wins, the Lakers had 45 wins, and the Rockets had 45 wins.

The Cavaliers and Mavericks unexpectedly missed the playoffs, with Deron Williams and Dirk Nowitzki both plagued by injuries. They've been getting beaten up and have been on a losing streak this season.

After securing the league's best record and winning Player of the Month for five months, LeBron James has essentially locked up the MVP award. The chosen one didn't get arrogant, but instead expressed his stance via Twitter:
"I will turn off all social media during the playoffs."

"I'm going to go 'full power mode'! God help me!"

"."

(End of this chapter)