NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 853 Imitators Never Have a Good End (Chapter without Main Character)

On Thursday, April 18, 2013, the NBA announced the season's statistical leaders early on, leaving many fans who did not support New York silent once again.

Perhaps it's the growing pains of "reform" that have led to a more aggressive style of play from teams this season, but the increased number of possessions has translated into fewer points.

On the all-time scoring list, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony, three top small forwards, are ranked behind Li You.

With 2310 points and 74 games played, Li You once again won the scoring title with an average of 31.2 points per game.

His 11th trophy completely surpassed Michael Jordan's record, setting a new record.

Despite being plagued by injuries, Dwight Howard, who joined the Lakers, still managed to retain his rebounding title with an average of 12.4 rebounds per game.

With an average of 11.5 assists per game, Li You has won the assist title for four consecutive seasons, making the outcome of the award a foregone conclusion long ago.

Serge Ibaka, who averaged 3.0 blocks per game and played almost every game, also won his first career trophy.

With an average of 2.6 steals per game, Li You won his 9th career steals title.

After the relevant data rankings were released, many fans fell silent. This season, everyone had the misconception that Li You did not prioritize basketball and did not go all out in most games.

The result was 2310 points, 851 assists, and 196 steals in a single season. The data doesn't lie; the GOAT continues to dominate the entire league.

Of course, these statistics are still a decline compared to Li You's peak, but even so, it seems that young players can only "catch a taillight".

职业生涯第17个赛季，李佑已经拿到11个得分王、9个助攻王、9个抢断王，获奖率超过50%！

Not only have the players from the same generation passed away, but the younger generation is also struggling to keep up. Dwyane Wade is one of the unfortunate players from the 03 draft class, and he is older than his good brothers.

While players like LeBron James can still be said to have a promising future, Dwyane Wade, who is already 31 years old, is nearing the end of his career.

One heartbreaking fact for fans is that Li You could potentially cover Wade's entire career, and unless he declines, the Flash could very well end up with nothing.

During the afternoon's TNT playoff preview program, while discussing the statistical rankings, O'Neal expressed his regret for his younger teammate, Wade, and sighed with a sense of helplessness:
"Michael Jordan dominated the 90s, and many excellent players were overshadowed by his brilliance."

"Li's reign lasted even longer. After he retires, I think most fans will only remember the championships, while the losers are destined to be forgotten."

“Wade is great, I know his talent, he’s more destructive than Kobe, but years from now, fans will only remember his Game 7 loss in the Finals.”

"The NBA is cruel in some ways. You can give your whole life and still not get what you want. In this respect, Kobe is lucky. At least he still has a ring."

Ten years ago, sports commentators would have touted Li You's stats, but now it's 2013, and commentators and fans alike are tired of seeing them on Excel.

If Li You's stats plummet, it will actually spark more discussion, as his average of 31 points per game feels "unremarkable".

Kenny Smith didn't want to talk about the stats anymore. Just like how PER had failed with Li You for years, once the numbers reached an absurd level, there wasn't much point in discussing them anymore.

"I believe the players from the 03 draft class still have a chance. The Nets won 50 games this year, and their record would have been even better if Carmelo Anthony hadn't had a knee problem at the end."

"The Heat also have a chance; their two winning streaks have shown us the dominance of their young players."

"LeBron James will most likely win his first MVP award. Although no one is optimistic about him, he has a chance to become the best player in the league in a few years."

The chosen one is only 28 years old. Compared with Wade, the older man has more advantages. This is also why basketball commentators are optimistic about James. As long as he leaves the Eastern Conference, he will definitely achieve great things!
Charles Barkley naturally noticed ESPN's recent discussions about the 2014 offseason, with more and more people believing that LeBron James, who has been flirting with the Lakers, would be heading to Los Angeles.

However, this kind of "avoidance" behavior has never been favored by old-school players, and Barkley was no exception. When he heard his teammate praising the Heat, he retorted:
"If I remember correctly, three Heat players made a promise to Miami fans in front of the TV."

"'Not eight'? And yet they still don't have a single championship!"

"If James ultimately chooses to leave, he will lose his place among the great players. I don't want to hear those reasons. Leaving Miami is an act of escapism."

This is not the first time James has "broken his promise." Since the "one man, one city" award was abolished, the chosen one has been letting himself go, and this time he didn't even try to hide his desire to leave.

"We can't discuss things that haven't happened yet as outcomes; at the very least, James has promised to fulfill his contract."

Ernie Johnson didn't follow the "If" statement, even though he agreed with the viewpoint next door, but at this moment he didn't want to offend the fans.

After all, the people of Miami have always believed that James will stay with the Heat and bring the team a championship.
Seeing his teammates shaking their heads and saying, "James will definitely do that," Ernie Johnson could only change the subject, saying:
"On the first day of the playoffs, we will see some new faces. The Warriors are making it back into the playoffs, and more people are starting to pay attention to this young team!"

"What do you think of Stephen Curry's performance? 272 three-pointers in a single season with a three-point shooting percentage of 45.3% reminds me of Lee's performance when he was young."

After playing only 26 games last season, many commentators thought Curry had "fallen from grace." However, the rookie made a strong comeback in his fourth year in the professional league, and his performance from beyond the arc was particularly impressive.

This season, Li You has made 320 three-pointers. Although it is still outrageous, he no longer has a gap in the lead, and Curry has caught up.

Due to the schedule, New York didn't pay much attention to most of the Western Conference teams, and Curry's poor performance at Madison Square Garden meant that fans didn't focus much on the rookie.

It wasn't until the end of the regular season and after reviewing the statistics that everyone realized Curry's true strength.

As always, Shaquille O'Neal looked down on the skinny "bean sprout," and coupled with Curry's baby face and fair skin, the old Shaq scoffed when the topic came up, saying:

"Stephen Curry should thank Lee; if he had played in the 90s, he would have been torn to shreds by those 'brutal' guys!"

"Lee changed the basketball environment, and Curry only benefited from the offensive advantage."

"His three-point shooting hasn't been tested in the playoffs yet, and I don't think he can maintain such a high shooting percentage under intense competition like Lee."

It's rare for Charles Barkley to share the same opinion as his partner, but he didn't have a good word to say about Curry either, grinning widely and saying sarcastically:
"Stephen Curry lacks physicality! Coach Mark Jackson has designed a lot of plays for him, but in the playoffs, the game will come down to a battle of raw talent."

"Curry may put up some impressive numbers in the regular season, but I don't have high hopes for his performance tonight."

Kenny Smith, who is always eager to encourage his players, also subtly expressed his opinion. Like his partner, he also doesn't have high hopes for Curry's impressive stats:
"We shouldn't be too harsh on Curry's performance in his first playoff game of his career."

"The rise of the Warriors may bring new changes to the league landscape, and I like to see young teams come to the playoffs."

— On Saturday, April 20th, Curry, who had just arrived in Denver, was subjected to all sorts of ridicule from basketball commentators. No one believed that he could maintain his high-efficiency performance in the playoffs.

Despite Mark Jackson's repeated emphasis that Curry cannot imitate Li You's playing style, fans who are too lazy to think critically still believe that the rookie is just a poor imitator.

The New York fan club hasn't even attacked the visiting 76ers players lately; since seeing the stats, they've changed their target for ridicule.

Not only did they put on a "parody skit" on the fan club's YouTube channel, but at their daily gatherings, the abstract "Curry doll" was also brutally beaten.

The Warriors' Reddit section was also flooded with comments, with the proud New York fans refusing to let the San Francisco fans enjoy the three-point shooting performance!
The booming development of social media has also brought some side effects. Before the game even started, there was a group of people on Twitter and Facebook waiting for Curry to miss his shots. Everyone couldn't wait to "hold a meeting" with the rookie!

At 15 p.m., the Pepsi Center gradually came alive. The team quickly rebuilt after Anthony's departure, which was inseparable from the contributions of the former core player. Enes Kanter, the third overall pick in 2011, has grown very rapidly.

Kanter, who is still considered a "normal human being," has earned the trust of head coach George Karl. Although he was relegated to the bench by Kenneth Faried during the regular season, he never complained.

The Nuggets have a deep roster, and tonight's starting backcourt will still consist of Ty Lawson and Evan Fournier, while the frontcourt trio will be Gallinari, Kenneth Faried, and Costa Koufos.

Although height is a bit of a problem, the Nuggets have Enes Kanter and JaVale McGee on the bench, plus Andre Miller, Corey Brewer, and Wilson Chandler, so they can even have a 10-man rotation!
Early in the season, veteran coach George Karl mocked Mark Jackson for merely imitating others. Now that they've met in the playoffs, many media reporters are hoping the two will create some sparks.

Half an hour before the game, bursts of laughter could be heard in the arena as the two teams warmed up, with many Denver fans mocking Curry on the opposing team.

The Warriors players were indeed a bit nervous. In the starting lineup, Curry, Thompson, and Barnes were all playoff rookies, and Carl Landry and Andrew Bogut also lacked experience.

With so many doubts before the game, it's understandable that everyone lacks confidence. In addition, the opposing team rotates multiple players and relies on their explosiveness to play. Even the usually confident Thompson has been frowning these past two days.

On the ESPN commentary desk, Mike Brin and Jeff Van Gundy wished their longtime partner good luck before the game, but during their analysis, the fading championship coach confidently stated:
"Mark needs to be prepared for a tough time. The Nuggets will undoubtedly attack their interior relentlessly, and the rebounding will be put to a huge test."

"I hope Curry can play like he did in the regular season, but it will be very difficult in the playoffs, as opponents will definitely have specific defenses against him."

"."

At 15:30 PM, after the game started, just as the commentators predicted, the Warriors lost their "three-point shooting mode".

Perhaps due to the intense malice emanating from his opponents, Curry, who was repeatedly subjected to physical collisions, lost his way after the start of the game.

Mark Jackson on the sidelines kept shouting loudly. This was his first playoff game as a coach, and he didn't want to see his team dig themselves into a hole too early. Unfortunately, the backcourt duo missed many shots in the first quarter.

Curry, who was substituted early by Jarrett Jack, pursed his lips and remained silent. The unrestrained mockery made him particularly uncomfortable. In the limited time he played, he went 0-for-2 from the field and scored 1 point from the free throws.
On the other side of the court, watching the Warriors lose their rhythm, head coach George Karl, arms crossed, once again struck a pose befitting a great coach, maintaining a smile on his face except for occasionally shouting a few words.

Thompson and Randle were both in a bricklaying slump, and only Barnes played normally. It was thanks to Jarrett Jack's outburst that the Warriors avoided being swept in one fell swoop.

At 22:29, the first quarter ended, and the Pepsi Center erupted in jubilation. Denver fans felt that victory was beckoning to them.

On the Warriors' bench, rookie Draymond Green spoke up, saying he knew the story of the Pistons' locker room: if anyone surrendered early, the game was over.

Although Mark Jackson had never been a fan of Li You, he knew the power of the three-pointer. Besides drawing up plays, he then gave a resolute and loud reminder:
"Don't hesitate! Listen, when the opportunity arises, take it decisively. Our opponents rarely shoot from beyond the three-point line, this is our chance!"

"."

After the head coach explained how offensive options could be reduced to mathematical problems, Thompson and Curry nodded in agreement. A seven-point deficit was much better than they had anticipated.

At the start of the second quarter, the Warriors fielded a three-guard lineup, with Jack, Curry, and Thompson all on the court. Draymond Green also got a chance to form a duo of short guards with Landry.

Seeing the opponent field a "suicidal" lineup, George Karl was overjoyed and returned to the bench early to quietly "watch the show."

During the rotation, the strong Andre Miller taught Curry another lesson. When he saw the rookie forcefully attack the basket and squeeze under the basket to get to the free throws, laughter echoed throughout the arena.

On offense, the Warriors' backcourt didn't hold back, with Thompson seizing mismatch opportunities to score repeatedly over his opponents.

Curry was also putting in a lot of effort, but his shots kept missing, resulting in the opponent repeatedly launching fast breaks.
Every missed shot was accompanied by laughter. In the last few minutes of the first half, Curry, who finally made a three-pointer, did not breathe a sigh of relief. Instead, he frustratedly sent his opponent to the free-throw line on a defensive possession.

Ty Lawson, wearing a headband, had a broad smile on his dark face. His pre-match strategy had been very effective, and chasing after "Bean Sprout" made him very happy.

"Boy, where did your three-point shot go? Denver doesn't like imitations!"

Turning his head and yelling loudly towards the three-point line, Ty Lawson's loud taunts drew jeers from the front-row fans. Andre Miller, standing just outside the three-point line, shrugged and glanced at Curry on the other side, saying with a smirk:

"Li Ke isn't that soft!"

What was supposed to be a stellar season turned into a nightmare. Instead of praise, everyone launched personal attacks against him. Frustrated, Curry broke his silence and responded loudly:

"All I know is that the Warriors will advance, and you can't beat me!"

放狠话的库里在上半场没能强势回应，10中1，三分线外5中1，罚球1中1，季后赛菜鸟怒砍4分3篮板6助攻1抢断1失误。

Curry's one-on-one situation in front of midfield, where he was tackled face-to-face by Miller and fell to the ground, became a viral GIF on Twitter, with everyone mocking the imitator.

-

On Sunday, April 21st, in the four playoff games that concluded last night, all the teams in the upper bracket won decisively.

The game between the Warriors and the Nuggets was the most popular, with the Nuggets dominating their opponents 95-105 and successfully defending their home court.

After losing just one game, Curry was labeled a "playoff softie," and the New York media jumped on the bandwagon, with the Post's headline as sarcastic as ever:

"Even the pigeons in New York are tougher than Stephen Curry."

Despite the rookie's strong second-half comeback, his 7-for-20 shooting performance, including 4-for-10 from three-point range, and 19 points, still failed to win over fans. The most discussed topic among netizens on social media was:

"Li never plays like that."

Although Curry was ridiculed at the press conference after losing the game, the young man repeatedly emphasized this point when talking about the series:
"I know I can do it, I will advance to the semifinals!"

(End of this chapter)