NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 863 "How many championships are equal to 8 runners-up?" (Daily Chapter)

On Saturday, June 1, 2013, with four days to go before the NBA Finals, mainstream sports media began to promote the event vigorously, and casual fans also started to pay attention to the annual NBA drama.

As most fans expected, Li You was still a part of the 12-13 season finals.

At 35, he is already considered a veteran in the league, and 17 seasons means that Li You has accompanied a generation of fans through their growth.

Over the course of time and with the added bonus of championships, Li You has amassed a huge following of loyal basketball fans.

At the end of their careers, they don't need flashy statistics; just seeing their idol still dominating the league is enough to excite fans.

Those who like the NBA are not much different from fans of celebrities. In some ways, sports fans have a sense of superiority, after all, basketball is also a competitive sport, and star players are always more prestigious than some effeminate celebrities.

Even though there has been a pursuit of diversity in recent years, most ordinary people are still the same as before, with basketball, baseball, rugby, and even football remaining popular sports.

However, just as Sports Illustrated was about to release its latest issue, an interview was leaked, sparking huge controversy:
Former Knicks center Jason Collins has publicly come out as gay.

"."

The news went viral on social media over the weekend afternoon, with Jason Collins becoming the first openly gay active player in North American sports history!

Given the current diversification of the sport, revealing such an identity is not a big deal, but in the sports world it's like dropping a bomb, drawing subtle criticism from several ESPN commentators.

But the criticism completely disappeared after the Obamas, former President Clinton, and the White House all praised and respected Collins's courageous act.

No one made any more sarcastic remarks, and NBA Commissioner David Stern was among the first to speak out:
“Jason and Jerome have known the Collins family since they entered the NBA in 2001, and they have always been exemplary members of the NBA family.”

“As a championship center, Jason has become a highly respected player and teammate, and we are all very proud of his leadership in this important matter.”

"."

Originally, this matter had nothing to do with Li You, a monogamous person, but with the "help" of some people, some strange voices began to emerge.

If you followed last year's election, it's easy to see the role Lee played in the Senate race in New Mexico, where both sides clashed fiercely with conservative organizations.

Although this thing is essentially still a "pay-to-win" system, voters don't get much money; people contribute their votes more for advocacy and values.

Li You kept a low profile for more than half a year, but someone with ulterior motives still seized the opportunity. The league has its support, so the GOAT shouldn't go against it, right?

More people are starting to pay attention to this year's Finals, but some casual viewers don't care about Tim Duncan or the outcome of the Finals; they just want to see if Li You will have a "battle of wits" between his left and right brains.

-

On Sunday, June 2nd, the buzz surrounding the "Jason" incident on Twitter noticeably subsided. As one of the most powerful figures on the board, Li You had always enjoyed privileges.

However, the discussion on Facebook has skyrocketed, and what makes the onlookers even happier is that well-known NBA stars have already voiced their support.

Kobe Bryant rarely uses Twitter, but he took a clear stance on this matter, becoming the first active player to speak out:

"Be proud of Jason, and ignore everyone else's ignorance! #Courage #Support #MambaWithYou"

Not only did Kobe actively speak out, but he also used his influence to travel around. This was the first time the Mamba had appeared in public since the first round of the playoffs, and he has now become an opinion leader.

NBA players did not accept Kobe's actions, and even though some people appealed on social media, everyone remained silent.

Perhaps Kobe's "voice" was too shrill, because during ESPN's afternoon Outside the Lines sports news program, analyst Chris Broussard, despite his partner's surprised look, forced out his message:
“If you openly live in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, I believe that is a rebellion against Jesus Christ.”

"."

His continuous output left his partner, Granderson, speechless. It wasn't until the director reminded him that he finally smiled enthusiastically at the camera and quickly changed the subject:
"Faith, like love and marriage, is a personal matter."

After the show ended, ESPN received complaints, and the production team was very dissatisfied with Chris Broussard, whose remarks would obviously attract criticism.

However, the person involved seemed unconcerned. Seeing his colleagues' hesitant expressions, Brussard, dressed in a suit, gave a frank smile and explained simply:

"Sorry guys, you know I'm a devout Christian. I just spoke impulsively and said some religious things."

"I will issue a personal statement immediately, and I guarantee that the production team will not be affected."

Host Steve Weissman let out a helpless sigh. He had long urged ESPN to pre-define the content of their programs, and now it was obvious what kind of attacks they would face:

"Chris, you've really gotten us into a lot of trouble. Anyway, I hope you can talk to the person involved."

"John Amich, the last NBA player to come out as gay, was honored in the UK, and Jason Collins may be on the cover of Time magazine in a few days."

"We all know what this means, so let's not make trouble for ourselves."

Brussard smiled and readily agreed. In fact, he didn't care about these things at all. Putting aside the $50 lying in his bank account, the connections with some "big shots" alone had already benefited him greatly.

Despite suspecting that Li You was involved, Brussard quickly put the matter out of his mind, having no interest in learning the story behind it.

Looking at the development of his peer Stephen A. Smith over the past few years, Broussard is eager to replace him. The greenbacks are actually his faith!

-

On Monday, June 3, an incident on ESPN caused the public to shift their focus away from Li You's attitude and towards issues of faith, escalating the controversy once again.

Many star players who had remained silent breathed a sigh of relief, continuing the tradition that NBA locker room culture does not welcome gay people.

In the locker room, you can talk about family, you can talk about girls, but you can't talk about "the guys' butts".
With the arrival of the Spurs, the New York crowd stopped caring about the related events. For them, "winning" was more important, and everyone just wanted to experience the feeling of victory again.

ABC and ESPN continue to hype up the Finals, with Sports Center releasing excerpts from their recent interviews this morning.

When Doris Burke discussed the age issue in this year's Finals, both Li You and Ray Allen smiled during the interview, just as the media had touted it as a "Duel of Older James Harden":
"It's a happy thing for me to meet my old rival again at the end of my career."

"There are fewer and fewer familiar faces in the playoffs, and sometimes I even miss the games from back then."

"Reggie Miller, Tim Hardaway, Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson"

Li You named quite a few people, but most of them had left the league. Ray Allen, who was listening nearby, felt something was off and couldn't help but make a couple of comments:

"I don't think those guys will miss those games. I didn't like the competitive environment in the East when I was playing for the Bucks either."

Hearing their laughter, Li You didn't seem to mind, shrugged, and continued:
"Maybe you're right, but I'm still happy for my old rival to return to the finals!"

"Although the future no longer belongs to the veterans, the Finals can also allow more young fans to recognize everyone's strength."

"I don't want to see retired stars unable to adapt to modern basketball. I firmly believe that superstars can create an era." ESPN didn't air the full interview, but cleverly released excerpts where Doris Burke asked a question that's been hotly debated by San Antonio fans on social media recently:

"Although the outcome of the Finals is unpredictable, if the Spurs lose again, Tim Duncan will suffer his eighth Finals defeat, which would tie the record set by Elgin Baylor."

"If there were a conversion formula, how many championships would you say 8 runner-up finishes equal?"

Spurs fans would say at least four seats. Duncan's performance has been consistently strong; the loss isn't his fault, it's just that his teammates didn't perform well.
Ray Allen was speechless at these abstract questions on social media. He really felt old and wondered why there was any need to convert them.
Li You, however, looked thoughtful, as if he were genuinely calculating the overall championship. After a moment's thought, he replied earnestly:

“I don’t really like the term ‘conversion,’ as it seems to lack respect for hard-working players.”

"Compared to the calculated championship, I think Tim Duncan, who lost 8 times, deserves to be called the 'uncrowned king'!"

"."

Doris Burke almost lost her composure. She thought she wouldn't get an answer, but Li You actually took out a "loan" in a very serious manner, and incidentally gave his old rival a "new achievement".

Fortunately, the released footage cut out the expression of the well-known New York female reporter, and the three of them were all laughing and joking as they warmed up for the Finals. However, the release of the footage still infuriated Spurs fans.

Despite Duncan's tarnished reputation in North America, local fans forgave the former MVP and once again supported their star player after his return to San Antonio.

Even knowing the Knicks were a strong team with a lot of players, Spurs fans on Reddit still criticized the team after watching the show, saying their opponents were too arrogant!

What makes die-hard fans even more uncomfortable is that the converted "IF champion" title still has a tiny bit of respect, while "uncrowned king" sounds like a mockery, as if even the chance to win an "IF" title has been taken away.
Most basketball fans no longer care about the previous "coming out" incident. After watching the interview clips, the general public only wants to see the response from "the uncrowned king" Tim Duncan.

-

Tuesday, June 4th. The Spurs players had mixed feelings during their routine practice, as the first game of the Finals was set to begin the following night.

While championship contenders like Gary Neal and Boris Diaw had no worries, the 36-year-old Manu Ginobili and the 37-year-old Tim Duncan treated this matchup as the last Finals of their careers.

Maintaining competitiveness at this age is extremely difficult, as the body constantly reminds you that you are aging.

Winning the Western Conference championship trophy is already a remarkable achievement, considering the Thunder are no pushovers. If it weren't for the "injury bonus," the veterans might already be home fishing.

Thiago Splitter, Matt Bonner, and others find it hard to understand the feelings of a leader, but Kawhi Leonard can understand it better. His idol, Allen Iverson, also lost badly, and losers don't get any respect.

The title of "uncrowned king" made Leonard a little unhappy. Perhaps the Spurs' winning process had some flaws, but the winners still deserve more praise.

Unfortunately, after arriving in New York, Leonard did not feel any respect in the city. Neither the New York media nor the fans paid any attention to him.

Before the Finals even started, the New York fan club had already started recommending a psychologist to Duncan. What's even more absurd is that a psychologist actually gave a serious talk about "Yu Yu syndrome" on a weekend program.
The related video continued to gain views on YouTube, and the previously unknown psychologist gained many clients. His subsequent abstract behavior left onlookers dumbfounded.

The entire city entered a "carnival" rhythm ahead of schedule, with all sorts of "abstract big events" emerging one after another, and the Spurs winning by "taking out loans to eat shit" became a routine operation.

The basketball mecca once again demonstrated "pure passion" to sports fans. Kawhi Leonard, experiencing this for the first time, wasn't too happy, but the young man was not one to talk much, and he certainly wouldn't make a big fuss in front of the media.

In contrast, George Hill, who was also experiencing the Finals for the first time, was very dissatisfied.

George Hill was overshadowed by Gary Neal in the Western Conference Finals, and his playing time was limited due to injuries, so he naturally didn't receive much attention.

He came to New York hoping to showcase himself during the Finals, but apart from the broadcasters, nobody paid any attention to him. As one New York fan club member put it:
"We have no interest in knowing those Spurs players whose names we don't even know. Who cares who they are? In the end, they'll all be dominated by Lee anyway!"

"."

At the end of practice, George Hill was interviewed by the San Antonio Express-News, where he will play an important role in the rotation in this matchup.

New York media outlets have already hyped Kyrie Irving to the skies, with experts unanimously believing that the rookie can completely dominate George Hill!

Both are key sixth men, but the media describes a “huge” gap in their abilities.

When asked about this by a reporter, an frustrated George Hill couldn't help but frown and reply:
"I don't want to explain the All-Star issue. You know, not being an All-Star doesn't mean a player isn't talented."

"This is my fifth season in the league, and I'm fully adapted to it. Don't compare me to a second-year rookie. Regardless of his background, I'm confident I can accomplish my goals."

Hearing such a confident response, the sports reporters in San Antonio nodded in satisfaction, seemingly sensing George Hill's inner dissatisfaction, and continued to fuel the fire by asking more questions:
"George, more and more players believe that 'Finals Lee' exists. Last year, Lee achieved a 40+ triple-double with a 100% shooting percentage. How does the team view this view?"

While Gary Neal and Boris Diaw were eager to share their championship experience, George Hill, who had never experienced it firsthand, was unwilling to concede defeat prematurely.

Even for young players, reaching the NBA Finals is an extremely rare achievement, perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime event. George Hill continued his strong stance:

"I don't know. Lee was great, but he wasn't God."

"In my opinion, Tim has performed very well in the Finals over the past few years. The previous Spurs team was very strong, but I firmly believe that the team is in better shape now than it was in the past."

"I won't take any chances. Like Manu said, this might be the last time these veterans make it to the finals. I want to help them achieve their long-held dream."

Popovich, who returned to the Finals, did not stop his favorite player from being interviewed. He truly loves George Hill and is cautious about injuries during the playoffs.

Fortunately, God blessed the team and they made it to the finals. Everyone stayed healthy, and Popovich felt that this time they could at least give it their all.

On the defensive end, Leonard is the best option to guard Li You. On the offensive end, the Spurs also have a "raging mode". Compared with the constipated offense of the past, this Spurs team is stronger.

Popovich, in the interview, didn't mince words; the old man simply hates New York basketball, the city has always shown him no respect. Speaking about the Finals, he firmly stated:

"Don't underestimate our hunger for the championship. We've been preparing for this moment for years!"

-

On Wednesday, June 5th, the Grand Finals will officially kick off at Madison Square Garden. Even for experienced veterans, such a grand occasion will still excite them.

At 7 a.m. sharp, Tony Parker knocked on Tim Duncan's door. Ever since the "French Sports Car" saw that his ex-wife planned to watch the game live, his enthusiasm for the Finals had increased even more.

"Tim, it's time."

Parker, dressed casually, entered the room but was startled halfway through his sentence. Duncan was meditating in a "magic circle," and the scene looked somewhat eerie.

Considering his former teammate's psychological trauma, Parker tried to maintain a natural expression and didn't ask any more questions. Meanwhile, Duncan, who was sitting cross-legged, opened his eyes, looked at his partner, and said in a somewhat cryptic tone:
"I have received a revelation that this year will be the year to break the curse."

This scene left the French speechless. Ever since Duncan developed mental health issues, "psychic cleansing" has been appearing in the locker room.

Despite questioning the effectiveness of the treatment, Duncan has indeed returned to his "peak" this year compared to last season, so Parker couldn't say anything more and could only pat his partner and offer a tactful suggestion:
"Boris is right, Bro. Perhaps we should praise Lee more and express our gratitude; there's no problem with that."

Duncan fell silent again at his partner's suggestion. After losing for so many years, why should the MVP have to flatter him again?
Thinking of the "suffering" he had endured over the years, Old Deng got up and left without saying another word to Parker, secretly making a decision in his heart:
"At least I can choose not to compromise!"

(End of this chapter)