Champion, please stay!

Chapter 282. The new season is here!
When it comes to talent, the difference is immediately apparent.

In his rookie year, Rondo showed no fear when facing Nash, who had just won two consecutive MVPs, Kobe, who scored 81 points in a single game the previous season, and Wade, who had just won the Finals MVP. Instead, he played even harder than usual.

Bradley, it was just a preseason game, and he got scared after a few possessions, he didn't even dare to go out and receive the ball to shoot...

Personality is also part of talent. Rondo's tough personality is extremely rare among all the new generation of geniuses. Rivers knew that Bradley couldn't be that good, but he still couldn't help feeling disappointed.

Both are rookies selected around 20th overall in the first round. Bradley has good shooting and defensive fundamentals. Rivers expects Bradley to be able to carry the team like Rondo was back then, and hopes that Bradley can quickly become an immediate contributor. They also need Bradley to become an immediate contributor immediately.

Rivers replaced Bradley with Marquez Daniels, keeping the other four players unchanged.

Against any other opponent, even if Bradley played so cowardly, Rivers would still choose to keep him on the court. He'd let Bradley be scared all the time, fighting fire with fire.

Although Bradley's mental fortitude wasn't strong enough, he was very responsible. He was afraid to attack, but he still worked hard on defense. Every time he made a defensive mistake, his frustration was written all over his face... which gave Rivers a little bit of comfort.

But the opponent in front of him has two young core players, not much older than Bradley, and without the airs of an MVP or All-Star.

Ray Allen didn't give any interviews today and didn't say a word to the media, but he showed no mercy on the court.

These three are really going after the newbie!
Should they keep fighting, using poison against poison? Rivers figured Bradley would be played to the point of losing his dreams by those three.

Also, although this is just a preseason game, it concerns Pierce and Garnett's pride. The final result is not important, but they cannot lose face during the key matchup.

The Knicks didn't make any substitutions. Yi Shui watched as the opposing team brought on Daniels and abandoned his plan to tease the rookie. The opposing team was going to put up a tough defense!

In last season's Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks scored less than 100 points in 5 of the 7 games and less than 90 points in 2 of them.

The Celtics' strongest defensive lineup in that Eastern Conference Finals was the five-man group of Rondo, Daniels, Pierce, Garnett, and Perkins.

After the timeout, the Celtics went on offense. Daniels dribbled the ball and isolated against Ray Allen, driving to the right side of the free-throw line. He then passed to Rondo on the left baseline. Rondo received the ball, took a step, and passed to the high post. Garnett set an off-ball screen for Pierce, then cut inside to receive the ball and, facing Yi Shui who was helping on defense, launched a fadeaway mid-range jumper... and it went in!
Yi Shui was a little disappointed. In this round, he accurately predicted that Rondo would pass to Garnett, and rushed over from the right high post, almost getting the ball in place.

In the early stages of the game, the Celtics' offense was consistently excellent. Even without Ray Allen, as long as the players performed normally, they were still able to execute excellent teamwork. Rivers' ability to prepare for this aspect was particularly outstanding.

However, as the game progressed, the situation deviated from the predictions, and most shooters felt the impact of the physical contact and their performance declined. The Celtics' offense could only rely on Pierce's isolation plays, Ray Allen's difficult catch-and-shoot shots, Garnett's mid-range passing to find open teammates, and Rondo's brilliant passes... Now, without Ray Allen, the offense will inevitably be more difficult in the later stages of the game.

In the transition from offense to defense, the Celtics retreated to their backcourt and established a defensive formation.

Yi Shui was stuck to Pierce outside the three-point line. Looking at the barrier of Rondo, Garnett, and Perkins in the middle and Daniels on the wing, he was reminded of the grueling seven-game Eastern Conference Finals last year.

If the previous fast-paced style continues, the player with the ball will likely be forced to shoot under pressure or through interference.

Yi Shui circled around to the left and cut towards the inside. When Curry initiated a pick-and-roll offense at the top of the arc, he slid along the baseline, bypassed Perkins, and then suddenly stopped and turned around, heading straight for the top of the arc!
The Celtics switched very quickly on defense. After Pierce went to help with the pick and roll, he drove into Curry's elbow area and successfully helped.

But Garnett, who was rushing towards the top of the key, was blocked by Chandler, who cut into the middle after the screen at the top of the key, and Amir Johnson, who was pulling to the free-throw line as he slid along the baseline!

Just as Yi Shui reached the top arc, Curry delivered a lob pass from the right elbow area, which landed perfectly.

Yi Shui turned and received the ball, facing Rondo who squeezed out from between Amir Johnson and Chandler, and launched a three-pointer from the top of the arc... and it went in!
When it was the Celtics' turn to attack, Daniels drove and dished to Garnett, who then facilitated the shot. Rondo received the ball in the elbow area, took a step, and made a floater... The opportunity was good, but Rondo's shot was a bit off. Under the interference of Amir Johnson who was helping on defense, he accelerated his release and used too much force, hitting the rim of the basket.

Curry secured the defensive rebound, and in the transition, Yi Shui continued to cut along the baseline, making a back cut down the middle, repeatedly using screens. Chandler and Amir Johnson closed in to block the chasing and switching players.

The Celtics made a change to their defense this time. After Rondo switched to defend the pick-and-roll and retreated to the free-throw line, he immediately lunged towards the left sideline, and Daniels rushed to the top of the key to circle around him.

As soon as Yi Shui received the lob pass at the top of the arc, Daniels moved into position, sticking close to his lower body to prevent him from shooting directly after receiving the ball.

Ray Allen cut to the basket, but was blocked on the left side of the three-second zone by Perkins who had spread out. Chandler cut to the basket but was blocked by Garnett, who had just been blocked by him... But there was still one more person!

When Curry passed the ball, he saw Perkins moving outwards and immediately chose to run along the baseline. Just as he was about to enter the three-second zone, he suddenly turned and ran outwards. Pierce couldn't keep up. Just as he reached the right corner, Yi Shui's back pass lobbed the ball to him.

Curry received the ball, turned around, and faced Pierce who rushed out, and Garnett who rushed in from the right corner of the free throw line and shot a three-pointer... It went in!
On the sidelines, D'Antoni clenched his fists and bumped them together, glancing triumphantly at Mark Jackson beside him.

Mark Jackson crossed his arms and secretly rolled his eyes after the man with the mustache turned his attention back to the court.

The "close the door" tactic was his idea, but it was just a common tactic. When needed, it would utilize the high post threat from the Yi River to create opportunities for Curry or Ray Allen to receive the ball and shoot.

But after learning about the tactical concept, the man with the mustache thought it had potential and added the idea of ​​a mid-range transition at the top of the key...

After these two offensive plays, Mark Jackson actually admired his head coach. In his eyes, a local tactic was something that the coach could see more possibilities for and expand into a regular tactic that could be played when the players had good energy in the early stages of the game.

Yeah, that guy with the mustache wears his heart on his sleeve, that smug look of his is just asking for a beating!
...

Having served as a coaching staff advisor for almost two years, Mark Jackson's ambitions are beginning to emerge.

D'Antoni led the team to the championship, and Mark Jackson knew he couldn't replace him as head coach.

He wanted to switch teams and become a head coach to realize his ambitions... In the summer, he received invitations from Don Nelson and the Timberwolves. If it weren't for his two years of experience with the Knicks, he would have gladly accepted the invitations from those two talented teams. However, having worked with Yi Shui and Curry, he has no plans to leave for the time being.

But he used this as leverage in contract renewal negotiations, wanting more opportunities to showcase his talent and gain exposure; he wanted to become the Knicks' Tex Winter!

This consultant is capable but not arrogant, ambitious but knows how to restrain himself. This is why D'Antoni chose to cooperate well with him even when they had ideological conflicts and often argued.

Walsh is also happy to see friction between the two within a controllable range. If one of them is like Cheeks, completely uncompetitive and leaning to the other side, then there is no point in paying two head coaches.

As for Cheeks' salary being higher than that of some team head coaches, that doesn't matter. Back then, Larry Brown only coached for one year and earned a total of more than $3800 million. Now, their coaching staff and trainers' combined annual salary is only a little over $2000 million.

On the Knicks' bench, D'Antoni and Mark Jackson were locked in a fierce battle, while on the other bench, Rivers was clearly uncomfortable.

With this lineup, he was prepared to torment the opposing team and give Pierce, Garnett, and the silent Rondo a good venting.

For the past three seasons, except for the 30 or so games Garnett missed after the All-Star break in the 08-09 season and the first month or so of last season, their defense has been the best in the league, bar none.

Although they lost Tony Allen, Daniels, who can guard players from 1 to 4, is more effective against the Knicks than Tony Allen. Last season in the playoffs, he often held the Knicks to just over ten points in a single quarter.

Even with Ray Allen on the other side, Rivers is confident he can contain their fast-paced offense. At most, Yi Shui will dominate the rebounds and launch two fast breaks against them.

Who would have thought that once the opposing team started playing seriously on offense, their entire style of play changed! In half-court sets, they stopped using pick-and-roll and passing, and instead moved the ball to the top of the key!
Under the direction of Garnett and Rondo, his players made their own defensive adjustments.

But when the opposing team placed the pick-and-roll in the middle, the layers of screens from the bottom to the top disrupted their defense.

Garnett is busy cutting down the middle, but he can't cover the sidelines. He's trying to block Curry, and Chandler can just drive in and get a lob pass for a dunk. The opponent can always find a receiving point!
Rivers was just an 'onlooker,' anxious and at a loss.

The Celtics players on the court were completely stunned!

Their proud mid-lane barrier was destroyed by the opponent's tactics!

The opposing team shifted the battleground from the mid-range to the top arc, flanks, and baseline!

After the official timeout, Garnett chose to lead his team to collapse the middle, blocking the three-pointers at the top of the arc, preventing Ray Allen, Chandler, and Amir Johnson from cutting to the basket for easy baskets, and betting that the opponent's three-pointers on the wing would miss.

But the Knicks' two main three-point shooters on the wings are Curry and Ray Allen... In the second half of the quarter, the two went on a shooting spree!

The Knicks started strong, scoring 9 points in the early stages and outmaneuvering the rookies. The Celtics, after calling a timeout and before the official timeout, had scored 11 points.

In the last 5 and a half minutes of the second half, Curry and Ray Allen combined for 4 three-pointers. Both Curry and Ray Allen had a fast break three-pointer after receiving the ball and driving to the basket with Yi Shui. In addition, Ray Allen was fouled on a three-point attempt and made all 3 free throws. Yi Shui drove to the basket and drew a foul, making both free throws. Amir Johnson made a fast break layup. Chandler grabbed an offensive rebound and drew a foul, making both free throws. They scored 21 points.

The Knicks hit eight three-pointers in the first quarter, scoring a whopping 41 points, more than double the Celtics' 20 points!
...

D'Antoni wanted to throw his fist to the sky and shout "Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!"

Facing the Celtics' 41-20 run in a single quarter, even though it's just a preseason game... it doesn't matter! The Celtics' defense was anything but lax in that quarter.

They won the Eastern Conference Finals last season, but as the head coach, he almost became Embiid's 'substitute assistant coach' in that series. Although no one said he was a bad coach because of this, he was still upset because his tactics were indeed defended by Rivers.

This time, he finally got his revenge. From the 7th minute to the 9th and a half minute, Curry and Ray Allen hit 4 three-pointers in 2 and a half minutes, which made D'Antoni's face turn red and he was overjoyed.

However, after the timeout, D'Antoni saw Garnett throw a towel at rookie Bradley on the other side... and calmed down.

After Curry and Ray Allen started hitting three-pointers, the opposing defense began to use physical force.

But Ray Allen showed no signs of stopping then, determined to crush his former team even in the preseason. After being tackled by Pierce while shooting a three-pointer, he got up and dusted off his shoes. If Amir Johnson and Yi Shui hadn't stepped in to protect Ray Allen, Pierce would have attacked him...

Yi Shui, Curry, and Chandler also didn't want to stop, clearly wanting to avenge the fact that they were almost brought to collapse by the opponent in last season's Eastern Conference Finals;
Newcomer Amir Johnson also wants to actively showcase himself;

Furthermore, the opposing team showed no signs of surrendering, and their four starters – Rondo, Pierce, Garnett, and Perkins – remained on the court throughout the first quarter. This is why D'Antoni didn't call a timeout to make substitutions, allowing the starters to play the entire first quarter.

Later, he didn't plan to let Yi Shui, Curry, Ray Allen, and Chandler, the four core players, play, to avoid any accidents. Although they were a group of 'thugs' who weren't afraid of trouble, as the head coach, he didn't want anything to happen.

Fortunately, the four core players had had their fill and showed no intention of continuing, which relieved D'Antoni.

In the last three quarters, Rivers didn't start his four core players again. To prevent that petty former star pitcher from continuing to mess with his 'successor,' he didn't even dare to bring Bradley in for practice until the latter part of the third quarter.

However, the last three quarters were still very exciting, filled with physical fouls. When Jeremy Evans, Amir Johnson, and Birdman, this "troublesome frontcourt duo", were on the court together, they almost got into a fight with Glen Davis and Delonte West, who were also troublesome players on the opposing team.

The most exhausted people are probably the three referees. It was just a preseason game, but there were more conflicts than in last year's playoffs between the two teams...

In the last three quarters, the Knicks scored 69 points and the Celtics scored 65 points, with the Knicks defeating the Celtics 110-85 to win their first preseason game!
...

Although it was just a preseason game, the Knicks and Celtics matchup had already sparked heated discussions among fans even before it ended.

He scored 41 points in the first quarter, making 8 of 11 three-pointers. Curry made 3 three-pointers in the quarter, and Ray Allen made 4. Although Yi Shui only made one three-pointer, he had 6 assists in the quarter.

In July, shortly after Ray Allen signed with the Knicks, some media outlets dubbed Yi Jianlian, Stephen Curry, and Ray Allen the "greatest three-point shooting duo in history," and the three proved them right in a single quarter!

Another topic that generated even more buzz was Ray Allen's long-standing feud with the Celtics.

Ray Allen relentlessly attacked his former team; Pierce's foul on Ray Allen, who had already jumped up, could, strictly speaking, have been called a flagrant foul... They had clearly become mortal enemies.

When the Big Three were formed back then, they were much more impressive than the Big Three formed on the South Coast this year. They achieved 66 wins and won the championship in their first season. However, just two years after winning the championship, they ended up in a mess.

This is a treasure trove for fans... there are so many topics to talk about and speculate on.

The next morning, Yi Shui woke up in the hotel, said goodbye to her sleeping companion, met up with the elementary school students in the next room, and headed to Madison Square Garden.

The coaching staff had scheduled the meeting for the afternoon, but the team captains had agreed to meet at the stadium at 10 a.m. for a short meeting to review and summarize last night's game.

After a summer apart, the elementary school student has changed a lot. After breaking up with Ayesha, he stopped being a simp and stopped buying a bunch of gifts to try to get back together with her after each breakup. When he was training with the Dream Team in Hawaii, he spent his days partying with David Lee, Chandler, Odom and others... He's become more like the New Yorker he wants to be.

When the two arrived at the arena, the other two captains, Chalmers and Birdman, were already there. They were supposed to review the game and discuss it together, but in the end, only Chalmers did the actual work.

Birdman doesn't understand any of this. As the vice-captain, his main job is to liven up the locker room. He doesn't even play a role in 'regulating relationships within the team'. He's just a pure atmosphere-maker.

Chalmers also handles communication among teammates and mediating conflicts.

When Yi Shui saw Chalmers's meticulously written debriefing notes, he felt a pang of guilt. He, Curry, and Birdman, like everyone else, hadn't prepared anything and had all gone clubbing the night before.

However, neither he nor Curry really has any talent for helping the coaching staff train tactics.

Curry... Yi Shui imagined that if a teammate asked Curry how to handle a situation where the ball goes wrong during a play, Curry's answer would probably be - just fake it out and shoot the ball in.

According to what Yi Shui knows, Curry has always been a "shooting guard" from elementary school to middle school to college. He solves any problem he encounters on the court by shooting.

As for Yi Shui himself, he is good at adapting to the situation and adjusting tactics, but there is a prerequisite—based on his personal ability.

He imagined what it would be like if, as a future head coach, his players asked him how to shoot a particular shot. He might answer, "Drive past the opponent and shoot; if you miss, grab the ball and shoot again; if the opposing center comes to help, raise the ball higher and shoot..."

Fortunately, Chalmers did not complain about taking on multiple roles; on the contrary, he enjoyed it.

Chalmers' summary today didn't focus much on tactics. Last night's game was very different from a normal preseason game. The four core players only played with Amir Johnson for one quarter. Normally, in a preseason game, the core players should lead different lineups.

However, Chalmers found other points to analyze – the competitive state of each teammate on the field, the playing characteristics of new teammates and teammates who hadn't played much before, and the changes in the playing style of old teammates after a year.

Yi Shui was also observing this during last night's match, but he didn't analyze it in as much detail as Chalmers.

Most of his teammates performed as he had expected during training camp, but there was one person who really interested him – Danny Green.

Danny Green played very aggressively last night!
It's not about the raw, aggressive style of players like Amir Johnson, Birdman, or Jeremy Evans, but rather their defensive style.

Danny Green's approach to defending against opponents' ball-handling attacks and shots is quite normal; he relies on his height, wingspan, footwork, and anticipation to disrupt their shots.

But when defending off the ball, they are very aggressive in their duels, make a lot of small moves, and keep talking.

Yi Shui felt that this teammate wanted to be labeled as a 'troublemaker' or a 'defensive madman,' which was... quite clever!
Their backups at positions 1-3, Chalmers, are decent defensively, rarely making mistakes, but not particularly outstanding.

Webster can handle players like Pierce, James, and Artest, but his athleticism is average, he suffered a serious knee injury, and his footwork is slow. Against fast shooting guards and small forwards, he is often used as a target.

Willie Green has a defensive attitude, basic skills, and defensive experience, but he is too small. He is the same size as Curry but does not have Curry's static physical strength. He can contribute on the defensive end, but he cannot shoulder the heavy responsibility of being a backup defensive specialist.

As for Mike Miller and Fields, they have good teamwork defense, but their individual defense is a negative factor.

Danny Green no longer markets himself to the coaching staff by highlighting his shooting talent like he did last season. Instead, he's taking a defensive approach, becoming the kind of defender the coaching staff wants—a tough guy who's willing to do the dirty work. That's pretty smart.

Over the past year, Danny Green has gained weight, increasing from 90 kg when he graduated from college to 95 kg. He is no longer at a disadvantage in physical confrontations with guards, and the defensive fundamentals he honed during his four years of college can finally be put to use.

In terms of shooting ability, Danny Green participated in two Summer Leagues this year, playing a total of 15 games, averaging 15.6 points per game, with 7 three-point attempts and 2.6 made per game, for a shooting percentage of 37.1%.

This performance was certainly not outstanding, but it was purely because Chalmers, who was leading the team, was willing to take care of his younger teammates and gave them plenty of opportunities to shoot.

But compared to when he was first drafted and couldn't even adapt to the NBA's three-point range, this is a huge change. It truly proves that he has developed the talent to shoot, instead of just relying on his college performance as a selling point like last year. And when the opportunity comes, he dares to shoot and might even make it.

Yi Shui was quite interested in whether Zhang Tielin's "I want to be the villain" plan would work, but he wouldn't interfere with the coaching staff's personnel arrangements. Danny Green's current shooting ability was inferior to any of their current perimeter players, so he left it to the coaching staff to make the decision.

In the original timeline, Danny Green didn't even get a guaranteed contract in his first two seasons, wandering around doing odd jobs and frequently being cut in the G League. Yet, he still became the Spurs' starting small forward during the lockout season... In their Knicks team, Danny Green's development environment is much better, so there's no need to worry about him not being able to make it.

...

The game against the Celtics kicked off the Knicks' new season.

Although the first game didn't go quite as D'Antoni and others had anticipated, and their plan to use the Celtics' tough defense to practice tactics failed, with the starters treating every offensive possession as a crucial play and barely practicing regular tactics, the coaching staff was still very satisfied with the first game.

They boosted morale! They instilled confidence!
Although their offseason reinforcements were very successful, the new contracts they signed, except for the high salary given to Birdman, were all considered good value for money and received a lot of praise.

However, they lost a center who could average 20+ points per game in the Finals, and there are still voices of pessimism. Some media outlets have questioned whether Ray Allen and Curry can be compatible.

In this game, Yi Shui, Curry, and Ray Allen made 8 of 11 three-pointers in a single quarter against the Celtics, and all the doubts immediately disappeared. This is very important! No one in the team doubted whether their shooting group was compatible or whether their drastically adjusted tactics would work.

Over the next two weeks, the Knicks played six more preseason games.

D'Antoni, Cheeks, and Chalmers led the team, experimenting with tactics in games, adjusting them in training, and then verifying their effectiveness in games... progress was rapid!
D'Antoni feels like crying after every training session; it's so good to have someone on your team!
Looking back on the past two years, what kind of life have they been living? A fast-paced, whirlwind system that he had been immersed in for many years took a year and a half to fully develop, and it was only after Chandler joined that it truly came into play and began to show its power after the All-Star Weekend last season.

Now, despite such a major adjustment to the tactical system, the integration process is much faster than in last season's training camp!

However, there's one thing that left the Knicks coaches speechless: of the team's four captains, only one actually did any work during the preseason. Of the other three, two trained on their own, and one just kept lifting weights all day long.

时间来到10月26号，尼克斯队7场季前赛全部打完，4胜3负。

Preseason results are not important. Since the game against the Celtics, every preseason game that the Knicks have played has become the focus of discussion among fans.

However, what fans were discussing was not the changes in the Knicks' offensive tactics or the adjustments on the defensive end, but rather—how many three-pointers did the Knicks throw up today?
The second quarter of the Knicks' game against the Wizards, in particular, is often cited by fans as an example of how much the Knicks relied on long-range shots.

On that occasion, D'Antoni fielded a lineup of Curry, Ray Allen, Mike Miller, Yi Shui, and Frye. In the first half of the quarter, apart from Yi Shui setting screens for Curry and then cutting to the basket or fast break shots, all other shots were long two-pointers and three-pointers.

Yi Shui noticed this trend in public opinion, which was quite unexpected, because apart from the first quarter against the Celtics and the second quarter against the Wizards, they didn't really attempt many three-pointers at other times.

Even including those two quarters, he attempted 170 three-pointers in 7 games, making 65, averaging 24.3 attempts and 9.3 makes per game, for a 38.2% success rate. This number of attempts wouldn't even rank in the top five in the preseason.

On the Magic's side, they attempted over 230 three-pointers in 7 preseason games, averaging 33 three-point attempts per game. The Suns and Nuggets also averaged over 30 three-point attempts per game.

The Knicks even have fewer three-point attempts per game than the Heat, who average 25.7 per game.

However, Yi Shui didn't dwell on this. After all, they were in New York, and they had two such "typical" quarters of "obsessed with three-pointers." It would be strange if the media didn't hype it up.

On the 27th, a day off, Yi Shui received a pleasant surprise—his parents came from China to watch him win the championship ring in the opening match!

Unfortunately, he only had dinner with his parents on the evening of the 27th, and the next day he started preparing for the opening match with the team, so he didn't have time to play with his parents.

However, his parents didn't seem to regret it. They slept in the next day and went again by carriage in the afternoon. When Yi Shui returned home that evening, he saw his mother uploading photos to her social media to show off...

On the 29th, the day before the regular season opener, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and TNT, as if by prior arrangement, released their lists at noon—the Top Ten Superstars, the Top Five Teams, and the Top Ten Rookies!

All three lists sparked heated discussions among fans.

Wall is a darling of various rookie lists and a favorite of sponsors. He was the first rookie in the 09 and 500 draft classes to secure an average of 1000 million yuan in shoe endorsements per year. In his rookie year alone, his endorsement income will exceed 10 million yuan.

However, fans are more interested in Goose City's previous third-place finisher.

In the Summer League, Griffin's stats were average, averaging only 15 points per game, but he put on a crazy dunk in every game. The third overall pick, Cousins, fared the worst, getting dunked on twice in one quarter and getting into a conflict with Griffin, ultimately resulting in both of them being ejected from the game.

The defending champion Knicks are ranked first in the team rankings. Although a small number of fans have objections, there is no controversy in the overall public opinion.

But the second point is much more controversial.

ESPN ranked the Heat second, Sports Illustrated ranked the Grizzlies second, and TNT Sports ranked the Bulls second.

The Lakers are missing two of their three big men, and Paul's poor preseason performance confirms that his athleticism is gone. The good news for Lakers fans is that Kobe, just like he used to give the ball to Gasol, is wholeheartedly playing alongside Paul as a scorer, leading the team to help Paul find his rhythm... They are currently out of contention for the championship.

The Suns lost Stoudemire and Frye, and took on Turkoglu's contract, thus losing their competitiveness.

The Celtics lost Ray Allen, and with him, their chances of winning the championship were gone.

Teams like the Spurs, Mavericks, and Nuggets are considered a thing of the past.

There's a reason anyone could be on the list, as the subsequent Los Angeles Times rankings pushed the Warriors up to second place.

The Orlando Sentinel ranked the Magic second...

Of course, the list that generated the most buzz and controversy was the Top Ten Stars list.

The rest doesn't matter, the first one is the most important!

Sports Illustrated #1: Kobe Bryant; ESPN #1: LeBron James; TNT Sports #1: Yi Shui.

When Yi Shui saw the list, he wasn't too surprised. He had only one thought: these three media outlets had made their intentions clear.

Kobe's side received coverage from major media outlets such as Sports Illustrated, Time Warner, and the Los Angeles Times; LeBron's side received coverage from major media outlets such as ESPN and NBC.

Besides TNT, he also has the New York Times, Fox Sports, CBS, CNN, and more...

...

October 30th marked the first day of the 2010-2011 NBA regular season.

Today, the official schedule only includes one game – the defending champion New York Knicks hosting the Memphis Grizzlies!

Derrick Rose, Adidas's new star player, saw Adidas allocate the majority of its global basketball marketing budget to him last season.

Yi Shui, Nike's newly crowned star, has seen Nike continue to increase its investment in him after the World Championships. In the new year, his share of the global marketing budget is more than that of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant combined.

After the preseason ended, both brands began to promote the game and build momentum for their star players.

With the acquisition of Boozer and the re-signing of Gay, the Grizzlies have truly become championship contenders.

As the defending champions, the Knicks have rebuilt their roster and are highly anticipated.

There's not much to say about the Knicks and Yishui teams in yesterday's newly released superstar and team rankings.

The Grizzlies were ranked second by Sports Illustrated, and Derrick Rose made it into the top ten on three different superstar lists, giving them superstar status.

With promotion from the league, brands, and individual teams, tonight's game is generating even more buzz than last year's Shaq vs. Kobe game!

At 7:30 p.m., the Knicks' championship award ceremony began at Madison Square Garden!

Rose, who was watching, almost ground his back teeth to powder. A month and a half ago, he saw Yi Shui wearing the gold medal, and tonight he saw Yi Shui wearing the championship ring!
(End of this chapter)