Basketball Terminal

Chapter 96 God Man
Li Wei called Li Yue and asked him to keep an eye out for the car. He also asked about the situation at home. Li Yue said that the family's laundry business wasn't doing well, but more and more people were coming. Some wanted to claim kinship, some wanted to bring gifts, some wanted to borrow money, and some wanted to freeload. In short, relatives and friends who hadn't been in contact with him before, or who were practically strangers, suddenly all showed up.

Li Wei asked how his parents were doing. Li Yue said his father was getting a little cocky, but his mother was keeping a low profile. She wouldn't ask for a penny, told him to bring his own rice for meals, and welcomed him to do laundry, but nothing else. In this respect, Chen Lihua, this old-fashioned and tough mother, showed her strengths. She might not have given her son enough warmth, but she certainly had enough of giving outsiders a cold shoulder to prevent them from getting close to him with ill intentions.

Li Wei was somewhat relieved. The news of his challenge with Bukhari to win a car would surely make headlines soon. Some people would see it and say, "Your son has a car! You're really rich now. I'm short on cash, can you lend me some money?"

Such things happen all the time, and they don't care. A car needs maintenance, gas, and insurance; it costs money, not money. They just think that if you become successful, fellow villagers and friends should help each other out, provided that they are the ones receiving the help. When it's their turn to help others, they just shrug and have nothing to offer.

"I'm giving you one last reminder: keep a close eye on Li Manshun. Don't let him go out and hang out with those people from the 'Cage Washing Association,' and absolutely forbid him from bragging or making any promises of official positions. If he makes any wild claims, you'd better take them down one by one."

“I know. Mom and I have discussed it. If he keeps messing around, we’ll let him marry my cousin’s husband. They’ll move there, and we’ll take Mom with us.”

"That's a great idea. How's your uncle doing?"

"He's started working now, and he occasionally comes over for dinner. He always says he wants to thank you. Hey, his massage skills are really good, I tried it. Bro, if you're tired from playing ball, come back and give him a try."

"Okay, I got it. You'll still be in charge of things at home. Oh, and you absolutely have to get your broker's license. Don't forget. Don't mess around with Luo Ping. You take care of that idiot."

"We're trying to pull some strings. You know what, Luo Ping has a ton of connections; there's no one he doesn't know, from all walks of life. And he's got a lot of luck with women, can you believe it?"

"Nonsense, a Black man willing to raise his daughter as a single parent, what an exceptional guy, how could any woman not love him?"

"Sogga, what you said makes a lot of sense, bro."

Li Yue seemed to have realized something. Li Wei stopped arguing with him and hung up after a few more words. Half of Li Wei's soul was connected to them by blood. With family around, whether in life or in competition, he had something to think about and something to care about, so he wouldn't feel lonely. Li Wei wondered if his other parents were doing well in the other world.

Leaving Toronto, the Nets' next stop is Boston. As soon as they boarded the plane, Levi noticed Irving's unpleasant expression. Usually cheerful and talkative, he was silent, sitting quietly in his seat, lost in thought. When they disembarked, he covered himself tightly with a mask and hat, not wanting to be noticed by anyone.

There is indeed a complicated and messy history between Kyrie Irving and the Celtics. From a seemingly perfect match to bring a championship to the city, they turned into bitter enemies and became like strangers in just two years. Who says the NBA is just a sport? The grudges and rivalries between them are no less dramatic than a TV series.

Boston boasts the largest and most scathing sports media in the US, and is also one of the most regionally conscious and racially conscious cities. Here, fans only care about winning and skill; if you lose, you're beaten, and if you win, you're trampled underfoot. Playing in Boston guarantees an unforgettable experience of scathing verbal abuse.

Back in his hotel room, Irving sent a message in the IQ group chat: "Guys, I feel awful. Just coming to Boston makes me uncomfortable, damn it, I really hope the game is over soon. We have to win."

DeAndre Jordan: [We'll definitely win tomorrow's game!]

Griffin: [I really wish I could get on the court soon.]

Li Wei: [Tomorrow will be your show, Carey.]

Support from small groups is often more powerful than support from a large collective. Kyrie Irving now shares his thoughts in the Celtics' group chat first. He criticized the Celtics' management and coaching staff, believing the fans there are bullies who look down on minority players. Yet, most of their achievements were brought by Black players, including the great Lord of the Rings, who also faced considerable discrimination.

Have you seen the movie Green Book? Bill Russell, as a former NBA champion, couldn't even eat at a white-only restaurant.

Black people aren't even allowed to poop in their toilets!

[This is a world full of injustice and oppression, and nothing has fundamentally changed!] [That's right, the coaches are all white.]

As Kyrie Irving spoke, he grew increasingly agitated. Levi and Blake Griffin remained mostly silent, leaving only Irving and DeAndre Jordan engaging in a back-and-forth exchange of opinions in the group chat. Levi occasionally liked a post, unsure of what to say. This group was getting increasingly strange!

The good news for Kyrie Irving is that TD Garden will remain closed for tomorrow's game. The situation in Boston is more serious, and public events are not permitted. According to the schedule, they expect fans to be allowed to attend games in April, so Irving won't have to face the boos and trash talk from Boston fans during the game. The Celtics stated that they have prepared recordings of boos for Irving, but these will certainly be far less damaging than recordings of boos from fans in attendance.

Kyrie Irving's partnership with the Celtics began and ended abruptly. In January 2017, Irving requested a trade from the Cavaliers to join Boston, surprising everyone. The Celtics, having successfully acquired Irving, also signed Gordon Hayward in free agency, and for a time, the Celtics' hopes were high. However, Hayward suffered a severe injury in his first game, ending the season and casting a shadow over everything.

After that, Irving was sidelined for the rest of the season, missing the playoffs, and a young team made it to the Eastern Conference Finals but lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers. This result dealt a heavy psychological blow to Irving. "The Celtics without you lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers without you. It turns out you weren't important; it's your absence that matters."

Actually, Irving performed well that season. It was the first time he truly tried to be the team's leader with championship experience. His scoring remained consistent, and he had some amazing performances in crucial moments. But all of this couldn't change two facts: First, both the Celtics and the Cavaliers reached the Eastern Conference Finals without him; second, he wasn't a qualified locker room leader, and the Celtics didn't recognize his position.

The situation worsened further in the 2018-2019 season. The two young stars and Gordon Hayward were vying for playing time, leading to numerous conflicts. Instead of reassuring the younger players or rallying the veterans, he criticized Hayward for not passing him crucial shots while simultaneously saying the younger players didn't understand the sacrifices required for a championship and lacked respect for him. Ultimately, he offended both sides.

This incident shows that Irving completely misunderstands what it means to be a leader in an organization. He assumes that leaders are naturally revered and obeyed, unaware that these things must be earned. Nothing is a given; leaders have power, but also responsibility, sacrifice, and accountability—things Irving doesn't understand.

The real deterioration came when Kyrie Irving wanted the team to trade young players for Anthony Davis to build a championship-contending roster. He leaked this information, which reached the players involved in the trade, affecting locker room unity. Ultimately, the trade didn't go through, and Irving further criticized management, causing him to completely lose support within the team, becoming isolated and adrift.

But Irving had an escape route; the NBA is full of opportunities. He simply partnered with another "unsuccessful" player, Kevin Durant, and joined the Nets to form a new team, leaving the Celtics with a huge hole and a seriously injured Hayward. The promise to bring a championship to Boston was long forgotten. Who doesn't say something like that when they first join a team: "I'll bring a championship to XX," or "I hope to retire in XX"? Very few actually achieve that, and most don't take it seriously.

However, after just two seasons, Irving treated his promises like worthless paper, turning his back on them and leaving. The anger of fans and the media was understandable. Furthermore, during his time with the Celtics and after leaving, Irving consistently made some strange and uncomfortable remarks, leading to increasingly sharp conflicts between him and the fans. Li Wei also noticed that Irving's thought process was indeed unique; he couldn't understand what he was thinking.

However, this has nothing to do with Li Wei. Let them do whatever they want. These loves and hates are just a show provided by the NBA; they just need to play along. They need to be clear about when to get into character and when to step back.

The following afternoon, the Nets arrived at the TD Garden in Boston. In the locker room, before warming up, Irving once again pulled out his sage. First, to disinfect the locker room, then to exorcise the evil spirit possessing Levi. Irving insisted that Levi was haunted by evil spirits, "Otherwise, your performance wouldn't have been so amazing," Irving stated bluntly. Levi couldn't say anything, because you're fucking right!
He showered in the locker room, then went to the court, lit some sage, and walked around the field to drive away any bad luck. Finally, he pulled a handful of white stuff from his pocket and offered it to Levi. Levi asked, "What is that?"

Irving said, "Chinese glutinous rice."

"..."

"At most, I'm possessed by a ghost, not a zombie!"

"What if someone is possessed by a ghost?"

"You need to learn how to draw talismans, which are just pictures... Why am I telling you all this? We're here to play ball!"

"Learning is a boundless sea, my friend. Sports are just a small part of life, merely a pastime. I hope to connect with the real world~ Allah, Amen, Amitabha, Smida…"

Irving's knowledge is a hodgepodge.

Not long after, Irving changed his mind again. He converted to Islam, abandoned other faiths, and became a Muslim who observes Ramadan.

(End of this chapter)