NBA: The Basketball Miracle

Chapter 515: Even Winning Can Be Tiring (3830 words)

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On the morning of April 24, 2007, the NBA announced this season's Coach of the Year (COY):

Mike D'Antoni of the New York Knicks, without a doubt, won the award again.

Since coming to New York, Mike D'Antoni has won countless monthly Coach of the Year awards, making Coach of the Year a regular award for him.

At the Tarrytown Training Center, the coaching staff led the team through a video session in the morning, and a press conference was held for Head Coach during the lunch break.

This year's Coach of the Year contenders also included Sam Mitchell of the Toronto Raptors, Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz, and Avery Johnson of the Dallas Mavericks.

The three ultimately lost, and 73 wins was not the reason for their defeat.

The incredible record of 41 home wins was the key to Mike D'Antoni's renewed award.

The Eastern Conference playoff situation is basically clear.

Due to Dwyane Wade's shoulder and knee injuries, with only Shaquille O'Neal, the Heat have a high probability of falling in the first round.

This means the New York Knicks will face the Toronto Raptors, led by Chris Bosh, in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Considering this is Chris Bosh's first time entering the playoffs, critics have directly disregarded him, and the New York Knicks' direct path to the Eastern Conference Finals has become a matter of time.

The sports reporters attending the press conference didn't ask about the games.

The Finals were still a long way off.

Everyone was more interested in gossip, discussing the MVP issue, and stirring up Clay Lee.

Mike D'Antoni was in a good mood, appearing in the media room with a smile, wearing a loose New York Knicks training uniform.

Five consecutive championships are beckoning him.

In fact, the coaching staff didn't even put the Eastern Conference opponents in their eyes.

The Cavaliers have a height advantage, but the New York Knicks' twin towers are superior.

Yesterday, Leandro Barbosa of the Phoenix Suns won the Sixth Man of the Year award.

The Yahoo Sports reporter didn't immediately jump into gossip.

After congratulating The Moustache, he immediately asked about the award:

"Mike, we all remember you always advocating for your players. Tayshaun Prince missed out on the Sixth Man of the Year award. What is your comment on this?"

The New York Knicks' rotation had too many scorers, almost not enough balls to go around.

Mike D'Antoni couldn't solve this problem, so he could only continue to make promises:

"I know the selection for this award focuses more on scoring ability, but for a team aiming for a championship, Defense is actually more important."

"Tayshaun Prince excels at both offense and Defense. In other teams, he could even be a core player!"

"In the New York Knicks, to pursue greater achievements, everyone makes sacrifices for each other. I firmly believe Tayshaun Prince should have received this award."

Reporters in Los Angeles felt a bitter taste in their mouths upon hearing these words.

The New York Knicks have so many players without conflict, while Kobe of the Lakers is being dominated by role players.

The gap between the two teams is growing.

"Let's talk about the MVP. Although the result hasn't been finalized, Dirk Nowitzki has been leading the list in March and April."

"Mike, the media selecting the award seems to be intentionally avoiding Clay Lee. In this situation, do you think Dirk Nowitzki should win this award?"

The ESPN reporter again pointed the finger at the German.

The Dallas Mavericks had more than two days of rest, and Game 2 hadn't started yet, but the buzz about the single-game performance was growing.

Sports reporters always try to provoke Clay Lee with the MVP, but unfortunately, it has had no effect so far.

What puzzled Mike D'Antoni was that without the award, Lee was not only not angry but also lost interest in the game.

Internal situations could not be leaked, so Mike D'Antoni could only say polite words:

"We all know that the demands on Clay Lee and Dirk Nowitzki are different."

"But in my opinion, Dirk still needs to prove his strength to everyone. He needs to show his dominance.

"Lee welcomes challengers. When his opponent is a new MVP, he will be more invested. I think this is the matchup he looks forward to."

"..."

The New York Knicks had no practice in the afternoon.

They were flying to Washington tomorrow.

Those who wanted to do extra training stayed to continue, but Lee was picked up by Scarlett early.

Rajon Rondo, who was planning to have lunch at the Tarrytown Training Center, watched the red Porsche drive away with mixed feelings.

The 4 AM New York was fake.

Clay Lee never did extra training.

Boris Diaw and a few others live in Tarrytown and also had lunch at the training center.

Raja Bell picked out his food in the cafeteria and returned to his seat, looking at the others reading newspapers, and casually gossiped:

"Dwight Howard is rumored to earn $120 million this summer, with a $40 million endorsement from Adidas and an $80 million contract from the Cavaliers."

The Cavaliers are leading the Nets 2-0, and the situation is excellent.

Agent Aaron Goodwin has already started building momentum for the happy big boy.

Next season is Raja Bell's player option.

Boris Diaw glanced at his friend and continued to stare at the newspaper, simply replying:

"He's an All-Star center. Next year, that guy will be the rebounding leader. If we want to pursue a big contract, we have to go somewhere else. Maybe some team will offer a good price."

Boris Diaw's team option will definitely be inflated, which is why he's relaxed.

The coaching staff doesn't want to lose a versatile rotation player, so he'll be able to sign an overvalued contract this summer.

Steve Novak, who had not been able to make it onto the active roster this season, was incredibly envious.

If it weren't for the example of Matt Barnes, he would have given up:

"The General Manager will definitely keep the current roster. I just don't know if bottom-tier players like us will still have a chance."

Jose Juan Barea also looked a bit worried at his plate.

He had performed well after being sent down, but he couldn't unseat Rajon Rondo.

The small guard pointed at the news on the newspaper and said enviously:

"Everyone is concerned about the Warriors. It seems no one is paying attention to the next two games. I really hope the Head Coach can give us some opportunities."

Rajon Rondo silently ate his lunch alone.

The New York Knicks' extra training was purely voluntary.

The coaching staff didn't even bother with motivational speeches.

If it weren't for someone chasing him, the Rookie felt he couldn't keep going.

JR Smith, who had shed his 12th-man status, performed well in the playoffs, truly a god of favorable battles.

With his improved team status, JR Smith gleefully teased the Rookie.

Seeing Rajon Rondo about to leave, he immediately called out loudly:

"Hey! Remember to tell those Rookies to prepare fresh-squeezed orange juice for us. We want to see it before afternoon practice!"

Hand-squeezed fresh orange juice and the New York Times—that's Lee's routine.

If there's morning practice, the Rookie has to prepare it early.

JR Smith's mischievousness annoyed Rajon Rondo a bit, but noticing that several of the main players were there, the Rookie could only force a smile and nod in agreement.

"Kobe Bryant will definitely be eliminated by Amare Stoudemire this year. I've said it before, he's just a stats padder. No one pays attention to him in the playoffs. Derek Fisher's advice last year was terrible!"

"Matt Barnes was lucky he didn't go to the Lakers. Now he and Stephen Jackson have also become big stars."

Ron Artest made a prediction for tonight's game.

Kobe's consecutive 50+ point games last month made him green with envy, and in the playoffs, he seized the opportunity to disparage his opponent again.

Rajon Rondo felt a bit displeased hearing these gossips.

Kobe achieved the 4 AM Los Angeles, and he respected him greatly.

However, thinking about the record, he could only sigh inwardly as he left:

"God is truly unfair!"

"..."

That night, the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns faced off in Game 2.

As predicted by the critics, the outcome was no longer in doubt after halftime.

47:68, Steve Nash dished out 11 assists in the first half, and Leandro Barbosa and Amare Stoudemire, who were in the starting lineup, were on fire.

Marion and Quentin Richardson also performed excellently, and the Phoenix Suns brought the game into garbage time early.

At the TNT commentary desk, Doug Collins felt the joyful atmosphere on the court, glanced at Kobe's statistics, and finally commented tactfully:

"I think Kobe Bryant should do what he's good at. 4-of-8 shooting, 1-of-3 from three-point range, 13 points is far from enough."

Kevin Harlan also agreed with this view.

Amare Stoudemire was 7-of-11 in the first half, scoring 16 points, tearing through the Lakers' Defense.

Unable to limit their opponents, a high-scoring shootout was a better option:

"We can look forward to the Lakers' adjustments when they return home. Phil Jackson will find a solution."

Ultimately, this game turned into a performance by Leandro Barbosa.

Kobe Bryant only played 32 minutes, watching his team get thrashed by the opponent with a dark expression in the fourth quarter.

94:124, the Phoenix Suns won by 30 points!

After the game, Kobe quickly exited through the player tunnel.

At the US Airways Center, over eighteen thousand Phoenix Suns fans were celebrating their easy two-game home winning streak.

Having played only 24 minutes, Amare Stoudemire was in a great mood after the win.

During his interview with TNT, he even had the presence of mind to joke about another highly anticipated game:

"We are ready. Kobe Bryant performed well in the regular season, but he can't win in a matchup like this. The Lakers are not a playoff team."

"Maybe we'll meet the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. Matt did a great job, and I'm happy to see him achieve success with the Warriors!"

"..."

Kobe's expression remained grim at the post-game press conference.

Although Smush Parker was DNP'd and Andrew Bynum was benched, the locker room atmosphere couldn't be changed.

Hearing the TNT reporter gossiping about another matchup and bringing up the MVP topic again, Kobe couldn't hold back for a moment and confidently stated:

"As the league's best scorer, I am qualified to be elected MVP. You should show respect. I only focus on the current game!"

These words stunned the sports reporters below the stage.

Then, some people exchanged whispers with smiles, and New York reporters seized the opportunity to speak sarcastically without hesitation:

"The 73-win Clay Lee will give the trophy to the 68-win Dirk Nowitzki, but he is not interested in giving the MVP to a player who led his team to 41 wins."

Kobe immediately lost his temper on the spot and started arguing with the reporters below.

The press officer couldn't stop them for a while, and the argument became more and more heated, until both parties left the venue.

After the game, Smush Parker, who only played three minutes in this game, seized the opportunity to once again publicize the Los Angeles Lakers' locker room problems:

"Truly capable players are being suppressed. Kobe Bryant sees himself as Michael Jordan, but he forgets that he cannot lead the team to victory."

"I don't care about my playing time. Even if it's only 40 seconds, I will play seriously when I'm on the court."

Phil Jackson had lost control of the locker room, which made Kobe even more depressed when he returned to the hotel.

He rejected Derek Fisher's comfort and threw himself into the gym for extra training to vent his frustration.

The Los Angeles Lakers lost, but the Heat launched a counterattack.

Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal, playing with injuries, teamed up to defeat the Toronto Raptors, successfully gaining the initiative.

When asked about the MVP award after the game, the low-key Shaquille O'Neal suddenly lashed out, saying in a deep voice in front of a group of reporters:

"Perhaps you think the MVP is a regular season award, but I never thought so. This award represents the best-performing player of the season!"

"The MVP should not fall in the conference. I respect the players who have won the award in recent years, but they have disgraced the trophy."

Dwyane Wade's excellent performance was overshadowed by Shaquille O'Neal's big mouth.

The sports reporters on the scene were all gossiping, completely forgetting about the core player who played with an injury.

On Wednesday, April 25th, at his home in Manhattan, Lee, rarely slept in recently, lazily staying in bed until 8 AM.

Since confirming the failure of "cutting leeks," Lee's motivation to play basketball began to decline.

In G1, he punched out the opponent who didn't resist.

In G2, he only played 29 minutes, scoring an unremarkable 32 points.

83:121, a big victory didn't restore Lee's motivation.

Instead, multi-person competitive games brought him more joy.

Melinda, after showering, returned to the bedroom and saw Lee lying in bed with his arms behind his head, staring boredly at the ceiling.

She chuckled softly, then sat on the edge of the bed and teased him:

"Were you unhappy last night? Or are you worried about David Addington's invitation? You're both from Albuquerque, maybe he just wants to take care of you."

The situation of David Addington, the Chief of Staff of the White House, was not good.

This was largely related to Dick Cheney's involvement in the Halliburton Company's troubles.

A big shot was about to fall.

Receiving an invitation from the Heritage Foundation at this time looked like taking over a mess.

This year's trip to the White House was troublesome.

This time, when Lee flew to Washington, he was caught red-handed by David Addington.

"Kim also studied at the University of Albuquerque, so they are barely alumni. This old friend has never helped before."

Lee patted Melinda's shapely backside and made a teasing remark.

The big-breasted woman glared at him playfully.

Although she was a mother, her personality remained the same as before.

"So you're not interested in basketball anymore? Scarlett told me you're more focused on emails from England."

The big-breasted woman, snuggling into his arms, whispered again.

Lee looked at her watery eyes and shook his head helplessly.

He was used to those excellent talents and couldn't immediately accept becoming the "strongest."

"I like basketball. The feeling of exercising under the spotlight is great. I just look forward to stronger opponents. Winning too much makes me feel tired."

Lee kissed the restless Melinda in his arms.

Hearing this reason, the big-breasted woman had a strange expression.

She didn't know how to comfort him for a moment.

Scarlett, who brought breakfast to the room, was only wearing a thin nightgown.

Seeing Lee still lingering in bed, she quickly squeezed onto him, tilted her head back, and softly suggested:

"Honey, how about we go out to sea in two more months? Travel on the ocean."

The succubus continued to whisper and tease by his ear.

She had been looking forward to the yacht play for a long time.

The new boat had to be shaken up.

Agreeing immediately, laughter soon filled the bedroom.

In the morning, they resumed their behind-the-back dribbling practice, and the dimples on the succubus's waist increased Lee's dribbling speed:

"Let's have breakfast together."

"..."

When the New York Knicks departed for Washington in the afternoon, the Dallas Mavericks were still nervously preparing at home.

If they lost again, they didn't know what the public opinion would be like.

After unexpectedly losing to the Warriors in G1, Dirk Nowitzki felt immense pressure.

The German had been happily preparing to welcome the MVP trophy before, but now, thinking of failure, he felt his scalp tingle.

More and more reporters gathered, all wanting to see the fun.

The team staff had to restrict interviews these past few days.

Head Coach Don Nelson's words were unsettling.

In that night's game, thanks to the Warriors' 24 turnovers, the Dallas Mavericks continuously attacked their opponents in the second half and ultimately won the game.

99:112, although the Dallas Mavericks shot 1-for-17 from three-point range, they still protected their home court.

Dirk Nowitzki's performance disappointed some Dallas Mavericks fans: 7-for-15 from the field, 0-for-2 from beyond the arc, 9-for-11 from the free-throw line, for 23 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks.

Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse stepped up.

After the game, the German let out a long breath.

Dirk Nowitzki, being interviewed, had no smile on his face and commented seriously:

"The playoffs start with winning on the road. The Warriors did that. Now we must be nervous and regain the initiative."

The atmosphere at the American Airlines Arena was not enthusiastic.

Most Dallas Mavericks fans expected Dirk Nowitzki to explode.

If he could score 40 points, they would not hesitate to cheer.

"Dirk, has the MVP trophy brought you more pressure?"

Hearing the ESPN reporter's question, Dirk Nowitzki involuntarily began to take deep breaths.

The external pressure almost caused him insomnia, but thinking of 68 wins, he still showed a confident demeanor:

"No, we just lost one home game. In the upcoming games, the Dallas Mavericks will show their true strength!"

On April 26th, the NBA announced this season's Most Improved Player (MIP) award:

Monta Ellis of the Warriors won this award.

Returning to San Francisco, having received the trophy, Monta Ellis smiled brightly in front of the media reporters.

When asked about the subsequent games, the Rookie also confidently stated:

"The coach told us to play like Clay Lee, which encouraged everyone. Stephen and Matt brought championship experience. Now we are fearless!"

"After winning the award, I received a text message from Lee. He encouraged me, and such recognition gave me extra motivation."

"Last year in the Finals, Lee defeated Dirk Nowitzki. Now we are going to do the same thing. We know how to win."

Sports reporters were already eager to watch the drama unfold.

Although the Dallas Mavericks won, most basketball commentators were discussing what Dirk Nowitzki should do after losing.

The Washington Wizards, largely ignored, also failed to make a splash upon returning home.

Although there were rumors before the game that Caron Butler would play with an injury, after the active roster was announced, neither Caron Butler nor Gilbert Arenas appeared on the list.

At 5:30 PM, over 20,000 fans poured into the Verizon Center.

Many were there to see the New York Knicks.

The injury-plagued Washington Wizards failed to attract fan attention.

The first quarter was the same as usual: Antawn Jamison, facing tight Defense, could never receive the ball in his sweet spot.

Stephenson, who just threw the ball as soon as he got it, kept clanking shots.

Although the Washington Wizards were trailing, the fans present did not hold back their cheers.

After Lee made a steal and then a long-distance gliding dunk, the Verizon Center erupted.

When Chief of Staff David Addington and White House staff appeared in the front row seats at the end of the first quarter, the director quickly focused the camera on the group.

"It seems the rumors are true, many White House staff are Clay Lee's fans!"

"God, the President has been meeting with the New York Knicks all these years, I almost forgot about it."

At the TNT commentary desk, Doug Collins teased. Kevin Harlan, next to him, noticed the gray-bearded David Addington smiling and greeting Lee, and also teased:

"Watching New York Knicks games brings the joy of victory!"

"Perhaps this is also a way to relieve stress. According to the current game pace, Lee will win another big victory tonight."

At the end of the first quarter, the score was set at 35:17.

The Washington Wizards improved a tiny bit, but the game had basically lost its suspense.

During the break, the fans in the arena completely turned, beginning to cheer for the New York Knicks.

Gilbert Arenas, on the bench wearing a gray suit, frowned at the shouting:

"How did it come to this?"

....

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