Check out my new fanfics.
Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.
The return of Itachi
I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.
Please give it a go đ
***
After the Houston All-Star vote began, Houston Rockets fans found themselves in an awkward situation.
As the host, after the new season began, Dikembe Mutombo's championship experience didn't help much.
They were practically losing their minds.
Tracy McGrady returned from injury in the last game of November, but then unexpectedly lost to the Grizzlies in the first game of December, bringing the team's record to 4 wins and 12 losses.
Houston Rockets fans almost thought they were going to tank for the first pick, but thankfully, the 'Yao-Mac' duo then performed consistently, and the team steadily defeated weaker opponents.
Mike Brown also survived the crisis of being fired.
He was almost lambasted by the media and fans, as such a record completely failed to meet expectations.
On Saturday, December 17th, the Houston Rockets had another road back-to-back game.
After Maggette was confirmed out, fans thought they could continue their winning streak, but the Houston Rockets unexpectedly lost.
81:89, in the second half, led by Tracy McGrady's 2-for-12 shooting, the Clippers had the last laugh.
Playing 45 minutes, he shot 12-for-28 from the field, 2-for-8 from three-point range, and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line, tallying 29 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 turnovers.
Tracy McGrady, who scored the game's highest points, took the blame at the post-game press conference but then followed up with a few complaints:
"Not every player is as lucky as Clay Lee.
He always has qualified helpers around him."
"If the Houston Rockets also had such excellent roster depth, I wouldn't have taken so many shots."
"Look at our record in November. If Clay Lee was absent from the game, the New York Knicks could still win. You only criticize the players but ignore the team environment."
Due to the New York Knicks having too many players this new season, Lee's playing time and statistics began to decline, roughly returning to his 2003-2004 season level.
The public opinion environment was too friendly to the GOAT.
In some games, he was visibly slacking off, but basketball commentators still labeled Clay Lee an 'unselfish leader.'
Under the influence of the new rules, several scorers' statistics exploded, leading to a shift in public perception, and the New York Media would occasionally mock everyone:
"Enjoying the benefits of the new rules, stat-padder are destroying pure basketball!"
Tracy McGrady, after returning from injury, was one of the'stat-padder,' and New York's old friends, Iverson and Kobe, received the same treatment.
Perhaps because Tracy McGrady always likes to say 'IF,' an ESPN reporter, thinking of the statistics, teased again:
"If Clay Lee had a half-time performance of 2-for-12, maybe he wouldn't have won 7 championships. Tracy, where do you think the gap between you and Clay Lee is?"
After the loss, the Houston Rockets' record was still negative, and at the current rate, making the playoffs would be a problem.
"I am the best player in the league, but that doesn't mean I can win. Basketball is a five-person game."
Hearing Tracy McGrady start to quibble again and once more bring up his'second-best player' status from his peak season, the Staples Center press conference room was instantly filled with a joyful atmosphere.
On sunday the 18th, the Houston Rockets faced the Los Angeles Lakers again.
At the same arena, Tracy McGrady struggled again that night, going 2-for-8 in the first half and leading the Houston Rockets to a double-digit deficit of 31:42.
Fortunately, in the 3rd quarter, David Wesley suddenly exploded, leading the team to a 34:15 run in that single quarter.
In the final quarter, the Houston Rockets struggled to score, and the Los Angeles Lakers fought back, but Kobe's shooting was off, and they barely tied the score thanks to a steal by Kwame Brown.
With 19.4 seconds left in the game, the Houston Rockets had the last possession, and Tracy McGrady, who had no field goals in the four quarters, did not let his teammates down again.
He hit a buzzer-beating jump shot with 0.3 seconds left, and after Smush Parker missed his jump shot, the Houston Rockets clinched the game against the Los Angeles Lakers!
76:74, at the end of the game, Tracy McGrady and his teammates embraced, and Yao Ming, who was out due to injury, also celebrated happily.
Playing 35 minutes in the back-to-back game, Tracy McGrady shot 6-for-16 from the field, 1-for-5 from three-point range, and 7-for-8 from the free-throw line, contributing a team-high 20 points.
Both good and bad, that was the true performance of the fading second-best player tonight, but victory was what truly mattered.
In tomorrow's Top 10 Plays, fans would once again see Tracy McGrady's graceful figure.
Statistical tables, who cares about those?
The Los Angeles Lakers lost, bringing their record to 13 wins and 11 losses.
Kobe, who was defeated at the buzzer, had a long face and grew angrier the more he thought about it.
Without looking at his teammates or Coach, he huffily said goodbye and turned to leave.
After the game, Los Angeles sports media were somewhat disappointed.
Compared to their dominance in the Western Conference in previous years, the team's strength had significantly declined.
At Phil Jackson's suggestion, Kobe Bryant was also sharing the ball, shooting 6-for-13 tonight, 1-for-3 from three-point range, and 11-for-12 from the free-throw line, contributing a game-high 24 points.
He dished out 6 assists but also had 3 turnovers.
Facing questions from media reporters, Kobe didn't make excuses, merely pursing his lips and saying angrily:
"We shouldn't have lost this way. I will continue to shoot, say whatever you want!"
After concluding their Western road trip, the New York Knicks unexpectedly lost to the Milwaukee Bucks, ending their 10-game winning streak and bringing their record to 21 wins and 2 losses.
The Detroit Pistons still followed closely, holding steady in second place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 19 wins and 4 losses.
To the surprise of basketball commentators, the Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers squeezed into the upper half of the standings, surpassing the Miami Heat's record.
In mid-December, Stan Van Gundy was fired, and with O'Neal officially returning from injury, Pat Riley began to take over the team.
ESPN had predicted during the offseason that the greasy-haired boss would take over the team, and commentator Ramsey had stated in public more than once:
"Pat Riley was eager to take over during the offseason. He wanted to intervene more in the team. He even hinted at some things to Stan. Now you see the result."
Stan Van Gundy, who left the team, didn't speak ill of the greasy-haired boss, but he also had a temper, subtly stating in an interview:
"I won't return to the Miami Heat's home court to watch games this season. If I watch on TV, I might pay attention to the New York Knicks or the Cavaliers."
"Everything has to start from scratch. If I want to change myself, I must give up some things."
Aside from Payton expressing welcome, Wade and O'Neal did not comment on the matter.
Pat Riley, who took over the team, was quite calm.
In his first game back on the sidelines, the Miami Heat challenged the Chicago Bulls on the road, with the outcome decided only in the final moments.
100:97, thanks to free throws from Payton and Wade in the final moments, Pat Riley secured his first win since returning.
Facing media reporters, Pat Riley's greasy hair shone even brighter, and aside from his tie being tied too tightly, his appearance was flawless.
Neither denying nor admitting, Pat Riley lightly gave his answer regarding Stan Van Gundy's departure.
"In October, I received a call from Stan."
"It was from then on that I knew I had to shoulder greater responsibility within the team."
No one believed this reason, but everyone was a decent person.
The matter of taking credit could be ignored, after all, a Champion Coach had more prestige.
O'Neal, returning from injury, saw his weight soar again.
In response, Pat Riley also promised Miami Heat fans:
"We have already set up a weight loss plan for Shaq. His weight will return to 320 pounds. That's what I want him to do."
On Saturday, it was Jeff Van Gundy who handed Pat Riley his first loss!
104:116, the Cavaliers narrowly defeated the Miami Heat at home, with LeBron James going all out, tallying a double-double of 41 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, and 4 turnovers.
After the game, sports media gloated, and ESPN even teased:
"This is the Van Gundy brothers' revenge match."
The victorious Jeff Van Gundy was in high spirits.
Setting aside avenging his brother, every time he defeated Pat Riley, his sense of accomplishment would explode:
"The Miami Heat are excellent, but they cannot win a championship."
"We are younger, healthier, and in a long regular season, the Cavaliers are more competitive."
"You should pay more attention to LeBron James; he will succeed just like Lee!"
Not engaging in mutual flattery, Jeff Van Gundy adopted the posture of a Champion Coach, directly refuting Pat Riley's act of taking credit.
After the weekend, both sides engaged in a war of words, with Cleveland and Miami media each taking a stance, declaring that their home team would eventually dominate the Eastern Conference.
On tuesday the 20th, at the Happy Coffee Shop on 70 Pine Street, Lee returned for lunch during his break.
Having just celebrated her 24th birthday not long ago, Krysten Ritter had finally brought this eclectic coffee shop to life!
Perhaps it was indeed divine favor.
Ghaya Oliveira, the pastry chef recently recruited from Boulud a few months ago, truly had skills, and her desserts and cakes were very popular.
Many financial professionals near Wall Street came here to spend, and the coffee also sold well as a result.
From being an eclectic mix to now focusing on pastries and coffee, the little assistant was particularly proud of this.
It was her most successful endeavor in recent years.
The weather in Manhattan in December was as usual.
Everyone had to wear coats, and as Christmas approached, the city was as lively as ever.
During lunchtime, the girls were in a corner of the shop.
Krysten Ritter wore a fitted blue turtleneck sweater paired with black jeans.
She enthusiastically introduced the new items in the store to everyone, which were improved flavors based on their suggestions.
With Oliveira's craftsmanship, several macarons and Saint-Honoré puffs were even more delicious than the common ones before.
To maintain her figure, Ivanka could only control her food intake, while Melinda tasted a bit of everything, happily sharing the many delicious foods.
Kim and Scarlett were still in postpartum recovery, spending most of their time at home, and their diet also had to be controlled.
Becoming a mother at 21, Scarlett was still the same.
Seeing the three people next to her eating happily, she couldn't help but say in a muffled voice:
"Three months, it's been so long since I've eaten my favorite food."
Krysten Ritter, in a great mood, seemed to forget that someone was still unaware of the situation and blurted out teasingly:
"Didn't you say you liked breast milk the most?"
Kim's face instantly flushed on the other side, and Scarlett subconsciously looked around.
Only Ivanka was confused, and at this moment, she instinctively asked in return:
"Breastfeeding? It seems like it affects the chest."
Ivanka, with her new blonde wavy hair, didn't know about their absurd attempts and thought Scarlett had made sacrifices for the child.
Lee lightly coughed and quickly changed the subject, whispering to the confused blonde bombshell next to him:
"Natural gas prices have fallen, and Amaranth's energy investments are in trouble. They expect price fluctuations only by March next year."
"If the current trend continues, their losses could easily exceed 50%. The Wall Street Journal reported this, and the actual situation is even worse."
"If you need relevant professionals, you can start poaching them now."
Axe Capital's "neighbor," with nearly $10 billion in assets under control, has attracted many talents in recent years as a rising large hedge fund.
Having already prepared a plan for the opponent's bankruptcy, Lee didn't mind sharing some inside information before then.
Still responsible for the apartment project with her brother, despite involving some real estate finance, Ivanka could only shake her head, thinking of her strong father:
"I don't know, but I can ask my family in advance. Our salaries aren't high, and we don't have many management positions."
Although Donald has been very famous in recent years, his wealth growth has not been fast.
Compared to Mayor Bloomberg, it's like a turtle's pace.
Without much power in her hands, Melinda didn't want to make things difficult for him and started talking about lighthearted gossip:
"Will you participate in the next season of The Apprentice? NBC seems to be warming up for the show."
Soon, Ivanka started chatting about show gossip.
Compared to tedious work, she actually preferred a life of enjoyment.
Kim, having adjusted her emotions, noticed Lee staring at her.
Her face flushed again, and worried about private topics, she immediately whispered:
"I've been following the Securities Committee."
Lee shook his head.
After returning to Manhattan recently, he had taken the two out for some air.
Compared to work matters, he was more concerned with personal emotions:
"Next summer, we can go back to New Mexico and visit your mother there."
The young woman didn't have as many thoughts.
Hearing Lee's words, Scarlett immediately reminded him:
"The yacht, my dear, our custom-made yacht!"
Scarlett, whose bust had increased by two sizes, couldn't stop thinking about the yacht she had put so much effort into.
Soon, the conversation turned to where they should travel with the yacht.
The few of them chattered incessantly.
Clay Lee leaned back in his chair, feeling that this was the proper pace of life:
"After playing ball for so many years, can't I just enjoy myself?"
"..."
On the evening of the 20th, Kobe, who had dedicated himself to basketball, finally received his reward.
With an 18-6 record, the Dallas Mavericks had another perfect start, but when they challenged the Los Angeles Lakers on the road, they witnessed an outrageous moment.
At halftime, the Dallas Mavericks trailed 44-53, down by 9 points, but as the third quarter reached 17-42, Staples Center erupted.
Kobe Bryant scored 30 points in the third quarter alone, shooting 7-for-13 from the field, 2-for-6 from beyond the arc, and 14-for-16 from the free-throw line, racking up 62 points in three quarters!
His individual score surpassed the entire Dallas Mavericks team, and the Los Angeles Lakers fans finally chanted "MVP" for Kobe!
With a huge lead, Kobe chose to sit on the bench in the fourth quarter.
After being defeated by the Houston Rockets with a last-second shot, Kobe didn't pass the ball in tonight's game and finally vented his anger, with much less frustration in his heart.
After the game, in Staples Center, the Los Angeles Lakers fans once again applauded Kobe, with cheers and shouts also echoing endlessly.
The Dallas Mavericks surrendered early, and most players played less than 30 minutes.
Dirk Nowitzki also sighed during an interview:
"Unbelievable, Kobe Bryant was unstoppable tonight. In my opinion, Kobe Bryant is the strongest scorer in the league!"
In 33 minutes, he shot 18-for-31 from the field, 4-for-10 from beyond the arc, and 22-for-25 from the free-throw line, finishing with 62 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 turnovers.
For Kobe's outstanding performance, Phil Jackson did not stingy praise, no longer mockingly sarcastic, but sincerely said:
"A great performance, and this is not even his ceiling. Without a doubt, Kobe is the strongest scorer in the league this season!"
"Kobe Bryant dedicates himself to basketball, he deserves an MVP!"
On the 21st, Kobe's 62 points in three quarters swept major sports media.
His individual score surpassed the entire Dallas Mavericks team, leaving onlookers amazed.
The charm of statistics is endless.
With continuous high scoring this season, setting a new career high, Kobe's reputation finally began to turn around, and the bad incident of sexual assault was also forgotten by the media.
At the same time, in the MVP selection, critics also began to speak out for Kobe, acknowledging that such a crazy individual performance deserved recognition!
In the TNT show that afternoon, the trio also bragged, but when it came to the MVP award, differences eventually emerged.
The San Antonio Spurs currently have a record of 19 wins and 6 losses, with Duncan surpassing Lee to rank first in the MVP candidate list.
The list indeed had a sympathetic tone, but the San Antonio Spurs' record was solid.
Since Garnett could win the award in the past, Duncan naturally had great hopes this year.
"No one stipulates that the team with a better record should win the award. Duncan is excellent, but since the start of the new season, Kobe's performance has been incredible."
"62 points, Kobe alone defeated the Dallas Mavericks. This is the craziest individual scoring show I've ever witnessed!"
In the studio, Charles Barkley loudly boasted.
Not long ago, he had disparaged Kobe as a cancer, but now he wished he could hand the MVP to him.
Kenny Smith wasn't as excited.
Although he also praised him fiercely, he remained rational when discussing the award:
"The Los Angeles Lakers' record makes it difficult for Kobe Bryant to be very competitive, and his performance is not stable. This is not what a championship-contending team should look like."
"The New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, and Dallas Mavericks all have better records. I lean towards selecting players from those teams."
Since there are no fixed criteria for the award selection, Charles Barkley retorted righteously:
"We must realize one thing: not every player is as lucky as Clay Lee."
"Look at the New York Knicks' roster. Their bench players could even start for some teams."
"Now look at the Los Angeles Lakers, the gap between the two sides is too big! I know it's hard for Kobe to lead the team to win the championship, but his individual performance this year is really too outstanding."
Ernie Johnson also found it difficult to refute this point.
In terms of roster depth, the New York Knicks are naturally second to none, and the high luxury tax is not paid in vain:
"In terms of individual performance, Clay Lee is not bad, and Tim Duncan is also very good."
"For the MVP selection, I would still cast my vote for Tim Duncan, after all, they are the Western Conference's top team, with a far superior record to the Los Angeles Lakers."
With both partners refuting him, Charles Barkley sighed and then said earnestly:
"We should encourage pure basketball players. Kobe trained throughout the offseason, and 62 points is God's answer."
"When discussing individual statistics, no one can compare to Kobe."
Kenny Smith had a strange expression.
His old partner used to dislike evaluating players based on statistics, but his tone had suddenly changed this season:
"Chuck, I need to remind you that Clay Lee is currently averaging 31.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 10.8 assists, and 2.6 steals per game."
"No one can match his efficiency, and in basic stats, he leads the entire league in assists and steals! If nothing unexpected happens, his advanced stats will continue to lead by a large margin this year."
"If only statistics are considered, Clay Lee should have won the MVP award every year for the past few years."
"To win the award, at least the record should be similar to the New York Knicks. Unfortunately, the Los Angeles Lakers are not even in the first tier."
Seeing the teasing glances from his two partners, Charles Barkley finally chose to go for the clicks, declaring confidently:
"If Kobe and Lee swapped teams, perhaps the Los Angeles Lakers' record would be even worse!"
"Clay Lee has never encountered teammates like Kobe Bryant. He hasn't proven himself in such circumstances."
Everyone in the studio was left speechless by this retort, making them unable to argue.
The New York Knicks' roster has always been the best in the league.
On the evening of the 21st, after three days of rest, the New York Knicks welcomed their first game of the week.
The Nets currently have a 12-12 record, dropping out of the first tier, and Kidd's magic is no more.
Repeatedly denying trade rumors about leaving the team, Kidd repeatedly emphasized that he would stay in New Jersey until he brought a championship to the Nets.
Arriving at the familiar Madison Square Garden, Kidd's mood worsened even before the game began.
He didn't know which "great artist" drew a crying cartoon image of him on the whiteboard.
As for the slogans on the whiteboards, they were unbearable, with the most friendly one being "Welcome to the New York Knicks as the Sixth Man."
Excluding salary considerations, New York fans truly understand the game.
Kidd is better suited to lead the bench than Old Fish, and he can seamlessly integrate with Lee.
With a series of recent home games, coupled with the approaching Christmas, the New York fans in attendance were highly enthusiastic, and the Madison Square Garden was exceptionally noisy even before the game started.
Vince Carter's expression was serious.
Since earning the nickname "Black Mamba," he had resolved his inner conflict, and in the new season, he was firing on all cylinders, seemingly wanting to prove himself anew.
This year, Iverson had a resurgence, and he even led Carter in the first round of All-Star voting.
For Carter, who had once nearly become the top vote-getter, such a result was naturally unsatisfactory.
He had complained a couple of times in recent interviews, stating that leaving the Toronto Raptors was not his fault.
When the referee called both teams to the center of the court, Lee, in a good mood, greeted his old friends with a smile.
Jason Collins used to be a mood-setter for the New York Knicks, and the big man naturally greeted him with a smile.
Kidd and Carter both wore long faces.
Both were past their prime, and having lost so much in recent years, they were simply too lazy to act like brothers.
"Go, Bro! I'll call on the fans to vote for you guys!"
After bumping fists with Carter, Lee leaned on his knees and chatted with him.
Kidd, aware of his situation, responded dryly:
"I don't care about the All-Star spot."
Carter remained silent.
He didn't want to be a bench player in the All-Star Game, so he naturally didn't want to pick up on his teammate's words.
Ron Artest kept staring at Carter.
He didn't mind being an All-Star reserve.
In contrast, he was more worried about the Coach of the Year (COY) making selections based on impression, allowing Carter to take his spot.
The referee didn't pay attention to their chitchat and quickly tossed the ball into the air.
Gasol easily won the tip-off.
Kidd, with his rich defensive experience, didn't press forward.
Noticing that Gasol stopped at the three-point line when the New York Knicks crossed half-court, he then chose to stick to him.
Attempting to squeeze through the screen, Kidd continuously slid to the right.
Clay Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, leaned into the defender, suddenly accelerated, and immediately dribbled behind his back after body contact.
Stopping abruptly and switching to his right hand, Lee didn't wait for Kidd to stick to him again, immediately performed a wide behind-the-back dribble, while simultaneously sliding his body to the left.
Instantly creating a step of separation, his left hand touched the ball again.
Lee shook off the tight Defense, lowered his shoulder, and accelerated.
Unable to set a solid screen, Gasol also cut down, decisively moving into the paint, drawing away Collins's Defense.
Amidst the cheers of the fans, Lee, near the three-point line, stopped abruptly again, completing a change of direction with a crossover dribble.
Kidd, who was chasing back on Defense, was attacked on his front support foot.
Although he stopped in time to adjust his center of gravity, he was still forcefully squeezed past by Lee, who held the ball in his right hand.
Collins, who had just retreated to the paint, hadn't reacted yet when Lee had already caught up from behind him.
Under the screen of Gasol's body, Lee easily broke through to the lower right side of the basket, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and scored with a one-handed scoop layup!
The clean and decisive move made the cheers reverberate throughout the Madison Square Garden.
Kidd, who was standing in the paint, showed a helpless expression.
He just felt that his opponent had become stronger.
An injury in the preseason seemed to have caused Kidd to lose some of his athletic ability.
Lee watched him pass the ball after crossing half-court and then teased him:
"No wonder no one's voting for you. You need to show off a bit!"
In recent years, even his flashy passes were gone.
The defeated Kidd seemed to have become a second Iverson, and it was unclear when he would rise again.
Richard Jefferson used a big man's screen to pop out from near the baseline on the right side to the elbow area on the same side, catching the ball on a simple curl cut and immediately shooting!
The basketball bounced off the rim.
Kurt Thomas and Nenad Kostic tangled under the basket, and ultimately, Gasol grabbed the rebound.
Watching Lee receive the ball and start to accelerate, the Nets players desperately retreated on Defense, but the big men were still trailing behind, failing to keep up with the team's pace for a moment.
Dribbling up the middle, as he approached the top of the arc, Lee suddenly executed a powerful dribble with his right hand while on the move.
The basketball was thrown forward, then immediately bounced back into his hand.
Kidd, who was chasing on Defense to his side, misjudged, thinking it was a bounce pass, and moved up.
By the time he reacted, Lee used the force of the ball's rebound to accelerate a second time, squeezing past Kidd in the blink of an eye.
When he broke into the paint, Carter and Jefferson, who had retreated on Defense, both converged towards the basket.
Before they could form a double-team, Lee threw the ball early.
The basketball flew directly to the left corner.
Ron Artest, who was on the fast break, received the ball undefended and made the transition three-pointer.
In the past few games, Lee always managed to pull off flashy moves, which thrilled the New York fans in attendance.
The cheers echoing through the Madison Square Garden made Kidd frown.
He truly hadn't expected that as he aged, Lee would play with even more flair.
The Nets attacked again with the same strategy.
As Jefferson misfired from the left elbow, the two commentators suddenly started discussing a hot topic:
"Without a doubt, the New York Knicks are the better team, and the young men are still on the rise. I love seeing Clay Lee share the ball!"
Walt Frazier praised Lee again when he saw him pass the ball after crossing half-court.
Mike Breen also followed suit with effusive flattery:
"Compared to Kobe's 62 points in the regular season, I still prefer to see Clay Lee's 50+ in the NBA Finals."
"Scoring is not difficult for Lee. Coach DAntoni's decision to increase the rotation is the correct choice."
No sooner had they spoken than, under Lee's screen, Ron Artest, who started from the left corner, received a pass from Gasol on the left wing.
The Defense wasn't clearly communicated, and by the time Richard Jefferson wanted to close out, it was too late.
He watched Ron Artest make another three-pointer.
"Oh!"
0:8, cheers once again echoed through the Madison Square Garden.
After hitting two consecutive three-pointers to start the game, Ron Artest, feeling hot, let out a roar, then energetically chased to Carter's side.
Attempting to use a teammate's screen to shake off the Defense, Carter was ultimately still entangled by Ron Artest when he received the ball in the right block.
Coach DAntoni on the sideline saw Carter turn and fade away for a jump shot after a post-up, and immediately stood up, clapping his hands in approval.
The New York Knicks launched another fast break.
The Moustache, with a smile, put his hands in his pockets and chuckled as he watched Lee call for a pick-and-roll:
"Maybe I can win Coach of the Month (COM) for another month!"
On December 23rd, at 92:114, the fully-recovered New York Knicks narrowly defeated the Nets, then hosted the Utah Jazz at home.
Ever since Deron Williams experienced a disastrous 58-point loss, the Rookie has become a staunch Lee fan.
Not only did he shed his previously unruly attitude, but whenever the media asked relevant questions, Deron would praise him in various flamboyant ways.
Recently, Kobe scored 62 points.
Fisher, as a former teammate, didn't speak ill of him but joined in the praise.
When he arrived at the Madison Square Garden early in the afternoon to warm up, facing the same question, Deron seemed to turn into a fanboy, explicitly boasting:
"62 points? Clay Lee scored 61 points in three quarters against the Houston Rockets in 2002!"
"In that game, he made 13 three-pointers and only had 10 free throws."
"I don't know why everyone is surprised by Kobe's performance. Lee did it long ago!"
Sports media, of course, knew these statistics, but since Lee always checked out after three quarters in the new season, everyone naturally wanted to praise the lone hero Kobe more.
The New York Times reporter was very satisfied with the Rookie's attitude.
Noticing that Coach Jerry Sloan was paying attention, he quickly asked:
"After playing against both of them in the new season, who do you think is the better scorer, Kobe or Lee?"
Although he noticed his teammate had walked to his side, Deron remained steadfast and continued to gush:
"I wouldn't define Clay Lee as a scorer. Point God! That's Lee. He can control the game!"
"Kobe is excellent, but no one is afraid of him. His influence on the game is limited, and basketball is a five-person game."
"If Clay Lee took 30 shots per game, his stats would be even better! But he doesn't do that. Clay Lee has been guiding point guards like me."
"."
Matt Harpring and Mehmet Okur, who had walked to his side, listened in a daze.
Although they had read many reports, they never expected this Rookie to be such a big talker!
Later, when the New York Knicks warmed up, Lee was still unaware that Deron had "surrendered."
He liked his unruly appearance.
Back at home, with the support of the fans, everyone was full of energy.
Sensing his teammates' emotions, Lee naturally wanted to guide them:
"Ron, Bell, continue to teach that kid a lesson tonight!"
"Don't let him score easily after a switch!"
Everyone cheered and clapped.
Lee, dribbling the ball, strolled around the court with a smile.
The two who received the instructions naturally agreed immediately, and Ron Artest even shouted with full motivation:
"This is New York. He won't have an easy night tonight!"
...
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)