Thursday, February 7, 2008, was just one week away from All-Star Weekend, but TNT's program focused on the frequent trades.
This season was the last hurrah for the old guys.
Ever since Kevin Garnett started the'super team craze,' many players have let themselves go.
Shaq's move to the Western Conference once again pushed this topic to a climax.
Even the Shaq, who had been slacking off, was going to make a desperate push, and the younger players' spotlight was completely stolen.
During that night's program, the trio also connected with Phoenix Suns General Manager Steve Kerr.
Both belonged to the same camp, and when discussing this topic, Steve Kerr even spoke his 'true feelings.'
"We had the opportunity to acquire quality players from New York, but this trade was opposed by many!"
"I don't want to deny this point, the Phoenix Suns don't want to see the defending champions continue to maintain their dominance, and they won't provide quality players to their opponents."
"After the Lakers acquired Tim Duncan, we also needed to strengthen our interior. Shaquille O'Neal fits our tactical needs, and more importantly, his attitude is beyond people's imagination."
"Shaq is full of motivation after coming to Phoenix, and our medical team has tailored the most suitable training plan for his body."
"This is the origin of this trade. I believe the Phoenix Suns will go further in the playoffs!"
Steve Kerr maintained a confident smile throughout the call, seeming very satisfied with the trade, while Head Coach Alvin Gentry's opposition on the Phoenix Suns' side was automatically ignored by him.
In Steve Kerr's opinion, Amare Stoudemire is not suitable for playing the center position.
Although he received some guidance during his years in New York, his Defense has started to follow his instincts again in recent years.
The Phoenix Suns' tactical system turned Amare Stoudemire into a player strong in offense and weak in Defense.
Steve Kerr even wanted to complain, "New York is the biggest black shop in the league!"
Kenny Smith nodded repeatedly, feeling there was nothing wrong with this operation.
Instead of trading with the New York Knicks, it was better to prevent them from strengthening:
"What do you think of the current Lakers? They performed exceptionally well in their two road games after the trade, and Tim Duncan seems to have perfectly integrated into the team."
In the studio, Charles Barkley initially wanted to interject a few words, but seeing his partner's gaze, he could only suppress his emotions and listen as Steve Kerr once again offered his insights:
"I must praise General Manager Kupchak's operation. Los Angeles acquired the MVP for a very small price, putting him in a Lakers jersey."
"However, they also have a big problem now. Finding an interior helper for Tim Duncan should be their next priority."
The big man Chris Mihm was automatically ignored.
Although Turiaf was in good form, he was only a power forward.
"Before the trade deadline ends, I believe the Lakers will sign some veterans. They have once again become a championship contender, and it must be said, this is all thanks to Tim Duncan."
Charles Barkley quickly gave his assessment, then thought for a moment and added a few more points:
"Actually, I'm more concerned about the locker room situation. Who will lead this team? In two games, I saw Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan selflessly sharing the ball, but this is only the regular season."
"They have both experienced the Finals and should clearly realize that someone must take on the important task of responding to the ball. Relying solely on Defense will make it difficult to deal with Clay Lee."
When discussing the New York Knicks, Steve Kerr rarely participated in the conversation.
When the call officially ended, Ernie Johnson suddenly announced a piece of news:
"Kevin Garnett suffered an abdominal strain in last night's game against the Clippers and is expected to miss this year's All-Star Weekend."
"It is said that Kevin Garnett had an injury at the end of last month, and the team's record has fluctuated during the period he played with the injury. We hope he recovers soon."
The sudden injury news made Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith look at each other.
Everyone said that Lee played too many games and would get injured sooner or later, but this season, his opponent was the first to break down.
Thinking of those boring column articles, Kenny Smith smiled wryly while offering his blessings, and sighed again:
"It's incredible! Besides some injuries in his rookie season, Clay Lee has maintained his health since entering the league!"
"If he publishes a book on maintaining physical condition this offseason, I will definitely buy a few copies to show my support."
…
There were only three games on Thursday night.
The Cavaliers, who had defeated the Celtics again two days prior, lost on the road, 88:92.
They failed to catch up at the critical moment and ultimately conceded victory.
After losing this game, the Houston Rockets' record came to 27 wins and 22 losses.
Tracy McGrady, who had returned from injury, started talking big again after the game:
"No one is paying attention to us. I don't know why everyone is discussing the Lakers or the Phoenix Suns."
"As long as I can stay healthy, the Houston Rockets are a championship contender. Our roster is better this year, and we should have more players in the All-Star."
Ever since Clay Lee 'mocked' him and Allen Iverson was selected as an All-Star reserve, Tracy McGrady has been like this.
He complains whenever he gets the chance, as if his position was stolen.
Yao Ming didn't quite understand his teammate's feelings.
In terms of attendance, Tracy McGrady would have difficulty being selected, not to mention that many votes came from his side, so not being selected shouldn't be that unacceptable.
With Shaquille O'Neal moving to the Western Conference, the Western Conference seemed to become the stage for big men again.
In response, sports media were more concerned about Yao Ming's situation:
"Yao, according to the Houston Rockets' current record, you are very likely to face the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns in the first round."
"Under these circumstances, do you have the confidence to lead the Houston Rockets through the first round?"
Tracy McGrady glared at the Yahoo Sports reporter with dissatisfaction.
This was treating him as the'second-best.'
Yao Ming, however, didn't think much of it and, after becoming familiar with the league, naturally boasted:
"Basketball games are hard to predict, but I am confident of making further progress in the New Year!"
"We have overcome injury difficulties, and the team is getting better and better. Compared to previous years, my skills are also more refined. This year, the Houston Rockets will achieve more ideal results."
Chinese media once again realized the influence Shaquille O'Neal brought.
Although Shaq was old, he was the only active player besides Lee who had won both MVP and Finals MVP.
Although Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett had won awards, one was a Finals loser, and the other was a Finals rookie, simply incomparable to Shaquille O'Neal.
As for Kobe Bryant, besides scoring titles, All-NBA teams, All-Star MVP, the '81-point Dragon Slayer Award,' the 'Most Like Michael Jordan Award,' and the 'Clay Lee Recognition Award,' he didn't even have an MVP...
The special Mamba belonged to the second tier, only able to be called a championship guard.
The 'Shaquille O'Neal vs. Yao Ming' matchup seemed to be replaying again.
In response, many reporters showed anticipation on their faces.
Occasionally watching big men and changing tastes was also quite good.
On Friday, the 8th, the San Antonio Spurs visited the New York Knicks for the first time after the trade.
New York Media arrived at Madison Square Garden early, not wanting to miss even the morning warm-up.
Gregg Popovich seemed deeply affected.
In just one week, his hair had thinned considerably, his face showed deep fatigue, and his dark circles were visible to the naked eye.
Although he welcomed Andrew Bynum, Gregg Popovich still missed his main player more.
After years of being together, the two were like family to each other.
Not wanting Kobe to steal the spotlight again, Andrew Bynum had intended to perform bravely after the trade, but his knee contusion worsened again after just one game.
So, at this time, he could only respond with his 'big mouth':
"I always wanted to leave Los Angeles. The Lakers' locker room was terrible. If I had gotten the chance earlier, maybe I would have realized my talent by now."
"Kobe Bryant has no leadership. His personality is very strange, and sometimes he's especially arrogant. If he had Clay Lee's efficiency, we wouldn't have an opinion."
"But look at his stats, they're only second-rate. He even wanted to interfere with trades. I don't know why Lakers fans have forgotten about this, but I will keep reminding them."
Andrew Bynum, shaking his head, made a series of revelations.
Kobe's humiliation had made their relationship extremely bad, and he would stomp on his former teammate whenever he had the chance.
Kwame Brown, wearing a San Antonio Spurs jersey, had a bitter expression.
The new team's locker room atmosphere wasn't great either.
Bruce Bowen had completely lost his cool and would even 'vent his anger' on them.
"Relax, man, you have to get used to the locker room. Actually, Bruce is a very easy-going guy."
Tony Parker actively helped his new teammate 'break the ice.'
With Tim Duncan gone, he was the true core of the team.
Although the Frenchman felt regret, he also felt a little secretly pleased.
Looking at the other party's smiling face, Kwame Brown remembered that his goddess Eva had been taken away.
Some of the Lakers' atmosphere group who came here had already been laid off.
For his own future, he could only try his best to integrate into the team:
"Yeah! I know, I'm just a bit confused. Why would those excited fans burn Tim Duncan's jersey? It's too crazy! Honestly, I was scared."
The jersey-burning activities were still ongoing.
The better Tim Duncan did in Los Angeles, the more fiercely San Antonio Spurs fans burned jerseys.
Kwame Brown witnessed one firsthand, which left him dumbfounded.
"Who knows what those guys are thinking? Tim Duncan could have even waited until the offseason to leave. Anyway, don't mind those crazy fans, most communities are very friendly."
Tony Parker gossiped quietly, then shook his head.
The San Antonio Spurs currently had a record of 30 wins and 17 losses.
Compared to previous years, their record was not good enough, so he had to carry the team in the second half, which was a huge test for the Frenchman.
Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan's other long-time teammate, had been in low spirits.
Without Tim Duncan's 'head pat,' he always felt a bit unaccustomed.
Hearing Assistant Coach Mike Budenholzer's call, the Argentinian finally stopped his shooting warm-up and came before him, hearing the instruction:
"Manu, you'll continue to start tonight. We need to completely rally. The team will immediately transition, and this is also your opportunity!"
…
Manu Ginobili nodded, asked a couple of brief questions, and then resumed training.
He didn't know if this transition would be successful, but as long as they could win in New York, he would give it his all.
At 7:30 PM, Madison Square Garden was even livelier than usual.
For those who love a good show, they were already impatient!
"Tim Duncan abandoned you!"
After the game began, the shouts somewhat broke the San Antonio Spurs players, and Bruce Bowen seemed affected, missing both of his two shots from beyond the arc.
The director also frequently aimed the camera at Head Coach Popovich, whose face grew even uglier, wishing he could personally rush into the stands and shut up those fun-loving people!
What does it feel like to be the core?
Parker felt like he was about to collapse.
Against some teams, they could still run their regular plays, but facing an old opponent like the New York Knicks, both sides understood each other too well, and even minor mistakes would be amplified.
Shortly after the game started, due to Lee's lead Defense forcing Parker to pass the ball early, the Frenchman passed the ball to Kwame Brown in the right elbow area, signaling for a hand-off play.
However, the big man seemed overly nervous.
When he turned sideways to hand off the ball, he first missed Parker's back cut and couldn't pass in time.
After stepping up and raising the ball, while still observing the Defense, the ball was poked away by Pau Gasol in front of him.
Watching the basketball suddenly fly out, Parker, who had just moved to the top of the arc, cursed under his breath, starting at the same time as Lee, then being squeezed behind him.
"Oh!"
Amidst the cheers, Parker, who was scrambling for the ball, ultimately fell sideways onto the floor, watching as Lee gained control of the ball, accelerating after crossing half-court, and then delivering a gliding dunk unopposed!
"Shit!"
Parker, pulled up by his teammates, cursed under his breath.
Every time he came to New York, he had bad luck, but collapsing at the start of the game was rare.
Tonight, he suddenly had an ominous premonition.
In the next few minutes, on the San Antonio Spurs bench, the assistant coaches watched the two big men on the opposing team wreak havoc in the paint, repeatedly grabbing offensive rebounds, and for a moment, they could only look at each other.
Driving with the ball, shooting upon receiving, and grabbing offensive rebounds after misses, the New York Knicks showcased "savage basketball" in the first quarter, relentlessly pressing and limiting the San Antonio Spurs to only 2 transition attacks.
Under adversity, Parker's pull-up jumpers after pick-and-rolls also became inaccurate, and to avoid fouls, he watched Lee easily break through several times in the latter half of the first quarter.
At 14:39, relying on Manu Ginobili's performance, the San Antonio Spurs barely maintained the score difference.
On the ESPN commentary desk, Hubie Brown, who had specifically come to New York, only commented briefly after the game started.
His words grew fewer and fewer.
The veteran coach looked at the statistics and finally sighed:
"This is Tim Duncan's influence. Perhaps we are all used to his performance with the San Antonio Spurs, but only at this moment do we truly understand how important he is to the team."
A crushing victory.
Mike Breen also recognized the talent suppression and now chuckled as he added:
"Perhaps in the future, we can only hope Andrew Bynum fulfills his talent. For the San Antonio Spurs to rise again, Parker and Manu Ginobili also need to perform better."
Robert Horry on the bench showed a numb expression.
Like Bruce Bowen, he knew the team was completely finished after Duncan left.
The coaching staff's instructions went in one ear and out the other.
When Horry was about to enter the game, he actively patted Bruce Bowen, who was looking down.
The two had already decided to officially retire during the offseason and bid farewell to the painful basketball.
"Tim Duncan abandoned you!"
"..."
The larger the score difference, the more joyful the shouts.
During halftime, as more and more fans cheered wildly to the music, the San Antonio Spurs players, attempting to warm up early and find their rhythm, clanged their shots.
Ultimately, at 76:135, the San Antonio Spurs suffered a crushing 59-point defeat.
The moment the game ended, Gregg Popovich stood frozen in place, only feeling the shouts in his ears growing louder and louder:
"Tim Duncan abandoned you!"
Walking distractedly to the scorer's table, Gregg Popovich saw Mike D'Antoni's smiling face but couldn't hear what he was saying.
He numbly withdrew his left hand, took two steps, and suddenly collapsed onto the floor.
"OMG! Doctor!"
Mike D'Antoni, who had stopped, rushed to Gregg Popovich's side immediately, shouting and waving to the staff of both teams.
The league staff at the scorer's table were also startled, and everyone gathered around.
Lee also stopped chatting with Kwame Brown.
Seeing more and more onlookers, he quickly ran over to separate the crowd, simultaneously shouting a reminder:
"Calm down, make some space! Let the Head Coach breathe, and let the medical personnel come in first..."
"God, it seems he's stopped breathing..."
"Move aside, Doctor!!"
The scene was chaotic.
Mike Budenholzer on the outermost perimeter seemed completely stunned, staring blankly as Gregg Popovich was carried away.
He only came to his senses after being patted twice on the shoulder:
"I believe Head Coach Popovich will pull through."
Watching Lee say this with a pained expression, Mike Budenholzer was completely dumbfounded, his lips trembling slightly, and he asked in a low voice with wide eyes:
"Greg isn't breathing?"
Lee didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
He patted the other person twice again, then pointed to the San Antonio Spurs medical personnel who were surrounded, explaining and reminding at the same time:
"I think it's just a syncope caused by high blood pressure. Don't worry, we should help them now."
"Thank you very much, Lee, thank you very much for your help."
Mike Budenholzer thanked him loudly with a grateful expression, then hurried away.
Lee felt a tiny bit of guilt when he heard this, after all, it was a "tragedy" he had orchestrated.
However, as soon as he thought about the San Antonio Media and Gregg Popovich criticizing his "commercial basketball" in previous years, Lee instantly cast aside his guilt:
"Good people indeed receive God's favor!"
On Saturday, February 9th, the New York Media unanimously praised Lee's calm performance last night.
Gregg Popovich was rescued after being sent to the hospital, and the Daily News even used an exaggerated headline:
"10 Seconds of Life and Death, Clay Lee Saved Gregg Popovich's Life!"
As for why the old man fainted at Madison Square Garden, the New York Media all seemed to have amnesia.
No one mentioned crushing the opponent by 59 points.
A columnist for the San Antonio Express-News, on the other hand, denounced New York's basketball atmosphere.
San Antonio Spurs fans also complained on Reddit that the New York Knicks shouldn't have won by so much, and some even thought Clay Lee did it on purpose!
The New York fans naturally had to refute the opponent's slanders:
"Giving your all is the greatest respect," "The sacred place of basketball respects every opponent"...
The two sides argued endlessly on the internet, and on Sunday, NBC's morning news also began reporting on the gossip, and the matter quickly went viral.
The New York Knicks had already finished their road back-to-back games and returned to New York.
Before the All-Star Weekend, they only had one away game left.
The Lakers, who were still on their Eastern Conference road trip, were quickly surrounded by reporters in Charlotte.
The news of Gregg Popovich's hospitalization had swept across the United States, and everyone wanted to see Duncan's attitude at this time.
To everyone's disappointment, reporters quickly found that Duncan was not among the Lakers.
Phil Jackson stepped forward, and the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man explained with a serious expression:
"Tim has already flown to New York. We all know his feelings for Head Coach Popovich."
"Stop reporting those boring stories and let's focus on the game."
Kobe also did not accept interviews.
The Lakers had recently achieved a winning streak, and Duncan's arrival had indeed helped a lot, and the locker room had returned to peace.
"I saw the news, it's unbelievable, maybe Gregg Popovich will leave the NBA after this. New York's home court is indeed terrifying."
Old Fish started gossiping with a knowing look.
Lamar Odom also seemed to recall his experience of being beaten badly in the Eastern Conference, glanced at Kobe, and whispered:
"It is said that Clay Lee intentionally humiliated the opponent with a large score..."
Soon, several people gathered around Old Fish to gossip, and even Kobe quietly joined them, then his eyelids twitched slightly, seriously suspecting there was still a traitor in the Lakers:
"Lee never does such boring things. JR Smith, I looked at the statistics, that guy made 6 three-pointers in garbage time!"
"As long as the New York Knicks are leading the opponent, role players usually get more opportunities. Lee likes to share stats, you know, in my two years in New York, my three-point shooting percentage exceeded 40%!"
Sasha Vujacic secretly glanced at Kobe, whose face was dark, and after being glared at by him, he awkwardly ran his hand through his long hair, but his heart yearned:
"New York basketball..."
On Wednesday, February 13th, as Head Coach Rivers confirmed that Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett would not be on the team's active roster that night, game interest plummeted.
The second battle against the New York Knicks lost its suspense due to injuries.
Ray Allen was in good physical condition, and Kevin Garnett withdrew from the All-Star, so he got the replacement spot.
With the Celtics only scoring 40 points in the first half, Head Coach Rivers knew the game was already lost.
On the MSG commentary desk, Walt Frazier was beaming.
His opponent next door had collapsed on their own, and tonight was practically a free win:
"After winning this game, our record comes to 47 wins and 6 losses, basically securing a playoff spot, and in my opinion, the league's number one spot is also without suspense!"
"Congratulations to Clay Lee for winning MVP again. I really can't think of a reason not to vote for him. The GOAT is still dominating this league."
Losing this game, the Celtics' record would be set at 40 wins and 10 losses.
Although excellent, it still couldn't compare to the New York Knicks.
Mike Breen was also all smiles at this moment:
"Securing the number one spot means we will have home-court advantage in the playoffs for 10 consecutive years!"
"This record is still ongoing, it's unbelievable. I find it hard to imagine that any team in the future will be able to break such an exaggerated record."
"..."
While the two were bragging on the commentary desk, in the away team's locker room, Marbury and Pierce both had long faces.
Kevin Garnett, who had a strained abdominal muscle, was surprisingly energetic, punching the air and giving a speech in front of everyone.
Ray Allen, in a black suit, did not respond actively, sitting quietly in his seat, looking at the blank whiteboard opposite him.
He then recalled the coach's reaction after recent losses and helplessly complained to himself:
"How many of the 100 sets of tactics are left now..."
....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)