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A cote x hikigaya crossover.

Ryuga from Beyblade in Pokemon World.

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***

On February 1, 2001, the NBA announced its Player of the Month for January, with Allen Iverson of the 76ers successfully winning the award.

Before the All-Star Game, Allen Iverson led his team to a 12-3 record, and his MVP ranking had already climbed to second place!

He averaged 44.4 minutes per game, scoring 34.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.7 steals, 0.4 blocks, and 3.2 turnovers per game.

He averaged 26.2 field goal attempts per game, with a 45.5% field goal percentage, 4.3 three-point attempts per game, and a 34.4% three-point percentage.

He averaged 11.2 free throws per game, with an 82.7% free throw percentage.

With these statistics in January, Allen Iverson was elated, and his team’s record continued to relentlessly pursue the Knicks.

Shaquille O’Neal suffered an injury, playing on and off in January, which ultimately allowed the Sacramento Kings to overtake them, and Kobe Bryant consequently lost the Player of the Month award.

In contrast, the Knicks achieved a 9-2 record in January, and although their performance was good, Clay Lee’s Excel did not surpass Allen Iverson’s.

The competition among the three became a hot topic for sports commentators, but because Shaquille O’Neal was still the leader of the Lakers, Kobe Bryant was a little awkward, and every time they lost, he would be criticized.

With good news, Allen Iverson arrived in New York in high spirits on the evening of the 1st.

He chose not to take his entourage to nightclubs but instead followed Head Coach Larry Brown’s instructions to continue training and prepare for the game.

Clay Lee only won minor honors like Player of the Week and Player of the Month a maximum of four times in a season.

These awards were more for motivating other outstanding players and for star-making.

Lee did not care about these awards, but for Allen Iverson, Player of the Month represented a form of recognition.

Before the game started at 8 PM that night, Allen Iverson, who had received the Player of the Month award, regained his usual confidence when facing sports media interviews:

“I’m very happy to receive this award, it means I was the best player in the league in January.”

“The 76ers will make it to the Finals this year, and I will fulfill my promise to Philadelphia!”

“I don’t care how outsiders judge my playing style. As long as I can win, I will keep shooting. I just want to pursue victory!”

Watching the confident Allen Iverson, the Philadelphia sports media felt very relieved.

This was the statement of a qualified leader.

However, for the New York Media, the so-called pursuit of victory was just stat-padding.

Allen Iverson, full of anticipation, believed the 76ers could now contend with the Knicks, but once the game began, a familiar scenario unfolded.

Continuing to play as the point guard, Allen Iverson went 4-for-16 against Clay Lee in the first half, scoring 8 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 turnovers, showcasing a very all-around performance.

42:54, seeing the 12-point deficit, Madison Square Garden erupted once again!

Even though Iverson’s open three-pointers suddenly started falling in the third quarter, scoring 13 points in that quarter, the deficit did not shrink.

What frustrated Head Coach Larry Brown even more on the sidelines was that Theo Ratliff strained his thigh upon landing after attempting to block Lee’s layup on a defensive possession, forcing him to leave the game.

Ultimately, this game, which Iverson had anticipated for a month, ended in another defeat.

87:104, the Knicks narrowly defeated the 76ers.

Playing 47 minutes, Iverson shot 11-for-30, 3-for-4 from three-point range, and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line, finishing with 31 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 6 turnovers.

After the game, he turned and left.

Without even seeing the next day’s newspaper, Iverson knew he would once again be labeled an “inefficient stat-padder.”

Interestingly, “stat-padder” was also a label the Los Angeles Media had tailored for Lee.

His “vampiric” playing style this season made his Excel even more impressive, and the jealous Los Angeles Media criticized Lee’s all-around statistics every now and then.

For New York fans, everyone loved to see Lee’s all-encompassing performance, and the cheers continued non-stop after the game.

Playing 39 minutes, Lee shot 11-for-23, 3-for-7 from three-point range, and 8-for-10 from the free-throw line, finishing with 33 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and 3 turnovers.

Clay Lee’s performance was “unremarkable,” even somewhat inefficient, but in contrast to Allen Iverson, this nationally televised game once again showcased the demeanor of an All-Star.

After the game, NBC reporter Jim Gray did not kick him while he was down, nor did he mention the game itself.

Instead, he chuckled and continued to hype up the upcoming All-Star Weekend:

“Lee, why did you decline the invitation to the Three-Point Contest at this year’s All-Star Weekend? I think the fans definitely won’t like this news.”

Hearing the other party’s exaggerated statement, Lee, who had already changed into his training clothes, also smiled, and then very naturally showed off:

“If I win the championship again, fans will get tired of my performance.”

“Most importantly, I want to leave some opportunities for other players. Three trophies are already great. This year, I will cheer for my teammates!”

Hearing Lee “loan” a championship, Jim Gray didn’t feel awkward at all.

Instead, he continued to heap praise, and the two stood courtside engaging in a mutual commercial flattery session.

Iverson, who attended the post-game press conference, was in low spirits, the joy of receiving the Player of the Month award having completely vanished.

No matter how he performed, no matter how good the 76ers’ record was, Iverson always felt that Lee was constantly one step ahead of him.

New York Post reporters were never known for their politeness.

After everyone else had asked their questions, one suddenly stood up and asked:

“Allen, why did you shoot 30 times? Have you considered sharing the ball more with your teammates?”

Iverson, wearing a baggy black casual suit and a gold chain on stage, was already impatient.

Upon hearing the question, he emphasized again:

“I don’t care about stats at all. I just play for the win. Think whatever you want, my teammates trust me, so I’ll keep shooting!”

Philadelphia media reporters cheered in agreement.

They were already very satisfied with the current results.

However, the New York Media’s hushed whispers soon made Allen Iverson’s face darken:

“Has he ever beaten Clay? I don’t even remember.”

Lee had an extremely poor relationship with his fellow rookies, and the New York Media certainly contributed significantly to that.

At the end of January, the NBA announced the reserve rosters for the 2001 Washington All-Star Weekend:

The 7 Eastern Conference All-Star reserves were: Allan Houston, Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson, Jerry Stackhouse, Tracy McGrady, Anthony Mason, and Theo Ratliff.

The 7 Western Conference All-Star reserves were: Gary Payton, Michael Finley, Kevin Garnett, Antonio McDyess, Rasheed Wallace, David Robinson, and Karl Malone.

As the games progressed in February, players suffered injuries, and soon the All-Star rosters also changed.

Stephon Marbury of the Nets, Dikembe Mutombo of the Atlanta Hawks, and Antonio Davis of the Toronto Raptors replaced the injured Grant Hill, Alonzo Mourning, and Theo Ratliff.

Shaquille O’Neal was officially confirmed to miss the All-Star Game, and Vlade Divac of the Sacramento Kings also moved up to become an All-Star.

In the Eastern Conference All-Star starting lineup, Anthony Mason and Antonio Davis entered as starters.

In the Western Conference All-Star, Kevin Garnett also entered the starting lineup.

After Dikembe Mutombo secured his All-Star spot, he publicly addressed the media, stating:

“I am willing to give my All-Star spot to Ewing, he deserves to be an All-Star!”

Gorilla also received 600,000 votes for this year’s All-Star, ranking 4th among Eastern Conference centers.

Eastern Conference All-Star Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy and Western Conference All-Star Head Coach Rick Adelman also hoped to make this happen, and everyone was just waiting for the league’s approval.

In his final year of his professional career, Ewing naturally wanted to play in the All-Star Game, but unfortunately, in his “duel” with Hakeem Olajuwon, Gorilla overexerted himself and suffered a strain.

On the evening of February 5th, the Knicks played a back-to-back road game against the Houston Rockets.

This game essentially turned into a personal show for Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon.

Everyone was very supportive, and the fans cheered for the former “Four Great Centers.”

Lewis and Artest, however, showed no respect for their elder brothers, clanking shots throughout the game.

Ultimately, the Knicks suffered their first loss in February, 90:102.

Ewing shot 6-for-12, scoring 14 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, and 3 turnovers.

Hakeem Olajuwon shot 7-for-9, scoring 18 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and 2 turnovers.

After the game, Ewing and Olajuwon embraced and exchanged jerseys, smiling continuously as they faced the sports media present.

Upon returning to the locker room, Ewing revealed a pained expression, startling Jeff Van Gundy.

After examination by the team’s medical staff, Ewing could only sigh with regret:

“Looks like I won’t have a chance to participate in the All-Star Game.”

When the coaching staff heard the team doctor confirm that he would need at least half a month of rest, they could only look at each other.

Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy frowned slightly, thinking about the upcoming schedule, but still offered his blessings:

“Pat, don’t worry about the team, get some good rest!”

Luc Longley, who had recently recovered from his injury, was still a minor presence on the team.

His lateral movement was too slow, and Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy did not like to use this big man too much.

Lee comforted Gorilla, then silently calculated the remaining schedule for February.

There were no back-to-back games, but at the end of the month, the team still had to continue their Western trip.

The combination of Lewis and Ben Wallace was mediocre, as most teams had already thoroughly figured out Ben’s technical characteristics.

Ron Artest didn’t care about any of this and was still discussing with the hype squad whether he could see his idol Michael Jordan in Washington.

Allan Houston was also calculating the upcoming schedule and leaned close to Lee, whispering,

“With Pat injured, it’s acceptable to lose some games once Grant recovers.”

“We still have a chance to get 60 wins, and maybe even the best record in the NBA!”

Before the All-Star Game, the Knicks’ leading record was precisely to prepare for later losses.

Thinking that most opponents were still Eastern Conference teams, Lee finally smiled and joked,

“Perhaps this is the advantage of playing in the Eastern Conference!”

On February 7th, the Knicks, back at home, successfully defeated the Dallas Mavericks.

80:103, the game was decided in three quarters, which thrilled New York fans!

This kind of game, where both sides threw three-pointers, frequently initiated fast breaks, and often featured dunks, was indeed more exciting to watch.

Perhaps because chinese players were about to enter the NBA, Su Qun, a reporter from Titan Sports, also brought his staff to New York to watch the Dallas Mavericks game.

Dirk Nowitzki shot 2-for-14 throughout the game, scoring only 6 points.

It wasn’t that the Knicks’ Defense was particularly good.

He just couldn’t make his shots.

After watching a few games, the staff of Titan Sports were very much looking forward to Wang Zhizhi, who was about to enter the NBA, and many even had some confident thoughts:

“Dirk Nowitzki is nothing special!”

(A/N: Overconfident chinese 😂)

Although Su Qun didn’t have many opportunities to report on the NBA, he understood how difficult it was to gain a foothold in the NBA.

After the game, everyone in the press conference room was discussing in hushed tones:

“It’s incredible that thin guy can play such basketball. No matter how many times I watch it, I’m still shocked.”

“Dirk Nowitzki looks average too. Wang Zhizhi might have a chance to replace him as the Dallas Mavericks’ core. Don Nelson appreciates him very much!”

“It’s truly a good opportunity. It would have been even better if he could have entered the NBA earlier.”

Upon mentioning this topic, the few people suddenly fell silent.

It was already not easy for him to come out.

Su Qun looked at his optimistic colleagues and suddenly realized that everyone was using Lee as a reference.

His similar ancestry seemed to give everyone endless confidence.

However, the longer he stayed in New York and the more information he accessed, the more Su Qun felt that Lee and chinese players were from two different worlds.

It’s like Lee isn’t from china at all, though it’s true, but Imagination knows no bounds.

Looking at his colleagues who were still envisioning the future, Su Qun could only say helplessly, “It’s never easy for a second-round pick to gain a foothold in the NBA.”

“Rashad Lewis of the Knicks can be used as a reference. This is his third year in his career, and he has only just officially entered the rotation.”

“…”

The Knicks concluded their pre-All-Star Game schedule with a record of 37 wins and 10 losses, continuing to lead the entire NBA.

The 76ers, after losing to the Houston Rockets, had a record of 35 wins and 15 losses, placing them second in the Eastern Conference.

In the Western Conference, after a winning streak, the Lakers had a record of 31 wins and 16 losses, while the San Antonio Spurs surpassed the Sacramento Kings with a record of 31 wins and 15 losses.

The Knicks’ significant lead also kept Clay Lee firmly in first place on the MVP candidate list.

On Thursday, February 8th, there were still four games that day.

In the morning, on TNT’s program, the three began discussing the records at the halfway point of the season.

Perhaps the text messages from Kobe and Iverson had provoked Charles Barkley, as the loudmouth had been constantly criticizing the two recently:

“Allen Iverson doesn’t like me. I’ve received his text message, but what I want to say is that championships don’t lie.”

“He is no longer a rookie. If you measure his performance by MVP standards, I still insist that Allen Iverson is unqualified.”

“I also won’t discuss Kobe and Lee together. To become an MVP, you first have to be the best player on your team.”

“On the Lakers, Shaq is the core. Halfway through the season, Kobe has performed well, but he is still quite far from the MVP.”

Kenny Smith was already astonished by his partner’s thick skin.

The show was not usually like this, but for the sake of ratings, he had to follow suit and contribute:

“Lee’s performance is indeed surprising. Without Grant Hill, second-year Ron Artest, and third-year Lewis, they are indeed excellent players.”

“But ultimately, it was Lee who activated his teammates. Perhaps we should re-examine his tactical approach. The Knicks rarely even run low-post offense. Head Coach Van Gundy seems to have unearthed a new tactical system.”

Ernie Johnson was not thick-skinned enough either.

After repeatedly criticizing the three, he could only follow along and say good things:

“After the All-Star Game, that will be the real test for them. The youngsters have performed exceptionally well this season. In my opinion, they are all MVPs!”

“…”

Kobe, who had already flown to Washington, watched the program in his hotel with a dark expression.

On the MVP rankings, he couldn’t even squeeze into the top 5.

It wasn’t because of his stats.

It was simply because he wasn’t the leader of the Lakers, because he played alongside O’Neal.

Vanessa, seeing Kobe sulking, paid no mind.

She picked out a dress and said happily,

“Don’t watch those boring TV shows. How about I wear this black dress tonight?”

The couple had been married for over a year.

Kobe, coming back to his senses, merely responded mechanically,

“Absolutely perfect. Tonight, you will definitely be the most beautiful girl in the room!”

“…”

Before All-Star Weekend, Michael Jordan hosted a charity banquet, using his influence to invite friends and famous players.

That night, in the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, Michael Jordan smiled brightly, seemingly having forgotten about the underperforming Washington Wizards.

Clay Lee, who had received an invitation and flown to Washington that morning, changed into a proper black suit.

After greeting Michael Jordan, he went to Matt Parker, Nike’s Vice President.

“Besides Charles, why haven’t I seen anyone from the Washington Wizards? I looked around, and there wasn’t a single person!”

People came and went in the banquet hall.

Lee, holding a glass of champagne, quietly asked Matt Parker.

“You should know Michael. He hates losing, so he has no affection for the Washington Wizards players.”

Matt Parker, also in a black suit, quietly joked about the unlucky Washington Wizards players.

Noticing Kobe and the Adidas staff on the other side, Matt Parker chuckled and reassured Lee again:

“Lee, as long as you maintain the NBA’s best record, the MVP is yours. We’ve invested heavily in advertising, so don’t worry about the media causing trouble.”

Lee smiled and nodded, clinking glasses with him.

Everything was unsaid.

All the guests had arrived.

Michael Jordan, wearing a loose black suit, tapped his glass and said with a smile,

“I’m delighted that everyone could attend this banquet. Here are my old friends, friends from Washington. I thank everyone for their support in hosting the All-Star Game.”

“It’s regrettable that no one from my team made it into this All-Star. But I invited Clay Lee. He is a true winner, and I believe you will all like him!”

Lee smiled and raised his glass to everyone, and the sponsors and City Hall staff returned his smile.

Michael Jordan continued his speech, playfully teasing the underperforming Washington Wizards.

The atmosphere quickly became lively.

On the other side, Kobe felt out of place.

He had thought that his big brother inviting him meant he could be the center of attention, but the spotlight was once again stolen by Lee.

Noticing Vanessa beside him also looking in Lee’s direction, Kobe was instantly consumed by jealousy: “Why is it you again?!”

…..

By the way, don’t forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me 🙂

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep