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Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.

The return of Itachi

I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.

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***

On December 26, 2001, after the Christmas War, sports media once again went into a frenzy.

The injured Shaquille O’Neal had been silent before the game but suddenly accepted an interview after the game ended.

Shaquille O’Neal, who was recuperating in Los Angeles, was very concerned about his teammates.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, he expressed his desire to return to the team as soon as possible:

“It’s a shame to see the team lose, but I think Kobe’s performance was excellent. Not everyone is good at dealing with double-teams.”

“Even after the loss, we are still number one in the Western Conference. I will return to the team as soon as possible!”

Shaquille O’Neal had obviously watched last night’s Christmas War, but his response seemed to be mocking his teammates.

85:105, the Lakers lost by 20 points in the Christmas War.

They were completely blown out from the first quarter.

6-of-20 shooting, 0-of-3 from beyond the arc, 4-of-6 free throws, 16 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 turnovers.

As the leader, Kobe delivered a double-double last night.

This morning, the column article in the sports section of the New York Times was titled:

“Ron Artest Ends the MVP!”

With his excellent performance in the first two months, Kobe ranked first on the MVP candidate list.

After one Christmas War, public opinion took a sharp turn for the worse.

The Los Angeles Media was silent, and Kobe, who accepted an interview after the game, just kept repeating:

“We just couldn’t make shots.”

However, the commentators weren’t blind.

Besides not making shots, the Lakers were mostly playing wildly.

In the second half, Kobe stopped passing the ball, frequently attempting forced jump shots over two defenders.

Compared to Kobe’s brick-laying, Lee’s performance was unremarkable.

In 38 minutes of play, he shot 14-of-22, 7-of-11 from three-point range, and 9-of-10 from the free-throw line, totaling 44 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, and 3 turnovers.

With a large lead, New York fans cheered Clay Lee’s name throughout the Madison Square Garden, causing him to play some garbage time in the fourth quarter.

This was his third 40+ point game this month.

Commentators were already numb to such statistics.

No one questioned Lee’s scoring ability anymore.

Not long ago, the New York Media had just celebrated Clay Lee’s career achievement of 10,000 points.

At 23 years and 347 days old, he became the youngest 10,000-point scorer in NBA history.

This kind of statistical accumulation was a natural progression, and Clay Lee didn’t care about it at all, as his goal was 40,000 points, to be the all-time leading scorer.

On the evening of the 26th, Kobe, as the team leader, led the Lakers to another loss on the road against the Golden State Warriors.

90:101, Kobe’s 39 points did not bring victory to the team.

This kind of loss was similar to the Knicks’ previous situation, with the Lakers shooting 5-of-24 from beyond the arc, a three-point percentage of 20.8%.

When his teammates were missing shots, Kobe chose not to trust them, taking 28 shots in the entire game, and naturally, he was criticized by commentators afterward.

On Thursday, the 27th, on TNT’s program, the trio also didn’t miss the latest hot topic, discussing the definition of a “boss”:

“Without a doubt, the Lakers are still Shaq’s team. Kobe is an excellent scorer, but he is not a qualified leader.”

“When facing double-teams, Kobe’s ball-handling is too far off from Lee’s. Forcing shots over two defenders is the worst offensive option.”

Charles Barkley continued to stir the pot as always.

The show’s production team always received text messages from players and agents, but the trio was already used to it.

The viewership indeed increased significantly compared to before.

Kenny Smith, who doesn’t offend players, continued to play peacemaker at this point:

“Different players have different leadership styles. Kobe is not a point guard. He is just fulfilling his role.”

“It’s not a problem for a scorer to want to score more points. If the Lakers’ role players could perform better, perhaps the situation would be completely different.”

One was serious and earnest, the other had a smile on his face.

Ernie Johnson didn’t want to discuss the comparison between Kobe and Lee too much, so he changed the subject and said:

“The Knicks’ ball distribution is indeed very good. Even after a four-game losing streak, Lee returned to his usual rhythm after increasing his shot attempts.”

“Perhaps this is related to the competitive environment in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks are still first in the Eastern Conference despite their losses, and Lee has enough confidence to share the ball.”

Charles Barkley suddenly thought of Michael Jordan at this point and began to digress, commenting:

“If I were a role player, I would choose to play with Clay Lee. If I were a rookie, I would look forward to joining the Knicks.”

“Not because the Knicks are the defending champions, but because Lee can give me more opportunities.”

“Pau Gasol will undoubtedly win Rookie of the Month this month, and Kwame Brown, well, everyone might have forgotten about him!”

“Kobe is still imitating Michael Jordan. I don’t like their arrogance. Jordan’s comeback, in my opinion, is also a terrible choice.”

This topic was a bit sensitive.

Kenny Smith flipped through the statistics in his hand and didn’t join the discussion.

Instead, he joked to Ernie Johnson:

“After the show airs, we’re going to receive a lot of letters and text messages again.”

After the Christmas War, the Knicks had only two games left to play in 2001.

Aside from the monotonous daily shooting practice, the coaching staff also relaxed, preparing for the arrival of the New Year.

During his rare time off, Lee was busy walking his dog every day and fulfilling his sponsor’s requests.

After all, the dog food advertisement needed to be updated before the All-Star Game, and Happy was eating functional diet dog food, so he couldn’t suddenly get fat.

The Knicks players also felt fulfilled every day.

Although the boss didn’t completely blend in with everyone, as long as they performed well in practice, they could still get playing time.

Brevin Knight’s recent performance had been mediocre after his injury.

After Christmas, Jeff Van Gundy, after failing to bring in his trusted favorite Charlie Ward again, was always distracted during practice.

On the plane to Cleveland on the 28th, Assistant Coach Don Chaney saw the Bald Young Coach spacing out again and couldn’t help but nudge Thibodeau next to him:

“Jeff has been off lately. Is there a problem at home?”

Thibodeau naturally couldn’t tell the truth.

Looking at his “competitor,” he could only make up a story:

“He’s probably thinking about the team’s rotation. You know, the schedule is getting tighter and tighter, and if injuries occur, our record will definitely be affected.”

Once Jeff Van Gundy leaves, Don Chaney, who has won Coach of the Year (COY), has a very high chance of taking over the Head Coach position.

Thibodeau was hesitant also because his resume was not as good as the other party’s.

More importantly, he felt that the Bald Young Coach had no say with the management, so even if he designated the next Head Coach, it probably wouldn’t be of any use.

Don Chaney looked at the Bald Young Coach again, then shook his head at the rest of the coaching staff.

No one guessed that Jeff Van Gundy wanted to leave.

In everyone’s eyes, the Knicks’ Head Coach position was a win-win for fame and fortune.

On the evening of the 28th, the Knicks continued their recent hot streak.

By the end of the first quarter, the score was 28:16.

The Cavaliers’ home attendance was very good tonight.

The live director frequently focused the camera on LeBron James, who was sitting in the front row.

This Akron high school student had already gained considerable fame in the local area.

With a record of 11 wins and 17 losses, the Cavaliers’ performance was poor, but the home commentator didn’t mind.

Looking at the young LeBron James, he even began to imagine and say:

“In two years at most, Cleveland will welcome our own Clay-Lee!”

“Anyone who has seen LeBron James play will not doubt his ability.”

There are many talented high school students, but LeBron James’s popularity has been rising rapidly recently, attracting a large number of scouts.

The Cavaliers’ Andre Miller was not in a good mood, especially during the second quarter’s rotation when he saw Lee still on the court, making him feel even worse.

He shot 1-of-5 in the first quarter, scoring a mere 2 points, and was also stolen from twice.

Andre Miller had wanted to perform well, as so many fans had bought tickets to watch the game, but the result was counterproductive.

Perhaps because they didn’t have high expectations for their record, the Cavaliers played more casually, neither strengthening their Defense nor launching strong attacks.

100:87, the entire game had no fluctuations, the point difference hovered around 12 points, and the Knicks continued their winning streak!

Unlike ordinary New York fans, the young LeBron James didn’t ask for an autograph, but just looked at Clay Lee, who was surrounded by reporters, with an envious gaze.

Ron Artest, who had been a bit arrogant recently, had already noticed LeBron James on the sidelines.

Seeing that even a high school student was being asked for autographs, he felt a pang of jealousy.

Walking towards the player tunnel, Ron Artest put his arm around his good brother Stephen Jackson and complained:

“When that kid enters the NBA, I’m going to give him a taste of his own medicine!”

“I like playing against high schoolers!”

On December 30th, the Knicks played their last game of 2001.

When Allan Houston appeared in a suit at Madison Square Garden, New York fans didn’t forget to give a round of applause to the championship guard.

Similar to last season, Allan Houston encountered some injuries early in the season.

The large number of games over the past few years had taken a heavy toll on his body.

A championship guard for a draft pick—given the current trend of the Phoenix Suns, the Knicks had a high probability of getting a high draft pick.

Under these circumstances, New York fans genuinely welcomed Allan Houston, and the big screen in the center of the Madison Square Garden was also playing a highlight reel of his spectacular goals.

Many New York fans also spontaneously held up whiteboards to express their gratitude:

“Thank You! Allan!”

Due to the complete shutdown of the Golden Club, Ewing had recently gotten into trouble, but with his old teammate present, Gorilla naturally also appeared in the Madison Square Garden.

Adding in the retired Larry Johnson, before the game started, Lee and the two men took a group photo in the center of the Madison Square Garden to commemorate the occasion.

During warm-ups, Lee looked at the somewhat tired Orlando Magic players and jokingly whispered to Allan Houston:

“The Orlando Magic seem to be facing some difficulties, but you guys will definitely make the playoffs this year.”

Playing back-to-back road games, the Orlando Magic had been losing recently, and Allan Houston didn’t care about their record.

Instead, he said in a tone of enjoying the game:

“This season is even easier than I imagined, which is a good thing for me. I really like this competitive environment.”

After signing his last big contract, Allan Houston had no further desires, and there was a tendency for him to slack off after the new season began.

However, with the blessing of good professionalism, Allan Houston still contributed 20 points per game, though his efficiency had declined somewhat.

In a friendly atmosphere between both sides, Tracy McGrady and his good friend Mike Miller kept missing shots.

The former was 2-for-8 in the first half, and the latter was 1-for-9.

Affected by the back-to-back game, the two directly caused the team to collapse.

At halftime, it was 41:52, and the Knicks were playing methodically, leading by 11 points.

Head Coach Rivers’s pep talk at halftime didn’t have much effect.

His hoarse shouts of “Let’s go” on the sidelines also failed to awaken the players’ fighting spirit.

In the third quarter, it was 20:26, and the last quarter was almost garbage time again.

Tracy McGrady, who was 1-for-8 in the third quarter, finally found his touch in the final moments.

Ultimately, 87:102, the Knicks bid farewell to 2001 with a victory.

Tracy McGrady finished the game with 29 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 turnovers on 7-for-23 shooting.

The only highlight of the entire game was the large number of fouls drawn against the Knicks’s interior players, with Pau Gasol almost fouling out.

Although his opponent performed poorly, Lee still engaged in commercial flattery after the game:

“Tracy’s talent is outstanding. He can shoot from the perimeter and also drive to the paint for easy scores.”

“With such height and excellent agility, I think he’s the most difficult player to defend in the NBA.”

“…”

With a record of 14 wins and 18 losses, the Orlando Magic had dropped out of the Eastern Conference’s top 8 after losing this game.

With 23 wins and 7 losses, the Knicks were firmly in the first place in the Eastern Conference, with the season nearly halfway through.

Following them were the Nets with 19 wins and 9 losses.

Although Jason Kidd’s offense often faltered, his leadership ability was outstanding.

On the 31st, Clay Lee also celebrated his 24th birthday.

In addition to receiving blessings from New York fans, Lee also held a birthday party.

During New Year’s Eve, Times Square was still packed with people, and with the event proceeding as usual, New York seemed to have completely emerged from its grief.

At home on 82nd Street, the girls weren’t asleep.

Ivanka, who had returned to New York for the Christmas holiday, listened to Kim explain the situation at Enron, blinking and silently calculating Lee’s income.

“In January, the stock price is likely to fall below one dollar. This is truly insane!”

“Andersen actually cooperated with the financial fraud. The case will definitely go to the Supreme Court in the end, but with Kenneth Lay’s connections, the punishment is destined not to be too severe.”

The South District Federal Prosecutor’s Office had many financial cases.

Kim had worked there for two years and witnessed many, but this was the first time she had witnessed the collapse of a giant of Enron’s scale.

Melinda noticed Ivana listening intently and immediately leaned closer to her, blinking and whispering:

“When you went to the UK, which clubs were interested in being acquired?”

Having interacted with some player wives’ groups, Ivanka had a basic understanding of the English football environment.

Combined with the information she had gathered, she frowned slightly and said:

“Unlike the sports environment in the United States, English football doesn’t seem to welcome capital investment.”

Krysten Ritter came over to them, giggling and holding a birthday cake.

After inserting the candles, she said happily:

“Taste my handiwork! I tried so many recipes for this cake.”

Their birthdays were very close, and this year, the young girl chose to celebrate her birthday with Lee.

Although it was almost midnight, Lee, seeing the girl’s happy expression, still sat down in front of the cake and closed his eyes to make a wish together.

Watching the girl close her eyes tightly and mumble non-stop, Lee opened his eyes, looked at her with a mischievous smile, and soon, several people gathered around.

Krysten Ritter, who had just reopened her eyes, was startled by the three people in front of her.

Melinda mischievously tackled her onto the sofa, and soon everyone was in an uproar:

“OH! Eat the cake first!”

On January 1, 2002, the first day of the new year, the NBA also announced the Players of the Month for December:

Clay Lee from the Eastern Conference and Tim Duncan from the Western Conference successfully won the awards.

The Knicks achieved a record of 10 wins and 4 losses in December;

Clay Lee averaged 37.7 minutes per game, scoring 34.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 10.6 assists, 2.8 steals, and 2.8 turnovers per game;

He averaged 21.5 field goal attempts per game, with a field goal percentage of 51.9%.

He averaged 8.7 three-point attempts per game, with a three-point percentage of 42.7%.

He averaged 8.8 free throws per game, with a free throw percentage of 90.5%.

The significant change was that his three-point attempts began to climb.

With these statistics, winning the Eastern Conference Player of the Month was naturally undisputed.

The San Antonio Spurs achieved a record of 11 wins and 3 losses in December.

Tim Duncan averaged 26.7 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 3.1 blocks, and 3.8 turnovers per game;

He averaged 18.9 field goal attempts per game, with a field goal percentage of 51.7%.

He averaged 8.9 free throws per game, with a free throw percentage of 80.0%.

On the first day of the new year, the New York Media once again cheered for Clay Lee, with two Player of the Month awards, he rushed to first place in the MVP rankings!

Tim Duncan hadn’t spoken yet, but Gregg Popovich proactively defended his star player:

“Tim is the best player in the NBA. He doesn’t play for stats. He’s a true leader.”

“I hope the media will pay more attention to him. Tim deserves an MVP!”

“…”

…..

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep