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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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***

The two preseason games in China in October 2004 should be the most meticulously organized games by the NBA in recent years.

The two games were broadcast to 177 countries and regions worldwide in 8 languages, a first in NBA history.

David Stern followed the entire process. With NBA viewership declining year by year, he naturally paid extra attention to the Asian market.

Fortunately, Yao Ming indeed lived up to expectations, and his personal ability matched his status as a No. 1 pick.

If it were any other player, it would be hard to say, as some delusional chinese fans would not like to see their own players lose face in the United States.

On the evening of the 17th, at the BJ Stadium, the Houston Rockets again lost by a large margin.

Compared to the previous game, Lee’s personal shooting performance visibly improved, and chinese sports media once again understood why Charles Barkley always clamored about “insufficient star quality.”

For Chinese fans who bought high-priced tickets, data didn’t matter.

A good posture and stylish play were enough!

In the BJ game, Tracy McGrady wore the Houston Rockets’ red away jersey, with a white elbow brace on his left arm and a white leg guard on his left calf.

Although he frequently missed shots during the game, anyone who saw Tracy McGrady’s mesmerizing pull-up jumper would exclaim:

“So handsome!”

(A/N: Still can’t understand their obsession with Tracy. It’s downright disgusting.)

For the New York Knicks players, it was clear that Tracy McGrady’s physical condition had deteriorated severely.

Perhaps it was due to too much rest during the offseason, or maybe his waist and back injuries were still bothering the former “second man.”

In both games, Tracy McGrady seemed to struggle against Ron Artest’s Defense.

However, for the fans, this was a good thing.

They cheered every time Tracy McGrady made a difficult shot.

As for the stats, they weren’t important.

88:110, the New York Knicks once again easily crushed their opponent in the BJ game with continuous fast breaks.

He played 36 minutes, shooting 6-of-19 from the field, 0-of-4 from three-point range, and 2-of-4 from the free-throw line, scoring 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 turnovers.

At the end of the game, Tracy McGrady’s expression was a bit grim, but fortunately, the enthusiastic fans present didn’t care about his stats.

Just as most fans rarely watch an entire game, half of those who follow the NBA only watch highlights.

Although some people might find it strange, the live fans still cheered “Awesome!” after watching the game!

Chinese fans were very familiar with the Houston Rockets players, as CCTV Sports would broadcast every game featuring the home team on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

The new season hadn’t even started, and domestic sports media had already hyped Tracy McGrady to the skies.

Fans didn’t react much to the two games, but many professionals clearly saw:

“The Houston Rockets are out of championship contention, and Tracy McGrady’s ability is far inferior to Clay Lee’s.”

On the morning of the 18th, the two teams continued to participate in activities in China, which also served as a cultural exchange between China and the United States.

Taking photos in front of Tiananmen and climbing the Great Wall for souvenirs—although the weather was a bit hot, the New York Knicks players still insisted on wearing formal attire, something David Stern strongly advocated.

The New York Knicks all wore light gray plaid suits, white shirts, and red ties, while the Houston Rockets were able to wear their red away training uniforms.

After the two preseason games, media no longer “pointed to the championship”.

That claim couldn’t be sustained.

Before returning, Tracy McGrady, in an interview, did not disappoint fans’ expectations and once again boasted:

“Losing is also a good thing. We just joined the team, and our combined practice time is less than a month. Losing the game allows us to find problems.”

“I believe in the team’s strength. In the new season, the Houston Rockets will challenge for the championship!”

Compared to Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming’s daily platitudes, and his leading the team to an 8th-place finish in the Olympics, garnered him more attention.

Fans began to expect Yao Ming to make further progress, achieve something in the playoffs, and ideally, win a championship!

Lee remained the same.

He disliked fanatical fans.

He couldn’t accept Japanese fans breaking into arena, but he did want to see the same scene in China, his former homeland.

You can call it vanity or whatever.

In interviews, besides stating that the team would defend its title, Lee mostly gave opportunities to his teammates.

In this familiar land, Lee had many fans, but also some who disliked him.

CCTV host A shared his story with Clay Lee: in the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals, after the Chicago Bulls were eliminated, many chinese fans cried:

“Michael Jordan lost!”

Broadcasting conditions were not great at the time, but this game still sparked heated discussions among fans.

Host A and many peers were Jordan fans, and the New York Knicks were considered the villains at the time.

That evening, back at the hotel, Lee bid farewell to the sports reporters, stating simply and directly:

“Basketball stars are just ordinary people. We are no different. From another perspective, basketball is just an ordinary job.”

“Of course, media reporters won’t report it this way. Don’t listen to Rashard’s nonsense. He’s Michael Jordan’s personal reporter.”

Watching Lee wave goodbye, everyone felt that perhaps it was the recent reports that caused the trouble.

Sina Sports media always liked to package stars with perfect personas.

In contrast, the New York Times’ reports were relatively more truthful.

Rather than saying Lee loved basketball, it was more accurate to say he enjoyed the feeling of victory and success.

After the 2003 All-Star Game, the New York Times reported on a letter Michael Jordan sent to fans:

“”Love and Respect””

The content expressed his love for basketball, which Xxx sports media widely reported.

However, the New York Post mocked Michael Jordan:

“He knows he will be surpassed by Clay Lee. He no longer flaunts his 5 rings to us!”

“We believe Michael Jordan truly loves basketball, but he is also a terrible jerk sometimes!”

Such reports would never appear in sports media because Clay Lee refused to co-operate with officials to change his nationality.

So, egoistic chinese officials will never let one voice be domiant here.

Hence, The short essays in various magazines were all inspirational.

Currently, Lee’s personal image was fragmented.

Basketball media would not report on Lee’s estimated net worth on the Forbes 400, nor would they report on the luxurious lifestyle exposed by media like the Wall Street Journal and Vanity Fair.

In contrast, fans who followed Manchester United understood another side of Lee better.

Sina Sports’ football reports at this time were highly distinctive, with a host of eloquent editors.

The Sun liked to educate British fans about Lee’s wealth, life, and personal preferences, and Sina Sports’ football section also benefited from this.

The issue of fragmented personas had already begun.

As for what would happen in the future, that could only be left to time.

On October 20th, mainstream American media were all reporting on this grand preseason game, and news channels like CNN also joined the excitement:

“American sports culture is sweeping the Chinese market!”

Many mainstream media considered this a victory for American culture, and the scene of empty streets delighted many onlookers.

Upon returning to Manhattan, Lee secretly shook his head at these condescending news reports.

In contrast, the New York Times’ short essays made him chuckle.

The columnists’ articles mostly commented on the performance in the two preseason games in a humorous tone:

“We hope Scarlett Johansson can stay in Los Angeles for a while longer.”

Clearly, this was a jab at Lee taking a girl to a game previously, where New York reporters captured photos of the two kissing at Old Yankee Stadium.

The New York Yankees failed to make it to the World Series this year, which disappointed fans.

They had performed so well in the regular season, and everyone wanted to continue participating in the championship party!

New York fans were also interested in some tabloid revelations:

“New York Knicks General Manager Grunfeld suspected of having an extramarital affair.”

There were no secrets in New York.

Even though the New York Knicks flew across the ocean, reporters still dug up news.

In the days since returning to New York, Grunfeld was stunned.

He never expected that one day, he too would become the center of attention.

These gossip stories had onlookers thoroughly entertained.

This was far more interesting than Ron Artest’s surprise appearance at Rucker Park!

On the evening of the 20th, Lee and Kim were invited to a regular dinner at Tina Fey’s house.

After Richmond met Tina Fey in Chicago, the two fell in love, and their relationship remained very stable after marriage.

Although they bought a house in the Upper East Side, it wasn’t very large.

The home was decorated cozily, with beige sofas and carpets.

However, Lee opened the refrigerator and saw a pile of instant food, realizing that the couple probably rarely cooked for themselves.

Richmond had gained weight in recent years.

After the composer was relegated to the living room, he took the beer Lee tossed him and complained helplessly:

“Jimmy left SNL, and Tina should make the right choice too. The work pressure is too great. We planned to have a child, but it’s been delayed until now.”

In May, Jimmy Fallon left Saturday Night Live, and Tina Fey also had thoughts of leaving, but she was still hesitating.

Lee watched Richmond, with his black curly hair, pour out his grievances, describing the inhumane work pressure at Saturday Night Live, and couldn’t help but tease:

“Jeff, I think you should maintain your figure. You look more like someone who’s been crushed by pressure.”

Looking at his obvious beer belly, Richmond sighed helplessly.

Love also has an expiration date, and he had indeed become lax.

Around 2000, the couple was struggling financially, and Lee extended a helping hand.

Now that their conditions were better, their relationship, conversely, had some minor issues.

Tina Fey, preparing dinner in the kitchen, could guess what her husband was complaining about.

Kim was a year younger than her, but from her appearance, she looked more like a 25-year-old.

“Kim, when are you two planning to have a child? I don’t know if I should quit my job. Life has been a mess lately.”

Kim, wearing a loose blue hoodie, knew the purpose of tonight’s dinner.

Looking at her friend’s conflicted expression, she said in a relaxed tone:

“Probably next year! You should also consider leaving SNL to relieve some pressure. Jeff will definitely agree.”

Although Lee’s romantic life was a bit chaotic, Tina Fey began to understand Kim’s choices.

As the two whispered, Kim’s face flushed slightly.

She tossed her ponytail back and muttered:

“Clay always wants Peninsula Manor to be full of people!”

“…”

After the warm family dinner, Lee drove home.

Kim, sitting in the passenger seat, twisted her body and said casually, “Melinda isn’t here tonight…”

Before she could finish, Lee interrupted, “I know. Tonight, I guarantee it’ll be a sleepless night!”

“You rascal!”

Lee chuckled as his waist was pinched.

Every girl had a different way of inviting him.

This year, everyone rarely used protection, so the population was expected to explode next year.

Before the new season began, Philadelphia’s sports media once again broke down.

In the preseason game on the evening of the 29th, the 76ers were blown out again!

109:81, the home team 76ers had no power to fight back.

Since 1996, they had accumulated 32 losses in the regular season and 8 losses in the preseason.

Leaving aside the playoffs, the 76ers had never won even one of these less intense games.

Allen Iverson had also stopped making grand pronouncements in recent years.

He didn’t even play in this year’s preseason, sitting on the bench with a long face throughout the game.

Philadelphia fans still expected Allen Iverson to make a statement after the game, but he left early after the game, seemingly avoiding interviews with sports reporters.

The New York Post didn’t miss this opportunity.

After the big win, their column article the next day mockingly stated:

“Allen Iverson seems to have shaken off his injury. The 76ers’ operator will be waiting to take calls!”

“Unfortunately, the Knicks won’t be making an offer. Derek Fisher is a better fit for the team than Allen Iverson.”

Fred Kober’s column articles always sarcastically mocked opponents.

He had said similar things after the game against the Nets two days prior.

Kidd had undergone knee surgery, and the New York Media always believed that the Nets would eventually trade away the 31-year-old point guard.

Perhaps because the opponents were too weak, Grant Hill’s injury didn’t affect the team much.

After 4 preseason games, the New York Media gradually became more unrestrained, now back to their crazy bragging state.

Lee, in an interview, also didn’t want to discuss games against weak teams too much, but he still painted a big picture for New York fans:

“The team is in great shape. We have 13 games in November, and we plan to finish our warm-up before Christmas.”

“Perhaps we won’t get 70 wins this season, but I think 60 wins shouldn’t be a problem.”

“The team has many energetic young players. This season, we plan to continue strengthening our offense, and Coach D’Antoni will fully activate the team!”

Although Raja Bell would increase Lee’s usage rate, their compatibility was excellent.

The extra shooting practice during the offseason had paid off.

After observing 4 games, Mike D’Antoni also became confident:

“We can complete an offense in 7 seconds. I believe in Lee’s offensive choices!”

“If we receive a pass in an open spot, what we need to do is shoot decisively. The new rules favor offense, so it’s time to reduce those ineffective passes!”

During the offseason, owners James Dolan and Mark Cuban once again submitted a request to the NBA.

This time, the NBA did not refuse.

The Handcheck rule would be abolished in the new season.

Although referees still needed to adjust their officiating standards, perimeter stars were bound to be strengthened!

As Lee and Mike D’Antoni bragged, Ewing, who had just escaped a relationship crisis, also joined in the cheering.

The Gorilla almost divorced his wife during the offseason.

As the impact of the Golden Club incident gradually diminished, Ewing began to let loose again.

The reason Ewing didn’t fly to China was also to save his marriage.

Fortunately, money worked, and his wife ultimately chose to forgive him.

On Friday, October 29th, in an NBA.com survey, general managers across the NBA voted Ron Artest as the best defender.

Ron Artest also received the title of the toughest player in the NBA.

Ben Wallace of the Detroit Pistons only ranked second in both polls.

This news made Ron Artest even more confident, and the New York Media also followed suit with a barrage of praise.

The neighboring NHL (hockey) was currently in a lockout, and the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement had not yet reached a consensus.

The New York Times also reported on David Stern’s recent conference call:

“The NHL is an example. We should reach an agreement as soon as possible.”

The disagreement in the new collective bargaining agreement was that the owners wanted to change the maximum contract length to 4 years, which was strongly opposed by the Players Union.

On November 1st, the NBA continued to preview the new season.

For tomorrow’s opening night, the NBA had prepared three games for fans.

Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets vs. Lakers, and Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks.

The NBA added some ceremonial elements to the new season, unlike in the past when opening nights were unremarkable, with 10 games in one day.

The Houston Rockets’ highlight was naturally the “Yao-Mac combination.”

For the Lakers, Tomjanovich ultimately took over the team.

Fans were also very excited to see how Kobe would perform under the guidance of this famous coach.

As for the game between the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks, it was a continuation of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Before the game even started, the sports media on both sides were already in a full-blown war.

While mocking their opponents, the New York Post didn’t forget to continue gossiping:

“Charles Barkley might not stay at TNT for too long. He wants to return to the NBA, not as a player, but to be more involved in management.”

Regarding such gossip, Charles Barkley himself confirmed it on TNT’s morning show:

“I will become a general manager of a team sooner or later. I’m not in a hurry about it. I have absolute confidence!”

“I guarantee I can go anywhere, and the reason is simple: I can do better than the current management!”

“If I were the 76ers’ general manager, I would completely give up on Allen Iverson. Believe me, that’s absolutely the right choice.”

“He’s no longer suitable to lead a team. He’s been completely destroyed by Clay Lee. I don’t see any desire to win in his eyes.”

“His terrible performance at the Olympics didn’t motivate him either. If I were the general manager, I would trade him immediately!”

It’s not uncommon for NBA star players to hold general manager and Head Coach positions.

Not just Barkley, but Michael Jordan is also working towards it.

Kenny Smith, watching his partner’s rant, couldn’t help but interrupt, “Trading Allen Iverson? There’s no better guard on the market than him.”

“I think the 76ers’ strategy is correct. They should continue to accumulate talent!”

Ernie Johnson wasn’t worried about the two arguing on the show.

At this point, he even fanned the flames and asked,

“Do the 76ers have a chance to make the playoffs this season? After such a long rest, Allen Iverson should have recovered his physical condition.”

Charles Barkley, annoyed at being interrupted, answered without hesitation when he heard the question:

“No chance at all. Allen Iverson is not a qualified leader.”

“I’m more optimistic about the Cavaliers. They performed well in the preseason. Head Coach Van Gundy changed the Cavaliers’ Defense, and they will become a no-fly zone!”

“Among the Rookies, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have a chance to challenge Clay Lee. After their Rookie contracts expire, they can defeat Lee and win the championship. I’d love to see that happen.”

Kenny Smith agreed with his partner.

The Cavaliers indeed showed excellent game form:

“Head Coach Van Gundy is fulfilling his promise: Defense wins championships. I’m also optimistic about the Cavaliers’ performance this new season.”

“…”

Teams also put in effort during the preseason to adjust their form.

Compared to the 76ers, the Cavaliers maintained an undefeated record in the preseason.

Although the Cleveland sports media hyped them up, Head Coach Van Gundy still had some concerns:

“Rookie Dwight Howard is rougher than I imagined.”

Ewing could handle ball possession, but Howard currently doesn’t show that potential.

If Howard took 15 shots in a game, half of those possessions would likely be dunks, with another portion coming from offensive rebounds.

Low-post isolations are still too difficult for Howard at the moment.

The ripple effect of this situation was a surge in LeBron James’s usage rate.

Fortunately, the team’s Defense was solid, and they managed to blow out opponents in the preseason purely through individual fast breaks.

In the Sport Center program, there were highlights of LeBron James’s impressive plays from the preseason.

In the game against the Pacers, James grabbed a rebound in the backcourt, chased his opponent all the way to the paint, and finished with a layup despite the Defense.

Although the Pacers had already retreated on Defense, James seized the opportunity while they were still off balance and scored through his individual attacking force.

The Cavaliers’ tactics were not complicated: minimize the number of possessions, create more fast-break opportunities, and if shooting was poor, make up for it with rebounds.

Translated into simple basketball terms, it could be summarized with one phrase:

“Shot-grabbing.”

Perhaps seeing the hope of making the playoffs, LeBron James and Dwight Howard were not as grim as Allen Iverson.

They were all smiles during interviews, seemingly playing happy basketball.

Although he couldn’t participate in the opening game, LeBron James was still in high spirits when interviewed by the Cleveland sports media:

“This is a brand new team, and we are enjoying the game!”

“Dwight’s talent is outstanding. I just need to drive to the paint and throw the ball into the air, and then I can watch him complete an alley-oop under the basket.”

“We are confident that we will return to the playoffs this season!”

Head Coach Van Gundy was also very satisfied with the Cavaliers’ current state.

His plan worked, and amidst all the praise, he became exceptionally confident:

“Now, all we need to do is go through more games and give our all in every match.”

“When the Rookie players fully adapt to the NBA, the Cavaliers will undergo a qualitative change. We are ready for that!”

Although sports media knew that the Cavaliers would likely not pose much trouble for the New York Knicks, to create buzz, commentators started spouting nonsense:

“This new season, Head Coach Van Gundy’s Cavaliers will be the New York Knicks’ biggest opponent on their path to defending the championship!”

These words were applied to the Heat not long ago, and the Miami sports media had already been shouting:

“Heat, champions!”

On November 2nd, at 7 PM that evening, Madison Square Garden would once again host the championship award ceremony.

During the preseason in October, no commentators evaluated the New York Knicks’ strength.

There were only various teams hyping themselves up and making promises to their local fans.

The Detroit sports media stopped retaliating after November, letting the New York newspapers spew their sarcastic remarks.

Grant Hill’s injury indeed caused some ripple effects.

At least fans in the Eastern Conference felt their home team had a chance!

In the afternoon, the New York Knicks arrived early at Madison Square Garden to warm up.

Lee, wearing a brand-new compression shirt, happily promoted the product to sports reporters:

“The HeatGear series is more breathable and provides muscle compression and support!”

“Don’t underestimate this sports equipment. It’s my secret to staying healthy.”

Although no one believed him, they all praised the beautiful compression shirt.

Under the pure white compression shirt, Lee’s upper body muscle contours were clearly visible, with particularly prominent shoulders and biceps.

If one looked more closely, six-pack abs could also be seen below his chest muscles.

Every year after the new season began, Lee would cut his hair shorter. Although he had become stronger, he hadn’t gone bald, and he looked strong and capable.

Under Armour’s compression shirt series sold well, and its stock price also stabilized as a result.

Many sports reporters, seeing Lee’s physique, felt that he hadn’t relaxed his demands on himself during the offseason.

After all, the body doesn’t lie.

The Los Angeles Times report was definitely intentional defamation, just to highlight the diligently training Kobe Bryant.

The New York Knicks players, still warming up with shooting drills, looked relaxed.

Although their opponent tonight was the Detroit Pistons, everyone was confident of winning on award night.

After some mutual compliments, an ESPN reporter suddenly asked Lee for some gossip:

“Lee, Sprewell still hasn’t reached a contract extension with the Timberwolves.”

“We’ve heard that Sprewell believes he deserves a large contract, and if he ultimately fails to reach an agreement with the team, he seems to intend to return to New York as a free agent.”

Last Thursday, Sprewell did not attend the Timberwolves’ mandatory team dinner.

Although Sam Cassell also missed the dinner, the Alien was absent due to the flu.

Even more outrageous, when the Minnesota sports media interviewed Sprewell, the championship guard didn’t make any excuses and frankly admitted:

“I never intended to attend the dinner. I just wanted to see how management would react.”

“Unfortunately, I haven’t received any response yet.”

“I am a championship guard. With my help, the Timberwolves reached the Western Conference Finals last season.”

“I unreservedly shared my championship experience from the New York Knicks. I told everyone how Lee took on leadership responsibilities!”

“Apparently, it worked, and Kevin also won the first MVP trophy of his career.”

“In the Timberwolves, I believe I am indispensable. I have given everything to the team, and now I just want a contract that matches my status.”

“If an agreement is not reached in the end, I will leave this team as a free agent. Perhaps returning to New York is a better option.”

Although the Timberwolves’ spokesperson stated that the contract issue would not affect Sprewell’s playing time, no one could guarantee what tricks this championship guard might pull.

ESPN recently reported on this matter, and onlookers followed the news with excitement.

Lee also found the championship guard’s remarks outrageous.

He found it difficult to comment on such unparalleled confidence:

“Sprewell performed exceptionally well last season. I understand his capabilities. The Timberwolves will reach an agreement with him. It’s a win-win signing!”

“I also very much welcome Sprewell back to New York. We won a championship together, and the New York fans will not forget his contributions.”

“…”

The New York Knicks would find it difficult to offer another large contract, and sports reporters also understood the team’s salary cap space for next season.

Clay Lee’s words were merely polite remarks.

After the interview, Lee came to the sidelines and looked at Amar’e Stoudemire, who was focused on warming up.

Thinking of Grunfeld’s entrustment, he immediately felt he should pass him more dunks:

“Prove your worth this season. That’s also a win-win choice!”

“…”

…..

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep