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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 February 27, 2005, the New York Post launched its 9th annual ‘Best and Worst of New York Sports’ rankings.

In the ‘Immature’ list, players from the Yankees, Giants, and Knicks were all featured.

The New York Media’s evaluation of Ron Artest was blunt:

“The psychologist failed to help, and that right hook might just destroy our champion!”

In the ‘Elegant’ list, Grant Hill was also included, but the evaluation was equally unenthusiastic:

“A blue suit makes Grant look more like a gentleman, but we’d rather see him display his beastly side on the court.”

In the ‘Beloved’ list, Clay Lee continued to receive praise, with the New York Post praising him in different ways almost every year:

“Clay Lee turned Amar’e Stoudemire into a slam dunk master. He makes basketball simple.”

“If 30 points per game isn’t enough to win, then shoot more. As long as the score is high enough, the Knicks will always win.”

“Although ticket prices are still rising, fans feel it’s worth every penny after watching Lee’s performance!”

In the ‘Hated’ list, James Dolan was included for the first time, for a very simple reason:

“In the struggle with the West Side Stadium, the Dolan Family disregarded fan sentiment. Renovating the Madison Square Garden is the right choice, but we also need the Jets and a subway extension!”

In the ‘Extraordinary Achievers’ list, besides several NFL athletes, Mike D’Antoni was also selected:

“An incredible achievement, two consecutive seasons with 70 wins, this made fans forget Jeff Van Gundy!”

“Excellent coachs may always conduct crazy experiments, but New York fans don’t want to see Tayshaun Prince playing power forward again. The poor kid is being torn apart by those muscular big men.”

In the ‘Enviable’ list, the Knicks’ General Manager, Grunfeld, was also included:

“Just look at his weight to know how easy his job is. We made no moves before the trade deadline.”

“I have to say, this job is enviable. The Knicks’ roster structure can support them for at least another 8 years!”

“All Grunfeld needs to do is hire a better medical team for the team and add a psychologist position.”

There was also a ‘Generous’ list, where Clay Lee’s name appeared.

The New York Police Department and fire department receive donations annually.

The summer camp for underprivileged children, jointly organized with Nike, helped many kids.

Every year after the All-Star Weekend, the New York Post puts on a show.

Sports fans love to see such content, and sharp criticisms often spark more discussion.

After all, every fan’s evaluation standards are different.

Even though Lee has won so much, he sometimes gets criticized for not being “pure” enough.

Not only the New York Media, but after the list came out, mainstream media like the Washington Post also joined the fun.

This is the advantage of playing in a big city.

If it were the Grizzlies, there wouldn’t be as much discussion.

After the All-Star Weekend, the Toronto Raptors waived Mourning, and the ‘Kidney Fighter’ was highly likely to return to the Heat to continue his pursuit of a championship.

The 76ers and Sacramento Kings ultimately failed to reach a trade, and Allen Iverson’s desire for a reliable inside partner was not met.

The Sacramento Kings indeed wanted to trade Chris Webber, but the 76ers, who had already started to “trust the process” and were fully committed to accumulating talent, did not accept Andre Iguodala as the main part of the package.

The Dallas Mavericks acquired Van Horn from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for two role players.

The Warriors traded Nick Van Exel and the locker room hype man Claxton to the Hornets for the injured Baron Davis.

More trade information involved teams waiving players.

With only over 20 regular season games remaining, it was the correct choice to define goals earlier.

At 4:00 PM on the 27th, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, the 77th Academy Awards was about an hour away from starting.

A noisy crowd circled the theater, with occasional screams echoing.

The awards ceremony officially began at 5:30 PM.

The big stars on the red carpet all wore brilliant smiles, posing for photos and waving to their enthusiastic fans.

Scarlett was hosting the Scientific and Technical Awards ceremony this year, dressed in a black, form-fitting, off-the-shoulder gown.

She twisted a couple of times for the cameras before quickly waving and leaving.

To appear more mature, Scarlett had her golden hair pinned up at the back tonight and chose a pair of taller shoes.

Besides the diamond necklace on her neck, she had no other accessories.

Lee, dressed in a black suit, entered early.

After greeting Beyoncé, one of tonight’s performers, and a few others, he briefly chatted with familiar friends.

While waiting for Scarlett, only Marvel President David Maisel remained by Lee’s side.

Since the two met at Mar-a-Lago in 2003, this former Disney president, who wanted stock options instead of a salary, successfully convinced the Marvel board of directors.

Currently, Marvel’s CEO, Perlmutter, is called the stingiest billionaire by Ivanka.

The fact that Maisel could convince this “old miser” naturally speaks volumes about his excellent work ability.

However, Marvel was somewhat “poor,” and popular characters like Spider-Man had already been sold.

The biggest problem with making movies was that they had no money.

Wearing black full-rimmed glasses, Maisel had his black hair combed into a 70/30 part.

Perhaps due to some anxiety, his tie was slightly crooked inside his black suit.

The two had communicated many times via email, and Maisel frequently visited Bobby at Axe Capital in Greenwich to present his PPTs.

Stanley from Merrill Lynch promised to return a favor, and the two companies would advance and retreat together.

If one side didn’t budge, the funds wouldn’t be in place.

Since 2002, due to the poor performance of the stock market, Wall Street began to seek more profit points.

Applying portfolio theory from the stock market to the film industry, investment returns fluctuate less, and “package investment” projects also began to increase.

However, most package funds leaned towards Paramount, Disney, Sony, Universal, Fox, and Warner Bros.

Independent films and small studios still couldn’t get money.

After more than two years of pitching, Maisel’s initial plan still hadn’t been achieved, and he eventually had to come to a “small factory” for a loan.

Checking his watch from time to time, Maisel continued to discuss new movie plans:

“Believe me, Clay! Think of the success of Spider-Man. After 9/11, people craved superheroes.”

“Mr. Arad will be the producer, and I will be the executive producer. Our accounts are absolutely transparent; this is a win-win deal.”

Avi Arad, Marvel’s chairman, and also the producer of many superhero movies.

To increase persuasiveness, Maisel had to bring him up.

Lee would certainly invest, but he didn’t like the other party’s dishonest attitude.

For film investments, Axe Capital could help investors avoid taxes, thereby attracting more funds.

In a few months, if all goes well, after acquiring Manchester United, they could also attract players, ultimately forming a closed loop.

After re-listing, it would be a guaranteed profit.

Lee looked at Maisel beside him, ignoring his sincere expression, and asked with a smile again:

“How much capital does your board plan to invest? Don’t tell me it’s 40% again.”

“Although I’ve only met Mr. Perlmutter a few times, he stayed at Mar-a-Lago for many years, and someone knows him better than I do.”

In every email, Maisel would loudly tout the board, but Lee didn’t believe him at all.

The “old miser” left a deep impression on him during their last meeting.

It was normal for the other party to “gain something for nothing.”

If they were willing to spend money, Marvel might have restarted movies long ago.

Bobby had been in England, and it was a rare opportunity to discuss this with Lee.

Maisel finally compromised, forcing a smile and whispering:

“35%, um, it might also be 30%. In any case, we are still very optimistic about superhero movies.”

Lee chuckled.

He didn’t understand Hollywood, but he was clear about the investment share ratio between production companies and Wall Street private equity funds.

Most production companies are around 40%.

The private equity film fund that Paramount collaborated with Merrill Lynch was roughly this figure.

Merrill Lynch was also not optimistic about this investment, which was why they gave Lee and his team an entry opportunity.

Even the Marvel board of directors was holding a ‘let’s see’ attitude.

Only Maisel was the most proactive.

In a public setting, Lee didn’t plan to talk much with the other party.

When Scarlett arrived, she actively linked her arm with his and enthusiastically gave him a kiss on tiptoes.

“Tonight was amazing! Luckily you’re not old enough to drink yet, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to fend off all those suitors!”

Lee wrapped his arm around the girl’s waist, his soft praise bringing a smile to Scarlett’s face.

Seeing the third wheel beside them, he also greeted him:

“Hello, Mr. Maisel!”

Seemingly thinking of another approach, Maisel looked at Scarlett with a bright smile:

“Miss Johnson, do you like Marvel comics?”

“Sorry, I rarely read comics before.”

The girl who acted in art films didn’t think much of popcorn flicks.

Lee patted the somewhat awkward Maisel, and promised cheerfully:

“David, we will cooperate. I trust your vision. Win-win requires sincerity. Send Bobby a few more emails when you have time, or we can meet a few times in Greenwich next month.”

Scarlett, holding Lee’s arm, was a little curious about their cooperation.

She rarely paid attention to Wall Street, and in New York, most of the time she just focused on looking beautiful, occasionally showing off to her friends.

Seeing Maisel exhale and relax, Scarlett blinked and asked in a low voice:

“Clay, are you investing in movies?”

Lee didn’t reveal too much information, only joking:

“Hmm, there’s a role that’s perfect for you!”

Bystanders always complain that the Oscars are too long, and Lee deeply felt this.

Scarlett wasn’t nominated, nor did she win any trophies, but the boxed truffle and other ingredients she received as a host were quite good.

Having consumed too many calories at the hotel last night, the two of them finished that bottle of Scotch whiskey liqueur.

Candy is also the best food for replenishing energy.

With the help of the enthusiastic girl, Lee almost witnessed Los Angeles at 4 AM.

On the morning of the 28th, the Los Angeles Times sarcastically said that Clay Lee disrespected the Lakers.

It also showed photos of Clay Lee and several producers at an Oscar party.

Some sports media even captured scenes of Lee and Scarlett appearing at the hotel entrance, complaining that Lee hadn’t trained at all since arriving in Los Angeles.

With a record of 46 wins and 10 losses, after the All-Star Weekend, except for the first game they lost to the Pistons, the Knicks quickly found their form again, successively defeating the 76ers and the Pacers.

The Lakers were still struggling for a playoff spot, having lost their last game to the Raptors, bringing their record to 28 wins and 26 losses.

Championship contending teams usually consistently dominate weaker opponents, but the Lakers led by Kobe no longer possessed this attribute.

They themselves were the weaklings.

Although the Lakers had released rumors before the All-Star Game, they did not make any trades.

It was highly probable that they wouldn’t be able to contend for the championship this season, so the management planned to just muddle through to the end.

Kobe was unpopular in Denver, but he still had high popularity in Los Angeles.

However, as the season progressed, many fans also began to wonder:

“Why does the team have more losses than wins in games where Kobe plays?”

A portion of Lakers fans still hadn’t recognized the reality, firmly believing that the team could still contend for the championship.

As the season progressed, disappointment grew, and they desperately needed to defeat strong teams to regain their confidence.

When the game started at 5:30 PM, Staples Center was in a frenzy.

Facing their old rivals, Lakers fans roared with all their might.

The backcourt duo of Atkins and Kobe played the entire first half without a minute of rest.

At halftime, the Knicks led by only 5 points, 52-47.

The score difference was automatically ignored by the Lakers fans in the arena. Kobe made the last shot of the half, excitedly pulled at his jersey, and yelled loudly as he walked towards the player tunnel.

Watching Kobe’s tough guy image, continuously punching, the cheers in the arena grew even louder for a moment.

This was the game everyone expected to see.

5-of-10 from the field, 1-of-1 from three-point range, 4-of-5 from the free-throw line, 15 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 2 turnovers—Kobe was highly efficient in the first half.

At the commentary table, Paul Sunderland was not as optimistic as the Lakers fans, commenting somewhat subtly:

“The Knicks still seem to be trying different lineups. I agree with the New York Media that their Defense is terrible when Tayshaun Prince plays power forward.”

Stu Lantz, with a dark complexion, praised the home team without batting an eye, continuing to laud Kobe’s performance:

“I never worry about Kobe. He always trains hard. He’s in great form this year. With a 5-point difference, I believe the boys will quickly take the lead.”

Unexpectedly glancing at his partner, Paul Sunderland, with a thick head of brown hair, pushed up his rimless glasses and instinctively frowned.

He felt the game wouldn’t unfold as expected.

After the second half began, the Lakers initiated the offense.

Atkins, receiving the ball on the baseline, immediately signaled the play.

Amidst the fans’ cheers, Kobe slipped along the baseline to the right block, establishing position with his back to the basket.

Raja Bell defended him from behind.

Lee noticed that all the Lakers players had spread out, with Lamar Odom even standing on the left wing, so he decisively instructed his teammates to collapse.

Chris Mihm stood near the left baseline, Caron Butler was in the left corner.

As Atkins moved to the right wing and delivered a lob pass, the Knicks players collapsed around the paint, tightening their Defense.

Kobe jumped to catch the ball, but before he could turn upon landing, he observed Lee suddenly collapsing to help on Defense.

He chose not to force a shot and immediately passed the ball back to his teammate on the perimeter.

Sensing that Kobe’s pass was too high, Lee, who was backpedaling, suddenly accelerated.

Atkins, at 180, initially intended to jump and receive the ball, but the retreating Lee stretched out his left arm and, leaping, poked the ball away.

“Oh!”

Amidst the fans’ exclamations, Lee, having completed the steal, accelerated with the ball in his right hand, shaking off Atkins who was chasing him, and in the blink of an eye, he surged into the paint.

Taking off for a glide one step inside the free-throw line, Lee held the ball in his right hand and easily slammed it into the basket!

54-47. The Lakers made a turnover right at the start, which brought a smile to Lee’s face after his dunk.

Atkins was somewhat annoyed.

After receiving the ball on the baseline, he forcefully bounced it twice, quickly dribbled it past half-court, and immediately passed it to Lamar Odom on the left wing.

Kurt Thomas didn’t stick to him.

He merely raised his right arm, collapsing inside the three-point line to disrupt.

Chris Mihm tried to execute a cross-screen with Butler under the basket, but Amar’e Stoudemire timely completed the chase-down Defense.

On the left low post, seeing his teammate a half-step ahead, Lamar Odom made a lead pass, directly lobbing the ball towards the upper-left side of the basket.

Chris Mihm, failing to understand his teammate’s intention, was still aggressively posting up towards the high post.

By the time he noticed the direction of the basketball, it was already too late.

The basketball went out of bounds.

Amidst the fans’ sighs, the Knicks inbounded the ball.

Such a basic turnover infuriated Kobe on the court.

While glaring at Lamar Odom, he loudly reminded his teammates to quickly retreat on Defense.

In the first half, the Knicks frequently ran pick-and-rolls.

Atkins, back on his own half, repeatedly turned his head, observing the movements behind him.

Unimpeded, Lee quickly crossed half-court.

Noticing that the opponent wasn’t double-teaming him early, he slowed down and began to approach the three-point line.

As the two players on the wing shifted towards the baseline, Lee, holding the ball in his right hand at the top of the arc, dribbled it between his legs, then powerfully lunged forward and accelerated.

Atkins quickly backpedaled to his right. Lee squeezed out half a step, then suddenly stopped short, slammed the ball hard with his left hand, and quickly stepped back.

Returning to the top of the arc, disregarding the opponent’s leaping attempt to close out, Lee leaned back slightly from beyond the three-point line and calmly released his jump shot!

“Swish!” The three-pointer went through the net.

57-47. Lakers fans hadn’t even reacted, and the lead had already reached double digits.

“Boo!”

Boos erupted throughout Staples Center.

Lakers fans sensed something was wrong.

Clay Lee, who had been relatively quiet in the first half, seemed poised to explode.

Lee, pacing back on Defense, once again instructed his teammates to collapse defensively.

Amidst the fans’ boos, Atkins was immediately pressured as soon as he dribbled past half-court.

Lee took the lead in defending.

Kobe, seeing the situation was unfavorable, proactively moved to the left wing to receive the pass.

Receiving the ball far from the three-point line, Kobe waved his teammates to spread out, while also signaling Chris Mihm to come up and set a screen.

Raja Bell did not recklessly reach in.

Faced with a high-quality screen, he decisively chose to go under and chase on Defense.

Quickly pushing the ball and changing direction, Kobe, now with the ball in his left hand, used his teammate’s screen to shake off his defender.

Observing that Amar’e Stoudemire was also dropping back towards the basket, he immediately pulled up for a stop.

Although Raja Bell, having Bypass the screen, lunged to contest, Kobe still leaned back slightly, adjusted his arc, and confidently shot, but it clanked off the rim.

Amar’e Stoudemire easily secured the rebound, and Lee, after receiving the ball, accelerated along the left sideline.

Head Coach Frank Hamblen on the sidelines loudly reminded his players to foul, but Atkins felt that Lee wasn’t fast and decisively chose to accelerate his retreat.

On the left wing, at the three-point line, Atkins established his defensive position, lowered his center of gravity, and stared intently at the basketball in Lee’s hands.

At this moment, the Knicks players had just crossed half-court, and seeing Lee casually switch the ball to his right hand, Stoudemire at the top of the arc simply stopped his feet.

Before Atkins could react, Lee’s body feinted to the right front and then suddenly changed direction with a crossover.

The basketball instantly disappeared from his sight.

Atkins made no defensive move, and only after Lee squeezed past his right side did he twist his body to chase.

Having lost a step and seeing no one defending the paint, Atkins instinctively pulled, but grabbed only air, ultimately losing his balance and falling with a thud onto the floor.

“Oh!”

Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, fully exerted himself, flying low to the ground, and amidst the fans’ exclamations, he leaped high from below the left side of the rim, glided to the front, stretched his body, and slammed the ball down with his right hand!

“OMG!”

“A lightning-fast breakthrough! Atkins should have fouled earlier!”

From the commentary booth, Paul Sunderland cried out and then sighed repeatedly, very disappointed with the start of the second half.

On the Knicks bench, Fisher covered his head with a towel and chuckled.

He knew Lee would be blown by with one step the moment he saw Atkins set up that defensive stance.

After all, he had too many such experiences.

59:47. Seeing the lead expand again, Kobe immediately became anxious, demanding the ball before even crossing half-court.

Coming to the right wing, after a between-the-legs dribble and a crossover, Kobe, holding the ball in his right hand, increased his stride, leaning into Raja Bell and driving straight to the basket.

Below the right side of the rim, even though Kobe shot early, the ball hadn’t reached its highest point when Stoudemire, coming from behind, exploded up and delivered a volleyball-style block.

The ball was directly swatted out of bounds, and Staples Center suddenly fell silent.

Such a block used to happen to Shaquille O’Neal.

“Overrated!”

Stoudemire, having completed the block, muttered to Kobe, displaying a mischievous demeanor.

Kobe couldn’t be bothered with the rookie, directing his teammates to inbound the ball, then continued to demand the ball with his back to the basket in the right block.

Butler inbounded the ball, and after Kobe received it, he faked with his shoulder towards the baseline, then suddenly turned quickly, putting the ball down with his right hand and driving hard to the basket again.

Noticing Stoudemire coming over to help, Kobe Following the trend passed the ball to Chris Mihm below the left side of the rim.

Due to the low pass, the latter adjusted slightly after receiving the ball, paused, and then raised the ball for a layup.

Before the ball left his hand, Chris Mihm heard the fans’ screams in his ear.

Clay Lee, from the left corner, seemed to have been prepared, rushing up from behind with another big block.

The ball was slapped against the backboard, and Chris Mihm was knocked off balance, stumbling out of bounds.

Stoudemire, quick-eyed and quick-handed, controlled the ball, and seeing Lee start, he, following the trend tossed the ball forward a certain distance.

Lee, having accelerated, scooped up the ball with his right hand.

On the right wing, Odom still wanted to pull, but was blown by with a sudden push-dribble change of direction.

As the Lakers began to retreat on Defense, Lee, having completed the change of direction, had already rushed to the three-point line.

Completely shaking off the Defense, 1-on-0 in the frontcourt, Lee, rushing faster and faster, jumped off two feet in the paint, spun the ball horizontally in the air, stretched his body, and then grabbed the ball with his right hand for a powerful dunk!

“Boom!”

The rim rattled, Staples Center fell silent again, then boos erupted once more.

From the commentary booth, Stu Lantz just felt that Clay Lee seemed to have pressed an acceleration button, incredibly fast, and hadn’t uttered a sound for several consecutive possessions, when he suddenly said:

“It looks like Clay Lee is going to take over the game. I hope to see Kobe respond in time!”

Lakers fans began to hope Kobe would take over the game, but in the next few possessions, both Lee and Kobe chose to pass after being double-teamed.

Odom missed two consecutive three-pointers from beyond the arc, and watching Lee cut through the middle in transition to find Raja Bell in the right corner for another three-pointer, Lakers fans were completely numb.

67:47. Less than half a quarter had passed, and after Lee exerted a slight effort, the lead had stretched to 20 points.

Head Coach Frank Hamblen finally called a timeout, and amidst the fans’ boos, the Lakers players sat back on the bench, dejected.

The timeout also failed to solve the offensive problems.

Mike D’Antoni stopped experimenting with lineups, and facing the Knicks’ collapsed Defense, Kobe finally broke his scoring drought with free throws.

Kobe, enjoying core player treatment, indeed made the right choices on offense, and Atkins also responded with a three-pointer from beyond the arc.

It’s just that on the defensive end, this small guard really couldn’t hold on.

He was again dry-faced by Lee with a step-back pull-up from beyond the three-point line.

As game time elapsed, the Lakers fans at the arena frustratingly found that the lead showed no signs of shrinking.

Towards the end of the 3rd quarter, with a large lead, Fisher entered the game early, and Kobe was matched up against Lee.

With a simple double-screen up top, Lee accelerated and cut horizontally to the right wing.

Kobe, chasing desperately, was full of momentum, and seeing Lee fake a shot, his center of gravity involuntarily leaned forward.

Putting the ball down with his right hand, Lee drove with a step-through, gaining half a step to the right block.

Noticing Kobe was still sliding, Lee suddenly took a step and dribbled behind his back while in motion, faking his body to the left front, immediately changing Kobe’s defensive center of gravity.

Kobe, near the paint, instinctively wanted to block Lee’s driving lane, but the basketball again disappeared from his sight.

Clay Lee Following the trend switched hands behind his back and reverse-jumped.

Having faked out Kobe and arrived below the right side of the rim, Lee cupped the ball with his right hand and easily made a layup!

The flashy move even drew cheers from Staples Center, and seeing Kobe staring intently at him, Lee immediately quipped:

“Maybe tanking early is a better option!”

It wasn’t until Lee retreated back to half-court that a thoroughly outplayed Kobe fully regained his composure, and in a fit of rage, he drove hard to the basket but missed a layup due to Stoudemire’s interference.

Watching Fisher receive a pass on the left wing in transition and sink a three-pointer, Head Coach Frank Hamblen on the sidelines, arms crossed, no longer called a timeout.

As the 3rd quarter was about to end, with the Lakers having the last possession, Staples Center grew even quieter.

Kobe, controlling the clock, didn’t call for a screen at the top of the arc, but drove hard through the middle after a crossover.

Noticing that Raja Bell hadn’t lost his position, Kobe stopped short at the free-throw line and faked a shot.

With his hands raised high at his side, Raja Bell had already given up on Defense, and at the moment Kobe twisted his body for a forced jump shot, Lee, coming over to help from the right wing, delivered another big block right on his head.

The Staples Center instantly became noisy.

Seeing Lee complete the block and regain control of the ball, he casually tossed it from the logo position before crossing half-court, and suddenly, Lakers fans all had a bad feeling.

The lights above the rim lit up, the basketball was still flying in the air, and finally, it drew a huge arc, falling into the net amidst the fans’ sighs.

“Unbelievable! God is on Clay Lee’s side!”

Seeing Lee and the Knicks players who rushed onto the court celebrating with chest bumps, Paul Sunderland cried out and then began to sigh again.

90:65. The game had lost its suspense, and some Lakers fans who couldn’t bear to watch began to leave.

Kobe was still glaring at the Knicks players, while Stoudemire, draped in a towel, was beaming.

Approaching Kobe again, Stoudemire loudly mocked:

“Only victory earns respect! We didn’t even watch film. We’ve been playing Texas Hold’em since we arrived in Los Angeles.”

“…”

Kobe couldn’t hold back this time and immediately rushed in front of Stoudemire, throwing a punch.

Seeing both sides tangled in a brawl, Staples Center erupted again.

The basketball game was ugly, but a boxing match made the ticket worth it!

…..

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep