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Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.

The return of Itachi

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***

On Monday, May 2, 2005, the NBA announced this season’s DPOY:

Ben Wallace of the Detroit Pistons won the award again.

This was Ben Wallace’s third time winning the award, and it was widely recognized by basketball critics.

This season, Ben Wallace’s Defensive Efficiency Rating ranked second in the NBA, only behind Duncan.

This data largely reflects a player’s impact on the Defense end.

With a large data sample, Ben Wallace is indeed an interior player with an excellent performance on the Defense end.

When accepting the interview, the award-winning Ben Wallace was wearing a Detroit Pistons tracksuit, and his head still had that explosive hairstyle.

In recent years, during the playoffs, Ben Wallace has maintained this look, a habit he developed with the Knicks.

Hairstyles can certainly influence a person’s temperament.

The somewhat unkempt Ben Wallace looked like a tough guy.

However, when delivering his acceptance speech, Ben Wallace was still quite humble:

“I’m very happy to receive this award, but unfortunately, there was one strong competitor missing this year.”

“I’m very satisfied with the Detroit Pistons’ current state. This is our second season with a complete roster working together, and everyone is confident we can win the Finals.”

Ben Wallace didn’t gossip much about Head Coach Larry Brown’s desire to resign due to health reasons.

With the Detroit Pistons at match point, he just wanted to put more energy into tonight’s game.

The New York Media grumbled twice.

Ron Artest won the award last year, but this year he knocked himself out with a right hook.

Otherwise, this award might still belong to the Knicks.

After Sunday’s game, the Knicks easily swept the Nets 4-0.

Clay Lee gained the victory, and Jason Kidd and Vince Carter also didn’t lose out, as they received the “Clay Lee’s Praise” after this series.

“Black Mamba” Vince Carter, unlike his previous nickname “Air Canada,” the nickname bestowed by Lee seemed cooler, at least the Nets fans liked it.

111-96. In Game 4, the Nets held on until the end, and Kidd also earned Lee’s recognition.

After three games of poor shooting, in the final honor game, Kidd played 41 minutes, shooting 9-for-20 from the field, 4-for-10 from beyond the arc, and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line, finishing with 25 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 4 turnovers.

Vince Carter also continued his mamba mentality, shooting 6-for-22 from the field, 0-for-4 from beyond the arc, and 11-for-12 from the free-throw line, scoring 23 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 turnovers.

With a field goal percentage of less than 40%, the lone hero Vince Carter was once again suppressed by Lee in the final game.

The Nets’ 40 free throws couldn’t save the game.

In short, the referees tried their best!

In addition to reporting the award situation, several mainstream New York Media outlets also presented Lee’s comments on the first round of the playoffs.

Although he won easily, Lee did not belittle his opponents. In a post-game interview, he praised them again:

“The Nets’ spirit of fighting with all their might and never giving up is something all teams should learn from. For such an opponent, I only have respect!”

“If the series went on for a few more games, perhaps Jason would have found his shooting touch from beyond the arc.”

“Basketball is not just about scoring. Jason Kidd’s control of the game is better than mine. He is an excellent point guard.”

Vince Carter’s performance in the last game was truly subpar, with very few field goals, mostly just free throws.

Therefore, Lee did not force any exaggerated praise.

Vince Carter, however, expressed his gratitude to Lee in a post-game interview:

“It’s great to play against the defending champions. This means a lot to us!”

“Just as Clay said, I don’t care about my stats, and I don’t keep detailed track of my shot attempts on the court.”

“I always believe I can make the next shot. It’s a pity that I disappointed the fans in the last two games.”

“But I won’t change my playing style. As long as the team needs me, I will keep shooting.”

Vince Carter, who joined the Nets after a bitter half-season dispute with the Toronto Raptors, had clearly matured a lot.

Although there were disputes on the court, off the court, Vince Carter would not complain about Lee’s defensive actions.

With a gentle smile on his face, the defeated Vince Carter was ready for vacation.

However, he knew his reputation wasn’t good, so he subconsciously painted a hopeful picture for the Nets fans:

“This is my first season working with Jason. We will stay here until we win a championship for this city!”

Jason Kidd, who received “Clay Lee’s Praise,” was not as optimistic as his teammate.

He had lost so much that even sports media didn’t believe his words.

Just as Philadelphia fans didn’t believe Allen Iverson could lead the team to defeat Clay Lee, make it to the Finals, and win the championship, Nets fans had long lost faith in Jason Kidd.

However, the award-winning Kidd still had to make some bold statements.

After all, he was a big star.

Although he lost the game, he couldn’t lose with his words:

“I hope the team can continue to strengthen. In the first season of cooperation, we couldn’t fully realize more talent, but our record will be even better next season.”

Every year during the playoffs, New York fans go into a state of self-excitement.

The first-round games weren’t satisfying enough, especially Game 4, with too many free throws and Vince Carter shooting too poorly.

As the first team to advance to the semifinals, the Knicks gained nearly another week of rest.

As Lee predicted, after returning home, the Chicago Bulls also bounced back, winning two consecutive games, bringing the series score to 2-2.

The Cavaliers were preparing for the pivotal Game 5.

After satisfying his mischievous streak, Lee returned to Manhattan the next day.

Recently, he had been planning how to show off.

Manchester United fans were still protesting, and Lee felt that after the acquisition, he should at least make these people feel “full of awe.”

Showing off is also a skill.

Only at this point did Lee feel that he lacked knowledge.

Taking advantage of the team’s holiday, he decided to discuss this issue with Ivanka and others.

On the evening of the 2nd, at his 82nd Street home, Lee looked at the food on the dining table with some helplessness.

New York had been popular with grain toast for a while, and then it was some healthy cuisine.

Whenever it involved health, the food didn’t taste very good.

Those with no money joined in the fun, and those with money started changing their diets, following the trend of showing off.

In the past, every gathering was an opportunity for Lee to improve his meal.

After not paying attention to the home menu for half a month, Lee realized that he would have to eat “leaves” tonight.

Ivanka was recently in charge of her father’s apartment project and encountered problems with early promotion.

Although New York real estate prices were still rising, many people were more cautious about real estate after Wall Street issued warnings.

Donald’s project had a significant reputation, but Wall Street experts were more authoritative.

Not wanting to disappoint her father, Ivanka and Donald were parachuted in.

In the workplace, everyone would outwardly respect them, but during work, they would inadvertently trip them up.

The hardworking Ivanka also had many difficulties with this.

She had just graduated not long ago and, according to her original plan, did not want to take over group affairs too early.

But ever since her father married his third wife, who seemed to be planning to have children, the siblings had some small thoughts.

After explaining her difficulties, Melinda across the table offered advice from a lawyer’s perspective:

“My dear, you don’t need to dwell on these small issues.”

“If the apartment project doesn’t meet expectations during pre-sale, exaggerate the sales results.”

“Hunger marketing dispels consumer doubts, and at the same time, it makes it easier to obtain financing.”

“This is a tactic all real estate developers use. You don’t need to worry about subsequent problems.”

Melinda, who was “eating grass,” wore a casual T-shirt.

After giving advice to Ivanka, she also invited her to enjoy the meal together.

Ivanka was still a bit conflicted.

She had only taken over the project for less than a year.

Although she had learned about her father’s tricky operations, she was worried that she would cause trouble for her family.

According to current New York State law, inducing sales through fraudulent means is a criminal offense, and profiting from selling high-priced apartments is very likely a felony.

Kim ate her special dinner.

Although no changes in her figure were visible yet, she received more care after confirming she was pregnant.

Seemingly understanding Ivanka’s dilemma, Kim, sitting next to Melinda, raised her head and softly added:

“Both federal prosecutors and district attorneys actually have discretionary power.”

“When dealing with special groups, I’m referring to celebrities, political figures, and such, cases sometimes go through the Attorney General.”

“There’s too much room for manipulation right now regarding whether or not to sue, so don’t worry about such publicity stunts leading to conviction.”

Kim, who still had her ponytail at home, was very serious when talking about work.

Noticing Ivanka’s silence, she secretly stepped on Lee’s foot.

Ivanka had lost more weight recently, and with her hair tied up, her collarbone was visible.

Lee knew what the girl was thinking and said with a firm tone:

“If we encounter trouble in the future, the solution is actually very simple: I will donate to the Manhattan District Attorney’s election campaign.”

“Melinda can also help with a donation. If that still doesn’t solve the problem, according to protocol, the prosecutor will need to convene a grand jury if they want to prosecute.”

“If it really comes to that, I’ll have Nacho help. He’s helped Axe Capital solve many problems over the years, and we have extensive experience.”

Lee was so confident, naturally, because pretrial motions could create a lot of complications.

Ivanka was not used to this method, while Donald was long in a state of “too many debts to worry about.”

Ivanka had, of course, considered this kind of hunger marketing but had always been unable to make up her mind.

New York’s houses were never difficult to sell, Donald knew.

He was just giving his children homework, and he would ultimately judge how well they scored.

A smile returned to her face.

Ivanka made up her mind, nodded, smiled brightly at the others, and then talked about their upcoming itinerary:

“Darling, when are we leaving for England?”

Lee hadn’t planned how to show off yet.

He lacked experience in that area.

However, the day of the acquisition was getting closer:

“We should be able to acquire 75% of Manchester United by mid-May. If we’re fast enough, we can go to Manchester by the end of June at the latest.”

The three quickly started chattering again, discussing the new experience they were about to have.

Melinda had to take care of Kim.

Before bed, Ivanka lay lazily in Lee’s arms, the bathtub full of bubbles, just covering the abundant white softness of her chest.

Stirred by his touch, Ivanka initiated a kiss, slowly straddling Lee’s body.

Her figure became even more graceful.

As Lee held her curves, he began to whisper in her ear again:

“How about buying a few more cars? I haven’t paid attention to UK real estate. If you have time, help me look into news on that.”

Ivanka, catching her breath, gave Lee a glare.

She wasn’t in the mood to discuss these things at the moment.

She parted her slightly swollen lips and extended an invitation:

“I just had iced coffee. We have plenty of time tonight to discuss these issues.”

After some whispering, Ivanka felt her waist being held.

After a soft laugh, she let out another gasp.

The water rippled.

Lee embraced Ivanka, then leaned into her ear again, encouraging her:

“It’s okay to go slow!”

On May 3rd, the Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls once again became the focus of sports commentators.

Whichever team advanced to the semifinals would face the defending champions.

In the two away games, LeBron James’s performance was average.

Facing the Chicago Bulls’ collapsed Defense, his inconsistent shooting still magnified his flaws.

Not long ago, the NBA announced this season’s Most Improved Player (MIP):

Clippers’ Bobby Simmons successfully won this award!

As a second-round pick, winning the award was certainly difficult, but LeBron James felt a bit regretful, as he also had a chance to win this award.

In terms of votes, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James were evenly matched, and Tayshaun Prince also received a nomination.

Ultimately, the award went to Bobby Simmons.

Although LeBron James was somewhat dissatisfied, he spoke gracious words during an interview:

“Bobby’s individual efficiency and statistics have improved significantly, and he truly deserves the award.”

“Every player who puts in great effort deserves respect. I just want to congratulate him. I know what he has sacrificed to improve himself.”

LeBron James was a bit nervous about tonight’s pivotal game.

He hadn’t expected the opponent to really win two consecutive games, and he lacked his previous confidence when answering questions:

“We will strictly follow the coaching staff’s tactical arrangements. This is my first time experiencing the playoffs, and I am indeed a bit nervous facing such a big stage.”

“I believe in my teammates, and Cleveland fans are also the team’s backing. We will bring victory to this city.”

After saying this, LeBron James regained his composure.

He knew he should be making bold statements at this time, not only to motivate himself but also to encourage the team.

If LeBron James was still worried about tonight’s game, then Dwight Howard was purely a “fun-loving person.”

He enjoyed the attention brought by the playoffs even more, and he greatly enjoyed the adoration of the fans.

As for losing, Dwight Howard never considered it.

He just wanted to share his happiness:

“Cool! Experiencing such a schedule in my first career playoff series, I suddenly feel like a dream has come true!”

“Game adjustments? Tactical arrangements? No, right now we prefer to enjoy the fun the game brings.”

The Yahoo Sports reporter looked at Dwight Howard with some helplessness.

After a season of interviews, he found that Dwight Howard really seemed to be a “big kid.”

LeBron James had a maturity beyond his age.

In contrast, Dwight Howard indeed seemed more like a child.

Head Coach Van Gundy did not stop the players from being interviewed.

In the afternoon, he even proactively discussed the game plan with sports reporters:

“We won’t make mistakes again. In the two away games, Kirk Hinrich responded from beyond the three-point line. When necessary, the team will adopt an early double-team strategy.”

Although they were back on even ground, Head Coach Van Gundy, as a Champion Coach, had seen big stages before.

As he said this, he also looked confident.

After arriving in Cleveland, Head Coach Van Gundy had expended considerable energy and become balder.

Even Assistant Coach Thibodeau had a bald spot on his head.

These two successful bald men were the Cavaliers’ greatest confidence, and the sports reporters had no objections, all showering them with compliments.

After acquiring the Cavaliers, Gilbert was also very satisfied with the current roster and coaching staff.

Entering the playoffs in his first season owning the team, this online lending mogul was also feeling a bit inflated.

Although he didn’t interfere with the team’s specific operations, Gilbert also helped boast before such a crucial game:

“We have the best coaching staff in the NBA, and we also have the most promising roster in the NBA.”

“The Chicago Bulls have five championships, but it won’t be long before the Cavaliers catch up to them.”

“The combination of LeBron and Dwight will dominate the NBA in the future. They will be as successful as Clay!”

The stage was set.

Tonight’s game was broadcast by ABC, and the pivotal battle between the two Rookie teams attracted a lot of attention.

In the crucial game, Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon both erupted.

The former frequently fired from beyond the three-point line, while the latter carried the offensive firepower of the rotation.

On the rebounding end, the Chicago Bulls’ Tyson Chandler also played a huge role.

After coming off the bench, he always contributed some offensive rebounds.

Facing the opponent’s outside shooting, the Cavaliers didn’t panic.

Head Coach Van Gundy calmly directed, and LeBron James continuously attacked the rim.

The home-court advantage played its part, with drives and free throws, preventing the Chicago Bulls from pulling away for a while.

The game remained deadlocked until the 4th quarter.

The Cleveland fans in the arena grew increasingly nervous.

With 7.9 seconds left in the game, the score was 101:104.

The Cavaliers had not scored a single point in the last minute.

After the timeout, the inbound pass was made.

Kirk Hinrich was heavily guarded.

The moment he received the ball on the left wing, he immediately drew a double-team.

At the critical moment, Kirk Hinrich timely passed the ball to the left corner.

The substitute guard, Jarron Collins, received the ball and shot it without adjustment.

Amidst the cheers of the Cavaliers fans, the basketball swished through the net.

Only 5.2 seconds remained in the game.

104:104. On the bench, Head Coach Van Gundy called a timeout.

The assistant coach had already planned the final offensive play.

Following the Knicks’ custom, Head Coach Van Gundy loudly encouraged LeBron James at this moment:

“Control your breathing, calm down, LeBron. Speed up your shot!”

“Whether it’s a shot or a drive, you have enough time to complete the corresponding action.”

LeBron James nodded.

This was his moment.

The big stage he had long awaited had finally arrived!

Under everyone’s gaze, the ball was inbounded from the frontcourt.

After the inbound pass, with Drew Gooden’s screen, LeBron James received the ball at the top of the arc, popping out.

Perhaps due to excessive nervousness, LeBron James, speeding up, turned and stepped, sealing off his defender, and released the ball with his left hand.

Head Coach Alvin Gentry on the sidelines immediately signaled a travel, shouting repeatedly, but the referee made no call, and game time quickly ran out.

LeBron James shook off Nocioni behind him, drove to the basket, took a hop step, and then tossed the ball off the backboard with his left hand.

Watching the basketball bounce off the rim, the Cavaliers fans in the front row shrieked.

Just as the game was about to go into overtime, a large hand tipped the ball in.

The final buzzer sounded, and the basketball dropped into the hoop.

The entire arena instantly erupted!

Dwight Howard, who completed the put-back, didn’t even look at the referee.

Regardless of whether the basket counted, he laughed and rushed to the scorer’s table, jumping up and shouting to the fans:

“This is my house!”

Pounding his chest with both hands, Dwight Howard shouted and raised both hands high.

LeBron James, who ran near the scorer’s table, was first regretful, then surprised, and finally, hearing Dwight Howard’s arrogant shout, he felt a bit dejected:

“I’m the protagonist.”

On May 5th, the news of Dwight Howard’s game-winner against the Chicago Bulls, giving the Cavaliers a match point, sparked heated discussion among the public.

In this crucial game, LeBron James shot 11-of-25 from the field, 1-of-4 from three-point range, and 10-of-14 from the free-throw line, scoring 33 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 4 turnovers.

Although Dwight Howard ultimately became the team’s hero, critics still praised LeBron James’s performance:

“The The Chosen One is fulfilling his talent!”

The New York Post had already begun to hype up the next round of games between the Cavaliers and the New York Knicks.

Van Gundy’s return to New York as the Head Coach of the Cavaliers led to column articles in the newspaper adding exaggerated drama.

Lee had increased his training intensity in the past few days.

He liked to train in water, as it helped him better exercise his core strength.

The Coach of the Year (COY) award would be announced after the MVP, and Gregg Popovich was highly likely to win it this year.

At the Tarrytown Training Center, after the afternoon training session, Amare Stoudemire was still actively accepting media interviews.

In the first round, Amare Stoudemire’s playing time was affected in order to help Pau Gasol find his rhythm, and he didn’t have many standout performances.

Amare Stoudemire himself naturally wouldn’t complain about this, but his agent had been frequently speaking out recently, believing that his player should get more playing time.

This was indeed a reasonable request, but such an arrangement did not fit the coaching staff’s plan.

The first round was for warm-up, and Pau Gasol was more important.

Reporters from the New York Times were very fond of Amare Stoudemire’s explosive playing style, and during the interview, they also talked about last night’s game:

“Amare, if the Cavaliers advance, the New York Knicks’s interior might face more challenges.”

“How would you evaluate Rookie Dwight Howard? Last night he just became the Cavaliers’s key player.”

Amare Stoudemire looked down on Rookies.

Not just Dwight Howard, he even bothered to acknowledge Black Mamba Carter in the first round.

After winning the championship and being selected as an All-Star this year, Amare Stoudemire was quite arrogant at this time, and he didn’t hold back when commenting on stars:

“Perhaps he has good physical talent, but I understand high school Rookies. He still needs more time to polish his skills.”

“In the few regular season games, Dwight Howard didn’t show much skill, and his body coordination had some issues.”

“I’m not worried about the Cavaliers’s interior combination. I’m confident I can dominate the opponent!”

“…”

While his teammate was boasting to the sports media, occasionally discreetly disparaging Black Mamba Carter when discussing the first-round game, Tayshaun Prince saw this and didn’t know what to say, continuing to practice his shooting.

Defending Carter was not Lee’s sole responsibility.

In some possessions, Tayshaun Prince would also seize opportunities to help defend, which limited the opponent’s shooting percentage to less than thirty percent.

However, most sports reporters preferred to see excitement, and there was more praise for Lee’s defensive performance.

Players fighting for contracts would actively practice shooting.

They didn’t aim to become sharpshooters, but hitting just over thirty percent when left open was considered acceptable.

Lee, who was currently being interviewed by several media outlets including Yahoo Sports, did not discuss the previous round’s game in much detail.

No one discussed the New York Knicks’s next opponent either.

Everyone was more interested in the recent actions of some congressmen.

“Senators from Arizona and several members of the House of Representatives plan to promote the ‘Clean Sports Act’ this year.”

“The ‘Drug-Free Sports Act’ was proposed last month and reportedly met with obstacles. Clay, do you think the NBA will approve these two bills?”

The Yahoo Sports reporter who asked this question actually had ulterior motives.

Many people questioned Lee’s use of performance-enhancing drugs, and whenever an outrageous record appeared, sports reporters would bring up old accusations.

In this year’s regular season, Lee broke multiple records.

Although these inconspicuous small records would not raise his historical status, they still made people envious.

The players indeed remained silent, but some agents always spoke in a sarcastic tone.

Mark Bartelstein, as Lee’s agent, had no choice but to issue a statement to refute the rumors.

Starting to cause trouble just before the MVP award was announced, Lee naturally wouldn’t give the other party a good look:

“I believe both bills will eventually pass Congress. Every year when I go to the White House, I discuss this issue with Mr. President.”

“Everyone knows that drugs harm the image of sports leagues, and I have always supported Commissioner David Stern’s decisions.”

“In fact, post-game inspections have become a norm for me, so there’s no need for special reports, because the New York Media knows that as long as the NBA has a requirement, I usually cooperate immediately.”

The Yahoo Sports reporters were a bit embarrassed. Of course, they knew that in previous years, everyone suspected Lee’s “urine was full of stimulants,” and they only gradually got used to it later.

However, for the sake of news, everyone could only bite the bullet and press on.

Lee saw the other party retreat, shrugged his shoulders, and no longer made things difficult for them:

“I’ve said more than once that scoring is the easiest thing for me, and I think I’ve proven that over the past few years.”

“35+5+10, this is not my limit. You all know that aesthetic fatigue can affect voting, and many times, I have to consider the feelings of the critics.”

“Thank you all for voting for me this year. What I regret is not encountering strong competitors this season.”

When the conversation turned to the upcoming awards, everyone began to flatter him wildly.

Before the interview ended, an ESPN reporter finally asked a question related to the next round of games:

“Lee, the Cavaliers have a match point, and they currently have a great chance to enter the semifinals.”

“LeBron James has performed excellently in the series. How would you evaluate his progress this season?”

Both of them had rising efficiency ratings, and Clay Lee, of course, knew that the sports media had been comparing LeBron James to him recently:

“It only took him one season to adapt to the NBA’s physicality. LeBron has already begun to fulfill his talent.”

“But unfortunately, he cannot replicate my experience. Head Coach Van Gundy has built a suitable system for the Cavaliers, but they still need a few years to mature.”

“…”

On May 6th, the NBA announced the 2004-05 Most Valuable Player (MVP) award:

Clay Lee of the New York Knicks, with an absolute advantage, once again won the little bronze man!

The New York Media erupted again.

Besides the excitement, a feeling of “invincibility is truly lonely” also surged in everyone’s hearts.

There was only one game that night.

The Cavaliers, who had returned to Chicago, gave their opponents no further chances.

102:91, the Cavaliers won the game, eliminating their opponent 4:2 in the series.

At the end of the game, the United Center booed LeBron James, but he didn’t care, coming to the sidelines and passionately embracing Van Gundy.

Head Coach Alvin Gentry complained to the media that the referees were blind, citing LeBron James’s travel in the previous game.

After being fined $15,000, Alvin Gentry did not shake hands with Van Gundy after the game tonight, continuing to express his dissatisfaction.

The outside criticism did not affect LeBron James’s good mood.

The The Chosen One hugged the Champion Coach and loudly said:

“Coach, this is our era!”

“…”

…

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep