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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 sunday, December 4, 2005, the New York Knicks officially confirmed that Grant Hill would undergo hernia surgery and was expected to miss most of the regular season.

In the home game on Friday, the Detroit Pistons lost their third game of the new season with a score of 106-112.

The Pistons benefited from the offseason trade.

Chris Williams also suffered an injury after joining the Sacramento Kings, and his performance sharply declined.

Although Ham couldn’t make up for the deficiency at the small forward position, health was the most important thing.

An 11-3 start was enough to prove General Manager Joe Dumars’s capability.

The New York Knicks won with some difficulty.

Rasheed Wallace’s outburst was not in the plan, and the returning Kurt Thomas failed to contain his old opponent on the defensive end.

The unexpected injuries made the New York Media somewhat suspicious of the new athletic trainer, Heinz, as the team rarely encountered injury problems in previous years.

On sunday night, the New York Knicks will face the Celtics.

Head Coach Rivers led the team to a 6-9 record since the start of the new season.

Compared to the upper-half teams, the Celtics already showed signs of falling behind.

Adding to this, reports of a feud with Pierce had been circulating, and this former Coach of the Year (COY) was currently under much scrutiny.

Fortunately, Red Auerbach was still with the team, and Danny Ainge, who took over as General Manager, also strongly supported this ‘chicken soup master.’

The team officially denied rumors of a coaching change:

“We believe in Doug. The Celtics have a long-term plan, and we know how to win championships.”

Ainge had spoken highly of Rivers more than once.

Although the record was poor, Rivers was in a better position than Stan Van Gundy.

After coming to Manhattan, the New York Media paid more attention to the Celtics’ potential trades.

Timberwolves General Manager McHale had already set conditions: except for Kevin Garnett, all other players were available for trade.

Also a Celtics legend, McHale had good foresight.

After criticizing the past-his-prime MVP, he painted a grand picture for the other party:

“Paul Pierce teaming up with Kevin Garnett will become the strongest duo in the league!”

The Lakers wanted to trade for Kevin Garnett using Lamar Odom as a chip, while the Timberwolves wanted to go all-in and bring Paul Pierce to Minnesota.

Many commentators believed that a three-team trade might occur between the three teams before the trade deadline.

However, considering the rivalry between the Lakers and the Celtics, a trade was difficult to achieve, as no one wanted the Lakers to rise again.

Paul Pierce, who came to Manhattan, was depressed.

The New York Knicks’ performance had been too good in recent years, drawing away many fans from Boston.

Having failed to lead the team to the playoffs last season, Pierce felt his popularity had significantly declined.

Considering the poor record in November, he might miss the All-Star selection again this year.

When he arrived at the Madison Square Garden early in the afternoon for warm-ups, what made Pierce even more uncomfortable was that media reporters had already traded him to the Timberwolves:

“Paul, after teaming up with Kevin Garnett, will you be able to break through and achieve greater success?”

ESPN reporters instinctively attributed the leadership position to Kevin Garnett, implicitly labeling Pierce as someone who would ‘ride coattails.’

At that time,’super teams’ were not yet popular; ‘tough guy’ basketball was still mainstream.

Pierce was enraged by the recent trade rumors and responded angrily:

“I’m not leaving Boston. You can go interview Kevin Garnett!”

“Many times, business is just business, but as a team leader, I’m not giving up. I have brothers who support me here.”

Pierce, visibly upset, directly blurted out profanity.

TNT reporters didn’t care about that.

Instead, they provocatively fanned the flames:

“It is said that Head Coach Rivers greatly admires Kevin Garnett.”

These words completely infuriated Pierce.

With the team’s poor record, he naturally didn’t like that ‘motivational master’:

“I’m not going to answer these boring questions anymore. You can go ask Coach Rivers. I’m not leaving Boston.”

Every player caught in trade rumors usually gives such a response, but the truth is that the trade offers haven’t met expectations.

Watching Pierce leave in a huff, sports reporters didn’t take it seriously.

Tonight, they planned to continue fabricating news, hoping for a ‘reasonable’ three-team trade.

Before the trade deadline, teams looking to make a playoff push could still observe the situation.

For the New York Knicks, leading the entire league in record, the focus was more on maintaining health.

Athletic trainer Heinz had recently become the team’s scapegoat.

Hill’s injury came very suddenly.

He was injured and left the game after a normal collision in the game against the Detroit Pistons.

Even if Ben Wallace was a bit rougher, Hill wasn’t made of paper.

The sudden announcement of surgery was hard for New York reporters to accept, and columnists had already started imagining scenarios where the athletic trainer’s training plan was problematic.

As the New York Knicks warmed up early, Lee was also actively moving his body.

A slight increase in his attributes was slowly changing his physique.

The change was imperceptible to the naked eye, but Lee could feel that he seemed to be evolving towards a ‘non-human’ direction.

Considering that he was almost 28 years old, Lee was naturally very satisfied with this, and his training had been much more active these past few days:

“Thanks to my daily persistence in practicing, I have my current physical attributes!”

Constantly sending the ball into the basket, Lee, in a great mood, made every jump shot.

David Lee, responsible for retrieving the ball, was already numb, not knowing why his boss was so active.

The sudden injuries made the coaching staff even more cautious.

Not only did the Detroit Pistons have a perfect start, but the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference also followed closely with a 13-3 record.

Sports reporters, who loved to watch a spectacle, wanted to see Ron Artest appear at Auburn Hills Palace.

Although the New York Knicks would not encounter the Detroit Pistons on the road in December, many people still surrounded Ron Artest at the end of warm-ups:

“Ron, it’s said that Detroit Pistons fans have prepared protests. They believe you shouldn’t appear at Auburn Hills Palace.”

“Will this affect you?”

Yahoo Sports reporters had broken this news before the last game, and Detroit Pistons fans were also actively organizing on the internet.

“That’s in the past. I did hurt some fans, but some people also hurt me.”

“Protests can make them feel better, and I accept that outcome.”

“I’m used to playing in boos. You know, every year in the Finals on the road, the boos break through the stadium. I’m a big-game player!”

The outwardly amiable Ron Artest naturally wouldn’t fall into the trap.

His agent had reminded him that to salvage his image, his public statements had to be flawless.

After asking a few questions and still not getting the desired answers, many reporters decided to invent their own stories.

If another fight broke out, it would seemingly make for better television.

Seeing Lee sweating during warm-ups, some familiar sports media were surprised.

They hadn’t seen this scene in a long time:

“Lee, how is Hill’s injury? Will he be able to return during the regular season?”

New York reporters hadn’t received more precise news.

Facing his own people, Lee didn’t prevaricate and responded truthfully:

“Grant will be back from injury by April at the latest. He’ll make it for the playoffs.”

ESPN reporters were more interested in trade information.

Seemingly thinking of the possible future landscape, they proactively asked a hypothetical question:

“If Kevin Garnett joins the Celtics, will this affect the New York Knicks?”

Trade rumors were flying everywhere, and Lee had also seen relevant reports, but his mentality was different from that of the fans:

“If a trade happens, it’s a good thing for many fans. They can see more stars with one ticket.”

“The strength of opponents will never affect the New York Knicks. We only focus on our own competitive state.”

Lee answered easily, also realizing that 2006 was approaching, and the ‘Brotherhood Basketball’ era was getting closer.

In the game that started at 7 PM that night, Raja Bell returned to the starting lineup, and the New York Knicks’ combat power did not significantly decrease due to Hill’s injury.

Celtics second-year Rookie Delonte West and Ricky Davis formed the backcourt, while third-year Rookies Kendrick Perkins and Raef LaFrentz formed the interior.

Perhaps it was due to the start of the All-Star voting, but Ron Artest gave 120% effort that night, hounding Pierce from the start.

The Celtics fought bravely, with Perkins getting easy baskets inside.

The score alternated, quickly reaching 13-13.

As Ricky Davis clanked a pull-up jumper from the left elbow, his teammates seemed to be infected, all becoming ‘bricklayers’ for a while.

Although Rivers called a timeout with just over 6 minutes left in the first quarter, the Celtics did not break out of their scoring drought.

The score remained stuck at 13 until 3 minutes and 52 seconds remained in the first quarter.

Newly substituted guard Orien Green clanked a jump shot from the top of the arc, and the ball flew out of bounds.

Rivers, who had been ‘AFK’ on the sidelines, waved his hand, and Justin Reed entered the game.

The New York Knicks also substituted in Tayshaun Prince.

Both teams played with two forwards.

The game continued, and cheers once again echoed through Madison Square Garden.

With two teammates fouling out, Orien Green looked serious, feeling a bit nervous.

As a second-round Rookie, he had to perform well enough within limited time to earn more playing time.

Watching Lee slowly dribble past half-court, Orien Green’s nervous expression was evident on his dark face.

He constantly turned his head to look behind him, afraid of being delayed by accident.

The Rookie’s worries were clearly superfluous.

As he approached the three-point line, Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, paused slightly, then stopped and started quickly, accelerating a second time and driving straight to the basket.

Orien Green, sliding frantically to the left, couldn’t stop Lee.

After a body collision, he was directly pushed aside.

In the paint directly in front of the basket, Kendrick Perkins still wanted to help defend under the rim.

Before he could make any extra moves with his feet, Lee took a step-through, jumping off both feet to meet the Defense.

Perkins was completely knocked off balance, his body tilting as he flew directly out of bounds.

Cheers and whistles sounded simultaneously.

Clay Lee, holding the ball in his right hand in mid-air, angled his body and tossed the ball towards the backboard!

“Unstoppable! Clay Lee is in incredible form! He has torn through the opponent’s Defense multiple times tonight!”

From the MSG commentary booth, Mike Breen automatically ignored the Rookie and continued to praise loudly.

Walt Frazier, standing beside him, also wanted to boast, but the famous player still considered his reputation:

“Whether it’s Delonte West or Green, having a Rookie guard Lee is too difficult. I have to say, the Celtics really need to make a trade.”

Perkins, who was bad at playing but had a big temper, still wanted to confront Lee, but Kurt Thomas directly pushed the Rookie aside and sarcastically mocked him:

“Get off the court and eat shit!”

Mark Blount, another interior player who came off the bench, also disliked this Rookie who was competing with him.

He and Lee shared the same agent, so he directly pulled his teammate away:

“Coach is calling you, don’t get in the way here.”

Perkins hugged Rivers on the sidelines with a wronged expression.

Fortunately, the Head Coach didn’t blame him:

“Good job!”

Perkins returned to the bench and watched Lee make the free throw, feeling quite upset.

He had been humiliated.

13:27, capitalizing on the opponent’s scoring drought, the Knicks continued to extend their lead.

Paul Pierce was clearly frustrated by Ron Artest’s entanglement.

During a post-up in the offensive possession, he directly elbowed, and was immediately caught by the baseline referee.

“Oh!”

Possession returned to the Knicks, and cheers erupted again.

With his mentality shattered, Paul Pierce, guarding the left baseline, saw a simple pick-and-roll leave his teammate open on the left wing, so he immediately slid up to help defend.

Clay Lee, with the ball in his left hand, used Pau Gasol’s screen to accelerate with a shoulder drop, and was about to squeeze past Mark Blount’s side when he decisively passed the ball to Ron Artest.

Paul Pierce wanted to recover on Defense, but Ron Artest, who caught the ball, immediately shot it!

13:30, looking at the nearly 20-point deficit, Paul Pierce’s Defense completely broke down, and he continuously cursed under his breath near the baseline:

“Damn Defense! Damn New York, these motherfuckers.”

Fans in the front row saw Paul Pierce’s incessant complaining and burst into laughter.

Many began to shout:

“Go team up with that thief! You need Kevin Garnett!”

Paul Pierce quickly received a technical foul for arguing with the fans, giving Lee a free throw for free.

Taking this opportunity, Mike D’Antoni also began to rotate players.

The opponent had already collapsed, and tonight was another big victory!

On tuesday, December 6th, after a dominant 113-89 victory over the Celtics, the Knicks once again embarked on a Western Conference road trip.

Upon flying to Seattle, Ray Allen and Lewis also hosted Lee.

The Seattle SuperSonics currently held an 8-8 record, showing signs of falling behind compared to the San Antonio Spurs.

Ever since Lewis made a “financial decision,” the Seattle SuperSonics’ atmosphere had been problematic, and management seemed to want to tank early.

Time flew by.

Ray Allen was already 30 years old.

Although he hadn’t married Shannon yet, they were about to welcome their second child.

As fathers of two children, when everyone gathered at the coffee shop in the afternoon, the topic of conversation was not basketball.

Dior carried his camera with him and didn’t forget to take photos for everyone.

The Frenchman had already grown accustomed to life with the Knicks.

Watching the barista display his skills, Dior, holding his camera, kept taking pictures, and even Pau Gasol and others joined in with praise.

Seeing everyone so happy, Ray Allen, sitting by the window, seemed to recall his life over the years and said in a muffled voice:

“If I had been drafted by the Celtics back then, maybe there wouldn wouldn’t have been so many problems.”

Lewis couldn’t empathize with his partner.

After being drafted by the Knicks, he still had highlight moments in the Finals.

His professional career has been smooth sailing so far, even though he didn’t join his desired Houston Rockets.

He still has a chance to sign a big contract in the future:

“Business is business, don’t be discouraged, Bro, maybe we’re not so bad this season.”

“Even though the coach is a Rookie, it’s a good thing. At least he respects our opinions.”

Having had experience with the Knicks, Lewis lacked respect for coaches from the bottom of his heart.

He liked the current situation very much, and data came easily to him.

The Seattle SuperSonics management indeed did not proactively speak out.

If they told the fans the team was tanking, home attendance would definitely plummet.

Lee followed the gossip and only saw the Lakers and Timberwolves talking to themselves.

The San Antonio Spurs added Nick Van Exel, and their four All-Star lineup gave fans immense confidence.

The Dallas Mavericks restarted, and Dirk Nowitzki’s form was not bad.

The two championship-contending teams were stable, and his good brother was disheartened, which Lee could understand:

“You know, Ray, New York will always welcome you. Coach Calhoun would definitely love to see us play together.”

Ray Allen was somewhat silent.

Shannon had repeatedly clamored to move back to New York.

While Seattle was nice, it couldn’t change her mind.

Perhaps wanting to preserve the last shred of dignity, Ray Allen shook his head and again said in a muffled voice:

“I will never actively request a trade. That is a professional player’s integrity.”

Lewis subconsciously tugged at the string on his hoodie.

His proactive statement actually had a hint of forcing the team’s hand.

However, thinking of the large sum of money, Lewis still naturally suggested:

“Maybe you can earn more in New York. I think James Dolan doesn’t care about the luxury tax. The Dolan Family has earned too much over the years.”

With the league’s highest attendance, highest ticket prices, and support from numerous advertisers, the Knicks were raking in profits compared to the Seattle SuperSonics.

Lee gave his good brother face and silently drank his juice.

Ray Allen also didn’t say anything.

For him, it was a difficult decision.

If you can’t beat them, join them. For star players, this is too embarrassing, and no one wants the label of “softie.”

Perhaps to prove his strength, in that night’s game, Ray Allen continuously shot, going all out from the start, clanking shot after shot.

He went 3-for-11 in the first half.

Facing the Knicks’ rotating forward Defense, Ray Allen was possessed by Westbricking.

His form improved in the third quarter, but the Seattle SuperSonics couldn’t hold on, losing the quarter 32-22.

After three quarters, the deficit grew to 16 points.

Although Radmanovic, coming off the bench, continuously responded from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter, Ray Allen’s forced shots led the Seattle SuperSonics to a bitter defeat.

115:101. Watching veteran Finley smiling and high-fiving the Knicks players in celebration, Ray Allen felt a bit down.

He played 43 minutes, shooting 9-for-28 from the field, 3-for-12 from three-point range, and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, finishing with 25 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 4 turnovers.

Although he scored the team’s highest points, Ray Allen took the blame after the game and rejected the “Black Mamba” nickname:

“I screwed everything up. I played like shit tonight!”

“It’s not hard to admit I played poorly. I don’t like inefficient performances, and I have no interest in becoming the Seattle Black Mamba.”

“True superstars should play like Michael Jordan and Clay Lee. Those self-congratulatory titles aren’t for me.”

Ray Allen, who attended the press conference, seemed a bit dejected.

Facing the Knicks’ forward group, he had always lost more than he won.

Local Seattle sports media were not interested in the outcome.

They were, of course, aware of the afternoon gathering, and naturally brought it up at this time:

“Ray, do you plan to play in New York in the future? Clay seemed to have recruited you very early on?”

Facing such a sensitive question, Ray Allen ultimately did not explicitly refuse, once again speaking in general terms:

“You know, I’m just focused on the present. I’m 30 years old, and I’m about to have my second child. I’d rather win a championship in Seattle.”

“…”

On December 7th, the Knicks, who flew to Los Angeles overnight, would play a back-to-back game tonight.

Since Sam Cassell joined the Clippers, the team has shown significant improvement, currently holding a 12-5 record.

Head Coach Mike Dunleavy has praised Sam Cassell’s excellent performance more than once, but unfortunately, Los Angeles fans aren’t very interested in the alien.

Not long ago, Clippers owner Sterling had to pay 5 million dollars due to harassing women, and in this situation, the team had even faced boycotts.

Low popularity and a poor team culture.

Although his team’s performance was good, it was still difficult for Sam Cassell to be selected for the All-Star team.

After winning the previous game against the Heat, Corey Maggette suffered an injury, which gave the Knicks an advantage.

With extensive rotations, the outcome was decided by halftime.

55:39, a 16-point difference, caused most of the fans in the Staples Center to switch their allegiance.

Midway through the third quarter, Clay Lee, who was slacking off, stepped to the free-throw line, and the shouts nearly burst through the Staples Center:

“MVP! MVP! MVP!”

Sam Cassell’s face grew even uglier, which made his appearance drop a few more points.

He seemed to recall his past experiences with the Nets, and the alien consoled himself:

“Maybe it’s Lakers fans…”

Before the third quarter ended, both sides began rotating, with both teams calling it a night simultaneously.

Ultimately, the Knicks defeated their opponent 111-84, easily winning the back-to-back game.

On December 9th, the Knicks will play their final game of the week on the road against the Phoenix Suns.

Perhaps their luck was absorbed by Lee, as the injured Phoenix Suns currently only held a 10-7 record, having fallen out of the top tier.

Steve Nash’s shadow was also nowhere to be seen on the MVP rankings.

The San Antonio Spurs had an excellent record, and Duncan had the highest call.

Considering the opponent’s injured lineup, Lee, unusually, praised the Phoenix Suns during the afternoon warm-up:

“Steve Nash is stronger than you think. He 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