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Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.
The return of Itachi
I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.
Please give it a go đ
***
On December 1, 2001, Mayor Giuliani of New York City announced that a fire museum would be built near the World Trade Center site to commemorate the fallen firefighters.
On the 2nd, the owner of the White House also came to the site to deliver a speech.
Besides expressing condolences to the families of the victims, he mainly announced that America would persist in the war.
Since the New York Knicks had been playing home games recently, on Sunday the 2nd, Clay Lee and New York City staff went to the site to be part of the atmosphere group.
For New York fans, the biggest good news was that the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony would proceed as usual this year, and the subsequent New York International Film Festival was not canceled.
Most people had already emerged from their grief.
Life had to go on, and lively activities also needed to continue.
In New York in December, the weather had already turned cold.
After attending a dinner, Lee returned to his home on 82nd Street, where it was nearly 11 PM.
On television, most channels, riding the wave of the speech, began discussing war matters.
Even the talk shows that had resumed work no longer joked about politics, but instead joined the mainstream media in shouting slogans.
Some Christmas elements had also appeared in the room.
Krysten Ritter was currently tidying up the lights while boredly watching TV.
It was a rare weekend, and the girls were all out of town, leaving only the unemployed one at home responsible for decorating the house.
Seeing Lee add wood to the fireplace before sitting on the sofa, the girl giggled and straddled his lap, pouting, "Clay, does it look good? I bought so many Christmas lights. This year, we're going to spend Christmas together!"
The girl would turn 20 in the middle of the month.
Perhaps due to over-nutrition in recent years, her former model figure had gradually disappeared, with all the weight going to the large spheres on her chest.
Lee embraced her, listened to her whispers, then patted her Hips and whispered, "Alyce, what do you want for your birthday?"
Recently, Lee's news had frequently appeared on NBC news programs.
Besides gossip and sports news, more of it concerned Axe Capital's profits from shorting Enron.
Luxury goods, cars, housesâthese things used to be pursued years ago, but after truly owning them, she found them dull.
The girl thought for a moment, then leaned in and whispered into his ear.
Only then did Lee realize she was only wearing pajamas.
Looking at her smiling expression, he finally agreed, "Hmm! We should indeed have more children!"
"âŚ"
In early December, the New York Knicks' schedule eased up again, with only four games in the first half of the month.
Every year after the regular season begins, some players always suffer injuries.
For example, in the game against the Houston Rockets two days ago, Steve Francis could only sit on the bench and watch his team lose.
On the evening of the 3rd, in the game against the Detroit Pistons, Stephen Jackson pulled his hamstring during a drive.
The Detroit Pistons, coached by Rick Carlisle, had shown a good competitive state since the start of the season.
Ben Wallace's addition to the team hadn't contributed much offensively.
The only change was that his rebound numbers began to rise.
Although he was just a Rookie coach, Carlisle brought a different playing style to the Detroit Pistons, with a significant increase in three-point attempts!
Unfortunately, as if infected by the New York Knicks' brick-laying, the Detroit Pistons shot 5-for-25 from beyond the arc that night, hitting only 20%.
In contrast, the New York Knicks shot 6-for-18 from three-point range, and their decent three-point shooting allowed them to win easily again.
89:97.
The New York fans at the game didn't mind the brick-laying battle; winning was all that mattered!
Ben Wallace was somewhat disappointed.
Most New York fans seemed to have forgotten him.
In contrast, although he lost the November Rookie of the Month award, Pau Gasol was very popular.
Affected by the schedule, his shooting status would fluctuate, but as long as it wasn't a back-to-back game, Pau Gasol could still contribute near double-double stats of 15+9.
Pau Gasol's height and wingspan allowed him to finish lobs more easily.
After fully adapting to physical confrontation, Pau Gasol would also post up and score in the low post when he found a mismatch, catching his opponents off guard.
In a semi-transition offense, Pau Gasol rushed past half-court and actively sealed off Clifford Robinson's Defense.
Whenever he received the ball in the low post, Pau Gasol would usually put the ball down and drive baseline, lean on his defender, and take three horizontal steps to the front of the rim, turning his body to complete a floater.
Although these possessions were not many, as long as he established position, Pau Gasol's fadeaway floater had a very respectable shooting percentage.
Playing 35 minutes, Pau Gasol scored 18 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and 3 turnovers on 7-for-14 shooting and 4-for-6 from the free-throw line, another double-double for him tonight.
Madison Square Garden was as lively as ever, with happy New York fans shouting Pau Gasol's name, hoping for an autograph and a photo opportunity.
After hugging Lee, Ben Wallace felt a bit sour seeing such a scene.
Perhaps due to his less-than-handsome appearance, during his years with the New York Knicks, few female fans asked Ben for autographs.
"Good job, Bro! By the end of this season, you'll be the rebounding king!"
Lee patted Ben Wallace's shoulder as usual.
He could naturally tell that Ben hadn't relaxed his demands on himself.
His physique had become even more robust.
Hearing the encouragement, Ben Wallace felt much better.
He hugged Lee tightly and confidently replied, "I can definitely do these things. The Detroit Pistons also have a chance to make the playoffs this year."
With 6 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, and 2 turnovers, Ben Wallace's scoring didn't change much.
He mostly took on defensive responsibilities.
In the New York Knicks' locker room, Grant Hill was seriously giving Stephen Jackson a pep talk:
"When you encounter an injury, you must be patient!"
"Don't push your body, and never play with an injury."
"This season, I don't think the schedule pressure is big. As long as you stay healthy, you'll always have a chance to prove yourself."
Although Stephen Jackson's shooting in November was always brick-heavy, his shot attempts never decreased.
Once Lee's playing time was limited, the scorers off the bench were Jackson and the big man Wright, with the latter, being a center, mostly finishing lobs.
When they entered the rotation, neither Ron Artest nor Grant took too many shots.
With about 12 shots per game, Stephen Jackson could be said to be the most hardworking player on the team, given these opportunities.
The team doctor was still conducting examinations, but Stephen Jackson was already covering his face in frustration.
He wasn't a Rookie.
With a hamstring injury, the situation for this season was not optimistic.
Seeing his "like-minded" good brother suffer an injury, Ron Artest quickly spoke up to comfort him:
"Don't worry, Stephen, with a hamstring injury, you can still do upper body training! I promise to practice boxing with you every day."
Lee had just walked into the locker room when he heard this.
He looked helplessly at the instigating Ron Artest, then turned to the team doctor and asked, "How is the situation? Is there a chance of recovery after the All-Star Game?"
Both team doctors shook their heads simultaneously, not giving a conclusion immediately, but simply stating truthfully:
"We cannot confirm the specific injury yet; further examination is required."
Jeff Van Gundy returned to the locker room after dealing with the gossip reporters.
Hearing the team doctor explain the situation, he also began to frown.
"Grant is right, health is the most important thing. Have some confidence in yourself, don't forget the regular season has just begun."
The Bald Young Coach also didn't want to see injuries, as he didn't have many available players and, as always, disliked using Rookies.
On the 4th, in a back-to-back game, the New York Knicks flew to Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee Bucks had been in good form since the start of the season, currently holding a 9-5 record.
Milwaukee fans originally thought this would be a high-scoring shootout, but Ray Allen was out of form.
88:73.
When the game ended, Pau Gasol stood up from the bench, shook his towel, and inwardly began to furiously complain:
"How did we even win this?"
Ray Allen shot 4-for-20 for the entire game, including 1-for-14 from beyond the arc.
In the second half, he bricked many open shots, and the Milwaukee Bucks lost, so he had to take the main blame!
For the entire game, the Milwaukee Bucks shot 5-for-28 from three-point range, while the New York Knicks shot 5-for-20.
Of the five made three-pointers, Lee alone contributed four.
Not only were the Milwaukee fans dozing off, but Jeff Van Gundy and George Karl on the sidelines also had glazed eyes.
Perhaps it was to spite the Head Coach, as after the game, George Karl once again started blasting Ray Allen for playing too soft.
Ray Allen didn't hold back either.
After a poor shooting performance and facing criticism, he still firmly stated:
"This is how I play. I won't be afraid to shoot just because I miss some shots."
"As long as there's an open shot, I'll take it. The essence of basketball is putting the ball into the basket. Why should I imitate Gary Payton?"
The war of words between the two had begun to escalate.
Facing the gossip from ESPN reporters, Lee naturally stood by his good brother:
"Ray is right. He won't become the next anyone. He's just Ray Allen. As a scorer, he needs to maintain that confidence."
"One game doesn't tell the whole story. Players aren't robots. They naturally have fluctuations in their form."
Upon arriving in Milwaukee, Lee also brought Christmas presents for Ray Allen's son.
The support from his good brother couldn't help but give Ray Allen more confidence.
He was confident he could win this verbal battle!
Although Lee said that players have fluctuations in their form, in daily training, he started pulling Grant Hill, Ron Artest, and others into more shooting drills.
Unless shooting touch is extremely poor, most NBA perimeter players should be able to shoot around 33% from three-point range if they put in the effort.
Many times, whether it's a corner three or a 45-degree three, the New York Knicks' catch-and-shoot players are open.
With the team's three-point percentage below 30% for several consecutive games, Lee couldn't take it anymore.
On December 7th, the Rockefeller Center held its Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
As Christmas approached, Manhattan also became lively.
The NBA also began promoting this year's Christmas War.
On Christmas Day, two highly anticipated games were prepared for the fans:
Lakers vs New York Knicks, and Toronto Raptors vs 76ers.
One game featured old rivals from the past two years, while the other was a showdown between popular players.
For some fans, records, championships, honors, offensive efficiency, and Excel data are not important.
Playing beautifully is their pursuit.
Vince Carter and Allen Iverson fit the requirements of these fans.
Similar players include Tracy McGrady.
Even if his overall big data is poor, he is still deeply loved by fans.
As long as he can have one efficient performance, the other few inefficient shooting performances can be ignored.
The Christmas War is also a big stage for many players.
As the defending champions, most people had no objection to the New York Knicks appearing in the Christmas War, but the Toronto Raptors and 76ers playing in the Christmas War was not convincing!
On the evening of the 7th, after the San Antonio Spurs defeated the 76ers 86-76, Tim Duncan didn't complain, but Gregg Popovich began to speak up for his beloved player.
With an excellent record of 14 wins and 4 losses, Gregg Popovich had more confidence.
He spoke frankly in a post-game interview:
"I don't like the NBA's arrangement. I believe the San Antonio Spurs should be on the Christmas War stage."
"We've achieved an excellent record. Looking at some of the teams in the Christmas War, I find it hard to believe they will provide an exciting game for the fans."
"..."
With 9 wins and 10 losses, plagued by Allen Iverson's injury, the 76ers' start to the season was poor.
Gregg Popovich's words didn't give Larry Brown any face.
It was more about protecting Tim Duncan.
Duncan, as the true team leader, is not suitable for complaining about these matters.
The Head Coach has to speak up at this time to keep the main player satisfied.
Rookie Tony Parker has now secured his position as the starting point guard for the San Antonio Spurs.
The team's excellent record is also inseparable from his performance.
Parker strongly agreed with the Head Coach's words and also complained a bit during an interview:
"With three Eastern Conference teams in the Christmas War, the San Antonio Spurs have been overlooked. The NBA should consider the feelings of San Antonio fans."
Parker hadn't adapted to some of the NBA's culture yet, a Rookie with a big mouth.
Allen Iverson immediately retorted in an interview:
"Who is Tony Parker? Who the hell cares about these minor roles?"
"Fans like to watch me play, so I'm on the Christmas War stage."
"Don't forget who you are, minor roles aren't qualified to tell me what to do!"
The decrease in attention this season made Allen Iverson very unhappy, and being provoked by a Rookie player naturally didn't improve his mood.
The New York Knicks had three days of rest, and Lee had everyone doing fixed shooting drills every day.
The essence of basketball is putting the ball into the basket.
If shooting talent is insufficient, then one can only rely on quantity to win.
Tedious shooting is indeed not as interesting as lifting weights.
Shooting practice often doesn't manifest in games, while lifting weights gives positive physical feedback.
During the morning practice on the 8th, Ron Artest, doing spot-up shooting drills, was already numb from shooting.
Lee's requirement was 100 shots, with at least 85 made.
If the target wasn't met, they would do another round.
Perhaps he played too much last night.
Ron Artest's shooting form was extremely poor in training today.
He had already done several rounds, and the shots were getting worse.
After continuously missing three-pointers from the left corner, Ron Artest couldn't help but shout:
"God! Am I going to keep shooting until the game starts?"
"Concentrate, maintain your breathing. If you don't meet the standard, then you'll just have to do extra practice after the game!"
Lee was gloating on the side, counting for Ron Artest.
Training always has an effect.
Recently, he had absorbed another talent:
[Grant Hill's Excellent Jumping Ability].
After acquiring this talent, Lee didn't deliberately train, but as dunks gradually increased in games and training, the talent was unknowingly absorbed.
Having to shoot more rounds than others every day, Ron Artest could only grit his teeth and persevere.
Even Brevin Knight performed better than him in this spot-up shooting drill.
Luc Longley, the mood-maker, never got playing time.
His daily task was to be Pau Gasol's sparring partner.
Jeff Van Gundy hoped to mold Pau Gasol into the next Ewing, an excellent traditional center, but unfortunately, this wish fell through again.
"Coach, I don't want to lose my flexibility. If I gain too much weight, I might not be able to keep up with the game's pace."
Pau Gasol expressed his wishes again.
Jeff Van Gundy outwardly encouraged the Rookie, but was very disappointed in his heart.
He knew everyone was adapting to Lee, not playing according to his demands.
On the evening of the 8th, at Madison Square Garden, perhaps the last-minute effort helped a little, as the team's three-point shooting finally warmed up.
104-92, the New York Knicks shot down the Pacers!
Reggie Miller suffered a minor injury in the second half and couldn't play.
With poor outside shooting, Jermaine O'Neal also failed to replicate his performance from the last encounter, committing 8 turnovers when facing too many double-teams.
With 3 made threes out of 12 attempts, Isiah Thomas lost his smile again.
A record of 11 wins and 12 losses also seemed to fall short of his expectations.
The New York Knicks shot 10-of-23 from three-point range.
Clay Lee was beaming after the game and didn't forget to praise his teammates in an interview:
"I like the team's shooting tonight. Hard work pays off. Look at Ron, he's still planning to do extra practice."
"Believe me, in a few years, he will become an All-Star player!"
"..."
After every game, Jeff Van Gundy would feel empty.
Lee had taken over most of the training as well.
Walking towards the players' tunnel, Van Gundy suddenly whispered to his assistant coach, Thibodeau, beside him:
"Tom, have you made up your mind?"
Unconsciously shaking his head, Thibodeau was still very conflicted.
As an assistant coach, he had already been labeled as part of the Van Gundy faction.
Thibodeau looked at the Bald Young Coach's back and thought of the New York Knicks' environment.
A hint of doubt suddenly appeared in his heart:
"Can I really secure the Head Coach position?"
"..."
.....
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