In mid-October, as the preseason began, the NBA finally completely escaped the betting scandal of the past few months.
Although the league headquarters are in New York, reporters here took the lead, and even if other regions gave up, investigative reporters were still constantly monitoring Tim Donaghy's movements.
Many investigative reporters are motivated by the desire to win awards with such explosive news.
No matter how ESPN and TNT shifted the topic, for some reporters, everyone was waiting for developments after the trial in January 2008.
NBA fans across the ocean once again welcomed the China Games this year.
As early as March 17th of this year, Lee, Executive Vice Chairman of the Basketball Association, and Heidi Ueberroth, NBA Vice President, announced this year's schedule at a press conference.
Originally, the Orlando Magic had Steve Francis, a big star beloved by Chinese fans, but then Steve Francis was cut by the team.
Currently, the biggest name on the Orlando Magic is Rashard Lewis.
Mentioning Rashard Lewis makes Houston Rockets fans in China unhappy.
When the offseason just started, various magazines competed to report that one of the Seattle SuperSonics' twin stars was returning home.
They had hoped Yao Ming would get a strong helper, but Orlando secured the deal directly with a large contract.
What Rashad Lewis's agent said before all turned into a joke.
They would go wherever the money was, and as for their hometown team?
They would only consider that at the end of their career.
Fortunately, the Houston Rockets had an alternative plan: Argentina's starting forward Luis Scola finally landed in the NBA, breaking free from the San Antonio Spurs' entanglement and successfully joining the Houston Rockets!
To this, even before the new season began, after magazines praised the new Head Coach Adelman, they started to "point to the championship" again.
Many young fans haven't realized what it takes to win a championship.
They were overjoyed after reading the news, thinking that Tracy McGrady's posture was so graceful, it was time for him to play in the Finals with Yao Ming.
On Monday the 15th, when the Orlando Magic and the Cavaliers flew to Shanghai, they received a warm welcome from fans.
There wasn't much scandal reported here, and the NBA was still pure competitive sports in the eyes of many young people.
Jeff Van Gundy quietly signed a three-year contract with the Cavaliers during the offseason.
The Champion Coach continued to be tied to LeBron James, and Cleveland still trusted him.
However, as Head Coach, Van Gundy had unspoken difficulties.
Two super teams appeared in the Eastern Conference, and with the Cavaliers' current lineup, they basically had no advantage.
Originally, after several seasons of refinement, Dwight Howard's performance became increasingly outstanding as his game experience grew, but just thinking of the Celtics' "Four Giants" made Van Gundy a bit worried.
During the offseason, the Cavaliers did not land any big fish in the free market.
Veterans were unwilling to play second fiddle to Rookies, and most Rookie players were already under contract.
In this situation, Van Gundy thought it over and over, always feeling that "wearing down the old guys" was the best method.
The New York Knicks successfully wore down the Chicago Bulls back then, and this was something he personally experienced.
As soon as the time came, with the team fully prepared, the Champion Coach could rally his forces and rely on more energetic young players to overwhelm the defending champions.
When they returned to the hotel that night, Van Gundy looked at his capable assistant and detailed his plans and arrangements, but Thibodeau kept shaking his head, hinting:
"Jeff, I must warn you, the team's trust is declining!"
"Cleveland fans can accept the team losing to the New York Knicks, but they definitely don't want to see the home team defeated by the Celtics."
"And we must occupy a favorable position in the regular season, otherwise, we will most likely meet these two teams in the semifinals. If possible, Eastern Conference First is best."
"At that time, as long as nothing unexpected happens, the other two teams will meet early, which is our best chance for the new season."
Having just toured the Bund with the players, Thibodeau was dressed in sportswear.
Perhaps due to being busy with work during the offseason, he looked unkempt and lacked the demeanor of a famous coach.
Pulling open his white shirt collar, the increasingly bald Van Gundy paced back and forth in the room.
Of course, he knew that first place was best, but the opponent was a 60-win team.
In terms of floor-raising ability, Clay Lee is ridiculously strong.
Since entering the league in 1996, the New York Knicks have maintained 60+ wins, and this record is still ongoing, with a high probability that no one will break it in the future.
"I've talked to Gilbert about it. Pursuing a championship requires a long-term plan, and the New York Knicks are the best example."
"He completely agrees with that! Think about it, even in three years, LeBron James will only be 26. By then, no one in the Eastern Conference will be our opponent."
"This year, we just need to make it to the conference finals again and gain experience. I know Boston has invited you, but they won't succeed, and we all know why."
Recalling that his assistant coach was almost poached, Van Gundy felt a bit annoyed.
As he spoke, he drew a grand vision for his good partner, but Thibodeau remained calm:
"I know, that's why I rejected them. Everyone is aware of the Celtics' depth issues. Preseason odds don't lie."
When the two talked about the team's offseason operations, they both shook their heads.
There were no players they liked in the entire free market.
Van Gundy finally sighed:
"Maybe next year we can poach someone from New York. The tactical system is the same, and the players can seamlessly integrate."
"..."
Thibodeau didn't say anything.
He was too embarrassed to say that sometimes the New York Knicks' players were also a big problem.
Sprewell had destroyed the Chicago Bulls back then, and he hadn't forgotten that.
Just thinking about spending a lot of money to poach someone, only for them to perform like the former steals leader when they arrived, made Thibodeau worried for his partner.
This situation would make them completely lose the team's trust.
On Wednesday the 17th, in the Shanghai game that day, LeBron James was not the focus on the court.
Dwight Howard, who frequently contributed dunks and tomahawk rebounds, received more applause.
The Orlando Magic's shooters were completely off-target, and JJ Redick was even more lost.
Facing the Cavaliers' zone Defense, he either clanked shots or gave up blocks under the basket.
Contributing 14 rebounds and 6 blocks in a single game, Dwight Howard was having a blast.
After being tempered by the national team, he single-handedly dominated the opposing interior.
Jameer Nelson hadn't officially reached an agreement with the team yet, and his face looked a bit grim after the embarrassing loss.
In contrast, Hedo Türkoğlu enjoyed waving to the fans after the game, frequently interacting with new teammate Rashard Lewis, and finally joked with Dwight Howard:
"Good job, Dwight! If you could come to Orlando, I'd welcome you with open arms!"
Cheers filled the Stadium.
Dwight Howard's face showed a look of enjoyment.
He simply hugged his opponent and then started bragging about himself:
"You know, I just signed a hundred-million-dollar contract. Maybe you should come to Cleveland. We could also form a 'Four Giants.' That sounds cool!"
Rashard Lewis's salary was actually higher, but after signing a big contract, he became even more low-key, never showing off like this Rookie in front of him:
"I'm not interested in playing in Cleveland. Besides New York, I can't think of any other team that would spend a lot of money to improve their roster."
"Two max contracts are the limit, buddy! Just enjoy life for now. You look more popular than LeBron James right now."
Hearing Rashard Lewis's praise, Dwight Howard was overjoyed, showing off his white teeth and grinning broadly.
He loved hearing such flattery; being a "grunt" was not his pursuit.
During the offseason, LeBron James was busy vying for power with Kobe on the national team and didn't pay much attention to the team's situation.
As a result, this warm-up game left him stunned again.
The elder brother, Larry Hughes, went 2-for-12, nearly bending the rim out of shape.
LeBron James was speechless and decided to send him away this season.
However, during interviews, LeBron would not show such emotions.
Instead, he smiled and thoughtfully spoke highly of his teammate:
"I think everyone is in good form. The Cavaliers are very good at transition offense and Defense. Tonight, we showcased ourselves in front of tens of thousands of fans!"
"As for everyone's form, I'm not worried. Preseason is for finding problems, and the coach will help us improve our slow starts."
Before the end of October, teams could renew contracts with players in advance.
The New York Knicks did not offer a contract to strike at the guy who was causing trouble, but the San Antonio Spurs were different.
They always wanted to renew with Tim Duncan in advance, but he had not given a clear answer.
On Thursday the 18th, ESPN first gossiped during the day that Gregg Popovich might retire.
In the evening, on the TNT program, the three hosts transformed into psychological masters.
In the studio, Charles Barkley seemed to have become Tim Duncan's close friend, stating Duncan's intentions with certainty:
"I understand Tim Duncan. He won the MVP but didn't get respect. He will opt out of his contract next offseason and execute his player option early."
"With his appeal, he will change cities in the Western Conference to recruit more help. That's the best option."
"Having reached the Finals 4 times, I think Duncan must have realized a fact: the Head Coach is very important, but sometimes not that important. Players are the ones who decide the game."
Seeing his partner speak so earnestly, Kenny Smith, sitting on the far right, couldn't help but quip:
"Did you talk to Tim Duncan on the phone? Did he tell you all this himself? God, why would he leave San Antonio? This is a 60-win championship contender."
Charles Barkley certainly wouldn't say that the two hadn't even exchanged text messages.
Although the above content was all made up by him, he wore a confident expression:
"Championship contender? Look at the current Finals record. The San Antonio Spurs have no hope of winning against the New York Knicks."
"This year they've filled their salary cap again. With this lineup, if they make it to the Finals again, do they have a chance to win?"
"Tim Duncan knows he can't raise the team's ceiling. He's not Clay Lee. His ability isn't enough to defeat the defending champions."
"Only by changing his environment will he escape this predicament. I believe that as long as he opts out of his contract, many teams will welcome him with open arms."
These words sounded very reasonable, but the "One Person, One City Award" was one of the few important honors Duncan had received in his career so far.
Ernie Johnson also asked curiously at this point:
"Which team can attract Tim Duncan's join in? The Phoenix Suns? To form the strongest Western Conference frontcourt with Amare Stoudemire?"
"The Utah Jazz? Deron Williams is too young. I don't think he's better than Parker. Clay Lee can easily penetrate a Rookie's Defense."
"The Denver Nuggets? Perhaps they can no longer offer a large contract. Most importantly, Allen Iverson has never beaten Clay Lee. This is not a good choice."
Kenny Smith had already guessed what his partner was going to say and simply covered his face, shouting "No, No, No" loudly in the studio.
"Why not the Lakers? Two players who both need to prove themselves joining forces. Coach Phil Jackson's Triangle Offense might allow Duncan to take another step forward."
"Andrew Bynum has great talent. After joining the team, they only need to add perimeter defenders. On offense, Kobe Bryant can make those clutch shots, and on Defense, he can match up with Clay Lee."
A grinning Charles Barkley once again steered the conversation back to the Lakers.
Hearing this answer, the two people beside him shook their heads and waved their hands, exclaiming "Impossible."
Kenny Smith finally gave his very firm opinion, emphasizing the Lakers' current situation:
"The news we received is that Los Angeles is actively promoting this Champion Coach. Currently, they still hope to send Kobe Bryant away via a three-way trade."
"Even if Kobe ultimately stays in Los Angeles, how will they convince Tim Duncan? Don't forget that the team has been stuck in the first round for several years, and their record is far inferior to the San Antonio Spurs."
"..."
That night's show eventually ended in debate.
The San Antonio Spurs' continuous salary cap-filling operations ultimately buried hidden dangers, and Tim Duncan's choice next year became a considerable hot topic before the regular season began.
On sunday the 21st, The Pit at New Mexico University was packed.
Although New Mexico lacks teams from the four major sports leagues, the sports atmosphere here is not bad.
The preseason game between the New York Knicks and the Seattle SuperSonics attracted a large number of fans.
Governor Bill Richardson even participated in this year's event throughout.
Cheers continuously echoed in the arena, but Kevin Durant on the court was not happy.
As the game time passed, his mood worsened.
Returning to Albuquerque again, Lee's entire family almost mobilized.
Besides Ivanka and Krysten Ritter, who were still recuperating, the other girls also came here for vacation and rest.
Melinda, sitting in the front row, was dressed in athletic wear.
During this time, besides being busy fighting with her opponents in court, she also completed an investment.
Twitter's Series A funding was helped by Lee's Inno Company, with $5 million.
The two sides initially reached a cooperation, and Reddit would help promote it fully.
If all goes well, Inno will bring in the Ziff Brothers for Series B funding, and both sides will invest another $15 million.
This is something both parties have already finalized.
Although Twitter's user base grew after its explosion in July, its profitability model remains questionable.
Recently, money has been flowing like water.
Even Scarlett, who is usually extravagant, felt a pang of heartache.
Ever since she thought Marvel's iron man would flop, she consciously started saving money.
At this moment, sitting next to Melinda, the succubus would whisper a few words from time to time, and after being comforted, she would let out two soft laughs.
Pretty girls always get extra attention.
Kevin Durant, seeing the goddess again, was not focused enough since the game began, resulting in him continuously clanking shots while being entangled by Tayshaun Prince.
With only 3 minutes and 42 seconds left in the first half, the New York Knicks were still led by Lee with a rotation lineup.
Those who participated in the national team during the offseason would not play too long tonight.
"Defense!"
Defense cheers once again erupted in the Pit.
The New York Knicks created a home-court atmosphere here, which made the Rookies on the opposing side extremely uncomfortable.
Delonte West even passed the ball as soon as he crossed half-court.
Head Coach P. J. Carlesimo, wearing a dark gray suit on the sidelines, saw the offense stagnating.
He lowered his crossed arms, signaled for the ball to go to Kevin Durant, and then pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose.
Receiving the ball at the right elbow, Kevin Durant turned, and Tayshaun Prince immediately stuck to him.
Facing the slender "big pole," the New York Knicks' low-key forward gave plenty of resistance.
Their matchup was not unfamiliar; they had practiced together on the national team.
But in an NBA game, the situation was completely different, and the current teammates could not amplify Kevin Durant's advantages.
The two big men, Chris Wilcox and Nick Collison, near the baseline could not create space.
Although Damien Wilkins in the backcourt was in good form, Kevin Durant did not want to pass the ball.
As for Delonte West at the top of the arc, he disappeared when matched up against Clay Lee after coming on.
Kevin Durant ultimately ignored his teammates, took continuous jab steps, released the ball with his right hand, and after a powerful dribble, quickly stepped back.
Facing Tayshaun Prince's left-hand interference, Kevin Durant shot another brick over the Defense.
Seeing the basketball hit the back rim and bounce straight out, Kevin Durant slapped his hand in frustration, not having time to call his teammates, and quickly retreated on Defense.
Nick Collison, however, was quite active, pulling and wrestling with Gadzuric under the basket, but the long rebound bounced out, and on the other side, Boris Diaw successfully anticipated it, picking up the ball in the paint ahead of Wilcox.
After securing the rebound, Boris Diaw immediately rushed up the court, and by the time he crossed half-court, Raja Bell, who was fast-breaking on the other side, had already run to the right corner, and Tayshaun Prince also quietly cut towards the basket.
Boris Diaw, at the top of the arc, slowed down and smoothly passed the ball to the trailing Lee.
The moment Lee received the ball on the left wing, far from the three-point line, Delonte West, who had stopped at the three-point line, quickly moved to defend.
As his opponent shifted his feet, Lee looked at the rim and simultaneously put the ball down with his left hand, suddenly accelerating.
He dribbled one big step, then stopped abruptly again, performing a snatch-back dribble and step-back.
With the sudden stop and start, Delonte West directly rushed past Lee from the side and into the three-point line, unable to make a defensive move, watching Lee easily gather the ball and calmly shoot a jump shot.
As the three-pointer swished through the net, the Pit erupted again, 54:41, the lead seemed to be widening.
Noticing the front-row spectators by the court clapping and cheering loudly, Kevin Durant slapped his thigh again.
He had been on the court when they started losing points, and he had completely lost face.
This game actually had considerable attention, as Kevin Durant had performed well in the previous preseason games, and even more so in the open tryouts, so ESPN had announced it early.
At the commentary table, Mark Jackson had no intention of considering the Rookie's feelings.
At this moment, after looking at the statistics, he quipped:
"So far, Kevin Durant is 2 for 11, and his performance from beyond the arc isn't great either, 1 for 4. It's clear he hasn't fully adapted to the physicality of the NBA yet."
Mike Breen noticed that the Seattle SuperSonics had started to pass the ball around aimlessly on the perimeter again.
Delonte West set a screen and passed the ball near the left extended line, and Nick Collison, who received the ball in the elbow area, didn't even look at the rim.
Inside, Wilcox was desperately trying to get to the basket, and on the right wing, Kevin Durant and his teammate's movements overlapped.
In such a situation, Mike Breen simply explained for the Seattle SuperSonics:
"It seems Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo still has a lot of work to do. He has to integrate Kevin Durant into the team."
Ultimately, Nick Collison's hand-off pass also failed to delay Tayshaun Prince.
Kevin Durant, who received the ball near the left wing, had no choice but to face Tayshaun Prince again, who had his right arm raised, deliberately giving up his left hand.
Not forcing a dribble with his weak hand, Kevin Durant paused slightly after a crossover dribble, then, taking advantage of his opponent changing his defensive Center of Gravity, quickly gathered the ball outside the three-point line and shot directly over the Defense.
The long rebound bounced out and was immediately picked up by Raja Bell.
A cross-court pass from the elbow found Lee, who was accelerating along the left sideline, and the New York Knicks launched another fast break.
A misfire by Kevin Durant meant he could only diligently retreat on Defense with his teammates.
As soon as he returned to half-court and completed his defensive assignment, he saw Raja Bell receive the ball again at the top of the arc.
Kevin Durant, on the other side of the court, clearly saw Boris Diaw in the left elbow area feign a screen for Clay Lee outside the three-point line, then suddenly accelerate and cut down.
Just as the coach emphasized before the game, Delonte West immediately switched on Defense, promptly cutting off the passing lane and following Boris Diaw towards the basket.
Wilcox, however, was a half-step slow, failing to switch in time, allowing Raja Bell to easily deliver a cross-court pass.
Using his height advantage, Durant found it somewhat unbearable to watch, as he saw Lee receive the ball, fake, trick his teammate, then put the ball down with his left hand, dribble another step, and after a snatch-back dribble, shoot a fadeaway jump shot towards the left sideline.
"OH—! Another three!"
At the commentary table, Mike Breen exclaimed in a lighthearted tone, and on the court, several Seattle SuperSonics players were visibly frustrated.
The lead had grown to 16 points.
Damien Wilkins, who had a hot hand in the first quarter, no longer paid attention to the Rookie, actively signaling for a screen.
As Don Nelson received the ball in the left elbow, Wilcox screened on the right wing, and Wilkins, moving horizontally with acceleration, received the pass.
Facing Boris Diaw's timely switch, he shot a jump shot that clanked off the rim.
This time, the rebound was picked up by Clay Lee in the left block, and Kevin Durant, who had just been squatting in the right corner, started running back and forth again.
Just as he settled back into half-court, Kevin Durant turned around and heard cheers, then saw Clay Lee, near the right wing, suddenly gather the ball and shoot a jump shot from a distance outside the three-point line.
The arc was very high, and Kevin Durant subconsciously turned his head to watch the basket.
The basketball ultimately swished through the net.
"Oh!"
The lead extended to 19 points.
In less than 2 minutes, the game suddenly became a blowout.
As the Seattle SuperSonics symbolically called a timeout, Clay Lee, walking towards half-court, smiled and high-fived the fans, showing his respect.
"Damn game!"
Kevin Durant, experiencing his first severe beating, sat down on the bench and complained, huffing as if to say the Seattle SuperSonics should have won the game.
"You'll get used to it, man! Luckily, we only have two games against New York this year. My experience playing in Boston was a nightmare!"
Delonte West, who had been traded to the Seattle SuperSonics, casually shared his experience, and only stopped talking after being glared at by the Head Coach.
The timeout also failed to solve the Seattle SuperSonics' scoring drought.
Kevin Durant remained a bricklayer until the final moments of the half, where he salvaged some face with free throws.
66:43. The game was no longer in doubt, and the remaining time completely turned into a warm-up exhibition.
Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo had clearly received instructions from the team.
The strategy was almost entirely to give the ball to Kevin Durant, letting the Rookie shoot freely to adapt to the intensity of NBA games as soon as possible.
Kevin Durant didn't hold back, clanking shots throughout the second half, leading the team to lose by an even greater margin, ultimately losing the game regrettably.
126:86. When the game ended, the New York Knicks' bench erupted in cheers.
Mike D'Antoni couldn't hold back the smile on his face.
The main player's condition was better than he had imagined.
For the entire game, Kevin Durant was 6 for 23 from the field, 2 for 8 from three-point range, and 4 for 6 from the free-throw line, tallying 18 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers.
Many fans were greatly disappointed by the Rookie's performance.
He was simply too much of a bricklayer, completely different from his time with the national team.
Clay Lee, who was being interviewed by ESPN, did not stint on his praise, commending Kevin Durant's willingness to take responsibility.
It was only when he heard gossip from San Antonio that he showed a look of surprise.
"Tim Duncan's contract? Are you referring to his player option? I don't think he'll leave his city."
"A championship isn't everything, you know, man. I've always agreed with that view. The fans are the most important, and I believe he will fulfill his promise and bring a championship to San Antonio."
When the young reporter heard Lee's words, he felt something was off.
It seemed like the boomerang from a few years ago was about to fly back.
Not getting too involved in the gossip, Lee briefly interviewed and then once again saluted the fans, and the succubus, who loved to show affection, didn't forget to blow a kiss in public at the end.
Kevin Durant, walking slowly towards the player tunnel, saw this scene and felt even worse, unable to resist quickening his pace, comforting himself:
"Just friends. Not married."
(A/N: I'm loving Lee's bad taste here. He obviously knew Durant is a simp and still promote him after beating him senseless at the Court then once again off court lol. Poor Kevin can only watch like us.)
....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)