The 1996-97 season suddenly became the so-called "proof season" for Michael Jordan.
Before the start of the regular season, the NBA's top 50 superstars were ranked 46th. They had 4 championships, including three consecutive championships, but the results were still not respected.
At the end of the regular season, the Bulls led the league in record and remained in first place. As a result, the MVP was still in doubt. This award was selected by the media, and these people did not respect it.
With 4 championships, do you still have to prove yourself again in the end?
Being repeatedly consumed by the media made Michael Jordan's mood worse and worse. After losing to the Knicks, the bad mood reached its peak.
The media in New York are not afraid of being slapped in the face. Anyway, after winning tonight, everyone feels comfortable. We must take this opportunity to ridicule as much as possible. It is not easy to win against the Bulls:
"McKen, can you talk about why you took so many shots in this game? You scored 36 points on 32 shots. How would you evaluate your efficiency?"
In a roundabout way, he satirized Michael Jordan for playing too uniquely, and the media in the audience happily looked at the league's number one player who had always been famous in the past.
"I didn't pay attention to how many shots I took. Maybe 32 wasn't enough, at least it didn't bring victory."
"Efficiency is not a concern for me. I don't play for data. I will remember the feeling of losing, which will give me extra motivation."
Michael Jordan had heard too many old-fashioned criticisms, and he had completely calmed down his depression. At the press conference, Michael Jordan just secretly noted the defeat, and by the way, he also noted the comments in the audience. Unscrupulous media.
"McKen, how would you evaluate the performance of the Knicks and Jazz this season?"
After going back to the topic of MVP, Michael Jordan felt that all the people in front of him had amnesia:
"53 wins and 8 losses, this is the Bulls' record. We are still first in the league. If they can surpass this result, I will make an evaluation at that time."
"."
Throughout the press conference, Michael Jordan answered questions with a "we are all clowns" expression, which made the media in the audience very unhappy:
"What do losers feel proud of!?"
NBA superstars not only have to deal with problems on the court, but their relationship with the media must not be too tense.
Everyone is eating from the same pot, looking down and not looking up. It can be said that they are interdependent.
It's just that Michael Jordan has never liked to consume his media frequently, and with his super strength, the brands behind him also help Jordan.
Therefore, the two sides are in disharmony. For the sake of the United States, most media have bowed their heads. But this season is different. Michael Jordan slaps the NBA in the face, which gives everyone a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity:
"If you have a good record, you get the MVP? Who recognizes it?"
"."
On the morning of March 10, Li You happily watched the Bulls being ridiculed in the newspapers at home. The reporter who wrote the article was so angry that he once again ignored the opponent's status as the league's number one.
Perhaps they felt that their friends had been blinded by the MVP. The losing Bulls went directly to Boston, and no one was in the mood to stay in New York.
4 of 18, 1 of 8 from beyond the arc, and only 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists in the game. With such an excellent performance, Pippen can be called the sixth man of the Knicks.
You don't need to think about it to know that the newspapers on the second day were full of ridicule. It is not the Bulls' style to stay and accept the insults.
The NBA also announced its Player of the Week, and Patrick Ewing of the Knicks successfully won the award.
Ignoring the first three brutal games, Ewing had a perfect performance against the Bulls:
12 of 18, 8 of 13 free throws, 32 points, 14 rebounds and 3 turnovers. Therefore, the Gorilla deserved the award of the Week.
When Mark Bartelstein arrived to deliver game tickets, Li You also got out of the fun mood.
"A few tickets to the UNC game. The Knicks only have two games next week. Remember to go to the games. You need to be in front of the fans all the time."
“It’s a shame Connecticut didn’t make the tournament this year, otherwise it would have been better.”
Players need exposure, and Mark Bartelstein worries about Ray Allen every day.
Compared with ordinary players, Ray Allen is still a talent that attracts much attention, but just looking at Li You's treatment in New York, Ray Allen will also feel sad
"North Carolina game? Vince Carter? His popularity is getting higher and higher recently!"
After entering March Madness, Li You can always see reports from Tim Duncan and Vince Carter.
The former has basically locked up the No. 1 pick in 1997, but the latter is extremely popular, and everyone loves beautiful dunks!
"As the NBA league is updated, there is a high probability that the focus will shift to outside players."
"The league will present what the fans want to see, which is a good thing for smaller players."
Mark Bartelstein has also been busy with the company's business recently. He can't get big-name stars, so it would be good to sign some small outside players.
Once you successfully scratch the lottery ticket, you will have a good income
Li You looked at the ticket in his hand and felt that he should take some rest. The schedule from the end of February to the beginning of March was so intensive that he almost vomited.
After the game against the Bulls, the team has completed its phased goals. With a lot of rest time this week, the players will naturally be given a day off.
On March 11, the Knicks challenged the Mavericks away from home. In the last meeting, the opponent had not made a deal and the team was in internal strife. However, in this meeting, the Mavericks began to falter.
With 20 wins and 41 losses, the Mavericks can only reach the playoffs unless they win all the subsequent games.
But there are too many bad teams, and with such a poor record, they are ranked 11th in the Western Conference, with three teams behind them.
It's hard to describe the game that night. Perhaps it was due to the law of conservation of character that Ewing was in poor form at the start.
The Mavericks' defense wasn't great either. They simply couldn't make shots and the Gorillas were inaccurate.
On the contrary, Charles Oakley was in surprisingly good shape during the game. Not only did he rush wildly for offensive rebounds, but he also hit several mid-range jumpers steadily.
Li You, who originally planned to take advantage of the situation, saw that the score was not even open at half-time, so he had no choice but to play seriously.
Fortunately, the opponent really didn't want to win and gave the Dallas fans a collective boost in the second half.
In the end, 98:90, the Knicks defeated the Mavericks with difficulty.
Ewing made 4 of 15 in this game, relying on free throws to get 14 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 3 turnovers. When he returned to the locker room, the gorilla was depressed.
"Pat, don't worry about the statistics. We won anyway, and that's the most important thing!"
It's holiday soon, Charles Oakley is in a good mood, and the old guy comforts his friend again.
Starks naturally saw that the boss wanted to brush up the data!
Karl Malone's Excel is better than Ewing. If you want to select the MVP, Excel becomes the key factor when neither team is first in the league.
Ewing said a few words of encouragement in the locker room, and then said:
"Do you want to go to the Georgetown game with me? I guarantee you will get front-row tickets."
Everyone shook their heads. Apart from cheering for their alma mater, no one wanted to bother with this rare holiday.
Li You didn't say a word and followed the gorilla, turning him into a bag-carrying boy. He was not interested in watching the Georgetown game.
Jeff Van Gundy is in a very good mood. Ever since he defeated the Bulls, the bald young coach has been smiling from ear to ear:
"Everyone has a good rest this week and strive to achieve a complete victory in March!"
"The regular horse racing is over soon. If you feel uncomfortable, remember to communicate with the team doctor in time. Your performance is important, but health is more important."
"I don't want to see the team attrition before the playoffs even begin!"
Assistant coach Thibodeau has set his sights on Ewing. Gorilla's knees are always at risk of injury. If the players don't need data, the coaching staff will even take the initiative to reduce Ewing's playing time.
After some warnings, the coaching staff announced a holiday, and everyone can move around freely tonight.
Alan Houston was in a bad mood in these two games:
"Li, where are you going to go during the holidays? Are you still going to practice?"
The shooter needs tactics, and more importantly, the right to shoot, and his shooting status is stretched. Li You can only console him:
"After playing games for so many days in a row, it's time to relax. Don't worry about data problems. The next games can't be any worse!"
On March 12, Li You, who returned to New York, happened to meet up with his friends. Young people have recently been affected by Yahoo, and Ivan was fascinated by the Internet.
"Believe me, the future must be the era of the Internet, and this is what young people should do!"
Perhaps because they drank too much of Jerry Yang’s chicken soup, everyone fantasizes about creating the next Yahoo, and then being sought after by capital and reaching the pinnacle of life.
Li You looked at Ai Wen, who was talking endlessly about the future of the Internet, and couldn't help but joked in a low voice:
"I remember you also said that the insurance industry will flourish, and finance and insurance are the real future!"
Ivan didn't care about the teasing, but continued with a smile:
"Finance and insurance are indeed the future, but the Internet can definitely make a lot of money!"
"Everything I say is true. Look at Yahoo now. Young people like him. I'm sure they can make a lot of money even from selling ads."
The blond girl Aaliya on the side secretly rolled her eyes. Seeing her boyfriend starting to daydream again, she immediately said angrily:
"What you should do is prepare for the bar exam, instead of fantasizing about it every day!"
After hearing his girlfriend's words, Alvin could only shrug his shoulders, but the emotion shown on his face was "a woman's opinion".
Milinda has been leaning in Li You's arms, looking at the two of them with a smile:
"We don't know how to implement those technologies. You don't want to go to investment banking, do you? Then you might as well study actuarial science!"
Ivan simply nodded and admitted that the opportunity to make a lot of money was right in front of him, and there was no reason not to give it a try:
"I will prepare for the bar exam, and I also want to go to investment banking. I firmly believe this is an opportunity to make a lot of money!"
Aiwen held his girlfriend in his arms and was punched twice. Li You looked at the two fighting and decided to support his friend's plan:
"Anyway, we are still young and have room for trial and error. The Internet can indeed make money in these few years!"
Ai Wen and Li You fist bumped. Both of them are not short of money now and can freely choose their future.
At worst, I'll go back and eat my old age. This is Ivan's confidence.
Aaliya is a good girl, with good grades and beautiful person. She prefers a comfortable life. At this time, she can only sigh helplessly:
"You can obviously live a good life without spending too much money."
Some young people have been affected by the Internet wave and are beginning to prepare to start their own businesses, while others are content with the status quo and graduate and enter the society step by step.
Li You knows about some opportunities to make money, and what he has to do now is to accumulate principal.
At night, Li You was the only two people left in the apartment, and Milinda asked with a smile:
"How long will they be dating? I remember Alvin's record is 3 months!"
Li You is already used to seeing a formal girlfriend every few months, but this time he is dating a top student. This type has never appeared before:
"It's not as long as our relationship anyway!"
On March 13, Li You flew to Windsor with his friends to watch the game between North Carolina and Fairfield in the Eastern Division.
Mark Bartelstein prepared front-row tickets for Li You. Li You and his party were all dressed as students, no different from fans watching the game.
Controlling the big ball last night was too intense, so Milinda tied a scarf around her neck helplessly. After struggling for most of the night, her body was still a little weak when she flew here.
"There are so many people watching the game, many of them are North Carolina fans. Vince Carter, this guy's dunk is really good!"
Alvin noticed that Lawrence Joel Stadium was already full at this time, and also lamented Carter's popularity.
Li You saw that there was Antoine Jamison in the North Carolina lineup, and then he remembered that in another year, these two will also reach the top of the NCAA.
The DJ at the scene quickly noticed several NBA players on the sidelines. Naturally, Stackhouse wanted to cheer for his alma mater. When he was introduced, the North Carolina fans cheered for him.
When Li You stood up to greet the fans, all the fans in the audience started to cheer. He often appears on TV and was selected as an All-Star. Even if he doesn't watch the NBA, most fans have watched Li You's highlights.
Fans at the scene thought this would be a one-sided game. At the end of the half, at 28:35, North Carolina fell behind by 7 points.
The fans at the scene were happy and the boat capsized when they came up, that would be interesting.
Milinda, who had been leaning against her side, could clearly feel that Li You was even happier:
“Aren’t you here to support North Carolina?”
Li You hugged the confused silly girl and said cheerfully:
"I'm here to have fun!"
Unfortunately, Li You's wish did not come true. In the second half, Carter and Jamison both broke out and easily turned the game around.
At 82:74, North Carolina made a near-miss and successfully advanced.
Li You was a little regretful. He was looking forward to North Carolina's upset.
Newbies Carter and Jamison took the initiative to say hello after the game, and Carter even said excitedly:
"Lee, Clay God's move is so cool. Many people are imitating it. How does it feel to pass Michael Jordan?"
"It's almost like passing an old man. You know, McQueen is already old!"
After hearing Li You's words, the two newbies were a little confused. Then they saw Li You was laughing loudly, and then they realized that it was just a joke.
The three of them took a simple photo together. Li You didn't expect that fans would remember him not as an All-Star, but because he surpassed Michael Jordan:
"Is everyone expecting the Bulls to win the championship?"
On March 15th, Li You and the others stopped watching the game and simply started browsing this small city.
Li You bought some local cigars by the way, keeping these for his "good brother".
When he returned to New York again, Li You just felt that the vacation was too short and there was not enough time.
Everyone also finished the afternoon training session early, and no one cared about the game against the Nets in the evening.
Li You, Starks, and Oakley were puffing away in the locker room, enjoying the aroma of cigars:
"Karl Malone has racked up a lot of points this week. Pat won the Player of the Week award. Within a week, he will be surpassed by the opponent again."
"I really didn't expect the Jazz's record to be so good, but the Rockets fell behind. This is not a good thing!"
Starks really wanted to help Ewing win an MVP and had been paying attention to the trends of his competitors. As a result, Karl Malone exploded in this week's game.
"Forget it if you can't get it, Pat. Don't take it to heart. I still think most media will vote for McQueen."
Oakley, who was sulking, also comforted his friends. Although the record was good, Excel couldn't compare. Malone's regular season performance this season has been very good.
The most important thing is that the Jazz are first in the Western Conference, while the Knicks are second in the Eastern Conference. Even if their record is better, their title is wrong.
The MVP is selected from the first-place team in the Western Conference, which still sounds the same.
But what if it's the Knicks' turn? Drafting from the second-place team?
Considering the gimmick issue, Oakley felt that this was probably a dunk.
Ewing didn't say anything. He was completely attracted by the MVP. Without a championship, these honors are what he pursues!
In the game against the Nets that night, Ewing was in poor condition again and entered a state where he couldn't make any shots.
With 19 wins and 44 losses, the Nets are ranked third from the bottom in the Eastern Conference, behind the completely defeated Celtics and the 76ers who dived for the top pick.
Facing such a weak team, the whole team wants to help Ewing improve his statistics. After all, Karl Malone is killing everyone on the other side. In terms of Excel, you have to keep up with your opponents!
As a result, Ewing made 6 of 16 and 5 of 8 free throws that night. He only scored 17 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, and 3 turnovers.
In order to avoid overturning, Li You once again made 8 of 14, 4 of 9 from beyond the three-point line, and 2 of 2 free throws. He quietly scored 22 points and also sent out 7 assists.
On the morning of the 17th, the NBA announced this week's Player of the Week, and the Jazz's Karl Malone successfully won the award!
The Jazz have 4 wins and 1 loss this week. Malone averaged 39.0 minutes per game, 31.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.4 blocks and 2.6 turnovers per game;
He averaged 22.8 shots per game, shooting 50% from the field, and averaged 10.6 free throws per game, shooting 81.1% from the field.
This data is indeed more beautiful than Ewing's best of the week last week. Although the New York media is helping the Gorillas to build momentum, most media votes still rely on tables.
How to define the strength of a player in the regular season depends on Excel. Ewing started to worry about the data.
Entering the end of March, the Knicks still have 7 games to play. There is no particularly strong team. As long as they are not particularly stretched, they can basically maintain a winning record.
The Jazz have lost one game currently. If the Knicks can win in March and Ewing is elected Player of the Month, there may be hope for MVP.
After easily defeating the shabby Grizzlies at home, the Knicks challenged the Pacers away on the night of the 19th.
I thought it was a simple game, but it turned out to be a disaster.
At 96:109, the Knicks were technically knocked down by the opponent in the third quarter.
After a round of back-to-back games, no one felt comfortable. Ewing performed pretty well, shooting 7 of 17 and scoring 23 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists.
On the opposite side, Reggie Miller suddenly broke out, playing 43 minutes and scoring a game-high 29 points.
Jeff Van Gundy was also embarrassed after the game. He certainly knew that this was a critical period to help Ewing win the MVP. The reason for losing this game was because there was no targeted arrangement before the game.
After returning to the locker room, the bald young coach took the initiative to take the blame:
"Everyone should be serious about the next game and don't underestimate any opponent!"
"The regular season is not over yet. Although we still have a two-game advantage, the gap is being narrowed. Remember, we must go all out in every game!"
Li You held his chin in his seat and remained silent. He tried his best. Every time he attacked, he basically looked for the gorilla first. If the tactics failed, he would then attack other points.
But there is really nothing he can do about making jump shots. Of course, this is also related to the fact that there is a big man on the opposite side.
Rick Schmitz is 2.24 meters tall. He is in good shape this season and can be regarded as a powerful helper for Reggie Miller.
Once Alan Houston invests too much in defense, the offense is likely to be stretched. In this case, everyone still has to provide data for Ewing, and the game becomes a bit strange.
After returning to the hotel, Larry Johnson followed Cha Lemon, ate the late-night snack brought by Ma Kadi, and whispered a few words:
"Pat can't absorb too much ball at all. Every time he plays back-to-back away games, his condition will decline."
"This is different from Ma Long. Although the two are about the same age, the other is in better shape!"
"I don't think this award can be awarded to two people. Stabilizing the record is the most important thing."
Alan Houston expressed his understanding, and the loss had something to do with him:
"This is the privilege of being the boss. Anyway, we try our best. Even if we lose a game, we still have a chance to win the best of the month. Then when we compare the data in April, we still have a chance to win the award."
Ewing's treatment reminded Li You of "Admiral" scoring points. This can be regarded as a kind of team culture. At critical moments, everyone helps their own people.
"After playing the games in March, we have to prepare for the playoffs. Don't you teach some playoff experience that is applicable to rookies?"
Li You started to change the topic, and "Aunt" also stopped complaining, and then made two more complaints:
"Hell! Stop calling yourself a rookie when you make it to the All-Stars!"
The Knicks stayed in Indiana before heading to Milwaukee for a road game.
On the night of March 20, Charles Oakley, with a silver smile on his face, pulled Li You into the small ballroom of the hotel.
"Surprise!!"
"Lee, not only am I a die-hard Knicks fan, but I'm also a huge fan of yours. I'm so happy to meet you!"
Looking at the middle-aged white man in front of him who was a bit bloated and bald, Li You had a question mark on his face, fan meeting?
Kaplan still maintained his enthusiastic attitude and said with a smile:
"I know Pat is competing for MVP. When he saw you guys losing, he flew here to reward everyone. Don't worry, this time it will be kept strictly confidential!"
"Everyone can play with confidence, and the whole journey is free. This is something I appreciate as a fan!"
"The reward dance is officially started!"
Before Li You could react, two graceful blondes appeared in front of everyone. As the Knicks team cheered, an indescribable scene occurred.
The vanguard was responsible for heating up the atmosphere. As more than 10 young girls entered the scene, the atmosphere became more and more anxious.
Under the heated dance, the cheers became louder and louder.
Charles Oakley sat on the sofa, playing with the ball in his arms, and said to Li You:
"Relax, Li, don't worry about Kaplan's work, no one knows these secrets!"
This kind of scene really opened Li You's eyes. In the past, the scale of his parties was not so spectacular. He curled his lips and sat on the sofa, played with the Persian cat in his arms, and whispered:
"Why don't you see Pat? You won't forget him!"
Charles Oakley picked up his cigar and said with a silver smile:
"Pat has entered the next stage. There is still a lot of time in these two days, so enjoy it!"
"."
On March 22, on the plane flying to Milwaukee, everyone on the Knicks team looked exhausted. They had been fighting continuously and couldn't stand it anymore!
That night, the entire Knicks team was sluggish, almost dumbfounding everyone on the Bucks team.
79:88, away defeat.
After returning to the locker room, Ewing also showed a look of remorse. It was obviously a critical period for him to become MVP, so why was he addicted to women?
I don’t know if Kaplan also prepared gifts for the coaching staff. In short, after losing this game, everyone had a tacit understanding and did not find the reason.
Li You looked at the technical statistics of the team's shooting percentage, which was over 40%, and could only secretly make up his mind:
"You were hurt by alcohol and sex! From today on, stop drinking!"
On March 23, the Knicks returned to their home court to face the Trail Blazers back-to-back.
In this game, the entire team still created opportunities for Ewing. Gorilla is worthy of being a historical center and has fully recovered from the high-confrontation games of the past few days.
After adjusting his condition, Ewing showed off his power in front of the New York fans and completely defeated the opponent Sabonis.
94:101, after returning home, the Knicks ended their two-game losing streak.
Playing 40 minutes, he made 11 of 22 shots, 1 of 1 from beyond the three-point line, and 12 of 16 free throws. Ewing scored 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 turnovers.
35 points was also the highest score in the game. However, at the post-game press conference, the New York media in the audience asked about the reason for the tragic defeat. Ewing could only answer awkwardly:
"We are a little tired from the consecutive away games and the continuous high-intensity games have affected our physical fitness. However, we adjusted our physical condition in time and we are very happy to win at home!"
"."
On March 24, the NBA announced its Player of the Week again, and Jazz’s Karl Malone won the award again!
In this week's game, the Jazz had 3 wins and 0 losses. In a rough game, Malone played 33.7 minutes per game, averaging 29.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.7 turnovers per game;
He averaged 17.7 shots per game, shooting 67.9% from the field, and averaged 8.0 free throws per game, shooting 70.8% from the field.
With such terrifying efficiency, even if Ewing performs normally, Excel can't compete with him!
If you get Player of the Week twice in a month, you basically lock in the Player of the Month for that month.
During the afternoon training session, Patrick Ewing had depression written all over his face.
54 wins and 15 losses, this is the current record of the Knicks, followed closely by the Heat's 51 wins and 17 losses.
The two teams are ranked second and third in the Eastern Conference.
In the Western Conference, the Utah Jazz rank first with 52 wins and 17 losses. Although the Knicks have a better record, the Bulls above them still lead the league.
There are only three games left for the Knicks in March. The schedule is not stressful and everyone has sufficient rest time.
But after Karl Malone won the Player of the Month award, the competition between the two seemed to have come to an end.
No matter how much the New York media trumpets the Knicks' record, in terms of Excel alone, Ewing just can't beat the opponent.
The boss was sulking on the sidelines, and the atmosphere team didn't dare to say anything. After all, everyone was "brothers" who had sex together, and they all understood the gorilla's emotions.
Li You continued basic training as always, controlling the ball with both hands, shooting at fixed points, and running back and shooting.
His physical condition has declined compared to last month, and the minor injury caused by the collision has had some impact.
But with Jeff Van Gundy fighting the main force and a lot of playing time, [Ray Allen's excellent explosive power] finally turned into a copper color.
The obvious improvement is that emergency stops and starts are easier!
What troubles Li You is that he did a lot of strength training with the team's trainer, but his muscles still failed to grow.
The training effect of rookie John Wallace is much more obvious than him.
"Very good, Lee! By the end of the regular season, you have fully adapted to the intensity of NBA games."
"I really want to thank your basketball coach when you were a kid. You had the best weak side of any player I've ever seen."
Assistant coach Don Chaney was wearing a white training suit, holding out his belly and praising Li You's performance.
"I do want to thank them, but I want to thank Coach Calhoun even more. During his two years in college, he corrected many of my bad habits."
After all, Li You is not a child. He has been interested in training his weak side hand since he was exposed to basketball since he was a child. However, he is sincerely grateful to coach Calhoun. He has absorbed many tactical concepts in college basketball.
Thibodeau, who was on the side, had just gone over to comfort Ewing. When he saw the two chatting here, he also said:
"Li, prepare in advance. The playoffs are different from the regular season. There are more targeted defenses."
"If nothing else happens, our first-round opponent will most likely be the Magic."
"You know Anfernee Hardaway's size advantage. Don't relax. We have to stay in such a tight state."
"It doesn't matter if the opponent is weak, after all, the opponent has more experience."
Li You smiled and nodded. The coaching staff had already started preparing for the playoffs. Naturally, he couldn't relax:
"Don't worry, I'm an All-Star too!"
Thank you book friends for subscribing (﹃)
This chapter explains the MVP,
There will be no regular season in the future.
The word count is too low, the next chapter is the playoffs~
Thanks again to book friends for their subscription support~
(End of chapter)
