Check out my new fanfic.
12th man to Cricket legend. It's a cricket book for cricket lovers only.
Please give it a go đ
***
On the eve of Christmas, the Lakers, preparing for this year's Christmas War, found themselves in a predicament.
After Odom's injury, the team's performance fluctuated, and a continuous road trip to the Eastern Conference also left the players feeling exhausted.
Not only the games, but also the major sports media's pre-game hype for the Christmas War added to the pressure, and everyone on the Lakers could clearly feel Kobe becoming increasingly irritable.
After many atmosphere-creating members left the Lakers, they would often complain about the team's internal atmosphere.
Not everyone liked training, and Kobe's high-pressure "rule" caused considerable problems in the locker room.
99:95, after a narrow road victory over the Nets on Friday, even with the win, Kobe showed no joy.
When attending the post-game press conference, Kobe even publicly criticized Parker for dragging the team down:
"I don't understand why some people don't train hard but always want a starting spot. Maybe he sees basketball as a tool to show off, but I just want to win."
"I can see who works harder. I don't like being teammates with people who aren't focused."
Old Fish's return changed the backcourt, with Parker firmly benched.
Whenever the Lakers performed poorly, he would come out with sarcastic remarks, even forming a small locker room clique with Bynum.
The Los Angeles sports media also didn't hold back, tirelessly reporting on internal gossip.
Some onlookers even found Kobe's post-game meltdown more entertaining than the win.
With frequent internal squabbles, Kobe felt that the team was full of moles.
He couldn't accept that locker room news was being leaked, which was also the reason for his poor mood during this period.
Phil Jackson also didn't compromise.
Not long ago, Shaquille O'Neal was unhappy about missing the Christmas War, and despite not yet being recovered from injury, he publicly complained during an interview with the Miami Herald:
"The Lakers are just a fringe playoff team. They shouldn't be enjoying the treatment they currently have."
"Phil once wrote in his book that Kobe was uncoachable. I think he regrets coming back to the Lakers now. Without me, only failure awaits them."
"..."
These words didn't anger the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man.
Instead, they directly broke Pat Riley, whose team had a poor record.
After defeating the Warriors on Saturday, the Heat's record reached 10 wins and 16 losses.
They had transformed from a conference finals team into a fish belly, and Dwyane Wade also suddenly became outdated.
"We will get better. Shaq must lose more weight. We must focus on our own game!"
"I'm not interested in other teams. The Christmas War allows for a few days of rest, and I think this is a good opportunity for the Heat."
Pat Riley's words revealed dissatisfaction.
Shaquille O'Neal's knee injury disrupted his rhythm, and he had complained about injury problems more than once this month.
Not every team felt conflicted and painful.
After a big victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday, the Cavaliers were incredibly joyful.
For the last game before Christmas, Gund Arena was already boiling.
Playing 40 minutes, shooting 13 of 21 from the field, 2 of 3 from beyond the arc, and 4 of 10 from the free-throw line, LeBron James easily scored a game-high 32 points, along with 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 4 turnovers.
Dwight Howard contributed a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds, and fueled by the atmosphere, he shouted and interacted passionately with fans after the game.
"I think everyone performed very well. We had an absolute advantage in rebounding, and we controlled the game's tempo through our Defense."
"18 wins and 8 losses, I think the team can do even better. This is not our limit. We can win more games."
LeBron James said these words with a confident expression during his interview.
He was a tiny bit dissatisfied with the record but very pleased with the ranking.
Their excellent record firmly placed the Cavaliers in second place in the Eastern Conference, closely followed by the Chicago Bulls with 16 wins and 10 losses.
With the Eastern Conference struggling, these two teams surged forward.
The joy of winning also made Dwight Howard quite cocky.
Unlike LeBron James's polite words, the Rookie grinned and boasted:
"I think we should get a Christmas War opportunity. In fact, the Lakers are not our opponents at all."
"I know you always like to talk about Kobe and Bynum, but don't forget the combination of LeBron and me. When we play the Lakers, we win more."
"This season, I will be the Rebounding King. Remember, the Cavaliers are already starting to realize their talent!"
Dwight Howard, who frequently notched double-doubles, seized every opportunity to show off.
He loved to show off and loved to see himself in the news.
A victory was the best gift for Cavaliers fans.
Jeff Van Gundy, on the sidelines, was also greatly relieved.
It proved that his coaching philosophy was still very effective.
He left all interview opportunities to the players.
As he walked towards the player tunnel, Van Gundy proactively painted a grand vision for Thibodeau and the coaching staff:
"Although I like to take a break on Christmas, the league owes us a Christmas War!"
"Believe me, this year we have a chance to break out of the Eastern Conference, and in the future, the Cavaliers will always appear in the Christmas War."
These grand words made assistant coach Charlie Ward incredibly excited.
He believed in his mentor.
Only Thibodeau's reaction was flat.
Looking at the bald man constantly dishing out motivational advice, he sighed inwardly:
"We really don't have much time left!"
On Christmas Eve, the 24th, the Tarrytown Training Center was still filled with a joyful atmosphere.
This year, the Knicks invited young fans and their parents here, and the warmth-giving event proceeded as scheduled.
If the atmosphere within the Lakers was oppressive, then the Knicks' side was completely the opposite, with most players being very happy.
JR Smith's performance was inconsistent.
After returning from suspension, he only regained the coaching staff's trust this week, and his playing time began to increase.
With more and more rotation players, Mike D'Antoni was again in a state of happy vexation.
Fortunately, Lee and the starting lineup gave up a lot of statistics and playing time, otherwise many people would have to continue sitting on the bench.
Getting into the 12-man active roster was not an easy task.
With too many players, back-to-back games were fine, but if it was three games a week, then a winner would have to be decided on the practice court first.
Boris Diaw was currently pulling children for photos.
The little ones visiting the training center were all very happy, and when they saw the photos in the exhibition hall, they couldn't help but shout loudly:
"Sir, you seem to have gained a lot of weight!"
Hearing the child's words, the Frenchman was a bit embarrassed, but his figure had indeed become heavier, and even with diligent training, he couldn't keep up with the rate of weight gain.
"I need to play power forward. For the championship, this is a necessary sacrifice! You'll understand when you grow up!"
Pointing at the golden O'Brien Cup, Boris Diaw leaned down and chatted idly with the child.
Fortunately, the somewhat plump black mother noticed the awkwardness, patted her son, and smiled, agreeing:
"I know, everyone thanks you for helping the team through the injury period!"
Michael Finley was at this moment earnestly explaining the contents of the photos to the children.
Although he hadn't been with the team for long, as a veteran, he was very clear about the Knicks' championship history:
"Every championship requires relentless effort! If you also want to pursue professional basketball in the future, you must remember this sentence."
"Excellent talents also require a lot of practice time. Behind success lies countless hours of sweat!"
The photos showed Lee's body transformation over the past 10 years.
The visible strengthening made Finley's words highly convincing, and the young fans watching exclaimed:
"Incredible! To achieve this, one must put in unimaginable effort."
"Those news reports were indeed false. Lee is the most hardworking player in the league. It turns out what the books said was true!"
The atmosphere-creating members naturally wouldn't expose him.
Lee did train diligently, but he rarely did extra training.
The more they understood, the more hopeless they felt.
This was a difference in talent, and acquired effort had little effect.
Rajon Rondo felt uneasy when he heard the fans' praises.
After coming to the Knicks, everyone had high expectations for him, but his shooting problem remained unsolved.
"Who is the most hardworking trainer on the team? Is it me?"
"Who studies tactics every day after returning home? Still me!"
Rajon Rondo, in his training uniform, roared in his heart.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't meet the Head Coach's requirements, and this feeling made him despair.
Lee and a few others, currently being interviewed by ABC, were discussing this year's All-Star Game.
Michelle Tafoya, who had just returned from maternity leave, giggled incessantly.
"I think at least seven players from the New York Knicks should make the All-Star Game this year, Michelle, I'm serious!"
"29 wins and 1 loss, in a packed schedule, we've shown absolute dominance, and I'm proud of my teammates."
The New York Knicks starters were sitting in a row on high chairs at the Tarrytown Training Center.
After Lee finished speaking, Ron Artest took the microphone and chimed in:
"Lee is right, we deserve this. Grant's votes shouldn't be lagging. We've all made sacrifices for victory."
"You know what, in this league, no one would refuse to join the New York Knicks. We don't play for stats. Here, there's only victory."
"Gilbert Arenas can score 60 points against the Los Angeles Lakers, but look at his scoring when he faces us. I don't recall him ever scoring more than 30 points."
"That's why we'll win eight Finals, while Kobe can only piggyback on Shaq for one ring."
Despite his singer wife helping to rally votes, in the first stage of voting, Grant Hill still lost to Dwyane Wade.
Times have indeed changed, and the new generation of All-Stars are more popular:
"The All-Star Game in Las Vegas is great. Towards the end of my career, I hope to once again respond to the fans' support!"
"Ron Artest is right, we only fight for victory. Possessions and stats are limited, and Lee was the first to make a sacrifice."
"Perhaps Kobe will get good stats in the game, but this Los Angeles Lakers team has no chance."
Hill, who rarely boasted, smiled.
He felt no pressure for tomorrow's game.
The entire team believed it would be an extremely easy victory.
"We'll limit his scoring to under 20 points. Kobe can only jump shoot. He'll realize what a no-fly zone is!"
"This is our Christmas present to Lee. Honestly, I don't want to see those boring news reports anymore. I've always believed that Lee is unique!"
Whether Chandler's basketball skills have improved is still debatable, but his flattery is already on par with David Lee's.
He boasts without changing his expression, as if he truly is the DPOY.
Michelle Tafoya heard the players boasting about tomorrow night's game and was momentarily unable to interject.
Seeing Pau Gasol constantly smiling, she seized the opportunity to ask again:
"Pau! After recovering from your injury, you had a huge double-double of 16 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks against the Chicago Bulls. Is your body back to peak condition now?"
The only challenges encountered last week were the games against the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls.
Relying on fierce rebounding and suffocating Defense, the New York Knicks still finished in three quarters.
Only Pau Gasol played more minutes.
The coaching staff hoped the Spanish big man would fully recover before the All-Star Game.
"My body feels great. The large number of games over the years has given me a deeper understanding of basketball."
"Thank you for your concern. Tyson Chandler is right, in the Christmas War, we need to limit the Los Angeles Lakers' scoring. Victory is the best Christmas present for the fans."
Pau Gasol smiled brightly.
In fact, he didn't take the Los Angeles Lakers seriously at all.
Considering the opposing team's injuries, he even felt he could single-handedly dominate their paint.
The entire team exuded boundless confidence.
Michelle Tafoya continued her interview with a smile, while also feeling sorry for the Los Angeles Lakers in her heart:
"It seems this is destined not to be an evenly matched game."
Since the Los Angeles Lakers were recently on an Eastern Conference road trip, after finishing their game against the Nets, they simply stayed there for the holidays.
Manhattan has a strong Christmas atmosphere, and the players who met with their families also began to immerse themselves in the joyous Christmas spirit.
On Christmas Eve afternoon, Robert Pelinka saw an unhappy Kobe at the hotel.
Even Vanessa's arrival didn't cheer him up.
He still had a long face.
Not long ago, in an interview, Shaq talked about the inside story of his departure from the Los Angeles Lakers.
When asked about it, Kobe casually said:
"I did consider going to Chicago. We even started looking for houses there."
It was initially thought that there would be no problems, but then ESPN added fuel to the fire with a scoop, suggesting that Kobe wanted to leave the team, with the Chicago Bulls as his target!
Over the past two days, as the news spread, more and more people were gossiping, and even within the Los Angeles Lakers, some were discussing the matter.
"Kobe, we can use this opportunity to pressure the Los Angeles Lakers. I've talked to the Chicago Bulls, and they would very much welcome your arrival."
"But I don't recommend you leave Los Angeles. Perhaps the Western Conference competition is intense, but believe me, in the Eastern Conference, it's even harder to reach the Finals."
"We must intervene in the team's operations. You need help. If the playoffs performance is poor, this is an excellent opportunity!"
Ever since Mark Bartelstein and Schwartz successfully orchestrated transfers, Robert Pelinka also developed more desires.
Kobe was the Los Angeles Lakers' favorite, and they should have more power.
ESPN's programs boasted daily about the New York Knicks' dominance.
Kobe stared at the TV screen without a sound, remaining silent for a while before finally speaking:
"Even if Kupchak really agrees to us, how will the team sign new players?"
"Don't lie to me, Kevin Garnett doesn't want to team up with me at all!"
"These damn shows never mention roster issues. They have the best big man in the league, and the best perimeter defender in the league."
"And I can only play with a few lazy guys. They know this, but they never report it."
"Triangle Offense? I even think this offensive system is a thing of the past. Their attempts from beyond the three-point line are twice ours!"
Watching Kobe get more and more agitated, Robert Pelinka also fell silent.
Their goals were actually different, but at this moment, he could only offer simple comfort:
"It will get better. At least we have to proactively make changes."
"Several Rookies from the 2003 draft signed short-term contracts. We cannot control the future. The window to win another championship is within these few years!"
Age was also an issue.
Clay Lee was about to turn 29, and Kobe was only a few months younger.
They were already veterans, and perhaps in a few more years, their physical decline would make them no longer competitive.
"I know. If we lose in the playoffs this year, I promise you I'll pressure management."
"I can't wait any longerâŠ"
Hearing Kobe's words, Robert Pelinka's face lit up with joy.
It was his turn to be the focus.
Thinking of the Chicago Bulls' reaction, he immediately responded confidently:
"Believe me, this will definitely help us win another championship!"
Kobe nodded silently, feeling a bit pained.
If he really pressured management, his public image would surely decline further, and his "One-Man, One-City Award" would also be flawed.
On Christmas Eve, Lee and the girls enjoyed a delicious dinner at their home in Manhattan.
Basketball truly made him happy.
No one would refuse the feeling of victory.
Krysten Ritter, who had just celebrated her birthday two days prior, had increasingly noticeable swelling in her waist.
However, the young woman, who exercised regularly, had no major reactions during pregnancy and instead had a greatly increased appetite.
"Scarlett's photos are so beautiful! My dear is right, exquisite advertisements have a big effect, but unfortunately, Super Bowl ads are too expensive."
Krysten Ritter, eating her nutritious meal, looked a bit envious of the radiant Scarlett.
The latter was too young and recovered quickly after giving birth, and her demeanor had also changed dramatically, both naive and mature.
"It's okay, anyway, we've already made a lot of money. I don't want to share the profits."
Scarlett, who had deliberately dressed up, wore a red form-fitting dress, eating heartily while mumbling complaints that ruined her elegant demeanor.
Melinda had recovered very well and regained her curvaceous figure.
Thinking of some information, she said meaningfully:
"Kim, I remember Jay-Z had an indictment a few years ago?"
"Hip-hop stars don't care about these things at all, at least it's harmlessâŠ"
Kim shook her ponytail and then stepped on his foot under the table.
While responding, she didn't forget to give an unfaithful Lee a glare:
"Don't worry about these boring things, the little ones aren't here, let's have a good rest tonight!"
....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)