Before the start of the Celtics and Hornets game, Leon flew back to Boston early. On the morning of March 4, the NBA league office held a press conference to officially announce the punishment for the fight between the Celtics and Pacers on the night of March 3, Leon was suspended for 15 games for punching a Pacers player, which is also the harshest suspension punishment for a coach in NBA history, because it is also the first time in history that a coach has beaten a player on the court.

To Leon's surprise, he received a heroic welcome at the Boston airport, many Celtics fans were waiting for him at the airport in advance, and when he walked out of the aisle, he saw many people holding signs saying "Boston will always support you", which made Leon very moved.

Unbeknownst to him, of course, he had become synonymous with the "evil coach" in the rest of the country except Boston, a young coach with a criminal record and violent tendencies, which was very different from the image of the elegant and personable NBA head coach. All kinds of malicious slander, criticism and old news reports appeared on the sports page, and the sports programs, talk shows and character talk shows of various TV stations also used the matter to provide a topic, and without exception took a negative attitude.

When Leon returned to the Celtic headquarters, he could feel the strange stares from his colleagues, not that they were prejudiced against him, but as if they were all saying, "You're in big trouble this time." ”

In the president's office, Danny Angie said straight to Leon: "Organize a press conference as soon as possible to apologize for your behavior, the time has been arranged, tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, and then someone from the league office will interview you and talk to you about this behavior." It's a bit of a shock, Fox. ”

Faced with Anji's arrangement, Leon directly chose to refuse. "There's no way I'm going to apologize unless the Pacers apologize to the Celtics players first," he said. “

"But you hit someone! Now it's you who will be punished! You're the one who gets criticized! Angie was rather annoyed by Leon's response and couldn't help but slap the table.

"The United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan in 1945, but to this day not a single American has apologized to the Japanese, has it? I'll fly to Washington tomorrow morning to meet the old man, I'll go back to Boston just to pack my bags for the holidays, and, as a Celtic, why not be tough on the apologies. Danny. “

Leon said lightly, which made Angie even more angry, but he still held back his anger and calmed down and said to Leon: "15 games, a month's time, I hope you come back in a month, and there is still a place for you on the Celtics' bench!" “

Leon nodded and left the team headquarters directly, and the scheduled meeting with the league office in the afternoon was canceled. This is undoubtedly a provocation to the Alliance. Because the person who came back to meet Leon was Adam Silva, and the two are also old friends, and they have cooperated a lot in the formation of the NBDL, and he also took the initiative to invite Ying to Boston to solve this problem. He was confident that he would put the incident to rest.

How do you know that when you come to Boston, you will eat the closed door directly, and Angie received them for the first time and said that she would meet them when Leon came back and then hold a press conference, but in a blink of an eye, Angie changed her face and said that Leon couldn't show up because of something. His matters are represented by him with full authority.

Although Angie was furious in front of Leon, he was firmly on Leon's side with the others. Since Leon is unwilling to apologize, then Angie also stubbornly said that the Celtics will never apologize, and the management will stand on the same side as the head coach. On this point, Angie is obviously a veteran, cunning and tenacious old Celtic, who can quarrel within the team, but must be unanimous at critical moments.

And Leon, who returned home, locked himself in his room and seriously thought about what to do during the ban, and Khome Menez was very obedient and did not disturb him, nor did she ask him any questions related to the fight or the ban, she believed that Leon could get through this difficult time with his own wisdom and spirit.

But Leon apparently needed the help of another person, so he took a flight to Washington the next day, March 5, on the morning of March 5, when a press conference was supposed to take place. And the press conference was still held as usual, because reporters from various media outlets have been notified that it is impossible to cancel it temporarily, so Danny Ainge stated in front of the long guns and short guns of the national media: "Unless the Indiana Pacers apologize to the Celtics, head coach Fox Leon and the Celtics will not issue an apology statement." “

…………………………

"Danny is a good guy...... Although I could tell he was going mad. At his residence in Auerbach, Washington, the cardinal's first remark when he met Leon was to comment on Angie, with the noon newspaper in his hand with a report on Danny Angie's statement at the press conference.

Leon had just dragged his coat off and hung it on his coat pole, looking tired from three days of continuous airplane riding, and the pressure from the city's stormy reports and criticism, but here at Auerbach he finally had a place to relax his spirit.

Auerbach called and ordered a meal for two from the Chinese Doll's Restaurant, and the two talked about basketball, the NBA, coaches and players as they ate. Leon has always been a straightforward person and likes to get straight to the point, but this time he didn't, but chatted a lot with Auerbach, until the two smoked a whole cigar after dinner, and Auerbach said to Leon: "You did a good job in this matter, you can't bow to Stern no matter what, we have given up enough." You've been criticized, but you've also been treated with respect, and you've been loved by the players and the fans. Do you know the look on my face when I see the news of your fight at the Conseco Arena? I clenched my fists and wanted to punch Isaiah Thomas! Hahaha"

Leon just smiled at Auerbach waving his fist like a child, and then pulled a match from his pocket and refilled Auerbach with a second cigarette.

"On the league side, I will find a way to settle it, you can take a good rest this month, but you care too much about external interference, improve your tactical ideas, accompany your family, and being a head coach is not an easy job." Auerbach said to Leon in a light tone that didn't sound quite his style.

Leon stayed at Auerbach's house for the night, and then went back to the hotel where he was, and as soon as Leon left, Auerbach returned to his desk and picked up the old-fashioned telephone, through which the conversation that changed the pattern and direction of the alliance many times was done, and today Auerbach picked up the receiver again and dialed the area code of Boston.

The phone went through, and Danny Angie's voice came from the other side.

"Thank you Danny, this kid is willful once in a while." Auerbach said to Angie.

"Once? He is always rational and calm in front of others, and in my case, he is a grumpy living haunter! "Angie doesn't speak well, and he spent almost the day in a bombardment of phone calls today.

"I know, so I said thank you for your hard work, the coaching side will be handed over to Dave this month, and then the training side, let Sigfried do it, and give Leon a mandatory day off. A month is enough time to test his ability to control the team. Also, increase the pressure on him and the Celts in terms of public opinion, including on those boys! Let them feel what it's like to be the enemy of the world...... If Leon can carry it with them, he's a real Celtics coach, and if not, let Dave get on! Auerbach reverted to his grim and unforgiving form, and the amiable gentleness with which he had just spoken to Leon was swept away.

Obviously, Auerbach's test of Fox Leon is far from over, and Auerbach will not let go of his leather whip until Leon wins the championship. (To be continued.) )