Chapter 85: The Beauty Knife Brought by Data
On May 30, 1997, after the G6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the media in New York entered a state of self-comfort.
At the post-match press conference, Li You wore a light gray formal suit and sat above to watch the media in the audience ask friendly questions.
Ewing, who was wearing a black suit on the side, didn't seem to have recovered from the loss, and he still had a depressed look on his face.
"Lee, how would you rate your first season, you played perfectly!"
Everyone in the audience tacitly agreed not to mention the Bulls, and asked questions that had nothing to do with tonight's game with a smile.
"In my opinion, Magic Johnson really played a perfect first year."
"As for my performance, it's decent, and I feel like I at least deserve to be an All-Star."
Li You was also happy to cooperate, but when he remembered Michael Jordan's smug black face, he couldn't help but curse in his heart:
"Hell Black Jesus!"
The gorilla's expression was slightly stiff, and he also knew the experience of Magic Johnson getting the FMVP, and he felt that Li You had something to say.
Ewing also received a lot of praise, and the media and fans knew about it when they fought the court, and every time they played in the low post, they were visible to the naked eye.
"Pat, do you think we'll have a chance to win the championship next season? With 64 wins, the Knicks seem to be back in peak form. ”
The New York Times reporter still asked the question that everyone was most concerned about, the ownership of the championship.
'We're going to win the championship, we have one goal every year, the team is on the right track and next season we're going to be in even better shape.'
"It's just our first year as a team, we've won the division, and next season, we're going to take it a step further."
Ewing continued to paint a pie for the New York media in the audience, and although the pie was not fragrant, most people were very satisfied with this answer.
Li You looked at this scene, and felt a little funny in his heart, no one mentioned the defeat of the Bulls, and the entire Eastern Conference, the defeated teams were imagining the future:
"Wait for the Bulls to disintegrate on their own!"
“.”
On May 31, in several newspapers in New York, most of the articles in the sports section of the news were one meaning, "the future can be expected", and the loss was selectively forgotten.
Because the Knicks have played 64 wins this season, they only won the No. 26 pick in the lottery not long ago.
There is no need to count on this pick to become an instant force, and the future of the Knicks can be expected to refer to the team's current roster.
The New York media, which likes to watch fun, did not forget to ridicule the Celtics at this time, and they were crazy about messing around, and as a result, they took the 3rd and 6th picks.
Since the Grizzlies and Raptors were not eligible to pick the top pick that season, the Celtics, like the 76ers last season, have a 36.3% chance of winning the pick.
This is the league's first probability, and the Spurs have a 21.6% probability of winning the lottery, and as a result, on the day of the New Jersey draw, Spurs owner Peter Holt became the biggest winner and successfully counterattacked.
Perhaps it was a metaphysical bonus, Peter Holt deliberately wore the Spurs' exclusive tie and horseshoe-shaped collar pin, and he was proudly introduced to the media when he got the top pick:
"Good luck with these Spurs-exclusive cosmetic items!"
Everyone knows who the Spurs will pick, no one will miss Tim Duncan, and the Cardinals are not giving up, they still have a chance, if they don't pick it, they can still trade.
There are not a few people who like to see the Celtics unlucky, and lemon essence loves to have fun.
Every weekend, Christen-Ritter comes to New York to take pictures part-time.
The little follower plans to become a professional model in the future, and his family is also very supportive, after all, it is also a good thing to be able to make money early.
It just so happens that today is Saturday, and although I don't have work this week, the bustling Manhattan is too attractive, so I came to Li You's place to eat and drink as always.
"Are we going to Chicago? I haven't been there yet? ”
The little follower showed an expectant look, the third largest city in the United States, and young people always like bustling cities.
Li You, who was leaning on the sofa and reading the newspaper, saw that Christen-Little, who was a little fatter, was blinking her big eyes, looking at herself expectantly, and responded casually:
"I have some contracts to deal with in Chicago, and I can watch a ball game to give you some exposure."
"Don't dress up, don't forget your age."
Young people always like to dress up more maturely, but Christen-Litt has never deliberately dressed up in order to cater to Li You's preferences.
The combed black ponytail, the bangs are also cut with the same style as Hepburn, and the little follower can be regarded as restoring the image that a girl should have.
Approaching Li You's side, he also watched the news above, and soon, Christen-Rit pouted boredly, and then whispered in his ear:
"Lee, let's go to the movies! "Jurassic Park 2" is said to be super good-looking! ”
Trying to show his little bean bag, the little follower hugged his arms and began to be coquettish, Li You rubbed his eyebrows helplessly, as soon as he heard the name of the movie, he was already spoiled:
"The movie may not be as good as you think!"
“Ye!!”
The little follower kissed Li You happily, and began to put on his coat with great interest, Spielberg's masterpiece, how could it not be good-looking?
On the evening of June 1, Lee and his agent, Mark Battlestein, appeared in the front row of the arena at the United Center in Chicago.
Next to her, Christen Little, like Lee You, with jeans and a white T-shirt, Converse's All Star 70s retro cricket shoes.
The little attendant looked around, and for the first time he sat in the front row, he felt like he had become the center of attention.
In fact, the group of three does attract attention, not to be an opponent on the field, Chicago fans like the gorgeous style of play Li You.
The front-row tickets are given away for free, which is considered a player's family area, not an opponent, Michael Jordan is not bad, at least he takes care of his friends.
Lee Woo rarely makes friends with men of the same age, Ray Allen is also older than him, and in the Knicks, he also gets along with the old guys.
Win the game and smile, and don't forget to pretend to be X when you deduct the tickets:
"The Finals won't be back in Chicago, tickets for two games will be enough!"
“.”
Dressed in a black suit, Mark Battlestein is in a good mood, and with his playoff performance, Lee You's sneaker contract is not to worry.
Defenders are more likely to sell shoes, which is a consensus, and the offseason will be a good one, and the American knife will drop greatly!
"It's a shame that if the Knicks can make it to the Finals, plus NBC broadcasts, it can add more popularity to you."
Li You didn't care when he heard Mark Battlestein's words, ESPN promoted him every day, and killing Michael Jordan was his best advertisement:
"It's a bit of a pity, but the Bulls have already gone down, and there's still a chance next year."
The director will also turn the camera to this side, in addition to the stars who came to watch the game on the spot, Li You can also be regarded as a walking hot spot.
Li You's records continued throughout the season, with 24 points in a single quarter in the playoffs, and the Eastern Conference Finals completed the stunner, which once again refreshed everyone's impression of him.
Lee Woo greeted the three members of the NBC commentary box before the game, and Isaiah Thomas recalled the Eastern Conference Finals with a smile:
"G2 was the turning point of the series, and the Knicks had a chance to win the game, but Michael Jordan did respond, making a couple of free throws that affected the series."
"Alan Houston is inexperienced in the game, and Michael Jordan always finds an opportunity in the fourth quarter, but in the Finals, the Jazz don't make such mistakes."
Bob Costas on the side always felt that his partner was holding the whistle in a weird way, so he immediately changed the topic and said:
"Isaiah, what would you say about Lee's performance in the playoffs, even though he is only a rookie, he has really handed over an incredible stat this year!"
was changed to the topic, Isaiah Thomas didn't care, and continued to say with a smile:
"Some talent comes into the league and shines, and there's no doubt that Lee is that kind of player, basketball doesn't matter the color of his skin, but I think his projection talent is better than a lot of young black players."
"There's still room for improvement in terms of physical explosiveness, confrontation, and efficiency will drop against a flexible and tall forward defense, I know how hard it is for a small man to play in the league, but Lee proved himself in the playoffs!"
“.”
The two of them on the commentary bench talked nonsense, and Isaiah Thomas didn't forget to tease Karl Malone, the MVP who shrunk in the playoffs.
The Bulls fans at the scene were very involved in the game, and the scores of the two sides alternately rose, and the Bulls have not been able to widen the difference.
Despite only having a day's rest, Michael Jordan was in great shape, and his inhuman fitness once again played a huge role.
Lee Yoo, who watched the game in the front row, sometimes applauded the Jazz's beautiful teamwork and also cheered for the Bulls' brilliant offense.
The pace of the game was no different from that of the Eastern Conference Finals, and the Bulls still slowed down, which allowed the two sides to play until the last minute.
"Oh!!"
With nine seconds left in the game, the score was 82-82, and Karl Malone stood at the free throw line, and the noise on the scene grew louder.
Not long ago, G1 in the Eastern Conference Finals was just killed, and some fans began to cover their faces.
Soon, Lee Yo witnessed a classic moment, Pippen said a word to Malone at the free-throw line, and then, the MVP missed both free throws
The backcourt rebound was protected by Michael Jordan, and the United Center Arena erupted in huge cheers.
Li You smiled and clapped his hands, and the feeling of witnessing history was very interesting:
"The postman doesn't work on weekends!"
At the last moment, on the left wing, Mai dunked a simple body forward change of direction, shook past Brian Russell, and made a mid-range pull-up jump shot to kill the game!
“Wow!!”
The little followers also cheered on Li You's side, and everyone liked to watch superstars dominate the game and kill their opponents.
Michael Jordan almost hit one of the first two free throws and almost took the blame, but at the last moment, he completed the stunner, and everyone instantly forgot about the pull performance of the free throw
Mark Battlestein shrugged his shoulders and said to Li You at his side:
"This is Michael Jordan, and I've seen it many times in Chicago."
Looking at the punch and pretending to be X, Li You didn't speak, but the memory in his mind became clearer and clearer:
"History is repeating itself!"
The trend of the finals is exactly the same as in Li You's memory, Pippen, who was plagued by back injuries and knee injuries, has ups and downs, and Mai Buckle has also eaten diarrhea away from home.
But the above situation did not affect the Bulls to win the championship, but the bulls were blown this time, and the finals finally returned to Chicago.
In the 2-3-2 schedule, the Jazz had a chance to get the match point in one go, but unfortunately the Utah Twins failed to seize the opportunity and lost G5.
On June 13th, the Bulls returned to their home court again, and they didn't give their opponents any more chances, 86:90, and successfully won the championship!
After coming back and winning two consecutive championships, Michael Jordan was blown to the sky, but the championship also brought contradictions, and at the post-game press conference, Mai Buckle made it clear:
"I'm only going to play for Phil, and next season, the Bulls will continue to push for the championship."
The conflict between general managers Klaus and Phil Jackson has long been made public, and Pippen, who has been frequently caught up in trade rumors, seems to be sent away.
Hit the sixth crown? Trading Pippen Rebuild?
The new season hasn't started yet, and the sports media can't wait to start eating melons.
Priority Sport is headquartered on LS-Le Avenue in Chicago, not far from the historic Chicago Board of Trade building, which is also Chicago's financial district.
In addition to reading newspapers and training these days, Li You has also participated in a lot of parties.
With the end of the finals, ESPN took advantage of the fact that the heat had not dissipated, and announced the 96~97 season and playoff data rankings in the program.
The fans' favorite moment of understanding the ball came again, and then the New York fans were happy.
In the 96~97 season, Li You played in a total of 14 playoff games, averaging 37.9 minutes per game, averaging 20.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.1 turnovers per game;
He averaged 15.7 attempts per game and shot 47.1 percent from the field, 7.0 attempts from beyond the three-point line and 41.9 percent from three-point range, and 4.2 free throws per game and 84.5 percent from the free throw line.
This data officially announced that Li You has become the top point guard in the league!
In 14 games, he scored a total of 292 points, ranking 8th in the playoff scoring list and 13th in points per game;
122 assists, ranked 2nd in the playoff assists list, and ranked 3rd in assists per game;
40 three-pointers, ranked second on the three-point list, and averaged 2.9 three-pointers per game, also second on the three-point list;
In the three-point shooting percentage list, although Li You played a lot of playoff games, he still ranked 9th;
60.3% true shooting percentage, ranked 17th;
The 22.8 PER surpassed Stockton and Karl Malone to be in 7th place!
Compared with the regular season, with the increase in playing time, Li You's efficiency has also increased by a loss.
In this regard, the New York media does not need to stagger the peak comparison, these data are combined and compared in one word:
"Win!"
The call for the "No. 1 point guard" is getting louder and louder, and the New York media who lost the game has found a topic again, and it's over!
Excel has a lot of influence, how to compare the strength and weakness of players, fans and ball critics like to look at the data, and Li You's data is as beautiful as a superstar.
Beautiful data and super high popularity have also brought rich rewards to Li You.
Just met with Under Armour's founder, Kevin Planck, two days ago.
In 96, the brand was just created, and the founder had no money, but he hoped that his sports bras could develop in the basketball field, so the cooperation between the two sides finally became Li You's shares.
10% is no more, no less, and it can be listed in an IPO in the future, and if it is diluted a few times, it will eventually become a single digit.
Mark Battlestein has been busy with Lee You's news these days, and if he wants these ball critics to say beautiful things, he naturally has some public relations.
"I don't think Under Armour can develop, athletes are not suitable for entrepreneurship, Lee, I know what I mean, not every athlete likes to read and think."
Thinking of the bombastic talk and desperately drawing the cake Plank, Mark Battlestein in the office couldn't help but shake his head and complain.
Mark Battlestein, who previously worked at Morgan Investment Bank, has seen too many founders who like to draw pies.
Li You, who is still reading the newspaper, is still happy to accept this kind of beautiful knife sent to the door:
"Don't worry about the details, in fact, many people expect professional sports equipment, rugby, basketball, I think it can be done."
Mark Battlestein sighed helplessly, then looked at the itinerary and reminded loudly:
"We've got to go to a cocktail party in the afternoon, and Nike's VP Mark Parker admires you very much!"
"You know, Adidas made a lot of moves, and after giving the high school guard a six-year, $48 million contract, he recently signed another high school player."
"It's an opportunity to make a lot of money, and it's definitely going to make a lot more than your rookie contract!"
Hearing the news of the beautiful knife, Li You on the sofa raised his eyebrows and asked teasingly:
"How much? I don't think the other side will give away a big contract, Anfernee Hardaway is 40 million for 10 years, and this is Jordan's successor. ”
Mark Battlestein is naturally clear about the fake Jordan successor contract, but with Excel's blessing, he is confident that he will get a good contract:
"25 million dollars in 5 years? Lee, you'll be a millionaire in no time! ”
“.”
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After thinking about it, the offseason will not be a 10,000-word chapter,
It is also convenient for book friends to subscribe when it is opened,
After all, many book lovers don't like daily life,
At 22 o'clock in the evening, there are 2 more ~ (End of chapter)