On Thursday, December 23, 2004, as Christmas approached, the sports media in the United States was still discussing the fun that had been.

Ben Wallace was eventually released from the ban due to an appeal from the players' union, while Rasheed Wallace was unlucky and still had a six-game suspension.

A ban means a loss, and Rashid didn't dare to name David Stern, so he could only complain to the media in a weird way during this time:

"I swear, I didn't do anything, I just stood on the tech desk and shouted a few times!"

“.”

When his teammates stepped forward to persuade him, Rashid was actually gloating about the play, but the league announced the punishment results, and he was not in the mood.

Obviously, David Stern also has his own stubborn prejudices, and he will naturally not be polite to "T eaters".

In the past few days, protests have also erupted among fans in New York, with some people shouting not to go to the stadium and some shouting for the league to protect the rights and interests of fans.

Even two Pistons fans involved, John Ackerman and William Paulson, have indicted Artest.

There are also lawyers who don't think it's a big deal to get legal aid, and in short, this funny farce has not ended for a week.

The Knicks lost a lot because David Stern adjusted the terms of sale of beer to limit the number of beers sold.

James Dolan almost scolded his mother, considering that Madison Square Garden had a good drinking business, and several teams with good attendance also complained.

It's a no-brainer, and no one knows if David Stern will stick to this adjustment all the time, and the bosses have begun to speak out about it.

On Thursdays, TNT's show comes alive, but this time the trio didn't contradict the league.

ESPN's voice for Artest has been met with a large number of complaints from fans, and if nothing else, next season, host Sanders and studio guests will be replaced.

NBA practitioners are all about serving fans, and TNT doesn't talk about punishment at all, and they don't discuss the Auburn Hills Palace incident too much, because they know that fans will complain if they pull a bias.

Fans are disgusted that the ratings will definitely drop, and it is themselves who will be lost in the end.

Charles Barkley is not stupid, and he maintained an attitude with the league after the incident:

"I'm sure the league will give a fair punishment."

The sports media stopped talking about it, everyone stood up for the fans, and the Knicks were beaten, ushering in a two-game losing streak before Christmas.

First, the Mavericks blasted 124 points, and then let the Celtics explode 118 points, and the proud outside defense was useless.

Although he lost two games in a row, Li You still cut melons and vegetables as always, counting the game with the Jazz, he has scored 40+ in three consecutive games.

Scoring high points is indeed related to hitting the No. 2 position, and the more simple and crude scoring method makes the critics outrageous.

Seeing that Christmas is coming, New York fans have also calmed down and begun to welcome the Christmas game with joy!

With 20 wins and 3 losses, the Knicks are still in first place in the league, followed by the Spurs with 20 wins and 6 losses.

In the Eastern Conference, the Heat are gaining momentum and currently have a 20-7 record, while in the Western Conference, the Suns are behind the Spurs with 19 wins and 6 losses.

Four teams came to an end in 2004 and were dominated by the team's core players in the MVP rankings.

The New York Times has more than once derided the Suns as "scholars," arguing that Gentry copied D'Antoni's tactics.

It's just that in the NBA league, even if it's "copy and paste", it's no problem, Nash has played an excellent performance in this tactical system, and the MVP rankings don't lie.

Today's TNT show is about whether the Suns can replicate the Knicks to win the championship.

Charles Barkley is a little biased against the skinny Nash, and still sticks to his previous views:

"The Suns don't have any chances, the playoffs are different from the regular season, and I can't imagine the Spurs losing to a team like that."

"Duncan can destroy their inside line, do you want to count on Marion to complete the task of protecting the basket?"

Seeing his partner's look of disdain, Kenny Smith began to shake his head again, and then repeated what he had just said:

"I'm not saying the Suns are going to win a championship next year, I'm talking about the future, Nash has just joined the team and they need to continue to strengthen it."

"The Suns are said to have their sights set on Stoudemire, and with the same system, if this deal can happen, it will be a huge reinforcement for the Suns."

The players are still pressed on the bench, and Stoudemire's agent naturally wants to let out the news, and many teams have begun to explore the possibility of trading, and the Suns are the most active.

Gentry seems to want to make the Suns a "bankrupt version" of the Knicks, and the New York media will naturally not give the other party a good face, and the name of "thief" is also pressed on the other party's head

Ernnie Johnson didn't want to give Barkley a chance to continue to have a big mouth, and immediately picked up the conversation:

"I don't think the Knicks are going to trade Stoudemire this season."

"He's in great shape this year, and considering the Heat's form, he should keep the big man as well."

"I haven't heard anything about the conflict in the Knicks' locker room, and unlike the Raptors, Lee has led this team very well."

Not long ago, the Nets sent Alonzo Mourning, Aaron Williams, Eric Williams and two first-round picks in exchange for Vince Carter.

In the new season, the conflict between Carter and the Raptors became deeper and deeper, and in the end, the dunk king left Toronto and joined the Nets.

The deal wasn't favored, with Mourning seemingly unintentionally playing for the Raptors and the Kidney Fighters still wanting to return to the Heat.

Charles Barkley no longer criticized Nash, and simply said firmly:

"Even if the Suns get Stoudemire in a trade, they won't make it to the Finals."

"Nash is not Lee, at the critical moment, he hasn't proven himself yet!"

“.”

There has been light snow in New York recently, and the lowest temperature has dropped to around -10 degrees.

At Happy Cafe at 70 Pine Street, Artest and his henchmen are a little restless.

It's just minutes from the New York Stock Exchange, and the atmosphere of the neighborhood is not unlike Brooklyn and Queens.

The café is still open, but the people who look at it don't look like good people.

Nacho, who was wearing a black jacket, also felt that those Nigo were not serious people, and his gaze at each other inevitably carried some malice.

Old Mike, who was sitting by the window, wore glasses and leisurely flipped through the newspaper in his hand, taking a sip of whiskey from time to time.

In the evenings, alcohol is also sold here, and the business of this four-like coffee shop has not been very good since 2001.

A little black fat man who stared at everyone with an expressionless face and fierce face, and a little black fat man who didn't look at them at all, and still had scars on his face complained in a somewhat aggrieved voice:

"Boss, let's go! I don't want to compensate! ”

"Alexander, shut your foul mouth!"

Hearing Artest's low scolding, several black henchmen dressed in hip-hop clothes and wearing small hats were honest.

Two fat men and two thin men, the black fat man named Alexander Song is a relative of Artest who can't beat the eight poles, and he is also the leader of the followers

At 5:30 p.m., the door was opened, and soon the sound of young girls frolicking appeared in the café.

Scarlett is wearing a red horn-buttoned coat and a red beanie, and her slim jeans can still show her good figure.

When she entered the coffee shop, she yelled for a hot drink, and Christen-Ritter, who was also dressed in the back, but changed her coat to blue, couldn't stop laughing.

The figure looked a little bloated, obviously wearing more clothes to protect herself from the cold, and the little attendant laughed at Scarlett for being demeanor rather than temperature.

The two of them sat near the bar and didn't look at the situation in the store, and Li You in the back was held by Kim and Milinda, all three of whom were wearing heavy black trench coats.

Jin took Li You's coat, Milinda took off her coat and threw it aside casually, her coiled blonde hair and blue dress made her look a little strong.

"Ron, why don't you speak, I've seen the news too, don't worry about those prosecutions, if the players' union can't help it, I'll help."

Li You also had to wear a black cashmere sweater in order to keep warm, but his dress in daily life is still different from most NBA stars, after all, the current mainstream is still hip-hop dress.

Artest nodded silently, and James Dolan's upset over the drink, coupled with the protests of the New York fans, made him a little uncomfortable.

The most important thing is that in order to attract attention, some reporters began to dig up his family history, and many relatives are still in prison.

When he wins, Artest is a big star, loved by the fans, swinging his fists, causing losses to the team, and the management and fans immediately turn their faces.

The pressure of the public opinion environment has made Artest very quiet recently, and he is more worried that the team will trade him:

"Lee, does the management have any other plans?"

"Nobody is going to trade DPOY at this time, of course, if you want to win back your trust, you have to behave yourself, this is New York, and a lot of people actually want to see your jokes!"

Li You replied casually, and after sitting down, Milinda handed over a cup of coffee, and when she saw that the five people opposite were restrained and did not speak, she also teased:

"Clay is right, I'll help you sue the Pistons arena operator, after all, you can't get beaten for nothing."

Alexander first glanced at the boss, then secretly glanced at Li You and his party, then nodded in a panic and hurriedly said:

"Throw it away, it's my fault this time"

Li You shook his head, and had a bad opinion of this spineless follower:

"After waiting for a week, the Pistons didn't say compensation except for banning fans from entering, they thought too well."

"Milinda will help you get an explanation, rest assured, I won't charge your lawyer's fees!"

Distributing records, raising followers, and relieving relatives and friends, since the NBA salary is paid in stages, Li You knows that Artest has a high probability of no money, so he gives them a reassurance in advance.

A few people nodded happily, and then there was a fart, Artest felt that he had lost face, and hurriedly pulled everyone away after thanking him

When Jin sat down on Li You's side with coffee, he wrinkled his nose, and then said helplessly:

"The smell of leaves, you should get him out of Queens."

On the other side, Nacho, who handed old Mike wine, also said:

"Poisonous dogs are not worth believing!"

Li You shrugged his shoulders, and the NBA player who was just a leaf grabbed a handful, and he was not interested in interfering in his personal life:

"It's not that I want to do business with them, it's just a matter of hands, they're all adults, they have to be responsible for their own actions, they can suck if they want, and I'm not interested in interfering in these bad things."

"Alyce, is the café making money this year?"

Seeing Li You turn his head to ask, Christen-Litt said with great interest:

"It's already profitable! Recently, I have adjusted the taste, and the business will get better and better in the future. ”

The noticeable change is that the coffee has become bitterer, and even the snacks with breakfast and lunch are not as sweet as they used to be.

Li You, who was drinking coffee, nodded, this shop was bought very early, although it was not like a four-way business, but it was finally on the right track after a few years of loss.

Christen-Lit's earnings can get some of it, and the little henchman is also very interested in it.

Scarlett, who had no cold on her body, took advantage of Milinda and a few people to get food and got tired of getting into Li You's arms, not long ago Christen Little's birthday, and she has been in New York recently.

"Clay, how are we going to spend Christmas this year? Heading back to Peninsula Estate? ”

Li You lowered his head and kissed the chick in his arms, and then leaned into the other party's ear and whispered.

Scarlett's face was slightly red, and she glared at Li You, she still couldn't let go of this extraordinarily ridiculous game, rolled her eyes, and finally whispered ambiguously in her somewhat hoarse voice:

"I'm going to be on it all the time!"

On Christmas Eve on December 24, most teams in the league carried out warmth activities.

The sports media no longer clung to the Auburn Hills palace incident, and everyone unanimously praised the team's care for the local community.

The Cavaliers, who are still in Cleveland, had a 16-10 Christmas Eve this year, and on current trends, they have a chance to make the playoffs.

Happy basketball has taken Cleveland by storm, and fans love Big Boy Howard too!

With more and more sports outlets singing the praises of Van Gundy, it turned out to be the right decision to win the title.

In contrast, the Lakers, who also participated in the Christmas game, were not so happy.

Before Christmas, they beat the 2-22 Hornets to move to 14-11.

Compared to the past, the Lakers lost their dominance, and the Spurs and Suns also won and still held the former champion team steady.

Kobe Bryant, who won, was also unhappy, because the Heat had a better record, and O'Neal taunted every once in a while, but he was never able to respond.

In the game against the Fish Belly Hornets, Bryant played 45 minutes, 9-of-26, 1-of-4 from beyond the three-point line, 10-of-15 from the free throw line, and scored 29 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 1 block and 4 turnovers.

The shooting rate is less than 40%, and the true shooting rate is not more than 50%, in this regard, O'Neal, who pays attention to his old partner, mocked in a weird way:

"Sophomore-year-old Wade is second only to Lee in the backcourt of active players!"

"He was better than Kobe Bryant, who was also a sophomore at the time."

"In the face of a weak team trying to get more data and increase his efficiency, I know Kobe's tricks, but unfortunately, without me, he can only play inefficiently."

"Kobe Bryant is not a leader, he will never win the MVP!"

Before the Christmas War, O'Neal began to output, taunting Kobe Bryant by name, and of course, the sharks did not forget to scold his old club for being blind, and by the way, he blew Pat Riley

Li You didn't pay attention to these reports, Lakers fans like brain supplements, but he knows that this team has lost its competitiveness, and no matter how much the media hype, the fish belly is not worth paying attention to.

In the afternoon, Li You received Ivana, and the two were going to visit her mother, and Tang Qude was about to propose, and no one could change this matter.

Manhattan seems to be about to snow, and the scattered snowflakes in the sky bring a touch of festive spirit.

Ivana, who also lives on the Upper East Side, is not far from Lee's home.

Looking at the elegant old woman who went out to greet him, Li You couldn't help but pull Ivana beside him, who quickly gave a gift:

"The dim sum of Mar-a-Lago is all my favorite, and the chef will not forget your taste!"

Ivana, who accepted the small gift, was very happy, stepped forward to kiss her daughter, and then raised her head and kissed Li You.

After the housekeeper accepted the clothes, the three of them came to the living room on the first floor, and soon Ivana gossiped and said:

"I knew that Tang Gude would marry that little model, the promises were all fake, she definitely wanted to have children!"

Ivana's stepmother is only 7 years older than Li You, and he never gets involved in this topic.

The mother and daughter chatted about the ambitions of the little model, and finally reached a consensus that the other party just wanted to divide the property!

Li You looked at this Louis XIII style living room in a daze, and soon Ivana shifted the topic here:

"Clay, if you have a chance to help a little Don Gourd, you should have a child with Ivana too."

Looking at Li You, who could only nod and keep making a sound, Ivana quietly twisted.

Having a child at the age of 23 is not in the plan, seeing the small movements of the two, Ivana didn't care and continued to nag.

After dinner and TV shows, the two who stayed here for the night rested early.

The sound insulation of this house is not very good, and in the bathroom, Li You is not good at carrying out fierce confrontations, so he can only simply control the ball and control a pair of white greasy at will.

The busy work made Ivana completely lose weight, and after the kiss, her breathing was a little short, and in the end she didn't slap off her big hands, but squeezed into her arms and whispered:

"My aunt told me that there was no problem with that loan, and that you could use it at any time next year."

Quietly following the news in the UK, Ivana knew that although Manchester United's shareholders' meeting rejected the takeover, the largest shareholder, Maunier, did not say much.

The British media believes that Red Football Capital is likely to take over Manchester United, and as for the Glazer family, they are powerless to resist in the end.

The Ziff brothers and Ken Greenfin rejected the Glazer on Wall Street, and Ivana knew that Li You had enough funds, and this time she was just taking everyone to "share the meat".

"Thank you, Lady Elizabeth, for me! I'll be using the money soon. ”

Li You thanked him and began to explore at the same time, and when he held his waist, he couldn't help but chuckle:

"So much weight!"

Very satisfied with her figure, Ivana chuckled, then held on to the edge, put on the knowledge behind her, and whispered with a slightly red face:

"Be careful! I don't want to be heard! ”

On Christmas Day 25th, the Knicks will face the Cavaliers at 12:30 p.m.

Li You, who practiced last night, came to the Madison Square Garden Arena early to warm up.

The Christmas game will be broadcast by ABC, and ESPN has been warming up for the game very early.

Due to the complaints from fans who supported Artest, ESPN's reporters were careful, but TNT reporters didn't care at all and seized the opportunity to bring up the old story again:

"Lee, what do you think of President David Stern's dismissal of the players' union's appeal?"

Li You, who has completed the warm-up, is wearing a white tights, and his muscles are expanding after exercise, making his whole person look extraordinarily strong:

"I support Chairman Billy Hunt's view that a 35 to 45-game ban is more appropriate."

"It's at fault on both sides, Ron shouldn't throw punches, and as NBA players, we all know how important the fans are."

"But the Pistons also have problems, and this is not the first time that fans have thrown debris at players, and we will appeal to that."

"Everyone has to pay for their mistakes, Ron lost most of his salary this year, and the operators can't blame us at will!"

Most sports reporters didn't expect Lee Woo to really sue the operator, and everyone wanted to talk about this topic carefully, but Lee Woo didn't reveal much.

The ABC reporter didn't want to talk too much about the Auburn Hills palace incident, and hurriedly asked again:

"Tonight is the first time that LeBron James' Cavaliers will play in the Christmas game, Lee, what are your expectations for tonight's opponent?"

'I hope they can enjoy the game, Coach Van Gundy is very good, we all know the talent of LeBron, and in a few years they will be successful.'

“.”

Thinking that Li You is about to turn 27 years old, the Yahoo Sports reporter felt that this was very reasonable, and everyone felt that it was a blessing.

Li You didn't explain much, and as he got older, the critics began to count the time of his decline with their fingers.

"It's not good at 32 years old", "There are 6 years at most", and "The No. 1 position usually declines the most" are everywhere, and Li You is too lazy to respond.

His body is getting stronger and stronger, and if given a deadline, Li You feels that he can play until he loses interest in basketball

Howard, who came to Manhattan, was especially happy and shouted during the interview.

"Happy Big Boy" has become a label on Howard, and the Cavaliers have come to Manhattan to enjoy the holiday spirit.

The noon game did not affect the mood of the New York fans, and after the protests, everyone continued to buy tickets to watch the game.

For New York fans, they actually want to see the Heat and Knicks play today, but unfortunately the league likes to play grudge games, and good opponents were snatched away by the Lakers.

After the start of the game, Coach D'Antoni sat firmly on the bench as always.

After the suspension was lifted, the mustache didn't make too many changes to the lineup, and Prince appeared in the starting lineup.

If the opponent frequently wraps up Li You, the solution given by the coaching staff is to pass the ball and shoot in the open position.

It doesn't matter if you don't shoot, speed up the pace of the game, continue to increase the number of rounds, and hit the blind chicken, Li You can always find a one-on-one opportunity.

After the start of the first quarter, the cheers of Madison Square Garden continued to sound, and the Knicks' offense was very decisive, which made the opposite Cavaliers also play a beautiful transition offense.

After Kurt Thomas hit a jumper in the right blocking area, Howard grabbed the rebound, and James forced acceleration from the backcourt, chasing his ass and counterattacking for a layup!

With a quick baseline ball, Lee Woo rushed across the halfcourt, but the Cavaliers failed to align in time, and as Raja Bell on the right wing received a pass, James, who jumped up to block, was still a step slow.

"Huh!" Three-pointers hollow into the net.

“Wow！”

At 20:23, the scores of the two sides rose alternately, dunk three-pointers kept appearing, and the atmosphere in the arena became more and more enthusiastic.

On the ABC commentary seat, Hubby Brown, who has announced his retirement, commented seriously:

"It's the offensive rhythm that the Knicks like, and Lee's passing vision is fantastic, and he always finds those fleeting opportunities."

Mike Tirrico on the side respected the veteran very much, and immediately added:

"The Cavaliers should be mindful of the return defense, and coach Van Gundy shouldn't like that kind of defense."

James took the initiative to pat his chest to indicate that it was his problem, and he wanted to pretend to be X, but he was bukkake instead.

“Defense！.”

With the defense cheering, McGinnis gave the ball to James within halftime.

The playmaker went online again, and as Howard lifted up the pick-and-roll, James who came to the left wing accelerated laterally, and Prince went down the line to chase the defense.

The two collided on the free throw line, and James still forced the inside, attracting Gasol's help under the basket, and immediately gave the ball to Ilgoskas on the right near the baseline.

The latter catches the ball, adjusts slightly, and hits iron with a mid-range jumper.

Prince and James huddled together, Howard was pulled by Kurt Thomas, and the rebound was easily picked up by Gasol.

When Li You received the ball outside the three-point line, he had just picked up the speed when McGinnis next to him immediately fouled.

"Shh

The defensive intensity on both sides was not great, but the Cavaliers relied on such defensive means to enter the state of adding free throws.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Cavaliers replaced dribble guards Charlie Ward and Gooden, the Knicks also brought in Fisher and Stoudemire, and Raga Bell and Gasol were rested.

Unlike Howard's state of excitement, Fisher also experienced a lot of Christmas battles with the Lakers, and after coming on the court, he looked serious and gave himself two hard shots, looking like a defensive giant.

It's just that New York fans witnessed the scene where he was passed by Devin Harris in one step, and they all know the strength of the old fish.

“Let's go Knicks！.”

After receiving the ball from the baseline, Fisher did not rush to dribble across the half court, compared tactical gestures, and made himself act like a court brain.

It's still the Knicks' usual tactics, with Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas standing in the elbow area, one left and one right.

As Fisher came to the logo position, Li You on the right flank immediately started and cut horizontally from the upper line.

In the "S-shaped" position, when Lee Woo bounced to the right flank, he managed to get rid of the chasing James, who could only loudly remind Howard to change guards.

Fisher, who commanded the traffic, dealt his cards easily, and Li You just turned his body sideways, drifted slightly to the left rear when receiving the ball, and made a quick jump shot without any adjustment!

"Huh!" Three-point shot hollow into the net!

Fisher laughed, immediately stepped forward to high-five Li You in celebration, and then gave himself two more blows, and took the initiative to defend Charlie Ward.

"Oh!"

After this set of performances, the New York fans at the scene shouted a little louder, and Fisher had found his own way to pretend to be X

Li You looked at Fisher, who was working hard to defend and perform to the fullest, and he didn't know what to say, his attitude was really fine, and it should be a good thing for the team.

James received the ball in advance again, and in the cheers of the New York fans at the scene, in the face of Li You's defense, he immediately chose to play with his back to the single.

Turning his body sideways, James cautiously guarded the ball, came to the left blocking area, and continued to play vigorously.

While defending against the top, Li You was also sensing the opponent's offensive movements, and when James was vigorously leaning on the attack, his left hand suddenly interfered.

Failing to turn in time to the baseline, James just pulled the ball back, and the offensive rhythm was disrupted in an instant.

When Lee Woo went up again, James was squeezed close to the three-point line.

Regaining control of the ball and trying to lean on the defense to turn in the direction of the baseline, James was halfway through the action, and then realized the top defense of Li You's thigh.

Unable to fully exert his strength, James, who wanted to catch the ball with his left hand, almost lost control of the ball, and finally had no choice but to stop the ball near the left baseline.

Gave the ball to Gooden, who received the ball and hit a jumper, Stoudemire grabbed the rebound, and Fisher responded and launched another counterattack.

Van Gundy on the sidelines shouted a shout to James to match up in time, but the latter habitually retreated to the three-point line.

Fisher, who has been paying attention to Li You's movements, took the opportunity to send a horizontal pass, close to the left wing, a big step away from the three-point line, and after receiving the ball, Li You immediately closed the ball and shot a homeopathic jumper!

James, who was trying to pounce, just turned his head after landing on the ground, and the cheers of the fans were heard in his ears.

Before Li You could start celebrating, Fisher near the logo had already turned around and raised his hands to signal the fans to cheer

“Wow！”

The cheers became louder and louder, the corners of Li You's mouth twitched, and he secretly complained in his heart:

"3 times! X has you loaded! ”

(End of chapter)