Chapter 890
Once Again "Armed to the Teeth"
On Wednesday, July 30, 2014, the Miami Heat officially announced the signing of Chris Bosh to a multi-year contract. After losing their chosen one, the team finally secured its core player.
In fact, Haslem had already re-signed with the team back in the middle of the month, but most fans automatically ignored the minor player who couldn't even score 5 points per game in the Eastern Conference Finals.
That morning, Chris Bosh and Pat Riley signed the contract in front of a crowd of media. Bosh, having recovered from his earlier anger, smiled and made promises:
"The Heat will still pursue the championship, and we promise our fans that we will never 'tank'."
"."
Because of the lack of action, many commentators believe that the Heat are planning to rebuild their top draft pick for the new season.
Fortunately, Dwyane Wade returned last week, and with the Flash's recruitment, Bosh also chose to stay in Miami. In the new season, the two will lead the team together and continue their pursuit of the championship.
The Heat had plenty of salary cap space, and despite the unpleasant negotiation process, Wade still secured a four-year contract with a player option for the final year.
Four years later, the 36-year-old veteran clause will be triggered. If nothing unexpected happens, the Flash will run out of fuel by then, and retirement may be the best option.
Bosh's contract is a 5-year maximum salary, which means that the Heat's championship window is in the next two years. Theoretically, that's how it is, but everyone knows that the two players who stay in the East have no chance.
In the playoffs for several consecutive years, whenever Wade faced off against Li You, not only did his shooting percentage drop drastically, but his shot attempts also plummeted.
Aside from a decent defensive performance, The Flash was completely unable to respond on offense.
In this era where offense wins championships, the Heat's once-renowned zone defense became a joke in the conference finals, and head coach Spoelstra was criticized by commentators for failing to make timely adjustments in the relevant series.
The Heat's coaching staff has also been replaced, and Bosh will receive a higher tactical role in the team's plans. This promise has pleased the aging "King of the Dragons," who has begun a mutual praise session with the media.
"Fans will see a completely new Heat team next season. We will be more united and work even harder!"
"Many people think our championship window is closed, but no one in the locker room thinks so. We firmly believe that we can still show our dominance."
"There are many tough guys on the team, so don't underestimate our desire to win."
Bosh's speech failed to calm the Miami sports media. The 32-year-old Wade could no longer carry the team, and without James, the Heat could no longer play the kind of ferocious offense of the past few seasons.
The Miami Herald reporter, with a hint of frustration, asked the following question, reflecting on how the Knicks' young players were maturing and the veterans were beginning to give way:
"Bosh, what are your thoughts on LeBron James leaving?"
"Have the failures of the past few years been related to James' lack of commitment?"
Professional sports media, like many fans, sometimes only make excuses for their favorite team, but never believe that the loss is due to a difference in strength.
James has now become the scapegoat. Miami fans believe that the chosen one is "half-hearted" and has been associated with the Lakers for a long time. His weight loss and lack of effort this season are clear signs of this.
When asked about his former teammate, Bosh didn't want to shift the blame, since James' individual performance in the playoffs was still in a class of its own for the Heat.
"I don't think the Heat have been a failure over the years. You know, we've made it to the Finals and just missed winning the championship."
"Over the past few years, we have achieved 60+ wins multiple times in the regular season and have never missed the conference finals."
"If this means failure, then I don't know what success is."
This answer clearly did not satisfy the reporters present. Noticing that someone still wanted to ask a question, Bosh immediately added with a serious expression:
"Just like Kobe said, how you deal with failure is the key to achieving greatness!"
"We have never lost confidence in ourselves, and we have never relaxed our demands on ourselves. Although we did not win the championship, we have shown everyone our talent."
"Many players in history have never won a championship, but that doesn't diminish their greatness. The process of chasing a championship is more important. You know, great players don't play for statistics and honors."
"."
Chris Bosh, who became more and more confident as he spoke, seemed to have become a "Mamba disciple." However, everyone present had not forgotten the "Not Eight" incident from back then, and the more they listened, the more they thought of "The Joker."
After the brief press conference, most reporters, out of respect for the Heat, refrained from joining the mockery like the fans. However, some younger reporters couldn't stand it and immediately updated their Twitter accounts:
"The Mamba Mentality is becoming a haven for losers; such a lame excuse is an insult to the intelligence of fans!"
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On Sunday, August 2nd, another wave of "anti-Mamba" sentiment swept social media this weekend, with Miami fans leading the charge, fed up with the boring excuse of "the process is everything".
That evening, the US men's basketball team held a "Blue vs. White" game at the Thomas & Mark Center in Las Vegas to continue selecting their 12-man roster.
Fans who bought tickets were very excited. Although there were no veteran players, the young players in the training camp were almost the best young players in the country. This scrimmage was even more exciting than the All-Star Game!
Many sports media outlets were also present at the scene. Naturally, New York fans were focused on "Captain America" Kyrie Irving. Although the captaincy was built on loan, New York fans believed that the young man could lead the team.
Atlanta reporters are more focused on Kyle Korver and Paul Millsap, as the two are in high demand and could be eliminated at any time due to intense competition within the team. Naturally, they deserve a lot of support during this open scrimmag.
After the match started, the young players were eager to show their skills, and some difficult goals quickly ignited the atmosphere, with shouts that never stopped.
It wasn't until James Harden was chased and disrupted by Paul George during a fast break, and George's leg deformed upon landing, that many fans who witnessed this scene covered their mouths in disbelief.
Harden, standing under the basket, looked pained as he watched Paul George, who had been chatting and laughing all along, being carried off the court. The young man also felt pain in his leg.
When the game ended, the news of Paul George's broken leg silenced the young players. Kyrie Irving, in an interview, appeared dejected, offering his sincere congratulations to the camera:
“I know Pau, he won’t be defeated by injuries, God will bless him!”
"."
Derrick Rose, returning from injury, had a successful "test run" tonight, scoring 8 points on 3-of-4 shooting before being substituted early. Witnessing this injury firsthand, the young man offered his heartfelt blessings:
"Everything will be alright, Paul George is a real tough guy."
Everyone offered their blessings, but James Harden, who was the first to witness it all, covered his face with his hands. Not long ago, he had claimed to be the most versatile player in the NBA, but now he had lost his enthusiasm for talking big.
Harden couldn't help but wonder if Paul George could have avoided this injury if he hadn't been prepared to dunk and hadn't experienced contact.
It wasn't until team leader Jerry Colangelo approached to inquire that Harden breathed a sigh of relief and said he was fine. After going through all of this, the young man secretly made up his mind:
"Maybe I should change my basketball style."
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On Sunday, August 16, the U.S. men's basketball team will play a warm-up game against Brazil at the United Center.
In two days, they will head to Madison Square Garden for the final warm-up games to determine the 12-man roster, but most onlookers are more interested in the Lakers' gossip.
Los Angeles fans were ecstatic after the Lakers successfully signed Carlos Boozer, who had been waived, using the biennial exception. After many years, the Lakers were once again "armed to the teeth"!
With players of All-Star caliber from point guard to center, the new season hasn't even officially started yet, and calls for the championship have already resurfaced on social media.
When the signing took place some time ago, onlookers made some sarcastic remarks, but after observing for half a month, everyone suddenly realized that Kobe seemed to be ostracized. To this day, the new recruits have not interacted with the Mamba.
Led by James and Howard, the group not only trained together, but also frequently went out for meals and family parties.
Jim Buss and Kupchak can be seen on Instagram, but netizens have searched through everyone's social media and still haven't found any trace of Kobe.
However, Mamba seemed unaffected, and upon returning to Los Angeles, he continued his "challenge," immediately sending well wishes to fans after Paul George suffered a leg injury.
"Paul George, I challenge you: In the next two years, return from injury, improve your skills, and win the MVP and the championship! #ChasingGreatness #Mamba'sRecognition #Mamba'sChallenge" So far, Kobe has issued several challenges, but unfortunately, only Russell Westbrook has actively responded. DeRozan, Klay Thompson, and others have just routinely retweeted and have not shown much interest.
However, this did not affect Kobe. In addition to the challenge activities, the Mamba also created his own channel, and the program "Detail" was also announced. He will change the current basketball environment through the program "Detail".
Unsurprisingly, Mamba's social media was once again "bombarded" by New York fans and the general public who supported the win. The comments section was filled with mockery, and the most liked tweet was from a humorous person:
"Could you analyze the details and explain why, even when you teamed up with MVP Tim Duncan, you still set the record for the largest point difference in the Finals at that time?"
"."
On Monday the 17th, at 10 a.m., James and Howard appeared in the studio on the First Take program. Everyone sat in front of the camera and began to chat about the new season.
Skip Bayliss is clearly a LeBron hater, constantly asking tricky questions. Howard also chuckled when talking about how Cavaliers owner Gilbert posted that "thank you letter" on the team's official website.
Host Kari suppressed a laugh and continued to steer the conversation toward the topic. Just after James joined Los Angeles, Gilbert actually posted a new "thank you letter" on social media.
He once again lashed out at the "Chosen One," calling him a coward who runs away at the first sign of trouble, and also offered his blessing once more: "With LeBron James on the team, the Lakers will never win a championship."
Having grown accustomed to this treatment, James showed a nonchalant expression and continued:
"Basketball is a job, and I give it my all no matter where I play!"
"You know, I learned a lot from Lee after I joined the Hook. I'm a kid from Akron, and I also grew up from the bottom. Basketball changed my life."
“Every child from a disadvantaged background aspires to be like Li. We don’t have a star basketball father or a middle-class family background, but we can still achieve success through basketball.”
"These voices will not affect my plans. I know my talent. I just lost to the greatest player of all time."
“Go look at the game stats, and my performance far surpasses those guys who have been to the Finals multiple times. During our time with the Cavaliers, Dwight and I were one of the best duos in the league.”
"Los Angeles is a big market, and we want to bring a championship to this team. We will do everything we can to achieve that."
Seemingly surprised that James also had his own "theory," Skip Bayliss blinked, unsure of what to say for a moment. Judging solely from the data, the Chosen One during his time with the Heat was indeed the "second best."
"Let's talk about Kobe. I won't shy away from this issue. It seems like you're excluding him from the team when you train together in Los Angeles. Why is that?"
Whenever Stephen A. Smith promotes Li You, he loses his edge and starts talking about gossip that fans care about. "Happy Beast" immediately grins and spouts:
"My salary is $2200 million, LeBron's is $2016 million, we have the right to decide everything for the team!"
"Man, we all know why Kobe, who got a mid-level contract, joined the team. I don't like this decision because Andre is a really great guy."
“But I respect Dr. Bass, and he wants to see Kobe return, so I won’t say ‘NO’.”
When talking about Jim Buss, Howard's smile faded. Back when the "F4" failed, Jim Buss was criticized, and it was only thanks to his father's support that the team's roster was preserved.
Jim Buss stood up for her in the face of ridicule from the Los Angeles media, so "Happy Beast" was grateful for the support of the father and son, but at the same time had no good feelings towards Jeanie Buss and her group.
"What role do you think Kobe will play in the new season? He seems to want to teach you how to win a championship."
Skip Bayliss tilted his head and asked a sarcastic question. James didn't answer directly, but just smiled and shrugged. Howard, however, didn't give the Mamba any face and responded bluntly:
"Kobe's only role is to help the team sell more tickets!"
"When I played with LeBron, we didn't lose as many times as he did with Duncan. If you look at his advanced stats, you'll understand why there are so many records."
“I respect him, but the Lakers are not his team. He only needs to play the role of a leader on the training ground.”
Because of Kobe's arrival, James and Howard are now "united against outsiders," neither of them wanting to see the Mamba display his enormous influence in Los Angeles.
Later in the program, James took the opportunity to rave about Li You's help to young stars. The chosen one also mentioned recent rumors that Under Armour offered Durant $2.85 million.
The sudden bidding war forced Nike to match the offer; business is business. Durant asked Li You for help, which led to him securing a larger shoe contract.
James and Stephen A. Smith were full of praise for this, saying that the Hook has made a lot of crazy moves since the president was replaced.
Nico Harrison also botched Stephen Curry's shoe contract last year, and now Under Armour is raising the price. Both of them feel that this is Li You's "lesson" to the management.
When Howard learned the inside story for the first time, "Happy Beast" stared wide-eyed. No wonder his old partner had become a "sycophant." "Li Chui" really could make money!
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On Thursday, August 20th, the Clippers successfully signed veteran Shawn Marion, effectively solidifying their status as the "Los Angeles Knicks".
The Lakers continue to expand their roster by signing players on minimum contracts, and the Clippers, which have changed owners, are not to be outdone. The team even wants to bring in Chandler Parsons and other Knicks players.
In contrast, the Warriors, who signed Shawn Livingston and Leandro Barbosa in the offseason, have received little attention.
The competition in the Western Conference seems to be getting increasingly fierce. Duncan's retirement and Kevin Durant's injury have given many teams an opportunity. Even Nowitzki, who quietly signed a contract extension with the Mavericks, tweeted about "taking out a loan":
"Vince Carter's arrival will bring us back to the Finals."
Across the ocean, in addition to reporting on the bustling free agency market, Sina Sports has recently begun to heavily promote the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.
China has been drawn into Group A, along with Spain, France, Serbia, Brazil, and Egypt. Advancing to the round of 16 shouldn't be a problem, as long as they can successfully suppress Brazil and Egypt.
However, bad news came before the trip: Yao Ming's left foot encountered trouble again, casting a shadow over the upcoming games.
Not long ago, rumors circulated in Houston that the Rockets were planning to waive Yao Ming, but the news was directly denied by owner Alexander, who also made a public statement on the matter.
"Yao is an indispensable member of the Rockets!"
Despite playing less and less time in the last two seasons and a gradually declining attendance rate, as long as Yao Ming is on the team, the Rockets' sponsors are always among the top, and the team's market value continues to rise.
During the NBA Frontline program that evening, Yao Ming, who was connected online, also talked about the Rockets' offseason plans, and recruiting Chris Bosh was something he and Westbrook both agreed on.
Zhang Weiping has always looked down on "Mamba die-hard fans." Westbrook, returning from injury, and Yao Ming were clearly mismatched; the two failed to develop chemistry in their limited games together. The old man seized every opportunity to criticize:
"The Rockets need to change their game rhythm. Don't be fooled by the Lakers' signings; when they actually face them, Howard really can't beat Yao Ming in half-court offense!"
"Sometimes Westbrook just plays recklessly, charging around blindly, and his offensive choices are the same as Kobe's."
"I have always advised young players to watch more of Li You's game videos."
Yang Jian didn't want to listen to the old man "giving a meeting" to the young people. Last season, when commentating on the Rockets' games, Zhang Weiping kept criticizing Westbrook, and "giving it to Yao Ming" has almost become a new meme on the Chinese Internet.
When the two revisited the NBA offseason, Yang Jian asked his usual question:
"Coach Zhang, now that the Lakers are 'armed to the teeth,' do you think the landscape of the Western Conference will change? Today they also signed Wayne Ellington, who was waived by the Grizzlies."
"It's hard to say! I think the Lakers lack real championship experience, and I favor the Clippers."
Zhang Weiping was talking at length in the studio about the power of his championship experience, and Yang Jian couldn't hold back any longer. But after listening for a while, he realized there was some truth to it, and inwardly he thought to himself, "I can't help but complain."
"The old man might not have been lying." (End of Chapter)