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12th man to Cricket legend. It's a cricket book for cricket lovers only.
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***
On Thursday, October 19, 2006, as the preseason progressed, the state of various NBA teams once again sparked discussion among sports commentators.
Pat Riley only confirmed he would continue coaching the Heat just before the training camp officially began.
The oily-haired boss did not explain to the media why he had delayed until now, but once the preseason started, many people saw the clues.
The Miami Herald had periodically emphasized Shaquille O'Neal's condition during the offseason.
The Shaq had lost weight, "Superman" was back!
In the few preseason games played, Shaquille O'Neal indeed appeared a size smaller, as reported by the media, but unfortunately, the big man's athletic ability seemed to be declining.
The impact of last year's injury was greater than sports commentators had imagined, and it was only then that many fans realized that the 34-year-old Shaquille O'Neal was already on the decline.
The 35-year-old Michael Jordan lost the championship, and his stats were the worst of his career.
Now it was Shaquille O'Neal's turn, and the big man also had to cede the position of the top center.
The biggest impression the few games left on fans was that the once agile Shaquille O'Neal was starting to show signs of aging.
Considering that the big man hadn't practiced during the offseason, he would most likely use games to train during the regular season.
On TNT's show, Charles Barkley uncharacteristically did not mock Shaquille O'Neal, and regarding the possible decline, he ultimately only commented:
"No one can fight time. Shaquille O'Neal's biggest opponent is himself. I hope to see him in better shape for the opening game!"
"..."
On the Heat, not only was Shaquille O'Neal in poor form, but Payton and Mourning also performed poorly in their limited playing time.
Jason Williams has not fully recovered after his surgery.
It was thought that the Heat could make a comeback, but now it seems they might fall behind early.
Thinking of the once powerful teams in the Eastern Conference, many sports commentators sighed with emotion.
Ten years have passed, and only the Knicks have grown stronger and enjoyed more benefits.
During the preseason, the Knicks played two exhibition games in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and then one in Las Vegas.
In three games, Lee once again showed excellent form, while JR Smith was the opposite.
The Rookie who had just joined the team indulged in practicing "small ball" during the offseason, and his body was hollowed out by the New York nightlife.
He scored 0 points in three games!
Although New York fans had largely forgotten JR Smith, seeing such absurd statistics, everyone started a criticism session:
"New York does not welcome incompetent players!"
On Friday, October 20, at the Tarrytown Training Center, after the morning practice, JR Smith sat motionless in the audio-visual room, looking bewildered.
The renovated audio-visual room, dedicated to video lessons, was equipped with comfortable sofa chairs, but at this moment, JR Smith sat upright, seemingly still unable to recover from the blows of the past few days.
JR Smith initially thought joining a Champion team was a good thing.
After arriving in New York, he squandered his limited salary, indulging in the care of various big-butt girls.
But as the training camp officially began, his extremely poor condition led to him being ruthlessly DNP'd.
In the third game against the 76ers, he only got 2 minutes of playing time during garbage time.
JR Smith still wanted to prove himself, but Barea completely ignored him.
This 60th-pick Rookie basically took the ball and went for it, winning the fans' affection with his active performance.
10 minutes, 5 minutes, 2 minutesāin a fiercely competitive environment, JR Smith gradually realized that his future might not be as bright as he imagined.
This was not the Hornets, where they were short on players.
He needed to compete for playing time with Grant Hill, Raja Bell, and Michael Finley.
If he couldn't perform better than the three, then elimination awaited him.
His extremely poor condition also meant that no one on the Knicks cared about him.
There were simply too many players who indulged in alcohol and women and eventually faded out of the league.
After his guaranteed Rookie contract ended, JR Smith might disappear from public view.
Assistant Coach Mike Malone saw that JR Smith had good talent, but thinking of the scattered news he had seen during the offseason, he sighed inwardly and stepped forward to pat the isolated Rookie:
"You are an adult now and need to be responsible for your actions. I want to see you fulfill your potential. For that, you must work twice as hard now."
Thinking of how he had been unable to integrate into the team these past few days, JR Smith felt a pang in his heart.
On the Hornets, he was the boss, but now no one cared about him:
"I understand, Coach. I will train hard. I want to play here."
Mike Malone patted the Rookie's shoulder again and said nothing more.
Even if JR Smith trained hard, getting more playing time would not be easy.
The coaching staff was very satisfied with the team's roster depth.
As Mike Malone led the Rookie out of the room, he couldn't help but exclaim:
"No wonder Mike studies ties every day."
On October 20, the Rome Film Festival, strongly supported by the local government, officially opened.
Billboards promoting the film festival covered the entire town, and city buses were beautifully decorated, carrying festival attendees back and forth between Via Veneto and the Auditorium.
Unlike the Venice Film Festival, the inaugural Rome Film Festival was the brainchild of the self-proclaimed cultural czar, Mayor Walter Veltroni, with a budget exceeding $15 million as the best proof.
Italian superstars were still the most popular.
At the afternoon red carpet ceremony, a crowd surrounded Monica Bellucci, frantically snapping photos.
Despite being an older actress, Bellucci, wearing dazzling high heels and a low-cut red dress, was still a favorite of many men.
Big stars, meticulously dressed for the lavish villa party in the evening, appeared one after another, and screams occasionally erupted from the onlookers.
At the end of the red carpet, Leonardo DiCaprio, dressed in a black suit, was not with his film crew.
While gazing at the famous actress, he teased Clay Lee beside him:
"It's easy to make money in Hollywood. If I were you, I would never accept Marvel's stock. $65 million, you're really crazy!"
Ever since American gossip reporters revealed that Marvel's board of directors had an internal struggle over casting and ultimately chose the cheapest 'drug dog' Robert Downey Jr., this matter became a laughingstock in the industry.
Coupled with the suspected cashing out of shares by famous producer Arad, who exited early, Marvel's stock price has recently started to dip slightly again.
Although Leonardo DiCaprio knew Lee was very wealthy, the thought of $65 million still pained him.
For anyone, that was a huge sum of money.
Thinking of that old miser who clung to power, Lee cursed inwardly.
Although the 'drug dog' was unreliable, his memory told him this was the beginning of success:
"If you also want to make a small fortune in the future, you can buy some shares. Once the movie becomes a big hit, you won't earn as much by investing then."
Superhero movies meant popcorn, and they meant no awards.
Last year's "Batman Begins" was an exception.
Christopher Nolan indeed directed it better.
Leonardo DiCaprio looked up slightly at Lee beside him, a bit surprised.
In recent years, he had put some money into Axe Capital, and the returns were very good.
Thinking of this, he also began to ponder about buying at the bottom.
"The Departed" had just been released in Italy, and attending the film festival was not only for promotion but also to earn a little money.
When Leonardo DiCaprio noticed Scarlett, he initially wanted to continue teasing, but quickly frowned again.
Scarlett, wearing a white low-cut dress, deliberately styled her curly hair to replicate her movie look.
Noticing Lee and his gaze, her eyes sparkled.
Rebecca Hall, wearing a black dress, met Sam Mendes halfway and they chatted happily.
Scarlett, holding Lee's arm, looked at the frowning Leonardo DiCaprio, then glanced at Rebecca Hall chatting happily with the famous producer, and gossiped meaningfully:
"Mendes really admires Rebecca. What are you thinking? Maybe they're just good friends."
Kate Winslet and Mendes had only recently married, and Leonardo initially didn't want to gossip, but seeing this scene still made him uncomfortable.
Unwilling to show his emotions in front of the media, Leonardo finally smiled and said to the two in a low voice:
"I'll help you promote the champagne. If there's a chance, keep an eye on Ms. Hall for me."
Lee hadn't expected that Leonardo, who only loved young women, would help the older actress Kate Winslet.
The three of them slowly strolled along, and Scarlett, who had entered gossip mode, readily agreed:
"Rebecca and I are good friends, so leave this to me."
After nearly a year of negotiations, Lee finally acquired armand de brignac from Sovereign Brands.
At this film festival, Rome's Mayor Walter Veltroni accepted this champagne, and sparkling armand de brignac would soon appear at subsequent parties.
After a detour from Italy back to the United States, Scarlett's promotional video would follow, and this emerging brand would gradually be promoted starting from New York.
Seemingly feeling that American dollars were already flowing towards her, Scarlett hugged Lee tightly, wishing she could have an on-site Play.
Nicole Kidman, who had married quietly a few months ago, smiled happily, holding her husband Keith Urban's arm.
Upon seeing the trio, she immediately waved with a smile.
She gave Lee a big hug, and the older actress happily introduced her husband, while gigglingly saying:
"I just saw Mr. Veltroni showcasing a new wine, Lee. Is that a brand you recently acquired?"
Lee smiled and nodded.
The news had just broken, and due to the bidding war with Jay-Z, this matter had attracted considerable attention in New York.
Scarlett had her own share of profits from this champagne, which was Lee's birthday gift to the little ones.
The young mother quickly integrated into the crew and began to promote it with the mayor.
The party hadn't officially started yet, and Leonardo DiCaprio, taking advantage of everyone dispersing, couldn't help but ask again in a low voice:
"How did you do it?"
Leonardo found it absurd when he confirmed that Lee's large family lived together, and he had quietly inquired about it more than once.
"Why would you ask such a question? We love each other deeply!"
"..."
Lee was busy earning milk money and did not participate in the latter two preseason games.
LeBron James, who led the Team USA to a bronze medal, was once again dominant, showcasing his excellent game form.
On Thursday, October 26th, the Cavaliers defeated the 76ers on the road with a score of 106:86.
Dwight Howard, having been tempered by the national team and enhanced by technology, also began to realize his talent.
Putting up a big double-double of 17 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, and 3 turnovers in this preseason game.
The Philadelphia fans at the scene were already numb.
Watching Dwight Howard, who was shouting and jumping after the game, they temporarily lost the mood to boo the opponent.
LeBron James, wearing the Cavaliers' away training uniform, kept high-fiving his teammates in celebration.
After two months of adjustment, he had completely recovered from the defeat.
Although it was just a preseason game, LeBron James, when interviewed, showed a serious expression and earnestly summarized the game:
"We've become more cohesive. The quality of our pick-and-rolls is better than last season. Dwight learned a lot on the national team, and I think everyone can take another step forward this year."
"In the regular season, all we need to do is stay healthy. Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy is right, our talent can challenge the defending champions."
"You know, this is my fourth season, I'm no longer a Rookie, and my body has fully adapted to the league!"
The reporter from the Philadelphia Inquirer looked at LeBron James's strong physique, feeling a bit envious.
Compared to the Cavaliers, the 76ers seemed completely finished.
Having achieved a perfect record in the preseason, Jeff Van Gundy had regained his Champion Coach demeanor.
Under his shiny forehead, the red scarf on his chest became even more vibrant:
"Our goal for the new season? Of course, it's the championship. I think you've all seen Dwight's growth. I believe he has surpassed Shaquille O'Neal in rebounding."
"An excellent interior is the guarantee of our record. You will see the strength of the Cavaliers once they realize their talent!"
During the offseason, they failed to trade the former steals leader Larry Hughes, and Drew Gooden was almost poached.
Fortunately, the Champion Coach, relying on his extraordinary charm, ultimately maintained the roster.
Jeff Van Gundy was very satisfied with this.
His Defense system, after several years of refinement, had achieved some results, and his confidence, which had been hit, was back!
Thibodeau knew that Jeff Van Gundy's trading power had been revoked, but not many teams changed much during the offseason, and the continuous victories also made him breathe a sigh of relief.
The chemistry was indeed getting better and better.
The Cavaliers players high-fived each other in celebration, and the group happily returned to the locker room.
Soon, a joyful Dwight Howard started dancing awkwardly in front of everyone, constantly chanting loudly:
"Cleveland! Champion!"
On October 30th, as the opening game was set to officially begin tomorrow, the Knicks also started to get nervous, and the afternoon training session began with scrimmages.
Rajon Rondo was mostly silent in the team.
This Rookie had been secretly competing.
In such training games, Lee would usually lead the bench and the atmosphere squad, which gave Rajon Rondo the opportunity to practice with the starting lineup.
Since Lee had not participated in many joint practices before, and training was mostly focused on physical recovery, the naturally competitive Rajon Rondo would occasionally fantasize about getting a special script:
"Beat Clay Lee, gain the coach's trust, and from then on, reach the pinnacle of life!"
The fantasy was beautiful, but reality was exceptionally cruel.
Rajon Rondo became more and more frustrated.
He always felt that Lee was toying with him and wasn't playing seriously at all.
In the previous possession, Rajon Rondo's pass was too low, and Chandler dropped the ball under the basket.
Gadzuric stole the ball and then threw it to Lee.
It was an opportunity for a fast break, but Lee didn't rush to advance.
Instead, he waited for the Defense to get into position.
Normally, Ron Artest would be responsible for Defense in training games, but Rajon Rondo, who wanted to show off, refused help and insisted on demonstrating his own Defense level.
Mike Malone, on the sidelines, seeing Lee arrive at the right wing, began to loudly remind Chandler in the paint to pay attention to his defensive position:
"Tyson, follow him out!"
Gadzuric still wanted to move his feet, but noticing Lee's wave, he simply stopped in the right restricted area.
Rajon Rondo caught sight of the movement behind him and quickly stuck to Clay Lee again.
Amidst the cheers of the atmosphere squad, Lee, who had stopped abruptly, suddenly dribbled behind his back, switched to his left hand, and immediately dipped his shoulder to accelerate.
Without going full sprint, and with the help of his off-hand, Clay Lee easily gained half a step, drove past Rajon Rondo to the right elbow, then suddenly stopped abruptly and took a large step back.
Having been attacked multiple times with the same offensive move, a sliding Rajon Rondo stared wide-eyed and lunged to defend.
However, Lee's body was leaning back as he stepped back, and he also switched to a left-handed shot.
In the end, Rajon Rondo only hit his right arm, and upon landing, he heard cheers from the crowd again.
The basketball swished through the net, and hearing the coaching staff loudly remind him not to foul, Rajon Rondo felt even more depressed after landing.
Towards the end of the training game, as Lee repeatedly executed fancy pull-up jumpers near the free-throw line, and the basketball swished through the net again and again, Rajon Rondo completely broke down.
Finally, he slammed the ball down hard.
He had been completely dominated.
Unlike Ron Artest, who was hyping things up, Grant Hill thought the Rookie just wanted to show off.
At this point, he proactively stepped forward and patted the other person's shoulder:
"Don't be discouraged. In fact, the result would be pretty much the same no matter who defended him. Your passing is very good!"
"..."
Rajon Rondo forced a smile. He had discovered another somewhat absurd thing.
The Knicks' tactical schemes were even simpler and more direct than he had imagined.
Lee, stretching his body, kept bumping fists with his teammates.
Pau Gasol wasn't here.
For the next few months, he would have to follow the physical therapist to another court to complete his recovery training.
David Lee had now turned into a flatterer, showcasing the results of a season's worth of learning:
"Left-handed shooting, God! Lee is still improving. Look at his mid-range pull-up jumper, as efficient as a layup!"
"Those media outlets only fabricate fake news. Lee is getting stronger. He has never relaxed his demands on himself, and he clearly worked hard during the offseason!"
As the sounds of flattery rose and fell, Rajon Rondo felt increasingly uncomfortable.
He was now out of place with everyone because he couldn't boast.
Even JR Smith, who was handing out towels on the other side, followed suit and dryly cheered a few times:
"David is right!"
Lee chuckled in response, noticed Rajon Rondo looking down, squeezed next to him, put an arm around his shoulder, and asked gently:
"Buddy, do you want to get a starting spot?"
"..."
....
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