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Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.
The return of Itachi
I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.
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On February 3, 2004, the NBA announced the reserve rosters for the Los Angeles All-Star Game:
The 7 Eastern Conference All-Star reserves were: Baron Davis, Allen Iverson, Ron Artest, Tracy McGrady, Kenyon Martin, Ben Wallace, and Jermaine O'Neal.
The 7 Western Conference All-Star reserves were: Sam Cassell, Ray Allen, Peja Stojakovic, Dirk Nowitzki, Andrei Kirilenko, Brad Miller, and Shaquille O'Neal.
After the reserve rosters were announced, some people were naturally unhappy.
On the Eastern Conference All-Star team, Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson's teams had poor records.
The fact that they could still make the All-Star team despite losing so much naturally caused discontent!
Although the Milwaukee Bucks lacked some star players this season, with Van Horn and Michael Redd, their record was much better than the two "high-traffic teams."
After the roster was announced, Ray Allen, who recently returned from injury, began to speak out in an interview:
"I think Michael Redd deserves an All-Star spot. I know him. He works very hard in training."
"If we had left George Karl earlier last season, perhaps the Milwaukee Bucks' performance would have been even better!"
Michael Redd, the person involved, hadn't even spoken yet, and Ray Allen seized the opportunity to launch another verbal attack.
Milwaukee Bucks fans felt frustrated whenever they thought about trading away their star player and a first-round pick, only to gain temporary use of Gary Payton.
George Karl's dismissal still couldn't calm the emotions in the fans' hearts.
However, at this time, the buzz around the All-Star Game had been completely overshadowed by the Super Bowl "wardrobe malfunction" incident from two days prior.
At the end of Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake's duet, with a tearing motion, viewers in front of their televisions briefly got to admire the diva's jewel-encrusted black nipple.
CBS subsequently released a statement, with the producers clarifying that this action was not part of the rehearsal plan.
Both parties involved also apologized, with neither admitting it was a publicity stunt, insisting the wardrobe malfunction was just an accident!
In just two days, Janet Jackson's official website received a large number of angry messages, and the Federal Communications Commission also received numerous protest emails.
(A/N: Typical America. Instead of blaming the guy who ripped it off, they blamed the victim. It doesn't matter whether it was staged or not. Both are to be blamed equally but all blame were directed at Janet 👎.)
In short, the Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction incident has recently sparked widespread discussion across America.
On the evening of the 3rd, Ron Artest, feeling good after being selected as an All-Star, performed excellently in the game against the Phoenix Suns:
He played 35 minutes, shooting 8-of-15 from the field, 2-of-5 from beyond the arc, and 3-of-5 from the free-throw line, tallying an all-around stat line of 21 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, and 1 turnover.
88:110, the Knicks easily defeated the Phoenix Suns, avoiding a losing streak.
In the back-to-back game against the Pacers at the end of January, their winning streak was snapped.
With the All-Star Weekend approaching and their record far ahead, the Knicks began to rotate their roster extensively.
After two days of rest, they naturally came out strong, and Madison Square Garden was still noisy after the game.
Four Knicks starters were selected as All-Stars this season, making New York fans overjoyed.
During an interview, Ron Artest also couldn't stop smiling:
"It feels great to have a dream come true! I want to thank my teammates and Lee for his recognition of me."
"..."
After losing this game, the Phoenix Suns' record fell to 17 wins and 33 losses.
Their performance had not improved since Head Coach Alvin Gentry took over the team.
Anfernee Hardaway had not been troubled by many injuries this season, and his attendance rate was very good, but his strength had declined significantly.
Marbury was also in great physical condition, and his stats looked good, but he just couldn't lead the team to wins.
Before the All-Star Game, the Knicks' schedule was not tight.
Among all the teams in the league, Mike D'Antoni was the earliest coach to prepare for the second half of the season.
In the first week of February, the Knicks only had two games to play.
After three days of rest, on Saturday, they faced the Heat on the road.
The scout's draft report was very accurate.
Dwyane Wade, with half a meniscus missing, indeed had a significant injury risk, truly earning the title of "poor man's Lee."
On the evening of the 7th, Dwyane Wade was again sidelined due to injury, which also disappointed Heat fans.
No Rookie from the 2003 draft class was selected for the All-Star Game.
No matter how much they were hyped, these Rookies were just like ordinary players entering the league, still adapting to the physicality.
Before the game, in the visiting team's locker room, Lee also gave an interview:
"Injuries are the natural enemy of athletes. If you want to pursue greatness, a healthy body is the most important thing."
"The regular season is certainly important, as it affects playoff matchups, but the Heat probably don't need to consider playoff issues right now."
"Perhaps they should be like the Cavaliers and consider how to rebuild. Losing isn't necessarily a bad thing."
With a record of 20 wins and 30 losses at the halfway point of the season, the Heat still had playoff hopes.
Lee's words were more of a taunt, as Pat Riley was quite boastful before the new season began.
This game was not nationally televised, and the TNT reporter wasn't concerned about the outcome.
Instead, he asked Lee:
"Lee, why did you decline the league's invitation to the individual challenge events at this year's All-Star Game?"
The Three-Point Contest record and the Skills Challenge record currently belonged to Lee.
Hearing this question, a smile couldn't help but appear on his face:
"No player likes to compete for second place. It's obvious that as long as I participate, the championship is mine!"
"I want to give other players some opportunities. If someone can break my record in the future, I will compete again."
The sports reporters gathered around Lee couldn't refute his somewhat arrogant remarks.
The records were indeed very difficult to break.
Grant Hill recently attended the Grammys with his singer wife, even missing two games for it, but this didn't affect his popularity.
After the Knicks' collective silver party incident was exposed, it did have some impact.
Grant Hill's image as a good husband was more appealing to some fans.
When discussing this year's All-Star starting spot, Grant Hill couldn't help but show off:
"Our record has been leading since the start of the new season, and I think Kurt Thomas should also be selected as an All-Star."
"The Knicks' record is definitely much better than the Orlando Magic and the 76ers. Kurt Thomas deserves a starting spot."
Recently, Clay Lee and Grant Hill were constantly boasting.
Kurt Thomas, who was tidying his shoes at the moment, said with a smile:
"Actually, I just don't want to guard those big guys from the Western Conference!"
The Western Conference All-Star starting lineup was still the same, possessing a huge height advantage.
The New York reporters accompanying the team also felt some regret.
They really wanted to see all five starters selected for the All-Star team.
In the locker room, Amar'e Stoudemire also felt a bit sour.
Recently, his knee had developed some minor issues again, and the coaching staff decisively placed him on the injured list.
Dikembe Mutombo's playing time had increased significantly.
Compared to the younger players, this veteran was very sturdy and hadn't suffered any injuries since joining the Knicks.
After the game started that night, both sides engaged in an offensive battle!
Led by Lamar Odom, the Heat trailed 59:36 at halftime, a 23-point deficit.
The Left-Handed Magician shot 2-of-10, scoring only 8 points in the half.
Lamar Odom's performance completely stunned the Heat fans present.
Ultimately, with their core player struggling, the Heat suffered another crushing defeat.
115:76, the Knicks soundly defeated their opponent, concluding their first week of February's schedule.
Dikembe Mutombo, who came off the bench, delivered 4 blocks.
After the game, during a locker room interview, he joked about himself again:
"The young guys on the other side all think I'm old, but I feel my body is in better shape this season."
"I feel young. Perhaps my age registration is incorrect. I should be 30!"
The Knicks had already entered a resting state, but the Heat players, who lost the game, were not in good spirits.
They always seemed to suffer injuries when facing the defending champions.
Although Dwyane Wade was genuinely injured, many commentators still criticized such "avoidance behavior":
"Clay Lee destroyed Dwyane Wade in just one game!"
"What a coward. Dwyane Wade is destined to never become the next Clay Lee."
"I don't see the desire to win in him. Perhaps Pat Riley misjudged him. Dwyane Wade is not the Heat's cornerstone."
On Sunday the 8th, the Heat played an away game against the Pacers, and the overwhelming criticism left Dwyane Wade numb.
Dwyane Wade, who returned from injury and came off the bench, performed well, shooting 5-of-7 from the field and 5-of-10 from the free-throw line, scoring 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 turnovers.
91:97, the Heat lost again.
Even with this performance, he didn't receive praise.
Instead, when he attended the post-game press conference, Dwyane Wade was mocked again:
"Dwyane Wade, why did you choose to return in an away game? Does this mean you're afraid to face Clay Lee?"
After the ESPN reporter asked the question, low laughter could be heard from the audience.
Dwyane Wade, new to the league, was so directly taunted that his heart flared, and he couldn't help but glare at the reporter and say loudly:
"I only got permission from the team doctor for this game!"
"No one wants to get back on the court and help the team more than I do. I swear, we will make the playoffs!"
Before All-Star Weekend began, the Knicks ultimately achieved a record of 2 wins and 1 loss.
After easily defeating the Clippers and the Hornets, on the evening of the 11th, in an away back-to-back game against the Mavericks, the coaching staff made early rotations.
As a result, Knight, the small guard who saw increased playing time, suffered another ankle injury.
Knight was also somewhat helpless about this.
Whenever his form improved, injuries would interrupt his momentum.
So far this season, his attendance rate has been very poor.
Fortunately, All-Star Weekend provided another week of rest, and with no structural damage, Knight could readjust his physical condition.
With a record of 49 wins and 5 losses, halfway through the season, the Knicks' record was far ahead.
Even if they gave up on back-to-back games in the remaining schedule, they would most likely still secure the top spot in the league.
Due to his injury, Dwyane Wade did not receive many votes in this year's All-Star voting.
LeBron James, on the other hand, received 720,000 votes.
Although he missed the All-Star Game, tanking didn't affect his popularity much.
The Cavaliers lost to the Nets in their last game before the All-Star Game.
105:85, a straightforward loss, brought the Cavaliers' record to 12 wins and 41 losses, maintaining their firm hold on last place!
The Nets' Defense was excellent, and tonight, the The Chosen One faltered again, shooting 2-of-13 from the field for 9 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 5 turnovers.
Due to a conflict between Kidd and Byron Scott, the Nets fired their Head Coach at the end of January, with Lawrence Frank ultimately taking over the team.
This wasn't the first time Kidd had a conflict with a coach. Switching to a Rookie coach clearly indicated a compromise by the Nets.
LeBron James, however, wasn't like Kidd in his desire to control the team.
Under the guidance of the Champion Coach, this Rookie played diligently and could be said to be the most motivated player on the Cavaliers.
Especially when playing at home, LeBron James gave his all on the court.
As for his poor performance, that was simply due to his lack of ability.
In response, Cavaliers fans, like Jeff Van Gundy, all expressed their support for LeBron James.
Everyone was in a state of "trusting the process."
After this game, the Bald Young Coach gave LeBron James another can of strong chicken soup during an interview:
"In his Rookie season, what LeBron needs to do is adapt to the intensity of the league's games and adapt to the relatively dense schedule."
"In the long regular season, he needs to learn to adjust himself!"
"Success is never by chance. I see the future in him. Compared to the beginning of the season, his progress on the defensive end is obvious."
"I like the team's current performance. For LeBron, we all need to be patient, and he will eventually fulfill his talent!"
Jeff Van Gundy always spoke well of his players during interviews, but most sports media felt his words made sense.
No one questioned the Bald Young Coach's coaching ability.
In the current Eastern Conference, rather than stumbling into the playoffs only to be eliminated in the first round, it's better to continue accumulating talent and complete a rebuild over a few years.
Cleveland local sports reporters, as always, supported the team, and after the interview, couldn't help but shout loudly:
"Head Coach Van Gundy, we support you! You will definitely lead the Cavaliers to break the curse and win a championship!"
Always hearing these words, Jeff Van Gundy waved to the crowd, showing the demeanor of a famous coach.
Even with a loss, he could still show off, and the Bald Young Coach was a bit smug:
"This is what a Champion Coach is all about!"
On February 12th, most NBA teams had already entered their holiday break, and Nike also released Clay Lee's updated signature shoes on this day.
That evening, Nike, under the guise of a "new product" launch, held a pop music concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan Center, inviting some famous singers.
A dry new product launch wouldn't attract consumers.
Young people still prefer lively events.
This time, there was no new technology.
Lee's shoes were just a normal iteration, returning to the Hyperdunk series.
In recent years, Nike seems to have been trying to create two shoe lines for Clay Lee: high-priced shoes with new technology, and affordable shoes with regular iterations.
Plus, re-releasing old shoes with new colorways, these three strategies have made Lee's signature shoes highly praised, seemingly satisfying the needs of all fans.
Compared to the Shox series endorsed by Carter, Lee's signature shoes have achieved full coverage, while Shox prices have been decreasing year by year.
Nike believes that poor sales are due to Carter fading, and completely avoids mentioning that this series of shoes is as hard as bricks.
Lee's shoes appear flashy on the outside.
Aside from new technology on the upper and midsole, they primarily use air cushions, which have nothing left to boast about, so in the past two years, they've focused on design.
The atmosphere at the venue gradually heated up as singers took the stage.
Media reporters were all interviewing designer Eric Avar, who designed all of Lee's shoes.
Lee, who had finished his interview, quickly went to a corner where Matt Parker and Nike's Chief Financial Officer, Tony Blair, were located.
Tony Blair had served as Chief Financial Officer for Pepsi's Asia Pacific division until 1999.
After joining Nike, he has established a firm foothold in recent years.
After Lee began collaborating with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, he also formed some friendships with this Chief Financial Officer who came from Deloitte.
Dressed in a well-fitting black suit, with a meticulously groomed beard and somewhat graying short hair, Tony Blair's first impression was that of an energetic old white man.
Seeing Lee, Tony Blair immediately said with a chuckle:
"Clay, last year our international sales surpassed domestic sales for the first time. Your influence in Asia even surpassed Michael Jordan."
Most of the people around were Nike staff, not reporters.
Lee, dressed in a dark blue suit, heard this and jokingly said:
"You need to take my signature shoes more seriously. Fans can feel the sincerity. Remember not to cut corners on retro colorways, or you'll face lawsuits again."
"On this point, I'm on the fans' side. High prices are fine, but there needs to be some sincerity!"
In recent years, Nike has often faced accusations of labor exploitation.
Although they have standardized factory labor conditions, labor associations in the US still feel exploited.
In the past two years, Nike has also embarked on its acquisition journey, becoming somewhat less focused on shoe technology.
Due to the stable endorsement power of Clay Lee and Michael Jordan, they have gradually adopted a 'tanking' stance.
Matt Parker, who had not been promoted to CEO, didn't mind Lee's teasing.
Instead, he said with schadenfreude:
"Then you'll have to ask our future Chief Executive Officer, Mr. William Perez. That's his strategic problem!"
Tony Blair also didn't mind the sarcastic tone of the person beside him.
Perez is a marathon runner and an avid golfer who has served as CEO of consumer goods companies for over 30 years.
Most of the people within Nike expressed support for this personnel change.
Tony Blair, who wasn't involved in these matters, proactively gave Lee some good news:
"The board of directors has no problem with a lifetime contract and a personal brand, as long as it doesn't involve shares. Get your agent and legal team ready."
"Last year, we just acquired Converse, and this year the company plans to make a big splash in the international market again!"
"Lee, this is your opportunity. There will also be an Asian tour during the offseason, which has already been planned."
Watching Tony Blair wink at him, Matt Parker also smiled, and Lee knew that the profit-sharing could be discussed further.
Nike didn't reveal anything to Lee until the new product launch, a cautious approach that still carried a hint of holding back.
"Looks like I need to prepare a celebration party in advance!"
Lee didn't show ecstatic joy.
He merely smiled.
For both parties, this was a win-win.
But business is business.
Although the two had a good relationship with Lee, the finalization of the contract still required further negotiations between the parties.
This kind of work fell to the agents and legal teams.
Tony Blair thought of the Asian tour in the summer and suddenly showed a nostalgic look.
After all, when he worked at Pepsi in the past, he had also lived in Japan and China for a period of time.
Matt Parker then patted Lee's shoulder and asked very naturally:
"How about another championship? I think Asian fans will really like the number 6!"
Seeing both of them laugh, Lee didn't act humble.
He nodded confidently and said:
"Of course, no one is a match for the New York Knicks this year. Surpassing Michael Jordan in championships, I think fans will definitely like this event."
Before All-Star Weekend began, the trade between the Atlanta Hawks and the Portland Trail Blazers was still a hot topic among critics.
The Atlanta Hawks sent out Eddy Curry, Dan Dickau, and Theo Ratliff, and received Wesley Person and Rasheed Wallace from the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Atlanta Hawks, who had been rebuilding for many years, had a poor record, and the team finally lost faith in the process, trading away their "cornerstone" Eddy Curry in his contract year.
Rasheed Wallace's departure from the Portland Trail Blazers also seemed to mean that the team no longer wanted to spend money and get beaten, preparing for a rebuild.
The Portland Trail Blazers had been old rivals of the Los Angeles Lakers in the past few years.
Although the OK Combo only had one championship, reaching the conference finals for several consecutive years was already very successful.
With their old rivals breaking up, the Los Angeles Lakers haven't been doing so well lately.
Before All-Star Weekend began, in the "Shaq-Yao" showdown, the Los Angeles Lakers lost again.
With an 87-102 loss in that game, the Los Angeles Lakers' record dropped to 31 wins and 19 losses.
In the first half of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers were relatively relaxed, but their record gradually declined, and Phil Jackson lost his All-Star Head Coach position again this season.
This year, the Western Conference All-Star Head Coach was Flip Saunders of the Timberwolves.
In the Eastern Conference, Mike D'Antoni was next in line, and Rick Carlisle, the Head Coach of the Pacers, got the Head Coach position.
After losing to the Houston Rockets, Shaquille O'Neal was ridiculed again after the game.
Not long ago, he was still complaining sarcastically, but in a direct confrontation, Yao Ming won.
Playing 41 minutes, he shot 5-of-12 from the field and 14-of-19 from the free-throw line, scoring a team-high 24 points for the Los Angeles Lakers, along with 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 4 blocks, and 3 turnovers.
Yao Ming played 37 minutes, shooting 10-of-21 from the field and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line, scoring a game-high 29 points!
This time, the Los Angeles Lakers had fewer excuses for their loss.
Gary Payton shot 8-of-11 for an efficient 19 points, while Kobe Bryant shot 4-of-7, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, for 14 points.
Medvedenko shot 1-of-13 for only 3 points, but role players don't take the blame.
After the game, Shaquille O'Neal could only repeatedly emphasize:
"We are still finding our game form. Injuries have affected the team's strength! I am still the strongest big man in the league."
Shaq repeatedly emphasized that he was the strongest, and these words were mainly for the Los Angeles Lakers management to hear!
The Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man and Shaquille O'Neal were united.
Both disliked Kobe Bryant.
Shaq demanded a big contract, and Phil Jackson wanted to clear out players he disliked and gain more power.
Kobe Bryant was also a contract-year player, but he had to fly to Denver regularly during the regular season, which affected his performance somewhat, but essentially, he also needed statistics.
After the loss, Kobe Bryant didn't complain, but after being repeatedly mocked by Shaq, his feelings of guilt had long since vanished:
"The whole team was trying to pass the ball to Shaq, but we still lost."
"Clearly, Yao performed better. There's no doubt he'll be the All-Star starting center."
Kobe Bryant was still an All-Star starter, while Shaquille O'Neal, who received more votes, could only play as a substitute.
After Shaquille O'Neal learned of these words, ESPN reported that a brawl had broken out in the Los Angeles Lakers locker room, and the two sides only stopped after the intervention of veteran Karl Malone.
After flying to Los Angeles on the 13th, Lee saw the Los Angeles Lakers' gossip.
The Los Angeles Lakers also seemed to have an inside informant.
An ESPN columnist described the internal conflict in vivid detail.
For the entire day, Clay Lee had to participate in activities with Nike staff.
Besides taking photos and signing autographs, he also had to attend the NBA press conference for some time in the afternoon to answer relevant questions.
Scarlett had been in Los Angeles recently, preparing for the upcoming Oscars.
In the evening, the young girl picked up Lee at her apartment.
Perhaps tired of her mother's nagging, Scarlett had just moved out recently.
After filming her last movie, she spent most of her time in New York.
After a rare high-calorie "junk food" meal, Lee was in a good mood.
Seeing the young girl happily posing in front of the mirror with pearl earrings, he immediately went over, hugged her, and said:
"You should also pair it with a pearl necklace. This is your first award, it's worth commemorating! Perhaps you should also buy a pair of black pearl earrings."
Because they often filmed short videos together, they understood each other well.
When her soft body was held and a whisper came to her ear, the young girl's breathing became a little rapid:
"It's not the Oscars. Winning an award won't increase my film salary! My look in the movie is quite ugly."
"But I like this gift. Do you think it would be prettier with accessories on the front?"
Although the gift wasn't expensive, it was very meaningful.
Scarlett was in a great mood and proactively offered her 'big headlight'. 🫠
Watching her soft body being kneaded in front of the mirror, the young girl's voice became hoarse again.
"Why hurt this beautiful body? I like pink pearls!"
Lee bent down and buried his head in front of her.
He really didn't like extra accessories.
The next morning, Lee woke up early and started calling the girls, showering them with sweet talk.
It wasn't until close to noon that the young girl woke up groggily.
After some playful splashing in the bathroom, she finally lay limply in Lee's arms, not moving.
Lee, shirtless, didn't mind her wandering hands as he processed emails on his laptop.
Scarlett, while caressing his firm muscles, also kissed the stubble on his face:
"Clay, you seem especially happy today!"
The young girl, naked, hugged Lee from behind. She could feel that Lee had been particularly excited since early morning.
"I'm just happy for you! You're becoming more and more beautiful!"
Turning his head to kiss her, Lee's thoughts raced.
His talent panel finally changed this morning:
[Michael Jordan's Extraordinary Core Strength] had disappeared.
Another top talent had been completely assimilated, meaning his body had become stronger again:
"Passive improvement, this feeling is really great!"
.....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)