When pride still matters

Chapter 544 It’s hard to be a good person
When reporters asked Yu Fei after the game why there was so much high-intensity physical contact in the opening game against the Knicks, Yu Fei also expressed helplessness: "This is indeed not the intensity of a regular season game, but it happened like that. Now I can only wish Amare good luck."

Unfortunately, good luck does not belong to Amar'e Stoudemire.

The next day, the Knicks announced Stoudemire's injury.

Stoudemire suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He will undergo surgery in a few days and is expected to be out for the season.

No one wants to see such a thing. The relationship between Yu Fei and Stoudemire is neither good nor bad. The two had some exchanges during the All-Star period and they are just acquaintances.

But the opponent ended the entire season because of an ordinary regular season game.

By the way, Stoudemire's injury may also end the Knicks' season.

After all, Stoudemire is the only superstar of the Knicks. In the season before the suspension, the Knicks returned to the playoffs thanks to Stoudemire's performance of 29 points and 9 rebounds.

Now, with Stoudemire injured, the Knicks are left with only the old, weak and sick. No matter how effective Kidd's so-called "make teammates better" BUFF is, a point guard who lacks personal offensive ability cannot lead the team forward in the era of space basketball.

From this moment on, the Knicks became a strong contender for the Anthony Davis Cup.

However, in certain years, the NBA No. 2007 draft pick is always a competition of misery. Just like the Seattle team that was facing relocation a few years ago got the No. 2010 pick in 2011, the Cavaliers who were "decided" by James got the No. pick in , and the Wizards who lost their boss got the No. pick in .

In terms of misery, although the Knicks have a long history, it is difficult for people to sympathize with a team that is backed by the No. 1 basketball market in the United States and can make money steadily even if it is at the bottom of the league⑴.

In the next few games, the Supersonics won all the way.

Because the opponents are generally not strong.

Teams like the Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz, and Portland Trail Blazers were all clear about their intentions to play badly from the beginning of the season.

After five consecutive wins at the start of the season, the Supersonics faced their first strong opponent with some quality.

They are the Boston Celtics.

However, there are also gaps between the strong teams.

The Celtics are not a championship-level team, especially this season, when the top three teams in the East are enough to look down on the bottom three when they stay healthy.

It can be said that the team that suffered the most from the cancellation of last season due to the lockout was the Celtics, a strong team with veteran stars as its core.

They lost a season in vain, and it is possible that the season they lost was their last peak.

When the SuperSonics came to Boston, their general manager Danny Ainge came to the scene in person, seemingly wanting to see whether the team he carefully assembled four years ago could still be competitive against the SuperSonics.

However, after Tayshaun Prince and David Lee left the team, the Celtics seemed even more decadent.

Rondo was poisoned by the times.

Guards like him who are not good at shooting but have sharp breakthroughs, excellent organization, top-notch defense, and are very good at rebounding are popular in the big ball era.

Although the offense was a bit lagging behind, it was still acceptable.

However, in the era of space basketball, it is no longer acceptable for the core point guard to lack long-range shooting threats, which makes Rondo, who should have reached his peak, embarrassed.

He's like the Celtics' current competitiveness, neither up nor down.

The Celtics can make the playoffs, as Rondo is a qualified starter, but facing championship contenders, the Celtics are too old and Rondo's style is out of step with the times.

The Supersonics established a lead in the first quarter and then kept pressing, leading by 20 points in the fourth quarter.

Ainge sat on the sidelines the entire time, as if he wanted to watch how his team was slaughtered.

He could indeed see that the Celtics' championship window had closed.

Even if Pierce and Garnett regain their youth, the Celtics can only be considered competitive. Facing the New Jersey Big Three and the Miami Heat who are beginning to realize their talents, are they really sure of winning?

Even when the Celtics' Big Three were just formed, the core players were at the end of their peak, and they couldn't beat the young Supersonics. The failure that year had already given Ainge the answer.

But Angie didn't give up.

He believes that as long as the Celtics stay in the championship echelon, there will always be opportunities.

Unfortunately, 2008 was really their only chance.

Now, look at this game again.

The Celtics and SuperSonics are no longer on the same level of teams.

The Celtics still use a similar strategy, advocating hard grinding in the field and emphasizing the use of inside mobility for oppressive defense.

But the supersonics are no longer the same as they used to be.

In Ainge's opinion, the SuperSonics have a strict hierarchy compared to the Celtics.

Yu Fei undoubtedly has a position above everyone else, which can be seen from his average number of shots per game.

In this season when the Sonics are already overflowing with talent, Yu Fei's number of shots has increased even more than before the suspension. He currently averages 21 shots per game, averaging 32 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists per game.

Next is Roy, who averaged 17 shots per game and scored 20 points and 11 assists.

Next is Durant, who takes 16 shots per game and averages 23 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

Poor real giant Bosh only took 10 shots per game and averaged 14 points and 6 rebounds.

Pseudo-starter Hill doesn't need to take any shots at all. Although he plays 22 minutes per game, he only takes 4 shots per game (all three-pointers).

The Supersonics are undoubtedly playing the most advanced game in the league. They have the fastest tempo, the most shots per game and the highest points per game. So far this season, they have averaged a net win of more than 20 points per game because of their bullying.

The Celtics cannot compete with a team that has a clear hierarchy and seemingly has no internal problems.

At the end of the game, Angie stared at the score.

The Sonics beat them handily by 26 points.

This makes the Celtics the sixth team to lose to the SuperSonics by more than 20 points.

The opponent was so powerful that it was shocking. Angie couldn't help but want to give him some bad words.

"I think the Sonics are an 80-win team."

Angie's comments made the headlines.

Then the Supersonics went back to their home court and had a big one.

The opponent is the San Antonio Spurs, who also won six consecutive games at the beginning of the season.

The Spurs' "repeat student" Paul George was as brave as a newborn calf and was not afraid of tigers. He made a pull-up shot right at the start, which made Yu Fei look at this Reebok junior with a higher opinion.

As if to prove that his original statement about signing with Reebok was not just for public relations purposes, George used a lot of Yu Fei-style techniques and scored consecutive high-post jump shots.

Yu Fei became serious and silenced George in the second half, but Bosh and Durant were beaten by the twin towers of Duncan and Gasol in the interior.

Not only was the defense unstoppable, but the rebounds were also unavailable.

If they want to counterattack their opponents, they can only shoot from the outside.

Durant was still able to respond, but Bosh was completely sluggish, making only 11 of 3 shots and getting a pitiful 8 points and 1 rebound.

Roy didn't feel good about passing that night, but his personal offensive form was great.

This allowed him to increase his personal offense and reduce passing.

As a result, Durant found that although he could respond to his opponent on the offensive end, his chances to shoot were fewer than usual, and he only took 14 shots that night.

The game that night became an internal communication meeting for Reebok.

Yu Fei and Roy played well, but the Spurs won with their inside advantage. Reebok's new star George scored 16 points and 6 rebounds against Yu Fei.

If there hadn't been a lockout, George would have been a sophomore this year, but the lockout caused him to fail back, so he was a held back student.

His performance tonight lived up to what he said when he signed with Reebok. He said at the time: "I have been a fan of Frye since I was a child. Signing with Reebok is a dream come true for me. I can't wait to play against Frye on the court."

As a result, his technical moves are indeed very similar to Yu Fei, just like Durant, he learned some of Yu Fei's techniques, but did not master the core secrets - his dribbling problem is even bigger than Durant's. Durant is just not competent as a point guard, but he still has no problem with dribbling, while George will have a high center of gravity when dribbling the ball, which is caused by not having a good foundation in his early years.

However, just as Nike spent 20 years failing to find a suitable successor to Jordan, Reebok's long-cherished Yu Fei II will encounter the same problem.

Superstars are superstars because they are unique. And a giant god like Yu Fei who has advanced to the GOAT is a super giant among super giants, and it is even more difficult to find a rival.

Fortunately, Yu Fei is still young, and a new generation of Reebok stars has begun to rise after Yu Fei.

This is what Nike fears most.

The war between sneaker manufacturers is actually a war for agents.

This is like elected politicians, they represent a certain public opinion and political views, and are the embodiment of a huge community of interests.

In the sports world, the value of stars to shoe manufacturers goes far beyond that.

A groundbreaking star can revitalize a shoe company on the verge of bankruptcy, making it an industry benchmark and being admired by future generations. This is exactly the impact Jordan brought to Nike and the legacy he left as a player.

But that era is over.

Jordan's end in Washington was the beginning of it all.

The decade in which Yu Fei replaced Jordan as GOAT marked the gradual end of that era.

During this decade, Yu Fei replaced Jordan's position in the basketball world and became the idol of most basketball-loving teenagers. As a result, Reebok's influence in this group replaced Nike's in the past.

Rose signed with Nike in 2008. Because he was a native of Chicago, he was influenced by Jordan and chose Nike over Reebok.

The top new stars after Rose, such as Westbrook, Curry, Wall and now George, have all joined Reebok.

These guys are guards and forwards who sell shoes.

Even if they cannot become superstars, they can continue the company's influence through their brand.

But Nike completely lost the battle to Reebok.

This is Nike's biggest fear.

They won't forget how they replaced Converse in the 80s and Reebok in the early 90s.

Basketball has a huge influence that can spread all over the world, but the basketball market is small, not as small as football where multiple super leagues can be formed. Therefore, one Jordan can give birth to a sports empire. Similarly, one Yu Fei can also make Nike follow in the footsteps of Converse.

This trend seems inevitable, but no one is going to sit idly by.

Nike didn't know how Reebok had the foresight to identify talent. They only knew that the company's attractiveness was already in jeopardy. Rose alone could not change the situation. Kobe and James' reputations had hit rock bottom after losing the Empire Battle. And Durant, the most promising and talented player, was actually willing to be a dog for Reebok's master in Seattle?
It is understandable that his status in the team is not as good as Yu Fei, but not as good as Roy?
What is Roy? An ordinary All-Star who used Yu Fei's prestige to force himself to become the second core. His prospects and strength cannot be compared with Durant at all.

Nike is fed up with Durant continuing to be a vassal.

The Sonics' loss to the Spurs severely stung them.

Although the Sonics lost, who cares? It was a wonderful game, and the Reebok stars brought a visual feast to the world.

No matter who wins, it's a win for Reebok, which was Nike's original idea.

Just before the Battle of the Empire, Nike believed that no matter who won or lost, it would be a victory for Nike, because three of the four superstars in the battle were representatives of Nike.

Roy's injury came at a very timely moment for them, which made Durant the second star of the Supersonics. If Yu Fei wants to defeat the Lakers, Durant will definitely play a brilliant performance. By then, even if the Supersonics win, Durant will have established his status as the top star of the new generation.

The idea is beautiful, but the reality is always cruel.

There are always some people who don't play by the rules.

Roy risked his career by imitating Willis Reed in a high-profile manner and became one of the protagonists of the series. Durant was marginalized. The Supersonics then successfully reversed and advanced to the finals to complete three consecutive championships. Yu Fei officially replaced Jordan as the new GOAT.

The trend is unstoppable, but Nike still doesn't want to see the company's most talented new star become Yu Fei's biggest help.

Either kick Roy out and let Durant share the glory of the empire; or let Durant become the biggest destabilizing factor within the empire until the empire can no longer tolerate it.

Durant was indeed somewhat dissatisfied with his tactical position.

He wanted to make more moves.

Because obviously, his efficiency is higher than Roy - much higher - if he can get more shots, he can punish the Spurs inside more effectively, and maybe the game will be won. But there are only seven games so far this season, and things like the number of shots and tactical positions are slowly adjusted as the season progresses, so he is not in a hurry.

Until Nike executives called him and told him: "Kevin, how long are you going to hide behind Frye? It's time to take responsibility for your actions."

Durant wondered how to take responsibility for his actions.

“Strive for a higher tactical position from the coaching staff.”

“We’ve struck a balance.”

Durant hopes to fight for his status in an upright manner, but now that his status in the Supersonics team has been determined, if he rashly breaks the status quo, he will become the target of public criticism.

"What balance? A balance headed by Frye and Brandon Roy? Do you think you're inferior to Roy?"

Durant was impressed by Roy's comeback in the 2010 Western Conference Finals, which is why he didn't want to fight for power in a violent way.

"I don't think that," Durant said. "I just..."

He couldn't tell the reason, of course he couldn't tell it, because Roy was a person he admired, he didn't want to make it difficult for him, he hoped to get to the top through normal competition. Who was he to suddenly make trouble when everyone was enjoying the status quo? He wouldn't do that, that's not what Kevin Durant would do.

He wouldn't say that.

"You just don't want to be the bad guy, right?"

Durant acquiesced.

"I know you're thinking about your team and you're chasing your fourth consecutive championship, but how do you think they see you?" the Nike executive said on the phone. "Roy's shooting percentage last night was only 42%. His inefficiency was masked by his scoring. Now people are saying that he is Frye's biggest helper, and you haven't made any progress. You play the same way as a rookie, and even Brandon said..."

Durant asked, "What?"

"He said you have no advantage in the paint."

"Kevin, everyone wants to be a good person, but it's not easy to be a good person in this world. You have to do what's right for Kevin Durant and the people around him."

The Nike executive hung up the phone, and Durant immediately turned on his computer to check last night's post-game interview.

When the reporter asked Roy what he felt about taking 22 shots, Roy replied: "We have no advantage in the interior, so we must compete with it through the advantage of the outside line."

Durant made 14 of 8 shots last night and scored 19 points. If he took as many shots as Roy, would the Spurs still have an absolute advantage in the interior?
He couldn't help but think so.

Yu Fei also played the fourth position last night, but he also didn't get any advantage. Why did he perform well in the end? Because he had enough ball rights.

Because they had no possession of the ball, they became more and more passive during the game, which naturally allowed the Spurs' inside players to do whatever they wanted.

Then, Durant also saw a lot of comments and articles about his stagnant progress in the new season.

He also saw similar arguments in the 2009-10 season.

Because he hasn't been getting enough ball possession, his numbers don't seem to have changed much.

This is his fifth year in the pros.

He is no longer a rookie.

If his tactical position has not changed significantly in the past five years, can he expect changes to occur in the next few years?
He believes that he is the second star in the team. In this case, isn't it only natural for him to fight for a well-deserved tactical position for himself?

He decided to be more proactive.

Starting today.

⑴ After reading so many lottery conspiracy theories, I think the old NBA method of tossing a coin to decide the No. 1 and No. 2 picks was the fairest.

(End of this chapter)