20demayo Chapter 504 I'm good at running, jumping, rapping, and dunking!
Chapter 504 I'm good at running, jumping, rapping, and dunking!
"Yes! We've considered countless possibilities." Su Qun's eyes welled up with tears again, and his voice trembled with excitement. "I've imagined all sorts of ways the Chinese team could win tonight's game."
"But I really didn't expect that the Chinese team would take the initiative starting from Yao Ming completely suppressing O'Neal on both offense and defense, relying on Yao Ming's direct point-to-point attacks on O'Neal and Lin Tian's two consecutive blocks at the last moment."
"It was these successful defensive plays that secured the victory for the Chinese team!"
Yang Jian continued, "But we can't forget about offense! Basketball is an offensive sport, a competition of points. Lin Tian and Yao Ming accounted for all of the team's points in the last 5 minutes! Yao Ming scored several one-on-one against O'Neal, and Lin Tian's fast break dunks and drawing fouls beyond the three-point line were all reasons for China's victory!"
"Of course, there was that amazing two-man passing and cutting play! Lin Tian's positioning and Yao Ming's behind-the-back pass—I think that scene will be etched in my mind forever. It will become a classic, replaying in my mind again and again!"
"China team, champions!"
"What a pity." After everything was settled, Kenny sighed and looked at Barkley next to him. "It really was just a little bit short. Larry and our players did everything they could. They had absolute control for most of the game."
"In the last minute and 30 seconds, the US team didn't score a single point! Charles, what do you think?"
"Lin and Yao, and the entire Chinese team, all performed exceptionally well." Barkley also let out a long sigh before continuing, "We did indeed hold a significant advantage for most of the game, and we certainly played a very good game."
"But in the final moments, Shaq had a problem. I think Shaq might have been injured. His performance in the last few minutes was completely different from his usual level. He was much stronger than he appeared to be."
"Anyone who watched the game would know that this was not the performance Shaq should have given. I don't know why. All I can say is: we tried our best, but the Chinese team played better. They deserved this championship."
"Perhaps, in Japan two years from now, we can try again? Maybe then we can try a different strategy, with a completely new team?"
"Of course, that's all for later. Before that, what we need to do is congratulate the Chinese team, congratulate Lin, congratulate them! They won beautifully."
After his initial excitement, Su Qun noticed the situation on the court and said happily, "Look, after the Chinese team's wild celebration, the American team players also came up. Kidd found Yao Ming, and Artest found Lin Tian. These two pairs of teammates from the NBA expressed their respect and celebration to each other."
Yang Jian added, "It wasn't just Lin Tian and Yao Ming; we saw the American players shake hands with everyone on the Chinese team—Yi Jianlian, Wang Zhizhi, Yao Ming, Liu Wei, Zhu Fangyu… I think after this game, the American players will definitely remember all of their names!"
"They deserve all of this!"
Su Qun said, "Of course they deserve it! Tonight, Yao Ming scored 32 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 blocks. He took on his due responsibility on both ends of the court. He was like an insurmountable wall, protecting the Chinese team."
"And of course, there's our eternal hero, leader, and captain, Lin Tian!"
「今晚林天再一次拿下了41分11篮板12助4抢断6盖帽的全面数据！这已经不知道是他第几次拯救球队，率领球队在逆境之中取得胜利了！」
"He always manages to step up and save the team when they're in trouble! Tonight, Hebei China Fortune was in dire straits several times, on the verge of collapse, and it was Lin Tian who stepped up and saved the game!"
"From scoring and passing to defense and rebounding, Lin Tian continued his all-around performance on the court tonight."
"All I can say is, it's truly wonderful that China has Lin Tian!"
"I've always said this: without Lin Tian, this top-level Chinese team would only be a top-eight team in the world, with almost no chance of making it into the semifinals."
"But with Lin Tian, we are the masters of the basketball world! We have been the number one super team in the world for the past four years!"
"Now, let's look forward to the World Championships two years from now! Let's see if the Chinese team can surprise us again!"
"At the same time, let us congratulate our golden generation! Congratulations to them for once again standing at the top of the world!"
On the court, most of the American players were relatively relaxed, and not many of them cried because they lost the gold medal.
Lin Tian and the others greeted the American team players in a relaxed manner and chatted casually.
As for exceptions?
Shaquille O'Neal.
This guy, who was always cynical, carefree, and easygoing, and who was always smiling and considered unserious by others, was still sitting motionless on the bench long after the competition ended.
He knew very well that the reason why the US team was reversed tonight and was blown out by the Chinese team in the last moment was because of him!
He couldn't contain Yao Ming and was completely outmatched by Yao Ming in a one-on-one game!
O'Neal felt an unprecedented sense of frustration and loss.
"Am I old? I can't even beat Yao anymore? I got blown out by Yao one-on-one?" Shaquille O'Neal, who is usually overly confident and likes to show off, was unusually quiet this time.
"What's wrong, Fatty? Scared of being beaten?" Kobe's somewhat annoying voice reached O'Neal's ears.
"Get lost. I don't want to argue today, and I don't want to see you." O'Neal was really not in the mood to play games with Kobe today; he felt terrible.
"I told you, you should come with me to find Hakeem Olajuwon and learn a few moves. After learning them, you definitely won't get crushed by Yao. Or go find David Robinson? Forget it, that guy's style of play isn't really suitable for you. But if you go find Ewing to practice your shooting, you'll definitely become stronger."
"Are you ever going to shut up?! Shut the hell up!" O'Neal's headache worsened from Kobe's incessant nagging. He yanked the towel off his head, glared at Kobe, and said, "I don't need you standing next to me teaching me how to play basketball!"
"I'm not going to teach you how to play," Kobe said seriously. "You wouldn't be able to learn my style of play, and your knees would be ruined."
"Fuck you! I haven't hit you in a long time, are you itching for a beating?" O'Neal glared at Kobe, his eyes fixed on him, he was really frustrated and wanted to punch him.
"I just want to say, whether you got blown out by Yao tonight or not, you're still the most dominant super big man in NBA history in my eyes! I think the two of us can definitely win the championship!"
"Maybe next season!"
"Okay! Next season it is!" For some reason, after hearing what that annoying guy Kobe said, O'Neal suddenly felt a huge surge of motivation. He suddenly felt: I can do it!
At the very least, he can't be worse than Kobe!
This kid has always wanted to seize power and become the leader of the Lakers, and O'Neal knows this better than anyone else.
Absolutely not!
I am the number one player on the Lakers!
Leaving aside the two inside-outside partners who were beaten up by Lin Tian countless times, and whose relationship became increasingly strange with each beating, let's get back to Lin Tian.
After defeating the American team once again, this guy found Bird very early on.
"Larry, I told you you'd be nothing without me!"
"Nonsense! I'll beat you in the playoffs next season! And let me tell you, Chris's back, and Manu's back too!"
"Even though that idiot Tim got beaten to it by that old geezer and didn't come to Indiana, it's enough!"
"See you in the playoffs next season! Let's see how we crush the traitors."
Seeing Bird's contradictory expression—a mixture of regret for not getting Duncan and a desperate attempt to project confidence in front of Lin Tian—Lin Tian couldn't help but burst into laughter, saying, "If I were you, I'd be checking out next year's and the year after's drafts!"
"Let's see if we can quickly select a true core player from among those talents who can lead the team to rapid rise."
"Otherwise, I think we won't be able to meet in the playoffs for at least 5 years."
"You think I'm useless without you?"
"Don't get cocky! I'll definitely crush you next season!"
"It's just New York! What's so special about it?"
"The Knicks' roster is a mess, old and young, you'd think it was a merged nursing home and kindergarten! What could you possibly do there? Be a nursing home manager or a kindergarten security guard?"
"New Yorkers aren't as friendly as us Indians. Don't be fooled by how much they love you now. If you don't play well in two games, fans all over America will treat you like trash and a jinx, and then they'll give you a good dressing down."
"Larry, you're acting just like a heartbroken woman who's been dumped by her boyfriend. All you can do is cry and shout, 'What am I not as good as her? I'm so much better than her!' but you can't do anything about it."
Lin Tian chuckled and said, "It's a pity I didn't bring a camera. Otherwise, if I recorded this part of your speech and played it on the screen when I entered the Hall of Fame, it would definitely become the most explosive Hall of Fame speech in history."
"Screw you! You bastard, I'll win the championship before you do!"
"Championship or number one draft pick?"
"Go to hell."
Bird left a middle finger behind and turned to leave.
He will never come to this place of sorrow again.
"Where's Reggie? And Rick? Where did those two go? Their buddy won a gold medal, aren't they going to congratulate me? That's so unfriendly of them."
"Those two must be crazy to come here and get themselves into trouble like I did. Do you think you're so popular? What normal person wants to talk to you?"
Bird didn't turn his head or stop walking; he talked as he quickly moved away from Lin Tian.
This guy is so annoying.
As for Croncillo, who was sitting in the stands, he also looked worried.
We lost again.
The best coach, the best staff, the best configuration.
But they still lost.
His eyes were fixed on Lin Tian, who was pacing back and forth celebrating. This guy had become a nightmare for Crongelo and the entire United States.
They were wiped out in three consecutive world championships and two Olympic Games.
That's outrageous!
Crongelo is really having a headache now.
Because, in his view, Bird didn't make any mistakes that night.
If I had to pinpoint a reason, it would be that O'Neal was matched up against Yao Ming, which led to O'Neal being singled out and exploited in the fourth quarter.
But... is this Bird's fault?
Who would have thought that Shaquille O'Neal couldn't beat Yao Ming!
Apart from O'Neal, no one else on the US team made any mistakes or had any major problems; no one was a liability.
Even if you asked Colangelo to find a better replacement or successor for Shaquille O'Neal, he wouldn't be able to.
In other words, this lineup is the best, most powerful, and best lineup that Croncillo could find.
From starters to substitutes to coaching staff, you really can't find a better combination.
But they still lost.
Is it really true that if this guy doesn't retire, we'll never be able to win a world championship again?
Krangilo looked at Lin Tian and let out a long sigh.
He felt that perhaps the US team needed to change its approach.
Everything that followed was natural. The entire Chinese team went up to the podium and won the gold medal once again. The difference was that this time, after receiving the gold medal and taking a group photo, everyone quickly tucked it into their collars.
No one on the Chinese team wants to relive the painful experience of losing the gold medal.
too painful.
Next, the entire Huaxia team set off together to return to Huaxia.
Their landing was once again met with a frenzied welcome and cheers from countless fans.
The Chinese national basketball team is now the most popular and beloved national team in China!
"Because of your victory this time, my reform plan has been carried out incredibly smoothly. Many obstacles that I originally thought there would be have become smaller or even disappeared for various reasons."
At a victory celebration banquet held at a hotel in the capital, Li Yuanwei looked at Lin Tian and the others and said with satisfaction, "Without you, my ideal might have remained just an ideal."
"But now, I truly feel that everything I've done has been meaningful!"
"Our country's basketball will definitely reach new heights!"
"Thank you all, thank you everyone!"
Lin Tian had no idea how much of a ripple effect his team's consecutive championship wins would have, or what direction it would take Chinese basketball to.
But the other chain reactions brought about by the team's championship win were something Lin Tian never expected.
That is, after the men's basketball team players returned to China, they received a lot of commercial offers.
Various endorsement and gig activities, as well as various commercial events and ribbon-cutting ceremonies.
Even players with good images, like Yi Jianlian and Liu Wei, received several scripts for television and film, asking them to play roles similar to basketball players.
Lin Tian also received them. As the team leader, a world-class top star, and whose appearance is arguably the best in the history of Chinese sports, he received more commercial endorsements and movie/television scripts than all the other people combined.
Lin Tian also selected several of the best endorsements from among them and accepted them.
For example, Huaxia PICC signed a lifetime endorsement contract with Lin Tian, directly competing with its neighbor, Huaxia Life Insurance.
For example, a few years ago, Lin Tian quietly bought a large number of shares in 'JoyCityEntertainment', which is the well-known 'HuanYu Network'. Now, Lin Tian has long become the largest shareholder of this South Korean company.
Now, a basketball game produced by this company is about to be released, and Lin Tian naturally became the spokesperson for this game.
That is, the classic online game in the hearts of countless people: Street Basketball!
For at least the next few years, every player who opens the game Street Basketball will see Lin Tian's face on the preparation screen.
This game will undoubtedly become the most popular sports-themed online game in China and even the whole of Asia for many years to come. The revenue generated from various costumes, skills, and characters will make Lin Tian a fortune.
Besides these two major business deals, Lin Tian turned down many other scripts.
One of them was a TV series that cast him as some kind of Tianwu Ren, the final boss, and even gave him a lot of cool skill names in the show.
What's with all that "Dragon Soars Without Regret" whirlwind dunking, and "Orchid Butterfly Glide" footwork? There's even a cripple in there who just brings a bayonet and stabs people while playing.
This TV series sounds incredibly cool and awesome.
Lin Tian didn't even dare to look closely at the remaining notebooks after being hung up, and quickly boarded a plane to escape.
Who knows what kind of "Basketball Hero," "Basketball Captain," or "Players League" stuff will come up next for him to film?
The entertainment industry is too complicated; Master Lin is having trouble navigating it.
Even I, Lin Daguan, am too lazy to work in Hollywood, let alone this mere Chinese film and television industry.
Aside from being interested in sexually harassing actresses, he has absolutely no interest in making movies or television shows.
It's best to stay away from places of trouble!
It's worth mentioning that almost all Chinese players received a large number of commercial offers and even movie and television scripts.
While everyone else was making a fortune and having a great time, Zhu Fangyu was drinking alone in silence.
The young man looked heartbroken.
Nobody contacted him, or rather, almost nobody contacted him.
After he returned to China, only a few fighting clubs and martial arts schools, as well as a few companies with triad backgrounds that were preparing to hold a major conference, contacted him. The rest...
Well... you could say we gained nothing.
Zhu Fangyu looked in the mirror, unable to understand what he was lacking. Why was his younger brother Yi Jianlian so busy, while he himself had nothing?
What's wrong? I can't figure it out! I'm super unhappy!
…………
After Lin Tian returned to the United States, he didn't need to transfer flights this time. He landed in New York and was immediately picked up by Dolan, who was so happy he almost jumped for joy.
"From Cuba, top quality." After Lin Tian got into Dolan's stretch Lincoln, which everyone in New York knew, Dolan enthusiastically offered him a cigar: "Have a taste."
"Not interested." Lin Tian shook his head, refusing Dolan's cigarette, and leaned back comfortably in the car seat. "What's the schedule next?"
"An event that will let you truly experience the charm of New York City!" Dolan patted Lin Tian on the shoulder, with an expression that said, "We're all in this together, you know what I mean." He continued, "Staying here for three or four days for an away game is a completely different experience from living here for four years."
"Only by living here long-term can you truly understand its charm! As long as you have money, connections, time, and passion, you can get everything you want in New York City!"
"I'm not afraid of your unusual tastes, I'm afraid of you having no desires!"
Seeing Dolan's excited expression, Lin Tian couldn't help but feel excited about his life in New York for the next few years, which he was sure would be a very happy four years.
(1802 million words omitted above)
At the end of September, after a month of extravagance, glitz and glamour, and unbridled joy, Lin Tian finally drove to the Knicks' training facility.
The annual training camp is about to begin!
After this month's training camp, the new NBA season will begin!
During this month, Lin Tian only traveled to less than one-fifth of New York.
There are so many fun places to visit, we really have to explore them one by one.
However, Lin Tian wasn't in a hurry; it would take a full four years.
When the contract expires in four years, I, Lin Da Guanren, will show everyone what the hell the New York City nightclub trendsetter and the Big Apple sightseeing guide is!
Of course, Lin Tian didn't just play around and indulge in reckless behavior for the past month. He didn't slack off on training and maintaining his fitness level.
At least when the training camp started, Lin Tian's muscles were no less muscular than they were during the Olympics, and he maintained his weight at 91KG. As he got older, although Lin Tian had the 'Evergreen Rune' protecting him, he still chose to lose weight so that he could continue to maintain his condition.
It's good to be prepared!
"Lin! Long time no see!" On the way from the parking lot to the arena, the first person Lin Tian encountered was Carmelo Anthony, who had a small mustache and the signature cornrows of black men.
This guy, who ranked second in last year's Rookie of the Year vote and has already shown himself to be a top scorer in his rookie year, looked at Lin Tian with his signature smile.
"Didn't we just see each other three days ago?" Lin Tian smiled and gave Anthony a high five. "Amar'e was there too! Did you see that kid? I think he's gained quite a bit of weight during the past offseason."
"He can jump high." Anthony laughed and said, "That guy is a monster. Even if he was wearing a 30-kilogram iron ball, he could still jump up and do a 360-degree spin dunk."
The two chatted as they walked toward the stadium.
As soon as Lin Tian entered the locker room, he immediately spotted many familiar faces.
The team's two veterans, Charlie Ward and Allan Houston, are now in their seats. Over the past 10 years, Lin Tian has faced off against these two many times, and has defeated them and the Knicks several times in the playoffs.
Except for 99 when an injury allowed the Knicks to break through, Lin Tian was the Knicks' biggest nemesis in every other year.
"It feels like a dream." Ward laughed, stood up, and gave Lin Tian a high five. "We've become teammates just like that."
Houston, who hadn't changed his clothes, said with a pained expression, "My knee is ruined again, so I can't participate in training camp. The doctor said that if I'm lucky, I can return to play at the end of November."
"It's alright, it's part of the plan." Regarding Houston's injuries, Lin Tian truly meant it was 'part of the plan'.
He even felt that if this guy could play in February, let alone December, the Knicks would be considered lucky this season.
In Lin Tian's mind, this guy's task wasn't to play basketball, but to teach Anthony and Stoudemire, two future top mid-range shooters, how to improve their shooting skills. That would be a huge contribution for him.
As for Ward, this tough and straightforward guy is also a representative of the old-school players. He may not be the most capable, but he is experienced and has a solid style of play, making him a good locker room keeper.
A few people were exchanging pleasantries in the locker room when suddenly a loud, almost ear-piercing melody came from outside. Then, the high school duo from the team swayed and walked into the locker room.
Amar'e Stoudemire, who will be starting his third professional season this year, and Josh Smith, the talented high school player the team just selected with the 13th overall pick in the first round.
"You guys are here early." As soon as Stoudemire entered the arena, he found that several of the team's big shots had arrived. He quickly turned off the huge speaker that Smith was holding and greeted everyone with a smile.
Smith, however, was clearly not very bright. He looked at Smurf with a hint of dissatisfaction and said, "Amaret, I haven't had enough yet."
"What a load of nonsense." Little S kicked Smith in the butt and gestured at him with his chin, saying, "Hurry up and call for backup, rookie."
Smith then realized what was happening, took off his sunglasses, and looked at the team's big men, saying, "I'm Josh. I'm good at running, jumping, rapping, and dunking. I hope you guys like me and pass me the ball. I guarantee every dunk will be in the top ten."
"Alright, what I like most is being able to dunk." Lin Tian grinned, clapping his hands. "Let's go see our guys! I can hear people practicing on the court, let's go check it out!"
A few minutes later, Lin Tian led the team's rookies and veterans to the training field. Sure enough, there were already several people there. Judging from their appearance, they had obviously been training for quite a while, and they were all covered in sweat.
Lin Tian immediately recognized the two players who were having a one-on-one match: 'Martial Saint' Steve Jackson and 'Master Barnes' Matt Barnes, as well as 'Turkish Cannon' Mehmet Okur who was practicing his three-point shooting with his trainer.
And Gerald Wallace, the "real-life Sakuragi," who was all alone, practicing his sliding steps and defensive fundamentals by constantly moving back and forth in a corner.
These Knicks players will all be able to make a name for themselves in the future and find their place in the league.
What they have in common at this point is: cheap!
None of them made a name for themselves, nor did they have any noteworthy battles. Even when Jordan's Bobcats were expanding and drafting players from various teams, they didn't even consider these guys and didn't select them.
But in Lin Tian's eyes, these people had another thing in common.
ruthless!
A truly new generation of New York gangsters.
It might even be more ruthless than the previous generation.
After all, the previous generation of New York gangsters didn't have a tough guy like Lin Tian, the number one toughest member of the league.
I have no idea how Dolan managed to put together this lineup.
How did Walsh manage to find such a group of exceptional individuals from the trash heap and the fringes of the league, even though Dolan had clearly stated he wouldn't spend any money?
Walsh: Too easy! When I'm selecting people, I just look at their faces and tattoos! A fierce-looking face, obviously a villain, sign him! Tattoos so thick you can't even see them on his skin, sign him! Someone with ties to gangs, a shady background, sign him!
As for why we did it this way?
It was all because of a single sentence from Dolan.
"Signing these kinds of 'beasts' that other teams don't want will save money, and Lin will like them! He'll definitely enjoy playing with these kinds of people! These will be the magic weapons to attract Lin!"
Of course, it turned out in hindsight that this was some kind of magic weapon or not, but Lin Tian didn't care or pay attention to it. He didn't even talk to the Knicks about how to play basketball or about future plans and development.
When signing the contract, Lin Tian only looked at one thing.
money!
The Knicks offered the most money, the most opportunities off the court, and the most business opportunities, so Lin Tian came to New York.
Lin Tian didn't care at all whether the group of people Dolan had gathered within the team were gangsters or gentlemen like Hill.
Regardless of whether they are birds or beasts or domestic fowl or pets, I, Lord Lin, am sure I can handle this bunch of little karami!
That's swearing!
Lin Tian and his group who entered the arena were actually the most important group of players on the Knicks team right now, and they were also the last group of guys to arrive at the training facility.
Upon seeing them arrive, almost all the players on the field rushed over.
They've all been in the league for a while now, and when it comes to paying respects and acknowledging the boss, these guys don't hesitate at all. They know very well who's in charge on this team, or even in this league.
Well... the only one who didn't come over and was practicing by himself was Gerald Wallace.
This guy didn't even see anyone coming; he was still sliding around on his own.
However, no one thought that this guy was deliberately putting on an act.
He's been doing the same thing for the past few years.
The main focus is on the player who works the hardest but has the worst results.
He couldn't find his rhythm at all and was unable to secure a place on the team.
"Gerald!" Seeing that everyone had gathered around except for Wallace, Lin Tian shouted and called him over.
Wallace was startled by a shout and quickly turned around. After looking around, he realized that everyone had gathered in the stands. So he quickly ran into the crowd.
Seeing that everyone was present, Lin Tian cleared his throat and said, "Starting today, our season officially begins. My rules are very simple: when we're not playing, you can have as much fun as you want, but when we're playing, there are two principles."
"Don't you dare cause trouble for the team with any illegal or criminal activities, and when you go out to have fun, take me with you, let's have a blast together!"
"But when playing and training, everyone must complete all training sessions on time and in the required quantity. On my team, I don't allow anyone to miss training or be late or leave early for any ridiculous reason!"
"Anyone who wants to take leave must tell me in advance, report to me beforehand, and give me a reasonable reason."
"I don't care what this team was like before, but now, this is my team, and my team has to have rules! Because since I came here, I've only had one goal!"
"champion!"
"Alright, I've finished speaking. Who agrees? Who disagrees?" (End of Chapter)