Chapter 480 Damn Good Guys (Unity)
After defeating the Cavaliers, the Sonics announced that Roy would be on the daily watch list.
The news that Roy was cleared made many Sonics supporters breathe a sigh of relief.
They left Cleveland quietly.
One day later, the Los Angeles Lakers arrived.
Currently, the Lakers rank first in the league, and Kobe ranks first in the latest MVP prediction list.
Some people believe that James has a greater influence than Kobe, but at this time, no one wants to support a notorious person.
The strength gap between the Lakers and Cavaliers is too great. Under normal circumstances, the TV station will not broadcast this game nationally.
But if you consider that this is the "Traitor"'s first game back in Cleveland, just what may happen on the scene is worthy of grand promotion by major TV stations.
Cable TV stations ABC, TNT, and ESPN are all hyping up the event.
Across the internet, trolls began imagining the possibility of entering Quicken Loans Center with a deadly weapon and doing something horrific to James.
On this day, the SuperSonics returned to Seattle from the away game.
After training in the afternoon, Yu Fei returned home and informed the chef that there was no need to prepare dinner and that he had to arrange it himself.
Yu Fei invited a group of people to have a barbecue at home, and then ordered a takeout with pork chop rice. Anyone who knows him well knows that he only eats pork chop rice on special days.
Although Yu Fei's personal trainer Tim Grover objects to him eating food like fried pork chops, Yu Fei always has a valid excuse.
"LeBron is about to take his current girlfriend back to show love to the ex he dumped on live broadcast. Don't you think I should have a good meal to celebrate on such a big day?"
Considering Yu Fei’s worth—leaving aside his successful investments, Yu Fei’s career is related to whether Reebok can become a tens-billion-dollar sports brand in the future. If Reebok is to replace Nike, he needs to maintain a long-term competitiveness.
"If No. 23 develops the habit of scientific eating at a young age, he will be even greater." Grover said.
Yu Fei asked: "Did this affect him becoming the GOAT?"
"He could have accomplished so much more," Grover said.
Yu Fei is really not sure whether he suffered a serious season-ending injury in his second year, whether retiring for a year and a half in his prime to play baseball had a greater impact on No. 23, or whether he failed to develop healthy eating habits.
To be fair, the season reimbursement and baseball vacation should have had a greater impact. It actually caused No. 23 to lose two and a half years of his golden years.
For a person who established his GOAT status before the age of 35, time is more precious than gold.
Therefore, Yu Fei is not yet 28 years old, but his honor has already equaled that of No. 23.
He thinks he will retire around the age of 35. Will rewarding himself with an occasional pork chop meal cause him to plummet before the age of 35?
Therefore, he did not listen.
"Do you think LeBron will avoid fighting tonight?" Kwame Brown mocked, "This coward even cursed the fans on Twitter yesterday!"
Xiao Ao didn't believe it: "He would do such a thing?"
So Brown dug out the tweet.
Here's the thing, when James posted a life-recording tweet on Twitter, haters commented below: "You better not come back to Cleveland, you know we're going to kill you!"
James replied: "You will die before me."
Just when Xiao O said that this person was really crazy, Brown suddenly hugged his notebook and shouted, "Less than half an hour before the game started, he sent another tweet!"
Yu Fei asked strangely: "How do you know? Are you paying attention to him?"
"Yeah, that's not the point. You guys, check out this guy's latest tweet!"
James' latest tweet read: "It's a new day and I'm still alive. Let me clarify my statement from last night: Yes, some people's lives are sad all the time, you just need to know that you will die one day In front of me so your ill intentions have no effect on me #KINGJ# Keep it real”
"He's really a little abnormal." Xiao Ao said.
Yu Fei felt familiar.
This is a bit like the time when Irving went crazy with the Nets, but Yu Fei always felt that there were more similar examples.
Indeed, that was Durant in the summer of 2017.
After the trumpet incident was exposed, Durant began his career as a keyboard warrior, and confronting netizens became his repertoire. But the strange thing is that the images of Irving and Durant were forever fixed after they went crazy, but James miraculously became "himself" in the 2010s.
Is this a gap in the strength of the public relations team or a gap between individuals?
Maybe James' rebellious phase came relatively late, and he came out of it quickly?
No one knows that tonight's game is the only thing that matters.
Although the Internet is full of threats against James, the security measures at Quicken Loans Center are very good. They ensure that every fan carries their hatred for James, but they cannot turn any hatred into physical attacks.
There is someone on the Lakers who can resonate with James, and that is Kobe.
When he failed to show his loyalty to his hometown in the 2001 Finals and won his second championship in tears, however, the Phillies still felt that Kobe's undercover was not thorough enough, and their dislike of him reached a new level. This kind of hatred from the outside world rose to the top after the Eagle County incident in the summer of 2003.
No matter where Kobe went to play, he would arouse the disgust of local fans like a rat.
Therefore, Kobe gently tapped James at the beginning of the game to show his support.
And James delights in the malice of the scene.
Not only was he not weakened by fear as the outside world thought, he also smiled for the camera.
This is an atypical game.
Just like sports movies, the Lakers are evil and the Cavaliers are the injured righteous party, and they should defeat the weak and the strong.
TNT's Kenny Smith said he has never felt so much hate at an NBA game.
Kobe wanted to tell him, this shows that you don't watch your brother's games very much.
When the invited country singers performed "The Star-Spangled Banner", Yu Fei was dissatisfied that they did not invite Jay Chou to sing "Who Are You?" Well, this song hasn't been released yet, so it's okay to lower the standard and replace it with "YououghtaKnow".
Then, the game started, with both teams scoring alternately, and fans booing and shouting unintelligible slogans.
It wasn't until James stepped to the free throw line with four minutes left in the first quarter, with the Cavaliers leading by two, that the audience rang out with piercing chants: "Akron hates you!!!!"
At this time, the commentators on the scene couldn't help but start discussing.
"There's just no way you can prepare yourself for something like this. Ever since you made that decision, all eyes have been on you (you) standing in that position, the clock just keeps ticking, standing at the free throw line, everybody. They’re all looking at you. You don’t know what’s going on in that 25-year-old’s mind.”
This is what Mark Jackson said.
Even Jeff Van Gundy feels that James has received too much malice.
"I wouldn't wish this on anyone."
Van Gundy commented on this moment.
If Cavaliers fans hear him say this, it may be difficult for Van Gundy to walk out of the court intact tonight.
Because they will grab Van Gundy by the neck and ask: "Is this what we deserve?"
This is the first time James has stood on the free throw line tonight, and it is also the first time Yu Fei has watched his game this season. It is also the first time he has had the opportunity to see his expression up close in a long time. James finally realized the fans' hatred for him. Should he retreat and show remorse like a weakling like Kwame Brown expected?
The noise from the scene began to swell. TNT cut to the audience, and everyone was booing James.
An unshaven man shouted angrily: "Coward!"
Wide-angle footage showed fans waving "Traitor" and "Missed" slogans.
Then, James made the first free throw and high-fived Kobe with a smile on his face, as if to say: "Wow, that's crazy!"
Subsequently, James hit his second free throw. From here on, the Lakers launched a 20-0 offensive, which fully reflected the strength gap between the two teams. The plot of the brave defeating the dragon did not happen, and James' confidence soared and he began to dominate the game.
Fans' momentum began to wane, and they entered a self-pitying "God hates Cleveland" dilemma. Some were expecting a Cavaliers player to jump out and punch James, but that wasn't going to happen. James is not a nasty teammate, and no one on the Cavs would stand up and do something like this.
However, the Lakers' advantage continues to expand.
They met with no resistance, the fans' pride was shattered here, and there was never a more tragic moment than this.
The owner of the Cavaliers, Dan Gilbert, who once firmly believed that "LeBron's appearance is God's blessing to Cleveland", is now sitting on the sidelines with a livid face, watching his team being slaughtered. Compared with last season, this team only lacks James and Big Z, and then it became the worst team in the Eastern Conference. Doesn't this prove that James' decision is correct?
No disrespect to the fans but it's the right thing to do. As insulting as it is to Cleveland, it's correct. Although it hurts all the locals who love James, as long as they can successfully win the championship, these factors will be defined as those who do not stick to trivial matters. that's right.
Tonight's Lakers stepped out of a James who has been missing for a long time.
That was James who was full of offensive desire, James who existed like a giant, James who always had the ball in his hands, James who was unstoppable. On this night, he took control of the game and devastated him in 28 minutes. Score 40 points and then not play a second in the fourth quarter.
He was wearing his appearance uniform and chewing gum boredly. When the camera showed him again, he was almost asleep.
The Cavaliers didn't earn any respect tonight, they just justified James leaving them.
Yu Fei only ate a few mouthfuls of pork chop rice because James played so well tonight that it was a bit off-putting.
The highest rating on the forum is: no hacking.
"He can only bully such a bad team." Brown's mouth is still tough.
Yu Fei didn't make any comments, but subconsciously glanced at the date. There was still more than half a month left before the Christmas war. He really hoped that time would go faster.
That night, James' performance earned some praise.
Bill Simmons, who railed against his "decision," wrote in a column: "Quite frankly: I don't care about 'the decision' anymore. He went about it the wrong way. He got the wrong advice. He can't take it back No matter what. Anyone who claims they can handle everything perfectly in their twenties is lying. As a basketball fan, I'm happy to see LeBron not continue to waste his talents in Cleveland. It's going to be Frye. Frye can make everyone around him better, but I think he's going to be the guy who's most likely to beat Frye because Frye makes his teammates better. The reputation belongs to them, and LeBron is willing to come to Kobe's staff and become his Scottie Pippen. I always believe that the KJ dynasty of No. 24 and No. 23 will eventually bury the empire of No. 44."
< br>
The next day, James and the Lakers left just like the Sonics had done the other day.
Just before leaving, James updated his Twitter.
"Goodbye, Cleveland. So many memories here. I miss all the places I pretend to miss. #KINGJ"
December 11
Yu Fei missed the away game against the Grizzlies, citing personal matters.
This is the first time in the past three seasons that he has broken the season attendance record. People inside Seattle knew where he had gone.
Today is the 50th birthday of Yu Fei's mother, Yu Fenlin. In the past few years, Yu Fei has been absent from this day due to various reasons.
Turning 50 is an important moment. For most people, it is an announcement that a person has completed 2/3 of his life. Therefore, Yu Fei decided to return to his mother on this day.
If the cost is just missing an inconsequential regular season game, there's no need to hesitate.
It happened to be on this day that Roy, who had been on the "daily watch list" for five days, was reexamined and determined to be fine, so he officially returned.
For Durant, this is certainly not good news.
In the past few days when Roy was absent, he averaged 30 points per game and performed extremely well.
However, Yu Fei's absence means that the Sonics have another 18 shot vacancies, and Durant naturally does his part.
In the game against the Grizzlies, Durant took 32 shots, hit 21, and scored a career-high 50 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
After the game, Durant accepted an interview with ESPN as always.
He spent 10 minutes on Jim Gray's live broadcast talking about "how I stepped up in Frye's absence."
But when he came to the press conference, things changed.
Durant first answered some typical questions, and then a reporter from Memphis asked an unplanned question that went beyond the norm: "Kevin, what do you think of the sales market of Reebok shoes endorsed by Brandon Roy?" Far more than you?”
"What?" The unexpected question greeted Durant, who was not in the situation. "What did you say?"
"Reebok. The sales of Reebok shoes endorsed by Brandon Roy are better than yours. Does this have any impact on you?"
It was like an oncoming crit.
For a long time, the basic consensus within Nike about Durant is to be close to Frye, imitate Frye, become Frye, and surpass Frye.
Durant has made very little progress in the past two years. Now, even Roy's sneakers are selling better than him. This is indeed an unpleasant thing.
This is why Durant insists on getting the ball.
Not many people will buy pure shooter shoes.
He needs to become more central.
Although the title of America's Son sounds good, if it cannot become a commercial winner, another American Son will soon replace him.
Durant avoided the nature of the question and simply replied: "The only sports brand I know is Nike."
"Even if you can't find anyone wearing Nike in Seattle?"
Instantly, Durant's face flashed with anger.
He wanted to say there are people in Seattle who wear Nikes.
But Nike is a business empire, and he cannot represent Nike. It's not difficult to find a few people wearing the Nike brand in Seattle. What's difficult is finding someone who would choose Durant between Yu Fei and Roy's Reebok and Durant's Nike.
Durant, who suppressed his anger, reluctantly responded: "I saw people wearing Nike in Seattle."
The reporter did not dwell on the topic.
They did want to stir up trouble, but Durant was too steady and didn't lose his temper at all.
This is what it takes to be an American son.
That night, Durant returned to the hotel and asked someone to check the sales of Roy and his endorsed brands.
The result made him furious.
He was fooled!
It's true that Roy's Nike sneakers and the brands he endorses don't sell well in the Seattle area, but nationwide, his sales record is much better.
Just because Roy can't be sold in Seattle, what does that mean? Who can carry goods better than Roy in Seattle?
If you want to say that Roy is a more pure son of the city than Yu Fei.
What's more, when Reebok does marketing for Roy, it is always tied to flying traffic.
Therefore, it is only natural that Roy's endorsement products sell better than Durant's in Seattle and Washington State.
"Media." The real Durant would swear at his cronies in the hotel room, "They are all bastards raised by Bitch, and none of them can be trusted!"
None of Durant's cronies answered the call.
No one knows better than them how angry Durant is right now.
At this time, the phone rang.
One person picked it up and said to Durant: "Kevin, it's Lynn's call."
"Wait."
Durant walked to the bathroom, washed his face, took a deep breath, and tried to get into the role of the boy next door.
Then, he walked out, took the phone, and said calmly: "It's me, Uncle Merritt."
"Kid, your performance tonight is outstanding. This is how you should perform. Keep up the good work." The other person on the phone said, "You should use this to ask for more shots from the team. You have proven yourself. This is You deserve it!”
Durant said: "This is because Frye is not here."
It's surprising that he could be so humble after scoring 50 points efficiently on 32 shots.
The person on the phone obviously realized that Durant was not a lunatic like James and Kobe who would do anything to climb up.
"Yes, kid, you're right. But you should think about it, doesn't Frye want you to be better? Doesn't Frye want to have his own Scottie Pippen?"
Would anyone call Scottie Pippen an American son?
Would Nike give Scottie Pippen a $70 million endorsement deal before he entered the NBA? No, not even 90s Scottie Pippen was worth a $70 million endorsement deal.
"I know, Uncle Memet, but it takes time." Durant seemed to be very aware of his situation. "Frye is our leader, Brandon is his assistant, and I have to correct my position."
"Whether it's actual combat or data, judging from the performance on the basketball court, you have surpassed Brandon Roy. Boy, I know you don't want to break the status quo, but you have to try to compete. If you want to be the face of Nike, You have to fight for the position you deserve like Michael did!”
"Give me a moment, Uncle Memit."
"Be quick."
The phone was hung up.
Durant held the phone tightly, his eyes cold.
The confidant asked: "What did Linn say?"
"The moment I was drafted by Seattle, Nike found me." Durant said coldly, "They drew me a blueprint, promised me a great future, and told me that the only thing I had to do in Seattle was It’s about competing with Frye.”
Obviously, the way Yu Fei has disciplined Durant in the past two years cannot be called "competition."
"Now, they suddenly told me that I have to try to compete with Brandon Roy and fight for my position."
In just two years, Nike's expectations for him dropped from competing with Yu Fei to competing with Roy. What went wrong?
Could it be that Nike has completely bet its money on the double walls of Los Angeles?
"You guys say," Durant said something a good guy Durant should never say. "Have I been acting too damn good this whole time?!"
※※※
Los Angeles
Kobe and James are twins under Nike in the new century, but with Yu Fei's incredible rise, both have become footnotes in the shadow of the empire.
Nike felt they had to join forces to end Yu Fei's reign and interrupt Reebok's ambitious expansion.
In just eight years, Reebok has grown from a precarious sports brand to the world's third-largest sports brand with a market value of US$9 billion. If Yu Fei can continue to dominate like Jordan, Reebok will reach the same scale as Nike in the 2010s.
This would be the scariest thing for Nike.
Therefore, where James goes this summer actually determines how Nike will prevent the birth of the Reebok empire in the future.
Therefore, a senior decision-maker named Lynn Merritt suggested: "Neither No. 23 nor No. 24 can compete with No. 44 alone, but if we can bring them together, great things can be expected."
Memet is not an ordinary Nike executive. He has a close relationship with Jordan. He was also the key figure who lured Kobe Bryant from Adidas to Nike, and then single-handedly facilitated James' signing.
Basketball players signed to Nike often refer to him respectfully as "uncle" or "dad."
At this time, Memet, who had just finished calling Durant, gave a brief report to the top management: "KD is a kind kid. It is unrealistic to expect him to make waves within the SuperSonics in the short term."
< br>
"Our hope remains with the Lakers."
However, even if Nike's double wall leads the Lakers to defeat the SuperSonics, can it really interrupt Yu Fei's dominance? At best, this is just a sports fable in which two fists cannot beat four hands.
However, they can no longer control that much.
Ending Yu Fei's reign was a symbolic event that had to be accomplished by a Nike-owned athlete.
Once it happens, there may be public opinion that the Sonics lost but Yu Fei did not, but at the world level, one fact will be unshakable, that is, Nike defeated Reebok.
The starting point of it all will be on Christmas Eve in two weeks.
Before that, Nike had to launch the first chosen son in sports history, "Tiger" Woods, to compete with Yu Fei.
This seems ironic. Compared with basketball, golf is a sport with a relatively smaller audience, but Woods is a figure who breaks sports barriers and is the only person under Nike who can compete with Yu Fei.
While Reebok piously eulogized Yu Fei's legend of six championships in eight years, Nike was responsible for reminding the public: "Has anyone ever told you that Tiger Woods is the first chosen son in American history?"
(End of chapter)