The Importance of Excel

The 1996-1997 season suddenly became the so-called "proving season" for Michael Jordan.

Before the start of the regular season, he was ranked 46th among the top 50 NBA stars.

He had won four championships, including three consecutive championships, but he was still not respected.

At the end of the regular season, the Bulls led the league in record and remained in first place, but there was still suspense about the MVP.

This award is selected by the media, and these people did not give it any respect.

Having won four championships, he still had to prove himself again?

Repeatedly being consumed by the media made Michael Jordan feel worse and worse, and after losing to the Knicks, his bad mood reached its peak.

The New York media is not afraid of being slapped in the face.

Anyway, they won tonight and everyone is happy. They must take this opportunity to ridicule as much as they can. It is not easy to win against the Bulls:

"Michael Jordan, can you talk about why you took so many shots in this game? How would you rate your efficiency for 36 points with 32 shots?"

The media in the audience were all happily watching this once glorious No. 1 player in the league, while Michael Jordan was indirectly mocking him for playing too independently.

"I didn't pay attention to how many shots I took. Maybe 32 shots weren't enough, at least not enough to bring victory."

"Efficiency is not something I consider. I don't play for statistics. I will remember the feeling of losing, which will give me extra motivation."

Michael Jordan has heard too much of this old-fashioned criticism, and he has completely calmed down his depressed mood.

At the press conference, Michael Jordan just secretly took note of this defeat and the unscrupulous media in the audience.

"Michael, how would you evaluate the performance of the Knicks and the Jazz this season?"

After talking about MVP again, Michael Jordan felt that all the people in front of him had amnesia:

"53 wins and 8 losses, this is the Bulls' record. We are still number one in the league. If they can surpass this record, I will give my evaluation at that time."

"."

Throughout the press conference, Michael Jordan answered questions with an expression that said "you are all clowns", which made the media in the audience very unhappy:

"What is the loser so proud of!?"

(A/N: Jordan, Ronaldo, Kohli, Djokovic all suffered similiar treatment and they've one thing in common, i.e., The GOAT 🐐)

NBA superstars not only have to deal with issues on the court, but also have to keep their relationship with the media in check.

We all eat from the same pot, and we see each other every day. It can be said that we are interdependent.

It's just that Michael Jordan has never liked to frequently consume his media, and relying on his super strong strength, the brands behind him also help Jordan.

Therefore, the two sides are not harmonious.

For the sake of the dollar, most media bow their heads. But this season is different.

Michael Jordan slapped the NBA in the face, which gave everyone a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity:

"Being MVP for having a good record? Who recognized it?"

"."

On the morning of March 10, Lee was at home happily reading the newspapers full of ridicule for the Bulls.

The reporters who wrote the articles were so jealous that they once again ignored the other team's status as the best in the league.

Perhaps because they felt that their friends had been blinded by the MVP, the losing Bulls went directly to Boston. No one was in the mood to stay in New York.

He made 4 of 18 shots, 1 of 8 from beyond the three-point line, and only scored 14 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists in the whole game.

With such an excellent performance, Pippen can be called the sixth man of the Knicks.

It goes without saying that the newspapers the next day would be full of ridicule. It is not the Bulls' style to stay and suffer the consequences.

The NBA also announced the Player of the Week, and Patrick Ewing of the Knicks won the award.

Ignoring the first three games against the Bulls, Ewing played a perfect performance:

12 of 18 shots, 8 of 13 free throws, 32 points, 14 rebounds and 3 turnovers. Therefore, the gorilla won the Player of the Week, which is well deserved.

When Mark Bartelstein arrived to deliver the tickets, Lee also stopped watching and having fun.

"A few tickets to UNC games. The Knicks only have two games next week. Remember to go to the games. You need to always show up in front of the fans."

"It's a shame that Connecticut didn't make the tournament this year, otherwise it would have been even better."

Players need exposure, and Mark Bartelstein worries about Ray Allen every day.

Compared with ordinary players, Ray Allen is still a highly-regarded talent, but as long as he sees the treatment that Lee receives in New York, Ray Allen will feel sad.

"The North Carolina game? Vince Carter? His popularity has been increasing recently!"

After entering March Madness, Lee always sees reports on Tim Duncan and Vince Carter.

The former has basically secured the top spot in the 1997 draft, while the latter is extremely popular, and everyone loves his beautiful dunks!

"As the NBA league undergoes a renewal, the focus will most likely shift to outside players."

"The league is showing what the fans like to see, and that's a good thing for small players."

Mark Bartelstein has been busy with his company's business recently. Since he can't get big-name stars, it would be nice to sign some small players on the outside.

Once you successfully scratch the lottery ticket, you will get a good profit.

Lee looked at the ticket in his hand and felt that he should take a break for a while. The schedule from the end of February to the beginning of March was too tight and he almost vomited.

After the game with the Bulls, the team has achieved its interim goals. With plenty of rest time this week, the players will naturally be given a holiday.

On March 11, the Knicks challenged the Mavericks away. The last time they met, the opponent had not made a deal and the team was in internal strife. But this time, the Mavericks began to play badly.

20 wins and 41 losses. The Mavericks can only make it to the playoffs if they win all the remaining games.

But there were too many teams in a bad state, and with such a poor record, the team was ranked 11th in the Western Conference, with three teams behind it.

The game process that night was hard to describe. Perhaps it was the law of conservation of character that came into play, as Ewing was in poor condition from the start.

The Mavericks' defense wasn't great either. They simply couldn't make shots and the gorilla lost his accuracy.

On the contrary, Charles Oakley was in surprisingly good form during the game. Not only did he frantically rush for frontcourt rebounds, he also made several mid-range jump shots.

Lee, who had been planning to slack off, saw that the score had not been widened at halftime, so he had to play seriously.

Fortunately, the opponent really didn't want to win, and the Dallas fans were collectively fed shit in the second half.

In the end, the Knicks defeated the Mavericks 98:90.

Ewing made 4 of 15 shots in this game, and scored 14 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 3 turnovers from free throws.

When he returned to the locker room, the gorilla was depressed.

"Pat, don't worry about the statistics, we won the game, that's all that matters!"

The holiday is coming soon, Charles Oakley is in a good mood, and the old man comforts his friend again.

Starks could see that the boss wanted to brush up his stats!

Karl Malone's Excel is better than Ewing's. If you want to select the MVP, Excel becomes a key factor when neither of these two teams is the first in the league.

Ewing said a few words of encouragement in the locker room, but he didn't mean it. Then he said,

"Anyone who wants to go to the Georgetown game with me? I guarantee you all will get front row tickets."

Everyone shook their heads. Apart from cheering for their alma mater, no one wanted to make any time during the rare vacation.

Lee didn't say anything and followed the gorilla, which meant he became a bag-carrying boy. He had no interest in watching the Georgetown game.

Jeff Van Gundy was in a very good mood.

Ever since the win over the Bulls, the bald young coach couldn't stop smiling:

"Everyone take a good rest this week and strive to get a perfect record in March!"

"The regular season is about to end. If you feel unwell, remember to communicate with the team doctor in time. Results are important, but health is more important."

"I don't want to see the team lose players before the playoffs even start!"

Assistant coach Thibodeau turned his attention to Ewing.

The gorilla's knees always have the risk of injury. If the player did not need the data, the coaching staff would even take the initiative to reduce Ewing's playing time.

After some instructions, the coaching staff announced the holiday and everyone could do whatever they wanted tonight.

Alan Houston missed a lot of shots in the past two games and was in a bad mood:

"Lee, where are you going to go during the holiday? Are you going to continue practicing?"

Shooters need tactics, and more importantly, they need the right to shoot. Their shooting is poor, and Lee can only comfort them:

"After playing for so many consecutive days, it's time to relax. Don't worry about the statistics. The next games can't be any worse!"

On March 12, Lee returned to New York and happened to meet up with his good friend.

Young people have been influenced by Yahoo recently, and Ivan was also fascinated by the Internet.

"Believe me, the future is definitely the era of the Internet. This is what young people should do!"

Perhaps because they have drunk too much chicken soup from Jerry Yang, everyone fantasizes about creating the next Yahoo, then being sought after by capital and reaching the peak of their lives.

Lee looked at Ivan, who was talking endlessly about the future of the Internet, and couldn't help but whispered jokingly,

"I remember you also said that the insurance industry will flourish. Finance and insurance are the real future!"

Ivan didn't care about the teasing, but continued with a smile:

"Finance and insurance are indeed the future, but the Internet can definitely make a lot of money!"

"What I said is true. Look at Yahoo now. Young people like it. I'm sure they can make a fortune even if they sell advertisements."

The blonde girl Alia rolled her eyes secretly, watching her boyfriend daydream again, and immediately said unhappily:

"What you should be doing is preparing for the bar exam, not daydreaming about it every day!"

After hearing what his girlfriend said, Ivan could only shrug his shoulders, but the emotion revealed on his face was just that of a woman's opinion.

Melinda had been leaning in Lee's arms, watching the two of them sulking with a smile:

"We don't know how to implement those technologies. You don't want to work in an investment bank, do you? Then you might as well have studied actuarial science!"

Ivan simply nodded in agreement. The opportunity to make a lot of money was right in front of him. There was no reason not to give it a try:

"I will prepare for the bar exam. I also want to work in investment banking. I firmly believe this is an opportunity to make a lot of money!"

Ivan hugged his girlfriend in his arms, and was punched twice. Lee looked at the two people fighting and decided to support his friend's plan:

"Anyway, we are still young and have room for trial and error. The Internet can really make money in recent years!"

Ivan and Lee bumped fists. Both of them were not short of money now and could freely choose their future.

At worst, I can just go back and live off my parents. This is Ivan's confidence.

But Alia is a good girl, with good grades and a pretty face. She prefers a comfortable life. At this time, she can only sigh helplessly:

"You can live well without too much money."

Influenced by the Internet wave, some young people began to prepare to start their own businesses, while some young people were content with the status quo and graduated step by step to enter the society.

Lee knows some opportunities to make money, and now all he has to do is accumulate capital.

At night, Lee and Melinda were the only ones left in the apartment. Melinda then asked with a smile:

"How long will they be dating? I remember Ivan's record was 3 months!"

Lee is also used to dating a formal girlfriend every few months, but the one he is dating this time is a top student, a type he has never seen before:

"Anyway, they haven't been dating as long as we have!"

On March 13, Lee and his friends flew to Windsor to watch the game between North Carolina State University and Fairfield in the Eastern Conference.

Mark Bartelstein prepared front-row tickets for Lee.

Lee and his group of four were all dressed as students, no different from the fans who came to watch the game.

Last night, Melinda had too much energy in controlling the ball, so she had no choice but to tie a scarf around her neck.

After tossing and turning for most of the night, her body was still a little weak when she flew here.

"There are so many people watching the game, many of them are North Carolina fans. Vince Carter, this guy's dunk is really good-looking!"

Ivan noticed that the Lawrence Joel Arena was already full at this time, and he also sighed at Carter's popularity.

When Lee saw that Antawn Jamison was still in North Carolina's lineup, he remembered that in another year, these two would also reach the top of the NCAA.

The DJ on the scene quickly noticed several NBA players on the sidelines. Stackhouse naturally wanted to cheer for his alma mater.

When he introduced him, the North Carolina fans cheered for him.

When Lee stood up to greet the fans, all the fans in the audience followed suit. He often appears on TV and is selected as an All-Star.

Even if they don't watch the NBA, most fans have seen Clay Lee's highlights.

The fans at the scene thought it would be a one-sided game, but at the end of the first half, at 28:35, North Carolina was trailing by 7 points.

The fans at the scene were happy, and it would be interesting if the team capsized right after they started.

Melinda, who had been leaning on his side, could clearly feel that Lee was even happier:

"Aren't you here to support North Carolina?"

Lee hugged the confused girl and said cheerfully,

"I'm here to have fun!"

Unfortunately, Lee's wish was not fulfilled. In the second half, Carter and Jamison both exploded and easily turned the game around

82:74.

North Carolina successfully advanced without any danger.

Lee felt a little regretful, as he was looking forward to North Carolina being eliminated unexpectedly.

Newbies Carter and Jamison came over to say hello after the game, and Carter said excitedly:

"Lee, ClayGod's move is so cool, many people are imitating it, what does it feel like to dribble past Michael Jordan?"

"It's like walking past an old man. You know, Michael is old!"

After hearing Lee's words, the two newbies were a little confused. Then they saw Lee laughing, and then they realized that he was just a joke.

The three of them took a simple photo together.

Lee didn't expect that what fans would remember about him was not his All-Star status, but that he dribbled past Michael Jordan:

"Is everyone expecting the Bulls to win the championship?"

On March 15, Lee and his three companions stopped watching the game and simply started to explore the small city.

Lee also bought some local specialty cigars to treat his "good brother".

When he returned to New York again, Lee just felt that the vacation was too short and there was not enough time.

Everyone finished the afternoon training session early and no one cared about the game against the Nets in the evening.

Lee, Starks, and Oakley were puffing smoke in the locker room, enjoying the aroma of their cigars:

"Karl Malone has scored a lot of points this week. Pat won the Player of the Week award, but in less than a week, he's about to be surpassed by his opponent again."

"I didn't expect the Jazz to have such a good record. The Rockets actually fell behind. This is not a good thing!"

Starks really wanted to help Ewing win an MVP, and had been keeping an eye on the movements of his competitors.

As a result, Karl Malone exploded in this week's game.

"Forget it if you don't win, Pat, don't take it to heart. I still think most media will vote for Michael Jordan."

Oakley, who was smoking, also comforted his friend. Although the record was good, he could not compare with Excel. Malone has been performing very well in the regular season this season.

The most important thing is that the Jazz are first in the Western Conference, while the Knicks are second in the Eastern Conference. Even though they have a better record, the title is not right.

It still makes sense that the MVP is chosen from the first-place team in the Western Conference.

But it's different when it comes to the Knicks, selecting from the second place team?

Considering the gimmick, Oakley thought it was most likely Mike Jordan.

Ewing didn't say anything. He was completely attracted by the MVP. Without a championship, these honors were what he pursued!

In the game against the Nets that night, Ewing was in poor condition again. He couldn't make any shots.

With 19 wins and 44 losses, the Nets are ranked third from the bottom in the Eastern Conference, ahead of the Celtics who are completely in tatters and the 76ers who are diving for the No. 1 pick.

Facing such a weak team, the whole team wanted to help Ewing improve his stats.

After all, Karl Malone was killing it on the other side, and you had to keep up with your opponent in Excel!

As a result, Ewing made 6 of 16 shots and 5 of 8 free throws that night, and only got 17 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 3 turnovers.

In order to avoid a turnover, Clay Lee once again made 8 of 14 shots, 4 of 9 from beyond the three-point line, and 2 of 2 free throws, quietly scoring 22 points and also making 7 assists.

On the morning of the 17th, the NBA announced this week's Player of the Week, and Karl Malone of the Jazz successfully won the award!

The Jazz had 4 wins and 1 loss this week, with Malone averaging 39.0 minutes per game, averaging 31.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.4 blocks and 2.6 turnovers;

He averaged 22.8 shots per game, with a shooting percentage of 50%, and 10.6 free throws per game, with a free throw percentage of 81.1%.

This data is indeed better than Ewing's last week's Player of the Week.

Although the New York media is promoting the gorilla, most media still vote based on the form.

How the regular season defines the strength of the players still depends on Excel. Ewing began to worry about the data at the end of March.

The Knicks still have 7 games to play. There is no particularly strong team. As long as they are not particularly weak, they can basically maintain an undefeated record.

The Jazz have lost a game so far. If the Knicks can win all the games in March and Ewing is named Player of the Month, they may still have a chance to win the MVP.

After easily defeating the sluggish Grizzlies at home, the Knicks challenged the Pacers away on the evening of the 19th.

I thought it was going to be an easy game, but it turned out to be a disaster.

96:109, the Knicks were technically knocked out by the opponent in three quarters.

After a round of back-to-back games, everyone lost their shooting touch, but Ewing performed relatively well, making 7 of 17 shots and scoring 23 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists.

Reggie Miller on the opposite side suddenly broke out, playing for 43 minutes and scoring a game-high 29 points.

Jeff Van Gundy was also embarrassed after the game.

He certainly knew that this was a critical period to help Ewing win the MVP award, and the reason for losing the game was also because there was no targeted arrangement before the game.

After returning to the locker room, the bald young coach took the initiative to take the blame:

"In the next matches, everyone should be serious and don't underestimate any opponent!"

"The regular season isn't over yet. Although we still have a two-game lead, the gap is narrowing. Remember, we must go all out in every game!"

Lee sat in his seat with his chin in his hand and didn't say a word. He tried his best.

Basically, he would look for the gorilla first in every attack. If the tactics didn't work, he would attack other points.

But he really couldn't do anything about missing the jump shot. Of course, this was also related to the big guy on the opposite side.

Rik Smits is 2.24 meters tall and is in good shape this season. He can be considered a strong helper for Reggie Miller.

Once Alan Houston devotes too much effort to defense, the offense will most likely decline.

In this case, everyone still has to give Ewing statistics, and the game becomes a bit strange.

After returning to the hotel, Larry Johnson followed him to eat lemons and the midnight snack brought by Coolie McCarty, and murmured:

"Pat simply can't handle too many ball possessions. Every time he plays back-to-back games away from home, his condition will decline."

"This is different from Malone. Although they are about the same age, he is in better shape!"

"I don't think this award can be given to just two people. Maintaining a stable record is the most important thing."

Alan Houston expressed his understanding, and the loss also had something to do with him:

"This is the boss's privilege. Anyway, we tried our best. Even if we lose a game, we still have a chance to win the Player of the Month award. Then, if we compare our April data, we still have a chance to win an award."

Ewing's treatment reminded Lee of the "Admiral" scoring. This can be considered a kind of team culture. At critical moments, everyone helps their own people.

"After the games in March, we have to prepare for the playoffs. Won't you teach us some playoff experience that is applicable to rookies?"

Lee began to change the subject, and the "grandmama" stopped complaining and then made two more complaints:

"Damn it! Now that you're in the All-Star Game, stop calling yourself a rookie!"

The Knicks stayed in Indiana before traveling to Milwaukee.

On the evening of March 20, Charles Oakley, with a silver smile on his face, pulled Lee into the small ballroom of the hotel.

"Surprise!!"

"Lee, I'm not only a loyal fan of the Knicks, but also a big fan of yours. I'm so happy to meet you!"

Looking at the bloated, balding middle-aged white man in front of him, Lee was puzzled. Fan meeting?

Kaplan remained enthusiastic and said with a smile:

"I know Pat is striving for MVP. When I saw you lost, I flew here to reward you. Don't worry, this will be kept strictly confidential!"

"Everyone can have fun without worry, and it's all free. This is my little token of appreciation as a fan!"

"The reward dance is now officially open!"

(A/N: Yes, he's Steve Kaplan, Gold Club owner. You can search in google.)

Before Lee could react, two slim blonde girls appeared in front of everyone. With a cheer from the Knicks team's atmosphere group, an indescribable scene occurred.

The vanguard was responsible for heating up the atmosphere. As more than 10 young girls entered the venue, the atmosphere became more and more tense.

As they danced passionately, the booing became louder and louder.

Charles Oakley sat back on the sofa, playing with the ball in his arms, and said to Lee:

"Relax, Lee, you can rest assured that Kaplan will do his job, no one knows these secrets!"

This scene really opened Lee's eyes. In the past, the scale of his parties was not so spectacular.

He pouted and leaned back on the sofa, playing with the Persian cat in his arms, and whispered:

"Why don't you see Pat? Have you forgotten about him?"

Charles Oakley held up his cigar, laughed and said:

"Pat has moved on to the next stage. There's still plenty of time in the next two days, so enjoy it!"

"."

On March 22, on the plane to Milwaukee, all the Knicks players looked tired. They couldn't hold on after a series of battles!

That night, the Knicks were in a sluggish state throughout the game, which almost made the Bucks players dumbfounded.

79:88, a crushing defeat away from home.

After returning to the locker room, Ewing also showed a look of regret.

It was obviously a crucial period for him to compete for the MVP, but how could he be obsessed with women!

I don't know if Kaplan also prepared gifts for the coaching staff. In any case, after losing the game, everyone tacitly didn't look for the reason.

Lee looked at the team's hit rate of just over 40% in the technical statistics and could only make up his mind:

"You have been harmed by alcohol and sex! From today on, stop drinking!"

On March 23, the Knicks returned to their home court to face the Trail Blazers back-to-back.

In this game, the whole team still created opportunities for Ewing. The gorilla is worthy of being a historical center and has fully recovered from the high-level competition in the past few days.

Ewing, who adjusted his condition, showed his prowess in front of the New York fans and completely defeated Sabonis on the opposite side.

94:101, after returning to their home court, the Knicks ended their two-game losing streak.

In 40 minutes of play, Ewing made 11 of 22 shots, 1 of 1 from beyond the three-point line, and 12 of 16 free throws. He scored 35 points, 12 rebounds and 3 turnovers.

35 points was also the highest score of the game.

However, at the press conference after the game, when the New York media in the audience asked about the reason for the disastrous defeat, Ewing could only answer awkwardly:

"I am a little tired after consecutive away games. The continuous high-intensity games have affected my physical fitness, but we adjusted our physical condition in time. I am very happy to win at home!"

"."

On March 24, the NBA announced the Player of the Week, and Karl Malone of the Jazz won the award again!

This week, the Jazz had a 3-0 record, and Malone averaged 33.7 minutes per game, averaging 29.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.7 turnovers.

He averaged 17.7 shots per game, with a shooting percentage of 67.9%, and 8.0 free throws per game, with a free throw percentage of 70.8%.

With such terrifying efficiency, even if Ewing plays normally, Excel will not be able to compete with him!

If you win Player of the Week twice in a month, you have basically secured Player of the Month honors for that month.

During the afternoon training session, Patrick Ewing's face was full of depression.

54 wins and 15 losses, this is the Knicks' current record, followed closely by the Heat's 51 wins and 17 losses.

The two teams ranked second and third in the Eastern Conference.

In the Western Conference, the Utah Jazz are ranked first with 52 wins and 17 losses.

Although the Knicks have a better record, the Bulls above them are still leading the league.

The Knicks only have three games left in March, so the schedule isn't too stressful and everyone has plenty of time to rest.

But after Karl Malone won the Player of the Month award, the competition between the two seemed to have come to an end.

No matter how the New York media hypes up the Knicks' record, when it comes to Excel, Ewing just can't compete with the other team.

The boss was sulking on the side, and the atmosphere group didn't dare to say much.

After all, they were "brothers" who had been through X together, and they all understood the gorilla's emotions.

Lee continued to carry out basic training as usual, controlling the ball with both hands, fixed-point shooting, and shuttle shooting.

His physical condition has declined compared to last month, and minor injuries caused by collisions have caused some impact.

But with Jeff Van Gundy fighting for the main players and plenty of playing time, [Ray Allen's excellent explosiveness] finally turned into bronze.

The obvious improvement is that emergency stops and starts are easier!

But what troubled Lee was that he had done a lot of strength training with the team trainer, but his muscles still did not grow any bigger.

The training effect of rookie John Wallace is much more obvious than his.

"Very good, Lee! By the end of the regular season, you have fully adapted to the intensity of NBA games."

"I really want to thank your basketball coach when you were a kid. You have the best weak-handed player I've ever seen."

Assistant coach Don Chaney, wearing a white training suit and with his belly sticking out, praised Lee's performance.

"I do want to thank them, but I want to thank Coach Calhoun even more. During my two years at college, he helped me correct many of my bad habits."

After all, Lee is not a kid. He has been exposed to basketball since he was a child and has been intentionally training his weak hand.

However, he is sincerely grateful to head coach Calhoun. He absorbed a lot of tactical concepts from college basketball.

Thibodeau, who had just gone over to comfort Ewing, saw the two chatting here and said,

"Lee, be prepared in advance. The playoffs are different from the regular season. There is more targeted defense."

"If nothing unexpected happens, our first-round opponent will most likely be the Magic."

"You know the physical advantage of Anfernee Hardaway. Don't relax. We have to stay tense all the time."

"It doesn't matter if we lose in the matchup, after all, the opponent has more experience."

Lee smiled and nodded. The coaching staff had already started preparing for the playoffs, so he naturally couldn't relax:

"Don't worry, I'm an All-Star too!"

...

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