Chapter 554: Anonymous
"Hey, look, what's happening on the Knicks' bench? Director, please cut over here. Is Stoudemire fighting with Carmelo Anthony?" The audience watching the TNT live broadcast suddenly found that the host Collins started yelling, and as the camera turned, the picture immediately showed Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony confronting each other. The short Iverson in the middle kept trying to stop them, but in fact, it had little effect.
"Oh, how could this happen? I've never heard of any conflict between Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony before? This is just their first game. If they start to have conflicts now, what will happen in the future? Are they going to spend the entire season in a civil war? This is not a good sign. If there are unstable factors in a championship team, the record will fluctuate ." Kenny Smith said with some concern.
"Hey, can you guys stop thinking about the worst possible scenario? Maybe they were just joking. Some actions between men can be interpreted as friendly physical contact. Don't you understand?" Charles Barkley quickly refuted the rumor.
Unfortunately, his attempt to refute the rumor was immediately put to rest by Yang Mo, who decisively called a timeout after defending a Celtics attack and quickly ran to the bench.
"What's going on?" Yang Mo asked loudly as soon as he walked over.
Seeing Yang Mo getting angry, Stoudemire subconsciously lost his confidence, while Carmelo Anthony still looked arrogant. He did not regard himself as Yang Mo's lackey, so he still maintained the core style left over from his time with the Nuggets.
"He suddenly attacked me." Carmelo Anthony pointed at Stoudemire and said rudely.
"He really played like shit and destroyed our chemistry." Stoudemire was not convinced at all. He believed that Carmelo Anthony's joining was a mistake, a blatant mistake.
"Is this what you're arguing about?" Yang Mo's voice suddenly rose. "Today isn't Children's Day. I won't give you any candy no matter how much you argue. Now... immediately, get off the court. I'll deal with you after this game!"
Yang Mo immediately expelled them. Stoudemire was slightly resistant, but he still bowed his head and obediently walked towards the locker room. Carmelo Anthony, on the other hand, was not so obedient. He glared at Yang Mo and said unconvincedly, "Why? I didn't do anything wrong. Why are you expelling me?"
"Because your quarrel on the court has affected the image of the Knicks. You can stay, but from today on, you will not get a minute of playing time. This is New York, this is my place. I don't want and will not allow any different voices to be heard. You can be dissatisfied, and you can also request a trade ." Yang Mo said more firmly. He wanted to suppress Anthony's dissatisfaction from the root.
He wanted to use this opportunity to make Carmelo Anthony realize, clearly and cruelly, that this was New York, not Denver. He was no longer the boss here, and he had to follow orders. If he didn't, get out!
Carmelo Anthony was also a proud person. Yang Mo's words were so thorough that they were equivalent to infringing on his dignity. He turned around, snorted coldly, and walked towards the locker room with a sullen face.
Seeing this, Iverson hurriedly chased after him. He felt that he had an obligation to explain Yang Mo's character to this little brother.
Yang Mo, however, didn't seem to care. Carmelo Anthony was indeed very strong, but his salary was also very high. If he couldn't abandon his dignity and fully integrate into the team, then sending him back would be a good option. Perhaps he could even be traded for a few good players. Even better would be a few lottery picks. After all, rookies are the group, and they're also good value for money. Of course, the prerequisite is to select someone with potential.
After Carmelo Anthony left in anger, Yang Mo waved to his teammates who were watching the fun and said, "There's nothing to see. Without them, we don't have to win. Come on, show your killing intent and kill the Celtics!"
Yang Mo's magnanimity was practically unwavering, and his words moved his teammates. Not only was he ambitious, but he also kept his word. He said he would kill whoever's family, and he would kill them all. He was a man of steel. Therefore, everyone believed in him.
When the game started, the Knicks continued to fight hard, their defense undiminished. Yang Mo's offensive firepower also doubled, and after the second quarter, the score difference was reversed and they took a five-point lead.
In a single quarter, Yang Mo easily scored 28 points. This was effortless for him, easier than an old man climbing the sixth floor after eating a blockage, and he's not bragging.
The Celtics have a vivid memory of Yang Mo's scoring prowess. Last year, they were completely decimated. Double-teaming was no solution, and defending him alone was even more of a hindrance. Fortunately, the rest of the Knicks' roster was as bad as shit last year, otherwise they would have been overturned. Now, the Knicks' roster has been upgraded, each one incredibly powerful, and some are Celtics honor graduates, making them incredibly tough.
In this case, how can the Celtics still gain an advantage?
When Yang Mo returned to the locker room with the lead, Stoudemire sat motionless in his seat, seemingly lost in thought. Carmelo Anthony had already taken his bag, leaving Iverson standing in the doorway, smiling awkwardly at Yang Mo.
Seeing this, Yang Mo immediately understood what was going on and said to Iverson, "Don't worry, if he wants to leave, we will definitely not keep him. Let's talk about it. The greatest value of our deal is Chauncey. Point guard is what we need most. As for small forward, don't we still have Jeffries and James Posey?"
"Hey, there's me too! Yang!" Michael Beasley quickly raised his hand and said, fearing that Yang Mo would ignore his existence.
Regarding Beasley's behavior of showing off his presence anytime and anywhere, Yang Mo rolled his eyes at him in anger: "You are just a pocket power forward. If you don't practice defense well and improve your ball handling skills, you will never get a starting position in my hands in your life."
Beasley was a bit embarrassed by Yang Mo's rant, but he was like a dead pig that was not afraid of boiling water. He was embarrassed for only a few seconds at most, and then he would be back to his cheerful smile. Yang Mo was used to it. This guy's lifestyle was different from ordinary people. Fortunately, he had an incredible talent in the basketball world, otherwise he would definitely not be able to survive in this world.
"Yang, I want to play in the second half." At this time, Stoudemire started to request again.
"Why? Give me a reason."
"I...I!" Stoudemire hesitated twice, but still said honestly: "If I don't play and score in the second half, my scoring average will be much lower, and then the second place will be closer to me."
Hearing this, Yang Mo could only roll her eyes at him and said, "You should rest tonight. I want to try out the defensive lineup."
Yang Mo rejected him mercilessly, but he didn't show any negative emotions. Instead, he accepted it happily. For him, as long as Yang Mo could give him an explanation, it would be fine. Because usually, Yang Mo didn't give explanations.
The second half of the game arrived as scheduled. Although the audience was surprised by Yang Mo's ejection of Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, as the Knicks continued to play suffocating defense, they gradually forgot about it. After all, regardless of who played or didn't, winning was the most important goal. Since that goal could be met, why bother about who played or didn't?
Fans are tolerant, but commentators are not. Their responsibility is to find things that are ignored by fans, then amplify and spread them to create public opinion.
"Super Yang is indeed a tyrant, but I agree with the way he handles conflicts within the team. He directly freezes their appearances, which is very domineering. But I guess he is the only one in the league who dares to do this. He actually puts the team's second and third stars on the bench. Would LeBron James dare to do that? If he puts Wade and Bosh on the bench, the team probably won't have time to play." After praising Yang Mo's style of doing things, Collins couldn't help but make fun of LeBron James again.
But just as he finished his rant, Charles Barkley on the side started complaining: "Collins, I think you've got it wrong. LeBron James isn't the Heat's boss. Their boss is Dwyane Wade, okay? Besides, who else in this league can be so domineering besides Super Yang? How can they beat the Boston Celtics by throwing their second and third stars off the court?"
"So has he won now?" Kenny Smith deliberately dug a hole for Charles Barkley to jump into.
Upon hearing this, Charles Barkley subconsciously replied: "Isn't this obvious enough? Super Yang has completely dominated the game."
"I know. But why didn't you continue to build up goodwill for the Knicks? Why are you praising the Knicks?" Kenny Smith said with a smile: "Shouldn't you say it was just a fluke?"
"Hahaha!" Collins, watching Kenny Smith dig a hole to bury Charles Barkley, burst into laughter. He was so happy.
Barkley, however, was extremely calm at this time. He said calmly: "What's so funny about this? It's just that the Celtics were not in good shape tonight, and they were lucky enough to let Young win."
Barkley changed his attitude faster than a fence-sitter, completely without a trace, and beyond the expectations of Collins and Kenny Smith.
In the end, Collins could only give him an upside-down thumbs-up: "You are shameless!"
Charles Barkley accepted this calmly and did not deny it.
"Okay, let's get back to the point. If Carmelo Anthony and Stoudemire continue to argue like this, I think it will affect the Knicks' record." Kenny Smith said seriously: "After all, a disunited team can't play a dominant game, and Carmelo Anthony's style is incompatible with the Knicks'."
"I don't think Super Yang will have that much patience to wait for Carmelo Anthony to integrate. I even think they will trade Anthony immediately in exchange for some players who can better match their style of play. I think Iguodala is a good choice, and the 76ers also have players like Thaddeus Young." Collins also joined the discussion.
"If that's the case, the Knicks will become a tougher and more mobile defensive team. Iguodala would be a better fit for the Knicks than Carmelo Anthony." Kenny Smith also agreed with the deal: "Perhaps, they can also get the 76ers' draft pick next year, maybe even the No. 1 pick, after all, the 76ers' record is notoriously bad."
"Okay, stop talking. If you keep going like this, I'm going to be tempted," Charles Barkley quickly interrupted their conversation. He found himself getting a little excited. Yes, he was also beginning to fantasize about having Andre Iguodala. Iguodala's explosive body was ranked third in the league after Super Yang and LeBron James.
With Charles Barkley's intervention, they temporarily dropped the topic, and the balance of the game quickly shifted in the Knicks' favor. Yang Mo, without Stoudemire, unleashed his killer instincts. He had been dormant for most of the season, but today he finally bared his fangs again, proving to the world that he was still the best scorer.
In the end, the game ended after a whistle, and the Knicks defeated the Celtics 101:91. Five Celtics players scored in double figures, but Yang Mo alone scored 55 points for the Knicks. This distance is brutal, but there is no way, who made the Celtics unable to defend?
After the game, almost all the reporters forgot who won and instead besieged Yang Mo, asking for details about the altercation between Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. Yang Mo had only one response: "No comment!"
The more Yang Mo tried to cover up, the more interested the reporters and fans became.
Eventually, a reporter secretly learned some details from an unnamed player. The player said, "Carmelo Anthony is simply not a good fit for the Knicks. He's not only hindering the development of a potential superstar, but also disrupting Stoudemire's ball control. Most importantly, he even dared to question Super Yang's authority. This is a sign he's about to leave the Knicks. I don't think he'll last this season with the Knicks and will likely be kicked out before or after the All-Star break!"
When the anonymous player's comments hit the newspapers, they immediately sparked speculation among Knicks fans. If what he said was true, they would definitely support Carmelo Anthony's departure. He actually dared to question Super Yang's authority. Wasn't that courting death? Could anyone in New York City still deny Super Yang?
This result directly led to Carmelo Anthony's decline in All-Star voting. In order to prevent Carmelo Anthony from being in the starting lineup, some people who originally voted for him even voted for LeBron James. Because they hated Anthony even more. He dared to question Super Yang. Isn't this repaying kindness with hatred?
Yang Mo's reaction to this was to call Michael Beasley and scold him: "Did you change your name? Why are you calling the player who wishes to remain anonymous? How can you be so shameless? You still say you are a superstar, are you? Look at your defense, your dribbling, your rebounding, how do you deserve the title of superstar???"
Michael Beasley accepted Yang Mo's scolding very obediently. However, he still asked in confusion: "How do you know that person is me?"
"Do you think the Knicks can find someone more shameless than you?"
"No!" Michael Beasley nodded honestly.
At this point, Yang Mo started cursing again, "Didn't I tell you to stop talking nonsense outside? Now, the whole city is talking about this. Everyone's saying Carmelo Anthony is leaving. What are you going to do? How are you going to explain this to everyone?"
"Then there's no need to explain. I think he'll leave on his own anyway. He has no place here at all."
"Who said he would leave? Did he tell you?" Yang Mo yelled into the phone angrily.
"I'm just guessing?" Michael said innocently.
Hearing this, Yang Mo was almost furious. "You guess? When have you ever guessed correctly? I'm telling you, explain to me quickly that Carmelo Anthony fits in well with the team. Got it?"
Having said that, Yang Mo hung up the phone.
Then Yang Mo saw a piece of news in the newspaper the next day: Another Knicks player who did not want to be named said that what the previous player who did not want to be named said was complete bullshit. Carmelo Anthony has a very harmonious relationship with the Knicks. He respects Super Yang very much and even bought hot dogs for Super Yang.
As soon as this news broke, Yang Mo felt even more helpless. Does this guy really enjoy slapping himself in the face? And there's another unnamed player, so why didn't he mention it was another unnamed head coach? What a fool!
However, it is undeniable that this guy's question and answer attracted a lot of attention to the Knicks, and also caused Isaiah Thomas to receive many offers for Carmelo Anthony. Any one of them he picked would exceed the chips he sent to the Nuggets. This has become a sure-win business.
At this time, Carmelo Anthony finally found Yang Mo and his agent, um... Ms. Lu Xueman, alone.
When the three of them met in a high-end club, Yang Mo felt a little dumbfounded. He looked at Lu Xueman blankly and said in shock, "When did you become his agent?"
"It was a long time ago, about a year ago. Weren't you kicked out by Pat Riley at that time? I had a plan at that time, which was to gather a whole team of all-stars to help you win the championship. Because, I didn't know if you could still stand up, I could only use this method." Lu Xueman shrugged and said easily.
"So, you're sending your players to my team now?"
"Isn't it good? I heard that my players have suffered some grievances in your team. Let's talk frankly. I have to fight for better rights and interests for my players." Lu Xueman said seriously.
"Hey, pay attention, I'm your boss and husband, do you understand?" Yang Mo said unhappily.
When Yang Mo finished speaking, Carmelo Anthony, who was already confused, was dumbfounded and had no idea about this confusing triangle relationship.
