Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 138 He's not that person
As the Memphis Grizzlies returned to their hotel to rest after their first-ever playoff victory, some inevitable episodes still lingered in the night, like the song of a nightingale.

Byron Scott has fully experienced the Grizzlies' defensive intensity with this loss, which is absolutely astonishing.

The Grizzlies appeared to be a well-rounded team in the regular season, with their main problems being their interior defense and bench depth.

But last night, they played like a team with a strong defense but a weak offense.

The problem was that this defense was surprisingly strong, throwing the Hornets into chaos and ultimately leading to the loss of the second-place team in the West, who were playing at home.

Losing the first game of the series is not the end of the world, but this defeat is enough to make Byron Scott re-evaluate the Grizzlies as an opponent.

Since the Grizzlies' comeback was largely due to their defense, the refereeing has become their lifeline – which is exactly what Scott needs to address next.

"I'm proud of my players' performance; everyone played very well," Scott began at the press conference.

The reporter followed up by asking, "Does this mean the Grizzlies were the better team tonight?"

"Judging from the results, this is indeed the case."

"From the results"—what a subtle wording.

If Xu Ling were there, he would have instantly deciphered the subtext of those words: Does losing prove that the opponent is stronger? Putting the score aside, did the Grizzlies really deserve this victory?

Sophistry always follows the same underlying logic: questioning established facts.

Scott then offered his argument "not looking at the result": "If you examine the game closely, you'll find many details worth noting. When a team struggles to find its rhythm at home, the scales naturally tip. Our players kept attacking the paint but didn't get the corresponding reward, which disrupted the entire offensive system."

Scott then added pointedly, "In the playoffs, fluctuations in certain factors that should be stable can indeed make the outcome of the game unpredictable."

This is how coaches influence the course of a series: by explicitly or implicitly stating after the game that the referees were unfair.

Whether the refereeing was truly unfair remains to be seen, but how could this team, ranked second in the West, be so thoroughly shut down at home? Where were the calls? Where was the home-court advantage? Why would they bother putting in the effort to achieve this ranking if they weren't given some benefits?

Once these words are spoken, regardless of Scott's intentions, the series will drift through a corner after tonight, thus heading in a different direction.

Just like Lily Lou's decision to inject silicone into her chest, this crazy woman claimed she could endure anything, and from then on she would have a morbid body, while those who knew her would forget what she originally looked like.

That's what Byron Scott did.

The local media were the first to respond to Scott's accusations the following day.

Jonathan Feigen, a senior sports reporter for The Time Gazette, one of New Orleans' most influential media outlets, directly responded to Scott's complaints in a front-page column the following day.

The newspaper headline boldly proclaimed: "A Brutal Victory? Referee's Indulgence and the Grizzlies' 'Toughness'"

The article begins in a relatively restrained manner, briefly reviewing the course of the game and praising Chris Paul's efforts and the Hornets' excellent performance in the first half.

But the tone quickly shifted: "However, as the second half began, the scale of the game seemed to have subtly changed. The 'adjustment' that Memphis was so proud of was not just a change in tactical matchups, but also a tacitly approved physical confrontation that was elevated to another level—or rather, rudeness."

"Eli Xu's tight defense against Chris Paul was teetering on the edge of fouls from the very first possession. Countless pulls, blocking his path with his arm, and physical contact that wasn't even aimed at the ball were all 'wisely' ignored by the refereeing team led by Dick Bavetta. Is this really the Hornets' home court?"

Feigen cleverly pointed the finger at the referees, writing: "Mr. Bavetta and his team seem to think that fans bought tickets to see a wrestling show. They let the visiting team write the game with muscles and elbows, while every similar response from the home team was met with a whistle. This inconsistency in the standards undoubtedly stifled the Hornets' smooth offensive rhythm."

This report not only resonated with and angered fans in New Orleans, but also spread rapidly throughout the sports media circles across the United States.

Someone like Xu Ling, who enjoys surfing the internet regularly, naturally noticed this trending report.

Given the media influence in New Orleans, this article's readership clearly transcends geographical boundaries.

Xu Ling spent a few minutes reading this masterpiece. By the end, he gave his evaluation: "This is a very good piece of reading material for the toilet."

But he wasn't in the bathroom; he was in his bed.

This prompted him to turn on his computer, retweet the article on his Twitter account, and add a comment that infuriated Hornets fans: "Some people lose a game and their first reaction isn't to reflect on their shortcomings, but to busy themselves writing fairy tales. #NewOrleansFantasyLiteratureAward"

When those preparing for their early shifts steal a moment to log onto major sports websites to watch the first round playoff reports and expert commentary, they will witness a bizarre scene.

The team that made the headlines wasn't the Mavericks, the Celtics, or even LeBron James' Cavaliers, but Eli Xu's Grizzlies.

This isn't too surprising, given Xu Ling and the Grizzlies' frequent headlines this season. The problem is, last night's game didn't generate any controversy. So how did the Hornets suddenly accuse the officiating of unfair calls, with the media fanning the flames and the fabricated Hayek story propelling it to the top of the headlines, only for Eli Xu to then read the article and add fuel to the fire with a few sarcastic remarks?
Compared to the other first-round matchups, the Mavericks' crushing victory over the Nuggets in Game 1 was followed by a barrage of praise for Kobe and Nowitzki in the post-game news; the Celtics did have some news, but Mike Bibby complained about the Bostonians being too rude—do you even need to complain? Isn't that common knowledge?—it wasn't very appealing; the Cavaliers' crushing victory over the Wizards in Game 1, and the official reports about LeBron James discussing how he controlled the game in the fourth quarter were equally uninspiring.

This was originally just an ordinary playoff opening day.

Then, starting with Byron Scott's complaint about the referee's calls, the New Orleans media took turns reporting on it, and the balance of power began to tilt in favor of the two teams. By the time Xu Ling took notice of the matter, it was already the big news of the day, and after Xu Ling made a public response, it became the headline of sports news.

Since Jordan's reign over the basketball world, stars and the media have become slaves to narratives.

On the one hand, the media likes to use small things to illustrate big ideas. They often use a few small things to describe the personality traits of the characters they write about, and then connect them to the big things they have done.

Is Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player of all time? Why? Because he was fiercely competitive, addicted to gambling, and even bet with his teammates that his luggage would be the first to be wheeled out of the airport because he had tipped the airport staff beforehand, ensuring his victory. You can see from these things that constantly winning was the fuel of Jordan's life and the reason he became the biggest winner.

Today, journalists are using the same writing style to depict Xu Ling's true character.

Unfortunately, Xu Ling became a victim of this narrative. Everything he did had its reasons, but after ejecting Gay, dunking on Bynum, and wagging his finger at James, the world could no longer view him normally. People firmly believed he harbored a demon within him; otherwise, why would he repeatedly provoke fans and opponents?

This is completely illogical; the only explanation is that Xu Ling has a morbid need and desire for conflict.

Compared to the "demonized" Xu Ling on the headlines, the news of Garnett's son's birth before Game 1 seemed so heartwarming.

"Sportsman" Bill Simmons commented, "I might need a while before I get tired of Eli and his headlines. But I always believe that those with pure conviction will ultimately prevail—I saw that quality in this year's Celtics and Garnett."

Josh Howard had to get up early. After playing for so long last night, he woke up feeling sore all over, which forced him to consult the team's physical therapist, Dr. Deckard Ross.

The doctor only told him to go to the training center early in the morning to receive physical therapy.

This really took a toll on Josh. He wasn't one to stick to a good routine or diet, and the doctor said that was why his injuries were so persistent.

Howard believes he works hard enough, but all his efforts are aimed at living the life of his dreams. If he has to endure asceticism like a monk to maintain his health, he would rather not.

Moreover, everything is fine now, except for the media's excessive focus on Eli Xu.

However, Howard doesn't envy Eli at all; if he were to live that kind of life, he might go crazy.

When Howard arrived at the treatment room, Dr. Ross was already prepared. He casually pressed and squeezed Howard's body, which made Howard howl in pain.

"Ouch! Ouch! Doctor, please stop!"

The doctor didn't stop, speaking slowly and deliberately: "It seems you're very close to your dream life, Josh. After all, having a body like this, as if it's been run over by a truck, isn't a dream everyone can achieve."

“Come on, Doctor,” Howard was already used to the other’s mockery, “let’s begin.”

After the physical therapy session, Howard felt much better, whether it was a placebo effect or not.

He decided to go to the court and take a few hundred mid-range shots.

Before leaving, the doctor called him back and advised, "Remember my words, Josh, treat your body scientifically, and you can play for another 10 years."

"Thanks, Doctor."

Howard doesn't care about playing for another ten years; he just wants to live in the moment and enjoy every second.

When he arrived at the court, there were already people practicing.

Howard looked over and saw Xu Ling shirtless, doing high-intensity aerobic shooting training accompanied by Roderick Craig.

Standing here, Howard, like everyone else passing by, couldn't reconcile the image of this young player focused on his morning workout with the person prominently featured in sports news headlines.

He is not that person.

Howard stood there for a moment, watching the basketball trace the same arc again and again. He thought of the headlines on ESPN's website that were completely detached from reality; those bolded headlines seemed incredibly distant now.

He bent down to pick up the basketball at his feet and walked to the other half of the court.

(End of this chapter)