Chapter 367 Alliance No. 1
Latest website: The December schedule continues. Despite the physical exertion, Marion and Ginobili's performance has been ups and downs, and their status has fluctuated. As the two main players, their status naturally affects the Knicks' strength.
At this time, Zhao Dong began to go all out for the sake of record, scoring 40+ points in 6 consecutive games. Even with the unstable performance of the two rookies, he still led the team to a winning streak.
At the same time, the Digital Team also lost games to the Lakers and Spurs one after another, widening the gap with the Knicks, who firmly ranked first in the league.
On December 25, the Christmas game, the league arranged a battle between the Lakers and the Spurs, as well as a battle between the Knicks and the Pacers in the Eastern Conference.
Prior to this, the Knicks had completed a record of 23 wins and 4 losses.
The Pacers finished third in the Eastern Conference this season and performed very well.
This team still has the same style as before, with average scoring, strong outside shooting, good cutting tactics, and good three-point tactics this season, averaging 7.1 three-pointers per game. If the outside shooting is strong, the Knicks and Finals-level teams like the Lakers and Spurs can be shot to death.
But on Christmas Eve, the Pacers failed to make a splash and lost to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Neil Grant spotted a Pacers backup forward on the sidelines, Al Harrington, the No. 25 pick in the first round of 1998.
He checked the information and found that Harrington's rookie season happened to be a shortened season. Due to a serious injury, he only played 21 games, averaging only 7 minutes per game, scoring only 2 points and 1.9 rebounds. This season, he only played 21 games. Both had 17 minutes of playing time, 6.6 points and 3.2 rebounds. Their performance was definitely not good.
What he likes is Al Harrington's youth, and his rookie contract can further reduce the Knicks' salary expenses.
James Dowland talked to him and asked him to control the team's expenses, and he could only do that.
He wanted to trade Gary Trent for Harrington, but the trade request was immediately rejected by the Pacers. The Pacers made it clear that Al Harrington was a rookie they wanted to develop and would not trade for a role player. .
The implication is that it’s not that I don’t trade, it’s that your chips are too poor.
By the end of December, after playing this month's games, the Knicks continued their winning streak, with 26 wins and 4 losses, still firmly ranked first in the league.
December 31,
The three major U.S. stock indexes fell sharply, showing off their bear market style. Among them, the Nasdaq finally fell below the 4,000-point mark and closed at 3,995 points.
The breaking of this barrier also means that the bear market has been established.
On this day, Storm delivered a large number of short orders, converting the floating book profit into profit.
In the evening, Zhao Dong and Lindsay talked on the phone, and the two talked about the current situation in Hong Kong City.
"Aiweier, how is the collection of Huifeng Holdings going?"
"It has been found out. I now have the information of nine management companies with A-share equity, both in Britain and the United States. Five of them belong to Tianlong investors or indirect investors."
"Then let's start negotiations and win Huifeng as soon as possible."
The main reason why Huifeng was taken down was certainly not some behavior of later generations of Huifeng, but because Zhao Dong and Lindsay believed that in Hong Kong City, it was not enough to have Tianlong Investment Bank, and they must have a regular commercial bank.
There is a difference between investment banks and ordinary commercial banks.
First, investment banks provide direct financial financing and pursue long-term benefits, while commercial banks provide indirect financing and pursue short-term benefits.
Second, investment banks do not make deposits and loans, but commercial banks do.
Third, investment banks are the capital market and commercial banks are the money market.
In addition to the above, there are many differences. If we want to have greater influence in the port city and better carry out economic development, investment banks alone are not enough. Ordinary commercial banks must also have them, which can complement each other. In all economic and financial fields Channels are expanding their influence.
Moreover, Huifeng also has a wholly-owned branch in Shanghai. Once it controls Huifeng, it will be more convenient for the internal and external circulation of funds.
The current market value of Huifeng Holdings is US$60 billion. It has an AB shareholding system, of which 15% are A shares. That is to say, these 15% A shares have management and decision-making rights. The remaining 85% of the shares include all secondary The circulating shares in the market and all major shareholders only have investment rights and dividend rights, but no voting rights.
Zhao Dong's plan is to cooperate with several domestic state-owned banks, mainly funded by them and operated by Tianlong Investment Bank. He will use the huge interest network established by Tianlong Investment Bank to acquire 15% of the A shares of Huifeng management and win this company. A bank registered in the UK, but with its headquarters and most of its business in China.
Negotiations with the five investors or indirect investors of Tianlong Investment Bank may be relatively easy, while the remaining four investors will be more difficult.
Zhao Dong and Lindsay have discussed it and can exchange some benefits.
But if the acquisition is not possible, then he will use Tianlong Investment Bank's funds to establish a wholly-owned ordinary commercial bank in Hong Kong City. With Tianlong Investment Bank's influence in the capital market and its dominant position in the country, it can completely compete with Huifeng .
The last day of 1999 has passed and time has arrived in the new year.
"whee……"
On the night of New Year's Day, Lindsay called and started laughing before she even spoke.
"Aiweier, is there any good news?" Zhao Dong asked quickly.
"Guess." Lindsay smiled.
"Are you sure you're pregnant?"
When Zhao Dong heard Lindsay's tone, he looked a little coquettish. No need to guess?
"Hmm, it's been more than thirty days, and the old expert from the Health Bureau just took my pulse and said it was yes, hehe..." Before Lindsay could finish her words, she couldn't help but laugh again.
"Happy pulse?" Zhao Dongxi said.
"Of course it's Ximai, it's more than that, you guess." Lindsay smiled.
"this……"
Zhao Dong's mind was spinning, and suddenly he had a flash of inspiration and blurted out: "Twins?"
"No." Lindsay cheered.
"Old son, the old expert said they are quadruplets, four, a big litter, haha..."
"Mom, you can't call me a nest..."
Before Zhao Dong had time to guess, his mother Li Meizhu's uncontrollable laughter and Lindsay's dumbfounded voice rang out.
"Four?"
Zhao Dong was stunned, is his wife so capable?
"Honey, are you surprised?" Lindsay said with a smile.
"Surprise, surprise and joy, it is indeed a big surprise." Zhao Dong laughed.
"I'll have an ultrasound in a week and we'll be sure." Lindsay smiled.
"Aiweier, are you having a big reaction? It will be very useful to ask the experts from the Health Bureau to prescribe a miscarriage for you."
"Fortunately, the reaction was not very big and the vomiting was not serious. The expert said that the situation is good now and there is no need to prescribe a prescription."
The two chatted enthusiastically until their mobile phones ran out of battery, and then switched to landlines to continue chatting. They talked about how to raise their children in the future. From kindergarten to college, they just talked about their grandchildren.
At 10 o'clock in the morning on January 1, 2000, the league announced the Player of the Month for last month, and instead of giving it to Zhao Dong, it was given to O'Neal.
However, Zhao Dong returned to the top spot in the MVP rankings with the Knicks' record and his strong personal performance.
In December, he averaged 44 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists per game, averaging 43 minutes of playing time without a truce. Whether it is attendance rate, personal performance, or team record, it is indisputable. First in the league.
But ranking first in MVP is not the best news today. The best news is that his All-Star votes have broken a historical record.
Jordan set a historical record in 1997 with 2.45 million votes, which is the highest number of All-Star votes in league history.
Now Zhao Dong has surpassed this record in just one month.
But this is the embodiment of Zhao Dong's current influence in the American sports world, without a trace of adulteration.
Zhao Dong's influence in the sports world is not only reflected in the NBA, but also in the professional boxing world.
Don’t forget, professional boxing is much more influential in the United States than the NBA, and Zhao Dong also holds world titles from two of the four major organizations.
In addition to Zhao Dong, the Knicks also have Jerry Stackhouse who received good votes and is expected to be selected as an All-Star.
In the first game of January of the new year, the Knicks faced the challenge of the Spurs at home.
In this game, Popovich used Duncan to contain Zhao Dong, and then asked Robinson to play Fordson alone, achieving a good deal.
However, Ginobili and Stackhouse performed well in this game, destroying the Spurs' perimeter, and ultimately helped the team beat the Spurs for the second time, completing a double win against the Spurs in the finals this season.
The season started this month relatively loosely, with another two days of rest. On the 7th, the Knicks ushered in their second game of the month at home, and the Lakers came to challenge.
This is also the second and last regular season game for both teams this season. The Lakers, like the Spurs, lost the first game and want to come back this time.
In the end, the Lakers achieved their wish and won this away game. The regular season was tied at one, and the Knicks suffered their fifth defeat of the season.
In this game, the Lakers played very united and showed tenacity, strengthening their tactical coordination.
Looking back at the Knicks, Marion and Ginobili have their own problems on the outside, but this is also the performance that two rookies should have.
On the 8th, the Knicks began a road trip, and the first game was Boston.
On this day, the league also announced the start of All-Star voting.
At eight o'clock in the evening, Zhao Dong made a phone call in the hotel. Lindsay would go to the hospital for a checkup today, and he wanted to know the situation.
The old man answered the phone and said that Lindsay had just gone to the hospital, and that her mother and grandmother had accompanied her, as well as a large group of nannies and bodyguards. She would call him when there were results.
"Husband, it's confirmed, quadruplets, hee hee..."
He stayed up until almost 9:30 when his cell phone finally rang. It was Lindsay's call.
We didn't chat for long this time. Lindsay was in a hurry to attend an important national financial conference hosted by Mr. Zhu, and hung up the phone in a hurry.
Zhao Dong was so happy that he called all his teammates to announce the good news and said on the spot that each person would be given a red envelope of US$100,000.
All the players were happy, but the coaching staff started to make noises and asked for red envelopes.
Xiao Fan said: "Feilong, we don't have a share in the investment. We should have this, right?"
"Well, you can have this." Thibodeau nodded.
"It certainly can." Old Nelson smiled.
Zhao Dong laughed, waved his hand and said, "No problem. I'm happy today. Each of the coaching staff will receive a red envelope of US$100,000."
"yeah!"
Several coaches, big and small, jumped up with joy, and a dozen other trainers and coaches were equally excited about the unexpected fortune.
On the 9th, the Knicks defeated the Celtics and arrived in Detroit on the 10th.
On the 11th, the Knicks suffered a sudden injury. During the away game against the Pistons, Danny Fordson accidentally injured his knee while fighting for rebounds.
However, despite losing Fordson, Zhao Dong still led the team to defeat the Pistons and win.
The next day, the team continued their road trip, and Fordson flew back to New York accompanied by his staff.
At five o'clock that afternoon, his injury report came out. The meniscus of his left knee was torn, which immediately put the Knicks into trouble.
The team was in trouble, and there were substitutes to play and trades to make, but for Fordson, he was immediately confused.
A meniscus injury is likely to ruin his career, but he is still on a rookie contract, and this season is his contract year.
"Boss, what should I do? I haven't signed a new contract yet."
His first reaction was to call his boss, Zhao Dong, with a very frustrated tone.
"What advice does the doctor have?" Zhao Dong asked.
"The doctor recommended minimally invasive surgery, which does not require resection and can be repaired. The injury will require at least three months of rest." Fordson said frustratedly.
"Danny, don't be too anxious. It can't be changed anymore. Just treat it calmly. The new contract can only depend on your return. In three months, even four months, you should still be able to catch up with the season." The playoffs or the Eastern Conference finals. Also, don’t worry, I will give you another two million investment quota. Follow me and don’t be afraid of running out of money." Zhao Dong encouraged.
Fordson's economy is better than that of Ben. Ben was an undrafted player and didn't have much investment capital. Fordson was a lottery pick with a rookie contract worth millions. He has made some money following Zhao Dong in the past two years.
"Boss, I'm relying on you." Fordson said bluntly.
"Trouble!"
After hanging up the phone, Zhao Dong also scratched his head.
Losing Fordson is very troublesome, rebounding, interior defense, no one else is as good as Fordson, especially rebounding.
The main power forward is absent, and the Knicks' strength has been affected. Nelson has adjusted the lineup, with veterans Kevin Willis and Gary Trent taking turns as starters, and the inside strength has dropped by a notch.
This adds to the burden on Zhao Dong, with almost no rest time. Fortunately, his physical fitness has exceeded the limits of the human body, and there is no problem in increasing playing time.
On the court, he has increased his investment on the defensive end and rebounding, because Willis and Trent still have some scoring abilities.
Under Zhao Dong's full efforts, the Knicks still lost two games in the next game in January. At the end of the January schedule, with 35 wins and 7 losses, just halfway through the schedule, the Knicks still had the best record in the league.
However, the media commented that the league's first record is purely consuming Zhao Dong's energy. In the second half of the schedule, if Zhao Dong does not reduce his playing time, the Knicks are likely to fall into trouble in the playoffs. In physical trouble. If Zhao Dong is injured due to physical reasons, the Knicks will inevitably collapse.
The management approached Zhao Dong to discuss this issue and thought it could be released in the second half, but Zhao Dong refused.
Zhao Dong insisted on playing the second half of the schedule with all his strength, and his attitude was very firm. This gave the management and coaching staff a headache, but they could not stop him.
What makes the management and coaching staff feel good is that everyone else's rotation is good. As long as Zhao Dong doesn't have problems here, the Knicks will not have major problems.
In addition, Fordson's surgery was successful. It has been two weeks since the surgery and he has already started weight-bearing training. However, if he wants to return, it will take at least three months, or even four months.
The All-Star break is coming, and the Knicks still have five games to play before that.
On February 1st, they will face the Magic at home.
This morning, the league announced the Player of the Month for January, and Zhao Dong won this honor for the second time this season.
At the same time, he continues to rank first in the MVP rankings.
Below him are O'Neal of the Lakers, Duncan of the Spurs, and Allen Iverson of the Digital Team.
That day, he also received some good news.
The first is that Tianlong Investment Bank has completed negotiations with two A-share shareholders of Huifeng Bank.
This means that Tianlong Investment Bank has broken the gap in the management, and there should be continuous good news coming next.
Of course, Tianlong also paid a certain price.
Second, China-EU bilateral negotiations are progressing smoothly.
Third, the Hong Kong City canceled its 85,000 plan, and the Hang Seng Index rose to 12,000 points. Real estate prices rebounded, and the Hong Kong City's economy improved.
This third piece of news is very important. The rebound in real estate prices means that many middle-class families in Hong Kong City who were in negative equity have returned to positive equity.
The so-called negative equity is because the Asian financial crisis in 1997 caused the real estate in Hong Kong City to fall by 70%. The market value of the properties purchased by a large number of middle-class families with installment loans plummeted, while their bank loans remained unchanged, which resulted in negative equity.
The rebound in real estate has stabilized the city. What is needed next is to boil the frog in warm water and slowly increase the supply of housing to prevent a destructive plunge in real estate.
On February 9, the Knicks played their last game before the All-Star break in the Western Conference and defeated the Warriors.
With 42 wins and 7 losses, the Knicks still rank first in the league.
In the first five games in February, Zhao Dong grabbed a total of 90 rebounds, the most of which was 26, averaging 18 rebounds per game.
Thanks to his efforts, the Knicks completed their five-game winning streak in February.