Y13 [EN]: Chapter 161

Y13-161. 2010-2011 Finals

Youngjae couldn’t help but glance back at the bench. He saw Chandler embracing and kissing his girlfriend, while Emily stood awkwardly nearby, tears welling up in her eyes. Youngjae resolved not to be swayed by the attention of the crowd any longer. Any interaction he had with Emily here would be major news on the local channels tomorrow, but he felt at peace with that now.

He wasn’t about to kiss Emily in front of tens of thousands of fans like Chandler, but seeing her come down from the stands like that made him want to at least give her a warm hug. He slowly walked towards her.

“You played great. Champ…”

“Yeah. I made it this far thanks to you.”

Youngjae embraced Emily, who buried her face in his arms, crying with a mixture of joy and relief. The crowd roared with applause at the heartwarming sight of the two finally revealing their relationship in front of so many people. After a moment filled with tears and laughter, the players, all wearing blue Dallas T-shirts and hats, gathered at center court. Everyone, regardless of injuries or playing time, came together to celebrate.

“And now, the 2010-2011 NBA Finals champions… the Dallas Mavericks!”

Uproar!!!!!

Commissioner Stern announced the NBA champion, and a thunderous roar erupted from the crowd. David Stern handed the NBA championship trophy to Dirk Nowitzki, who passed it to Coach Carlisle, and then to owner Mark Cuban. Cuban held the trophy high and roared in triumph, followed by the team members taking turns lifting the trophy.

Whether it was Caron Butler and Rodrigue Beaubois, who were sidelined during the finals due to injuries, all these players were companions who had journeyed this far together, sharing sacrifices, pain, and joy. And they would all be teammates sharing the same championship ring.

As all the players took turns lifting the trophy and the scene was broadcast around the world, the Finals MVP [Most Valuable Player] voting closed. The Finals MVP is determined by an impromptu vote by 12 panelists. Of course, the winner was practically a foregone conclusion. The only question was whether it would be a unanimous decision.

“And now, the Finals MVP will be presented by NBA legend Bill Russell. The official name of the Finals MVP trophy is the ‘Bill Russell Trophy.’ Mr. Bill Russell, the namesake of the trophy, will personally announce the winner and present the trophy.”

Bill Russell, dressed in a sharp suit, greeted the players with a warm smile, his white beard and hair contrasting with his still-strong spirit.

“It was a fierce battle until the very end. The Finals MVP… is Dirk Nowitzki!”

“Dirk Nowitzki averaged 25.3 points and 9.8 rebounds in this Finals series. In addition, his free throw percentage was an incredible 97.8% (45/46), crushing the opponent’s spirit. He scored as much as Wade and LeBron combined in the fourth quarter, proving that he is the best clutch shooter this season.”

Nowitzki lifted the Finals MVP trophy, his face etched with emotion. After shaking hands with Bill Russell, Nowitzki paused for a moment, then grabbed the wrist of the Asian guard next to him, who was cheering with an emotional expression, and pulled him forward.

“Yoon! Listen! This is your trophy too!”

Youngjae felt an immense pressure at the thought of holding such a prestigious trophy and instinctively waved his hands, but Bill Russell nodded, indicating that it was okay.

“You competed with Nowitzki for the Finals MVP award this time. You are the only other player besides Nowitzki who received votes. Youngjae Yoon. You were a brighter rookie in the Finals than any other player. You deserve to hold the trophy.”

Tears welled up in Youngjae’s eyes as Bill Russell and the other players encouraged him. He had never been the center of attention or the main character in his entire basketball career, and this honor was a completely new experience for him.

“Stop crying! Not on a day like this!”

“Chandler, Brewer… I saw you crying too!”

Youngjae grabbed the Finals MVP trophy with one hand and shouted as he lifted it high.

“We won!!!”

[The Dallas Mavericks win the 2010 – 2011 NBA Finals!]

This season may be remembered as one of the most dramatic in NBA history.

The Dallas Mavericks, who were consistently considered underdogs from the very first game of the playoffs, were predicted to be ‘the team most likely to be upset,’ starting with the first round against the Portland Trail Blazers. Then came the LA Lakers, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and finally the Miami Heat. The Dallas Mavericks, often underestimated as an aging team reliant on jump shots, eventually transformed into an untamable force, defeating the Miami Heat 4-2 and securing their first championship.

The player who shone brightest against the Miami Heat was undoubtedly Dirk Nowitzki. He shed tears as he reflected on his journey since his NBA debut, finally achieving his first championship.

“Today will be an unforgettable moment. It was a painful and difficult season, but that only made us more determined. In my more than 10 years in the NBA, I think this season featured the most ‘complete team’ I’ve ever been a part of with the Dallas Mavericks. This championship is not one I won alone.”

He averaged 25.3 points and 9.8 rebounds in nearly 38 minutes of playing time across all six games, performing even better than he had during the regular season. Nevertheless, Nowitzki never displayed a sense of complacency or overconfidence until the championship was finally won. That unwavering focus may have been the key to their victory.

He credited this victory to his teammates, calling out each of their names and expressing his gratitude. And the last name he called was Yoon Youngjae.

“Y13 [Youngjae’s nickname] was truly outstanding. He unlocked his full potential in these Finals, and he will grow into an even better player next year. We couldn’t have won this championship without him. I love his game. He has the strengths of both Jason Kidd and Jason Terry, and he will become a player who can be compared to his idol, Steve Nash. He might even be responsible for scoring more points than me next year.”

In fact, Dirk Nowitzki made a point of showing Youngjae Yoon the Finals MVP award after Bill Russell presented it to him. Youngjae Yoon’s performance in these Finals was so remarkable that it was hard to believe he was just a rookie.

(Omitted)

With the Dallas Mavericks’ victory, the 2010-2011 NBA season came to an end. The most talked-about player was, of course, Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk Nowitzki, who had reached the playoffs every year for a decade but had always been viewed as a ‘mercenary’ because he was German rather than American, finally won the championship. He had finally achieved the championship, a significant accomplishment that had always been used as a point of comparison against players like Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, often leading to him being underestimated.

[Dirk Nowitzki fails to win unanimous Finals MVP. Who is the main character?]

What became a hot topic due to Nowitzki’s failure to secure a unanimous Finals MVP vote was another ‘mercenary,’ Yoon Youngjae. Yoon Youngjae received 2 votes in the Finals MVP voting, ranking second with 10 votes after Nowitzki. He finished second in both the regular season Rookie of the Year voting and the Finals MVP voting. But these two second-place finishes were impressive achievements in their own right.

Yoon Youngjae, who finished his freshman year of college and was drafted into the NBA with the 25th pick as a one-and-done player [a college player who enters the NBA draft after only one year of college basketball]. From his NCAA [National Collegiate Athletic Association] days to the draft, there were constant concerns about him being a ‘complete player’ [a player who has reached their full potential and is unlikely to improve significantly], and before the regular season, he was often described as a player whose skills would only be effective in college. Many people underestimated his growth potential, citing various reasons such as a lack of explosiveness, strength, and stamina.

But Yoon Youngjae overcame all of those doubts with his skills. Although it was only one year, his rookie season was undoubtedly among the best of all time. Moreover, he was only 19 years old. He ranked second in scoring on the team, second in assists, and first in steals. Furthermore, he unlocked more and more of his potential throughout the playoffs, and in the Finals, he was almost a twin threat alongside Nowitzki. He struggled with sluggishness and injuries in the first game, but he quickly recovered his form and was named MVP of the 4th and 6th games.

2010 – 2011 Regular Season

78 games (66 starts) average 28.5 minutes

17.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.9 assists (21st), 1.9 steals (4th), 0.4 blocks

50.7% field goal, 41.3% 3-point, 91.3% free throw (180 club) [A player who shoots 50% or better from the field, 40% or better from the three-point line, and 90% or better from the free-throw line in the same season]

– 2nd place in 2010-2011 NBA Rookie of the Year voting

– 2010-2011 Rookie Challenge MVP

– 2010-2011 The only two 180 clubs in history, the first rookie season 180 club. The 6th player and 11th record in history.

-The 17.2 points in the 2010-2011 season is the 4th highest among the top 10 (Teenager) players, following Carmelo Anthony (21 points in the 03-04 season), LeBron James (20.9 points in the 03-04 season), and Kevin Durant (20.3 points in the 07-08 season).

2010 – 2011 Finals

6 games (6 starts) average 28.7 minutes

20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 2.5 steals (2nd in team scoring, 2nd in assists, 1st in steals)

It was a great honor for Youngjae to have accumulated these records and even contributed to the team’s victory. However, the story of the Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, and Youngjae was completely overshadowed by a single incident.

[LeBron James ‘They will eventually return to the REAL WORLD.’]

LeBron James, the ‘King’ who rose to fame in the media with the unprecedented ‘Decision Show’ [a televised special in which LeBron James announced his decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers and join the Miami Heat] before the 2010-2011 NBA season. After breaking the hearts of Cleveland Cavaliers fans with his statement that he would take his talent to South Beach [Miami], he faced an official press conference following the disastrous outcome of failing to win the championship after forming the Miami Big 3 [LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh].

On June 13, 2011, after Game 6, LeBron James appeared at an official press conference. Many questions were asked, but most of them were criticisms about LeBron James’ poor performance in the fourth quarter, Dirk Nowitzki’s cold taunts, and Dirk Nowitzki’s dominant fourth-quarter performance, which stood in stark contrast to LeBron James’.

Then, a reporter asked, ‘Many fans seem to be happy that you lost. Are you feeling distressed about this?’ LeBron James gave an unexpected answer.

“Not at all. The people who wanted me to lose will eventually be overwhelmed by realistic problems when they wake up tomorrow morning. On the other hand, I will be doing what I want to do and having fun with my family. For a while, they may be happy that the Miami Heat and I lost… but they will eventually have to return to their original world, the REAL WORLD.”

Most fans and experts were shocked by this statement, criticizing LeBron James for lacking professionalism and disrespecting the fans. LeBron James apologized for his remarks on social media, but the apology was criticized for being late and insincere.

RE: Fuck, I hate myself for being a fan of that bastard.

RE: Real world? Yeah, superstars must have a good life even in the real world. Loser!

RE: Why is the real world even being brought up in sports? Seriously hopeless.

RE: Wow… Fuck. I’m a Cleveland fan, and I knew that bastard would do that. That fucking gorilla isn’t even human!

RE: So you’re the real world, and we’re the cyber world?

============================ Author’s Notes ============================

★Thank you to those who gave me advance notice, recommendations, comments, and coupons!!

@Hello. This is Signature’s younger brother. The rookie season has finally come to an end. Ha- I think this is what it feels like to be both happy and sad. I’m talking like someone who has finished a story, but in fact, I still have a long way to go. Haha. It’s just that I’ve been writing for several years, but I’ve never written a story that feels like I’ve finished a season in this way, so it feels even more heartfelt. A whopping 161 episodes were spent on the first season, and I can’t thank enough the people who continue to read such a long story.

@ The 2011-2012 season is the year when the lockout [a work stoppage imposed by team owners] will result in a shortened season. And it’s a dark age for Dallas. Starting with Tyson Chandler’s transfer, the main lineup is revamped again.

Jason Kidd – Jason Terry – Shawn Marion – Dirk Nowitzki – Brendan Haywood are the starters, and Delonte West, Vince Carter, Rodrigue Beaubois, Brian Cardinal, Dominic Jones, Yi Jianlian, Brandon Wright, and finally Lamar Odom are the backup members… Haa! So, last year’s championship team had a record of just over 50%, with 36 wins and 30 losses, and was swept 0-4 by Oklahoma in the first round of the playoffs. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Coach Carlisle… But… it will be very different in this world, right? Please look forward to it.

@ I was talking about the underdog story. I saw in the comments that Everton was mentioned, but Everton is a strong team~ They went to the Champions League, and if they preserve and nurture their main members well, they can go back to the Champions League, or at least the Europa League, stably. They suffered an unexpected blow from Man City, but it’s Man City, right? And in fact, I just like teams that suit my style rather than underdogs. Football is all about physicality, and high-point crosses & headers, right?! Man’s Stoke City! Man’s West Ham! That’s right! I’m really into Leicester City these days. I’m going to buy a training jersey from one of these three teams, hehehe-

Omarion, -DarkANGEL-, Financia, White Shark Killer, CountOfDark / I’m glad you enjoyed it. Now, sophomore. We’re entering the second season. Please look forward to it.

Swanlake / I still think Yoon Youngjae’s marketability is unknown. Of course, his performance was not that of a rookie, but compared to the play of superstars, his stability is strong and his explosiveness is a bit lacking, which seems to affect his marketability. But well, he’s the main character, isn’t he? Haha!

Lazze / No weakness man~?

Disappearing Soul / That’s why I just use the web. I deleted the app ㅋㅋㅋ

Take a look / It’s so thrilling to write it myself!

Bakar / Yes. It was longer than I thought, but I’m glad it fit exactly 161 episodes. ㅋㅋㅋ

H0H / Nanit… There’s also the offseason, FA moratorium [a period when free agents can negotiate with teams but cannot sign contracts], player transfers, and events to go to Korea, but in the end, it’s all about romance… That’s right. Romance is the truth!! But my real world is… ㅠㅠ

goimosp / I was thinking about increasing the score and decreasing the assists, but I thought a double-double [when a player accumulates ten or more in two statistical categories] would be more normal(?)

Gayeon Eul / I tried to give you emotion, but I didn’t know it would work… Hehe. My writing skills aren’t that good, but thank you!

Euisul / Romance (2) … My real world is (2) … Is this a bean? Is this a bean? Why is the same word written twice? Why is the same word written twice?

Ultra10 / We won. Now I have to figure out how to break through the next season!