The rest is just noise

On March 4th, Louis received a letter.

Perhaps some fans mistakenly thought he was a player. In this letter, they called him a greedy chimpanzee who went to Africa to dig gold mines if he wanted money so much. He got off the court and was not worthy of being a Celtic, etc.

If he can receive this kind of attack private message, others can too.

As a result, the situation was much worse than Louis expected.

All black players on the Celtics team were warned and intimidated.

And this is just the beginning, there are still people shitting on their doorsteps and sending envelopes filled with bullets.

As for the white people in the team, they did not receive any threats or intimidation.

This extreme double standard tore the Celtics apart. Even an honest man like Sampson, who never made trouble, was angry. Isiah Thomas gathered everyone and wanted to go to Auerbach's office to ask for an explanation.

, if this matter cannot be resolved satisfactorily, they will apply for a transaction.

Louis blocked their way: "First, I also received a threatening letter. I am as angry as you. The money I earn is not even one-tenth of yours. Why are you cursing me like that?"

As he spoke, he took out the letter.

"Second, don't think that you are the only one who is being treated unfairly. This is Boston. You should know what you will encounter here when you come here to play. Reid can't solve your problems!"

Louis pointed to the court: "The trading day has passed now. If you want to be traded, just wait until the end of the season. I believe Reid will meet all of your requirements. As for now, go back to training!"

Louis did his best to stop a conflict that would do no good and would increase the rift between players and management.

But what the Celtics players encountered is just a small microcosm.

When the players union tried to restart negotiations with the league, Larry O'Brien wrote Fleischer a letter.

Fleischer released the letter.

"I am surprised and disappointed with the position you and the union have taken in negotiations, and based on the decision of the league committee, I and the other owners will not hold any further collective bargaining meetings with the players association unless and until: (1)

The Players Association withdraws the April 1, 1983 strike deadline; and (2) the Players Association commits to bringing a new concrete package to the bargaining table to address the financial situation of certain NBA teams."

Fans who didn't understand the situation began attacking players during the game.

Racism is on the table again.

Whether Americans admit it or not, black people in the NBA are far more likely to be attacked and booed by fans than white people.

They are always regarded as monkeys with low IQs, with well-developed limbs and strong muscles. They can only rely on their athletic ability to survive on the court, but they are more popular than smart white players.

Fan humiliation of players began to spread.

Since the 1960s, America has never seen such blatant racial discrimination on a public stage like the NBA.

The two teams that hope to compete for the championship, the Celtics and the Lakers, have made their positions clear.

They said they are no longer interested in winning the championship this season, they just want to know whether the new agreement can be successfully reached, and if not, all of them are ready for it.

Not so with the 76ers.

When Louis saw the attitude of the 76ers through the "Boston Herald", he began to believe that reincarnation really exists.

Their performance reminded Louis of the two NBA lockouts in 2020.

The income of the 2019-20 season was unexpectedly hit by a double blow. The first blow was the loss of the lucrative Chinese TV broadcast market due to the former Rockets general manager’s Twitter. Although China finally broadcast the fifth game of the Finals,

That was after the league reported a loss of more than $300 million.

The second wave was hit harder thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the United States' poor domestic control of the epidemic has led to the current terrible situation. As part of a more comprehensive public health plan, the NBA suspended its season on March 11 until July 7

The game will resume in Orlando at the end of the month. Of course, the game itself is no different. It is a contest between two NBA teams, but there are no spectators in the Disney bubble. For the league, no spectators means no revenue.

Then there was the impact of the BLM movement, and the NBA was shut down again. Although it lasted only a short time, the attitude of James and the Lakers was similar to that of the 76ers. They did not dare to go against the political correctness of the players union, but they were definitely the ones who least wanted to be shut down.

Team.

Because they were the only team that was ready to win the championship that season, especially after two lockouts.

Since the two sides have stopped communicating, whether all players will strike as scheduled has become an important question.

In order to exert maximum pressure, the NBA issued an announcement: All players who actively participate in the lockout and give up the game, especially those who are about to become free agents, cannot become free agents. They must add one year to their original contracts.

Some team owners decided to file lawsuits directly against players who were preparing to strike.

There are also some teams, such as the 76ers, Spurs, Nuggets, Suns and SuperSonics, where the owners personally come off the field to explain to the players the dangers of the strike and its impact on themselves.

Louis came to Auerbach's office and truthfully informed him of the atmosphere within the team and their attitude towards the strike.

"Those bastards really want to stop racing?" Auerbach asked.

Louis said: "Without a doubt."

Suddenly, Auerbach laughed: "What was the video captain's reaction?"

"He can't accept it." Louis paused, "He plans to continue to put pressure on the players."

Auerbach lit a cigar, of which he smoked several every day.

"What do you think?" Auerbach asked.

Louis told the truth: "The conflict in our locker room is very serious, the chemistry on the field is a mess, and no one is willing to implement Bill's tactics. This is his only chance to win back the respect of the players."

"What if he messes up?"

"This season is over."

"This season is already over. Don't you see what those bastards are saying? They can't agree on any terms!" Auerbach snorted, "Lu, you don't have to worry about anything now.

The only thing you have to do is support Bill, and I know you are tired of waiting."

Louis' pupils trembled.

A smile appeared on Louis' serious face, which was very cold.

"I can't hide anything from you, Reed," he said.

"Want to hide it from me?" Auerbach said with a proud smile, "Practice for another hundred years!"