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The return of Itachi
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***
On May 8, 2002, the NBA announced the 2001-02 All-Rookie Teams:
The five players on the First Team were:
Tony Parker, Jason Richardson, Shane Battier, Andrei Kirilenko, Pau Gasol.
The six players on the Second Team were:
Jamal Tinsley, Richard Jefferson, Joe Johnson, Eddie Griffin, Vladimir Radmanović, Željko Rebrača.
The ripple effect after the announcement of the All-Rookie Teams was:
"Michael Jordan ruined Kwame Brown!"
Of course, the failure of Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry, two high school big man prodigies, to make the teams also drew condemnation from basketball commentators.
The Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks were both tanking teams, and under such circumstances, poor Rookie stats were simply inexcusable.
Before entering the NBA, Eddy Curry had made bold claims, but as the team's record faltered, this "Little Shaq" also fell silent.
The omission of several high-draft-pick Rookies from the All-Rookie Teams also served as a reminder to the Rookies participating in this year's draft: not every team is suitable for Rookie development!
To get more playing time and better stats, the external environment is more important.
2002 was not a strong draft year, but many basketball commentators began to pay attention to the big man from the East.
Players over 2.20 meters tall had appeared in the NBA before.
The New York Knicks' old rival, Rik Smits, had left a deep impression on New York fans.
However, in the past two years, with the rise of Clay Lee, the idea of a super center winning a championship has been seriously questioned.
More importantly, big men are terrible at defending pick-and-rolls, and many teams have begun to abandon their previous team-building philosophies.
Fans might be curious about how the big man from the East would perform, but championship-contending teams were still placing more hope on perimeter players.
After a generational shooting guard like Michael Jordan, combo guards became the darlings of basketball commentators.
On the morning of the 8th, the New York Knicks team departed for Boston, with Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 3 set to begin tomorrow night at 7 PM.
In their two away games at Madison Square Garden, the Celtics lost by large margins.
In Game 1, they lost 83-105, a 22-point deficit.
In Game 2, they lost 88-103, another 15-point deficit.
One game they just shot wildly, the other they tried to slow down the pace and drag the New York Knicks into a half-court offense.
The Celtics' wing players did not have much impact, especially in Game 2, where after a tightly contested first half, they only scored 34 points in the second half.
Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce took turns bricking shots in both games.
With their primary offensive players unable to carry the offense, the Celtics collapsed early.
The two teams are not far apart.
Upon arriving in Boston, the New York Knicks checked into their hotel.
Head Coach Thibodeau, no longer feeling nervous, calmly accepted interviews from media reporters:
"The Celtics are a great team, and the championship banners hanging in their
the FleetCenter are the best proof."
"For tomorrow night's game, we will not relax in the slightest. In the first round, they came back from a two-game deficit to win three straight. That will absolutely not happen to the New York Knicks!"
The Boston Globe reporter did not like this answer, but after two games, they also discovered the team's biggest problem:
"Insufficient star quality."
Meanwhile, a reporter from Boston Business Magazine seized the opportunity to interview Lee while the New York Knicks were checking in, though their conversation wasn't about tomorrow night's game:
"Clay, it's rumored that you've acquired a lot of shares in British football clubs on the secondary market. Do you plan to hold these shares long-term?"
Lee, pushing a small suitcase, was surprised that a Boston business magazine had gotten wind of the news, but for such a question, he naturally played along:
"Yes, this is a simple investment. I love sports, whether it's basketball or football, I enjoy both very much."
"As for those shares, I believe they will bring me some returns in the future!"
Purchasing shares from the secondary market had a slight misleading quality.
Given Manchester United's current development trend, this investment was a sure bet.
Lee, wearing a black printed T-shirt, answered rather casually, and the media reporters didn't think much of it.
Acquiring a team in the UK is certainly not a simple matter.
It's not just a market action, but often involves governmental factors as well.
No one thought about an acquisition, after all, most British football clubs are losing money, and playing football is more often a personal hobby of wealthy magnates.
Upon arriving in Boston, the New York Knicks team was equally confident.
Two big wins indicated that the opponent was no different from the regular season.
Even with strong wing players, if they can't make shots, it's useless.
There was only one game that night: 78-88, the Nets narrowly defeated the Detroit Pistons.
The Eastern Conference situation was clear.
Kidd, who had just arrived in the Eastern Conference this season, seemed poised to reach the Eastern Conference Finals!
In TNT's post-game commentary, despite the Nets' win, none of the trio were optimistic about the team.
Kidd's performance of 11 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal on 5-of-18 shooting made people scratch their heads, giving the impression that the team's leader had to rely on role players to explode.
Kenny Smith, as always, did not speak ill of any player, but instead praised Kidd's performance:
"On the defensive end, Kidd limited Atkins to 2-of-10 shooting. Excellent Defense is the Nets' guarantee for victory, perhaps they can even make it to the Finals!"
Charles Barkley, after glancing at the box score, said unceremoniously:
"Forget it! Kidd might be able to limit the Detroit Pistons' backcourt from scoring, but against the New York Knicks, he won't gain any advantage."
"Not only that, Kidd will pay the price for his shooting ability. Lee doesn't even need to interfere much. Perhaps this guy can miss the shot himself."
"Whether others admit it or not, the New York Knicks are extremely dominant whether they face the Celtics or the Nets."
"61 wins. Lee is going to the Finals again this year, making it 5 consecutive seasons in the Finals!"
Although everyone thought the same, they couldn't say it outright.
Ernie Johnson helplessly glanced at the bigmouth and could only continue the topic:
"If the New York Knicks secure a match point tomorrow night, the suspense of the series will indeed be over."
"How should the Celtics adjust? They lost both games by large margins!"
Before Kenny Smith could voice his opinion, Charles Barkley quickly interjected, saying seriously:
"Unless Antoine Walker can make those terrible shots, the Celtics won't have any chance."
Ignoring the looks from his two colleagues, Charles Barkley quickly added:
"I stand by my previous point. Perhaps the Celtics' team-building philosophy isn't wrong, but they lack a true star player."
"There's also a gap in strength among All-Star players. To become a championship contender, they need a true core!"
Hearing these words, Kenny Smith instinctively rubbed his temples.
When the show aired, it would likely receive many complaints, as the Celtics have a huge fanbase.
On the evening of May 9th, at the Fleet Center, over eighteen thousand Celtics fans entered early.
It wasn't even 7 PM yet, and the arena was already incredibly noisy.
After years of silence, reaching the Eastern Conference Semifinals again naturally brought out the fans' enthusiasm.
After two games, Pierce's good mood was completely gone.
He had recently mocked Tracy McGrady as an inefficient scorer, and now the boomerang had come back to hit him in the face.
He no longer mentioned "good brother Lee" in interviews.
Pierce finally understood how a certain faded star felt.
Antoine Walker kept taking shots from beyond the arc in two consecutive games.
If they went in, he would be a hero, but bricking them meant he would be the scapegoat.
The good reputation gained from winning against the Orlando Magic disappeared, and the title of "inefficient chucker" returned to him.
The two core players did not accept many interviews.
Head Coach Jim O'Brien, after returning home, no longer indulged the players.
During a pre-game interview, he clearly stated:
"We will get the ball into the paint more, and at the same time, we will execute double-teams more strictly!"
Having had enough of the core players' wild shooting, the Celtics' coaching staff had already warned Antoine Walker.
No one wanted to gamble on his shooting touch anymore, and Celtics fans felt the same way.
They would rather see their team miss shots from mid-range or under the basket than see more three-point bricks leading to furious opponent fast breaks.
Before the game even started, as Lee warmed up with his shooting, boos erupted throughout the Fleet Center.
Grant Hill was already accustomed to such road treatment.
During warm-ups, he chuckled softly again:
"Perhaps these fans will only cheer for you when you retire. Most Eastern Conference fans don't seem to like you."
The team had rarely achieved such good results, but they were about to be eliminated quickly in the playoffs.
Lee could understand the feelings of these loyal New York fans:
"As long as they win enough, even opponents will like the New York Knicks."
Hearing Lee's words, Ron Artest, who was beside him, didn't quite agree.
The main reason for this was the New York fans.
They had been booed much more this season than in the previous two years.
The New York Knicks players calmly completed their warm-up, while on the other side, the Celtics' coach organized and talked to the players non-stop.
In a do-or-die game, in addition to shortening the rotation, the Defense strategy was also adjusted.
Head Coach Jim O'Brien still seemed uneasy, and finally didn't forget to loudly remind the team's core players:
"Get the ball inside, we need to score close to the basket!"
Antoine Walker felt a bit impatient, but he also didn't want to shoot wildly in front of the home boston fans.
As players from both teams came to the center of the court, the roar in the Arena grew louder.
As Pau Gasol tipped the ball to mid-court, the shouts for Defense immediately rang out:
"Defense!"
On the first offensive possession, Lee had just dribbled past half-court when Paul Pierce on the right wing immediately stepped up to double-team him with Kenny Anderson.
There was still some distance to the three-point line, and Lee didn't mind being double-teamed at this position.
He quickly passed the ball to the supporting Grant Hill.
While Paul Pierce was retreating on Defense, Erik Williams abandoned Ron Artest in the right corner and immediately rotated on Defense.
The New York Knicks had just settled into position, and the big men were still deep in the baseline.
When Ron Artest received the ball, there was no one guarding him.
Noticing the situation inside, he hesitated for a moment but still took a jump shot.
"Thud!"
The open shot missed, and Tony Battie secured the rebound.
Immediately, the Fleet Center was filled with cheers.
However, the Celtics' New York fans were happy too soon.
On the offensive possession, Kenny Anderson was pressured by the leading Defense of Lee, unable to lift his head.
A frustrated Ron Artest relentlessly chased Paul Pierce.
When the two reached the right wing, Kenny Anderson failed to make a timely pass and stopped dribbling at the top of the arc again.
Erik Williams originally wanted to post up for the ball in the left elbow area, but Grant Hill was also relentless, constantly cutting in front and blocking the passing lanes.
With over 15 seconds on the shot clock, the Celtics ultimately resorted to their old routine, with Antoine Walker coming to the top of the arc to receive the ball.
The prepared play failed again.
Kenny Anderson moved towards the left wing while loudly calling for teammates to spread out for offensive space.
After receiving the ball, Kurt Thomas still lowered his center of gravity, playing off for the shot and guarding against the drive, first testing the opponent's shooting touch.
After consecutive probing steps, Antoine Walker put the ball down with his right hand, suddenly lowered his center of gravity, performed a quick in-and-out, and immediately accelerated to drive after the fake.
He didn't choose a jump shot but instead drove straight to the basket after gaining half a step.
Kurt Thomas quickly shuffled his feet but the opponent still found an opportunity, driving to the lower right of the basket.
Facing the block, Antoine Walker leaned back and tossed the ball off the backboard with his right hand.
"Swish!"
Antoine Walker helped the Celtics score first and celebrated with a fist pump.
By spacing the floor for their star players to isolate and no longer taking wild three-pointers, the Celtics seemed to be getting back on track.
Noticing the change in the opponent's Defense, Lee proactively sped up the offensive pace.
This kind of double-team had also appeared in the regular season.
After crossing half-court, he quickly passed the ball to Pau Gasol at the top of the arc.
Then Lee moved without the ball, sliding right and then accelerating a reverse cut.
The moment he received the hand-off pass, the big man Tony Battie immediately delayed him.
Kenny Anderson followed up with another close Defense.
Before the two could converge, Lee smoothly passed the ball to Pau Gasol, who was cutting down.
As he went to receive the ball near the free-throw line, Antoine Walker inside also rotated quickly.
However, Pau Gasol, with his height and long arms, simply raised the ball with both hands and tossed it towards the upper right of the basket.
Kurt Thomas jumped up, grabbed the ball in the air, and easily slammed it into the basket!
"Boo!"
The fluid cooperation easily dismantled the Celtics' Defense.
The Boston fans could only boo again, then continued to cheer for the home team.
Noticing that his players had once again forgotten their Defense principles, Head Coach Jim O'Brien on the sidelines constantly shouted reminders.
Paul Pierce, engrossed in the offense, didn't pay attention to the Head Coach's shouts at this point.
After receiving the ball with his back to the basket in the right elbow area, he was again tightly guarded by Ron Artest.
After getting the ball, he had difficulty dribbling.
Out of necessity, after several probing steps, he put the ball down with his left hand.
Paul Pierce dribbled once and immediately stepped back, taking a mid-range jump shot over the Defense that missed.
Watching Pau Gasol grab the rebound and throw the ball to Lee, who was receiving it near the right sideline, Kenny Anderson immediately committed a tactical foul, disrupting the New York Knicks' transition offense.
As the game progressed, from the NBC commentary booth, Mike Fratello watched both teams start missing shots again and couldn't help but praise the Celtics' game strategy:
"Head Coach O'Brien has done a good job of limiting the opponent's transition offense, but what they need to do now is get the ball into the basket."
"The New York Knicks have wasted some opportunities. Their shooting touch seems to be an issue tonight."
At 6 minutes and 13 seconds into the first quarter, Paul Pierce made both free throws, bringing the score to 8:8.
More than half a quarter had passed, and the Celtics' aggressive double-teaming was very effective.
Lee still didn't rush after receiving the ball.
This kind of stalemate couldn't last.
He just needed to patiently wear down the opponent's Defense, and as game time passed, the intensity would naturally decrease.
"Defense!"
Although the scoring was low, the Boston's fans emotions grew more excited.
The game seemed competitive, and the shouts became a few decibels louder.
The same play was run again, only this time Kurt Thomas completed the hand-off pass on the right wing.
The trailing Kenny Anderson was briefly delayed.
Antoine Walker, who switched onto Lee, paused slightly as he saw Lee holding the ball in his right hand.
After a large in-and-out move, he suddenly accelerated, subconsciously sliding backward and to the left.
The two made body contact, but Lee wasn't affected much.
Sensing that the opponent seemed to want to swipe at the ball, he quickly performed a spin move while in motion.
Before Antoine Walker could adjust his footwork and turn to guard, Lee had already broken into the paint.
He switched to his left hand and smoothly finished with a scoop layup!
"Swish!" The two-point shot went cleanly through the net.
Antoine Walker's mood instantly soured.
Clearly, Lee wanted to wear him down. Antoine Walker cursed under his breath, then signaled to his teammates that it was time to collapse the Defense.
In the next possession, when the Celtics' offense was again nearing 24 seconds, Tony Battie's desperation floater directly in front of the basket missed again.
After grabbing the rebound, Pau Gasol immediately threw the ball to Grant Hill, who was near the left sideline.
Instead of fouling, Grant Hill accelerated with the ball, getting faster and faster.
With a large crossover dribble, scooping the ball with his right hand, Grant Hill reached the top of the arc and smoothly dished the ball to Clay Lee, who had rushed past half-court.
The moment he received the ball, Kenny Anderson instinctively lunged forward.
Clay Lee smoothly put the ball down with his right hand, lowered his center of gravity, and without any fakes, drove past with a shoulder bump.
After his ball-handling hand swatted away the opponent's arm, Lee, using the leverage again, instantly blew past the Defense and drove straight to the basket.
Paul Pierce, trailing on Defense to the basket, instinctively jumped to block.
To the lower right of the basket, Lee held the ball with one hand in the air, smoothly gathered it, curled his body, glided to the lower left of the basket, and finished with a reverse layup!
12:8, the New York Knicks suddenly extended their lead, and Head Coach O'Brien immediately called a timeout.
Noticing that the Celtics players seemed a bit winded, Marv Albert in the commentary booth immediately said with a smile:
"The defensive intensity seems to be dropping. The New York Knicks are back to running their fast breaks, and Lee's ability to seize opportunities is outstanding!"
Mike Fratello felt that the Celtics were constantly wasting opportunities, and the thought of "insufficient star power" also came to his mind:
"They must get the ball into the basket quickly, whether it's free throws or finishes at the rim, someone has to step up and take responsibility."
On the first offensive possession after the timeout, Paul Pierce again had difficulty receiving the ball.
Helplessly, Kenny Anderson moved away from the three-point line and again signaled for a play.
Lee noticed that the opponent wanted an on-ball screen to create a scoring opportunity for Paul Pierce, so he simply stepped back proactively, no longer pressing tightly on Defense.
Running around the screen to the left wing, Paul Pierce was just about to turn to receive the ball when Kenny Anderson's overly obvious cross-court pass was suddenly stolen by Lee, who exploded forward to cut the ball.
The moment he lost the ball, Kenny Anderson immediately lunged forward, but was directly bumped away by Lee, who was leading the ball, and fell to the floor with a thud.
Amidst the boos from the Fleet Center, Lee, in a 1-on-0 fast break, rushed faster and faster, soaring into the air in the paint for a two-handed dunk!
14:8, on the New York Knicks bench, the atmosphere was jubilant.
Lee, retreating on Defense, continuously clapped his hands, signaling for stronger Defense.
Celtics fans roared hoarsely.
In the left restricted area, Eric Williams received the ball with his back to the basket, turned towards the baseline, and was immediately stolen by Grant Hill.
After retrieving the ball, Grant Hill, dribbling with his right hand, sped up, crossing half-court in a blink of an eye.
He didn't slow down on the right wing and continued to drive straight to the basket.
Pierce, retreating on Defense, charged directly down the middle, intending to commit a tactical foul, but he charged too aggressively.
While in motion, Grant Hill used a big circle dribble to evade the steal, then immediately soared into the air, gripping the ball with his right hand for a powerful one-handed dunk!
16:8.
The entire fleet center suddenly fell silent.
On the Celtics bench, even the hype team was stunned.
Although Pierce then cut to the basket for two more points, on the return play, Pau Gasol received a pass from Lee and hit an open jump shot from the free-throw line.
With the lead, the Knicks suddenly found their shooting touch again.
Gasol, who scored, celebrated with a fist pump.
He was getting many opportunities tonight.
Antoine Walker couldn't resist taking a three-point shot from the left wing.
Amidst the fans' gasps, Lee grabbed the rebound and charged forward.
Kenny Anderson immediately lost his defensive position.
It was Pierce again, actively retreating on Defense.
Clay Lee, charging from the right wing into the paint, made a behind-the-back pass while in motion.
The ball flew to Ron Artest, who was cutting in from the other side.
Artest received the ball, gripped it with his right hand, and executed a gliding dunk!
Watching Antoine Walker and Eric Williams barely cross the half-court line, Pierce could only angrily slam the ball.
This wasn't the Defense he wanted.
20:10. A double-digit lead nearly turned the Fleet Center into a library.
All pre-game expectations were utterly shattered by the cruel reality.
With 1 minute and 43 seconds left in the first quarter, the big man Tony Battie, after a quick spin in the low post on the left side of the rim, stumbled with the dribble, and the ball was easily stolen by Pau Gasol.
Such a scene already had Head Coach Jim O'Brien on the sideline shaking his head.
The sudden turnover exacerbated the Celtics' collapse.
Facing the Knicks' three-line fast break, Lee, who made the pass, stopped on the right wing.
Grant Hill, who received the ball in the middle, broke into the paint and also made a behind-the-back pass.
Pau Gasol, following up quickly, immediately scored with a dunk!
"Boo!"
Pau Gasol roared happily, his joyful celebration drawing a torrent of boos from the home fans.
Fortunately, Antoine Walker then drove hard to the inside again, making a right-handed floater from the lower right of the rim and drawing a foul from Kurt Thomas.
Despite making a rare spectacular shot, Antoine Walker stood at the free-throw line with a long face.
Lee clapped his hands from beyond the three-point line, signaling that it was good Defense, and that both big men inside had controlled their fouls exceptionally well tonight.
After the free throw was made, both sides began another round of missed shots.
26:17. As the first quarter ended, Celtics fans fell silent, looking at the score.
Unlike the offensive battles against the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings, tonight's game pace was slow.
The Knicks, on their side, seemed to have a bit of a blacksmith's touch.
When the second quarter began, the Celtics didn't make too many substitutions.
The Knicks also didn't change their defensive strategy, continuing to test Antoine Walker's shooting touch.
He was always the easiest player to receive the ball on the team, but back at home, Antoine Walker wasn't taking wild jump shots.
Instead, he was constantly attacking the basket.
After both sides continuously missed shots, Knight, the big man who came off the bench, made a timely help Defense this time, swatting away Pierce's layup!
"Ah!"
After completing the block, Knight roared alone upon landing, and the Knicks launched another transition offense.
Lee, who had just entered the game, continuously accelerated along the right sideline.
Tony Delk no longer engaged in physical contact but kept sliding to maintain his position beside Lee.
Lee, showing no signs of slowing down, scanned the Defense while in motion.
Approaching the three-point line, he suddenly stopped short and quickly pulled back with a crossover step.
The moment Lee switched to his left hand, Tony Delk, who was tightly guarding him, couldn't adjust his defensive Center of Gravity in time, slipped, and completely lost his defensive position.
Lee, having completely shaken off his defender, immediately gathered the ball, then quickly jumped and shot from the right wing!
"Swish!" The three-pointer swished through the net!
"Boo!"
33:21. The lead was back to double digits, and the boos in the Fleet Center grew quieter and quieter.
Pierce, retreating on Defense, felt increasingly frustrated and immediately shoved Ron Artest, who was guarding him like glue.
Ron Artest, who was also missing shots, was equally frustrated.
Before the referee could react, he crashed into Pierce.
"F*** you! You All-Star thief!"
"Shut your stinking mouth!"
The two, pulled apart by the referee, didn't forget to exchange pleasantries.
This series had truly become a grudge match.
Ron Artest didn't care about offense.
He'd shoot when open, and drive to the basket whenever he had a chance, while stubbornly hounding his opponent on Defense.
Pierce, as the offensive core, was exasperated by this Defense.
With similar physiques and frequent physical collisions, his shooting became inaccurate.
While the opponent missed shots, Lee calmly directed traffic, passing when double-teamed and constantly shouting commands to his teammates for their positioning.
In the latter half of the second quarter, the game had turned into a Knicks practice session for breaking double teams.
With 1 minute and 1 second left in the first half, Clay Lee signaled a play before crossing half-court.
Kurt Thomas quickly ran to the left wing.
When he received the pass, Antoine Walker constantly swiped at the ball, trying to disrupt him.
Lee, having completed the pass, accelerated towards the left baseline.
Grant Hill then noticed Kurt Thomas on the high post passing the ball to Pau Gasol, who was receiving at the top of the key, and immediately moved quickly.
Eric Williams thought Grant Hill was going to cut to the basket, but he didn't expect it to be just an off-ball screen.
Kenny Anderson realized something was wrong but didn't have time to warn his teammate.
The next second, he saw Lee suddenly accelerate and pop out, and Kurt Thomas's down screen successfully delayed Eric Williams.
Moving towards the top of the key, Pau Gasol immediately delivered the pass.
When Lee received the ball near the left sideline, he made no adjustments, just caught and shot!
"Swish!" The three-pointer swished through the net.
"What a brilliant play, absolutely brilliant! The Celtics' Defense has completely failed!"
"Perhaps this is why Lee has become increasingly efficient this season. In a game, he always manages to get these open shooting opportunities!"
Marv Albert was thrilled watching it.
Such clear tactical plays were a delight to behold, and for a moment, he couldn't stop praising them.
Head Coach Tom Thibodeau on the sideline instinctively opened his mouth, but didn't know what to shout.
Such completely improvised offensive plays were not common even in practice.
Mike Fratello watched the big man Tony Battie forcefully attack the basket, drawing a foul and heading to the free-throw line, and couldn't help but shake his head:
"The Celtics are still playing based on talent. The gap between the two teams is too wide."
The Knicks' tactics weren't successful every possession.
Sometimes it was a turnover by Pau Gasol, sometimes a few players didn't screen effectively, failing to create an opportunity.
Once the shot clock exceeded 18 seconds, Lee had to take over again.
This offensive mode slowed down tonight's game pace, and the Celtics were once again suppressed and lost their temper in the second quarter.
As Antoine Walker's half-court heave missed, the Fleet Center fell completely silent.
52:36. Celtics fans were stunned.
Clay Lee, walking towards the player tunnel, shook his head slightly.
He had 8 turnovers in the first half, a performance that didn't meet his expectations.
"The opponent also had 7 turnovers. I think everyone played well!"
Grant Hill didn't mind these things.
Instead, he patted Lee on the shoulder to comfort him.
Lee briefly high-fived his teammates, then turned and softly replied:
"The opponent is a playoff Rookie. We need to aim higher, but scoring 52 points when our shot wasn't falling is indeed a good performance."
Lee felt uncomfortable with more than 15 turnovers in a game.
Ron Artest, on the other hand, had already run back to the locker room.
He's one to bury his head in the sand when his shots aren't falling.
When the second half began, the Celtics didn't fight back.
Instead, their offense further deteriorated.
Paul Pierce, completely out of control, was repeatedly entangled by Ron Artest, who had entered boxer mode.
Pierce received the ball with his back to the basket and immediately faced a fronting Defense.
When he received the ball beyond the three-point line, Ron Artest still clung to him relentlessly.
With 4 minutes and 52 seconds left in the third quarter, the moment Pierce popped out to the left wing to receive the ball, Ron Artest chased him down and aggressively swiped at the ball.
Fortunately, the referee immediately blew the whistle after the ball was lost.
Ron Artest was so angry he wanted to argue with the referee, but Lee quickly pulled back the hot-headed blacksmith.
Head Coach Tom Thibodeau finally found his moment, complaining loudly to the referee:
"That was clearly a great steal! You can't favor them just because they can't score!"
He was immediately T'd up.
Seeing his Head Coach get a technical, Ron Artest also calmed down.
He stood with his hands on his hips, looked at the score, and then arrogantly shouted at Pierce:
"Hey! All-Star! How many points did you score?"
0 for 4, and still no points on the scoreboard, Pierce, walking to the free throw line, stopped, frustrated.
Scoring points from free throws was truly too embarrassing.
The two started greeting each other again, and by this point, the Fleet Center had become a library.
Everyone knew that they were highly likely to be swept out of the series.
62:39, after Kenny Anderson made the free throw, the difference was still 23 points.
After double-teaming Lee, the Knicks played with extreme patience, relying on their Defense to extinguish the opponent's counterattack.
Pressing the ball-handler intensely at the top of the arc, Celtics fans were already numb.
For most of the quarter, many fans even wanted the painful game to end sooner.
Fortunately, the defensive intensity dropped later, and the Celtics finally reached double digits in scoring.
A single quarter of 20:11, and after three quarters, it was 72:47; the game had lost its suspense.
Back on the bench, a panting Pierce first kicked a drink flying, then threw a towel onto the floor, slammed the seat twice, and buried his head in his hands, muttering curses:
"Damn game! Shit!"
After tonight's game, Ron Artest was on his blacklist, and Lee was no longer a "good brother".
With 11 points in a single quarter, he would be ridiculed by commentators throughout the offseason.
Antoine Walker, who contributed such a famous moment by failing to back down Lee in a post-up and then turning the ball over, also had a blank stare in his eyes when he returned to his seat.
This was playing at home, and some people were already starting to boo.
On the Celtics' bench, the atmosphere crew didn't dare to speak.
Only Head Coach Jim O'Brien was still drawing on his tactical board.
In the last quarter, the defensive intensity of both sides decreased, but the shooting percentage remained low.
Celtics fans who bought tickets to watch the game tonight felt utterly ripped off!
Lee, despite being double-teamed, was still not the primary attacker, mostly responsible for taking difficult shots tonight.
As long as the opponent didn't take out their main lineup, the cautious Tom Thibodeau didn't plan to make substitutions either.
Once they secured the match point, Game 4 wouldn't matter.
Pau Gasol got many opportunities tonight, but under heavy contact, his jump shots were still off.
Fortunately, his finishing at the rim was still online, and with his long arms, he could put the ball into the basket whenever he got a chance.
After the Knicks ran the same play three times in a row, and Grant Hill scored consecutive reverse layups with both hands, Head Coach Jim O'Brien folded his arms and reluctantly called a timeout.
At the commentary table, Mike Fratello's expression was somewhat awkward as he recalled his prediction for this series:
"Although the Knicks' offensive efficiency dropped tonight, they still won the game by relying on their Defense."
"Lee has always firmly controlled the pace of the game. This season, he has a great chance to make it to the Finals again!"
Played 40 minutes, 11 of 23 from the field, 3 of 7 from three-point range, 6 of 6 from the free throw line, 31 points, 6 rebounds, 12 assists, 4 steals, 3 turnovers.
The extensive double-teaming was effective.
This was the first time Clay Lee's playoff shooting percentage dropped below 50% this year.
Marv Albert, who looked at the technical statistics, felt that Lee performed better tonight than in previous 'slacking off' games:
"Whether with the ball in his hands or moving without the ball, Lee can always help the team. He is still improving this season!"
"."
In the latter half of the 4th quarter, as the two commentators at the table talked big, the Fleet Center grew quieter and quieter, as if everyone was waiting for the game to end.
Finally, amidst scattered boos from the fans, the score settled at 96:70, and the series score came to 3:0.
Played 42 minutes, 7 of 23 from the field, 1 of 6 from three-point range, 4 of 5 from the free throw line, 19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers.
Paul Pierce, who got these stats, walked directly to the player tunnel after the game without saying a word, his face covered by a towel:
"I don't want this kind of surface brother!"
Antoine Walker, who scored 16 points on 7 of 18 shooting, also had a sour face.
The "star quality" argument was about him, losing by 26 points in a do-or-die game, he couldn't bear to read the newspapers anymore:
"From now on, the Knicks are mortal enemies!"
Clay Lee shook hands with the other Celtics players.
Not seeing those two 'surface brothers,' he knew that he would likely 'lose' them later.
As he walked towards the player tunnel, the Celtics fans on both sides didn't forget to send out boos again.
Clay Lee pouted, patted Ron Artest, who had been bricking shots, as encouragement, and could only helplessly internally complain:
"I wanted to save some face for my 'surface brothers,' but their strength didn't allow it!"
The game played simultaneously on the evening of the 9th was another offensive battle.
125:119, the Sacramento Kings secured a road victory, bringing the series score to 2:1.
In this back-and-forth battle, Steve Nash went 5 of 19 from the field, 2 of 10 from three-point range, scoring 15 points, 4 rebounds, 15 assists, 3 steals, and 3 turnovers.
Although his efficiency was low, Steve Nash still showed his top-tier guard style!
Dirk Nowitzki turned into a "softie" again, scoring 19 points and 5 rebounds on 6 of 15 shooting.
Chinese sports media secretly lamented.
Wang Zhizhi played 4 minutes, going 3 of 4 from the field, 1 of 1 from three-point range, and scored 7 points and 2 rebounds with extremely high efficiency.
"If Wang Zhizhi's playing time could be 20 minutes, perhaps the Dallas Mavericks would have won the game!"
Chinese fans watching in front of their televisions naturally agreed with this view; everyone wanted to see Wang Zhizhi replace Dirk Nowitzki.
(A/N: Bah! Daydreaming too much!)
On the morning of May 10th, the NBA announced the 01-02 season's All-Defensive Teams:
The five players in the First Team were:
Clay Lee, Jason Kidd, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Ben Wallace.
The five players in the Second Team were:
Gary Payton, Kobe Bryant, Bruce Bowen, Glenn Robinson, Dikembe Mutombo.
Two Detroit Pistons players were selected for the All-Defensive Team.
This season, they were almost the biggest winners in terms of awards!
After this list was announced, it immediately sparked considerable controversy:
Why was Dikembe Mutombo, who was already fishing, selected?
How could Doug Christie of the Sacramento Kings not be selected?
Head Coach Rick Adelman, who was still in Dallas preparing for the game, expressed his dissatisfaction in an interview:
"Although this list was selected by the Head Coachs, I feel that everyone did not take their work seriously."
"Some players' defensive efficiency isn't even within the top 50, which is unfair to Doug."
While Head Coach Rick Adelman was complaining that other coaches' votes were based on impression, Coach Tom Thibodeau was preparing for Game 4 and also voiced his support for Ron Artest:
"Everyone can see Ron's performance on the defensive end. I believe he should be selected for the All-Defensive First Team."
"Although the Knicks weren't outstanding in limiting opponents' scoring in the regular season, this is an individual honor."
The most controversial selections were actually Gary Payton and Kobe.
The former was older and already showing signs of physical decline, while the latter was due to poor defensive efficiency stats.
Commentators believed Doug Christie should have been selected instead.
Of course, everyone's complaints were mainly to create rivalries.
The San Antonio Spurs did not seem to be a match for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Although the series was tied at 1:1, the Los Angeles Lakers, having secured a road victory, already had the upper hand.
After the video session at the hotel this morning, as he was about to have lunch, Lee turned into some guys again.
A New York Post reporter who had followed the team to Boston interviewed Lee:
"Lee, congratulations on being selected to the All-Defensive First Team!"
"This season, your defensive efficiency ranks 9th in the NBA. Jason Kidd is 10th, and Ron Artest is 13th."
"What are your thoughts on Coach Tom Thibodeau's viewpoint?"
Lee listened with a puzzled expression, but at this moment, he still supported his teammate:
"Ron Artest's Defense is indeed outstanding. He truly should have been selected for the All-Defensive Team this season."
"I haven't paid attention to the defensive efficiency numbers, but within the Knicks, Ron Artest is the best perimeter defensive player!"
Hearing this answer, the few reporters were satisfied.
The New York Post reporter was preparing to criticize Gary Payton and Kobe, whose defensive efficiency ratings did not make the top 50.
Lee wanted to chat a bit more, but then he saw them happily preparing to leave to write their articles:
"Don't worry, Lee! We'll get justice for Ron Artest!"
"..."
.....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)