Check out my new fanfics.
Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.
The return of Itachi
I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.
Please give it a go đ
***
(Webnovel was malfunctioning, so I'll update 2 chapters today. Here's the first one. Last update will be at our usual time. đ 1/2)
.
.
On the morning of May 22, 2003, the NBA held this year's Draft Lottery at the Continental Airlines Arena.
Although the Nets and Knicks were scheduled to play that night, the commentators were more focused on whether the Cavaliers could win the first pick.
Representatives from various teams had already arrived in New Jersey.
During an interview, Grizzlies President Jerry West made a rare self-deprecating remark:
"I really hope the Grizzlies can get the first pick, so we don't have to hand over the draft pick to the Detroit Pistons."
"I don't really like the lottery. I always feel that relying on luck is a terrible thing, but if the league wants to develop, I think this rule is very reasonable!"
West, who was interviewed, ultimately chose to graciously accept the outcome.
Trades are inherently a gamble.
The Detroit Pistons and the Knicks were both incredibly lucky.
The former's trade that year allowed them to acquire a lottery pick in the deep 2003 draft, while the latter, by trading championship-winning guards, unknowingly completed their rebuild.
This year's Draft Lottery was almost entirely designed to build hype for LeBron James.
Even though everyone knew the script of the "The Chosen One" saving his hometown sports had already been written, as long as this grand drama hadn't truly unfolded, the onlookers would continue to buy into it.
It wasn't just sports media entering a state of mutual commercial praise.
The Nets had reached the Conference Finals and were currently down 0-2 in the series.
The team's Vice President, Stu Jackson, hadn't discussed this series recently.
Instead, he followed suit and praised:
"After watching LeBron James's senior year games, I felt like I was seeing the next Clay Lee!"
"Other high school players are not on his level. I guarantee LeBron James will succeed in the NBA."
Detroit Pistons General Manager Joe Dumars also joked during an interview:
"If someone doesn't pick LeBron James with the first pick, we will definitely bring this high school Rookie into our team!"
"Of course, the premise for this to happen is that the Grizzlies cannot get the first pick. Now I just want to pray to God!"
Before the official lottery, the NBA also arranged a rehearsal, and the Denver Nuggets ultimately drew the first pick.
Regarding this result, Denver Nuggets General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe sighed inwardly, showing no smile on his face, and quickly explained the reason during an interview:
"God will not favor us twice in a row. Drawing the first pick in the rehearsal is, of course, very unfortunate!"
After the Draft Lottery officially began, NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik announced the results of each team's draw one by one.
After the Heat and Toronto Raptors drew the fifth and fourth picks respectively, the Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, and Grizzlies entered the top three picks.
The Denver Nuggets failed to continue their good fortune and ultimately drew the third pick, and the Grizzlies also failed to retain their draft pick, drawing the second pick.
Detroit Pistons General Manager Joe Dumars was particularly happy.
Although the team fell in the semifinals this year, getting the second pick as the second seed in the Eastern Conference was definitely a huge gain.
The first pick was without suspense, ultimately claimed by the Cavaliers!
After the Draft Lottery ended, Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund was beaming.
After securing the first pick, he grinned during an interview and teased:
"Hey! We still haven't decided who to pick yet, you still have a chance!"
"âŠ"
In the afternoon, the Cavaliers' beat reporter revealed some more news:
"We watched the Draft Lottery from a hotel in Akron, and after learning that the Cavaliers got the first pick, LeBron and his friends were overjoyed!"
This news was quickly confirmed, and LeBron James, still in his hometown, also said proudly in an interview:
"I am ready! I want to light up all of Cleveland! I will bring a championship to my hometown!"
Everything was as beautiful as expected. Cleveland got the first pick, LeBron James would play for his hometown team, and the Cavaliers also welcomed a championship Head Coach.
The entire city was happy with such a result, and the fans were already impatient!
Nets fans were the most depressed.
The Draft Lottery was right on their doorstep, and the Heat of the game that night was completely absorbed, with no one discussing the Eastern Conference Finals.
Last night, Western Conference Finals Game 2, 106:119, was another offensive shootout, and the San Antonio Spurs ultimately protected their home court.
Don Nelson was not satisfied with the officiating in this game and complained a bit after the game:
"The guys played well, but we couldn't play Defense. The opponent kept getting free throws."
At halftime, the San Antonio Spurs led by 25 points, 44:69!
Malik Rose was exceptionally brave off the bench, shooting 3-of-8 from the field and 13-of-14 from the free-throw line, scoring 19 points in the first half.
For the entire game, with a free throw disparity of 22:45, Don Nelson's complaints were useless.
Their offense was defeated by a flurry of free throws.
It was simply that their response shots weren't strong enough.
The Dallas Mavericks and the Knicks are considered outliers in the current NBA.
Both teams can still play high-scoring games in the playoffs.
In the offensive shootout, the San Antonio Spurs performed exceptionally well, and Tim Duncan continued to be a dominant force!
However, in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Nets couldn't hold on.
Kidd's performance was mediocre, and he couldn't help the team make more response shots.
Despite only having a little over a day to rest, Nets fans received good news:
Dikembe Mutombo would return from injury tonight!
Before the game started, at the ABC commentary desk, Tolbert noticed that many Knicks fans had come to the Madison Square Garden again, and he was speechless for a moment.
He completely understood why Kidd always called on more Nets fans to come and support them at press conferences.
The game officially tipped off at 8:30 PM, about half an hour before the start.
Nessler was still looking through the statistics.
After checking Dikembe Mutombo's performance this season, he immediately introduced him to the fans:
"During the regular season, Dikembe Mutombo played 24 games, averaging 5.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.4 turnovers."
"Perhaps due to injury, his field goal percentage was 37.4%, and his free throw percentage was 72.7%."
"Currently, we cannot confirm Dikembe Mutombo's physical recovery."
Tolbert wasn't optimistic about this "age unknown" center saving the team.
Although the truth might be a bit harsh, he still offered his opinion:
"For the Nets to win, Jason Kidd must step up."
"As the team leader, he shouldn't lose his calm demeanor, control the game's tempo, and no matter what, make those response shots!"
"In the first two games, all I saw was a anxious Kidd. He should play to his strengths instead of blindly pursuing individual offense."
"Back at home, this is a must-win game. I hope to see Kidd respond!"
The two analyzed intensely from the commentary booth, and after losing Game 2, Kidd, aside from complaining, completely entered a state of "post-game silence" the next day.
During the final warm-up phase before the game, Kidd also appeared very subdued.
Jay-Z on the sidelines was still cheering on Kidd, as another loss would most likely mean a sweep.
The rap superstar had previously tried to buy shares in the Knicks but was unsuccessful.
Recently, there have been rumors that the Nets owner will sell a small portion of shares, and he is about to become a small shareholder in the team.
The Madison Square Garden became increasingly lively.
Clay Lee was making shots during warm-ups, even when throwing wildly, and some New York fans cheered happily.
Winning this game would give them a match point, so Coach D'Antoni naturally had to push his starters hard.
With the away game feeling like a home game, and the minimal exertion in the previous two games, the coaching staff was confident they could end the series suspense tonight.
Before the referee called both teams to center court, Mike D'Antoni unusually admonished everyone:
"Continue our Defense, keep cutting off Kidd's connection with others, be patient, and don't forget we can always find opportunities to play with a man advantage!"
The coaching staff was clearly worried that other players getting opportunities too easily would lead to poor execution, and if the Nets frequently launched fast breaks, the Knicks would fall into a passive position.
Fortunately, this rarely happened in these two games.
Aside from some long rebounds from three-point shots, most of the time, Jason Kidd, who was heavily guarded, was in a scoring drought.
Ron Artest naturally knew that the Head Coach was referring to him.
Many times he could get easy shooting opportunities, but he didn't shoot wildly in these two games.
"I know, Coach! I will complete my task."
Ron Artest agreed repeatedly, patting his chest to guarantee.
In the last game, Rookie Richard Jefferson was limited to 3-of-10 shooting, scoring 10 points, and Ron Artest also contributed on the defensive end.
As both teams' players came to center court, the cheering in the Continental Airlines Arena became chaotic.
Despite his opponent's low spirits, Lee still friendly bumped fists with the Nets players.
The game hadn't even started, and Kidd was already frowning.
As Pau Gasol successfully tipped the ball, the defensive cheers in the Madison Square Garden finally drowned out the shouts of encouragement:
"Defense!"
On the New York Knicks' first offensive possession, Lee brought the ball across half-court with his right hand, protecting it with his body as he observed the opposing team's defensive alignment.
Realizing there was no help Defense, Pau Gasol actively stepped up for a pick-and-roll on the left elbow.
Clay Lee first dribbled the ball in place with a powerful bounce, then immediately switched to his left hand, twisted his body, and accelerated, squeezing past Pau Gasol.
Unlike the previous two games, when Pau Gasol completed the screen and rolled, the big man Collins only stepped forward to interfere with his arm, then immediately moved backward.
At the three-point line, Lee paused slightly, simply stopped, and, as Kidd chased up to him, quickly dribbled the ball between his legs.
Ron Artest, at the left baseline, quickly accelerated and slid along the baseline to create offensive space.
Richard Jefferson hesitated for a moment but still chose to chase him.
The wing became a one-on-one situation, and Kidd could only maintain his balance and intently watch the basketball in Lee's hands.
Suddenly quickening his dribbling rhythm, after switching to his right hand, Lee executed two extremely quick behind-the-back dribbles, lowering his body's center of gravity while rapidly performing an in-and-out dribble with his right hand.
He swayed his body slightly to the front right, then abruptly lunged forward and accelerated.
Noticing Kidd moving backward, Lee dribbled behind his back again, simultaneously pushing off his feet to step back and shoot a jump shot over the block!
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly.
Watching Lee retreat on Defense, Kidd frowned again.
He found it difficult to find a suitable defensive method, no matter how many videos he watched.
Back on his home court, Kidd no longer floated outside taking continuous jump shots.
On the first offense, after Kenyon Martin set a screen near the right wing, Kidd, with the ball in his right hand, drove directly to the basket.
Clay Lee and Kurt Thomas, who were defending on the baseline, both converged into the paint, and with Pau Gasol also retreating on Defense, there were suddenly three New York Knicks players under the basket.
Kidd, unable to completely shake off the Defense, had no intention of passing.
Instead, he took three big steps and drove up, toughly laying the ball up over the retreating Kurt Thomas.
Lee, jumping behind him to interfere, had intended to block the shot, but Kidd's lobbed ball had a higher arc than he expected.
The referee didn't blow the whistle.
The ball hit high off the backboard and bounced off the rim, and Kidd fell to the floor.
Pau Gasol secured the rebound, and Lee stepped up to receive the ball.
At this moment, Kidd stood up and loudly complained to the referee.
However, cheers erupted in the Continental Airlines Arena.
Kidd glared at the referee, slapped his thigh, and quickly chased back on Defense.
In the transition offense, the New York Knicks' two wing players had already run to the left and right baselines.
Kurt Thomas also sprinted to the left near the baseline, while Pau Gasol immediately stopped and set a high screen at the top of the arc.
Jason Kidd, chasing up to Lee's side, initially tried to forcefully squeeze through the screen but was ultimately delayed by Pau Gasol, watching Lee, with the ball in his right hand, move sideways to shake off his entanglement.
The big man Collins was now sideways, trying to slide up to block Lee's driving lane.
However, his lateral speed was too slow.
After Lee accelerated sideways, he adjusted his footwork, quickly led the ball with his right hand, and then easily squeezed past Collins, completely shaking off the Defense.
Watching Lee drive directly to the basket, Kenyon Martin initially wanted to step up for help Defense, but he didn't expect Lee to perform a running floater.
Directly in front of the basket, he grabbed the ball with his right hand and shot a floater.
"Swish!" The two-pointer went in cleanly.
5-0. Trailing from the start, Head Coach Scott quickly shouted a reminder:
"Steady! Control the tempo!"
Kidd dribbled to the left wing and immediately called Kenyon Martin to set a screen.
Driving with the ball in his right hand, Kidd quickly bumped into Lee, who was defending on the baseline.
After being interfered with, Kidd immediately protected the ball with his body, switched to his left hand, and again completed a pick-and-roll with Kenyon Martin near the three-point line.
This was a fake screen.
Before Clay Lee could go around, Kenyon Martin immediately accelerated sideways and ran to the left elbow.
Kidd also got an opportunity outside the three-point line, but he didn't choose to shoot a jump shot.
Instead, he immediately passed the ball to the moving Kenyon Martin.
The latter received the ball, first faked a shot, and seeing Kurt Thomas squatting in front of him with his hands up, motionless, Kenyon Martin simply immediately shot a jump shot!
"Swish!" The two-pointer went in steadily.
"He won't make many shots. Good Defense!"
Lee clapped his hands, signaling Kurt Thomas to maintain that defensive distance.
Compared to driving to the basket from near the free-throw line, a jump shot was a less reliable option.
On the New York Knicks' bench, Ewing also stood up and clapped, also loudly reminding them to protect the rim.
With an opponent's mid-range jump shot accuracy just over 30%, after two games, the New York Knicks had let the beastly power forward shoot freely.
Kenyon Martin and Kidd glared at each other simultaneously, while Head Coach Scott kept waving his hand, signaling his players to quickly retreat on Defense.
They couldn't afford to lose this game.
In the following few minutes, after a pick-and-roll, Kenyon Martin first made a mid-range jump shot from the right elbow, and then, after a jab step, made a jump shot from the left near the baseline.
Having scored 6 points consecutively with jump shots, Kenyon Martin pumped his fist and roared, appearing exceptionally excited.
The Nets' Defense still had some problems.
First, Grant Hill seized an opportunity for a step-through drive from the right wing, resulting in a shooting foul on Collins.
Then, Richard Jefferson's defensive focus was lacking, and he was assisted by Pau Gasol's behind-the-back pass from the left block, allowing Ron Artest to score an easy basket underneath.
Both sides scored consecutively, and Kittles even made a contested three-pointer from the left wing!
With continuous successful offensive possessions, the Nets players' morale returned.
They were exceptionally focused on the defensive end, and there were no errors in their switches.
For a moment, the New York Knicks also had a 24-second shot clock violation.
With 5.6 seconds left on the shot clock, Clay Lee received the ball at the top of the arc, put it down with his right hand, and drove forward.
Kidd also made an excellent defensive read, quickly sliding backward to the left, while maintaining his balance and applying pressure.
At the free-throw line, Lee suddenly stopped short with a crossover dribble.
While performing a large lateral step-back, he didn't forget to gather the ball, successfully evading the Defense.
He then shot a fadeaway jump shot after the step-back.
"Bang!"
He missed a mid-range shot badly, and under the basket, a scramble ensued.
Clay Lee successfully assisted on the rebound, and Pau Gasol grabbed the offensive rebound, going up strong under the basket and drawing a shooting foul on Kenyon Martin.
"Boo!"
Scattered boos were quickly replaced by the cheers of New York fans.
The New York Knicks players on the court high-fived Pau Gasol, as strong rebounding was also something they needed.
Making both free throws, Pau Gasol also pumped his fist as he retreated on Defense, appearing very happy.
11-9, the New York Knicks still held the lead.
Kidd had been distributing the ball for several possessions, and this time, he initiated a pick-and-roll with Kenyon Martin on the left wing again.
Using the same offensive scheme, after repeated pick-and-rolls, Lee still went around the baseline to block Kidd's driving lane.
At this moment, Kidd, who was left open outside the three-point line, hesitated for a moment before gathering the ball and shooting a jump shot!
"Bang!" Another miss.
The long rebound was collected by Ron Artest near the right baseline, and cheers erupted in Continental Airlines Arena again.
Waving his hands repeatedly, Kidd was extremely annoyed.
His shooting touch was terrible.
The Nets players were now loudly reminding each other, and several of them quickly retreated on Defense.
Lee, who received the ball, also pushed the pace quickly, almost chasing his opponent across half-court.
Kurt Thomas stopped early, standing at the top of the arc for a high pick-and-roll.
While in motion, Lee dribbled the ball behind his back, squeezed past his teammate, and with the ball in his left hand, continued to accelerate against the switching Kenyon Martin.
As he approached the three-point line, he quickly dribbled between his legs.
After switching to his right hand, Lee accelerated his drive and quickly arrived near the right elbow.
Kenyon Martin, delaying and helping on Defense, had been intently watching Lee's movements, and with Kidd chasing from behind, the two were about to double-team him.
Clay Lee stopped short and suddenly faked a shot.
The two defenders instinctively quickened their steps slightly.
Before they could complete the double-team, Lee passed the ball through the gap between them.
He bounced the pass to Kurt Thomas at the left elbow near the free-throw line.
The latter was unguarded, and his open jump shot went in steadily!
13-9. Kidd, who had been missing shots, now continuously made tactical hand gestures, reminding his teammates to pay attention to their positioning.
In the half-court offense, Richard Jefferson used his teammates' continuous baseline screens to quickly pop out to the right block.
Receiving the pass from Kidd, Richard Jefferson first faked a shot, then put the ball down with his right hand and drove directly to the basket against Ron Artest's Defense.
After physical contact forced him to slow down, and he had driven to the block, Richard Jefferson suddenly dribbled the ball behind his back, and after switching to his left hand, he almost squeezed past the Defense.
Adjusting his center of gravity, Ron Artest quickly slid backward to the left.
Ultimately, Richard Jefferson drove into the paint, forcefully pushed away the Defense, and completed a fadeaway jump shot!
"Swish!" The two-pointer went in cleanly.
The beautiful basket finally made the Nets fans cheer.
After hitting this difficult pull-up jump shot, Richard Jefferson also let out a roar, venting the frustration in his heart.
On the road, Ron Artest still reined in his Defense, and seeing the Rookie jumping around, he immediately went after him and glared at him.
In the latter half of the first quarter, the Nets kept the score close, and the New York Knicks also responded continuously.
Instead, Lee and Kidd missed several shots.
However, the two situations were completely different.
When the Nets strengthened their Defense and the New York Knicks' tactics were unsuccessful, Lee would take over and complete the offense.
Kiddles received a hand-off pass from the big man in the right elbow area, and several opportunities arose.
Facing Lee, who was going around the screen, he missed an open jump shot.
It wasn't until 8.7 seconds left in the first quarter that Kenyon Martin tipped the offensive rebound, and the Nets, reorganizing their offense, ran the same play again.
Collins moved up to the right elbow area to receive the ball, and after passing it, Kidd quickly moved horizontally to receive the hand-off pass.
This time, Kidd, who was left open again, didn't hesitate and finally made the open jump shot.
24:21, the Nets continued to keep the score close.
Clay Lee's super long three-pointer missed, and Head Coach Scott on the sidelines also celebrated with a fist pump.
The Continental Airlines Arena finally heard cheers from the Nets fans.
Although Kidd was 1 for 5 and only scored 2 points, a smile appeared on his face when he returned to the bench.
At the ABC commentary table, Tolbert was in a great mood when he saw the difference was only 3 points.
He also didn't want to watch a blowout game in the Conference Finals:
"Excellent offense drives Defense. The Nets played very well tonight, and they successfully withstood the New York Knicks' first-quarter offensive."
"But it's a pity that Kidd couldn't find his shooting touch. He must make those open jump shots, that will help the team win!"
Nessler felt that Kidd was very likely not to find his shooting touch, but on the surface, he also praised him:
"Statistics cannot reflect Jason Kidd's role. In the first quarter, he completely controlled the Nets' game rhythm!"
In the second quarter, Head Coach Scott replaced Collins with Dikembe Mutombo and Kittles with Lucious Harris.
The New York Knicks also made two substitutions, replacing Grant Hill and Pau Gasol with Stephen Jackson and the big man Wright.
Neither Head Coach gave too many instructions.
Kittles received the inbound pass, quickly dribbled past half-court, and then passed the ball early again.
In the left elbow area, Kenyon Martin received the pass and immediately gave the ball to Dikembe Mutombo, who was posting up in the left low block.
The latter did not immediately put the ball down and post up after receiving it.
Wright continuously gave physical resistance behind him, and his hand movements also didn't stop.
The more experienced Dikembe Mutombo sensed the defensive Center of Gravity, quickly put the ball down with his right hand, faked a pull towards the baseline, then twisted his body forward, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and completed a floater with a high-arching shot.
Perhaps it had been too long since a formal game, Wright stuck close to Dikembe Mutombo and didn't fall for the fake.
The two collided, and Dikembe Mutombo's floater hit the backboard and didn't even touch the rim.
Kurt Thomas crashed the boards and successfully secured the rebound.
Clay Lee received it, and the New York Knicks quickly accelerated across half-court.
The big man Wright ran hard, and as soon as he crossed the mid-court line, he started to slow down, then stopped at the top of the arc.
Still some distance from the three-point line, Lee, who had crossed mid-court, quickly performed an in-and-out dribble with the ball in his right hand while moving, using the screen to instantly shake off Kidd's Defense.
Dikembe Mutombo stopped at the three-point line, saw Lee charging over, and before he could even bend down and slide, he was frozen in place by the wide-ranging in-and-out.
Faking left and driving right, Lee didn't slow down, passing two defenders and driving straight to the basket.
Kenyon Martin, who had just retreated to the paint, hadn't even found his footing when Lee jumped with both feet, soaring into the air, gripping the ball with his right hand, ignoring the block in front of him, pulling his arm back, bending his body backward, then suddenly exerting force and slamming the ball down!
"Boom!"
The rim roared; an axe-handle dunk was successful!
"Screech!"
Seeing Kenyon Martin lose his balance in the air and fall directly out of bounds after landing, the referee paused for a moment before blowing the whistle.
"What a slam dunk!"
"OMG!"
At the commentary table, Nessler also shouted excitedly, and the cheers at the Continental Airlines Arena instantly drowned out the boos.
On the New York Knicks' bench, everyone was jumping and cheering.
Stephen Jackson and a few others rushed forward to hug Lee, roaring repeatedly.
The visually impactful poster dunk also ignited the teammates' emotions.
Kenyon Martin, pulled up by his teammates, was still dazed.
He had just retreated on Defense and took a "heavy blow".
He didn't even see how Lee broke through to the basket.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
Clay Lee stepped to the free-throw line, and the chants rang out again.
The free throw was made, and the atmosphere was completely ignited.
While retreating on Defense, Lee also smiled and waved towards the area where New York Knicks fans were gathered.
Kidd, who received the inbound pass, quickly let out a long breath to calm his emotions.
On the Nets' offense, when Kidd had a shooting opportunity, he would ultimately choose to accelerate and drive to the paint.
Lee followed him around twice, and the second time he came to the lower right of the basket, Kidd, who had circled out of the paint, subtly flicked his left wrist to pass the ball while moving.
Kenyon Martin, trailing in the middle, bent down to scoop the ball, took a step, and drove straight to the basket.
Kurt Thomas and Wright were one in front and one behind.
The two converged in the paint, and ultimately, Kenyon Martin's shot, caught in the double-team, hit the rim and bounced out.
Dikembe Mutombo, in the lower right of the basket, grabbed the offensive rebound immediately.
As he secured the rebound, he instinctively brought the ball to his chest.
Just as he wanted to explode up with the ball again, Clay Lee quickly moved to the basket, snatched the ball away, and the moment the ball was dropped, Dikembe Mutombo also let out a yell.
Fortunately, Kidd reacted quickly enough and immediately stepped forward to commit a tactical foul.
Seeming to sense something was wrong, Kidd quickly signaled his teammates to retreat on Defense.
The New York Knicks quickly inbounded the ball, and Lee, after receiving the ball and rushing past half-court, immediately gave the ball to Wright at the top of the arc.
The latter received the ball, Lee faked right, then suddenly accelerated and ran back.
Kidd was just a hair away from making a steal.
Lee put the ball down with his left hand, lowered his shoulder and accelerated; seeing Dikembe Mutombo moving horizontally, he suddenly stopped short, leaned against Kidd behind him, and then accelerated again.
Stopping and starting abruptly, Kidd was bumped and lost his defensive position.
Dikembe Mutombo hadn't even had time to bend down when Lee's right hand, which was protecting the ball, conveniently held the opponent's thigh, and after exerting force, he quickly squeezed past the opponent's side.
Kenyon Martin under the basket felt as if Clay Lee had broken through to the basket in the blink of an eye.
Learning from experience, he didn't jump recklessly, but just as he moved forward, Kenyon Martin saw Clay Lee gather the ball and step forward to the right.
He subconsciously stopped his feet, and then Kenyon Martin watched as Lee changed direction again, quickly using a Euro step to completely shake off the Defense, and laid the ball into the basket with his left hand.
29:21, the score was again at a delicate 8-point difference.
Head Coach Scott did not call a timeout but immediately signaled to get the ball inside.
Kidd was not in a hurry to advance, ignoring the defensive shouts in his ear, he came to the left wing and immediately turned his body to protect the ball.
As Lee set up his right arm for top Defense, he also noticed Kenyon Martin and Kurt Thomas pulling and boxing out behind him.
Actively increasing physical contact, Lee started to interfere with his hands.
Kurt Thomas also tried to front-guard at this time, and Kenyon Martin was squeezed out of the low post.
Coming to the left block area, successfully pinning Kurt Thomas behind him, Kenyon Martin quickly spread his hands to ask for the ball, and Clay Lee raised his left arm to continue interfering with Kidd's pass.
Kidd quickly sent out a bounce pass, thinking it would accurately find his teammate, but he didn't expect Kurt Thomas to suddenly pull back at this moment.
Kenyon Martin, leaning on the Defense, stumbled, almost sitting directly on the floor.
Kurt Thomas seized the opportunity to complete the steal, then immediately tossed the ball to the frontcourt.
Kidd and Lee both accelerated at the same time, their hand movements constant, pulling and tugging at each other.
Thinking the referee would blow the whistle, Kidd made a big move.
As Lee scooped the ball with his left hand, he immediately aggressively swiped at the ball, throwing his entire body onto Lee.
Not hearing a whistle, Lee quickly brought the ball behind his back with his left hand, evading the pouncing Defense, and after scooping the ball with his right hand, his protecting hand discreetly gave the opponent an elbow.
Kidd, who had intended to continue twisting and tangling, felt a sudden tightness in his chest and almost fell to the ground, instantly losing his defensive position.
Completely unopposed, it was a 1-on-0 fast break.
Lee, with the ball in his right hand, charged incredibly fast, and after three long strides, he gripped the ball with one hand and completed a gliding tomahawk dunk!
31:21, the difference reached double digits.
Head Coach Scott immediately called a timeout.
Kidd, having taken a hidden blow, was still angrily arguing with the referee.
On the other side, the New York Knicks players had already caught up to Lee, high-fiving him in celebration.
"Calm down! The second quarter has just begun, no more turnovers, we need to score!"
Sitting in front of the Nets players, Head Coach Scott loudly reminded them, and the Head Coach's words calmed Kidd down.
The others also nodded repeatedly.
After the timeout, Kidd didn't initiate an offense.
He still passed the ball over half-court, cut through the middle, and then ran towards the left wing.
After Kenyon Martin received the ball in the right elbow area, he immediately completed a hand-off with Harris.
Harris, who received the pass, briefly shook off Jackson's pursuit, took a big dribble forward, and pulled up for a jump shot from the free-throw line!
Without interference, the basketball still hit the rim and bounced out.
Kenyon Martin, who rushed to the basket, became completely anxious, pushing Thomas in the back while boxing out.
The referee was right in front of them, and Thomas immediately rushed out of bounds, then the whistle blew.
"Wow!"
The cheers in the Continental Airlines Arena made Kidd curse.
He roared loudly repeatedly while retreating on Defense, reminding his teammates to calm down.
Lee, seeing Kenyon Martin pick up his third personal foul, immediately perked up.
After crossing half-court, Kidd saw Kurt Thomas step up for a screen and immediately reminded his teammates.
On the right wing, with the first screen, Kidd successfully squeezed through.
Soon, Kurt Thomas repositioned himself to Clay Lee's right.
Lee leaned on Kidd with his body while quickly squeezing past his teammate.
Seeing Kidd squeezed behind him, Kenyon Martin moved to help on Defense.
Lee then lowered his center of gravity, performed a small In and Out dribble with his right hand while moving, and then burst forward with a sudden acceleration.
With this "outside overtake," Kenyon Martin desperately slid to his left-rear, and Kidd also chased fiercely from behind.
Breaking through to the right restricted area, Lee leaned into the Defense and suddenly performed a spin move, squeezing between the two players and instantly arriving in the paint directly in front of the basket.
Kidd, worried about his teammate fouling, simply hugged Lee, attempting to foul early, but at this moment, the basketball had already flown towards the basket.
Kenyon Martin, in a moment of Heat, blocked the ball as it was falling.
"Screech!"
"Damn it!"
Seeing the referee blow the whistle and point to the free-throw line, Kidd cursed in anger, almost exploding with rage at the Gorilla Power Forward.
Lee didn't expect to get a 2+1.
Seeing Kenyon Martin's aggrieved expression, he immediately grinned.
Walking to the free-throw line, he first high-fived his teammates to celebrate, then turned his head to look at Kidd, who was standing with his hands on his hips at the three-point line.
Lee smiled and pointed to his head with his index finger:
"You know I'll keep running his screens. Go ask for a substitution!"
"..."
Kidd frowned tightly and remained silent, trying to calm his emotions, but still felt indignant, muttering two more curses.
In just a few minutes, the situation on the court had become so passive.
"Wow!"
Lee made the free throw, and the cheers in the atmosphere grew louder and louder.
34:21, the lead extended to 13 points.
Mike D'Antoni seemed to think the game was secure and leaned back in his chair on the bench.
In the remainder of the game, what made Kidd even more frustrated was that the Nets fell into a scoring drought.
Jefferson's drive was interfered with by Tayshaun Prince, hitting the rim and bouncing out.
His subsequent catch-and-shoot jumper after a screen also missed.
Harris also lost his touch, first clanking a three-pointer from the left wing, then his layup attempt was chased down and blocked at the basket by Stephen Jackson.
Dikembe Mutombo couldn't find opportunities for easy buckets, and on Defense, he seemed unable to keep up with the pace of the game, appearing like a large bamboo pole.
On the New York Knicks' offense, Lee repeatedly used Kenyon Martin for screens, playing a simple and direct drive-and-kick game.
For a while, one side continuously scored +2s and frequently went to the free-throw line, while the other side kept clanking shots, leaving Nets fans speechless for a long time.
Although Head Coach Scott called a timeout and later put his starting lineup back in, Kidd, who came on, made one jump shot but then also started missing.
Seeing the lead grow larger and larger, Kidd, who continued to miss shots, completely lost his composure and began to constantly attack the basket, no longer passing the ball.
The New York Knicks' big man, Wright, quickly picked up two fouls, and then Lee also received his second personal foul.
The Nets frequently went to the free-throw line, and without any field goals, the game naturally became "ugly."
With 46 seconds left in the first half, Head Coach Scott showed an expression of disbelief, seemingly unable to believe that the game would turn out this way.
On the Nets' bench, everyone watched Pau Gasol calmly make both free throws, and for a moment, there was a deafening silence.
52:33, despite the referees' leniency, Kenyon Martin had not yet picked up his fourth personal foul, but with the second quarter almost over, the Nets had only scored 12 points.
This possession again consumed nearly 20 seconds.
Kenyon Martin put the ball down with his left hand at the free-throw line, drove to the basket, and missed the layup.
"Oh!"
The cheers grew louder and louder.
A completely unhinged Kidd relentlessly hounded Lee, and the two began continuous physical contact from the backcourt.
Kidd double-teamed Lee after he dribbled past half-court, and Grant Hill, unguarded on the right wing, received the pass.
With no defensive rotation, the Nets players seemed stunned.
Grant Hill adjusted himself, then calmly pulled up for a jump shot!
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly.
Hill, who usually has very low production, chuckled after making this shot, high-fiving Lee while quickly retreating on Defense.
In the final moments of the half, Kidd didn't pass the ball either, taking another clank from the left wing over Lee's outstretched arm.
On the New York Knicks' bench, the hype group was already beaming with smiles.
The outcome was decided!
55:33, the huge point difference left the two commentators at the ABC broadcast table speechless.
Watching Lee and the New York Knicks players happily skip back to the player tunnel, commentator Nessler let out a dry laugh and immediately spoke some platitudes:
"With a 22-point difference, the Nets still have a chance."
Tolbert, beside him, gave a "don't lie to me" expression, and after looking at the box score, he said bluntly:
"The series is over. Clay Lee has shown us the dominance of a 73-win team."
"On both ends of the court, they are the superior team, and even in terms of game details, the Nets are inferior to their opponent."
In 24 minutes played, Clay Lee was 7 of 12 from the field, 2 of 4 from three-point range, and 6 of 6 from the free-throw line, tallying 22 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 1 turnover.
Also playing the entire half, Jaso Kidd was 1 of 9 from the field, 0 of 3 from three-point range, and 4 of 6 from the free-throw line, furiously scoring 6 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 turnovers.
His Finals dream shattered, Kidd, walking into the player tunnel, kicked over a nearby railing, then furiously punched the wall, finally grunting in pain...
Watching their boss's impotent rage, none of the Nets players stepped forward to stop him.
Entering the locker room dejectedly, Kidd returned to his seat and didn't speak, covering his face with a pained expression.
Kenyon Martin was the best-performing player in the first half, shooting 5 of 9 from the field and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line, scoring a team-high 12 points.
Although he also went cold in the second quarter, the Power Forward felt he had done his best:
"Maybe ending the series early isn't a bad thing. I don't like playing against the team next door at all."
Whispering these words, Kenyon Martin stared blankly at the floor, his mood exceptionally low.
Jefferson wanted to say a few words, but he opened his mouth and didn't know what to say.
He was 2 of 6 in the half, only scoring 4 points.
When Head Coach Scott entered the locker room, he immediately found that all the players were mentally shattered.
The usual pep talk was gone.
He looked at the whiteboard in the locker room, and in the end, the coaching staff could only continue to speak platitudes:
"In the second half, we need to pick up the pace. We need to play good Defense. When opportunities arise on the perimeter, shoot decisively."
"..."
In the New York Knicks' locker room, Ewing stood with his arms crossed, wearing a triumphant expression.
While Coach D'Antoni was still dealing with reporters, Gorilla loudly declared in the locker room:
"Alright, guys! Get ready for your Eastern Conference Champions acceptance speeches!"
.....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)