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{May every day of the coming year bring you joy, excitement, and sweet surprises. Happy New Year 2026! 🥳❤️🎁}
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On June 4, 2004, ABC continued to warm up for tomorrow night's game.
Due to Kobe's legal troubles this season and Shaq's self-promotion for several years, most of the recent warm-up videos have been about Payton and Karl Malone.
Karl Malone played in the NBA for half his life. During his time with the Jazz, he experienced two Finals, first being defeated by Michael Jordan in the 'Flu Game', and then by Clay Lee in the Finals with the largest point differential.
The label of 'tragic hero' has been attached to Karl Malone, and many old fans also hoped to see this veteran realize his dream and finally lift the championship trophy.
In the promotional short films of the past few days, Karl Malone's great mother was highlighted.
Facing the camera, Karl Malone's eyes turned red, and he shed tears several times during the filming process.
This also aroused the sympathy of many fans.
After all, Karl Malone is almost 41 years old, and he is still fighting for a championship at such an age.
What kind of sportsmanship is this!
The Lakers and the New York Knicks met again in the Finals, and the fourth battle indeed attracted a large audience.
Even casual fans who only followed the Finals felt sympathy for Karl Malone after watching the promotional short film, but the New York Knicks fans were not buying it, and some were even disgusted by this boring promotional method:
"Karl Malone's consecutive failures, what does that have to do with us?"
New York fans hate the 'spiritual victory' approach the most.
After all, they were dominated by Michael Jordan in the early 90s, and at that time, the New York Media always talked about 'the future is promising.'
What everyone likes now is solid victories.
Adding a championship banner above Madison Square Garden is what fans look forward to most.
Tomorrow is Saturday, and the Finals Game 1 will be held in the evening.
Manhattan has seen a surge in New York Knicks-themed items recently, and even the most frugal fans will buy a championship hat to show their support.
ABC's studio is also in Manhattan.
In the morning show, Tom Tolbert and Byron Scott were invited.
As post-game analysts during the Finals, the two guests have been warming up for the game for the past few days, but no matter how they analyze it, they feel that the Lakers' perimeter Defense will be severely beaten.
They tried their best to avoid this topic these past few days, but as the Finals approached, they had to discuss Lee's performance in this year's playoffs.
In the studio, when the discussion came to an end, Mike Tirico looked at the Clay Lee's 12-game playoff statistics provided by the director and immediately exclaimed:
"Unbelievable! Although the Celtics didn't cause too much trouble for Clay Lee in the first round, which inflated some of his stats, the next two teams were strong defensive teams!"
He averaged 33.5 minutes per game, scoring 35.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 10.2 assists, 2.5 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 1.1 turnovers per game.
He averaged 19.5 field goal attempts per game, with a 63.2% field goal percentage, and averaged 7.5 three-point attempts per game, with a 53.2% three-point percentage.
He averaged 7.5 free throws per game, with a 95.6% free throw percentage.
Seeing these statistics, Scott, dressed in a black suit, seemed to have unpleasant memories surface in his mind.
He forced a smile and said seriously:
"Indescribable. Don't forget that Clay Lee was matched up against Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups. I know them, and on the Defense end, these two are considered the best backcourt players in the NBA."
Tolbert laughed, not discussing the statistics much, but instead offered a different perspective:
"I think the Western Conference teams are stronger. Although the Lakers' path to the Finals this year was not easy, their form is getting better and better."
"Shaquille O'Neal is still very dominant, and the New York Knicks' interior will have difficulty limiting his performance."
"I will not doubt the veterans' desire for victory, therefore, in this series, the outcome is still hard to say!"
Host Mike Tirico subconsciously pushed up his glasses.
No wonder Tolbert could be this year's guest.
His ability to speak nonsense with a straight face was definitely industry-leading:
"Tomorrow at 9 PM, Finals Game 1 will be held at Madison Square Garden, and ABC will provide comprehensive coverage!"
On Saturday, June 5th, Madison Square Garden became lively in the evening.
The birth of Facebook brought young people closer together.
Boston is not far from here, and fans who came early to watch the game gathered together very early.
Although Shaquille O'Neal didn't make any bold statements before the game, many people still liked to tease Shaq, after all, Shaquille O'Neal, who was still in his prime, was the only player on the Lakers who had won the Finals MVP award.
"Shaq, I am your father!"
While queuing to enter, many fans wearing New York Knicks number 1 jerseys cheered and shouted.
The game hadn't even started, but some people were already having a blast outside Madison Square Garden.
With nearly an hour until the game, Madison Square Garden gradually grew noisy.
The Lakers, who had warmed up early, returned to the locker room, finding the atmosphere on site uncomfortable.
Ray Allen, Denzel Washington, and Spike Lee sat in the front row, chatting happily and laughing.
Finally, Ray Allen also accepted an interview with Stuart Scott:
"Ray, tell me your prediction for this year's Finals, which team do you think will win the championship?"
Ray Allen, wearing a University of Connecticut jersey, became a 'straightforward boy' again at this moment. Upon hearing the question, he immediately answered seriously:
"Without a doubt, Lee will easily win the series. Basketball is not about who has more experience. The Lakers will not have any chance!"
"The Lakers don't just have an age problem. They also have conflicts in their locker room."
"Kobe always wants to prove he's better than everyone else, but the gap between him and Lee is clear to everyone. He's not even the best player on the Lakers."
"Perhaps in this series, he will shoot wildly to prove himself, but that will make the Lakers lose faster. They will face the New York Knicks' fast break and then fall behind by a large margin at halftime."
"Lee has never relaxed his demands on himself. This series should be the easiest in this year's playoffs. Perhaps he can achieve a 40+ points and double-double average, which is not difficult for him at all!"
Stuart Scott, the sideline reporter, coughed slightly, but Ray Allen spoke so mercilessly that it was difficult for him to interject.
Finally, Spike Lee, with an orange handkerchief tied around his head, came to the rescue from behind:
"Don't be like that, Ray! Actually, I'd rather see the awards ceremony at home. New York fans all hope to watch a few more games."
...
Stuart Scott, head down, adjusting his glasses, could only end the interview with a smile.
In the visiting team's locker room, Phil Jackson looked at everyone and sternly arranged:
"We need to get the ball inside. The game needs to be played simpler, utilizing our strengths."
"Don't follow their rhythm, Gary, you know what to do!"
It's difficult for the older players to run the entire court, and the decrease in possessions this season is also a result of compromise.
The Head Coach repeatedly reminded him, and Gary Payton immediately nodded in agreement.
Since arriving in Manhattan, he had entered a state of silence.
The video sessions of the past few days made Gary Payton feel absurd.
Shaquille O'Neal sensed his teammates' low spirits and immediately said in a low voice:
"Give me the ball, I'll take care of this game! I don't want anyone to disrupt the team's offense."
After saying this, Shaquille O'Neal glanced at Kobe, clearly implying something, but the latter ignored Shaq and continued to adjust the elbow pad on his arm.
Finally, veteran Karl Malone spoke some pleasantries, easing the awkward atmosphere:
"Slow down the game, we also have a big advantage!"
The veterans began to offer motivational speeches.
Devin George, who earned a starting spot this season, still felt the atmosphere was off, but he had no say and could only follow the others out of the locker room to prepare for the game.
As the arena DJ introduced the Lakers players one by one, boos echoed throughout Madison Square Garden, until the lights dimmed and the home team players entered, when cheers erupted non-stop.
When Kobe heard the DJ call Lee's name, a heart-wrenching roar came to his ears, and this atmosphere made him somewhat envious.
Watching Lee high-five his teammates after entering, Kobe couldn't help but secretly vow:
"I will definitely prove myself!"
After more than a week of rest, Lee had already recovered his body to its optimal state.
After the lights came on, he immediately took off his training uniform and began his final warm-up.
Sideline reporter Michelle Tafoya approached Coach D'Antoni, who was wearing a black suit with a red scarf, and interviewed him with a smile:
"Mike, for tonight's game, will the New York Knicks readjust their tactical arrangements?"
Coach D'Antoni smiled confidently.
After watching the video, he felt that the New York Knicks had a greater chance of winning:
"Compared to previous games, we will fully accelerate the pace. Lee will increase his personal offense, which is the most efficient way to play."
"We will execute more pick-and-rolls. Attacking the opposing big men is our core strategy!"
Coach D'Antoni, who was playing his cards openly, did not humble himself and eloquently introduced his tactical arrangements, concluding with:
"The New York Knicks are very likely to achieve a big victory in tonight's game!"
At the broadcast table, Michaels and Doug Rivers were still discussing tonight's starting lineups for both teams:
"I think Payton's playing time should be reduced. Derek Fisher is often a better option."
" The Lakers' interior Defense against pick-and-rolls will face a severe test. On the Defense end, I think Devin George should be more involved in guarding Clay Lee."
Doug Rivers put on the air of a tactical master, while Michaels, who mostly broadcast NFL, naturally nodded repeatedly upon hearing the professional analysis:
"How to defend Clay Lee, this is indeed the key to this game. Perhaps we can also look forward to Gary Payton, this veteran has very rich defensive experience!"
As the two continued to analyze at the broadcast table, waves of cheers erupted in Madison Square Garden as Lee repeatedly hit long-range three-pointers, exciting the New York fans.
Gary Payton on the other side of the court had long since fallen silent.
The expectations of the commentators these past few days had put a lot of pressure on him.
However, when Gary Payton thought of Lee's playoff statistics this year, all his bold words were swallowed.
When the referee called both teams to the center of the court, a huge cheer immediately erupted in Madison Square Garden:
"Let's go Knicks!"
Lee adjusted his arm guard and stretched his left leg, which was clad in white sleeve, before smiling and bumping fists with the Los Angeles Lakers players.
The Los Angeles Lakers players all had grim expressions, and Kobe did not even extend his hand, staring intently at Lee.
Facing his "deadly enemy," Kobe only wanted to prove himself in the game and had no interest in superficial gestures.
Lee didn't mind, smiling as he bumped fists with O'Neal, reminding him:
"The New York fans won't allow it. There will be no garbage time in this year's Finals!"
"You have no idea how strong we are! We've been through completely different games."
Shaquille O'Neal said loudly to Lee, seemingly trying to use these words to boost the morale of his dejected teammates.
On the New York Knicks' side, except for Pau Gasol's serious expression, none of them cared about Shaquille O'Neal's words.
Ron Artest just stared at Kobe, head held high, appearing as if he didn't care what they said.
Before the tip-off, the referee repeatedly reminded both teams about the defensive intensity, as the NBA was very displeased with the violent incidents in the Eastern Conference Finals.
As the basketball was tossed up, Pau Gasol tipped the ball first, and the cheers in the Madison Square Garden immediately grew louder.
Lee, who controlled the ball, quickly dribbled it across half-court with his left hand.
The New York Knicks still maintained a simple "V-shape" formation.
As Lee moved to the left wing, Ron Artest quickly cut along the baseline, and Kurt Thomas from the left elbow area came up to screen.
Before his teammates could settle, Lee suddenly lowered his center of gravity, swayed his body to the right front, and then abruptly changed direction with a crossover.
Payton instinctively slid to the back right, and when he tried to re-engage in Defense, he immediately collided with the set Kurt Thomas.
The moment he switched to his left hand, Lee immediately drove forward, ignoring Karl Malone's delayed help Defense, and simply and forcefully lowered his shoulder to accelerate.
Karl Malone, still shuffling, had no time to delay and, after being squeezed past by half a step, tried to foul by pulling.
However, Lee, leading the ball forward again, instantly squeezed past the Defense and took large strides straight to the basket.
O'Neal, who had sensed it early, accelerated his shuffle towards the basket, but Lee was incredibly fast.
Just as he returned to the area near the lower left of the basket, Shaquille O'Neal heard a huge cheer, and then saw Clay Lee soar into the air.
Jumping with both feet near the paint, Lee gripped the ball with his right hand, ignored O'Neal coming up for help Defense in the air, and swung his arm down for a dunk!
He instinctively tried to jump for a block but was half a beat too slow.
His raised right hand had no effect. Shaquille O'Neal, who hadn't fully jumped, felt a sudden pressure in his chest in the air, followed by a roaring sound in his ears.
"Boom!" A successful breakthrough and poster dunk!
Watching Shaquille O'Neal stumble upon landing, almost crashing into the baseline camera, Madison Square Garden erupted:
"Wow!"
Lee, having completed the dunk, just shook his head, showing a relaxed expression, and pressed his hands down, indicating that the game had just begun.
Phil Jackson on the sideline saw clearly that Karl Malone, who had suffered a knee injury, had significantly reduced lateral movement speed, relying entirely on experience and his large frame for Defense.
With his arms crossed and a deep frown, Phil Jackson could only loudly call for his players to calm down.
O'Neal, rarely posterized, was furious at this moment.
He turned his head and stared at Lee, then, hearing the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man's loud reminder, quickly ran to half-court.
Payton, who received the ball on the baseline, was quickly bothered by Lee.
This veteran's explosiveness had severely declined; several sudden stops and starts not only failed to shake off the Defense but also forced him to slow down due to physical contact.
Near the mid-court line, after a half-turn, Payton protected the ball with his left hand and dribbled it past half-court with his rear end sticking out.
With 8 seconds gone on the shot clock, Shaquille O'Neal tried to demand the ball directly in the left low post, but Pau Gasol's fronting Defense still caused him some trouble.
Suddenly cutting to the baseline, Shaquille O'Neal shook off the Defense but couldn't get the pass in time.
He turned his head to look upcourt, and Payton was still sideways, protecting the ball.
He initially wanted to pass the ball horizontally to Kobe, but seeing Shaquille O'Neal wave his hand, Payton eventually stopped the ball on the left wing.
Only when Shaquille O'Neal moved closer to the restricted area did he deliver a lob pass.
Jumping to catch the ball, Shaquille O'Neal hadn't even had time to put the ball down when Clay Lee had already arrived for help Defense, reaching in to interfere.
The moment he encountered the double-team, O'Neal quickly whipped the ball out to the perimeter.
O'Neal made the pass, but Payton, who received the ball, did not choose to shoot a jump shot.
Seeing Lee recover on Defense, he simply passed the ball horizontally to transfer it.
Kobe received the ball near the top of the arc and immediately called for Karl Malone to set a screen.
With more than half the shot clock gone, Kobe, who pushed the ball and changed direction to his right hand, attempted to lower his shoulder and accelerate.
Ron Artest timely squeezed through the screen, his right arm pressed against Kobe's waist, while Kurt Thomas followed with a sliding step for help Defense.
Under their double-team, Kobe, forced to slow down, couldn't squeeze past the Defense and ultimately jumped and threw the ball away.
On the free-throw line, Karl Malone received the ball and, without hesitation, immediately shot a brick!
The rebound bounced out. Pau Gasol was still entangled with Shaquille O'Neal.
Grant Hill timely collapsed into the paint, grabbed the rebound, and immediately threw the ball to the frontcourt.
Dashing past the mid-court Logo, Lee chased down the basketball, scooped the ball with his left hand ahead of Payton, and accelerated with a fierce burst.
Only Kobe was rapidly recovering on Defense behind him.
Lee ignored Payton beside him, pushing through the Defense and crushing his way past mid-court.
Showing no signs of slowing down, Lee, dribbling with his left hand, ran faster and faster.
In contrast, Payton, after being pulled, struggled to keep up with the pace and gradually fell behind by half a step.
The two tangled their way into the paint.
While in motion, Lee cradled the ball with his left hand, took three large steps and charged directly, bumping Payton aside, and then soared into the air directly in front of the basket!
Stretching his body in the air, Lee gripped the ball with his left hand, pulled it to his side, and then slammed it fiercely into the basket!
"Boom!" A successful transition dunk!
Payton, who was bumped aside, couldn't even manage to jump for a block.
He stumbled and stopped awkwardly next to the paint, his face drawn long as he heard the New York fans' cheers.
"Too easy!"
After completing the dunk, Lee kept shaking his head and loudly taunting, which again drew a burst of shouts from the New York fans.
Payton, silent, received the baseline ball and was again interfered with by Lee, eventually dribbling it past half-court with his rear end sticking out.
Shaquille O'Neal didn't demand the ball in the low post.
After moving up, the moment he received the pass, he immediately put the ball down with his left hand and dribbled two steps towards the baseline.
Taking advantage of Lee's help Defense not being fully in place, Shaquille O'Neal ultimately bumped off the Defense and missed a one-handed floater with his left hand.
The basketball just hit the front rim.
Pau Gasol had just landed after the block when Shaquille O'Neal immediately grabbed the offensive rebound, then put the ball down with his left hand, smoothly backed his way to the basket, shouldered off the Defense, and made a bank shot.
The entire sequence of movements was almost exclusively performed in the air.
Shaquille O'Neal, with his incredibly quick reactions, was very pleased after making this shot.
He wanted to show off to Lee but found that the New York Knicks had already inbounded the ball from the baseline.
The Los Angeles Lakers were still retreating on Defense.
Clay Lee, who received the baseline ball, accelerated fiercely with the ball in his right hand.
Just as he was almost behind the forward Shaquille O'Neal, he suddenly stopped short, then quickly dribbled the ball behind his back.
Switching to his left hand, Lee continued to accelerate.
Sensing the situation behind him, Shaquille O'Neal immediately quickened his pace and loudly called for Karl Malone to switch.
Just as the big man ran near the baseline, Lee also stopped the ball at the top of the arc.
Facing Payton's tight Defense, he protected the ball with his left hand, sideways.
Pau Gasol charged to the right near the baseline, then accelerated up again.
Shaquille O'Neal, who had stopped, cursed under his breath at this point and had to follow him upcourt.
Beyond the three-point line at the top of the arc, Pau Gasol set his feet.
Lee, using the screen, twisted his body to accelerate, faking a drive to draw O'Neal to slide right, then suddenly executed a wide turn while in motion.
Lee leaned into Payton, and as he switched to his right hand, he used Pau Gasol's screen to completely shake off the Defense.
Payton quickly shouted a warning to his teammates, and the slightly flashy move immediately drew cheers from the New York fans:
"Oh!"
With his teammate out of defensive position, Shaquille O'Neal quickly adjusted his center of gravity and slid to the left.
Clay Lee, dribbling with his right hand, suddenly accelerated at this moment, crashing directly into Shaquille O'Neal's embrace.
O'Neal, sliding on Defense, stuck out his belly, trying to continue the delay, but Lee took advantage of the momentum, pushing off his feet and quickly stepping back using the force of the collision.
Instantly losing his defensive position, O'Neal saw Lee return beyond the three-point line in a blink of an eye.
He had no time to block and could only watch as Lee drifted to the back right and released a jump shot!
"Swish!" The three-pointer swished through the net.
2:7. Clay Lee had accounted for all the points since the start, and cheers once again resounded through the Madison Square Garden.
"Gary Payton must be the first line of Defense, otherwise Clay Lee will frequently attack the two big men."
"It's clear that Lee's outside shooting is excellent tonight. The moment of truth for the Los Angeles Lakers has arrived."
Doug Rivers, being wise after the event, commented in his husky voice, completely omitting any mention of his pre-game expectations for Payton.
Michaels watched with amusement.
He now somewhat understood Coach D'Antoni's pre-game words—the New York Knicks were all about isolation plays:
"A wonderful shot! I believe the Los Angeles Lakers will respond!"
Phil Jackson on the sideline noticed that the Los Angeles Lakers' offensive rhythm had problems after the start, and immediately signaled a tactical play to Payton.
After being tangled and dribbling past half-court, Payton quickly passed the ball to Kobe on the left wing.
The latter received the pass, and Ron Artest immediately stuck to him.
At the same time, Shaquille O'Neal started demanding the ball again in the left low post.
Payton ran with Lee towards the right wing.
Devin George pulled Grant Hill and squatted in the right corner.
The Los Angeles Lakers attempted to create a localized two-on-two on the other side.
Unlike the Triangle Offense used in previous seasons, the Los Angeles Lakers significantly increased their pick-and-roll plays to accommodate the two veterans.
Kobe did not easily put the ball down.
Instead, he protected the ball on his right side, constantly using jab steps, trying to trick Ron Artest's center of gravity.
This action infuriated Shaquille O'Neal in the paint.
He had clearly established position but didn't receive the pass, and immediately shouted:
"Give me the ball!"
Ron Artest remained unfazed.
His right forearm was pressed tightly against Kobe's waist, while he lowered his center of gravity and constantly interfered with his left hand.
The ball was held for too long.
Finally, Karl Malone quickly shuffled to the left wing on the three-point line to set a screen for Kobe.
With his teammate set, Kobe put the ball down with his right hand, attempting to lean on the Defense and twist his body to drive forward.
Ron Artest, playing at home, didn't care if it would be a foul.
Taking advantage of Kobe's slight hop dribble, he immediately pounced from behind, powerfully swatting the ball with his right hand from the rear.
"Ah!"
Both the ball and his hand were hit.
The moment he lost possession, Kobe jumped up and yelled.
The referee made no call.
The basketball happened to fly in Lee's direction.
Payton dove for the ball, but Lee reacted faster.
After poking the ball with his right hand, he followed up with an elbow from his left arm, then the pressure suddenly eased.
After gaining control of the ball, he accelerated fiercely with the ball in his right hand.
Lee quickly dashed past the three-point line, noticed the movement behind him, and as he entered the paint, he casually tossed the ball off the backboard.
Ron Artest, following closely behind, immediately leaped, grabbed the ball with both hands in mid-air, and completed a gliding dunk!
An excited Ron Artest chest-bumped Lee under the basket to celebrate, then yelled at the camera under the basket while pulling on his jersey:
"Ah!"
Phil Jackson was still complaining to the sideline referee, but the referee showed no reaction.
Karl Malone, having suffered a hidden loss, returned to the baseline and glared at Lee beside him.
"Man, you can come to the New York Knicks and wave a towel! Right now, you're as soft as a cupcake!"
"Shut up!"
The baseline referee saw the two starting to exchange pleasantries and immediately warned them in a low voice.
Karl Malone, whose heart was ablaze after receiving the ball, initially wanted to call Devin George for a screen on the inbound pass, but ultimately chose to dribble it past half-court himself.
Nearing the mid-court line, Karl Malone half-turned and switched the ball to his right hand.
Clay Lee's attempt to steal the ball interfered, and in a surge of anger, Karl Malone immediately raised his left arm and shoved him hard.
Lee leaned back with the momentum, and the referee, who had just warned both players, immediately blew his whistle, calling a foul on Karl Malone.
Slamming the ball directly onto the floor, Karl Malone rushed forward and glared at Joe Crawford, who had just blown the whistle:
"Open your eyes, he's flopping!"
Lee clapped his hands and chuckled at mid-court, which only infuriated Karl Malone further.
Fortunately, Devin George reacted quickly enough, otherwise the bald referee would have immediately called a technical foul.
Phil Jackson on the sideline loudly signaled Kobe to switch Defenses, while also reminding Karl Malone to calm down.
The opponent showed signs of collapsing at the first touch, and the New York fans in attendance were delighted, their cheers growing louder:
"Let's go Knicks!"
After the inbound pass, as Lee received the ball, Kobe angrily came forward to meet him.
Standing on the three-point line, Kobe pulled up his shorts and stared intently at Lee.
The roar from the Madison Square Garden seemed to affect the focused Kobe.
Karl Malone loudly reminded him from behind, but it didn't have much effect.
As Kurt Thomas, who had inbounded the ball, moved to the three-point line, he suddenly moved up.
At the same time, Lee pushed the ball and changed direction.
Kurt Thomas stood firm to Kobe's right.
Lee scooped the ball with his left hand and accelerated.
The sudden pick-and-roll caused the focused Kobe to turn his head and directly collide with his defender.
Although Karl Malone quickly shuffled his feet, he even jumped prematurely to block when he saw Lee approaching the left wing.
But as Lee suddenly pulled up for a jump shot from a distance outside the three-point line, old Karl Malone's Defense was completely in vain.
He could only watch the basketball fly past his fingertips.
"Clay Lee from downtown!"
"What a shot!"
The 26-foot three-pointer made Michaels on the commentary desk exclaim in excitement.
2:12, the point differential reached double digits.
Large groups of fans stood up, waving their handkerchiefs and cheering excitedly.
Doug Rivers, looking at Lee who had once again positioned himself beside Karl Malone, couldn't help but exclaim:
"Crazy offense, this pick-and-roll is hard to defend, Clay Lee is too good!"
Feeling ignored, Kobe suddenly entered an "unhappy" state.
On the offensive possession, after receiving a pass from Karl Malone and moving to the right wing, Kobe ignored O'Neal, who was calling for the ball in the low post on the right, and once again called Karl Malone for a screen.
Without waiting for his teammate to get set, Kobe quickly swept the ball, immediately put it down with his right hand, and drove forward, attempting to gain position.
Ron Artest, who was already prepared, quickly slid back to his left and continued to provide physical contact.
Shaquille O'Neal under the basket had just established position and hadn't yet had time to create space for Kobe, when the latter, still being chased by Ron Artest, suddenly stopped in the right restricted area, then faked a shot.
Seeing Ron Artest unmoved, Kobe ultimately didn't choose to pass the ball, but instead twisted his body and forced a jump shot.
Ron Artest jumped with him to block, and the ball bounced off the rim due to the interference.
Pau Gasol, who was just behind Shaquille O'Neal, firmly held his position, easily secured the defensive rebound, and immediately passed the ball to the waiting Grant Hill.
After receiving the ball, Grant Hill immediately accelerated the push.
Although Devin George quickly came up to interfere, the ball had already flown to the right wing before he could approach the mid-court line.
Clay Lee, who was continuously accelerating along the right sideline, received the ball and immediately stopped short.
Karl Malone, who was still accelerating in retreat, realized something was wrong, stopped his steps, and jumped to block.
About a step away from the three-point line, Lee, who had just received the ball, made no adjustments, raised the ball, and shot!
Karl Malone, flying in mid-air, tried his best to straighten his right arm but failed to block the shot, and unable to control his body, he directly knocked Lee to the ground.
"Squeak! Swish!"
The whistle blew and the shot went in, the ball swished through the net, and Madison Square Garden erupted once again.
Michaels on the commentary desk shouted repeatedly:
"God! How did he do that! Incredible!"
The roar grew louder and louder.
Karl Malone sat on the floor, staring blankly at Lee, who was being helped up by his teammates, seemingly unable to believe the game was unfolding this way.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
As Clay Lee stepped to the free-throw line, MVP chants echoed through the Madison Square Garden.
Shaquille O'Neal and Karl Malone, who had just run over from the backcourt, stood glumly beside the paint, saying nothing.
"Maybe I can get 50 points tonight!"
"."
No one responded.
Clay Lee shrugged, calmly made the free throw, and Phil Jackson immediately called a timeout.
2:16, Coach D'Antoni on the sideline couldn't stop smiling.
The New York Knicks' bench was in a joyous uproar, and the atmosphere group rushed onto the court to high-five Lee in celebration.
O'Neal angrily walked towards the bench, and as soon as he sat down, he threw the towel handed to him by the atmosphere group onto the floor:
"Damn it, give me the ball!"
Less than half a quarter into the game, trailing by 14 points, the continuous back-and-forth runs had completely broken Shaquille O'Neal.
Glaring at everyone, he didn't want to lose the game.
"The Los Angeles Lakers are going to trade you!"
Behind the Los Angeles Lakers' bench, a cheering fan jumped and shouted continuously, infuriating Shaquille O'Neal, who immediately stood up, only to be pressed down by an assistant coach.
"Share the ball in time, the game has just begun, calm down!"
The Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man slammed the clipboard, also glaring at everyone, then pointed at Kobe and said:
"Give the ball to Shaq, trust your teammates! This is the Finals, I don't want to see any more emotional shots!"
Kobe pursed his lips and said nothing, his face still showing an unconvinced expression.
He didn't like such tough guidance.
Karl Malone was even more anxious inside.
At this moment, he could only clap his hands and encourage:
"It's okay, the game has just begun, focus, I need to play more aggressively!"
Derek Fisher wanted to play, but the coaching staff didn't beckon him.
Looking at the players re-entering the game, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly:
"The point differential is too big."
In the first possession after the timeout, Karl Malone delivered a timely pass from the left wing.
Shaquille O'Neal had just gotten to a very deep position.
After receiving the ball, he immediately put it down with his right hand, pushed past Pau Gasol, and completed a one-handed power dunk!
"Ah!"
Shaquille O'Neal, who had just completed the dunk, was still roaring under the basket, but Pau Gasol had already quickly inbounded the ball.
As Lee rushed past half-court, Kobe immediately came up to double-team him.
Grant Hill on the right wing received the pass and immediately drove forward.
Karl Malone, who had retreated to the basket for Defense, could only commit a foul, sending Grant Hill to the free-throw line.
The game entered a rhythm of Shaquille O'Neal aggressively attacking the paint and the New York Knicks making continuous quick scores.
The extensive double-teaming did not stop the New York Knicks' scoring.
Instead, the continuous ball movement completely broke down the Los Angeles Lakers' Defense.
Shaq had just scored two points with a strong drive under the basket, and then Grant Hill again drove forward from the right wing.
Shaquille O'Neal quickly moved to help defend under the basket.
While in motion, Grant Hill delivered a pass, and Pau Gasol, who had cut down to the right elbow, received the ball, came under the basket, and quickly laid it in with his left hand!
Unable to receive the pass in time, the New York Knicks' perimeter Defense continued to apply high pressure.
Ultimately, Kobe ended up with the ball on the right wing and forced a three-point shot that missed.
Lee, who picked up the long rebound, accelerated and charged.
Karl Malone failed to foul him early, and eventually, Kobe chased him down to the paint and sent Lee to the free-throw line.
In the latter part of the first quarter, after a lot of back-and-forth running, the New York Knicks began to sag their Defense, completely abandoning Karl Malone and Kobe.
The two also wanted to respond, but both missed their shots again, only able to rely on Shaquille O'Neal's strong play in the paint to score.
Kobe frequently faced tough physical contests from Ron Artest, and in his unhappy state, he didn't make a field goal until the end of the first quarter.
Phil Jackson, who hadn't called a timeout, stood on the sideline, watching the back-and-forth between the two teams with a blank expression.
Kobe missed both free throws.
Lee received a hand-off pass from Pau Gasol on the left wing and immediately shot the ball.
"Swish!" Another three-pointer!
Looking at Lee, who raised his right arm with three fingers extended, and then at Karl Malone, who failed to squeeze through the screen in time, the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man turned his head and sat directly back on the bench.
The Los Angeles Lakers missed their shot and could only foul to stop the New York Knicks' counterattack.
Foul counts accumulated quickly, Karl Malone picked up his second personal foul, and Clay Lee continued to shoot free throws.
As the Los Angeles Lakers' last possession ended with Derek Fisher's deep three-pointer missing, the cheers from Madison Square Garden erupted throughout the Madison Square Garden.
18:38, Shaquille O'Neal, walking towards the bench, showed a hint of frustration.
4-for-6 shooting, 3-for-4 from the free-throw line, scoring 11 points, Shaq accounted for half of the Los Angeles Lakers' points.
6-for-8 shooting, 4-for-5 from beyond the arc, 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, Clay Lee efficiently scored 21 points, his individual score exceeding the Los Angeles Lakers' entire team.
After looking at the box score, Michaels on the commentary desk was speechless.
This game seemed to be over.
Before the game, Doug Rivers had confidently guaranteed that Kobe would respond from the perimeter, but he went 1-for-5, scoring a meager 2 points.
Seeing his partner silent, Doug Rivers let out a dry laugh and once again offered his "poisoned milk" prediction:
"The Los Angeles Lakers still have time, I believe Kobe will bounce back strongly. What they need to do now is focus on Defense!"
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By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)