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Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.
The return of Itachi
I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.
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***
On the evening of June 5, 2004, the game at Madison Square Garden allowed many commentators to re-evaluate the New York Knicks' roster depth.
From the commentary booth, as the third quarter was about to end, Doug Rivers couldn't help but exclaim again:
"The New York Knicks' rotation is even better than we thought."
"These players seem to be playing at 120% of their ability when they are around Clay Lee."
"Raja Bell and Tayshaun Prince have both done a great job on the Defense, and even Amar'e Stoudemire, whose playing time was limited, scored consecutively in his limited minutes."
"The locker room culture of a Champion team affects the players. Perhaps this is the key to their success!"
After saying this in a hoarse voice, Rivers felt he had learned something new.
He attributed the Orlando Magic's failure to insufficient star power and lack of roster depth.
Watching Mike D'Antoni pacing with a smile on the sidelines, Rivers secretly envied him:
"What a lucky guy!"
Michaels felt his partner's words made sense.
The New York Knicks' rotation indeed performed excellently.
Dikembe Mutombo and the big man Wright, who came off the bench, both had specific tasks: if they couldn't defend Shaquille O'Neal, they would foul him.
The New York Knicks could accept Shaquille O'Neal scoring easily in the low post, but in most possessions, they constantly fronted him and tried to double-team him in the low post.
Aside from Pau Gasol, who controlled his fouls, the few big men who came off the bench didn't care about their foul count, sending Shaquille O'Neal to the free-throw line several times.
Unexpectedly for the New York Knicks' coaching staff, perhaps due to the large deficit, Shaquille O'Neal was exceptionally focused, and the foul strategy failed.
Fortunately, Kobe continued to miss shots, occasionally making a field goal, while Gary Payton and Karl Malone were completely silent, completely ignored on the Defense.
With 46.2 seconds left in the third quarter, the referee was not stingy with his whistle, trying to compensate the Lakers a bit to prevent the score difference from becoming too large and affecting the game.
Ron Artest chuckled and high-fived Tayshaun Prince. As he returned to his seat, he noticed the Rookie, who had come on, was silently watching him again.
Kobe Bryant frowned.
The New York Knicks' Defense was more troublesome than he had imagined.
Lee, standing beyond the three-point line, didn't even look at Kobe, who was shooting free throws.
He had intended to check on Gary Payton nearby, but the veteran had already moved far away from him.
With reduced playing time, his expression was even uglier.
Although Derek Fisher, who came off the bench, also kept missing shots, Gary Payton couldn't be happy.
He was completely dominated on both ends of the court.
Kobe's two free throws brought the score to 61:89.
The New York fans on site were cheering and celebrating, anticipating a strong start to the Finals.
Lee didn't rush.
Both teams still had one last possession.
In the commentary booth, Michaels summarized the game early:
"The New York Knicks' strategy is clear. They have been constantly speeding up their offensive pace."
"Although the Lakers performed well, they are still too slow. Losing by such a large margin, I believe Head Coach Phil Jackson will make adjustments in G2."
By this point in the game, Kobe had only rested for 2 minutes.
The Lakers truly couldn't do without him.
On offense, he had to handle a portion of the ball, and on Defense, Kobe also had to guard Lee to limit the New York Knicks' scoring.
Although Kobe was struggling on both ends of the court, he was still one of only two players performing well for the Lakers.
"Let's go Knicks!"
The cheers did not diminish as time passed.
A blowout game depended on the opponent, and seeing the Lakers struggle made New York fans particularly happy.
Due to foul trouble, the New York Knicks' interior players at this time were Pau Gasol and Dikembe Mutombo.
In the third quarter, Karl Malone actively pushed, causing Kurt Thomas to pick up his fourth personal foul early.
However, this did not change the situation on the court, nor did it change the fact that Karl Malone's offensive state was poor.
Watching Pau Gasol move early to the top of the arc for a screen, Karl Malone numbly shuffled his feet.
He had been so worn out that he had lost his temper.
Kobe, full of fighting spirit, stared intently.
Noticing Pau Gasol moving to his right, he immediately shuffled his feet and stepped up to tightly guard Lee, who was dribbling with his left hand.
The moment Karl Malone also slid over to help defend, Pau Gasol didn't stand still but quickly rolled down, heading straight for the left baseline.
At the same time, Lee leaned against Kobe, feigning an acceleration to drive, and then, as Karl Malone's help Defense was about to arrive, he smoothly delivered a bounce pass.
Just as he reached the left restricted area, Karl Malone saw Pau Gasol receive the ball in open space and quickened his steps, rapidly closing in to defend.
The moment he passed the ball, Lee first quickly shuffled sideways, feigning a cut, then suddenly stepped back.
Kobe, whose body center was deceived, was still sliding backward to the left.
He didn't see Pau Gasol pass the ball again behind him.
By the time he reacted, Lee had already returned to the left wing to receive the ball.
Raising the ball for a pump fake from the three-point line, Lee's realistic fake move immediately made Kobe rush to defend.
Protecting the ball on his left side, Lee quickly took a jab step forward to the left with his right foot, then suddenly lowered his center of gravity.
Kobe hurriedly shuffled back again.
Taking advantage of his opponent's slide, Lee faked again, then dropped the ball with his left hand, feigning a drive.
Kobe, whose body's center of gravity was continuously shifted, first rushed to defend and then quickly slid back to the right.
After body contact, seeing Lee quickly explode the ball and step back, Kobe couldn't rush to defend in time and remained rooted to the spot, watching the shot.
Drifting slightly backward to the left, with no interference, Lee completed his jump shot and immediately raised his left arm, celebrating simply.
Swish! The three-pointer went in cleanly!
61:92. Kobe's face was dark, but he had no solution.
If he got too close, he'd be driven past.
If he stayed too far, he'd watch a step-back jumper.
Since taking over the Defense in the second quarter, Kobe hadn't found the right defensive distance and was constantly being toyed with by Lee.
The laughter of the fans in the front row made Kobe a bit hot-headed.
He no longer controlled the time.
After Gary Payton dribbled past half-court with 8 seconds left, Kobe immediately demanded the ball on the right wing.
Devin George, as always, stayed in the left corner, and Hill, beside him, didn't look at him but constantly watched the interior movements, trying to anticipate the Lakers' passing lanes.
When Lee arrived at the left wing, he didn't look at Gary Payton beside him.
Below the left basket, Shaquille O'Neal was still battling Dikembe Mutombo.
Shaquille O'Neal, also looking upset, saw Lee and Hill begin to converge and knew the New York Knicks were preparing to double-team him.
He had intended to call Karl Malone for a baseline cross-screen, but before Shaquille O'Neal could speak, Kobe, who had received the ball away from the three-point line, swept the ball and then put it down with his right hand for a straight drive.
Constantly sliding backward to the left, Tayshaun Prince raised his left arm while constantly making small movements with his right hand, disrupting Kobe's dribbling rhythm.
In daily training, the New York Knicks' forwards would defend Lee this way.
It was considered the most effective defensive method.
Kobe's dribbling center of gravity was higher than Lee's, and coupled with some decline in stamina, he was forced to slow down while using his dribbling hand to swat away the arm, failing to squeeze past the Defense in time.
Shaquille O'Neal and Karl Malone saw Kobe stop short and immediately charged hard towards the basket.
They both knew they wouldn't get a pass, so at this point, they could only desperately fight for offensive rebounds.
The anticipated rebound did not materialize.
Instead, the referee signaled a sideline inbound.
After Kobe made a fake move, Tayshaun Prince cleanly stole the ball, disrupting the offense.
Having completed an excellent Defense, Tayshaun Prince ignored Kobe's glare and emotionlessly stuck close to him.
Even with the referee right there, Tayshaun Prince still subtly pulled and tugged, employing an "embracing" Defense that immediately infuriated Kobe, who started pushing back.
Fortunately, the referee gave a warning, and only then did Tayshaun Prince raise both arms, indicating he was fine.
Gary Payton inbounded the ball, and Kobe received it again on the left wing.
Lee again followed Gary Payton to the left wing.
Noticing that Kobe was actually dribbling towards the baseline, he immediately loudly warned Tayshaun Prince.
Making a wrong offensive choice, under the interference of Tayshaun Prince's long arms, Kobe, dribbling with his right hand, finally realized something was wrong and hurriedly dribbled behind his back to his left hand.
Karl Malone also moved from below the right basket to the left corner to set a screen for Kobe.
However, the space in this position was narrow.
Although Kobe, dribbling with his left hand, temporarily shook off Tayshaun Prince, he had to lead the ball forward to prevent the opponent from stealing it from behind.
But as Pau Gasol also came up to help defend, also extending his long arm to interfere, Kobe had intended to do an In and out, but he overestimated his ball-handling ability.
During the move, he collided into Pau Gasol's arms, then lost control of the ball.
Kobe shouted, instinctively tipping the ball towards the three-point line, attempting to pass it to Gary Payton, who was coming up to receive.
However, the tip was too weak.
At the top of the arc, Lee exerted force with his feet and snatched the ball away.
Kobe, lying on the floor, was still complaining to the referee.
Gary Payton also couldn't stop Clay Lee and could only chase him relentlessly from behind.
A 1-on-0 fast break, Lee ignored Gary Payton chasing him from behind, soared into the air inside the paint, grabbed the ball with his left hand, and glided for a powerful dunk.
"Wow!"
From the steal to the dunk, Lee only took less than 5 seconds.
The storm-like counterattack silenced the Lakers' bench, with only New York fans still cheering loudly.
"This is Kobe's third turnover. He shouldn't dribble too much. Such an offensive choice is terrible."
"Second-year Prince's excellent Defense has put Kobe in trouble several times. The Lakers coaching staff probably didn't anticipate this situation."
Rivers immediately commented after looking at the technical statistics.
He had criticized Kobe's offensive choices more than once tonight.
Phil Jackson sat expressionless in his seat.
The camera frequently focused on the Champion Coach, but he showed little reaction.
Michaels found it difficult to comment.
After all, everyone on the Lakers except Shaquille O'Neal was underperforming, which was fully proven by the Knicks' increasingly compact Defense.
On the Lakers' last possession, Shaquille O'Neal received the ball under the basket and was double-teamed.
When he turned from the left low post, Hill had already helped defend from the other baseline corner to the basket.
At the same time, Lee had also already helped defend beside Shaquille O'Neal, and Dikembe Mutombo's arms were still above Shaquille O'Neal's head, who was playing high-low.
With arms all around his waist, Shaquille O'Neal threw the ball to the right baseline corner from behind the rim.
Devin George caught the ball, and his open three-point jump shot ultimately clanked off the rim.
61:94. After three quarters, on the Lakers' bench, Phil Jackson stood up and immediately called for the atmosphere group.
He had had enough of this game.
The Lakers failed to win a single quarter, scoring 22 points in the second quarter and 21 points in the third quarter.
The Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man felt that tonight's game was a humiliation to him, and he directly threw the tactical board to the assistant coach.
Kobe was glared at by Phil Jackson.
He had wanted to ask the coach to let him continue playing, but seeing the devouring gaze, he ultimately remained silent.
7 of 18 from the field, 0 of 4 from beyond the arc, 4 of 6 from the free-throw line, for 18 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers.
Kobe knew he hadn't played well, but he felt he was just slow to start tonight.
Shaquille O'Neal had a long face, shooting 11 of 15 from the field, 7 of 10 from the free-throw line, for 29 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 turnovers.
The Shark couldn't remember how many passes he had made, but what he knew was that the Lakers' outside shots kept clanking off the rim.
Without blaming Gary Payton, nor communicating much with Karl Malone, Shaquille O'Neal just sat in his seat, silently drinking his "oral solution," glaring angrily at those about to enter the game.
The two veterans were silent, and Devin George didn't know what to say.
He shot 2 of 8 from the field, 1 of 4 from beyond the arc, and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line, scoring 9 points.
He was the only starter to make a three-pointer.
Payton played 28 minutes, shooting 1 of 5 from the field, 0 of 2 from beyond the arc, and 0 of 2 from the free-throw line, for 2 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 turnovers.
Malone shot 1 of 6 from the field, 1 of 2 from the free-throw line, for 3 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 turnover.
The starting five accounted for all of the Lakers' points.
Phil Jackson's brow remained furrowed after seeing the technical statistics.
The coaching staff naturally knew how to adjust, but unfortunately, even Kobe, with his excellent Defense, was useless against Lee.
The Lakers directly surrendered, and the Knicks naturally brought on the atmosphere group.
The New York fans present were very dissatisfied, and many began to boo and shout, and then the sound grew louder and louder:
"Where is shaq?"
The shouts in the Madison Square Garden caused Shaquille O'Neal, sitting on the bench, to crush the drink in his hand, cursing under his breath in anger, and then glaring at Kobe again.
At this point, both teams' players no longer played intentional Defense.
Watching the back-and-forth on the court, Michaels began to discuss the next game:
"Doug, how do you think the Lakers should adjust? They had many opportunities for outside shots tonight."
Rivers praised Raja Bell, who had just made a three-pointer.
Hearing this question, he couldn't think of many solutions and could only say something diplomatic:
"Defense is the most important. They must effectively limit Clay Lee on the perimeter so that the second line of Defense can play its role."
"If they double-team too early, the subsequent defensive rotation speed needs to be faster. This is also a test for the veterans, but I believe the Lakers' Defense will change in Game 2."
Playing 33 minutes, shooting 14 of 21 from the field, 7 of 11 from beyond the arc, and 10 of 10 from the free-throw line, for 45 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, and 1 turnover.
After looking at Lee's statistics again, Rivers stopped talking.
He knew the Lakers were completely finished.
The game proceeded smoothly, with the final score settling at 85:118.
The Knicks overwhelmingly defeated the Lakers, easily protecting their home court.
Phil Jackson kept a straight face, not letting any emotion show, but when he came to the scorer's table and saw Mike D'Antoni's smiling face, his eye twitched involuntarily.
Compared to the Bald Young Coach from before, Jackson Man disliked the Mike D'Antoni in front of him even more.
His proud 72-win historical best record was gone.
Jeff Van Gundy led the Knicks to four consecutive championships, while Mike D'Antoni broke the historical best record and created the largest historical winning margin.
The two, one after the other, broke all of the Chicago Bulls' records, leading most commentators to believe that Phil Jackson, the Champion Coach, was completely outdated.
"A wonderful game. I look forward to our matchup the day after tomorrow!"
Mike D'Antoni proactively stepped forward to shake hands, but saying these words made Phil Jackson's expression change again.
He always felt his opponent was mocking him.
After shaking hands, he turned and left.
The Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man and the Lakers quickly walked towards the player tunnel.
They only had a little over a day to rest.
After the game, the cheers in the Madison Square Garden were still incessant.
Michelle Tafoya, wearing a dark blue professional suit, came to Lee's side and asked with a smile:
"Lee, congratulations on winning tonight's game. Winning by such a large margin, does this mean the Knicks have an absolute advantage?"
After resting for a quarter, there was no sweat on Lee's head.
Hearing the question, he answered without hesitation:
"Yes, we are stronger. The Knicks do have an absolute advantage!"
"I think the Detroit Pistons' Defense is better than the Lakers'. The opponent's help-Defense speed is too slow, and their defensive pressure is insufficient. This is why we won by such a large margin."
"In a game, I usually don't consider the first line of Defense, but when I encounter the Lakers, I don't even consider subsequent Defense."
"We just need to strictly execute the game plan set by the coaching staff to win step by step. I hope the opponent can last until the fourth quarter in the next game."
"..."
Michelle Tafoya could only smile politely. Lee spoke bluntly, but his words were also the truth.
Ron Artest behind him continuously punched the air towards the fans, then leaned into the camera and shouted loudly:
"They are too weak! We will win the championship!"
On sunday, June 6th, after Lee's dominant performance against the "old man," commentators overwhelmingly sang praises for the Knicks.
No one believed the Lakers could win the series.
The Knicks' Defense restricted Payton and Kobe, and no matter how many points Shaquille O'Neal scored, it couldn't change the game's trajectory.
Pau Gasol, who had become a role player, shot 5 of 9 from the field for 14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block.
The Knicks' "Four protect one" was very successful.
On the TNT program, Pau Gasol's performance was analyzed, and Kobe's offensive choices were criticized.
Finally, Charles Barkley no longer spoke up for the veterans and, for the first time, spoke bluntly:
"Gary Payton is no longer a qualified starting guard for a championship team."
"After his physical abilities declined, he couldn't support his rich defensive experience. Clay Lee is right, with a simple pick-and-roll, he can break through the Lakers' Defense."
He paused, seeing his two partners look at him.
In the studio, Charles Barkley sighed and continued:
"I understand Karl Malone. He's a tough guy, but unfortunately, he can't keep up with the pace of modern basketball."
"This is a failed combination. The Lakers have no chance. Compared to the Knicks' rotation, their roster depth also has a gap."
"Shaquille O'Neal is not a qualified leader, and on such a stage, Kobe Bryant will even play emotionally."
"If they maintain this game state, the Knicks will sweep the Lakers to win the championship."
Seeing the veterans' decline, Kenny Smith also lamented:
"I agree with Lee. In Eastern Conference Finals Game 3, the Detroit Pistons showed excellent Defense."
"It should be said that in all four games of the series, the Detroit Pistons have done well defensively. They limited the performance of the Knicks' role players."
"In contrast, the Lakers let the opponent play too easily. I hope to see Karl Malone and Payton make those open shots."
Ernie Johnson saw his two partners agree, then smiled and looked at them, finally asking:
"How do you think the Lakers will adjust in Game 2?"
Barkley remained silent. Kenny Smith said helplessly:
"Unless Kobe Bryant can break through the Knicks' perimeter Defense to relieve pressure on Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers will still lose by a large margin."
"After all, they can't expect the veterans to explode. Head Coach Phil Jackson has to prepare for the worst."
"..."
On the morning of June 7th, several Philadelphia sports media reported Allen Iverson's interview.
When asked about this year's Finals, the short guard calmly stated:
"Teams in the Western Conference simply don't know what we've been through all these years."
"Times have never changed. Big men have never dominated the league."
"I don't like the New York Knicks, but the Lakers have no chance this year."
Orlando's local sports media also reported Tracy McGrady's views on this year's Finals:
"Kobe is my good brother, but I have to say, he's very lucky. If I played for the Lakers, maybe I could also win a championship."
"But in the Eastern Conference, I don't have that opportunity. The New York Knicks have four All-Star players, which is proof of their strength."
The Detroit media, who have always disliked the New York Knicks, also followed suit and mocked:
"Facing a Lakers team like this, as long as the Detroit Pistons can make it to the Finals, the championship is ours!"
Teams from the Eastern Conference complained one after another, and column articles all grumbled that the Lakers were too weak, allowing the New York Knicks to get a huge bargain.
The Lakers rested for a day, re-watched the G1 footage, and then everyone fell silent again.
The New York Times' column articles no longer mocked the Lakers excessively.
Their opponent was too weak!
Yesterday morning's article poked fun at Phil Jackson's tactical arrangements, while some articles this morning ridiculed the arrogant Kobe:
"The league's best shooting guard?"
Under the New York Knicks' rotating perimeter Defense, Kobe's shooting percentage was less than 40%, so his performance was naturally not living up to his reputation.
When he arrived at the Madison Square Garden for warm-ups in the afternoon, Kobe accepted an interview and confidently stated:
"I don't care about external evaluations. I've said it before, I never play for stats."
"I'm even less interested in looking at those boring box scores after the game."
"Field goal percentage, that's never been a concern of mine. I'm a scorer, and I'll always believe in my shot because I know how much effort I've put into it!"
Saying this with a blank expression, Kobe noticed that even the Los Angeles Times reporter, who had always supported him, looked disappointed.
Sensing that everyone still wanted to ask questions, Kobe chose to turn and leave.
More words were useless; he would prove himself with action!
Phil Jackson didn't allow Payton and Karl Malone to be interviewed.
The veterans needed to save face.
When asked how tonight's game would be adjusted, the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man simply replied:
"Share the ball more, increase the pace of offense. The Lakers will expand their rotation, and players will step up to help Shaquille O'Neal share the offensive pressure!"
"..."
Game 2 was scheduled to officially begin at 8 PM.
Although it was a Monday, this would not affect the New York fans' enthusiasm for watching the game in the slightest.
Each game was one less to see, and according to the current trend, the New York Knicks were very likely not to return to their home court.
Sweeping opponents in the playoffs for two consecutive years also frustrated some New York fans, as there were simply too few home games to watch!
Fortunately, Game 4 happened to fall on a weekend, and die-hard fans had already started booking flights to Los Angeles.
Everyone didn't want to miss this year's award ceremony.
Before the game started, at the ABC broadcast booth, Michaels noticed that neither team had changed their starting lineup and immediately asked his partner, Rivers:
"Will the Lakers execute a double-team Defense from the start?"
Rivers immediately shook his head and said with great certainty:
"No, the Detroit Pistons have tried such a defensive strategy. They tried to use a zone Defense to limit Lee."
"The Detroit Pistons' Defense is excellent, but Lee doesn't need to have the ball in his hands. I believe the Lakers have already watched the Eastern Conference Finals footage."
"Head Coach Phil Jackson should have Kobe guard Lee."
Just as the tactical master Rivers predicted, the Lakers did change their matchups, and the New York Knicks also changed their defensive strategy.
After the game started, the Lakers first tried to control the pace, but after continuous missed shots, the New York Knicks took the lead, and Kobe couldn't hold back, leading the charge.
His overly impatient offense fell right into the New York Knicks' defensive trap, and Phil Jackson's timeout couldn't change Kobe's offensive choices.
Late in the first quarter, the Lakers double-teamed Lee too early.
In the right block, Devin George hadn't even had time to slide up when Lee, at the top of the arc, passed the ball to Hill on the right wing.
The latter received the ball, and Amar'e Stoudemire, who had just entered the game, immediately stepped up to set a screen.
Devin George, who slid over to help defend, had just reached the three-point line when Hill faked left and right, quickly swept the ball, and without using the screen, put the ball down with his right hand and drove forward.
Amar'e Stoudemire followed down, and Medvedenko, who came off the bench, hesitated slightly, but seeing Hill shake off his defender and drive straight to the basket, he could only quickly help defend.
Before reaching the paint, Hill, in motion, smoothly tossed the ball towards the front of the rim.
Medvedenko and Shaquille O'Neal, who had retreated to the basket, could only watch as Amar'e Stoudemire jumped up, caught the ball with both hands, and quickly slammed it into the basket!
A simple drive broke through the Lakers' Defense.
The New York Knicks' offensive pace showed no signs of slowing down.
Instead, it became faster and faster.
Derek Fisher received the ball on the baseline and was tangled by Lee.
He cautiously brought the ball over half-court, and at the Logo, immediately passed the ball to Kobe, who had popped out to the left wing.
Having just run past half-court, O'Neal, who had squeezed into the paint, raised his position to receive the ball.
After receiving the pass in the left block, Shaquille O'Neal hadn't even put the ball down when Amar'e Stoudemire, cooperating with Pau Gasol, came to the paint to cut off the baseline.
Seeing the opportunity, Shaquille O'Neal immediately passed the ball to the unguarded Medvedenko.
The latter came to the lower right of the rim, intending to simply dunk the ball, but Amar'e Stoudemire reacted even faster, getting there first, jumping early, and pressing the ball against the backboard in mid-air.
"Ah!"
Medvedenko couldn't help but let out a cry, but Amar'e Stoudemire, who controlled the rebound, didn't pause, immediately passing the ball to the waiting Clay Lee.
The New York Knicks players began to accelerate towards half-court, but the Lakers, who had only passed the ball twice, had no choice but to quickly retreat on Defense.
Arriving on the left wing, Lee, with the ball in his left hand, suddenly stopped short, quickly dribbled behind his back.
Derek Fisher hurriedly stopped his feet, waving his right arm, trying to interfere.
In transition offense, the Lakers hadn't had time to help defend when Lee suddenly lowered his center of gravity, swayed his body to the right, and then quickly changed direction through his legs.
Scooping the ball with his left hand while dribbling forward, Lee lowered his shoulder and accelerated, driving straight to the basket from the left wing.
Derek Fisher made an excellent defensive read, but he had no way to stop Lee's overpowering drive.
In the block, Lee took a step and gathered the ball, then directly bumped Derek Fisher away with his shoulder after lowering it.
The latter fell with a touch.
Amidst his opponent's cry of pain, Lee was undisturbed, grabbing the ball with his left hand and extending his body for a scoop layup!
"Bang! Swish!"
Medvedenko, who had retreated to the basket, could only watch as the basketball hit high off the backboard and went in.
"Wow!"
Cheers once again echoed through the Madison Square Garden.
The New York Knicks had unleashed their signature counterattack, and the Lakers' Defense was collapsing.
17:30, with 34.6 seconds left in the first quarter, the New York Knicks continued to extend their lead.
Phil Jackson did put in younger players, but they didn't respond on offense and didn't contribute much on Defense.
The baseline referee signaled Derek Fisher to stop complaining.
He saw clearly that Lee was just making a normal play.
Derek Fisher rubbed his chest, unable to express his pain.
He felt as if he had been hit by a car.
No wonder Payton's offense was off.
He was expending too much energy on Defense.
On the Lakers' last possession, Derek Fisher still passed the ball early.
Tayshaun Prince, who came off the bench, continued to chase Kobe, forcing him to receive the ball far from the three-point line on the right wing.
Putting the ball down with his right hand, Kobe also observed the Defense.
Noticing everyone had spread out, he faked a drive and immediately changed direction through his legs.
While Tayshaun Prince slid to the right, Kobe increased his dribbling speed and quickly changed direction in front of his body.
Readjusting his center of gravity, Tayshaun Prince accelerated and slid to the left-rear.
Kobe, unable to shake off the Defense, immediately stopped short after reaching the right block.
After a pound dribble, he switched to his left hand, protected the ball with his side, and Kobe continuously backed down forcefully, shaking his shoulder to try and confuse the Defense, then quickly turned and gathered the ball towards the baseline.
Watching Tayshaun Prince make the correct defensive read and jump high, attempting to block with his left arm, Kobe, in mid-air, leaned back and simultaneously adjusted the arc, shooting decisively!
"Bang!"
A rare one-on-one opportunity, but the basketball still rimmed out.
Although Shaquille O'Neal tipped the rebound, Amar'e Stoudemire ultimately controlled possession.
An annoyed Kobe bared his teeth and stepped forward to delay Lee, who was receiving the ball.
Dribbling unhurriedly past half-court, Lee, with the ball in his right hand, noticed there were still over 8 seconds on the shot clock.
Only then did he actively exert force, leaning forward to accelerate and bump Kobe away.
His opponent moved backward, and Lee took the opportunity to stop short, quickly pulling the ball back through his legs.
"Oh!!"
The New York fans, eager for excitement, began to stand up and cheer.
As the shot clock dwindled, the shouts grew louder.
Kobe stared intently at the ball, not going for a head-on, tough Defense, maintaining a defensive distance.
Lee straightened up, took a slight step to his front-left, then suddenly dribbled through his legs.
The moment he switched back to his right hand, without much swaying, Lee dribbled the ball forward and accelerated to drive.
Making the correct defensive read, Kobe continuously slid to his left-rear.
The contact at his side did not affect Lee.
Slowing down slightly, in the paint directly in front of the rim, Lee again took a step in motion, using his shoulder to bump Kobe away from his side.
Not giving O'Neal, who had returned to the basket, a chance to jump and block, Lee grabbed the ball with one hand and quickly tossed it towards the hoop!
"Swish!" The ball went in, the light came on, and the first quarter ended.
17:32, a double-digit lead, made Madison Square Garden erupt again.
Kobe, who was "eaten alive" in a one-on-one, could only rub his chest and sulk as he watched the back of Lee's head.
O'Neal, already panting, was in no mood to glare at Kobe.
The repeated back-and-forth running had already disrupted his offensive rhythm.
In the noisy Madison Square Garden, New York fans were chatting and laughing, the game was even easier than they had imagined.
Playing the entire first quarter, 0-for-4 from the field, 1-for-2 from the free-throw line, Kobe Bryant, who diligently shared the ball, ultimately scored only 1 point.
Shaquille O'Neal was 4-for-6 from the field, 2-for-4 from the free-throw line, scoring 10 points.
The OK Combo combined to score half of the Lakers' points.
As long as the ball could be passed inside, Shaquille O'Neal could score in the low post, but if O'Neal raised his receiving position, he would immediately be double-teamed by perimeter help Defense.
At the commentary table, Rivers carefully recalled the situation in the first quarter, and combining it with the previous game, suddenly said with emotion:
"The Knicks' defensive strategy reminds me of that Utah Jazz team."
"Shaquille O'Neal is difficult to limit, but the Utah Jazz used Stockton's help Defense to control his receiving, and that tactic was very effective."
"To close the gap, the Lakers must make those open shots. They need to give Shaquille O'Neal some support."
Michaels also carefully looked at the statistics.
The anticipated defensive effect did not appear:
"Clay Lee's scoring in the first quarter was almost all in the paint. He's too well-rounded, and his running floater is almost impossible to defend."
"God is not on the Lakers' side. Clay Lee is still hot tonight!"
Playing the entire first quarter, Clay Lee was 6-for-8 from the field, 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, scoring 16 points.
He did not engage in too many half-court offenses.
A large portion of his scoring came from 1-on-1 breakthroughs in transition offense.
In the limited half-court offense, Lee only attracted Defense and patiently passed the ball, with Hill and Gasol becoming the primary scorers in half-court offense.
In the second quarter, Payton and Karl Malone were still on the bench, and the Lakers continued with the young lineup from the end of the first quarter.
On the Knicks' side, Lee also didn't rest, continuing to play with the bench lineup.
In the Lakers' first offensive possession, as Derek Fisher had just dribbled past half-court, his side-body, right-handed cross-court pass was directly stolen by Lee.
The overly obvious passing intention allowed Lee's steal to be clean and decisive.
While blocking the ball with his left hand, he smoothly poked the ball forward.
Bumping open a pulling Derek Fisher, Lee quickly controlled possession, 1-on-0 in the frontcourt, he rushed past the free-throw line and immediately leaped into the air, grabbing the ball with his right hand for a gliding dunk!
"Ah!"
After completing the steal and dunk, Lee stood under the basket, pounding his chest and roaring.
The fans in the front row cheered wildly, while Derek Fisher, who had returned to the baseline, was numb.
When the Lakers attacked again, to avoid turnovers, Kobe simply went to the left wing far from the three-point line to receive the ball.
Passing the ball before half-court, Derek Fisher led Lee to the right wing to create space.
Shaquille O'Neal actively stepped up to set a screen, but Raja Bell agilely squeezed through the screen, almost clinging to Kobe's back.
With a thud, after tripping, both fell to the ground.
Kobe fell hard, but he didn't look at Raja Bell's provocative gaze.
Pulled up by his teammates, he came to the sideline to prepare to receive the ball again.
Amidst a chorus of boos, a synchronized chant soon erupted:
"Shaq wants to trade you!"
Kobe's face was expressionless.
He bit his jersey, panting heavily, trying to calm the surging emotions in his heart.
The Knicks' Defense was extremely aggressive.
This time, it was Lee who guarded Kobe.
After receiving the ball on the left wing, Kobe no longer called for a screen.
Biting his jersey, he dribbled with a hop step, then pulled back with a crossover.
Seeing Lee unmoved and continuing to stick to him, Kobe quickly dribbled between his legs.
Unable to shake off the Defense, he held the ball in his right hand, attempting to drive through.
Continuously sliding back to his left, Lee provided body contact, and his right hand subtly interfered.
Under the struggle, Kobe could only use his off-hand to swat away the arm, disrupting his dribbling rhythm.
Seeing Lee's left hand attempt to steal, he quickly stopped and pulled the ball back.
Taking advantage of Lee again sticking close, Kobe also chose not to pass.
At this moment, his eyes were only on the basket.
Leaning into the Defense, he quickly turned, gathered the ball, and directly took a fading fadeaway jump shot!
"Bang!"
The posture was elegant, but the basketball hit the back of the rim and bounced directly into Amar'e Stoudemire's hands.
Turning to receive the ball, Lee gave Kobe, who was still posing, no time to react.
He quickly pushed the ball to change direction, then accelerated with the ball in his left hand.
Kobe, who had spit out his jersey, was instantly two steps behind, chasing hard from behind, but could only watch Lee accelerate faster and faster.
Derek Fisher on the other side had retreated to half-court early, attempting to stick and interfere at the three-point line, but Lee, while moving, again pushed the ball to change direction.
After shaking off the Defense, Lee didn't slow down, ignoring Derek Fisher's pull from his side.
After three large strides, he grabbed the ball with his right hand and swung his arm for a powerful dunk!
"Boom!" A transition dunk!
"Oh!"
Watching Derek Fisher lose his balance and run out of bounds after pulling, the New York fans cheered happily.
Lee stretched his shoulder, looked at the retreating Kobe, and chuckled lightly:
"You can still get off work early tonight!"
"..."
Kobe, who was inbounding the ball, stared without speaking, while Head Coach Phil Jackson on the sideline loudly reminded them to pass the ball inside.
In the subsequent game, Kobe followed instructions and passed the ball to Shaquille O'Neal.
However, after several times being double-teamed and then passing out, the wide-open Derek Fisher failed to respond in time, and the Knicks again launched a transition offense.
Seeing Shaquille O'Neal's menacing gaze, the Lakers called a timeout first.
The re-entered Gary Payton seemed to have completely lost confidence.
Several times he received the ball wide open beyond the three-point line but chose not to shoot, instead dribbling to drive.
Watching Payton get blocked by Lee and fall to the ground, Rivers on the commentary table said with some sympathy:
"The gap between the two sides is too great. The Knicks are destroying the Lakers with their strong bodies."
"I think at this point, Head Coach Phil Jackson should call a timeout, not to talk about tactics, but to make the players play aggressively."
The Knicks executed a three-line fast break. Lee, who attracted the Defense, assisted Pau Gasol, who trailed behind on the fast break, for a powerful dunk!
On the return possession, Kobe drove along the left wing.
Before he could exert force, he was squeezed to the baseline and directly crashed into a sideline camera by Ron Artest.
"Wow!"
The fans in the front row cheered continuously and egged them on.
Ron Artest, who received a foul, also showed a triumphant expression:
"Softie! Try me!"
Ron Artest, stretching his body, saw Kobe stand up and immediately yelled at him.
The latter completely lost his composure and rushed forward, ready to throw a punch.
Kobe's actions made the New York fans even happier, and the roar in the Madison Square Garden grew louder.
Finally, the referee timely stopped Kobe.
Under emotional distress, Kobe again activated his scoring mode, helping the Knicks launch an 8-0 run.
Despite O'Neal's continuous powerful dunks, the score difference grew larger and larger.
As the first half was about to end, a missed floater in the paint, Pau Gasol grabbed the rebound, and Shaquille O'Neal could only watch the long pass fly past half-court.
Controlling possession near the mid-court line, Lee smoothly flicked the ball with his left hand.
After bouncing off the floor, the basketball spun and flew into the hands of Hill, who was rushing down the left wing.
Undefended, Hill jumped with both feet in the paint, spun the ball once, and slammed it into the basket with his right hand!
"Boom!" A windmill dunk!
"Wow!"
The cheers in the Madison Square Garden made Shaquille O'Neal, who was stopped near the free-throw line, stare blankly.
He couldn't run anymore, and he didn't want to run.
On the final possession, Karl Malone's jump shot from the right elbow clanked off the rim, and all the Lakers players walked with their heads down towards the player tunnel.
35:62, under the furious counterattack, the Lakers were again trailing by a large margin.
Clay Lee, walking towards the player tunnel, smiled and continuously waved his arms, with cheers in the Madison Square Garden coming in waves.
Kobe, trailing at the very back, looked numb, seemingly unable to accept such a result.
After entering the tunnel, he kicked over a railing:
"Shit! Why is this happening!"
.....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)