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
***
On June 12, 2004, as the game progressed, various sounds emerged from the Staples Center.
Among the nineteen thousand fans, many Los Angeles Lakers fans began to fall silent, while a small number of New York fans started celebrating wildly.
Those who enjoyed the spectacle would cheer for exciting plays from both teams and join in the commotion when shouts erupted.
There was still a group of die-hard fans who hoped for the Los Angeles Lakers to fight a battle of honor, ignoring the deficit and still vigorously cheering for the home team.
Even winning one home game would be good.
A single victory would be considered a satisfactory conclusion to the Finals.
After the second half began, although the Los Angeles Lakers players on the court tried their best, they could not find their rhythm in a losing situation, nor could they reverse the decline.
Each missed shot would cause the cheers in the Staples Center to diminish, indicating that the fans' mood was worsening, and disappointment was spreading throughout the arena.
In the second quarter, Kobe led the Knicks to a surge, and by halftime, the point difference had reached double digits.
After the second half began, as Medvedenko and Payton started missing shots again, the Los Angeles Lakers were forced into an isolation offense.
While Lee stepped to the free-throw line, Medvedenko, who was 0 for 4 in the third quarter, was replaced by Luke Walton, and Phil Jackson was forced to adjust his lineup, attempting to change the Los Angeles Lakers' shooting performance with "newcomers".
Clay Lee made both free throws, and some boos erupted in the arena.
72:56, with 3 minutes and 08 seconds left in the third quarter, the point difference was extended further.
Seeing Kobe call for the ball early on the right wing, and Payton passing the ball as soon as he crossed half-court, Rivers said helplessly from the commentary booth:
"The Los Angeles Lakers should play with more patience. They still have time. There's no need to rush the offense. What they need to do now is put the ball in the basket."
Kobe didn't care about external evaluations, just as he stated, he would always believe in his shot.
Receiving the ball on the wing, Kobe quickly executed an in-and-out dribble with his right hand, accelerating past Ron Artest's Defense, then immediately stopping at the right restricted area, drifting back and to the right to evade the block, and missing another jump shot!
This time, the basketball didn't hit the front rim.
Instead, it bounced high off the back rim, Pau Gasol misjudged the rebound, and Shaquille O'Neal seized the opportunity to tip the ball over his head.
After grabbing the rebound, Shaquille O'Neal, at the bottom right of the basket, scored with a bank shot while fending off Defense.
72:58, the fat shark, who received an assist, avoided a run-back and helped the Los Angeles Lakers narrow the point difference.
Seeing Pau Gasol quickly inbound the ball, the Los Angeles Lakers players hurried back on Defense, and Payton no longer led the Defense.
Everyone accelerated back to half-court to match up in time.
"Defense!"
Amidst the defensive cheers, the Knicks again set up in a "V-shape," and Lee made a tactical gesture as he dribbled past half-court.
At the left elbow, as Pau Gasol moved up, he noticed Shaquille O'Neal following him out, and after a fake screen at the three-point line, he immediately cut down.
Although he didn't screen Payton, Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, accelerated his breakthrough while leaning on the defender beside him.
While protecting the ball, he observed Shaquille O'Neal's position.
Upon reaching the left restricted area, while Shaquille O'Neal was still hesitating in the paint, Clay Lee quickly pushed the ball and changed direction.
Suddenly accelerating, he instantly entered the paint.
Payton chased him from behind, attempting to steal the ball.
Lee stopped abruptly again, protected the ball, and subtly bumped his opponent with his butt.
Payton, defending vigorously, failed to steal the ball and was instead knocked off balance.
Seizing his opponent's mispositioning, Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, accelerated again.
O'Neal wanted to help defend under the basket but was too late.
Lee slipped past Pau Gasol, took a step, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and easily scored with a layup!
In this game, there were multiple instances of using teammates as screens to drive to the basket, and Shaquille O'Neal never successfully defended any of them.
Seeing such a situation, the fans became angry again:
"Boo!"
Shaquille O'Neal's face darkened upon hearing the boos.
The audience's perspective and the player's perspective were completely different.
He couldn't predict Lee's intentions, and a slight lapse in attention would result in an alley-oop.
He wanted to exchange a few words with Payton, but O'Neal lost his temper after thinking about the point difference, cursed under his breath, and ran towards half-court.
74:58, Payton, who received the ball on the baseline, was somewhat demoralized.
Whenever he defended Lee one-on-one, he would be fiercely attacked by his opponent.
Facing such an "unvirtuous" superstar, Payton had no solution.
Luke Walton, who had just entered the game, was very active.
For role players, the outcome of some games doesn't matter as much as individual performance.
Running towards half-court, upon reaching the left restricted area, Walton received instructions from Shaquille O'Neal.
He didn't screen anyone during the cross-screen under the basket, quickly running to the right corner.
Shaquille O'Neal, meanwhile, put all his strength into pushing Pau Gasol behind him.
As Devin George from the left corner moved to the left wing to receive the ball, Payton ran to the corner, and Shaquille O'Neal, who was calling for the ball, received the pass immediately.
The moment he caught the ball, Lee and Kurt Thomas both collapsed, and Grant Hill, who was up the court, also cooperated tacitly, quickly sliding to attempt a steal.
Suddenly surrounded by four defenders, O'Neal, who was prepared, passed the ball extremely quickly this time, twisting his body towards the top of the key and flicking the ball through the gap to the right corner.
Luke Walton, completely open, caught the pass and even adjusted before missing another three-pointer from the corner.
Ron Artest timely collapsed near the paint to secure the long rebound, and amidst the disappointed murmurs of Los Angeles Lakers fans, Lee stepped forward to receive the ball, slowly dribbling past half-court.
The same tactic, just in a different direction.
On the right wing, Lee, dribbling with his right hand, had just crossed the three-point line when Luke Walton quickly slid over to help defend.
A bounce pass pierced the Defense, and Kurt Thomas, after a fake screen, cut to the basket and received the ball, driving straight to the hoop.
Noticing Shaquille O'Neal's long strides back on Defense, Kurt Thomas didn't hesitate.
After three big steps, he had already reached the bottom right of the basket.
Although he evaded the Defense, Shaquille O'Neal still managed to block the shot.
The basketball hit the backboard and bounced off again.
Pau Gasol, who had rushed to the basket, grabbed the rebound before Shaquille O'Neal could jump a second time.
Shaquille O'Neal twisted his body, attempting a second block, but after grabbing the rebound, Pau Gasol didn't put the ball down.
Instead, he jumped a second time and tossed the ball towards the backboard over the Defense.
"Squeak!"
The whistle blew, and the shot went in.
Pau Gasol, knocked to the ground, let out a yell and punched the air in celebration.
Shaquille O'Neal, who was already panting again, stood with his hands on his hips, looking at the scoreboard, no longer complaining to the referee.
In the third quarter, the Los Angeles Lakers' rebounding issues resurfaced.
Phil Jackson, on the sidelines, naturally knew this was a sign of collapse, but he only looked at the bench, ultimately crossing his arms and remaining silent.
"Boo!"
The boos in the Staples Center did not affect the good mood of the Knicks players.
As Pau Gasol stepped to the free-throw line, Lee retreated on Defense, loudly reminding them:
"They're about to collapse! Keep pushing!"
"âŠ"
77:58, watching the point difference approach 20 points, Kobe pursed his lips and accelerated towards half-court, then called for the ball early.
He did not follow the tactic of passing the ball to the low post.
After continuous jab steps on the left wing, Kobe attempted a contested three-pointer from beyond the arc and missed.
Seeing Lee retrieve the long rebound, the Los Angeles Lakers players, already in bonus, could only accelerate their retreat on Defense.
As Shaquille O'Neal, running back and forth quickly, accelerated his retreat to half-court, Pau Gasol had just reached the left near-baseline position and immediately moved sideways.
Under the basket, Kurt Thomas set a cross-screen.
Walton naturally wouldn't switch, so O'Neal could only continue to chase him to the right low post.
Under the top Defense, he pushed Pau Gasol closer to the restricted area, Shaquille O'Neal no longer exerted force and began to pay attention to the situation at the top of the key.
Lee's pace was not fast.
He started to slow down when he reached the right wing, protecting the ball sideways near the three-point line, while also signaling to Hill.
Kobe, who was defending closely in the right corner, initially thought this was a low-post play.
As Hill moved up, he also accelerated his slide, attempting to interfere with the pass.
As Hill suddenly back-cut, cutting along the baseline to the basket, Los Angeles Lakers fans gasped again, seeing Kobe completely out of position.
Shaquille O'Neal, positioned in the restricted area, could only watch as Lee, on the right wing, threw the ball towards the upper right of the basket.
Walton, under the left near-baseline position, also had no reaction, only turning his head to look at the basket, watching Hill jump up, grab the ball with both hands, and easily complete a powerful dunk!
"Boom!" An alley-oop dunk successful!
On the Knicks bench, everyone was jumping and cheering, waving towels and laughing in celebration, while Phil Jackson, on the other side, sat back down on the bench.
Like many fans, the Los Angeles Lakers' atmosphere group fell silent.
Karl Malone looked down at the floor; the game had largely lost its suspense.
79:58, the point difference reached 20+.
Delusional Kobe failed to become the Los Angeles Lakers' hero.
In the subsequent possessions, as the Los Angeles Lakers started to double-team early, Ron Artest made a three-pointer from the left corner.
Payton, left open, finally made his first field goal of the third quarter.
As Hill missed a three-pointer from the right corner, the Los Angeles Lakers also launched a transition offense, and Kobe's fast-break dunk helped the team narrow the point difference.
82:62, with three quarters played, the fourth quarter seemed to have entered garbage time again.
The noise did not affect the mood of the two commentators.
From the start of the game, Rivers had been praising them profusely:
"This is a team victory. The Knicks are very clear about their advantages, and in most possessions, they will have a numbers advantage."
"The role players have excellently fulfilled their tasks: rebounding, screening, open shots, and cutting for scores."
"Compared to the Lakers, the New York Knicks are indeed the better team, winning 70+ games for two consecutive seasons. There's no luck involved."
"In my opinion, this New York Knicks team is the strongest team in history!"
The somewhat hoarse Rivers no longer cared about the feelings of the Lakers fans at this point, directly praising the New York Knicks to the skies.
Michaels noticed David Stern and several New York Knicks management members in the front row whispering and laughing, and also chimed in with praise:
"Clay Lee truly changed modern basketball. I don't agree with the statement that his offensive methods are singular!"
"Compared to those big men, Clay Lee has a greater influence on the court."
"Tonight, he even has a chance to get a triple-double. This is truly an incredible performance!"
10 of 18 from the field, 4 of 9 from three-point range, 6 of 6 from the free-throw line, 30 points, 8 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover.
Thanks to the opponent's assist boards and a relatively casual offense in the first half, Lee could always pick up long rebounds.
After rotating to the interior for help Defense, he would occasionally grab an axe rebound.
On the New York Knicks bench, Mike D'Antoni planned to let Lee get two rebounds as soon as possible.
On the other side, on the Lakers bench, Shaquille O'Neal and Gary Payton had no interest in continuing.
Phil Jackson's pep talk had long lost its effect.
Kobe didn't pay attention to his teammates' emotions.
After a quick rehydration, he stood up, ready to re-enter the game.
Missing shots wouldn't affect his attempts.
He disdainfully glanced at O'Neal, who had already given up on the game.
Kobe said nothing and stood by the sideline, ready to enter.
Derek Fisher was also in low spirits.
Robert Horry had left early, and that had already warned him that the Lakers' locker room atmosphere was off.
Thinking about his next contract, Derek Fisher also had some thoughts.
While stretching, he turned his head to look in the direction of the New York Knicks:
"They seem to be missing a backup point guard?"
Karl Malone stood up to encourage everyone.
Kobe felt a bit better after hearing his big brother's comfort and was immediately relieved to see Derek Fisher looking eager to perform:
"There are still people who support me and play with me!"
Before going on court, Kobe even actively bumped fists with Derek Fisher.
This was his good brother.
After the 4th quarter began, the Lakers attacked first, and soon Kobe missed a three-pointer from the right wing.
In a comeback phase, a made three-pointer makes you a hero.
A missed one is a terrible offensive choice.
Kobe didn't care about missing shots, but seeing Lee pick up another long rebound near the free-throw line, his eye twitched slightly.
In anger, he immediately committed a tactical foul.
Kobe's performance tonight was very inconsistent.
He was efficient in the first quarter, suddenly struggled in the second quarter, and his performance was mediocre in the second half.
Lakers fans seemed fed up with Kobe's forced shots, and the boos grew louder and louder.
On a New York Knicks possession, a screen near the left wing, Lee found Amar'e Stoudemire cutting, and Shaquille O'Neal, who had rotated to the basket for help Defense, immediately fouled.
The referee pointed to the free-throw line.
Shaquille O'Neal had a long face and said nothing.
He just wanted the game to end as soon as possible.
He had no interest in running back and forth anymore.
Amar'e Stoudemire wouldn't consider his opponent's feelings.
He stood at the free-throw line, grinning, and after making one shot, he even had the leisure to quip:
"When is the game over? I want to lift the O'Brien Trophy right now!"
"..."
The Lakers players said nothing.
Shaquille O'Neal had even less interest in arguing with a rookie.
The second free throw suddenly clanked, and Shaquille O'Neal, whose attention was not focused, was boxed out by Dikembe Mutombo.
By the time he reacted, Dikembe Mutombo had already grabbed the offensive rebound, and as Shaquille O'Neal stepped up to defend, the ball flew out to the three-point line again.
At the top of the arc, Lee received the ball, dropped it with his left hand, suddenly lowered his center of gravity, swayed his body to the front-left, and then quickly changed direction with a crossover.
Derek Fisher became a wooden post, with no reaction, and was instantly cleanly beaten by Clay Lee, which made Kobe on the right wing quickly retreat for help Defense.
Just as he moved his feet, Kobe saw the ball fly into Raja Bell's hands.
The latter received the ball without adjustment and quickly shot a jump shot from the right wing!
"Bang!"
The long rebound bounced out.
Kobe, who had stopped, hadn't had time to secure the rebound, but Lee seemed to have been prepared, picking up the rebound again near the right restricted area.
After securing possession, Lee drove to the basket again with the ball in his right hand, drawing O'Neal's help Defense, and then smoothly lobbed the ball directly in front of the basket.
Dikembe Mutombo in the paint jumped and grabbed the ball with both hands, slamming it into the hoop!
"Boom!" An alley-oop dunk was successful!
Consecutive missed rebounds caused the Lakers fans in the arena to boo their home team wildly.
In the commentary booth, Michaels, seeing Lee easily achieve a triple-double, once again praised him loudly:
"After James Worthy, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Charles Barkley, Clay Lee becomes the 5th player in NBA history to achieve a triple-double in the Finals!"
"A perfect performance, the 26-year-old Clay Lee has shown his dominance!"
Having achieved a triple-double, Lee didn't hide his emotions and celebrated with a fist pump.
The Lakers seemed to have lost so much that they were numb.
There wasn't much emotional fluctuation.
Except for Kobe, who was trying hard to get the ball and attack, the others seemed to be waiting for the game to end.
Three minutes into the game, Phil Jackson on the sideline watched Lee collect another long rebound, accelerate from the backcourt, drive straight to the basket, and easily score 2 points, immediately calling a timeout.
The Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man no longer wanted to see similar scenes.
He waved his hand, called over the bench lineup, and surrendered.
As for Kobe insisting on continuing the game, the coaching staff didn't care.
Everyone just hoped the game would end soon.
When the New York Knicks called a timeout, and Lee walked to the bench, waving to the New York fans in the back, the away arena suddenly turned into a home arena:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
The shouts echoed throughout the Staples Center.
Some fans wearing Lakers jerseys also joined in the cheering, witnessing a Finals triple-double.
The fun-loving fans felt their tickets were worth it.
Mike D'Antoni and several members of the coaching staff came forward to embrace and greet him.
Clay Lee also entered a state of hugging everyone he met.
In the commentary booth, Rivers looked at the New York Knicks celebrating the championship, feeling a bit envious:
"This is a championship team. The New York Knicks have shown us the charm of modern basketball!"
"Regarding the plight of the two Lakers veterans, I can only express regret."
"Just as Lee said, the NBA is not just about wins and losses and honors. We have all seen Gary Payton and Karl Malone's desire for a championship."
"My respects to the two veterans!"
Michaels, beside him, saw Kobe still on the court after the timeout and added:
"I like Kobe's never-give-up spirit. Let's enjoy the final performance of both teams for the remaining time!"
Continuously scoring for the Lakers, Kobe remained unaffected by the New York Knicks on the sideline and continued to fight.
With 2 minutes and 12 seconds left in the game, Kobe finally requested to be subbed out.
The live broadcast director focused the camera on Kobe as he returned to his seat.
Perhaps stimulated by the cheers in the Staples Center, Kobe still couldn't hold back.
His eyes reddened, and he finally covered his head with a towel to prevent the camera from capturing his expression.
The 2003-04 season was the worst season of Kobe Bryant's career.
After entering the Finals, Kobe was completely lost.
With his teammates' shooting becoming increasingly poor, he failed to step up and save the team.
Tonight was his best performance in the series: 11 of 25 from the field, 2 of 6 from three-point range, 8 of 8 from the free-throw line, 32 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers.
Neither team's players were focused on the game.
After a few minutes of trading baskets, as the final buzzer sounded, cheers immediately filled the Staples Center.
108:90, the New York Knicks won the game again, sweeping their opponents 4:0 in the series!
In Staples Center, sports reporters rushed to Lee's side, their camera shutters clicking non-stop.
Everyone wanted to record this historic moment.
Lee continuously hugged his teammates.
As he walked to the center of the court, he raised his head with a smile, spread five fingers on his right hand, held up an index finger on his left hand, and happily let out a strange yell:
"Oh!"
Although he encountered weak opponents for two consecutive years, Lee didn't care.
For him, a championship was a championship.
Dikembe Mutombo and Ewing embraced.
Riding coattails was also a skill, and this veteran was particularly happy.
At the end of his career, a ring with deep involvement also made him feel satisfied.
Unlike some who remained seated, Derek Fisher arrived early by Lee's side, coming forward to hug and congratulate him:
"Congratulations, Lee! Your 6th championship, you are the greatest of all time!"
Noticing that Fisher didn't seem too disappointed, Lee patted his shoulder and said with a smile:
"Thanks, Bro! I know your abilities. We can work together if there's a chance."
Derek Fisher's eyes lit up.
He nodded very seriously, then bumped fists again in congratulations, seemingly in a much better mood.
All around, sports reporters were crowded around. Soon, the Lakers players came forward to congratulate Lee.
The atmosphere creators smiled.
Gary Payton and Karl Malone came forward to embrace and greet him, said a polite word, and then turned and left.
The two veterans, who had been hit hard, couldn't bear to see Lee's smile.
Shaquille O'Neal adjusted his emotions and then came forward to congratulate him:
"Congratulations, Bro! The greatest of all time!"
His voice growing deeper and hoarser, Shaquille O'Neal felt even more disheartened after saying this.
Lee patted the big man and teased with a smile:
"Next time we meet, will you still be in Los Angeles? I wouldn't want to delay your big contract."
Thinking about the even more frustrating things that would happen in the offseason, Shaquille O'Neal's mood worsened.
He forced a smile, putting on a confident facade:
"You know, this is my team! Next season, you won't be so lucky."
The sports reporters surrounding the two also seemed to recall Shaquille O'Neal's contract issues.
The microphones above almost squeezed between them, as everyone wanted to gossip.
Phil Jackson was also congratulating Mike D'Antoni.
The two shook hands in front of the scorer's table, and Old Man was still a bit unconvinced:
"Congratulations, Mike! The New York Knicks are the better team, but the Los Angeles Lakers can play better too."
"I know, the Los Angeles Lakers didn't play to their full potential. It's a shame you encountered injuries. If there's a chance, I hope we can play against you again next year!"
Following the other party's words, Mike D'Antoni complimented him with a chuckle, but the unconcealed smile on his face was a bit dazzling.
Phil Jackson could only control his emotions and force a smile.
When the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man appeared next to Lee, he didn't say "greatest in history."
After a few polite words, he quickly left.
Ever since the New York Knicks eliminated the Chicago Bulls and ruined their three-peat, Phil Jackson hasn't been very fond of Clay Lee.
Clay Lee's and Phil Jackson's basketball philosophies have fundamental differences when it comes to ball-dominant, stat-chasing play.
Although most coaches in the NBA eventually use the same tactics, a Champion Coach must maintain his prestige, and "Triangle Offense" is the Phil Jackson's label.
Just as Jeff Van Gundy also wants to elevate his achievements and become a prestigious Champion Coach like Phil Jackson, adhering to one's own basketball philosophy is very important.
Lee didn't care about the other party's preferences anyway.
He hugged everyone he met and threw out compliments like they were free.
When a red-eyed Kobe Bryant finally came before Lee, he simply offered congratulations.
He didn't want to say too much to his "mortal enemy."
"Kobe, maintain this confidence. Believe me, God always favors those who work hard, and the future will definitely belong to you!"
Lee patted Kobe's shoulder and finished his pretty words.
The familiar blessing made the latter's mouth twitch slightly:
"Thanks, Lee! Next season, we'll meet again in the Finals. I'll win the game with my own hands!"
Kobe squeezed through the crowd and walked towards the player tunnel.
Seeing that half of his home crowd was cheering for Lee, his heart grew even more bitter.
Since last year, ESPN had been criticizing him, many fans no longer supported him, and coupled with the pressure from the sexual assault, Kobe secretly shed tears as he walked towards the locker room.
Mike Tirico, as the host of tonight's awards ceremony, also came to Lee's side at this time:
"Lee, tonight the New York Knicks have set multiple records again, and you've also won your 6th individual championship. Tell us about your current feelings!"
"Very happy! Tonight, many fans came to support the New York Knicks, which made me feel a different away atmosphere than in previous years!"
"My teammates and I are really enjoying this moment. This is the New York Knicks' 8th championship. We've created new history for the team."
Lee put his arm around Mike Tirico and started speaking beautifully again.
He didn't return to the locker room.
During the time the stage was being set up, he would continue to be interviewed by the media as per the rehearsal requirements.
The rest of the New York Knicks cheered as they changed into their championship T-shirts after returning to the locker room, then immediately returned to the Staples Center.
The atmosphere was good tonight, and there were more opportunities for interviews, so everyone had to seize the moment.
After the awards stage was set up, Lee walked towards the player tunnel and, after embracing James Dolan, took the T-shirt and hat he handed over.
"We're going to celebrate well in Los Angeles! I just want to show off our championship in front of those local reporters!"
The curly-haired owner hugged Lee and said loudly.
After losing three consecutive road games back then, this was considered successful revenge.
Lee smiled and nodded.
As he was about to take off his jersey, a young fan above him shouted:
"ClayâLee! Look at me!"
Michael Thompson, wearing a Los Angeles Lakers jersey, helplessly greeted Lee.
His beloved son made him a little embarrassed; there was a "traitor" in the family.
Lee handed the removed away jersey to the blushing teenager, who, upon receiving it, immediately hugged it and jumped around, shouting loudly: "OMG! OMG!"
After putting on his championship T-shirt, as Lee left with James Dolan, Klay Thompson was still incredibly excited, completely disregarding his father's expression, and happily shouted:
"I want to play like Lee!"
"."
The away game turned into a home game, and the joy of the turncoat fun-seekers celebrating with the happy New York fans was that simple.
On the awards stage, the New York Knicks players hugged each other, and David Stern smiled as he heard the continuous cheers in the Staples Center.
Unlike previous procedures, this awards ceremony would announce the awards first, followed by in-depth interviews.
Before taking the microphone, David Stern smiled and turned to Lee beside him, whispering: "
"Clay, I hope you'll like this year's trophy. The NBA has made some changes, and you'll be the first player to receive this trophy."
Without waiting for Lee's response, David Stern raised the microphone and said loudly:
"Thank you! Thank you very much to both teams for giving us such a wonderful game!"
"This year's Finals, we witnessed multiple records: 50 points, triple-doubles, the largest historical winning margin."
"Again, my respect to the Los Angeles Lakers. They showed us the spirit of never giving up in competitive sports!"
"Now let us congratulate the 2003-2004 NBA Champions: the New York Knicks! Congratulations to them on winning their 8th championship in franchise history!"
"Wow!"
James Dolan grabbed the familiar trophy.
The moment he raised it, the New York Knicks behind him cheered together, and a huge cheer also erupted in the Staples Center.
David Stern, holding the microphone, then waved to the staff.
As a smaller Larry O'Brien Trophy appeared, he immediately smiled and said:
"To commemorate this historic moment, the NBA has changed the trophy design!"
"4 games, averaging 42.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 3.0 steals, 0.5 blocks, 1.3 turnovers."
"The first player in Finals history to achieve a 40+10 double-double!"
"The 2003-2004 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player is Clay Lee!"
"Congratulations to Lee, the first player in NBA history to achieve 6 FMVPs! Let us witness this historic moment together!"
"Wow!"
Amidst cheers and shouts, Lee, holding his hat, was pushed to the very front by the crowd.
A smile appeared on his face, and when he received the trophy from David Stern, he noticed the subtle textures on it.
The small trophy was exceptionally exquisite.
David Stern embraced Lee and simply reminded him:
"The NBA specially made this trophy for you. I'm sure you'll like it."
"This is my honor!"
After they separated, as Lee raised the trophy with his left hand, he noticed that the base had many small inscriptions, all of which were the honors he had accumulated so far.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
When Lee came to the very front of the podium, raising two golden trophies, one large and one small, the shouts once again echoed through the arena.
On his white T-shirt, the 6 trophies and the New York Knicks' letter print were particularly striking.
Lee smiled, holding the trophy, allowing the reporters below to take pictures.
The host, Mike Tirico, chattered excitedly on the side.
A custom-made trophy had last appeared for Michael Jordan's final All-Star game.
The cheers wouldn't stop, and the New York fans behind had already raised their prepared whiteboards:
"GOAT!" "đ!"
The huge English letters and cartoon goat were particularly eye-catching.
Everyone disregarded the Los Angeles Lakers fans' gazes, waving their whiteboards freely and shouting happily.
In the stands, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were both present, with no spectators beside them.
After the awards ceremony, they would have to offer their congratulations.
The atmosphere made Kareem Abdul-Jabbar frown slightly.
Magic Johnson, wearing a grey casual suit, suddenly laughed and turned to tease:
"At 26, if he plays for another 10 years, perhaps Clay Lee will surpass you and become the all-time leading scorer!"
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who also had 6 championships, had already been surpassed by Lee.
Some honors were just a matter of time and accumulation.
After watching 4 frustrating Finals games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was not in a good mood.
He shook his head slightly and simply replied:
"Who knows what the future holds? Maybe his competitive state will decline as he ages!"
"."
.....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)