On May 7, 2000, the day after the New York Knicks and 76ers game, the public's attention wasn't on the outcome of the game, but rather on the news revealed by Ewing.
The regular season record already told the whole story.
The 76ers hadn't won a single game, and even commentators couldn't be bothered to say much about this matchup.
Since there wasn't even a single explosive win in the regular season, hoping for a sudden miraculous performance in the playoffs was basically a pipe dream.
Statistics can sometimes be deceiving.
Allen Iverson performed poorly in the first half but came out strong in the second.
Fans who didn't watch the game and only looked at the Excel sheet might think this short scoring guard played well, but some commentators who watched the game ultimately gave Allen Iverson the evaluation:
"An inefficient stat-padder!"
Clay Lee was called a stat-padder by the Los Angeles Media, but he was never labeled inefficient.
Allen Iverson's evaluation hit rock bottom.
He got the stats but couldn't win, and even Philadelphia fans were losing patience.
The public was more interested in Ewing's revealed "retirement tour."
An NBA Top 50 player, 2-time champion, 11-time All-Star, 8-time All-NBA selection, 4-time All-Defensive Team selection, and 6-time Player of the Month.
Patrick Ewing's career honors weren't hard enough, but at least he had "one man, one city."
His agent, David Falk, also briefly introduced him in an interview:
"Pat's career was very inspiring, with highs and lows, and he ultimately achieved success by staying loyal to New York."
"Like Michael Jordan, they are both great players. Although his body can still continue to play, it's time to leave the NBA. Pat needs to start the next phase of his life."
"."
On the morning of the 7th, Shaquille O'Neal's MVP buzz was largely overshadowed by the Gorilla.
A retirement tour is still a rare thing.
David Falk clearly wanted Ewing to play one more season in style and make some money.
Old fans would buy into it.
Although the era of the four great centers was dominated by Michael Jordan, it was, after all, everyone's youth.
Glorifying the past and disparaging the present is a common practice for old fans.
Just as to this day, many old-school fans still dislike Clay Lee's offensive choices, times are evolving, but some people's memories of the NBA are forever stuck in the early 90s.
When Lee heard this news last night, he almost thought the Gorilla was talking in his sleep.
It wasn't until David Falk also made a statement that he realized the other party was serious.
On the morning of the 7th, in the villa in Tarrytown, only the husky Happy was with Lee.
Melinda was preparing for graduation, and Kim was still busy with her lawyer's license.
Only the husky, who had successfully lost weight, watched Lee's breakfast with drool, lying at his feet, showing a "wise" gaze.
The phone on the dining table was on speakerphone, and agent Mark Bartelstein was still complaining about the Gorilla's tour:
"This is a terrible idea! I don't think Ewing has that much appeal."
"Perhaps New York fans will pay for him, but once he goes to other cities, who will care about this outdated player."
"The tour also requires statistics and brilliant performances. Whether he can stay healthy is currently an unknown!"
Hearing these complaints, Lee's expression was strange.
While eating breakfast, he casually replied:
"Health and statistics are not important. The New York Knicks are still filming a documentary, and Madison Square Garden is going to record this entire season."
"Injuries are also part of the game. Then, when there's a 'hero's return,' fans should love to see such a scene."
Mark Bartelstein on the phone seemed a bit speechless, pausing for a moment before asking:
"What is this documentary called now? The one you filmed before was indeed very good."
Lee had almost finished eating.
At this moment, he was smiling and petting the dog's head, casually replying again:
"The Last Dance!"
"."
On the evening of the 7th, Los Angeles fans were ecstatic.
At Staples Center, Shaquille O'Neal was beaming, receiving the MVP trophy from David Stern and holding it high.
The "MVP" cheers were endless.
Even if the first-round game was a bit shaky, seeing Shaquille O'Neal receive the award, fans automatically ignored the process.
Saying he didn't care, but his body was incredibly honest, Shaquille O'Neal exuded joy from inside out, even if he wasn't the so-called "unanimous MVP," the Shaq didn't care anymore.
Good things happened to him, and he felt refreshed.
Although the Phoenix Suns eliminated the San Antonio Spurs, they were completely crushed by Shaquille O'Neal, who was in excellent form.
77:105, the Lakers successfully won the game.
Shaq unleashed his power in front of his old teammate Anfernee Hardaway.
He played 40 minutes, shooting 15-of-28 from the field, 7-of-10 from the free-throw line, scoring 37 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 4 blocks, and 2 turnovers.
Although Hardaway shot 9-of-18 for an efficient 25 points, the Phoenix Suns were completely out of sync.
The team's field goal percentage was 36.4%, and they shot 3-of-18 from three-point range.
On a milestone night in his career, O'Neal was satisfied and went home content with his trophy.
In the other two games that night, the Pacers and Trail Blazers easily defeated their opponents.
The Heat and Utah Jazz had stagnant offenses.
Their iron-blooded basketball was useless if they couldn't make shots.
On Monday evening, May 8th, the game still officially started at 7:30 PM.
That night, there was only one game: the 76ers vs. the New York Knicks.
Before the game, Allen Iverson was already infuriated by the New York Media's column articles from the past two days.
Young players care a lot about outside comments, and the title "inefficient stat-padder" was really unpleasant.
In the previous game, the 76ers proactively sped up their offensive pace, falling into a half-court battle, and on defense, they double-teamed and heavily hedged Clay Lee.
Larry Brown also tried to play pressure defense, relying on faster defensive rotations to defend and then attack.
The result of implementing such a defensive strategy was that the New York Knicks had multiple scoring options, and the game was decided early.
When the game started that night, the 76ers reverted to their most effective defensive strategy.
Full-court pressure defense, increasing pressure on the ball, while also allowing Allen Iverson to attempt some steals on cross-court passes.
The game reverted to a so-called defensive battle.
Larry Brown hoped to limit the New York Knicks' offense by slowing down the pace, and then rely on Allen Iverson's counterattacks for the 76ers to score.
With 4 minutes and 16 seconds left in the first half, the New York fans in the arena were enthusiastic, continuing to shout loudly with the DJ:
"Let's go Knicks!"
Allen Iverson made one of two free throws.
The 76ers' transition defense was incredibly fast.
After Lee advanced the ball past half-court with his left hand, the opponent had already completed their defensive positioning.
In most possessions tonight, the 76ers gave up offensive rebounds to limit the New York Knicks' transition offense.
At this time, Aaron McKie, a guard with better shooting ability, was partnering with Allen Iverson in the backcourt.
Returning to the point guard position, Allen Iverson full-court defended Lee.
As he drove to the left wing, Lee didn't stop the ball but instead tossed it to Ewing, who had just moved up to the left elbow area.
After completing the pass, Lee first faked horizontally, then suddenly cut to the left.
Allen Iverson had just misread the defense, and Ewing, who received the ball, immediately delivered a handoff pass.
The time from receiving the ball to passing it was extremely short.
Clay Lee had already picked up speed, and Allen Iverson didn't have time to warn his teammates, quickly squeezing through the screen and continuing to chase Lee from his side.
Ratliffe behind Ewing hadn't reacted yet.
Lee, with Allen Iverson's defense hanging on him, drove to a position near the lower left of the basket.
Approaching the basket, he quickly took a jump step, and Lee and Allen Iverson immediately made body contact.
Under the huge impact, Allen Iverson was directly bounced away, watching Lee cut to the basket and score with a left-handed layup!
35:50.
Watching Clay Lee continuously score by driving hard to the basket after Allen Iverson's on-ball defense, Larry Brown on the sideline stood with his arms crossed, saying nothing.
Two timeouts failed to break the 76ers' scoring drought.
On the bench, the atmosphere was gone, and everyone stared blankly at the situation on the court.
Allen Iverson, who furiously slammed the basketball, found that he had no solution at all.
He needed to defend off-ball, and once he was faked and his position was blocked, besides fouling, he could only give up points.
When the 76ers attacked, Allen Iverson found that Ewing had returned to the court and was squatting in the paint, while the New York Knicks' mid-range defense relied entirely on perimeter players chasing back.
It was another high pick-and-roll from the top of the arc.
Ratliff's screen quality was good, allowing Allen Iverson, who had switched to his left hand with a behind-the-back dribble, to successfully drive into the paint.
Directly in front of the rim, Allen Iverson stopped abruptly, then drifted backward to his left to complete a jump shot.
Lee, who was chasing him from behind, only managed a strenuous block attempt, but Allen Iverson's jump shot still clanked off the rim.
He had excellent shooting touch in the first quarter, but it faded in the second.
Watching Oakley grab the rebound, Allen Iverson quickly retreated on defense.
Back on his own half, he established his defensive position at the mid-court line.
Allen Iverson clapped his hands to encourage himself, and also reminded his teammates to pay attention to their defensive matchups.
The New York Knicks still didn't choose to push the ball quickly.
They didn't have many fast breaks tonight.
After crossing mid-court, Lee was immediately met with pressure.
He passed the ball to Allan Houston on the right wing without hesitation.
As Lee suddenly cut in and demanded the ball with his back to the basket in the right elbow area, Ron Artest quickly snuck along the baseline from the right corner, stopping only after reaching the left corner.
After passing the ball, Allan Houston also shuffled horizontally to the top of the arc, while Oakley stood in the left elbow area, ready to crash the boards at any moment.
The New York Knicks cleared one side.
Noticing this situation, Allen Iverson lowered his center of gravity and desperately tried to squeeze against Lee.
By the time Lee caught the ball and smoothly turned to face the basket, Allen Iverson was practically burrowing into his chest.
Lee then raised the ball high, letting his opponent lean into him.
Then, he suddenly lowered his center of gravity, quickly swept the ball from left to right, and as he released the ball with his right hand, he immediately made a crossover step breakthrough towards the baseline.
The two tangled as they moved to the right side, near the baseline.
Lee then stopped abruptly, pushed off with his feet, drifted towards the baseline, and after jumping, twisted his body in the air, completing a fadeaway jump shot!
In the air, Clay Lee maintained his balance, while Allen Iverson, trying desperately to block, ended up getting tangled with Lee's left foot.
As the ball flew towards the rim, the referee's whistle blew:
"Squeak! Swish!"
The whistle blew, and the ball went in, a two-pointer swishing through the net.
On the New York Knicks bench, Lewis and a few others stood up, cheering loudly.
Upon landing, Allen Iverson knew the ball had gone in.
The cheers seemed to burst through the Arena.
New York fans just loved one-on-one matchups.
Lee looked relaxed.
The more aggressively smaller players stuck to him, the more it benefited him.
A relaxed smile appeared on his face.
After high-fiving Spike Lee, who was excitedly shouting from the sidelines, he slowly walked to the free-throw line.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
A lot of one-on-one play took place in the second quarter, much to the delight of the New York fans, and the shouts of "MVP" grew louder and louder.
The bonus free throw went in smoothly. Watching Lee's retreating figure, the few 76ers players on the court fell silent.
"We rarely see Lee choose this type of offense. Facing a relatively shorter guard, his efficiency is even higher!"
On the TNT commentary desk, Marv Albert remarked with emotion that the stop-and-pop fadeaway, along with some of the preceding footwork, was basically identical to Michael Jordan's.
Considering that both players shared Tim Grover as their trainer, this didn't come as a surprise to him.
Hubie Brown felt that Lee had played with extreme aggression in the few minutes since he re-entered the game.
Seeing Allen Iverson break through the middle and dish the ball, and Aaron McKie's long two-pointer from the right corner clank off the rim again, Hubie Brown could only offer a simple evaluation:
"The 76ers need to find their shooting touch quickly!"
The New York Knicks' defense continued to collapse, with Allan Houston's defense being only a symbolic interference before he turned to protect the rebound.
Again, it was a half-court offense. Lee set a high pick-and-roll at the top of the arc.
Noticing Ratliff's indecisive defensive position, Lee began to slow down after squeezing past Ewing's left side.
Taking advantage of Ewing's roll, Lee suddenly increased his stride, faking a twist and acceleration.
With the ball in his left hand and his center of gravity low, he immediately attracted two defenders.
Allen Iverson chased from behind, and Ratliff slid towards the basket, leaving Lee with just a sliver of space.
Moving to the left restricted area, Lee delivered a concealed bounce pass with his left hand to the rolling Ewing.
When Ratliff tried to turn and recover on defense, he realized it was already too late.
He watched again as Gorilla grabbed the ball with his right hand and slammed it down with a one-handed dunk!
35:55. The lead extended to 20 points. Ewing excitedly raised both hands, and Madison Square Garden erupted completely:
"Wow!"
With less than 2 minutes remaining, Allan Houston and Oakley missed shots for the New York Knicks, while the 76ers' big men earned free throws, which helped them save some face.
39:55.
The first half ended, with the deficit slightly reduced, but the New York fans in attendance were unaffected.
Fans in the back rows were already standing up and starting to groove to the music.
Allen Iverson was 4-for-7 in the first quarter and 0-for-4 in the second.
At halftime, he was 4-for-11 from the field, 4-for-6 from the free throw line, with 12 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 3 turnovers.
Looking at the -19 in the box score, Marv Albert vaguely said:
"Allen Iverson needs to adjust his offensive rhythm quickly. The 76ers need his scoring."
Hubie Brown, however, was not polite and directly pointed out the 76ers' tactical problems:
"The offensive pace is too slow. In the second quarter, Head Coach Larry Brown should have substituted Aaron McKie earlier and moved Allen Iverson back to the shooting guard position."
"Facing Li's defense, Allen Iverson struggled significantly. Too much physical confrontation completely threw him off."
Clay Lee was 6-for-11 in the first half, 1-for-3 from beyond the arc, and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, totaling 18 points, 2 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1 turnover.
Seemingly accustomed to such a performance, Marv Albert didn't praise him much.
The two on the commentary desk kept analyzing the 76ers' shortcomings.
After the second half began, Allan Houston rediscovered his shooting touch, scoring continuously with a mix of shots and free throws.
Kukoc, who replaced Larry Johnson, also responded from beyond the arc.
Allen Iverson, whose jump shots were all clanking off the rim, started attacking the basket repeatedly.
Although he could get past the perimeter defense, Ewing, who was lurking under the basket, could still provide interference.
After missing a shot, Allen Iverson's drive and dish led to Tyrone Hill getting consecutive easy scores.
The game was lively, and time passed quickly.
The 76ers felt that every point was incredibly difficult to score.
After just making a layup and falling to the floor, Allen Iverson quickly got up and retreated on defense.
Back on the right wing, he turned his head and saw that Erik Snow had failed to squeeze through the high pick-and-roll in time.
Feeling anxious, Allen Iverson quickly called out Ratliff's name:
"Theo!"
Ratliff, who was still standing inside the three-point line, didn't react at all.
Lee had already stopped abruptly at the top of the arc and quickly shot a three-pointer from beyond the arc!
"Swish!" The three-pointer swished through the net.
53:79. With 4 minutes and 8 seconds remaining in the third quarter, the lead had extended to 26 points.
After making the three-pointer, Lee simply raised his right arm, making a gun gesture with his fingers in a simple celebration.
"Oh!"
Perhaps his warning was drowned out by the fans' cheers, Ratliff dejectedly raised his hand, signaling it was his fault, and no longer looked at the furious Allen Iverson.
Clay Lee, who had just hit the three-pointer, started aggressively driving to the basket, resorting to simple and forceful drive-and-kick plays.
The veteran Tyrone Hill, who was frequently providing help defense, couldn't withstand it and picked up his 5th personal foul.
Head Coach Larry Brown on the sideline still didn't call a timeout.
He stood with his arms crossed, silent, seemingly giving up, letting the time in the third quarter tick away.
62:84.
After three quarters, the game entered garbage time.
Marv Albert, looking at Lee's box score, couldn't help but joke, as Lee had dished out 5 assists in that quarter:
"If he plays a few more minutes, Lee should be able to get a big double-double."
Hubie Brown smiled and shook his head, no longer joking about Allen Iverson playing in garbage time, but instead said seriously:
"Head Coach Larry Brown needs to make a decision. Allen Iverson is not Clay Lee. Perhaps further unleashing his offensive ability is the right choice."
Erik Snow's playing time was cut by more than half, and Allen Iverson seemed to be back at the point guard position, but the effect was very poor, and the game lost its suspense early on.
In the fourth quarter, Allen Iverson was still on the court, while the New York Knicks had already put in their rotation lineup.
The 76ers finally found some offensive rhythm and started scoring continuously.
Allen Iverson showed no signs of relaxing and continued to play hard on defense.
At Madison Square Garden, the music had changed.
There was no more "Defense," but rather some playful sound effects.
Finally, to the cheers of the New York fans, the game clock ran out.
92:108.
The New York Knicks defeated the 76ers again, bringing the series score to 2:0.
On the bench, Clay Lee and his teammates stood up and applauded, waving to the fans.
The next two games would be away games, and given the current trend, it was possible they wouldn't return to New York.
Jeff Van Gundy didn't show too much joy, only a slight smile as he approached the scorer's table to shake hands with Larry Brown.
"This will be a wonderful series!"
"..."
Larry Brown felt as if the Bald Young Coach opposite him was mocking him.
Both games were decided by the third quarter.
How could that be wonderful?
From the commentary booth, Marv Albert felt the joyous atmosphere in the arena and began to heap praise on Lee:
"30 minutes played, 25 points, 3 rebounds, 13 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover. Clay Lee dominated the game again tonight!"
"Unlike Shaquille O'Neal, Clay Lee always makes his teammates better. They both achieve victory in different ways."
Clay Lee had 9-of-16 shooting, 2-of-5 from three-point range, and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line, essentially coasting in the third quarter.
Allan Houston, meanwhile, scored 13 points in that single quarter.
Hubie Brown hoped the series would be more exciting.
After the game, the veteran coach simply offered his blessings to the 76ers:
"I believe the 76ers can protect their home court. This season, they've performed exceptionally well. With a little more effort, I believe they can do it."
New York Media reporters had their Excels ready, just waiting for Allen Iverson's post-game interview.
Playing 45 minutes, Allen Iverson once again delivered a solid stat line: 9-of-25 shooting, 10-of-14 from the free-throw line, 28 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, and 4 turnovers.
After waiting for a long time, many were disappointed to find that only Larry Brown and Ratliff appeared at the press conference.
Some even jeered, saying:
"Even after playing garbage time, his plus-minus is still -10. We just want to hear Allen Iverson's thoughts!"
"..."
On May 9th, the NBA announced this season's All-Rookie Teams, and Ron Artest also earned a small honor.
The five players on the First Team were:
Elton Brand, Steve Francis, Andre Miller, Lamar Odom, and Wally Szczerbiak.
The five players on the Second Team were:
Ron Artest, Chucky Atkins, Shawn Marion, James Posey, and Jason Terry.
Szczerbiak was drafted by the Timberwolves with the 6th overall pick last year and had a decent rookie season, though his performance in the playoffs was mediocre.
Kevin Garnett was eliminated in the first round again this season, but losing to the Trail Blazers wasn't unexpected, and most commentators still praised Kevin Garnett's performance.
On the flight to Philadelphia, Lee looked at the familiar names in the newspaper and suddenly realized that the 2003 "Platinum Generation" was also about to enter the NBA.
Being named to the All-Rookie Team was a rare honor for most players.
After boarding the plane, Ron Artest couldn't stop smiling.
Averaging 8.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.9 turnovers, with a field goal percentage of 41.4% and a three-point percentage of 31.4%.
Given that he only averaged 7.4 shot attempts per game, Ron Artest's selection to the All-Rookie Team was indeed worth celebrating.
"Will being on the All-Rookie Team get me more screen time in the documentary?"
Hearing Ron Artest's inflated request, Oakley immediately pinched the Rookie's shoulder and joked:
"The documentary is called 'The Last Dance.' A brief appearance is enough for you, Rookie! We'll record you carrying bags."
Lewis showed a hint of envy, while Ben Wallace, fiddling with his hair, looked at the inflated Ron Artest and muttered,
"It seems this year's rookie class isn't very strong!"
"..."
Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 3:
The 76ers had just over a day to rest.
After the Knicks arrived in Philadelphia, they didn't receive much attention.
The first two games were won too easily, so most media reporters chose to stay in New York and continue their stakeout.
On the evening of the 9th, the Pacers once again blew out the Heat.
Reggie Miller and Jalen Rose both scored 40 points, leaving the Heat players dazed.
Alonzo Mourning clanked shot after shot, and no one from the Heat's perimeter stepped up.
76:109.
The Pacers decisively defeated the Heat, bringing the series score to 2:0.
Despite losing the game, Pat Riley maintained his composure, but many media reporters captured the renowned coach's lips mouthing a low "F*ck!" as he walked towards the player's tunnel.
Although the Eastern Conference Finals were still a long way off, most sports media outlets believed that the Pacers and the Knicks would meet in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The grudge match was coming again!
The two teams had very similar configurations.
Reggie Miller and Jalen Rose were playing better and better in the playoffs, and everyone predicted it would be a evenly matched game.
85:103. The Trail Blazers also defeated the Utah Jazz tonight.
"Old Man Basketball" was completely outdated.
With the backing of money, the Scottie Pippen-led Trail Blazers were also hitting their stride.
On the afternoon of the 10th, Clay Lee warmed up early at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, where a large number of media reporters were still gathered courtside.
After retrieving the ball, before he could even reach the sideline, Lee was surrounded.
Perhaps the recent news topics had run out, as an ESPN reporter quickly asked:
"Compared to last season, the Pacers seem to have found the right way to play. What are your thoughts on the Eastern Conference Finals?"
Seeing everyone holding microphones in front of him, Lee blinked, looked around at everyone, and said with some surprise:
"If I'm not mistaken, the Knicks' opponent tonight is the 76ers."
"Guys, you need to ask a different question. I'm very willing to answer questions related to our opponent."
Unable to get a speculative answer, a Yahoo Sports reporter seized the opportunity and asked another hot topic recently:
"Lee, what are your thoughts on the plus-minus stat? Allen Iverson's numbers in that category have been very poor in both games!"
Hearing a question related to Excel, Lee brightened up and offered his perspective:
"The data is bad because they've been losing points, and Allen Iverson has remained on the court."
"This stat does have some reference value, but in games with a huge disparity in strength, there's no need to scrutinize it!"
Understanding the hidden meaning in Lee's words, the sports media gathered around him exchanged knowing smiles.
An NBC reporter then asked curiously:
"Lee, why is your plus-minus always so good? I mean, even on nights when your shooting touch isn't great, this stat is still impressive!"
Lee smiled and shrugged, then simply replied:
"That's because the Knicks keep winning. It's that simple. Sometimes, stats can reflect victory!"
Everyone laughed.
Of course, the stats would look good if they kept winning.
That evening, for Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 3, enthusiastic Philadelphia fans arrived early, filling the arena with 20,000 spectators.
Once the game began, everyone was fully invested.
Philadelphia fans had actually prepared themselves mentally.
With their team down 2:0 in the series, as long as the game was exciting, losing seemed acceptable.
Head Coach Larry Brown naturally wouldn't concede defeat.
Although commentators were blasting him for his usage of Allen Iverson, upon returning home, he insisted on moving Aaron McKie into the starting lineup.
Compared to the first two games, the 76ers, back on their home court, displayed a tenacious style of play.
Having learned their lesson, they didn't collapse by halftime.
After the end of the third quarter, the score was 67:70, with the 76ers leading for the first time in the series.
Victory was in sight, and as the fourth quarter began, the shouts in the First Union Center grew louder and louder:
"Defense! ..."
Having rested early in the late third quarter, Lee entered the game directly at the start of the fourth quarter.
Ron Artest, Kukoc, Kurt Thomas, and Ben Wallace also rotated normally.
Jeff Van Gundy stood courtside, occasionally shouting to signal everyone to quickly spread out.
Allen Iverson continued to guard full court.
By this point in the game, he had only rested for less than a minute at the end of the first quarter.
After quickly dribbling past half-court, Lee, with the ball in his right hand, turned sideways to protect it on the right wing, while Kukoc was posting up for the ball in the right block.
After receiving the pass from Lee, Kukoc didn't immediately turn to face the basket and attack.
Instead, he held the ball with his back to the basket, observing the situation on the court.
Ron Artest had just arrived at the left corner, while Ben Wallace and Kurt Thomas stood one near the basket and the other in the left elbow area.
The offensive space on the court had already opened up, and off-ball, Lee feigned a baseline cut from Kukoc's left side.
Allen Iverson initially thought it was a standard play, but he didn't expect Clay Lee to suddenly exert a hidden burst of force when nearing the right restricted area, then quickly run to the right corner.
Before he could adjust his defensive Center of Gravity, Allen Iverson, who had been pushed, saw Kukoc toss the ball, and Lee, who received the pass in the right corner, shot a fadeaway jumper to the right!
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly!
The score was tied on the first possession, and the arena suddenly fell silent, followed by even louder curses.
Allen Iverson had no time to close out and could only stop in front of Clay Lee.
Jeff Van Gundy calmly clapped his hands, gave a thumbs-up, then continued to stand courtside with his arms crossed, pacing back and forth.
After Allen Iverson received the ball on the baseline, he was also led by Lee's defense.
After crossing half-court, he made a pass, and the 76ers began continuous ball movement.
Most of the passes didn't accomplish much, and in the end, Allen Iverson still broke through the middle, driving straight to the basket.
Lee provided body contact and jumped to contest from the lower right of the rim, but the opponent's floater still went in.
70:72, the 76ers were back in the lead!
The New York Knicks' offense also became simple and direct at this point.
Ben Wallace immediately came to the top of the arc to set a high screen for Lee.
Fighting to get through the screen, Allen Iverson still wanted to continue his chase-down defense, but after switching to his left hand, Lee pushed the ball again, changing direction.
Ratliffe, who came out for help defense from the interior, quickly shuffled his feet but was still squeezed past by Lee, who then led the ball with his right hand and drove straight into the paint.
Tyrone Hill initially wanted to immediately step up for help defense, but he didn't expect that just two steps past the free-throw line, Lee would smoothly complete a floater.
"Swish!" The two-point shot went in steadily.
"Boo!"
Boos erupted in the First Union Center, but Clay Lee didn't care at all, loudly reminding everyone to get back on defense.
Soon, the game entered a stalemate.
Clay Lee continuously used high pick-and-rolls, shaking off his defender to complete floaters in the paint.
Allen Iverson, meanwhile, constantly attacked the basket.
In addition to his own scoring, his drive-and-kick passes also caused the 76ers' score to rise.
76:76, with 8 minutes and 14 seconds left in the game, both sides were tied again.
Jeff Van Gundy called a timeout at this point.
The Bald Young Coach did not bring back the starting lineup but instead brought in Lewis, signaling to play for another 3 minutes.
Lewis, who hadn't shown much in this series, came on and received a drive-and-kick pass from Lee in the middle of the paint.
He shot from the right corner and it went in!
After Allen Iverson's fadeaway jumper in the paint clanked off the rim, Ben Wallace secured the rebound, and the New York Knicks suddenly launched a transition offense.
Aaron McKie chased Lee to his side, intending to immediately double-team him.
After observing the positioning on the court, Lee jumped and passed the ball before crossing half-court, to the left wing, where Kukoc received the ball just outside the three-point line and immediately shot!
"Swish!" Another three-pointer went in!
Larry Brown immediately called a timeout.
The noise in the stadium grew louder and louder, as the New York Knicks were scoring too quickly.
82:76, in the blink of an eye, they were down by 6 points.
Allen Iverson pursed his lips and quickly walked towards the bench.
Clay Lee high-fived his teammates on the court to celebrate, then returned to the bench with a relaxed smile, and then fist-bumped the atmosphere group.
"The 76ers must be careful now. They absolutely need to play good defense at this point, there's still a lot of game time left, and they still have a chance to turn the game around!"
Hubie Brown's words were somewhat serious, and Marv Albert joked:
"This is a must-win game. If the New York Knicks get to match point, it means the series is about to end."
"At this critical moment, Allen Iverson needs to step up and take responsibility!"
In the following few possessions, Allen Iverson's shooting touch declined, while on the New York Knicks' side, Ron Artest and Ben Wallace also got on the scoreboard.
On this 76ers' possession, Allen Iverson again drove into the paint.
With Ben Wallace and Lewis both focused on him, he quickly passed the ball to Tyrone Hill at the lower right of the basket.
The ball had barely reached the veteran's hands when Lee, having anticipated the play, cleanly stripped it away.
Watching the New York Knicks launch another transition offense, the boos from the crowd grew even louder.
Allen Iverson immediately tried to steal the ball back but was deftly evaded by Lee's behind-the-back dribble.
With the defense out of position, Head Coach Larry Brown on the sideline angrily shouted repeatedly:
"Get back on defense! Faster! Get on your man!"
The 76ers players hadn't even had time to move to help Allen Iverson defend when Lee reached the top of the arc, adjusted his steps, slowed down, then quickly stopped short, and another transition three-pointer went in!
Allen Iverson's relentless side-on closeout didn't have much effect.
89:82, the lead was stretched again.
In Philadelphia's First Union Center, only the fans' curses remained.
Larry Brown's timeout also had no effect.
At this point, the main characters on the court had completely become the New York Knicks' role players.
When Lewis hit another three-pointer, everyone on the New York Knicks' bench waved their towels.
The suddenly misfiring 76ers almost left the home fans dumbfounded.
It wasn't until Allen Iverson's drive from the right wing, after colliding with Clay Lee, resulted in a dribble off his foot and a turnover, that most fans realized something:
"Allen Iverson is tired."
The New York Knicks' atmosphere group showed no mercy.
Once they found their rhythm, a barrage of three-pointers suddenly poured down in the 4th quarter.
With 1 minute and 6 seconds left in the game, as Lee made both of his free throws, many 76ers fans stood up, staring intently at the scoreboard.
97:89, Ewing and Oakley on the sideline were constantly applauding, and everyone on the bench was beaming with joy.
Having used up all his timeouts, Allen Iverson continued to shoot from beyond the arc, but then missed repeatedly.
As time ran out, the noise in the arena grew louder and louder.
In the final moments, Allen Iverson missed both free throws, and Lee secured the ball, controlling possession and no longer attacking.
"Boo!"
101:89, the final buzzer sounded, and Allen Iverson, suppressing his anger, walked directly into the player tunnel with his head down.
Clay Lee smiled as he handed the ball to the referee, even having the presence of mind to joke with him.
At the commentary table, Marv Albert looked at Allen Iverson, who was about to leave, and sighed softly:
"It's a pity, perhaps they were only one quarter away from victory!"
Hubie Brown shook his head.
He noticed Lee didn't show much joy and emphasized:
"Everything was under Lee's control. He knew his opponent would get tired, and in the fourth quarter, no one on the 76ers could limit his drives."
"In this game, whether trailing or in a stalemate, I saw no emotional fluctuations from Lee. On him, I only saw immense confidence!"
5-of-8 shooting, 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, Clay Lee scored another 14 points in the final quarter, helping his team secure the win.
The cheers of the New York Knicks, the disappointed curses of the Philadelphia fans, and the 'blessings' from the Philadelphia fans on both sides of the player tunnel all reached Allen Iverson's ears.
Seemingly unwilling to say goodbye to the season in this manner, upon entering the player tunnel, Allen Iverson completely lost his composure, consumed by rage, and kicked over a railing:
"Fuck! ***! It's like this again!"
"..."
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