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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 October 28, 2003, after the New York Yankees lost the World Series, New York fans once again pinned their championship hopes on the New York Knicks.
Although it was a tuesday and the game didn't tip off until 8 PM, most fans still arrived early to queue outside the Madison Square Garden before the game started.
Some visitors came from Pennsylvania Station, as the Madison Square Garden is located above the station.
Fans coming from Boston would choose to take a direct bus.
Most people still chose to travel by subway, as parking here is difficult and expensive, making walking a more cost-effective option for ordinary fans.
The aerial night view of New York is beautiful, but Madison Square Garden is an old Madison Square Garden, and there are always endless construction projects around it, making the roads in this area increasingly narrow.
If it's your first time watching a game at Madison Square Garden, entering through the regular entrance, you'll likely be startled by the seemingly hyped-up New York fans.
A group of people always gather outside the Madison Square Garden, shouting:
"Let's MF go!"
"New York is champion!"
When the excited fans held up a banner that read "Shaq Did It Too," everyone cheered wildly, then hugged each other and jumped around frantically.
Thank goodness smartphones hadn't appeared in this era and Facebook hadn't been born yet, otherwise, the excited fans would have had better outlets for their energy, and some players would likely have completely broken down.
Upon entering the Madison Square Garden, you can see huge posters of the New York Knicks, and the team store on the first floor is always the most crowded, where most people buy a jersey, commemorative T-shirt, or championship hat.
This season, James Dolan distributed free team handkerchiefs to fans attending the game, with everyone entering the Madison Square Garden receiving one, which added to the viewing experience.
After entering, take the escalator to find your seat.
There are food vendors on every level, and the top floor of the Madison Square Garden offers free dining areas for fans.
Many people like to buy food and go to their designated seats to eat and chat, most of them complaining that the Eastern Conference teams are too weak, and this year will be another year of big wins.
The Yankees were jinxed, but the New York Knicks have been very resilient to jinxes over the years.
Taking out loans has become a habit, and when discussing championships, a strange sense of superiority always emerges, with people confidently proclaiming that the New York Knicks have no rivals.
This Madison Square Garden is filled with arrogance and disdain, and during pre-game warm-ups, Tim Duncan felt completely out of place here.
After losing in the Finals and his elder brother's regrettable retirement, Tim Duncan did not have a happy offseason.
The team owner kept his word.
This year, they filled their salary cap, increasing spending compared to last season, but this was far from what Duncan had hoped for.
As more and more fans filled the Madison Square Garden, Tim Duncan returned to the bench after warming up.
He didn't like playing here.
In other words, he hated this city.
The basketball here was not pure at all.
Feeling increasingly depressed, Duncan suddenly spoke after scanning the Madison Square Garden:
"Why do they get so many championships?"
Having not had much communication during the entire break, Gregg Popovich didn't know what to say when he heard Duncan's question, finally only being able to dryly say:
"Winning a championship requires luck in addition to skill. We just had a bit less luck."
Hearing about luck, Tim Duncan fell silent again.
Was it his own bad luck that Bruce Bowen's Seven Injuries Fist injured him?
After the new season began, the San Antonio Spurs' payroll indeed exceeded the salary cap, reaching $46 million.
Tony Parker will earn 860,000 dollars in salary this year, and Manu Ginobili will receive $1.46 million.
The team did find help for Duncan: Rasho NesteroviÄ, the starting center for the Timberwolves last season, who joined the San Antonio Spurs for a salary of $5.6 million.
Ron Mercer, a swingman, is earning the team's second-highest salary at $6.75 million.
One inside and one outside, these two were the reinforcements the San Antonio Spurs prepared for Duncan during the offseason.
On the 17th, Tony Parker sprained his ankle in that preseason game and will be absent tonight due to injury.
Because of his quick surrender in the Finals, San Antonio Spurs fans also had complaints about him, but Tony Parker didn't feel much, he just thought about Duncan's question and finally a thought popped into his mind:
"Perhaps a championship requires more investment?"
Tonight there was a New York Knicks awards ceremony, and Commissioner David Stern expressed his views on the new rules during a pre-game interview:
"The NBA is a healthy league, and we need to be responsible for player health. Therefore, defensive actions that harm players must be penalized."
"I regret last season's Finals. That series should have been more exciting."
When Bruce Bowen's Seven Injuries Fist was mentioned, David Stern lost his smile.
The viewership for Game 4 of the Finals plummeted, and without Tim Duncan, fans weren't buying it.
One kick changed the viewership of the series, setting a new historical low.
As the new season begins, the league will implement new rules:
When a shooter initiates a shot, the defending player must leave enough landing space for the shooter.
If the defender does not leave enough space for the shooter, the referee will, depending on the actual situation, penalize the defender with a technical foul or a flagrant foul.
James Dolan, who was also interviewed, was in a good mood.
Although his proposal didn't pass, there was still hope.
Unleashing perimeter stars would make the game more entertaining, which aligns with the league's interests.
Tonight's game was broadcast by TNT.
With Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs out and new players added, the pre-game predictions were once again one-sided.
The TNT reporters no longer discussed the game's outcome.
Instead, they gossiped:
"James, we've received news that you'll be reducing your attendance at courtside games this season?"
Hearing this question, James Dolan, dressed in a black suit, immediately smiled:
"Yes, after all, New York Knicks games are always victories, so I will dedicate some of my energy to the development of the Rangers. I hope everyone will pay more attention to the players."
"This doesn't mean I'm no longer paying attention to the team. On the contrary, I have more plans. This Madison Square Garden needs renovation, and we need to develop more merchandise for the fans."
"The quality of food and beverages in the Madison Square Garden also needs to be improved. We hope to provide the best viewing experience for our fans."
"I even wanted to create a personal show for Lee, but he has been focused on basketball throughout the offseason and has never agreed."
The last sentence was, of course, a blatant lie.
Like Lee, the curly-haired owner also began to enjoy life, holding a concert during the offseason.
The team made a profit, and he also started to play tricks.
Before the game started, the TNT commentary booth was no longer occupied by Marv Albert, familiar to New York fans.
Due to his frequent deviation from neutrality while commentating New York Knicks games last season, he received numerous fan complaints.
Therefore, Kevin Harlan was replaced for commentating New York Knicks games this year.
Doug Collins also left the Washington Wizards after Michael Jordan's official retirement and returned to the commentary booth.
As game time approached, the two began to discuss tonight's game:
"Tony Parker is bothered by an ankle injury, so the starting point guard tonight should be Antonio Carter. This is truly terrible for the San Antonio Spurs."
Although Kevin Harlan hasn't commentated many New York Knicks games, he did watch the Finals.
No one on the San Antonio Spurs' Defense could match Clay Lee, and tonight's new addition, Antonio Carter, will likely be a free gift as well.
Doug Collins, although he played two seasons as a sidekick with Michael Jordan, also gained a lot, at least he understood the players' competitive state better:
"He had some good performances in his first 4 seasons with the Heat, perhaps due to injuries, or maybe a tactical mismatch, Antonio Carter has never been able to find his form."
"This is not a very good signing if you want to contend for a championship. The San Antonio Spurs still haven't solved the problem at the point guard position."
"..."
During his two seasons coaching the Washington Wizards, Doug Collins was repeatedly beaten by the New York Knicks.
No matter how he arranged the Defense, it had no effect.
He used to only praise Lee's stats, but now Doug Collins has become a mindless fan, endlessly expressing one point:
"The San Antonio Spurs are out of luck. The New York Knicks will definitely win!"
The two were actually no different from Marv Albert, just more subtly praising.
Half an hour before the game started, the Madison Square Garden was completely filled.
The live DJ casually introduced the visiting team's players, and New York fans didn't even bother to boo.
Tonight's San Antonio Spurs starting lineup made many fans feel their tickets were a complete waste:
"Who are these people?"
After quickly scanning the visiting team's players, the lights in the Madison Square Garden dimmed, and the cheers grew louder.
The spotlight shone on the center of the court, where David Stern held a microphone, waving repeatedly, and only began to speak after the noise had significantly subsided:
"Thank you! It's a great pleasure to witness such a historic moment again. For the 2002-2003 season, the NBA Champion is the New York Knicks!"
"Wow!"
Hearing the cheers from the fans, David Stern smiled again, then said loudly:
"Tonight, we are honored to invite the heroes of the New York Fire Department. Sports make us more united, and sports connect us!"
"The NBA will partner with the New York Knicks to launch a fire department co-branded jersey this season, and most of the proceeds from this jersey will be donated to the foundation for the families of the victims."
"âŚ"
David Stern delivered a lot of inspirational speeches.
Tonight, the Fire Department had group tickets.
Similar events have been held many times in the past two years, and the results have been very good.
Soon, James Dolan appeared next to the commissioner, took the microphone, and said seriously:
"73 wins in the regular season, 16-0 in the playoffs. This is New York's victory!"
"Of course, we won't forget the unsung heroes behind the team: our broadcasters, our logistics team, and all the staff who have put in tremendous effort."
"This is a special ring, and I hope everyone will like it. It symbolizes the dominance of the Knicks!"
The director aimed the camera at the sparkling championship ring on the table.
Compared to previous years, this year's ring was larger and used more materials.
To engrave everyone's names, this ring adopted a flip-top design, which, in addition to serving as a ring, could also be a pendant.
The front featured a spherical bulge with the orange "Knicks," and the entire ring face was covered with small diamonds.
The years were marked on both sides. One side of the ring read "New York," "Clay-Lee," and "73rld Champion" and "16-0."
If the ring was opened, the inside was engraved with tiny English letters, including the names of management and players.
Although the curly-haired owner didn't deliberately publicize it, anyone who saw this larger ring knew it was expensive.
While the large ring looked good, it wasn't very suitable for wearing on the hand.
Hanging it around the neck seemed more appropriate.
James Dolan cordially called out the names of staff, coaching staff, and players.
The team had not publicized the ring's design beforehand, so everyone showed surprised expressions when they held it.
Mike D'Antoni put on the ring and couldn't help but look at it from left to right.
Noticing that the top of the internal engraving was his name and Lee's, he immediately clapped his hands happily.
Grant Hill was the same.
Compared to his previous ring, this one felt loose on his hand, being two sizes larger.
Winning his first ring in his professional career so specially, Pau Gasol kept examining it after receiving it.
When he visited Lee's home, he had seen that pile of rings.
Pau Gasol also felt the team had really splurged, and he couldn't stop smiling.
Ron Artest and Thomas, who had been with the team longer, also widened their eyes when they received their rings.
The large-sized rings were indeed impressive.
Amar'e Stoudemire put it on his hand and felt it wasn't enough, so he took it off and kissed it twice with a smile.
Wearing a New York Knicks training uniform, Lee was the last to appear, and the Madison Square Garden erupted in huge cheers:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
The New York Knicks management, after receiving their rings, stood aside and came forward to hug and greet Lee.
James Dolan even patted him twice forcefully, and as he handed over the ring, he whispered:
"I wanted to make it even bigger, but the NBA told me it wasn't allowed. According to the plan, it was supposed to be worn on two fingers."
Lee put the ring on his middle finger and could also feel it was two sizes larger, but overall, this size looked harmonious and even had a touch of refinement.
"Cool! This must be the most beautiful ring in the NBA to date!"
The curly-haired owner's mood instantly brightened upon hearing Lee's praise, and he handed the microphone back.
"This is truly a special ring! It seems to signal the team's new journey!"
"For me, this is the 5th championship ring of my career. I love the beauty of symmetry."
"After my left hand is full of rings, everyone will surely know my next goal. Yes, that's right, I want to fill my right hand with rings too!"
"One championship banner after another will be raised above the Madison Square Garden!"
"Are you ready?!"
After Lee said these words, his left hand, wearing the ring, pointed to the championship banner ready to be raised.
As the lights rotated, the New York fans cheered again:
"Yee!"
Everyone gathered, watching the championship banner rise above the Madison Square Garden, joining the other six banners.
The previous division championship banners had disappeared.
From this season onwards, the New York Knicks would only hang championship banners and retired jerseys.
In the final segment of the awards ceremony, the well-rounded Ewing and the No. 33 jersey appeared at center court.
Gorilla wore four rings on his hand, and he put the newly acquired large ring on his thumb.
Noticing the camera, he immediately raised his left hand, making the five rings exceptionally prominent.
Ewing nearly grinned to the back of his head, wearing a loose black suit, showing off repeatedly next to the jersey.
He didn't speak, but repeatedly raised his left hand.
The only thing Gorilla regretted was not seeing David Robinson tonight.
He really wanted to share his happiness with him.
Fortunately, his old teammates were all there tonight to support him.
As the lights came on, Ewing took the microphone with his right hand and looked at his jersey, saying with some emotion:
"God saw my perseverance. I want to thank Lee, and I want to thank my teammates. They changed my career!"
"Thinking back to those failures, perhaps they were just tests from God. Thank you, everyone. My career has no regrets!"
As Gorilla's No. 33 jersey also rose above the Madison Square Garden, the atmosphere became even more enthusiastic.
Ewing continued to flaunt his five differently shaped rings.
In terms of quantity alone, he was no longer inferior to Michael Jordan!
For New York fans, although tonight's opponents were "nobody" level, after watching the awards ceremony and the jersey retirement ceremony, many felt the ticket was worth it.
On the San Antonio Spurs bench, Duncan felt increasingly uncomfortable at such a sight.
Thinking that his elder brother had nothing on his hand when he retired, Duncan felt somewhat apologetic.
Fortunately, David Robinson didn't come tonight, otherwise it would have been truly heart-wrenching.
Gregg Popovich kept staring at the championship banners above the Madison Square Garden.
The San Antonio Spurs had contributed two of them to the New York Knicks.
He was able to remain on the coaching staff this season thanks to Duncan's support.
He truly wanted his star player to win a championship, but they kept losing.
As both teams' players conducted their final warm-ups, the Madison Square Garden became exceptionally noisy.
Only the San Antonio Spurs remained silent, many of them already prepared for a loss.
The live director aimed the camera at Tina Fey and Rachel McAdams sitting in the front row.
Everyone sitting in Lee's seat would have a few fixed camera shots, and both smiled sweetly.
"I want to invite Lee to my birthday party. What do you think?"
Rachel nudged her friend twice, asking in a low voice while staring at Lee.
Looking at her friend beside her, Tina Fey first looked at her blonde hair, then pushed up her glasses before turning to whisper:
"Your idea is terrible. Don't expect Lee to have news with you. He's actually very conservative!"
The two had just finished filming "Mean Girls."
Tina Fey was serving as a movie screenwriter for the first time, and she didn't want her newly acquainted friend to fall into a trap.
"What?"
Rachel had a puzzled expression.
Tonight, she had specifically dressed as a blonde bombshell, precisely for fishing.
Tina Fey could tell her friend didn't believe her, but she didn't explain.
If Lee pursued someone, it was fine, but those who offered themselves up were mostly used and then discarded heartlessly.
Rachel was almost 25 years old.
Realizing her friend insisted on inviting him, Tina Fey secretly curled her lip.
She was very tight-lipped and would never tell her friend that Scarlett had known Lee since she was very young, having watched him grow up.
The game was about to begin.
At the commentary table, Kevin Harlan once again introduced the San Antonio Spurs' starting lineup:
"Antonio Carter and Manu Ginobili partner in the backcourt, with Bruce Bowen, Tim Duncan, and Rasho NesteroviÄ in the frontcourt."
"Tonight's game will be a huge test for the San Antonio Spurs' backcourt!"
Doug Collins noticed David Stern sitting under the basket watching the game and suddenly joked:
"A new rule will be enforced this season. Let's see if Bruce Bowen will still display his extremely aggressive Defense!"
As they spoke, the referee tossed the ball.
Pau Gasol tipped it back to half-court, and Clay Lee, who received the ball, quickly signaled a tactical play.
"Let's go Knicks!"
Cheers echoed through the Madison Square Garden as the New York Knicks started their offense, not using the same high-post alignment for both big men as last season.
Only Kurt Thomas stopped at the right elbow extended.
Ron Artest and Grant Hill noticed the San Antonio Spurs chose man-to-man Defense and began moving towards the baseline.
When Pau Gasol received the ball in the left low post, Lee, who had completed the pass at the top of the arc, suddenly accelerated, cutting into the middle without the ball.
Antonio Carter failed to react defensively in time, instantly losing a step.
Pau Gasol, who received the ball with his back to the basket, did not look towards the rim but suddenly passed the ball over his head, and it accurately landed in Lee's hands in the paint.
Sensing that the Defense behind him had caught up, Lee didn't hesitate, grabbing the ball with his left hand and stepping forward to scoop it up!
"Bang! Swish!" The two-point shot swished through the net.
Such an easy score made the cheers grow louder.
Duncan looked at his new teammate raising his hand to signal, and for a moment, he didn't speak, silently running to the frontcourt.
On the New York Knicks' side, Lee didn't lead the Defense; everyone still maintained a 1-2-2 zone Defense, mainly circling the paint.
Realizing that he would be double-teamed as soon as he got the ball, Duncan, observing the court positions, loudly reminded his teammates to pass the ball around the perimeter.
After continuous passing on the perimeter, constantly stretching the New York Knicks' defensive line, when Bruce Bowen and Manu Ginobili both came to the left and right corners, Antonio Carter at the top of the arc wanted to pass the ball to Manu Ginobili in the right corner.
Ron Artest, who was guarding him, focused more on the passing direction, and after adjusting his position, he actively cooperated with Clay Lee for a sudden double-team.
Seemingly unaccustomed to such treatment, Antonio Carter couldn't complete the pass immediately, nor did he completely shake off the Defense.
Facing a two-man trap, Antonio Carter then thought about quickly moving the ball.
However, before he could complete the pass, Ron Artest first poked the ball away.
Antonio Carter tried to regain control, but then Lee saw an opportunity and poked the ball away.
The San Antonio Spurs players had just settled into position, and before they could even execute their tactical play, another burst of cheers erupted in the Madison Square Garden.
Looking up, Lee had already crossed the half-court line, driving straight to the basket.
Completely undefended, Lee jumped off both feet directly in front of the basket, grabbed the ball with his right hand, rotated 360 degrees in the air, extended his body, and then slammed the ball into the rim!
"OHâ! Clay-Lee!"
"What a show!"
Kevin Harlan exclaimed, his emotions instantly becoming excited.
The New York fans also cheered loudly.
Witnessing such a spectacular dunk was certainly a treat.
After completing the dunk, Clay Lee glanced at the frustrated Antonio Carter, who was running back on Defense.
If he remembered correctly, the opponent was a morale booster for the Heat last season.
He didn't play much, his stats were poor, but he had a good contract!
"Buddy, you can't win a championship by joining the San Antonio Spurs!"
Lee joked with him while running back on Defense.
Antonio Carter heard this and recalled the off-season mess, almost exploding with anger on the spot.
With a player option, Antonio Carter would naturally choose to exercise it.
However, his agent, Bill Duffy, forgot to send the exercise email to the Heat.
Pat Riley inexplicably saved over $3 million, while Antonio Carter's current salary with the San Antonio Spurs is 700,000.
Taking a few deep breaths, Antonio Carter reminded himself to perform well to earn Head Coach's trust.
After dribbling past half-court, he saw the New York Knicks' defensive formation and was instantly confused.
Noticing that this morale booster's passing ability was a bit anxious, Lee returned to half-court and immediately directed his teammates to change the defensive formation.
Lee stepped up to lead the Defense, Grant Hill and Ron Artest positioned themselves on the left and right wings, and Pau Gasol stood at the free-throw line with his hands raised, creating interference.
Duncan originally wanted to get the ball early in the low post, but Kurt Thomas desperately fought to get in front of him.
The two wrestled in the left low post, and for a moment, Duncan couldn't receive the ball.
NesteroviÄ stretched out his hands for the ball near the right baseline, but the New York Knicks' perimeter interference was severe, and Antonio Carter couldn't release the ball immediately.
Gregg Popovich on the sidelines saw his players standing still and urgently shouted repeated reminders:
"Go to the corner! Create space!"
Manu Ginobili reacted the fastest, accelerating and moving on the right wing, running towards the right corner.
As Antonio Carter moved towards the right wing, the New York Knicks' defensive formation also shifted to the left.
Pau Gasol moved to guard the low post, Lee came to the free-throw line, and Grant Hill also began to move towards the perimeter.
The slow ball-handling speed allowed the New York Knicks to calmly adjust their Defense.
After Antonio Carter passed the ball to the right corner, Ron Artest had already completed his slide step and was guarding in front of him.
Seeing his teammate open, Manu Ginobili passed the ball back again, attempting to stretch the New York Knicks' Defense.
Receiving the ball again on the right wing, Antonio Carter saw that Clay Lee hadn't closed in, so he reminded Bruce Bowen to move towards the right corner.
Dribbling with his left hand, Antonio Carter quickly reached the top of the arc.
He sensed Lee accelerating to steal, so he quickly passed the ball to the right corner.
It was still a wrong offensive choice.
To get the ball to his teammate over Grant Hill, the pass was too high and too slow.
Grant Hill just moved back two steps, then leaped high and easily intercepted the ball.
Amidst the New York fans' cheers, Lee immediately accelerated, shaking off Antonio Carter, and quickly rushed past half-court.
After the steal, Grant Hill glanced forward and immediately passed the ball.
Clay Lee easily received the ball near the three-point line.
Many New York fans had already stood up, raising their hands.
In a 1-on-0 fast break, Lee took three big strides, then leaped high directly in front of the basket.
With the ball in his right hand, his arm pulled back, his entire body flying in mid-air.
With a full jump, Lee's head was level with the rim, and from above, he swung his arm down for a thunderous dunk!
"Boom!" An tomahawk dunk was successful!
"Wow!"
The visually impactful dunk almost caused the cheers to break through the Madison Square Garden.
On the New York Knicks' bench, the morale boosters also enthusiastically waved their towels.
Dikembe Mutombo even covered his face with both hands, showing an exaggerated expression, as if in disbelief.
0-6, the New York Knicks didn't use complex tactics after the start, focusing on defensive fast breaks and continuous scoring.
Seeing Lee shaking his head repeatedly as he retreated on Defense, Doug Collins instinctively boasted:
"The New York Knicks have indeed continued their dominance. If the San Antonio Spurs don't want to suffer a crushing defeat, they must score as soon as possible!"
Kevin Harlan noticed his partner was unconsciously starting to boast and quickly adjusted his mindset.
He finally understood why Marv Albert had become such a staunch Lee fan.
Once you watched a game, you couldn't help but be drawn in.
The San Antonio Spurs' turnovers still hadn't stopped.
At Lee's reminder, the Defense reverted to a 1-2-2 zone.
Duncan received the ball in the left low post and was immediately double-teamed.
"Pau!"
Hearing Lee's reminder, Pau Gasol had already moved up the court early, blocking Duncan's fadeaway shot from directly in front of the basket, as he leaned into Kurt Thomas.
Under the two-man trap, Duncan smoothly passed the ball to NesteroviÄ in the lower right corner of the basket.
The latter bent down to receive the ball, instinctively adjusted it, and when he looked up again, he was blocked by Pau Gasol, who had rotated back on Defense.
Attempting to force a layup over the long arms, NesteroviÄ had just raised the ball to his chest when Pau Gasol poked it away.
The ball bounced off his foot and was quickly picked up by the quick-witted Ron Artest in the paint.
"Damn it!"
Duncan loudly reminded his teammates to retreat on Defense, but Lee, who had received the ball, accelerated faster and faster, quickly dribbling behind his back to evade Antonio Carter, then catching up to Duncan's side.
Taking long strides to accelerate his retreat, Duncan timely returned to the paint.
At this point, he didn't bother to observe his teammates' positions.
Seeing Lee grab the ball with his left hand and take three big strides, he instinctively jumped up to block.
In mid-air, Lee suddenly pulled the ball back, throwing it over his head without looking.
Pau Gasol, who was accelerating to follow, received the pass and immediately took flight, slamming the ball down with both hands over Duncan!
"Ah!"
Looking at Pau Gasol roaring in front of him, Duncan remained expressionless, but his heart was burning with anger, and he slammed the basketball in his hand.
When the San Antonio Spurs attacked again, Antonio Carter finally made a correct passing choice, facing the 3-2 zone Defense on the perimeter, he quickly passed the ball to Manu Ginobili in the right corner.
The latter, facing Ron Artest's closeout, missed his three-point jump shot!
Seeing Lee secure the long rebound, the San Antonio Spurs players completely broke down, and Antonio Carter immediately fouled him at the three-point line.
"Boo!"
The New York fans, who were waiting to see a dunk, immediately became unhappy, booing loudly before starting to curse.
It was a rare half-court offense, and under Clay Lee's direction, there were no complex tactics.
Pau Gasol originally wanted the ball in the left low post but was pushed by NesteroviÄ to the restricted area.
Lee didn't change the tactic and still passed the ball to Gasol.
After completing the pass, Lee immediately accelerated and cut towards the baseline, then quickly ran from left to right towards the right corner.
The most commonly used tactical play in the current NBA version is big man isolation.
After receiving the ball, Pau Gasol immediately faced the basket, executed a simple triple threat, and then quickly put the ball down with his left hand to accelerate and break through.
Relying on his excellent athleticism, he drove to the lower left side of the rim but was blocked by the opponent.
While slowing down, he leaned in forcefully, then immediately twisted his body.
Pau Gasol scooped the ball with his right hand while leaning against the opponent, and with the ball in his right hand, he completed a floater over the block.
"Swish!" The basketball swished through the net.
0:10, Gregg Popovich reluctantly called a timeout, and Madison Square Garden erupted again.
Before the game, a large group of hecklers shouted at the San Antonio Spurs players:
"Who are you?"
As they walked towards the bench, Tim Duncan and the others heard the same shouts again.
Back in his seat, Tim Duncan threw his drink on the floor, staring intently at his feet.
In the first few possessions after the tip-off, the New York Knicks continuously changed their defensive formations.
Antonio Carter was too slow to react, and Gregg Popovich wished he could play himself.
"Don't hesitate, pass the ball quickly, pay attention to the opponent's movement, and don't rush into the paint recklessly."
"Bruce, we'll get opportunities in the corner, go make those shots!"
"Tim, be patient, communicate in time, and stay united!"
Gregg Popovich drew on the tactical board, staring at his players, reminding everyone that open shots could always be found on the wing and in the corner.
The timeout ended quickly, and as everyone returned to the court, Gregg Popovich hadn't even had time to give instructions when the New York Knicks suddenly switched to full-court press.
Manu Ginobili, who was inbounding the ball, almost committed a five-second violation.
Finally, Antonio Carter, who had been continuously back-cutting, received the pass in the right restricted area.
Putting the ball down with his left hand, seeing Clay Lee sticking close, Antonio Carter immediately went behind his back with the ball.
However, in the collision between the two, Antonio Carter almost lost his balance.
Lee slid while his left hand again poked the ball, successfully knocking it away.
Seeing Lee squeeze past him to scoop the ball, Antonio Carter, who had been bumped away, had no time to foul this time.
The New York fans in the front row stood up again, raising their hands and cheering loudly.
After completing the steal, Lee took two big dribbles, soared into the air again near the paint, and slammed the ball with one arm for a dunk!
"My God! Lee destroyed Antonio Carter! The San Antonio Spurs are off to a disastrous start."
"This is Clay Lee's dominance over the game. It seems he didn't relax during the offseason. His physical condition is excellent tonight!"
Kevin Harlan instinctively hyped it up.
After saying this, he realized his commentary was biased and quickly nudged his partner beside him:
"I think 25-year-old Clay Lee can already be considered the greatest point guard in history!"
"On both ends of the court, he completely suppressed his opponents. Head Coach Popovich must be really missing Tony Parker."
Doug Collins also joined in the exaggerated praise, not feeling that anything he said was wrong.
As time ticked by, the San Antonio Spurs remained scoreless until 5 minutes and 9 seconds left in the first quarter when Nenad KrstiÄ received a pass from Tim Duncan and drew a foul from Pau Gasol in the paint.
Through these two free throws, the San Antonio Spurs finally managed to score 2 points.
At this moment, on the New York Knicks bench, Mike D'Antoni had resumed his leaned-back tactical posture, the game was stable.
2:20, on the San Antonio Spurs bench, Tony Parker couldn't help but secretly pout when he saw the situation:
"At least I lasted a quarter of the game..."
In several consecutive possessions, Grant Hill and Ron Artest scored by cutting to the basket through Kurt Thomas' off-ball screens.
Gregg Popovich stood on the sidelines, numb.
Clay Lee continuously camped in the corner or on the wing, and anyone could see he was starting to slack off.
It was either turnovers or missed shots.
This time, Tim Duncan finally managed to make a forced layup over the Defense on the lower left side of the rim.
On the next possession, the New York Knicks continuously passed the ball on the perimeter.
Finally, Kurt Thomas handed the ball off to Lee at the right elbow of the free-throw line.
With his teammate out of position, Tim Duncan was forced to help defend when he saw Lee accelerate.
Antonio Carter did not cut off the passing lane
Instead, he completely abandoned Kurt Thomas at the free-throw line.
Lee's simple bounce pass once again penetrated the Defense, and Kurt Thomas caught the ball and made a mid-range jump shot from the free-throw line!
Perhaps not wanting the opening game to be too ugly, as both teams made substitutions, the San Antonio Spurs' continuous attacks in the paint finally drew free throws.
The Knicks' offensive efficiency also began to decline. Due to injury, Lee was still on the court at this time.
In the second possession after Amar'e Stoudemire entered the game, during a half-court offense, the big man Wright was already standing early on the left side near the baseline.
Lee waved from the top of the arc, and Amar'e Stoudemire moved from the right elbow towards the top of the arc.
Malik Rose thought it was just a simple pick-and-roll, and when he had his back to the basket, he didn't notice that the big man Wright behind him was also moving.
Tim Duncan immediately sensed something was wrong.
Amar'e Stoudemire's acting was too poor, and he accelerated towards the basket prematurely.
The big man Wright's up-screen was good, and Malik Rose, twisting his body, crashed right into him.
After accelerating, Amar'e Stoudemire headed straight for the rim, and Tim Duncan also retreated to the basket.
At the top of the arc, Lee had already thrown the ball, which flew directly to the upper left of the rim.
At this moment, Duncan could only watch Amar'e Stoudemire, whose legs seemed to have springs, jump early, briefly suspend in the air, then successfully grab the ball, exert force, and powerfully dunk with both hands!
"Boom!" An alley-oop dunk successful!
"Oh!!"
The powerful dunk once again ignited the atmosphere in the arena.
Amar'e Stoudemire looked at Tim Duncan, repeatedly pounding his chest and shouting.
This action completely broke Tim Duncan.
Gregg Popovich noticed Tim Duncan actively asking to be subbed out, and he felt his scalp tingle.
The star player was really angry!
In the last minute or so, amidst free throws and missed shots, New York fans began to celebrate the victory early.
14:37, the San Antonio Spurs collapsed in one quarter, committing 7 turnovers in a single quarter.
The New York Knicks had zero turnovers in the first quarter, which made Kevin Harlan on the commentary desk shout out again:
"A perfect debut! On their home court, the New York Knicks once again showed us their dominance!"
Doug Collins, looking at the box score showing all the New York Knicks players who had played had scored, also smiled and simply commented:
"Just as Coach D'Antoni said, I see discipline in the New York Knicks. He has successfully left his mark!"
"73 wins, no fluke. Perhaps in a few years, we will witness a legendary Head Coach!"
In the two minutes Raja Bell was on the court, he got an open shot opportunity in the right corner and calmly made the jump shot.
Back on the bench, this Rookie was in high spirits, continuously high-fiving everyone to celebrate.
Raja Bell really didn't expect the game to be so easy:
"Last year's Western Conference champions are actually this weak?!"
5-for-5 shooting, 10 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals in a single quarter.
As Lee returned to his seat, Mike D'Antoni clapped his hands repeatedly, beaming with joy.
The tactical execution was successful, even better than he had imagined:
"Grant, you're responsible for organizing the offense. Everyone pay attention to the passes. We want to finish the game early tonight."
With the backup point guard out due to injury, Mike D'Antoni could only make a temporary arrangement.
After a brief explanation, he handed the tactical board to the assistant coach.
The game was already decided, and the atmosphere team was eager for action.
The assistant coach taking over the tactical board could also experience the role of Head Coach.
Mike Malone, who had just joined the team, looked enviously at the tactical board in Crawford's hand.
He hadn't expected Mike D'Antoni to be a master of the AFK style.
Most players gathered around the assistant coach.
Pau Gasol was in a contract year and needed to accumulate more stats.
Clay Lee, at this point, had already entered a state of slacking off.
After all, the MVP certainly wouldn't be his this year, so he wouldn't share in the stats in such a blowout game.
"Lee, we should still add some backcourt depth. In the upcoming games, you'll need to increase your playing time!"
Mike D'Antoni was unaware of Lee's intentions and still planned for his star player to get more stats.
Seeing Mike D'Antoni's smiling expression, Lee gave a dry laugh:
"Tonight's opening game, let everyone else perform more. When the opponent closes the gap to 15 points, I'll enter the game!"
Hearing this answer, Mike D'Antoni didn't mind.
15 points was indeed a suitable difference.
Lee watched everyone gathered around the assistant coach, comfortably leaning back in his seat, eating the fruit his follower had prepared for him:
"After playing for so many seasons, it's about time I enjoyed myself!"
.....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)