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 November 18, 2003, The New York Times sports section launched a new round of gossip:
"Clay Lee and His Blondes!"
This kind of article had almost become an annual fixture.
Last year, it was Katheryn Winnick, who had a small role in Law & Order, a Canadian blonde who became familiar to New York fans.
After this past weekend, another Canadian blonde, Rachel McAdams, also became a hot topic among New York fans.
Interestingly, the source who broke the news to the media was Lindsay Lohan, the 17-year-old New York girl who starred in Mean Girls.
She inadvertently complained after attending Rachel McAdams' birthday party:
"I grew up in New York, and I like Lee, but I would never dye my hair blonde!"
The few young women implicitly understood Rachel McAdams' attempt to "sleep with" Lee, but Lindsay Lohan wasn't that foolish.
Rachel McAdams, who had stayed overnight at the 82nd Street townhouse for the past two days, woke up close to noon.
She had gained some special knowledge last night and still felt weak after waking up in the large bed.
When the housekeeper brought breakfast, Rachel McAdams, dressed only in a nightgown, couldn't help but rub her messy blonde hair.
She didn't mind her exposed body and asked in a somewhat hoarse voice:
"It seems to be almost noon. Why haven't I seen Lee?"
The housekeeper team had provided service many times, so they were already accustomed to such situations.
The good-looking female supervisor, dressed in a black suit skirt, smiled and replied:
"Mr. Lee should be in Tarrytown right now. There's an important game this week, so he'll mostly stay near the training center."
Noticing that the other person seemed to be staring at her neckline, Rachel McAdams quickly covered herself.
Watching the female housekeeper smile and leave, she got out of the large bed naked and looked in the mirror, only then noticing the marks near her neck.
Seeing the small note on the dressing table, Rachel McAdams' face flushed slightly:
"A wonderful night because of you!"
After two consecutive nights of high-intensity activity, her throat was hoarse.
The process was indeed wonderful, but Rachel McAdams always felt like she had met a scumbag.
Thinking that she had to go back to work, she looked at the shiny necklace around her neck, hummed, and pouted at the mirror, still feeling a bit nostalgic:
"I just like generous men!"
On the 18th, the New York gossipmongers only saw the "appetizer" in the morning.
The real big news was Michael Jackson being forced to surrender to the California police.
This news exploded across the United States.
After repeatedly confirming it wasn't fake news, the gossipmongers completely went crazy.
California police also confirmed the news, and Michael Jackson had to follow procedure, taking photos and leaving his fingerprints.
After paying a $3 million bail, Michael Jackson was released.
His legal team also released a statement immediately:
"Michael is outraged by the charges of 'child molestation'!"
"We deny all allegations, and we will ultimately uphold justice through the law. Michael looks forward to his day in court!"
Many times, the truth of the matter is not important.
Fans worldwide followed the gossip, and this news quickly became popular globally.
On the 19th, the Los Angeles Lakers, who arrived in Manhattan, deeply felt this.
The newspapers were filled with news about Michael Jackson.
The buzz around tonight's focal game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks dissipated by more than half.
The influence of a true international superstar far surpassed that of a basketball game.
After just one day, many artists expressed their opinions.
Some conspiracy theorists even believed it was the White House diverting public attention.
They wanted people to stop discussing Iraq.
Recently, the New York Knicks continued their winning streak, easily defeating the Pacers.
Their starting point guard was out due to injury, and Reggie Miller went cold, but Jackson performed well, scoring a team-high 21 points.
This game had nothing for the Los Angeles Lakers' coaching staff to analyze.
Jermaine O'Neal shot 5 for 17, scoring only 16 points.
The main reason the New York Knicks won was their better shooting.
In contrast, the Los Angeles Lakers, who began their Eastern Conference road trip, recently lost to the Detroit Pistons, bringing their record to 8 wins and 3 losses.
In the game against the Detroit Pistons, except for Kobe, the Los Angeles Lakers' four starters all played with high efficiency, with shooting percentages exceeding 50%.
Only Kobe, who played 40 minutes, struggled, shooting 4 for 14 and scoring 19 points.
The Detroit Pistons completed a comeback in the 4th quarter, winning 96:106 against the Los Angeles Lakers, bringing their record to 7 wins and 4 losses, placing them third in the Eastern Conference.
Since it was a back-to-back game, it was a test of the old men's stamina.
When they arrived at Madison Square Garden early in the afternoon for warm-ups, Phil Jackson began to offer his usual motivational speech:
"What we need to do is control the game's tempo, stay patient, and don't run around wildly with the opponent."
"Get the ball inside, punish them at the free-throw line, don't mind the fans' provocations, and defeat them with your rich game experience!"
Their declining athleticism was described by the Old Man as being more experienced.
The decrease in shot attempts for each player was described by the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man as everyone playing for each other and being more united!
Compared to last season, the Los Angeles Lakers took fewer shots, relying more on half-court offense.
Despite losing a game on their Eastern Conference trip, Gary Payton and Karl Malone were in good spirits recently.
The Los Angeles Lakers were leading the Western Conference, which was definitely a good sign!
During warm-ups, Phil Jackson looked serious and didn't speak to Kobe.
He only repeatedly reminded Payton to control the game's tempo.
Shaqu, along with his atmosphere-makers, also ignored Kobe.
In contrast, Payton and Karl Malone were more friendly.
When Kobe asked for Defense tips, Payton patiently taught him, while Karl Malone paid special attention to his younger brother:
"Don't mind what the fans say. The fans who come to Madison Square Garden are crazy. As long as you get emotional, they're happy."
"But Manhattan is a good place, Kobe. You can let Vanessa come here to relax. I know you're going through a tough time. I've also been in such trouble."
Karl Malone was much older than Kobe, and this concern particularly warmed Kobe's heart.
Looking at Karl Malone's kind smile, Kobe finally managed a smile and seriously replied:
"I know. I don't like playing here either, but that's actually a good idea. I'll let Vanessa leave Los Angeles to relax."
(A/N: My blud intension is too obvious lol đ)
After Kobe said this, Karl Malone patted his younger brother's shoulder again and then smiled, saying:
"As long as you can perform well, everyone will soon forget your off-court issues. In basketball, you still have to let your game do the talking!"
"..."
Phil Jackson had anticipated what they might encounter upon arriving in Manhattan before the game, but once the game started, listening to the continuous shouts of amusement, Phil Jackson almost lost his composure.
"Shaq did it!"
O'Neal, standing at the free-throw line, could see the fans behind the basket holding up "Missing Person" posters, jumping and shouting joyfully.
Amidst the growing shouts, O'Neal's second free throw again clanked off the rim.
Pau Gasol grabbed the defensive rebound, and Clay Lee came forward to receive the ball as the New York Knicks began to accelerate across half-court.
"F*ck!"
O'Neal, retreating on Defense, muttered continuously.
When he returned to half-court, he couldn't help but glare at Kobe twice more.
Gary Payton began leading the Defense from the start, but after being easily driven past twice, Payton no longer stuck to him tightly.
Instead, he created some distance for himself, allowing him to quickly block driving lanes.
At this point, only a little over 3 minutes had passed in the 1st quarter.
The Los Angeles Lakers' performance at the start was average, having only scored 6 points so far.
Fortunately, Payton steadily controlled the game's tempo, and the New York Knicks also didn't get into transition offense.
As Lee approached the left wing, Gary Payton had already established his defensive position, lowering his center of gravity while clapping his hands, seemingly encouraging himself.
The New York Knicks players, who had rushed across half-court early, now spread out simply.
Pau Gasol stood near the lower right side of the basket, and Kurt Thomas stopped at the right elbow area.
After Grant Hill came to the top of the arc, Ron Artest moved to the right baseline corner.
In the first few possessions, whenever there was a chance, everyone watched Lee go one-on-one against the old man.
The prideful Payton always waved his hand, indicating no need for help Defense, so the tactical effect was surprisingly good.
Lee hadn't encountered such defensive treatment in a long time.
Noticing that the Los Angeles Lakers were still sticking to one-on-one Defense, he decelerated, immediately dribbled behind his back, and as he switched to his right hand, he lowered his center of gravity and accelerated to drive.
Gary Payton possessed rich defensive experience, and his defensive distance was perfectly controlled.
Continuously sliding backward and to the left, he consistently stayed in front of Clay Lee.
Amidst the New York fans' jeers, Gary Payton successfully blocked Lee's drive near the paint.
Before he could even try to strip the ball, he suddenly felt a dull impact in his chest.
Decelerating and stopping the ball, Lee quickly pounded the ball while bumping into his opponent, pulling the ball back significantly with his right hand.
Sensing that Payton still hadn't lost his position, he quickly twisted his body forward, gathering the ball while faking a shot.
Payton, who was almost knocked open, quickly stepped forward to interfere.
Having faked his opponent's center of gravity, Lee suddenly pivoted on his left foot and quickly turned towards the baseline.
"Wow!"
Seeing Payton faked out and frozen in place, the jeers and cheers immediately turned into a huge roar.
Lee didn't disappoint the fans either, scoring with a drifting bank shot after the turn!
6:12, the New York Knicks opened up some scoring difference.
While the ball was being inbounded from the baseline, Lee stood beside Payton and said with a chuckle:
"Buddy, welcome to the New York Knicks as a backup point guard!"
"Damn it! Who do you think you are?!"
Payton received the ball on the baseline, grumbled, and then the two of them tangled as they rushed past half-court.
The 35-year-old Gary Payton's physical condition had indeed declined, but he still considered himself an All-Star player.
After being scored on repeatedly, Payton had no choice but to respond on offense.
However, relying on his explosiveness, he found it difficult to shake off Lee.
He moved to the right wing and started calling for Karl Malone to come up for a screen.
Near the right elbow, Karl Malone slowly moved up, approaching the three-point line and setting his feet.
Soon, Payton dribbled the ball behind his back, switched to his left hand, and drove to the left, attempting to shake off Lee.
Kurt Thomas maintained a defensive distance.
When the opponent set a screen, Lee cleverly spun around Karl Malone, defending the baseline without making a mistake, successfully blocking Gary Payton near the free-throw line.
After the screen, Karl Malone immediately accelerated to the right block, waiting for the pass.
This was a habit he had developed with the Utah Jazz.
The expected pass didn't come.
Karl Malone turned his head and saw Gary Payton, blocked by Clay Lee, stop dribbling at the free-throw line:
"Gary!"
Karl Malone shouted a reminder, but the fuming Payton still didn't choose to pass.
After stopping, he quickly dribbled behind his back, switched to his right hand, and tried to continue driving, only to be blocked again by Lee's slide step.
Gary Payton then gathered the ball and faked, trying to draw a foul with a timing difference.
But as soon as the ball was raised over his head, Lee, reacting even faster, jumped slightly and suddenly poked it forward.
The basketball flew directly over Payton's head, and Lee immediately accelerated.
First, he pushed away the pulling Payton with his left hand.
Then, Lee got in front of his opponent, scooped up the ball with his left hand, quickly led it forward, and accelerated with all his might.
"Oh!"
Seeing Lee completely shake off the Defense and rush faster and faster, the New York fans on site cheered again.
In a 1-on-0 fast break, ignoring Payton chasing from behind, Clay Lee immediately jumped off both feet in the paint, leaped high, turned his body in the air, grabbed the ball with one hand, pulled his arm back, and slammed it down!
"Boom!"
Steal and dunk successful!
Lee, having completed the dunk, continued to act cool, standing under the hoop, pressing his right wrist with his left hand, and raising both arms to mimic Payton's celebration.
"Shit!"
Payton, who had chased back, cursed under his breath, his voice becoming even sharper.
As the ball was inbounded from the baseline, Lee continued to stick to Payton's side.
Seeing his opponent's frustrated look, he subtly pulled him while taunting in a low voice:
"Guess how many points you'll score tonight? I bet 10 points!"
"Shut up! Cut out your little tricks!"
The enraged Payton immediately pushed Lee hard, but it had no effect.
He still couldn't shake off the Defense and, for a moment, couldn't even receive the ball.
Devin George, who had retreated on Defense, could only pass the ball to Kobe, who also faced tight Defense from Ron Artest.
After missing two shots early in the game, Kobe hadn't received another pass.
Seizing the rare opportunity, he put his head down, accelerated, and forced his way across half-court.
After a sudden stop, Ron Artest again stuck close to him.
Kobe, who had just dribbled behind his back and switched to his right hand, had no choice but to change direction again between his legs.
With the ball in his left hand, Kobe drove to the left wing, accelerating against the Defense.
He reached the block, and Shaquille O'Neal quickly cleared offensive space.
Karl Malone at the free-throw line and O'Neal below the right side of the hoop watched Kobe, blocked, begin to post up.
They didn't ask for the ball but instead simultaneously moved towards the basket, establishing better rebounding positions in advance.
After continuous post-ups, Kobe, after switching to his right hand, initially wanted to drive baseline, but Ron Artest continually blocked him.
Unable to get close to the hoop, Kobe, after a strong post-up, simply spun quickly towards the baseline.
Ron Artest still hadn't lost his defensive position.
Instead, Kobe was forced to gather the ball and, unable to shake off the Defense, could only continuously fake.
He didn't choose to pass. Noticing that Ron Artest never lost position, Kobe leaned into the Defense, pushed off his feet, and leaned back, taking a forced jump shot from the left side near the baseline!
His body mechanics were completely deformed.
Kobe's fadeaway shot barely grazed the front rim, and Kurt Thomas, who had retreated to the basket, successfully secured the defensive rebound.
"Fuck, pass the ball! Stop shooting!"
Shaquille O'Neal, who hadn't touched the ball for two consecutive possessions, immediately roared at Kobe as they retreated on Defense.
Kobe, with pursed lips, said nothing, seemingly ignoring his teammate's words.
The Lakers' retreat speed was not slow.
By the time O'Neal stopped below the right side of the hoop, everyone had already completed their defensive matchups.
Gary Payton put all his attention on Lee, who was on the right wing near the three-point line, and didn't notice the argument between O'Neal and Kobe behind him.
His teammates completed their positioning and again spread out.
Clay Lee, with the ball in his right hand, began to slow down near the three-point line.
Sensing there was still no double-team, he stopped suddenly, lowered his center of gravity, and accelerated again.
At the three-point line, Payton's quick slide step successfully blocked Lee's driving lane.
Their bodies collided, and Payton leaned back slightly, helping to adjust his balance.
After stopping suddenly, Lee pulled the ball back between his legs, switched to his left hand while adjusting his footwork, and then quickly performed an In and Out dribble.
As his left wrist circled inward, his body swayed to the right.
Lee quickly lunged to his front-left, attempting to drive, but Payton again made a successful read, quickly sliding to his right.
Lee reacted even faster.
Before his opponent could interfere, he smoothly changed direction between his legs.
Payton adjusted his balance again, and just as he slid to the left, he found the basketball had disappeared from in front of him.
"Wow!"
Switching to his right hand, Lee's extremely quick in-front-of-the-body crossover instantly froze Payton.
Amidst the cheers of the New York fans, Lee, after switching to his left hand, completely shook off the Defense and drove straight to the basket.
O'Neal, who was still loudly lecturing Kobe, turned his head and saw Lee charging into the paint.
He instinctively moved, preparing to jump and block.
Lee, charging with three long strides, was faster than O'Neal had imagined.
There was no time for a full jump, and they collided in the air.
O'Neal's right arm tried to press down, attempting a block, but Lee was unaffected by the contact.
Instead, he used the momentum to twist and glide.
When he reached the lower-left side of the hoop, Lee grabbed the ball with his left hand, completely evading the block.
Shaquille O'Neal only hit his shoulder.
After landing, he could only turn his head to look at the hoop.
"Squeak!"
"Bang! Swish!"
The referee blew his whistle.
The ball hit the backboard and cleanly dropped into the net.
Madison Square Garden erupted again.
Excellent core strength allowed Lee to land steadily.
He shook his left shoulder and high-fived his teammates one by one in celebration before walking to the free-throw line.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
Hearing the cheers, Shaquille O'Neal's face darkened.
Watching Clay Lee make the free throw, he couldn't help but curse again:
"Shit!"
6:17.
After the opponent missed two free throws, Lee's scoring run pushed the lead to double digits.
Phil Jackson immediately called a timeout.
On the Lakers' bench, no one in the atmosphere group spoke.
Derek Fisher also lost his temper, subtly pouting.
Facing Lee, Payton was just like him.
At this moment, he really wanted to shout at the coaching staff:
"I can do it too if I go in!"
O'Neal of the Lakers scored 4 points at the start, and Karl Malone also made a mid-range jump shot from the free-throw line.
After that, neither of them could touch the ball.
"MF! Give me the ball! Stop shooting wildly from the outside! What right do you have to shoot so many times?!"
Back in his seat, O'Neal glared at Kobe, continuously berating him.
Missing shots already made Kobe irritable, and hearing these words, he also turned and glared back:
"Those were my opportunities, I just didn't make them! What right do you have to tell me what to do?!"
Separated by Payton and Karl Malone, O'Neal and Kobe suddenly erupted into an argument.
The New York fans behind them, seeing the situation, began to loudly jeer again:
"Shaq did it too!"
Shaquille O'Neal completely lost his composure this time.
He suddenly stood up, turned his head towards the direction of the shouts, and started yelling back.
Such actions completely excited the New York fans, and those sitting in the front rows also joined in the jeering and shouting.
The Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man hadn't even had time to set up tactics when the Lakers' assistant coaches and the atmosphere group rushed to hold Shaquille O'Neal, fearing the enraged Shaq would charge into the stands for a real-life WWE.
Shouting, laughter, and referee whistles kept ringing out.
Gary Payton, sitting in his seat, felt a headache coming on.
Thinking about his still-zero points, he couldn't hold back and angrily threw his towel down:
"Damn game!"
The timeout lasted longer than expected.
Coach D'Antoni watched the show from the sidelines with his arms crossed, a gloating smile on his face.
When both teams returned to the court, Shaquille O'Neal finally received a lob pass from Payton in the left low post.
After putting the ball down, he scored with a floater over Pau Gasol's long arms!
Loudly calling for his teammates to retreat on Defense, O'Neal had just returned to half-court when the New York Knicks players also caught up.
In a "V-shape" alignment, Pau Gasol stopped at the left elbow.
Seeing Clay Lee approach the three-point line, he immediately came up to screen.
The high-quality screen allowed Lee, with the ball in his left hand, to successfully break free from Payton's entanglement.
His teammate couldn't squeeze through the screen, so O'Neal had to step up to delay.
Seeing his opponent slide, Lee, with the ball in his left hand while moving, suddenly pushed the ball forward, performed a "scissors step" in the air, and faked by lunging his body to the front-left.
Within an extremely small area, Clay Lee got in front of Shaquille O'Neal, pulled the ball back with a large motion with his right hand, and then, using the rebound force of the ball, instantly changed direction, squeezing quickly through the gap.
At the ESPN commentary table, Kevin Harlan reacted the fastest, instinctively shouting:
"ClayGod!"
"OH! What a play by Clay Lee!"
The fans in the back rows, who couldn't see the details, only felt that in the blink of an eye, Lee had completed the change of direction and broken into the paint, and they also exclaimed in surprise.
Shaq O'Neal was completely stunned, his mind reacting but his body still rooted to the spot, and Karl Malone on the other side of the elbow area was the same.
Both turned their heads back in unison.
Kobe Bryant, who was guarding the left baseline, reacted the fastest.
Seeing Lee break through to directly in front of the basket, he immediately twisted his body and slid, retreating to the basket and leaping high.
Directly in front of the basket, Lee jumped with both feet, ignoring the Defense in front of him.
After an aerial collision, he pulled the ball back with his right hand, his arm still rising.
Kobe, in mid-air, only felt a great force strike him from the front, causing him to involuntarily lean back, and then he completely lost his balance.
His head level with the rim, Lee briefly hung in the air.
Kobe began to fall, then Lee twisted his body again, exerted force, and slammed the ball down!
"Boom!"
The rim roared, the ball went in, and Kobe was sent flying out of bounds, landing heavily on the floor with a thud.
"OH! ClayâLee!"
"Monster dunk!"
From the commentary booth, Kevin Harlan exclaimed repeatedly, still shouting "God" even after Lee landed.
The New York fans behind the basket felt their blood surge.
Seeing Lee stand expressionlessly in front of Kobe, pounding his chest, everyone stood up and cheered wildly:
"Oh!!"
Lying on the floor, Kobe's mind was blank.
For a moment, he stared blankly at Lee showing off, until the New York Knicks players swarmed around him, and Kobe finally reacted:
"I got posterized?!"
On the New York Knicks bench, the atmosphere group was so excited they threw their towels away, and Dikembe Mutombo even stood up, covering his face in disbelief.
Doug Collins saw his partner calm down, and then sighed along with him:
"It's been a long time since I've seen Clay Lee use his signature move."
"It seems he's very excited tonight, which is definitely a good thing for the fans!"
Kevin Harlan seemed to still be savoring Lee's incredible play.
It was the first time he had witnessed such a beautiful crossover in person:
"This is why New York fans love Clay Lee so much!"
"At Madison Square Garden, they not only enjoy victory, but also appreciate beautiful basketballâincredible! Clay Lee is too outstanding!"
Kobe was pulled up by Karl Malone, glaring at Lee, but found himself ignored.
Entering his "unhappy" state, Kobe's eyes were fixed only on the basket for the rest of the game!
Whenever the ball was in Kobe's hands, it inevitably resulted in a difficult fadeaway jumper.
With his graceful posture, even the clank of the rim seemed to become crisper.
Occasionally, after hitting a difficult jumper, Kobe would turn his head to look at Lee, seemingly seeking some feedback.
Ron Artest didn't expect his opponent to keep shooting even when he was bricking, and Kobe only calmed down when Gary Payton stopped passing him the ball.
The elder brother was indeed very considerate, knowing his younger brother wanted to get back at them, but the point difference was gradually widening, and Gary Payton couldn't hold on anymore.
In the final minutes of the first quarter, Karl Malone, after a pick-and-roll, drove hard to the paint, earning consecutive trips to the free-throw line.
Shaquille O'Neal, facing the substitute Dikembe Mutombo, scored with both shots and free throws, helping the Lakers make consecutive answering baskets.
However, by this time, the New York Knicks had entered a multi-point scoring state.
After the lead expanded, Lee also stopped forcing shots and began to respond from the three-point line.
With 34 seconds left in the first quarter, Grant Hill of the New York Knicks drove and found Ron Artest in the left corner.
Facing the Lakers' defensive rotation, the New York Knicks began to quickly move the ball around the perimeter.
In the left elbow area, Amar'e Stoudemire received the ball, immediately turned sideways, and passed it to Lee, who was cutting.
With a simple hand-off pass, Lee, from near the left wing, caught the ball and shot!
"Bang!"
A rare miss, and the fans in attendance sighed along.
Gary Payton quickly retreated to the free-throw line, getting in front of Amar'e Stoudemire to gain control of the ball, then immediately passed it forward.
Accelerating along the left sideline, Kobe successfully retrieved the ball after crossing half-court, and charged faster and faster straight to the basket!
Gary Payton followed behind, and after crossing half-court, he saw Clay Lee, who was retreating on Defense, begin to adjust his steps as he entered the paint, and couldn't help but shout:
"I'm here!"
From a position near the lower left of the basket, Kobe took three big steps, jumped into the air, ignored his teammate's reminder, grabbed the ball with his left hand, and glared at Lee in mid-air, attempting to posterize him.
The moment he swung his arm, Lee, coming from behind, pressed his right hand on the ball in mid-air, then exerted force with his body, completely swatting the ball against the backboard!
"OH! Blocked by Lee!"
Kobe, having exerted too much force, lost his balance in mid-air again, and after landing, he couldn't stand steadily and fell out of bounds with a thud.
Gary Payton, following behind, was quick-witted and controlled the ball before Lee, then quickly scooped it up from the lower right of the basket!
As soon as the ball left his hand, Gary Payton's eyes widened.
Lee landed, twisted his body, took two steps, and leaped high again, using his left hand to swat the ball against the backboard.
With consecutive blocks, Gary Payton was stunned, and in his stumble, he momentarily forgot to retreat on Defense.
The successful one-on-two play completely ignited Madison Square Garden.
Seeing Lee retrieve the ball and charge across half-court, cheers echoed throughout the Madison Square Garden:
"Wow!"
At the top of the arc, completely unguarded, Lee slowed down, then quickly stopped short, without any adjustment, and shot another three-pointer.
After releasing the ball, he immediately turned around, Lee smiled and raised both hands, and behind him, the basketball arced beautifully and swished through the net!
"God! Incredible!"
"This is the All-Star! Clay Lee has completely dominated the game!"
Kevin Harlan was so excited that he momentarily forgot his neutral stance, as if possessed by a New York fan, and couldn't stop praising.
Doug Collins also didn't expect Lee to come out swinging so hard tonight.
This was the first time this had happened since the new season began:
"Only stronger opponents can unleash a stronger Clay Lee! I love this kind of matchup!"
Kobe, who had stood up from the floor, had fire in his eyes, staring intently at his "mortal enemy."
On the Lakers' final possession, Kobe roared at Devin George, demanding the ball with extreme assertiveness.
After crossing half-court, he ignored O'Neal's request for the ball, and facing Lee's Defense, he dribbled the ball repeatedly between his legs.
As time ticked away, Kobe tried to shift Lee's center of gravity but had no effect, so he simply held the ball in his right hand and accelerated with his head down.
He tried to squeeze past the Defense, but was blocked by Lee near the free-throw line.
Kobe quickly dribbled behind his back, but almost lost the ball the moment he switched to his left hand.
Having completely lost his dribbling rhythm, Kobe could only turn sideways to protect the ball, shaking his shoulders, then leaning forward and accelerating.
Just as he led the ball forward, Kobe realized he had lost control of the ball.
Lee slid and simultaneously precisely poked the ball away with his right hand, knocking it loose.
After losing the ball, Kobe tried to immediately steal it back, but was sent stumbling by Lee's collision, and then completely lost his defensive position.
"Wow!"
Amidst the cheers of the fans, Lee quickly retrieved the ball, and as he crossed mid-court, noticing the time was running out, he took three big steps and immediately shot a running jumper.
"Buzz!"
A buzzing sound rang out, the basketball was still in the air, and then, under the gaze of the fans, it accurately dropped into the basket.
The fans in the front row stood up in unison, raising their hands and cheering happily:
"Oh!!"
21:36, the first quarter ended, and the New York Knicks had once again taken a double-digit lead.
Clay Lee, at this moment, was half-kneeling at mid-court, propping his chin with his right hand, striking a pose for a while, and then stood up to chest bump and celebrate with the atmosphere group who had rushed to center court.
Seeing O'Neal glaring at everyone, Lee shrugged his shoulders as he walked towards the bench, and said with a smile:
"Too bad, Shaq! Get some rest early! And while you're at it, think of an excuse for losing."
"I couldn't get the ball, that's a really good excuse!"
After saying this, Lee turned and returned to the bench, surrounded by his teammates.
Shaquille O'Neal opened his mouth but couldn't speak.
Walking towards the Lakers bench, he glared at Kobe before even sitting down:
"Fuck! You ruined our game!"
Playing the entire first quarter, Clay Lee was 6 for 8 from the field, 2 for 3 from three-point range, and 3 for 3 from the free-throw line, with 17 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.
Kobe naturally knew Lee's stats.
He had been silently calculating during the game.
Now, hearing O'Neal's words, he immediately retorted:
"I'm just doing my job!"
Kobe was 3 for 8, with 6 points and 2 turnovers.
After he said this, everyone on the Lakers looked at him.
Gary Payton was 0 for 4, with zero points, and at this point, he no longer gave his younger brother any face, saying loudly in a somewhat sharp voice:
"Dude, that's not your job, we can all make those shots!"
Seeing that internal strife seemed to be brewing within the Lakers, the jeers from the New York fans behind them grew louder and louder.
Phil Jackson couldn't stand it anymore, his face extremely grim:
"All of you shut up! The game isn't over yet! Get the ball to Shaq and Karl."
"Play good Defense, I don't want to see any more forced shots!"
Hearing this, Kobe lowered his head angrily, then angrily threw his towel and said nothing more, though he felt quite indignant:
"Defense simply cannot defeat the opponent!"
.....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)