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***
By the end of November 2003, as the fervor surrounding the Michael Jackson child molestation case faded, the public's attention finally shifted.
New York fans discovered that Lee had recently been frequently appearing on the BBC and The Sun in the UK.
These two media outlets began to continuously educate the British public about Clay Lee's personal growth experiences and his financial status.
Before 2004 was about to arrive, Lee's influence finally broke through the basketball circle.
Unfortunately, he was currently in a state of "black and red" popularity.
Loyal Manchester United fans had been continuously protesting recently, while the public watched with amusement.
The gossip between Ferguson and major shareholder John Manier was simply too exciting!
"Old Sir" had good taste.
The racehorse named Rock of Gibraltar won more than 10 championships and earned over a million pounds in prize money over several years.
Last year, Rock of Gibraltar was even named Europe's Horse of the Year!
However, after this precious racehorse retired this year, it caused a dispute between the two formerly close individuals.
Although Rock of Gibraltar no longer competed, it could continue to be a stud horse!
The income from breeding was also very high.
The Sun even educated fans about this, stating that through breeding, this racehorse could bring in profits of up to 50 million pounds.
By the end of the year, Clay Lee's Red Football Capital launched a second acquisition, and "Old Sir" and major shareholder Manier might have to face each other in an Irish court.
British fans had been continuously enjoying the gossip recently, truly having a blast!
On tuesday the 25th, American sports media also stopped following the trend of discussing international superstars and racial persecution.
After the buzz subsided, they returned to the main topic.
TNT was warming up for tonight's game.
Since there were no popular games that night, the three discussed for a while and then started talking about who had performed best in the new season.
Charles Barkley, who had recently been clamoring to run for governor to improve the interests of the black community, saw the show's ratings decline and stopped discussing such messy affairs, obediently cashing in on the traffic.
"I like Raja Bell's backhand punch. I have to say, the Lakers' performance is disappointing."
"Four experienced All-Star players on one team, yet they haven't shown much dominance."
"I don't want to talk about age. We all know how Karl Malone and Payton performed last season. They have no excuse for losing."
In the studio, the director replayed the scene of Kobe being "beaten up" and the Lakers players watching.
O'Neal's footage of talking but not acting was also captured.
Charles Barkley always liked to criticize players.
In the studio, Kenny Smith, sitting on the far right, kept chuckling softly:
"Chuck, can you tell the fans where the Lakers lost?"
"Actually, the Lakers have been very dominant this season. They've only lost three games so far."
Hearing his co-host's question, Charles Barkley chuckled and offered his opinion:
"They can dominate weak teams, but they can't beat strong teams. I know the Lakers can achieve a good record in the regular season, but so what?"
"They are still the same, still unable to limit Clay Lee. I will no longer place Kobe in the position of an MVP player. Facts have proven that he is just an ordinary All-Star."
"If there's anything special, perhaps it's just that his posture is more like Michael Jordan."
Ernie Johnson, fearing that his co-host might accidentally shift the topic to Kobe's sexual assault, quickly interjected:
"Losing is never just one player's fault. I really like Lee's performance on Defense this season!"
"Can Clay Lee win DPOY? His influence on Defense is visible to the naked eye!"
Kenny Smith, hearing this topic, started to brag as usual:
"As long as he maintains his current form, I believe Lee can win this award. On both offense and Defense, he is currently the best backcourt player in the league."
Mid-sentence, Charles Barkley interrupted him and then said seriously to the camera:
"DPOY? No chance! Actually, Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon have had similar experiences."
"For players like them, playing on the court is often a self-challenge. Clay Lee is just finding something to do for himself."
"Although this will hurt the self-esteem of some players, I regret to say that this is what I understand. In fact, I have also had such an experience!"
Seeing his old co-host start to brag about how fierce his MVP season was, Kenny Smith sighed helplessly.
These words were indeed a bit hurtful:
"Perhaps this is the gap in talent!"
The Lakers recently encountered more injuries.
Shaq's toe injury recurred, causing him to miss games against the Chicago Bulls and the Grizzlies.
Fortunately, both of these teams were easy wins, and after a loss, the Lakers started another winning streak.
On the Knicks' side, the short Knight missed the game against the Celtics, but the injury didn't affect their record.
After putting up a 36:12 score in the 3rd quarter, the Knicks easily won the game by checking out after three quarters.
Ron Artest was full of drive.
In his opinion, as long as he suppressed Paul Pierce, he would have a chance to be selected for the All-Star roster.
Therefore, when the two faced each other, Ron Artest would exert 120% of his effort.
Paul Pierce was 4 for 15 from the field and 8 for 8 from the free-throw line, scoring 16 points.
Fortunately, he had the home-court whistle working for him, otherwise, the situation would have been even uglier.
The Celtics, who made the trade, had already shown signs of decline, and after the loss, their record fell to 5 wins and 8 losses.
At the end of the game, Ron Artest was quite excited during the interview, loudly promoting himself:
"No one understands Defense better than me! Perhaps my stats don't look good, but I guarantee that the stats of the players I guard will also look equally bad."
"I am the best perimeter defender in the league!"
After the opponent shouted these words in the Fleet Center, Celtics fans vented their anger on Paul Pierce.
The team's leader was underperforming, which was the reason for their poor record.
The Celtics are very likely to fall out of playoff contention this season.
The previous trade involving Antoine Walker seemed to have disrupted the team's chemistry.
After winning this game, the Knicks continued their road trip.
Their goal was to end November with an undefeated record.
Sprewell put on airs after joining the Timberwolves. Last week, the team achieved a 3-0 record, and Kevin Garnett was named Player of the Week.
The champion guard recently stated again in an interview:
"Look at Kevin's performance. We are getting better and better. Stats cannot show my contribution. I have always been helping the team."
"In this team, I am the only player who has experienced the conference finals and won a championship. I will share my experience with everyone!"
The sports media in Minnesota initially flattered the champion guard, but as Sprewell became unpredictable and often underperformed, people stopped supporting him.
Local sports media didn't welcome Sprewell much, but several nightclubs enjoyed the arrival of the champion guard.
The most famous nightclub in Polis is First Avenue, which, like CBGB in Manhattan's Lower East Side, is a favorite among rock musicians.
However, Sprewell knew Lee's taste.
Talking history is not as good as talking quality!
The Quest, opened by Gilbert Davidson, the former president of Paisley Park Records, couldn't compete with this old-established nightclub, but it had its unique charm.
On the evening of the 25th, old teammates reunited, and Sprewell chose this nightclub to entertain Lee and Ewing.
The atmosphere members who followed both teams went to the dance floor to enjoy themselves.
This nightclub had a theater-like space, with absolutely first-class stage, lighting, and sound systems, and often had singers performing there.
Tonight, a band was performing on stage, and the atmosphere was exceptionally lively.
Even the Latina girls in the booth kept twisting their waists, wishing they could melt into Lee's body.
Holding a shapely black girl, Sprewell used both his hands and mouth, demonstrating his excellent ball-handling skills.
Fortunately, he remembered it wasn't game time yet.
Sprewell patted the girl in his arms after holding back, and drinking the wine handed to him, he said proudly:
"The Timberwolves will definitely offer me a big contract. They need me too much!"
"Only I can lead them further. No one likes to play here!"
In those days, NBA stars often competed on salary, which also represented a kind of status!
Ewing, on the road, often restrained himself, but when he met old teammates, he no longer pretended, also hugging a girl, happily playing with the ball and drinking.
"Indeed, I should sign another big contract. The Timberwolves' owner is very generous. Playing here can indeed make money!"
Ewing agreed with Sprewell to ask for a big contract, but Lee secretly shook his head, thinking that no normal general manager would give big contracts to older players:
"You still need to plan early after this contract ends. Remember to ask your agent for advice!"
Sprewell didn't care about Lee's reminder.
He was a champion guard, and coming to such a "small place" to play was to impart experience.
Laughing and moving past the topic, Sprewell began to share gossip about the Timberwolves and his gains there.
The Latina girl in Lee's arms kissed him nonstop, not caring about her soft body being played with and kneaded.
Coupled with the double stimulation of the noisy music, she said even more emotionally:
"I also have a set of sexy lingerie in the hotel!"
"..."
On the morning of the 26th, Head Coach Saunders looked at Sprewell, who had two dark circles under his eyes, feeling a bit helpless.
Given "Madman"'s past, Flip Saunders didn't want to cause trouble for himself.
If he got "choked" again, it would become a joke.
Kevin Garnett didn't like the Knicks.
After several instances of "fighting and retreating" at Madison Square Garden, he completely grew to dislike New York.
The atmosphere crew had a wild night with Sprewell, and they were all listless during the film session.
After the film session ended, the Head Coach didn't speak, but Kevin Garnett loudly admonished:
"In tonight's game, we must show vitality. This is our home court!"
The Timberwolves' attendance was decent, but when the Knicks arrived, tickets became scarce.
Most fans mainly preferred to watch fluid offense, and defensive battles and free throw games didn't suit the tastes of most fans.
Kevin Garnett hoped to end the Knicks' winning streak in tonight's game.
He was a man who wanted to win the MVP and didn't want to lose to his competitor.
The nominal boss spoke with a stern face, and the atmosphere group nodded in agreement.
Sprewell, still his usual laid-back self, said, "Don't worry, Kevin, we'll win!"
At 8 PM that night, Target Center was packed with over nineteen thousand fans.
The atmosphere became even livelier after the game began.
It wasn't because the home team was playing well, but because there was entertainment to be had in the game.
Sam Cassell, who had just celebrated his 34th birthday a few days prior, felt intense malice from the start, as Clay Lee once again struck with a heavy blow.
At the end of the first quarter, it was 28:19, with the Knicks only leading by 9 points.
Sam Cassell, who was frequently subjected to post-ups, went 1-for-6 from the field and 2-for-2 from the free throw line, scoring 4 points.
Sprewell turned into an undercover agent again, going 0-for-4 and scoring zero points.
Only Kevin Garnett, who continuously attacked individually, performed well, going 5-for-8 from the field and 2-for-2 from the free throw line, scoring 12 points and contributing most of the team's points.
After the second quarter began, the Timberwolves only made one matchup adjustment.
After playing for less than three minutes, Head Coach Saunders switched back to the starting lineup.
Coach D'Antoni saw the opponent make a substitution and also brought back his starters, as the point difference was too small, and it wasn't time for experimentation yet.
With the starting lineup back on the court, Sprewell's attempt to drive from the left wing and assist big man Ervin Johnson in the paint resulted in a turnover.
After Pau Gasol completed the steal, the Timberwolves quickly retreated on Defense.
Clay Lee received the ball but did not advance quickly.
Instead, he slowly dribbled past half-court.
"Defense!"
The Timberwolves fans began to cheer for the Defense again, and Kevin Garnett, who had retreated to half-court, also clapped his hands repeatedly, directing his teammates to complete their defensive matchups.
Upon reaching the top of the arc, Lee immediately passed the ball to Grant Hill on the right wing, then moved without the ball, cutting straight to the basket through the middle.
Although Sam Cassell actively pursued on Defense, when he approached the left restricted area, Kurt Thomas's off-ball screen still momentarily caused him to lose his defensive position.
At the free-throw line, Pau Gasol moved to feign a screen for Grant Hill, who observed Lee's position and quickly completed a cross-court pass.
On the left wing, Ron Artest received the pass without adjustment and smoothly lobbed the ball to Lee, who was posting up and calling for the ball with outstretched hands.
At this moment, Kurt Thomas brought Kevin Garnett to the right restricted area.
The Knicks players spread out, watching Clay Lee attack individually again.
The moment he received the ball, Lee used his body to push backward into Sam Cassell, quickly putting the ball down with his right hand, followed by two strong post-up moves.
Sam Cassell, with his left forearm raised, was repeatedly knocked back, his body involuntarily fluctuating up and down.
The moment he approached the paint, Lee pivoted on his left foot and suddenly pulled the ball back with a large stride.
Sam Cassell was so disoriented that he was left with only instinctual reactions, subconsciously sliding to the right.
By the time he fully reacted, Lee had already quickly twisted forward, drifting to the right for a fadeaway jump shot!
"Swish!" The two-point shot went in steadily.
"Boo!"
36:25. Boos erupted in the Target Center.
With 7 minutes and 22 seconds left in the half, the Knicks were gradually suppressing their opponent.
"I watched a lot of film. This move isn't bad!"
Lee waited for the opponent to inbound the ball at the baseline, patting Sam Cassell twice.
Sam Cassell helplessly twisted his lips.
He hadn't gained an advantage when he was with the Nets, and it was the same with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Now older and having joined the Timberwolves, being relentlessly attacked in the post, Sam Cassell no longer wanted to speak.
"Oh!"
As Sam Cassell received the inbound pass, the playful fans started to jeer again, hoping for some retaliatory play.
But Sam Cassell was very calm, knowing that the current point difference was very dangerous.
After crossing half-court, he signaled Kevin Garnett to receive the ball in the right restricted area.
Trenton Hassell, who was part of the atmosphere group for the Knicks last season, found a job with the Timberwolves and even entered the starting lineup.
However, after only a few minutes on the court, Trenton Hassell's presence was extremely low, either spacing the floor in the corner or coming up to the top to help with ball movement.
This caused Grant Hill to shrink further and further on Defense, as everyone had played together for two years and knew that Trenton Hassell truly couldn't shoot.
Coming to the right wing, Sam Cassell delivered a lob pass.
This choice dissatisfied some fans, who started booing again.
Why did he chicken out?
At this moment, the Knicks' defensive formation had completely shrunk to near the paint.
Lee moved with Sam Cassell, coming near the top of the arc.
Kurt Thomas was responsible for defending Kevin Garnett, holding his left arm high in the right restricted area.
Pau Gasol moved to near the bottom right of the basket, while Grant Hill and Ron Artest on the other side both moved to positions close to the paint.
Clay Lee was only responsible for guarding Sam Cassell, the wing players were responsible for blocking passing lanes, and Pau Gasol was responsible for protecting the basket.
After receiving the ball, Kevin Garnett smoothly turned to face the basket, quickly put the ball down with his left hand, and drove along the baseline.
Kurt Thomas quickly slid to the left to block the driving lane.
Kevin Garnett's strides were very large, but as he approached the paint, he found that Lee had moved one step towards the free-throw line.
It was an awkward defensive position, yet it perfectly blocked Kevin Garnett's preferred attacking area.
Not foolishly charging into the double-team, Kevin Garnett, after two big dribbles, suddenly stopped short and, facing the Defense, forced a jump shot!
"Bang!"
The basketball hit the back of the rim and bounced out.
Grant Hill and big man Ervin Johnson were entangled under the basket, which allowed Pau Gasol to easily grab the defensive rebound.
Kevin Garnett slapped his thigh in frustration, roaring repeatedly and loudly calling for his teammates to retreat on Defense.
Several consecutive missed shots, coupled with Lee's unhurried offensive performance, specifically targeting the "old man," made Kevin Garnett extremely frustrated.
Seeing the Knicks run the same play again, Lee passed the ball to Grant Hill on the right wing and then cut through the middle without the ball again.
Kevin Garnett immediately frowned and shouted, "Sam, switch!"
After Kurt Thomas set an off-ball screen for Clay Lee in the left restricted area, he saw Sam Cassell really switch over, quickly ran to the bottom right of the basket, and immediately called for the ball with outstretched hands.
Grant Hill delivered a lob pass from the right wing.
Sam Cassell had no way to stop it and could only watch Kurt Thomas receive the pass over his head.
Although Kevin Garnett realized something was wrong and quickly helped back on Defense, Kurt Thomas, upon receiving the ball, went high-low and, twisting his body, immediately tossed the ball towards the backboard.
"Clank! Swish!" The bank shot went in.
38:25, the lead widened again.
"Foolish defensive choice! Actually, we were waiting for you to switch. You should have hoped I missed the shot!"
Hearing Lee's instruction, Kevin Garnett, who was about to inbound the ball from the baseline, slammed the ball in anger.
Sam Cassell immediately clapped his hands, signaling his teammates to stay calm and inbound the ball quickly.
When the Timberwolves attacked again, fans were somewhat disappointed to see Sam Cassell pass the ball to Sprewell on the left wing again.
When the championship guard received the ball in his familiar position, the Timberwolves simply needed to spread out, and the big men just needed to be ready to cut to the basket for easy scores.
Under Ron Artest's Defense, Sprewell also chose not to pass.
Instead, he put the ball down with his left hand, lowered his center of gravity, and forced an accelerated drive.
Perhaps due to the high energy consumption from last night's game, when Ron Artest, who was sliding quickly, initiated body contact, Sprewell's legs felt weak.
After slowing down to avoid a travel, Sprewell used the momentum from the contact to suddenly stop short, quickly step back, and, facing the Defense, launched a long two-point jump shot!
"Bang!"
The basketball hit the front of the rim.
Clay Lee timely returned to near the free-throw line to grab the rebound, then took the ball and charged.
While in motion, Lee pushed the ball for a change of direction, switched to his left hand, and continued to accelerate, quickly catching up alongside Sam Cassell, who had returned to near the three-point line.
Although Sam Cassell had established a defensive position early, he lost his balance after body contact while sliding quickly.
When Cassell tried to pull back, Lee took advantage of the momentum to increase his stride.
As he bumped off the defender, Lee immediately gathered the ball and, drifting to the left inside the paint, completed a left-handed floater!
"Squeak! Swish!"
The whistle blew and the ball went in.
After the body contact, Cassell nearly ran out of bounds.
Hearing the referee call a foul on him, the veteran couldn't hold back for a moment:
"Hey! He hit me! That's a clear offensive foul!"
Perhaps due to his low appearance, the baseline referee merely pointed to the free-throw line, signaling Lee for an additional free throw.
"Boo!"
Boos erupted again in Target Center.
This was not what many Timberwolves fans had imagined.
Their "big three" were actually being dominated by the opponent.
As Clay Lee stepped to the free-throw line, shouts of "MVP" suddenly filled the arena.
Kevin Garnett's face was dark.
He stared intently at Lee, seemingly trying to interfere with the free throw with his gaze, but it had no effect whatsoever.
41:25. The extra free throw was made, bringing the lead to 16 points.
Head Coach Saunders immediately called a timeout.
From the ESPN commentary desk, Nessler found this scene very familiar and subconsciously commented:
"It seems Clay Lee is starting to exert himself, building a lead in the second quarter and continuing to connect the team in the third quarter."
Doug Rivers, who had recently been fired by the Orlando Magic, was on the commentary desk tonight and now began to Monday morning quarterback:
"Using Sam Cassell to defend Clay Lee is definitely a wrong choice. Head Coach Saunders should consider matching Sprewell or Trenton Hassell against him."
"Against backcourt players, Clay Lee has a huge physical advantage."
Tracy McGrady, who had a "Defense Starter Award," also failed to achieve much success against Clay Lee in last year's playoffs, which left a deep impression on Doug Rivers.
Head Coach Rivers, now on the commentary desk, analyzed the game eloquently, leaving his partner Nessler stunned.
The rest of the game unfolded as Doug Rivers had predicted.
The Timberwolves tried to have Kevin Garnett continue to attack, while the Knicks continued with Clay Lee's tactic of attacking the "old man."
After the timeout, the Timberwolves finally executed pick-and-rolls for two consecutive possessions.
Kevin Garnett made a jump shot on the previous possession and now earned free throws, excitedly pounding his chest and roaring.
He made both free throws, helping the team respond.
Kevin Garnett's emotions suddenly soared.
He punched himself twice and returned to half-court, lowering his stance and striking a pose.
Lee then proactively sped up the offensive tempo, this time even chasing the opponent's backside past half-court.
Garnett was still loudly directing from the bottom right of the basket.
Coming to the left wing, Lee slowed down, performed a crossover in front of his body, and simultaneously switched to his right hand, immediately lowering his center of gravity.
Sam Cassell dared not get too close and could only slide to the left.
As the opponent reached out to interfere, Lee dribbled between his legs again, and the moment he switched to his left hand, he twisted his wrist for a small in-and-out move.
While feinting to the right front, Lee suddenly exerted force with his feet, exploding the ball while quickly stepping back horizontally.
Sam Cassell instinctively moved a step to his left-rear, then completely lost his defensive position.
Facing Lee's large step-back jump shot, he could only stand still, raising his right arm to attempt to interfere.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly.
46:29, the point difference widened a little again.
Watching Clay Lee raise his right arm, hold up three fingers, and pace back on Defense, Sam Cassell turned to his teammates, smiled bitterly, and patted his chest, indicating it was his fault.
Fortunately, in the subsequent game, Gary Trent, who replaced Sprewell, performed well, seizing some opportunities to help the Timberwolves score.
Kevin Garnett, who was frequently double-teamed, could only watch the game time tick away.
Both sides continuously scored response shots, but the point difference simply refused to shrink.
The pace of the game gradually quickened without realizing it.
With 1 minute and 18 seconds left in the half, Kevin Garnett took the initiative to set a screen at the top of the arc just after crossing half-court.
The screen was set too high, coupled with Garnett's anxious mindset, which ultimately allowed Lee to quickly squeeze past.
Sam Cassell, holding the ball in his right hand, was still looking for a passing lane when a strong force suddenly came from his side, causing him to lose control of the ball.
Lee, who had squeezed through the screen, rushed to Russell's side immediately, giving a body-to-body contest while stealing the ball from behind with his right hand, completing a direct steal.
Garnett was still waiting for a pass from his teammate when he heard the fans' exclamations.
He turned his head and saw Lee had already rushed past the half-court line.
It was a 1-on-0 fast break.
Upon entering the paint, Lee jumped high with both feet, twisted his body in the air, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and slammed it down with a one-handed dunk!
"Wow!"
The beautiful basket made the fun-loving fans cheer.
On the New York Knicks' bench, the atmosphere group also cheered happily.
They would get a lot of playing time tonight.
58:39.
As Kevin Garnett's free-throw line jumper missed on the Timberwolves' last possession, only noise remained in the Target Center.
10-of-2 shooting in the half, 3-of-4 from the free-throw line, 7 points, 3 assists, 2 turnovers.
Sam Cassell walked towards the player tunnel with his head down.
Head Coach Saunders sighed in his heart and patted the veteran's shoulder:
"Don't worry about tonight's performance. It's just a regular season game!"
Sprewell didn't get much playing time in the second quarter.
Seeing this scene, he pouted, thinking, if the coaching staff doesn't trust him, then he can't be blamed for slacking off!
In the second half, the Timberwolves, who proactively sped up their offensive pace, still couldn't stop the New York Knicks from scoring.
The consequence of frequent quick misses in many possessions was that Clay Lee easily collected long rebounds, then immediately turned and found Grant Hill or Ron Artest quickly cutting down the court.
Defense, fast-break counterattacks, and some half-court offensive possessions for Pau Gasol to isolate.
When encountering fronting Defense in the low post, preventing the low-post offense from developing, Lee would also call for Kurt Thomas to set a screen, attracting the Defense before allowing teammates to score with jump shots at the free-throw line.
The highly disciplined offense drew continuous praise from Doug Rivers at the commentary table:
"Clay Lee has completely controlled the game, and the New York Knicks' tactical success rate is astonishingly high!"
In the latter half of the third quarter, during a half-court offense, Lee began to receive the ball with his back to the basket in the left and right block areas again.
This time, after demanding the ball with his back to the basket in the right block, Lee didn't try to isolate the old man again.
Instead, he grabbed the ball with his left hand and, leaning against the defender, gave a look to Ron Artest on the right wing.
Upon receiving the cue, Ron Artest immediately accelerated his cut from the 45-degree angle.
Trent, who started the second half, just mechanically followed him on Defense and didn't attempt to grab or pull.
When he reached the paint, Ron Artest suddenly stopped short, feinted towards the baseline, and then immediately cut to the basket.
Lee, with the momentum, threw the ball over his head.
The basketball flew to the lower-right side of the rim, and Ron Artest, who received the pass, easily scored with a bank shot layup.
Trent and Kevin Garnett exchanged glances, both silent.
The game had completely fallen apart.
When opponents focused their attention on Lee, the New York Knicks always found easy scoring opportunities.
Although the Timberwolves played a good offense after their defensive intensity dropped, the game still entered garbage time after three quarters.
88:63. The huge point difference also led Head Coach Saunders to put in his rotation lineup directly in the fourth quarter.
In the last quarter, Nessler and Doug Rivers at the commentary table also began to chat about unrelated topics:
"In the Eastern Conference, to defeat the New York Knicks, perimeter Defense is very important."
"Many people forget that Clay Lee has won the assist title for several seasons. His scoring ability overshadows his basketball IQ!"
"Coaches make targeted arrangements for every game, but unfortunately, many times the team cannot execute the tactics the Head Coach wants."
Doug Rivers said this in a low voice, seemingly implying something.
Translated, this means my tactics are fine.
The Orlando Magic's losing streak is due to the players' lack of ability.
Nessler was fooled.
Hearing this, he nodded secretly, commenting on the game while praising Lee:
"As Head Coach Rivers said, Lee is leading the New York Knicks to show us another kind of basketball!"
"This is why fans like them."
Tonight, the New York Knicks' atmosphere group was in average form and didn't make a big impact, which was considered a bit of face-saving for the Timberwolves.
Ultimately, 111:89, the New York Knicks successfully won the game, continuing their winning streak.
Playing 30 minutes, Clay Lee shot 10-of-16, 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, and 8-of-8 from the free-throw line, tallying 30 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, and 1 turnover.
Kevin Garnett sat on the bench in the fourth quarter with a long face.
Tonight, he played 33 minutes, shot 8-of-16, and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line, accumulating 21 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, and 2 turnovers.
Even with a stat-stuffing performance, he couldn't lead his team to victory.
As Kevin Garnett walked towards the player tunnel, he saw Sprewell laughing and hugging an opponent again, and couldn't help but curse under his breath:
"Shit!"
Playing 28 minutes, the championship guard shot 2-of-11, tallying 4 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 2 turnovers.
Sprewell's undercover performance completely enraged Kevin Garnett.
Kevin Garnett, who was in great physical condition, did not suffer any injuries after the game, but he entered a state of silence when attending the press conference.
An ESPN reporter rubbed salt in the wound, proactively asking about the MVP:
"Kevin, at the end of November, I believe Clay will be ranked first on the leaderboard."
"Do you still stand by your previous statement that you will win the MVP?"
The media reporters below the stage actually knew that Lee wouldn't win this award, but everyone liked to see the stars stammering and beating around the bush.
"I am the best big man in the league. I have a huge impact on both ends of the court, and I will prove myself this season!"
Without mentioning Lee, Kevin Garnett started confidently boasting again.
However, after he spoke these words, the entire press conference room immediately filled with a joyful atmosphere.
On November 27th, the New York Knicks had their back-to-back games of the week.
Playing away against the Pacers, Ron Artest and Grant Hill made another strong impact.
When role players were matched up against Lee, the tactics would shift to other positions.
In the previous game, Sam Cassell shot 4-of-16 against Clay Lee, scoring only 13 points, but tonight Kenny Anderson performed well.
In the first three quarters, both teams went back and forth.
Under Head Coach Carlisle's extensive rotation, every Pacers player fought bravely!
However, in the fourth quarter, the Pacers suddenly went cold, with Jermaine O'Neal and Al Harrington making consecutive turnovers.
The backcourt duo of Reggie Miller and Kenny Anderson entered a state of just going through the motions.
Timeouts couldn't stop the decline. In the fourth quarter, the New York Knicks went on a 30:15 run, ultimately taking away their opponent with a decisive surge.
109:93, the Pacers regrettably lost.
When the game ended, a huge boo erupted in Conseco Fieldhouse.
Lee, walking towards the player tunnel, was booed relentlessly by the Pacers fans on both sides.
His rare playing time reached 38 minutes, which also caused Lee's statistics to rise.
12-of-21 shooting, 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line, tallying 35 points, 6 rebounds, 14 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and 2 turnovers. The stat-stuffing performance sent shivers down the spines of the Pacers fans.
"Just like Philadelphia, you're the most unpopular person here. That female fan courtside tonight scared me."
Grant Hill gloated after returning to the locker room.
That female fan cursed throughout the game, constantly saying "fuck," and even mooned Lee.
"Kathy Martin Harrison? Actually, she used to be my fan, but after continuously eliminating the Pacers these past few years, she became like this."
Lee had a deep impression of this blonde businesswoman, as there aren't many rich women who genuinely love sports.
What's more interesting is that this rich woman's husband is currently still a fan of Clay Lee.
Ron Artest, who had made a strong impact, returned to the locker room and loudly demanded that everyone vote for him.
In December, when All-Star voting began, Ron Artest was determined to be selected for the All-Star team.
The atmosphere group members all agreed.
As the team's boxing coach, Ron Artest was well-liked, and everyone prepared to mobilize their friends and family to do their part for the coach!
Returning to Manhattan on the 29th, the New York Knicks had their last game of November.
New York fans, who hadn't seen a game in a week, erupted with immense enthusiasm, fully invested in the entire game, with cheers almost breaking through the Madison Square Garden.
Baron Davis was tightly guarded by Lee throughout the game.
After the third quarter ended, the bearded man returned to the bench, too depressed to speak.
4-of-16 shooting, 1-of-6 from beyond the arc, 1-of-3 from the free-throw line, 10 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 5 turnovers.
With the atmosphere group making a strong impact and the cheers of the New York fans in the arena, the Hornets suffered a crushing defeat.
76:112. The huge point difference left Baron Davis staring blankly from the bench, unable to get up for a long time:
"I haven't offended anyone!"
.....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)