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
***
The 2003 Christmas was a bit lacking in 'star power' for fans who enjoyed NBA games.
The NBA arranged three games for fans that day:
Houston Rockets vs. Lakers, Dallas Mavericks vs. Sacramento Kings, and Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks.
Most of the star players performed poorly this season, perhaps due to the impact of Defense, with their per-game statistics being somewhat underwhelming.
In such circumstances, even with ABC's vigorous promotion, Excel fans were still a bit disappointed.
For players, Christmas War is a form of recognition, and this season, the NBA gave that recognition to the Rookie LeBron James.
Therefore, many players were secretly envious.
Everyone knew that the NBA's star-making movement was still ongoing, but such strong support for a Rookie still made many people jealous.
After arriving at Madison Square Garden, LeBron James was particularly happy.
Even being second to last, he still got to play in the Christmas Warâthat's influence!
After the official tip-off at 6:30 PM, the lively atmosphere in the Madison Square Garden also helped LeBron James quickly get into game mode.
The utility point guard, Charlie Ward, strictly executed Head Coach Van Gundy's tactics, passing the ball to LeBron James as soon as he crossed half-court.
After the Cavaliers made a trade, Charlie Ward successfully secured a starting position.
Like the New York Knicks, the Cavaliers also used a tall lineup, with Ira Newble, Carlos Boozer, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas forming the frontcourt.
LeBron James played as a swingman on this team, completely different from a wing isolation player.
He handled the ball more often, taking on more organizational duties.
However, the reason they lost so many games, besides the intention to tank, was more due to Defense issues, as the players on the court showed very poor defensive intensity.
On the New York Knicks' side, Ron Artest had just hit an open three-pointer from the right corner, and the shouts for Defense rang out again:
"Defense!"
Charlie Ward received the ball on the baseline and was not guarded by Lee.
After crossing half-court, he quickly passed the ball to LeBron James, who was receiving on the right wing.
After completing the pass, Charlie Ward ran to the left corner, while Newble moved to the left wing.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas stood near the left baseline without moving, and Carlos Boozer moved again, coming to the right wing to set a screen for LeBron James.
For most of the first half of the game, the Cavaliers used the same tactics, with the only difference being some changes in the screener.
Ron Artest had no intention of fighting through the screen.
Seeing LeBron James holding the ball in his left hand and trying to drive to the left, he immediately went around the screen, defending from the baseline.
Kurt Thomas also sagged back.
Seeing that his teammate was not out of position, he then moved to the right restricted area, continuing to guard Carlos Boozer after the screen.
He had an opportunity for a pull-up three-pointer and could also have taken a long two-pointer near the top of the arc, but LeBron James ultimately chose to accelerate and drive, pushing through Ron Artest's Defense, attempting to drive to the basket through the middle.
As soon as they entered the paint, their bodies collided.
LeBron James slowed down while leaning on the defender, then quickly spun on his right foot as an axis.
With the added advantage of a large stride, LeBron James gathered the ball just as he reached the lower right side of the basket, avoiding Pau Gasol's help Defense.
He grabbed the ball with his right hand and quickly tossed it off the backboard.
The moment he shot, Ron Artest raised his left arm and leaped high.
Under the interference, the basketball hit the backboard but didn't touch the rim, and Pau Gasol once again secured the rebound.
"Wow!"
The excellent Defense once again earned Ron Artest cheers from the fans.
Clay Lee, who came up to receive the ball, was not in a hurry to attack.
Instead, he watched as players from both sides entangled and rushed towards half-court.
Head Coach Van Gundy understood the New York Knicks well.
From the start, he insisted on a 3-2 zone Defense, with aggressive double-teams at the top.
In this possession, he loudly reminded his players from the sideline again.
LeBron James and Charlie Ward were the most active on Defense, and Newble, who had just joined the team, didn't turn into a slacker either.
Carlos Boozer, who liked to chase stats, stood near the right baseline, while Zydrunas Ilgauskas on the other side loudly reminded LeBron James to maintain his defensive position.
The Cavaliers' three players at the top line stood in sequence above the free-throw line.
Lee, far from the three-point line, waved to Pau Gasol, and soon only Kurt Thomas remained under the basket for the New York Knicks.
Pau Gasol came near the free-throw line, and Lee immediately passed the ball to Ron Artest on the left wing.
Newble began to twist and move, and the Cavaliers' Defense also shifted.
Lee quickly switched positions with Grant Hill at this point, and the New York Knicks' ball movement was also very fluid.
Ron Artest quickly passed the ball back.
The Cavaliers did not switch positions here.
LeBron James kept his eyes on the right wing.
Seeing the New York Knicks' ball moving incredibly fast and Charlie Ward delayed by Pau Gasol, he immediately stepped forward, attempting to make a steal.
Grant Hill delivered a cross-court pass, and the moment Clay Lee received the ball, he deftly spun, just managing to evade LeBron James's attempt to poke the ball away.
With his Defense out of position, LeBron James immediately adjusted his body's center of gravity and quickly chased back.
After turning, Lee put the ball down with his right hand and drove forward, shaking off the Defense in the blink of an eye.
James, actively chasing back, was delayed by Kurt Thomas's screen off the ball.
Carlos Boozer and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who were stationed at the baseline for the Cavaliers, both converged.
Lee, realizing no one was chasing him from behind, immediately slowed down, took a hop step inside the paint, and quickly tossed the ball with his right hand!
The basketball was thrown high.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas, under the basket, wanted to block it but felt it might be a goaltend.
In his moment of hesitation, he saw the ball already starting to descend.
Ultimately, the two could only stand rooted to the spot, watching the basketball fall precisely into the basket.
13:21. With 3 minutes and 53 seconds left in the first quarter, the Cavaliers failed to make a response shot, and the lead was extended again.
"Clay Lee seems to be constantly breaking down the Cavaliers' Defense in different ways. It's clear the New York Knicks were well-prepared."
"Head Coach Mike D'Antoni, who led his team to 73 wins, is absolutely a tactical master!"
At the ABC commentary table, commentator Michaels, dressed in a proper suit, confidently gave his assessment.
Michaels' voice was deep and powerful, and he typically commentated more on NFL games.
As a senior television broadcaster for ABC Sports, his commentary on NBA games this year was to provide a better experience for fans and to increase viewership ratings.
His partner tonight, Doug Rivers, was almost speechless upon hearing the comment.
Watching Mike D'Antoni, who was leaning back tactically throughout and not paying much attention to the situation on the court, Rivers could only secretly envy him.
After the screen, Carlos Boozer's mid-range jump shot from the free-throw line clanked off the rim.
The former Coach of the Year (COY) also offered his opinion:
"The Cavaliers' Defense is performing very well, but they have issues with their rim protection. Anyone who has played against Clay Lee knows how strong his ability to seize opportunities is."
"In my opinion, this is the difference between star playersâreading the Defense, which is very important."
The Cavaliers quickly retreated on Defense, and at Head Coach Van Gundy's urging, they continued with the same defensive strategy as the previous possession.
"LeBron, don't get out of position!"
The Bald Young Coach was somewhat displeased with LeBron James's risky steal attempt in the previous possession and repeatedly reminded him loudly.
On the New York Knicks' side, Pau Gasol noticed that the opponent continued to be stubborn.
Without needing a reminder, he proactively came near the free-throw line to continue screening.
Using the same tactic, the New York Knicks' positioning merely changed direction.
Lee passed the ball to Ron Artest on the right wing and then switched positions with Grant Hill again.
At the top of the arc, also receiving the ball far from the three-point line, Grant Hill immediately delivered a cross-court pass.
Charlie Ward again failed to fight through Pau Gasol's screen in time.
Fortunately, this time LeBron James was not out of position.
Instead, he turned his body, raised his hands high, and actively stepped forward, giving Lee space to drive with his left hand.
The Cavaliers' entire formation began to shift towards the left wing again.
LeBron James stared intently at Clay Lee's movements, diligently adjusting his body's center of gravity.
After receiving the ball, he quickly took a probing step with his right foot.
Noticing James moving up and maintaining his Defense, Lee quickly put the ball down with his left hand, feigning a drive, while taking another probing step.
Seeing Lee lower his center of gravity, LeBron James immediately slid quickly to his left rear.
Lee, pushing off his right foot, then naturally took a step back.
To the fans, the two's directions were completely opposite.
Clay Lee hadn't even shot yet, but many were already raising their hands and cheering.
LeBron James, having made the wrong read, tried hard to contest, but Lee, after stepping back, was still drifting to his left rear outside the three-point line.
He could only watch as Lee shot a fading jumper.
When LeBron James landed and turned his head, the basketball swished through the net.
"Wow!"
A superstar teaching a Rookie a lessonâsuch a scene was much appreciated by New York fans.
Head Coach Van Gundy clapped his hands repeatedly on the sidelines, signaling that LeBron James had defended well.
He understood Clay Lee, and this kind of fading jumper clearly showed he was using his true skill.
13:24. Although they were trailing by double digits, the Cavaliers still did not call a timeout.
The Bald Young Coach didn't even look at the score.
He just kept reminding LeBron James about his defensive positioning from the sidelines.
Although Carlos Boozer wasn't active on Defense, he was proactive in setting screens on offense.
Using the same offensive play, Kurt Thomas still focused on LeBron James with the ball.
On the right wing, LeBron James was again tightly guarded by Ron Artest, who went under.
He quickly made a behind-the-back bounce pass, and Carlos Boozer's jump shot from the free-throw line went in.
The Cavaliers, sticking to their defensive strategy, relied entirely on the aggressiveness of their three perimeter players to limit Clay Lee.
In some possessions, Charlie Ward was also able to fight through screens in time to form a double-team, but Pau Gasol would attack the basket as soon as he received the ball near the free-throw line.
He drew fouls and went to the free-throw line, attracting the Defense to assist Kurt Thomas for easy scores.
For several consecutive possessions, Pau Gasol also started racking up points.
During this Cavaliers' possession, LeBron James ran from beyond the three-point line, used a pick-and-roll, and drove into the paint, shouldering Ron Artest.
LeBron James, who hadn't yet transformed into a heavy tank, was forced to slow down after body contact and ultimately chose not to attack the rim, instead lobbing the ball towards the upper-left of the basket.
The basketball sailed over Pau Gasol's fingertips, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas didn't complete the alley-oop, but instead grabbed the ball in mid-air and adjusted again.
As he raised the ball again, hearing Charlie Ward's loud warning, Zydrunas Ilgauskas realized something was wrong.
Clay Lee behind him had already leaped high, and the opponent, having just released the ball, delivered a volleyball-style block from above!
"Slap!"
Zydrunas Ilgauskas stumbled, nearly falling to the floor, while Kurt Thomas regained possession in the paint and immediately threw a powerful pass.
Grant Hill shook off Ira Newble, received the ball at mid-court for a 1-on-0 fast break, and easily threw down a gliding dunk with no one guarding him!
Towards the end of the first quarter, LeBron James, who had been misfiring continuously since the start, finally found his touch, scoring for the team with step-back jump shots from both sides of the restricted area.
The New York Knicks had entered a state of multi-point scoring.
From the right elbow, Lee took a handoff pass from Kurt Thomas, drew Carlos Boozer's Defense, and assisted a teammate for a jump shot from the free-throw line.
Thanks to Zydrunas Ilgauskas's free throws, the Cavaliers' score also surpassed 20 at the last moment.
21:36, the first quarter ended, with the New York Knicks steadily dominating the weak.
The biggest difference in a game between the league's top team and the last-place team lies in their ability to respond and their defensive discipline.
On the Cavaliers' bench, Jeff Van Gundy was quite satisfied with his team's performance.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas had tried his best, but his lateral movement wasn't fast.
The Bald Young Coach, having witnessed most of Ewing's career, naturally wouldn't like such an inside core.
"We played very well, just as I emphasized, remember your defensive positions."
"The opponent will also miss shots sometimes, and when that happens, we need to fast break!"
"Don't worry about the stats and the score, just play according to the game plan."
2-of-6 shooting in the first quarter, with a strong but misfiring start, 4 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 turnover.
LeBron James was still satisfied with his own stats.
Thibodeau continued to coach LeBron James during the rotation phase.
The Cavaliers' defensive system was similar to the New York Knicks' in earlier years.
Zone Defense combined with quick rotations and double-teams.
Because the big men inside were not quick on their feet, this defensive system was fine for beating weaker teams, but sometimes there would be problems with the offense.
When LeBron James re-entered the game, Jeff Van Gundy returned to the bench, and Thibodeau couldn't help but murmur:
"LeBron's jump shot consistency is too poor. If he could efficiently carry the offense, perhaps we could still make the playoffs this season."
After coaching Lee, Thibodeau's standards had also risen, but Jeff Van Gundy didn't mind this point:
"Jump shooting will always improve with hard training. As long as we build an excellent defensive system, relying on transition offense, we can reach the conference finals."
Most of the Eastern Conference teams have perimeter cores, and the Bald Young Coach knew that against these inefficient scorers, iron-clad Defense was the most effective!
Lee, who also entered the game early, also gave the Cavaliers' zone Defense a lesson.
The stubborn defensive strategy allowed Lee to frequently score with jump shots from beyond the three-point line on both the left and right wings.
On the Cavaliers' possession, Lee rarely missed from the right wing, and Newble grabbed the long rebound.
LeBron James ran incredibly fast, with Clay Lee chasing closely behind him.
After receiving the ball on the left wing, LeBron James was forced to slow down, but his ball-handling habit was excellent, constantly swatting away Lee's arm with his right hand.
Leaning into the Defense, the rare fast-break opportunity made LeBron James a bit overconfident
He drove forcefully into the lower-left of the basket, pushing through the Defense.
Still unable to shake off the Defense, LeBron James quickly leaped after a hop step, and Lee also jumped high with him.
Continuous body contact prevented LeBron James from fully exerting force.
In desperation, he clutched the ball with his left hand, actively pulled it down, barely creating a time difference, and quickly lobbed the ball towards the backboard.
Grant Hill, who had chased back from the middle of the court, arrived first, and after a full run-up, leaped high and slapped the ball against the backboard.
"Oh!"
The visually impactful block made the New York fans in the Madison Square Garden gasp, and then cheers reverberated throughout the Madison Square Garden.
Clay Lee landed and immediately darted out.
LeBron James also reacted quickly, chasing back defensively at the first opportunity.
Grant Hill also accelerated without the ball, running towards mid-court.
At this point, the Cavaliers' defensive formation was in disarray, with everyone having just retreated inside the three-point line.
LeBron James, who had chased to Lee's side, initially intended to initiate body contact, but the basketball had already flown to the left wing.
Grant Hill didn't stop the ball after receiving it.
He released the ball with his left hand and strode directly towards the basket.
Pau Gasol screened out a driving lane for his teammate, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, tangled up, could only symbolically reach out, watching Hill glide to the lower-right of the basket and score with a reverse layup!
"The New York Knicks' fast breaks always result in easy scores. Clay Lee's passing vision and timing are simply outstanding!"
"To coach a player like that, all a coach needs to do is give him the ball."
Doug Rivers's words seemed to have a hidden meaning, but Al Michaels was completely engrossed in the game and didn't pay attention, instead saying in a light tone:
"LeBron James got the offensive rebound and scored! The young man hasn't given up yet!"
After driving to the basket and being bothered by Ron Artest, missing the layup, LeBron James grabbed the offensive rebound and completed the put-back, immediately letting out a yell to vent his frustration.
No one would like this kind of sticky Defense.
With emotions surging, LeBron James shouted repeatedly as he ran back on Defense, reminding his teammates, and the Cavaliers quickly established their defensive positions again.
After dribbling past mid-court, Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, stopped passing.
At the top of the arc, he suddenly changed direction with a crossover, twisting his hips to generate power while dribbling the ball forward.
By the time Charlie Ward reacted, Lee had already twisted his body and accelerated.
Taking advantage of the opponent's defensive slide, after body contact, he slapped away the opponent's arm with his left hand, then increased his stride, instantly shaking off the Defense.
LeBron James, who was still directing from the left wing, could only turn his head in place.
Clay Lee took three big steps, grabbed the ball with his right hand in mid-air, evaded Zydrunas Ilgauskas's block, and after a brief hang time, scored with a bank shot layup!
The cheers in the Madison Square Garden seemed to have affected Michaels's mood.
The veteran NFL commentator suddenly exclaimed:
"If all players played like Clay Lee, I believe the NBA would regain its early 90s glory!"
Doug Rivers chuckled beside him.
There was only one Clay Lee in the league with such a commanding lead.
In the final few minutes of the first half, the New York Knicks no longer used tactics to stretch the Defense as before.
Lee began to simply and brutally drive to the basket repeatedly.
LeBron James defended once, couldn't keep up with the rhythm, and then stopped being a background character, ultimately only allowing Lee to shoot free throws.
On the Cavaliers' side, Zydrunas Ilgauskas frequently received the ball, scoring with both shots and free throws, and LeBron James also made a three-pointer, but with Ira Newble's two turnovers and missed response shots, the deficit was widened even further.
43:66, after the first half, the game had completely lost its suspense.
The New York fans in the Madison Square Garden were quite happy.
At halftime, the New York Knicks gave out free hamburgers, which was a benefit for Lee's 20+ points in the half.
9-of-14 shooting, 5-of-8 from beyond the three-point line, 6-of-6 from the free-throw line, 29 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 block.
Clay Lee, clearly exerting himself, filled the stat sheet.
During halftime, in the visiting team's locker room, Charlie Ward was somewhat dejected.
Jeff Van Gundy had entrusted him with an important task, but his Defense had no effect whatsoever.
He needed to control his defensive distance and constantly observe Lee's movements.
Charlie Ward didn't even dare to stick to him in Defense, as after contact, he was always the one to slow down, and being half a step behind meant giving up points.
LeBron James, back in his seat, was not affected by the score and even felt relieved.
He saw his future direction!
Jeff Van Gundy returned to the locker room and praised his trusted confidant:
"No one can limit Lee one-on-one. Basketball is a five-person game, and we played very well in the first half!"
"Everyone needs to defend like Charlie Ward, keep moving, and communicate with each other!"
Assistant coach Thibodeau continued to assign defensive tasks to the players on the whiteboard, while another assistant coach, Dunlap, constantly gave the players pep talks.
The second half of the game completely turned into a performance for both sides.
The defensive intensity dropped, and both teams engaged in an offensive shootout.
Beautiful dunks appeared frequently, and the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden became even more enthusiastic.
Especially in the 4th quarter, after Amar'e Stoudemire entered the game, three consecutive possessions of middle-lane cuts for powerful dunks completely ignited the Madison Square Garden atmosphere.
With 3 minutes and 56 seconds left in the game, both teams finally substituted their starting lineups.
In the Christmas War, there was no garbage time.
Coach D'Antoni ended his AFK, happily patted the starting lineup coming off the court, then returned to his seat, turning to the coaching staff beside him and murmuring:
"Victory is sometimes that simple!"
Hearing this, assistant coach Mike Malone couldn't help but look at Lee, who was draped in a towel.
Recalling the reduced team training during Christmas, the coaching staff slacking off, and virtually no tactical arrangements, Mike Malone felt he had learned something new.
When the game ended, the score was set at 96:122; the high-scoring game thoroughly satisfied the New York fans.
The fans in the Madison Square Garden were still shouting Lee's name after the game, accompanied by huge shouts of:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
Scott was waiting by the sidelines early, and after seeing Lee continuously wave to the fans and waiting for a moment, he stepped forward to interview him:
"Lee, this is the 7th Christmas War of your professional career, and you've won all 7!"
"Many commentators believe you will become the player with the most Christmas War appearances in NBA history. What do you think about that?"
After joining the New York Knicks, Lee only missed the Christmas War in his first season.
However, hearing about this 'loan record,' he could only go along with it:
"It's my honor. As a basketball player, victory is the best Christmas gift for the fans."
"If I can participate in the Christmas War in the future, I hope the New York Knicks can keep winning!"
Scott smiled and nodded.
Loan records have become the norm for Lee, and he also likes to hear such confident answers:
"This is the first time this season you've gotten a 40+ double-double. Lee, does this mean you'll start your scoring mode in the upcoming games?"
Tonight, Clay Lee played 37 minutes, shooting 14-of-23 from the field, 7-of-12 from three-point range, and 10-of-10 from the free-throw line, finishing with 45 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and 1 turnover.
Hearing the question about his stats, Lee shrugged.
He indeed lacked some motivation.
He could lead even while slacking off, which wasn't his fault:
"As long as the opponent can drag the game into the 4th quarter, my stats will naturally go up."
"I like competition and welcome all challenges!"
The two engaged in commercial flattery in front of the camera, while on the other side, LeBron James, who lost the game, hugged everyone he saw.
He really liked the atmosphere of the Madison Square Garden tonight.
Jeff Van Gundy exchanged pleasantries with old friends before finally walking back to the player tunnel with LeBron James.
Noticing that the future star was in good spirits and unaffected by the loss, the Bald Young Coach once again offered some inspiring words:
"LeBron, you will succeed! What you need to do now is play like Lee!"
"No one can dominate the game forever. The future belongs to you!"
Tonight, LeBron James shot 8-of-22 from the field, 1-of-3 from three-point range, and 4-of-6 from the free-throw line, finishing with 21 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers.
Although his performance was mediocre, thinking that Clay Lee was almost 26 years old, LeBron James became even more confident:
"Yes, coach! I'm ready!"
Thinking of how Madison Square Garden was filled with Lee's elements, LeBron James took off his headband, puffed out his chest, and walked back to the locker room, secretly calculating:
"After he turns 30, Clay Lee will decline. Time is on my side."
(A/N: đđđ Future is grim indeed.)
Jeff Van Gundy and LeBron James shared a common philosophy: after tanking to get the first overall pick, the Cavaliers would become the next New York Knicks, crushing all Eastern Conference teams with absolute talent!
On the morning of the 26th, after the Christmas War, commentators began to criticize the Lakers again.
99:87, the Houston Rockets successfully defeated the Lakers on the road to win the Christmas War.
Only delusional chinese sports media were overjoyed.
In the "Shaq-Yao Battle," Yao Ming performed exceptionally well!
At halftime, the Houston Rockets led 57:44, maintaining control over the Lakers throughout the game.
Yao Ming shot 7-of-10 in the first half, putting up an all-around stat line of 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks.
Although he was troubled by fouls in the second half, which reduced his playing time, and only scored 2 points on 1-of-4 shooting, Yao Ming's performance was impeccable, scoring 18 points in 30 minutes.
In the 3rd quarter, the Lakers strongly rebounded with a 16:27 single quarter, nearly tying the score, but as Kobe led the Houston Rockets on a run in the 4th quarter, the game was completely without suspense.
In the fourth quarter, Kobe shot 1-of-7, scoring a mere 2 points.
For the entire game, he shot 9-of-26 from the field, 1-of-2 from three-point range, and 4-of-6 from the free-throw line, finishing with 23 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 3 turnovers.
Such a performance prompted O'Neal to make sarcastic remarks after the game:
"Some people always want to be a hero, some people always want to put themselves above the team!"
"I don't know what he wants to prove, does he want to prove he can win without me?"
"Losing only makes me feel ashamed; we should have won the game."
Shaquille O'Neal shot 5-of-12, and 12-of-18 from the free-throw line, finishing with 22 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 turnovers.
Payton shot 5-of-11, scoring 13 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, and 2 turnovers.
The bench unit also had to take the blame for the loss, as Derek Fisher shot 1-of-7, and the few bench players combined for only 8 points.
With such a performance from the Lakers, Yahoo Sports news started to make waves again, and fans who like to surf the internet all saw that article:
"A Doomed Season, Lee Will take Revenge!"
With a record of 20 wins and 7 losses, after the Lakers lost this game, their record was also caught up by the Sacramento Kings!
111:103, the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Sacramento Kings to win the Christmas War, then launched an assault on the top two spots.
Commentators could all see that in the Western Conference, the Lakers' dominance was declining.
Before the New Year arrives, the New York Knicks still have three games to play.
On the 27th, after a day of rest, the New York Knicks easily defeated the Grizzlies on the road with a score of 108:88, finishing the game in three quarters.
On the 28th, the NBA announced the Player of the Week for the previous week:
Clay Lee of the New York Knicks and Sam Cassell of the Timberwolves successfully won the award.
Thanks to his high-scoring performance in the Christmas War, in the three games last week, Lee averaged 33.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 11.3 assists, 2.3 steals, and 2.0 turnovers.
He averaged 19.0 field goal attempts, with a field goal percentage of 53.6%, a three-point percentage of 44.8%, and a free-throw percentage of 100%.
Although the data sample is not large, this is Lee's daily performance!
In the December 29th road game against the Orlando Magic, Tracy McGrady left the game after only 11 minutes due to a back injury.
114:84, the New York Knicks crushed their opponent, once again demonstrating their excellent ability to dominate weaker teams.
On the 30th, in a back-to-back game, returning to Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks hosted the Heat.
After some offseason moves, the Heat's roster had changed significantly and looked full of talent!
In that night's game, Head Coach Stan Van Gundy continued to field his forward-heavy lineup.
Dwyane Wade and Eddie Jones partnered in the backcourt, while the three frontcourt players were Caron Butler, Grant, and Lamar Odom.
With the opponent lacking height in the paint, the New York Knicks naturally focused their attack inside!
What New York fans were delighted to see was that Dwyane Wade was completely lost under Lee's Defense.
From the start of the game, Dwyane Wade, who was serving as the starting point guard, was subjected to full-court pressure Defense by Clay Lee.
Too much physical contact made it difficult for this Rookie to organize an effective offense once he crossed half-court.
Many times, after passing the ball to a teammate, Dwyane Wade couldn't get the ball back.
For many possessions, this Rookie stood blankly outside the three-point line, and when he tried to receive the ball, Lee's relentless D'Antoni made him move further away from the three-point line.
The forward-heavy lineup made the Heat's pick-and-roll quality extremely poor.
Every screen was squeezed through, and many times, before Dwyane Wade could even get going, a strong force would hit him from the side.
After being forced to stop the ball, Dwyane Wade would commit a turnover.
In the first quarter, this Rookie was stolen from face-to-face by Lee 3 times.
With 2 minutes and 6 seconds left in the 1st quarter, Lee stole the ball from his opponent and completed a dunk, then stood under the basket, continuing to wait for Dwyane Wade to receive the ball:
"I heard you like pure basketball? I like this kind of confrontation too!"
Lee said these words expressionlessly while standing next to him.
The Rookie Dwyane Wade was so frustrated he didn't utter a sound.
He realized he wasn't suited to play point guard.
14:36, the first quarter ended, and Madison Square Garden was roaring again.
After being stolen from face-to-face repeatedly, Dwyane Wade almost always passed the ball as soon as he crossed half-court for the rest of the game, then watched Lamar Odom miss shots.
The New York Knicks continuously ran transition offenses, and Pau Gasol scored relentlessly in the paint.
Dwyane Wade realized that the New York Knicks seemed to have no intention of holding back.
When he returned to the bench in the 4th quarter, his eyes were wide and unfocused.
Clearly, his status as a "fake fan" of Clay Lee had been exposed.
Ultimately, 70:112, the New York Knicks crushed their opponent by 42 points!
The New York fans in attendance cheered wildly, making strange noises.
Like Lee, many of them were "vindictive":
"Rookie! Was tonight's basketball game pure?"
"..."
New York fans on both sides of the player tunnel continuously yelled at Dwyane Wade as he exited the Madison Square Garden.
The New York Knicks' basketball has always carried the label of being "opportunistic."
Dwyane Wade's previous sarcastic remarks naturally prompted a counterattack from New York fans, and no one liked this Rookie from Chicago.
For the entire game, he shot 1-of-6 from the field and 0-of-2 from the free-throw line, finishing with 2 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 turnovers.
Dwyane Wade was in a dazed state, completely unresponsive to the fans' taunts, and walked into the player tunnel with his head down.
It wasn't until he was almost at the locker room that Wade reacted, feeling a bit wronged:
"I just mentioned it..."
.....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)