NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 112 Rewards for Defeating BOSS (Daily Chapter)

On May 1998, 5, New York fans witnessed the end of the Bulls dynasty at Madison Square Garden.

In the G5 game, fans saw Michael Jordan use what he has learned throughout his life:
Behind the back jumper, after receiving the ball, the step-by-step break-through jumper with an emergency stop, the low-post swaying defense, the up-and-down step, and the anti-man layup after rushing to the basket.

The fans also saw Kukic's miraculous performance. With Mikou and Pippen hitting the iron at the start, the Croatian forward continued to help the Bulls score points.

It's just that when the halftime score was fixed at 36:46, the fans who were expecting Michael Jordan's miracles became silent.

Kukchi went 7-of-7 and scored a team-high 17 points for the Bulls. However, Pippen, who was out of form in G4, failed to continue the touch of the previous game. He scored 7-of-1 in the half and scored 4 points.
In the second half of the game, the Bulls also failed to break the law of the Knicks this season. Before the game was over, Madison Square Garden was completely boiling.

The Bulls got tougher on the perimeter, and the Knicks double-teamed more fiercely. In the end, Michael Jordan could only gasp for breath, pushing inside again and again.

Just back to Madison Square Garden, the 1-point rain of other players disappeared, and there were only Oakley's big elbow and Ewing's face block waiting for Michael Jordan.

Although Kukchi and Cole hit consecutive three-pointers in the fourth quarter, Midu began to iron out, scoring free throws, and the Knicks responded accordingly.

As Michael Jordan also missed a shot from beyond the three-point line at the last moment, the New York fans present began to shout wildly, and many fans in the front row celebrated with fists.

Spike Lee even raised his hands high, waiting for the game time to run out.

Li You didn't attack again, and under Harper's defense, he steadily consumed the last 10 seconds.

The final buzz sounded, and the score was fixed at 83:90.

The cheers broke through Madison Square Garden, witnessing the home team eliminate the Bulls to enter the finals, the feeling of perfect revenge made the old fans in New York scream excitedly.

"Wow!!"

The cheers of the fans were all around his ears. Li You received the ball with a smile on his face. The Knicks will keep the ball for tonight's game as a souvenir.

Being able to eliminate the Bulls in the division finals, for some old fans, is even more fulfilling than winning the championship:

In 1989, the Knicks met the Bulls in the semifinals and were eliminated by their opponents 4:2;
In 1991, the Knicks met the Bulls in the first round, 3:0, and were swept out by the opponent;

In the Eastern Conference semifinals in 1992, the Knicks met the Bulls again. They lost 31 points in the tiebreaker and finally lost;
In the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals, after protecting two home games, the Knicks were pulled by the Bulls in four consecutive games, with a big score of 4:2, and then lost to their opponents;
In the Eastern Conference semifinals in 1996, the Knicks had no power to fight back, and were swept by the Bulls Gentleman 4:1;
After Li You joined the team, the Knicks also lost in the Eastern Conference Finals once, and encountered the Bulls 6 times, all of which were lost. The youth of the old fans was lost!
In this year's Eastern Conference finals, Gentleman swept the opponent 4:1. Seeing the Bulls' dynasty shattered, and thinking of the Bulls' disintegration, the enthusiasm of the New York fans who succeeded in revenge really shocked Li You.

Looking at the golden ribbon floating above the arena, Li You twitched the corners of his mouth. This celebration is the same as winning the championship.
Media reporters rushed to the venue, their cameras flashing non-stop, and everyone wanted to record this historical moment.

出场45分钟，26中10，三分线外2中0，罚球11中10，30分4篮板4助攻2抢断4失误；

Michael Jordan has tried his best, expressionless after the loss, and a large number of media have surrounded Michael Jordan.

Many melon-eating reporters want to see Michael Jordan's lost appearance, with a smile on his face, it's their turn to output!
In the MSG commentary seat, Walter Fraser also seemed a little excited. The legendary star is also enjoying the feeling of revenge at the moment:

"This is a perfect victory for New York fans!"

"We ended the Bulls' three consecutive championships, and the championship is already waving to us!"

Like the Pacers fans, many New York fans at the scene tonight held signs:

"His name is Jordan!"

"NOT God!"

At this time, such slogans are particularly eye-catching, and the commentator Mike Breen is still praising Li You's performance loudly:
"In the entire series, Lee only made 9 turnovers in total. The Bulls' outside pressure defense didn't work!"

"I met the Jazz in the finals. Lee will face Stockton. The new and old No. 1 will face off. I believe Lee will prove himself again."

G5的比赛，李佑出场40分钟，18中7，三分线外8中3，罚球6中4，拿到21分4篮板11助攻2抢断2失误的数据。

As the series progressed, the Bulls also gradually adapted to Li You's technical characteristics, but everyone on the Knicks team was brave in a downwind situation. At this time, restricting individuals has no effect.

At the commentary seat, the two blew loudly, and Ewing was already in full bloom at this time, hugging everyone!

Regardless of whether everyone on the Bulls team likes to hear his encouragement, after the gorilla hugs the opponent, it is like chicken soup for the soul.

Michael Jordan did not show a lonely expression. After hugging and paying tribute to his friends, he soon came to Li You.

The two simply hugged, perhaps unconvinced by the loss, Michael Jordan suddenly whispered:

"I'll win it back!"

Upon hearing that Mikou was still pretending to be X, Li You nodded and responded with a smile:
"Remember to consider New York, the Knicks always welcome you!"

Patting Li You angrily, Michael Jordan showed a look of "you waited for me", then turned his head and left, if he can't beat him, he will join this matter, it will never happen to him.
If he had been a few years younger, Li You believed that McDuck could indeed come back, but the Bulls were destined to disintegrate, and the league's No. 1 player should also come to an end.

To win the Eastern Conference championship, the Knicks will also receive a trophy.

Soon the Bulls all left the field, and all the Knicks came to the center of the field. Jeff Van Gundy was already grinning from ear to ear!

After 94, the Knicks once again won the Eastern Division championship. When Jeff Van Gundy took over the spherical trophy marked with the Knicks, there was another huge cheer in the Madison Square Garden arena.

Ewing is naturally the second person to win the trophy. He has played for the Knicks for 13 seasons. Maybe the fans and the media don’t like the experience of losing to Michael Jordan in the past, but as long as he wins Michael Jordan once, everyone will forget the past
Although the process of winning was somewhat tortuous, the drama of sticking to the team and finally counterattacking is still the favorite of New York fans.

"what!!"

Ewing raised the trophy and shouted happily. It is natural to be happy to win the division championship, but for the gorilla, being able to win against Michael Jordan is the most important thing.

Even if the opponent's strength is no longer strong, even if Michael Jordan's state declines, as long as he wins, the old guys will be satisfied.

Li You, who was clapping and smiling at the side, was quickly pushed to the front by the crowd. When receiving the trophy, there was another special cheer on the scene:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

Li You failed to win the MVP of the regular season, and the fans in New York still cared.

The All-Star Game was held, Li You won the AMVP, ranked first in the league in the regular season, and then won the MVP. It was a perfect season, but it was ruined by Mike.

NBC was interviewing Jeff Van Gundy and Ewing at this time. On the MSG side, Walter Frazier came next to Li You:
"Li, now you are the hero in the hearts of New York fans. How does it feel to reach the finals for the first time in your career?"

Li You smiled and handed the trophy to Alan Houston, and everyone in the atmosphere group cheered again:
"It's very fulfilling. I enjoy this process very much. After losing last year, we want to win it back!"

"Fortunately, we met the Bulls again in the final. This is the most ideal result!"

"."

Madison Square Garden, celebrating the division championship, the fans left the field late, and everyone was enjoying the winning moment.

Tonight, no one laughed at Ewing, and no one looked down on Jeff Van Gundy, the division champion, so that the two regained the respect of the fans and the media.

Throughout the playoffs, Ewing's efficiency was not high, and his low-post attacks in the past became less and less, but at this moment, no one cares about these details.

Everyone raved about the inside combination of Ewing and Oakley, and Li You and Alan Houston also became "the strongest backcourt in the league."

The New York media began to complain about Larry Johnson, thinking that "Big Mom" ​​should also enter the All-Star, and Starks should win the league's best sixth man award.

The Knicks who won the championship will naturally be touted tonight, but the real hot spot is the losing Bulls.

At the press conference after the game, the audience was full of reporters. At this time, everyone just wanted to follow suit!

Wearing a dark gray formal suit, Michael Jordan just came to the stage and took a seat, the reporters in the audience couldn't hold back:
"Mike! What plans do you have in the future? Will you choose to retire?"

The TNT reporter couldn't wait to ask the questions that everyone cares about.

Although he was in a bad mood, Michael Jordan still looked calm and patiently answered:
"I don't know, and I haven't really thought about it!"

"Of course, if Scottie and Phil stay, we will definitely play for another year!"

"I hate losing, but I enjoy the experience of fighting with my teammates. I believe the Bulls can still win the championship."

"Mike, how would you rate Pippen's performance tonight?"

"Have you ever thought that Krause's decision at the beginning of the season was correct and the Bulls should complete their rebuild."

良心二当家皮蓬在上一场比赛高效发挥之后，今晚16中2，三分线外7中0，罚球2中2，砍下6分7篮板8助攻1抢断4失误的数据。

For the performance of his teammates, Michael Jordan didn't care, and continued to answer seriously:

"Since the last game, Scottie has had a back problem."

"No one can play an efficient offense all the time. Players have ups and downs. It's just our bad luck. Injuries will always find us this season!"

库克奇今晚13中11，三分线外6中4，罚球4中4，砍下了30分6篮板1抢断1盖帽2失误的数据。

Naturally, many reporters also noticed the excellent performance of the Croatian striker. Hearing Miko's answer, the reporter of the New York Post quickly questioned:

"Kukic performed very well tonight. In this case, the Bulls still lost. Mike, can you talk about the reasons for the loss in this round of the series?"

The media in New York were obviously criticizing Michael Jordan for not being efficient enough to carry the team. Michael Jordan's face became more and more ugly, but he still responded patiently:
"Tony played very well. As for the reason for the loss, it was just because the Bulls couldn't get the ball to the basket."

"I will not make excuses for the loss, but I still believe that the Bulls can win the championship again!"

"."

The news about "Where is Michael Jordan going" has become a hot topic among fans tonight.

Losing in this way, will the Bulls keep the lineup?

Regarding the questions of the fans, on the morning of the second day, the general manager of the Bulls Klaus gave the answer:

"We must complete the reconstruction. The Bulls will rebuild a lineup. Next season, we will still attack the championship!"

Although he lost, Fatty Klaus revealed a hint of complacency.

When he advocated trading Pippen, most fans and the media opposed his opinion.

In this round of the series, Pippen was not efficient most of the time, which proved that his original decision was correct!

People who eat melons feel that a war is about to break out, but the labor agreement is still under negotiation. It may take a month to know what the Bulls will look like in the future.

The 1998 finals will officially start on June 6, and the Knicks don't have to fly away.

The Knicks got 4 days of rest time. On the morning of the 28th, Li You noticed that in addition to the column articles boasting about him, there were also large articles criticizing Michael Jordan in the newspaper.

After winning the Eastern Division championship, last night, he got a new talent:

[Michael Jordan's extraordinary coordination].

The new talent is copper-colored, which shows that his own coordination is good, but it is not an easy task to realize this talent as soon as possible.

Reaching the finals again, the whole team attaches great importance to this. After half a day off, the training in the afternoon cannot be stopped.

Jeff Van Gundy may have been overexcited. He and Thibodeau stayed up all night watching the Jazz game video. In the afternoon training class, the bald young coach kept nagging:
"Don't underestimate the opponent, the Jazz's inside strength is very strong!"

"Karl Malone has not declined this season. Even if the data fluctuates in the playoffs, no one can really limit him at the power forward position."

Ewing looked down on Malone, curled his lips in disdain, lost the MVP last year, and the gorilla is still holding grudges.

How to defend Karl Malone is indeed a problem. Although the opponent is a muscular man, he has a good mid-range shot.

Stockton and Malone's pick-and-roll is not only a block on the surface, but also a lot of small moves during the screen.

During the regular season, the Jazz averaged 101.0 points per game, second only to the Knicks and ranked third in the league.

The number of rounds was 74.5, and he averaged 8.2 shots per game from beyond the three-point line, which is the last in the league.

Instead of relying on three-pointers to score points, the basket, mid-range, and free throws are the scoring methods they are good at.

On the defensive end, compared to last season, the Jazz have declined, allowing opponents to score 94.4 points per game, ranking 12th in the league.

Coupled with the veteran Jerry Sloan, the Jazz showed more power than the numbers reflected.

Leading the team to the finals in the second season, Jeff Van Gundy was still a little guilty, with two dark circles under his eyes, nagging everyone about the precautions of the game.

The Knicks did not win one of the two games played in the regular season, but after Ewing returned, the Knicks' rebounding is no longer a problem.

Larry Johnson felt a pain in his left ear and his right ear. After the bald young marshal finished nagging, "Auntie" said inflatedly:
"I don't believe that the Jazz will be stronger than the Bulls. In the finals, we will win!"

This kind of analogy immediately left Li You at the side speechless
The Bulls played the away game without much rest time after the 7th game.

The Jazz won the entire playoffs relatively easily, and they rested for nearly a week. There is a gap in physical fitness between the Bulls and the Jazz.

"The opponent will definitely slow down the pace of the game. This is an inevitable choice. After playing so many playoff games, some routines have long been figured out."

Li You reminded the inflated Larry Johnson aloud that some offensive routines would not always be effective.

The atmosphere group also began to discuss the opponent's strength, but since the victory over the Bulls, everyone was so inflated that they were going to ascend to heaven. After discussing and discussing, they finally came to a conclusion:
"win!"

Everyone on the Knicks began to prepare for the game step by step. When they reached the finals, there was no need to come up with new tactics.

After two days of anxiety, Jeff Van Gundy closed his eyes and chose hosting again.
Li You eliminated Michael Jordan, which not only made most of the American sports media climax, but also made some compatriots on the other side of the ocean dumbfounded.

Although the broadcast conditions are limited, the finals will be broadcast at most in a year, but Michael Jordan's charm is too great. When everyone was still thinking about the three consecutive championships, they fell in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The finals are about to start, and the New York media still haven't let go of the losing Bulls.

New York Post columnist Peter Vesey has been crazily exporting Michael Jordan for days.

The titles of "ego maniac", "dictator", "data brush" and "team cancer" have appeared frequently recently.

As for Pippen and Rodman, the major media have not let it go. Ball critics are nagging on TV every day:

"General Manager Klaus is right, the Bulls should have traded Pippen and Rodman during the offseason!"

"An injury-plagued small forward, a power forward who left the team mid-season and went to Las Vegas to suck!"

"Michael Jordan paid the price for his arrogance and he should respect management's opinion."

"Players should do their jobs well and not interfere with team operations!"

In the past, Michael Jordan didn't give the media a good face, and at this time, the ball critics didn't say anything good, and they ridiculed Michael Jordan one after another.

Li You's popularity has naturally skyrocketed. In addition to frequently "on TV", the owner of the coffee shop near his apartment is a loyal New York fan.

After the Eastern Conference Finals, the boss exempted Li You for life.

After the news was reported by the New York Times, several nearby restaurants followed suit, taking the opportunity to grab the hot spots and express their support for Li You by the way.

Before winning the championship, New York fans will soon celebrate the Chinese New Year.
As the second brother of the hook, Anfernee Hardaway, fell into another injury, Li You made it to the finals, and the signature shoes also accelerated.

"A real man was born between heaven and earth, how could he live in a state of depression for a long time!"

As long as his career shows an upward trend, Li You can almost replace the second brother Hook.

On the afternoon of the 30th, after finishing the training session, Eric Ewa, a famous hook designer, also visited Li You.

It seems that Li You didn't expect so many textbooks in his apartment. The young designer couldn't help asking curiously:

"Li, are you going to continue your studies?"

When Eric Ewa came to the apartment, he visited it and said that he was looking for inspiration. When he heard the question, Li You responded casually:
"Of course, this year I will be able to graduate early, and I will continue to study in the future. Reading is one of the few pleasures I have now."

Shaking his head in surprise, Eric Ewa looked at Li You's daily clothes again, and said seriously:

"You can make requirements. Every player has a different personality and has different needs for sneakers. Just like Anferni, his requirement for sneakers now is to improve protection."

"You know, a pair of sneakers that fit you can also play a protective role."

Li You thought for a while and did not put forward any functional requirements. Instead, he asked with a smile:

"Can I add some personal logos to the shoe?"

Seemingly aware of Li You's intentions, Eric Ewa shrugged his shoulders:

"That requires further communication, but I support you in doing so, as long as you stay healthy, I am optimistic about your future achievements!"

Michael Jordan is like a BOSS, after Li You knocked him down, he got a lot of rewards.

If it wasn't for the finals to be played, agent Mark Bartelstein would be able to offer several commercial endorsement contracts to Li You right now.

This year's finals will continue to be televised by NBC. On May 5, Hannah Storm hosted the pre-finals show and began to interview players from the two teams to warm up for the subsequent finals.

With Bill Walton and Peter Vesey as guests, the program briefly predicted the direction of the finals:

"In winning against the Bulls, the Knicks did show their dominance, but I must remind everyone that the Bulls played 7 games in the last round."

"The Jazz are different. They have very rich game experience and strong discipline. More importantly, in this year's playoffs, they consume very little!"

There is a high probability that celebrities will become big mouths after retiring, and Bill Walton is no exception. He leads the Bulls in his views and never forgets to catch hot news.

Peter Vesey, as a columnist and working in New York, naturally wants to brag about the home team:

"The Knicks also have experience in the Finals. Ewing will take good care of the rookies, and Lee will continue his outstanding performance!"

"Compared to the Bulls, the Jazz's backcourt is shorter. Whether it's Stockton or Howard Ellis, it won't cause too much trouble for Lee."

"Lee was extremely efficient every time he faced an undersized backcourt!"

The two repeatedly compared the Bulls, the host Hannah subconsciously rubbed the center of her brows, and then reminded:

"We should focus on the two teams. Which team do you think will take the lead when the series starts?"

"Of course the Jazz (Knicks)!"

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(End of this chapter)