NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 204 Explosive Punishment Power (9000 words chapter)
On December 2000, 12, on the eve of the Christmas Day game, Rashard Lewis' performance made the New York media full of praise.

在昨晚和76人队的比赛中，出场36分钟，11中6，三分线外6中4，罚球6中5，砍下21分8篮板7助攻1盖帽1失误，创下职业生涯新高。

His defensive rim protection and rim finishing are a bit poor, but from an offensive point of view, he can be both inside and outside, comparable to an All-Star!
As a third-year second-round pick, his current stable contribution of 12+ per game is as high as the sky. High salary and low ability are no longer a label for Lewis.

At 105:79, the Knicks defeated the 76ers in an away game. Coach Larry Brown's double-teaming strategy failed. Li You sent out 15 assists in the game.

Although the Knicks sometimes outperform when facing some strong inside teams, in the Eastern Conference, most games are all about chopping things up, which really makes some players feel a little desperate.
出场41分钟，18中5，三分线外6中1，罚球10中8，19分7助攻1抢断4失误，艾弗森在李佑的防守下完全丢掉了进攻手感。

He didn't attend the press conference after the game. He had been losing for many years and was about to lose his ability.

The 76ers started this season with a 10-game winning streak, and Iverson's external reputation also improved a lot. As a result of a strong dialogue, the evaluation changed again.

This situation amused the New York media. Before the Christmas game, they mocked Iverson as an inefficient "data brush".
Data are all afraid of comparison. If there was no Li You in the same draft, perhaps Iverson's reputation would be completely different. However, the reality is that if he wants to chase the MVP, at least his efficiency must be passable.

O'Neal and Li You, both inside and outside, have achieved a PER of 30 for two consecutive seasons, which has invisibly raised the selection standards a lot.

Seeing that the regular season has been going on for almost two months, Li You ranks first in the MVP rankings, followed by Duncan, O'Neal, Iverson, and Webber.

The records of the top five teams in the rankings are not much different. Li You Excel is better, so he is temporarily ahead.

This year’s Christmas game, the NBA league has also prepared two games for fans.

Pacers vs. Trail Blazers, Lakers vs. Knicks.

The four teams that reached the conference finals last season faced off again, and the game between the Lakers and the Knicks attracted even more attention.

The general election came to an end not long ago, the Elephant Party won, and the public no longer paid attention to the White House. The NBA promoted it for more than half a month, and many fans were waiting for this powerful dialogue.

On December 12, Li You, who returned to Manhattan, took advantage of the team's holiday and added a lot of Christmas decorations to his home.

The biggest advantage of being in the Eastern Conference is that there is not much record pressure. The Western Conference is getting more and more popular, but for the Knicks, staying at No. 1 is not a big problem.

Kristen Ritter was kicked out of an audition for The Princess Diaries not long ago, and she has been unhappy for the past few months.

Fortunately, after celebrating my birthday and unlocking new knowledge again, I regained my former vitality.

"The house is beautiful!"

"Can I stay here tonight?"

Most of the girls who had just walked in were graphic models. They took off their bloated coats, revealing their beautiful figures, and began to chatter about the new house.

"Don't wander around, gather on the 2nd floor first. If you want to change clothes, remember to go to the 3rd floor!"

The little attendant directs the beautiful girls who act as the atmosphere team, almost like half hostesses. There will be a party for young people tonight.

The small Christmas tree on the 4th floor is full of decorations. This year, more people are celebrating the holiday together. Ivan, who is busy graduating, is finally free from his heavy studies. At this time, he is clamoring for a different way to celebrate the holiday:
"We should add more nightlife. If it weren't for my graduation thesis, I would have had a party with champagne in a club in the city!"

Ivan, who was dressed in a preppy style and had grown his hair long again, looked like he was at a huge loss. His new girlfriend was a Latina girl, and he still couldn't let go. He could only watch his boyfriend criticize her.
Milinda had long known that Alvin would have difficulty graduating, and she didn't sympathize with him at this time. But when she heard the champagne, she subconsciously said to Li You:

"Are we going to acquire a champagne brand? We should make money in the future!"

Almost forgetting about it, Li You patted his forehead and replied with a firm tone:
"Of course, if you acquire a champagne brand, you can hold parties and promote it yourself in the future. This is much more cost-effective than buying those premium wines."

Milinda looked at Alvin with a smile, indicating that his champagne party would have to wait for a while.

She just completed her LSAT exam at the beginning of the month. Girl Dabo has been completely free recently and has gradually become Li You's caring assistant.

In addition to friends in Hartford, many people gathered at Li You's house on Christmas Eve this year. They had a Christmas party and naturally wanted to spend money and enjoy life.

On Christmas Day, the 25th, everyone from the Lakers team flew to New York with their families. The players had been looking forward to the Christmas game for a long time.

With 20 wins and 8 losses, the Lakers are currently only one game behind the Spurs and ranked second in the Western Conference. The team is in excellent shape.

Phil Jackson has mixed emotions every time he comes to New York in the past few years. He has played here and has his own friends in New York.

But as the Bulls frequently eliminated the Knicks, they gradually became persona non grata.

In addition, McQueen has always disliked Jeff Van Gundy, and Phil Jackson also mocked him back then.

In the end, Van Gundy counterattacked, and Phil Jackson lost consecutive championships. Every time I watched the New York newspaper media praise the bald young coach, I felt a little uncomfortable.

After arriving in New York in the morning, the Lakers coaching staff held a simple video session in the hotel and gave instructions on the tactical arrangements.

During lunch time, trainer Gary Vitti watched Kobe and O'Neal leave and couldn't help but ask Phil Jackson:

"A lot of teams are already limiting Shaq from catching the ball!"

"Why don't we let Kobe take on more offensive duties? He's in great shape this season."

Phil Jackson just glanced at the other party, and then said calmly:

"It's hard for Harper to guard Lee. I hope Fox can hit those open shots on the offensive end. Only Kobe is suitable for guarding the perimeter core."

"The energy of the players is limited. We will try to double-team, but Kobe needs to constantly pursue defense and reduce Shaq's consumption on the defensive end."

"It's not bias, it's just that to win, someone needs to make sacrifices."

O'Neal was also working hard at practice during the offseason, and his attitude was extremely correct. Phil Jackson saw it, and since the superstar expressed his stance, he naturally had to confirm the opponent's team status.

Although Kobe also works hard, O'Neal is the real core of the team. Therefore, just like last season, everyone continues to serve the Sharks through strong dialogue.

Gary Vitti liked Kobe very much, but after hearing this, he could only be speechless. As the championship coach said, the team only has one core.

Kobe naturally knew his position in the team, but he was willing to accept such a role after losing in the finals last year.

By building muscle, defending, and training seriously, Kobe hopes to win a championship through his own efforts. For this reason, it is acceptable to be O'Neal's little brother.

The Christmas war officially starts at 17:30. After the game, you can go home and continue to enjoy Christmas night.

Madison Square Garden is more than half an hour away from the game, and the venue is already full.

Many fans came in early to watch Li You warm up, and they also looked for opportunities to take photos with Grant Hill.

For insurance reasons, the Knicks' medical team still did not allow Grant Hill to return to the court. He did not play a game in the new season. As a result, he was far ahead in the Eastern Conference frontcourt in All-Star voting.
Fans don't feel embarrassed because everyone just wants to see their favorite stars in the All-Star Game, but Grant Hill can't stand it anymore. Being a mascot is not his pursuit.

During the warm-up, Li You kept sending the ball into the basket. Grant Hill on the side was also doing shooting training. Hearing the cheers of the fans at the scene getting louder and louder, he couldn't help but whisper:

"I feel like there's no problem with my ankle. I should be able to return to the court before the All-Star break."

Li You looked at Hill who had changed into training clothes, smiled at him, and simply comforted him:

"Don't worry about the team's record. During the regular season, most of our opponents are Eastern Conference teams, so there won't be too much pressure on the record."

"As long as the record is in the top half and we gain home court advantage, we can achieve our predetermined goals."

"Coming back after the All-Star Game is a good choice. Even if we lose then, it won't have much impact on our record."

Grant Hill could only nod in agreement. He did not expect that the Knicks could still dominate the Eastern Conference. If he wants to play now, the medical team's permission is the key.

In the last Christmas game of his career, Ewing became the focus of media reporters.

With 21 wins and 7 losses, the Knicks' excellent record made the locker room full of compliments. Ewing, who was sitting in his seat and changing into training clothes, was photographed in a daze.

When asked about the result of tonight's game, the already inflated gorilla grinned and replied confidently:

"We are number one in the league, no one can be our opponent!"

"."

In the live NBC commentary box, the two were also talking about the last Christmas game of Ewing's career:
"Ewing's playing time has not decreased this season, but his role in the team is completely different. He is more involved in pick-and-rolls, and his mid- and long-range jump shots are also increasing."

"Coach Van Gundy still relies heavily on this veteran. Compared to other inside players, Ewing can provide more high-post support on the offensive end."

Doug Collins noticed that the Knicks did not change the starting lineup and immediately commented on the performance of the Gorillas since the start of the game.

Bob Costas nodded. He naturally saw the Knicks' dominance in the Eastern Conference, but for tonight's game, he is more optimistic about the Lakers:
"After Fisher was injured, the Lakers' No. 1 rotation was affected."

"Isaiah Leder and Brian Shaw have had ups and downs in their form, which is also a test for the coaching staff."

"The starting backcourt tonight is still Ron Harper and Kobe Bryant, and the three frontcourt players are Rick Fox, Horace Grant and Shaquille O'Neal."

"It is difficult for the Knicks to limit the opponent's interior offense. We can look forward to whether coach Van Gundy will make adjustments."

The atmosphere became more and more heated as the on-site DJ loudly introduced the players of his home team.

On the bench of the visiting team, everyone in the Lakers team was expressionless. O'Neal, who had a beard, kept making a face. He didn't want to lose again.

Kobe kept fist-bumping and hugging his teammates, jumping up and down, trying to get himself excited. This was the game he had been looking forward to for a long time.

Driven by the emotions of the core players, no one in the Lakers atmosphere team said anything. Maybe in some regular season games in the Western Conference, everyone would take advantage of it, but for tonight's game, the coaching staff started preparing a week in advance.

After the final warm-up, Phil Jackson asked everyone to gather in front of him and shouted loudly:

"The double-teaming speed must be fast, and everyone must respond to each other. Defense is not one person's business. We must believe in each other!"

Seeing the head coach's serious expression, everyone nodded.

At the beginning of the first quarter, the Lakers made the slow Knicks pay the price. O'Neal continuously attacked the inside from the low post on the right side and kept scoring.

Facing Artest's shrinking defense, for several consecutive rounds, O'Neal assisted Rick Fox, who was left open on the right wing, to hit a three-pointer!

Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines crossed his arms, indicating to the players to continue adhering to the defensive strategy.

At 30:22 in the first quarter, Rick Fox made a sudden outside shot, 7 of 4 and 5 of 3 from beyond the three-point line, scoring a team-high 13 points for the Lakers.

Ewing, who returned to the bench with two fouls, was depressed. O'Neal made 4 of 3 free throws, but the foul did not have much effect.

Neither side changed the game strategy formulated before the game. After the start of the second quarter, the Lakers continued to flank Li You, while the Knicks still used outside players to shrink to help defend.

With 3 minutes and 40 seconds left in the half, O'Neal hit his second free throw, cursed, watched Ben Wallace grab the rebound, and quickly retreated with his teammates.

Kobe retreated the fastest, and at the same time called on the new Mike Pampesi to face Alan Houston.

"Let's go Knicks!."

The score fell behind, and the cheers of the New York fans at the scene became louder and louder.

Without choosing to lead the defense, Kobe saw Li Youyun pass the ball to Alan Houston near the top of the arc immediately after halftime, and hurried forward to covertly pull.

After the ball was handed over, Li You first swayed to the left, then suddenly accelerated, ran back quickly, and completed UCLA's cut with the help of Ben Wallace's off-ball screen at the right elbow of the free throw line.

Kobe squeezed through the screen and continued to chase after him. Alan Houston noticed that there was no chance at the first time and hurriedly called Ben Wallace to come to the left elbow to catch the ball.

Li You cut into the basket without the ball and quickly ran to the left corner. Lewis immediately set a screen, and Horace Grant shrank back to the left near the baseline, leaving Kobe with space to pursue.

The continuous screens still worked. When Li You came to the left wing, he just received a hand-to-hand pass from Ben Wallace who was moving up.

O'Neal discovered that Kobe failed to catch up in time, and Ben Wallace passed the ball smoothly. Without any hesitation, he immediately jumped up to defend Li You.

After catching the ball, Li You held the ball in his right hand. Facing O'Neal who came up on defense and raised his left hand, Li You paused slightly, then suddenly turned around quickly, leaned forward and accelerated.

Subconsciously sliding to the left and back, O'Neal moved his feet and at the same time, he did not forget to exert force laterally on his body, trying to use his strength to slow down Li You.

There was a physical confrontation between the two, but Li You was not affected too much and relied on his opponent to get straight to the basket!

Behind him, Kobe was still trying to catch up. With the two men surrounding him, Li You, who broke through into the paint, noticed that Horace Grant had shrunk to the basket, guarding Ben Wallace who was passing down.

Noticing that Fox, who was near the baseline on the right, was also shrinking, Li You immediately put the ball together and rushed straight to the basket in three strides.

In the paint area directly in front of the basket, the moment Li You jumped up, O'Neal beside him jumped up, and Kobe behind him also jumped into the air.

Fox, who shrank to the basket, also wanted to jump to block the shot, but found that Li You in the air reversed his wrist and threw the ball to the left corner.

With no one in front of him, Artest adjusted slightly after receiving the ball, and then made a steady jumper from an open three-pointer!

"Shua!" The three-pointer hit the net hollowly!

At 48:43, the score difference was close again, and Madison Square Garden burst into cheers.

He threw a three-pointer wildly, and it finally worked. Artest, who felt his hand was getting better, was excited and beat his chest.

O'Neal cursed secretly, feeling that Li You's breakthrough speed was too fast, and it would be very unfriendly for him to switch defenses.

Phil Jackson immediately signaled the players to hold on. Soon, facing Ben Wallace's half-circle defense, O'Neal asked for the ball in the low post on the left and suddenly cut into the basket.

Kobe Bryant from the left wing sent a lob pass. O'Neal received the ball and immediately dunked the basket with both hands!
Such an easy score made O'Neal so excited that he let out a strange scream, then swayed and retreated quickly.

"Shh!"

The funny step made the fans at the scene boo. Bob Costas just felt that the Knicks had no way to defeat O'Neal, and the single defense was all about giving away points:

"Perhaps head coach Van Gundy should consider replacing Ewing. With the current lineup, it is difficult for them to limit the opponent's inside attack."

Doug Collins wanted to say a few words, but he noticed that Li You suddenly accelerated after receiving the ball from the baseline, and subconsciously shouted:
"God! Lee moved so fast!"

Before the top of the arc was close to the three-point line, Kobe immediately came up to defend. Li You, who was holding the ball in his right hand, quickly changed direction with his hips. When he switched to his left hand, he immediately turned around and accelerated.

Kobe kept paddling to the right and back. After the two bodies collided, Li You almost got into the opponent's arms.

Li You, who had just dribbled past the three-point line and held the ball in his left hand, suddenly blasted the ball on the spot. With the help of the rebound of the basketball, he made a sudden stop and completed the retreat.

Returning to the three-point line, Li You resisted Kobe's block and made a quick jump shot from the top of the arc!
"Shua!" The three-pointer hit the net hollowly!

At 50:46, the point difference was still being narrowed. Phil Jackson looked serious on the sidelines. He looked at Kobe's fist pump in annoyance and gave a thumbs up to indicate that this was good defense.

Doug Collins looked at Li You who looked relaxed and retreated quickly and could only sigh again: "Okay! The Lakers can only pray to God that Li's touch will decrease. Such unreasonable strong shots cannot be defended at all. "

In the last 2 minutes of the half, the Lakers continued to give the ball to O'Neal and scored consecutively inside.

The Knicks completely found their touch on the outside. Li You went to the line to face the double-team defense and assisted Alan Houston and Lewis to hit three-pointers in succession.

In the last attack before midfield, Kobe led the defense throughout the game and continued to provide physical confrontation.

Li You didn't care. He held the ball in his right hand and accelerated in a straight line, rushing across the half court. Then he made an emergency stop and immediately dribbled the ball behind his back.

The moment he switched to his left hand, he just opened some distance. At this time, Ben Wallace and Lewis lifted up at the same time to perform a high pick and roll.

Kobe, who wanted to continue to defend, suddenly found himself surrounded. He was just stunned for a moment. Li You, who was holding the ball in his left hand, immediately accelerated and squeezed past Ben Wallace.

O'Neal was still stopped inside the three-point line, with no time to make defensive moves. Li You, who adjusted his steps, suddenly stopped half a meter away from the three-point line, and quickly made a jump shot from the top of the arc!
"Shua!" Three-pointer and then scored!

At 58:57, with the score difference only 1 point, Madison Square Garden was completely boiling.

"Wow!"

The happy New York fans shouted loudly, and although O'Neal was still wreaking havoc at the basket, the Knicks also responded from the outside.

In the end, Kobe missed a long three-pointer. At the end of the half, O'Neal's good mood was completely gone.

The Knicks relied on consecutive three-pointers to score 35 points in a single quarter!
Ewing didn't get a chance to play in the second quarter. O'Neal made 9 of 6 in a single quarter and scored 14 points, blowing his "small budget" again.
Jeff Van Gundy is smiling, in stark contrast to the serious-looking Phil Jackson.

The bald young coach has given up on defending the sharks. With the current team's defensive resources and the new meat shield, it is better to let offense replace defense.

半场比赛，李佑13中7，三分线外6中4，罚球5中4，砍下22分3篮板6助攻1抢断1失误。

Looking at the technical statistics, Bob Costas praised again:

"Lee's adjustment ability is very good. He added more off-ball movements in the second quarter, and the effect was very good."

Doug Collins has seen the Knicks' tactical changes, shook his head and said regretfully:
"Coach Van Gundy borrowed the Kings' tactics, but the team lacked big men who could pass the ball, which caused them to waste some opportunities to cut inside and score easily."

"Princeton's system is very good, but it requires high ball movement. The Knicks still need to further refine their tactics."

The two discussed it in the commentary box. After the second half of the game started, the Knicks took the lead in changing their tactics and changing their defensive positioning.

Ben Wallace and Ewing were replaced on the inside, Li You stayed beside Kobe on the outside, Alan Houston fished with Harper, and Artest was responsible for guarding Fox.

In the first offensive round, as soon as O'Neal caught the ball in the low post on the left, Ben Wallace moved to double-team.

When the two were surrounded, O'Neal immediately threw the ball to the basket. Horace Grant immediately wanted to get up after receiving the ball, but in the end he was interfered by Ben Wallace who quickly returned to defense.

After missing the layup, Horace Grant grabbed another offensive rebound, took off a second time, and was almost blocked by Ben Wallace.

The basketball missed the frame again. Ewing grabbed the rebound and protected it tightly in his arms. The Knicks completed an excellent defense.

Grant, who was wearing glasses, didn't expect Ben Wallace's defense to be so fast. When he retreated, he quickly raised his hands to show that he was careless.
Amidst the cheers, Li You quickly rushed across the half court. It was still Ewing's high pick-and-roll. Kobe struggled to squeeze through. After watching Li You's left hand quickly push the ball to change direction after the pick-and-roll, he quickly reminded O'Neal loudly of the delay.

The Shark who followed the defender quickly slid to the left. Li You, who switched to his right hand, did not move at all. After completing the change, he accelerated and cut in against the defender.

Breaking through below the free throw line, Li You was once again surrounded by two players. O'Neal blocked the line and Kobe chased behind him, and the three of them huddled together.

Li You, who was holding the ball in his right hand while walking, suddenly quickly circled the ball with his hips. His body swayed to the right while opening up space. O'Neal subconsciously followed suit, only to find that the basketball in Li You's right hand had disappeared.

First, there were screams from the fans in his ears, and then a cold feeling hit his crotch. O'Neal subconsciously turned his head and found that the basketball passed through his crotch. Ewing was unguarded and he immediately dunked with one hand after catching the ball!

"Boom!" He succeeded in eating the cake.

"Oh! What a beautiful pass, Lee always finds these opportunities that just pass by!"

Bob Costas exclaimed, and Doug Collins saw the Knicks taking the lead and said with a smile:
"Coach Van Gundy obviously wants to exert his strength in the third quarter. Ewing's physical fitness should be able to support two quarters of high-intensity defense."

O'Neal, whose face turned dark, cursed. The offensive end tried to regain the field in the low post, but found that it was difficult for him to catch the ball.

In front of Ewing, Ben Wallace waited for an opportunity to block the line. Kobe's pass was not of high quality under Li You's defense this time, which made O'Neal subconsciously adjust a step after receiving the ball on the left wing. Then he was surrounded by two people.

Without forcing the offense, through O'Neal's containment, the Lakers began to move the ball quickly.

Seeing that there were only the last 8 seconds left in the attack time, Kobe took the blame at the top of the arc and did not pass the ball again. Facing Li You's defense, he held the ball with his left hand, swayed to the left and then quickly changed direction in front of his body.

Kobe's shaking movement was extremely wide, but Li You successfully made a prediction and immediately slid to block the opponent's breakthrough route when the opponent switched to his strong side hand.

Unable to get out of position, and after the physical confrontation, Kobe was unable to squeeze through the defense immediately. In desperation, he broke through to the right elbow of the free throw line and simply made a "picturesque" drift jump shot!

"state!"

Under the interference of Li You's block, the basketball hit the back edge and bounced high. In the end, the rebound was protected by Ben Wallace.

Kobe was still annoyed about the round just now. Li Youyun handed over the ball immediately after halftime. Alan Houston received the pass from the right wing and immediately moved the ball towards the top of the key with his left hand.

Ewing raised the pick-and-roll, but Harper couldn't squeeze through in time. Alan Houston didn't show any mercy either. He stopped at the top of the key and immediately shot a jumper from outside the three-point line!
"Shua!" The three-pointer hit the net hollowly.

At 58:62, the Knicks successfully overtook the score.

O'Neal was still asking for the ball, but after two low-quality lob passes, Kobe caught the ball again at the top of the arc and immediately signaled O'Neal to come out for a pick-and-roll.

The left side of the free throw line was covered by the blocking area. Kobe held the ball with his left hand and broke through on the left side. Ewing continued to defend while Li You squeezed through deftly and continued to pursue the defense.

O'Neal went down, and the route to the basket was blocked. Kobe could only make an emergency stop in the left block and feint the ball.

Kobe thought Li You would jump to defend, but found that he was forced to stop the ball instead.
Relying on the defense, Kobe kept feinting with the ball. With little attack time left, he finally turned around and made a strong shot. Li You reacted quickly and jumped up to block the shot immediately!

"state!"

The basketball hit the front, and the long rebound just bounced into Li You's arms. Kobe, who lost his center of gravity after landing, had no time to defend. Li You grabbed the rebound and rushed with the ball.

Harper, who was retreating, immediately stepped forward to interfere, but Li You quickly passed the ball behind his back. After switching to his left hand, he accelerated in a straight line again.

Re-adjusting the focus of defense, Harper chased into the paint area and defended again. During the run, Li You combined the ball and circled the ball behind his back again, successfully dodged the defense, switched to his right hand and went to the lower right side of the basket, easily picking up the basket!

At 58:64, the Knicks expanded the point difference.

"Wow!"

Kobe, who was chasing from behind, saw Li You retreating with a smile, and the cheers of the fans came to his ears again. He was furious for a moment and smashed the ball hard when serving.

Staring, Kobe asked for the ball without waiting for halftime.

O'Neal, who had difficulty catching the ball in several rounds, raised his cover position to the left flank. This time Li You failed to squeeze through the screen immediately, and Ewing continued to squat.

Kobe, holding the ball in his left hand, got rid of the defense. Faced with such a great opportunity, he quickly adjusted his steps and immediately stopped outside the three-point line. Without any hesitation, he quickly shot a jump shot.

The basketball hit the edge of the basket, and the long backboard popped out, and was picked up by Artest in the right block, who was about to retreat to the basket.

After taking control of the ball, Artest immediately turned around and swung the ball vigorously. At this time, Li You had already crossed the half court, easily scooped up the ball with his left hand, and drove it straight to the basket.

Kobe Bryant was chasing after him hard, but Li You was so fast that he didn't stop the ball even after 1-on-0 in the frontcourt. He grabbed the ball with his right hand and made a one-handed dunk!
In the blink of an eye, the score difference reached 8 points. Doug Collins commented helplessly:

"This is not the right offensive choice! Kobe should complete the offense closer to the basket."

Phil Jackson immediately requested a timeout. The offensive space was too small, so he turned to greet Horry to prepare for the game.

The cheers couldn't stop. Li You smiled and high-fived Artest who sent the assist. On the bench, Grant Hill also kept applauding along with the atmosphere group.

Bob Costas only felt that this situation was very similar to the first quarter, when the Knicks were banging and the Lakers counterattacked and dunked:

"As usual, Kobe will take over the ball in the third quarter, but currently his shooting touch is not good. Maybe head coach Phil Jackson can consider continuing to give the ball to O'Neal."

The two thought that the Lakers' offense would improve after the timeout, but Kobe ended most rounds.

After the pick-and-roll, Kobe Bryant sent Li You to the free throw line.

In the right block, Kobe sent a high-quality pass, and O'Neal dunked!
Looking back, Li You drove to the basket from the middle, attracted a double team, and then assisted Ben Wallace on the lower right side of the basket for a layup.

The right wing held the ball in his right hand and broke through. Kobe rushed forward with his head buried in the ground. He was forced to slow down after a physical confrontation in the blocking area, and then was assisted by Alan Houston in defense.

Harper, who was left open in the right corner, received a pass from Kobe and hit another shot from beyond the three-point line.
Watching the Knicks launch a counterattack, Phil Jackson on the sidelines couldn't hold it in any longer and kept signaling to slow down the pace of the game.

In the third-line fast break, Li You passed the ball through the half court, allowing Artest to easily complete a two-handed dunk!

As long as the ball is passed to the basket, O'Neal can complete the dunk. Horry, who was left open, stopped taking shots after continuously hitting the ball outside the three-point line. Kobe repeatedly took the blame.
The effect of several high pick-and-rolls was very good. O'Neal's big body made it difficult for Li You to squeeze through the screen in the first place.

However, he held his waist to defend and pressed Kobe's weak side hand, but allowed the opponent to hit three-pointers continuously with the ball.

The seemingly good open opportunities could not be converted into goals. It seemed to be a replica of the first quarter. The Knicks rushed faster and faster, relying on defensive counterattacks to completely widen the point difference.

At 20:30 in a single quarter, after three quarters, at 78:87, the Knicks led by 9 points.

8 of 2, 3 of 3 free throws, 7 points and 2 assists, returned to the bench, Kobe was so depressed that he fell silent.

Except for a conversion layup and a blocked shot, the rest of the offense was all iron. Kobe, who noticed his mistake, subconsciously looked at the coach.

The noisy scene made Phil Jackson subconsciously raise his voice:

"Patience, we have enough time to turn the game around, slow down, get to the free throw line, and finish the offense close to the basket!"

O'Neal, who was about to take a break, watched the head coach write and draw on the tactical board without making a sound. He only took 4 shots in the third quarter, which made him a little dissatisfied.

"Let's go Knicks!."

In the fourth quarter, the Knicks took the lead in attacking. Big man Greg Foster, who came on the bench, defended the high pick-and-roll at the top of the key. Faced with Li You's quick push of the ball with his left hand, he subconsciously stretched out his hand to pull.

However, his body failed to resist, and his sliding speed was slightly slower. Li You used his strength to protect the ball, and while slapping the opponent's arm away, he increased his stride and instantly broke through the opponent's defense.

Kobe Bryant, who was chasing after him, almost bumped into his teammates. Seeing Li You break away from the defense and suddenly soar into the air in the paint, he subconsciously stopped and watched as Li You grabbed the ball with his right hand, rushed up in three long steps, and then dunked with one hand!
"Boom!" The breakthrough dunk was successful!
"Wow!"

The beautiful pass and the powerful dunk made the New York fans shout loudly.

After landing, Li You just patted his chest, looking very relaxed, but Fox's eyes were straight, as if he couldn't believe that Li You could fly so far.

Phil Jackson hoped that Kobe could stand on the free throw line more often, but he soon discovered that Li You suddenly drove to the basket and the referee started to blow the whistle continuously.
The sudden rain made Phil Jackson's face turn black, and Kobe's number of fouls continued to increase as the game progressed.

"Hey! My player just touched him, it wasn't a foul at all!"

Li You made a sudden stop in the paint, causing Kobe to chase him. Phil Jackson complained to the referee about the free throw, but received no feedback.

The point difference did not narrow, and Phil Jackson was so angry that he made continuous substitutions, trying to respond from the outside.

But after the Knicks started sending O'Neal to the free throw line, the Sharks missed consecutive free throws, and the Lakers bench was completely silent for a while.

With 3 minutes and 46 seconds left in the game, Li You's counterattack caused Kobe to foul, and the latter left the game with 6 fouls.
Returning to the bench, Kobe kicked the energy drink down, threw the towel angrily, put his head in his hands, and sat in his seat looking straight at Li You who was taking the free throw.

Bob Costas began to praise Jeff Van Gundy's game strategy at this time:

"The choice of foul tactics in the last quarter of the game just interrupted the Lakers' momentum of chasing points."

"Coach Van Gundy completely took control of the game in the second half."

Doug Collins glanced at the technical statistics and saw that he made 5 of 0 free throws. O'Neal, who had performed well in free throws in the first three quarters, suddenly pulled away:

"Head coach Phil Jackson must solve the Lakers' scoring problem, and it is not an easy task for inside players to catch the ball comfortably."

"Maybe they should let other perimeter players take on more of the offensive load."

With 2 minutes and 01 seconds left in the game, Phil Jackson simply requested a timeout and retreated, trying to express his dissatisfaction in this way.

Even though it was raining, Li You didn't care about the Lakers' mood. He returned to the bench and smiled and fist-bumped with everyone to celebrate the victory.

Watching their opponents switch to the atmosphere group, Madison Square Garden erupted into another huge cheer. The Knicks once again won the Christmas game!

As the game time ran out, 102:111, the Knicks successfully defeated the Lakers and won their 5th consecutive victory.

出场42分钟，24中12，三分线外10中5，罚球14中12，41分6篮板10助攻2抢断3失误。

Li You made 9 free throws in the fourth quarter. This performance made the Lakers very dissatisfied. At the end of the game, everyone shook hands briefly, and the other party turned around and left.
Ewing smiled happily in an interview after the game. He only played two quarters in this game, but he was able to win the last Christmas game of his career, which was enough for him:

"Like I said, the Knicks will continue to dominate the league and no one can compete with us!"

"."

23中13，罚球14中6，32分12篮板2助攻3失误，奥尼尔赛后没有出席新闻发布会；
20中9，罚球11中8，26分2篮板5助攻1抢断2失误，出席新闻发布会的科比沉默不语。

Phil Jackson was not polite. After answering some questions, he complained again:
"Lee made too many free throws in the last quarter, which made it difficult for us to defend effectively!"

"The penalty standards of both sides are not on the same level. This is not the real strength of the Lakers."

The media reporters in the audience were delighted to hear this. Looking at the angry Phil Jackson, many of them were secretly happy.

When Li You and Jeff Van Gundy attended the press conference, the bald young coach was not polite:

"The Lakers shouldn't complain about the whistle. The referee made the correct call."

"Maybe they should practice more free throws, O'Neal has already made enough free throws!"

Li You was smiling and talking on the scene, and he could only sigh in his heart:

"It's really not my fault that the sponsors have used their strength to explode the penalty power!"

　Thank you book friends for your subscription support (﹃)
　　
　
(End of this chapter)