NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 220 The so-called "old enemy" ([-]-word chapter)

On May 2001, 5, the first tiebreaker of the playoffs came to an end.

91:108, relying on Allen Iverson's heroic performance, finally, the 76ers successfully advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals!

出场45分钟，33中17，三分线外6中4，罚球7中6，艾弗森怒砍44分6篮板7助攻2抢断2失误。

At the end of the game, the Philadelphia fans at the First United Center looked at Iverson, who was roaring with his head held high, and stood up to applaud.

The joyful atmosphere at the scene made Ray Allen depressed. Tonight he scored a team-high 26 points and also sent out 6 assists.

Too many mistakes are the main reason for losing, and for head coach George Karl, the biggest reason for losing is that the players are "too soft."

Most sports media are aware of the conflict between the "upright" Ray Allen and his head coach. At the press conference, this topic was brought up again.

"I'm not Gary Payton, I can't play basketball like that, but I give out the most assists on the team, and I also try to help the team."

"Why must I change? I am the most active person in the team in training. God has witnessed my efforts. I just want to be myself."

Ray Allen's angry words obviously meant something, and he secretly complained about the lazy Glenn Robinson, and also complained about the head coach's coaching ability.

Since the playoffs last year, the two sides have been at odds with each other. The conflict between Ray Allen and George Karl has been completely disclosed. The media reporters in the audience were happy to hear this, and there was another good show in the offseason.

Not all teams are harmonious inside. Glenn Robinson also complained about the team's defense after the game, and he almost pointed at his nose and said that Ray Allen's defense was stretched.

Only veteran Cassel took the initiative to take responsibility, but no one cared about his views. The reason is very simple:
"My appearance is too low, I don't have the temperament of a boss!"

In order to lead the team in the past two years, Ray Allen has spent most of the offseason training in Milwaukee, and has also actively invited his teammates.

It is a pity that most players separate work and life, and Glenn Robinson is not interested in accepting the leadership of his younger brother.
After falling in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Bucks almost broke up. Only head coach George Karl still maintained his grace and said some words on the scene.

Losing will stimulate internal conflicts within the team, while winning will boost the morale of the 76ers.

After coaching the 76ers for the fourth season, head coach Larry Brown finally showed his coaching style and led the team to the conference finals.

Coming to a higher stage for the first time in his career, Iverson was also particularly excited. After the game, he praised everyone and expressed his love for the head coach:
"Coach Brown is the best head coach in the league, and the 76ers have the best coaching staff in the league."

"Thanks to my teammates, I am ready. No difficulty can stop everyone from moving forward. The 76ers will enter the finals!"

The New York reporter watched Iverson start to brag, and then started to say in a strange manner:
"In 6 games, he took 186 shots, shooting 34.3% from the field and 33.3% from the three-point range."

"Allen, can you evaluate your scoring efficiency?"

Although he averaged 30.5 points per game, his efficiency was really low. Iverson naturally didn't like this problem. When he saw the New York reporter, he became even more irritated:

"I don't care about those statistics at all, I just know that the 76ers won the series."

"The fact is that I won the scoring title this season. I am the best scorer in the league. No one can limit me!"

As soon as Iverson finished speaking, some New York reporters began to laugh. The New York Post reporter waited until Iverson had completely answered the question, then said with a teasing expression:

"Good luck to you, Allen! I think Lee will enjoy playing against you."

Most of the joy in his heart was gone. When he thought about flying to New York tomorrow, Iverson lost his smile for a while:

"Why you again!"

For New York fans, it’s “New Year” again these days!
Although the Bulls did not get the top three picks, the fourth pick was enough to help the team get a good big man.

Everyone is looking forward to the next "Ewing". Next season, the Knicks will completely complete their reconstruction.

Li You's agent, Mark Bartelstein, has also been very busy recently. He has the opportunity to sign the talented Kwame Brown!

In recent years, Mark Bartelstein has reaped Li You's dividends.

Of course, a top agent must have top stars. Although the rookies in the past two years have really stretched their hips, this is not the agent's problem.

After the Knicks' training ended that day, Mark Bartelstein took advantage of the time and came to Li You's home on No. 82 Street.

In the past few years of cooperation, the two parties have been getting along happily. Li You misses the old friendship very much. After making a name for himself, he is still signed under the name of Mark Bartelstein Agency.

Ray Allen had already broken up with the agent amicably, and the 4% commission was quite a lot. After ending his rookie contract, the two parties ultimately failed to reach an agreement.

Old Mike who opened the door saw the agent, took the gift skillfully, and then joked:

"Your time is almost accurate to the second. Li happens to be home alone tonight."

When Li You drove home, the two were chatting about the different crime styles in Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York.
Taking off his coat casually, Li You knew Mark Bartelstein's intention when he saw him:

"The Wizards are definitely not a place for rookies to grow. Hamilton and I have complained many times."

"McKen seems to have plans to come back. It would be an absolute disaster for a high school rookie to play with him. When it comes to the draft, he is a dictator and will not listen to the opinions of his friends."

Mark Bartelstein had a high probability of signing this potential rookie. When he heard Li You's opinion, he just shrugged his shoulders and responded with a smile:

"The No. 1 pick can at least sign a big contract. The Wizards have no hope of competing for the championship. Three years is enough for him to grow."

"Besides, it's good to play with McDuck, and there will be higher attention. The Wizards want to try out Brown and Chandler at the same time, and let the two play against each other before making a decision."

"If your target is Chandler, it's not easy to trade up."

Li You raised his eyebrows and said casually without hiding the news:
"The Knicks will most likely select Pau Gasol, and the Interperformance agency has already been in contact with the management."

"James Dolan also agreed to the $250 million buyout fee. Herb Ludoi is indeed very energetic."

Mark Bartelstein, a veteran in the NBA agent circle, also has a hard time commenting. He focuses on European players, which he cannot compare with:

"Gasol? That white big man? When he joins the Knicks, what position will he play?"

Hearing Mark Bartelstein's curious inquiry, Li You also rubbed his eyebrows. Thinking of the atmosphere in the team these days, he said helplessly:
"It depends on coach Van Gundy's plan. It is most likely No. 5. You know, when Hill and I are on the court, we need more offensive space."

"The coaching staff is a little dissatisfied with the management's decision, and Ben also feels that the team lacks respect for him."

"Pat has no problem with it. He even plans to serve as an assistant coach after retiring!"

"Well, it is said that I want to train this big white man."

Mark Bartelstein was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and laughed, and continued to joke:

"It's hard to imagine what the Knicks will become. This kind of staffing almost completely overturns the previous concept of team building."

"."

On the evening of the 21st, the Western Conference Finals officially started.

The Spurs led by 8 points in the first half, but were counterattacked by the Lakers in the second half.

88:81, the Lakers successfully won the away game.

Popovich's strongest strategy failed, and Tim Duncan played another 48 minutes.

26中15，三分线外1中1，罚球9中9，40分15篮板3助攻4盖帽6失误，砍下大号两双依旧输球。

Big brother David Robinson and outside players are really stretched.

相比于湖人队18中8，44.4%的三分球命中率，马刺队16中4三分球差得太多了。

科比24中11，拿到湖人队最高的28分，奥尼尔21中9，砍下19分14篮板，费舍尔三分线外4中4，拿到全队第三高的16分！
The same main force was fighting to the death, but Phil Jackson was superior in skills and finally had the last laugh.

The "rival" showdown created by the media before the game was quite successful, and San Antonio fans can also shout:
"The Spurs lost, Duncan didn't lose!"

On May 5, everyone on the 22ers team who flew to New York found that the New York media didn’t pay attention to them at all.

Sports columns in most newspapers are still analyzing which big man is a better fit for the Knicks.

Everyone pays special attention to the next "Ewing". The most important thing is that the melon-eaters like this kind of news, and the fans don't take the 76ers to heart.

Facing opponents in the Eastern Conference finals, everyone has a huge psychological advantage!
The interviews before the game were handled well. The New York media were all waiting for Li You to lead the team to the finals.
The NBA league has spared no effort in publicity, trying to create an "old enemy" atmosphere. Unfortunately, most fans don't buy it. As an opponent, Iverson has already "lost."

After holding back a lot of rhetoric, Iverson had nowhere to vent before the game. What made him even more angry was that Li You had been interviewed in the past few days and all he talked about was "gossip."

Draft position seems to be more important than the Eastern Conference Finals.
At 20 p.m., Madison Square Garden, New York fans entered the venue early.

No matter what the past record is, many people still like to watch the game live and experience the feeling of "winning a lot".

Tickets for the playoffs are in short supply, and many fans even complain that there are too few games.

In the first two rounds of games, most fans only watched 4 games at home. Although watching games across borders is good, the atmosphere is not lively enough, and pretentiousness can easily lead to conflicts. It is really not as comfortable as watching games at home.
When it came to the Eastern Conference Finals, James Dolan stopped watching the game in the box and took the staff to sit under the basketball stand.

Boss Curly Hair is very happy. Not only do he sell more tickets, but after a game, the sales of beer, popcorn, hamburgers, hot dogs and other snacks also increase.

Coupled with the support of many advertisers, the market value of the team has skyrocketed in recent years, and you can basically make money just by lying down.

General manager Glenfield has been having some arguments with the coaching staff in the past few days, and Jeff Van Gundy, who once again won the league's best coach, also has a temper.

The bald young coach does not agree to dismantle the existing lineup structure, and once the trade is made upward, the team will inevitably undergo personnel adjustments.

Li You did give clear opinions, but he was unable to help both parties unify their opinions:

"I don't like Eddie Curry. He's too fat and doesn't fit in with the team's tactics at all."

James Dolan didn't pay attention to the gloomy general manager next to him. Before the game started, he looked at the cheerleading girl swaying her hips, touched her chin and suggested:
"Adding more blondes, no mascots, the cheerleaders have to be pretty!"

"."

Grunfield was speechless. The fans in the front row who paid big bucks for tickets didn't care about these chicks at all. Victory was the most attractive thing.

If the Knicks lose every day, most fans won't spend money to feel angry.

After the home team completed its debut ceremony and the lights in the arena came back on, the noise became louder and louder.

In the live NBC commentary box, Bob Costas had just introduced the 76ers' injury situation, and soon, the starting list was announced:
"Still troubled by injuries, Eric Snow came on as a substitute tonight."

"The starting backcourt is Aaron McGee and Allen Iverson, and the three frontcourt players are Jumaine Jones, Troy Hill, and Dikembe Mutombo."

Doug Collins looked at this starting lineup and couldn't comment.

He didn't want to say that the 76ers would win. Like many sports commentators, Doug Collins also believed that the Knicks would win easily:
"Coach Van Gundy has not adjusted the starting lineup. We can pay attention to Grant Hill's playing time."

"In the first two rounds, the All-Star forward was still protected, averaging 20.6 minutes per game!"

The two chatted for a long time without analyzing the game. Perhaps only the Philadelphia media firmly believed that the 76ers would reach the finals.
Unlike Larry Brown, who was arranging tactics with a serious look, Jeff Van Gundy sat on the bench before the game.

There was no chicken soup before the game, and there were no special tactical arrangements. The bald young coach even felt that this was the easiest conference final he had ever experienced.

Ewing didn't pay attention to his opponent. At this time, he was holding Mutombo and chatting non-stop. For the gorilla, meeting a friend in the conference finals made it easier for him to pretend to be X after the game.

When both sides reached the center circle, Li You moved his shoulders at half-court with the same relaxed expression. He noticed that Grant Hill seemed a little nervous and immediately said with a smile:

"Relax! The conference finals are no different from the regular season. We will win tonight!"

Grant Hill, unable to refute, could only smile awkwardly. He seemed to be the most nervous among the whole team.

Jumping on the spot, trying to move his body, Grant Hill finally seemed to want to encourage himself, and responded in a low voice:
"I only have 20 minutes to play, so I need to establish a lead as early as possible."

Most of the old opponents on the opposite side didn't react when they heard Li You's words. Only Iverson glared at him.

As Mutombo jumped up and jumped to the ball, defensive shouts immediately rang out in the arena:

"Defense!."

With orange handkerchiefs in hand, the New York fans stood up. This has become a fixed part of watching the game. No one will sit down until the Knicks score.

Aaron McGee, who was holding the ball for half the game, found out that he was facing off against Alan Houston tonight, and subconsciously heaved a sigh of relief.

After leading the defense and reaching the top of the arc, Aaron McGee began to frown secretly again, and Li Youshou arrived in front of Iverson.

In the right corner, Iverson quickly slid down the baseline from right to left, while Li You stepped onto the line and intercepted the opponent's ball route in advance.

The ball bounced to the left corner. Iverson first pretended to move up the line, and then immediately ran back.

Li You didn't stumble and still stayed in front of the opponent. Aaron McGee also failed to pass the ball immediately, which forced Iverson to move up the line again and take the initiative to ask for the ball.

Seeing the movement behind him, Alan Houston immediately strengthened his defense. Even if Aaron McGee stuck his head to protect the ball, he was still affected. The quality of the pass was not high and he was closer to the sideline.

Just as Iverson was about to barely catch the ball, Li You saw the opportunity and suddenly made a move. The two bodies collided on the sideline.

Staggered by the collision, Iverson quickly bent down and used his left hand to continue to control the ball. However, Li You lowered his center of gravity and cut the ball with his right hand, directly completing the steal.

The interception of the ball happened right in front of the fans in the front row. Everyone cheered. Li You, who controlled the ball, immediately swung the ball hard and the basketball flew directly into the opponent's half.

Aaron McGee pulled and pulled, delaying Alan Houston. On the other side, before Jumaine Jones could react, Grant Hill turned around and accelerated, crossing the center line.

It was 1 on 0 in the frontcourt, and the ball was caught at the three-point line. Grant Hill, who was completely unguarded, quickly rushed into the paint area, jumped up and swung the ball in the air, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and made a big windmill dunk. succeed!

"Wow!"

The cheers resounded throughout the arena. They sat back in their seats and waved the orange handkerchiefs in their hands. The New York fans were very pleased. It was still a familiar scene.

Head coach Larry Brown on the sidelines made several hand gestures for Li You to hit someone. He was obviously very dissatisfied with the referee's call:
"He almost knocked down one of my players! It happened right in front of your eyes!"

Aware of the scale of tonight's whistle, Larry Brown tried his best to put pressure on the referee, but the explanation he received was only a few scene words.

Grant Hill, who retreated from defense, smiled and gave Li You a thumbs up. His nervousness dissipated a lot. It was indeed no different from the regular season.
Alan Houston continued to lead the defense against Aaron McGee, delaying the 76ers' advancement.

Changing direction, Iverson came to the right corner this time and quickly moved up the line, finally successfully catching the ball.

Mutombo immediately stepped forward to pick and roll, while Li You took a step away, supporting the opponent and preparing to squeeze through the screen.

Ewing squatted on defense, stood below the free throw line, and made two and three-pointers. The Knicks basically gave up.

Although he gained space to shoot, Iverson did not choose to immediately take a jump shot. He released the ball with his right hand, moved laterally, and used the screen to try to get rid of Li You's pursuit.

Iverson was very fast. The moment Li You squeezed by, he took two big steps and immediately stopped. Facing the interference of Li You beside him, he quickly shot a jumper!
"Bang!" Angrily strike!
The rebound popped up and was collected by Ewing, who was twisted and blocked. Grant Hill immediately responded, and the Knicks began to rush towards the opponent's half against everyone.

Without the ball, Li You kept accelerating along the left sideline. Iverson gritted his teeth and chased after him. The two suddenly faced each other, making the New York fans scream even more energetically:
"Let's go Knicks!."

Grant Hill, who was accelerating along the right sideline on the other side, noticed Alan Houston's tactical gesture at the top of the arc, came to the right wing, and stopped in advance.

Lewis also stopped on the left wing, and Li You, who ran to the left corner, quickly slipped across the baseline.

With the help of Ewing's off-ball screen near the baseline on the left, Li You quickly bounced out to the right corner.

Grant Hill sent a pass, and when the ball arrived, Li You just caught the ball, and the extremely fast Iverson immediately pounced on him, trying to complete the steal.

Iverson's risky defensive moves failed to produce results. He rushed past Li You and completely lost his defensive position.

No longer giving the opponent time to react, he adjusted his posture slightly, and from the right corner, Li You quickly made a jump shot from outside the three-point line!
"Shua!" The three-pointer hit the net hollowly!

The two bottom corners are where Li You has the highest three-point shooting percentage. In the commentary box, Doug Collins shook his head secretly and commented helplessly:
"This is not a good defensive choice. Facing Lee, the first thing the defender has to do is not to lose his defensive position."

Bob Costas has gradually felt the joyful atmosphere at the scene. Watching the 76 team pass the ball continuously from outside the three-point line, he can only comment briefly:

"The Knicks' defense is very targeted, and they seem to switch defenses when encountering a screen on the outside. This has a big impact on the 76ers' offense."

After continuous hand-to-hand passes, the defender in front of Iverson became Grant Hill.At the top of the arc, after jumping and dribbling, Iverson suddenly leaned forward and accelerated. Taking advantage of Grant Hill's quick slide to the left and back, he immediately dribbled the ball under his hips, stopped and combined the ball, and shot another two-point jump shot!

"state!"

The basketball hit the back edge of the basket, and Mutombo struggled to hit the offensive rebound. Iverson, with quick eyes and quick hands, rushed into the paint area, controlled the ball, and immediately made another fadeaway jumper.

As a result, the basketball came out of the basket again. This time Ewing tried his best to get stuck, and Lewis retreated to the basket and grabbed the rebound.

Everyone on the 76ers quickly retreated, and for a moment no one was guarding Li You, who chased after his butt to complete the transition attack.

Li You approached the left flank, and Aaron McGee led the defense.

Alan Houston saw the defender in front of him and was not polite. He moved diagonally forward from the top of the arc and kept pulling, trapping Iverson behind him.

In the left block, the two struggled together. While Iverson was half-circling, Alan Houston quickly turned around and cut towards the basket.

Li You, who was not close to the three-point line, immediately sent a pass in advance, approaching the baseline position on the left side. Alan Houston immediately protected the ball with his back after receiving the ball.

When the defense came up again, Iverson used his forearm to hold Alan Houston firmly, but he didn't expect that the opponent just hit him, immediately connected the ball, quickly turned towards the baseline, and completed a fadeaway jumper at the same time!

"Shua!" A steady hit in the middle distance.

The low post on the left is also Alan Houston's sweet spot. After scoring the goal, he also smiled brightly. This kind of low post attack is indeed not difficult for him.

At 0:7, they led by 7 points at the beginning. Seeing this situation, the New York fans at the scene were so happy that they waved their handkerchiefs wildly, a familiar abuse game!

Aaron McGee sensed that something was wrong. Iverson was struggling to get out of defense and the offensive pace was too slow. In this attack, he simply gave the ball to Mutombo in the low post on the right.

Facing Ewing's defense, after receiving the ball, Mutombo turned towards the baseline and quickly completed the hook shot with his right hand!
With silky and smooth movements, the basketball came out of the frame. Ewing took advantage of the rebound and Li You responded again, facing Iverson's leading defense, crushing forward.

"Wow!"

The jeers sounded again, and the 76ers retreated quickly. Li You, who came to the right wing, did not stop. When Iverson started to cut the ball, he quickly circled the ball behind his back with his right hand.

While grabbing the ball with his left hand, Li You continued to rush towards the basket while hanging on the defense.

Noticing that Mutombo had withdrawn from defense behind him, Li You leaned against Iverson in the paint area and turned around with his left foot as the axis.

The moment he reached the lower right side of the basket, Mutombo rushed to the basket and jumped to block the shot. Iverson also interfered in front of Li You.

Drifting to the right and back, Li You paused slightly in the air, exerted force on his body, and instantly increased the arc of his shot!

"Crack! Squeak!"

Iverson failed to control his center of gravity and hit Li You's right forearm. The referee immediately blew the whistle, and the basketball just passed Mutombo's fingertips and accurately fell into the basket.

"OH! Wonderful goal! Lee's timing of attack is so good!"

Bob Costas praised loudly, and Doug Collins looked at the 76ers still scoring zero and shook his head again and sighed:

"Iverson must find his touch as soon as possible. Of course, role players also need to step up and share the offensive pressure."

"Double-digit margins are very dangerous! What the Knicks love most is responding to the ball."

When Li You walked to the free throw line, Ewing, who had just arrived at halftime, couldn't help but joke about Mutombo:
"I bet we can seal the victory in less than three quarters!"

"Shet! Stop dreaming! The game has just begun!"

Mutombo was not polite and immediately responded, while constantly clapping his hands in an attempt to encourage his teammates.

"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

The excited audience didn't care about the game time. They screamed when Li Youjia made a free throw.

At 0:10, Jeff Van Gundy thought his opponent would ask for a timeout and subconsciously stood up, but he didn't expect Larry Brown to just yell from the sidelines.

It was Mutombo who broke the deadlock for the 76ers. Aaron McGee missed a pull-up jump shot. The latter hit the offensive rebound and made up the ball.

On the bench of the 76ers, the atmosphere team also cheered, finally scoring.
Mutombo, who retreated from defense, shouted to his teammates to complete the defensive matchup. He noticed Ewing stopped outside the three-point line and couldn't help but curse.

Advancing past halftime, facing Aaron McGee leading the defense, Li You quickly dribbled the ball behind his back and suddenly lowered his center of gravity, quickly completing a change of direction in front of his body.

The basketball passed in front of him, and Aaron McGee, who was still sliding, subconsciously made a chipping motion, but he didn't catch anything.

Picking up the ball with his right hand again, Li You took advantage of the trend and broke through on the right side. Facing Mutombo who came up to help defend, he quickly pushed the ball to change direction.

Suddenly increasing his stride, Li You led the ball forward, picked up the ball with his left hand and went straight to the basket.

Although we have seen many such breakthroughs in the regular season, Mutombo's center of gravity is too high. At this time, he can only slide desperately to the right and rear, while adjusting his steps, always ready to jump to block shots.

Li You, who had grabbed a position, leaned against his opponent and approached the basket. He took two steps and suddenly jumped with his left foot. At the same time, he grabbed the ball with his left hand and quickly leaned forward to pick the basket.

Mutombo, who failed to find the right rhythm in time, jumped up to block the shot, but the basketball flew too high and hit the top edge of the backboard.

"Bang!" Gao hit the board and picked up the basket.

After landing, Mutombo subconsciously put his hands on his hips and looked at the basket. It seemed difficult to understand how Li You found the position to hit the board.
Artest on the sidelines was already happy, holding his head in his hands, showing an exaggerated expression, and screamed strangely.

Everyone in the atmosphere group is in a good mood. According to the current game trend, everyone will be able to perform in the second half of the third quarter.

In the next few minutes, the game completely entered the Knicks' rhythm.

Iverson didn't hesitate, continued to take action, and then hit the ball.

Li You and the others frequently launched transition attacks and launched misplaced singles without a chance to slow down.

Score points slowly while scoring points efficiently.

When Lewis hit a three-pointer in the right corner against Te'Lon Hill, Madison Square Garden was completely boiling!

Coach Larry Brown's previous timeout had no effect, and the Knicks' scoring continued.

With 1 minutes and 3 seconds left in the first quarter, Ewing, who was running a pick-and-roll on the right elbow, received a pocket pass from Li You and followed it down to complete a one-arm dunk!
"what!!"

Ewing, who scored a goal in a sports game, stood under the basket and roared passionately. In the game of abuse, the gorilla was particularly energetic.

At 13:26, the 76ers seemed unable to fight back.

Iverson was furious on the court. He didn't expect the Knicks to treat him like a weakling.

Once entering the position to attack, the first offensive option is to have several outside players take turns coming to his side for singles.
Even if Iverson defended desperately, the hardware gap still cost him a lot of points.

Iverson, who was possessed by a blacksmith, chose to pass the ball in this offense, and the 76ers continued to cooperate hand-to-hand.

In the end, Jumaine Jones ran out of opportunity and received a cross pass from Eric Snow, who came on the bench. He caught the ball in the right elbow and made a jump shot, scoring another 2 points.

Falling into a positional battle attack, Li You was not in a hurry to advance. He noticed Iverson squatting in front of Artest, who came on the bench, and immediately made tactical gestures.

In the left and right corners, Artest and Alan Houston started almost at the same time. The two made a cross screen under the basket.

Seeing Iverson changing defense behind him, Alan Houston felt completely comfortable. He immediately changed direction and turned around to ask for the ball in the left block.

Instead of using a semi-circling forward defense, Iverson stood firm and held the opponent firmly.

Li You sent a pass, and after receiving the ball, Alan Houston hit again. After shaking his body, he quickly twisted forward and suddenly stepped up and down, causing Iverson's hitter to foul.

"Shh!"

Hearing the boos, Iverson pursed his lips and said nothing. He was exhausted on both offense and defense. Until now, he has not scored a point.
Alan Houston made two free throws, and Ben Wallace took the opportunity to replace Ewing.

Jeff Van Gundy was smiling, pacing the sidelines, clapping his hands and shouting twice from time to time to give himself a sense of presence.

At 15:28, on the other side, Larry Brown frowned and looked at the bench, feeling helpless.

Li You chased Iverson, and when he encountered a screen, he pulled him covertly. The moment he caught the ball, he pressed and charged.

Perhaps the referee couldn't stand it any longer. At the right baseline position, Li You almost completed another steal when the whistle suddenly sounded.

Li You smiled at the linesman, but Li You didn't care. Soon, Iverson caught the ball at the top of the arc again. This time Mutombo's cover was of extremely high quality and he got rid of the defense in an instant.

Ben Wallace did not choose to defend in the pit. He took the initiative and then quickly slid. At the bottom right of the basket, Iverson's throw was interfered with and he struck again.

The moment the basketball hit the frame, Ben Wallace grabbed the backboard and threw the ball forward.

Although the passing force was too strong, Li You was not slow. After catching up with the basketball, he rushed up in three strides and hit the rebound and put the basket successfully!

Mutombo, who was chasing behind him, was completely helpless and could only sigh depressedly. The Knicks scored too easily.

At 15:30, Madison Square Garden Arena was filled with fans shouting happily.

In the last minute or so, both sides' shooting touch dropped and they relied on free throws to score.

With 1 seconds left in the first quarter, Iverson burst into the basket on the right side of the block, causing Ben Wallace to foul.

"Shh!"

In the face of boos, Iverson made two free throws, let out a sigh of relief, and finally scored.

"Good job, Bro! I thought you weren't going to score this quarter."

Iverson was about to stick to Li You's side. When he heard this, he immediately stepped forward and pushed him fiercely.

Li You smiled and raised his hands, used his strength to move two steps toward the referee, and reminded loudly:

"This is not a basketball move!"

His eyes were red with anger, and Iverson wanted to continue rushing, but the linesman was right next to Li You and immediately stepped forward to hug him.

Another referee immediately blew the whistle and gave Iverson a T.
After Li You completed the free throw, he saw Iverson walking to the bench. The New York fans suddenly shouted:

“Overrated!”

The noise became louder and louder. When he returned to his seat, Iverson looked ugly and seemed to be offended by this word.

Li You casually threw the basketball at halftime and hit the back edge of the basket. Many spectators sighed with regret.

At the end of the first quarter, at 19:35, the Knicks had a 16-point lead.

单节9中0，艾弗森拿到2分2篮板2助攻2失误。

Such a performance made it difficult for the two people in the commentary box to comment. Doug Collins could only change the topic and continue to praise Li You:

"He sent out 5 assists in the first quarter. Lee firmly controlled the rhythm of the game. The 76ers' defense did not cause him any trouble."

打满第一节，5中4，三分线外2中1，罚球4中4，13分2篮板5助攻1抢断。

Looking at Li You's technical statistics, Bob Costas also noticed that the Knicks were preparing for a large-scale rotation, and subconsciously commented:

"Maybe Lee won't get too much playing time tonight."

In the second quarter of the game, head coach Larry Brown still used Eric Snow and Iverson to partner in the backcourt, and the frontcourt trio was Rodney Buford, Te'lon Hill, and Matt - Geiger.

For the Knicks, Alan Houston, who has a better touch, made his debut early.

In the first quarter, he scored 4 points on 4-for-10 shooting. All of Alan Houston's goals came from low post offense.

Although Kukchi was squeezed out of the rotation, he had no choice but to accept it at this time.

Grant Hill sat on the bench, watching Iverson continue to take shots despite being unaffected by the iron, and sighed in a low voice:

"This is indeed not a reasonable offensive choice, but the 76ers can only believe in him."

The opponent's team configuration was not reasonable. Li You looked at Larry Brown, who was still reminding the players loudly on the sidelines, and said in a brisk tone:

"If we continue to fail this year, head coach Larry Brown should leave the 76ers. Perhaps within a few years, this old rival will enter a rebuilding period again."

When Kukchi heard the discussion between the two, he felt that the Eastern Conference was completely finished.

The Bucks are about to disband, the Pacers are rebuilding, the Raptors have a low ceiling, the Hornets are neither good nor bad, the Magic are all rookies, and the Heat are without Mourning and will most likely say goodbye to the playoffs.

In this case, the Knicks took the opportunity to complete the replacement of old and new players, almost seamlessly.

In the second quarter of the game, Iverson gradually regained his touch, but with Li You's return in the second half, he ultimately failed to climb out of the trap.

At the end of the half, 45:62, there was almost no suspense in the game.

Defeating the opponent in one quarter of the game is a situation that often occurs in the regular season, and New York fans are particularly familiar with this situation.

艾弗森半场19中6，三分线外3中1，罚球4中3，砍下16分。

Such a performance can no longer be evaluated. Bob Costas is not the loudmouth of Charles Barkley. During halftime, he was only discussing the 76ers' tactical issues:
"Head coach Larry Brown can adjust his defensive strategy and reduce defensive changes. This can reduce Iverson's consumption on the defensive end."

When Doug Collins saw his partner being so polite, he simply said bluntly:
"The efficiency is too low. Iverson should lead his teammates more and add some breakthrough points. Mutombo has the ability to absorb part of the ball."

"The 76ers had a height advantage against Ben Wallace, but unfortunately, I didn't see more low-post offense."

The two did not discuss the result of the game too much. After all, the point difference was too big, and it was almost impossible to complete a counterattack.

After the start of the second half, the defensive intensity dropped, and Li You no longer faced Iverson. He controlled the rhythm of the game and played fast breaks. The point difference kept jumping around 15 points.

Mutombo did get more opportunities, but tonight's finishing at the basket was too tight, and some layups that were close at hand always missed the frame.

For a time, the 76ers suddenly fell into a scoring drought again. This situation made the New York fans in a good mood and cheered and shouted from time to time.

At 19:26 in a single quarter, after three quarters, 64:88, it was the atmosphere team’s turn to appear again.

李佑仅出场了28分钟，16中10，三分线外5中3，罚球7中7，砍下28分3篮板10助攻2抢断的两双数据。

Jeff Van Gundy completely forgot about the draft. He stood on the sidelines with his arms folded in the fourth quarter, feeling the atmosphere of the scene and feeling particularly happy.

Iverson played another 7 minutes before being replaced. The shouts of "overrated" made the little guard feel irritable. When he returned to the bench, he threw the kettle angrily.
In the end, 87:112, the Knicks defeated the 76ers and ushered in a good start to the Eastern Conference Finals.

After putting on his training uniform, Li You stood up to applaud, high-fived his teammates in celebration, and then turned back to wave to the fans to express his gratitude.

On the other side, Iverson was already walking quickly towards the tunnel. He didn't want to stay in the arena for one more second.

When NBC reporter Jim Gray appeared next to Li You, he never mentioned the "old enemy".

One game made everyone realize the reality. There is a huge gap between Iverson and Li You, the 76ers and the Knicks.

"Lee, congratulations on winning the game. I noticed that in the first quarter you were constantly facing Iverson on the defensive end. Is this the Knicks' new game strategy?"

Li You smiled and nodded, and then replied seriously:
"My teammates used to relieve my burden, but as my game experience increases and my physical condition gets better and better, it's my turn to contribute to the team on the defensive end."

"As long as my physical fitness allows, I will take the initiative to keep an eye on the opponent's outside core in the following games!"

Jim Gray and the staff all brightened up after hearing this. If we reach the finals, there may be big news again!

　Thank you book friends for your subscription support ()

　　
　
(End of this chapter)