NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 225: It’s Difficult to Be a Leader (Two chapters in one)

On June 2001, 6, after G2 of the Finals, the NBA league and advertisers were beaming.

Seemingly getting rid of the impact of the collective bargaining agreement suspension, G1's viewership exceeded 2 million in the second half of the game.

It can be expected that as the schedule increases, the number of viewers will continue to rise. If the script is good enough and exceeds 3 million, it is very possible to return to the peak of the early 90s.

Of course, there are also many fans who complain about too many pauses for commercials, too many free throws, and too slow a pace.

Fans watching the game live can't feel it, and the audience in front of the TV can even see footage of Jeff Van Gundy drinking sugar-free Best Coke.
In addition, advertisements were shown during timeouts, and Li You's sneakers were not forgotten to be taken in close-ups during free throws. This kind of naked publicity was criticized both verbally and writtenly after the game.

O'Neal was not able to attend the press conference due to discomfort in his toe, and Phil Jackson, who was surrounded, could only continue to draw pictures:

"Our goal is to win an away game!"

"."

15:0 is no longer a thing. At the end of the game, the commentators also saw a lot of things. The Lakers' rotation seemed not enough.

Horace Grant, who is about to turn 36, comes on stage just for fun. Although this veteran is full of muscle, he misses in low post singles one after another.

He went to the basket and put the basket up for a hit. Such a soft-footed performance almost made the Lakers fans stupid.

Veteran Brian Shaw didn't play much of an role, and Ron Harper and Tyronn Lue didn't even get 1 minute of playing time.

The team's 7-man rotation was extreme, and only Horry performed well.

The Lakers players have yet to speak out. As a star of the team, Magic Johnson took the initiative to accept an interview for the first time after coming to New York with the team.

In the morning, a large number of media reporters failed to catch O'Neal at the hotel. It was an unexpected surprise to be able to interview Magic Johnson:
"I didn't see the desire to win from the Lakers. They played too softly. The opponent kept controlling the tempo of the game throughout the game."

"In the show time era, we were able to run better than our opponents and were more oppressive on the defensive end. These qualities have completely disappeared now."

"While watching the game in the box, every time I saw Lee accelerating from the backcourt to complete a layup, I wanted to ask the players, what are they doing? This is the finals!"

"The core players must take on the responsibilities of leaders. Unfortunately, I didn't see these things in the G1 game."

"."

Magic Johnson, who lost his trademark smile, looked particularly angry, obviously unable to accept the fact that he was defeated by a fast break.

G1出场45分钟，30中19，罚球22中10，48分14篮板1助攻1抢断2失误，砍下全场最高分的奥尼尔在下午训练课结束后终于接受了采访。

The famous players of the Lakers have spoken out one after another. As the boss of the team, O'Neal naturally has to give an explanation to the fans and seniors at this time:
"Losing is my responsibility, but a loss will not affect our confidence."

"."

O'Neal talked about the scene in a low tone, and his mood was very unhappy. Except for the strain on his hips due to his physical decline in the fourth quarter, he thought he could not do more.

The New York Post reporter heard that O'Neal never mentioned the best record in the playoffs. When he found an opportunity, he smiled and said:

"Shaq, do the Lakers still have a chance to tie the best record in playoff history?"

Theoretically, the Lakers could still reach 15:1, and the media reporters surrounding them all handed their microphones to O'Neal.

"I don't care about records, I just want to win!"

"."

O'Neal held it in for a while and said this, which made everyone laugh. The Lakers staff hurriedly asked the dark-faced shark to leave. If he talks too much, he will be wrong. At this time, it is time to remain silent.

另一边，科比又变成了小透明，G1出场47分钟，18中7，三分线外1中0，罚球4中3，砍下17分4篮板5助攻1抢断3失误。

Kobe was naturally very dissatisfied with this performance, but the Lakers' offensive rhythm was not fast, with only 77 shots in the game. O'Neal had more ball rights, and others could only beat the drum.

15 of 4 from beyond the three-point line. Compared with previous playoffs, Fisher's three-pointers are no longer magical.

When Kobe was interviewed, he couldn't help but mumble a few words in a low voice:

"We need to speed up the offensive rhythm, and outside players also need to step up in time to share the offensive pressure. In the next game, we must not let our opponents score easily again."

Even though Phil Jackson repeatedly gave chicken soup, Kobe still questioned the team's offensive choices after losing.

No one likes to give the ball to the big man in the middle of the half, and the defensive end has to work hard to catch up.

After O'Neal was injured this season, his training intensity decreased, his weight increased, and his participation in fast breaks also decreased.

The whole team took care of the boss. Kobe wanted to continue to complain, but he was quickly pulled away by the team staff.

The finals are highly discussed, and some commentators have already started gossiping about the Lakers' internal conflicts.

After winning G1, the Knicks coaching staff did not dare to be careless. After all, O'Neal shot [-]% from the field. This efficient performance is likely to continue throughout the series.

Jeff Van Gundy doesn't expect Li You to perform efficiently in every game. For outside players, the [-]% shooting rate is already as high as heaven.

The interior defense was so stretched that the game seemed to become a mathematical problem.

The bald young coach is more eager for a defensive big man, one inside and one outside, with a balanced configuration and a better defensive end. This is his ideal team.

At the end of the afternoon training session, Jeff Van Gundy did not forget to encourage Ben Wallace.

There is really no one left in the inside rotation. With newbies and veterans replaced, rebounding problems are prone to problems.

"Ben, don't worry about the outside world's evaluation, focus on the game and make sure you rebound."

"Defense is never one person's business, so don't put too much pressure on yourself. It's dangerous! It's tiring to cut trees!"

If nothing else happens, O'Neal will continue to quarrel with insiders throughout the series, and the hard days of "Little Ben" are still to come.

Most sports commentators in newspapers did not give Ben Wallis a very good evaluation. The most prominent article in the New York Times this morning was:
"Lee shattered the Lakers fantasy!"

Many ball commentators also praised Lewis' performance. He made 9 of 4 shots and 6 of 3 from beyond the three-point line. He scored the third-highest 15 points on the team.

After hearing the coach's words, Ben Wallace was still a little disappointed. Even though everyone on the Knicks team was giving him chicken soup today, he still couldn't be happy.

It has nothing to do with victory, he just wants to gain recognition from more people.

The second-year Artest didn't think too much. He won games, received praises, enjoyed the cheers of the fans, and also pretended to be sexy in front of a bunch of relatives and friends. He couldn't stop having fun all day long.

A large number of reporters surrounded the Tarrytown training center. During the training session, everyone noticed that Li You kept repeating:

"We have to shoot hard!"

After winning a game, Li You didn't have much emotional change. As a three-peat team, the Knicks, except for the rookie Grant Hill in the finals, the main players' desire for the championship is waning.

On a higher stage, producing beautiful statistics is more practical than trophies. Only with Excel can you have a big contract.

Alan Houston made 20 of 9 shots and 5 of 2 from behind the three-point line. He scored the second-highest 24 points on the team. He kept smiling during the training session and was particularly motivated.

After the training ended in the afternoon, media reporters continued to surround Li You. Once they entered the finals, players and reporters would enter a "win-win" mode.

Every year, handling the relationship with the media has become a compulsory course for Li You. If you want to gain honor in competitive sports, it is not so much about fighting and killing, but more about humaneness and sophistication.
Ahmed Rashad was more responsible for interviewing the Lakers. During the finals, he served as the NBC host behind the scenes. In order to get more information, he had to chase the training center at this time.

"Li, let's talk about tomorrow night's game. Will you continue your efficient performance in G1?"

Rashad immediately asked the question, and soon a circle of reporters also handed the microphone to him.

"I hope I can hit 100%, but once I get on the court and play, I won't think about it anymore!"

"I have had many experiences in the finals. On this stage, it is more about trusting each other."

"Everyone has seen the training status of the Knicks. We enjoy the game more now. We have won the sixth championship in team history. Everyone is ready."

Li You, who was wearing training clothes, smiled and pointed at the training wall. The small words "2000~2001 NBA Championship" made the sports reporters around him almost speechless:

"Have you reserved a seat in advance?"

"."

When he returned home to Tarrytown Town in the evening, after dinner, his agent Mark Bartelstein rubbed his brows and began to introduce his news again:
"ABC, ESPN, and TNT all hope to obtain in-depth cooperation with the next broadcast contract. NBC seems to have some problems."

“We’re going to have to build some new media relationships ahead of time.”

Li You was a little surprised. In his impression, the league's ratings were still on the rise this season:
"Next year is the last year of the contract. According to the current trend, will NBC end the cooperation?"

Mark Bartelstein nodded. He also has rugby and other athletes under his command. He has a much clearer understanding of the market situation than Li You, who does not pay attention to other sports:

"Without the NBA, NBC can still broadcast ice hockey on Wednesday and football on Sunday. It won't have any impact on them."

"The best 10 years have passed. NBC and the league have successfully built a sports brand, and now they want to exit."

"The three broadcasters that have taken over may reduce the number of broadcasts in order to increase ratings. This is also David Stern's plan. There is a high probability that ABC will only broadcast more than 20 games in a national live broadcast per season."

"The reduction in live broadcasts across the United States will also affect the Knicks. This is also something that brands are worried about."

The current playoffs are broadcast by TNT and NBC. The former only has the broadcast rights for the first two rounds, and the latter has exclusive broadcast rights for the conference finals and finals.

NBC's packaging of the game is still very good, and it will be difficult for subsequent broadcasters to surpass the ratings achieved in the early 90s.

Li You knows that this is because the sponsor wants to lower the price. With his current influence, there is a high probability that the next cooperation will be a five-year contract:
“Looks like I’ll have to give more interviews in the offseason!”

"I suggest accepting invitations from some publishers. There is a market for autobiographies and team biographies, and some personal documentaries also need to be arranged in advance. These are all effective ways to expand influence."

"A win-win outcome for everyone is the most ideal result. If you can win this year's finals, we can gain a lot from the discussion about the best in history."

“We say failure deserves respect, but people always prefer to see successful people share their experiences.”

Mark Bartelstein handed Li You a book, "For The Love of The Game," which was published after McNair retired.

Li You flipped through it casually, and then said with a smile:

"Sales didn't meet expectations? I know about it."

The failure in 98 caused Michael Jordan a lot of losses. Although it did not have much impact on his personal brand, many fans recognized one fact:
"No one can resist the erosion of time, not even Michael Jordan."

McNuckle is still a world-famous athlete, but when discussing GOAT, there is more controversy. After all, the numbers do not lie.

The two discussed the plan after the finals, and they had to implement it quickly before the offseason, before the heat dissipated.

After seeing off the increasingly busy agent, Li You stayed in the study and manually recorded some information on his notebook.

Ivana quietly handed over a glass of milk. Li You looked up at the blond white rabbit who had gained some weight. He held the other person in his arms. After some exploration, he found that the waistline was no longer fat:
"How do you think you can increase your influence?"

Not paying attention to the big hands on her body, Ivana, who hugged Li You, thought for a while and replied with a smile:
"Making movies and participating in more TV shows, I think reality shows would be good!"

Li You shook his head slightly. American TV programs still had limitations. If he wanted to expand his influence around the world, he had other plans:
"Maybe I should buy a team!"

On June 6, G3 of the NBA Finals officially started. This game is very crucial for both sides. As long as they can protect the two home courts, the pressure on the Knicks will be reduced drastically.

Unlike Li You, Kobe is still imitating his idol and pursuing his first career championship. In an interview before the game, he ignored the persuasion of the staff and seriously stated:
"I will take on more scoring tasks, and the Lakers will win on the road!"

After the G1 game ended, although most sports commentators were discussing the game, there were not many clues. After all, the series had just begun, and everyone expected the Knicks to protect their home court.

Kobe's remarks made many sports reporters realize that the atmosphere in the Lakers seemed somewhat disharmonious.

Although Phil Jackson has emphasized this as a "basketball argument" all season, judging from Kobe's tone, it is obvious that he is dissatisfied with the way O'Neal leads the team.

After the game started at 21 o'clock that night, Kobe was very active on the stage. As he said himself, he began to take on more offenses.

After scoring 9 of 5 in the first quarter and contributing a team-high 12 points, Kobe showed no mercy in the second quarter and continued to take shots!
With 8 minutes and 01 seconds left in the half, Jeff Van Gundy got Li You back. In less than 4 minutes, the Knicks only scored 5 points.

At 29:29, the Lakers failed to seize the opportunity. Brian Shaw, who came on the bench, continued to work hard. Coupled with Kobe's misfire, O'Neal only scored 4 points.

"Let's go Knicks!."

At Madison Square Garden, the cheers of nearly 2 spectators rang out again.

Fisher did not lead the defense. He held up his headband with a serious expression. When he saw Li You approaching the center line, he pulled up his loose shorts again.
On the left wing, Alan Houston shouted to Artest in the left corner to slide down the baseline to open up space.

When Li You came outside the three-point line, Kurt Thomas stopped near the baseline on the right and did not move. Only Ben Wallace, who was near the baseline on the left, quickly lifted up and prepared to cover.

Kobe Bryant, who was guarding Alan Houston, was hesitant and finally chose to follow to the left corner. O'Neal lowered his center of gravity early and was ready to switch defenses at any time.

Amid the cheers, Ben Wallace, who was at the top of the arc, just hung up for a moment, dribbling behind Li You who was holding the ball in his right hand, and quickly moved down.

O'Neal completely gave up defense, and cooperated with Fisher to attack Li You, who switched to his left hand. The two were extremely fast and planned to double-team outside the three-point line.

Li You, who had been prepared for a long time, moved sideways immediately. At the moment when the two were about to complete the flanking attack, his center of gravity suddenly dropped. Taking advantage of the opponent's interference, he quickly circled the ball with his left hand.

Watching the basketball pass under Li You's crotch, Fisher, who learned his lesson, immediately fouled and pulled with his upper hand, and the referee also blew the whistle.

Taking advantage of the sideline kick, Marv Albert hurriedly introduced in the NBC commentary box:
"After receiving his second personal foul, Fisher should pay attention to the number of fouls."

Doug Collins seemed to be aware of the Lakers' game strategy, and suddenly commented:

"Obviously in tonight's game, the Lakers intend to disrupt Lee's offensive rhythm, but it seems to be ineffective so far."

"In the matchup, Li's advantage is too great. He also has his own unique way of breaking through the opponent's attack."

At the top of the arc, Li You saw Fisher hugging him tightly next to him, and couldn't help laughing and joking:
"Man, 6 fouls shouldn't be enough!"

Fisher was in no mood to respond to Li You. He kept observing Alan Houston who was serving, and did not stop moving his hands at the same time.

Taking a sideline kick, Li You first slapped the opponent's arm off as a ball protector, then suddenly accelerated and regained control of the basketball at the top of the arc.

Facing Fisher, who was on defense again, Li You, who was protecting the ball with his back, quickly released the ball with his right hand, facing the defense and accelerating in a straight line.

With no other option, Fisher could only slide hard and engage in physical confrontation. The two entangled and came to the free throw line. Li You, who was stuck in his position, pulled back with his crotch.

The sudden stop made it difficult for Fisher to control his body's center of gravity. He instantly lost his defensive position and watched as Li You combined the ball and made a jump shot from the free throw line!
"Shua!" The two-pointer went into the net hollowly.

"Wow!"

The beautiful goal made New York fans cheer. Phil Jackson on the sidelines immediately made tactical gestures to signal the players to continue double-teaming.

"Defense!."

O'Neal quickly rushed across the half court without looking at Fisher, who was holding the ball behind him. He came to the left block and started to ask for the ball with his back.

On the other side, Kobe was at the top of the arc, waiting for Fisher to pass the ball.

He was almost unable to lift his head under the pressure of Li You's personal defense. Fisher, who was focused on controlling the ball, saw the actions of the two just after halftime and hesitated for a moment.

As soon as he reached the left wing, Ben Wallace began to half-circle forward to prevent O'Neal from catching the ball. In desperation, Fisher subconsciously gave the ball to Kobe at the top of the arc.

At the moment of receiving the ball, there was a chance to pass the ball straight to the basket, but Kobe took advantage of Alan Houston to step forward to lead the defense and immediately released the ball with his right hand to break through.

O'Neal, who had already rushed to the basket, hurriedly opened up the space, but Kobe's movement was faster than he expected. He approached the right elbow area and leaned against Alan Houston. Kobe turned around and immediately joined the ball.

The moment he got rid of the defense, Kobe stopped at the free throw line and made a jump shot!

"state!"

The action was cool, but the basketball hit the front of the basket. Kurt Thomas shrank and immediately protected the backboard.

When Artest received the pass, he had already rushed across the half court along the left sideline. Fox retreated and tried to interfere, but Li You quickly came to the top of the key to respond.

O'Neal, who was running bumpily, had just returned to the paint area. When he saw Li You pushing the ball with his left hand and passing Fisher again, he couldn't help but shout out to Horry on the other side.

"Co-defense up!"

Kobe, who retreated to the right wing, noticed that Li You had rushed to the free throw line and subconsciously followed suit.

Coupled with the fact that O'Neal and Horry retreated to the basket and Fisher chased behind them, the Lakers formed a four-man encirclement in an instant.

Li You reacted quickly. Before he could rush into the encirclement, he took a step past the free throw line and immediately jumped to throw the ball.

On the right wing, the unguarded Alan Houston caught the ball and hit a jumper from beyond the three-point line.

"Oh!"

The New York fans at the scene sighed with regret, but the long rebound was taken by Fisher from behind. Kobe rushed through the half court in a flash. At the same time, O'Neal also followed up desperately.

Alan Houston chased Kobe, and Li You went straight to Fisher. The Lakers counterattacked quickly. Fisher, who got the ball, rushed to the left wing against Li You's defense.

Noticing that Kobe was stuck under the basket, Fisher took advantage of the situation and sent a lob pass.

The moment Kobe caught the ball on the lower left side of the basket, Alan Houston immediately stepped forward to block the opponent's shot. Unable to get up under the basket immediately, Kobe immediately released the ball with his left hand and drove it along the baseline to the lower right side of the basket.

Without paying any attention, Ben Wallace had retreated to the basket when he was dribbling. When Kobe came to the lower right side of the basket and made a fadeaway jumper against Alan Houston, Ben Wallace also jumped up to block the shot.

When the two of them were surrounded, Kobe didn't notice O'Neal, who was following up. He continued to lean back in the air, made a lying shot, threw the ball towards the backboard, and immediately fell to the floor.

O'Neal, who followed up, thought his younger brother would pass the ball, but instead he saw the basketball fly toward the backboard and bounce just over his head.
Before he even had time to open his hand, O'Neal saw Li You rush into the paint area and pick up the ball. In an instant, the offense and defense changed positions, and the Knicks also launched a counterattack.

"Fake!"

O'Neal could only continue to chase after him. Fisher pounced on him and wanted to commit a tactical foul, but Li You's left hand circled the ball behind his back and easily passed him.

He glanced at the two people behind him who were still chasing after him desperately. Li You, who switched to his right hand, did not slow down. Facing Horry at the top of the arc, he pushed the ball again with his right hand to change direction. The moment he scooped up the ball with his left hand, he shouldered his opponent and accelerated.

Horry, who was twisting and sliding, had no time to defend. In the blink of an eye, Li You rushed to the free throw line and subconsciously pulled out a hand, but only caught his jersey when he staggered.

Li You was not affected at all. He took three big steps near the free throw line, jumped in the paint area, grabbed the ball with one hand with his left hand, and easily picked up the basket!

At 29:33, just after Li You came on the court, the Knicks took the lead.

In the commentary box, groom Albert praised loudly:
"Too fast! The charging Lee could not be stopped at all. Kobe made an unreasonable offensive choice."

From the Lakers' missed counterattack to Li You's one-stop layup, the score was completed in less than 6 seconds.

Doug Collins saw Kobe getting up from the floor and had just retreated to the midline position, and he also commented tactfully:
"Kobe should calm down, O'Neal who follows up has a better chance."

On the court, the Knicks had already retreated to half court. Li You clapped his hands and called on everyone to defend. On the other side, a baseline kick was taken. O'Neal shouted angrily at Kobe:

"Give me the ball!"

Phil Jackson on the sidelines also reminded loudly. Soon, Fisher handed over the ball immediately after halftime and gave it to Horry at the top of the key.

The latter didn't look at Kobe on the right wing. Under the defense of Kurt Thomas, he immediately lobbed the ball to O'Neal.

Li You followed Fisher to slide to the baseline, and everyone on the Lakers took turns on the outside, opening up space for O'Neal to attack.

Since the receiving position was a bit far away from the basket, O'Neal had no choice but to start thrusting toward the basket.

Ben Wallace blocked the line. When O'Neal twisted towards the paint area, Alan Houston at the top of the arc immediately shrank his defense.

Surrounded by two people, O'Neal turned around completely, hit high, grabbed the ball with his right hand and threw it successfully.

Kobe, who was open at the top of the arc, failed to receive the pass. Only O'Neal scored, and it was hard to say anything. He turned around and quickly retreated with everyone.

In the second quarter, the game quickly entered the rhythm of core players scoring and role players playing iron.

Horry received a pass from O'Neal in the right block and hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc;

In the transition attack, Li You cut in at a 45-degree angle from the left, once again attracting three people to surround him. Artest caught the ball in the left corner.

In the face of huge boos, Kobe made a two-pointer from the left elbow. O'Neal grabbed the offensive rebound and succeeded in a second offensive throw right in front of the basket.

The Knicks used a three-man pick-and-roll. Alan Houston screened and received a pass from Li You at the top of the arc. He faced Kobe's block and missed a three-pointer.

The long rebound popped up and was picked up by Li You in the right block.

Returning to the right wing, Fisher was still adjusting his center of gravity. Li You, who was holding the ball in his left hand, looked toward the top of the arc. Suddenly his center of gravity dropped. He dribbled the ball with his hips and then stepped back. He quickly shot a jumper from outside the three-point line!
"Shua!" The three-pointer hit the net hollowly.

Fisher looked at Li You's back and opened his mouth. In the end, he could only raise his hands in frustration to indicate that it was his problem.

Everyone on the Lakers gave O'Neal a "backup". Looking back, on the Knicks side, Li You and the others frequently took shots from the outside and picked up long rebounds from time to time after hitting the iron.

With the Lakers' final attack, Kobe Bryant missed the basket from the right wing and the half ended.

At 47:48, the Knicks maintained their lead.

Jeff Van Gundy breathed a sigh of relief. The team was not accurate in tonight's game. They fell behind at halftime and relied entirely on the opponent's support.

Phil Jackson frowned again. He had a great opportunity but failed to seize it.
半场科比14中6，砍下14分，奥尼尔11中8，罚球6中1，拿到17分。

The Lakers shot 8-for-0 from beyond the arc. This technical statistic left Doug Collins speechless:
"Kobe took some of O'Neal's offensive pressure and achieved good results in the half."

"Outside players also need to shoot resolutely, and they must seize some open opportunities."

Marv Albert also didn’t expect that both sides would be so tough in tonight’s game.

For the Knicks, Li You made 13 of 7, 6 of 2 from beyond the three-point line, and 4 of 4 free throws. He scored a team-high 20 points, but only had 3 assists in the half.

The Lakers' defense shrunk very little. The Knicks made 14 of 4 shots from beyond the three-point line and almost knocked their own basket askew.
"This is not the normal state of the two teams. It seems that both sides are a little nervous tonight. I look forward to seeing the players recover in the second half."

Groom Albert didn’t comment too much on the game. There were too many irons, which was completely inconsistent with the expectations before the game.

Everyone in the Knicks locker room is also a little depressed. Although there will always be situations where shots are missed this season, everyone is still a little worried when they appear at home.

As everyone returned to their seats, Li You immediately stood up and clapped his hands, attracting everyone's attention, and said loudly:

"Don't worry about not making the shot, all we have to do is take action resolutely!"

"Shooting is our best offensive method, and I believe that our next shot will definitely hit."

"Catch the ball, shoot! Catch the ball, break through!"

"This is how we play, in the second half, we have to make the opponent's defense pay!"

Everyone in the Knicks nodded. Everyone knew that if the shot failed, the Lakers would intensify their efforts to double-team Li You, thus forming a vicious cycle.

This situation has been experienced in the regular season, but the current offensive method is single. Rather than trusting in low-post attacks, it is better to let go and throw.

When the team encountered difficulties, Ewing could only scratch his head. After coming on the court, except for back fouls and pick-and-roll jump shots, he basically had nothing to do:

"Don't worry about the comments from the boring media after the game. As long as we can win the series, we are heroes!"

After hearing Ewing's words, everyone responded with laughter. If they really lose, the final blame will definitely fall on the boss.

Li You also breathed a sigh of relief. The too monotonous offensive methods made the Knicks have no choice but to bite the bullet and keep throwing.

Whether it can be thrown in or not depends on the sky.
The atmosphere in Madison Square Garden is still hot. Although O'Neal is doing whatever he wants in the paint again, the home team is still in the lead, which is worth celebrating.

Spike Lee, with a large orange handkerchief wrapped around his head, walked back and forth on the sidelines, greeting familiar friends.

Under the basketball stand, James Dolan and David Stern sat together. The two whispered from time to time and seemed very satisfied with the game.

After the second half of the game started, cheers and cheers resounded throughout the stadium again:

"Let's go Knicks!."

Li You, who caught the ball at the baseline, saw that the defender next to him turned into Kobe, and he knew that the Lakers changed their tactics. In the second quarter, Kobe became a defensive tool again.

"The real core will not enjoy such treatment. Are you going to keep chasing me in the second half?"

Li You leaned on Kobe to catch the ball at the baseline and joked about the opponent's treatment.

"."

Kobe held his breath and slid desperately, constantly giving physical confrontation, and had no chance to respond to Li You.

When Alan Houston caught the ball at the top of the arc, Fisher immediately followed him on defense, wishing he could hang on to the opponent.

After receiving the ball, he immediately started releasing the ball and moved to the left wing. Grant Hill also began to move away from the three-point line. The two easily completed the pass from hand to hand.

Grant Hill started to call for tactics. Kobe noticed that Ewing started to lift up. Li You on the left wing was running without the ball. He seemed to want to slide down the baseline and subconsciously followed Li You.

When Ewing moved to the free throw line, Li You, who cut in, first pretended to speed up, then suddenly ran back, twisting and returning to the three-point line.

The Fox defense stayed deep, allowing Grant Hill to easily deliver a cross-court pass.

The moment he caught the ball, Li You feinted on the left wing. Kobe, who was chasing him, subconsciously lowered his center of gravity, raised his right hand high, and immediately came forward.

Before the opponent could get in front of him, Li You released the ball with his right hand, lowered his center of gravity and pretended to break through.

Taking advantage of Kobe's slide to the left and back again, Li Youyun took a step and suddenly exerted force on his feet, quickly retreated, returned to the three-point line, drifted slightly to the right, and quickly shot a jump shot!
After being staggered continuously, Kobe could only fight hard to defend, and at the same time, he had to control his movements to avoid jumping directly on Li You. The block shot had no effect. He stopped and heard the cheers of the fans in his ears. "Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net.

At 47:51, the Knicks once again widened the point difference.

When it was the Lakers' turn to attack, Fisher still handed over the ball quickly, and then led Li You to the left corner.

At the top of the arc, Kobe received the ball. Near the baseline on the right side, Grant quickly raised the pick-and-roll.

A high-quality screen allowed Kobe, who was holding the ball in his right hand, to immediately get rid of Alan Houston's pursuit.

At the same time, although Lewis changed defense, he let go of the two-point long position and stayed near the free throw line.

Faced with such a great opportunity, Kobe did not choose a jump shot. Instead, he held the ball in his right hand and went straight to the basket. While running, he took advantage of Grant's passing and sent a pocket pass.

After receiving the ball, Grant was already in front of the basket. When he saw Ewing returning to defense, he simply joined the ball in advance and then threw the ball towards the basket.

The basketball came out of the frame, and several people scrambled under the basket. O'Neal clicked on the rebound. Grant wanted to continue rushing and took off for the second time. Ewing picked off the rebound in the crowd, and then hugged the ball tightly in his arms.

"Oh!"

After successfully protecting the backcourt rebound, the cheers rang out again. The Lakers could only retreat quickly, respond to each other, and counterattack in time.

When Grant Hill received the ball, he was already close to the center line and accelerated along the left sideline across the half court. Only then did Fox get close to the defense.

Without passing the ball, after dribbling from the hip to his right hand, Grant Hill immediately accelerated and cut at 45 degrees and went straight to the basket.

Approaching the paint area, he suddenly turned around quickly and came to near the lower left side of the basket. After joining the ball, Grant Hill drifted towards the baseline and completed a fadeaway jumper.

"Shua!" The two-pointer went into the net hollowly.

O'Neal, who had just retreated to half-time, made another ineffective turnaround and couldn't help but curse.

At 47:53, seeing the point difference continue to widen, the Lakers also began to speed up their offensive rhythm.

After halftime, O'Neal took the initiative to pick and roll, and Fisher used the screen to get rid of Li You. While Ewing was crouching under the basket, close to the top of the arc, he succeeded in a pull-up jump shot from outside the three-point line!

At 50:53, the Lakers hit their first three-pointer of the game.

Phil Jackson on the sidelines also pumped his fist excitedly, and then loudly called on the Lakers to retreat.

Fisher was also excited after scoring the key goal, but in the next round he was suddenly hit by a low single from Alan Houston in the left block.

Before Fisher had time to defend, Alan Houston easily hit a fadeaway jumper toward the baseline.

It was also a pick-and-roll at the top of the arc. Kobe used O'Neal's screen to reach the right elbow area of ​​the free throw line and drifted to the right to make a strong shot.

The Knicks attacked on the left wing, and Grant defended the pick-and-roll. He immediately cooperated with Kobe to double-team Li You. The fake screen bounced to near the top of the arc. Lewis received the pass from Li You and scored a three-pointer!

Maintaining a very fast offensive rhythm, they scored consecutive goals in response. The two sides ran back and forth on the court. The New York fans at the scene were in high spirits. It was not until the second half of the third quarter that the two sides started to fight again.
O'Neal, who had taken the initiative to screen many times, suddenly asked for the ball fiercely in the low post on the right side. After receiving Horry's lob at the top of the arc, he immediately released the ball with his left hand and walked to the line.

Ben Wallace, who came on the bench, had no way to defend and could only continue to interfere. However, when faced with O'Neal, he suddenly turned towards the baseline and was completely carried away by his big body. Seeing O'Neal grabbing the ball with his right hand, he succeeded in throwing the ball easily!
"Shh!"

The boos resounded throughout the stadium, and O'Neal roared after the goal. He also made sacrifices in this quarter and participated in more screens.

68:66, relying on more stable scoring, the Lakers successfully overtook the score.

Kobe continued to stalk Li You, desperately chasing Li You, and the two began to tangle from the first half.

Facing the constant acceleration of holding the ball with his left hand, Li You leaned on the defense and rushed through the center line. He immediately stopped when he was close to the three-point line. After blasting the ball with his left hand, he adjusted his steps and quickly completed the dribble under his crotch.

Kobe hurriedly changed his defensive focus. At the same time, he quickly slid to the left and back. Li You, who switched to his right hand, leaned on the defense and accelerated.

When the two approached the free throw line, Li You suddenly dribbled the ball behind his back, switched to his left hand and took a sharp step back. Ignoring Kobe who was on the defensive again, he quickly made a jump shot from the top of the arc!
"Shua!" Converted to a three-pointer and then advanced!
68:69，第3节比赛还剩2分36秒，尼克斯队再次将比分反超。

The defense was completely useless. Kobe gasped and cursed in his heart.

O'Neal couldn't run anymore. After receiving the pass in the left block during the offensive round, he saw Fisher in the left corner suddenly sneaked across the baseline and ran back, and immediately sent a ground pass.

After catching the ball, Fisher drove straight to the basket along the baseline. He noticed Li You chasing behind him and slipped to the lower right side of the basket, trying to avoid the defense and complete a reverse layup.

As soon as the basketball was released, before it could fly towards the basket, Li You, who was in position to catch up, jumped up and swatted the ball down.

After the rebound, Li You took the opportunity to control the ball. Before Fisher could stand up, Li You was already close to the midline.

When he reached the top of the arc, he noticed Fox double-teaming him. Li You immediately gave the ball to Artest on the right wing.

The latter was unguarded and converted a three-pointer to hit the ball. New York fans also sighed with regret.

The long rebound flew out, but was picked up by Alan Houston near the left elbow. Kobe quickly defended it.

Fox at the top of the arc wanted to continue to defend Li You, but was completely thrown away by Li You who suddenly accelerated in a straight line and cut to the basket.

Alan Houston seized the opportunity and immediately threw the ball to the upper right side of the basket.

The power of the pass was too great, which made Li You, who jumped up in the air to catch the ball, began to drift toward the baseline. After catching the ball, he used his body strength in the air and threw the ball to the basket with one hand before it fell!

"Whoa!" The alley-oop layup was successful!
"Wow!"

The acrobatic goal made everyone so excited that they all stood up and clapped and cheered.

After landing, Li You also smiled and gave Alan Houston a thumbs up. Every outrageous goal is inseparable from an unreliable passer.
At 68:71, the Knicks once again expanded the point difference.

Watching the Lakers start to slow down, Kobe received the ball with his back in the right block, turned toward the baseline, and hit a difficult fadeaway jumper. Doug Collins could only sigh:
"Lee always found opportunities to score easily, but Kobe also responded. The Lakers performed very well in this quarter."

Just after the goal was completed, Kobe continued to defend Li You aggressively, but it did not have much effect. Soon the two of them passed the half court.

Alan Houston asked for the ball with his back in the left block. After Li You sent the pass, he first pretended to go off the line and cut in, and then suddenly ran back and bounced close to the left sideline, just in time to catch the pass.

Kobe was forced to defend in front of Li You again. Alan Houston first stepped forward to fake a screen, and then immediately moved toward the top of the key.

Fisher hesitated for a moment but followed up and failed to double-team in time.

Li You released the ball with his left hand and lowered his center of gravity slightly. Ben Wallace moved quickly again at this time, and O'Neal came out again panting.

Before the two of them came in front of them, the moment Li You dribbled the ball from his crotch to his right hand, his body swayed to the right and then quickly changed direction in front of him.

Kobe subconsciously slid to the right and rear, giving a physical confrontation, trying to push Li You out of the baseline.

However, after Li You increased his stride, Kobe suddenly lost his defensive position and failed to catch anyone. However, he almost lost his center of gravity and stumbled towards the camera.

After getting rid of the defense, Li You, who was flying close to the ground, dribbled the ball hard with his left hand twice, and flew into the air when he was close to the paint area. Horry, who was defending under the basket, had no time to fully take off, and was hit in the air and lost his center of gravity.

Li You pushed away his opponent, glided to the front of the basket, twisted his body, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and threw the ball to the basket easily!

"squeak!"

The ball was scored as the buzzer sounded, and Li You broke through and made a layup.

"Wow!"

The extremely impactful breakthrough instantly ignited the atmosphere of the scene. Groom Albert also shouted excitedly:

"Incredible ability to combine the ball! Lee's speed of changing direction is amazing!"

O'Neal was still standing near the baseline, watching Kobe return to the court with a grimace, feeling a little annoyed but having nowhere to vent.

After Li Youjia made a free throw, Phil Jackson on the sidelines once again made tactical gestures and loudly reminded of double-teaming.

The Knicks also suddenly changed their defensive strategy and began sending O'Neal free throws.

Jeff Van Gundy looked at the Sharks who made two free throws and also frowned. In this quarter, the opponent only missed one free throw.
72:74, the Lakers still cling to the score.

In the last few rounds of the third quarter, Fox missed a three-pointer from the left wing. Artest picked up a long rebound and threw the ball forward. Fisher immediately fouled in advance and sent Li You directly to the free throw line.

"Shh!"

After his fourth personal foul, Fisher, who was substituted, threw away his headband in frustration. He was about to become a foul tool.
At 72:76, Li You made another free throw, helping the team lead by 3 points at the end of the third quarter.

单节7中4，三分线外4中2，罚球3中3，李佑贡献了13分。

Kobe Bryant made 5 of 3 shots and scored 10 points, while O'Neal made 5 of 3 shots and also contributed 9 points. The two almost dominated the Lakers' scoring in a single quarter.

O'Neal returned to the bench and began to gasp for air. The Knicks took crazy shots from the outside. Too many rounds produced more turnaround runs. The Sharks, who had never rested, could not withstand it again.

He only rested for 2 minute at the beginning of the second quarter. Kobe was not feeling well after being tortured for a quarter, and he was sulking with himself at this time.

Phil Jackson took a look at the bench and finally decided to give him chicken soup to fight against the main force:
"We shot 11 of 1 from the outside, and now, the opponent is only 4 points ahead of us. Believe me, they are no longer good!"

"This is a competition of willpower. Now, get back on the court and show our desire for the championship!"

Fisher really wanted the championship, but he just committed 4 fouls. At this time, he could only sit off the court, and Brian Shaw came on as a substitute.

Jeff Van Gundy didn't say much. The home court must be protected. He just replaced Lewis and then stood on the sidelines and hung up seriously.
"Defense!."

Amidst the shouts of defense, Brian Xiao, who had just appeared on the stage, caught the ball from the baseline and dribbled it in two steps before he was almost intercepted by Li You. He seemed to be dribbling behind the back in a cool way, but he almost lost control of the ball.
After grabbing the ball with his left hand, Brian Xiao was so oppressed that he could only poke his butt all the way. However, his opponent failed to pick up the speed, so Li You raised his forearm and stayed close to it.

Fox hurried to the top of the arc to respond. Artest defended fiercely and almost completed another steal.

After Brian Shaw handed over the ball, he cut in from the left wing and quickly slipped across the baseline, taking away Li You's defense. Kobe also moved laterally, away from the three-point line, and completed a hand-off with Fox.

When O'Neal received the pass in the left block, the defense at the far end also began to shrink.

Ben Wallace still defended the line. O'Neal, who was releasing the ball with his right hand, began to rely heavily on the ball. He was always observing the situation on the court. He noticed that Lewis at the far end suddenly shrank and immediately threw the ball to Horry on the right wing.

The latter caught the ball and faced Lewis, who was on defense again. He released the ball with his right hand and broke through smoothly. After shaking away the defense, he succeeded in a two-point emergency stop jumper.

At 74:76, the point difference was narrowed again.

O'Neal, who sent the assist, was booed again. This kind of cooperation has happened many times tonight.

Learning from experience and lessons, even if the free throws in the third quarter felt good, O'Neal did not bet on free throws.

Seeing the team members playing ideal coordination, Phil Jackson on the sidelines was also excited and kept clapping his hands to encourage everyone.

Without waiting to catch the ball, Li You made tactical gestures. After everyone had rushed through half the court, he faced Kobe's defense and reached the top of the arc.

Standing up in a "V" shape, O'Neal saw Ben Wallace moving and was ready to help defend against double teams.

Kobe glanced at the left elbow area and Ben Wallace lifted up, and immediately moved to block Li You's right hand. At the same time, O'Neal, who lowered his center of gravity and slid quickly, also quickened his pace and pounced towards the left hand holding the ball.

Ben Wallace noticed the encirclement between the two, and immediately passed the ball ahead of time before the cover was in place. Li You also flicked his wrist, and the basketball passed through the gap, and passed the ball to Ben Wallace in the paint area. scholar.

The latter caught the ball and wanted to directly attack the basket. As a result, he was hugged and fouled by Horry, who was well prepared, sending Ben Wallace to the free throw line.

Jeff Van Gundy frowned slightly. Sure enough, Ben Wallace missed both free throws. For a moment, the Lakers bench was filled with cheers.

O'Neal, who was protecting the backboard, also regained his energy. He passed the ball to Brian Shaw who was receiving the ball and immediately rushed through the half court at full speed.

Just after crossing the midline, a huge cheer suddenly came from O'Neal's ears, and Li You completed the steal face to face near the three-point line!

When O'Neal turned his head, he happened to see Brian Xiao staggering to the ground. Li You cut in from the right wing, unguarded, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and succeeded in a gliding dunk!

"Wow!"

The fans in the front row were so happy that they all stood up and kept applauding.

O'Neal was so angry that he cursed twice and immediately loudly ordered Kobe to return to the half court to catch the ball.

Phil Jackson also immediately waved to Fisher on the bench. The veteran was unreliable.
At 74:78, the point difference returned to 4 points.

The Lakers' offensive rhythm was suppressed again. The ball was served from the baseline. Brian Shaw took two dribbles and passed the ball to Kobe. The latter received the ball, but could not pass the half and threw the ball to Fox on the left wing.

O'Neal got stuck in the left block early. After receiving the pass, Fox was first pressed by Artest. The moment he sent the lob pass, Artest followed the ball and chased O'Neal. .

O'Neal, who had just received the ball, put the ball down. As a result, Artest stepped forward and hugged him. Before he could react, Ben Wallace also pounced on him.

When the two were surrounded, O'Neal felt that there were arms in front of him, and the basketball was dragged away by Artest. In anger, O'Neal immediately fouled.

Artest, who was knocked to the floor, jumped up. Before O'Neal could react, Ben Wallace and Artest rushed up, and the three of them hugged the referee.
The referee who was caught in the middle blew his whistle repeatedly, and everyone gathered around, quickly separating the three.

"It's really an excellent defense. It seems that the Knicks have summed up the experience of guarding O'Neal's catch."

The court was lively, and Marv Albert also began to praise the defensive performance in the commentary box. Doug Collins shook his head, looking a little disappointed:
"The passing intention is too obvious. O'Neal's physical fitness declined in the fourth quarter. Once he fails to reach a deeper position, he will encounter this kind of dilemma later."

Jeff Van Gundy was a little dissatisfied with the referee's decision. He chased the linesman on the sidelines and complained loudly:

“We finished the steal and got a flagrant foul!”

The referee just gave O'Neal a common foul and then signaled the game to continue.

"Shh!"

The New York fans at the scene were also a little dissatisfied. They didn't see the excitement and didn't take advantage of it. They booed loudly for a while.

Kobe was a little anxious and could only tell his teammates to retreat quickly. The panting O'Neal returned to the half court and saw Ben Wallace standing at the right elbow again, his face getting darker.

"Let's go Knicks!."

Alan Houston took a baseline kick, and Li You, who caught the ball, immediately accelerated and sprinted with the ball in his right hand.

Noticing Brian Shaw chasing up, approaching the midline, he immediately returned the ball to Alan Houston.

With the cooperation of the two, they quickly passed the half court and came to the left wing. Alan Houston quickly returned the ball to Li You, and then accelerated to the left corner.

In the left elbow area, Lewis raised the screen and set up a high pick-and-roll. Li You, who was holding the ball in his right hand, first dribbled the ball behind his back. Faced with Horry, who was defending against the attack, he switched to his left hand and immediately circled the ball with his crotch.

Lewis, who was on a fake screen, took this opportunity to quickly move to the top of the arc. Li You squeezed between the two, grabbed the ball with his right hand and went straight to the basket.

As soon as he broke through into the paint, O'Neal also slid to help defend. Li You, who had grabbed the position, rushed to the paint and jumped right in front of the basket.

With the three people surrounded, there was no physical collision. Li You in the air quickly pulled the rod from top to bottom. The moment the body collided, he threw the ball towards the top of the arc.

After landing, all four of Li You fell to the floor. Lewis, who caught the ball at the top of the arc, aimed at the basket and made a steady jump shot!
"Shua!" The three-pointer hit the net hollowly!

After hitting his second three-pointer in the game, Lewis raised his hands excitedly, then followed the crowd and ran to the basket, pulling up Li You together.

At 74:81, Phil Jackson immediately requested a timeout. The championship coach was so angry that he secretly slapped his thigh. At the critical moment, there is always someone in the Knicks who can hit such a fatal shot.
Jeff Van Gundy was giving away chicken soup at this time, and he seemed particularly excited. He could still win in the iron:
"Hold on, they can't run anymore, victory is right in front of them!"

The tactical board had long been thrown aside, and the bald young commander kept shouting at the top of his lungs.

In Madison Square Garden, the noise is getting louder and louder. Victory is close at hand. Winning two home games is a guarantee of the series.

"Defense!."

The defensive shouts rang out again. After Fisher caught the ball, he immediately gave the ball to Kobe who was receiving the ball.

In order to avoid O'Neal's free throw, the Sharks were forced to raise the pick-and-roll in the first round after the timeout.

The quality of the cover was average, which prevented Kobe, who switched to his left hand, from getting rid of the pursuing Alan Houston in time.

First, there was a slight pause at the three-point line, and then Kobe suddenly lowered his center of gravity, against the defense, and forced a breakthrough to the left block.

Alan Houston blocked the breakthrough, and Kobe, holding the ball in his left hand, immediately pulled the ball back and shook it.

Taking advantage of Alan Houston sliding to the left, Kobe quickly turned around, lowered his center of gravity again, and suddenly found Li You in front of him.

Amid the cheers of the fans, Li You in the left corner suddenly started. Taking advantage of Kobe's brief stop, he rushed forward and cut the ball hard.

"Crack! Ah!"

The moment the basketball was cut away, Kobe screamed on the spot, trying to attract the referee's attention.

He didn't hear the whistle, and when he turned his head again, Li You had already passed the half court, and he rushed faster and faster after grabbing the ball with his right hand.

It was 1 versus 0 in the frontcourt. With no one on guard, Li Yousan strode forward and jumped into the air in the paint area. He grabbed the ball with his right hand and swung his arm for a dunk!

"Boom!" The windmill dunked successfully!

After completing the dunk, Li You laughed and made a gliding gesture, circled the baseline, and celebrated with high-fives from the audience in the front row.

"Wow!"

74:83, the score difference reached 9 points, Madison Square Garden went completely berserk.

Seeing that the point difference was about to reach double digits, everyone on the Lakers team couldn't hold back.

O'Neal kept yelling, trying his best to get in position, and signaled his teammates to lob the ball inside. However, the outside line fell around. Everyone in the Knicks swooped down, but they were unable to complete the pass immediately.

Fox ducked past Artest on the left flank, released the ball with his left hand and went straight inside. As soon as Ben Wallace moved, the latter sent a pass.

O'Neal caught the ball, and Ben Wallace, who turned around, immediately hugged and fouled. The referee blew the whistle and pointed to the free throw line.

Ben Wallace didn't care when he got his fourth foul. Instead, he beat his chest and roared.

Standing on the free throw line, O'Neal's face turned even darker. This was simply a repeat of the past. In the last game, the Lakers made free throws to chase points.

The first free throw missed the basket. The fans waving orange handkerchiefs behind the basketball stand cheered even more enthusiastically. The second free throw, which had been watched for a while, bounced twice on the rim, and finally went out.
"what!!"

Amidst the screams, Ben Wallace grabbed the rebound, Li You stepped forward to respond, and then everyone in the Knicks quickly rushed towards the opponent's half.

Fisher watched Li You push the ball and change its direction. He grabbed the ball with his left hand and shook off the defense before rushing forward. He didn't care about the number of fouls. He immediately stepped forward to pull and received his fifth foul.

Doug Collins did not expect the Lakers to make consecutive mistakes in the fourth quarter, so he could only comment on the game tactfully:
"Someone from the Lakers must step up and score. If O'Neal misses consecutive free throws, the Knicks will never waste such an opportunity!"

The groom Albert's voice became lighter and lighter, and he praised Li You's performance again:
"Lee always controls the tempo of the game. This is what a superstar can do!"

After taking the sideline ball and coming to the right wing, Li You caught the ball. The Knicks still maintained a "V" shape.

Kobe stayed close to him, noticed Lewis raising the screen again, and loudly reminded Horry to double-team.

After the fake screen, Lewis bounced out again. Kobe successfully squeezed through the screen, but Horry was hesitant. Li You leaned on Kobe and suddenly made a large in and out while traveling.

Swinging left and right, Horry was slightly stunned. The moment Li You pushed away Kobe, his right hand quickly circled the ball behind his back.

The basketball passed through the gap between the people. Li You leaned forward to grab the ball and penetrated directly into the basket in the blocking area.

Kobe almost hit Horry, and the two failed to form a circle. It was too late to pursue the defense.

O'Neal reacted fastest and went straight to the lower right side of the basket. After a jump step, Li You rose into the air.

The two collided in the air. Li You twisted around, turned 90 degrees and faced the basket. Under the tug of O'Neal, he threw the ball to the backboard with his right hand. At the same time, he did not forget to shout:
"My bowl!"

"squeak!"

The referee blew the whistle, and everyone on the scene exclaimed. The basketball hit the upper edge of the basket, and finally stumbled and fell into the basket.

"Wow!"

Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines had his head in his hands when he saw it, and then he raised his hands in excitement and shouted along with the fans.

Doug Collins was also dumbfounded. He subconsciously raised his voice and spoke quickly and praised loudly:
"Unbelievable! Lee actually sent the ball into the basket with his back to the basket! God, this is incredible!"

O'Neal, who was under the basket, was also completely confused. He made a foul with all his strength and almost missed Li You. At this time, he could only watch directly as the Knicks gathered around Li You to celebrate.

When Li You stood on the free throw line with a smile, the happy New York fans began to shout loudly:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

At 74:86, as Li You made a free throw, the point difference reached the largest 12 points in the game.

Phil Jackson folded his arms on the sidelines, did not choose to time out, and stopped shouting.

It was O'Neal who broke the deadlock for the Lakers. He caught the ball in one step inside the free throw line and succeeded in a long-distance throw, without giving the Knicks any chance to foul.

But this way of avoiding the attack made the fans even more excited. Everyone could see that the Shark seemed to be afraid of getting to the free throw line.

The two sides once again entered the stage of responding. As the game time was consumed, everyone on the Lakers became more and more anxious.

Kobe and Fisher rushed to the basket with the ball in hand. After standing on the free throw line, they looked back. Alan Houston and Artest also cut in continuously and responded with free throws.

Blacksmithing and free throws, except for Kobe's strong shot three-pointer, the outside shots of several others allowed the Knicks to seize the opportunity to counterattack and score.

With 1 minute and 13 seconds left in the game, Fisher delayed Li You's counterattack, fouled again, and left the field with six fouls.

Walking to the bench with his head lowered, Phil Jackson patted "Little Fish" on the shoulder and sighed secretly in his heart.

After Li You made two free throws, everyone in Madison Square Garden stood up and began to cheer for the upcoming victory.

At 90:100, Kobe, who still didn't give up, scored 2 quick points, and then sent Artest to a free throw under a crazy double-team.

The game time continued to run out, and everyone on the Lakers bench gradually became silent. After Horry missed a three-pointer, Li You picked up the rebound, and everyone stood there, waiting for the time to run out.

The final buzzer sounded, and the final score was fixed at 94:104. The Knicks defended their home court, and the series score reached 2:0.

Li You handed the ball to the referee with a smile. He noticed that O'Neal went straight to the tunnel without looking back, and couldn't help but feel better.

In the live NBC commentary box, seeing everyone celebrating wildly on the Knicks bench, Marv Albert also smiled and subconsciously sighed:

"Will Lee lead the Knicks to create a miracle? Four consecutive championships, seems to be beckoning to them!"

Doug Collins looked at the technical statistics and commented bluntly without being polite:

"The Lakers must solve the scoring problem in the fourth quarter. O'Neal should hand over the ball and let his teammates control the game more."

"This is not the strength the Lakers should have. Next, they must protect their home court!"

“OK”组合双双出场47分钟，科比23中11，三分线外3中1，罚球8中7，砍下30分6篮板6助攻1抢断3失误；

奥尼尔22中13，罚球14中5，拿到31分13篮板2助攻1盖帽4失误的数据。

The two scored more than half of the team's points and were both efficient, but the Lakers still lost.

For such a result, the coachman Albert in the commentary box was not very good at commenting. He could only add what he said about the scene:
"I believe that head coach Phil Jackson will adjust the game strategy in time when he returns to Los Angeles. The series has just begun!"

"."

出场44分钟，李佑27中14，三分线外10中4，罚球10中10，砍下42分6篮板8助攻3抢断1盖帽2失误。

Scored 40+ points in two consecutive games, which made the New York fans at the scene excited. They were unwilling to leave the field after the game. Many people were still shouting Li You's name.

NBC reporter Jim Gray watched the fans holding on to Li You. In desperation, he could only interview Ewing, who hugged everyone he met:
"Oh! We are only one win away from four consecutive championships!"

The gorilla held the microphone and started bragging wildly. Jim Gray on the side could only smile in return. He subconsciously looked up at the five championship flags above the arena and couldn't help but sigh in his heart:
"What an incredible achievement."

Since the game lasted for more than two hours, it was already close to midnight when I attended the post-match press conference.

O'Neal, who had lost two games in a row, had a dark face. As soon as he sat on the stage, an ESPN reporter took the lead and asked:
"Shaq, how would you evaluate your performance in the 4th quarter? We didn't see you taking on the responsibility of a leader!"

Kobe on the side still had a face when he heard this question. He didn't look at O'Neal and kept staring at the microphone.

"I failed to respond in time. Losing is indeed my problem!"

"After returning to Los Angeles, we will watch this game together. In three home games, the Lakers will work hard to get the match point."

No one blamed Kobe, and most of the issues were satisfactory. However, when a TNT reporter asked about the team's adjustments, Kobe said seriously:

"We need to believe in each other. Phil is right. In the following games, if necessary, I will take over the team in time!"

"As a team leader, this is what I should do!"

Many people chuckled when they heard this answer. As we all know, a team only has one boss!Kobe obviously has an opinion
When the two left, they did not communicate with each other. When Li You appeared at the press conference, everyone in the audience turned into a megaphone.

The reporter from the New York Times was not discussing tonight’s game, but asked jokingly:

"Lee, when we meet again in the finals, how would you evaluate O'Neal's performance? He seems to be afraid of free throws."

The reporters in Los Angeles stared angrily, and Li You, who was wearing a towel, just chuckled:
"No player is perfect, and I know Shaq did his best as a leader!"

"Maybe the Lakers can change their tactics. I admire Kobe very much. You know, we were all in Tim Grover's training camp and I know his potential!"

The New York media started cheering and laughing again, asking the MVP to help his younger brother. O'Neal couldn't let go of this face.

Li You laughed and talked about the scene, noticing that many reporters in Los Angeles had ugly faces, and he couldn't help but gloat:
“It’s really hard to be a leader!”

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(End of this chapter)