NBA: Miracle Workers
Chapter 259 Basketball IQ?
Chapter 259 Basketball IQ? (Ten thousand words chapter)
On May 2002, 5, there was no game that day, and ball commentators began to warm up for tomorrow night's Western Conference Finals.
Over the past few days, fewer and fewer commentators have discussed the Eastern Conference finals. The Nets' "beast" failed to tear apart the Knicks' inside line, and Kidd's performance as the team leader also failed.
In the TNT program, the trio frequently teased Kidd's performance:
"Jason Kidd was more of a role player in the Eastern Conference Finals."
Dribbling the ball past half court, he came to the wing and constantly adjusted his center of gravity. Seeing that his teammates failed to post up and get into position, he did not choose to shoot by himself when he was left open. In desperation, he stopped the ball and passed it out.
Such rounds often occur. If there is no comparison, Kidd's organization may be praised, but as long as he watches Li You play, Kidd's poor personal offense will be infinitely magnified.
No one talks about the luck control skills that were touted in the past. Everyone is waiting for you to respond explosively, but you are waiting for your teammates to take you off?
Although the Knicks play "soft" and don't have much contact with their low-post offensive muscles, the Nets' beastly tough guy basketball is really hard to watch. Everyone knows that Li You is about to reach the finals again.
The G1 game was 86:104, and the Nets collapsed in one quarter. The G2 game was simply a replica, at 87:102, the Knicks were still crushing it to the end.
On Thursday, TNT invited Jeff Van Gundy to the program again, and the bald young coach became an authority on basketball.
Since the Lakers lost G2, several people were discussing the situation in G3 of the Western Conference Finals tomorrow night.
Jeff Van Gundy's point of view was demonstrated again, and the program became more confident:
"The Lakers still need to solve the old problem, they have to hit those open shots."
"Their game is too fast. Facing the Kings' interior, they could have slowed down and used more screens to allow O'Neal to receive the ball in a deeper position."
"The two big men of the Kings performed very well. If they want to win the series, they should play more pick-and-rolls."
The bald young coach advocated that the Lakers slow down and suggested that the Kings pick and roll. All three people in the studio agreed, and Kenny Smith also gave his own opinion:
"Mike Bibby needs to play more aggressively. He should trust his shooting. O'Neal still shrinks to the basket when defending the pick-and-roll. This is definitely a good thing for the Kings."
Charles Barkley naturally also paid attention to this series. The big mouth once again said bluntly:
"The Kings also had problems defending the pick-and-roll. The game was not as intense as I expected. Both sides gave pitchers huge space."
"After watching the Eastern Conference finals, I am a little uninterested in watching this kind of rough basketball. When the defense is concentrated near the paint area, no one wants to solve the problem on the outside?"
"Worried about missing shots and wasting opportunities? Maybe these people should see how Lee plays."
What the loud-mouthed Barkley said was not a compliment to Li You.
In the G2 game, the Nets always insisted on zone defense, and Li You showed no mercy. He made 11 of 4 shots from beyond the three-point line. In the fourth quarter, the game was bang bang.
However, this situation often occurs in the regular season. Li You doesn't care about it at all. He will shoot jumpers or force three-pointers in isolation. As long as the opportunity arises, he will just throw it!
Hearing Barkley tease the Knicks' offense, Ernie Johnson happened to take over the topic with a smile:
"Whether everyone likes Lee's offensive choices or not, the Knicks have played nine playoff games, and in only two games Lee's shooting percentage from beyond the three-point line was less than 9%."
"Compared to most backcourts in the league, Lee performed at a monster level again in the playoffs. Maybe we should accept this kind of basketball. Not everyone likes to use low-post offense to solve problems."
The on-site director also showed Li You's current statistics in 9 playoff games:
场均出场37.2分钟，场均拿到34.4分4.6篮板8.7助攻2.6抢断2.6失误；
The shooting percentage was 55.5%, the three-point shooting percentage was 45.7%, and the free throw percentage was 93.7%.
Compared with the data of the regular season, the current average of 8.7 shots from beyond the three-point line per game has basically not changed. Although the ball commentators have said a lot, Li You still throws it correctly!
There are still many outrageous statistics. In 9 games, Li You did not have a single post-up, and there were very few mid-range jumpers near the free throw line.
The most shots are from 0 to 3 feet under the basket and from 3 to 10 feet near the basket, and the rest are all concentrated outside the three-point line.
Fast-break layups, breakthrough finishes, and long-range three-point shots, ESPN's data experts praised Li You's offensive choices, but TNT wants to follow suit and has been questioning it repeatedly recently.
In the small data sample of this season's playoffs, all the backcourts in the league were made to look like idiots by Li You.
The swingman was still struggling in the low post. Li You covered the ball and took the shot.
Jeff Van Gundy's eyes twitched slightly when he saw this data. Even if he didn't like the Knicks' extreme tactics, he had to admit that in terms of Excel, Li You was indeed far ahead.
"That's what's so special about Lee, or rather, how talented he is."
"No one can imitate his tactical play. You need to have a higher understanding of the game, and at the same time, you have to take into account both with and without the ball."
"The Knicks are still special, but other teams don't have Lee. If they want to pursue the championship, they should adhere to basketball principles."
As soon as Jeff Van Gundy finished speaking, the other three nodded, and Kenny Smith smiled and said "IF":
"If the Kings had a guard like Lee, maybe they could dominate the Western Conference, too."
Charles Barkley smiled and shook his head, joking meaningfully:
"If Lee was with the Kings, Chris Webber and Divac would have been traded long ago!"
"."
The Nets were ignored and no one believed they could win.
G2的比赛基德18中7，三分线外7中2，砍下23分9篮板8助攻2抢断6失误的准三双数据。
After Kidd became the team's main attacker, his shooting percentage was less than [-]% and his turnovers began to increase.
李佑表现一般，23中11，拿到32分4篮板10助攻2抢断3失误的两双数据。
Comparing the two, the gap is visible to the naked eye. In the eyes of the New York media, if the hit rate is less than [-]%, Li You's performance is mediocre and not worth bragging about.
On the night of the 24th, in G3 of the Western Conference Finals, after returning to Staples Arena, the Lakers suddenly stretched their hips in the first quarter of the game.
At 32:15, with O'Neal and Kobe working hard, the Kings were full of momentum and won the game right from the start.
Although the Lakers fought back at the last moment, they still had no choice but to lose.
At 103:90, the Kings regained the initiative.
After the game, head coach Phil Jackson took the initiative to take the blame, but also expressed dissatisfaction with the scale of the whistleblowing in this game:
"I didn't like the calls on some of the possessions tonight. We were playing at Staples Center, which is the home court of the Lakers, but I didn't feel like there was a home court advantage."
"The opponent took too many free throws and we shouldn't lose like this."
Such complaints did attract some attention, and for a while, football commentators began to discuss the follow-up direction of the series.
On Saturday the 25th, New York fans flocked to New Jersey. The tickets were cheap and the distance was so close. Fans who were reluctant to spend money to watch the game at home also burst out with great enthusiasm.
It takes 40 minutes to drive from Manhattan to East Rutherford. That night, a large number of New York fans gathered outside the Continental Arena.
Kidd and the Nets had already had a bad premonition after returning home.
During the early warm-up, everyone looked ugly as they watched a large number of spectators wearing the Knicks' away No. 1 jersey pour into the arena:
"Four consecutive away games?"
Continental Airlines Arena was selected as the No. [-] comprehensive stadium in North America a few years ago. Although the attendance rate is low, the facilities of the arena have always been very good.
With 40 minutes left before the game, Li You wore Knicks training clothes and strolled around the arena to warm up.
Coming to New Jersey to play is actually no different from New York. When the Nets were still weak, many New Jersey fans were Knicks fans.
As the arena filled up, the atmosphere became more and more lively. Li You occasionally completed a dunk. In addition to the surrounding sports reporters starting to click their shutters, the fans also continued to scream.
On the other side, Kidd's face turned dark. Although the fans turned against him during the regular season, he did not expect that entering the Eastern Conference finals, the atmosphere would remain the same.
What makes Kidd even more uncomfortable is that the Nets cheerleaders also like to circle around Li You.
Although there is a clear rule that cheerleaders do not allow players to fall in love, but seeing Hope Dolac, a cheerleader with a good face and a hot body, strolling on the baseline more than 10 times, Kidd became even more furious.
This girl had flirted with him before, but every time Li You came to the away game, the other party would throw him aside:
"This brother can't do this!"
NBC interviewed Grant Hill before the game, who performed well in the first two games.
Entering the best team this season also caused a lot of controversy.
Jim Gray is one of the reporters who knows the Knicks best. Seeing everyone's warm-up state before the game, you know that everyone is completely relaxed for tonight's game:
"Hill, this is the second time in your career that you will be playing in the Eastern Conference Finals. What are your expectations for the series?"
Grant Hill, who was holding a basketball, looked very humble when being interviewed:
“It’s great to be in the conference finals and contribute to the team.”
"The Nets are a strong opponent and their defensive focus is very good, but for tonight's game, the Knicks will go all out."
"Our opponents will rebound strongly when we return to home, but we all want to get the match point early!"
Jim Gray didn't know what to say when he heard these overly modest words.
Kidders was physically crushed on the defensive end. On the offensive end, he could only steal chickens and jump shots. His finishing at the basket was extremely stretched.
The Nets did show a good defensive strategy, but the Knicks' forwards still rushed inside
With a smile on his face, Jim Gray patted Grant Hill beside him and finally sent his blessing:
"Come on, Hill! It's great to see you back on top!"
The voting for the best team also had some sympathy points. After all, before the injury, Grant Hill had only been selected to the best team once.
Just as everyone likes to see kidney fighter Mourning appear in the All-Star game, Hill, who returned to the top after a serious injury, has also become an inspirational model.
Before the game started, Kurt Thomas smiled disdainfully as he watched Kenyon Martin, who was interacting with the fans and beating his chest.
After two games, the Knicks team completely figured out the offensive methods of this "beast".
Leaving the basket, he stretches his hips within 3 to 10 feet, has strong defensive agility, is as fierce as a tiger in fast breaks, and his chest-thumping roar is extremely contagious.
G1 still kept man-to-man coverage, and the Knicks also followed the zone defense. Several people in the paint blocked the "beast" from hitting the basket.
In the G2 game, Martin made 15 of 6, 12 of 10 free throws, and scored 22 points. However, after this game, even the big man Wright on the bench figured out his defensive skills.
When the two sides came to the center circle to jump the ball, Li You continued to move his body, and soon the arena filled with cheers for the Knicks:
"Let's go Knicks!."
The faces of everyone on the Nets turned dark. Playing at such a home court, they just felt aggrieved and uncomfortable.
After the game officially started, with the blessing of Angry Buff, Kidd suddenly found the touch for a pull-up jump shot.
From the elbow area on the right side of the free throw line, all mid-range jump shots after several pick-and-rolls were hit.
Kidders also performed bravely and responded with two long points that were left open.
Continuous and efficient offense in the backcourt also allowed the Nets' scoring to rise rapidly.
Van Horn also stopped using his height advantage to perform post-up singles, and honestly rushed for rebounds, trying to delay the Knicks' transition attack.
With 1 minutes and 4 seconds left in the first quarter, head coach Scott took the initiative to make a substitution and brought on Richard Jefferson, replacing Van Horn.
Amid the vigorous shouts of the DJ at the scene, Kidd caught the ball from the bottom line and tried to speed up to cross the half court.
Noticing that the Knicks' defense had switched to man-to-man coverage, the Nets ran another roll-up tactic.
Near the baseline on the right, Jefferson, who had just appeared, started quickly. With the help of Martin's cover at the right elbow, he successfully caught the ball close to the free throw line.
After completing the screen, Martin immediately bounced out to the right block. Kurt Thomas did not change defense and followed the opponent.
Artest, who quickly pursued the defense, did not expect Jefferson to take such a decisive shot. The latter almost caught the ball and threw it!
"Brush!" The mid-range jumper was hit.
Artest stepped off the line and went around the screen. He immediately raised his hand to indicate that his defensive prediction was wrong.
At 14:16, the Nets took the lead again in this game.
Kidd kept high-fiving and loudly encouraging his teammates. Li You, who received the baseline ball, was not blocked. The Nets still set up a zone defense position.
The difference is that Martin switched to Gasol's side, and big man McCloch guarded Kurt Thomas.
In the first few rounds after the opening, Martin performed very well in the pick-and-roll with his excellent lateral speed.
Kidd was giving physical confrontation while looking at the movements behind him.
He noticed that Li You gave the ball to Grant Hill on the left wing, and then used the upward screen of Gasol to go straight to the basket. While Kidd was pursuing the defense, he loudly ordered his teammates to concentrate.
There were only two Knicks players on Grant Hill's side after receiving the ball. Li You, who ran to the right corner, also directed Kurt Thomas to bounce the ball along the waistline of the three-second zone.
Although big man McCloch moved with him, he ended up stopping inside the three-point line.
Grant Hill sent a cross pass, and Artest, who was close to the right sideline, moved in the direction of Li You, then suddenly accelerated laterally and quickly ran to the left corner on the other side.
Jefferson, who was chasing after him, almost lost his defensive position, and big man McCulloch was also attracted to the attention. Kidd yelled and hurriedly followed Li You to move up the line.
On the left wing, Li You took the pass from Kurt Thomas and got rid of the defense outside the three-point line. He paused slightly with the ball in his left hand and quickly looked up at the frame.
The big man McCulloch, who was still squatting inside the three-point line, subconsciously jumped up. Li You lowered his center of gravity and accelerated again.
Before Kidd had time to remind his teammates of their defense, Li You had already squeezed past McCulloch who was moving laterally, holding the ball with his left hand and going straight to the basket.
Martin followed Gasol and stood near the baseline on the left. The moment his teammate lost position, he immediately moved quickly toward the bottom of the basket.
Just as he was preparing to defend, Martin saw Li You throwing the ball to the upper left side of the basket.
The unguarded Gasol jumped up to grab the ball, and then pressed the ball into the basket with both hands!
"Wow!"
The cheers in the arena were particularly harsh. The Knicks once again played wonderful cooperation, but Kidd was so angry at his teammates' defensive choices that he cursed.
In the commentary box, watching Li You retreating from defense and high-fiving his teammates in celebration, Mike Fratello once again said with emotion:
"Continuous pick-and-roll, this tactic is used by every team, but the effect is not as good as the Knicks."
"Grant Hill did not choose to play singles. After moving the ball, Lee took advantage of McCloch's defensive weakness to complete the attack."
"Several people on the court are well aware of the Nets' weaknesses, and it is difficult for Coach Scott to replace McCloch. They need height to protect rebounds."
Marv Albert saw that the Knicks had not changed their defensive strategy and let go of Kidders, who bounced to the left wing. He wanted to say a few words, but when he saw the shot, he immediately exclaimed:
“This is a great opportunity for the Knicks!”
The long rebound was picked up by Li You near the free throw line. Kidd did not rush to grab it, but immediately retreated to establish a defensive position.
Everyone in the Nets quickly returned to defense and responded to each other to complete the defensive matchup.
Li You, who accelerated through half court, ultimately failed to seize the opportunity to switch offense. Seeing Kidd quickly approaching the defense, he simply lowered his center of gravity, dribbled under his crotch and switched to his right hand before accelerating the breakthrough.
Making a successful defensive prediction, Kidd, who slid to the left, immediately blocked Li You's breakthrough route.
The two collided, Kidd leaned back slightly, and Li You turned around, blasted the ball on the spot, scooped up the ball with his left hand, and accelerated towards the left wing.
Re-adjusting his body's center of gravity, Kidd hurriedly slid back to the right.
Close to the three-point line, Li You quickly dribbled the ball behind his back and immediately stopped after switching to his right hand.
Kidd wanted to continue to defend. Li You slightly raised his center of gravity and quickly moved in and out with his right hand.
His body swayed forward to the left and his feet exerted force. Li You took advantage of the situation and took a large step laterally. He immediately joined the ball near the top of the arc and quickly shot a jump shot from outside the three-point line!
"Shua!" The three-pointer hit the net hollowly.
At 19:16, the Knicks also regained the lead.
Everyone on the Nets looked at each other as the basketball went into the basket. Everyone kept shouting and reminding each other that the boss was still working hard on defense, and in the blink of an eye the opponent threw in a three-pointer.
Kidd was already a little numb and felt tired at the same time.
On the defensive end, he had to guard Li You, and he had to always remind his teammates about their movements. If he accidentally made a defensive mistake, Li You could throw in unreasonable shots.
Kidd, who caught the ball again, stopped shouting loudly and tried to adjust his mentality, but he was still a little frustrated.
Especially when watching his teammates being left open on the offensive end and continuing to pass, Kidd's mood fluctuated. He caught the ball on the left wing and immediately took a jump shot!
"state!"
The three-pointer was hit again, and the long rebound bounced into Artest's hands, and cheers rang out in the arena.
Accelerating along the left sideline, Artest shook off Van Horn and quickly passed the ball to Grant Hill on the left wing without waiting to cross the center line.
The latter caught the ball, released the ball with his left hand and dribbled with his crotch. He switched to his right hand and immediately lowered his shoulders and accelerated. Grant Hill increased his stride and rushed into the paint area with two big strides against Kidders' backhand.
Actively returning to defense to defend Kenyon Martin, he immediately jumped to block the shot. When he got into the air, he saw the basketball flying behind him. Artest followed up and dunked with both hands!
In a 3-on-3 frontcourt, Li You stopped on the right wing, smiling and clapping his hands. Kidd watched Van Horn give up halfway through the defense, turned around and signaled the team to request a timeout. Coach Scott also noticed something was wrong with Kidd's mood.
As the core defender on the court, he must remain calm at all times, but the atmosphere at home, ineffective communication on the defensive end, and sudden misalignment on the offensive end made Kidd's mentality explode and he was a little unable to withstand it.
At 21:16, the point difference was not big, but the Nets fans lost their mood.
In the last few minutes of the first quarter, only Kenyon Martin made a sudden shot from the top of the arc and hit a three-pointer, which excited the Nets fans.
But the Knicks were not affected at all. Big man Knight, who came off the bench, continued to guard the basket. As long as Kenyon Martin rushed in after picking and rolling, everyone would swarm forward.
Fortunately, Jefferson became the team's key player, hitting consecutive mid-range jumpers at the last moment to help the Nets stabilize the score.
At 30:28, Coach Scott on the sidelines breathed a sigh of relief. As the players walked to the bench, he held the tactical board and kept shouting loudly.
For the Knicks, head coach Thibodeau didn’t make too many demands:
"Keep this kind of defense, be patient, we need to be patient, the opponent's missed shot is our opportunity!"
7 of 4 and 8 points were scored. Li You noticed Kidd's statistics and did not want to change his defensive strategy.
Taking advantage of the rotating lineup, Li You also stood up and warned:
"Don't worry about the opponent's shots, give them physical confrontation, and they will give the ball to us soon!"
Kidd had no intention of taking a rest, but after the game started, he heard Li You shouting from the sidelines, and his heart surged with anger:
"Sliding, establishing a defensive position in advance, he can't make a shot!"
The little Knight was at a disadvantage on the defensive end. Facing Kidd's post-up play, he could only try to block the opponent's offensive line.
Although the two rounds were successful, Kidd found that the Knicks' defense had shrunk even further.
Lucios Harris, who came on the bench, suddenly broke out at this time and was left open outside the three-point line. He hit two consecutive three-pointers and successfully helped the team take the lead!
The good times did not last long. The Nets began to lose rebounds. Grant Hill missed a breakthrough throw. The big man Wright picked a melon behind his head and grabbed an offensive rebound over Aaron Williams.
Then Wright hit it high and successfully put the ball into the basket.
The Knicks, who put on two big men, began to rush for offensive rebounds. For a while, the Nets' transition offense disappeared again.
Several rounds were fought under the basket. Kidd wanted to take the opportunity to expand the point difference, but soon the Knicks took the lead again.
The rotation lineup was also full of energy. In contrast, the Nets, who played at home, lacked energy and failed to show a winning mentality.
With 7 minutes and 22 seconds left in the half, Li You returned to the court, and Kidd was too depressed to speak.
In the first offensive round after coming on the court, the Knicks still played their old routine.
Grant Hill held the ball in his left hand and dribbled across the half court and then moved to the left wing, taking his time to observe the opponent's position.
Gasol quickly moved up to the top of the arc. At the same time, Artest on the wing immediately bumped into Lucio Sharis. After a physical confrontation, he immediately used Gasol's screen to cut to the basket. .
Van Horn accelerated to follow the defense, denying Artest a chance to cut to the basket and score.
On the other side, Li You accelerated in the right corner and quickly ran to the top of the arc with the help of big man Knight's screen.
The moment he caught the ball, Gasol moved up and made a high pick-and-roll at the top of the arc. Li You released the ball with his left hand. Facing Kenyon Martin, who was switching defense, he suddenly lowered his center of gravity and accelerated the breakthrough.
The moment he reached the three-point line, Li You immediately exerted force on his feet, took a large step back, faced the block, and quickly shot a jump shot!
"Shua!" The three-pointer hit the net hollowly.
Kenyon Martin helplessly spread his hands to Kidd, looked at Li You who was retreating, and couldn't help but murmured in a low voice when he served from the baseline:
"I almost hit him in the face! Damn it! He just can make it!"
The two screeners were completely gone. When Kidd heard the complaints from his teammates, he stopped saying anything, but his face became even more ugly.
Lucious Harris, who was feeling hot, also responded. After a quick cross-cut from the line, the left wing released the ball with his left hand and broke through. Facing Hill's block, he succeeded in a long two-point jumper.
Soon the two sides were in a stalemate again, using the same tactics. Li You hit a three-pointer and switched offense. Kenyon Martin hit the basket and missed.
When he got a fast break opportunity, Artest drove to the basket from the right wing and hit the ball with a shot;
The Knicks retreated quickly. In the first quarter, Jefferson, who was feeling hot, accelerated from the right wing and cut into the basket. Gasol helped block the shot.
The two sides played lively and the fans continued to cheer until the Knicks launched another transition attack. Grant Hill quickly hit the ball after receiving a long rebound.
After receiving the ball, Li You released the ball with his right hand, approaching the right wing, and suddenly changed direction quickly with his hips. The moment he switched to his left hand, he immediately dropped his shoulders and accelerated.
After Kidd adjusted his center of gravity, he kept sliding back to the right. The two bodies collided. Li You did not slow down. Instead, he slapped the opponent's arm with his ball protector and suddenly accelerated into the paint area again.
Holding the ball with one hand in his left hand, he noticed that Kidd started to pull, so he took the initiative to lean towards the opponent, and the two bodies collided again.
Kidd leaned back involuntarily, and Li You, who took three big steps, finally tilted his body and completed a throw with his left hand right in front of the basket!
"squeak!"
When the referee blew the whistle, the basketball drew an arc and fell into the basket.
"YES! And the foul!"
The tough layup also made Marv Albert shout excitedly in the commentary box.
Kidd, who was hit twice, watched Li You walk to the free throw line. He couldn't hold back at all. He turned around and complained loudly to the bottom line referee:
"This is an offensive foul! You saw it! This is not the NFL!"
The referee naturally ignored such complaints. Mike Fratello saw such a situation in the commentary box and immediately joked:
"This is the home court of the Knicks. The fans love this kind of offense. Listen to the cheers!"
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
When Li You made a free throw, shouts resounded throughout the arena. Coach Scott next to him had a dark face. In the Eastern Conference finals, the fans turned against him.
In the final period of the first half, the two sides were slugging it out. Kidd stopped pressing the tempo and turned to man-to-man defense on the defensive end, completely letting himself go.
Beast power forward Kenyon Martin also contributed two wonderful dunks in the transition attack, but at the end of the half, the Nets had mixed emotions.
58:52, the point difference was widened again
When the third quarter started, the familiar scene appeared again.
Kidd and Kidders, who scored efficiently in the first half, suddenly lost their accuracy.
Nets fans could only watch as the Knicks continued to play transition offense.
Kidd hit a three-point jumper from the top of the arc, and Grant Hill rushed across the half court to the left wing and once again drove to the basket.
Kidders, who retreated from defense, could only follow the slide and came to the lower left side of the basket and tried to jump up to block the shot. Kenyon Martin, who was chasing after him, also jumped up high.
The opponent flew away at the first moment, and Grant Hill passed the ball to Gasol who was following behind. The latter caught the ball and dunked with both hands.
Kidders, who missed consecutive shots, broke through from the right wing and faced Grant Hill's block. His layup was so crooked that it went directly over the basket.
Kenyon Martin was still trying to get a position under the basket, but found that the basketball fell directly into Gasol's arms.
Gasol collected the rebound on the lower left side of the basket, twisted around, raised his long arm, and threw the ball directly forward.
Kidd fought hard to catch up and took advantage of Li You to get the ball with his right hand and establish a defensive position in advance.
Approaching the right wing, Li You quickly changed direction with his hips, lowered his center of gravity and pretended to accelerate a breakthrough, and then took advantage of the trend to cross-step and pull back.
Kidd, who lost his defensive position, saw Li You joining the ball and jumped directly to defend. He flew into the air and saw that Li You didn't take off. He tried to curl up, but it had no effect.
Hanging on defense, Li You casually threw the ball to the basket, and the linesman on the side immediately blew the whistle:
"squeak!"
After the basketball hit the board, it bounced twice on the rim and finally hit the basket. For a moment, everyone in the gymnasium sighed with regret.
"Oh"
Watching Li You walk to the free throw line again, Kidd put his hands on his hips and said nothing.
Standing on the free throw line, he noticed that Kidd was still staring. After Li You took the basketball, he turned around and joked:
"Bro! You have to believe in yourself and keep taking action!"
4 for 0, the offense suddenly misfired, the nightmare reappeared, Kidd held his breath and did not give any response.
Seeing that the point difference was getting wider and wider, in desperation, Aaron Williams, who came on the bench, kept attacking the basket.
Relying on some lame low singles and free throws, he helped the Nets score points.
With no assists, no points, and a few rounds, Kidd handed over the ball after halftime, and then watched the Knicks "encircle and suppress" Aaron Williams.
Nets fans were completely disappointed, no one was cheering for the home team anymore.
Coach Scott's timeout had no effect. With the help of thick chicken soup, Kidders continued to play.
Van Horn was so entangled by Artest that he didn't want to catch the ball. At the end of the third quarter, the Knicks fans at the scene began to celebrate the victory.
28:16 in a single quarter, 86:68 after three quarters, and the game will enter garbage time again in the fourth quarter.
The Knicks were playing blindly, and their opponent actually collapsed. Mike Fratello didn't want to comment on the game. There was no technical content in the third quarter:
"Kidd should have controlled the rhythm of the offense. Even if he missed the shot, he should not have completed the offense quickly after halftime."
"The Knicks always score easily on the counterattack, and when Lee doesn't have to face zone defenses or double teams, the game will naturally be easier."
The Knicks are about to get the match point, and Marv Albert is in a particularly beautiful mood:
"How should the Nets adjust in the next game? If they lose G3, it will be very difficult to reverse the series."
Mike Fratello glanced at his partner, no longer caring about the feelings of Nets fans, but said seriously:
"No chance! The Nets have performed very well this season, but they are still far behind the championship team."
"Compared to Lee's performance, Kidd needs to improve his offensive capabilities."
"In the playoffs, responding to the ball is very important. Unfortunately, in three games, Kidd failed to show his ability to respond to the ball."
In the last quarter of the game, the Nets failed to catch up. Instead, they continued their shooting touch in the third quarter and continued to hit the ground running.
Perhaps due to too much physical confrontation, Kidders' shooting percentage dropped sharply in the second half.
The Knicks, who were leading by a big score, did not throw blindly from outside the three-point line. They tried their best to hit the ball inside and kept scoring in the paint area.
Gasol, who had been hit hard by the Nets inside, found his shooting touch at this time.
A mid-range jumper after the pick-and-roll, a low-post pass on the right side and a throw to the line with the opponent's left hand, and a pull-up jumper after a test step in the left block.
For a time, the little Knight sent out assists continuously, and Gasol's statistics also increased rapidly.
There were no boos at the Continental Arena at this time. The New York fans watching the away game were particularly happy and did not forget to cheer for the home team at the last moment.
With 3 minutes and 43 seconds left in the game, head coach Scott began to replace the main lineup. Kidd still did not take a break and persisted until the end of the game.
At 108:90, the game ended. The Knicks easily defeated the Nets, with the big score reaching 3:0.
Li You only played less than 3 minutes in the fourth quarter. His opponent failed to mount a decent counterattack, and in the end he had no choice but to take advantage of the situation.
出场34分钟，18中10，三分线外7中4，罚球8中8，32分4篮板8助攻1抢断2失误。
I thought the Nets would break out in a life-or-death battle, but it turned out to be a drag on.
After the game, NBC reporter Jim Gray looked at the dejected Nets and could only sigh in his heart. When he came to Li You's side, he showed a smile and asked:
"Lee, congratulations to the Knicks for getting the match point. You are only one win away from reaching the Finals again."
"In a 6-year career, I entered the finals 5 times. This is really an amazing achievement! Can you tell me your secret to winning?"
Li You, who basically had no success in this game, didn't even break a sweat. When he heard the question, he just smiled and answered casually:
"I just want to thank my teammates and coaching staff. Victory is inseparable from their support!"
"Of course I also want to thank my opponents. Every time we play against each other, I benefit a lot."
"Taking every game seriously is my secret to winning. Of course, the support of the fans is also important. I like the atmosphere tonight. It makes me have the illusion of playing in New York!"
"."
Every time Li You thanked his opponent, Jim Gray would have a strange emotion in his heart. He always felt that he was mocking the opponent for being a weakling.
The two exchanged business blows, and Kidd, who was walking towards the tunnel on the other side, was angry again. A large number of New York fans appeared on both sides of the tunnel:
"Man! Don't lose in the game the night after tomorrow!"
"Hey! You weakling! Stop losing so much!"
There were obviously a lot of gambling dogs among the fans. After being greeted loudly, Kidd's face turned even darker. In the end, he simply raised his middle finger and walked quickly to the locker room.
G3 of the Eastern Conference Finals did not attract much attention from ball commentators. The Nets also tended to be a fast-break team during the regular season and lacked dominance in the low post. Naturally, no one is optimistic about this kind of team.
No one is discussing Kidd's performance anymore. Players who are destined to be eliminated are naturally not worthy of attention.
On May 5, the G26 game between the Kings and Lakers attracted a lot of attention!
This game was much more interesting than the Eastern Conference Finals. At the end of the first quarter, at 40:20, the Kings already led by 20 points.
In the subsequent games, the Lakers gradually tied the point difference, and Robert Horry hit a three-pointer at the last moment before the end!
99:100, the Lakers struggled to protect their home court.
After the game, both head coaches were very dissatisfied with tonight's penalty.
Of course, fans love to see such a game, and the magical three-pointer at the last moment was repeatedly broadcast by ESPN.
On the evening of the 27th, at the Continental Airlines Arena, G4 of the Eastern Conference Finals went on as planned.
There have been no commentators discussing this series in the past two days. Everyone is busy participating in the fierce battle between the Kings and the Lakers.
Only the New York media continued to trumpet the Knicks' dominance as always, and fans continued to support away games by buying tickets to watch the game.
Compared with the first three games, the G4 Nets collapsed a little earlier.
With only 2 points scored in the second quarter, the score was fixed at 17:54 at the end of the half.
In the arena, except for the Knicks fans who were celebrating happily, most Nets fans were emotionless.
In the third quarter, the game still failed to rebound strongly. In the end, even the two people in the NBC commentary box chatted about gossip:
"This season the Kings double-killed the Knicks. After O'Neal returned, when the two teams played against each other, the Lakers also won."
As soon as Groom Albert finished speaking, Mike Fratello also added:
"Compared with the Eastern Conference, there are more outstanding big men in the Western Conference. Gasol is too young. Don't forget that this is his first season."
The Knicks' defense didn't have many problems when encountering Kenyon Martin who likes to rush to the basket. However, when encountering the Kings' Twin Towers or the Lakers' super center, the new Gasol couldn't stand it.
After the two teams replaced their substitutes in the second half of the fourth quarter, the two people in the commentary box became more and more excited. In the end, they even discussed how many points Li You would score in the finals.
In the end, 104:90, a big score of 4:0, the Knicks swept their opponents and reached the finals again.
The Continental Airlines Center Arena was filled with jubilation. Li You, who had changed into training clothes early, raised his hands high after the game and kept high-fiving to pay tribute to the fans who came to support the away game.
This time the Knicks don't have to worry about being booed when presenting awards on the road.
基德今晚也尽力了，15中6，砍下19分9篮板9助攻1抢断4失误的准三双数据。
After the game, everyone on the Nets hugged Li You listlessly.
Kidd didn't even want to say a word. When he saw Artest shirtless and shouting in celebration on the sidelines, he even wanted to go up and punch the opponent twice.
Li You could naturally tell that his brother was in a bad mood, and finally patted him on the shoulder and sent his blessing:
"There will always be failure before success. The Nets performed very well this season. We all remember that U-turn!"
"Looking forward to our next meeting, Bro! Remember to practice shooting during the offseason."
Listening to Li You's sincere blessing, Kidd could only twitch his lips, thank him in a low voice, and then walked towards the player tunnel without looking back.
On the other side, Grant Hill happily hugged everyone he met, grabbed Kidd, and started whispering again.
Seeing such a scene, Li You touched his chin, always feeling that he had lost another brother. Then an idea occurred to him, and the talent panel quickly gave feedback:
[Jason Kidd’s extraordinary passing IQ]
"?"
Thank you book friends for your subscription support (﹃)
QAQ went home a little late, will update on time~
(End of this chapter)
On May 2002, 5, there was no game that day, and ball commentators began to warm up for tomorrow night's Western Conference Finals.
Over the past few days, fewer and fewer commentators have discussed the Eastern Conference finals. The Nets' "beast" failed to tear apart the Knicks' inside line, and Kidd's performance as the team leader also failed.
In the TNT program, the trio frequently teased Kidd's performance:
"Jason Kidd was more of a role player in the Eastern Conference Finals."
Dribbling the ball past half court, he came to the wing and constantly adjusted his center of gravity. Seeing that his teammates failed to post up and get into position, he did not choose to shoot by himself when he was left open. In desperation, he stopped the ball and passed it out.
Such rounds often occur. If there is no comparison, Kidd's organization may be praised, but as long as he watches Li You play, Kidd's poor personal offense will be infinitely magnified.
No one talks about the luck control skills that were touted in the past. Everyone is waiting for you to respond explosively, but you are waiting for your teammates to take you off?
Although the Knicks play "soft" and don't have much contact with their low-post offensive muscles, the Nets' beastly tough guy basketball is really hard to watch. Everyone knows that Li You is about to reach the finals again.
The G1 game was 86:104, and the Nets collapsed in one quarter. The G2 game was simply a replica, at 87:102, the Knicks were still crushing it to the end.
On Thursday, TNT invited Jeff Van Gundy to the program again, and the bald young coach became an authority on basketball.
Since the Lakers lost G2, several people were discussing the situation in G3 of the Western Conference Finals tomorrow night.
Jeff Van Gundy's point of view was demonstrated again, and the program became more confident:
"The Lakers still need to solve the old problem, they have to hit those open shots."
"Their game is too fast. Facing the Kings' interior, they could have slowed down and used more screens to allow O'Neal to receive the ball in a deeper position."
"The two big men of the Kings performed very well. If they want to win the series, they should play more pick-and-rolls."
The bald young coach advocated that the Lakers slow down and suggested that the Kings pick and roll. All three people in the studio agreed, and Kenny Smith also gave his own opinion:
"Mike Bibby needs to play more aggressively. He should trust his shooting. O'Neal still shrinks to the basket when defending the pick-and-roll. This is definitely a good thing for the Kings."
Charles Barkley naturally also paid attention to this series. The big mouth once again said bluntly:
"The Kings also had problems defending the pick-and-roll. The game was not as intense as I expected. Both sides gave pitchers huge space."
"After watching the Eastern Conference finals, I am a little uninterested in watching this kind of rough basketball. When the defense is concentrated near the paint area, no one wants to solve the problem on the outside?"
"Worried about missing shots and wasting opportunities? Maybe these people should see how Lee plays."
What the loud-mouthed Barkley said was not a compliment to Li You.
In the G2 game, the Nets always insisted on zone defense, and Li You showed no mercy. He made 11 of 4 shots from beyond the three-point line. In the fourth quarter, the game was bang bang.
However, this situation often occurs in the regular season. Li You doesn't care about it at all. He will shoot jumpers or force three-pointers in isolation. As long as the opportunity arises, he will just throw it!
Hearing Barkley tease the Knicks' offense, Ernie Johnson happened to take over the topic with a smile:
"Whether everyone likes Lee's offensive choices or not, the Knicks have played nine playoff games, and in only two games Lee's shooting percentage from beyond the three-point line was less than 9%."
"Compared to most backcourts in the league, Lee performed at a monster level again in the playoffs. Maybe we should accept this kind of basketball. Not everyone likes to use low-post offense to solve problems."
The on-site director also showed Li You's current statistics in 9 playoff games:
场均出场37.2分钟，场均拿到34.4分4.6篮板8.7助攻2.6抢断2.6失误；
The shooting percentage was 55.5%, the three-point shooting percentage was 45.7%, and the free throw percentage was 93.7%.
Compared with the data of the regular season, the current average of 8.7 shots from beyond the three-point line per game has basically not changed. Although the ball commentators have said a lot, Li You still throws it correctly!
There are still many outrageous statistics. In 9 games, Li You did not have a single post-up, and there were very few mid-range jumpers near the free throw line.
The most shots are from 0 to 3 feet under the basket and from 3 to 10 feet near the basket, and the rest are all concentrated outside the three-point line.
Fast-break layups, breakthrough finishes, and long-range three-point shots, ESPN's data experts praised Li You's offensive choices, but TNT wants to follow suit and has been questioning it repeatedly recently.
In the small data sample of this season's playoffs, all the backcourts in the league were made to look like idiots by Li You.
The swingman was still struggling in the low post. Li You covered the ball and took the shot.
Jeff Van Gundy's eyes twitched slightly when he saw this data. Even if he didn't like the Knicks' extreme tactics, he had to admit that in terms of Excel, Li You was indeed far ahead.
"That's what's so special about Lee, or rather, how talented he is."
"No one can imitate his tactical play. You need to have a higher understanding of the game, and at the same time, you have to take into account both with and without the ball."
"The Knicks are still special, but other teams don't have Lee. If they want to pursue the championship, they should adhere to basketball principles."
As soon as Jeff Van Gundy finished speaking, the other three nodded, and Kenny Smith smiled and said "IF":
"If the Kings had a guard like Lee, maybe they could dominate the Western Conference, too."
Charles Barkley smiled and shook his head, joking meaningfully:
"If Lee was with the Kings, Chris Webber and Divac would have been traded long ago!"
"."
The Nets were ignored and no one believed they could win.
G2的比赛基德18中7，三分线外7中2，砍下23分9篮板8助攻2抢断6失误的准三双数据。
After Kidd became the team's main attacker, his shooting percentage was less than [-]% and his turnovers began to increase.
李佑表现一般，23中11，拿到32分4篮板10助攻2抢断3失误的两双数据。
Comparing the two, the gap is visible to the naked eye. In the eyes of the New York media, if the hit rate is less than [-]%, Li You's performance is mediocre and not worth bragging about.
On the night of the 24th, in G3 of the Western Conference Finals, after returning to Staples Arena, the Lakers suddenly stretched their hips in the first quarter of the game.
At 32:15, with O'Neal and Kobe working hard, the Kings were full of momentum and won the game right from the start.
Although the Lakers fought back at the last moment, they still had no choice but to lose.
At 103:90, the Kings regained the initiative.
After the game, head coach Phil Jackson took the initiative to take the blame, but also expressed dissatisfaction with the scale of the whistleblowing in this game:
"I didn't like the calls on some of the possessions tonight. We were playing at Staples Center, which is the home court of the Lakers, but I didn't feel like there was a home court advantage."
"The opponent took too many free throws and we shouldn't lose like this."
Such complaints did attract some attention, and for a while, football commentators began to discuss the follow-up direction of the series.
On Saturday the 25th, New York fans flocked to New Jersey. The tickets were cheap and the distance was so close. Fans who were reluctant to spend money to watch the game at home also burst out with great enthusiasm.
It takes 40 minutes to drive from Manhattan to East Rutherford. That night, a large number of New York fans gathered outside the Continental Arena.
Kidd and the Nets had already had a bad premonition after returning home.
During the early warm-up, everyone looked ugly as they watched a large number of spectators wearing the Knicks' away No. 1 jersey pour into the arena:
"Four consecutive away games?"
Continental Airlines Arena was selected as the No. [-] comprehensive stadium in North America a few years ago. Although the attendance rate is low, the facilities of the arena have always been very good.
With 40 minutes left before the game, Li You wore Knicks training clothes and strolled around the arena to warm up.
Coming to New Jersey to play is actually no different from New York. When the Nets were still weak, many New Jersey fans were Knicks fans.
As the arena filled up, the atmosphere became more and more lively. Li You occasionally completed a dunk. In addition to the surrounding sports reporters starting to click their shutters, the fans also continued to scream.
On the other side, Kidd's face turned dark. Although the fans turned against him during the regular season, he did not expect that entering the Eastern Conference finals, the atmosphere would remain the same.
What makes Kidd even more uncomfortable is that the Nets cheerleaders also like to circle around Li You.
Although there is a clear rule that cheerleaders do not allow players to fall in love, but seeing Hope Dolac, a cheerleader with a good face and a hot body, strolling on the baseline more than 10 times, Kidd became even more furious.
This girl had flirted with him before, but every time Li You came to the away game, the other party would throw him aside:
"This brother can't do this!"
NBC interviewed Grant Hill before the game, who performed well in the first two games.
Entering the best team this season also caused a lot of controversy.
Jim Gray is one of the reporters who knows the Knicks best. Seeing everyone's warm-up state before the game, you know that everyone is completely relaxed for tonight's game:
"Hill, this is the second time in your career that you will be playing in the Eastern Conference Finals. What are your expectations for the series?"
Grant Hill, who was holding a basketball, looked very humble when being interviewed:
“It’s great to be in the conference finals and contribute to the team.”
"The Nets are a strong opponent and their defensive focus is very good, but for tonight's game, the Knicks will go all out."
"Our opponents will rebound strongly when we return to home, but we all want to get the match point early!"
Jim Gray didn't know what to say when he heard these overly modest words.
Kidders was physically crushed on the defensive end. On the offensive end, he could only steal chickens and jump shots. His finishing at the basket was extremely stretched.
The Nets did show a good defensive strategy, but the Knicks' forwards still rushed inside
With a smile on his face, Jim Gray patted Grant Hill beside him and finally sent his blessing:
"Come on, Hill! It's great to see you back on top!"
The voting for the best team also had some sympathy points. After all, before the injury, Grant Hill had only been selected to the best team once.
Just as everyone likes to see kidney fighter Mourning appear in the All-Star game, Hill, who returned to the top after a serious injury, has also become an inspirational model.
Before the game started, Kurt Thomas smiled disdainfully as he watched Kenyon Martin, who was interacting with the fans and beating his chest.
After two games, the Knicks team completely figured out the offensive methods of this "beast".
Leaving the basket, he stretches his hips within 3 to 10 feet, has strong defensive agility, is as fierce as a tiger in fast breaks, and his chest-thumping roar is extremely contagious.
G1 still kept man-to-man coverage, and the Knicks also followed the zone defense. Several people in the paint blocked the "beast" from hitting the basket.
In the G2 game, Martin made 15 of 6, 12 of 10 free throws, and scored 22 points. However, after this game, even the big man Wright on the bench figured out his defensive skills.
When the two sides came to the center circle to jump the ball, Li You continued to move his body, and soon the arena filled with cheers for the Knicks:
"Let's go Knicks!."
The faces of everyone on the Nets turned dark. Playing at such a home court, they just felt aggrieved and uncomfortable.
After the game officially started, with the blessing of Angry Buff, Kidd suddenly found the touch for a pull-up jump shot.
From the elbow area on the right side of the free throw line, all mid-range jump shots after several pick-and-rolls were hit.
Kidders also performed bravely and responded with two long points that were left open.
Continuous and efficient offense in the backcourt also allowed the Nets' scoring to rise rapidly.
Van Horn also stopped using his height advantage to perform post-up singles, and honestly rushed for rebounds, trying to delay the Knicks' transition attack.
With 1 minutes and 4 seconds left in the first quarter, head coach Scott took the initiative to make a substitution and brought on Richard Jefferson, replacing Van Horn.
Amid the vigorous shouts of the DJ at the scene, Kidd caught the ball from the bottom line and tried to speed up to cross the half court.
Noticing that the Knicks' defense had switched to man-to-man coverage, the Nets ran another roll-up tactic.
Near the baseline on the right, Jefferson, who had just appeared, started quickly. With the help of Martin's cover at the right elbow, he successfully caught the ball close to the free throw line.
After completing the screen, Martin immediately bounced out to the right block. Kurt Thomas did not change defense and followed the opponent.
Artest, who quickly pursued the defense, did not expect Jefferson to take such a decisive shot. The latter almost caught the ball and threw it!
"Brush!" The mid-range jumper was hit.
Artest stepped off the line and went around the screen. He immediately raised his hand to indicate that his defensive prediction was wrong.
At 14:16, the Nets took the lead again in this game.
Kidd kept high-fiving and loudly encouraging his teammates. Li You, who received the baseline ball, was not blocked. The Nets still set up a zone defense position.
The difference is that Martin switched to Gasol's side, and big man McCloch guarded Kurt Thomas.
In the first few rounds after the opening, Martin performed very well in the pick-and-roll with his excellent lateral speed.
Kidd was giving physical confrontation while looking at the movements behind him.
He noticed that Li You gave the ball to Grant Hill on the left wing, and then used the upward screen of Gasol to go straight to the basket. While Kidd was pursuing the defense, he loudly ordered his teammates to concentrate.
There were only two Knicks players on Grant Hill's side after receiving the ball. Li You, who ran to the right corner, also directed Kurt Thomas to bounce the ball along the waistline of the three-second zone.
Although big man McCloch moved with him, he ended up stopping inside the three-point line.
Grant Hill sent a cross pass, and Artest, who was close to the right sideline, moved in the direction of Li You, then suddenly accelerated laterally and quickly ran to the left corner on the other side.
Jefferson, who was chasing after him, almost lost his defensive position, and big man McCulloch was also attracted to the attention. Kidd yelled and hurriedly followed Li You to move up the line.
On the left wing, Li You took the pass from Kurt Thomas and got rid of the defense outside the three-point line. He paused slightly with the ball in his left hand and quickly looked up at the frame.
The big man McCulloch, who was still squatting inside the three-point line, subconsciously jumped up. Li You lowered his center of gravity and accelerated again.
Before Kidd had time to remind his teammates of their defense, Li You had already squeezed past McCulloch who was moving laterally, holding the ball with his left hand and going straight to the basket.
Martin followed Gasol and stood near the baseline on the left. The moment his teammate lost position, he immediately moved quickly toward the bottom of the basket.
Just as he was preparing to defend, Martin saw Li You throwing the ball to the upper left side of the basket.
The unguarded Gasol jumped up to grab the ball, and then pressed the ball into the basket with both hands!
"Wow!"
The cheers in the arena were particularly harsh. The Knicks once again played wonderful cooperation, but Kidd was so angry at his teammates' defensive choices that he cursed.
In the commentary box, watching Li You retreating from defense and high-fiving his teammates in celebration, Mike Fratello once again said with emotion:
"Continuous pick-and-roll, this tactic is used by every team, but the effect is not as good as the Knicks."
"Grant Hill did not choose to play singles. After moving the ball, Lee took advantage of McCloch's defensive weakness to complete the attack."
"Several people on the court are well aware of the Nets' weaknesses, and it is difficult for Coach Scott to replace McCloch. They need height to protect rebounds."
Marv Albert saw that the Knicks had not changed their defensive strategy and let go of Kidders, who bounced to the left wing. He wanted to say a few words, but when he saw the shot, he immediately exclaimed:
“This is a great opportunity for the Knicks!”
The long rebound was picked up by Li You near the free throw line. Kidd did not rush to grab it, but immediately retreated to establish a defensive position.
Everyone in the Nets quickly returned to defense and responded to each other to complete the defensive matchup.
Li You, who accelerated through half court, ultimately failed to seize the opportunity to switch offense. Seeing Kidd quickly approaching the defense, he simply lowered his center of gravity, dribbled under his crotch and switched to his right hand before accelerating the breakthrough.
Making a successful defensive prediction, Kidd, who slid to the left, immediately blocked Li You's breakthrough route.
The two collided, Kidd leaned back slightly, and Li You turned around, blasted the ball on the spot, scooped up the ball with his left hand, and accelerated towards the left wing.
Re-adjusting his body's center of gravity, Kidd hurriedly slid back to the right.
Close to the three-point line, Li You quickly dribbled the ball behind his back and immediately stopped after switching to his right hand.
Kidd wanted to continue to defend. Li You slightly raised his center of gravity and quickly moved in and out with his right hand.
His body swayed forward to the left and his feet exerted force. Li You took advantage of the situation and took a large step laterally. He immediately joined the ball near the top of the arc and quickly shot a jump shot from outside the three-point line!
"Shua!" The three-pointer hit the net hollowly.
At 19:16, the Knicks also regained the lead.
Everyone on the Nets looked at each other as the basketball went into the basket. Everyone kept shouting and reminding each other that the boss was still working hard on defense, and in the blink of an eye the opponent threw in a three-pointer.
Kidd was already a little numb and felt tired at the same time.
On the defensive end, he had to guard Li You, and he had to always remind his teammates about their movements. If he accidentally made a defensive mistake, Li You could throw in unreasonable shots.
Kidd, who caught the ball again, stopped shouting loudly and tried to adjust his mentality, but he was still a little frustrated.
Especially when watching his teammates being left open on the offensive end and continuing to pass, Kidd's mood fluctuated. He caught the ball on the left wing and immediately took a jump shot!
"state!"
The three-pointer was hit again, and the long rebound bounced into Artest's hands, and cheers rang out in the arena.
Accelerating along the left sideline, Artest shook off Van Horn and quickly passed the ball to Grant Hill on the left wing without waiting to cross the center line.
The latter caught the ball, released the ball with his left hand and dribbled with his crotch. He switched to his right hand and immediately lowered his shoulders and accelerated. Grant Hill increased his stride and rushed into the paint area with two big strides against Kidders' backhand.
Actively returning to defense to defend Kenyon Martin, he immediately jumped to block the shot. When he got into the air, he saw the basketball flying behind him. Artest followed up and dunked with both hands!
In a 3-on-3 frontcourt, Li You stopped on the right wing, smiling and clapping his hands. Kidd watched Van Horn give up halfway through the defense, turned around and signaled the team to request a timeout. Coach Scott also noticed something was wrong with Kidd's mood.
As the core defender on the court, he must remain calm at all times, but the atmosphere at home, ineffective communication on the defensive end, and sudden misalignment on the offensive end made Kidd's mentality explode and he was a little unable to withstand it.
At 21:16, the point difference was not big, but the Nets fans lost their mood.
In the last few minutes of the first quarter, only Kenyon Martin made a sudden shot from the top of the arc and hit a three-pointer, which excited the Nets fans.
But the Knicks were not affected at all. Big man Knight, who came off the bench, continued to guard the basket. As long as Kenyon Martin rushed in after picking and rolling, everyone would swarm forward.
Fortunately, Jefferson became the team's key player, hitting consecutive mid-range jumpers at the last moment to help the Nets stabilize the score.
At 30:28, Coach Scott on the sidelines breathed a sigh of relief. As the players walked to the bench, he held the tactical board and kept shouting loudly.
For the Knicks, head coach Thibodeau didn’t make too many demands:
"Keep this kind of defense, be patient, we need to be patient, the opponent's missed shot is our opportunity!"
7 of 4 and 8 points were scored. Li You noticed Kidd's statistics and did not want to change his defensive strategy.
Taking advantage of the rotating lineup, Li You also stood up and warned:
"Don't worry about the opponent's shots, give them physical confrontation, and they will give the ball to us soon!"
Kidd had no intention of taking a rest, but after the game started, he heard Li You shouting from the sidelines, and his heart surged with anger:
"Sliding, establishing a defensive position in advance, he can't make a shot!"
The little Knight was at a disadvantage on the defensive end. Facing Kidd's post-up play, he could only try to block the opponent's offensive line.
Although the two rounds were successful, Kidd found that the Knicks' defense had shrunk even further.
Lucios Harris, who came on the bench, suddenly broke out at this time and was left open outside the three-point line. He hit two consecutive three-pointers and successfully helped the team take the lead!
The good times did not last long. The Nets began to lose rebounds. Grant Hill missed a breakthrough throw. The big man Wright picked a melon behind his head and grabbed an offensive rebound over Aaron Williams.
Then Wright hit it high and successfully put the ball into the basket.
The Knicks, who put on two big men, began to rush for offensive rebounds. For a while, the Nets' transition offense disappeared again.
Several rounds were fought under the basket. Kidd wanted to take the opportunity to expand the point difference, but soon the Knicks took the lead again.
The rotation lineup was also full of energy. In contrast, the Nets, who played at home, lacked energy and failed to show a winning mentality.
With 7 minutes and 22 seconds left in the half, Li You returned to the court, and Kidd was too depressed to speak.
In the first offensive round after coming on the court, the Knicks still played their old routine.
Grant Hill held the ball in his left hand and dribbled across the half court and then moved to the left wing, taking his time to observe the opponent's position.
Gasol quickly moved up to the top of the arc. At the same time, Artest on the wing immediately bumped into Lucio Sharis. After a physical confrontation, he immediately used Gasol's screen to cut to the basket. .
Van Horn accelerated to follow the defense, denying Artest a chance to cut to the basket and score.
On the other side, Li You accelerated in the right corner and quickly ran to the top of the arc with the help of big man Knight's screen.
The moment he caught the ball, Gasol moved up and made a high pick-and-roll at the top of the arc. Li You released the ball with his left hand. Facing Kenyon Martin, who was switching defense, he suddenly lowered his center of gravity and accelerated the breakthrough.
The moment he reached the three-point line, Li You immediately exerted force on his feet, took a large step back, faced the block, and quickly shot a jump shot!
"Shua!" The three-pointer hit the net hollowly.
Kenyon Martin helplessly spread his hands to Kidd, looked at Li You who was retreating, and couldn't help but murmured in a low voice when he served from the baseline:
"I almost hit him in the face! Damn it! He just can make it!"
The two screeners were completely gone. When Kidd heard the complaints from his teammates, he stopped saying anything, but his face became even more ugly.
Lucious Harris, who was feeling hot, also responded. After a quick cross-cut from the line, the left wing released the ball with his left hand and broke through. Facing Hill's block, he succeeded in a long two-point jumper.
Soon the two sides were in a stalemate again, using the same tactics. Li You hit a three-pointer and switched offense. Kenyon Martin hit the basket and missed.
When he got a fast break opportunity, Artest drove to the basket from the right wing and hit the ball with a shot;
The Knicks retreated quickly. In the first quarter, Jefferson, who was feeling hot, accelerated from the right wing and cut into the basket. Gasol helped block the shot.
The two sides played lively and the fans continued to cheer until the Knicks launched another transition attack. Grant Hill quickly hit the ball after receiving a long rebound.
After receiving the ball, Li You released the ball with his right hand, approaching the right wing, and suddenly changed direction quickly with his hips. The moment he switched to his left hand, he immediately dropped his shoulders and accelerated.
After Kidd adjusted his center of gravity, he kept sliding back to the right. The two bodies collided. Li You did not slow down. Instead, he slapped the opponent's arm with his ball protector and suddenly accelerated into the paint area again.
Holding the ball with one hand in his left hand, he noticed that Kidd started to pull, so he took the initiative to lean towards the opponent, and the two bodies collided again.
Kidd leaned back involuntarily, and Li You, who took three big steps, finally tilted his body and completed a throw with his left hand right in front of the basket!
"squeak!"
When the referee blew the whistle, the basketball drew an arc and fell into the basket.
"YES! And the foul!"
The tough layup also made Marv Albert shout excitedly in the commentary box.
Kidd, who was hit twice, watched Li You walk to the free throw line. He couldn't hold back at all. He turned around and complained loudly to the bottom line referee:
"This is an offensive foul! You saw it! This is not the NFL!"
The referee naturally ignored such complaints. Mike Fratello saw such a situation in the commentary box and immediately joked:
"This is the home court of the Knicks. The fans love this kind of offense. Listen to the cheers!"
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
When Li You made a free throw, shouts resounded throughout the arena. Coach Scott next to him had a dark face. In the Eastern Conference finals, the fans turned against him.
In the final period of the first half, the two sides were slugging it out. Kidd stopped pressing the tempo and turned to man-to-man defense on the defensive end, completely letting himself go.
Beast power forward Kenyon Martin also contributed two wonderful dunks in the transition attack, but at the end of the half, the Nets had mixed emotions.
58:52, the point difference was widened again
When the third quarter started, the familiar scene appeared again.
Kidd and Kidders, who scored efficiently in the first half, suddenly lost their accuracy.
Nets fans could only watch as the Knicks continued to play transition offense.
Kidd hit a three-point jumper from the top of the arc, and Grant Hill rushed across the half court to the left wing and once again drove to the basket.
Kidders, who retreated from defense, could only follow the slide and came to the lower left side of the basket and tried to jump up to block the shot. Kenyon Martin, who was chasing after him, also jumped up high.
The opponent flew away at the first moment, and Grant Hill passed the ball to Gasol who was following behind. The latter caught the ball and dunked with both hands.
Kidders, who missed consecutive shots, broke through from the right wing and faced Grant Hill's block. His layup was so crooked that it went directly over the basket.
Kenyon Martin was still trying to get a position under the basket, but found that the basketball fell directly into Gasol's arms.
Gasol collected the rebound on the lower left side of the basket, twisted around, raised his long arm, and threw the ball directly forward.
Kidd fought hard to catch up and took advantage of Li You to get the ball with his right hand and establish a defensive position in advance.
Approaching the right wing, Li You quickly changed direction with his hips, lowered his center of gravity and pretended to accelerate a breakthrough, and then took advantage of the trend to cross-step and pull back.
Kidd, who lost his defensive position, saw Li You joining the ball and jumped directly to defend. He flew into the air and saw that Li You didn't take off. He tried to curl up, but it had no effect.
Hanging on defense, Li You casually threw the ball to the basket, and the linesman on the side immediately blew the whistle:
"squeak!"
After the basketball hit the board, it bounced twice on the rim and finally hit the basket. For a moment, everyone in the gymnasium sighed with regret.
"Oh"
Watching Li You walk to the free throw line again, Kidd put his hands on his hips and said nothing.
Standing on the free throw line, he noticed that Kidd was still staring. After Li You took the basketball, he turned around and joked:
"Bro! You have to believe in yourself and keep taking action!"
4 for 0, the offense suddenly misfired, the nightmare reappeared, Kidd held his breath and did not give any response.
Seeing that the point difference was getting wider and wider, in desperation, Aaron Williams, who came on the bench, kept attacking the basket.
Relying on some lame low singles and free throws, he helped the Nets score points.
With no assists, no points, and a few rounds, Kidd handed over the ball after halftime, and then watched the Knicks "encircle and suppress" Aaron Williams.
Nets fans were completely disappointed, no one was cheering for the home team anymore.
Coach Scott's timeout had no effect. With the help of thick chicken soup, Kidders continued to play.
Van Horn was so entangled by Artest that he didn't want to catch the ball. At the end of the third quarter, the Knicks fans at the scene began to celebrate the victory.
28:16 in a single quarter, 86:68 after three quarters, and the game will enter garbage time again in the fourth quarter.
The Knicks were playing blindly, and their opponent actually collapsed. Mike Fratello didn't want to comment on the game. There was no technical content in the third quarter:
"Kidd should have controlled the rhythm of the offense. Even if he missed the shot, he should not have completed the offense quickly after halftime."
"The Knicks always score easily on the counterattack, and when Lee doesn't have to face zone defenses or double teams, the game will naturally be easier."
The Knicks are about to get the match point, and Marv Albert is in a particularly beautiful mood:
"How should the Nets adjust in the next game? If they lose G3, it will be very difficult to reverse the series."
Mike Fratello glanced at his partner, no longer caring about the feelings of Nets fans, but said seriously:
"No chance! The Nets have performed very well this season, but they are still far behind the championship team."
"Compared to Lee's performance, Kidd needs to improve his offensive capabilities."
"In the playoffs, responding to the ball is very important. Unfortunately, in three games, Kidd failed to show his ability to respond to the ball."
In the last quarter of the game, the Nets failed to catch up. Instead, they continued their shooting touch in the third quarter and continued to hit the ground running.
Perhaps due to too much physical confrontation, Kidders' shooting percentage dropped sharply in the second half.
The Knicks, who were leading by a big score, did not throw blindly from outside the three-point line. They tried their best to hit the ball inside and kept scoring in the paint area.
Gasol, who had been hit hard by the Nets inside, found his shooting touch at this time.
A mid-range jumper after the pick-and-roll, a low-post pass on the right side and a throw to the line with the opponent's left hand, and a pull-up jumper after a test step in the left block.
For a time, the little Knight sent out assists continuously, and Gasol's statistics also increased rapidly.
There were no boos at the Continental Arena at this time. The New York fans watching the away game were particularly happy and did not forget to cheer for the home team at the last moment.
With 3 minutes and 43 seconds left in the game, head coach Scott began to replace the main lineup. Kidd still did not take a break and persisted until the end of the game.
At 108:90, the game ended. The Knicks easily defeated the Nets, with the big score reaching 3:0.
Li You only played less than 3 minutes in the fourth quarter. His opponent failed to mount a decent counterattack, and in the end he had no choice but to take advantage of the situation.
出场34分钟，18中10，三分线外7中4，罚球8中8，32分4篮板8助攻1抢断2失误。
I thought the Nets would break out in a life-or-death battle, but it turned out to be a drag on.
After the game, NBC reporter Jim Gray looked at the dejected Nets and could only sigh in his heart. When he came to Li You's side, he showed a smile and asked:
"Lee, congratulations to the Knicks for getting the match point. You are only one win away from reaching the Finals again."
"In a 6-year career, I entered the finals 5 times. This is really an amazing achievement! Can you tell me your secret to winning?"
Li You, who basically had no success in this game, didn't even break a sweat. When he heard the question, he just smiled and answered casually:
"I just want to thank my teammates and coaching staff. Victory is inseparable from their support!"
"Of course I also want to thank my opponents. Every time we play against each other, I benefit a lot."
"Taking every game seriously is my secret to winning. Of course, the support of the fans is also important. I like the atmosphere tonight. It makes me have the illusion of playing in New York!"
"."
Every time Li You thanked his opponent, Jim Gray would have a strange emotion in his heart. He always felt that he was mocking the opponent for being a weakling.
The two exchanged business blows, and Kidd, who was walking towards the tunnel on the other side, was angry again. A large number of New York fans appeared on both sides of the tunnel:
"Man! Don't lose in the game the night after tomorrow!"
"Hey! You weakling! Stop losing so much!"
There were obviously a lot of gambling dogs among the fans. After being greeted loudly, Kidd's face turned even darker. In the end, he simply raised his middle finger and walked quickly to the locker room.
G3 of the Eastern Conference Finals did not attract much attention from ball commentators. The Nets also tended to be a fast-break team during the regular season and lacked dominance in the low post. Naturally, no one is optimistic about this kind of team.
No one is discussing Kidd's performance anymore. Players who are destined to be eliminated are naturally not worthy of attention.
On May 5, the G26 game between the Kings and Lakers attracted a lot of attention!
This game was much more interesting than the Eastern Conference Finals. At the end of the first quarter, at 40:20, the Kings already led by 20 points.
In the subsequent games, the Lakers gradually tied the point difference, and Robert Horry hit a three-pointer at the last moment before the end!
99:100, the Lakers struggled to protect their home court.
After the game, both head coaches were very dissatisfied with tonight's penalty.
Of course, fans love to see such a game, and the magical three-pointer at the last moment was repeatedly broadcast by ESPN.
On the evening of the 27th, at the Continental Airlines Arena, G4 of the Eastern Conference Finals went on as planned.
There have been no commentators discussing this series in the past two days. Everyone is busy participating in the fierce battle between the Kings and the Lakers.
Only the New York media continued to trumpet the Knicks' dominance as always, and fans continued to support away games by buying tickets to watch the game.
Compared with the first three games, the G4 Nets collapsed a little earlier.
With only 2 points scored in the second quarter, the score was fixed at 17:54 at the end of the half.
In the arena, except for the Knicks fans who were celebrating happily, most Nets fans were emotionless.
In the third quarter, the game still failed to rebound strongly. In the end, even the two people in the NBC commentary box chatted about gossip:
"This season the Kings double-killed the Knicks. After O'Neal returned, when the two teams played against each other, the Lakers also won."
As soon as Groom Albert finished speaking, Mike Fratello also added:
"Compared with the Eastern Conference, there are more outstanding big men in the Western Conference. Gasol is too young. Don't forget that this is his first season."
The Knicks' defense didn't have many problems when encountering Kenyon Martin who likes to rush to the basket. However, when encountering the Kings' Twin Towers or the Lakers' super center, the new Gasol couldn't stand it.
After the two teams replaced their substitutes in the second half of the fourth quarter, the two people in the commentary box became more and more excited. In the end, they even discussed how many points Li You would score in the finals.
In the end, 104:90, a big score of 4:0, the Knicks swept their opponents and reached the finals again.
The Continental Airlines Center Arena was filled with jubilation. Li You, who had changed into training clothes early, raised his hands high after the game and kept high-fiving to pay tribute to the fans who came to support the away game.
This time the Knicks don't have to worry about being booed when presenting awards on the road.
基德今晚也尽力了，15中6，砍下19分9篮板9助攻1抢断4失误的准三双数据。
After the game, everyone on the Nets hugged Li You listlessly.
Kidd didn't even want to say a word. When he saw Artest shirtless and shouting in celebration on the sidelines, he even wanted to go up and punch the opponent twice.
Li You could naturally tell that his brother was in a bad mood, and finally patted him on the shoulder and sent his blessing:
"There will always be failure before success. The Nets performed very well this season. We all remember that U-turn!"
"Looking forward to our next meeting, Bro! Remember to practice shooting during the offseason."
Listening to Li You's sincere blessing, Kidd could only twitch his lips, thank him in a low voice, and then walked towards the player tunnel without looking back.
On the other side, Grant Hill happily hugged everyone he met, grabbed Kidd, and started whispering again.
Seeing such a scene, Li You touched his chin, always feeling that he had lost another brother. Then an idea occurred to him, and the talent panel quickly gave feedback:
[Jason Kidd’s extraordinary passing IQ]
"?"
Thank you book friends for your subscription support (﹃)
QAQ went home a little late, will update on time~
(End of this chapter)
Tap the screen to use advanced tools
Tip: You can use left and right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.
You'll Also Like
-
God-level choice: Obito, come and inherit the title of Hokage
Chapter 198 6 hours ago -
NBA: Crazy Little Giant
Chapter 192 6 hours ago -
Dragon Ball: System, this choice is a bit unreasonable
Chapter 151 6 hours ago -
Pirates: I was captured by Kaido and I kidnapped Yamato!
Chapter 159 6 hours ago -
I have a simplified system.
Chapter 151 6 hours ago -
Hanghai: I, Whitebeard, have both a son and a daughter!
Chapter 121 6 hours ago -
People write diaries in the ninja world, and the female ninjas are broken
Chapter 115 6 hours ago -
City, I'm not a magician
Chapter 145 6 hours ago -
The Third Reich: I Became Emperor
Chapter 186 6 hours ago -
Human in Fairy Tail: Summon Kanna-chan at the beginning!
Chapter 178 6 hours ago
