NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 294 Only speed can never break (-word chapter)

On June 2003, 6, with the blessings of San Antonio fans, the Spurs flew to New York. They will spend the next few days in Manhattan.

After nearly a week of rest time, the Spurs' physical fitness will certainly not be a problem, but veterans like David Robinson and Steve Smith still won't get much playing time.

David Robinson was still a little uneasy when he got on the plane.

Although Popovich kept bragging in front of the sports media in San Antonio for several days to comfort the fans, after watching too many videos, David Robinson always felt that the Spurs were going to lose.

Big Brother was not in a high mood, but Tony Parker was very happy when he got on the plane. He liked such a big scene and sat in his seat humming a tune:

"Bruce, you have played against the Knicks the most. Why don't you give me more opinions in the video class these days?"

Parker was a first-year rookie last year. At that time, Big Brother had not declined so much. He met the Knicks and won twice in the regular season.

This season, the Spurs were beaten by their opponents in the regular season, but through analysis by Popovich and the coaching staff in the past few days, Parker feels that he can do it again:

"My speed can keep up with my opponent's!"

Bruce Bowen is well-liked within the team, and after arriving in San Antonio, he also became involved with the local community.

However, it has been extremely quiet these days. No matter how the coaching staff tried to give everyone chicken soup, Bowen did not say a word. When he heard what his teammates said, he simply said:

"The regular season is different from the playoffs. As long as Lee wants to attack, no one in this league can restrict him."

"Averaging less than 20 shots per game, this only shows that what Li encountered was still the intensity of the regular season. I don't like blind confidence. The words of the coaching staff can only be used as psychological comfort."

When he was in the Eastern Conference, Bowen also had some conflicts with the Knicks. What impressed him deeply was Pat Riley's evaluation of Li You:

“Technology belies Lee’s athleticism!”

The famous coach believed in 01 that the Knicks would still be unstoppable after completing their reconstruction.

The Heat players trained hard, but they still had a break in the playoffs, and Bowen also gained a better understanding of talent.

Since David Robinson also suffered injuries during the playoffs, Spurs fans' favorite "Black Rose" Malik Rose spent more time partnering with Duncan in the post during the playoffs.

New York fans have no impression of this player at all. Malik Rose rarely produces outstanding statistics, is a short insider, and has no outstanding physical talent, so he is naturally ignored by the fans.

In San Antonio, Malik Rose is very popular. Before boarding the plane, fans even sent gifts to the "Black Rose" in the hope that he can help the team complete revenge.

Malik Rose, who was sitting next to Duncan, had been silent since he saw his lap on the plane. He couldn't help but whisper to the side:

"Tim, we're going to win! The team is extra united this year."

Tim Duncan turned to look at his teammates, then looked up at David Robinson who was trying to joke with everyone, nodded, and simply responded:

"We need this championship!"

After the 60s and 70s, ABC took over the broadcast rights of the finals again, and naturally paid special attention to the first finals after taking over.

The good news is that there is still a big-market team in this year's finals-the 73-win Knicks.

The bad news is that some fans of the other team don't buy it. Although the Spurs eliminated the defending champion, there are not many fans who like to watch them play.

6月4号星期三，总决赛G1在今晚20:30正式开战。

Two hours before the game, the NBA countdown program routinely warms up for tonight's finals.

In the past few days, the broadcasters naturally had to interview players from the two teams, but after playing some interview clips, the feedback they received was not very good.

In the words of some New York fans:

"Who are these guys?"

Fans who like to watch the Knicks naturally dislike the Spurs, and they will not pay attention to "ugly basketball" during the regular season.

The back studio is also in Manhattan, and most of the ABC staff are Knicks fans.

In addition, many people switched jobs from NBC, so the publicity in the past few days was naturally biased, and as a result, San Antonio fans complained.

In the studio, slightly fat host Mike Tirico became more neutral after being reminded by the program team.

However, the invited analysts Sean Elliott and Jeff Van Gundy had some tit-for-tat opinions:

"I know Tim Duncan, he's a big-play player, and the Spurs are better able to respond to the ball than other opponents in the Eastern Conference."

"The closer you are to the basket, the higher your shooting percentage. This is why the Spurs can reach the Finals this year."

"This year may be the most united season for the Spurs. Fighting for David, I believe all players will unleash 120% of their potential!"

As a Spurs legend, Elliott firmly believes that this year's series will drag on to the tiebreaker. In the end, the Spurs will win the game with their will and quality.

Jeff Van Gundy, who was getting fat on the side, almost laughed. Today he was still dressed in a black formal suit, white shirt and red scarf. Hearing this point of view, he shook his head and said:

"The Spurs couldn't contain Lee, not even when Tim Duncan and David Robinson were in better shape."

"The difference lies in perimeter defense. Maybe Bruce Bowen will show good defensive results against Western Conference scorers."

"But unfortunately, Bowen can't keep up with Lee's speed. After switching defenses, the Knicks will get opportunities for mismatched offense."

"The finals are not a competition of will and quality, but a competition of team strength and talent! Unfortunately, I think the Knicks will create the best record in playoff history!"

Noticing that Elliott remained silent, Mike Tirico asked again with a smile:

"Jeff, do you think the current Spurs team has improved compared to the 99 team?"

Jeff Van Gundy thought of his second championship experience and smiled confidently:

"David Robinson's physical condition has declined due to injuries, and Duncan has more game experience."

"Compared with 99, the inside strength has definitely declined. We cannot ignore David's contribution on the defensive end."

"As for outside strength, Sean has more say than me."

When Elliot heard the bald young commander's words, he could only reply in a muffled voice:

"Tony Parker is only a second-year rookie, and his performance in the playoffs is not stable. Ginobili is experiencing the playoffs for the first time, and he still needs time to adapt to the league."

"But a basketball game has never been a comparison between opposing players. I believe the Spurs will raise themselves to a higher level in the finals!"

"."

Before the game, the ABC broadcasters wanted to interview New York fans outside Madison Square Garden.

However, after seeing the sight of the fun-loving people dancing wildly and holding the "Missing Persons" posters as if they were high, I finally gave up on this plan.

Interviewing fans eventually turned into aerial photography of Manhattan’s night scene

Of course, there are also relatively normal fans in New York. Before the game, the well-known LSP director Woody Allen said in an interview with courtside reporter Michelle Tafia:

"Coming to Madison Square Garden every June to watch the Finals is the most wonderful thing in the world!"

"It doesn't matter who the opponent is, what's important is that we can appreciate Lee's performance! He changed the basketball game, he gave basketball a soul!"

"."

Tafia was confused by the sudden rise to the level of "art". This great director usually watches football quietly, but after interviewing him, he found out that he was also an "abnormal fan".

In the Knicks locker room, D'Antoni has put on a new "skin". He looks a few years younger under the black striped formal suit:

"The opponent will definitely test our shooting! Don't hesitate, we need to speed up the pace of the game."

"If you're open, just shoot! On the defensive end, we don't need to double-team anyone. Pay attention to your defensive position."

"Lee will remind everyone when to change their defensive strategy."

D'Antoni, who was pacing in front of the crowd, didn't say much.

The Spurs rely heavily on Parker and Duncan, and the Knicks' Li You can just match up with Parker, and Duncan just needs to do his best defensively.

Li You just clapped his hands and reminded Kurt Thomas and Gasol:

"Don't worry about Tim Duncan's offense, just protect the rebounds and you can win your opponent!"

Grant Hill also clapped his hands and said seriously:

"Defend well, cut off the connection between the opponent and the inside, and win the game in one go!"

Everyone responded quickly. Ewing and several assistant coaches followed everyone to the player tunnel. Thinking of David Robinson, the gorilla was secretly happy:

"I am the biggest winner."

As the Knicks players finished their appearances, the atmosphere became more and more heated. During the warm-up, the Spurs players did not receive much cold treatment because most fans did not pay attention to their opponents at all.

Nessler, Tolbert, and Bill Walton will commentate on the game tonight.

The game was about to start. Nessler, who was in the ABC commentary box with a slicked back hair, cooperated with the director to introduce the starting lineups of both sides. When he mentioned the Spurs, he subconsciously commented:

"The backcourt combination tonight is Tony Parker and Steve Smith, and if nothing else happens, Manu Ginobili will be on the court soon."

"The three frontcourt players are Bruce Bowen, Tim Duncan and David Robinson."

"Robinson, who is troubled by injuries, usually only plays 1 minutes in the first quarter of the game. This is also a major challenge for Malik Rose who comes off the bench."

Bill Walton admired Duncan very much and took the initiative to take over the conversation and said:

"The key for the Spurs is defense. They must use excellent defense to limit the Knicks' offense."

"Tim Duncan not only has to hit those responsive shots on the offensive end, but he also has to be dominant on the defensive end."

"I'm looking forward to Coach Popovich's tactical arrangements!"

Amidst the noise, the three people in the commentary box analyzed and subconsciously gave the Spurs some ideas. Everyone was worried that the game would be one-sided again.

Li You is wearing his first-generation signature shoes tonight, and the hooks are in a bright red color. This is also the most expensive sneaker among several generations of signature shoes.

This pair of shoes is still selling well after so many years. Every time a new color scheme is released, Li You will show it on his feet, and then he can cut a wave of old leeks.

The camera kept circling around Li You. On the other side, when the Spurs players were warming up, Popovich kept pulling Parker and talking non-stop:

"To interfere with him, interfere with his dribbling rhythm from the moment he catches the ball. Just like I told you, communicate on the court when you need help from your teammates."

"Don't make mistakes, don't make mistakes where the pass is directly intercepted!"

“Get your body excited, you can do it!”

Tony Parker could only nod. He could clearly feel that the head coach became more nervous after he came to the arena.

It wasn't until the referee called the players from both sides to the center of the field that Popovich stopped talking, returned to the sidelines and stood still, staring at his players.

"Let's go Knicks!."

The New York fans at the scene stood up, followed the rhythm of the music and began to cheer loudly for the home team.

Li You fist-bumped with everyone on the opposite Spurs team one by one. He didn't care about Parker who had crowded around him early and looked at the two people who were preparing to jump the ball.

Artest's defensive tasks were reduced a lot tonight, and it was his job to mark Parker. He could only follow Bowen in the bottom corner.

As for Bowen, Artest doesn't have to look at each other. Last time he elbowed his opponent and made him lie down for half a month. The two still have some minor grievances.

As the referee threw the ball up, Gasol and Duncan touched the basketball almost at the same time. In the end, Gasol reacted faster and took off a second time after landing, and the basketball flew into the hands of Grant Hill.

At this time, Parker's whole body was attached to Li You. Facing the defense of the small defender Niu Pitang, Li You just used his body strength to push his opponent away and then caught the ball.

Not caring about the opponent's defense again, he released the ball with his right hand. Li You's ball protector slapped the opponent's hand away, and then rushed through the half court.

Duncan, who was on the left elbow area of ​​the free throw line, saw the familiar "V-shaped" position and immediately turned his head to remind his teammates running towards the bottom corner on the wing to improve their defensive position.

Kurt Thomas saw the Spurs moving their defense upwards and immediately ran to the left near the baseline.

Although Duncan moved along, he still kept his eyes on the line and always paid attention to Li You who was holding the ball.

Gasol also accelerated his move up at this time, and simply came to a position far away from the top of the arc to customize a high pick-and-roll.

After making an emergency stop, Li You quickly dribbled the ball behind his back with his right hand. He failed to get rid of Parker, who was on defense. He kept relying on the defense and slowly squeezed past Gasol.

Seeing that his teammates were not completely out of position, David Robinson stepped on the three-point line to defend. At this time, Li You, who switched to his left hand, leaned on Parker who squeezed through the screen, and quickly in and out as he moved.

His body swayed to the right and knocked away Parker who was defending him. Facing Robinson's help, Li You suddenly lowered his center of gravity and pretended to break through.

Subconsciously, he took a step back. Before Robinson could react, Li You quickly changed direction and picked up the ball with his right hand to accelerate directly.

Tony Parker bent down to cut the ball, but found that he could not reach the basketball. Instead, because of his hand, he instantly lost his defensive position.

After completing the change of direction in front of the body, Li You quickly squeezed past David Robinson, came to the right elbow area and quickly combined the ball, raising the ball and feinting.

David Robinson, who came up from the side to defend, immediately jumped up to block the shot. He flew into the air and realized that he was out of position.

Parker, who was chasing behind, had no time to make a defensive move. Li You stepped forward with his left foot, completely shook off the defense, stepped up and down into the paint area, and picked the basket with his left hand!

The basketball flew high into the air, and Duncan, who moved to the basket, could only watch as the basketball drew a huge arc and finally fell into the net.

"Wow!"

The beautiful goal made cheers resound throughout the stadium. Popovich frowned at the sight. He gave too many instructions and could not change some defensive habits.

"Defense!."

Amid the defensive cheers, Parker, who was catching the ball from the baseline, was led by Li You. The two struggled for half the game, and Duncan stood at the top of the arc early to perform a pick-and-roll.

Parker, who was holding the ball in his right hand, quickly circled the ball behind his back, switched to his left hand and squeezed past Duncan.

Li You did not choose to go around the line to defend this time. Instead, he grabbed a position when the opponent was passing the ball behind him and successfully squeezed through the screen.

Parker, who broke through with the ball in his left hand, collided with Li You. After slowing down, he dribbled the ball behind his back again. While Duncan moved again, he set up a second pick-and-roll near the left elbow.

Li You did not choose to squeeze through the continuous screens within a very small range, but relied on Duncan to suddenly and deftly turn around and appear in front of Parker again.

I thought this was a good opportunity. As I approached the free throw line, Parker made an emergency jump shot. However, before the basketball could be released, I saw Li You jumping up to block the shot.

Subconsciously raising the arc, Parker tried his best to drift his body to the left and back to avoid the defense.

"state!"

"Wow!"

Amid the cheers of the fans, the drifting jump shot that dodged the block finally hit the back edge of the basket. Gasol and David Robinson were still trying to get stuck under the basket.

Perhaps the injury took away the veteran's explosive power. The situation of picking melons behind his head did not appear. Gasol successfully protected the rebound.

The quick counterattack expected by the Spurs did not happen. Li You, who took the ball from the baseline, still slowly passed the half court against Parker's defense.

After two rounds, he noticed that David Robinson seemed to have become a soft persimmon and came to the left wing. Li You made a tactical gesture.

Gasol's low post tactics, Artes in the left corner quickly slipped across the baseline, opening up the offensive space.

On the other side, Steve Smith looked at Grant Hill on the right wing and took the initiative to shrink the defense.

Duncan near the free throw line shouted a reminder, and soon the Spurs' defensive formation changed to a position around the paint area.

Although there was an opportunity on the other wing, Li You, who was protecting the ball from his side, still did not pass the ball, but waited for Gasol to successfully get stuck.

David Robinson, who was defending from behind, used his rich defensive experience at this time to push Gasol out of the low post.

After failing to get to the expected position, Gasol knew that the veteran behind him still had gas, so he stopped struggling with the opponent and took the initiative to accelerate up and cover.

While his teammates were still moving, Li You, who was holding the ball in his left hand and had been protecting the ball sideways, leaned on the defense. Suddenly his shoulders swayed back, then he lowered his center of gravity and leaned forward to accelerate.

When Parker saw Gasol approaching the three-point line, he thought Li You was turning around and changing hands. He made a mistake in prediction and lost a position all of a sudden.

David Robinson, who had just followed him to the blocking area, quickly stopped.

I wanted to slide to the right to block Li You's cut from the left wing, but I saw Li You quickly in and out while moving, swaying right and left, and David Robinson suddenly stopped in place.

Parker, who was desperately chasing behind him, could only watch Li You shake and then speed up again. He appeared in the lower left corner of the basket as if in a flash. He grabbed the ball with his left hand and leaned forward to pick up the basket!

David Robinson looked directly at Li You, and soon heard a joke:

"Man, your lateral movement is getting slower and slower!"

After teasing, Li You patted the "admiral" twice as he was about to serve.

Naturally, what he said was from his heart. Whether it was Mutombo who came off the bench in the Eastern Conference finals or David Robinson who is currently starting, they are really out of date.

"Wow!"

His ears were filled with the cheers in the arena and the cheers of the fans in the front row. David Robinson was speechless for a moment.

He knew that in the next few rounds, Li You would continue to attack his defense.

Popovich made tactical gestures on the sidelines and received instructions. Parker crossed the half court and came to the left wing. He did not initiate a pick-and-roll, but waited for Duncan on the baseline to be in position.

The big man crossed the screen under the basket, Bowen moved to the right corner, and Steve Smith stopped on the right wing.

Seeing their opponent's positioning like this, everyone in the Knicks knew it must be Duncan's low post.

Kurt Thomas did not switch defenses with Gasol. Under the interference of Li You on the line, Duncan failed to receive the pass in the first place.

Kurt Thomas, who was chasing behind him, first raised his arms to block the defense, and then began to circle forward to defend. Duncan did not want to catch the ball far away from the basket, but the two pulled together and finally came to the left blocking area.

Parker, who stopped the ball, could only send out a high throw. After completing the pass, he quickly accelerated and cut in, leading Li You to the right corner. The Spurs took turns in turn.

David Robinson quickly moved to the free throw line to open up the offensive space. After receiving the ball, Duncan turned around and attacked the frame. After sweeping the ball, he quickly released the ball with his left hand and broke through.

Kurt Thomas hurriedly slid back to the right to block the breakthrough route. Gasol completely gave up on David Robinson and squeezed to the basket together.

He did not choose to pass the ball and failed to turn up the line. Duncan, who exerted too much force, dove into the circle between the two and forced a layup on the lower left side of the basket.

The basketball came out of the frame, and Li You, who was near the baseline on the right, returned to the basket early and grabbed the rebound.

Seeing David Robinson step forward and delay, he pushed the ball with his right hand to change direction, fished the ball with his left hand, slumped his shoulders and accelerated, squeezing past the opponent in an instant.

Without giving the Spurs a chance to retreat, Li You immediately sent a long pass as soon as he got rid of the defense.

Grant Hill, who had already passed half-court, grabbed the ball from the three-point line, ignored Steve Smith who was chasing him behind him, rushed into the paint with three strides, grabbed the ball with his right hand and glided for a dunk. !

At 0:6, they scored consecutively easily at the beginning, which made the cheers in the stadium get louder and louder.

Seeing Li You once again following Parker to the bottom line to lead the defense, Nessler once again praised in the commentary box:

"The Knicks played their signature transition offense. Lee's defense suppressed Parker after the opening game. He never scored as easily as he did in the Western Conference Finals."

Bill Walton saw Duncan taking the initiative to pick and roll at the left elbow again, and he also commented:

"No matter what offense they play, the Spurs need to get the ball to the basket as quickly as possible."

Duncan's high-quality screen finally allowed Parker to briefly escape Li You's pursuit.

Parker, who was holding the ball in his left hand, didn't have time to dribble a few more times when he saw Kurt Thomas moving to the paint area. Instead of forcing an attack, he quickly returned to the unguarded Duncan.

At the free throw line, Duncan caught the ball and took a quick look before taking a jump shot. As a result, the shot was too weak and hit the edge of the basket and immediately fell into the hands of Kurt Thomas.

Duncan shook his hand in annoyance. He naturally knew that he should find his condition as soon as possible.

Everyone on the Spurs team who was retreating quickly discovered that Li You received the ball very quickly this time.

Although Parker slid desperately and continued to fight physically, he was still crushed by Li You and crossed the half court.

Players on both sides were near the three-point line. The Knicks' big man went straight to the basket at this time. Duncan and David Robinson followed the defense and loudly reminded their teammates.

Near the top of the arc, Li You decelerated and completed a crotch pass. Grant Hill, who followed up, easily caught the ball. After completing the pass, Li You cut in without the ball and suddenly accelerated to the elbow area and ran back.

On the left wing, Li You once again received a pass from Grant Hill. He first feinted with the ball, mobilizing Parker's defensive focus, and then quickly took a tentative step forward with his right foot to the left.

At this time, the Spurs had just completed their defensive matchup, and Parker was already a little confused, so he subconsciously chose to step forward and defend.

Just as his opponent moved, Li You quickly swept the ball, swayed his body to the right, and suddenly released the ball with his left hand, crossing over to break through.

Quickly sliding to the right and back, Parker, who was thrown half a body away, found that he was about to be squeezed past. Fortunately, his teammate Bowen noticed the situation and hurriedly stepped forward to help defend.

Li You, who was half a body ahead, suddenly quickly circled the ball behind his back. Under the inertia, Parker lost his defensive position again.

Switching to his right hand, Li You slowed down slightly but successfully avoided the double team. When Parker stepped forward to defend again, he accelerated again with his shoulders down.

Although he slipped in time, Parker was still pushed into the paint area by Li You's crushing breakthrough.

At this time, there were many players piled up under the basket. Instead of making a breakthrough, Li You suddenly stopped, using his left foot as an axis, quickly twisted backwards, and at the same time pulled the ball backwards with his left hand.

After a sudden stop, Parker stumbled again. He wanted to move to defend again, but Li You suddenly twisted forward.

Seeing that Li You had combined the ball, Parker readjusted his body weight and tried to block the shot.

Failing to completely take off, Parker leaned forward in the face of Li You who was leaning back sharply, and his outstretched left arm only hit his right elbow.

"squeak!"

"Wow!"

Amid the cheers of the fans, the referee blew the whistle and the basketball flew to the basket. Although it was disturbed, it bounced twice on the basket and still fell into the net.

After landing, Parker almost threw himself into the street. He straightened up and watched Li You, who was shaking his fist in celebration, walking to the free throw line. He couldn't help but subconsciously look at the head coach on the sidelines.

Parker soon noticed that Popovich had a big face and no instructions, and seemed to be helpless.

"The Spurs defense is collapsing and there seems to be nothing they can do! Lee is too fast!"

"Parker can keep up with Lee, but his physical confrontation is much worse. Every time he loses his position, it is difficult to defend effectively."

Tolbert was not polite and made his comments without mercy. Nessler saw that Li You also scored an extra penalty and couldn't help but said:

"Maybe Coach Popovich should ask for a timeout!"

At 0:9, the Spurs did not score a point after the opening. Popovich did not ask for a timeout, but believed in his thigh.

Instead of choosing a pick-and-roll, Duncan once again squeezed into the left blocking area. This time after receiving the pass, he made a breakthrough and turned upward in time.

David Robinson, who was left open at the free throw line, received the pass and succeeded in a mid-range jump shot!

At 2:9, the Spurs finally broke the deadlock, and the atmosphere team on the bench also cheered.

Quickly sending out the baseline, Li You made tactical gestures early, and soon, there was another high pick-and-roll on the line.

Close to the left wing, relying on Gasol's good cover quality, Li You, holding the ball in his left hand, successfully got rid of Parker's pursuit interference.

David Robinson, who learned his lesson, stepped forward early with his right arm raised for a big delay.

Li You did not choose to speed up the breakthrough. Seeing that the opponent's defense reacted too much, he immediately sent a ground pass.

Gasol also accelerated down the field, received the pass in the paint area and strode straight to the basket.

Gasol, who grabbed the ball with his right hand, took three big steps and tried to throw his arm at him, but was interfered by Duncan who was helping to defend the basket.

As the fans sighed with regret, the basketball hit the rim and bounced high.

Although the one-man dunk failed, Kurt Thomas, who was unoccupied, grabbed the offensive rebound at this time.

Duncan, who once again turned around to help defend, was knocked away by Kurt Thomas and then hit the board and put up a layup!

At 2:11, watching Kurt Thomas angrily beating his chest under the basket, Madison Square Garden was boiling again.

Playing the same tactic, David Robinson, who was left open again, showed no mercy and hit a jumper from the free throw line.

Looking back, the Spurs had just completed their defensive matchup. Parker, who had been continuously penetrated at the top of the arc, was not on defense this time and always controlled the defensive distance.

Easily advancing to the half court, Li You, who was holding the ball in his left hand, suddenly pushed the ball quickly to change direction. After switching to his right hand, he immediately dropped his shoulders and accelerated.

Making a successful defensive prediction, Parker immediately blocked Li You's breakthrough route.

A strong force came in front of him, and Parker subconsciously widened his eyes as he watched Li You lead the ball forward, increase his stride, and forcefully squeeze past him.

Duncan and David Robinson both returned to the paint area under the basket from the left and right near the baseline.

Li You, who broke through to the paint area, passed the ball to Gasol on the lower right side of the basket while his opponent moved.

David Robinson tried to twist around to block the shot again, but Gasol jumped up directly, grabbed the ball with his right hand, raised his long arm, and succeeded in a dunk from behind!

"what!"

Gasol shouted after completing the dunk, and his performance made the cheers in the arena even louder.

The Knicks broke through and distributed the ball simply and roughly, but the effect was extremely good.

Popovich asked for a timeout with an expressionless face. Rarely, he did not criticize Parker. Instead, he patted the main point guard on the shoulder.

At 4:13, Li You walked to the bench and high-fived his teammates to celebrate. On the bench, the atmosphere team also screamed with joy. The game seemed to be easier than expected.

After the timeout, the Knicks went uncharacteristically and continued to play simple basketball. In the commentary box, Nessler said the most:

"Lee! Inside! That's good!"

"Lee! Again! Beautiful pass!"

In the middle of the first quarter, the Knicks players had long lost their nervousness. At this time, Li You also started running tactics, squatting in the corner to direct traffic for several rounds.

Ginobili, who was replaced early, just broke through to the basket in the last round and scored 2 points in the finals;

Returning to the defensive end, the baseline cross-covered, and Grant Hill, who received the pass in the left block, put his right hand on the ball before changing direction when facing the rookie who was changing defense.

After grabbing half of his body, Grant Hill took advantage of the situation, used his body to push Ginobili away, and succeeded in picking up the basket with his left hand!

New York fans were happy to see that compared to the regular season, as the playoffs progressed, the Knicks' style of play began to be simple and rough.

There are more rounds of one-on-one matches between stars, and fans who buy tickets to watch the game also feel that the high-priced tickets are worth it!

At 12:21, the point difference remained unchanged, with 4 minutes and 30 seconds left in the first quarter.

In these minutes, the Spurs also began to speed up. Duncan, Parker, and Malik Rose who came off the bench all scored, but there was a problem on the defensive end.

The Spurs attacked again, and Duncan, who was heavily guarded every time he went to the low post, once again received the ball in the right elbow area.

After Parker handed over the ball, he still cut to the basket without the ball and ran towards the left corner.

Ginobili at the top of the arc took the initiative and tried to catch Duncan's hand-to-hand pass.

The reverse run on the line failed to get rid of Artest's entanglement. Although Duncan's side screen was of good quality, Ginobili had just received the ball. Artest, who squeezed through the screen, crashed into his opponent and cut the ball with his left hand.

Losing control of the basketball, Ginobili screamed and tried to attract the referee's attention, but Artest, who had control of the ball, ignored it and accelerated to bring down his opponent and quickly rushed across the center line.

With no one guarding him, Artest rushed into the paint and immediately jumped into the air. He barely swung the ball around in the air and succeeded in a windmill dunk!

"Oh!"

Artest, who put on a great show, felt like he had become a big star. After dunking, he stood under the basket and pulled his jersey while screaming strangely.

At 12:23, the point difference reached double digits for the first time. Popovich on the sidelines was a little anxious and roared loudly.

Every time it comes to a critical round, everyone in the Knicks team knows that their opponent will definitely give the ball to Duncan.

In addition to helping move the ball on the upper line, Bowen spent most of the rest of the time moving back and forth in the left and right corners.

After coming on the court, Ginobili did not get frequent offensive opportunities, and Grant Hill gradually shrank within the three-point line on the defensive end.

When Parker came to the left wing, the rest of the Knicks were again surrounding the paint.

After the short power forward Malik Rose came on the court, Gasol was completely defensive.

When Duncan received Parker's ground pass in the left block, Kurt Thomas continued to defend behind him, while giving Duncan space to attack up the line.

Gasol stood near the baseline on the right, always staring at the top line, ready to help defend. Grant Hill shrank again, near the right elbow, ready to help defend Malik Rose at the free throw line.

"Defense!."

The New York fans at the scene were shouting more and more enthusiastically. Duncan put the ball with his right hand and turned his back to play.

Li You on the left wing suddenly accelerated his pace, stepped sideways to help defend in front of Duncan, stretched out his arm and cut the ball to interfere with the ball.

Duncan, who reacted quickly, quickly collected the ball, avoided cutting the ball while raising the ball in front of him, and returned the ball to Parker outside the three-point line.

The passing speed was a little slower. As soon as Parker caught the ball, he saw Li You rushing in front of him again.

Instinctively protected the ball on the right side of his body. Before Parker could sweep the ball, Li You's right hand hit the ball hard.

"Snapped!"

With a crisp slap, the basketball immediately fell to the floor. The moment he lost the ball, Parker wanted to pull for a foul, but was pushed by Li You who was accelerating.

Coupled with the physical collision, Parker fell directly to the ground. The referee did not say anything. He slapped the floor angrily and watched Li You rush across the half court.

1 versus 0 in the frontcourt, unguarded, in the paint area, Li You jumped up high with his feet, his head almost flat with the frame, pulled the ball down with both hands, folded it and stretched his body, and pressed the ball hard into the basket with both hands!

"Boom!" Folding dunk succeeded!

"Show time!"

Commentator Nesler was happy to see it and cheered along with the fans.

At 12:25, after a stable +2 pass, the point difference came to 13 points. Coach D'Antoni on the sidelines laughed and clapped his hands.

The increasingly anxious Duncan finally managed to get stuck in the low post on the right side. After receiving Parker's pass, he quickly turned toward the baseline.

Before Kurt Thomas could block the block, Duncan, who squeezed under the basket, took a step forward and dunked with both hands!

After completing the dunk, Duncan did not celebrate and continued to shout for his teammates to retreat.

The Spurs finally changed their defenders at this time, and Bowen came forward to interfere with Li You who was receiving the ball.

After circling the ball behind his back and switching to his left hand, Li You accelerated directly against the defense.

Bowen's pull had no effect. After halftime, Li You suddenly stopped and was shaken out of his position.

Rather than choosing to break through directly, Li You leisurely made a tactical gesture to continue the pick-and-roll.

Li You approached the left wing. Bowen stared at the ball but still didn't get too close. He glanced at Gasol behind him and lifted it up, then moved his steps and tried to get close to the defense.

Before the pick-and-roll occurred, Li You suddenly accelerated his dribbling rhythm, dribbling vigorously with his right hand and quickly changing direction in front of his body.

Bowen didn't react at all. He stayed on the spot and turned to look at Li You, who was holding the ball in his left hand and "flying close to the ground" directly into the basket.

Duncan, who followed the defense to the left block, stopped in time, tried hard to block Li You's breakthrough route, and tried to complete the block.

Leaning on Duncan, who kept sliding and raising his right arm, Li You, who was approaching the paint area, suddenly stopped and pulled back with a large cross-step.

Duncan was staggered and instantly lost his defensive position. Li You, who switched to his right hand, did not choose an open jump shot, but accelerated again.

After taking a big step, he jumped into the paint area and knocked Duncan out of the air again. Li You grabbed the ball with his right hand and dodged the block. After being hit on the shoulder, he threw the ball!

"squeak!"

"And one!"

The buzzer sounded and the ball went in. The basketball hit the board and hit the frame. After landing, Duncan was hit and unable to stand still. He took two steps back and sat on the baseline.

"Wow!"

Seeing Li You shaking his shoulders and pretending to be X under the basket, cheers almost broke through the arena.

"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

Standing on the free throw line, amid the shouts of the fans, Li Youjia made a steady free throw.

At 12:28, Duncan took the initiative to signal a timeout. Seeing Thigh's eyes glaring and angry, Popovich hurriedly stepped forward to hug and comfort him.

"This is not a good matchup. Bowen is too slow. It is almost a natural mismatch."

Tolbert saw the Knicks completely widening the point difference and shook his head and made a comment. Bill Walton looked at the technical statistics:

5中5，罚球2中2，12分2篮板4助攻1抢断。

Thinking that Li You had never missed a shot, Bill Walton could only sigh:

"It's not a good choice to let a second-year rookie go against the MVP."

With a score difference of 16 points, Nessler has broadcast many Knicks playoff games and has never witnessed his opponent come back in Madison Square Garden:

"It seems that the Spurs need to change their tactics. They have to score as soon as possible. This point difference is too dangerous."

In the last few minutes, the Knicks did not throw three-pointers. Grant Hill and Artest both chose to assist in the paint.

The opponent got a short power forward, and Gasol and Kurt Thomas fought harder.

Fortunately, Tim Duncan's free throws were not accurate at this time and he continuously stood on the free throw line to help the Spurs stabilize their mood.

D'Antoni sat back on the bench, and Ewing stood up from time to time and clapped loudly in encouragement. Although this shooting and grabbing game is simple, it can still suppress the opponent.

Li You was sent to the free throw line again. In the Spurs' last attack of the first quarter, Parker made another two-pointer from the right wing.

At 20:36, the 16-point difference allowed the New York fans at the scene to celebrate the victory in advance.

The stadium was filled with cheers. When Li You, who had played the entire first quarter, walked to the bench, he kept high-fiving everyone in celebration.

Many fans in the front row stood up and cheered. This situation also made everyone on the Spurs team look solemn when they returned to the bench.

Popovich was holding the tactical board, writing and drawing, and kept loudly reminding the players to stay steady.

David Robinson appeared again, and the Spurs barely made any rotations, and they were struggling against the main force with a huge point difference.

For the Knicks, Jackson and Prince came on the field. At the same time, Stoudemire replaced Kurt Thomas, who committed two fouls.

In the Spurs' first offensive round, with the help of David Robinson's screen on the left wing, Ginobili broke through to the basket and missed a layup.

Suddenly the cheers in the arena grew louder and louder. David Robinson sped back to half court and loudly reminded his teammates to retreat.

This time Li You advanced very quickly and came to the right wing. Stoudemire, who had just appeared, stepped forward to pick and roll.

The fake screen allowed Parker to easily squeeze through, but Duncan, who was following up, still chose to delay and help defend in front of Li You.

Li You's continuous breakthroughs stunned the Spurs. Duncan made the wrong defensive choice and was hit to the ground and passed through the defense.

Near the free throw line, Stoudemire, who was passing down, just received the pass, took a step forward and immediately jumped into the air.

David Robinson actively helped defend and jumped to the basket to block the shot, but found that the newbie in front of him bumped into him blankly.

The two collided in the air, but Stoudemire was not affected much and directly knocked the "Admiral" away.

Amid the exclamations of the fans, David Robinson leaned back in the air, and then there was an explosion in his ears. After landing, he staggered and fell into the camera.

"Boom!" A dunk from behind!

"Wow!"

The noise in Madison Square Garden increased a few points again, and the visually impactful dunk made many fans jump and jump, cheering and shouting.

Duncan pulled up his big brother and turned to look at the Knicks team hugging each other and celebrating wildly, feeling anger rising in his heart.

Soon everyone on the Spurs realized how the Nets felt during the video session, and the time loop began.

In the commentary box, Nessler began to repeat the commentary of the first quarter:

"Lee! Get inside! Good!"

"What a play by Lee! Beautiful pass!"

With 6 minutes and 04 seconds left in the half, the starting lineup returned, and the Knicks finally changed their tactics. Li You, who had been squatting in the corner for several consecutive rounds, suddenly slipped across the baseline from right to left.

After reaching the basket, he accelerated the ball from the middle. At the free throw line, Gasol made a screen, delaying Parker who was chasing him.

On the left wing, Grant Hill, who was protecting the ball from his side, sent a cross pass. The moment Li You caught the ball, Parker also chased after him.

Lifting the ball above his head, Li You quickly swept the ball from top to bottom while making a tentative step laterally with his right foot.

Parker subconsciously took a step back, and then saw Li You pull out directly from outside the three-point line.

"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net.

At 33:50, the score difference came to 17 points.

Li You knew that Parker's English was on the same level as Gasol's, and he didn't bother to talk trash to him. He just shook his head and smiled.

Parker was numb and looked helplessly at the head coach. He quickly received instructions from Popovich and continued to give the ball to Duncan.

On the Knicks bench, the atmosphere team stood up early, raised their right arm and raised three fingers, cheering and celebrating with the fans.

In the next game, Duncan stopped passing the ball and worked hard to stay in position. He attacked in the low post and caused Gasol to foul. He also made steady jump shots in the left and right blocks.

Tony Parker seems to have invested too much energy on the defensive end. In addition to hitting a breakaway jump shot that broke away from the defense, he still failed to make several pull-up jump shots that were missed.

Watching Tim Duncan score consecutive points, the point difference did not narrow. Popovich's "incompetent shouting" on the sidelines could not change any situation.

The Knicks' defense shrunk very little. In this attack, the Spurs continuously passed the ball from the outside. In the right corner, Bowen received the ball and met Artest's defensive jump shot.

The long rebound was picked up by Li You, and Parker immediately stepped forward to hug him in desperation. The referee blew the whistle and gestured to the free throw line.

Parker watched Li You walk towards the half court and stood there motionless. It wasn't until Duncan from behind came up and touched his head that he finally came back to his senses.

"Tony, we still have time!"

Still silent, Parker looked at the scoreboard:

42:60, 1 minute and 25 seconds left in the half.

Li You made two free throws, raised his hands high, and walked back on defense with a smile.

"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

Before halftime was about to end, the shouts of MVP couldn't stop.

As the two sides continued to fight in the last few rounds, the final score remained unchanged.

Everyone on the Spurs quickly walked to the tunnel, and the Knicks on the other side had already started celebrating.

Coach D'Antoni also ended his tactical retreat, tidied his clothes, and prepared for an interview during the halftime break.

Ewing smiled from ear to ear. With a score difference of 20 points, there was definitely no suspense in this game. He hugged Li You and walked to the tunnel. When he was approaching the locker room, he whispered:

"Lee! Sweep them! Don't give David Robinson any hope. It's not bad to receive the award away from home. The Spurs just changed to a new arena."

Seeing that his old rival was not doing well, the gorilla was happy. Li You understood the thoughts of his old teammate:

"Don't worry, Pat! Of course we will sweep our opponents. This year's playoffs will be reorganized. I have already said that we will create the best record in history!"

When the two entered the locker room, everyone was smiling. Li You smiled, clapped his hands and said loudly:

"Guys! Enjoy your victory!"

"Oh!!"

　Thank you book friends for your subscription support (﹃)

　　I couldn't code out the QAQ of Chapter 2,

　　I only coded 1.4 today.

　　I’ll make it up later, I’ll update QAQ early tomorrow morning

　　

　

(End of this chapter)