On April 20, 2000, as the regular season officially concluded, players who didn’t make the playoffs began their vacations, while teams that advanced to the playoffs busied themselves with preparations.

The Los Angeles Lakers, with their 67 wins, became the focal point.

Champion Coach Phil Jackson and superstar center Shaquille O’Neal gave Los Angeles fans hope for a championship.

Regular season records, to a certain extent, can indicate a team’s strength.

In the past two seasons, the New York Knicks were the league’s top team, successfully achieving back-to-back championships.

This time, the Los Angeles Lakers led by a full 7 games, and the media became inflated.

In the morning newspaper, after holding back for a season, the Los Angeles Times finally started its credit mode:

“Unparalleled Dominance, This is the Era of the Los Angeles Lakers!”

After the Los Angeles Lakers’ “Showtime” era ended, Los Angeles print media basically indulged in nostalgia every day, and Los Angeles Lakers fans also missed the era of “Magic-Bird rivalry.”

The “Wilt Chamberlain” + “Michael Jordan” hype before the All-Star Game wasn’t very successful.

Kobe was excellent, but there was still a significant gap between him and Michael Jordan.

Most importantly, Lee delivered a historic performance this season.

Although the Los Angeles media wasn’t yet clear on the specific data, it was definitely much better than Kobe’s.

Local newspapers were information cocoons.

Los Angeles Lakers fans wouldn’t seek out trouble by buying the New York Times, and New York fans wouldn’t pay attention to what Los Angeles newspapers were hyping.

Young people who liked to surf the internet could find some sports columnists’ reviews on the Yahoo Sports section, but most of these articles were not objective, aiming to attract attention.

Scouts and coaching staffs of various teams wouldn’t bother with such chaotic information.

Data could reflect a team’s strength, and combining it with ESPN’s data plus their own statistics was sufficient.

Although the New York Knicks’ coaching staff wasn’t large, Assistant Coach Thibodeau was worth three people, with more passion for work than anyone else.

On the morning of the 20th, at the Tarrytown Training Center, in the multimedia room, Assistant Coach Thibodeau briefly explained the Milwaukee Bucks’ game footage to the coaching staff.

Under Head Coach George Karl, the Milwaukee Bucks completely unleashed their offensive talent this season.

The arrival of Sam Cassell also seemed to activate Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson.

With the three-man perimeter group as the core, forwards Darwin Ham and center Ervin Johnson were completely relegated to being role players.

“The first-round series won’t put much pressure on us. The Milwaukee Bucks’ defense lacks consistency.”

“Their rim protection is average. Among their bench players, Tim Thomas is in good form, but the big man Williams lacks self-creation ability.”

“However, Larry’s current form is not good, so we need to prepare to increase our rotation.”

Assistant Coach Thibodeau was very confident about the first-round series.

A lean camel is still bigger than a horse.

Even with their defensive decline, the New York Knicks were still superior to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Jeff Van Gundy and the coaching staff members all nodded, reviewing the statistics they held.

By speeding up the offensive pace, the New York Knicks could substitute in smaller big men, and their mobility would not be inferior to their opponents.

This season, the Milwaukee Bucks averaged 83.3 field goal attempts per game, scoring 101.2 points, ranking 6th in the league.

Their offense was excellent, but on the defensive end, they allowed opponents to score 101.0 points per game, ranking 23rd in the league, which was a significant drop in performance.

Being strong offensively but weak defensively, this situation was very similar to the Detroit Pistons, who ranked 3rd in offense but 4th from the bottom in defense.

This was also why many basketball commentators predicted that both teams would be eliminated in the first round.

In the playoffs, defense still mattered.

Assistant Coach Don Chaney looked at the team’s statistics and couldn’t help but sigh:

“Lee most likely won’t get the MVP. He performed too well this season; 60 wins, this achievement exceeded my expectations.”

The statistics in the coaching staff’s hands illustrated Lee’s positive impact on the team.

In the regular season, the New York Knicks averaged 80.3 field goal attempts per game, scoring 103.8 points, ranking 2nd in the league.

The team’s average turnovers per game were 13.8, which was remarkably low given the amount of ball-handling responsibility.

The low turnover rate also served as a guarantee for the New York Knicks’ defense.

This season, they allowed opponents to score an average of 96.3 points per game, with their defensive ranking dropping to 11th.

If offensive and defensive ratings were converted to per 100 possessions, the New York Knicks’ offense dropped to 5th place, while their defense improved by one spot.

In the per 100 possessions data, the Los Angeles Lakers, ranked 6th in defense, topped the statistical charts.

From being an integrated offense and defense team in the past two seasons to the current offense-heavy, defense-light approach, Jeff Van Gundy still felt some regret.

Considering the team’s internal situation, the Bald Young Coach could only steel himself.

A three-peat was still possible:

“During practice, pay attention to the players’ physical condition. The team cannot afford any more injuries at this point.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Kukoc’s injury in late February had affected their record, so pushing the starters too hard too early was not an option.

How the Chicago Bulls lost in ’98 was clearer to Jeff Van Gundy and the others than anyone else.

No one wanted to follow the Chicago Bulls’ old path.

On April 21st, the NBA officially announced the leaders in various statistical categories for the season:

With 14.1 rebounds per game, Dikembe Mutombo of the Atlanta Hawks was named this season’s Rebounding Champion;

With 10.1 assists per game, Jason Kidd of the Phoenix Suns won the Assist Champion for the 2nd consecutive season;

With 3.7 blocks per game, Alonzo Mourning of the Heat also won the Block Champion for the second consecutive time;

With 2.7 steals per game, Eddie Jones of the Hornets won this season’s Steal Champion;

The Scoring Champion, Clay Lee, and Shaquille O’Neal competed until the very last moment.

Ultimately, Shaq didn’t shamelessly pad his stats.

With 30.2 points per game, Clay Lee of the New York Knicks once again won the Scoring Champion!

In the 1999-2000 season, Lee started all 81 games he played, averaging 37.6 minutes per game;

He averaged 30.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.4 blocks, and 2.7 turnovers per game;

He averaged 21.1 field goal attempts per game, with a field goal percentage of 48.5%.

From beyond the arc, he averaged 7.5 attempts per game, with a three-point percentage of 41.7%;

He averaged 7.4 free throw attempts per game, with a free throw percentage of 89.2%.

Shaquille O’Neal, who played 79 regular season games and averaged 29.7 points, narrowly missed out on the Scoring Champion title.

On the total scoring list, Clay Lee scored 2444 points this season, the first time in his career he exceeded 2000 points in a single season!

And as ESPN released the rankings for various statistics this season, the concept of a “combo guard” became popular again.

With 663 assists in a single season, Lee ranked 8th on the assist list;

With 147 steals in a single season, seemingly unremarkable, he ranked 5th on the steal list;

With 254 three-pointers in a single season, Lee once again broke his own three-point record!

On the three-point list, Gary Payton, ranked 2nd, made 177 three-pointers, and Ray Allen, ranked 3rd, made 172.

In terms of three-point volume, Clay Lee was far ahead!

While maintaining volume, his 41.7% three-point percentage also ranked 7th.

On the free throw list, Lee averaged 6.6 made free throws per game, ranking 3rd, and his free throw percentage also ranked 3rd.

Shaquille O’Neal averaged 10.4 free throw attempts per game, but his free throw percentage was only 52.4%.

When basketball commentators looked at the true shooting percentage data, they were startled again.

Lee ranked 3rd with 61.9%.

The top two on the list, Jon Barry and Dikembe Mutombo, didn’t have as much ball-handling responsibility as Lee.

Regarding the MVP, on the efficiency rating list, which many media people focused on, Lee topped it with a value of 31.6!

The terrifying PER completely sent sports media into a frenzy!

Since ESPN introduced this stat, in the long history of the NBA, as of 2000, only 5 players had a PER over 30.

And only Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan had a value over 31.

Clay Lee’s PER of 31.6 tied the records set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1964 and Michael Jordan in 1991, becoming the third player in NBA history to achieve this feat!

Shaquille O’Neal, who immediately declared to the media after the regular season that he would be the first unanimous MVP in NBA history, did not accept interviews that day.

This season, Shaq’s efficiency rating reached 30.6, leading all other players by a significant margin.

Karl Malone, in 3rd place, had only 27.1, Alonzo Mourning in 4th was 25.8, and subsequent players like Tim Duncan and Glenn Robinson were all below 25.

O’Neal had never considered that Lee’s efficiency rating would surpass his own before this.

Upon seeing ESPN’s news, Shaq immediately realized that a unanimous MVP was out of reach.

The influence of Excel was immense.

For basketball commentators, data could measure a player’s strength.

On the 21st, news hyping Shaq suddenly disappeared, and Clay Lee became the hot topic among basketball commentators that day.

Since the playoffs were set to officially begin on the 22nd, TNT’s original program was meant to preview the four playoff games for the next night, but it ended up focusing on how Lee achieved such an incredible efficiency.

In the studio, Mike Fratello enthusiastically analyzed Lee’s performance this season:

“Rebounds! Everyone has overlooked Lee’s rebounding. Note that he averages 1.7 offensive rebounds per game this season.”

“It seems small, but it’s excellent for a guard. Frankly, Lee’s offensive rebounds are even better than some interior players!”

“He takes a lot of shots from below the free-throw line, and Lee’s field goal percentage at the rim has reached 68.7%, which is already terrifying!”

Kenny Smith looked at the offensive rebound data and couldn’t help but tilt his head and ask,

“Why didn’t anyone pay attention to these stats before? Honestly, I don’t have much impression of Lee’s rebounding.”

Ernie Johnson tried to recall the New York Knicks’ games and quickly gave his answer:

“Long rebounds? The New York Knicks average 22.3 three-point attempts per game, and they and the Sacramento Kings are the only teams in the league with over 20 three-point attempts.”

Mike Fratello returned to his seat, held the microphone, and said again,

“In the past, I simply didn’t believe a point guard could put up such terrifying numbers. Lee has overturned my perception!”

Recalling his previous prediction, Kenny Smith changed his mind temporarily and said with a smile,

“I’ve changed my mind. Everyone is optimistic about the Los Angeles Lakers, but as long as Lee continues his regular season performance, I believe the New York Knicks will ultimately win the championship.”

“In ’98, Michael Jordan had already declined significantly, but now, Lee seems to have reached the peak of his career. The core players of the two teams are in completely different states.”

“Perhaps, everyone needs to re-evaluate the New York Knicks’ strength!”

On April 22nd, the first round of the playoffs officially began.

The Milwaukee Bucks’ players flew to New York to prepare for tomorrow night’s game.

Upon arriving in New York, the Milwaukee Bucks’ players felt surrounded by news about Lee.

“The youngest 6000-point player in NBA history!”

“The youngest single-season 2000-point player in NBA history!”

“Third in NBA history!”

“The true MVP! This is the era of the New York Knicks!”

The sports sections of the hotel newspapers were all about Clay Lee, besides which they were hyping up the New York Knicks’ dominance.

Excel made the New York media excitedly hype for two days, and the articles in the newspapers didn’t even mention the Milwaukee Bucks.

George Karl didn’t want his players to be affected, so he cautioned everyone not to accept interviews casually.

Ray Allen, as a good friend of Lee, was immediately surrounded by media reporters upon arriving in New York.

This was Ray Allen’s first time facing the New York Knicks in the playoffs since joining the Milwaukee Bucks.

During the interview, Ray Allen suddenly turned into a straightforward guy:

“I’m not surprised by Lee’s success because I know how much effort he put into refining his skills.”

“But the New York Knicks have declined. They are currently overrated. Without Lee, they wouldn’t have achieved 60 wins this season.”

“…”

Ray Allen’s interview with the New York Post stirred up a hornet’s nest.

The New York media couldn’t stand to hear that!

There were 4 playoff games on the evening of the 22nd:

The 76ers defeated the Hornets, and the Pacers narrowly beat the Detroit Pistons.

The Utah Jazz handled the Seattle SuperSonics, and the San Antonio Spurs were the only team in the upper bracket to lose.

72:70, the Phoenix Suns secured a valuable road victory.

Near the end of the regular season, Tim Duncan suffered a torn meniscus in his knee, ending his season and ruling him out of the playoffs.

Gregg Popovich was almost lambasted by the San Antonio media.

Everyone believed that excessive playing time ultimately led to Duncan’s injury.

After Game 1 of the first round, calls for Gregg Popovich’s dismissal grew louder, and the San Antonio fans couldn’t hold back their frustration at the thought of their team possibly being eliminated in the first round.

On the evening of the 23rd, at Madison Square Garden, wearing the New York Knicks’ blue practice uniform, Lee smiled and raised the scoring title trophy in front of the New York fans!

In addition to the scoring title, Lee also held the April Player of the Month trophy.

League staff applauded from the sidelines, and even before the game started, there were shouts of “MVP.”

After the regular season, Lee remained very low-key, mainly because he had made too much money from stocks.

In February, Federal Reserve Chairman Greenspan felt that the internet seemed too extraordinary, and a P/E ratio of 200 was simply unsustainable.

To curb investment enthusiasm, the Federal Reserve announced a significant interest rate hike, raising it to levels seen before 1995.

Lee was startled by this news and began to accelerate the sale of his stocks.

On March 10th, the Nasdaq reached its peak at 5048.

By then, Lee had already sold 90% of his stocks.

Although he didn’t hit the absolute peak, with the release of “Burning Up” by Barron’s on March 20th,

This famous financial magazine exposed the cash flow and profitability of internet companies through this article.

Among the more than 200 internet companies surveyed, 71% had negative profits.

Even star companies like Amazon could only sustain their cash flow for less than 10 months.

After seeing this article, investors began panic selling.

In less than a month, the Nasdaq index fell by 25%.

By then, Lee had already secured his profits.

Some financial magazines, after discovering Lee’s investments, were almost awestruck, as it completely contradicted the image of an NBA basketball player.

Amidst a widespread crash, Lee made a huge profit.

As the saying goes, ‘fame attracts trouble,’ so during this period, he rarely accepted interviews outside of basketball.

The cheers at Madison Square Garden made the Milwaukee Bucks’ players feel uneasy.

For most players, winning the scoring title and Player of the Month is very difficult.

Watching Lee receive his awards and seeing the New York Knicks’ relaxed demeanor, Head Coach George Karl also felt a bit depressed.

All signs indicated that the opponent didn’t take the Milwaukee Bucks seriously.

The lights in the Madison Square Garden came back on, and both teams began their final warm-up.

At the NBC commentary desk, Bob Costas noticed Coach Calhoun sitting in the front row and proceeded to introduce him:

“The backcourt duo from the University of Connecticut has begun to shine brightly after entering the NBA!”

“Coach Calhoun has produced a batch of excellent players.”

Doug Collins silently grumbled about God’s unfairness and changed the subject to introduce the starting lineups for both teams:

“Head Coach George Karl chose to pair Darwin Ham and Glenn Robinson at forward, with Alvin Johnson still at center.”

“The New York Knicks also haven’t changed their starting lineup. Head Coach Van Gundy likewise made no adjustments to the roster.”

As the game was about to begin, Lee, having finished his warm-up, was still “fully armed,” smiling as he bumped fists with Ray Allen and whispered teasingly,

“Everyone saw your comments in the interview. Tonight’s game will have very strong physical confrontation!”

Ray Allen, however, was unfazed and even seemed eager:

“What I said is true; on-court performance and statistics don’t lie!”

The camera focused on the two talking.

The director had been circling Lee since the start of the game.

His historic PER had once again garnered Lee a lot of attention.

Ewing and Oakley were laughing and joking while warming up.

During the three days of rest, the New York Knicks didn’t conduct extensive training, focusing mostly on warm-ups and recovery.

As the game was about to start, Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines didn’t give any further instructions to his players.

Instead, he turned and went directly to the bench to sit down.

As Ewing and Johnson went to center court for the jump ball, a huge roar erupted again in theMadison Square Garden:

“Let’s go Knicks!…”

Seeing Gorilla easily tip the ball to midcourt, the fans in the stands immediately waved their orange handkerchiefs and cheered loudly.

In the first possession, Lee quickly dribbled past half-court, didn’t initiate a pick-and-roll, but instead passed the ball to Ewing in the left elbow area.

After passing the ball, Lee quickly moved horizontally, coming to the right wing.

Using Oakley’s screen in the right elbow area, he quickly cut off-ball.

Sam Cassell anticipated this play and naturally chased him closely, not giving Lee an easy scoring opportunity.

Unable to make a pass, Ewing signaled Allan Houston in the left corner to come up and receive the ball.

While his teammate came up, Lee quickly ran to the left corner.

Allan Houston received the ball, dribbled horizontally, quickly passed the ball to Oakley, and then Larry Johnson in the right corner came up to receive the ball.

As Ray Allen followed Allan Houston to the right corner, Ewing quickly moved and set another off-ball screen for Lee.

At this moment, Larry Johnson, holding the ball in his left hand, didn’t dribble much.

As Lee briefly broke free from his defender and came to the left wing, “Grandmama” immediately completed a cross-court pass.

Despite being just a few simple off-ball movements and off-ball screens, the Milwaukee Bucks’ defense showed some problems.

The big man, Johnson, saw Sam Cassell out of position and instinctively followed Lee, which resulted in two defenders being around Lee the moment he received the ball.

After receiving the ball, Lee immediately put it down with his right hand and moved horizontally with the ball.

Before the two could complete the double-team, he approached the top of the arc, pulled the defense, then quickly twisted his body, flicked the ball with one hand, and instantly delivered a bounce pass.

The basketball bounced in the paint and flew straight to the basket.

An undefended Ewing received the ball and immediately threw down a powerful one-handed dunk!

“Boom!” A cutting dunk succeeded!

Such an easy score made the New York fans in the arena wave their handkerchiefs and cheer wildly.

One screen, and the defense was gone.

George Karl could only shout reminders, but the noise in theMadison Square was too loud, and the Milwaukee Bucks players couldn’t hear what their Head Coach was yelling.

Sam Cassell, wearing the away blue jersey, looked serious.

Facing Lee’s lead defense, he didn’t rush to dribble past half-court.

For the Milwaukee Bucks’ offense, the players’ positioning was very simple: two wing players, Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson, were both waiting for the ball, and the only big man inside was Johnson.

Darvin Ham was a pseudo-starter, shuffling near the baseline on the left side, ready to cut in for an easy dunk at any time.

There were no complex tactics, but when Glenn Robinson received the ball on the left wing, he immediately put the ball down with his left hand and drove through.

Larry Johnson quickly slid, and before he reached the left restricted area, Glenn Robinson suddenly stopped short, then gathered the ball and shot a jump shot.

“Bang!”

The basketball hit the back rim, bounced high, and Ewing easily secured the defensive rebound.

Noticing that the Milwaukee Bucks had quickly retreated on defense, Ewing was no longer in a hurry.

He handed the ball to Lee and jogged slowly towards the frontcourt.

The tactics were even simpler.

After Lee dribbled past half-court, holding the ball for 8 seconds, and arrived at the left wing, Allan Houston quickly slipped along the baseline from left to right, then popped out to the middle.

Ewing’s screen quality in the paint was good.

Allan Houston received Lee’s pass at the free-throw line and immediately faked a shot.

Ray Allen, who was chasing him, instantly lost his defensive balance.

Putting the ball down with his right hand and dribbling one step horizontally, Allan Houston drifted slightly to the right and made a mid-range jump shot!

Two consecutive easy scores prompted Doug Collins at the commentary desk to complain:

“The Milwaukee Bucks don’t seem ready yet. This kind of defense can’t limit the opponent’s scoring.”

The cheers from the crowd grew louder.

After receiving instructions from their Head Coach, Sam Cassell gestured for a tactical play, indicating they should play with more patience.

Lee constantly interfered with his hands.

After Sam Cassell passed the ball, the Milwaukee Bucks began to pass the ball around the perimeter.

After only two passes, Ray Allen, using a screen from the big man Johnson, immediately drove with the ball at the top of the arc and took a long two-point pull-up jumper!

The long rebound bounced directly into Oakley’s arms, and many fans in the front row started to boo loudly.

The Milwaukee Bucks players quickly retreated on defense, but Lee’s transition speed after receiving the ball was incredibly fast.

Sam Cassell could only delay him with his hands at this point.

Noticing that the opponent’s defense had just settled, Lee, holding the ball with his right hand on the right wing, suddenly stopped short.

Taking advantage of Oakley being to his left, he immediately wrapped the ball behind his back.

The moment Lee switched to his left hand, Sam Cassell went under the screen, intending to quickly close out.

A perfect shooting opportunity suddenly appeared.

Lee didn’t hesitate at all.

After the pick-and-roll, he immediately gathered the ball and then quickly shot a jump shot!

“Swish!” The three-pointer went in without touching the rim!

0:7. A 7-point lead right from the start made the New York fans ecstatic.

On one side, they couldn’t make shots and on the other, Knicks were making them.

Head Coach George Karl still didn’t call a timeout, only gesturing for his players to stay calm.

With patient ball movement, the Milwaukee Bucks’ offense almost resulted in a 24-second violation this time.

Finally, Ray Allen drove with the ball in his right hand on the right wing, and near the paint, he made a short-range pull-up jumper for 2 points.

Allan Houston put up strong physical resistance.

Lee understood Ray Allen’s playing habits very well.

Floating shots might be an exaggeration, but it was certain that his friend didn’t like physical contact much.

Lee again signaled for a tactical play.

This time, it was Oakley’s turn to set a screen at the right elbow of the free-throw line.

Darvin Ham strictly followed the coach’s instructions, immediately double-teaming and delaying Lee with Sam Cassell.

Oakley didn’t choose to roll at all, instead, he stopped at the right elbow of the free-throw line.

The next second, he received Lee’s bounce pass.

After a simple pick-and-roll, he got an open look and immediately shot a mid-range jumper!

“Swish!” The two-pointer went in without touching the rim.

Bob Costas at the commentary desk could only sigh at this point:

“It’s really too easy. The Milwaukee Bucks seem a bit too nervous. They shouldn’t be putting all their attention on Lee.”

After Glenn Robinson made a pull-up jumper at the right elbow, the Milwaukee Bucks suddenly started missing shots repeatedly.

This time, taking advantage of Sam Cassell’s long two-point miss from the left corner, Lee quickly initiated a fast break after securing the rebound.

Larry Johnson received Lee’s long pass across half-court and easily scored a layup!

All 5 starters had scored. Jeff Van Gundy, who was on the bench, immediately clapped his hands, looking completely confident.

4:11. After a terrible start with clank after clank, Head Coach George Karl’s face was grim.

This was not the start he had hoped for.

He quickly called a timeout.

On the Milwaukee Bucks’ bench, as the starters returned to their seats, everyone fell silent, leaving only George Karl sitting in front of them, loudly reminding them:

“Defense! What we need is to play good Defense! Don’t let their offense affect us!”

When he coached the Seattle SuperSonics, George Karl’s defensive system gave all teams in the NBA a headache.

But upon arriving in Milwaukee, despite focusing heavily on Defense, there hadn’t been much improvement.

Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson said nothing.

Although the Head Coach’s demands weren’t high, neither of them was interested in playing all-out Defense:

“That’s what defensive players are supposed to do!”

After the timeout, the Milwaukee Bucks’ offense showed no improvement.

With 6 minutes and 48 seconds left in the 1st quarter, their score was still 4 points.

At the commentary desk, Bob Costas’s pre-game expectations had all dissipated.

Watching Lee use Ewing’s screen to shake off two Milwaukee Bucks defenders at the top of the arc, he again said loudly:

“Lee broke through the Milwaukee Bucks’ double-team! A spectacular layup!”

Near the baseline on the left side, Tim Thomas, who had just entered the game, seemed to be frozen in place, fooled by Lee’s fake pass while in motion.

4:19. Ray Allen, who had already been substituted out, slammed his seat in frustration.

The 1st quarter was pretty much ruined by him.

Perhaps wanting to show off, Ray Allen attacked aggressively at the start, but after going 1-for-5, Lee seized the opportunity, easily executing several fast breaks, widening the score.

George Karl was furious at this point and no longer cared about his coaching demeanor.

He simply shouted loudly:

“Foul! Don’t let him score easily again! Everyone, ******* foul him!”

Frequent jump shots meant the Milwaukee Bucks couldn’t match the New York Knicks’ intensity from the start.

After continuously missing shots, Sam Cassell finally made a response shot from the left restricted area, using his signature back-to-the-basket post-up against Lee’s block.

Without a fast break, the Milwaukee Bucks players had just sighed in relief when Allan Houston received Lee’s pass at the right elbow and, facing Darvin Ham, quickly hit another mid-range jump shot.

“Wow!”

Continuous easy scores in the backcourt made Madison Square Garden erupt again, cheers echoing throughout the stadium.

Reluctantly calling another timeout, George Karl was completely enraged.

He tugged at his tie, and as the players walked towards the bench, he began to incessantly lecture them.

Jeff Van Gundy took this opportunity to call over Kurt Thomas, Ben Wallace, and Kukoc:

“Pay attention to rebounds. Foul directly if necessary. We’re already leading by a lot, but we still need to stay focused!”

Lewis had hoped to enter the game early, and not getting the Head Coach’s call, he was somewhat disappointed.

Lee replenished some water and smiled, comforting him:

“Don’t worry about your playing time. Based on the current game’s trend, everyone will get to play tonight!”

Ewing, who had already changed into his practice uniform, hadn’t expected the game to be so easy.

There was no chance for him to give a motivational speech, so he could only lean back in his seat, acting cool.

In the latter half of the 1st quarter, the Milwaukee Bucks simply put three big men on the court.

Tim Thomas, Scott Williams, and Johnson formed the frontcourt, while Sam Cassell and Glenn Robinson remained in the backcourt.

By scoring with their big men and with the New York Knicks’ shooting percentage slightly dipping, they finally returned to a normal offensive level.

However, in the final minutes of the 1st quarter, after entering the bonus situation, Lee’s several drives and the Milwaukee Bucks’ senseless fouls infuriated George Karl again.

Watching Lee go to the free-throw line for two consecutive possessions and score easily, the New York fans in the arena had already begun celebrating the victory.

Finally, Lee’s super long three-pointer missed, and the first quarter ended.

17:30.

The two commentators at the NBC desk exchanged glances, and finally, Bob Costas changed the subject, saying:

“It’s truly a shame the New York Knicks only got 60 wins in the regular season. Lee’s performance is outstanding!”

“When everyone started targeting his three-point shot, Lee responded this season with his finishing at the rim.”

Glenn Robinson was 0-for-5, and Sam Cassell was 1-for-5.

Doug Collins couldn’t really comment on the game, so he could only follow the topic, saying:

“His huge shooting threat allows Lee to easily tear apart defenses. Once he drives inside, defenders have a hard time predicting his offensive choice.”

“We really underestimated Lee’s rebounding ability. His precise anticipation of where the ball will land also helps the New York Knicks’ Defense greatly.”

Clay Lee played the entire first quarter, going 2-for-4 from the field, 1-for-2 from three-point range, and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, for 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists.

During the rotation phase, Chris Childs and Ron Artest also entered the game for the New York Knicks, and Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy only then stood on the sidelines, occasionally shouting out.

Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson directly entered the game in the second quarter, with “Streetball King” Rafer Alston taking over at point guard.

The interior remained Tim Thomas and Williams.

After the game began, Williams, who was aggressively attacking the paint, fumbled the ball, leading to a turnover.

Chris Childs then assisted Kukoc for a fast break dunk down the middle!

The atmosphere in Madison Square Garden was ignited once again, and the overjoyed New York fans continued to cheer for their home team.

Ray Allen was still misfiring, and it was only through Glenn Robinson’s isolation plays that some response shots were made.

Although the New York Knicks’ shooting percentage was not high, as the game progressed, George Karl saw that there were also problems with the defensive rebounds, and he became completely disheartened.

Watching Ben Wallace grab an offensive rebound and score on a second-chance opportunity, George Karl no longer called a timeout but instead slumped back onto the bench.

Out of caution, Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy called Lee onto the court when he saw Sam Cassell enter the game.

With 7 minutes and 39 seconds left in the first half, the Milwaukee Bucks had essentially brought back their starting lineup, and for the New York Knicks, Lee entered the game early.

In the first offensive possession back on the court, after continuous ball movement by the New York Knicks, Kukoc received the ball again on the right wing.

Lee, who had come along the baseline to the right corner, did not stop his steps but instead quickly moved up to the top of the arc, feigning a hand-off.

With Sam Cassell desperately chasing him, Lee first went around Kukoc, then suddenly twisted his body and ran back.

Kukoc moved up with the momentum, delivering a pass while momentarily delaying.

Near the right sideline, Lee received the ball without any adjustment, ignoring Sam Cassell who was rushing to defend him, and quickly shot from beyond the three-point line!

“Swish!” The three-pointer swished through the net!

Barely controlling his body’s center of gravity, Sam Cassell stopped next to Lee, helplessly glancing at Glenn Robinson, who showed no intention of switching.

While the Defense was indeed lacking, on the offensive end, Glenn Robinson, who took the ball and attacked, gradually found his rhythm and started making response shots.

With 4 minutes and 33 seconds left in the first half, Ben Wallace almost stole the ball from Williams again, and the referee eventually called a jump ball.

“Oh!!”

Active Defense can also stir up the fans’ emotions, and Lee also clapped along.

During the jump ball, the excited Ben eventually tipped the ball to the frontcourt from the free throw line.

Lee reacted incredibly fast, rushing across half-court immediately, accelerating continuously after scooping up the ball with his right hand, driving straight to the basket.

The chasing Ray Allen didn’t even have time to commit a tactical foul.

Lee had already taken big strides to the basket, and after three steps, he soared into the air, gripping the ball with his right hand for a gliding dunk!

Watching Ben Wallace pound his chest and roar loudly, Doug Collins could only exclaim:

“What a fantastic offense! The New York Knicks have completely controlled the pace of the game, and Ben Wallace has been performing exceptionally well in these past few minutes!”

26:46, with such a huge point difference, Bob Costas also started chatting about gossip during the game, no longer commentating on every possession.

Ben Wallace’s excellent performance meant that Ewing did not play in the second quarter, and Oakley’s playing time was also taken by Lewis.

36:57, after the first half ended, the game had completely lost its suspense.

1-for-8 shooting, scoring a mere 4 points, Ray Allen continued to misfire against Ron Artest during the rotation.

As he walked towards the player tunnel, his frustration was clearly visible on his face.

Glenn Robinson, who scored 8 points on 3-for-12 shooting, was the Milwaukee Bucks’ highest scorer in the first half.

Russell scored 6 points on 3-for-9 shooting.

George Karl’s face was tight, and he silently watched his players.

He was already too lazy to provide input, tonight’s game was completely lost.

The second half began, and Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy continued to rotate, even trying a lineup with Kukoc and Lewis partnering in the paint for a few minutes.

Paired with Ron Artest and Allan Houston, this shooting-heavy lineup had excellent court spacing, but the passes Lee delivered ultimately clang-clanged off the rim.

Aside from helping Lee add an offensive rebound to his stats, this lineup actually allowed the Milwaukee Bucks to cut the deficit by 6 points.

The game was lively on the court, and the New York fans enjoyed watching.

On the New York Knicks’ bench, Assistant Coach Thibodeau looked at Head Coach Van Gundy, who had just sat down after making a substitution, and quietly commented:

“There are some issues with rebounding and Defense. Rashad has no good way to deal with strong attacks in the paint; opponents will seize that point and attack fiercely.”

Although the effect was not ideal, Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy was still in a good mood and said with a smile:

“There will always be times when they go in!”

Both of them sat on the bench, no longer speaking, watching the game time tick away.

After the defensive intensity dropped, Ray Allen finally found his rhythm, contributing 12 points in a single quarter.

28:24, after three quarters, it was 64:81, the difference was still 17 points.

Lee did not play in the final quarter.

After playing for over 4 minutes, Coach George Karl began to substitute in the mop-up crew once the lead returned to 20 points.

Amidst the cheers of the New York fans in Madison Square Garden , the final score was set at 87:105, with the New York Knicks easily winning Game 1.

Playing 29 minutes, shooting 7-for-14 from the field, 2-for-5 from three-point range, and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, Lee recorded 22 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, and 1 turnover.

His stats were unremarkable, but after the game, NBC reporter Jim Gray immediately approached Lee:

“Lee, congratulations on your first playoff victory! Fans want to know how you achieved historical-level efficiency!”

These past few days at Tarrytown Training Center, Lee had answered this question many times.

Seeing the other party smilingly hand over the microphone, he could only respond again:

“When an opportunity arises, I shoot decisively. By dribbling, I try to get to my sweet spot to complete the offense.”

“Not giving up any rebounding opportunities, and at the same time reducing some turnovers, that’s my secret to the game.”

“My turnover control this season hasn’t been good enough, and many times, the rebounds are also thanks to my teammates!”

“Stats don’t tell the whole story, after all, we lost 22 games this season, and we’ve lost our dominance on the defensive end.”

Lee gave his answer with a calm expression, and the NBC staff beside him were speechless, thinking how easily he said it.

Jim Gray was already used to Lee’s unintentional bragging.

Feeling the fervent atmosphere atMadison Square Garden, he smiled again and asked:

“Tonight, you secured the victory by halftime, once again demonstrating the dominance of a Champion Coach team. Lee, could you talk about the team’s current state?”

Upon hearing this question, Lee also smiled, jokingly teasing his opponents:

“Ray is right, compared to the previous seasons, the New York Knicks have indeed declined.”

“But unfortunately, no one in the NBA is still our opponent.”

“The playoffs must be played one game at a time. Currently, we are in good form. Let the games speak for themselves! We fear no challenge!”

“…”

In the games played simultaneously that night, the Los Angeles Lakers once again attracted more attention from basketball commentators.

107:117, the difference was not large, but Shaq once again dominated the Sacramento Kings’ interior.

Playing 46 minutes, shooting 21-for-33 from the field, 4-for-5 from the free-throw line, he recorded 46 points, 17 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 5 blocks, and 2 turnovers.

Shaq, who delivered a massive double-double, once again stole all the spotlight that night.

At the post-game press conference, Phil Jackson couldn’t stop praising Shaq’s performance:

“Just as no one could stop Michael Jordan in the past, no one in the NBA can stop Shaq right now!”

“I can’t describe this feeling. Any fan who watched the game can experience Shaq’s dominance!”

A Yahoo Sports reporter quickly asked about Lee’s stats, and Phil Jackson then reined in his smile, appearing to dismiss it:

“Stats don’t tell the story, and stats don’t represent victory!”

“Michael Jordan had an efficiency rating of 31.7 in his rookie season, but at that time, people didn’t pay attention to these advanced stats, and in that season, the Chicago Bulls did not win the championship.”

“Basketball is a five-person game. Perhaps Lee’s stats are good, but unfortunately, this is the era of the Los Angeles Lakers!”

“…”

….

By the way, don’t forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me 🙂

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep