Please check the new classroom of elite fic. It’s a crossover with Hikigaya. Do give it a go🙏

***

On June 11, 2000, Game 3 of the Finals was scheduled to officially begin at 8:30 PM.

The two teams had very little time to adjust.

There would only be two days of rest after this game.

For the Lakers, securing an away victory would allow them to regain the initiative.

Three consecutive away games meant the schedule was extremely unfavorable for them.

In Game 2, the Lakers finalized their rotation.

A.C. Green, the starting power forward, only played 18 minutes, while Horry from the bench played longer.

Rick Fox on the wing also got more opportunities, and Brian Shaw also had more playing time.

Phil Jackson finally figured out the suitable rotation after two games.

The old man’s basketball wasn’t working.

They needed players with quick lateral movement.

There was an exception among the rotational players: the young Derek Fisher’s playing time was decreasing.

He only played 12 minutes in Game 2.

His muscular physique didn’t play much of a role, and his height was a disadvantage.

Even though Brian Shaw was already 34 years old and had a terrible shooting night in the last game, Phil Jackson still trusted this veteran more.

Fisher’s time was significantly reduced.

However, for New York fans, all these players were insignificant.

In everyone’s eyes, only Shaq earned their approval:

“Without Shaq, the Lakers can’t even win a single game!”

While Los Angeles Media were hyping up Kobe’s performance, some sports column articles in New York’s print media analyzed the Lakers’ strength in detail:

“Kobe Bryant, a clumsy imitator, a product of the league’s star-making machine!”

Although there was only one day of rest in between, the Lakers, upon arriving in New York and reading the newspapers, were quite infuriated.

While personal attacks were ultimately rare, New York fans enjoyed them.

Mediocre evaluations were easily forgotten, but the more extreme, the more memorable!

NBC released interviews with legends from both teams these past few days.

Magic Johnson, when asked about the greatest point guard in history, also showed great humility.

In the interview clip, with his signature smile, Magic Johnson laughed heartily before answering:

“It’s impossible to compare. What I mean is our technical characteristics are completely different. I can’t make a lot of three-pointers like Clay Lee.”

“Similarly, Clay won’t frequently appear in the low post like I do. We have different physiques and different technical characteristics, but I like his ‘math problem.'”

“At 22, Clay is very likely to surpass me in the future. The future belongs to the young generation. I like to see the showdown between the two teams on the Finals stage!”

Willis Reed was not so polite in his interview.

He is an absolute supporter of the New York Knicks.

When asked about player strength, Willis Reed only praised Shaq:

“Aside from free throws, Shaq has indeed shown the strength of an MVP-level player.”

“But the New York Knicks are more talented. Pat might be old, but he can still contribute to the team.”

“No one on the Lakers’ perimeter can limit our Clay Lee. I even think he’s underestimated. Kobe Bryant, although selected for the All-Defensive Team, doesn’t mean he’s an excellent defender.”

“Three consecutive championships, I believe the team will achieve everyone’s long-cherished wish. This is the era of the New York Knicks!”

With MVP-level legends stepping up to support their players, a new round of verbal sparring began before Game 3.

In the last game, Lee scored 30 points, 4 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals, and 2 turnovers.

The Lakers’ defensive strategy underwent a major change, and Shaq really came out to hedge.

However, this was just Lee’s feeling on the court, and intuition can sometimes be deceiving.

The New York Knicks coaching staff, through game footage and statistical analysis, quickly concluded:

“Shaq’s hedges are all fake.”

Making Lee pass the ball and making Kobe chase him was the purpose of Shaq coming out.

Although the opponent would also lower his center of gravity and defend in a proper manner, from the results, most of it was bluster.

The situation on the court changes rapidly, and the key to winning is making the right choices.

For the upcoming home games, Jeff Van Gundy and the coaching staff were well prepared.

At 7:30 PM that evening, an hour before the game, Clay Lee was already warming up in Madison Square Garden, wearing a “Superman” T-shirt.

The rest time was very short.

To allow the interior players to fully rest, most of the time was spent watching videos and doing simple recovery training.

The blue custom Superman T-shirt was a small gift from Spike Lee to Clay Lee, specifically to get under the skin of the opposing “Superman.”

Despite it being just warm-up shooting and simple ball-handling drills, the media didn’t want to miss these shots.

Media reporters surrounded half the court again.

Coinciding with the weekend, the Finals’ popularity exploded, and ticket prices rose again.

James Dolan might not understand basketball tactics, but this big boss understood what fans liked.

Ever since Clay Lee started scoring high, the enthusiasm of New York fans had visibly increased significantly.

Unlike Jim Gray, who was responsible for the New York Knicks news, the Lakers’ coverage was handled by Michael Jordan’s former personal reporter, Ahmad Rashad.

The “Jordan successor” attracted this reporter, but to Rashad’s regret, Kobe was still relatively immature and lacked appeal.

“The Lakers haven’t relaxed since arriving in New York. Head Coach Phil Jackson will strictly demand his players during training sessions!”

“From what I understand, the Lakers will continue to expand their rotation tonight. Within less than two days of rest, most of the tactical drills are still focused on defending the pick-and-roll.”

Dressed in a black suit, Ahmad Rashad faced the camera and described the Lakers’ preparations over the past two days.

In the NBC studio, the three panelists nodded as they heard the news.

Host Hannah saw that Bill Walton seemed to have something to say, and immediately gestured.

The latter picked up the microphone and said loudly:

“The Lakers’ defense is starting to work. We all underestimated Shaq’s stamina. He’s a true monster!”

“The interior players are starting to hedge, and with Horry getting a lot of playing time, it has also improved the Lakers’ offensive spacing.”

“I believe the Lakers will regain the initiative!”

With the series at 1-1, Isiah Thomas’s prediction seemed more accurate.

Instead of rushing to refute, he smiled and continued to present data:

“In two games, Lee’s three-point shooting percentage hasn’t fluctuated, which indicates that the Lakers’ defense hasn’t had much effect at all.”

“The last game was more about offensive choices, and of course, it also had something to do with the officiating!”

“The test for Shaq has just begun, and the New York Knicks won’t waste this opportunity!”

“…”

Before the game, there was another wave of verbal sparring.

To increase the hype for the Finals, basketball commentators were also working hard, and the programs of several mainstream media outlets were “arguing” every day.

Players and media in this era basically became a community of interest.

Both sides needed hype, just like the MVP selection never depended on on-court performance.

Even good wine needs advertising.

More than 18,000 fans gradually entered the Madison Square Garden.

Clay Lee, wearing his Superman T-shirt, began greeting some of his “surface friends” in the front row.

Matthew McConaughey, who enjoys sports, splurged tonight to sit in the front row.

This handsome actor is not yet famous for his acting.

Dressed in jeans and a short-sleeved T-shirt, Matthew McConaughey stood up and exchanged fist bumps and pleasantries with Lee:

“Lee, how about winning the championship at home, right here in Madison Square Garden!”

“I haven’t been able to witness the championship trophy presentation ceremony in person for the past two years, which is a real shame!”

More than one “surface friend” had already brought this up to Lee.

After all, only a few, like Spike Lee, would chase after the team to watch an away game:

“That’s definitely a good suggestion. I can already feel everyone’s energy. Remember to buy your tickets in advance.”

Clay Lee winked and joked with the other party, both engaging in commercial flattery, looking relaxed.

This, in turn, annoyed Kobe, who was warming up early.

After arriving in New York, the Lakers were bombarded with advertisements.

Although Clay Lee’s signature sneakers this year were merely “reskinned products” and lacked sincerity, Nike took advantage of the potential three-peat to expand its marketing:

The advertisement “Witness Clay-Lee Become a Legend” had already started airing, and the line in the ad:

“Every step Clay Lee takes is etched in history” made people feel a pang of sourness.

If not for Clay Lee, Kobe, who was selected for the All-Defensive Team and All-NBA Team, would have been the focus of this year’s Finals, bearing the title of “Jordan’s successor.”

However, the reality was that all his fellow rookies were completely overshadowed by Clay Lee, not getting the attention he had imagined.

Kobe’s mood had not been good since arriving in New York.

After finishing his early warm-up, Lee returned to the locker room.

The physical therapist was still relaxing Ewing’s muscles.

The Gorilla, back on his home court, was full of confidence.

Seeing his teammates all present, he took the initiative to speak:

“Tonight, what happened in the last game won’t happen again. 30 free throws won’t appear on our home court!”

Defeated by a rain of free throws, Ewing’s fighting spirit was re-ignited.

Thinking of the last game, Oakley also cursed under his breath:

“Fuck! Bullshit officiating, they shot 49 free throws! They won’t have it easy tonight!”

Everyone was eager, with three consecutive home games, everyone wanted to end the series at home.

Clay Lee and Allan Houston exchanged fist bumps.

Tonight, they had to strengthen their defense on Kobe. Larry Johnson was also cheering on his teammates:

“Nothing to worry about, they won’t get too many free throws again!”

The atmosphere group responded loudly.

When Jeff Van Gundy arrived in the locker room, seeing his players energized, he clapped his hands contentedly and said simply:

“Let’s win all the home games in one go. This year, we’re going to lift the o’brien cup at home!”

“…”

The home team’s entrance ceremony ignited the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden, and the Lakers, who were the first to appear, were all holding back their strength.

After losing a home game, Shaquille O’Neal also realized the seriousness of the situation, and he didn’t talk incessantly after arriving in New York.

The boomerang hit his face too hard, and saying more might lead to more mistakes.

Speaking after winning the game and regaining the initiative was a more stable choice.

When the lights came back on and both sides began their final warm-up, Shaquille O’Neal saw the Superman T-shirt on Lee’s upper body and immediately cursed twice.

Head Coach Phil Jackson was very nervous about tonight’s game.

As the game was about to begin, he didn’t forget to remind his players:

“Delay, communicate with each other, communicate in time on the court, and show our defensive aggressiveness from the start!”

Although most of the rest time was spent explaining Defense, the Lakers’ coaching staff was still a little worried, as they rarely encountered such opponents in the Western Conference.

The stadium became increasingly noisy.

The game hadn’t even started, but the New York fans were already standing up, shouting loudly:

“Let’s go Knicks!”

O’Neal and Ewing, who had come to the center circle, both stared at the ball.

As the referee tossed the ball high, Gorilla took the initiative and successfully tipped the basketball.

Seeing Lee receive the ball, Kobe immediately stepped forward to defend, while the Lakers quickly retreated to half-court to set up their man-to-man Defense.

Larry Johnson ran directly to the left corner, and Allan Houston stopped on the left wing.

Inside the paint, Ewing and Oakley were still observing the situation on the court.

Seeing Clay Lee pass the ball to Allan Houston after crossing half-court, they immediately started to move.

Kobe was a little surprised to see Lee pass the ball directly, but he didn’t dare to relax, following Lee quickly to the right corner.

O’Neal saw Ewing move to the right wing and Lee also moving, so he quickly directed Kobe to continue the chase.

Oakley set an off-ball screen for Lee near the right sideline, then ran to the right baseline.

Kobe squeezed through the screen in time, chasing behind Lee.

Soon, Lee reached near the top of the arc. Ewing’s stationary screen was of high quality, allowing Lee to briefly shake off the pursuit.

After receiving a cross-court pass from Allan Houston, Kobe immediately stuck to him again.

After receiving the ball, Clay Lee immediately put the ball down with his left hand, relying on Kobe to turn sharply.

As he scooped the ball with his right hand, Ewing twisted and moved again, setting another off-ball screen.

Kobe failed to squeeze through in time this time.

Shaquille O’Neal saw Clay Lee, holding the ball with his right hand, appear on the right wing.

He lowered his center of gravity and quickly moved up, while calling for Kobe to continue the chase.

Ewing suddenly cut down at this moment, moving extremely fast.

O’Neal instinctively moved back, preparing to collapse into the paint.

Kobe didn’t expect Shaq to retreat so decisively.

Before he could adjust his center of gravity and pounce on Defense, Lee, who had only made one hop dribble on the right wing, immediately gathered the ball and shot it directly!

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

“Wow!”

To the New York fans in attendance, Lee’s offense looked incredibly easy.

He would shoot with any opening, and it would go in.

Cheers began to echo throughout the MSG.

There was a communication error on the defensive end, but Kobe didn’t complain.

After receiving the inbound pass, he sprinted across half-court amidst the boos.

Harper had already pulled Lee to the left corner.

Kobe, who arrived on the right wing, immediately passed the ball across to Glen Rice at the top of the arc.

O’Neal was desperately pushing towards the front of the basket, while Ewing was holding him off from behind.

A.C. Green, to create offensive space for Shaq, moved to the right elbow.

Oakley saw Ewing being tightly held behind him and immediately moved back quickly.

Glen Rice hesitated and couldn’t get the ball inside, instead passing it to Harper, who had come to the left wing.

To avoid a double-team, O’Neal again pushed hard into the left low post.

Ewing, who was prepared, desperately pushed his opponent away.

Shaq didn’t care about being pushed to the left block, but continued to demand the ball with his back to the basket.

Harper, who received the pass, was interfered with by Lee and couldn’t deliver a lob pass immediately.

After a pump fake, he quickly delivered a bounce pass.

The pass quality was mediocre.

Shaq had to bend down to receive the ball and instinctively took another step forward.

Shaq had just received the ball with his back to the basket and hadn’t even had time to make a move to put the ball down when Lee suddenly collapsed, almost rushing into his arms, and slapped the ball away.

The ball was gone in a flash.

Shaq hadn’t even had time to complain to the referee about a foul when Lee, who completed the steal, grabbed the ball and sprinted.

Harper cursed under his breath and instinctively stepped forward to block, but he didn’t expect Lee to do a dribble-and-go.

The basketball flew past Harper’s left side, while Lee faked and went around the right sideline out of bounds.

The beautiful move happened right in front of the front-row fans.

Many instinctively stood up and cheered.

Clay Lee returned to the court, scooped the ball with his left hand, while Harper stood dumbfounded.

Most of the Lakers hadn’t reacted yet, but Lee had already sprinted past half-court.

On the other side, the active Kobe was constantly accelerating along the left sideline, trying to block him.

However, Clay Lee’s speed with the ball was faster than he imagined.

Kobe had just chased him inside the three-point line when Lee had already taken three big steps, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and easily completed a gliding dunk!

“What a fantastic shot! From the steal to the drive, Lee’s speed is too fast!”

“His Defense is definitely underestimated!”

At the NBC commentary table, Bob Costas shouted excitedly, and Doug Collins, seeing the boiling atmosphere, also exclaimed:

“The Knicks got into rhythm faster. It’s clear they were well-prepared and seem to have fully adapted to the Lakers’ offense.”

The same defensive action might have resulted in a whistle in the previous game.

But after returning home, after one defensive possession, the Knicks realized that the officiating standard had become more lenient again.

On the next possession, Shaq kept moving back and forth on the baseline, but the players on the perimeter were being pressured, and their positioning wasn’t deep enough, so Shaq couldn’t receive a pass for a while.

Finally, A.C. Green set a screen for Glen Rice, who missed a jump shot from the right elbow of the free-throw line.

The moment the basketball bounced off the rim, the Knicks all collapsed into the paint.

Ewing was battling with Shaq, Allan Houston blocked Kobe, who was trying to crash the boards, and Lee grabbed the rebound on the left side of the basket, ahead of Harper.

With a successful Defense, cheers erupted again.

Clay Lee did not speed up the offensive rhythm.

He signaled a play, protected the ball with his body, and, with Kobe’s Defense on him, pressed past half-court within the 8-second limit.

The Lakers immediately realized that the Knicks were running the same play, just in a different direction.

After a quick pass, Lee ran to the left corner, then used a double-screen again to reach the top of the arc.

Allan Houston delivered a cross-court pass.

The moment Lee received the ball, he noticed that Kobe hadn’t squeezed through the screen.

After receiving the ball, he immediately twisted his body, pushed off with his feet, and took a slightly fading jump shot from the top of the arc!

Shaq, who had switched onto him, never expected Lee to shoot immediately after receiving the ball.

He was still crouched, preparing to slide, and instinctively turned his head to see the basketball go in without touching the rim.

0:8, Madison Square Garden erupted again.

“Your Defense is as slow as a turtle!”

Clay Lee’s voice came from his ear. Shaq, who had come back to his senses, saw only the back of Lee’s head.

Lee had already started retreating on Defense.

The same play, the difference being that Ewing stood very firm this time, with no intention of cutting down, and solidly screened Kobe.

“Squeeze through the screen! Don’t lose your man again!”

A frustrated Shaq immediately whispered to Kobe as he ran to half-court.

This was Shaq’s privilege with the Lakers.

Everyone’s Defense had to serve him, and Kobe could only nod silently.

It was A.C. Green who broke the deadlock for the Lakers.

After Shaq was double-teamed in the left low post, A.C. Green received the ball in the right elbow and made an open jump shot.

“Boo!”

When the Lakers scored a field goal, a huge boo echoed through the stadium.

Phil Jackson on the sidelines immediately clapped his hands, continuing to loudly remind his players to stay focused.

However, in the next few minutes, Phil Jackson’s frown deepened.

The Knicks frequently used double-screens, and Clay Lee would also act as a decoy, cutting to the basket with off-ball movement.

Watching Clay Lee circle around and cut to the basket from the top of the arc, Allan Houston chose not to pass but instead used Ewing’s screen to shake off his defender and score with a mid-range jump shot from the left block.

The Lakers immediately called a timeout.

6:14, the Knicks were perfect, showing excellent form on both ends of the court after the start.

Glen Rice and Shaquille O’Neal scored consecutively, but there were major problems on the defensive end.

At the commentary table, Doug Collins also didn’t expect Shaquille O’Neal to be unable to receive the ball after the game started:

“Head Coach Van Gundy and the coaching staff made targeted adjustments. Oakley’s positioning several times was very good, allowing for timely double-teams.”

Bob Costas, meanwhile, felt the change in the officiating standard for this game:

“After the start, the Lakers didn’t match the game intensity in time. They seemed unprepared to play in New York.”

The strict officiating in the previous game seemed to have made the Lakers relax their guard.

After the start, they still tried to draw fouls, but the referees made no calls.

After the timeout, the Lakers’ offense still looked for Shaquille O’Neal first.

However, after 14 seconds of stalling, they worked the ball in and out, but couldn’t create many good opportunities.

Kobe, who received the ball again on the right wing, immediately put the ball down with his right hand and drove with a step-through.

Allan Houston quickly slid over.

Kobe stopped abruptly at the block, switched to his left hand and dribbled twice, then swayed his shoulder and quickly turned towards the baseline.

Unable to shake off the Defense, Allan Houston’s block made Kobe instinctively lean back a bit more.

The shot, with an elevated arc, successfully cleared his fingertips.

After hitting the rim twice, the basketball finally dropped into the basket.

“A difficult shot! Kobe completed a beautiful fadeaway jump shot!”

Bob Costas immediately praised Kobe loudly after seeing him fall to the floor, then exclaimed again as the Knicks quickly inbounded the ball:

“OH! Lee’s sudden acceleration in pushing the ball!”

Kobe, who had just gotten up from the floor, saw the Knicks quickly inbound the ball, and Lee accelerated with Harper on his back.

Kobe cursed under his breath and hurried to chase Allan Houston, but Lee just shuffled backward along the three-point line, using Harper’s resistance, then crossed over with his right hand, shaking off the Defense and gaining position.

On the right wing, Lee switched to his left hand, dropped his shoulder, and continued to accelerate straight to the basket, completely losing Harper on Defense.

Shaq, who had retreated to the basket, had just moved his feet to meet him when Lee, in the paint, casually tossed the ball to the upper left of the rim, and Ewing, unguarded, jumped up to grab the ball, then slammed it down with both hands!

“Boom!” An alley-oop dunk successful!

Having successfully received the pass and completed the dunk, Gorilla also let out a roar.

The beautiful response shot kept the cheers in the Madison Square Garden going, and Phil Jackson’s face turned ugly.

He didn’t want to see such easy scoring.

The first quarter was when the Knicks’ Defense was at its best.

As the game progressed, Ewing and Oakley wouldn’t be able to hold on.

Although they were trailing, Shaquille O’Neal wasn’t anxious.

He had already figured out the old guys’ strength.

After one quarter, he could swim in the paint.

However, the subsequent development of the game didn’t go as Shaq imagined.

Kobe took over offensive possessions for several consecutive rounds, attacking from both sides, clanking shot after shot.

This time on the Lakers’ offense, Kobe, after consecutive misses, didn’t choose another difficult fadeaway jumper.

Instead, he used a screen from Horry, who had just entered the game, at the left elbow of the free-throw line, circled around, and drove straight to the paint.

Kobe, with the ball in his right hand, continuously accelerated, quickly breaking through to the basket with his speed advantage.

Despite noticing that Lee had already collapsed to the paint, Kobe didn’t hesitate at all.

He took a step, immediately leaped into the air, and with the ball in his right hand, prepared to windmill dunk!

Kobe’s take-off distance was a bit far, and his aerial posture was beautiful, but Lee, who had rotated to the paint for help Defense, instantly leaped up, pressing down on the basketball with his right hand in mid-air!

Completely unexpected that Lee would react first, though it was only a forced block, Kobe in the air couldn’t hold onto the basketball.

As the two struggled, the ball immediately came loose.

“Wow!”

The beautiful block reignited the atmosphere in the MSG.

After landing, Clay Lee immediately sprinted forward.

Larry Johnson gained control of the ball and instantly brought it across half-court.

Glen Rice didn’t know who to guard for a moment, so Larry Johnson immediately passed the ball, and Lee, receiving the ball in the middle, charged forward.

In his hesitation, Glen Rice immediately lost his defensive position and could only watch Horry chase fiercely behind Lee.

Kobe, who had fallen directly to the floor after landing, got up and chased furiously with his head down.

Seeing Lee slow down in the paint, Horry crashed into him.

Hearing the referee’s whistle, Kobe immediately stopped, frustrated.

“Squeak!”

As the referee blew the whistle, Lee leaned into Horry and scored with a slow three-step left-handed layup!

“Lee’s transition offense scores again! The Lakers should probably call another timeout. They’ve lost their offensive rhythm during this period.”

Doug Collins glanced at the scoreboard and immediately offered his opinion, while Bob Costas was still savoring the recent block:

“Lee’s Defense is indeed underestimated. When he focuses his energy on the defensive end, he always appears in the right place!”

“Kobe seemed to underestimate his opponent. He should have chosen a safer layup. Getting to the free-throw line might have been a better offensive option.”

Clay Lee walked to the free-throw line with a slight smile.

Transition offense was especially easy, and scoring quickly. He could also achieve “fast break like a tiger.”

“MVP! MVP! MVP!”

The New York fans in the Madison Square Garden shouted loudly.

Kobe glanced at Lee, then walked to the bench with his head down.

Phil Jackson had directly subbed him out.

The free throw was calmly made, and Clay Lee successfully completed the three-point play, again helping his team extend the lead.

12:23, with 3 minutes and 14 seconds left in the first quarter, the difference had just reached double digits.

Brian Shaw and Rick Fox entered the game, replacing Harper and Kobe.

Phil Jackson hoped his team could respond on offense, but in the final three minutes, the Lakers continued to miss shots, only getting some points from Shaquille O’Neal’s strong attacks in the paint and free throws.

16:29, after the first quarter ended, a 13-point difference made the New York fans begin to cheer and celebrate.

Shaq returned to the bench with a long face.

He wouldn’t complain to the referee about defensive issues anymore.

This was the Knicks’ home whistle.

3-of-5 shooting, 1-of-2 from the free-throw line, 7 points and 3 rebounds.

Shaquille O’Neal was naturally not satisfied with his performance, so he grabbed a sports drink and chugged it down.

“Energy! We need to stop their offense, and we also need to get the ball into the paint. No more inefficient jump shots, attack the rim, get to the free-throw line!”

Phil Jackson loudly encouraged his players, trying to make them play tougher.

In the first quarter, the Lakers had clearly gotten lost in the physicality.

Kobe could sense the Head Coach’s gaze and nodded expressionlessly.

1-of-5 shooting, a paltry 2 points.

For a period, he indeed derailed the game.

In the second quarter’s rotation, Shaquille O’Neal did not rest and continued to play.

Horry and Rick Fox partnered on the wing, while Brian Shaw and Kobe were in the backcourt.

For the Knicks, Clay Lee played the entire first quarter, shooting 4-of-5, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, 1-of-1 from the free-throw line, totaling 11 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block.

Ewing, who also played the entire first quarter, controlled his fouls well, but was now starting to pant heavily.

The Lakers’ offensive pace was slow, so Shaq stirred things up in the paint.

Gorilla’s stamina was depleting very quickly, and Oakley was also constantly replenishing water from exhaustion.

During the rotation phase, Allan Houston and Larry Johnson led the team first.

Kukoc’s performance was mediocre, so he wouldn’t be entering the game for now.

After the game began, noticing that Shaq was still not resting, Jeff Van Gundy cursed inwardly, then crossed his arms and stood on the sidelines, silently praying that the rotation lineup could hold for 3 minutes.

Shaq, like a perpetual motion machine, began to explode against Kurt Thomas and Ben Wallace.

In less than two minutes, the Lakers directly went on a 6-0 run.

22:29, the difference was narrowed to 7 points.

Shaq, receiving the ball in the low post, scored in the paint while being guarded by two players, a scene that drew continuous gasps from the New York fans.

The Lakers’ fan section also began to roar loudly, releasing the sullen mood from the first quarter.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Jeff Van Gundy immediately called a timeout.

In the commentary booth, Doug Collins was enjoying himself and didn’t hesitate to offer praise:

“This is Shaquille O’Neal’s dominance in the paint. If they don’t foul him, the Knicks can’t limit his play during the rotation.”

Bob Costas recalled the Trail Blazers’ interior setup and also joked:

“Perhaps future championship teams will need to sign some tall interior players who can defend in the low post!”

Clay Lee, Ron Artest, and Toni Kukoc entered the game.

Ben had been completely dominated by Shaq in those two minutes.

Shaquille O’Neal, back on the court, regained his confidence and loudly shouted towards Clay Lee:

“I’m going to start turning this game around. Get ready to foul now!”

Clay Lee glanced at the self-important Shaq, raised an eyebrow, and said nothing more.

In the first offensive possession after the timeout, Lee missed a three-pointer from the right wing.

Feeling he had made a successful Defense, Kobe immediately pumped his fist excitedly.

Shaquille O’Neal also smiled.

When it was the Lakers’ offensive possession, Shaq’s strong attack in the paint drew a shooting foul from Ben Wallace, sending him to the free-throw line.

“Boo!”

Amidst the boos from the home crowd, to everyone’s surprise, Shaquille O’Neal made both free throws.

24:29, the Lakers continued to cut into the lead.

Watching the difference shrink, the New York fans quickly joined the DJ in shouting loudly:

“Let’s go Knicks!”

Under Kobe’s lead Defense, Lee, with the ball in his left hand, quickly drove to the left wing.

Kurt Thomas immediately came up to screen, setting a pick and then rolling down.

Clay Lee took the opportunity to dribble behind his back, switching to his right hand, while Ben Wallace also moved to the top of the arc and set his feet.

This solid screen worked, and Kobe couldn’t squeeze through immediately.

With the ball in his right hand, Lee quickly twisted his body and shook off the Defense.

Ben Wallace then suddenly accelerated straight to the paint.

Kobe saw that Shaq had already closed out on Clay Lee, so he quickly accelerated to follow Ben Wallace, while also cutting off the passing lane.

Seeing Shaq switch onto him, all the fans in the stadium stood up and cheered loudly.

Shaq looked serious, constantly moving his feet, lowering his center of gravity, and not forgetting to disrupt with his hands.

With the ball in his right hand, Lee slowly walked towards the right sideline, and taking advantage of Shaq’s slide, he suddenly lunged forward and accelerated.

As O’Neal slid to his left rear, Lee immediately pulled back with a crossover step.

As he scooped the ball with his left hand, he saw O’Neal close out again, so he immediately feigned a shoulder fake, pretending to turn towards the baseline.

The sudden fake almost made O’Neal, who was adjusting his center of gravity, do the splits.

“Oh!”

O’Neal, completely immersed in Defense, didn’t notice the gasps from the arena.

Seeing Clay Lee, with the ball in his left hand, complete a crossover, scoop the ball with his right hand, and then suddenly cut along the baseline, O’Neal again lunged to defend.

Breaking through to near the paint, Lee again pushed the ball for a change of direction.

The moment he scooped the ball with his left hand, he just squeezed past O’Neal.

Directly in front of the basket in the paint, Lee took a large hop step, completely shaking off the Defense, and released a fadeaway jumper over O’Neal’s block!

“Swish!” The mid-range shot went in steadily.

After making the shot, Clay Lee was expressionless.

He immediately raised his right index finger to his lips, and as he walked back on Defense, Madison Square Garden completely erupted.

Seeing Shaq “dance,” everyone cheered and celebrated.

Unable to stand Lee showing off, O’Neal, who had completely entered berserk mode, began to frantically demand the ball and constantly attack the basket.

Soon, the game entered a scoring duel between the two of them.

Shaq backed into the paint, spun while being guarded by two players, and scored with a fadeaway shot.

Turning around, Lee made a strong drive to the right 45 degrees against Kobe.

Nearing the paint, he responded with a pull-up jumper.

Lakers attacked.

Ben Wallace’s front defense failed, and Shaq dunked the ball as soon as he received it!

Knicks attacked.

Lee received a handoff from Kukoc at the right elbow, shook off his defender, drove to the basket, and drew a foul from Shaq.

He made both free throws!

The two exchanged baskets, showing extremely high efficiency.

When a shot occasionally missed, both sides started to speed up frantically, aiming for transition offense.

The cheers were non-stop.

The game was exciting, and everyone loved the offensive battle.

At 48:55, at halftime, the Knicks were still leading by 7 points.

The Lakers scored 32 points in a single quarter, with Shaq going 6 of 11 from the field and 2 of 4 from the free throw line, scoring another 14 points in this quarter.

Jeff Van Gundy and his coaching staff seriously suspected that Shaq was on something, as he was still able to run so hard in the second quarter.

Perhaps the 30 free throws he got in the last game helped Shaq find his touch.

Jeff Van Gundy frowned on the sidelines, but there was nothing he could do.

Deliberately slowing down, the Lakers, relying on Shaq’s excellent performance in this quarter, once again narrowed the score difference.

At 75:79, after three quarters, the score difference was reduced to 4 points.

For the Knicks, this situation was also quite rare.

The opponent’s ability to respond was much stronger than their Eastern Conference opponents.

During the quarter break, the arena also started to get noisy.

Clearly, New York fans were feeling the pressure.

Lee was not affected by Shaq.

In the third quarter, he went 4 of 7 from the field, 1 of 3 from beyond the arc, and 3 of 3 from the free throw line, scoring 12 points in the quarter.

On the contrary, Ewing and Oakley were in low spirits.

Their defense had no positive feedback, and Shaq’s 5-for-5 free throws gave them a headache.

Jeff Van Gundy sat in front of everyone, looked around, and then loudly delivered a pep talk:

“Hold on! We are only 12 minutes away from victory. Don’t worry about the opponent’s performance, continue to execute our game plan!”

“Believe in each other, we are still leading the opponent!”

Allan Houston, who performed well in the third quarter, also clapped his hands and encouraged:

“Do our job, and we will win the game!”

The atmosphere tonight was tense.

Fortunately, the Knicks had a big lead in the first quarter.

Lee didn’t think too much, stood up, and loudly reminded everyone:

“We are controlling our fouls very well. When necessary, continue to send the opponent to the free throw line. Leave the rest to me!”

Larry Johnson immediately stood up and clapped his hands upon hearing Lee’s words, continuing to encourage everyone.

In the fourth quarter, both teams coincidentally chose to continue using their starting lineups.

The nervous New York fans began to shout loudly:

“Let’s go Knicks!”

The Knicks attacked first.

There was no complicated tactical play.

With his stamina declining, Ewing shuffled to the top of the arc and set a screen, but Kobe squeezed past it directly.

Shaq followed out to defend.

Seeing Ewing cut down, and Kobe’s defense in place, he then shuffled back to contract.

Dribbling with his left hand, Lee slowly moved to the left wing.

Kobe lowered his center of gravity, placed his right forearm on Lee’s side to feel his defensive movements, while also staring intently at the basketball in his hand.

Nearing the three-point line, Lee suddenly made a powerful pound dribble in place, then quickly spun, lowered his center of gravity while scooping the ball with his right hand, leaned in, and accelerated.

Successfully sensing the offensive movement, Kobe immediately slid back to his left.

After their bodies collided, Kobe almost lost his balance and quickly adjusted, but a slight defensive gap appeared.

Stepping on the three-point line, Lee immediately stopped and quickly dribbled behind his back, switching to his left hand.

At the same time, he slightly raised his center of gravity and looked up at the rim.

Kobe quickly moved forward to guard closely, but Lee took the opportunity to change direction under his legs again, feigning an accelerated drive.

Following his body’s instinct, Kobe slid back to his left again, only to find that Lee had completed a behind-the-back pull-back the moment he switched to his right hand, returning to beyond the three-point line.

Realizing his defensive misjudgment, Kobe quickly jumped to block, noticed Lee stepping back to shoot, and tried to control his body in the air.

The block had no effect.

The basketball arced beautifully and accurately dropped into the basket!

75:82, the lead was back to 7 points!

“Wow!”

Seeing Clag Lee raise three fingers, cheers once again echoed through the Madison Square Garden.

After landing, Kobe tried to control his expression, feigning indifference as he went to the baseline to receive the ball.

The good mood of New York fans did not last too long.

Successfully posting up on the right low block, Shaq received a pass from Harper on the right wing.

Without any extra moves, he directly turned towards the baseline and completed a hook shot.

Ewing was completely boxed out.

He instinctively jumped to block, but ended up hitting the opponent’s arm.

The referee blew the whistle while the basketball also went through the net without touching the rim.

“Boo!!”

Despite the huge boos and the interference from fans behind the backboard, Shaq was unaffected and made the additional free throw!

“My God! Shaq has made six consecutive free throws, an incredible performance!”

“If he can maintain this state, no one can stop his offense anymore.”

Bob Costas praised loudly, while Shaq, after making the free throw, excitedly pounded his chest.

The Lakers’ bench was also in a frenzy.

The game quickly entered a stalemate.

Lee missed a shot, and Shaq’s putback under the basket also missed.

Lee drove strongly to the basket, drawing a foul from Kobe.

Turning around, Kobe’s back-to-the-basket isolation play also sent Allan Houston to the free throw line.

Watching the score difference remain unchanged and the score slowly rising, the New York fans on site became increasingly nervous, their shouts almost breaking through the stadium.

With 2 minutes and 43 seconds left in the game, the score was 85:89.

For over 3 minutes, neither team had scored a single point.

The law of conservation of character kicked in.

Shaq suddenly started missing free throws again, making Phil Jackson pace back and forth on the sidelines, constantly shouting loudly.

Lee and Larry Johnson also went cold during this period.

A 4-point difference was simply too small.

Jeff Van Gundy also completely lost his composure and started shouting unconsciously.

The Knicks’ offense consumed another 16 seconds.

Under the Lakers’ desperate defensive rotations, whether it was passing the ball around the perimeter or driving and kicking, there were no good opportunities.

Shaq, squatting under the basket, constantly shouted reminders to his teammates about defensive rotations.

He had already seen the hope of tying the score!

At the last moment, Allan Houston once again passed the ball to Clay Lee, who had come to the right sideline.

When the play broke down, the core player had to take the shot.

There wasn’t much time left on the shot clock.

After receiving the ball, Lee first firmly protected the ball on his left side, then quickly took a probing step with his right foot towards his front left.

Kobe kept his center of gravity extremely low, not easily attempting to steal the ball.

Instead, he used a hand-in-the-face defense, always maintaining his body’s balance.

Seeing that the shot clock was about to expire, after another probing step, Lee put the ball down with his right hand, accelerated with full force, and drove forward.

Kobe quickly slid back to his left.

When Lee drove to the right near the baseline, he suddenly made a large behind-the-back pull-back, then immediately gathered the ball, pushed off with his feet, and shot a fadeaway jumper!

Upon stopping abruptly, Kobe immediately lost his defensive position and jumped to block, but he was still a step slow.

The basketball sailed over his fingertips and towards the basket.

“Swish!” The two-point shot went through the net without touching the rim!

Kobe, who had tried to defend, lost his balance in the air and ultimately fell in front of the Lakers’ bench.

Cheers from the home fans reached his ears.

Kobe looked up helplessly, and the next second, he saw Clay Lee expressionlessly stepping over his leg.

The atmosphere on the Lakers’ bench was stunned at this moment.

Everyone watched Lee step back to defend, and then heard the jeers and shouts that threatened to break through the Madison Square Garden.

Kobe felt his blood rush, and his head seemed to swell by two sizes.

He stood up and was about to charge towards Lee, but before he could get close, he was pushed away by Larry Johnson.

Harper intended to pull Kobe away, but he rushed into the crowd and took a cheap shot.

Before the referee could react, players from both sides were already shoving each other on the Lakers’ bench.

An enraged Kobe saw Lee raising both hands, signaling the home fans to get hyped, and for a moment, he nearly exploded with anger.

However, being pushed back and forth by the crowd, Kobe couldn’t break free for a while and could only watch Lee showing off in the middle of the court.

85:91.

When the referee finally pulled both sides back to the court, Kobe’s eyes widened.

Seeing Lee even switched to guard him, Kobe ignored any tactics or his teammates and started dribbling and shaking at the top of the arc.

Shaq was still posting up under the basket.

He yelled a couple of times but found that Kobe had already taken the ball with his right hand and was driving hard with his head down, which made him curse under his breath.

At the right block, Kobe’s drive was blocked by Lee’s body.

He still chose not to pass, switched to his left hand, and drove hard to the basket.

However, while his upper body moved a lot, his footwork remained completely still.

Ignoring Glen Rice, who was open on the wing, Kobe quickly turned towards the baseline, but he was met directly by Lee.

It seemed there was no space to shoot.

Kobe finally twisted his body, pushed off with his feet, and faded away in place, somehow throwing the ball out!

Shaq almost cursed out loud.

The ball missed everything and fell directly into Ewing’s arms.

Phil Jackson didn’t expect his instructions to have no effect.

Watching Lee shake his head and spread his hands, slowly squeezing past half-court with Kobe, he cursed under his breath twice.

At the top of the arc, Lee, dribbling with his right hand, kept his body sideways to protect the ball.

Kobe was constantly trying to steal the ball.

Facing such defense, Lee suddenly twisted his body and feigned a move towards his front right.

Taking advantage of the opponent’s slide, he immediately made a large in-and-out dribble.

It was just a simple misdirection and change of pace, but Kobe was directly faked out.

Clay Lee, holding the ball in his left hand and boxing out, drove straight to the basket.

O’Neal immediately rushed over, only to see Lee, in motion, pass the ball high towards the upper right of the rim!

Ewing, completely unguarded, caught the ball in the air and slammed it in with both hands!

“Boom!” The alley-oop dunk was successful!

“Ah!”

The dunk, which all but sealed the game, made Ewing pound his chest and roar upwards.

Madison Square Garden completely erupted, the stadium was filled with the excited shouts of fans, and the atmosphere crew on the bench also jumped and cheered loudly.

85:93, with only 1 minute and 24 seconds left in the game, time seemed to be running out.

Phil Jackson’s face darkened, and he called another timeout.

Shaq angrily pointed at Kobe, but Harper pushed him to the other side of the bench.

“Excellent offense and defense! Lee has once again taken control of the game, a crucial score to break the deadlock, and an assist to his teammate to extend the lead!”

“This is the MVP! The New York Knicks might just take the victory!”

Bob Costas exhaled and commented excitedly.

Doug Collins just shook his head slightly, regretting,

“The outcome of the game might be decided in just one or two possessions. It’s a pity, at the last moment, Kobe seemed to lose his composure. Perhaps this is the price of growth.”

When the Lakers gave the ball back to Shaq, Oakley laughed and sent him to the free-throw line.

The first free throw bricked.

Spike Lee on the sidelines immediately cheered, raising both hands, signaling the crowd to get hyped.

“BEAT LA! BEAT LA! BEAT LA!”

Amidst the happy shouts of New York fans, O’Neal’s second free throw, after much aiming, also bricked.

Ewing secured the rebound, Lee received the ball, and once again slowly dribbled past half-court.

Kobe, whose mentality had exploded, kept trying to strip the ball, and soon the referee blew his whistle.

Lee walked to the free-throw line with a smile.

O’Neal was too angry to speak, leaning on his knees by the paint area, subconsciously looking at the free-throw line, only to see Lee sink the free throw with his eyes closed.

“Shaq! This is how you shoot free throws!”

Clay Lee said with a smile, then took the basketball, and his second free throw also went in steadily.

This time, O’Neal couldn’t hold back.

Regardless of the referee being nearby, he directly caught the ball and threw it back at Clay Lee.

But Clay Lee seemed to have eyes in the back of his head.

He twisted his body, and the basketball flew past him.

He then turned and shrugged at Shaquille O’Neal.

O’Neal, whose mentality had completely exploded, ignored the referee’s obstruction and tried to charge forward again.

Soon, both sides were shoving each other again, and the New York fans, who loved a good show, cheered loudly:

“Fuck! ***”

85:95, the shoving and cursing couldn’t change the score, and the game was no longer in doubt.

Although Harper hit a cold-blooded three-pointer, there wasn’t enough time left in the game.

As both teams went into a free-throw shootout, Allan Houston made his last two free throws, and the long minute finally ran out.

90:99, amidst the cheers of all the fans, the New York Knicks successfully defended their home court!

Everyone on the bench had smiles on their faces, high-fiving Clay Lee in celebration immediately.

Phil Jackson’s face darkened even more when he saw Jeff Van Gundy’s smug smile.

After shaking hands, he quickly walked towards the player tunnel.

Kobe had a towel over his head, Harper hugged his younger brother’s shoulder, seemingly comforting him, and Shaq was still cursing as he quickly ran to the locker room.

At the NBC commentary booth, the two looked at the Los Angeles Lakers rushing out of the Madison Square Garden, and then at the jubilant New York Knicks bench still celebrating, and could only lament again:

“Shaquille O’Neal shot 1 for 7 from the free-throw line in the last quarter. It’s a pity, perhaps if he had made a few more free throws, the game result would have been completely different.”

“Clay Lee is too composed; he knows how to win. In the fourth quarter, he was 3 for 7 from the field, 1 for 3 from beyond the arc, and 4 for 4 from the free-throw line, scoring 11 points. Every single point was incredibly important!”

As soon as Doug Collins finished speaking, Bob Costas added:

“Whichever team gets the lead at the start of the game will most likely win the game!”

“I believe the Los Angeles Lakers will get a good start in Game 4. The two-plus days of rest will also allow them to adjust their physical condition.”

Playing 47 minutes and 42 seconds, Shaquille O’Neal was 17 for 28 from the field, 9 for 18 from the free-throw line, scoring 43 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, and 3 turnovers.

Playing 39 minutes, Kobe was 6 for 15 from the field, 2 for 4 from the free-throw line, contributing 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers.

Looking at their playing time, Bob Costas did not comment further.

Phil Jackson only allowed Shaquille O’Neal to catch his breath for a moment in this game.

Madison Square Garden was still very noisy.

Many fans remained after the game, continuing their happy celebrations.

Although the process was a bit bumpy, with a 2:1 series lead, the New York Knicks will have a chance to get to match point in the next game!

Just thinking about this made some young fans unable to stop celebrating.

Playing 45 minutes, 15 for 28 from the field, 5 for 12 from beyond the arc, 12 for 12 from the free-throw line, 47 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and 3 turnovers.

Back in the locker room, Jeff Van Gundy hugged Clay Lee again, and everyone else applauded and cheered loudly:

“Only two more wins until the championship!”

“Wow!”

Lee also shouted with his teammates.

The atmosphere crew was off tonight, but everyone was very satisfied to win the game.

Only Phil Jackson attended the Los Angeles Lakers’ post-game press conference.

The Champion Coach’s face was still very grim when he sat on the stage.

Adding to that, the New York Media kept fanning the flames, asking questions that rubbed salt in the wound:

“Phil, how would you evaluate Kobe Bryant’s performance in the last two minutes?”

Without directly answering the question, Phil Jackson frowned and complained:

“That was not a basketball move! That does not conform to the spirit of competitive sports!”

“Perhaps Clay Lee’s stats are good, but I will not condone his actions. The referee should have penalized him instead of remaining indifferent.”

Hearing the Champion Coach complain, the instigating New York Media were pleased.

Some veteran reporters hadn’t forgotten Phil Jackson’s smug expression when the Chicago Bulls used to win.

As long as they could mock the opponent, everyone would unleash their full criticism.

Allan Houston performed well tonight, shooting 8 for 17 from the field, 1 for 4 from beyond the arc, and 5 for 5 from the free-throw line, quietly accumulating 22 points, five rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 turnovers.

When he and Lee attended the post-game press conference, applause erupted from below the stage as soon as they sat down.

A TNT reporter, seeing both of them smiling, immediately asked the question everyone was concerned about:

“Lee, can you talk about that move in the 4th quarter? I think many people want to hear your explanation.”

Before Lee could speak, Allan Houston adjusted the microphone and said solemnly:

“There’s nothing to explain. Kobe lost his balance and fell to the floor. Lee, in order to get back on defense in time, stepped over his leg. This was just a very normal play!”

“The referee made no call, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. Everyone was fully invested in the game at the time and didn’t have much time to think.”

Lee, beside him, shrugged and added:

“Allan is right, that was just a normal basketball play!”

Soon, the New York Media took control of the conversation, and everyone began a lighthearted mutual praise session.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ beat reporters left after two minutes.

On June 12th, Clay Lee’s 47 points and the New York Knicks’ victory once again swept through New York’s major newspapers.

The New York Times and New York Post both used the same headline on their front pages:

“BEAT LA!”

And the accompanying photo was of Lee stepping over Kobe’s leg.

The photographer captured the moment perfectly.

Lee’s expressionless face looked very dominant, Kobe on the floor looked surprised, and everyone on the Los Angeles Lakers’ bench behind them had their mouths wide open.

Of course, Shaq’s furious ball-throwing also angered the New York Media.

Many sports column articles began to mock Shaq’s MVP in various ways.

The Los Angeles Lakers, still in New York, were bombarded with these news stories early in the morning.

Although Phil Jackson told his players not to read the boring newspapers, the hotel staff’s whispers and various mocking glances still hurt the Los Angeles Lakers.

Shaq didn’t speak to his teammates all night.

Harper became the current leader of the locker room.

After breakfast, Kobe returned to his room and looked through the newspaper he had secretly taken.

After reading several papers, he found that the photo of him being stepped over was on the front page of every single one.

The more he looked, the angrier he got, his eyes turning red with rage.

He directly tore the newspaper in his hand to shreds.

From this moment on, Clay Lee became his sworn enemy.

Seemingly still not satisfied, Kobe repeatedly cursed:

“Fuck!”

“.”

….

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep