Check out my new fanfics.

A cote x hikigaya crossover.

Ryuga from Beyblade in Pokemon World.

Please give it a go 😊

***

On November 5, 2000, the NBA announced the first Player of the Week for the new season:

Karl Malone and John Stockton of the Utah Jazz successfully won the award.

Whenever someone thinks that old-school basketball is dead, these two always step up!

In three games, the 37-year-old Malone averaged 31.7 points and 9.3 rebounds, and the 38-year-old Stockton averaged 15.3 points and 12.3 assists.

Besides their 3-0 record, the most important reason they won the award was their victory over the Lakers.

In a strong matchup, the Utah Jazz won again.

The Lakers had a slow start, and their role players were out of form, so their loss was not unfair.

However, the Los Angeles media can always find new things to praise.

The team’s new acquisition, Isaiah Rider, seems to be in good form and has recently become a model player for “the prodigal son’s return.”

When Clay Lee saw these news reports, he was surprised by the Los Angeles media.

Did joining the Lakers really turn him into a treasure?

Smoking weed, being late for practice, and getting into conflicts with team staff and spectators.

Although these are common traits among most NBA players currently, this former “Dunk King”‘s increasingly outrageous behavior even made his teammates unbearable.

After one season with the Atlanta Hawks, Dikembe Mutombo and Ewing had complained about these things.

Lee, as a first-hand observer, understood the inside story and simply didn’t believe in “the prodigal son’s return.”

“Drug addicts are not trustworthy!”

On November 7, the New York Knicks, flying to Milwaukee, were just like ordinary people.

They no longer focused on the game.

That evening, in their hotel rooms, they all stayed glued to their televisions, awaiting the election results.

With non-stop live broadcasts, the vote counts of both sides chased each other, and the entire nation was captivated by the drama.

This was far more exciting than any sports game.

When the media began reporting that the Democratic Party had won the Florida vote, some within the New York Knicks cheered.

However, less than two hours later, all news outlets began to contradict themselves, stating that there were issues with the vote count:

“The vote counts for both sides are in a deadlock.”

Lee almost burst out laughing at this scene.

The news anchors on TV all looked bewildered.

This was something no one had ever experienced.

It was already past 11 PM, and there was still no result.

Lee got up to go to bed, while the onlookers remained glued to their televisions.

Allan Houston saw Lee yawning and couldn’t help but ask in a low voice:

“Lee, aren’t you following the election results?”

Lee waved his hand without looking back, saying in a relaxed tone:

“I’m more concerned about the Nasdaq index. Remember to get some rest early. We have two back-to-back games this week.”

The New York Knicks remained eagerly glued to their televisions until past 1 AM when new news came on:

“Vote count reversed, Republican Party wins.”

Even more interesting was that the losing side, after congratulating the winner, withdrew their “blessings” when it was time to address the public at their rally.

The next morning, after the first round of recounts by both sides, the difference was 300 votes.

Then, all the onlookers witnessed history as Florida’s executive and judicial branches began a fierce battle!

One side demanded a manual recount, while the other demanded the count be completed within two days.

Regardless of the outcome, these actions by both sides certainly heightened the suspense, and everyone began to anticipate the final result.

The “litigation war” officially began.

The Milwaukee Bucks likely stayed up late watching the drama, as their performance in that night’s game was completely off.

Ray Allen led the brick-laying, almost bending their own hoop.

106:83, the New York Knicks easily defeated their opponents, successfully securing their fourth consecutive win!

Sports media at this point also stopped focusing on game results, briefly reporting on them before turning their attention back to the election battle.

Flying back to New York overnight, the New York Knicks also suffered their first loss of the season in their back-to-back game, losing 99:90 at home to the Cavaliers due to poor shooting.

The loss finally made critics focus on the New York Knicks.

The New York Post’s assessment was:

“Chauncey Billups is a failed acquisition!”

Chauncey Billups seemed to be back in his rookie season with the Celtics, appearing overwhelmed by the whirlwind offense and fancy three-pointers.

In half-court offense, the bench unit lacked reliable finishers.

Kukoc was unpredictable, Rasheed Wallace’s finishing was too rough, and only Kurt Thomas’s mid-range shot was somewhat reliable.

Luc Longley was a good fit, but unfortunately, he was too slow after coming on, and on defense, he often couldn’t keep up with the pace in most possessions.

Jeff Van Gundy was naturally asked about Chauncey Billups’s mediocre performance in several games during his post-game interview.

The Bald Young Coach didn’t say much, only offering some diplomatic remarks in the interview:

“The regular season has just begun, and Chauncey needs to adapt to the team!”

The election results eventually became a “litigation.”

While fans were enjoying the drama, they also turned their attention back to the games.

On November 10, at the Fleet Center, as the game neared its end, Celtics fans excitedly stood up.

95:92, with only 9.7 seconds left in the game, the Celtics still had a chance to tie the score.

Head Coach Rick Pitino sat in front of the Celtics players, constantly drawing on the tactical board and loudly instructing:

“Antoine, you get the ball. Watch out for their defense. If you suddenly get double-teamed, immediately pass the ball back to Chris!”

“Be patient, find an open shot, don’t rush the offense. We have enough time to make this shot.”

Paul Pierce, sitting on the bench, didn’t say a word.

In the fourth quarter, he kept missing shots, allowing the New York Knicks to turn the game around.

Pierce was very displeased with Head Coach’s lack of trust in him for the final possession, but Antoine Walker did play well tonight, so he could only follow the arrangement.

Despite the team being behind, the game was exciting, and the fans enjoyed it.

Playing the defending champions down to the wire was much more fun than tanking and losing in the previous two seasons.

Both teams returned to the court, and the Celtics fans, who loved a good show, continued to cheer loudly:

“Wow!”

The Celtics, at this point, went all-in.

Center Vitaly Potapenko was substituted out, and reserve guard Chris Carr entered the game.

Adding Randy Brown, Bryant Stith, Paul Pierce, and Antoine Walker, they had no height and didn’t need screens.

The New York Knicks knew without thinking that their opponents were going for a forced three-pointer.

Rasheed Wallace was still on the court, and their lineup was also smaller.

Their shooting was off tonight, but fortunately, their opponents suddenly faltered, giving them a chance to complete the comeback.

Amidst the noise, Randy Brown, who was inbounding the ball, almost committed a violation.

When it came to team execution, the Celtics were clearly lacking.

The screen at the free-throw line didn’t allow Antoine Walker to shake off Lewis.

He failed to receive the ball on the first attempt and finally just passed it to Paul Pierce on the far side.

The play didn’t work at all, but the fans in the arena didn’t care.

The Celtics decided to make the best of it, quickly spreading out the offense and leaving the left wing open for Paul Pierce.

Ron Artest had already accumulated 5 fouls at this point, and he dared not extend his hand against the bobbing Paul Pierce, who also seemed to be getting favorable calls tonight.

Both players lowered their centers of gravity.

Pierce, holding the ball in his right hand, didn’t make many moves, watching the time tick away.

This test of patience ultimately led the impatient Ron Artest to make the first move.

With 2.1 seconds left in the game, Ron Artest instinctively stepped forward to pressure and close out.

Paul Pierce immediately gathered the ball and, practically hanging on the defender, forced a jump shot from beyond the arc!

The arena suddenly fell silent.

As the basketball swished through the net, everyone raised their hands and cheered loudly.

“GOD! Paul Pierce hit a crucial three-pointer! We still have a chance!”

“An incredible shot! God is on our side tonight!”

The Celtics home announcer Mike Gorman stood up, yelling excitedly, while his.partner, Celtics legend Tom Heinsohn, also shouted:

“This is the Celtics we’ve been waiting for! We have a chance to beat the defending champions!”

The referee was at the scorer’s table, repeatedly reviewing the play to see if the clock needed to be reset.

Lee, though dragged into overtime by his opponent, didn’t show much emotion.

He just patted the dejected Ron Artest.

Paul Pierce, after making the shot, excitedly hugged his teammates and kept shouting:

“This is my house!”

The bouncing Paul Pierce deliberately raised his voice in front of Lee, looking very pleased.

When he pumped his fist, he was a living, breathing future meme.

Clay Lee noticed the referee signaling 0.6 seconds remaining and immediately smiled at Paul Pierce:

“Right corner. God is on my side tonight! I don’t want to work overtime!”

After saying this, Lee feigned pointing to the sky with one hand, then walked from in front of the Celtics players towards the bench.

Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce were both bewildered by this.

Back on the bench, Pierce simply volunteered:

“I’ll guard Clay. Sh*t! We’re going to win in overtime!”

Head Coach Rick Pitino nodded in agreement, then continued to set up the defense for the final possession.

“Wow!”

As both teams returned to the court, the cheers from the crowd grew louder.

Pierce noticed Lee had indeed positioned himself near the right sideline and, turning his back to the basket, wrapped his arms around Lee.

The referee blew his whistle repeatedly, warning Pierce, who then let go.

He was about to spout more trash talk, but the referee’s whistle blew again, signaling the inbound pass from the baseline.

On the left side, near the baseline, Chauncey Billups stood ready to inbound the ball. 0.6 seconds was too short, so there was only one chance.

Fans in the front row joined in the shouts, attempting to interfere and aid their team’s defense.

Pierce again hugged Lee.

Facing this sticky defense, Lee, while struggling, first slid to the left.

The moment Chauncey Billups passed the ball to the right corner according to the planned tactic, Lee subtly pushed off and quickly ran back.

Suddenly accelerating, Pierce first lost half a step, then immediately jumped early to block!

In the right corner, Lee caught the ball without any hesitation.

As his body drifted to the right, he smoothly tossed the ball high into the air.

Passing over Pierce’s fingertips, the basketball arced in a huge curve through the air.

The moment Lee released the ball, the final buzzer immediately sounded.

Perhaps the basketball’s arc was too perfect, as the arena suddenly fell silent.

Paul Pierce lost his balance after landing and fell horizontally in front of Clay Lee.

Before he could even stand up, he heard the screams of the fans in the front row.

“Ah!!”

Commentator Mike Gorman instinctively stood up again, screaming with all his might:

“Clay—Lee—!”

“My God! How did he do that! Unbelievable!”

In front of the Celtics bench, Lee remained calm, merely tapping his left wrist with his right hand and raising an eyebrow at Pierce on the floor below him.

Antoine Walker was stunned, just like the rest of the atmosphere-makers on the bench, staring blankly as Clay Lee struck a pose to show off, then he subconsciously mumbled:

“Does God really love him?”

(A/N: Yes, God/Author)

Lying on the floor, Pierce momentarily forgot to get up, his mouth agape as he watched the New York Knicks players swarm Lee, celebrating wildly.

The referee had to return to the scorer’s table again to review the replay and confirm whether Lee’s shot was overtime.

After waiting for a full two minutes, the referee finally signaled that the shot was valid, and the game officially ended!

98:95, thanks to Clay Lee’s miraculous three-pointer at the last moment, the New York Knicks avoided a two-game losing streak.

Head Coach Rick Pitino on the sidelines could only shake his head helplessly.

With such a great situation, they still lost.

If they lost a few more games, he would be completely out of a job.

At the post-game press conference, Pierce had a long face, his horse was gone!

Soon, a reporter asked what Lee had said at the last moment.

Pierce didn’t lie, but simply responded truthfully:

“This was a man’s duel. Lee told me he would make the shot from the right corner, and I accepted the challenge, but tonight God was on his side.”

“I can feel the gap between us is closing. The New York Knicks have lost their dominance. This year the Celtics also have a chance to win the championship!”

“…”

Clay Lee’s miraculous three-pointer swept through ESPN’s Sports Center.

Many fans temporarily forgot about the voting and, after seeing Lee’s stats, shouted again:

“New York Knicks for the championship!”

Playing 41 minutes, he shot 14-of-25 from the field, 5-of-9 from three-point range, and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line, totaling 41 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, and 3 turnovers.

What fans saw were flashy statistics, while basketball critics realized that Chauncey Billups still hadn’t adapted to the team.

Playing a close game against a weak team was a rare occurrence in the past few seasons.

November 11th was a Saturday, and on the TNT program, in addition to reviewing Clay Lee’s spectacular game-winner, they also analyzed the game content.

Charles Barkley, who had quickly adapted since joining the show, mercilessly pointed out the New York Knicks’ problems:

“They always let Ewing attack first in the first quarter, and Ben Wallace, coming off the bench, hasn’t improved his finishing around the basket this season.”

“The New York Knicks lack a dominant big man. They still have the strongest backcourt combination in the NBA, but basketball is a five-person game.”

In the studio, Barkley, leaning back on the sofa, implied that their inside game was lacking.

Kenny Smith then spoke favorably of the veteran:

“The reason isn’t Ewing. He doesn’t play much, only exceeding 30 minutes in home games.”

“Slow starts are the reason for the lack of dominance in games. The fixed opening play is a catch-and-shoot after a screen from Allan Houston and Lewis.”

“Once they miss, opponents can seize the opportunity to launch fast breaks. Therefore, as long as they start poorly, the New York Knicks will fall into a back-and forth battle.”

“Perhaps Lee should control the tempo and slow the team down, instead of playing faster and faster as they are now.”

The two quickly began a new round of debate, and Ernie Johnson finally had to interrupt:

“I need to remind you two, the New York Knicks currently have the best record in the NBA!”

“Tonight they will face the Hornets, and I don’t think the opponent will cause them too much trouble.”

“From the results, choosing to attack is correct.”

“With the current roster, the New York Knicks can hardly play the low-post offense they used to. On the contrary, Lee has amplified their advantages, and with more possessions, they have won many games by a large margin.”

Kenny Smith shrugged.

He had nothing to say about the results, and finally could only sigh:

“The whole team is playing around Lee. This is the pace he likes, and even if Grant Hill returns from injury in the future, I don’t think there will be too many changes.”

Charles Barkley laughed when he heard this, then said seriously:

“Kenny, this is the privilege of a superstar. He has 3 FMVPs. Are we going to make Lee adapt to others? What do we strive for when we play hard and earn honors?”

“…”

With Lee’s usage rate further increasing and the ball in his hands, even if his shooting was off, even if his teammates performed poorly, his Excel sheet looked even more perfect.

Professional basketball critics could naturally see that the entire team was serving Lee, and this “vampiric” style of play naturally had its controversies.

On the defensive end, since most teams’ point guards were just going through the motions, Lee mostly slacked off.

The energy saved was all used on the offensive end.

A large number of pick-and-rolls and drive-and-kick passes made Lee’s assist numbers look particularly good.

On the night of November 11th, the Hornets challenged the New York Knicks on the road.

The team was in a rebuilding phase, and rookie Bynum Davis had already secured a starting position this season.

Clay Lee also watched the TV program, and in response to public opinion, he put in some effort on the defensive end in the evening’s game.

From the start of the game, Bynum Davis looked bewildered.

Lee was on him the entire time, leading the defense with intense physical contact, and Bynum Davis didn’t even get a shot attempt in the first quarter.

17:31, at the end of the first quarter, the New York fans were hyped again.

The game was enjoyable to watch, and everyone loved a blowout!

Back on the bench, Bynum Davis was still in a bewildered state:

“I haven’t offended anyone!”

Although the Hornets made the playoffs, his presence had always been weak, and his playing time was further reduced in the playoffs.

The game lost its suspense from the very beginning.

Fortunately, Bynum Davis found some face in the second quarter when he faced Chauncey Billups.

However, as Clay Lee once again led the defense in the third quarter, the Hornets went cold, and after a 7:28 single quarter, Bynum Davis’s mentality exploded.

Ultimately, 74:108, the New York Knicks once again stunned their opponents with a barrage of three-pointers.

Playing 41 minutes, he shot 4-of-16 from the field for 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 turnovers.

After the game, Bynum Davis, with a blank stare, embraced Clay Lee and subconsciously said:

“Lee, I haven’t said anything bad about you.”

Lee patted him hard, then said with a smile in a low voice:

“Yes, but sometimes we can’t help ourselves. Next time you come to New York, you can text me in advance.”

A big win once again left most basketball critics speechless.

For New York fans and the New York Media, they were practically shouting “Let him suck!”

High possession counts brought beautiful basketball, and the stats and victories made James Dolan beam with joy.

At MSG, no one could criticize Lee.

In New York, invited reporters were also forbidden to speak ill of Lee.

This had become an internal rule.

On October 13th, the NBA announced the Player of the Week for the second week of the new season, and Clay Lee of the New York Knicks successfully won the award:

In the second week of games, the New York Knicks achieved a record of 3 wins and 1 loss.

Clay Lee averaged 36.0 minutes per game, with averages of 31.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 10.8 assists, 2.5 steals, and 2.8 turnovers.

He averaged 19.8 field goal attempts per game, with a shooting percentage of 51.5%, averaged 6.0 three-point attempts per game, with a three-point percentage of 44.7%, and averaged 9.0 free throws per game, with a free-throw percentage of 91.9%.

Stephon Marbury of the Nets also put up incredible numbers, averaging 34.7 points, 59.4% field goal percentage, and 45% three-point percentage.

After losing the Player of the Week award, Marbury couldn’t hold back.

Before that night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, he couldn’t help but complain to the media:

“The NBA should pay more attention to players from small markets. In this week’s games, I was the best player in the league!”

Player of the Week was a minor honor for Clay Lee, but for a player like Marbury, who had no accolades, it was extremely important.

Every time Lee won an award, he offended someone.

After all, there was only one award, and all players in the league were competing.

“Brotherhood Basketball” wasn’t popular at that time.

Ewing’s “tour” effect was not bad.

At least his stats were decent, and he didn’t lose face meeting old friends in every city.

The Gorilla could also be considered to be “sucking the blood” out of Lee.

Before preparing for the Western trip, Marbury’s complaint was rebutted by “senior” Ewing:

“Young players shouldn’t always be thinking about these honors. Lee doesn’t care about Player of the Week or stats. Victory is our only pursuit.”

“…”

Half of November had passed, and Grant Hill had completely adapted to New York life.

Every home game, there would be a large number of fans asking for photos.

New York fans loved star players who played beautifully, and Grant Hill’s “elegant violence” was deeply loved by local fans.

Every home game, as long as Grant Hill sat on the sidelines, he could attract many fans to buy tickets to watch the game.

The All-Star ballot king was chosen by the fans.

Even if there was some exaggeration in individual years, the high popularity was real.

On the morning of the 14th, at the Tarrytown Training Center, Jeff Van Gundy comforted the “mascot”:

“There’s no need to rush back to the court. You just need to follow the recovery plan given by the medical team for rehabilitation and check-ups.”

“There’s no need to fly around for away games. If you have time, you can watch the game footage that Assistant Coach Thibodeau prepared for you.”

“Understanding the New York Knicks’ tactical play more will help you integrate into the team faster later on.”

Although Ron Artest’s three-point shooting was a bit inconsistent, overall, he fit the current New York Knicks perfectly.

Grant Hill was a bit anxious, but there was nothing he could do about his ankle injury.

Hearing the Head Coach’s words, he could only quietly agree:

“I’ll be ready. I just hope I can officially return to the court before the All-Star Game!”

“…”

On the evening of the 14th, the New York Knicks, who had just flown to Seattle, were not too affected by the journey and once again handed a big defeat to the struggling Seattle SuperSonics.

106:88, the New York Knicks still finished their work in three quarters.

After Glen Rice joined the Seattle SuperSonics, the team’s strength did not increase but decreased.

Losing this game, the Seattle SuperSonics’ record came to 2 wins and 7 losses.

If they continued to lose, Head Coach Westphal would most likely be fired directly, as there always had to be a scapegoat on the team.

After a back-to-back road victory over the Clippers, the New York Knicks also ushered in this week’s marquee matchup.

On the evening of the 17th, the New York Knicks visited Phoenix, continuing their road trip.

“Point Guard Showdown” was the hype given by NBC before the game.

Phoenix Suns fans naturally paid for tickets, as they only got to see two such games in a season.

The Phoenix Suns were also in excellent form since the start of the season, currently holding a record of 7 wins and 1 loss.

Playing at home, before the game, during an interview in the locker room, Jason Kidd also confidently stated:

“We don’t care who the opponent is. We will only play in the way we are best at!”

“Tonight’s game, we will dedicate a victory to our fans!”

During the offseason, the Phoenix Suns signed veteran Mario Elie and also brought in Tony Delk.

Their winning streak was naturally inseparable from the performance of this old and young duo, but after tonight’s game began, the situation was beyond everyone’s expectations.

After the game began, Clifford Robinson successfully tipped the ball to the Phoenix Suns, and the Western Arena immediately erupted in cheers.

After Jason Kidd controlled the ball, he didn’t rush to dribble past half-court.

Instead, he slowly advanced, while raising his left hand and signaling for a play.

Similar to the New York Knicks’ tactics, in the first possession, the Phoenix Suns also ran a high pick-and-roll.

As soon as Clifford Robinson settled at the top of the arc, Jason Kidd quickly completed a push-dribble change of direction, holding the ball in his left hand, preparing to drive to the left.

Clay Lee agilely squeezed through the screen, suddenly initiating body contact while reaching under Jason Kidd’s back to swipe the ball.

The risky steal yielded good results.

The moment Lee successfully stole the ball, the Phoenix Suns fans present gasped.

Jason Kidd wanted to turn around and chase, but Clay Lee charged too fast, crossing the half-court line in the blink of an eye.

Jason Kidd accelerated to chase, but he could only watch as Lee rushed into the paint, took off with both feet, and shot down a powerful windmill dunk!

“Boom!” The rim roared, the dunk was extremely powerful, and boos quickly filled the stadium.

Kidd seemed to not expect Lee’s defensive aggressiveness, making a turnover on the first possession.

He received the ball from the baseline again and started to be cautious when dribbling past half-court.

Marion, who had 19 points, 19 rebounds, 4 steals, 5 blocks, and 3 turnovers in the previous game against the Dallas Mavericks, was very active on offense.

He quickly back-cut from left to right along the baseline, arriving at the right block, and received a pass from Jason Kidd.

Marion immediately put the ball down, dribbled with his left hand, and drove straight to the basket, pushing against Ron Artest’s chase-down defense.

This simple and direct offensive approach was naturally easily anticipated.

Ewing, who was lurking in the paint, shifted his feet, and Ron Artest, who was chasing from behind, subtly exerted force.

With the two converging, Marion threw up an early floater while in motion, resulting in a missed shot.

Watching Ewing grab the rebound, the Phoenix Suns immediately retreated on defense, everyone giving up on crashing the offensive glass.

After Lee received the ball, Kidd stepped up to delay him, but the defense did not affect his pushing speed, and he still managed to launch a semi-transition offense while being chased from behind.

At the top of the arc, away from the three-point line, Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, immediately stopped short.

Taking advantage of Jason Kidd’s tight defense and reach, he quickly spun around.

While switching to his right hand, he exerted force with his protective hand, and with the two battling with their hands, Lee suddenly accelerated in a straight line, shaking off Kidd.

Clifford Robinson, who was guarding the basket, watched as Lee broke through the middle and rushed into the paint.

He subconsciously moved his feet, but then saw Clay Lee, just past the free-throw line, complete a one-handed floater while in motion, leaning on Jason Kidd!

“Swish!” The two-point shot swished through the net.

Hearing the boos that filled the Arena, Bob Costas at the NBC commentary desk loudly praised:

“Lee anticipated the actions of the opposing big man inside. What perfect offensive rhythm!”

Doug Collins, next to him, noticed Jason Kidd speeding up the offensive rhythm and subconsciously reminded:

“Running with the New York Knicks is not the right offensive choice.”

No sooner had he spoken than, in a similar half-transition offense, Jason Kidd, relying on his physique, chased past half-court while being pursued, and with Clay Lee’s defense hanging on him, he made a strong layup in the paint.

Under interference, the basketball bounced off the rim.

Upon landing, Lee reacted quickly, jumping a second time to grab the rebound, then took the ball and charged.

Ewing, who had just retreated on defense, simply stopped at this point, watching Lee powerfully pass the ball before crossing half-court, finding Allan Houston who had rushed to the right wing.

The latter received the ball, with veteran Mario Elie still chasing from behind.

Allan Houston didn’t hesitate.

After a slight adjustment, he raised the ball and shot!

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

7:0, Head Coach Skiles on the sidelines looked grim.

His pre-game plan was not like this.

Constantly gesturing downwards, Head Coach Bill skiles signaled the Phoenix Suns to slow down.

Soon, the Phoenix Suns, attempting to slow down the game’s pace, started missing shots again.

Marion was given a step of space by Ron Artest on defense, and every time he received the ball beyond the three-point line, his drives were disrupted.

With 7 minutes and 30 seconds left in the first quarter, the Phoenix Suns finally got on the scoreboard with a free throw from Mario Elie.

13:2, the Phoenix Suns’ slow-paced offense did not narrow the gap.

As Jason Kidd started making elementary passing turnovers, Head Coach Skiles on the sidelines realized the game had completely spiraled out of control.

A timeout couldn’t solve the problem, and he could only watch as the New York Knicks played faster and faster.

With 2 minutes and 38 seconds left in the first quarter, Clay Lee, without the help of a screen, still drove to the basket from the top of the arc after a spin, pushing through the defender with the ball in his left hand.

The substitute big man, Daniel Santiago, seemed to forget about Ewing behind him, over-helping directly by stepping up.

While in motion, Lee, leaning on Kidd, and before the double-team could form, passed the ball high towards the upper right of the basket in the paint.

With no one guarding him, Ewing easily caught the ball after jumping and slammed it down with both hands!

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

28:10, the PHX Arena fell completely silent.

Phoenix Suns fans seemed unable to believe they had lost so much in one quarter.

Ewing, who had just completed the dunk, excitedly pumped his fist.

This was a comfortable dish to eat, but his stamina was starting to lag, and he was gasping for air while retreating on defense.

Seeing Kidd once again turn over the ball on a lob pass to the inside after a pick-and-roll, Doug Collins, from the commentary booth, suddenly exclaimed:

“As long as Clay Lee wants to play defense, his defensive ability is definitely above the league average!”

Three turnovers in a single quarter were uncommon for Kidd, and Bob Costas also nodded slightly, adding his praise:

“I think this is related to the matchup. In most cases, Lee is only responsible for defending the point guard, and players’ energy is limited. I understand Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy’s positioning of Lee.”

As the two chatted in the commentary booth, on the Phoenix Suns’ bench, they could only watch Lee step up to the free-throw line again.

Tony Delk, who had come off the bench, grimaced and raised his hand, indicating it was his fault.

His overly hasty shot led to a long rebound, which Lee collected, initiating a fast break.

On the New York Knicks’ bench, Jeff Van Gundy, in an idle state, wore a slight smile and sat steadily in his seat.

Although the game didn’t meet his expectations, winning was always a good thing.

Sometimes the process wasn’t important.

At the end of the first quarter, the score was fixed at 34:14.

This strong matchup of point guards ended almost as soon as it began.

Kidd, returning to the bench, was in a terrible mood.

The high number of turnovers, coupled with his desperate attempts to slow the pace, resulted in the Phoenix Suns only taking 13 shots in the first quarter.

When the second quarter began, Kidd didn’t rest, nor did he give Coach Skiles a good look.

He resumed his usual game rhythm.

Soon, Kidd’s stats began to slowly climb again.

His rebounds and assists returned!

With a large lead, Lee entered a “reckless” mode in the latter half of the second quarter.

Both sides started trading blows, and the Phoenix Suns fans regained their vitality, still cheering happily for their home team despite the large deficit.

It proved that not only New York fans loved offense, but Phoenix Suns fans’ emotions also fully recovered after watching the offensive shootout.

As the first half was nearing its end, in a transition offense, Lee sprinted to the right wing, pushed the ball forward with his right hand, then powered off his feet with a “scissors step” while pulling the ball wide with his left hand.

The flashy move made the Phoenix Suns fans in the arena instinctively cheer, and Bob Costas in the commentary booth also shouted loudly:

“OMG—! ClayGod!”

“That’s amazing! Lee easily blew past the defense!”

Marion, retreating on defense, froze in place.

The sudden change of direction completely lost him his defensive position, and he watched as Lee drove straight to the basket with the ball in his left hand, effortlessly executing a gliding dunk with no one guarding him!

Many fans in the arena immediately switched allegiance, and the beautiful play made everyone start shouting loudly:

“MVP! MVP! MVP!”

While most teams in the NBA were still relying on post-ups, feeding the ball to the inside, and focusing on defense in their half-court offense, the New York Knicks’ pursuit of transition offense and fast breaks emphasizing individual skill naturally thrilled the fans.

Even as Lee retreated on defense, Marion remained rooted in place, seemingly unable to comprehend how Lee had executed such a complex, flashy, yet practical dribble move.

“Want to learn? Come to my training camp, I can teach you these moves without holding anything back!”

With too large a lead, Clay Lee, retreating to the half-court line, started joking.

But Marion took him seriously, even asking earnestly:

“Bro, how much is the tuition? I love that dribble move!”

Kidd, dribbling past half-court, had a dark expression and loudly called for his teammates to get into position, interrupting their chat.

However, when he passed the ball to the corner on a middle pick-and-roll, he turned it over again.

The basketball flew directly out of bounds.

On the New York Knicks’ bench, Kurt Thomas chuckled oddly while holding the ball.

The Phoenix Suns’ last possession ended in a turnover, and a collective gasp filled the arena as Clay Lee’s ultra-long three-pointer hit the rim and bounced out.

60:34.

After halftime, the game was completely decided.

The two commentators had long been in high spirits, and now Doug Collins even began to joke:

“In basketball, as long as your score is higher than your opponent’s, you win!”

“The regular season has just begun, and I can’t yet confirm the New York Knicks’ defensive state this year, but what I want to say is that on nights when all their players have their touch, they truly display an unstoppable momentum.”

These words certainly made sense, and Bob Costas chuckled softly upon hearing them.

Following this topic, he spoke earnestly:

“Defense wins championships. For the past three seasons, the New York Knicks have consistently been among the top teams in defense.”

“Even when their defensive dominance declined last season, their points allowed still ranked in the top 10 in the NBA.”

“Perhaps Lee can lead the team to play beautiful basketball in the regular season, but in the playoffs, I still stand by my previous opinion.”

In the second half, the two commentators could see that both sides had entered a “mutual stat-padding” state, and they no longer followed every possession.

Instead, they just chatted and gossiped.

Kidd, who had been scowling the entire game, finally found some touch in the third quarter.

Lee also relaxed his defense, allowing his “surface brother” to accumulate more stats.

However, Lee underestimated Kidd’s ability to “pad” stats.

As his rebounds increased, his risky passes also led to an increase in assists.

Although the turnovers continued, Kidd had a chance to achieve a triple-double.

In the fourth quarter, Lee had already gone to the bench, but Kidd was still fighting on the court.

After assisting Marion on a made three-pointer, with 7 minutes and 01 seconds left in the game, Head Coach Skiles finally called a timeout, and Kidd also came off the court.

Glancing at the statistics, Doug Collins raised an eyebrow, looked at his partner, and said with a strange expression:

“A very exciting game. Congratulations to Jason Kidd on achieving a quadruple-double, with 14 turnovers, tying his personal career high for turnovers.”

5-of-12 shooting, 1-of-3 from three-point range, 4-of-6 from the free-throw line, 15 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 14 turnovers—Kidd successfully achieved the “quadruple-double achievement.”

Bob Costas couldn’t accuse Kidd of stat-padding on national television, so he could only change the subject and praise Lee’s performance:

“In 30 minutes of play, 28 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover. Clay Lee once again proved his ability on the defensive end.”

“I don’t want to comment too much on the New York Knicks’ style of play, but if it can bring victory to the team, I think the fans will all support Lee!”

9-of-16 shooting, 2-of-5 from three-point range, 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. In this road “easy win” game, without having to cater to Ewing, Lee was particularly efficient.

Ultimately, 114:90, the New York Knicks easily won this “strong matchup.”

Losing a regular season game was certainly no big deal, but Kidd, who achieved the “quadruple-double,” only felt deeply embarrassed.

After a simple handshake after the game, he turned and left.

Marion, on the other hand, seriously wrote down Lee’s phone number.

This Rookie seemed to genuinely intend to experience the training camp during the offseason.

There were still New York fans on the road, and Lee walked towards the player tunnel, waving to everyone, once again drawing a chorus of shouts.

After defeating the Phoenix Suns, the New York Knicks’ opponents before Thanksgiving were all weak teams, so everyone could prepare for the holiday early.

As a nationally televised game, Lee naturally attended the post-game press conference.

“Lee, can you talk about your defense tonight? We all saw Kidd commit 14 turnovers!”

The “quadruple-double” news would surely sweep major sports media tonight.

The NBC reporter smiled as he sat down after asking the question.

“Just like tonight’s game, if I can bring victory to the team, I will certainly go all out on the defensive end.”

“But basketball is a five-person game, and many times, I will also encounter opponents I cannot limit.”

“As everyone saw, if I can’t respond on the defensive end, I hope to win the game with offense!”

Seeing Lee answer seriously, an ESPN reporter on the other side provocatively asked:

“If the opponent were the Lakers, would the New York Knicks still stick to this game strategy?”

Upon hearing such a question, Lee just smiled and shrugged:

“Of course, as long as we score more points than our opponents, we can win the game. That’s a basketball truth!”

“…”

…

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep