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Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.

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***

On the evening of June 1, 2001, as the game progressed, Phil Jackson’s brow furrowed deeper and deeper.

Unlike the Western Conference teams, the New York Knicks abandoned double-teaming Shaquille O’Neal.

With 7 minutes and 15 seconds left in the half, Kobe Bryant made another field goal, bringing the score to 36:42, with the Lakers still trailing by 6 points.

Jeff Van Gundy chose to let Clay Lee rest first, but the lineup of Chauncey Billups, Allan Houston, Ron Artest, Kurt Thomas, and Ben Wallace still played decently.

There was no complex tactical system.

It was pick-and-roll jump shots, screens for Allan Houston to catch and shoot, and occasional low-post isolations.

If they missed a shot, they’d fight for the rebound.

If they couldn’t get it, they’d retreat on Defense.

The tactics were simple and clear, and coupled with Kobe Bryant and others missing shots, the Lakers, who were out of sync, failed to seize the opportunity.

Making his Finals debut, Chauncey Billups also seemed to be possessed by a bricklayer.

Facing the Defense of a young man, the 35 year-old Brian Shaw on the opposite side completely collapsed on offense and failed to perform as expected, being replaced by Derek Fisher in less than 3 minutes.

Jeff Van Gundy stood on the sidelines, smiling with his arms crossed, watching Chauncey Billups finally make a pull-up jumper from the free-throw line using a pick-and-roll, and immediately applauded.

“Wow!”

Phil Jackson proactively called a timeout, and a huge cheer erupted in Madison Square Garden.

1-for-3 shooting, 2 points, and 2 assists—Chauncey Billups completed his task and breathed a sigh of relief as he returned to the bench.

Eating up a lot of garbage time this season was useful.

Chauncey Billups had gained some insights into how to control the pace of the game.

Kobe Bryant, walking towards the bench, was frustrated.

Allan Houston had a lot of off-ball movement, combined with some low-post offense, and under his Defense, he gradually found his touch.

What made Kobe Bryant even more uncomfortable was that Ron Artest could share the Defense, and this Rookie didn’t do anything special when he came on.

In many possessions, he just chased him around.

Shaquille O’Neal had turned Ben Wallace into “Litte Ben.”

He sat back in his seat, looking at Phil Jackson without speaking:

“This wasn’t the game he had envisioned!”

Looking at everyone’s gazes, Phil Jackson fully realized the New York Knicks’ intention.

Speed up the game, exhaust Shaquille O’Neal’s stamina, and if they couldn’t defend him, just wait for him to miss shots himself, while occasionally interrupting O’Neal’s shooting rhythm with fouls.

“Shit!”

Muttering to himself, Phil Jackson suddenly remembered that this was a game strategy he had once used.

The Chicago Bulls’ interior had been weak for many years, and sometimes they were at a disadvantage in rebounding.

He relied on Michael Jordan’s fifty percent shooting to win games.

Thinking of Clay Lee’s efficient performance this season for the New York Knicks, Phil Jackson cursed again in his heart:

“This clumsy imitator!”

Jeff Van Gundy didn’t know that the Champion Coach on the opposite side was cursing him half to death in his heart.

When he was a young assistant, the New York Knicks’ old rival was the Chicago Bulls.

Whenever he encountered difficulties, besides applying some of Pat Riley’s basketball philosophies, he couldn’t help but want to “copy homework.”

Assistant Coach Don Chaney and Thibodeau were taking turns holding the tactical board, reminding them of the Lakers’ offensive plays.

Clay Lee also took off his training uniform and simply warmed up.

The Bald Young Coach was in a great mood.

The opposing perimeter shooters were missing shots, giving the New York Knicks a chance to calmly adjust.

He stepped forward and patted Lee’s shoulder, everything was understood without words.

Grant Hill and Ewing also followed with encouraging words.

The team hadn’t encountered foul trouble, so they would come on at the end of the second quarter to warm up and play half of the third quarter.

On the NBC commentary desk, Doug Collins was still analyzing the New York Knicks’ game strategy:

“Head Coach Van Gundy is very smart. This reminds me of the 1993 Finals. As long as the New York Knicks have role players who can share some of Clay Lee’s offensive pressure, they will have a chance to suppress their opponents.”

“Shaquille O’Neal is facing the same difficulties Barkley once did. Perhaps he will get some good statistics, but it won’t change the situation on the court.”

Marv Albert, as a loyal New York Knicks fan, had to remain neutral, but at this moment, his tone couldn’t help but become much lighter:

“I like Ron’s attitude on Defense. In his second year in the league, he has shown excellent defensive potential!”

“New York fans also like him very much. Playing for the home team always provides extra motivation.”

After the timeout, the Lakers still kept Derek Fisher and Horry on the court.

The old and tired Brian Shaw and Horace Grant would most likely fall out of the rotation.

“Defense!”

The shout for Defense rang out again.

Having rested for a good part of the quarter, Lee didn’t spare his stamina, continuing to lead the Defense against Derek Fisher, who received the ball on the baseline.

Unable to shake off Lee even with acceleration, Derek Fisher didn’t dare to make too many fakes.

Before crossing half-court, he passed the ball to Kobe Bryant, who was already waiting.

After passing the ball, Derek Fisher jogged along, leading Lee to the left corner.

Fox, at this moment, brought Ron Artest to the right corner, while O’Neal was battling Ben Wallace in the left block, still trying to get the ball in the post.

According to normal offensive plays, Kobe Bryant should have come to the left wing to pass the ball, then cut to the middle off-ball.

With no opportunity to run to the right corner, the Lakers’ perimeter players took the opportunity to rotate one by one, creating space for Shaquille O’Neal.

After the timeout, the Lakers immediately adjusted their tactics.

Horry, at the right elbow, suddenly moved up to set a screen for Kobe Bryant.

At the top of the arc, Kobe Bryant, with the ball in his right hand, drove to the right.

Allan Houston squeezed past the fake screen behind him, continuing to chase on Defense.

Unable to shake off the Defense, Kobe Bryant noticed that Kurt Thomas hadn’t followed him out in time.

Immediately after crossing the three-point line, he jumped and passed the ball.

Horry, who received the ball at the top of the arc, didn’t adjust.

He quickly shot a jump shot after catching the ball!

“Swish!” The three-pointer went in cleanly!

39:44, the deficit was again narrowed to 5 points.

Making his first field goal of the second quarter, 1-for-3 shooting, all from beyond the arc, Horry breathed a sigh of relief after the shot, feeling he hadn’t let his coach down.

As the Lakers players were still retreating on Defense, Lee, who received the inbound pass, charged forward fiercely with the ball.

Completely different from Chauncey Billups’ cautious pace control, Lee rushed past half-court right on their heels.

The New York fans in the arena cheered along.

Derek Fisher was stunned, instinctively sliding his feet desperately.

Arriving at the three-point line, Clay Lee, dribbling with his left hand while in motion, quickly performed an In and Out, then increased his stride, changing pace before accelerating again.

While briefly shaking off Derek Fisher, Lee had already caught up with the retreating O’Neal.

Just as O’Neal returned to the paint, he suddenly found Lee beside him.

Before Shaquille O’Neal could react, Clay Lee “overtook” him, took three big steps, and then leaned in for a successful scoop layup!

Excited shouts echoed through the Madison Square Garden.

Marv Albert, influenced by the atmosphere, also shouted:

“OH! Too fast! Lee, with his speed, blew past the Lakers’ entire Defense!”

Watching Lee retreat on Defense, Shaquille O’Neal glared at Derek Fisher and, while the ball was being inbounded, loudly reminded him:

“Fuck! Guard your man!”

Running back and forth naturally consumes stamina.

The big man, with all his muscle, was naturally not suited for such a game pace.

Derek Fisher could only swallow his grievances and quietly agree.

He had truly never encountered this situation before.

39:46, in the blink of an eye, the deficit returned to 7 points.

An enraged Shaquille O’Neal began to demand the ball in the low post on the left side again.

His overly obvious offensive intention made it difficult for Fox to pass the ball directly into his hands.

Ron Artest constantly pressured his opponent.

Out of necessity, Fox quickly passed the ball to Horry, who was waiting at the free-throw line.

O’Neal turned deftly, taking advantage of Ben Wallace’s retreat, suddenly stopped and used his momentum to seal his opponent behind him.

Horry quickly passed the ball, a simple high-low post combination, allowing O’Neal to receive the ball right under the basket.

From a suitable offensive position, Ben Wallace’s Defense was ineffective.

He watched O’Neal receive the ball, twist his body, and successfully make a right-handed floater directly in front of the basket.

Although the offensive possession took a bit too long, after scoring the response basket, O’Neal roared, while also directing Kobe Bryant, signaling for his younger teammate to lead the Defense against Lee.

Inbounding the ball quickly again, Lee still charged forward with the ball in his right hand after receiving it.

A quick behind-the-back dribble while in motion, a sudden stop to create a sliver of space, Lee switched to his left hand, then quickly changed direction with a crossover, dipped his shoulder, and accelerated, easily overpowering his defender to cross half-court.

At the top of the arc, Kurt Thomas, after setting a screen, immediately shifted to the left block.

Horry and Kobe Bryant teamed up to double-team Clay Lee.

Near the free-throw line, Lee suddenly stopped and leaned into Kobe Bryant behind him.

Taking advantage of Horry’s slide, he made a concealed pocket pass.

The bounce pass easily sliced through the Defense.

Kurt Thomas received the ball in the left block, adjusted slightly, and then made another jump shot!

A jump shot near the paint, Kurt Thomas’s sweet spot.

Scoring again, the power forward celebrated by pumping his fists repeatedly.

41:48, the deficit was still 7 points, making the Lakers players somewhat anxious.

Derek Fisher again passed the ball before crossing half-court, leading Clay Lee to the right corner.

At the top of the arc, Kobe Bryant, with the ball in his right hand, dribbled between his legs, then quickly changed direction in front of his body, scooped the ball back with his right hand, immediately dipped his shoulder, and accelerated to drive.

Allan Houston lost his defensive position, slid quickly, and initiated body contact.

The two rushed into the paint, and Kobe, despite the block, his right-handed floater once again hit the rim and bounced out.

O’Neal, who was still boxing out, couldn’t rush for the offensive rebound.

Ben Wallace immediately collapsed to the basket to secure the defensive rebound.

When Lee stepped forward to receive the pass, the Lakers players had already begun to retreat on Defense.

Fisher intended to delay the advance, but Lee’s sudden push-dribble change of direction directly shook him off.

Watching Lee, dribbling with his left hand, once again chase the opponent’s backside across half-court, cheers erupted again.

New York Knicks counterattacks usually spread out the offensive space completely.

Allan Houston and Ron Artest stopped on the left and right wings.

Ben Wallace, after rushing to the three-point line, didn’t stop and continued to charge into the paint.

Kurt Thomas had already run to the left near the baseline.

Derek Fisher, chasing him on his side, glimpsed the movement behind him and could only follow his body’s instinct to continue sliding backward to the right.

At the top of the arc, Lee, dribbling with his left hand, leaned forward, feigning acceleration, then suddenly pulled back with a quick crossover step.

With the sudden stop, Fisher was completely lost.

Due to inertia, by the time he tried to readjust his center of gravity, he was rooted near the free-throw line, watching Lee gather the ball and quickly jump-shoot from beyond the three-point line!

“Swish!” The three-pointer went in cleanly.

41:51.

The score difference in this game reached double digits for the first time, and Madison Square Garden erupted, with cheers that wouldn’t stop.

Phil Jackson frowned, calling another timeout.

Having forced a timeout, Clay Lee raised his hands high, smiling and gesturing for the sound to get even louder.

The joyous atmosphere on the court made Kobe, who was missing shots, look dark-faced.

“Truly incredible athleticism! Lee’s ball control at high speed is outstanding.”

“Aside from double-teaming, I can’t imagine any way to stop him.”

Doug Collins continuously praised the speed, which was faster than all the players on the court.

Marv Albert, after looking at the technical statistics, also sighed:

“Clay Lee is too efficient. Using Derek Fisher to defend him is clearly not an ideal matchup.”

On the Lakers’ bench, after Phil Jackson gave a pep talk, he glanced at the dazed Tyron Lue, shaking his head inwardly, thinking it would be useless to put him in.

In the final minutes of the first half, the Lakers brought in Grant, and the New York Knicks’ starting lineup also returned.

O’Neal and Grant began to step to the free-throw line.

In transition, Lee also got a chance at the free throw.

Derek Fisher initially thought his performance would improve if he wasn’t guarding Lee, but Allan Houston didn’t forget about his spot, starting several possessions with low-post play against him.

With 47 seconds left in the first half, O’Neal’s second free throw, after much delay, clanked off the rim again.

Slapping his thigh in frustration, O’Neal finally realized how crucial free throw points were.

Ewing secured the rebound.

Lee received the pass and, after crossing half-court, immediately passed the ball to Grant Hill at the top of the arc.

Kobe followed Lee, running to the left corner, constantly watching the movements on the court.

In a “V”-shaped offense, Clay Lee and Allan Houston both squatted in the corners, watching Grant Hill and Ewing at the right elbow initiate a pick-and-roll.

Lewis at the left elbow quickly moved to the top of the arc, while Ewing settled at the free-throw line, watching Grant Hill, dribbling with his right hand, drive straight into the paint after the pick-and-roll.

O’Neal, playing deep in the paint, saw Grant Hill quickly pass the ball back and hastily moved his feet, raising his hand to disrupt Ewing at the free-throw line.

Gorilla received the ball.

Lewis immediately moved quickly to the left wing to set an off-ball screen for the cutting Lee, then immediately ran to the left corner.

The Lakers’ Defense was cohesive. Grant tried hard to follow his man to the corner.

Kobe continued to chase Lee.

Meanwhile, Grant Hill ran to the left corner, and Allan Houston moved to the right wing.

At the free-throw line, Ewing merely turned his body to release the ball, grasping it with his left hand, intending to complete a hand-off pass to Clay Lee.

Noticing Kobe was too close, Ewing quickly gathered the ball again.

Lee, who had come to the top of the arc, suddenly made a reverse cut, momentarily shaking off Kobe, and received the pass from Ewing on the left wing.

O’Neal watched Ewing move to the three-point line and settle, following him with a scowl.

Lee, who put the ball down with his right hand immediately after receiving it, took advantage of Kobe’s slight backward movement, swayed his body to the right, and then suddenly executed a quick in-front-of-the-body change of direction.

The moment he switched to his left hand, Lee lowered his center of gravity and accelerated into a cut from the left 45-degree angle.

Kobe, whose defensive read was wrong, hadn’t even had time to slide his feet before he had lost his defensive position.

O’Neal reacted quickly, immediately abandoning Ewing, desperately sliding backward to the right, while loudly reminding Horace Grant to collapse on Defense.

As Horace Grant, whose feet felt heavy, tried to slide, Clay Lee collided with Shaquille O’Neal in the left restricted area, subtly exerting force with his ball-handling hand, and with a slight deceleration, quietly pushed off, using the momentum to instantly blow past the Defense.

O’Neal, who was a step behind, still wanted to grab him, but Lee was already charging with three big steps.

Completely free of the Defense, he soared into the air near the paint.

Lee gathered the ball, switched hands in mid-air, and directly in front of the basket, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and slammed it down with a powerful dunk!

“Boom!” A breakthrough dunk succeeded!

O’Neal failed to grab Lee and, losing his balance, charged directly out of bounds, falling with a thud into the spectator stands.

“Oh!!”

Watching the fan being pressed down by O’Neal, everyone gasped in surprise.

Fortunately, the big man held onto the seat, otherwise, under the “Mountain pressing down,” the front-row spectators would have had to leave immediately.

46:58. Clay Lee quickly greeted the startled fan, confirmed no one was injured, and the game continued.

Feeling deeply embarrassed, O’Neal, who hadn’t rested for a minute in the first half, started demanding the ball repeatedly in the low post on the final possession.

Under Ewing’s strenuous Defense, O’Neal received the ball in the right low post and began to bang away, quickly turning towards the baseline, his right-handed floater hitting the rim and bouncing out.

Gorilla hadn’t had time to secure the rebound, but O’Neal reacted even faster, charging to the basket, grabbing the rebound, and after a pump fake, he tipped the ball in at the buzzer.

Shouting at the camera under the basket, O’Neal vented his frustration.

Turning his head, he saw the New York Knicks players already walking towards the player tunnel, chatting and laughing, with no one even looking at him.

O’Neal was so angry he cursed under his breath again.

48:58. The double-digit lead caused Madison Square Garden to erupt once more.

Playing the entire first half, Shaquille O’Neal had already scored 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting and 5-of-10 from the free throw line, completely dominating the New York Knicks’ interior.

Playing 18 minutes, Clay Lee also scored 27 points on 9-of-10 shooting, 2-of-3 from beyond the three-point line, and 7-of-7 from the free-throw line.

At the NBC commentary table, both men looked at the statistics, somewhat speechless.

The game seemed to have turned into a battle of role players.

Kobe had 6 points on 3-of-10 shooting.

Houston had 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting.

Doug Collins also found it difficult to comment on the Lakers’ tactics.

A 10-point deficit wasn’t large, and the Lakers had successfully come back in previous playoffs:

“In the second half, Head Coach Phil Jackson should perhaps consider a different defensive strategy.”

“It’s hard for short guards to contain Lee. More double-teaming might be a better option!”

Marv Albert felt the Lakers’ rotation was too short:

“In this year’s playoffs, both teams have had a lot of rest time. If the series is extended, stamina will also be a key factor.”

After their analysis, the Lakers indeed adjusted their Defense in the second half.

As the third quarter began, the cheers and shouts in Madison Square Garden grew even louder.

Everyone was very satisfied with the home team’s performance in the first half:

“Let’s go Knicks!”

On the first offensive possession, Lewis and Ewing both stood at the left and right elbow areas.

After Lee moved to the left wing, Lewis, who came up to screen, just brushed past and then popped out towards the top of the arc.

Horace Grant completely abandoned his matchup with Lewis, quickly double-teaming with Kobe.

Clay Lee, dribbling with his left hand, didn’t hesitate.

He swung the ball behind his back and immediately passed it to the popping-out Lewis.

When the latter received the ball, O’Neal had a chance to close out, but Lewis made no adjustments, just raised the ball and shot.

The Shark once again watched the shot.

“Swish!” The three-pointer went in cleanly.

With 2-of-4 from three in the first half, Lewis maintained his shooting touch despite limited playing time in the second quarter.

“Wow!”

Hitting a three-pointer on the first possession, the cheers grew even louder.

Phil Jackson on the sideline was still frowning, signaling with his hands for his players to stick to this defensive strategy.

48:61. The lead was further extended.

On the Lakers’ ensuing possession, Derek Fisher still took Lee to the right corner, while Horace Grant quickly came to the left wing to set a screen.

Lewis also didn’t hesitate, immediately double-teaming Kobe with Allan Houston.

The wide-open Grant received Kobe’s bounce pass and made a mid-range jump shot from the left elbow.

“Boo!”

Ignoring the boos in his ears, Phil Jackson quickly clapped his hands in encouragement.

Executing the desired play on the first possession was definitely a good omen!

However, in the next few possessions, Horace Grant’s low-post attempts continuously missed, serving no purpose other than “assisting” Shaquille O’Neal with rebounds.

The New York Knicks systematically ran pick-and-rolls.

Although they also missed a few shots in those possessions, the lead returned to 10 points after Allan Houston made another contested three-pointer over Derek Fisher at the top of the arc.

Having failed to pick on Lewis, O’Neal was already impatient and began to frequently demand the ball in the low post with his back to the basket.

This time, O’Neal established a very deep position.

The moment he received the ball in the low post on the right, he immediately turned towards the baseline, shouldered off Ewing after a jump step, and slammed the ball with both hands.

The referee immediately blew his whistle.

“Ah!”

O’Neal smacked himself twice, then let out another loud yell, drawing boos from the New York fans.

Although somewhat disheveled, after committing his fourth foul, Ewing still grinned, clapped his hands at the audience, and consciously walked towards the bench.

With 6 minutes and 5 seconds left in the third quarter, Jeff Van Gundy chuckled and patted Gorilla, then subbed in Ben Wallace.

Lewis, whose shot had clanked after being bumped, was also replaced by Kurt Thomas at this point.

Grant Hill was in good form and remained on the court.

Stepping to the free-throw line, O’Neal made a series of gestures, and his free throw clanked again.

60:68, the deficit was narrowed.

The Lakers players called out to each other and quickly retreated on Defense.

Ben Wallace grabbed the rebound, and Grant Hill, who received the ball, advanced quickly.

Noticing that the opponent had already settled into their defensive positions, he slowed down upon reaching the top of the arc.

Clay Lee, who had already run to the right corner, suddenly darted quickly from right to left along the baseline.

Kobe tried to front-guard him on the top, but saw Lee suddenly change direction and spring diagonally outwards just as he reached under the basket.

After circling Kurt Thomas in the left elbow area, Lee received Hill’s cross-court pass on the left wing, and Kobe immediately followed him.

Horace Grant hesitated for a moment and did not immediately step forward to double-team, but instead followed Kurt Thomas to a position near the baseline on the left side.

O’Neal, who was still in drop coverage, saw Ben Wallace quickly shift his feet, preparing for a screen, cursed under his breath, and scrambled out again.

Ben Wallace had just arrived to Lee’s right and hadn’t yet settled, when Lee faked right, then suddenly put the ball down with his left hand and drove with a crossover step.

O’Neal, still moving, watched Lee suddenly push the ball and change direction, unable to adjust his defensive Center of Gravity, and saw Lee scoop the ball with his right hand and drive straight to the basket.

Horace Grant noticed Clay Lee breaking into the paint and instinctively moved to help on Defense.

However, his lateral movement was too slow.

Horace Grant had just reached under the basket and hadn’t even made a blocking motion when he saw Lee jump-step and leap into the air!

Horace Grant only felt a powerful force hit him from the front, his ears filled with the shouts of the fans.

Under the huge impact, he lost his balance and plopped down on the floor, watching Clay Lee grab the ball with his right hand and slam dunk it with a windmill motion!

“Boom!” A breakthrough dunk was successful!

“Oh!”

The New York fans rose to their feet and cheered.

Kurt Thomas, who was nearby, didn’t wait for Clay Lee to show off, excitedly rushed forward and embraced him, then started yelling wildly.

“A crazy poster dunk! Clay Lee has once again bypassed the entire Lakers Defense!”

Marv Albert was thrilled, but Doug Collins noticed that the Lakers’ pick-and-roll Defense quality was starting to decline again:

“It’s time to change some defensive strategies and reduce some of Shaquille O’Neal’s defensive exertion.”

In half a quarter, both teams’ shooting percentages dropped significantly, but Clay Lee didn’t care about his teammates’ missed shots and still maintained an extremely fast offensive pace.

Phil Jackson called a timeout, his expression growing more serious, but he still couldn’t come up with a very good defensive strategy.

After the timeout, it was time for O’Neal to dominate the Knicks’ interior.

He missed a strong attack under the basket, grabbed the rebound, and made a put-back shot.

Taking advantage of Ben Wallace fronting him, O’Neal twisted his body to the basket, received the pass, and shot down a powerful dunk!

Receiving the ball in the left block, O’Neal put the ball down with his right hand for a post-up, quickly turned towards the baseline, and then scored with a hook shot after switching to his left hand.

Consecutive baskets failed to narrow the gap.

Ron Artest, who entered the game, popped out after a three-man screen, received a pass from Lee, and hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc.

With a high pick-and-roll, Kobe couldn’t get through the screen in time.

Lee seized the opportunity, and in a semi-transition offense, also hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc.

While constantly scoring +2, and occasionally +3, in the latter half of the third quarter, both sides played an exciting game, thrilling the New York fans.

A single quarter score of 27:24, and after three quarters, the score was 75:82, with the deficit narrowed to within 10 points.

The rampaging Shaquille O’Neal shot 7 of 10 from the field and 4 of 7 from the free-throw line in the quarter, scoring 18 points and contributing 4 offensive rebounds.

With such a performance, when he returned to the bench, O’Neal began to breathe heavily.

Although the Knicks were missing shots, the number of possessions still reached 22.

Too much back-and-forth running made O’Neal, who hadn’t rested for a minute in three quarters, a bit overwhelmed.

After the fourth quarter began, O’Neal had to sit on the bench to catch his breath.

But seeing Horace Grant’s ridiculously wide open layup, O’Neal dejectedly squeezed the bottle of “oral solution” flat.

Clay Lee’s counterattack speed was very fast, constantly accelerating along the left sideline.

Kobe, who was chasing him, completely failed to notice that Horace Grant had been left behind by Ben Wallace.

Arriving at the right wing, Lee slowed down and quickly dribbled behind his back.

The moment he switched to his left hand, Ben Wallace had just arrived and settled beside him.

Kobe then realized that his teammates hadn’t retreated on Defense in time and couldn’t squeeze through the screen immediately.

Lee moved laterally to shake off the Defense, stopped abruptly near the top of the arc, and took a transition three-point jump shot!

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

75:85, after a quarter of struggle, the deficit was back to 10 points.

It was the Lakers’ turn to offense.

Horry popped out to the top of the arc, received a pass from Kobe, and his three-pointer clanked again.

The long rebound happened to be picked up by Lee.

Derek Fisher was already stunned, desperately chasing Clay Lee by his side.

Kobe, retreating on Defense, gritted his teeth and also rushed towards Lee.

The two had just caught up when they saw the basketball suddenly fly forward.

Lee made a powerful bounce pass while moving.

Allan Houston, unguarded, ran fast to receive the ball and slammed it in with both hands!

“Wow!”

Cheers once again echoed throughout the Madison Square Garden.

When Kobe’s long two-pointer from the top of the arc clanked again, Phil Jackson on the sideline instinctively rubbed his forehead.

The long rebound was picked up by Ron Artest in the left block.

Fox hadn’t reacted yet when the latter passed the ball to the frontcourt.

Lee shook off Derek Fisher, scooped the ball near the three-point line, took two big dribbles, then jumped off both feet in the paint, soaring high, grabbing the ball with his right hand, and slamming it down with a tomahawk dunk!

In less than 2 minutes, Phil Jackson called another timeout, and O’Neal returned to the court.

With his stamina significantly decreased and his finishing efficiency under the basket dropping, Jeff Van Gundy seized the opportunity, subbed in Luc Longley, and began to intentionally send the Shark to the free-throw line.

He had just scored a field goal in the previous possession, and in the next possession, he stepped to the free-throw line and angrily clanked two shots.

Phil Jackson continuously complained to the referees about this malicious tactic, but he couldn’t stop the Lakers’ offense from collapsing with their missed shots.

With 2 minutes and 6 seconds left in the game, O’Neal’s low post offense on the left side was suddenly double-teamed by Lee.

He subconsciously passed the ball to Derek Fisher on the left wing.

The passing intention was obvious, the ball speed was slow, and the height was too high.

Derek Fisher moved backward, and the moment he received the ball, Clay Lee, who had caught up, poked the ball away.

Twisting his body, Derek Fisher tried to commit a tactical foul on the spot, but was knocked to the floor by Clay Lee.

After falling, Derek Fisher first angrily slapped the floor, then watched Lee scoop the ball, 1-on-0 in the frontcourt, and complete a fast-break dunk!

When Fox was face-to-face stolen by Ron Artest in the next possession, Madison Square Garden completely erupted.

Ron Artest, who completed the steal, rushed across half-court, unguarded, and once again completed a one-handed dunk!

“Ah!”

Yelling wildly at the camera under the basket, an excited Ron Artest almost tore his jersey.

90:104, the game was no longer in doubt.

In the final minute, Shaquille O’Neal clanked another free throw, simply gave up on Defense, watched the Knicks launch another counterattack, and Ben Wallace, who followed up, slammed it in with both hands!

As the final buzzer sounded, the score was set at 92:108, and the Knicks easily won Game 1.

Madison Square Garden was jubilant, while the Lakers players quickly exited with dark expressions.

Clay Lee raised his hands and applauded continuously, saluting the New York fans who were present.

He had a short rest at the end of the third quarter, playing 42 minutes, shooting 15 of 22 from the field, 4 of 6 from beyond the three-point line, and 10 of 10 from the free-throw line, for 44 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 1 turnover.

At the NBC commentary table, Marv Albert looked at the box score, unsure how to comment.

Clay Lee had too many fast breaks.

Doug Collins didn’t pay attention to these details and continued to loudly praise Clay Lee’s performance:

“Clay Lee once again demonstrated his excellent athleticism. He made the Lakers’ Defense pay!”

“Congratulations to the Knicks on their Game 1 victory!”

….

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep