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***

The last game of November 2001 finally brought the highly anticipated showdown that many fans had been waiting for.

With a dominant 100-68 victory over the Chicago Bulls, the Nets’ record improved to 10 wins and 5 losses.

Although they were still behind the New York Knicks, the gap between the two teams was indeed very small.

Compared to their terrible start last season, the Nets were completely revitalized.

Therefore, before facing the New York Knicks, Jason Kidd, bolstered by their good record, directly stated to the sports media:

“It proves that my arrival has made the Nets turn 360 degrees.”

On the 28th, before the game began, Jason Kidd’s words were relayed to Clay Lee’s ears.

Playing an away game in New Jersey was not much different from playing at his home court.

After Lee warmed up early, when he was interviewed by the media, someone naturally relayed the message:

“God! A 360-degree turn, Kidd should still be in the same spot!”

“The Nets are indeed a good opponent, and I like to face such challenges!”

Lee sat in his seat and jokingly said these words, and only then did everyone realize Jason Kidd’s “360-degree turn in place.”

Many people burst into laughter.

“Math and sports intersect,” Jason Kidd most likely spoke without thinking when he said that.

Regarding his superficial friend, Lee did not further mock him.

In the previous game, the attendance at Continental Airlines Arena was only a little over 5,300 people.

Tickets in the back rows truly couldn’t be sold.

With over 19,000 seats, the attendance rate was less than half, a situation that had persisted for many years.

Ticket prices were cheap, and the distance wasn’t far, so New York fans often came to support the team when they had time.

Jason Kidd’s boasting couldn’t save ticket sales.

Although the Nets’ roster had good talent, fans just weren’t buying into it.

New York sports media had recently been mocking this revived opponent:

“Tickets for the last row at Madison Square Garden are in short supply. From every perspective, the Nets are no match for the New York Knicks!”

Fans who paid real money to watch the game were the most powerful supporters, and for the Nets to return to normal, it would likely take several more years.

On the evening of the 28th, Continental Airlines Arena was finally full, and the venue became very noisy.

Compared to the previous game, the atmosphere was completely different.

After the home team completed their entrance, Jason Kidd’s eye twitched slightly, and a surge of anger welled up in his heart.

A large number of fans were from the New York Knicks.

As far as the eye could see, a vast area was filled with No. 1 jerseys.

Even a player with the best temper would be angry at this point.

Was this still their home court?

The last time such a situation occurred was not long ago when they played against the Washington Wizards.

Although Michael Jordan lost the game, those who bought tickets to watch didn’t care about that.

Throughout the game, there were even more cheers for the Washington Wizards than for the Nets.

This game was also a national broadcast for the Nets.

At the TNT commentary table, Marv Albert was introducing the starting lineups for both teams:

“The Nets’ backcourt combination is Jason Kidd and Kerry Kittles, and the three frontcourt players are Keith Van Horn, Kenyon Martin, and Todd Mcloach.”

“Jason Kidd’s arrival seems to have completely activated the team’s talent. This season, the Nets’ performance has indeed given us a great surprise!”

Of the entire starting lineup, only center Mcloach was a second-round pick.

The other four players were all top-10 draft picks.

Mike Fratello then began to praise Nets Head Coach Byron Scott:

“Last season, the Nets only achieved 26 wins. If they maintain their current competitive state, I believe they can get 50 wins.”

“Head Coach Scott has completely taken control of the team. It’s clear that the young men have a lot of faith in him!”

Byron Scott, who also favored a hands-off approach, was somewhat envious of Jeff Van Gundy, even having an urge to replace him.

During this period, the Bald Young Coach also seemed to have adjusted his mindset.

It was difficult to see many expressions from him on the court; most of the time, he would smile and clap, offering encouragement.

Gossip about Jeff Van Gundy being fired had become much less frequent.

The New York Knicks’ excellent record meant that no one believed Jeff Van Gundy would suddenly resign under such circumstances.

Instead, assistant coach Thibodeau had recently shown frequent signs of inattention, seemingly always deep in thought.

After the game began, both sides coincidentally opted for an offensive battle.

Extremely bold shots, fast breaks after quick misses, and a fast-paced offense caused the fans in the arena to gasp in amazement.

Everyone felt as if the players were running back and forth on the court.

With 30 seconds left in the first half, Jason Kidd finally began to control the clock.

The sound of “Defense” came from his ears, and for a moment, Jason Kidd was once again thoroughly irritated by the atmosphere of his home court.

Transitioning into a half-court offense, after a pick-and-roll with Kenyon Martin at the top of the arc, Jason Kidd noticed Clay Lee sliding down to block the driving lane.

For a moment, he hesitated.

This was indeed an excellent shooting opportunity.

Jason Kidd, who had gained shooting space, did not choose to shoot.

Instead, he gathered the ball and faked a shot.

Sensing Lee’s upward closeout, Jason Kidd didn’t even look in Kenyon Martin’s direction.

He looked up at the rim, then quickly delivered a bounce pass.

Lee, who had just been raising his hands to close out and block the shot, reacted incredibly fast.

While suddenly stepping back, his left hand gently deflected the ball, cutting directly into the passing lane, and the ball was immediately stolen.

“Oh!”

Many fans began to cheer.

Watching Lee complete the steal and dribble forward, Kidd immediately wanted to reach out and pull him, but Lee skillfully evaded him with a behind-the-back dribble.

Ignoring Kidd, who was desperately chasing him from behind, Lee, scooping the ball with his left hand, accelerated faster and faster.

Before the Defense could get into position, he took three long strides and jumped up for a two-handed dunk!

It was his second turnover of the first half.

Kidd, who had chased to the baseline, slammed the ball in frustration, feeling even more annoyed as he watched Lee’s retreating figure.

54-54.

With the last offensive possession, Kittles’s pull-up jumper from the right elbow clanked off the rim, and Kenyon Martin’s putback attempt was interfered with and missed.

The first half officially ended.

Head Coach Byron Scott frowned subtly as he walked towards the player tunnel.

It was no different from last season.

Even with multiple defensive layers, they still couldn’t limit the opponent.

As the third quarter began, the cheers in the Continental Airlines Arena grew louder, but the fans present were not cheering for the Nets.

Mcloach, who had played efficiently in the first half, suddenly missed consecutive layups in the third quarter.

Fortunately, the New York Knicks didn’t capitalize on the opportunity, and the score slowly increased for both sides.

In this offensive possession, Ron Artest had just poked the ball out of bounds.

Kittles, who was inbound passing, wasn’t nervous either.

Seeing Jason Kidd run to the top of the arc to receive the ball, he casually tossed the ball over.

As Kittles finished inbounding and stepped onto the court, Lee suddenly burst forward, poking away the slow pass right over Jason Kidd’s head.

“Wow!”

Cheers from the fans echoed again.

Kidd immediately wanted to commit a foul, but Lee reacted even faster.

The moment he poked the ball, he dribbled forward again, completely shaking off the Defense, and in the blink of an eye, he sped across half-court.

In a 1-on-0 situation in the frontcourt, Lee scooped the ball with his right hand and rushed into the paint.

After jumping off both feet, he gripped the ball with his right hand, swung the ball in a circle in the air, and finished with a windmill dunk!

“Excellent anticipation, a beautiful steal! Clay Lee has completed such spectacular defensive plays multiple times this season. Clearly, he has gained a deeper understanding of the game!”

Marv Albert couldn’t stop praising.

Anyone who followed Lee would notice at least two such spectacular steals in every game.

Mike Fratello, seeing the Nets’ offense stall, instinctively commented:

“When no one else can score, perhaps Jason Kidd should step up and make some response shots himself!”

“Defense!”

The fans spontaneously began to cheer for the New York Knicks’ Defense.

After several consecutive missed shots, Jason Kidd made up his mind.

He dribbled past half-court, noticed that the New York Knicks were still playing man-to-man Defense, and immediately called for Mcloach to set a pick-and-roll at the top of the arc.

Pau Gasol received the instruction and did not choose to hedge hard, but stayed in the paint.

Lee even went under the screen, completely giving up on the opponent’s shot.

Facing a wide-open shot after the pick-and-roll, Jason Kidd didn’t hesitate.

He pulled up sharply at the top of the arc, then quickly shot the ball!

“Clang!”

The ball hit the back of the rim again.

Under the basket, Kenyon Martin was boxing out Kurt Thomas, and Van Horn, who rushed from the baseline to the basket, was also boxed out by Ron Artest.

Ultimately, the highly-bounced ball was successfully secured by Kurt Thomas.

Grant Hill, who received the ball, quickly advanced along the left sideline.

Head Coach Byron Scott on the sideline continuously shouted to his players.

The Nets’ transition Defense was incredibly fast, and Jason Kidd then directed his teammates to complete their matchups.

Noticing Lee suddenly moved to the left wing, Grant Hill switched to his right hand and began to accelerate horizontally.

Kittles had thought it was a hand-off play, but Lee didn’t take the ball at all.

Instead, he suddenly accelerated, quickly shifting to the left wing.

Kidd, who was guarding him, had just called for a double-team from his teammates, and both of them shifted with Lee, resulting in Grant Hill being unguarded at the top of the arc.

After a small loop, Grant Hill suddenly accelerated and charged into the paint.

Mcloach and Kenyon Martin, who had retreated on Defense, hadn’t had time to converge when Grant Hill had already cut to the basket, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and scored with a successful layup off the backboard.

70:66, the New York Knicks suddenly scored 4 consecutive points, extending their lead.

At this point, there were 6 minutes and 01 seconds left in the 3rd quarter, and Head Coach Scott did not call a timeout.

With continuous half-court offense, Kidd, out of necessity, simply called a low-post play, attempting to let Mcloach continue to dominate Pau Gasol.

However, this possession still didn’t go as planned.

After receiving the ball in the right low post, Mcloach used his left hand to dribble, backing down with solid bumps.

Observing no double-team, as he approached the basket, he leaned into Pau Gasol and then quickly spun around.

Mcloach intended to use his body to push his opponent away, but he found that he couldn’t get any leverage and suddenly lost his offensive rhythm.

He instinctively tossed the ball towards the backboard with his right hand, but as soon as the ball left his hand, Pau Gasol, who was well-prepared, blocked it cleanly against the backboard.

“Oh!”

A beautiful block once again ignited the atmosphere in the Continental Airlines Arena, and Pau Gasol, who controlled the ball, immediately passed it forcefully to the frontcourt.

Clay Lee had already rushed past the half-court line and didn’t slow down after catching the ball.

As he dribbled with his right hand, he noticed Kidd twisting his body and sliding, and immediately made a large directional change with a powerful push dribble.

The moment he switched to his left hand, Lee lowered his center of gravity, dropped his shoulder, and accelerated, ignoring Kidd’s side-on Defense, and charged towards the free-throw line, clutching the ball.

Seeing Lee gather the ball and start his drive, Kidd immediately went for a steal, hitting his arm but finding the basketball didn’t budge.

When the referee blew the whistle, Lee, who had charged up with three steps, leaned into Kidd, twisted his body, and casually tossed the ball towards the backboard with one hand.

“Bang! Swish!”

As the basketball hit the backboard high and went in, the Continental Airlines Arena erupted again.

Kidd, breathing heavily, stood under the basket with his hands on his hips, helplessly watching Lee walk to the free-throw line, still unable to believe his steal attempt failed.

“MVP! MVP! MVP!”

The Nets players’ faces grew even uglier as they listened to the shouts echoing through the Continental Airlines Arena.

Turning the tables was useless, everyone still preferred watching the New York Knicks play.

73:66, with the free throw made, Head Coach Scott, arms crossed, called a timeout.

With outside shooting still performing poorly, after the timeout, they gradually extended their lead by capitalizing on the opponent’s turnovers.

With 1 minute and 18 seconds left in the 3rd quarter, the New York Knicks executed a simple three-man pick-and-roll, while Kidd cut off Kurt Thomas’s route for a downhill pass.

Grant Hill jumped from the free-throw line and passed the ball backward.

The moment Lee, who had popped out, received the ball at the top of the arc, Kenyon Martin immediately closed in on him.

Lee faked a shot, and Kenyon Martin instinctively moved up.

Noticing the opponent shifting his defensive Center of Gravity, Lee suddenly took a quick probing step with his right foot towards the right front.

The sensitive Kenyon Martin immediately shuffled desperately backward to the left, then brought his feet together and aimed for the basket.

Lee didn’t give his opponent another chance to adjust his Defense, quickly taking a jump shot from the top of the arc!

“Swish!”

The three-pointer swished through the net.

86:73, seeing the lead extended again, the cheers couldn’t stop for a while.

Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines didn’t feel much joy in his heart.

At this moment, he merely showed a slight smile, mechanically clapping his hands in praise.

When the 3rd quarter ended, the score was set at 88:75.

Returning to the bench, the Nets players were silent again, which seemed no different from before.

In the final quarter, fans who expected Kidd to turn the tide were disappointed.

With the team trailing, Kidd, who had a poor shooting night, opted for passing and organizing.

After several missed shots, the New York Knicks seized the opportunity and went on a furious run, quickly widening the lead again.

Watching Kidd, who was driving with the ball in his left hand after a pick-and-roll, get blocked by Lee at the free-throw line and have the ball stolen, the atmosphere on the Nets bench completely silenced.

With 5 minutes and 01 seconds left in the game, the Nets entered a bonus situation as Kidd committed a pulling foul.

Fouling too early naturally came at a cost, and soon a rain of free throws completely extinguished several of the Nets’ comeback attempts.

When Ron Artest received the ball in the right corner and bulldozed his way along the baseline to the basket, drawing a shooting foul, everyone on the New York Knicks bench cheered happily.

With 58 seconds left in the game, Kidd was also substituted out.

When he returned to the sidelines, Bynum Scott could only pat him on the shoulder and whisper comfortingly:

“The regular season has just begun, we all believe in you!”

In the final quarter, Kidd went 0-for-2, scoring 2 points from free throws, dishing out 3 assists, but also committing 2 turnovers.

Playing 39 minutes, Kidd’s performance was consistently stable: 4-for-10 shooting, 12 points, 6 rebounds, 13 assists, 1 steal, and 5 turnovers.

When the final buzzer sounded, the score was 112:97.

In an offensive battle, the New York Knicks successfully secured their 5th consecutive victory.

Lee, draped in a towel, fist-bumped each of the Nets players.

After the game, the high spirits dissipated.

Kidd naturally sensed the change in his teammates’ emotions, and finally hugged Lee in greeting, complaining helplessly:

“Damn team rebuilding! Those sports media really should come watch your games live.”

After the game, Lee didn’t discuss wins and losses.

It was just a regular season game.

Seeing his ‘surface brother’ with a long face, he smiled and comforted him:

“You’re still second in the Eastern Conference, don’t mind the boring comments, Bro, I like your current hairstyle!”

“…”

Getting bald but not stronger, Kidd, walking towards the players’ tunnel, watched fans happily taking photos with Lee, and suddenly felt that coming to the Eastern Conference wasn’t the right choice either.

Playing 39 minutes, a new season-high in playing time, Clay Lee recorded 37 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals, and 2 turnovers, shooting 13-for-22 from the field, 4-for-9 from three-point range, and 7-for-8 from the free-throw line.

Grant Hill’s playing time also reached 36 minutes, with 24 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, and 3 turnovers on 9-for-18 shooting.

Whether the opponent was playing man-to-man Defense or zone Defense, the two basically took turns driving and stretching the Defense.

If their shots missed, they relied on opponent turnovers for fast-break points.

Their playstyle was simple and direct, and their 13-3 record indicated that there were no major issues with the team’s tactics.

On December 1st, the NBA announced last month’s Players of the Month:

Clay Lee of the New York Knicks and Kobe Bryant of the Lakers successfully won the award.

After the start of the season, the Lakers achieved a 14-1 record.

Kobe averaged 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.1 steals, and 2.9 turnovers in 39.0 minutes per game.

He averaged 18.3 field goal attempts, with a 52.2% field goal percentage, 1.7 three-point attempts per game with a 42.3% three-point percentage, and 9.2 free throw attempts per game with an 84.8% free-throw percentage.

In comparison, Clay Lee averaged 29.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 9.4 assists, 2.4 steals, and 2.6 turnovers in 33.1 minutes per game.

He had a field goal percentage of 53.0%, a three-point percentage of 40.6%, and a free-throw percentage of 91.9%.

Early-month shooting slumps lowered his numbers, but broadly, both players had nearly identical shot attempts and similar shooting percentages.

Upon receiving the Player of the Month award, Lee merely offered a polite smile when he was presented with the trophy before the game against the Houston Rockets on the evening of the 1st.

Kobe, however, was thoroughly energized by these statistics.

After receiving his trophy at Staples Center, he confidently declared:

“I’m very happy to receive Player of the Month. This is how I lead the team.

I won’t change my playstyle, I firmly believe the next shot will always go in!”

“…”

After Allen Iverson’s decline completely faded him from the view of basketball commentators, Kobe once again became Lee’s nemesis.

Shaq, with his ‘boundless love,’ found that he was no longer the sole focus of the team.

At Staples Center, the cheers of the Lakers fans were now all dedicated to his younger brother.

On the bench, Phil Jackson seemed to have noticed Shaq’s little thoughts.

Considering the team’s weak reinforcements, he could only pat his hands and whisper comfortingly:

“Shaq, this season is our best chance to win a championship.”

“…”

…..

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep