Check out my new fanfics.

Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.

The return of Itachi

I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.

Please give it a go 😊

***

On December 22, 2001, Saturday, the New York Knicks played their last game before Christmas.

After a winning streak, starting in mid-December, as Brevin Knight and Grant Hill suffered injuries in succession, the Knicks’ record began to fluctuate.

Seizing the opportunity, the Eastern Conference teams also began to hit hard!

Antoine Walker threw three-pointers with even more abandon this season, attempting 15 shots from beyond the arc in the game against the Knicks.

“Clay Lee can shoot three-pointers, and so can I!”

Antoine Walker, who always adhered to this belief, finally reaped the rewards, teaming up with Pierce to blow out the Knicks with their shooting.

Then came the game against the Detroit Pistons.

Head Coach Rick Carlisle showed no mercy, continuing to stick to his previous tactical approach.

Atkins and Brendan Haywood from the bench had a feast, and the Knicks lost another game.

When they faced the Washington Wizards again on the 14th, Hill was sidelined with an ankle discomfort, and Hamilton also exploded against Rookie Trenton Hassell!

Hamilton scored 34 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 1 turnover on 14-of-24 shooting, leading Michael Jordan to a victory that brought the Washington Wizards’ record to 10 wins and 12 losses.

On Sunday the 16th, the Nets also successfully exacted their revenge, hitting 14 of 24 three-pointers for a 58.3% three-point shooting percentage.

114:104, even with a decent performance, the Knicks still suffered a 4-game losing streak.

Fortunately, the Hornets provided some relief.

Baron Davis was utterly depressed after the game, facing Clay Lee, who exploded for 46 points.

He failed to squeeze the soft persimmon and was instead completely crushed.

On the 20th, at home against the relocated Grizzlies, Clay Lee also showed no mercy, shooting 16 of 26 from the field, 6 of 13 from beyond the arc, and 8 of 10 from the free-throw line, once again scoring 46 points, 7 rebounds, 11 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, and 3 turnovers.

In the past two weeks, his playing time surged to 41 minutes. Despite the losing streak, Lee’s fans could proudly declare:

“The Knicks lost, but Lee didn’t!”

As Christmas approached, in addition to the upcoming Christmas War, the NBA was also warming up for this year’s Philadelphia All-Star Game.

After the new season began, Allen Iverson’s efficiency further declined.

He took a large number of shots, but often his shooting percentage was less than 40%.

Philadelphia fans, who liked to trust the process, felt that the championship was getting further and further away from them.

After the rule changes, it was too difficult for a Four-Protect-One strategy to win games.

Allen Iverson needed more offensive space than Clay Lee.

Everyone was circling the paint, and the 76ers’ inefficient +2 record had already started to fall behind.

On the morning of the 22nd, on TNT’s program, the trio was no longer gloating.

The Knicks’ record stood at 19 wins and 7 losses, still leading the Eastern Conference.

They had been heavily praising the Lakers for the past two days, but last night, with their entire starting lineup back, the Lakers lost to the Grizzlies, giving their opponent their 7th win of the season.

The Lakers still had the same old problems: inaccurate three-point shooting.

Although Shaquille O’Neal, who was frequently double-teamed, could always find open teammates, if they missed, it led to fast breaks.

With 19 wins and 4 losses, the losing Lakers continued to lead the Western Conference.

As Kobe Bryant increased his shot attempts, Shaquille O’Neal’s form began to decline, and in recent games, there was even a tendency to tank.

In the studio, as a professional basketball program, Kenny Smith was introducing the High-post offense that the Knicks had been using frequently recently.

“With injuries, the Knicks did not choose to continue to let the Rookie guard handle the task of organizing the offense, but rather gave the ball to the big men more often.”

“I have to say, height is also a talent. At least Pau Gasol has excellently completed the tasks assigned by Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy.”

“A large number of offensive possessions start with him receiving the ball at the elbow. Clay Lee does more screens and back cuts, which not only creates some scoring opportunities for himself but also makes his teammates play more easily.”

“Aside from some turnovers, I think the Knicks are getting better and better. If they can make more open three-pointers, they might avoid another losing streak later.”

The tactical play drawn on the whiteboard showed Clay Lee passing the ball to Pau Gasol at the right elbow after crossing half-court, then faking a screen for Ron Artest, and suddenly cutting through the middle.

After cutting in, he attracted the attention of two defenders, giving Ron Artest on the left wing an opportunity.

The latter could easily receive Pau Gasol’s cross-court pass and then complete a jump shot.

In most possessions, relying on Lee’s drawing power, similar tactics always managed to produce results.

But an open opportunity does not equal a score.

Artest’s three-point shooting percentage, which was just over 30%, often resulted in a brick.

During the losing streak last week, TNT even made a compilation of Ron Artest’s open misses, which really amused many fans.

Compared to his unreliable shooting, many times a tank-like drive was better, as Ron Artest could at least get to the free-throw line.

The Sacramento Kings also frequently used the same tactic.

This extremely old-fashioned tactic had appeared as early as the 1960s.

NBA Head Coaches are proficient in all basic tactics, but official games are not basketball training.

To execute decent plays, it still depends on the players’ ability to adapt on the court.

Although Charles Barkley always joked about Ron Artest’s bricking recently, everyone’s eyes weren’t blind.

On the defensive end, this Rookie was absolutely relentless.

In over a month of games, Ron Artest had already received two flagrant fouls and fouled out of four games.

At Madison Square Garden, as long as the officiating was lenient, frontcourt players who liked low-post back-to-the-basket moves usually struggled against Ron Artest’s wild Defense.

Charles Barkley no longer criticized Ron Artest but instead commented on Pau Gasol, whose performance had been getting better and better recently:

“Pau Gasol should win Rookie of the Month this month, but I don’t have high hopes for his performance in the Christmas War.”

“Shaq likes big men like that. Pau Gasol can’t limit him in the low post. If he wants to go further, I think he should gain weight!”

“Compared to other high school Rookies, Pau Gasol is excellent in tactical execution, but in the NBA, to truly establish himself, he must strengthen his physicality.”

Ernie Johnson, hearing this opinion, did not agree but instead pulled out the statistics and gave an example:

“The Knicks’ game possessions are around 88, and heavy centers find it difficult to keep up with that pace.”

“Do you think Lee will slow down and play more half-court offense? That’s simply not going to happen.”

“Even Ewing had to accommodate Lee in his later years because he could shoot 45% from three-point range in many games.”

“Everyone needs to adapt to Lee because he is more efficient and can score more points with fewer shot attempts.”

Charles Barkley clearly understood this point, smiled, and didn’t retort, then started to stir the pot again:

“Coaching Clay Lee must not be a pleasant experience. Like Jason Kidd, he likes to control the team and likes to drag the game into his preferred pace.”

“I understand Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy. Clay Lee isn’t Michael Jordan. Although he’s young, he doesn’t need others to remind him. He knows how to win.”

“If Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy announces his departure one day, I welcome him to TNT!”

Kenny Smith saw this big mouth going off-topic again and simply quipped:

“Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy has won 4 championship rings. Perhaps you should fulfill your promise and join the Knicks for two seasons. Did Lee reject you?”

“…”

On the evening of the 22nd, Michael Jordan once again visited Madison Square Garden.

The Washington Wizards also had injuries.

Hamilton suffered a fractured nose and was out due to injury.

Michael Jordan’s desire to win needs no elaboration, but in basketball games, the so-called competitive spirit is often useless.

Not every player is disciplined enough to practice.

The Washington Wizards’ backcourt still found it difficult to organize a decent offense, and their tactical plays always ended up with the ball going to Michael Jordan.

The ‘spiritual victory’ approach was not suitable for the Washington Wizards.

The old guys’ legs were not agile, and their undesirable record was to be expected.

Mark Bartelstein was so frustrated by Michael Jordan’s leadership style that, as the agent for the number one pick Kwame Brown, he naturally had to speak up for his player:

“Brown needs more playing time. He should learn in games, not just play 10 minutes of garbage time every night.”

“What’s even more unbelievable is that no one on the Washington Wizards even tells him how to play correctly!”

Fans who followed the Washington Wizards news always saw agent Mark Bartelstein constantly complaining.

The top draft pick could only play garbage time, and the Wizards’ record was already poor, with commentators recently lambasting Michael Jordan’s “ball hog” behavior.

Mark Bartelstein was practically pointing fingers, saying Michael Jordan was hindering the Rookie’s growth, which had made their relationship tense recently, with neither wanting to back down.

When the Wizards arrived at Madison Square Garden early in the afternoon for warm-ups, Clay Lee was forced to act as a peacemaker.

Michael Jordan, who had started losing again recently, was in a bad mood.

He had indeed saved the Wizards’ box office revenue, but whether they could make the playoffs was still an unknown given the current trend.

Watching Jordan chew gum and meticulously complete his shots, Lee, wearing a New York Knicks blue long-sleeved training shirt, casually dribbled the ball and helplessly advised:

“Nobody wants to interfere with your control of the team, but Rookies need playing time. You can’t expect Kwame Brown to seamlessly adapt to the game.”

“25 minutes of playing time, playing two transitional segments, shouldn’t affect the team.”

As an agent fighting for his client’s interests, even if Jordan was in a bad mood, he didn’t get into a verbal spat with Mark Bartelstein:

“Am I supposed to teach him how to play from scratch?”

“He should ask the assistant coach how to train. If he can get 10 points and 10 rebounds in a game, he’ll get 25 minutes of playing time.”

“Perhaps you really should teach him how to play. Don’t forget he’s just a high schooler. He hasn’t gone through basic tactical training in college basketball, nor has he played many official games.”

Jordan was speechless for a moment upon hearing Lee’s words.

He had chosen the top pick himself, and if he were to truly develop the Rookie, he should indeed personally guide him.

Lee noticed Kwame Brown looking like a punching bag on the other side of the court, knowing that this Rookie must have been “educated” by Oakley.

Watching Michael Jordan begin to shoot with a sullen face again, Lee didn’t mind.

Helping out was also a favor to their shared agent:

“Save your energy, you’re going to lose tonight anyway. Go home early for Christmas!”

Watching Clay Lee turn and dribble away, Michael Jordan couldn’t help but shout:

“Shit! Tonight, one-on-one, I’ll blow you away, you bastard!”

“…”

When the game started at 8 PM that night, influenced by Christmas, the New York fans were exceptionally enthusiastic, cheering constantly as Michael Jordan clanked shots.

Grant Hill returned from injury.

He had always taken extended breaks for minor injuries, resting for nearly two weeks, so his stamina was naturally abundant.

Due to an injury to center Laettner, the Wizards’ starting frontcourt consisted of Michael Jordan, Popeye Jones, and Jahidi White.

The starting backcourt was Chris Whitney and Hubert Davis.

In the rotation, Brendan Haywood ate up Kwame Brown’s playing time, and Tyronn Lue also got more opportunities.

Head Coach Doug Collins didn’t expect the New York Knicks to be in such excellent form from the start of the first quarter.

After calling two timeouts, he simply crossed his arms and silently watched the game from the sideline.

With 4 minutes and 39 seconds left in the first quarter, the New York Knicks executed the same tactical play.

After crossing half-court, Clay Lee immediately passed the ball.

In the right elbow area, as Pau Gasol received the ball, Kurt Thomas moved from the left elbow area towards the right baseline.

Ron Artest, whose shot was off, squatted in the left corner, near the right sideline.

Grant Hill faked a hand-off reception, then quickly moved horizontally.

Hubert Davis, who was chasing, was faked out and fell half a step behind, then quickly slid to follow.

The small guard Chris Whitney, who had been repeatedly attacked by Lee’s drives to the basket, followed Lee while constantly paying attention to the movement behind him.

This time, Grant Hill’s screen was real.

The moment he set his feet, Lee first faked a drive, then suddenly moved horizontally with quick steps.

Instinctively sliding back, Whitney immediately lost his defensive position.

Hubert Davis, who came over to defend, also failed to communicate with his teammate and showed no intention of switching.

A defensive gap appeared again.

Lee quickly moved to the top of the arc.

Gasol had been holding the ball sideways, and now he easily flung it to Lee’s hands.

Undefended, Lee quickly jumped and shot a three-pointer from the top of the arc!

“Swish!”

The three-pointer went in without touching the rim.

11:20, the score difference was widened again.

Michael Jordan, who was watching from the corner, was very dissatisfied with this Defense and started to grumble incessantly.

It’s just that in the past, both of them were part of the atmosphere group.

Getting into the starting lineup was like being thrown into the deep end.

Everyone had already tried their best.

On the offensive possession, Michael Jordan again received the ball in his familiar right block, but unlike before, the New York Knicks had a circle of players in the paint.

The Wizards players tried to clear space for Michael Jordan’s offense.

As he twisted quickly towards the baseline for a post-up against Ron Artest, he still encountered a double-team from Grant Hill.

He wanted to pass the ball to Davis on the outside, but Michael Jordan’s pass was a bit rushed, and Davis, who received the ball, didn’t actively step forward.

By the time Davis at the top of the arc reacted, Lee had already charged up, taking the opportunity to poke the ball away over his head.

Amidst the cheers of the home crowd, it was another 1-on-0 fast break.

Clay Lee scooped up the ball, drove straight to the basket, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and soared for a powerful dunk!

Fortunately, Davis quickly ran along the baseline to create an opportunity, receiving a cross-court pass from Whitney on the left wing and hitting a contested three-pointer, helping the Wizards stabilize their emotions.

14:22, the deficit narrowed to 8 points.

Michael Jordan began loudly directing his teammates on Defense.

The New York Knicks repeatedly ran the same play.

Clay Lee looked at Michael Jordan, who was still directing traffic, passed the ball to Pau Gasol in the left elbow, then quickly moved to the right elbow.

As Lee shuffled, he gave Grant Hill a look.

The moment he settled into position in the elbow, Lee suddenly accelerated and popped out.

Under the fake screen, the smaller Whitney instinctively slid with Lee, and Jordan’s attention was also drawn.

In an instant, Grant Hill accelerated his cut, and Pau Gasol immediately passed the ball inside.

Michael Jordan, having lost his defensive position, could only watch Grant Hill receive the ball, grab it with his right hand, and lean in for a scoop layup!

“Swish!” The two-point shot went in smoothly.

Watching Michael Jordan suddenly fall silent, Lee clapped his hands happily.

The old man’s lateral quickness had declined significantly, and expecting Oakley to help defend was simply impossible.

Once they sensed a defensive loophole from the opponent, Lee loudly called out to everyone on the court, and they took turns charging hard towards the basket.

Although some possessions resulted in turnovers, the Wizards couldn’t capitalize on the opportunities, and their counterattack speed couldn’t pick up.

Aside from hitting three shots early on, Michael Jordan’s offense went cold again, and he even got elbowed by Ron Artest on a cut to the basket while defending.

At the end of the 1st quarter, it was 20:34 at Madison Square Garden, and fans who enjoyed the spectacle were all smiles.

Back on the bench, Jordan was sweating profusely, clutching his ribs.

He indeed had a strong desire to win, insisting on playing the entire first quarter and putting in full effort on Defense.

Doug Collins could naturally see that Lee was provoking the Wizards’ Defense, executing the same play successfully four times in a row:

“Michael Jordan, take a break! You have to trust your teammates. Your knees can’t support you playing the entire game.”

Hearing the coach’s words and noticing Oakley also panting heavily, Michael Jordan silently nodded and began rehydrating without a word.

With a large lead, the New York Knicks stopped shooting three-pointers and returned to defensive counterattacks.

Tyronn Lue finally experienced what it felt like for Derek Fisher to defend Clay Lee.

Once he got going, he couldn’t be stopped, only followed to the floor, trying to get some whistles.

With 8 minutes and 3 seconds left in the 2nd quarter, Brendan Haywood’s layup under the basket was interfered with by the big man Wright, who then secured the rebound.

Lee came to the basket to receive the ball and charged forward.

Tyronn Lue, who was chasing, was directly shaken off by a wide-ranging crossover.

Lee had already lowered his shoulder and accelerated as he scooped the ball with his left hand.

Tyronn Lue, having lost his defensive position, twisted and lunged, his hands still moving, attempting a tactical foul, but he was knocked off balance and finally let out a cry of pain as he lay on the floor.

The referee made no call.

The Wizards players were still retreating on Defense and quickly realized that Lee, dribbling with his left hand, was charging faster and faster, getting to the basket ahead of them.

The retreating Haywood was already stunned, instinctively stopping in the paint, watching Lee grab the ball with his left hand and make a successful bank shot layup.

The cheers became exceptionally piercing. Sitting on the bench, Jordan’s face was dark, and Doug Collins was also a bit embarrassed.

He hadn’t expected the New York Knicks to come out so strong.

The single quarter score was 17:30, and at halftime, it was 37:64. Michael Jordan didn’t need to play the third quarter anymore.

Although it was a lopsided game, the opponent was Michael Jordan, and seeing the Washington Wizards struggle naturally made the New York fans particularly happy.

Ultimately, in this Christmas War game, the New York Knicks defeated their opponent 112-83!

The punching bag, Kwame Brown, finally played over 10 minutes, nearly two quarters of garbage time, which allowed this Rookie to achieve stats of 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 turnovers.

A crushing defeat also gave many sports media new topics:

“Can Michael Jordan lead his team to the playoffs?”

Before Christmas, the New York Knicks welcomed a holiday, and everyone was relieved from the daily monotonous shooting practice.

Ron Artest also had his pride.

Even though the New York Media always spoke up for him, TNT constantly joked about him, which still made him lose face.

The most unlucky Stephen Jackson, troubled by a hamstring injury, will most likely not return until after the All-Star Game.

This Christmas, Grant Hill also invited the New York Knicks to a Christmas party.

Organizing such an event was naturally also to take care of the two European players, Pau Gasol and Fordyce.

On the 23rd, most fans were still looking forward to a clash of titans in the Christmas War, but the Lakers officially announced that Shaquille O’Neal would miss the Christmas War due to a toe injury.

Lakers fans who saw the news were naturally very disappointed.

They rarely encountered the “weak” New York Knicks, but Shaquille O’Neal himself went down first.

With the Lakers missing their core player, Ron Artest also got energized.

Before attending the Christmas party, he confidently stated in an interview with the New York Post:

“In the Christmas War, I will completely lock down Kobe on Defense. Without Shaquille O’Neal, the Lakers have no chance!”

“I won’t care about my offensive performance. I know what it takes to win.”

Seemingly feeling that his three-point shooting percentage exceeding 35% this season would be difficult to achieve, Ron Artest began to change the subject, portraying himself as a Defense master.

The New York Media loved this.

They had already prepared for a loss, but now everyone was re-energized.

On Christmas Eve morning, several print media sports sections simultaneously began to celebrate the victory of the Christmas War in advance.

Some column articles also didn’t forget to mock Kobe.

For this second-in-command, everyone didn’t take him seriously:

“Without Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant cannot carry the Lakers’ offense!”

Shaquille O’Neal, who suddenly suffered an injury, was very low-key.

However, Shaq was a bit petty and didn’t speak up for his younger brother.

He was extremely low-key, not even accepting media interviews.

Phil Jackson, as always, strongly supported his players.

Hearing the “mouthpiece’s” words, he began to praise Kobe’s performance again:

“Kobe reminds me of Michael Jordan. They both have a strong desire to win, and this spirit of pursuing victory has always motivated the team.”

“I believe in Kobe’s ability. He is underestimated. He has the ability to lead the Lakers to victory!”

“…”

The Los Angeles Times naturally refused to be outdone, quoting Phil Jackson’s comments and heavily praising Kobe’s progress this season, incidentally even bringing up a title:

“The league’s number one shooting guard!”

The game hadn’t even started, but a new round of trash talk between the two sides was already online.

On the morning of the 25th, although the weather was cold, Lee did not forget the sponsor’s instructions and still got up early to go for a morning run with his husky, Happy.

Happy can be considered a big star among dogs.

Perhaps the cold weather awakened its bloodline, and its eyes were much clearer when running.

Nike recently started previewing Lee’s new sneakers, which will be officially released before the All-Star Game.

For fans who want to support Clay Lee, buying sneakers and getting limited edition player cards will likely mean another significant expense.

In the morning, the New York Knicks collectively went out to bring warmth to impoverished communities, and incidentally, visited the families of victims and donated some sports equipment.

In the afternoon, everyone had to prepare in advance, coming to Madison Square Garden for warm-ups and to attend the pre-game press conference.

During the interview, Lee didn’t say much, after all, the opposing MVP was gone.

With no opponent of the same caliber, he could only offer simple well wishes at this time:

“It’s regrettable to see Shaq suffer an injury. I hope he can recover quickly.”

“A victory is the Christmas gift the New York Knicks will give to the fans this year!”

On the Lakers’ side, O’Neal did not travel with the team to New York, and Kobe naturally became the team’s leader.

The game officially tipped off at 8:30 PM that night.

During a pre-game interview, Kobe also confidently stated:

“I’m very happy to be able to participate in the Christmas War. Although Shaq isn’t here, I will lead the team to victory. I hope Lakers fans will like this gift!”

“…”

Sitting in his seat in the locker room, Kobe was all smiles, feeling exceptionally comfortable.

This was his team, everyone was watching him, and this feeling was addictive.

An hour before the game, the NBC broadcast studio began to pre-game.

The earlier Christmas War had ended, with the Toronto Raptors easily defeating the 76ers 94-82.

At the live commentary desk, Marv Albert was introducing the Lakers’ starting lineup:

“After Shaquille O’Neal’s injury, the Lakers’ starting frontcourt tonight consists of Rick Fox, Samaki Walker, and Stanislav Medvedenko.”

“The backcourt duo is still Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant.”

“This lineup doesn’t have much inside advantage. The Lakers’ offense will largely depend more on Kobe.”

Also participating in the commentary tonight was the Portland Trail Blazers’ former Head Coach Mike Dunleavy.

Looking at the Lakers’ roster, he secretly shook his head but outwardly analyzed seriously:

“I believe Kobe will respond. His form this season has been excellent!”

Madison Square Garden also had many Christmas decorations.

Before the game even started, the venue became lively as the cheerleaders twisted and turned.

They only played the Lakers twice a season.

If they won the Christmas War at home, New York fans would automatically ignore the outcome of the away game.

The lively atmosphere also made Kobe, who was warming up, feel a fire in his heart.

This was his first time leading the team alone in such a big game.

Clay Lee was still greeting friends sitting in the front row.

Grant Hill dribbled the ball and greeted the referees for the night.

Artest kept staring at Kobe.

Seemingly sensing the unfriendly gaze, Kobe ultimately only showed his back to the other party.

Phil Jackson was still a bit uneasy, and before the game, he pulled everyone together and started loudly giving instructions.

On the other side, Jeff Van Gundy sat on the bench, drinking a sugar-free Pepsi.

Facing the director’s camera, he occasionally smiled confidently.

When both teams’ players came to the center circle, Pau Gasol won the tip-off, and cheers immediately echoed throughout the Madison Square Garden:

“Let’s go Knicks!”

Lee, who received the ball, noticed that the defender in front of him was Kobe.

After observing the on-court matchups, he immediately signaled for a play, and after dribbling past half-court, he quickly passed the ball.

In the left corner, Ron Artest noticed that his defender had changed to Derek Fisher.

Seeing the tactical signal, he remained in place.

In the left elbow area, when Pau Gasol received the ball, Grant Hill on the right wing loudly reminded Kurt Thomas to move.

After passing the ball, Lee first feigned a hand-off receipt, then suddenly moved horizontally, cutting through the middle, and quickly ran towards the left corner.

Recognizing the New York Knicks’ play, Kobe saw Ron Artest also start to move, attempting a down screen.

He simply went over the top, blocking Lee’s receiving lane.

Lee, who used the screen to get to the left corner, faked a move up the court.

Kobe subconsciously followed with a slide step to the left, but with his back to the basket, he didn’t notice Pau Gasol turning and quickly passing the ball to the left corner with both hands raised high.

Lee’s body swayed, and as Kobe slid, the ball flew into his hands.

Without giving the opponent time to react, he immediately jumped and shot after receiving the ball!

Ron Artest “pushed away” Derek Fisher.

Kobe, having lost his defensive balance, couldn’t block the shot in time.

Both were still watching the ball, while Lee had already confidently retreated along the sideline.

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

Even knowing what kind of play the New York Knicks wanted to run, it was often impossible to defend.

Phil Jackson quickly shouted a reminder, while also signaling Derek Fisher to steady the pace.

When it was the Lakers’ turn to offense, Derek Fisher also passed the ball as soon as he crossed half-court, then ran to the left corner.

Kobe came to the right wing, and Samaki Walker also came up to set a screen.

The screen quality was mediocre, allowing Ron Artest to squeeze through the screen immediately.

At the same time, Kurt Thomas also executed a hard hedge for a double-team.

Before Kobe could accelerate, he was already double-teamed by two players, seemingly not expecting the New York Knicks’ opening Defense to be so fierce.

Kobe, forced to stop, hadn’t even had time to look for a teammate when the basketball in his hands was forcibly snatched away by Ron Artest.

“Wow!”

It was a visually impactful steal, and the New York fans cheered along.

Ron Artest, having completed the steal, didn’t give Kobe a chance to chase back, dribbled two big steps, and then flung the ball to the frontcourt.

Grant Hill, quickly starting, scooped up the ball, dribbled with his right hand, and accelerated straight ahead, driving past the retreating Rick Fox into the paint.

He then took a jump step to push past his opponent and scored with a right-handed layup off the backboard!

Mike Dunleavy, having naturally done a lot of homework before the game, immediately praised upon seeing such a signature score:

“Too fast! This is the New York Knicks’ counterattack. This season, they’ve won many games relying on such transition offense.”

Marv Albert saw that when the Lakers attacked again, Kobe changed his screen partner, only to be double-teamed once more.

Kobe crashed into Pau Gasol, subconsciously wanting to accelerate and squeeze through, but Ron Artest suddenly reached down to steal the ball from behind, forcing Kobe, who was dribbling with his left hand, to stop again.

Learning his lesson, Kobe quickly passed the ball to the cutting Medvedenko.

The pass quality wasn’t high, and the Rookie big man, bending to receive the ball, faced the help Defense of Kurt Thomas near the basket.

He suddenly fumbled, and the basketball accidentally hit his foot, going directly out of bounds.

Such a performance immediately drew a burst of laughter from the New York fans in the arena.

Seeing the Lakers unable to organize an effective offense, their cheers and shouts grew louder.

Lee first clapped his hands, showing approval for the Defense.

After receiving the inbound pass, he again held up three fingers, signaling the same tactical gesture.

Kobe glared fiercely at Lee’s movements.

This was not the start he had imagined.

His angry expression didn’t provide any boost.

Lee simply dribbled behind his back, switched to his left hand, and then, pushing against the Defense, activated his “bulldozer” mode, charging past half-court.

It was still a pass after crossing half-court, the same tactic.

Pau Gasol changed direction and received the ball with his back to the basket.

Learning from experience, Kobe didn’t go around the top of the arc again but followed Lee, who was cutting through the middle, towards the right baseline.

Ron Artest also didn’t hold back, immediately setting a down screen, successfully delaying Kobe, which made Derek Fisher quickly switch to guard Lee, running towards the right wing.

This time, it was a genuine hand-off.

Pau Gasol extended his right arm, turned his body to complete the pass, and simultaneously set a screen.

The delayed Derek Fisher quickly shouted to remind Medvedenko to switch over.

Clay Lee didn’t give his opponent a chance.

After receiving the ball, he only dribbled one step horizontally, quickly stopping near the top of the arc, and swiftly shot a three-pointer from beyond the arc!

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

Medvedenko, who had only managed a weak close-out, was also a bit confused.

Watching game footage couldn’t convey the speed of Lee’s release.

0:8. Less than 1 minute into the game, the Lakers were already down by 8 points.

Phil Jackson on the sideline instinctively rubbed his forehead, reminding his players again to stay steady.

Facing Ron Artest’s relentless hounding and the New York Knicks’ big men’s extended trap, Kobe finally experienced Lee’s defensive treatment.

Patient ball movement still failed to shake off Ron Artest.

With the shot clock nearing 20 seconds, Kobe was double-teamed again in the left block area.

Although he managed to pass the ball, Samaki Walker, who received it, shot an air ball from the free-throw line.

Pau Gasol successfully secured the defensive rebound, and without waiting for the Lakers to retreat, he immediately flung the ball to the frontcourt.

Fisher fiercely bumped him from the side, but it didn’t affect Lee, who scooped up the ball.

The two tangled as they rushed past half-court, and the New York fans were already celebrating the score from this possession.

Just as the fans imagined, Lee didn’t slow down.

He drove past Derek Fisher into the paint, then executed a big spin move while in motion to evade the Defense, arriving at the lower left of the basket, and scored with a reverse layup!

0:10. Madison Square Garden instantly erupted.

They hadn’t expected their opponent to be so vulnerable.

“Excellent team Defense, spectacular transition offense! Clay Lee has controlled the tempo since the start of the game!”

Marv Albert was also beaming, his tone becoming lighter, and he entered “Lee praise mode” again.

Phil Jackson didn’t hesitate to call a timeout.

Seeing everyone walking towards the bench with expressions of disbelief, he simply slammed his clipboard down furiously and cursed:

“The game has just started! If you don’t want to play, get off the court!”

“…”

Kobe glared angrily, while Phil Jackson scribbled on the clipboard, loudly reminding everyone how to receive the ball.

The timeout was over, but seemingly still worried about the team’s offense, the coaching staff continued to talk to the players non-stop.

On the other side, before going onto the court, Lee simply patted Artest’s shoulder again and whispered:

“If you hold him to 0 points in the first quarter, you won’t have to do extra shooting practice tomorrow.”

Ron Artest was completely energized, throwing off his headband and saying excitedly:

“Leave it to me!”

In the subsequent game, Kobe, who was enjoying leader treatment, faced intense double-teaming from the New York Knicks.

Whenever he was near the elbow, the big men would cooperate in the double-team.

While Samaki Walker successfully scored a few easy baskets for the Lakers on some possessions, it didn’t affect the New York Knicks’ defensive strategy.

With 2 minutes and 01 seconds left in the first quarter, the Lakers’ offense consumed another 18 seconds.

Kobe, who was double-teamed, this time flung the ball to Rick Fox, who was receiving it at the top of the arc.

The latter quickly took a jab step after receiving the ball.

Seeing Grant Hill still sagging inside the three-point line, Rick Fox simply jumped up and shot immediately!

“Bang!”

The long rebound bounced out and was immediately picked up by Clay Lee in the right block area.

The Lakers desperately retreated on Defense, but Lee unhurriedly dribbled past half-court.

Pau Gasol had already run to the right near the baseline.

Seeing Lee slow down on the left wing, he immediately moved up the arc.

Kobe noticed the movement behind him and quickly shouted to remind Medvedenko.

Both of them anticipated Lee’s offensive choice and attempted to double-team him at the top of the arc.

Sensing the defensive movement behind him, Pau Gasol suddenly moved quickly, immediately cutting down to the left elbow.

He received Lee’s bounce pass, adjusted slightly, and made another mid-range jump shot.

“Wow!”

The cheers were non-stop.

For several consecutive possessions, Kurt Thomas and Pau Gasol took turns scoring easy jump shots from around the free-throw line.

Against the Lakers’ interior, both of them became unstoppable in a favorable situation.

11:28. Phil Jackson had already returned to the bench by this point.

The game was effectively over.

Horry, who came off the bench, had been missing jump shots during this period.

The timeout hadn’t worked either.

On the Lakers’ bench, the atmosphere group could only watch quietly.

Tonight, they were likely to be blown out.

In the final minute of the first quarter, strong three-point shots from Derek Fisher and Rick Fox helped the Lakers salvage some face, but the New York fans didn’t care about that.

Many began celebrating the victory prematurely.

As Grant Hill made both free throws at the very end of the first quarter, the score reached 17:36.

Kobe struggled to control his emotions, his lips pressed together, his face expressionless on the surface, but his heart was exceptionally frustrated:

“Why is this happening!?”

Ron Artest bounced and jumped towards the bench.

Hearing the fans call his name, he started pounding his chest again:

“I did it! I did it!”

0-for-4 shooting, 0 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers.

Kobe, as the leader, failed to step up in the first quarter.

Clay Lee and Grant Hill high-fived in celebration.

Both just smiled.

The game was easier than expected.

Pau Gasol, back on the bench, was equally elated, constantly high-fiving everyone.

He had prepared for this game for a long time, and he had already crushed the opponent in one quarter.

From the commentary booth, both noticed Jeff Van Gundy smiling slightly, calmly clapping in encouragement, and for a moment, they were filled with emotion.

Mike Dunleavy thought of the New York Knicks’ fluid offense in the first quarter and at this moment loudly praised the Bald Young Coach:

“This is Head Coach Van Gundy’s era. From the preparation of this game, Phil Jackson has been completely suppressed!”

“…”

…..

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep