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Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.

The return of Itachi

I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.

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***

On April 2, 2002, at Madison Square Garden, Pau Gasol received his second Rookie of the Month award.

The Knicks’ schedule in March was dense, but Pau Gasol’s statistics returned to normal.

A large part of the reason was due to opponent injuries.

Although the Knicks also had sick players, their starting lineup’s attendance rate was excellent.

Having secured a playoff spot early, New York fans were naturally happy, and with their successful suppression of the Nets, who are also in the Atlantic Division, the division championship banner was once again within their grasp.

Tonight’s opponent was again the Hornets, and Bynum was unhappy every time he came to Madison Square Garden.

After missing the All-Star selection, the Big Beard made some snide remarks about Allen Iverson, and Paul Pierce, who was added to the All-Star roster, did the same.

These two loved to pick on the weak!

Interestingly, both the Hornets’ and Celtics’ records surpassed the 76ers’, and both Bynum and Pierce were determined to kick their opponent out of the playoffs.

Pau Gasol, holding his trophy, was in great form tonight, becoming increasingly adept at scoring under the basket.

The first half ended 50:50, a well-matched contest, but in the third quarter, the Big Beard and David Wesley led the charge in bricking shots.

With 5 minutes and 2 seconds left in the 3rd quarter, David Wesley used a screen from PJ Brown on the right wing to briefly shake off Lee’s pursuit.

He paused slightly at the three-point line, then immediately dropped his shoulder and accelerated.

David Wesley’s offensive choice was correctly anticipated by Kurt Thomas.

Kurt Thomas immediately slid backward to the left, while also not forgetting to initiate body contact.

After the collision, David Wesley immediately decelerated.

Sensing that Lee was still pursuing him from behind, and being completely covered, he gritted his teeth and drove hard towards the basket.

A hop step near the paint successfully created a sliver of shooting space, but as David Wesley smoothly completed a floater with his right hand, a cheer erupted in his ear.

“Slap!”

Clay Lee, who had already adjusted his steps, jumped up from behind in pursuit and immediately delivered a chase-down block!

After the rebound, the ball was controlled by Pau Gasol under the basket, who then delivered another long pass.

Grant Hill, quickly rushing across half-court, scooped up the ball and drove hard against Bynum.

Despite retreating defensively very quickly, Jamal Mashburn was shaken off by Ron Artest cutting down the middle.

Nearing the right wing, Grant Hill smoothly passed the ball forward.

Ron Artest, who had rushed into the paint, received the ball and quickly took three big steps before completing a two-handed dunk!

57:67, the lead stretched to 10 points, and the cheers were unstoppable for a moment.

“Wow!”

His three-point shooting was off, but Ron Artest was exceptionally active on the fast break.

Coach Paul Silas on the sideline helplessly folded his arms.

The timeout had no effect.

As in previous matchups between the two teams, whenever the Knicks exerted pressure in the 3rd quarter and started to lock down the backcourt, the Hornets’ offense would most likely go cold.

Half a quarter passed, and they only scored 7 points.

Bynum grew anxious and no longer patiently sought opportunities on his next possession.

At the top of the arc, using a screen from the big man Magloire, Bynum shook off Hill’s pursuit.

After adjusting his steps, he immediately pulled up and quickly shot a jump shot.

Pau Gasol’s symbolic block did not have much effect, but the ball hit the back rim and bounced into Lee’s hands.

The Hornets players called out to each other and quickly retreated defensively.

Bynum even rushed directly at Lee, attempting to delay the speed of the transition offense.

When he caught up to Lee’s side, the Big Beard realized that Lee had no intention of pushing the ball quickly.

He calmly completed a behind-the-back dribble, and then used him to accelerate across half-court.

At the top of the arc, far from the three point line, Bynum watched Lee quickly pass the ball to Pau Gasol, who was standing on the perimeter, pulling the Defense and loudly reminding his teammates.

Pau Gasol, standing at the three-point line, simply turned sideways and, holding the ball in his left hand, made a hand-off motion.

As Lee feigned receiving the ball, he suddenly shuffled sideways and ran back.

Near the left wing, Lee received the pass from Pau Gasol, but couldn’t shake off the Big Beard’s pursuit.

Pau Gasol then moved sideways again, coming to Lee’s right, attempting to set another screen.

After faking a move to the right, Lee quickly put the ball down with his left hand.

The Defense misjudged, and as Bynum slid left to squeeze through the screen, he instantly lost his defensive position.

He dribbled one step sideways and took a step back.

Lee didn’t give his opponent much time to react, drifting to the left and quickly shooting a jump shot from beyond the three-point line!

“Swish!”

The three-pointer swished through the net.

57:70, the lead continued to widen.

The Big Beard glanced at his big man teammate, who showed no reaction, and instinctively yelled a few times, only to be met with increasingly loud jeers from the New York fans in the arena.

From crossing half-court to passing, faking, receiving, and shooting, the offensive possession lasted less than 11 seconds, and giving up points so quickly was naturally frustrating.

The anxious Hornets instinctively sped up their offensive rhythm, resulting in more missed shots, while the Knicks entered a state where their fast breaks were like tigers.

Coach Thibodeau sat quietly on the bench, watching the growing lead, knowing that they had secured another victory tonight.

The single quarter score was 12:30.

At the end of the 3rd quarter, it was 52:80, and only the happy shouts of New York fans remained at Madison Square Garden.

With a scoreless quarter, Bynum’s eyes were blank when he returned to the bench.

This familiar scene had been experienced many times this season.

At the MSG commentary booth, Mike Breen knew the team would definitely win, and at this point, he began discussing the Knicks’ record:

“There are 10 games in April. Looking at the schedule, there are two back-to-back games, but the opponents are not playoff teams.”

“It seems we still have a chance to get 60 wins this season!”

“Clay Lee is indeed too good. Since he joined the Knicks, their record has been very stable. It seems we have a chance to tie some historical records!”

Walt Frazier heard these words and immediately proudly quipped:

“If it weren’t for the lockout season, perhaps the Knicks would have already completed a record of six consecutive 60-win seasons.”

“But time is on our side. I believe Lee will lead the team to set a record belonging to the Knicks!”

Starting from the 85-86 season, the Lakers achieved 60+ wins for four consecutive seasons.

Starting from the 79-80 season, within 7 years, the Celtics had 6 seasons with 60+ wins, including two streaks of three consecutive 60+ seasons.

Due to the lockout season, the Knicks’ record was affected, and the New York Media previously used “If” for their wins.

If they get 60 wins again this season, the Knicks would have paid back some of their “loans.”

Halfway through the 4th quarter, Coach Paul Silas proactively called a timeout and benched the starting lineup.

The Hornets still needed to fight for a playoff spot, so they naturally wouldn’t over-exhaust their main lineup in such a game.

Ultimately, 84:103, the Knicks defeated their opponent by a large margin, continuing their push for 60 wins!

After missing 8 games in the middle of March, Grant Hill’s form returned by the end of the month.

In 34 minutes, he shot 9-of-17 from the field, 5-of-6 from the free-throw line, for 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and 2 turnovers.

Despite his high shooting percentage, Hill’s scoring was unremarkable in every game, with only one 34-point performance this season.

Compared to Lee’s effortless 30+ points, Grant Hill, who relied solely on +2, lacked a significant amount of scoring explosiveness.

However, New York fans were very satisfied with this performance.

Scoring 20 points with a 50% shooting percentage met their expectations for Hill.

Tamia, who would come to Madison Square Garden to watch games whenever she had time, stood up and applauded her husband as usual.

The environment in New York was better than in Detroit.

After the game, Grant Hill, who was interviewed, didn’t forget about the record and proactively stated, “It’s very easy to play alongside Lee. Although the schedule is a bit packed, we are confident we can get 60 wins.”

Starting April 4th, the Knicks embarked on another road trip to the West.

The Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle SuperSonics also suffered injuries, with Lewis already missing 10 games this season.

In both games, the opponents barely scored over 80 points, and the Knicks once again won by relying on their relatively superior shooting.

On the evening of the 7th, when challenging the Sacramento Kings on the road, the Knicks, possessed by a blacksmith, suffered a crushing defeat.

88:116. Affected by fatigue and poor Defense, they were swept by the Sacramento Kings this season.

After being beaten by the opponent in three quarters and losing this game, most sports media outlets still asked Lee about the scoring title when interviewing him:

“Lee, there are still 6 games left. If Allen Iverson returns from injury, will it put pressure on you?”

When the TNT reporter asked this question, Lee, who was attending the press conference, realized that the pressure the other party was referring to was his average points per game:

“No, there’s no pressure at all. I never cared about stats.”

“Scoring is very easy for me. In a game, as long as I complete four finishes under the basket and make four three-pointers, I can get 20 points.”

“Plus some free throws and fast breaks, getting 30 points is actually a very simple matter.”

“I don’t need too many shots. I’d rather my teammates perform well.”

“We still have to go all out in the remaining 6 games. I hope the Knicks can achieve 60 wins this season.”

Lee calmly stated his scoring method, inadvertently showing off again.

The reporters below were speechless, and many even thought it made sense.

The ESPN reporter didn’t forget about Allen Iverson’s Excel and started to stir up trouble again with a question:

“The 76ers might miss the playoffs, and Allen Iverson has been taking crazy shots in many games. Clay, how would you evaluate your opponent?”

The local sports media in Sacramento were a bit displeased.

They were the protagonists tonight!

Hearing the other party mention the 76ers again, Lee simply shook his head and changed the subject, saying,

“I never considered the 76ers our opponent, and I’m not interested in Allen Iverson’s playing style.”

“Perhaps he is pursuing victory, but there are many players in the league who are better than him.”

“The Sacramento Kings currently have 57 wins. Tonight, I’d rather praise their performance.”

Having gotten the answer they wanted, the reporters below smiled happily.

For the next week, everyone could once again criticize the outdated star!

On April 17th, the Knicks played their last regular season game.

At halftime, the Nets were already trailing by 14 points, 39:53.

Richard Jefferson, who came off the bench tonight, was no longer magical.

Perhaps due to the back-to-back games, everyone on the Nets lacked energy.

Last night, in the game between the Nets and the Detroit Pistons, Jason Kidd shot 3-for-16, scoring 7 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 steals, and 1 turnover.

103:98, the Nets eventually lost at home.

Perhaps feeling that the Eastern Conference First Seed was hopeless, the triple-double master started tanking at the end of the season.

The Knicks went on a 5-game winning streak in the final stretch, bringing their record to 60 wins and 21 losses.

In their final regular-season home game, New York fans cheered and celebrated the team achieving 60 wins for three consecutive seasons.

Especially seeing the second-place Nets performing so poorly, everyone felt that the Finals were beckoning them again!

In the Madison Square Garden commentary booth, Walt Frazier couldn’t stop smiling.

The team entered a rebuilding phase, but their record remained unaffected:

“I don’t like it when commentators compare Lee to other players.”

“In the league, Lee is unique. Leading a team to 60 wins for three consecutive years is an absolutely remarkable achievement.”

Commentator Mike Breen also secretly lamented at this point.

The New York Media’s predictions were indeed reasonable.

If it weren’t for the shortened season, perhaps they could have truly achieved the feat of 60 wins for 6 consecutive years:

“Star players can guarantee a team’s floor, but Lee’s floor is higher than many players’ ceilings. This is the ability of a superstar!”

In the second half, both teams started slacking off, as the outcome would not affect their rankings.

The Knicks got 61 wins, but they were swept by the Sacramento Kings this season.

Even if the opponent lost tonight, they would still rank second in the league.

And even if the Nets won, it wouldn’t change their ranking.

They would still be second in the Eastern Conference.

With a lack of motivation, as the fourth quarter began, the bench lineups took the court, and both sides called it a day.

Stephen Jackson, sitting on the bench, was the most dejected.

His hamstring injury ended his season, and having finally made it to the playoffs, he could only continue to sit on the bench.

Ron Artest was also in a bad mood.

Ben Wallace might win DPOY this season.

The joyful atmosphere at Madison Square Garden also affected Clay Lee.

Achieving 61 wins, their record was better than he had expected.

As the game neared its end, Tom Thibodeau (Coach) also embraced Lee.

Although he was inactive for two months, being the first in the Eastern Conference and second in the league still made Thibodeau a bit excited:

“Fantastic, Lee! Unbelievable, we really got 60 wins!”

Everyone on the coaching staff also came forward to hug Lee.

Jeff Van Gundy’s departure had no impact on the team.

Without too much excitement, Lee simply smiled and briefly encouraged everyone:

“Only 60 wins. Actually, I hope one day we can break the record set by the Chicago Bulls! Thank you all for your efforts this season.”

With the Bald Young Coach’s departure, the coaching staff indeed bore a lot of pressure.

Being able to tie the record set by the Celtics this time was also a fulfillment of the fans’ expectations.

The final buzzer sounded, 92:99.

In the 2001-2002 season, the Knicks ultimately achieved a record of 61 wins and 21 losses!

At Madison Square Garden, all the New York fans rose to their feet, applauding and cheering loudly.

Victory is what fans pursue.

Buying tickets to watch a game is all about enjoying the thrill.

No one felt that their tickets were wasted.

Everyone began to look forward to the subsequent playoffs.

The feeling of winning big was captivating!

Pau Gasol also couldn’t stop smiling.

Although there were many times when the language barrier existed, he could feel the fans’ affection for him.

For a rookie, this was definitely a perfect start.

Feeling the lively atmosphere on site, Jason Kidd suddenly thought that if they encountered the Knicks in the playoffs, their home court would likely turn into an away court.

Thinking of this, his face suddenly became even uglier.

Constantly being criticized by commentators, Jason Kidd simply hugged Clay Lee and then complimented him expressionlessly:

“Lee, congratulations in advance on winning the MVP!”

The two bumped fists in celebration, and Lee laughed heartily, patting his superficial friend’s shoulder:

“Thanks, Bro! I’m looking forward to our matchup in the playoffs!”

Jason Kidd’s eyelid twitched slightly.

Thinking of his home court environment, he had no anticipation at all.

As the opponents left the court, the Knicks players all raised their hands, constantly high-fiving and greeting the fans.

“MVP! MVP! MVP!”

Hearing the shouts from the crowd growing louder, Lee also smiled and waved to the fans again.

At the same time, he had a thought and drew the Atlantic Division Champion reward:

[Jason Kidd’s Extraordinary Passing Vision]

…..

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep