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Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.

The return of Itachi

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***

On May 13, 2002, the NBA announced the All-NBA Teams for the 2001-02 season:

The five players on the First Team were:

Clay Lee, Kobe Bryant, Grant Hill, Tim Duncan, and Shaquille O’Neal.

The five players on the Second Team were:

Jason Kidd, Gary Payton, Kevin Garnett, Chris Webber, and Dirk Nowitzki.

The five players on the Third Team were:

Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, Tracy McGrady, Dikembe Mutombo, and Ben Wallace.

The selection of the All-NBA Teams has nothing to do with coaches.

It’s ultimately decided by votes from sports journalists in the United States and Canada, plus television commentators.

Of course, there were objections after the list was announced.

Chris Webber of the Kings, the league’s top team, only made the Second Team.

The 76ers, who only managed 40 wins, still had someone selected for the All-NBA Team, which almost caused public outrage.

After the All-Defensive Teams were announced recently, many sports media outlets clamored that NBA Head Coaches voted based on impression, but when it came to the All-NBA Team selection, it came back to bite them.

Whenever voting is involved, many people are always dissatisfied.

Last night, after the Knicks and Celtics’ Game 4 ended, Antoine Walker almost had a breakdown.

With a score of 87:101, the Celtics consistently scored under 90 points for several games.

After being swept 4:0, the “Dual Stars” reputation plummeted, and Tracy McGrady also received criticism:

“Leading 2:0 but losing to such a Celtics team? Tracy McGrady is overrated.”

Antoine Walker was already in a bad mood after the loss, and he became utterly furious after failing to make the All-NBA Team.

While still in Boston summarizing the reasons for the loss, Antoine Walker, in an interview, began to aggressively criticize easy targets again:

“Why would a player with the worst regular season record appear on the All-NBA Team?”

“This is too unfair. We made it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, yet no one from the Celtics made the All-NBA Team. I really don’t know what the selection criteria for this list are.”

Paul Pierce was also extremely upset by this list.

His defeated opponents overshadowed him.

It was impossible to maintain a facade of brotherhood:

“Our record was better than the Magic and the 76ers, and we also defeated the Magic in the playoffs.”

“And then you tell me no one from the Celtics made the All-NBA Team? Shit! I can’t accept this. Such a selection result lacks respect!”

The Celtics’ “Stars Duo” began to vent furiously.

Although they didn’t specifically name which players shouldn’t have been selected, their words, once spoken, clearly pointed to Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady, and Dikembe Mutombo as the easy targets.

Having reached the Eastern Conference Finals for six consecutive seasons, Lee was in a good mood.

The new additions to the team were experiencing a bigger stage for the first time and were all busy celebrating.

Since the Nets also secured a match point, this year’s Eastern Conference Finals will most likely be a showdown between the two teams.

The two teams are very close, which is convenient for fans to attend games in person.

Ray Allen recently had a good old argument with his teammates and Head Coach!

Unhappy in Milwaukee, Ray Allen was too lazy to bother the “lazy dogs” with training.

No longer acting as a sympathetic leader, after angrily blasting the team, he packed up and came to New York, ready to watch a game and relax.

Not long ago, the New York Post and New York Times, several mainstream media outlets, “tore apart” Kobe and Gary Payton, those two “fraudulent defenders.”

Several articles used detailed Excel spreadsheets to express their poor defensive performance, and incidentally, they also criticized NBA Head Coaches for impressionistic voting:

“The All-Defensive Team should also be selected by media and television commentators!”

“At least we won’t make decisions based on perception every year. The league should value the media’s opinions!”

The Kings’ beat reporters followed New York’s lead, cheering on Head Coach Adelman and speaking up for Doug Christie.

Sports media in Los Angeles also didn’t forget to support their own players, and while they wanted voting rights, they expressed disbelief in judging players by Excel!

The 13th happened to be a Monday.

Ray Allen had just arrived in New York, planning to go shopping with his girlfriend, but he was quickly cornered by New York sports reporters.

When asked about the recent All-NBA Team selections, Ray Allen also spoke bluntly:

“I don’t know the specific criteria for selection. If it’s based on record, some players shouldn’t even be on that list.”

“If it’s just about individual stats, some players have even better numbers.”

“Perhaps the selection is more about player fame. Those who play in big

markets are mostly overrated!”

“Are their shots really that good? Do those teams really execute brilliant tactical plays?”

“I haven’t seen any so-called tactical plays. Most people in the league still play based on talent. They don’t even bother to train hard!”

Shannon smiled and tugged at her boyfriend’s side.

She knew the nature of the New York Media better.

These words would surely be exaggerated several times over, ultimately offending many people.

Ray Allen, dressed casually, noticed his girlfriend’s action and finally stopped talking.

Not making the playoffs this year had really angered him:

“In short, I don’t like the current selection criteria. If people from those big markets performed like Lee, I wouldn’t say so much, but in fact, they are not excellent, yet they receive more attention.”

The Eastern Conference Finals are scheduled for May 19, giving the Knicks nearly another week of rest.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau was well aware of the recent arguments over the All-NBA Team, but he was more concerned about the upcoming draft lottery.

The lottery drawing will be held at Madison Square Garden at 7 PM on the 16th.

By this time, Thibodeau still hadn’t received any notification or consultation from management, and he already understood that his prospects were not optimistic.

While the players were on vacation, the coaching staff still had to work.

Assistant coach Don Chaney, after returning to the Tarrytown Training Center, also heard some news.

After lunch, he couldn’t help but ask Thibodeau again:

“Tom, has management consulted you about the draft?”

Thibodeau immediately shook his head, no longer organizing the documents in his hand, and said with some disappointment:

“Perhaps I’m not in the team’s plans either. Jeff’s choice was right. Ability doesn’t matter much in this position.”

James Dolan also seemed to want to interfere with the team.

This curly-haired owner couldn’t dictate how a Champion Coach played in the past, nor did he have an excuse to interfere with the general manager’s work.

This coaching change seemed like an opportunity.

Thibodeau had one conversation with management when he took office, and then there was no further communication between them.

Even a fool would know this indicated dissatisfaction with him.

Assistant coach Don Chaney also sighed.

He had won Coach of the Year (COY) before and thought he could take over the team, but now he had come to terms with reality: the big boss seemed to want a coach who was easy to control.

“I don’t like this team atmosphere. We clearly achieved four consecutive championships.”

He only got half of his sentence out when Thibodeau suddenly interrupted:

“Clay Lee achieved four consecutive championships. He’s not Michael Jordan, and he never said he’d only play for one coach.”

“Do you think Lee cares about Jeff’s achievements? He doesn’t care who is on the coaching staff, just like he doesn’t care who he plays with.”

“Players who don’t perform well won’t get playing time. Too many people want to play for the Knicks. He knows that, and Grunfeld knows it. If you don’t perform, then leave.”

After hearing these words, Assistant coach Don Chaney no longer comforted himself.

“Brotherhood basketball” and “meritorious basketball” simply didn’t exist in the Knicks.

Black coaches always like to bond with players, but with the Knicks, everyone knows, “if you don’t play well, you’ll be traded.”

The Head Coach’s preferences are less important than scoring a few more points on the court.

Good stats are far more useful than a coach’s encouragement.

The two suddenly fell silent in the office, looking at the championship photo on the table, feeling a bit of bitterness in their hearts at the moment:

“Are we really leaving?”

On the evening of the 13th, Lee also hosted Ray Allen and Shannon at his home.

Tonight’s chef specialized in Mediterranean cuisine, and Shannon particularly enjoyed the meal.

Whenever he dined at home, Lee would usually book some famous New York chefs.

Although the price was high, the service was well worth it.

Ray Allen was still in a bad mood. All-NBA Team selections often represent incentive clauses, or in other words, money.

Sponsorship contracts have requirements for stats, team record, and honors.

Players naturally pursue honors to earn more rewards.

He kept feeling like he had lost a large sum of money this season until Melinda brought up things from college, and then Ray Allen’s mood improved.

“Ray, aren’t you going to graduate? Lee still takes summer classes every year, and you two can go back to Connecticut together during the offseason.”

Lee still had some time before he could graduate, as law school had many courses.

Ray Allen, who hadn’t even received his bachelor’s degree yet, chuckled and declined.

“I still want to train in Milwaukee during the offseason. Perhaps the roster will change next season, and I need to be prepared.”

Shannon, who was beside him, looked a bit disappointed when she heard this.

She didn’t like Milwaukee at all and wanted to live in Manhattan with her boyfriend.

Melinda winked at Shannon, indicating she had done her best.

Shannon spent more time at Lee’s house for parties than with her boyfriend.

After dinner, Melinda pulled Shannon along to go shopping, while Lee and Ray Allen went to the audio-visual room on the fifth floor to watch a game and chat.

There was also a game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Sacramento Kings tonight, with the Kings leading 3:1, so they were likely to advance at home.

In the first quarter, both teams were exchanging blows.

Seeing the Dallas Mavericks’ Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, and Mike Finley’s tacit understanding and “brotherly affection,” Ray Allen, who was lounging like a collapsed noodle, suddenly sighed:

“Why do the Milwaukee Bucks always have internal conflicts? These rookies are almost catching up to my achievements!”

Lee also sprawled on the sofa.

He couldn’t do anything about the Milwaukee Bucks’ internal conflicts, as George Karl was extremely strong-willed.

“Worst case, you can change your environment and play somewhere else. New York is not bad. I think we should have a chance to work together!”

Ray Allen burst out laughing at this, then self-deprecatingly remarked:

“Joining the Knicks? Perhaps I’d only make that choice when I’m taking a veteran minimum.”

“Three max contracts playing together, honestly, the roster is highly likely to have problems.”

Thinking that this good brother still wanted to be the boss and pursue a max contract, Lee nodded in agreement, but secretly grumbled in his heart:

“It seems I still need to endure more beatings. Is ‘brotherly basketball’ really that difficult?”

(A/N: For that, you have to ask LeBron.)

There were no games on May 16th, and all four teams for the Eastern Conference Finals and Western Conference Finals had been determined.

In the Eastern Conference, it was the Nets vs. the Knicks, and in the Western Conference, the Lakers vs. the Sacramento Kings.

Pundits were still warming up for the games.

On the evening of the 16th, Lee appeared at Madison Square Garden dressed in a sharp black suit.

The lottery ceremony was scheduled for 7 PM.

James Dolan, General Manager Grunfeld, and other Knicks management staff were also present.

The curly-haired owner was currently looking for his ideal Head Coach candidate and was very high-profile at the moment.

During an interview, he put his arm around Lee and engaged in some mutual flattery for the cameras:

“Lee is only 24 years old. The Knicks will not waste his prime!”

“Luxury tax? I don’t care. If there’s a suitable All-Star player, we’ll sign him directly.”

“Madison Square Garden is a basketball mecca. Look at the six championship banners above our Madison Square Garden. Our goal is to surpass the Celtics!”

“Lee will surpass Russell. I think the title ‘Lord of the Rings’ is quite good!”

Unlike Old Charles, the inflated James Dolan was becoming a bigmouth.

Respecting old predecessors simply didn’t exist for him.

Lee forced a smile.

Being booed frequently on the road was also thanks to the curly-haired owner’s contributions.

Surrounded by New York reporters, Grunfeld, with a bulging belly, chuckled and joked:

“The Chicago Bulls and the Golden State Warriors both have a 22.5% chance of getting the first pick, but no one knows God’s will.”

“We just hope the Phoenix Suns can get a good pick. Lee needs more young talent. A rookie choosing to play for the Knicks is definitely a win-win decision!”

Everyone present knew that the Chicago Bulls and the Golden State Warriors, both with 21 wins, had a high probability of getting the first overall pick.

Chicago Bulls General Manager Krause had a long face.

After several years of tanking, his plan had completely failed.

The results of this year’s lottery ceremony surprised many media outlets, as the Houston Rockets, with only an 8.9% chance of getting the first pick, suddenly pulled off an upset!

The representatives of the various teams sitting above congratulated each other, but secretly felt a pang of envy.

Steve Francis, however, was overjoyed.

He had come to the Madison Square Garden with his team today and truly hadn’t expected to get the first overall pick.

Lee, sitting in the Knicks’ designated seat, quickly saw the Phoenix Suns’ pick result:

“Eighth overall pick.”

James Dolan didn’t know who would be a good fit, but he didn’t care much about it.

He just chuckled and said to Grunfeld beside him:

“This is a good pick. I remember we have many draft picks this year. If there’s a chance, getting another All-Star player would be great too!”

The New York fans were also happy to get a lottery pick, and newspapers began discussing which player the team would ultimately choose.

As for the Eastern Conference Finals, no one paid it any mind.

The Nets? Just a bottom-feeder.

Jason Kidd, who was still preparing for the Eastern Conference Finals, was infuriated!

A 360-degree turnaround, from tanking for the first pick to the Eastern Conference Finals—his arrival brought immense change to the Nets, yet no one was paying attention?

Fortunately, the New Jersey Star-Ledger consistently covered the Nets’ turnaround.

As one of America’s oldest newspapers, the Nets were on the front page of the sports section for several consecutive days.

Head Coach Scott appeared confident during his interview, boasting to reporters:

“I believe in my players. They are severely underestimated. Kenyon Martin is a beast. He will tear apart the Knicks’ interior.”

“Kidd is our team’s commander. He will help the team control the game’s tempo. In the Eastern Conference Finals, we will re-demonstrate our talent!”

Kidd also expressed confidence in his interview.

The triple-double master interpreted the game from another angle:

“Perhaps the opponent’s perimeter Defense is excellent, but the Nets are just as good. We will initiate offense from the interior, just as the coach said, we are the better team!”

“…”

On sunday, May 19th, pundits were discussing the Lakers’ clean win in the Western Conference Finals in the morning.

By evening, everyone’s attention shifted to the Knicks’ game.

The Sacramento Kings, who played beautiful basketball, seemed to lack dominance.

No one believed the Nets could win.

Everyone was more interested in seeing the specific game content of the Knicks.

On weekends, tickets for Madison Square Garden were usually hard to come by.

By just before 8 PM, the Madison Square Garden was already completely full, with many people arriving early to watch Lee warm up.

Choosing a pair of pure white signature shoes, Lee, “fully armed” tonight, was dressed almost entirely in white.

After the entrance ceremony, the atmosphere on the Madison Square Garden became even more fervent.

Grant Hill, who was selected to the All-NBA First Team, hugged everyone he saw, with a constant smile on his face, while the Nets players felt ignored.

As Lee continuously shot, Marv Albert, back at his familiar home court in the NBC commentary booth, also started hyping him up:

“Every time I see Lee warm up, I feel it’s a pleasure. You can tell his form is excellent tonight!”

Mike Fratello didn’t hype up the Nets this time.

He had thoroughly understood the strength of these Eastern Conference rookies:

“Head Coach Scott has kept the previous starting lineup. Tonight will be a huge test for the Nets’ backcourt.”

Marv Albert then remembered to introduce the starting lineups for both teams:

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

“For the Knicks, defending the opponent’s low-post offense is also a test.”

The two analyzed together in the commentary booth.

As the referee called both teams to center court, Clay Lee also fist-bumped each of the Nets players.

“Let’s go Knicks!”

As both teams prepared for the jump ball, the New York fans in the Madison Square Garden were already on their feet, cheering and waving their handkerchiefs.

Kidd looked serious.

There was no “Bro” before the game.

If they lost, mockery awaited him.

Pau Gasol tipped the ball to midcourt, and the Nets players quickly retreated on Defense, opting not to pressure the ball handler.

After the tip-off, they quickly set up a near-zone Defense.

Amidst the cheers, Lee, dribbling with his left hand past midcourt, stopped at the top of the arc.

Observing the opponent’s defensive formation, he began to shuffle to the left wing, simultaneously calling Pau Gasol forward for a screen.

The Nets’ big man, Mcloach, naturally followed him out.

As Kidd called out to his teammates, Lee quickly dribbled the ball between his legs, switched to his right hand, immediately lowered his center of gravity, and feigned a drive to the right.

The moment Kidd slid to his left, Lee immediately brought the ball behind his back.

As their bodies collided, he quickly adjusted his footwork, scooped the ball with his left hand, and successfully shook off the Defense.

The big man, Mcloach, seemed prepared, but before he could lower his stance to defend, Lee quickly pushed the ball and changed direction.

He only had time to reach out, but he didn’t even touch the basketball.

When Mcloach wanted to help defend again, Lee had already scooped the ball with his right hand and squeezed out through the gap.

Seeing Lee instantly shake off his defender and break into the paint, the fans cheered.

Kenyon Martin under the basket was a bit stunned at this moment.

Noticing Lee make a passing motion after gathering the ball while moving, Martin, who was sliding to help defend under the basket, immediately stopped.

In the blink of an eye, he saw Lee grab the ball with his left hand, break to the basket, and easily make a layup!

“Wow!”

Van Horn and Kittles both raised their hands simultaneously.

They should have helped defend, but Lee was too fast, and before they could fully react, the ball dropped into the basket.

After the baseline inbound, Kidd looked at Lee beside him.

After being picked up by the lead defender, his advancing speed also slowed down significantly.

The two tangled past half-court, and at the top of the arc, Kidd immediately turned his body to protect the ball.

Kiddles quickly slid along the baseline from right to left, using Martin’s screen near the left baseline, and popped out to the left wing to receive the ball.

After receiving the pass, Grant Hill’s Defense also followed.

Kittles did not choose to attack himself but immediately lobbed the ball to Kenyon Martin, who was posting up with his back to the basket in the left block.

Kurt Thomas was very clear about the opponent’s technical characteristics.

Noticing the opponent put the ball down with his right hand and drove along the top, he immediately raised his hands high, shuffled sideways, and engaged in physical contact.

After a hop step, unable to get to his most accustomed offensive area, directly in front of the rim, Martin still grabbed the ball with his right hand and decisively shot a floater.

“Bang!”

The moment the ball hit the rim and bounced out, Pau Gasol immediately secured the rebound.

The Nets didn’t force a steal but quickly transitioned back on Defense.

Although Lee, who came to receive the ball, sped up his advance, the Nets had already completed their defensive matchups early.

“Let’s go Knicks!”

It was still a zone Defense.

Kidd maintained a distance at the top to lead the Defense.

On the other side, Kittles also sagged into the right elbow area.

Ron Artest in the left corner frustratingly found that Van Horn, his matchup, was shuffling in the left block area.

This tall, long-armed forward didn’t even look at him, constantly eyeing Lee at the top of the arc.

Setting up an iron curtain Defense from the start, Pau Gasol noticed the opponent’s positioning and quickly ran to the free-throw line area to receive the ball.

After making the pass, Lee ran off-ball to the right wing, while Grant Hill accelerated towards the top of the arc.

After receiving a hand-off pass, he observed the opponent’s Defense again.

Lee also noticed that the big man Mcloach started shuffling backward after Grant Hill received the ball, clearly intending to drop back.

Kidd started loudly directing his teammates.

Clay Lee first slapped away the opponent’s arm, faked a back-cut, then quickly popped out, returning to the right wing.

Grant Hill quickly sent a cross-court pass.

Lee received the ball with a pump fake, and taking advantage of Kidd lunging forward, he naturally put the ball down with his right hand, lowered his center of gravity, and faked a drive.

Subconsciously sliding to his left-rear, Kidd adjusted his center of gravity only to find that Lee had taken a big dribble and then quickly executed a step-back.

His defensive read was wrong, and it was too late to jump and block.

On the right wing, after gathering the ball, Lee drifted slightly to the right, ignoring the block in front of him, and quickly shot a jump shot!

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

0:5, scoring 5 consecutive points to start the game, Lee’s excellent game state made Madison Square Garden erupt again.

“Perhaps most teams would find such a Defense troublesome.”

“But for Lee, as long as he finds his shooting touch, he can destroy the opponent’s Defense with his individual shooting ability.”

“Perhaps this is why he has frequently shot from beyond the three-point line this season. Many times, it is indeed a good offensive option.”

Mike Fratello smiled, and incidentally teased the much-criticized three-pointer.

Marv Albert, meanwhile, noticed Ron Artest intently guarding Van Horn’s low-post offense in the right block:

“Defense is equally important. I believe Ron Artest is qualified to be selected for the All-Defensive Team.”

Realizing he had let personal emotions creep in, Marv Albert wanted to change the subject.

Seeing Van Horn’s turn-around jump shot hit the iron, he immediately exclaimed:

“OH! The Knicks’ transition offense is here!”

Kurt Thomas secured the rebound and immediately threw it forward.

Grant Hill received the ball and accelerated along the right sideline, striding past mid-court.

Before reaching the three-point line, on the right wing, Grant Hill casually passed the ball behind his back.

Lee, following in the middle, received the ball and naturally put it down with his left hand, driving and crushing past Kidd’s Defense.

Constantly initiating physical contact, Kidd desperately slid to his right-rear while raising his right hand high.

The moment the two reached the paint, Lee, noticing the movement behind him, immediately took a hop step, pushed Kidd away, and leaning his body, grabbed the ball with his left hand, and quickly tossed it towards the rim!

“Bang!”

The Defense still had an effect.

Kidd wanted to secure the rebound immediately, but at the moment of his second jump, the ball was tipped by Pau Gasol, who was following from behind, and finally bounced erratically into the basket.

Fast breaks like a tiger, with the center also running along.

New York fans never tire of this sight and immediately cheered:

“Oh!”

The Nets’ big man Mcloach had just retreated on Defense.

Kidd then realized it was a 3-on-2 fast break, and could only glare at his teammates in frustration.

“Defense!”

After a 7-0 run to start the game, the home fans were completely fired up, and the defensive shouts grew louder and louder.

Kidd, guarded by Lee, couldn’t speed up.

After crossing half-court, he again turned his body to protect the ball, then quickly signaled a play.

Both of the Nets’ big men were deep in the left and right baseline areas, and Kittles was now stopped on the right wing.

After Kidd signaled the play, Van Horn in the left block immediately sped up to the top of the arc to set a screen.

After a half-turn and switching to his right hand, Kidd briefly shook off Lee’s trailing Defense with the screen.

Ron Artest immediately stepped up to delay, not giving the opponent an easy driving opportunity.

As the two converged, Kidd flicked his wrist and quickly passed the ball to Van Horn, who had popped out to the left wing.

The excellent pass quality allowed Van Horn to immediately gather the ball after receiving it.

Using his height advantage, he ignored the quickly closing Ron Artest and quickly shot a jump shot from beyond the three-point line!

“Bang!”

Another miss.

The long rebound was secured by Kenyon Martin, who had anticipated the opportunity in the paint.

Before he could make an offensive move, Kurt Thomas immediately bumped him.

Quickly twisting his body, Kenyon Martin subconsciously passed the ball to Kidd, who was near the logo.

The overly obvious passing intention was anticipated by Lee.

Kidd had already started moving forward to receive the ball, but Lee took advantage of the situation and leaped high, getting in front of him, and poked the ball with his left hand.

The ball immediately flew over Kidd’s head.

“Wow!”

Cheers erupted again.

Lee, who had poked the ball away, stumbled upon landing.

Kidd reacted quickly, and both rushed towards the ball simultaneously.

At mid-court, Lee scooped the ball with his left hand while simultaneously bumping Kidd away.

Kidd, who had intended to scoop the ball, lost his balance from the bump.

He subconsciously tried to grab Lee, but Lee accelerated and dodged him.

Failing to grab him, Kidd stumbled forward two steps and fell to the floor.

After leading the ball forward, Lee scooped the ball with his right hand, then accelerated with all his might.

It was a 1-on-0 fast break, and he quickly rushed into the paint, took three big steps, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and unleashed a powerful one-handed dunk!

“Ah!!”

Lee, after completing the dunk, pounded his chest and roared at the camera under the basket.

For a moment, the cheers almost broke through the Madison Square Garden.

0:9. Byron Scott on the sideline helplessly watched Kidd, who was lying on the floor angrily pounding it, and immediately called a timeout.

“The Nets don’t seem to have adapted to the intensity of the confrontation on the court. In the playoffs, the Knicks usually try to start strong.”

“Kidd should try to finish himself. At this point, the Nets need their core player to step up and respond. Don’t forget that most of them are experiencing the Conference Finals for the first time.”

Mike Fratello shook his head, and Marv Albert added:

“Head Coach Scott’s defensive strategy was well-designed, but Lee’s drives and three-pointers successfully broke down their Defense early in the game.”

“Perhaps they should consider double-teaming earlier, rather than relying on Kidd’s individual Defense.”

The two discussed it in the commentary booth, but in the first possession after the timeout, Kidd still did not choose to attack.

After a pick-and-roll in the left elbow area, Kurt Thomas also did not delay on Defense.

Kidd, who had shaken off Lee’s trailing Defense, delivered a bounce pass near the free-throw line.

Kurt Thomas almost completed a steal, losing half a step.

Kenyon Martin received the ball, immediately put it down with his left hand, dribbled twice, and took a hop step to the basket, making a tough layup to help his team break the deadlock.

The Nets players all breathed a sigh of relief, finally getting on the scoreboard.

Lee didn’t mind.

Receiving the ball on the baseline, he was led by Jason Kidd’s Defense, so he simply dribbled past half-court, pushing the 8-second limit.

Noticing that the opponent still hadn’t changed their defensive strategy, Lee shielded the ball with his body and called Kurt Thomas to come up.

Coming to the left wing, Kurt Thomas received the pass, and Kenyon Martin, who came out to guard him, constantly interfered with his hands.

The two New York Knicks forwards were still deep in the left and right corners, and their defenders also sagged inside the three-point line.

Pau Gasol also moved up to the right near-elbow area at this time.

After passing the ball, Lee cut through the middle without the ball.

Before Jason Kidd could react, Lee suddenly stopped and set a back screen for Pau Gasol.

The big man Mcloach was momentarily stunned and subconsciously moved with Pau Gasol, but he was delayed by Lee and couldn’t keep up with the Defense in time.

Pau Gasol used the screen to cut directly to the basket.

Jason Kidd, seeing his teammate out of position, quickly moved to cover the basket, trying to cut off the passing lane.

It was a great opportunity for a mismatch, but under Martin’s interference, Kurt Thomas couldn’t immediately pass the ball to the basket.

The fans in the arena sighed in regret, but Clay Lee didn’t stop.

He slapped away the big man Mcloach’s pulling arm and accelerated to pop out.

Coming to the top of the arc, Lee received a cross-pass from Kurt Thomas, immediately faked a shot, and the big man Mcloach, who was chasing him, flew past.

Lee smoothly released the ball with his right hand, calmly shuffled sideways, no longer giving the opponent a chance to contest, and quickly shot a jump shot from beyond the three-point line!

“Swish!” Another three-pointer!

2:12, a double-digit lead combined with excellent teamwork, Madison Square Garden erupted.

All he could hear were the shouts of the New York fans, and Jason Kidd’s expression grew increasingly grim, feeling as if both teams weren’t playing the same game.

On the New York Knicks bench, watching the players retreating on Defense, the atmosphere group also got excited, thinking the Divisional Finals were surprisingly simple!

Jason Kidd was still orchestrating the offense.

A pick-and-roll at the right elbow of the free-throw line found Mcloach rolling down.

The latter received the ball, muscled Pau Gasol away, and scored a layup.

As soon as the Nets scored, Lee, who received the inbound pass, immediately chased after the ball and rushed past half-court, then quickly passed it to Grant Hill on the left wing.

As soon as the opponents completed their defensive assignments, Grant Hill received the ball, put it down with his right hand, drove past his defender, and rushed to the basket, immediately drawing a shooting foul from the help defender Martin.

Kittles frustratingly raised his hand, indicating it was his fault for being overwhelmed and broken down.

Hill made both free throws.

On the sideline, Head Coach Scott frowned deeply, constantly shouting reminders to his players.

Kittles, popping out to the right wing, received the ball, drove past his defender, and hit a long two-point jump shot.

On the next possession, after a simple pick-and-roll at the three-point line on the right wing, Martin originally intended to double-team Clay Lee with Jason Kidd, but Kurt Thomas rolled down to the right elbow and scored with a jump shot.

Sensing that the game’s pace was accelerating and defensive assignments were becoming an issue, Head Coach Scott constantly signaled for them to slow down.

But Jason Kidd, who had possession at this time, showed no intention of slowing down.

Both sides suddenly entered a back-and-forth scoring spree, and the score continuously rose.

After the opponents scored several consecutive baskets in the paint, Kurt Thomas and Pau Gasol also began to intensify their physical play.

Kenyon Martin, after receiving the ball at the right elbow this time, still wanted to rush to the basket for an easy score.

But Pau Gasol’s transition Defense was incredibly fast at this time.

After Kurt Thomas delayed the opponent’s offensive rhythm, he immediately leaped high and slapped the ball onto the backboard.

Jason Kidd still wanted to rush into the paint to grab the rebound, but Lee secured possession immediately.

Before the Nets players could retreat on Defense, Ron Artest quickly rushed past half-court, received Lee’s pass at the three-point line, ignored Van Horn chasing from behind, took three big steps, and slammed it down with both hands!

12:22, the Nets got a +2 run, but the deficit didn’t shrink.

The cheers grew louder, but the Nets players became increasingly agitated.

Kenyon Martin’s screen was a quick brush, and Lee, chasing him, easily squeezed through the screen, once again getting back to Jason Kidd’s side.

The two stopped on the left wing.

Jason Kidd again shielded the ball with his body, then turned and switched to his right hand, directly tossing the ball to the top of the arc.

Kittles, popping out after using the screen, quickly shot a jump shot from beyond the three-point line after receiving the ball!

Grant Hill’s lateral closeout Defense had an interfering effect.

The basketball hit the front rim, bounced into the hands of Pau Gasol, who had sagged back to the basket, and he immediately passed the ball upcourt.

After landing, Grant Hill began to accelerate, shaking off Kittles behind him, and successfully retrieved the ball after crossing mid-court.

Seeing his teammate out of position, Jason Kidd gritted his teeth and quickly retreated on Defense, directly lunging from the right wing towards Hill, who was cutting to the basket.

Before he could commit a pulling foul, Grant Hill smoothly passed the ball sideways.

Clay Lee, who had also rushed past half-court early, received the ball on the right wing.

The moment Lee faked a shot, Kittles, who was lunging from the side to contest, flew past him.

Completely shaking off the Defense, Lee calmly adjusted and quickly shot a jump shot from beyond the three-point line!

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

12:25, Scott’s face on the sideline was grim, and he called another timeout.

From the commentary booth, the two saw Head Coach Scott, who was pulling Jason Kidd aside and talking incessantly, seemingly very displeased.

“Jason Kidd should control the pace of the game, not play transition offense with the New York Knicks.”

“Once they fail to match up defensively in time, Lee and Hill can easily tear apart the Defense. They should stick to their defensive strategy from the start.”

Mike Fratello didn’t hold back and immediately pointed out Jason Kidd’s issues.

Marv Albert shook his head inwardly but outwardly praised the Nets’ performance:

“With several pick-and-roll plays, constantly getting the ball into the paint, the Nets have found their game rhythm!”

In the latter half of the 1st quarter, the Nets slowed down again, set up a zone Defense, and also began to patiently pass the ball more on offense.

As a result, they didn’t score a single point in 3 minutes, instead drawing a round of ridicule from the New York fans in the arena.

Fortunately, the New York Knicks’ shooting percentage also dropped, and they missed several shots as well.

In a rare moment, Jason Kidd took a tough shot and tossed the ball into the basket over Clay Lee’s contest.

Jason Kidd, who almost stumbled, excitedly pumped his fist in celebration.

His excitement didn’t last 10 seconds, as on the very next possession, Pau Gasol hit a mid-range jump shot from the free-throw line.

Kidd, who was chilling in the corner with Lee, watched as the big man Mcloach mindlessly double-teamed Grant Hill, who had the ball beyond the three-point line.

For a moment, he couldn’t hold back and cursed loudly:

“Damn it! Watch your man!”

Every possession, the New York Knicks were bothering the opponent’s big man.

Mcloach also had a hard time explaining himself and could only raise his hand in acknowledgment after hearing his boss’s reprimand.

In the final minutes of the 1st quarter, Van Horn missed all of his several low-post attempts against Ron Artest, and the Nets suddenly went through another scoring drought.

Watching Grant Hill step to the free-throw line, Coach Thibodeau on the sideline clapped cheerfully.

He was very satisfied with his team’s performance in the first quarter!

In the final moments, Kenyon Martin also stepped to the free-throw line, helping the Nets get another 2 points.

17:31.

At the end of the first quarter, a 14-point difference silenced the Nets’ bench.

Although Ron Artest missed his shots, his matchup Van Horn also went 0 for 5.

“Ron, keep pushing! Maintain this Defense!”

Lee walked towards the bench and patted Ron Artest’s shoulder.

The latter gave another awkward smile and quickly boasted:

“That guy on the other side won’t score in double digits tonight!”

The New York Knicks’ side was filled with laughter and cheers.

Grant Hill high-fived everyone in celebration.

On the Nets’ side, Jason Kidd, back in his seat, gave his teammates a death stare:

“Stay focused, sh*t! When you encounter a screen, don’t just run around after your man!”

Seeing their leader angry, no one dared to speak.

Kenyon Martin heard the New York Knicks fans behind him cheerfully shouting “Beast,” and he felt utterly depressed:

“So we’re this weak.”

…..

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep