Check out my fanfics.

Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.

The return of Itachi

I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.

Please give it a go 😊

***

How do ordinary players raise their profile?

The simplest way is to leave a deep impression on fans during high-stakes matchups.

On the evening of November 19th, Raja Bell frequently made physical contact with Kobe, who was traveling off-peak.

During the rotation phase, the Lakers usually used Derek Fisher and Horace Grant.

In tonight’s game, Phil Jackson gave more playing time to Karl Malone’s old teammate, Bryon Russell.

The Lakers’ lineup was reminiscent of two years ago, but while the personnel were still there, several veterans’ physical conditions had declined significantly.

At the beginning of the second quarter, the New York Knicks made extensive rotations.

The opponent missed shots, and the New York Knicks maintained their lead thanks to Amar’e Stoudemire’s offense.

With 8 minutes and 46 seconds left in the first half, Dikembe Mutombo scored a put-back layup in the previous possession.

Turning around, Shaquille O’Neal wanted to continue attacking strongly in the low post.

The New York fans in the Madison Square Garden were excited, and the defensive shouts grew louder and louder:

“Defense!”

After Derek Fisher entered the game, the Lakers resumed their usual offensive routine, the classic start of the Triangle Offense.

As Shaquille O’Neal prepared to post up for the ball on the left low block, Kobe on the left baseline initiated first, moving to the left wing to complete a hand-off with Derek Fisher.

According to the tactical requirements, Kobe would either choose to directly lob the ball to O’Neal in the paint or call for a pick-and-roll, allowing Derek Fisher to cut along the baseline to create a localized two-on-two situation.

However, after digging a hole at the start of the game, Shaquille O’Neal had been frequently criticizing Kobe from the bench, and both were playing with emotion.

Having finally gained possession, Kobe didn’t call for a pick-and-roll.

After receiving the ball, he put it down with his right hand, feinted forward to the right, and then executed a large-amplitude cross-over dribble.

Switching to his left hand, Kobe created a sliver of space and immediately accelerated to drive.

Shaquille O’Neal, who was still demanding the ball in the paint, was furious at Kobe’s offensive choice.

In a moment of inattention, Dikembe Mutombo completed a fronting Defense.

Derek Fisher had just arrived at the left baseline and, seeing Kobe drive, quickly cut along the baseline, attempting to open up offensive space.

Offense and Defense happen in an instant.

Making a wrong offensive choice, Kobe drove near the left restricted area and found himself triple-teamed.

Raja Bell, sliding defensively, hadn’t lost his position and remained on Kobe’s right side.

Knight, who had abandoned his follow-up Defense on Derek Fisher, also rushed over to complete the double-team with his teammates.

Dikembe Mutombo, seizing the opportunity, raised both hands to block Kobe’s passing lane.

Under the triple-team, Kobe was forced to stop dribbling.

Raja Bell stepped forward to steal the ball, hitting Kobe’s hand with a powerful chop and then cutting the ball away.

“Wow!”

Seeing the steal completed, the New York fans in the Madison Square Garden cheered.

Kobe, who had dropped the ball, reacted quickly, regaining control of the ball immediately.

At the same time, he loudly complained to the sideline referee, believing it was a foul.

The referee showed no reaction.

An enraged Kobe simply put up his elbow and swung it wide to protect the ball.

Perhaps his proficiency in this skill, recently learned from his Good Brother, was not yet sufficient.

Kobe’s elbowing motion was too obvious; he first hit Knight, then gave Raja Bell an elbow.

One hit to the face, one to the shoulder.

The referee immediately blew his whistle, calling an offensive foul on Kobe.

A furious Kobe turned to complain to the referee, but unexpectedly, a strong force came from his side, pushing him to stagger.

Before Kobe could react, Raja Bell demonstrated his boxing prowess, which he practiced in his spare time, stepping forward and landing a backhand punch directly on Kobe’s face.

“Ah!”

The sudden outburst of conflict excited the New York fans.

Everyone cheered excitedly, watching Kobe, Raja Bell, and Knight wrestle together.

O’Neal saw Kobe at a disadvantage, having taken several punches in just a few seconds, and wanted to rush over to help his Little bro.

Dikembe Mutombo stood in front of Shaquille O’Neal and gave him a push.

He expected the other party to charge again, but Shaquille O’Neal only stood in place, yelling loudly, but not moving forward.

Instead, Derek Fisher tried to rush over to help but was hugged by Tayshaun Prince:

“Calm down, man!”

The sideline referee waited until Kobe had taken a few punches before rushing into the middle of the players to separate them.

Bryon Russell quickly hugged Kobe at this moment, trying to pull him away, but Kobe, who had taken a big loss, was still excitedly complaining to the referee:

“He clearly fouled right in front of you!”

Seeing the referee unmoved, gesturing for a double technical foul, Kobe lost his composure and began to lash out at the referee.

Raja Bell, meanwhile, laughed and applauded from the side.

Seeing Kobe’s emotions unusually agitated, he started to instigate further:

“Come on, two more, you softie, I’m right here!”

Held back by his teammates, Kobe began to ignore the referee and initiate conflict.

This completely angered the sideline referee, who blew his whistle repeatedly and pointed to the player tunnel.

Kobe was ejected.

Raja Bell burst into another fit of laughter.

Soon, he also saw the referee’s gesture and followed suit, leaving the court.

“Oh!”

Raja Bell, walking towards the player tunnel, received cheers from the fans in the Madison Square Garden.

On the other side, Kobe walked past Phil Jackson with his head down, sensing that the Head Coach had no reaction, and his mood became even more depressed.

The Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man looked serious and did not complain to the referee.

Instead, he waved his hand, signaling Gary Payton and others to enter the game.

On the New York Knicks’ side, Lee and the others watched a good show.

Coach D’Antoni beckoned, initiating an early rotation.

The atmosphere in the Madison Square Garden became exceptionally noisy due to the conflict.

Many fans even felt it wasn’t enough and began to provoke Shaquille O’Neal.

Before Clay Lee took the technical free throw, he saw Shaquille O’Neal pulling his teammates aside to discuss tactics and couldn’t help but tease:

“You won’t find an excuse for losing this time!”

“The game has just begun, you still can’t stop me!”

O’Neal, with his hands on his hips, immediately retorted.

In just a few minutes, he had caused Dikembe Mutombo to pick up two fouls, which made him quite proud.

Both technical free throws were made. With the starting lineups back, the game quickly fell back into the New York Knicks’ rhythm.

The Lakers’ backcourt repeatedly missed shots.

Gary Payton was no longer speaking, and he didn’t gain any advantage against Ron Artest.

As for Derek Fisher, although he defended diligently, the effect was limited, and he occasionally needed Gary Payton to help with double-teaming.

The New York Knicks’ Defense kept shrinking.

Although Shaquille O’Neal, who was double-teamed, could find Karl Malone, the latter also started missing shots after making a jump shot when he first entered the game.

In the latter half of the second quarter, Shaquille O’Neal frequently attacked against double-team Defense in the paint.

Aside from free throws, he was either scoring or missing shots, and the Lakers’ tactics were completely ineffective.

Too many individual isolations led to more fast breaks.

Realizing something was wrong, Gary Payton consciously began to control the pace of the game.

“Defense!”

Amidst the defensive cheers, Gary Payton no longer chose to simply and roughly lob the ball into the paint.

Instead, he reinitiated a pick-and-roll, signaling Karl Malone to come up.

“Kurt, go up for the hedge!”

Instead of defending along the baseline, Lee loudly reminded his teammates while quickly squeezing through the screen.

Gary Payton, attempting to use the pick-and-roll to drive on the right wing, was first met with a large hedge by Kurt Thomas.

His explosive power had diminished, and he couldn’t accelerate through.

He originally wanted to make a pass, but Lee behind him moved swiftly, having already squeezed to Gary Payton’s side.

Their bodies collided, causing Karl Malone, who was completely open, to miss the pass immediately.

Seeing Lee take over the Defense again, Kurt Thomas quickly returned to his position.

Gary Payton was forced to slow down in the right restricted area.

The tactical execution failed.

Gary Payton began to post up, attempting to get closer to the basket while protecting the ball, and continuously driving hard.

Raising his right forearm, Lee defended while not forgetting to interfere with his left hand.

Karl Malone noticed the offense had completely stalled and immediately beckoned to Derek Fisher on the left wing, proactively coming to the high post to set an off-ball screen at the top of the arc.

Derek Fisher used this screen to quickly shuffle to the right wing, and Gary Payton quickly delivered the pass.

After receiving the ball, Derek Fisher didn’t make too many adjustments.

He quickly shot a jump shot over Ron Artest, who was chasing him from the side.

“Bang!”

The three-pointer was wildly off, a hurried shot that hit the backboard and didn’t even touch the rim.

Bouncing quickly, Kurt Thomas was momentarily stunned, then secured the defensive rebound at the free-throw line, immediately throwing the ball forward.

Grant Hill had started early, shaking off Devin George behind him, scooped up the ball at the three-point line, and then charged with three big strides.

Leaping high, he grabbed the ball with both hands in the air, and Grant Hill scored with a reverse dunk!

40:54, the lead was back to 14 points.

“Wow!”

Cheers echoed through the Madison Square Garden.

Clay Lee also clapped.

After re-entering the game in the second quarter, he hadn’t frequently attacked, but rather put more energy into Defense.

“Choose to drive to the basket, maybe you can score from free throws!”

Lee chuckled, following behind Gary Payton, and began to offer suggestions again.

Gary Payton, preparing to receive the ball on the baseline, felt Lee’s hand on him again and waved his arm in frustration, trying to shake off this sticky Defense.

The referee looked at the two.

Lee immediately let go.

Gary Payton seized the opportunity to receive the ball on the baseline.

After only two dribbles, he was entangled with Lee again.

With sudden stops and starts, quick behind-the-back dribbles, Gary Payton crossed mid-court but still couldn’t shake off the entanglement.

Instead, Lee’s frequent steals and hand interference disrupted his dribbling rhythm.

Seeing Lee again apply tight Defense and steal the ball, Payton quickly changed direction between his legs at the top of the arc.

As he switched to his right hand, he sensed something was wrong and quickly pushed with his left arm.

“Screech!”

The push was too obvious.

The referee immediately blew his whistle, calling a pushing foul on Gary Payton.

“Oh!”

The cheers from the fans in the Madison Square Garden became particularly piercing.

Gary Payton, repeatedly frustrated, widened his eyes and cursed under his breath:

“Damn game!”

The New York Knicks’ game strategy was simple and brutal: use their perimeter players’ excellent defensive abilities to suppress the opponent’s backcourt, preventing Shaquille O’Neal from receiving the ball in comfortable positions.

On the offensive end, even though Pau Gasol’s performance against Shaquille O’Neal was mediocre for several possessions, Clay Lee continued to feed him the ball.

After two consecutive missed layups, this time Pau Gasol received a pass from Lee with his back to the basket in the left block, immediately turned to face the hoop, and attacked.

Shaquille O’Neal lowered his center of gravity, raised his right hand, and remained motionless against Pau Gasol’s triple threat.

With a quick ball fake, Pau Gasol didn’t make any complicated moves, but instead suddenly exerted force with his feet and scored with a pull-up jump shot!

After scoring 2 points in isolation, Pau Gasol also breathed a sigh of relief.

Wasting possessions would put immense pressure on him.

In return, the Lakers had another simple and crude offense, and Shaquille O’Neal stepped to the free-throw line.

From the commentary booth, Kevin Harlan, seeing the score difference not shrinking, began to talk about topics outside the game:

“The New York Knicks have increased Pau Gasol’s offensive involvement this year. In his third professional season, compared to when he first entered the league, Pau Gasol is playing more aggressively!”

Doug Collins, who liked the New York Knicks’ team culture, recalled Kwame Brown, whom he had coached, and couldn’t help but exclaim:

“Even the most talented players need a lot of playing time and shot attempts to grow.”

“The New York Knicks clearly have a long-term plan. They regard Pau Gasol as the cornerstone of their interior, so they naturally have to gradually increase his tactical status.”

“Darko Miličić of the Detroit Pistons doesn’t seem to have won the trust of Head Coach Larry Brown yet, which is definitely not a good thing for a Rookie.”

While the two were still chatting, Shaquille O’Neal missed his second free throw, the rebound was secured by Pau Gasol, and then another long pass followed.

Payton tried hard to defend, constantly making small fouls, but Lee still successfully scooped the ball at the mid-court line.

Accelerating continuously against the Defense, Lee, with the ball in his left hand, rushed faster and faster, reaching the left wing in the blink of an eye.

Payton noticed that his teammates couldn’t retreat in time.

The continuous back-and-forth runs seemed to have tired Karl Malone and Shaquille O’Neal, who had just crossed half-court at this point.

Slightly distracted, Payton realized Lee was leaning in to accelerate and quickly slid backward to the right.

With a quick crossover pull-back, Lee stopped abruptly, switched to his right hand, returned to the three-point line, looked up at the rim, and faked a gather with his left hand.

Payton instinctively followed his body, subconsciously jumping up to block.

While airborne, he could only watch as Lee lowered his center of gravity and easily squeezed past him.

“Wow!”

Watching Payton standing rooted at the three-point line after landing, the fans on site cheered again.

The Lakers had not yet completed their retreat.

Lee, who had broken into the paint, leaped high, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and scored with a gliding dunk!

Raising his arm somewhat awkwardly, Payton’s face was long as he signaled to his teammates that it was his fault.

As he prepared to receive the ball from the baseline, Payton again found Lee waiting for him under the basket, pursing his lips without speaking, letting the fans mock him.

The Lakers’ game completely turned into Shaquille O’Neal’s free throws and Karl Malone’s free throws.

In the last few minutes, this situation led to continuous boos at Madison Square Garden.

Although the referees gave the Lakers opportunities, the score difference gradually widened.

46:64. Looking at the nearly 20-point deficit, the New York fans on site began to celebrate the victory early.

Walking towards the player tunnel, O’Neal saw fans on both sides holding up his “Missing Person” signs and quickly took a deep breath to control his emotions.

Shooting 4-of-8 from the field and 4-of-7 from the free-throw line in the quarter, Shaquille O’Neal scored 12 points, half of the team’s total score.

Back in the locker room, sitting back in his seat, Shaquille O’Neal didn’t look at Kobe, who was in a “not happy” state on the other side, but instead looked at the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man and asked in a low voice:

“Why are we trailing by so much? This doesn’t align with our game plan!”

Phil Jackson, of course, wouldn’t say that the backcourt was completely suppressed.

Looking at Shaquille O’Neal, he seriously found an excuse for him:

“We just couldn’t make our shots!”

“…”

Derek Fisher had just returned to his seat. Hearing the Head Coach’s words, he awkwardly lowered his head and drank water, having shot 0-of-5 with zero points, missing open jump shots repeatedly.

Payton’s face was equally grim.

He had scored zero points in the first half, and these words were also meant for him.

Karl Malone knew the game was lost.

At this moment, he transformed into a “Good Brother” and began to comfort Kobe:

“Everyone has impulsive moments. This is just a regular season game!”

“There’s no need to complain about losing. Be a man, and we’ll win it back when we return home!”

The Good Brother’s words made a somewhat remorseful Kobe nod repeatedly.

He took the blame for the loss upon himself:

“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have been so competitive with the opponent’s role players, and I shouldn’t have complained to the referee. I ruined the game.”

“I promise, when we return home, we will defeat the opponent!”

Kobe’s expression was serious as he quietly admitted his mistake to everyone, but Phil Jackson didn’t buy it.

After that sexual assault incident, he simply disliked Kobe.

After the second half began, as game time passed and the score difference didn’t shrink, the New York Knicks started to try more tactical plays.

Payton was so thoroughly harassed by Lee that he completely lost his temper.

Seeing no hope of catching up, he simply let loose, firing wildly from beyond the three-point line.

After missing an open three-pointer, the New York Knicks began a new round of transition offense.

Towards the end of the 3rd quarter, too much back-and-forth running caused Shaquille O’Neal to raise his hand and signal for a substitution.

The big man was done playing.

He chose to surrender early.

Watching both sides begin making lineup rotations, Kevin Harlan in the commentary booth also found an excuse for the Lakers:

“Playing a back-to-back game, the Lakers’ stamina is affected. Considering their roster structure, their poor outside shooting touch tonight is understandable.”

“The regular season has just begun, and Head Coach Phil Jackson still needs to continue to integrate the lineup.

Relying solely on star isolation plays, it’s difficult to defeat the defending champions!”

Gary Payton shot 0-of-8 tonight, scoring 4 points in the 3rd quarter from free throws.

Doug Collins, after seeing the statistics, also found an excuse for the veteran:

“Payton clearly hasn’t adapted to the team’s tactical system yet. We should give him more time. I believe as the season progresses, he will gradually find his form!”

After the 4th quarter began, Head Coach Mike D’Antoni stood courtside with his arms crossed, smiling as he watched the situation on the court.

He still felt some regret that the Lakers had surrendered too early.

He hadn’t even had time to adjust to a small lineup before the opponent gave up.

The Lakers, who surrendered too early, encountered an awkward situation: their bench lineup was too weak and was heavily attacked by the New York Knicks’ rotation lineup!

As the score difference widened, the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden grew even more fervent, and the New York fans on site cheered loudly.

This situation also made the atmosphere group excited, as they completely dominated the opponent on both ends of the court.

Phil Jackson, sitting on the bench, watched Tayshaun Prince steal the ball from Luke Walton and instinctively rubbed his forehead.

After the steal, Tayshaun Prince completed an uncontested gliding dunk, and Madison Square Garden erupted once again.

The Lakers’ frontcourt trio of Luke Walton, Bryon Russell, and Horace Grant also had no good way to deal with Amar’e Stoudemire.

Low-post strong attacks, strong drives after pick-and-rolls, follow-up dunks in transition offense, and big blocks on Defense—Amar’e Stoudemire was completely on fire in the latter half of the quarter.

Derek Fisher and the atmosphere group member Kareem Rush, who had entered the game, were already numb.

Matt Barnes, who rarely got playing time, showed no intention of taking it easy.

The big man, Wright, also wanted to find his rhythm against the soft opponent.

For a time, the Lakers experienced a scoring drought.

It wasn’t until the final 58 seconds of the game that Derek Fisher made the Lakers’ first three-pointer of the night.

As both sides stopped attacking, the New York fans on site stood up, applauding, and cheers once again echoed throughout the Madison Square Garden.

88:116, the New York Knicks decisively defeated their opponent, continuing their winning streak.

Returning to the player tunnel early, the Lakers players just wanted to leave.

It was a nightmarish game.

Playing just 31 minutes, he shot 11-of-18 from the field, 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line, tallying 32 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, and 1 turnover.

After the game, when an ESPN reporter interviewed Lee, they no longer mentioned statistics.

Due to the excessive noise on site, they had to raise their voice and ask a simple question loudly:

“Lee, tonight’s game, we witnessed your excellent Defense!”

“Gary Payton only had 4 points and also committed 4 turnovers. Are you planning to compete for the Defensive Player of the Year award this year?”

Lee had broken a sweat in the first quarter, but later, when the Lakers stopped resisting, he also slacked off.

Upon hearing this question, he immediately shook his head:

“Ron is a better defender. He’s always responsible for defending the opponent’s core players.”

“I respect Payton, but no one can fight against time, and he’s no different.”

“For me, playing against such a veteran is actually a very easy task! I just completed the task assigned by the coaching staff.”

“…”

Shaquille O’Neal did not attend the post-game press conference due to a recurrence of his toe injury.

When Kobe and Good Brother Karl Malone appeared together before the sports media, a Los Angeles Times reporter was the first to ask:

“Kobe, can you talk about your performance? 28 points, we shouldn’t have lost by so much. In the 4th quarter, our bench even scored only 18 points.”

Kobe, in a bad mood, was somewhat silent.

He didn’t want to make excuses.

Good Brother Karl Malone then proactively helped his younger brother out of the predicament:

“I like Kobe’s performance. He fought like a man tonight!”

“This is just an ordinary regular season game. We haven’t officially played together for more than a month.”

“The opponent is the defending champion. I don’t want to emphasize how strong they are, but don’t forget they just won 73 games last season.”

“Time will tell. At the end of this season, you will see the Lakers lift the championship trophy!”

Karl Malone, who was usually not good with words, suddenly offered some comforting words, which deeply moved Kobe.

Looking at his Good Brother, who was arguing fiercely with the sports media below the stage, Kobe secretly made a resolution:

“I must win the championship this year!”

Although the Lakers’ loss caused some discussion among sports critics, as Michael Jackson formed a dream legal team, sports programs also began to follow suit and gossip.

On the 21st, the attention of the entire United States was drawn to Michael Jackson’s fan club.

Fans spontaneously organized and gathered on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to protest, firmly believing that Michael Jackson was maliciously slandered.

The gossip-loving public in Los Angeles at this time no longer cared about the Lakers’ loss.

They had long forgotten the game.

Several news channels on TV repeatedly broadcast updates on the case.

Celebrities in the entertainment industry also took this opportunity to gain exposure, appearing on shows one after another, recounting the rumors they had heard.

That night, during the Knicks’ away game against the Detroit Pistons, some fans even held up white boards to voice support for Michael Jackson.

Wherever there was a live TV broadcast, these staunch fans could be seen.

After Head Coach Larry Brown took over the Detroit Pistons, the team’s offense did not improve.

In the starting lineup, Chauncey Billups and Hamilton in the backcourt were still the main scorers.

The three starting frontcourt players tonight, Tremaine Fowlkes, Ben Wallace, and Elden Campbell, had poor offensive capabilities.

In the first quarter, Clay Lee defended Chauncey Billups, who shot 2-for-8, 0-for-3 from beyond the arc, scoring only 4 points.

With the main scorer restricted, the Detroit Pistons’ offense became even more sluggish.

The Detroit Pistons trailed by 11 points, 27:16, in a single quarter, thanks to their excellent Defense.

During the rotation, Corliss Williamson kept clanking shots, which gradually widened the score gap.

Larry Brown roared repeatedly, but still couldn’t stop the Knicks from scoring.

Amar’e Stoudemire has been in excellent form recently, without any complicated moves.

He receives the ball in the low post, and with his more agile body, he quickly turns and forces his way to the basket.

After receiving the ball on a pick-and-roll, he uses his excellent explosiveness to throw himself into the air, easily getting points.

On the Defense end, the Knicks adhered to zone Defense.

In their 3-2 zone, they intentionally gave opponents corner three-pointers, and with Dikembe Mutombo able to provide help Defense for Amar’e Stoudemire, the Knicks’ rotation completely suppressed their opponents.

At halftime, the score was 55:38, and the game had lost its suspense.

During halftime, Ben Wallace returned to his seat silently.

Although he worked very hard on the Defense end, he still felt powerless against Amar’e Stoudemire’s onslaught.

Defense is never a one-person job.

When Lee and Amar’e Stoudemire initiated a pick-and-roll, if an on-ball defender lost position, Ben Wallace had to help out.

This gave Amar’e Stoudemire an opportunity.

As long as he received the ball in the middle, he could always drive to the basket and score.

After leaving the Knicks, Ben Wallace, although he reaped honors, saw a significant decrease in exposure.

In addition, in last year’s playoff Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Nets, the Detroit Pistons lost the rebound battle in all four games, and Ben Wallace faced criticism.

He consistently recorded good rebounding numbers in every game, but in the series, the Detroit Pistons were outrebounded by the Nets.

Chauncey Billups was the same.

He won a championship with the Knicks, but after coming to the Detroit Pistons, he was schooled by Kidd, and his performance in last year’s Eastern Conference Semifinals was extremely poor.

Even if he had a good regular season record, he would falter in the playoffs.

This soft performance also drew a lot of criticism for Chauncey Billups.

Hamilton, seeing no one speaking, took the initiative to speak up in the locker room, encouraging them with a serious expression:

“There’s still time in the game, we need to pick ourselves up! It doesn’t matter if we miss shots, play good Defense, and we’ll find opportunities!”

“…”

In the locker room, Ben Wallace was considered a team leader, but Hamilton’s words had little impact.

Ben Wallace was still in a state of self-doubt.

Head Coach Larry Brown returned to the locker room without offering any comforting words.

Instead, he drew on the tactics board, sternly criticizing the team’s Defense.

“The double-teaming must be decisive! I don’t want to see you arbitrarily changing the game plan set before the game again!”

“Listen, you can’t defeat the defending champions with just talent. We can’t make mistakes. We have to cherish every possession!”

After the 3rd quarter began, Larry Brown’s arrangements had no effect whatsoever.

Pau Gasol frequently received the ball in the restricted area to orchestrate the offense.

Ben Wallace could only watch the Knicks execute his familiar Flex screens, repeatedly cutting into the paint to score.

In the latter half of the game, Clay Lee and Pau Gasol increased the number of hand-off plays.

When the Defense was out of position, Ben Wallace could only watch Lee shoot jump shots from beyond the arc.

More off-ball movement, more screens, more transition offense.

Grant Hill was like a tiger on fast breaks in the 3rd quarter, driving and drawing fouls, continuously scoring!

Under the Detroit Pistons’ tenacious Defense, the Knicks completely sealed the victory with a 32:20 single quarter, securing the win.

At 87:58, in the Auburn Hills Palace, Detroit Pistons fans began to boo Grant Hill.

Every time he faced his former team, Grant Hill would exert himself.

It wasn’t until the 4th quarter entered garbage time that the Detroit Pistons’ Defense finally had an effect, but the fans on site had long lost their enthusiasm, quietly waiting for the game to end.

Ultimately, 111:84, the Knicks continued their winning streak.

Having lost by a large margin, the Detroit Pistons players were in low spirits and left early after exchanging greetings.

As he walked towards the player tunnel, Ewing, who had seen the box score, also felt sorry for the former Little Ben:

“Ben’s height is his biggest disadvantage. After all these years, his offense is still the same.”

Gorilla looked down on Ben Wallace’s skills.

Tonight, his former teammate shot 4-for-11, scoring 8 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers.

Facing the Knicks’ interior, the Detroit Pistons’ rebounding also had problems, losing by 9 rebounds (49:40) even with garbage time.

While his teammates were still gossiping about Michael Jackson, Lee heard Ewing’s words and casually replied:

“Ben can get a big contract just by relying on his Defense. As for offense, that’s just a little bonus gift!”

“…”

On the 22nd, back in Manhattan, the Knicks played their last game of the week, a back-to-back against the 76ers.

Allen Iverson shot 3-for-10 in the first half, 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, scoring 10 points.

At 40:58, after halftime, the 76ers were already trailing by 18 points.

Lee, who was completely focused on Defense, made Allen Iverson lose his way again.

Halfway through the 3rd quarter, Allen Iverson continued to clank shots.

With 3-for-9 shooting and 8 points in a single quarter, Allen Iverson led the Knicks on a scoring run.

After three quarters, at 62:86, the game once again entered garbage time.

At Madison Square Garden, Allen Iverson couldn’t even get free throws.

After being hit hard, when he lay on the floor, he was mocked by the fans.

Ultimately, 82:116, the Knicks defeated the 76ers by a large margin.

A frustrated Allen Iverson suffered a recurrence of his knee injury after the game and was unable to attend the press conference.

In several consecutive games, Clay Lee had double-doubles of 28+10.

Although his stats looked ordinary, his presence on the court was extremely strong.

New York fans loved seeing Lee frustrate opposing core players.

The only thing they regretted was that there were too few players with the guts to provoke Lee.

After several years of being beaten down, most players in the Eastern Conference had become numb.

Perhaps only when the 2003 Rookies grow up and Lee becomes an old man will the fans see the fun they have been hoping for.

Lee, making a rare appearance at a press conference, walked onto the stage in a black suit and white sneakers, and many media reporters started clicking their cameras.

The New York Times reporter did not discuss the outcome of tonight’s game much.

In everyone’s opinion, the 76ers were just there to boost records:

“Lee, we noticed that Red Football Capital seems to have launched another bid to acquire Manchester United.”

“Fans in the UK have reacted strongly to this, and protests by fans even broke out at Old Trafford.”

“Does this mean that this acquisition will end in failure?”

The gossip-loving public was no longer satisfied with NBA news.

Lee stroked his chin, not expecting the New York reporters to be so well-informed:

“Of course, I won’t give up the acquisition. The fans in the UK just don’t understand me.”

“Acquisition will be a long process. All I have to do is be patient. Opportunity always favors the prepared!”

The New York Post reporter was more concerned about Lee’s recent Defense:

“Lee, can you talk about your performance on the Defense end this season?”

“In several games, you’ve limited your opposing players’ scoring to under 20 points. Such a performance is truly outstanding!”

“Ron’s performance is even better; everyone can pay attention to his performance.”

Lee, as always, stood up for his teammates.

He did exert himself on the Defense end, but there was no complex reason.

Hearing everyone still praising his Defense, he felt both amused and helpless:

“I just want to find more fun.”

…..

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep