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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 May 10, 2005, the NBA announced this season’s Coach of the Year (COY):

Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs received this award.

With good news lifting his spirits, and the San Antonio Spurs defeating the Dallas Mavericks last night, Popovich, doubly delighted, couldn’t stop smiling as he accepted the trophy.

This season, the San Antonio Spurs led the Western Conference, and if Duncan hadn’t suffered from plantar fasciitis, they even had a chance to surpass the New York Knicks’ record.

With three players selected as All-Stars and his coaching ability recognized, Popovich could be considered a renowned Head Coach among many, aside from not winning a championship.

San Antonio local sports media took this opportunity to sing praises for the San Antonio Spurs, as the team’s rebuilding speed was faster than fans expected!

The rise of Manu Ginobili this year gave San Antonio Spurs fans hope once again.

Popovich, accepting the award, was naturally asked about the championship’s whereabouts again.

Duncan didn’t win MVP this year, so the old man started his interview by painting a picture:

“I hope Tim can lift a trophy even more. He is the San Antonio Spurs’ hero!”

“Fortunately, we still have a chance to win the Finals MVP, and I believe Tim will like this award.”

Most sports reporters didn’t react much to this answer.

After the Lakers disbanded, although the Phoenix Suns had a good record and the Seattle SuperSonics entered the upper half, both teams found it difficult to threaten the San Antonio Spurs.

The Dallas Mavericks were also old rivals, and everyone believed the San Antonio Spurs would reach the Western Conference Finals again, and even the Finals would not be a problem.

As for the championship, people still didn’t believe the San Antonio Spurs could lift the trophy.

After boasting for a while, Popovich found no one following his lead, and in the end, he could only say good things about Duncan to conclude the interview.

Duncan’s stats in the playoffs remained the same.

He hadn’t scored 30 points once yet.

Under Popovich’s “selfish basketball theory,” Duncan consistently maintained his status as a selfless leader.

With his Head Coach winning an award, Duncan, who was still preparing for Game 2, also offered his congratulations during an interview:

“The Head Coach helped us establish our locker room culture. He is better than you imagine, and we will succeed!”

Despite being bothered by injuries, Duncan’s performance in the playoffs was consistently stable, except for a sudden dip in the first round’s Game 1.

Having eliminated Carmelo Anthony, the Rookie, Duncan, who had dominated the opposing paint, didn’t show much emotion.

This demeanor was deeply appreciated by some sports reporters, who liked players like Duncan who always remained calm and rational.

Stan Van Gundy unfortunately missed out, and the Heat, also preparing for that night’s game, naturally had to speak up for their Head Coach.

Shaquille O’Neal, who had been thoroughly embarrassed in the previous game, remained the same, continuing his big-mouthed talk before the game:

“Our record improved more, and the Heat also had frequent matchups with the New York Knicks.”

“The San Antonio Spurs didn’t encounter such difficulties. The Western Conference environment helped them achieve 60 wins, which is unfair to us.”

“Head Coach Stan Van Gundy should have won the award. He is underestimated!”

Although Dwyane Wade was the nominal leader of the Heat, media reporters still preferred Shaquille O’Neal.

Dwyane Wade, still immersed in the joy of the playoffs, didn’t mind this at the moment, as Shaquille O’Neal’s arrival indeed brought him more attention.

Besides speaking up for his Head Coach, Dwyane Wade was actually more focused on the All-NBA Teams that would be announced later.

The Heat finished second in the Eastern Conference this season, and their excellent record gave Dwyane Wade more confidence.

When discussing the upcoming selections, he proactively declared:

“I believe I am one of the best backcourt players in the NBA. There should be a spot for me on the All-NBA Team!”

When asked if he could be selected for the All-NBA First Team, Dwyane Wade still wasn’t thick-skinned enough, stating that he would be satisfied just to be selected for any All-NBA Team.

The Detroit Pistons, still in Miami, were once again ignored.

Although they won an away game, their key players didn’t generate much buzz.

In that night’s game, as if to prove he deserved an All-NBA spot, Dwyane Wade completely exploded.

15-of-28 shooting, 10-of-10 from the free-throw line, 40 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 4 turnovers.

Dwyane Wade, playing 43 minutes, delivered a perfect stat line, leading the Heat to tie the series.

Dwyane Wade shot 11-of-18 in the second half, and an astonishing 9-of-14 in the fourth quarter alone, scoring 20 points!

With his younger teammate performing excellently, Shaquille O’Neal, who had a relatively quiet game, chuckled and shouted to the media after the game:

“The Flash!”

“You see, The Flash is unstoppable!”

Anyone could tell that O’Neal was in high spirits after the win.

His old partner Kobe was past his prime, and his newly acquired younger teammate was dominating, which seemed to prove his importance.

The Seattle SuperSonics also protected their home court in last night’s game, leading the series 2-0.

Steve Nash failed to carry the team’s offense, and Joe Johnson also suffered an injury.

Marion was the most consistent player on the team, but unfortunately, he was a bricklayer from beyond the arc last night.

This series didn’t generate much discussion among commentators.

Many had already anticipated Steve Nash’s inability to carry the offense.

Before flying to the away game on the morning of the 11th, Ray Allen, usually outspoken, didn’t speak bluntly during his interview.

Instead, Lewis confidently stated:

“Modern basketball has changed. Optimally utilizing court width and distributing offensive space are what championship teams should do.”

“We are more mature than the Phoenix Suns. Head Coach McMillan changed our tactical approach a long time ago, and he should receive more respect.”

“I know how to win a championship. Perhaps you should watch our games more instead of constantly focusing on the San Antonio Spurs.”

Mainstream media in Seattle had high expectations for the Seattle SuperSonics.

Not long ago, Shawn Kemp was arrested for marijuana, and a generation of fans’ memories had faded.

With the new Seattle SuperSonics rising again, everyone expected this team to return to the Finals.

Since the New York Knicks easily defeated the Cavaliers and won Game 1, the hype for this series plummeted.

A Rookie is just a Rookie.

Although LeBron James had impressive stats, he still failed to meet commentators’ expectations.

It was another three-quarter game for him: 9-of-18 shooting, 0-of-3 from beyond the arc, 5-of-8 from the free-throw line, 23 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 turnovers.

A strong start and a weak finish—that was LeBron James’s performance in Game 1.

As for the Rookie Dwight Howard, he shot 3-of-7 from the field and 4-of-6 from the free-throw line, finishing with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 turnovers, continuing his performance from the first round.

On offense, once he moved away from the basket, this Rookie seemed lost.

In the playoffs, second-chance points became Dwight Howard’s primary scoring method.

Tonight’s game will be broadcast by TNT, Game 3 by ESPN, and Game 4 by ABC.

The broadcasters for this series all sent their best commentary teams, but the Cavaliers lost Game 1 by too much, turning pre-game predictions into a one-sided affair.

Compared to the series’ popularity, the news broken by British mainstream media this morning—that Red Football Capital had reached an agreement with Manchester United’s major shareholders Manier and McManus—was even more shocking.

After acquiring the 28.7% stake in Manchester United controlled by their Cubic Expression, Red Football Capital would gain a 58% controlling interest.

At the end of last year, Manchester United had rejected another takeover bid, negotiations failed, and fans protested continuously.

Just a few months later, the situation suddenly reversed, which stunned British sports media.

After news broke that old Glazer had failed to secure a loan from JPMorgan Chase not long ago, Wall Street had anticipated that Red Football Capital would ultimately prevail, but they also didn’t expect the acquisition to happen so quickly.

After the news broke this morning, Bobby Axelrod personally announced again in an interview with The Guardian this afternoon:

“We have reached an agreement with Mr. Dobson. Red Football Capital has purchased his shares.”

Acquiring another 6.45% of the Scot’s shares on the same day, the acquisition was now a foregone conclusion.

Merrill Lynch also joined in, leaking to Wall Street that Red Football Capital was aggressively buying shares in the market, with its stake already exceeding 74%.

At the current pace, by next week, the actual controller of Manchester United will change hands, and Red Football Capital, along with two hedge funds and JPMorgan Chase, will share this massive pie.

The Cavaliers, still preparing in New York, became invisible again.

Throughout the afternoon, no one paid attention to the gossip about LeBron James and his agent Goodwin, and no one believed they could defeat the defending champions.

During the early warm-up, sports reporters gathered around Lee, trying to get firsthand information.

With just over a day of rest, neither side had much time for adjustments, and the questions during interviews were unrelated to tonight’s game.

The New York Times reporter was the most gossipy, and everyone knew Lee, so he went straight to the point and asked:

“Lee, will you choose to delist from the London Stock Exchange in the future?”

Regarding the plan for relisting, Lee naturally didn’t hide it and immediately gave a positive answer:

“Of course, we will delist after the compulsory acquisition of the remaining shares.”

“We have a detailed business plan, and after relisting in the United States, we will listen to more sponsorship offers in June.”

The questions were varied, and Lee answered patiently, as for the game that night, it seemed to have become unimportant.

The game officially started at 7 PM.

Before the game, Head Coach Van Gundy took the blame for the previous game again during an interview:

“When we were behind, our tactics were too conservative!”

“Against the defending champions, the most important thing is to control the pace of the game. After the last game, I believe my players can respond.”

Sports reporters were more concerned about whether the Cavaliers would change their game strategy.

In response, Head Coach Van Gundy answered with a serious expression and a firm tone:

“We will continue the strategy from the last game on both offense and Defense!”

“Now, all we need to do is stay confident, put the ball in the basket, and respond promptly.”

Before the game started, at the TNT commentary desk, Kevin Harlan chatted about Game 1, joking with a laugh:

“Although the Cavaliers played well on Defense, there is still a huge gap between them and the defending champions.”

“They are always the first to make mistakes, with 5 turnovers in a single quarter. In such a situation, perhaps the Cavaliers could beat the Chicago Bulls, but they cannot win against the New York Knicks.”

“For Head Coach Van Gundy, perhaps he is missing Lee’s ability to make response shots. In this regard, LeBron still has much to improve.”

After hearing this, Doug Collins commented on the current Cavaliers from another perspective:

“What they lack is scoring consistency. Zydrunas Ilgauskas’s jump shot can help the team, but at critical moments, he cannot respond.”

“In a zone Defense, once a rotation occurs and Dwight Howard comes to the free-throw line, their Defense will have problems.”

“This is indeed a high demand for Dwight Howard, considering he is still a high school Rookie, there are indeed many aspects he needs to learn.”

“In a series like this, it’s hard to win games with just talent. I’m more looking forward to the Cavaliers putting more pressure on their opponents with rebounds.”

Unlike the ABC broadcast, Kevin Harlan and Doug Collins almost directly said the Cavaliers would lose.

During the regular season, the two broadcasted many of the New York Knicks’ national live games, and like the three-person team in the back studio, they also felt there was no suspense in the series.

Madison Square Garden was still packed tonight. New York fans, realizing the Rookie’s strength was lacking, knew it would be difficult for the series to return to their home court.

They could still watch the Nets game next door, but when facing the Cavaliers, most fans would still choose to support the home team from their televisions during away games.

When the game started at 7 PM, the New York fans’ cheers grew even louder.

As if it were a replay of the game two days ago, Zydrunas Ilgauskas again scored continuously for the Cavaliers with a combination of free throws and shots.

On the Defense end, the Cavaliers also changed some details.

Dwight Howard desperately made big hedges on pick-and-rolls, and Jeff McInnis on the perimeter started guarding Clay Lee from the opening, trying to wear him down.

When facing such double-teams, the offensive ball initiated by Lee moved quickly.

With 8 minutes and 31 seconds left in the first quarter, Zydrunas Ilgauskas had already scored 6 points, and Newble and Jeff McInnis also had points.

10:10, both sides traded leads, and the Cavaliers once again had a perfect start.

The opposing big man made another jump shot from the free-throw line.

Mike D’Antoni stood up on the sideline, arms crossed, giving no specific instructions, quietly watching Lee receive the ball on the baseline.

“Let’s go Knicks!”

Unable to take an early lead, the New York fans present didn’t care, continuing to shout loudly and waving their orange handkerchiefs.

The Cavaliers stuck to a 3-2 zone Defense, occasionally switching to a 1-2-2 zone Defense after the opening.

In response, the New York Knicks only ran one play.

Not rushing to attack, Lee, who had dribbled past half-court, saw LeBron James and Newble again shrinking inside the three-point line, positioned on the left and right wings.

Their in-between positions precisely cut off passing lanes and allowed for double-teams at any time.

Amidst the cheers, Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, shielded it with his body, made a simple gesture, and soon, Kurt Thomas and Pau Gasol accelerated up to set a double screen again.

The two Cavaliers big men naturally wouldn’t follow out.

Before the screen could happen, they actively moved towards the baseline corner, ready to close out on a three-pointer at any moment.

As Pau Gasol approached the left wing to set the screen, Lee, shielding the ball with his body, first performed a quick dribble in place.

As his defender closed in, he smoothly spun to his back, dribbled with his left hand, and accelerated horizontally.

LeBron James had established his defensive position early, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas behind him also expanded out, strictly guarding the baseline three-pointer.

The solid screen allowed Clay Lee to shake off Jeff McInnis behind him.

Facing the switched-on LeBron James, he pushed the ball while moving, changing direction.

Switching to his right hand, Lee dipped his shoulder and slowed down, gaining more than half a step, leaning into LeBron James and driving straight to the basket.

LeBron James, desperately chasing on Defense, collided with Lee near the free-throw line.

Observing Dwight Howard twisting back to defend, Lee simply slowed down and gathered the ball.

Directly in front of the basket, after a step-through, Lee bumped LeBron James aside and tossed the ball towards the rim with his right hand!

Dwight Howard under the basket jumped to block, stretching his right arm with effort, but could only watch the basketball arc high and drop precisely into the basket.

10:12, Clay Lee made another response shot.

Although Tayshaun Prince in the right corner had an open opportunity, Lee usually wouldn’t pass the ball in a stalemate.

Head Coach Van Gundy knew Lee’s habits.

Although Dwight Howard failed to make a successful Defense, he kept clapping on the sideline, loudly encouraging:

“Good job!”

The cheers quickly drowned out Head Coach Van Gundy’s shouts, and the defensive cheers rose again.

LeBron James, who had already crossed the half-court line, was not in a hurry to demand the ball.

Jeff McInnis first initiated a pick-and-roll with Zydrunas Ilgauskas at the top of the arc.

Clay Lee squeezed through the screen, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, nearing the right elbow area, immediately passed the ball back to the big man and accelerated towards the right baseline corner.

Receiving the ball at the top of the arc, Zydrunas Ilgauskas turned his body and moved towards the left wing.

Raja Bell disrupted LeBron James’s hand-off, forcing him to run away from the three-point line.

When LeBron James received the pass, Zydrunas Ilgauskas followed up with a high pick-and-roll.

Dribbling the ball with his right hand and moving horizontally, observing Raja Bell going under the screen and Pau Gasol dropping back into the paint, LeBron James passed the ball back to Zydrunas Ilgauskas again.

Receiving the ball in the left elbow area, the hot-handed big man didn’t hesitate, taking the ball and shooting.

“Thud!”

The basketball hit the rim and bounced out.

Kurt Thomas got in front of Dwight Howard and grabbed the rebound.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas missed his first shot, and cheers erupted again in the Madison Square Garden.

Lee, who received the ball, didn’t push the pace quickly, as the Cavaliers, retreating rapidly on Defense, had already established their defensive positions.

LeBron James and Newble clung to Pau Gasol and Kurt Thomas, preventing the New York Knicks from initiating a quick pick-and-roll.

At the same time, the two big men who had retreated to the basket continued to move towards the baseline corner, ready to close out at any moment.

With a “V-shaped” alignment, the New York Knicks continued the same play without Lee’s prompting.

Under the pressure, Kurt Thomas actively came to the three-point line to set a screen.

Seeing Lee dribble behind his back to his right hand, using the screen to shake off Jeff McInnis, Newble immediately closed in to defend.

Lee, moving horizontally, didn’t wait to reach the right wing, and while in motion, suddenly whipped the ball towards the basket.

Pau Gasol, accelerating down the lane, shook off LeBron James behind him, received the pass in the paint, and smoothly put the ball into the basket.

“Wow!”

The spectacular alley-oop ignited the atmosphere in the Madison Square Garden.

Pau Gasol gave a thumbs-up while retreating on Defense.

Clay Lee had still seen the fleeting opportunity.

LeBron James, who made a mistake on Defense, frustratingly patted his chest.

He should have reminded his teammate, but the offense happened too quickly.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who missed his jump shot, was no longer the primary scorer.

After running past half-court, the big man received the ball in the right elbow area and immediately called for LeBron James to receive the ball.

Jeff McInnis, who made the pass, ran towards the left wing to create space.

LeBron James, who had just completed a cross-screen on the baseline, accelerated from the right baseline corner towards the top of the key.

At the elbow, receiving a hand-off from his teammate, LeBron James put the ball down with his left hand.

Noticing that the switched-on Tayshaun Prince had squeezed through the screen, he took two big dribbles, leaned into the defender, and suddenly stopped short.

He smoothly stepped back horizontally, and LeBron James, who had just dribbled past the free-throw line, drifted left with his body, and his jump shot missed.

Dwight Howard, who was aggressively fighting for a rebound under the basket, was provoked by Kurt Thomas’s subtle foul and instinctively shoved him, resulting in the referee catching him in the act.

Halfway through the quarter, he picked up a foul, and Howard shrugged his hands at the referee indifferently.

Seizing this opportunity, the Cavaliers quickly retreated on Defense, and Head Coach Van Gundy on the sidelines loudly called for his players to establish their defensive positions.

LeBron James was responsible for covering Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who wasn’t quick at lateral movement, while Dwight Howard under the basket “cleaned up” for Newble on the perimeter.

Watching the Knicks run the same play again, LeBron James and Newble both became a bit agitated.

On the left wing, Pau Gasol, who had moved up, suddenly faked a screen and rolled to the basket, prompting LeBron James to warn Zydrunas Ilgauskas behind him.

Clay Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, didn’t wait for the double-team to form on the perimeter.

While moving, he flicked his left wrist, and the ball flew to Raja Bell in the left corner.

LeBron James could only sprint towards the corner, attempting to close out, but Raja Bell caught and shot immediately, so his jump to block didn’t have much effect.

“Swish!” The three-pointer swished through the net.

10:17, the renewed cheers in the Madison Square Garden immediately prompted Head Coach Van Gundy on the sidelines to call a timeout.

Watching Lee continuously dissect the opponent’s Defense, Doug Collins didn’t analyze the tactics much but rather chuckled and joked:

“Clay Lee likes to pass when he’s leading. LeBron James should realize that!”

“By the way, when the Knicks are ahead, his outside shooting gets even more accurate.”

Most players are bricklayers when trailing and gods when leading, so Kevin Harlan also laughed, making fun of Head Coach Van Gundy’s game strategy:

“Switch to man-to-man Defense, have LeBron James guard Clay Lee. This is what we discussed before the game.”

After the timeout, the Cavaliers, who re-entered the game, felt technically knocked out.

The Knicks’ tactics hadn’t changed since the start of the game, yet their successful defensive possessions were extremely limited.

On the next possession, on the left wing, LeBron James received the ball and continued to initiate a pick-and-roll with Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

Facing a drop Defense, LeBron James immediately gathered the ball and hit a long two-pointer from just inside the three-point line.

12:17, Head Coach Van Gundy continued to loudly encourage his players, and the Cavaliers’ Defense also switched to man-to-man.

Learning from the previous game, they didn’t stubbornly give up three-pointers. Jeff McInnis guarded Raja Bell, following him as he ran to the left wing.

“Let’s go Knicks!”

Amidst the cheers, Lee dribbled past half-court, ball in his right hand, and arrived near the top of the arc.

Looking at LeBron James, who was standing on the three-point line, he began calling Pau Gasol to the free-throw line.

Once the opponent switched to man-to-man Defense, the Knicks switched to a 1-3-1 alignment, with only Kurt Thomas remaining near the basket.

Noticing the movement behind him, LeBron James quickly stepped forward to stick close.

Clay Lee first dribbled behind his back, switched to his left hand, and then suddenly lowered his center of gravity.

As Pau Gasol set his screen, Lee executed a small in-and-out dribble, and just as his body feinted to the left-front, he suddenly changed direction with a crossover dribble.

LeBron, subtly holding onto Pau Gasol, instinctively slid to the right, attempting to squeeze through the screen, but the ball disappeared in front of him, and when he tried to chase, he collided with Pau Gasol.

Newble on the right wing slid over in time, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas also moved horizontally to attempt a big hedge.

Lee, having shaken off his defender and switched the ball to his right hand, suddenly dribbled the ball between his legs just as the Defense was about to arrive.

Dwight Howard under the basket first saw the ball fly between his two teammates, then saw Lee forcefully squeeze through, and re-gather the ball in the paint.

In the blink of an eye, Lee, who had driven directly in front of the basket, jumped, and Dwight Howard instinctively jumped to block.

Mindful of Kurt Thomas behind him, Dwight Howard, unable to fully jump, could only watch as Clay Lee collided with his chest.

Losing his balance in the air, Dwight Howard’s eyes widened.

He could only symbolically reach out his hand.

Clay Lee, unaffected, continued to ascend, his head level with the rim, as he pulled his right arm back, gripping the ball.

Bending his body and exerting force, after a brief suspension, Lee, over Dwight Howard, directly slammed the ball into the basket!

The rim rattled, and Kevin Harlan joined the New York fans in a loud roar:

“OH–!”

“Clay Lee! Monster dunk!”

Dwight Howard, after landing, fell heavily beside the camera, completely stunned.

He opened his mouth wide, momentarily forgetting the pain in his body.

Fans in the front row saw Lee pound his chest and roar, and they instantly became red-faced with excitement, joining in the shouting to vent their thrill.

On the Knicks’ bench, everyone was jumping and cheering.

On the other side, the Cavaliers’ atmosphere group, Charlie Ward and others, instinctively covered their faces, as if they were there, feeling Dwight Howard’s pain.

12:19, LeBron James watched the Knicks players on the court celebrate happily, feeling even more dejected.

Pulling up the unfortunate Dwight Howard and reminding his teammates to inbound the ball quickly, LeBron James ran towards half-court, trying to keep himself calm.

A monstrous dunk seemed to affect Dwight Howard’s mood.

The Rookie was distracted and no longer aggressively fought for rebounds.

Fortunately, Zydrunas Ilgauskas’s jump shot returned.

After a pick-and-roll, he received a pass from LeBron James in the right elbow area, helping the team score.

Still man-to-man Defense, Lee accelerated his drive.

When he reached the top of the arc, the Cavaliers had just retreated to their defensive matchups.

Maintaining a defensive distance, LeBron stood on the three-point line, watching Lee suddenly change direction with a crossover, lowering his center of gravity extremely low, and instinctively sliding to the right.

Suddenly increasing his dribbling speed, Lee changed direction with a crossover in front of his body, instantly shaking off his defender, and drove straight down the middle to the basket.

“Oh!”

Amidst the fans’ exclamations, Lee gathered the ball early while moving, took a gather step, and then, facing Dwight Howard’s block, he smoothly tossed the ball towards the rim with his right hand.

“Squeak!”

Dwight Howard, who had jumped hard to block, only hit Lee’s arm, and the ball, with an elevated arc, again swished precisely into the basket.

Cheers echoed throughout the Madison Square Garden, and Clay Lee turned and walked to the free-throw line, high-fiving his teammates in celebration.

Seeing LeBron James and Dwight Howard exchange frustrated glances, Lee took the ball and said with a smile:

“Rookies! Welcome to the Playoffs!”

14:22, the free throw was made, and the lead continued to widen.

Dwight Howard, who was substituted out for Drew Gooden, completely lost his cheerful mood.

Previously, New York fans couldn’t be bothered with this blue-collar number one pick, but after being posterized, the fun-loving crowd started mocking the Rookie:

“Rookie, go home to your mommy!”

“Smile again! Rookie! Give us another smile! Is Lee big enough? Fucking kid!”

The harsh trash talk made Dwight Howard somewhat angry.

He stood up, attempting to argue with the fans, but was quickly pushed down by Thibodeau.

The man-to-man Defense didn’t have much effect, and the agitated LeBron James lost his calm demeanor, constantly being faked out by Clay Lee’s center of gravity and easily blown by.

In the previous possession, LeBron James had just driven hard to the basket, went to the free-throw line, and made both free throws, only to commit a foul on the defensive end by trailing Clay Lee too closely.

Drew Gooden had witnessed how an over-eager Tracy McGrady lost games when he was with the Orlando Magic.

While Lee was shooting free throws, he immediately called for LeBron James to calm down.

In the last few minutes, aside from one score on a putback layup after an offensive rebound, LeBron’s close-range finishes continued to miss.

Kurt Thomas and Lee ran continuous pick-and-rolls, and when left open, they easily scored with jump shots from both elbow areas.

Drew Gooden’s second-chance points and jump shots helped the Cavaliers stabilize the situation.

As Lee’s last-second long-range three-pointer missed, LeBron James walked towards the bench, his lips pursed, his mood growing worse.

22:34, the lead reached double digits, and the Cavaliers on the bench were all a bit dejected.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas had the best performance, shooting 5-of-6 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, contributing 12 points.

For the Knicks, Clay Lee played the entire first quarter, shooting 6-of-7 from the field, 0-of-1 from three-point range, and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line, tallying 16 points, 1 rebound, and 5 assists.

The game quickly settled into the Knicks’ preferred rhythm, and Kevin Harlan on the commentary desk joked about the Cavaliers’ early deficit:

“A double-digit lead is not a problem for the Knicks, who have Clay Lee.”

“But for the Cavaliers’ current roster, a 12-point deficit is a nightmare start.”

Doug Collins had watched too many of Lee’s games and agreed with his partner’s assessment:

“Rookies are Rookies. They still have a lot to learn!”

“…”

…..

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep