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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 Monday, May 8, 2006, the NBA announced the DPOY for the 2005-06 season:

Ben Wallace of the Detroit Pistons won the award for the fourth time in his career.

From the atmosphere group of the Washington Bullets, to a championship piece for the New York Knicks, and then to the leader of the Detroit Pistons who won the DPOY award four times in five years!

Ben Wallace, after tying Dikembe Mutombo’s record, could truly be called a superstar.

Joe Dumars, the general manager of the Detroit Pistons, also attended the press conference, sending his blessings and assuring the fans:

“We will do everything in our power to keep Ben in the offseason. He belongs in Detroit, and we all love him!”

Ben Wallace smiled as he held the trophy, and he didn’t deny the general manager’s words.

However, local media soon revealed that he had changed agents and begun working with well-known industry insider Arn Tellem.

To keep the DPOY, the Detroit Pistons would have to offer at least a multi-year contract with a starting salary of $12 million.

Whether a deal can be reached will depend on the actions of other teams.

If Ben Wallace plays for money, the Detroit Pistons are likely to lose him.

That night, the Heat would challenge the Detroit Pistons on the road, with Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals officially beginning.

After crushing the Washington Wizards in the first round, Pat Riley faced a real test.

Shaquille O’Neal, who flew to Detroit, once again became the focus of media reporters.

Facing the DPOY’s Defense, could the big Shaq maintain his dominance?

When he arrived early at Auburn Hills Palace to warm up, Shaquille O’Neal was in a great mood, not because he was confident of victory, but because he was happy to see Kobe Bryant swept by the Dallas Mavericks.

Since turning public opinion around with high scoring, many commentators had begun to emphasize Kobe’s role in championships, which made the petty O’Neal even more displeased.

MVP and Finals MVP were his highest achievements, and he would not allow anyone to belittle the value of his championships!

Bill Russell even acted as a mediator between the two, hoping they could reconcile, but Shaquille O’Neal verbally agreed yet completely ignored Kobe Bryant, instead continuing to be sarcastic.

During the afternoon warm-up at the arena, many sports reporters gathered around Dwyane Wade.

The third-year Rookie had already shown superstar qualities, living up to the “Lee” template.

Although he hadn’t won many awards, Dwyane Wade would undoubtedly be named to an All-NBA Team this season.

When asked about tonight’s game, he naturally expressed confidence:

“The opponent is a 62-win team, and I know how strong they are.”

“But in the playoffs, it’s about response. My teammates believe in me, and I can do that!”

Since Pat Riley took over the team, Dwyane Wade hadn’t had it easy.

Although he was the team leader, he hadn’t enjoyed many privileges, and the Head Coach had very high demands on him.

Fortunately, Pat Riley’s motivational skills were profound, and he managed to trick the Heat players into training desperately.

Only Shaquille O’Neal didn’t fall for it and remained as fat as ever.

“Good boy” Dwyane Wade didn’t forget to praise the Head Coach during his interview, while on the other side, Shaquille O’Neal began his daily routine, actively guiding the conversation in front of the media:

“The championship piece has had poor results for two consecutive years. Facts prove that the piece is not a superstar. Some people are always just ordinary roles.”

“Wanting to escape the past, wanting to prove yourself, changing jersey numbers won’t do anything.”

Shaquille O’Neal’s words were directed at Kobe Bryant.

Before March 3rd, players could choose to change their jersey numbers, and only Kobe Bryant and Amare Stoudemire applied in the NBA.

The former changed from number 8 to number 24.

In Kobe’s words, he preferred 24 before the draft, and he wanted to start anew as the team leader.

Amare Stoudemire, still in recovery from injury, didn’t have as many reasons.

Changing his number was more about showing respect:

“I want to lead the team like Clay Lee. I will share my championship experience with the New York Knicks without reservation. That’s why I chose number 1.”

This news was several months old, and Shaquille O’Neal still remembered it.

The guy’s pettiness was beyond words, but the big Shaq continued to rant:

“When I win the championship again, I don’t want to hear that name. Dwyane Wade is better than him, and my little brother and I will succeed!”

Every time he was interviewed, he would sarcastically talk about his old partner.

ESPN reporters were already used to it.

Looking at Shaquille O’Neal’s smiling face, they actively changed the topic:

“Shaq, Mark Cuban believes Dirk Nowitzki should have won the MVP! What are your thoughts on Tim Duncan winning?”

85:87. After the San Antonio Spurs reversed the Dallas Mavericks yesterday, Mark Cuban furiously blasted Tim Duncan on his blog, calling him a “clown who only seeks sympathy.”

Not only did he question the player, but Mark Cuban also angrily accused the NBA of manipulating award selections and condoning biased officiating.

This statement on his blog made the spectators rejoice.

This morning, the NBA issued Mark Cuban a $200,000 fine.

Plagued by injuries, Shaquille O’Neal only played 56 games, naturally not making it into the MVP candidate list.

However, with Tim Duncan winning the award, the big Shaq still gave his affirmation:

“I know how strong Tim Duncan is. The San Antonio Spurs’ outside shooting has always been very bad. When they were able to defeat the Lakers back then, Tim Duncan showed his dominance.”

“Perhaps he will have a hard time winning a championship, but he is one of the best big men in the NBA. I will wish him well!”

O’Neal, while sincerely offering blessings, didn’t forget to subtly belittle Kobe.

Everyone listened with great amusement.

Bill Russell had not resolved the feud between the two.

At 8 PM that night, Ben Wallace, who had lifted the trophy in front of the home fans, couldn’t bring victory to his team.

94:82. The Heat completely suppressed their opponent on both ends of the court, and the Detroit Pistons ultimately lost the initiative in the series.

Dwyane Wade performed efficiently, shooting 9 of 11 from the field, 9 of 11 from the free-throw line, and tallying 27 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and 5 turnovers!

On the Heat’s bench, Gary Payton also exploded, shooting 6 of 8 from the field, 2 of 3 from beyond the arc, and scoring 14 points, helping the team secure the win in the third quarter.

Auburn Hills Palace was filled with boos after the game.

Pat Riley, who came to the scorer’s table to shake hands with Head Coach Saunders, thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and praised with some pride:

“This will be a wonderful series!”

In another Western Conference Semifinals game, 116:123, the Suns unleashed a furious offense and successfully defeated the Clippers.

Leandro Barbosa and new addition Tim Thomas continued their efficient performance, and Alvin Gentry’s 7-man rotation achieved excellent results!

On the morning of May 9, the Players Union announced that Clay Lee had won the 2006 Magic Johnson Award.

This award aims to recognize NBA players who perform outstandingly on the court and demonstrate excellent cooperation with the media and fans.

Although he didn’t win the MVP, Lee indeed collected quite a few trophies this season, which enriched his achievement room.

Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals was still to be played that evening.

During the regular media time at noon, Lee, who was being interviewed, was mostly asked about game-related matters.

90:130. In Game 1, the New York Knicks exploded for 38 points in the first quarter, and then the bench unit erupted in the second quarter, with Clay Lee also scoring 42 points.

LeBron James indeed performed excellently during the rotation, scoring 14 points in a single quarter, but by halftime, the score was 36:80.

“Clay, so far in the playoffs, you’ve won many games easily. Do you agree with the view that the Eastern Conference lacks competitiveness?”

The ESPN reporter eagerly asked the question.

Recently, more and more people had begun to question the true level of the teams in the Eastern Conference.

As he was being interviewed by the training court, Lee smiled, pointed to the walls around the court, and then simply replied:

“Look at the conference championship banners and championship banners on the walls around the Madison Square Garden. These are all what we’ve won. The championship has always been in the East.”

The championship made the questioning particularly powerless, after all, there was no Eastern Conference dividend in the Finals.

“Why is there such a big disparity in strength between the Eastern Conference teams and the New York Knicks? Lee, will this affect the value of your championship?”

The TNT reporter, like Charles Barkley, was always saying “IF.”

Not only the caliber of the stars, but also the value of the championship became a hot topic.

“The disparity is expected. Don’t forget that the New York Knicks are paying the most luxury tax in the NBA. As for the value, a championship is always much better than second place.”

“Even a conference championship deserves respect. I’d like to congratulate Tim Duncan again on his award. At least he has enough conference championships.”

Although Lee was sincerely congratulating, the sports media felt something was off, always feeling that he was once again mocking his opponent.

When the Moustache appeared in front of everyone, he had a brilliant smile.

This year, he had the chance to tie the achievement Van Gundy had back then, four consecutive championships, and he would also be a historical Head Coach!

“We’ve prepared media meals. By the way, we won’t be making any adjustments for tonight’s game.”

Coach D’Antoni’s words made the New York Knicks’ staff chuckle.

For the past few years, everyone had been along for the ride.

Perhaps their peers would be jealous, but they were all satisfied.

Watching Lee’s disappearing back, the Fox Sports reporter could only sigh in a low voice:

“I really can’t think of anything that could stop Clay Lee from continuing to win, after all, even the referees can’t make the opponent hit their shots!”

No one responded, but everyone inwardly agreed with that view.

In Game 1, the Cavaliers shot 3 of 15 from beyond the arc, missing wide-open shots, which was truly unbearable to watch.

At 7 PM that night, at Madison Square Garden, with an hour to go before the game, Michael Finley was being interviewed.

If the Dallas Mavericks could defeat the San Antonio Spurs this year, then their probability of breaking out of the Western Conference would be extremely high!

Meeting his old team in the Finals was perhaps something Finley hadn’t expected before the new season began.

When discussing this question, a wry smile appeared on his dark face:

“I played for the Dallas Mavericks for 9 years, and my family still lives in Dallas.”

“As for the Finals, we have to play one game at a time. If we really meet, I won’t hold back. Giving my all is the best respect.”

New York reporters agreed with this view.

Many critics believed Clay Lee had humiliated Allen Iverson, but this claim was clearly unfounded.

It was simply that his opponent lacked strength.

Tonight’s game was broadcast by TNT.

Before the game, the director once again listed the core players’ performances in Game 1.

Clay Lee played 33 minutes, shooting 13-of-19 from the field, 5-of-8 from three-point range, and 8-of-8 from the free-throw line, for 39 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and 1 turnover. He checked out after three quarters.

LeBron James played 35 minutes, shooting 8-of-18 from the field, 2-of-6 from three-point range, and 4-of-6 from the free-throw line, for 22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 turnovers.

He rebounded strongly in the latter half of the game.

As for Dwight Howard, he only played 22 minutes, shooting 4-of-7 from the field and 3-of-6 from the free-throw line, contributing 11 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, and 3 turnovers.

The images and statistics of LeBron James and Lee with the ball once again appeared in front of the fans on television.

The gap was obvious.

Tonight, in addition to the regular commentary team, Reggie Miller also appeared at the commentary table.

Wearing a yellow checkered suit, Reggie Miller spoke eloquently about tonight’s game, analyzing it thoroughly and continuing to jinx the Cavaliers:

“I think the first game was just Head Coach Van Gundy’s probing! Damon Jones not being in the starting lineup is strong proof. They need outside shooting!”

“Against the New York Knicks, offensive efficiency is especially important. The Cavaliers need to slow down and not let Lee find one-on-one opportunities in transition.”

“I believe the coaching staff will adjust in time. Tonight, the Cavaliers will bounce back strongly!”

Kevin Harlan and Doug Collins listened with smiles, and after hearing the prediction, they playfully asked:

“Reggie, you must have seen the difference between the two teams’ players. Even now, do you still think the Cavaliers can win the series?”

Doug Collins’ question made Old Miller frown.

He was a staunch “Lee hater,” and at this moment, he found another reason to support the Cavaliers:

“The series has just begun. I believe the Cavaliers can find their shooting touch from beyond the arc. Their gap with the defending champions is in experience. The core players’ talent is not bad.”

Old Miller’s ability to speak nonsense had improved by leaps and bounds.

Kevin Harlan almost burst out laughing.

At this point, he suddenly interjected, gossiping proactively:

“Why did Donnie Walsh leave the Pacers? Was it related to Larry Bird believing Jermaine ONeal would continue to grow and the team not needing to change its lineup?”

Thinking of his former team falling out of the playoffs, Old Miller’s expression wasn’t good, but he wouldn’t badmouth Donnie Walsh in front of the media, after all, the other party had drafted him back then and was his benefactor:

“I think it was just a normal departure. The New York Knicks’ management and coaching staff have changed many people over the years.”

“No one would refuse better treatment, right?”

When the two started gossiping about whether the new general manager would succeed with the New York Knicks, Old Miller fell silent.

In truth, he still wanted to see Lee lose.

After the crushing defeat in Game 1, Head Coach Van Gundy took responsibility.

After the game, he didn’t let the players do too many interviews, only speaking to the media himself:

“We need to win 4 games in the series. We will respond!”

At 8 PM, Madison Square Garden was still packed.

Although older fans would give Head Coach Van Gundy applause, younger fans preferred Coach D’Antoni’s aggressive offense.

The Cavaliers proactively adjusted their lineup, with Damon Jones, who had his best career performance from beyond the arc last season, becoming the starting point guard.

To keep up with the game’s pace, Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ playing time began to decrease.

Drew Gooden and Donyell Marshall, who came off the bench, also lived up to the coaching staff’s expectations, performing exceptionally well.

The two combined for 15 points off the bench, and Marshall’s two three-pointers greatly helped the Cavaliers.

At halftime, the score was 53-56.

Thanks to LeBron James’ efficient performance, the Cavaliers were only down by 3 points.

Dwight Howard, walking towards the players’ tunnel, was overjoyed, as if they had already won the game.

He grinned widely and hugged LeBron James, shouting repeatedly:

“That’s it, Bro! No one can stop us!”

LeBron James delivered a perfect stat line at halftime with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 turnovers, shooting 7-of-13 from the field, 2-of-6 from three-point range, and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line, largely through transition offense!

The New York fans present were not affected, nor did they boo.

Those buying snacks left their seats, while those who had prepared food in advance danced to the music, hoping to “get on TV.”

Sponsor activities and halftime performances made the Madison Square Garden particularly lively, which annoyed LeBron James as he walked into the players’ tunnel, despite his excellent performance:

“You should fear me!”

The Cavaliers’ consecutive three-pointers in the last two possessions also thrilled Reggie Miller at the commentary table.

He seized the opportunity to say cheerfully:

“The New York Knicks can’t possibly shoot 14-of-27 from three-point range again like in Game 1. Head Coach Van Gundy has clearly made the right choice!”

Doug Collins, who loved to watch the drama unfold, no longer teased his partner.

Instead, he agreed, saying:

“The New York Knicks usually explode in the first quarter. Now the Cavaliers have responded, and the pressure should be on the home team!”

“…”

After the 3rd quarter began, both teams reverted to their starting lineups.

The New York Knicks initiated the offense, and cheers quickly filled the Madison Square Garden:

“Let’s go Knicks!”

Damon Jones did not opt for full-court denial.

The Cavaliers had already established their defensive positions early in the half-court.

When LeBron James observed Ron Artest starting to move towards the baseline, he quickly shouted a warning.

According to the coaching staff’s arrangement, Dwight Howard followed Pau Gasol to the vicinity of the free-throw line.

Damon Jones, disregarding his position, immediately chose to stick close to Lee.

At the same time, Larry Hughes on the right wing and Zydrunas Ilgauskas under the basket also began to eye the movement on the top.

The Cavaliers set up a three-layer Defense.

Lee, dribbling with his left hand, wasn’t moving fast.

Seeing his opponent pounce on him with claws bared, and still a distance from the three-point line, he immediately lowered his shoulder and accelerated.

Damon Jones, who was sticking close, tried to slide, but he didn’t expect Lee to keep his center of gravity extremely low, and his ground-hugging strides were larger than imagined.

Amidst the cheers of the home fans, Damon Jones, trying to slide, completely lost his defensive position before even reaching the three-point line.

Lee, accelerating in a straight line, ignored Dwight Howard who began to slide back and to the right to help defend at the free-throw line.

In a blink of an eye, he burst into the paint.

LeBron James wanted to help defend, but found that his opponent had already taken off.

Leaning on Dwight Howard, Clag Lee suddenly took a quick step for a layup, shaking off the Defense in two large strides.

As his left foot took off, his body also leaned forward.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas under the basket had just shifted his feet when Lee, in mid-air, grabbed the ball with his left hand, leaned in for a scoop shot, and with a twist of his wrist, tossed the ball towards the backboard!

Dwight Howard, recovering on Defense behind him, widened his eyes, stepped under the basket, and watched with his teammates as the ball hit the backboard and dropped into the hoop.

53-58, Madison Square Garden erupted again.

“God! Clay Lee’s speed is too fast! The Cavaliers’ Defense seems to have become ineffective!”

At the commentary table, Kevin Harlan instinctively shouted.

Driving past his opponent with speed was completely different from Lee passing the ball when encountering help Defense in the first half.

Jogging back to the half-court, with the offensive possession lasting no more than 9 seconds, Lee clapped his hands with a relaxed expression, signaling his teammates to defend the next possession.

“Defense!”

The Cavaliers did not attack blindly.

Like in the first half, Damon Jones immediately passed the ball to Larry Hughes at the top of the arc after crossing half-court.

LeBron James came to the left wing to receive the ball, and then Zydrunas Ilgauskas again sealed Gadzuric behind him, receiving the ball with his back to the basket in the left restricted area.

Ron Artest was not fooled by the back cut, keeping a tight watch on LeBron James and timely following his cut towards the basket.

As Zydrunas Ilgauskas turned sideways and held the ball up, beginning to observe the Defense, the Cavaliers’ perimeter players rotated in sequence, with a cross screen at the top of the arc.

Damon Jones timely came to the left wing to receive the ball.

Amidst cheers for Defense, Zydrunas Ilgauskas continuously posted up, drawing Lee’s help Defense, and immediately passed the ball out.

Damon Jones didn’t force an attack upon receiving the ball.

He patiently passed the ball back inside again, while Zydrunas Ilgauskas then turned towards the baseline, and immediately passed the ball to Dwight Howard cutting to the basket.

Despite receiving the pass in time, Dwight Howard was covered by Pau Gasol.

In the lower right of the basket, he bumped twice, noticed Ron Artest starting to collapse, took one dribble, and then simply exploded upwards, attempting to complete a dunk.

Pau Gasol was not fooled by the opponent’s fake move.

The moment his opponent hit the ball, Pau Gasol sent out a block, swatting and slicing, completely disrupting the ball.

As the basketball hit the floor, cheers erupted again.

Ron Artest, who had collapsed on Defense, immediately secured the ball in the paint.

Head Coach Van Gundy on the sidelines loudly called for his players to retreat on Defense.

The Cavaliers gave up on fighting for the ball, all quickly running to half-court to complete their defensive matchups early.

It was still a triple defensive line.

This time, Damon Jones started to press tightly at the mid-court.

Clay Lee, dribbling with his left hand across half-court, immediately raised an eyebrow at Pau Gasol.

Receiving the signal, Pau Gasol accelerated his movement, moving from the free-throw line to the top of the arc to feign a screen, then immediately popped out.

With a quick behind-the-back dribble, the moment he switched to his right hand, Lee lowered his center of gravity, accelerated horizontally, leaned on the defender at the top of the arc, widened his stride, and drove straight to the basket.

Larry Hughes on the right wing immediately collapsed to the elbow area, attempting to block.

Dwight Howard, who had followed out on Defense, also timely recovered to the paint.

Before the perimeter Defense was in position, Lee had already leaned on the defender and burst forward in three large strides from near the free-throw line.

Amidst the fans’ exclamations, Lee first used his speed to shake off the two defenders at the top of the arc, faking a pass to the left corner to force LeBron James to slow down.

By the time he was airborne, Dwight Howard was more than half a step behind, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who had come over to help on Defense under the basket, jumped into the air and was knocked off balance.

LeBron James, a beat late, rushed to the basket and desperately tried to block, but could only watch Clay Lee loft the ball high before landing.

“Screech!”

The referee’s whistle blew, and the ball banked in again.

New York fans behind the basket rose to their feet, screaming—he could still score even against five defenders!

Since Lee was surrounded by multiple defenders, the referee didn’t know who to call the foul on for a moment.

After a brief hesitation, he ultimately assigned the foul to Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

LeBron James didn’t speak up for his teammate, only staring intently at Lee, who was rolling his shoulders as he walked to the free-throw line.

Five players instantly collapsing the paint couldn’t stop him?

“MVP! MVP! MVP!”

Amidst the shouts echoing through the Madison Square Garden, Lee calmly made the free throw.

Seeing the opponent still looking bewildered, he immediately quipped:

“I’ve finished warming up! Are you ready?”

“.”

Damon Jones was a bit nervous and quickly looked at Head Coach Van Gundy on the sidelines, only to find that the Head Coach’s eyes were also glazed over.

On the New York Knicks bench, the hype squad was also shouting loudly.

The one-on-five play had energized everyone!

53:61. In a crucial possession, LeBron James brought the ball across half-court himself.

The Cavaliers’ two big men came to the elbow extended, while Larry Hughes and Damon Jones stopped in the left and right corners.

In a “V-cut” offense, as LeBron James approached the three-point line with the ball, Zydrunas Ilgauskas moved up a step, took the hand-off, and immediately screened.

Dwight Howard cut towards the basket, but LeBron James, dribbling with his left hand, carried Ron Artest for two steps before suddenly stopping short.

He faked a shot near the left elbow extended, but Ron Artest didn’t fall for it.

LeBron James adjusted, then took a forced jump shot!

55:61. The ball bounced twice and dropped into the basket.

LeBron James, retreating on Defense, shouted excitedly, hitting himself twice.

With the opponent’s jump shot heating up, Ron Artest slammed the ball in frustration.

Clay Lee received the ball on the baseline and immediately signaled a play, and the cheers erupted once more.

LeBron James, retreating to half-court, quickly noticed the New York Knicks running the same play.

Observing the movement at the top of the arc, he began to move towards the paint early.

Accelerating past half-court, Lee, dribbling with his right hand, hadn’t even approached the three-point line when Pau Gasol and Gadzuric simultaneously came up to screen.

Amidst the fans’ cheers, the moment Lee pushed the ball for a crossover to his left hand, Damon Jones was blown by in one step.

Dwight Howard, who was prepared, tried to help defend at the three-point line.

While in motion, Lee executed a wide In-and-Out dribble, swaying his body to the right-front while slightly raising his center of gravity.

Taking advantage of the slight pause in the Defense, Lee suddenly lowered his body, flying low to the ground for a second burst of speed.

Dwight Howard, in a slide step, was squeezed past by Lee in one stride.

The big man stumbled and lost his defensive position.

In a blink of an eye, Clay Lee, dribbling with his left hand, burst into the paint.

As he leaped into the air, he saw LeBron James sprinting from the right corner to the basket and jumping high, causing another gasp from the Madison Square Garden.

LeBron James, who was prepared, stared wide-eyed, jumping very high, raising his right arm with all his might to attempt a block.

Clay Lee, holding the ball with his left hand and airborne, didn’t wait for contact.

He suddenly switched hands quickly.

As LeBron James flew in front of him, he grabbed the ball with his right hand, pulled his arm to the side, just evading the Defense.

Amidst screams, their bodies collided.

Due to inertia, James, unable to get a hand on the ball, flew sideways.

He instinctively pulled back, barely maintaining his balance.

Lee, briefly suspended, then exerted force with his arm, slamming the ball into the basket!

The baseline referee seemed stunned.

After both players landed, the whistle finally blew amidst cheers that almost tore through the Madison Square Garden.

“OH—!”

“My God! Unbelievable, how did Clay Lee do that! He knocked aside LeBron James, defying gravity!”

All three commentators on the broadcast booth shouted simultaneously.

Kevin Harlan was so excited he repeatedly praised loudly, and Reggie Miller was speechless.

For him, he could never make such a move in his life.

Everyone on the New York Knicks team gathered around.

Pau Gasol and Hill were also stimulated.

They punched Lee’s chest once and shouted in unison:

“Nice job!”

As if they had dunked the ball themselves, Gadzuric and Ron Artest rushed to the front row of the audience, roaring repeatedly.

The referee had to pull them back.

Standing at the free-throw line again, the MVP chants came in waves.

Clay Lee smiled and sank the free throw again, casually teasing LeBron James, who hadn’t fully recovered:

“Bro, this is how you run this play!”

55:64. The score difference was approaching double digits again.

LeBron James said nothing, but called the same play again.

It was still the double screen at the top of the arc.

Facing the New York Knicks’ Defense surrounding the paint, LeBron James, dribbling with his right hand, used the screen to accelerate and break through to the right block.

While in motion, he leaned on Ron Artest.

LeBron James attempted a spin move to squeeze under the basket, but almost collided with Dwight Howard, who suddenly rolled down.

Forced to slow down, still keeping Ron Artest on his side, LeBron James, gathering the ball, awkwardly tossed it with his left hand.

Before the ball even reached its apex, Lee, accelerating from the left corner back into the paint, arrived first, swinging his right arm for a volleyball-style block that swatted the ball directly into Hill’s arms near the left corner.

“Oh!”

The visually impactful block instantly ignited the atmosphere.

As Lee landed and sprinted forward, cheers once again echoed through the Madison Square Garden.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas at the top of the arc watched helplessly as Lee sped past him.

The Cavaliers players behind him desperately chased on Defense, but there wasn’t enough time.

Hill’s long pass allowed Lee, who had sprinted past half-court, to catch the ball near the three-point line.

Undefended, Lee leaped into the air near the free-throw line, glided through the air, spun the ball around his body, then grabbed it with his right hand and slammed it into the basket!

“Ah!”

Watching Clay Lee pound his chest and roar under the basket, the screams in the Madison Square Garden were momentarily unstoppable.

At Thibodeau’s prompting, Head Coach Van Gundy quickly called a timeout.

55:66. The New York Knicks were already leading by double digits just as the second half began.

After the timeout, the Cavaliers didn’t speed up their offensive pace.

Instead, they meticulously started playing from the low post again, with Zydrunas Ilgauskas consistently scoring and assisting from the left block.

Damon Jones clearly had open looks, but every time he encountered Lee on Defense, he chose to pass.

When LeBron James came to the top of the arc to receive the ball, Damon Jones quickly ran to the top of the arc to create space.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas, after passing the ball, followed up to set a screen.

Faking right, driving left, LeBron James, dribbling with his left hand, didn’t wait for his teammates to get set.

He suddenly accelerated, driving straight to the basket from the left wing.

Ron Artest slid over in time but was still half a step behind.

LeBron James, approaching the paint, immediately took a step, bumped the defender, and quickly scooped the ball with his left hand.

Watching the ball about to clear Ron Artest’s fingertips, LeBron James, eyes fixed on the ball, first felt a surge of joy, but the next second he realized the ball had been slapped onto the backboard.

“My God! Blocked by Clay Lee!”

Kevin Harlan shouted excitedly.

After landing, Lee timely secured possession, then immediately sent a full-court bounce pass.

Hill easily shook off Larry Hughes behind him, received the ball near the left wing, and charged straight to the basket.

Amidst the cheers echoing through the Arena, he grabbed the ball with his right hand and completed a gliding dunk!

While the opponent was inbounding, Lee went up and chest-bumped Hill to celebrate.

The New York Knicks bench was jubilant; the opponent was finished!

55:68. In a crucial possession, the Cavaliers started another series of perimeter passes.

With half the shot clock gone, LeBron James looked at the Defense surrounding the paint.

At the top of the arc, he gritted his teeth, pushed the ball for a crossover with his left hand, and drove hard to the middle with a lowered shoulder.

Ron Artest slid over in time.

Lee followed, collapsing to the right elbow extended.

Just as the three were about to collide, LeBron James timely dished the ball.

Damon Jones, open on the right wing, received the ball and took a reluctant jump shot that clanked off the rim.

The long rebound was grabbed by Hill in the left block, who immediately threw another long pass.

Clay Lee, who had sprinted past half-court, secured possession ahead of LeBron James.

The two tangled as they sped past the three-point line.

LeBron James was still working hard on his slide steps, but he heard the fans cheering.

While in motion, Lee suddenly made a through-the-legs pass, sending the ball directly to Ron Artest, who was trailing behind.

LeBron James, who had followed Lee out of bounds, could only watch Ron Artest slam the ball with both hands, infuriated, he punched the basket support.

55:70. The Cavaliers suddenly fell into a scoring drought.

Forced to speed up their offensive pace, the Cavaliers players felt caught in a time loop.

Head Coach Van Gundy’s timeout also had no effect, and they could only score from free throws in the end.

Subsequently, Drew Gooden and Marshall, who came off the bench, repeatedly missed jump shots.

Under pressure, they lost their touch, and the New York Knicks continuously ran transition offenses.

At the very end of the 3rd quarter, LeBron James also missed both free throws.

Amidst laughter, the game entered garbage time again.

69:89. In the broadcast booth, Reggie Miller was silent, but Doug Collins was secretly thrilled, excitedly boasting:

“The NBA should award the DPOY trophy to Clay Lee! Tonight, he once again dominated the game on both ends of the court!”

….

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep