On May 12, 1997, the first team to advance to the conference finals was born!

In the Western Conference semifinals that night, the Jazz defeated the Lakers 93:98 after a hard-fought overtime.

The series score was 4:1, the Sharks went west and were swept by the Gentlemen again.

After the game, Lakers head coach Del Harris’s use of players was questioned by the Los Angeles media.

After Van Exel made a steal, the Lakers had a chance to win the game, but Kobe Bryant missed three shots.

In overtime, Kobe continued to shoot, but missed two more times.

O’Neal’s 6 fouls and leaving the game became the turning point of the game, and Kobe’s three misses put an end to the Lakers’ journey this season.

After the game, head coach Harris did not complain that the team had no one available in overtime, nor did he complain that the players performed poorly in overtime and only scored 4 points in total.

In response to media questions, he asked:

“You guys always complain that I don’t give Kobe Bryant a chance, now I give the game to him and you’re questioning my choice?”

“It’s just the price young players have to pay for their growth.”

O’Neal, who was troubled by fouls, played 37 minutes, 9 of 17 shots, 5 of 9 free throws, and scored 23 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block and 2 turnovers;

Van Exel played 51 minutes, shot 9-of-17, 2-of-7 from beyond the arc, and scored 26 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 turnovers;

Kobe Bryant, who came off the bench, played for 29 minutes, made 4 of 14 shots, 0 of 6 from beyond the three-point line, and 3 of 3 free throws, contributing 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 turnover.

Although the Lakers performed well in this game, with a total of 7 turnovers, the Jazz also performed well.

Stockton made 11 of 13 shots, 1 of 2 from beyond the three-point line, and 1 of 2 free throws, scoring 24 points, 1 rebound, 10 assists, 1 steal and 4 turnovers.

Led by this veteran point guard, the Jazz only made 13 mistakes throughout the game.

Karl Malone made 9 of 21 shots and 14 of 18 free throws, scoring a game-high 32 points, grabbing 20 rebounds and only turning the ball over once!

The team was swept by the gentlemen, and the head coach Del Harris and O’Neal took the blame.

For this, the Los Angeles media did not blame Kobe Bryant, and the loss could not be blamed on the rookie.

As for Kobe’s extra practice after the game, no one cared.

Only when this rookie becomes a big star in the future will the media dig into this history.

Lee also watched the game at home, and the 35-year-old Stockton once again impressed him.

The opponent did not use too many fancy dribbling moves. In positional battles, they were more likely to make quick stops and starts, and most of their shots were concentrated near the free throw line.

But in transition offense, this old-school point guard can always make timely passes, allowing his teammates to score easily.

With excellent shooting touch, Stockton and Malone’s pick-and-roll power doubled, and the two old guys blew up the Lakers.

Stockton’s performance also reminded Lee of what coach Calhoun said:

“The ability and characteristics of a player will not change much after entering the m league.

Most of the players who enter the NBA start training as teenagers, and the characteristics of the players are determined since their youth.”

“Don’t try to imitate others, but understand the game and see how these great players control the game. That’s the most important thing.”

There were three games on the evening of May 13th.

Since the Hawks and the Pistons had played five games before, after returning to their home court, No. 11 was forced to play a back-to-back game.

89:80, the Bulls successfully got the match point, and the series score came to 3:1.

In 43 minutes, Michael Jordan made 12 of 22 shots, scored 27 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block and 5 turnovers.

Although the Bulls made many mistakes and had few possessions, the Hawks missed many shots in back-to-back games and ultimately lost the chance to tie the score.

After the game, no one was discussing whether the Bulls could make it to the divisional finals.

With match point in hand, commentators unanimously agreed that the Bulls would end the series.

Michael Jordan shot 54.5% from the field, slapping the faces of the basketball commentators who had been pessimistic about him.

If the Knicks and the Bulls win both games, the two teams in the Eastern Conference Finals will be officially decided!

That night, Madison Square Garden was packed, and New York fans were all expecting the home team to advance at home tonight.

When the visiting team came out, there were boos everywhere, but on the Knicks side, without Alan Houston and Ewing, the fans didn’t care.

Clay Lee enjoyed the treatment of being the last to appear. Hearing the huge cheers in his ears, it felt good to passively become a core player.

During the singing session, Starks next to him made the sign of the cross on his chest and began to pray to God, and the veteran got the starting position.

The lights in the stadium came on. Lee looked calm. He turned his head and stretched his body. In tonight’s game, he would be the tactical core of the team.

“Without two key players, coach Van Gundy can only lower the height of the lineup tonight.”

“Lee and Starks are in the backcourt, with Larry Johnson and Charles Oakley on the front line and Vibak Williams at center.”

Feeling the warm atmosphere on the scene, commentator Marv Albert’s tone also became much lighter.

“Without PJ Brown, the Heat also chose to lower their altitude!”

“The backcourt is still Tim Hardaway and Voshon Lenard, the forwards are Dan Majerle and Jamal Mashburn, and the center is Alonzo Mourning.”

Commentator John Andariese also breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the adjustments made by Pat Riley.

With one big and four small players, they could still handle it.

As the players from both teams finished their final warm-ups, the noise at the scene grew louder and louder, and when the players came to the center of the field, no one greeted them.

This game was a life-and-death battle for the Heat players. If they lost, they would go fishing. It was difficult for them to accept such a result.

Lee adjusted his arm guard in his own half.

The white jerseys of the home team still look better than those of the away team.

The players on both sides were in different moods. The Heat players were visibly nervous.

The referee in the center circle threw the ball high. Mourning jumped up too early and was easily deflected by veteran Buck Williams.

“Let’s go Knicks! Let’s go Knicks! Let’s go Knicks!”

Lee controlled the ball and there was immediate cheering at the scene. Tim Hardaway immediately stepped forward to lead the defense.

The Heat’s game strategy did not change much.

Lee quickly moved across half court and came to the top of the arc. The two inside players were all stationed near the left and right baselines, while Starks stood on the right wing near the sideline.

Larry Johnson quickly moved up the court, slowed down at the free throw line, turned a small corner and ran to the left elbow area.

Lee, who was protecting the ball sideways at the top of the arc, quickly made a ground pass, and Larry Johnson used his physical advantage to trap Dan Majerle behind him.

The moment he received the pass, he suddenly stopped, took the initiative to break the defense, then took a small step back, and Larry Johnson quickly made a jump shot!

“Swish!” The mid-range shot was hit steadily.

It took the Knicks 11 seconds to complete the attack. The fans began to cheer loudly. Lee quickly retreated and celebrated with the “grandmama” by the way.

“We changed our tactics tonight and attacked very resolutely, which seems to be a good thing!”

Commentator John Andariese also liked the clean and crisp attack, and the first round reminded him of some regular season situations.

“Defense! Defense! Defense!”

The enthusiastic fans continued to cheer for the defense. Lee retreated to the half court and glanced back.

He saw that the Heat had expanded the offensive space greatly. He also had a rough guess as to what tactics the opponent was going to use.

Lee turned his head and signaled Oakley to stand a little further inside. As for Jamal Mashburn, according to the game plan, he could be left alone.

Compared to the Knicks’ offense, Tim Hardaway quickly passed the ball after dribbling across half court, Mourning received the ball at the free throw line, and Dan Majerle stepped forward to complete the handoff.

Soon, four players on the outside passed the ball continuously, and while moving up the line, they also tried to break through with the ball, but the Knicks did not lose their position in one-on-one defense.

After a round of tossing, they returned to the simplest position.

Tim Hardaway received the ball again at the top of the arc, and Mourning moved again to the left side of his teammate, preparing for a pick-and-roll.

At this time, Dan Majerle was standing on the left wing, Dan Majerle, Voshon Lenard and Jamal Mashburn were standing in the left and right corners, moving up from time to time.

Glancing at the position behind him, Lee knew that Tim Hardaway would most likely choose to break through and pass the ball.

Lee quickly raised his right hand, indicating that he would block Tim Hardaway’s left handed layup, and Oakley began to move slowly, preparing to defend the opponent’s right hand.

The moment his teammates stood still, Tim Hardaway immediately lowered his center of gravity, dribbled the ball between his legs, switched to his left hand, quickly changed direction in front of his body, scooped up the ball with his right hand, and broke through with a cross step.

Lee has defended this move too many times. He slid to the left and back at the first moment, always keeping himself on the side of Tim Hardaway while providing “confrontation”.

Unable to get past the defense, Tim Hardaway broke into the restricted area, saw Oakley and started to move quickly, and without waiting to get close to the basket, he passed the ball to the right corner.

Jamal Mashburn received the ball and there was no one guarding him. He made a slight adjustment outside the three-point line and immediately made a jump shot!

“Bang!”

The long rebound bounced out, and the shrinking Larry Johnson successfully protected the backcourt rebound by walking to the left.

Tim Hardaway was the first to defend Lee who received the ball, and the Heat players quickly retreated.

After receiving the ball, Lee held the ball in his right hand, shouldered the defense, and continued to accelerate along the right sideline.

Tim Hardaway used all his strength to push Lee to the sideline, but was suddenly dribbled from behind by Lee and staggered.

Fortunately, the small player adjusted his center of gravity quickly, and Tim Hardaway rushed to defend again.

Coming to the right wing, Lee passed the ball to Starks at the top of the arc.

Feeling that Tim Hardaway on his side had not given up defending, Lee first pretended to run toward the top of the arc to complete a hand-to-hand pass, then suddenly ran back and moved quickly toward the baseline.

From right to left, Lee quickly slipped to the baseline. Tim Hardaway could only speed up to chase him.

After making a circle, he took advantage of the cover of Buck Williams near the baseline on the left and quickly bounced out to the left blocking area.

After arriving at the designated position, Lee received a pass from Starks, immediately released the ball with his right hand, and broke through.

Coming to the paint area, seeing that Mourning had retreated to the basket, Lee dribbled the ball quickly behind his back and suddenly stopped, causing Tim Hardaway to lose his defensive position instantly.

Seeing Lee drift to the left and complete a fadeaway jump shot, Tim Hardaway could only jump up with all his strength to interfere.

“Swish!” The two-point ball went into the net!

The offensive rhythm was still fast, and Lee completed the attack with just one cover.

With consecutive goals at the beginning of the game, the noise in Madison Square Garden became louder and louder.

Tim Hardaway took the ball from the baseline with a sullen face and quickly made tactical gestures.

The Heat have one big player and four small players, and all four of them can shoot from the outside, so there is a lot of room for offense on the court, which also gives Mourning better space for singles.

Buck Williams fought hard to defend in the low post on the left side, trying to push Mourning into the blocking position.

Tim Hardaway passed the ball to Voshon Lenard on the left wing as soon as he crossed half court.

The latter received the ball and immediately passed it to Alonzo who was looking for the ball with his back to the basket.

Starks followed the ball and rushed to Mourning to double-team him.

After receiving the ball, he didn’t dare to let go. Mourning immediately threw the ball to the outside with good quality.

Voshon Lenard received the ball on the left wing. Without too much adjustment, he raised the ball and shot it!

“Bang!”

The long rebound bounced out and Lee just picked up the rebound in the paint area.

Seeing the Knicks start to speed up again, Pat Riley on the sidelines began to loudly call on the players to retreat.

After missing two outside shots at the start of the game, the Heat’s defense began to become sluggish.

Lee came to the right wing, the Heat had completed the defensive position, Oakley moved quickly and came to the wing to provide cover.

Holding the ball in his right hand, Lee kept leaning sideways to protect the ball without much shaking, and broke through on the right side cleanly and neatly.

Jamal Mashburn noticed that Lee was accelerating on the three-point line, and immediately slid to double-team Tim Hardaway.

The Heat suddenly changed their defensive strategy and began to double-team the player with the ball.

Lee reacted quickly and took advantage of the two players’ sliding steps to assist in defense and accelerated to move towards the right sideline.

After pulling the defense, Lee shook his right wrist and quickly sent a ground pass behind his back.

On the left wing, Oakley received the ball.

There was no one in front of him. He took a look at the long two-point shot and then made a steady jump shot!

“Swish!” The long two-point shot went into the net.

The team started with a 6:0 run, which made the New York fans at the scene scream with excitement. They will advance tonight!

“What a wonderful attack! Lee gradually took control of the rhythm of the game.”

The highly purposeful attack earned praise from commentator John Andariese.

“Mourning was very deep this time, helping the Heat get two points under the basket. The opponent’s four outside players were able to complete the offense from beyond the three-point line, which did have some impact on us.”

Commentator Marv Albert saw the Heat attacking in the low post with the other four players standing outside the three-point line, and he also sighed for a moment.

After the opening, the Heat’s offensive tactics were not complicated.

They opened up space, broke through and passed the ball, positioned themselves well, and attacked from the low post.

When it came to the crucial game, Pat Riley didn’t make many changes. Instead, he made the tactics simpler, scoring and throwing when there was a chance!

The Knicks also simplified their tactical play.

Without Ewing’s low-post attack, Lee would tell his teammates in advance what tactics to use in this round.

According to the habits developed during training, Lee would pass the ball as long as he ran to the tactical position at the set time.

If he is delayed by his opponent and fails to arrive in time, then the routine will not be used and Lee will personally decide how to attack.

After Starks shook off the defense and hit a long two-pointer, Buck Williams received a pass from Lee and made a layup under the basket.

All five Knicks players on the court scored.

4:10, except for Dan Majerle’s steal under the basket to help the Heat score points, everyone else missed shots during this period.

With 7 minutes and 9 seconds left in the first quarter, Pat Riley looked serious and quickly requested a timeout.

The Heat’s defense was pretty good, and they retreated very promptly every time. But their poor offense made the coaching staff very depressed.

On the Knicks bench, Jeff Van Gundy was very happy.

After the game started, he sat on the bench and hung up, occasionally standing up, shouting in a pretentious manner, and then quickly returned to his seat.

The game was easier than he expected, with no problems with rebounding or offense:

“We played really well and kept up the pace!”

Jeff Van Gundy patted the tactical board and didn’t make any adjustments. He excitedly gave some chicken soup and then went offline again.

Larry Johnson sat in his seat and sighed regretfully.

According to the plan, he had the size advantage against Dan Majerle, but both of his back-to-the-basket singles failed.

If he failed to seize this offensive opportunity, he would have to wait for the ball to be scored in the second half of the game.

“Foul when you see the opportunity. Mourning’s free throw shooting is average. Let’s test his touch tonight!”

Lee simply replenished his water, then turned around and reminded the two veterans in the interior.

Defending in the low post does take a lot of energy, and committing a foul in advance if you can’t defend is also a strategy.

“It’s a good idea indeed. This game is still viable. It’s a pity that the opponent runs too fast, otherwise there would be some fast break opportunities.”

Oakley raised his eyebrows and agreed immediately, and Buck Williams also nodded in agreement.

After the timeout, the noise in the arena did not diminish, and the Heat kept missing shots, which made the New York fans at the scene very happy.

Tim Hardaway broke the deadlock for the Heat. Alonzo Mourning’s solid pick-and-roll allowed him to break away from Clay Lee’s defense and make a layup in the paint.

After scoring the goal, he did not celebrate, but instead chose to defend Lee who received the ball.

Lee passed the ball to Starks and ran quickly to the frontcourt. Tim Hardaway immediately knew what tactics the Knicks wanted to use and shouted to his teammates to pay attention to defense.

When Starks came to the top of the arc, Buck Williams, who was in the elbow area on the left side of the free throw line, immediately moved down and gave a screen to Lee who was near the left baseline.

Tim Hardaway, who was well prepared, quickly made a detour and saw Lee moving quickly along the free throw line.

He cursed inwardly and hurried down the line to chase and defend.

Seeing Lee receiving the ball on the right wing outside the three-point line, Tim Hardaway quickly adjusted his defensive focus and slowed himself down.

As a result, when he slid in front of him, Tim Hardaway found Lee drifting to the right and catching the ball and shooting it!

He stood there and reached out his hand subconsciously. Tim Hardaway’s defense naturally had no effect.

When he turned his head again, he saw the basketball go into the net.

“oh!!”

The Knicks hit the first three-pointer of the game, and the fans cheered, and the score gap widened again!

“Tim Hardaway was right to slow down, but Lee anticipated his defense. What a simple and effective attack!”

Marv Albert also felt that the game had become particularly easy and began to enter a state of smiling and winning.

The two people in the commentary booth suddenly lost their conversation and came back to their senses when they saw Mourning make another successful shot from the bottom right side of the basket.

The Knicks also suddenly accelerated the offensive tempo and played the same tactics.

Lee cut in horizontally and received the ball on the left wing outside the three-point line.

Lee faked the ball by raising it to deceive Tim Hardaway’s defensive focus, then released the ball with his left hand, lowered his center of gravity and broke through.

Trailing by half a body length, Tim Hardaway desperately chased and defended, approaching the basket, and noticed that Mourning was also returning to defend.

Lee suddenly jumped at the bottom left of the basket, broke through the defense, and then pulled up in the air.

Just avoiding Mourning’s block and gliding to the lower right side of the basket, Lee twisted his body, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and turned around to make a layup!

The team scored easily in succession and Madison Square Garden was filled with cheers.

At 8:15, there was no sign of the score gap narrowing.

Lee suddenly changed his defensive style. When Tim Hardaway received the ball at the baseline, he was immediately closely guarded.

The Heat players were no longer as patient in passing the ball from the outside as before.

Tim Hardaway came to the left wing and passed the ball to Mourning in the low post on the left.

The latter received the ball, continued to play close to the basket, quickly turned towards the baseline, switched to his left hand, and was about to complete a layup when Buck Williams, who had lost his defensive position, immediately chose to commit a hand foul.

After shaking his hands, Mourning had no time to complain.

He came to the free throw line and tried his shooting postures. He missed both free throws.

The New York fans at the scene were delighted, thinking that their interference had worked.

Seeing the Knicks launch a counterattack, they shouted happily!

The small lineup retreated in time, but Lee, who was accelerating along the left sideline, did not stop the ball.

He approached the three-point line, and quickly went in and out with his left hand while moving.

Then he opened the way with his shoulder, pushed against the defense, and went straight to the basket.

Tim Hardaway slid desperately and gave physical confrontation, and finally Lee’s left-handed layup hit the rim and went out.

Before the Heat had time to be happy, Oakley and Larry Johnson rushed to the basket.

After a scramble, the “Grandmama” rushed to grab the frontcourt rebound and made a layup!

The disadvantage of the small lineup was also seized by the Knicks. Without PJ Brown, the Heat’s rebounding ability has declined a lot.

In the second half of the first quarter, Lee and Starks broke through in turn.

It didn’t matter if they missed the shot. Oakley and “Grandmama” rushed forward and grabbed the ball.

Seeing that the Heat couldn’t make a single transition offense and could only rely on Mourning’s iron-blooded jump shot, Pat Riley on the sidelines couldn’t sit still.

With 1 minute and 46 seconds left in the first quarter, Isaac Austin replaced the invisible Jamal Mashburn while Lee was making free throws, and the Heat set up a double tower.

Isaac Austin helped the Heat get two points at the basket after coming on the court.

Coming back, Isaac Austin delayed Lee and was then shot by Oakley on the left wing for a long two-pointer.

The old guy had a very good touch tonight. After making the shot, he looked at the Heat players with a smile.

14:23, seeing the score difference widening again, Mourning could not hold it any longer and took the initiative to speed up the offensive tempo.

As a result, he was fouled by Oakley as soon as he turned around under the basket.

In the audience stands, fans stood up and kept shouting and interfering.

The second free throw missed and cheers broke out again!

The Knicks continued to pass the ball, and Lee in the backcourt quickly passed the ball to Starks, who received the ball and went straight to the basket.

After attracting the attention of the defense, Starks passed the ball to Larry Johnson who was following up while moving.

Completely unguarded, the “grandmama” received the ball and slammed it down with one arm!

“ah!!”

After completing the dunk, Larry Johnson stood under the basket, beating his chest and roaring.

The retreating Voshon Lenard was stunned, and finally he threw the ball from the baseline in frustration.

Seeing that the team also had problems with defense, Pat Riley looked unhappy.

At the end of the first quarter, the Heat’s bench was completely silent at 17:27.

They had dug a 10-point hole at the start, and everyone knew what this meant.

“It was a perfect first quarter! No mistakes. We completely controlled the game rhythm and completely dismantled the Heat’s defense!”

“Lee was outstanding. He made 4 of 6 shots in the quarter, 1 of 1 from beyond the three-point line, 2 of 2 free throws, 11 points, 1 rebound and 4 assists. He made the Knicks’ offense much simpler.”

Commentator Marv Albert couldn’t stop talking. This season, the Knicks have never lost a game as long as they are ahead by 10 points!

Commentator John Andariese also felt that the game was stable.

The 10-point difference made him feel completely at ease:

“The Heat’s tactics completely failed. They failed to respond from the outside. Perhaps, we will advance to the Eastern Conference Finals tonight!”

Everyone on the Knicks bench had smiles on their faces. Lee had been with the team for one season and knew the psychology of his teammates.

A 10-point difference allowed everyone to enjoy the game and take a break without any burden.

Jeff Van Gundy learned from the experience and lessons of the previous games and no longer let Starks be the main attacker in the rotation phase:

“Lee, you go on the court first, we need to keep scoring. John, when you go on the court, pay attention to defense!”

It was a rare opportunity to play in the playoffs, and John Wallace nodded quickly. If the team hadn’t been really short of players, the rookie would not have gotten the chance.

Chris Childs and veteran Herb Williams were also substituted in, with Clay Lee and Larry Johnson taking the lead.

The Heat took the lead in attacking, and Tim Hardaway finally found his touch from the outside.

After the pick-and-roll, he made a quick stop and jump shot from the free throw line!

When Lee saw that the Heat did not make any substitutions, he immediately knew that they were going to fight to the death.

They would just go fishing if they lost, and they would not care about their physical condition.

At 19:27, the score difference returned to single digits.

Voshon Lenard looked at Lee beside him and nervously observed the movements of the Knicks.

The offense in the rotation phase was very simple. With double screens in the elbow area, Lee first slapped the arm off his body, and then quickly cut horizontally from left to right.

Receiving the ball on the right wing outside the three-point line, Lee saw Voshon Lenard sliding in front of him.

He raised the ball for a fake move and took a big tentative step with his right foot.

Subconsciously moving back, Lenard was dumbfounded when he saw Lee retract his feet and throw the ball.

“Swish!” The three-pointer went into the net!

Cheers resounded throughout the arena. Seeing Lee raise his right arm, put up three fingers, and pretend to be cool even when retreating on defense, Tim Hardaway glared at Voshon Lenard.

Voshon Lenard felt aggrieved. Lee was not Alan Houston. He got too close and was passed by him in one step.

The score difference returned to double digits and was widened a little bit. Tim Hardaway deliberately accelerated the pace of the game.

It was also a pick-and-roll at the top of the arc, but this time Mourning missed a jump shot from the left elbow.

The rebound was protected by Larry Johnson, and Chris Childs received the ball and quickly passed it to the Goat Lee.

Just after crossing the center line, Lee received the ball, released it with his left hand, leaned against Voshon Lenard on his side, approached the right wing, and then began to slow down.

On the three-point line, Lee dribbled the ball quickly behind his back, paused slightly, turned his head to look at the top of the arc, switched to his right hand, and pretended to move sideways to protect the ball.

As Lenard glanced behind him, Lee suddenly lowered his center of gravity and turned quickly, scooped up the ball with his left hand, moved sideways, got rid of the defense, and quickly stepped back on the three-point line.

Near the left sideline, Lee drifted slightly to the left and quickly shot from outside the three-point line!

Washan Lenard jumped up to defend, but he flew sideways from Lee, and the block did not work.

“Swish!” Another three-pointer went in!

“oh!!”

Madison Square Garden instantly went wild with the transition offense and the unreasonable three-pointer after the shake, which ignited the atmosphere.

“God! What an unexpected attack choice. Lee fooled everyone!”

The commentator, Marv Albert, was also stunned. When Clay Lee turned sideways, he was about to look at the Knicks team following him, but in the blink of an eye, he threw the ball directly.

Pat Riley on the sidelines frowned. Isn’t this just a blind throw? He shouted to the players:

“Pay attention to defense! Pay attention!”

Voshon Lenard had his troubles. After all, he was not a small player, his defensive agility was a little lacking, and he could not keep up with Lee’s rhythm.

19:33, the score difference was even bigger!

Fortunately, the Heat’s offense finally responded.

Dan Majerle used his rich game experience to run back from the top of the arc, took the hand-to-hand pass from Mourning, and made a quick stop jump shot from the left wing outside the three-point line!

Jeff Van Gundy finally found his presence, quickly stood up and called on the rookie John Wallace to pay attention to defense.

Chris Childs advanced at a very fast speed and reached the top of the arc. Lee, who was near the baseline on the right side, suddenly accelerated, made an arc, and cut across the line.

“Grandmama” moved the screen position to the left wing near the three-point line.

Mourning noticed that his teammates were completely left behind again, and when Lee received the ball, he immediately switched defense.

Lee received the ball and faked it, and Mourning, who came to defend, immediately leaned forward and almost rushed out to defend.

Lee tricked the opponent’s defense into focusing on him, and then quickly released the ball with his left hand.

He then took a side step, not giving the opponent a chance to defend again, and quickly shot a jump shot from outside the three-point line!

“YES!! Lee shook off the defense and made another three-pointer!”

After hitting three consecutive three-pointers, commentator Marv Albert screamed at the top of his lungs.

Spike Lee stood up on the sidelines, raised his hands, and yelled, and also shouted to Mourning:

“Watch your ankles, man! Go home and go fishing!”

Lee and Larry Johnson high-fived to celebrate, and the Knicks players basically grasped the essence of the tactics.

He repeatedly accelerated and ran with all his might. During the rotation phase, Lee fully demonstrated his scoring explosiveness.

Completely ignoring the Heat’s score, Lee started shooting crazily.

After cutting sideways and facing the switched defense of Alonzo, Lee faked a dribble, then broke through and made a quick stop and jump shot from mid-range.

After the rebound, the right wing outside the three-point line, Voshon Lenard, who was chasing and defending, was deceived by Lee’s fake and was easily passed by one step.

Finally, he watched Lee cut into the basket and made a layup!

Tim Hardaway, who accelerated the offensive rhythm, just made a shot in the paint area.

The Knicks quickly sent the ball to the left wing. Lee received the ball and broke through with a cross step.

With his left hand, he just wanted to carry the defense of Voshon Lenard, turn around quickly in the blocking area, and come to the paint area, causing a foul by Mourning.

The New York fans at the scene became more and more excited as they watched, they went crazy and there was no way to stop them!

After making both free throws, Lenard’s eyes were already wide open.

When he saw Lee holding the ball, he subconsciously wanted to jump up to defend, but his defense became increasingly poor.

Pat Riley’s timeout failed to change the situation on the court. It was not until Lee made a random shot from outside the three point line during the transition offense that his touch began to decline.

With 3 minutes and 2 seconds left in the second quarter, Isaac Austin, who had just replaced the player, was forced to delay in front of Lee, on the right wing, and was almost passed by him again.

The Heat’s defensive formation was in chaos, and Voshon Lenard forgot to switch defense.

As a result, Lee’s ground pass from the blocking zone broke through the defense.

Larry Johnson, who was running down the middle, received the ball and jumped up. He barely managed to push the ball into the basket over Alonso Mourning in the paint area!

“ah!!”

After landing, Larry Johnson yelled at Mourning, and was hit by an elbow from his former teammate.

Soon, the two started pushing each other. The referee saw that something was wrong and rushed between the two.

The New York fans at the scene sighed with regret when they saw that the two players failed to fight.

On the Knicks bench, the atmosphere team started shouting.

Jamal Mashburn, who had just come on the court, hit a three-pointer from the left corner.

Lee, who returned to the No. 1 position, crossed the half court. Buck Williams screened at the top of the arc. He took a step with his left hand and got rid of the defense before shooting the ball!

“Swish!” The three-pointer went into the net!

Tim Hardaway was also confused. His hands were still hanging on Lee’s side. He shot right away?

35:53, the huge score difference made the fans at the scene start to celebrate the victory of the game in advance!

“Incredible! Lee completely dominated the game. The second quarter became his personal offensive show!”

“To see a rookie perform like this in the playoffs reminded me of Magic Johnson.”

Commentator Marv Albert is almost exhausted from whistling the ball, and even a random shot goes in!

Lee shrugged at Tim Hardaway and quickly retreated.

As Mourning stepped onto the free throw line again, Lee signaled for a substitution. After a hard time for most of the quarter, he needed to take a breath.

“9 out of 11, 4 out of 6 from beyond the three-point line, 2 out of 2 free throws, 24 points in a single quarter, Lee tied the single-quarter scoring record set by Michael Jordan in 1990.”

“The young man is a little tired and should take a break. If he finishes the remaining 2 minutes, he may have a chance to surpass Floyd’s record.”

Commentator John Andariese just felt that it was not enough, and the fans at the scene began to applaud Lee as he walked to the bench.

No matter how the Heat defend, Lee can always respond from the outside.

Lee raised his hands and high-fived the fans as he walked towards the bench. The atmosphere team came forward and bumped fists:

“So cool! Lee, you should play for a while longer, maybe you can break Michael Jordan’s record!”

Walter McCarty was so envious that his eyes almost turned green. He chattered non-stop.

After returning to his seat, Lee took a breath and responded casually:

“In the Eastern Conference Finals, I just happened to meet Michael Jordan and break the record. I still have a chance.”

“?”

Walter McCarty had a face full of question marks, as if he couldn’t understand Lee’s train of thought.

The game had basically lost its suspense.

The fans who bought tickets to watch the game tonight felt that they had made a great deal, and everyone began to celebrate the home team’s advancement to the Eastern Conference Finals again.

At the end of the first half, the score was fixed at 39:60, and the second half was almost garbage time.

Jeff Van Gundy was grinning from ear to ear, and anyone could see that the bald young coach was in a good mood.

Pat Riley stopped pretending to be cool at this time. He pursed his lips and walked quickly towards the player tunnel.

The Heat’s playoff journey has come to an end.

In the first half of the game, Clay Lee made 13 of 17 shots, 5 of 7 from beyond the three-point line, and 4 of 4 free throws, scoring 35 points, 2 rebounds and 5 assists.

Before the game was over, the New York media at the scene had already reached a climax.

In the third quarter, the Heat no longer cared about the outcome of the game and began to double-team the opponent, mindlessly delaying the defense.

“Shhh!!”

The New York fans at the scene naturally booed loudly.

They wanted to see the opponent score more points, but the opponent’s defense was obviously broken.

Lee simply slacked off, pulled the defense, and fed the ball to a few old guys.

Oakley’s long two-point and mid-range shots became more and more accurate in this game, and Lee’s assists number increased rapidly.

At 22:22 in a single quarter, when Tim Hardaway left the court, he saw the technical statistics and saw that Lee had a double-double.

He cursed inwardly in anger.

61:82, the fourth quarter entered garbage time.

Even though he didn’t score any more points, Lee didn’t care.

He changed into his training clothes and sat quietly on the bench.

Starks played well in this game and scored points in the third quarter. However, the veteran was more concerned about his opponent in the finals:

“The Bulls seem to be leading by a large margin, and the Hawks have no hope.”

Lee looked around the bench and finally turned around and responded:

“We still have some players to lose in the next game, so enjoy the game!”

…

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep