NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 229 Establishing New Standards (Daily Chapter)

On the night of June 2001, 6, as the Finals reached its final moments, the cheers in Madison Square Garden grew louder and louder.

Although the game was not exciting, no one cared about it at this time. Kobe, who had left the game with six fouls, sat on the bench with a towel covering his head, waiting for the final moment to come.

Trailing by 2 points in less than 10 minutes, the Lakers certainly had a chance in theory, but with Kobe leaving the game and O'Neal +2 intermittently, the team completely collapsed.

Most role players are good at adding icing on the cake. After the Knicks played at home and overtook the score, everyone worked bravely.
If you want to respond at critical moments, most of them still have to rely on star players. In addition to the iron blow in the 4th quarter, Kobe's continuous fouls are also a big mistake.

After Phil Jackson finished the timeout, he folded his arms and waited for the end of the game. He glanced at Kobe, who had become autistic, and could only sigh secretly:
"Still too young."

The referee originally turned a blind eye and would not call a penalty as long as it was not an obvious foul.

There was a lot of physical confrontation in tonight's game, which was originally an advantage of the Lakers. After all, the inside scorers are not afraid of confrontation. The jump shooting team relies on touch, and there are more confrontations.

It's a pity that the trend of the entire game was completely beyond the referee's expectations, and the Lakers followed suit.

They failed to follow the fixed script, and it was the Lakers who struck the iron in the last quarter.

With 12 seconds left in the game, David Stern, who was sitting in the front, felt a little regretful. There was only one game left and the series would be tied for seven.
James Dolan on the side hugged everyone, his face turned red, and a real dynasty team was born.

When the game time ran out, multicolored ribbons immediately floated over the arena.

No one cared about the score anymore. Everyone raised their hands in the air, looked at the colorful ribbons pouring down, and celebrated happily.

96:103, O'Neal, with his hands on his hips, tilted his head and looked at the scoreboard, doubting his life. How could he still lose after such a performance in the series?

Li You handed the ball to "legendary referee" Dick Bavetta. This old referee was born in 1939 and is also a New Yorker. Tonight's call was more or less a missed whistle.

First come first served, Dick Bavetta didn't care what the reporters in Los Angeles would say about him after the game. After receiving the ball, he smiled, hugged Li You and congratulated in a low voice:

"Congratulations, Lee! It's great to see four consecutive championships appear in modern basketball!"

"I love this Knicks team, this is your time."

The other two referees, Joe Crawford and Bernie Fryer, also came forward to congratulate them. We didn't want Li You to complain about the whistle issue immediately. Most referees are very careful about their reputation.

Li You, who was in a good mood, talked about the scene and accepted the blessings of the three referees, which was a reassurance for the opponent.

Everyone in the Knicks team jumped up and rushed to the center of the field. They also raised their hands and shouted in front of the multi-color ribbons in the sky.

The media reporters surrounded Li You again. Facing the camera, Li You raised four fingers and posed, allowing everyone to take pictures.

Compared to last year's champion, although Jeff Van Gundy was very excited this year, he controlled his emotions better.

As a winner, the bald marshal naturally had to show off, straightened his suit, straightened his tie, and walked quickly to the technical stage with a proud smile on his face.

On the other side, Phil Jackson no longer ignored his former "little follower" and came to the technical stage with an expressionless face to shake hands.

"The finals these two years were really exciting, and now we're tied!"

After hearing Jeff Van Gundy's words, Phil Jackson's expression finally changed and he let go with some annoyance.

In the 96 Eastern Conference semifinals, the Bulls eliminated the Knicks. In the 97 Eastern Conference finals, the Bulls won again.

But in 98, Jeff Van Gundy could basically defeat Phil Jackson when he met him.

It ruined the Bulls' three consecutive championships, while the Knicks defeated the Lakers coached by Phil Jackson for two consecutive years and then achieved a fourth consecutive championship.

The 39-year-old Jeff Van Gundy is the strongest current championship coach at this moment, and tonight he set another record with the Knicks.

No one will doubt the strength of the bald young marshal. Perhaps it is only a matter of time before he becomes a super-famous marshal in history.

The director naturally captured such a scene. These two are considered to be a real grudge match.

No one could have imagined that Xianyu, the object of ridicule by the champion coach, would turn around and achieve higher achievements.

The multi-colored ribbons above the arena are still falling. This scene is naturally very uncomfortable for everyone in the Lakers team.

Kobe still covered his head with a towel and sat on the bench without getting up. Fisher hugged everyone. Although he lost, he did his best.

When he came to Li You, after the two hugged, Fisher said mockingly:

"Congratulations, Lee! I swear, I didn't want to use those flops to get fouled, but that's the best way to defend you."

"You are a true superstar! It's a pleasure to play against you and I learned a lot."

Li You didn't care about these defenses. As long as they were not malicious, he would accept them. He patted "Little Fish" again and said with a smile:

"Smart defenders will make reasonable use of the rules. Don't care about other people's opinions. You did a good job, Bro!"

In this era, most players will establish a tough guy persona for themselves. If Li You talks "little fish" with a big mouth after the game, the label of softie will be slapped on the opponent's head.

Soon Fox also came forward to say hello, and Harper from the atmosphere team could only smile lonely when he appeared in front of Li You with Grant.

O'Neal's thighs are still not as good as those of the past.

Tyronn Lue, who only played 2 minutes in the entire series, hugged Li You very actively and greeted him. This round of the series has given him a lot of gains.
The surrounding sports media followed Li You, and Ewing hugged O'Neal and talked non-stop, and also taught the opponent's championship experience.

O'Neal, who lost again, was not in a good mood, and the cautious Sharks were not in the mood for business bragging. Although they avoided a sweep, the boomerang slapped them in the face again.
"Congratulations, Li! I will reach the finals again. I can feel that I am only one step away from the championship."

出场45分钟，20中12，罚球12中8，奥尼尔今晚又拿到了32分14篮板2助攻2抢断2盖帽4失误的数据。

Hearing what the other party said, Li You nodded in agreement, paused for a moment, and then joked:

"If you can successfully lose weight next season, you may have greater hope of winning the championship. It is indeed not an easy task to break out of the Western Conference."

"."

The West is strong and the East is weak, Li You admitted generously. Such a calm attitude made O'Neal depressed. He even thought that he might have won the championship long ago if he stayed in the East.

The two hugged each other in greeting, and Li You didn't take any dig at his opponent. He shot [-]% from the field in the series, destroying the Knicks' inside line.

This kind of performance has indeed won everyone's respect. In this year's finals, even the free throw shooting percentage increased. O'Neal did try his best.

The cameras in the hands of the surrounding sports reporters kept clicking, and the cameras were still focused on the two people who were fist-bumping again.

Regardless of victory or defeat, both sides respect their opponents, and O'Neal also has a deep understanding of Li You's strength.

After greeting Van Gundy, O'Neal, who walked towards the tunnel with his head lowered, suddenly remembered the "IF" theory in the Los Angeles media:

"If the Lakers trade for Li You in the 96 draft, will the championship have been won?"

"."

The noise in the arena couldn't stop at all, and Kobe secretly cried on the bench.

The game collapsed in the fourth quarter, and he said he didn't care, but at the moment of losing, Kobe still couldn't hold back.

It felt terrible to ruin the game with my own hands. Kobe felt even more uncomfortable when he thought about how the commentators would evaluate him after the finals.

When he came to Li You, Kobe's eyes were still red, and he naturally didn't look good when facing his "mortal enemy."

Without blessing, Kobe was more like self-affirmation, and started nagging after hugging:

"I will win it back. I don't regret those shots. I will continue to shoot in the next finals."

Li You didn't care about the other party's attitude. He was not interested in becoming superficial brothers with everyone. He noticed that Kobe was in a low mood and comforted him casually:
"Work hard, Bro! Maybe you haven't completely mastered the state of entering the white-hot space. Training hard will eventually pay off!"

"."

Perhaps because he really believed in this theory, Kobe actually nodded along.

The two shook hands again to greet each other. Li You looked at Kobe, who suddenly became more energetic, and thought to himself:

"Tim Grover is really talented. He can really work with him to write a book in the offseason."

By achieving four consecutive championships, Li You has gained great influence, but the reputation of trainer Tim Grover has also risen to a higher level!

In the past, Michael Jordan was the opponent's signature, but now the success of Li You and Kobe has once again proved Tim Grover's theory.

Just as he was talking about this trainer, Tim Grover, wearing a light gray formal suit, appeared next to Li You laughing.

His grin almost reached the back of his head. After Tim Grover hugged Li You, he shouted to the media in front of him:
"Hey guys! Take a picture of us, this is definitely a historic moment!"

"."

Ewing waved to the old fans wearing his own jersey. With tears in his eyes, the gorilla kept bowing to these fans who supported him.

Maybe some people complained about him in the early years, but as his career ended and he won the championship for four consecutive years, all past dissatisfaction disappeared.

Li You was busy dealing with sponsors and celebrities, Mayor Giuliani smiled and stepped forward to hug, and then the surrounding media reporters began a new round of photo sessions.

This kind of photo posing has become what Li You has to do next.
Ben Wallace was also very happy. Watching Ewing interact with old fans, he felt a little envious.

Although he is a championship center, he is not recognized by many New York fans. Even in the eyes of the media, the inside is the team's weak link.

On the other side, Lewis, who had just finished celebrating with his friends, saw the yearning look on "Little Ben's" face, walked to him and whispered:
"Ben, this is New York, it's time to go back to the locker room!"

Ben Wallace was speechless, then shook his head. Seeing Artest shirtless and happily celebrating with his family and friends, he also responded in a low voice:
"This is New York"

After winning the championship, different players will naturally have different mentality. Grant Hill, who is lying on the championship, is very happy.

After returning to the locker room early and putting on his white championship T-shirt and hat, Grant Hill hugged his father and mother one by one.

Then he thanked the staff who have been serving the team. Seeing Grant Hill hug him politely, many staff members also felt comfortable.

Although the "Successor to Jordan" is a bit overused, he is very popular among the team. New York fans firmly believe that this player can return to his former self and at least score 20 points in a game.

The New York media also likes Grant Hill. The championship team should have the best small forward in the Eastern Conference!
The most important thing is that Grant Hill is handsome and Ben Wallace is not very popular, which may also be related to his appearance.
The award ceremony is already familiar to New York fans. The Knicks' championship T-shirt is simple and crude, with four championship trophies surrounding the team logo.

Alan Houston also felt a little high-spirited when he came to the podium. In a contract year, if he wins another championship, a big contract is already waving to him!

Everyone in the Knicks team was smiling. Li You and Jeff Van Gundy stood at the front. On the other side, James Dolan kept waving to the fans.

Cheers rang out, and the curly-haired boss laughed, enjoying this moment very much.

Jeff Van Gundy looked at the trophy in front of him, and his eyes suddenly turned red. From a follower to the undisputed strongest coach in the active league, achieving such an achievement was something he had never imagined.

Li You looked at the bald young coach who suddenly hugged him and began to shed tears. He felt helpless, as the champion coach's character was gone.

There is no need for a host. Although David Stern feels regretful, his face is filled with smiles. Overall, this year’s finals were very successful and the data met expectations:
"Thank you! I am very happy to witness this year's wonderful finals with everyone!"

"On behalf of the NBA, I would like to thank the cities of Los Angeles and New York for their support, and thank you all for jointly dedicating high-level basketball events to fans around the world!"

"."

David Stern changed his award speech from previous years and began to talk about the purpose of the NBA league, frequently mentioning globalization, cultural inclusion and other aspects.

The New York fans at the scene almost burst into boos as they listened to Mr. President's lengthy speech. Everyone was waiting for a toast and a wave of ribbons to celebrate.

"Thanks to the Los Angeles Lakers, they showed their style, there are no losers in this year's Finals."

"Congratulations again to the team around me! 4 consecutive championships, which has not happened for many years. They created a miracle!" "I hereby officially announce that in the 2000~2001 season, the New York Knicks won the championship!"

"Wow!"

David Stern finished his speech and cheers broke through the arena.

James Dolan, who was waiting for a long time, took the golden O'Brien Cup from Mr. President, raised the trophy high, and shouted:

"Yee!"

Li You chirped for a while from behind, and Jeff Van Gundy also completely came to his senses. He no longer remembered the bitterness and sweetness, raised his hands in the air, and celebrated loudly.

The championship means a lot of money, and the excellent geographical location plus the championship means making money while lying down!

James Dolan handed the trophy in his hand to Li You and took the microphone. Hearing the cheers of the fans again, he immediately said loudly:
"The Knicks are the best basketball team in the world!"

"I know, I know what everyone is worried about, and here, I promise everyone that after Pat retires, the team will build a championship lineup around Lee."

"."

When the curly-haired boss talked about the next Ewing, shouts of "Pat" rang out in the arena, and Ben Wallace in the back sighed secretly. Obviously, he was not the "next Ewing" in the team's plan.

James Dolan's colorful pie is very convincing. Although Grant Hill has been in the recovery period this season, this is indeed the best small forward in the Eastern Conference.

The big boss is bragging about X, so he might as well just say that the Knicks are not worried about the luxury tax next season.

David Stern on the side glared at this ignorant curly boss. Sometimes the Knicks' championship also means a beautiful victory!
As the league's second-largest team in terms of salary, consecutive championships have long caused great dissatisfaction among other teams.

General manager Glenfield looked at the big boss who couldn't stop bragging and almost promised to get O'Neal to come over. His face turned slightly dark for a moment.

The higher the hatred, the less likely anyone will make a deal with you in the offseason. The Knicks all have player options.
Fortunately, Jeff Van Gundy didn't brag next. As a head coach, he naturally understands the dilemma of the championship team:
"I'm so proud of the Knicks. We are the best team in the league!"

"."

The bald young coach showed off his talent as a famous coach and praised everyone on the team. The staff who were called by name also clapped happily.

When David Stern took the microphone again, the FMVP spherical golden trophy also appeared.

"Wow!"

"Regular Season 180 Club!"

"55 points in a single game in the finals and 10 three-pointers in a single game in the finals!"

“场均40.8分4.5篮板9.0助攻2.0抢断0.7盖帽，NBA总决赛历史上第4位达成场均40分的球员！”

"The winner of the 2000~2001 season finals MVP award is Clay-Lee!"

"Congratulations to Lee for becoming the first player in NBA history to win FMVP for 4 consecutive years! What a great achievement!"

David Stern's every word would cause huge cheers. When Li You received the trophy, everyone at the scene shouted loudly:

"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

Ewing smiled and handed the O'Brien Cup to Li You. He held the two trophies in his arms. Li You came to the front of the podium and posed with a bright smile. The cameras in the hands of media reporters flashed wildly.

The style of the trophy did not change. Li You just stared at it and then handed it to Artest, who liked to touch the trophy.

After taking the microphone, the cheers in the arena still couldn't stop. Li You raised his hands and clapped along. When the sound gradually decreased, he said seriously:
"Oh! I never thought I would be able to achieve something like this. For a kid growing up in Albuquerque, it's incredible."

"I just want to thank my teammates, the coaching staff, and all the Knicks staff, Danger!"

"I would like to thank my opponents every year, they are also worthy of respect!"

"Thank you again to my friends and the fans who have always supported the Knicks. I hope you all like this gift!"

"."

David Stern kept applauding on the sidelines, Michael Jordan started his third consecutive championship, and Li You started his fourth consecutive championship.

One in the early 90s and one in the early 21st century. The history is always surprisingly similar. The league needs to establish new standards, and fans will also like such gimmicks.

Li You didn't say much. After winning the championship, there were naturally people singing his praises behind him.

Handing the microphone to Mr. President again, Li You called on everyone in the Knicks team to come forward and express their opinions.

The ratings tonight should be very high, and the little transparent person in the atmosphere group has also waved a towel to help. It's time to show her face and enjoy the benefits.

Gorilla took this opportunity to say goodbye to the fans again. As he spoke, he suddenly burst into tears. Perhaps recalling those times when he was ridiculed, Ewing finally said loudly:
"Thanks Lee! Really thank him, he saved my career."

"."

The final group photo was particularly crowded, and some season ticket holders were also invited to the center of the field. Li You held two trophies in the center, and raised four fingers on his right hand again.

Next to them, Alan Houston and Ewing also burst into laughter. As everyone cheered, golden ribbons were once again thrown over the arena.

The New York fans raised their hands and felt the sky above was filled with golden light:

"Wow!"

The Knicks naturally want to open the champagne of victory when they return to the locker room. They can celebrate with confidence at their home court.

On the other side, everyone on the Lakers team had already changed their clothes. Both O'Neal and Kobe were wearing dark gray formal suits and attended the press conference, both looking sad.

As soon as we sat down, the first person to fire the shot was not anyone else, but a reporter from the Los Angeles Times:
"Kobe, can you explain why you made such an offensive choice in the last quarter of the game?"

Knowing that the opponent was accusing him of blacksmithing, he performed well in the first three quarters, but ended up ruining the game.

出场46分钟，28中13，三分线外7中2，罚球6中6，34分5篮板5助攻2抢断5失误。

Kobe looked at the technical statistics in front of him again, and finally answered in a low voice:

"I saw the opportunity, I believed I could hit the next shot, it's that simple, I take responsibility for the team's loss."

The reporter from the Los Angeles Times was so scolded that he shook his head subconsciously, sat back in his seat and stopped saying anything.

The smile on the face of the ESPN reporter who was watching the show on the other side couldn't be stretched anymore. He noticed O'Neal's look, and it was obvious that there was friction between the two.

"Shaq, can you talk about why the Lakers lost to the Knicks two years in a row? Is it related to your inability to defend the pick-and-roll?"

O'Neal was in a terrible mood. When asked this question, painful memories began to flash in his mind again:
"I can defend pick-and-rolls, and my defense is very good!"

"If you saw Lee's statistics in the finals, you should know that no one in the league can limit his pick-and-roll offense."

"With a shooting percentage of 52.9% and a three-point shooting percentage of 47.2%, Lee is simply a monster! I admit that I can't limit him. Next season, the team needs more perimeter defenders."

The shabby answer made many New York media outlets laugh secretly.

O'Neal obviously broke the defense and directly admitted that he could not guard the pick-and-roll, and also made a request to the Lakers management.
Kobe glanced at O'Neal. He knew that the opponent did not like his defensive effect. In the series, he led the defense for most of the series, but he was lonely in the defense.

As reporters in the audience asked questions, Kobe and O'Neal broke through and answered:

"I will continue to take action. The iron cannot stop me. I know my potential and I am confident that I will lead the team to the championship!"

"."

"You can't ask a big man to defend as flexibly as a striker!"

"I played almost the entire game in every game. I tried my best to win the championship. Obviously there were some problems with the configuration of our team, but that's not my job."

整个系列赛，奥尼尔场均出场45.3分钟，场均拿到38.0分13.8篮板2.0助攻1.5抢断1.5盖帽3.3失误；

He averaged 24.5 shots per game, shooting 60.5% from the field, averaging 15.5 free throws per game, and shooting 54.9% from the field.

Most media reporters will be secretly stunned when they see this data. Except for extreme entertainment people, most of them express sympathy for O'Neal.

When Li You appeared at the press conference all wet, the New York reporters in the audience once again cheered loudly, and everyone screamed.

The two trophies were placed randomly in front of the table. As soon as Li You sat down, the TNT reporter jokingly asked:
"As the first player in NBA history to win 4 consecutive FMVPs, Lee, do you feel the pressure now?"

Li You touched his chin, pretended to be thinking, pondered for a moment and said:

"No, I feel like I don't have any pressure anymore. The fans support me and my teammates also support me. I'm only 23 years old and my career has just begun!"

"In this year's finals, I enjoyed the competition more. I like to meet challenges and even more enjoy the process of victory."

"In addition, my salary should be getting higher and higher, and I can also show myself in front of fans around the world."

"Compared with those who live in poverty, I feel like I am in heaven. Of course there is no pressure when playing basketball. If my performance disappoints, then I have to prove myself again!"

After hearing what Li You said, many media reporters followed suit, and some even joked:
"Li is a billionaire, I believe what he says!"

Everyone was laughing and chatting, and a New York Times reporter suddenly asked:
"Lee, what are your plans for the offseason? Will the Knicks still make reinforcements?"

Thinking of the gloomy general manager Grunfield, Li You simply tilted his chin and said lazily:

"I plan to take a good rest for a few days, and we should fly directly to Las Vegas later."

"On the 18th, the Knicks will have a grand championship parade. Everyone can actively participate!"

"As for reinforcements and offseason issues, you can consult our general manager later. I believe he will be happy to answer your questions!"

Hearing that the Knicks planned to fly to Las Vegas to have fun, the media reporters in the audience started discussing again. At this time, a reporter from Yahoo Sports suddenly said:
"Lee, I got news that head coach Doc Rivers seems to be recruiting Alan Houston!"

"The Magic have enough salary space to sign him, and there seems to have been contact between the two parties."

The New York media whispered, as if they were hearing this news for the first time. The combination of Alan Houston and McGrady is indeed somewhat reliable!
Li You blinked. He really didn't know about this matter. It should be the operation of the agent:
"I believe the Knicks will offer Allan a big contract, he is our championship guard."

At this time, no one cared about Li You's words. Everyone wanted to go into the gossip. Thinking about the Knicks' lineup structure, many people had an idea in their minds:
"The dynasty team is also going to disintegrate!"

On the way back to the locker room, Li You saw General Manager Grunfield looking ugly. Before he could speak, the other party immediately complained:

"I also just got the news that Allan's agent seems to be a little dissatisfied with the length of the contract."

Li You didn't wait for the other party to finish speaking, put his arm around the general manager's shoulders, and said meaningfully:

"Don't worry about these issues or consider my opinions. I know the team's situation and everyone's wishes better."

"So, I don't have any requirements for this offseason."

Grunfield is still frowning. The luxury tax will be implemented next season and new rules will be officially introduced. These are all changes.

Li You watched the general manager hurriedly walk to the press conference room, and then he remembered that his reward had not been settled yet. With a thought, he got feedback:

[Kobe Bryant’s extraordinary physical ability]

Thinking that his physical fitness value was 97 and had not moved for a long time, Li You whispered to himself:

“seems to be ok”

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(End of this chapter)