NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 358 They just don’t have the strength (7200 words chapter)
The NBA's opening games in recent years have attracted more attention.

On the one hand, this is due to the reduction in the number of live broadcasts across the United States, and on the other hand, it is because everyone wants to see the state of the Knicks.

For teams in the Eastern Conference that are increasingly polarized, it makes sense to accumulate talent over an appropriate period of time.

A lot can be seen in a game. Pau Gasol is still a little tired after experiencing the Olympics, and has not returned to his best condition on both offense and defense;
Under the restrictions of the new rules, the intensity of perimeter defense has decreased. This may be due to the referee's excessive intervention in the scale of the whistle;
The faster pace of the game, more individual offenses, and a large number of three-pointers make ball commentators feel uncomfortable.

This was a game close to the late 80s. The Pistons, who emphasized defense, completely lost their rhythm, and the offensive end magnified the players' disadvantages.

After establishing the victory in the first quarter, the Pistons couldn't climb up. This situation was exactly the same as last season's Eastern Conference Finals.

Unable to hit the ball in time, Larry Brown still failed to solve this problem.

The game lost its suspense at the end of the three quarters. In the last quarter, because it was the opening game, the two sides did not change into the atmosphere group early, which made the score difference wider and wider.

In the TNT commentary box, Doug Collins no longer continued to advocate the impact of the new rules on the Knicks' defense as he did at the beginning. Instead, he began to discuss whether outside scorers would explode:
"Fans will love this rule from a viewing standpoint."

"Outside players can complete breakthroughs more easily, and they can also hold the ball in isolation from the three-point line like Li."

The tactics didn't change much. It was the same "V-shaped" positioning. Prince in the left corner slipped across the baseline, and Stoudemire in the right elbow area moved laterally and gave Li You a simple pass. Off ball screen.

On the lower left side of the basket, before approaching the paint area, Li You jumped into the air.

"Lee Cut" has been used by many teams in recent years. Doug Collins recalled the scene when Allen Iverson of the 76ers ran this tactic, and subconsciously commented:
"Compared to Iverson, Lee, who has better speed, strength and shooting, is obviously more suitable for this tactic."

Larry Brown sat on the bench and subconsciously shook his head as he watched Li You succeed in a floating jumper from the right wing's three-point line with the help of a double screen on the top line.

"But Lee's shooting ability is the key. In his rookie season, he shot 40.8% from three-point range. This is a statistic that many players cannot achieve in their careers."

“It was indeed a great opener!”

19中9，三分线外7中2，罚球4中2，22分7篮板1抢断2失误。

The offensive end wanted to fight back, but the depressed Billups ignored his teammates' request for the ball. Just after halftime, he singled out Fisher from beyond the three-point line and hit a step-back jumper.

Different from previous tactics, Li You did not accelerate the outside shot, but suddenly accelerated towards the basket after bypassing two screens on the line.

With 2 minutes and 32 seconds left in the game, the Pistons requested a timeout. Ben Wallace returned to his seat and covered his face with his hands. After taking a deep breath, he became increasingly depressed.

The quality of the cover was not high, but Li You accelerated laterally and Hamilton could only chase after him.

As a short inside man, Ben is usually full of energy on the court, but tonight he rarely even shouted loudly.

After making tactical gestures after halftime, Fisher was not close to the three-point line outside the top of the arc, waiting for Li You to speed up and cross.

Halfway through, realizing that he had offended someone, Doug Collins laughed and stopped commenting.

Facing the Knicks' rotation, Rasheed performed well and almost grasped every opportunity to attack inside.

This is obviously not the Pistons' offensive rhythm. Kevin Harlan watched the two sides start to poke each other again and praised again:
"Continuous offense, smooth game, maybe that's why people like to watch the Knicks."

"As a rookie, Li You's physical confrontation was slightly weaker. At that time, the Knicks' screen quality was very high. As the final screener, Ewing can make a lot of changes in a single tactic."

Under the Lakers' triangle offense system, the most common tactic performed by point guards in many rounds is to hand over the ball in the half court and then go to the corner to wait for opportunities.

"Obviously the Pistons were not prepared and their defense also had some problems tonight, but I understand Ben Wallace and I hope his family can get through this."

"In the new season, many players may have a statistical explosion, and I am very much looking forward to it!"

Rashid, who was sitting back in the seat, didn't want to speak. Seeing his partner cover his face, he could only comfort him in a low voice:

Ben, who was still on the court, seemed listless at this time. When he was behind by a big score, it was difficult to cheer up, and his enthusiasm dropped sharply.

The Knicks are completely different. The core guards usually get good statistics. In the limited playing time, the ball is usually in the hands of the guards.

When the ball arrived, Fisher passed the ball higher. Li You grabbed the ball with both hands in the air. After releasing his force, he hovered briefly and smashed the ball into the basket!
"Wow!"

Fisher, who came on as a substitute, once again experienced the joy of partnering with Li You.

With his family in the hospital and a big loss, it was difficult for Ben Wallace to get involved in the first game of the new season.

The warm atmosphere in the arena did not affect everyone on the Pistons. The atmosphere team saw the head coach shaking his head and crossing his arms in a daze, and no longer communicated with each other.

Fisher, who has played a few preseason games, is still adapting. After coming on the scene, his pick-and-roll jump shot was average, but he could easily get assists.

"It's my problem, I should be able to play better!"

Kevin Harlan watched the Pistons complete the offense meticulously. Rasheed turned over in the low post on the left and hit a jumper. After praising the offense, he added:
"Maybe that's not a good thing for a defensive team!"

"This is not a matter of one person, we are running around following our opponents!"

With a shake of his little hand, the assist came in. Fisher, who acted as the core defender, happily high-fived Li You to celebrate.

14中6，三分线外6中2，罚球6中5，19分6篮板5助攻1抢断3失误，对于比卢普斯的表现，拉里-布朗很不满意：

Billups was pulled by Larry Brown and whispered that this defeat started with the core defender beating him blindly.

Whether to initiate a pick-and-roll or to play in isolations with the ball is the final decision of the defender, and the tactics are not complicated. If they fail to execute successfully, the blame will be taken over by the star.

"When encountering a scorer like Li, they need to spend more energy on the defensive end, and the offensive end also needs to respond in time."

Hamilton felt a little uncomfortable. Although he had excellent physical fitness, chasing Li You was not a comfortable thing.

The same tactics will have different effects when used by different players.

The wonderful alley-oop once again made the New York fans cheer at the scene.

12中5，罚球6中3，13分10篮板3助攻2抢断2失误，拿到两双数据的大本对自己的表现十分不满。

At the left elbow area, Kurt Thomas saw Li You raising his eyebrows at him, but he didn't stupidly insist on covering it. He stood still symbolically, but instead ruined Hamilton's pursuit rhythm.

"You need to control the tempo of the game at all times. If we are behind by double digits, we still have a chance."

"The opponent uses the rhythm to make you anxious, but the game lasts four quarters and you need to stay calm at all times during the game."

After pulling Billups to give him some advice, Larry Brown spoke easily, but he was also shocked by the Knicks' shooting.

This kind of tactic that is beyond the game plan is the main reason for losing tonight.

The director also focused the camera on the Pistons' starting five. Compared to the scene of laughter and laughter on the opposite side, everyone, including the coaching staff, waited expressionlessly for the end of the game.

At the last moment of the Knicks, Barnes and Varejao also appeared on the court to stretch their bodies.

After serving as the atmosphere team for several years, Barnes also entered the rotation when the team suffered injuries.

Center Antonio McDyess, whom the Pistons signed with a mid-level contract this year, did not get much playing time.

McDyess was still playing hard at the last moment, but the signing still confused the two people in the commentary box.

Entering garbage time, Darko Milicic on the bench still didn't get a chance to play. Until the game time ran out, the rookie also failed to make his debut in the new season.

92:118, a big score victory over the opponent, the Knicks ushered in a good start to the new season.

Although they only played more than 2 minutes, both Varejao and Barnes scored.

Milicic stood up and was about to shake hands. Seeing everyone on the Knicks team laughing and celebrating the victory, he felt a little uncomfortable:

"Old guy! If you're not in good health, just resign!"

Larry Brown didn't care about the cute eyes behind him. He came to the technical stage and hugged D'Antoni in greeting:
"You brought a new basketball philosophy to the league! You were the better team tonight."

"We just have better luck. With a lot of three-pointers, we sometimes lose points quickly. Fortunately, Li felt good tonight."

D'Antoni smiled and joked about the Knicks' blind throwing tactics. After the two exchanged business remarks, Larry Brown's face gradually lost its smile as he walked towards the tunnel.

If there were players like Li You in the Olympics, how could he get a bronze medal in disgrace?
Nineteen thousand fans did not leave early after the game, and everyone was still enjoying the joy of victory.

Many fans pointed their cameras over the arena and took pictures of 8 championship flags.

After greeting the players on the sidelines, Craig Sagel squeezed in next to Li You, smiled and sighed:

"What a crazy game, Lee, you guys took 32 shots from beyond the arc tonight, does that mean this is going to be the Knicks' regular play style?"

Li You nodded and talked openly about the team's plans for the new season:
"Transition offense and finishing at the basket have always been what we are pursuing. Increasing three-point shooting is also the right choice."

"As the defending champions, we should stay confident and if there is an opening, we should shoot decisively."

"Perhaps in some games we cannot attack efficiently, but a large sample of games will ultimately prove that our tactics are correct."

The Knicks made 32 of 14 three-pointers and defeated their opponents with a three-point shooting rate of more than %.

Craig Sager does not dislike such games. On the contrary, he also appreciates the hearty offense:

"Lee, we believe in you and are very much looking forward to the changes in the Knicks' new season!"

"."

Stoudemire played 30 minutes tonight, and D'Antoni took good care of him, which was also authorized by the team management.

12中8，罚球6中4，20分7篮板1助攻1抢断2盖帽。

With Gasol only scoring 12 points, Stoudemire became the team's second scoring point.

After returning to the locker room, the New York media gathered around Stoudemire and blasted him.

"I have fully adapted to the NBA. My knees are in great condition. It is very easy for me to score in double figures!"

“I think I can take on more this season!”

Stoudemire is confident that he will get a double-double of 20+10 as long as he is given a little more time.

Kurt Thomas was not in a good mood. He only scored 8 points, but fortunately he grabbed 12 rebounds.

The coaching staff is still making some lineup attempts, but the competition between the two will most likely not stop.

Li You was going to attend the press conference. In the lively locker room, Fisher took the initiative to high-five everyone in celebration, and even laughed and teased the newbie:

"Anderson, if you keep performing like this, Deke's playing time will definitely be yours!"

Mutombo did not play tonight because he suffered from the flu.

The veteran was admiring the ring in his hand in his seat. When he heard the joke, he immediately showed off to Fisher:
"I bet your ring is not so beautiful! Look at this huge diamond!"

Fisher could only shrug his shoulders. The Lakers' championship ring that year was quite satisfactory, and the face of the ring was the team logo.

Thinking of Li You's performance, Fisher felt that he could also win a championship in New York.

On November 11, football commentators began to discuss last night's opening game.

All three teams playing at home won, but the Lakers' performance did not meet everyone's expectations.

88:108, the Mavericks defeated the Rockets, and the Yao-Mai combination failed to show dominance.

诺维斯基20中12，三分线外3中2，罚球8中7，拿到33分10篮板5助攻2抢断2盖帽3失误的两双数据。被中国球迷寄予厚望的麦克格雷迪出场35分钟，18中6，三分线外5中2，罚球6中4，砍下18分；
姚明出场32分钟，12中4，罚球6中3，拿到11分10篮板1盖帽3失误的数据。

McGrady continued his pre-season form, and the "second man" seems to have not been able to find the feeling of the game.

After losing by a big score, head coach Mike Brown didn't say anything. His tactics were also very simple, which was to give the ball to the stars.
On the contrary, McGrady also made excuses for himself:

"It's difficult for me to get into the game at this pace. I hope the team plays faster. We need more transition attacks."

In order to take care of the big men, the Rockets' game rhythm will naturally not be as fast as the Knicks.

The entire game took 76 shots, while the opposing Mavericks took 82 shots.

Such complaints have also been recognized by some football commentators. There are indeed problems with the Rockets' tactics.

In another focus game, the Lakers at home defeated the Nuggets 78:89.

At 31:50 of the half, the Lakers led by 19 points. Although the Nuggets launched a counterattack in the second half, the point difference was too big and they had no choice but to lose.

The inside combination of Kenyon Martin and Marcus Camby failed to take advantage. Instead, the Lakers' Chris Mihm made 16 of 8 shots and efficiently scored a double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds.

科比出场42分钟，14中5，三分线外2中1，罚球15中14，拿到25分4篮板7助攻1抢断3盖帽4失误。

ESPN was naturally sarcastic about Kobe's performance:

"Without O'Neal, it will be difficult for Kobe to maintain his previous offensive efficiency!"

In the first half of the game, Kobe was more focused on driving his teammates. As the new head coach, Tomjanovich naturally had to stand up for his players.

After flying to Salt Lake City, in an interview in the afternoon, Tomjanovich praised Kobe's performance:
"Kobe is the true leader of this team and everyone on the team is aware of his contribution to the game."

"The data is not important, what is important is that we won the game!"

The Lakers are going to play back-to-back games, and Kobe is too lazy to accept interviews. After practicing hard in the offseason, he firmly believes that he can lead the team to the finals again.

This year’s NBA league previewed the Christmas game early:

Heat vs. Lakers, Cavaliers vs. Knicks.

Kobe doesn't want to lose to O'Neal in the Christmas game. He must adjust his game condition within two months and then hit hard in the Christmas game!
The Knicks also had back-to-back games, and after flying to Polis, the sports media was still blowing the whistle.

出场38分钟，24中14，三分线外14中8，罚球8中7，43分6篮板15助攻2抢断2失误。

The 40+ double-double data in the opening game made many football commentators shout:
"Knicks championship!"

Recently, Artest released his new album. In order to show his close relationship with the Knicks, Sprewell also sent blessings before the game:

"I love Ron's music and his new album is sure to be a hit."

"As a former champion guard, I think the Knicks will still enter the finals this season. Lee's condition is so good, and the new rules have completely liberated his offense!"

Still unable to reach an agreement with the team, Sprewell has been doing more and more tricks recently, which has gradually affected the locker room.

Although Garnett is the team leader, he has nothing to say to his teammates who want big contracts.

After all, he is the beneficiary of a big contract, so when interviewed by sports reporters, Garnett can only say a few words:

"We are a united team and I am not worried about Latrell. There is no doubt about his professionalism."

"The team has been hit by the flu, and now I hope Sam can return to his best condition as soon as possible."

At 20 o'clock that night, at the Target Center Arena, Timberwolves fans welcomed the opening game of the new season with great anticipation.

In the first half of the game, the two sides started an offensive mode, and Garnett showed his excellent game state.

半场13中10，砍下20分8篮板4助攻！

Both sides rarely took free throws, and the game was extremely smooth. Garnett walked towards the tunnel and beat his chest, roaring in the cheers of the fans to express his excitement.

Sprewell, whose playing time is limited, is naturally unhappy. The management is trying to beat him!
At 58:58, at halftime, the two sides were tied.

After the start of the second half, the Timberwolves took the lead in attacking. After Olowokandi served from the baseline, Cassel was not blocked and quickly moved across the half court to show tactical gestures.

On the left wing, Garnett, who was feeling hot, immediately stepped forward to cover.

After the fake screen, Garnett immediately opened the ball. Cassel, who was holding the ball in his left hand, immediately sent a ground pass without waiting for Li You to catch up.

Garnett caught the ball at the free throw line, ignored Kurt Thomas' hand interference, took a quick test step with his right foot and immediately shot a pull-up jumper.

"Whoa!" A steady hit from mid-range.

"Wow!"

The star player continued his fiery shooting touch, and the Timberwolves fans at the scene also shouted.

Garnett, who beat his chest and retreated, roared again, performing so passionately that the cheers couldn't stop.

Cassell loudly reminded his teammates that the game was going too smoothly, which made him inexplicably nervous.

"Defense!."

Amid the defensive cheers, Li You, who quickly crossed the half court, did not suffer much interference.

Gasol reached the three-point line. Li You, who was holding the ball in his right hand, first slowed down and straightened his body, then dribbled the ball under his hips and swayed to the left.

Cassel seemed to be prepared and tried to squeeze through the screen immediately, but Li You suddenly dribbled the ball behind his back and instantly got rid of the defense with a huge range of movements.

The moment he switched to his right hand, Li You reached the top of the arc and took a step sideways.

Ogwokandi was still moving backwards, trying to defend Gasol, who was passing down. The moment Li You shot from outside the three-point line, the big man symbolically raised his hands to defend.

"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net!

Cassell, whose body failed to return to its best condition, could only remind his teammates to pay attention to the delay in defensive changes, and the Timberwolves fans at the scene booed again.

The Timberwolves' offense continued with the same tactics. For the first time, there was no opportunity for the pick-and-roll at the top of the arc. Garnett immediately moved laterally and handed the ball to Sprewell on the right wing.

The latter caught the ball and pretended to break through with the ball in his left hand. He just had physical contact with Artest and immediately passed the ball to Garnett who moved to the left block.

Garnett quickly took a tentative step with his left foot and feinted while raising the ball. When he saw Kurt Thomas sliding backwards, he decisively took a pull-up jumper!

"state!"

It was a rare shot. Gasol easily collected the rebound under the basket and found Li You immediately. Both sides began to rush towards the half court.

Amid the exclamations of Timberwolves fans, Li You first circled the ball behind his back to dodge Cassel's chip shot, then accelerated in a straight line in the middle, crossing the three-point line in the blink of an eye.

Without waiting for Cassel behind to interfere, Li You circled the ball behind his back while he was running. He took three long steps and then switched to his right hand in the air. He held the ball with one hand and pretended to pick the basket.

Garnett strode back to the basket and jumped high, only to find that the basketball flew straight to the left corner.

Most of the Timberwolves who retreated were concentrated in the paint. When Laga Bell caught the ball in the left corner, Szczerbiak pounced on him.

The shot without much adjustment finally passed Szczerbiak's fingertips and accurately fell into the basket!

At 64:60, two consecutive three-pointers widened the point difference again.

Coach Sanders on the sidelines had to loudly remind his players to retreat and counterattack in time.

The pace of the game between the two sides was fast. After a quick baseline kick, Cassel started a pick-and-roll with Garnett on the right wing after halftime.

Using the same offensive routine, Garnett quickly opened up. When he came to the free throw line, Cassel did not choose to pass the ball, but held the ball with his right hand and went straight to the basket.

Kurt Thomas went up without delay, allowing Cassel's breakthrough to be unimpeded.

Amid the cheers of the fans, Cassel took three long strides and came to the lower right side of the basket to quickly lay the basket.

As soon as the basketball left his hand, Cassell felt a strong attack from behind in the air, and then with a pop, the basketball flew into the paint area.

"Oh!"

Li You, who had adjusted his steps behind him early, completed the shot with his left hand and controlled the ball immediately after landing. Facing Garnett who came up with a delay, he flicked his left wrist and the basketball flew directly into the opponent's crotch.

Feeling cold under his crotch, he subconsciously closed his legs tightly. By the time Garnett reacted, Li You had already squeezed past him and completely got rid of the defense.

The beautiful pass of the ball also made many fans at the scene cheer instinctively.

Li You, who was holding the ball in his right hand, rushed faster and faster. When Sprewell returned to defend and moved closer to the center, the basketball flew straight into the paint area.

A precise pass to the ground found Artest, who was unguarded. The latter caught the ball, grabbed the ball with his left hand, and dunked with a glide!

At 66:60, coach Sanders on the sidelines loudly reminded the players again and signaled Cassel to stabilize the rhythm of the game.

The head coach just reminded that in the next round, Sprewell, who was trying to break through from the left wing, was intercepted by Artest face-to-face.

As the basketball flew over the midline, Li You, who was as fierce as a tiger in fast break, accelerated instantly and threw away Cassel behind him.

1 vs 0 in the frontcourt, Li You rushed to the paint area and took off with both feet. After turning 180 degrees in the air, he grabbed the ball with his right hand and easily pushed the ball into the basket!
"Shh!"

The boos were not only directed at Li You, but some fans were also expressing their dissatisfaction with Sprewell. This undercover behavior in key rounds hurt the team's morale.

At 68:60, seeing the score difference reach double digits, coach Sanders immediately requested a timeout.

Head coach D'Antoni smiled and patted everyone on the shoulders. It also requires star ability to poke each other.

The Knicks have a huge advantage in responding to the ball, which is why their opponents fall behind as soon as they hit the ball.

"Their shooting percentage is declining. All you have to do is attack, pick and roll, run, and put the ball into the basket when the opportunity arises!"

Sitting in front of everyone, Mustache didn't mention defense at all, so he drew two tactics on the tactical board to remind the players to pay attention to the offensive space, and then followed it up with a pot of chicken soup.

On the bench of the Timberwolves, coach Sanders was a little hesitant. Garnett's state was so good in the first half. He was troubled in his heart but showed no emotion on his face:

"Finish the offense close to the basket, Kevin, you know how to do it, don't forget this is our home court!"

Garnett nodded confidently, and Cassel reminded his teammates to attack the basket before coming on the court.

In the first round after the timeout, it was another simple pick-and-roll. In the left block, Garnett caught the ball. He saw Kurt Thomas move back and made a decisive jump shot.
Watching Gasol grab the rebound and throw a long throw, Li You caught the ball and rushed through the midline. Coach Sanders on the sidelines couldn't help but help his forehead.

When he threw away the defense and crossed the free throw line, Cassel stopped pulling and watched as Li You grabbed the ball with his left hand and glided for a dunk!
At 70:60, the score difference reached double digits.

"You should slow down, otherwise the game will lose suspense soon!"

After completing the dunk, Li You thoughtfully reminded his old rival under the basket.

The bottom line referee noticed Russell's dark face and almost laughed out loud.

Seeing Li You's relaxed look, Cassel responded with a somewhat broken defense:
"Don't think of me as a rookie! You were a substitute in college when I won the championship!"

"."

(End of this chapter)