NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 361: Winning and Cure (Daily Chapter)
On November 2004, 11, the NBA announced the Player of the Week for the third week of the new season:
LeBron James of the Eastern Conference and Ray Allen of the Western Conference successfully won the award.

The Cavaliers achieved a record of 3 wins and 0 losses, and the SuperSonics also maintained a complete victory with 4 wins and 0 losses.

勒布朗-詹姆斯场均29.0分9.7篮板4.7助攻3.3抢断2.3盖帽3.3失误；

He averaged 44.7 minutes per game, shooting 50.8% from the field, 22.2% from three-point range, and 79.3% from free throws.

With an average of 20.3 shots per game, James' efficient performance attracted more attention.

雷-阿伦本周场均25.8分5.5篮板4.0助攻1.3抢断1.5失误；

The shooting rate was 50.7%, the three-point shooting rate was 64.0%, and the free throw shooting rate was 84.6%.

Compared to James' somewhat exaggerated playing time, Ray Allen averaged 38.5 minutes per game and averaged 18.8 shots per game. He performed well and the SuperSonics' record began to rise.

Recently, there were trade rumors that the Magic were trying to bring in Ray Allen, but after winning the Best of the Week, the trade rumors were immediately denied:

"I am very satisfied with the environment of the Sonics. Everyone here supports me, which is why I signed the contract!"

Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines was still loudly reminding the players to let Howard focus.

Although Howard reacted quickly, taking into account Kurt Thomas behind him, he was still slow to return to the basket.

"."

Howard under the basket failed to take off sufficiently. After reaching the air, he was hit by Li You and his body began to lean back involuntarily.

There were 3 minutes and 45 seconds left in the first half, and the Cavaliers had not scored a point for more than a minute.

Walter Frazier laughed and joked about the offense. Mike Breen noticed that Howard had lost his smile and followed the gossip:
"It is said that the rookie was still spending money in the nightclub last night. Maybe he should prepare well. The defending champion is completely different from other teams."

When Laga Bell in the left corner quickly slipped across the baseline, Gasol had already reached the three-point line.

With 3 minutes and 35 seconds left in the half, in the MSG commentary box, taking advantage of James' passing error, commentator Mike Breen talked about the Cavaliers' state last week:
"Coach Van Gundy has indeed created an excellent defensive system for the team!"

If the main scorer is a forward player, LeBron James has to do the same job, go around the screen or chase the defense, and finally drive the opponent player inside.

Amid the cheers of New York fans, Lee Woo-yun came to the left wing after halftime.

The basketball hit the back edge of the basket and bounced high. Howard used his excellent bounce to get the rebound first. Although he hit the basketball in his second takeoff, he failed to get the ball into the basket.

"Let's go Knicks!."

After hearing the head coach's reminder, Howard stared at the movement on the line and began to move toward the basket.

On the left wing, when his teammates stepped on the three-point line to cover, James, holding the ball in his left hand, quickly went in and out.

As James misfired in the first quarter, Ilgauskas and Gooden, who came off the bench, became the main scorers of the basketball team.

The moment he stood still, Gasol accelerated down the line. At the same time, Li You, who was holding the ball in his right hand, suddenly changed direction.

On the evening of the 21st, at 19:30, LeBron James, who was in high spirits during happy events, did not continue his efficient performance.

Kurt Thomas got stuck in position and seized the opportunity to collect the rebound. Howard and James both cursed at the same time, feeling sorry for this offense.

The Cavaliers usually initiate pick-and-rolls near the elbow area. When passing the half court, James greeted Ilgauskas in advance.

Howard has excellent physical fitness and Ilgauskas has a huge height advantage. This kind of defense forces the ball holder to complete the mid-range.

"In three games last week, the opponent's score was limited to less than 90 points, but tonight the Cavaliers encountered some difficulties. LeBron was lost in Artest's defense!"

After suppressing his opponent in the second quarter, Walter Frazier's tone became lighter and lighter, and he even took the initiative to help the visiting team with advice:
"Dwight Howard needs to make himself stronger. He is still adapting to NBA competition."

Jeff McGinnis was out of form, but Ira Newbell helped the team score some points.

At this time, the Cavaliers' inside combination is still Howard and Ilgauskas.

"boom!"

In addition, after being beaten, James also made mistakes. After making consecutive mistakes, the Knicks seized the opportunity and easily widened the point difference.

"The block in the first quarter was impressive, but the rookie still relied more on talent on the defensive end, and there were problems with positioning in several rounds."

The main reason why the Cavaliers fell behind by double digits was Eric Snow's consecutive mistakes in the early part of the second quarter.

After the feint, there was still no interference, and James made a decisive jump shot!
"state!"

With his head level with the basket, Li You leaped high from a high position, waited for his opponent to fall, completely dodged the block, hovered briefly and then extended his arm to slam down!

At 33:47, the score difference reached 14 points. LeBron James of Happy Basketball was a little anxious and started asking for the ball before halftime.

Before Ilgauskas could react, he just slid backwards instinctively. Before he could reach out and pull, Li You, who was flying with the ball in his left hand and flying on the ground, squeezed past him and went straight to the basket!

The Magic are trying to get rid of Alan Houston, but the SuperSonics are not stupid. The team has just got on the right track, winning consecutive games and attendance has begun to pick up. There is no reason to return to a different hospital during this period.

McGinnis, who was chasing behind him, subconsciously stopped and watched Li You take off with wide eyes.
On the lower left side of the basket, close to the paint area, Li You took off with both feet. Amid the exclamations of the fans in the front row, he grabbed the ball with his left hand, pulled his arm back, bent his body, and then suddenly exerted force!

"Howard failed to block the shot. Lee's greeting gift should leave a deep impression on the rookie!"

After going 4 for 0 and scoring zero points in the first quarter, James found some shooting touch at the end of the second quarter.

The basket roared, and he succeeded in a dunk!
He dunked cleanly and ignited the arena instantly. Li You shook his fingers under the basket, while Howard staggered when he landed, holding on to the basket frame to avoid throwing himself into the street.

McGinnis originally planned to squeeze through the screen and move forward to defend, but was passed by Li You in one step.

At 33:45, the opponent made another mistake. After taking the side kick, Li You was not in a hurry to attack.

Facing the Knicks' pick-and-roll, the defensive players on the line usually chase after him, allowing Li You to break through to the basket.

Swinging right and left, he noticed Artest going around the line, Gasol began to retreat from the defense, and James immediately joined the ball outside the three-point line.

After leading by double digits, the Knicks did not show any mercy. Li You was flanked on the line and took advantage of James' help to defend and immediately gave the ball to Artest on the right wing.

The latter caught the ball and hit the iron, Howard collected the backcourt rebound, and the Cavaliers immediately launched a transition attack.

After crossing the half court, James successfully retrieved the ball and rushed faster and faster. Before Li You and Prince could get back to defense, he grabbed the ball with his right hand and glided for a dunk from a long distance!
"Shh!"

There were boos in the arena. James' fast break was amazing and also tested the defense.

At 35:47, seeing James complete the fast break, Van Gundy once again signaled the players to calm down.

Seeing the tactical gestures made by the head coach, James calmed down his emotions and called his teammates to pay attention to their defensive positions.

With excellent interior defensive resources, the Cavaliers insist on guarding a 32 zone defense. Once Li You holds the ball too much on the line, he will decisively attack.

After passing the half court, Li You noticed Nubel moving ahead of time and immediately gave the ball to Prince.

After receiving the ball, he dribbled toward the top of the arc. Li You ran to the left wing without the ball. While the two of them crossed and switched positions, Gasol, who was under the cross screen under the basket, suddenly came to the blocking area and asked for the ball with his back.

Prince immediately sent a lob pass. At this time, McGinnis did not follow the tactical requirements to double-team Gasol in advance to complete the regional defense. Instead, he followed Li You to the bottom corner.

Ilgauskas also had to leave his position under the basket. The moment he stepped forward to defend, Gasol, with his back to the basket, suddenly sent a ground pass.

Li You, who cut in without the ball from left to right, shook off the defense, received the ball near the baseline on the left and immediately rushed to the basket.

Howard stepped forward to help defend again, but just after he reached the basket, Li Youxing, who was holding the ball in his left hand, sent a pass in progress.

Near the baseline on the right, Kurt Thomas received the ball and was unguarded, and succeeded in a solid mid-range jump shot!

"Wow!"

The smooth cooperation made the New York fans at the scene cheer. The Cavaliers were no longer impatient in attacking. After being reminded, James began to run the tactics step by step.

When McGinnis reached the top of the arc, Newbell in the left corner slipped across the baseline from right to left. At the same time, James on the right wing accelerated to the bottom corner and followed his teammates around to cover.

In the left block, Howard first provided an off-ball screen to Newbell, who rolled to the basket. Prince behind him used his long arm to interfere, but ultimately failed to get a chance.

After a curling cut, James followed behind and also used the cover of his teammates to get into the paint area.

Although McGinnis sent the pass, due to interference from Li You, he failed to send it ahead of time, forcing James to make an adjustment after receiving the ball.

A step too late, Artest chased him from behind. James, who had taken a big step, cut decisively to the basket. He encountered the Knicks' closed-door defense and forced a layup, causing Gasol to foul.

Surrounded by three people, James was almost knocked to the ground. He let out a sigh of relief when he heard the referee blow the whistle.

However, when the first free throw missed the frame, James could not help but curse again. The second free throw hit, and boos began to appear in the Madison Square Garden Arena again.

At 36:49, although the point difference was within the catchable range, everyone in the Cavaliers felt that the game was awkward.

After completing the defensive matchup, Ilgauskas inside saw Kurt Thomas raising the pick-and-roll and quickly reminded Howard loudly to pay attention to the delay.

On the right flank, Howard, who was following the defense, saw Kurt Thomas standing still and hurriedly slid to the left.

Li You first dribbled from behind to his right hand, and then changed direction again in front of him when he observed the defensive movement.

McGinnis, who had just squeezed through the screen, refocused and ended up hitting Kurt Thomas.

Howard, who also made the wrong prediction, didn't even have time to reach out. Li You stopped near the top of the arc and quickly shot a jumper!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net.

"26-foot jump shot! It seems Howard is not ready yet. Lee's several pick-and-roll effects were very good!"

Seeing Howard frozen in place, Walter Frazier burst into laughter. There was still a gap between watching the video and actual combat. Obviously, the No. 1 pick had forgotten the coach's instructions.
When the Cavaliers attacked again, in an impatience, James used the same tactic to attract the defense and assist Howard.

The latter caught the ball and squeezed to the lower left side of the basket, failed to complete a personal dunk, and finally let the basket hit the frame.

In the transition attack, Li You rushed through the right wing of the half court and scored a three-pointer.

The Cavaliers had just retreated and returned to half-court. Before everyone in the Cavaliers could defend their position, the basketball had already hit the front and collapsed again.
After landing, McGinnis subconsciously turned his head back, only to find that Li You rushed to the right elbow area and just picked up the offensive rebound.

Amid the cheers of the fans, Li You, who held the ball in his left hand and accelerated his breakthrough again, instantly attracted the crowd of the Cavaliers.

Right in front of the basket, Li You took a step forward and jumped into the air. He curled up in the air and dodged the blocks of Howard and Ilgauskas. When he came to the lower right side of the basket, he grabbed the ball with his right hand and pulled it sideways before landing. The ball is thrown toward the backboard.

James, who retreated in time, had already adjusted his steps and jumped high to prepare to block the shot. He just watched the basketball hit the backboard in advance and instinctively swatted the ball away, and the referee immediately blew the whistle.

At 36:54, the offense interfered with the ball, and Li You scored another 2 points.

The roar of laughter from the fans in the front row made James look a little ugly. He stood under the basket and looked at the basketball in his hand. Only then did he realize that Li You, who couldn't see the basket, was deliberately looking for the rebound.
There was not much time left in the half, and the Cavaliers' attack focused on the basket also reaped results. James, who changed directions and cut again, faced the defense, accelerated to the basket, and succeeded in the throw.

In the last attack, the Cavaliers attacked frantically, trying to get Li You to play the ball.

But at the last moment, Kurt Thomas passed the ball from the left elbow area. Li You used the screen to get rid of the defense and reached the free throw line. Howard delayed his action too much and started to pull in the paint area.

"squeak!"

When the referee blew the whistle, Li You used the strength from his side to tilt his body and throw the ball to the basket.

Watching the basketball spin twice on the rim and finally fall into the net, Howard couldn't help but spread his hands and looked at the bottom line referee depressedly.

Seeing that the half game was about to end, Howard received three fouls. Van Gundy on the sidelines could only comfort himself:
"This is the first season."

"Oh!"

As Li Youjia made a free throw, the cheers started again, and at the end of the half, the score reached 38:57.

Only 2 points were scored in the second quarter, and the Cavaliers' offense had a big problem.

虽然詹姆斯第二节6中3，罚球2中1，拿到7分，但首节比赛4中0得分挂了零蛋还是影响到了骑士队的进攻。

The Knicks' shrinking defense was simple and rough, but their opponents' 5-for-0 three-pointers in the half showed that the defense worked.

The nearly 20-point difference did not let the Knicks' defense relax. After the start of the second half, James also worked hard to adjust his offense and no longer relied on pick-and-rolls to rush to the basket.

It's just that his shooting touch was really bad tonight, and one-on-one duels on the wings were still tough.

In the offensive round, Howard wanted to come to the left wing to pick and roll, but instead, Kurt Thomas and Artest completed the double-team on James.

The ball was forced to stop in the right blocking area. Fortunately, the referee blew the whistle, which allowed James to avoid a mistake.

It was just a side kick, and James once again forced a breakthrough against Artest's defense, and finally started to slow down at the same position.

Quickly dribbling behind his back and switching to his left hand, James immediately turned toward the baseline with his right foot as the axis, and shot a jumper with a large drift.

"state!"

The completely deformed shot missed the frame again. Gasol collected the rebound and made a long pass.

James had no time to retreat this time, so he could only watch Li You throw away McGinnis, grab the ball from the frontcourt, and succeed in a one-arm dunk.

Halfway through the third quarter, the Cavaliers scored 3 points with Ilgauskas' mid-range jumper and Nubel's free throw.

Howard, who had no chance to eat, was eventually replaced by Van Gundy. Gooden, who came on the bench, made a difference, hitting consecutive jump shots after the pick-and-roll.

The Cavaliers' defensive system began to collapse as Li You made consecutive breakthroughs. Lagar Bell and Artest easily hit open three-pointers from the bottom corner.

The two sides began to attack each other, and the game returned to the Knicks' favorite rhythm.

At the end of the third quarter, watching Gasol dunk and score consecutive low-post attacks, Van Gundy on the sidelines began to greet the atmosphere team, and the game was no longer suspense.

Before the end of the third quarter, after a pick-and-roll on the left wing, James, holding the ball in his left hand, accelerated his breakthrough.

Then Artest, who was off the line, still didn't relax. He chased up in time and allowed James to hit a step-back jumper in the blocking area.
Watching the basketball fly from above the basket and out of the baseline, the laughter in the arena became louder and louder.

At 17:28 of the single quarter, the Knicks, who had a lot of success, completely defeated their opponents.

James, who returned to the bench, took off the red headband dejectedly.

14中3，三分线外3中0，罚球4中3，9分6篮板7助攻1抢断3失误。

James was certainly dissatisfied with his own data. Howard on the sidelines was in an equally bad mood. He made 7 of 3 free throws and 4 of 1 free throws. He only scored 7 points tonight.
In contrast, Gooden, who came on as a substitute, became more and more courageous as he fought. After the start of the fourth quarter, he still felt hot!
Thinking that he only played 24 minutes, Howard couldn't help but muttered:
"What a damn pick-and-roll!"

LeBron James feels that he has learned new knowledge.

It's not easy to play a good pick-and-roll. The Knicks' big man has a solid screen, but the quality of rookie Howard's screen is very poor. James looked at the tool man next to him and immediately comforted him:
"We should also play more pick-and-rolls. You know, Dwight, dunking is the most efficient way to score!"

The two covered their mouths and communicated in low voices on the bench, and were not affected by the loss. Just like Howard said before the game, losing to the defending champion is not a shame.

Jeff Van Gundy's spiritual victory method makes the newbies look forward to the future. Failure is the mother of success, and the future must belong to them.

In the fourth quarter of the game, under the leadership of Gooden, Eric Snow and Charlie Ward, the Cavaliers finally played a hearty offense.

85:115, Fisher also hit hard in the last quarter, helping the Knicks score 110+ again.

After returning to the home court, Li You's playing time tonight also reached a season low.

出场28分钟，17中10，三分线外7中4，罚球6中6，30分5篮板10助攻1抢断。

After handing in mediocre data, Li You took the initiative to wave to the fans after the game.

You only need to protect the paint area to win the game. If the Cavaliers want to compete for the championship, they must continue to strengthen.

Howard had adjusted his mood and smiled and hugged everyone in the Knicks team after the game.

This cute new No. 1 pick even sent out an invitation for everyone to have fun together.
After Li You greeted James, he returned to the tunnel. Kurt Thomas behind him didn't quite understand Howard's emotions and couldn't help but complain in a low voice:

"What's going on with that guy? He's still so happy after losing?"

Gasol, who was following behind, also played against Howard tonight. He thought the newbie had good talent and joked in a low voice:

"After all, this is our first time playing against each other. As long as we lose a few more times, he will become familiar to us."

When Raja Bell heard the conversation between the two, he suddenly thought of Iverson who lost his hemp, but he felt that Howard would most likely not be like Iverson. Young people's basketball philosophy seemed to have changed.

On the 22nd, the New York media unanimously praised Artest's defense and once again built momentum for the home team's players.

James, who won the Best of the Week, was ended by Artest. This performance also made fans forget the previous topic of "psychiatrist".

Before Thanksgiving, the Knicks still have a game with the Hawks. Taking this opportunity, the coaching staff simply took a vacation to relieve the fatigue caused by consecutive away games.

Li You, who has returned to Manhattan, has been busy with a lot of things recently. Today happens to be Scarlett's birthday. Although she has not yet reached the legal drinking age, she is still considered a big girl at 20 years old.

Because she practiced alone last night, Scarlett didn't wake up until close to 11 o'clock.

There are not many changes compared to when I was 18, except that my pair of white clothes are obviously a few times bigger.

Scarlett raised her upper body and slowly woke up. She looked at the mark in front of her and thought of the new knowledge she learned last night.

After humming a song and taking a shower, Scarlett came to the study wrapped in a towel. Seeing that Li You was still processing emails, she immediately moved forward and hugged him.

"Rachel, that Bitchi, still wants to attend my birthday party! I won't invite her, I already know her little thoughts!"

The girl sitting in Li You's arms leaned into his ear and talked about her experience in Los Angeles. She seemed to have thought of something again and kept giggling:

"She's definitely not going to like our little game!"

Manchester United will hold a shareholder meeting after Thanksgiving. After reading all the emails, Li You, who was flirted with by the girl, changed his attention.

Playing with fair skin, Li You listened to the girl's whisper, kissed her, and then joked:

"Your salary already exceeds one million. Big stars shouldn't argue with ordinary actors!"

The increase in pay is indeed worth celebrating, but Scarlett is a child star and has no shortage of resources, so she is really not interested in scripts that want her to take off her clothes.

As an adult, she only received a high salary once. For this reason, she also had a conflict with her mother.

Not caring about the bath towel that fell off her body, the girl hugging Li You began to whisper in his ear again. Maybe it was because of her birthday that she became a lot more courageous.

"By the window?"

Hearing Li You's rhetorical question, the girl chuckled again, then stood up on her own initiative, raised her fingers provocatively:

"Clay, what are you worried about?"

Although it was almost lunch time, Li You decided to defeat his opponent first, one-on-one, and he had not lost yet!

Scarlett didn’t invite anyone to the birthday party that night except her family.

The big house on 82nd Street is often unsatisfied. For the girl who often takes care of the house, family members are closer to her.

Li You is naturally in a good mood after once again helping the girl grow up, and it is also a good choice to occasionally strengthen skills training one-on-one.

In contrast, Marbury was in a particularly bad mood when he came to New York.

I took a salary cut during the offseason and joined the Eagles. I thought I could lead this rebuilding team to rise. However, after the start of the new season, the record dropped to 2 wins and 7 losses.

The poor record also prompted the Eagles management to take the initiative to take the blame:

"Stephon Marbury and Antoine Walker didn't shoulder the responsibility of leadership."

"."

This sentence can also be translated to mean that the two are not in the team's plan, and they are both tradeable objects.

Antoine Walker didn't care at all what the management said, he still went his own way and just brushed it off!
On the night of the 23rd, although the Knicks had some fluctuations in status, the Hawks performed worse.

In the first quarter of the game, Antoine Walker took crazy shots, hitting 9 of 3 and scoring 6 points!
At 17:28, under the leadership of this superficial brother, the Knicks unknowingly led by double digits.

In the following games, although the point difference became wider and wider, Josh Smith and Boris Diaw on the bench still did not get much playing time.

After expanding their lead at halftime, the Knicks took the initiative to increase the playing time of their rotation in the second half.

Stoudemire once again demonstrated his ability to abuse food, frequently performing alley-oop dunks!

Completely activate the body, and even the mid-range is accurate.

Under the leadership of Li You, relying on the pick and roll, Stoudemire made 3 of 7 and 5 of 4 free throws in the third quarter, scoring 4 points extremely efficiently.

At 24:36, after another 3-point win in the third quarter, the game completely lost its suspense.

Entering the fourth quarter of the game, Fisher did not hesitate to pass the ball. Facing the new Smith, Stoudemire showed his low post skills again.

In the end, 82:116, the Eagles suffered another disastrous defeat.

The former son of New York has been completely abandoned by New York fans. No one cared about the balloon star. Marbury walked through the tunnel early after the game.

出场29分钟，18中13，罚球6中5，斯塔德迈尔砍下31分10篮板的两双数据。

After reaching a new career high, Stoudemire smiled brightly in an interview after the game, but he did not forget to shout to himself:
"I have fully adapted to the NBA and my knees are in great condition!"

"31 points is just the beginning, I can take on more responsibilities!"

In the last game before Thanksgiving, Madison Square Garden was extremely lively. After the game, the fans still did not leave the field and began to celebrate Li You's Player of the Month in advance.

The next two games are against the Raptors and Hawks. The schedule is extremely easy. Everyone is very satisfied with the 12-1 start to the new season.

On November 11, just as the holidays were approaching, LeBron James' career total reached 24 points, breaking Li You's record and becoming the youngest 2000-point player in NBA history.

The Pistons became the backdrop. Although head coach Larry Brown set up iron buckets in the paint, James felt explosive that night:

22中15，三分线外3中2，罚球12中11，怒砍43分！
76:92, the Cavaliers defeated the Pistons at home.

After the game, James, who broke the record, was also a little excited. He happily said in an interview:
"This is an incredible achievement for me, Lee has set so many records before this that I never thought I could beat it."

"Just like Coach Van Gundy said, I want to play like Lee and lead the team like him. Cleveland will definitely win the championship!"

"."

On Thanksgiving Day on the 25th, ball commentators also began to follow suit and discuss whether LeBron James could surpass Li You.

Regarding this topic, the New York media naturally denied it, but other sports media still liked to discuss it. After all, the two people really have some similarities.

Already accustomed to the festive atmosphere in Manhattan, this year Li You took the girls back to Peninsula Manor after finishing the team activities in the morning.

After the holiday, there is still Manchester United's shareholders' meeting, and Li You is not interested in paying attention to any scoring records.

After defeating the infighting Raptors at home, the Knicks defeated the Hawks away from home on the 30th.

Continuous atrocious games completely stabilized Artest's mood.

After the game against the Eagles, when returning to the hotel, Hill quietly reminded Li You:
"The medical team were able to confirm that Ron did have some psychological issues."

There are not many good people playing in the NBA. Li You feels that as long as he continues to win, this is a small thing:
"Don't worry, after all these years, Ron's mood will be very stable as long as he wins."

"As long as you don't miss training sessions for no reason and train seriously every day, that's enough!"

"."

(End of this chapter)