NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 377: The outdated traditional defender (7600 words chapter)
On April 2005, 4, the NBA announced this season's Rookie of the Year:

Emeka Okafor of the Charlotte Bobcats won the award.

Ben Gordon of the Chicago Bulls unfortunately lost to his college teammate. The two won the three-month Rookie of the Year award respectively, and Okafor won as a core player.

This small award did not trigger much discussion among football critics. Everyone was busy "convening a meeting" for Tim Duncan.

In the first round of the playoffs yesterday, the Suns narrowly defeated the Nuggets and the Timberwolves upset the Spurs.

At 96:87, the Spurs had another bad start.

What makes the fans even more outrageous is that in the fourth quarter, the Spurs missed 17 consecutive goals. The star Duncan took the lead, scoring 7 points, 0 rebounds and 0 assist in a single quarter.

全场比赛邓肯22中7，罚球4中4，拿到18分11篮板4助攻2盖帽1失误。

再加上帕克17中6，砍下12分3篮板6助攻1抢断5失误的表现，波波维奇也无能为力，只能看着球队在主场输球。

After the game, Duncan did not make excuses for himself, and Popovich had to explain for his thigh:
"The plantar fasciitis has affected Tim and he's been playing through the injury this year."

"."

Of course, the sports commentators didn't buy this excuse. After Garnett won the game, he excitedly mocked:
"After the regular season, most players have some injuries, but we never use injuries as an excuse to lose."

"I have no interest in exposing my weaknesses. On the court, I will maintain my tough attitude!"

"As for the second-best record in the league, we don't care at all. The playoffs are a new stage, and now we have won the initiative."

After the tough guy Garnett said these words, he showed a determined look in his eyes and did not forget to give himself a few slaps. Many sports reporters shouted that this is a real star.

Of course, victory is inseparable from champion defender Sprewell, who also boasted in an interview after winning:

"I told Kevin how to lead a championship team, and obviously, with my help, the Timberwolves became more mature!"

"As for the Spurs, no one is afraid of them, three All-Stars? Who cares in the playoffs."

"Lee told me the most important thing in the playoffs is response, and I'm glad everyone did that."

During the interview in the locker room, Sprewell showed an expression of "I am the real boss." This kind of advice actually won him more respect.

Garnett, who broke his new front tooth this season, sometimes has less prestige in the team than the championship guard. For a while, many sports media once again touted Sprewell.
New York fans don't pay attention to this. After Li You broke the record, the MVP was only a matter of time.

Fans are more concerned about Gasol's status. Everyone hopes to activate this big man with an average attendance rate through the first round of the game.

出场30分钟，12中6，罚球6中5，17分8篮板3助攻1盖帽2失误，加索尔虽然他个别回合吐饼，但跳投状态却非常不错。

After last night's game, Gasol expressed confidence in his physical condition in an interview:
"I can no longer feel the pain in my left foot. As the playoffs progress, my physical condition should get better and better!"

"The medical team is fantastic and they deserve more praise."

Most of the columns praised last night's game, but some newspapers also criticized James Dolan:

"Lee's existence makes the Knicks ticket prices higher and higher, and the Dolan family is trying to monopolize the sports industry!"

"They don't care about the citizens of the West End at all, let alone the planning of City Hall. This is the arrogance of billionaires."

Despite the scorn in the newspapers, there is no doubting the power of Charles Sr. and his wife as billionaires.

A coalition of West Side residents, elected officials and community groups has filed a lawsuit against MAT to continue blocking the agency from building a stadium for the Jets!

This is the fourth legal challenge. Prior to this, MSG, several traffic regulators, and good governance groups also initiated lawsuits.

The two sides refuse to give in to each other, and the state Supreme Court judge has determined that a lawsuit hearing will be held on May 5. This feud will most likely continue until June.
The game that night excited the Chinese sports media. Yao Ming rebounded strongly in G2!

With only 10.4 seconds left in the game, head coach Mike Brown did not request a timeout. McGrady passed the half court and made a two-point pull-up jumper from the right wing to kill the opponent.

113:111, the series score reached 2:0, the Rockets have the absolute initiative!
姚明全场14中13，罚球7中7，砍下33分8篮板1抢断2盖帽1失误的数据。

At the same time, 33 points was also the highest score in the game. Yao Ming, who was not troubled by fouls anymore, defeated his opponent.

出场47分钟，麦克格雷迪19中10，三分线外2中1，罚球8中7，拿到28分8篮板10助攻3抢断3盖帽4失误的准三双数据。

The tactic of giving the ball to McGrady was particularly successful, and head coach Mike Brown became a god in one game!
At the end of the game, Yao Ming looked much more relaxed. He certainly knew that he had high expectations and was "meeted" by the fans in G1. Fortunately, he proved himself again tonight.

Yao Ming was extremely humble during the interview, but McGrady was so arrogant that he shouted to the media reporters again:
"I found myself again! We will get the match point when we return home."

"Thank you to coach Mike Brown for your trust. Maybe the coaching staff can think about the opponents in the next round in advance!"

"."

On Tuesday the 26th, ball commentators began to discuss the possibility of the Rockets defeating the team.

Mark Cuban has been complaining about divisional issues, and after losing two consecutive home games, he began to complain about the referee's call standards.

This personality owner always maintains a big-mouthed attitude in front of the media. Seeing that the Mavericks were about to lose, some people took advantage of the heat and ridiculed the billionaire.

As he was preparing to shoot "The Apprentice", Tang Jade took this opportunity to tease him:
"When ESPN interviewed me in June last year, they asked me a question: Who in the sports world should be fired?"

"I didn't have the exact answer before, but now Mark Cuban is the answer, and he's not going to be successful."

"Complaining to the referees might win them a game, but Cuban can't win a championship."

The success of the third season made Donard very proud. This variety show has become the favorite program for American families with an annual income of more than 10 US dollars.

It's Sports Week in New York right now, and it's natural for Don Juan to get excited about it, and he even said loudly:
"In a few months, Li will invite me to watch a game in the UK. Fans in the UK will be able to see me soon!"

NBC's program is indeed very popular, but many media reporters were speechless after hearing this sentence.

This billionaire is overly confident, and not everyone likes his flamboyant personality
TNT is still warming up for the day's games, and they will be responsible for broadcasting G2 between the Nets and Knicks.

Charles Barkley, the loudmouth, had been trolling Kidd for two days, but when he got no response, he turned around and trolled Vince Carter:

"If Kidd will never respond to the fans' expectations, then Carter has not been a qualified leader since entering the league."

"What is he afraid of? Is he worried about his data?"

"It's hard to understand that Carter couldn't show his dominance in the face of Raja Bell and Prince. He seemed to have forgotten that he was an All-Star player!"

Kenny Smith was a little caught off guard when his partner suddenly criticized Carter today, but in the end he added cooperatively:
"The loss is not entirely Carter's responsibility. The big man also failed to exert the expected dominance."

"Actually, I want to praise Kidd's control of the game. They only made 9 turnovers in the game."

"The key to winning the game is scoring stability. Carter really needs to adjust his shooting touch."

Ernie Johnson also read relevant reports from his colleagues. After the two gave their opinions, they also began to joke about the Nets' situation:

"Many people think that it will be difficult for coach Frank to make too many adjustments, but in the playoffs, giving the ball to the core players can often solve the problem."

"Passing the ball to Vince Carter seems to be everyone's consensus. If Carter breaks out, maybe they will get an away victory."

Charles Barkley didn't like the dull performance of the Nets after losing. At this time, he mocked again mercilessly:
"We don't know the outcome yet, but I'm sure the Nets will save a lot of money on air tickets."

“If they move to Brooklyn in the future, they might be able to save on bus fare!”

"."

The Nets, who were ridiculed by everyone, still didn't give much response before the game started.

It has almost become normal for Kidd to pull his crotch when meeting Lee Yoo, while Carter doesn't like to deal with reporters after being hurt by the media.

Coach Frank wanted to relieve the pressure on the players, but no one cared about his ideas.

In the end, Richard Jefferson took a strong stance in an interview in the afternoon:
"I will get more playing time tonight. We don't want to go back home with a big score of 0:2."

"As for the wrist injury, I feel better and I will help the team through my performance!"

Bald Jefferson has become the toughest player on the Nets. As for Kidd, this master of field control still has not been interviewed and seems to be still in a state of isolation.

The game that night kicked off at 20:, and the New York fans were enjoying themselves outside the venue early.

This year's schedule is indeed very friendly. Although they failed to achieve 70 wins, the Knicks will set an outrageous record by entering the conference finals for 9 consecutive seasons!
With just over a day of rest, neither team made many adjustments.

At 19:30 in the evening, Madison Square Garden became lively again. In the last home game of the first round, the fans burst out with huge energy.

In the TNT commentary booth, Kevin Harlan saw that the Nets had not changed their starting lineup and commented simply:

"Coach Frank still tried to establish some advantages inside and suppress the opponent's counterattack through rebounding."

"Krstic has won the trust of the coaching staff, but I'm more looking forward to Kidd's response."

Doug Collins smiled at this time, thinking of Kidd, and said tactfully:
"Lee's appearance lets us know the upper limit of the combo guard!"

"Compared to Lee, Kidd is a traditional defender. He has excellent passing vision and can mobilize his teammates to execute tactics efficiently."

"But when facing the Knicks, it's not enough to do this. Kidd must respond from the outside."

“If he can’t break through Lee’s defense, then it’s time to hit those open 3-pointers!”

Kevin Harlan unconsciously flicked his curly hair. In the game he narrated, Kidd faced Li You and had yet to respond effectively from beyond the three-point line.
Before the game, TNT reporter Craig Sagel interviewed the very low-key Prince.

When he heard the other party ask about defending Carter, Prince looked calm and simply said:
"It's not an easy thing, a lot of times I just make sure I don't get out of position."

"When the opponent breaks through to the inside, they will be defended, and all I have to do is interfere with Carter's shooting!"

"I wouldn't be surprised if Carter can score consecutive points tonight because Lee will respond."

In the last game, Carter broke out in the second quarter and then failed in the third quarter. Craig Sagel felt that Prince's defense worked. After hearing the answer, he immediately smiled and blessed:
"I wish you all good luck tonight, I think it will be a great showdown!"

Prince smiled at the camera. He didn't think his opponent could bottom out, but the Knicks still had room for improvement.

After the end of G1 of the playoffs, Kidd, who entered the "post-game silence" state, has become more and more silent in the past two days.

During the appearance ceremony, Kidd was ridiculed by the fans, but Kidd did not fight back. When the referee called the players from both sides to the center of the field, Carter seemed to be infected and could not show too many emotions.

"Let's go Knicks!."

Amidst the cheers, Li You still bumped fists with everyone in the Nets team as usual.

Looking at Li You's smiling face, Kidd suddenly had the illusion that he had fallen into a time loop.

When he was slightly distracted, Gasol moved the ball to his own half again. Kidd reacted and the familiar scene appeared again.

Li You had already passed half the court. Kidd reacted and wanted to call Scalabrine, but the basketball flew into Gasol's hands early.

Everyone in the Knicks got into position very quickly, with La Gara Bell and Prince accelerating towards the bottom corner.

Kurt Thomas and Gasol stood near the elbow early.

Kidd saw that the big man was still moving and quickly turned around to remind Collins that Kurt Thomas came to the three-point line at this time. Li You first moved laterally, then accelerated and ran back.

After hearing the reminder from his teammates, Collins still failed to follow up in time with Li You who cut through with the help of a screen.

Gasol immediately sent a pass, close to the lower left side of the basket. After receiving the ball, Li You held the ball with his left hand, ignoring Kidd behind him, and threw the ball toward the backboard.

"Bang!" The rebound was successful.

Cheers rang in his ears, and Ji, who caught the ball from the baseline, slapped the basketball hard, waved his hands in annoyance, and made tactical gestures early on.

Scalabrine came to the top of the arc in advance to respond. As Kidd sent the pass, he ran to the right wing. On the other side, Carter took the hand from his teammate and the three of them quickly conducted the ball.

Kostic raised the screen and Scalabrine ran to the left corner.

When Carter released the ball with his left hand and initiated a pick-and-roll at the top of the arc, Lagar Bell struggled to squeeze through the screen, and Gasol retreated from the defense early. The front of the body changed to the back. Carter, who was holding the ball in his right hand, lowered his center of gravity and observed Gasol shrinking to the paint area in advance. Before he could break through to the free throw line, he immediately returned the ball to Kostic who had opened the ball in advance.

Near the left elbow, Gasol raised his right arm symbolically. Kostic adjusted slightly after receiving the ball, and then immediately shot a jumper!

"state!"

The resolute attack failed to convert into points. As Raja Bell and Carter huddled together, Kurt Thomas got stuck behind Collins, and Gasol, who shrank in time, easily collected the rebound.

The cheers started again, and Li You took the initiative to speed up and chased the opponent across the half court.

Kidd, who was constantly sliding, called his teammates to help defend in advance. Scalabrine, who had just retreated to the right flank, immediately stepped forward to attack.

Near the logo, Li You could not form a double-team and gave the ball to Prince, who was temporarily unguarded.

The latter had just received the pass, and Collins on the inside rotated up, raised his right arm, and tried to interfere.

Lifting the ball and feinting, Prince took advantage of the opponent's center of gravity to move forward, released the ball with his right hand and then broke through.

Collins hurriedly slid to the left rear. At the same time, Kostic on the inside was in a state of one-two defense, shouting to his teammates to defend firmly.

Breaking through smoothly, Prince took a long stride and stopped suddenly in the blocking area again. Collins lost his defensive position and symbolically jumped up to interfere.

After completing the shot against the defense, Prince didn't feel good. The moment he took the shot, he reminded everyone of "rebound."

Krstic was squeezed in the middle by Gasol and Kurt Thomas under the basket. Kidd just turned around to look at the rebound position, but Li You took the lead, rushed to the paint area, and picked up the long rebound immediately.

Pounced on the defense again, Kidd tried to interfere, but Li You just relied on the defense, then changed direction and moved forward.

Kidd, who made too many defensive moves, almost caught up with him, but before he could react, Li You stepped forward and leaned forward, getting rid of the defense in an instant. In the paint area, he threw the ball to the basket with his left hand!

"Whoa!" Another 2-point goal was scored.

Coach Frank on the sidelines kept loudly reminding the players to focus.

After receiving the ball from the baseline again, Kidd advanced very quickly. The top of the arc was close to the three-point line and he once again sent a cross pass.

Scalabrine, who ran to the right wing, used the cover of his teammates to connect. He had just received a pass from Kidd, but before he could protect the ball, Prince accurately cut the ball with his right hand.

After dropping the ball, Scalabrine looked at Prince who was squeezing past him and could only foul for a moment.

"Shh!"

The wonderful fast break failed to happen, which made the New York fans at the scene a little angry and immediately booed the white forward.

After the opening, the Nets seemed to be in a scoring drought. In the commentary box, Kevin Harlan subconsciously asked his partner next to him:

"Doug, how can the Nets change things on the court?"

Doug Collins suddenly became speechless, and then spoke dryly about the scene:
"Stay patient, the five people on the field should be more focused, and try to give the ball to the most confident player!"

The loud cheering interrupted their comments. Kidd frowned and kept loudly reminding his teammates of their defensive positions.

Everyone in the Nets also knew that they had to defend this round. When they saw Li You passing halftime, they all started to communicate loudly.

Kidd led the defense early, but just as his feet moved, Kurt Thomas and Gasol moved up at the same time.

At the top of the arc, a sudden double screen caused Li You to change direction, instantly getting rid of Kidd's defense.

Seeing Li You holding the ball in his left hand coming to the three-point line, Collins quickly opened his arms and stepped forward to delay.

Taking advantage of the opponent's sideways move, Li You pushed the ball and changed direction. While shaking his body to the right, he changed direction again in front of him near the free throw line.

The drastic change in direction of the push forced Collins to change his body's center of gravity, and the forward change in direction that made the basketball disappear forced the big man to stay in place.

Li You, who switched to his left hand again, ignored the pursuit behind him and broke through to the basket in the blink of an eye.

Before Kostic, who was returning to defense, had time to take off, Li You, who rushed up in three strides, grabbed the ball with his left hand and smashed the ball directly into the basket!
"OH——!"

"What a play by Lee!"

Seeing Li You posing under the basket, Kevin Harlan also raised his voice, and Doug Collins could only sigh:

"Too fast! It's difficult for the big man on the line to defend effectively."

"Maybe it would be a better choice for Coach Frank to lower the height of the lineup."

It was the familiar start of lagging behind again. Kidd was a little anxious and speeded up the advancement again.

Rushing across the half court to the left wing, Kidd, holding the ball in his left hand, accelerated laterally against Li You's defense.

At the same time, Carter started from the left corner, came to the top line, and went around from the outside.

Without stopping, Kidd secretly sent a behind-the-back pass, and then continued running toward the bottom corner.

The moment Carter caught the ball, Laga Bell reacted half a beat too late, and then saw the opponent suddenly join the ball.

On the left wing, Carter received the pass and suddenly made a long three-point jumper!
"state!"

Tu made a cold arrow and hit the iron again, and the rebound was protected by Kurt Thomas.

Near the baseline, Li You immediately accelerated and sprinted after receiving the ball, instantly surpassing the Nets' retreating big man.

"Wow!"

The cheers became particularly harsh. Carter returned to halftime early and completely gave up on Laga Bell, trying to cooperate with Kidd in advance to complete the double-team.

At the center line, Li You suddenly pushed the ball in a different direction and failed to get rid of Kidd's defense. The moment he switched to his right hand, he immediately threw the ball towards the right bottom corner.

Laga Bell has been adjusting his steps, and he just reached the sideline when he caught the ball.

With no one guarding him, Laga Bell adjusted his center of gravity slightly, converted a three-pointer and immediately shot a jump shot!
Carter's defense from the side failed to have any effect. After landing, he turned around and saw the basketball hollow into the net.

0:9, a familiar start, Carter was stunned for a moment.

The boiling arena made it difficult for the Nets to hear the shouts among their teammates. After taking the baseline kick, Kidd could only make tactical gestures early.

Kostic was reminded, and after a cross screen on the baseline, he came to the left low post to ask for the ball.

Kidd sent a pass, and Li You, the left wing, immediately followed the ball.

Kurt Thomas' defense blocked the line and prevented Kostic from turning around immediately after receiving the ball. Li You's assisting defense forced the big man to return the ball to Kidd.

Although this was an opportunity for an open jump shot, Kidd did not choose to shoot, but cautiously called Carter to catch the ball.

Prince followed the defense, and after getting entangled, Carter, who came outside the three-point line, failed to meet his teammates immediately.

When Li You returned to defend in front of Kidd, the latter simply directed Collins to raise the pick-and-roll.

There was a partial 2-on-2 on the left wing. With the help of the screen, he got rid of Li You's pursuit. Kidd, holding the ball in his left hand, went straight to the basket.

Gasol retreated from the defense and adjusted his steps in time. Kidd leaned forward to pick the basket, but was eventually interfered by his long arm.

The basketball knocked out of the frame, and Li You, who retreated to the paint area, collected the rebound immediately.

Before Kostic could react, he suddenly led the ball forward. Li You squeezed past the opponent's right side and the basketball passed through from the other side.

The moment the ball passed, Madison Square Garden boiled again. Li You, who regained control of the basketball, rushed faster and faster.

Carter accelerated and chased from the other side. At the right elbow area, before the two had physical contact, Li You took advantage of the situation and sent a pass from behind.

Laga Bell, who followed up on the other side, received the ball and was completely unguarded. After taking three long steps to rush forward, he dunked the basket with both hands and scored two more points!
At 0:11, head coach Frank couldn't hold himself any longer and immediately requested a timeout.

The young coach was a little confused and failed to score a point after the start. This seemed to be a worse start than the previous game.
On the Knicks side, D'Antoni clapped his hands with a smile, without any tactical adjustments, just asking everyone to wipe their sweat.

After the timeout, it was noticed that Scalabrine was replaced and the little Travis Best came on the stage. For a moment, the two people in the commentary box were completely speechless.

In the last game, Best made 10 of 3 goals in garbage time and barely scored 9 points. It was difficult for this little man to make much contribution on the defensive end.

It was Carter who broke the deadlock for the Nets. After receiving the ball from the right elbow area, he used Kostic's screen to make a pull-up jump shot.

When Li You saw the opponent making such substitution adjustments, he suddenly missed Hill and Artest.

Both of them can hold the ball. Facing such a small guard, they can crush their opponents in the low post with their physical advantages.

Laga Bell looked a little depressed when he saw the little man in front of him. The opponent was stuck to his side, obviously not giving him a chance to continue attacking.

Amidst the cheers, Li You waved his hand in advance before half time, and then accelerated to the left flank.

The bottom line crosses the screen. Gasol comes to the left blocking area and turns his back to ask for the ball. Li You sends the pass and runs to the bottom line, and then goes straight to the right corner.

Gasol caught the ball and attacked from behind. Gasol, who was feinting with the ball, saw his teammates on the outside pulling away one after another. He immediately released the ball with his right hand and tried to go to the line to break through.

Kostic slid to block the breakthrough route, and Gasol immediately turned towards the baseline and feinted again while joining the ball.

At the bottom left of the basket, Kostic leaned forward subconsciously, trying to block the shot. Taking advantage of the time difference, Gasol deceived the defense and then steadily threw the ball toward the backboard.

The basketball hit the board and scored a simple goal that left Coach Frank on the sidelines stunned.

Best, who came on as a substitute, was particularly active. He circled from left to right, relied on the strong cover of his teammates, and got rid of Laga Bell when he came to the right flank.

Kidd, who had just passed halftime, did not hesitate. He sent a cross pass to find his teammates at the graduation moment, and then watched Best make a jumper.
The roar of laughter made everyone in the Nets look ugly, and the long rebound was just picked up by Laga Bell.

Kidd saw Li You catching the ball and could only call on his teammates to retreat again.

Returning to half court, the Nets had not yet gained a foothold. On the right flank, Li You, who was slowing down, took advantage of Gasol to stand on the screen and pushed the ball again to change direction.

Collins slid in time, and the moment Li You switched to his right hand, he suddenly circled the ball behind his back.

While lowering his body's center of gravity, Li You suddenly accelerated, regained control of the ball, and squeezed past his opponent.

The sudden acceleration caused Kostic, who had just regained his footing, to stay in place and watch Li You come to the lower right side of the basket. He held the ball with his right hand and successfully picked up the basket!

At 2:15, the point difference was still widening, and everyone on the Knicks bench was already laughing.
Kidd and Carter did not become the team's heroes in the following minutes. The little man Best who came off the bench was still working hard.

There were counterattacks from time to time, but in the end the Nets relied on Kostic's iron-blooded jump shots and strong attacks at the basket to complete the scoring.

With the Knicks' Kurt Thomas and Prince also scoring, many points blossomed, and the point difference never narrowed.

At the end of the first quarter, Kidd and Best relied on the Knicks' three-pointers to switch offense and complete the goal in the open game.
Clifford Robinson, who came off the bench, also failed to make an impact.

Carter, who was continuously faced with assisting defense, was completely invisible. Except for a strong drive to the basket and one of two free throws, he did not perform any more after that.

Coach Frank seemed to accept his fate and watched the Knicks hit consecutive shots with a blank expression.

In the first quarter of the game, with Li You's super long three-pointer in the half, Madison Square Garden was boiling again.

The Nets bench became quieter and quieter, and Jefferson only felt that this was a replica of the previous game.
At 15:37, the game ended just as it started.

Playing the first quarter again, Li You made 8 of 7, 1 of 0 from beyond the three-point line, and 4 of 4 free throws, easily scoring 18 points.

All the points came from the paint. In the commentary box, Doug Collins noticed Kidd's 2-for-1 performance and scored 2 points. He could only sigh and said:
"The era of traditional point guards is over!"

"Jason Kidd must make changes and control the rhythm of the game. It will be difficult to lead the Nets to win the championship."

"."

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