NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 384: The Rookie’s Strength (7400 words chapter)
On April 2005, 5, the NBA announced the best coach of the season (COY):
The Spurs' Gregg Popovich won the award.

People are in high spirits when happy events occur, and with the Spurs' victory over the Mavericks last night, Popovich was even more delighted when he accepted the trophy and smiled from ear to ear.

The Spurs lead the Western Conference this season, and if Duncan hadn't suffered an injury like plantar fasciitis, they might even have the chance to surpass the Knicks' record.

Three players were selected as All-Stars, and their ability to lead the team was recognized. In addition to not winning the championship, Popovich can also be called a famous coach among many coaches.

The local sports media in San Antonio took this opportunity to sing praises for the Spurs. The team is rebuilding faster than fans expected!

The rise of Ginobili this year has given Spurs fans hope again.

Popovich, who received the award, was naturally asked about the ownership of the championship. Duncan did not win the MVP this year. When the old man was interviewed, he made a fuss:
"I hope Tim can win a trophy. He is the hero of the Spurs!"

"Fortunately, we still have a chance to win the FMVP. I believe Tim will like this award."

Most sports reporters didn't react much to such an answer.

After the disintegration of the Lakers, although the Suns had a good record and the SuperSonics entered the top half, it was difficult for both teams to threaten the Spurs.

With the blessing of Popovich's "selfish basketball theory", Duncan has always maintained his identity as a selfless leader.

Nash failed to carry the team's offense, and Joe Johnson also suffered injuries.

同样是三节打卡，18中9，三分线外3中0，罚球8中5，23分5篮板5助攻2失误。

Since the Knicks easily defeated the Cavaliers and won G1, the popularity of this series has dropped sharply.

As for rookie Howard, he made 7 of 3 from the field, 6 of 4 free throws, 10 points, 10 rebounds and 3 turnovers, continuing his performance in the first round.

The head coach won the award and Duncan, who was still preparing for G2, also congratulated him in an interview and said:
"Coach has helped us establish the culture in the locker room. He is better than you think. We will succeed!"

Wade played for 43 minutes and delivered perfect stats, leading the Heat to a comeback.

"I know how to win championships, maybe you should watch more of our games instead of focusing on the Spurs all the time."

The Pistons, who were still in Miami, were miserably ignored again. Although they won an away game, none of the main players were topical.

This series did not trigger too much discussion among the ball commentators. Nash was unable to carry the offense. Many people had already expected it.

O'Neal, who was slapped in the face in the last game, was still the same. He continued to say loudly before the game:

Before flying to the away game on the morning of the 11th, Ray Allen was not outspoken during the interview. Instead, Lewis confidently expressed his stance:
"Modern basketball has changed. Proper use of the width of the field and reasonable distribution of offensive space is what championship teams should do."

After boasting a lot, Popovich found that no one followed him, so he could only end the interview by saying good things about his thighs.

Duncan, who eliminated the rookie Carmelo Anthony and destroyed the opponent's inside, didn't have much emotion.

As for the championship, everyone still doesn't believe that the Spurs can win the trophy.

The Heat ranked second in the Eastern Conference this season, and their outstanding record also gave Wade more confidence. When talking about the subsequent selection, he actively shouted:
"I believe I am one of the best backcourts in the league and I should have a spot on the best team!"

Once the offensive end is far away from the basket, the rookie seems at a loss. In the playoffs, secondary offense has become Howard's main scoring method.

The local mainstream media in Seattle has great expectations for the Sonics.

Anticlimactic, that's James' performance in G1.

"We are more mature than the Suns. Coach McMillan changed his tactics very early. He should have received more respect."

In addition to fighting against the coach, Wade is actually more concerned about the best lineup in the future.

Stan Van Gundy unfortunately lost the selection, and everyone on the Heat team who was also preparing for the game that night naturally felt sorry for the head coach.

28中15，罚球10中10，40分8篮板6助攻1抢断2盖帽4失误。

"The Spurs will not encounter such difficulties at all. The environment in the Western Conference helped them get 60 wins. This is unfair to us."

This kind of temperament is loved by some sports reporters, and they like players like Duncan who always remain calm and rational.

"Our record has improved even more, and the Heat have to play against the Knicks frequently."

Not long ago, Sean Kemp was arrested for marijuana. The memories of a generation of fans have faded away. The new Sonics have risen again, and everyone expects this team to return to the finals.

Duncan, who was troubled by injuries, performed steadily in the subsequent games except for his sudden hip strain in G1 in the first round of the playoffs.

A rookie is a rookie. Although LeBron James has beautiful statistics, he still failed to respond to the expectations of the ball commentators.

"Head coach Stan Van Gundy deserves an award, he is underrated!"

Entering the playoffs, Duncan's statistics are still the same, and he has yet to score 30 points once.

韦德下半场18中11，第4节单节更是14中9，怒砍20分！
The younger brother performed well. O'Neal, who was so proud of himself, smiled and shouted to the media after the game:
"The Flash!"

When asked if he could be selected for the All-NBA Team, Wade was still not thick-skinned enough and said that he would be satisfied if he could be selected for the All-NBA Team.

"You see, The Flash is unstoppable!"

Although Wade is the nominal leader of the Heat, media reporters still prefer O'Neal.

Marion is the most stable in the team, but it's a pity that the blacksmith was possessed from beyond the three-point line last night.

The Mavericks are also an old rival. Everyone believes that the Spurs will reach the Western Conference Finals again, and even the Finals will not be a problem.

Wade, who is still immersed in the joy of the playoffs, does not mind this at the moment, because O'Neal's arrival has really given him more attention.

In the game that night, it seemed that in order to prove that he was worthy of being on the best team, Wade completely broke out.

Everyone can see that O'Neal is in a good mood after winning the game. His old partner Kobe Bryant has expired, and his new younger brother is killing everyone. This seems to prove his importance.

The Sonics also protected their home court in last night's game, taking a 2-0 lead in the series.

Tonight's game will be broadcast by TNT, G3 will be broadcast by ESPN, and G4 will be broadcast by ABC.

The broadcasters of this series all sent their best commentary teams, but the Cavaliers lost too much in the G1 game, and the pre-game predictions became one-sided.

Compared with the popularity of the series, the British mainstream media broke the news that Red Football Capital had reached an agreement with Manchester United's major shareholders Magnier and McManus in the morning, which was even more shocking.

After acquiring 28.7% of Cubic Expression's shares in Manchester United controlled by the two, Red Football Capital will obtain a 58% controlling stake.

At the end of last year, Manchester United rejected another acquisition proposal. Negotiations failed and fans continued to protest. Only a few months later, the situation suddenly reversed, which stunned the British sports media.

After the news that Old Glazer failed to borrow money from JPMorgan Chase was exposed not long ago, Wall Street expected that Red Football Capital would win in the end, but they also did not expect that the acquisition would be so fast.
After the news broke in the morning, Bobby Ackles announced again in a personal interview with the Guardian in the afternoon:
"We have reached an agreement with Mr Dobson and Red Football Capital has bought out the other party's shares."

On the same day, it once again acquired 6.45% of Scots' shares, making the acquisition a foregone conclusion.

Merrill Lynch also joined in the fun and broke the news to Wall Street that Red Football Capital was frantically buying stocks in the market, with its shareholding ratio exceeding 74%.

According to the current progress, the actual controller of Manchester United will change hands next week, and Red Football Capital will lead two hedge funds and JPMorgan Chase to carve up this huge cake.

The Cavaliers, who were still preparing for the game in New York, became transparent again.

Throughout the afternoon, no one paid attention to the gossip about LeBron James and his agent Goodwin, and no one believed that they could defeat the defending champion.

During the early warm-up, sports reporters gathered around Li You early, trying to get first-hand news.

With more than a day of rest time, the two sides will naturally not make many adjustments. During the interview, the questions asked had nothing to do with tonight's game.

The New York Times reporter is the most gossipy. Everyone is familiar with Li You. He went straight to the point and asked:
"Li, will you choose to delist from the London Stock Exchange in the future?"

Regarding his plan to re-list, Li You naturally did not hide it and immediately gave a positive reply:
"Of course, after the compulsory acquisition of the remaining shares, we will delist."

"We have a detailed business plan and will listen to offers from more sponsors in June after re-listing in the United States."

There were all kinds of questions, and Li You patiently answered them. As for the game that night, it seemed that it became unimportant.

The game officially started at 19:. In an interview before the game, Van Gundy once again took the blame for the previous game:
"When we were behind, our tactics were too conservative!"

"Facing the defending champions, the most important thing is to control the tempo of the game. After the last game, I believe my players can respond."

Sports reporters were more concerned about whether the Cavaliers would change their game strategy. To this, Van Gundy looked serious and gave a firm answer:
"We will continue the strategy from the last game on both offense and defense!"

"What we have to do now is to strengthen our confidence, put the ball into the basket and respond in time."

Before the game started, in the TNT commentary box, Kevin Harlan talked about G1 and joked with a smile:
"Although the Cavaliers did a good job on the defensive end, there is still a huge gap between them and the defending champions."

"They are always the first to make mistakes, committing 5 turnovers in a single quarter. If this happens, the Cavaliers may be able to defeat the Bulls, but they cannot win against the Knicks."

"For Coach Van Gundy, maybe he is missing Lee's ability to respond to the ball. At this point, LeBron still has a lot to improve."

After hearing these words, Doug Collins commented on the current Cavaliers from another perspective:
"What they lack is scoring stability. Ilgauskas' jump shot can help the team, but at critical moments, they cannot respond."

"In zone defense, once the rotation occurs and Howard comes to the free throw line, their defense will have problems."

"This is indeed a high demand for Howard. Considering that he is still a high school rookie, he does still have a lot to learn."

"In a series like this, it's difficult to win the game with talent alone. I look forward to the Cavaliers putting more pressure on their opponents on rebounds."

Unlike ABC's broadcast, Kevin Harlan and Doug Collins almost directly said that the Cavaliers would lose.

During the regular season, the two broadcast many Knicks games nationally, and like the trio behind the studio, they also felt that there was no suspense in the series.

Madison Square Garden was still full tonight. After New York fans realized the strength of the rookie, they all knew that it would be difficult to return to their home court for the series.

When playing against the Nets, you can go next door to watch the game. When encountering the Cavaliers, most fans will still choose to support the home team in front of the TV.

After the game started at 19:, the New York fans cheered a little louder.

As if it was a repeat of the game the day before yesterday, Ilgauskas made consecutive free throws after the start, helping the Cavaliers score consecutive points.

On the defensive end, the Cavaliers also changed some details. Howard encountered a big delay in the pick-and-roll, and McGinnis on the outside led the defense at the beginning, trying to consume Li You.

Encountering this kind of double team, the offensive ball initiated by Li You moved very quickly.

With 8 minutes and 31 seconds left in the first quarter, Ilgauskas had already scored 6 points, and Newbell and McGinnis also scored.

At 10:10, the two sides took the lead alternately, and the Cavaliers once again made a perfect start.

The opponent's big man made another successful jump shot from the free throw line. D'Antoni stood up on the sidelines, folded his arms, and quietly watched Li You catch the ball from the baseline without much instruction.

"Let's go Knicks!."

The New York fans at the scene didn't care that they failed to get the lead and continued to shout loudly and wave the orange handkerchiefs in their hands.

The Cavaliers insist on a 32 zone defense, and occasionally turn into a 122 zone defense after the opening game. In this regard, the Knicks only use one tactic.

Li You, who was not in a hurry to attack, saw James and Newbell huddled inside the three-point line again, and lined up on the left and right flanks.

The position is neither up nor down, just enough to cut off the passing route, and can double-team at any time.

Amidst the cheers, Li You, who was holding the ball in his right hand, stepped sideways to protect the ball and waved briefly. Soon, Kurt Thomas and Gasol accelerated their lifts and set up double screens again.

Naturally, the two big men of the Cavaliers would not follow up on the defense. Without waiting for the screen to happen, the two took the initiative to move towards the bottom corner, ready to defend the three-pointer at any time.

As Gasol approached the left wing and stood to cover, Li You, who was sideways to protect the ball, first blasted the ball on the spot. When the opponent came up to defend, he turned his back and accelerated laterally after controlling the ball with his left hand.

James established a defensive position early, and Ilgauskas behind him followed suit, guarding against three-pointers from the bottom corner.

The solid screen allowed Li You to get rid of McGinnis behind him. Facing James who came up to defend, he pushed the ball to change direction while moving.

Switching to his right hand, Li Youshen shouldered down and slowed down, took most of his body, leaned against James and went straight to the basket. James and Li You, who were desperately pursuing defense, collided near the free throw line. When Howard turned around to defend, Li You simply slowed down to join the ball.

Right in front of the basket, Li You took a step forward and bumped away from James beside him, and threw the ball towards the basket with his right hand with one hand!
Howard, who was under the basket, jumped up to block the shot and stretched out his right arm, but he could only watch the basketball draw a huge arc and accurately fall into the basket.

At 10:12, Li You hit the ball again in response.

Although Prince in the right corner got an open opportunity, Li You usually didn't pass the ball in a stalemate.

Van Gundy knew Li You's habits. Although Howard failed to successfully defend, he still kept high-fiving on the sidelines and loudly encouraged:
"Good job!"

The cheers quickly covered up Van Gundy's shouts, and the defensive cheers sounded again. James, who had already crossed the center line, was not in a hurry to get the ball.

McGinnis first initiated a pick-and-roll with Ilgauskas at the top of the arc. Li You squeezed through the screen. The latter approached the right elbow area, immediately returned the ball to the big man, and accelerated to the right corner.

Receiving the ball at the top of the arc, turning his body sideways, Ilgauskas moved to the left wing.

Raja Bell destroyed James' hand-to-hand catch, and the latter could only run back away from the three-point line.

When James received the pass, Ilgauskas followed up with a high pick-and-roll.

The ball moved laterally with his right hand and he saw Laga Bell go around the line. Gasol retreated to the paint area and James returned the ball to Ilgauskas again.

The big man with hot hands caught the ball at the left elbow and threw it without any hesitation.

"state!"

The basketball knocked out of the frame, and Kurt Thomas grabbed the rebound in front of Howard.

Ilgauskas hit the iron for the first time, and the stadium cheered again.

Li You's response was not very fast, and the Cavaliers who quickly retreated had already established defensive positions in advance.

James and Newbell both hung on Gasol and Kurt Thomas, preventing the Knicks from initiating quick pick-and-rolls.

At the same time, the two big men who retreated to the basket continued to move toward the bottom corner, ready to defend at any time.

The "V-shape" was in place, and the Knicks continued the same tactics without Li You's call.

After pulling down, Kurt Thomas took the initiative to come to the three-point line to pick and roll.

Seeing Li You dribbling the ball from behind to his right hand and using a screen to get rid of McGinnis, Newbell immediately stepped up to defend him.

Li You, who was moving laterally, didn't wait to reach the right wing and suddenly threw the ball towards the basket while moving.

Gasol, who accelerated down the field, shook off James behind him. After receiving the pass in the paint, he put the ball into the basket.

"Wow!"

The wonderful alley-oop ignited the atmosphere of the scene. Gasol gave a thumbs up while retreating. Li You still saw the fleeting opportunity.

James made a mistake on the defensive end and patted his chest depressedly. He should have reminded his teammates, but the offense happened too fast.
Ilgauskas, who was making jump shots, was no longer the main attacker. After the big man ran across the half court, he caught the ball at the right elbow and immediately called James for a response.

McGinnis, who sent the pass, ran to the left wing to open up space. James, who had just completed a cross screen on the baseline, accelerated from the right bottom corner and moved up the line.

In the elbow area, after receiving a hand-to-hand pass from his teammate, James released the ball with his left hand. He noticed that Prince, who was changing defense on his side, squeezed through the screen. He took two big steps and leaned against the defense to suddenly stop.

Taking advantage of the trend, James stepped back laterally. James, who had just crossed the free throw line, drifted to the left and made a jump shot.

Howard, who was rushing for a rebound under the basket, was angered by Kurt Thomas's small action and subconsciously pushed him, but was caught by the referee.

Halfway through the game, Howard received a foul and showed his hands to the referee nonchalantly.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Cavaliers retreated quickly. Van Gundy on the sidelines shouted to the players to establish defensive positions.

James is responsible for protecting Ilgauskas, who moves slowly laterally, while Howard under the basket wipes the butt of Newbell on the line.

Watching the Knicks play the same tactics again, James and Newbell were both a little impatient.

On the left flank, Gasol, who was moving up, suddenly made a false screen and passed down. James reminded Ilgauskas behind him.

Li You, who was holding the ball in his left hand, did not wait for the double-team on the line to form. With a flick of his left wrist while walking, the basketball flew into the hands of Laga Bell in the left corner.

James could only run hard to the bottom corner and try to defend, but Raja Bell caught the ball and threw it, jumping to block the shot did not have much effect.

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

At 10:17, cheers rang out again in the arena, causing Van Gundy to immediately request a timeout.

Watching Li You continuously dismantle the opponent's defense, Doug Collins did not analyze the tactics too much, but joked with a smile:
"Lee likes to pass the ball when he's ahead, LeBron should realize that!"

"By the way, when the Knicks are ahead, his outside shooting becomes more accurate."

Most players are fighting against the wind and fighting against the wind. Kevin Harlan also laughed and joked about Van Gundy's game strategy:

"Switching to man-to-man defense and having LeBron guard Lee, that was a situation we discussed before the game."

Everyone on the Cavaliers, who came on the stage again after the timeout, felt like they had been knocked down by a technical technique.

The Knicks' tactics didn't change after the start, and as a result, their number of successful defenses was extremely limited.
Attacking again, on the left wing, James received the ball and continued to initiate a pick-and-roll with Ilgauskas.

Facing Shen's defense, James immediately joined the ball and stepped on the three-point line and hit a long two-pointer.

At 12:17, Van Gundy continued to encourage his players loudly, and the Cavaliers' defense also switched to man-marking.

Learning from the lessons of the previous game, McGinnis defended himself in front of Laga Bell and then ran to the left wing without making a three-pointer.

"Let's go Knicks!."

Amidst the cheers, Li You, who was dribbling through half court and holding the ball in his right hand, came to near the top of the key. He looked at James who was stepping on the three-point line and began to call Gasol to the free throw line.

Once the opponent switches to man-to-man defense, the Knicks switch to 131, with only Kurt Thomas staying near the basket.

Spotting the movement behind him, James hurriedly stepped forward to defend. Li You first dribbled the ball behind his back, then switched to his left hand and suddenly lowered his center of gravity.

While Gasol was standing still, Li You made a small in-and-out move, and the moment his body swayed to the left, he suddenly changed direction.

James, who was secretly supporting Gasol, first instinctively slid to the right and tried to squeeze through the screen. The basketball disappeared in front of him, and then he tried to pursue the defense but bumped into Gasol.

Nubel on the right flank slid in time, and Ilgauskas also moved laterally in an attempt to cause a big delay.

Li You, who threw away the defense and switched to his right hand, suddenly circled the ball with his hips when the defense was about to come.

Howard, who was under the basket, first saw the basketball fly out from between two teammates, and then saw Li You forcefully squeeze through and get the ball again in the paint area.

In the blink of an eye, Li You, who broke through to the front of the basket, took off his feet, and Howard subconsciously jumped to block the shot.

Taking into account Kurt Thomas behind him, Howard, who failed to take off fully, could only watch Li You hit his chest.

Losing balance in the air, Howard's eyes widened and he could only reach out symbolically. Li You was still rising without any influence. With his head level with the basket, he grabbed the ball with his right hand and pulled his arm back.

He bent his body and exerted force. After hovering briefly, Li You passed Howard and swung the ball directly into the basket!

The rim exploded, and Kevin Harlan shouted along with the New York fans at the scene:
"OH——!"

"Clay Lee! Monster duck!"

After landing, Howard fell heavily next to the camera, his whole body was covered, his mouth opened wide, and he forgot about the physical pain for a moment.

Fans in the front row saw Li You beating his chest and shouting. Their faces turned red with excitement, and they yelled at the top of their lungs to vent their excitement.

On the Knicks bench, everyone was jumping up and down. On the other side of the Cavaliers atmosphere team, Charlie Ward and several people subconsciously covered their faces, as if they were there and felt Howard's pain.
At 12:19, James looked at the Knicks celebrating happily and became even more depressed for a while.

Pulling up the unlucky Howard and reminding his teammates to serve as soon as possible, James ran to the half court and tried to keep calm.

An explosive dunk seemed to affect Howard's mood. The rookie was absent-minded and no longer rushed for rebounds.

Fortunately, Ilgauskas's jump shot came back. After the pick-and-roll, he received a pass from James and hit the right elbow to help the team score points.

Still man-to-man defense, Li You accelerated his advance. When he reached the top of the arc, the Cavaliers had just retreated to defend against the opponent.

Always maintaining a defensive distance, James stepped on the three-point line and watched Li You suddenly change the direction of his hips, lowering his center of gravity and instinctively sliding to the right.

Suddenly speeding up his dribbling, Li You changed direction, broke away from the defense in an instant, and went straight to the basket from the center.

"Oh!"

Amid the exclamations of the fans, Li You combined the ball in advance during the march, stepped forward to meet Howard's block, and threw the ball toward the basket with his right hand.

"squeak!"

Howard, who struggled to block the shot, only hit Li You's arm, and adjusted the arc to hit the basket accurately again.

Cheers echoed throughout the arena, and Li You turned to the free throw line and high-fived his teammates in celebration.

Seeing James and Howard looking at each other depressedly, Li You took the basketball and said with a smile:

"Rookie! Welcome to the playoffs!"

At 14:22, the extra free throw was made, and the point difference continued to widen.

Howard, who was replaced by Gooden, completely lost his happiness.

In the past, New York fans were too lazy to pay attention to the blue-collar champion, but after he was dunked, the fans began to laugh at the cute rookie:
"Rookie, go home to your mother!"

"Smile again! Rookie! Give us another smile! Is Li old enough? He ****!"

The harsh trash talk made Howard a little angry. He stood up and tried to reason with the fans, but was quickly pressed down by Thibodeau.

Man-to-man defense did not play much role. The impetuous James lost his calm mentality and was always deceived by Li You into centering his focus and breaking through easily.

In the last round, James just drove to the basket and stood on the free throw line and made two free throws. When he turned around, the defensive end caught up and paid for the foul.

Gooden witnessed how McGrady lost when he was with the Magic. He took advantage of Li You's free throw and immediately told James to calm down.

In the last few minutes, except for one time when he cut into the basket and scored after a second rebound, James' finishing near the basket was still strong.

Kurt Thomas and Li You used continuous pick-and-rolls, and after being released, they easily scored jumpers from two elbow positions.

Gooden's second offense and jump shot helped the Cavaliers stabilize the situation.

As Li You missed a long three-pointer in the last attack, James pursed his lips as he walked to the bench, his mood getting worse and worse.

At 22:34, the point difference reached double digits, and everyone on the Cavaliers bench was a little frustrated.

Ilgauskas performed the best, making 6 of 5 and 2 of 2 free throws, contributing 12 points.

For the Knicks, after the first quarter, Li You made 7 of 6, 1 of 0 from beyond the three-point line, 4 of 4 free throws, and scored 16 points, 1 rebound and 5 assists.

The game entered the Knicks' favorite rhythm early. Commentator Kevin Harlan joked about the Cavaliers, who were lagging behind at the start:
"A double-digit point difference is not a problem for the Knicks with Lee."

"But with the Cavaliers' current lineup, a 12-point deficit is a nightmare start."

Doug Collins has watched too many of Li You's games and agrees with his partner:
"Rookies are rookies, they still have a lot to learn!"

"."

(End of this chapter)