NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 417 Los Angeles Mamba (7500 words chapter)
On Wednesday, November 2005, 11, ball commentators were still discussing the record set by the Knicks two days ago.

It was originally an ordinary regular season game, but the score of 120:62 made the crowd scream in disbelief!

58 points are not many in the history of the regular season, but considering that the largest point difference in the finals was also created by the Knicks and Jazz, the funniest people laughed.

In 1991, the Cavaliers beat the Heat 148:80, setting the largest regular season point difference in NBA history.

This time the Knicks tied the record set by the Bucks in 85 and the Kings in 92, ranking 10th in history.

The outrageous point difference record is naturally inseparable from the heavy blows of the rotating lineup!
In garbage time, even David Lee, who came off the bench, contributed 10 points. The Jazz did not lose unfairly.
More than a day has passed, and some programs are still gloating.

Early in the morning, Sports Center informed the fans about the point difference record, and also warmed up the game between the Knicks and the Lakers in the evening;
In the TNT program, the trio were still teasing Deron Williams in the studio, and Charles Barkley even said unceremoniously:

"I still can't believe they only scored eight points in the third quarter."

"What is Deron Williams afraid of? His passing has become non-threatening, and his jump shot is also falling."

Kenny Smith is not interested in taking advantage of this hot topic. After all, Deron is just a new player, and it is not his turn to take the blame:
"If I remember correctly, Deron Williams actually only played 23 minutes. Such a point difference shows that the role players of the two teams are very different."

The one who gained the most in the team was Prince. He only used his long arms to interfere and was not very aggressive. It was difficult for the referee to catch the "little tail".

In contrast, Li You was a little unmotivated, and his continuous trips to away games still had some impact on him.

In the new season, the NBA has resolutely implemented new rules, and the perimeter defense scale has been adjusted again. Defenders like Artest have been severely weakened.

The commercial hype seemed to make Kobe a little inflated. In the locker room before the game, he confidently stated in front of everyone:
"All you have to do tonight is give me the ball, Parker, and you know what to do."

Nets fans are a little disappointed, but Lakers fans still have expectations. Maybe Garnett will come to Los Angeles to play!
In the afternoon, everyone in the Knicks team came to Staples Arena in advance to warm up. Due to the victory over their opponents in the previous game, the morale of the atmosphere team was greatly boosted.

In 7 of the 4 games, he received 5 fouls. Before entering the abuse phase, Artest had to sit on the bench in advance.

Wearing the Knicks' away blue training uniform, after Li You said these words, he smiled at everyone and added:
"No one likes to be in the lead for a while. Competition is the driving force."

"But I'm looking forward to the cooperation between the two, maybe they will bring more fun to the league."

Although Parker, who was wearing a headband, got a starting position after joining the Lakers, the sports media here did not show respect.

"We have no intention of making a trade with the Nets."

Lakers general manager Kupchak has been questioned since the offseason, and even Parker and Kwame Brown have become the punching bag of fans.

"I really appreciate Kobe's offensive choices, at least he looks like a leader!"

"We are well prepared for tonight's game. Facing the Knicks, the most important thing is to get off to a good start."

Ernie Johnson didn't like to consume Kobe like his peers next door, so he took the initiative to change the topic and said:
"After the start of the new season, only the Pistons and the Knicks remain undefeated. Both teams are currently 7 wins and 0 losses."

"The Lakers will always be my home team. They drafted me. I love this city."

"Coach Flip Saunders has changed the Pistons, and now I somewhat understand Garnett's feelings."

When the Timberwolves lost two days ago, McHale criticized Kevin Garnett's performance and responded to the trade rumors:

Considering that Li You's usage rate has gradually decreased since the start of the game, many reporters realized that GOAT was taking advantage of the situation.
"Have the new rules had an impact on the Knicks? Lee, we have noticed that your perimeter defense has been troubled by foul trouble in recent games."

Fisher will enter his contract year next year. There is indeed no suitable point guard on the market, and the Knicks will most likely provide him with a contract.

"The Knicks will definitely face a tough battle tonight. This is their fifth away game in the Western Conference. The Lakers will not miss this opportunity."

Smush Parker felt a little unhappy when he heard these words. He only had so much possession of the ball, and he didn't want to take advantage of it. This was live broadcast across the United States:
"I get it, Bro, the losing streak is going to end tonight."

Only Barkley in the studio seemed to want to continue discussing tonight's game. Kenny Smith took over and said with a smile:

"In the matchup with Iverson, Kobe made 27 of 7 shots and only scored 17 points. Maybe there was a problem with his shot selection."

If the Lakers offer more by then, the veteran wouldn't mind returning to Los Angeles again.
When answering questions, Fisher looked sincere, which deeply moved many sports reporters. After all, he was his "child".

The outside players were strengthened again, and the scorers' statistics exploded. Li You was well prepared and answered nonchalantly:
"The players need to adapt to the rules, smart people know what to do and we will figure it out."

"If the team needs me in the future, I will bring my experience back here,"

The media in Los Angeles broke the news that Vanessa was pregnant again and welcomed her second child. In the past few days, she did not embarrass Kobe in interviews.

The game started at 19: that night. As the Lakers lost consecutive games, Phil Jackson pointed out that there was a problem with Kobe's offensive choices.

Kwame Brown, who was sitting in his seat, secretly pouted. Phil Jackson asked for team basketball, but Kobe's shot count was very "selfish."

Li You, on the other hand, wasn't that excited. The rookie team wasn't worth spending too much time on.

In an interview before the game, the old man from KFC suffered from a relapse of amnesia and began to encourage his core players again:
"Like Kobe said, scorers should stay confident, we believe in him!"

Li You doesn't believe this trade rumor at all. They both belong to the Western Conference, and no one wants to see the Lakers rise again:
"Basketball is for five people. No one can be sure whether there will be a good chemical reaction when you stack up stars."

Fisher, who returned to Los Angeles, was boycotted by local fans. After warming up, he was interviewed by the Los Angeles Times. The old fish understood the fans very well:
"I don't blame the loyal fans. For a role player like me, joining the defending champions is also a learning opportunity."

"."

The national live broadcast of the Knicks and Lakers will be broadcast by ESPN.

Charles Barkley, who was interrupted, was a little unhappy, and quickly said with confidence:

"Kobe will continue to take shots, and he will use his offense to destroy opponents."

ESPN reporters noticed that during the warm-up Li You just shot random shots to move his body, and did not ask about his game expectations again during the interview:
"Lee, do you think that after Kevin Garnett joins the Lakers, the combination of him and Kobe can win the championship?"

Without thinking about the issue of strength, the confident Kwame Brown felt that he should get more ball rights!

"I'm more curious about who will lose first. They are all on a road trip in the West."

"I'm a little worried about the Lakers. They lost three games in a row after losing to the 76ers."

Staples Arena was packed tonight. In the ESPN commentary box, Mike Breen heard bursts of boos and immediately joked:
"It seems like a lot of Lakers fans still can't let go of the loss in the Finals."

"A lot of people thought the Lakers had a chance to become a dynasty team, but unfortunately, they met Lee."

Hubie Brown on the side heard this point of view and retorted with a smile:
"There are no ifs in basketball. Failure for several consecutive years only shows that the Lakers are not as strong as their opponents."

"Phil Jackson should probably make changes. The triangle offense is not a panacea."

"Some people don't like boring statistics, but when facing the Knicks, a lot of times it's a matter of efficiency."

The two chatted happily in the commentary box, and the broadcaster also began to show the starting lineups of both sides to the fans in front of the TV:
Smush Parker and Kobe Bryant partnered in the backcourt, and the three frontcourt players were Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown, and Chris Mihm.

In order to reduce the luxury tax, the Lakers finally amnested Brian Grant, which just allowed them to pay a lot less money.

As the game was about to start, players from both sides came to the center of the court and noticed Kwame Brown bumping fists with Li You with a smile. Kobe immediately glared at him.

Amidst the cheers, Gasol moved the ball to half court, and Parker soon joined the defense, consuming Li You at the beginning.

Phil Jackson, who was sitting on the bench, had an expressionless face. If the Knicks hadn't rejected his job offer, he wouldn't have boomeranged to coach the Lakers again.

"Defense!."

As soon as the defensive cheers sounded, Gasol, who ran across half court, stood at the top of the arc. As Artest moved to the left corner, Li You used the screen to sink his shoulders and accelerate.

Parker and Chris Mihm, who struggled to squeeze through the screen, worked well together. One was fighting from the side, and the other was sliding and causing a big delay.

Seizing the opportunity to fake a screen, Gasol went straight to the basket from the middle. Li You took advantage of the situation and threw the ball towards the basket.

Without waiting for Kwame Brown to help defend on the lower right side of the basket, Gasol jumped into the air in front of the basket and stretched out his right arm to gently flick the ball, and the basketball went into the net.

"Shh!"

Amid the boos, Li You clapped his hands, then turned around and ran back to the half court. Just like last season, the Lakers' defense had not changed much.

Since Artest was always in foul trouble, Hill, who was retreating from defense, gestured for him to switch defenses, indicating that he would come to confront Kobe.

Somewhat reluctantly, Artest changed positions. When Artest moved to the right wing, he immediately used Odom as a bag to vent his anger:

"Admit defeat as soon as possible. Without the referee, you can't do anything!"

"?"

Odom had a sleepy expression on his face, looked at Artest inexplicably, and then choked back:
"What the fuck!?"

According to the previous offensive routine, the big man is positioned in the low post, Kobe and the No. 1 position cross-cover, and after receiving the ball, he passes the ball to the inside.

There is no O'Neal. After the old man from KFC returned, it was Kobe who asked for the ball in the low post.

The obvious intention of passing the ball made Li You suddenly guard Parker, who had to sideways to protect the ball. At the same time, Hill was also entangled with Kobe.

Kobe, who gained muscle and was in excellent physical condition through the offseason, pulled the weight-loss Hill behind him.

Just as he was in position, Kobe opened his hand for the ball, but Parker, who was protecting the ball from his side, turned his back to face the top of the key and passed the ball across to Odom who was receiving the ball.

The passing ball didn't have much effect. After catching the ball, Odom was interfered by Artest, and finally Kwame Brown caught the ball in the low post on the right side.

Taking advantage of Kurt Thomas' elbow to defend, Kwame Brown suddenly turned toward the baseline, released the ball with his right hand, and arched toward the basket.

The layup that relied on the defense finally hit the basket. Kurt Thomas took advantage of the rebound and Kwame Brown pumped his fist in frustration. He just missed the finish!
Kobe, who was retreating, was still shouting instructions. Li You, who was catching the ball, began to speed up gradually. Phil Jackson on the sidelines also stood up and signaled Parker to continue delaying.

When crossing the center line, Li You glanced at the defensive position.

Noticing that both sides had already settled, Gasol also stopped on the left near the baseline. Taking advantage of the trailing Kurt Thomas to stop at the top of the arc, Li You circled the ball behind his back.

Parker, who had been sticking to his side, saw the basketball disappear from Li You's left hand, and felt that there was no resistance on his side, so he quickly adjusted his center of gravity and slid to the left rear.

The movement around the ball was extremely large. When Li You touched the ball with his right hand again, he had completely thrown away the defense, accelerated a second time, and rushed to the basket.

Perhaps because of the national live broadcast, Parker's defense was really active and he chased into the paint area again. Without waiting for interference, Li You suddenly stopped and pulled his hips back.

In the paint area, Li You took advantage of the opportunity to combine the ball. Kurt Thomas, who was behind the screen, went down and took away the opponent Kwame Brown.

Parker watched Li You lift the ball and fake a pass. He instinctively turned his head and looked behind him, and Chris Mihm also followed to help defend the basket.
The basketball flew into Gasol's hands at this time. When Parker realized something was wrong, Li You, who had completed the pass, had already turned around and ran to the three-point line.

As Gasol threw the ball out, Li You easily caught the ball at the extension line and made a steady jump shot without any defender!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net.

The transition attack, from passing around the ball to making an emergency stop and making a fake move, to running back to catch the ball and complete the shot, the whole process was extremely smooth, and the smooth cooperation even made the stadium quiet.

In the commentary box, Mike Breen was in a good mood. He seized the opportunity and blew another whistle:
"Wonderful coordination, Li played with the opponent's defense, he is simply an artist on the court!"

Hubie Brown still maintains a neutral view. The coach sees the Lakers' problem:
"There is a lack of continuity on the defensive end. Considering that Parker has just joined the Lakers, it will take some time for them to adapt to each other."

The Knicks retreated quickly. Li You noticed that Kobe was still trying to get the ball with his back near the left block, and immediately shouted for everyone to shrink their defense.

On the left wing, Parker sent a pass, and Kobe, who received the ball, leaned on the defense and turned towards the baseline.

Hill slid in time, and Kurt Thomas, who was reminded, also moved to the lower left side of the basket.

Encountered by the two men, Kobe finally passed the ball to Kwame Brown on the other side in the gap.

Amid the exclamations of the fans, Kwame Brown, who received the ball and tried to complete a dunk, was blocked by Artest who rushed inside and blocked the ball behind his head.

"Oh!" Kobe, who was crowded under the basket, struggled to grab the offensive rebound, tried to force the layup with Hill hanging on him, folded in the air and threw the ball, but Li You, who rushed to the inside, completed the block.

"Shet!"

Kobe, who almost lost his center of gravity, leaned over and cursed, but the rebound was protected by Gasol after the rebound.

Seeing Li You catch the ball again, boos came one after another, and the fans tried to use their voices to interfere with this transition attack.

Odom retreated in time on the other side, and Parker returned to the half court early, holding the ball in his left hand and crossing the center line, but Li You began to slow down.

There was still some distance from the three-point line. Li You stopped dribbling behind him. Parker breathed a sigh of relief, and then saw the basketball passing in front of him.

It was already too late for him to subconsciously reach out, and the ground pass instantly penetrated the defense. Hill, who rushed through the three-point line, caught the ball in front of Kobe.

After taking three long strides, Hill, who did not slow down, leaned on Kobe, who was chasing behind him, and succeeded in picking up the basket with his left hand in the air!

At 0:7, they fell behind at the beginning, and the Lakers fans at the scene couldn't hold back.

At the critical moment, Chris Mihm caught the ball in the left elbow area. In the left corner, Kobe, who was accelerating, took the pass and accelerated laterally in an attempt to get rid of the defense.

He released the ball with his right hand and took two big steps in a row. Near the free throw line, Kobe suddenly stopped suddenly. Ignoring the defense beside him, Hill drifted to the right and shot a fadeaway jumper!

The basketball went hollow into the net. After completing the goal, Kobe punched hard and then loudly encouraged his teammates to defend.

In the next few minutes, Kobe was on full fire!

The right wing made a strong drive to the basket and missed a layup. Kobe's assist allowed Chris Mihm to make a tip-in under the basket.

Odom failed to assist in defense, and Artest received a pass from Li You in the left corner and hit a three-pointer.

Kobe, who quickly served the baseline ball, held the ball through half court and responded with two points from the left wing after the pick-and-roll.

After halftime, the left wing initiated a pick-and-roll. Facing Chris Mihm who was delayed, Li You moved laterally and deceived Parker with a behind-the-back pass with his left hand. Gasol followed the pass and scored two more points.

The point difference could not be narrowed. Kobe caught the ball in the right elbow area, released the ball with his right hand after the triple threat, and broke through with a cross step, causing Hill's thug to foul.

The Lakers fans at the scene cheered, but Kobe made one of two free throws and watched Hill striding towards the half court, and the boos started again.
The pace of the game suddenly accelerated, and Kobe had no time to shout out to his teammates, so he could only grit his teeth and chase after him.

Before the defense could reach his side, Hill, who was close to the right wing, sent a through ball.

Li You, who received the pass near the paint area, threw the ball toward the backboard. Artest, who was running down the middle, jumped up to grab the ball and slammed the basket with both hands!
"OH——! Wonderful cooperation!"

Mike Breen praised loudly, but Hubie Brown sympathized with the backward party and commented tactfully:
"The Lakers should play simpler. This is the Knicks' favorite offensive rhythm."

"what!"

Standing under the basket, Artest roared loudly, holding his jersey and beating his chest, looking at the dark-faced Kobe with disdain.

Turning around and running quickly towards the half court, Kobe was in no mood to deal with the "minor character".

Just after crossing the center line, Kobe heard a cry of surprise in his ears.
Odom took a baseline kick, and Parker caught the ball in the paint area right in front of the basket. As soon as he turned around, he saw Li You rushing in front of him.

His brain shut down, and before Parker could react, the basketball in his hand was cut off.

Odom, who had just entered the court, was also dumbfounded. Faced with Li You who was jumping on both feet, he subconsciously jumped up to block the shot.

"My god!"

"Clay—Lee! And a foul!"

Amid Mike Breen's excited shouts, Odom was knocked away by Li You in the air, glided to the lower right side of the basket, tossed the ball with his right hand, and the basketball hit the board into the basket.

The referee blew the whistle, and Phil Jackson on the sidelines covered his forehead without requesting a timeout. He shook his head and sat back on the bench.

Li You, who was walking to the free throw line, saw Parker staring at him blankly, slapped him, and joked with a smile:
"Man, someone's trying to eat you!"

Only then did Parker notice that Kobe was staring at him fiercely. Apparently, such a low-level mistake made the old man furious.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

When receiving the referee's serve, the shouts in the stadium became louder and louder. Li Youjia made a free throw, and the cheers couldn't stop for a while.

At 7:17, the game was lively and the point difference reached double digits.

In the second half of the first quarter, the Lakers could occasionally play some coordination. Odom's off-ball cuts and Parker's elbow jump shots helped the team score points.

Hill's three-pointer hit the ground, Li You picked up a long rebound, and there was a loophole in the opponent's defense. Kurt Thomas caught the ball under the basket and put it in to score points.

Kobe once again took over the game as he hit a difficult fadeaway jumper against Artest's defense near the baseline on the right.

Every shot the Lakers took was particularly difficult, and Kobe continued to show off his training results;

The Knicks also started to strike, but seizing the opportunity of their opponent's mistakes, Li You easily scored points. During the transition attack, Gasol continued to eat the cake.

The two sides played faster and faster, there was no timeout, and the game flowed smoothly.

On the Lakers' last possession, with 4.6 seconds passed, Kobe Bryant hit a long two-point jumper from the right wing, and the boos at Staples Center grew louder and louder.

37:25, a 12-point difference, made the Lakers bench even quieter.

打满第1节比赛，科比11中4，罚球4中3，拿到11分3篮板。

The Lakers took a total of 21 shots, and Kobe took half of the shots, which made Kwame Brown, who returned to the bench early, a little dissatisfied.

Phil Jackson glanced at the expressionless Kobe and didn't say anything. He let go and that was tonight's strategy.
The atmosphere in the arena was not good, and Hubie Brown was still praising the Knicks' tacit cooperation in the commentary box:
"It's unimaginable that this is their fifth away game."

"This is a gap in basketball concepts. Li held the ball for less time, but sent 7 assists."

打满首节，5中4，三分线外2中1，罚球3中3，12分2篮板7助攻1抢断1盖帽，李佑填满数据栏。

Seeing the Lakers' defeat, Mike Breen was already happy, and he also added:
"The Lakers only sent out a total of 1 assists in the first quarter!"

"Their offense always gets stagnant, and it seems like coach Phil Jackson still has a lot of work to do."

On the Knicks bench, Artest successfully avoided fouling in the first quarter and was playing energetically, so he took the initiative to shout:
"I'm not tired, coach, let me play for a while, I'm going to end that clown tonight!"

Hill, who helped with two fouls, shook his head helplessly. Prince and Laga Bell also need playing time, and veteran Finley still needs to integrate into the team.

Diaw and Barnes are almost exhausted, and their playing time is simply not enough:

"Ron, watch the game quietly. Maybe the Lakers will launch a counterattack. You know, there are still three quarters in the game."

After hearing Hill's words, Artest returned to his seat and put on his training clothes, not forgetting to mock his opponent for being too weak.
The assistant coach was instructing the players on the stage, while Li You sat back in his seat wearing a towel and interacted boredly with the fans behind him.

The children near the front row kept shouting their names and screamed when they saw Li You turning his head and raising his eyebrows.

D'Antoni made a lot of preparations before the game. After all, his opponent was a championship coach. The game went so smoothly, beyond his expectation.

Mustache walked up and down the sidelines, clapping his hands from time to time.

Devin George, Brian Cook, and Kwame Brown formed the frontcourt, and Sasha Vujacic and Kobe partnered in the backcourt.

The Lakers' lineup scored consecutively in 2 minutes, but Fisher also responded. Both Lao Yu and Bell scored three points.

The scores of both sides increased, and soon, Kobe stepped forward again and changed the rhythm of the game.

After two consecutive strikes, Prince seized the opportunity and succeeded in counterattacking;

With the return of the main lineup, Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm made mistakes one after another, and Michael Finley, who came off the bench for the Knicks, also scored points on the fast break.

After Kobe hit two more irons from the mid-range, the point difference went straight to 20 points, and the boos at Staples Arena were gone for a while.

With 4 minutes and 30 seconds left in the half, Li Youcai returned to the court. At this time, the game had basically lost its suspense.

The teammates who found the feeling of abuse struck again, and Li You's assists began to rise again.

At 67:45, with a huge score difference, everyone on the Lakers walking towards the tunnel was booed fiercely.

单节7中0，科比在第2节比赛得分挂了零蛋，半场18中4的表现很多球迷都感到失望。

In the game that was broadcast live across the United States, the main lineups of both sides played the entire third quarter.

The halftime break allowed Kobe to regain his touch, shooting 8 of 5, 2 of 0 from beyond the three-point line, and 6 of 6 free throws, contributing 16 points in a single quarter.

After three quarters, at 97:74, the game officially entered garbage time.

Although the Knicks had already taken the rotation, Kobe did not give up and continued to take shots in the last quarter, trying to help the Lakers narrow the score.

Encouraged by Kobe, cheers reappeared at Staples Arena. The victory or defeat was no longer important at this moment!
At the end of the game, 123:96, the Knicks defeated their opponents and continued their unbeaten record.

Li You, who had eaten a popcorn on the bench, stood up and fist bumped with veteran Finley:

"Well done, Bro! It's a pity we couldn't get another 58 points."

Michael Finley regained the feeling of playing blindly with the Mavericks, and hit hard again in the last quarter:

"This is the easiest back-to-back road trip I've ever had! God, we scored 120 points two games in a row!"

Finley's black face showed an expression of disbelief, then he grinned widely and bumped fists with everyone one by one.

In the tunnel after losing the game, Kobe looked dark and walked directly back to the locker room without being interviewed.

出场42分钟，36中14，罚球12中10，38分5篮板2助攻1抢断2失误，科比拿到了全场最高分。

出场28分钟，15中11，三分线外4中2，罚球7中7，31分4篮板15助攻2抢断1盖帽，李佑贡献大号两双。

When attending the press conference after the game, New York reporters started booing Li You and Artest as soon as they took the stage.

Victory is not important. Many people want to watch and have fun. ESPN reporters quickly asked:

"Lee, the Knicks scored 120 points in two consecutive games. Congratulations on staying undefeated!"

"Can you talk about tonight's game? We noticed that Kobe took twice as many shots as you. Is this the reason why the Lakers lost?"

Regarding this boring question, Li You once again presented the "Li You Recognition Award" and said sincerely to everyone:
"Kobe was the key to the Lakers losing only 27 points. Without him, maybe everyone can witness another record tonight."

"A shooting guard is not a point guard. All he has to do is help the team score points."

"I appreciate Kobe's spirit of not giving up. He played 42 minutes and gave back to the fans at the scene and in front of the TV, making the game more exciting."

"Think about Carter in the playoffs last year. Kobe, like him, has a killer instinct. They are as deadly as the Black Mamba!"

Artest on the side always felt that there was something wrong with these words, but he couldn't figure out what was wrong. He subconsciously scratched his head and also said good things:

"Lee is right!"

On Friday, November 11th, the Knicks challenged the Nuggets away from home. Perhaps they had exhausted their character in two games, and everyone was possessed by blacksmiths that night.

At 92:106, Li You clocked in three quarters again.

At this point, after the start of the new season, all teams have experienced defeat.

(End of this chapter)