NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 440 True Eastern Dividend? (8500 words chapter)
2006年5月8号星期一，NBA联盟公布了2005~06赛季的最佳防守球员：
Ben Wallace of the Pistons won the award for the fourth time in his career.

From the atmosphere group of the Washington Bullets, to the championship puzzle of the Knicks, to the leader of the Pistons who won the Defensive Player of the Year award four times in five years!

Ben Wallace is now a superstar after tying Mutombo's record.

Pistons general manager Joe Dumars also attended the press conference, sending his best wishes and assuring the fans:
"We will do whatever it takes to keep Ben in Detroit this offseason. He belongs in Detroit and we all love him!"

Ben held the trophy with a smile on his face and did not deny the general manager's words, but local media soon broke the news that he had changed his agent and started working with well-known industry insider Arn Tellem.

If the Pistons want to keep the best defensive player, they must at least offer a multi-year contract with a starting salary of $1200 million.

Whether the deal can be reached depends on the actions of other teams. If Ben plays for the US team, the Pistons are likely to lose him.

That night, the Heat will challenge the Pistons away, and the semi-final G1 between the two sides will officially start. After crushing the Wizards in the first round, Pat Riley will face a real test.

O'Neal, who flew to Detroit, has once again become the focus of media reporters. Facing the DPOY's defense, can the fat shark maintain his dominance?
When O'Neal arrived at the Palace of Auburn Hills in advance to warm up, he was in a good mood, not because he was sure of winning, but because he was happy to see Kobe being swept by the Mavericks.

Since reversing his reputation through high scoring, many basketball commentators have begun to emphasize Kobe's role in the championship, which made the petty O'Neal even more unhappy.

MVP and FMVP are his highest achievements, and he will not allow anyone to belittle the value of his championship!

Bill Russell even acted as a peacemaker between the two, hoping that they could reconcile, but O'Neal agreed verbally but ignored Kobe at all and continued to be sarcastic.

During the afternoon warm-up at the gym, many sports reporters gathered around Wade. The third-year rookie has already demonstrated superstar qualities and is worthy of the "Li You" template.

Although he didn't win many awards, Wade will undoubtedly be on the All-NBA Team this season. When asked about tonight's game, he was naturally confident:
"The opponent is a 62-win team. I know how strong they are."

"But in the playoffs, the competition is about response. My teammates believe in me and I can do it well!"

Wade has not had an easy life since the greasy boss took over the team. Although he is the team leader, he does not enjoy many privileges and the coach has high demands on him.

Fortunately, Pat Riley's chicken soup skills are profound, and he fooled the Heat players into training hard. Only O'Neal didn't buy it and remained as fat as ever.
"Good boy" Wade did not forget to praise his coach during the interview. On the other side, O'Neal started his daily routine and took the initiative to guide the topic in front of the media:

"Champion Jigsaw has performed poorly for two consecutive years. It turns out that Jigsaw is not a superstar. Some people will always be just ordinary characters."

"If you want to break away from the past and prove yourself, changing your jersey number will not help."

What O'Neal said was about Kobe. Before March 3, players can choose to change their jersey numbers. Only Kobe and Stoudemire in the league have applied.

The former changed from No. 8 to No. 24. In Kobe's words, he preferred No. 24 before the draft because he wanted to start over as a team leader.
Stoudemire, who is still recovering from an injury, doesn't have as many reasons. His number change is more of a sign of respect:
"I want to lead the team like Lee did. I will share my championship experience with the Knicks without reservation. That's why I chose No. 1."

It’s been a few months since this news came out, but O’Neal still remembers it. This guy’s stinginess is too much to complain about, but the fat shark continues to output:
"When I win the championship again, I don't want to hear that name. Wade is better than him. My little brother and I will succeed!"

Every time he is interviewed, he has to be sarcastic about his old partner. The ESPN reporter is used to it. Looking at O'Neal's smiling face, he took the initiative to change the subject:

"Shaq, Mark Cuban thinks Dirk Nowitzki should win the MVP! What do you think about Tim Duncan winning the award?"

85:87, after the Spurs reversed the Mavericks yesterday, Cuban angrily criticized Duncan on his blog, calling him a "clown who only knows how to gain sympathy."

Cuban not only questioned the players, but also criticized the league for manipulating award selection and condoning referees' random calls.
This statement on the blog made the onlookers very happy, and this morning the NBA issued a fine of 20 US dollars to Cuban.

Plagued by injuries, O'Neal played only 56 games and naturally could not squeeze into the MVP candidate list. However, Duncan won the award, and the fat shark still gave affirmation:

"I know how strong Duncan is. The Spurs' perimeter has always been very bad. When they beat the Lakers, Duncan showed his dominance."

"Maybe it's hard for him to win a championship, but he is one of the best big men in the league, and I wish him the best!"

While blessing in a deep voice, O'Neal did not forget to secretly belittle Kobe, and everyone was very happy to hear it. Bill Russell did not resolve the grudge between the two.

At 20 p.m. that evening, Ben, who lifted the trophy in front of the home fans, failed to bring victory to the team.

94:82, the Heat completely suppressed their opponents on both offense and defense, and the Pistons eventually lost the initiative in the series.

韦德高效发挥，11中9，罚球11中9，砍下27分3篮板5助攻2抢断1盖帽5失误！

On the Heat bench, Gary Payton also exploded, making 8 of 6 shots, 3 of 2 from beyond the three-point line, and scored 14 points, helping the team secure the victory in the third quarter.

The Palace of Auburn Hills was booed after the game, but Pat Riley, who came to the technical table and shook hands with coach Saunders, enjoyed the atmosphere and praised proudly:
“It’s going to be an exciting series!”

In another Western Conference semifinal, the Suns launched a violent attack and successfully defeated the Clippers 116:123.

Leandro Barbosa and new player Tim Thomas continued to perform efficiently, and coach Gentry's 7-man rotation achieved excellent results!
On the morning of May 5, the players' union announced that Li You won the 9 Magic Johnson Award.

The award is intended to recognize NBA players who excel on the court and in their work with the media and fans.

Although he did not win the MVP, Li You did win a lot of trophies this season, which enriched his achievement room.

Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals was to be played that evening. During the fixed media time at noon, Li You was interviewed and most of the questions he was asked were about the game.

90:130, in Game 1, the Knicks scored 38 points in the first quarter, and the bench lineup exploded in the second quarter, with Li You scoring 42 points.

LeBron James did perform well in the rotation phase, scoring 14 points in a single quarter, but at the end of the half, the score was 36:80
"Lee, so far in the playoffs, we have easily won many games. Do you agree that the Eastern Conference lacks competitiveness?"

ESPN reporters couldn't wait to ask questions. Recently, more and more people have begun to question the true level of each team in the Eastern Conference.

Since he was being interviewed at the training ground, Li You smiled, pointed around the ground, and responded simply:

"Look at the division championship banners and championship banners on the walls around the arena. These are all won by us. The championship has always been in the East."

The championship makes the doubts particularly powerless, after all, there is no Eastern Conference bonus in the finals.

"Why is there such a big gap in strength between the Eastern Conference teams and the Knicks? Lee, will this affect the value of your championship?"

TNT reporters, like Charles Barkley, "IF" every day. Not only the quality of the players, but also the value of the championship has become a hot topic.

"The gap is reasonable. Don't forget that the Knicks pay the most luxury tax in the league. As for the value, the championship is always much better than the second place."

"Even the division championship deserves respect. I would like to congratulate Tim Duncan again for winning the award. At least he has enough division championships."

Although Li You's blessing was sincere, many sports media felt something was wrong, thinking that this was another mockery of the opponent.
When D'Antoni appeared in front of everyone, he had a bright smile on his mustache. This year he has the opportunity to tie the achievement that Van Gundy won that year, winning four consecutive championships. He is also a famous coach in history!
"We have a media meal ready, and by the way, we will not be adjusting the game tonight."

The words of the mustache made the Knicks staff laugh. In the past few years, everyone has been winning without any effort. Maybe their peers will be jealous, but they are all satisfied.

Watching Li You disappear, the Fox Sports reporter could only sigh in a low voice:
"I really can't think of anything that can stop Lee from continuing to win. After all, the referee can't stop the opponent from making a shot!"

No one responded, but everyone agreed with this point of view in their hearts. In Game 1, the Cavaliers made only 15 of 3 three-pointers and couldn't even make wide open shots. It was really unbearable to watch.

At 19 p.m. that evening, at Madison Square Garden, one hour before the game started, Michael Finley was being interviewed.

If the Mavericks can beat the Spurs this year, then their chances of making it out of the West are very high!

Meeting his old team in the finals was something Finley hadn't expected before the start of the new season. When talking about this issue, he smiled bitterly:

"I played for the Mavericks for nine years, and my family still lives in Dallas."

"As for the finals, we still have to play one game at a time. If we really meet, I will not show mercy. Giving it my all is the best respect."

Reporters in New York agree with this view, and many basketball commentators believe that Li You humiliated Iverson. This statement is obviously not true, as the opponent is clearly not strong enough.

Tonight's game is broadcast by TNT, and before the game the director once again listed the performance of the core players of both teams in G1.

出场33分钟，19中13，三分线外8中5，罚球8中8，39分4篮板8助攻2抢断1盖帽1失误，李佑三节打卡；
出场35分钟，18中8，三分线外6中2，罚球6中4，22分5篮板4助攻3失误，勒布朗-詹姆斯在比赛后半段强势反弹。

至于霍华德，只出场了22分钟，7中4，罚球6中3，贡献了11分10篮板1抢断1盖帽3失误。

The images and data of James and Li You holding the ball once again appeared in front of the fans in front of the TV, and the gap was obvious.

In addition to his regular partner, Reggie Miller also appeared in the commentary booth tonight.

Wearing a yellow plaid suit, Miller talked about tonight's game, made a very clear analysis, and continued to criticize the Cavaliers:

"I think the first game was just a test by coach Van Gundy! The fact that Damon Jones didn't make the starting lineup is strong proof that they need outside shooting!"

"Facing the Knicks, the offensive success rate is particularly important. The Cavaliers need to slow down and not let Lee find opportunities one-on-one in transition offense."

"I believe the coaching staff will make timely adjustments, and the Cavaliers will rebound strongly in tonight's game!"

Kevin Harlan and Doug Collins were laughing and listening to the prediction. After hearing it, they asked jokingly:
"Reggie, you should have seen the gap between the players on both sides. Until now, do you still think the Cavaliers can win the series?"

Doug Collins' question made Miller frown. He was a staunch supporter of Lee Woo-hei. He found another excuse for the Cavaliers:

"The series has just begun. I believe the Cavaliers can find their touch from beyond the three-point line. The gap between them and the defending champions lies in experience, and the talent of their core players is not bad."

Miller's ability to lie with his eyes open has improved by leaps and bounds. Kevin Harlan almost laughed out loud. At this time, he suddenly took over the conversation and took the initiative to gossip:
"Why did Donnie leave the Pacers? Was it related to Larry Bird's belief that Jermaine O'Neal would continue to grow and the team didn't need to change the roster?"

Thinking of his old team falling out of the playoffs, Miller's face was not good, but he would not say bad things about Downey in front of the media. After all, the other party selected him that year and was his mentor:

"I think this is just a normal resignation. The Knicks have changed many people in management and coaching staff over the years."

"No one would refuse a better offer, right?"

When the two began gossiping about whether the new general manager would be successful with the Knicks, Miller kept silent. In fact, he still wanted to see Li You lose.
After the Game 1 defeat, Van Gundy took the initiative to take responsibility and did not allow the players to accept too many interviews after the game. He just spoke to the media:

"We have to win 4 games in the series, and we will respond!"

At 20 p.m., Madison Square Garden was still packed. Although the old fans applauded Van Gundy, the young fans preferred D'Antoni's crazy offense.

The Cavaliers took the initiative to change their lineup, and Damon Jones, who had his best performance from beyond the three-point line last season, became the starting point guard.

In order to keep up with the pace of the game, Ilgauskas' playing time began to decrease. Gooden and Donyell Marshall, who came on as substitutes, did not disappoint the coaching staff and performed very well.

The two contributed 15 points together off the bench, and Marshall's two three-pointers helped the Cavaliers a lot.

At the end of the first half, the score was fixed at 53:56. Thanks to LeBron James' efficient performance, the Cavaliers were only 3 points behind.

Howard was so excited as he walked towards the player tunnel, as if he had already won the game. He hugged James with a big grin and shouted:
"That's it, Bro! No one can stop us!"

13中7，三分线外6中2，罚球6中5，21分7篮板6助攻2失误，靠着转换进攻，詹姆斯半场交出了一份完美数据！
The New York fans at the scene were not affected and did not boo. Some left their seats to buy snacks, while others prepared food in advance and danced along to the music, hoping to be "on TV."

The sponsor activities and halftime performances made the arena particularly lively, which made James feel a little unhappy when he walked into the player tunnel. Obviously, he performed so well:

"You should fear me!"

The Cavaliers' consecutive three-pointers in the last two rounds also made Reggie Miller in the commentary booth happy. He took this opportunity to say in a light tone:
"The Knicks can't shoot 1 of 27 three-pointers in Game 14 again. Coach Van Gundy obviously made the right choice!"

Doug Collins, who likes to watch the fun, did not tease his partner anymore, but agreed and said:

"The Knicks usually explode in the first quarter, and now the Cavaliers have responded. The pressure should be on the home team!"

"."

After the third quarter began, both teams returned to their starting lineups. The Knicks took the lead in attacking, and cheers soon filled the arena:

"Let's go Knicks!."

Damon Jones did not choose to lead the defense throughout the game. The Cavaliers established their defensive positions early in the half court. When James observed Artest starting to move to the bottom corner, he quickly gave a loud reminder.

According to the coaching staff's arrangement, Howard followed Gasol to the free throw line. Damon Jones ignored his position and chose to defend him directly.

At the same time, Larry Hughes on the right wing and Ilgauskas under the basket also began to look at the movement on the line, and the Cavaliers set up a three-layer defense. Li You, who was advancing with the ball in his left hand, was not very fast. When he saw his opponent rushing up with his teeth bared and claws, and there was still some distance outside the three-point line, he immediately lowered his shoulders and accelerated.

Damon Jones, who was defending closely, wanted to slide, but he didn't expect Li You to lower his center of gravity very low, and his stride when flying close to the ground was larger than he imagined.

Amid the cheers of the fans, Damon Jones, who was trying hard to slide, completely lost his defensive position before he even got close to the three-point line.

Li You accelerated in a straight line and ignored Howard who started to slide to the right back to assist defense at the free throw line. In the blink of an eye, he rushed into the paint area. James wanted to assist defense, but found that his opponent had already taken off.

Leaning against Howard, he suddenly sneaked in for a layup, taking two big steps to shake off the defense. As Li You jumped with his left foot, his body leaned forward.

Ilgauskas had just moved his feet under the basket when Li You grabbed the ball with his left hand in the air, leaned forward to dunk, and threw the ball towards the backboard with a twist of his wrist!

Howard, who was returning to defense, widened his eyes, then stepped to the basket and watched the basketball hit the backboard and fall into the basket with his teammates.

53:58, Madison Square Garden was boiling again.

"God! Li is so fast! The Cavaliers' defense seems to have lost its effect!"

Kevin Harlan in the commentary booth subconsciously shouted along, relying on his speed to outsmart his opponent, which was completely different from Li You who passed the ball when he encountered help defense in the first half.

Jogging all the way back to the half court, the attack time was no more than 9 seconds. Li You clapped his hands with a relaxed look, signaling his teammates to defend for the next round.

"Defense!."

The Cavaliers did not attack blindly. Just like in the first half, Damon Jones immediately passed the ball to Larry Hughes at the top of the arc after crossing half court.

James came to the left wing to receive the ball, and then Ilgauskas trapped Gadzuric behind him and received the ball with his back to the basket in the left blocking area.

Artest was not fooled by the counter-run, staring at James and following him to cut to the basket in time.

When Ilgauskas raised the ball sideways and began to observe the defense, the Cavaliers' outside players rotated one by one, cross-screened at the top of the arc, and Damon Jones came to the left wing in time to respond.

Amid the cheers from the defense, Ilgauskas continued to attack, attracted Li You to assist in defense, and immediately passed the ball.

Damon Jones did not force the attack after receiving the ball, but patiently passed the ball to the inside again. Ilgauskas turned towards the baseline and immediately passed the ball to Howard who cut into the basket.

Although he received the pass in time, Howard was covered by Gasol. He arched twice in the lower right side of the basket, and when he saw that Artest was beginning to shrink, he dribbled and simply jumped up, trying to complete a dunk.

He was not fooled by the opponent's fake moves. The moment the opponent hit the ball, Gasol blocked the shot, shot and cut, and destroyed the ball.

As the basketball fell to the floor, cheers rang out again, and Artest, who was on defense, grabbed the ball in the paint area as soon as possible.

Van Gundy on the sidelines loudly called on his players to retreat. The Cavaliers gave up the fight and all ran quickly to the half court, completing their defensive positioning early.

It was still a triple line of defense. Damon Jones started to press closely at the center position this time. Li You, who dribbled the ball across half court with his left hand, raised his eyebrows at Gasol.

After receiving the instructions, Gasol accelerated his steps, moved from the free throw line to the top of the arc to pretend to be a pick-and-roll, and then immediately jumped out.

Li You dribbled the ball quickly behind his back, and the moment he switched to his right hand, he lowered his center of gravity, accelerated laterally, leaned against the defense at the top of the arc, increased his stride, and broke through the middle to the basket.

Larry Hughes on the right wing immediately retreated to the elbow area, trying to block the ball, and Howard, who had followed him out to defend, also returned to the paint area in time.

Without waiting for the defense to get in place, Li You had already leaned against the defense and rushed forward in three steps near the free throw line.

Amid the exclamations of the fans, Li You first relied on his speed to get rid of the two players on the line, then pretended to pass the ball to the left corner, forcing James to slow down.

When he flew into the air, Howard was already half a body length behind him. Ilgauskas, who came to assist in the defense under the basket, jumped into the air and was knocked off balance.

James, who was a beat slow, came to the basket and tried hard to block the shot, but he could only watch Li You throw the ball high before landing.

"squeak!"

The referee blew the whistle, and the basketball hit the backboard and went into the basket again. The New York fans behind the basket stood up and screamed. They could score even with one against five!
As Li You was surrounded by many people, the referee didn't know who to call the foul on for a moment. After hesitating for a moment, he finally put the foul on Ilgauskas.

James did not speak up for his teammates. He just stared at Li You as he moved his shoulders and walked towards the free throw line. Five players instantly retreated to the paint area and they couldn't stop him?
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

Amid the shouts that echoed throughout the arena, Li You made the free throw. Seeing that the opponent still had a confused expression, he immediately joked:
"I'm done warming up! Are you guys ready?"

"."

Damon Jones was a little nervous and looked at Van Gundy on the sidelines, but he found that the head coach also had his eyes wide open.
On the Knicks bench, the atmosphere team was also shouting loudly. The one-on-five game motivated everyone!

53:61, crucial round, James dribbled the ball across half court.

The Cavaliers' two big men came to the elbow area, with Larry Hughes and Damon Jones stopping at the left and right corners.

"V-shaped" offense, when James was holding the ball close to the three-point line, Ilgauskas took a step up, quickly passed the ball after receiving it, and then immediately broke away.

Howard cut into the basket, but James, holding the ball in his left hand, carried Artest for two steps and suddenly stopped.

James raised the ball near the left elbow and faked it, but Artest didn't fall for it. He adjusted himself and then forced a jump shot!

55:61, the basketball bounced twice and fell into the basket. James, who was retreating, shouted excitedly and hit himself twice.

The opponent's jump shot recovered, Artest smashed the ball in frustration, Li You received the ball at the baseline and made a tactical gesture, and cheers rang out again.

James, who retreated to the half court, soon discovered that the Knicks were using the same tactical coordination. He observed the movements on the line and began to move to the paint area in advance.

Li You accelerated across half court, holding the ball in his right hand, but before he got close to the three-point line, Gasol and Gazuric both came up to provide screen.

Amid the cheers of the fans, the moment Li You pushed the ball to his left hand, Damon Jones was passed by him in one step.

Howard, who was well prepared, tried to assist in defense at the three-point line. While moving, Li You moved in and out significantly, swaying his body to the right front while slightly raising his center of gravity.

Taking advantage of a slight pause in defense, Li You suddenly lowered his body and accelerated a second time while flying close to the ground.

Howard was squeezed past by Li You while sliding, and the big man staggered and lost his defensive position.

In the blink of an eye, Li You, holding the ball in his left hand, rushed into the paint area. The moment he jumped into the air, he saw James running from the right corner to the basket and jumping high. Another burst of exclamations broke out in the stadium.

James, who was well prepared, widened his eyes, jumped high, raised his right arm and tried with all his strength to block the shot.

Li You dribbled the ball into the air with his left hand and without waiting for any physical collision, he suddenly changed hands quickly. When James flew in front of him, he grabbed the ball with his right hand and pulled his arm sideways, just avoiding the defense.

Amid screams, the two men collided with each other, and due to inertia, James, who was unable to touch the ball, flew sideways. He instinctively pulled hard and was able to barely maintain his center of gravity.

Li You paused for a moment and then used his arms to slam the ball into the basket!

The baseline referee seemed dumbfounded, and only blew the whistle after the two men landed amid cheers that almost broke through the arena.

"OH——!"

"My God! It's incredible, how did Lee do it! He knocked LeBron James away and overcame gravity!"

The three people in the commentary booth shouted at the same time. Kevin Harlan was so excited that he praised loudly again and again. Old Miller was speechless. For him, he would never be able to do such a thing in his lifetime.

All the Knicks players gathered around. Gasol and Hill were also provoked. They punched Li You in the chest and shouted at the same time:
"Good job!"

As if they had dunked the ball themselves, Gazuric and Artest rushed to the front row of spectators and yelled, and the referee had to pull them back.

Standing on the free throw line again, shouts of MVP came one after another. Li You smiled and made another free throw. He also teased James who had not yet fully recovered:
"Bro, this is how the tactic works!"

55:64, the score difference was approaching double digits again. James didn't say anything, but called out the same tactics again.

It was still a double screen on the line. Facing the Knicks' defense surrounding the paint area, James held the ball in his right hand and used the screen to accelerate and break through to the right blocking area.

Leaning against Artest, James turned and tried to squeeze to the basket, but he almost bumped into Howard who suddenly came down.
Forced to slow down, and still keeping Artest on his side, James, who had the ball, barely managed to throw it out with his left hand.

Before the basketball reached its highest point, Li You, who accelerated back to the paint area from the left corner, arrived first and swung his right arm with a volleyball block shot directly into Hill's arms near the left corner.

"Oh!"

The visually impactful block instantly ignited the atmosphere on the scene. As Li You accelerated after landing, cheers resounded throughout the stadium again.

Ilgauskas at the top of the arc watched helplessly as Li You passed him from the side. The Cavaliers players behind him tried their best to chase and defend, but it was too late.

Hill's long pass allowed Li You, who rushed across half court, to catch up with the ball near the three-point line.

With no one guarding him, Li You took off into the air near the free throw line, glided in the air, swung the ball in front of him, then grabbed the ball with his right hand and slammed it into the basket!

"what!"

Looking at Li You beating his chest and roaring under the basket, the screams in the gym couldn't stop for a while. At Thibodeau's reminder, Van Gundy quickly requested a timeout.

55:66, the second half just started, the Knicks were already leading by double digits.

After the timeout, the Cavaliers did not speed up the offensive tempo, but played again from the low post in a methodical manner, with Ilgauskas scoring in and out continuously in the left blocking area.

Damon Jones clearly had an open opportunity, but every time he saw Li You returning to defense, he would choose to pass the ball.

When James came to the line to receive the ball, Damon Jones hurried to the top of the arc to create space, and Ilgauskas passed the ball and then went forward to screen.

James, holding the ball in his left hand, swayed to the right and rushed to the left. Without waiting for his teammates to stand still, he suddenly accelerated and went straight to the basket from the left wing.

Artest slid in time, but was still half a body length behind. James immediately stepped forward when he approached the paint area, broke through the defense, and quickly dribbled the ball with his left hand.

Seeing the basketball about to pass Artest's fingertips, James, who was staring at the ball, was delighted at first, but the next second he found that the ball was hit on the backboard.
"My god! Blocked by Lee!"

Kevin Harlan shouted excitedly. After landing, Li You took control of the ball in time and then immediately sent a ground pass throughout the court.

Hill easily shook off Larry Hughes behind him, received the ball on the left side and rushed straight to the basket. Amid the cheers that resounded throughout the stadium, he grabbed the ball with his right hand and made a gliding slam dunk!

While the opponent was serving the ball from the baseline, Li You stepped forward and bumped chests with Hill to celebrate. There was jubilation on the Knicks bench; the opponent was in trouble!
55:68, the crucial round, the Cavaliers started to pass the ball continuously from the outside.

Halfway through the offensive time, James looked at the defense surrounding the paint area at the top of the arc, gritted his teeth, pushed the ball with his left hand, changed direction, lowered his shoulders and accelerated to break through the middle.

Artest slid in time, and Li You followed and retreated to the right elbow area. Seeing that the three were about to collide, James passed the ball in time.

The right wing received the ball in an open position, and Damon Jones made a jump shot but missed.
The long rebound was picked up by Hill in the left blocking area, and immediately another long throw was made. Li You rushed across half court and controlled the ball before James.

The two men entangled and rushed across the three-point line. James was still sliding hard, but he could hear the cheers of the fans in his ears.

While moving, Li You suddenly passed the ball between his legs, and the basketball flew straight to Artest who was following behind.

James, who rushed out of the baseline with Li You, could only watch Artest dunk the ball with both hands. For a moment, he was so angry that he pounded the basket frame.

55:70, the Cavaliers suddenly fell into a scoring drought.
Forced to speed up the offensive tempo, the Cavaliers felt like they were stuck in a time loop. Van Gundy's timeouts didn't help, and in the end they could only rely on free throws to score points.

Gooden and Marshall, who came on as substitutes, missed consecutive jump shots. Under pressure, the two lost their accuracy and the Knicks launched a series of transition attacks.

In the final moments of the third quarter, James missed two free throws. Amidst the laughter, the game entered garbage time again.

69:89, in the commentary booth, Reggie Miller remained silent, but Doug Collins was secretly enjoying it and excitedly praised:

"The league should give the DPOY trophy to Lee! He dominated the game again on both offense and defense tonight!"

(End of this chapter)