NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 455: Embarrassing Record in the Finals (Daily Chapter)
On Tuesday, June 2006, 6, the Dallas Morning News published a letter from Mark Cuban to Mavericks fans:

“Fight for Dallas!”

The general content is that the fans are hoped to get an afternoon off and come to the stadium earlier in the evening. The Mavericks need the fans' energy to defend their home court!

After Game 3, Mark Cuban yelled at the technical desk. The Mavericks violated media regulations and were fined $5. This defeat also broke the hearts of fans.
The series has lost its suspense, and the prices of Game 4 tickets have started to drop. Perhaps because he is worried that people will not come to watch the game, the big mouth Cuban has been encouraging fans these two days.

However, the New York media seized the opportunity to laugh at this move. A column in the New York Daily News ridiculed Cuban's previous promise:

"Where is Game 5? Where can I get Mark Cuban's free tickets?"

Previously, they announced that they would give away at least 5 tickets in G2000, but ended up losing in G3. The free tickets turned into a boomerang, which was a slap in the face.

In comparison, New York fans didn't mock their opponents much this year. Compared with the Lakers and Spurs before, the Mavericks' strength is not enough.

The regular season statistics were not impressive, and the team did not even rank among the top 5 in the league on offense and defense.

Coupled with the unpleasant playing style of the team's core player Nowitzki, New York fans began to celebrate the team's 10th championship after entering the finals.
The Knicks’ peripheral store has also been updated. They are leading 3:0 and will receive the award in Dallas tonight!

It is a bit regrettable for ABC as the broadcaster. This year's ratings can be said to have rebounded strongly, and fans are very interested in the new opponent.

The average viewership of the G3 game increased by 17% compared to last year, proving that new matchups can indeed attract more attention.

But the series has lost suspense, the game data of G4 will not be too good, and the Mavericks' performance did not meet the fans' expectations. Many people have questioned the strength of the Western Conference champions on the Internet.

On Tuesday's TNT show, the blame for the loss was directed at the core of the Mavericks, and Avery Johnson was also severely criticized.

The lack of the finals broadcast rights and exclusive interview rights did not affect the trio's discussion of the finals. Charles Barkley put the blame on Nowitzki for the Game 3 defeat:
"I don't know why Nowitzki didn't step up when Lee was scoring so many points."

"Lee scored 23 points in the third quarter, but the Mavericks just watched him score. They didn't make an effective adjustment. This is the finals!"

Facing the camera, Charles Barkley continued to complain loudly, as if competing with Li You was an extremely simple thing, and never mentioned the Knicks' defense.

In fact, at the critical moment, Nowitzki still scored most of the team's points, scoring 16 of the 11 points.

导播一直在向球迷们展示诺维斯基的数据，出场43分钟，23中11，三分线外6中2，罚球13中12，36分10篮板1助攻1盖帽2失误。

Except for his explosive mentality in the fourth quarter and his missed shots in the running game, Nowitzki performed very well in the first three quarters.

Kenny Smith didn't want to listen to his partner's big talk. With Jason Terry shooting 23 of 7, 9 of 1 from beyond the three-point line, and an inefficient 17 points, the loss was not surprising:

"Basketball is a game for five people, and Nowitzki is not God. In fact, he has been performing well in the series."

"He can drive the ball from the backcourt, he can knock down shots from beyond the arc, and he can also attack from the low post."

"He commits a lot of fouls in every game, which even troubles Gasol's performance to a certain extent. Losing is not a matter of one person. In fact, the Mavericks lack defensive resources."

Ernie Johnson immediately took over the conversation, facing the camera, and learned an interesting statistic:

"In the second half, when Lee was in front of Jason Terry, the latter did not score a single point. The only field goal in the second half was a three-pointer in the fourth quarter."

"I would say the Mavericks lost their backcourt and that's why they lost."

Prejudice is hard to change. At least Charles Barkley still looks down on Nowitzki as before. After hearing the rebuttals from his two partners, he started saying "IF" again in front of the camera:
"A 7-foot big man shouldn't play like this! Nowitzki's jump shot can't change the game at all, this is the fundamental reason why he lost."

"If I had this height, no one could stop me under the existing rules!"

Barkley, who was merciful in his words, implied that Nowitzki played too softly. Fortunately, he did not say "softie" on the show, and Kenny Smith was able to change the subject:

"Maybe Lee will win his 8th championship tonight, two 4-game winning streak, this is the best proof of the best in history!"

"."

Statistics are nothing in front of a championship. After hearing his two partners bragging again, Charles Barkley remained silent. This is not what he is good at. ESPN next door brags better than them!

In the afternoon, the Mavericks who came to the American Airlines Arena to warm up seemed to have not yet recovered from the loss of the previous game, and everyone was listless.

Obvious dark circles can be seen on Nowitzki's white face, and there are bloodshot in his eyes. This condition made many sports reporters shake their heads secretly. There is no miracle!
Avery Johnson, the best coach of this season, was beaten by his opponents in the finals and lost every game by a large margin, which led to more and more people questioning him.

The young general wearing the Mavericks' white training uniform shouted loudly on the court from time to time, but these attempts to inspire the players' fighting spirit did not have much effect.

The warm-up is about to end, and Jason Terry, who performed poorly again in G3, accepted another interview. In the past two days, the Mavericks have become the worst team in the finals, and Nowitzki has also confirmed the label of "soft egg".

Jason Terry felt guilty whenever he thought of outside opinions. It was clearly the highlight of his career, but in the end his reputation took a sharp turn for the worse and even his big contract was lost.

“I don’t want to say we’ll turn the series around, but we won’t give up!”

Despite the determined look on his face, the surrounding sports reporters did not sympathize with Jason Terry. The ESPN reporter even asked bluntly:
"We think Nowitzki needs help. How many points are you going to get against Lee's defense?"

"It's dangerous! I don't care about the statistics, I just want to help the team."

Jason Terry was halfway through his words when a Fox Sports reporter nearby chuckled, raised his recording device, and immediately interrupted:

"I don't mean to be disrespectful, but the biggest contribution you can make in this series is scoring. Statistics are important. We all know that you are in a contract year, Terry, show your sincerity!"

"."

Jason Terry's face turned dark, and he was so angry that he couldn't speak for a while. In the end, it was a sports reporter from Dallas who helped him solve this embarrassing situation:

"Let's talk about tonight's defensive strategy and how we can limit Lee's performance. I think the fans don't want to see another 23-point quarter."

"Defense requires the efforts of everyone. We reviewed the film and everyone can do better tonight."

In fact, the coaching staff still failed to solve this problem. Jason Terry could only make awkward remarks, and soon everyone lost interest. Even the Mavericks fans would not accept these words.

Nowitzki, who was unable to attend the press conference after the game, took more than a day to barely calm down his frustration.

Coming to the sidelines, seeing the sports reporters surrounding him, Nowitzki was still in a bad mood and simply answered some questions:
"I understand the fans' emotions, we really played very badly."

"Every time I watch the game tape, I find a lot of problems. We didn't do well enough in the details. The Knicks are indeed the better team."

"The finals are different from the divisional playoffs, and they are also very different from the regular season. Lee is the best in history. We tried everything, but we still couldn't limit him."

Nowitzki did not make excuses and simply told the truth, indicating that the team would not make many adjustments on the defensive end tonight.

Many Dallas sports reporters were disappointed that they couldn't even fulfill their pre-game rhetoric. When talking about tonight's game, Nowitzki just said in a low voice:

"We want to bring a win to the Dallas fans and we are ready for it."

No one believed that the Mavericks could win, and yesterday ABC backstage studio host Dan Patrick came to the arena to rehearse the award ceremony.

David Stern and league staff also brought the trophy to Dallas. It was a battle of honor for the Mavericks. Many fans just hoped that they wouldn't lose too badly.
Dampier and Harris had become autistic, and only Stackhouse would yell to encourage his teammates. It was hard for most players to accept that the joyful finals turned out like this.

The joy of a basketball game is often built on the pain of the opponent.

When they arrived at the American Airlines Arena in the evening to warm up in advance, all the Knicks players were smiling happily, and even David Lee, who was carrying the bag, felt full of energy!

Grenzen-Wright, who was lying flat on his back, even thought he was doing fine again. In the locker room, he followed the atmosphere group and blew X:

"God has been blessing us! You know, the previous finals were not so easy."

"Think about it, we can win more than 20 points in every game, which is extremely rare in the history of the NBA!"

"After this year's finals, the Knicks will be the best team in history!"

As a member of the strongest team in history, Glenzen Wright patted his belly and showed a proud look on his face. David Lee nodded beside him. After all, he also appeared in the finals:

"I think the Knicks have already surpassed the 96 Bulls. We swept our opponents tonight and won all three playoff games. No one can break our record!"

Listening to the newbie's bragging, Vallejo shook his head and added in agreement:
"Don't forget we still have the highest point margin in the playoffs. Maybe we can have another big win tonight."

Gazuric heard the discussion and immediately fanned the flames. Although he was the atmosphere group in the past, it did not affect his pretentiousness now:

"In 03, we beat the Spurs by 45 points. It's time to break this record. We are all teams from Texas, and we can't let the Spurs have the record all to ourselves!"

Matt Barnes laughed out loud, and everyone felt better when they thought of the unfortunate Duncan. Fisher noticed the complicated expression on Michael Finley's face and whispered to him:
"Enjoy your victory! Michael, as I said before, you can help them in the future. What the Mavericks lack is championship experience."

Seeing the sincerity on Old Fish's face, Finley forced a smile on his face, agreeing with this statement:

"I'm ready, we should really celebrate tonight!"

Dio and Raja Bell were also whispering to each other, but they did not exaggerate. They were talking about opportunities that might arise in tonight's game.

Even a fool knows that the Mavericks, who have broken through the defense, will double-team Li You. Anyway, the series is no longer suspenseful, and the opponent will most likely choose to vent their anger.
"I think if you shoot more three-pointers from the wing, maybe you can score 15 points in a single quarter, just like Stephen Jackson did a few years ago!"

Hearing Dio's words, Raja Bell was a little surprised. He didn't expect the Frenchman to still remember such a small record:
"Remember to pass the ball to me. I'll treat you when I get back in the starting lineup."

Raja Bell bumped into Dio with a smile. Hill might retire after his contract ends, which gives him hope of starting again.

Although there are rumors that the Knicks intend to trade role players for Ray Allen, Raja Bell believes that this deal is unlikely to happen.

Ray Allen was not seen in the finals. The All-Star of the Supersonics team seemed to be very concerned about public opinion and did not want to be labeled as a "thigh-clinging"
This is a good thing for the role players of the Knicks, after all, everyone is used to clinging to the thighs.

They can still improve their stats in the regular season, they won't be blamed in the playoffs, the salary is not bad, and the exposure is high. Under such circumstances, no one wants to leave.

Prince pricked up his ears and listened quietly to the conversation between the two. He didn't mind playing as a substitute, but it was a bit dangerous after signing a big contract, as he could easily be treated as a target for trading.

Thinking of the Ray Allen trade rumors, Prince, who had changed into his training clothes, couldn't help but mutter in his heart:

"You'd better not come. I don't want to leave either." Li You and several other starters were sitting on high chairs in the middle of the arena to be interviewed by ABC before the game. Scott saw that they looked relaxed and immediately turned his head and joked:

"Lee said before that winning by 15 points is the true strength of both teams. Have you discussed this within the team?"

Hill didn't want to offend the Dallas fans, so he didn't give Artest a chance to talk. He took the initiative to take over the conversation and said with a smile:
"That's just an ordinary regular season statistic. It doesn't have much reference value. Most of the time we communicate more about defense. Dirk's performance this year is very good!"

It’s a pity that I can’t brag about it, but Artest couldn’t help but add:
"In fact, we have made predictions, and we are very confident about 16:0. Although we didn't get 70 wins, the Knicks are indeed in their best year this season."

"We have better tacit understanding, and no one can match us on both offense and defense."

"At the beginning of the season, everyone predicted that we would face the Spurs again, but we didn't expect them to lose. In short, we are now the strongest team in history."

Li You was quite modest about the topic of the strongest in history. Seeing Scott's gaze, he chuckled and gave his answer:
"Under the current rules, we have indeed performed well over the years, and the championship is the best proof!"

"But we haven't played against those historical teams, so it's hard to give a definite answer. Basketball is always improving, and the Knicks' success is also due to everyone on the team."

"It's dangerous and tiring. After Kurt was injured, Pau took on more defensive tasks, and D'Antoni and the coaching staff also adjusted the tactical arrangements in time."

"We overcame those difficulties and now we are one game away from victory. We didn't want to give our opponents any chances tonight."

Kurt Thomas had already taken off his protective boots at this time. In fact, he could barely play, but the team did not require him to return to the team for health reasons.

"I am proud of the Knicks. Everyone cared about me after the injury. The entire team put my health first. It's a pity that I can't help the team in the finals."

Gasol patted his old partner on the shoulder. Scott also felt the Knicks' team culture at this time. Seeing Kurt Thomas's eyes reddened, he took the initiative to change the subject:

"Pau, you lost to Nowitzki in international competitions. How do you feel about this direct matchup?"

Gasol didn't brag about himself. From the data point of view, he was a little restrained against Nowitzki and had to pay attention to controlling fouls throughout the game:
"I think I played pretty well. Maybe my numbers slipped a little bit and I had some trouble on the defensive end, but we won the game."

"I talked to Dirk about this. What made me happy most about this year's finals was that I protected my hair and beard!"

Hearing the laughter of several people, Scott smiled and looked at D'Antoni who was laughing so hard. Finally, he brought the topic back to tonight's game:
"Mike, Lee thinks the team didn't perform well in the first half of Game 3. Do you have any new adjustments tonight?"

Facing the camera, the mustache player smiled triumphantly. He did not belittle his opponent, but teased the team's performance again:

"In fact, it mainly depends on Lee's condition. In Game 3, he shot 11 of 5 in the first half, which is why we didn't take a big lead."

"We will still give the ball to Lee tonight. You know, the best player in history will adjust himself. All I have to do is to quietly enjoy the game!"

"."

The Mavericks staff felt bad when they saw those people laughing together. No one wanted to witness their opponent receiving the award at home!

At 13:20 p.m. on the 3th, cheers rang out again at the American Airlines Arena. The venue was still packed, but the atmosphere was far worse than that of Game .

In the battle of honor, encouraged by Mark Cuban, the Mavericks played poorly in the first quarter. When they entered the rotation stage, they were hit hard and the stadium almost turned into a library.

60:39, looking at the 21-point difference, the fans sitting in the front row couldn't help but stare with wide eyes, where is the promised battle of honor?

During the halftime break, the director frequently focused the camera on Mark Cuban, who had a sullen face. The letter of appeal seemed to have the opposite effect.

James Dolan did not take into account the emotions of the Dallas fans. The curly-haired boss sat next to David Stern, grinning from time to time to show his good mood.

Li You's girls were all watching the game in the box, and Artest's relatives and friends burst out with amazing fighting power at this time. Although the seats were scattered, they still fought with the Dallas fans.

半场9中2，三分线外3中1，罚球9中8，诺维斯基拿到全队最高的13分。

In the quiet atmosphere of the arena, Hubie Brown, on the ABC commentary booth, didn't know how to comment on the Mavericks' performance and could only say dryly:

"It seems that the loss in G3 has a bigger impact than we thought!"

"The Mavericks have done an excellent job this year. This is their first time on a stage like the Finals. I believe failure will not knock them down."

Mike Breen couldn't stop smiling. He was already looking forward to the end of the game. The 10th championship in team history made him excited just thinking about it:
"Yes, how to face failure is the key to achieving greatness. The Knicks also lost, but we responded quickly."

"In the past 10 years, the Knicks have never missed the conference finals, reached the finals 9 times, and won 8 championships!"

"Lee created a miracle, and he is only 28 years old. The future still belongs to the Knicks!"

Realizing that he had deviated from the neutral commentary position, Mike Breen hurried to control his emotions, but the excitement in his heart was difficult to contain.

Before the second half of the game, Avery Johnson was interviewed by Lisa Salters again. He did not mention the reversal of the game, but just spoke blankly:
"I believe in the players. The game is not over yet. We will not give up."

Nowitzki, whose mentality exploded, could no longer hold it in. He watched Li You facing his defense on the left wing and hit another step-back three-pointer. When he served the ball, he almost kicked the ball away.

The Mavericks players' frustration began to spread, and Jason Terry soon became silent as well.

The Knicks, with everyone fighting bravely, once again launched a wave of attacks in the third quarter. Most of Li You's assists turned into points. Outside the three-point line, Raja Bell, who came off the bench, also seized the opportunity.

The score was 31:23 in a single quarter. After three quarters, the score was fixed at 91:62, and the difference had reached 29 points.

The American Airlines Arena became increasingly quiet as the game entered garbage time in the fourth quarter. To the dismay of the Mavericks, the atmosphere group suddenly fell into a scoring drought.

On the contrary, Fisher of the Knicks took the lead in the charge, and three-pointers rained down. The score continued to rise. In the end, the referee Joe Crawford couldn't stand it anymore and awarded a few free throws to the home team.

With 1 minute and 21 seconds left in the game, Dio also hit a three-pointer in the left corner, and there was jubilation on the Knicks bench.

Li You, wearing a blue training suit, laughed and threw his towel. As the game time continued to pass, all the Knicks players hugged each other, jumped and cheered on the sidelines!
At this time in the American Airlines Arena, only the Knicks' family and friends and the fans in the screaming seats in the back were celebrating. The vast majority of Mavericks fans had their eyes wide open, and it seemed that they were about to set a record again.

Until the last moment, Marquis Daniels did not give up the attack. He missed the long-range three-pointer without any defense, and the buzzer sounded at the end of the game.

122:74, at the moment the game ended, all the Mavericks players on the court lay on the floor with their hands covering their faces, and no one stood up from the bench.

Avery Johnson was stunned in his place, with a look of disbelief on his dark face. 48 points? They were nailed to the pillar of shame.
Everyone on the Knicks team raised their hands and shouted happily. Sports reporters all rushed into the venue, set up their cameras, and pointed them at Li You who was constantly hugging and greeting his teammates.

The slightly quiet stadium did not affect Li You's good mood. He walked to the venue, faced the camera, raised his left and right hands and raised four fingers, and shouted happily:

"Oh! I did it!"

Mike Breen, who was in the ABC commentary booth, was also very happy. Looking at Li You who was surrounded by the crowd, he said loudly and cheerfully:

"In 1998, Lee led the Knicks to defeat the Jazz, setting a record for the largest score difference in the finals of 42 points!"

"In 2003, Lee led the Knicks to a victory over the Spurs, setting a new record of 45 points!"

"In 2006, facing the Mavericks, Lee led the Knicks to break the record again, 48 points, the largest score difference in the history of the Finals!"

"Congratulations to Lee and the Knicks for winning eight championships in ten years. This is a miracle that cannot be replicated!"

Nowitzki, with his head covered with a towel, still did not get up from the bench. Until now, he still could not accept such a result. This was simply a nightmare experience in the finals.

With his hands covering his face, Nowitzki couldn't hold back the surging emotions in his heart and cried quietly in his seat. Harris and others beside him were infected and also lowered their heads and shed tears.

The same thing happened to the little fans in the front row. The paint on their faces was all smudged from their tears. They buried themselves in their family's arms and cried loudly.
On the Mavericks side, the first to come to his senses was veteran Darrell Armstrong. After being beaten badly in garbage time, as Li You's former rival, he couldn't help but show a look of disappointment on his face.

Perhaps because they lost so much, no one from the Mavericks came forward to greet Li You for a while. Instead, the Knicks celebrities came over one after another.

Ewing, dressed in black suits, hugged and greeted Li You, then grinned. The gorilla didn't care about his opponent's emotions and shouted excitedly in front of the camera:
"This is the best in history, the King of New York, the real GOAT!"

The New York reporters around started cheering and the Mavericks team came to their senses and slowly moved to Li You to greet him briefly.

Harris and Jason Terry were both in low spirits. They walked up to him for a simple hug, said congratulations, and turned away.

Dampier and Stackhouse did not shed tears, but just pursed their lips and said nothing, as if they had already regarded the Knicks as their mortal enemy.
When Nowitzki appeared in front of Li You with a towel on his body, the German cried with red eyes. He leaned over to hug him and blessed him with a hoarse voice:

"You are the better team, Lee, congratulations on winning the championship again, you deserve it!"

The sports reporters surrounding the game were even noisier than the fans. Everyone wanted to have fun and raised their cameras to record this historic moment.

Li You smiled and patted the German. He really didn't expect that the other party would collapse directly tonight. At this time, he could only comfort him simply:

"Don't worry about what the outside world says. By reaching the finals, you have surpassed most of the players in the league. Believe me, this is definitely an amazing achievement!"

"The next few years will still belong to us, and we look forward to our next match in the finals."

Although the Mavericks suffered a crushing defeat, many sports reporters realize that with their excellent lineup depth, they still have a high chance of making a comeback next year.

Nowitzki, who received the "Lee Yoo Recognition Award", forced a smile on his face and stepped forward to give another fist bump:
"Next time, I won't lose again"

As Nowitzki slowly walked towards the player tunnel, applause broke out in the American Airlines Arena. No matter what, this is a successful season for the Mavericks.

"what!"

Artest was standing on his seat, waving his towel and shouting happily. D'Antoni maintained the style of a famous historical coach and was exchanging experiences with Avery Johnson in front of the technical table.

James Dolan squeezed next to Li You, and the curly-haired boss hugged his arm tightly and continued to shout excitedly in front of the camera:

"10 championships! This is not our limit!"

The staff all gathered here, and Li You, surrounded by the crowd, began to slowly move towards the player tunnel. At this time, only some New York fans were cheering in the American Airlines Arena.

Seeing the fans on both sides sitting in their seats in a daze, Li You couldn't help but smile, feeling better. Then an idea came to his mind:
【Dirk Nowitzki's extraordinary shooting touch】

(End of this chapter)