NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 552: Basketball (8000 words chapter)
On Monday, May 2008, 5, the John Condon Media Studio at Madison Square Garden was bustling with activity.

Although the room facilities are a bit old, this does not affect the mood of the reporters present.

Just like the cover of the latest issue of Sports Illustrated that was released this week, many people are more concerned about whether Li You can once again accomplish the feat of winning three consecutive MVPs.

This is not just the imagination of the sports media. The hook has been building momentum this year, and related advertisements have been launched since the All-Star Weekend.

"Why not?"

The latest cover headline of Sports Illustrated is these two words, and the intention is very obvious. After the opponents "band together", it is proposed to continue voting for Li You, who has "one man, one city".

The familiar KIA sponsor background, the reporters in the audience kept pressing the shutter, occasionally there would be good-natured laughter, and at the end of the speech, they heard Li You's words and started to boo:

"."

"I wanted the kids to witness this, but unfortunately they were too young!"

"When they grow up, maybe I'll be ready to retire, maybe I should continue to pursue this award, which should be a great childhood memory."

"Young people will gradually replace old guys, but I don't want to hear 'Dad, you are out of date' in the future!"

“Thank you for your support. My family is my driving force.”

Seeing Li You holding up the little bronze figure with his right hand and pointing to the invited fans with his left hand with a smile on his face, applause immediately broke out at the scene. The title of "family" made many old fans excited.

It is hard to imagine that a strong black father would cry in front of his children. Over the years, Li You has always donated a small amount of money to some poor communities, which has indeed solved some people's difficulties.

General Manager Donnie, who was sitting on the right side of the podium, was also applauding. The old man had an easy job this year and was smiling. He had never experienced such a scene in the Pacers:
“How many points are we going to win tonight?”

D'Antoni was still clapping his hands. After hearing the whisper, his smile became even brighter, as if he had already seen the result of tonight's game in advance:

"At least 20 points!"

Soon it was the turn of the media to ask questions. The ESPN reporter who took the microphone had obviously done detailed preparation. After congratulating him, he asked the question seriously:
"LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have both stated that they will challenge for the MVP next season. How do you view these challenges?"

James may just want to take advantage of the popularity, but Kobe has repeatedly emphasized that he is the best player. Although the two "challengers" have different attitudes, Li You treats them equally:
"It's a good thing to have competition. In fact, it's not difficult to get the MVP. You just need to win 60 games, be first in the division, and give your best performance in the regular season."

"If they can beat me in the playoffs this year, maybe next season they'll get more votes, and look, that's not that hard, is it?"

"Oh"

Reporters who like to have fun started cheering and making noises again. This really sounds like a simple thing. If these two can beat the Knicks and win the championship this year, there is no doubt that they will lock up the MVP next year.

It is almost a default rule that impression points can get more votes. After all, the new MVP also has to be topical.

The questioning session continued. In the front row, Milinda, who was wearing a dark blue business suit, watched Li You maliciously instigating his opponent and could not help but gently shake her golden ponytail:
"I hope he can go home soon."

Jin, who was dressed in the same way and had her hair tied up, heard the whispers and thought of the seemingly endless energy of the others, so she secretly twisted the big-breasted girl next to her who also had a sense of fun.

Standing with the staff, Ivana held up the camera to take pictures, and occasionally directed the shooting angle to the side. This video material will be used for her own use and for a family documentary later.

Most reporters did not mention tonight's game. The Pistons are quite strong, but teams dominated by core guards usually perform poorly when facing Li You.

The team has a huge disadvantage in terms of positional advantage, so no one thinks that head coach Saunders can solve the problem of hard power.

Finally, Yahoo Sports mentioned it at the end, and gossiped about the current locker room situation of the Pistons:

"Lee, in the first round, Billups' first-round scoring average was only half of yours, and Rasheed Wallace claimed that they needed a victory to solve the problems in the locker room!"

"The two teams have won and lost against each other in the regular season. How would you evaluate this new Pistons team?"

Li You, who put down the trophy, was as patient as ever. He nodded in agreement when he heard the question, and finally responded seriously:

"I know Chauncey. Although Reference has developed a new data model, the data sometimes cannot reflect his role on the court."

"Wallace's idea is good. You know, I have always believed that victory can solve most problems in basketball games, but he found the wrong person. It's a pity that Chauncey's championship experience couldn't help him."

"."

At the far right of the podium, the Knicks team also cheered loudly. The Pistons were one of the few teams that could win two games in the regular season.

Wilson Chandler, the rookie forward, was gaining more and more trust from the head coach and had basically secured a spot in the starting lineup. Artest had no good feelings for Wallace and even yelled at the top of his lungs:

"Let him attack! I'm going to end his career"

Rasheed Wallace still has one year left on his contract, and the veteran's championship window has actually closed. If he wants to get a ring, he can only play for a championship team with a middle-class or minimum salary.

Looking at the brave Knicks players, many reporters began to sympathize with the Pistons. With only seven players rotated in the first round, the Pistons will definitely disappoint Detroit fans again this year.

After the morning award ceremony ended, the staff had to continue preparing for the evening award ceremony.

Li You, dressed in a black suit, warmly embraced his friends and family at the scene. Seeing that his friend had completely lost his cheerful look, he stepped forward and pounded his chest after the hug:

"Congratulations, Councilman Irving. Perhaps in a few years, I will be calling you Mr. Mayor."

Ivan, with short blond hair, quietly tugged at his tie. He was just elected as a member of the Bridgeport City Council last year. Although it is a sinecure, he is still a little uncomfortable with this identity:

"In another city, I might not have any confidence, but Bridgeport is really different. Bro, thank you for your support!"

After whispering, Ivan laughed again, showing his confidence in front of the media. The previous mayor stepped down due to cocaine abuse and alcoholism, and the previous mayor was sentenced to prison for corruption.

As a young city council member, in a few years, if he seizes the opportunity, he may be able to go further. Of course, this requires the support of US dollars, and the election price in Bridgeport is not cheap.

When Li You finally moved to Ivana's side, the latter immediately came up to him and kissed him, then took his arm, tilted his head and smiled, saying:

"Dear, it's perfect!"

Li You nodded casually to the staff and reporters. He didn't expect that there were so many people coming today. Finally, he leaned close to Ivana's ear and reminded her again:
"At the party tonight, help Milinda take care of the people in the Connecticut House of Representatives. Don't worry about their party affiliation."

Ivana blinked knowingly. She was no longer dressed like a young girl. Her wavy blonde hair made her look more mature. After a few years of experience, she would be able to help more at work.

In the end, they kissed each other on tiptoe to show their affection. Li You didn't care about the gossip. He hugged Ivana, who had a busty figure, and slowly left the media studio. There were still many reporters to deal with in the afternoon.

At 18:40 in the evening, less than an hour before the game was to start, the Pistons players began to appear in the visiting team's locker room. There was no excitement about entering the semi-finals, and everyone was silent.

Veterans are sometimes a double-edged sword. Chris Webber gossiped about his inside information when he was commentating on the first round of the game. After the unexpected loss to the Wizards in Game 4, he immediately expressed his opinion after the game:
"No one cares about Coach Saunders' tactics. He lost our trust last year!"

Although what he said was true, it still affected the atmosphere in the locker room when it was revealed in public. Although coach Sanders won the game, the calls for his dismissal grew louder and louder.

Detroit Free Press, some columnists even called Sanders a "regular season coach" whose excellent record could not be converted into championships and who was lagging in the playoffs. Many fans have had enough.

In the first round of the playoffs, the Pistons made a matchup adjustment, with Rasheed Wallace as center and short forward Jason Maxiell as his partner in the interior.

There is nothing wrong with the inside combination, but the newcomer Wilson Chandler got more shooting opportunities, which made some veterans in the team unhappy.

Antonio McDyess has questioned the coaching staff's arrangements, and Theo Ratliff has also made sarcastic remarks, which is why Chris Webber broke the news that the Pistons have a traitor.

Head coach Saunders failed to carry out the "catching the traitor" policy, and the management lacks trust in him. If the team is eliminated in the semifinals again this year, he will leave the team.

The dull atmosphere was finally broken by the coaching staff. The gray-haired head coach Sanders looked around, and finally looked at Billups and reminded him again:
"We have been preparing for a long time. We must be patient during the game and remember that this is a 48-minute battle!"

"Chauncey, control the tempo of the game, follow the game plan, create more opportunities for Rasheed when you have the chance, and maintain the offensive space on the court."

Rasheed Wallace, who is about to turn 34, no longer has the bad temper he used to have. He adjusted his headband, nodded, and said nothing more. The veterans were not on the same page with him, which made him feel sad.

The assistant coach also followed the instructions and displayed the drawn whiteboard in front of everyone. Hamilton will continue to serve as the main attacker. Wilson Chandler seems to have lost the trust of the coaching staff in this round of games.

The newbies naturally had no objection to such an arrangement, and the veterans were in a much better mood. Theo Ratliff finally stood up and clapped his hands to encourage them:
"Hey! Think about the regular season, we beat them! Stay focused, everyone stay focused!"

Soon everyone gathered together and shouted. Billups walked towards the player tunnel and sighed secretly in his heart as he looked at the familiar venue. The team was in turmoil, and once it was rebuilt, he might also be traded.

"At least win together once, we can do it!"

Hamilton seemed to see what his teammate was thinking, and stepped forward to pat his partner on the shoulder. At present, Big Ben's departure is a lose-lose decision. Now his only wish is to win once.

Billups responded. As he was approaching the exit, he could already hear the noise. Thinking about the MVP award ceremony coming up, his confidence quickly disappeared:

"Will you win?"

Half an hour before the game started, Madison Square Garden was already boiling. When the dim stadium became bright again, New York fans wearing orange cheering T-shirts began to shout loudly:
“MVP! MVP! MVP!”

In the middle of the venue, David Stern held the microphone and kept saying "Thank you". When the scene became quiet again, he turned his head and looked at Li You who was wearing a white training suit:

"Incredible achievement. I don't want to use statistics to describe Lee's influence on the game. In my opinion, Lee has transformed New York basketball!"

"Every year, sports fans around the world care about this city. Maybe you don't care about 60 wins anymore, but in the history of the NBA, this has never happened before."

"We have entered the conference finals for 12 consecutive years and the finals for 11 consecutive years. Look at the championship banner above the arena. I am proud of Lee!"

"In the 2007-08 season, the NBA Most Valuable Player Award belongs to God-Lee! Congratulations again, Lee, the embodiment of basketball"

James Dolan, who was standing by, smiled and asked the staff to hand the trophy to the president. As the little bronze man was taken over by Li You, the cheers could not be stopped for a while.

The Pistons players standing in front of the basket felt the boiling atmosphere and their emotions were also affected. This was completely different from the regular season. The sound waves had turned into noise.

David Stern, who presented the trophy, smiled and clapped on the side. The enthusiastic applause and happy shouts all reflected the hot basketball atmosphere in New York. This is currently the most successful team in the league.

"I'm an honest person and it feels great to win an award! I love trophies!"

Li You took the microphone and said this with a smile. The noise from the audience became even louder. Sometimes fans don't like to be overly modest, and this kind of sincere statement can bring the "family" closer together.

"I have already thanked many people, but at this time I must thank Mr. Dolan again. It is not easy to maintain this championship lineup. Maybe sometimes he will have a headache for the bill."

"Dolan"

When James Dolan heard the fans at the scene start shouting his name, he smiled and waved to everyone.

His brother team, the Rangers, has not returned to the playoffs since 97. Hockey fans have been complaining about his poor management every day in the past two years. However, basketball has made him feel pure joy.

"There are so many things I need to be thankful for. I want to use basketball to speak for me. Victory and trophies are the best gifts. I hope you enjoy it!"

"Age will not be a problem for us. The Knicks will continue to challenge the record. Let us win big together."

Seeing Li You lift the trophy again, the cheers became louder. Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles also likes to speak with the ball. In the eyes of the people who like to have fun, this is a simple response.

The boiling atmosphere in the stadium made head coach Sanders smile bitterly. The saying "the devil's home field" was indeed not an exaggeration. Feeling the home atmosphere in New York, several members of the coaching staff gradually lost confidence.

The victory in the regular season cannot serve as a placebo. In the final warm-up phase, head coach Sanders kept pulling the players aside to give them instructions, while D'Antoni started to "hang up" again.

On the TNT commentary booth, Doug Collins, who was reportedly invited by the Bulls, couldn't help but tease the Knicks' opponent when introducing their starting lineup:
"Artest is back in the starting lineup again, which will be a huge test for Wilson Chandler."

"Obviously the coaching staff noticed the rookie's good performance in the first round. It can be seen that coach D'Antoni has absolute confidence in Lee!"

Raja Bell was responsible for defending Hamilton, Artest was chasing the rookie, and did not choose Prince who was in better offensive form. Both of them in the commentary booth could see the Knicks' strategy. Kevin Harlan was more concerned about the Pistons' inside line. Unlike the Wizards, the Knicks had absolute height:
"Jason Maxiell will also face a severe test. The Pistons must be careful with rebounds. Once they lose the backcourt rebounds, it will be difficult for them to play an effective transition offense."

The director also showed the fans in front of the TV the statistics of the core players of the two teams in the first round of the game:
场均33.5分钟，场均34.5分5.0篮板10.3助攻3.0抢断0.5盖帽1.5失误；

The shooting rate was 65.9%, the three-point shooting rate was 47.5%, and the free throw shooting rate was 97.2%.

Compared with Li You's double-double data, Billups' average of 15.0 points per game seems extremely poor. Half of his data is his first-round performance.
In such an exaggerated contrast, it was difficult for Kevin Harlan to encourage his opponent. After the routine whistle, the game was about to begin. Noticing that Rasheed Wallace and Artest were communicating, he couldn't help but joked again:

"It's been many years since the Auburn Hills Palace incident, and it seems the two still have a lot of grudges against each other."

"Let's go Knicks!."

The cheers that echoed throughout the arena forced Artest, who was exercising in the center circle, to yell at the top of his lungs. Wallace also looked unhappy, and both of them felt unhappy looking at each other.

"Come to New York and carry my bag! I'll make sure you get some screen time"

"Shut your stinky mouth and go see your psychiatrist!"

Perhaps the two players were making too much noise, so the referee who was about to throw the ball had to blow the whistle to interrupt. Billups could naturally sense his opponent's high spirits in the game, which made him a little nervous, and he was behind in all aspects.

Artest's trash talk distracted Rasheed Wallace a little. The big man was obviously a beat slow to react and was completely suppressed by Chandler. The basketball immediately flew into Li You's hands.

Head coach Sanders on the sidelines was still shouting at his players, but no one on the field could hear what the coach was shouting. In the first round, they could only follow the tactical arrangements and play man-to-man defense.

Chandler stopped and set a screen at the right elbow, pretended to move up, and then suddenly went straight to the basket. However, Gasol quickly stood at the top of the arc and immediately initiated a pick-and-roll.

Jason Maxiell, who was on the opposite side, had an embarrassment on his face. Billups failed to squeeze through the screen in time, which forced him to improve his defensive position.

Near the extended left side of the free throw line, as Li You, holding the ball in his left hand, lowered his shoulders and accelerated, the big man delayed the switch of defense at the first time, and Billups, who failed to squeeze through in time, immediately chased after him.

He wanted to form a double encirclement, but he didn't expect Li You to suddenly stop, lean against Billups behind him, shake his shoulders backwards, suddenly turn around, switch to his right hand and accelerate around the bottom line.

Billups wanted to continue defending but found that Gasol actually used a second pick-and-roll, and was delayed and unable to defend in time.

Seeing that Li You was already near the free throw line, Jason Maxiell could only slide again, while loudly reminding his teammates and trying to double-team him.

Without waiting for the two to surround him, Li You suddenly shook his wrist with his right hand and passed the ball horizontally, accurately finding Gasol who was breaking through and coming to the left blocking area.

Relying on his height advantage, Gasol ignored his opponent who raised his arms to return to defense after receiving the ball, and made a decisive jump shot from mid-range against the defense!
"Swish" the two-point ball went into the net.

Scoring so easily brought a smile to Gasol's face, and amid the cheers of the fans, everyone retreated quickly.

The Pistons' offensive rounds were also very simple. Billups passed the ball early to the right elbow area. As Wallace received the ball, Hamilton, who was moving from the left to the right baseline, accelerated and shot out near the right baseline.

Although Raja Bell was chasing very closely, his opponent found an opportunity when he was half a body length behind. With a simple hand-off in the elbow area, facing Chandler's defense, Hamilton took advantage of the screen and just threw the ball.

2:2, the Pistons responded in time.

The difference between a strong team and a weak team lies in tactical execution and details. Wallace's hand-to-hand screen is several levels higher than that of rookie Noah, and Hamilton can also seize fleeting opportunities.

The ball was quickly kicked out from the baseline. Seeing the Knicks use the same tactics again, Li You assisted Gasol in the same way near the free throw line. Doug Collins in the commentary booth immediately commented:

"Jason Maxiell became the target of the opponent's attack! Perfect shooting rhythm, Gasol hit the shot again."

Almost from the same position, Gasol completed a jump shot. When he returned to defense, he immediately high-fived Li You to celebrate. Wilson Chandler, who was about to cross half court, complained repeatedly about Artest's little trick:
"Look at his arm! He keeps pulling at my jersey"

Artest, who was about to rush for the rebound, almost pulled out the rookie's jersey when he was trying to position himself. The baseline referee did not say anything, and head coach Sanders also put pressure on the referee.

"Defense!."

Amid the cheers from the defense, the Pistons' offense continued. With the help of a teammate's cover near the left baseline, Hamilton slipped across the baseline from right to left and made a quick outside shot.

In the left blocking area, Hamilton successfully received the pass, but due to the interference of Li You, the speed of passing the ball was obviously slowed down. In the end, facing the block of Raja Bell, he received the ball and missed the jump shot.

Chandler's tough positioning made it difficult for Rasheed Wallace to gain an advantageous position. Watching Gasol grab the rebound over his teammate's head, he could only curse and turn around to retreat.

"Oh!"

The cheers became louder and louder during the transition offense. Li You, who received the ball and rushed across the center line, was not very fast and seemed to be still observing the defense. Billups, who returned to defense in time, waved his hand and loudly reminded his teammates.

When approaching the three-point line, Li You suddenly lowered his center of gravity and pushed the ball outward with his right hand, which suddenly accelerated. Billups, who was sliding, felt a tightness in his chest and was almost squeezed through.

Chasing into the paint area with big strides, Rasheed Wallace watched Li You spin around while moving, causing his teammates to lose their positions. He immediately jumped high and tried to block the shot.

Turning around and trapping Billups behind him, Li You held the ball with his left hand, ignoring the defense behind him, and threw the ball towards the backboard right in front of the basket.

At the moment when the basketball was about to hit his arm, Rasheed Wallace finally chose to give up and successfully controlled his body, but the basketball had already hit the backboard and went into the basket when he landed.

"What the hell!"

After a vigorous high five, Rasheed Wallace could only curse softly to vent his depressed emotions. The speed was too fast, so fast that he could only commit a foul if he wanted to defend successfully.

2:6, one minute into the game, both sides showed an extremely fast offensive rhythm, which made the New York fans at the scene very excited. No one likes to watch a constipated positional offense.

Li You also noticed Rasheed Wallace's defensive choice at this time. He did not forget to raise his eyebrows at the opponent when retreating, and he felt angry when looking at his old opponent.

The Pistons' offensive tempo was still fast. Using the center's screen, Billups briefly got rid of Li You, and then made a ground pass to find Wallace who bounced to the top of the arc in the first time.

Faced with Chandler's symbolic hand raise, Rasheed Wallace made a decisive jump shot from outside the three-point line!
"Yes!"

Wallace, who tried hard to control his emotions, couldn't help but punch the fans in celebration. The Pistons' defense had just gotten into position when Chandler stopped at the top of the arc and noticed the movement behind him. Billups hurried to defend him.

Immediately after the fake screen, Wallace didn't care about the opponent and slid to the left rear facing Li You who was rushing forward with the ball in his right hand.

"Oh!"

Amid the cheers of the fans, Li You approached the paint area and took a step forward, then ran headfirst into Wallace's arms. The big man involuntarily leaned back and had to control his hand movements.

Billups behind him jumped up, and at the bottom right of the basket, Li You held the ball with his right hand while being surrounded by two people, and threw the ball to the backboard again before the block came!
Wallace, who lost his balance, had no choice but to rush out of the baseline, turned his head to look at the basket, and the basketball went into the net again.

Billups, who fell out of the baseline, already felt bad. Li You began to attack their inside defensive core. Noticing that his teammates were still complaining, he immediately stood up and stopped them:

"Calm down, Bro."

Wallace, who had been chattering incessantly at the referee, had to control his emotions. When he was serving, he saw Li You pointing at him and cursed under his breath, and then was warned by the referee.

"Defense!."

The noise was getting louder and louder. In the offensive round, Wilson Chandler participated in the pass and disappeared again. Hamilton was unable to get rid of the defense and had to run horizontally from the free throw line to the right wing.

Seeing the offense stagnated, Wallace took the initiative to go to the left wing for a screen. Billups passed the ball behind his back, trying to get rid of the defense, but was greatly delayed by Chandler and was almost intercepted by Li You behind him.

The ball was barely delivered, and the pass was too low, so Wallace had to bend down to catch the ball. In the left blocking area, the slightly adjusted jump shot was interfered by Chandler's long arms who was returning to defense.

The rebound was picked up by Artest, and the Knicks launched another transition offense, and the pace of the game that had just slowed down accelerated again.

The Pistons quickly retreated, and by the time Li You received the ball at the top of the arc far away from the three-point line, the opponent had already completed the defensive position.

Realizing that Li You was calling for a pick-and-roll, Billups immediately moved up to defend, trying to use his body to put pressure on the defense, but was suddenly shaken by the push and stopped immediately.

Li You moved his left hand in and out slightly, lowered his center of gravity, changed direction with his hips, and while his opponent stopped, he lowered his shoulders and accelerated, pretending to break through.

Billups quickly slid to the left rear, but when he realized there was no screen, it was too late. As Li You stopped suddenly and took a cross step back, the defender in front of him disappeared immediately.

Billups retreated to the three-point line but had no time to rush out. Li You had already received the ball and shot it directly from outside the three-point line.

At 5:11, the basketball went into the net and the whole stadium was filled with joy.

Realizing that the pace of the game was deviating from plan, head coach Sanders on the sidelines had to shout at the top of his lungs.

Trying to control the rhythm of the offense, Billups called on Wallace to assist at the free throw line. After several hand-to-hand passes, half of the offense time was consumed and the basketball returned to the top of the arc again.

Jason Maxiell's pick-and-roll was squeezed by Li You. Billups, holding the ball in his left hand, tried hard to stick to the defense. When his teammates followed Gasol away, he immediately stopped in the left elbow area.

After the ball was passed and he turned around to face the defense, Billups twisted his body and forced a jump shot
"oh!!"

Amid the booing, the shot was severely interfered with, and Li You's block caused the shot to hit the backboard and bounce out.

Raja Bell rushed to the paint area and hugged the ball. Hamilton could only retreat again. Looking at Li You who received the ball, Billups could only delay again.

The game pace of both sides was extremely fast. Li You rushed forward with the ball, paused slightly at the top of the arc, and without paying any attention to Wallace who had just stopped under the basket, he changed direction under his hips and suddenly stepped forward to accelerate.

Billups stopped and started suddenly, but he was not completely out of position. While sliding, he found helplessly that Li Youzheng was gradually squeezing past him.

He rushed into the paint area in the blink of an eye, despite the defense. Wallace under the basket instinctively moved his feet and raised his right arm. Then Li You rushed in front of him, right in front of the basket, and forced a shot despite the defense.

"squeak"

The referee blew the whistle, and Li You, who had thrown the ball with his body tilted, began to punch the air in celebration after landing. As the basketball bounced off the backboard and went into the basket, Wallace couldn't hold back for a moment, and turned around and yelled to the baseline referee:

"What the hell!! I didn't do anything! This is happening right in front of you"

He received his first personal foul in just 2 minutes. Head coach Saunders was a little overwhelmed and rushed to the referee to explain, but all he heard was the shouts of New York fans in the back:
"You guys need to go home!"

5:14, Li You also made the free throw. The Pistons did not request a timeout and the game continued.

Hamilton's long two points from the right sideline helped the team withstand the pressure. Looking back, at the top of the arc again, Li You changed direction between his hips and used his left hand to break through Billups again.

He rushed into the paint area while defending, passed the ball to Li You while he was moving, leaned his body and jumped with his left foot, then threw the ball with his left hand, and the referee blew the whistle again.

"Oh!"

Cheers resounded throughout the arena. Billups raised his hands helplessly and tried to explain to the referee, but the other party just made a pulling gesture and then pointed to the free throw line.

"You can't do this! My player has already received two fouls!"

Head coach Saunders was still putting pressure on the referee, his face was a little distorted as he roared loudly. If the core guard also received the second foul too early, the game would be completely over.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

The noise echoed throughout the arena again. When Li You quickly made the free throw, the Pistons had no choice but to request a timeout. The assistant coach pulled Sanders back, but there was still a long time left in the game.

At 7:17, Li You suddenly broke out and scored 13 points in a row, and the Knicks took a double-digit lead.

After the timeout, the Pistons tried to slow down the pace of the game, but Wallace and Hamilton failed to respond in time. Instead, Li You threw a flying pass to Chandler, who completed the bombing.

When Billups finally took the blame and hit a long three-pointer, the Pistons bench had just cheered, and Artest made a crooked breakthrough and stood at the free throw line again.

The game gradually returned to the Knicks' familiar rhythm. Head coach Saunders stood by with his arms folded, watching the score gap gradually widen.

At 18:36, when the first quarter ended, Sanders was in no mood to look at his frustrated players. He had only one thought in his mind:
"it's all over."

(End of this chapter)