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Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.
The return of Itachi
I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.
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***
On Thursday, April 20, 2006, after intense competition, the team standings for the 2005-06 season were officially released.
Both the Eastern Conference and Western Conference saw identical records, and the final rankings surprised many basketball commentators.
The eight teams that entered the playoffs in the Eastern Conference were:
The New York Knicks with 68 wins, the Detroit Pistons with 62 wins, the Heat with 51 wins, and the Cavaliers with 50 wins.
The Nets with 46 wins, the Chicago Bulls with 41 wins, the Washington Wizards with 40 wins, and the 76ers with 39 wins.
The eight teams that entered the playoffs in the Western Conference were:
The San Antonio Spurs with 61 wins, the Phoenix Suns with 49 wins, the Denver Nuggets with 44 wins, and the Dallas Mavericks with 60 wins.
The Los Angeles Lakers with 44 wins, the Clippers with 44 wins, the Sacramento Kings with 42 wins, and the Grizzlies with 41 wins.
After eighteen years, the Denver Nuggets won the Northwest Division title for the first time.
Although their record was mediocre, Carmelo Anthony still became a city hero.
The 76ers making the playoffs again also surprised many basketball commentators.
They didn't expect Iverson and Chris Webber to only get 39 wins.
The Philadelphia sports media had boasted more than once about "Allen Iverson in the best form of his career," and this was the result?
Despite being ranked second in average points per game, Iverson's team nearly missed the playoffs, and the basketball commentators who had predicted the 76ers would get 50 wins were once again proven wrong.
The competition in the Western Conference was exceptionally fierce.
In the Pacific Division, the Phoenix Suns' dominance was not strong, which gave both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Clippers an opportunity.
Unfortunately, neither team was able to overtake them in the end.
With identical records, the Los Angeles Lakers secured the fifth seed based on head-to-head record.
The Los Angeles Times on Saturday morning raved about the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man, saying the effect of his return was immediate and that the Champion Coach lived up to his name!
In the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves experienced a 14-game losing streak in the final stage, only ending the embarrassing record thanks to the weak Houston Rockets.
The Houston Rockets ultimately only managed 34 wins, and Yao Ming suffered a left foot fracture near the end of the regular season, with a recovery period of 4 to 6 months.
This injury might even affect this year's World Championship.
Superstars aren't omnipotent.
Garnett was still embroiled in trade rumors, and as for Tracy McGrady, perhaps his only remaining purpose was to sell tickets.
On the TNT program that afternoon, the trio began new predictions for several playoff matchups.
In the studio, Kenny Smith didn't deliberately seek attention.
The significant difference in records indicated a vast disparity in team strength:
"It will be difficult for an upset to occur in this year's playoffs. I really can't think of any team in the lower half that could accomplish this task."
"Perhaps the Clippers could do it. Based solely on their record, they are similar to the Denver Nuggets, and the two teams are evenly matched."
Such a commentary clearly didn't suit Charles Barkley's taste.
He once again brought out his unique theory and solemnly gave his answer:
"In desperate situations, superstars usually have a breakout. Shaq won a championship relying on his consistent free throws back then."
"Iverson will seize this opportunity. He will prove himself in the series. With 33.0 points per game, he's second in regular season scoring. The New York Knicks are in big trouble."
"âŠ"
Ernie Johnson, who was beside him, didn't want to speak.
He lacked the talent for talking nonsense, and the difference between 39 wins and 68 wins was clear to a fool.
With both partners silent, Charles Barkley didn't mind and continued to add smugly:
"An upset? The Los Angeles Lakers, with Kobe, can also do it. He scored 81 points in the regular season this year. As this season's scoring leader, no one on the Dallas Mavericks can stop him!"
"Don't forget Phil Jackson's role. I respect Coach Avery Johnson, but he hasn't proven himself in the playoffs yet."
A series of well-reasoned points almost left the two in the studio speechless.
Kenny Smith thought for a moment, then turned and asked:
"Chuck, what do you think Clay Lee's numbers will be this year? The New York Knicks with 68 wins seem unstoppable. Perhaps they will achieve another four-peat."
The depth of their lineup was despair-inducing.
Although they had suffered injuries, most basketball commentators still believed the New York Knicks would win the championship.
"I've said it before, no one can keep winning forever. This season, Clay Lee has shown a clear decline!"
"The playoffs are a different stage. I believe in Allen Iverson. This is the best form of his career, and I believe he can create a miracle."
After delivering a 'poisoned milk' prediction, Charles Barkley was completely satisfied.
For the next few days, he would be the headline!
On the 21st, the NBA announced the statistical leaders for the 2005-06 season before the playoffs began:
Kobe Bryant became this season's scoring leader with 35.4 points per game and 2832 points in 80 games played.
Kevin Garnett, who was fishing early, once again won the rebounding title with 12.7 rebounds per game.
Clay Lee, who played all 82 games, won the assist title with 10.9 assists per game.
Clay Lee won the steals title with 2.54 steals per game and a total of 208 steals for the season, surpassing Gerald Wallace's 2.51.
Marcus Camby, with his excellent performance, once again won the blocks title with 3.29 blocks per game.
After the relevant data was released, ESPN quickly added:
In terms of efficiency rating, Clay Lee led by a significant margin with an inhuman 39.4, with Dirk Nowitzki's 28.1 ranking second.
For win shares, Lee reached 20.6 this season, with Dirk Nowitzki again in second place at 17.7, a new career high!
After the specific data was released, the talk about Lee's physical decline lessened.
Although his Excel numbers seemed unremarkable, overall, they were still incredible:
He averaged 34.0 minutes per game, putting up 30.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 10.9 assists, 2.5 steals, 0.3 blocks, and 1.9 turnovers per game.
He averaged 17.4 field goal attempts per game, with a 56.2% field goal percentage.
From beyond the arc, he averaged 7.9 attempts per game, with a 46.4% three-point percentage.
He averaged 7.5 free throws per game, with a 93.6% free throw percentage.
He made 300 three-pointers in a single season.
Although this was a decrease compared to previous seasons, his three-point percentage and free throw percentage were still the best in the league.
As for the 180 Club, no one was discussing it anymore.
With years of Excel numbers, this was Lee's normal state.
Although Ray Allen failed to lead the Seattle SuperSonics to the playoffs this season, he personally made 269 three-pointers, which was also a career high.
While this stat still lagged behind Lee's 'reduced' numbers, the idea of the two of them playing together faced more opposition.
Two three-point masters shouldn't play on the same team!
On Saturday the 22nd, the playoffs officially began, with four games scheduled for that day:
Eastern Conference: Nets vs. Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls vs. Detroit Pistons.
Western Conference: Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets vs. Clippers.
Pat Riley's 96-year-old mother passed away last night.
The Champion Coach confirmed in an interview that he would coach tomorrow night's game.
The 76ers, who flew to Manhattan, were once again bombarded by the New York Media.
Clay Lee only received two awards, but the top two scorers were both labeled as "stat padders."
When checking into the hotel that afternoon, Iverson felt a sense of déjà vu.
This year's playoffs were incredibly important.
If he was swept again, he would be kicked off the team.
New York reporters, who loved to find entertainment, had waited here early and immediately surrounded Iverson, who was dressed in white hip-hop attire.
Never one to shy away from the media, Iverson maintained a haughty attitude and felt a surge of anger when he saw their playful gazes.
"Allen, welcome back to the playoffs. Facing your old rival again, are you confident in winning this series?"
The New York Post reporter had watched the TNT program and asked a very pointed question.
Iverson didn't mind, holding his head high and saying seriously:
"I know what you want to say. If there's any team in the league that can pull off an upset, it's the 76ers!"
"âŠ"
Iverson wanted to say more, but Coach Maurice Cheeks immediately called him over.
Clearly, the coaching staff didn't want players to talk big before the game.
Watching Iverson leave with his head held high, several reporters exchanged glances.
They hadn't expected him to still be so defiant.
Only the Clippers managed an upset in the games that night, winning 87:89, with the Denver Nuggets unfortunately losing after two missed jump shots by Carmelo Anthony.
In the Nets vs. Cavaliers game, LeBron James played all 48 minutes, and the Cavaliers successfully protected their home court with a 90:100 victory.
Vince Carter continued his playoff style from last year, shooting 12-of-33 from the field, 1-of-8 from three-point range, and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line, scoring a game-high 31 points.
However, when attending the post-game press conference, Dwight Howard, who had 8 points and 12 rebounds, jokingly teased his opponent:
"We all know Vince Carter isn't as tough as people think. In fact, he was complaining to the referees the entire game tonight!"
LeBron James, who scored a team-high 30 points, wasn't in as good a mood as Howard.
The steals leader went 1-for-9 tonight.
If it weren't for the opponent's dismal 2-for-16 from beyond the arc and terrible outside shooting, the game would likely have gone down to the wire.
Facing praise from the Cleveland sports media, LeBron James calmly praised the coaching staff:
"Coach Van Gundy devised an excellent game plan for us. This was an expected victory, and we will end the series as soon as possible."
On sunday, the 23rd, as most of the previous night's games were one-sided, commentators began to eagerly anticipate tonight's matchup.
The New York Knicks had rested for over three days and were basically back to peak condition.
During the pre-game warm-up in the afternoon, Kurt Thomas was also present, leaning on crutches.
When asked about his injury recovery, Kurt Thomas didn't hide anything, smiling as he thanked Lee:
"You know, the team is going for a four-peat, but Lee told me not to push myself. He wants me to recover fully."
"We are family! That's what family means. Everyone wants to contribute to the championship, and under Lee's leadership, we will bring the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy back to New York again."
Hill had the most to say about injuries.
When asked about the inside play, he also praised Lee:
"Playing with an injury might affect a player's career. Since I came to New York, everyone on the team has been very concerned about me, so I don't have to worry about such issues."
"It's the same for Kurt. Lee won't sacrifice everyone's health for the championship. We are ready, and the younger players will take on more responsibility."
Hill said this with a serious expression, stating his stance that even if they encounter difficulties in the playoffs, he doesn't want to see teammates play with injuries.
Lee, who was receiving an award at the moment, wore a well-fitting dark blue suit, facing the media with two crystal trophies in his arms, smiling and allowing them to take photos.
As he sat down, some of the media reporters below were already impatient.
Yahoo Sports was the first to raise a hand and ask:
"Clay, do you regret losing the scoring title? Kobe's average points per game this season has already surpassed yours from last season."
To this old question, Lee just smiled and shook his head, pointing to the trophy on the table and jokingly continued:
"I've put more effort into other areas. In fact, I feel my body is in the best shape of my career this season."
"Coincidentally, my opponent tonight is the same. Everyone can support tonight's game."
His stats had dropped a little bit, and many reporters hadn't watched the New York Knicks' games completely, so many still believed the "physical decline" narrative.
"Allen Iverson believes he can lead his team to victory. Lee, how would you evaluate this old opponent?"
As the broadcaster, ESPN's on-site reporters were more concerned with whether the game would be exciting.
They hoped to create a "rivalry showdown" atmosphere for tonight's game.
"No one can predict the outcome of a basketball game. I greatly admire Iverson's confidence!"
"Since entering the league, although he has always been at a disadvantage in past matchups, his form this season is too good. Averaging 33 points per game is also a remarkable achievement."
Lee said this with a sincere expression, but many reporters below had strange looks on their faces, feeling something was off no matter how they heard it:
"Isn't this just blatant mockery?!"
Soon, everyone shifted the topic back to his physical condition.
Clay Lee was somewhat helpless about this.
No one believed him even when he spoke the truth, that he had indeed reached the best shape of his career.
Last night, his talent panel had just updated with the latest data.
Currently, only two talents he acquired last year had not yet been digested.
In terms of values, he was no longer human:
Speed: 97, Defense Agility: 95,
Driving Layup: 98, Driving Dunk: 96,
Ball Handling Speed: 96, Drawing Fouls: 95,
Ball Control: 97, Passing Vision: 97,
Passing IQ: 98, Passing Accuracy: 99,
Offensive Rebounding: 65, Defensive Rebounding: 79,
Athleticism: 96, Driving: 96,
Playmaking: 98, Rebounding: 72,
Close Shot: 99,
Open Mid-Range Shot: 97,
Open Three-Point Shot: 98,
Stamina: 99 (+1),
Strength: 92, Jumping Ability: 96,
Help Defense IQ: 96,
Acceleration: 95.
While answering questions, Lee called up a panel that no one else could see in front of him, a bright smile on his face.
Aside from his weight increasing to 100Kg, which was a bit over the limit, he was very satisfied with the other minor improvements.
When the TNT reporter asked about the game again, Lee simply smiled and said:
"I will set the tone for this year's playoffs in the first game. For the four-peat, I will go all out!"
"âŠ"
Despite the New York Knicks' playoff ticket prices soaring again, it still couldn't stop the enthusiastic New York fans.
At 6 PM on sunday evening, a large number of fans had already gathered outside the Madison Square Garden, starting to hype themselves up.
Some who had specifically come to Manhattan to watch the game squeezed into the team store, where playoff merchandise had been updated with a new wave of products.
Unlike the fans inside the Madison Square Garden shouting "Knicks In four," half an hour before the game began, at the ESPN commentary desk, Hubie Brown was very cautious during the pre-game preview:
"The interior combination of Chris Webber and Dalembert is very likely to cause trouble for the New York Knicks' interior."
"Iverson's form this season has been excellent. Their record was affected by injuries. In fact, the 76ers' roster has good talent."
Mike Breen, a die-hard New York Knicks fan, didn't pay attention to the opponent at all.
Hearing the old coach's serious commentary, he tactfully added:
"John Salmons and Andre Iguodala also performed well in the regular season. If Iverson can have an explosive performance, perhaps they really can create a miracle."
In the noisy arena, it seemed only Hubie Brown still had expectations for tonight's game.
Everyone else had already started to enjoy the victory prematurely.
As game time approached, in the home team's player tunnel, Lee uncharacteristically pulled everyone aside and quietly delivered some motivational words:
"In the playoffs, everything is about response. Don't give the opponent any hope. Dominate them from the start of the game."
"We need to end the game early to conserve energy for the subsequent schedule. Believe in each other. We can win the championship again!"
Everyone huddled together.
Ron Artest seemed impatient, shouting at the top of his lungs:
"One, two, three!"
After a collective shout of "Family," everyone ran towards the player tunnel, and soon their ears were filled with the excited shouts of New York fans.
On the opposing team's bench, Iverson's face darkened as he heard the arena DJ announce "seven-time champion, greatest of all time," knowing these honors were achieved by trampling over numerous Eastern Conference stars.
Wearing the 76ers' classic black away uniform, with a headband and a black arm sleeve on his right arm, Iverson was fully geared up and warmed up with exceptional seriousness.
On the other side, Lee, in the New York Knicks' home white jersey with orange numbers, had no headband but wore a white sleeve on his left leg.
Also fully geared up, he smiled and completed his warm-up with his teammates by slamming dunks.
The live director frequently focused the camera on the two of themâthe "rivals" from the '96 draft class met again!
Tonight, the New York Knicks continued with their twin-tower lineup, with Gadzuric remaining as the starting center, ensuring the team wasn't at a disadvantage in terms of height.
"Let's go Knicks!"
When the referee signaled both teams to the center of the court, everyone in the Madison Square Garden stood up, shouting loudly while also waving their orange handkerchiefs.
On the sidelines, Coach Cheeks tried to maintain a poker face for the camera, while Coach D'Antoni, leaning back in his seat, smirked confidentlyâthis matchup was a sure win!
Andre Iguodala felt suddenly nervous sensing the atmosphere.
This was his first playoff experience.
Seeing Ron Artest staring at him, he could only respond with his eyes.
Iverson, remaining in the backcourt, stared at the basketball in the referee's hand.
As Dalembert successfully tipped the ball back to their half, the cheers quickly turned into defensive chants:
"Defense!"
Before he even dribbled past half-court, Iverson was met with Lee's lead Defense.
He shielded the ball with his side, spun around, switched the ball to his left hand, crossed the mid-court line, and immediately signaled his teammates to spread out.
Receiving the instruction, John Salmons first ran to the left baseline corner, then quickly slipped along the baseline.
As Webber came to the left elbow area, the 76ers players spread out one by one.
Facing the opponent's localized 2-on-2, the moment Iverson lobbed the ball to Webber, Gasol, who was following closely, immediately defended from behind.
There was no complex defensive strategy.
The New York Knicks simply played man-to-man from the start.
Iverson tried to shake off Lee with a back cut, but his sudden stop and cut after a lateral fake had no effect.
Webber couldn't pass the ball for a moment.
To avoid a turnover, Iverson had to return to beyond the three-point line, where he finally received a pass from his teammate.
Far from the three-point line, when Iverson put the ball down with his right hand, he simply waved to signal everyone to clear out.
His teammates retreated to the left near-baseline position, with only Iverson on the top of the key.
Facing Lee, who was sticking to him tightly, he suddenly lowered his center of gravity, leaned in and accelerated, faking a drive.
His body swayed to the front right.
The moment Iverson saw Lee shift his feet, he immediately stopped short between his legs, switched the ball to his left hand, raised his center of gravity, and tried to fake again.
Facing the opponent's in-front-of-the-body crossover, Lee again made the correct read, successfully blocking Iverson's driving lane and forcing him to drive hard into the wing against the Defense.
"Oh!"
Amidst the fans' cheers, Iverson, who had driven to directly in front of the basket, tried to lean into the Defense, drifting to the front right while tossing the ball towards the rim!
The off-balance shot was ultimately interfered with by Lee's jump, and the basketball bounced off the rim.
Gadzuric snatched the defensive rebound ahead of Dalembert.
Seeing Iverson immediately take the lead in Defense, the familiar matchup made fans who wanted to watch the show start to cheer loudly.
Lee, who received the pass, continuously accelerated along the left sideline, pushing the ball forward at a rapid pace.
While Iverson stepped forward to delay him, he also loudly directed his teammates to retreat on Defense as quickly as possible.
On the other side, Andre Iguodala did not receive instructions and followed Ron Artest across half-court.
His boss was indeed giving his all tonight, not using a defensive role player.
Just as the 76ers retreated to near the three-point line, Lee, who had arrived at the left wing, suddenly stopped short, dribbled behind his back to his right hand, lowered his center of gravity, and faked a breakthrough.
The moment Lee's body swayed to the front right, Iverson, who had also stopped short, quickly slid backward to the left, and then was shaken out of position by a crossover step-back.
Not giving his opponent a chance to adjust his center of gravity, the moment Lee touched the ball with his left hand on the three-point line, he naturally changed direction with a between-the-legs dribble, then lowered his shoulder and accelerated, forcing a breakthrough against the Defense.
Iverson, still adjusting his body, first felt a dull pain in his chest, then was pushed away by Lee's ball-handling arm.
It was too late to try and pull him back, and he could only watch Lee forcefully squeeze past him.
Dalembert, who had just retreated to the basket, quickly slid to the front left of the rim, attempting to block the breakthrough path, but he didn't expect Lee to jump early in front of him.
Facing the sudden Defense, Lee jumped with both feet into the air, holding the ball with his right hand, and smoothly rotated 180 degrees.
The moment he made contact, he flashed to the lower left of the basket.
Amidst the screams of the fans in the arena, Clay Lee completed a circus-like bank shot layup!
"Bang! Swish!"
As the basketball dropped into the hoop, Madison Square Garden completely erupted.
Looking at Lee, who was making a listening gesture below the rim, the cheers almost broke through the arena.
Dalembert's dark face was full of surprise, as if he hadn't yet recovered, unable to believe that Lee could score like that.
Iverson, who received the ball on the baseline, had a dark expression.
Lee's explosiveness exceeded his expectations.
After not playing in the playoffs for several years, he had indeed been a bit careless.
Again facing lead Defense, Iverson didn't rush to advance.
He observed the defensive positioning in advance, and finally pushed past the half-court line against the Defense.
At the top of the arc, Iverson, holding the ball with his left hand, suddenly stopped short, then quickly dribbled between his legs, and the moment he switched to his right hand, he slightly pulled the ball back.
After a hesitation dribble, he immediately lunged forward and accelerated.
Intending to break through Lee's Defense with speed, the two made body contact at the three-point line.
Facing Lee's timely slide step, Iverson was forced to slow down.
Barely reaching the free-throw line, Iverson immediately dribbled between his legs, then gathered the ball and, facing the block, forced a fadeaway jump shot that clanked off the rim.
Watching Gasol easily secure the rebound, Coach Cheeks on the sidelines couldn't hold back.
Seemingly not wanting to see such reckless play, he immediately shouted at his players:
"Get back on Defense! Pass the ball around!"
Lee, who received the ball again, didn't wait to cross half-court.
He immediately passed the ball to Hill, who was nearing the left wing.
Hill received the ball and, with the ball in his left hand, faced Salmons, attempting to force a breakthrough.
The coach's reminder worked.
Salmons slid over in time, and Hill, encountering the block, didn't force an attack.
He stopped short, dribbled the ball hard to his right hand, and retreated back beyond the three-point line.
When Lee arrived at the top of the arc, the two New York Knicks big men had already rushed to the baseline.
As Hill passed the ball back, Ron Artest on the other side also began to move to the left corner.
"Let's go Knicks!"
Seeing the two match up again, cheers instantly filled the arena.
Lee, who received the ball, naturally put the ball down with his right hand.
Facing Iverson's low interference, he turned his body, protecting the ball while moving to the right wing.
Iverson shoved hard from behind, but Lee didn't feel much.
He suddenly lowered his center of gravity, and while swinging his shoulders back, he faked touching the ball with his left hand, then quickly twisted his body and naturally led the ball forward with his right hand.
Facing the sudden lunge and acceleration, Iverson's defensive anticipation was off.
It was too late to try and slide backward to the left, and he was once again squeezed past by Lee from the side.
Chasing in a somewhat disheveled manner, Iverson tried to squeeze to Lee's side.
In the right elbow area, he attempted to pull him, but was thrown off balance by a sudden stop-and-go move.
The moment he switched to his left hand, Lee didn't hesitate.
He stopped and started quickly with a second burst of acceleration, charging into the paint area with Iverson clinging to him.
He used a jump step while moving to bump away the Defense, then tossed the ball towards the basket with his left hand!
"Squeak!"
As the referee's whistle blew, the basketball went through the net without touching the rim.
Iverson's pull from the side had no effect.
Watching Lee high-five his teammates in celebration, Mike Breen in the commentary box was beaming, ignoring the feelings of the 76ers fans, happily boasting:
"Perhaps it's the illusion brought by the regular season to their opponents, but trying to limit Clay Lee one-on-one, that's impossible!"
Hubie Brown, beside him, was somewhat speechless.
Allen Iverson, who was second on the scoring list after the opening, was a bit disheveled on both ends of the court:
"Coach Cheeks must adjust his defensive strategy in time. Perhaps changing the defensive matchup is the correct choice."
As Lee's free throw sailed steadily through the net, Barnes and the other hype men on the New York Knicks bench began to loudly taunt Iverson.
Body contact began from the backcourt. Iverson helplessly realized that he couldn't use his speed to shake off Lee.
After crossing half-court, he quickly passed the ball to Chris Webber in the right elbow area.
Webber received the ball with his back to the basket.
Iverson, at the three-point line, first faked a cut through the middle, then suddenly accelerated horizontally and ran back.
Webber noticed that Lee was still sticking to his teammate and didn't risk a pass.
Instead, he turned his head and gestured for Iverson to return to beyond the three-point line.
Running back again, Iverson received the ball on the right wing, far from the three-point line.
He looked at Lee in front of him, couldn't help but curse inwardly, and then immediately lobbed the ball to Webber, who had moved to the left block and was posting up for the ball.
As the basketball left his hands, Iverson realized something was wrong when he saw Lee retreating with him.
Webber helplessly watched Lee intercept the ball in front of him, and the New York Knicks launched another fast break.
Lee, who charged with the ball, faced Iverson's delay.
He smoothly dribbled the ball with a large behind-the-back motion, snatched the ball with his left hand ahead of his opponent, and continuously accelerated along the left sideline.
"Oh!"
Cheers erupted again in the arena.
Before the other 76ers could react, Lee had already charged to the left wing, pushing against Iverson.
Webber, who was still behind the half-court line, saw Lee slow down near the three-point line, dribble between his legs, and then perform another behind-the-back dribble the moment he switched to his right hand.
Noticing that Iverson was out of defensive position, Webber instinctively stopped, no longer chasing on Defense.
On the left wing, Lee, having completed the behind-the-back dribble, stepped back as if dancing, ignoring Iverson's desperate close-out from the side.
From the left wing, he quickly released a long-range three-point jump shot!
The basketball swished through the net, and Mike Breen in the commentary box also excitedly shouted along with the fans:
"OH! What a shot!"
Looking at Lee, who was expressionlessly raising his left arm and pointing his fingers like a gun, Iverson's mind began to recall painful memories from the past:
"Shit!"
He cursed under his breath, then quickly ran towards the baseline.
Iverson, who received the ball, started to accelerate desperately, pushing past half-court against Lee.
Many fans were still cheering loudly, seemingly wanting to see Iverson continue to respond. Webber came to the free-throw line and loudly called for the ball, which finally stopped his teammate's reckless attack.
After passing the ball, Iverson tried to use a screen to execute a UCLA cut.
Webber still didn't choose to pass the ball, and to be safe, he eventually handed the ball off to Salmons, who was receiving at the top of the arc.
Cutting to the basket, Iverson didn't stop.
Using Dalembert's screen near the left baseline, he accelerated towards the left corner.
Briefly shaking off Lee, he naturally ran towards the top, near the left sideline, and Iverson successfully received a pass from his teammate.
A fleeting opportunity, Iverson did not decisively catch and shoot.
Seeing Lee catch up to him, he faked, put the ball down with his left hand, lowered his center of gravity, and drove with a step-through.
Iverson, accelerating desperately, was unable to gain a favorable position against Lee's quick slide step.
When he approached the paint, he simply used a pivot turn against the Defense.
Instantly inside the paint, Iverson, gathering the ball, tossed it towards the basket with his right hand.
The beautifully executed turn-and-shoot was swatted away by Lee, who jumped up behind him to block it.
Before Iverson could react, with a "slap," the basketball flew to the floor.
"Oh!"
Amidst the cheers, Hill immediately secured possession of the ball and charged forward.
The New York Knicks launched another fast break.
Pushing the ball and changing direction to shake off the Defense, Hill, holding the ball with his left hand, ran faster and faster.
Noticing Andre Iguodala accelerating to chase him from behind, he decisively sent a behind-the-back pass as he crossed the three-point line.
The basketball flew to Ron Artest, who was trailing behind.
Artest received the ball and, facing Andre Iguodala's twisting Defense, took three big steps, pushed against the Defense, and put the ball in with his body angled.
0:10. Coach Cheeks' face was exceptionally grim, and he reluctantly called a timeout.
The arena was filled with the excited shouts of the New York fans.
Ron Artest first chest-bumped Hill in celebration, and as he walked towards the bench, he excitedly pounded his chest and yelled:
"Fuck! I'm going to tear that clown apart!"
Diaw, experiencing the Madison Square Garden playoff atmosphere for the first time, widened his eyes, jogging forward to high-five Lee in celebration, and kept muttering:
"This is crazy! Is this what the playoffs are like?"
Iverson, back on the bench, was breathing heavily.
The nightmarish start left him somewhat at a loss.
Coach Cheeks, holding his clipboard, shouted at everyone:
"No more isolation plays! Chris, go get the ball at the elbow! Everyone move! Don't stand still waiting for the ball to fly into your hands!"
Andre Iguodala couldn't hear what Coach Cheeks was saying, staring blankly at the tactics board, his heart racing in the roaring Madison Square Garden.
Before everyone could react, the timeout was over.
Coach Cheeks clapped his hands repeatedly to encourage his players, and the coaching staff also shouted reminders.
Back on the court, Andre Iguodala ran to half-court.
Now he was playing purely on instinct. Tactics? What are those?
"Defense!"
Amidst the cheers for Defense, Chris Webber once again received the ball with his back to the basket in the right elbow area, then immediately turned to face the basket and attack.
Facing Gasol's Defense, he continuously probed with his right foot, then rose for a pull-up jumper.
2-10, the 76ers broke their scoring drought, and boos once again echoed through the Madison Square Garden.
Allen Iverson retreated to half-court early, constantly clapping his hands to encourage his teammates.
Seeing Lee dribble past the mid-court line, he once again lowered his body's center of gravity and assumed a defensive stance.
There was still no double-team.
Salmons, who was following Hill and stopped on the left wing, seemed to be completely lost, and Andre Iguodala mechanically followed Ron Artest to the right baseline corner.
There was no time to direct his teammates.
Allen Iverson quickly focused his attention on Lee, who suddenly stopped and dribbled behind his back, switching the ball to his left hand.
Without interference, Lee calmly changed direction between his legs, slightly raised his body's center of gravity, and then simply and aggressively accelerated in a straight line.
Allen Iverson, who was staring at the ball, instinctively slid backward to the left when he reacted, and then stumbled as Lee squeezed past him.
Chris Webber seemed to have adapted to this situation, sliding into the paint from the lower left of the basket in time.
Before he could even raise his hands to block, Lee, in motion, tossed the ball towards the upper left of the basket.
Unable to twist his body to block, Chris Webber could only watch as Gasol, behind him, caught the ball in the air with his right hand and slammed it into the basket!
"Ah!"
The beautiful alley-oop once again made the Madison Square Garden erupt.
The excited shouts left the 76ers players on the court bewildered.
Andre Iguodala watched Coach Cheeks shout angrily, but couldn't clearly hear what specific instructions he was giving.
Facing Lee's oppressive Defense, Allen Iverson had no choice but to pass the ball early.
After a series of ineffective perimeter passes, Salmons ultimately clanked a pull-up jumper from the left wing.
Dalembert tipped the rebound, but Gadzuric was also quick to react, jumping a second time and barely securing the ball.
Amidst the cheers echoing through the arena, Lee, who received the ball, leisurely dribbled past half-court, signaling Gasol to receive the ball with his back to the basket in the left block.
As he approached the wing, he immediately passed the ball to him.
The moment Gasol received the ball, Lee first faked a cut, tricking Allen Iverson into sliding with him, then immediately stopped short and accelerated back.
Near the left sideline, Lee easily received the return pass from Gasol.
When Allen Iverson chased back in front of him, he protected the ball on his left side, then quickly swept the ball from left to right.
The large probing step made Allen Iverson shuffle backward.
The moment Lee brought his foot back, without giving his opponent time to react, he suddenly rose for a pull-up jumper from beyond the three-point line!
"Swish!" The three-pointer swished through the net.
2-15, on the New York Knicks bench, the hype squad cheered happily, as garbage time was getting closer.
At a crucial moment, it was still Allen Iverson who stepped up, using Chris Webber's handoff screen in the left elbow area, taking one dribble after receiving the ball, and then hitting a pull-up jumper to help his team narrow the deficit.
On the next possession, Andre Iguodala, at his teammate's urging, started to double-team early.
As Ron Artest clanked a jump shot from the right wing, Hill picked up the long rebound.
In the left elbow area, Hill directly passed the ball back to Lee beyond the three-point line.
As Gadzuric came up to screen, Lee, with the ball in his left hand, suddenly dribbled behind his back the moment his teammate set the screen, then naturally led the ball forward with his right hand.
Thanks to the solid screen, Allen Iverson couldn't squeeze through in time.
When Clay Lee accelerated sideways and skillfully shook off his defender to successfully chase the ball on the Eastern wing, Dalembert was still at the top of the arc.
Seeing Lee gather the ball and hit a fadeaway jumper, the New York Knicks players on the court all raised their arms, starting to celebrate early.
"Swish!" The three-pointer swished through the net, making Coach Cheeks stare blankly from the sideline.
Involuntarily speeding up their offensive rhythm, Allen Iverson dribbled past half-court and drove hard to the basket from the left wing, passing the ball to Dalembert in the lower right of the basket, but Gadzuric stole it in the chaos.
The 76ers players desperately rushed back on Defense.
In transition, Lee burst past mid-court, pushed the ball, changed direction, switched to his right hand, and continued to accelerate while shouldering Allen Iverson.
The moment he crossed the three-point line at the top of the arc, all the 76ers players who had just retreated to half-court collapsed into the paint.
Andre Iguodala seemed to have completely forgotten his defensive assignment until Lee jumped to pass, and the basketball flew towards the right baseline corner, only then realizing his mistake.
From the same spot, Ron Artest received the ball and adjusted.
Undefended, his three-pointer from the right baseline corner swished in!
Coach Cheeks called another timeout.
The players who returned to their seats were all panting heavily.
They seemed unable to keep up with their opponent's game pace.
The roaring Madison Square Garden made Hubie Brown sigh quietly from the commentary table.
Perhaps he shouldn't have had too much expectation:
"The gap between the two teams is even larger than I imagined. This is the dominance of the defending champions."
Mike Breen unconsciously raised his voice, noting that neither team had made any substitutions, and continued to boast:
"Clay Lee has once again delivered on his promise! He's been on fire since the start of tonight's game, and the 76ers have no answers!"
In the first possession after the timeout, it was another isolation play by Allen Iverson, who scored for his team with a step-back fadeaway jumper from the left block.
Clay Lee suddenly sped up.
Allen Iverson chased back to half-court, and before he could even direct the Defense, the double screen from the two big men up top made him lose his defensive position.
Dribbling the ball behind his back to his left hand, Lee, accelerating sideways, faced Chris Webber coming up to help defend and stopped short with a hard dribble on the left wing.
After two rapid in-place between-the-legs dribbles, Lee suddenly took a lateral step back and gathered the ball.
Chris Webber, with his right arm raised, didn't react much defensively, watching Lee lean back slightly and shoot a fadeaway jumper.
"Swish!" Another three-pointer!
Looking at Lee, who was still a step beyond the three-point line, Chris Webber was filled with frustration, and the taunts in his ears completely broke him down:
"Go home, softie!"
On the offensive possession, Chris Webber dished out an assist from the free-throw line, and Dalembert scored an easy basket under the rim.
On Defense, after a simple pick-and-roll on the left wing, Chris Webber watched Lee bounce-pass the ball to Gasol at the free-throw line.
The latter received the ball undefended and responded with a mid-range jumper.
The 76ers continuously passed the ball hand-to-hand on the perimeter.
Andre Iguodala drove hard to the basket from the right wing but ran into a crowd.
With Ron Artest's interference, Gasol delivered a big block.
In transition, Lee rewarded himself with a missed ultra-long three-pointer from the right wing, and the New York fans in the arena sighed in regret.
The pace of the game grew faster and faster.
The 76ers scored in bits and pieces, and Allen Iverson and Andre Iguodala occasionally led the New York Knicks in a wave of transition offense.
It wasn't until Allen Iverson's ultra-long three-pointer missed at the very end of the first quarter that the cheers erupting in the Madison Square Garden finally brought Andre Iguodala back to his senses.
16-40, the game ended almost as soon as it began.
Playing the entire first quarter, Clay Lee was 7-of-8 from the field, 4-of-5 from three-point range, and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line, with 21 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block.
At the ESPN commentary table, Mike Breen, looking at the statistics, had entered a state of mindless praise:
"Clay Lee has once again shown us why he is the greatest of all time! Incredible shooting!"
"Charging towards a four-peat, playoff Clay Lee has entered another level!"
Also playing the entire first quarter, Allen Iverson was 2-of-8 from the field, 0-of-1 from three-point range, and 0-of-2 from the free-throw line, with 4 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 2 turnovers.
Allen Iverson's statistics left Hubie Brown silent for a while:
"A disastrous performance. Fortunately, there are still 3 games left in the series, and the 76ers need to adjust quickly."
Madison Square Garden was completely roaring.
After the start of the second quarter, James Dolan, sitting under the basket, couldn't help but grin when he saw Lee and Allen Iverson on the court at the same time.
The jeers grew louder and louder.
Iverson glared angrily at Lee, who was receiving the ball on the baseline, as if asking, "Why are you still on the court?"
Receiving the inbound pass from Diaw, Lee leisurely protected the ball and dribbled past half-court.
Noticing Allen Iverson's mood, he smiled and whispered:
"Buddy, welcome back to the playoffs!"
"."
Andre Iguodala, who was substituted out for Kyle Korver, was completely numb when he noticed the situation on the court.
In the first quarter, he was 1-of-4 from the field, contributing 2 points.
The game was only one quarter in, and they were already down by 24 points.
Andre Iguodala's playoff fantasies were completely shattered, and a look of dejection appeared on his face:
"Who am I? Where am I?"
...
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)