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12th man to Cricket legend. It's a cricket book for cricket lovers only.
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***
Thursday, November 2nd, 2006, the last four teams were set to make their official debut tonight.
After the season opener, the Heat were ultimately mocked for two days, and the commentators who had favored Pat Riley to lead them to a championship in the offseason all fell silent.
The New York Times had even prematurely excluded the Heat from contention, and articles from several mainstream newspapers all shared the same view:
"Pat Riley cannot adapt to modern basketball, the Heat's championship window has closed!"
These words were quite blunt, and led by the New York Media, many commentators followed suit by bringing up old scores, and Stan Van Gundy, who had not yet left the Heat, became 'a good weapon':
"He was doing so well, why replace him?"
NBA games are all about results. Stan Van Gundy led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals, but Pat Riley made no breakthrough.
Considering that the Heat's current roster was all acquired through trades by the 'oily-haired big boss,' and they declined so much in just one year, Pat Riley must bear the blame for the crushing defeat!
61:120. On the first day of the new season, the New York Knicks once again tied a record, handing the Heat a crushing 59-point defeat.
The reason for such a large loss was mainly due to the limited playing time of the starting lineup.
Clay Lee and Shaquille O'Neal ultimately played only 22 minutes, and Dwyane Wade only played 28 minutes.
From the start of the third quarter, the Knicks' rotation lineup came out swinging, with Raja Bell and Michael Finley frequently firing from beyond the three-point line.
And when the fourth quarter entered garbage time, JR Smith, who had been struggling in the preseason, also suddenly erupted, easily scoring 10 points in a single quarter, with the final score settling at 120.
After the brutal game ended, the Heat collectively broke down, and no one accepted interviews that night.
November had just begun, and the NBA issued a fine of 25,000 dollars.
TNT's program couldn't even comment on the game.
It was a blowout from the start, the starting lineup played too little, the Heat scored 30 points at halftime, and the one-sided rout had no reference value whatsoever.
The statistics lost their meaning.
If one were more calm, losing by 59 points and losing by 1 point were actually not that different.
There were only two games tonight: the San Antonio Spurs vs. the Dallas Mavericks, and the Denver Nuggets vs. the Clippers.
As last season's Western Conference champions, the Dallas Mavericks were also highly anticipated this new season.
While retaining their core lineup, they traded from the Pacers to acquire Austin Croshere.
Their rotation lineup was upgraded, and commentators unanimously believed that this year the Dallas Mavericks had a chance to continue reaching the Finals, and their championship window would last at least 2 years!
In contrast, the San Antonio Spurs were still the same.
They added the undrafted Fabricio Oberto from Argentina, and the 1999 second-round pick Francisco Elson.
These were the big men playing alongside Duncan this season.
On the bench, Beno Udrih and Robert Horry were still the team's main rotation players.
Such reinforcements left San Antonio fans feeling hopeless.
Compared to the Knicks' stable and well-armed roster, the San Antonio Spurs were simply wasting Duncan's prime.
The team favored by commentators lost again. 93:90.
Both sides battled until the fourth quarter, and ultimately, Manu Ginobili's free throws helped the San Antonio Spurs win the game.
In the first game of the new season, Duncan played 40 minutes, and Parker and Manu Ginobili also played 39 minutes.
Gregg Popovich, though he won, was criticized after the game.
In another game of interest to fans, 92:96, the Denver Nuggets unexpectedly lost to the Clippers.
Allen Iverson seemed incompatible with Carmelo Anthony.
Sam Cassell once again demonstrated his 'high-level game' ability.
He shot 13-of-24, efficiently scoring a game-high 36 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 turnovers!
Off the bench, Tim Thomas and Corey Maggette combined for 34 points, also overwhelming the Denver Nuggets' rotation lineup.
Favored teams lost again.
After the game, many commentators remained silent.
Shooting 9-of-21, Allen Iverson scored 32 points.
Carmelo Anthony shot 7-of-16, contributing 21 points.
Both performed reasonably well.
After the game, the losing'scoring king duo' continued to make bold statements:
"We just need a little time. As a championship-contending team, the Denver Nuggets will quickly find their form."
All the favored teams lost.
Although this was just one game, when considering the Knicks, no one questioned Clay Lee's 'bold statements' anymore.
Their opponents were indeed too weak!
If in previous years some people questioned Lee not practicing during the offseason, now no one brought that up.
Since they were winning anyway, even if Lee trained through games, fans wouldn't care.
Friday, November 3rd, the Knicks flew to Atlanta.
The new season's first back-to-back games were about to begin.
Rajon Rondo, Jose Barea, David Lee, and JR Smith woke up early to help staff distribute jerseys.
The three of them not only carried bags, but also had to handle wake-up calls.
Although the team's victory was a good thing, fans didn't pay much attention to the performance of players during garbage time.
This disappointed Rajon Rondo a bit, as his work organizing the team's offense didn't receive much praise.
The Lakers, without Kobe, first defeated the Phoenix Suns in the season opener, then Old Fish returned, and they heavily defeated the Warriors.
Several highly anticipated teams performed poorly, making the Lakers the recent hot topic among commentators.
Tonight, Kobe Bryant returned, and the 81-point scorer once again became the focus.
Having finished his work, JR Smith was not in a good mood.
Seeing that the newspapers were also hotly discussing how many points Kobe could score this year, he couldn't help but boast to the few people beside him:
"81 points! If I got that many touches, I could also get those numbers. Why is everyone discussing him?"
Rajon Rondo ignored this 'mood maker'.
David Lee, who was tidying his backpack, straightened up, glanced at Smith possessed by jealousy,and casually said:
"Because the NBA needs to create a rival. If they don't discuss the Lakers, are they going to discuss the Heat who lost by 59 points?"
"Teams like the Atlanta Hawks and tomorrow's Pacers, their games won't generate any buzz. They are inherently weak teams, and only losing is big news. Do you think we will lose?"
Consistently beating weaker teams is a hallmark of strong teams.
Previously with the Hornets, JR Smith hadn't personally experienced this.
Thinking of the Knicks' past record, he could only shake his head at this moment.
The expected easy path to a starting spot did not materialize.
He didn't expect that he would only play garbage time, and JR Smith felt his future was dim.
He now only wanted to integrate into the team as soon as possible.
Barea didn't mind his treatment.
As a 60th overall Rookie, getting playing time was already a perfect start.
Thinking of the offseason news, he couldn't help but gossip:
"Maybe Stephon Marbury will explode tonight. His comments in the offseason seemed very confident."
David Lee glanced at the short guy.
Without saying more, he pursed his lips and muttered quietly:
"That guy is desperate for fame! Who cares what he says."
The big man Wright, after coming to the Atlanta Hawks, became an object of admiration for many players on the team.
It wasn't because he was so great, but mainly because he had too many rings.
The octagonal-faced ring he had just brought back from New York made many people on the team envious.
Tyronn Lue truly realized that choice was greater than effort.
If he could join the Knicks, Tyronn Lue felt he could also win a championship.
After years of tanking, the Atlanta Hawks have a vastly different roster, with Joe Johnson becoming their undisputed core.
If the team's performance improved further, Marbury would no longer be part of their plans.
This was why Marbury tried to latch onto Lee during the offseason.
He needed to prepare for his next team.
The game officially started at 7:30 PM, and with half an hour remaining until tip-off, over 19,000 fans had already poured into the Phillips Arena.
Bob Rathbun and Atlanta Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins, who had just taken over the TV broadcast, were chatting happily at the commentary table, naturally hyping up the home team.
"I believe the team is about to rise again. The rebuilding process is nearing its end, and trading for Joe Johnson from the Phoenix Suns was the most correct decision," Wilkins said, wearing a black pinstripe suit, praising Joe Johnson profusely.
As the Heat and Pistons began to decline, this legend firmly believed that the Atlanta Hawks were finally about to turn the corner.
Bob Rathbun, with a thick head of black hair combed back, used to commentate for the Atlanta Braves.
Although he had brushed up on some basketball news, he still wasn't quite clear on Clay Lee's style.
"In my opinion, as fellow 96-class Rookies, Marbury lacks opportunities," he said.
"Although he can't reach the heights of Clay Lee, he is also an excellent guard. I hope he can play a leadership role as the team rises."
The two occasionally cracked jokes and were equally full of praise when discussing this year's high-draft Rookies, Tyrus Thomas and Zaza Pachulia, as an inside duo.
Their narrow victory over the 76ers in the previous game gave them more confidence.
The two new partners at the commentary table gave the Atlanta Hawks fans watching at home great expectations, but once the game began, things didn't go as anticipated.
Head Coach Mike Woodson hoped Tyrus Thomas could attack the Knicks' power forward position, frequently feeding the ball inside early in the game, but Williams failed to capitalize on the opportunities.
He fumbled the ball with his back to the basket, and his tough fadeaway jumper from the left block also clanked off the rim.
The highly anticipated Rookie, Tyrus Thomas, was silent from the start.
This performance frustrated Marbury.
He had no desire to help a Rookie level up.
"Defense!"
Amidst the shouts of encouragement for Defense, Marbury retreated to half-court, staring at Lee, who was slowly dribbling the ball across the half-court line with his right hand.
The Atlanta Hawks, long accustomed to losing, always had issues with defensive discipline.
Marbury didn't bother to direct his teammates to switch, simply stepping onto the three-point line to establish his defensive position.
During the baseline cross-screen, Ron Artest didn't pay attention to Joe Johnson, who had switched onto him from behind, and ran to the left near the baseline, continuing to accelerate outwards.
At the left block, Chandler had already set up, providing an off-ball screen for his teammate.
As Ron Artest came out to the three-point line, Chandler immediately accelerated and cut to the basket.
With no one guarding him beyond the three-point line, Lee casually lobbed the ball towards the upper-left of the basket.
Chandler, who had shielded Pachulia behind him, jumped ahead of his opponent, caught the ball in mid-air, and slammed it into the basket!
"Boo!"
Boos erupted in the Phillips Arena.
At the commentary table, watching Chandler pound his chest and shout, Wilkins found it difficult to comment on this particular Defense, only saying tactfully:
"We should limit Lee's passing, or at least provide some effective interference."
In fact, situations like this happen every season.
The Knicks are extremely good at dominating weaker teams, always taking the lead almost imperceptibly.
The game seemed to fall back into a familiar rhythm for Atlanta Hawks fans.
Th noise of complaints once again overshadowed the cheers.
Marbury, who received the ball at the baseline, didn't feel there was anything wrong with his Defense and once again sped across half-court.
Many previous possessions had followed the coach's instructions to pass, but this time Marbury actively called for a pick-and-roll.
Without waiting for Pachulia to set the screen at the top of the arc, he immediately changed direction with a front crossover.
Switching to his right hand, Marbury lowered his shoulder and accelerated, ignoring Lee who had squeezed through the screen, and drove hard down the middle with his head down.
As Lee chased him into the paint, Marbury deliberately slowed down, attempting to lean into the defender for a hop-step.
He actively pushed into Lee, expecting the collision.
The collision happened as expected.
Marbury had intended to use the rebound force to hop-step and then lean in for a scoop shot, but he hadn't realized that this gave Lee a perfect opportunity to exert full force.
"And one!"
Below the right side of the basket, Marbury, leaning forward, tried to avoid the block and shouted prematurely.
The moment the ball left his hand, it was "smack"ed against the backboard.
Marbury fell out of bounds and lay on the floor, still complaining to the referee, but Lee, who had regained possession, immediately charged forward with the ball.
Pachulia, at the top of the arc, still tried to reach out, but Lee instantly shook him off with a push-dribble and change of direction.
Joe Johnson, quickly retreating on Defense, reluctantly changed his pursuit direction.
After crossing half-court and just getting close, he could only watch helplessly as Lee flung the ball out with his left hand.
The ball bounced off the floor and landed precisely in the hands of an unguarded Hill, who took three big steps after receiving the ball and threw down a one-handed slam dunk!
14:6.
The lead was suddenly extended.
These three possessions were so fast that the Atlanta Hawks fans in the arena seemed to have not even reacted.
The start of the game had been somewhat back-and-forth, but now trailing by 8 points, Head Coach Mike Woodson called a timeout.
The tanking coach helplessly folded his arms.
The disparity was clear.
Mike D'Antoni merely clapped.
Facing a weak opponent, the coaching staff could remain on autopilot, but the atmosphere group was ecstatic, perhaps they would be on the court again soon.
Bob Rathbun was commentating a Knicks game live for the first time, and despite being prepared, he couldn't help but exclaim in admiration at Lee's effortless play:
"Perhaps this is why everyone loves watching Clay Lee play. I hope we can also play such fluid offense in the future!"
"Marbury needs to calm down. His offensive choices need to be more cautious."
Amidst the noise, Marbury became a mere tool again in the first possession after the timeout, with Joe Johnson immediately coming to the left wing to receive the ball.
Facing Hill's Defense, Joe Johnson put the ball down with his left hand, drove in from the left wing against the Defense, then suddenly stopped short at the block, crossed over without pulling back to his right hand, and immediately dribbled behind his back.
He smoothly stepped back, then quickly gathered the ball, and facing Hill's Defense, Joe Johnson scored another 2 points!
"Oh!"
Cheers erupted in the Phillips Arena again.
Watching Joe Johnson pump his fist in celebration, Marbury felt a pang of resentment.
His position as the leader had been usurped.
"Defense!"
The synchronized shouts rang out again.
Clay Lee, who received the ball at the baseline, was very fast, only beginning to slow down at the top of the arc.
With Pau Gasol out, the Knicks' hand-off plays were largely reduced.
Marbury glanced at the movement behind him.
There was no screen, so he decisively chose to step up and stick to Lee, while also reaching down to interfere.
Taking advantage of the opponent's aggressive close-out, Lee suddenly lowered his center of gravity, dribbled the ball between his legs to his left hand, and without giving Marbury time to react, executed a sudden, nimble spin.
Although he couldn't shake off the Defense, Lee gained more than half a step, driving hard down the middle with the ball in his right hand, shielding Marbury.
The moment he neared the free-throw line, Lee immediately stopped short, pulled the ball back between his legs.
Marbury, who was biting his lip and sliding his feet, intended to immediately lunge for the ball but was subtly pushed by Lee's protective hand, which perfectly disrupted his balance.
Everyone in the arena only saw Marbury stumble, nearly falling in the paint.
An unguarded Lee easily gathered the ball and confidently shot a mid-range jumper.
"Swish."
The two-point shot went in smoothly.
16:8.
The lead returned to 8 points.
Marbury showed signs of breaking down, complaining incessantly to the baseline referee when he received the ball, only stopping his verbal assault when Head Coach Mike Woodson shouted loudly from the sidelines.
Lee, who had already retreated to half-court, watched Marbury pass the ball early this time and, while standing at the arc, teased the "New Yorks Son":
"The league's best dribbling guard?"
Marbury, who quickly and steadily crossed half-court, angrily shouted, but Joe Johnson ignored the faded star and, after a pick-and-roll with Josh Smith on the left wing, immediately bounced a pass to his teammate.
Josh Smith, who rolled down after the screen, ended up in the left restricted area, facing the switching Hill, and his contested jump shot clanked off the rim.
Chandler grabbed the rebound amidst scattered boos, and Clay Lee received the ball again as the Knicks players began to accelerate across half-court.
Marbury, diligently chasing on Defense, stopped with Lee on the left wing, noticing that Chandler at the arc was starting to move towards him, momentarily distracting him.
Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, didn't wait for his teammate to get beside him, quickly swayed his shoulder backward, then suddenly led the ball forward, lunged, and accelerated.
"Oh!"
Watching Marbury instantly lose his defensive position, the fans in the Phillips Arena gasped again, and he quickly slid his feet to react.
Marbury, desperately chasing on Defense, thought Lee, having shaken off his defender, would drive to the rim, but he didn't expect his speed to be much slower than he imagined.
Near the paint in the left elbow area, Marbury successfully caught up beside him, losing his balance due to inertia, and then was faked out again by Lee's cross-step pull-back after a sudden stop.
Stumbling, he couldn't make a defensive lunge.
Marbury stood in the paint, watching Lee gather the ball again, and from close to the rim, he calmly made a jump shot.
18:8, the lead extended to double digits.
Lee, retreating on Defense, smiled and stretched his right hand, looking at Marbury, and pointed to the free-throw line, indicating that he would take a jump shot from there next possession.
Cheers gradually emerged in the Phillips Arena.
If you can't beat them, join them.
This wasn't the first time this had happened, and the home fans' defection made Marbury slam the ball in frustration.
Next possession, ignoring his teammates' calls for the ball, Marbury, at the arc, used a front-of-the-body crossover, switching the ball to his right hand, and once again drove hard down the middle against Lee.
He took a hop step and gathered the ball in the paint, unable to dislodge the defender.
Marbury tried to evade the block in mid-air but was ultimately swatted from behind by Tayshaun Prince, who had rotated to the basket for help Defense.
Marbury, who almost fell to the floor, yelled for a foul.
His eyes were only on the rim and he completely missed that the Knicks had already collapsed their Defense early.
"That's a terrible offensive choice. Play more pick-and-rolls. Pachulia can make a mid-range jump shot."
Wilkins was still lamenting.
Lee, who had controlled the ball, ignored Marbury's attempt to steal, accelerated in a straight line, and charged across half-court against the Defense.
At the broadcast booth, Bob Rathbun was somewhat helpless listening to the jeers from the crowd.
He didn't like this kind of home atmosphere.
Watching Marbury still trying to strip the ball, he instinctively muttered:
"I think Marbury should control his defensive distance."
Lee, shielding the ball with his body, suddenly lunged and accelerated the moment the opponent pressed him again.
Marbury slid his feet in time, still trying to strip the basketball from his left hand.
At the arc on the three-point line, as Lee suddenly stopped, he pulled the ball back with a reverse between-the-legs dribble, instantly switching the ball to his right hand.
Marbury didn't have time to adjust his center of gravity and was blown by again.
Marbury, gritting his teeth and continuing to chase on Defense, quickly squeezed back beside Lee.
Realizing something was wrong, facing the between-the-legs dribble after the sudden stop, he still stumbled.
As Lee stepped back and gathered the ball, Marbury lunged to defend with wide eyes.
The moment he hit Lee's right forearm, the referee immediately blew his whistle!
"Swish!"
The basketball went through the net without touching the rim.
Lee, who was knocked down, was quickly pulled up by his teammates.
Marbury, who had propped himself up, shook off his teammate's arm and stared intently at his "arch-nemesis" who had stolen his New York identity.
When Lee also made the free throw, Wilkins and Bob Rathbun in the broadcast booth almost sighed.
In just a few possessions, the situation on the court had taken a sharp turn for the worse.
21:8, the Atlanta Hawks, led by an enraged Marbury, officially started playing wildly without any discernible strategy.
With both core players taking the ball and trying to score individually, the Knicks quickly saw multiple players contributing, and occasionally had easy fast break opportunities, with Chandler easily finishing after pick-and-rolls.
Tyrus Thomas foolishly followed the back-and-forth running until Tayshaun Prince, left wide open, easily made an open three pointer from the right corner, only then did the Rookie realize his mistake.
In the latter half of the first quarter, the Atlanta Hawks were full of holes.
Although they scored through isolation plays, the lead continued to grow.
Fortunately, this situation wasn't new.
Atlanta fans who bought tickets also started to enjoy the game, continuing to cheer for the exciting offense.
The joy of defeating the 76ers gradually faded.
Mike Woodson, standing on the sidelines, realized that the team's situation hadn't changed much, and perhaps tanking for the first pick was a better option.
Ron Artest made two consecutive three-pointers from the left wing.
On the Atlanta Hawks' bench, the big man Rice almost instinctively waved a towel.
40:18, the game was over as soon as it started.
The Atlanta Hawks were still a bottom feeder.
They hadn't changed a bit.
During the quarter break, the Phillips Arena was instead filled with cheers.
Bob Rathbun, commentating on a Knicks game for the first time, noticed Lee already wearing his training uniform and high-fiving his teammates in celebration.
While sighing inwardly, he praised and commented:
"Clay Lee's form is outstanding. He will lead the Knicks to challenge historical records."
"I don't think any team will be their opponent. After watching tonight's game, I think Clay Lee is still improving. His pull-up jump shot is unguardable!"
6-for-6 from the field, 3-for-3 from the free-throw line, 15 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block.
Clay Lee, who filled the stat sheet, left Wilkins with nothing but praise:
"This is a true leader. Perhaps we can also learn from the Knicks' team-building philosophy!"
"..."
In this blowout game, Marbury ultimately shot 2-for-9, scoring 8 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 turnovers.
The only commendable aspect was his willingness to play hard in garbage time.
118:80, the Knicks quietly continued their dominant wins.
On sunday, November 5th, the NBA announced the Player of the Week for the first week of the new season:
Clay Lee of the Knicks and Carlos Boozer of the Utah Jazz successfully won the award.
After defeating the injury-plagued Pacers in a back-to-back game on sunday, the Knicks were 3-0.
He averaged 26 minutes per game, with 30.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 3.0 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game.
His field goal percentage was 71.9%, three-point percentage was 58.9%, and free-throw percentage was 95.8%.
Upon seeing Lee's dominant stats against weaker opponents, all basketball analysts fell silent.
This seemed to have reached a superhuman level.
Even more terrifying was that despite a sharp decrease in three-point attempts, Lee's mid-range jump shot was incredibly accurate.
In response, a New York Times column gave it high praise:
"Jump shot like a layup."
.....
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