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12th man to Cricket legend. It's a cricket book for cricket lovers only.
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***
On November 8, 2006, in an ESPN-broadcast game between the Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant's performance once again dropped the jaws of commentators.
It was expected that the 81-point scorer would continue his excellent form from last season and once again unleash a scoring frenzy.
However, Kobe made a 180-degree turn and activated assist mode.
Playing 36 minutes, he shot 5-for-7 from the field and 7-for-7 from the free-throw line, finishing with 17 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 5 turnovers. Continuing his post-comeback form, Kobe's performance was unremarkable.
At 88:95, the Los Angeles Lakers, with everyone contributing under Kobe's leadership, successfully won this nationally televised game at home!
Derek Fisher's return to the Los Angeles Lakers allowed them to resume their familiar Triangle Offense, and the Los Angeles Lakers currently lead the Western Conference with a 4-1 record.
Although Kobe's shot attempts did not exceed 10 in any of the three games, and his statistics plummeted compared to last season, Phil Jackson was very satisfied with this.
After defeating the Timberwolves last night, the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man said excitedly at the post-game press conference:
"This is the Kobe I expect. Basketball is a five-man game, and as the core player, Kobe Bryant has done his job very well!"
"Just as Kobe Bryant said, statistics don't matter. We've had a perfect start now."
While victory is good, many fans who wanted to see Kobe score were disappointed.
Coupled with someone using the controlled variable method, Reddit has been in an uproar recently.
"Derek Fisher's return has put the Los Angeles Lakers back on track. Kobe Bryant is just imitating Clay Lee. He's not suited to dominate the ball, and his assist-to-turnover ratio is terrible."
The above statement comes from a New York Times column.
Too many points means stat-padding, too few points means lack of ability.
With no explosive statistics at the start of the season, everyone could only find their own entertainment.
Kobe, who had not fully recovered from knee surgery, paid no attention to outside evaluations.
He was adapting to his new role.
Derek Fisher's return was indeed a good thing.
Not having to play with Smush Parker in the backcourt made Kobe feel much more at ease.
Flying to Portland for a back-to-back road game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Kobe accepted an interview during the afternoon warm-up and, uncharacteristically, smiled.
He had forgiven Old Fish and even actively praised his teammate:
"Derek's return has been a great help to the team. As for scoring, I don't care at all!"
"I only took 7 shots, but I defeated Kevin Garnett, who took 18 shots. Now I just want to return to the Finals stage. I am a player who belongs there."
Winning makes one happy, and victory can cover up most problems.
For the first time, Kobe felt hope for the new season!
In the Staples Center, the Los Angeles Lakers players warming up were also in high spirits.
Achieving a perfect start when no one favored them was a wonderful thing for everyone.
Old Fish didn't hold back, accepting all praise from the sports reporters.
He even confidently stated to a Los Angeles Times reporter:
"I know how to win. I learned a lot with the Knicks. We can't be complacent yet."
"Throughout the long regular season, I will continue to be a leader in the locker room. I will make everyone understand that we need to play for each other."
Every time Derek Fisher was interviewed, he would mention his championships.
Although Kobe was annoyed by this, he was too lazy to argue with Old Fish for the sake of winning:
"Just assume he really learned how to lead a teamā¦"
The New York Knicks started the new season with a series of road games, and this week was another three-game road trip against the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs.
For a veteran like Clay Lee, who has played 10 seasons in the league, besides some discomfort from flying, there was no other feeling.
After flying to Denver and arriving at the Pepsi Center in the afternoon, the first thing Clay Lee saw was the promotional posters of Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony.
Although the Denver Nuggets had a 0-2 record since the start of the season, the ticket market was very hot.
A strong team doesn't necessarily mean good ticket sales.
The 76ers have been losing badly, but their attendance rate has remained in the upper-middle ranks of the league for years, largely due to Allen Iverson.
Tonight's game was still broadcast by ESPN.
"Arch-rivals" met again, and many fans were watching to see if Allen Iverson could break the curse.
In the Pepsi Center, the New York Knicks coaching staff stood on the sidelines, occasionally giving instructions, but most of the time, the players were free to warm up.
This season was Grant Hill's final year of his contract.
After exercising his player option, Grant Hill did not receive an offer from the New York Knicks.
Clearly, General Manager Donnie Walsh intended to optimize the veterans.
The 34-year-old Grant Hill's statistics hadn't declined much if only looking at the numbers.
His scoring included many fast breaks and off-ball cuts.
After being transformed, he had completely abandoned the playstyle of a star player.
Although the team seemed to have no intention of re-signing him, Grant Hill wasn't bothered.
At his age, he could at most sign one more contract, and retiring now would leave no regrets.
If this was the last season of his career, Grant Hill still hoped to make the All-Star team one more time.
Considering this, he joked to himself during the warm-up:
"Allen Iverson leaving the Eastern Conference is also a good thing. Fans will consider me more when voting."
Ron Artest still looked down on Allen Iverson, who only knew how to complain.
In late November, the All-Star voting channel was about to open.
Regarding this, he could only gloat:
"Maybe in the Western Conference, he won't even make the All-Star team. You know, Tracy McGrady is more popular. That guy isn't great at playing, but he has a lot of fans."
The two casually dribbled and shot, occasionally discussing this year's All-Star situation.
The All-Star starters in the Western Conference were indeed very competitive.
In the previous game against the San Antonio Spurs, Clay Lee had just scored a season-high 33 points.
His 11-for-17 performance earned high praise from commentators.
The shot attempts of a traditional point guard, the statistics of a combo guardāthis is how Lee has performed in the regular season in recent years.
As for the San Antonio Spurs surrendering too early and Lee only playing 34 minutes, this didn't spark much discussion, as the two teams would meet again on Saturday.
After returning home, Gregg Popovich had no reason to rotate early.
Surrounded by sports media early on, everyone was concerned about whether Allen Iverson could make history tonight.
An ESPN reporter went straight to the point, asking immediately:
"Clay, do you think Allen Iverson can break the curse tonight and get his first career win against the New York Knicks?"
Lee was speechless about terms like "curse" and "arch-rivals," but he knew it was the gimmick for tonight's game.
Not wanting to spoil the fun, he said solemnly:
"The Denver Nuggets are a strong team. Although they started with two consecutive losses, they will definitely rebound later."
"I hope Allen can prove himself again, but I don't intend to hand over the victory. As I said long ago, giving it your all is the best respect."
A Fox Sports reporter, eager for more drama, continued to stir the pot, bringing up Allen Iverson's recent complaints:
"Allen Iverson believes that the New York Knicks' success is due to an excessive concentration of excellent players. Lee, do you agree with his view?"
Since joining the Denver Nuggets, the highly scrutinized Allen Iverson has frequently appeared on various sports shows.
In an October interview, he discussed his failures and Lee's success.
Allen Iverson found another excuse for himself, believing that Larry Brown's transformation of him was a failure.
He could have developed into a combo guard but instead accepted the role of a shooting guard.
At the same time, looking back on his Philadelphia career, Allen Iverson expressed respect for the fans and, incidentally, complained about the management's incompetence.
This blame-shifting behavior received support from the Denver Nuggets fans, but Philadelphia sports media no longer spoke kindly of Allen Iverson.
As the new season had just begun, a fierce war of words erupted between the two sides.
"I've never denied that. After all, I couldn't win eight championships by myself. My teammates are, of course, the best in the league."
"I'm not interested in being a lone hero. I like to work with excellent players, and that's the secret to the Knicks' success!"
Lee's answer disappointed everyone a bit.
In recent years, the NBA has shown a trend towards fan-driven development, and sports media hoped to see "rival" matchups.
The situation of teammates becoming a burden has not yet happened to Lee.
In these years, the weakest the team has been was during the rookie Pau Gasol and injured Grant Hill periods.
Currently, everyone is on the rise.
The reporter from the Denver Post was a bit overconfident.
Although they had two consecutive losses in the new season, they had a mysterious confidence in their star combination:
"Clay, do you think the Denver Nuggets will become your future opponent? Does the New York Knicks feel pressure facing two scoring champion-level star players?"
"I think the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs have a better chance of reaching the Finals."
Hearing Lee's words, the atmosphere in the arena suddenly became joyful.
After hearing so much about adding Allen Iverson and aiming for the championship, some people actually believed it.
At 5:30 PM, half an hour before the game, Pepsi Center was already packed.
Allen Iverson's arrival ignited the fans' passion for the game!
In the home team's locker room, everyone was about to enter the court.
Carmelo Anthony, wearing a white headband, was constantly high-fiving and loudly instructing his teammates:
"Allen needs our support. Tonight, we're going to get a win for him!"
Allen Iverson, who had already entered a state of silence, was touched to see Carmelo Anthony actively rallying for him.
It was more enjoyable to play with true fans:
"The Denver fans are all watching us. Let's end this losing streak!"
With a determined expression, Allen Iverson proactively pulled his teammates into a huddle for a fist bump, then led them quickly towards the player tunnel.
Head Coach George Karl was also being interviewed by ESPN under the basket.
When asked about the team's poor start, the famous coach smiled confidently:
"We never worry about the regular season. With Allen joining the team, we'll only be thinking about the playoffs."
"That's the stage for superstars. Melo has a reliable helper, and this year we'll go even further!"
With national live broadcast and the new season just starting, the Denver fans in attendance were exceptionally enthusiastic, yelling frantically once the game began.
Allen Iverson did not disappoint the fans. He went all out in the first quarter, constantly attacking Lee with deliberate setups from his teammates, raising his arms in triumph after every successful shot!
However, as the game progressed, the situation of teammates becoming a burden gradually appeared.
In contrast, the New York Knicks remained unhurried, with Lee steadily controlling the game's tempo.
31:23. By the end of the first quarter, the noise in Pepsi Center had quieted down a bit.
Allen Iverson shot 4-for-10 in the single quarter, scoring 8 points, 1 assist, and 1 turnover, leading the team in scoring. Carmelo Anthony shot 3-for-6, also scoring 8 points.
The two, who played the entire first quarter, accounted for most of the team's points.
At the ESPN commentary desk, Hubie Brown could only tactfully comment after seeing the box score:
"Allen Iverson needs to integrate into the team. He has to get more people involved in the offense. Against the defending champions, it's hard to win relying solely on his individual ability."
To acquire Allen Iverson, the Denver Nuggets traded Ruben Patterson.
The starting shooting guard is now Yakhouba Diawara, an undrafted player this year who was completely invisible in the game.
Nene Hilario and Marcus Camby in the paint also didn't get much possession, spending most of their time running back and forth.
Mike Breen didn't seem to care about the Denver Nuggets' performance.
During the break between quarters, he continued to praise:
"The New York Knicks' transition offense is excellent. Clay Lee's passing successfully energized his teammates, and all five starters have scored."
"To close the gap, the Denver Nuggets should seize the opportunity during the rotation phase."
In the second quarter, the Denver Nuggets put Earl Boykins and Allen Iverson in the backcourt, Carmelo Anthony was replaced by Eduardo NƔjera, and the two starting big men remained in the paint.
The New York Knicks made extensive rotations, with Rajon Rondo and Raja Bell in the backcourt, and the frontcourt trio becoming Finley, Boris Diaw, and Gadzuric.
After the game began, Allen Iverson immediately hit a mid-range jump shot from the left elbow, but the Denver Nuggets fans celebrated too early, as a wave of missed shots soon followed.
Every possession started with Allen Iverson.
Nene Hilario failed to capitalize on his jump shots, and Boykins also went cold, until Marcus Camby drew a foul while fighting for an offensive rebound, finally breaking the scoring drought.
With 8 minutes and 19 seconds left in the first half, George Karl waved his hand, and Carmelo Anthony and Yakhouba Diawara immediately came to the sideline.
Lee also stepped up to the scorer's table at this time.
Both teams began making personnel adjustments during the free throw.
39:26. After Marcus Camby made one of two free throws, the deficit was still 13 points.
"Defense!"
The Denver Nuggets fans' emotions were affected, and their shouts were no longer as loud.
The visible gap left many feeling dejected.
Clapping his hands constantly to encourage his teammates, Allen Iverson, retreating to half-court, shouted loudly, reminding everyone to get into position in time.
As Lee dribbled with his left hand past mid-court, the New York Knicks again settled into a 1-3-1 zone.
Raja Bell and Finley moved towards the baseline, while Boris Diaw at the free-throw line began to shift his steps upwards.
Under Allen Iverson's confident direction, the Denver Nuggets did not choose to double-team.
Clay Lee, taking advantage of Boris Diaw's increased pace, immediately passed the ball, and then the two smoothly completed a hand-off.
Boris Diaw accelerated towards the right wing.
Iverson constantly adjusted his center of gravity, sliding his feet in time.
Facing Lee's lateral movement, he occasionally stepped forward to feign a steal, attempting to disrupt the dribbling rhythm.
Without complex fakes, the moment he reached the left wing, Lee suddenly changed direction with a crossover, switching to his right hand, lowering his center of gravity, and driving hard past Allen Iverson.
Increasing his stride while moving, Lee gradually gained more than half a step.
Iverson, sliding his feet desperately, widened his eyes, seemingly unable to believe he was so easily beaten.
As he approached the free-throw line, Iverson was about to lose his defensive position and quickly made a subtle tug.
The moment his hand moved, Lee immediately pulled the ball back with a crossover.
Due to inertia, Allen Iverson couldn't adjust his center of gravity in time and was instantly shaken into the paint.
Marcus Camby, who came up to help on Defense, also couldn't get there in time to contest, and both watched as Clay Lee released a mid-range jump shot.
The basketball swished through the net. On the New York Knicks bench, JR Smith and others cheered loudly.
After a moment of silence, Pepsi Center was filled with noise again.
Seeing the lead growing, Carmelo Anthony no longer held back.
On the offensive possession, he immediately demanded the ball in the right elbow area.
Facing Finley, after a simple left foot jab step, he immediately drove past him.
He drove hard to the basket and drew a foul.
Head Coach George Karl on the sideline applauded and then loudly reminded Iverson:
"Pay attention to Defense!"
Iverson saw the Head Coach point to his teammate, knowing this meant a double-team, and thinking of his ineffective single coverage, he finally nodded in agreement.
41:28, Carmelo Anthony made both free throws, and the Denver Nuggets responded promptly.
Lee, receiving the ball on the baseline, made the same tactical hand gesture, dribbled past half-court, and slowly moved towards the top of the arc.
As Finley shifted his feet, Carmelo Anthony suddenly stepped up to help on Defense.
Before the double-team could form, Lee smoothly passed the ball to Diaw, who received it with his back to the basket, then twisted his body and passed the ball to the right corner.
Finley, unguarded, had just arrived at the baseline.
He caught the ball without adjusting and sank another open three-pointer!
"Boo!"
With the opponent scoring so easily, the Denver Nuggets fans at the Pepsi Center could no longer hold back, and boos echoed throughout the arena.
Nene Hilario raised his hand, signaling it was his fault.
He hadn't expected Diaw to pass the ball without looking.
On the offensive possession, Carmelo Anthony tried the same trick again, but this time Finley didn't give the opponent an easy chance to receive the ball.
The two players jostled, and Allen Iverson didn't pass the ball again.
Calling Marcus Camby to set a screen at the top of the arc, Allen Iverson didn't wait for his teammate to get set.
While sliding to the right, he suddenly sped up his dribble, executing consecutive in-and-out crossovers.
Holding the ball in his right hand, Allen Iverson dropped his shoulder and accelerated, briefly shaking off Clay Lee.
Just a step past the three-point line, he stopped abruptly and, facing Lee's side-on closeout, he decisively shot an air ball.
The moment the opponent shot, Finley boxed out Carmelo Anthony behind him, and Diaw also wrestled with Nene Hilario under the basket.
Ultimately, the ball hit the front of the rim and was secured by Gadzuric with a twist of his body.
Allen Iverson realized something was wrong, but he could only watch the ball being tossed out, unable to pull back, as Lee rushed past him.
Amidst the boos from the Denver Nuggets fans at the Pepsi Center, Clay Lee rushed past half-court, easily scooped up the ball, ignored the chase-down Defense behind him, and took off just a step past the free-throw line, grabbing the ball with his right hand for a powerful one-handed dunk!
46:28, Head Coach George Karl frowned and called another timeout.
Nothing seemed to have changed.
Allen Iverson returned to his seat with a long face, fuming, and threw the towel offered by a teammate onto the floor, his expression beginning to contort.
On the New York Knicks side, everyone was beaming with joy.
JR Smith, draped in a towel, jumped onto the court, high-fived everyone in celebration, and didn't forget to taunt the opponent:
"I knew the Denver Nuggets weren't good. Oh! Allen Iverson is just a clown! 0 wins, 41 losses!"
"..."
Rajon Rondo also showed surprise.
He had truly seen something tonight, and he could clearly tell that Lee didn't care about guarding Allen Iverson.
He completely suppressed his opponent on both ends of the court.
As for the sycophant David Lee, he was already so pumped up that he was shouting loudly:
"Lee blew them out! The scoring champion is done for, it's our turn to shine!"
The 18-point deficit also broke Carmelo Anthony on the spot.
He didn't even know how they lost.
He had played according to the coaching staff's instructions, yet they still lost by so much.
After George Karl finished explaining the tactics, Carmelo Anthony stood up and shouted to his teammates:
"Give me the ball!"
After the timeout, the New York Knicks starting lineup returned.
A dejected Allen Iverson didn't attack in front, and Carmelo Anthony, facing Ron Artest's Defense, made a jab step before sinking a jump shot from the right block.
After completing his defensive matchup, Lee executed two consecutive between-the-legs dribbles at the top of the arc, switched to his left hand, dropped his shoulder, and accelerated, once again forcing a drive past Iverson.
Before Diawara on the left wing could reach out to help on Defense, Lee leaned into his defender near the elbow and suddenly spun like a top.
The moment he entered the paint, he grabbed the ball with his right hand and smoothly tossed it towards the rim.
Allen Iverson didn't even have time to make a defensive move before the ball swished through the net.
After Carmelo Anthony's strong drive to the basket from the right block and a missed turnaround layup, Chandler grabbed the rebound, and Grant Hill, receiving the ball, initiated another fast break.
The Denver Nuggets failed to retreat on Defense this time, and Nene Hilario was left behind Tayshaun Prince.
Despite Nene Hilario's loud shouts, Carmelo Anthony still charged directly towards Clay Lee, who was running to the right wing.
With no help on Defense, Grant Hill crossed half-court and delivered a perfect through-pass, assisting Tayshaun Prince for a fast-break dunk up the middle!
50:30, the lead extended to 20 points, and the Pepsi Center fell silent.
In the final few minutes of the first half, Allen Iverson struggled, missing consecutive field goals and becoming virtually invisible, aside from free throws.
The Denver Nuggets barely managed to stay in the game, relying on Carmelo Anthony's repeated attacks at the basket and second-chance rebounds.
On the final possession, Diawara, inbounding from the baseline, tried to find Allen Iverson, who had rushed past half-court.
After a long throw, the Denver Nuggets fans at the Pepsi Center let out another gasp.
"Oh!"
The moment Iverson received the ball and twisted his body, Lee suddenly rushed forward and stole the ball, then pursued it, sprinted past half-court, and after three long strides, pulled up for a running jump shot!
The timer light behind the rim flashed, and as if anticipating what was about to happen, the Pepsi Center suddenly fell silent.
The Denver Nuggets players watched Clay Lee twist his body and raise both hands in premature celebration, while the fans at the Pepsi Center watched the ball swish through the net, followed by scattered boos echoing through the Arena.
66:41, the first half ended, and the game lost its suspense.
1-of-6 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line in the quarter, Allen Iverson failed to step up in the crucial moments, scoring only 5 points, which made Hubie Brown on the commentary desk sigh quietly:
"It seems the Denver Nuggets still need to gel, and Head Coach George Karl has many problems to solve."
8-of-10 from the field, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, with 20 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal, Clay Lee's efficient performance kept Mike Breen praising him non-stop:
"Clay Lee once again demonstrated his dominance. It seems Allen Iverson won't be able to break the curse tonight."
"Continuing their charge towards the 11th championship in franchise history, Clay Lee will create another miracle!"
Although this was a nationally televised game, by the latter part of the 3rd quarter, the game had entered garbage time.
The New York Knicks began large-scale substitutions, while the Denver Nuggets did not pull their starting lineup.
Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony remained in, continuing to try and find their rhythm.
When Lee returned to the bench, he chatted with Grant Hill about All-Star voting, and their cheerful conversation seemed to provoke Allen Iverson on the court.
During a fast break, Rajon Rondo shook off Allen Iverson and attempted a dunk, but was grabbed around the neck and pulled down.
"Fuck you! Show some respect!"
Allen Iverson glared at Rajon Rondo, who stumbled to his feet.
Upon hearing the taunt, Rajon Rondo's anger surged.
This was garbage time, after all.
Apparently not expecting the rookie to dare attack him, when Rajon Rondo landed a backhand punch and a straight punch successively on Allen Iverson's face, the superstar staggered.
"Oh!"
Amidst the fans' gasps, Carmelo Anthony rushed forward and landed an old-fashioned punch on Rajon Rondo's face.
Before he could throw another punch, JR Smith, who had rushed up from behind, tackled him to the ground.
Both sides exchanged punches rapidly, and before the referees could react, the players who had rushed onto the court were already engaged in a brawl, prompting both commentators to exclaim simultaneously:
"God! How did the game suddenly turn into this?!"
....
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