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12th man to Cricket legend. It's a cricket book for cricket lovers only.
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***
After the new season began, the team that disappointed fans the most was probably the Denver Nuggets.
After losing to the 76ers, they started the season with 5 consecutive losses, becoming the only team in the league without a win.
Before the fans broke down, George Karl was already desperate from the losses.
The Knicks' suspension had no impact, but the Denver Nuggets truly had no one left.
On Monday, November 13th, early in the morning, ESPN's SportsCenter announced the Denver Nuggets' 5-game losing streak to fans, and also played an interesting interview:
"I think Philadelphia's biggest mistake was drafting Allen Iverson. Thank him for his contributions to the team, but we must look forward."
This was a scene of a local fan being interviewed after the game when Allen Iverson returned to Philadelphia with the team for the first time after the trade.
That night, the 76ers overwhelmingly defeated the Denver Nuggets.
After the game, even Coach Maurice Cheeks didn't speak well of the team's core player from last season, simply stating blandly in an interview:
"Allen is good, but he's not suitable to be a core player. This has nothing to do with attitude. It's just that his basketball skill level cannot support the team in reaching a higher stage."
Even if the two had a conflict, these words deeply hurt the Son of Philadelphia and his loyal fans.
Translated into language everyone can understand, it means:
"Allen Iverson plays well, he's just too bad."
Since being subjected to Rajon Rondo's combination punches, Allen Iverson not only didn't receive sympathy but also suffered a drastic drop in prestige.
In less than half a week, he had already become the league's laughingstock.
Not every player liked Allen Iverson's style.
Before, he was a superstar, and everyone praised him.
Now that he was punched by a Rookie, more and more people were gloating and kicking him while he was down.
After returning to New York on Sunday, Lee appeared on the Knicks' own show and once again praised his opponent.
True friendship is seen in adversity.
In this situation, Lee went against the current, not only not kicking him while he was down but also acknowledging Allen Iverson's strength:
"I understand Allen Iverson. He is an excellent scorer."
"Many times, statistics cannot measure a player's strength, and Allen Iverson is a true fighter. He will not be crushed by public opinion."
After watching the show, many fans praised Clay Lee:
"True GOAT," "God of Basketball," "Born Winner," "New York King"âvarious flashy titles emerged from the fans' mouths.
New York fans even shouted on Reddit:
"Clay Lee has already forgiven Allen Iverson's reckless behavior. He should show gratitude!"
"."
On Monday morning, in a New York Times column, a basketball critic took this opportunity to praise Lee again, and by the way, also stepped on the silent Carmelo Anthony:
"Carmelo Anthony should feel guilty for his reckless actions. His cowardly behavior is likely to ruin the Denver Nuggets' record."
Not speaking was also a mistake.
Several New York Media outlets even started digging up old dirt, stripping Carmelo Anthony of his few honors:
"Now it seems LeBron James should have received the Rookie of the Year award. Carmelo Anthony should be glad he's in the Western Conference. He's overrated!"
The tide of public opinion changed too quickly.
Now, the victim must apologize.
The Cavaliers, who flew to Manhattan last night, witnessed the big reversal of the brawl incident.
No one cared about Rajon Rondo's disrespectful words anymore.
Now, public opinion was that Allen Iverson needed to express gratitude.
The usually happy Dwight Howard's mind was a mess after reading the newspaper and watching the show during breakfast.
If he remembered correctly, it was Allen Iverson who was humiliated.
LeBron James, however, didn't care about these verbal battles.
The Cavaliers' 5-1 record was second only to the Knicks.
His era was approaching, and an outdated star wasn't worth paying attention to.
"Larry, give it your all in tonight's game. We need to maintain our current momentum!"
The Cavaliers' starting players gathered for breakfast.
Hearing LeBron James's instructions, Larry Hughes was displeased but nodded without showing any emotion.
From internal rumors, Larry Hughes learned that LeBron James intended to trade him, which made him very resentful.
His poor performance, in addition to injuries, also had tactical reasons.
His new teammates' patience was worse than he imagined.
Larry Hughes's biggest regret at the moment was complaining to his former teammate during the offseason.
After being backstabbed, LeBron James and his relationship were no longer "as close as brothers."
Erik Snow, as a fake starter, also had a tough time.
With tactics becoming increasingly concentrated, his shooting flaws were magnified, and the countdown to his departure had begun.
Among the starting lineup, only Zydrunas Ilgauskas and LeBron James had the best relationship.
This outdated All-Star was a staunch supporter of the The Chosen One.
Looking at LeBron James instructing his teammates, he couldn't help but sigh:
"Fourth year, maybe we can go further!"
Due to the Knicks having four more games this week, and also four around Thanksgiving, the dense schedule led the coaching staff to cancel practice on game days.
After Lee dropped Scarlett off at work in the morning, he returned home.
Around noon, Scarlett, who was about to have breakfast, came to the study.
Before Thanksgiving, she would celebrate her 22nd birthday, which coincided with the holiday.
The little succubus had been a bit indulgent over the weekend.
Now, snuggled into his arms, she didn't look at the content of the emails on the computer and muttered:
"Honey, the movie might lose money. I think the current cheesy script is terrible!"
Since Robert Downey Jr. was chosen, Lee stopped paying attention to Marvel's progress.
Merrill Lynch and Marvel shareholders had the budget tightly controlled, which he agreed with, as this was only the first movie.
However, if the movie really flopped, Marvel's stock price would be affected, and Lee would likely lose even more.
Scarlett's heart ached at the thought of the 65 million, and she had been following movie news daily during this time.
Most of the emails were about Axe Capital and the progress of acquiring neighbors.
During the transition of power, no unexpected problems arose.
As Lee carefully browsed, Scarlett, in his arms, was also complaining about the movie:
"A cheesy love story," "a third-rate comedy," "iron cans fighting."
Lee also had emails about the script and filming progress.
The little succubus felt it was doomed after seeing them and was still worried about a stock price crash until Lee held her large, soft breasts, and she chuckled softly, giving him a kiss.
"Don't worry about this movie. Even if it loses money, we'll have to keep making more in the future. We need to go take care of Melinda, and I'll also get you some lunch."
Lee helped the succubus in his arms pull up her shoulder strap.
Scarlett, breathing a bit heavily, simply adjusted her posture, straddled him, and whispered.
Soon, soft laughter filled the study.
Lee strictly demanded himself, actively adding extra practice, and persistently honing his skills.
At 7 PM that night, half an hour before the game began, Jeff Van Gundy, back in New York again, was in an exceptionally good mood.
After the Heat achieved a 2-5 record, more and more basketball critics began to speak up for Stan Van Gundy.
Whenever Jeff Van Gundy saw these news, he felt a sense of relief:
"The Van Gundy cannot be insulted!"
Although the greasy-haired big shot was their mentor, Van Gundy felt he had surpassed his master and should now be on equal footing with him.
Tonight's game was not broadcast nationally, but the New York reporters on the sidelines were still very considerate, proactively interviewing Van Gundy, who was gaining momentum since the start of the new season:
"We have delivered on our talent! In fact, it's earlier than I expected!"
"I believe the combination of LeBron and Dwight can succeed. This season, the young men will achieve more honors."
Van Gundy's dark circles had diminished considerably recently.
His excellent record made his bald head shine again.
Looking at LeBron James warming up, a look of relief appeared on his face.
Slamming down a dunk from time to time, Dwight Howard tried his best to perform, showing his loyalty whenever he had the chance.
This Rookie's desire for a big contract was basically known to all.
On the other side, Mike D'Antoni also didn't go AFK as usual.
The suspension still affected the team's rotation, but fortunately, Gadzuric's return solved the rebounding problem.
"Seven consecutive wins are great, but I'd rather praise everyone's condition. The young men didn't relax during the offseason, and we can establish a record advantage early!"
Mike D'Antoni showed his demeanor as a famous Head Coach.
When talking about the record, his expression was calm.
The Dallas Mavericks started with 3 wins and 4 losses, and currently, the New York Knicks' championship shouts are getting louder and louder.
Walt Frazier was also helping Grant Hill campaign before the game.
If this was Grant Hill's last season with the New York Knicks, everyone wanted to send this outdated "Jordan successor" to the All-Star game:
"Grant's performance since the start of the season has been excellent. He is another engine on the court, continuously providing intensity for the team on both offense and Defense."
"I think New York fans will definitely not be stingy with their votes. Before the end of the first voting phase, everyone still needs to work harder!"
"âŠ"
Mike Breen, after becoming ESPN's chief commentator, still didn't put down his New York Knicks work.
Hearing the words of the famous player, he wasn't worried about Grant Hill being left out.
After all, the NBA also values human relationships.
As long as the New York Knicks have an excellent record, even if Grant Hill can't get into the starting lineup, he can still be selected into the substitute roster by the coaches.
"In the Cavaliers' last game against the Celtics, Dwight Howard scored a double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds."
"His growth rate is faster than we expected. With the Heat showing signs of falling behind, this year's Cavaliers might become our biggest opponent!"
The two began to discuss the Cavaliers' substitute lineup at the commentary table.
Drew Gooden, Damon Jones, and Donyell Marshall have all been in excellent form recently.
David Wesley joined the Cavaliers on a veteran minimum contract, and this veteran is also using his rich experience to help the team.
While warming up, Lee accidentally noticed a familiar figure in the Cavaliers' coaching staff.
Charlie Ward was currently pulling Erik Snow aside and talking non-stop.
Re-hired after retirement, Lee felt for the first time that he hadn't lost unjustly in the competition for the starting position back then.
Charlie Ward was definitely Van Gundy's true love.
The game officially began at 19:30.
As Dwight Howard successfully jumped for the ball, a cry of Defense quickly echoed through the Madison Square Garden:
"Defense!"
After Erik Snow dribbled past half-court, he passed the ball early, leading Clay Lee to run to the right wing.
LeBron James at the arc looked serious, loudly calling out to his teammates, and soon Larry Hughes began to cut along the baseline and pop out.
In the left block area, with the help of Dwight Howard's screen, Larry Hughes briefly shook off the Defense.
After receiving the pass, he didn't adjust, drifting to the right as he jumped for a shot that clanked off the rim.
The New York Knicks' starting twin-tower lineup still played a role.
Dwight Howard and Gadzuric pulled apart below the left side of the basket, and the rebound was ultimately secured by Chandler.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas didn't fight for the rebound with full effort but retreated early.
As the tallest player on the court, he had to establish his defensive position in advance.
The Cavaliers started perfectly, relying on their excellent Defense.
When Lee accelerated past half-court, the opponent had already completed their defensive matchups.
Following Tayshaun Prince to the right corner, the Cavaliers started with man-to-man Defense.
LeBron James, fully invested at this moment, loudly reminded his teammates to switch, constantly shouting Dwight Howard's name:
"Howard!!"
In a "V-shape" stance, under the double screen at the top, Lee, with the ball in his left hand, accelerated horizontally.
With the help of the two big men, he easily shook off Snow.
Facing Dwight Howard, who switched onto him, Lee suddenly stopped short on the left wing, faking a breakthrough with a crossover.
While raising his center of gravity, he dribbled the ball between his legs again, taking advantage of his opponent's slide.
Dwight Howard, with his right arm extended, didn't have time to adjust his center of gravity before Clay Lee, with a sudden increase in stride, forcefully squeezed past him from his right side.
Larry Hughes, guarding the left corner, had just moved his feet when Lee, having gained more than half a step, gathered the ball early while moving, leaning forward, grabbing the ball with his left hand, and extending for a scoop layup!
Dwight Howard didn't have time to block the shot.
Below the basket, Gadzuric, who had cut down, also squeezed into a favorable position.
As the ball hit the backboard high and swished through the net, cheers immediately echoed through the Madison Square Garden.
Dwight Howard, full of desire to perform, clapped his hands under the basket, showing a regrettable expression, and muttering:
"Damn it! Just a little bit off!"
With blue armbands on both arms, combined with his muscular physique, Dwight Howard was loved by many fans this year.
When the Cavaliers attacked again, it was LeBron James who received the ball on the left wing after using a teammate's screen.
The paint was crowded at the start, so when Dwight Howard successfully posted up on the left low block, he immediately lobbed the ball inside.
Tayshaun Prince didn't relax, still sticking tightly to LeBron James.
However, Dwight Howard, who received the ball, didn't intend to pass.
After putting the ball down with his left hand, he backed down forcefully, then jumped horizontally into the paint.
Gadzuric hadn't completely lost his position, and Chandler, who helped on Defense under the basket, also jumped to interfere.
Ultimately, the ball bounced off the rim.
The rebound was again easily secured by Chandler.
Dwight Howard angrily punched the air, continuing his performance, and soon heard LeBron James's shouts again.
The New York Knicks' counterattack was incredibly fast.
As Lee, with the ball in his left hand, reached the left wing, Gadzuric, trailing behind, immediately stepped up to screen.
Despite being warned, Lee quickly performed an in-and-out dribble, faking right and going left, easily deceiving Snow.
Dwight Howard hurriedly raised his right arm again, sliding backward and to the right.
When breaking through near the left block, Lee suddenly slowed down.
As Snow caught up on Defense, he slightly pulled the ball back, twisting his shoulder backward.
On Defense, both players stopped simultaneously.
The next second, Lee lowered his center of gravity, quickly twisted his body, and while leading the ball forward, instantly squeezed past Dwight Howard's side.
Amidst the cheers of the home fans, Clay Lee, with his sudden stops and starts, shook off the Defense and easily reached the lower right side of the basket with Dwight Howard in pursuit.
He grabbed the ball with his right hand and scored with a reverse layup!
0:4. The roaring Madison Square Garden caused Head Coach Van Gundy on the sidelines to frown.
On the Cavaliers' bench, Assistant Coach Charlie Ward was exceptionally excited, wishing he could go play himself, constantly clapping and shouting.
Dwight Howard didn't perform this time.
Frowning, he realized something was wrong.
Was the opponent targeting him?
Since the start of the new season, this situation had never occurred.
Dwight Howard's growth was evident to all, and opposing teams sometimes avoided him when facing him.
LeBron James called for the ball early.
The moment he reached the right wing, Zydrunas Ilgauskas immediately stepped up to screen.
With a body-front crossover, LeBron James, now with the ball in his left hand, attempted to cut to the basket.
However, observing that Chandler had already dropped back early, and both big men were moving in the restricted area, he simply sent a bounce pass when he neared the free-throw line.
In the right block area, Zydrunas Ilgauskas received the ball with no one in front of him, and his mid-range jump shot swished through.
Relieved, LeBron James actively high-fived his Good Brother to celebrate.
This was truly the most reliable helper!
"Let's go Knicks!"
The familiar shouts of encouragement invigorated the Cavaliers as they returned to Defense.
Snow, leading the Defense, saw Lee pass the half-court line and immediately called for a switch.
Larry Hughes immediately stuck to Lee, who had just completed a hand-off with Hill, and slid continuously to the right, attempting to force Lee towards the left sideline.
As he neared the sideline, Lee immediately dribbled behind his back, and Larry Hughes quickly adjusted his center of gravity.
While observing the Defense, Lee, with the ball now in his right hand, suddenly executed an In and Out move, his body feinting to the front-right while instantly changing direction in front of his body.
Instinctively sliding to the left, Larry Hughes felt the basketball suddenly disappear in front of him, and before he could adjust his balance, Lee squeezed past him from his right side.
With his teammate beaten, Dwight Howard was in an awkward position under the left side of the basket.
He wanted to step up and delay, but also worried about Gadzuric getting an easy dunk beside him.
In his hesitation, Dwight Howard ultimately watched as Lee stopped short near the restricted area, faked out the trailing Larry Hughes, and calmly sank a mid-range jump shot!
"Swish!" Two more points.
"It seems the Cavaliers' DPOY is in trouble; Dwight Howard really needs help, they still can't limit Clay Lee!"
The cheers in the Madison Square Garden were constant, and Mike Breen was in high spirits.
The Cleveland sports media had praised their Defense to the heavens, but at this moment, it was easily breached.
Walt Frazier noticed the opponent speeding up their offensive pace, and when he saw LeBron James pull up and shoot from beyond the arc after a screen on the left wing, he couldn't help but exclaim:
"It seems Head Coach Van Gundy has also made a change!"
The three-pointer clanked off the rim, and Head Coach Van Gundy on the sidelines looked somewhat displeased, feeling a silent bitterness.
Voluntarily speeding up the offensive pace was not the game plan set before the match.
Regrettably, as ball possession became more concentrated, LeBron James was no longer the obedient Rookie, and victory could hide some problems, but Head Coach Van Gundy was already tending towards being forced into a passive role.
After grabbing the long rebound, Lee accelerated along the left sideline, and before he could even approach the left wing, Larry Hughes was already hot on his heels.
Snow attempted to establish a defensive position at the three-point line, but Lee's bounce pass precisely found Hill cutting down the middle.
The latter received the ball and, with LeBron James retreating to the right corner, drove straight to the basket, and as Hill dished the ball to a wide-open Tayshaun Prince, the three-pointer swished through the net unopposed!
2:9, the Cavaliers were trailing again to start the game.
Head Coach Van Gundy, shouting loudly from the sidelines, did not call a timeout.
The Cavaliers were in a scoring drought, and facing the retreating big men and crowded paint, all their outside jump shots were misfiring.
The Knicks' shooting percentage also began to drop, but the lead was still gradually widening.
When LeBron James found Zydrunas Ilgauskas again, the latter was unguarded in the left restricted area, and despite Chandler's symbolic interference, he misfired again.
"Why can't we make open jump shots?"
LeBron James cursed under his breath and hustled back on Defense.
Gadzuric secured the rebound and found Lee, who was coming to receive the ball.
Both teams' players ran towards half-court.
At the top of the arc, Snow had just stopped, and Lee, without waiting for the trailing big men to catch up, slowed down slightly before suddenly changing direction in front of his body.
As he lowered his center of gravity, the ball switched to his left hand, and Lee gained more than half a step, driving hard to the basket through the middle, flying low to the ground.
As LeBron James rushed to defend in the paint, Clay Lee slowed down slightly while moving, then circled the basket with the two trailing defenders.
When he reached the bottom right of the basket, taking advantage of the returning defenders' attention being on him, Lee used the defender to fake a return to the paint, but the ball was subtly tossed to the right corner.
The wide-open Grant Hill caught the ball, briefly aimed, and successfully made the jump shot!
"Swish!" The ball swished through the net.
"Oh!"
Amidst the cheers that erupted through the Madison Square Garden, the Cavaliers finally called a timeout.
LeBron James walked expressionlessly towards the bench, and as he sat down, a question resurfaced in his mind:
"Why can the opponent always make shots?"
2:16, with 6 minutes and 58 seconds left in the first quarter.
On the Cavaliers' bench, Head Coach Van Gundy drew a couple of things on his tactical board, briefly explained, then looked around at everyone and said loudly:
"We're playing well, we're creating a lot of open opportunities, believe in each other."
According to the initial game plan, LeBron James needed to first get his teammates involved.
His driving threat could create more offensive space, but both Good Brother and Larry Hughes were shooting bricks.
In the first possession after the timeout, LeBron James did not continue to pass the ball according to the set play, but instead called for Drew Gooden, who had just come in off the bench, and after a screen on the right wing, he hit a long two-point jump shot.
4:16, the Cavaliers finally broke their scoring drought.
Damon Jones, who had just entered the game, actively stepped up to defend and interfere with Lee, who was speeding across half-court, but his aggressive Defense couldn't squeeze past the double screen at the top.
Drew Gooden, who had just entered the game, seemed not yet in rhythm, shrinking inside the three-point line, and watched as Lee, dribbling with his left hand and moving horizontally, pulled up for a jump shot from beyond the three-point line!
Watching the ball swish through the net, LeBron James, who had just scored, couldn't help but curse under his breath.
Eight seconds?
In the following few minutes, Mike D'Antoni, seeing that the opponent consistently couldn't find their rhythm, brought in Boris Diaw early, making the lineup smaller.
With a large lead, the game's pace was firmly controlled by Clay Lee.
LeBron James failed to find opportunities for transition offense, and his face was long when he was sent to the free-throw line.
After Raja Bell and Finley entered the game, the Cavaliers were forced to speed up as well.
Dwight Howard's offensive rebounds and Damon Jones's forced three-pointers barely kept the score close.
Watching Lee slow down at the top of the arc, then execute a quick between-the-legs dribble and a rapid in-and-out move to shake off Damon Jones again, Dwight Howard under the basket couldn't hold back anymore and started moving his feet early.
Lee, who had driven into the paint, casually tossed the ball, and Dwight Howard reluctantly turned his head.
Under the right side of the basket, Chandler finally got an easy dunk, pulling hard on the rim after a two-handed slam, then pounding his chest and roaring upon landing.
The baseline referee seemed to have had enough and eventually called a violation, gifting the Cavaliers a free throw.
In the last few possessions, Larry Hughes finally found his shooting touch, hitting a mid-range jump shot.
An exasperated Dwight Howard began to mindlessly over-help, allowing Lee to easily drive past him on the right wing after a screen, connecting with Chandler for another alley-oop.
The consecutive alley-oop dunks completely ignited Madison Square Garden, and when Damon Jones's super-long three-pointer clanked off the rim, the cheers nearly burst through the arena.
15:37, the game returned to the rhythm most familiar to the fans.
5-for-5 shooting, 10 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal; with the Cavaliers shooting 6-for-25 in the first quarter, Clay Lee's performance was highlighted as particularly outstanding.
LeBron James, back on the bench, was breathing heavily.
His stamina wasn't an issue, he just felt mentally exhausted, and looking at Head Coach Van Gundy, who kept giving motivational speeches, a peculiar emotion arose in his heart:
"Sure enough, the bottleneck is with the coaching staff."
.....
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