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***
Quicken Loans Arena welcomed the conference finals after its renaming, which was definitely a good omen for Cleveland fans!
Although they lost both of the first two games by large margins, most Cavaliers fans didn't have high expectations.
Winning at home was enough.
The Eastern Conference was visibly weak, and the next few years would be a showdown between the Cavaliers and the Knicks.
Hoping a Rookie could defeat the defending Champion was less realistic than expecting the opponent to be defeated by time.
Under these circumstances, Cavaliers fans were particularly enthusiastic for their first home game of the conference finals.
Even though they only scored 18 points in the first quarter, it didn't affect their cheering for the home team.
In contrast, Van Gundy was a bit frustrated.
The Champion Coach also didn't ask for much.
He just hoped to give the fans an explanation.
One win was enough, at least to give everyone hope.
Unfortunately, even with the Knicks' extensive rotation, the Cavaliers couldn't seize the opportunity.
The game, which started at 8 PM, had been going on for over half an hour, and the second quarter had already been played for more than 2 minutes.
The scene could be described as a battle of attrition.
"Defense!"
Amidst the Defense cheers, LeBron James, who had just missed a jump shot in the left block area with a screen, quickly retreated on Defense, while Daniel Gibson, who had more playing time, stuck tightly to Rajon Rondo.
Back at home, the Cavaliers wore their white jerseys.
Gibson, like his boss, wore a white headband.
Fully equipped, he looked better than Larry Hughes's.
The Knicks' orange and blue away jerseys forced Rajon Rondo, who liked to wear headbands, to choose orange.
Also fully equipped, the two first-year Rookies competed fiercely on such a grand stage.
Almost pushing the 8-second violation to cross half-court, Rajon Rondo was somewhat uncomfortable facing Gibson's desperate entanglement.
Tonight's whistle had returned to the Cavaliers' side, and the opponent's Defense was more oppressive.
On the right wing, James noticed Diaw stepping to the top of the arc to receive the ball and immediately loudly warned Dwight Howard.
He had no choice but to follow out, trying to disrupt this hand-off play.
Receiving the ball at the top of the arc, Diaw stumbled a bit under the opponent's oppressive Defense, but he wasn't in a hurry to attack.
Instead, he turned his body and actively observed the Defense.
Rajon Rondo, who had passed the ball, moved to the left wing.
He was only responsible for secondary organization if the initial play failed.
On the other side, Tayshaun Prince first feigned a move to the top of the key for a hand-off, then suddenly accelerated and ran to the right corner.
Pavlovic, despite diligently guarding JR Smith, was still caught in a cross-screen.
As Diaw quickly made the pass, a horizontal pass, JR Smith, who popped out to the right wing near the right sideline, successfully received the ball.
He was still a step away from the three-point line but decisively jumped and shot.
"Oh!"
Amidst the cheers, the basketball hit the rim and bounced out.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas was still wrestling with Chandler, but the ball flew over both their heads.
Rajon Rondo seized the opportunity and picked up the offensive rebound in the left block area.
Van Gundy on the sidelines roared loudly.
By the time Gibson reacted, Rajon Rondo had already broken into the paint and completed a floater near the rim.
"Swish!" The two-point shot went in cleanly.
The Knicks were the first to break the scoring drought.
32:18. With 9 minutes and 47 seconds left in the half, the Cavaliers' staggered approach still didn't yield the desired results.
Rajon Rondo, retreating on Defense, clapped his hands repeatedly to encourage himself.
Tonight, he got playing time in the first quarter.
The opponent was double-teaming fiercely, so Mike D'Antoni simply made early substitutions and engaged in a Defense battle with the other side.
The double-digit deficit didn't affect the Cavaliers fans' emotions.
The cheering grew even louder.
Gibson, who received the ball on the baseline, advanced quickly and was immediately met with tight Defense from Rajon Rondo past half-court.
Both were first-year Rookies, but Rajon Rondo, relying on his excellent wingspan and experience from daily tough matchups, managed to suppress his opponent.
Forced to turn his body to protect the ball, Gibson began to wait for his boss to pop out and make a pass.
By the time LeBron James used a screen to pop out from the middle to the top of the arc, the horizontal pass from the left wing was half a beat too slow.
The moment he received the ball, Dwight Howard came up for a screen.
LeBron James put the ball down with his left hand and drove hard to the basket against Diaw, who had switched on Defense in time.
Chandler's help Defense position just cut off the passing lane.
The big man's symbolic step still affected LeBron James, who ultimately drove to the basket with the Defense hanging on and drew a foul.
His mid-air evasion caused Diaw to hit his hand.
Seeing the The Chosen One step to the free-throw line, cheers erupted once again.
At the TNT commentary desk, Doug Collins glanced at the statistics and saw LeBron James miss his first free throw, only able to tactfully comment:
"LeBron James played very smartly. Tayshaun Prince's chase-down Defense arrived immediately, and Dwight Howard's screen quality was very good, but it couldn't create more offensive space for him."
"It's not easy to cut the deficit to within 10 points just by relying on Defense."
32:19. The second free throw went in. LeBron James quickly retreated on Defense, constantly calling out to his teammates.
"With the same play, perhaps the Cavaliers could test Diaw's shooting, or actively switch on Defense. Dwight Howard needs to get closer to the basket."
Marv Albert also commented from the commentary desk when he saw Diaw again receive the ball at the top of the arc.
Seeing the opponent switch on Defense in time on the right wing, Diaw simply called Rajon Rondo again, delivered a hand-off pass, and then immediately ran to the left corner.
At the same time, Chandler quickly came to the top of the arc for a screen.
Taking advantage of his teammate's set position, Rajon Rondo, holding the ball in his right hand, feigned a lateral acceleration, then suddenly turned quickly the moment Gibson squeezed through the screen.
Regaining possession with his left hand, although he had an open shot from the three-point line after shaking off the Defense, Rajon Rondo lowered his center of gravity and accelerated forcefully to drive past Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who was playing drop Defense.
Using his speed to overpower the big man, gaining more than half a step, he noticed Dwight Howard shifting his feet.
While in motion, Rajon Rondo decisively passed the ball to Diaw in the left corner.
Facing an open shot again, Diaw didn't hesitate.
He decisively jumped and shot a corner three!
"Swish!" The three-point shot went in cleanly.
35:19. Watching the lead widen again, LeBron James on the court waved his hand in frustration.
Both were first-year Rookies, but his own Rookie couldn't shoot or defend.
The live director once again focused the camera on Lee.
Rajon Rondo's movements, though not as smooth, looked very similar.
Clay Lee, wearing a blue away practice uniform, was smiling and clapping along with the atmosphere group.
Rajon Rondo's performance tonight was better than in previous rounds, which had a lot to do with the opponent also being a Rookie.
There were always some issues when going around screens.
The main reason Van Gundy didn't trust Gibson was that the Rookie indeed made mistakes on Defense.
Amidst the cheers, LeBron James received the ball on the right side of the three-point line, near the sideline, with Tayshaun Prince chasing him.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas came up for a screen, and LeBron James immediately accelerated to the wing.
Chandler slid over for a hard hedge.
The big man's desperate closeout prevented LeBron James from accelerating and driving hard immediately.
By the time he reached the right wing, Tayshaun Prince had caught up from behind.
Seizing the opportunity when the big man couldn't recover in time, LeBron James dribbled through his legs and immediately stopped short, then smoothly passed the ball to Zydrunas Ilgauskas near the right baseline.
The veteran, using his height, caught and shot the ball.
It went in cleanly.
On the Cavaliers' bench, the atmosphere group also cheered loudly.
35:21. Van Gundy on the sidelines breathed a sigh of relief, but seeing Gibson lose his defensive position again on a screen, he angrily shouted again:
"Foul!"
The sudden double screen at the top of the arc made Gibson completely lose his defensive position.
Rajon Rondo once again drove hard past Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
Although the big man slid diligently, he still couldn't keep up with the smaller player's rhythm.
Suddenly stepping and stopping short near the left-lower side of the basket, he faked with the ball in his left hand, tricking the big man into jumping to block.
Rajon Rondo then smoothly turned, gathered the ball, and easily shot a floater!
"Oh!"
The brilliant crossover had many Cavaliers fans exclaiming in surprise, as the basketball swished through the net, and the New York Knicks bench erupted in cheers once more.
"What a fantastic shot! Rajon Rondo looks incredibly confident tonight!"
Marv Albert watched Rajon Rondo passionately pound his chest after retreating on Defense and was quite surprised.
This Rookie hadn't played like this in the previous two games.
Doug Collins, standing beside him, fell silent.
It proved that Larry Hughes was very important to the Cavaliers, and Van Gundy's trust was well-founded.
Executing the same double-screen play, LeBron James, holding the ball with his left hand at the top of the arc, faced Diop's drop Defense and forced a drive, only to be disrupted by Rajon Rondo's swipe near the left elbow.
He jumped to pass, finding Daniel Gibson in the left corner, who caught the ball and missed a jump shot.
Watching JR Smith collect the rebound near the right block, the Cavaliers could only quickly retreat on Defense.
JR Smith took the ball and sprinted, incredibly fast, immediately finding Tayshaun Prince charging up the middle, who received the pass just past mid-court.
Facing LeBron James, who was chasing him, Tayshaun Prince didn't stop the ball, instead smoothly passing it to Rajon Rondo on the right wing, leaving Daniel Gibson behind, forcing LeBron James to twist his body to help on Defense.
Driving inside the three-point line, Rajon Rondo's speed wasn't fast, but seeing LeBron James shift his feet, he immediately tossed the ball.
Tayshaun Prince, unguarded in the middle, jumped into the air, caught the ball with both hands, and easily slammed it into the basket!
37:21. Seeing Chandler even rush to the basket from behind, LeBron James, defending two players, was broken down again and actively called for a timeout from the coaching staff.
"Boo!"
Boos erupted in the Quicken Loans Arena, as the New York Knicks players celebrated with high-fives on the court, and some Cavaliers fans couldn't accept the fact that their home team was being suppressed by the opposing rotation.
On the Cavaliers bench, Larry Hughes remained outwardly calm, but inwardly, he felt a bit of joy.
He didn't like having his playing time stolen by a Rookie.
"Foul! If you lose your defensive position, commit a foul!"
"You're letting a Rookie put on a show out there, don't forget this is our home court!"
Jeff Van Gundy, sitting in front of everyone, angrily pounded the clipboard and roared, ignoring the cameras, and unleashing a tirade on his players.
Daniel Gibson was so chastised that he dared not look up.
LeBron James, who supported his younger teammate, felt even worse at that moment, and when he caught a glimpse of the faint smile on Larry Hughes's face, he became even more furious:
"Why is it that even their Rookie is performing so well?"
LeBron James, standing up to prepare to enter the game, once again had doubts surface in his mind, just as he couldn't understand why excellent three-point shooters would miss shots when they came to the team.
Opponents always performed better than the Cavaliers.
In the first possession after the timeout, LeBron James, switching to a strong drive to the basket with his right hand, again drew a foul from Diaw, earning free throws, and Mike D'Antoni immediately called Pau Gasol to enter the game.
Amidst the cheers of the Cavaliers fans, Diaw, walking towards the bench, looked relaxed, high-fiving everyone continuously, and when he returned to his seat, he muttered softly:
"This guy's sprint from beyond the three-point line is like a train! It's just his finishing that's a bit problematic."
"Nice work! After we win tonight, remember to bring out your treasured coffee. The Rookie is about to explode!"
Lee patted Diaw, who was sitting beside him, and then raised an eyebrow towards the court.
The Frenchman wasn't stingy either, and watching LeBron James make both free throws, he also quipped:
"The Rookie showdown, Rajon Rondo won, it's worth celebrating."
Rajon Rondo indeed entered the game completely as Lee expected, playing with confidence and picking up a few points in pace.
His clean in-and-out dribble at the top of the arc directly shook off Daniel Gibson.
Driving straight to the basket down the middle, Rajon Rondo noticed Dwight Howard quickly coming over to help on Defense, so he faked a shot and made a true pass, finding Pau Gasol trailing on the left side in the air, assisting his teammate for a two-handed dunk!
The Cavaliers actively sped up their offensive rhythm.
Pavlovic faked out JR Smith on the right wing, and his long two-point pull-up jumper missed.
The failed play at the top of the arc forced LeBron James to quickly retreat on Defense.
In a semi-transition offense, Rajon Rondo received the basketball from Chandler and chased the opponent across half-court.
Daniel Gibson didn't dare to stick too close, and as a result, Rajon Rondo calmly passed the ball.
JR Smith, using Chandler's screen, came to the top of the arc, received the ball unguarded, and immediately shot it.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in again.
40:23, the lead was still widening. On the Cavaliers bench, Thibodeau's brows were tightly furrowed.
Sticking with the starters was also his strategy, but they still couldn't beat the opponent.
In this series, the coaching staff only hoped to win one game at home, but looking at the New York Knicks players who were getting better and better, several assistant coaches fell silent.
After continuous ball movement, seeing that most of the shot clock had expired, Daniel Gibson received a cross-court pass from LeBron James and drove to the basket from the right wing.
Rajon Rondo continuously slid backward and to the left, controlling his defensive position while cutting off the opponent's passing lanes.
Facing Chandler's help Defense, Daniel Gibson's high bank shot ultimately clanked off the rim.
The invisible Dwight Howard was called for a foul for pulling, and his drastically declining tactical role put him in a bad mood.
At this moment, he loudly complained to the referee:
"Damn it, you should look at the opponent's hand movements! Don't just call random fouls on me!"
The Cavaliers fans on site also started chanting "Referee suck!"
The New York Knicks' delay in bringing in all their starters made many feel humiliated.
Amidst the jeers, Chandler's solid pick-and-roll at the top of the arc allowed Rajon Rondo to easily shake off his defender.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas dropped back too deep and was beaten by a bounce pass.
Chandler received the ball on the roll and attacked the rim directly, eventually being pulled down by a frustrated Dwight Howard.
With two fouls in a short period, Dwight Howard was immediately taken out due to four fouls.
Van Gundy on the sidelines didn't console the Rookie.
Such foolish plays gave him a headache.
Returning to his seat, Dwight Howard watched Chandler on the court clapping his hands repeatedly, gloating, which made him even angrier.
The "happy big boy" threw his towel in frustration for the first time.
"Coach is right! I think you understand that!"
Larry Hughes stood up, left a remark, and walked to the scorer's table.
Daniel Gibson, who was substituted, kept his head down and said nothing. 1-for-5 shooting, scoring 2 points, he proved his inadequacy with his performance.
Dwight Howard left the game in less than half a quarter, and Drew Gooden paired with Zydrunas Ilgauskas significantly lowered the Cavaliers' defensive intensity afterward.
The New York Knicks' wing players also began to rotate, and Ron Artest's entry made it difficult for LeBron James to receive the ball.
He had intended to speed up the offensive rhythm, but instead, it became slower and slower.
Fortunately, Zydrunas Ilgauskas found his shooting touch.
As time passed in the game, watching Pau Gasol easily respond in the low post, the emotions of the Cavaliers fans on site were also affected.
Clay Lee re-entered the game with 4 minutes and 39 seconds left in the first half.
The big man's delayed Defense after the pick-and-roll always allowed Lee to find opportunities.
The New York Knicks' interior players continuously scored easy baskets, finally making Van Gundy slump back into his seat in frustration.
In the final moments, Larry Hughes sent Clay Lee to the free-throw line again.
LeBron James, standing by the paint, helplessly put his hands on his hips:
"The strength gap is too big..."
62:38. When the first half ended, only the New York Knicks players were cheering loudly.
The game had lost its suspense again.
Rajon Rondo, walking towards the player tunnel, was emotional.
4-for-6 shooting, 8 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal.
Although the stats looked unremarkable, for the first time, he felt like he had controlled the game's rhythm.
Hill smiled and ruffled the Rookie's head. Rajon Rondo heard the boos from the fans on both sides and loudly kept yelling:
"Don't you dare use a Rookie to guard me! Otherwise, I'll blow past all you softies!"
"..."
...
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