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***
On June 2, 2001, after Game 1 of the Finals, the NBA and advertisers were all smiles.
Seemingly having completely shaken off the impact of the lockout caused by the labor dispute, the viewership for Game 1 exceeded 20 million in the latter half of the game.
It is predictable that as the schedule progresses, viewership will continue to rise, and if the script is good enough, breaking 30 million and returning to the peak of the early 90s is highly possible.
Of course, many fans also complained about too many commercial timeouts, too many free throws, and a slow pace.
Fans watching live at Madison Square Garden couldn't feel it, but viewers in front of their TVs could even see Jeff Van Gundy drinking sugar-free Pepsi.
Coupled with commercials during timeouts and close-ups of Clay Lee's shoes during free throws, this blatant promotion was heavily criticized after the game.
Shaquille O'Neal's toe was uncomfortable, so he couldn't attend the press conference, and Phil Jackson, who was surrounded, could only continue to make promises:
"Our goal is to get an away win!"
"..."
The 15-0 dream was shattered.
After the game, commentators noticed many things, and the Lakers' rotation seemed insufficient.
Horace Grant, who was almost 36, was just there to make up the numbers.
Although the veteran was bulky, his low-post single-player offense repeatedly missed.
His layups near the basket clanked off the rim, and his weak performance almost stunned Lakers fans.
Veteran Brian Shaw didn't contribute much either, and Ron Harper and Tyronn Lue didn't even get a minute of playing time.
The team played with a seven-man extreme rotation, and only Horry performed adequately.
Lakers players hadn't spoken yet, but as a team legend, Magic Johnson, who came to New York with the team, actively accepted his first interview.
A large number of media reporters failed to corner O'Neal at the hotel in the morning, so being able to interview Magic Johnson was an unexpected surprise:
"I didn't see the desire to win in the Lakers. They played too soft. Throughout the game, the opponent controlled the pace of the game."
"In the Showtime era, we ran more than our opponents and were more aggressive on Defense. These qualities have now completely disappeared."
"Watching the game from the box, every time I saw Clay Lee accelerate from the backcourt to complete a layup, I wanted to question the players, 'What are they doing? This is the Finals!'"
"Core players must shoulder the responsibility of being leaders. Unfortunately, I didn't see these things in Game 1."
"..."
Magic Johnson, without his signature smile, looked particularly angry, obviously unable to accept the fact that they were broken by fast breaks.
Shaquille O'Neal, who played 45 minutes in Game 1, shot 19 of 30 from the field, 10 of 22 from the free-throw line, and scored a game-high 48 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 turnovers, finally accepted an interview after the afternoon training session.
With the Lakers legends all speaking out, O'Neal, as the team's leader, naturally had to give an explanation to the fans and his predecessors:
"The loss is my responsibility, but one loss will not affect our confidence."
"..."
O'Neal's tone was low as he spoke platitudes, and he was in a very bad mood.
Aside from his decline in performance due to fatigue in the fourth quarter, he felt he couldn't do any more.
The New York Post reporter, hearing O'Neal avoid mentioning the best playoff record, found an opportunity to jokingly fan the flames:
"Shaq, do the Lakers still have a chance to tie the best playoff record in history?"
Theoretically, the Lakers could still achieve 15-1.
The media reporters surrounding him all extended their microphones to Shaquille O'Neal.
"I don't care about records, I just want to pursue victory!"
"..."
O'Neal held back for a while before saying this, which drew laughter from everyone.
The Lakers staff quickly ushered the dark-faced Shaq away.
The more he spoke, the more mistakes he would make.
It was time to remain silent.
On the other side, Kobe became invisible again.
In Game 1, he played 47 minutes, shot 7 of 18 from the field, 0 of 1 from three-point range, and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line, scoring 17 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers.
Kobe was naturally very dissatisfied with this performance.
However, the Lakers' offensive pace was not fast, with only 77 field goal attempts in total.
O'Neal had a lot of ball possession, so others could only play a supporting role.
They shot 4 of 15 from three-point range, and unlike previous playoff games, the three-point magic of Derek Fisher and others was gone.
When Kobe accepted the interview, he couldn't help but grumble in a low voice:
"We need to speed up the offensive pace, and outside players also need to step up in time to share the offensive pressure. In the next game, we absolutely cannot let the opponent score easily again."
Even though Phil Jackson repeatedly offered encouragement, the losing Kobe still questioned the team's offensive choices.
No one likes to pass the ball to the big man in the paint after crossing half-court and then have to work hard on Defense to chase after opponents.
This season, after Shaquille O'Neal's injury, his training intensity decreased, his weight increased, and his participation in fast breaks also decreased.
The entire team took care of their leader.
Kobe, who had been misfiring, wanted to complain a bit more but was quickly pulled away by the team staff.
The Finals had a high level of discussion, and some commentators had already started gossiping about the internal conflicts within the Lakers.
Winning Game 1, the Knicks coaching staff didn't dare to be careless, after all, O'Neal shot 60% from the field, and this efficient performance was very likely to continue throughout the series.
Jeff Van Gundy didn't expect Clay Lee to perform efficiently in every game.
For outside players, a 50% shooting percentage was already heavenly.
The interior Defense was severely lacking, and the game seemed to turn into a math problem.
The Bald Young Coach yearned for a defensive big man even more.
With one inside and one outside, the configuration would be balanced, and the Defense would be even better.
This was his ideal team.
After the afternoon training session, Jeff Van Gundy didn't forget to encourage Ben Wallace.
There was really no one left in the interior rotation.
Bringing in Rookies and veterans made rebound issues even more likely.
"Ben, don't mind external evaluations. Focus on the game and ensure rebounds."
"Defense is never a one-man job, so don't put too much pressure on yourself. Family is important!"
If nothing unexpected happened, O'Neal would continue to relentlessly attack the paint throughout the series, and Ben's tough days were still ahead.
Most commentators in the newspapers didn't give Ben Wallace a very good review.
The most prominent article in the New York Times that morning was:
"Clay Lee Shattered the Lakers' Illusion!"
Many other commentators praised Lewis's performance, who shot 4 of 9 from the field, 3 of 6 from three-point range, and scored a team-third-high 15 points.
Hearing the coach's words, Ben Wallace was still somewhat disappointed.
Even though everyone on the Knicks gave him a lot of encouragement today, he couldn't feel happy.
Regardless of the victory, he just wanted to gain more recognition.
Second-year Ron Artest didn't have many ulterior motives.
Winning, receiving praise, enjoying fan cheers, and incidentally showing off in front of a bunch of relatives and friends—he was happy all day long and couldn't stop.
A large number of reporters surrounded the Tarrytown Training Center.
During the training session, everyone noticed Lee repeatedly saying:
"We must shoot decisively!"
Winning one game, Lee didn't show much change in emotion.
As a three-peat team, except for Finals Rookie Grant Hill, the desire for a championship among the main players was waning.
On a higher stage, putting up impressive stats was more practical than a trophy.
With Excel, came big contracts.
Allan Houston shot 9 of 20 from the field, 2 of 5 from three-point range, and scored a team-second-high 24 points.
He was all smiles during the training session and exceptionally motivated.
After the afternoon training session, media reporters continued to surround Lee.
Once the Finals began, players and reporters would enter a "win-win" mode.
Every year, managing relationships with the media had become a required course for Lee.
Competitive sports didn't involve as much fighting and killing to achieve glory; it was more about human relations.
Ahmad Rashad was mostly responsible for interviewing the Lakers.
During the Finals, as an NBC host from the rear, he had to chase after them to the Tarrytown Training Center to get more news.
"Clay, talk about tomorrow night's game. Will you continue your efficient performance from Game 1?"
Rashad asked the question first, and soon a circle of reporters also extended their microphones to him.
"I hope I can shoot 100% from the field, but once I step onto the court, I won't think about these things!"
"I have multiple Finals experiences. On this stage, it's more about trusting each other."
"Everyone has seen the Knicks' training status. We are now enjoying the game more. The sixth championship in team history, everyone is ready."
Lee, in his training attire, smiled and pointed to the training wall.
The small print "2000~2001 NBA Champions" almost left the surrounding sports reporters speechless:
"The spot is already reserved?"
"..."
That evening, back home in Tarrytown, after dinner, agent Mark Bartelstein rubbed his temples and began to share his news:
"ABC, ESPN, and TNT all want deeper cooperation. It seems there are some issues with NBC for the next broadcasting contract."
"We need to establish some new media relationships in advance."
Lee was a bit surprised.
In his impression, the league's viewership was still rising this season:
"Next year is the last year of the contract. According to the current trend, will NBC still end its cooperation?"
Mark Bartelstein nodded.
He also had other athletes, like football players, under him, so he was much clearer about market trends than Lee, who didn't follow other sports:
"Without the NBA, NBC can still broadcast hockey on Wednesdays and football on Sundays. For them, it won't cause an impact."
"The most glorious 10 years have passed. NBC and the league successfully built a sports brand, and now, they want to withdraw."
"The three broadcasting parties that take over may reduce some broadcast games to increase ratings, which is also David Stern's plan. ABC will most likely only broadcast more than 20 games nationwide in a season."
"The reduction in nationwide broadcasts will also affect the New York Knicks, which is what brand owners are concerned about."
Currently, the playoffs are broadcast by TNT and NBC.
The former only has the broadcasting rights for the first two rounds, while the latter has exclusive broadcasting rights for the Conference Finals and the NBA Finals.
NBC's packaging of the games is still very good, and it is indeed difficult for subsequent broadcasters to surpass the ratings set in the early 1990s.
Clay Lee knew that the sponsors wanted to lower the price.
With his current influence, future collaborations would most likely be 5-year contracts:
"It seems I'll have to accept more interviews during the offseason!"
"I suggest accepting invitations from some publishers. Autobiographies and team biographies all have a market, and some personal documentaries also need to be arranged in advance. These are all effective ways to expand influence."
"A win-win situation for everyone is the ideal outcome. If you can win this year's NBA Finals, the discussion about the greatest of all time will bring us a lot of profit."
"They say failure is respectable, but people always prefer to see successful people share their experiences."
Mark Bartelstein handed Lee a book, "For The Love of The Game," published by Michael Jordan after he retired.
Lee flipped through it casually, then smiled and said:
"Sales didn't meet expectations? I know about this."
The failure in 1998 caused Michael Jordan a significant loss.
Although it didn't have much impact on his personal brand, many fans realized a fact:
"No one can resist the erosion of time, not even Michael Jordan."
Michael Jordan is still a world-renowned athlete, but when discussing the GOAT, there is more controversy, after all, numbers don't lie.
The two discussed the plan after the NBA Finals, and it had to be executed quickly before the offseason, while the heat was still high.
After seeing off his increasingly busy agent, Lee stayed in his study and manually recorded some information in his notebook.
Ivanka quietly handed him a glass of milk.
Lee looked up at the slightly fatter blonde, hugged her into his arms, and after some exploration, found that her dimples were gone because she had gained weight:
"How do you think I should increase my influence?"
Not caring about the big hand on her, Ivanka, who was hugging Lee, thought for a moment and replied with a smile:
"Make movies, participate in more TV shows. I think reality shows are great!"
Lee shook his head slightly.
American TV shows still have limitations.
To expand his influence globally, he had other plans:
"Perhaps I should acquire a team!"
On June 3rd, NBA Finals Game 2 officially began.
This game was crucial for both sides.
As long as the New York Knicks could protect their two home games, their pressure would greatly decrease.
Unlike Lee, Kobe was still imitating his idol and pursuing his first championship of his career.
When he accepted an interview before the game, he disregarded the staff's advice and seriously stated:
"I will take on more scoring tasks, and the Los Angeles Lakers will win on the road!"
After Game 1, most commentators were discussing the game, but there weren't many fence-sitters.
After all, the series had just begun, and the New York Knicks protecting their home court was within everyone's expectations.
Kobe's words made many sports reporters realize that the Los Angeles Lakers' atmosphere seemed a bit discordant.
Although Phil Jackson emphasized "basketball debate" throughout the season, from Kobe's tone, it was clear that he was dissatisfied with O'Neal's way of leading the team.
After the game started at 9 PM that night, Kobe, who came on the court, was very active.
Just as he said, he began to take on more offense.
After scoring 12 points, the highest in the team, with 5 of 9 shooting in the first quarter, Kobe didn't hold back in the second quarter and continued to shoot!
With 8 minutes and 1 second left in the first half, Jeff Van Gundy took Clay Lee back.
In less than 4 minutes, the New York Knicks only scored 5 points.
29:29, the Los Angeles Lakers also failed to seize the opportunity.
Brian Shaw, who came off the bench, continued to miss shots, and with Kobe going cold, they only scored 4 points through O'Neal.
"Let's go Knicks!"
At Madison Square Garden, the cheers of nearly 20,000 New York fans rang out again.
Derek Fisher also didn't lead the Defense, adjusted his headband with a serious expression, and seeing Lee approaching the midline, he pulled his loose shorts again.
On the left wing, Allan Houston loudly called for Ron Artest on the left baseline to cut along the baseline and create space.
When Lee arrived outside the three-point line, Kurt Thomas stopped near the right baseline and didn't move.
Only Ben Wallace, near the left baseline, quickly moved up, preparing to screen.
Kobe, guarding Allan Houston, hesitated a bit, finally choosing to follow him to the left baseline.
O'Neal had already lowered his center of gravity, ready to switch.
Amidst the cheers, Ben Wallace, who moved up to the arc, only briefly screened.
While Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, dribbled behind his back, he quickly cut down.
O'Neal completely abandoned the Defense, cooperating with Derek Fisher to rush towards Lee, who had switched to his left hand.
The two were extremely fast, planning to complete a double-team outside the three-point line.
Clay Lee, who was prepared, immediately moved sideways.
The moment the two were about to complete the double-team, he suddenly lowered his center of gravity, and while the opponent was trying to interfere, he quickly dribbled the ball between his legs with his left hand.
Seeing the basketball pass between Lee's legs, Derek Fisher, having learned his lesson, immediately fouled, grabbing him, and the referee blew his whistle.
Taking advantage of the sideline out-of-bounds, Marv Albert, at the NBC commentary table, quickly introduced:
"Having received his second personal foul, Derek Fisher should pay attention to his foul count."
Doug Collins seemed to have noticed the Los Angeles Lakers' game strategy and suddenly commented:
"Clearly, in tonight's game, the Los Angeles Lakers intend to disrupt Lee's offensive rhythm, but so far, it seems ineffective."
"In terms of matchup, Lee has too much of an advantage, and he also has his own unique way of breaking through opponents' double-teams."
At the top of the arc, Lee saw Derek Fisher hugging him tightly and couldn't help but joke with a smile:
"Buddy, six fouls shouldn't be enough!"
Derek Fisher was not in the mood to respond to Lee.
He kept observing Allan Houston, who was inbounding the ball, and at the same time, his hand movements didn't stop.
After inbounding the ball, Lee first used his protective hand to swat away the opponent's arm, then suddenly accelerated, regaining control of the basketball at the top of the arc.
Facing Derek Fisher, who was again closely guarding him, Lee, with his back to the Defense and protecting the ball, quickly put the ball down with his right hand and accelerated in a straight line, pushing against the Defense.
With no other option, Derek Fisher could only try to slide his feet and provide body contact.
The two tangled and came near the free throw line.
Lee, having established his position, pulled the ball back between his legs.
The sudden stop made it difficult for Derek Fisher to control his balance, and he instantly lost his defensive position, watching Lee gather the ball and shoot a jump shot from the free throw line!
"Swish!" The two-point shot went straight through the net.
"Wow!"
The beautiful shot made the New York fans cheer.
Phil Jackson on the sidelines immediately signaled a tactical move, indicating for his players to continue the double-team.
"Defense!"
O'Neal quickly rushed across half-court, not looking at Derek Fisher, who was holding the ball behind him.
He came to the left block and began to demand the ball with his back to the basket.
On the other side, Kobe, at the top of the arc, also stretched out his hands, waiting for Derek Fisher's pass.
Derek Fisher, almost unable to lift his head due to Lee's tight on-ball Defense, was focused on dribbling.
As soon as he crossed half-court and saw the two players' movements, he hesitated for a moment.
Just as he arrived at the left wing, Ben Wallace began to half-front and desperately defend against O'Neal receiving the ball.
Left with no choice, Derek Fisher instinctively passed the ball to Kobe, who was at the nearest arc.
The moment he received the ball, he had an opportunity to pass it directly under the basket, but Kobe, taking advantage of Allan Houston stepping up to lead the Defense, immediately put the ball down with his right hand and drove forward.
O'Neal, who had already rushed to the basket, quickly created space again, but Kobe's movement was faster than he imagined.
Approaching the right elbow, he leaned on Allan Houston, Kobe turned smoothly, then immediately gathered the ball.
The moment he shook off the Defense, Kobe shot a pull-up jumper from the free throw line!
"Clang!"
The movement was graceful, but the basketball hit the front rim.
Kurt Thomas collapsed and immediately secured the defensive rebound.
When Ron Artest received the pass, he had already rushed past half-court along the left sideline.
Fox tried to interfere after retreating on Defense, but Lee quickly came to the top of the arc to receive the ball.
O'Neal, running and stumbling, had just returned to the paint.
Seeing Clay Lee push the ball with his left hand and change direction to beat Derek Fisher again, he couldn't help but loudly call out to Horry on the other side.
"Come up and help!"
Kobe, who had retreated to the right wing, noticed that Lee had already rushed near the free throw line and subconsciously collapsed as well.
Adding O'Neal and Horry's retreat to the basket, and Derek Fisher chasing closely behind, the Los Angeles Lakers instantly formed a four-man trap.
Lee reacted quickly. Before he rushed into the trap, he dribbled one step from the free throw line, immediately jumped, and passed the ball.
On the right wing, Allan Houston, unguarded, shot a three-pointer from beyond the arc and missed.
"Oh!"
The New York fans on site sighed regretfully.
However, Derek Fisher behind him got the long rebound.
Kobe dashed across half-court, and at the same time, O'Neal also desperately followed.
Allan Houston chased Kobe, while Lee went straight for Derek Fisher.
The Los Angeles Lakers' counterattack was incredibly fast.
Fisher, holding the ball, pushed against Lee's Defense and rushed to the left wing.
Noticing that Kobe had already established position under the basket, Fisher smoothly made a lob pass.
The moment Kobe received the ball in the lower-left corner of the basket, Allan Houston immediately stepped forward to block his shot.
Unable to make an immediate strong move under the basket, Kobe immediately put the ball down with his left hand and dribbled along the baseline to the lower-right corner of the basket.
He didn't notice that Ben Wallace had already retreated to the basket while he was dribbling.
When Kobe, after reaching the lower-right corner of the basket, completed a fadeaway jump shot over Allan Houston, Ben Wallace also jumped up to block him.
Under the double-team, Kobe also didn't notice the trailing O'Neal.
He continued the fadeaway in mid-air, making a direct floater, shooting the ball towards the backboard, and immediately falling to the floor.
The trailing O'Neal originally thought his teammate would pass the ball, but instead saw the basketball fly towards the backboard, and after bouncing, it just went over his head.
Before he could even stretch out his hands, O'Neal saw Lee rush into the paint and retrieve the ball.
Instantly, offense turned to Defense, and the Knicks launched a counterattack.
"Fuck!"
O'Neal could only continue to chase frantically from behind.
Fisher rushed forward, intending to commit a tactical foul, but Lee easily shook him off with a large behind-the-back dribble with his left hand.
Noticing that two players were still desperately chasing him from behind, Lee, with the ball now in his right hand, didn't slow down.
Facing Horry at the top of the arc, he pushed the ball again for a change of direction with his right hand, and the moment he scooped the ball with his left hand, he leaned into his opponent's shoulder and accelerated.
Horry, twisting and sliding, had no time to defend.
In a blink of an eye, Lee had rushed to the free-throw line, instinctively reaching out, but only caught his jersey as he stumbled.
Lee was completely unaffected, charging up three big steps from near the free-throw line, jumping in the paint, holding the ball with his left hand, and easily scoring with a layup!
29:33, just as Clay Lee entered the game, the Knicks took the lead.
At the commentary table, Marv Albert exclaimed loudly:
"He's too fast! Lee, when he gets going, is unstoppable."
"Kobe made an unreasonable offensive choice."
From the Lakers' missed counterattack to Lee's one-man layup, it took less than 6 seconds to score.
Doug Collins, seeing Kobe just retreat to the mid-court line after getting up from the floor, also commented tactfully:
"Kobe should calm his emotions.
The trailing Shaq had a better opportunity."
On the court, the Knicks players had already retreated to half-court.
Lee clapped his hands, signaling everyone to defend.
On the other side, after the baseline inbound, O'Neal, fuming, yelled at Kobe:
"Give me the ball!"
Phil Jackson on the sideline was also shouting reminders.
Soon, after Fisher crossed half-court, he immediately passed the ball to Horry at the top of the arc.
The latter didn't look at Kobe on the right wing, and under Kurt Thomas's Defense, immediately lobbed the ball to O'Neal.
Lee followed Derek Fisher along the baseline, and the Lakers players rotated on the perimeter, creating offensive space for O'Neal.
Because the receiving position was a bit far from the basket, O'Neal had no choice but to start backing his way vigorously towards the basket.
Ben Wallace firmly blocked the baseline, and when O'Neal twisted towards the paint, Allan Houston at the top of the arc immediately collapsed on Defense.
Under the double-team, O'Neal fully turned around, went high-low, and scored with a right-handed hook shot.
Kobe, wide open at the top of the arc, didn't receive the pass, but since O'Neal scored, he couldn't say much, and turned to quickly retreat with the others.
The second quarter quickly settled into a rhythm of core players scoring and role players missing shots.
Horry received a pass from O'Neal from the right block, and his three-pointer from the top of the arc missed.
In the transition offense, Lee cut in from the left 45-degree angle, again attracting a triple-team, and Ron Artest's shot from the left corner missed.
Against loud boos, Kobe missed a long two-pointer from the left elbow.
O'Neal grabbed the offensive rebound and scored with a second-chance floater directly in front of the basket.
The Knicks ran a three-man pick-and-roll, and Allan Houston received a pass from Clay Lee at the top of the arc after a screen, missing a three-pointer over Kobe's block.
The long rebound bounced out and was just picked up by Lee from the right block.
Returning to the right wing, Fisher was still adjusting his center of gravity.
Lee, holding the ball with his left hand, looked towards the top of the arc, then suddenly lowered his center of gravity, dribbled between his legs, and immediately stepped back, quickly jumping up for a shot from beyond the three-point line!
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in without touching the rim.
Fisher looked at Lee's retreating back, opened his mouth, and finally could only frustratingly raise his hand to signal it was his fault.
The Lakers players were 'assisting' Shaquille O'Neal on the boards.
Turning back, on the Knicks' side, Lee and others frequently took shots from the perimeter, and often picked up long rebounds after misses.
With the Lakers' last possession, Kobe's strong drive to the basket from the right wing missed, and the first half ended.
47:48, the Knicks maintained their lead.
Jeff Van Gundy let out a long sigh of relief.
His team was off-target tonight, and not being behind at halftime was entirely thanks to the opponent.
Phil Jackson's brows were furrowed again.
A great opportunity, but they didn't seize it.
At halftime, Kobe was 6 of 14 for 14 points, and Shaq was 8 of 11, 1 of 6 from the free-throw line, for 17 points.
The Lakers were 0 of 8 from beyond the three-point line.
Doug Collins felt speechless looking at these stats:
"Kobe shared some of O'Neal's offensive pressure, achieving good results in the first half."
"The perimeter players still need to shoot decisively. They must seize some open opportunities."
Marv Albert also didn't expect both teams to be so cold tonight.
On the Knicks' side, Clay Lee was 7 of 13, 2 of 6 from beyond the three-point line, and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line, scoring a team-high 20 points, but only had 3 assists in the first half.
The Lakers' Defense was very collapsed, and the Knicks were 4 of 14 from beyond the three-point line, almost breaking their own basket.
"This is not the normal state for these two teams.
It seems both sides are a bit nervous tonight.
I hope to see the players' form improve in the second half."
Marv Albert didn't comment too much on the game.
Too many misses, it completely didn't meet pre-game expectations.
In the Knicks' locker room, everyone was a bit down.
Although they occasionally encountered shooting slumps this season, having it happen at home still made everyone anxious.
As everyone returned to their seats, Lee immediately stood up and clapped his hands, attracting everyone's attention, and said loudly:
"Don't worry about missing shots. What we need to do is shoot decisively!"
"Shooting is our best offensive method. Believe that your next shot will definitely go in."
"Catch and shoot! Catch and drive!"
"This is how we play."
"In the second half, we're going to make their Defense pay!"
The Knicks players all nodded in agreement.
They knew that if they kept missing, the Lakers would intensify their double-teaming on Clay Lee, leading to a vicious cycle.
They had experienced this situation in the regular season, but with their current limited offensive options, instead of relying on low-post offense, it was better to just let loose and keep shooting.
With the team in a difficult situation, Ewing could only scratch his head.
After coming on, besides drawing fouls and shooting after pick-and-rolls, he basically had nothing else to do:
"Don't worry about the comments from those boring media after the game. As long as we win the series, we are heroes!"
Hearing Ewing's words, everyone chuckled and responded.
If they really lost, the blame would definitely fall on the boss.
Clay Lee also breathed a sigh of relief.
The overly monotonous offensive methods meant that after misses, the Knicks could only grit their teeth and keep shooting.
Whether they went in or not, that was up to fate.
The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden was still fiery.
Although Shaquille O'Neal was again dominating inside, the home team was still leading, which was worth celebrating.
Spike Lee, with a large orange bandana wrapped around his head, scurried back and forth on the sidelines, greeting familiar friends.
Below the basketball hoop, James Dolan and David Stern sat together, occasionally whispering to each other, seemingly very pleased with the game.
After the second half began, the cheers and shouts once again echoed through the Madison Square Garden:
"Let's go Knicks!"
Clay Lee, receiving the ball on the baseline, saw that his defender had changed to Kobe, and knew that the Lakers had changed their tactics.
The missed shots in the second quarter had turned Kobe into a defensive utility player again.
"A true core player wouldn't get this kind of treatment. Are you planning to chase me all second half?"
Lee leaned into Kobe and received the ball on the baseline, taking the opportunity to tease him about his treatment.
"..."
Kobe, holding his breath, desperately slid his feet, constantly engaging in physical contact, and had no chance to respond to Lee.
When Allan Houston received the ball at the top of the arc, Derek Fisher immediately stuck to him, almost hanging on him.
After receiving the ball, he immediately put it down and moved to the left wing.
Grant Hill also began to move, moving away from the three-point line, and the two easily completed a hand-off pass.
Grant Hill began to call a play.
Kobe noticed Ewing starting to come up, and Lee, on the left wing, was moving without the ball, seemingly wanting to cut down the baseline.
He instinctively stayed with Lee.
As Ewing moved to the free-throw line, Lee, who was cutting, first faked an acceleration, then suddenly ran back, twisting around to return to the three-point line.
Fox's Defense had always sagged back, which allowed Grant Hill to easily deliver a cross-court pass.
The moment he received the ball, Lee faked a shot on the left wing.
Kobe, chasing after him, instinctively lowered his center of gravity, then raised his right hand high, immediately coming to contest.
Before his defender could get in front of him, Lee put the ball down with his right hand, lowering his center of gravity to fake a drive.
Taking advantage of Kobe sliding back to the left, Lee took one dribble, then suddenly pushed off his foot, quickly stepped back, returned to the three-point line, drifted slightly to the right, and quickly jumped up for a shot!
Having been faked out repeatedly, Kobe could only desperately lunge to defend, while also controlling his movements to avoid directly running into Lee.
His block had no effect, and as he stopped, he heard the roar of the fans.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in without touching the rim.
47:51, the Knicks once again extended their lead.
When it was the Lakers' turn to offense, Derek Fisher still quickly passed the ball, then took Lee to the left corner.
At the top of the arc, Kobe received the ball.
Near the baseline on the right side, Horace Grant quickly moved up for a screen.
The high-quality screen immediately freed Kobe, who was dribbling with his right hand, from Allan Houston's pursuit.
At the same time, although Lewis switched Defenses, he left the long two-point area open, staying near the free-throw line.
Facing such a golden opportunity, Kobe did not choose to jump shot.
Instead, he drove straight to the basket with the ball in his right hand, and while moving, he sent a pocket pass as Horace Grant rolled down.
After receiving the ball, Horace Grant was already directly in front of the rim.
Seeing Ewing recover on Defense, he simply gathered the ball early and then tossed it towards the rim.
The basketball bounced off the rim, and several players under the basket scrambled for it.
Shaq tipped the rebound.
Horace Grant still wanted to crash the boards for a second jump, but Ewing snatched the rebound amidst the crowd and hugged the ball tightly.
"Oh!"
After successfully securing the defensive rebound, cheers erupted again.
The Lakers could only quickly retreat on Defense, communicating with each other to get into position.
Grant Hill was already near the mid-court line when he received the ball.
He accelerated along the left sideline, crossing half-court, before Fox finally stuck to him.
Without passing, he seamlessly performed a crossover dribble to his right hand, then Grant Hill immediately accelerated, cutting in from the 45-degree angle straight to the basket.
Near the paint, he suddenly executed a quick spin while moving, arriving near the lower left of the rim.
Grant Hill gathered the ball and drifted towards the baseline, completing a fadeaway jump shot.
"Swish!" The two-point shot went in cleanly.
Shaq, who had just retreated to half-court, made another ineffective run and couldn't help but curse under his breath.
47:53. Seeing the score difference continue to widen, the Lakers also began to quicken their offensive pace.
After crossing half-court, Shaq actively came up for a screen.
Derek Fisher used the screen to shake off Clay Lee.
While Ewing was squatting under the basket, Derek Fisher stopped short near the top of the arc, and his three-point jump shot from beyond the arc found the mark!
50:53. The Lakers made their first three-pointer of the game.
Phil Jackson on the sideline also excitedly pumped his fist, then loudly urged the Lakers to retreat on Defense.
After making the crucial shot, Derek Fisher was also excited, but in the next possession, he was suddenly subjected to a low-post isolation by Allan Houston on the left block.
Before Derek Fisher could even exert himself to defend, Allan Houston's turn-around fadeaway jump shot towards the baseline easily went in.
Similarly, at the top of the arc, Kobe used Shaq's screen, and from the right elbow of the free-throw line, he drifted right and made a tough shot.
Knicks offense.
On the left wing, Horace Grant defended the screen, immediately double-teaming Lee with Kobe.
Lewis, who faked a screen and popped out to the top of the arc, received a pass from Lee and hit a three-pointer with an open shot!
Maintaining an extremely fast offensive pace, continuously scoring in response, both teams ran back and forth on the court, exciting the New York fans until the latter half of the third quarter, when both teams started to miss shots.
Shaq, who had actively screened multiple times, suddenly demanded the ball fiercely in the right low post.
After receiving a lob pass from Horry at the top of the arc, he immediately put the ball down with his left hand and drove hard along the baseline.
Ben Wallace, who came off the bench, had no defensive solution and could only constantly interfere with his hands, but facing Shaq's sudden turn towards the baseline, he was completely pushed aside by his large frame, and he watched Shaq easily make a floater with his right hand!
"Boo!"
Boos echoed throughout the Madison Square Garden.
After scoring, Shaq also let out a roar.
He had also made sacrifices in this quarter, participating in more screens.
68:66. Relying on more consistent scoring, the Lakers successfully took the lead.
Kobe continued to relentlessly hound and chase Lee, the two of them entangled from half-court.
Facing Lee, who was dribbling with his left hand and constantly accelerating, he leaned into the Defense and crossed mid-court.
Nearing the three-point line, he immediately stopped short, adjusted his footwork after a left-hand pound dribble, and quickly executed a crossover dribble.
Kobe quickly shifted his defensive Center of Gravity, and at the same time, he quickly slid backward and to the left.
Lee, who had switched to his right hand, leaned into the Defense and accelerated his drive.
As the two neared the free-throw line, Lee suddenly executed a behind-the-back dribble, switching to his left hand while taking a large step back, ignoring Kobe who was rushing to defend again. He quickly shot from the top of the arc!
"Swish!" Another transition three-pointer went in!
68:69. With 2 minutes and 36 seconds left in the third quarter, the Knicks once again took the lead.
His Defense had been completely useless.
Kobe gasped, cursing inwardly.
Shaq was already somewhat out of breath.
On an offensive possession, after receiving a pass in the left block, he saw Derek Fisher suddenly make a quick baseline cut and back-cut from the left corner, and immediately sent a bounce pass.
After receiving the ball, Derek Fisher drove straight to the basket along the baseline.
Noticing Clay Lee chasing him from behind, he slipped to the lower right of the rim, attempting to evade the Defense and complete a reverse layup.
The basketball had just left his hand.
Before it could fly towards the rim, Lee, who had chased into position, leaped high and swatted the ball down.
After the bounce, Lee seized the opportunity to control the ball.
Fisher, who had fallen, hadn't even gotten up, and Lee was already nearing mid-court.
Arriving at the top of the arc, noticing Fox coming up to double-team, Lee immediately passed the ball to Ron Artest on the right wing.
The latter was unguarded and missed a transition three-pointer badly, and the New York fans also sighed in regret.
The long rebound flew out, but it was picked up by Allan Houston near the left elbow.
Kobe quickly stuck to him.
Fox at the top of the arc originally intended to continue leading the Defense on Lee, but was completely shaken off by Lee, who suddenly accelerated in a straight line and cut to the basket.
Allan Houston seized the opportunity and immediately passed the ball towards the upper right of the rim.
The pass was too strong, causing Lee, who jumped to snatch the ball in the air, to drift towards the baseline.
After snatching the ball, he exerted force in the air, and before falling, he single-handedly tossed the ball towards the rim!
"Swish!" The alley-oop layup was successful!
"Wow!"
The circus shot excited everyone, and they all stood up, clapping and cheering.
After landing, Lee also smiled and gave Houston a thumbs up.
Every outrageous shot is inseparable from an unreliable passer.
68:71.
The Knicks once again extended their lead.
Watching the Lakers start to slow down, Kobe received the ball with his back to the basket in the right block, turned towards the baseline, and made a difficult fadeaway jump shot. Doug Collins could only lament:
"Clay Lee always finds easy scoring opportunities, but Kobe has also responded. The Lakers have played exceptionally well this quarter."
Just after making the shot, Kobe continued to lead the Defense on Lee, defending aggressively, but it didn't have much effect, and soon the two crossed half-court.
Allan Houston demanded the ball with his back to the basket in the left block.
After Lee passed the ball, he first faked a cut along the baseline, then suddenly back-cut, popping out near the left sideline, where he perfectly received the pass.
Kobe, after being tormented, once again got in front of Lee.
Allan Houston first stepped up for a fake screen, then immediately shifted towards the top of the arc.
Fisher hesitated for a moment but still followed, not double-teaming in time.
Lee put the ball down with his left hand, slightly lowering his center of gravity.
Ben Wallace then quickly shifted his feet again, and Shaq, panting, followed him out.
Before the two could get in front of him, Lee performed a crossover dribble to his right hand, and at the same instant, his body swayed to the right, followed by a quick in-and-out dribble.
Kobe subconsciously slid backward and to the right, giving body contact, trying to force Lee out of bounds.
But as Lee increased his stride, Kobe suddenly lost his defensive position, failed to hold him, and almost lost his own balance, stumbling towards the camera.
After shaking off the Defense, Lee, flying low to the ground, took two powerful dribbles with his left hand.
Nearing the paint, he leaped into the air.
Horry, who rushed to defend under the basket, couldn't even fully jump and was knocked off balance in mid-air.
Lee pushed his opponent aside, then glided towards the front of the rim, twisted his body, and with the ball in his right hand, easily tossed it towards the rim!
"Squeak!"
The whistle blew, and the shot went in. Lee's driving layup was successful.
"Wow!"
The impactful drive instantly ignited the atmosphere in the Madison Square Garden again, and Marv Albert excitedly shouted:
"Unbelievable ball-handling ability! Lee's change of direction speed is astounding!"
Shaq was still standing near the baseline, watching Kobe return to the court with a sour face.
He felt some anger but had nowhere to vent it.
After Lee made the free throw, Phil Jackson on the sideline gestured with his hands again, loudly reminding them to double-team.
The Knicks also suddenly changed their defensive strategy, starting to send Shaq to the free-throw line.
Jeff Van Gundy watched Shaq make both free throws and frowned.
In this quarter, the opponent had only missed one free throw.
72:74. The Lakers were still biting at the score.
In the final few possessions of the third quarter, Fox missed a three-pointer from the left wing.
Ron Artest, who picked up the long rebound, passed the ball to the front court.
Derek Fisher immediately committed an early foul, sending Lee directly to the free-throw line.
"Boo!"
His fourth personal foul.
Fisher, who was subbed out, threw his headband down in frustration.
He was becoming a foul-baiting tool.
72:76. Lee made another free throw, helping his team lead by 4 points at the end of the third quarter.
He was 4-for-7 from the field, 2-for-4 from beyond the arc, and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line, Lee contributed 13 points.
Kobe was 3-for-5, scoring 10 points.
Shaq was 3-for-5, also contributing 9 points.
The two of them almost exclusively accounted for the Lakers' scoring in that quarter.
Shaq returned to the bench, breathing heavily.
The Knicks' crazy outside shooting and the excessive number of possessions led to more running back and forth, and Shaq, who hadn't rested, couldn't keep up anymore.
Having only rested for one minute at the beginning of the second quarter, Kobe was also worn out from the quarter and was sulking to himself.
Phil Jackson glanced at the bench and finally decided to give a motivational speech to stick with the starters:
"We are 1-for-11 from the outside, and right now, they only lead us by 4 points. Believe me, they are done for!"
"This is a battle of willpower. Now, get back on the court and show our desire for a championship!"
Derek Fisher indeed desired a championship, but with 4 fouls, he could only sit on the bench for now.
Brian Shaw came in as a substitute.
Jeff Van Gundy didn't say much either.
The home court had to be protected.
He just subbed in Lewis, then stood by the sideline, intently observing.
"Defense!"
Amidst shouts of "Defense," Brian Shaw, who had just entered the game, took a baseline pass and dribbled two steps before Lee nearly stole it directly.
His seemingly stylish behind-the-back dribble almost led him to lose control of the ball.
After scooping the ball with his left hand, Brian Shaw was so pressured that he could only stick his butt out, and since his opponent couldn't pick up speed, Lee braced his forearm and stuck close.
Fox quickly came to the top of the arc to receive the ball, and Ron Artest aggressively defended, nearly completing another steal.
After passing the ball, Brian Shaw cut in from the left wing, quickly slipped along the baseline, drawing away Lee's Defense.
Kobe also moved horizontally, away from the three-point line, and completed a handoff with Fox.
By the time O'Neal received the pass in the left restricted area, the Defense from the far side also began to converge.
Ben Wallace continued to tightly defend the baseline, and O'Neal, putting the ball down with his right hand, began to post up forcefully, constantly observing the court situation.
Noticing Lewis suddenly converging from the far side, he immediately passed the ball to Horry on the right wing.
The latter received the ball, faced Lewis who was again defending him, put the ball down with his right hand, and drove forward.
After shaking off the Defense, he made a long two-point pull-up jump shot.
74:76, the deficit was narrowed again.
Shaquille O'Neal, who delivered the assist, was again met with boos.
This kind of cooperation had appeared many times tonight.
Learning from past lessons, even though his free throw touch was good in the 3rd quarter, O'Neal didn't stubbornly gamble on free throws.
Seeing his players execute the ideal play, Phil Jackson on the sidelines was also excited, constantly clapping and encouraging everyone.
Before receiving the ball, Lee signaled a play.
After everyone had crossed half-court, he then drove to the top of the arc, facing Kobe's Defense.
Standing in a "V" shape, Shaquille O'Neal saw Ben Wallace move and prepared for a double-team.
Kobe noticed Ben Wallace lifting from the left elbow, immediately moved to block Lee's right hand.
At the same time, O'Neal, who was lowering his center of gravity and sliding quickly, also quickened his pace, rushing towards the left-hand side where the ball was held.
Ben Wallace sensed the double-team, and before the screen was set, he immediately rolled early.
Lee also flicked his wrist with the momentum, and the basketball passed through the gap between them, a bounce pass to Ben Wallace in the paint.
The latter received the ball and immediately wanted to explode to the rim, but was fouled by a ready Horry, sending Ben Wallace to the free-throw line.
Jeff Van Gundy frowned slightly.
Sure enough, Ben Wallace missed both free throws, and for a moment, the Los Angeles Lakers bench was filled with cheers.
O'Neal, who secured the defensive rebound, also got energized.
He passed the ball to the waiting Brian Shaw and immediately sprinted across half-court.
Just as he crossed the mid-line, O'Neal suddenly heard a huge cheer.
Lee had completed a face-to-face steal near the three-point line!
As O'Neal turned his head, he just saw Brian Shaw stumbling and falling.
Lee cut in from the right wing, and with no Defense, he grabbed the ball with his right hand and glided for a powerful dunk!
"Wow!"
The fans in the front row were overjoyed, all standing up and clapping continuously.
O'Neal cursed under his breath, then immediately loudly instructed Kobe to return to half-court to receive the ball.
Phil Jackson also immediately gestured to Derek Fisher on the bench.
The veteran was no longer reliable.
74:78, the deficit returned to 4 points.
The Los Angeles Lakers' offensive rhythm was suppressed again.
On the baseline inbound, Brian Shaw dribbled two steps and passed the ball to Kobe.
The latter received the ball, couldn't cross half-court, and then passed the ball to Fox on the left wing.
O'Neal had already posted up early in the left restricted area.
Fox, who received the pass, was first pressured by Ron Artest.
The moment he made a lob pass, Ron Artest followed the ball and chased it to O'Neal's side.
O'Neal, who had just gotten the ball, naturally put it down.
However, Ron Artest came forward and grabbed him, and before he could react, Ben Wallace also rushed over.
Under the double-team, O'Neal felt arms everywhere.
The basketball was pulled away by Ron Artest, and in his anger, O'Neal immediately fouled.
Ron Artest, who was knocked to the floor, immediately jumped up.
Before O'Neal could react, Ben Wallace and Ron Artest rushed over, and the three of them, with the referee in between, huddled together.
The referee, caught in the middle, blew his whistle repeatedly.
Everyone gathered around, and soon separated the three.
"Truly excellent Defense. It seems the Knicks have already figured out how to defend Shaquille O'Neal receiving the ball."
While the court was lively, Marv Albert in the commentary booth also began to praise this defensive performance.
Doug Collins shook his head, looking somewhat disappointed:
"The passing intention was too obvious.
Shaq's stamina declines in the fourth quarter, and if he can't get to a deeper position, he'll continue to face this predicament."
Jeff Van Gundy was somewhat dissatisfied with the referee's call, chasing the sideline referee and loudly complaining:
"We completed a steal, but then we were subjected to a flagrant foul!"
The referee only gave O'Neal a common foul, then signaled to continue the game.
"Boo!"
The New York fans on site were also somewhat displeased.
They didn't get to see a spectacle, nor did they gain an advantage, so for a moment, there was another round of intense booing.
Kobe was a bit anxious, and could only call his teammates to quickly retreat on Defense.
O'Neal, breathing heavily, returned to half-court and saw Ben Wallace standing in the right elbow again, his face darkening further.
"Let's go Knicks!"
Allan Houston inbounded the ball, and Lee, who received it, immediately accelerated with the ball in his right hand, rushing forward.
Noticing Brian Shaw chasing him, he approached the mid-line and immediately passed the ball back to Allan Houston.
With the two of them cooperating, they quickly crossed half-court, arriving at the left wing.
Allan Houston quickly passed the ball back to Lee, then accelerated and ran towards the left corner.
In the left elbow, Lewis moved up to screen, a high pick-and-roll.
Lee, with the ball in his right hand, first dribbled behind his back.
Facing Horry's rushing double-team, he switched to his left hand, then immediately dribbled between his legs.
Lewis, faking the screen, took this opportunity to quickly move to the top of the arc.
Lee squeezed through the two players, scooped the ball with his right hand, and drove straight to the basket.
Just as he broke into the paint, O'Neal also slid over to help defend.
Lee, who had gained position, rushed into the paint directly in front of the basket and immediately took a hop step.
Under the triple-team, no body contact occurred.
Lee, in mid-air, quickly pulled the ball from top to bottom, and the moment body contact occurred, he naturally tossed the ball towards the top of the arc.
After landing, Lee and four others all fell to the floor.
Lewis, who received the ball at the top of the arc, aimed at the basket and shot steadily!
"Swish!"
The three-pointer went in cleanly!
His second three-pointer made in this game, Lewis excitedly raised both hands, then followed everyone to the basket, pulling Lee up together.
74:81, Phil Jackson immediately called a timeout.
The Champion Coach was so angry he secretly slapped his thigh.
At crucial moments, someone from the Knicks always managed to hit these critical shots.
Jeff Van Gundy was now pouring out encouragement, looking especially excited, even missing shots and still winning:
"Hold on, they can't run anymore, victory is in sight!"
The tactical board had long been thrown aside, and the Bald Young Coach was shouting constantly.
At Madison Square Garden, the roar also grew louder and louder.
Victory was within reach.
Winning two home games would guarantee the series.
"Defense!"
The shouts of "Defense" rang out again.
After Derek Fisher received the ball, he immediately passed it to the waiting Kobe.
To avoid O'Neal's free throws, in the first possession after the timeout, Shaq was forced to come up for a screen.
The screen quality was average, which meant Kobe, who switched to his left hand, couldn't shake off Allan Houston, who was chasing him.
First, he paused slightly at the three-point line, then Kobe suddenly lowered his center of gravity, and, facing the Defense, forcefully broke through to the left restricted area.
Allan Houston blocked the drive, and Kobe, with the ball in his left hand, immediately pulled the ball back and faked.
Taking advantage of Allan Houston sliding to the left, Kobe quickly twisted his body, again lowering his center of gravity, and suddenly found Lee in front of him.
Amidst the fans' cheers, Lee in the left corner suddenly burst forward.
Taking advantage of Kobe's brief pause with the ball, he rushed up and made a strong swipe at the ball.
"Slap! Ah!"
The moment the basketball was swiped away, Kobe shouted on the spot, trying to get the referee's attention.
Not hearing a whistle, he turned his head again, and Lee had already rushed past half-court, picking up speed with the ball in his right hand.
In the frontcourt, 1-on-0, with no Defense, Lee took three big steps, soared into the paint, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and windmilled it down!
"Boom!"
A powerful windmill dunk!
After completing the dunk, Clay Lee landed, laughed, and struck a gliding pose, circling the baseline and high-fiving the fans in the front row to celebrate.
"Wow!"
74:83, the deficit reached 9 points, and Madison Square Garden completely erupted.
Watching the deficit about to reach double digits, the Los Angeles Lakers players couldn't hold it together anymore.
O'Neal kept shouting, desperately posting up, signaling his teammates to lob the ball into the paint.
However, the ball circulated around the perimeter, and with the Knicks players aggressively defending, no one could complete a pass immediately.
Fox on the left wing dodged Ron Artest's steal attempt, and after putting the ball down with his left hand, drove straight into the paint.
Ben Wallace had just moved when Fox delivered the pass.
O'Neal received the ball, and Ben Wallace, twisting his body, immediately committed a foul, and the referee blew his whistle, pointing to the free-throw line.
Ben Wallace, who received his 4th personal foul, didn't care, instead pounding his chest and letting out a roar.
Standing at the free-throw line, O'Neal's face darkened further.
This was simply a repeat of past scenarios.
In the previous game, the Los Angeles Lakers' free throws had failed to close the gap.
The first free throw hit the rim and bounced out.
The fans behind the basket, waving orange handkerchiefs, cheered even more loudly.
The second free throw, after being aimed for a while, bounced twice on the rim and finally rolled out.
"Ah!!"
Amidst screams, Ben Wallace grabbed the rebound, Lee came forward to receive the ball, and then all the Knicks players quickly rushed towards the opponent's half-court.
As Fisher watched Lee push the ball and change direction, scooping it with his left hand to shake off the Defense, he lowered his head and charged forward, no longer caring about foul counts.
He immediately stepped forward to pull and received his 5th personal foul.
Doug Collins hadn't expected the Lakers to have continuous turnovers in the fourth quarter, so he could only subtly comment on the game:
"The Lakers must have someone step up and score. If O'Neal keeps missing free throws, the Knicks will definitely not waste such an opportunity!"
Marv Albert's voice became increasingly cheerful as he once again praised Lee's performance:
"Lee has always controlled the rhythm of the game. This is the ability of a superstar!"
After an inbound pass, Lee received the ball on the right wing, and the Knicks still maintained their "V" formation.
Kobe stuck to him tightly, noticed Lewis moving up again for a screen, and loudly reminded Horry to double-team.
After a fake screen, Lewis popped out again.
Kobe successfully squeezed past the screen, while Horry hesitated slightly.
Lee leaned into Kobe and suddenly performed a large-amplitude In and Out while moving.
With a left feint and right drive, Horry was momentarily stunned.
The moment Lee pushed Kobe away, he quickly brought the ball behind his back with his right hand.
The basketball passed through the gap between them.
Clay Lee leaned in to scoop the ball, driving straight to the basket from the restricted area.
Kobe almost collided with Horry.
The two failed to form a trap, and it was too late to chase back on Defense.
O'Neal reacted the fastest, rushing directly to the bottom right of the basket. After a hop step, Lee soared into the air.
The two collided in mid-air.
Clay Lee twisted his body with the momentum, turning 90 degrees to face away from the basket.
While being pulled by Shaquille O'Neal, he casually tossed the ball towards the backboard with his right hand, not forgetting to shout loudly:
"And One!"
"Squeak!"
The referee's whistle blew, and everyone in the arena gasped.
The basketball hit the top of the rim, then bounced erratically before falling into the basket.
"Wow!"
On the sidelines, Jeff Van Gundy watched with his hands on his head, then excitedly raised his hands high, cheering along with the New York fans.
Doug Collins was also stunned, instinctively raising his voice and quickening his pace to loudly exclaim:
"Incredible! Clay Lee managed to put the ball into the basket while facing away from it! My God, this is truly unbelievable!"
Shaquille O'Neal under the basket was completely bewildered.
He had fouled with all his might, almost failing to stop Clay Lee.
At this moment, he could only stare blankly as the Knicks players gathered around Lee, celebrating joyfully.
As Lee stepped to the free-throw line with a smile, the happy New York fans began to shout loudly:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
74:86.
With Lee's successful free throw, the point difference reached a game-high 12 points.
Phil Jackson stood on the sidelines with his arms crossed, choosing not to call a timeout and no longer shouting loudly.
It was still O'Neal who broke the deadlock for the Lakers, receiving the ball one step inside the free-throw line and scoring with a long-range floater, giving the Knicks no chance to foul.
However, this evasive offensive approach only made the New York fans more excited.
Everyone could see that Shaq seemed afraid to step to the free-throw line.
Both teams once again entered a period of missed shots.
As game time was consumed, the Lakers players grew increasingly anxious.
Kobe and Fisher drove wildly to the basket with the ball.
After stepping to the free-throw line, Allan Houston and Ron Artest also followed with continuous cuts, responding with free throws.
Missed shots, free throws.
Except for one successful contested three-pointer by Kobe, the other players' outside shots allowed the Knicks to seize opportunities for fast breaks and scores.
With 1 minute and 13 seconds remaining in the game, Fisher delayed Lee's fast break, fouling again and being ejected after his sixth foul.
Walking towards the bench with his head down, Phil Jackson patted "Fisher" on the shoulder, sighing inwardly.
After Clay Lee made both free throws, everyone at Madison Square Garden stood up and began to cheer for the impending victory.
90:100. Kobe, still not giving up, quickly scored 2 points.
Under intense double-teaming, he sent Ron Artest to the free-throw line again.
Game time continued to tick away.
On the Lakers' bench, the players gradually fell silent.
After Horry's contested three-pointer missed, Clay Lee grabbed the rebound, and everyone stood in place, waiting for the time to expire.
The final buzzer sounded, and the final score settled at 94:104.
The Knicks defended their home court, and the series score came to 2:0.
Clay Lee smiled and handed the ball to the referee, noticing Shaq heading straight for the player tunnel without looking back, which only brightened his mood.
At the NBC commentary booth, seeing the Knicks' bench celebrating wildly, Marv Albert also smiled and instinctively exclaimed:
"Will Clay Lee lead the Knicks to create a miracle? A four-peat seems to be beckoning them!"
Doug Collins looked at the statistics and, no longer polite, commented bluntly:
"The Lakers must solve their scoring problem in the fourth quarter. Shaquille O'Neal should give up possession and let his teammates control the game more."
"This is not the Lakers' true strength. Next, they must protect their home court!"
The "OK" duo both played 47 minutes.
Kobe Bryant shot 11 of 23 from the field, 1 of 3 from beyond the arc, and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line, scoring 30 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers.
Shaquille O'Neal shot 13 of 22 from the field and 5 of 14 from the free-throw line, tallying 31 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, and 4 turnovers.
The two scored more than half of the team's points, and their efficiency was good, yet the Lakers still lost.
Regarding this result, Marv Albert at the commentary booth found it difficult to comment and could only add some diplomatic remarks:
"I believe Coach Phil Jackson will adjust the game strategy in time after returning to Los Angeles. The series has just begun!"
"."
Playing 44 minutes, Clay Lee shot 14 of 27 from the field, 4 of 10 from beyond the arc, and 10 of 10 from the free-throw line, scoring 42 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, and 2 turnovers.
Scoring 40+ points in two consecutive games thrilled the New York fans, who were unwilling to leave after the game, with many still shouting Clay Lee's name.
NBC reporter Jim Gray watched the New York fans clinging to Clay Lee and, out of helplessness, could only interview Ewing, who was hugging everyone he met:
"Wow! Only one win away from a four-peat!"
The Gorilla grabbed the microphone and began to brag wildly.
Jim Gray, standing by, could only offer a smile, instinctively looking up at the 5 championship banners above the Madison Square Garden, sighing inwardly:
"What an incredible achievement..."
Since the game lasted over two hours, it was almost midnight when the post-game press conference began.
O'Neal, having lost two straight games, had a dark expression.
As soon as he sat on the stage, an ESPN reporter was the first to ask:
"Shaq, how would you evaluate your performance in the 4th quarter? We didn't see you take on the responsibility of a leader!"
Kobe, standing by, still had a grim face when he heard this question.
He didn't look at O'Neal, keeping his eyes fixed on the microphone.
"I didn't respond in time. Losing is indeed my problem!"
"After returning to Los Angeles, we will rewatch this game. In the three home games, the Lakers will go all out to get the match point."
No one blamed Kobe, and most questions were standard.
However, when a TNT reporter asked about team adjustments, Kobe seriously said:
"We need to trust each other. Phil is right. In the upcoming games, when necessary, I will take over the team in time!"
"As the team leader, this is what I should do!"
Many people chuckled at this answer.
It is well known that a team only has one boss! Kobe clearly had an opinion.
When the two left, they didn't communicate with each other.
When Lee appeared at the press conference, everyone below turned into megaphones.
The New York Times reporter didn't discuss tonight's game but rather asked teasingly:
"Clay, facing each other again in the Finals, how would you evaluate Shaquille O'Neal's performance? He seems to have started to fear free throws."
The Los Angeles reporters glared angrily. Lee, draped in a towel, merely chuckled softly:
"There are no flawless players. I know Shaq has done his best as a leader!"
"Perhaps the Lakers could change their tactics. I deeply admire Kobe. You know, we were both at Tim Grover's training camp. I know his potential!"
The New York Media joined in with low chuckles.
Asking the MVP to play second fiddle to a younger player?
Shaq certainly wouldn't lose face over that.
Lee laughed and spoke diplomatically, noticing that many Los Angeles reporters looked upset, and he couldn't help but feel a little schadenfreude:
"Being a leader is indeed tough!"
....
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