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***
On October 29, 2001, as the 2001-02 regular season was about to begin, sports programs gradually returned to normal.
In the October preseason, the Knicks went undefeated with a 6-0 record.
Clay Lee didn't play much, with Grant Hill leading the team for most of the first half.
Compared to the two star players on the team, Pau Gasol got more opportunities.
Lee usually exerted his strength in the third quarter, and then the game would end.
For a Rookie player who has just entered the NBA, confidence is especially important, in addition to physical condition!
It's not a metaphysical blessing.
Confident players usually perform better.
The obvious change is that Pau Gasol is more daring to make moves, and some technical actions are completed very well.
The Knicks had the confidence to adopt this relaxed playing style because the Eastern Conference teams were indeed not strong, and everyone used the games as practice, easily winning in the preseason.
On the 30th, there were 12 games in total, and the Knicks' opening opponent was the Washington Wizards.
The NBA wanted to give Michael Jordan some face, but the New York Media were all gloating because the championship award ceremony was also held that night.
In addition to the highlights of Michael Jordan and Clay Lee, the matchup between this year's first overall pick, Kwame Brown, and Pau Gasol, also attracted the attention of many basketball commentators.
Not many excellent young big men have emerged in recent years, and Pau Gasol, the Spanish MVP, performed really well in the preseason, so he is naturally highly anticipated entering the regular season.
Kwame Brown was truly unlucky.
Even in the preseason, he didn't get much playing time.
Michael Jordan's old Dream Team teammate, Christian Laettner, seemed to be more trusted by everyone.
After the training session on the afternoon of the 29th, Pau Gasol happily accepted an interview:
"I feel great. Playing at Madison Square Garden is something I've always looked forward to."
The Yahoo Sports reporter didn't forget to tease this year's top pick, and at this point, he chuckled and fanned the flames:
"Pau, what are your thoughts after playing against Kwame Brown?"
The question had a small trap, because in that preseason game, Pau Gasol didn't even match up against him.
"Kwame Brown is a talented player, and I learned a lot from matching up against him."
Pau Gasol said the usual platitudes, but hearing this answer made the surrounding sports media almost burst out laughing.
They even felt that this big man didn't even remember who Kwame Brown was.
Lee, who was long used to such scenes, didn't remind Pau Gasol.
The New York Media had a lot of dark humor.
If it weren't for the previous building collapse incident, they would likely have started mocking Michael Jordan's coaching ability at this point.
Grant Hill also received more attention.
His playing time this season returned to normal, and with his recovery from injury, everyone naturally had more expectations.
At the Tarrytown Training Center, Grant Hill, dressed in a blue training uniform, was also being questioned by the sports media.
Most people's questions were simply:
"How is your body recovering? What kind of stats can you put up this season?"
Having lost some explosiveness, Grant Hill knew he couldn't play the way he used to, but for a 29-year-old player, he is still in his ascending phase and can compensate for the lack of explosiveness in other ways.
"I am very grateful for last year's championship experience. Everyone doesn't need to worry about my body. My ankle is very healthy right now."
"I don't care about stats. I enjoy winning more. On the team, I can play any role, but my shooting does have some problems, which is also the direction I want to improve."
.
In the preseason, the biggest problem exposed by the Knicks was their poor three-point shooting.
Ron Artest's shooting was very unstable, and Grant Hill was the same.
Neither of the two inside players had three-point shooting ability, which made Lee have to become a catch-and-shoot specialist in some offensive possessions.
In several games, the Knicks often used a three-man pick-and-roll play, with Lee mostly responsible for finishing in these possessions.
The tactical effect was naturally excellent; no one could ignore Lee popping out, and Grant Hill could often drive straight to the basket for easy scores with the help of screens.
After watching Grant Hill's performance in the preseason, the New York Media were naturally very satisfied.
Their demands were not high: 20+5+5 would suffice.
For Ron Artest, a player who grew up in Queens, the New York Media were exceptionally lenient.
A three-point shooting percentage of just over 30% was considered "promising for the future," and his wild defensive moves were even promoted as having "DPOY" potential.
As for his relatively singular offensive methods, they were largely ignored.
Just as most Rookie players from New York are overestimated, Ron Artest, who secured a starting position, has been lauded to the skies this past month.
Clay Lee's house in Tarrytown has become increasingly understated and luxurious after several renovations over the years.
However, most of the girls still preferred to live in Manhattan, as it was convenient for work.
Living here, just the traffic jams were a headache.
Once the regular season began, Lee would stay here whenever there was a training session.
Not long ago, the Coen brothers' film "The Man Who Wasn't There" premiered to a very good reception.
The film she participated in didn't flop, which also relieved Scarlett.
Her birthday is in November, and she will also get her official driver's license.
The young girl receives gifts every year, and this time, receiving a red Porsche has unlocked even more knowledge for her in the past two days.
The music in the room did not affect Lee's movements.
He concentrated on applying rose essential oil, and soon the young girl's muffled groan came:
"You're such a jerk!"
As soon as he held her slender waist, Lee was bitten on the shoulder by the embracing young girl.
His shoulder felt a slight pain, and soon the two were "wrestling" together.
When the young girl was flushed all over and buried her head in Lee's arms again, she said happily:
"Mom told me the movie got a great response, and it might even win some awards!"
Lee didn't expect her to care so much about the title of "box office poison," and for a moment, he couldn't help but tease her a couple of times:
"What if the box office results aren't ideal in the end? Perhaps that's something the lead actor should consider."
Sitting up, Scarlett quickly bit Lee's shoulder hard again.
These words were the same as what her brother said, but she was still childish and couldn't bear to hear them.
After the frolicking, the young girl was completely exhausted.
She buried her head in his chest again and said happily:
"I love this gift!"
Lee was always generous with beautiful girls.
Expenses on luxury goods and cars were often less than a single investment loss he incurred.
Ever since he started receiving large sums of money, Lee has never cared about spending on these things.
The young girl, of course, knew Lee had a lot of money, just as her mother didn't bother with certain matters.
Precocious children always have more hidden thoughts:
"Lee, what do you want for your birthday this year?"
She tried hard to put on a more mature expression, which made Lee chuckle softly, and then he teased her again:
"I want a few children!"
Subconsciously touching her flat stomach, the young girl then remembered that they hadn't used protection.
Soon, Lee whispered a few more words, and her face couldn't help but turn redder.
Seeing that she was about to get angry out of embarrassment, Lee stopped teasing her.
The almost 17-year-old Scarlett was entering a rapid development phase.
Lee was indeed a beast, but having children wouldn't be up to the young girl.
As she fell asleep peacefully in his arms, Lee gently stroked her, unconsciously murmuring:
"The family truly needs many people."
In the preseason in early October, the New York Media didn't embarrass Michael Jordan, after all, he was there for a "consolation performance."
On the afternoon of the 30th, the New York Media stopped being polite and asked Michael Jordan, who was visiting for the second time, a sharp question:
"Michael Jordan, do you think Clay Lee has surpassed you?"
Michael Jordan, who had finished his early warm-up that afternoon, already had some sweat on his head.
Surrounded by the crowd, he frowned and replied to the question:
"Clay Lee is excellent. He has won 4 championships, but I have 5 rings."
With a 0-6 record in the preseason, the TNT reporter took the opportunity to spread rumors about Michael Jordan:
"What will the Washington Wizards' record be this season? Michael, do you think the team can make the playoffs?"
With a lagging backcourt combination, Michael couldn't help but sigh inwardly, but facing the media, he still confidently replied:
"I will lead the team to the playoffs. My physical condition is excellent, and that's the source of my confidence. I know how to win!"
Although these words sounded more like bragging, at this time, everyone was skeptical but remained in a wait-and-see attitude, not making things difficult for Michael.
Since there was an awards ceremony in the evening, Lee was responsible for receiving his old teammates from the morning.
In the afternoon, everyone gathered at Madison Square Garden.
Besides chatting and joking, they took photos with the media.
Affected by this period, Ewing hadn't appeared on sports programs for over a month, and the result was that he visibly gained another round of weight.
Gorilla looked at his old teammates beside him, smiling very happily:
"When our careers end, our jerseys can be retired by the Knicks, and then looking at the championship banners above theMadison Square Garden, it feels really great!"
In the locker room, everyone heard Ewing's words, nodding with a smile while also chatting about gossip.
Larry Johnson, who had just officially retired not long ago, suddenly asked Allan Houston beside him:
"Allan, how does it feel to play for the Orlando Magic? Is Tracy McGrady really starting to share the ball?"
Oakley, Starks, and Ewing also looked at Houston at this time.
At their age, they preferred to show off and tell stories.
"Tracy is a good person, and the Orlando Magic train very actively. Ball possession shouldn't be an issue, after all, all I need is shooting opportunities."
"Head Coach Rivers is very interesting and everyone on the team likes him. In terms of uniting the locker room, he is better than Head Coach Van Gundy."
Allan Houston, dressed in a light gray casual suit, generously introduced the situation of the Orlando Magic.
Rivers' motivational speeches were very effective, successfully uniting the locker room.
Ewing didn't care about the Orlando Magic.
He started bragging during the offseason.
Thinking about the New York Knicks' roster structure, he felt a bit uncertain and suddenly asked Lee again:
"Lee, how is the New York Knicks' form this year? Is there a chance to get first place in the Eastern Conference?"
Before Lee could speak, Starks happily replied:
"In the entire Eastern Conference, no one can limit Lee. Even if the team's overall strength declines, getting first place won't be a problem!"
The locker room was full of their own people, so Lee didn't hold back and directly gave them the lowdown:
"50 wins certainly won't be difficult, after all, most opponents are Eastern Conference teams."
Ewing secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He had already bragged, and if he were suddenly slapped in the face at the end of the season, he would lose face.
Oakley was also in a very good mood recently.
With Michael's return and Doug Collins becoming the Head Coach, he found some of his past joy again:
"If the New York Knicks can get first place and the Washington Wizards also make the playoffs, perhaps they can meet again in the first round."
Larry Johnson chuckled, pointed at Lee, and joked loudly:
"Lee is turning 24, gradually entering his prime. 38-year-old Michael had better face reality soon. Seriously, I'm not optimistic about his comeback at all."
It seemed that Michael, his old rival, was going to have bad luck this season, and even Oakley joined in the low laughter with everyone.
Watching Michael Jordan's misfortune had become a source of joy for many people this season.
The championship awards ceremony that night was also very different.
Taking this opportunity, the NBA and the New York Knicks once again prayed for the suffering masses.
David Stern and James Dolan also delivered moving speeches, and incidentally made a promise:
"Families of the victims can watch games for free at Madison Square Garden!"
When sports and charity are linked, the championship awards ceremony is more like a blessing.
Many of the deceased firefighters were New York Knicks fans.
That night, the children of these individuals presented the rings to everyone.
The children varied in age, with the oldest being 12 years old. Watching the little ones hand the rings to the New York Knicks' championship members, enthusiastic applause erupted throughout the Madison Square Garden.
After the 7-year-old handed the last ring to Clay Lee, the New York fans at the scene watched the two fist-bump, and the cheers grew louder and louder.
The four-peat championship ring was expensive, with the front composed of four small trophies forming one large trophy, and the white and orange diamonds were particularly eye-catching.
On the side, the most prominent features were also the four trophy patterns and Lee's name.
The championship ring, with its strong personal style, also indicated the team's recognition of Lee.
This year's awards ceremony had no bragging, no exaggerated speeches, only the shared blessings of the NBA and the New York Knicks.
Michael Jordan was also very suitable for such a scene.
The charity event lasted for nearly an hour before the game officially began.
The Rookie teammates looked at the beautiful championship rings and then at the 6th championship banner rising above the Madison Square Garden, and for a moment, they all felt a surge of excitement.
Aside from the Hall of Fame, a championship is considered the highest honor for an NBA player.
Pau Gasol paid special attention to tonight's game.
It was his first official game, and he was fully prepared for difficulties before the game.
But what he didn't expect was that the game was truly as Lee had said before, "There's no difference between preseason and regular season."
With 3 minutes and 42 seconds left in the first quarter, Michael shot a jumper from the right elbow area over Ron Artest and missed.
Pau Gasol grabbed the rebound and immediately made a powerful pass, finding Lee who had rushed past half-court.
Fans in the front row could clearly hear Michael's shouts, constantly reminding his teammates to play Defense.
The new season's time to dribble past half-court was reduced to 8 seconds, and the pace of the game also seemed to have quickened a little.
The New York Knicks played extremely freely after the opening.
Quickly retreating on Defense, completing defensive matchups immediately, Oakley had just chased to Kurt Thomas's side, and the two stopped near the right baseline.
On the other side, the retreating Michael returned inside the three-point line, seemingly intending to let Ron Artest, who was starting to move from the left wing, go.
After slowing down, Lee waited for Pau Gasol to settle at the top of the arc.
Courtney Alexander, who was guarding him, initially wanted to squeeze through the screen but ultimately was firmly blocked at his side.
In the semi-transition offense, Christian Laettner, who had followed across half-court, was already ready.
Watching Lee lower his center of gravity after pushing the ball and changing direction to his right hand, then again pushing the ball and changing direction significantly, Laettner ultimately failed to keep up with the rhythm, unable to slide quickly under the deep hedge.
Moving in an "S" shape, Lee squeezed through the gaps and scooped the ball with his left hand, and cheers instantly filled theMadison Square Garden.
Jordan, who had collapsed on Defense, couldn't even catch up.
In the blink of an eye, Lee had already rushed into the paint.
Oakley looked at Lee, who was soaring in front of the basket, his feet heavy, and he ultimately failed to make a block, watching Lee grab the ball with his right hand and powerfully dunk it with one arm!
"Boom!" A successful drive and dunk!
Watching Lee spread his legs, dunking with one hand, displaying the "Air Jordan" dunking posture, Marv Albert at the TNT commentary booth shouted praises:
"In front of 38-year-old Michael, Clay Lee is fully displaying his talent. No one can limit him, Lee dominated tonight's game!"
His partner Mike Fratello exclaimed again:
"Too fast! Clay Lee's breakthrough is like lightning, giving the Washington Wizards' Defense no time to react!"
12:22, one side struggled offensively, while the other easily scored points through transition opportunities, and the score difference widened.
Fans who liked to watch the fun would cheer happily after Michael missed a shot.
Head Coach Doug Collins on the sidelines finally experienced what the New York Knicks' opponents used to feel:
"That went in? How do you defend that?"
Seeing his opponent show off, Michael wanted to respond, but once they fell into a half-court offense, it was difficult to get the ball out of the backcourt, and every time he received the ball in the post, he would be subjected to Ron Artest's wild Defense.
This time, in the right post, taking advantage of Ron Artest's fronting, Michael suddenly turned nimbly and drove straight to the basket.
It was a great opportunity, but Courtney Alexander at the top of the arc, under Lee's interference, passed the ball too high and in the wrong direction, actually throwing the ball directly out of bounds.
"Oh!"
The fans sitting behind the basket were overjoyed, all standing up at once, clapping and jeering while also not forgetting to laugh and mock:
"You're too old, Michael! You can't win at Madison Square Garden!"
After starting 1-for-7, Michael Jordan pursed his lips, ignoring the fans, and glared at Alexander for his errant pass.
"Let's go Knicks!"
Seeing Grant Hill bring the ball across half-court after the baseline inbound, Head Coach Doug Collins quickly shouted to remind his players:
"Pay attention to Defense!"
The Washington Wizards naturally knew that the New York Knicks were likely to run a three-man pick-and-roll, so they could only communicate with each other, attempting to defend with tacit agreement.
Lee stood firm near the free-throw line.
As soon as Grant Hill dribbled past half-court, he immediately shouted loudly, while also directing Kurt Thomas to set a cross-screen on the baseline.
Pau Gasol, positioned near the left baseline, started to move.
After the cross-screen, he immediately sped up, popping out from the middle to the top of the arc and settling there.
Grant Hill switched the ball to his right hand with a behind-the-back dribble, using the screen to accelerate his drive.
Under the fake screen, Pau Gasol quickly rolled down, and Michael Jordan chased after him in time.
At this moment, Lee did not choose to delay Jordan, but instead shifted slightly, quickly setting a back screen to screen the chasing Christian Laettner.
Alexander, who was beside Lee, was already confused.
Pau Gasol rolled down into the paint, and Clay Lee popped out to the top of the arc after the screen.
His teammate being delayed meant he couldn't make the correct defensive choice immediately.
Laettner subconsciously followed Lee and stopped outside the three-point line.
The rolling Pau Gasol was completely unguarded.
Grant Hill, while being guarded by Michael Jordan, directly lobbed the ball towards the upper left of the basket.
Despite some issues with the pass height, with no one guarding him, Pau Gasol, who jumped fully, successfully caught the ball in the air, then twisted his body and easily slammed the ball into the basket!
"Boom!"
An alley-oop dunk was successful!
"Wow!"
The spectacular dunk once again ignited the atmosphere.
Pau Gasol hadn't expected to score so easily in a regular season game, and excitedly high-fived his teammates in celebration.
Doug Collins reluctantly called a timeout.
The game was about to collapse.
Lee was suffocating Alexander, and the Washington Wizards couldn't organize many effective offenses at all.
With a lot of one-on-one play, Jordan also failed to solve the problem.
Everyone could see that compared to the energetic Clay Lee, Michael Jordan was truly old.
Marv Albert, as one of the commentators most familiar with Lee, saw him frequently use a front-of-the-body crossover after the opening, knowing that Lee didn't care about the opponent's Defense at all.
This season, the defensive contact rules were relaxed, but with Lee's excellent explosiveness, the opponent's stationary hand-checking Defense had no effect whatsoever.
"Clay Lee's speed is faster. From what we see on the court, it doesn't look like he didn't train during the offseason at all."
Hearing his partner's words, Mike Fratello could only shake his head slightly and sigh:
"This is talent. Lee has played many more games than most players over the years. Relaxing during the offseason, I don't think there's any problem."
The more the opponent missed shots, the fiercer the New York Knicks' counterattack became.
Pau Gasol even felt that the game ended before they had a chance to run many tactical plays.
With 4 minutes and 31 seconds left in the third quarter, the New York Knicks were already leading by 20 points.
Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy felt no sense of accomplishment.
Because there were too many Rookies, Lee not only shouted commands on the court, but now, back on the bench, he was also constantly shouting reminders from the sidelines.
"Knight! Run another pick-and-roll!"
"Move! Move!"
"Accelerate! Stephen, go get the ball, beautiful counterattack!"
Watching Lee, draped in a towel, clapping and shouting, the Bald Young Coach on the bench stared blankly.
Spike Lee on the sidelines was just like Lee, but this one wasn't directing the team, but rather watching Michael Jordan miss shots.
Getting a lot of playing time in the first regular season game, the Rookie players naturally played hard, wanting to leave a good impression on their boss.
After a month with the team, everyone understood that on the court, Lee called the shots.
With 3 minutes and 1 second remaining in the game, Michael Jordan was substituted out with a grim face.
Madison Square Garden first gave applause, then followed with loud jeers.
The fans who specifically came to see their old rival were also pleased.
When Michael Jordan was uncomfortable, everyone was happy!
Ultimately, 86:108, on the night of the awards ceremony, the New York Knicks soundly defeated the Washington Wizards.
In 33 minutes of play, Pau Gasol shot 8-for-13, tallying 20 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 turnovers, and 1 block.
Although most of his points came from easy putbacks, with these stats, New York fans were naturally satisfied.
After the game, some young fans were also loudly shouting Pau Gasol's name.
Kwame Brown, the unnoticed player for the Washington Wizards, only received 11 minutes of playing time, going 1-for-3 for 2 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 turnover.
Watching Pau Gasol, who was smiling brightly during his post-game interview on the sidelines, Kwame Brown once again realized that being drafted by the Washington Wizards might not have been a good thing.
Clay Lee and Grant Hill played and rested at the same time tonight, both playing 27 minutes.
Clay Lee efficiently scored 25 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals, with no turnovers, shooting 9-for-14 from the field, 3-for-6 from beyond the arc, and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.
Grant Hill nearly filled the stat sheet with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers, shooting 7-for-13 from the field, 0-for-2 from beyond the arc, and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line.
In the locker room after the game, Lee didn't hesitate to offer words of praise during his interview:
"Although this was just a regular season game, everyone performed very well."
"I don't care about missed shots. I like the attitude everyone showed in the game. Ron Artest limited Michael Jordan, and Pau had two offensive rebounds."
"Grant's several assists even demonstrated our team spirit!"
"."
Grant Hill also began the mutual flattery, and for a moment, everyone was beaming, feeling that they had played an exciting game tonight!
Jeff Van Gundy helplessly realized that his job was still to boast after the game.
After four consecutive championships, his treatment was no different from before.
In the first game, Michael Jordan scored 19 points on 7-for-21 shooting.
For a 38-year-old, this performance was already very good.
Most sports media did not kick him while he was down, as the regular season had just begun.
In the first week of the new season, the New York Knicks had three games to play.
After two days of rest, they faced a road back-to-back, and Pau Gasol finally experienced what was called the "Eastern Conference dividend."
On November 2nd, the New York Knicks played the Chicago Bulls on the road, winning easily 92:82, despite poor outside shooting.
On the evening of the 3rd, the New York Knicks played the Cavaliers on the road, with outside shooting still performing poorly, winning by a small margin of 19 points, 90:71.
On sunday, the 4th, after returning to New York, Pau Gasol was a bit bewildered.
In these two games, the team performed poorly, missing many shots and giving the opponents plenty of opportunities.
But the opponents played haphazardly, and relying on fast breaks, the New York Knicks still managed to win the games.
With double-digit scoring in three consecutive games, and even a 20+10 performance against the Cavaliers, Pau Gasol's impressive stats stirred up the New York Media.
That morning, the New York Post published an article:
"Pau GasolâThe Future Strongest Center in the NBA!"
Pau Gasol, who read the newspaper, couldn't concentrate during the afternoon training session.
He was being praised too much!
After the tactical training session, Lee noticed Pau Gasol's state.
He simply patted Pau Gasol on the shoulder and meaningfully whispered:
"Pau! Enjoy the dividend brought by the Eastern Conference!"
"."
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