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***
On November 13, 2001, Madison Square Garden, the director frequently aimed the camera at Jeff Van Gundy standing on the sidelines.
The New York Post, having obtained information from an unknown source, had been wildly gossiping these past two days about the Bald Young Coach's impending resignation as Head Coach.
As a Champion Coach with four consecutive titles, his failure to secure a long-term contract during the offseason was already intriguing.
Coupled with the recent revelations, this news seemed highly credible.
Larsa had just given birth to Pippen's son two days prior, and with good news came a refreshed spirit, so Old Pippen was exceptionally engaged once the game started.
However, the Portland Trail Blazers players tonight all turned into "No Brain" and "Unhappy."
While the game remained close for the first three quarters, by the final quarter, everyone just shot the ball whenever they got it, clanking shot after shot, and the game suddenly entered a different rhythm.
With 8 minutes and 42 seconds remaining in the game, taking advantage of Pippen's missed free throw, both teams brought back their starting lineups.
Facing the "No Brain" backcourt composed of Derek Anderson and Bonzi Wells, Lee played very easily.
Pippen missed his second free throw again, and the New York fans cheered once more.
Pau Gasol secured the defensive rebound, and the Knicks launched a counterattack.
From the commentary booth, Mike Breen excitedly shouted:
"Excellent opportunity! Grant Hill has already crossed half-court!"
Accelerating along the left sideline, Grant Hill slowed down immediately upon reaching the left wing.
Simultaneously, Kurt Thomas also stopped at the right wing to set an off-ball screen for Lee.
Noticing that Lee seemed to want to use the screen to receive the ball at the top of the arc, Derek Anderson, with his back to the basket, quickly shuffled right, lowering his center of gravity, preparing to squeeze through the screen immediately.
Lee suddenly slapped away the opponent's pulling left hand, then quickly back-cut, driving straight to the basket from the wing!
The retreating Rasheed Wallace had just returned to the paint when the basketball flew over his head, directly towards the upper right of the rim.
Ball and player arrived simultaneously.
Lee, who had suddenly back-cut, leaped high, caught the ball in mid-air, and immediately slammed it into the hoop with both hands!
"Boom!" An alley-oop dunk successful!
"Wow!
Cheers echoed through the stadium.
Whenever they executed a transition offense, the Knicks always managed to score beautiful baskets.
Upon landing, Lee looked relaxed.
He had increased the frequency of such unexpected back-cuts this season.
The cost was a rise in the team's turnover count, as Hill's passing quality was only decent.
"What a spectacular assist! This is the Knicks we're familiar with."
Walt Frazier also enjoyed such offensive displays.
Alley-oop dunks were always more entertaining to watch than bricked jump shots from a half-court offense.
The Knicks' fast-break positioning usually had their big men trailing.
If a transition opportunity arose, they would quickly set screens, while the wing players would sink to the corner, creating offensive space.
Head Coach Maurice Cheeks, who had just taken over the team, seemed to have failed to win the trust of the Portland Trail Blazers players.
He was yelling on the sidelines, but during the offensive possession, Rasheed Wallace just bounced off a screen at the left elbow.
The big man demanded the ball, and Derek Anderson immediately passed it back to Rasheed Wallace at the top of the arc.
Most of his jump shots throughout the game had clanked, and Gasol merely stepped up, extending his left hand to interfere slightly.
The three-pointer was shot cleanly, but the ball "clanked" off the back rim.
Seeming to still feel some regret, Rasheed Wallace clapped his hands in frustration.
Kurt Thomas successfully secured the defensive rebound.
Dale Davis, who was boxed out behind him, was extremely unhappy.
Most of his points tonight had come from second-chance opportunities, and his chances to score easy baskets were dwindling.
Complaining loudly to his teammates while retreating on Defense, Dale Davis yelled a few times, and Lee had already received the ball and crossed half-court.
Seemingly no longer trusting "No Brain" Bonzi Wells, the Portland Trail Blazers adopted a stance similar to a 2-3 zone Defense, with Pippen immediately guarding the right elbow at the top.
Facing the pick-and-roll between Lee and Gasol at the top of the arc, and noticing that Derek Anderson was delayed, Pippen immediately sagged and quickly helped out.
Clay Lee, without waiting for the opponent's Defense to be in position, immediately dished the ball to Grant Hill on the right wing.
The latter was already prepared to receive the ball.
Upon catching it far from the three-point line, he immediately put the ball down, accelerated fully, and in the blink of an eye, he shredded the Defense, cutting in at a 45-degree angle, driving into the paint.
Bonzi Wells, who should have sagged to help defend, seemed to have forgotten his defensive assignment and was still focused on Ron Artest in the right corner.
"Fuck!"
In such a situation, Dale Davis was so enraged that he cursed again, having no choice but to abandon his matchup with Kurt Thomas and immediately shift into the paint to help defend.
Grant Hill, who was prepared, smoothly lobbed the ball towards the upper left of the rim.
Kurt Thomas, lurking near the left baseline, leaped high, caught the ball, and again slammed it into the hoop with both hands!
"Boom!"
An alley-oop dunk successful.
70:78, the lead was finally extended.
By the 4th quarter, the Portland Trail Blazers' disorganized zone Defense was completely shattered.
When Pippen, on the next possession, backed down at the left block, put the ball down with his left hand, backed down twice, and then turned baseline for a fadeaway jump shot that clanked again, Head Coach Maurice Cheeks on the sidelines clutched his head in frustration.
Gasol, who grabbed the rebound, immediately passed the ball to Lee, who was near mid-court.
Derek Anderson seemed to have anticipated his teammate's missed shot and was just retreating to the right wing at that moment.
Seeing Lee slow down, dribble between his legs, switch to his left hand, feign gathering the ball with his right, bend his knees, look up at the rim, Derek Anderson, who was shuffling backward, instinctively jumped.
With his opponent biting on the fake, Lee quickly completed a front-of-the-body crossover.
The movement was small, but after switching to his right hand, he completely shook off the Defense, lowered his center of gravity, and instantly increased his stride, driving straight to the basket from the right wing.
Rasheed Wallace, who had retreated to the paint, had already given up on Defense, watching Lee jump with both feet near the paint, grab the ball with his right hand, and complete a one-handed dunk!
"Oh!"
Amidst the cheers, the Portland Trail Blazers immediately called a timeout.
The lead had reached 10 points, and victory was within sight.
"Clay Lee's game state is getting better and better. The new rules don't seem to have affected his offense."
Commentator Mike Breen was happy to watch, but Walt Frazier was still seriously commenting on the game:
"There were indeed some issues with offensive spacing. In last week's game, opponents always preferred to leave Ron Artest open for shots and opt for help Defense."
"Fortunately, the young men reacted quickly. Gasol seems to have found his touch on his free-throw line jump shots in these past few games, providing great help to the team."
During the timeout, Jeff Van Gundy continued to give his usual pep talk, seemingly no different from before.
The director frequently aimed the camera at the Bald Young Coach, trying to discover the "secret" on the Knicks' bench.
In the subsequent game, the Portland Trail Blazers continued to completely lose their shooting touch.
While frequently missing shots, they played with abandon on offense, shooting worse and worse.
Amidst the laughter of the New York fans, the Knicks went on a run and took the game.
82:100.
The losing Portland Trail Blazers players didn't seem to care, chatting and laughing cheerfully after the game.
Throughout the game, they shot 1-for-23 from three-point range, a dismal 4.3% shooting percentage.
Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach Maurice Cheeks's face was exceptionally grim, as his words had been ignored.
Lee didn't forget to congratulate Pippen on having another son.
At this time, Larsa was still a devoted wife and mother, not yet completely letting herself go.
A victory made the New York fans happy, but sports reporters hoped Lee would gossip a bit about the Head Coach.
A TNT reporter interviewed Lee on the sidelines immediately:
"Clay, is Head Coach Van Gundy really planning to leave the Knicks?"
Lee was busy preparing for Thanksgiving and hadn't read any gossip news these past few days, so he was a bit surprised by the question, then responded seriously:
"I haven't heard any such news. Head Coach Van Gundy has always been in New York. He likes it here, and everyone on the team supports him."
"If it's about the contract, there will naturally be an answer during the offseason."
Seeing Lee's serious expression, seemingly without any dissatisfaction, the TNT reporter could only nod and change the subject, entering into a mutual flattery mode.
There are no secrets in New York.
Although Jeff Van Gundy vehemently denied it after the game, everyone believed the Bald Young Coach was leaving.
Not renewing his contract after four consecutive championships already indicated the team's attitude.
James Dolan did not mention the Head Coach at all at this time, and General Manager Grunfeld merely smiled and spoke platitudes when interviewed:
"Jeff is a legendary coach. I don't know where this news came from, but I believe he will always stay with the Knicks."
In the game against the Heat on the 15th, facing a Heat team on a three-game losing streak, the Knicks once again struck hard.
76:98, three quarters and done, a dominant home victory.
Mourning, whose condition had worsened, was no longer able to play.
The roster had been cleaned out, and Eddie Jones became the Heat's star player.
With a 2-6 record, the Heat, who had a terrible start, also seemed to be entering a rebuilding phase.
Pat Riley, as the former Knicks coach, didn't forget to poke fun at the basketball environment here after the game:
"I know Jeff's ability, and I'm happy to see him succeed in New York."
"But many times, head coaches find themselves in such a dilemma. Whatever choice Jeff makes, I will continue to support him as always."
At the post-game press conference, there was no mention of the loss, and upon hearing Pat Riley's statement, an ESPN reporter also gossiped:
"Do you think Head Coach Van Gundy will ultimately choose to resign? He just achieved four consecutive championships."
Seeing everyone below waiting for him to express his stance, Pat Riley said in a sarcastic tone,
"This is the NBA. A lot of times, superstars can decide everything!"
...
On the 16th, in a back-to-back game against the Atlanta Hawks, the Knicks easily defeated their opponent 78:93.
On Sunday the 18th, the Knicks began their Western Conference road trip, and the NBA also announced this week's Players of the Week:
Clay Lee from the Eastern Conference and Kevin Garnett from the Western Conference successfully won the awards.
In this week's three games, Clay Lee averaged 28.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 2.7 steals, and 2.7 turnovers per game;
His field goal percentage was 52.1%, three-point percentage was 44.8%, and free throw percentage was 96.3%.
After half a month of warm-up, Lee's efficiency was back.
Noting his 31.6 minutes per game and 16.7 field goal attempts, most commentators could only exclaim how absurd it was, as changing the defensive rules had no effect on Clay Lee.
Veteran players are no longer seen as Players of the Week.
Although Michael Jordan's form is getting better and better, the Washington Wizards have a record of 2 wins and 7 losses.
In the game against the Utah Jazz two days ago, Michael Jordan scored 44 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal on 17-of-33 shooting.
After the game, old fans felt that Michael Jordan was back, but the Washington Wizards were holding him back.
"The Washington Wizards lost, but Michael Jordan didn't!"
This view has also become popular recently, and the summary is that his teammates are CBA-level, and Kwame Brown is a huge bust!
As fellow 2001 rookies, Pau Gasol could get at least 12 shots per game for the Knicks, while Kwame Brown could only get some garbage time.
Sports media loves to watch the show; everyone likes to see Michael Jordan put up numbers and the Washington Wizards lose, as it makes it easier for them to discuss after the game.
Before Thanksgiving, the Knicks had another easy stretch of games.
After the Portland Trail Blazers only scored 82 points and lost to the Clippers, the underperforming Knicks defeated the Golden State Warriors by 24 points, 94:70.
In the back-to-back game against the Phoenix Suns, for the sake of draft picks, the Knicks once again went all out, winning 102:94 in a tough battle that went down to the last minute.
With a record of 10 wins and 3 losses, the Knicks once again took the top spot in the Eastern Conference due to their advantage in wins.
Before Thanksgiving, the Lakers had a record of 10 wins and 1 loss, and the San Antonio Spurs had a record of 8 wins and 2 losses, both leading the Western Conference and showing impressive dominance.
Thanksgiving Day, November 22nd, was meaningless for many Enron employees, as they were completely out of work.
From CEO Jeffrey Skilling's resignation announcement in early August to Kenneth Lay's re-appointment, it took more than two months for this giant company to collapse.
After Enron traders profited over $48 billion from California's deregulated electricity prices in the first quarter of 2001, the situation quickly deteriorated with the exposure of a phone recording!
When financial media released the recording of an Enron trader mocking California residents for being unable to afford electricity, the falling stock price became unstoppable.
This tug-of-war, from Axe Capital's initial assessment report being dismissed to everyone later scrambling to carve up the giant, took less than half a year.
Kenneth Lay was indeed very influential, successfully lobbying the White House not to regulate California's electricity prices, but protests grew, and even ordinary people realized Enron had problems.
CFO Andrew Fastow's financial fraud shocked the entire United States.
The so-called accounting errors were just an excuse.
If nothing unexpected happens, the giant will completely collapse in early December.
For Lee, this Thanksgiving was indeed worth celebrating.
Axe Capital got the biggest piece of the pie, a windfall of money!
At the house on 82nd Street, the girls were preparing dinner.
On the top floor terrace, enjoying the night view of Manhattan, Lee and Nacho, both wearing black T-shirts and raw denim jeans, were laughing softly.
"I don't understand those complex financials, but after I overheard those employees' conversations, I knew we could really make a lot of money."
"These guys make money as fast as drug addicts, and even California officials endorse them. The methods of these tycoons are truly unexpected."
To earn this money, Nacho had been away from New York for nearly two years.
Relying solely on reports and words couldn't contend with Kenneth Lay's connections in both business and politics.
This big shot could even trick some people into taking over at the very end, and then easily cash out.
If Enron's stock price drop at the beginning of the year only allowed people to make a small profit, the continuous sharp decline starting in the middle of the year made Axe Capital incredibly rich.
Seemingly free from the shadow of "profiteering from national disaster," Bobby, holding a wine glass, also smiled brightly and raised his glass, saying,
"This is our victory, a victory of nearly 500 million US dollars. I'm even a little impatient. Enron should declare bankruptcy soon."
Old Mike squinted with a smile.
He would also receive a substantial reward from this profit.
Monitoring and surveillance, this job was not difficult, and it paid much more than being a police officer:
"I like this kind of work, and if there's an opportunity, we can do it a few more times!"
Lee shook his head slightly, thinking of some information, and instead of speaking definitively, he teased softly,
"Bobby will become an opinion leader. Next time, it won't be this hard. After this, more and more people will believe him."
"Wall Street's assessment is no longer the sole authority. Can Enron's media make money against the trend? If similar things happen again, I believe many people's reactions will be completely different!"
Under the dot-com bubble, Enron's stock actually rose against the trend, and it was that so-called media that brought back some memories for Lee.
After several consecutive months of making big money, Axe Capital completed its restructuring.
Bobby knew his good days were truly coming.
The poor boy from the bottom had turned his life around, and naturally, he wanted to spend money after earning it:
"How about we buy two yachts? In the summer, we can go out to sea and have parties!"
"Or buy some houses in Miami. Whether it's Connecticut or New York, the winters here are too cold."
Considering the current social climate, Lee pondered for a moment before suggesting,
"Let's consider spending next year. Sometimes, the more you earn, the greater the responsibility. My foundation also needs to be re-planned."
No longer discussing that topic, the four quietly confirmed the wrap-up work, and soon Kim and Melinda came to the terrace to greet everyone.
For Thanksgiving, Lee invited many friends who had contributed to the "Enron incident," and of course, he didn't forget to send greetings to Cheney, the big shot in the White House.
This Vice President was exceptionally strong, and it was already very difficult to get some information.
After Thanksgiving, the Knicks again had an easy game against the Chicago Bulls.
74:91, another brick-laying battle, and the Knicks happily claimed their third consecutive victory!
Perhaps the easy schedule stimulated some sour grapes.
On the 25th, after the Lakers defeated the Denver Nuggets, Shaquille O'Neal complained twice at the post-game press conference:
"The Lakers have a record of 12 wins and 1 loss, and every game is difficult."
"The NBA should consider adjusting the strength gap between the Eastern and Western Conferences!"
Los Angeles sports media felt this made sense.
Whenever they saw the Knicks win by brick-laying, they felt annoyed.
The difficulty levels of the two teams are different.
For the Lakers to break out of the Western Conference, the difficulty might be S, while for the Knicks to break out of the Eastern Conference, the difficulty is only B.
ESPN recently created a difficulty ranking system, intending to belittle New York, but unexpectedly, the effect was surprisingly good, and everyone expressed agreement.
Kobe, sitting next to Shaquille O'Neal, also felt a pang of envy.
It was almost the end of the month, and at this rate, he had a high probability of winning November's Player of the Month award.
But just thinking that Lee could win an award even by brick-laying in the first half of the month and slacking off in the second half, Kobe immediately followed up with two complaints:
"Shaq is right. Not just in the regular season, but in the playoffs, Western Conference teams will also face stronger opponents."
"I respect all teams, but I hope that in award selections, the opponent factor can be considered more."
"I feel that I have played at an MVP level. Seriously, I hope to see my name on the MVP rankings."
Kobe, who had never won an MVP, revealed his little thoughts.
With O'Neal around, he was always overshadowed, and Lee was always at the top of the MVP rankings, which made Kobe very unhappy.
The complaints from the "OK" duo did not affect the Knicks' home win against a weaker opponent in the slightest.
86:96, a narrow victory over the Atlanta Hawks, and New York fans erupted again!
Happiness brings good spirits.
After the game, listening to the cheers of the home fans, Lee suddenly felt a chill in his mind.
Subconsciously calling out his talent panel, Lee immediately noticed that [Tim Duncan's Excellent Positional Sense] had disappeared.
Seeing Grant Hill, who was being interviewed and smiling happily, Lee, in a great mood, passed by and couldn't help but shout at the camera,
"We are still first in the Eastern Conference! This feels great!"
"."
.....
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