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Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.
The return of Itachi
I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.
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***
On October 29, 2002, the New York Knicks' opening game once again thrilled the fans who bought tickets.
Although everyone had anticipated it, watching the score difference gradually widen, the lively atmosphere in the Madison Square Garden couldn't be stopped.
Since the tickets for the opening game had increased in price, to give back to the fans, Clay Lee had to stay on the court even when the third quarter entered garbage time.
This situation left the 76ers players with unspeakable bitterness, and the scene was once very undignified.
The New York Knicks' Rookies had an entire quarter of playing time, and with 2 minutes and 43 seconds left in the third quarter, Lee was already playing extremely casually.
As the Defense intensity dropped, Allen Iverson also found his touch, but this hindsight operation didn't help the game much.
Out of respect for his opponent, Lee felt he still needed to score points.
"Let's go Knicks!"
Cheers echoed through the stadium.
Perhaps seeing Allen Iverson leading the Defense again, the fun-loving New York fans got excited.
Tonight's game presented many mismatch opportunities.
Against Allen Iverson's Defense, the New York Knicks' forwards had a natural size advantage.
Throughout the first half, although Allen Iverson contributed some good defensive possessions, he was mostly overpowered by back-to-the-basket plays.
As the second half began, Iverson once again guarded Lee, and the highly anticipated matchup for the New York fans reappeared.
Some New York fans in the front row watched Lee casually dribble the ball with his left hand past half-court, occasionally swatting away Iverson's arm with his right.
The cheers grew louder.
During this fan-anticipated performance, the New York Knicks players on the court were also tactful, actively moving to clear the left wing.
Iverson, trying hard to defend, still attempted to steal the ball.
Near the three-point line, Lee suddenly executed two extremely quick cross-over dribbles, switching back to his left hand, lowering his center of gravity, and immediately accelerating for a breakthrough.
The dribble was merely to adjust his footwork.
Lee knew he hadn't shaken off the sliding Iverson.
Accelerating to the left restricted area, while his opponent was still sliding backward to the right, Lee suddenly changed direction with a cross-over.
Quickly switching to his right hand, Lee continued to accelerate.
Allen Iverson, whose front support foot was suddenly attacked, couldn't adjust his body's center of gravity in time, completely losing his position and watching Clay Lee squeeze past him.
The big man Mcloach in the paint, near the right baseline, had been watching Pau Gasol behind him.
In a blink of an eye, he saw Lee had already broken through to the basket.
In Mcloach's moment of hesitation, Lee had already broken through to the basket.
Facing the big man's block, he took a step, quickly jumped, glided past his opponent's side to the lower right of the rim, completely shaking off the Defense, and casually tossed the ball off the backboard with his right hand before landing.
"Swish!"
The referee blew his whistle, the New York fans cheered, the basketball hit the backboard and went in.
Clay Lee simply celebrated with a fist pump.
For him, this hesitant Defense was like slow-motion playback.
After being overpowered and then crossed over, Allen Iverson was gone.
He looked at his teammates' helpless expressions, pursing his lips without a word.
The mocking sounds from the New York fans in the front row were particularly harsh.
Iverson looked at Head Coach Larry Brown on the sideline, and realizing that Head Coach Larry Brown still had no intention of substituting him, his face darkened even further.
"This is truly a disastrous matchup. It's rare to see Lee make such complex fakes."
"If the point guard is the team's core, efficiency is very important."
"No one doubts Allen Iverson's ability to handle the ball, but against those big teams, they can get closer to the basket to finish attacks, with greater stability. The small man's offense must keep up."
From the commentary booth, watching Allen Iverson frequently targeted in this game, Mike Fratello offered this assessment and said no more.
Marv Albert also found this statement reasonable, but he didn't want to kick a man when he was down.
At this point, he simply continued to praise:
"It's clear that the New York Knicks have completely taken control of the game. Our boys are in excellent form this new season."
60:80, the free throw was made, and the score difference once again reached 20 points.
Trailing by a large margin, Allen Iverson still dared to fight.
After a double screen at the top, he quickly cut horizontally from left to right, reaching the right wing.
The moment he received the ball, he immediately burst through with a quick step.
Tonight, the opponent's three-pointers frequently clanked off the rim.
Lee, even when dropping back on Defense, would slide with his opponent's breakthrough, effectively blocking him.
Iverson reacted quickly, pausing slightly, immediately completing a cross-over dribble, and simultaneously gathering the ball quickly, creating a sliver of shooting space.
Near the elbow, he pulled up for a jump shot.
"Bang!"
The beautiful form brought no bonus.
Mcloach did manage to tip out the rebound with effort, but the basketball was timely secured by Grant Hill.
Seeing that the New York Knicks were about to initiate another transition offense, the 76ers chose not to foul again.
With a large-amplitude in-and-out dribble, Grant Hill switched to his left hand to retrieve the ball, shaking off Snow, and accelerating continuously near the middle.
Lee had already run along the left sideline towards the opponent's half-court.
Noticing Grant Hill's position, he didn't stop when he approached the left wing, but continued to run towards the left corner.
Iverson's transition Defense speed was extremely fast, following Lee.
However, he didn't expect Lee to suddenly backpedal at this moment, quickly moving towards the left wing.
Amidst the New York fans' cheers, Lee shook off Allen Iverson's trailing Defense, received Grant Hill's pass, made no adjustments, and with a tilted body, quickly shot from the left wing!
"Swish!" The three-pointer swished through the net.
Noticing his players' defensive focus was continuously slipping, Head Coach Larry Brown no longer stubborn, proactively called a timeout.
Watching the dejected 76ers players walk towards the bench, the New York fans in the stands felt a sense of relief.
Allen Iverson didn't even greet Head Coach Larry Brown, immediately returning to his seat, refusing the drink offered by the staff, covering his face with both hands, and not wanting to speak at all.
Most of the joy in basketball comes from winning and crushing opponents.
Every time Allen Iverson faces the New York Knicks, he naturally doesn't experience this.
He even increasingly despises coming to New York.
The New York fans who enjoyed the spectacle shouted "overrated," while New York fans venting their emotions cheered unconsciously.
Everything was as they had hoped.
They were about to usher in another season of overwhelming victories.
On the New York Knicks bench, Coach D'Antoni hadn't expected the game to be so easy.
The more fiercely the opponent defended, the easier it was to score.
In just 30 minutes of play, Pau Gasol scored 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists on 10-of-12 shooting and 4-of-6 from the free throw line, with almost all of his points coming from pick-and-roll dives.
"Stay focused when you go on the court. I don't want to see the score difference suddenly drop back to 10 points. Show what we've practiced in training."
Coach D'Antoni patted Knight, who was about to enter the game.
As the point guard, he was the rhythm setter on the court.
In the current system, the bench unit relied heavily on this small man.
The New York Knicks put Knight, Stephen Jackson, Tayshaun Prince, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Wright on the court.
For the 76ers, Erik Snow and Van Horn were still on the court, and Rookie guard John Salmons got an opportunity.
Brian Skinner and veteran Mark Bryant partnered in the paint, and Head Coach Larry Brown once again put out a low-scoring lineup.
By the 4th quarter, the score difference on the court continued to widen.
Even with Amar'e Stoudemire's poor defensive habits, the 76ers still couldn't seize the opportunity.
After a simple pick-and-roll where Knight assisted Amar'e Stoudemire for a spectacular poster dunk, the 76ers bench fell silent.
Head Coach Larry Brown, who had already returned to his seat, had a calm expression.
He glanced at Iverson, and his mind was made up:
"The season is over, it's time to leave!"
With Stephen Jackson's strong offensive output, the 4th quarter ended with a score of 16:27.
At the end of the game, Madison Square Garden was completely boiling.
80:112.
Looking at the 32-point difference, the 76ers players headed towards the player tunnel early.
In 31 minutes of play, Clay Lee had an unremarkable stat line of 32 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and 1 turnover on 11-of-19 shooting, 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, and 6-of-6 from the free throw line.
With such a performance in a nationally televised game, the 76ers were naturally somewhat embarrassed.
After the game, Craig Sager didn't forget to tease Lee during the interview:
"Lee, congratulations on your first win of the new season. I'm a bit curious, how many times have you defeated the 76ers?"
Having already changed into his training clothes, Lee answered the question very naturally:
"A simple math problem, it should be the 25th time. If nothing unexpected happens, it will be 28 times by the end of this season."
"I love competing with excellent players. Every time I play against the 76ers, I have extra motivation!"
TNT's broadcast had no issues.
Although it was a one-sided game, the three commentators in the Atlanta studio seriously reviewed it afterwards.
Kenny Smith wanted to find a topic, but a 32-point difference was truly unanalyzable, so he could only ask his partner:
"Chuck, what changes do you think the New York Knicks have made tonight?"
After analyzing a lot before the game, Charles Barkley didn't get any of it right during the game, so he subconsciously replied:
"I don't see any change, because for most of the game they were scoring on fast breaks."
"What I can confirm now is that the 76ers should trade Allen Iverson if they want to make changes."
"He's healthy this season and might lead the team to the playoffs, but I won't hold any expectations, because the New York Knicks will maintain their dominance over the 76ers."
Ernie Johnson, not wanting to be harassed by player agents again, quickly changed the subject and asked:
"The New York Knicks took 89 shots tonight, and although some possessions were off turnovers, their pace seemed to be much faster."
"It seems Lee and Coach D'Antoni are getting along very well!"
Kenny Smith also noticed that his big-mouthed partner still wanted to speak, so he quickly took over:
"One game can't say too much, but Lee's passing speed seems to be faster. This is their second season together, and the New York Knicks seem to be on the right track."
Since both partners didn't want to talk about the 76ers anymore, Charles Barkley stubbornly added one last remark:
"6-for-20, only 18 points. If Allen Iverson continues to perform like this, they should face reality sooner rather than later!"
"..."
The other two opening night games were equally uneventful.
67:94, the Sacramento Kings also clocked out in three quarters, easily defeating the Cavaliers.
Kobe, who had boasted before the game that he would deliver a victory to Los Angeles fans, was utterly humiliated.
87:82, even with Duncan going a dismal 3-for-14 and scoring only 14 points, the San Antonio Spurs still won.
Their victory was entirely due to their opponent's poor performance.
Kobe went 9-for-29, tallying 27 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks, and 6 turnovers;
Derek Fisher was 1-for-9, Robert Horry was 3-for-10. On this awards night, Los Angeles fans particularly missed Shaquille O'Neal, who was sitting on the bench.
Staples Center was still lively, and Shaq was unaffected, still hugging everyone after the game, seemingly entering a state of "smiling happily after a loss."
The conflict between the two core players seemed irreconcilable.
Phil Jackson, pushing up his glasses on the sidelines, watched the two.
Although he stood with O'Neal, a bad premonition arose in his heart:
"Can we still reach the Finals this season?"
On October 30th, fans across the ocean eagerly awaited Yao Ming's debut.
The Houston Rockets were challenging the Pacers on the road.
Before the game, everyone expected Yao Ming to show the same dominance as he did in the CBA.
However, after the game started, fans didn't see Yao Ming for a long time.
Instead, Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley became the protagonists of the game.
Ultimately, Yao Ming only played 11 minutes, recording 0 points, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers, and 3 fouls.
The Houston Rockets' three-guard lineup immediately faltered against the Pacers.
Jermaine O'Neal easily dominated the Houston Rockets' paint.
82:91, the Houston Rockets suffered an opening loss, but fans across the ocean remembered the excellent performance of Steve Francis.
The All-Star guard played 39 minutes, going 13-for-28, scoring 39 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, and 5 turnovers.
Fans who had fantasized about the Houston Rockets being a Western Conference powerhouse before the game finally had a clear understanding.
Yao Ming would likely need some time to establish himself.
As for the American media, a top draft pick failing wasn't a rare occurrence.
Onlookers smiled indifferently at the news, not taking it to heart.
Before the draft, Duke University Coach Mike Krzyzewski spoke up for his favorite player:
"Jason is the best player in this draft class. He has everything a point guard needs!"
Some people had already been unhappy about Yao Ming being selected first overall.
The first overall pick represents a higher salary and more attention.
Ultimately, it was all about the money.
As for that talented point guard, being drafted by a tanking team like the Chicago Bulls likely meant a bleak future.
The New York Knicks also had a road back-to-back game.
At 8 PM that night, the Detroit Pistons also had their season opener at Auburn Hills Palace.
Although Ben Wallace had garnered many honors last season, Ron Artest still disliked Ben Wallace.
The two exchanged barbs before the game, and during the game, as the Detroit Pistons constantly crashed the offensive glass, slowing down the pace, Ron Artest's actions became increasingly aggressive.
When the Detroit Pistons were on offense, Chauncey Billups instinctively directed his teammates to pass the ball after crossing half-court.
Michael Curry had just received the ball on the right wing when Ron Artest aggressively pressured him, not giving the opponent a chance to dribble.
Chauncey Billups realized something was wrong and tried to go forward to receive the ball, but he encountered Lee's entanglement.
After two consecutive fakes, he still couldn't shake off the Defense.
In desperation, Michael Curry instinctively wanted to throw the ball to the big man, Zeljko Rebraca, who had come up to receive it in the paint.
However, his passing intention was too obvious, and Ron Artest directly stole the ball.
He had already completed an excellent defensive play, but the moment the opponent tried to steal it back, Ron Artest elbowed him.
Michael Curry seized the opportunity to exaggerate, falling backward and clutching his face in pain.
"Squeak!"
The referee immediately blew the whistle.
Ron Artest, holding the ball, still tried to explain:
"I was just protecting the ball! I didn't even use force, this guy is flopping!"
Receiving his 3rd personal foul, Ron Artest was naturally frustrated.
On the other side, Ben Wallace, while helping his teammate up, didn't forget to say a few sarcastic remarks:
"Defense requires brains! Someone's going to be ejected tonight!"
One clapped in approval, the other complained loudly.
Although there were no signs of a physical altercation, the referee cautiously gave both a verbal warning.
"Oh!"
Watching Ron Artest leave the court, the Detroit Pistons fans in attendance also loudly booed.
Stephen Jackson comforted his good brother and then happily entered the game as a substitute.
Lee didn't pay attention to their bickering.
When they were with the New York Knicks, these two often argued.
It's impossible to expect everyone to be "brothers."
"Stephen! Go to the right wing later, no need to go to the corner."
Despite it being the opponent's offense, Lee loudly reminded his teammates of their offensive movement.
The reason for this arrangement was mainly because the Detroit Pistons had too few offensive plays.
Michael Curry's three-point shooting was negligible, and Ben Wallace and the big man Rebraca preferred to score in the paint.
Therefore, just as planned before the game, Hamilton became the Detroit Pistons' main offensive threat.
He wasn't a ball-handler either, still using the old routine of cutting along the baseline to receive the ball in the restricted area for a jump shot.
The Detroit Pistons fans in the arena cheered loudly for their home team.
With the same offensive play, Chauncey Billups was again distributing the ball at the top of the arc.
With Grant Hill chasing him, Hamilton received the ball in the left restricted area.
He couldn't get the shot off immediately.
Then he put the ball down with his right hand, shuffled sideways, executed a quick stop and fake at the free-throw line, faking Grant Hill out of position, and using the timing difference, he forced a jump shot!
"Bang!"
The basketball hit the front rim.
This time, Ben Wallace was tightly boxed out by Kurt Thomas, and Pau Gasol easily secured the rebound.
Noticing the missed shot, Hamilton signaled his teammates to retreat on Defense.
Coach Rick Carlisle on the sidelines also constantly yelled, reminding his players to pay attention to their defensive matchups.
At this point, there were 4 minutes and 31 seconds left in the half, with the score at 44:31.
Despite the opponent's frequent double-teams, the New York Knicks' offense remained potent.
When Lee received the ball in the backcourt, his teammates all started to accelerate.
Kurt Thomas, in particular, got a head start, running early to the left baseline.
Grant Hill also loudly reminded Stephen Jackson, who had just entered the game, to stop on the right wing, while he himself ran to the right corner, watching Lee cross half-court.
Pau Gasol stopped at the top of the arc and immediately moved to Lee's right for a high pick-and-roll.
Chauncey Billups was very familiar with the New York Knicks' tactics.
When the screen occurred, he immediately forced his way through the screen.
At the same time, Pau Gasol accelerated on his roll, driving straight to the basket, and the big man Rebraca also quickly retreated on Defense.
Although Chauncey Billups quickly squeezed through the screen, Lee, dribbling with his left hand, was still half a step ahead.
He leaned into the defender while accelerating.
Noticing that Ben Wallace had already started to move up, Lee smoothly executed a behind-the-back dribble, changed to his right hand with a sudden stop, giving Chauncey Billups no time to adjust, and accelerated to drive again.
Clearly, the Detroit Pistons had prepared thoroughly.
Michael Curry had already sagged to the right elbow area, and just as Clay Lee was about to shake off Chauncey Billups and cut to the middle, he was met with quick help Defense at the free-throw line.
The opponent quickly slid his feet, and Lee smoothly passed the ball to Stephen Jackson on the right wing.
When the latter received the ball, Hamilton, who was guarding the corner, hesitated somewhat and ultimately chose not to close out.
The Detroit Pistons collectively watched Stephen Jackson shoot a three-pointer from beyond the arc!
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly!
47:31.
Coach D'Antoni on the sidelines couldn't stop smiling, clapping constantly.
Only by personally watching Lee play from the VIP section could one truly appreciate the assistant coach's reminders.
"Good job!"
Stephen Jackson grinned as he retreated on Defense.
This was why he wanted to be a starter.
It was much easier to rack up stats.
On the bench, everyone had to take care of the high school Rookie.
Once the ball reached his hands, it was basically gone...
He actively requested a defensive switch, and Stephen Jackson began to cover Hamilton, while Grant Hill followed Michael Curry to smoke on the weak side.
As Hamilton kept missing, the game returned to the familiar rhythm of the New York Knicks.
Clay Lee received the ball under the basket and charged forward, first changing direction with a large dribble to get past Chauncey Billups, then quickly performing an in-and-out dribble with his left hand near the mid-court line to shake off the delayed Hamilton.
Amidst the fans' gasps, Lee had just crossed mid-court, and without giving the two behind him a chance to chase again, he casually tossed the ball towards the upper right of the rim.
The unguarded Grant Hill accelerated, caught the ball in mid-air, and powerfully slammed it in with both hands!
"Boom!" The alley-oop dunk was successful!
On the New York Knicks' bench, the atmosphere was jubilant, while Head Coach Rick Carlisle on the sidelines shook his head helplessly.
He knew they were in trouble when they couldn't make a response shot.
The big man Rebracha broke the deadlock for the Detroit Pistons, hitting a long two-pointer after a pick-and-roll, which relieved the Detroit Pistons fans.
However, such relatively smooth offenses were too few.
On the bench, Ewing constantly urged the New York Knicks to collapse their Defense.
Towards the end of the first half, the New York Knicks almost exclusively used a 1-2-2 zone Defense, which, by surrounding the paint, caused great trouble for the Detroit Pistons.
Aside from free throws, field goals completely disappeared.
Despite playing at home and benefiting from the referees' calls, the score was 58-40 at halftime.
Clay Lee, who dished out 10 assists in the first half, was heavily booed by the Detroit Pistons fans as he walked towards the players' tunnel.
Ewing, however, couldn't stop smiling.
Watching the game from the sidelines, he occasionally raised his hand to show off:
"It's such a pity, Ben's offense is still the same!"
Lee heard the Gorilla's teasing and, remembering that Ben Wallace had only scored 2 points from one easy basket in the first half, also shook his head:
"Beating this kind of defensive team relies on shooting. I'm not interested in competing with them on Defense."
"Ben has done his best. His defensive awareness has improved even further."
The 18-point lead allowed the New York Knicks to approach the game with ease.
In the latter half of the 3rd quarter, Head Coach Rick Carlisle instinctively covered his forehead when he saw Lee pull up for a jump shot from a step beyond the three-point line after a high pick-and-roll.
As the basketball swished through the net, boos echoed through the stadium.
When they had a big lead, Lee played more casually.
As long as Chauncey Billups didn't get through the screen, a three-pointer awaited the big man Rebracha.
Occasionally, he would also pull off some tricks.
Pau Gasol had a little trick during the pick-and-roll, suddenly faking a screen and quickly rolling to draw away Chauncey Billups's Defense.
The big man Rebracha struggled to delay, but Lee, with the ball in his left hand, simply accelerated with his head down.
Just as he was about to charge into his opponent's arms, he suddenly exerted force with his feet and took a large step back.
Although Rebracha desperately lunged to defend, Lee stepped back a meter, and as he completed the jump shot drifting left from the left wing, the live fans fell silent.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly.
Lee's retreat step after a high-speed dribble was even more exaggerated than usual, and the benefits of increased strength were obvious.
After running the same play 4 times in a row, Head Coach Rick Carlisle finally couldn't take it anymore and called a timeout, shaking his head.
Coach D'Antoni was beaming, clapping his hands and exclaiming loudly:
"Mismatches! That's it, we need to create more mismatches!"
After the World Championship's tempering, Pau Gasol's physicality was still the same, but his screen quality had improved significantly.
Clay Lee watched the Gorilla talking non-stop around Pau Gasol, not caring if the other party understood, and a smile appeared on his face:
"Perhaps it really has some effect."
With a back-to-back game, there was no need to specifically reduce Grant Hill's playing time.
After three quarters, the game had essentially lost all suspense.
Guards initiating fast breaks is also a skill.
Chauncey Billups wanted to run with them, but his teammates couldn't keep up with his pace.
The substitute guard Atkins ignored the score difference, continuing to shoot frequently from beyond the three-point line after entering the game in the 4th quarter, resulting in the lead widening even further.
The starting lineup ultimately did not return to the court.
At Auburn Hills Palace, the Detroit Pistons fans' spirits also sank.
They had reaped many honors last season, and the fans had high expectations, but after truly facing off, they found the gap was even larger than imagined.
Amidst scattered boos, the game quickly ended, 110-86.
In a back-to-back game, the New York Knicks decisively defeated their opponent.
The Detroit Pistons committed 21 turnovers throughout the game.
After the atmosphere team came on, the game completely fell apart.
Head Coach Rick Carlisle walked to the scorer's table, shaking his head with a bitter smile:
"You guys played too well! It's incredible that you completed the tactical adjustments two months after taking over the team."
D'Antoni was in high spirits and immediately went into mutual praise mode:
"I see potential in the Detroit Pistons. Your defensive strategy execution is excellent."
After some pleasantries, D'Antoni walked back to the players' tunnel with a smile, patting his assistant coach's shoulder, and suddenly realized something:
"Perhaps I have a chance to be the All-Star Game Head Coach next year?"
There were 14 games on October 30th.
The New York Knicks scored 110 points, and in the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Grizzlies, they even scored a whopping 119 points!
The two teams indeed had some similarities.
The playing style of their core guard, Steve Nash, was increasingly resembling Clay Lee's.
Last season's playoffs introduced everyone to Steve Nash, and with the start of the new season, more and more basketball commentators began to pay attention to this 1996 draft guard.
8-of-14 from the field, 3-of-4 from three-point range, and 5-of-7 from the free-throw line. In the opening game, Steve Nash tallied 24 points, 1 rebound, 13 assists, 2 steals, and 3 turnovers.
24 points was also the Dallas Mavericks' highest score.
Under Steve Nash's control, the entire team had only 13 turnovers, while their opponent had 21.
The Dallas Mavericks' possessions also reached 95.
Although it was a blowout game, playing such a fluid offense naturally earned Steve Nash more praise.
In contrast, the Los Angeles Lakers' back-to-back game resulted in another loss, 90-102, as the Portland Trail Blazers secured an opening victory.
Kobe played well throughout the game, but his offense suddenly went cold in the 2nd quarter.
After a 17-39 run, the Los Angeles Lakers were done for.
Starting the season with two consecutive losses, Phil Jackson, in a post-game interview, strongly supported Kobe:
"We're just a bit slow to start, and in my opinion, the players' condition is gradually improving."
"Regular season wins and losses sometimes aren't important. Our primary goal this season is to stay healthy and complete the championship Defense!"
"As for Kobe, he's ready. He has always been our perimeter core."
After the back-to-back game, the New York Knicks also concluded their October schedule.
On Saturday evening, November 2nd, after two days of rest, the New York Knicks returned home and handed the Celtics another crushing defeat.
79-107. At the end of the game, Ron Artest glared and angrily cursed at his matchup, Pierce:
"Hey! Nigga! Look at how many points you scored! You bust All-Star!"
Pierce, who scored 16 points on 5-of-16 shooting, couldn't keep his composure.
His stats were truly terrible, and he instantly became a meme.
The two almost got into a brawl after the game, a scene that once again amused the New York fans.
Not long ago, the Celtics were crushed 69-114 by the Washington Wizards, and tonight they suffered another large-margin loss, even affecting Antoine Walker, his fair-weather friend, who was in a bad mood.
He didn't even greet Lee after the game, walking quickly to the players' tunnel by himself.
The Celtics' consecutive crushing defeats finally attracted the attention of the TNT program.
In the post-game commentary, Charles Barkley once again teased Yao Ming, who had 2 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist last night, then praised Pierce:
"I like the Celtics' game. Pierce didn't refuse the challenge."
"He was matched up against Ron Artest the entire game, and I like that kind of game."
"Superstars need to have that kind of demeanor, to dominate their opponent no matter who defends them!"
Kenny Smith glanced at him, then carefully looked at the box score:
"What I care about is that his field goal percentage is only 31.3%. I don't think that's a smart approach."
In the studio, Ernie Johnson was also looking at the box score.
Before he could speak, Charles Barkley added earnestly:
"I know what you're going to say, but I don't like the increasing number of pick-and-rolls in the league."
"This tactic makes players softer and softer. Look at the Dallas Mavericks and the New York Knicks, 110 points? They've practically turned the game into an exhibition match."
"We should let basketball return to its essence, put away those damn pick-and-rolls!"
"..."
.....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)