Check out my new fanfics.
Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.
The return of Itachi
I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.
Please give it a go đ
***
On April 20, 2003, at 8 PM, the New York Knicks also welcomed their first-round playoff game.
Before the game, the Orlando Magic also entered a state of "bold declarations."
This was the first time the two teams had met in the playoffs since 1996.
Although the Orlando Magic's record was mediocre this season, Tracy McGrady achieved his career-best statistics!
Head Coach Doug Rivers had already made his intentions clear in a pre-game interview:
"We need to control the pace of the game and try to give our core players more offensive opportunities!"
Translated, this means giving the ball to Tracy McGrady as the primary offensive option, and when he gets tired, passing it to Houston.
The reasons for the fluctuating record, besides injuries, were relatively rigid tactics.
After taking over the team, over three seasons, the motivational talks gradually lost their effect, and most teams had figured out the Orlando Magic's playing style.
Head Coach Rivers' confidence in making his intentions clear stemmed from Tracy McGrady's performance this season:
He averaged 32.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.7 turnovers, with a field goal percentage of 45.7% and a three-point percentage of 38.6%.
Houston did not affect Tracy McGrady's shooting.
The Orlando Magic had completely transformed into an outside-oriented team, with the two of them taking turns.
Half an hour before the game began, Madison Square Garden was already buzzing.
This game was broadcast by TNT, and at the commentary table, Marv Albert was introducing the Orlando Magic's starting lineup for the night:
"Allan looks to be in good physical condition tonight, and his backcourt partner is Jacque Vaughn."
"The three frontcourt players are Tracy McGrady, Drew Gooden, and Andrew DeClercq."
"After trading for Drew Gooden, the Orlando Magic believe he has the potential to become the next Shaquille O'Neal. Jeff, what are your thoughts on this?"
Hearing his partner ask seriously, Jeff Van Gundy, wearing a white shirt, almost couldn't hold back at the commentary table:
"Drew Gooden is still a rookie. He still needs to continue to hone his skills."
"He has an excellent touch, but his efficiency at finishing under the basket still needs to improve!"
The Bald Young Coach started speaking diplomatically again.
The next Shaquille O'Neal?
In his opinion, this was simply impossible.
Marv Albert also chuckled, then quickly began discussing Clay Lee's even more outrageous efficiency rating this season:
"Tonight's game features two players with efficiency ratings over 30. This is absolutely going to be an exciting game!"
Jeff Van Gundy then showed his professionalism, quickly offering advice:
"Tracy McGrady should reduce some of his 16-23 foot shots. Although his accuracy in this area is good, he is easily limited by the New York Knicks' wing Defense."
"He needs to attack the rim or shoot three-pointers decisively. This can further improve his efficiency!"
The two of them at the commentary table began analyzing Tracy McGrady's scoring composition for the fans.
During warm-ups, the New York fans at the Madison Square Garden also saw Tracy McGrady's flashy attire tonight.
Unlike Lee, who likes to wear arm sleeves and knee pads, McGrady only wore an elbow pad on his left arm, but he wore a white leg guard on his calf.
This item was a personalized accessory, and while it did offer some protection, it was mostly for showing off.
Paired with the Orlando Magic's wide blue away jersey, Tracy McGrady stood out during warm-ups, which was also why he received so many All-Star votes.
Of course, such an outfit, in Ron Artest's eyes, was "provocation":
"This guy isn't going to have a good time tonight!"
Ron Artest, warming up, grumbled to Jackson beside him, clearly not wanting his opponent to steal the show.
Lee and Ewing were also chatting with Houston.
Back at Madison Square Garden, the old teammate was in a good mood:
"That's truly exaggerated! I thought an efficiency rating of 35 was already hard to surpass, but I didn't expect it to improve again this season!"
Houston had also been following the news recently.
ESPN's data experts had been hyping Lee to the sky, repeatedly telling fans how strong an efficiency rating of 38 was these past few days.
Ewing chuckled when he heard this and actively reminded Houston:
"Don't forget that was just the regular season. Lee's stats could actually be even better!"
"His stats might only start to decline after he turns 30. The New York Knicks should have no opponents in the coming years!"
Lee noticed that Houston still had protective gear on his knee and reminded him again:
"You should get a detailed check-up in the offseason and listen to opinions from different medical teams, but in this series, we won't show any mercy."
The three of them bantered for a bit, and soon the referee called both teams' players to center court.
Coach D'Antoni still sat steadily on the bench.
Mike D'Antoni had been waiting for the league to give him the award these past few days.
Coach of the Year (COY) was a foregone conclusion!
Tracy McGrady still had a lot of swagger.
He intended to compete with Clay Lee and didn't even greet him before the game, appearing full of fighting spirit.
Chewing gum, Tracy McGrady quickly noticed an unfriendly gaze.
Ron Artest was glaring at him.
The New York fans in the Madison Square Garden stood up, many began waving their orange handkerchiefs, and simultaneously shouted along with the DJ:
"Let's go Knicks!"
Pau Gasol successfully won the tip-off, and cheers immediately erupted in the arena.
Jacque Vaughn didn't choose to lead the Defense but instead followed his teammates back to half-court early.
The New York Knicks quickly got into position.
As the two big men stopped in the elbow area, the two wings also ran to the baseline.
Pau Gasol noticed that Tracy McGrady's defensive position was higher, almost standing in the restricted area, clearly prepared for help Defense.
At this point, he simply moved up, coming to the left wing outside the three-point line, initiating a high pick-and-roll.
Kurt Thomas saw his teammate's movement and immediately began to shuffle towards the right near the baseline.
The New York Knicks players moved quickly.
Clay Lee, closer to the left wing, first quickly dribbled behind his back.
After switching to his left hand, using Pau Gasol's screen, he briefly shook off Jacque Vaughn's pursuit.
DeClercq naturally saw Pau Gasol accelerate and roll after completing the screen.
However, according to the pre-game deployment, he chose to accelerate and execute a hard hedge.
Lee deliberately slowed down, waiting for the double-team.
Before the two could close in, he flicked his left wrist, and a bounce pass found Pau Gasol near the free-throw line.
Tracy McGrady was also well-prepared.
As a player who started his career on Defense, his help Defense awareness was naturally excellent.
When Pau Gasol received the ball, he moved early, arriving in position for help Defense.
He raised both hands to interfere.
Facing McGrady's Defense, Gasol, who had just received the ball, immediately passed it to the left corner.
When Ron Artest caught the ball, there was no defender in front of him.
Facing such a wide-open shot, he adjusted slightly and immediately jumped to shoot!
"Swish!" The three-pointer went through the net without touching the rim.
"Wow!"
The New York fans in the Madison Square Garden cheered.
The execution of a routine play seemed to indicate that the players were in excellent form tonight.
The difference from last season was that Ron Artest, who was completely left open, was more accurate with his three-pointers.
At the start of the game, the Orlando Magic seemed to want to test the shooting touch of the role players.
The New York Knicks' response was to shoot decisively.
Head Coach Rivers immediately stood up from his seat and shouted in his hoarse voice:
"Hey! Settle down!"
Jacque Vaughn heard his coach's instructions and didn't rush to pass the ball after dribbling past half-court.
Lee's lead Defense was full of pressure.
When Houston popped out to receive the ball on the right wing, Jacque Vaughn couldn't make the pass immediately, and soon Grant Hill came up to pester him.
Protecting the ball sideways, completing a turn, and switching to his left hand, Jacque Vaughn was forced to stick out his rear.
Tracy McGrady was still battling Ron Artest at this time, the two of them tangled from the restricted area all the way to the wing.
According to tactical requirements, unable to receive the pass in time, Tracy McGrady actively came to the three-point line to set a screen for his teammate.
The four players crowded together, and the tactic still didn't succeed.
Clay Lee squeezed past the low-quality screen to continue chasing Jacque Vaughn.
Helplessly, Tracy McGrady could only pop out, receiving the pass only after moving far from the three-point line.
The Orlando Magic players all spread out at this point.
Jacque Vaughn led Lee towards the left corner, while Drew Gooden quickly moved up, attempting to set a screen.
However, upon reaching near the free-throw line, Tracy McGrady immediately waved his hand, then lowered his center of gravity.
Facing Ron Artest's Defense, he quickly completed a cross-over dribble with his left hand.
Taking advantage of Ron Artest's slight backward shuffle, Tracy McGrady, near the three-point line, suddenly gathered the ball, rose from the arc, and shot directly from beyond the three-point line!
Thanks to his excellent jumping height, Ron Artest's block didn't have much effect, but Tracy McGrady's shot ultimately clanked off the rim.
The basketball hit the back of the rim, then bounced off the top of the backboard and flew out of bounds.
Tracy McGrady, with his stylish and beautiful shooting form, smiled at Ron Artest after clanking a shot, still looking extremely confident.
"He can act cool even after clanking a shot?"
Ron Artest was confused and then felt a surge of anger, but seeing the tactical hand signal Lee made after receiving the ball on the baseline, he calmed down again.
"Let's go Knicks!"
Cheers erupted again, and Head Coach Rivers on the sidelines gestured to his players, indicating a change in their Defense strategy.
The Knicks ran the same play, with Pau Gasol continuing to set a high pick-and-roll, and Jacque Vaughn still unable to get through the screen.
However, this time, the big man DeClercq symbolically delayed before accelerating back on Defense, and Lee, after a slight pause at the three-point line, immediately accelerated into a cut.
Tracy McGrady's help Defense speed was very fast, and he immediately moved to double-team Lee with his teammate, but just as he moved, the ball quickly flew to the left corner.
Ron Artest, who had already received instructions, made no adjustments this time, and quickly jumped and shot after receiving the ball!
"Swish!" Another three-pointer went in!
0:6, two possessions, extremely simple tactical cooperation, and the Knicks scored consecutively.
Ron Artest, who had just hit another three-pointer, pounded his chest and glared at Tracy McGrady, who had underestimated him.
There were truly few opponents who left him open this season.
The atmosphere in Madison Square Garden exploded for a moment, and at the commentary table, Jeff Van Gundy couldn't help but raise his voice:
"With a 33.8% three-point shooting percentage, Ron Artest hasn't improved much compared to last season, but his open three-pointer accuracy is very high this year."
"The Orlando Magic need to respond quickly. Next possession, Clay Lee will most likely initiate the offense!"
Despite falling behind early, the Orlando Magic were still controlling the tempo under the direction of Head Coach Rivers.
They ran a screen play near the baseline, and Houston, who was sneaking along the baseline from left to right, successfully received the ball in the right restricted area.
He immediately put the ball down, completing a quick step breakthrough while receiving the ball.
He was blocked by Grant Hill at the breakthrough position, and stopped the ball in the paint.
With no good opportunity, Houston passed the ball back to Jacque Vaughn on the perimeter.
Reorganizing the offense, Tracy McGrady was now being relentlessly hounded by Ron Artest, and the two moved to the left wing while pulling and tugging.
Feigning a post-up request, Tracy McGrady suddenly accelerated and ran back towards the basket.
At this moment, Drew Gooden had just moved up, clearing space under the basket.
Tracy McGrady got open immediately, but Jacque Vaughn couldn't pass the ball in time.
By the time Ron Artest chased back to his side, Tracy McGrady, who had arrived at the lower left of the basket, finally received a poor-quality lob pass from his teammate.
Forced to adjust upon receiving the ball, Tracy McGrady scooped the ball with his left hand, then put the ball down with the momentum, intentionally bumping into Ron Artest with his body, then grabbing the ball with his left hand, taking a big stride, and attempting a reverse layup.
The move from receiving the ball to the layup was very quick, but Tracy McGrady still underestimated Pau Gasol.
The moment he jumped for the layup, he was rejected by a big block from Pau Gasol.
"Ah!"
Tracy McGrady, who was blocked, let out a cry, then quickly reacted, regaining control of the ball after landing.
When he tried to go strong again, Ron Artest, with quick eyes and hands, snatched the ball away.
The paint was crowded with people at this point, and before Tracy McGrady could fully exert himself, Ron Artest yanked the ball from his arms.
Both players lost their balance and fell to the floor.
Before falling, Ron Artest tossed the ball to Clay Lee, and then cheers erupted again in the Madison Square Garden.
The moment he received the ball, Lee turned and, with his right hand, smoothly completed a behind-the-back dribble, skillfully evading the Coming to defend Jacque Vaughn, scooping the ball with his left hand, and then with his protective hand exerting force again, he accelerated at full speed to completely shake off the Defense.
Jacque Vaughn lost his defensive position after being pushed.
Hearing his Head Coach's shouts, he continued to chase hard on Defense.
Houston also accelerated his retreat Defense on the other side, and by the time Clay Lee reached the top of the arc, he had caught up to his side.
Before he could foul, Houston saw Lee toss the ball towards the upper left of the basket.
The ball speed was not fast, just enough to give the fast-breaking Grant Hill a chance to accelerate.
After rushing into the three-point line, he adjusted his steps, took three big strides, and jumped up.
As the ball descended, he scooped it in the air.
With no one interfering, Grant Hill powerfully dunked the ball with both hands!
0:8, Grant Hill's alley-oop dunk once again ignited the atmosphere.
On the Knicks bench, the atmosphere group was waving towels and shouting loudly, celebrating happily.
Tracy McGrady, still in the backcourt, kept complaining to the referee:
"That was a foul! They knocked me to the floor!"
His chewing gum even disappeared from his mouth in his agitation.
Tracy McGrady clearly disliked the officiating standard tonight.
"Sissy pants! Keep shooting your jump shots!"
Ron Artest's trash talk was a bit hurtful.
That word just happened to provoke Tracy McGrady, who liked to wear leg sleeves.
Head Coach Rivers on the sidelines saw his core player starting to butt heads with the opponent and couldn't help but shout repeatedly, reminding Tracy McGrady to calm down.
It was DeClercq who helped the Orlando Magic open the scoring.
An enraged Tracy McGrady drove strong to the basket and was double-teamed, while DeClercq made an open jump shot from the right near the baseline.
The Orlando Magic players were still retreating on Defense, but Clay Lee, who received the ball on the baseline with no one leading the Defense, suddenly accelerated.
By the time Jacque Vaughn realized something was wrong, Lee had already crossed half-court.
Kurt Thomas stopped, positioned himself at the top of the arc far from the three-point line, and then set a high screen.
Clay Lee, dribbling with his left hand, quickly executed a between-the-legs crossover, instantly shaking off his defender.
Facing Drew Gooden, who was stopped at the three-point line attempting to help on Defense, he performed a large in-and-out dribble while on the move.
Gooden instinctively slid to the right after being faked out, then watched as Lee faked left and drove right, squeezing past him.
"Wow!"
Amidst the cheers, Lee drove straight to the basket.
With no Defense, he jumped off two feet in the paint, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and completed an tomahawk dunk!
2:10, Head Coach Rivers opened his mouth, but ultimately chose not to call a timeout.
Instead, he kept clapping and shouting:
"Let's go!"
Lee, who completed the dunk, looked calm.
The discipline of the two teams was not on the same level.
Only a few minutes into the game, such Defense errors had already appeared early.
The Orlando Magic attacked again.
On the right wing, McGrady used Drew Gooden's screen to try and shake off his defender, but Kurt Thomas completely abandoned his matchup and switched immediately.
Under the deep hedge, Tracy McGrady couldn't get past the Defense and was almost double-teamed by Ron Artest, who was chasing from behind.
Before the two could converge, Tracy McGrady quickly passed the ball to the unguarded Drew Gooden.
The latter received the ball at the free-throw line and clanked an open jump shot.
Pau Gasol easily secured the rebound under the basket.
Grant Hill came up to receive the ball, and the Knicks initiated another transition offense.
As he rushed to the top of the arc, noticing that most of the Orlando Magic players had retreated on Defense, Grant Hill began to slow down.
At the same time, Clay Lee, who had run across half-court without the ball, came to the right wing.
He feigned a move towards the top of the arc to receive a handoff, then suddenly accelerated and ran back.
Jacque Vaughn, who was Online defense, helplessly watched the basketball fly past him, accurately landing in Lee's hands near the right sideline.
The moment he received the ball, he faked a shot, and Jacque Vaughn flew sideways, directly into the stands.
Clay Lee steadily put the ball down with his left hand, shuffled one step horizontally, and calmly shot a jump shot!
"Swish!" The three-pointer swished through the net!
2:13, Head Coach Rivers couldn't hold on this time and quickly called a timeout, a nightmarish start.
Although the game had just begun, the New York fans at the Madison Square Garden felt this scene was particularly familiar.
During the timeout, many stood up and twisted around, seemingly already celebrating the victory.
At the commentary table, Marv Albert watched the Knicks players high-fiving each other as they walked towards the bench, and instinctively boasted:
"Clay Lee has already dished out 3 assists since the start of the game, and the Knicks haven't missed a shot yet. This is the dominance of a 73-win team!"
Jeff Van Gundy also saw the gap between the two teams and commented simply at this point:
"The Orlando Magic need to improve their Defense discipline and make timely matchups when retreating on Defense."
"They can even foul early to drag the game into a half-court offense. Tracy McGrady should also avoid tangling with Ron Artest. He should do what he's good at!"
The Bald Young Coach hadn't expected the game to be so one-sided.
After the timeout, the Orlando Magic set up another isolation play.
Houston's turnaround jump shot from a post-up in the left restricted area towards the baseline clanked off the rim.
Grant Hill first attempted a block, then twisted and secured the rebound after landing.
Jeff Van Gundy shook his head internally, somewhat disapproving of Head Coach Rivers's setup.
Houston accelerated his retreat Defense, and upon seeing Grant Hill with the ball at the top of the arc, Lee move to near the free-throw line, and Gasol came up to set a screen, he couldn't help but shout to his teammates:
"Switch!"
Houston had run this three-man pick-and-roll countless times before with the New York Knicks.
Gjilisek and Jacque Vaughn did switch, and they cut off the passing lanes.
But Pau Gasol's screen quality was excellent, and Houston himself couldn't keep up with Grant Hill, watching him drive straight to the basket.
Drew Gooden abandoned his defender and quickly moved towards the basket.
Inside the paint, Grant Hill smoothly dished the ball to Kurt Thomas near the baseline on the right, who caught the ball and scored with a mid-range jump shot!
"Good job!"
The beautiful teamwork made Lee clap his hands, smile, and cheer loudly.
Compared to their opponents, the Knicks' opening plays had all been successful.
In the next possession, McGrady finally found his shooting touch.
Facing Ron Artest's tight Defense, he caught the ball on the left wing and immediately attacked the rim.
Noticing that the Knicks' Defense was starting to collapse again, Tracy McGrady took several probing steps with his right foot before pulling up for a jump shot over the Defense and scoring.
4:15. On the Orlando Magic bench, the cheerleaders finally erupted.
Tracy McGrady was no longer drowsy.
As he retreated on Defense, he loudly called out to his teammates.
He was truly anxious.
The Knicks ran the same play, this time with Kurt Thomas coming up for the screen.
On the right wing, Clay Lee quickly pushed the ball and changed direction, switching to his left hand.
At the same time, his teammate set the screen, allowing him to squeeze past the defender and get free.
Jacque Vaughn lost his defensive position, and Drew Gooden quickly slid to the right, coming out to the three-point line to delay.
While moving, Lee quickly dribbled the ball between his legs, completing the change of direction.
At the same time, he smoothly led the ball forward with his right hand, then drove directly between the two defenders.
Drew Gooden could only turn his head.
DeClercq under the basket didn't know how to defend for a moment and instinctively moved into the paint, then saw Clay Lee casually toss the ball towards the upper left of the rim.
Unable to get back on Defense, DeClercq turned his head and watched Pau Gasol grab the ball in mid-air and powerfully dunk it with both hands!
"Boom!" The alley-oop dunk was successful!
The cheers in the Madison Square Garden made Tracy McGrady numb.
This situation, where the opponents scored easily while he struggled to score, was beyond his expectations.
Before the game, Head Coach Rivers was confident that dragging the Knicks into a half-court offense would stall their attack, but the result was completely the opposite.
4:17. All five starters had scored.
Clay Lee high-fived his teammates again in celebration.
In the subsequent plays, Tracy McGrady entered "isolation offense" mode, hitting pull-up jump shots, driving to the basket, and getting to the free-throw line to score for the Orlando Magic.
However, this type of offense was exactly what the Knicks wanted to see.
Everyone just needed to quietly appreciate him attacking with the ball on the left and right blocks.
As the Orlando Magic's score slowly increased, and each difficult basket was easily countered, Head Coach Rivers on the sidelines roared loudly.
Tracy McGrady, who had just scored 4 consecutive points, received the ball on the right wing this time, then immediately put the ball down with his left hand and drove hard to the basket.
Tracy McGrady's balanced left and right hands made his straight-line drives incredibly smooth, and his extremely quick first step allowed him to successfully gain a step on his defender.
Realizing he had lost his defensive position, Ron Artest slid while simply crashing into his opponent.
The two collided, Tracy McGrady lost his balance, and both fell to the floor inside the paint.
"Shit! That's not a basketball play!"
Tracy McGrady, lying on the floor, threw his hands up and loudly complained to the referee.
Ron Artest, who received his first personal foul, just chuckled.
He was pulled up by others and quickly went back to Tracy McGrady's side.
The two continued to grapple, and the referee had to issue a warning.
This situation, however, made the New York fans extremely excited.
After the inbound pass, when Jacque Vaughn received the ball at the top of the arc, Lee chose not to stick close, his peripheral vision scanning to his right.
Sure enough, an angry McGrady popped out to the left wing again.
Jacque Vaughn quickly made a cross-court pass.
Clay Lee, who was ready, suddenly exploded, intercepted the ball with his right hand, and then led the ball forward with a large stride.
"Oh!"
The sudden steal made the New York fans exclaim, and then cheers once again filled the Madison Square Garden.
Jacque Vaughn could only watch Lee rush faster and faster, eventually giving up the chase.
On a 1-on-0 fast break, Lee was incredibly fast.
He jumped off two feet in the paint, switched hands between his legs in the air, grabbed the ball with his left hand, and slammed it into the basket!
"Show time!"
At the commentary table, Marv Albert cheered happily.
8:21. Jeff Van Gundy looked at the score difference and said nothing more.
He knew the Orlando Magic were likely done for.
The game continued, and Head Coach Rivers didn't call another timeout.
Houston also scored some points for the Orlando Magic, but as Drew Gooden and others missed open shots, the Knicks launched a series of fast breaks.
With 2 minutes and 32 seconds left in the first quarter, while Lee was at the free-throw line, Armstrong replaced the invisible Jacque Vaughn.
Head Coach Rivers had intended to strengthen the offense, but the former Best Sixth Man, though decisive in his shots, also failed to score a single point in the more than two minutes he was on the court.
Being repeatedly scored on by the Knicks' simple tactics, Tracy McGrady completely broke down.
He constantly over-helped on Defense, losing his defensive position, which allowed Ron Artest to find opportunities to draw fouls and get to the free-throw line.
With 36.2 seconds left in the first quarter, the Orlando Magic executed an excellent defensive possession.
Through continuous switches, they never allowed the Knicks to find an easy scoring opportunity.
The shot clock continued to run down, and finally, it was Clay Lee again, receiving the ball at the top of the arc.
Tracy McGrady didn't dare to stick too close, only raising his right arm and lowering his center of gravity to interfere.
Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, slowly approached the three-point line.
The moment his defender tried to stick to him, he suddenly lowered his center of gravity and quickly dribbled the ball between his legs with his left hand.
McGrady quickly slid back and to the left.
Lee completed another between-the-legs crossover, faking an acceleration and drive while faking a move to his front-left.
His defensive stance attacked, McGrady struggled to adjust his center of gravity, but was still a step slow.
As he twisted and slid, Lee powerfully pounded the ball with his left hand, pushed off with his feet, and took a large step back!
Completely losing his Defense, Tracy McGrady couldn't even make a blocking attempt, watching Clay Lee launch a long-range three-point jump shot!
"I got it!"
Before even landing, Lee said that, then didn't even look at the basket.
After landing, he turned and retreated on Defense.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went through the net without touching the rim.
"Damn it!"
Cheers erupted in his ears.
Tracy McGrady cursed under his breath, a look of frustration returning to his face.
16:36. The huge 20-point lead made Mike D'Antoni on the sidelines raise his hands and celebrate joyfully.
On the final possession, Tracy McGrady held the ball with one hand at the top of the arc to run down the clock, his posture very stylish, but Ron Artest was unmoved.
It was another series of between-the-legs dribbles.
Despite the interference, Tracy McGrady didn't lose his offensive rhythm.
When he switched to his right hand, he paused slightly, then suddenly accelerated.
He dribbled one step past the three-point line, then McGrady immediately stopped short, and then missed a stylish jump shot.
"Wow!"
At the end of the first quarter, the cheers wouldn't stop.
McGrady, walking towards the bench, also stopped talking.
He had truly given his all.
He was 3 for 7 from the field and 2 for 2 from the free-throw line, scoring 8 points, half of the team's total.
Houston was 2 for 5, scoring 6 points.
He looked at the score with mixed feelings and sighed quietly.
On the Knicks bench, everyone was laughing and celebrating happily.
The game had just begun and it was already over.
Marv Albert watched happily, disregarding his neutral position, and continued to praise exuberantly:
"This is Clay Lee. Statistics sometimes don't reflect his true performance. He's even better than what the numbers show!"
"The game is completely under his control. The Orlando Magic still have a lot to learn!"
5 for 6 from the field, 2 for 3 from beyond the arc, 2 for 2 from the free-throw line, 14 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists, 1 steal.
Playing the entire first quarter, Clay Lee once again delivered impeccable statistics.
Jeff Van Gundy noticed Mike D'Antoni handing the tactical board to his assistant coach, then patted Clay Lee and leaned back, feeling a pang of bitterness:
"He has no tactical ideas of his own!"
With such a huge lead, the Bald Young Coach also had to join in the praise:
"The Knicks were very well prepared tonight. Coach of the Year (COY) is truly well-deserved!"
...
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)