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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 April 15, 2004, most sportscasters were discussing the tanking situation in the NBA this season.
Towards the end of the season, the race for the first overall pick intensified, with some teams suddenly realizing in the latter half that they should embark on a losing streak.
In this situation, the Cavaliers, led by Jeff Van Gundy, were a refreshing sight, as they had made their stance clear early in the season:
"We need to accumulate talent!"
The Raptors were the most disappointing to fans.
The conflict between Carter and the team clearly affected the locker room, and in the latter half of the season, they not only failed to exert themselves but continued to lose.
After adding Jalen Rose in the offseason and with promising rookie Chris Bosh on the team, the Raptors' record not only failed to improve but worsened.
At the end of the regular season, Carter personally apologized to the fans:
"It's regrettable that we let the fans down. We should have been in the playoffs, but some off-court issues affected our play."
The Raptors' best performance was reaching the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
After being swept by the New York Knicks that year, fans still felt optimistic about the future, but it turned out that was already their peak.
Some sportscasters were angry mainly because the Eastern Conference teams' records this season were truly subpar.
After all regular season games concluded, the final standings for the Eastern and Western Conferences were officially released.
The 8 teams that made the playoffs in the Eastern Conference were:
The New York Knicks with 72 wins, the Pacers with 59 wins, the Detroit Pistons with 52 wins, and the Nets with 45 wins;
The Heat with 40 wins, the Hornets with 39 wins, the Milwaukee Bucks with 38 wins, and the Celtics with 36 wins.
The 8 teams that made the playoffs in the Western Conference were:
The Timberwolves with 57 wins, the Lakers with 55 wins, the San Antonio Spurs with 54 wins, and the Sacramento Kings with 53 wins;
The Dallas Mavericks with 50 wins, the Houston Rockets with 42 wins, the Denver Nuggets with 41 wins, and the Utah Jazz with 41 wins.
Aside from the playoff teams, in the Eastern Conference tanking competition, the Cavaliers ultimately prevailed over the Chicago Bulls!
With 21 wins and 61 losses, LeBron James's rookie year was a complete losing effort.
The Chicago Bulls tanked hard, and if not for the New York Knicks being generous, they almost caught up to the Cavaliers.
With 22 wins and 60 losses, the Chicago Bulls narrowly lost to their opponent by one win.
Adding to that the Washington Wizards with 25 wins, the Atlanta Hawks with 28 wins, the Toronto Raptors with 31 wins, and the 76ers with 32 wins, nearly half of the Eastern Conference was tanking.
The Orlando Magic made a full effort to reach the playoffs, but their strength truly didn't allow it.
They ultimately achieved a record of 35 wins, failing to secure a playoff spot.
In contrast, the last-place Clippers in the Western Conference had 28 wins, and the second-to-last Phoenix Suns had 29 wins.
The Grizzlies and Portland Trail Blazers both had 40 wins, and the Seattle SuperSonics also had 38 wins, showing a stark difference between the two conferences.
Some casual fans who don't follow the regular season closely would also sigh when they saw relevant reports:
"No wonder the NBA's viewership is getting worse and worse!"
Other than the New York Knicks, no team achieved 60 wins, and with the 72 wins tying the second-best historical record, some sportscasters were completely numb.
Just by looking at the win totals, one could understand the gap between other teams and the New York Knicks!
On the morning of the 15th, ESPN again released the regular season statistical rankings, and most sportscasters fell silent as they looked at the data.
Clay Lee, who was slacking off, continued to dominate the charts!
In the total scoring list, Clay Lee was far ahead with 2405 points!
Kevin Garnett, in second place, had 1987 points, and Peja, in third place, had 1964 points.
This season, Lee was the only player in the league whose total score exceeded 2000 points, leading by a wide margin!
In the assists list, Clay Lee delivered 900 assists this season.
Marbury was second with 719 assists, and Steve Nash was third with 687 assists.
In the steals list, Clay Lee had 224 steals.
Shawn Marion was second with 167 steals, and Baron Davis was third with 158 steals.
As for the subsequent lists for True Shooting Percentage, three-pointers, free throws, and free throw percentage, Clay Lee consistently ranked first.
One list completely silenced the sportscasters.
Lee visibly lacked desire for the game, yet star players collectively underperformed, and even with their full effort, they couldn't surpass him.
The MVP selection seemed to have become a joke, as the New York Knicks' record was absurd, Clay Lee's stats were overwhelming, yet he couldn't win the award despite his dominant performance.
This situation made this year's regular season MVP award a hot potato, and Kevin Garnett also remained silent after the regular season ended.
It was just too ridiculous!
Award selection isn't based on highlights.
The voting sports media need to consider big data, team records, individual performance, and finally combine it with narrative to cast their votes.
This season, Clay Lee indeed couldn't win the award, and he himself cooperated extremely well by slacking off, building momentum for other stars.
Yet, at the end of the season, the 72-win New York Knicks stunned the entire league, and no one could blame Lee for not giving face.
On the morning of the 15th, in the sports section of The New York Times, most column articles didn't boast about Lee's excellence.
They were more focused on predicting a championship:
"Winning two consecutive championships again, the New York Knicks begin a new era of dominance!"
On the morning of the 16th, the NBA announced this season's statistical leaders:
With an average of 13.9 rebounds per game, Kevin Garnett was named this season's Rebounding Champion.
With an average of 11.0 assists per game, Clay Lee won this season's Assist Champion.
With an average of 3.6 blocks per game, Theo Ratliff once again won the Blocks Champion.
With an average of 2.7 steals per game, Clay Lee easily won the Steals Champion.
The Scoring Champion was naturally undisputed, with an average of 29.3 points per game, the slacking Lee easily defended this award.
Winning the Steals Champion for three consecutive seasons, Clay Lee became the first player in NBA history to achieve this feat!
At the same time, with 255 consecutive games with a three-pointer, Clay Lee also pushed this record to an absurd level.
In his 8th professional season, the 26-year-old Lee had already won 5 Scoring Champions, 5 Assist Champions, and 4 Steals Champions.
This performance again left sportscasters speechless.
If he plays for another 10 years, most NBA records will belong to Lee.
On TNT's program that morning, the trio naturally discussed the topic of awards.
Kenny Smith genuinely couldn't praise him anymore, and facing the camera, he said in a helpless tone:
"Averaging 29.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 11.0 assists, 2.7 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 2.2 turnovers per game."
"Averaging 17.7 field goal attempts per game, with a 52.8% field goal percentage, and averaging 7.4 three-point attempts per game, with a 43.5% three-point percentage."
"Averaging 7.8 free throw attempts per game, with a 93.2% free throw percentage."
"This season, Clay Lee's True Shooting Percentage reached 69.1%, and his Player Efficiency Rating was 37.0."
"Although he reduced his shot attempts and his playing time reached a career-low of 33.3 minutes, Lee is still the best player in the league this season!"
In the studio, Ernie Johnson didn't know what to say.
If he praised Lee, it would be awkward for Kevin Garnett to win the award later.
But with two consecutive seasons of 70+ wins, the New York Knicks set a historical record, so not praising them was also not an option, as this was unique in history!
"Many teams were plagued by injuries this season, and I think that's why many Eastern Conference teams had poor records."
"Injuries also affected the strength of many players."
Ernie Johnson was halfway through his polite remarks when Charles Barkley interrupted him and said:
"There aren't that many excuses. I've said it before, current stars simply lack strength. They're just not capable."
"Rules, injuries? True superstars are never limited by external conditions."
"Some players called scorers have a field goal percentage of less than 40%, and some stars look great in TV highlights, but their average scoring is still less than Lee's."
"If I were playing in this era, perhaps I could also become a scorer. Check my stats. Even at the lowest point of my career, I was much stronger than these young players."
"We cannot call players with a field goal percentage of just over 40% scorers. They are just inefficient stat-padders!"
"I feel sorry for the fans. This is the worst era, where a bunch of ordinary players are pushed into positions that don't match their abilities."
Kenny Smith saw his partner launching a broad attack, immediately took over, and changed the subject, saying:
"What Ernie said is true. If not for injuries, I believe Tracy McGrady and Houston could have led the Orlando Magic to the playoffs."
"Tracy McGrady's severe decline was due to a back injury. You know, last season he was still the player second only to Clay Lee in the league."
In previous shows, Charles Barkley indeed had a period of heavily praising the Orlando Magic's performance, but in the latter half, he was proven wrong repeatedly.
Now, when this topic was brought up, Barkley stared wide-eyed and unleashed a barrage:
"Second best? Come on, man! I watched the game. Tracy McGrady indeed had a 62-point game this season, but look at his opponent!"
"The Washington Wizards? They have no Defense at all. Gilbert Arenas also scored 40 points in that game."
"As a core player, taking a lot of shots, but his field goal percentage is less than 40% at the end of the season."
"This means his performance in many games was very poor!"
"Imagine if Michael Jordan and Clay Lee had such performances, how would we evaluate them?"
"If they performed like that, would we still respect them? Stop making excuses. The fact is these players lack ability."
"Clay Lee is very lucky because he will dominate this era, perhaps until the end of his career, when he might face some challenges."
Ernie Johnson looked at his two partners, then at the stat sheet in his hand, and suddenly asked,
"Will Clay Lee choose to retire like Michael Jordan?"
"…"
On April 17th, the 2003-2004 NBA Playoffs officially began, with four games scheduled for that evening.
In the morning, the NBA announced this season's DPOY:
Ron Artest of the Knicks won the award with an overwhelming number of votes.
The Celtics, who had come to Manhattan, were completely ignored.
No one interviewed them, nor did anyone pay attention to their game plan.
Pundits hadn't even discussed this matchup because the Celtics' win total multiplied by two barely matched the Knicks'.
The disparity was simply outrageous.
While eating breakfast at the hotel that morning, Pierce already had a long face, and having to watch Artest receive an award that evening made him even less happy.
The 'punching bag' Walter McCarty had made it into the starting lineup late in the season, and every time he returned to Manhattan, he would boast about his experience with the Knicks:
"Lee is the greatest player in history. I knew he would succeed in his rookie season!"
"At that time, we all loved playing with Lee. We got stats, exposure, and enjoyed winning. That's Lee. He's my brother forever."
Walter McCarty praised Lee effusively, as if Clay Lee were his own brother.
The Celtics' atmosphere group enjoyed hearing the stories, but Pierce couldn't eat his food while listening.
Ricky Davis became the main scorer off the bench after joining the Celtics.
He had originally wanted to go the 'Lee's brother' route, but he didn't expect McCarty to be even more boastful than him on the team.
The Celtics never expected to win.
They only made it to the playoffs because the Magic faltered, otherwise they would have been fishing long ago.
The first playoff game was scheduled for 8 PM that night.
The Knicks canceled their film session in the morning and only needed to warm up at Madison Square Garden in the afternoon.
Artest was in high spirits after winning the award, feeling invigorated.
He bought tickets for his family and friends to witness him receive the award at home that night.
During the afternoon warm-up, Artest also arrived early at the Madison Square Garden.
When interviewed by the waiting sports media, he couldn't help but boast:
"I should have won this award last year. I am the best perimeter defender in the NBA!"
"Tonight, I will completely shut down Paul Pierce. I've said it before, he doesn't deserve to be an All-Star player!"
"He's just like those who only chase stats, overrated by pundits."
Artest, with his buzz cut, had 'NYK' carved into the back of his head.
If the team hadn't strictly mandated wearing formal attire, the inflated Artest would likely have adorned himself with gold chains.
However, New York Media loved hearing Artest boast.
Everyone felt his words made sense.
Other All-Stars were fake, only the Knicks' players were true All-Stars!
Full of energy, Artest warmed up early.
Perhaps due to overexcitement, his three-point shots clanked off the rim during warm-ups, which finally made him calm down.
This season, Artest played 70 games, experiencing some minor injuries but remaining very healthy for most of the time.
His averages of 16.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 2.1 turnovers were also career bests.
He averaged 14.9 field goal attempts, with a 44.0% field goal percentage, 35.8% three-point percentage, and 74.0% free throw percentage.
In terms of efficiency, Artest also performed well.
Although he often ran his mouth to belittle opponents, Artest always backed up his words.
When it came to limiting opposing main scorers, he was undoubtedly a premier presence on the perimeter.
Because parking was difficult at Madison Square Garden, Pau Gasol preferred to park his car in a nearby parking lot outside the Madison Square Garden so he could get home faster after the game.
On his way to the Madison Square Garden, Pau Gasol was blocked by fans, and after entering the Madison Square Garden, sports reporters quickly surrounded him.
After two consecutive seasons of 70+ wins and three years in New York, Pau Gasol's English had improved significantly, and he showed confidence during interviews.
This season, he played 80 games, averaging 20.4 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.6 steals, 2.0 blocks, and 1.6 turnovers.
His field goal percentage was 50.3%, and his free throw percentage was 73.6%. In his contract year, Pau Gasol achieved 20+10 double-double numbers.
Pau Gasol was very proud when mentioning the team's record.
He was no longer the rookie who was dominated by Shaquille O'Neal in the Finals during his rookie season:
"72 wins isn't actually our limit. In many back-to-back games, we rotate players early."
"Currently, the entire team is healthy. In the playoffs, we will show our dominance. I am ready for this, and I hope to face the Lakers again!"
Pau Gasol held a grudge about losing in his rookie season.
Setting aside the referee factor, purely based on his individual performance, he was indeed the team's biggest weakness.
When Kurt Thomas and Grant Hill appeared together at the Madison Square Garden, they playfully teased each other when asked about the 72 wins:
"If we went all out, we might have broken last season's record, after all, Grant Hill, just like Clay Lee, had a slight dip in his stats!"
"You know, he could easily get 20+5+5, but this season he's only averaging 17 points."
Kurt Thomas put on an act as if they had all been slacking off.
Hill just laughed and humbly said,
"Rookie players need more playing time. We are the best in the NBA, and that's enough!"
"The championship is our goal. Kurt Thomas played all 82 games this year, and I think increasing the rotation is a good thing!"
The only two Knicks players who played every game were Lee and Kurt Thomas.
Hill played 72 games this season.
The atmosphere group also accepted interviews upon arriving at the Madison Square Garden.
The 72 wins gave everyone full confidence, and even the usually quiet Tayshaun Prince couldn't help but boast:
"Having achieved 70+ wins for two consecutive seasons, I don't think anyone in the NBA can match us!"
Lee arrived a bit late for warm-ups at the Madison Square Garden.
His recent training volume was too high, and with no film session, he slept until noon.
Scarlett, with her red hair, seemed like a succubus incarnate.
Even with Lee's abundant energy, after several consecutive days of being double-teamed, he couldn't help but enter a 'sage mode' prematurely.
Upon entering the Madison Square Garden, what surprised Lee was that people weren't concerned about his stats or the team's record.
Instead, they asked a bizarre question:
"Lee, at the end of this season, will you consider retiring?"
"?"
The TNT reporter's question left Lee puzzled.
Soon, an ESPN reporter explained that Charles Barkley had been loudly claiming on a neighboring show that Lee had no interest in playing basketball.
Unbuttoning his dark blue formal suit, Lee saw the New York Media looking at him and said with a chuckle,
"Why would I retire? My second contract is just about to end, and I'm only 26 years old!"
"Unless New York fans no longer like watching me play, I will always stay with the team. I love basketball. This sport brings me a lot of joy."
Lee showed a sincere smile to the many sports reporters.
Perhaps because he had a greater desire for Defense this season, winning the Atlantic Division championship, he unexpectedly gained an unforeseen talent:
[Gary Payton's Extraordinary Defensive Agility]
Clearly, the extraction of talents from the talent panel was also related to his own desires.
Lee was naturally happy to receive this important information.
Tickets for the first playoff game of the season at Madison Square Garden had long been sold out.
Before the game started at 8 PM, after the home team completed their entrance ceremony, NBA staff presented trophies to Lee and Artest.
The scoring title, assist title, and steals title—three crystal trophies—were placed on a table at center court.
After a simple photo with the trophies, Artest also grinned widely, holding his DPOY bronze statuette, and accepted the cheers from the fans.
At the TNT commentary desk, Kevin Harlan looked at the two players holding their trophies and immediately exclaimed:
"72 wins, an incredible record, but when I think about the Knicks' perimeter Defense this season, I find it quite reasonable."
"After many years of growth, Artest has become the NBA's best perimeter defender. Plus, with Lee and Hill, the Knicks' perimeter Defense is truly outstanding!"
Doug Rivers also seemed to want to follow the Bald Young Coach's path and rejoined the commentary.
Hearing his partner's words, he added:
"Compared to the Pistons' Defense, the Knicks' Defense is just as good, and most importantly, while maintaining high-intensity Defense, they can execute fluid offense."
"This is especially important in the playoffs, and it's also why the Knicks have been so successful these past few seasons. They always manage to score a response bucket."
"Tonight, the backcourt duo of Atkins and Travis Best will face a huge test!"
"Among the frontcourt trio, Pierce must shoulder the offensive responsibility, while McCarty and Mark Blount need to focus more on securing rebounds."
After Rivers briefly introduced the Celtics' starting lineup, Kevin Harlan seemed to run out of things to talk about.
The disparity in strength between the two teams was too great, and he believed that even if Pierce played an otherworldly game, the Celtics wouldn't win.
The Knicks averaged 110.8 points this season, ranking first in the NBA in offensive firepower.
They held opponents to an average of 87.6 points, ranking fourth in the NBA.
As the players developed, the Knicks gradually became a team that integrated both offense and Defense, which was the main reason they were able to blow out opponents by halftime in many games.
After the game began, cheers filled the Madison Square Garden.
Coach D'Antoni and the coaching staff sat steadily on the bench.
Smiles were on their faces as they watched the situation on the court.
After the opening tip, the Celtics' first possession saw Pierce, in the right low post, make a turnover on a pass back to Atkins at the top of the arc, which Lee easily stole.
In the next few possessions, the Knicks scored continuously, while Pierce and Atkins kept missing shots, failing to score a single point in several minutes.
With 7 minutes and 12 seconds left in the first quarter, Pierce finally broke the deadlock for his team, scoring two points for the Celtics with a step-back jumper from the free-throw line!
"Boo!" The New York fans on site booed fiercely at the opponent's resistance.
After scoring, Pierce saw Lee charging down the baseline faster and faster, and while quickly retreating on Defense, he didn't forget to loudly remind his teammates:
"Chucky! Stay on him, watch your defensive position!"
The noisy venue prevented Atkins from hearing what his boss was saying, and as a smaller guard, he was already giving his all on the defensive end.
Quickly dribbling past half-court, Lee didn't give the opponent a chance to match up in time.
At the top of the arc, he stopped abruptly, quickly changed direction with a crossover, and immediately lowered his shoulder to accelerate with his right hand.
Leading the ball forward quickly while extending his stride, Lee ignored Atkins sliding beside him, and with his excellent explosiveness, he instantly squeezed past the Defense.
Near the baseline on the left and right, Mark Blount and McCarty had just found their footing and completed their defensive matchups.
Turning to look upcourt, Lee had already broken through directly in front of them, and his teammates had lost their defensive positions again.
There was no time to collapse the Defense.
The two inside players could only watch as Lee jumped with both feet and soared into the air, grabbing the ball with his right hand to complete a one-handed dunk!
"Wow!"
Cheers immediately echoed through the Madison Square Garden.
Atkins stopped near the free-throw line, helplessly raising his hands to his teammates, acknowledging it was his fault.
2:14, the Knicks continued to extend their lead.
All three scores after the opening tip came from within the paint.
Clay Lee, who completed the basket, shook his head.
Matching up against a 180cm guard was simply too easy.
All 5 Knicks players scored.
On the commentary stand, Kevin Harlan also couldn't hold back:
"Coach John Carroll might want to consider a double-team Defense."
No sooner had he spoken than during the Celtics' offense, Pierce received the ball with his back to the basket in the side low post, then smoothly put the ball down with his left hand, driving straight to the basket against Ron Artest.
Having rarely received such a well-timed pass, Pierce dribbled twice but hadn't even had time to gather the ball when Kurt Thomas proactively stepped out to double-team him.
At the same time, the Knicks' defensive line also began to collapse towards the paint area, cutting off Pierce's passing lanes.
The opponent was forced to stop dribbling, and Ron Artest continuously poked at the ball to interfere.
Kurt Thomas held up his arms and used his body to defend, and Pierce couldn't find a passing lane for a moment.
In a panic, he could only throw the ball out to the three-point line.
The pass was soft and weak, causing the basketball to fly slowly.
Lee, on the left wing, got in front of Atkins, jumped, and with a flick, tipped the ball backward.
The basketball flew over Atkins' head, directly past half-court.
After it landed, Lee skillfully turned, his left arm brushing off Atkins' tug, and in the blink of an eye, he had crossed half-court.
"Oh!"
Amidst the cheers of the New York fans, Atkins failed to hold onto Lee, stumbled, and almost fell.
In a 1-on-0 fast break, Lee scooped up the ball with his right hand and charged faster and faster.
Upon reaching the paint, he leaped high, swung the ball around once, then grabbed it with his right hand and slammed it into the basket!
"Boom!" A successful windmill dunk!
"That was excellent Defense. Kurt Thomas's timing on the hedge was spot on. And of course, Clay Lee's anticipation of the pass was also superb!"
Doug Rivers' tone revealed a hint of envy.
The Knicks continued the rotational trapping Defense from Van Gundy's era, and as the players' game experience grew, their Defense returned to its early state.
Looking at Mike D'Antoni, who was calmly sitting on the bench with a slight smile, Doug Rivers sighed inwardly:
"What a lucky guy!"
Pierce was already numb by this point.
He seemed not to have expected the Knicks to actually double-team him.
With an incredulous expression on his face, Pierce looked at his Head Coach but received no response.
To avoid turnovers, Atkins passed the ball as soon as he crossed half-court under Lee's lead Defense.
On the right wing, Pierce received the ball again and quickly drove with his right hand.
Noticing Kurt Thomas proactively collapsing towards the basket, Pierce leaned into the Defense, smoothly turned towards the paint, and without waiting for the help Defense to arrive, immediately jumped and threw the ball.
McCarty, who received the ball, didn't make any extra moves, and smoothly scored with a floater from the right baseline.
4:18, the Celtics executed a beautiful play.
The somewhat frustrated Pierce was now constantly shouting to his teammates to double-team Clay Lee.
Travis Best heard his boss's instructions and immediately stepped up to help defend when Lee dribbled past half-court.
The Celtics changed their defensive strategy.
Pau Gasol saw Pierce move up on the right low post and immediately quickened his steps to receive the ball near the free-throw line.
Lee quickly passed the ball from the Logo.
Pau Gasol received the ball, turned slightly, and feigned a handoff pass to Grant Hill.
As Pau Gasol smoothly delivered a bounce pass, Ron Artest accelerated his cut from the right corner.
Pierce, who was still directing the Defense, could only twist his body to chase.
In the end, he was still a step slow.
Pierce watched as Ron Artest easily laid the ball in on the right side of the basket.
McCarty, near the left baseline, helplessly looked at Pierce.
The opponent's ball movement was too fast.
He couldn't defend in time.
Lee noticed the opponent had changed their defensive strategy and no longer led the Defense.
While retreating on Defense, he preemptively signaled a tactical change, reminding everyone to switch up their approach.
The Celtics' offense still started with Pierce.
When it was difficult to demand the ball with his back to the basket in the low post, he simply came to the wing to receive the ball for several consecutive possessions.
On the left wing, Pierce received the ball, put it down with his left hand, drove forward, leaned into Ron Artest, dribbled a big step, then suddenly stopped, pounded the ball in place, and quickly stepped back.
Facing the block, Pierce gritted his teeth and forced a jump shot!
"Bang! Swish!" The basketball hit the backboard and went in!
Having rarely completed such a difficult shot, Pierce, who had just called for the rebound, immediately postured and glared at Ron Artest.
"A softy who only scores on lucky shots!"
Ron Artest disdainfully glanced at Pierce and ran to half-court.
This attitude infuriated Pierce even more:
"Minor character, show some respect!"
The two had been bickering since the game began.
Pierce believed Ron Artest stole his All-Star spot, and neither thought highly of the other.
The Knicks' offense changed its alignment again, with Kurt Thomas proactively moving to the left elbow to set up.
As Lee moved to the right wing, Ron Artest quickly snuck along the baseline from the right corner, and Pau Gasol demanded the ball with his back to the basket in the low post.
Lee delivered the pass and immediately accelerated his cut.
Pau Gasol slightly twisted his body and immediately delivered a bounce pass.
Giving an early lead, Atkins wanted to disrupt the pass, trying hard to squeeze in front of Lee, but his Defense still didn't have much effect.
Scooping up the ball with his right hand, Lee smoothly took a hop step, clearing the Defense on the right side of the basket, and leaning into Atkins, he scored with a bank shot.
"Wow!"
A huge cheer erupted in the Madison Square Garden again.
On the sidelines, Head Coach John Carroll, with his arms crossed, helplessly shook his head and called a timeout.
The Celtics brought in Ricky Davis, replacing the ineffective Travis Best.
The timeout didn't solve the Celtics' problem with answering baskets.
They scored sporadically, most possessions being forced shots against the Defense.
After Pierce continuously missed shots, Atkins proactively took on the offense, repeatedly missing jumpers from beyond the three-point line after pick-androlls.
Seizing a few long rebound opportunities, the Knicks launched another classic fast break.
Clay Lee, after grabbing the rebound near the free-throw line, didn't even look back, simply tossing the ball to the frontcourt.
Grant Hill had started early and successfully scooped up the ball ahead of Davis.
Noticing that the opponent had given up on Defense, Grant Hill, after crossing the three-point line, took three big steps and easily completed a reverse tomahawk dunk!
It wasn't until the end of the first quarter, after the Knicks made their rotations, that Atkins finally hit a three-pointer.
14:37, Knight Robinson's last shot missed, setting the score difference at 23 points.
Back on the bench, Pierce was completely numb.
The difference from the regular season was that he was being double-teamed.
2-for-8 from the field, 1-for-2 from three, and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line, Pierce had 7 points.
He felt he had done his best.
Seeing their boss's blank stare, the Celtics' hype squad also had no reaction.
Everyone was already used to such scenes.
The cheers in the Madison Square Garden wouldn't stop.
On the Knicks' bench, the assistant coach was giving instructions to the players about to enter the game.
In this kind of game, Ewing didn't need to motivate Pau Gasol.
He and Mike D'Antoni idled together throughout.
"Charles Barkley said he thinks you're going to retire. That guy doesn't understand the joy that victory brings!"
Gorilla covered his mouth, whispering to Lee about the recent news.
Lee, who hadn't watched TV shows, then realized that the big-mouthed Charles Barkley was spreading rumors on air:
"I love victory. Winning is simply happier than losing!"
Ewing heard Lee's whisper and chuckled again.
He also agreed with that statement.
It's much better to have people praising you every day than slandering you every day!
In 11 minutes of play in the first quarter, Clay Lee scored 14 points on 6-for-6 shooting from the field and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line, all of his points coming from the paint.
On the commentary stand, seeing both teams' rotation lineups enter the game, Doug Rivers felt a pang of bitterness and continued to praise:
"There's no miracle now. Clay Lee has dominated the game again. The Celtics need to correct their defensive strategy as soon as possible!"
"..."
.....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)