Check out my new fanfics.
A cote x hikigaya crossover.
Ryuga from Beyblade in Pokemon World.
Please give it a go š
***
On February 25, 2001, the Sacramento Kings played an away game against the New York Knicks.
This was the first time the two teams had met this season, and with Chris Webber also in contention for MVP, this nationally televised game was full of highlights.
However, after much anticipation from the fans, the news came that Webber was out due to injury, which greatly disappointed New York fans.
Many fans started shouting at Webber on the bench once the game began:
"Wuss!"
Two days ago, Iverson bragged wildly, only to be defeated by a buzzer-beater from the Hornets.
Webber learned his lesson and didn't mention anything about MVP.
He hadn't always played in the West, and even when he was in the East, he hadn't won many games against the Knicks.
After three quarters, the score was 77-80, with the Knicks leading by only 3 points.
Jason Williams, who played the entire third quarter, sat on the bench, frustrated, having only scored 2 points so far.
Head Coach Adelman hadn't expected his starting point guard to suddenly perform so poorly, so he waved for backup point guard Bobby Jackson to come in and play for a while.
Bobby Jackson and Doug Christie formed the backcourt, while the frontcourt consisted of Hedo TĆ¼rkoÄlu, Lawrence Funderburke, and Vlade Divac.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the Knicks also brought in their rotation lineup: Chauncey Billups, Ron Artest, Kukoc, Kurt Thomas, and Ben Wallace.
Compared to his opponent, Jeff Van Gundy's rotation was bolder, bringing in five reserves directly.
After the game began, both sides continuously missed shots.
Vlade Divac's low-post offense was ineffective, and his mid-range shot after a pick-and-roll also missed.
For the Knicks, Chauncey Billups instinctively slowed down the game's pace, missing a jump shot after a pick-and-roll, while Ron Artest and Kukoc also missed their layups after cutting.
It was Kurt Thomas who first broke the deadlock.
After a pick-and-roll at the elbow, he rolled down to the right elbow, received a bounce pass from Chauncey Billups, and made a mid-range jump shot!
77-82, the Knicks finally extended their lead.
Head Coach Adelman on the sidelines watched Vlade Divac pop out after a pick-and-roll at the top of the arc, continuing to miss three-pointers.
He instinctively shouted and gestured, instructing the big men to go to the low post to complete their offense.
Three minutes of lively play resulted in no change in the score, with continuous missed shots, dampening the mood of the New York fans.
Jeff Van Gundy proactively called a timeout.
Chauncey Billups and Kukoc were unpredictable, and tonight they were off again.
At the TNT commentary desk, Marv Albert couldn't help but joke:
"Judging by the game's state in the fourth quarter, it doesn't look like two of the league's strongest offensive teams."
"I'm still more looking forward to Grant Hill's performance. He should still get playing time in the final quarter."
Hubie Brown glanced at the statistics and said with a chuckle:
"Lee's game performance has been even better this week; he has a chance to achieve 30+10 for five consecutive games."
"After Grant Hill returned from injury, the Knicks have more ball-handlers and faster fast breaks. Currently, their offense indeed looks even better."
The Knicks brought their starting lineup back a bit earlier, and Head Coach Adelman was forced to follow suit with his rotation, hoping his team could respond on the offensive end.
With the starting lineup back, Scott Pollard and Vlade Divac formed a twin tower setup, while the three perimeter players became Jason Williams, Doug Christie, and Peja.
After resting for almost two quarters, Ewing, who re-entered the game, had recovered his stamina.
"Let's go Knicks!"
Amidst the cheers of the New York fans, Gorilla, who was running quickly to the frontcourt, immediately slowed down upon reaching the top of the arc.
Noticing that Lee had already crossed half-court, he simply stopped, moved away from the three-point line, and set a high pick.
Jason Williams proactively moved to guard Lee tightly after he brought the ball across half-court.
Suddenly lowering his center of gravity, Lee, with the ball in his right hand, quickly performed an In and Out, faking left and right.
Just as he feigned a drive to the right, he immediately executed a large-scale spin.
Jason Williams instinctively shuffled backward.
When he tried to recover on Defense, he realized he was already beside Ewing, and in the moment he was delayed, he immediately lost his defensive position.
Pollard, the big man who had just entered the game, bravely shuffled to the three-point line.
Before he could adjust his defensive center of gravity, Lee, who had switched the ball to his left hand, didn't stop dribbling and smoothly completed a single-handed behind-the-back dribble.
The basketball flew out from between his legs, and Lee skillfully squeezed past Pollard's side.
Like a wooden stake, Pollard had no reaction, turning his head to watch Lee fly low to the ground, driving straight to the basket!
Re-gathering the ball with his right hand, Lee, who had instantly broken into the paint, noticed Peja and Vlade Divac both collapsing to the basket.
He jumped with both feet directly in front of the rim.
Completely throwing himself into the air, Lee, facing the two players jumping to block, quickly curled his body, going from top to bottom, performing an in-air reverse layup to evade the block.
Gliding to the lower left of the basket, Lee exerted force from his core, switched the ball to his left hand, and then smoothly scooped it in!
"Bang! Swish!" The basketball hit the backboard and went in!
As soon as Clay Lee landed, Madison Square Garden erupted.
In the blink of an eye, he drove through four defenders to put the ball in the basket, and the New York fans instinctively rose to their feet and cheered.
"Wow!"
Vlade Divac under the basket was still a bit stunned, with a "How did that go in?" expression on his face.
77-84, the lead was extended.
Head Coach Adelman immediately signaled to slow down, as the twin-tower lineup had a significant advantage in the paint.
Vlade Divac, who specifically played at the power forward position, quickly ran to half-court after inbounding the ball, then immediately demanded the ball with his back to the basket in the right block.
Every time he defended a tall big man, Lewis would curse under his breath.
Basically, everyone assumed he was a soft target and always started by picking on him.
Jason Williams was struggling with Lee's on-ball Defense.
He came to the right wing but couldn't make a pass immediately.
Finally, after stopping his dribble, he gave a bounce pass, forcing Vlade Divac to move up a step.
Lewis immediately sealed the baseline, while Lee followed the pass, directly closing out to Vlade Divac's side.
As soon as he shuffled his feet, Vlade Divac noticed Lee's movement and passed the ball back out to Jason Williams on the perimeter.
However, the pass quality was mediocre, and the ball speed was slow.
Lee seized the opportunity, suddenly exploded, and dashed outward.
The moment he received the ball, Jason Williams saw Lee closing in.
He instinctively shielded the ball to his right side, but he didn't expect Lee to react even faster, completing the steal almost simultaneously as the ball swung downward.
With a strong chop with his left hand, Jason Williams instantly lost control of the basketball.
Before he could fully react, Lee had already secured possession, quickly dribbled with his right hand, and sprinted across half-court at full speed.
"Oh! A steal from Lee! He precisely anticipated the opponent's passing lane!"
Commentator Marv Albert raised his voice, and Hubie Brown, noticing that the Sacramento Kings seemed to have given up on Defense, could only lament:
"Lee is too fast! A turnover like that is a guaranteed score!"
In a 1-on-0 fast break, Lee sprinted into the paint, palming the ball with his right hand.
After three large strides, he easily glided for a powerful dunk!
77-86, watching the lead extend to 9 points.
The cheers grew louder, and Head Coach Adelman hesitated for a moment but still didn't call a timeout.
Fortunately, on the next possession, Vlade Divac established a deeper post-up position on the left low block, and upon receiving the ball, he turned baseline and scored with a fadeaway, providing a response.
The Kings, intensifying their Defense, immediately double-teamed Lee when facing high pick-and-rolls on the perimeter, no longer giving him an easy path through.
Facing the aggressive hedge at the top of the arc, Lee smoothly passed the ball to Grant Hill on the left wing.
Jason Williams had just relaxed a bit.
Lee, after completing the pass, didn't stop moving, faking a back cut before suddenly accelerating to the left corner.
Grant Hill, who received the ball, faced Peja's Defense, faked right and drove left.
After putting the ball down with his left hand, he immediately executed a crossover step to drive.
At the left block, Grant Hill smoothly passed the ball to Lee, who had moved to the left corner.
After receiving the ball, he faked a shot.
Jason Williams, who was chasing back on Defense, was immediately faked off his feet by Lee's pump fake, flying horizontally out of bounds.
With no one in front of him, Lee made a slight adjustment and quickly shot!
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly!
79-89, with 7 minutes and 12 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter, the largest lead of the game appeared.
Head Coach Adelman was forced to call a timeout; the Kings' offense had suddenly gone cold.
Watching his teammates walk towards the bench, Webber, dressed in a black suit, could only stand up and high-five them, as the shouts of "Wuss" from the crowd grew louder.
Even the most good-tempered player couldn't stand being cursed at for an entire game.
A dark-faced Chris Webber returned to the bench and flipped off the crowd, which only made the New York fans even more excited.
"Lee's understanding of the game has reached another level after several seasons of refinement."
"If the Sacramento Kings want to catch up, the first thing they need to solve is their scoring problem. Chris Webber's absence has indeed had some impact on them."
Hubie Brown began to make excuses for the Sacramento Kings.
The old man knew that the tide had turned, and it would be difficult to outplay the New York Knicks in a back-and-forth game.
Marv Albert, who had been a commentator at the New York Knicks' home games for the past few years, had a misconception that Lee seemed to have gotten faster:
"After a high pick-and-roll, he combines with the ball for a breakthrough. Once Lee accelerates, it's very difficult for the subsequent Defense to keep up. Besides fouling, there doesn't seem to be a better option."
"It's incredible. Lee's physical conditioning is getting better and better. Tim Grover must be busy again this offseason!"
The two of them began to joke about Lee's training team at the commentary table.
After the timeout, the Sacramento Kings players returned to the court with serious expressions.
Still in a twin-tower lineup, this time on offense, everyone spread out and immediately executed a classic tactical play.
After Vlade Divac received the pass in the right elbow area, Jason Williams immediately made a back cut the moment he passed the ball, moving horizontally before driving straight to the basket from Vlade Divac's left side.
The high-quality screen made the fast UCLA cut very effective.
Vlade Divac, who was facilitating from the high post, smoothly passed the ball to Jason Williams, who was driving straight to the basket.
The latter received the ball and immediately completed a floater from the lower right side of the basket.
With no one chasing him from behind, Jason Williams's shot seemed very relaxed, but while the ball was still rising, Lee, who had driven straight to the basket from the middle, leaped high and completed a direct block against the backboard in mid-air!
"Slap!"
The basketball hit the backboard and flew out.
Rashard Lewis twisted his body to control the ball and immediately threw it to the frontcourt.
Grant Hill, who accelerated along the right sideline and crossed half court, scooped up the ball, shook off the trailing Peja, and drove into the paint for a two-handed dunk!
From the block to the dunk, the New York Knicks' counterattack was extremely fast.
Rick Adelman, with his arms crossed, subconsciously shook his head.
This game was over.
The subsequent play stunned the Sacramento Kings' bench.
With continuous missed shots, the New York Knicks rushed faster and faster, with no set offense, and transition three-pointers frequently appearing.
In a semi-transition offense, Lee was double-teamed at the top of the arc and immediately passed the ball to Allan Houston on the right wing.
The latter received the ball and feigned a
pass to the right corner. Vlade Divac, who was rotating to help defend, subconsciously stopped his feet, and then watched as Allan Houston easily shot a jump shot from beyond the three-point line!
"Swish!" The three-pointer swished through the net.
Having toyed with his opponent, Allan Houston smiled and retreated on Defense.
Soon, Vlade Divac's strong drive to the basket missed, Ewing grabbed the rebound, and Lee received the ball and charged again.
The Sacramento Kings players, who had worked hard to retreat on Defense, had just completed their defensive matchups.
At the top of the arc, Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, suddenly lowered his center of gravity and made a large body-front crossover while feinting to the left.
Jason Williams was faked out, stumbling backward and completely losing his defensive position.
Lee, who had switched the ball to his right hand, drove straight to the basket.
Attracting the attention of the Sacramento Kings players, Lee smoothly lobbed the ball to the upper left of the basket.
Grant Hill, who had suddenly cut in from the left corner, scooped the ball in mid-air and slammed it down with both hands!
"Wow!"
The cheers couldn't stop.
The opponents continuously missed shots, and the New York Knicks kept scoring.
The wonderful scene made the fans constantly vent their excitement through shouts.
Watching Peja miss a three-pointer from the left corner, Lee, who collected the long rebound, initiated another transition offense.
Rick Adelman on the sidelines turned his head and simply sat back down on the bench.
Jason Williams, who was working hard to chase and defend, continuously provided physical contact.
On the left wing, Clay Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, suddenly stopped short as he approached the three-point line.
After a powerful pound dribble in place, he smoothly dribbled the ball between his legs.
Lee gathered the ball beyond the three-point line, and Jason Williams was knocked off balance by Lee, almost falling flat on the spot.
Unable to continue his close-out Defense, Jason Williams could only watch as Lee shot a jump shot from the left wing!
"Swish!" Another transition three-pointer went in!
With no timeouts, the Sacramento Kings, trying to slow down, continuously missed shots, while the New York Knicks, accelerating wildly, continuously scored.
With 2 minutes and 12 seconds left in the game, Lee drove through the middle, gaining half a step, and carried Jason Williams into the paint.
Noticing the big man Podra again helping out from the left baseline, Lee suddenly executed a spin move while in motion.
Arriving at the lower left of the basket, the two players who jumped to block found that the ball in Lee's hand had disappeared.
Ewing, who received the pass from Lee, cut into the basket from the left baseline and completed a one-handed dunk!
"Ah!"
Watching Ewing pound his chest and roar, the Sacramento Kings immediately called a timeout.
All the starters were subbed out, and the hype squad immediately entered the game.
The joyous shouts of the New York fans once again echoed throughout the stadium.
The exhilarating offense completely ignited the atmosphere.
The 2 minutes quickly passed, and the final score was fixed at 87:114.
In the fourth quarter, 10:34, the New York Knicks put on a crazy offensive display!
Perhaps having lost by too much, after the game, the Sacramento Kings players simply shook hands and then all turned and walked towards the player tunnel.
Jason Williams, who shot 1-for-6 for the entire game, only getting 2 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 turnovers, was completely dazed.
His mind went blank after the game, and he was pulled back to the locker room by his teammates with their arms around his shoulders.
Playing 40 minutes, 13-for-23 from the field, 4-for-7 from three-point range, 8-for-8 from the free-throw line, for 38 points, 5 rebounds, 12 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, and 2 turnovers.
Having once again scored 30+10, Clay Lee was all smiles after the game.
Craig Sager came over with a chuckle and teased him:
"It's great to see your strong rebound. Five consecutive games of 30+10, that's not an easy feat."
"It's a pity that Chris Webber of the Sacramento Kings is out due to injury. There's still a month and a half left in the regular season. Currently, the New York Knicks have the best record, Lee, are you confident in winning this year's MVP?"
After praising Iverson, it was now Lee's turn.
In a turn-based game, there was no need to be polite:
"Of course, this season I've improved my Defense, and after several seasons of refinement, I have a deeper understanding of the game."
"I am the best perimeter player in the NBA. I am ready for the MVP!"
Soon, Clay Lee and Craig Sager began a wave of mutual praise, which served as a warm-up for the MVP selection.
Playing 26 minutes, 7-for-13 from the field, for 18 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers, Grant Hill was also surrounded by a large number of media when he returned to the locker room.
"Grant, it seems your form is getting better and better. Does this mean you've fully integrated into the team?"
Most of his points came from fast breaks, with occasional post-ups.
Joining the New York Knicks, 18 points was also Grant Hill's highest score:
"I still need some time. The injury has indeed affected me, so I still need to re-adapt to my body."
"But I'm ready. It's easy to play with Lee. We've already collaborated in the All-Star Game, so it's not a difficult thing for me!"
"Mr. Nice Guy" Grant Hill was very popular with media reporters.
This kind of post-game interview was no longer surprising to everyone.
Ron Artest, who had returned to the bench, was not in a good mood.
He didn't like playing off the bench, and as Grant Hill said, it was easier to get good stats as a starter.
Chauncey Billups always tended to slow the game down, which also caused Ron Artest's stats to dip slightly.
Fortunately, Grant Hill's playing time was strictly controlled, which gave Ron Artest more opportunities:
"I'm going to be a big star. Everyone will come to interview me then!"
Ben Wallace immediately laughed when he heard Ron Artest's whisper:
"Rookies are always so confident. You should be thinking about how to get more playing time!"
Looking at Ben Wallace, whose hair was growing increasingly abundant, Ron Artest, who had just taken off his jersey, didn't hold back and immediately retorted:
"You're also a bench player! My average points per game are more than yours!"
"Shit! Why don't you go look at the rebound numbers!"
"..."
"Softie" Chris Webber, after his team lost by a large margin, also made a statement during his post-game interview:
"This is not the true strength of the Sacramento Kings. See you, Sacramento!"
Webber might have a point, but after this game, Lee's biggest gain was that no one compared him to Jason Williams anymore.
"Only by crushing your opponent can you avoid fouls!"
At the end of February, several MVP candidates took turns boasting, and except for Duncan, everyone's attitude could be summarized as:
"I'm the best, the MVP should be mine!"
The New York Media was the loudest.
Not long ago, they had mocked Allen Iverson for losing, and after the game against the Sacramento Kings, they sarcastically criticized Chris Webber for "avoiding battle" and not daring to play away games.
Even a worm will turn.
In short, Webber couldn't be a superficial friend anymore.
On the morning of the 26th, the NBA announced the Player of the Week for the last week of February, and Clay Lee of the New York Knicks successfully won the award.
This week, the New York Knicks achieved a record of 3 wins and 1 loss, with Clay Lee averaging 38.3 minutes per game.
He averaged 33.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 11.3 assists, 3.0 steals, 0.3 blocks, and 2.8 turnovers per game.
He averaged 22.0 field goal attempts per game, with a 52.2% field goal percentage, and averaged 5.8 three-point attempts per game, with a 42.6% three-point percentage.
He averaged 8.8 free throws per game, with an 89.1% free throw percentage.
Compared to his somewhat disappointing performance in the first week after the All-Star Game, Clay Lee's statistics bounced back strongly!
On the 27th, in the last game of February, the New York Knicks narrowly defeated the Seattle SuperSonics 92:110.
Rashard Lewis shot 4-for-8 from the field, 4-for-6 from three-point range, and 8-for-8 from the free-throw line, scoring 20 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 turnover.
All of his points came from three-pointers and free throws, the Rookie Lewis had essentially become a 'Moreyball' player.
Allan Houston was also in explosive form, shooting 11-for-16 from the field and 2-for-5 from three-point range, scoring a highly efficient 24 points.
With 30 points, 4 rebounds, 16 assists, 3 steals, and 3 turnovers, Clay Lee notched a big double-double, perfectly concluding February!
The efficient performance of the three players made the New York fans incredibly hyped, and they didn't even care that the Seattle SuperSonics had been struggling recently.
After the game, many people outside the Madison Square Garden were shouting, "Knicks are champions!"
Just as James Dolan had anticipated, compared to the defensive battles of the past, the higher the score, the more excited the fans were!
After the All-Star Game, tickets for Madison Square Garden even became scarce.
Front-row tickets naturally belonged to socialites and celebrities, who didn't mind spending money.
Tickets in the back of the Madison Square Garden also sold particularly well, mostly bought by tourists visiting New York.
This situation made the curly-haired owner beam with joy, and he frequently stated on his own MSG in the past half-month:
"The New York Knicks' 'Showtime' era is about to sweep the globe!"
"ā¦"
On March 1st, the NBA announced the Player of the Month for February, and Tracy McGrady of the Orlando Magic successfully won the award.
In February, the Orlando Magic achieved a record of 9 wins and 3 losses;
He averaged 29.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.1 blocks, and 2.7 turnovers per game, with a 50% field goal percentage, 37.8% three-point percentage, and 81.9% free throw percentage.
Tracy McGrady's award was well-deserved!
In the first week of March, the New York Knicks continued to enjoy the Eastern Conference's favorable schedule.
In back-to-back games, they successively defeated the Celtics and the Chicago Bulls.
After Head Coach Pitino was fired, the new Head Coach Jim O'Brien was also able to improve the Celtics' record.
Antoine Walker completely let himself go, often shooting worse and worse, but still kept shooting.
After their loss, the Chicago Bulls' record fell to 9 wins and 48 losses, confirming their dive for the top draft pick, and Sprewell being booed at home had become the norm.
On March 4th, the New York Knicks, in explosive form, finally went cold when challenging the Toronto Raptors on the road.
88:98, Carter's performance was subpar, shooting 8-for-23, yet they still won.
After losing this game, the New York Knicks' record stood at 46 wins and 13 losses, still firmly holding the top spot in the league!
In a game played concurrently that day, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors 95:110.
In the first quarter, 16:43, the Los Angeles Lakers put on a terrifying offensive display.
After winning, the Los Angeles Lakers' record reached 39 wins and 19 losses, just tying the San Antonio Spurs' record, with both teams surpassing the Sacramento Kings' 38 wins to rank in the top two in the Western Conference.
Despite being hampered by injuries, O'Neal's Excel was still excellent, and he didn't forget to advocate for himself after the game:
"The regular season isn't over yet, but I am the best big man in the league!"
"No one ever complains about having too many MVP trophies. I want to chase the achievements of Larry Bird."
Interestingly, no sooner had Shaquille O'Neal made his statement than media reporters in Philadelphia immediately launched an attack. Stephen A. Smith directly mocked in his column article:
"A small guard leading the 76ers to a 44-16 record is always overlooked."
"Allen Iverson can't play like Shaq, but he's a true fighter. He's never afraid of those talented big guys!"
With his team ranked second in the league, Allen Iverson went all out after entering March.
In the game against the Washington Wizards, he played 46 minutes, shooting 15-for-34, and furiously scored 41 points!
Although the team narrowly defeated the lowly Washington Wizards, the Philadelphia media gave him high praise after the game:
"Allen Iverson is the true MVP!"
On March 5th, back in New York, Clay Lee looked at the sports media in the newspapers, all cheering for their respective star players, and felt a moment of emotion in his Manhattan home.
Unlike the future basketball environment, most MVP candidates truly disliked their opponents.
With the team on a break, Jeff Van Gundy, besides caring about Ewing and Grant Hill's physical condition, was also inquiring about the internal situation of the team.
Gorilla's tour was quite successful.
At least this season, he could still get double-doubles by "sucking blood."
Meeting some old friends, exchanging jerseys, and taking photos for souvenirs, he had a blast.
At the Tarrytown Training Center, Assistant Coach Thibodeau, seeing that Jeff Van Gundy seemed a bit unhappy, immediately announced some good news:
"Grant's re-examination results are good. As of now, 25 minutes of playing time will not affect his health."
The Bald Young Coach nodded, and while the other assistant coaches were out for lunch, he suddenly said in a low voice:
"I don't seem to be in the team's plans, Tom. Perhaps we should prepare in advance."
Thibodeau was startled upon hearing this. Having worked for the New York Knicks for many years, he didn't want to leave:
"Why? We are the league's top team, and the team has won three consecutive championships, becoming a dynasty team. We haven't even interfered with the draft and free agency!"
"No coach in the league can achieve such accomplishmentsā¦"
Jeff Van Gundy looked at his old friend who had accompanied him for many years, and still interrupted him:
"There aren't that many reasons. It's just because our owner doesn't like my coaching philosophy."
"He's not Old Charles. Although he hasn't interfered with the team's specific affairs yet, he can decide the team's direction. Currently, James Dolan has succeeded."
"The New York fans love his theories, even if he doesn't understand basketball at all."
Thibodeau's eyes widened instinctively.
He wanted to retort, but he just opened his mouth and couldn't speak for a moment.
Finally, he just spread his hands and said in a low voice:
"What if we win another championship then?"
Jeff Van Gundy didn't respond, but just stood up and patted Thibodeau's shoulder, changing the subject:
"This is just my guess, but I'm also prepared. Perhaps after my contract expires, it'll be time to leave New York."
"But I'm not short on work. As long as I continue to be a Head Coach, you'll still be my Chief Assistant Coach!"
Thibodeau nodded, but thinking of his experiences over the past few years, a thought suddenly popped into his mind:
"Being a Head Coach doesn't seem that difficult?!"
.....
https://discord.gg/mjcCSyu7Yr
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)