Check out my new fanfics.
A cote x hikigaya crossover.
Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.
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***
In April 25, 2001, the NBA announced this season's Best Executive:
Geoff Petrie of the Sacramento Kings successfully won the award.
Although the Kings' record fluctuated during the regular season due to injuries, their ability to reach the upper half of the Western Conference, and even lead it for a period, already showed the team's great success.
Unlike the easy schedule in the Eastern Conference, the teams in the Western Conference are more competitive.
It usually takes around 50 wins to secure a playoff spot.
In this context, the Kings' performance seems even more valuable.
In the games that concluded last night, the Knicks and the Utah Jazz both easily defeated their opponents.
91:116, the Knicks played as a cohesive unit, crushing the Pacers in a favorable game.
98:109, the Utah Jazz dominated the Dallas Mavericks throughout the game, also securing a match point.
In 28 minutes of play, Clay Lee shot 10 of 17 from the field, 2 of 5 from beyond the arc, and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line, putting up a modest double-double of 26 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, and 2 turnovers.
In the Dallas Mavericks' game, which was highly anticipated by chinese media, Wang Zhizhi still didn't get any playing time, leading many to complain about Don Nelson:
"If only Wang Zhizhi was given time, the game might have been completely different."
(A/N: šš I'm not editing some contents that seems funny to me.)
"."
In 47 minutes of play, Dirk Nowitzki shot 3 of 11 from the field, 1 of 5 from beyond the arc, and relied on free throws to get 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 turnovers.
The Dallas Mavericks almost exclusively used a 5-man rotation, with the most playing time off the bench going to guard Maxwell, who played 9 minutes.
Karl Malone, who was about to turn 38, dominated his opponent, shooting 11 of 22 from the field for 34 points.
His performance was excellent, showing no signs of decline in his stats.
Chinese media complained about Don Nelson's stubborn player rotation, but this is actually the norm in the NBA Playoffs.
Few teams in the league can manage the kind of extensive rotation that the Knicks employ.
Chinese fans, who were just getting into the NBA on the other side of the ocean, were also in a bad mood.
Even if Wang Zhizhi was bad, he was at least at Dirk Nowitzki's level.
Many people agreed with some of the reports:
"The Dallas Mavericks deserve to be swept for not playing Wang Zhizhi!"
Several teams have already secured match points, and the first round of the playoffs seems to have little suspense left.
Due to a three-day break between Game 3, the Knicks only flew to Polis on the morning of the 27th, preparing to send their old rivals fishing tomorrow.
The team has already started preparing Lee's MVP award ceremony.
There is no suspense in the selection.
Clay Lee, who shattered PER records and achieved the league's Best record, is destined to receive this prestigious award.
After checking in that afternoon, no one was concerned about tomorrow's opponent.
Although they couldn't go out and party, the coaching staff didn't restrict playing cards for entertainment.
By evening, Ewing began to miss his old friend Kaplan.
The scene of Kaplan airlifting girls for a group party felt like just yesterday, and the Gorilla suddenly missed the days of carefree indulgence at the club:
"I wonder how Kaplan's investigation is going. It's rare to find such a good place, and I hope it doesn't close down too soon."
Most of the hardcore nightclubs in New York don't last long, mainly due to issues involving marijuana.
Some newly opened nightclubs are becoming increasingly milder, which old-school individuals like Ewing naturally dislike.
Grant Hill and the Knicks' Rookie were confused, while Clay Lee, who was watching the card game, simply reminded them:
"It might be seized. Pat, you need to be careful. Don't go there to play anymore at this time."
Ewing didn't care.
So many people did it, and he was just one of them:
"I never pay when I go to the club. That's my private friendship with Kaplan. Don't forget, he's a huge Knicks fan!"
The Gorilla spoke with righteous indignation about getting freebies, and Lee almost laughed.
However, the FBI seemed to have not yet fully investigated the Gold Club, so the owner indeed had a chance to escape sanctions.
"Good guy" Grant Hill was stunned by what he heard.
He had only heard rumors of the Knicks' group party, and this time it was confirmed.
Ron Artest showed a look of longing and couldn't help but whisper:
"I want to try it sometime too. I heard it's the most unique strip club in Atlanta!"
Many in the mood-setting group also chuckled, all hoping that the Gold Club would continue to operate.
On the morning of the 28th, sports commentators began discussing the 76ers' strength again.
94:89, the 76ers became the first team to advance to the Semifinals.
In the decisive game, Tracy McGrady played 44 minutes, shooting 10 of 26 from the field, for 25 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals.
Allen Iverson played 47 minutes, shooting 10 of 29 from the field, for 33 points.
After the game, both of them were again full of mutual admiration, engaging in another round of commercial praise.
"It's great to play against Tracy. He's the most talented player I've ever met!"
Winning with a smile, plus the opponent's inefficiency, Allen Iverson was in a particularly good mood after the game.
Despite being swept out and stopping in the first round, Tracy McGrady was also satisfied with the team's performance and offered a strong endorsement:
"I believe the 76ers can win the championship. They are underestimated. Allen Iverson is definitely an MVP-level player. He's too good!"
"."
The two seemed to have become close friends after the game.
Sports commentators also started talking nonsense, once again emphasizing the 76ers' dominance, bringing out a pile of awards that indeed looked impressive.
In the games two days prior, 90:116, the Sacramento Kings defeated the Phoenix Suns by a large margin.
Despite winning by a large margin, both the Sacramento Kings and the Knicks are currently labeled as unstable.
On a night with poor shooting, scoring 80+ points is considered normal.
Once the game is going their way, they can also explode for 110+ points.
This kind of performance also made many sports commentators become fence-sitters.
As for Coach Isiah Thomas, he only felt that the Knicks' offense was becoming more and more stable, and he truly couldn't empathize with the sports commentators.
That afternoon, at Conseco Fieldhouse, while the Pacers were warming up, Coach Isiah Thomas resumed his usual "gentle and amiable" demeanor during an interview:
"The team still has a lot to learn from the defending champions. This playoff experience is also a valuable one for our young players."
"We will still defend our home court. Tonight, nearly 20,000 fans in attendance will be our Best sixth man!"
The surrounding sports media all noticed that Isiah Thomas seemed to be throwing in the towel.
Given such a result, everyone found it difficult to continue piling on.
With the Head Coach lacking confidence, the Pacers players naturally weren't in high spirits.
During the regular season, they averaged 92.6 points per game.
Currently, this is considered normal performance.
Even with psychological preparation, many players still felt despair.
Perhaps for Western Conference teams, the Knicks' offense might seem inflated, but in the Eastern Conference, this is genuine dominance!
Reggie Miller, who was about to turn 36, constantly encouraged his teammates in the locker room, but the big talk from the leader was useless.
In basketball, the ball does the talking.
Everyone knew that the veteran couldn't contain the Knicks' backcourt on Defense, and even if he had an offensive outburst, he would falter by the fourth quarter.
Relying on Reggie Miller to raise their ceiling was simply not feasible at this point.
No matter how much fighting spirit he had, losing by large margins game after game had completely numbed them.
Out of respect for the veteran, a TNT reporter only conducted a perfunctory interview with Reggie Miller.
Facing the camera, the veteran still showed an unyielding fighting spirit:
"I don't care that the opponent has match point. The series isn't over yet. As long as we protect our two home games, both sides will be back on equal footing."
"Perhaps you all think the Pacers are doomed tonight, but a basketball is round, and anything is possible!"
"."
For this kind of easy game, Lee was really too lazy to brag before the game.
His matchups weren't All-Star players, and winning the game didn't bring much sense of accomplishment.
Ewing, on the other hand, particularly enjoyed giving interviews.
Although his playing time was very limited, it didn't stop him from confidently boasting:
"Yes, the Knicks can enter the Semifinals tonight!"
"I don't like the commentators' evaluation of us. This season, the Miami Heat have performed the Best on Defense, but they are about to be eliminated."
"Just looking at the stats, you can't truly evaluate a team's real strength. The Knicks are the defending champions. We've seen too many big stages, and that's our advantage!"
The "smooth" Ewing appeared very confident when discussing the team's strength, and sports reporters found it difficult to refute him, especially since the Knicks had indeed shown a clear offensive dominance.
The game officially tipped off at 9 PM that night.
Before the game began, Pacers fans at Conseco Fieldhouse still held onto hope, but as their offense went cold in the second quarter, the Arena fell silent.
With three minutes left in the first half, Reggie Miller's step-through on the right wing was directly stolen face-to-face by Clay Lee, and the boos from the crowd significantly lessened.
Accelerating along the left sideline, Lee instantly shook off Reggie Miller's chase-down Defense, picking up speed and leaving most of the Pacers defenders behind.
At this moment, only the young Croshere desperately hustled back to the paint.
Facing Lee, who was striding quickly and driving straight to the basket, he instinctively began to adjust his body's center of gravity.
Cutting in from the left 45-degree angle, with the ball in his right hand, Lee was incredibly fast.
Upon entering the paint, facing the decelerating Croshere, he took a big step with his right foot while faking to the right.
Taking advantage of his opponent's slide to the left, Lee suddenly changed direction while in motion, stepping forward and to the left with his left foot.
The wide European step left Croshere standing still under the basket, watching Lee grab the ball with his left hand and easily score with a layup from the left side of the rim!
43:35.
More than half a quarter had passed, and the Pacers had only scored 11 points, leaving the fans in attendance speechless.
Lee's fast break speed had improved significantly compared to previous seasons.
Marv Albert felt this the most and continuously praised him:
"From being a thin, functional guard who relied on three-pointers when he first entered the NBA, to now being the core player supporting the Knicks on both ends of the court."
"Lee's progress is evident; he has never slacked off in refining his skills and physique!"
At the commentary table, Hubie Brown saw the Pacers' offense go cold and knew the game was lost.
At this point, he could only go along with the topic and say:
"Behind an MVP, a player needs to put in tremendous effort. Lee has set a good example for young players, and I'm glad to witness his growth."
After retreating on Defense, Lee signaled to Lewis again, reminding him that this possession would likely be Croshere's turn to be the easy target.
Grant Hill watched Jalen Rose stand still on the left wing in front of him, immediately sensing the change in his opponent's mindset, and his Defense became even more aggressive.
Best was met with Lee's lead Defense past half-court.
On the right wing, he tried to pass the ball to Jermaine O'Neal in the low post, but Ben Wallace's semi-fronting Defense interfered, preventing him from making the pass.
Left with no choice, they resorted to the old routine: quick ball movement up top.
Jalen Rose came to the top of the arc to receive the ball, moved to the left wing, and then smoothly lobbed the ball to Croshere.
Facing Lewis's Defense, Croshere again simply and forcefully put the ball down with his left hand and drove hard to the basket.
However, this time, it neither resulted in a foul, nor was the contested layup anywhere near the basket.
It was so off it looked like a bank pass to Ben Wallace on the other end.
Coach Isiah Thomas, seeing this, glared at his players again and then shouted for them to retreat on Defense.
Clay Lee, who received the ball, was in no hurry to attack.
He dribbled slowly past the half-court line, and the defensive shouts in the stadium grew quieter and quieter:
"Defense!"
Ben Wallace quickly came out to the three-point line for a high pick-and-roll.
Lee, with the ball in his right hand, was not being tightly guarded.
He quickly pushed the ball to change direction, and after switching to his left hand, immediately dribbled between his legs.
Although Best successfully anticipated the move, as he slid to the left, he was momentarily delayed, allowing Lee to gain half a step and break through with a shoulder bump.
Jermaine O'Neal could only slide along to delay, but seeing Lee push the ball to change direction again, he could only adjust his center of gravity.
At this point, Lee scooped the ball with his left hand, almost colliding with O'Neal.
After their bodies collided, Lee leaned into the defender and continued to accelerate.
Jermaine O'Neal, with his right hand raised, could only slide back and to the right, attempting to fully cover Clay Lee with his body.
Amidst the exclamations of the New York fans, the two quickly entered the paint.
While in motion, Lee suddenly exerted force, bumping into his opponent while taking a large step back to the right.
Jermaine O'Neal, after being bumped, couldn't keep up with Lee's rhythm for a moment.
Near the basket, he tried to jump and block, but could only watch as Lee, drifting back and to the right, calmly took a jump shot!
"Swish!" The two-point shot went in steadily.
45:35, the lead extended to 10 points.
"Boo!"
They couldn't hold back anymore.
Pacers fans unleashed a torrent of boos.
Given the team's current state, such a deficit was despair-inducing.
No longer mindlessly double-teaming, the result was that Lee had been driving through them like a sieve since the start.
A slightly frustrated Jermaine subconsciously looked at the Head Coach, only to find Coach Isiah Thomas had calmly sat back down on the bench.
Reggie Miller tried to rouse his teammates' fighting spirit, but the offense kept moving the ball around, and in the end, he was left to take a difficult shot and miss.
On the other hand, the Knicks had completely relaxed.
For several consecutive possessions, Grant Hill simply back-cut to the basket, causing Lee's assist count to start rising again.
Having just made both free throws, Reggie Miller, retreating on Defense, was still directing his teammates into position when Allan Houston suddenly accelerated and cut in from the right wing.
Lee had just set a pick-and-roll with Lewis in the left elbow area, briefly shaking off Best's Entanglement.
With a flick of his left wrist, he delivered a bounce pass straight to the basket.
Allan Houston immediately stopped and faked after receiving the ball, tricking Reggie Miller near the right side of the rim, leaning into him for a bank shot layup!
"Squeak!" The whistle blew, and the ball went in.
"Ah!"
Allan Houston successfully responded, shouting at Reggie Miller under the basket, then happily high-fived Lee in celebration.
An extremely simple play, yet it allowed the Knicks to score efficiently.
Hubie Brown, sensing the increasingly quiet atmosphere, again commented simply:
"The Pacers should have stuck to their Game 2 strategy. Tonight, they've had frequent communication issues on Defense."
Marv Albert felt that the outcome of the game was already decided.
Noticing that both Head Coaches had sat back down on their benches, he could only tactfully say:
"I hope the young players of the Pacers can grow quickly!"
In the final minute and a bit, the Pacers still struggled to score, only managing to put points on the board through free throws.
56:41.
When the first half ended, Conseco Fieldhouse seemed to have turned into a "library."
A beaming Ewing laughed as he put his arm around Lee's shoulder, and everyone walked laughingly towards the player tunnel.
There were no boos, no curses.
After consistently falling to their old rivals for several years, Pacers fans seemed to have grown accustomed to it.
In the second half, perhaps unable to bear Jermaine O'Neal's soft performance, Coach Isiah Thomas simply put on a "small-ball" lineup.
Al Harrington was given an emergency assignment, but he missed shots on offense and was blown by on Defense.
Grant Hill, with the ball in his left hand, quickly changed direction with a crossover on the left wing after dribbling between his legs, gaining half a step and driving straight to the basket, drawing a foul on Harrington and sending the ball into the hoop.
Jalen Rose stood with his hands on his hips, Harrington stared blankly under the basket, and Coach Isiah Thomas once again showed a pained expression.
After playing less than 3 minutes, Harrington was immediately substituted.
While Grant was at the free-throw line, the Pacers brought in veteran Derek.
Marv Albert felt this was a spiteful substitution and found it difficult to comment, so he could only change the subject and say:
"If they win this game, the Knicks will get another week or so of rest, which is definitely good news for them."
After checking the schedule, Hubie Brown also chuckled and added:
"They can use this time to further integrate the lineup. Grant Hill has played too few games this year."
The veteran Derek, who had slower lateral movement, came on and first missed a layup under the basket, then, retreating on Defense against a high pick-and-roll, failed to delay in time.
At the top of the arc, inside the three-point line, Derek watched as Lee, with the ball in his left hand, used Ben Wallace's screen to shake off his defender, took a big dribble, then pulled up for a jump shot.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly!
On the Knicks' bench, the atmosphere group cheered happily; victory was within reach.
Reggie Miller, who had regained his touch, quickly made a contested shot on the left wing, but a few possessions later, with a missed response shot, the lead was extended again.
Using the same tactic as the Pacers, Lee, who quickly moved along the baseline from left to right, used Ben Wallace's screen in the right elbow area.
When he received the pass from Grant Hill, the veteran Derek quickly delayed.
Lee, dribbling horizontally, took just one large dribble before smoothly lobbing the ball towards the basket.
Ben Wallace, who had quickly cut down, leaped high, grabbed the ball in the air, and powerfully slammed it through the hoop with both hands!
"Boom!" An alley-oop dunk successful!
Derek, still sliding, could only watch the Knicks players celebrate with laughter.
With no timeouts, the Pacers fans in the stadium could only watch their home team score sporadically, while the Knicks launched a counterattack from time to time.
By the end of the third quarter, the noise had completely disappeared.
The single quarter score was 29-18, and after three quarters, it was 87-59.
Just like the previous two games, the fourth quarter was again garbage time.
In the decisive game, Reggie Miller did not rest, but in the last quarter, facing Ron Artest's Entanglement, his touch completely disappeared.
Repeated running still created opportunities for outside shots, but with too much physical contact from the pulling, Reggie Miller's three-pointers continuously clanked off the rim.
Watching Chauncey Billups's trailing three-pointer go in during a fast break, Coach Isiah Thomas stood on the sidelines with his arms crossed, expressionless, still not calling a timeout.
It wasn't until half a quarter had passed, with both teams playing poorly, that the Pacers finally called a timeout.
Clay Lee also changed into his practice uniform at this point. With an 18-point difference remaining, he didn't need to play anymore.
From the commentary booth, both commentators saw Lee change his clothes.
Marv Albert noticed Reggie Miller re-enter the game and sighed helplessly:
"For a veteran, Reggie Miller has given his all, but this season, they can only exit with regret."
Hubie Brown also noticed Ewing still sitting steadily on the bench and simply offered his blessings:
"Veterans deserve respect. Ewing's perseverance has led to his team's rise. I hope Reggie Miller can also win a championship at the end of his career."
With 1 minute and 2 seconds left in the game, Reggie Miller was finally substituted out.
Naturally, he was unwilling to bid farewell to this season in such a manner.
He shot 2-for-9 from the field, 1-for-6 from three-point range, and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line.
Despite his frantic attempts, he only scored 7 points in the fourth quarter.
Back on the bench, Reggie Miller covered his head with a towel, isolating himself.
On the Knicks' bench, Grant Hill was the happiest.
Although he only played 22 minutes in this game, shooting 6-for-11 and scoring 15 points, advancing past the first round still made Hill beam with joy.
Allan Houston, seeing his old teammate in high spirits, also chuckled softly and said:
"The playoffs have just begun. This year, we're highly likely to make it to the Finals again."
After years of being in the doldrums with the Detroit Pistons, Grant Hill at this moment completely understood Allan Houston's joy:
"The Finals? I'm really looking forward to it!"
The two whispered in their seats.
On the other side, Ewing saw Reggie Miller cover his head and grinned broadly:
"To see Miller eliminated like this, I have no regrets about this year's playoffs!"
Lee heard Ewing's whisper and could only shake his head slightly.
Reggie Miller had mocked Ewing after missing a game-winning shot back then, and the Gorilla had held a grudge for many years.
When the game clock ran out, the Knicks ultimately defeated the Pacers 109-86, sweeping them 3-0 and easily advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Conseco Fieldhouse became noisy again.
Some young Pacers fans seemed unable to accept the result and began to boo helplessly.
Coach Isiah Thomas, however, was very graceful, resuming his signature smile.
At the scorer's table, he shook hands with Jeff Van Gundy in greeting.
The Bald Young Coach, who had been on auto-pilot, didn't say too much.
He understood the difficulties of a Rookie coach:
"Next season, the Pacers will rise again. I see your talent."
Seemingly recalling Jermaine O'Neal's "poor performance" in the series, Isiah Thomas raised an eyebrow, composed himself, and spoke platitudes:
"A wonderful series. I believe the Knicks have a chance to win the championship again!"
"..."
After the game, perhaps not wanting to see Lee and Ewing, Miller, draped in a towel, quickly left after shaking hands.
Jermaine O'Neal, who didn't get playing time in the second half, kept hugging and greeting the Knicks players.
For this young player who had just secured a starting position, making it to the playoffs might have already been satisfying.
At the post-game press conference, Grant Hill, making his first appearance in the semifinals, maintained a smile throughout, constantly praising the team:
"I'm very happy to be on a bigger stage. Thanks to the Knicks family!"
"It feels great playing with Lee. A lot of times I just need to run to the basket to score. He is the MVP. It's a wonderful thing to play with the Best player in the NBA!"
Jeff Van Gundy, standing beside him, also couldn't stop smiling.
The Heat had been upset by the Toronto Raptors, and their next opponent seemed even easier.
Facing the many reporters below, Jeff Van Gundy confidently declared:
"This year, we are confident we will make it to the Finals again. The entire team is ready!"
"..."
In the simultaneous game that day, the Milwaukee Bucks also advanced, sweeping the Hornets 3-0.
In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Milwaukee Bucks will face the 76ers.
Both teams will give their all to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
In the Western Conference, both the Timberwolves and the Dallas Mavericks, back on their home courts, won a game.
Dirk Nowitzki, who played the entire game, bounced back strongly, scoring 33 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double on 9-for-19 shooting.
Don Nelson's persistence paid off.
In response, the Chinese media could only sigh, as Wang Zhizhi again failed to get playing time.
On April 29th, the NBA announced this season's Sportsmanship Award:
David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs successfully won the award.
Adding to that the recently announced Rookie of the Year ā Mike Miller of the Orlando Magic ā all major awards had been presented.
Clay Lee, back in New York, also began preparing for the upcoming MVP press conference.
The New York Media were already impatient for it.
That evening, at 79-89, the Toronto Raptors completed their upset, successfully eliminating the Heat.
On May 6th, Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 1 will be held at Madison Square Garden.
As time entered May, General Manager Grunfeld also began preparing for this year's draft lottery.
Although the Knicks' own first-round pick was destined to be 29th overall, the Chicago Bulls' first-round protection period had expired.
Everyone was very excited about this!
2001 was considered a strong draft class, and the most popular players were three high school big men.
Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry.
All three were big men over 2.10 meters tall, with outstanding talent.
High school players had been making a name for themselves in the NBA, and high school Rookies were now widely accepted.
New York fans were grinning, while Chicago fans were on the verge of breaking down.
Eddy Curry, who grew up in the South Side of Chicago, was deeply loved by fans.
Originally, they had a chance to draft this local big man, but now they could only watch the Knicks take their first-round pick.
On the morning of the 1st, at the Tarrytown Training Center, after finishing the video session, Jeff Van Gundy returned to his office and began reading the scouting reports in his hand.
With the Gorilla retiring, and coinciding with a strong draft class, this was very important for the Knicks.
The team urgently needed the next Ewing.
Looking at the profiles of the three high schoolers in his hand, Jeff Van Gundy nodded secretly.
Outstanding talent!
A first overall pick was highly unlikely, but a top 5 pick should not be a problem.
The Knicks' scouts particularly highlighted Tyson Chandler.
Compared to the other two high schoolers, he showed more talent on the defensive end.
The Bald Young Coach grew more satisfied the more he read.
In three seasons, he was confident he could mold this 2.16-meter big man into an interior defensive anchor.
Assistant Coach Thibodeau was also very pleased with Tyson Chandler.
For the Knicks, a big man's job was Defense and rebounding, and this Rookie was a perfect fit!
As the coaching staff discussed in low voices, General Manager Grunfeld arrived at the office and handed Van Gundy another document:
"Jeff, take a look at this Rookie too. He's also performing exceptionally well in the Spanish league."
Jeff Van Gundy frowned as soon as he saw Pau Gasol's information.
He was excellent, but he didn't fit his team-building philosophy:
"We need big men with excellent defensive ability more. With Lee, Houston, and Grant, interior players are not destined to get many opportunities."
"Perhaps he is excellent, but European big men also need time to adapt to the NBA, and this doesn't align with the team's goals either."
The Bald Young Coach politely declined.
General Manager Grunfeld shook his head helplessly and simply reminded him:
"Pau Gasol has performed well on offense in the Spanish league. Management really likes this big man. He's a handsome guy!"
"..."
.....
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