A game that was destined to be won, only for the Knicks to suffer injuries.
96:109, after defeating the Celtics at home, the New York sports media no longer cares about wins and statistics.
Considering Ewing's past knee injuries, most New York reporters who came to the press conference room were secretly praying that Ewing's injury this time was just a minor injury.
After Jeff Van Gundy came to the press conference, he didn’t hesitate and said simply:
"Thank God! Pat only needs a period of rest to recover. After the preliminary examination by the team doctor, there should be no structural damage."
"Unfortunately, maybe Pat will miss the All-Star Game, and he's already prepared for that."
"Guys, give him some more time, you know, he's given everything he's got for New York."
The New York media in the audience just breathed a sigh of relief, and then they heard the news that Ewing might withdraw from the All-Star Game, and they all sighed for a while.
Being selected into the top 50 superstars and being selected as the starting center for the Eastern Conference All-Stars also makes New York fans feel proud. However, at the highlight of life, he suddenly suffered injuries. This is really unlucky!
In the locker room, Ewing seemed very frustrated. He wanted to play in this year's All-Star Game so much.
"It's okay, Pat! It's just that we won't play in the main game. The most important thing this year is the selection of the top 50 superstars. You can still participate in the event then."
"It's possible to be healthy before the All-Star break, don't be upset, Bro!"
Charles Oakley was not very good at comforting people, so he gave two dry words of comfort, and Starks also said two words of comfort, but Ewing still could not recover.
No one wants to see injuries, so everyone expressed their condolences. Finally, assistant coach Thibodeau suggested:
"Pat, there are still 4 games before the All-Star Game, and there are three home games in early February. Don't fly to away games tomorrow. Just rest and recuperate in New York!"
Li You also felt that the gorilla was really unlucky. He managed to survive O'Neal, but was suddenly injured. It would have been equally aggrieved for him.
In a little while, everyone in the Knicks team would have to fly to Cleveland. In the end, Ewing had no choice but to listen to everyone's opinions and stay in New York:
"Guys, perform well, we just got second place, don't lose again!"
After hearing the boss's instructions, everyone immediately responded positively, patting their chests and promising 4 wins and 0 losses in the future.
After getting on the plane, Larry Johnson came close to Li You. "Aunt" hadn't given up on the All-Stars yet:
"Lee, you know, the All-Star substitute list will be announced in a few days. Without Pat, we can play faster!"
Alan Houston saw that "Big Mom" was still dreaming about becoming an All-Star, and he immediately joked:
"If we had finished second earlier, maybe there would still be a chance for this!"
"This year, the head coach of the Eastern Conference All-Stars has been transferred to Doug Collins of the Pistons. If we really need to choose a substitute, the Pistons will most likely lock in another spot."
"Don't worry about Glenn Rice. It will be great if we win back at home in early February."
In the game they lost to the Hornets, Glenn Rice was in great shape. "Auntie" lost face in the matchup and wanted to get back on the field.
Glenn Rice has a high probability of being selected as an All-Star, and Larry Johnson doesn't want to be inferior to his opponent and is still making his final efforts.
"I will start tomorrow night's game and I will speed up the offensive rhythm. Don't worry Larry, as long as the opportunity arises, I will definitely find you!"
Hearing Li You agree, "Aunt" felt completely comfortable.
Without Ewing, he can still be regarded as the team's number one star, and it's time to enjoy core treatment!
...
The 1997 All-Star Game will be held in Cleveland. As the host team, the Cavaliers will naturally have players selected for the All-Star Game.
As the star of the Cavaliers, Trier Brandon has long wanted to play against Li You. Both of them play the No. 1 position. He always thought that Li You stole his Best of the Week trophy!
The media in Cleveland also followed the trend and complained about this matter. As a result, the influence was so bad that no one paid any attention to them...
Li You didn't know that the player he was playing against in the evening had already played a lemon, but during the game, he felt that the opponent was playing blindly.
The Cleveland fans at the scene cheered along at first, but in the second quarter the home team only scored 14 points in a single quarter, and then lost their temper.
At 52:34, at halftime, the Knicks already led by 18 points.
During halftime, Larry Johnson was too depressed to speak:
"I thought you were here to help me!"
Li You did pass the ball, but "Auntie", like Alan Houston, had a poor touch and was stuck.
"Very good, don't relax in the second half, we have to ensure victory in the game and keep the second place before the All-Star Game!"
Jeff Van Gundy, who was in charge of the first half, was in a good mood. He did not expect that the game would go so smoothly. Li You and Starks completely let themselves go and released their offensive firepower.
The lead was too big, and no one cared about Jeff Van Gundy's nagging. Everyone wanted to finish the game quickly and then go home to rest. The schedule was too intensive and no one could stand it anymore...
In the second half of the game, the Knicks also started to play blindly in individual rounds, but the pitfalls in the first half were too big, and as the shots got harder and harder, the point difference was further widened.
Cavaliers fans were dumbfounded. This was completely different from what they imagined!
108:78, looking at the huge 30-point difference, everyone in the Cavaliers almost shut themselves down...
Losing this game, the Cavaliers' record reached 25 wins and 18 losses, falling to ninth place in the Eastern Conference.
After the game, Li You found that his opponent, Trier Brandon, was still glaring at him. He couldn't help but feel a little confused. In the end, he simply gave the opponent a slap on the back of his head and turned towards the players' tunnel:
"Is a passerby also here to join in the fun?"
"..."
On January 30, after returning to New York, the Knicks canceled training sessions again. Back-to-back games were too energy-consuming.
The January schedule is all over, and the Knicks' record now reaches 35 wins and 10 losses, firmly occupying the second place in the Eastern Conference.
The NBA also announced the All-Star substitute list on this day. The seven Eastern Conference substitutes are:
Glenn Rice, Vin Baker, Terrell Brandon, Tim Hardaway, Christian Laettner, Alonzo Mourning, Chris Webber.
The seven substitutes in the Western Conference are:
Shaquille O'Neal, Clyde Drexler, Karl Malone, Latrell Sprewell, Eddie Jones, Mitch Richmond, Tom Gugliotta .
After the list was announced, the New York sports media satirized Trill Brandon:
"If he was not on the Cavaliers, he would have no chance of being selected for the All-Star reserve team this year!"
Ewing withdrew from the All-Star Game due to injury and was replaced by Mutombo. No one from the Knicks, ranked second in the Eastern Conference, was selected for the All-Star Game. The New York media suddenly went crazy...
For two consecutive days, several mainstream print media sports sections satirized the selection results of the All-Star substitutes.
By the way, I criticized Jeff Van Gundy again. The rookie assistant coach is not good at all. The Heat are ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference, and Tim Hardaway is still selected as an All-Star.
In a brutal game against the Cavaliers, Li You scored 24 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals and 2 turnovers. His efficient performance also improved some of the statistics for the month.
There were 16 games in January. Li You averaged 31.3 minutes per game, 16.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.1 turnovers per game;
He averaged 11.8 shots per game, shooting 46.8% from the field, 5.6 shots from outside the three-point line, 38.2% from three-point range, 4.0 free throws per game, and 90.7% free throw shooting.
Relying on the data of this All-Star point guard, there are more and more articles in newspapers that satirize the selection results of the All-Star substitutes. Everyone thinks that the league is deliberately suppressing New York...
On the morning of February 1st, Li You came to the arena early and conducted basic training step by step.
After Ewing was injured, the coaching staff canceled the morning training session. The too-intensive schedule at the end of January did bring a lot of wear and tear on the body.
"Li, you still have to pay attention to your health. There has been a wave of injuries recently. If you get injured at this time, it will definitely affect your condition in the second half."
"The second position is very good. If the playoffs go well, we will not meet the Bulls until the finals. If we can reach the conference finals, New York fans will definitely be happy."
Equipment manager Mike Lao helped Li You prepare training equipment, and also recalled the team's sad history...
After changing into training clothes, Larry Johnson came to the gym. When he saw Li Youzheng chatting with Mike Lao, he immediately joked:
"How does it feel to lose the Rookie of the Month? I didn't expect Marbury's data to be so good. The performance of recent rookie players is too exaggerated."
The league just announced the Rookie of the Month this morning. The Timberwolves' Marbury and Li You have similar shooting rates, but they play a lot more time.
Averaged 38 minutes per game, 20.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.0 turnovers. Marbury also played All-Star point guard numbers.
"The award is not just awarded to me. 20+8 is definitely deserved. Of course, our record is better. For me, winning Rookie of the Month once is enough."
Li You didn't catch a lemon, but almost forgot about Marbury. After the rookie returned from injury, he also established a foothold in the Timberwolves.
After Charlie Ward came to the training ground, he felt sour when he heard Li You and "Auntie" chatting about the best of the month and all-star topics.
In the limited playing time, it took only three months for Li You to become the Knicks' second scorer. Charlie Ward felt that his future in New York was not bright...
Most of the people who consciously practice more are in the atmosphere group. The newbie Walter McCarty also recently had a lemon. They are also rookies. Li You's statistics are astronomical:
"Li, maybe there will be injuries among the All-Star substitutes, and you still have a chance!"
The atmosphere team also followed suit, but Li You didn't care about this, and just chatted along with everyone:
"AMVP, this is indeed a good award!"
For Li You, the All-Star award can only help increase his popularity, and winning the division championship is the most important thing.
...
As the All-Star Game approaches, most players are beginning to prepare for vacation. After all, only a few are selected to the All-Stars. Life is bigger than basketball. Enjoying the vacation with peace of mind is the choice of most players.
On February 3, the Knicks once again faced the challenge of the Hornets at home.
In this game, Glen Rice continued his previous fiery form, and old New York player Anthony Mason Jr. also wanted to prove himself in Madison Square Garden.
But faced with the sudden three-point rain, everyone in the Hornets team was completely stunned.
Jeff Van Gundy lost control of the team. The Knicks took 33 shots from beyond the three-point line that night and hit 14 goals. At the end of the game, the number of possessions reached 93.
99:110, the Knicks completed their revenge neatly!
Even though the game was over, the atmosphere in Madison Square Garden was still heated, and on-site commentator John Andaris even shouted excitedly:
"Crazy shooting, crazy rhythm, unbelievable, we actually played such a game!"
Commentator Marv Albert looked at the technical statistics and subconsciously raised his voice:
"Rebounds 34:50, not only in offense, we dominated tonight! I love Charles, he grabbed 21 rebounds, including 11 offensive rebounds!"
"For the balance of offense and defense, I must praise Lee. He is simply a master of rhythm. The Knicks completely controlled the game tonight!"
In 39 minutes of starting, Li You made 10 of 20 goals, 4 of 10 from beyond the arc, and 4 of 4 free throws. He scored a game-high 28 points and also provided 11 assists.
"Li, congratulations. This is the fifth time you have scored 20+10 this season. Do you regret not being selected as this year's All-Star?"
Li You, who kept his smile on his face, froze. He suspected that the reporter interviewing him on the spot was a reporter from the New York Post, who actually helped him get an All-Star loan in advance...
"I am still a rookie, and the victory in the game must be attributed to the coaching staff. We made a detailed game plan before the game!"
"..."
On February 4, the Rockets officially announced that Charles Barkley will miss this year's All-Star Game due to injury.
It rained all night, and the Rockets visited New York that night. The game lasted 7 minutes and 42 seconds, and Drexler was injured and left the game.
Two of the senior Big Three were suddenly missing, Olajuwon seemed to suddenly lose his mood, and the Rockets suddenly pulled away in the third quarter.
At 16:26 of the single quarter, the Knicks easily established the victory.
In the end, 95:108, the Knicks, playing at home, once again completed their revenge.
Rudy Tomjanovich, who was elected as the head coach of the Western Conference All-Stars, did not care about the outcome of this game.
However, the team doctor determined that Drexler would miss the All-Star Game and it would take at least two weeks to fully recover. Tang Shuai looked ugly and did not even smile to the media in the subsequent press conference.
The Big Three in old age are most afraid of injuries, but the worst situation still happened...
The Rockets are not the only ones who are unlucky. The Heat also confirmed Mourning's injury. In the end, they had no choice but to announce that Mourning would miss this year's All-Star Game.
Injuries to star players have also given the NBA some headaches. Everyone wants to make this All-Star Game a great one for the 50 Big Stars event. Without star players, there will be a lack of stardom!
On the morning of the 5th, as the NBA announced its replacement list, fans in New York also became excited.
Li You successfully entered the All-Star substitute lineup!
The NBA also took this opportunity to announce a record:
At 19 years and 36 days old, Li You became the youngest All-Star player in history!
At the same time, Li You also tied the Knicks' team history record. Like team legend Willis Reed, he was selected as an All-Star in his first year as a rookie!
February 6, 1997 happened to be New Year's Eve. In order to celebrate Li You's selection as an All-Star, the Knicks took this opportunity to hold a New Year's Eve Party.
Although the event was a combination of Chinese and Western and was held in a nondescript manner, many Chinese fans actively participated. With the support of various records, Li You's popularity in New York exploded!
At the community event in the afternoon, Ewing watched Li You making dumplings in different ways. New York fans who had never seen such a scene were shouting at the side, and for a moment he felt like lemon...
There was another game against the Spurs in the evening, but no one cared about it. It was another game that was destined to be won.
Everyone in the Knicks team also happily followed suit. The shape of the dumplings is not important, the main thing is to enjoy the process...
The already bald Jeff Van Gundy didn't care that Li You made his own decisions in these two games and didn't play according to the tactical requirements:
"Li, on such an important holiday, I should give a speech!"
Smiling and handing the microphone to Li You, Jeff Van Gundy motioned for everyone to be quiet for a while.
Li You, who was wearing a white apron, looked around the crowd and noticed that many Chinese fans were looking at him. He immediately smiled and said loudly in Chinese:
“I still prefer dumplings stuffed with pork and celery!”
The Chinese fans at the scene burst into laughter, and their Mandarin shortened the distance between them.
The New York fans who didn't know what was going on didn't care what Li You said, and they also cheered and cheered along with the children in the community.
Li You had a smile on his face. He felt that this was the happiest day he had joined the Knicks. Looking at the dumplings in his hands, a complex emotion surged through his heart:
"Nothing tastes better than dumplings. New Year's Eve is really nostalgic..."
