On March 1, 1997, the NBA announced its Player of the Month for February, and Glen Rice of the Charlotte Hornets successfully won the award!
The Hornets achieved a record of 10 wins and 3 losses in February. Glen Rice played 42.7 minutes per game, averaging 28.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 steals and 2.0 turnovers per game;
He averaged 20.3 shots per game, shooting 47.7% from the field, 5.2 shots from outside the three-point line, 56.7% from three-point range, 7.4 free throws per game, and 88.5% free throw shooting.
The data exploded, Glenn Rice ate dumplings in February!
The league awarded the Rookie of the Month in February to Li You of the Knicks;
The Knicks also had a record of 10 wins and 3 losses in February. Li You played 35.9 minutes per game, averaging 16.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.0 turnovers per game;
He averaged 12.3 shots per game, shooting 47.8% from the field, 5.1 shots from outside the three-point line, 41.0% from three-point range, 3.6 free throws per game, and 82.1% from the field.
When all the rookie guards were exhausted, Li You, who got the starting position, went against the trend and once again produced All-Star level point guard statistics!
In addition to lamenting that Glenn Rice will become the next superstar, commentators from major sports media no longer tease Li You as a "star-making product."
With data close to a double-double, he is definitely among the best among point guards, and he deserves to be an All-Star.
Of course, Raheem of the Vancouver Grizzlies also has very good statistics this month, averaging 24.5 points per game, but the Grizzlies have a record of 3 wins and 10 losses, which greatly lowers their impression points.
Even if the Vancouver media followed suit, they did not deny Li You's performance. This level is almost catching up with Kevin Johnson at his peak!
The media in New York also followed the carnival. In addition to the print media following the trend, Sports Illustrated also took advantage of the popularity to conduct an exclusive interview with Li You. The cover of the next issue of the magazine also happened to be Li You.
After returning to New York on March 1, Li You originally planned to stay at home, but in the game against the Nuggets on the 28th, the two sides went to two overtimes, and the Knicks lost.
After playing 48 minutes, Li You almost vomited from exhaustion. In the next two away games, the entire Knicks team played hard. Six consecutive away games are not something humans do.
In the afternoon, agent Mark Bartelstein, who flew to New York, saw Li You looking like his kidneys were overdrawn, and said helplessly:
"Jeff Van Gundy's employment is too extreme, but it is a good thing for rookie players. Only when they have playing time can they realize their talents, and it is easier to find their form in the starting lineup."
Seemingly thinking of Ray Allen's situation again, Mark Bartelstan paused and sighed again:
"Ray is not as lucky as you. No one pays attention to Milwaukee. There are two talented rookies on the team, but the head coach limits his number of shots."
"I should have said harsh words at the beginning. This is my problem, otherwise Ray should have played with the Celtics."
When thinking about Antoine Walker's special performance in the Celtics, Li You also felt that Ray Allen was indeed unlucky:
"Perhaps the Bucks will make a deal during the offseason and they will always be able to survive!"
The two no longer talked about the unlucky guy Ray Allen, and they had to tidy up for the afternoon interview.
He had just joined Sports Illustrated as executive editor in 1995. At the beginning of 1997, he was appointed editor-in-chief. At the age of 43, Bill Colhoun was at the peak of his life.
A typical elite white man, who maintains a good figure and is friendly to others. In order to get to know Li You better in life, this interview was completed directly in his apartment in Manhattan.
The accompanying staff were taking photos of some rooms, but Bill Colhoun, who was wearing a black formal suit, asked curiously:
"Li, do you still plan to continue to complete your studies? This is really rare. After all, many players use college as a springboard."
Li You also changed into a light gray formal suit. When he saw the staff taking photos of the study room, he responded casually:
"I have a very good memory. Reading more is not a bad thing. I naturally have to complete my studies within my ability. In fact, reading is a way of recreation for me."
Bill Colhoun nodded in agreement. The times are developing rapidly, and the fact that he can take the position of editor-in-chief is also related to the fact that the old guys have fallen behind:
"Lee, did you notice the last swimsuit issue? We chose supermodel Tyra Banks for the cover. She was the first African American to appear on the cover of a swimsuit issue."
When Li You heard such meaningful words, he smiled and nodded:
"Of course, I will never miss the swimsuit special issue of every issue. Banksy is beautiful. I think this issue of the magazine will be very popular!"
"."
The interview is more about talking about life, studies, and things other than basketball. Fans can see the performance on the court, but everything outside the court is shaped by the media.
For fans who like to watch NCAA games, Li You became well-known in his freshman year. His special skin color made him the "giant panda" in the league at that time.
As Connecticut won the championship, Li You often appeared on TV and became a regular on the top ten teams after entering the NBA, and his popularity naturally increased.
Players in this era attach great importance to honors. This is also related to the fact that there are too few awards. For example, the Rookie of the Month has not yet been divided into the East and West, and the gold content is much higher than in the future.
The Philadelphia media was originally quite satisfied with Iverson's performance, but they were afraid of comparison in everything. The No. 1 pick started high and then went low, and his performance in February was particularly impressive.
At the end of February, the 76ers first lost to the Heat, and Tim Hardaway taught the newbie a lesson. Iverson made 2 of 13 shots and scored 10 points on free throws.
In the subsequent game against the Suns, Kevin Johnson and Kidd even beat up Iverson!
In this duel of guards, Kevin Johnson made 13 of 22 shots and scored 36 points. Kidd made 7 of 15 shots, scored 19 points and sent 6 steals. The two together contributed 21 assists and had a total of 3 turnovers. Second-rate.
Iverson made 3 of 15 shots, scored only 8 points, and had 4 turnovers.
"No one can restrain me one on one!"
Throughout February, Iverson's scoring average dropped to 16.4 points per game, his field goal percentage dropped to only 32.4%, and his three-point shooting percentage dropped to 20.3%.
Iverson's boomerang eventually hit him in the face, and he has become the subject of ridicule in the media recently.
On the night of March 2nd, the 76ers were beaten again as a guest at Madison Square Garden!
96:111, the Knicks defeated their opponents and ended the last game of the week.
Before the game, watching Li You receive the award amidst the cheers of the New York fans, Iverson took the lemon and kept taking shots after the game started.
As a result, he played 45 minutes, 9 of 24, 3 of 7 from beyond the arc, 1 of 2 free throws, and scored 22 points.
Too many long two-point shots affected the overall efficiency, with a shooting percentage of less than 40%. Iverson left the game lonely after losing.
After returning to the home court to win, MSG interviewed Li You immediately after the game:
"Li, congratulations on winning Rookie of the Month again. I'm glad to see the team ended this week's game with an excellent record. Have you followed the recent MVP news?"
The media in New York are helping the gorilla, and commentator John Andaris is no exception.
"Of course, the whole team supports Pat. Our record is better and the team's condition is getting better and better!"
Li You also deliberately ignored the Bulls and continued to support the Gorillas. The two parties made a tacit agreement not to talk about Michael Jordan, starting a wave of business exchanges.
At Madison Square Garden, after the game, there were still a large number of fans who did not leave the stadium. Everyone shouted Li You's name, trying to attract attention.
After the interview, Li You, who was wearing a white home jersey, walked slowly towards the player tunnel and high-fived the fans on both sides:
"The vindictive Maikou is probably going to explode with rage."
On March 4th, the Bucks visited New York back-to-back. The Eastern Conference teams were making great efforts after the All-Star Game, but at this time, the Bucks began to fall behind.
With 25 wins and 33 losses, if they want to reach the playoffs, they need at least a winning streak. However, the Bucks have lost consecutively recently, and last night they lost miserably to the Bulls.
Dennis Rodman has been on TV frequently recently, grabbing at least 15 rebounds in 16 consecutive games. After the suspension, Rodman's condition was explosive.
Ray Allen seemed to have not recovered from the defeat in the last game. He faced Michael Jordan and was completely beaten.
"Your coach's demands are simply unrealistic. Whoever defends, McDunner will score so many points."
"So you don't have to worry about the defensive failure at all. If someone in the league could limit him, the Bulls wouldn't win 72 games."
Li You entertained his friend at home. Seeing that the other party still looked a little depressed, he told a cruel truth.
"I just wanted to try, but the defense was useless and he kept scoring on top of me."
Ray Allen shrugged his shoulders and always wanted to challenge his idol. As a result, he was beaten off early every time they played against each other.
As Li You said, no matter how the Bucks change defenders, as long as Lu Dan wants to score, it will be the same who will defend.
"Ewing will not win the MVP. The Bulls still have a chance to win 70 games. In this case, there is no suspense about the award."
Despite the overwhelming publicity from the New York media, Ray Allen dismissed it and still believed that his idol would win the award.
This was not the first time Li You heard such words. He did not defend himself, but just smiled and said:
"Everything is possible, the NBA is a big show sometimes!"
"."
On the night of the 4th, Patrick Ewing, who was in high spirits after returning to New York, continued his efficient performance.
Although he played like a forward, after the opening, several jump shots near the paint area were easily hit.
In the third quarter of the game, when Gorilla took a free throw, the New York fans at the scene even shouted crazily:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
At the end of the third quarter, 61:76, the Knicks, playing at home, already led by 15 points.
Glenn Robinson had no touch in back-to-back games. He kept taking shots after the start, but he hit the ball like crazy.
During the break, Larry Johnson had another lemon. This kind of "MVP" shouting was something he enjoyed when he was with the Hornets.
"You don't really think you're going to win an award, do you? Are the fans and media in New York crazy?"
Covering her mouth with a towel, "Aunt" whispered something next to Li You. After Li You stabilized his starting position, Larry Johnson's data also began to rise.
"Having fun is the most important thing! Look at the fans here, everyone likes to participate in the event, enjoy the process!"
Li You responded in a low voice and expressed his feelings. The whole city united as one to help the players build momentum. This was the first time he had personally experienced this kind of thing.
The Bucks did not resist in the end and played step by step in the fourth quarter. In the end, 86:100, they gave the Knicks another big victory!
Ewing only played 30 minutes, making 7 of 12 shots, 3 of 4 free throws, 17 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block, without making any mistakes.
In an interview after the game, Gorilla also seemed very excited. The atmosphere in Madison Square Garden was so good:
"I don't care about MVP, we will win 60+ games and eventually win the division championship. I hope New York fans will like this gift!"
"."
At the critical moment, the New York media did not hold back. If Karl Malone can be the MVP, then Patrick Ewing can also win the award!
After easily defeating the Raptors back to back, they took a day off and the Knicks defeated the crazy Celtics.
On the morning of the 8th, Li You returned to his Manhattan apartment and looked at the sports section of the newspaper advertising tomorrow night's game against the Bulls:
"MVP Proof Battle!"
Looking at the Sports Illustrated magazine in his hand, Li You felt the energy of the New York media for the first time.
This week's Sports Illustrated magazine cover shows Lee You catching the ball in the right corner and shooting a quick jump shot, with Stockton raising his hand beside him.
The photographer captured the shot very well. It happened to be the moment when Li You jumped to the highest point and Stockton had no time to block the shot. The colorful cover was paired with a big slogan:
"The New Era"
As the first yellow person to appear in Sports Illustrated, the sales of this issue of the magazine have exploded. Li You doesn't know about other places, but here in New York, Chinese people who don't pay attention to sports will buy a copy.
Just looking at this cover, Li You always felt that this was another provocation.
After losing to the Jazz, they turned around and ridiculed the opponent for being outdated. This eccentric ability is really not matched by the media in other places.
The Bulls came to New York a day early, and Michael Jordan was obviously angry when he was ignored. He didn't even ask his "good brother" to play cards before the game.
On the morning of the 9th, it seemed that the New York media had become impatient. After the training session, Michael Jordan showed a look of disdain and took the initiative to speak out:
"What do you want me to say? Support Pat getting the MVP?"
"53 wins and 7 losses! This is the Bulls' record. We are number one in the league. Do you think anyone else is qualified to win this award?"
"."
Before the game started that night, Phil Jackson also satirized the Knicks in a pre-game interview:
"49 wins and 13 losses, look at the Knicks' record, simple math, they are second!"
"You should know what second place means. When did the MVP selection criteria become so low?"
With two games in hand, the Bulls' record still leads the league. Phil Jackson behaved very arrogantly, but the media in the audience found it hard to refute.
The game hadn't even started yet, but the smell of gunpowder was getting stronger and stronger. The little masters succeeded. They completely angered the Chicago media and also angered Michael Jordan.
Madison Square Garden was packed that night, and after days of publicity, New York fans couldn't wait to see Michael Jordan break the defense.
During the pre-match appearance ceremony, the home DJ introduced the visiting team players in a low voice:
"From the University of North Carolina, the 23rd—"
"Maiko-Jiao Dan"
Huge boos immediately erupted in the arena. The Knicks were defeated by the Bulls in the playoffs for three consecutive years. Old fans don't like Michael Jordan.
Chewing gum and wearing a red Bulls training uniform, Michael Jordan expressionlessly high-fived his teammates on the court.
After the Knicks players finished their appearances, Madison Square Garden was already completely buzzing. Every time they met the Bulls, New York fans were particularly engaged.
"With Ron Harper and Dennis Rodman back, the Bulls with a complete lineup performed really well!"
"Hopefully we can beat the Bulls tonight, and I think coach Jeff Van Gundy will make adjustments after losing the last time they played."
In the MSG commentary box at the scene, commentator Marv Albert followed his usual practice and gave the home team a bad taste.
Commentator John Andaris saw Jeff Van Gundy holding the tactical board and looking calm, and he also sighed in a low voice:
"For the Knicks to have such a performance, the coaching staff has really done a lot of work. I support Jeff Van Gundy to be elected as this year's Coach of the Year."
At this time, the bald young marshal was not as wise and powerful as the two people in the commentary box thought, and he was just pretending to be holding the tactical board.
Before the game started, Jeff Van Gundy simply warned:
"Lee, you control the tempo of the game, and others defend well. Don't let Michael Jordan play comfortably. This is our home court."
The emphasis is still on defense. On the offensive end, Li You will take the lead according to the game strategy formulated before the game, and others will follow. It depends on what the outcome will be.
Li You nodded and didn't say much. As long as everyone is willing to be a tool, this game will definitely be successful.
Ewing no longer cares about the identity of the forward at this time. If he wants to win the MVP, he must defeat McDunner at least once. Before the gorilla came on the stage, he also shouted:
"Leave the rebounds to me, Charles is responsible for taking care of Rodman, and everyone else just defends as hard as they can, and we will win the game."
As the players from both sides came to the center of the field, Madison Square Garden immediately sounded cheers:
"Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks!"
Ewing beat Luke Longley and successfully jumped the ball. Li You controlled the ball and quickly dribbled across the half court.
Ron Harper did not choose to lead the defense, but when Li You was close to the three-point line, he chose to step forward to defend.
In terms of height, Ron Harper has a slight advantage. Coupled with his excellent defensive experience, he can form a certain suppression against most backcourts in the league.
Li You did not hold the ball too much as usual, but immediately gave the ball to Alan Houston at the top of the key.
When the latter caught the ball, Li You ran without the ball and quickly ran to the left corner. Everyone in the Knicks also started running.
Oakley ran down the left side from the free throw line, and Ewing, who was in the three-second zone, came to the right elbow of the free throw line.
Li You greeted everyone and quickly slipped to the baseline and ran back. Ron Harper could only follow.
Oakley made a timely off-ball screen, and Li You briefly got rid of Ron Harper's pursuit and quickly ran down the right corner.
At the same time, Larry Johnson on the right wing also moved down quickly, and when Ron Harper was chasing Li You who was circling, he also made a screen.
Seeing Li You move to the top line, Alan Houston gave the ball to Ewing and quickly moved to the left wing. The gorilla who received the ball turned sideways and made a hand-to-hand pass to Li You. After a short delay, he chased Luo. Well - Harper, then quickly down the line.
Li You, who received the pass from hand to hand, came to the free throw line with the ball in his left hand. Before Ron Harper could catch up, he quickly in and out.
Swinging right and left, Li You suddenly accelerated. Luke Longley, who was assisting in the paint area, just moved to follow, but was staggered by Li You's rapid change of direction.
Ron Harper, who was quickly chasing after him, came to his side and found that the basketball in Li You's hand was missing.
After completing the change of direction in front of his body, Li You sent a through ball. Ewing received the ball and came to the basket and immediately made a one-handed dunk!
"Wow!!"
Huge cheers rang in the ears, Ron Harper made a face, and Li You changed his attitude and threw the ball with one hand, feeling that he was being shown off.
After completing the dunk, Ewing stood under the basket and roared, and the atmosphere at the scene was instantly ignited.
The Bulls sent a baseline ball, and Ron Harper's advancement speed was not fast. After dribbling through the center line, his teammates had already completed their position.
Li You just glanced at the movement behind him and saw Michael Jordan running from the right to the left baseline and quickly ran to the left elbow of the free throw line. He knew that this must be a singles tactic.
Ron Harper sent a semi-lob pass, and Michael Jordan easily caught the ball.
Facing the pursuing Alan Houston, he raised the ball and feinted, then released the ball with his left hand and moved a step laterally. Then he rose up from the ground, drifted to the left and completed a fadeaway jumper!
"Whoa!" A steady hit from mid-range.
Chewing gum, Michael Jordan retreated quickly with no expression on his face. With the help of Angry Buff, his attack speed was a few points faster.
Old-fashioned tactics. Teams across the league know that the Bulls will play like this, but they just can't limit it. They can shoot accurately, jump high, and are fast.
After the first round, the two teams quickly showed different game strategies.
The Knicks gave Li You more off-ball coverage and shared the ball more, while the Bulls gave the ball to Michael Jordan.
After Li You came to the line and ran back, he quickly cut in, received a ground pass from Ewing at the left elbow, and succeeded in stealing the chicken under the basket!
Looking back, Michael Jordan was on the right baseline, posting up Alan Houston, turning around and hitting a fadeaway jumper.
There was a pick-and-roll at the elbow area on the left side of the free throw line. Li You, who was going around again, received the pass from hand to hand. He held the ball in his right hand and accelerated the breakthrough. The moment Ron Harper came up to defend, he quickly sent a ground pass.
Ewing caught the ball near the baseline on the left and succeeded in a mid-range jump shot!
The New York fans at the scene had just cheered. The Bulls' offense was more simple and crude. Using the same tactics, sliding down the baseline and using Luke Longley's screen, Michael Jordan came to the right block, received a pass from Pippen, and turned around.
A quick test step with his right foot, taking advantage of Alan Houston's defensive focus to shift back, Michael Jordan succeeded in a pull-up jumper
Alan Houston reluctantly walked to the baseline to prepare to serve, and the atmosphere at the scene also cooled down.
6:6. Michael Jordan showed off his attitude of "I'm going to shoot you to death" right after the game started. The media hyped up the MVP, which completely angered Lu Dan.
Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines saw Jordan feeling so good in the opening game and immediately shouted:
"Defend! Don't let him take an easy shot!"
After receiving the instructions, the Knicks quickly entered the "iron-blooded" state.
Larry Johnson began to help defend and double-team Michael Jordan.
The Knicks' offensive round tactics failed. Li You took over and hit the ball in the mid-range. Oakley and Rodman fought together under the basket.
With the ball stuck behind him, Rodman first grabbed the ball, then took off a second time and grabbed the rebound.
He can also pretend to be X when grabbing rebounds. Li You, who retreated quickly, looked at Rodman posing and was speechless.
"Defense! Defense! Defense!"
The New York fans at the scene began to shout loudly again. Ron Harper handed over the ball after halftime, and then took Li You to smoke in the left corner.
Michael Jordan caught the ball at the left elbow of the free throw line, and Pippen came to the top of the key to respond. When "Auntie" double-teamed him, Pippen immediately ran to the right block.
When the two were double-teamed, Michael Jordan released the ball with his right hand after receiving the ball and rushed directly into the paint. At the moment of the double-team, he immediately distributed the ball to Pippen.
The latter caught the ball with no defender in front of him, but Pippen hit him angrily!
Cheers resounded throughout the arena. Rodman hung onto Oakley and hit the rebound. Fortunately, the old guy reacted quickly enough and the second rebound was successfully protected.
Rodman rushed for the rebound, the Bulls had retreated, and the Knicks could only attack from position.
The game time passed, but Phil Jackson, who was sitting on the bench, frowned secretly. The Bulls were attacking at a fast pace, but Pippen was clattering.
If Rodman hadn't rushed for rebounds like he was on drugs, he would have been converted into a transition attack by the opponent.
Just seeing the Knicks playing hard from the outside, Phil Jackson still didn't ask for a timeout and continued to sit on the bench with a smile and pretend to be X.
The Knicks fans at the scene watched the back and forth between the two sides and kept screaming.
At 20:20, at the end of the first quarter, the two sides were tied.
During the break, Jeff Van Gundy didn't care about the shooting percentage. He was convinced when he saw Jordan being double-teamed. The bald young coach was in high spirits:
"Keep this defensive intensity, double-team him, and let the rest of the Bulls handle the offense!"
"Don't worry about the missed shots. We can win the game as long as we make more shots than the opponent. Keep shooting, OK?"
The noisy scene made Jeff Van Gundy yell out these words.
Ewing kept clapping his hands to tell everyone to cheer up. Tonight, he had completely turned into a front man:
"Hold on! They can't make the shot!"
In the second quarter of the game, the rotation lineup came on. Sitting on the bench, Li You saw that Michael Jordan continued to play without taking a rest. He sighed in surprise:
"The New York media really pissed him off, and that doesn't happen often in the regular season."
Alan Houston completely turned into a defensive tool tonight and said numbly:
"Fortunately, he is also good at double-teaming. I really don't want to see him score 50 points on me."
The two performed generally in the first quarter, with Li You hitting 1 of 3 and Alan Houston 2 of 5. However, according to the game plan, they had to continue taking shots later.
During the rotation stage, the Bulls took Steve Kerr and Randy Brown, and the two teamed up in the backcourt. Jordan was pushed to the 3rd position, and Rodman and Bill Wennington became the inside players.
Both sides also let the interior rest at the end of the first quarter. Charles Oakley and Larry Johnson also rotated out, Starks and Chris Childs served as the backcourt, and veteran Buck Williams served as the center.
"Michael Jordan's shooting percentage is going down! This is our perfect opportunity!"
"OH! Steve Kerr hit that open three-pointer!"
Commentator Marv Albert became a little excited after seeing Jordan hit the iron. This three-pointer made him wake up again. The Bulls have shooters.
Ron Harper seemed to be in poor physical condition. In the first quarter of the game, except for defense, he almost did not participate in offense. Phil Jackson's substitution was quite timely.
Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines loudly signaled to continue double-teaming!
Frequently giving the ball to Michael Jordan, coupled with the Knicks' rapid defensive rotation, made the Bulls' offensive rhythm slower and slower.
The stubborn Michael Jordan still believed that his next shot would hit, and as a result, several jump shots near the elbow area were missed.
In the first quarter of the game, Jordan was 4 for 7. After being double-teamed, his touch was not there. In the second quarter, Jordan still could not find his touch.
With 5 minutes and 31 seconds left in the first half, all the main lineups of both sides returned. At this time, the score was 33:33, and the two sides were still tied.
The touch was not good, Michael Jordan was full of firepower on the defensive end, and Starks followed suit in pursuit.
Phil Jackson had no intention of substituting and was still sitting on the bench with a smile, but Van Gundy could no longer hold his nerve any longer. The Bulls just used defense to pull the game back.
Ron Harper also did not participate in the offense. He chased Li You after coming on the court. Except for one pull-up jumper after a pick-and-roll, which he failed to defend, his defense was very successful most of the time.
"oh!!"
At the right elbow of the free throw line, Michael Jordan hit the ball angrily again. The cheers on the scene became more and more harsh. I don't know when the chewing gum disappeared.
At the end of the second quarter, Ewing began to continuously attack the paint, stand on the free throw line, and make several mid-range jumpers to score most of the Knicks' points.
At 42:42, at halftime, the two sides were still tied.
"Michael Jordan made 1 of 6 in a single quarter and only scored 4 points. Our defense worked!"
Commentator Marv Albert cheerfully summarized the second quarter of the game, while commentator John Andaris was not too excited:
"He will find his touch and hit those difficult shots, and we must respond in time!"
At halftime, in the Knicks locker room, Jeff Van Gundy was a little disappointed, and the outside offense was also stretched.
Li You hit 2 of 6, and Alan Houston made 2 of 8. The two performed poorly, but Jeff Van Gundy still chose to trust:
"Continue to take shots in the second half, take chances when opportunities arise, and shoot decisively. At the same time, maintain this defensive intensity!"
"He will get tired, all we have to do is wait for the opportunity!"
Everyone in the locker room listened quietly to the coach's chicken soup. If he can win this game, maybe Ewing can move back to the first city in the MVP selection.
Li You didn't care about his own shooting. He had to accommodate Ewing most of the first half, and most of the pick-and-roll positions were within the three-point line.
It's just that Ron Harper is really difficult to deal with. The veteran didn't say anything. He didn't work on the offensive end and pursued him desperately on the defensive end.
"Move up the screen and I'm going to hit those shots, we need a few transitions!"
Hearing Li You's words, Charles Oakley nodded in agreement. Jordan kept making jump shots, and Rodman was responsible for grabbing rebounds. Without a chance to confront Jordan, the old guy decided to confront Rodman:
"Don't worry about rebounds. There was only one foul in the half. In the second half, they didn't even think about grabbing any more offensive rebounds!"
"."
At the beginning of the second half of the game, the fans in New York were still in a mood. Watching Jordan hit the iron made everyone happy:
"Defense! Defense! Defense!"
The Bulls took the lead in attacking. Amid the cheers of the New York fans, Michael Jordan showed no signs of weakness. From the left block, he made a behind-the-back jumper and hit another iron!
Rodman was at a disadvantage this time when he was blocked. Oakley hit the opponent with his elbow, stuck the opponent behind him, grabbed the rebound, and immediately gave the ball to Li You who was responding.
Steve Kerr, who started the second half, did not step forward immediately and delayed, but quickly retreated with the Bulls.
Holding the ball in his left hand, Li You continued to accelerate along the left sideline, chasing the opponent's butt and rushing across the half court.
Approaching the three-point line, Steve Kerr stepped forward to defend. Li You, who was advancing, did not slow down at this time. He dribbled the ball quickly with his hips, switched to his right hand and took advantage of the situation to circle the ball behind his back.
Steve Kerr hurriedly slid to the right back, but Li You, who was fishing for the ball with his left hand, did not choose to break through. Instead, he used force with his feet and quickly retreated.
Instantly shaking off the defense, before Steve Kerr could pounce on him, Li You converted a three-pointer and quickly made a jump shot!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net!
42:45, this is also the first three-pointer hit by the Knicks in this game.
Everyone on the Bulls team who retreated to half court looked at Li You who was pacing back to half court and were speechless for a moment.
In Madison Square Garden, cheers rang out again. This time Michael Jordan simply dribbled across the half court by himself, reached the top of the arc and gave the ball to Steve Kerr.
Alan Houston watched Jordan run to the left block without the ball, and then turned his back to get the ball. For a while, he could only stand behind him.
Under Li You's interference, the quality of Steve Kerr's pass was not high, but after receiving the ball, Jordan leaned back and immediately turned toward the baseline, ignoring the block, and succeeded in a fadeaway jumper!
Speeding up the speed of handling the ball, Michael Jordan also quickly retreated from defense. After retreating to half court, he clapped his hands to indicate that he would defend for one round.
"Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks!"
The sound of cheering sounded again, and Steve Kerr directly led the defense this time, but Li You did not push forward in a hurry, and made another gesture before he passed the half court in a leisurely manner.
The same tactic was used. The ball was handed over immediately after halftime. Alan Houston received the ball at the top of the arc, and then Li You ran to the left corner.
This time Ewing didn't go to the elbow to catch the ball. After running back from left to right, he immediately made a no-ball screen on the right baseline!
Oakley's first "hard" screen near the extreme left side caused Steve Kerr to lose his defensive position.
"Delay out!"
Hearing the reminder, Luke Longley quickly moved to the right corner, and Alan Houston and Larry Johnson quickly moved the ball to the line.
When the ball arrived and he caught the ball from the baseline, Li You immediately raised the ball and feinted. Taking advantage of Luke Longley to rush forward, he stepped forward with his left foot and pretended to break through.
Luke Longley subconsciously moved back, Li You quickly retracted his feet, then raised the ball and threw it!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net!
"Beautiful goal! Luke Longley was thrown off center by a simple fake move, perfect teamwork!"
The fans cheered loudly, and the commentator Marv Albert also raised his volume instantly. The +3 score was so comfortable!
At 44:48, the point difference became 4 points. Everyone in the Knicks saw the opportunity and began to greet each other loudly to increase the intensity of the defense.
Phil Jackson naturally saw the changes in the Knicks. The coverage became more brutal. In the first half, Oakley's style of play, which was still playing honestly, suddenly changed.
He stood up and complained to the referee. As a result, the Bulls attacked this time. Jordan, who was double-teamed on the left elbow, passed the ball to Pippen at the top of the arc, who then hit another iron from beyond the three-point line.
The long rebound was directly picked up by Li You, who accelerated along the right sideline and cheered again.
Steve Kerr stepped forward in time to delay, and everyone on the Bulls retreated quickly.
On the right wing, he noticed that everyone on the Bulls had completed their defensive positions. After decelerating, Li You quickly gave the ball to Alan Houston at the top of the key.
Pulling Ewing to stand at the right elbow of the free throw line, Li You immediately went to the line and cut horizontally.
Steve Kerr could only chase after him, but was caught by Ewing's screen and was a step behind.
Quickly moving to the left wing outside the three-point line, Li You caught the ball and drifted to the left outside the three-point line to shoot a jump shot!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net!
At 44:51, the point difference was widened to 7 points. Steve Kerr stood beside Li You and could only watch Li You raise his arms and smile.
"These screens are fouls! You should see what they do!"
While requesting a timeout, Phil Jackson did not immediately arrange tactics. Instead, he approached the referee and complained loudly.
When the New York fans in the front row saw this scene, they began to spit out fragrance and jeer loudly.
Michael Jordan just walked back to the bench with a grimace, while Pippen was a little embarrassed. There were too many open shots tonight.
"Well done! Lee! We're 7 points ahead!"
Assistant coach Thibodeau patted Li You on the shoulder. The coaching staff made the right bet.
Back on the bench, Li You and Oakley fist bumped. The Knicks' recently developed offensive mode, under "tough" cover, allowed Li You to get more opportunities.
This tactic also works with Alan Houston, but Michael Jordan’s defense is too strong
Jeff Van Gundy excitedly sent out chicken soup, while on the other side, Phil Jackson quickly replaced Ron Harper.
When the game restarted, what the Bulls coaching staff was worried about still appeared. Pippen struck, Ron Harper did not attack in the first half, and the Knicks began to surround Michael Jordan with three players.
Li You and Larry Johnson caught the ball with their backs in the left block, and Jordan immediately passed the ball to Ron Harper in the left corner.
The latter caught the ball and made an open three-point jumper!
"Bang!" The basketball knocked out of the frame.
The rebound just bounced into Ewing's hands, Li You responded, and everyone in the Knicks started running madly forward.
On the right flank, Oakley's tough screen delayed Ron Harper, and Rodman immediately changed defense.
Li You, holding the ball in his right hand, simply accelerated in a straight line and approached the blocking area on the right side. He immediately made a large cross-step and pulled back. He paused slightly with his left hand and took advantage of Rodman's sliding step to quickly change direction with his hips!
Li You, who had lowered his center of gravity, was about to break through Rodman's defense, but a strong force came from his side, and Rodman, who had lost his defensive position, gave him a hard push.
Li You, who was accelerating with all his strength, immediately stumbled, lost his center of gravity, and almost fell directly onto the basketball stand.
Rodman was smiling and wanted to step forward to make a taunt, but he didn't expect that Li You, who was standing straight, twisted around and swung the ball hard.
"Crack!! Ah!"
The basketball hit Rodman's face directly, causing Hua Da Chong to cry out in pain, subconsciously covering his nose, and in a rage, he wanted to rush forward and punch him twice.
Charles Oakley reacted faster and locked Rodman. Players from both teams rushed forward, and the New York fans at the scene also began to shout excitedly!
"Fake Squid, next time it will be your bird that I hit!"
Li You, who was hugged by the referee, stared and cursed loudly. If he threw himself on the street, he might have a hole in his head!
Michael Jordan pulled the two away with a dark face, and Rodman, who felt humiliated, cursed and walked to the bench.
Charles Oakley looked unconcerned and patted Jordan with a smile:
"I swear, you're going to lose tonight!"
Phil Jackson was no longer in the mood to show off at this time, and told the players to calm down with a face.
Rodman had a cut on his lip. He wanted to continue cursing, but when he turned around and saw Michael Jordan with an ugly face, he suddenly became silent.
The two received a malicious foul, and the two sides fined each other. At this time, the Madison Square Garden was scolded. The smell of victory could not be stretched.
From this moment, the game has completely changed, and the "iron blood" basketball has begun to be launched.
This is the rhythm of the Knicks's favorite game in the past. In the first half, only Oakli fouled himself.
Ron Harper felt bad in the outside, and the elbow was eager to break through the basket.
Li You and Larry Johnson cooperated with Alan-Houston to constantly block Jordan. The Bulls coaching team could only watch Ron Harper and Pippen to fight iron.
During the conversion attack, Li You also showed the hidden flying knee learned from Stockon. As a result, Rodman, who was blocking and dismantling, had long guarded, and the two fell again on the floor.
The scene began to become uncontrolled, and excited Ewing began to join the melee. Li You was dragged out by Alan Houston, and the other sides were twisted into a ball.
"Crazy game! We showed excellent defense, the Bulls began to be angry!"
At the scene, the commentator Maf Albert also opened his eyes and said nonsense. Sipker Lee on the side of the court also made a gesture of locking his throat to the Bulls.
By the end of the long quarter, Li You, Oakli, and Larry Johnson all carried 4 fouls.
22:30 in a single quarter, 64:72 in the three quarters, the Knicks finally led 8 points.
"This is the outer offense we are looking forward to, 7 of 7, 3 of 3 free throws, Li scored 12 points in this quarter, and the continuous three -pointer was too critical!"
The commentator John Dris was infected by the atmosphere at the scene and also increased the volume.
Michael Jordan 9 of 9 was blocked, and 10 points were scored in a single quarter, while Ron Harper 3 of 0, Pippen 5 of 1, 1 of the two cut 4 points.
In the fourth quarter, the two sides had no junk words and continued to talk to each other.
Under this high -pressure defense, the game became "Xiangwei" chocolate, but the New York fans at the scene became more and more happier, and the shouts rang the standing hall.
Ron Harper was replaced again, Steve Cole appeared, and after Pippen continued to hit the iron, Michael Jordan no longer passed the ball.
With the passage of the game, Michael Jordan also started three-pointers, and the Knicks team, Li You started a large number of balls, Youyi continuously poured and dismantled to eat cakes, and the mid-range jumper was completed near the paint area.
When there were 2 minutes and 22 seconds left in the game, Ewing was arched to the paint area at a low left side, and the cover of Luke Langli was tossed into two points!
The Madison Square Garden completely exploded. 84: 92, the Bulls were suppressed.
Michael Jordan was defending the three people. He hesitated in the paint area and scored 2 points. He turned around. The top position of the arc was simple. Li You got rid of the defense and shot in the paint area!
Li You roared at Rodman's punch, and the referee hurried forward again, separating the two sides for the first time
At the end of the game, Michael Jordan still did not give up, but time was not enough.
The buzzing sound of the end, 90: 98, the Knicks team won the game.
Ewing shouted at the sidelines with excitement, he proved himself again.
The taunt and abuse sounded the complete stand, Michael Jordan's head, expressionless, quickly walked towards the player channel.
Phil-Jackson pulled his face and grinned Jeff Van Gandy shook hands.
"Crazy competition, this year we will definitely challenge the defending champion!"
"20 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal and 4 mistakes, Li once again showed the strength of the All -Star -level guard!"
"I believe that after this game, no one will question it! Looking at the defense he faced, he is incredible, he is only 19 years old!"
The commentator Miff Albert looked at Li You, who was celebrating the team, and couldn't hold back the blow.
The commentator John Andalis watched the fans who had been unwilling to leave for a long time, and also said with emotion:
"After losing the finals, I saw hope again"
When the Knicks team returned to the locker room, adrenaline disappeared, and the feeling of fatigue began to appear.
There are soreness in many places on Li You, 8 of 15, 3 of 3 in the three -point line, and 6 of 6 free throws. Looking at the 40 % hit rate of technical statistics, he helplessly rubbing his forehead.
"The buckle is definitely bad, 32. 14, 36 points, oh! As a result, he lost!"
"I can't wait to see what he will say at the press conference!"
Charles-Oakli seems to be completely influenced by this intensity game, and is as cheerful as a person who is okay.
Ewing grinned and laughed, and the atmosphere group followed loudly. Seeing such a scene, Li You could only whisper:
"MVP? It is really a good thing."
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(End of chapter)
