On the morning of May 21, 1997, Li You felt that his cell phone was going to explode. Since last night, text messages had been flowing in one after another.
I don’t know where the superficial brothers got the phone number, so they all sent messages of praise and blessing.
Other major media outlets also caused a stir. USA Today and the New York Times, which have the largest circulation, both used the same headline:
"Superstar—Clay Lee"
The photographer on the sidelines captured the moment when Li You completed the shot, turned around confidently, and the ball went in and the lights came on.
In the photo, unlike Li You who had a smile on his face, Michael Jordan, who was stuck in place, turned his head in surprise and became the best background.
The highly personal headline in the newspaper, coupled with this photo and the score of 81:79, made Li You completely popular!
Of course, this is thanks to Michael Jordan. People like to see Michael Jordan being unlucky.
Starting from last night's press conference, the New York media couldn't hold it in anymore. They celebrated the victory together, and by the way, they also threw titles such as egomaniac and data brush on Michael Jordan's head.
While having breakfast at the hotel, Li You looked at the Chicago Tribune in his hand.
The most eye-catching news in the sports section was that the Bulls lost, and on the other side of the entertainment section was the news that Mariah Carey and Motura's relationship had broken down and they were about to divorce.
The local media in Chicago did not use exaggerated headlines, but instead praised Michael Jordan's performance.
Played 44 minutes, 15 of 31, 7 of 10 free throws, 37 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 turnovers.
After an average performance in the first half, the shooting rate was abruptly brought back to 48.4% in the second half.
As the sports section article said, Michael Jordan is in great shape!
John Wallace came to the restaurant and saw Li You reading the newspaper and eating breakfast calmly. He immediately came over and whispered:
"Bro! Why are you still eating breakfast? In the Eastern Conference finals, you beat Michael Jordan one-on-one. God, this is crazy!"
"?"
Li You had a question mark on his face. He didn't eat in the morning, so he was allowed to use the news as spiritual food?
Looking at Mengxin who was chattering next to him and fell into a state of self-excitement, Li You shook his head helplessly, which further proved the influence of Michael Jordan.
Just as no one cared about his All-Star status before, everyone remembers that he surpassed Michael Jordan. No matter how the media consumes McDuck, in the minds of players, this is the undisputed number one player in the league.
The final kill excited the old guys all night, but after the adrenaline subsided, they lay down in the morning. Most of the people who came downstairs for breakfast were the atmosphere group.
Everyone's excitement has not diminished at all, and they are discussing in low voices how to defend their home court after returning to New York. By winning an away game, the Knicks have already taken the lead!
When the hotel staff saw Li You finishing breakfast, they politely asked for a photo. Li You smiled and agreed, and then a bunch of staff came.
Fortunately, it was just a group photo in the end. This can be regarded as a historical moment. Even after 10 years, new players who see this photo will still think of this Eastern Conference finals where Michael Jordan was defeated.
In this era when news is still spread through print media and cable TV, Li You became completely popular with the help of a historical backdrop - Michael Jordan.
The video class in the morning was cancelled. Last night the Knicks' main lineup played 40+ minutes.
Buck Williams played 40 minutes, Oakley played 42 minutes, Li You and Alan Houston played 44 minutes, and Larry Johnson played 46 minutes.
Jeff Van Gundy had dark circles under his eyes and was too excited to sleep last night.
When he thought that as long as he returned to his home court and won two games in a row, the team would get the match point and reach the finals, the bald young coach felt refreshed!
"This is really a great opportunity! If we work hard and fight in the next away game, maybe there will be no suspense in the series!"
After watching the game video, assistant coach Thibodeau couldn't stand it any longer and began to think about a bright future.
"We held the Bulls to 52 rebounds! Winning last night was a miracle!"
"Guys, the Bulls are not going to lose consecutive games. Of course, with Pat back, our rebounding will improve!"
Although he was happy to win, assistant coach Don Chaney couldn't help scratching his head when he looked at the technical statistics, and a thought came to his mind:
"How we won".
At 39:52, the Knicks lost by 13 rebounds. Dennis Rodman only scored 4 points last night, but grabbed 17 rebounds.
Jeff Van Gundy looked at the turnover count of 9:10 and once again realized the beauty of trusteeship.
Li You doesn't look like a 19-year-old point guard at all. He is very patient with the game. With a lot of playing time, the Knicks' mistakes are almost negligible!
"One more fight. If we really win G2, then the trend of the series will be completely reversed. We still need to do our best in tomorrow night's game!"
Jeff Van Gundy felt that the finals seemed to be within reach, especially when he thought of Phil Jackson's ugly face last night, he felt extremely comfortable.
Hearing that the head coach decided to fight again, the coaching staff had no objection. Ewing had rested for a long time and was very physically fit. It was indeed worth fighting for!
During the restorative training session in the afternoon, Ewing was disappointed, but his face was also smiling. The gorilla was also happy, and the situation was great.
After two games of rest, he is extremely physically fit. Ewing feels that after his comeback, he will lead the team to defend the home court and win consecutive games!
"The best goal in the 1996-97 season! I think ESPN will even review this game every year. No matter how many times I watch it, it's still very shocking!"
"God, I really thought I was going to lose last night. McDunner conceded two goals in the fourth quarter!"
Starks' physical fitness was not affected. While completing shooting training, he excitedly reviewed last night's game.
"It's not just 50 points. In the last quarter, I couldn't keep up with the rhythm. I took 30+ shots and had monster-like physical fitness!"
After reading the technical statistics, Alan Houston kept complaining that McDuck was not a human being during the afternoon training session.
This was the first time he met Michael Jordan in the playoffs, and he experienced firsthand the feeling of "I'm going to shoot you to death." Alan Houston felt that he would definitely be beaten in the following series.
Larry Johnson has not fully recovered yet, but "Auntie" is already energetic at this time:
"We have some confidence in ourselves. We are younger and work hard. The old guys opposite are definitely no match for us."
"Fak! I want to reach the finals! The championship is not exclusive to Michael Jordan. We have a chance to win!"
Ewing also felt that this year was a God-given opportunity and took the opportunity to encourage his teammates:
"In the next game, we will not lose rebounds again and teach the Bulls a lesson!"
Li You on the side naturally agreed with a smile, and Oakley also grinned. Regardless of the result of G2, the Knicks achieved their set goals.
The newspapers were filled with news of his being killed, and the scene of his being killed was replayed repeatedly on the TV.
Since last night, the major sports media have been like repeaters, nagging over and over again that the Bulls were defeated in Game 1 and Michael Jordan became the background.
During the Bulls training session, Michael Jordan was in a particularly bad mood and had his own aura. The atmosphere team did not dare to say a word and watched Michael Jordan continue to catch and shoot on the other side of the field to complete the training.
Harper, wearing training clothes, shrugged helplessly and stretched his body. In last night's game, he made 2 of 9 shots, 0 of 4 from beyond the three-point line, and scored 6 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists.
Pippen looked at Harper and said nothing, feeling that he was not an undercover agent:
7 of 18, 3 of 7 from beyond the arc, 4 of 5 free throws, 21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 2 turnovers.
The secondary rebound failed to turn into an offense, and Phil Jackson didn't make too many adjustments. At the end of the morning's video class, he simply said:
"Continuing our game strategy."
In the training hall, only Rodman still behaved lazily, shooting casually, occasionally teasing the assistant coach, and not caring about the dunk attitude at all.
Grabbing so many rebounds, he's done his job
Phil Jackson has long been accustomed to this kind of atmosphere. After watching the video session, he felt that I had the advantage and returned to his smiling face. Near the end of the training session, he clapped his hands and said:
"Go back and have a good rest. We have to defend our home court. Don't worry about the G1 game. In the next game, we will convert our advantage into points. Victory will belong to us."
Steve Kerr was used to the head coach's style of hanging up and adjusting, but he wanted to perform more, and finally took the initiative to say to Maidun:
"McDunner, you can pass the ball to me and I'll hit those shots!"
Michael Jordan, who was sweating profusely, glanced at Xiao Huangmao calmly, turned around and left, and finally responded:
"You need to defend yourself!"
"."
The boss said that we should defend well, and everyone on the Bulls team became energetic. They are very good at this!
On the night of the 21st, in G2 of the Western Conference Finals, the Rockets' aging Big Three lost again.
At 92:104, the Jazz easily protected their home court, and the series score came to 2:0.
Olajuwon's performance was as stable as ever, scoring 12 of 22, scoring a game-high 30 points, and blocking 5 shots.
Barkley made 5 of 12 free throws and 6 of 10 free throws. He performed well and scored a double-double of 16 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists.
Drexler made 6 of 18 shots and 3 of 6 from behind the three-point line, contributing 15 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists.
The overall performance of the elderly Big Three was pretty good, but the role players couldn't stand it anymore.
31 of 85 in the game, 5 of 16 from beyond the three-point line, and a shooting percentage of over 30%. It is indeed difficult to win.
Karl Malone made 9 of 21, 6 of 10 free throws, a double-double of 24 points, 15 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 turnovers. Compared with the regular season, this was a decline.
The Jazz's best performer was still Stockton, who made 7 of 14, 12 of 12 free throws, 26 points, 8 rebounds, 12 assists, 1 block and 2 turnovers.
Utah scored 50 points together, Stockton controlled the game, and the Jazz blossomed more. They played such a dominant performance that many commentators were slapped in the face.
Stacking up stars doesn’t work?
Considering that the playoffs all start with an away win, most football critics are still optimistic about the Rockets. Without him, 3 is greater than 2, there are too many stars!
The loss of the Rockets' aging Big Three still failed to change the news hot spots. Major sports media were still in repeater mode, and sports programs still repeatedly played the scene of Michael Jordan's buzzer-beater.
No need to search for enemies in vain, Michael Jordan has already applied a layer of anger BUFF!
On the night of the 22nd, at the United Center in Chicago, when introducing the visiting team players, Li You's name was called out, and boos broke out in the audience.
When the Bulls players came on the stage, the cheers became extremely violent, and DJ Ray Clay also raised his volume:
"Let's welcome the 6-foot-6 guard from the University of North Carolina—"
"Maikou!! - Jiao Dan!!"
Bulls fans started shouting, and Michael Jordan, who was wearing training clothes and expressionless, came on the court and quickly high-fived his teammates.
The lights came back on, but the noise at the scene did not diminish at all.
"In this game, the fans in attendance were extremely dedicated. After losing G1, no one will underestimate the Knicks anymore!"
"The Bulls continued the G1 starting lineup. In the last game, they had a huge advantage in rebounding. The most important thing tonight is to convert the second offense into points."
In the TNT commentary box, Hubie Brown talked eloquently and emphasized the issue of rebounding. Dick Stockton also added at this time:
"With Patrick Ewing back tonight, the Knicks no longer have to worry about rebounding. This is a great opportunity for them!"
"If the Bulls lose two games in a row, the series will be completely reversed, and I think fans in New York will definitely want to see that."
After more than a day of rest, most of the physical fitness has been restored. The noise in the arena is getting louder and louder. On the court, players from both sides are warming up quietly.
Not returning to the expected physical condition, Li You frowned secretly. No matter how good the talent is, it needs to be realized to be useful. Physical fitness can only be gradually developed through long-term training.
Michael Jordan, who was not in a good mood, stopped greeting the Knicks before the game. The gorilla who came to the center circle was looking intently at the basketball in the hands of the referee.
As Ewing succeeded in jumping the ball, Li You took control of the ball. The cheers turned to boos, and then the defensive shouts resounded throughout the arena:
"Defense! Defense! Defense!"
Ewing, who was full of energy, quickly rushed across the half court, and then immediately came to the left near the baseline to ask for the ball with his back.
Seeing that Longley was stuck behind him and quickly advanced to the left wing, Li You took advantage of the situation and sent a lob pass.
After receiving the ball, Ewing immediately released the ball with his right hand, hit it with a bang, walked up to the line and jumped into the paint area directly in front of the basket, carried it brightly, and succeeded in hooking the ball with his right hand!
"Shhh!!"
The gorilla scored with a strong attack in the low post. The gorilla was so excited that Bang Bang beat his chest, not caring about the boos at the scene.
Phil Jackson on the sidelines was a little dissatisfied with Longley's defensive position. He was positioned too deep and almost gave Ewing points.
After saying hello twice, he increased his defensive intensity and instructed his players, Phil Jackson then walked to the bench.
Michael Jordan is too familiar with New York's offensive routine. He thought he had regained a familiar feeling of the game, but when he came to the offensive end, he found that the Knicks' defense was more aggressive.
After Pippen dribbled the ball past half court, he came to the right wing. At this time, with the help of a screen, Michael Jordan came to the right block and asked for the ball with his back.
The moment he received the pass, Michael Jordan realized that he was surrounded by three people.
Alan Houston hit the ball behind him, Larry Johnson followed the ball and rushed over, and Ewing stood on the lower right side of the basket to block the breakthrough route.
Both Pippen and Longley had opportunities, but Michael Jordan still had no intention of passing the ball. He twisted his body toward the baseline, quickly released the ball with his right hand, took a step laterally, and then drifted to the right to complete a fadeaway jumper!
"state!"
The basketball hit the basket, and Ewing's retraction worked, blocking Longley and protecting the backboard.
On the other side, Oakley and Rodman had both fallen to the ground. The referee immediately blew the whistle and stepped forward to pull the two fallen people apart.
One sat back desperately, the other pushed forward desperately. Finally, Oakley directly hugged and threw Rodman to the ground.
Jeff Van Gundy was very dissatisfied with this call. He immediately walked to the referee and complained loudly:
"We already got the rebound, and your whistle wasted our transition attack!"
Although he fell, Rodman, who got up and retreated, looked very proud. The Bulls completed the retreat and he executed the game plan perfectly.
Li You could only take the baseline ball again, and then Harper turned into a defensive pendant and stuck to it.
The Bulls' game strategy was obvious from the start. They wanted to slow down and curb the Knicks' transition attack.
Soon, the Bulls fans at the scene were fed a Xiang-flavored chocolate by both parties.
Playing a very targeted defense, when Longley couldn't keep up with the pick-and-roll, Harper desperately pursued the defense around the screen.
In order to keep Ewing away from the low post, Longley kept his head up and added some semi-forward defense to disrupt Ewing's offensive rhythm.
The two big men were locked in a hand-to-hand fight on the inside, and Harper on the outside was also defending desperately. Alan Houston was being chased by Michael Jordan and lost his temper. He failed to get a good opportunity in several rounds in a row.
When the Bulls attacked, Michael Jordan was a three-man team as soon as he caught the ball. Although he could make quick shots, he still chose to pass the ball more in McDunner.
The score between the two sides slowly increased, while forcing the inside and giving the ball to the superstar.
Ewing, who was full of energy, did not score efficiently in the face of Longley's top defense and Rodman's assist defense. However, in order to protect the rebounds, it was difficult for the Bulls to play a quick transition offense.
With 7 minutes and 15 seconds left in the first quarter, Michael Jordan turned over and succeeded in a fadeaway jumper near the baseline on the right side.
At 8:10, the Bulls led for less than 15 seconds. Harper, who had been picking and rolling for several consecutive rounds, was delayed by Ewing this time. Li You made an emergency stop jumper in the left block and easily scored.
The pick-and-roll position was not high, but as long as the gorilla moved down quickly, Longley retreated. Li You still seized the opportunity that passed by.
Next, the two sides began to fight again, and Larry Johnson and Pippen both stood on the free throw line.
With 4 minutes and 13 seconds left in the first quarter, the score between the two sides was still 12:12.
The Bulls fans at the scene were stunned. Michael Jordan was double-teamed as soon as he caught the ball. The Knicks showed excellent defensive flexibility.
At the end of the first quarter, the two sides were still fighting hard. It was not until Li You and Pippen hit three-pointers that the deadlock was broken.
Finally, there were free throws. At the end of the first quarter, the score was fixed at 18:18.
Phil Jackson no longer pretended to be sitting on the bench. He couldn't open up the situation for a long time and became anxious.
The main lineups of both sides were replaced at the last moment and played almost the entire first quarter. Michael Jordan returned to the bench and depressedly grabbed a water bottle to replenish water.
1 of 3 and 2 of 2 free throws. Maidu was double-teamed and only scored 4 points.
Li You played the entire first quarter and was in a good mood when he came off the court. The game was indeed worth playing. As long as Michael Jordan was restricted, the Bulls' offense would be constipated.
"Keeping this pace of the game, we have a chance to get another away victory!"
Jeff Van Gundy excitedly shouted out the chicken soup. He even thought that the Bulls were no longer good!
This is not an illusion of the bald young coach, everyone on the Knicks team feels this way.
Everyone was refreshed by the milk. In the second quarter of the game, they relied on defense and once again fed the Bulls fans at the scene Xiang-flavored chocolate!
At 17:17 of the single quarter, both sides were slow and iron, with a lot of leading defense and frequent hand-to-hand combat, which made both sides almost smash the basket.
At 35:35 of the half, the two sides were tied.
"It's unbelievable. I made 1 of 6 dunks in the half, 5 of 6 free throws, only 7 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist!"
"The Knicks' defense was very targeted, not only completing double teams but also cutting off passing lanes."
In the TNT commentary box, Hubie Brown almost thought he had read the technical statistics wrong, with surprise in his tone.
"The Bulls' best performer in the half was Pippen, who made 5 of 11 shots and scored 11 points. However, head coach Phil Jackson rotated many people in the second quarter and seemed to be conserving energy for the second half!"
Dick Stockton didn't take it too seriously to watch the excitement and summed up the half game with a smile.
At halftime, in the Knicks locker room, Ewing loudly encouraged everyone:
"If we hold on for another half of the game, we can win the away game! With a 2-0 lead, the Bulls can't even think of a comeback!"
The Gorillas made 4 of 12 shots in the half, 4 of 6 free throws, and scored 12 points and 6 rebounds. They performed very well and successfully suppressed the Bulls' rebounding.
It's just that everyone in the locker room is gasping for air. Double-teaming defense requires paying a price. The number of outside attacks, dunks, and slides are twice as many as in normal games.
Alan Houston's eyes were wide open, Larry Johnson was slumped in his seat, and Li You's physical condition was not optimistic. In addition to dealing with the pendant Harper, he also had to participate in double teams in many rounds.
The defensive strategy developed by Jeff Van Gundy and the coaching staff does work, but defense requires physical fitness.
Oakley didn't want to talk either. The old guy was busy wrestling with Rodman during halftime, and all of his mid-range jumpers were missed.
The delicious chicken soup couldn't restore everyone's physical strength, but the gorilla's encouragement still had an effect. By the third quarter of the game, the Bulls fans at the scene were completely dumbfounded.
14:14 in a single quarter, 49:49 after three quarters.
After the third quarter of the game, Li You returned to the bench, feeling that he was overdrawn. The old guy Bangbang on the opposite side was playing hard, but relying on defense, the game was delayed again.
On the Bulls bench, Michael Jordan was also gasping for air. He played 11 minutes, made 1 of 6, and scored 2 points. He was blinded by the Knicks' perimeter.
There was no room to break through and the paint was full of people.
Pippen also shot 1 for 6. The second-best player was a little embarrassed and missed a lot of open shots. As a result, the Knicks shrank smaller and smaller.
Phil Jackson finally felt that the game was out of control at this moment. No matter how he made substitutions, he could not change the situation on the field.
"I will take care of this game, we can't lose at home!"
There was no time to rest. After Michael Jordan said these words, he threw away the towel on his head and got ready to play immediately.
"Wow!"
Seeing that McDuck was not resting, the Bulls fans at the scene shouted excitedly, and it was time to fight.
At the beginning of the 4th quarter, Jeff Van Gundy took on Chris Childs and Starks, trying to give the main backcourt a breather.
As a result, in less than 2 minutes, he made two mistakes. The frightened bald young coach immediately asked for a timeout and replaced the main force.
In the last quarter of the game, the first person who couldn't stand it was Alan Houston. I don't know where Michael Jordan got the physical strength, and he kept driving to the basket!
Physical fitness declined, Alan Houston's defense could not keep up with the dunk, the Knicks' double-team began to show loopholes, and the Bulls rained 1 point
Michael Jordan, who found his touch through free throws, finally won the victory.
The final buzzer sounded, and the Bulls fans at the scene shouted excitedly and celebrated wildly with Michael Jordan, who was pumping his fists and roaring.
At 69:73, the Bulls finally defended their home court.
In a single quarter, he made 2 of 3, 10 of 10 free throws, 14 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block. Michael Jordan broke out in the last quarter and took away the game.
"The rebounds were 45:45, the turnovers were 11:11, and the shooting percentage was less than 30%. In the end, Michael Jordan broke out to end the game."
"It's a pity that the Knicks were so close to winning another road game. The boys did their best."
In the commentary box, Hubie Brown praised Michael Jordan's performance. The data is not important at this time, as long as he can win!
4 of 15, 15 of 16 free throws, 23 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 2 turnovers. Michael Jordan's technical statistics are indeed very ugly.
"The Knicks still have the initiative. Next, they only need to protect the next two home courts to get the match point."
"This doesn't seem to be a difficult thing for them, but coach Van Gundy should consider doing more rotations to control the playing time of the main lineup."
Dick Stockton gave the advice with a smile and began to look forward to the next series.
In the Knicks locker room, the loss did not have much impact, but everyone was exhausted and slumped in their seats at this time.
You Yin was still sighing with regret at this time. The Bulls were just one or two rounds away from falling.
Played 43 minutes, made 9 of 22, 7 of 11 free throws, 25 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 turnovers. The Gorilla scored the highest score in the game!
Although Jeff Van Gundy felt a little regretful, he achieved his intended goal, and the coaching staff was quite excited:
"This is a long series. We have gained the initiative. The next step is to protect the home court."
"The Bulls are not invincible. You have seen that Michael Jordan will be equally inefficient and tired!"
"."
Jeff Van Gundy began his speech by disparaging Michael Jordan.
The bald marshal's endless talk of chicken soup did little to encourage him.
Alan Houston was too tired to talk, and Larry Johnson, who had only rested for less than 4 minutes in two games, had an empty mind at this time.
When Li You, who was paralyzed by Ge You, saw the state of the two of them, he knew that this was a complete overdraft.
"Integrated offense and defense" is simple to say, but how many players in the league can actually do it?
On May 23, after returning to New York, the Knicks coaching staff canceled the morning video session. The players' physical fitness was much worse than expected.
Jeff Van Gundy realized at this time that the main players seemed to have too much playing time.
Just thinking about the opposite Bulls team, Michael Jordan and Pippen both played more than 42 minutes, the bald young coach began to comfort himself again:
"They're all human, and the Bulls will get tired too!"
Ever since Li You defeated the Bulls and Michael Jordan became the backdrop, the New York media couldn't stand it any longer. After losing G2, they still shouted:
"Knicks championship!"
In the morning newspaper, many articles ridiculed Michael Jordan's ineffective performance in G2:
"A victory given to Michael Jordan by the referees!"
New York fans were in a good mood after reading the newspaper. Everyone was ready to see Michael Jordan break the defense at home!
When Li You returned to New York, Ge You was lying at home. Alan Houston had already received an infusion. In comparison, he was in pretty good condition.
Looking at the New York media who were enjoying themselves in the newspaper, Li You read the article happily.
In the G2 game, Li You scored 5 of 13 points, 2 of 6 from beyond the three-point line, and 3 of 4 free throws. He scored the second-highest 15 points on the team and also provided 5 assists.
The entire team's shooting percentage was extremely low, but the New York media ignored it and angrily criticized Michael Jordan's free throws.
When Starks went upstairs to visit, he saw Li You cutting news and taking notes:
"What a boring hobby this is, why not collect more special issues of Sports Illustrated!"
Li You did not care about the other party's ridicule. For him, these are the marks of the times. In 20 years, it will definitely be particularly interesting to look through these past reports.
"Fewer and fewer people will read newspapers in the future. These news are of commemorative value!"
After sorting out the clipped news, Li You was in a good mood and could not surf the Internet, which was one of his few hobbies.
"I have a feeling we're going to win the series!"
Thinking of defeating the Bulls, Starks was full of energy and wanted to start G3 immediately.
Looking at this motivated veteran, Li You reminded him:
"The coaching staff needs to increase your playing time. It is difficult for Alan to recover from his condition. It is simply unrealistic to rely on defense to win games all the time."
"Mai Dun doesn't only ask for the ball with his back. He runs a lot without the ball. Defending him requires more energy. I will make suggestions in the afternoon training session."
Starks grinned. He really wanted more playing time. He wanted to win this series so much:
"Thanks! Bro! We will reach the finals!"
"."
During the afternoon training session, Li You quickly expressed his opinions to the coaching staff, and Alan Houston also nodded in agreement to reduce his playing time.
Defending Michael Jordan is a job that ordinary people can't do. Most defensive rounds rely on team defense and multiple people to help defend.
Jeff Van Gundy didn't express much about this. Like other coaches, the more critical the game, the less trust he has in the rotation.
Alan Houston has not returned to his best condition. He understands his body and complained a few words in a low voice:
"This is definitely not a good signal. Maikun will rebound. We should increase the rotation and consume him in turn!"
With Ewing back, Alan Houston's shots have been reduced by more than half, and he is acting more as a defensive tool.
Alan Houston doesn't have any objections to his position in the team, but he really can't be guarded, and the tool man also needs physical fitness!
Li You shrugged helplessly. Larry Johnson will have to continue to work as a coolie in the next game. No one can even take his place on the bench:
"Persistence is victory! We are younger!"
In the training session, Ewing was still very active, and the Gorilla couldn't wait to defend his home court.
On the night of the 23rd, in G3 of the Western Conference Finals, the Rockets returned to their home court and successfully won the game, with the big score reaching 1:2.
100:118, after falling behind by 13 points in the first quarter, the Rockets finally reversed the game.
The senior Big Three performed mediocrely, but on the bench, 38-year-old veteran Eddie Johnson broke out completely, shooting 12 of 17 and 5 of 8 from beyond the three-point line, scoring a game-high 31 points.
The Rockets' old basketball player shot 58.7% from the field in this game. The hearty victory was a clarion call for a counterattack!
When the team needed scoring the most, Karl Malone made 9 of 14 and scored an average 21 points. Stockton made 8 of 19 and steadily contributed 17 points, 3 rebounds, 10 assists and 4 turnovers.
The Jazz performed pretty well, but the opponent was too accurate. In the fourth quarter, they were beaten by the Rockets by 38 points.
The suspense of the Western Conference Finals is back, and neutral fans are happy about it. No one wants to watch a one-sided series.
On May 24, everyone on the Bulls team who had flown to New York had no intention of having fun. Every next game was very important and they couldn't afford to lose.
Michael Jordan was almost furious when he read the news in the newspapers these past two days. He relied on breakthroughs to score all his free throws, and the result was described as "referee care."
During the training session, the Bulls' atmosphere team still didn't dare to say anything. Michael Jordan had gained another layer of anger BUFF, and his face has become increasingly ugly recently.
That night at Madison Square Garden, before the game even started, the New York fans in attendance were already cheering themselves up.
There are more and more fans wearing Li You's jerseys, and those holding white boards to cheer for the home team are dancing around to the pre-match music.
The devils danced wildly and won the away game, making New York fans so happy that they couldn't find the north.
However, after the game started that night, watching Michael Jordan keep scoring points, the scene gradually became silent. The nightmare reappeared, and the painful memories reappeared in my mind.
At 88:80, the Knicks lost the game cleanly and were suppressed by the Bulls throughout the game.
Michael Jordan, who has regained his touch, is almost unstoppable!
In 36 minutes of play, he made 14 of 25 shots, 1 of 2 from beyond the three-point line, and 5 of 5 free throws. With a shooting percentage of over 50%, he scored 34 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 turnovers.
Alan Houston was completely beaten, and the Knicks' perimeter defense couldn't limit the dunk.
Pippen made 8 of 16 shots and contributed 21 points. No other role player scored in double figures, but under the 10-man rotation, all players who appeared on the field scored.
Ewing looked ugly after losing at home. He performed well tonight, making 11 of 23 shots and 7 of 10 free throws. He scored a team-high 29 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds.
Although there were 5 turnovers, the Gorilla felt that there was no problem with his performance!
After winning, Michael Jordan still had no smile on his face and walked towards the tunnel angrily. A victory could not vent his anger at all.
After the game, the fans did not leave, and Madison Square Garden was still very noisy.
In the MSG commentary box, commentator John Andaris looked at the technical statistics and said helplessly:
"Our defensive intensity has dropped, which is the fundamental reason for the loss. In this game, Michael Jordan reduced his playing time, but his efficiency increased!"
"Phil Jackson's multi-player rotation strategy seems to be very successful so far. Coach Van Gundy must make adjustments as soon as possible."
Commentator Marv Albert said it was a pity because of this game:
"The Bulls shot 1 of 13 from three-point range. After the start of the series, Harper and Cole have been unable to find their form. Obviously, the Bulls also paid a price for defending Lee."
"We still have a chance, and the next home game is crucial!"
The two people in the commentary box did not say anything discouraging, but the New York media at the scene was not in a good mood. At the post-game press conference, they began to shame Van Gundy again:
"Jeff, can you tell us about the situation in the team? Why doesn't Starks get more playing time?"
"Why do our players look more tired than the Bulls'?"
Jeff Van Gundy, who lost the game, was still secretly upset. Hearing such a question, he quickly answered with a straight face:
"We need height, we need to limit Michael Jordan on the defensive end, and that's why I'm going to stick with Alan Houston."
"Physical fitness has never been a problem. We are younger and physical fitness is our advantage! Next, we will protect the home court!"
Reporters in Chicago happily watched the people in New York who were about to fight among themselves. Every time the team lost, Jeff Van Gundy would be questioned.
Even if he won the "Best Coach" award, many New York media still regarded him as Pat Riley's follower.
As for why this situation occurs, there is a high probability that Jeff Van Gundy has a problem with his appearance. He is bald and has a long back. New York prefers the latter.
Wearing a dark blue formal suit, Ewing was not questioned by the New York media. Everyone praised his performance, which made the gorilla feel a lot better.
On the morning of May 25, the New York media carried forward its glorious tradition. In order to attract attention, the New York Post took the lead in firing:
“The Knicks’ smooth offense faded away as Patrick Ewing returned from injury;”
"Alan Houston and Larry Johnson were down, and our possessions were down;"
"Perhaps this is not Van Gundy's problem, but our core players limiting the team's performance."
"We respect Ewing, but his time with the Knicks has passed!"
"More pick-and-rolls, more jump shots, more counterattacks, the Knicks need that."
"."
Ewing, who came to the training ground early, looked at the contents of the newspaper and his face became increasingly ugly. Finally, he crumpled the newspaper into a ball and threw it into the trash can.
Equipment manager Old Mike saw this scene. The old man shook his head silently and muttered in a low voice:
"Maybe Nelson was right, there was something wrong with our core."
Thank you book friends for your subscription support (﹃)
(End of chapter)
