On November 30, 1997, after the game against the Suns, the Knicks successfully defeated their opponents and achieved 15 consecutive victories.
After tying the winning streak set by the Rockets in the 1993-94 season, the team did not receive a metaphysical bonus, but instead suffered injuries.
The New York media's poison finally broke out. At the post-game press conference, Jeff Van Gundy looked ugly, and the team was reduced at the beginning of the season, which was not in line with the expectations of the coaching staff.
What's even worse is that the team is still in the running-in period, and it is almost impossible to expect Chris Dudley on the bench to shoulder the heavy responsibility of rebounding.
At the post-game press conference, the New York media, which was crazy about poisonous milk, was silent at this time and could only simply ask:
"Jeff, it's so unfortunate. Can you talk about Pat's injury? How many games will he miss?"
It was rare that the New York Post did not make things difficult for the bald young coach and asked questions that everyone wanted to know.
"I don't know yet. The medical team has not been able to give an accurate answer, but we have to prepare for the worst!"
"Maybe Pat will miss the rest of the regular season. I can only say that this injury is really serious."
"oh!"
The media in the audience all whispered. Although everyone consumes gorillas from time to time, Ewing played for New York for 13 seasons after all.
Gorilla has accompanied many New York fans in their youth, and over the past 12 years, it has also continuously provided news material for some unscrupulous reporters.
There have never been many problems with attendance in the past, but no one expected Ewing to be injured so seriously!
Jeff Van Gundy, who was in a bad mood, started to wander with a face on his face. Without Ewing, what should we do with the inside defense?
On December 1, the Knicks officially announced Ewing’s injury status:
"Fractured right wrist, torn ligaments"
Fortunately, the gorilla's wrist was not damaged by nerves, and the ligaments were partially torn.
But considering that the 35-year-old injured his shooting hand, the New York media all looked down on the Gorilla and concluded by the way:
"The Knicks' Patrick Ewing era is over"
The NBA announced the Player of the Year for the first month of the 1997-98 season in the morning. Ewing, who achieved a 14-0 record in November and led the Knicks to the top, successfully won the award:
Averaged 32.1 minutes per game, 20.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.2 blocks and 2.5 turnovers per game;
Shooting percentage was 50.4%, free throw percentage was 72.0%, and averaging 15.5 shots per game, Ewing was still very efficient in November!
It's rare to win the best award of the month, but Gorilla can't accept the award in person.
After Ewing was injured, he was transferred to the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. In the morning, Li You and his teammates went to visit the gorilla that had undergone surgery:
"Pat, don't worry about your wrist. Didn't the doctor say that the nerves were not injured? Just rest and recover!"
Oakley felt sad in his heart, but on the surface he only showed concern.
The old guy feels the same way. Fortunately, Ewing signed a big contract this year, and the second half of his career is guaranteed.
Seeing Ewing's right wrist being tightly wrapped and lying listlessly on the hospital bed, Oakley was determined to pursue a big contract.
"Damn injury, I just used my right hand to support my body!"
The gorilla knew that his wife Rita and the child were also in the ward, so he did not yell out loud, but just complained in a very tough manner.
Li You put the Player of the Month trophy aside, and everyone in the atmosphere group said nothing. Everyone looked at the unlucky Ewing in silence.
The last thing a player wants to face is an injury. No one wants to see a serious injury. After leaving the hospital, Larry Johnson also sighed:
"With a serious injury at the age of 35, it may be difficult for Pat to return to his previous state."
"Big Mom's" back injury still attacks from time to time, but there are some minor health problems, and Larry Johnson still insists on playing.
Alan Houston also didn't expect Ewing's injury to be so serious. He pulled on his tie and whispered helplessly:
"It's really not the right time to get sick this time. Pat is really unlucky. The team is in good shape and he just won the Player of the Month award. I thought he would perform at his peak again."
At this time, Li You also felt the importance of a big contract firsthand. No matter what Ewing's physical condition is in the future, he will have a beautiful knife as a guarantee:
"As long as he patiently completes the rehabilitation training, Pat will regain his form."
When the old guys heard Li You's comfort, they could only nod silently, but everyone understood in their hearts:
"The Ewing era is most likely coming to an end."
"."
There is no suspense about the Rookie of the Month in November. Tim Duncan of the Spurs successfully won the award!
The Spurs achieved a record of 8 wins and 6 losses, with Duncan starting all 14 games;
Averaged 35.4 minutes per game, 15.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.6 blocks and 3.3 turnovers per game;
He averaged 11.9 shots per game, shooting 55.8% from the field, and averaged 4.3 free throws per game, shooting 46.9% from the field.
Since the Knicks will fly to the West to play away games next, the coaching staff will naturally pay attention to the status of their next opponent, the Spurs.
After winning the Rookie of the Month award, Duncan didn't act like a rookie at all. The twin-tower lineup formed with David Robinson has been quite effective.
"Pat just got injured and we have to face the Spurs in the Twin Towers."
Assistant coach Thibodeau glanced at the Spurs' technical statistics and couldn't help rubbing his eyebrows. There was a high probability that he would not be able to withstand the rebound.
"We also have an advantage. The Spurs' perimeter is far behind ours. If we shrink our defense, there won't be any big problems."
Assistant coach Don Chaney is more optimistic. In his opinion, the Spurs refuse to shoot from the outside. Even if they add a big man, nothing will change.
After a brief discussion, everyone began to pack their things. In the afternoon, the Knicks were about to fly to San Antonio.
Jeff Van Gundy was not in a good mood, and kept his expression on his face and remained silent.
The situation within the Knicks is not complicated, with old players and new players competing for data.
After staying with the Knicks for many years, Jeff Van Gundy naturally sides with the veteran players. If he serves Ewing well, he can keep his job and at the same time ensure the team's record.
After witnessing Old Nelson being kicked out, the bald young marshal lay flat.
The rise of Li You has caused Jeff Van Gundy to hang up frequently. Now without Ewing's restraint, the head coach's prestige cannot be improved.
In November, Li You played 29.0 minutes per game, averaging 16.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.0 turnovers per game;
He averaged 11.5 shots per game, shooting 47.71% from the field, 5.9 shots from outside the three-point line, 42.8% from three-point range, 4.1 free throws per game, and 88.2% from the field.
Li You's extremely efficient top point guard statistics left Jeff Van Gundy speechless. Seeing this Excel that was infinitely close to a double-double, he helplessly thought:
"How do you coach players like this?"
On the morning of December 2, everyone from the Knicks team arrived in San Antonio.
While having breakfast in the hotel, everyone started chatting and gossiping:
"Is Sprewell crazy? He choked the head coach?"
The atmosphere team was whispering about the news in the morning. This was a big event, which directly triggered the major sports media, and the headlines on the front page were all about chokeholds.
Warriors All-Star guard Latrell Sprewell choked head coach P.J. Carlesimo during practice.
The media followed up and exaggerated, claiming that the chokehold lasted for more than 10 seconds, and coach Carlesimo almost went to see God on the spot!
Such bad behavior naturally made the Warriors management furious, and immediately announced that Prewell was suspended for 68 games.
The Warriors have just 68 games left in the regular season, which means the All-Star guard's schedule for this season is over.
Jeff Van Gundy ate his breakfast in silence. The bald young coach always felt that Li You and Larry Johnson were looking at him from time to time.
Thinking about "Auntie" practicing boxing every day, Jeff Van Gundy's mouth twitched:
"NBA head coaching is indeed a high-risk profession."
Since Tim Duncan joined the team, the Alamodome has occasionally expanded its capacity and opened up more seats.
On the night of the 2nd, more than 30,000 spectators poured into the Alamodome.
Although the center duel can no longer be seen, fans who like to watch the fun buy tickets to watch the game to witness the Spurs end the Knicks' winning streak!
Of course, there are also some Knicks fans who buy tickets to watch the game to witness the birth of a new record.
Popovich, a rookie coach, is not qualified to say harsh words and brag. Jeff Van Gundy has the best coach in the league by his side. It is no longer something that a rookie can touch.
In an interview before the game, David Robinson did not talk about the outcome of the game, but sent his blessings to Ewing:
"Pat is a good person. It's a pity that he suffered a serious injury. I hope he can recover as soon as possible!"
"."
This game, which was supposed to be a showdown between centers, was broadcast live nationwide on TNT.
In the live commentary box, after both teams completed their appearance ceremony, Dick Stockton felt that the atmosphere was completely different from last year, and he immediately joked with a smile:
"The Tim Duncan effect, it can be seen that San Antonio fans like this big man very much!"
Hubie Brown looked at the technical statistics and then said aloud:
"Duncan performed poorly in games against the Jazz and SuperSonics. In the last few games, his scores have been in single digits."
"Maybe he has hit the rookie wall, but Duncan has always done a good job rebounding, which is difficult for the Knicks to deal with. The Spurs have a huge height advantage in the paint."
The Spurs' twin-tower lineup also made Dick Stockton nod frequently. He noticed that the starting lineup had not changed and immediately introduced it:
"The Spurs still have Avery Johnson and Vinnie DeNagro in the backcourt, Sean Elliott and Tim Duncan on the front line, and David Robinson at center."
"For the Knicks, Buck Williams has joined the starting lineup. It seems that coach Van Gundy still trusts the veteran more."
Players from both sides completed the final warm-up and came to the center circle. After a brief greeting, everyone on the Knicks team was ready to retreat. There was no suspense about the jump ball.
David Robinson jumped to the ball easily and Johnson quickly dribbled across half court.
The two sides also played against each other last season and watched a lot of Spurs game videos before the game. Li You did not choose to defend, but stayed inside the three-point line and waited for the opponent to launch tactics.
Coming to the right wing and noticing Li You's defensive position, Johnson immediately signaled that David Robinson needed a deeper position.
Noticing that his teammates were in the low post, Johnson took a few steps forward and then sent a lob pass.
After completing the pass, Johnson, nicknamed "Little General," began to direct his teammates to pull away, and at the same time motioned for Duncan to go inside.
In a simple and crude attack, David Robinson didn't wait for Li You to help defend. He put his right hand behind the ball and hit it. Then he immediately turned towards the baseline and took advantage of his height to shoot a quick jump shot!
"state!"
As soon as the basketball came out of the frame, David Robinson reached inside and got the rebound over veteran Buck Williams.
The basket was placed under the basket, but David Robinson, who was disturbed, still failed to complete the attack. The basketball hit the basket again. On the lower right side of the basket, Tim Duncan saw the right opportunity and grabbed the rebound behind Oakley!
The same quick release of the basket resulted in the basketball knocking out of the frame again.
"oh!!"
After missing two consecutive tip-ins, the Spurs fans at the scene exclaimed. Soon everyone saw Duncan grab the offensive rebound again, but before he could release the ball, Li You, who rushed in from the outside, hit his face with a big cap!
"squeak!!"
The referee immediately called a foul on Li You's thugs, and boos broke out in the Alamodome.
Oakley glared at Duncan with an ugly face, and then fist bumped with Li You in greeting.
The solid big hat is on hand to Li Youquan.
Duncan, shaking his hands, stood on the free throw line. The first free throw was a hit. He took aim at the second free throw for a while, but the result was another hit.
"state!"
The rebound popped up, and veteran Buck Williams blocked David Robinson behind him. Oakley blocked Duncan immediately, and Larry Johnson on the side finally collected the rebound.
"Auntie" turned around and threw the ball to Li You on the right wing outside the three-point line, and the Knicks immediately launched a transition attack.
Along the right sideline, Li You, holding the ball in his right hand, kept accelerating. The Spurs seemed to be well prepared and retreated quickly.
Although David Robinson was affected by injuries and his physical condition has not yet returned to its best, the center was as fast as the defender at this time and returned to the paint in a few strides.
Popovich on the sidelines was very satisfied with the team's defensive retreat speed. He clapped his hands and shouted loudly for the players to quickly counterattack.
On the right wing, approaching the three-point line, Li You began to slow down, turned his head to look at the top of the arc, noticed that Oakley and Buck Williams also rushed to the half court, and immediately dribbled the ball behind his back.
The moment he switched to his left hand, Li You lowered his body's center of gravity and turned his body to the right to mislead the probing. Avery Johnson was shaken and subconsciously slid to the left.
Without giving the opponent much time to react, Li You suddenly accelerated, took a big step forward with the ball in his left hand, suddenly stopped outside the three-point line, and quickly shot a jump shot after joining the ball!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net!
"Shh!"
The fans at the scene booed fiercely, and Popovich's expression froze on the sidelines. He was planning to direct the defense.
Rookie coaches always like to increase their presence, but Jeff Van Gundy is different. The bald young coach sat on the bench and didn't even get up. He simply clapped his hands to show that he had a good attack.
Duncan was stuck inside just now, but when he turned around, he found that the Knicks were retreating and the Spurs were preparing to take a baseline kick.
Subconsciously looking at the bench, Duncan felt that this was very different from the game plan before the game, but no one gave him feedback.
The Spurs' offense is still simple and crude, David Robinson singles.
He received a pass at the right elbow area of the free throw line, and after a simple test step, David Robinson succeeded in a pull-up jumper.
Able to shoot and break out, veteran Buck Williams has a hard time guarding the general, and the speeds of both sides are not even on the same channel.
The Knicks paid no attention to the cheers and continued to throw baseline balls quickly. This time, Li You was immediately guarded by Avery Johnson.
The young general, who is less than 1.8 meters tall, is very aggressive defensively, showing a completely different defensive attitude from last season.
Li You, who had already adapted to this kind of defense, still accelerated, turned around quickly, switched to his right hand and immediately rushed across the half court.
Alan Houston quickly slipped across the baseline from right to left, and with the help of Buck Williams' cover on the left baseline, he quickly bounced out to the left block.
After reaching the position, he suddenly stopped and pretended to ask for the ball with his back. Taking advantage of Denagro's defense, Alan Houston accelerated again and quickly bounced out to the left flank.
Just after passing the half court, Li You immediately sent a cross pass from the top of the arc. Alan Houston received the ball and threw it without making too many adjustments!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net!
6:2, two rounds, the Knicks led by 4 points.
"It seems that the Knicks have completely changed their tactics. Van Gundy intends to use perimeter offense to suppress the Spurs."
"Lee and Houston entered the state quickly after the start. This is also a test for the Spurs."
It was really interesting to see the Knicks retreating quickly again, with Hubie Brown smiling in the commentary box. The completely different game strategy.
Dick Stockton noticed Duncan catching the ball in the left block and wanted to comment, but Duncan didn't move too much. After a tentative step, he made a pull-up jumper in front of Oakley!
"Whoa!" A steady hit from mid-range.
Duncan retreated quickly, and the Spurs also began to speed up the pace of the game.
After a few rounds, the Knicks quickly realized that they could not guard David Robinson. As long as the opponent rushed inside, they would immediately foul.
The fans at the scene thought that David Robinson would dominate the inside. As the game progressed, David Robinson turned over and hit a jumper, and the free throws also followed suit.
Standing on the free throw line again, David Robinson made one of two free throws. The second free throw just missed the basket, and Oakley protected the backboard.
Li You received the pass and Avery Johnson came up to defend.
Even if there were two rounds of fighting, Avery Johnson did not dare to be careless and continued to give physical confrontation after sticking to the defense.
The Spurs, who retreated quickly, had already completed their defensive position and came to the left wing. Li You, who was holding the ball in his left hand, began to slow down and protect the ball sideways.
Avery Johnson kept his hand on Li You's side and continued to interfere.
Ignoring the defense on his side, Li You, who was protecting the ball from his side, suddenly blasted the ball on the spot, twisted his body quickly backwards, then suddenly lowered his center of gravity, retrieved the ball with his left hand, and broke through with shoulder pressure.
On the left flank, Li You suddenly made a 45-degree cut, which immediately caused the Spurs to change their defensive formation. Duncan saw his teammates out of position and quickly shrank into the paint area near the baseline on the left, blocking the breakthrough route.
Just approaching the left blocking area, Li You suddenly stopped and blasted the ball on the spot again. Then he quickly dribbled the ball behind his back with his left hand. After switching to his right hand, he immediately accelerated into the paint area.
Completely losing his defensive position, Avery Johnson returned to the defense, but Li You used his body to push it away. Before the opponent could block the shot, he completed the throw with his right hand in the paint area directly in front of the basket.
"Whoa!" The two-point ball hit the net.
"Wonderful offense! Lee successfully read the Spurs defense and scored easily!"
In the commentary box, Dick Stockton praised loudly that the Knicks' offense was also very simple. There were no pick-and-rolls, screen jumpers, and singles with the ball.
Li You was two punches higher than Avery Johnson, and there was a size difference between the two. Popovich on the sidelines reluctantly gave instructions and continued to give the ball to the inside.
The defense was out of position for several consecutive rounds, and Avery Johnson was extremely angry.
The intention of this offense to pass the ball to Duncan was too obvious. Avery Johnson sent a ground pass. The moment Duncan bent down to catch the ball, he was cut off by Li You who was quickly assisting in defense.
Duncan, who originally wanted to bend down to fight for the ball, lost his center of gravity and immediately jumped into the street. His sudden mistake also caused a loophole in the Spurs' defense.
After completing the steal, Li You quickly hit the ball, and Alan Houston received the ball in the middle and rushed through the half court.
After being delayed by Gennagro, he came to the left wing. Alan Houston immediately gave the ball to Oakley in the middle to follow up.
After the latter caught the ball, he made an easy layup before Duncan could return to defense.
At 16:12, the score difference returned to 4 points.
As Duncan caught the ball in the left block and drove to the basket but missed, Oakley collected the rebound and Li You rushed forward again. The Spurs fans at the scene began to burst into loud boos.
David Robinson quickly rushed into the paint area again. He had just gained a foothold when he looked up and saw Li You, the right winger, suddenly dribbling the ball behind his back and shaking away his defensive teammate. There was still a small step away from the three-point line. Throw it away
Duncan, who was still retreating, saw the basketball arc and fall into the basket. He subconsciously widened his eyes and looked at his big brother.
"Exaggerated shooting distance! Lee hit the conversion three-pointer again!"
This season, the NBA league readjusted the three-point line distance from 6.7 meters to the previous 7.24 meters. Dick Stockton did not expect Li You to throw it so far away.
Avery Johnson was also a little confused. He thought Li You stopped the ball outside the three-point line to organize an offense, but he made a wrong judgment and watched the shot.
At 19:12, the Knicks began to score points quickly again.
With 3 minutes and 45 seconds left in the first quarter, Popovich reluctantly requested a timeout. Whenever the Spurs approached the score, the Knicks could respond from the outside.
It was a good shot thrown in by the blind chicken. Li You struck the iron, and Jeff Van Gundy did not get up to dissuade him. It turned out that he was right again.
"Good job!"
Assistant coach Don Chaney smiled and patted Li You, who was walking to the bench. In this lineup, only Larry Johnson can play in the low post. The offense is simple and the rhythm is fast.
Li You scored 8 points on 3-for-5. After showing off his aggressiveness, the opponent would definitely make a targeted defense, so he returned to the bench and immediately reminded him:
"Pay attention to catching the ball! There will be open opportunities near the free throw line!"
Oakley nodded and was scored on the head by the Spurs' young boy. The offensive end naturally had to respond.
Jeff Van Gundy said a few words dryly to increase his presence. After the timeout, he resumed hosting.
In the last few minutes, just as Li You expected, Duncan and David Robinson began to help defend more.
The two big men are not slow in their steps and are very flexible, suitable for sweeping away the defense. At this time, Li You no longer forced the attack, but attracted the defense and quickly gave the ball to the open space.
Duncan hit a two-pointer after a test step in the left block. Looking back, Oakley faked a screen on the right elbow area, and Duncan tried to cooperate with Avery Johnson to complete the defense.
But Li You's ball was faster. Before the two of them could surround each other, he quickly hit the ground and passed the ball in the blocking area. At the elbow area, Oakley responded by catching the ball and shooting a jumper.
Shrinking defense will naturally have to pay a price. Genagro blossomed and hit three-pointers from the outside.
Before he had time to celebrate, Alan Houston responded with a post-up single from De Nagro from the right block.
By the end of the first quarter, the Spurs fans in the Alamodome were silent.
At 27:20, the Knicks still led by 7 points.
"David Robinson is still recovering. He made 3 of 9 and 4 of 9 free throws and scored 10 points. Tim Duncan made 3 of 6 and scored 6 points."
"The Spurs' role players failed to respond. Avery Johnson made 1 of 2 free throws and only scored 1 point."
Hubie Brown didn't expect that the Spurs failed to take advantage of their height, and David Robinson's performance was too inefficient in the face of a double attack.
Tim Duncan played almost the entire first quarter, returned to the bench, and stared directly at Popovich.
Feeling panicked, Popovich simply emphasized:
"The defensive game has just begun!"
I thought the coaching staff would give a response, but in the end, they used big words to emphasize defense. Tim Duncan frowned secretly, and for a while he just felt that the rookie coach was still unreliable.
On the bench of the Knicks, the rotation lineup was ready to appear. Alan Houston was in a good mood and took the initiative to high-five everyone:
“The starting lineup loses rebounds, but our rotation shouldn’t lose points.”
In the first quarter, Alan Houston made 4 of 6, 1 of 2 from beyond the three-point line, and 2 of 2 free throws. He scored 11 points and showed a different vitality.
Li You didn't look at the technical statistics, but David Robinson's free throw made a deep impression on him. After changing into training clothes, he also joked in a low voice:
"Perhaps the opponent's free throw percentage will not exceed 50% tonight."
The easy scoring and fast-paced offense made the starting five feel happy. Even Oakley, who had two fouls, also had a smile on his face.
As Alan Houston expected, the Spurs' rotation struggled to score, but Starks scored consecutive points.
After hitting a chasing three-pointer in the counterattack, Starks roared and Popovich was forced to request another timeout.
The game lasted 4 minutes and 01 seconds, and the Spurs only scored 2 points. At this time, the fans' defensive cheers disappeared.
At 34:22, the score difference reached double digits.
Popovich thought he could defeat the Knicks inside with the twin towers, but David Robinson was in poor condition, and his aggressiveness continued to decline as the game progressed.
Instead of attacking hard in the paint, the shots will go farther and farther, and the free throws will be missed.
"The Spurs can't just rely on Duncan and Robinson to play. This will make the Knicks' defense smaller and smaller."
"After Lee reappeared, he easily scored points from the outside for three consecutive rounds. Avery Johnson may have to pay attention to the pursuit."
When Hubie Brown saw the Knicks team with multiple players scoring, he found it boring for a while. The Spurs had no tactical system and only had big men to work alone.
"This season is Popovich's first season officially coaching the Spurs. The addition of Tim Duncan has strengthened the team."
"But it seems they still need more time to adapt to each other."
Dick Stockton saw Duncan standing on the free throw line with consecutive singles and sighed secretly. He could only score by free throws.
At 25:18 in a single quarter and 52:38 after halftime, the Knicks entered the second half with a 14-point lead.
Duncan was still expressionless as he walked towards the tunnel. There was a problem with his preparation before the game, and he was completely blindsided in the first half.
After trustee Jeff Van Gundy returned to the locker room and saw everyone talking and laughing, he suddenly realized that Ewing's influence was not as great as he thought.
The team will lose rebounds, but with the current lineup, they will not be overwhelmed by the opponent.
The inside defense can't stand it, but it can recover quickly even if it loses 2 points.
Without Ewing on the offensive end, Li You can still drive others after attacking with the ball to open up the situation.
After adjusting his coat, Jeff Van Gundy adjusted his mood, came to the locker room, knocked on the whiteboard, and said with a smile:
"Great! We executed the game plan perfectly!"
"Keep this pace and don't relax in the second half. We will continue the record tonight!"
"."
In the second half of the game, the Spurs failed to make a comeback. David Robinson kept making free throws and Tim Duncan kept scoring on jump shots.
But the Knicks were +3 from time to time, and the point difference was always around 10 points.
Li You did not give the Spurs any chance and firmly controlled the rhythm of the game. With 2 minutes and 42 seconds left in the game, Popovich requested a timeout, changed to the atmosphere group, and announced defeat.
The fans who bought tickets specifically to watch the game booed wildly and boasted about the game for two or three days, and this is the result?
"Shhh!!"
The boos erupted by more than 30,000 people in the Alamodome made Popovich look ugly. The Spurs are not a three-point team, and they were taught a lesson by the Knicks tonight.
100:85, the atmosphere team on the stage did not relax. In the end, the Knicks defeated the Spurs.
In the TNT commentary box, Hubie Brown praised the Knicks after hearing the director's prompt:
"After the start of the 1997-98 season, the Knicks won 16 consecutive games, setting a new record!"
"In the absence of Patrick Ewing, the team played a different style of game again, and everyone took on the scoring task."
"Head coach Van Gundy made timely adjustments. I must commend him and the coaching staff for their performance!"
Dick Stockton glanced at the technical statistics and added cheerfully:
"About to turn 20 years old, Lee has become the core of the current Knicks team!"
"After watching this game, I will vote for him in this year's All-Star Game!"
"."
Tim Duncan made 9 of 15 shots, 5 of 8 free throws, 23 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 turnover;
David Robinson made 6 of 18 shots, 11 of 20 free throws, 23 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block and 3 turnovers.
At 37:44, the Knicks lost 7 rebounds, and the Spurs twin towers worked together to get 8 offensive rebounds.
Back in the locker room, Li You took one look and put the technical statistics aside.
In an unequal game, the Spurs were 1 of 3 from beyond the arc, a fatal flaw.
Since the next game will continue to fly away, but fortunately the opponent is the Mavericks who have lost consecutively since the beginning of the war, the coaching staff is also relieved.
Jeff Van Gundy has already seen the technical statistics:
8 of 17, 4 of 8 from beyond the three-point line, 4 of 5 free throws, 24 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and 1 turnover. The number of shots increased, and Li You's efficiency remained unchanged.
The bald marshal didn’t have any good guidance for this, so he could only continue to give out chicken soup after the game:
"Keeping this state, every time we win now, we are creating new history!"
"."
Without the Gorillas, the Knicks break records and the New York media is on a tear again!
On the morning of December 3rd, New York fans were a little confused when they saw "the strongest backcourt in the league" in the newspaper, but everyone soon agreed.
In the game against the Spurs, Alan Houston made 7 of 14, 2 of 5 from beyond the three-point line, and 4 of 4 free throws. He efficiently scored 20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 turnover.
Coupled with Li You's 24 points, the two scored 44 points together, almost half of the Knicks' points.
Two days ago, he was still shouting "Fight for Ewing", but then he turned around and created "the strongest backcourt in the league."
It’s amazing how fast you can get tired of the old!
Ewing, who was still recuperating in the hospital, was worried about the team's record at first, but after reading the newspaper, the gorilla was very angry.
Obviously, the New York media had been consuming him before. They deliberately sensationalized him in the past two days, but now they have forgotten him as soon as they turned around.
On the night of December 4th, the Knicks once again gave the Mavericks a big defeat.
106:90, less than three quarters, the Knicks easily clocked in.
The starting lineup performed steadily. Chris Childs made 7 of 11 from the bench and scored 16 points. Coupled with Starks' 13 points, the two supported the firepower of the rotation.
This was the first time Nelson met his old club after taking over the Mavericks.
For two consecutive games, the Knicks' number of possessions has increased to 84. This game rhythm is almost exactly the same as the current Mavericks.
Seeing the new Knicks, Nelson had mixed feelings. If he had persisted for another year, he would have been the one to succeed.
17 consecutive wins, the Knicks’ record continues!
On December 6, back at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks dominated the game on both ends of the floor.
At 79:104, the Knicks' five starting players all scored in double figures, once again defeating the Hornets.
Before the game was over, Madison Square Garden was already buzzing with excitement, and New York fans were happy to see their home team take center stage in the league.
The fans were extremely involved in tonight's game, and every goal made a huge noise.
Immediately after the game, Walter Fraser, wearing a gray formal suit, interviewed Li You again with a smile:
"18 consecutive wins, an incredible record! Lee, talk about the team's current state! Will we continue to win?"
Wearing the white training uniform of the home team, after hearing the question, Li You confidently answered:
"Of course! In the back-to-back games tomorrow night, we will still defeat our opponents!"
"Pat was injured, and everyone needed to take on more responsibilities. We did this. Just like Coach Van Gundy emphasized, we played for each other."
Mike Breen keeps smiling on his face. In back-to-back games tomorrow night, the Knicks will face the 76ers, who currently have 4 wins and 11 losses.
Taking into account the opponent's belly attributes, there is a high probability that the winning streak will continue:
"Can you talk about the team's perimeter offense? I noticed that our possession count has gone up a lot."
Upon hearing Mike Breen's inquiry, Li You smiled and briefly introduced:
"More running without the ball, more screening, and stretching the offensive space. In addition to outside shooting, Larry can also solve problems in the low post."
"The rebounds of Charles and Buck are the biggest guarantee for us to win. There are times when the pitchers are in poor condition, but no one will worry about it because the rebounds always belong to us."
Li You and the other three were laughing and boasting wildly on the sidelines. On the other side, Jeff Van Gundy had a complicated look on his face. He had lost control of the team again.
At the end of the game, the fans in Madison Square Garden were still cheering loudly, but Jeff Van Gundy felt dull at this moment:
"Whose team is this?"
On December 7th, the Knicks ushered in back-to-back games at home.
It happened to be Sunday, and tickets were in short supply again, and scalpers were all gone.
The 76ers led by head coach Larry Brown just experienced a big defeat.
In the first two days of the game, the 76ers were blown away by the Nets!
At 16:40, in the first quarter, the Nets scored 40 points.
In the end, the 76ers lost by a huge score of 88:107.
After the game, Larry Brown was blasted by the Philadelphia media.
The famous coach was hired to win the championship, but as a result, the team's record dropped to the top spot.
Allen Iverson was in a sluggish state after the start of the game, and Larry Brown had nothing to do about it.
In the game on the night of the 7th, Larry Brown also lost control of the team. Allen Iverson rushed hard after the start and kept scoring points.
But as the game progressed, the 76ers made more and more mistakes. By the fourth quarter, they were unknowingly trailing by 12 points.
With 3 minutes and 02 seconds left in the game, Larry Brown on the sidelines crossed his arms, shook his head slightly, and requested a timeout.
But after adjustments, the 76ers failed to respond on the defensive end, and ultimately lost the game silently.
93:105, the Knicks easily defeated their opponents and won 19 consecutive victories!
At 21:11, with similar rebounds, the 76ers paid the price for a large number of turnovers.
Smiling after winning the game, Li You didn't bother to pay attention to the gossip about Iverson and Larry Brown. When encountering a weak team, he just wanted to seize the opportunity and stably abuse him.
"Lee, here! Can you sign your name for me?"
"Will we continue to win? Lee, I want to see the team continue to win!"
"I'll wait for you at the hotel, Li, don't forget me!"
"."
On both sides of the player tunnel, New York fans screamed. After Li You quickly signed his autograph, he gave the red-haired tank a smile and quickly walked back to the locker room.
On December 8, the NBA announced the Player of the Week for the first week of December. Li You of the Knicks successfully won the award:
The Knicks have 4 wins and 0 losses this week. Li You played 35.3 minutes per game, averaging 24.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.2 turnovers per game;
He averaged 17.5 shots per game, shooting 47.1% from the field, 8.0 shots from outside the three-point line, 43.7% from three-point range, 5.3 free throws per game, and 90.8% free throw shooting.
Regardless of the strength of the opponent or the small data sample, the New York media collectively climaxed!
"180 Club, the league's No. 1 point guard!"
Thank you book friends for your subscription support (﹃)
It’s based on weeks, so I won’t know the word count~
(End of chapter)
