On December 22, 1997, Madison Square Garden also began to add Christmas elements.
Just like major department stores in New York changing their Christmas-themed windows, although the Knicks do not have a mascot, during halftime, staff also began throwing Christmas gifts to the audience.
At 25:56, after halftime, the New York fans at the scene were already in a frenzy. The Dallas Mavericks were blown away!
The jump shooting team is sometimes unreasonable. After more than a day of rest, Alan Houston, who regained his touch again, broke out in the half game.
“It’s great to see the lads getting back into shape ahead of the Christmas Day clash.”
"The last Christmas game was two years ago, when we unfortunately lost to the Bulls. We are playing at home this year. I hope we can provide a wonderful game for the fans!"
In the commentary box, Walter Frazier did not talk about the Christmas game that year in depth. After all, the Knicks did not reach the Eastern Conference Finals that season.
"The Bulls are not in good shape recently. General Manager Krause may send Pippen away before the All-Star Game. However, I believe McQueen will not agree."
"A lot of fans are concerned about this, but it's a good thing for the Knicks!"
"I believe New York fans would love to see the Bulls weakened!"
Commentator Mike Breen also took advantage of halftime to talk about the latest hot gossip.
The conflict between Pippen and the team finally reached the point of breaking out. The most conscientious second-in-command in the league publicly shouted:
"I've had enough of these disgusting trade rumors. Let's end this farce!"
"I never want to play for the Bulls again, I will never put on a Bulls jersey again!"
Pippen took the initiative to apply for a trade and made public announcements. Pippen's remarks made Lezi fans extremely happy. As Christmas approached, everyone followed suit.
Michael Jordan was still working hard to improve the team's record. Although he was very dissatisfied with the selection of his teammates, Michael Jordan didn't say anything and could only send chicken soup for the soul together with the head coach.
The two people in the commentary box kept gossiping, and everyone was laughing when they saw the Bulls' misfortune.
The huge point difference almost turned the second half into garbage time. Li You played half a quarter before being substituted.
The Mavericks no longer had any thoughts of chasing points. Everyone wanted to end the game early and go home for the holidays.
Without the Christmas Day War mission, the Mavericks can get three days of rest.
Throughout the second half, the New York fans who came to the scene kept cheering loudly.
In the end, the Knicks defeated their opponents 69:108 and won the last game before the Christmas game.
"On the 25th, we will usher in the 41st Christmas Day game in team history."
"The Knicks are the team that has played the most Christmas Day games in the league, and I'm sure the fans are very happy about that."
Walter Frazier continued to preview the upcoming Christmas Day battle, with a hint of pride in his tone.
From 1950 to 1987, the Knicks participated in the Christmas Day War for 38 consecutive years. This was the only one in the league, which was in sharp contrast to the Hornets who had never participated in the Christmas Day War.
Commentator Mike Breen smiled and added:
"This is also the first Christmas battle for Li in his career. I think everyone is looking forward to his performance!"
"."
The first time is always special. Although Li You didn't feel much about it, the New York media started to enjoy themselves again.
In the past, the Knicks' Christmas game record has been more losses than wins. The most impressive one is the 1984 Christmas game.
In the game against the Nets, New York's Bernard King scored 60 points, but still lost.
Everyone expects the Knicks to defeat the Bulls and get the last prize in 1997!
As Christmas approaches, Li You is getting busier and busier. He just watched The Big Boat with Milinda two days ago. The clichéd love movie moved the usually rational girl to tears and made her eyes red.
"You jump, I jump"
Basically every girl who watches the movie will chatter about this line.
While shopping on the street on the morning of the 23rd, Kristen Ritter, who had just celebrated her birthday two days ago, ignored the cold weather in New York, covered herself tightly, and happily pulled Li You across Fifth Avenue.
I saw the huge Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, and in the evening, I headed into the movie theater to watch The Ship of Hope.
I don’t know how many people in the cinema watched the movie repeatedly. As the memory in his mind became clearer, Li You really couldn’t be moved.
The little follower was so moved that he burst into tears when he finally saw "Jack" sinking to the bottom.
After "jumping" into her arms at night and experiencing a special first time, the girl also began to look forward to the future:
"If I were Rousi, I would jump in. God, the movie is so exciting! Li, will we always be together?"
Looking at the little follower who was lying on his body with a longing expression, Li You gently stroked his smooth back and drew a big pie very naturally:
"Of course, we will always be together and have a lovely child in the future!"
"."
On the morning of the 24th, Kristen-Litte said goodbye reluctantly. Her family had just moved to New York recently, and she had to go home to spend the holidays with her parents.
After struggling all night, Li You originally planned to take a rest today. After all, there is a game tomorrow, and the Christmas game at home cannot be missed!
As a result, when he saw the angry blond white rabbit in the afternoon, Li You tilted his head and knew that he would have to practice more tonight.
Ivana comes to Li You every now and then to go shopping. Ivana, who has a lot of pocket money, doesn't need supplies like a little follower.
Instead, the little girl took the initiative to spend money, and like Milinda, she added a lot of clothes to Li You's wardrobe.
He didn't go home on Christmas Eve, and Li You didn't ask about the other party's situation. It wasn't until dinner time that Ivana, who had changed into loose clothes, looked at Li You who was busy in the kitchen, and said in a low voice depressedly:
"My father's new girlfriend is only 3 years older than me! He even took her home!"
"."
Li You calculated silently, and said "a dedicated man" silently in his heart. He did not answer the call. After a while, he turned around and asked:
"Why don't you go to your friend's place? Tonight is Christmas Eve."
"They all want to see my jokes!"
Seeing the blond white rabbit whose anger level had increased significantly, Li You realized at this time that maybe the "new girlfriend" was still Ivana's superficial friend:
"Not only do I want to be your friend, but I also want to be your stepmother!"
On Christmas Day, the NBA has prepared two games for fans.
Bulls VS Knicks, Rockets VS Jazz.
The two teams that reached the finals last season both appeared on the Christmas Day battle stage.
It's just that unlike previous lineups, this year's Christmas game has fewer veteran stars.
Fans are well aware of the situation of the Bulls. Newspapers are gossiping every day that Pippen will be traded away soon. During the Christmas game, the conscientious second-in-command is still recovering from his injury.
Charles Barkley of the Rockets returned from injury, but Olajuwon was injured again. The three elderly players took turns to rest, and there were not many fits.
For the Knicks, Ewing was reimbursed for the regular season, and it was a rare Christmas Day game. The gorilla could only recuperate at home and watch the game in front of the TV.
Only the Utah Jazz has a complete lineup. Stockton is in very good shape after returning from injury. The power of Utah's double evil has not diminished, and the record has rebounded to 16 wins and 10 losses.
Before Christmas, the Bulls had a record of 3 wins and 0 losses, and Michael Jordan once again won the Player of the Week.
Averaging 30.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks, and 2.7 turnovers per game, coupled with a 47.1% field goal percentage, McQueen is currently in good shape.
It's just that the Bulls didn't give too many interviews before the game, which made the New York media itchy.
Everyone wants to rush to the locker room to interview Pippen. It would be even better if they could interview the big-mouthed Krause!
As a result, Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson did not cooperate at all. The two refused forcefully, which immediately made the media furious:
"It is the player's obligation to cooperate with the media in completing interviews!"
"OK! I have the final say in the Bulls, you can interview me!"
"."
If he failed to succeed, the New York media didn't look good on Maikou.
Everyone wanted to know more about the situation in the Bulls' locker room, but they found that Rodman, who had always been flamboyant, was also a lot more honest. This made many people whisper to themselves:
"Weak front office allowed Michael Jordan to take control of the team!"
After the players from both sides completed their appearance ceremony, Madison Square Garden was already boiling.
Two years later, they met their old rival again in the Christmas Day game. Just in time, the opponent's lineup was uneven. The New York fans who were present were fooled by the media and started to feel happy.
"Pippen's injury has allowed the Bulls to use more twin-tower lineups."
"Same as the previous regular season, Ron Harper and Michael Jordan are still paired in the backcourt tonight, and Dennis Rodman, Tony Cookic, and Luke Longley are on the inside."
In the MSG live commentary box, Mike Breen briefly introduced the Bulls' starting situation, and then Walter Frazier simply added:
"Veteran Buck Williams continues to start. In tonight's game, our rebounding will be greatly tested!"
During the final warm-up period, Michael Jordan was in a good mood and smiled and greeted everyone on the Knicks team.
The mess in the locker room did not affect Maidu's confidence, but after 2 minutes of the game, the smile on his face completely disappeared.
"Michael Jordan! A 16-foot jump shot! Charles protected the rebound toughly, and our chance is here!"
Commentator Mike Breen subconsciously raised his voice when he saw Li You rushing across the half court after catching the ball.
Cheers started to ring out again. Along the right sideline, Li You, holding the ball in his right hand, kept accelerating, while Harper was chasing after him with all his strength.
The Bulls' big man could only turn back and run. Li You, who advanced to the frontcourt, took a look at his teammates' follow-up, and then slowly slowed down.
The following Knicks team cleared one side and everyone ran to the left half, approaching the three-point line. Li You quickly lowered his center of gravity and then quickly in and out.
Swinging left and right, Li You, holding the ball in his right hand, pretended to accelerate and break through. While Harper slid to the left and back, he did not forget to pull concealed with his right hand.
It's just that Li You didn't choose to break through, deceiving the opponent's defensive center of gravity, and immediately dribbled the ball behind his back. The moment he switched to his left hand, he returned to the three-point line again, then quickly combined the ball, raised the ball and threw it!
"Whoa!" Convert a three-pointer and score again!
"Wow!"
Seeing Harper stuck in place, the New York fans at the scene shouted happily. In the commentary box, Walter Frazier also exclaimed:
"Unbelievable! Lee showed amazing shooting status after the opening!"
With 10 minutes and 01 seconds left in the first quarter, the Knicks scored an 8-0 run thanks to Li You's two conversion three-pointers and Larry Johnson's steal layup.
Phil Jackson couldn't sit still at this time. He walked to the sidelines and made tactical gestures to indicate that the ball should be hit inside.
The Bulls quickly responded. Longley hit the back from the low post on the left side, came to the basket, quickly turned towards the baseline, hit the board and put the basket successfully.
Compared with the Knicks' inside line, the Bulls have an absolute height advantage! Lifting the ball high, Buck Williams really couldn't do anything about it.
Fortunately, everyone was mentally prepared and quickly sent out the baseline ball. When Li You and Harper were struggling, everyone had already passed the half court.
Arriving at the top of the arc, Li You, holding the ball in his right hand, moved sideways to protect the ball, while Harper provided physical confrontation from his side while constantly cutting the ball.
Not paying attention to this defensive method, he noticed that Alan Houston quickly slipped across the baseline from left to right, and with the help of Oakley's cover, he immediately bounced to the right flank. Li You immediately sent a cross pass.
Perhaps he didn't expect Alan Houston to attack so resolutely. Michael Jordan, who was pursuing the defense, was a beat slow and only had time to block the shot, but it had no effect.
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net!
"oh!!"
The consecutive three-pointers completely ignited the atmosphere in Madison Square Garden, and the New York fans who were extremely devoted to this game shouted excitedly.
At 2:11, the Knicks continued to expand their lead.
Since he has to protect the rebound, the job of helping to defend against double teams falls on Li You.
When Michael Jordan caught the ball at the elbow on the left side of the free throw line, Li You at the top of the arc quickly shrank, and Alan Houston was behind him.
Facing the double-team defense of the two men, Michael Jordan, who received the ball, did not force the attack, but quickly returned the ball to Harper.
The latter did not choose to shoot after receiving the ball, but quickly released the ball, holding the ball in his right hand and breaking through smoothly, going straight to the basket!
Harper's breakthrough pick was eventually interfered by Buck Williams, and the ball knocked out of the frame. Longley grabbed the rebound and easily made up the ball.
"Shhh!!"
The Bulls scored easily, and there were boos everywhere. Phil Jackson saw that the team was on the right track, and sat back on the bench with a smile.
"Attack! Pay attention to the blocking position!"
Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines saw that the team started losing rebounds again and could only shout a reminder.
The Knicks' offense was flying. After Li You hit two consecutive three-pointers, Harper stayed close to him. All the pick-and-rolls and fake screens caused a huge delay for the Bulls.
Larry Johnson's hand-to-hand pass will also allow Rodman to cover and switch defenses, and cooperate with Harper to double-team.
But such an aggressive defensive approach soon allowed Larry Johnson and Oakley to score easily in a row.
This time it was Rodman's big delay again. Li You, holding the ball in his left hand, quickly moved to the left at the top of the arc, simply pulling the defense.
When the two were about to form a siege, Li You suddenly turned around and quickly returned the ball to the "aunt" at the top of the arc.
Larry Johnson didn't hesitate at all. After catching the ball, there was no one in front of him, and he immediately shot a jump shot from outside the three-point line!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net.
"Nice goal! Larry responded from the outside!"
Commentator Mike Breen sounded a little surprised. The Knicks' three-pointers tonight were too fierce.
After making a three-pointer, Larry Johnson immediately grinned and fist bumped with Li You who retreated from defense.
"Auntie" wasn't stupid either. The Bulls attacked two big men in the paint. Longley defended from the start. Kukic also tried his best to stay in the penalty area and let Oakley make a mid-range shot.
This situation was anticipated before the game, and the best solution is to kill the opponent from the outside!
In the subsequent game, Michael Jordan tried his best to share the ball after the game, and the Bulls rushed for offensive rebounds.
After the Knicks lost consecutive rebounds, they were robbed and became angry. Oakley and Larry Johnson stopped grabbing rebounds and got stuck in a wrestling style, allowing Li You and Alan Houston to go inside to collect the rebounds.
With 4 minutes and 02 seconds left in the first quarter, Michael Jordan turned over and shot a fadeaway jumper from Alan Houston in the left block.
"state!"
The rebound popped up, and Larry Johnson and Rodman both fell to the ground just below the left side of the basket.
On the lower right side of the basket, Oakley and Buck Williams held on to Cookch and Longley. Li You got in front of Harper and collected the rebound in the paint area directly in front of the basket.
After taking control of the ball, Li You turned around and immediately accelerated with the ball in his left hand.
On the other side, Alan Houston, who had just been stuck with Michael Jordan, was also rushing forward.
The four people quickly rushed across the center line. Michael Jordan saw Alan Houston stopped on the right wing and could only stop.
But Li You, who was holding the ball in his left hand, did not slow down. He came to the paint area against Harper's defense and immediately rushed into action with three big steps!
Harper did not lose his defensive position and jumped up. The two faced off in the air. Li You tilted his body and grabbed the ball with one hand with his left hand. He tried hard to get out of the way and just before landing, he casually threw the ball to the basket!
"squeak!"
"Bang!"
The ball went in at the buzzer, and the basketball hit the board high and fell into the basket accurately.
Li You lost his center of gravity and almost fell into the street. He turned around and saw the basketball entering the frame, and then he pumped his fist in celebration without expression.
Teammates who had just passed the halfway point also stepped forward to pat Li You, and cheers resounded throughout the stadium again.
When Li You stood on the free throw line, the New York fans at the scene could no longer hold back and shouted with joy:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
Li Youjia made a solid free throw, and Madison Square Garden was boiling again.
At 12:21, Li You's 2+1 widened the point difference again.
Although the accelerating Knicks were also able to hit the iron, they still withstood the Bulls' rush for rebounds.
At the end of the first quarter, Michael Jordan scored his first sports goal of the game.
The Knicks have blossomed more at this time, and Starks, who just came on as a replacement, also scored.
At 16:28, the first quarter ended, and the Knicks had a 12-point lead.
"Lee's performance was outstanding, with 11 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists, and no mistakes. He completely activated the team's offense."
Commentator Mike Breen looked at the technical statistics and immediately started calling, leading by a big score, which also made Walter Frazier say inflated:
"The Bulls have no chance. With a double-digit lead, the Knicks haven't lost yet this season!"
4 of 7, 2 of 4 from beyond the arc, and 1 of 1 free throws. Li You on the bench was quite satisfied with his performance. His improved explosiveness made it easier for him to face Harper.
"I have long said that we should play like this. If we fall into positional offense, the Bulls will always control the rhythm."
"Without Pippen, the number of transition offenses will be reduced. We will definitely win tonight!"
Larry Johnson wiped his sweat and didn't have to chase down the dunk. He simply wrestled with Rodman. "Auntie" felt that this job was not difficult. After all, he could let the opponent make a mid-range shot.
Larry Johnson's words also made Alan Houston nod in agreement.
In the first quarter, he scored 1 of 6 dunks and only scored 2 points. If the opponent hadn't grabbed 5 offensive rebounds, he felt that the Bulls would have lost more:
"Without Pippen, the Bulls are counting on Kukic on the outside, which is a good thing for us."
When he heard his teammates discussing the game, Li You didn't say anything, but he also had a relaxed look on his face.
The league's most conscientious second-in-command is still very important to the Bulls. He can provide help on both offense and defense and reduce the burden on McDonough.
It's just that internal strife is also part of the game. In tonight's Christmas game, the Knicks are going to hit hard!
Jeff Van Gundy was afraid of being beaten by the opponent, so he put on Ben Wallace and Chris Dudley at the beginning of the second quarter. After the two came on the court, they had no other task than to protect the rebounds.
Ben Wallace was so excited to be able to play in the Christmas game, and he made a fierce grab after coming on the field.
The Bulls' backup big man, Joe Klein, didn't pay attention to this undrafted pick. Three minutes into the game, he missed two backcourt rebounds.
Phil Jackson frowned, considering the huge point difference, and took Longley early.
Langley was in very good shape tonight, scoring 6 points on 2-of-3 shots in the first quarter, and showed no mercy when he came on early.
It's just that the Knicks' bench is also dominated by jumpers. Starks always performs well when encountering a tailwind.
During the time when Michael Jordan came on the stage early, Starks also scored consecutive goals. The two sides exchanged blows for several minutes, which made the New York fans at the scene roar.
Michael Jordan was on the right side of the block, playing Starks with a back-up, turned around on the baseline, and succeeded in a fadeaway jumper.
Looking back, on the right wing, Starks used Chris Dudley's screen to get rid of Cole's pursuit and responded from outside the three-point line.
For a while, the two sides played lively, scoring consecutive points in half the game. When the Knicks' main lineup returned, the firepower continued.
The Bulls rushed for rebounds while the Knicks continued to block, trying to get Li You and Alan Houston to advance with the ball.
Both sides tried hard to pull the other into their own rhythm of the game, but in the end the Bulls were forced to follow suit. At 28:28 in the single quarter, the Knicks continued to play an efficient offense.
At 44:56, a 12-point difference made the noise in the Madison Square Garden Arena grow louder and louder.
Michael Jordan, who suddenly found his touch in the second quarter, was strong again in the second half. Without Pippen, the Knicks could boldly double-team with confidence.
The sudden increase in the intensity of the game immediately caused the Bulls to make consecutive mistakes, and several cooperation inside and outside the ball eventually ended in dropping the ball.
Encountered a double team again, Michael Jordan gave the ball to Cole, who came on as a substitute, and the latter caught the ball at the top of the arc!
The long rebound was collected by Li You again. In order to destroy the transition attack, Cole was forced to commit a tactical foul.
"Shhh!!"
The fans at the scene booed and resumed the attack. Li You advanced to the left, Oakley raised the screen, and the old guy successfully delayed Cole who was pursuing the defense.
Kuqi was a step too slow to help defend, but he watched Li You break away from the defense with the ball in his left hand, and made a sudden jump shot from outside the three-point line!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net!
Phil Jackson's face looked a little ugly on the sidelines, +2 but failed to withstand +3
Seeing Li You raise his left arm and quickly retreat with three fingers raised, the cheers became louder and louder, and Madison Square Garden entered a state of frenzy.
With 2 minutes and 12 seconds left in the third quarter, Alan Houston received the ball from the right wing outside the three-point line. After a feint, he broke through smoothly and finally faced Michael Jordan in the blocking area and scored a pull-up jumper. .
Such a goal made the New York fans at the scene shout wildly, and the cry of "Fak Giodan" rang out again.
After stacking several layers of anger buffs, Maiduo stopped passing the ball again and took consecutive shots and penalties, scoring another 10 points.
At 21:26 in a single quarter, after three quarters, it was 65:82. The Knicks had led by 17 points.
In the last quarter of the game, Michael Jordan played with a face for 6 minutes. Seeing that the point difference was not narrowing, Phil Jackson simply changed to the atmosphere group.
Michael Jordan only rested for three minutes in the second quarter, and the coaching staff was worried about an injury to his only thigh.
"Tonight's Knicks team reminds me of the Knicks in the 1970s. Even though we didn't have an advantage in the paint, we still successfully defeated the defending champion!"
Although the game is not over yet, Walter Frazier in the commentary box has already begun to celebrate the victory.
Commentator Mike Breen noticed that Li You was still on the court and said with a smile:
"Lee's performance tonight was so good. Whenever the Bulls got going, he could always respond from beyond the three-point line!"
"Oh! We are going to witness the birth of a new record tonight!"
Ben Wallace, who had just appeared, blocked a rebound, allowing Li You to catch the ball easily. At this time, the New York fans at the scene also cheered.
Although it was not a goal, everyone knows that Li You set a new record again!
"31 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal and 2 turnovers. Tonight we witnessed a triple-double in the Christmas game!"
"Congratulations to Lee too. At 19 years and 359 days old, he became the youngest player in NBA history to have a triple-double!"
No one cared about the details. Commentator Mike Breen introduced it with a smile. The two people in the commentary box were already in high spirits.
In 37 minutes of playing time, he made 11 of 23 shots, 5 of 11 from behind the three-point line, and 4 of 5 free throws. Li You added a protruding hand and was still efficient.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
When Li You was substituted, MVP shouts rang out again in Madison Square Garden.
On the Bulls bench, Michael Jordan was in a good mood. He chewed gum and watched Li You fist-bumping with the Knicks without saying a word.
The boss is angry again. This season, McQueen has implemented a high-pressure strategy on the training ground. The atmosphere team does not dare to speak out. They just hope that they will not be a doormat during training.
At the end of the game, the score was fixed at 90:104, winning the Christmas battle, and huge cheers erupted from the scene again!
Li You, who had already changed into training clothes, smiled and hugged everyone on the Bulls team. The relationship between the two teams was actually not bad, and they also had fun together off the court.
Michael Jordan kept a straight face and said nothing, but after Li You hugged him, he suddenly joked in a low voice:
"Black Jesus? Merry Christmas!"
"."
The triple-double record in the Christmas game brought the New York media to a collective climax. They took advantage of this opportunity to canvass for Li You like crazy.
As the All-Star Game is approaching, the Knicks, as the host, naturally hope that someone can win the vote. This is also a frequently mentioned issue at the post-game press conference:
"It's a huge honor to be selected as an All-Star and I would just like to thank every fan for their vote."
Li You, who was in a good mood, automatically ignored the nonsense and simply gave his own response.
"Li, what did you and Mike talk about after the game? You seemed to have a very happy chat. Can you tell me something?"
Li You suddenly thought of Maikou who was laughed out of anger, straightened the microphone, and immediately said with a smile:
"McKen sent Christmas greetings and thanked him for his encouragement. The future indeed belongs to young people!"
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(End of chapter)
