In the 1997-98 season, there were many anxious series in the first round of the playoffs.
In the Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers and Hawks came back home to make a comeback, leaving the game still in suspense.
The game between the Hornets and the Heat was beyond everyone's expectations. It was the Hornets who got the match point first.
In response, New York fans burst into laughter. After getting the match point against the Nets, everyone became more concerned about their opponents in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Compared with the difficult Heat team, New York fans and media naturally prefer to encounter the Hornets.
Although Glenn Rice is in explosive condition, the Knicks are indeed not afraid of this opponent.
Compared with the Heat's "iron-blooded" basketball, the Hornets' showmanship has been reduced by most.
On the night of April 29, the Knicks became the first team to advance to the semifinals this season.
114:99, after returning home, the Nets continued to lose, with a big score of 3:0, and the Knicks swept their opponents in the first round!
The Nets failed to find a chance and were suppressed throughout the game. The New Jersey fans who bought tickets to watch the game could only watch the New York fans cheering and celebrating at their home court.
In the post-game press release, no one cared about the Nets being eliminated.
The media is not interested in Cassel's injury either. After all, aliens look a bit special, but now is the era of looking at faces.
Li You and Ewing were sitting on the stage in formal attire. Most of the media were very concerned about the gorilla's injuries:
"In the Eastern Conference semifinals, Pat, will you officially come back? After returning to the team, will the Knicks stick to their current tactics?"
The ESPN reporter simply asked a question that the New York media has always been confused about.
Ewing enjoyed the feeling of being the center of attention again and replied quite confidently:
"If everything goes well in the Eastern Conference semifinals, then I will return to the team in the finals."
"Of course, if the team encounters difficulties, I will come back early and contribute my strength."
"As for the tactics, I don't think there is any problem. The Knicks are no different from the past. Last year we reached the Eastern Conference finals, and we are running better this year!"
The New York Times reporter immediately asked the question and changed the subject:
"Li, which team do you want to play against in the semifinals?"
Li You originally planned to fish on the sidelines. After hearing the question, he answered easily:
"No matter who the opponent is, the Knicks will win! We are number one in the league and have an absolute advantage in regular season games."
No one asked about the MVP award anymore, everyone seemed to already know the answer.
Li You thought this was very interesting. Last year, he made a random choice without respecting the data, and this year he was forced to compensate.
O'Neal and Karl Malone are both complaining about this matter. Whether it is record or data, McDunner has not crushed everyone this year. This consolation award is not convincing.
On April 30, the NBA announced this season's Rookie of the Year, and Tim Duncan won the award without any doubt.
Winning all the Rookie of the Month awards, this season, Tim Duncan crushed all players in his class.
Sweeping their opponents and advancing easily gave the Knicks a lot of rest time.
On May 3, fans and media in New York began to pay attention to the G5 between the Hornets and the Heat.
The big score is 2:2, one game will determine the outcome!
In the key game, former Knicks player Anthony Mason Jr. broke out completely, shooting 13 of 18 and scoring 29 points, 14 rebounds and 3 assists.
Glenn Rice maintained his efficient performance, shooting 11 of 23 and scoring 26 points again!
Mourning of the Heat also scored 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting, and Tim Hardaway contributed a game-high 33 points.
However, Jamal Mashburn made 1 of 9 and Woshan Leonard made 1 of 6. To reduce the number of rounds, the Heat's role players were all stretched.
In the end, at 91:85, the Hornets successfully counterattacked the Heat and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals!
Seeing the Hornets advance, some New York fans were happy but also felt sad. Anthony Mason Jr.'s performance was really not bad, and his physical condition seemed to be better than "Auntie".
Synchronized G5, 70:84, Drexler made 1 of 13 in the key game, Barkley was injured, and the Rockets' aging Big Three fell in the first round.
With a big score of 3:2, the Jazz successfully advanced to the Western Conference semifinals.
In addition to the SuperSonics, which eliminated the Timberwolves 3:2 before, all 8 teams in the Eastern and Western Conference semifinals are announced:
Hornets VS Knicks, Pacers VS Bulls;
Lakers VS SuperSonics, Spurs VS Jazz.
The Pacers and Bulls both eliminated their opponents 3:1, and the Eagles and Cavaliers in the second half did not cause much trouble to the two teams.
Larry Bird just won the best coach of the season not long ago, and he met Michael Jordan in the semifinals. Such a duel gave the media another chance to hype it up!
As for the game between the Hornets and the Knicks, most commentators gave the same answer:
"The Knicks will advance easily!"
The Hornets haven't won a game in the regular season. The Heat's role players may be stretched thin, but the Knicks are all soldiers.
On the morning of May 4, the Knicks had just finished their video session. Jeff Van Gundy, who was in a particularly beautiful mood, suddenly exclaimed to the coaching staff:
"Even God is helping us! We meet the Hornets in the semifinals. This schedule is perfect!"
Assistant coach Don Chaney once again praised Li You's performance in the last regular season game:
"Winning the Bulls, Lee changed the team's schedule. That victory was so crucial!"
"Imagine if we faced the Pacers in the semifinals and the Bulls advanced all the way!"
Thinking of such a schedule, Thibodeau on the side also sighed:
"That victory was really important. Now we can deal with our opponents calmly and the boys can continue to find their form."
Larry Johnson finished the video class and shouted excitedly:
"I will definitely make the Hornets look good this year! They made the wrong choice!"
He got excited when he met his old club. Alan Houston shook his head in a funny way, and then sighed:
"I thought I would meet the Heat, but I didn't expect this year's schedule to be so easy."
Realizing that his teammates didn't take the Hornets seriously, Li You didn't make a sound to remind him, but just casually joked:
"Larry, you are playing against Glenn Rice. The opponent was in very good shape in the first round. You saw it in the video session just now."
"Don't be overwhelmed by your opponents. The first two games are our home court."
Glenn Rice even played a 15-for-19 game. The All-Star ate the Heat's forwards alive!
The atmosphere team also followed suit. The experience of regular season matches made everyone understand that a team cannot be defeated by just relying on a single blast, but it was very interesting to make fun of the outdated "aunt".
Soon Larry Johnson began to complain in a low voice, remembering his 20+10 highlight moment, and the training hall was filled with a happy atmosphere.
Oakley didn't expect that this year's schedule would go so smoothly. As long as the old guy thought about the Bulls encountering the Pacers in advance, he would be in a particularly good mood:
"Pat, we really have a chance to make it to the Finals this year."
Ewing also felt that his opportunity had come. Olajuwon fell in the first round, and David Robinson and O'Neal might not be able to break out of the Western Conference. Thinking of this situation, Gorilla also grinned:
"It's our turn to win a championship!"
The two began to think about the future, and the more they chatted, the more excited they became. Starks on the side did not want to be disappointed, and just muttered in his heart:
"This is not the Knicks of the past"
On May 4, the semifinals officially started, and David Stern also came to the United Center to present the MVP trophy to McNuckle.
Winning the MVP for the fifth time in his career and lifting the Little Bronze Man trophy in front of the home fans, McDuck also smiled.
As for outside voices, Michael Jordan doesn't care. He is confident that he will defeat his opponents in the playoffs.
The Bulls dug a hole right after the game started, trailing by 6 points at 22:16 in a single quarter.
Fortunately, the Bulls broke out completely in the 3rd quarter and regained the lead.
The game was not decided until the final moment, with the Bulls narrowly defeating the Pacers 79:85.
Facing the Pacers' targeted defense, Michael Jordan made 11 of 28 shots and 9 of 10 free throws. He scored 31 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 5 steals.
The game was so tense because Pippen, the second best player in the game, made 1 of 9 shots and scored 4 points.
Fortunately, the Bulls grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and gained more offensive opportunities, and finally won the game.
Jeff Van Gundy and the coaching staff also paid attention to this game, and everyone was in a happy mood when they saw that the Bulls were spending a lot of money.
The bald young marshal secretly prayed to God:
"May the Pacers reach the Eastern Conference Finals!"
"."
On the night of May 4th, all the New York fans present at Madison Square Garden were shouting with joy.
In the second quarter of the game, Divac's low post shot was cut off by Oakley, who was assisting in defense.
After losing the ball, Divac had no time to complain. The old guy threw the ball to Li You on the left wing.
Along the left sideline, after receiving the ball, Li You kept accelerating with the ball in his left hand, and David Wesley, who reappeared, came up immediately.
The little point guard tried his best to delay Li You, but failed to notice that his teammate had a problem retreating.
Before he even got close to the midline, Li You threw the ball to Alan Houston, who was rushing across half court. The latter caught the ball and without slowing down, he took the ball and drove it straight to the basket!
Bobby Fiers, who retreated from defense, cursed secretly, and when he made a mistake, he was counterattacked. Realizing that he was out of position, he simply fouled in the paint.
"squeak!"
The referee immediately blew the whistle and pointed to the free throw line, indicating that Alan Houston had received two free throws.
Next to him, head coach Dave Cowens rubbed his brow helplessly and loudly reminded him not to foul, but it had no effect.
In the MSG commentary box, Walter Frazier could hardly hold his nerve any longer. The game was too easy. He chuckled and concluded:
"The Hornets completely lost the rhythm of the game in the second quarter, and too many mistakes in the half were the main reason why they fell behind!"
Li You stood outside the three-point line, nodded his head lightly with his left hand, and showed a teasing smile on his face, which immediately made everyone in the Hornets very angry.
In the first half of the game, the Hornets' big man Divac had the most assists inside.
Every time David Wesley organized an attack, Li You could guess the Hornets' offensive routine. As a result, the half-game was almost over. The little point guard only sent out one assist and was steals twice.
Two free throws were made steadily, Alan Houston breathed a sigh of relief, and the Hornets requested a timeout again.
At 32:39, with 4 minutes and 50 seconds left in the half, the Knicks widened the point difference to 7 points.
"Bobby Fiers did a good job on defense tonight, but after Houston made a few free throws, its shooting touch is also picking up!"
"It can be seen that the coaching staff has made full preparations for this game, and Li completely restricted David Wesley's performance!"
Commentator Mike Breen laughed and praised Li You's performance.
In the first half of the game, the Hornets frequently relied on Glenn Rice to score points. In addition, Anthony Mason Jr. was not feeling good, and the score was fixed at 32 points for more than 3 minutes.
After the timeout, Dell Curry came on the scene and replaced Bobby Fiers. The Hornets' intention was very obvious, which was to score points on the offensive end.
"Defense! Defense! Defense!"
The more they watched, the more excited they became. The New York fans at the scene immediately shouted loudly and continued to cheer for the home team's defense.
Li You observed the position of the Hornets players and noticed that Dell Curry on the right wing began to move towards the baseline, and immediately guarded David Wesley who was crossing half court.
Without giving the opponent a chance to move to the left flank, Li You began to consciously block the passing route.
Dell Curry, who had just slipped out of the baseline and bounced into the left block, saw his teammates being covered and did not stand still waiting for the ball. Instead, he continued to move and quickly reached the free throw line.
David Wesley, who was outside the three-point line, quickly half-turned to his right hand and quickly sent a diagonal pass.
The quality of the pass was not high, so Dell Curry, who was receiving the ball, made adjustments. The moment he took the shot, he was interfered by Alan Houston, who was chasing him.
"state!"
The basketball hit the back edge of the basket, Dudley inside blocked Divac, and Oakley got in front of Mason to protect the backboard.
When Li You caught the ball and rushed along the right sideline again, David Wesley could only desperately pursue him.
The right wing was close to the three-point line. Li You, who was holding the ball in his right hand, began to slow down. After lowering his center of gravity, he dribbled the ball under his hips twice in a row. His body swayed from side to side. After switching to his right hand again, he suddenly stepped sideways.
Before David Wesley could react after retreating from defense, Li You, who had found space, joined the ball on the right wing and made a quick jump shot!
Glenn Rice followed Larry Johnson and retreated to half court. When he came to the paint area and looked up, he saw the basketball hollow into the net.
The cheers of the New York fans at the scene could be heard in my ears. When he saw that his teammates did not even block the shot, Greg Rice was so angry that he cursed:
"What a damn game!"
At 32:42, the score difference reached double digits. Li You, who completed the transition attack, raised his arms with a smile and began to greet the fans at the scene, indicating that the noise should be louder.
"oh!!"
The happy New York fans immediately shouted excitedly, and the familiar score difference made everyone realize that victory was already waving to them!
When head coach Dave Cowens saw the 10-point difference on the sidelines, he couldn't stand it anymore and loudly reminded everyone on the court to pay attention.
He was very dissatisfied with David Wesley's defense this time, but he could only choose to trust him at this time.
When Glenn Rice received the ball on the left wing and hit a jump shot, the atmosphere team on the Hornets bench stared straight-eyed, watching Li You collect the long rebound and then rush through the half court.
Holding the ball in his right hand, Li You accelerated in a straight line from the middle and rushed into the paint against the retreating David Wesley.
Li You hugged the ball with his right hand and completed a big loop over his head. Li You twisted his body, crossed the ball and squeezed through the defense. After joining the ball, he rushed to the lower left side of the basket and succeeded in picking up the basket with his right hand!
David Wesley, who retreated from defense, was completely confused and subconsciously made a walking gesture to the referee.
Commentator Mike Breen was also stunned for a moment, and then praised loudly:
"It's so exciting! Lee completely bypassed the defender, his incredible ability to combine the ball! How did he do it?"
Madison Square Garden was completely boiling. Seeing Li You smile and retreat quickly, the noise became louder and louder.
The Hornets' offensive rhythm is getting faster and faster. This time Anthony Mason Jr. made a jump shot from the left elbow area, and Larry Johnson protected the long rebound.
Li You just caught the ball and accelerated along the left sideline. Before halftime, David Wesley was called for a defensive foul by the referee because of excessive defensive actions.
Seeing Li You standing on the free throw line, huge shouts began to ring out from the Madison Square Garden Arena:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
New York fans were very unhappy when Michael Jordan won the award. Tonight, many fans held up whiteboards with the words "Real MVP" to express their support for Li You.
On the bench, Ewing's smile froze. Such shouts have only belonged to him in the past few years. When he saw Jeff Van Gundy also laughing and applauding, the gorilla felt a little unhappy.
Li You made both free throws. In the last few minutes of the half, the Knicks' defense became more and more vigorous.
There was no request for a timeout, and the half ended quickly.
At 15:26 of the single quarter, at the end of the half, the score reached 38:52, and the Knicks had led by 14 points.
After the start of the second half, the Hornets were completely overwhelmed and went crazy on the offensive end. Continuous timeouts had no effect.
The New York fans at the scene just felt that the game time flew by quickly. The Knicks continued to launch transition attacks, and the score went up quickly.
At 10:27 of a single quarter, after three quarters, the score was fixed at 48:79.
On the Knicks bench, the atmosphere team was jumping up and down, shouting happily, and everyone fist-bumped Li You as he came off the court.
"This is really a wonderful game. Compared with the other semi-finals, I would like to praise Li's performance in the regular season again!"
"That 40+10 performance not only locked the Knicks in first place in the league, but also completely changed the playoff schedule!"
In the commentary box, Walter Frazier felt completely comfortable and couldn't stop playing.
When Mike Breen saw Li You sitting back on the bench, he also praised him:
"10 of 15, 4 of 5 from beyond the arc, 4 of 4 free throws, 28 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists. Lee had a perfect performance tonight!"
"While watching the game, I didn't even think he had missed a shot. It's unimaginable that he is only 20 years old!"
The two people in the commentary box automatically ignored the Hornets' defense and matchup situation, and blew Li You to the sky again.
Larry Johnson just felt that the game was enjoyable. Seeing that his old team had difficulty scoring 80 points, he covered his mouth with a towel and complained in a low voice to Li You beside him with a smile:
"Glenn Rice is seriously overrated and I totally froze him tonight!"
After the Hornets played on the road in Game 5, they flew to New York without stopping. After more than a day of rest, they played another Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Knicks took advantage of the schedule, but this was the playoffs. Li You automatically ignored these situations and followed the words of "Auntie" and praised with a smile:
"Come on, Larry! Keep this up, and the team will offer you a big contract!"
Larry Johnson was smiling broadly, and everyone on the bench was chatting and laughing. However, this scene made Ewing feel secretly jealous and secretly planning in his heart:
"Maybe I should come back early to find my form."
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(End of chapter)
