On June 1, 1998, the New York fans present at Madison Square Garden witnessed an outrageous record.
When the Jazz only scored 31 points at halftime, they only scored 14 points in the third quarter.
After three quarters, 45:75, the Knicks already led by 30 points.
The fans at the scene had already begun to celebrate the victory crazily, but in the last quarter, the Jazz gave another big gift.
At 9:21 of the single quarter, despite trying their best on the defensive end, the atmosphere team coming off the bench was still working hard.
In the end, 54:96, the Knicks defeated the Jazz and got a good start in the finals.
Not only were the New York fans dumbfounded, but Bob Costas, Doug Collins, and Isiah Thomas also looked at each other in the NBC commentary box.
We had an awkward chat during the game, and I didn’t know what to say after it was over.
"With 54 points, the Jazz set a record for the fewest points scored in the Finals."
"The 42-point difference is also the largest point difference in the finals. Coach Sloan should probably get a rotation later. Congratulations to the Knicks for winning the first game."
After Bob Costas heard the prompt from the director, he immediately summarized the game briefly. Doug Collins looked at the technical statistics and sighed:
"No player on the Knicks played more than 30 minutes. They were in hot shape tonight and performed very well on the defensive end."
Played in the third quarter, played 28 minutes, made 7 of 12, 3 of 4 from beyond the three-point line, 4 of 4 free throws, 21 points, 3 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals and 1 turnover.
Li You played "Stockton-style" data tonight.
A victory that was beyond everyone's expectations, which made the New York fans at the scene ecstatic. After the game ended, NBC reporter Jim Gray also interviewed Li You for the first time:
"Incredible victory, Lee, can you talk about how you limited your opponents? This is the craziest finals I have ever witnessed!"
Affected by the heated atmosphere at the scene, Jim Gray also subconsciously raised his voice. Noticing the excited look on the reporter's face, Li You shrugged and replied easily:
"This is our desire to win. In the finals, everyone will take more responsibility. Tonight, we were the better team."
"But the finals also start with an away win. We are already ready for G2!"
"."
Jeff Van Gundy never expected that the game would end like this. When he saw the huge score difference in the 4th quarter, he almost doubted his life:
"Iron-blooded coach, is this the level?!"
The bald young coach smiled brightly after the game. When he shook hands with Sloan and greeted him, he almost stopped shaking. Just seeing the ugly look on the famous coach's face made him feel completely comfortable.
Everyone in the Knicks was smiling when they won, but the Jazz, who lost, had no MMP.
Karl Malone and Stockton still looked bitter and bitter, and it seemed that losing by 42 points was acceptable.
Before the start of the finals, the New York media made a gimmick of a duel between old and new point guards. Before the game, Li You also expressed respect for Stockton.
I thought it would be a close matchup, but Stockton was blown away by Li You tonight.
Played 27 minutes, 1 of 4, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal and 5 turnovers. Stockton's performance was naturally ridiculed by the New York media after the game:
"John, the Jazz made 25 turnovers tonight. Does this mean that the two sides are not at the same level of strength?"
Reporters from the New York Post usually lead the charge, and even more so when they win a big victory.
Stockton on the stage took a look at the technical statistics and the number of turnovers, and responded calmly:
"There are indeed too many mistakes. In the next game, we will control the mistakes. Although we have lost a lot, the series has just begun."
Karl Malone didn't show much emotion either. He made 8 of 11 shots, 6 of 6 free throws, 22 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 6 turnovers.
This muscular man also tried to play more roles in the game, but the Knicks' basket defense was not as gentle and harmless as the Lakers', and all internal passes failed.
Faced with questions from the media, Karl Malone only responded calmly:
"You can report whatever you want, but we have found the key to winning, and the Jazz will win the series!"
The Utah duo was paralyzed throughout the press conference, as if it was not the Jazz that lost by 42 points. This performance made the New York media furious.
In the newspaper on the second day, the title of "Parallel Import MVP" was once again attributed to Ma Long.
TNT and ESPN did not give the Jazz a good look. It is rare for both parties to have the same view:
"The ugliest finals in NBA history!"
There is only one day left for the Jazz to adjust. At 21:00 on the 3rd, G2 will officially start.
After winning the game by a big score, the New York media praised Ewing again.
5 of 11, 4 of 6 free throws, 14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 2 turnovers, an efficient double-double. After reading the newspaper in the morning, Ewing found that he had become the league's number one center.
In the morning video class, Ewing was in a good mood. Victory can indeed cover up a lot of things.
No one cares that the stability of his low-post and mid-range jump shots has declined, and no one cares that he has lost his core style of play.
"There is no need to double-team, we just need to defend one-on-one. Malone always likes to catch the ball in the low post on the left side, and Pat can stay inside."
"At most, let him get free throws. Larry pays attention to Russell's shooting. They always like to move the ball to the weak side. He will not always be iron. Give him a confrontation and release the ball to guard his right hand."
Li You's words brought Ewing back to his senses. At this time, the gorilla realized his identity as a tool man again, and he felt complicated for a while.
"The opponent will definitely make adjustments. They will no longer use a big center. Malone may play at the 5th position. Charles, I need cover in the next game."
"You know, I don't want to take advantage of Ma Long's elbow. If I can't defend myself in a few rounds, this guy will show off his elbow!"
Li You was laughingly reminding his teammates what to pay attention to in the next game. Oakley was also swollen to the sky at this time and immediately responded:
"If we weren't too far ahead, I would have let him look good in the last game. Don't worry about that weakling who only knows how to dive!"
Oakley was bragging, and the atmosphere team also started to flatter him:
"Yes, Charles can beat the shit out of Malone!"
"Let's beat them by another 50 points! The Jazz are a bunch of wimps!"
"."
Jeff Van Gundy, who was hanging up on the sidelines, saw the morale-boosted players and was speechless for a moment.
Li You didn't need their guidance at all. He played the game extremely calmly. He could give clear feedback on some details on the court without watching the video replay.
The coaching staff didn't say anything, and Li You didn't care. He had no interest in playing old man basketball with the opponent. In many rounds, it was just one-on-one on the wings in transition offense.
Tired of running, they fell to the position to attack, and the Knicks also finished quickly. As long as there are no problems with rebounding, it is easy to play 80+ rounds.
At the end of the video session, everyone in the Knicks team felt that the game was stable, with metaphysical psychological bonuses and inexplicable confidence.
Thibodeau noticed that Jeff Van Gundy hung up the whole time, and only a few assistant coaches followed Li You to explain the routine to everyone:
"Jeff, don't you want to say a few words? Let me remind everyone that now it feels like we believe in our own strength too much."
Hearing Thibodeau's whispered reminder, Jeff Van Gundy came to his senses completely, cleared his throat, and then clapped his hands in a pretentious manner:
"Very good! We played a perfect game, keep it like this, don't be careless, we have to protect our home court!"
Everyone agreed casually, and then left chatting and laughing to prepare for a lunch break. Thibodeau looked at the somewhat embarrassed Jeff Van Gundy and comforted him in a low voice:
"Everyone has heard your advice. Confidence is a good thing!"
"."
On June 3, before the start of G2, most football commentators’ predictions were one-sided.
The Knicks also have a lot of pick-and-rolls. Li You is extremely aggressive and shows two different playing styles from Stockton.
In general, in the G1 game, the Knicks played a stronger pick-and-roll.
The Bulls were defeated by the three-pointer with the ball, and the Jazz seemed to be unable to withstand it at the moment. At this time, the media also followed suit and shouted:
"Knicks championship!"
New York fans don't care whether the finals are exciting or not. They just want to abuse them every time and award awards directly.
The enthusiastic fans still entered the venue early. Since there were three consecutive away games behind them, many people simply held up slogans:
"Knicks in Four!"
This game may be the Knicks' last game in New York, and Spike Lee quickly invited Denzel Washington and several major characters from the "Singles" crew to watch the game.
At the beginning of May, "One Up" had just been released, and Li You, like other stars, had a small cameo role in the movie.
As the lead actor, Ray Allen's main job this month is to promote the movie, and he also sat in the front row with the crew tonight.
During the final warm-up, Li You also greeted the leading actors.
Spike Lee was pulling the gorilla to whisper, while Denzel Washington smiled and bumped fists with Li You:
"It's a pity that I don't like to go to Salt Lake City to watch games. Otherwise, I will definitely go to the next few games to cheer you on."
There is a big age difference between the two, but there is no generation gap. At this time, Li You began to boast confidently:
"That's such a pity, the game really can't go back to New York!"
The two laughed and hugged again. On the other side, Rosario Dawson was chatting with Ray Allen.
This girl from a low-class background in New York seems to prefer big boys like Ray Allen, and is not interested in Li You, who has a somewhat gloomy temperament.
Milla Jovovich had just married the great director Luc Besson. Dressed in simple jeans and a T-shirt, she looked a little aloof. She gave Li You a phone call gesture and stopped saying anything.
The atmosphere in Madison Square Garden became more and more lively. After Spike Lee finished chatting with Ewing, he turned around and shouted to Li You:
"I will go to Salt Lake City to watch the game. I don't have to go back to New York. We just want to sweep our opponents!"
Karl Malone on the side seemed to hear this arrogant boast and immediately glared in this direction.
In the NBC commentary box, after receiving the Jazz's starting lineup, Doug Collins kept shaking his head, and finally said categorically:
"Karl Malone and Adam Keefe partner in the paint. I am not optimistic about such a combination!"
"Perhaps the pick-and-roll defense will be better, but with the reduced height, the Knicks gain more rebounding advantages."
Isiah Thomas was also smiling at this time, following the Knicks:
"We have huge advantages both inside and outside. If I were to coach this Knicks team, they would frequently launch pick-and-rolls after the start and consume Karl Malone."
"Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks!"
Amid the cheers of the fans at the scene, the players from the two teams came to the center of the field. The referee threw the basketball up, and Ewing easily moved the ball to his own half.
Stockton still did not lead the defense, and the Jazz quickly completed the defensive matchup.
When Li You came to the left wing, Ewing and Oakley both sank to the left and right near the baseline.
It seemed that he wanted Ewing to attack in the low post. Stockton took a step back and tried to interfere with Li You's passing route.
Alan Houston saw that Li You did not initiate a pick-and-roll, and immediately gestured to Larry Johnson.
When Stockton moved back, Li You did not move unnecessarily and quickly dribbled the ball behind his back. After switching to his right hand, he immediately lowered his shoulders and accelerated.
Keep sliding to the left and back, Stockton did not lose his defensive position. When the two came to the left elbow, Larry Johnson happened to provide an off-ball screen to Alan Houston on the wing.
Li You, who broke through with his shoulders, did not force the attack. When Alan Houston broke away from the defense and moved to the right wing, he immediately sent a pass while traveling.
After catching the ball, there was no one in front of Alan Houston to defend him. He ignored Hornasser who was chasing him on his side. After catching the ball, he picked it up and threw it away!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net!
He hit a three-pointer at the beginning, and the New York New York crowd was so excited that everyone started shouting desperately:
"Defense! Defense! Defense!"
After receiving the ball at the baseline, Stockton was led by Li You. After quickly rushing through the center line, he began to protect the ball sideways.
Li You didn't cut the ball. He glanced behind him and saw Karl Malone and Adam Kiefe making a cross screen under the basket. He immediately knew that the opponent would most likely choose to pass the ball.
Sure enough, after Malone got into position, Stockton lobbed the ball to the opponent.
After completing the pass and quickly sliding across the baseline from left to right, Stockton led Li You to the right wing outside the three-point line.
At the same time, Brian Russell began to move to the left wing, serving as Malone's outside connection point.
Oakley was hitting Malone behind him at this time, and as the opponent leaned on him, he gradually got closer to the basket.
Li You, who was following the defense, noticed that Adam Feiki on the inside suddenly made an off-ball screen for Stockton, and immediately realized that the opponent had a high probability of hitting Stockton.
When Malone approached the paint with his back, Stockton moved quickly and came to the right wing outside the three-point line.
Li You seemed to be a step slower when chasing after him, but when Malone threw the ball toward Stockton, Li You suddenly accelerated, jumped high, and blocked the ball close to the three-point line.
Stockton, who was still waiting for the ball with open hands, saw Li You steal the ball and rushed to defend against the delay.
The opponent's feet moved, and Li You, who released the ball with his right hand, took advantage of the situation and completed a large circle of the ball behind his back.
"oh!!"
The wonderful steal, coupled with the 1 on 1 in the frontcourt, excited the fans at the scene and shouted.
Li You grabbed the ball again with his left hand, and Li You immediately accelerated and rushed forward. Stockton, who was out of position defensively, subconsciously pulled him. As a result, he was staggered and completely lost his defensive position.
After passing the half court, Li You was 1 on 0. When he came to the paint area, he immediately took off, grabbed the ball with his right hand and succeeded in gliding and dunking!
"Wow!"
Amid the cheers of the fans, Li You smiled. When retreating, he nodded his head with his right hand to remind the opponent to use his head to play ball.
There was a mistake in the first cooperation. Although Stockton was expressionless, he stepped up the physical confrontation when Li You led the defense.
Before halftime, the two collided several times. Instead of attacking in the low post, Malone immediately stepped up and the Jazz once again started a familiar pick-and-roll.
At the elbow area on the left side of the free throw line, Malone moved. Stockton, who had been protecting the ball sideways, now held the ball in his right hand and passed Malone's right side.
After completing the screen, Malone immediately moved laterally. Oakley did not choose to delay, but followed Malone to complete the pursuit.
Stockton returned the ball very quickly. While leading Li You by half a body, he immediately sent a ground pass.
When Oakley saw Malone catching the ball, he immediately raised his right hand in an attempt to interfere. Malone quickly took a test step with his right foot after catching the ball, and then immediately shot a pull-up jumper!
"Whoa!" The two-point ball hit the net.
"Shh!"
Karl Malone scored a goal in a sports match, and the crowd was booed.
Oakley didn't care about the long two-point jumper, and the Knicks continued to serve baseline balls quickly.
Adam Keefe, who started tonight, saw Ewing moving to the three-point line at the top of the arc, and his scalp went numb for a moment.
After Li Youyun passed halftime, he immediately started a high pick-and-roll with Ewing.
Holding the ball with his left hand, he felt that Stockton was still chasing behind him. Facing Adam Kife who switched to the front of him, Li You suddenly accelerated and forced a breakthrough.
Adam Keefe was caught off guard and could only slide back and right as hard as he could.
Just when the two Jazz players were about to block Li You at the left elbow, Li You flicked his left wrist and easily sent the ball away.
Ewing, who was following the ball, received a ground-breaking pass in the paint, and faced Karl Malone who came up from defense and completed the throw immediately.
"Whoa!" He succeeded in eating the cake in the paint area.
At 2:7, after the opening, the Knicks played a smooth offense again.
Bob Costas saw clearly from the commentary box that Li You's timing of the ball was just right:
"It's really unbelievable that Li is not yet 21 years old, but he performed outstandingly on the stage of the finals!"
Doug Collins watched the Jazz's offense turn into a low-post attack again, and couldn't help but make two comments:
"The Jazz should reduce some of these low-post attacks. Once Malone moves to the basket, there is a high possibility that mistakes will occur."
As soon as he finished speaking, Malone, who received the ball in the low post on the left, continued to hit the ball and then turned towards the baseline. As a result, Ewing completely caught him in this attack.
With the two of them surrounded, Malone didn't even have room to get out of the ball, so he tried hard to get rid of the defense, and finally hit the ball angrily under the basket!
Ewing grabbed a rebound again, and Stockton was well prepared, delaying Li You's reception immediately.
But this time it was Alan Houston who advanced, and everyone in the Knicks accelerated and rushed through half court.
Li You did not skimp on his physical fitness. After crossing the half court, he immediately moved towards the baseline, then quickly slipped across the baseline from left to right.
Coming to the right side near the baseline, Li You bounced out, but still couldn't get rid of Stockton. He made an arc and crossed the line again.
Oakley provided an off-ball screen to Li You on the left side of the free throw line, briefly delaying Stockton's pursuit.
On the left defensive wing, Li You easily received Alan Houston's cross pass. Facing Stockton who was chasing him again, he didn't waver and made a crisp drift jumper from outside the three-point line!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net!
At 2:10, less than 3 minutes into the game, the Knicks easily expanded the point difference.
On the Knicks bench, the atmosphere team shouted happily along with the fans. Such an easy game made everyone eager to try.
Being able to appear on the stage of the finals is an incredible achievement.
Head coach Jerry Sloan on the sidelines naturally saw that Stockton could not keep up with the rhythm on the defensive end, so he had no choice but to signal Howard Ellis to warm up in advance.
The Jazz's offense also became simple and crude, still using a pick-and-roll. Karl Malone received a pass from Stockton at the right elbow of the free throw line and hit another shot!
The game quickly entered the rhythm of the Knicks. In addition to face-to-face jump shots, Karl Malone asked for the ball in the low post. As long as it reaches the basket, he will be double-teamed immediately.
With 6 minutes and 18 seconds left in the first quarter, Malone reached the lower right side of the basket. This time Ewing did not double-team in time, but after feinting under the basket, Oakley completed a powerful cut.
As soon as the ball was released, Oakley, who had quick eyes and quick hands, immediately controlled the ball, and then quickly threw the ball to Li You on the right flank.
Everyone on the Jazz team heard Sloan's loud reminder and quickly retreated. Li You chased the opponent's butt and rushed across the half court. When he came to the right wing, everyone on the Knicks team pulled away at once.
Stockton kept disturbing Li You, who was protecting the ball from his side. The two came to a position close to the right sideline, and the fans in the front row began to cheer loudly.
Blasting the ball on the spot, Li You, who had been protecting the ball sideways, pretended to turn around, picked up the ball with his right hand and accelerated the breakthrough.
Taking advantage of Stockton's sliding step to the left, Li You, who broke through to the right blocking area against the defense, immediately crossed and pulled back.
The sudden emergency stop allowed Li You to easily get space to take action.
Before Stockton could jump to block the shot, Li You quickly gathered the ball, leaned back slightly, and shot a jump shot!
"Whoa!" A solid hit from mid-range!
Head coach Jerry Sloan immediately requested a timeout. At 8:16, the Knicks' offensive success rate was too high, and the Jazz bench was silent.
Isiah Thomas felt that the atmosphere at the scene was getting more and more exciting, and couldn't help but complain a few words about the Jazz's performance:
"They have to activate their role players. Karl Malone alone can't beat the Knicks."
Hornacek was very active after the opening, but Alan Houston's defense rate is extremely high. The shooter still cannot find his shooting touch.
Walking to the bench, Li You had a relaxed smile on his face. No matter how fierce Malone's elbow was, it was useless, he could solve the problem on the outside.
Jeff Van Gundy is smiling again. Although he has entered trusteeship mode, the bald young coach has become accustomed to this way of playing.
"Charles pay attention to fouling and don't foul Malone too early!"
"We have to protect our number of fouls. Some offenses are acceptable."
At Jeff Van Gundy's reminder, Oakley, who had been competing with Malone at the beginning, nodded. The opponent scored 3 goals in a row at the beginning. The old guy felt that he had lost face.
The Jazz quickly carried out personnel rotation, Howard Ellis replaced Stockton, and center Greg Foster also came off the bench.
The change of formation after the opening was not successful, and Adam Keefe had problems guarding the pick-and-roll and rebounding.
After the timeout, the Jazz attacked, and Malone finally made a successful pass inside. After reaching the basket, he assisted Foster to eat the pie.
Just looking back, having just gained a foothold, he quickly advanced to the right flank Li You's three-point line and made a big in and out.
Swinging left and right, holding the ball in his right hand to accelerate the breakthrough, Li You came to the paint area and immediately relied on Howard Ellis, who had just appeared, to complete the throw!
"state!"
The basketball bounced on the rim twice, and just as it was about to fall out, Ewing, who successfully got stuck under the rim, got in front of Foster and easily tipped the ball in.
The gorilla beat its chest and roared, and the New York fans cheered loudly.
At 10:18, as the Jazz accelerated their offensive pace, the Knicks slowed down.
Facing the younger and faster lateral Howard Ellis, Li You took the initiative to slow down and kept giving the ball to the low post for several rounds.
Larry Johnson's low post attack went to the free throw line, but the shot missed, and the Knicks made a rush of three players.
For several consecutive rounds, Karl Malone struggled with Oakley, which seemed to have affected his shooting touch. He followed up with a jump shot for two consecutive rounds.
In this attack, Larry Johnson missed Russell's turn-over jump shot near the baseline on the left, and the basket was once again scrambled. In the end, Ewing grabbed the rebound and quickly threw the ball to outside the three-point line. Li You.
Moving to the right wing, Alan Houston first pretended to move laterally, and then accelerated and cut in from 45 degrees.
Li You once again sent a ground pass, easily penetrated the Jazz defense, and approached the paint area. Alan Houston received the ball and made a sneak layup.
"Beautiful cut without the ball, it seems Houston has also learned a lot from McDunner!"
In the commentary box, Bob Costas loudly praised the Knicks' second offense, and Isiah Thomas also laughed and added:
"There are indeed hints of dunks when getting rid of running moves several times. After playing against the Bulls for two consecutive years, the young people of the Knicks have gained a lot of game experience."
"I don't know if Mike watched the finals. I think he would also be pleased to see young people growing up!"
Doug Collins almost laughed out loud when he heard this. The Knicks crushed their opponents, and the three of them quickly changed the subject.
Karl Malone can still hit jump shots and get free throws under the basket, but the Jazz have difficulty scoring points and have problems with rebounding.
At the last moment of the first quarter, Howard Ellis' breakthrough was interfered by Li You, and the Jazz bench was completely silent.
At 17:28, the first quarter ended, and the Knicks led by 11 points.
After playing the first quarter, Karl Malone made 5 of 9 shots, 1 of 2 free throws, and scored 11 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 turnovers.
The muscular man walked to the bench with a long face. He almost scored all the Jazz's points.
The cheers at the scene were particularly harsh for Malone. In his opinion, the Knicks play a simple and rough style and should be easy to deal with.
But after the match, it was discovered that the team was hit by a single point, and it was difficult for the Jazz to withstand Li You's pick-and-roll.
Stockton rested for half the game. At this time, he didn't need to be greeted by coach Sloan. He was ready to play.
"Be patient, the game has just begun and we need to increase our defensive intensity."
"Don't let your opponent score easily, okay? Come up with strong defense!"
Sitting in front of everyone on the Jazz team, Jerry Sloan simply drew a few words on the tactical board and began to loudly instruct the players to rotate.
Stockton and Shanton Anderson partnered in the backcourt, Chris Morris and Adam Kiefe were on the front line, and Foster was still at center.
Jeff Van Gundy also knew that the Jazz planned to let Stockton travel at a staggered time. At the end of the first quarter, he replaced Ewing and Larry Johnson early, and these two also appeared early.
There are still three players on the outside: Chris Childs, Starks, and Chris Mills.
"Let the offense go, we are the leading side, pay attention to protecting the rebounds, and communicate in a timely manner on the court!"
The bald handsome man specifically told Starks that if he was so far ahead, there was no need to throw three-pointers blindly.
Li You sat on the bench and changed into training clothes. If the Jazz's offense shows no improvement, he will not appear again until the second half.
In the first quarter of the game, Li You made 3 of 4, 1 of 1 from beyond the three-point line, 7 points, 1 rebound and 4 assists. The Knicks made more achievements, and all five starting players scored.
"I knew the Jazz were no match for us. As long as we beat the Bulls, we would win the championship!"
"This was the case back then. If we could break out of the Eastern Conference earlier, we might have more than one championship."
It was all the fault of "Maikou". Oakley suddenly opened up an old score, leaving Li You speechless for a while.
The east is strong and the west is weak. Maybe that was the situation back then, but the old guy had such a beautiful idea that when they met Olajuwon, they gave up.
Alan Houston didn't care about the Knicks' history. The game went well and he completely relaxed:
"If we can get match point in G3, then the series will be over!"
"It's unbelievable! We are really going to win the championship!"
Covering his mouth with a towel, Alan Houston looked very excited. No one can refuse the championship. He has already begun to think about the future.
Li You feels that his teammates are too optimistic. Although he has only been to Salt Lake City twice in the past two years, the away experience left a deep impression on him. Protecting the home court is just a basic operation.
"When we go to the away game, there is no current whistleblowing environment. We all know what will happen at the opponent's home court, and even one point can kill the game."
After hearing Li You's reminder again, Alan Houston calmed down, and then complained in a low voice:
"Damn schedule, three consecutive away games, the league should change the rules."
The atmosphere team was still fully engaged and continued to cheer for the players on the stage. Stockton also started the offensive mode to help the Jazz score points.
At this time, both sides kept the pace very slow and started to attack in a systematic manner.
Chris Childs does not have the passing vision of Li You. Instead of sending high-risk passes in transition attacks, it is better to fall into position and pass the ball inside to continue to eat away at the game.
Successfully slowed down the Knicks' offensive rhythm, and the Jazz gradually regained some shooting touch.
Less than three minutes into the second quarter, Karl Malone immediately returned to the court.
Seeing Stockton hit a jumper after a pick-and-roll, Isiah Thomas commented with a smile in the commentary box:
"John worked hard on offense, but he couldn't change the Knicks' defensive strategy."
"With the same pick-and-roll, he couldn't attract too much defense and couldn't compress the Knicks' defense."
"Perhaps he should be more decisive and strengthen his offense so that Malone can get better offensive space."
After Doug Collins saw the technical statistics, he shook his head again:
"The Jazz are not good at three-pointers, and their shooting production was limited during the regular season."
"In the playoffs, this situation has not changed. They have made efforts tonight, but the Knicks still choose to miss these shots many times."
"Perhaps after this year's finals, we will all have to reconsider the issue of offensive space. Lee's performance is impressive!"
The two chatted in the commentary box. With 6 minutes and 27 seconds left in the half, at 25:36, both sides scored 8 points each.
The pace was slow and hard, but the New York fans at the scene enjoyed it.
As long as the Jazz don't narrow the point difference, then this is a wonderful game!
When Li You came on the court, the score remained unchanged, and Karl Malone also began to strike. Although the Jazz made no mistakes, it was very difficult to score.
Jeff Van Gundy simply made a downward gesture, indicating to Li You to control the time and pass the half court.
When the jump shot failed, the Jazz also stepped up their rush for rebounds and frequently got to the free throw line.
But the Knicks also had a whistle, and in the last few minutes, the two sides had a penalty shootout.
At 35:48, halftime ended, and the Knicks widened the point difference.
The three people in the NBC commentary box looked drowsy. The content of the game was lackluster, the offense was slow, and both sides made 10 free throws.
By the third quarter of the game, Doug Collins was a little overwhelmed:
"The Jazz should speed up their offense a little bit, now they're 13 points behind."
"Coach Sloan should get Stockton back as soon as possible!"
In the second half, the Jazz made another staggered trip, and Howard Ellis started.
Hornacek caught the ball and made a jump shot at the right elbow of the free throw line. The rebound was taken by Oakley, and the Jazz retreated quickly.
Li You, who was delayed by Howard Ellis to catch the ball immediately, saw the ball flying towards Larry Johnson who was rushing across the half court before he could reach his side.
Soon, at the top of the arc, Larry Johnson passed the ball hand-to-hand, and then passed the ball to Li You, and then quickly pulled away. Ewing immediately moved and stood on the right wing.
It's still a simple pick-and-roll attack. Holding the ball in his right hand, Li You pretends to break through on the right side. Ellis desperately sticks to the defense, preparing to squeeze through the screen as soon as possible.
The two of them had just arrived in front of Ewing. Li You quickly dribbled the ball behind his back, and then his body suddenly swayed to the left. Ellis slid subconsciously, but bumped into Ewing.
Ellis once again struggled to squeeze through the screen, but Li You took the opportunity to quickly change direction in front of him.
This time Ellis failed to squeeze through the screen and was blocked by Ewing. Foster saw his teammates out of position and quickly delayed the defense to help, but he was still a step too late.
After Li You got rid of the defense, he stopped on the right wing, faced Foster's defense, and quickly made a jump shot from outside the three-point line!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net.
At 43:57, the point difference reached 14 points, and Li You made a three-pointer to help the Knicks expand their lead.
Jerry Sloan tried to get the Jazz to speed up the offense.
Li You and Alan Houston were fighting outside the three-point line, and the Jazz failed to counterattack. The fight turned into a positional attack, and Malone received the ball in the low post.
There was no three-point shot, so he rushed towards the basket. After Ewing blocked two shots, the Knicks seized the opportunity to switch offense. Li You easily found Larry Johnson who was about to go down and stole the chicken for a layup. .
"The game is over, Karl Malone is in great form, but they can't close the gap!"
"Perhaps Coach Sloan should consider adding some outside shooting. Whether it is Hornacek or Russell, they both have good three-pointers."
Doug Collins saw that the Jazz were still +2 and simply concluded the game.
Isiah Thomas did not agree with this view and gave his own opinion with a smile:
"The Jazz need to improve their defensive intensity. This is the best way to restrict outside teams."
"Lee and Alan Houston won't be efficient forever. Once their efficiency drops, the Jazz can drag the game into the rhythm they like."
"."
At 56:72, at the end of the third quarter, the game basically entered garbage time.
Head coach Jerry Sloan also had no clue and continued to fight against the main players. When the rotation did not narrow the point difference, Malone, who played the entire third quarter, did not appear again.
At the last moment, the iron-blooded coach looked expressionless as the Knicks' atmosphere team kept scoring points.
In 30 minutes of playing time, Li You made 7 of 14 shots, 3 of 5 from beyond the three-point line, and 3 of 4 free throws. He scored 20 points, 4 rebounds, 12 assists, 2 steals, and 2 turnovers.
Although he scored a double-double and was the Knicks' highest score, Li You was not too excited. Stockton's staggered trip showed that the opponent had found some solutions.
"Relax, Lee! If we win two big games in a row, we will win the championship!"
Oakley was smiling from ear to ear at this time. The old guy no longer paid attention to the Jazz.
9 of 18, 2 of 3 free throws, 20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 turnovers. Oakley's defense did not have much effect. Karl Malone is still in excellent condition.
Ewing was also smiling broadly. Li You noticed the emotions of his teammates and also smiled:
"I was just thinking about winning the championship away from home!"
The fourth quarter of the game ended quickly, and the atmosphere team felt that they were still unsatisfied. Madison Square Garden and New York fans were shouting excitedly.
"Wow!"
At 82:96, the Knicks once again defeated their opponents, and the series score reached 2:0.
The situation was great, and the swollen Jeff Van Gundy could no longer hold his nerve. With a proud smile on his face, Jerry Sloan shook hands cordially.
In the NBC commentary box, Bob Costas saw the technical statistics of Stockton's 2-for-6, 5 points, 5 assists and 1 turnover. He couldn't help but sigh in a low voice:
"Lee played a stronger pick-and-roll offense, leaving the Jazz with little time to adjust."
"Perhaps in this year's finals, we will witness the rise of an unconventional point guard."
"."
Thank you book friends for your subscription support (﹃)
(End of chapter)
