On June 8, 1998, after G4 of the finals ended that night, the major sports media reached a climax:
"The Curse from the Finals!"
"Karl Malone is not a qualified leader."
"Magical three-pointer, the youngest 40-pointer in the NBA playoffs."
"A furious Jerry Sloan and a disappointed Salt Lake City fan."
"Additional offer from New York, Knicks star heads to Salt Lake City."
"To win the championship on the road, the Knicks are ready."
"The big heart attribute of a champion point guard!"
"THE BLOCK!"
"."
On the morning of June 9, the print media in Salt Lake City collectively broke their defenses, and the "Salt Lake City Tribune" even denied Karl Malone in a rare move.
The Mormon Church's "Dessaly Morning News" also specially set aside part of its content for the legendary Karl Malone.
"Salt Lake City Weekly" sports columnist Bill Froese went all out, blasting Karl Malone for ruining the Jazz's championship.
If you turn on the broadcast media again, commentary programs such as KFNZ-AM's "NBA Today" and "Jazz Hotline" will continue to comment after the game last night until the next morning.
12 of 26, 10 of 13 free throws, 34 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 turnovers. Karl Malone performed very well throughout the game. Unfortunately, he lost the most critical 2 points.
At the press conference after the game, Karl Malone was very absent. Stockton was still supporting his teammates, but the Salt Lake City media couldn't stand it.
In the 1997 Finals, Karl Malone missed two free throws at the last moment, and Michael Jordan beat the Jazz at the United Center.
No one expected that in this year's finals, Karl Malone would recreate a classic moment, making two free throws to go into overtime.
Finally grabbed an offensive rebound, only to be fatally blocked by the defender? !
What the Jazz lost this year was not an away victory, but a more important match point. The big score came to 1:3, which meant that the series was almost over:
"No more miracles!"
"Karl Malone can't perform miracles."
The Hilton Salt Lake City Center Hotel has been bustling since this morning.
Early in the morning, Charles Dolan, who fully controls the Knicks, flew to Salt Lake City with the team's management and several celebrities.
The team's uniform team also started to get busy, and they also needed to prepare in advance to obtain match points, championship T-shirts, celebratory champagne and other items.
After breakfast, there was no need to take video lessons and we just had a small party in the hotel.
Charles Sr. and his son James Dolan laughed and chatted with everyone on the team.
Cablevision just took full ownership of the Knicks last year and has a high probability of winning the championship this year. Charles Sr. is in a very good mood with the bonus of metaphysics.
As the helmsman of the family business, Charles Sr. also took this opportunity to let his son leave a good impression on everyone. From a rich second-generation playboy to a CEO, the span is a bit long.
Old Charles, dressed in a black formal suit, smiled and patted Ewing. After the two exchanged a few words, they quickly moved to Li You's side. At this time, his eldest son James Dolan was still playing hard:
"Don't worry, Lee! You will get a big contract. Glenfield has done a good job in the past two years. Don't worry about the collective bargaining agreement."
"No one can criticize the Knicks in the future. I know some media don't get along well with Pat, but you don't have to worry about that."
"In the future, I will ban these unscrupulous media from interviewing us. We have our own MSG and we can speak for ourselves!"
"After you win the championship, where do you want to have a party? I know."
James Dolan, who was still talking endlessly, was patted. He turned around and saw that it was his father. The boasting stopped.
He glared at his son helplessly. Old Charles' eyelids jumped when he heard the bad idea of banning the media from interviewing players.
"Perfect performance! Don't be stressed, and don't worry about the collective bargaining agreement. Lee, you are the future of the team. New York has always liked guards!"
Old Charles winked at Li You and at the same time tilted his head to look at the Knicks stars.
Dick McGuire, Dick Barnett, Walter Fred, and Earl Monroe are all backcourt players who have retired jerseys.
After hearing that both bosses mentioned the labor agreement, Li You also smiled and expressed his hope to stay on the team:
"I'm very happy with the team, and I also like life in New York. The pressure is on the opponents. Tomorrow night, we will win the championship!"
In early June, the ninth collective bargaining agreement negotiations broke down, and the lockout was almost a foregone conclusion. It caused quite a shock after it was revealed that the management and the league wanted to limit player wages.
This time, Old Charles took the famous players to express condolences to the Knicks in advance, and also expressed his stance to the players:
"No matter how the collective bargaining agreement changes, if we win the championship, the team will not treat everyone badly, and we don't have to worry about contract issues. We have money!"
Unlike other small ball markets, when the Knicks win the championship, season ticket sales will increase. In addition to old fans who will spend money, the new generation of fans will not be stingy with their wallets.
Ewing was already smiling. In last night's game, he made 7 of 18 shots, 6 of 8 free throws, 20 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 3 turnovers.
His shooting percentage was less than 40%, but he received countless praises. He missed the free throws and no one criticized him. The title of "the league's number one center" once again fell on his head.
The legendary Willis Reed is still telling Ewing:
"Don't be careless, Pat! End the series as soon as possible, and don't underestimate the veterans on the opposite side. They also want the championship."
"Believe me, after winning the championship, the media will no longer consume you!"
"."
General Manager Glenfield and the team's staff followed Old Charles and chatted with the players for a long time before leaving. At this time, several famous players also completely let go.
Bill Bradley, who was wearing a gray loose formal suit, looked at Li You and Walter Frazier chatting animatedly, and suddenly said with a smile:
"I plan to run for the Donkey Party nomination in 2000. Li, young people like you, remember to do me a favor then."
Walter Frazier was a little surprised to hear the news. Champion players and years of political accumulation have indeed made Bill Bradley more popular than ever:
“Being deeply involved in politics is not an option!”
Bill Bradley saw everyone looking towards him, shrugged his shoulders and said easily:
"I love politics, I love policy!"
His status as a senator could no longer satisfy him. Li You learned from the newspaper that the other party's situation was not good:
"It's so dangerous and we're tired of logging! It's an honor for me to be able to help."
Several celebrities also expressed their support for this old friend who turned to politics, while Oakley and others loudly complained about the living environment of the black people at the bottom.
The Knicks atmosphere team couldn't get in the conversation at this time, and the old guys were talking about topics that were beyond their understanding.
On the evening of June 10th, at the Delta Center Arena, Game 5 of the Finals had already begun, and Spike Lee continued to quarrel with Jazz fans in the front row.
Coaches Ray Allen and Calhoun took Travis Knight and several others to sit near the front row.
Although the Jazz may still come back, no one wants to miss Li You's championship moment.
The University of Connecticut plans to hold a separate graduation ceremony for Li You. After that, there will be no problem in law school as long as his grades are acceptable.
Head coach Calhoun, who was sitting in his seat with a beer, heard the shouts and curses from Jazz fans around him and said with a smile to Ray Allen next to him:
"I knew Lee could be successful in New York. A good point guard would be the biggest reinforcement to the Knicks. Both parties can achieve mutual success."
"Ray, Milwaukee is not for you. You still have one year on your contract. You have to think about it carefully."
Ever since his idol McDuck was eliminated by Li You, Ray Allen has become a lemon.
Of course he understands what coach Calhoun means, but he doesn’t like the Knicks’ style of play:
"I want to stay in Milwaukee. I have secured the core position. Although it is only a small market, the management has not given up on the championship."
Seeing Ray Allen's serious look, head coach Calhoun shook his head slightly, and then suddenly sighed:
"If you were drafted by the Celtics, it might not necessarily be a good thing. I don't see their hope of rising in recent years."
"Defense! Defense! Defense!"
Halftime was coming to an end, and even though the home team was lagging behind, the Jazz fans were still cheering.
Alan Houston's movement was affected by an ankle injury, and it was difficult to get out of the open space tonight. When the Jazz frantically double-teamed Li You, he was more of a receiving point.
Just after halftime, Li You came to the left wing, and Stockton and Hornacek came up late.
At the same time, Brian Russell also moved quickly and came to the top of the arc to guard against Alan Houston.
When Li You was about to be double-teamed, Alan Houston quickly cut in from the middle and took away the defense. Larry Johnson, who was left open, quickly came to the right wing and easily caught Li You's throw.
With no one guarding him, Larry Johnson took aim at the basket and made a steady jump shot!
"Whoa!" The open three-pointer hit again!
The "Aunt" who struggled with her hips when shooting in the last game finally found her shooting touch tonight.
Larry Johnson grinned widely, beat his chest, retreated to halftime, and high-fived Li You again to celebrate.
At 49:43, with 52 seconds left in the half, the Knicks once again widened the point difference.
"Shhh!!"
Huge boos resounded through the arena again, and Jeff Van Gundy shouted excitedly on the sidelines. Since meeting with the management, the bald young coach has become completely relieved.
As long as he wins this championship, he will get a contract worthy of his status as a championship coach!
Regardless of whether the players could hear it or not, Jeff Van Gundy wanted to play in person and kept shouting from the sidelines:
"Pay attention to defense! Protect the rebound, Pat, stay at the basket!"
The Jazz attacked. Karl Malone screened and rolled at the right elbow of the free throw line, received a pass from Stockton, and went straight to the basket.
Facing Ewing who was shrinking in defense and Oakley who was cutting the ball from his side, Malone hit the man for a layup at the bottom right of the basket.
"oh!!"
Every time Malone misses, the Jazz fans at the scene will sigh. This situation also makes Karl Malone a little frustrated.
After grabbing the rebound, Ewing immediately threw the ball to Li You, and the Knicks began to accelerate towards the opponent's half.
Under the loud reminder from head coach Jerry Sloan, everyone in the Jazz team quickly retreated.
Continuously accelerating along the right sideline, Li You came to the right flank against Stockton's defense.
Holding the ball with his left hand, Li You approached the three-point line and began to protect the ball sideways while looking up to observe the positioning on the court.
No more double-teams were encountered. At this time, Ewing quickly came to the line for a pick-and-roll. He stood on the left wing. Li You immediately pretended to break through from the left. At the moment when Stockton desperately squeezed through, he quickly circled the ball behind his back.
Picking up the ball with his right hand, Li You nimbly dodged the defense, and then drove straight to the basket from the right side at a 45-degree angle. Jazz big man Foster quickly slid to the left after switching defenses.
There had just been physical contact between the two people in the right block. Li You, who was traveling, suddenly circled the ball with one hand under his crotch. Then he thrust his body forward. After grabbing the ball again with his right hand, he quickly threw the ball over the backboard without stopping. !
Foster's reaction was half a beat too slow. When he responded to block the shot, the basketball had already hit the backboard.
"Bang!"
After hitting the board high, the basketball fell into the net accurately.
"Shhh!!"
The boos were mixed with Frank's shouts, and the Jazz fans at the scene were particularly excited when they saw Li You score.
"The Jazz should continue their previous defense. Lee's shooting touch dropped tonight. Foster should continue to use tough defense to stop this attack!"
In the NBC commentary booth, Doug Collins kept shaking his head. Without confrontation, Li You scored points. In his opinion, the Jazz's defense had become lax again.
Isiah Thomas didn’t look at the technical statistics, but smiled and praised Li You’s offensive choices:
"With a fleeting opportunity, Lee knew exactly how the opponent would defend him, so he changed the rhythm during the breakthrough."
"Rhythm is very important. If you are too fast, sometimes you cannot get rid of the defense. Staying calm at all times on the court is also a talent!"
At the end of the half, Hornacek missed a three-pointer from the left wing, and the boos at the Delta Center Arena grew louder.
At 51:43, the half ended, and the Knicks, who had blossomed more, led by 8 points.
Bob Costas feels the Jazz are not playing desperation basketball:
"The double-teaming of Lee was strengthened after the opening, but after other Knicks players responded, the Jazz seemed unprepared."
"They didn't play with a sense of desperation. Maybe it was because of their age. Most of the opportunities to switch offenses were not grasped."
Isiah Thomas smiled and said something sarcastic again:
"Not every player is suitable for a big stage like the finals, and not every player will explode completely in desperate situations."
"Being behind by 8 points at halftime is a pity. I think Jazz fans will be at home tonight to witness the Knicks win their third championship in franchise history."
During halftime, in the Knicks locker room, Jeff Van Gundy was so excited that he kept giving out chicken soup:
"There are only 24 minutes left before the championship. Don't give your opponents any hope. Hold on, we will win the championship tonight!"
"Believe me, the opponent is desperate and they can't counterattack effectively. We just need to maintain this defensive intensity and have a chance to win the game."
Looking at Jeff Van Gundy walking around in front of the whiteboard and chattering loudly, Li You, who was sitting in his seat, raised his eyebrows and joked in a low voice to Alan Houston next to him:
"It seems like our head coach is promised, a championship coach, with a big contract waiting for him."
Alan Houston was also in a good mood, and Charles Sr. also gave him a guarantee that the Knicks would offer him a substantial contract:
"Maybe the same salary as Phil Jackson!"
When the two men were teasing the bald young coach in a low voice, Ewing also began to speak passionately. The gorilla was particularly excited at this time, and several veterans also shouted along.
Unlike Li You and the other rookies who joined the Knicks after Li You, Ewing, Oakley, and Starks experienced too many failures. Seeing that the championship was about to be won, everyone was particularly excited.
After the second half of the game started, the overly excited Knicks team was struggling, while the Jazz team's Karl Malone suddenly lost his aggressiveness.
After shooting 5 of 12 in the half, Malone suddenly stopped blocking hard in the third quarter and stopped rushing to the basket.
The disappointed Jazz fans booed louder and louder. After the Knicks regained their touch, the point difference soon reached double digits.
At 23:20 in a single quarter, after three quarters, 74:63, the Knicks led by 11 points.
In the fourth quarter of the game, every time the Knicks scored, Spike Lee on the sidelines would arrogantly raise his hands in front of the away fans.
Old Charles, who was watching the game with the famous players in the box, was also smiling. At the end of the fourth quarter, the score difference had not narrowed, and the league staff also began to prepare for the award ceremony in advance.
In the front row of the audience, David Stern looked calm. The collective bargaining agreement negotiations had broken down and the countdown to the lockout had entered.
It’s a three-loss situation for the league
Everyone in the Jazz persisted until the end, and as the final buzzer sounded, boos broke out in the Delta Center Arena.
96:85, without any twists and turns, the Knicks suppressed the Jazz throughout the game and successfully won the game!
Li You casually threw the ball into the sky, raised a finger to the media who rushed in front of him and surrounded him, and shouted loudly with a smile:
"The first championship, this is just the beginning!"
Compared to Li You's reserved smile, Ewing and Oakley hugged each other and beat each other's chests excitedly. Starks also hugged everyone he met and yelled unconsciously.
Jeff Van Gundy raised his hands in the air, punched wildly, and pulled his shirt out of his trousers. The bald young coach didn't care and shouted excitedly:
"We are the champions! We are the champions!"
A small number of New York fans were also jumping up and down in the audience and cheering loudly. At this moment, no one paid attention to the boos in the arena and just felt extremely happy.
The cameras have been following Li You. Although his performance tonight was average, everyone knew that the Finals Most Valuable Player Award would not fall on anyone.
Stockton also showed frustration on his face. The veteran point guard found Li You immediately and gave him a simple hug:
"Congratulations, Lee. It's a pleasure to play against you in the finals."
The surrounding media did not skimp on the film. They kept snapping pictures. Everyone surrounded the two people, and the cameras continued to slap their faces. Li You didn't pay attention to the surrounding environment, and just smiled and patted the veteran's shoulder:
"I hope we can continue to play against each other in the finals!"
"."
In the Delta Center Arena, the boos and yells continued. In the front row of the audience, head coach Calhoun also stood up and applauded.
Watching Li You and Stockton greet each other, they once again sighed to Ray Allen next to them:
"A new era has begun, and perhaps tonight we witnessed a historic moment!"
Thank you book friends for your subscription supportψ(｀)ψ
There will be more tonight, and today it will still be 10,000 words~
(End of chapter)
