Allen Iverson's first playoff performance was unsatisfactory, and the Philadelphia media was a little disappointed.
Iverson went all out for the game, but everyone could see that head coach Larry Brown was not satisfied with the content of the game played by the 76ers.
With a large number of possessions on the outside, simple breakthroughs and low-level mistakes, the 76ers' performance in the third quarter caused the coaching staff to continuously request timeouts.
The point difference widened, and in the fourth quarter, Iverson continued to play and had a good battle with Sprewell.
In the NBC commentary box, the suspense of the game ended prematurely. Bob Costas and Doug Collins watched the game, but the topic turned to the selection of awards.
Bob Costas took advantage of the timeout to praise Tim Duncan again:
"Tim Duncan led the team on a winning streak at the end of the season."
"It's a pity that the Spurs' performance at the beginning of the season was average, otherwise he would probably win the MVP this season!"
Doug Collins naturally understood what his partner meant and took over the conversation:
"The point guard and the power forward have different responsibilities on the court. Lee can drive the Knicks' offense and can also absorb the ball when the team has difficulty scoring."
"Tim Duncan has an impact on both offense and defense, but don't forget, he also has David Robinson next to him, and the Spurs have set up a system for him."
Due to the shortened season, the NBA will soon announce the winners of various awards. Bob Costas continued this topic:
"If you came to vote, which player would you choose? Shaq also played very well this year."
Doug Collins did not forget that he was in New York and immediately replied with a smile:
"I will still give Lee a vote. The Knicks have the best record in the league, and Lee's personal data is also impeccable."
"Of course, this is just my personal opinion, and some people will definitely make different choices!"
With no hope of chasing points, Iverson completely gave up the game at the last moment. Looking at Larry Brown's serious look, he returned to his seat in frustration.
In Madison Square Garden, New York fans had already begun to celebrate the victory of the game, and they did not forget to cheer for the atmosphere team at the last moment.
When a goal is scored, there will be cheers. Doug Collins looked at the technical statistics and praised Iverson's performance:
"Playing in the playoffs for the first time in his career, Iverson performed very well!"
"30 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 5 turnovers. Philadelphia fans need to be patient. I believe Iverson will eventually fulfill his talent."
12 of 29, 2 of 7 from beyond the arc, 4 of 7 free throws, a shooting percentage of over 40%, Bob Costas didn’t say much, and followed up with a compliment:
"Believe in the process. Rookies also need time to grow. Lee also lost in his first season."
As the game time ran out, the final score was fixed at 88:102, and the Knicks easily defeated the 76ers.
In the fourth quarter of the game, Li You, who had been resting on the bench, stood up and fist-bumped with the atmosphere team coming off the field.
It was no different from the regular season. The fans were still shouting his name loudly. Li You waved to everyone at the end and walked quickly to the players' tunnel with a smile on his face.
The New York media was very satisfied with the Knicks' performance. Although Sprewell was a bit tough, he also locked up Larry Hughes!
The second team even went back and forth with the 76ers' main force, and couldn't ask for more.
When Jeff Van Gundy returned to the locker room, he found that everyone was still not nervous. It seemed like it was an ordinary regular season. After the game, everyone was chatting and spanking.
The Knicks staff whispered to Li You, who was about to sit down:
"Li, at the press conference, reporters may ask questions about other players. There is no need to be polite. You know, the MVP selection has already begun."
"I understand, thanks, man!"
Li You smiled and patted the opponent on the shoulder. Even if he played a good job, due to the shortened season, there was no need to think about the unanimous MVP.
There will definitely be media who choose Tim Duncan, O'Neal, Karl Malone, and Aaron Zomouren. After all, everyone has good Excel skills.
If Li You wants to win the award, he has to shout loudly to show his presence and express his absolute confidence.
Ewing noticed that in order to build momentum for Li You, the Knicks had only one person attend the press conference, and suddenly felt that he had become outdated.
6 of 13, 5 of 6 free throws, 17 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks and 1 turnover. Looking at the technical statistics, the Gorilla felt that he performed pretty well.
Li You was still communicating with the staff, while Larry Johnson shouted loudly:
"The one with the best record in the league should win the MVP. This has always been the selection criterion!"
When Oakley heard this, he seemed to think of the situation in the past two years, and immediately joked in a low voice:
"Karl Malone's experience shows that record sometimes does not have much effect. The media's selection criteria are their personal preferences!"
At this time, the atmosphere team also began to chat about this year's MVP. The results are not much different. In theory, the following few people do have a chance to counterattack.
Played 26 minutes, 6 of 12, 1 of 3 from beyond the three-point line, 7 of 7 free throws, 20 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal and 1 turnover.
Li You, who clocked in for the third quarter, still performed efficiently, but when he came to the post-game press conference, the media in the audience did not pay attention to his performance tonight.
As the broadcaster, NBC reporters came up and asked the questions that the media were most concerned about:
"Lee, can you tell me your thoughts on MVP? If you win this award, you will become the youngest winner in NBA history!"
Seeing everyone in the audience looking directly at him, Li You, who was well prepared, answered confidently:
"The Knicks have the best record in the league and we had a perfect season!"
"With the help of my teammates and coaching staff, I also performed well."
"Perhaps I am still a little lacking compared to previous winners, but in this special season, I am the better player!"
"I'm ready. Say hello to Shaq by the way. I will share my free throw shooting experience in the training camp during the offseason."
Many reporters laughed when they heard Li You mention O'Neal.
At the end of the regular season, the Sharks, who had lost their scoring title, were on full fire. During the two days of rest, they kept complaining to the media that Li You and Iverson were just data scumbags.
Compared to the low-key Tim Duncan, O'Neal, who is playing at a historical level of efficiency, has been extremely high-profile these days.
The Sharks still did not give up on the MVP award, constantly touted themselves, and even confidently declared to major sports media:
"I know that many young fans have never seen Chamberlain play. There is no need to look for those ancient videos, just watch the Lakers game!"
After saying this, the media in Los Angeles were ecstatic. For two consecutive days, O'Neal's news was the headline on the front page.
He is also at the center position and has also achieved a historical level of PER. O'Neal's words have indeed attracted more fans' attention.
Throughout the press conference, no one paid attention to the 76ers' loss. The too-intensive schedule and the fast-paced awards focused everyone's attention on Li You.
On the morning of May 9, the New York media continued to help Li You wave the flag!
While praising Li You, he also did not forget to mock the arrogant O'Neal:
"Wilt Chamberlain won two championships!"
The NBA seems to have turned into a large-scale basketball reality show these days, with the media in New York and Los Angeles being the loudest and taking the lead in taking the lead.
In a simultaneous game last night, the Magic overturned and lost to the Hawks at 88:75.
Darrell Armstrong, who just won the Most Improved Player Award (MIP) at his home court, was depressed.
As an undrafted player and a small guard, it is rare to win an award, but no one pays attention to it.
Hook could only shake his head when he saw Anfernee Hardaway's performance. Even the veteran coach Chuck Daly invited by the Magic didn't seem to have much effect.
The signature sneakers at the end of the year and Li You's publicity resources will most likely overwhelm the second brother Hook.
On the night of May 9, at his home court, Alonzo Mourning accepted the DPOY trophy with a smile, and the Heat fans present cheered loudly.
This season, both Olajuwon and Ewing began to decline, but Mourning performed at his peak.
After Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Mutombo, Mourning became the fourth player in NBA history to win DPOY and blocks at the same time!
After less than three hours of joy, the Heat were blown away by the Bucks.
88:75, Alonzo Mourning ushered in his own milestone.
Playing in the playoffs for the first time in his career, Ray Allen made 9 of 16 shots, 2 of 6 from beyond the arc, and 2 of 3 free throws, scoring a game-high 22 points.
Li You also followed the game from his apartment in Manhattan and sent a blessing message immediately after the game.
After adding alien Cassel, the Bucks officially opened the Three Musketeers mode.
Most sports media that night paid more attention to the game between the Rockets and the Lakers.
After adding Scottie Pippen, the Rockets, who once again started the old Big Three mode, lost again.
Five seconds before the end, Kobe Bryant stepped to the free throw line and made two free throws to help the Lakers take the lead.
At the last moment, Cardinal Mobley's layup was blocked by O'Neal, and the Lakers successfully defended their home court!
100:101, the Lakers successfully defeated the Rockets, who had high hopes.
The real-legged Charles Barkley made 11 of 19 shots and scored a team-high 25 points;
Olajuwon made 10 of 13 and also scored 22 points.
The Lakers blossomed more, with Glen Rice shooting 12 of 17 and scoring a game-high 29 points;
Although O'Neal made 5 of 14 free throws, he made 11 of 23 in the game and had a double-double of 27 points and 11 rebounds.
Fisher hit 4 three-pointers and contributed 20 points. Kobe made 5 of 9 and also scored 17 points.
The Lakers' performance made the Los Angeles media excited and continued to cheer for O'Neal!
On the morning of May 10, the NBA announced this season’s Sixth Man of the Year (SMOY):
The Knicks' Latrell Sprewell won this award without any doubt.
Played in a total of 46 games during the regular season, averaging 28.8 minutes per game;
Averaged 16.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.1 turnovers per game;
He averaged 14.0 shots per game, shooting 41.5% from the field, and averaged 5.2 free throws per game, shooting 81.2% from the field.
Although Sprewell's three-pointers are stretched this season, as the team's sixth man, he has completed the scoring task outstandingly.
After the video class in the morning ended, everyone in the Knicks team congratulated Sprewell for winning the award.
"Madman" had a smile on his face, but he was in a low mood. He didn't want to be a substitute at all.
Starks can accept the sixth man's identity mainly due to his declining physical condition;
Sprewell believes that he is still at his peak, and coming off the bench is just a product of compromise.
He has quietly contacted his agent and is preparing to leave New York after this season.
Li You naturally saw what Sprewell was thinking, and the old guy also knew that this guy was destined to be just a passer-by, and he had never integrated into the locker room.
Jeff Van Gundy also understands Sprewell's thoughts, but as a head coach, he will not destroy the team's existing chemical reaction.
After the video class was over and the blessings were given, the bald young marshal clapped his hands and said:
"Don't be careless in tonight's game, we want to get the match point at home."
"The opponent will definitely slow down the offensive rhythm. The offense must be patient and don't give the opponent any chance."
After hearing the coach's instructions, everyone nodded and prepared for lunch.
Assistant coach Thibodeau was used to such scenes. After the players left, he said with some concern:
"Sprewell doesn't seem to be planning to continue playing for the team. To be honest, it's hard for us to find such a good sixth man again."
Assistant coach Don Chaney shook his head helplessly. This is a player's personal choice, and it is useless to say something:
"Expecting an All-Star player in excellent physical condition to serve as a substitute is a luxury in itself. There was no situation in the locker room, which has exceeded my expectations."
Seeing several people looking at him, Jeff Van Gundy was a little embarrassed. He and general manager Glenfield couldn't talk to each other. At this time, he could only say with a straight face:
"We have to focus on the playoffs now and don't need to think about the offseason."
"If we win the championship, maybe the opponent will change their mind. All we have to do is focus on tonight's game!"
The coaching staff looked at each other and didn't say anything in the end.
That night, Allen Iverson witnessed Sprewell lifting the trophy again at Madison Square Garden.
"oh!!"
The cheers in the arena were particularly harsh for everyone on the 76ers team.
When I came to New York, apart from being bombarded by Li You's advertisements, the only thing left was to watch the Knicks win awards.
Iverson, who was not in a beautiful mood, warmed up silently after completing the appearance ceremony.
Larry Brown was furious after the G1 game. The 76ers' starting five were all in a bad mood tonight after the famous coach blasted them.
G1 defeated their opponents, and the New York fans were completely inflated and did not take the 76ers seriously at all.
But after the game started, as the opponent forced delays and slowed down, Ewing and Oakley spit out cakes continuously, and the cheers at the scene became much smaller.
At 7:7, with 6 minutes and 30 seconds left in the first quarter, Jeff Van Gundy reluctantly requested a timeout.
Ewing returned to the bench and replenished his water in frustration. It was obvious that there were open opportunities, but the result was that he couldn't make them.
"Patience, stay patient, pay attention to backcourt rebounds, Li, you go back and forth to get rebounds and speed up the offensive rhythm!"
The bald young marshal did not take the tactical version, but directly told Ewing and Oakley to get stuck.
Larry Brown chose to play for 24 seconds to suppress the rhythm of the game, and finally let Iverson handle the ball to complete the offense.
Once the iron was struck, the 76ers fought on the spot. Their opponents struck the iron, but the Knicks failed to make a single conversion.
Li You nodded. In fact, he was more patient than the bald young coach imagined. As long as the opponent didn't score, there would be no problem if he continued to use up the energy.
"Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks!"
It was difficult to score in the first half of the game. After the timeout, the DJ at the scene led the fans to continue cheering.
After taking the baseline ball, Eric Snow continued to lead the defense. Li You advanced slowly and almost passed the half court in 8 seconds.
In the first half of the game, Ewing spit out cakes continuously. This time, Li You stopped calling the pick-and-roll and came to the left wing. The Knicks began to move and clear one side.
Ewing stayed on the right near the bottom line, always ready to eat the cake, while Alan Houston lurked in the right corner, observing the opponent's defensive trends.
Oakley moved to the right elbow of the free throw line, and Larry Johnson simply stood on the right wing, both of whom served as receiving points.
Eric Snow, who came to the left wing, glanced back and found that there was nothing behind him.
At the three-point line, Li You, who was holding the ball in his left hand, stepped sideways to protect the ball. He paused slightly, suddenly pulled the ball back, then sharply lowered his body center of gravity and made a simple and rough shoulder-pressure breakthrough.
The 76ers had just moved to complete the defensive team, and then saw Li You driving straight to the basket against the defense.
Just when Matt Geiger was about to move to help defend, he broke through to the lower left side of the basket, close to the paint area. Li You jumped to get past Eric Snow, and threw the ball toward the backboard with his left hand.
"Bang!"
The basketball hit the board high into the frame, and the Madison Square Garden Arena once again burst into loud cheers.
Seeing him shaking his head and retreating to Li You, Iverson, who was smoking in the corner, wanted to show off. But as soon as he caught the ball, Larry Brown on the sidelines kept reminding him loudly:
"Steady! Steady the rhythm!"
In desperation, Iverson gave the ball to Eric Snow, and the 76ers honestly cooperated tactically.
The big man received the ball in the elbow area, passed hand to hand on the line, and quickly passed the ball after the outside screen. Iverson held the ball at a 45-degree angle on the right side and broke through.
Encountering help, Iverson moved the ball to the left corner. George Lynch did not have a shooting opportunity after receiving the ball and continued to move the ball to the upper line.
After Iverson made two repeated cuts and continuously compressed the Knicks' defense, Eric Snow on the outside was released by Li You. After receiving the ball from the right wing, he got an open shooting opportunity.
Seeing that the attack time was about to reach 24 seconds, after some adjustments, Eric Snow finally got an open shot.
The basketball hit the back edge of the basket and bounced high. Ewing and Oakley trapped the two big men of the 76ers under the basket, and Larry Johnson was also pulling on George Lynch.
Li You, who retreated to the basket, grabbed the rebound and then accelerated with the ball in his right hand.
Alan Houston immediately ran towards the half court, accelerated to the left wing, and stretched the offensive space.
The 76ers big man's retreat was delayed, and he could only watch Eric Snow chase to Li You's side. The two reached the top of the arc in the blink of an eye.
Stepping on the three-point line, Li You did not slow down, but continued to speed up the breakthrough against the opponent's defense.
He rushed into the paint area, took three long steps, and Li You quickly changed hands behind his back.
After switching to his left hand, he grabs the ball with one hand and leans against the opponent. After an aerial confrontation, he dodges the block and quickly picks up the basket!
"oh!!"
The basketball entered the frame, and the New York fans at the scene shouted happily, and the fancy transition offense ignited the atmosphere of the arena again.
In the NBC commentary box, Doug Collins saw Li You scoring 4 points in a row and immediately praised:
"Coach Van Gundy adjusted the game strategy in time, and it seems to have worked well. Lee's finishing efficiency at the basket has improved a lot this season!"
At 7:11, the Knicks took a 4-point lead.
Seeing Larry Brown continue to indicate the pace, Bob Costas said helplessly:
"The 76ers should probably consider speeding up. Obviously the Knicks have adapted to their tactical style of play."
After the opening, Iverson hit a catch-and-shoot three-pointer, and then he never scored a catch-and-shoot jumper.
With the same offensive rhythm, the 76ers almost spent another 24 seconds. When Iverson received the ball on the left wing, he was let go by Alan Houston in front of him. Encountering such a defense, he made another jump shot!
"state!"
The long rebound just bounced into the arms of Alan Houston. Iverson immediately stepped forward to press for the ball. The Knicks failed to complete the attack this time.
When Li You caught the ball and moved across the half court to the top of the arc, he noticed that the opponent had completed his defensive position and immediately slowed down as he approached the three-point line.
Taking advantage of the delay in Eric Snow's hand, Li You quickly dribbled the ball from his hips. The moment he switched to his left hand, he immediately circled behind his back and scooped up the ball with his right hand, accelerating the breakthrough.
Losing half of his body, Eric Snow pulled and pulled, trying to make Li You slow down.
The two struggled to cross the free throw line, and Li You suddenly completed a top turn by leaning on his opponent.
Instantly arriving in the paint area directly in front of the basket, Matt Geiger, who was near the baseline on the left, subconsciously moved to help defend, only to find that the ball in Li You's hand was missing.
Matt Geiger didn't have time to turn around and return to defense. After receiving Li You's hidden breakthrough pass, Ewing made a powerful one-handed dunk directly on the lower left side of the basket!
"ah!!"
The gorilla who completed the dunk stood under the basket and screamed, venting his depression.
Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines couldn't help clapping his hands, gave Li You a thumbs up, and sat back on the bench with a smile.
Seeing Li You raising his hands in the air to encourage the atmosphere, Iverson wanted to show off again, and then heard Larry Brown's loud reminder again.
There was no personal attack, and after 24 seconds of pressure, Iverson took over and broke through. He attracted Ewing's help in the paint area and immediately passed the ball to Matt Geiger on the lower right side of the basket.
The latter bent down to catch the ball, and when he wanted to get up and dunk, he was immediately blocked by Ewing's twist!
"oh!!"
Amid the screams of the New York fans, Ewing completed the block, the basketball popped up, Alan Houston controlled the ball, and then threw the ball to Larry Johnson.
The latter caught the ball, took two big steps and quickly distributed the ball to Li You who was accelerating in the middle.
Eric Snow quickly retreated, and George Lynch also returned to the half court, two-on-two in the frontcourt.
Near the three-point line at the top of the arc, Li You, holding the ball in his left hand, paused slightly, lowered his center of gravity, and pretended to break through.
Taking advantage of the opponent's sliding step to the right, Li You immediately crossed and pulled back. After switching to his right hand, he paused again and looked up at the basket.
Eric Snow quickly jumped up to block the shot. At the same time, George Lynch, who had returned to the right block, was also attracted by Li You's shooting action.
The moment the opponent's defense lost focus, Li You immediately sent a ground pass, and George Lynch, who realized something was wrong, hurriedly intercepted it.
The basketball passed George Lynch's fingertips, and Larry Johnson came to the lower right side of the basket. After receiving the ball, he turned back and made a layup!
Once again, it was a transition offense. On the bench, the Knicks atmosphere team followed up with fist pumps in celebration.
Realizing that the atmosphere at the scene was completely different, Bob Costas in the commentary box once again praised:
"This is Lee's ability. He can see and pass. Everyone in the Knicks only needs to run into position and score easily."
"Some people may question his defense, but as the No. 1 position, I think Lee has done a good enough job."
At 7:15, head coach Larry Brown looked serious and requested a timeout again.
Doug Collins saw the seven 76ers players walking to the bench a little frustrated, and said unceremoniously:
"Many times, coaches should let players play freely. Coach Van Gundy does this better!"
"This is not the rhythm of the game that Allen Iverson is good at. He should find his aggressiveness."
After the timeout, Larry Brown, who was extremely controlling, did not let go of his restraints. The 76ers continued to play strict tactical coordination.
The pace of the game was slowed down again, but the Knicks' offense became simple and rough.
Alan Houston and Larry Johnson took turns playing post-up singles in the left and right blocks to help the team score points.
When the 76ers attacked, Iverson successfully let Matt Geiger eat the cake under the basket. Looking back, Alan Houston once again asked for the ball with his back in the right block.
Iverson was behind him and kept going forward to defend. Alan Houston took the opportunity to suddenly cut into the basket and hit the right wing. Li You then threw the ball to the upper right side of the basket.
Li You's bold pass finally resulted in a beautiful goal!
Although it wasn't an alley-oop, Madison Square Garden went wild when Alan Houston jumped up and put the ball in the basket.
Ewing basically stopped participating in too many offenses at this time, and Oakley, who had a poor shooting touch, also began to focus on rebounding and defense, completing consecutive offenses, and the Knicks regained the rhythm of the game.
Alan Houston seemed to have found confidence in Iverson, and he took the initiative to ask for the ball in several attacks.
After this feint, Iverson forced his way to the basket. The depressed Iverson immediately chose to foul and sent Alan Houston directly to the free throw line.
Larry Brown was still signaling the players to steady their rhythm. Noticing this situation, Li You stood outside the three-point line and began to tease his old rival:
"Since when did you listen to the coach so much? Man, let the offense go!"
Iverson didn't look at Li You, cut the back of his head, and went to the sidelines to receive instruction from Larry Brown.
Jeff Van Gundy took the opportunity to replace Ewing and Oakley, who were in poor condition, and Ben Wallace and Kurt Thomas came on.
The 76ers did not choose to make substitutions at this time and fell into a scoring drought. The starting players were all depressed.
Alan Houston made his second free throw. Matt Geiger was about to collect the rebound, but was staggered by Ben Wallace.
After grabbing the offensive rebound, Ben Wallace took off again and put the ball into the basket.
"ah!"
After successfully hitting a three-pointer in one round, the atmosphere team on the sidelines roared with "Xiao Ben" again.
At 9:25, with 1 minute and 02 seconds left in the first quarter, Iverson couldn't hold himself any longer and ignored the coach's instructions.
Relying on his personal ability, Iverson helped the 76ers score points, and then quickly struck the iron, allowing Li You to seize a chance to counterattack.
The first quarter of the game was coming to an end. Li You, who grabbed a long rebound, quickly advanced and came to the right wing against Iverson's defense.
Constantly cutting the ball, approaching the three-point line, Li You quickly dribbled the ball behind his back, immediately causing Iverson to lose his defensive position.
Once again, he went straight to Li You's left hand, but Iverson's strong defensive aggressiveness caused him to lose his position again.
Taking advantage of the situation, he completed the dribbling under his hips, and the moment he switched to his right hand, Li You completed a sideways step, completely opening up the shooting space, and converted to a three-pointer to quickly shoot a jump shot!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net.
With only 1 second left for the 76ers, an angry Iverson took the ball from the baseline and threw it directly towards the half court. Then he quickly returned to the bench with his eyes wide open.
At 11:28, looking at this score, the two people in the NBC commentary box looked at each other.
"The 76ers played very well in the first half of the game, and head coach Larry Brown's adjustments worked."
"However, compared to the Knicks, the 76ers still lack talent, and they don't have much to do in the face of some individual attacks."
Doug Collins commented on the game tactfully, and Bob Costas on the side simply changed the topic:
"It seems that Sprewell does not intend to continue playing in New York. The source is very reliable!"
After hearing the gossip, Doug Collins jokingly said:
"Being the sixth man on a championship team, the statistics will indeed be affected, but I don't think leaving New York is a good choice!"
"Many times, the Knicks will choose to use Lee and Sprewell to partner in the backcourt, plus Alan Houston, a three-guard lineup, which can also create a good chemical reaction."
"Sprewell should be patient, this is his first season with the team."
Perhaps the agent released the news in advance. New York fans who follow the gossip news naturally know the "Madman's" plan.
When the rotation came on stage, scattered boos rang out in the arena, some for the visiting team players, and some for Sprewell, who was about to run away.
The New York media is loudmouthed and the New York fans are arrogant. Sprewell, who will enjoy special treatment when receiving the award tonight, feels that his choice is right!
Ewing was also booed by New York fans, but since winning the championship, his treatment has completely changed.
"We should talk to him. It's too much to ask the agent to release the news before the offseason!"
In the morning, everyone happily wished "Madman", but in the afternoon there was news of leaving the team. When Gorilla saw Sprewell, who started to play again after his debut, he couldn't hold himself tight.
Oakley looked at the situation on the court and responded casually:
"As long as he works hard on defense, that's enough, don't worry about the news."
Alan Houston was also whispering to Li You at this time:
"It seems like Sprewell really doesn't like his role on the team."
Li You looked at Jeff Van Gundy. The bald young coach seemed unaffected. Then thinking about the relationship between him and general manager Glenfield, he covered his mouth with a towel and responded in a low voice:
"Without data, there would be no big contracts. Such a choice is not surprising!"
Before the game started, the atmosphere in the Knicks' locker room was a little weird. Jeff Van Gundy naturally knew it, but there was nothing he could do. At this time, he could only devote himself to the game:
"Retreat! Everyone retreat quickly!"
"."
Iverson did not choose to rest and continued to play, but he no longer played according to Larry Brown's requirements and returned to his previous offensive rhythm.
In positional offense, Iverson does not need to pick and roll, he dribbles the ball under his hips and adjusts his steps.
The body swayed to the left, and then changed direction in front of the body. He switched to his right hand and pretended to break through. He stopped at the free throw line and Iverson succeeded in a jumper!
Sprewell caught the ball in the left block. After a tentative step, he released the ball with his left hand and broke through his shoulder. He went straight to the basket and caused a foul on Larry Hughes's beater.
The two main scorers in the substitute lineup were average in efficiency, but the game was lively and the New York fans at the scene screamed happily.
The 76ers resumed their previous offensive quarters. Except for the lack of three-pointers, Iverson scored in singles and broke through to help the team score consecutive points.
For the Knicks, Sprewell didn't care about the iron. When he missed the basket, Ben Wallace made a fierce steal;
Chris Childs would also send cakes to Kurt in the mid-range. For a while, the two sides were in a stalemate, both scoring points.
With a big lead, Jeff Van Gundy completely let go and almost let the substitutes play the entire second quarter.
Before halftime, he changed his body for starting activities.
At 33:52, the score difference was close to 20 points, and the fans at the scene began to dance to the music.
In a single quarter, Sprewell scored 3 of 7 and 4 of 5 free throws, scoring 10 points, once again proving his scoring ability.
Jeff Van Gundy rubbed his brows. It was indeed difficult to find such a sixth man, but he quickly put such thoughts behind him. He couldn't control this matter.
In the first half of the game, Li You played less than 15 minutes, scoring 4 of 6, 1 of 2 from beyond the three-point line, 2 of 2 free throws, and scored 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists.
After looking at the technical statistics, Bob Costas could only briefly summarize the game:
"The strength gap between the two sides is huge. This reminds me of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, when the Jazz beat the Kings 87:117!"
"The 76ers, who lack playoff experience, failed to adapt to the intensity of the game, just like the Kings."
Doug Collins thinks there are some problems with the 76ers' game strategy, but he won't blame Larry Brown at this time:
"After returning home, the 76ers still have a chance. Philadelphia fans still need to be patient. The team currently needs their encouragement."
In the third quarter of the game, when the point difference was not narrowed, Jeff Van Gundy began to try different lineup combinations.
The bald young coach’s actions immediately made Larry Brown feel humiliated.
The famous coach looked gloomy. In addition, Iverson did not play as planned. After requesting a timeout, he simply changed to the atmosphere team and no longer gave Iverson a chance to play.
The two masters and apprentices had different ideas and had no communication with each other. The 76ers atmosphere team did not dare to say anything. Everyone could only watch the game time passing by quickly.
In the end, 75:100, the Knicks defeated their opponents and successfully obtained the match point, with the score reaching 2:0.
Li Youxia, who was substituted early, smiled and shook hands with everyone on the 76ers team.
In the next game, the Knicks will fly to Philadelphia. Iverson was in a bad mood and did not forget to say harsh words at this time:
"The series is not over yet. When I return home, I will win the game!"
The two simply shook hands and greeted each other. When Li You heard the other party's declaration of confidence, he didn't say anything in reply. Instead, he responded with a smile:
"It's over, man! If you want to come to New York to watch the Finals, remember to text me!"
Seeing Li You's smiling face and remembering the advertisements he had been bombarded with in the hotel these days, Iverson turned around and left.
When they came to the tunnel, the New York fans on both sides were still talking about it, and Iverson immediately cursed secretly:
"Fuck, shit New York."
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(End of chapter)
