On December 23, 1999, before the Christmas Day game, the Knicks had no game and could enjoy the holiday in peace.
The loss to the Hornets the day before did not affect the good mood of New York fans. Everyone was looking forward to the 42nd Christmas Day game in the history of the Knicks.
As the team that has experienced the most Christmas wars in the NBA, the Knicks' treatment is eye-catching.
Unlike future broadcast conditions, in this era of relying on television broadcasts, the Christmas War is also a huge exposure.
Hook took the opportunity to release the second generation of Li You's signature shoes. Perhaps in order to rekindle fans' interest in "bubbles", the new sneakers return to retro design.
It is very similar to the "Air Foamposite Pro" in 1997, except that the shoe has been "slimmed down", the shoelaces have been eliminated, and the integrated design of "inner and outer boots" has continued.
For Li You, this new shoe is no different from the previous generation. He is addicted to cutting leeks by selling matching colors. When the configuration of the sneakers does not change, he changes the color and style and continues cutting.
The giant poster outside Madison Square Garden changed its style, and the poster of Li You and the new sneakers that had been prepared early was re-hanged.
Without new technology and knowing that he was cutting leeks, Gouhou held a small press conference, and most of the people he invited were top-up media.
Designer Eric Eva took the stage to talk about the design concept and said nothing more.
At the buffet dinner held at the hotel afterwards, Eric Ewa was not in a good mood.
After greeting the media reporters, Li You, who was wearing a black formal suit, came to Eric Ewa and joked:
"Design must also make way for sales. Mark has told me this news a long time ago. Making money is the most important thing."
As the chief designer of hooks, Eric Evar likes innovation very much, but during this year, most of the sneakers endorsed by stars have average sales.
The sales of signature shoes by Kidd and others were less than 10 million US dollars, and only Payton's new sneakers were still selling well. This situation shocked Hook.
"I know the market problems, but in the face of competition, I still think innovation is the most important. Many of my designs have been rejected."
Eric Eva drank the champagne in his hand depressedly, he was not interested in "spraying colors".
In the finals, Li Youyi's pair of sneakers with copper-colored metallic luster were a big hit, allowing Hook to open up the two channels of Ren Tong. After market testing, changing the color seems to work.
Priced at US$190, the durability is average. Apart from adding an air cushion configuration in the forefoot, the retail sneakers are indeed a bit pricey.
Looking at Eric Ewa, who was completely bald, Li You could only pat him on the shoulder to express comfort.
He doesn't care about innovation. As long as the sneakers sell well and he can get extra incentive dollars, it's good to change the skin.
Apple fans still insist on buying the future unlimited matryoshka dolls for Apple phones, and the sneakers are similar. It is indeed safer to sell them in matching colors.
The streets of Manhattan are packed with people on Christmas Eve, and by night, brightly lit shops, restaurants, theaters and bars have staff in festive attire greeting visitors.
Macy's Department Store holds events every year on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Perhaps to welcome the arrival of the new century, there are particularly many tourists this year.
The impact of the previous "Millennium Bug" threat theory is getting lower and lower, and the phenomenon of queuing up for withdrawals is also decreasing.
Stocks are still skyrocketing, and the craziness of Internet companies continues.
In the past, Li You would accompany the girls to Rockefeller Center on Christmas Eve to join in the fun, but this year there were too many people, so spending the holiday at home became a helpless choice.
The media in Los Angeles were also hyping up the upcoming Christmas war. On Christmas Eve, they released a very gimmick news:
"Want to see Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan play together? Then follow the Lakers!"
"."
As Kobe Bryant returned from injury and showed good form, the Los Angeles media was at a climax and directly pinned the label of "Jordan's successor" on Kobe's head.
In the past, Jordan's successors have fallen silent. The new successor, Kobe Bryant, has taken up this title again. With the support of the Los Angeles media, he has gained a lot of attention.
When the New York media saw this news, they felt disgusted. They were about to go to heaven before they even won the championship?
On Christmas Day, the editor of the New York Times also gave Li You a job:
"Point God!"
The homophone of point guard, the title of "God of Point Guard" was thrown at Li You.
The title was catchy, and New York fans were happy after buying the newspaper and reading the news.
Before the Christmas game that night, New York fans who liked to have fun gathered outside the arena despite the cold weather. The young people faced the NBC camera and shouted at the top of their lungs.
While shouting the new title, everyone did not forget to "Fuck" the self-proclaimed Lakers.
Jim Gray originally wanted to interview some normal fans, but after searching for a long time, the young people being interviewed seemed to be in high spirits, always greeting "Chamberlain" and "Jordan".
The staff carrying the camera was so cold that several interviews failed, and they could only complain helplessly:
"The fans in New York are so passionate."
Jim Gray checked the time, and in the end he could only follow the staff and hurried into the venue. The material still had to be used, so he just told the staff:
"Remember to silence, the Alliance doesn't want to see such a scene!"
"."
In the new season, in addition to praising the newcomers, David Stern also pays close attention to the Leafs and uncivilized incidents on the court.
The yelling and cursing in the arena is sometimes not friendly to fans who bring their children to watch the game. It is easy to learn bad habits. Many parents have reported this to the league.
The 42nd Christmas Day game in the history of the Knicks has caused ticket prices to rise again, but there are enough tourists in Manhattan that price has never been an issue.
Before the blackjack game started, the arena became extremely noisy. In order to meet his old rival Reggie Miller, Spike Lee specially wore a printed T-shirt.
The pattern on the chest happens to be a photo of Miller walking down the tunnel in frustration in last year's Eastern Conference finals:
"You will never win a championship unless you join the Knicks!"
Showing the phrase on his chest and back, Spike Lee walked around the sidelines, waiting for Reggie Miller to appear.
In the NBC commentary box, Bob Costas felt the lively atmosphere and gossiped with a smile:
"Knicks general manager Glenn Field has been making constant moves recently, but the players he invited failed to get contracts in the end. Obviously these big men do not meet the requirements of the coaching staff."
Doug Collins knew more about the inside story. He was also in the coaching circle and couldn't help but gloated:
"No one will trade with the Knicks. Their draft picks are unattractive, and the exorbitant salaries of some players have also become an obstacle to transactions."
"The championship dilemma cannot be solved by trade. No one likes to see New York succeed."
Bob Costas always feels that his partners around him seem to prefer to have fun. At present, no one in the coaching circle wants to see young Jeff Van Gundy reach the top.
The two gossiped about the recent operations of the Knicks in the commentary box, and finally came to the conclusion:
"No one is going to let the Knicks take their time reinforcing!"
The general managers of each team are not fools. Although the team's strength has declined, the Knicks still lead the Eastern Conference. If they really want to make up for their shortcomings, then stop playing.
Grunfield refused to hand over the Bulls' draft picks, and the team itself is most likely to draft in the atmosphere.
Coupled with the high salary and low-performance players, no one on the market wants to solve the Knicks' problems.
Even with the bonus of the schedule, the 22-5 record is still eye-catching. The Knicks want to strengthen, but everyone disagrees.
Before the game started, in the visiting team's locker room, Larry Bird was still telling Jaylen Rose:
"Pay attention to defense, communicate in time when encountering pick-and-rolls, I don't want to see you frustrated on the court again."
After saying this, Larry Bird looked around at everyone in the locker room.
Tonight's game is the first time the two sides have met this season. Larry Bird doesn't care about the gimmick of the Christmas game. He just simply wants to win. He has not forgotten the Eastern Conference finals he lost.
With 16 wins and 9 losses, the Pacers currently have a good record, ranking third in the Eastern Conference behind the Heat.
Everyone in the locker room responded loudly to the coach's request, and the two big men Rick Schmitz and Dale Davis lacked confidence.
Watching the video session before the game made the two of them feel cold. Li You's performance against big men this season impressed them deeply.
After the visiting team players came on the scene, Larry Bird sat on the bench with this face.
Madison Square Garden was in a frenzy after the game started, and every time Reggie Miller touched the ball, the crowd booed wildly.
Ewing had a high sense of presence after the opening, and the Pacers still started from the inside first.
The first three rounds of offense were all about iron. This time Reggie Miller quickly slipped from right to left across the baseline, and with the help of Rick Schmitz's screen, he bounced out to the left flank.
Mark Jackson, who was sticking his butt out to protect the ball, carefully sent a cross pass under the leadership of Li You.
Reggie Miller didn't stop the ball after receiving the ball. The moment Alan Houston got close to the defense, he immediately threw the ball to Rick Schmitz, who was looking for the ball in the low post on the left.
The whole process was very smooth. Rick Schmitz, who received the ball, also attacked very quickly. He released the ball with his right hand, hit it, and immediately twisted up the line when approaching the paint area. Taking advantage of his height advantage, he threw a one-handed throw with his right hand!
"Whoa!" The two-point ball hit the net.
Compared with last season, the Pacers have significantly improved their speed in passing from outside to inside. Once they decide to play inside, outside players will decisively deliver the ball.
At 2:4, the Pacers finally scored a point. Rick Schmitz quickly retreated while not forgetting to applaud himself.
When serving the baseline ball, Alan Houston quietly waved his hand to Li You and made a few shots in the opening game to show that his touch was average.
The Knicks' scoring came from Ewing's pass and Larry Johnson's second tip-in. The fixed tactics at the beginning were not effective.
"Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks!"
Faced with Mark Jackson's misplaced defense, Alan Houston failed to score. Li You, who received the baseline ball, quickly made a tactical gesture.
Under the leadership of Jaylen Rose, Li You quickly moved across the half court. Ewing immediately moved from the left elbow area and quickly reached the left wing.
Taking advantage of Li You's pick-and-roll, Larry Johnson from the left corner quickly cut in. Without a chance, he accelerated towards the right corner.
At this time, Alan Houston had moved to the right wing, and Oakley was still standing at the right elbow without moving. The Knicks cleared one side at this time and watched a partial two-on-two.
Rick Schmitz noticed that Ewing immediately moved down after the screen, and could only follow Shen to defend. Jaylen Rose noticed this situation and hurriedly slid to provide physical confrontation, preventing Li You from easily completing the attack.
The left wing suddenly became one-on-one. Li You, who was holding the ball in his left hand, took a step back following the opponent's confrontation. Then, while the opponent continued to defend, he suddenly lowered his center of gravity and leaned forward to accelerate.
Jaylen Rose, who was sliding quickly, subconsciously pounced on Li You's left hand, but was staggered by the sudden sudden stop and change of direction of his crotch.
The moment he switched to his right hand, Li You pretended to break through again.
Jaylen Rose, who had lost a position, worked hard to adjust his body's center of gravity and followed his instinct to slide back to the right.
Li You took advantage of the situation to make an emergency stop, hit the ball and retreated, returning to the three-point line. The defense in front of him was completely gone.
Seeing the embarrassed Jaylen Rose standing there watching Li You take a jumper, the fans at the scene cheered:
"Wow!"
The three-pointer hit the net, and the cheers in his ears made Jaylen Rose look ugly.
The usual trick used by defenders is to disrupt the dribbling rhythm of the ball holder. Physical confrontation is the most effective method, but it has no effect on the current Li You.
Larry Bird stood up and made gestures again. Rick Schmitz was no longer the main offensive point, and the Pacers' offense began to speed up.
With simple tactical cooperation, Mark Jackson moved through half the court and reached the top of the arc. Dale Davis immediately provided a screen for Jaylen Rose, who was near the baseline on the left.
The latter used the screen to quickly bounce to the left elbow area, get rid of Larry Johnson's defense, and immediately took a jump shot after receiving the ball!
"Whoa!" A steady hit from mid-range.
Jeff Van Gundy was still hanging up on the bench. Li You did not speed up the offensive rhythm after the opponent increased his speed. Instead, he continued to play a "V"-shaped offense.
Ewing and Oakley were still standing in the elbow area, Jaylen Rose was still attacking and defending, and Li You threw the ball to Ewing after halftime.
First, he pretended to pass the ball forward and took advantage of the opponent to move backward to defend. Li You suddenly moved quickly laterally, using the cover of Oakley on the right elbow, and went straight to the basket.
Dale Davis realized something was wrong and retreated to the basket immediately, but Rick Schmitz did not react and watched Ewing throw the ball to the upper right side of the basket.
The quality of the pass was average, which allowed Li You to encounter the help of Dale Davis after catching the ball in the air.
Unable to complete the attack immediately, he saw Dale Davis take off, and Li You in the air immediately threw the ball towards the paint area after receiving the ball.
On the second pass, Oakley, who was originally rushing for the rebound, was almost hit in the face by the ball. After receiving the ball, he subconsciously completed a layup.
The smooth cooperation caused constant cheers in the arena, and Bob Costas in the commentary box also praised loudly:
"God! What a beautiful assist! The Pacers need to improve defensive continuity!"
After completing the assist, Li You smiled and nodded his head with his right index finger when he retreated.
Jaylen Rose, who failed to complete the pursuit, was so angry that he smashed the ball. He turned around and saw Larry Bird looking at him from the sidelines, and quickly adjusted his emotions.
Noting that the Pacers' offense has become a screen-and-throw approach, Doug Collins commented with a smile:
"Larry Johnson's defense on chasing screens has dropped significantly this season. Jaylen Rose can get a lot of opportunities. It seems that the Pacers are fully prepared for this game."
The game quickly changed into two rhythms. The Pacers began to speed up. Dale Davis hit the ball with his back after receiving the ball, and Jaylen Rose took the ball and threw it after covering the screen.
Reggie Miller also shoots after catching the ball, but in some rounds he will break through and cause a foul.
Even when they fell into position to attack, the Pacers did not slow down and continued to speed up the offensive rhythm.
On the Knicks' side, Li You didn't follow suit. After Ewing tried the low post, he stood at the elbow to provide support and pulled Rick Schmitz out of the paint.
Larry Bird watched Li You circle around Ewing and use the screen to get under the basket. There was nothing he could do for a while.
Jaylen Rose missed a jump shot and the basketball hit the front edge and then flew to the free throw line.
Li You collected the long rebound immediately, and then rushed after taking the ball.
Mark Jackson quickly retreated to half court, and there was a hurried delay outside the three-point line. However, Li You, who was holding the ball in his left hand, did not slow down at all. He came to the free throw line, pinched the ball with his left hand and rushed to the basket against the defense.
Losing his position, Mark Jackson pulled subconsciously. Li You was not affected too much. He took three long steps to the basket and then tilted his body and threw the ball towards the backboard!
"squeak!"
The ball went in when the buzzer sounded, and the basketball hit the board and hit the basket accurately.
The Knicks atmosphere team immediately stood up and shouted happily.
As Li Youjia made a free throw, head coach Larry Bird immediately requested a timeout.
12:18, 6 minutes and 16 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Pacers' pursuit of Larry Johnson and Oakley during this period was very effective, and the Knicks' response was simple. Li You continued to play the pick-and-roll on Rick Schmitz's side.
Both sides know their opponents well and seize their weaknesses. Doug Collins noticed that the Knicks were preparing to rotate and praised the bald young coach:
"The game plan formulated by coach Van Gundy before the game is very targeted!"
Substitutions were made at the end of the day, and Kukchi, Kurt Thomas, and Ben Wallace came on the scene.
The Pacers continue to use Rick Schmitz, and Larry Bird has not given up yet and wants to hit mismatches.
In the second half of the first quarter, the rhythm of the game between the two sides began to change, entering a positional attack, and Rick Schmitz began to take position again.
However, when the opponent was hitting the ball, Li You started to push back with all his strength and attack the position, while Kuqi continued to hang around the free throw line.
After continuous scoring, the Pacers quickly moved the ball from left to right. Dale Davis received the ball in the low post on the right side. Facing the defense of Kurt Thomas, he relied on a turnaround jumper close to the paint area after the hit.
Kukchi retracted to collect the rebound, and then immediately launched a counterattack with the ball. Both sides rushed to the half court for a while.
On the right wing, Li You received a pass from Kukchi. After receiving the ball, he immediately released the ball with his left hand and cut in quickly.
Facing Jaylen Rose, who was sliding back to defend, he quickly in and out while moving, swaying left and right, and Li You successfully grabbed half of his body.
Stuck the opponent, the ball protector took advantage of the situation and slapped off Jaylen Rose's arm. After the second acceleration, Li You completely threw away the defense and came to the basket to easily pick the basket!
Li You scored consecutive points, and Jaylen Rose could only complain to the referee about his hand movements, but naturally no one ignored him.
At this time, Larry Bird on the sidelines realized that there was an error in the pre-game plan, and Jaylen Rose's defense was almost in vain.
The Knicks, who were running fast, soon tossed Rick Schmitz off the court.
At the end of the first quarter, Reggie Miller used his step-by-step break after receiving the ball to make pull-up jumpers and get to the free throw line.
After stretching his foot to cause a foul, Alan Houston smiled and shook his head and did not complain about such a call.
While Reggie Miller was taking free throws, Spike Lee on the sidelines kept shouting and showing off his printed T-shirt.
Watching Reggie Miller hit his second free throw, Spike Lee raised his hands proudly.
Ben-Wallace grabbed the backcourt rebound very quickly, and immediately hit the ball. Li You continued to accelerate along the left sideline.
The defensive attention of the Pacers who retreated was attracted by Li You. He cut in from the left wing and everyone shrank for a while.
When Alan Houston received the pass on the right wing, Mark Jackson only reacted. He jumped up to defend and watched the three-pointer hit the net hollowly.
Larry Bird, who was crossing his arms, didn't hold back. He cursed secretly and then defended angrily.
After entering a state of mutual stabbing, the Pacers were unable to keep up with the ball in response.
At the end of the first quarter, the score reached 22:30. Reggie Miller, who had played the entire first quarter, was in no mood to deal with Spike Lee, who was jumping up and down on the sidelines.
Looking at the technical statistics, Bob Costas in the commentary box couldn't help but exclaimed again:
"Except for missing a long-range three-pointer at the last moment, Li made all seven of his shots. His condition is really outstanding!"
7 of 8, 1 of 2 from beyond the arc, 3 of 3 free throws, 18 points in a single quarter, this performance made Madison Square Garden boiling again.
Doug Collins noticed that Alan Houston made 1 of 5 shots and only scored 3 points, and he knew that the Knicks were in average shape:
"The Pacers still have a chance and I believe in their resilience!"
In the Pacers' rotation, Travis Best and Jaylen Rose partner in the backcourt, Crohill and Harrington are on the front line, and Sam Perkins is at center.
Jeff Van Gundy didn't say much during the break, and he still followed a step-by-step schedule.
But after the start of the second quarter, the Knicks were struggling, and veteran Sam Perkins, who came off the bench on the opposite side, scored two three-pointers in a row.
Less than 3 minutes later, the score difference was only 2 points.
Kukchi, who was in good form in the previous games, suddenly succumbed tonight.
There were 9 minutes and 01 seconds left in the second quarter, and the score was 28:30.
Jeff Van Gundy looked a little dizzy when he looked at the substitute lineup that had not scored a point. Instead of taking a timeout, he made tactical gestures to signal for more breakthroughs.
Li You, who is sitting on the bench, has become accustomed to such scenes. Kuqi, Artest and Chris Childs are all in unstable condition.
Seeing Jaylen Rose break through to the basket to tie the score, Li You also stood up and reminded Artest loudly:
"Ron, defend! Get the rebound!"
After losing someone in the transition attack, Artest heard Li You's shout and quickly concentrated.
Oakley sat on the bench and didn't care that the score was equalized. He just muttered in a low voice:
"The rookie is still unreliable!"
According to the pre-game plan, Artest will get some opportunities once Cooke feels bad.
Perhaps it was his first Christmas game, so Artest was a little nervous and couldn't grasp the simple ball.
After another 2 minutes of play, the Pacers took the lead and Jeff Van Gundy quickly requested a timeout.
In the NBC commentary box, Doug Collins couldn't help laughing when he saw this situation:
"Like I said, when Kukic can't find his touch, the Knicks' rotation is going to have some problems."
"This situation will also occur with the Bulls. In the past, Larry Johnson's second team has worked well, but this season the situation is different."
Bob Costas watched the Pacers regain momentum and sighed:
"The Knicks have entered a state of transition from old to new early, which is really not a good thing for them."
Li You, who appeared early, quickly stabilized the situation.
In the first round after the timeout, Reggie Miller, who had just appeared, could not catch up in time. Li You seized the opportunity and received a hand-off pass from Kukqi on the right elbow area, and went straight to the basket, causing veteran Sa. Tom Sparks' batter fouled.
As the game time passed and the Knicks took the lead, the emotions of the New York fans at the scene returned.
Artest's rough defense made Reggie Miller a little uncomfortable. Apart from drawing fouls, he still rarely scored in sports games.
Jeff Van Gundy watched Li You stabilize the situation on the court, he breathed a sigh of relief, sat back on the bench and hung up with peace of mind.
The two sides alternated the lead. With 2 minutes and 43 seconds left in the half, as Li You made two free throws, the score reached 42:44.
The Pacers changed their defensive strategy again in this quarter, trying to make Li You lose their offensive rhythm through rough fouls.
Ewing, who returned to the court, was loudly calling on his teammates to retreat and get into position.
The Pacers played the same tactic, and Jaylen Rose failed to get rid of Artest's pursuit this time.
In the right elbow area, after releasing the ball with his left hand, he took two steps forward. Finally, he was forced to stop the ball in the paint. After joining the ball, Jaylen Rose wanted to find his teammates again, but Ewing suddenly grabbed the ball and cooperated with Artest. Team up together.
Under the siege of the two, Artest hugged the ball and pulled it out. Jaylen Rose, who was pushed against his body, lost his balance and immediately fell to the floor under the tug.
"oh!"
Seeing Artest pull the ball out of the opponent's arms, the fans at the scene screamed in surprise.
Before being tripped, Artest threw the ball forward. Li You rushed across the half court and easily grabbed the ball. 1-on-0 in the frontcourt, he grabbed the ball with his right hand and succeeded in a gliding dunk!
"Wow!"
Cheers echoed throughout the arena, a rare successful defense, and Jeff Van Gundy stood up and kept high-fiving.
At the end of the half, as the Pacers' ball carrier made consecutive mistakes, the Knicks seized the opportunity and once again widened the point difference.
At 46:52, both sides played a good game.
Seeing such a situation occur to the Knicks, who had been particularly stable in the first three seasons, Bob Costas briefly commented at halftime:
"Rookie players need time to grow, and the sudden decline of veterans obviously caught the Knicks a little off guard."
"In some games, Lee really needs to score more points to win, which is a great opportunity for other teams."
Li You scored 28 points with 10 of 13 shots in the half, 1 of 3 from beyond the arc, and 7 of 7 free throws.
Looking at the three assists in the technical statistics, Doug Collins joked:
"Lee became a shooting guard, which is somewhat different from his new title!"
After the second half of the game started, both sides almost repeated the situation of the first half.
At 24:28 of the third quarter, the Knicks' starting lineup widened the point difference to 10 points.
With the rotation of the lineup in the fourth quarter, the point difference was narrowed to 4 points.
There are no three quarters to check in. The audience who bought tickets to watch the game tonight didn't care and still happily cheered for the home team.
The Pacers, who began to shorten their rotations in the second half, gradually became misfired. Although Alan Houston had a mediocre touch, Reggie Miller could not completely find his sights.
Larry Bird was still shouting for the Pacers to retreat. Reggie Miller missed a three-pointer, and Li You, who collected a long rebound, seized the opportunity.
On the right wing, Mark Jackson reached down to catch the ball while concealing the pull. While sliding, he never stopped making small movements with his right hand.
Li You noticed that several teammates had already completed their positions, approaching the three-point line, and were dribbling quickly behind their backs.
After switching to his left hand, he paused slightly, and then dribbled the ball on the spot twice very quickly. Li You's body swayed rapidly and he suddenly retreated.
Mark Jackson was stunned for a moment, and then jumped to defend. The rhythm of the two sides was not on the same channel. Li You ignored the defense and easily made a jump shot from outside the three-point line!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net!
At 88:95, the score difference returned to 7 points. Li You showed no expression and retreated quickly.
With 4 minutes and 46 seconds left in the game, the fans at the scene who had been emotionally disturbed cheered again.
The atmosphere team of the Knicks digging holes also threw up towels on the sidelines at this time.
Speeding up the offensive tempo, Reggie Miller's lob pass from the left wing had obvious intentions. Rick Schmitz, who was defending behind Ewing, suddenly made a move.
The moment he bent down to get the ball, Rick Schmitz was intercepted by Ewing. Then he could only clap his hands in frustration and quickly retreat with his teammates.
Ewing, whose physical fitness was almost at the bottom, quickly rushed through the half court with the Knicks.
Ewing stood directly at the top of the arc. Li You, holding the ball in his right hand, suddenly pushed the ball quickly to change direction, lowered his center of gravity and broke through to the left.
Before Rick Schmitz had time to defend, Li You, who switched to his left hand, adjusted his steps. After getting rid of the defense, he suddenly stopped at the top of the arc and made another jump shot from outside the three-point line!
"Whoa!" Another three-pointer!
88:98, the score difference returned to 10 points again.
The Pacers immediately requested a timeout, and Larry Bird looked at Rick Schmitz gasping for air and stopped criticizing the players.
"God! Lee is starting to take over the game! In the past few seasons, it was difficult for us to see such a scene."
Bob Costas saw the excitement and shouted excitedly. Doug Collins smiled and said:
"If head coach Phil Jackson watches this game, he will definitely have a headache!"
"In the fourth quarter, if the big guys don't delay in time, Lee will completely punish them!"
Ewing returned to the bench and drank a lot from his water bottle. Although it was only 3 rounds, he played for too long in the third quarter and he couldn't run anymore:
"I need to rest for two rounds, Shet! Damn fitness!"
The gorilla stopped showing off. Victory was in sight, and he didn't want to force himself. His feet felt heavy and he couldn't do much on the defensive end.
The 10-point difference allowed Jeff Van Gundy to completely relax, waved his hands to Ben Wallace and Cookic, and prepared to replace the two veterans:
"Larry, be careful to guard Dale Davis and don't let him catch the ball easily in the low post!"
"Aunt", who basically fished tonight, was in good physical condition and patted her chest to show that she understood.
Before taking the court, Jeff Van Gundy patted Li You on the shoulder again, and everything went without saying anything.
In the final minutes of the 4th quarter, the quality of the Knicks' coverage dropped, but the Pacers' defense couldn't catch up.
Watching Li You's continuous high pick-and-rolls, bursts or shots, constantly tearing apart the opponent's defense, the New York fans at the scene screamed excitedly.
Reggie Miller continued to play outside the three-point line, and Rick Schmitz completely stopped at the last moment.
To guard against the pick-and-roll, he could only stretch out his hand symbolically and watch Li You squeeze past him and drive straight to the basket from the center.
Dell Davis, who was assisting on defense, moved his feet. Li You, who was on the move, flicked his right wrist and passed the ball from his pocket. The basketball flew directly into the hands of Kukqi. After cutting in from the left, he dunked with both hands!
"ah!"
Looking at Kuqi roaring under the basket, the Pacers bench was completely silent.
With the defensive end completely collapsed, Li You finally assisted his teammates continuously in the final stage, completely sealing the victory.
With 1 minute and 01 seconds left in the game, Larry Bird requested a timeout and replaced the main lineup, completely admitting defeat.
"Wow!"
Madison Square Garden erupted with huge cheers as New York fans began to celebrate the victory on Christmas Day.
As time ran out, the final score was fixed at 92:107, and the Knicks successfully defeated the Pacers.
Ben Wallace grinned widely and held the game ball in his arms, preparing to give it to Li You as a souvenir.
There was no crushing victory. Li You just smiled and hugged everyone on the Pacers team after the game.
When Spike Lee saw Reggie Miller and Li You saying hello, he turned and walked towards the tunnel. For a moment, he raised his hands in the air and booed along with the fans.
For many old fans, being able to see Reggie Miller playing iron in the Christmas game is a worthwhile ticket!
Played 40 minutes, made 6 of 17, 2 of 9 from beyond the three-point line, 8 of 9 free throws, 22 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 turnovers. Reggie Miller didn't feel good, but he still got a lot of free throws with his rich experience.
The Pacers lost again, and Doug Collins didn't comment much:
"The lack of stable scorers is the problem currently facing the Pacers."
"If Reggie Miller is in average condition, who can take over the scoring task? Coach Larry Bird still needs to find a second attacker."
Bob Costas did not comment on the losing side, but said with a smile:
"With 50 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal and 1 turnover, Lee tied the 50-point record set by Rick Barry in 1966 in this year's Christmas game!"
“I’m sure the fans will love this Christmas gift!”
Playing 39 minutes, Li You made 17 of 25 shots, 3 of 7 from beyond the arc, and 13 of 13 free throws. Li You once again played extremely efficiently.
Although it was not a game of abuse, the New York fans who were so excited did not leave the field immediately after the game. They looked at Li You holding the ball and waving, and continued to shout loudly:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
"."
In an era before data exploded, high scores were still a rare product. Coupled with the blessing of the Christmas game, 50 points swept all major sports media just after the game ended.
In the Knicks locker room, Artest seemed more excited than Li You and went straight into a state of self-excitement:
"50 points! At the end of the first quarter, I had a hunch, it's crazy!"
"Can O'Neal score 50 points in the Christmas game? He is not Chamberlain!"
I didn't feel it during the game. After the game, Ewing was a little confused when he saw the technical statistics.
The Knicks took 80 shots tonight, and the rhythm of the game was normal. Li You didn't throw wild three-pointers. After all, there were too many transition offenses, so the old guy had to take a break early.
The atmosphere team was all chattering about it. Only Kukqi didn't feel much. In his impression, it was so easy to score a dunk.
Larry Johnson was like a gorilla tonight, shooting 4 of 10 and scoring 12 points. Looking at Artest who was in a state of euphoria, he joked while applying ice:
"Ron, you have to work harder. Your and Lee's combined scores are only 54, which is 6 points short of Bernard King's record."
Artest also dug a hole tonight. Oakley touched his chin and said in a wicked way:
"Next month, you carry Todd's bags. Don't make excuses. If we play away games, you will be the one to distribute the jerseys!"
"."
At the post-match press conference, as soon as Li You appeared, the New York media in the audience started cheering.
In another Christmas Day game, the Lakers at home defeated the Spurs 93:99.
In 38 minutes of playing time, O'Neal made 13 of 22 shots, 6 of 12 free throws, and scored 32 points;
Kobe played 35 minutes, shot 7 of 19 and scored 18 points.
The score of "Chamberlain" plus "Jordan" is exactly equal to Li You's 50 points tonight.
"Lee, how do you feel about scoring a career-high 50 points?"
Upon hearing the question from the New York Post reporter, Li You just smiled and said with a relaxed expression:
“40+10 is 50 points, it doesn’t feel too difficult!”
Everyone in the audience burst into laughter, and then Li You said seriously:
"I will never define myself as a scorer. As the leader of the team, I would rather be able to provide 20 assists."
The reporters accompanying the Pacers were speechless. They felt that Li You was pretending but were unable to refute.
Seeing the two groups of people on stage and off stage engaging in commercial exchanging mode, some reporters soon left the venue depressed:
“I can’t stay in New York anymore!”
The Christmas game had a great influence. The front page headlines of most newspapers the next day were Li You's 50 points.
In the history of the Knicks, Bernard King once scored 60 points in the Christmas game. When the New York media shouted for inheritance, the New York Times came up with another article:
"The King!"
Li You, who got high scores, was actually not as happy as everyone thought. He didn't like to constantly fill in the holes during the competition.
In the previous game lost to the Hornets, in addition to the opponent's accurate shooting, the biggest reason for the loss was that the hole was not filled.
Once the opponent can also throw in a response ball, the game becomes difficult to say. Li You understands his shortcomings. His influence on the defensive end is limited, and a stalemate game is not his pursuit.
Jeff Van Gundy was also criticized by the New York media after Christmas, and Popovich, who stubbornly criticized Duncan when he lost, was criticized by the San Antonio media.
From the beginning of the regular season, as long as it is an anxious game, Duncan will definitely play 40+ minutes.
Duncan played another 45 minutes in the Christmas game, making 8 of 23 shots, 12 of 15 free throws, scoring 28 points, 9 rebounds, 1 block, and 4 turnovers.
The loss to the Lakers increased the number of calls for Popovich to be fired.
On the occasion of All-Star Game voting, Li You's 50 points was an advertisement for himself.
In the next few days, the New York media also made great efforts, blowing the news every day, trying to get Li You to win the vote.
In the game against the Nets on the 28th, Li You was a little tough. Fortunately, Alan Houston recovered quickly, shooting 10 of 18 and scoring 28 points efficiently.
104:89, the Knicks successfully defeated their opponents!
After the game, Alan Houston, who was in a good mood, also joked during an interview in the locker room:
"I'm relieved to see Lee doing this, it proves he's still human!"
In the last game of 1999, the Knicks challenged the Wizards away from home but unexpectedly lost.
The whole team worked together, 89:96, and the Wizards won a victory.
Li You's record of consecutive three-pointers is set at 56 games this time.
Michael Jordan, who rarely attends home games, stood up and applauded in the front row after the game, smiling for the first time in two months at home.
The applause was given to Richmond and Krez Murray. The former was 8 of 8, scored 24 points, and the latter was 5 in the three-point line 5. point.
Hamilton, who returned from the injury, went out for 17 minutes, 2 of 7, scored 7 points, the team won, but a little lost in his heart.
On December 31, 1999, he returned to Li You, New York. He opened a birthday party. On this day, he was 22 years old.
Li You, this year's birthday, was particularly happy. Qualcomm's stock came to 88.06 Um -knife at the end of the year.
During the 1998 offseason, Li You bought a 2.88 US knife when he bought it. The increase in 1999 was almost happy to sleep.
Regardless of whether others hold stocks, Li You has begun to return blood.
On January 1, 2000, on the first day of the new century, there was no end of the world.
After Li You woke up in the hotel, she opened the Latin girl on her body and pulled her right arm from the blond white girl on the side of her body.
Under the bed, she still fell asleep and drank a long -legged girl who was still sleeping. The long -lost overtime race almost made Li You tired of breaking his waist.
In order to celebrate stock earnings, last night's birthday party finally became a familiar silver party.
On the first day of the New Year, the Knicks team gave everyone a day.
In the morning, the girls who were reluctant to be reluctant, Li You, who was injured by the wine, looked at the news on the computer with a dark circles, and helplessly persuaded:
"Don't worry, it is not a bad thing to make less. I haven't seen any information about policies."
The news of not raising interest rate hikes also made Ai Wen relieved.
The beautiful knife made makes people feel unreal. I think there are still a large part of stocks that have not been sold. Ai Wen is still a little uneasy:
"I want to go home and ask the news. These Internet companies are crazy, and the pet station really bought a super bowl of advertisements!"
"They have no profit at all. All the money is spent on advertising marketing. I swear that as long as someone digs out these news, the stock will fall immediately."
"I know those startups in Silicon Valley. Without investors' money, they may have to go down in half a year."
After discussing the two, they finally decided to end at the late January, and then settled in the bag.
On January 2nd, the first game of the New Year, the Magic and Heat played a time to make the fans look refreshing.
103: 111, the magic team led by Doug Rivers is very tenacious.
Although the Heat won the game, Mo Ning, who got the best player in December, performed average that night, 18 of 18, relying on the 13th free throw, scored 21 points.
The record reached 20 wins and 9 losses, and the Heat was still ranked third.
On the 3rd, the Bucks and the 76ers also played to overtime.
In the end 120: 124, with Iverson's brave play, the 76ers laughed to the end.
38 of 38, 11 of 18 free throws, Iverson scored 45 points in anger!
Under the tactics of "Four Insurance and One", Iverson also showed his ability to develop offensive.
While the ball reviewer was still amazed, on the 4th, the Lakers fought in the FEFA in Staples!
O'Neal 26 17, scored 38 points and 15 rebounds, Kobe 26 12, scored 29 points and 9 rebounds.
"Chamberlain" and "Jordan" also showed their scoring ability. The media in Los Angeles continued to blow:
"The strongest two groups in the alliance!"
In an interview after the game, Kobe did not talk about the victory of this game. After all, the Clippers in the same city are a fishing team, and there is nothing to win.
When asked about the scoring ability, Kobe was excited to mention the theory of "White Hot Space":
"I am still looking for that state, just like Li scored 50 points in the Christmas war. That night, he entered the" white heat space "!"
The Los Angeles media under the audience were aggressive.
Fil Jackson burned the sage in the locker room to smoke the child stupid?
In the game that night, the Knicks faced the Celtics at home.
Li You sent 16 assists, Alan Houston 18 of 18, 3 of 3 of the three-point line, 10 of 13 of the free throw, and 37 points in explosion!
At 88: 108, the Knicks victory over their opponents, ushered in the new year's opening.
This game Ewed completely became a cover tool. He played 31 minutes, 8 in 8, scored 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Although there are not many scores, the defensive end has a full sense of presence. Gorilla also sends out three steals and two blocks!
On the second day of the newspaper, the New York media also played a madness:
"Balanced offense and defense, the Knicks will continue to rule the alliance!"
In the first half of the game, the Knicks team was relatively easy, but the record was not ideal.
On the evening of the 15th, 79: 99, the Knicks team won the Hornet at home. After this game, the record came to 28 wins and 8 losses.
On the first week, the back was lost to the Cavaliers. In the second week, the back was lost to the Pistons.
Losing these two games made Jeff Van Gandy helpless. One let the Cavaliers get 100 points, and the other made the Pistons score 114 points.
This way of losing is not in line with his coaching concept at all.
At the press conference after the evening on the 15th, Jeff Van Gandy also talked about the team's current situation in an interview:
"Defense has always been the guarantee of our championship. At present, the team still has not returned to the best state."
The New York media, who wins and smiles, saw Jeff Van Gandy, who didn't seem to be satisfied with the team's play, and was a little surprised for a while:
"After Jeff, after all stars, will we add the existing lineup?"
Thinking of the general manager Glenfield frequently sent some big men to the team, Jeff Van Gandy helped his forehead, and finally replied to the mud:
"The team already has enough talent, but we still need to be patient, young players need to grow!"
"."
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(End of chapter)
