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***
On April 21, 2004, the NBA announced this season's Executive of the Year:
Grunfeld of the New York Knicks successfully won the award.
After the results were announced, some critics found it preposterous.
What acquisitions did Grunwald make during the offseason?
Due to his ball-handling responsibilities, Raja Bell had some impressive performances during the regular season, but overall, he was no different from a regular rotation player.
The biggest impression this new acquisition left on fans was his tenacious Defense.
Whenever he was on the court, regardless of his offensive performance, his defensive attitude was impeccable.
The veteran Dikembe Mutombo, signed with a mid-level exception, indeed suppressed the overweight big man Wright, but during the regular season, he played a maximum of 20 minutes per game.
His impressive performance was that he could deliver blocks in every game, but often he would also miss easy shots.
This signing was considered to have increased the team's roster depth.
If these two players were the reason the Knicks achieved another 70+ wins, no critics would believe it!
When the award was given to the Knicks, the Los Angeles Times sarcastically commented:
"Perhaps this is compensation for Clay Lee, after all, Kevin Garnett stole his MVP!"
In Game 2, the Lakers easily defeated the Denver Nuggets 100-85, and after demonstrating their dominance, the Los Angeles sports media became active again.
This statement was meant to needle future opponent Kevin Garnett.
The Los Angeles media had already started before the Western Conference Finals even began!
New York fans, on the other hand, felt that Grunfeld should have received this award long ago.
Last season's 73 wins and this year's 72 wins were a shared achievement.
While the Los Angeles sports media mocked their opponents to mess with their mentality, New York fans took it seriously.
After last night's game against the Celtics, some fans did not leave the Madison Square Garden but continued to hold up whiteboards to express their indignation:
"Kevin Garnett!"
"Win a Real Trophy!"
A new twist on an old trick: after the Knicks took a significant lead in the second half, these fans, wearing Lee's home jerseys, held up whiteboards and shouted continuously.
The live broadcast director even allowed these fervent fans to be "on TV," which further stimulated the emotions of the fans present!
New York fans demonstrated with whiteboards because this was the Knicks' last home game of the first round.
If they didn't do something now, Kevin Garnett would receive his award in early May.
The ignored Celtics did not explode with energy throughout the game, repeating the performance of Game 1 and quietly losing.
As the Knicks prepared to fly to the road for their next game, General Manager Grunfeld accepted an interview with a smile after receiving his award.
For the past few seasons, the management has done almost nothing, just like James Dolan indulging himself by holding concerts.
Everyone, besides making money, has begun to enjoy life.
The now-overweight Grunfeld was very humble in his interview with the sports media:
"72 wins, that's all Lee's credit. In comparison, we just did some minor work!"
"âŚ"
After entering the playoffs, the Knicks' management was still on autopilot because this year's draft was again the 29th pick.
At most, they would symbolically invite some players to participate in tryouts.
As for other work, it was to ensure assets did not depreciate and to resolve Amar'e Stoudemire's knee issues.
Regardless of whether it was a compensatory issue, Grunfeld's award still offended some people.
After Jerry West left the Lakers and came to Memphis, the team has indeed improved significantly in these two seasons.
Relying on his connections, he even invited the veteran coach Hubie Brown to be the Head Coach.
This seemingly reliable configuration, however, still could not get the Grizzlies into the playoffs.
After the award was announced, Jerry West publicly criticized the NBA's unhealthy development:
"When winners take all, fans naturally don't buy it. For small-market teams, it has become increasingly difficult in recent years, and players all want to play in big cities."
"The Knicks filter through players in the offseason, and then it's the small-market teams' turn. We all know what that means!"
Players who believe in their talent would rather compete internally with the Knicks than play in Memphis.
On one side, excellent young players can be signed at relatively low prices, while on the other, contracts higher than market value are needed to attract players to join the team.
After being reported, Jerry West's words resonated with many teams, and some tanking teams also spoke eloquently about it:
"We don't want to lose either, but the team lacks true talent!"
On April 22, the NBA announced this season's Coach of the Year (COY):
Mike D'Antoni of the Knicks won the award without suspense.
Achieving 70+ wins for two consecutive seasons, a historical first, Mike D'Antoni seems even more dominant compared to Jeff Van Gundy!
Before the end of the regular season, Kevin Garnett still supported Head Coach Saunders, but with the Knicks achieving 72 wins, the future MVP also fell silent.
Receiving this award for the second time since taking over the Knicks, Mike D'Antoni appeared very pleased when interviewed after the afternoon training session.
Perhaps the schedule was even easier than expected, and Mike D'Antoni also became somewhat overconfident, proactively stating:
"Actually, I don't care about this award. After taking over the team, I want to create our own dynasty with the Knicks again."
"The Celtics completed an 8-peat back then, and I believe the Knicks have that kind of strength too!"
"Don't forget Lee is only 26 years old. As long as he stays healthy, anything is possible!"
Speaking these words in the Celtics' home sounded somewhat provocative.
The Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees are true rivals.
The Celtics and the Knicks had no particular animosity.
However, the next morning, Dan Shaughnessy, an NBA columnist for the Boston Globe, furiously blasted the Knicks in his column and, incidentally, called out to the Celtics:
"As the star player, Paul Pierce must defend the honor of the Celtics!"
"âŚ"
Under the instigation of the Boston Globe and Boston sports radio, Celtics fans arrived early at the Fleet Center that evening.
The game tipped off at 7 PM, and the Fleet Center was already full more than 40 minutes before the start of the game.
In Game 2, the Knicks won by a large margin, 113-86.
Clay Lee played 33 minutes, shooting 10-for-15 from the field, 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, and 7-for-7 from the free-throw line, tallying 30 points, 3 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, with no turnovers.
Clocking out after three quarters, Lee was very low-key after arriving on the road.
In his opinion, this was just a formality, as the opponent had already given up resisting!
However, after seeing the newspaper first thing in the morning, Lee couldn't help but feel a spark of interest.
As the Knicks entered the Madison Square Garden, they were met with a chorus of boos from the Celtics fans present.
During the final warm-up, Lee, wearing his practice uniform, casually shot hoops, and after greeting the "punching bag," he approached Paul Pierce:
"I heard you're going to score 40 points tonight to defend your home court?"
Paul Pierce, who had always been particularly low-key, didn't know what to say when he heard this.
The newspaper interviews were all fake.
He had never said those words.
As a core player, Paul Pierce still maintained his composure.
After a slight pause, he lifted his head and responded confidently:
"I don't care how many points I score, but I will win the game tonight!"
After saying this, Paul Pierce adjusted his green headband and walked away from Lee with his head held high.
As a long-standing NBA team, the Celtics have a deep fan base.
Before the game even started, the boos in the Fleet Center were non-stop.
Both teams continued with their starting lineups.
As they came to center court, Grant Hill friendly patted Paul Pierce on the shoulder.
With a significant lead, the Knicks players were all relaxed.
As the referee tossed the ball up, Pau Gasol reacted faster, tipping the ball to midcourt ahead of the big man Mark Blount.
"Defense!âŚ"
As the fans' defensive cheers erupted, Paul Pierce also seemed to perk up, and he began loudly calling out to his teammates for timely matchups.
Ron Artest quickly ran to the left corner.
Seeing Paul Pierce's boisterous demeanor, he immediately said dismissively:
"Do you really think you can win the game?"
Near the left baseline, Paul Pierce saw Ron Artest showing off and immediately retorted:
"Who do you think you are? This is between me and Lee!"
In front of the home fans, Paul Pierce would not show a dejected expression, and he returned to his aggressive self.
The two exchanged words in front of the front-row fans, drawing cheers from the crowd.
The Knicks immediately started with their most effective "V-cut offense." Pau Gasol and Kurt Thomas positioned themselves at the left and right elbow areas.
Travis Best did not fully follow Grant Hill to the right corner but, according to the defensive scheme, stopped near the right block area, ready to help defend and interfere at any time.
Seeing Lee arrive at the top of the arc, Atkins began to loudly remind his teammates.
Mark Blount noticed Pau Gasol moving and also quickened his pace to the three-point line.
Near the left wing, Pau Gasol stood his ground, and Clay Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, quickly dribbled it behind his back, switched it to his left hand, and then squeezed past his side.
Atkins, delayed, failed to chase back in time, forcing Mark Blount to step up for a big delay.
Before he could bend down to interfere, Lee suddenly lowered his center of gravity and quickly changed direction between his legs.
The moment he switched the ball to his right hand, Lee quickly led it forward, instantly threading through the gap.
Mark Blount could only stand rooted to the spot and turn his head.
In the right elbow area, McCarty had intended to slide over to help defend, but in a blink of an eye, Lee had already broken through to the painted area directly in front of the basket.
Helpless, he could only stop his feet.
Paul Pierce, however, was very active, quickly helping to defend under the basket, but before he could jump up to block, Lee had already gathered the ball.
After a three-step run, Lee grabbed the ball with his right hand and threw down a one-handed dunk!
"Boom!"
The rim rattled loudly.
Paul Pierce helplessly stopped his feet, standing dejectedly to the lower left of the basket.
"Boo!"
Boos echoed throughout the arena.
Although Celtics fans knew their team's defensive discipline wasn't strong, seeing Lee complete such an easy dunk, some couldn't hold back.
Head Coach Carroll stood on the sidelines with his arms crossed.
Like the previous two games, he didn't make any grand statements before the game.
Even though the Boston Globe was clamoring for a home win, Carroll remained calm.
When it was the Celtics' turn to attack, he merely gestured with tactical hand signals to remind his players.
The cheers from the crowd were almost drowned out by the fans' disgruntled shouts.
Atkins came to the top of the arc and immediately passed the ball to Paul Pierce on the right wing.
After his teammate received the ball, Atkins immediately stepped up to screen.
The referee didn't call a screening foul on the short guard. Seeing the opponent pull, Lee actively switched Defense.
Paul Pierce clearly wanted to pick on the weaker opponent.
In the first two games, his pick-and-rolls with big men were always disrupted by Ron Artest, so tonight he changed his approach.
Holding the ball in his left hand, Paul Pierce came to the top of the arc, still shuffling sideways.
On the Celtics' side, McCarty quickly came to the top of the arc to create space, and Travis Best also quickly slipped along the baseline from left to right.
Only Mark Blount remained near the right baseline, waiting for an easy layup or rebound.
Paul Pierce's dribbling speed wasn't fast.
After lowering his center of gravity, he first faced forward and switched to his left hand.
After nearing the three-point line, he immediately leaned in and accelerated.
Wing players usually don't need fancy fakes when facing guards.
They protect the ball while moving and drive through.
Paul Pierce would choose such a simple and unadorned offense.
Easily anticipating the opponent's offensive intention, Lee, who chose to stick close, quickly slid backward to the right while constantly applying body contact.
The two collided, and Paul Pierce, driving to the restricted area, was forced to slow down.
He finally stopped dribbling and stepped back, quickly gathering the ball.
The moment the opponent stepped back, Paul Pierce put power into his shoulder, but Clay Lee was unaffected and sharply stepped forward to steal the ball.
Paul Pierce had just raised the ball to his chest and hadn't even reacted when Lee cleanly stripped the ball away, causing the opponent to shout.
"Ah!"
Some fans in the front row were cheering, but in a blink of an eye, offense and Defense had switched, and gradually the cheers turned into boos.
Paul Pierce, who dropped the ball, didn't complain to the referee.
The steal was clean and crisp.
He had just been careless, thinking he could create shooting space through contact.
After completing the steal, Lee controlled possession.
Seeing Paul Pierce immediately try to steal it back, he simply slowed his pace, motioned for his teammates to cross half-court and spread out, and then crossed half-court with 8 seconds remaining on the shot clock.
In front of the home fans, Paul Pierce naturally wanted to perform.
He switched to defend Lee, always maintaining a certain distance, and occasionally stepping forward to try and steal the ball near his waist.
How to defend a speed-type guard: Paul Pierce displayed excellent defensive fundamentals, and with the cheers of the fans, he became more and more energetic on Defense.
Coming to the right wing, Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, occasionally used his non-dribbling hand to swat away the opponent's arm.
The two tangled outside the three-point line.
As he neared the three-point line, Clay Lee immediately changed direction between his legs, his body swaying forward to the left.
Paul Pierce, who had maintained a certain distance, immediately turned sideways and again reached down to bother him.
A quick cross-step retreat, dodging the opponent's steal, Lee, with the ball in his right hand, paused slightly, faking a gather.
In an instinctive reaction, Paul Pierce hurriedly moved forward.
Having deceived the opponent's center of gravity, Lee quickly released the ball, took a large dribble forward, and then powerfully pounded the ball in place.
Attacked on his defensive lead foot, Paul Pierce was forced to twist his body.
Seeing Lee stop suddenly, he instinctively lunged to defend again.
Before the opponent could get in front of him, Lee quickly executed an In-and-Out dribble, his body swaying forward to the left again.
Paul Pierce was completely bewildered.
He wanted to slide backward again, but his body and mind conflicted.
To the fans' exclamations, Paul Pierce plopped down onto the court.
Having completed the fake, Lee accelerated into a breakthrough, easily reaching the lower right of the basket.
Facing Mark Blount, who came over to help defend, he scooped the ball with his right hand for a layup!
Watching the basketball arc high in the air, the big man under the basket could only look up at the rim, watching the ball swish through the net.
"Oh!"
The beautiful shot still drew gasps of admiration from many Celtics fans.
Clay Lee's fakes were clear and precise, and his speed wasn't overly fast, giving people the illusion that "I could do that too."
Paul Pierce, pulled up by his teammates, looked even darker.
He felt that Lee was doing it on purpose.
There were two opportunities where he could have driven directly to the basket, but instead, he chose to humiliate him.
Paul Pierce, his face a meme of anger, couldn't help but glare at Lee, who was raising his hands and hyping up the crowd.
"Relax, man! Getting faked out just shows how committed you are on Defense! Fans love that kind of effort from you."
Paul Pierce looked at Clay Lee, who said these words with a serious expression, and felt a bit confused.
However, seeing the New York Knicks' bench, where everyone was holding their heads, jumping up and down, and making strange noises while pointing at him, Paul Pierce was immediately enraged again:
"Damn it, I hate it!"
Grant Hill noticed that the Celtics seemed to want to wear down Lee from the start.
He actively waved his hand, but Lee shook his head, signaling not to worry.
Coach D'Antoni and several members of the coaching staff remained seated steadily on the bench.
They weren't worried about the opponent relying on illegal screens to target their star player.
The advantage the Celtics gained upon returning home was that even short guards could set high-quality screens.
Atkins, at 5'11", managed to push Ron Artest away with his short, stocky build, using both pushes and pulls.
Steve Javie, the referee on duty tonight, seemed to be blind, allowing such screening actions.
Again, Paul Pierce isolated at the top of the arc, still the same old routine: holding the ball in his left hand, gradually increasing dribbling force, and shifting his body's center of gravity.
Seeing Lee unmoved, Paul Pierce suddenly accelerated, quickly changed direction between his legs, and then, holding the ball in his right hand, lowered his shoulder and accelerated, driving past his defender again.
Still easily predicting the opponent's offensive choice, Lee slid backward to the left while applying body contact.
The two collided.
Although Paul Pierce used his non-dribbling hand well to swat away interference, his lack of explosive power prevented him from squeezing past the Defense immediately.
The moment he was forced to stop dribbling, Paul Pierce immediately pivoted on his left foot, made a large turn, and after switching to his left hand, immediately gathered the ball, leaning into Lee for a three-step drive straight to the basket.
From the turn to the gather, Paul Pierce's footwork was extremely clear, making excellent use of his body.
However, as he reached directly in front of the basket, holding the ball in his left hand and trying to contort his body for a floater, Paul Pierce's eyes widened.
Lee, who had adjusted his steps early, leaped high, already waiting for the opponent in the air.
Relying on his excellent jumping ability, as Paul Pierce began to descend, Lee still maintained an exceptionally good height.
With his body twisted and arm lowered, Paul Pierce, holding the ball in his left hand, barely managed to throw the ball towards the basket, ultimately watching helplessly as Lee, from above, delivered a volleyball-style block!
"Slap!"
The block, right in his face, instantly caused Paul Pierce to lose his balance again, stumbling and falling to the court.
"Boo!"
Lee landed and calmly wagged his finger, immediately drawing a chorus of boos.
Kurt Thomas snatched possession in front of McCarty.
Grant Hill stepped up to receive the pass, and the New York Knicks quickly launched a fast break.
Paul Pierce, who had gotten back on his feet, gritted his teeth and charged, staying alongside Clay Lee.
Grant Hill, accelerating along the left sideline, was also observing the court.
Unlike the previous two games, the Celtics' transition Defense was noticeably more active since returning home.
"Defense!"
The fans in the arena were also cheering loudly.
Without an immediate opportunity to attack the rim, Hill stopped on the left wing, then shuffled sideways to the top of the arc.
Pau Gasol and Kurt Thomas, seeing Lee already on the right wing, immediately stopped and positioned themselves in the left and right elbow areas.
Paul Pierce, who was guarding closely, saw that Hill had no intention of isolating Atkins, and immediately knew Lee was going to cut horizontally to receive the ball.
Paul Pierce hurriedly pulled Lee, while loudly reminding his teammate:
"Mark, switch onto him!"
The big man, Mark Blount, saw that Lee had already shaken off his defender using Kurt Thomas's screen.
After being alerted, he quickly shuffled towards the high post.
The ball was faster than the man.
Hill quickly delivered a cross-court pass, and Lee arrived on the right wing just in time to receive the pass.
The moment he caught the ball, Lee didn't make many adjustments.
Sideways, he drifted towards the left sideline and quickly jumped for a shot!
Mark Blount was still adjusting his feet to control his balance.
When he saw Lee shoot, he was bewildered and could only turn his head to watch the basket.
"Swish!" The three-pointer swished through the net!
It was 7-0, and the Celtics fans were silent.
Everyone watched Lee raise his left arm, hold up three fingers, and leisurely retreat on Defense, showing off.
Mark Blount instinctively spread his hands at Paul Pierce, indicating he had done his best and that jumping on such a jump shot would be a foul.
"Shit!"
Paul Pierce cursed under his breath and punched the air, looking unwilling to accept it.
On offense, the Celtics still used the same tactic: Pierce again drove into the paint from the top of the arc, pushing against Lee's Defense.
However, this time he didn't choose to attack the rim directly.
After faking Lee into the air, he made a behind-the-back pass to McCarty, who had cut to the basket.
The pass quality was average, forcing McCarty to bend down to catch the ball.
Kurt Thomas seized this opportunity to re-establish tight Defense, and at the same time, Pau Gasol on the right baseline also took the chance to return to the basket.
Ultimately, McCarty's right-hand floater, as he leaned into his defender, was rejected by Pau Gasol's long arm!
The basketball was swatted away as soon as it left his hand, preventing a timely second pass.
McCarty could only watch Lee rush to the free-throw line to regain possession after landing.
Atkins reacted the fastest.
The small guard proactively came forward and committed a foul before Lee could accelerate.
After the referee blew the whistle, Head Coach Carroll on the sideline immediately clapped, signaling that it was excellent Defense.
At the TNT commentary booth, Kevin Harlan didn't like to see such a scene.
A fluid fast break would be more eye-catching:
"It seems the Celtics are well-prepared tonight. Their first few offensive plays have been very targeted."
His partner, Rivers, was secretly complaining about the Celtics' lack of star power at this moment, and subconsciously said after hearing his partner's words:
"Paul Pierce should have capitalized on these opportunities. A forward facing a guard in a mismatch should at least draw a foul!"
"Perhaps it's a lack of game experience. Paul Pierce should play smarter!"
The Celtics, who quickly retreated on Defense, once again completed their defensive matchups, but the defensive cheers from the crowd were much quieter.
The fans were starting to lose their composure.
After inbound, Lee quickly dribbled past half-court.
Noticing that Atkins was maintaining a defensive distance, he quickly signaled a tactical play.
It was almost the same tactic, with the two big men still positioned at the elbow.
In the left corner, Ron Artest accelerated from left to right, cutting in.
At the same time, Grant also started from the right corner, moving to the right wing and cutting horizontally.
The two began to move their feet.
Lee smoothly passed the ball to Pau Gasol at the right elbow, then faked going forward for a handoff.
The Celtics' defensive attention involuntarily shifted towards Lee.
Grant then accelerated his cut towards the basket again, using Kurt Thomas's off-ball screen at the left elbow.
Pau Gasol, who received the pass, first turned his body, feigning a handoff, then suddenly twisted, and smoothly lobbed the ball towards the upper-left side of the basket.
Travis Best, who had lost his defensive position, could only watch Grant leap high, scoop the ball with his right hand, and slam it into the basket!
"Boom!" An alley-oop dunk was successful!
"OH--!"
"A beautiful play! This is why New York fans love watching the Knicks play!"
At the commentary booth, Kevin Harlan cheered loudly, looking very happy.
Rivers also praised:
"The difference between the two teams is too great. Head Coach Carroll should perhaps call a timeout to disrupt the Knicks' offense!"
Rivers, who was armchair strategizing, started giving advice to the Celtics again, but after Paul Pierce, their main offensive player, made a turnover on a drive-and-kick, he was at a loss for words.
Mark Blount bent down to receive the ball under the right side of the basket, but before he could lay it up, Lee cleanly stripped it away.
In the half-transition offense, it was the same tactical play again.
This time, Lee sped up his push, passed the ball after crossing half-court, and then immediately completed a handoff with Pau Gasol at the right elbow.
Mark Blount quickly slid to delay, and Atkins was also chasing from behind.
Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, now drove straight to the basket.
The moment he neared the rim, he took three long strides and immediately tossed the ball high into the air!
Mark Blount, who jumped to block, saw the basketball flying backward and realized something was wrong, but it was already too late.
The ball and player arrived simultaneously. Pau Gasol, who had quickly rolled down the middle, jumped and caught the ball with both hands, then slammed it into the basket!
"Boo!"
Watching Pau Gasol roar after completing the dunk, boos once again echoed through the Fleet Center.
11-0. Head Coach Carroll didn't call a timeout, seemingly still trusting his players to adjust on their own.
As the game continued, the Fleet Center gradually became quiet.
There were no cheers, no defensive chants.
The arena DJ was still shouting energetically, but most of the time, there were only boos.
After Travis Best broke the Celtics' scoring drought with a free throw, Mark Blount also drew a foul in the paint.
However, this situation was not what Celtics fans hoped to see.
They wanted their core player to step up, and even if the team lost, a "the team lost, but Paul Pierce didn't" scenario would be acceptable to many.
But in a few minutes, Paul Pierce, aside from tangling with Clay Lee and wrestling with Ron Artest for low-post position, mostly passed the ball.
On this possession, Paul Pierce delivered another assist, and Mark Blount scored a layup, but boos still erupted in the Fleet Center.
"Buddy, you should attack the rim!"
Lee chuckled, reminding Paul Pierce and pointing to his ear, indicating that the boos were for him.
"..."
Paul Pierce's mouth twitched slightly. He said nothing.
There was help Defense whenever he drove inside, and he believed he was playing fine.
6-19. Even with the referees' favorable calls, the point differential wasn't shrinking.
After being repeatedly beaten by the Knicks using the same tactics, Head Coach Carroll thought of the opponent's nearly All-Star roster and suddenly felt relieved, silently returning to the bench.
Atkins noticed that Paul Pierce had gone silent and knew that the boss was out of commission again.
Watching Lee come to the top of the arc and glance backward, Atkins then realized that the Knicks' big men were all in the paint, with the forwards staying on the wings.
Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, suddenly lunged forward and accelerated.
As his defender slid backward to the left, he quickly pulled the ball back between his legs, then swiftly stepped back.
Atkins helplessly stopped his feet and didn't rush to defend, watching Lee easily shoot a jump shot from beyond the three-point line.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly.
The Knicks' bench erupted in cheers, everyone raising their hands in celebration.
The Celtics again fed the ball inside.
Pau Gasol merely raised his arms to interfere, and Mark Blount turned and laid the ball in from the left side of the basket.
Such a score also failed to elicit cheers from the Celtic fans.
A simple pick-and-roll at the top of the arc.
Lee dribbled behind his back, then accelerated with the ball in his right hand, driving and drawing Paul Pierce's help Defense.
Ron Artest immediately received the pass on the right wing.
Paul Pierce didn't slide to defend in time, choosing instead to rush to the basket to establish early position, but the three-pointer swished through the net.
"Boo!"
25-8. The lead was heading straight for 20 points, and the boos grew louder and louder.
The Celtic fans couldn't hold it in anymore.
To many Celtic fans, the Knicks were just repeatedly running pick-and-rolls, and with every simple handoff, Lee always found an opportunity.
The Knicks missed a three-pointer, but the Celtics also failed to seize the opportunity to counterattack.
With 2 minutes and 02 seconds left in the 1st quarter, Ricky Davis, who came off the bench, hit a three-pointer from the right wing.
On the next possession, in a half-transition offense, Lee suddenly sped up, driving and pushing from the left wing, which again resulted in Atkins committing a foul.
Watching Lee walk to the free-throw line, Kevin Harlan felt this scene was very familiar, then remembered that the previous two games had followed the same pattern:
"Considering the difference in strength between the two teams, I think the Celtics have done their best."
"Paul Pierce should step up and score. Perhaps his ball handling is reasonable, but it can't solve the problems the team is facing."
Rivers was also very disappointed with the Celtics' performance, and at this point, he also chimed in with a wave of criticism:
"As a traditional powerhouse, they've lost their team culture!"
"No matter who the opponent is, they should play with intensity, not lose so calmly."
The difference in role players was too great, but when Lee also started casually taking and missing some three-pointers, only noise remained in the Fleet Center.
Fans witnessed the change in the Knicks' tactics, from strict and serious at the start of the game to haphazard play towards the end of the 1st quarter.
In transition offense, aside from maintaining formation, most of the time, whoever got the ball attacked the rim.
Seeing Pau Gasol grab the rebound and push the ball, then dribble behind his back in the frontcourt, making a stylish assist that led to Grant Hill's layup for two points, even the DJ couldn't hold it together, and the cheers disappeared.
Smiles appeared on the faces of the Knicks players.
As Atkins missed a super long three-pointer, boos echoed throughout the Fleet Center.
36-14. The first quarter ended, and the game was once again without suspense.
Celtics fans could accept losing, but Paul Pierce's performance of 0 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 turnovers on 0-for-3 shooting was unacceptable to many.
Many fans began to turn on Paul Pierce, and for a time, the home court became an away court, with the jeers and shouts growing louder and louder.
The Boston Globe's incitement before the game had raised the fans' expectations, but after one quarter, it was no different from before, and everyone's Defenses broke down.
Playing the entire first quarter, Clay Lee's excellent performance of 16 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, shooting 5-of-7 from the field, 2-of-4 from three, and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line, deeply stimulated the Celtics fans.
Sitting on his seat with a towel draped over him, Lee felt the lively atmosphere on site and couldn't help but joke to himself:
"No awards, but I got calls at the Fleet Center, so it's not a loss!"
The Celtics have always had a strong home-court advantage, and Lee had previously experienced special treatment, but tonight the referees were giving face, blowing the whistle promptly.
Although Ron Artest had become a joker, he still expressed his dissatisfaction when he heard Lee's words:
"The referees are still favoring them. Those damn screens always make me lose my defensive position!"
If the game were close and he encountered such mind-game screens, Ron Artest would most likely have elbowed the opponent early on.
Coach D'Antoni merely clapped his hands in front of the substitute lineup, said a few encouraging words, and then returned to his seat to continue watching the game on auto-pilot.
In the second quarter, a scene that Celtics fans found unacceptable reappeared: their starting lineup actually couldn't beat the opponent's substitutes!
Sticking with the starters meant the opponent resisted.
With the lineup change, the small guard Knight was in good form tonight, finding his teammates continuously in several possessions after coming on.
First, Raja Bell hit a trailing three-pointer from the right wing in transition, and after Pierce missed a shot, Knight came back and assisted Amar'e Stoudemire for an easy dunk after a pick-and-roll in the left elbow area!
Chris Mihm, the Celtics' substitute center, watched the entire play from below the right side of the basket.
Pierce, who came in at an off-peak time, naturally seized the opportunity to relentlessly attack when he encountered Tayshaun Prince.
But his shooting touch was terrible tonight.
Every time he used his physical advantage to drive to the basket, he would be disrupted by Tayshaun Prince's long arms.
Plus, Dikembe Mutombo would also help on Defense, and soon fans witnessed Pierce leading the Knicks in a series of fast breaks.
"Boo!"
Pierce's continuous bricking shots kept the boos going, and when there were 5 minutes and 58 seconds left in the first half, Lee re-entered the game, and the Fleet Center completely turned into a "library."
In his first possession after coming on, Atkins was frantically trying to disrupt him with his hands, but Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, accelerated with a probe step on the left wing, then suddenly dribbled back and stepped back after crossing the three-point line.
Facing the Defense, Lee drifted backward to the left and quickly shot a jump shot!
On the Knicks' bench, the entire hype squad, who had just come off the court, all raised their hands to celebrate prematurely.
"Swish!" The three-pointer went in cleanly.
Atkins looked at Head Coach Carroll helplessly, received no instructions, and could only grit his teeth and continue the game.
Ricky Davis showed no intention of helping, focusing entirely on offense after coming on.
A step-back three-pointer against the Defense, a strong drive to the basket after faking a center of gravity, and quick attacks to the rim after transition offenseâthe re-entered Lee was exceptionally active!
With 54.6 seconds left in the first half, and only 6.8 seconds left on the shot clock, the Celtics inbounded the ball from the baseline.
Ron Artest was guarding Pierce tightly, pulling and tugging, not giving him an easy chance to receive the ball.
Seeing that it was about to be a five-second violation, McCarty directly passed the ball outside the three-point line, trying to get Atkins to receive the ball away from the line.
The hurried pass had accuracy issues, and Lee jumped high in front of Atkins, tipping the ball forward to the frontcourt.
After landing, he immediately accelerated, squeezing past the trailing Atkins, rushing past half-court, gaining control of the ball, and immediately charging forward with it.
Despite a strenuous chase, Atkins, who had rushed into the paint, was easily bypassed by Lee's big spin dribble while on the move.
Completely shaking off the Defense, Lee, who had charged up with three big strides, finally grabbed the ball with his right hand and slammed it down with a reverse dunk from below the left side of the basket!
Seeing Lee pound his chest repeatedly towards the camera after completing the dunk, Kevin Harlan also chimed in with praise:
"Clay Lee is dominating the game! It seems he must have read the Boston Globe article."
"I like his performance tonight!"
Rivers had already decided that after this series, the Celtics would definitely change their Head Coach, and at this point, he was also doing his best to show his tactical prowess.
On the Celtics' last possession, Pierce finally made his first field goal of the game with a step-back jump shot from the right elbow area.
With Lee's super-long three-pointer missing at the last second, the first half ended.
68:34. In the Fleet Center, some fans sitting in the back rows started shouting obscenities.
The series score was about to become 3:0, and the Celtics failed to give their fans any surprise.
At halftime, Pierce, who had shot 1-of-9 from the field and 2-of-4 from the free-throw line for 4 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 turnovers, was walking towards the player tunnel when an emotional fan threw a cup of beer at him.
Security personnel quickly pulled Pierce into the player tunnel.
Everyone expected the star player to get emotional and confront the fan, but to their surprise, Pierce covered his face and quietly wept.
Before even entering the locker room, Pierce, leaning against the wall, seemed unable to control his emotions and broke down crying.
Head Coach Carroll also didn't anticipate such a situation and could only hug his core player, comforting him softly:
"Pau, the game isn't over yet."
These words left the Celtics players speechless.
This pep talk was toxic!
With a 34-point deficit, even God couldn't win this game.
Lee was still unaware that his opponent had been brought to tears.
Back in the locker room, he was still clapping and loudly encouraging:
"Let's show that guy some color in the second half. We've controlled our fouls very well, and the fourth quarter will be garbage time, you know what to do!"
Ron Artest punched himself twice, saying excitedly:
"I'm saving all my three fouls for him. Tonight I'm going to beat the crap out of him!"
"Wow!"
Hearing this, everyone burst into laughter, then started cheering loudly.
Since the opponent was resisting, they didn't need to save face anymore.
After the second half began, Pierce, who had adjusted his emotions, again felt the malice from the Knicks.
He was double-teamed as soon as he broke into the restricted area, and Ron Artest's physical confrontation became even more aggressive, completely disregarding fouls.
Lee and Grant, who were switching on Defense, were the same.
Everyone targeted him, pulling and colliding, and actively attacking Pierce on offense.
The referees blew their whistles repeatedly, and seeing the strong Pierce directly blocked to the ground by Kurt Thomas, Kevin Harlan on the commentary desk couldn't help but say sympathetically:
"It seems the Boston Globe did a bad thing! They seem to have ignited the Knicks' game intensity."
Ultimately, Head Coach Carroll couldn't bear it anymore.
After Pierce and Artest clashed again, he proactively called a timeout, then put in the hype squad and directly surrendered.
After three quarters, Pierce, who had scored 13 points on 4-of-15 shooting and 5-of-8 from the free-throw line, returned to the bench and covered his head with a towel, not allowing the cameras to capture his face.
With a single quarter score of 21:29, after three quarters, the Knicks were leading 97:55, a 42-point advantage.
In 28 minutes of play, Clay Lee had 35 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, and 1 turnover, shooting 11-of-17 from the field, 5-of-9 from three, and 8-of-8 from the free-throw line.
Lee once again put up a double-double, and Coach D'Antoni was beaming.
The series was already over.
In the fourth quarter, both sides showed some temper, forcing the referees to blow their whistles continuously, which made the game progress very slowly.
Many Celtics fans sitting in the back couldn't stand such a game and simply left early.
Ultimately, the Knicks defeated their opponent 121:81, easily securing the match point.
At the end of the game, the Fleet Center was silent, and the Celtics players had already left through the player tunnel.
The most striking sight in the arean was the large banners hanging above.
Mike D'Antoni glanced at them, then put his arm around Lee's shoulder, smiling and saying:
"Lee, records are meant to be broken, and our home court needs more championship banners!"
The Celtics fans on both sides had also lost their temper, seemingly numb from losing, and didn't attack Lee and the others.
Although he felt that Mike D'Antoni, who would once again win Coach of the Year (COY), had become conceited, Lee still confidently boasted:
"If the Celtics can win consecutive championships, we can do it too!"
Pierce, back in the locker room, still had his head covered with a towel.
He hadn't expected his habitual boasting to turn out this way:
"I never said I'd score 40 points."
.....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)