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Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.
The return of Itachi
I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.
Please give it a go š
***
On the evening of May 3, 2004, at Madison Square Garden, New York fans witnessed the Nets' strong resistance.
Perhaps due to being swept for two consecutive years, the Nets clearly played with emotion tonight.
After setting the tone in the first quarter, led by Kidd, Kenyon Martin spearheaded the charge, determined not to give the Knicks any easy scoring opportunities.
Unlike the Celtics' dismal performance, surrendering by halftime, the Nets' Defense never slackened, even when trailing.
When the big man Collins received his fifth foul in the third quarter, he had only played 13 minutes.
The referees frequently blew their whistles, and the game wasn't flowing smoothly, which greatly displeased the New York fans at the venue.
In their opinion, being down by 20 points, they should have surrendered and put on a show!
In the fourth quarter, the Nets only brought in Rodney Rogers, continuing to gamble on the forward's shooting.
The result was disappointing; he missed two consecutive shots after coming on, forcing Kidd to take over the offense himself.
With 3 minutes and 16 seconds left in the game, the outcome was long decided, but most of the Nets' starting lineup was still on the court.
Kidd was determined not to give up tonight, even if it meant fighting to the death.
From the ESPN commentary booth, Doug Collins also praised the Nets' fighting spirit:
"Regardless of the outcome of this series, the Nets have shown their desire for victory to the fans!"
"I am confident this team will succeed. Kidd is a qualified leader."
Amidst the praise, at the top of the arc, Kidd used Kenyon Martin's screen to accelerate and drive with the ball in his right hand.
Under the trailing Defense of Lee, Kidd suddenly pulled up sharply in the paint, took a step back, and drifted to the right for a jump shot that missed.
Kenyon Martin fought hard for the rebound, but his movement was too aggressive, resulting in a mutual shove with Pau Gasol, and he was called for another foul by the referee.
"Screech!"
The referee blew the whistle, and Kenyon Martin, who received his sixth personal foul, frustratingly pulled out his jersey to wipe his face, then walked towards the bench with his head held high.
"Boo!"
Boos and jeers echoed throughout the Madison Square Garden.
What was the point of being so arrogant when losing?
Most casual fans prefer to see their opponents frustrated, so Kenyon Martin's poor performance combined with his arrogant departure was naturally unpopular.
73:99, the game was already decided, but Kidd was still instructing Aaron Williams, who had just entered the game.
In the first half, the Nets only scored 37 points, while the Knicks scored 52 points through their Defense.
Tonight, the Nets played very well, but their response shots couldn't keep up.
After a 18:27 third quarter, they still didn't give up in the fourth quarter.
Michaels heard his partner highly praising the Nets' mental fortitude and found it difficult to chime in.
In his opinion, the gap between the core players of the two teams was too obvious.
Lee, despite being double-teamed, didn't shoot wildly but deliberately slowed down the game's pace and distributed the ball fairly.
He occasionally exploited the Nets' defensive lapses, scoring through transition offense and one-on-one plays.
Kidd was not double-teamed.
Lee's defensive strategy was to allow jump shots while preventing drives, trying to cut off passing lanes.
Despite having easy scoring opportunities, Kidd was currently 4-of-13 from the field, 1-of-5 from three-point range, and 4-of-6 from the free-throw line, tallying 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 8 assists, and 4 turnovers.
Seeing Lee receive the ball on the baseline, Michaels subtly commented on the Nets' scorers:
"Frank should prepare for the upcoming games. The Nets must make those response shots."
"Jefferson hasn't performed as well against Ron Artest as he did in the previous series. Their scoring has become a big problem."
Jefferson, still on the court, completely disappeared in the fourth quarter, going 3-of-12 from the field and 4-of-7 from the free-throw line, for 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 turnovers.
His foul count also reached 5 early, as Jefferson was relentlessly hounded by Ron Artest, leading to a particularly poor offensive performance.
The New York fans at the venue found the game unwatchable.
The Nets kept fouling, dragging out the game, and even with a large lead, they didn't get the expected satisfaction:
"Let's go Knicks!"
Angry cheers echoed throughout the Madison Square Garden.
The Nets' tenacious resistance completely enraged the fans.
Kidd was expressionless, and seeing Lee's relaxed demeanor, his eye twitched slightly.
His opponent was more patient than he had imagined.
Lee actually enjoyed such games.
The more his opponent resisted, the more excited he became.
The score difference wasn't important.
He enjoyed the relatively difficult process of winning.
With 5 fouls, Kidd no longer stuck close to him.
At the top of the arc, he waved his hand, signaling his opponent to follow him out.
Aaron Williams, who had just entered the game, followed Pau Gasol to the top of the arc.
As Lee, dribbling with his left hand, pushed the ball and changed direction, using the screen to shake off Kidd, Williams, who came over to delay, tried hard to steal the ball, attempting to disrupt the dribbling rhythm with body contact.
Lee moved sideways to accelerate, using Williams to try and shake off the Defense.
Pau Gasol quickly rolled down, and as Kidd switched defensively, he cut off the passing lane.
Unable to squeeze past the delay, Lee immediately stopped sharply on the right wing, powerfully slammed the ball with his right hand, and quickly pulled back with a crossover step.
Williams quickly adjusted his center of gravity, and seeing Lee change direction again with a cross-over, he instinctively slid backward to the left.
After completing the change of direction, Lee feigned a lunge and acceleration, tricking his opponent's center of gravity.
He immediately brought his feet together and collected the ball, returning to beyond the three-point line, and quickly shot a jump shot!
"Swish!" The three-pointer swished through the net.
The New York fans in the Madison Square Garden cheered joyfully.
The score difference didn't matter, everyone just wanted to see their opponents' helpless rage.
Williams looked at Kidd helplessly, shrugging slightly.
He truly did his best, but in tonight's game, whenever there was an opportunity for a small-on-big play, Lee was unbelievably accurate.
73:102, Frank stood on the sidelines with his arms crossed.
He wanted to make substitutions, but Kidd insisted on playing the entire game.
For the rest of the game, Kidd maintained a positive attitude, loudly directing his teammates.
However, the Nets' scoring methods were extremely limited.
Second-chance rebounds, low-post attacks, and low offensive efficiency allowed the Knicks to seize more transition opportunities.
The Nets did not give up until the final buzzer sounded.
"Boo!"
The opponent's stubborn resistance made the game unappealing, so everyone naturally booed the Nets players.
79:108, despite losing by 29 points, Kidd didn't care.
He clapped to encourage his teammates and quickly walked towards the players' tunnel.
Clearly, the opponent didn't intend to let the Knicks win easily, but Lee was unaffected.
Aside from the somewhat uninteresting free throws, he was very satisfied with tonight's game.
Grant Hill, who seemed to have turned into a bricklayer and wasn't quite ready, had a small issue finishing at the rim.
When he returned to the bench, he jokingly said:
"I almost forgot how to play in the playoffs. The Nets reminded me. Kidd did a good job!"
Kidd had practically transformed into "Coach Kidd."
Grant Hill teased Kidd about even calling his own timeouts, which drew a round of low chuckles from the others.
AFK coaches also have different styles.
The Knicks coaching staff usually sets the general direction, with Lee controlling the game, while the Nets have become Kidd's all-encompassing responsibility.
Lee, who was currently being interviewed by ESPN, was also praising his opponent's performance tonight:
"This is the game I expected. The stats can't reflect Kidd's impact on the game. Their Defense was fantastic tonight!"
Lee, with his hands on his hips, briefly explained the opponent's defensive strategy.
When asked about the future trend of the series, he immediately smiled and replied:
"The Nets are strong, and their overall Defense is excellent, but that won't prevent the Knicks from winning."
"I enjoy competing against opponents with fighting spirit. It brings out the best in me!"
Playing 38 minutes, he was 13-of-22 from the field, 5-of-9 from three-point range, and 10-of-10 from the free-throw line, for 41 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals, and 1 turnover.
Clay Lee, who delivered this stat line, truly put in effort.
His 40+ double-double completely overpowered Kidd.
After the interview, Lee continued to wave to the fans.
He wasn't an impulsive young man.
He could enjoy this kind of game too.
On the morning of May 4th, the New York Times published a column article mocking the Nets' game strategy:
"Break the Rookie Coach's IllusionāDefense Cannot Defeat the Knicks."
Frank didn't say much after the game.
Kidd completely controlled the match, and all he could do was refine the game content for his players.
At this time, most sports media were gathered in Minnesota, as the league officially presented the award to Kevin Garnett today.
Dressed in a formal suit, Garnett punched himself twice after receiving the trophy at the press conference, then lifted it and shouted excitedly, craning his neck.
Everyone could see that Garnett was extremely emotional.
In his subsequent speech, the tough guy teared up, thanking his family, teammates, coaching staff, and fans.
After a round of thanks, his family and friends also began to shed tears, and Garnett excitedly continued:
"For me, basketball is not just a sport, and basketball is not just a job!"
"Basketball is like air. I rely on it every day. For me, that's the meaning of basketballābasketball is my life!"
"..."
A round of warm applause erupted, and Garnett's words carried a tiny hint of provocation.
After all, Lee was very candid with the media, repeatedly emphasizing that he was a professional player and basketball was just a job he loved.
After finishing his speech, Garnett, with tears in his eyes, pursed his lips, raised the trophy, and roared loudly once more!
As the tough guy shed tears, sports reporters on the scene pressed their camera shutters, recording the historic moment.
Garnett would celebrate his 28th birthday in a few days, and this would be his best birthday gift.
Many sports reporters secretly calculated their ages and realized that Garnett wasn't much older than Lee, clearly indicating a promising future!
Different players have different personalities.
Lee consistently showed a maturity beyond his age, which many sports media outlets found fascinating.
In his second professional season, he led the "Iron-Blooded Knicks" to overturn the Chicago Bulls, and the veterans on the team all recognized Clay Lee, something most Rookies couldn't achieve.
Most players who left the Knicks would speak highly of Lee, with championship guard Sprewell often mentioning Lee.
Garnett's personality was completely opposite to Lee's.
He was full of passion for basketball.
Although he fought and retreated on the court and even beat up Rookies, from a basketball skill perspective, the MVP award was well-deserved.
At 8 PM that night, half an hour before tip-off, the Target Center was already completely packed.
After introducing the Sacramento Kings, the cheers from the crowd grew louder as the home team players entered the arena.
Timberwolves fans were cheering loudly for Kevin Garnett.
Everyone wanted to see their favorite star receive honors.
Garnett, wearing a practice uniform, was the last to appear, and a unified chant erupted in the arena:
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
Patting his chest, Garnett continuously waved his left arm to acknowledge the fans, unable to contain the smile on his face.
Commissioner David Stern also enjoyed the atmosphere.
Standing at center court, he smiled, took the microphone, and said loudly:
"Thank you, Minnesota fans! Tonight, we will witness the birth of another MVP!"
"..."
Unlike Lee's grand introduction, Garnett's highest honor at the moment was the MVP.
Fortunately, the fans at the arena didn't care about these details.
When they saw Garnett receive the trophy from the Commissioner, cheers once again echoed throughout the arena.
Garnett, holding the trophy, was incredibly excited and somewhat unable to control his emotions.
He took the microphone and let out another shout:
"Yee!"
After a sincere thank you, Garnett emotionally promised the fans:
"I will never leave the Timberwolves! I will not join other teams for a championship!"
"I love Minnesota. Basketball shouldn't just be about championships. I will repay your support with my loyalty!"
The Timberwolves rose strongly this season, and Garnett's words even brought tears to the eyes of some emotional fans.
The atmosphere at the arena was particularly moving, but on this milestone night, the Sacramento Kings showed no mercy.
34:27. Mike Bibby made 5 of 7 shots in a single quarter, 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, and 1 of 2 from the free-throw line, scoring 14 points in the quarter!
Although the Timberwolves later tied the score, Kevin Garnett and Sprewell had an abysmal performance in the fourth quarter.
Sam Cassell and Mike Bibby scored consecutively, and ultimately, the Sacramento Kings' role players performed better.
104:98, the Sacramento Kings successfully secured an away victory.
Sam Cassell made 15 of 25 shots, 7 of 11 from three-point range, and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line, scoring a game-high 40 points!
Kevin Garnett made 6 of 21 shots, 4 of 4 from the free-throw line, and recorded 16 points, 18 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, and 6 turnovers.
The newly crowned MVP faced extensive double-teaming, and Kevin Garnett ultimately suffered a regrettable loss.
As for championship guard Sprewell, he made 2 of 14 shots for the entire game, 1 of 7 from beyond the arc, scoring a mere 5 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, and 1 turnover.
After the game, the atmosphere at the Target Center was no longer heated.
Watching the Sacramento Kings celebrate with laughter, Kevin Garnett's face darkened, and he couldn't help but curse under his breath:
"Damn it!"
No one wants to suffer a defeat during their highlight moment.
Although championship guard Sprewell performed poorly, he remained very confident when interviewed:
"Losing a home game is no big deal. We'll win on the road too!"
"Championship experience tells me that all it takes is staying calm to win."
"I'm happy to see Kevin win the award. I know he doesn't want to lose, but this is the playoffs, and I'll use my championship experience to help him through this difficult time!"
In the home team locker room, Sam Cassell remained very low-key, while Sprewell loudly boasted to the media reporters.
Kevin Garnett, returning to the locker room, felt a bit annoyed.
When he heard "championship experience," his mouth twitched even more.
Ignoring Sprewell's smug look, Kevin Garnett composed himself:
"The team needs him! We will definitely regain the initiative."
On the morning of the 5th, in addition to discussing the MVP's loss, commentators also complained about the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Pacers.
76:81, the Pacers protected their home court, and the viewership for this game hit a new low.
The Detroit Pistons had few possessions, only 73, and their high 17 turnovers were one of the reasons for their loss.
The Pacers played at a fast pace, with 83 possessions, but they just couldn't make shots against tough Defense!
Such a situation could also be interpreted as "insufficient star quality."
Old Miller played 32 minutes, making 1 of 7 shots, contributing 6 points;
Stephen Jackson, who shouldered the ball-handling duties, made 6 of 22 shots, 1 of 6 from beyond the arc, and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line, inefficiently scoring 17 points.
Jermaine O'Neal made 7 of 20 shots, 7 of 9 from the free-throw line, scoring a team-high 21 points, and also grabbing 14 rebounds.
The Pacers' team shooting percentage was just over 30%, almost bending their own home court rim!
For the Detroit Pistons, Hamilton made 10 of 20 shots, scoring a team-high 23 points;
Chauncey Billups made 6 of 13 shots, contributing 18 points, and Ben Wallace made 5 of 11 shots, recording a double-double with 11 points, 22 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 5 blocks, and 1 turnover.
Rasheed Wallace, who was highly anticipated by fans, made 1 of 7 shots, scoring only 4 points.
Coach Rick Carlisle was the former Head Coach, and there was some minor animosity after Larry Brown took over.
Although they lost, Larry Brown didn't seem to care.
After the game, he confidently stated:
"The Detroit Pistons played a perfect game. We just had a few too many turnovers, but I like the team's Defense!"
"Our goal is to get an away win. This will be a long series, and my players are ready."
The New York Post believed that the other Eastern Conference Semifinals series was a clash of "Rookie chickens," with several articles sarcastically mocking the two teams for only playing "barbaric basketball."
The New York Times didn't focus on the two "Rookie chickens."
It seemed they had prepared a draft early on, and this morning they pulled off another big one:
"The Award Selection Mechanism Needs Reform. The New MVP Has a Huge Gap Compared to Clay Lee!"
Since Lee didn't win the award, New York fans felt like their party had been ruined.
Therefore, most print media were catering to fan preferences and began to relentlessly criticize.
In the morning, on TNT's program, the trio warmed up for tonight's Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs Game 2.
When discussing how no Lakers player made it onto the MVP candidate list, Charles Barkley grinned and self-deprecatingly said:
"This is the result of joining a championship-contending team at the end of your career for a title."
"I've been through this before. The Rockets didn't perform as fans expected, and it's the same with the Lakers now. They should have won more games."
Kenny Smith, rarely seeing his co-host admit to "teaming up," immediately laughed and said:
"Expected performance? You mean a championship? Chuck, we all know that championships sometimes require some luck."
Charles Barkley showed a serious expression and denied the notion of luck:
"No, the only reason we didn't win a championship was because we weren't good enough."
"When I won MVP with the Suns, the team was well-configured. I kept thinking, if I could have scored more points, or gotten a few more defensive stops, maybe the championship would have been mine."
Seeing the two stray further off topic, Ernie Johnson immediately interjected to bring the conversation back:
"Do you think the Lakers can get an away win? Gary Payton didn't play well last game, but he might bounce back strong tonight."
Kenny Smith found it difficult to comment on the veteran.
After exchanging glances, he could only offer platitudes:
"I trust Payton's experience. He will adjust his form in time."
"ā¦"
Before the game, most commentators still favored the Lakers.
The San Antonio Spurs simply had too few star players.
To everyone's surprise, in that night's game, third-year Parker once again blew out Payton!
17:33, at the end of the first quarter, the SBC Center was completely boiling.
The San Antonio Spurs led by 16 points.
Duncan, walking towards the bench, affectionately patted Parker's head, looking very happy.
Parker exploded for 16 points, shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc in a single quarter!
Payton was 0-of-1 from the field, scoring zero points in the first quarter, having lost his "Glove" flair.
Phil Jackson was also a bit stunned.
He hadn't expected Payton to be so bad against a Rookie.
In the subsequent quarters, the Lakers began to feed the ball to Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant also started to take over the ball-handling duties.
Although they had a 23:12 run in the third quarter, the Lakers could only helplessly lose the game as their offense stalled in the final quarter.
85:95, the San Antonio Spurs took another game, bringing the series score to 2:0.
Playing 41 minutes, Parker shot 13-of-23, scoring a team-high 30 points, along with 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 turnover in his stat line.
Duncan shot 7-of-13 from the field and 10-of-14 from the free-throw line, getting 24 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, and 4 turnovers.
Adding Manu Ginobili's 15 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 turnover off the bench, shooting 6-of-8, the GDP trio had already shown a glimpse of their prowess.
Having won two home games, Duncan was in an excellent mood.
In a post-game interview, he confidently stated:
"I liked tonight's game. Tony and Manu are both underrated players. I believe the San Antonio Spurs have completed their rebuild!"
The San Antonio fans were all in a joyous mood from the win, while the losing Shaquille O'Neal once again left through the player tunnel early.
He shot 15-of-21 from the field and 2-of-7 from the free-throw line, getting 32 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, and 3 turnovers, with 6 of those being offensive rebounds.
Shaquille O'Neal, who played 44 minutes, felt he had done his best.
At the press conference, he couldn't help but complain a bit:
"This is not our level. In a stage like the Eastern Conference Semifinals, we cannot fall behind by double digits at the start."
"When we return home, we will readjust our form. The series has just begun!"
Kobe Bryant shot 7-of-17, getting the team's second-highest 15 points, along with 5 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, and 2 turnovers.
By actively passing the ball to the Shark, Kobe truly wanted to win the game.
Also playing 44 minutes, Karl Malone shot 5-of-8, getting 13 points, 9 rebounds, 1 block, and 5 turnovers.
Payton continued his slump, shooting 3-of-10 for only 7 points.
With two consecutive poor performances, Phil Jackson seemed not to plan on using Derek Fisher much.
He calmly stated after the game:
"Two games don't tell the whole story. Payton will adjust his physical condition. He is an experienced veteran, and the coaching staff trusts his ability."
On the morning of May 6th, the Lakers' poor performance delighted New York fans.
Although it was Thursday, some revelers arrived early at the subway entrance near the Madison Square Garden to stir things up.
Many New York fans felt that the San Antonio Spurs would likely eliminate the Lakers in one fell swoop.
At this time, they brought back an old trick: the "missing person" returnedā¦
After two days of rest, the Knicks prepared for the game as usual.
In G1, Pau Gasol performed excellently, shooting 10-of-18 from the field and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line, getting an all-around stat line of 26 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, and 3 turnovers.
At the Tarrytown Training Center, after the morning film session, Pau Gasol was surrounded by sports reporters.
When asked about tonight's game, Pau Gasol answered very confidently:
"Although I am a skilled player, I am not afraid of physicality. I will use my physical advantage to help the team in the paint."
The New York Post reporter was not interested in Eastern Conference teams and very naturally spoke of the Finals:
"Pau, which team would you rather face in the Finals?"
"The Western Conference teams are very strong, but I personally hope to meet the Lakers. I stand by this view, of course, this is just my personal wish."
Lee had been busy haggling with Nike for the past two days, trying to terminate his current contract early and sign a lifetime deal.
Both parties had their own interests, and negotiations were still ongoing.
His agent, Mark Bartelstein, had been following this "lucrative" big deal.
Compared to a championship, cold hard cash was more appealing.
They were going to the Madison Square Garden for an early warm-up in the afternoon.
Many reporters rushed over when they saw Lee and Mike D'Antoni appear last.
Mike D'Antoni smiled and patted Lee's shoulder before quickly leaving.
The TNT reporter eagerly asked a question:
"Clay, Kevin Garnett believes you have a problem with your basketball attitude. What are your thoughts on that?"
Lee had a puzzled look.
He wasn't interested in watching other people's award ceremonies, nor was he interested in knowing what Kevin Garnett said.
Soon, the "messengers" began to exaggerate and misrepresent Kevin Garnett's mockery of Lee's "opportunistic" basketball at the MVP award ceremony.
Understanding these reporters' ability to create something out of nothing, Lee shook his head helplessly and simply replied:
"Every player has different basketball philosophies. Kevin is excellent, and I also admire his passion for basketball."
"Kevin's point of view is fine, but I only play for the fans and for victory. I expressed this view a long time ago."
"The Knicks' ticket prices are increasing every year, and for many fans, coming to Madison Square Garden to watch a game is not easy."
"So, I will always maintain my physical condition and play all 82 games. That is my repayment to the fans."
"In a long career, I may not always maintain passion, but as a professional player, I will persist in bringing victory to New York fans. This should be everyone's favorite gift."
Many reporters agreed with Lee's point of view.
The ESPN reporter continued to stir up trouble, asking:
"Lee, do you think the Timberwolves will win a championship?"
"They probably have no hope of a championship in the next 10 years. As for why, you all know, don't you?"
Lee raised an eyebrow, showing an expression that implied everyone understood.
The New York sports media cheered, proclaiming that the future belonged to the Knicks!
After Lee, who was about to grab a bite, left the encirclement, some sports reporters were still discussing Kevin Garnett's remarks.
The New York Times beat reporter disdainfully said:
"If one day Kevin Garnett wants to join the Knicks for a championship, New York doesn't welcome him!"
"Losers always like to talk about boring things. New York only needs victory!"
"ā¦"
.....
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