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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 April 23, 2006, for New York fans who bought tickets to the game, it was a truly worthwhile match!
The old rival 76ers returned to the playoffs, and before the game started, some happy memories began to flash in their minds, and the game that night doubled that happiness.
After securing the victory in the first quarter, the 76ers adjusted in time, no longer giving away easy fast breaks with unnecessary turnovers, and simply clanked shots in their half-court offense.
Occasionally, they would seize opportunities for transition offense, but what Coach Maurice Cheeks found unacceptable was that they actually lost the rebound battle.
Iverson, who had adjusted to the physicality, regained his form and no longer missed free throws, but being directly matched up with Lee, who was on and off the court at the same time, still limited his performance.
As the game approached the end of the third quarter at Madison Square Garden, some fans were shouting themselves hoarse!
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
Amidst the frantic shouts, Lee, who once again stepped to the free-throw line, made both shots.
On the 76ers bench, Rookie Louis Williams and his teammates covered their faces in unison:
"When will this nightmare end!"
Iverson, still battling, was drenched in sweat.
He received the ball in the backcourt and continued to struggle with Lee, not wanting to waste energy.
He tried to accelerate in a straight line to shake off the Defense, but was quickly "captured."
Lee completely enveloped him.
The relatively "petite" Iverson appeared particularly helpless at certain moments in the game.
"Defense!"
The shouts of "Defense" grew louder.
Forced to protect the ball sideways, Iverson, holding the ball in his left hand, was still observing the Defense.
His ball-handling hand constantly battled with Lee.
Suddenly lunging forward to accelerate, he took a big dribble forward, immediately dribbled between his legs, quickly pulled the ball back to his right hand, stopped and started abruptly, and with a shoulder drop, Iverson accelerated, forcing his way through the middle against Lee.
Gritting his teeth and accelerating desperately, Iverson, who had burst into the paint, let out a loud shout, leaned into the Defense, and barely tossed the ball towards the basket from directly in front of it!
"And one!"
His loud voice could not disrupt Lee's Defense.
He jumped almost simultaneously, and before the ball reached its highest point, a volleyball-style block slammed the ball onto the floor.
Ron Artest and Andre Iguodala both dove for the ball at the same time.
Both fell to the ground, entangled with each other, refusing to give an inch.
The referee immediately blew his whistle and called for a jump ball.
"Ah!"
Ron Artest, pulling the ball into his arms, shouted at the Rookie after getting up.
Andre Iguodala also glared, they were truly desperate to win.
"Coach Maurice Cheeks should take out his starters. The series has just begun. Forget this game. They still have a chance."
In the roaring Madison Square Garden, Hubie Brown raised his voice at the commentary desk.
Mike Breen, however, had a somewhat schadenfreude attitude at this moment:
"It's hard to say what kind of impact this game will have on the 76ers after it ends. Losing in this manner is very difficult to accept."
At the free-throw line, Ron Artest showed no intention of holding back.
During the jump ball, he touched the ball almost simultaneously with Andre Iguodala, and with a second tip, the New York Knicks regained possession.
Such an active performance once again drew loud cheers from the fans.
Spike Lee, sitting in the front row, spent most of the time standing to watch the game.
At this moment, he was even more excited, pumping his fist and shouting at Ron Artest:
"That's it! Well done! Ron!"
With such a significant lead, the fans were naturally excited because there was fun to be had.
Tonight, they had a chance to break the playoff record for the largest point differential!
Watching Clay Lee receive the ball, Iverson immediately pounced on him, his eyes seemingly ablaze, glaring fiercely at the basketball, while his hands were constantly active.
Leaning into the Defense near the mid-court line, Lee executed a back-turn, switching the ball to his right hand, and accelerated to the top of the arc.
As Gadzuric arrived at the three-point line for the first time, Lee lowered his center of gravity, performed a small in-and-out dribble, and while swaying his body to the right front, suddenly executed a flashy spin.
Iverson tried to squeeze through the screen, but instead crashed head-on into Gadzuric, completely losing his defensive position amidst the cheers of the fans.
The thrown basketball seemed to be glued to Lee's hand.
His left hand touched the ball almost instantly, and while moving, he pushed the ball again for a change of direction, facing Dalembert who came up to help with the Defense.
Watching the basketball fly past him, Dalembert had no time to bend down.
Lee suddenly accelerated, weaving through the gap between players.
"Oh!"
The continuous flashy dribbles kept the cheers in the Madison Square Garden going.
As he broke into the paint, Lee jumped into the air from directly in front of the basket, taking off with both feet!
Webber, who came up to help with the Defense under the basket, jumped vigorously to block, and the two collided in the air, causing the big man's body to lean backward.
Unaffected in the air, Lee pulled the ball down with his right hand, twisted his body, and briefly hung in the air near the basket.
As the referee blew his whistle, he calmly threw the ball towards the backboard!
"Bang! Swish!"
Webber stumbled and sat on the floor after landing, the basketball hit the backboard and went in.
"They're as soft as cupcakes!"
Under the basket, Clay Lee shook his head and shouted at the camera.
The New York fans behind him started screaming again, and the New York Knicks players on the court all came forward to high-five and celebrate.
Madison Square Garden seemed filled with a frenzied atmosphere.
Andre Iguodala's mind was blank at this moment.
He just stared blankly as Iverson went up to argue with the referee.
53:100. Lee made the free throw, and the 76ers immediately called a timeout.
With 1 minute and 21 seconds left in the third quarter, Coach Maurice Cheeks began to put in the bench warmers, signaling surrender.
The bench was unusually quiet, with only Iverson shouting at the coaching staff:
"I absolutely will not accept this result! I won't allow us to lose like this!"
Iverson, who threw his drink on the floor and tore off his headband, had bloodshot eyes from anger.
He couldn't imagine what the public opinion would be like after losing the game in such a way.
Coach Maurice Cheeks, disheartened, showed no expression on his face.
He simply tossed the clipboard to his assistant coach, indicating they could arrange things as they pleased, and without even looking at Iverson, he silently sat back down in his seat.
As the game entered garbage time, Iverson and Willie Green partnered in the backcourt, with Kyle Korver, Shavlik Randolph, and Steven Hunter forming the frontcourt trio.
On the New York Knicks side, Fisher showed a determined expression, and before entering the game, he loudly instructed everyone:
"We must take the rest of the game seriously too!"
Raja Bell and Prince exchanged glances and nodded.
Diaw noticed Anderson VarejĆ£o, who was extremely excited beside him, and suddenly felt a bit of sympathy for the opponent.
In the remaining few possessions, besides Iverson converting a 2+1, the 76ers continued to clank shots.
With a huge lead, Fisher and Raja Bell successively hit three-pointers.
In the final moments, Anderson VarejĆ£o even stepped to the free-throw line, but unfortunately, the Rookie was too excited and missed both free throws.
56:106. The cheers wouldn't stop, and the New York fans were beaming with joy!
Lee, having changed into his practice uniform, stood up and bumped fists with his teammates to celebrate.
On the bench, everyone was laughing and chatting.
Tomorrow, the New York Knicks would be on the front page of sports news!
In 33 minutes, he shot 12-for-17 from the field, 7-for-11 from beyond the arc, and 9-for-9 from the free-throw line, accumulating 40 points, 3 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, and 1 turnover.
Looking at Clay Lee's efficient double-double in the box score, Hubie Brown also smiled, continuing to praise loudly:
"Clay Lee's performance cannot be fully reflected in the box score. His penetration changed the opponent's Defense!"
"Coach Maurice Cheeks must be getting a headache. In the next game, he has to change the matchup. Allen Iverson has no answer on the defensive end."
Mike Breen, hearing the director's cue, took advantage of the break between quarters to start explaining the history of the largest point differential record in the playoffs:
"So far, the New York Knicks have broken the records set by the 1995 Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics and the 1986 Los Angeles Lakers vs. Warriors."
"At that time, both the Boston Celtics and the Warriors lost by 47 points. This is truly a crazy game, and perhaps tonight we can witness new history!"
Iverson, back on the bench, covered his head with a towel, falling into a state of self-isolation.
He even began to hallucinate, feeling as if everyone was mocking him.
In 34 minutes, he shot 8-for-20 from the field, 0-for-4 from beyond the arc, and 9-for-11 from the free-throw line, accumulating 25 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers.
It was difficult for the 76ers players to evaluate their leader's performance.
Despite scoring the team's highest points, they still lost by a large margin.
At the moment when a response was most needed, Iverson went cold.
In the final quarter, the New York Knicks' offense showed no signs of slowing down.
Veteran Finley also played for over 5 minutes, and Anderson VarejĆ£o scored a field goal.
Prince's Defense remained solid.
In the middle of the fourth quarter, he made consecutive steals, once again igniting the atmosphere.
Under the leadership of championship point guard Fisher, the New York Knicks' score continued to climb.
Every score would trigger cheers from the home fans, while the opposing 76ers were completely bewildered.
As Raja Bell continuously made shots from beyond the arc, everyone on the 76ers bench lowered their heads, no longer looking at the situation on the court.
Coach Maurice Cheeks put Louis Williams in at the last minute.
This Rookie missed an open jump shot after coming on, successfully helping the New York Knicks tie the record.
78:136. The final buzzer sounded, and Madison Square Garden erupted in cheers.
They had witnessed the birth of a record!
In the losing team's player tunnel, a stoic Iverson walked away without greeting anyone.
It was a nightmare of a game, and now he just wanted to return to the locker room to "heal."
Watching his leader leave, Andre Iguodala lowered his head, simply shook hands in acknowledgment, and silently followed his teammates, walking quickly towards the player tunnel.
Coach Maurice Cheeks tried to control his facial expression, came to the scorer's table, and briefly embraced D'Antoni.
The Moustache seemed to sense his opponent's predicament and chuckled as he offered comfort:
"In the playoffs, losing by 1 point is no different from losing by 100 points. The series has just begun, and I look forward to our next encounter."
"Tonight, you truly were the better team."
Forcing a smile, Coach Maurice Cheeks gave a brief response and then also quickly left.
On both sides of the player tunnel, many fans were high-fiving each other in celebration, occasionally shouting to release their excitement:
"New York Knicks In four!"
When they appeared at the press conference, Iverson and Webber had already calmed down.
After all, a loss is a loss, and losing by 58 points wasn't that big of a deal.
Iverson, wearing a baggy black suit, could distinctly feel the malice from the media reporters below the stage as he took his seat. Before he could gather his thoughts, an ESPN reporter quickly asked loudly:
"After a crushing defeat in the first game, we want to know why you couldn't display the same scoring ability as in the regular season?"
In the 72 regular season games he played, his field goal percentage was 44.7%, and his three-point percentage was 32.3%, making this Iverson's most efficient season in recent years.
"We lacked aggression in this game. It was the young players' first time experiencing such a big stage, which made us start a bit slow."
"I will adjust. You can continue to follow our games. No one can stop me!"
Iverson didn't directly answer the question, but instead spoke softly, using platitudes.
The performances of Andre Iguodala, Korver, and others were indeed not good, which was a fact.
Philadelphia sports media was incredibly disappointed.
This kind of loss was simply humiliating.
One sports reporter directly aimed his criticism at the two:
"I think what fans are more concerned about is what kind of game state you will show in the next game?"
"We had 19 turnovers, will the team make timely adjustments? Tonight the opponent shot 18-for-36 from beyond the arc, how will you limit their three-pointers going forward?"
Webber noticed Iverson remaining silent beside him, so he could only adjust the microphone and continue to speak in platitudes:
"We will rewatch the game footage back at the hotel. The coaching staff will help us solve the problems. The series requires winning four games, and we will not give up."
With an awkward smile on his dark face, Webber knew that with such a huge point differential, nothing he said would matter.
Both handled the difficult questions well, until a New York reporter mocked them face-to-face:
"If the 76ers lose the playoffs, will they make trades in the offseason? Allen, who do you want to team up with in the future? Carmelo Anthony?"
Besides the Clay Lee Recognition Award and the scoring title, the highest honor, the "One Man, One City Award," was also something Iverson had always been proud of:
"What are you talking about? Show some respect! It's you media who love fake news who are hyping it up."
Iverson, who was immediately triggered, started arguing with the media reporter because of this question.
Everyone followed along, eating popcorn, with no intention of stopping them.
"Honor thief," "Playoff softie," "Locker room cancer," "Hypocritical stat-padder," "Pity-seeking clown."
All sorts of everyday nicknames from New York fans quickly appeared on the scene, which made the reporters, who were also eating popcorn, burst into laughter.
Although security eventually ejected that reporter, Iverson was still fuming, his face dark with anger.
As he stormed off, he secretly vowed:
"I will not leave Philadelphia!"
On Monday, April 24th, the New York Knicks defeated the 76ers by 58 points, tying the record set by the Los Angeles Lakers and the Atlanta Hawks in the 1956 Western Conference Semifinals.
This news swept through major sports media.
Twice in a single season, they blew out their opponents by 58 points.
The defending champion's dominance was unmatched!
Allen Iverson tried to console himself that losing by 58 points was no big deal, but since last night, sports media mocking him kept appearing.
Some even dug up old scores, questioning his scoring title.
Fortunately, there was also good news for the 76ers: there were more than two days until G2, giving them ample time to adjust.
In the games played concurrently last night, the Heat narrowly defeated the Washington Wizards 86:99.
Although Gilbert Arenas scored a game-high 30 points, Antawn Jamison shot 4-for-18, only managing 8 points.
O'Neal dominated the paint, shooting 13-for-16 from the field and 1-for-4 from the free throw line, finishing with a double-double of 27 points and 10 rebounds.
Wade focused more on Defense, shooting 5-for-10 for 14 points.
The true idol was brutally beaten by Lee.
During an interview at noon, Wade actively encouraged Iverson:
"58 points? Who cares about that? It's no different from losing by 1 point."
"Allen Iverson has inspired many young players. We all know his strength. One game doesn't prove much."
"Basketball isn't just about championships. How you face defeat is what's most important. I believe he can create a miracle!"
Not only Wade spoke out, but many players also stepped forward, praising Iverson's never-give-up sportsmanship.
Kobe, who also lost after flying to Dallas, strongly supported Iverson.
He disliked those sports media outlets that kicked people when they were down. In an interview that morning, he almost explicitly stated:
"Some sports shows only focus on stats. They don't understand Iverson's impact on the court."
"We don't play for stats. If you lose by a large margin, find the reason, and win it back in the next game. I don't understand why some people mock hardworking players."
This statement was clearly aimed at ESPN.
Sports Centre had already joked about the 58-point loss that morning, and it was expected they would do it again in the evening.
Against the Dallas Mavericks, Kobe couldn't replicate his past performance of 62 points in three quarters.
The Dallas Mavericks' multi-point attack completely suppressed their opponents, winning 106:96!
Compared to the Los Angeles Lakers' 7-man rotation, Avery Johnson's 9-man rotation made the team more energetic.
Kobe Bryant, who scored a team-high 29 points (10-for-22 from the field, 2-for-8 from three-point range, 7-for-8 from the free throw line, along with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers), helplessly lost the game.
Considering the Dallas Mavericks' 60-win record, most sports media didn't ask about the rest of the series.
Kobe Bryant had intended to make a grand statement but found that the sports reporters weren't concerned with the outcome of this series.
He felt somewhat stifled.
He shouldn't be treated this way.
On tuesday, the 25th, in last night's game, the Detroit Pistons took another game, winning 108:102, bringing the series score to 2:0.
The Los Angeles Clippers also protected their home court, winning 98:87.
Being ranked third did not bring good luck to the Denver Nuggets, who are currently trailing 0:2.
In the Western Conference games, only the Phoenix Suns and the Sacramento Kings had a truly intense battle.
Nash, who joined the 180 club this season, didn't hold back in the playoffs either, and the Phoenix Suns received unanimous praise after their win.
At 8 PM tomorrow night, G2 between the 76ers and the New York Knicks is about to begin.
At noon, the Tarrytown Training Center once again welcomed a large number of sports reporters.
After the big win, Iverson became a joke, and Lee rarely accepted interviews.
He had no interest in kicking someone while they were down at this moment.
Continuing to deliver heavy blows in the game was enough.
This morning, the NBA announced this season's Coach of the Year (COY), with Avery Johnson of the Dallas Mavericks winning the award.
Although the judging panel, composed of 124 sports writers and broadcasters from the United States and Canadian, did not consider records, Lee still took this opportunity to speak highly of Mike D'Antoni:
"Coach DAntoni should have won the award. Even if you don't consider the record, look at our injury managementāthese are all the coaching staff's contributions."
"Defending a championship is never an easy task. I think the NBA can consider adding another coaching award. Champion coaches should receive more honors."
Many sports reporters noticed that Lee wasn't wearing protective gear, which indicated that the New York Knicks likely only had video sessions and individual training that morning.
"Lee, how many points will you win by in tonight's game?"
Although the opponent was predicting their victory, Lee didn't refute.
Instead, he joked along with them:
"That depends on the opponent's form. You know, champion teams are very consistent!"
"ā¦"
After being mocked by New York fans for two days, it was predictable that the 58-point playoff record for the largest point differential would be a topic of discussion among fans until the end of the season.
At 8 PM that night, the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden was even more heated.
After the game began, Iverson immediately went into attack mode!
"Defense!"
Not even greeting them before the game, Iverson thoroughly detested New York.
Playing with anger, however, made him even more focused.
The defensive cheers didn't affect Iverson.
He released the ball early, and Andre Iguodala received it at the top of the arc.
Coming to the left wing, Iverson actively drove, attempting to push past Lee.
He used his teammates' double screens at both elbow positions, accelerating horizontally along the baseline.
Briefly shaking off the Defense, he received the ball on the right wing and immediately swept it horizontally.
Facing Gasol, who had switched onto him, Iverson put the ball down with his right hand and drove with a step-through.
He didn't choose a pull-up jumper but instead used his speed advantage to drive straight to the basket.
Iverson, hanging onto Gasol, forced a shot from the lower right side of the rim, and the referee immediately blew the whistle.
"Boo!"
With 4 minutes and 12 seconds left in the 1st quarter, as Iverson walked to the free-throw line, Ron Artest, standing by the paint, made another sarcastic remark:
"You should be grateful someone's looking out for you, but no matter how many free throws you get, you'll still lose in the end!"
"Shut up! Who do you think you are?!"
Iverson, who made the free throw, still got triggered and couldn't help but get into a verbal spat with Ron Artest.
12:22, the deficit was still in double digits.
On the New York Knicks bench, D'Antoni and the coaching staff were still smiling and idling.
"Let's go Knicks!"
Amidst the cheers echoing through the Madison Square Garden, Clay Lee, who had just dribbled past half-court, quickly encountered a double-team at the top of the arc.
Andre Iguodala delayed early, and the prepared Ron Artest easily received the pass on the right wing.
At the same time, after a baseline cross-screen, Gasol also arrived at the right block.
Despite the opponent's extremely fast recovery speed, Ron Artest casually tossed the ball to Gasol, who was posting up and calling for the ball.
After completing the pass, Ron Artest actively moved towards the top of the arc, giving Lee an off-ball screen, and then drove straight down the middle to the basket.
Iverson quickly recovered on Defense, and Andre Iguodala first followed Lee towards the right sideline, then was faked out by the cutting move.
Running back out, when Lee received Gasol's pass on the right wing, Andre Iguodala quickly stuck close to him, constantly interfering with his hands, trying to disrupt Lee's offensive rhythm.
Spotting Gasol moving up behind him, Andre Iguodala immediately shouted a warning to Webber.
As his teammate settled at the three-point line, facing the defender who had squeezed to his side, Lee suddenly executed a large-range behind-the-back dribble.
The ball flashed to his right side, and Lee accelerated with his body tilted.
The moment he scooped the ball with his right hand, facing Webber, who was coming over to help on Defense, he fluidly performed a one-handed between-the-legs dribble.
While lowering his center of gravity, the basketball passed between his legs and flew in front of the moving Webber.
Before the latter could bend down to steal the ball, Lee suddenly squeezed through the gap, leading the ball forward with his left hand.
The pick-and-roll to the drive happened extremely fast.
When Lee touched the ball with his right hand and drove into the paint, Dalembert under the basket only just reacted.
Seeing Lee take three big steps and charge up, then cradle the ball with his right hand, Dalembert, who had recovered to the basket in time, jumped up to block.
Amidst the fans' exclamations, Lee, flying through the air, elegantly switched hands.
He pulled his left arm down, evading the block while briefly hanging in the air.
As the opponent hit his shoulder, he immediately shouted: "And one!"
The thrown basketball accurately swished through the net, and the referee immediately blew the whistle.
Cheers once again echoed through the Madison Square Garden.
"No matter how many times I watch it, it's still unbelievable. Clay Lee's ball control can be called the best in history, and his excellent body coordination allows him to make all sorts of exaggerated moves!"
At the TNT commentary booth, Doug Collins couldn't stop praising him.
Kevin Harlan had to interrupt to timely introduce the situation on the court:
"This is the third three-point play in the 1st quarter. It's the same offense, and the 76ers' Defense has no answer. Putting a Rookie to guard Clay Lee is absolutely a disaster."
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
Perhaps it was because the game was so enjoyable to watch, New York fans couldn't wait to chant MVP from the start of these two games.
After Lee made his free throw, the New York Knicks bench was also in an uproar.
12:25, the point differential showed no signs of shrinking.
76ers possession.
Webber again came to the left block to post up.
He received the pass and immediately turned towards the baseline, holding the ball with his right hand, forcing his way to the basket against Gasol.
Gasol's long arms interfered, and Gadzuric also recovered in time.
Forcing a shot against two defenders, Webber shouted, but his layup off the backboard still bounced off the rim.
Dalembert on the other side crashed the offensive glass, then was surrounded by two big men again.
Under pressure, seeing Iverson beyond the three-point line, Dalembert reluctantly flung the ball out.
On the left wing, far from the three-point line, when Iverson realized his teammate's pass was a bit weak, he quickly rushed forward to try and receive the ball.
Lee, moving backward, poked the ball with his right hand the moment Iverson jumped to touch it, then twisted his body and accelerated using his right foot as an axis.
As if he had performed a human-ball separation, Lee, seemingly about to fall, shook off Iverson.
The latter, after landing, couldn't accelerate in time and watched as Lee scooped up the ball for a fast break.
"Oh!"
The fans gasped, then began to cheer wildly.
On the other side, Andre Iguodala didn't give up on Defense, putting all his effort into chasing back.
He barely caught up to Lee's side at the top of the arc.
Before Andre Iguodala could grab him, he was suddenly faked out by a push-dribble change of direction, losing his defensive position.
Switching to his left hand, lowering his shoulder, and accelerating, Lee ignored Andre Iguodala, who forcefully twisted his body to rush over and defend.
After taking three big steps and charging up, he forced a takeoff against the Defense.
After the contact, Lee's body drifted to the left-rear.
He held the ball with his left hand and casually tossed it towards the backboard!
At the lower left of the rim, Andre Iguodala, who had been bumped away, jumped up to block.
After hitting his arm, the referee immediately blew the whistle, and the basketball hit high off the backboard and swished through the net.
"Terrifying impact! Clay Lee makes the floater and gets another free throw!"
"Oh my God! This is the fourth time. Coach Maurice Cheeks should call a timeout to interrupt Lee's hot streak."
Doug Collins didn't notice that Coach Maurice Cheeks on the sidelines was troubled.
Andre Iguodala's second foul forced him to substitute Kyle Korver.
Andre Iguodala, walking towards the bench, turned to look at Lee standing at the free-throw line, sighing inwardly.
He just felt that tonight's game was a repeat of Game 1.
12:28, Lee made the extra free throw, extending the lead again.
The cheers almost burst through the Madison Square Garden.
The more they crushed the opponent, the more excited the New York fans became.
From the commentary booth, Kevin Harlan watched Chris Webber receive the ball in the left block, turn, and rush into the paint, only to fumble the ball.
For a moment, he could only exclaim:
"The 76ers made another mistake! My God! Lee's passing speed is too fast!"
Receiving the ball outside the three-point line, near the right sideline, Lee didn't wait for the opponent to come up to delay him.
He suddenly bent down and sent out a bounce pass that traversed half the court.
Grant Hill, at the forefront, sprinted past the three-point line, catching the pass ahead of Salmons.
After three big steps, he took off, extending his left hand to lay up the ball!
12:30, Grant Hill, who had just scored a layup, smiled and high-fived, signaling a beautiful pass.
The increasingly noisy arena made the sweating Iverson irritable.
Seeing Lee not even breaking a sweat made him even more frustrated.
He rushed across half-court with his head down, only to be intercepted again.
Chris Webber actively called for the ball again, receiving it in the right elbow.
He immediately waved for Iverson to cut, while also signaling Kyle Korver to come up to the top to receive the ball.
With Ron Artest chasing him, Chris Webber passed the ball and simultaneously set a side screen.
Kyle Korver, who received the handoff, dribbled one step horizontally and made a fading jump shot near the free-throw line over Gasol's block.
Such a difficult score finally brought some noise from the 76ers bench.
But just as the atmosphere creators cheered, Lee accelerated the offensive rhythm again.
Without waiting for a double-team, Lee, near the left wing, passed the ball to Gasol, who was posting up in the block.
Iverson followed Lee to the left corner, while Kyle Korver, guarding Ron Artest, was somewhat nervous, constantly turning his head towards the top of the key.
When Lee settled inside the three-point line, Ron Artest first faked a move towards the top of the key, then suddenly twisted his body and accelerated with a reverse cut along the baseline.
The moment Kyle Korver was squeezed past, Gasol made an underarm pass.
Ron Artest, who received the short pass, was pulled directly by Kyle Korver from behind before he could even rush to the basket.
The referee blew the whistle again, making everyone on the 76ers watch as the casually thrown basketball traced a large arc, bounced off the side of the rim, and stumbled into the net.
Ron Artest, who had just been angry, immediately beamed with joy, pounding his chest happily under the basket and shouting:
"God answered my prayers!"
Iverson watched, fuming.
With his hands on his hips outside the three-point line, he gasped for air while turning his head towards the coaching staff on the sidelines.
He received no response.
Coach Maurice Cheeks, with his arms crossed, seemed numb.
Only after Ron Artest made the free throw did he signal for a three-point play.
Not following the Head Coach's instructions, Iverson again used a double screen at the top of the key to cut horizontally.
Salmons' pass was a beat slow, allowing Lee to chase and defend.
Receiving the pass, Iverson immediately put the ball down with his left hand, drove forward, accelerated fiercely, and then suddenly executed a behind-the-back dribble at the block.
He quickly stepped back and made a fading lean-back shot over Lee's block.
After making his first field goal of the first quarter, Iverson immediately got up from the floor, pumping his fists and shouting excitedly.
"Boo!"
The New York fans quickly booed.
No one wanted to see Iverson's solo performance.
Offense fueled Defense.
An emotional Iverson began to passionately lead the Defense, constantly sliding around Lee, occasionally reaching in to swat the ball and disrupt him.
The two tangled as they crossed mid-court.
As Lee turned his body to protect the ball and moved towards the left wing, Ron Artest decisively ran to the corner and then slipped along the baseline.
Kyle Korver hesitated for a moment but still chose to follow.
When Iverson observed the Defense behind him, he suddenly realized it had become a one-on-one situation.
Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, suddenly lowered his center of gravity.
While exerting force with his protective hand, he leaned forward and accelerated.
Taking advantage of Iverson sliding to the right, he immediately stopped short and executed a crossover dribble.
As the opponent reached out to steal the ball, he smoothly dribbled between his legs.
When his right hand touched the ball, Lee reset his steps, used his left hand for leverage against the contact, accelerated a second time, and forcefully drove in.
Iverson originally wanted to just pull him, but his arm was swatted away.
Unable to slide, he was crushed and squeezed past by the accelerating Lee.
The clean and decisive drive made the fans cheer loudly again.
Dalembert, who had moved into the paint, watched Lee jump into the air with both feet and voluntarily yielded his position.
Gripping the ball with his left hand, Lee pulled his arm back, then swung it down for a powerful dunk, slamming the ball into the hoop!
"Ah!"
The rim rattled.
Clay Lee shook his head again with an expressionless face, causing a burst of screams from the front-row fans.
Allen Iverson, at the three-point line, hung his head, not blaming his teammatesāthis was his fault.
Ron Artest and the others were even more excited than Lee.
They gathered under the basket, shouting at the top of their lungs.
Beating the opponent so decisively made them feel great.
In the final few possessions of the first quarter, Iverson drove hard to the basket again and drew a foul, scoring points from the free-throw line.
Gasol, in the left low post, made a strong back-to-the-basket move, turned towards the baseline, and responded with a bank shot over Chris Webber's block.
Amidst the jeers of the fans, Iverson's final possession saw him pull back with a crossover dribble in the right elbow, but his pull-up jump shot was bothered by Lee and missed.
The 76ers' Defense seemed to have completely collapsed.
Gasol's long pass allowed Grant Hill, who had sprinted past the three-point line, to easily make a running floater.
The light came on and the ball went in, the score stopping at 18:39.
The New York Knicks players rushed onto the court, high-fiving Grant Hill, who had made the buzzer-beater.
Lee saw Iverson standing frozen beside him and proactively went to comfort his opponent:
"Don't be discouraged, man, the game has just begun!"
Looking at the familiar smiling face, Iverson, who had come back to his senses, felt a surge of anger and stared intently at Lee with his head tilted back.
The New York Knicks players quickly gathered around.
On the other side, Andre Iguodala and Salmons also rushed to their leader's side.
The two sides pushed and shoved a couple of times, and the referee quickly stepped forward to intervene.
They had expected the hot-blooded Iverson to pull Lee into a boxing match, but to their surprise, he just glared without acting.
The fun-loving fans in the Madison Square Garden were displeased and loudly booed:
"Softie! The 76ers will trade you sooner or later!"
"ā¦"
As Iverson returned to his seat, he could still hear the fans' jeers.
He pursed his lips, not saying a word.
The atmosphere creators also dared not speak.
Only Coach Maurice Cheeks was still mechanically explaining tactics.
In the first quarter, Iverson was 1-for-6 from the field, 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, with 8 points, 2 assists, and 2 turnovers.
Compared to the previous game, his performance had improved.
On the TNT commentary booth, seemingly influenced by the atmosphere in the Madison Square Garden, Doug Collins completely abandoned his neutral commentator role and began to praise Lee extravagantly:
"A generational guard! As his game experience grows, Clay Lee is almost omnipotent on the court!"
"I can't think of anyone who comes close to him. These past few years, we've rarely talked about the Michael Jordan's successor because Clay Lee's existence has redefined dynasty teams."
"Four consecutive championships, I believe the New York Knicks will be unstoppable this year. The playoffs are Clay Lee's stage!"
Playing the entire first quarter, Clay Lee was 6-for-7 from the field, 1-for-2 from three-point range, and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, with 17 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal, almost filling the stat sheet.
Kevin Harlan saw Iverson and Lee still on the court, a strategy of playing them together that left him somewhat speechless:
"It seems Coach DAntoni is very cautious. This is also a way to show respect to the opponent!"
After the second quarter began, Iverson didn't feel respected.
Facing Lee's full-court lead Defense, the pressure grew heavier and heavier.
The opponent's stamina seemed endless.
Iverson's body, weakened by alcohol and women, gradually became more fatigued as the game time passed.
Fortunately, Chris Webber carried the team's offense in this quarter.
Facing the New York Knicks' one-big, four-small lineup, he frequently received the ball in the left and right low posts, using his height advantage for turn-around jump shots.
Perhaps seeing a Rookie like Anderson VarejĆ£o in the paint, Iverson tried to solve the problem with a drive, but he encountered a Defense that fell at the slightest touch.
Watching Anderson VarejĆ£o fall out of bounds, Iverson, who had lost his balance and stumbled, was called for an offensive foul by the referee.
"Hey! I didn't even touch him! You can't make that call!"
Every point was crucial.
Iverson, furious, rushed to the referee's side, and with a loud shout, he was called for a technical foul.
Anderson VarejĆ£o was beaming, patting his chest and shaking his fluffy long hair.
After receiving Lee's praise, the Rookie excitedly promised:
"With me here, the opponent won't easily score in the paint!"
While the 76ers' bench and coaching staff were still protesting to the referee, Lee had already stepped onto the opponent's half-court and made the free throw.
With his mentality shattered, Iverson soon committed another turnover.
His pass out of a drive was too low, and Shavlik Randolph, who had just entered the game, had the ball immediately stolen by Lee as he bent down to receive it.
At the top of the key, Lee, Raja Bell, and Prince ran continuous handoffs and cuts.
Finally, Boris Diaw came to the arc to screen, and Chris Webber again chose to double-team.
As Lee flicked his left wrist, a bounce pass pierced the Defense.
Boris Diaw, who received the ball in the right elbow after splitting, immediately shot the ball.
"Swish!" The mid-range jump shot swished cleanly.
Boris Diaw, finding his shooting touch, began to repeatedly screen and receive the ball for jump shots.
Willie Green became the hero of the 76ers' bench, responding with several long two-pointers in crucial moments.
While he delivered assists, he also committed turnovers.
An impatient Iverson tried to speed up the offensive rhythm several times, but all attempts failed.
With 6 minutes and 32 seconds left in the half, after a timeout, both teams' starting lineups returned, the defensive intensity dropped, and the score seesawed.
Lee went to the bench to rest with 1 minute and 20 seconds left.
D'Antoni proactively went up to hug and greet him.
Limiting Iverson to zero points in a quarter was a performance the coaching staff was very satisfied with:
"It seems we can start thinking about the road games! Lee, the NBA should really give you a Coach of the Year (COY)."
D'Antoni whispered his praise, but Lee chuckled.
He was well aware that a weak opponent held little reference value:
"That's just a 39-win team!"
Both returned to the bench with smiles.
As the half was about to end, cheers erupted in the Madison Square Garden again.
The New York fans stood up, starting to celebrate the victory prematurely.
In the final moments, Fisher stole Iverson's long pass.
At halftime, he held the ball and shouted at the opponent:
"Hey! I saw through your offense!"
42:70. Iverson completely ignored Old Fish, walking quickly towards the player tunnel.
The game was already over.
On both sides of the player tunnel, hearing the fans' unrestrained taunts, Iverson lowered his head, unable to control his emotions.
He covered his head with a towel and jogged back to the locker room.
When Andre Iguodala entered the locker room, he saw Iverson sitting in his seat, covering his face with both hands, somewhat choked up.
The atmosphere creators all returned to their seats, quietly watching their leader shed tears.
Louis Williams, infected by the emotion, felt a pang in his heart:
"Is Iverson leaving Philadelphia?"
...
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)