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Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.
The return of Itachi
I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.
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***
Most sports media outlets are superstitious about Champion Coaches.
Ever since Pat Riley took over and reaped the benefits, they continued to speak highly of him, consistently maintaining the view:
"A Champion Coach's coaching level is far superior to Stan Van Gundy's!"
After leading the Heat to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the Miami Herald believed Stan Van Gundy had a chance to lead the team to a championship.
However, after the coaching change, no one mentioned it again.
Eastern Conference Finals Game 1, with 4 minutes and 56 seconds left in the first half, the live director frequently focused the camera on the slick-haired boss pacing and shouting on the sideline.
Contrary to what the commentators expected, despite the Heat's perfect start, they still encountered the same awkward situation as last year.
They would occasionally fall into scoring droughts.
Lee and Wade were on and off
the court together, resting for two minutes in the middle of the quarter, and now they were back on the court, but the Heat's offense remained the same.
The root of everything lay with O'Neal.
When he was on the court, he would attract double teams, and the New York Knicks would not give him one-on-one opportunities.
Whether it was Gasol or the substitute Gadzuric, if their help Defense was slow, they would immediately foul.
The referees were also very lenient with the Heat, but unfortunately, the big man's free throws were truly abysmal.
"Defense!"
During the Heat's offensive possession, watching O'Neal once again receive the ball in the left low post, the New York fans on site cheered loudly.
The tactical setup hadn't changed much.
O'Neal, holding the ball in his right hand, had just backed into the basket twice when Ron Artest quickly collapsed from the left wing, combining with Gasol to complete the double-team.
Instead of foolishly trying to force his way to the basket for a foul, O'Neal observed the Defense, quickly turned towards the baseline, switched to his left hand, and completed his signature fadeaway shot.
Compared to previous years, his movement speed was noticeably slower.
As soon as O'Neal released the shot, Gasol sent a block, hitting his arm, and the referee blew the whistle again.
Although the basketball was affected, it eventually bounced its way into the basket, and for a moment, everyone on the Heat bench cheered loudly.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, O'Neal quickly adjusted his breathing at the free-throw line, but the ensuing free throw bounced off the rim again, and laughter echoed throughout the Madison Square Garden.
"That's terrible. Given the difficulty scoring, a few free throws should have allowed the Heat to narrow the gap, but unfortunately, O'Neal missed them all."
Hubie Brown felt sorry for the Heat.
He had three free-throw attempts in this quarter, but O'Neal couldn't convert any of them.
At the commentary table, Mike Breen didn't share those emotions.
Watching Gasol secure the rebound, Lee received the pass and started to accelerate, subconsciously praising him:
"The New York Knicks' role players' excellent performance has forced the Heat to change their defensive strategy."
"This is not good news for them. O'Neal has to face pick-and-rolls, and it's time to test Wade."
Expecting the cumbersome O'Neal to delay out is impossible.
Pat Riley on the sideline has been encouraging Wade, who is the Heat's only capable defender.
Gasol, who also accelerated past half-court, did not feign a screen as usual but instead stood firmly at the top of the arc.
Having not scored for almost two minutes, Wade had lost his initial composure, sliding quickly and sticking tightly to Lee's side.
Approaching the screen at the top of the arc, Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, turned his body to protect the ball, feigning to squeeze past Gasol.
As Wade squeezed past the screen, he suddenly stopped short, then rocked his shoulder backward.
The spin move fake tricked Wade's center of gravity.
The latter was still trying to chase, but Lee, stopping and starting suddenly, accelerated a second time, leaning in to accelerate and successfully shaking off the Defense.
James Posey, guarding Ron Artest in the right corner, watched Wade and O'Neal quickly lose position.
After some hesitation, he still moved towards the basket.
As soon as his foot moved, his opponent's speed was faster than he had anticipated.
James Posey didn't even have time to reach out before Lee's body suddenly swayed to the front right, directly in front of the basket.
The wide European step left the defender frozen in place.
Finally, James Posey watched Lee take another large stride to the front left, effortlessly laying the ball in with his left hand as he jumped off his left foot.
"Bang! Swish!" The basketball hit the backboard and went in.
42:52, the score difference was back to double digits.
Cheers echoed through the Madison Square Garden.
O'Neal's Defense on the perimeter was easily broken, a sight that thrilled the New York fans on site.
The opponent was done for!
Wade looked at the fat shark, who was patting his chest to signal his own mistake, and couldn't say anything for a moment.
Everyone could only gesture to each other.
The big-one-four-small lineup gave the Heat good offensive space.
Jason Williams immediately passed the ball after bringing it across half-court.
Antoine Walker, who delivered a bounce pass from the right wing, did not attempt a reckless drive against Diaw's Defense as he had before, but instead waited for O'Neal to come to the low post and demand the ball.
Wade did not participate in the offense this time, but instead stayed with Lee on the left wing, close to the sideline.
Everyone spread out.
O'Neal pulled and dragged Gasol behind him, came to the right low post, and quickly demanded the ball with his back to the basket.
He initially wanted to throw the ball directly, but unexpectedly, Diaw suddenly rushed up, and Gasol also tried to front him defensively.
Antoine Walker held the ball and didn't dare to pass it into the paint immediately.
Seeing the opponent's offense stall, the roar in the Madison Square Garden grew louder and louder.
Finally, Antoine Walker opted for a bounce pass, but O'Neal bent down too slowly, and the ball went directly out of bounds.
"Oh!"
Diaw nodded and clapped, which infuriated Antoine Walker.
When he was scoring in the league, how dare such a small-time player act superior to him?
"Next time, pass the ball to me faster!"
Antoine Walker wanted to trash talk a bit more, but before he could, O'Neal, who ran over, gave him a "death glare" and loudly reminded him.
The big man was too familiar with the opponent.
If the return pass didn't keep up, the game would be lost!
Wade immediately stepped up to defend.
The two tangled as they crossed the half-court line.
Clay Lee had already passed the ball to Pau Gasol at the top of the arc.
First, he feigned to go forward to receive the ball.
Under Wade's pulling, Lee suddenly accelerated and ran back.
When he received the cross-court pass on the right wing, Wade rushed back to defend.
Before the opponent could get his feet set, Lee, with the ball protected on his left side, quickly took a probing step forward to the left with his right foot.
Wade instinctively turned his body.
Lee slightly retracted his foot and simultaneously raised his body's center of gravity.
The moment the opponent moved forward, his left hand immediately released the ball.
Lee shifted his body's center of gravity backward, using his left foot to forcefully break through.
Wade felt a blur before his eyes, then instinctively slid.
"Shit!"
Muttering a low curse, Wade was first subtly pushed by Lee's ball-protecting hand, then lost more than half a step.
Driving straight to the basket from the right wing, O'Neal at the free-throw line and Antoine Walker near the left baseline simultaneously moved towards the basket.
The paint area was about to form a triple-team, but Lee took a step ahead and released the shot early.
As he drove, he used his left foot to jump, and directly in front of the basket, he raised the ball high with his left hand, tossing it up high.
The three defenders felt a strange sensation.
Antoine Walker didn't even have time to jump fully.
Just as he flew into the air, the basketball fell into the basket.
Lee, who had completed the shot, smiled.
Looking at O'Neal, who was breathing heavily, and then at Wade, who was still complaining about the small fouls to the referee, he couldn't help but tease:
"Is this your best Defense?"
"."
Jason Williams, who was inbound the ball, said nothing.
In fact, it was precisely because he couldn't handle the defensive assignment that Wade had to switch matchups.
42:54, Lee continuously attacked Wade, reigniting the Madison Square Garden atmosphere.
Pat Riley on the sideline shouted at his players, signaling tactics.
O'Neal came to half-court and waved to Wade.
Jason Williams was a bit surprised by Lee's sudden switch in Defense, but having received instructions from the coach, he still immediately ran to the right corner after passing the ball.
Receiving the ball at the top of the arc, far from the three-point line, before O'Neal could set the screen, Wade, holding the ball in his left hand, quickly changed direction with a body crossover.
Hill barely squeezed through, and Gasol also slid with him.
The moment his right hand touched the ball, Wade smoothly dribbled it between his legs.
Before Hill and Gasol could complete the trap, Wade had already slipped through the gap.
When a familiar scene appeared on their opponent, the New York fans on site gasped.
In a blink of an eye, Wade, who had completely shaken off the Defense, rushed into the paint area, took three long strides, and then leaped into the air.
Directly in front of the basket, Wade, who was about to dunk with a windmill motion, suddenly widened his eyes. Lee, who had rotated from the right corner to the basket for help Defense, arrived first, raising his right arm, attempting to block the shot.
In a flash, Wade had no time to adjust and continued to exert force.
At the moment of collision, Lee, from above, precisely pressed down on the ball with his right hand.
A gasp erupted in the Madison Square Garden again.
The two wrestled in the air, and finally, Wade lost his balance and was pressed down by Lee.
"Incredible! Clay Lee showed excellent help-side defensive awareness! That was a perfect Defense!"
Hubie Brown couldn't help but praise loudly.
The Heat players on the court seemed stunned, all frozen in place.
Wade, who fell in the paint, was dazed.
His drive had actually been defended.
When he fully recovered, he found that Lee had already controlled the ball after landing.
Dribbling the ball with his left hand past the three-point line, Lee collided with Antoine Walker, who rushed up to defend.
The latter initially thought the Defense was successful, but unexpectedly, the basketball suddenly flew out from behind him.
Lee's smooth behind-the-back pass rendered the Defense useless.
Diaw, who had already crossed mid-court, received the pass, dribbled twice, then immediately lobbed the ball to the upper left of the basket.
Hill, who had sprinted ahead early, leaped into the air in the paint.
The ball and player arrived simultaneously, catching the ball in the air and slamming it into the basket with both hands!
"A beautiful play! The New York Knicks suddenly went on a run!"
"The defending champions suddenly increased their intensity in the second quarter."
An excited Mike Breen shouted loudly.
The Heat called another timeout.
Pat Riley on the sideline no longer complained to the referees.
Wade still lacked experience.
He clearly could have drawn a foul.
42:56, the roaring Madison Square Garden left the Heat bench silent.
Veteran Payton frowned.
This was completely different from what the coaching staff had expected.
Pat Riley looked towards the bench with some hesitation, but finally waved to Payton and Mourning.
O'Neal needed rest, and the misfiring Williams also had to be substituted.
Realizing that he might have leaked the tactics, the slick-haired boss scribbled on the whiteboard while loudly reminding Wade:
"Pay attention to your teammates, don't force the offense, play smarter!"
Drawing a few arrows at the baseline of the whiteboard, Pat Riley signaled everyone to screen for Wade, allowing him to receive the ball at the sweet spot.
Wade, breathing heavily, didn't make excuses.
In fact, he had put too much effort into Defense, which had already affected his offensive state.
"Defense!"
After the timeout, the defensive cheers grew louder and louder.
The New York fans on site saw the hope of defeating their opponent in the first half, so they cheered enthusiastically, while also frantically waving their orange handkerchiefs.
The roaring Madison Square Garden did not affect the Heat's tactical coordination.
Veteran Mourning stood firm at the lower right of the basket, immediately signaling to Wade nearby.
Sticking to his opponent's side, Lee slightly raised his arms, showing his defensive stance to the baseline referee.
As Wade started to sneak along the baseline, Mourning, who was preparing to screen, was stunned.
Instead of foolishly chasing wildly behind Wade, Lee chose to move from the perimeter.
The two almost simultaneously ran to the vicinity of the left corner.
Wade realized something was wrong and didn't stop, but instead moved towards the top of the arc again.
Antoine Walker, who had failed to inbound the ball, was now preparing to hand it off to his teammate.
When Wade successfully received the ball, Antoine Walker initially wanted to set a screen, but Lee had already gone around the baseline early, continuing to chase Wade, who was driving hard down the middle.
Diaw didn't switch, and Wade was initially delighted, but then he was caught by Lee in the paint.
Spotting Gasol under the basket also starting to move, Wade, on the move, did not choose to pass but instead actively exerted force, attempting to collide with Lee directly in front of the basket.
The two collided, and Wade nearly lost his balance.
He barely controlled his body, leaning back for a fadeaway jumper.
Watching Lee's fingertips touch the basketball as he jumped, Wade, staggering upon landing, quickly shouted to Mourning under the basket:
"Rebound!"
The Kidney Stone Warrior vaguely sensed something was wrong.
Before he could crash the boards, the basketball fell into Gasol's hands under the basket.
Watching Lee receive the ball, Wade felt some regret.
He should have drawn a foul.
He hadn't scored a field goal in this quarter.
After continuously defending the opponent, Coach DAntoni also stood up from the bench, constantly applauding.
Compared to the slick-haired boss on the opposite side, the Moustache was exceptionally calm.
He had long since delegated and didn't need to direct.
With only a little over a minute left in the first half, many fans stood up and cheered.
It was still a 1-3-1 alignment.
As Diaw at the free-throw line came to the top of the arc to screen, Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, moved horizontally and was immediately double-teamed.
He passed the ball back to DiAo at the top of the arc.
The latter received the ball and, facing Gary Payton's help Defense, smoothly passed it to Hill on the right wing.
The moment he received the ball, he put it down with his right hand.
Hill drove forward, heading straight for the basket.
Payton could only block his opponent, squeezing past his side.
Mourning, at the lower left of the basket, moved his feet, but the basketball flew out early.
Gasol, who had been lurking for a long time, leaped high, caught the ball in the air with his right hand, and slammed it into the basket!
Watching the New York Knicks players on the court chest-bump in celebration, Pat Riley couldn't hold back, constantly shouting at Payton not to help defend.
Everyone on the Heat realized their Defense was collapsing.
Sliding from right to left along the baseline, Wade accelerated out but still couldn't shake off Lee.
In his frustration, he simply stopped in the left elbow area.
The two briefly tangled, and finally, Payton barely managed to pass the ball to Wade.
After receiving the ball, he immediately faced the basket to attack.
Sweeping the ball quickly from left to right, Wade lowered his center of gravity, accelerated horizontally after putting the ball down with his right hand, and then executed a crossover pull-back stop near the free-throw line.
The expected situation of shaking off the Defense did not occur.
Seeing Lee stick to him, Wade simply gathered the ball, faked a shot, seized the opportunity, and leaned forward to shoot.
"Screech!"
The referee finally blew the whistle.
Wade breathed a sigh of relief, seeing Lee, who was walking out past the three-point line, shake his head slightly.
Although he couldn't clearly hear what was said, his mouth shape looked like "Softie."
A somewhat agitated Wade saw Pat Riley clapping encouragement, which barely allowed him to control his emotions.
44:58, the first half was about to end.
Wade made both free throws, helping the team break their scoring drought.
In the final few possessions, the Heat players could clearly feel that their opponent's offense had become more casual.
When Lee was double-teamed on the perimeter, Ron Artest had an open shot and immediately took it, but unfortunately, Payton, who was left open, also missed the opportunity.
After two consecutive possessions of driving and dishing yielded no results, on the final possession, Wade, who had snuck along the baseline, once again came to the top of the arc, attempting a handoff with Mourning.
Seemingly unable to adapt to the game's intensity, Mourning released the ball early, intending to set a screen, but unexpectedly, Lee suddenly rushed up, first poking the ball away, then bumping Wade aside to regain possession.
"Oh!"
The first half was about to end.
Watching Lee rush faster and faster, the cheers almost broke through the Madison Square Garden.
Wade, desperately chasing back, could only watch as Lee leaped into the air just after crossing the free-throw line, helplessly stopping and watching the one-handed dunk.
With Payton's long-range three-pointer missing, the halftime score was set at 44:60.
O'Neal and the atmosphere group on the bench immediately stood up and walked towards the player tunnel.
As an old opponent, he knew very well what trailing by more than 15 points meant.
In the second half, they had to play extreme Defense, and at the same time, the offense had to respond.
Thinking of this, the big man's expression was blank.
0 for 5 in the quarter, scoring only 2 points from free throws, Wade was completely suppressed by Lee in the rotation lineup.
The joyful atmosphere in the Madison Square Garden also affected Hubie Brown at the commentary table.
Looking at the statistics, the veteran coach said with a chuckle:
"It's very regrettable. The Heat should have accomplished their pre-game plan. They only allowed the New York Knicks to score 27 points in the second quarter."
"To tie the score, the offense must adjust in the second half. Dwayne Wade needs to regain his touch."
Mike Breen knew the game was sealed.
Clay Lee had never lost a game in his career when leading by 15 points.
Taking advantage of halftime, he continued to boast:
"The 1-for-7 three-point shooting in the second quarter will be very difficult to change the New York Knicks' Defense strategy. Coach DAntoni's game plan has been very successful."
"Considering that Clay Lee usually explodes in the third quarter, this is a huge test for the Miami Heat."
6-for-8 from the field, 1-for-2 from three-point range, and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line, Clay Lee's early burst of 15 points in a single quarter almost ended the game.
Madison Square Garden was filled with joy, but in the visiting team's locker room, no one was speaking.
The joy of easily defeating the Detroit Pistons had completely faded.
O'Neal stared intently at the water bottle in his hand.
He was 3-for-5 from the field and 0-for-5 from the free-throw line, contributing only 6 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 turnover in the half.
Payton wanted to say something, but unfortunately, he hadn't scored a single point, and a conflicted expression appeared on his face.
Pat Riley, returning to the locker room, sensed the gloomy atmosphere.
He glanced at Wade, who was looking down silently, and calmly offered some encouragement:
"No one can devise a perfect game plan, and no one can predict what will happen in a game."
"We played well. Forget the current score and trust your shots."
Antoine Walker and Jason Williams, who had suddenly gone cold in the second quarter, nodded vigorously upon hearing their Head Coach's words of comfort.
Maintaining offensive spacing was key to their victory in the previous round.
As long as they could make shots from beyond the three-point line, a 16-point deficit was still within reach.
The assistant coaches began to go over game details.
Pat Riley looked at the dejected Wade, and a thought suddenly crossed his mind:
"The team still lacks true talent!"
After the second half began, the Miami Heat coaching staff on the bench felt a bit uneasy.
The New York Knicks brought on their twin-tower lineup, with Raja Bell replacing Hill.
"Defense!"
Amidst shouts of "Defense," the excited New York fans waved huge cutouts of Lee's head.
On the first possession, Wade's pass, after he drove to the basket, resulted in another turnover.
The alley-oop was directly disrupted.
Haslem had just rushed into the paint, and in a 2-on-1 situation, Gadzuric successfully secured possession.
Forced into man-to-man Defense, O'Neal knew he couldn't defend outside.
Seeing the opponent's two big men set a double screen up top, he quickly shouted to alert his teammates.
Wade couldn't squeeze through in time.
As Lee, dribbling with his left hand, accelerated horizontally, O'Neal reluctantly stepped up to delay him.
Just as he reached the left wing, Lee leaned in to accelerate, feigning a drive, then quickly pulled back with a crossover step.
O'Neal, sliding back to his right, couldn't adjust his center of gravity.
Amidst the fans' laughter, the big man jumped in place to contest, watching as Lee gathered the ball and shot!
"Swish!" The three-pointer swished through the net.
44:63. That three-pointer left the Miami Heat players feeling half-frozen.
Fortunately, Wade no longer stubbornly forced his way to the basket.
He quickly cut horizontally from right to left, received a pass from Jason Williams, then drove with a left-handed floater, pulling back for a fadeaway jumper from the restricted area!
Expressionless after the score, Wade continued to lead the Defense.
This time, Antoine Walker double-teamed early.
As Ron Artest received the ball on the left wing, O'Neal's symbolic contest had no effect.
With a large lead, Ron Artest shot the ball as soon as he got it, making his second three-pointer of the game and laughing as he pounded his chest.
O'Neal's solid screen at the top of the arc forced Raja Bell to go under.
Wade drove hard down the middle with his right hand, pulled the ball back between his legs at the free-throw line, created shooting space, and missed the jumper.
Gasol, using his height advantage, easily grabbed the rebound, and cheers once again echoed through the Madison Square Garden.
No longer pre-rotating to help, Lee casually waved his hand after dribbling past half-court with 8 seconds remaining.
He went to the left wing and immediately lobbed the ball to Gasol, who was posting up in the low block.
Haslem desperately defended from behind.
Gasol, putting the ball down with his right hand, continuously backed down while constantly observing the Defense.
Wade, on the perimeter, was only focused on guarding Lee.
Unhindered, Gasol quickly spun towards the baseline, faked a shot, tricked Haslem into a block attempt, and then, hearing the whistle, banked in a layup.
"Oh!"
The fans cheered loudly.
Gasol simply pumped his fist in celebration.
Haslem, beside him, showed a helpless look as his height disadvantage was magnified.
46:66. Gasol made the free throw, and the New York Knicks' hype squad started waving their towels.
It was their turn to shine.
Speeding up the offense, Jason Williams had just dribbled past half-court when Wade, popping out to the middle, immediately drove with a right-handed floater.
Attracting the big man to recover on Defense, Wade didn't pass to the basket but instead tossed the ball back.
Haslem missed an open jumper from the free-throw line.
The rebound was again secured by Gadzuric.
Haslem annoyingly lowered his head and cursed under his breath, then quickly retreated on Defense with his teammates.
Wade, leading the Defense, noticed Lee slowly dribbling past half-court.
His attempts to steal the ball had no effect.
As he reached the right wing, he noticed movement behind him and helplessly saw Gasol receive the ball again in the restricted area.
Watching Lee move away from the three-point line after making the pass, Wade hesitated for a moment.
But Gasol, who received the ball and faced the basket, didn't think too much.
After a jab step, he went straight into a pull-up jumper.
Haslem, still controlling his defensive distance, turned his head to watch the ball swish through the net, angrily shaking his fists repeatedly.
At the ESPN commentary table, Hubie Brown could only tactfully comment on the slowing New York Knicks:
"To close the gap, the Miami Heat must speed up their offense. Perhaps they could consider a more aggressive Defense strategy."
Mike Breen wanted to add more, but O'Neal, who received the ball in the left low post, was sent to the free-throw line again by Gadzuric:
"It's time to test the free throws. Every point is crucial at this moment!"
Watching O'Neal miss both free throws again, the New York fans were overjoyed.
His accurate free throws from back then were indeed a flash in the pan.
The big man was already declining.
No matter how much Wade pressured on Defense, the ball seemed to be glued to Lee's hand.
Lee, dribbling with his right hand, protected the ball with his side.
As he approached the right wing, he immediately signaled Ron Artest in the corner to come up for a handoff.
Antoine Walker, receiving the instruction, switched on Defense immediately, following Lee to the right corner.
At the same time, Ron Artest, who received the ball, immediately lobbed it to Gasol in the restricted area.
The defender behind him became O'Neal. Gasol didn't rush to attack.
As Lee suddenly started, feigning a baseline cut, Antoine Walker quickly slid to follow him.
After a sudden stop, Lee made a quick counter-run.
When he moved up to the perimeter to receive Gasol's short pass, the Miami Heat, led by O'Neal, began to collapse into the paint.
Lee, moving horizontally, didn't wait for the double-team to form.
While in motion, he flicked his left wrist, and the ball went directly under O'Neal's legs in the paint.
Amidst the fans' cheers, Gasol, who had already reached the lower right side of the basket, bent down to receive the ball and slammed it home with a one-handed dunk!
"Clay Lee fooled the Miami Heat's Defense again! Pau Gasol scored 6 straight points. Maybe Head Coach Pat Riley needs a timeout."
Mike Breen's mood became increasingly joyful.
On the court, O'Neal's eyes widened in anger, and the laughter in the Madison Square Garden made him feel even worse.
Jason Williams dribbled past half-court and initiated a pick-and-roll with Haslem.
But as Lee squeezed through the screen, he drove down the middle to the free-throw line, stopped abruptly, then spun around to his left hand and circled back to the perimeter.
In the end, it was O'Neal's low-post back-to-the-basket isolation that crushed his way to the basket and scored for the team.
48:70. The score difference still left the Miami Heat players feeling desperate.
In the following minutes, the scores went back and forth.
The first to give up was O'Neal.
When defending the pick-and-roll on the perimeter, Wade couldn't squeeze through, and the big man was blown by Lee, who was dribbling with his right hand.
The paint was wide open.
Lee, like entering an uninhabited land, threw down a one-handed tomahawk dunk, directly forcing a timeout.
"Oh!"
O'Neal, walking towards the bench with a long face, didn't even look at his teammates.
He sat down and started drinking his "oral solution," then immediately draped a towel over his shoulders, signaling his surrender.
The noisy atmosphere prevented Wade from hearing what his Head Coach was saying.
When he returned to the court, he realized that Mourning had re-entered the game.
D'Antoni then took advantage of Lee's free throw to make substitutions as well, bringing in Old Fish, Prince, and Diaw.
As the game entered a long timeout, a round of applause and cheers erupted in the Madison Square Garden, and Clay Lee also returned to the bench.
Wade gradually found his shooting touch, but what frustrated him was that someone from the New York Knicks always stepped up.
In the late third quarter, veteran Finley, who replaced Raja Bell, continuously scored with drives and outside shots.
Wade, who had been trying to hold on, also gave in and soon followed suit in surrendering.
The single quarter score was 24:28.
After three quarters, it was 68:88. The game entered garbage time.
The director frequently aimed the camera at Pat Riley.
Compared to last year's Eastern Conference Finals, the re-tooled Miami Heat seemed to have made no progress.
O'Neal, with a towel over his head, didn't let the cameras capture his face.
Having lost so miserably, the big man felt some regret again.
He really should lose weight.
5-for-9 from the field, 0-for-7 from the free-throw line, 10 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 turnovers.
O'Neal was naturally very dissatisfied with his own performance.
The final quarter became a scoring fest for both teams.
Gary Payton got a field goal, and James Posey also scored some points.
Mourning was still trying hard, but he ended up committing two offensive fouls on Anderson VarejĆ£o.
Wade noticed Lee waving a towel on the sidelines and felt even more disheartened.
Their hype squad couldn't even beat the opponent's!
10-for-20 from the field, 5-for-8 from the free-throw line, 25 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 4 turnovers.
At the commentary table, Hubie Brown, looking at Wade's statistics, offered his expectations:
"Don't over-rely on your physical talent. In some possessions, Wade can help the team with his jump shot."
"They played a good quarter tonight. I believe the Miami Heat can adjust in time."
Mike Breen was indeed startled by the exaggerated shooting percentage in the first quarter.
After looking at the statistics, he found Wade's Excel was not bad, and couldn't help but tease him:
"Facing Lee's Defense, Wade must show his tough side. As the team leader, his performance in the second quarter was unacceptable."
"Of course, the most important thing is to protect their home court!"
29 minutes played, 12-for-18 from the field, 4-for-7 from three-point range, 7-for-7 from the free-throw line, 35 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 1 turnover.
Sports reporters on site, looking at Clay Lee's stats, felt that the Miami Heat were doomed.
Those who had been clamoring about interior dominance before the game were now silent.
The fact was plain to see: the big man still relied on teammates for pick-and-roll Defense.
As cheers erupted throughout Madison Square Garden, the final score was set at 91:114.
The New York Knicks easily defeated their old rivals.
In the losing team's player tunnel, O'Neal and Wade, both draped in towels, quickly walked away.
This crushing defeat severely impacted their confidence.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
Ever since Duncan only made the All-NBA Second Team, the New York fans had been ecstatic.
Watching Lee wave in acknowledgment, the shouts grew louder and louder, as if they wanted to transmit some emotions to the "bust" MVP from afar.
Scott, who was preparing to interview Lee, smiled wryly as he listened to the shouts echoing throughout the Madison Square Garden.
This year's All-NBA team selection was indeed a slap in the face.
"Lee, congratulations! This was a perfect victory. You completely dominated your opponent throughout the game!"
"Tell us about your game plan. I noticed you completed several alley-oops. Were those specific plays?"
After sitting for more than a quarter, the sweat on Lee's head had disappeared, and there was no trace of fatigue on his face:
"This is the game plan formulated by Coach DAntoni and the coaching staff. In the first two rounds, the Miami Heat preferred zone Defense, and we just wanted to make them pay the price."
"They really should double-team me, but my teammates will also respond. With a man advantage, we wouldn't miss such easy scoring opportunities."
Ron Artest, passing by, shouted at the camera.
The hype squad also joined in the cheering.
Crushing their old rival, everyone was in high spirits.
Scott's dark face also broke into a smile.
Clay Lee was not wrong.
The New York Knicks had the most ball-handlers in the league.
He began to look forward to Pat Riley's adjustments in the upcoming games.
Before the interview ended, Scott suddenly adjusted his glasses and then abruptly asked about a recently debated rumor:
"Lee, Tim Duncan won the MVP this season but ultimately missed out on the All-NBA First Team. Is this a problem with the selection mechanism?"
In NBA history, there have been a total of four instances where an MVP winner did not make the All-NBA First Team.
The MVP was selected by players, and in those years, Bill Russell and a few others became "victims" of the rules.
However, Duncan's situation was the first since the media completely took over the selection power.
"MVP is MVP. This award is also a commendation for the team. As for the All-NBA team selection, perhaps it places more emphasis on individual ability."
"Tim Duncan is also a big winner. He has reached the NBA Finals three times. I understand his strength, and the MVP is well-deserved."
"Perhaps Duncan doesn't care about these things at all. Being eliminated in the semifinals, what he should be more concerned about now is the team's status next season."
Lee started a mode of mutual flattery, which made Scott slightly stunned.
He felt that Duncan must care about this matter.
Do any players truly not care about honors?
Seeing the other party's surprised look, Lee blinked and threw out his boomerang with a laugh:
"You know, victory and honor don't mean everything!"
"..."
This phrase often appeared from the mouths of basketball commentators, and Scott naturally had no way to refute it.
Looking at Lee's departing back, he forced two dry laughs as he faced the camera again.
Having been in the sports industry for so many years, he had now witnessed another bizarre incident.
If lies are told too often, no one will truly believe them, right?
Pat Riley and Wade, who attended the press conference, were not in as good a mood as Mike D'Antoni.
If D'Antoni said, "Leave the game to Lee," a bunch of sports reporters would follow suit and boast.
If Pat Riley also said, "Leave the game to Wade," everyone would think the Champion Coach was losing his touch.
The ESPN reporter was not polite.
Although Wade's Excel was very impressive, they had watched the game, and his 4-for-8 in the third quarter were all against Raja Bell:
"After a perfect start, the Miami Heat only scored 13 points in the second quarter. Is this the main reason for tonight's loss?"
Wade subconsciously lowered his head, feeling a bit guilty.
This was indeed his fault.
Fortunately, Pat Riley was adept at handling such situations and took the opportunity to offer more encouragement:
"Don't forget this is only Wade's third season. He needs to adjust his game details and play smarter."
"Wade will become a great player. He will bring a Championship to Miami. I have never doubted that."
Pat Riley looked at Wade beside him with trusting eyes.
The latter, hearing the encouragement, felt a surge of energy.
He could become the team leader, thanks in large part to the big boss with the slicked-back hair.
The subsequent questions gradually became more friendly.
After all, the series had just begun, and Wade's overall performance tonight was still very good.
Noticing Wade's change in mood, Pat Riley's face showed a relieved smile, but his thought about recruiting more talented players became even more resolute:
"Quantity can also raise the ceiling."
....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)