NBA: The Basketball Miracle

On the morning of May 21, 1997, Clay Lee felt like his cell phone was about to explode.

Text messages had been coming in non-stop since the previous night.

I don't know where the brothers got the phone number from, but they all sent messages to praise and congratulate him.

The major media outlets were also in an uproar. The largest circulation USA Today and the New York Times used the same headline:

"Superstar——Clay Lee"

The photographer on the sidelines captured the moment when Lee completed the shot, turned confidently, and the light came on when the ball went in.

In the photo, unlike Lee who had a smile on his face, Michael Jordan, who was standing still, turned his head in surprise and became the best background board.

The very personal headline in the newspaper, coupled with this photo and the score of 81:79, made Lee completely famous!

Of course, this is thanks to Michael Jordan.

The spectators love to see Michael Jordan get into trouble.

Starting from last night's press conference, the New York media couldn't hold back and joined in celebrating the victory, while also throwing titles such as egomaniac and data brush at Michael Jordan.

While having breakfast at the hotel, Lee looked at the Chicago Tribune in his hand.

The most eye-catching news in the sports section was the Bulls' loss, while in the entertainment section there was news that Mariah Carey and Mottola's relationship had broken down and they were about to divorce.

The local media in Chicago did not use exaggerated headlines, but instead praised Michael Jordan's performance.

Playing 44 minutes, he made 15 of 31 shots, 7 of 10 free throws, 37 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 turnovers.

After a mediocre performance in the first half, the team managed to bring its shooting percentage back to 48.4% in the second half.

Just like what the sports article said, Michael Jordan is in great shape!

John Wallace came to the restaurant and saw Clay Lee reading the newspaper and eating breakfast calmly.

He immediately came over and whispered:

"Bro! Why are you still eating breakfast? In the Eastern Conference Finals, you defeated Michael Jordan one-on-one. God, this is crazy!"

"?"

Lee had a puzzled look on his face. He didn't eat in the morning, so he was asked to eat the news as spiritual food?

Looking at the newbie beside him who was chattering and enjoying himself again, Lee shook his head helplessly.

This indirectly proved the influence of Michael Jordan.

Just as no one cared about his All-Star status before, everyone remembers that he dribbled past Michael Jordan.

No matter how the media consumes Michael Jordan, in the hearts of the players, he is the undisputed number one player in the league.

The buzzer beater made the old guys excited for the whole night, but after the adrenaline wore off, they fell asleep in the morning.

Most of those who went downstairs for breakfast were there to create an atmosphere.

Everyone's excitement remained unabated as they whispered about how to defend their home court after returning to New York.

By winning an away game, the Knicks would already have the upper hand!

When the hotel staff saw Lee finish breakfast, they tactfully asked for a group photo.

Lee agreed with a smile, and then a bunch of staff came.

Fortunately, it was just a group photo in the end.

This can be regarded as a historical moment.

Even after 10 years, new players who see this photo will still think of the Eastern Conference Finals where Michael Jordan was defeated.

In an era when news dissemination still relies on print media and cable television, Lee became completely famous thanks to the historical background of Michael Jordan.

The morning video session was cancelled, and the Knicks' main lineup played 40+ minutes last night.

Buck Williams played 40 minutes, Oakley played 42 minutes, Clay Lee and Alan Houston played 44 minutes, and Larry Johnson played 46 minutes.

Jeff Van Gundy had dark circles under his eyes and was too excited to sleep last night.

The thought that as long as they return to their home court and win two games in a row, the team will get the match point and enter the finals, the bald young coach feels refreshed!

"This is really a great opportunity! If we fight hard for the next away game, maybe the series will no longer be suspenseful!"

After watching the game video, assistant coach Thibodeau couldn't hold back and began to imagine a bright future.

"We let the Bulls grab 52 rebounds! It was a miracle that we won last night!"

"Guys, the Bulls aren't going to keep losing, and of course, with Pat back, our rebounding will improve!"

Although they were happy to win, assistant coach Don Chaney couldn't help scratching his head when looking at the technical statistics, and a thought emerged in his mind:

"How did we win?"

39:52, the Knicks lost 13 rebounds.

Dennis Rodman only scored 4 points last night, but grabbed 17 rebounds.

Jeff Van Gundy looked at the 9:10 turnover count and once again realized the benefits of trusteeship.

Lee doesn't look like a 19-year-old point guard at all. He is very patient in the game.

With a lot of playing time, the Knicks' mistakes are almost negligible!

"Fight one more game. If we really win Game 2, the trend of the series will be completely reversed. We still need to do our best in tomorrow night's game!"

Jeff Van Gundy felt that the finals seemed to be within reach, especially when he thought of Phil Jackson's ugly face last night, he felt so comfortable.

When the coaching staff heard that the head coach had decided to play another game, they had no objection.

Ewing had rested for a long time and was in great physical condition. It was indeed worth a fight!

In the afternoon recovery training session, Ewing felt a little disappointed, but he was also smiling. The gorilla was also happy.

The situation was very good.

After taking a break for two games, Ewing is in great shape and feels that he will lead the team to defend the home court and win consecutive games after his comeback!

"The best goal of the 1996-1997 season! I think ESPN will even review this buzzer beater every year. No matter how many times I watch it, I still feel shocked!"

"God, I really thought we were going to lose last night. Michael Jordan missed two goals in the fourth quarter!"

Starks' physical fitness was not affected. While completing the shooting training, he excitedly reviewed last night's game.

"It's good that it's not 50 points. In the last quarter, I couldn't keep up with the rhythm. I took 30+ shots and had a monster-like stamina!"

After looking at the technical statistics, Alan Houston kept complaining about Michael Jordan being a non-human during the afternoon training session.

This was his first time to meet Michael Jordan in the playoffs. He experienced the feeling of "I'm going to shoot you to death".

Alan Houston felt that he would definitely be beaten in the next series.

Larry Johnson had not fully recovered, but the "Grandmama" was already in high spirits at this time:

"We have some confidence in ourselves. We are younger and we will fight with consumption. The old guys on the other side are definitely not our match."

"Fuck! I want to make it to the finals! The championship doesn't belong exclusively to Michael Jordan, we have a chance to win!"

Ewing also felt that this year was a godsend, and he took the opportunity to encourage his teammates:

"In the next game, we won't lose rebounds again, and teach the Bulls another lesson!"

Lee on the side naturally agreed with a smile, and Oakley also grinned.

No matter what the result of G2 was, the Knicks had achieved their set goals.

The newspapers were filled with news of late goals, and on television, scenes of late goals were replayed over and over again.

Since last night, all major sports media have been like parrots, chattering over and over again about the Bulls being defeated in Game 1 and Michael Jordan becoming a background figure.

During the Bulls' training session, Michael Jordan, who was in a particularly bad mood, had his own aura.

The atmosphere team didn't dare to say a word, and they watched Michael Jordan continue to catch the ball and shoot on the other side of the court to complete the training.

Harper, wearing training clothes, shrugged helplessly and stretched his body.

In last night's game, he shot 2 of 9 shots, 0 of 4 from beyond the three-point line, and scored 6 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists.

After looking at Harper, Pippen didn't say anything, feeling that he was not an undercover agent:

7 of 18 shots, 3 of 7 from beyond the three-point line, 4 of 5 free throws, 21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 2 turnovers.

The second rebound failed to turn into offense, and Phil Jackson did not make too many adjustments.

At the end of the morning video class, he simply said:

"Continue our game strategy."

In the training hall, only Rodman was still acting lazy, shooting casually, occasionally joking with the assistant coach, and not caring about Michael Jordan's attitude at all.

He had already done his job by grabbing so many rebounds.

Phil Jackson had long been accustomed to this kind of atmosphere.

After watching the video session, he felt that he had the advantage and smiled again.

As the training session was about to end, he clapped his hands and said:

"Go back and have a good rest. We have to defend our home court. Don't worry about the G1 match. In the next game, we will turn the advantage into points and the victory will belong to us."

Steve Kerr is used to the head coach's style of adjusting the game, but he wants to show more, so he took the initiative to say to Mike Jordan:

"Mike, you can pass me the ball and I'll make those shots!"

Michael Jordan, sweating profusely, looked at the little blonde-haired boy calmly, turned away, and finally responded:

"You need to defend well!"

"."

The boss said to do a good job of defense, and the Bulls also became excited. They are very good at this!

On the evening of the 21st, in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, the Rockets' old Big Three lost again.

92:104, the Jazz easily defended their home court, and the series score came to 2:0.

Olajuwon played as steadily as ever, making 12 of 22 shots, scoring a game-high 30 points and also had 5 blocks.

Barkley made 5 of 12 shots and 6 of 10 free throws, performing decently and getting a double-double of 16 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists.

Drexler made 6 of 18 shots, 3 of 6 from beyond the three-point line, and contributed 15 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists.

The overall performance of the old Big Three was pretty good, but the role players couldn't hold up.

They shot 31 of 85 from the field, 5 of 16 from beyond the three-point line, and with a hit rate of just over 30%, it was indeed difficult to win.

Karl Malone made 9 of 21 shots and 6 of 10 free throws, scoring a double-double of 24 points, 15 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 turnovers, which was a decline compared to the regular season.

The best performer of the Jazz was still Stockton, who made 7 of 14 shots and 12 of 12 free throws, scoring 26 points, 8 rebounds, 12 assists, 1 block and 2 turnovers.

Utah's duo scored a combined 50 points, Stockton controlled the game, and the Jazz scored from multiple points.

They put on such a dominant performance that many commentators were slapped in the face.

Stacking up stars doesn't work?

Considering that the playoffs always start with an away win, most commentators are still optimistic about the Rockets.

It's because 3 is greater than 2. There are too many stars!

The Rockets' aging trio's loss still failed to change the news focus, with major sports media still in parrot mode and sports programs still repeatedly playing the scene of Michael Jordan's buzzer beater.

There is no need to search for enemies in the void, Michael Jordan has already put on a layer of anger BUFF!

On the evening of the 22nd, at the United Center in Chicago, when the visiting team players were introduced, Clay Lee's name was called and the audience booed.

When the Bulls players took the court, the cheers became particularly violent, and DJ Ray Clay also raised his volume:

"Let's welcome the 6-foot-6 guard from the University of North Carolina--"

"Michaell!!--Joordan!!"

Bulls fans began to roar as Michael Jordan, expressionless in his practice uniform, emerged from the court and quickly high-fived his teammates.

The lights came back on, but the noise didn't diminish at all.

"The fans in attendance were extremely engaged in this game. After losing Game 1, no one will underestimate the Knicks anymore!"

"The Bulls continued with their G1 starting lineup. In the last game, they had a huge advantage in rebounding. The most important thing tonight is to convert the second offense into points."

Hubie Brown, on the TNT commentary stage, emphasized the rebounding issue, and Dick Stockton added:

"With Patrick Ewing returning tonight, the Knicks no longer have to worry about rebounding. This is a great opportunity for them!"

"If the Bulls lose two games in a row, the trend of the series will be completely reversed, and I think New York fans definitely want to see this."

After more than a day of rest, most of the physical strength was restored.

The noise in the stadium became louder and louder.

On the court, players from both sides warmed up quietly.

Lee frowned secretly as he had not recovered to the expected physical condition.

No matter how good a talent is, it needs to be realized to be useful. Physical fitness is something that can only be gradually developed through long-term training.

Michael Jordan, who was in a bad mood, did not greet the Knicks players before the game.

The gorilla who came to the center circle looked intently at the basketball in the referee's hand.

As Ewing succeeded in the jump ball, Lee took control of the ball. The cheers at the scene turned into boos, and then the defensive shouts resounded throughout the arena:

"Defense! Defense! Defense!"

Ewing, full of energy, rushed across half court quickly, then immediately came to the left side near the baseline and asked for the ball with his back to the basket.

Seeing Longley stuck behind him and quickly advancing to the left wing, Lee made a high pass.

After receiving the ball, Ewing immediately released it with his right hand, slammed it, walked onto the line and jumped into the paint area right in front of the basket, carried it forward and made a hook shot with his right hand!

"Shhh!!"

The gorilla scored a strong point in the low post attack and was so excited that he pounded his chest, not caring about the boos from the audience at all.

Phil Jackson on the sidelines was somewhat dissatisfied with Longley's defensive position.

He was pushed too deep and almost gave points to Ewing.

After saying hello twice, increasing the defensive intensity and giving instructions to the players, Phil Jackson walked to the bench.

Michael Jordan was too familiar with New York's offensive tactics.

He thought he had regained his familiar game feeling, but when he came to the offensive end, he found that the Knicks' defense was more aggressive.

After Pippen dribbled across half court, he came to the right wing.

At this time, with the help of a screen, he slipped to the baseline and Michael Jordan came to the right blocking area and asked for the ball with his back to the basket.

The moment he received the pass, Michael Jordan realized that he was surrounded by three people.

Alan Houston blocked the ball from behind, Larry Johnson rushed over following the ball, and Ewing stood at the bottom right side of the basket to block the breakthrough route.

Pippen and Longley both had chances, but Michael Jordan still had no intention of passing the ball.

He twisted his body toward the baseline, quickly released the ball with his right hand, dribbled sideways, then drifted to the right and completed a fadeaway jump shot!

"Clang!"

The basketball hit the rim and bounced out, but Ewing's positioning was effective, blocking Longley and protecting the backcourt rebounds.

On the other side, Oakley and Rodman had both fallen to the ground.

The referee immediately blew the whistle and stepped forward to pull the two men apart.

One tried to sit back, the other tried to push forward, and finally Oakley threw Rodman to the ground.

Jeff Van Gundy was very dissatisfied with the call, and immediately walked to the referee and complained loudly:

"We already got the rebound, your whistle wasted our transition attack!"

Despite the fall, Rodman looked very proud when he stood up and retreated.

The Bulls completed the retreat and he executed the game plan perfectly.

Lee could only take the ball from the baseline again, and then Harper turned into a defensive pendant and stuck to him.

The Bulls' game strategy was clearly revealed after the opening. They wanted to slow down and curb the Knicks' transition offense.

Soon, the Bulls fans at the scene were fed a shit-flavored chocolate by both sides.

He made very targeted defense, and when Longley couldn't keep up with the rhythm in pick-and-roll defense, Harper tried his best to chase him around the screen.

In order to keep Ewing away from the low post, Longley held on tightly and also added some half-front defense to disrupt Ewing's offensive rhythm.

The two big men were fighting for position in the interior, Harper was also desperately defending on the outside, and Alan Houston was so impatient with the defense of Michael Jordan that he didn't get any good opportunities for several consecutive rounds.

When the Bulls were on offense, Michael Jordan was triple-teamed as soon as he received the ball.

Although he could have shot quickly, he chose to pass the ball more in the face of dunks.

The scores of both sides slowly rose, with one side attacking the inside and the other passing the ball to the superstar.

Ewing, who was full of energy, did not score efficiently against Longley's top defense and Rodman's assist defense, but in order to protect the rebounds, it was also difficult for the Bulls to launch a quick transition offense.

With 7 minutes and 15 seconds left in the first quarter, Michael Jordan made a fadeaway jump shot from near the right baseline.

At 8:10, the Bulls were leading with less than 15 seconds left.

Harper, who had been chasing after pick-and-rolls for several rounds, was delayed by Ewing this time, and Lee easily scored with a quick stop and jump shot in the left blocking area.

The pick-and-roll position was not high, but as long as the gorilla moved down quickly, Longley would retreat to defense, and Lee still seized the fleeting opportunity.

Next, both sides started to miss shots, and Larry Johnson and Pippen both went to the free throw line after cutting in.

With 4 minutes and 13 seconds left in the first quarter, the score between the two sides was still 12:12.

The Bulls fans at the scene were stunned.

Michael Jordan was double-teamed as soon as he received the ball. The Knicks showed excellent defensive flexibility.

At the end of the first quarter, both sides were still missing shots until Lee and Pippen made three-pointers to break the deadlock.

Finally, the game was a free throw shootout, and at the end of the first quarter, the score was fixed at 18:18.

Phil Jackson stopped pretending to be cool and sat on the bench.

He started to get anxious after not being able to make a breakthrough for a long time.

The main lineups of both teams were substituted at the last minute and almost played the entire first quarter.

Michael Jordan returned to the bench and grabbed the water bottle in a depressed look to replenish water.

1 of 3 shots, 2 of 2 free throws, and Michael Jordan only scored 4 points under double-team.

Clay Lee played the entire first quarter and was in a good mood when he left the court.

The game was indeed worth playing. As long as they could limit Michael Jordan, the Bulls' offense would be constipated.

"If we keep playing at this pace, we'll have a chance to win another away game!"

Jeff Van Gundy excitedly gave out chicken soup loudly, he even felt that the Bulls were no longer viable!

This is not just the bald coach's illusion, everyone on the Knicks feels the same way.

The players were healed and recovered.

In the second quarter, they relied on defense to feed the Bulls fans with shit chocolate again!

The score was 17:17 in the quarter. Both teams were slow and iron-fisted.

A lot of leading defense and frequent physical fights almost made the basket crooked.

The half-time score was 35:35, and the two sides were tied.

"Unbelievable, Michael made 1 of 6 dunks in the first half, 5 of 6 free throws, and only 7 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist!"

"The Knicks' defense was very targeted, not only completing the double-team, but also cutting off the passing lanes."

In the TNT commentary booth, Hubie Brown almost thought he had misread the technical statistics, and his tone revealed surprise.

"The best player of the Bulls in the first half was Pippen, who made 5 of 11 shots and scored 11 points. However, head coach Phil Jackson made multiple substitutions in the second quarter, seemingly to reserve energy for the second half!"

Dick Stockton enjoyed the fun and summarized the half-time game with a smile.

During the halftime break, in the Knicks locker room, Ewing loudly encouraged everyone:

"If we hold on for another half of the game, we can win the away game! We're leading 2:0, the Bulls can't even think of turning the tables!"

The gorilla made 4 of 12 shots in the first half, 4 of 6 free throws, and scored 12 points and 6 rebounds.

He performed very well and successfully curbed the Bulls' rebounding.

But everyone in the locker room was gasping for breath.

Double-team defense comes at a price.

The number of dunks and slides from the outside was twice as much as in normal games.

Alan Houston's eyes were already wide open, Larry Johnson slumped in his seat, and Lee's physical condition was not optimistic.

In addition to dealing with the pendant Harper, he also had to participate in double-teaming in many rounds.

The defensive strategy developed by Jeff Van Gundy and the coaching staff is indeed effective, but defense requires physical strength.

Oakley didn't want to talk either.

The old guy was busy wrestling with Rodman for position in the first half, and several mid range jump shots were all missed.

The delicious chicken soup couldn't restore everyone's physical strength, but the gorilla's encouragement did work.

By the third quarter, the Bulls fans at the scene were completely dumbfounded.

14:14 in a single quarter, 49:49 after three quarters.

After playing the entire third quarter, Lee returned to the bench, feeling exhausted.

The old man on the opposite side kept missing shots, but he managed to hold on to the game with his defense.

On the Bulls bench, Michael Jordan was also gasping for breath.

He played for 11 minutes, made 1 of 6 shots, scored 2 points, and was trapped by the Knicks' outside line.

There was no room to break through, the paint area was full of people.

Pippen also made 1 of 6 shots.

The second-in-command was a bit embarrassed and missed a lot of open shots, resulting in the Knicks getting smaller and smaller.

At this moment, Phil Jackson finally felt that the game was out of control.

No matter how he replaced players, he could not change the situation on the court.

"I will take care of this game, we can't lose at home!"

There is no time to rest.

After saying this, Michael Jordan threw away the towel on his head and immediately prepared to go on court.

"Wow!"

Seeing that Michael Jordan did not rest, the Bulls fans at the scene shouted excitedly, saying that it was time to fight hard.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Jeff Van Gundy brought on Chris Childs and Starks to try to give the main backcourt a break.

As a result, in less than 2 minutes, he made two mistakes, which frightened the bald young coach and he immediately requested a timeout and replaced the main players.

In the last quarter, the first one to collapse was Alan Houston.

I don't know where Michael Jordan got the strength from, but he kept rushing to the basket!

With his physical strength declining, Alan Houston's defense couldn't keep up with his dunks, the Knicks' double-team began to show loopholes, and the Bulls rained 1 points through free throws.

Michael Jordan, who found his touch, finally won the victory.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Bulls fans at the scene shouted excitedly and celebrated wildly along with Michael Jordan who was pumping his fist and roaring.

69:73, the Bulls finally defended their home court.

Michael Jordan made 2 of 3 shots, 10 of 10 free throws, 14 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block in the final quarter and took the game away.

"Rebounds 45:45, turnovers 11:11, shooting percentage less than 30%, and finally, Michael Jordan exploded to end the game."

"It's a shame that the Knicks were so close to winning another road game, but the boys did their best."

In the commentary booth, Hubie Brown praised Michael Jordan's performance.

The statistics are not important at this time, winning is enough!

4 of 15 shots, 15 of 16 free throws, 23 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, Michael Jordan's technical statistics are really ugly.

"The Knicks still have the initiative. Next, they only need to protect the next two home courts to get the match point."

"This doesn't seem to be a difficult task for them, but coach Van Gundy should consider making more rotations and controlling the playing time of the main lineup."

Dick Stockton gave advice with a smile and began to look forward to the upcoming series.

In the Knicks locker room, the loss did not cause much of an impact, except that everyone was physically exhausted and slumped in their seats.

Lee was still sighing with regret at this time. The Bulls were about to fall in just one or two rounds.

Playing for 43 minutes, he made 9 of 22 shots, 7 of 11 free throws, 25 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 turnovers. The gorilla got the highest points of the game!

Although Jeff Van Gundy felt a little disappointed, the coaching staff was still very excited that the predetermined goal had been achieved:

"This is a long series. We have taken the initiative. The next step is to protect our home court."

"The Bulls are not invincible. You saw that Michael Jordan can also be inefficient and tired!"

"."

Jeff Van Gundy began his speech by dissing Michael Jordan.

The bald young commander's endless chicken soup did not have an encouraging effect.

Alan Houston was too tired to talk, and Larry Johnson, who had only rested for less than 4 minutes in two games, had a blank mind at this time.

When Lee saw the state of the two people, he knew that they were completely overdrawn.

It's easy to say "offense and defense in one", but how many players in the league can really do it?

On May 23, after returning to New York, the Knicks coaching staff canceled the morning video session again because the players' physical fitness was much worse than expected.

It was only then that Jeff Van Gundy realized that the main players seemed to be playing too much time.

Just thinking of the Bulls, where Michael Jordan and Pippen both played for more than 42 minutes, the bald young coach began to comfort himself:

"We are all human beings, and the Bulls will get tired too!"

Ever since Lee scored the buzzer beater against the Bulls and Michael Jordan became a background player, the New York media couldn't hold back.

After losing Game 2, they still shouted:

"The Knicks are the champions!"

In the morning newspapers, many articles were mocking Michael Jordan's inefficient performance in Game 2:

"The referee gave Michael Jordan a victory!"

New York fans were in high spirits reading the newspapers.

They were ready to see Michael Jordan break down the defense at home!

Lee, who had returned to New York, was lying down at home like a neet.

Alan Houston was already receiving an IV drip. In comparison, he was in good condition.

Looking at the self-indulgent New York media in the newspapers, Lee happily read the article.

In Game 2, Clay Lee made 8 of 13 shots, 2 of 6 from beyond the three-point line, and 3 of 4 free throws.

He scored 15 points, the second highest in the team, and also had 5 assists.

The team's shooting percentage was extremely poor, but the New York media ignored it and criticized Michael Jordan's free throws.

When Starks went upstairs to visit, he saw Lee cutting out news articles and taking notes:

"What a boring hobby. You might as well collect more special issues of Sports Illustrated!"

Lee was not bothered by the teasing.

To him, these were all marks of the times.

In another 20 years, looking through these past reports would definitely be a very interesting thing.

"In the future, fewer and fewer people will read newspapers. These news items are worth remembering!"

After sorting out the clipped news, Lee was in a good mood and was unable to surf the Internet, which was one of his few hobbies.

"I have a feeling we're going to win the series!"

At the thought of defeating the Bulls, Starks, full of energy, couldn't wait for Game 3 to start.

Looking at this motivated veteran, Lee warned him:

"The coaching staff needs to increase your playing time. It will be difficult for Alan to recover. It is not realistic to rely on defense to win all the time."

"Mike Jordan is not just about posting up for the ball. He does a lot of off-ball running. It takes more energy to defend him. I will give you some suggestions during the afternoon training session."

Starks grinned. He really wanted more playing time.

He wanted to win this series so badly:

"Thanks, Bro! We'll make it to the finals!"

"."

During the afternoon training session, Lee quickly reflected his opinions to the coaching staff, and Alan Houston also nodded and agreed to reduce his playing time.

Defending Michael Jordan is a job that most people cannot do.

Most defensive rounds still rely on team defense and multiple people's help defense.

Jeff Van Gundy did not say much about this. Like other coaches, the more crucial the game, the less trust he has in the rotation lineup.

Alan Houston has not recovered to his best condition. He knows his body well and complained in a low voice:

"This is definitely not a good sign. Michael Jordan will rebound. We should increase the rotation and take turns to consume him!"

With Ewing's return, Alan Houston's shots were reduced by more than half, and he served more as a defensive tool.

Alan Houston has no objection to his position in the team, but he really can't defend anymore.

Tools also need physical strength!

Lee shrugged helplessly. Larry Johnson will have to continue to work as a laborer in the next game.

No one can even replace him on the bench:

"Persistence is victory! We are younger!"

In the training session, Ewing was still very active, and the gorilla was eager to defend his home court.

On the evening of the 23rd, in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, the Rockets returned to their home court and successfully won the game, with the score coming to 1:2.

100:118, after falling behind by 13 points in the first quarter, the Rockets finally reversed the game.

The performance of the aging Big Three was mediocre, but off the bench, 38 year-old veteran Eddie Johnson broke out completely, shooting 12 of 17, 5 of 8 from beyond the three-point line, and scoring a game-high 31 points.

The Rockets' old man basketball shot 58.7% in this game, a hearty victory, which sounded the clarion call for a counterattack!

Karl Malone made 9 of 14 shots when the team needed points the most, scoring 21 points without any surprises, while Stockton made 8 of 19 shots, steadily contributing 17 points, 3 rebounds, 10 assists and 4 turnovers.

The Jazz performed well, but the opponent was too accurate and the Rockets scored 38 points on them in the fourth quarter.

The suspense of the Western Conference Finals has returned, and neutral fans are delighted.

No one wants to watch a one-sided series.

On May 24, the Bulls players who had already flown to New York were no longer in the mood to have fun.

Every upcoming game was very important and they could not afford to lose.

Michael Jordan was almost furious when reading the news in the newspapers these two days.

He relied on breakthroughs to get his free throws, but was described as "favored by the referee."

During the training session, the atmosphere group of the Bulls still dared not say a word.

Michael Jordan put on another layer of anger BUFF, and his face became uglier and uglier recently.

That night, at Madison Square Garden, before the game even started, the New York fans who entered the venue were already having fun.

More and more fans were wearing Lee's jerseys, and fans holding white boards to cheer for the home team swayed to the pre-match music.

The New York fans were so happy that they lost their minds after winning the away game.

But after the game started that night, as Michael Jordan continued to score points, the scene gradually became silent, the nightmare repeated itself, and the painful memories reappeared in my mind.

88:80, the Knicks lost the game cleanly and were suppressed by the Bulls throughout the game.

Michael Jordan, who has regained his touch, is almost unstoppable!

He played for 36 minutes, made 14 of 25 shots, 1 of 2 from beyond the three-point line, and 5 of 5 free throws, with a hit rate of over 50%, and scored 34 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 turnovers.

Alan Houston was completely beaten, and the Knicks' perimeter defense was unable to limit Pippen's dunk.

He made 8 of 16 shots and contributed 21 points.

No other role player scored in double digits, but with the 10-man rotation, all the players who appeared on the court scored.

Ewing looked unhappy as they lost the game when they returned to their home court.

He performed well tonight, making 11 of 23 shots, 7 of 10 free throws, scoring a team-high 29 points, and also grabbed 12 rebounds.

Despite 5 turnovers, the gorilla felt that his performance was fine!

After winning the game, Michael Jordan still did not smile, and walked angrily towards the player tunnel.

A victory could not vent his anger at all.

After the game, the fans did not leave and Madison Square Garden was still very noisy.

In the MSG commentary booth, commentator John Andariese looked at the technical statistics and said helplessly:

"Our defensive intensity has decreased, which is the fundamental reason for the loss. In this game, Michael Jordan reduced his playing time, but his efficiency increased!"

"Phil Jackson's multi-player rotation strategy is currently very successful, and coach Van Gundy needs to make adjustments as soon as possible."

Commentator Marv Albert secretly lamented the pity of this game:

"The Bulls shot 1-for-13 from beyond the three-point line. Harper and Kerr have not been able to find their form since the start of the series. Obviously, the Bulls paid a price for defending Lee."

"We still have a chance, the next home game is crucial!"

The two commentators didn't say anything discouraging, but the New York media at the scene were in a bad mood.

At the post-match press conference, they started to give Van Gundy the cold shoulder again:

"Jeff, can you tell me about the situation on the team? Why didn't Starks get more playing time?"

"Why do our players look more tired than the Bulls'?"

Jeff Van Gundy, who lost the game, was still secretly upset. When he heard this question, he quickly answered with a sullen face:

"We need height, we need to limit Michael Jordan on the defensive end, that's why I will stick with Alan Houston."

"Physical fitness has never been a problem. We are younger and physical fitness is our advantage! Next, we will protect our home court!"

Reporters in Chicago happily watched the New Yorkers fighting among themselves.

Every time the team lost, Jeff Van Gundy would be questioned.

Even though he won the "Best Coach" award, many New York media still regarded him as Pat Riley's follower.

As for why this happened, it is probably because Jeff Van Gundy has problems with his appearance, bald head and slicked back hair, and New York prefers the latter.

Wearing a dark blue suit, Ewing was not questioned by the New York media.

Everyone praised his performance, which made the gorilla feel a lot better.

On the morning of May 25, the New York media carried forward its glorious tradition.

In order to attract attention, the New York Post took the lead in firing:

"After Patrick Ewing returned from injury, the Knicks' smooth offense gradually disappeared."

"Alan Houston and Larry Johnson were down, and our possessions were down."

"Perhaps, this is not Van Gundy's problem, but our core players limit the team's performance."

"We respect Ewing, but his time with the Knicks is over!"

"More pick-and-rolls, more jump shots, more counterattacks, the Knicks need that."

"."

Ewing, who arrived at the training ground early, looked at the contents of the newspaper with an increasingly grim expression.

Finally, he viciously crumpled up the newspaper and threw it into the trash can.

Equipment manager Old Mike saw this scene, shook his head silently, and muttered in a low voice:

"Maybe Old Nelson was right, there is something wrong with our core"

...

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By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)