NBA: The Basketball Miracle

On the evening of May 25, 1997, in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, with 8 seconds left in the game, Brian Russell of the Jazz missed the game-winning three-pointer.

As a result, Barkley took the rebound, and then Matt Maloney took the ball and launched a counterattack!

When the game was about to end, veteran Eddie Johnson received the pass at the top of the arc, without adjusting the time, and immediately jumped and shot one step away from the three-point line!

The ball went in and the lights came on.

All the Rockets rushed into the court, shouting and hugging the veteran.

92:95, the Rockets, playing at home, escaped and tied the series at 2:2. The decisive battle will return to Salt Lake City again.

The Rockets' aging Big Three performed mediocrely, with Olajuwon making 9 of 18 shots and scoring a game-high 27 points, while Barkley made 5 of 11 shots and got a double-double of 20 points and 16 rebounds from free throws.

Drexler made 6 of 15 shots and also contributed 16 points.

The Rockets made 6 of 19 three-pointers, with a hit rate of just over 30%, but veteran Eddie Johnson's three-pointer at the last moment was invaluable.

Protecting the home court is the most important thing!

The Jazz were almost able to get the match point, and everyone was a little disappointed.

Karl Malone shot 10 of 28 and only got 22 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 3 turnovers;

Stockton was as stable as ever, with 9 of 12 shots, 22 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, and no turnovers!

The Jazz only had 8 turnovers, while the Rockets also had only 12 turnovers.

The two sides have been evenly matched in several games.

In the playoffs, controlling mistakes is a necessary ability for a championship team.

Clay Lee, who was watching the game at home, noticed that the Jazz had 83 possessions and the team committed 8 turnovers, which made him think deeply.

Compared with the Eastern Conference Finals, the Jazz played at a faster pace, which was considered a continuation of their regular season style of play.

The Bulls have been slowing down in the past few games, expecting the Knicks to make mistakes first.

As a result, both teams played slower and slower, fighting for their positions, and scrambling for rebounds when they missed shots, and neither team got the upper hand.

The pace of the game will naturally affect the performance of the players, but the Knicks have a lot of old guys and their legs and feet are not very flexible.

They can still run for one quarter, but they will probably get exhausted after running the whole court.

"The series score is now 2:2. The two teams will face off in the final battle. The Jazz have a chance to get the match point at home."

The sound coming from the TV also reminded Lee that G5 had to return to Chicago:

'It's a terrible situation'

On the evening of May 26, Game 4 of.the Eastern Conference Finals kicked off again at Madison Square Garden.

By the fourth game, both sides already knew each other very well.

Tactical adjustments could not solve too many problems; the players' condition was the key.

G2 almost made Lee vomit due to exhaustion, which also led to the poor performance in G3.

After two games of rest, his physical strength finally recovered.

After the opening, Lee showed a different state, just like Stockton last night, promoting transition offense more actively.

"Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks!"

The New York fans at the scene shouted excitedly. They really didn't want to see Michael Jordan showing off at Madison Square Garden.

After the opening, Michael Jordan missed shots continuously, and Harper also missed.

After 2 minutes of the game, the Bulls hadn't scored a single point.

This time, Rodman received the pass from Jordan, but was interfered by Ewing again, and the basketball hit the rim and bounced out.

Oakley grabbed the rebound and immediately passed the ball to Lee

Harper rushed forward to lead the defense, but Lee, who received the ball, rushed faster and faster along the right sideline.

Holding the ball in his right hand, Lee continued to accelerate and approach the center line.

He dribbled the ball behind his back quickly, switched to his left hand, and continued to rush to the right wing while bearing the defense.

After the opening, the Bulls missed many shots and Lee accelerated the attack.

Harper didn't have a good solution for this. He is also a human being and his physical condition began to decline.

Holding the ball in his left hand, Lee walked to the right wing and began to slow down slowly when he approached the three-point line.

While players from both teams were still trying to run towards the half court, Harper had already slid in front of Lee, glancing back from time to time to see the movements of the Knicks players.

Slowly approaching the three-point line, Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, slightly lowered his center of gravity and dribbled the ball quickly between his hips.

While swaying his body to the right, he took advantage of Harper's slide, scooped the ball with his right hand, and dribbled between his hips again.

Before Harper could react, Lee, who had completed two consecutive dribbles, took a step sideways, opened up space, and quickly shot a jump shot from outside the three-point line!

"Swish!" The three-pointer went into the net!

"God! It was too fast. Lee used his personal ability to support the Knicks' counterattack!"

Commentator John Andariese watched as the players from both teams had just taken their positions and Lee had already clapped his hands and retreated to defense, and he immediately praised him loudly.

Phil Jackson on the sidelines did not blame Harper.

This was indeed unpredictable.

Not only do you have to worry about passing the ball, you also have to pay attention to breaking through.

As a result, you just throw the ball when you are shaking, and it doesn't matter who is defending you!

After the opening, they played a 7:0 wave.

At Madison Square Garden, the New York fans at the scene shouted happily, and they felt very happy.

After two consecutive games, Larry Johnson, who was in a daze, was in much better condition tonight.

He didn't care about the back-and-forth running, and after retreating, he hurriedly directed the defense to get into position.

As for Ewing and Oakley, they also turned back and continued to stand under the basket.

Only Alan Houston was defending Michael Jordan who was advancing with the ball.

Being surrounded by three players in three consecutive games, Michael Jordan sometimes had difficulty connecting the ball.

Except for his outburst in G3, his dunk efficiency was poor.

He tried to advance with the ball and came to the right wing.

Longley stepped forward to screen and Ewing, who followed him, naturally retreated to defend.

On the three-point line, Michael Jordan, holding the ball with his left hand, quickly pushed the ball and changed direction.

After switching to his right hand, he immediately lowered his shoulders and pretended to break through.

Alan Houston quickly slid to the left and back, and the next second he saw the ball from outside the three-point line and quickly made a jump shot.

"Clang!!"

The long rebound bounced out, and on the left wing, Lee caught the rebound in front of Harper, took the ball and rushed!

Still accelerating along the right sideline, Lee felt the confrontation given by Harper on the side, and after quickly rushing through the center line, he quickly dribbled behind his back, suddenly stopped, and swayed a distance.

Without waiting for his teammates behind him to rush across half the court, Lee lowered his center of gravity after switching to his left hand, swayed his body to the left, and quickly changed direction forward.

Harper quickly slid to the left rear, but after Lee grabbed the ball with his right hand, he accelerated and rushed forward, cutting in cleanly from the right wing.

"Wow!"

The New York fans at the scene cheered loudly again.

When they reached the right blocking area, Lee suddenly stopped, blasted the ball hard on the spot, and then changed direction in front of his body again.

Harper lost his defensive position and saw Lee grab the ball with his left hand and was about to shoot, so he immediately chose to pull him and commit a foul.

"Squeak!"

The referee blew the whistle immediately and Lee got two free throws.

Gasping for breath, Harper felt he couldn't hold on any longer.

He stood near the paint area with his hands on his hips and raised his hands to indicate that it was a problem with his defense.

After the opening, the game kept running back and forth, and Michael Jordan also realized that the rhythm of the game was wrong.

"What a beautiful counterattack. Lee's excellent combination of ball skills made it difficult for Harper to keep up with his rhythm."

"It's a pity that the others didn't follow up fast enough, otherwise we could have easily scored the points!"

Commentator Marv Albert also began to praise Clay Lee's performance after the opening, and commentator John Andariese added:

"Coach Van Gundy's adjustments are very timely. The Bulls will also be tired. We should seize these opportunities for easy scoring in transition offense."

Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines was basically in an idle state except for a few symbolic shouts after the opening.

The ball was in Lee's hands, and when the point guard was able to speed up the pace of the game through personal offense, the head coach had no way to stop it.

Calling a timeout when leading? Only a fool would do that!

At the free throw line, Lee adjusted his breathing and made two free throws.

At 0:9, Phil Jackson immediately requested a timeout, holding the tactical board, his face turned grim, which was very different from the game plan made before the game.

Clay Lee scored 7 points right after the start of the game. Such an outstanding form also revitalized the atmosphere group.

Everyone came forward and fist-bumped Lee as he walked towards the bench.

The gorilla returned to the bench with mixed feelings.

Apart from scoring 2 points after the opening, he mostly spent the next few minutes on defense and running back and forth.

The team sped up and actually gained a considerable lead, which reminded him of the New York Post article.

But since they couldn't lose at home again, Ewing could only passively accept such a game.

Jeff Van Gundy naturally would not make any adjustments, and after the Bulls took a timeout, they used Longley's low-post tactics, and Pippen cut in without the ball to help the team score.

"Shh!!"

Madison Square Garden was filled with boos when the opponent scored a goal in open play.

A goal in a running game did not change the shooting feel of the Bulls players.

In the following minutes, jump shots missed continuously and Lee continued to speed up the pace of the game.

Lee missed the three-pointer, and the New York fans at the scene cheered.

He missed the fast break jump shot, but everyone still laughed.

As long as the Bulls continue to miss, the fans will be happy!

In the second half of the first quarter, Lee also began to slow down the offensive rhythm and repeatedly played tactics.

Ewing also scored points. On the other side, Michael Jordan still missed.

Phil Jackson on the sidelines was very helpless. The core players could not get the ball into the basket.

This problem was almost unsolvable.

Every time he missed a shot, Spike Lee would raise his hands and cheer on the sidelines.

With the addition of the foul-mouthed fans in the front row, Jordan's anger level increased by two levels as he missed more and more shots.

With 1 minute and 28 seconds left in the first quarter, the score was 16:24.

Harper's three-pointer missed, allowing Lee to seize the opportunity and quickly rush across half court.

Michael Jordan, who only scored 2 points from free throws, tried his best to chase and defend, and immediately caught up to Lee's side, on the left wing, forcing Lee to slow down.

Looking at Michael Jordan in front of him with a sullen face, lowering his center of gravity and staring at the ball, Lee stopped outside the three-point line with the ball in his left hand.

Amid the fans' cheers, Michael Jordan began to move and actively defend, trying to disrupt Lee's offensive rhythm.

Lee suddenly increased his dribbling speed, dribbling quickly between his legs.

The moment he switched to his right hand, he swayed his body to the right, and then immediately dribbled behind his back.

Michael Jordan subconsciously slid to the left, and then quickly realized that he had been deceived.

Lee, who had the ball in his left hand, took a big step forward, quickly dribbled the ball, suddenly stopped at the three-point line, and quickly jumped and shot after receiving the ball!

Michael Jordan, who rushed from the side, almost blocked the shot, but was a beat too late and hit Lee's forearm.

"Squeak! Swish!"

The whistle blew and the ball went in.

Seeing Michael Jordan serving as a background board again, Madison Square Garden instantly went wild.

"oh!!"

Many fans stood up and kept shouting. After landing, Lee steadied his body center of gravity, smiled and clapped his hands, saying:

"Come on! I will solve the problem outside the three-point line tonight!"

Michael Jordan, who was already in a bad mood, laughed out loud after hearing this. He shook his head and said,

"Kid, don't provoke Black Jesus!"

It was rare to see Michael Jordan respond, and the fans in the front row shouted even louder:

"Fuck Jordan!"

I don't know whose shouting sounded so loud that it resonated with the audience, but for a moment, the sound of "fuck" became louder and louder.

The anger BUFF increased visibly, and seeing Lee spread his hands and return to defense after making the free throw, Michael Jordan was furious.

In the last moment of the first quarter, Pippen finally made a three-pointer from outside the three-point line, which made the final score between the two sides fixed at 19:28.

In the second quarter, Michael Jordan did not rest, and no one on the bench could stop him.

He kept asking for the ball after he came on the court.

Predictable offense is best defended, and the Knicks began to repeat their previous defensive strategy, encircling the outside and blocking the inside.

Even if he occasionally breaks through to the basket, Oakley will block Michael Dunk in the face.

Phil Jackson complained to the referee that these were all fouls, but the whistle didn't blow!

Michael Jordan missed the shot, the offense switched, and Lee continued to charge.

Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, came to the left wing, lowered his center of gravity, dribbled the ball between his legs and quickly stepped back.

Harper could only block the shot sideways, but it didn't do much.

"Swish!" Another three-pointer!

"YES! Lee hit another three-pointer. He's in red hot form tonight. He's unstoppable on offense!"

Commentator Marv Albert was so excited that he shouted.

Even though he had missed the shot before, this kind of goal with explosive visual effects always ignites the atmosphere of the stadium.

The New York fans at the scene were almost shouting "Let him throw it!" while they were trolling Jordan and cheering for Lee.

The furious Michael Jordan never found his touch. He was double-teamed but

didn't pass the ball.

He was frequently surrounded and suppressed in his positional offense.

He couldn't make any shots from beyond the three-point line.

The Bulls' rhythm was disrupted. The second quarter was 12:23.

At the end of the half, the Knicks led by 20 points, 31:51!

Madison Square Garden was completely boiling, with cheers and shouts resounding throughout the arena.

Michael Jordan, with a dark face and eyes almost blazing with fire, walked into the player tunnel and punched repeatedly in anger.

In the first half, he shot 0 of 11, 0 of 4 from beyond the three-point line, and 3 of 4 free throws. Michael Jordan only got 3 points and 3 rebounds.

In contrast, Clay Lee, who let himself go, shot 6 of 13 in the first half, 4 of 9 from beyond the three-point line, and 3 of 3 free throws, and had already scored 19 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists!

"Mike is no good! I knew he would miss the shot! Fuck! We are definitely going to win tonight!"

Back in the locker room, Larry Johnson just started yelling.

"Grandmama" recovered some of her strength, and after a quick run, she got some chances on offense.

In addition, Michael Jordan's missed shots made her defend more vigorously.

"2:2, we can still win even without the home advantage, thank God!"

Alan Houston was also completely relieved.

Michael Jordan attacked too fiercely and he almost thought he was going to be beaten again.

The atmosphere group was also in high spirits and they chattered about whether Michael Jordan would continue his poor performance in the second half.

Ewing watched Lee fist-bumping with everyone, as they laughed and talked about the game, and for a moment he felt a little sad:

"I thought you were here to assist me!"

(😂😂😂)

The gorilla only played half of the second quarter, making 4 of 7 shots and 2 of 2 free throws, scoring 10 points and 7 rebounds.

In the crucial game, the coaching staff also implemented the strategy of "whoever gives you milk is your mother".

During the halftime break, no adjustment was mentioned. Jeff Van Gundy only gave chicken soup:

"Hold on! Don't relax, don't give the Bulls any chance!"

"We won this game because we had the physical advantage. Michael Jordan lost his accuracy and our defense worked!"

"Let's go! Completely finish them off in the second half!"

Alan Houston was speechless. Where did the physical advantage come from?

Double-team defense means more turns. The opponent's physical strength is like a monster.

Larry Johnson was rejuvenated by the chicken soup.

As long as the defense can get positive feedback, the "grandmama" is willing to be a tool:

"It's more satisfying to see Michael Jordan miss than to score himself."

In the second half of the game, Lee no longer made random shots, but played his tactics honestly.

With such a huge score difference, all he had to do was control the team's mistakes.

The furious Michael Jordan had no intention of giving up the game.

He continued to ask for the ball and play one-on-one.

Just the sound of hitting the iron made the New York fans at the scene almost burst into excitement:

"Fuck Jordan!!"

There was no need for Harper to defend. After half-court, Michael Jordan took the lead in defending Lee, and he was completely exhausted.

In the third quarter, both teams played fairly well, but the enthusiasm of New York fans remained unabated and Michael Jordan missed another dunk.

The defensive intensity decreased, but he still couldn't find his touch. He made 2 of 11 dunks and 2 of 3 free throws in a single quarter, scoring 6 points.

The score was 23:23 in a single quarter.

After three quarters, the score was 54:74.

Garbage time was about to come.

After only a 2-minute rest, Michael Jordan returned to the court angrily.

He missed many shots in the first three quarters, but in the fourth quarter, he finally found his touch.

But Leee was very stable at this time and returned to the court with 7 minutes and 2 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

The score difference was narrowed a little at this time, but soon the Knicks regained their offensive rhythm and increased Ewing's low-post offense.

Alan Houston felt like his nightmare was repeating itself.

Michael Jordan kept asking for the ball, shooting and breaking through, scoring continuously!

The shouting and cursing died down until there were three minutes left in the game, when the fans regained their energy.

Time was running out!

As the final buzzer sounded, Madison Square Garden erupted in a huge cheer.

80:94, the Knicks defeated the Bulls, and the series score came to 2:2.

In the last quarter, Michael Jordan made 7 of 13 shots and 6 of 6 free throws, scoring 20 points, which made commentator John Andariese dare not say bad things about the home team:

"Fortunately, our lead is big enough. If we win Game 4, the decisive battle will return to Chicago. Hang in there, boys, we still have a chance!"

Commentator Marv Albert also said with emotion at this time:

"Lee's performance in the first half played a key role. Of course, coach Van Gundy's adjustments were also very timely. We need to speed up the pace of the game!"

Michael Jordan looked unhappy after losing the game. Lee passed by Michael Jordan and taunted him cheerfully:

"Wow! Black Jesus?"

Although Lee's performance was average in the second half, it did not affect the effect of the taunting.

With another layer of anger BUFF, Michael Jordan walked towards the player tunnel without looking back and played for 45 minutes, making 9 of 35 shots, 0 of 8 from beyond the three-point line, 11 of 13 free throws, and Jordan scored 29 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 turnover.

Back in the locker room, Lee was speechless looking at the technical statistics. Michael Jordan's physical strength was as if he had taken drugs.

He could still swing the ball even when being double-teamed.

Alan Houston's eyes were wide open again.

The team was completely beaten in the fourth quarter.

He struggled throughout the entire game, and even though he got rotation rest, he still couldn't hold on in the end.

Larry Johnson didn't complain about his poor dunks, saying that the opponent was not a human being, and he became more accurate as time went on? This is totally inconsistent with sports common sense.

In 43 minutes of playing time, Lee made 9 of 21 shots, 5 of 12 from beyond the three-point line, and 6 of 7 free throws, scoring 29 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal and 2 turnovers.

This was also the highest score of the Knicks team.

Ewing looked at the technical statistics without saying a word. He made 8 of 15 shots, and he also had 23 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 turnovers.

Although they won the game, the Knicks team did not feel too happy, because everyone knew that the opponent would not always be so stubborn.

Jeff Van Gundy was in a good mood.

When he returned to the locker room, he encouraged with a smile:

"Forget the first four games. If we win Game 5, we can end our opponent at home!"

"Believe me, they are tired! Michael Jordan is tired too!"

"."

At the post-game press conference, the New York media were all waiting to see Michael Jordan make a fool of himself.

Michael Jordan, wearing a baggy suit, had just sat down when the reporters in the audience couldn't wait to ask:

"Michael Jordan, 35 shots, is that the reason why the Bulls lost?"

"We lost just because the Knicks played better tonight, they found their offensive rhythm and hit more three-pointers."

"But we've gotten used to these little tricks, and the Bulls won't lose anymore."

After stacking a lot of anger buffs, Michael Jordan calmed down and answered the questions easily.

"Will the Bulls make any adjustments for Game 5?"

Hearing such a question, Michael Jordan shook his head and said casually:

"That's Phil's job, but I like to accept the challenge of young people. I will play against Lee more. This is my adjustment."

"You can write whatever you want, but I will be the final winner!"

Realizing that Michael Jordan really didn't take the Knicks seriously, the New York media at the scene were furious:

"Why are you so proud of losing the game?"

On May 27, the Knicks were smiling after winning the game, and the newspapers were full of articles praising the team.

The New York media also let themselves go at this time, bringing up old things and mocking Michael Jordan for being the 46th among the 50 great stars.

He scored 29 points with a hit rate of less than 30%, so he was naturally a "data brush"!

The New York media is not exaggerating when it comes to the ability to dig up old accounts.

They even brought up the incident of Michael Jordan losing the game before the three consecutive championships.

In the entire series, Lee's hit rate exceeded 40% for the first time, and this performance was blown up again.

As for the fact that he was a little sluggish in the second half, it was naturally ignored.

The sports sections of several newspapers stated with certainty that the Bulls were no longer good, Michael Jordan would continue to play inefficiently, and the Knicks would reach the finals and eventually win the championship.

Such crazy predictions made the New York fans happy to watch, because they had won the game anyway, so they could just feel good first!

The Knicks team will have to fly to Chicago in the afternoon, and Game 5 will officially start tomorrow night.

Although the team was leading by a large margin in G4, they were beaten badly in the last quarter.

Alan Houston was a little sluggish and it was not easy for him to be a defensive tool.

"34 years old? Why doesn't Michael's physical fitness show any signs of decline?"

Larry Johnson was completely convinced.

Only by fighting against his opponent in person could he truly understand his opponent's strength.

Lee, who read magazines as soon as he got on the plane, thought that after the series was over, maybe the "grandmama" would become a fan of Michael Jordan:

"Talent! Plus scientific training, just like jump shots, only hard training can get rewards."

Starks shook his head as he listened, then said with emotion:

"I think it's just talent. There are so many players who work hard but no one can reach that level."

"In fact, Mike has indeed declined. I mean his physical condition has declined. You know, we played against each other during the three consecutive championships. At that time, his movement speed was not like it is now."

Ewing's expression froze. He was like a wooden stake that was shaken by an in-and-out dunk and watched the opponent complete the dunk.

This beautiful pass is still being played repeatedly on ESPN.

Oakley curled his lips and continued to read the magazine, not participating in this topic.

The old guy has witnessed a younger Michael Jordan, a flying version!

The reason why he is calm and doesn't care about winning or losing is because he understands the strength of his opponent.

Lee felt that in this series, his teammates' desire to win was gradually declining, and the loss of Game 3 seemed to make everyone face reality.

On the evening of the 27th, in the decisive battle of the Western Conference Finals, the Jazz, playing at home, successfully got the match point.

91:96, the old Big Three lost to the Utah duo again.

Olajuwon made 11 of 18 shots and 11 of 13 free throws, scoring a game-high 33 points, and also grabbed 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.

Despite 5 turnovers, the main reason for the loss was that the team was too weak from beyond the three-point line.

With 7 of 24 shots, a three-point shooting percentage of less than 30%, the Rockets failed to respond in time.

Drexler made 5 of 15 shots, 0 of 5 from beyond the three-point line, and scored 15 points, while Barkley made 3 of 6 shots and contributed 10 points.

The aging Big Three failed to play to their star advantage and played less clearly than the Jazz.

Karl Malone played 44 minutes, made 11 of 22 shots, scored 29 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 turnovers.

Stockton made 6 of 7 shots, scored 17 points, 6 assists and 5 turnovers.

Without more transition offense, the Jazz's possession count was reduced to 69, but they still won.

After the match point, the commentators finally took the Jazz seriously.

Then, many people realized that the old Big Three were out and the hot spots were coming!

For a time, the Jazz fans increased greatly, and the fence-sitters turned their attention to the Utah duo.

The Knicks players did not watch this game.

They went to bed early as they had to adjust their physical condition for the decisive game in G5.

On the evening of May 28th, at the United Center in Chicago, as the background music of "Sirius" sounded, the Bulls fans at the scene began to cheer loudly.

Michael Jordan came on the court with a serious look on his face, and the cheers from the fans grew louder and louder.

During the singing session, Alan Houston couldn't help but make the sign of the cross on his chest and began to talk to God.

The audience booed Lee more than Ewing, who provoked Michael Jordan and angering the Bulls fans.

After returning to their home court, the Bulls did not change their tactics much.

The only difference was that in the first quarter, Michael Jordan regained his touch.

He kept asking for the ball in the blocking zone.

With the blessing of the Rage Buff, Michael Jordan not only accelerated the offensive rhythm, but also began to share the ball more.

Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines could only stare blankly at the Bulls as they scored.

At 6 minutes and 48 seconds into the first quarter, Pippen twisted his knee while breaking through and left the game injured.

I thought this was an opportunity, but Kukoc was able to play both inside and outside.

He not only followed up and cut in to score points, but also hit a three-pointer.

At the end of the first quarter, 26:33, the Knicks played a good offense, but the Bulls were more efficient.

Michael Jordan scored 15 points in a single quarter, making 6 of 10 shots, 1 of 2 from beyond the three-point line, and 2 of 2 free throws, rebounding strongly after the opening.

"How do I adjust?"

Jeff Van Gundy looked at the players gasping for breath on the bench and couldn't think of a good solution for a moment.

In the end, he used the old trick of encircling and double-teaming them.

However, Phil Jackson rotated more players in the second quarter, taking advantage of Michael Jordan and constantly stretching the Knicks' defense.

The Bulls took the initiative to speed up, and although Michael Jordan started to miss shots, the role players responded.

The game did not look like a decisive battle.

The Bulls did not choose a hand-to-hand fight. Pippen left the court, but instead activated the team offense. Michael Jordan played more reasonably.

The score in a single quarter was 27:31.

At the end of the half, the score was 53:64. The Knicks were already 11 points behind.

The United Center was completely boiling at this time.

The Bulls fans knew that as long as they got the match point, Michael Jordan could end the game!

In the TNT commentary booth, Hubie Brown looked at the technical statistics, then shook his head and said:

"This is Michael Jordan. When he wants to organize an offense, he can still control the game."

"7 of 18, 18 points in the half. The Knicks did a good job on defense, but they paid the price in the end."

Dick Stockton on the side also felt that the outcome of this game was already decided.

With a double-digit lead, the Bulls would not waste such an opportunity:

"Lee tried hard to keep up with the Bulls' pace, but his teammates were too tired. The double-team defense consumed more of their energy."

"Getting 53 points in the first half is a good result."

Michael Jordan did what he said and focused more on defending Lee after the opening.

In the first half, he shot 5 of 13, 3 of 9 from beyond the three-point line, 2 of 4 free throws, 15 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 turnovers, and was almost defended as "Little Lee".

The two missed shots in the second quarter, and the Knicks also responded, but when Rodman made a three-pointer, the rhythm of the game began to shift to the Bulls.

After the halftime break, Jeff Van Gundy returned to the locker room and was a little confused. How should he adjust?

"Continue to double-team?"

"Speed ​​up?"

"Position attack?"

Even though no one was watching him, Jeff Van Gundy suddenly ran out of words to give and didn't have many options.

If he wanted to tie the score, he needed to defend the opponent's offense first.

After the start of the third quarter, the two sides returned to a close fight.

Michael Jordan missed shots and the Knicks found it difficult to score.

The Bulls fans at the scene didn't care at all that they suddenly ate a piece of shit-flavored chocolate.

They were still in the lead and continued to cheer loudly for their home team.

With the score at 17:16 in a single quarter, the score difference was narrowed a little.

By the last quarter, the Knicks players were exhausted, and Ewing did not gain any advantage against Longley and Kukoc in the low post.

They tried hard to catch up, but there was not enough time left in the game.

In the end, the Bulls won the game 94:100 even though Pippen was injured.

Cheers echoed throughout the United Center as Bulls fans celebrated the home team getting the match point.

He played for 43 minutes, made 11 of 31 shots, 1 of 4 from beyond the three-point line, 5 of 6 free throws, 28 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks and 4 turnovers.

Michael Jordan was not very efficient, but his more reasonable ball-passing choices completely activated the Bulls' offense.

Still without a smile on his face, Michael Jordan had a sullen look and kept high-fiving the fans to express his gratitude.

In the post-game press conference, Michael Jordan didn't say much:

"I will end the game in New York!"

This simple and crude statement made the Chicago media in the audience excited at the same time.

They are going to make it to the finals!

The Bulls got the match point, and then the New York media, which was still celebrating two days ago, fell silent.

Everyone knew what this meant.

After losing the game, everyone on the Knicks seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and Ewing was so depressed that he didn't want to talk.

It seemed to be no different from what happened in previous years, and the gorilla naturally thought back to the times he lost.

They flew back to New York overnight and everyone went back to their homes.

It was already late at night when Lee returned to his apartment. Losing the decisive game did not have much impact on him.

Maybe Ewing had some psychological trauma, but he saw the decline of Michael Jordan.

Perhaps when he was young, Michael Jordan was really able to play both offense and defense, chasing down core players on the defensive end and hitting nearly 50% on the offensive end.

But now it's different. Michael Jordan's efficiency has declined.

In the entire series, only in one game did his shooting percentage exceed 50%, while in the others it was less than 40%.

Lee came to the study and wrote down the training method he thought of in his notebook, and at the same time called out the simple talent panel.

Noticing that [Allen Iverson's Excellent Ball Sense] had turned silver and [Ray Allen's Excellent Explosive Power] was about to change color, Lee nodded slightly:

"Play more high-quality games, and you will always gain something!"

"."

The Bulls, who got the match point, made the New York media quiet down.

No one mocked Michael Jordan anymore, and they began to comfort themselves:

"The Knicks played a perfect season!"

"In Game 7, the Knicks have the advantage in physical fitness."

"The future is promising. The young Knicks will undergo a transformation."

On the morning of the 29th, Jeff Van Gundy read the article in the newspaper and cursed inwardly.

The fence-sitter was afraid of the decisive battle again.

Phil Jackson's bold use of players was another lesson for the league's best coach.

"We still have a chance. As long as we win at home, the Bulls will not have the upper hand in Game 7. Don't forget that Pippen is injured."

Assistant coach Thibodeau began to encourage everyone, but unfortunately, the painful memories came flooding back to their minds, and several assistant coaches were so numb that they didn't react.

Jeff Van Gundy didn't say much.

There wasn't much room for adjustment. Michael Jordan locked down Lee unless Ewing was in great shape.

Just thinking about past experiences, Jeff Van Gundy also felt that this was unreliable:

"Don't make such a bitter face during the afternoon training session. We still have a chance!"

"."

The old guys breathed a sigh of relief.

Alan Houston was already overdrawn. Michael Jordan had 30+ shots in two consecutive games, which made him tired.

Larry Johnson stopped yelling and asked Michael Jordan to have a good time.

He just chased and blocked the opponent, but the opponent kept shooting and the "grandmama" was defeated.

In G5, Lee played for another 43 minutes.

He made 7 of 19 shots, 4 of 12 from beyond the three-point line, and 4 of 6 free throws, scoring 22 points, 3 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, and 4 turnovers.

Naturally, his physical fitness could not recover to its best condition, and Lee was used to it.

Perhaps it is the characteristic of this era that even Phil Jackson still fights against the main players.

Pippen played 40+ points in a row and his knee injury recurred, which was also related to the large amount of playing time.

Although the G6 game has not started yet, the old guys are almost lying down during the training session.

Oakley's shooting touch has been declining, and the gorilla's performance in Game 5, with 10 of 22 shots and 28 points, failed to boost morale.

Assistant coach Don Chaney looked at Lee who was still doing shooting practice in the training ground and shook his head helplessly:

"In the end, it's still the same as before."

On the evening of the 29th, Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals officially began.

Drexler, who had been in a slump for several games, finally broke out tonight.

The three elderly giants all fought bravely, and the two sides fought until the fourth quarter.

In the final moments, Drexler missed a mid-range shot, leaving the Jazz with 2 seconds.

In the end, the Rockets paid the price.

Before the end of the game, Stockton received a sideline ball from Brian Russell at the top of the arc and made a jump shot from outside the three-point line!

103:100, beyond everyone's expectations, Stockton scored the winning goal to defeat the Rockets.

The Jazz defeated their opponent with a score of 4:2 and made it to the finals for the first time in the team's history!

The first year of the senior Big Three team failed.

8 of 15, 3 of 6 from beyond the three point line, 6 of 6 free throws, 25 points, 2 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 steals and 4 turnovers.

In the crucial game, Stockton once again delivered a perfect performance!

Drexler, who exploded, made 10 of 15 shots, 5 of 7 from beyond the three-point line, and 8 of 8 free throws, scoring a game-high 33 points.

Olajuwon scored 16 points and Barkley also scored 20 points, but they were defeated by a buzzer beater before the end of the game.

The Big Three could only watch the Jazz players celebrate wildly at their home court.

The Rockets lost, and the New York media was disappointed.

Although they also had the match point, no one really wanted to witness the Bulls advance on May 30 at home.

Even without the pre-match bad luck, the Knicks could not withstand the Bulls' team basketball.

The Bulls once again scored 33 points in the first quarter and were completely suppressed by their opponents throughout the game.

Even though the Bulls only scored 14 points in the final quarter, the Knicks were unable to turn the game around.

89:81, Madison Square Garden, the Bulls successfully advanced.

He made 12 of 22 shots, again hitting over 50% of the field, and Michael Jordan efficiently scored 27 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 4 turnovers.

The angry buff disappeared.

Amid the boos from the fans, the vengeful Michael Jordan came to Lee, hugged him, tilted his head and chuckled, saying:

"Don't provoke Black Jesus!"

"."

...

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