Leon didn't expect Crawford to give him such a big gift package, he just wanted to put pressure on Crawford, so that this stubborn referee can affect the game according to his temper at the last moment, which must be good for the Celtics, who are more attacking at home. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

It's just that Crawford's stubbornness is beyond Leon's imagination, just because of Duncan's smile, I don't know where Crawford's nerves were, and he punished Duncan like this.

The entire North Shore Gardens were stunned, so much so that when Duncan left the players' tunnel, many fans asked his companion Duncan if he was injured.

Popovich, of course, was going crazy with anger, he let Duncan play the whole third quarter, and the fourth quarter started with a recharge of preparing to lead a big comeback in the fourth quarter, and so far the Celtics only led by five points, and the Spurs had every chance to fight back in the final seven minutes. Now that Duncan is gone, the Spurs have to hope for a miracle if they want to turn the tables, and for the regular season, it is not a back-to-back game, and the team's morale ebb and flow quickly.

Duncan, the Spurs' momentum has obviously gone down, if Duncan is really a technical foul and is punished, it can stimulate the anger of the Spurs players; But leaving the court in such a way just feels funny and confusing.

The Celtics certainly won't let go of such a good opportunity, and Leon replaced all the main players in the middle of the fourth quarter, and the Celtics launched a total offense. Pierce and Garnett completely let go in the fourth quarter, and Garnett hit back-to-back jumpers in quick succession. Although the Spurs resisted stubbornly, Ginoby used two consecutive three-pointers to renew the Spurs' life, but without Duncan, they suffered in rebounding and interior defense, and no one stood up to make a final decision on the interior at the critical moment.

On Christmas Eve, the Celtics gave Boston fans a victory with a less-than-perfect revenge battle at North Shore Gardens. Because of the joy of Christmas and the unbelievable fact that Duncan was sent off in the fourth quarter, the meaning of revenge in this game was also weakened a lot, with a strong atmosphere of entertainment.

Leon also doesn't expect to hone the player's willpower through this game, anyway, after the game is over, everyone in the locker room is discussing how Duncan was punished, and several people have begun to watch the video replay seriously.

"If you had that passion for watching replays after every game, we wouldn't have lost a game this season." Leon could only shake his head helplessly.

After the press conference, Leon hurried home, knowing that all eyes would be on Duncan and Crawford tonight, and that he had won the game and won the clean house, and went home early to be with Ayatollah Khamenes and Anderson.

……………………

With Christmas over and 2003 drawing to a close, the Celtics embarked on a short three-game road trip at the end of December, albeit against a modest opponent, with the Suns, Hawks and Warriors not rivaling the in-form Celtics. However, the Celtics have had some trouble against the Suns, and their striker Stoudamire's impactful style of play has caused a lot of problems for the Celtics, who are slightly lacking in static defense.

The Celtics also only won by 3 points against the Suns in this game, and it looks like a potential opponent.

And the games with the Warriors and Hawks are all hurricane battles, Leon just uses an experimental death defense in a certain part of the game, which can almost make the opponent score no point in a short time, and at other times let the players play offensive cooperation, cultivate tacit understanding, and use offense to solve problems.

It's good for players to stay fit, find rhythm and feel for the regular season, and brush up on the stats, and Leon is becoming more and more aware of the balance as a head coach.

With this situation, Leon and Celtic crossed 2003 together and came to 2004, which was full of successes, failures, passions, frustrations, ups and downs, and this is the end of 2003.

On the final day of 2003, the Celtics hosted the New Orleans Hornets, and Joe Johnson scored a career-high 47 points at the Boston Garden Arena to help the Hornets and Celtics battle until the end.

In the last two offenses, the Celtics relied on a successful defense by Garnett and a successful foul by Pierce to narrowly defeat the Hornets with a 101:99, 2-point advantage; Before that, Johnson had scored eight points in a row, and if he had been given one more second on the last offense, it would have been unclear who would have died.

After the game, Joe Johnson waited for Leon in front of the arena and asked him to go with him to a bar and restaurant he used to frequent. Joe Johnson, as he did two years ago, called Leon "coach."

"Today, I'm beginning to understand some of what you've said to me. Some things have nothing to do with basketball, just about life. Johnson said to Leon.

The two got drunk in the bar and didn't leave until midnight, spending New Year's Eve together in 2003 and 2004. And in six months, with Johnson's rookie contract expiring, he will make his new choice and begin his new basketball path. The New Orleans Hornets will also face a new fate.

On January 1, 2004, the new day of the new year, Leon received great news from Los Angeles at home, from Ayatollah Khomeenez, of course. She excitedly calls early in the morning to wake up a hangover Leon, who is immediately sober as soon as he receives the call.

The news brought by Khamenes has nothing to do with basketball, but his case, on Chinese New Year's Eve, Los Angeles police captured Boston's most wanted man on the run, the boss of Winter Hill, James Barger, in a building in Santa Monica.

This is news that everyone expected, and it is also shocking news, a gangster who has been on the run for 10 years has been caught in this way, he escaped from Boston to Los Angeles, many people think that he went abroad, went to Cuba or Bolivia, in fact, he is still in the United States, under the nose of the FBI.

This is indeed good news for Leon, because it means that many details about Frank's case will be clear, especially the fact that Frank was involved in the murder of Leon's father will completely turn the situation around. The previously stalemate in the court will also be completely broken, and it will be difficult for the jury not to fall emotionally to Leon, and it is foreseeable that the lawsuit will come to an end.

At that point, Leon will be free, and he can devote himself to the rest of the NBA's season.

In 2003, it was all over, and in 2004, a new beginning. (To be continued.) )