On May 15, 2000, there were no games on that day as the Knicks had already qualified.

The NBA league also announced the Defensive Team of the Season at this time:

The five men who defended in the first row were:

Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Alonzo Mourning, Gary Payton, Kobe Bryant;

The five players in the second defensive team are:

Shaquille O'Neal, Clifford Robinson, Scottie Pippen, Eddie Jones, Jason Kidd.

In the All-Defensive Team, the Lakers and Suns each had two players selected, and the Knicks did not get a spot, which made the New York media unhappy.

Although the Knicks' influence on the defensive end has begun to decline this season, and in some games, the fast-rotating defense has disappeared, but overall, it is still considered to be at the upper level of the league.

Looking at this list, the media in Los Angeles can boast again:

"The strongest duo in the league!"

Bryant and O'Neal were selected to the All-Defensive Team, which can be regarded as sweeping away the haze of last night's loss.

At 98:117, the Suns played an extreme offense and finally won a game at home.

Played 37 minutes, 8-of-13, 4-of-6 from beyond the three-point line, 2-of-3 from the free throw line, 22 points, 10 rebounds, 16 assists, 2 steals and 3 turnovers.

Compared with the Lakers' performance of 2 of 16 from beyond the three-point line, the Suns made 10 of 21 three-pointers from the field, which was a dumpling.

It turns out that the essence of the basketball game is still more accurate than who is, and the Lakers may have released the water, but they lost because they couldn't shoot.

Just like O'Neal's 4-of-12 shooting from the field and shooting just 33.3 percent from the field, everyone wants to get the ball to the basket, but shooting accurately is sometimes a talent when it's a high-pressure defense.

No one cares about the Suns winning, and the same treatment as the old basketball Jazz, getting a win is just saving some face.

With the Heat also moving back to one city, the Eastern Conference Finals were moved back a bit, and the Knicks were given nearly a week off.

At the 15th Tarrytown Training Center, James Dolan also appeared in front of many media during the afternoon open training session.

The Knicks' biggest goal this season is to complete a three-game winning streak and reach the division finals, which is a small goal.

The management is not afraid of being slapped in the face at this time, and it has been a great success to enter the division finals!

Compared to the elder Charles, who rarely gives media interviews, James Dolan talks more, but most of the time he expresses his opinions on his own MSG and rarely accepts interviews with other media.

In the open tactical training sessions, most of them were running routines, and Jeff Van Gundy was silent, and the assistant coaches greeted the players.

Wearing a black tank top and dark blue sports pants from the Knicks, Lee Woo is not "fully armed" in his daily training.

The on-site media reporters can see Li You's muscular dimension more clearly, and occasionally when he lifts the jersey, he can also see very obvious abdominal muscles.

Unlike Sports Illustrated, which can interview Li You at a deeper level, many media outlets don't have these opportunities, and the camera in their hands clicks non-stop.

In daily interviews, Li You always wears Under Armour's customized compression suit, looking strong, but he still does not have a visual impact on his upper body.

In training sessions, there will also be some things that you can't see in the game, and in individual rounds, Li You will also show off his back body skills.

In the last round, Larry Johnson was blocked by Lee Yoo and then buked a three-pointer from the left wing, and after scoring the response shot, "Big Mom" held the low post again.

In the left blocking area, Li You received the ball with his back and then leaned on to play, but he didn't scare Larry Johnson, and finally could only lean forward and shake and suddenly turn to the bottom line.

Li You moved chicly, but he didn't completely shake off the defense, and hit a back-to-back jumper at the end.

"Oh!"

After the success of the defense, Larry Johnson screamed with excitement that, as most teams in the league are well aware, Lee Yo is not very good at back-to-back singles.

Although he is currently a pure heavy defender, Li You didn't have this body in the past, so it was no problem to bully a small man, but when he encountered a muscular player like "Big Mom", he couldn't play it

In daily training, in addition to Artest's sparring partner, most of the low-post offenses are Larry Johnson responsible for defending Li You.

There is not much difference in height between the two, and the alignment is just right, and a guard like Chris Childs is not enough to see, it is easy to be forcibly eaten, and the effect is average.

The game was lively on the court, and assistant coach Thibodeau would pause from time to time to give the new Artest a lecture on precautions.

On the sidelines, James Dolan was dressed in a black casual suit, laughing and joking with media reporters.

Seeing Ewing rest, a reporter from Yahoo Sports asked another question about the tour:

"Pat is in great shape at the moment, next year is the final year of his contract, aren't the Knicks going to sign him another contract after the tour?"

Agent David Falke has already communicated this issue with the team, and when asked about it, James Dolan also replied with a smile:

"No, no, as long as Pat wants to keep playing, the Knicks will always welcome him! He has spent his entire career in New York, and the team is his second home. ”

"It's a lot of fun, I think the fans will love it, and of course, we're missing a champion!"

I didn't get much information, and soon the ESPN reporter on the side also asked:

"With Pat gone, the Knicks will have a lot of salary cap, what are the team's plans for that?"

As if he had been prepared for this question, James Dolan laughed again, looked at the Knicks in a circle on the court, and said in a brisk tone:

"I'm going to create a 'show time' era for the Knicks, where Lee has great offensive talent, just like Magic Johnson, who can make the team play a flashy offense! ”

"The team will build the right system around Lee, and at the same time, we will recruit the right superstar for the team."

"In the future, at Madison Square Garden, fans will be able to enjoy the most pleasing basketball game on the planet!"

“.”

Grunfield, the general manager on the side, looked at the curly-haired boss and talked eloquently, and sighed secretly in his heart.

This seems to have been fooled by the "Show time" of the New York media!

The Knicks are not playing so-called beautiful basketball, advocating athleticism, pursuing physical confrontation, and iron-blooded defense has been the team culture for so many years.

Not long ago, at the NBA league lottery ceremony, the Bulls drew the No. 4 pick, Chicago fans breathed a sigh of relief, and general manager Klaus was also comfortable.

The Knicks' first-round pick from the Bulls was postponed to the following year.

With a 17-win record this season, no one believes that the Bulls will be able to turn around after adding potential rookies.

As a result, in 2001, the Knicks had a good chance of picking up a top-10 first-round pick.

By then, Ewing had already left the team, and how to build the team around the core players became a problem for the management and coaching staff.

It's just that the Knicks are in a complicated situation, and James Dolan, who has not been involved in team affairs for three consecutive championships, seems to be involved in team building.

After the training session, many staff members had to continue filming, and media reporters also hurried to interview the players.

Jeff Van Gundy, who has rarely spoken, was also relieved at this time, and it was really tiring to pose in front of the camera.

Grenfield, the general manager, leaned over to the bald young marshal, and at this time there were no media reporters around the two, and James Dolan was calling some well-known reporters to have dinner together in the evening.

Jeff Van Gundy knew what the other party wanted to ask, and frowned and said:

"Mr Charles never meddles in the team's affairs, and only comes forward to appease Pat when he wants to leave."

"Professional things should be done by professional people, and I don't like the so-called 'show time', which is not what championship teams should strive for. ”

The bald young marshal has more confidence after having a championship, and the famous coach has to be a little grumpy, and Jeff Van Gundy will also express his opinion in front of the management.

Pat Riley's "Show time" won the championship, Glenfield understood Jeff Van Gundy, and the championship coach should have a little more of his own.

It's just that as a professional manager, Grunfield doesn't judge his boss casually.

Seeing Li You and Larry Johnson talking and laughing about their exchange of skills, Grunfield whispered helplessly:

"Lee is very good, in the system that belongs to Pat, he has raised the ceiling of the team while still keeping the floor, what kind of partner is he best suited for?"

Hearing this, Jeff Van Gundy frowned again, and then said confidently:

"The current system is the most suitable for Li, the team will make up for the defensive disadvantages of some defenders, and on the offensive end, we also have a lineup that can open up space!"

"Be patient, it won't take a few years for these players to cash in on their talent, maybe they're not superstars, but they're definitely the pieces of the championship puzzle."

“.”

On May 16, the NBA league announced the best team of the season, and the New York media could follow suit.

The first team of 5 people are:

Woo Lee, Jason Kidd, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal;

The second team of 5 people are:

Gary Payton, Kobe Bryant, Grant Hill, Karl Malone, Alonzo Mourning;

The third team of 5 people are:

Allen Iverson, Eddie Jones, Vince Carter, Chris Webb, David Robinson.

Lee Woo has been selected as the best team for three consecutive seasons, and he has already opened up a gap with Ewing's first team.

Alan Houston's defeat disappointed the New York fans a bit, and the guards were a bit rolled

After leaving the Lakers and joining the Hornets, Eddie Jones had a perfect season.

Although the performance in the playoffs was average, winning the steal king and being selected to the best team can be regarded as reaching the peak of his career.

Bryant was named to both the All-Defensive Team and the All-NBA Team this season, and ball pundits have finally begun to talk about the younger brother next to O'Neal.

After three years of polishing, Kobe Bryant is completely suitable for the shark.

The New York media didn't care about Kobe's results and continued to crouch in the training center.

At the end of the training session in the morning, a large number of media gathered around Li You to send blessings, and patted the sycophants by the way:

"Selected as the best team for three consecutive years, rearranged in the '96 draft, Lee is definitely the first pick!"

"With talent and hard work, Lee deserves to be like this."

“.”

Li You was photographed comfortably, and on the other hand, Ewing was a little sad when he thought of his best lineup.

As the season draws to a close, Oakley has some caution at this time, and if he can, he wants to stay in New York.

It's good to be in an atmosphere group, seeing that his old friend is not in a good mood today, and after returning to the locker room, Oakley comforted him:

"Times are different, and in our time, it was not easy for a big man to be in the best team."

Ewing, who had adjusted his mentality, no longer dwelled on the issue of honor, and soon comforted Alan Houston again:

"I don't care about those selections anymore, and it's a shame that Allan didn't make the All-Star team this year."

"We didn't do bad in the regular season, and we made it to the division finals in the playoffs!"

Failed to be selected to the All-Star team, mainly because the data was a little worse, Alan Houston is almost a contract year, has a championship, and wants to pursue a big contract:

"It's good to be an All-Star, there are only six spots for the guards, so it's no surprise that we didn't make the All-Star team this year."

Larry Johnson was not convinced by the results, and then followed up with two sour sentences:

"With a big city back, Kobe Bryant wouldn't have achieved what he is if he had been with the Hornets."

This season, the Los Angeles media blew too fiercely, which reminded "Big Mom" of her highlight moment in the Hornets that year, and started "If" again while talking.

By the time Lee returned to the locker room, several veterans had already begun to discuss what they would have achieved without the button

Artest interjected, Cookch was not interested in the topic, and Lewis listened with relish.

Ewing, as a pioneer of anti-Qiao, tells some inside stories, which is really fascinating.

After looking around, Li You didn't see Ben Wallace, and saw that a few people were still blowing violently, so he returned to his seat and asked in a low voice:

"Why didn't you see Ben, and the person disappeared again after the video lesson?"

"The training sessions have been relatively easy these days, and he's going to lift irons again."

Artest pursed his lips, a little unhappy with this undrafted draft who often made him carry his bag.

Hearing that it was not to practice free throws, but to continue to practice strength, Li You sighed helplessly in his heart.

Most players still like to stay in their comfort zone and usually don't have a lot of enthusiasm for training without positive feedback.

Lewis didn't think there was a problem with Ben-Wallace's daily iron, and "Little Ben" was visibly strong with the naked eye, and he was envious of it.

Seeing Li You's muscles again, Lewis couldn't hold back this time and asked in a low voice:

"Lee, can you share your secret to becoming stronger? The weight gain speed is not reduced, and the bounce and explosiveness are even better! ”

Noticing Lewis's expression of frowning eyebrows, Li You knew that the other party thought that he had gotten the best in science and technology.

The drug problem is not a secret in the NBA, most players will choose to make up for it, but everyone's body is different, and the choice of drugs will be different.

Ordinary medicines, the players will also exchange their experiences in private, and the drug is no different from Cha Yezi.

Li You patted his thick chest muscles, raised his eyebrows and said simply:

"Maybe it's talent, I'm already controlling my weight!"

Telling the truth is usually not believed, and seeing Lewis's incredulous eyes, Li You shrugged his shoulders.

His explosiveness is indeed better, and as for the increase in bounce, it is also related to the fact that [Anfernee Hardaway's excellent bounce speed] has been thoroughly digested.

With the blessing of two pairs, Li You only felt that his first step was faster.

Preparing for the Eastern Conference Finals, everyone in the Knicks team didn't have much pressure, and no one in the locker room mentioned the opponent these days, and most of the time was chatting and farting.

In the afternoon training session, James Dolan came to comfort everyone again, and by the way, he drew a "show time" pie in front of the media.

Jeff Van Gundy, posing, frowned when he heard some sporadic words.

In his opinion, the team only needs to properly add a big man with excellent interior defense, and the flashy offense should not be on the Knicks.

On the evening of the 16th, the two teams in the Western Conference Finals were officially announced.

At 65:87, after returning to the home court, the Lakers ended the suspense in half the game.

The Suns scored 14 points in the first quarter and only nine in the second quarter.

At 23:49 at halftime, the huge margin made the audience at the Staples Center excited.

Anfernee Hardaway and Kidd wilted at the same time, and the role players followed Bonbon.

The Suns shot 23-of-80 from the field and shot less than 30 percent from the field.

Suddenly it turned into a game of abuse, and the Lakers grabbed a total of 59 rebounds, including 21 in the frontcourt.

O'Neal played only 33 minutes, shooting 7-of-19 from the field and recording 15 points, 21 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks and 3 turnovers.

Showing their dominance again, the sharks became the hot topic of the night among critics.

At 79:81, the Trail Blazers, who also returned to their home court, did not give the Jazz any chance.

Scottie Pippen had a quasi-triple-double of 23 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, 1 block and 3 turnovers.

Falling to the Western Conference semifinals, Karl Malone's championship dream was shattered again.

On May 19, the Pacers finally finished off the Heat completely, and after being pulled back by the opponent for two consecutive games, they did not give the opponent another chance.

At 104:82, the big score was 4:2, and the Pacers reached the Eastern Conference Finals again.

The Pacers only have more than a day to rest, and on the evening of the 21st, the Eastern Conference Finals will officially begin.

In terms of schedule, it is not friendly to the Pacers, and in the Eastern Conference finals, they have to fly to New York and play two more away games.

On the evening of the 20th, the Western Conference Finals, which took the lead, attracted the attention of a large number of fans.

Perhaps the rest of the league has noticed that the two teams in the Western Conference Finals have the top three salaries in the league, but for fans, it's the stars that everyone is focused on.

The battle for "money ability" has been hyped by a large number of sports media since the beginning of the season.

In the game that night, to everyone's surprise, the Lakers blew up their opponents in the second quarter of the game!

After a wave of 16:37 in a single quarter, the game basically lost its suspense.

O'Neal once again played outrageous statistics, shooting 41 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 blocks in 47 minutes of play, 14-of-25 from the field and 13-of-27 from the free-throw line.

Eating a lot of shots, O'Neal didn't have a single mistake in this game.

Poor old Sabonis was completely blown up.

Playing in the Western Conference Finals, no one questions O'Neal's physical fitness problems anymore, with a huge body, delicate hand work, and can still play a full 48 minutes!

The title of "Superman" has become extremely apt this season.

After the game, the Lakers fans were still celebrating happily, and the careful-eyed O'Neal shook his head and shouted as he walked to the players' tunnel:

"I'm the real MVP!"

“.”

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There will be no daily chapters in the future~

(End of chapter)