On April 21, 2001, rookie coach Isaiah Thomas was a little skeptical.

Although it was expected that the game could be difficult before the game, the Pacers bench was silent as they watched Reggie Miller and Jalen Rose hit back-to-back irons.

Isaiah Thomas, who had been yelling since the start of the game, returned to the bench with blank eyes just before halftime, quietly watching the Knicks launch a counterattack.

The old opponent completely pulled his hips, and the New York fans on the scene were particularly excited, even if it was a game of abusing vegetables, everyone was very involved in watching it.

Li You, who received the long rebound, looked at the Pacers who were trying to retreat, and everyone did not rush to attack, but slowly advanced along the left sideline.

Travis Best just cautiously kept his center of gravity and kept himself in front of Lee You, moving backwards.

The small point guard was frequently forced after the opening, and can only put half a step to defend at the moment, controlling the distance at all times.

Alan Houston, who was already at the top of the arc, waved to Artest on the right wing, and soon the Knicks pulled away in turn.

Reggie Miller watched Artest run to the bottom right corner, and while he was still hesitating to follow Alan Houston, Lee Woo was slowly approaching the three-point line.

Kurt Thomas and Ben Wallace sank to the left and right near the baseline, with no intention of lifting up and pick-and-roll.

Best subconsciously glanced at the movement behind him, and then saw Li You in front of him suddenly jump and dribble, raising the center of gravity of his body.

Instinctively sliding to the left rear, Best's center of gravity just moved, and Li You, who leaned over to accelerate and break through, quickly pulled back from his hips, shook half of his body, closed the ball on the left flank, and quickly jumped outside the three-point line!

"Brush!" Three-point shot hollow into the net!

Best, who jumped on the spot to block the pestle, was a little embarrassed, and the defense made a mistake in prediction and gave away the point.

The sudden cold arrow of the semi-conversion attack made the shouts on the scene a little louder, and Li You, who was retreating, clapped his hands and signaled that there was another opportunity to attack.

At 38:58, with 29.3 seconds left in the first half, the Knicks led by 20 points.

Reggie Miller, who drove the baseline ball, looked at Spike Lee who raised his hands on the sidelines for a while, but he couldn't find the shooting touch, and he could only purse his mouth and rush through the half court for a while.

On the last offense, Best started to control the time after half-time, and Jermaine O'Neal wanted to go up to block the pick-and-roll, but was stopped again.

The Pacers also pulled away in turn, watching Best be cut by Lee Yoo at the top of the arc.

With 10 seconds left on the offensive clock, Best, who had been holding the ball in his right hand and protecting the ball with his back, began to call for Crohill to come to the top of the arc to cover.

The anxious Crohill just hung up for a moment and immediately went down, which made Kurt Thomas's sudden up-and-go just form a double with Li You.

The body was completely covered, and Bester couldn't find the way to the ball for a while, and when his mind was clouded, he simply threw the ball quickly to Jalen Rose on the right wing.

The hasty pass, the intention was obviously of poor quality, Jalen Rose was going to move to pick up, but he didn't expect Artest to grab it more fiercely.

On the right wing, before he could adjust after receiving the ball, Jalen Rose found that the ball was firmly grasped by Artest.

Under the pull, Artest pulled the ball out of the opponent's arms, the referee did not blow the whistle, and rushed with the ball after completing the steal.

1 to 0 in the frontcourt, Jalen Rose, who almost hit the street, had no time to chase the defense, Artest had already rushed into the three-point line, and after three steps to rush up, he grabbed the ball with his right hand and exploded with one arm!

"Ahh

After completing the dunk and landing on the ground, Artest screamed, and kept beating his chest in the face of Jalen Rose, who came back from the defense, and looked particularly excited.

“Wow！”

The shrill cheers rang out again, and Coach Isaiah Thomas didn't hold back, got up and sent a wave to Best, and then watched in a huff as Jermaine O'Neal missed the basket under the basket.

At 38:60, at halftime, the Knicks took a 22-point lead.

Perhaps losing too much, Isaiah Thomas glared at the players who walked to the bench and roared loudly:

"Shet! You guys played like shit in the half! ”

“.”

Reggie Miller scored six points on 2-of-12 shooting in the half, and Jalen Rose was 3-of-11 for six points.

When the two heard the head coach's scolding, they all lowered their heads and didn't speak, and walked towards the whole channel in frustration.

The atmosphere in Madison Square Garden, which was boiling again, became more and more enthusiastic, and this kind of vegetable abuse competition made everyone feel comfortable, which can be described in one word:

"Cool!"

It seems to be no different from the regular season, this season the Pacers have completely pulled their hips, they can't attack and defend, and Jermaine O'Neal has too little game experience to match Smitz at the moment.

Everyone on the Knicks walked to the players' tunnel with a relaxed look, and Li You and his teammates also showed a satisfied smile after a brief high-five celebration.

Contrary to everyone's expectations, the first round game was indeed easier, not because the Knicks defended well, but because the opposite side was too iron.

On the TNT commentary bench, it was also difficult for Marf Albert to evaluate the first half of the game, the Pacers did flank the shot, but the individual rounds were not executed:

"The first half was a bit unexpected, and if we want to turn the game around, how do the Pacers adjust in the second half?"

Hubby Brown, who was on the side, heard the question, was speechless for a while, pondered slightly, and briefly said the scene:

"Continue to resolutely enforce the pack, let the Knicks' role players shoot the basketball, and don't change the game strategy easily."

"If the opponent's shooting percentage drops, I believe the Pacers still have a chance."

“.”

During the regular season, when most teams meet the Knicks, when it comes to the decisive moment, they will adopt the game strategy of wrapping the ball carrier.

At halftime, Coach Isaiah Thomas couldn't think of a good solution, and after a wave of output, he regained his composure, knocked on the whiteboard, and continued:

"Defenders in both corners have to shrink, don't worry about the point difference, it's a long series, now I just want to see you execute your tactics resolutely!"

When blocking and picking up at the No. 5 position, Jermaine O'Neal needs to be delayed and defenders on the wing need to see the timing to shrink.

If you can't complete the defense, the defender in charge of crouching in the bottom corner will have to shrink the basket immediately.

It's just that the ball is faster than people, and as long as the Knicks move the ball quickly and continuously, they can always find opportunities on the outside.

O'Neal Jr. is a bit of a fussier, and he hasn't taken on so many defensive tasks before.

The way of playing in the regular season couldn't win the ball, looking at the head coach who was writing and drawing on the whiteboard and constantly explaining, O'Neal Jr.'s brain was a mess.

Best has been sprayed with numbness, and in what Isiah Thomas sees as a simple and easy defense, he simply can't do it.

Just looking at the head coach who has faded away from his "elegant and easy-going" face, Best doesn't dare to complain.

At the start of the second half, the two on the commentator's bench noticed that the Knicks had only promoted Ben Wallace to the starting position, and they knew that this was to continue the regular season play.

Watching Lee Yoo slowly dribble through the half and come to the left flank, Hubby Brown said seriously:

"Jalen Rose should be careful defensively, Grant Hill cut in a couple of times in the first half and scored too easily."

By the time Ben Wallace moved to the left wing for a pick-and-roll, the Knicks were all pulled away.

Alan Houston and Lewis were in the left and right corners, while Grant Hill also moved to the right wing.

Best subconsciously beckoned O'Neal Jr. to help defend, and the moment Ben Wallace stood still, Li You, who was holding the ball in his left hand, immediately circled the ball behind his back.

While switching to the right hand, he lowered his center of gravity and quickly went in and out in the face of O'Neal Jr., who came up to help the defense.

Dangling left and right, coupled with the false passing action on the wrist, Li You stuck the chasing Best, and also stunned the delayed O'Neal.

The quality of the cover was average, Ben Wallace had already gone down quickly at this time, and the defensive position of O'Neal Jr. was suddenly a little embarrassed, and when he was still hesitating, he saw Li You suddenly accelerate.

At the moment when the big delay appeared a loophole, Li You, who had completed the shaking, secretly turned his hips to accelerate, increased his stride, and went straight to the basket in the blink of an eye.

Jalen Rose, who wanted to help defend in the right elbow area, didn't have time to react defensively, and when he turned his head, he saw Li You break through to the bottom right of the basket and easily pick up the basket!

O'Neal Jr. stayed right in front of the basket, and as long as Best didn't succeed in the first time and faced a sudden defensive choice, he didn't succeed once.

Hearing the head coach's shouting, O'Neal Jr. came back to his senses, and then saw the tactical gestures he played, which was completely understood, and he needed to delay without brains.

“Defense！.”

Although the Knicks have a big lead, the defensive cheers are still there, and when there is not much suspense about the outcome of the game, most fans want to see Reggie Miller play the iron.

The Pacers' offense was still the same, with Reggie Miller sliding quickly from right to left and bounced to the left block with the help of O'Neal Jr.'s near-baseline cover.

Best, who had been pestered by Lee Yo, was a beat slower in this pass, allowing Alan Houston to easily chase down Miller.

Despite losing the best opportunity to attack, Reggie Miller simply put the ball with his right hand after receiving the ball, and broke through to cut into the basket.

Observing Ben Wallace's move, Reggie Miller suddenly made a sharp stop, then drifted slightly to the right and forced a jump shot!

"Bang!" One more iron.

Lewis protected the backcourt rebound for the first time, and when Li You responded, he was not in a hurry to attack, and did not wait for half the court to compare tactical gestures in advance.

Isaiah Thomas, who was on the sidelines, saw Li You's movements, and knew that the Knicks were likely to play a three-person blocking and dismantling cooperation, and immediately reminded loudly:

"Delay up! Jermaine, defend it! ”

Approaching the left flank, Ben Wallace immediately went down after the lift, and Li You, who was holding the ball in his right hand, broke through on the right side, and forced a squeeze in the face of O'Neal Jr.'s big delay.

Alan Houston saw that his opponent had extended the scope of the delay, and the free-throw line position was actively raised, using his back to cover O'Neal Jr., who was delaying the slide.

After a slight pause on the defensive end, O'Neal Jr. felt like he had lost his defensive position, and Best saw that his teammates were about to lose his position and desperately chased after him in the rear.

Alan Houston bounced outside to the top of the arc after completing the screen, and Reggie Miller followed Ben Wallace, leaving him unguarded.

In the elbow area on the right side of the free throw line, Li You jumped up and passed the ball at this time, O'Neal Jr. wanted to cooperate with Best to block, but his teammates were too short, and Li You couldn't block the passing route in the face of the sudden outburst, and watched the basketball fly straight to the top of the arc.

In the big vacancy, Alan Houston even aimed at the ball for two seconds, but there was still no defense, and then he made a steady jump shot!

"Huh!" Three-point shot hollow into the net!

This tactic has been played many times in a row, and Alan Houston is smiling from ear to ear, and the more ferocious the opposing side, the more open space opportunities will be obtained.

Even if he knew what tactics the opponent was going to play, he still couldn't prevent it, Isaiah Thomas on the sidelines had confirmed the problem, and looked at Best viciously:

"I'll send you away next season!"

Perhaps knowing that he was not feeling good, Reggie Miller kept signaling to give the ball to O'Neal Jr. in the low post.

It's not easy to just get the ball into the right place, and Ben Wallace may not be able to finish, but the card is fierce.

On the offensive end, after 22 seconds of tossing, O'Neal Jr. used cross cover to barely receive a pass in the low post on the left side, and Lewis, who was switching defenses, forcibly threw his right hand, and the basketball stumbled and fell into the basket.

At 40:65, looking at the 25-point difference, Mav Albert in the commentary box began to talk about off-field topics:

"Mutombo was elected DPOY this season, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the 76ers will perform this year."

"Maybe they'll be a tough opponent for the Knicks, but this season the Pacers haven't been able to find the winning feel they used to have."

In the first round of the game, the Knicks won the match point at two home games, and it was basically over.

Hubby Brown also thinks that the series is not too suspenseful, and then added two sentences:

"To limit Lee's play, you need a good defender at the back, and neither Best nor Reggie Miller can do that."

"Coach Thomas is almost a seven-man rotation tonight, and Zaan Tabak should not start again in the next game, and the two-tower lineup is a complete failure."

At this time, the Knicks had already begun to practice tactical coordination, and the same three-man block was replaced by Grant Hill holding the ball at the top of the arc.

Ben Wallace was still a fake cover on the three-point line, and Lee Woo delayed O'Neal Jr. at the free-throw line.

Jalen Rose squeezed through the cover with agility, and Grant Hill, who was holding the ball in his right hand, didn't get away from the defense, but hung on to break through, saw Ben Wallace have an opportunity, and threw the ball to the top left of the basket.

Little O'Neal, who was delayed by Li You, failed to chase down in time, Best reacted quickly, but he was too short, and he didn't have much to do in the face of Ben Wallace, who was fishing for the ball in the air, and watched "Little Ben" dunk it with both hands!

The same tactics have been played frequently since the opening, and the Pacers have never been able to find a good way, especially after Li You participated in the off-ball cover, the defenders were a little confused.

As the game wore on, the Pacers relied on the offense of Jalen Rose and O'Neal Jr. to make the scoring slowly rise;

The Knicks' shooters took turns in the three-man pick-and-roll, and Grant Hill burst or passed, and the offense suddenly became incredibly fluid.

Jalen Rose hit a mid-range jumper in the last round, and when he came back, he was on the line again.

Ben Wallace suddenly stopped at the left elbow this time, and Lee Yow at the free-throw line moved quickly.

Jalen Rose's pursuit of Hill, who suddenly accelerated to break through, was hit by Lee You's back cover and stumbled.

Best watched as Grant Hill in the right elbow area got rid of the defense, held the ball straight to the basket with his right hand, and subconsciously slid to help the defense.

Li You easily bounced to the top of the arc, Grant Hill immediately threw the ball, caught the ball and shook it, and Jalen Rose, who came up from the switch, was directly missed

“Wow！”

In the cheers, Li You released the ball again and moved sideways, and quickly jumped at the top of the arc!

"Huh!" Three-pointers hollow into the net.

Looking at Li You, who had completed the goal and raised his right hand, Isaiah Thomas on the sidelines immediately asked for a timeout, and his expression became "painful".

The Pacers were unexpectedly defeated by the same tactic, and the coaching staff had to take the blame after the game

Jeff Van Gundy, who had been hanging up, smiled and looked at the crowd walking towards the bench, stood up and clapped his hands constantly, showing a handsome demeanor.

Due to Grant Hill's injury, the tactical run-in didn't last long, but the abuse still worked.

Compared to Artest, Grant Hill, who lost some of his explosiveness, is still a star player who can dominate the ball better.

Back on the bench, Lee Woo was also smiling from ear to ear, and the playoffs were easier than the regular season

Ewing made chicken soup for everyone on the bench and continued to encourage loudly:

"Don't relax, come off the bench and continue to expand the score and teach them a lesson!"

“.”

With 2:46 left in the third quarter, the Pacers pulled out, and Isaiah Thomas couldn't stand it.

Perhaps thinking of the past when he was slapped in the face by Reggie Miller, the substitute lineup came on, and the gorillas were still throwing towels on the sidelines.

At 22:30 in the first quarter, the score came to 60:88 after the third quarter, and the game entered garbage time.

Lee Woo played just 28 minutes, shooting 8-of-15, 3-of-6 from beyond the three-point line, and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line to finish with 23 points, 3 rebounds and 8 assists.

Alan Houston scored 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting and 2-of-4 from beyond the three-point line;

Grant Hill scored 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting, while Lewis contributed 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting and 2-of-5 from beyond the three-point line.

Watching the technical statistics of the starting four score double-doubles, Mav Albert was in a good mood and praised with a smile:

"As long as the shooters can find their shooting touch, the Knicks are unstoppable!"

Hubby Brown noticed that Ewing and Ben Wallace also contributed a total of 13 points in the third quarter of the game, and on the bench, those who appeared on the court also scored points, and subconsciously praised the bald young marshal:

"Coach Van Gundy has brought out the best in Grant Hill's technical traits, and if it weren't for the injury, I'm sure the Knicks offense would be better."

"Maybe we've all overlooked his attacking talent, and for this year's best coach, I'll vote for Van Gundy!"

“.”

As soon as the fourth quarter began, Jeff Van Gundy was in a fluttering state.

Since the Knicks have been plagued by injuries this season, and with 60+ wins in this situation, the best coach is already beckoning to him!

Trying to increase his presence, Jeff Van Gundy stood on the sidelines with his arms folded and shouted twice from time to time to indicate that he was still immersed in the game.

On the bench, assistant coach Thibodeau looked at Li You and everyone whispering and laughing, and then looked at the bald young marshal who was about to perform, and reaffirmed his thoughts in his heart:

"I can be a manager too"

In the last quarter of the game, Billups, who came off the bench, took the lead in hitting the iron, and the two sides played quite lively, but the score rose very slowly.

Longley also made his debut in the playoffs, and as in the regular season, the Knicks' young big men took turns to get a taste of the playoff atmosphere.

At the end of the game, the score was fixed at 82:110, and the Knicks defeated the Pacers and ushered in a good start to the playoffs!

Although it was a playoff game, watching the Pacers lose by 28 points, the New York fans at the scene were comfortable, and they didn't forget to greet Reggie Miller after the game.

Reggie Miller scored only 10 points on 3-of-15 shooting, and as he walked to the players' tunnel, his face was ugly, and he made an international gesture to the New York fans on either side.

After receiving the other party's middle finger, the scolding on the scene became louder and louder for a while

Craig Sager felt the "enthusiasm" of the New York fans on the sidelines, ignored the scolding in his ears, and interviewed Li You with a smile:

"Lee, congratulations on winning this game, can you talk about your magical tactics? I've noticed that you managed to play a lot of games during the game. ”

didn't expect the other party to ask some professional questions, Li You was slightly surprised, and then replied with a smile:

'It's all a credit from the coaching staff, but in previous seasons we've used that tactic a lot.

"It seems that there has been a change, mainly due to the change brought about by Grant's technical characteristics."

"Coach Van Gundy has tapped into the potential of the squad and this season, he is the best coach in my heart!"

Hearing such an answer, Craig Sager, who was wearing an orange and white plaid suit, didn't care, but laughed and complimented:

"The Knicks are the only team in the league to have 60+ wins, and maybe we'll see Coach Van Gundy win again soon!"

“.”

Grant Hill has been in the first round in his career, and winning the game like this also made the "Jordan's successor" a little confused after the game.

Attending a press conference with Jeff Van Gundy, Grant Hill touted Lee and the coaching staff throughout the interview:

"Six assists? I didn't care about the stats, I was completely involved in the game when I came on the pitch, playing with Lee, and it wasn't difficult to assist at all. ”

"No, my body hasn't gotten back to its best, I'm still adjusting to my ankle, I'm injured a second time, it hasn't been affected too much, and I just want to thank the Knicks for that."

"Lee is so good, he is the leader of the team just like Coach Van Gundy, and this year's best coach must belong to Coach Van Gundy!"

“.”

The New York media in the audience also followed the business to blow each other, Jeff Van Gundy only felt fluttering, faced with one problem after another, subconsciously came to a tactical back, and said proudly:

"I have to be the best coach!"

In the other three playoff games of the day, 103-106, the Bucks narrowly defeated the Hornets;

The three musketeers pulled their hips, but Scott Williams stepped up and recorded a double-double of 21 points and 16 rebounds to help his team win.

Western Conference, 82-87, Spurs beat Timberwolves by a narrow margin;

In the playoffs, Popovich once again used his strongest tactic!

Playing 46 minutes and shooting 13-of-20, Duncan had 33 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 4 blocks and 2 turnovers.

Garnett, who played 45 minutes, was 9-of-18 and also had an excellent performance of 25 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 1 block and 1 turnover.

The Mavericks game, which Chinese fans are particularly concerned about, 86:88, the Jazz had the last laugh.

At the last moment, Nowitzki made a mistake and was stealed by the opponent, losing the chance to kill, which also made the Chinese reporters who watched the game sigh secretly.

He was 7-of-20 from the field and contributed 20 points and 12 rebounds, but Nowitzki's performance was unconvincing

On the other side of the ocean, the reasons for the Mavericks' loss were also given:

"The stubborn old Nelson didn't use Wang Zhizhi and finally paid the price!"

On the morning of the 22nd, the NBA league announced the Most Improved Player Award (MIP) of the season:

Tracy McGrady of the Magic team ended up winning the award.

That night, the Magic challenged the 76ers away, but McGrady, who had just won the award, had no choice but to lose.

At 90:95, Iverson won the game in the end of this "idol" battle.

McGrady was 12-of-34 from the field and slashed a quasi-triple-double of 33 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks and 4 turnovers;

Iverson was 11-of-28 from the field and also had 32 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 2 turnovers.

Although the hit rate of both of them was less than 40%, they sympathized with each other after the game, starting a wave of commercial blowing:

"Tracy is incredible, he can score, he can protect the basket, and most importantly, he can create opportunities for his teammates!"

"He's the hardest opponent I've ever met to restrict, and it's a tough win!"

With a smile on his win, Iverson gave McGrady the biggest affirmation after the game.

"How do you defend Iverson? I don't know, he was too fast, and he tore through our defense alone! ”

"No one can match him, but in the next fight, I will continue to give my all to win!"

McGrady, who cut off a quasi-triple-double, also didn't skimp on his praise, blowing Iverson out of the flowers

In another game in the Eastern Conference, at 85:80, the Raptors completed a counterattack and successfully won the Heat.

Western Conference, 93-106, Lakers easily defeated the Trail Blazers.

O'Neal was 7-of-21 from the field with a big double-double of 24 points and 20 rebounds, while Bryant was 9-of-20 from the field and scored a game-high 28 points.

The biggest surprise for ball commentators was that the Kings lost to the Suns at home, 86:83.

After the end of the day's game, the performance of each team's G1 also made many ball critics become a straw again.

On the morning of the 23rd, the NBA league announced the best 6th man of the season (SMOY):

The 76ers' Aaron McGee successfully won the award!

Averaging 11.6 points per game, shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 31.2 percent from three-point range, Aaron McGee has grown into an important role for the 76ers.

Although the 76ers won the scoring title, rebounding title, DPOY, and best sixth man awards this season, most ball critics still don't favor the team.

On the afternoon of the 23rd, at the Tarrytown Training Center, the Knicks finished their day's training session.

Media reporters on the sidelines hurriedly surrounded Li You, and the reporter from Yahoo Sports was the first to stuff the microphone in front of him and asked loudly:

"Lee, have you followed the 76ers, they have won a lot of awards, will they be your biggest opponent this year?"

Soon, TNT's reporter also hurriedly followed up with a question:

"Lee, how would you rate the Magic vs. 76ers game? Allen Iverson thinks McGrady is the hardest opponent he's ever faced. ”

“.”

Lee Woo has been busy helping Hill continue to adapt to tactics this month, and he hasn't paid attention to other games at all.

Just hearing the "microphones" around you introduce Iverson and McGrady's business blowing, Li You almost laughed out loud when he heard it.

Trying to make himself more serious, Li You didn't hold back in the end, and replied with a smile on his face:

"Well, the game was well played! Iverson and McGrady are both good players and it's great to see them show! ”

"But I want to emphasize again that the Knicks have no opponents in the Eastern Conference, and similar questions will not be asked again in the future."

“.”

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(End of chapter)