NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 357 "Rules make me stronger!" (7600 words chapter)
In the 2004~2005 season, the NBA continued the broadcast strategy of recent years, and the broadcasters did not return to the number of broadcasts during the NBC period.

Before the opening game on the night of November 11, David Stern also boasted in front of the media:

"By canceling Hand Check, the league will provide fans with a more complete viewing experience."

"We believe the new rules are beneficial to the development of the league!"

The NBA league also depends on who decides what to do. This rule was once abolished, but with the return of Michael Jordan, the rule also came back.

Considering that most of the outside stars in the NBA at this time were rookies, and Li You alone could not support the ratings, this flexible rule was eventually revised.

Before the opening game at 20 o'clock, fans came to Madison Square Garden early.

New York fans don't care about rules at all. They win anyway. As for the process of victory, it doesn't matter.
David Stern will also host tonight's awards ceremony and support the new rules before the game, mainly to express his position. He is working hard to increase the ratings!
How to increase attendance in small ball markets and make teams more profitable is something the league has always been concerned about.

The second team next door is injured and will most likely have to wait until December to return. Ticket prices have been discounted recently.

In the case of discounts, there may also be situations where fans are not interested in watching the game live.

David Stern has been in a very good mood every time he comes to Madison Square Garden in recent years. If every team's attendance was the same as New York, the league wouldn't have to worry about it.
After handing the microphone to Li You, Stern clapped his hands with a smile. Six championships in eight years, including four consecutive championships. This is naturally a night worth celebrating.

Before the game started, backstage studio host Al Trautwig invited Knicks general manager Glenn Field.

After Li You said these words, he raised his hands and applauded the fans.

With a smile and wave to the fans, D'Antoni came to the management, and everyone smiled and hugged him in greeting.

In the final analysis, it is because the game is ugly, there are too many free throws, the referee always blows the whistle, the offensive rhythm is too slow, and there are frequent strikes in one game.

In the center of the venue, there were 6 championship trophies, and the DJ’s loud introduction made the fans at the scene even more excited:
"With six championships in eight years, let's welcome the world champions, the New York Knicks!"

Although the excellent viewing pleasure keeps the ticket price high, New York fans still pay the price.

Courtside seats cost US$2.8, and the private rooms cost more than US$3. The price of tickets for the lower two floors has also risen to US$1500. The cheapest person who wants to join in the fun will have to spend US$200.

The on-site DJ briefly introduced the visiting team players, and when it was the home team's players' turn to appear, cheers could not be heard.

Not only was the live viewing experience poor, but the TV ratings were also poor.

The Pistons who recently came to Manhattan were ignored again.

"I hate losing as much as you do. The Knicks will continue to win. Thank you very much to the fans who came here tonight. This is the greatest support for us!"

"But it's far from over. The team has the best coaching staff in the league, the most caring management, and most importantly, we're still young."

However, no one would refuse to win. Trautwig also showed the expression he should have, smiling and blessing:
"When we witness the 8th championship flag, we also wish us good luck. It won't be long before another flag may be raised in the arena."

The shouts resounded through the arena again. Although the tickets were a bit expensive, the fans were still enthusiastic. Years of winning culture had completely changed the attributes of the fans.

This remark comes up almost every year, and Trautwig had been hearing it for several years when he became the host of Backstage Studio in 2000.

Unlike broadcasters who pursue neutrality, MSG's studio usually boasts wildly and angrily criticizes its opponents.

If you choose to drive to watch the game, the parking fee is not cheap, plus the consumption of snacks and peripherals, almost all the people who can come to the scene to support are rich and die-hard fans.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

Those who come to Madison Square Garden to watch the game spend a lot of money, and the ticket prices for the opening game and the Christmas game after winning the championship will increase accordingly.

D'Antoni took the lead. Although four trophies do not belong to him, Mustache is very confident. He feels that he will soon surpass Van Gundy.

This is the reason why "the quality of the stars is not enough" is frequently mentioned. If personal strength is not good enough, the only way to strengthen the players is through rules.

Rasheed Wallace was full of fighting spirit. When he heard the coach's words, he immediately shouted to his teammates.

After losing in the finals many times, Lakers fans have long been impatient. The most obvious characteristic is that they no longer eat cake. Only the year when they won the championship was better.
Seeing the special ring next to the trophy and thinking of his experiences in the past few years, Fisher couldn't help but feel that "choice outweighs hard work."

As the players took the stage one by one, the cheers became louder and louder.

Tuesday's game is usually broadcast by TNT, and MSG is also ready.

After experiencing the defeat in the Olympics, Larry Brown's reputation has plummeted, and now he can only show off his old qualifications.
In the visiting team's locker room, Ben Wallace was a little unmotivated. His uncle has been hospitalized recently because of brain cancer. The situation is not optimistic. The family has been prepared for the worst.

The Nets are not the only team in such an embarrassing situation. The Bucks' attendance has also plummeted in recent years.

The two didn't talk much. After some bragging, Grunfield made his usual statement:
"The new season has just begun and we still have a lot of work to do. The Knicks are used to championships and we have found our own winning culture."

The Knicks don't have these problems. In the regular season, they play a more unrestrained style and the pace of the game is also ahead of most teams in the league.

"This is a revenge battle, we have become better and show the results of our training!"

"With fast-paced offense and aggressive defense, we accept any challenge and the team will still reach the finals this year!"

Li You hugged the enthusiastic cheerleading girls on both sides of the tunnel and hurried to the center of the field amidst the screams.

Larry Brown is getting older and currently has some physical problems. The pain in his hip joint prevented him from making a long speech. He looked around at the crowd and said simply:
"I'm sure you all enjoy winning in front of the New York fans."

Fisher, who was following his new teammates, felt the fanatical atmosphere and subconsciously compared the situation in Los Angeles.

"Six championships in 8 years, this is our era!"

In the player tunnel, Li You looked at the team logo surrounded by eight trophies on the wall. Compared with last year, the symmetrical design made him feel much more comfortable.
"Let's welcome the 6-foot-4 Point God from UCONN, the King of New York, Clay—Lee!"

The most important thing is that the Pistons are not topical. After continuing the starting lineup from last season, head coach Larry Brown did not say much in the interview.

When Ben was in a bad mood, Rasheed and Billups took on the responsibility of leaders in the locker room.

Madison Square Garden was already dark at this time, and the only sounds in the arena were the fans shouting happily. Everyone could see the championship flag that was covered above the arena.

Six championships, according to previous definitions, also have special meaning.

Despite adding some players in the offseason, the New York media is still not optimistic about this team.

This year's championship ring is simple and rough. The ring is golden as a whole, and the surface of the ring is like a big trophy.

There are three small trophies on the top, two small trophies on the bottom, and the five O'Brien Cups are combined into one large trophy, which overall means six championships.

This is the only one in the league. After all, 8 championships in 6 years. Looking back, only the earlier Celtics have achieved such an achievement.

The management and players all put on their rings and stood behind the trophy to take a group photo. When the team's eighth championship banner was unveiled, fireworks and light shows lit up the atmosphere.

On the visiting team's bench, Larry Brown was a little depressed when he saw such a scene. He felt uncomfortable being ignored by his opponent.

Tonight's game was more like a happy party. Many fans were already cheering for themselves before the game even started.

The two teams are also old rivals. After the game started, Grant Hill sat on the bench in formal attire.

When the director showed the camera, Hill also raised his left hand and showed off his new ring. Although this season is likely to be canceled, he was in a very good mood tonight.

Contrary to fans' expectations, the Knicks were whistled several times in the first few rounds.

Seeing Li You sending Billups to the free throw line, Doug Collins couldn't help laughing out loud in the TNT commentary box:

"I know many sports commentators think the new rules will strengthen perimeter stars, but everyone ignores the restrictions on the defensive end."

"The Knicks obviously need to control their defensive actions, which will reduce their defensive intensity, and for other teams, that is the most important thing."

Although Kevin Harlan on the side felt that this statement was reasonable, he still added:
"Perhaps the new rules will indeed change the Knicks' defense, but Lee will be harder to contain and dribble more calmly, which may improve his offensive efficiency."

Billups, who made two free throws, couldn't help but pump his fist in celebration. In the first few rounds, the Pistons quickly got into the game.

Hamilton and Collis Williams both scored.

"Let's go Knicks!."

The continuous fouls also made the New York fans at the scene a little angry, and the cheers became a little louder.

After the start of the game, his teammates continued to hit the ball, but it did not affect Li You. After receiving the ball in advance, he accelerated across the half court.

Billups did not defend as fiercely as last season. While sliding quickly, he loudly reminded his teammates to pay attention to switching defenses.

The Pistons started with man-to-man defense, and obviously Larry Brown also saw the performance of the Knicks in the preseason.

It is still a "V-shaped" attack. Li You is close to the left wing, and Lagar Bell and Artest are already in place in the left and right corners.

As Gasol raised the screen at the left elbow area, Li You dribbled the ball behind his back, switched to his right hand and squeezed past his teammates.

Billups no longer pulled the defense as before, and Billups, who failed to squeeze through the screen immediately, immediately lost his defensive position.

Fortunately, Ben was well prepared. Although he was not in a high mood after the start, he was still focused on the defensive end. He immediately slid to the left and defended in front of Li You early.

At the same time, Gasol and Kurt Thomas both went down at the same time.

After Billups changed defense, he mainly cut off the passing route, and also asked Hamilton to shrink the defense.

The solid screen brought Li You to the free throw line quickly. When Gasol was about to squeeze into the paint area, Li You, who was observing the defense, suddenly threw the ball behind his back.

Laga Bell, who moved from the left corner to the top line, didn't make many adjustments after receiving the pass, and quickly made a jump shot from the open position!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net.

Gasol blocked Billups and Hamilton with his body.

This kind of cover made Larry Brown on the sidelines extremely angry, and he immediately complained loudly to the linesman:
"Illegal cover! This is not the first time!"

The referee didn't say anything. There were gains and losses, and he had to make up for it.
Billups saw the head coach waving his hand, indicating that he should keep the rhythm and continue rushing in. After passing the half court, he was not in a hurry to release the ball. At the top of the arc, he protected the ball sideways and waited for his teammates to move.

Quickly slipping across the baseline from left to right, with the help of Rasheed's cover near the baseline on the right, Hamilton accelerated and bounced out to the right block.

When receiving the pass, while Laga Bell was chasing him, he put the ball with his left hand to lean against the defense, and Hamilton went straight to the basket.

Attracting Gasol to help defend, Hamilton gave the ball to Ben at the bottom left of the basket.

The latter caught the ball and wanted to dunk directly, but Gasol adjusted his center of gravity quickly and followed the jump while raising his hands high.

Due to interference, Ben's dunk finally hit the back edge of the basket. The basketball bounced high, and Kurt Thomas, who was under the basket, pushed the ball out of the paint area.

The moment Li You caught the ball near the free throw line, cheers erupted in the stadium.

Billups did not choose to foul, but retreated early in an attempt to establish a defensive position in advance.

It's just that this kind of defense gave Li You a huge space to accelerate. After crossing the half court with the ball in his right hand, he was close to the three-point line in the blink of an eye.

Billups, who was still retreating at the top of the arc, tried to step forward to prevent interference. Li You suddenly in and out while moving, swaying left and right, actively exerting force, and crashed into his opponent.

The decelerating Billups was immediately knocked back at the moment of body collision, staggering down, and could only watch Li You break through to the basket easily.

Taking three long strides, Li You grabbed the ball with his right hand and dunked with one arm!
"The Knicks are gradually finding the feeling of the game. This kind of quick counterattack that relies on personal ability is difficult to defend. Lee's finishing ability is even better than that of the big man!"

When Doug Collins saw this scene, he couldn't help but start blowing X.

Kevin Harlan noticed that Billups had given the ball to Rasheed in the low post on the left again. The latter turned over and made a jumper, and immediately spoke faster and said:
“This is a great opportunity for the Knicks!”

After grabbing the rebound, Gasol immediately threw the ball to Li You outside the three-point line.

After receiving the ball, he continued to accelerate along the left sideline. The Knicks big man trailed behind, and the wing followed suit and accelerated across the half court.

The Pistons retreated quickly, and Ben and Rasheed returned to the paint area early.

Observing his opponent's position around the paint area, Li You, who accelerated with the ball in his left hand, decelerated and then suddenly sent the ball forward. Billups instinctively slid to the right and back, Li You quickly pulled the ball with his right hand, and at the moment of a sudden stop at the three-point line, the basketball returned to the right.

Billups readjusted his center of gravity and saw Li You sending the ball forward with his right hand again. When he wanted to move to defend, the basketball disappeared from him.

After adjusting his steps, Li You pulled the ball back with his left hand again. Amid the exclamations of the fans, Li You lowered his center of gravity and directly connected the ball.

Billups was stuck inside the three-point line and watched as Li You made a jump shot from the left wing!
"OMG! ClayGod!"

"Unbelievable! He got it!"

After two consecutive acrobatic pulls, Kevin Harlan screamed involuntarily when he saw the basketball falling into the basket.

Li You raised his arm and held up three fingers, slowly walked back to defend, and continued dribbling, which indeed allowed him to find his shooting touch faster.

At 6:8, it only took a short time to go from hitting the iron after the opening to continuously counterattacking to overtake the score.

Doug Collins saw that Gasol never crossed the center line and knew this was a regular Knicks tactic.

It's hard for him to evaluate this blind-throwing offensive option.
The offensive rhythms of the two sides were completely different. Billups, who received instructions from the head coach, still did not speed up. After halftime, he gave the ball to Rashid on the left elbow.

Seeing the opponent receiving the ball, everyone in the Knicks team knew that it must be Hamilton stepping forward to receive the ball, using a hand-off tactic.

Compared with last year's Eastern Conference finals, there was no change in the offensive routine. As Hamilton stayed on the baseline and then came to the upper line to pass the ball, Rashid immediately bounced out after completing the pass.

With Laga Bell chasing after him hard, Hamilton failed to get rid of the defense. He broke through smoothly and stopped again, turned around and switched to his left hand.

Wallace, who was outside the ball, once again moved forward to fake a cover and then accelerated down the line.

In a partial 2-on-2, Kurt Thomas followed up the defense in time. After receiving the ball in the middle, Rasheed knocked away the defense and completed the throw in the paint area.

"state!"

The silky cooperation did not translate into points. Seeing that the rebound was collected by Gasol again, the Pistons could only retreat quickly.

Accelerating along the left sideline again, Li You rushed across the half court after receiving the ball. He observed that the retreating Pistons were positioned around the paint area again, and suddenly sent a cross pass while traveling.

Artest, who accelerated along the right sideline and came to the right wing, caught the ball and feinted with the ball. Williams didn't step forward to defend, and just pulled it out from outside the three-point line!
"Whoa!" The three-pointer hit the net.

At 6:11, in the blink of an eye, the score difference reached 5 points, and Larry Brown crossed his arms and began to frown.

Billups, who received the ball from the baseline this time, still handed over the ball immediately after halftime.

In the right elbow area, Ben handed the ball back to Billups, who released the ball with his right hand and broke through smoothly.

Cutting in from the right wing, Billups tried to get rid of Li You, but the quality of the screen on the line was average, allowing Li You to easily chase to his side and block the breakthrough route.

Despite his efforts to accelerate, Billups was still unable to squeeze through the defense in the end. He made an emergency stop in the blocking area and took the initiative to exert force. After physical confrontation, he stepped back and shot a drift jumper.

The basketball hit the basket again. Seeing Li You twist and collect the rebound, Larry Brown on the sidelines couldn't help but yell, reminding the players to take position in time.

The Knicks' wing began to accelerate along the sideline. Noticing that the Pistons had completed their matchup, Li You simply slowed down his advance.

Gasol came to the left wing and stopped, completing the high pick-and-roll immediately.

Quickly circling the ball behind his back, Li You squeezed past his teammates. The strong screen forced Billups to loudly remind his teammates.

Previously, he hit consecutive shots, which forced Ben to improve his defensive position. While he was still moving laterally, Li You, who switched to his left hand, suddenly dropped his shoulders and accelerated.

He instinctively pulled and pulled, but the referee immediately blew the whistle. Ben Wallace helplessly spread his hands, indicating that he had no extra actions.

Without waiting for everyone in the Pistons to respond to each other, Li You came to the sideline and immediately sent the ball to Gasol outside the three-point line.

Li You, who returned to the court, first moved sideways to the upper line, and then suddenly accelerated and ran back.

Near the left sideline, still some distance from the three-point line, Gasol sent a pass, and Li You caught the ball and threw it!
Billups, who was briefly delayed, could only stop and turn his head to look at the frame. Ben also turned his head back, and soon the cheers of the fans could be heard in their ears.

"Wow!"

The three-pointer hit the net again. Li You twisted his shoulders on the sideline. For a while, the cheers couldn't stop.

At 6:14, on the Pistons bench, Campbell and the atmosphere team looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

Larry Brown requested a timeout. This was not the game he expected. There was a problem with the game plan formulated by the coaching staff.

D'Antoni clapped his hands repeatedly on the sidelines. Although the new rules have reduced the Knicks' defensive intensity, they also prevent opponents from pouncing on Li You.

As long as the quality of the cover is high enough, the shot will be easier than last season.

On the Knicks bench, Li You high-fived everyone one by one. Kevin Harlan looked at the completely different atmospheres of the two teams and immediately joked:
"Perhaps this is the game that fans are looking forward to. Scoring is always more beautiful than defense!"

Doug Collins realized that the Pistons might not be able to keep up with the ball in response, and he immediately said:
"Offense is sometimes the best defense. It seems that the Knicks have also made adjustments in the new season."

No matter what game plan the Pistons made before the game, Billups gradually began to speed up as the point difference approached double digits.

In the first round after the timeout, Hamilton used the screen to make a drift jumper in the right block.

Looking back, the big screen after the pick-and-roll was launched, allowing Li You to easily find Gasol on the fake screen. The latter caught the ball in the paint and responded with a one-handed dunk!
Billups slightly accelerated the offensive rhythm, using Ben's high-quality cover to attract Gasol with a breakthrough from the left wing.

A precise ground pass allowed Ben to complete a two-handed dunk under the basket.

Quickly serving the baseline ball and not waiting for halftime to pass, Li You found Kurt Thomas who was desperately rushing through halftime.

After the latter caught the ball, he made a fast break layup before everyone else on the Pistons!

After turning back and running, the Pistons couldn't help but speed up the offensive rhythm. In the end, Hamilton caught the ball in the left block and made a jump shot.
Billups had to commit a tactical foul to stop Li You who collected the long rebound.

It was rare to fall into a positional battle attack. As a result, Kurt Thomas' high-quality screen on the right wing allowed Li You to go straight to the basket, approach the paint area, lean out and pick the basket to score 2 points!
Rashid, who was switching defense, stood helplessly under the basket with his hands on his hips. Li You stole a step while walking, catching him a little off guard:

"Fake!"

He yelled and smashed the ball onto the basket in frustration. Rashid had just vented his emotions when the bottom line referee immediately gave him a T.

"Hey! I didn't do anything!"

Rashid shouted at the referee at the top of his lungs. He was very dissatisfied with the penalty and rushed forward to try to explain his behavior.

Fortunately, everyone on the Pistons reacted quickly enough and stepped forward to hug their teammates.

While his opponent was still arguing with the referee, Li You was already standing on the free throw line:
"Relax, man! The game will be over soon!"

Rashid stopped talking and stared at Li You with wide eyes.

This trick sometimes works well on the basketball court, but as Li Youjia made a free throw, the fans behind the basket happily shouted:
"Ball don't lie!"

At 10:21, after running for a few rounds, the score difference reached 11 points without realizing it.

The jumping fans still stimulated everyone on the Pistons. Rasheed took the lead in the charge and attacked the inside to get a free throw.

After standing on the free throw line for several rounds, D'Antoni simply rotated in advance.

The introduction of Stoudemire and Prince completely changed the rhythm of the game.

Every time Billups and Hamilton hit a jump shot, Li You launches a transition attack.

When the Pistons entered extra penalty mode, there were 3 minutes and 42 seconds left in the first quarter.

After a simple pick-and-roll, Li You attracted Daben's defense at the free throw line and accurately sent a through ball.

Stoudemire, who was moving quickly, ignored Rashid who was assisting him in defending the basket, grabbed the ball with his left hand, and smashed the ball into the basket against the defense!

"what!"

Looking at Stoudemire roaring loudly, Rashid stepped forward and pushed him angrily.

Before the two sides could get entangled, the referee squeezed in between the two and gave another verbal warning.

Larry Brown on the sidelines kept reminding the players loudly, but unknowingly, the Pistons still lost the rhythm of the game.

Jump shots hit the ground running, breakthrough layups missed, and shots from outside the three-point line continued to hit the ground running.
Billups failed to complete the offense for three consecutive rounds.
Entering the extra penalty state, the opponent no longer committed a tactical foul. Li You, who picked up the long rebound, just dribbled across the center line and sent another long pass.

The slow lob pass just passed Rashid's fingertips.

In front of the left side of the basket, Stoudemire caught the ball and took a step forward. Taking advantage of Rasheed's retreating defensive position, he immediately jumped up, leaned to the lower right side of the basket, grabbed the ball with his left hand and turned back for a dunk!
The Pistons scored points under the basket, and Li You quickly accelerated. The two sides played faster and faster, and the game completely entered a state of mutual stabbing.

For the New York fans at the scene, this is the familiar rhythm of the game.

When attacking from outside the three-point line, the fans will cheer.

Going completely small, the Knicks' defensive mobility was excellent.

A rare opportunity to switch offense, Billups quickly rushed through the half court, but the Knicks had already returned to the paint area.

Li You retreated while calling his teammates to get in position. On the left flank, Hamilton, who was left open, received the pass from his teammate, but did not choose to take action.

Entering the position to attack, Rasheed attracted the help of Stoudemire. Ben caught the ball under the basket, but Prince cut the ball away.

"Wow!"

Amid cheers, Li You, who caught the ball, continued to accelerate along the right sideline.

Billups, who retreated from defense, stepped forward immediately and delayed, entangled to the right wing. Li You, who was holding the ball in his right hand, suddenly stopped and pulled his crotch back.

Billups, who had lost his defensive position, realized something was wrong, quickly adjusted his focus and quickly defended.

On the right wing, Li You didn't make any adjustments after joining the ball. He leaned back slightly and shot a steady jump shot from outside the defensive three-point line!

"squeak!"

The referee blew the whistle, but the basketball was not affected. It drew a beautiful arc and accurately fell into the basket.

Li You, who was knocked down, slid along the road and finally lay motionless on the floor in a "big character" shape.

The atmosphere was ignited again. Billups, who was pulled up by his teammates, felt that it was outrageous. He subconsciously looked at the coach, only to find that Larry Brown had returned to his seat.
Doug Collins watched Li You standing on the free throw line surrounded by the Knicks and subconsciously commented:

"This is really a crazy shot! Compared with his rookie season, Lee's jump shot has changed a lot."

"It should be said that he still retains his previous shooting habits. He pursues speed when making open jump shots. Shooting with the ball is another way to exert force."

Kevin Harlan nodded. He also felt it was outrageous and couldn't help but ask:
"Two shooting methods, free switching, but maintaining a very high shooting rate. How did Li do it?"

"Maybe only God knows!"

In the last two minutes of the first quarter, players from both teams ran wildly. It was not until the end of the first quarter that everyone in the Pistons realized that they seemed to have lost a lot of points.
At 22:38, the New York fans at the scene began to celebrate the victory in advance.

8中6，三分线外5中3，罚球4中4，19分3篮板5助攻。

Li You, who played the entire first quarter, scored half of the team's points, and allowed his opponent Billups to make 5 of 1, scoring only 4 points.
David Stern, who was sitting behind the basket, looked at James Dolan next to him and smiled from ear to ear. While a smile appeared on his face, he was also thinking secretly in his heart:

"The new rules seem to need to be revised."

(End of this chapter)