Allen Iverson's first playoff performance was disappointing, and the Philadelphia media were somewhat disappointed.
Iverson gave his all in the game, but everyone could see that head coach Larry Brown was not satisfied with the 76ers' play.
The 76ers' performance in the third quarter, with a lot of ball possession on the outside, simple breakthroughs and passes, and low-level mistakes, made the coaching staff request timeouts continuously.
The score difference was widened.
In the fourth quarter, Iverson continued to play and had a good fight with Sprewell.
On the NBC commentary stand, the game lost suspense too early.
Bob Costas and Doug Collins watched the game but turned the topic to the selection of awards.
Bob Costas took advantage of the timeout to praise Tim Duncan again:
"Tim Duncan led the team to a winning streak at the end of the season."
"It's a pity that the Spurs' performance was average at the beginning of the season, otherwise he would have a good chance of winning the MVP this season!"
Doug Collins naturally understood what his partner meant and followed suit:
"Point guards and power forwards have different responsibilities on the court. Lee can drive the Knicks' offense and also take possession of the ball when the team has difficulty scoring."
"Tim Duncan has an impact on both offense and defense, but don't forget that he also has David Robinson by his side, and the Spurs have built a system for him."
Due to the shortened season, the NBA will soon announce the winners of various awards.
Bob Costas continued on this topic:
"If you were to vote, which player would you choose? Shaq has played really well this year as well."
Doug Collins did not forget that he was in New York, and immediately replied with a smile:
"I will still vote for Lee. The Knicks have the best record in the league, and Lee's personal data is impeccable."
"Of course, this is just my personal opinion, and there will definitely be people who make different choices!"
With no hope of catching up, Iverson gave up the game completely at the last moment.
He looked at Larry Brown's serious expression and returned to his seat in frustration.
At Madison Square Garden, New York fans had already begun celebrating the victory of the game, and they did not forget to cheer for the atmosphere group at the last moment.
Doug Collins looked at the technical statistics and praised Iverson's performance:
"This is the first playoff game in his career, and Iverson is doing very well!"
"30 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 5 turnovers. Philadelphia fans need to remain patient. I believe Iverson will eventually realize his talent."
12 of 29, 2 of 7 from beyond the three-point line, 4 of 7 free throws, a hit rate of just over 40%.
Bob Costas didn't say much, but followed up with a compliment:
"Believe in the process, rookies also need time to grow, and Lee also lost in his first season."
As the game time ran out, the final score was fixed at 88:102, and the Knicks easily defeated the 76ers.
In the fourth quarter of the game, Lee, who had been resting on the bench, stood up and fist-bumped with the atmosphere team who were leaving the court.
It was no different from the regular season, the fans were still shouting his name loudly.
Lee finally waved to everyone, then walked quickly towards the player tunnel with a smile on his face.
The New York media was very satisfied with the Knicks' performance.
Although Sprewell was a bit stubborn, he also locked up Larry Hughes!
The second lineup even had a good fight with the 76ers' main players, and they couldn't ask for more.
After Jeff Van Gundy returned to the locker room, he found that everyone was still not nervous, as if it was just a normal regular season game.
After the game, everyone was chatting and gossiping.
The Knicks staff quietly reminded Lee who was about to sit down:
"Lee, during the press conference, there may be reporters asking questions about other players. There's no need to be polite. As you know, the MVP selection has already begun."
"I understand, thanks, man!"
Lee smiled and patted the other person's shoulder.
Even if he played well, he could forget about winning the unanimous MVP award due to the shortened season.
There will definitely be media that choose Tim Duncan, O'Neal, Karl Malone, and Alonzo Mourning, after all, everyone is good at Excel.
If Lee wants to win the award, he has to shout loudly at this time to show his presence and express absolute confidence.
Ewing noticed that the Knicks only had one person present at the press conference in order to build momentum for Clay Lee, and he suddenly felt that he was out of date.
6 of 13 shots, 5 of 6 free throws, 17 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks and 1 turnover.
Looking at the technical statistics, the gorilla felt that he performed well.
While Lee was still communicating with the staff, Larry Johnson on the side shouted:
"The one with the best record in the league should get the MVP. This has always been the selection criterion!"
When Oakley heard this, he seemed to think of the past two years and immediately followed with a low quip:
"Karl Malone's experience shows that sometimes the record doesn't have much effect, and the media's selection criteria are just their personal preferences!"
The atmosphere group also started chattering about this year's MVP.
The records were not much different.
Theoretically, the latter few players did have a chance to make a comeback.
He played for 26 minutes, made 6 of 12 shots, 1 of 3 three-pointers, 7 of 7 free throws, 20 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, and 1 turnover.
Lee, who clocked in for the third quarter, was still efficient, but when he came to the post-match press conference, the media in the audience were not paying attention to his performance tonight.
As the broadcaster, the NBC reporter asked the question that the media was most concerned about:
"Lee, can you tell us what you think about the MVP? If you win this award, you will become the youngest winner in NBA history!"
Seeing that everyone in the audience was staring at him, Lee, who had been prepared, answered confidently:
"The Knicks have the best record in the league and we are having a perfect season!"
"With the help of my teammates and coaching staff, I also played well."
"Maybe I'm still a little bit lacking compared to previous winners, but in this special season, I'm the better player!"
"I'm ready. Say hello to Shaq for me. I'll share my free throw tips during training camp during the offseason."
Many reporters laughed when they heard Lee mention O'Neal.
After the regular season ended, the Shark, who lost his scoring title, went all out.
During the two days of rest, he kept complaining to the media that Lee and Iverson were just stat-gappers.
Compared to the low-key Tim Duncan, O'Neal, who played with historical efficiency, has been extremely high-profile these days.
The Shark still did not give up the MVP, and continued to tout himself, even confidently declaring to major sports media:
"I know that many young fans have never seen Chamberlain play. There is no need to look for those ancient videos. Just watch the Lakers' games!"
When these words were spoken, the Los Angeles media was ecstatic, and for two consecutive days, the front page headlines were all about O'Neal's news.
Playing the same center position and also having a historical PER, O'Neal's words did attract more attention from fans.
During the entire press conference, no one paid attention to the 76ers' loss.
The overly dense schedule and fast-paced awards ceremony made everyone focus on Lee.
On the morning of May 9, the New York media continued to cheer for Lee!
While praising Lee, they also did not forget to mock the arrogant O'Neal:
"Wilt Chamberlain won two championships!"
The NBA seems to have turned into a large-scale basketball reality show in recent days, with the media in New York and Los Angeles having the loudest voices and taking the lead in fanning the flames.
In the game that was played simultaneously last night, the Magic lost to the Hawks 88:75.
Darrell Armstrong, who just won the Most Improved Player (MIP) award at home, was very depressed.
As an undrafted player and a small guard, it was rare for him to win an award, but no one paid attention to it.
Nike could only shake their heads when they saw Anfernee Hardaway's performance.
Even the old coach Chuck Daly invited by the Magic didn't seem to have much effect.
With regard to the signature sneakers at the end of the year, Lee's publicity resources will most likely surpass those of Nike.
On the evening of May 9th, at his home court, Alonzo Mourning accepted the DPOY trophy with a smile, and the Heat fans present cheered loudly.
This season, Olajuwon and Ewing both began to decline, but Mourning played at his peak.
After Olajuwon, David Robinson and Mutombo, Mourning became the fourth player in NBA history to win both DPOY and blocked shots!
The Heat were only happy for less than three hours before they were blown away by the Bucks.
88:75, Alonzo Mourning reached his own milestone.
Playing in the playoffs for the first time in his career, Ray Allen made 9 of 16 shots, 2 of 6 from beyond the three-point line, and 2 of 3 free throws, scoring a game-high 22 points.
Lee also followed the game in his apartment in Manhattan and sent a blessing text message immediately after the game.
After adding the alien Cassell, the Bucks officially started the three musketeers mode.
Most sports media were more focused on the game between the Rockets and the Lakers that night.
The Rockets, who added Scottie Pippen and once again started the old Big Three mode, lost again.
With 5 seconds left in the game, Kobe Bryant stepped onto the free throw line and made both free throws, helping the Lakers reverse the score.
In the final moments, Cuttino Mobley's layup was blocked by O'Neal again, and the Lakers successfully defended their home court!
100:101, the Lakers successfully defeated the Rockets who were highly expected.
The real thigh Charles Barkley made 11 of 19 shots and scored a team-high 25 points;
Olajuwon made 10 of 13 shots and also scored 22 points.
The Lakers scored from multiple points. Glen Rice made 12 of 17 shots and scored a game-high 29 points.
Although O'Neal made 5 of 14 free throws, he made 11 of 23 shots in the game and also got a double-double of 27 points and 11 rebounds.
Fisher made 4 three-pointers and contributed 20 points, and Kobe made 5 of 9 shots and also scored 17 points.
The Lakers' performance made the Los Angeles media excited and they continued to cheer for O'Neal!
On the morning of May 10, the NBA announced this season's Sixth Man of the Year (SMOY):
Latrell Sprewell of the Knicks won the award without any suspense.
He played in 46 regular season games, averaging 28.8 minutes per game;
Averaged 16.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.1 turnovers per game;
He averaged 14.0 shots per game, with a shooting percentage of 41.5%, and 5.2 free throws per game, with a free throw percentage of 81.2%.
Although Sprewell's three-point shooting has been poor this season, as the team's sixth man, he has done an excellent job of scoring.
After the morning video class ended, the Knicks team congratulated Sprewell for winning the award.
The "madman" smiled, but he was not in a good mood.
He did not want to be a substitute at all.
Starks could accept the role of the sixth man mainly because of his declining physical condition.
Sprewell believes that he is still at his peak and playing as a substitute is just a compromise.
He has already contacted his agent quietly and is ready to leave New York .
Lee naturally saw through Sprewell's thoughts, and the old guys also knew that this man was destined to be just a passer-by who had never integrated into the locker room.
Jeff Van Gundy also understands Sprewell's ideas, but as a head coach, he will not destroy the team's existing chemistry.
After the video class ended and the blessings were given, the bald young commander clapped his hands and said:
"Don't be careless in tonight's game. We need to get the match point at home."
"The opponent will definitely slow down the offensive tempo. We should be patient in attacking and not give the opponent any chances."
After hearing the coach's instructions, everyone nodded and prepared to have lunch.
Assistant coach Thibodeau was already used to such scenes.
After the players left, he said with some concern:
"Sprewell doesn't seem to plan to continue playing for the team. To be honest, it will be difficult for us to find such an excellent sixth man again."
Assistant coach Don Chaney shook his head helplessly.
This is a personal choice for the players, and it is useless to draw pie in the sky:
"It's a luxury to expect an All-Star player in excellent physical condition to serve as a substitute. The fact that there was no problem in the locker room has exceeded my expectations."
Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Jeff Van Gundy felt a little embarrassed.
He couldn't talk to General Manager Grunfeld, so he could only say with a serious face:
"We have to focus on the playoffs now and don't need to think about the offseason."
"If we win the championship, maybe the other team will change their mind. All we have to do is focus on tonight's game!"
The coaching staff looked at each other, and finally no one said anything more.
That night, Allen Iverson watched Sprewell hoist the trophy at Madison Square Garden.
"oh!!"
The cheers in the arena were particularly harsh for the 76ers.
When I came to New York, besides being bombarded by Lee's advertisements, the rest was watching the Knicks win awards.
Iverson, who was in a bad mood, warmed up quietly after completing the entrance ceremony.
Larry Brown was furious after Game 1.
The 76ers' starting five were in a bad mood tonight after being scolded by the famous coach.
After a big win over their opponents in Game 1, New York fans were completely inflated and did not take the 76ers seriously at all.
But after the game started, as the opponent delayed and tried to slow down, Ewing and Oakley missed shots one after another, the cheers at the scene became much smaller.
7:7, with 6 minutes and 30 seconds left in the first quarter, Jeff Van Gundy reluctantly requested a timeout.
Ewing returned to the bench and drank some water in frustration.
There were many open opportunities, but he just couldn't make the throw.
"Patience, stay patient, pay attention to the backcourt rebounds, Lee, you come to get the rebounds and speed up the offensive tempo!"
The bald young coach did not take the tactical board, but directly instructed Ewing and Oakley to block the board.
Larry Brown chose to play for 24 seconds, suppressing the tempo of the game, and finally letting Iverson handle the ball and complete the offense.
Once the shot missed, the 76ers fought hard on the spot.
The opponents missed the shot repeatedly, but the Knicks failed to make a single conversion.
Lee nodded. In fact, he was more patient than the bald young coach imagined.
As long as the opponent couldn't score, there was no problem in just continuing to waste time.
"Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks! Let's go Knicks!"
It was difficult to score in the first half of the game.
After the timeout, the DJ on the scene led the fans to continue cheering.
The ball was kicked out of the baseline, Eric Snow continued to lead the defense, and Lee's advancement speed was not fast, and he almost crossed the half court in 8 seconds.
In the first half of the game, Ewing missed the ball continuously.
This time, Lee did not call for a pick-and-roll and came to the left wing.
The Knicks players began to move and clear one side.
Ewing stayed near the baseline on the right side, ready to score at any time, while Alan Houston lay in ambush in the right corner, observing the opponent's defensive movements.
Oakley moved to the elbow area on the right side of the free throw line, and Larry Johnson simply stood on the right wing, with both of them acting as receiving points.
Eric Snow came to the left wing and glanced back, only to find that
the three-point line was empty behind him.
Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, leaned sideways to protect the ball, paused slightly, suddenly pulled the ball back, then suddenly lowered his body center of gravity and made a simple and rough shoulder breakthrough.
The 76ers had just finished their defensive work when they saw Lee going straight to the basket despite the defense.
Matt Geiger was about to move to assist in defense and break through to the lower left side of the basket near the paint area.
Lee jumped to push Eric Snow away and shot the ball to the backboard with his left hand.
"Bang!"
The basketball hit the backboard and went into the basket, and Madison Square Garden erupted in huge cheers again.
Seeing the shaking head retreating to Lee, Iverson, who was paddling in the corner, wanted to show himself.
However, just after receiving the ball, Larry Brown on the sidelines kept reminding him loudly:
"Hold on! Keep the rhythm!"
In desperation, Iverson passed the ball to Eric Snow, and the 76ers played tactical cooperation honestly.
The big man received the ball in the elbow area, handed it off to the goalkeeper, and quickly passed the ball after setting a screen on the outside.
Iverson broke through with the ball at 45 degrees on the right side.
Faced with help defense, Iverson transferred the ball to the left corner.
After George Lynch received the ball, there was no shooting opportunity and he continued to transfer the ball to the top line.
After Iverson cut in twice repeatedly and continuously compressed the Knicks' defense, Eric Snow on the outside was left open by Lee, and got a chance for an open shot after receiving the ball on the right wing.
With 24 seconds left on the shot clock, Eric Snow made some adjustments and finally missed the shot from an open position.
The basketball hit the back edge of the basket and bounced high.
Ewing and Oakley trapped the two big men of the 76ers under the basket, and Larry Johnson was also pulling George Lynch.
Lee retreated to the basket and grabbed the rebound.
Then, he accelerated with the ball in his right hand.
Alan Houston ran to the half court as soon as possible, accelerated to the left wing, and created offensive space.
The 76ers' big man's retreat was delayed and he could only watch Eric Snow chase after Lee.
The two of them reached the top of the arc in the blink of an eye.
Standing on the three-point line, Lee did not slow down, but continued to accelerate and break through against the opponent's defense.
Rushing into the paint area, Lee took three steps forward and quickly changed hands behind his back.
After switching to his left hand, he grabbed the ball with one hand, leaned against the opponent, and after the mid-air confrontation, he avoided the block and quickly made a layup!
"Oh!!"
The basketball went into the basket, and the New York fans at the scene shouted happily.
The fancy transition offense once again ignited the atmosphere of the stadium.
On the NBC commentary stand, Doug Collins saw Lee score 4 points and immediately praised:
"Coach Van Gundy adjusted the game strategy in time, and it seems to be effective. Lee's finishing efficiency at the basket has improved a lot this season!"
At 7:11, the Knicks took a 4-point lead.
Seeing Larry Brown continue to signal to slow down the pace, Bob Costas said helplessly:
"The 76ers should probably consider speeding up, as the Knicks have clearly adapted to their style of play."
After the opening, Iverson hit a three pointer, and then he never made a jump shot after that.
With the same offensive rhythm, the 76ers almost consumed another 24 seconds.
When Iverson received the ball on the left wing, Alan Houston in front of him left him one step behind.
Facing such defense, he made another jump shot!
"Clang!"
The long rebound bounced into Alan Houston's arms, and Iverson immediately stepped forward to grab the ball.
The Knicks failed to turn the offense around this time.
When Lee received the ball, dribbled across half court and came to the top of the arc, he noticed that the opponent had already completed his defensive position and immediately slowed down as he approached the three-point line.
Taking advantage of Eric Snow's delay in taking the shot, Lee quickly dribbled the ball between his legs.
The moment he switched to his left hand, he immediately made a big move behind his back, scooped up the ball with his right hand, and accelerated the breakthrough.
Having lost half a body position, Eric Snow pulled and tugged, trying to slow down Lee.
The two men entangled as they rushed across the free throw line, and Lee suddenly leaned on the opponent to complete a gyro step turn.
In an instant, he came to the paint area right in front of the basket.
Matt Geiger, who was near the left baseline, subconsciously moved forward to help defend, but found that the ball in Lee's hand was gone.
Matt Geiger had no time to turn around and defend, and after receiving Lee's hidden breakthrough pass, Ewing made a powerful one-handed slam dunk at the lower left side of the basket!
"ah!!"
The gorilla who completed the dunk stood under the basket and screamed, venting his depressed emotions.
Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines kept clapping, gave Lee a thumbs up, and sat back on the bench with a smile.
Seeing Lee raising his hands to stimulate the atmosphere, Iverson wanted to show off again, and then heard Larry Brown's loud reminder again.
Without personal attack, and with 24 seconds left, Iverson took the lead and broke through, attracting Ewing's help defense in the paint area, and immediately passed the ball to Matt Geiger at the bottom right of the basket.
The latter bent over to catch the ball, and when he was about to stand up and dunk, he was immediately blocked by Ewing!
"Oh!!"
Amid the cheers of New York fans, Ewing blocked the shot, the basketball bounced out, Alan Houston took control of the ball, and then passed it to Larry Johnson.
The latter received the ball, took two big steps and quickly passed the ball to Lee who was accelerating in the middle.
Eric Snow quickly retreated to defense, and George Lynch also returned to half court, creating a two-on-two situation in the frontcourt.
Near the top of the arc and the three-point line, Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, paused slightly, lowered his center of gravity, and pretended to break through.
While the opponent was sliding to the right rear, Lee immediately crossed his steps and pulled back.
After switching to his right hand, he paused again and looked up at the basket.
Eric Snow quickly jumped up to block the shot.
At the same time, George Lynch, who had returned to the right blocking area, was also attracted by Lee's shooting action.
The moment the opponent's defense was distracted, Lee immediately made a ground pass, and George Lynch, realizing something was wrong, hurried to intercept it.
The ball passed over George Lynch's fingertips, and Larry Johnson came to the lower right side of the basket.
After receiving the ball, he reversed and made a layup!
It was another transition offense, and on the bench, the Knicks atmosphere team followed and punched in celebration.
Noticing that the atmosphere had completely changed, Bob Costas in the commentary booth praised the team again:
"This is Lee's ability. He can see and pass the ball. All the Knicks players need to do is run to the position and they can score easily."
"Maybe some people question his defense, but as a No. 1, I think Lee has done well enough."
At 7:15, head coach Larry Brown looked serious and requested a timeout again.
Doug Collins saw that the seven 76ers players who walked to the bench were a little frustrated, and said bluntly:
"Many times, coaches should let players play freely. Coach Van Gundy did a better job in this regard!"
"This is not the rhythm of the game that Allen Iverson is good at. He should find his aggressiveness back."
After the timeout, Larry Brown, who had a strong desire for control, did not let go, and the 76ers continued to play their tactics in a rigid manner.
The pace of the game was slowed down again, but the Knicks' offense became simple and rough.
Alan Houston and Larry Johnson took turns to play back-to-back singles in the left and right blocking areas to help the team score points.
The 76ers attacked, and Iverson successfully let Matt Geiger score under the basket.
Looking back, Alan Houston again asked for the ball with his back to the basket in the right blocking area.
Iverson was blocking from behind and constantly defending in front of him.
Alan Houston took the opportunity to suddenly cut into the basket from the right wing, and Lee passed the ball to the upper right side of the basket.
Clay Lee's bold pass finally resulted in a wonderful goal!
Although it was not an alley-oop, Alan Houston jumped up and put the ball into the basket, and Madison Square Garden was completely boiling.
Ewing basically did not participate in much offense at this time, and Oakley, who had a poor shooting touch, began to focus on rebounding and defense, completing consecutive offenses, and the Knicks regained the rhythm of the game.
Alan Houston seemed to have found confidence in Iverson and took the initiative to ask for the ball in several attacks.
After this fake dribble, the ball forced its way to the basket.
The frustrated Iverson immediately chose to foul, sending Alan Houston directly to the free throw line.
Larry Brown was still signaling his players to keep the pace.
Noticing this, Lee, standing outside the three-point line, began to tease his old rival:
"Since when did you listen to the coach so much? Man, go for it!"
Iverson didn't even look at Lee, but left his head behind and went to the sidelines to receive instruction from Larry Brown.
Jeff Van Gundy took the opportunity to replace Ewing and Oakley who were in poor form, and Ben Wallace and Kurt Thomas came on the court.
The 76ers did not choose to make substitutions at this time and fell into a scoring drought.
The starters were all in a depressed mood.
Alan Houston missed the second free throw.
Matt Geiger was about to grab the rebound but was knocked off balance by Ben Wallace.
Grabbing the frontcourt rebound, Ben Wallace jumped again and put the ball into the basket.
"ah!"
He successfully made a three-pointer in one round, and the atmosphere group on the sidelines roared along with "Little Ben".
At 9:25, with 1 minute and 2 seconds left in the first quarter, Iverson could no longer hold back and simply ignored the coach's instructions.
Relying on his personal ability, Iverson helped the 76ers score points, and then quickly missed the shot, giving Lee another chance to counterattack.
As the first quarter was about to end, Lee grabbed a long rebound and quickly advanced to the right wing despite Iverson's defense.
Lee kept cutting the ball and approaching the three-point line.
He dribbled quickly behind his back, immediately making Iverson lose his defensive position.
He rushed towards Lee's left hand again, but Iverson's strong defensive aggressiveness made him lose his position again.
He dribbled the ball between his legs and the moment he switched to his right hand, Lee took a step back, completely created space for the shot, and quickly made a three-point jump shot!
"Swish!" The three-pointer went into the net.
With only 1 second left for the 76ers, an enraged Iverson took the ball from the baseline and threw it directly to half court, then glared and quickly returned to the bench.
11:28, looking at the score, the two people in the NBC commentary booth looked at each other in bewilderment.
"The 76ers played very well in the first half of the game, and the adjustments made by head coach Larry Brown worked."
"However, compared to the Knicks, the 76ers still lack talent and don't have many solutions when facing some strong individual attacks."
Doug Collins commented on the game tactfully, and Bob Costas on the side simply changed the subject:
"Sprewell doesn't seem to plan to continue playing in New York, the source is very reliable!"
Hearing the gossip, Doug Collins jokingly said:
"Being the sixth man on a championship team does affect your stats, but I don't think leaving New York is a good option!"
"Many times, the Knicks would choose to use Lee and Sprewell as a backcourt partner, plus Alan Houston, a three guard lineup, which could also create a good chemical reaction."
"Sprewell should be more patient as this is only his first season with the team."
Perhaps the agent released the news in advance, and New York fans who follow gossip news naturally know the "madman's" plan.
When the rotation lineup came on the court, scattered boos were heard in the stadium.
Some were directed at the visiting players, and some were directed at Sprewell who was preparing to run away.
The New York media is big-mouthed, and New York fans are inflated and arrogant.
Sprewell, who enjoyed special treatment when receiving the award tonight, felt that his choice was right!
Ewing was also booed by New York fans, but his treatment changed completely after winning the championship.
"We should talk to him. It's a bit too much to let his agent release the news before the offseason!"
In the morning, everyone was happily blessing the "madman", but in the afternoon, there was news of his leaving the team.
The gorilla couldn't hold back when he saw Sprewell starting to miss shots after he came on the court.
Oakley looked at the situation on the court and responded casually:
"As long as he plays hard on defense, that's enough, don't pay attention to the news."
Alan Houston was also whispering to Lee at this time:
"It seems like Sprewell really doesn't like his role on the team."
Lee looked at Jeff Van Gundy. The bald young coach seemed unaffected.
Then he thought about his relationship with General Manager Grunfeld.
He covered his mouth with a towel and responded in a low voice:
"No data, no big contract. This choice is not surprising!"
Before the game started, the atmosphere in the Knicks' locker room was a little weird.
Jeff Van Gundy was aware of it, but he could do nothing about it.
He could only devote himself to the game:
"Retreat! Everyone, retreat quickly!"
"."
Iverson did not choose to rest and continued to play, but he no longer played according to Larry Brown's requirements and returned to his previous offensive rhythm.
In positional offense, Iverson does not need a pick-and-roll, he just adjusts his steps after dribbling between his legs.
He swayed his body to the left, then changed direction drastically, switched to his right hand and pretended to break through, stopped suddenly at the free throw line, and Iverson made a jump shot!
Sprewell received the ball in the left blocking area, took a tentative step, released the ball with his left hand, broke through with his shoulder, and went straight to the basket, causing Larry Hughes to commit a hand foul.
The two main scorers in the bench lineup were of average efficiency, but the game was lively and the New York fans at the scene shouted with joy.
The 76ers resumed their previous offensive style.
Except for the lack of three-pointers, Iverson scored singles and broke through to pass the ball, helping the team score points continuously.
On the Knicks side, Sprewell didn't care about missing shots.
If he missed the shot at the basket, Ben Wallace would rush to steal the ball.
Chris Childs would also pass the ball to Kurt from mid-range.
For a while, the two sides were in a stalemate and kept scoring.
With a big lead, Jeff Van Gundy completely let go and almost let the bench lineup play the entire second quarter.
Before the end of the first half, the starting lineup was replaced and the players were active.
33:52, the score difference was close to 20 points, and the fans at the scene began to dance to the music.
Sprewell scored 10 points with 3 of 7 shots and 4 of 5 free throws in a single quarter, once again proving his scoring ability.
Jeff Van Gundy rubbed his eyebrows.
It was indeed difficult to find such a sixth man, but he quickly put the idea behind him.
He couldn't do anything about it.
In the first half of the game, Clay Lee played for less than 15 minutes, made 4 of 6 shots, 1 of 2 from beyond the three-point line, and 2 of 2 free throws, scoring 11 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists.
After looking at the technical statistics, Bob Costas could only briefly summarize the game:
"There's a big gap in strength between the two teams, which reminds me of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, when the Jazz beat the Kings 87:117!"
"Like the Kings, the 76ers, who lack playoff experience, failed to adapt to the intensity of the game."
Doug Collins thinks the 76ers' game strategy has some problems, but he won't blame Larry Brown at this time:
"After returning to their home court, the 76ers still have a chance. Philadelphia fans need to remain patient. The team needs their encouragement right now."
In the third quarter, when the score gap was not narrowed, Jeff Van Gundy began to try different lineup combinations.
The bald young coach's action immediately made Larry Brown feel humiliated.
The famous coach had a gloomy face.
In addition, Iverson did not play according to plan.
After requesting a timeout, he simply replaced the atmosphere group and no longer gave Iverson a chance to play.
The master and the apprentice had different ideas and there was no communication between them.
The 76ers' atmosphere group did not dare to say anything either.
Everyone could only watch the game time pass quickly.
In the end, the Knicks defeated their opponents 75:100 and successfully got the match point, with the score coming to 2:0.
Lee, who was substituted off the court early, smiled and shook hands with the 76ers team.
The Knicks will fly to Philadelphia for the next game.
Iverson is in a bad mood and did not forget to say something harsh:
"The series isn't over yet, I'll win the game when I get home!"
The two simply shook hands and Lee heard the other party's confident declaration, but did not say anything in response.
Instead, he smiled and responded:
"It's over, man! If you want to come to New York to watch the finals, remember to text me!"
Seeing Lee's smiling face and remembering the bombardment of advertisements in the hotel these days, Iverson turned and left.
When he arrived at the player tunnel, the New York fans on both sides were still spitting swear words, which immediately made Iverson curse inwardly:
"Fuck, shit New York."
...
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