NBA: The Basketball Miracle

On March 6, 2000, Shaq broke Lee's 50-point record for the season in a game against the Clippers.

Fans watching the game exclaimed in disbelief, and basketball commentators were stunned, calling it "true Wilt Chamberlain" like statistics!

In 45 minutes of play, Shaq scored 61 points, 23 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 turnovers on 24-of-35 shooting from the field and 13-of-22 from the free-throw line.

An enraged Shaq dominated the Clippers.

By refusing to provide tickets for Shaq's birthday, the Clippers successfully enraged Shaq, and were then crushed.

In the previous game against the Heat, Shaq's performance was mediocre, scoring 17 points on 5-of-17 shooting.

Although he caused PJ Brown to foul out in 19 minutes, there were still doubts.

However, after scoring 60+20 in a back-to-back game, basketball commentators once again chanted their previous slogan:

"This is Shaq's era!"

The strong and agile big man displayed dominance, which aligned more with everyone's understanding of basketball.

These statistics were so shocking, coupled with the Lakers entering a winning streak, that the Knicks' attention significantly decreased.

Throughout February, the Lakers achieved a record of 12 wins and 1 loss.

Shaq earned the Player of the Month award with an all-around stat line of 28.1 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 3.4 blocks, and 2.6 turnovers per game!

Averaging 39.9 minutes per game and shooting 57.4% from the field, all doubts about Shaq's stamina disappeared by March.

On the MVP leaderboard, Shaq firmly held the top spot.

His team's record and individual statistics were impeccable, and Phil Jackson had completely unleashed Shaq.

In contrast, the Knicks remained the same, giving up too many points in certain games.

After Jeff Van Gundy increased the rotation, the Rookies who received fixed playing time always showed fluctuating performances.

One game they might shoot 6-for-10, and the next game they would suddenly go 1-for-9.

Neither Ron Artest nor Lewis could consistently satisfy the coaching staff.

Even worse, Kukoc suffered an injury.

Although the Knicks still led the Eastern Conference, the Lakers had widened the gap in their record.

Regardless of his teammates' performance, Clay Lee became increasingly consistent.

The consistent performance of the core guard was also the main reason why the Knicks' record led the Eastern Conference.

If it were a "wild card" player, they would likely have been overtaken by now.

On March 12th, the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 80:101 at home!

Gregg Popovich, who proactively increased the pace, overestimated his team's backcourt's organizational ability.

Not every player can "see the court".

Point guards like Lee and Kidd are extremely rare in the league.

The calls for his dismissal grew louder.

In this game, Duncan played another 40 minutes, scoring a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds on 7-of-19 shooting.

The San Antonio Spurs were swept in the season series.

At the post-game press conference, Gregg Popovich uncharacteristically complained:

"Tonight the Knicks were indeed the better team. Our players executed the game plan perfectly."

"It's just that on a night like this, we just couldn't make shots!"

"."

The San Antonio Spurs attempted 83 shots but only made 32, with a shooting percentage of less than 40%.

From beyond the arc, they were 3-for-12, and their three-point production was even less than Lee's alone.

With a record of 40 wins and 23 losses, the San Antonio Spurs' record had been completely surpassed by the Lakers, and the San Antonio media felt that this year would be a bust.

Lee had just scored a double-double of 36 points and 11 assists in the game against the San Antonio Spurs.

The next day, Shaq exploded for 40 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists on 14-of-20 shooting in a game against the Denver Nuggets.

Even more interestingly, not long ago, Shaq had sarcastically mocked the Knicks, saying they would lose to the Washington Wizards.

On the night of the 16th, the Lakers' winning streak was indeed ended by the Washington Wizards.

Although Rod Strickland shot 3-for-14, he dished out 16 assists.

Richmond continued his efficient performance, scoring 32 points on 7-of-15 shooting and 15-of-16 from the free-throw line.

Facing this 35-year-old faded All-Star, the inexperienced Kobe ultimately fouled out.

Kobe only managed 7 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 6 turnovers on 2-of-10 shooting.

Shaq remained unstoppable, once again posting a double-double of 40 points and 12 rebounds on 15-of-25 shooting.

On the 17th, in a back-to-back game, a frustrated Shaq once again shot 15-of-24, scoring 35 points and 11 rebounds, leading the Lakers to a big victory over the Detroit Pistons!

On the 19th, the Lakers, continuing their road trip, arrived in New York.

After waiting for four months, the spectators finally saw the two teams face off.

Shaq was in excellent form, while Lee quietly scored 30+ points in five consecutive games.

When basketball commentators began to review the Knicks' recent performance, they were surprised to find that Lee's statistics had slightly improved after the All-Star Weekend.

However, compared to Shaq, Lee's scoring was too simple.

With 17 games to play in March, Lee had completely run out of fancy moves.

In 39 minutes of playing time, most of his points came from pull-up threes, driving to the basket, transition fast breaks, and free throws.

Even without the defensive three-second rule, Lee could still achieve a very high shooting percentage in the paint.

On the evening of the 19th, at Madison Square Garden, spectators bought expensive second-hand tickets just to watch the game live.

This nationally televised game attracted a lot of attention, and the first half of the game did not disappoint the fans.

In 21 minutes of play, Clay Lee scored 21 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal on 7-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line in the first half.

In 24 minutes of play, Shaq scored 24 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 turnover on 11-of-17 shooting and 2-of-3 from the free-throw line.

At halftime, the Lakers temporarily led by 2 points, 49:47.

The lead changed hands so many times that the New York fans were still loudly shouting during halftime.

At the NBC commentary table, Bob Costas looked at the box score and saw Kobe had only 7 points on 3-of-11 shooting, and could only comment simply:

"You can tell Kobe is trying hard to help the team tonight, but I think he needs to finish his offense closer to the basket."

Doug Collins felt the Lakers weren't playing aggressively enough.

Glen Rice was 1-for-5 in the first half, and among the role players, besides Robert Horry contributing two three-pointers for 7 points, everyone else was silent.

"This is the Knicks' style of play. If the Lakers choose to slow down, the defense they face will become more and more aggressive!"

"A.C. Green and Harper, the two veterans, failed to play their part. Lee looked comfortable against their defense."

"In the second half, the Knicks just need to hit those open three-pointers, and they can take the lead."

Thinking about how the Lakers' pick-and-roll defense in the first half relied entirely on guards chasing, Doug Collins couldn't help but shake his head.

During halftime, in the visiting team's locker room, Phil Jackson, as an old rival of the Knicks, understood New York's style of play very well.

Although many games now see aggressive defense limited by whistles, under tonight's officiating standard, to maintain the lead, they could only be tougher than their opponents:

"Aggressiveness! We need to get to the free-throw line, not float outside shooting jumpers!"

"The same goes for defense, fight over screens! Green, you need to hedge out, not just watch Lee change direction and get past your defense."

"Remember, I don't want to lose in New York!"

Ever since losing to the Knicks in '98, Phil Jackson had been somewhat triggered.

The destruction of his three-peat ruined his path to becoming a legendary coach.

In many games, as long as they were leading, Phil Jackson wouldn't say much at halftime, but tonight was an exception.

Rarely seeing their Head Coach somewhat angry, the Lakers players all responded in unison.

Kobe, who was guarding Lee in the first half, was a bit frustrated.

It was clear the Head Coach was just talking about him.

As Shaq's utility man, Kobe also wanted to drive to the basket, but the space was too small and that was Shaq's territory.

Shaq, who hadn't rested for a minute in the first half, was the one who wanted to win the most.

Before going back on court, he also spoke up to remind everyone:

"We need more offensive rebounds, don't let the opponents easily grab rebounds!"

Ben Wallace and Kurt Thomas had confused the Lakers during the rotation, losing several long rebounds.

After the second half began, the Knicks players didn't show much emotion.

They were quite used to being behind at halftime this season.

"Let's go Knicks!."

The New York fans in the arena were even more excited than the players.

As Lee received the ball on the baseline, a huge roar echoed through the Madison Square Garden.

Harper was responsible for defending Allan Houston tonight, while a young Kobe was responsible for guarding Lee.

As the Lakers' best perimeter player at fighting over screens, Kobe's on-ball defense was extremely aggressive.

With quick slides, Kobe applied physical pressure and occasionally attempted to strip the ball.

However, most of these defensive moves had little effect on Lee.

This time, caught off guard, Kobe's arm was slapped away by Lee's ball-handling hand, and he was also subtly pulled.

Using the momentum, Lee, with the ball in his left hand, suddenly accelerated, easily shaking off Kobe.

Out of position defensively, Kobe turned his head to see Ewing already set on the three-point line at the top of the arc.

He quickly accelerated, chasing back to Lee's side, and prepared to fight over the screen while staying tight on defense.

Shaq also came out at this point, stepping on the three-point line, watching Lee's movements.

Kobe had just squeezed halfway through, preparing to continue chasing from Ewing's left side, when the accelerating Lee suddenly stopped short.

After a quick left-hand dribble and a rapid reverse spin, Lee scooped the ball with his right hand while lowering his center of gravity again, and skillfully accelerated past Ewing's right side.

The chasing Kobe didn't have time to slide and adjust his position.

He was caught in an awkward spot, stuck on Ewing.

Lee also slapped away his attempts to grab, leaving Kobe completely out of position for a moment.

Their movements were extremely fast.

Fans in the arena who couldn't see the details only felt that Lee made a spin, and Kobe was gone, causing them to cheer and shout.

Shaq, moving quickly, tried to maintain his balance, sliding in front of Lee, attempting to delay him and allow Kobe to complete the chase-down defense.

However, seeing Lee suddenly make a large in-and-out move while on the move, feinting left and driving right, Shaq instinctively slid quickly to his back-left.

Creating shooting space, Lee instantly exploded the ball, using the rebound force of the basketball to take a large lateral step back.

From the right wing outside the three-point line, he gathered the ball and quickly jumped and shot!

"Swish!" The three-pointer went in without touching the rim!

"Oh!!"

A decisive offense once again put the Knicks ahead, and Madison Square Garden erupted.

"Too fast! If you lose your defensive position, Lee will punish you. What a wonderful offense!"

Bob Costas kept exclaiming, while Doug Collins praised Ewing's screen:

"High pick-and-roll, Pat's screen quality is high, but it's a test of his stamina."

Once again having such a shot made against him face-to-face, Shaquille O'Neal, whose anger was surging, demanded the ball more fiercely when the Lakers were on offense.

O'Neal first continuously pulled and pushed with Ewing on the left low post, then suddenly agilely spun around and drove straight to the basket.

Harper was interfered with by Lee and couldn't deliver the pass immediately.

Shaquille O'Neal quickly ran to the right low post again, firmly pinning Ewing behind him.

The Lakers quickly moved the ball up the court.

Kobe received the ball on the right wing.

Facing Allan Houston's aggressive defense, he immediately sent a half-high lob pass.

The pass was well-placed, allowing

Shaq to receive it comfortably.

After catching the ball, he immediately put it down with his left hand, then fiercely backed down, crashing through the defense, and arched to the front of the rim.

After a quick turn, O'Neal smoothly completed a floater with his left hand!

"Swish!" The two-point shot went in steadily.

Gorilla's defensive continuity couldn't keep up.

Shaq had figured out Ewing's routine:

No need for cross-screens, just changing directions and repeatedly demanding the ball in the low post.

There was no need to talk about triangle offense or running off screens.

As long as he received the ball near the paint, Shaquille O'Neal could score.

51:50, the Lakers immediately took the lead again.

In such a situation, both sides had been battling for a half.

The Lakers had a stronger ability to consistently maintain a +2 lead, but even if the Knicks missed shots, the Lakers couldn't pull away.

"Boo!!"

The retreating Shaquille O'Neal was booed fiercely again.

In the New York fans' eyes, such scoring was too easy.

Lee quickly gave tactical hand signals and didn't care about the Lakers' score.

Ewing also gave the signal to spread out and advance.

The Knicks players quickly ran to the opponent's half-court.

Kobe continued to lead the defense.

Lee, with the ball in his left hand, advanced quickly.

Oakley quickly shuffled to the top of the arc to guard Lee, and A.C. Green followed to help defend.

Taking advantage of Oakley standing still, Lee, who had stopped dribbling, suddenly lowered his center of gravity, quickly pushed the ball and changed direction.

After switching to his right hand, Lee drove to the right.

Kobe managed to squeeze through the screen this time, but when Lee faced the delayed A.C. Green and changed direction again with the ball, the latter failed to slide in time and was immediately pushed aside.

Almost bumping into his teammate, Kobe's defense couldn't keep up.

Lee seized the opportunity to scoop the ball with his left hand and drove straight into the paint again.

Inside the paint, Lee was incredibly fast, approaching the rim in the blink of an eye.

On the left side near the baseline, Shaq instinctively shuffled over to help defend.

As soon as his feet moved, Shaquille O'Neal saw Lee, while in motion, suddenly wrap the ball behind his back, switch to his right hand, and jump up for a layup.

Shaq reached out to block, but the basketball passed in front of him.

A fake layup, a real pass, Lee assisted Ewing, who cut in, for an easy layup under the basket.

Ewing, who successfully received the easy basket, also pounded his chest, looking exceptionally excited.

This could barely be considered a response shot.

51:52, the Knicks took the lead again.

Jeff Van Gundy happily clapped his hands.

A.C. Green also couldn't defend Lee.

In the stalemate, it was a test of patience, and the scores of both sides began toalternate.

Kobe no longer floated for long two-pointers, but began to try to drive to the basket and get to the free-throw line.

Allan Houston and Larry Johnson would also increase their post-up isolations, scoring with their individual abilities.

It was not until 4 minutes and 52 seconds left in the third quarter that the Lakers' pass on the line was intercepted by Ben Wallace who was around, and both sides made their first mistake.

Gorilla ran out of energy and was replaced after accumulating 4 fouls.

Ben completed the steal, and the Lakers quickly retreated on defense.

At this point, both teams had entered the rotation phase.

After receiving the ball, Lee charged fiercely.

Fisher, who had just entered the game, was forced to quickly delay the defense.

The matchup wasn't ideal, but the Lakers didn't have time to adjust.

Allan Houston quickly rushed past half-court, slowing down as he approached the left wing, opening up offensive space.

Kukoc, returning from injury, did not stay at the top of the arc but immediately cut quickly and ran to the right baseline corner.

Kurt and Ben noticed that Fisher was guarding Lee and had no intention of setting a screen, so they immediately rushed to the baseline.

Fisher was still observing the situation on the court.

Seeing all the Knicks players spread out, he instinctively intensified his tight defense.

As the Lakers players settled into position, on the right wing, Lee, who had been continuously driving, suddenly quickly dribbled behind his back.

The moment he switched to his left hand, his body first faked a jab step to the right.

Fisher, who had just entered the game, instinctively slid to the left.

Lee, with the ball in his left hand, then took a step with the momentum.

Completely wrong defensive direction.

Fisher saw Lee suddenly stop short at the three-point line and quickly jumped up from his side to contest the shot.

Taking advantage of the defender landing on him, Lee then released the shot from the right wing!

"Squeak! Swish!"

The whistle blew and the ball went in.

Fisher's eyes widened instinctively, seeing Lee still make the three-pointer.

Phil Jackson on the sideline seemed to recall some bad memories and couldn't help but rub his forehead.

He couldn't hold back anymore and loudly reminded them:

"Focus! Don't foul unnecessarily!"

Seeing an opportunity to extend the lead, the New York fans in the arena excitedly cheered again.

As Lee stepped to the free-throw line, everyone chanted:

"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

Adjusting his breathing, Lee's expression was calm, and the free throw went in steadily!

62:67, a successful four-point play, and the lead instantly increased to 5 points.

On the next possession, facing the double-team of Ben Wallace and Kurt Thomas, Shaq chose not to pass, but rather drove to the basket, drawing a foul on Ben.

Shaquille O'Neal, who had been aiming for a long time, made his first free throw.

Lee then began to complain to the referee:

"Sir, the free throw was definitely over time!"

The referee gestured to Shaq.

His free throw rhythm was disrupted, and as a result, he missed the second free throw.

"Fuck!"

Shaquille O'Neal didn't choose to crash the offensive glass.

He cursed under his breath and desperately retreated on defense.

Lee's transition speed this time was extremely fast.

As soon as the Lakers got into position, he pulled up for a jump shot from beyond the three-point line on the left wing, contested by Kobe!

"Thud!"

The long rebound bounced directly into Kukoc's arms in the right elbow area, and cheers erupted in the arena again.

After grabbing the offensive rebound, Kukoc again passed the ball to Lee, who was waiting beyond the three-point line, while signaling Ron Artest to cut to the left baseline to create space, and he himself quickly ran to the left wing.

Protecting the ball sideways, Lee held the ball in his right hand, using his protecting hand to swat away Kobe's interfering arm.

The two tangled from the top of the arc all the way to the right wing.

Lee suddenly twisted his body and accelerated.

Kobe quickly slid to the left.

Their bodies collided, and Kobe was pushed backward.

Readjusting his center of gravity, a fired-up Kobe pulled up his shorts, staring intently at Lee, immediately wanting to stick to him again.

Creating a sliver of space, Lee suddenly raised his center of gravity, quickly executed a jump step dribble, feigning an acceleration for a drive.

Kobe hesitated slightly.

The next second, he saw Lee pull up directly from about a small step outside the three-point line!

After releasing the shot, Lee was expressionless, raising his right arm, holding up three fingers, and pacing back on defense.

A long-range three-pointer, the basketball arced beautifully.

Kobe turned his head in surprise, and cheers reached his ears as the basketball swished through the net!

At the NBC commentary desk, Bob Costas excitedly shouted after the ball went in:

"God! An unreasonable three-pointer! Lee is about to take over the game!"

Spike Lee on the sideline was much more excited than Lee, first celebrating with a fist pump, then pointing at Kobe and laughing:

"Go home, kid, you're far behind your idol!"

63:70, seeing the lead extended, Phil Jackson did not call a timeout.

On the Lakers' offense, Shaquille O'Neal was continuously fronted on defense.

Ben Wallace couldn't hold Shaq.

This kind of gambling defense, if the opponent lobbed it inside, would result in a powerful dunk.

Fisher on the left wing hesitated, and under Ron Artest's interference, he couldn't complete the pass immediately.

Shaq seized the opportunity to quickly shuffle to the right low post.

Ben Wallace chased and then fronted him again, while the Lakers began to quickly move the ball up court.

Lee guarded Kobe.

He couldn't deliver the pass immediately, so Kobe simply put the ball down with his right hand and drove with a step-through.

In the right block, after physical contact, Kobe began to back down and post up, preparing to isolate Lee.

Kobe, who had performed well in the first half of the quarter, went one-on-one.

Shaq could only shuffle to create some space inside.

However, just as Shaq moved, Kobe couldn't push Lee.

He simply turned quickly towards the baseline and took a super fadeaway jump shot over the block.

After releasing the shot, Kobe lost his balance and fell to the baseline.

The basketball hit the front of the rim.

Lee landed, twisted his body, and secured the rebound.

Shaq was furious and had no time to grab the rebound.

At this moment, he instinctively wanted to grab Lee for a tactical foul, but Lee flashed past him with a behind-the-back dribble.

Lee scooped the ball with his left hand and accelerated rapidly.

The retreating Lakers were in complete disarray for a moment.

Glen Rice chased Kukoc, a dazed Fisher rushed after Ron Artest, and Horry, who was crashing the boards, was tripped by Kurt onto the floor.

For a moment, Lee was undefended as he rushed past half-court down the middle.

Approaching the three-point line, Lee quickly adjusted his steps, easily stopped short, and released another transition three-pointer!

"Swish!" The three-pointer swished through the net!

After making the shot, Lee smiled, stood in the center of the court, raised both hands, and signaled the crowd to get hyped again.

"Wow!"

Cheers echoed through the Arena.

Madison Square Garden completely erupted at this moment.

Some New York fans in the front row, in their excitement, started cursing again, continuously venting their exhilaration.

63:73, the lead suddenly became 10 points.

Phil Jackson, with a grim face, immediately called a timeout.

Doug Collins, after shouting a couple of times, finally let out a sigh of relief:

"This is Lee's ability. With just a slight lapse in attention, he can complete an offense like that."

"This season, he is once again putting up MVP-level performances!"

Kobe, who had climbed up from the floor to chase on defense, could only silently walk to the bench.

Upon returning to his seat, he couldn't help but angrily throw his towel, sitting down and panting heavily.

Shaq also glared, chugging a bottle of energy drink, and then muttered a couple of curses.

Neither of them listened to Phil Jackson's instructions.

On the Knicks' bench, everyone was beaming.

Jeff Van Gundy didn't even set up any tactics.

He just gave a few motivational words and patted Lee on the shoulder before he went onto the court.

In the remaining 2 minutes of the 3rd quarter, the Lakers again started to consistently score +2, but the deficit didn't shrink.

The Knicks began to shoot free throws.

At the end of three quarters, it was 72:82, with the Knicks scoring a massive 35 points in that single quarter.

"Incredible performance! 6-for-8 from the field, 5-for-6 from beyond the arc, and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line! Lee scored 20 points in this quarter!"

Bob Costas looked at the box score, a bit stunned.

Lee, who suddenly caught fire, displayed terrifying scoring explosiveness.

Doug Collins looked at the double-digit deficit and suddenly felt that the Lakers had given up on this game.

Being unable to defend was a big problem:

"Shaquille O'Neal also needs to rest. Head Coach Phil Jackson was a bit too conservative with his rotations tonight."

In the 4th quarter, Shaq sat on the bench, and the Lakers' rotation became Derek Fisher, Brian Shaw, Rick Fox, Robert Horry, and A.C. Green.

Glen Rice and Harper, who had poor shooting, were out of the rotation.

Phil Jackson hoped that these players could hold on for 3 minutes.

Horry, who had made two three-pointers in the first half, was off target this time, while on the Knicks' side, Lewis, who had re-entered the game, suddenly caught fire.

He hit two consecutive three-pointers at the start of the fourth quarter.

After a 6:2 run, Phil Jackson immediately called a timeout.

Remembering his big mouth before the game, and thinking about the New York Media's mockery after a loss, Shaq threw down his towel and prepared to re-enter the game after less than 2 minutes of rest.

Looking at the furious Shaq, everyone on the Lakers' bench fell silent.

Lee didn't return to the court until there were 6 minutes and 32 seconds left in the game.

Although the 9-point deficit wasn't large, the Lakers, whose outside shooting was off, ultimately couldn't catch up.

Seeing that Lee, despite his shooting touch declining, could still break through the Lakers' Defense, Doug Collins, from the commentary booth, praised him once more:

"This is Lee's impact on the offensive end. He always stays calm, reads the game. It's incredible; he's only 22 years old!"

With 1 minute and 1 second left in the game, with no hope of catching up, a grim-faced Phil Jackson called a timeout to substitute his starters.

The cheers at Madison Square Garden were unstoppable.

Having beaten the Lakers, everyone could freely mock their opponents for the next half-month.

The final buzzer sounded, 96:105.

Thanks to Lee's explosion in the 3rd quarter, the Knicks successfully won the game.

Shaq and Kobe said hello after the game and then turned and walked towards the player tunnel.

Ewing, grinning widely, had wanted to comfort Shaq, but found that he was gone as soon as the game ended.

Oakley, who had accumulated 6 fouls early, was now relieved.

The old guy always felt that the referees had been targeting him recently.

As he high-fived Lee in celebration, he complained with a smile:

"The league is getting softer and softer, Lee, great job tonight!"

The atmosphere group also surrounded Lee for fist bumps.

Ben Wallace, who had almost fouled out, also happily flattered him:

"As long as Lee is here, we can defeat any opponent!"

"."

Once everyone dispersed, Jim Gray chuckled and approached Lee:

"Congratulations, Lee! You scored 50 points again in your career. Tell us about your performance in the third quarter!"

Draped in a towel, Lee wiped his sweat and simply replied with a light chuckle when asked that question:

"At that time, I was just focused on the game. When an opportunity arose, I took the shot. Honestly, I wasn't thinking about the score. I believe everyone is aware of my scoring ability."

"Helping the team secure the victory is the most important thing. I'm very happy we won tonight."

Jim Gray again felt that Lee was showing off, but considering Lee had also scored 24 points in a single quarter in the playoffs, tying Michael Jordan's record, he could only offer compliments with a smile.

15-for-26 from the field, 9-for-15 from beyond the arc, 11-for-12 from the free-throw line, 50 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 3 turnovers.

This was Clay Lee's second 50-point game of the season.

After the game, the New York Media went into a frenzy.

At the press conference, Shaquille O'Neal listened to one question after another, only able to offer diplomatic answers.

"Shaq, was the loss due to you taking too many shots? We didn't seem to see the triangle offense in this game."

Playing 45 minutes, 18-for-31 from the field, 7-for-13 from the free-throw line, 43 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers.

Shaq scored almost half of the Lakers' points.

Noticing the question from the Los Angeles reporter, Shaquille O'Neal answered seriously:

"The Lakers have always used the triangle offense. I'm in great form. Giving me the ball is the ultimate goal of the play."

"We will win it back. Tonight, everyone just couldn't make their shots. Every team encounters situations like this."

Playing 44 minutes, 8-for-23 from the field, 1-for-4 from beyond the arc, 7-for-10 from the free-throw line, 24 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers.

Aside from a few impulsive moments, Kobe played very well in the second half.

Shaq's comment about not making shots referred to Glen Rice, who went 3-for-10 and scored a meager 6 points.

On the morning of the 20th, New York's print media were praising the Knicks' performance, and Clay Lee once again appeared in the headlines:

"9 three-pointers in a single game, Lee ties the regular season three-point record!"

"."

At Tarrytown Training Center, the morale-boosted Knicks players showed even greater enthusiasm in their training.

The Lakers had been praised by sports media for 4 months, but after playing against them, everyone found the game to be easier than expected.

The Knicks' interior Defense couldn't stop O'Neal, and the Lakers' perimeter couldn't limit Lee.

But as long as they defended the other players, the game became a contest between the core players.

Allan Houston was 7-for-17 from the field, 2-for-6 from beyond the arc, and 5-for-7 from the free-throw line in last night's game, contributing 21 points.

Although the scoring wasn't high, it was enough.

After the film session this morning, Allan Houston confidently concluded:

"As long as our rebounding isn't inferior to theirs, the Lakers won't be able to limit us."

"Winning this game, for the next half-month, these boring media reporters shouldn't compare us anymore."

Larry Johnson shook his head. Last night, he was again 3-for-11. He still didn't believe Glen Rice would remain in a slump:

"Head Coach Van Gundy is right, it's still safer to defend the opponent."

The two conversed in low voices, while Jeff Van Gundy on the stage concluded:

"As I said, when opportunities arise, everyone must take responsibility for scoring."

"We can do better, instead of waiting for the opponent to miss shots."

"."

Lee felt that Bald Young Coach's motivational skills had improved significantly.

When it was his turn to speak, he simply reminded them:

"The most important thing in a game is to maintain patience. I believe everyone has experienced this season that no matter how many points we are behind, we always have a chance to turn the game around."

"While maintaining patience, trust your shots. That's the most important thing!"

Lewis quickly nodded and directly drank this bowl of chicken soup!

Jeff Van Gundy was also very satisfied with the team's current state.

Although their Defense had declined, the team's resilience remained strong.

Ewing's performance against Shaq was average, going 4-for-10 and getting a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Bald Young Coach didn't forget to comfort Gorilla after the film session officially ended:

"Pat, don't worry about the stats. You are the team's defensive core, and we all know your strength!"

Amidst the New York Media's praise, Ewing had almost forgotten about his poor offensive performance.

Hearing Van Gundy's reminder, he reluctantly put away his smile and nodded gloomily.

"."

At the end of March, the Knicks still had 7 games to play.

With a tight schedule and some back-to-back games, the coaching staff increased the rotation.

In two back-to-back games, the Knicks lost to the Pacers and the Seattle SuperSonics, respectively.

On March 31st, 99:83, the Knicks, with multiple rotations, heavily defeated the Grizzlies.

Their record reached 53 wins and 19 losses, continuing to lead the Eastern Conference.

Although the Knicks had pulled away from the teams behind them in the Eastern Conference, they were still quite a bit behind the Lakers.

In a game played concurrently that night, 88:100, the Lakers easily defeated the 76ers.

Winning this game brought the Lakers' record to 61 wins and 12 losses. Considering the remaining schedule, the Knicks basically had no hope of chasing the league's top spot.

With the regular season nearing its end, the New York Media also began to focus on the issue of home-court advantage in the playoffs.

The Knicks' current situation reminded many reporters of the 1998 Chicago Bulls.

Both Lee and Michael Jordan could guarantee a certain floor for the team, making 60 wins seem not difficult.

That year, the Chicago Bulls lost their home court, and their three-peat was eventually ended.

The Knicks are currently facing a similar situation, and everyone feels a bit.uncertain.

No one cared about the Grizzlies' situation.

After the game, everyone was asking questions related to the playoffs:

"Jeff, can you tell us about the team's game plan for April? We seem to have lost home-court advantage."

Although Jeff Van Gundy was also somewhat worried about this issue, he answered confidently on the surface:

"Everything is according to our plan. In April, we will make adjustments in advance and continue to increase our rotation."

"The team's current goal is to finish the regular season healthy!"

"."

....

https://discord.gg/mjcCSyu7Yr

By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)