NBA: The Basketball Miracle

In Lee's opinion, Player of the Week is not a great honor. This award is usually given to young players who are popular and have good statistics.

But Lee forgot one thing. The Player of the Week award in 1996 was only given to one player. This award was not yet popular. When he received the award, a lot of people criticized him.

In the last game before Christmas, the Knicks continued to stick to their "iron-blooded" defense, allowing the Hawks to score only 19 points in the first quarter.

42:51, at the end of the first half, the Knicks had already taken a 9-point lead.

The Hawks' twin towers Christian Laettner and Dikembe Mutombo played particularly depressed in the first half.

After Patrick Ewing started the game with 0 of 3 shots, he stopped being stubborn and went for the low post. His frequent pick-and-rolls forced the Hawks' twin towers to help defend.

Chris Childs played relatively restrainedly at the beginning of the game, but after Lee came on the court, he threw away every opportunity he had.

Mutombo didn't care at first and continued to squat and guard the paint area, but after Lee made three consecutive three-pointers, the DPOY had to reluctantly leave his most familiar defensive position.

The New York fans at the scene felt that tonight's tickets were worth it. Lee did not disappoint everyone's expectations and showed off his skills from time to time.

There is also a strong Christmas atmosphere in Madison Square Garden tonight. The star audiences in the front row may not care about these, but the ordinary fans who bought tickets in the back row are already having fun with the music.

"If we win this game, our record will be 20 wins and 6 losses, just ahead of the Heat and ranked third in the Eastern Conference."

"Although our record is not as good as the Bulls', I still want to praise coach Van Gundy. After taking over the team, he delivered a satisfactory answer."

At the MSG live commentary booth, commentator John Andaris took advantage of the halftime to review the Knicks' opening performance. This professional basketball commentator also began to speak well of Van Gundy.

"The Knicks were a real surprise before Christmas. We continued our excellent defense and played a smooth offense."

"Lee's joining has played a key role. The team has more offensive options. At the end of the month, he will only be 19 years old. I think many fans are already looking forward to the future of the team!"

Commentator Marv Albert was not polite and continued to praise.

When both of them commented on the game, they subconsciously avoided the question of the championship. The dominance currently shown by the Bulls is too strong!

As veteran commentators at the home court, they didn't want to paint a rosy picture for the fans.

As Christmas approached, rookie Walter McCarty had two good days after returning to New York. Oakley no longer asked him to run errands, and the atmosphere in the locker room became harmonious.

"Next time we go to Atlanta to play, I'll take you to a good place, Lee. You should enjoy life after making money. You are already 19 years old!"

"Dikembe wouldn't lie to me. It is said that the owner of the local club is our fan!"

Patrick Ewing, who has not been criticized by the New York media recently, returned to the locker room and introduced the wonderful place he had just heard about from his friends.

Before Lee opened his mouth, Larry Johnson asked with great interest:

"Pat, how about privacy? You know, I don't want to be in the newspaper the next day!"

When Ewing heard the question, he immediately pulled out his good friend to guarantee:

"Dekembe is an honest man. Many celebrities have been to the Gold Club. They have only changed their business model not long ago. We can wait and see for a few months!"

The LSPs all smiled. It was difficult for them to be stimulated by ordinary business. It was rare to have a club with so many options and constant praise. Everyone was itching to do it.

Lee noticed that Alan Houston didn't say anything, and immediately teased:

"Are you still planning to get married this year? Single life is actually pretty wonderful!"

Alan Houston has been in a bad mood recently, mainly because he was booed by fans when he returned to Detroit.

Coupled with the fact that his former rookie teammate Grant Hill is becoming more and more popular, while he himself is struggling in the Knicks, Alan Houston has been angry these days:

"I just want to stabilize my playing time, Lee. Sometimes I envy your shooting talent. You can always adjust your status quickly."

A lot of Houston's playing time was eaten up by Starks, and Lee could only pat him on the shoulder to comfort him.

The Knicks' rotation is beginning to stabilize, and the amount of playing time depends on the players' condition that night. Unlike the "grandmama", the competition for backcourt players is more intense.

Although Van Gundy is often idle, most of the games are still centered on inside offense, and Lee and other outside players can only focus on the inside.

As Christmas is approaching and in the second half of the game, the Hawks don't have much intention of chasing points. Jeff Van Gundy tries his best to let all the players appear on the court when the game pressure is not too high.

The young coach certainly knew that many family members of the players were here tonight, and being able to play was considered a face-giving to the players.

Both teams missed shots frequently in the second half, but no one cared at that time.

Everyone wanted to end the game as soon as possible and then go home safely to celebrate the holidays.

In the end, the Knicks won the last game before Christmas at home 86:98, which was a Christmas gift for New York fans.

After the game, Mutombo and Ewing, two alumni, were still talking and laughing and whispering to each other.

Many players were greeting their family members who were present. Lee sighed and said he missed his days in Albuquerque.

After returning to the locker room, Jeff Van Gundy and the coaching staff applauded the players. The team staff were also present, and everyone had a happy look on their faces:

"20 wins and 6 losses, I am proud of this achievement!"

"It doesn't matter if there's no Christmas game, we will prove ourselves again and we will make it to the finals again!"

"Now, enjoy your holidays and give my regards to your family, Merry Christmas!"

After Jeff Van Gundy said this, he hugged and greeted every player with a smile, and the staff also cheered. Everyone loves the holiday!

"Well done, Lee! Player of the Week means the league recognizes you. Of course, remember to take care of your body. Rookies will encounter some difficulties. Communicate with the coaching staff in a timely manner. It's dangerous and tiring!"

When Lee heard Van Gundy's earnest instructions, he immediately hugged the young coach tightly. He was indeed a good man:

"Don't worry about me, coach! I'm ready. Merry Christmas!"

Every rookie will encounter difficulties, such as physical fitness, injuries, technical characteristics being figured out, mismatches in team tactics, etc.

Lee is not made of steel, and there are bruises on his legs. With a dense schedule, these injuries will continue to accumulate and will definitely affect his performance in the game.

Every time Ewing played, his knees were bandaged thickly. Alan Houston's fingers were swollen, and Larry sometimes felt a dull pain in his back. Oakley also had bruises from collisions.

If there is no structural damage, everyone has to continue playing and there is no rest.

Fans buy tickets to watch the game, not to see the players sitting on the bench in formal attire.

Everyone smiled. They could enjoy Christmas tonight. Equipment manager Mike looked at the busy locker room and whispered to the staff beside him with a smile:

"I have a feeling we'll succeed!"

...

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