NBA: The Basketball Miracle

On January 2, 1997, the Knicks won their first game of the new year.

96:84, with the Washington Bullets' poor shooting, the Knicks finally maintained their lead and successfully won the game.

Larry Johnson shot 1 of 8, and Charles Oakley shot 3 of 12. These two seemed to have hit the rookie wall, and they couldn't make any shots.

Clay Lee was closely guarded by the opponent throughout the game, but he still delivered a good statistic:

4 of 8, 3 of 6 from beyond the three-point line, 3 of 4 free throws, 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers.

After the game, Jeff Van Gundy seemed very happy in an interview and took the initiative to praise the team's performance:

"The first game of the new year was an away game. We overcame difficulties and performed very well. Everyone played with energy!"

"I don't care about our shooting percentage because we held the Bullets to about 30 percent."

"This is how we play. Even if our shooting isn't good, we can still win the game with our defense."

Spicy chocolate is still chocolate, winning is the most important thing!

On January 3, the Knicks couldn't wait to fly to Atlanta. As soon as they arrived at the hotel, several veterans of Ewing gave the new players some advice:

"Let's go check out the situation tonight and don't tell the coach where we went!"

Alan Houston, Lee and several other newbies stayed in the hotel, and they watched NBC's Saturday Night Live together to pass the time.

"Why not bring the coaching staff along? We are all adults, it's not illegal, and there's nothing wrong with enjoying life!"

Newbie John Wallace was itching to go and "meet them" with Big Brother.

Lee laughed out loud when he heard this. They were all ashamed that he could come up with such an idea:

"Believe me, if Coach Van Gundy hears your idea, you won't get any playing time in the next few months."

Walter McCarty, the bullied man, also wanted to experience the latest service. He looked at the TV absentmindedly and said in a sour tone:

"Even Buck went with them. It's dangerous and tiring to log. He should take us with him too!"

Alan Houston was speechless. Is "Lumberjack" used for this kind of thing?

"There is still a game to play tomorrow. Rookie players should train hard and let the coaching staff see your performance. This is the most important thing."

The two newbies felt ashamed for a moment when they heard Alan Houston's words. They were so excited that they almost obeyed their lower bodies.

Lee was also a little curious. He had never been to such a club. He was not interested in messing around. He just wanted to witness history.

During the training session on the morning of the 4th, several veteran players felt unsteady on their feet and their eyes were staring blankly. After a night of intense competition, their physical strength had almost reached its limit.

Jeff Van Gundy was somewhat helpless. He knew where these veterans had gone.

In the game that night, the Knicks were in poor form. To make matters worse, before the official timeout in the first quarter, Chris Childs sprained his ankle.

The Hawks' offense also declined, but on the defensive end, Mutombo was not affected too much and still protected the basket steadily.

Mookie Blaylock and Steve Smith kept attacking the Knicks' perimeter. Under their fierce defense, Lee did not make any mistakes, but his offense was indeed affected.

The sticky defense made it difficult for Lee to get a good shooting space. In addition, the quality of the screen declined tonight and the team's mistakes increased. They were soon beaten by the Hawks 10:2.

Jeff Van Gundy would call for a timeout at the beginning and give instructions to the players, but in the second half, he found that everyone's legs were even weaker, so they simply sat back on the bench.

In the end, the Hawks completed their revenge at home and successfully defeated the Knicks 82:89.

Despite losing the game, Ewing was in a very good mood. After the game, he took Mutombo aside and whispered to him. The two big men from Georgetown had a lot in common on some things.

After the game, everyone flew directly to New York. The veterans who had played two games in a row got on the plane and fell asleep as soon as they left the airport.

Alan Houston seemed particularly depressed. Everyone was in average shape tonight and he didn't get many shots. He made 4 of 11 shots and scored only 10 points.

"Sometimes I really don't like the team's tactics. We obviously have more offensive options!"

Lee heard Alan Houston's low complaint, shrugged his shoulders, and simply responded:

"The Knicks are Pat's team. He is one of the top 50 NBA stars and the starting center of this year's Eastern Conference All-Stars. He keeps his stats at 20+10. This is a privilege that a superstar should have."

"However, the future definitely belongs to the young. No one can resist the invasion of time. The Knicks can't do that, and neither can the Bulls, who are currently leading the league!"

"At the moment, we just need to stay healthy and be patient, and there will always be opportunities."

On the evening of January 5th, at Madison Square Garden, Lee returned to his home court and finally received his Rookie of the Month trophy.

Before the game started, Ray Allen, who was sitting on the visiting team's bench, heard the cheers of New York fans and felt a little envious of Lee's treatment.

The Bucks challenged the Knicks away tonight. Ray Allen wanted to perform well, but he didn't get many chances to shoot throughout the game.

Although the Bucks are a young team, their current core is Vin Baker and Glenn Robinson, one inside and one outside, who account for most of the Bucks' shots.

In the first half of the game, the two sides were still in a stalemate. In the third quarter, the Knicks suddenly showed their "iron-blooded" defense, with a score of 15:26 in a single quarter, which secured the victory.

In the end, the Knicks easily defeated their opponents at home, 88:97!

In 33 minutes, Ray Allen made 3 of 7 shots, only 7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 turnover.

Compared to Lee's situation, Ray Allen really hit the rookie wall.

After losing the game, the Bucks' record dropped to 15 wins and 16 losses, and they have fallen to 9th in the Eastern Conference.

On the morning of the 6th, Lee entertained his friend in his Manhattan apartment. Ray Allen had difficulty scoring in recent games and was naturally very depressed:

"Vin Baker drinks a lot, and not many Bucks players train seriously. I wouldn't be surprised if they miss the playoffs this year!"

"I envy Antoine Walker a little bit. Even though the Celtics keep losing, he still has the chance to shoot."

"Asking a scorer to take only 10 shots in a game and requiring him to score efficiently is something I find difficult to accomplish!"

Lee handed his friend a glass of water. Ray Allen rarely complained during daily text exchanges.

This time, his mood swings were so big, mainly because of relationship problems.

Long-distance relationships are harmful.

"The Celtics have only won 7 games so far. This kind of crazy tanking, the league will definitely not let them get what they want!"

"In a few days, the Spurs and Celtics will face off against each other. This is quite interesting. Fans of both teams may be more looking forward to the home team losing!"

Lee began to change the subject and put the unpleasant things behind him. After all, it was difficult for a rookie player to change his situation.

Ray Allen also quickly adjusted his mood and responded with a smile:

"The league may give the cardinal some face. We all know that there must be something behind the draw!"

"."

In the second week of the new year, the Knicks have a total of three games, and only two opponents, namely the Mavericks and the Celtics.

Although the game was not stressful, Lee continued to be subject to high-pressure defense. Even the Celtics, a team that was in a slump, did not relax their personal defense of Lee.

On the evening of January 11, the Knicks defeated the Celtics 96:112 after returning to their home court!

Lee is not an ordinary rookie player after all. Facing the targeted defense of each team, he reduced his forced shots, allocated his energy reasonably, and ran more tactics.

Although the statistics have dropped a bit, Lee has gained more:

[Allen Iverson's excellent ball sense] has turned bronze, and this talent is integrating very quickly!

The cheers of the fans at the scene brought Lee back to his senses. The old guy was in a good mood, and his statistics also rose as he continued to beat the weak teams:

"John! I'm going to trouble you all for next week's away game in the West!"

After hearing Lee's words, Starks patted his chest and made a promise:

"Don't worry, Lee! Once we get to Phoenix, everyone will help us. It's a tough job!"

"."

...

https://discord.gg/mjcCSyu7Yr

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