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***
On November 8, 2006, in an ESPN-broadcast ga between the Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant's performance once again dropped the jaws of comntators.
It was expected that the 81-point scorer would continue his excellent form from last season and once again unleash a scoring frenzy.
However, Kobe made a 180-degree turn and activated assist mode.
Playing 36 minutes, he shot 5-for-7 from the field and 7-for-7 from the free-throw line, finishing with 17 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 5 turnovers. Continuing his post-coback form, Kobe's performance was unremarkable.
At 88:95, the Los Angeles Lakers, with everyone contributing under Kobe's leadership, successfully won this nationally televised ga at ho!
Derek Fisher's return to the Los Angeles Lakers allowed them to resu their familiar Triangle Offense, and the Los Angeles Lakers currently lead the Western Conference with a 4-1 record.
Although Kobe's shot attempts did not exceed 10 in any of the three gas, and his statistics plumted compared to last season, Phil Jackson was very satisfied with this.
After defeating the Timberwolves last night, the Kentucky Fried Chicken Old Man said excitedly at the post-ga press conference:
"This is the Kobe I expect. Basketball is a five-man ga, and as the core player, Kobe Bryant has done his job very well!"
"Just as Kobe Bryant said, statistics don't matter. We've had a perfect start now."
While victory is good, many fans who wanted to see Kobe score were disappointed.
Coupled with soone using the controlled variable thod, Reddit has been in an uproar recently.
"Derek Fisher's return has put the Los Angeles Lakers back on track. Kobe Bryant is just imitating Clay Lee. He's not suited to dominate the ball, and his assist-to-turnover ratio is terrible."
The above statent cos from a New York Tis column.
Too many points ans stat-padding, too few points ans lack of ability.
With no explosive statistics at the start of the season, everyone could only find their own entertainnt.
Kobe, who had not fully recovered from knee surgery, paid no attention to outside evaluations.
He was adapting to his new role.
Derek Fisher's return was indeed a good thing.
Not having to play with Smush Parker in the backcourt made Kobe feel much more at ease.
Flying to Portland for a back-to-back road ga against the Portland Trail Blazers, Kobe accepted an interview during the afternoon warm-up and, uncharacteristically, smiled.
He had forgiven Old Fish and even actively praised his teammate:
"Derek's return has been a great help to the team. As for scoring, I don't care at all!"
"I only took 7 shots, but I defeated Kevin Garnett, who took 18 shots. Now I just want to return to the Finals stage. I am a player who belongs there."
Winning makes one happy, and victory can cover up most problems.
For the first ti, Kobe felt hope for the new season!
In the Staples Center, the Los Angeles Lakers players warming up were also in high spirits.
Achieving a perfect start when no one favored them was a wonderful thing for everyone.
Old Fish didn't hold back, accepting all praise from the sports reporters.
He even confidently stated to a Los Angeles Tis reporter:
"I know how to win. I learned a lot with the Knicks. We can't be complacent yet."
"Throughout the long regular season, I will continue to be a leader in the locker room. I will make everyone understand that we need to play for each other."
Every ti Derek Fisher was interviewed, he would ntion his championships.
Although Kobe was annoyed by this, he was too lazy to argue with Old Fish for the sake of winning:
"Just assu he really learned how to lead a team…"
The New York Knicks started the new season with a series of road gas, and this week was another three-ga road trip against the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs.
For a veteran like Clay Lee, who has played 10 seasons in the league, besides so discomfort from flying, there was no other feeling.
After flying to Denver and arriving at the Pepsi Center in the afternoon, the first thing Clay Lee saw was the promotional posters of Allen Iverson and Carlo Anthony.
Although the Denver Nuggets had a 0-2 record since the start of the season, the ticket market was very hot.
A strong team doesn't necessarily an good ticket sales.
The 76ers have been losing badly, but their attendance rate has remained in the upper-middle ranks of the league for years, largely due to Allen Iverson.
Tonight's ga was still broadcast by ESPN.
"Arch-rivals" t again, and many fans were watching to see if Allen Iverson could break the curse.
In the Pepsi Center, the New York Knicks coaching staff stood on the sidelines, occasionally giving instructions, but most of the ti, the players were free to warm up.
This season was Grant Hill's final year of his contract.
After exercising his player option, Grant Hill did not receive an offer from the New York Knicks.
Clearly, General Manager Donnie Walsh intended to optimize the veterans.
The 34-year-old Grant Hill's statistics hadn't declined much if only looking at the numbers.
His scoring included many fast breaks and off-ball cuts.
After being transford, he had completely abandoned the playstyle of a star player.
Although the team seed to have no intention of re-signing him, Grant Hill wasn't bothered.
At his age, he could at most sign one more contract, and retiring now would leave no regrets.
If this was the last season of his career, Grant Hill still hoped to make the All-Star team one more ti.
Considering this, he joked to himself during the warm-up:
"Allen Iverson leaving the Eastern Conference is also a good thing. Fans will consider more when voting."
Ron Artest still looked down on Allen Iverson, who only knew how to complain.
In late November, the All-Star voting channel was about to open.
Regarding this, he could only gloat:
"Maybe in the Western Conference, he won't even make the All-Star team. You know, Tracy McGrady is more popular. That guy isn't great at playing, but he has a lot of fans."
The two casually dribbled and shot, occasionally discussing this year's All-Star situation.
The All-Star starters in the Western Conference were indeed very competitive.
In the previous ga against the San Antonio Spurs, Clay Lee had just scored a season-high 33 points.
His 11-for-17 performance earned high praise from comntators.
The shot attempts of a traditional point guard, the statistics of a combo guard—this is how Lee has perford in the regular season in recent years.
As for the San Antonio Spurs surrendering too early and Lee only playing 34 minutes, this didn't spark much discussion, as the two teams would et again on Saturday.
After returning ho, Gregg Popovich had no reason to rotate early.
Surrounded by sports dia early on, everyone was concerned about whether Allen Iverson could make history tonight.
An ESPN reporter went straight to the point, asking imdiately:
"Clay, do you think Allen Iverson can break the curse tonight and get his first career win against the New York Knicks?"
Lee was speechless about terms like "curse" and "arch-rivals," but he knew it was the gimmick for tonight's ga.
Not wanting to spoil the fun, he said solemnly:
"The Denver Nuggets are a strong team. Although they started with two consecutive losses, they will definitely rebound later."
"I hope Allen can prove himself again, but I don't intend to hand over the victory. As I said long ago, giving it your all is the best respect."
A Fox Sports reporter, eager for more drama, continued to stir the pot, bringing up Allen Iverson's recent complaints:
"Allen Iverson believes that the New York Knicks' success is due to an excessive concentration of excellent players. Lee, do you agree with his view?"
Since joining the Denver Nuggets, the highly scrutinized Allen Iverson has frequently appeared on various sports shows.
In an October interview, he discussed his failures and Lee's success.
Allen Iverson found another excuse for himself, believing that Larry Brown's transformation of him was a failure.
He could have developed into a combo guard but instead accepted the role of a shooting guard.
At the sa ti, looking back on his Philadelphia career, Allen Iverson expressed respect for the fans and, incidentally, complained about the managent's incompetence.
This bla-shifting behavior received support from the Denver Nuggets fans, but Philadelphia sports dia no longer spoke kindly of Allen Iverson.
As the new season had just begun, a fierce war of words erupted between the two sides.
"I've never denied that. After all, I couldn't win eight championships by myself. My teammates are, of course, the best in the league."
"I'm not interested in being a lone hero. I like to work with excellent players, and that's the secret to the Knicks' success!"
Lee's answer disappointed everyone a bit.
In recent years, the NBA has shown a trend towards fan-driven developnt, and sports dia hoped to see "rival" matchups.
The situation of teammates becoming a burden has not yet happened to Lee.
In these years, the weakest the team has been was during the rookie Pau Gasol and injured Grant Hill periods.
Currently, everyone is on the rise.
The reporter from the Denver Post was a bit overconfident.
Although they had two consecutive losses in the new season, they had a mysterious confidence in their star combination:
"Clay, do you think the Denver Nuggets will beco your future opponent? Does the New York Knicks feel pressure facing two scoring champion-level star players?"
"I think the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs have a better chance of reaching the Finals."
Hearing Lee's words, the atmosphere in the arena suddenly beca joyful.
After hearing so much about adding Allen Iverson and aiming for the championship, so people actually believed it.
At 5:30 PM, half an hour before the ga, Pepsi Center was already packed.
Allen Iverson's arrival ignited the fans' passion for the ga!
In the ho team's locker room, everyone was about to enter the court.
Carlo Anthony, wearing a white headband, was constantly high-fiving and loudly instructing his teammates:
"Allen needs our support. Tonight, we're going to get a win for him!"
Allen Iverson, who had already entered a state of silence, was touched to see Carlo Anthony actively rallying for him.
It was more enjoyable to play with true fans:
"The Denver fans are all watching us. Let's end this losing streak!"
With a determined expression, Allen Iverson proactively pulled his teammates into a huddle for a fist bump, then led them quickly towards the player tunnel.
Head Coach George Karl was also being interviewed by ESPN under the basket.
When asked about the team's poor start, the famous coach smiled confidently:
"We never worry about the regular season. With Allen joining the team, we'll only be thinking about the playoffs."
"That's the stage for superstars. lo has a reliable helper, and this year we'll go even further!"
With national live broadcast and the new season just starting, the Denver fans in attendance were exceptionally enthusiastic, yelling frantically once the ga began.
Allen Iverson did not disappoint the fans. He went all out in the first quarter, constantly attacking Lee with deliberate setups from his teammates, raising his arms in triumph after every successful shot!
However, as the ga progressed, the situation of teammates becoming a burden gradually appeared.
In contrast, the New York Knicks remained unhurried, with Lee steadily controlling the ga's tempo.
31:23. By the end of the first quarter, the noise in Pepsi Center had quieted down a bit.
Allen Iverson shot 4-for-10 in the single quarter, scoring 8 points, 1 assist, and 1 turnover, leading the team in scoring. Carlo Anthony shot 3-for-6, also scoring 8 points.
The two, who played the entire first quarter, accounted for most of the team's points.
At the ESPN comntary desk, Hubie Brown could only tactfully comnt after seeing the box score:
"Allen Iverson needs to integrate into the team. He has to get more people involved in the offense. Against the defending champions, it's hard to win relying solely on his individual ability."
To acquire Allen Iverson, the Denver Nuggets traded Ruben Patterson.
The starting shooting guard is now Yakhouba Diawara, an undrafted player this year who was completely invisible in the ga.
Nene Hilario and Marcus Camby in the paint also didn't get much possession, spending most of their ti running back and forth.
Mike Breen didn't seem to care about the Denver Nuggets' performance.
During the break between quarters, he continued to praise:
"The New York Knicks' transition offense is excellent. Clay Lee's passing successfully energized his teammates, and all five starters have scored."
"To close the gap, the Denver Nuggets should seize the opportunity during the rotation phase."
In the second quarter, the Denver Nuggets put Earl Boykins and Allen Iverson in the backcourt, Carlo Anthony was replaced by Eduardo Nájera, and the two starting big n remained in the paint.
The New York Knicks made extensive rotations, with Rajon Rondo and Raja Bell in the backcourt, and the frontcourt trio becoming Finley, Boris Diaw, and Gadzuric.
After the ga began, Allen Iverson imdiately hit a mid-range jump shot from the left elbow, but the Denver Nuggets fans celebrated too early, as a wave of missed shots soon followed.
Every possession started with Allen Iverson.
Nene Hilario failed to capitalize on his jump shots, and Boykins also went cold, until Marcus Camby drew a foul while fighting for an offensive rebound, finally breaking the scoring drought.
With 8 minutes and 19 seconds left in the first half, George Karl waved his hand, and Carlo Anthony and Yakhouba Diawara imdiately ca to the sideline.
Lee also stepped up to the scorer's table at this ti.
Both teams began making personnel adjustnts during the free throw.
39:26. After Marcus Camby made one of two free throws, the deficit was still 13 points.
"Defense!"
The Denver Nuggets fans' emotions were affected, and their shouts were no longer as loud.
The visible gap left many feeling dejected.
Clapping his hands constantly to encourage his teammates, Allen Iverson, retreating to half-court, shouted loudly, reminding everyone to get into position in ti.
As Lee dribbled with his left hand past mid-court, the New York Knicks again settled into a 1-3-1 zone.
Raja Bell and Finley moved towards the baseline, while Boris Diaw at the free-throw line began to shift his steps upwards.
Under Allen Iverson's confident direction, the Denver Nuggets did not choose to double-team.
Clay Lee, taking advantage of Boris Diaw's increased pace, imdiately passed the ball, and then the two smoothly completed a hand-off.
Boris Diaw accelerated towards the right wing.
Iverson constantly adjusted his center of gravity, sliding his feet in ti.
Facing Lee's lateral movent, he occasionally stepped forward to feign a steal, attempting to disrupt the dribbling rhythm.
Without complex fakes, the mont he reached the left wing, Lee suddenly changed direction with a crossover, switching to his right hand, lowering his center of gravity, and driving hard past Allen Iverson.
Increasing his stride while moving, Lee gradually gained more than half a step.
Iverson, sliding his feet desperately, widened his eyes, seemingly unable to believe he was so easily beaten.
As he approached the free-throw line, Iverson was about to lose his defensive position and quickly made a subtle tug.
The mont his hand moved, Lee imdiately pulled the ball back with a crossover.
Due to inertia, Allen Iverson couldn't adjust his center of gravity in ti and was instantly shaken into the paint.
Marcus Camby, who ca up to help on Defense, also couldn't get there in ti to contest, and both watched as Clay Lee released a mid-range jump shot.
The basketball swished through the net. On the New York Knicks bench, JR Smith and others cheered loudly.
After a mont of silence, Pepsi Center was filled with noise again.
Seeing the lead growing, Carlo Anthony no longer held back.
On the offensive possession, he imdiately demanded the ball in the right elbow area.
Facing Finley, after a simple left foot jab step, he imdiately drove past him.
He drove hard to the basket and drew a foul.
Head Coach George Karl on the sideline applauded and then loudly reminded Iverson:
"Pay attention to Defense!"
Iverson saw the Head Coach point to his teammate, knowing this ant a double-team, and thinking of his ineffective single coverage, he finally nodded in agreent.
41:28, Carlo Anthony made both free throws, and the Denver Nuggets responded promptly.
Lee, receiving the ball on the baseline, made the sa tactical hand gesture, dribbled past half-court, and slowly moved towards the top of the arc.
As Finley shifted his feet, Carlo Anthony suddenly stepped up to help on Defense.
Before the double-team could form, Lee smoothly passed the ball to Diaw, who received it with his back to the basket, then twisted his body and passed the ball to the right corner.
Finley, unguarded, had just arrived at the baseline.
He caught the ball without adjusting and sank another open three-pointer!
"Boo!"
With the opponent scoring so easily, the Denver Nuggets fans at the Pepsi Center could no longer hold back, and boos echoed throughout the arena.
Nene Hilario raised his hand, signaling it was his fault.
He hadn't expected Diaw to pass the ball without looking.
On the offensive possession, Carlo Anthony tried the sa trick again, but this ti Finley didn't give the opponent an easy chance to receive the ball.
The two players jostled, and Allen Iverson didn't pass the ball again.
Calling Marcus Camby to set a screen at the top of the arc, Allen Iverson didn't wait for his teammate to get set.
While sliding to the right, he suddenly sped up his dribble, executing consecutive in-and-out crossovers.
Holding the ball in his right hand, Allen Iverson dropped his shoulder and accelerated, briefly shaking off Clay Lee.
Just a step past the three-point line, he stopped abruptly and, facing Lee's side-on closeout, he decisively shot an air ball.
The mont the opponent shot, Finley boxed out Carlo Anthony behind him, and Diaw also wrestled with Nene Hilario under the basket.
Ultimately, the ball hit the front of the rim and was secured by Gadzuric with a twist of his body.
Allen Iverson realized sothing was wrong, but he could only watch the ball being tossed out, unable to pull back, as Lee rushed past him.
Amidst the boos from the Denver Nuggets fans at the Pepsi Center, Clay Lee rushed past half-court, easily scooped up the ball, ignored the chase-down Defense behind him, and took off just a step past the free-throw line, grabbing the ball with his right hand for a powerful one-handed dunk!
46:28, Head Coach George Karl frowned and called another tiout.
Nothing seed to have changed.
Allen Iverson returned to his seat with a long face, fuming, and threw the towel offered by a teammate onto the floor, his expression beginning to contort.
On the New York Knicks side, everyone was beaming with joy.
JR Smith, draped in a towel, jumped onto the court, high-fived everyone in celebration, and didn't forget to taunt the opponent:
"I knew the Denver Nuggets weren't good. Oh! Allen Iverson is just a clown! 0 wins, 41 losses!"
"..."
Rajon Rondo also showed surprise.
He had truly seen sothing tonight, and he could clearly tell that Lee didn't care about guarding Allen Iverson.
He completely suppressed his opponent on both ends of the court.
As for the sycophant David Lee, he was already so pumped up that he was shouting loudly:
"Lee blew them out! The scoring champion is done for, it's our turn to shine!"
The 18-point deficit also broke Carlo Anthony on the spot.
He didn't even know how they lost.
He had played according to the coaching staff's instructions, yet they still lost by so much.
After George Karl finished explaining the tactics, Carlo Anthony stood up and shouted to his teammates:
"Give the ball!"
After the tiout, the New York Knicks starting lineup returned.
A dejected Allen Iverson didn't attack in front, and Carlo Anthony, facing Ron Artest's Defense, made a jab step before sinking a jump shot from the right block.
After completing his defensive matchup, Lee executed two consecutive between-the-legs dribbles at the top of the arc, switched to his left hand, dropped his shoulder, and accelerated, once again forcing a drive past Iverson.
Before Diawara on the left wing could reach out to help on Defense, Lee leaned into his defender near the elbow and suddenly spun like a top.
The mont he entered the paint, he grabbed the ball with his right hand and smoothly tossed it towards the rim.
Allen Iverson didn't even have ti to make a defensive move before the ball swished through the net.
After Carlo Anthony's strong drive to the basket from the right block and a missed turnaround layup, Chandler grabbed the rebound, and Grant Hill, receiving the ball, initiated another fast break.
The Denver Nuggets failed to retreat on Defense this ti, and Nene Hilario was left behind Tayshaun Prince.
Despite Nene Hilario's loud shouts, Carlo Anthony still charged directly towards Clay Lee, who was running to the right wing.
With no help on Defense, Grant Hill crossed half-court and delivered a perfect through-pass, assisting Tayshaun Prince for a fast-break dunk up the middle!
50:30, the lead extended to 20 points, and the Pepsi Center fell silent.
In the final few minutes of the first half, Allen Iverson struggled, missing consecutive field goals and becoming virtually invisible, aside from free throws.
The Denver Nuggets barely managed to stay in the ga, relying on Carlo Anthony's repeated attacks at the basket and second-chance rebounds.
On the final possession, Diawara, inbounding from the baseline, tried to find Allen Iverson, who had rushed past half-court.
After a long throw, the Denver Nuggets fans at the Pepsi Center let out another gasp.
"Oh!"
The mont Iverson received the ball and twisted his body, Lee suddenly rushed forward and stole the ball, then pursued it, sprinted past half-court, and after three long strides, pulled up for a running jump shot!
The tir light behind the rim flashed, and as if anticipating what was about to happen, the Pepsi Center suddenly fell silent.
The Denver Nuggets players watched Clay Lee twist his body and raise both hands in premature celebration, while the fans at the Pepsi Center watched the ball swish through the net, followed by scattered boos echoing through the Arena.
66:41, the first half ended, and the ga lost its suspense.
1-of-6 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line in the quarter, Allen Iverson failed to step up in the crucial monts, scoring only 5 points, which made Hubie Brown on the comntary desk sigh quietly:
"It seems the Denver Nuggets still need to gel, and Head Coach George Karl has many problems to solve."
8-of-10 from the field, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, with 20 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal, Clay Lee's efficient performance kept Mike Breen praising him non-stop:
"Clay Lee once again demonstrated his dominance. It seems Allen Iverson won't be able to break the curse tonight."
"Continuing their charge towards the 11th championship in franchise history, Clay Lee will create another miracle!"
Although this was a nationally televised ga, by the latter part of the 3rd quarter, the ga had entered garbage ti.
The New York Knicks began large-scale substitutions, while the Denver Nuggets did not pull their starting lineup.
Allen Iverson and Carlo Anthony remained in, continuing to try and find their rhythm.
When Lee returned to the bench, he chatted with Grant Hill about All-Star voting, and their cheerful conversation seed to provoke Allen Iverson on the court.
During a fast break, Rajon Rondo shook off Allen Iverson and attempted a dunk, but was grabbed around the neck and pulled down.
"Fuck you! Show so respect!"
Allen Iverson glared at Rajon Rondo, who stumbled to his feet.
Upon hearing the taunt, Rajon Rondo's anger surged.
This was garbage ti, after all.
Apparently not expecting the rookie to dare attack him, when Rajon Rondo landed a backhand punch and a straight punch successively on Allen Iverson's face, the superstar staggered.
"Oh!"
Amidst the fans' gasps, Carlo Anthony rushed forward and landed an old-fashioned punch on Rajon Rondo's face.
Before he could throw another punch, JR Smith, who had rushed up from behind, tackled him to the ground.
Both sides exchanged punches rapidly, and before the referees could react, the players who had rushed onto the court were already engaged in a brawl, prompting both comntators to exclaim simultaneously:
"God! How did the ga suddenly turn into this?!"
....
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