NBA: Miracle Workers

On Tuesday, June 9, 2015, the Warriors faced a crucial Game 3, and just like in previous years, the "do-or-die" game arrived as scheduled.
Before the series returned to New York, the two away games were mostly dominated by performances from young players such as Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, and Serge Ibaka.

Although these young people are not efficient in terms of data and often make basic mistakes in the game, from the perspective of "performance", they are undoubtedly the main characters.

This situation is understandable, after all, Li You is already 37 years old and will be 38 at the end of the year.

At this age, it's impossible to dominate the field like you did when you were young. Time will fairly and justly erode every great athlete; aging is a fact that no one can resist.

Of course, compared to the greatest stars in NBA history, Li You has already created a miracle at the age of 37, with his basic stats still leading the league and his advanced stats still rising!
Based solely on data analysis, Li You doesn't seem like he's 37 years old, but after watching the game, commentators felt that this was indeed the kind of performance expected of "old men's basketball."
The disconnect between data and actual performance has puzzled many professional sports commentators, leading to a polarization in public opinion over the past two years.
"Li's performance has started to decline; there's a problem with the advanced data model!"

"Li is still improving; his understanding of the game has reached another level!"

Those who prefer watching video footage insist that the data is flawed, while those who prefer analyzing Excel spreadsheets enthusiastically praise Li You as "superhuman." However, despite these polarized opinions, the Knicks' official account, which knows Li You best, has consistently maintained a unified stance:

“Li made tremendous efforts to maintain his physical condition, and Manhattan at 4 a.m. witnessed it all.”

MSG's reports are clearly nonsense. Lee Woo's private life has already been thoroughly exposed, and even which lady he meets with every day is a topic of great interest to gossip enthusiasts.

Media reporters had long reported that Li You had not participated in team training camps for many years, but no one in the NBA circle believed the news, and many star players scoffed at the topic.

If they can maintain their physical condition without training and easily defeat everyone, then what are those who use advanced technology and train like crazy?
Most players can accept losing to a hardworking and incredibly talented superstar, but they can't accept the idea of ​​a true "championship game."
The Warriors' young players have been heavily influenced by the motivational rhetoric of MSG and the New York media since they entered the league. They firmly believe that crazy running and endless switching on defense can wear down "Old James".

Even with the same tactical system, their youth is their biggest advantage, and everyone firmly believes that they can perform better than their opponents in the series.

Unfortunately, reality was too cruel. Perhaps due to a lack of championship experience, the Warriors started very slowly in the first two games and performed poorly throughout. At this point, many players began to doubt themselves.

In the crucial Game 3, as the game entered the second half, the Warriors' young players began to question their very existence.
"Oh!"

With 6 minutes and 4 seconds left in the third quarter, Madison Square Garden erupted in deafening cheers once again. New York fans who had bought expensive tickets were extremely excited, and the GOAT did not disappoint.

The cheers wouldn't stop as soon as he received the ball on the left wing after his run-up. Iguodala, who was marking him, felt his scalp tingle. The veteran was a bit dazed. His old rival was not in good form!

Li You, who received the ball, did not give his old opponent much time to think. When Green at the top of the arc began to move, he faked to the right and then broke through to the left. After releasing the ball with his left hand, he lowered his shoulder and accelerated, crushing the opponent.

Iguodala, who had just slid in, instantly lost half his body position. When Li You made a sudden stop in the blocking area to make physical contact, the veteran leaned back and immediately jumped up to block the shot.

"Oh! Lee's scoring spree continues! A simple fadeaway jumper, Iguodala looks like he's giving it his all!"

On the ABC commentary desk, Mike Breen exclaimed in surprise and began to mock the Warriors' defense, saying that no one, young or old, could match the GOAT.

With the score at 59-74, the Warriors called another timeout. They had only scored 5 points so far in the third quarter, and their excellent first-half performance suddenly collapsed. Steve Kerr was starting to get nervous.
Seeing Mark Jackson feel sorry for the Warriors, who were only down by 4 points at halftime, only to be suddenly overwhelmed by Li You's outburst, is truly hard to accept.
"Tonight was Curry's best half, scoring 24 points and hitting 6 three-pointers, but his performance in the third quarter has been disappointing so far."

"Perhaps it's related to physical condition; Curry has only rested for one minute so far, but that's no excuse for him to disappear."

"."

14中9，三分线外9中6，库里拿到轰下24分2篮板3助攻1抢断4失误的全能数据，成功帮助勇士队紧咬比分。

However, after the start of the third quarter, Curry missed all three of his subsequent shots, except for one long two-pointer that was just off the line.

Apart from Barnes hitting a three-pointer when he was left wide open, no other player scored. The "death lineup" that was deployed early on indeed led the team to their doom.

Van Gundy didn't think too much about it. Many times, a superstar who finds their shooting touch is indeed unstoppable; Curry's difficult three-pointer in the first half was a prime example. He then jokingly chimed in:

"Curry is just cooling down; the Warriors need more players to step up and score."

"Young people may still have wishful thinking. No one knows better than Lee how to finish a game. When the opponent is in good form, the greatest player in history chooses to exert his strength in the third quarter."

Anxious Steve Kerr calmly laid out the tactics, while Curry, panting heavily, didn't react when he saw the offense being handed to Thompson, and even prayed in his heart that his teammate could break the scoring drought.

In the first possession after the timeout, amidst cheers from the defense, Thompson, who had been making continuous cross-cutting runs along the baseline, received a pass from Iguodala on the right wing and immediately broke through.

Thompson, facing Irving near the defensive zone, took a step back after the contact and finally made a drifting jump shot from near the baseline on the right side!
With the score at 61-74, Thompson shouted as he scored, the young man not wanting the series to end there.

With eight seconds left on his dribble past half-court, Irving wasn't in a hurry to attack. The Knicks players were already in position, and when Li You accelerated his run along the baseline, the Warriors players quickly responded to each other.

Thompson, on the defensive, nimbly bypassed Ibaka's screen near the left baseline. Green tried to move up to the baseline as well, but his arm got tangled, and he could only shout loudly to try to attract the referee's attention.

Instead of risking a steal, Thompson on the left wing quickly lowered his center of gravity, but when he saw Li You feint to receive the ball, he instinctively leaned forward.
Thompson's instinctive reaction greatly frustrated him, and he looked anxious. When Li You put the ball down, Thompson immediately turned to the side to prepare for a slide.

"Oh!"

Amid cheers, Li You dribbled only one step, then suddenly stepped back and calmly leaned back near the left sideline outside the three-point line, shooting another jump shot despite Thompson's block attempt.

As the basketball swished through the net, cheers erupted once again throughout the arena. Then, the ecstatic New York fans launched into another round of frenzied shouting and jeers, leaving the Warriors players speechless.
With his loud voice, Green arrived at half-court and shouted frantically to remind his teammates. When he received a pass from Curry at the top of the arc, he seized the opportunity and immediately delivered a through ball.

Iguodala nearly slapped his thigh in frustration, clearly Green was also affected by his emotions, and this simple offensive play was essentially a free win.
Curry, who accelerated his run to the basket, wished he had an extra pair of legs. After receiving the ball, he leaned forward, felt no contact, and extended his right arm from near the lower right side of the basket to dribble the ball and lay it up!

Li You, who had been adjusting his footwork, suddenly sprang up the moment the young man threw the ball, delivering a powerful block that sent the entire arena into a frenzy once again!

"Blocked by Lee!"

Mike Breen, raising his voice instantly, saw Li You take the ball and charge forward, first making a sharp turn to avoid Green who was trying to foul him, and then dribbling behind his back to get past the delayed Iguodala. He immediately yelled in surprise.

Thompson, who was desperately chasing after Li You from behind, gradually lost hope. Li You accelerated twice and sprinted faster and faster, and even off-ball movement couldn't keep up with him.
As Thompson gave up on the chase, Harrison Barnes, who had crossed half-court on the other side, had already reached the vicinity of the left elbow area. Just as he was about to adjust his pace, he suddenly saw Li You already airborne. The young man involuntarily stopped, his eyes wide as he watched Li You swing his right arm sideways, glide a long distance, and then unleash a powerful dunk!

"Lee! Oh my goodness!"

"He's flying! Ohhh!!"

Like the wildly enthusiastic New York fans at the stadium, Mike Breen kept exclaiming, "He's flying!" The gliding dunk from the free-throw line stunned everyone, and the bench players from both teams held their heads in their hands.

Li You, who completed the dunk, did not expect such a big reaction. Realizing that he had gone too far, he just smiled slightly at the camera. The New York fans behind him went completely crazy. This really looked like "Superman" playing basketball.
The cameramen and reporters who captured this spectacular dunk were also visibly excited, with one young man even unconsciously pulling on his companion and shouting:
"This guy is 37?! This is Superman! Li is really flying!"

The age factor not only drove the fans crazy, but Barnes, who witnessed it up close, couldn't close his mouth until Li You patted him and he finally came back to his senses.

"Learn how to enjoy the game; you all played exceptionally well tonight!"

This was the first time in the series that Li You had "chatted" with an opponent on the court. Perhaps influenced by Jimmy Butler's championship experience, Harrison Barnes immediately felt honored and then blurted out his thanks:

"This is our honor, God! It's incredible, I'll never forget that dunk."

After staring blankly for a moment, Green came to his senses and found Barnes smiling broadly next to Li You. Although he couldn't hear what his teammate was saying, he was sure that he was flattering him!

Green clapped repeatedly to remind his teammates. On the Warriors' offensive possession, Green once again found Iguodala cutting in from the top of the key. Under pressure, Butler committed a foul, and the veteran's layup bounced off the rim.

Back at Madison Square Garden, the young people stopped performing, mainly because New York fans weren't buying it; they'd spent a lot of money, and everyone was there to see the GOAT.

Without the incessant trash talk, Curry and his teammates seemed a bit out of sorts, and even after Iguodala made both free throws, their spirits remained low.

An impatient Green rushed out early to defend the pick-and-roll. Thompson, who was chasing, was blocked by Ibaka. Li You, who was moving laterally, suddenly lowered his center of gravity when facing the opponent who was pressing forward, and quickly took the ball forward.

Green, who tried to slide to catch up, was ultimately forced to stand still. In the blink of an eye, Li You, flying close to the ground, had already broken into the paint area.

"Oh!!"

Amidst the cheers that echoed throughout the arena, facing Barnes who suddenly stood under the basket trying to draw an offensive foul, Li You spun in mid-air, switched to his left hand, and calmly flew to the lower left of the basket for a light layup!
When the basketball banked into the basket, some of the Warriors' bench players cheered, with Barbosa, in a fawning manner, shouting "God!" repeatedly.

With a mid-air spin and a layup, 37-year-old Lee Yu soared once again, drawing repeated praises from the three commentators in the ABC commentary booth.

The series of performances completely changed the rhythm of the game, and the New York fans in the arena went crazy, no one was pretending anymore, and they started chanting "God-Lee".

In the next few minutes, everyone began to "cooperate" with the performance, and Li You also fulfilled the fans' expectations of "letting him swing," and began more aerial maneuvers.

He broke through two defenders and drove to the basket for a layup;
Facing his old rival one-on-one, he overpowered him with a powerful drive, then used a step-back move to create space for a thunderous dunk.

Steal and fast break with a tomahawk shot
Faced with Li You's sudden acceleration, the Warriors' young players were completely stunned. After the third quarter, all the players who returned to the bench stared intently at the coach, as if asking a silent question:

"How can a basketball game turn out like this? How can a 37-year-old player play like this?"

With 18:38 left in the quarter, the game entered garbage time. Before the start of the fourth quarter, D'Antoni was supposed to be interviewed, but the shouts of "God-Lee" from Madison Square Garden brought Li You to Doris Burke's side.

"28 points in a single quarter, that's a fantastic performance, incredible. I'm just as excited as the New York fans here."

"Let's talk about that dunk. At 37, he can still fly through the air; it's like he's 'Superman'."

The entire arena erupted in cheers. Doris Burke, forced to raise her voice, squeezed to the side and shouted a question. Li You, already changed into his practice clothes, gave a gentle smile to the camera and simply replied:

"This is all thanks to God, and to our outstanding coaching staff!"

"More scientific training is the secret to maintaining good physical condition, and the effort you put in will definitely pay off."

"However, after a series of high-intensity matches, I also need to rest. Fortunately, we have already gained a considerable lead."

After carefully examining Li You, Doris Burke noticed some sweat on his black hair and nodded repeatedly.

When discussing the match again, Li Youyi, who was about to secure match point, encouraged the young players as always, praising them for the first time in the series:

"Curry played exceptionally well tonight. We witnessed some amazing three-pointers in the first half. He seemed to have released some pressure after coming to the away game, which is a good thing for the young players."

"You know, this year's Finals point differential might be the lowest in recent years. This Warriors team is a historic team, and Coach Kerr has created a perfect tactical system!"

"These failures will accelerate their growth, and the Warriors have proven their strength with outstanding performances."

After the "Li You Recognition Award" was presented again, the cheers at Madison Square Garden almost lifted the roof off.

As Li You walked back to the bench, he didn't forget to chat and laugh with his old friends in the front row, many of whom he had known for over ten years. Some of the older fans who had bought front-row seats even stood up and cheered happily with their families.

The Finals suddenly turned into a personal showcase for Li You. New York fans didn't care about the Warriors players' performance at all, and nobody cared that Curry scored 6 points in 2 minutes.

The frenzied atmosphere made the young people uncomfortable. When Li You came on early and received the ball on the left wing, turned and hit a three-pointer, Madison Square Garden almost turned into a "religious scene."
"God-Lee! God-Lee! God-Lee!."

"." (End of this chapter)