Champion, please stay!

Chapter 231, page 229: As the fight went on, the opponent collapsed!
During the Christmas battle, Yi Shui had been wondering about this.

James at the peak of his athleticism;
O'Neal was in excellent form, playing even more easily than he did with the Suns, and receiving the best refereeing treatment since leaving the Lakers;
There are plenty of excellent blue-collar players in the paint; the shooting lineup is truly impressive...

With Garnett's offense collapsing and his defense declining, even if the Cavaliers were no match for the Celtics, they shouldn't have lost three games in a row and been eliminated.

But seeing Jamison join the Cavaliers yesterday cleared up Yi Shui's confusion.

Previously, O'Neal played with ease, scoring efficiently and protecting the rim well, for two reasons. First, he was not affected by the three-second rule and could "stay" under the basket. Second, second-year player JJ Hickson emerged. Although his one-on-one defense was poor, he was very good at sticking to his opponents and blocking players who were driving or cutting in, guiding them into O'Neal's rim protection area, similar to Swift. He did an excellent job in one-on-one defensive tasks that did not require much effort.

When Varejao played power forward alongside O'Neal, he was also doing these dirty and tiring jobs.

With the addition of All-Star power forward Antawn Jamison, who earns over ten million dollars a year, the Cavaliers are unlikely to start second-year player Hickson again. At most, they will let Jamison adapt in the first few games.

When O'Neal's starting frontcourt partner changed from Hickson to Jamison, he had to protect the rim on his own like he did with the Lakers and Heat. It was impossible for him to play 10 minutes per game in the first quarter as before; even half a quarter would be tough!

Excessive fatigue, declining performance, injuries, and further collapse in form... the moment Jamison joined the team, O'Neal's future was already predictable.

However, given that the opponent played so well on both offense and defense at the start of the game, the team was able to take the lead by the end of the first quarter... all thanks to the four offensive rebounds in the first half of the quarter.

...

After the players returned to the bench, D'Antoni made lineup rotations.

Apart from Yi Shui, the other four players who were on the field were substituted.

Birdman has been playing for almost 11 minutes, while Duhon, Webster, and Harrington have been playing for almost 6 minutes.

The opposing team has a roster with a salary of nearly 100 million and excellent depth; we cannot leave players with insufficient stamina on the field.

D'Antoni brought on Chalmers and Hughes in the backcourt, and in the frontcourt, after a moment's hesitation, he brought on Barnes and Swift.

After the timeout, seeing Mo Williams, Delonte West, James, Hickson, Varejao on the opposing team... the mustache curled up at the corner of his mouth.

Correct prediction!

If the opposing team brings in Jamison and Varejao in the paint, his rotation will be a disaster. Although David Lee can't stop Jamison, he can target Jamison.

However, the opposing head coach, Mike Brown, is not a player who likes to take risks. After suffering a defensive disadvantage at the start, he will definitely choose to use Hickson more often, rather than Jamison, whose defensive ability and habits are both poor.

The Cavaliers are on offense, inbounding the ball from the center line.

Barnes on the top, Yi in the middle, Chalmers on the wing, Swift on the baseline... King's exclusive defensive package is ready!
Apart from Hughes, who was guarding Mo Williams, the other four were ready to surround James!

But after receiving the inbound pass from Delonte West, Mo Williams ignored James calling for the ball at the left 45-degree angle and started to isolate and attack!
Facing Hughes' defense, Mo Williams drove to the basket one-on-one, pulled up a step inside the three-point line, and unleashed a long two-pointer...

hit!

Mo Buchuan: Tch, you still claim to be the best team to deal with King, but you don't even know where King is positioned or what he's trying to do?
The offense and defense switched, and Yi Shui moved to the right 45-degree angle.

The handling methods differ drastically depending on the difference in point difference.

If the score is around 10 points, the trailing side might not be in a hurry to catch up. They would often choose to play at a disadvantage and wait for an opportunity, because they might not be able to catch up even after three or five rounds.

But with a 5-point deficit, they must catch up immediately; scoring two goals in a row could tie or even give them the lead.

Last season, when the Cavaliers faced similar situations, it was King who stepped up to take the lead. This time, it was Mo who didn't pass... Yi Shui was indeed very surprised.

It doesn't matter! It's the same no matter who comes!
Yi Shui received the ball on the right side of the top arc, with Hickson guarding him very closely.

He raised his hand to feint a shot, and Hickson pressed forward. He made a simple left-handed push and change of direction, getting past Hickson and advancing down the right flank!
James collapsed from the wing, and his timing, speed, and interception of Barnes' passing lanes were all excellent.

James has continued the defensive skills he honed under Ben Wallace's watchful eye for a year and a half this season.

While their one-on-one defense against technically skilled players remains mediocre, they are arguably the most effective in defending against reckless, penetrating players.

His mid-range help defense is also among the best in the league. Although James has made some puzzling changes in some aspects this season, his defensive attitude has not declined.

Hickson's close-range blocking and playmaking were so good, O'Neal had such good opportunities to stay under the basket, and James' mid-range help defense was indispensable.

Just as James was about to close in on him, Yi Shui suddenly stopped abruptly, without any rhythm! He raised his hand...

James quickly lunged to block the shot, but Yi Shui pushed the ball down again as he bent over... James flew past Yi Shui.

Yi Shui strikes again!

As James landed unsteadily and fell face-first to the ground, Yi Shui hit a long two-pointer from just outside the free-throw line!
Boos erupted from the crowd. James, who was pulled up by his teammates, looked ashen-faced, feeling thoroughly humiliated!

That was outrageous! He doesn't know how to use rhythm in his game, and he can't defend against rhythm-based attacks, but even if he hasn't eaten pork, he's seen pigs run, and he knows that Yi Shui's shot just now was definitely not in rhythm.

But a player who relies on rhythm actually deliberately abandoned the rhythm to force a shot, and he made it!

When the Cavaliers were on offense, Yi Shui directed his teammates to adjust their defense.

Although I don't know why, James probably won't continue to attack with the ball. Let Barnes handle the physical battles alone, and the team defense will be adjusted to regular teamwork.

As expected, Mo Williams launched an attack immediately after arriving at the frontcourt, and Hickson in the left elbow area did not give James any way to drive.

With teammates helping him from behind, Hughes was no longer worried about being beaten by Mo Williams. He pressed close to him, guarding against Mo Williams' long-range strong shots.

Mo Williams successfully drove to the three-point line, but couldn't completely shake off Hughes, so he chose to pass the ball to... West!

West received the ball at the right 45-degree angle in the long two-point area. Chalmers was chasing closely. West then took over and made a one-on-one play, successfully getting past Chalmers, driving to the elbow area, and lobbing the ball...

The two point guards repeatedly drove and passed to stretch the defense, leaving the weak side wide open!

James received the ball on the left sideline of the paint, took a step, pulled back, and slammed it in with a tomahawk dunk!
As Yi Shui attempted a three-pointer against Hickson's defense, the shot slid off the rim, and the long whistle blew.

At the end of the first quarter, the Knicks led the Cavaliers 26-23 by 3 points!
...

After the break, Yi Shui brought Chalmers, Hughes, Barnes, and Swift back onto the court.

He looked at the opposing players coming on, and just as the coaching staff had expected, the other side hadn't made any substitutions.

Trailing by only 3 points, the opposing team definitely wants to close the gap or even take the lead immediately.

Let alone now, even back when Shaq was with the Lakers and Heat, he struggled during comebacks and was better suited for games where the score was even. Besides, he was too exhausted in the first quarter tonight, so it's impossible for him to continue playing in the second quarter.

Jamison, Mike Brown probably doesn't know how to use him yet. His tactical role in the first half of the first quarter was just to draw attention away from the ball, and he barely touched it twice.

Then we definitely have to continue using a twin towers lineup that combines defensive and athletic abilities.

In the backcourt, Mo Williams and Jerry West are a perfect match for LeBron James. Both can drive, shoot, and pass, with the former excelling in one-on-one long-range shooting and the latter in driving to the basket. Their playing styles complement each other, and both can provide excellent passing for James.

The second quarter began with the Cavaliers taking the lead.

The Knicks' defensive anticipation was correct this time; the opposing team did indeed rely on two point guards to control the ball and launch the main attack!

West and Hickson initiated a pick-and-roll offense, and the Knicks were already prepared defensively. Swift extended out to a position close to the mid-range to block, while Yi Shui collapsed on the wing and, together with Barnes, covered James as he cut in, making for a very targeted defense.

But Varejao pulled out in time to screen Chalmers, and Mo Williams received the pass from West and took a three-pointer... and it went in!
The Cavaliers have tied the game at 26-26!

In the transition between offense and defense, Yi Shui received the ball again at the right 45-degree angle. He raised his hand, and Hickson pressed forward. Yi Shui leaned down, and Hickson suddenly took a step back. James on the wing also made a contraction movement, but Yi Shui stopped his sprint, jumped, and released a three-pointer...

Because of the 'preparatory action,' the 'tower sniper' couldn't be triggered, but Yi Shui still managed to score! It was purely due to his sense of rhythm and solid fundamentals!
The Knicks have regained a 3-point lead!
The two teams engaged in a back-and-forth battle.

The Cavaliers executed beautiful team offensive plays, and the Knicks defended very hard, but the Cavaliers' inside and outside offense connected!

Varejao lacks scoring ability, but he is very proactive in executing tactics and is willing to do any hard work. After setting a screen in the mid-range, he immediately goes to set a screen outside the three-point line, seemingly tireless.

Hickson excels at executing pick-and-rolls, providing solid screens and making sharp cuts; the two point guards have excellent chemistry; James' off-ball movement awareness is top-notch...

With Ben Affleck absent, Yi Shui is the only one connecting the inside and outside defense, so while he can cover the inside, he can't cover the outside.

It was beyond their defensive capabilities!

Fortunately, Yi Shui got into the zone in singles.

For most of the first quarter, he wasn't the main scorer, only launching fast breaks during the few possessions when O'Neal's performance declined rapidly. Now, his physical condition is excellent.

Chalmers and Hughes both have the ability to distribute the ball at set points, while Barnes and Swift are aggressive in pressing and can also help compress the defense to some extent, resulting in a good performance in positional play.

Occasionally, counter-attack opportunities arose, and Hughes pushed forward, with Yi Shui launching a mindless, full-speed charge, seizing the opportunities very well.

They put up a tough fight against the Cavaliers!

At 6 minutes and 22 seconds, Yi Shui broke through and passed the ball, then continued to cut in. He received a pass back from Chalmers on the sideline, jumped over Hickson, pulled up to avoid Varejao's block, and threw the ball into the basket.

The Cavaliers called a timeout!

The score is currently 40-38. The Knicks have managed to maintain their slight lead thanks to Yi Shui's strong attack inside.

However, the Knicks lost this half of the quarter, scoring 14 points while the Cavaliers scored 15.

Yi Shui returned to the bench, ignoring the water offered by the Gatorade staff, took the water bottle handed to him by Curry, took a small sip, and continued to pant heavily.

The energy drinks sponsored by the league are not inherently bad in terms of quality, but they taste terrible. Yi Shui tolerated them for a year last season, but couldn't take it anymore, so he asked the team nutritionist to help prepare drinks for the team at the start of this year's preseason.

Recently, he, Curry, Chalmers, and David Lee have been thinking about starting their own energy drink brand.

He originally planned to pay for it himself, but David Lee, an American with deep pockets, rejected the idea.

David Lee proposed that Yi Shui and Curry invest as endorsements, that he invest through his family's connections, and that other wealthy people invest... but Chalmers still had to invest money.

Yi Shui quickly recovered; she had been exhausted because the continuous, intense attacks had taken a heavy toll in a short period.

Chalmers' ball-handling and attacking ability is not good in the NBA, and Hughes is no longer as good as he used to be, so he needs to rest when he gets tired, and he basically takes a break for one possession before taking the next turn.

He looked across at James, who was patting his teammates on the shoulders to boost morale.

With two point guards leading the offense, James providing support, and the two big men actively setting screens and cutting to compress the defense... In Yi Shui's opinion, the Cavaliers' style of play from the end of the first quarter to the middle of the second quarter was more offensively powerful and harder to defend than the starting lineup's three shooters spreading out, James driving and dishing, and O'Neal providing support on both wings in the paint.

However, Yi Shui was neither surprised nor confused that the Cavaliers did not use this as their core playing style.

...

Both teams made roster changes.

Mike Brown brought in a lineup of Daniel Gibson, Anthony Parker, James, Hickson, and O'Neal.

The benefits of having James are evident: all rotations can revolve around him. Mike Brown doesn't yet know how to utilize Jamison's all-around offensive capabilities, and Jamison is a liability on defense, so he can simply be left out, since he's already been given the courtesy of starting him.

D'Antoni also chose to keep Yi Shui on the court. After the winning streak ended, he began to reduce Yi Shui's playing time, which was for this month. Curry and David Lee, who had rested for almost a quarter, came on, and Duhon and Birdman, who had rested for half a quarter, were also substituted in.

After the timeout, the Cavaliers went on offense.

The "Shark King" duo made another appearance, sending the fans into a frenzy of cheers and screams.

Although the Cavaliers faltered for a few minutes in the latter part of the first quarter, they had returned to form under James' leadership after more than half a quarter.

Now that O'Neal is on the court, the fans in the arena all feel that the early advantage is about to be brought back!
However, O'Neal received the ball in the low post and tried to back down Bird, but couldn't get past him. His hook shot was too short and hit the outside of the rim!
However, O'Neal's physical advantage was obvious, and he rushed forward to grab the rebounding ball. Fortunately, Birdman was aggressive enough, and just as O'Neal grasped the ball, Birdman swiped it away! Duhon, who had moved in, grabbed the ball and started a fast break!
Yi Shui sprinted down the court, Curry followed up to draw attention, and Du Hong advanced the ball. The three-man fast break formation was good, but unfortunately, when the ball passed from Yi Shui back to Du Hong on the wing, the three-pointer missed. Neither Curry nor Yi Shui blamed Du Hong. Du Hong also showed great composure, calling for Yi Shui and Curry to retreat on defense after the missed shot. He then took the lead and blocked James, who was running towards their basket, preventing Anthony Parker from lobbing the ball to James and giving Yi Shui time to get back on defense in front of James.

The biggest frustration for James tonight was that the transition offense and defense didn't go well, and the mismatches weren't created. At least last season, he could easily create such offensive opportunities.

In a half-court game, James set a screen for Hickson and drove past David Lee... He was sandwiched between David Lee and Yi Shui, who retreated immediately after the screen, at the free-throw line distance.

If James were to run a pick-and-roll with Gibson or Anthony Parker, Yi Shui would be wary of those two's shooting and would switch on defense, sending either the Akron Mountain or the hidden Duke Mountain to guard James. But Hickson...

After James was forced to call a timeout, he quickly passed the ball to Hickson. Unlike last season when he caught the ball in a mid-range shot, Hickson was not at a loss and took the shot decisively... This was his 18th mid-range shot of the season, bringing his mid-range shooting performance to 2 out of 20.

Yi Shui, having recovered, used Birdman's positioning to grab the defensive rebound and, without stopping, passed the ball to Du Hong, then charged forward!
This time, the Knicks launched a counterattack! All-out attack!

Yi Shui received a long pass from Du Hong during a sprint, stepped into the three-point line, pressed down two steps, and then passed it back.

Curry received the ball at the top of the arc, and James sprinted straight ahead so fast that he managed to block Curry from inside the free-throw line.

Curry looked up at the basket, and James flew away!
Curry took a step to the right front, shaking off James's aerial cover, and launched a long two-pointer from a step inside the top arc... and it went in!
The Knicks led 42-38, extending their lead to 4 points!
The cheers and boos from the fans at the stadium had almost died down.

The situation wasn't what they expected! Why was it that even though O'Neal was back on the court, they couldn't win?

When the Cavaliers were on offense, James drove hard into the paint despite Yi Shui's strong defense!

This time, James was really going all out. His footwork was quicker. Before his starting space was blocked, he pushed forward and squeezed past Yi Shui and the defender Birdman to the right side of the basket. He then threw the ball through the gaps in the defense... and it went in!
This shot ignited the crowd; they had the King! No matter how tough things get, the Kings will carry them forward!

As the game transitioned from offense to defense, Yi Shui took a deep breath and ran towards the frontcourt, ready to launch an attack.

Having finally managed to put the opponent's momentum in check, we can't let James regain his momentum.

The difference in roster strength is indeed obvious. Without those four offensive rebounds in the first half of the first quarter, and if his shooting touch had been a little off in the first half, they would be behind now. They need to take advantage of the absence of Mo Buk and West, their two point guards, to gain a certain advantage.

But when Yi Shui got to the frontcourt to receive the ball, he saw Curry wave at him and then raise his index finger.

This is his usual tactical gesture – signaling his teammates to spread out so he can take possession of the ball and attack.

Yi Shui hesitated for a moment, then ran towards the right baseline.

Curry was under pressure and excited at the moment. Yi Shui had already played for more than a quarter and a half, and had many one-on-one plays in the first half of the second quarter. He needed to take a break, and this was the time for Curry to step up.

After his teammates were in position, Curry faced Gibson's close defense and initiated the attack with a pick-and-roll with David Lee, who had already moved out!
After using a screen, Curry, along with Hickson who had switched, charged all the way to the right elbow area, entered James' help defense zone, and passed to the left wing!

David Lee squeezed past Gibson, who had switched onto him, and cut inside, receiving the ball close to the basket on the left side!

O'Neal couldn't get a chance to help, and David Lee made a floater!
The Knicks maintained their four-point lead at 44-40!
After sitting on the bench for a quarter, Curry and David Lee didn't just sit idly by; instead, they actively communicated and discussed how to deal with the defense of James, Hickson, and O'Neal.

They had already experienced this in the middle of the first quarter when they were playing half-court offense. Even if O'Neal was tired, as long as James and Hickson could guide the players who were driving or cutting into the restricted area, O'Neal's rim protection was also very good.

The James-Hickson frontcourt duo was unavoidable, so one of them would actively dive into the defensive zone while the other would deal with O'Neal.

There was a gamble involved. If O'Neal could get back into the three-second zone after the break and do what he did at the beginning of the game, David Lee would be finished. Luckily, they gambled correctly!

Curry, David Lee, and LeBron James are at odds!
When James got really into it, his drives were fierce. For the past half quarter, he mainly focused on off-ball cuts to the basket, and he also found his rhythm with his floater.

Gibson and Anthony Parker are both excellent shooters with a 40%+ three-point shooting percentage. They can spread out the floor enough, and Hickson can pull out to screen for the guards and also take David Lee away.

Facing the defense of Yi Shui and Birdman, James made strong drives to the basket or fed the ball to O'Neal, putting up quite good offensive plays.

But Curry and David Lee, taking advantage of Yi Shui's presence, executed pick-and-roll offenses that were also quite effective. With Birdman's aggressive drives and Yi Shui's occasional fast breaks, they didn't fall behind!

James tried to launch a powerful attack, but Curry and David Lee held him back!
Towards the end of the second quarter, James drove to the basket and passed to Anthony Parker, creating an open shot opportunity, but Anthony Parker missed!

In transition, Curry continued to initiate the offense using screens. Varejao, who had come off the bench, hesitated whether to push forward. Curry seized the opportunity, and without being able to see the basket, he followed his instincts and launched a tough three-pointer...

In!

The Knicks' lead has increased from 4 to 7 points, now 58-51!
When it was the Cavaliers' turn to attack, James got anxious.

He scored 8 points and 2 assists in half a quarter, leading his team to 13 points. The point difference not only failed to narrow, but the opposing Akron Mountain hit a three-pointer to widen the gap to 3 points!
Facing Yi Shui's defense, James slammed the ball down, stepped back, and launched a three-pointer... He was also gambling on his shooting touch!
The Wizards proved that gambling and drugs have no good ending.

Elementary school students usually lose hundreds or thousands of dollars every time they play cards to accumulate good karma, but they have decent luck when gambling on basketball.

James is known as the "King of Gamblers" for his gambling on the team, and no one can beat him. However, his luck with gambling-style shots on the court has never been great.

This ball is iron!

David Lee secured the defensive rebound and passed it to Duhon.

Yi Shui, who had been mostly passive on offense, suddenly sprang into action and charged forward!
The Cavaliers' transition defense was quite good this time, which was also related to the fact that Birdman and David Lee were tired and couldn't move much. Although Yi Shui attracted the attention of Anthony Parker and James to block him, Duhon still couldn't find a good time to pass the ball.

After passing the center circle, Du Hong decisively passed the ball to Curry, who had pulled out of position.

Curry turned and shook off Gibson, who was sticking to him. He took a step to the side, and James quickly rushed to cover for him.

Curry passes the ball!

Yi Shui turned and pushed past Anthony Parker to cut inside, receiving the ball in the elbow area, stepping forward and jumping to meet the onrushing Hickson...

Amidst the deafening screams of the fans near the baseline, Yi Shui, carrying Hickson, slammed the ball into the basket!

The referee blows the whistle, the goal stands, Hickson committed a defensive foul!
After landing, Yi Shui took several steps back, barely managing to stay upright and avoid falling!
When Yi Shui and Curry walked together, swaying their heads, and gave each other a high five, the fans in the stadium went crazy, booing and cursing wildly.

Yi Shui went to the free throw line and made the extra free throw!

The first half ended with Gibson receiving a buzzer-beating pass and attempting a contested three-pointer over Curry's interference, which missed.

The Knicks led the Cavaliers 61-51 at halftime!
...

After halftime, Yi Shui and his teammates returned to the field.

Despite having taken a 10-point lead, Yi Shui remained vigilant.

Throughout the entire 24 minutes of the first half, they held a clear advantage for a maximum of less than 4 minutes.

For at least 20 minutes, they were actually in a passive state.

In positional play, their priority should be limiting the opponent's offense, and they should adjust their lineup accordingly. The key issue is that they haven't been able to contain them yet. Of the Cavaliers' 51 points, 49 were scored in those 20 minutes! During that period, the Knicks only managed 46 points.

只是在另外那4分钟，对面进攻断档了，只拿到2分，而他们尼克斯队在此期间反击快打旋风轰起来了，8投6中、其中三分球3中2、加上1中1的罚球轰了15分。

This style of play, which involves launching a strong fast break and scoring quickly after intense competition, means that even if he is "charging ahead," he cannot guarantee that he can seize every opportunity.

Unlike the Celtics and Spurs, whose key players are mostly in their prime, the Cavaliers, apart from their center who is a bit old, have a lineup that is not yet fully developed.

In the first half, apart from the Knicks' strategy of exhausting O'Neal, which exceeded expectations, the Knicks actually put more strain on their opponents in other positions.

Sure enough, D'Antoni brought in a rotation lineup that included him, Curry, and David Lee, with Webster and Swift as his partners. At least in the early stages of the third quarter, they weren't thinking about going all out.

However, the fierce battle against pressure they had predicted did not materialize when the third quarter began.

The opposing team's tactics have fallen apart!

James drove and dished out like crazy, and Mo Williams, Gibson, and Jamison circled around him to shoot, regardless of whether the opportunity was good or bad when they received the ball!
Jamison actually felt this was inappropriate, but the new team's head coach and star player were both impatient and wanted to quickly close the gap by relying on their three-point shooting team, so he could only follow suit.

When the Cavaliers first came on, their aggressive style of play really startled the Knicks, who thought it was some amazing tactic. But after a couple of possessions, they realized that the Cavaliers were just standing still, receiving the ball and shooting... that's all they did!
This scene reminded the Knicks of Game 4 of the second round last season, when the Cavaliers played like this after losing confidence.

Although I don't know why the opponent suddenly lost confidence when they were playing so well, that doesn't matter. Strike while the iron is hot and finish them off!
On offense, the Cavaliers relentlessly fired three-pointers; on defense, they became more aggressive.

D'Antoni's decision to field his three strongest one-on-one players at the same time turned out to be a lucky break. When the opposing team lost their composure and their defensive coordination fell apart, it was the perfect opportunity for the star players to seize the chance to score!
In the third quarter, the Knicks outscored the Cavaliers 25-18, and after three quarters, they led the Cavaliers 86-69 by 17 points!
This was after Yi Shui was substituted by Harrington in the second half of the third quarter, when the score was 15-6 in the first half of the quarter!

In the fourth quarter, Yi Shui returned to the court. Facing James' defense, he received the ball, faked a shot to attract James' attention, twisted his waist and took a step to block the position, and drove straight to the inside through the middle.

Curry circled around the top arc on the outside, and together with Yi Shui who was driving forward, they drew the entire opposing defense to the middle, leaving the left long-range area completely open!
Yi Shui passed the ball to Hughes on the left sideline, who caught it and launched a three-pointer... and it went in!
The Knicks extended their lead to 20 points, 89-69!
The fans in the stadium lost their temper, cursing Hughes wildly, calling him a traitor and a damn...

The fans were devastated, and so were the Cavaliers players. The moment the point difference reached 20, they lost even the slightest bit of fighting spirit they had when it came to mindlessly shooting three-pointers.

Originally, the Cavaliers players had shaken off the shadow of last season's playoffs after more than 30 games.

With O'Neal's addition, their performance in the early stages of this season was much better than last season.

Despite the opponent's incredible 16-game winning streak at the start, their record wasn't too far behind, and after two and a half months of playing, they've narrowed the gap to just 2.5 wins.

This helped them regain their confidence.

After acquiring Jamison, a top power forward who consistently averages 20+ points per game and has been selected to the All-Star team twice, in yesterday's trade, their confidence is even higher. They are determined to avenge last season's playoff defeat tonight and will play as hard as they can in the first half.

However, the opposing team, the 08 draft class duo who had thrashed them in last season's playoffs, pulled ahead by double digits with a 'small burst of energy'!
The reality was so different from what we expected that the sense of disappointment was immense...

When the point difference widened to 20 points, not only did the fans in the arena break down, but the Cavaliers players also lost their composure!

...

The Knicks failed to get going in the final quarter, neither in half-court sets nor in fast breaks. They had played too aggressively in the first half, and even though Yi Shui could drive hard, he couldn't break through. The opposing defense ignored everyone else and focused solely on him. Including Hughes' three-pointer, the team only scored 22 points in the entire quarter, making only 8 of 21 shots.

However, they played very easily throughout the quarter, and didn't even need to be on guard against the opponent's momentum like they were in the third quarter.

Because the opposing team really started playing haphazardly, James drove to the basket and shot against double teams, pushed the fast break and shot against interference... He made some shots, but missed most of them. He only made 4 of 11 shots in the quarter, plus 3 of 5 free throws, and only scored 11 points. The Cavaliers as a whole only scored 20 points!
The match ended at 10:24 PM.

The Knicks defeated the Cavaliers 108-89, a 19-point blowout!
The fans at the stadium couldn't believe what they were seeing and were cursing the away team players, but the bright red scoreline... drove them even crazier, and a riot broke out at the stadium!
People from the Rust Belt often lead a repressed life due to economic reasons, and they rely on watching sports to vent their emotions. Regardless of whether they win or lose, they are prone to causing trouble, especially when they encounter rivals with whom they have a grudge.

People from the Rust Belt understand people from the Rust Belt better than anyone else. The Cavaliers' management had already made preparations and arranged a large amount of security.

D'Antoni, not even bothering with post-game celebrations, led his players away from the scene at lightning speed.

They're considered New Yorkers now, right? They wouldn't dare get into a fight with people from the Rust Belt; New Yorkers have never won a fight…

But once we get back to the resort, we can have a wild celebration!

Hearing his teammates talking about how incredible the second half was and how the opponent collapsed, Yi Shui was also surprised. The first half was so difficult, and he thought the second half would be an even more brutal battle, but he didn't expect to win so easily.

He seemed to understand why, in the original timeline, in the second round of this year's playoffs, after the Cavaliers were leading 2-1, they were defeated by Rondo's super triple-double in Game 4, and then had no chance to fight back in Games 5 and 6, losing three games in a row and being eliminated 2-4.

Previously, when he thought of teams that were "not good at playing from behind and only good at winning straight away," he always thought of the Spurs and Duncan. Now he realizes that James and his team seem to be similar...

Yi Shui was quite excited about winning the game, but when he opened the system and saw the task progress, he was stunned.

The 'Royal Power' campaign is progressing smoothly. They won 1-0 in the regular season matchup. If they win two more of their next three matches against the Cavaliers, they will complete their mission.

But his path to becoming the scoring champion has fallen behind!

今晚他22投10中、其中三分球8中3，加上7中7的罚球，拿到30分21板6助攻2抢断2盖帽。

对面詹姆斯……36分8板9助攻1抢断2盖帽！

He took out his phone and checked the game report: James scored 7 points in the first quarter, 13 points in the second quarter, 5 points in the third quarter, and 11 points in the final quarter...

Yi: Damn it, next time in the fourth quarter I'm going to throw it 11 times too!
(End of this chapter)